him not having mine own righteousness which is of the law but that which is thro' the Faith of Christ the righteousness which is of God by Faith that I may know him and the power of his Resurrection and the fellowship of his Sufferings being made conformable unto his death Phil. 3. 7. Who shall separate us from the love of Christ Shall tribulation or distress I am perswaded that neither death nor life nor any other creature shall be able to separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord Rom. 8. 35 38. For me to live is Christ and to die is gain Phil. 1. 21. I have learned in whatever state I am therewith to be content Phil. 4. 11. Seek those things which are above where Christ sitteth on the right hand of God Set your affection on things above not on things on the earth For ye are dead and your life is hid with Christ in God Col. 3. 1 2 3. These are some amongst infinite other Directions which the Gospel gives for regulating of the Inward Man Were they prescribed to the Apostles only or to some Particular Persons or States there might be a just excuse for such as observe them not but being writ to the Faithful of all States and Conditions they are to be observ'd by all that believe in Christ And in this may Christians make the truest Judgment of the state of their Souls For if this be prescrib'd to all all are bound to labor in bringing their Souls to this happy disposition and they who are not solicitous in this whatever their Faith be have not the Spirit of a true Disciple CHAP. IX Of loving our Neighbor Q. WHAT directions do's the Gospel give as to the Love of our Neighbor A. Such as are very particular and strict in the Charge Hear some of them Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy Heart Thou shalt love thy Neighbor as thy self On these two Commandments hang all the Law and the Prophets Mat. 22. 37 39 40. A new Commandment I give unto you That ye love one another as I have loved you that ye also love one another By this shall all men know that ye are my Disciples if ye have love one to another Jo. 13. 34 35. These things I command you that ye love one another Jo. 15. 17. This is my commandment that ye love one another as I have loved you Ye are my Friends if ye do whatsoever I command you Jo. 15. 12 14. Let love be without dissimulation Be kindly affectioned one to another with brotherly love in honor preferring one another Rom. 12. 9 10. By love serve one another for all the law is fulfilled in one word even in this Thou shalt love thy Neighbor as thy self But if ye bite and devour one another take heed that ye be not consum'd one of another Gal. 5. 13 14 15. Owe no man any thing but to love one another For he that loveth another hath fulfilled the Law For this thou shalt not commit adultery Thou shalt not kill Thou shall not steal Thou shalt not bear false witness Thou shalt not covet and if there be any other Commandment it is briefly comprehended in this saying namely Thou shalt love thy Neighbor as thy self Love worketh no ill to his Neighbor therefore love is the fulfilling of the Law Rom. 13. 8 9 10. As touching brotherly love ye need not that I write unto you for ye your selves are taught of God to love one another And indeed ye do it towards all the brethren which are in Macedonia But we beseech you brethren that ye increase more and more and that ye study to be quiet 1 Thes 4. 9 10 11. Above all things have fervent Charity among your selves For Charity shall cover the multitude of sins 1 Pet. 4. 8. He that loveth his brother abideth in the light and there is none occasion of stumbling in him But he that hateth his brother is in darkness and walketh in darkness 1 Jo. 2. 10. Whosoever doth not righteousness is not of God neither he that loveth not his brother 1 Jo. 3. 10. We know that we have passed from death unto life because we love the brethren he that loveth not his brother abideth in death Whosoever hateth his brother is a murtherer and ye know that no murtherer hath eternal life abiding in him 1 Jo. 3. 14 15. If we love one another God dwelleth in us and his love is perfected in us If a man say I love God and hateth his brother he is a liar This Commandment have we from him that he who loveth God love his brother also 1 Jo. 4. 12 20 21. Tho' I have the gift of Prophecy and understand all Mysteries and all Knowledge and tho' I have all Faith so that I could remove Mountains and have no Charity I am nothing And tho' I bestow all my goods to feed the Poor and tho' I give my Body to be burned and have not Charity it profitteth me nothing Charity suffereth long and is kind Charity envieth not Charity 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 1 Cor. 13. 