a Calling 1. Let the consideration of your espousals to the Royal Bridegroom Jesus Christ be a holy check to your Affections that they do not inordinately run out after any strange Lovers 2. As you are a Child of God a Son or Daughter of the King of Heaven let it be your care to Love Honour and Obey your Father make addresses to him with a Child-like Confidence with a holy and humble Boldness actual dependance upon him for a supply of all Wants Bodily and Spiritual for this Life and that which is to come 3. As your Body is honoured to be a Temple for the Holy Ghost see that no sinful uncleanness or pollution be found upon it 1 Cor. 6.19 and 3.17 he that defileth the Temple of God him shall God destroy 4. As you are listed among the Lamb's followers look to the great Captain of your Salvation Heb. 2.10 Write after his Copy and follow his Example wherein it is imitable acquit your self as a good Soldier having on the whole Armour of God Ephes 6. for it is not with Flesh and Blood but with Principalities and Powers and spiritual Wickednesses in high Places you wrestle 5. As you have enter'd your self under the Tutorage of the great Prophet Jesus Christ be still taking out new Lessons from his Word and Spirit 6. As he is the High Priest of your Profession make use of him to lead you by the Hand into the Holy of Holies as often as you have occasion to go thither Ephes 2.13 18. Hebrews 2 end and 4 end 7. As you are a Subject of so glorious a Kingdom swear Fealty and Allegiance to your Sovereign be true and loyal to him keep the King's Laws for in so doing you may expect spiritual Peace Gal. 6.16 Psal 119.165 and protection from all Enemies 1 Pet. 3.13 Who is he that will harm you if ye are followers of that which is good 8. As you are a Fellow Citizens with the Saints Ephes 2.19 Let your Heart be united in the strictest Bond of Christian Love and Charity to all Heaven-born Ones Be not ashamed to own for your Equals and Companions such as are of the same Blood-royal with your self Psal 16.3 David though a Prince counted it no disparagement to familiarize himself with such whose Fellowship was with the Father and the Son Psal 119.63 9. As you are elected and redeemed from among Men Revel 14.3 4. be careful to keep you Garments clean from the pollutions of the World James 1.27 Be not partaker of other Mens Sins 1 Tim. 5.22 Shun all unnecessary converse with them that are visibly wicked Evil Communication corrupts good Manners 1 Cor. 15.33 10. As you are an Heir of Glory Born to an inheritance incorruptible undefiled and such as fadeth not away reserved for you in the Heavens 1 Pet. 1.3 4. mind Heavenly and not Earthly things set your Affections on things above not on Sublunaries Col. 3.1 Pass the time of your sojourning here in fear 1 Pet. 1.17 1 John 3.3 Every one that hath this Hope in him purifieth himself even as God is pure 2 Pet. 3.11 12 13 14. Wherefore Brethren seeing that ye look for such things be diligent that ye may be found of him in peace without spot and blameless and be crucified to the World through the Cross of Christ looking upon all its perishing Glory to be but a Toy and Trifle not worthy once to be named in comparison of that Glory to be revealed Seventhly consider more particularly what the special Duties are which you owe unto God unto others and in respect of your Self studying faithfulness and conscionableness in the performance and practice of each of them the Summary of all is comprehended in that of Tit. 2.12 Holiness towards God Righteousness towards others and Sobriety in respect of your self To enlarge here according to the amplitude of the Subject might prove too teedious study the Decalogue or Ten Commands exactly reading Divine Dod's Exposition upon them with two other small pieces call'd The Marrow of modern Divinity and there you will find much more than I can in a few Lines in such a Compend as this communicate I 'le only give you a brief hint of things The main things you owe to God are Worship Service Suffering with what else his Word and Works of Providence do require His Worship is either inward spiritual and moral and so 1. You are bound to study the Knowledge of God Why do you think did the Lord create the World but that the Heavens might declare his Glory and the Firmament shew forth his Praise Psal 19.1 What were the Scriptures written for but that in Judah God