of Abraham Isaac Iacob or Israel The Reason hereof seems to be near to this effect and purpose We read how that Abraham Isaac Jacob or Israel were precious Saints and servants of God in their day and in their Generation and thereupon God came to be in Covenant with them and was in a peculiar manner their God Now therefore if you will Obey my Voice indeed and keep my Covenant then ye shall be a peculiar treasure unto me above all people For all the Earth is mine Exod. 19 5. And so God is the God of all Men and Women as they are his Creatures and the Inhabitants of his Earth but by the way of Peculiarity Emphasis or Property or Propriety he is only the God of his Saints and servants The Lord knoweth them that are his 1. Tim. 2. 19. But is He the God of Abraham Isaac and Jacob only No for he is the God of all their Children also even of all those who do the Works of Abraham and of all those who are faithfull as Abraham was who is stiled the Father of the Faithful But because that from the Loins of these three Men who did every one of them successively fear and serve the Lord in their time There Sprang even of one for One was his Son the other was his Grand-Son and him as good as dead so many as the Stars of the Skie in Multitude and as the Sand which is by the Sea-shore Innumerable even a very Numerous Posterity and great People who were Elect and Beloved of God before the other Nations of the Earth for their Fathers sake Therefore the Scriptures in sundry and many places Stiles him by the God of Abraham Isaac and Jacob. But whereas it is said in the close of our Text And prepare their hearts unto thee Hereby another Truth doth shine and appear forth viz. That God hath but one way in bringing many Sons Daughters unto Glory or in bringing all the Sons and Daughters of Men that ever go there unto Heaven Even by preparing their heart unto himself That is by bringing them to himself in this world that he may bring them to his own home in the World to come Moreover Brethren I would not that ye should be ignorant how that all our Fathers were under the clouds and all passed through the Sea And did all eat the same Spiritual Meat And did all Drink the same Spiritual Drink 1 Cor. 10. 1 3 4. And so all the People that ever went to Heaven and are now a going in their journey to it or who shall be born and Inherit that Happy Countrey hereafter they all Go the very same way If you ask me what that way is It is the old Trodden way by the Saints And a way and it shall be called the way of Holiness Isa 35. 8. It is the way of Universal Obedience and confirming all the words of Gods Law to do them and not Observing some and Neglecting others as the manner of many is It is the way of drawing near to God to which the Promise is James 4. 〈◊〉 And he will draw nigh unto you Or as it is in the last words of our Text by preparing their heart unto him Which again is done as appears by the Context and the verse immediately following By keeping this for ever in the Imagination of the Thoughts of our hearts to have a determinate Obedident and Perfect heart and mind to keep constantly and at all Times the Commandments the Testimonies and the Statutes of the Lord. And also such Divine Truths or Knowledge of the things of God and of his Kingdom should be for ever kept in the heart with the Sence and Remembrance of them which should Actually perswade exhort and incline unto the same good thing From this manner of Speech Prepare their heart unto thee and from what is else-where written And he shall go before him in the Spirit and Power of Elias to turn the hearts of the Fathers to the Children and the disobedient to the wisdom of the just to make ready a People prepared for the Lord. Luke 〈◊〉 17. We see that there are two things which the Ministry and Preaching of the Word doth drive and intend at the First is To Convert Sinners and to turn to Righteousness and then the next thing is in a further Degree and Proficiency even to make them a People prepared for the 〈◊〉 to prepare their hearts unto thee Which two things have 〈◊〉 the only Ends and Intent of all the Sermons that ever Preached in this Place or design to Preach throughout all my Succeeding Life Remembring still that as the â—â—â—de or Hook are in the hands of the Gardiner for digging 〈◊〉 the Earth or Pruning of Trees even so we Creatures 〈◊〉 Ministers are but living Instruments in the Hands of God to dig or cultivate our own hearts or the hearts of other People For we are Labourers together with God ye are Gods Husbandry ye are Gods Building 1. Cor. 3. 