of it accordingly maintain a civil concord with all that are Members of the same Body Politick with thy self Envy not Superiours walk humbly towards Inferiors let every one of us praise his Neighbour for his good to edification Rom. 15.2 and 14.19 Duties of Ministers 1. Retain a deep sense of the weightiness of this Soul-concerning work to which you are called 2 Cor. 2.16 Who is sufficient for these things 2. Let the Sense of self-insufficience and weightiness of the work put you upon driving a great Trade with Heaven in acting dependance upon and making frequent addresses unto God for supplies suitable 2 Cor. 2.3 5. We are not sufficient to think any thing of our selves but our sufficience is of God he that doth not fetch his Sermons by Prayer from Heaven is never like to reach the Hearts of others 3. Study the Scriptures your own Hearts Providences the Hearts tempers constitutions customs and conversations of others much using all other mens diligently and industriously whereby you may be able and apt to Teach upon all occasions 1 Tim. 4.13 14 15 16. Give attendance to Reading to Exhortation to Doctrine meditate on these things give thy self wholly to them 4. Deliver no Message but what you receive from the mouth of God in the Holy Scriptures keep back no part of the Counsel of God speak as the Oracles of God in the Name and Authority of the Son of God as Ambassadors of Christ representing his Person as such that believe the Truths which you commend to others Ezek. 3.17 Acts 20.27 1 Pet. 4.11 2 Cor. 5.20 and 4.13 Psal 116.10 5. Manage Christ's work with Christ's Spirit not your own His Spirit is a Spirit of Wisdom shew your selves Workmen that need not be ashamed dividing the Word of God aright 1 Tim. 2.15 His Spirit is a Spirit of self-denial and Zeal To get a livelihood or great name to your selves must not be your principal nor ultimate end in preaching the Gospel for that were not to preach Christ but your selves 2 Cor. 4.5 1 Thes 2.4 5 6. As we were allowed of God to be put in trust with the Gospel even so we speak not as pleasing Men but God which tryeth our Hearts for neither at any time used we flattering words as ye know nor a Cloak of Covetousness God is witness nor of Men sought we Glory nor of you nor yet of others 9. Shew all tenderness of compassion love and pity to the Souls of Sinners 1 Thes 2.8 So being affectionately desirous of you we were willing to have imparted not the Gospel of God only to you but also our own Souls because ye were dear unto us 1 Cor. 2.19 20 21 22. Psal 1.8 2 Tim. 4.25 26. 2 Tim. 4.1 2. Comfort the feeble minded and support the weak 1 Thes 5.14 Be tender of troubled and afflicted Consciences Heb. 12.12 13. Lift up the Hands which hang down and the feeble Knees and make streight paths for your Feet lest that which is lame be turned out of the way but rather let it be healed Gal 6.1 If a Man be overtaken in a fault restore such a one in the Spirit of meekness considering thy self lest thou also be tempted 7. To Soundness in Doctrine add Holiness of Conversation being Exemplary in all works of Piety and Charity Tit 1.7 8 9. A Bishop and a Minister of the Gospel must be blameless as the Steward of God not self-willed not soon angry not given to Wine no striker not given to filthy lucre but a lover of Hosptiality a lover of good Men Sober Holy Just Temperate holding fast the faithful word as he has been taught that he may be able by sound Doctrine both to exhort and convince the gainsayers And Tit. 2.7 In all things shewing thy self a patern of good works in Doctrine shewing uncorruptness gravity sincerity sound speech that cannot be condemned that he that is of the contrary part may be ashamed having no evil to say of you 2 Tim. 2.22 Flee youthful Lusts but follow Righteousness Faith Charity and Peace with them that call on the name of the Lord with a pure Heart 1 Tim. 6.11 12. and 4.12 Be thou an example of the Believers in Word in Conversation in Charity in Spirit in Faith in Purity and 3.7 1 Pet. 5.1 2. Feed the Flock of God which is among you not as being Lords over God's heritage but as being examples to the Flock 8. Be painful and laborious in the Lord's Vineyard for the Harvest is great and the Labourers are few 1 Thes 2.9 2 Cor. 12.14 15. I will very gladly spend and be spent for you though the more abundantly I love you the less I am loved 2 Tim. 4.2 Preach in season and out of season Acts 5.42 Daily in the Temple and in every House they ceased not to Preach Jesus Christ Much unlike many Loyteres among us who count it a great matter to Preach or rather Read an old rusty Homiley once a Month or six Weeks Watch over