might be known and his Name great in Israel Psal 76.1 What did Christ come from the Bosom of God for but to give forth Declarations of the Father John 1.18 and 14.6 7. What is the Law written in our Hearts for Rom. 2.15 and what is the Spirit promised for but that thereby we might attain to the Knowledge of the Almighty John 14.26 And has not the Gospel brought Life and Immortality to Light 2 Tim. 1.10 All things considered your ignorance of God now will be inexcusable and Knowledge is an indispensable requisite 2. You are to fear God having a high reverential esteem of him in your Heart dreading to offend him not only because of his greatness and justice but also and especially because of his goodness and Mercy Hos 3.5 Levit. 19.14 Deut. 6.13 Psal 2.11 Isa 8.13 Heb. 12.28 3. Love him with all your Soul Strength and Mind Matth. 22.37 he will admit of no Rivals or Co-partners in your Affections he and he alone must have your Heart the whole of your Heart and that in the most intense Degrees and always 4. Give a credential assent to every Tittle that proceeds out of his Mouth relying also upon and trusting in him as one in whom there is everlasting Strength Isa 26.4 Psal 2.8 and 11.1 5. Thankfulness for every Mercy and Patience under all Afflictions is that which you owe unto God 1 Thess 5.18 Psal 107.1 Luke 21.19 Heb. 10.36 Ephes 5.20 James 1.4 6. Sincerity of Heart and Zeal for his Glory are Duties indispensable what you do in matters of Religion must not be to be seen in Men or for any other base sinister selfish ends but do all for the Glory of God 1 Cor. 10.31 Phil. 2.3 11. 7. Be cloathed with Humility having always a low esteem of your self notwithstanding of Honours Riches Birth Beauty Breeding Parts Perfections Priviledges Performances Gifts Graces Experiences Enjoyments Doing and Suffering Rom. 12.2 Coll. 2.12 8. Perseverance in the Faith and way of Well doing is an ingredient of this inward Spiritual Worship you must not begin in the Spirit and end in the Flesh for then your last Estate will be worse than the Beginning 2 Pet. 1.20 21. So run that you may obtain 1. Cor. 9.24 Rev. 2.7 11 17 26 27 28. and 3.5 10 12 21. Or 2dly His Worship
raised from the Dead according to my Gospel wherein I suffer as an evil-doer even unto bonds but the word of God is not bound Therefore I endure all things for the elects sake that they may also obtain the Salvation which is in Christ Jesus with eternal Glory Phil 2.17 Yea and if I be offered up upon the Sacrifice and service of your Faith I joy and rejoyce with you all 1 Tim. 12 13 14. 2 Tim. 1.8 Be not ashamed of the Testimony of our Lord nor of me his Prisoner but be thou partaker of the afflictions of the Gospel according to the Power of God Are you now Members of a Gospel-Church and in Communion with Saints Consider the Duties of this relation 1. In Reference to God and the dignity of a Church state 2. To those that are over you in the Lord. 3. One to another Duties of the first sort are these 1. God hath made over himself by a most solemn covenant-engagement unto you put a high estimate upon this more than ordinary privilege and make a due improvement thereof let the thoughtful remembrance of this overaw you to a constant walking in his Holy ways and observation of his Statutes Deut. 26.17 18 19 20. Thou hast avouched the Lord this day to be thy God and to walk in his ways and the Lord hath avouched thee this day to be his peculiar People and that thou shouldest keep all his Commandments and to make thee high above all Nations in Praise and in Name and in Honour that thou mayest be a Holy People unto the Lord thy God Let the memory of this be always recent and fresh upon your Spirits and it will much influence persiverance in Holiness and prove an excellent Antidote against Apostasy 2. The Gospel Church is often called the Kingdom of Heaven Mat. 3.2 and 5.19 and 11.12 and 13.14 and 16.19 And if God hath made you Members hereof it is a vertual declaration of his Mind and Counsel concerning your Election from Eternity and Salvation to all Eternity which calls aloud upon you for Spiritual Rejoycing more than if you had been made Earthly Kings and Queens Luke 10.20 In this rejjoyce not that the Spirits are Subject unto you but rather rejoyce because your Names are written in Heaven 2 Thes 2.13 14 15. We are bound to give thanks unto God alway for you Brethren Beloved of the Lord because God hath from the beginning chosen you to Salvation through Sanctification of the Spirit and belief of the Truth whereunto he called you by our Gospel to the obtaining of the Glory of our Lord Jesus Ephes 1.4 5 6. 