9. And 〈◊〉 as before Observed How David Prayed immediately to God To keep this for ever in the Imagination of the Thoughts of the heart of thy People though we are to Endeavour to keep it our selves so Here again he lifts up the other Petition unto God Immediately prepare their hearts unto thee Though here again we are to Endeavour to prepare our own hearts As also besides this there is the Word appointed and the Ministry or Preaching thereof who heareth are become labourers together with God It is a Bold and Great Expression of the Apostle Paul which he speaks forth by the Spirit to make them a people prepared for the Lord or to prepare their hearts unto him So hath God provided and Established and so should Things Cooperate and Work together for the common Salvation of mankind But Beloved that are here present I hope that most of ye are among the latter sort I mean that ye are a-verted from Sin and Converted to God in the General and ye are amongst those who are preparing for the Lord or preparing their hearts to seek him or preparing for Heaven For when we Read and Consider how that Jesus our forerunner is gone to prepare a Place for you John 14. 3. To this must answer some act of your own that is to prepare your hearts for that place Whom that is Jesus We preach warning every man and teaching every man in all Wisdom that we may present every man perfect in Christ Jesus Col. 1 28. It is strange for you to conceive hereof but yet it is true that God will judge that the Word Preached in this place shall be a warning and Testimony to all the Inhabitants of this Town and Neighbour-hood though not the twentieth nor yet hardly the hundredth part of them do come to hear Remember I told you of it before I Ground this Affirmation from these Words of Paul who spake thus by the Spirit and yet it is certain that every man
water it every Moment lest any hurt it I will keep it Night and Day Isa 27. 2 3. Here it is affirmed and ratified twice in the same Verse that God will keep it lest any hurt it which nothing can do but Satan or his Temptations as they seduce to sin or evil Nothing but sin can hurt the heart of Man And if we would suffer that the Lord should keep our hearts Night and Day and that he Guide us continually so that our selves here are under keepers and stand upon our watch for thus the Scripture doth direct in other places so as to prevent and keep out the comings in and Acts of Sin and then it is effectually prevented lest any hurt it And all thy Children shall be taught of the Lord and great shall be the peace of thy Children Isa 54. 13. The right consequence here is that when they are taught of God they should learn of him and when he doth instruct and would Guide them they should receive the instruction and follow his Guidance God doth Keep Guide and Teach the hearts of the Children of Men in an Invisible manner but yet it is sensible to the hearts of his faithful People The Wind bloweth where it listeth and thou hearest the sound thereof but canst not tell whence it cometh and whither it goeth so is every one that is born of the Spirit John 3. 8. So likewise is every one that is Taught Guided or Instructed by the Spirit And so in like manner God doth keep the hearts of his People As the Distillings of Dew in a clear Night are not perceived so God moves himself as it were upon and Communicates himself to the hearts of his Creatures in the still voice of his Word and Spirit For God speaketh once yea twice yet man perceiveth it not In a dream in a Vision of the Night when deep sleep falleth upon men In slumberings upon the Bed Then he openeth the Ears of Men and sealeth their Instruction Jel 33 14 15. 16. And so when we are in the most still retired abstracted and separated manner When we becom the Man whom thou chosâ—st and causest to approach unto thee Psal 65. 4. Then it is that God doth reveal and manifest himself unto us When we are Obedient and Holy Sobet and Temperate when we are Chast and do not regard the desire of women being Purified Sanctified these are furtherances forwardings or helps towards God making known his Mind and Will unto us As again There are Hindrances and Obstructions The Principal and I may almost say the only hinderance is Sin for it is that which makes that wide Chasm or Distance between God and the creatures Your Iniquities have seperated between you and your God Isa 59. 2. Sin or Iniquity in the General do produce this aceursed and evil effect But they may be clearly Specified and reduced to these three sorts Namely what doth defeat and render of none or rather of less effect the Seed sown or Choke the Word Preached the same is the Principal hindrance to Gods keeping this still in the Imagination of the Thoughts of the hearts of this People The cares of this World and the deceitfulness of Riches and the lusts of other things entring in Mark 4. 