you no account why he doth so Psal 5 6. 9. Consider that you cannot do any thing without him you can neither heare nor pray nor discourse without his wâ—sedome and strength and therefore how little cause have you to be proud of your selves 2 Cor. 3.5 6. Rom. 26 27. 10. Consider that God requires and Commands you to walke humbly what doth the Lord your God requires of you the Prophet answers to walke humbly with your God Mich. 6.8 Col. 3.12 10. LAbour to have and to keep always a tender Conscience that the â—ppearance of sinne may make some impression on it Conscience is an active stirring faculty it will not be quiet if you give it liberty if you do not offer violence to it take heed my friends you may soon get a seared sleepy Conscience in a great measure and know for certain that if you stop the mouth of Conscience you will also hinder the spirits workings who worketh in and by Conscience and if the Holy Ghost and your Consciences should once cease their operations you may be suffered to run into sin and so from sin to sin for you have as it were bound up the hands of your keepers 2 Chron 34.27 Act. 24.16 1 Tim. 1.5 Heb. 10.22 11. Take heed of taking the glorious and fearfull name of God in vain of using it commonly and frequently without feare and trembling you will not use the name of some great men without some reverence and respect consider what God hath spoken of Himselfe to his Creatures to beget in them a holy feare and reverence how ill the Lord hath taken it that men speak so slightly and carelessely of him the Lord will not hold such a person guiltlesse that taketh his name in vaine that is that speaketh of God in a common ordinary manner Oh my friends if you love the Great and Holy God shew your Love to him in being tender of his honour never make mention of the name of God but with a self abhorring but with a deliberate purpose to exalt and honour him Oh my beloved for the Lord Jesus Christ his sake if ever you hope to see the face of the Holy God I beseech you when you speak of God or to him do it with feare reverence and trembling Exod 20.7 Deut 5.11 Deut. 28.58 13. Treasure up the word into your hearts when and after you have heard it Preached unto you one great reason why you do not grow faster in knowledge in mortification and holinesse is because you are I am afraid like unto the hearers that James speaks of Jam. 1.23 24. if ever you exspect good by the word you must take pains with your hearts before you heare and when you are hearing and after that you have heard to consider what you have heard to labour to have it turned into Grace in every faculty of your soules to heare for afterward to search and see what advantage you may make of every Sermon you heare 1 Cor. 15.2 Math. 13.18 to 24. Psal 119.11 13. Labour to walk joyfully and chearfully a holy serious mirth a spirituall rejoycing is very commendable in a Saint let your rejoycing be in God not in your selves let it appear that Religion is a reall thing that you tast and feele more sweetnesse and joy in the wayes of God that you walk in then others to doe in their own wayes 1. Consider that God hath promised it he hath promised to make his servants joyfull to comfort and cheare their hearts Oh you blessed of the Lord make out to God the Father and Jesus Christ for much of it Isa 35.1 2 10. Isa 56.7 Isa 65.13 14. 2. Consider that the Lord commands you to rejoyce therefore labour to be joyfull and chearfull in obedience unto the command of God Phil. 4 4. Psal 97.12 3. Consider that Jesus Christ hath prayed for it when Jesus Christ was about to take his leave of his friends you know he made a long prayer to his Father for his Servants and Friends that he was to leave behind him in a persecuting world and among other Petitions you have this Ioh. 17.13 I come to thee Father that they may have my joy fulfilled in themselves 1. Be sure to call to mind and to realize what once you were and what you are now you were once Children of wrath and of the Divell but now you are the sonnes and daughters of God once the servants of sinne but now the servants of Christ Eph. 2.1 2 4 5. Tit. 3.3 4 5. 2. Call to mind what great things Jesus Christ hath done for you and what it hath cost him to make heirs of eternall glory Tit. 2.14 Rom. 5.8 9. 