2 3 4 c. Thus the Christian's Rule directs as to this Point Whoever expects Salvation thro' Christ must hear his Word and make it his daily business to observe it Christ himself has said it Ye are my Friends if ye do whatsoever I command you Jo. 15. 14. CHAP. X. Of loving our Enemies Q. WHAT Directions do's the Gospel give as to the love of our Enemies A. It speaks positively in this Point I say unto you Love your Enemies bless them that curse you do good to them that hate you and pray for them which despitefully use you and persecute you That ye may be the Children of your Father which is in Heaven for he maketh the Sun to rise on the Evil and on the Good and sendeth Rain on the Just and on the Vnjust For if ye love them which love you what reward have ye Do not even the Publicans the same And if ye salute your Brethren only what do you more than others Do not even the Publicaus so Be ye therefore Perfect even as your Father which is in Heaven is Perfect Mat. 5. 44 c. I say unto you which hear love your Enemies do good to them which hate you Bless them that curse you and pray for them which despitefully use you And unto him that smiteth thee on the one cheek offer also the other and him that taketh away thy cloak forbid not to take thy coat also As you would that men should do to you do ye also to them likewise For if ye love them which love you what thank have ye For Sinners also love those that love them And
in the midst of Wolves But beware of Men for they will deliver you up to the Counsels and they will Scourge you in their Synagogues and ye shall be brought before Governors and Kings for my sake And the Brother shall deliver up the Brother to Death and the Father the Child And the Children shall rise up against their Parents and cause them to be put to Death And ye shall be hated of all Men for my names sake But he that endureth to the end shall be saved The Disciple is not above his Master nor the Servant above his Lord. It is enough for the Disciple that be be as his Master and the Servant as his Lord If they have called the Master of the House Beelzebub how much more shall they call them of his Houshold Mat. 10. 16. Then shall they deliver you up to be afflicted and shall kill you and ye shall be hated of all Nations for my names sake Mat. 24. 9. They shall put you out of the Synagogues yea the time cometh that whosoever killeth you will think that he doeth God Service Verily verily I say unto you that ye shall Weep and Lament but the World shall rejoice and ye shall be sorrowful but your Sorrow shall be turned into Joy And ye now therefore have Sorrow but I will see you again and your Heart shall rejoice and your Joy no Man taketh from you Jo. 16. 2 20. If the World hate you ye know that it hated me before it hated you Jo. 15. 18. Every Branch that beareth Fruit he my Father purgeth it that it may bring forth more Fruit Jo. 15. 2. Master who did sin this Man or his Parents that he was born Blind Jesus answered neither hath this Man sinned nor his Parents But that the Works of God should be made manifest in him Jo. 9. 2. Ought not Christ to have suffered these things and to enter into his Glory Luk. 24. 26. And when they had called the Apostles and beaten them they commanded that they should not speak in the Name of Jesus and let them go And they departed from the presence of the Counsel rejoicing that they were counted worthy to suffer Shame for his Name Act. 5. 40. We rejoice in Hope of the Glory of God and not only so but we Glory in Tribulations also knowing that Tribulation worketh Patience Rom. 5. 2. Heirs God and Joint-heirs with Christ if so be that we suffer with him that we may be also glorified together For I reckon that the Sufferings of this present Time are not worthy to be compared with the Glory which shall be revealed in us Rom. 8. 17. For we know that the whole Creation groaneth and travelleth in Pain together until now What shall we then say to these things If God be for us who can be against us Who shall separate us from the Love of Christ Shall Tribulation or Distress or Persecution or Famine or Nakedness or Peril or Sword As it is written for thy sake we are killed all the day long we are accounted as Sheep for the Slaughter Nay in all these things we are more than Conquerors thro' him that loved us For I am perswaded that neither Death nor Life nor Angels nor Principalities nor Powers nor things present nor things to come nor Height nor Depth nor any other Creature shall be able to separate us from the Love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord Rom. 8. 