the Souls of your People as Remembring-that you must give an account Heb 13.17 And therefore habit constant coaation and frequent familiar converse with them will be necessary Acts 20.28 Take heed to your selves and to all the Flock over which the Holy Ghost hath made you overseers to feed the Church of God which he has purchased with his own Blood Non residents never had their Commission from Christ and they will have but few or none to present unto him as their Crown and Glory in the great day of accounts 9. Look well to the government both of your own House and of the House or Church of God 1 Tim. 3.4 5. One that ruleth well his own House having his Children in subjection with all gravity for if a Man know not how to rule his own House how shall he take care of the Church of God Let nothing be seen in your selves or those that belong unto you that may give just occasion of offence to others whereby the work of God may be hindred Be Faithful Impartial and Authoritative in the administration of Censures as an Ordinance of Christ The Keyes of the Kingdom of Heaven are a great trust shâ—â—â— not Heavens Gate or the Door of the Church against the weakest visible believer whom Christ and his People would have admitted And keep in none that are scandalous and obstinate whom Christ and his People would have excluded in nothing aming at the destruction of any but the edification of all 2 Cor. 10.4 5 6. The weapens of our warfare are not carnal but mighty through God to the pulling down of strong holds and having in a readiness to revenge all disobedience when your obedience is fulfilled Lastly if you have a clear providential Call to suffer persecution for any truth of the Gospel or Ordinance of Christ decline it not 2 Tim. 2.3 Endure hardness as a good Souldier of Christ v. 8 9 10. Remember that Jesus Christ of the Seed of David was
for it is a good thing that the Heart be established with Grace not with Merits which have not profited them that have been occupied therein 2 Cor. 2.11 2 3 4. I am zealous over you with a Godly jealousie for I have espoused you to one Husband that I may present you as a chast Virgin to Christ but I fear lest by any means as the Serpent beguiled Eve through his Subtilty so your Minds should be corrupted from the simplicity that is in Christ For if he that cometh perceiveth another Jesus whom we have not prepared or if ye receive another Spirit which ye have not received or another Gospel which ye have not accepted ye might well bear with him Gal. 1.8 Though we or an Angel from Heaven Preach any other Gospel unto you than that which we have Preached unto you let him be accursed Contend for the truth against all that shall corrupt or oppose it Jude 1. Let no Ordinance be lost or adulterated with your good will restore all to their primitive purity and keep them in it Let the word of the Lord also go forth from you unto others that you being the Lord 's Holy Mountain may be a rich Blessing to all places round about Ezek. 34.26 Psal 110.2 Think your selves of some expedient how to propagate the Gospel according to your capacities abilities and as present Providences will permit after the pattern of the Church of Thessalonica 1 Ep. 1 Chap. v. 6 7 8. Yea become followers of us and of the Lord having received the Word in much affliction with joy of the Holy Ghost so that ye were examples to all that were at Macedonia and Achaia for from you sounded out the word of the Lord. 6. God has fenced you with many Hedges and strong Fortifications to wit with his own Power Providence Spirit Word Angels and other Creatures insomuch that the Gates of Hell shall not prevail against you Let therefore Mount Zion be glad and the Daughters of Judah be glad walk about Zion go round about her tell the Towers thereof mark well her Bulwarks consider her Palaces that ye may tell it to the Generations following for this God is our God for ever and ever he will be our guide unto Death Ps. 48. to the end Isa 4.5 6. The Lord will create upon every dwelling place of Mount Zion and upon the Assemblies a Cloud and Smoke by Day and shining of a Flaming Fire by Night for upon all the Glory shall be a defence and there shall be a Tabernacle for a Shadow in the Day-time from the Heat and for a place of Refuge and for a covert from the Storm and Rain And 41.10 11 12. Fear not for I am with thee be not dismayed for I am thy God I will strengthen thee yea I will help thee yea I will uphold thee with the Right Hand of my Righteousness behold all they that were incensed against thee shall be ashamed and confounded They shall be as nothing and they that strive with thee shall perish