2 Tim. 1.9 10. 3. Though once ye were Darkness yet now ye are all the Children of Light and of the Day Therefore sleep not as others but watch and be sober 1 Thes 5.5 6 7. They that sleep sleep in the Night and they that are Drunken are Drunken in the Night but let us who are of the Day be sober putting one the Breast-plate of Faith and for a Helmet the hope of Salvation Rom. 13.12 13. The Night is far spent the Day is at hand let us therefore cast off the works of Darkness and put on the armour of Light let us walk honestly as in the Day not in Rioting and Drunkenness not in Chambering and Wantonness not in Strife and Envying but put on the Lord Jesus Christ and make no provision for the Flesh to fulfill the Lusts thereof 1 Pet. 2.9 10. Ye are a chosen Generation a Royal Priesthood an Holy Nation a Peculiar People that ye should shew forth the praises of him that hath called you out of Darkness into his marvellous Light which in time past were not a People but are now the People of God which had not obtained mercy but have now obtained mercy Dearly beloved I beseech you as Strangers and Pilgrims abstain from Fleshly Lusts which war against the Soul having your conversation honest among the Gentils that whereas they speak against you as evil doers they may by your good works which they shall behold Glorifie God in the day of visitation Math. 5.16 4. You are made sharers and copartners with Christ in all the Privileges and Precious things which he has purchased with his Blood 1 Pet. 1.18 19 20. And wherein will you testifie your thankfulness to him Has he Died for you and will not love constrain you to live unto him 2 Cor. 2.5 14. As he Died for your sins so he Rose for your justification Rom. 4.25 And will not you Dye to Sin and ascend in your Hearts after him Will not you study to know the Power of his Resurrection and the Fellowship of his Sufferings being made conformable to his Death Phil. 3.10 11 Rom. 6.10 11 12 13. In that he Died he Died unto sin once but in that he Liveth he Liveth unto God Likewise ye also reckon your selves to be Dead unto Sin but alive unto God through Jesus Christ our Lord Let not Sin therefore reign in your Mortal Bodies that ye should obey it in the Lusts thereof neither yield your Members as Instruments of unrighteousness unto Sin but yield your selves unto God as those that are alive from the Dead and your Members as Instruments of Righteousness unto God He hath now broke the Serpents Head triumphed over Principalities and Powers taken away the Hand-Writing of the Old Covenant that was against you Nailing it to his Cross has conquered the World and delivered you from it Has made Death stingless and has swallowed up the Grave in victory has abolished the condemning Power of the Law himself being made a curse for you What hinders then but that you take up that Apostical Triumph Rom. 8. to the end Who shall lay any thing to the charge of God's Elect It is God that justifieth who is he that condemneth It is Christ that Died Yea rather that is risen again who is even at the Right hand of God who also maketh intercession for us Who shall separate us from all the Love of Christ shall tribulation who are the Enemies and what are the evils which the Church redeemed with the Blood of God should be afraid of Heb. 10.19 21 22. Having therefore Brethren boldness to enter into the Holiest by the Blood of Jesus by a new and living way which he has consecrated for us though the Veil that is to say his flesh and having a high Priest over the House of God let us draw near with a true Heart in full assurance of Faith having our Hearts sprinkled from an evil conscience and our Bodies washed with pure water with the thing it self that was signified by legal washings 5. God has reposed this great trust in you to be Instrumental conservators of his Truths and Ordinances Rom. 3.2 1 Tim. 3.15 Shew fidelity in preserving truth among your selves keeping your Understandings and Judgments untainted with errours and heresies Acts 20.19 30 31. Eph. 4.14 Heb. 13.9 Be not carried about with strange Doctrines