22 31 35. I think that God hath set forth us the Apostles last as it were appointed to Death For we are made a Spectacle unto the World and to Angels and to Men. We are Fools for Christ's sake but ye are wise in Christ We are weak but ye are strong Ye are honorable but we are despised Even unto this present Hour we both Hunger and Thirst and are Naked and are Buffeted and have no certain Dwelling-place and labour working with our own Hands Being reviled we bless being persecuted we suffer it Being defamed we intreat We are made as the Filth of the World and are the off-scouring of all things unto this Day 1 Cor. 4. 9. Blessed be God even the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ the Father of Mercies and the God of all Comfort who comforteth us in all our Tribulations for as the Sufferings of Christ abound in us so our Consolation also aboundeth by Christ For we would not Brethren have you ignorant of our Trouble which came to us in Asia that we were pressed out of Measure above Strength insomuch that we despaired even of Life But we had the Sentence of Death in our selves that we should not trust in our selves but in God which raiseth the Dead who delivered us from so great a Death and doth deliver in whom we trust that he will yet deliver us 2 Cor. 1. 3 8. And our Hope of you is stedfast knowing that as you are Partakers of the Sufferings so shall ye be also of the Consolation Ib. v. 7. We have this Treasure in earthen Vessels that the Excellency of the Power may be of God and not of us We are troubled on every side yet not distressed we are perplexed but not in despair persecuted but not forsaken cast down but not destroyed always bearing about in the Body the dying of the Lord Jesus that the Life also of Jesus might be made manifest in our Body For we which live are always delivered unto Death for Jesus sake that the Life also of Jesus might be made manifest in our mortal Flesh So then Death worketh in us but Life in you For which cause we faint not but tho' our outward Man perish yet the inward Man is renewed day by day For our light Affliction which is but for a Moment worketh for us a far more exceeding and eternal Weight of Glory while we look not at the things which are seen but at the things which are not seen for the things which are seen are Temporal but the things which are not seen are Eternal 2 Cor. 4. 7 16. I am filled with Comfort I am exceeding joyful in all our Tribulation For when we were come into Macedonia our Flesh had no rest but we were troubled on every side without were Fightings within were Fears Nevertheless God that comforteth those that are cast down comforted us by the coming of Titus 2 Cor. 7. 4. Ye suffer if a Man bring you into Bondage if a Man devour you if a Man take of you if a Man exalt himself if a Man simite you on the Face Are they Ministers of Christ I am more In Labours more abundant in Stripes above measure in Prisons more frequent in Deaths oft Of the Jews five times received I forty Stripes save one Thrice was I beaten with Rods once was I Stoned thrice I suffered Shipwrack a Night and a Day I have been in the Deep In Journeying often in Perils of Waters in Perils of Robbers in Perils by my own Countrymen in Perils by the Heathen
Then the Devil leaveth him and behold Angels came and minister'd unto him Mat. 4. 8. Be sober be vigilant because your Adversary the Devil as a roaring Lion walketh about seeking whom he may devour Whom resist stedfast in Faith knowing that the same Afflictions are accomplished in your Brethren that are in the World But the God of all Grace who hath called us unto his eternal Glory by Christ Jesus after that ye have suffered a while make you perfect stablish strengthen settle you 1 Pet. 〈…〉 Devil and he will flee from you Draw nigh to God and he will draw nigh to you Humble your selves in the Sight of the Lord and he shall lift you up Jam. 4. 7 10. Peter said Ananias why hath Satan filled thine Heart to lie to the Holy Ghost and keep back part of the Price of the Land Act. 5. 3. Let him that thinketh he standeth take heed lest he fall There hath no Temptation taken you but such as is common to Man But God is Faithful who will not suffer you to be tempted above that ye are able but will with the Temptation also make a Way to escape that ye may be able to bear it 1 Cor. 10. 