Thou shalt seek them and shalt not find them even them that contended with thee they that were against thee shall be as nothing and as a thing of nought 7. As God has made many Promises to you my indeed all Promises are Yea and Amen to you that believe 2 Cor. 1.20 So suck the Breasts of these Consolations and let the Word of Christ dwell Richly in you in all Wisdom Col. 3.16 Chuse Promises as a part of your Portion Psal 119.111 Acting Faith and Patience for the accomplishment thereof and comforting your selves therewith in all your Affictions Distresses and Tribulations Get some compendious Catalogue not only in your Heads but also in your Hearts of such promises especially which may afford you some comfortable relief against the temptations and troubles that do ordinarly attend a Church-state â—â—le instance in a few to shew you how to make improvement of the rest 1. Are you at any time under perturbation of Mind fearing the Rage and Rejection of the Men of the World for your separation not walking with them in the same way of visible Worship Let that of 2 Cor. 6.17 18. be ready at hand as a present remedy Come out from among them and be ye separate saith the Lord and touch not the unclean thing and I will receive you and will be a Father to you and ye shall be my Sons and Daughters saith the Lord God Almighty It s true this Scripture is principally understood of separation from Idolatry and Idolaters but not exclusive of other separations where there is visible Righteousness and Unrighteousness Light and Darkness Christ and Belial Piety and Tolerated Profaness As you may see v. 14.15 2. Is the want of able Officers or being de prived of such as ye had your grief Make use of Ezek. 34.15 16. I will feed them in a good Pasture and upon the high Mountains of Israel shall the Fold be I will seek that which was lost and bring again that which was driven away and will bind up that which was broken and strengthen that which was sick Jer. 3.14 15. I will take you one of a City and two of a Family and I will bring you to Zion and I will give you Pastores according to mine Heart which shall feed you with Knowledge and Understanding If it be for God's Glory and your good you may believe that some time or other that of Isa 30.20 21. shall be fulfilled I limit not the Holy One to Days Weeks Months or Years Though the Lord give you the Bread of Adversity and the Water of Affliction yet shall not thy Teachers be removed into a Corner any more but thine Eyes shall see thy Teachers and thine Ears shall hear a Word behind thee saying this is the way walk ye in it when ye turn to the Right Hand and to the Left 3. Are you a reproach to Neighbours vile and contemptible in the Eyes of all that are round about See Isa 28.5 The Lord of Hosts shall be for a Crown of Glory and for a Diadem of Beauty to the residue of his People And 62.3 Thou shalt also be for a Crown of Glory in the Hand of the Lord and a Royal Diadem in the Hand of thy God 〈◊〉 Thou shalt no more be termed forsaken neither shall thy Land any more be termed desolate but thou shalt be called Hephzibah and thy Land Beulah for the Lord delighteth in thee and thy Land shall be Married Isa 51.7 Hearken un to me ye that know Righteousness the Peoplâ— in whose Heart is my Law Fear ye not the reproach of Men neither be afraid of their Revilings for the Moth shall eat them up as a Garment and the Worm shall eat them as Wooll but my Righteousness shall be for ever and my Salvation from Generation to Generation Isa 54.4 5. Ezek. 36.15 â— 4. Is it so that Ordinances do you but little good your Souls are still Barren and Unfruitful
to an afflicted condition faying with Job Job 13.15 Tho' thou kill me I will trust in thee 8ly Sympathize with others in a suffering condition Rom. 12.15 Ninthly Study more to get good to your Souls by sufferings than simply to be rid of them that you may come forth as Gold refined seven times Zech. 13.9 In one word study exactness in this Divine Art of Knowledge how to use mercies aright when you have them that you may never sin them away any more and how to want them when Providence deprives you of them that you may Pray Repent and Believe them back again Eleventhly Live the Life of Faith at all times and in all conditions the Doctrine whereof teacheth us 1. Whatever God in his Word commands you to do and whatever by his Providence he calls you to suffer that do and suffer without any further dispute about self-damnifying events that may follow thereupon Secondly Let the sense of self-insufficiency put you upon fetching supplies every moment from Christ for enabling you both to do and suffer Thirdly