19. And so where it is written Take heed to your selves lest at any time your hearts be over-charged with surfetting and drunkenness and cares of this Life and so that day come upon you unawares Luke 21. 34. We learn and understand from all this put together what the hinderances are And when we know them what they are we may avoid and let them alone or at least not be let or hindered by them They are the Cares of this World and of this Life and the deceitfulness of Riches and the lusts of other things or Gluttony and drunkenness and such like And then the heart being too much set upon Visible Objects and Visible things this doth draw off and alienate from and make to forget and loose the sence of him that is Invisible as also of the Invisible things of his Kingdom As was before said We should Pray unto God to keep this still in the Imagination of the Thoughts of the hearts of thy People even that purpose and Resollution To keep his Commandments his Testimonies and his Statutes so we should likewise Endeavour Strive and Labour after the same And as we Taste and See Feel and Experience know and perceive what are the Clogs Interruptions and Hinderances so we should avoid and not give way unto them The Temper and State of our Soul is Various and several as it stands towards God For thou hast lifted me up and cast me down Psal 102. 10. Now and then it is Good enough and then it is bad dark and cloudy again according as we commit Sin and are plunged into the cares of this Life or are Interested and concerned in the lusts of other things The Servants of God are a discerning and observing People They look within the glass of the Word and also they reflect and look within their own Souls and they compare both together And indeed every one must observe and practice the like methods who would make any Growth Proficiency Increase and Advancement in the Christian Life Here we might well reason and do that if we can be and are Godly at one season why not at another and so if our Minds are now fraught with and Furnished and full of Reverence and fear of the Divine Majesty so it may be likewise at another time and thus we might go through the several Stages and Periods of Life even to serve God in Righteousness and true Holiness all the dayes thereof and to fear continually before him For by the like means which we do perform it at one time we may Endeavour after it at another There is an unseen Enemy who stands at our Elbow I mean Satan and his Temptations who prompts us to commit Sin in each Act or Instance of Tryal even in our very meals to eat to excess or commit Gluttony and so in other things alike and here we should be upon our Watch to Pray and lift up our hearts Avoid or get behind me Satan so that he should not get advantage nor prevail over us The Use and Benefit herehereof will be exceeding Great for besides that this is th only making our Calling and Election sure It is the only way and means to Assertain Salvation unto our Selves so the more Good any one doth and the more he abstains from Sin and from all appearance of evil It will be proportioned accordingly unto that Man or Woman in the Future Recompence and they will receive a more full and greater Reward This is the sum and conclusion of the whole mattet and the drift and design of all Preaching That People may cease to do Evil and learn to do Well as much as ever they can But why is it said in our Text O Lord God
A SERMON Preached On 1 Chron. 29 18. And now Published because of the Exceeding Usefulness of this Subject unto all Christians of every Perswasion or Denomination whatsoever in Order to their common Salvation Wherein also is shewed what it is to Teach for hire and Divine for Money and that Objection is answered which some do frame from hence against that maintenance and Liveli-hood which the true Gospel ministers ought to have in these dayes under that Dispensation By Richard Stafford Beloved when I gave all diligence to write unto you of the common Salvation it was needfull for me to write unto you and exhort you that ye should earnestly contend for the Faith which was once delivered unto the Saints Jude 3. And so here it is needful for me to write unto you and Exhort you that ye should Pray without ceasing in these or the like words O Lord God of Abraham Isaac and of Israel our Fathers keep this for ever in the Imagination of the thoughts of the heart of thy People and prepare their hearts unto thee Printed and Sold by Eben Tracy at the three Bibles on London Bridge 1697. ADVERTISEMENT THese are to give Notice That I have several other Practical Sermons or Discourses of mine own Composing lying by me in Manuscript Which if they who have the Plenâ—â— or Competency of this World would thus Consecrate some part of their Gain and Substance unto the Lord Micah 4 v. 13. As to be ready to distribute and willing to Communicate towards the outward Labour and Charge of the Printing and Publishing of them it would be for the Glory of God in making known his Truth Isa 38. 