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
honestly But I beseech you the rather to do this that I may be restored to you the sooner Phil. 1.19 20 5. Give obedience to their Doctrine and submission to their censures which are according to the Gospel and adminstred in the name of Christ Heb. 13.17 Obey them that have the Rule over you and submit your selves for they watch for your Souls as they that must give account that they may do it with Joy and not with Grief for that is unprofitable for you 6. If they devote themselves Souls Bodies Strength Time Talents with whatever is dearest to them wholly for the service of your Souls and to comunicate Spiritual things unto you its agreeable to the mind of Christ and sound reason that you should communicate temporal things unto them according to your abilities and as the necessities in doing or suffering do require Gal. 6.6 Let him that is taught in the word communicate to him that teaches in all good things 1 Cor. 9.6 7 8. Have not we Power to forbear working Who goeth a Warfare at any time on his own charges Who plants a Vineyard and eats not the Fruit thereof And who feedeth a Flock and eateth not of the Milk of the Flock Say I these things as a Man Or saith not the Law the same also For it is written in the Law of Moses thou shall not muzzle the Mouth of the Ox that treadeth out the Corn Doth God take care for Oxen Or saith he it altogether for our sakes For our sakes no doubt this is written that he that Ploweth should Plow in hope and he that Thresheth in hope should be partaker in hope If we have Sown unto you Spiritual things is it a great matter if we should reap your carnal things Do not ye know that they which Minister about Holy things live of the things of the Temple and they which wait at the Altar are partakers with the Altar even so hath the Lord Ordained that they which Preach the Gospel should live of the Gospel 1 Tim. 5.17 18. Let the Elders that Rule well be counted worthy of double Honour especially they who labour in the Word and Doctrine for the Scripture saith Deut. 25.4 Thou shall not muzzle the Ox that treadeth down the Corn. And Matth. 10.10 The labourer is worthy of his reward If these or the like expressions were only the words of a Man whose interest led him so to speak they might well be suspected as savouring of selfishness but by this time you and I know one another so well that ther 's no need for me to Apologize for my thus writing Though my administrations amongst you have been attended with many other infirmities yet in time I know you will bear me witness that I have not sought yours but you neither indeed needed I to do so for I must bear you this Testimony that since my necessities have called for supply you have been more ready to communicate than I to receive My end is to inform you of the Mind of God in this thing and to confirm your Faith in your Practice doing what you do as an Ordinance of God upon which you may expect a Blessing according to Matth. 10.40 41. He that receiveth you receiveth me and he that receiveth me receiveth him that sent me He that receiveth a Prophet in the name of a Prophet shall receive a Prophet's reward And whosoever shall give to drink to one of these little ones a Cup of cold Water only in the name of a Disciple verily he shall in no wise lose his reward And though you are sufficiently instructed yet this may be of use to others Duties of Church Members towards one another 1. Study unanimity or oneness of Mind as much as is possible 1 Cor. 1.10 I beseech you Brethren by the Name of our Lord Jesus Christ that ye all speak the same thing and that there be no divisions among you but that ye be perfectly joyned together in the same Mind and in the same Judgment Phil. 2.1 2. If there be any consolation in Christ if any comfort of Love if any fellowship of the Spirit if any Bowels and mercy fulfil ye my joy that ye be like-minded having the same Love being of one accord of one mind Rom. 15.5 The God of patience and consolation grant you to be like-minded one towards another according to Christ Jesus that ye may with one Mind and Mouth glorifie God even the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ 2 Make conscience of that necessary but so much neglected Duty of Brotherly Admonition Matth. 18.16 17. If thy Brother Trespass against thee go and tell-him his fault between thee and him alone If he shall hear thee thou hast gained thy Brother but if he will not hear thee then take with thee one or two more that in the mouth of two or three witnesses every word may be established And if the shall neglect to hear them tell it unto the Church But if he neglect to hear the Church let him be unto thee as a Heathen Man and a Publican Rom. 15.14 I my self am perswaded of you Brethren that ye also are full of Goodness filled with all Knowledge able also to admonish one another 2 Thes 3.15 Col. 3.16 3. Mutual Exhortation is another Duty Heb. 3.12 13. Take heed Brethren lest there be in any of you an evil Heart of unbelief in departing from the living God But exhort one another Daily while it is called to Day lest any of you be hardned through the deceitfulless of Sin