Whatever Sense and Reason may suggest to the contrary Believe that to be best for you and others of the Lord's people which the infinitly wise God carveth out for you and them His way of ordering things his time and what else is his is best its best for me to be Sick now Poor now Persecuted now Fourthly Use no unlawful means for your deliverance how low sowever you are brought but wait upon God still Ps 37.34 and 27.14 believing that he both can and will work it for you when and by what means seems good to himself Fifthly Whatever promises God has made to Persons in your condition you may be as sure of the accomplishment thereof as if the thing were already done If you are such as seek God in his Ordinances and he has promised his presence there go with an expectation If you are such as walk uprightly and he has promised Grace and Glory to you Ps 8 4 to the end You may rest fully assured that he will not be worse than his word Men nor Devils shall not be able to deprive you of the promised and purchased Inheritance And so long as you are assured of God's presence here and Heaven's Glory hereafter you need not much value what you suffer in this World This is the proper work of Faith to support the Spirits of drooping Saints Ps 27.13 against all imaginable discouragements O acquaint your selves herewith and you are fit for any thing that can befall you Lastly Learn what it is to Dye-Daily that so the work may be facilitated and made easy to you before-hand Have frequent meditations of mortality in Health as well as in Sickness Live every Day as if it were to be your last Clear all accounts with your Judge be sure that your sins are pardoned your Persons justified your Natures sanctified your Hearts renewed that your conversation be according to the Gospel and as to your present temper that you be Spiritually and Heavenly minded ready to welcome the Lord if he should come at this very instant if the King of terrours were at the Door Let your House be set in order that you may have nothing to do but to Dye resigning up your Spirits into the Hands of your Heavenly Father that at your last Hour you may say with Hezekiah Isa 38.3 Remember now O Lord how I have walked before thee in truth and with a perfect Heart and have done that which is good in thy sight And with Paul 2 Tim. 4.7 8. I have Fought a good Fight I have finished my course I have kept the Faith hence forth there is laid up for me a Crown of Righteousness which the Lord the Righteous Judge shall give me at that Day and not to me only but unto all them also that love his appearing FINIS
where is the House that ye build unto me and where is the place of my rest Psal 145.3 Great is the Lord and greatly to be praised and his Greatness is unsearchable 1 Tim. 6.16 O let Holy David's practice be yours that so his expierience may be yours also Psal 16.8 I have set the Lord always before me because he is at my right hand I shall not be moved 5. Survey him in the bright shining beauty of his Holiness Revel 4.8 Holy Holy Holy Lord God Almighty which was and is and is to come This will make you with Isaiah say Chap 6. v. 5. Wo is me for I am undone because I am of unclean Lips and I dwell in the midst of a people of unclean Lips for mine eyes have seen the King the Lord of Hosts And with Job Chap. 42. v. 5.6 I have heard of thee by the hearing of the ear but now mine eye seeth thee wherefore I abhor my self in dust and ashes This will take you off from stinting your selves to any Scanty measures of Holiness making you persue after it to be Holy in all manner of conversation as he that has called you is Holy Levit. 19.2 1 Pet. 1.15 I might go over the rest of the Attribute Mercy Grace Love Longsuffering Infinite Power All sufficiency and Faithfulness But from what is already hinted the Way is in some measure made plain how you may mannage such Meditations Thirdly what hitherto has been mentioned is little more than what is attainable by an improved Heathen I must therefore call aloud upon you to soar yet higher in your contemplations of God in Christ And here you may see that which is and will be to all Eternity matter of admiration to Men and Angels 1 Pet. 1.12 Here you may see God Reconciling an apostate and perishing World to himself 2 Cor. 5.19 Here you may see a most noble unparallelled contrivance of infinite Wisdom and free Grace hatched in the womb of Eternity how the Sons and Daughters of Adam that by Sin had debased themselves as low as Hell might be advanced to a state of Royal dignity as high as Heaven Here you may see the Creators condesinsion in stooping so low as to cloth himself with Mans Nature that Man