12. Lest I should be exalted above Measure thro' the abundance of the Revelations there was given to me a Thorn in the Flesh the Messenger of Satan to buffet me lest I should be exalted above Measure For this thing I besought the Lord thrice that it might depart from me And he said unto me my Grace is sufficient for thee For my Strength is made perfect in Weakness Most gladly therefore will I rather glory in my Infirmities that the Power of Christ may rest upon me For when I am weak then am I strong 2 Cor. 12. 7. We glory in Tribulations also knowing that Tribulation worketh Patience and Patience Experience and Experience Hope Rom. 5. 3. My Brethren count all Joy when ye fall into divers Temptations knowing this that the trying of your Faith work th◠Patience but let Patience have her perfect Work that ye may be Perfect and Entire wanting nothing Blessed is the Man that endureth Temptation for when he is tried he shall receive the Crown of Life which the Lord hath promised to them that love him Let no Man say when he is tempted I am tempted of God For God cannot be tempted with Evil neither tempteth he any Man But every Man is tempted when he is drawn away of his own Lust and enticed Then when Lust hath conceived it bringeth forth Sin And Sin when it is finished bringeth forth Death Jam. 1. 2 12. Wherein ye greatly rejoice tho' now for a Season if need be ye are in Heaviness thro' manifold Temptations That the Trial of your Faith being much more precious than of Gold that perisheth tho' it be tried with Fire might be found unto Praise and Honor and Glory at the appearing of Jesus Christ whom having not seen ye love 1 Pet. 1. 6. The Lord knoweth how to deliver the godly out of Temptations and to reserve the unjust unto the Day of Judgment to be punished 2 Pet. 2. 9. Fear none of those things which thou shalt suffer Behold the Devil shall cast some of you into Prison that ye may be tried And ye shall have Tribulation Ten Days Be thou Faithful unto Death and I will give thee a Crown of Life Rev. 2. 10. Thus speaks the Rule Whence many Particulars are made evident First That Good and Holy Persons are not exempt from Temptations but that even these may be assaulted by the worst and most abominable of all Temptations as appears in the Person of Christ and his Apostle 2dly That God tries his best Servants with many and great Difficulties which Trials are often call'd Temptations not Temptations to Sin but for the Trial of Fidelity and greater Improvement in Virtue 3dly That a Christian ought not to grieve when under such Temptations or Trials but rather rejoice because he knows this is the Effect of God's Love and that an eternal Crown is promis'd the Reward of his Patience 4thly That therefore under all such Trials he ought to have his Hope fix'd on God with an entire Confidence of being ever supported by his Grace that he will give him Strength proportion'd to his Trials and either continue or take them away as he knows to be best for him 5thly That the Devil taking the Advantage of his natural Corruption lays many Temptations before him and by these provokes him to Sin and in this Way God tempts no Man it being wholly Inconsistent with his Goodness Lastly That with great Watchfulness he is to observe these Designs of his Enemy and with Resolution stand against them and that upon so doing he cannot fail of being Conqueror thro' God's assisting Grace These being Truths deliver'd in the Christian's Rule he must carefully observe them He must receive all Trials which come from the Hand of God with great Patience Courage and Fidelity and daily endeavor in Spirit to rejoice under them He must not be dejected at the most malicious Assaults of the Devil but either despise or resist them He must bear such Temptations as are common to our Nature with Humility and never Wilfully Carlesly or Presumptuously put himself into Temptation They who do thus may confide in the Grace of God which will be sufficient for them And they who do otherwise forsake their Rule and there can be no Surprize if they are forsaken by him who has given it them for their Direction and Security CHAP. XXI Of Virgins Q. HAving seen what the Gospel directs in these General Duties which belong to all that profess the Name of Christ let me now hear what it says to the Particular States of Christians that so having this drawn under several Heads every one may have the Opportunity of seeing what is the Will of God in regard of them and what Instructions Christ has laid upon them And First What do's the Gospel say of Virgins A. It speaks very particularly of them There are some Eunuchs which were so born from their Mothers Womb And there are some Eunuchs which were made Eunuchs of Men And there be Eunuchs which have made themselves Eunuchs for the Kingdom of Heaven's sake He that is able to receive it let him receive it Mat. 19. 