19. And for the Edification and benefit oâ— his Church and People and consequently iâ— would be a good Work in such Persons whâ—â— shall be helpful and any ways assistant herein for which they would be Rewarded by God in the Life that is to come Charge them that are Rich in this World thaâ— they do good that they be rich in good works ready to distribute willing to communicate laying up in store for themselves a good foundation against the time to come that they may lay hold on Eternal Life 1 Tim. 6. v. 17 18 19. This is a faithful saying and these things I will that thou affirm constantly that they which have believed in God might be careful to maintain Good Works these things are good and profitable unto men Titus 1 Chron. 29 v. 18. O Lord God of Abraham Isaac and of Israel our Fathers keep this for ever in the Imagination of the thoughts of the heart of thy people and prepare their Hearts unto thee HAving deeply considered and weighed in my Spirit how our Condition stands God ward or towards God how it is at some times afar off and Estranged from him and again at other times it is indifferent well towards him sometimes we have a most lively and Spiritual sence of God and we are all for Obdience Honour and Reverence of his Name again at other times we are apt to deny God above goe on Frowardly in the way of our heart setting up for our selves and thou hast said in thine heart I am and none else besides â—e Isa 47 v. 11. Being our own Men and Who is Lord over us As the Weather is sometimes Bright and clear and then again dark and cloudy Even so it Happens successively and interchangeably as to the Influences and Communications between God and our Souls and as to our sence of him and the things of his Kingdom There is none so very Godly and Religious yea his best Saints and Servants on Earth but hath sometimes an Eclipse and cloud come over his inward Man which hinders from the Shining of the Sun of Righteousness He hath some forsakings withdrawings Departing and hidings of the Face of God from him so on the other hand There is hardly any so very Ungodly Wicked or Ignorant There is none so Vain and frollicksome but in some little Time or Interval is now and then in a Serious Godly mood The Truth of both which Observations ye may know by conferring and comparing your own Experiences with what I here declare to be mine As also from hence ye may easily Gather and apprehend the Reason of my choosing this Text. Though I will not so arrogantly say and pretend It seemed good to the Holy Ghost and us yet if I have the Real fear of the Lord in my heart then the Promise is Not to me only but to every Private and Faithful Christian Him shall He Teach in the way that He shall choose Psal 24. v. 12. So that I may be bold from hence to say that I am Directed and Taught of God as I now pray for his Assistance therein To Treat and Handle these words unto ye at this Time and Opportunity It being an help and Remedy as to both these failings That is to say as to the Godly Righteous and Wise when they are for the most part in a Right Disposition and Temper of Soul towards God but sometimes they are given to Backslidings Hes 4 2. To forget and loose the Spiritual lively sense of him O Lord why hast tâ—ou made us to err from thy wayes and hardened our Hearts from thy fear Isa 63 17. This last ought not to be at any time but when they are Zealous and Devout towards him then there is need to Pray and Endeavour also O Lord Ged of Abraham Isaac and of Israel our Fathers keep this fer ever in the Imagination of the thoughts of the Heart of thy People and prepare their hearts unto thee And so when the other sort have some fits of Holiness for a season they have now and then a mind and think it would be better for them both Living and Dying to lead a Godly Relâ—gâ—ous Strict Holy and Precise Life Like Herod who heard â—â—hn Baptist Gladly and did many things But these only bring forth Fruit for a very short Season or rather they do not so much as bring forth Fruit but they are blasted or blighted in the Blossom