And 10.24 25. Let us consider one another to provoke unto Love and to good Works not forsaking the assembling of our selves together as the manner of some is but exhorting one another and so much the more as ye see the Day is approaching 4. Let not them that are strong in respect of Knowledge Gifts Graces Experiences Attainments and Enjoyments Undervalue or Disesteem the Weak and let not the Weak envy them that are Strong Rom. 15.1 2. We that are Strong ought to bear with the Infirmities of the weak and not please our selves And 12.3 I say through the Grace given unto me to every Man that is among you not to think more highly of himself than he ought to think but to think Soberly according as God has dealt to every Man the measure of Faith v. 10. In Honour preferring one another 1 Cor. 12. Chap. throughout Especially v. 18.21 22. God hath set the Members every one of them in the Body as it hath pleased him The Eye cannot say to the Hand I have no need of thee nor again the Head to the Feet I have no need of you nay much more those Members of the Body which seem to be more feeble are necessary and those Members of the Body which we think to be less Honourable upon these we bestow more abundant Honour and our uncomly parts have more abundant comliness Phil. 2.3 Let nothing be done through strife or vainglory but in
Knowledge in all Diligence and in your Love to us see that ye abound in this Grace also For ye know the Grace of our Lord Jesus Christ that though he was Rich yet for your sakes he became Poor that ye through his Poverty might become Rich. See also the whole 9th Chap. Where he stirreth them up to a bountifulness in Almsgiving as being a Sowing of Seed which shall return a great increase to them and occasion great thanksgivings unto God As touching the Ministring of the Saints it is superfluous for me to write unto you for I know the forwardness of your Mind But this I say he which Soweth sparingly shall Reap sparingly and he which Soweth bountifully shall Reap bountifully every Man as he purposeth in his Heart so let him give not grudgingly or of necessity for God loveth a chearful giver And God is able to make all Grace abound towards you that ye always having all-sufficiency in all things may abound to every good Work being enriched in every thing to all Bountifulness which causerh through us thanksgiving unto God For the administration of this service not only supplyeth the want of the Saints but is abundant also by many thanksgivings unto God while by the experiment of this Ministration they glorifie God for your professed subjection unto the Gospel of Christ and for your liberal distribution unto all Men. If it be duty to distribute to the necessities of Members of other Churches how much more to those of your own The substance of all the forementioned Duties is reduceable to this one of Love And though this be a thing you are not ignorant of and tho' in every Epistle I have put you in mind of it yet it is not altogether in vain to do so still nay while I breath and have any opportunities afforded for correspendence in this way I must breath forth something of this Evangelical Doctrine of Christ to you Love one another Love one another Love one another 1 Pet. 1.22 Seeing ye have purified your Souls in obeying the Truth through the Spirit unto unfeigned Love of the Brethren See that ye Love one another with a pure Heart fervently 1 Thes 4.9 10. As touching Brotherly Love ye need not that I write unto you for ye are taught of God to Love one another and indeed ye do it to all the Brethren which are in all Macedonia but we beseech you Brethren that ye increase yet more and more Joh. 13.35 By this shall all Men know that ye are my Disciples if ye have Love one to another Rom. 12.9 Let Love be without dissimulation 1 John 3.18 My little Children let us not Love in Word or in Tongue but in deed and in truth and hereby we know that we are of the Truth and shall assure our Hearts before him 1 John 2.8 9 10 11. A new Commandment I write unto you because the Darkness is past and the true Light now shineth he that saith he is in the Light and hateth his Brother is in Darkness even until now He that Loveth his Brother abideth in the Light and there is no occasion of stumbling in him And 4.7 8. Beloved let us Love one another for Love is of God and every one that Loveth is Born of God and knoweth God he that knoweth not loveth not God for God is Love v. 16. He that dwelleth in Love dwelleth in God and God in him v. 20.21 1 Cor. 13. Though I speak with the Tongues of Men and Angels and have not Charity I am become as sounding Brass or a tinkling Cymbal Charity suffereth long and is kind Charity envyeth not vaunteth not it self is not puffed up doth not behave it self unseemly seeketh not her own is not easily provoked thinketh no evil rejoyceth not in iniquity but rejoyceth in the truth beareth all things believeth all things hopeth all things endureth all things Charity never faileth 1 Thes 3.12 The Lord make you to increase and abound in love one towards another and towards all Men even as we do towards you Duties of a conjugal Relation 1. Ye that are Husbands Love your Wives Let her