12. The Kingdom of Heaven shall be likened unto Ten Virgins which took their Lamps and went forth to meet the Bridegroom And Five of them were Wise and Five were Foolish They that were Foolish took their Lamps and took no Oyl with them But the Wise took Oyl in their Vessels with their Lamps The Bridegroom came and they that were ready went in with him to the Marriage and the Door was shut Afterward came also the other Virgins saying Lord Lord open to us But he answered and said Verily I say unto you I know you not Watch therefore for ye know neither the Day nor the Hour Mat. 25. 1.
Sight and am no more worthy to be called thy Son But the Father said to his Servants Bring forth the best Robe and put it on him and put a Ring on his Hand and Shooes on his Feet and bring hither the fatted Calf and kill it and let us eat and be merry For this my Son was dead and is alive again he was lost and is found Luk. 15. 20. Parents are to receive their Children with Tenderness and Love when they return from their ill Ways Ye Fathers provoke not your Children to Wrath but bring them up in the Nurture and Admonition of the Lord Eph. 6. 4. Fathers provoke not your Children to Anger lest they be discouraged Col. 3. 21. Parents are to treat their Children with Mildness avoiding all that causes Dejection and Discouragement and yet bringing them up in the Knowledge and Fear of God These are some principal Duties belonging to Parents which if duly observ'd will bring Peace of Conscience and cannot fail of good Effects But however in this important Concern it cannot be amiss to add something out of the Old-Testament Abraham said unto his eldest Servant of his House that ruled over all that he had Put I pray thee thy Hand under my Thigh and I will make thee swear by the Lord the God of Heaven and the God of the Earth that thou shalt not take a Wife unto my Son of the Daughters of the Canaanites amongst whom I dwell but thou shalt go to my Country and to my Kindred and take a Wife unto my Son Isaac Gen. 24. 2. It ought to be the Solicitude of Parents to see that their Children be well married the Choice of the Person is of great Concern And they the Parents of Rebekah said we will call the Damsel and enquire at her mouth And they called Rebekah and they said unto her wilt thou go with this Man And she said I will go Gen. 24. 57. Children ought not to be dispos'd of in Marriage by their Parents but with their own free consent Isaac called Jacob and Blessed him and charged him and said unto him Thou shalt not take a Wife of the Daughters of Canaan Gen. 28. 1. And Joseph said to his Father they are my Sons whom God hath given me in this place And he said bring them I pray thee unto me and I will bless them And he blessed Joseph Gen. 48. 9 15. It belongs to Parents to be very careful in the choice of Persons for the Marriage of their Children and likewise to give them their Blessing These Words which I command thee this day shall be in thine Heart And thou shalt teach them diligently unto thy Children and thou shalt talk of them when thou sittest in thine House and when thou walkest by the VVay and when thou lyest down and when thou risest up Deut. 6. 6. Good Instructions to be given by Parents and to be often repeated to their Children In that Day I will perform against Eli all things which I have spoken concerning his House when I begin I will also make an end For I have told him that I will judge his House for ever for the Iniquity which he knoweth because his Sons have made themselves vile and he restrain'd them not 1 Sam. 3. 12. Children are to be corrected for the Evil they do If Reproofs are not regarded some other Expedients must be resolv'd upon for an Indulgence in case of Crimes is the Provocation of Judgments And the King commanded Joab and Abishai and Ittai saying Deal gently for my sake with the young Man even with Absalom 2 Sam. 18. 5. Parents ought to retain the Bowels of Parents towards their Children even when they are wicked And his Sons went and feasted in their Houses every one his Day and sent and called for their three Sisters to eat and to drink with them And it was so when the Days of their feasting were gone about that Job sent and sanctified them and rose up early in the Morning and offered Burnt-Offerings according to the number of them all for Job said It may be that my Sons have sinned and cursed God in their Hearts Thus did Job continually Job 1. 