for it all Evaporites into fruitless wishes and wouldings towards God 〈◊〉 her then into actual Good it self or only some Good Thoughts and In I nations without coming forth into Act and Performance But if it was alwayes so in their Hearts as it is now and then for a short space it would at length come forth into Act and Performance And since the beginning of a thing is in Thought and Intent of the Heart towards it and the tendencies and beginnings should be cherished and furthered according to that Divine Method for who hath despised the day of small things And He doth not break the bruised Reed nor Quench the smoaking Flax. If sinners and those that are yet Unconverted are now and then roused and stirred up by a quickning and soul searching Sermon If they are almost perswaded to be a Christian and they perceive within them it may be
of the heart of thy People that it might be well with them and with their Children for ever This is also brought in upon a good Mood and Temper of the People when they were in an Obedient frame of Spirit unto the Lord God When they had said unto Moses Speak thou unto us all that the Lord our God shall speak unto thee and we will hear it and do it and the Lord hereupon answered They have well said in all that they have spoken A very good Commendation of our God unto his Creatures But the cream of the matter is They have well said if they will hold unto it and thereupon God himself Wishes and desires for it is expressed after the manner of Men O that there were such a Heart in them that they would fear me and keep all my Commandments alwayes By which kind of Speech and Expression he doth foresee and mistrust That that Good Resolution of theirs which was in them would be Temporary sudden Goe off and pass away again as truly so it did And truly it is so whither we Preach or Pray never so much That all good things the Great Truths of God all Faith and all Knowledge the sence of his Name and Obedience to all the Words of his Law may be kept for ever in the Imagination of the Thoughts of our Hearts that in the day of tryal and hour of temptation we may have all along at the very same Time a Divine Overruling Thought which may resist the Temptation and keep and determine unto God and Duty Yet still nevertheless it is sensible and Experienced that these things are not kept for ever in the Imagination of the thoughts of our hearts I have often wished and desired for my self Pray Let your hearts also go along with me herein O that I were alwayes and for ever such towards God as I am sometimes in my most Devout and Solemn Approaches unto him in Prayer or 〈◊〉 his Ordinance of Hearing his Word that I had alwayes the same Reverence Godly fear and Horrour and Dreâ—â— of the Deity when I am walking about or sitting still a I have sometimes upon my bended knees That I had the some constant Gravity seriousness and trembling of Spirit in the midst of Life Health and Prosperity and when thing go most according to wish as I have upon the apprehension of any great danger or under affliction or as I shall have when I come to lye upon the Bed of last sickness and dying It is Impossible to recall or vain to wish for as to what is past But O that I might for all the few and Evil dayes remaining of my Pilgrimage throughout all my succeeding Life have that constant Universal Obedience Honor and Preferring of God above things as I shall indeed desire that I had had when I come to think my last just as wheâ— I shall perceive that I am yeilding up the Ghost and surrendring up my Spirit to the God that gave it O that my Spirit may now henceforth and for ever so Obey and be give up unto the Father of the Spirits of all flesh as she will reflect and wish she had done when she shall be Summoned to appear before him And she is to take her flight into the Invisible World O that I did so want on God all 〈◊〉 day Psal 25. 3. And was in the fear of Lord all 〈◊〉 long Prov 23. 17. As I have sometimes for two or three Hours together in a Morning As it is written in Jude 19. These be sensual having not the Spirit So I have too often observed and experienced that after my too full Meals I have been damped and for a time lost that sence of God and Spiritual Things which before I had O that I might therefore so Eat Drink to his Glory that I might be near the same in the midst of or immediately after receiving of my necessary and moderate Food as I was before And so It should hold in the other circumstances and Conditions of Life to keep this for ever in the Imagination of the Thoughts of our heart whither Sleeping or Waking in labour or Idle when we sit in our House or when we walk and journey in the way and when we lye down or rise up in a Word whatever our hand findeth to doe or whatever we are Imployed about I say again This still is to be kept for ever in the Imagination of the Thoughts of our hearts even to keep the Commandments the Testimonies and the Statutes of the Lord God David here rightly Prays that the Lord would keep this in the Imagination of the Thoughts of our hearts for as it is written Except the Lord keep the City the Watch and watcheth but in vain Psal 127. 