3. Be often minding of your heavenly Fathers Love and free grace to you how he continues still to love you how his heart and Christs heart stands affected towards you that he loves you really and heartily Ioh. 3.16 1 Ioh. 3.1 4. Remember your future estate what you shall be though now you have many heavy burthens on you yet the time is coming that you shall be freed from all and shall be partakers of the fulnesse of Christs ioy you shall see him as he is realize it to your own soules that so your hearts may be affected greatly therewith 1 Ioh. 3.2 Coll. 3.4 2 Cor. 4.17 Revel 2.10 14. TAke heed that you give not place to distrustfull unbelieving thoughts and reasoning in a carnall manner at any crosse dispensations you will then quickly fall into the commitment of other sinnes you will murmure and repine against God you will hinder your prayers acceptance you will quickly weaken the hands of grace if you give way to the raisings up of unbeliefe and entertaine it in your hearts you will quickly ruine your selves 1. Therefore to prevent it consider that it is your duty to believe and not to entertain any distrustfull thoughts of God and God takes speciall notice of you whether you be obedient unto him accordingly 1 Joh. 3.23 Isa 26.4 Isa 50.10 2. Consider that distrustfulnesse will grieve the Holy Ghost he hath wrought faith in your hearts and commands you to use it in order to the destroying of unbeliefe and therefore now expects that you should believe and reject all such wicked thoughts Eph. 4.30 3. Consider how exceeding hurtfull it will be to your souls if it be not kept in subjection it will hinder your spirituall comforts and make you goe sorrowfull to your graves and disinable you for all your work and service for God Rom. 15.13 4. Consider what grounds you have to believe what helps and encouragements you have Gods commands his promises his Oath his faithfulnesse power goodnesse mercy and love engaged for you you have the Lord Jesus interceding for you in heaven with his merits Rom. 1.17 Heb. 6.17 18. 1 Thes 5.24 Rom. 8.34 15. Labour to be of lively active publique spirits let not the Divels disciples be more lively and active for their Lord then you are for Christ your
yea he will if you do cast your selves and all your concernments upon him 2 Cor. 9.8 2 Tim. 1.12 Jud. 24. Phil. 4.19 7. God hath pronounced such as doe not relie on him but upon any other thing acâ—ursed oh 't is very dangerous Jerem. 17.5 8. Many promises are made to this duty God hath engaged himself by promise to you that shall rest alone on him to pardon you to helpe you to protect you to give you peace Mark. 16.16 Isa 41.10 Rom. 5.1 9. It is of all other duties the greatest and such a duty that if it be well performed will as a meanes enable you to performe all other duties that you owe to God or men you will hereby be inabled to pray to fight against flesh and blood yea against the Devill himselfe You will engage the great God to stand by you to supply you with all grace at all times Eph. 6.11 12 13 14 15 16 17. Math. 21.22 Notes of living by faith 1. YOu live by faith and rest on Christ when you can acquiesce satisfie and quiet your hearts in him when all creatures and creature supports and comforts faile you then you can trust in him and say I have interest in an able and faithfull God in a full and all sufficient Christ and here I can rest my soule and I am fully satisfyed I have enough in having him here lys my happinesse he hath made a Covenant that is sure and certaine and this is all my salvation 2 Sam. 23.5 but if you despond in your spirits complaine murmur and are as persons undone when the Lord takes away Creature supports then certainly you rested upon these things A man may think that he doth believe and relie on God with a strong faith so long as he is hedged about with Creature comforts but very difficult to know whether he can live by faith indeed at such a time 1 Jam. 30.6 Prov. 18 10. 2. If it be more and more familiar and easy to you you can quickly and readily go to your resting place and not account it a strange thing Psal 56.3 Isa 26.4 3. If you are not discouraged in the work God sets you about because of the difficulties you meet withall in it but you are carried on with much resolvednesse and boldnesse of spirit to doe your duty yea though your way be hedged up with thornes yet you will not decline any one duty it is a signe that you rest on Christ. Gen 22.10 first verses 20. Act. 24. 4. If you can keep your ground and stand stedfast and keep close to God in times of temptations and raising up of that unbeliefe that is in your hearts if you can say that none of these things move you 6. Eph. 11. to 18.7 Math. 26. 5. If when the Lord withdraws and hides his face from you when your graces are dead your Sanctification clouded your light is gone out as to your present sence I say if then you can rest on the name of the Lord 50. Isa 10.43 Psal 5. and stay upon the God of Jacob then to conclude well though it be a sad and cloudy day now yet I shall see the Sun-shine of grace againe 6. If when you see your emptinesse wants and insufficiency you can then go freely unto him who hath all fullnesse of all grace for supply and there wait untill it please him to satisfy your desires and you aâ—e kept from going back to broken Cisternes then you live by Faith 30. Isa 18. 2 Chron. 