that lives in your Bosom have your Heart and Affection so far as it is communicable to any Creature Ephes 5.25 Husbands love your Wives even as Christ also loved the Church v. 28. So ought Men to love their Wives as their own Bodies he that loveth his Wife loveth himself for no Man ever yet hated his own Flesh Love Purely Peculiarly Sincerely and Constantly Let not Sickness Poverty Deformity old Age or Infirmities cause an abatement of your Affection 2. Let the company and society of your Wives be pleasant and delightful to you Prov. 5.18 19. Let thy Fountain be Blessed and Rejoyce with the Wife of thy Youth let her be as the loving Hind and as the pleasant Roe let her Breasts satisfie thee at all times and be thou always Ravish't with her Love 3. Keep the Marriage Covenant as to the dispose of your Bodies Prov. 5.15 Drink Waters out of thine own Cistern and running Waters out of thine own Well v. 20. Why wilt thou my Son be Ravish't with a strange Woman or embrace the Bosom of a Stranger Flee Fornication Uncleanness Adultery Incest and all Tentations leading thereunto Prov. 6.25 26. Lust not after the Beauty of a Stranger in thine Heart neither let her take thee with her eye-lids for by means of a Whorish Woman a Man is brought to a morsel of Bread and the Adultress will hunt for the precious life Can a Man take Fire in his Bosom and his Cloths not be Burnt Can one go upon hot Coles and his Feet not be Burnt So he that goeth in to his Neighbours Wife whosoever toucheth her he shall not be innocent v. 32 33. Who so committeth Adultery with a Woman lacketh understanding He that doth it destroyeth his own Soul a Wound and Dishonour shall he get and his Reproach shall not be wiped away So 7.22 23 24. Col. 3.5 6. 4. As you are not Adulterously to meddle with any strange Woman so 1 Cor. 7.3 4. let the Husband render unto the Wife due Benevolence likewise also the Wife unto the Husband The Wife hath not power of her own Body but the Husband and likewise also the Husband has not power of his own Body but the Wife Defraud ye not one the other except it be with confent for a time that you may give your felves to Fasting and Prayer and come together again that Satan tempt you not for your incontinency 5. Let them communicate with you in all the good things which God bestoweth upon you provide liberally for them letting them want no conveniencey which you can afford cherishing and nourishing them as your own Bodies and as Christ cherisheth the Church Ephes 5.29 Be not harsh nor hard churlish nor unkind Col. 3.19 Be not bitter against them 6. Dwell with them as Men of knwledge 1 Pet. 3.7 Let your carriage towards them in all
things be with Prudence and Discretion admit them to a copartnership with your selves in the administration of domestical and familiar affairs Let them have Power over Children and Servants Gen. 16.6 Make use of their advice and assistance in common concerns Gen. 21.12 Correct their misdemeanours with gentle and seasonable admonitions If any difference happen let there be a speedy reconciliation study one anothers tempers and bear with one anothers infirmities 7. Give Honour unto them as unto the weaker Vessels and as being Heirs together of the Grace of Life that your Prayers be not hindred 1 Pet. 3.7 It s duty to pray together as Husbands and Wives and consequently your demeanour in all things should be such that you may be ready upon all occasions to go Hand in Hand to Heaven and to the Throne of Grace together 8. If you are providentially Yoaked with carnal and ungodly Wives you are not to leave them nor put them away how cross or untoward soever if they are willing to continue with you The same also I say or rather the Apostle concerning Godly Wives that have wicked Husbands 1 Cor. 7.12 13. If any Brother hath a Wife that believeth not and she be pleased to dwell with him let him not put her away and the Woman which hath a Husband that believeth not if he be pleased to dwell with her let her not leave him for the unbelieving Husband is sanctified by the Wife and the unbelieving Wife is sanctified by the Husband But if the unbelieving depart let him depart a Brother or Sister is not under Bondage in such cases But God hath called us to peace for what knowest thou O Wife whether thou shalt save thy Husband Or how knowest thou O Man whether thou shalt savâ— thy Wife 9. Get your Hearts every day more and more weaned from such dear Relations that when ever God shall be pleased to cause a divorce you may be able to bear it with such patience and contentation as becometh Christians 1 Cor. 7.29 This I say Brethren the time is short it remaineth that they that have Wives be as tho' they had none and they that weep as tho' they wept not for the Fashion of this World passeth away 1 Thes 4.13 14. I would not have you ignorant Brethren concerning them which are asleep that ye sorrow not even as others which have no hope for if we believe that Jesus dyed and rose again even so them also which sleep in Jesus will God bring with him Duties of Wives 1. Let it be your great care as to answer the end of your Creation so also of this institution of Marriage which was that you should be meet