lowliness of Mind let each esteem other better than themselves Rom. 12.16 Mind not high things but condescend to Men of low Estate 5. If any difference in Principles or Practices fall out among you persue after Peace notwithstanding thereof especially if it be not in fundamentals of Faith and if it be visible that what the parties that differ from you do is from a Principle of Conscience and are in all other things conscientious Rom. 4.2 3. One believeth that he may eat all things another who is weak eateth Herbs Let not him that eateth despise him that eateth not v. 17 18 19. The Kingdom of God is not Meat and Drink but Righteousness and Peace and Joy in the Holy Ghost for he that in these things serveth Christ is acceptable to God and approved of Men Let us therefore follow after the things which make for Peace and things wherewith one may edifie another Phil. 3.15 16. Let as many as be perfect be thus minded and if in any thing ye be otherwise minded God shall reveal even this unto you Nevertheless whereto we have already attained let us walk by the same Rule let usmind the same thing Ephes 4.3 4 5 6. 6. Harbour not suspicious thoughts of one anothers Hypocrisy Rom 14.4 Who art thou that judgest another Man's Servant To his own Master he standeth or falleth yea he shall be holden up v. 10. Why dost thou judge thy Brother We shall all stand before the Judgment-seat of Christ Jam. 4.11 12. Speak not evil one of another Brethren he that speaketh evil of his Brother and judgeth his Brother speaketh evil of the Law and judgeth the Law but if thou judge the Law thou art not a Doer of the Law but a Judge There is one Law-giver who is able to save and to destroy Who art thou that judgest another Matth. 7.1 2. Judge not that ye be not Judged for with what Judgment ye Judge ye shall be Judged and with what Measure meet it shall be Measured to you again 7. Be very tender of doing any thing that may give just cause of offence to your Spiritual Relations especially in matters indifferent Rom. 14.13 14. Let no Man put a stumbling-Block or an occasion to fall in his Brother's way I know and am perswaded by the Lord Jesus that there is nothing unclean of it self i. e. none of those Meats which were unclean under the Law are so now made under the Gospel but to him that esteemeth any thing unclean to him it is unclean If thy Brother is destroyed with thy Meat thou walkest not charitably destroy not him with thy Meat for whom Christ Dyed 1 Cor. 9.10 11 12 13. Take heed lest by any means this liberty of yours become a stumbling Block to them that are Weak For if any Man see thee which hast knowledge sit at Meat in the Idols Temple Shall not the Conscience of him that is weak be emboldned to eat those things which are offered to Idols And through thy knowledge shall the weak Brother perish for whom Christ Died But when ye sin so against the weak Brethren and wound their weak Conscience ye sin against Christ wherefore if Meat make my weak Brother to offend I will eat no Flesh while the World standeth lest I make my weak Brother to offend 1 Cor. 10.23 24. All things are Lawful for me but all things are not expedient all things are Lawful for me but all things edifie not let no Man seek his own but every Man another Wealth v. 32.33 Give none offence neither to the Jews nor to the Gentiles nor to the Church of God even as I please all Men in all things not seeking mine own profit but the profit of many that they may be saved Matth. 18.6 7. Gal. 5.13 1 Pet. 2.16 8. Visit one another as frequently as your occasions will give leave and let your Visits be as Acts of Charity When you come together spend not your time in talking of News Trifles or against others but fall upon some Soul-edifying discourse Mal. 3.16 They that feared the Lord spake often to another and the Lord hearkned and heard it and a Book of Remembrance was written before him for them that feared the Lord and thought upon his Name and they shall be mine saith the Lord of Hosts in that Day when I make up my Jewels Ephes 4.29 Let no corrupt Communication proceed out of your Mouth but that which is good to the use of edifying that it may Minister Grace to the hearers Col. 4.6 Let your Speech be always with Grace seasoned with Salt 9. Pray one for another Ephes 6.18 Praying always with all Prayer and Supplication in the Spirit watching thereunto with all Perseverance and Supplication for all Saints 10. Shew