20.12 7. If you can quietly and cheerfully commit your selves to God all your cares troubles and injoyments and mind nothing but your duty and priviledges how you may receive from God and how you may live to him and please him well in all things how you may walk worthy of the Lord and bring forth fruit to his praise and take no care but a dutifull care what you shall eat and what you shall drink but throw your selves on God for these things then you Live by Faith 4. Phil. 6. 1 Pet. 57. 2 Tym. 1.12 NOw then for your comfort and incouragement know that if you can find that you are thus brought home to Christ that there is a reall hearty â—ntract made between Christ and your soule and that now it is your care to rest and rely on him then know for your comfort 1. That you have an interest in and a right unto all the promises that are made in Christ unto Believers the Father Sonne and Holy spirit are all by Covenant engaged to you to doe you good his wisdome his strength his goodnesse and farthfullnesse nay his Justice 1 Joh. 1.9 oh you that are the Lordâ— blessed ones rejoyce and be exceeding glad you may 't is your priviledge 2 Cor. 1.20 Joh. 18 21 23. 1 Joh 1 9. 2. You have freedom and liberty to treat with God about the great concernments of your soules or bodys yea you may draw neer unto him with boldnesse and confidence and make your requests known unto him Oh precious priviledge Heb. 10.19 20 21 22. Rom. 8.15 Heb. 4.15 16. 3. You have an interest in Christs love he can and will receive you and your Sacrifices that you shall offer up to God in his name he will plead your case in Heaven be sure he will never neglect you if you doe not neglect him he expressed his hearty love to his poor friends when he was leaving of the world promising them that if they should aske any thing in his name he would do it he that loves you can doe what he will for you Joh. 14.13 14 15. Joh. 15.7 John 16.23 24 26. Joh. 17. 4. God the Father himselfe loveth you Jesus Christs Father and your Father loves you notwithstanding your former sinnes and present infirmitys he loves you with an everlasting love before you loved him he had his heart fixed on you looking upon you in Christ when you were sinners though he loved you not with the love of delight and complacency as now he doth having stampt his own Image upon you Joh. 16.26 27. Joh. 14.23 5. Be sure that your Heavenly Father will never leave you nor forsake you provided that you endeavour to please him and continue faithfull unto him he will not doe as men to love for a month or a yeare and provide for their friends for a few days but as his love will be eternall so will his care be also he will provide for your soules and bodys Rom. 8.32 he delights in the Prosperity of his Servants Heb. 13.5 2 Chr. 15.2 6. You have an interest in and a peculiar right unto all the good things that Christ hath he hath purchased all things that pertaine to life and Godlinesse you being Christs all these benefits are yours name what you will that may make for your well being here and your eternall Salvation and happinesse hereafter Oh blessed portion 1 Cor. 3.21 22 23. Eph. 1 14. Rom. 8.32 NOw Beloved the Lord having done all these
Thes 3.12 Ioh. 13.34 Rom. 12.9 7. All the Members should have a watchfull eye over each other that they may keep each other from sinne and if fallen into any sinne to hasten their deliverance 1 Thes 5.6 1 Cor 12.25 8. Not to speak evill or to backbite one another 2 Cor. 12.20 Jam. 4.15 9. They must be carefull not to declare the faults of one another to each other before they have lovingly and deliberately informed the Brother or Sister that hath offended of his or her faults and endeavoured to convince him and not then but in case of obstinacy Math. 18.17 2 Cor 12.20 10. They must not beare any grudge or envy in their hearts against any Member whether upon any evill reports of them or upon any wrong received from them 1 Pet. 2.1 Levit 19.18 Iam. 5.9 11 They must honour each other as God hath commanded them and that in syncerity and in truth Rom 12.10 12 That they provoke and exhort one another to the diligent practise of their duty toward God and all men Heb 10.24 25. Heb 3.13 13 That they informe reprove and admonish one another when there is occasion Rom 15.14 Col 3.16 Eph 5.11 14 To supply the wants of one another if any Member shall stand in need of subsistance according unto every Members abilities they ought to communicate unto him Rom 12.13 1 Tym 6.18 1 Pet 4.10 15 That none suffer sin to lye on his Brother and connive and wink at it but immediately if possible to discover it unto him Levit. 19.17 Math. 18.15 16. Gal. 6.1 2 3 4. 