helps in all things and hindrances in nothing to your Husbands Gen. 2.18 The Lord said it is not good that Man should be alone I will make him an help meet for him Be helpful to them in their Souls Bodies Families and Estates 2. Let your Husbands have a reverential respect from you being studious how to please and loath to displease them Eph. 5.33 And the Wife see that she reverence her Husband 1 Pet. 3.6 Sarah called her Husband Lord 1 Cor. 7.34 The unmarried Woman careth for the things of the Lord that she may be Holy both in Body and Spirit But she that is Married careth for the things of the World how she may please her Husband 3. Be subject and obedient to all their Lawful commands Tit. 2.4 5. Teach the Young Women to be Sober to Love their Husbands to Love their Children to be Discreet Chast keepers at home obedient to their own Husbands that the Word of God be not Blasphemed Col. 3.18 Submit your selves to your own Husbands as it is fit in the Lord Ephes 5.22 23 24. The Husband is the Head of the Wife even as Christ is Head of the Church therefore as the Church is subject to Christ so let the Wives be to their own Husbands in every thing 1 Pet. 3.1 Likewise ye Wives be in subjection to your own Husbands that if any obey not the Word they may be won by the conversation of the Wives while they behold your Chast Conversation coupled with fear v. 5.6 For after this manner in the old time the Holy Women who trusted in God were in subjection unto their own Husbands even as Sarah obeyed Abraham 4. Be of a quiet and meek Spirit counting that your chief Ornament rather than costly Attire or gaudy Apparel according to the Fashion of the World 1 Pet. 3.4 Whose adorning let it not be that outward adorning of plaiting the Hair and wearing of Gold or putting on of Apparel but let it be the hidden Man of the Heart in that which is not corruptible even the Ornament of a meek and quiet Spirit which is in the sight of God of great price 1 Tim. 2.9 10. Let Women adorn themselves in modest Apparel not with broidered Hair or Gold or Pearls or costly Aray but which becometh Women professing godliness with good works Read Isa 3 from v. 16. to the end Duties of Parents to Children 1. Instill Scripture-principles into them from their Infancy be teaching them according to their capacities to know God and themselves Instruct them of the Works of God of Man's original happiness before the Fall of his misery now by Sin of Redemption by Christ and the glory of the World to come Psal 75.3 4 5 6. which we have heard and known and our Fathers have told us we will not hide them from their Children shewing to the Generation to come the praises of the Lord and his strength and his wonderful works which he hath done For he established a Testimony in Jacob and appointed a Law in Israel which he commanded our Fathers that they should make them known to their Children that the Generation to come might know them even the Children which should be Born who should arise and declare them to their Children 2 Tim. 3.14 15. Continue thou in the things which thou hast learned and hast been assured of knowing of whom thou hast learned them and that from a Child thou hast known the Holy Scriptures which are able to make thee wise unto Salvation through Faith which is in Christ Jesus Deut. 6.6 7. These words which I commend thee this Day shall be in thine Heart and thou shalt teach them diligently unto thy Children Psal 34.12 Prov. 4.1 2 3 4. Psal 44.1 2. 2. Use the Rod in Love and with discretion when no other means will make them mend Prov. 13.24 He that Spareth his Rod hates his Son but he that Loveth him chasteneth him betimes And 19.18 Chasten thy Son while there is hope and let not thy Soul spare for his crying And 23.13 14. And 29.15 17. Heb. 12.9 10. 3. Bestow Breeding and Education upon them at School and otherwise if you are able that so they may be fitted for some calling whereby to serve their Generation being useful both to Church and State Observe their Genius
speak it shall be given you in that same hour For it is not ye that speak but the Spirit of your Father which speaketh in you 10. If the Lord should suffer you to be Imprisoned or Banished be comforted from Jer. 15.11 The Lord said Verily it shall be well with thy Remnant verily I will cause the Enemy to entreat thee well in the time of Evil and in the time of Affliction Psal 12.5 For the oppression of the Poor for the Sighing of the Needy Now will I arise saith the Lord I will set him in safety from him that puffeth at him Isa 35.10 The ransomed of the Lord shall return to Zion with Songs and Everlasting joy upon their Heads they shall obtain Joy and Gladness and Sorrow and Sighing shall flee away Jer. 30.18 19. 20 Thus saith the Lord behold I will bring again the Captivity of Jacob's Tents and have mercy on his dwelling places and out of them shall proceed thanksgiving and the voice of them that make merry I will Multiply them and they shall not be few I will also Glorifie them and they shall not be small Their Children also shall be as aforetime and their Congregation shall be established before me and I will punish all them that oppress them And 33.10 11. 