〈◊〉 So except the Lord keep our heart all our keeping of them is in vain notwithstanding it is commanded keep thy heart with all diligence for out of it are the Issues of Life The Scripture is no where not in the least inconsistent with it self but the Truth of the Matter seems to stand on this wise we are first to Pray unto God Immediately to keep our hearts and having so done we are to endeavour after the same as much as ever we can our selves For we learn evidently from what is written We then as Workers together with him beseech you also that yo receive not the Grace of God in vain 2. Cor. 〈◊〉 1. Work out your own Salvation with fear and trembling For it is God which worketh in you both to will and to do of his Good pleasure Phil. 2. 12 13 Whereunto I also labour striving according to his Working which worketh in me mightily Col. 1. 29. That there is a Power and Ability implanted in and given unto man by God the Creator to Work together with his Grace It should be a constant rule that whatsoever we are commanded or directed to pray for or whatever we do pray for we should indeavour after it our selves Whereunto I also labour striving according to his working which worketh in me mightily Even so we should labour and strive after the same thing And so to our present case we should pray unto God in the first place to keep this still in the Imagination of the thoughts of our hearts and then indeavour labour and strive according to whatever we can to do so our selves That it is the Particular Province and Prerogative of Almighty God to keep the hearts of the children of Men We have the Scriptures affirming in divers places for the Lords Vineyard is the hearts of Men For the Vineyard of the Lord of Hosts is the House of Israel Isa 5. 7. And we Read there how he Fenced it and Gathered out the Stems thereof and planted it with the choicest Vine and built a Tower in the midst of it and also made a Wine-press therein In that day Sing ye unto her A Vineyard of Red Wine I the Lord do keep it I will
dwelling in the City of Coloss and the adjacent Villages did not hear Paul Nevertheless seeing that every man thereabout might have heard him Preach if they would and all had a Rumour and Report thereof though they would not hear him themselves therefore according to the method Interpretation accouâ—â— of God according to which he will judge and proceed at the last day He did Warn and teach every man that we may present every man perfect in Christ Jesus Whereunto I and so should all ye that hear me this day also labour striving according to his Working which worketh in mâ— mightily Col. 1. 29. And so ye also are to labour according to the Working of God which worketh in ye mightily Do ye not Perceive at my speaking this unto ye some Groaning of Spirit and Intercessions and desires after the same which cannot be uttered That ye may be meet to be partakers of the Inheritance of the Saints in Light We know sensibly what is the misery and vexation of worldly disapointments and there is no disapoinment like that of Heaven which indeed is a Thing possible and to be feared and the utmost care is to be taken against it all our Life long Israel hath not obtained that which He seeketh for but the Election hath obtained it and the rest were blinded Rom. 11. 7. Let us therfore fear lest a promise being left us of entring into his Rest any of you should seem to come short of it Heb. 4. 1. There is no Preaching like unto that of Experimental Preaching and pray â—et your hearts go along with me and confer Notes and compare Experiences By Examining and Communing with your own Spirits whilst I declare how it is with mine own Soul As it is written For the Lord hath called thee as a Woman forsaken and grieved in Spirit Isa 54. 6. This last Thing of grieved in Spirit is Exactly mine own condition I find nothing in me but I am also shewed the Reason thereof And this Grief of Spirit in me doth not so much arise from wordly or outward Things because I know the utmost of them that they are but little and soon pass away and seem afterwards just all one as a dream when one awaketh But as it is elsewhere written I Remembred God and was troubled I complained and my Spirit was overwhelmed Selah Psal 77. 