4. An excellent Example of Parents to be watchful over the Conduct of their Children and to be solicitous in preventing their falling under God's Displeasure and daily praying for them My Son hear the Instruction of thy Father and forsake not the Law of thy Mother My Son if Sinners entice thee consent thou not If they say Come with us My Son walk not thou in the way with them refrain thy Foot from their Path for their Feet run to Evil Prov. 1. 8 15. Parents are to be very careful in preventing their Childrens falling into ill Company and industrious iâ— withdrawing them from it if once engag'd He that spareth his Rod hateth hiâ— Son but he that loveth him chasteneth him betimes Prov. 13. 24. Chasten thy Son while there is hope and let not thy Soul spare for his crying Prov. 19. 18. The just Man walketh in his Integrity his Children are blessed after him Prov. 20. 7. Train up a Child in the way he should go and when he is old he wilâ— not depart from it Prov. 22. 6. Foolishness is bound in the Heart oâ— a Child but the Rod of Correction shall drive it far from him Prov. 22. 15. Withhold not Correction from the Child For if thou beatest him with the Rod he shall not die Thou shalt beat him with the Rod and shalt deliver his Soul from Hell Prov. 23. 13 14. The Rod and Reproof give Wisdom but a Child left to himself bringeth his Mother to Shame Correct thy Son and he shall give thee rest Yea he shall give delight unto thy Soul Prov. 29. 15 17. From these Instructions may Christian Parents know what is the Will of God and how to satisfie those Duties which God has impos'd on them in regard of their Children These Duties are great and on the due discharge of them depends no less than as Solomon says delivering their Childrens Souls from Hell Nature therefore is not to be a Rule to those who have undertaken to be directed by the Will of God To consult Nature then either in the Indulging or Punishing of Children is to forsake the Rule Both are to be regulated as God has prescrib'd CHAP. XXV Of Children to Parents Q. WHAT Directions do's the Gospel give in this Point A. I am come to set a Man at Variance against his Father and the Daughter against her Mother and the Daughter-in-law against her Mother-in-law And a Man's Foes shall be they of his own Houshold He that loveth Father or Mother more than me is not worthy of me Mat. 10. 35. Parents are to be loved honor'd and obey'd in all that is lawful but not in things contrary to the known Will of God He answered and said unto them why do ye also transgress the Commandment of God by your Tradition For God
Voice Jo. 10. 1. They are to consider their Vocation I am the good Shepherd The good Shepherd giveth his Life for the Sheep But he that is an Hireling and not the Shepherd whose own the Sheep are not seeth the Wolf coming and leaveth the Sheep and fleeth And the Wolf catcheth them and scattereth the Sheep The Hireling fleeth because he is an Hireling and careth not for the Sheep I am the good Shepherd and know my Sheep and am known of mine Jo. 10. 11. They are to employ and give their Life for the good of their Flock Ye have not chosen me but I have chosen you and ordain'd you that ye should go and bring forth Fruit and that your Fruit should remain Jo. 15. 16. They are to remember the end of their being call'd Jesus saith to Simon Peter Simon Son of Jonas lovest thou me more than these He saith unto him yea Lord thou knowest that I love thee he saith unto him Feed my Lambs He saith to him again the second time Simon Son of Jonas lovest thou me He saith unto him Yea Lord thou knowest that I love thee He saith unto him Feed my Sheep Jo. 21. 15. The Love of Jesus the necessary Preparation for taking charge of their Flock As they ministred to the Lord and fasted the Holy Ghost said Separate me Barnabas and Saul for the Work whereunto I have called them And when they had fasted and prayed and laid their Hands on them they sent them away Acts 13. 2. Good Dispositions for undertaking the Care of the Flock Take heed therefore unto your selves and to all the Flock over the which the Holy Ghost hath made you Overseers to feed the Church of God which he hath purchased with his own Blood For I know this that after my departing shall grievous Wolves enter in among you not sparing the Flock Also of your own selves shall Men arise speaking perverse things to draw away Disciples after them Therefore watch and remember that by the space of three Years I ceased not to warn every one Night and Day with Tears Acts 20. 