11. Are you afraid that you may so Apostatize and fall away as cease to be a Church and God's People See Isa 54.9 10. As I have Sworn that the Waters of Noah shall no more go over the Earth so have I Sworn that I would not be Wrath nor Rebuke thee For the Mountains shall depart and the Hills be removed but my kindness shall not depart from thee neither shall the Covenant of my peace be removed saith the Lord that hath mercy one thee Jer. 31.35 36 37. Thus saith the Lord which giveth the Sun for a Light by Day which divideth the Sea when the Waves thereof Roar If those Ordinances depart from before me saith the Lord then the Seed of Israel also shall cease from being a Nation before me for ever Thus saith the Lord if Heaven above can be measured and the Foundations of the Earth be searched out beneath I will also cast off all the Seed of Israel for all that they have done Joh. 10.27 28 29. My Sheep hear my voice and I know them and they follow me and they shall never perish neither shall any Man pluck them out of my Hand My Father which gave them me is greater than all and no Man is able to pluck them out of my Father's Hand Lastly Would you be comforted with some grounded assurance that God's work in the latter Days shall go on and prosper maugre all oppsition The Kingdom of Christ shall be advanced i. e. There shall be a glorious reformation in Doctrine Worship and Discipline Antichrist and Antichristianism shall gradually be extirpated God's ancient People the Jews shall be converted and a more abundant measure of the Spirit of the Lord shall be poured forth See Isa 2. Begin Micah 4. Begin In the last Days it shall come to pass that the Mountain of the House of the Lord shall be established in the top of the Mountains and it shall be exalted above the Hills and People shall flow unto it and many Nations shall come and say Let us go up to the Mountain of the Lord and to the House of the God of Jacob and he will teach us of his ways and we will walk in his paths For the Law shall go forth of Zion and the word of the Lord from Jerusalem v. 5 6 7. All People will walk every one in the Name of his God and we will walk in the Name of the Lord our God for ever and ever In that Day saith the Lord will I assemble her that halteth and I will gather her that is driven out and her that I have afflicted And I will make her that halted a Remnant and her that was cast far off a strong Nation and the Lord shall Reign over them in Mount Zion from hence forth even for ever Psal 2.6 7 8. 2 Thes 2.8 9. Then shall consume with the Spirit of his Mouth and destroy with the brightness of his coming Rev. 14.6 7 8 9. Rom. 11.25 26. Rev. 11.15 Would you know how to demean your selves to them that are over you in the Lord 1. You owe them Love and Respect for their Office and Works sake as they are the representeves of Christs Person 1 Thes 5.12 13. We beseech you Brethren to know them which labour among you and are over you in the Lord and admonish you and to esteem them very highly for their works sake Gal. 4.13 14. Ye know how through infirmity of the Flesh I Preached the Gospel to you at first and my temptation which was in the Flesh ye despised not nor rerejected but received me as an Angel of God even as Christ Jesus I bear you record that if it had been possible ye would have plucked out your own Eyes and have given them to me 2. Be not too credulous of every calumny and report that 's raised against them without due Examination of the truth or falshood thereof 1 Tim. 5.19 Against an Elder receive not an accusation but before two or three witnesses 3. Walk according to their example so far as they are followers of Christ Phil. 3.17 Brethren be followers together of me and mark them which walk so as ye have us for an example 1 Cor. 4.15 16. Though ye have Ten Thousand instructors in Christ yet have ye not many Fathers for in Christ Jesus have I begotten you through the Gospel therefore I beseech you be followers of me And 11.3 Be ye followers of me even as I also am of Christ 1 Thes 1.5 6 Jam. 5.10 Take my Brethren the Prophets who have spoken in the Name of the Lord for an example of suffering affliction and of patience 4. Pray heartily for them Ram. 15.30 31 Now I beseech you Brethren for the Lord Jesus Christ's sake and for the Love of the Spirit that ye strive together with me in your Prayers to God for me that I may be delivered from them that do not believe in Judea And that my service which I have for Jerusalem may be accepted of the Saints that I may come unto you with joy by the will of God and may be refreshed with you Ephes 6.19 20. And for me that utterance may be given unto me that I may open my Mouth holdly to make known the Mistery of the Gospel for which I am an Ambassador in bonds that therein I may speak boldly as I ought to speak 2 Thes 2.1 2. Brethren pray for us that the Word of the Lord may have free course and be glorified even as it is with you and that we may be delivered from unreasonable and wicked Men for all Men have not Faith Heb. 13.18 19. Pray for us for we trust we have a good conscience in all things willing to live
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