a tender Sympathy with each other in your several conditions 1 Pet. 3.8 Have compassion one of another and be pitiful 1 Cor. 12.26 If one of the Members do suffer all the Members should suffer with it If one Member be Honoured all the Members should rejoyce with it Gal. 6.2 Bear one anothers Burdens and so fulfill the Law of Christ 11. Confess your faults one to another and forgive one another even where there has been not only supposed but real injuries Jam. 5.16 Col. 3.12 13. Put on as the elect of God Holy and Beloved Bowels of Mercies Kindness Humbleness of Mind Meekness Longsuffering forbearing one another and forgiving one another even as Christ forgave you so also do ye Matth. 5.23 If thou bring thy gift to the Altar and there remembrest that thy Brother hath ought against thee leave there thy gift before the Altar and go thy way first be reconciled to thy Brother and then come and offer thy gift 12. If there are such among you as are really Poor Sick Aged and Infirm not able to work for themselves or impoverished by the Hand of Providence contribute to their necessities out of that which God has lent you 1 John 3.17 Who so hath this World's Good and seeth his Brother need and shutteth up his Bowels of compassion from him how dwelleth the Love of God in him Read the whole Eighth Ch. of the 2 Epistle to the Corinthians Where the Apostle exhorts them unto a liberal distrubition to the poor Saints at Jerusalem from the example of the Macedonians from the commendation of their former forwardness from the example of Christ and the Spiritual profit that would redound to themselves thereby Moreover Brethren we do you to wit of the Grace of God bestowed on the Churches of Macedonia how that in a great tryal of Affliction the abundance of their Joy and their deep Poverty abounded unto the Riches of their liberality For to their Power I bear record yea and beyond their Power they were willing of themselves praying us with much intreaty that we would receive the gift and take upon us the fellowship of Ministring to the Saints Therefore as ye abound in every thing in Faith in Utterance in
in sparing me this one day more And what is the work carved out for this day And how shall I manage it When you are putting off or on your Cloaths have these or the like thoughts O that I could cast off the works of Darkness and put on the Armor of Light O that I might be devested of the Old Man and invested with the Righteousness of the Lord Jesus When you are Washing your Hands send up this or some such Ejacluation to Heaven O that all my sinful pollutions may be done away this Morning by the Blood and Spirit of the Lord Jesus 2. Drive some Trade with Heaven oftner than once every Day by Private Prayer Ps 55.17 Evening and Morning and at Noon will I pray and cry aloud First Chuse the most seasonable times for it and what time is thus spent account it no hinderance but rather a furtherance to your oher Business Secondly Shun Formality and Pharisaicalness in it Mat. 6. begin 3ly Let the whole Heart be engaged in it with all possible seriousness and Spirituality without Distracting Carnal Roving Wandering and Worldy thoughts 4ly Consider your Soul-wants before-hand that you may know what to say to God when you go to him 5ly Go in a most humble self-abasing Sense of your own vileness and unworthiness but with some Holy confidence upon the account of Divine precepts and promises Christ's Death and Intercession Look upon God in Christ as a Fountain of all supplies 6ly Do not give over wrestling till you can say that more or less your Soul has found something of God in this duty 7ly Rest not on the Duty done but study to keep your Heart from Morning to Night in a praying temper Luke 18. begin Thess 8. O for the Lord's sake let me engage you to perseverance in this so Soul-concerning an exercise Eighthly Take heed of frequent intermissions upon pretence of Business present indisposition or any other account whatsoever He or She that will leave off Praying for one or two whole Days together may come to do so for Months together I have known some professors my self that have sadly smarted under the experience of laying side Private Prayers 3. Be diligent in the duties of some Lawful Calling Prov. 10.4 The Hand of the diligent maketh Rich Be just and honest in it Make conscience of following it close because of God's command