16. That every Member is commanded by God to Pray for each other and that frequently heartily and fervently especially for such as lye under any affliction or temptation either in Soule or Body Jam. 5.16 Act. 12.5 17. They ought to comfort each other with the comforts wherewith they have been comforted of God to comfort each other with their Fathers promises to them with the mediation of Jesus Christ the great honour that God hath put upon his people and the hopes of their future happinesse c. 1 Thes 4 18. 2 Thes 5.14 18. It is their duty to teach and to Instruct one another the eye may help the hand and the hand the eye the foot may and ought to be helpfull to the head 1 Cor 12.15 1 Thes 5.11 2 Col. 16. 19. To rejoyee with such as do rejoyce and weep with such as weep to have a fellow feeling of each others mercies and troubles to have a sympathizing heart hand and eye towards each other as fellow members of the same body Rom 12.15 20. That all such Members as have Families ought to set up the worship of God in them and not only the forme of Divine worship but the power and spirituallity of it to instruct those that are under their charge Gen 18.19 Deut 6.7 Iohn 24.15 Jer 10.25 Eph 5.4 Ioh 4.23 24. 21. That they ought constantly to attend on all the Ordinances of God at all times except some extraordinary occasions hinder both publickly and privately Prov. 8.34 Mal. 3.16 Heb 10.24 25. Rom. 14.19 22. That all ought to endeavour to walk inoffensively giving no offence to Jew nor Gentile nor to the Church of God labouring to walke wisely towards them that are without as that you may through the grace of God thereby possesse them with good thoughts of Iesus Christ of his wayes and People and also that every member endeavour to preserve the Peace and priviledges of the Church and of every member thereof Eph. 4.1 to 6. 1 Ioh 3.11 to end Col 3.12 15. Phil 2.1 6. Gal 6.1 23. That all ought quietly and patiently to submit to the Powers that God hath by his providence set over them and obey all their lawfull commands willingly the contrary is hatefull in the sight of God what ever men may pretend for railing against or opposing of them 2 Pet. 2.10 11 12. Iude 8.9 10. Act 23.5 Rom 13.1 2 3 4 5. 24. That all ought to avoid the company of erronrous persons as much as hey can especially such persons as hold any dangerous Tenents and make it their businesse to vent them unto others Rom. 16.17 1 Tim. 6.5 25. That they walk humbly and seriously before their fellow Members and before all men as much as in them lyeth Iam. 4.6 1 Pet. 5.5 Act. 20.19 Eph. 4.29 30. Eph. 5.4 26. That all endeavour to preserve the purity of the Church and not by any means to endeavour either privately or publiquely the admission of any unworthy person although their nearest relation 1 Tym. 5.26 1 Cor. 3.16 17. 1 Cor. 6.15.19 2 Cor. 6.14 15 16 17. 27. That if any Member of the said Church shall heere or know of any Scandall or ill report of a person desiring admission into the Church that then the said Member enquire into the truth of it and in case the said person be found guilty the said Member should informe the Pastor of it and the person should be suspended untill he hath repented and declared his repentance to the Church 1 Cor. 5. 2 Cor. 2. 28 That in case any member of the said Church shall be cast out of the Church for Scandall and the said person shall repent afterward and manifest so much to the satisfaction of the Church and shall desire to be admitted againe into the Church he ought to be received againe into Communion with all love and tendernesse 2 Cor. 2.6 7 8 9. 1 Cor. 5. 29. That all such as sin openly should be openly speedily and severely reproved and proceeded against according unto the word of Christ 1 Tym 5.20 25. 1 Cor. 5. Math 18.15 16. 30. That as the Church increases need requires and persons are found fit other Officers be chosen by the Pastor and all the members of the Church then present when any Officer is to be chosen Act. 6.2 3 4. 1 Cor. 12.28 31. That all the members ought to be diligent in some honest calling that so they may be usefull in their generations and not chargeable to others and that they may stoppe the mouths of their Adversaries in case the said members shall be able Eph. 4.28 1 Tim. 5.10 2 Thess 3.6.10.16 32. That all in a speciall manner do discharge the duties that they owe unto their Relations which God hath commanded to be carefully performed by all both superiours and inferiours as husba ds to their wives Eph. 5.25 Wives to their Husbands Eph. 5.33 Parents to Children Eph. 6.4 Children to Parents Eph. 6.1 2. Magistrates to the People Rom. 13.4 People to their Magistrates Rom. 13.4 Masters to their Servants Col. 4.1 Servants to their Masters Eph. 6.5 33. That all should really and heatily intend what they shall at any time professe to each other or any that are without whither Saints or Sinners as expressions of their Love to them by their words to take heed that their hears and tongues go together without all dissimulation or