28. Vigilance and Fidelity necessary for Pastors This is a true Saying if a Man desire the Office of a Bishop he desireth a good Work A Bishop then must be blameless the Husband of one Wife Vigilant Sober of good Behavior given to Hospitality apt to Teach not given to Wine no Striker not greedy of filthy Lucre but Patient not a Brawler not Covetous 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 Not a Novice lest being lifted up with Pride he fall into the Condemnation of the Devil Moreover he must have a good Report of them which are without lest he fall into Reproach and the Snare of the Devil 1 Tim. 3. 1. Necessary Qualifications of Pastors If thou put the Brethren in Remembrance of these things thou shalt be a good Minister of Jesus Christ nourished up in the Words of Faith and of good Doctrin whereunto thou hast attained But refuse profane and old Wives Fables and exercise thy self rather unto Godliness For Bodily Exercise profiteth little but Godliness is profitable unto all things having Promise of the Life that now is and of that which is to come Let no Man despise thy Youth but be thou an Example of the Believers in VVord in Conversation in Charity in Spirit in Faith in Purity Till I come give attendance to Reading to Exhortation to Doctrin Neglect not the Gift that is in thee which was given thee by Prophecy with the laying on of the Hands of the Presbytery Meditate upon these things give thy self wholly to them that thy profiting may appear to all Take heed unto thy self and unto thy Doctrin continue in them For in doing this thou shalt both save thy self and them that hear thee 1 Tim. 4. 6 12. Excellent Instructions 1. To be nourish'd by Faith 2. To avoid Fables 3. To follow Piety 4. To give good Example 5. To Read and Teach 6. Not to neglect Grace 7. To Meditate 8. To be watchful over themselves and their Flock Lastly To persevere in Duty Rebuke not an Elder but intreat him as a Father and the younger Men as Brethren the elder Women as Mothers the Younger as Sisters with all Purity 1 Tim. 5. 1. I charge thee before God and the Lord Jesus Christ and the elect Angels that thou observe these things without preferring one before another doing nothing by Partiality Lay Hands suddenly on no Man neither be Partaker of other Mens Sins Keep thy self pure v. 21. How strict a charge against all kind of Partiality Them that Sin rebuke before all that others also may fear v. 20. Public Sin to be reprov'd in Public O Timothy keep that which is committed to thy Trust avoiding prophane and vain Bablings and Oppositions of Science falsly so called VVhich some professing have erred concerning the Faith 1 Tim. 6. 20. They are faithfully to keep what is deliver'd avoid unprofitable Disputes Hold fast the form of sound VVords which thou hast heard of me in Faith and Love which is in Christ Jesus That good thing which was committed unto thee keep by the Holy Ghost which dwelleth in us 2 Tim. 1. 13. Thou therefore my Son be strong in the Grace that is in Christ Jesus And the things that thou hast heard of me among many Witnesses the same commit thou to faithful Men who shall be able to teach others also Thou therefore endure Hardness as a good Soldier of Jesus Christ No Man that warreth entangleth himself with the affairs of this Life that he may please him who hath chosen him to be a Soldier 2 Tim. 2. 1. They are to be strong in Grace Faithful Deliverers of the Truths receiv'd Courageous in all the Difficulties of their Ministry Not engag'd in worldly Affairs Of these things put them in Remembrance charging them before the Lord that they strive not about Words to no profit but to the subverting of the Hearers Study to shew thy self approved unto God a Workman that needeth not to be ashamed rightly dividing the Word of Truth But shun prophane and vain Bablings for they will encrease unto more Vngodliness Flee also youthful Lusts but follow Righteousness Faith Charity Peace with them that call on the Lord out of a pure Heart But foolish and unlearned Questions avoid knowing that they do gender Strifes And the Servant of the Lord must not strive but be Gentle unto all Men apt to Teach Patient in Meekness instructing those that oppose themselves if God Peradventure will give them Repentance to the acknowledging of the Truth and that they may recover themselves out of the Snare of the Devil who are taken Captive by him at his Will 2 Tim. 2. 14 22. They are to banish Disputes of Words 2. Be Irreproachable in their Lives 3. Dispence