to work Six Days This you will experience to be an excellent preservative from many evils and inconveniencies which Idleness would expose you unto An Idle Person lies open to all temptations he is a cushion for the Devil to sit down on and a Horse ready Sadled to Ride to Hell on 4. Be critical in the observation of every Days Sins for exciting an assiduous renual of repentance for the same and of every Days mercies not forgetting to give thanks unto God for them Say thus towards the close of the Day O that I might not go to Bed with guilt upon my Conscience this Night whatever in me has been offensive to thy Holy Majesty in Thought Word or Action pardon for Christ's sake the carnality of my thoughts When first Ia woke in the Morning my backwardness formality and deadness in Private Prayer the Earthliness Vanity Frothiness and Levity of my Spirit all Day long And so for mercies say thus O Blessed be God for Food and Rayment Health and Strength and Liberty and Relations Protection and Preservation O Blessed be God that I have been keept from the actual commission of such sins as many others are wallowing in and I my self might have been if not restrained by Grace 5. Take heed of the first rising and beginning of every the least sin Keep a continual strict watch over your Hearts take present notice of what you discover amiss within check your selves for it dally not with any temptation without making some vigorous resistance That which may be easily nipt in the Bud may cost you Thousands of Prayers and Tears afterwards Custom in sin is not conquered with a wet Finger Have a Holy jealousie of your selves as to every sin otherwise you know not what height of impiety you may come to ere you be aware Luke 21.34 1 Cor. 10.12 1 Pet. 4.7 And 5.8 6. Study mortification especially of your Beloved Sins and Lusts such as your Natural temper or education or strong temptations with which you are continually haunted or such as your Calling most prompts you unto that so you may approve your Hearts unto God in something beyond what is attainable by the most refined Hypocrite Ps 18.23 Keep under your Bodies make no Provision for the Flesh to fulfill the Lusts thereof Deny your selves of carnal pleasures rather than suffer an interruption of your inward peace and communion with God Rest not satisfied with a bare cessation from the external acts of sin for a season with the silence of a secure Conscience ceasing to trouble you with the removal of temptation or the exchange of one sin with another But get the unclean Spirit totally dispossessed lay the Ax to the Root of the Tree and strike at the most inward close unmortified corruptions of the Heart Pray for the fin-mortifying Spirit of Jesus Christ and draw virtue from him whereby you may be enabled to mortifie the deeds of the Body Rom. 8.13 7. Look well to the government of your affections First Never desire things sublunary but with submission to the Will of God but let your desires after God and Christ Grace and Glory know no bounds or limits being enlarged to a kind of infinitness Secondly Lay not out your Love so inordinatly upon any Creature Person or thing so as to bereave the Lord of Glory of his due Love Creatures for what of God is in them for what of God you may have from or by them and so as contentedly to part with them when Providence would have it so Thirdly Hare the Persons of none in the World but so as that you can cordially pity and pray for the vilest Sin is to be the only object of your hatred in whatsoever Subjects your selves or others Fourthly Moderate your joy for outward enjoyments and also your Sorrow for outward Crosses and Losses all excess in carnal mirth and melancholy is discommendble 1 Cor. 7.29 Phil. 4.4 Fifthly Give not way to servile fear where there is no cause of fear neithere be too Foolishly bold or venturous when there is just cause of fear Sixthly be Angry at no thing but sin and sin not in being Angry at sin Eph. 4.26 27. If at any time you are Angry let not the Sun go down upon your wrath lest by that time you have slept a little upon it it turn into malice Labour to subdue your Passions so as that you can patiently bear with affronts and indignities without a Passionate retribution of like for like Seventhly Be never too hotly zealous in pleading for your own Private Personal concerns but be zealous in the cause of God