3. So as I think of God and of the other World for the Powers of the world to come do shake my Soul thence does arise all my Trouble Grief and Fear Why so O Man It is because I have not that degree of Assurance and well Grounded Hope which I would have and do Press after still Pray Think upon and Observe this It is a Secret Anguish and Vexation of Spirit that I am growing in years and Gray hairs do here and there appear upon me That the Morning of Youth is over and past and will never return again in this State and I haste to that where I seem no more to be and yet I have not laid in a Better and more assured Foundation against the time to come which I would still seek to make it yet more and more sure Cause me to know the way wherein I should walk for I lift up my Soul to thee Psal 143 8. That doubt and Jealousy and misgiving of heart Least I neglect or am afraid to do the Will of God doth cause no little Vexation of Spirit in me Cause me to hear thy Loving Kindness early in the Morning for in thee do I trust c. Herein I speak of those Extraordnary Works and Tryals which God is sometimes pleased to call such and such of his Servants out unto as Abraham to Offer up his Son Isaac and to Try that Precious Faith of his own Elect whereby like as Zebulun Naphtali were People that jeparded their lives unto the death Judges 5. 18. And hazarded their Lives for the Word of his Testimony for his Truth and Righteousness as some of his People and Servants have done in former Generations But Christian People Take this Counsel as from me who have been somewhat Experienced in the wayes of God whensoever ye perceive fears within you as those same fears do Relate to God or your own Future State and Condition for from hence doth usually arise all the fear and all the Great Thought and Searching of Heart whither this shall be indeed Happy or Miserable There learn to know the true cause of that fear and then labour to Remove it Now all fear doth usually arise from Sin and Guilt and therfore take away the Sin and Guilt and the fear also will cease So that the Result of the whole is this If thou Man or Woman wouldst be indeed led in the way Everlasting thou must be sure that there be no wicked way in thee Psal 134. Thou must both Pray Search me O God and know my heart try me and know my Thoughts And thou must Endeavour the same thy self even to Search thy self and know thy heart to try thy self and know thy thoughts that there be no wicked way in thee that thou livest in no known Sin not reserved Iniquity whatever and thou leavest no Duty undone And that thou dost not Omit or slip any Opp 〈…〉 nities of doing good For to him that knoweth to do good 〈◊〉 doeth it not to him it is Sin Jam. 4. 17. Finally Breth 〈…〉 Whatsoever Things are True whatsoever Things are Ho 〈…〉 est whatsoever Things are Just whatsoever Things 〈◊〉 Pure whatsoever Things are Lovely whatsoever Thinâ—â— are of Good Report if there be any Vertue and if there be any Praise Think on these Things O my Fellow Christians Think often Yea think alwayes on the Words of the Text I have Chosen this Day If you do not Remember and carry away any thing of the Sermon besides 〈◊〉 sure to Remember and carry away the Words of 〈◊〉 present Text for that will be enoughâ—nd sufficient If when any Good Thought or true Thoughts 〈◊〉 in your Soul when you like the Patriark Jacob Vo 〈…〉 unto him the Lord shall be my God Gen. 28. 21. And P 〈…〉 thy Vows unto the most High Psal 50. 14. When any 〈◊〉 his Truths comes into thy Mind which either make the Iâ—visible God more known unto thee or the things of hâ—â— Kingdom or concerning the World to come even our Futuâ—â— State and Condition therein which same truth or truthâ— do stir up or Quicken Exhort and Actually Perswade do all the Words of his Law to keep his Commandmenâ—â— his Testimonies and his Statutes in all these and such 〈◊〉 Things Be sure to lift up thy heart towards God in 〈◊〉 Words of my Text O Lord God of Abraham Isaac and 〈◊〉 Israel our Fâ—thers kept this for ever in the Imagination of 〈◊〉 Thoughts of the Heart of thy People and prepare their hea 〈…〉 unto thee I say again for thy more Remembrance and O 〈…〉 servance thereof in all these and such like good cases 〈◊〉 Instances Pray without ceasing and endeavour the s 〈…〉 without ceasing O Lord God of Abraham Isaac and of 〈◊〉 rael our Fathers keep this for â—ver in the Imagination of 〈◊〉 Thoughts of the Hearts of thy People and prepare their 〈◊〉 unto thee Amen So be it FINIS