might be made partaker of the Divine Here you may see Mercy and Justice reconciled Righteousness and Truth kissing each other So great is his Justice that Sin shall not pass unpunished no not in his own dear Son though a Sinner only by imputation and having no personal pollution And so great his is Mercy to most miserable sinners that they have what of God is communicable and what they are capable to receive Grace and Glory upon free cost Justice is satisfied to the full as if there had never been any offence and the ransomed of the Lord are restored to a better estate than Adam's was before the Fall Behold here the reason why the World has stood near this 6000 years it s by Christ all things consist Col. 1.17 Come and behold an unspeakable union of hearts and affections between God and sinners Angels and sinners sinners and sinners and of the whole Creation Behold what encouragement the greatest of sinners have to come unto God with hopes of access and acceptance and O what invincible obligations do all of us ly under highly to honour adore fear reverence worship love serve pray unto praise and confide in this God! O my Soul and all that 's within me magnifie the unsearchable riches of the glorious grace of this God and let the whole Creation concur with me in celebrating his praise-worthy name Luke 1.68 69. Blessed be the Lord God of Israel for he hath visited and Redeemed his People and hath raised up a horn of Salvation for us that we should be saved from our Enemies and from the hand of them that hate us that we might serve him without fear in Holiness and Righteousness before him all the days of our life Revel 5.11 12. I beheld and heard the voice of many Angels round about the Throne and the Beasts and the Elders and the number of them was ten thousand times ten Thousand and Thousands of Thousands saying with a loud voice worthy is the Lamb that was Slain to receive Power and Riches and Wisdom and Srength and Honour and Glory and Blessing And every Creature which is in Heaven and on Earth and under the Earth and such as are in the Sea and all that are in them heard I saying Blessing Honour Glory and Power be unto him that sits on the Throne and unto the Lamb for ever and ever Fourthly Rest not satisfied with a rational head-knowledge of the most sublime Gospel Mysteries without some practical and experimental knowledge of the effectual heart-renewing and Soul-Sanctifying operations of the Spirit of God upon your Hearts study a translation from Death to Life from Satan to God from the power of darkness into the Glorious Kingdom of our Lord Jesus Put off the whole old Man with all his deceivable Lusts and put on the Lord Jesus Study Regeneration know what it is to be be born from above by the Word and Spirit John 3. Begin That you may say with those Tit. 3.3 4. We our selves also were sometimes foolish disobedient deceived serving divers Lusts and pleasures living in Malice and Envy hateful and hating one another but after that the kindness and love of God appeared not by works of Righteousness which we have done but according to his mercy he saved us by the washing of regeneration and renewing of the Holy Ghost which he shed on us abundantly that being justified by his Grace we should be heirs according to the hope of eternal life And Ephes 2. Begin Even when we were Dead in sins hath he quickened us together with Christ and hath raised us up together and hath made us sit together in Heavenly places in Christ Jesus we are the Workmanship of God Created in Christ Jesus unto good works which were before ordained that we should walk therein O take heed of being mistaken in the business of Gospel-conversion it concerns no less than the eternal Salvation or Damnation of your immortal Soul it s something else than a bare literal knowledge civility morality partial reformation having some flashes of good desires and resolutions and something else than a bare outward profession saying Lord Lord Know once what it is to have Heaven-born principles in your heart what it is to have the old stony hard carnal unclean covetous proud impenitent and unbelieving heart with all old things done away and all things made new 2 Cor. 5.17 New understanding new will new conscience new affections Give all diligence to make your calling and election sure and it will much conduce to your comfortble walking throughout the course of your conversation Fifthly In order hereunto I commend to you that of Heb. 6.1 Lay such a foundation of Repentance from dead works and Faith towards God
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
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