thee about it Oh that I might see but one smile but one good look to encomage me to continue my suit Oh Lord the end of my coming to thee is that I may be made holy as well as happy to be saved from sinne as well as from wrath Oh Lord if thou shouldest reject me I shall dishonour thee to all eternity the thoughts whereof is burthen some to mee if thou shalt please to accept me and adopt me into that family and ingraft me into Christ I shall live to thy honour and glory Oh Lord when bloody persecuting Paul sought for favour for acceptance when Mary Magdalene and other great sinners came to thee for pardon thou didst accept them O Lord thou art as full of Mercy and goodnesse as ever oh for Christs sake for Love and Mercy sake Oh for the Honour and prayse of thy great name pardon love receive me into thine arms of Love Hath the Lord dealt thus with you have you been thus brought to Christ could you never be quiet and satisfyed untill you had peace spoken to you by Christ in answer to your constant and importunate suits and petitions oh then be of good comfort Christ is thine the spirit of God is in thee thou hast an interest in the speciall Love of God and in the Govenant of Grace thou mayst go on tryumphing over sinne death and hell who shall lay any thing to your charge Rom. 8. Christ is at the right hand of the Father for you Oh but beloved your worke is not yet at an end you may not think that it is enough that you are in Christ and Christ in you that now you may fit still and be idle no you just now beginne to worke you never served Christ till he brought you home unto himselfe Oh then now up and be doing and the Lord will be with you My beloved the reason why I have given these few trialls and desired you to try your estates by them is that you may go on in the practice of your duty to God and man the more freely quietly and Comfortably for I am very sensible what advantage the Devill hath upon poor Believers in their Christian walking when they are always upon every temptation ready to doubt whether they are in Christ when they should go about their masters businesse the Divell would faine perswade them that they are not his servants and that they have no relation to him his end is to render their lives uncomfortable and unfruitfull but now when poor soules are sure that they have thus been brought to Christ as before and reasoning thus well I can say that I have been thus drawn to Christ I have chosen him upon his own termes and he hath said he will cast off none that so come to him well I will cast my soule upon his word I l'e trust him with my selfe and all my concernements I le care for nothing but how I may live and honour God how I may bring forth fruite to him I am commanded to cast all my care on him 1 Pet. 5.7 Phil. 4. and to commit my selfe unto him in well doing well I will goe about my Fathers worke and doe what he hath commanded me I beseech you minde this in the whole course of your lives when you are tempted to neglect your worke and fall back to distrustfull feares and doubts about your estates oh then stand up stoutly and be not overtaken with the tempters wiles and you will find it very advantageous to your soules 2. If upon due triall and search you can find that you have been convineed emptyed and humbled and at last brought to Christ as you have heard Oh then be sure there to rest and rely let the free Grace and Mercy of God in and by Christ and the blood and Righteousnesse of Christ manifested and held forth in the Promises be the foundation you rest upon rest there for continuall pardon for acceptance for all supplys of Grace all must come from thence here God will finde you and you shall find God this is your greatest duty yea and your greatest priviledge a priviledge farre greater then Adams Now to move you and presse you to this great duty 1. Consider that it is an easier matter then most of the Lords people think it is to rest and live upon some broken Cistern Jer. 2.13 after that they are in Christ and are Justifyed As first upon Prayer when they have prayed with more affection then ordinarily they doe or secondly upon brokennesse and enlargement of heart or thirdly on former experiences they are of singular use but not to be refted upon not to be set up in the roome of Christ fourthly on grace in them on knowledge faith or love or patience fiftly or on obedience your care to please God your respect unto his Commands beloved you are to blesse God that he hath wrought these things in you and labour to be eminent in them but if you rest and relie upon those or the like expect acceptance because of these things to have your wants supplyed because it is so with you or that God is therefore engaged to you to do you good herein you greatly erre now that you may see that it is an easy thing thus to doe take notice 2. Chron. 14.11 compared 2 Chr. 16.1 to the end Gen. 20.2 Math. 26. 2. Be sure that your old selfish principle will draw you in servility to rest upon something of your own though not altogether as you did before Christ and you were one yet in part it will be so 3. You will exceedingly wrong your own soules if you doe not rest on God and relie wholly on him in Christ as you have heard 4. How unworthy will it be of your profession to Iesus Christ for when you were burdened with your sinnes you sought for ease and reliefe to other helpes and Savioures but they could give you none and being perswaded to goe to Christ alone and to cast all your burdens on him Math. 11.28 29. when you promised him that if he would receive you and take of the guilt of sin from you you would for ever rest on him wholy cast your selves upon him now you have obtained your hearts desire of him be sure it is expected that you should make good your promise live out your profession which you made to him in time of trouble Christ will take it very ill at your hands if now you should neglect him and trust to those things that could not helpe you in time of need Judg. 10.12 13 14. 5. You will cause the Lord Iesus to leave you to your selves yea in time of need when you shall go to him for helpe he will bid you go unto your Gods Judg. 10.14 he will withdraw from you and suspend his strengthening Grace his teaching and comforting presence if you doe rest upon and trust in any other 6. Consider that Christ alone can supply all your wants
Have you been convinced of the Justice of God how justly God might have damned you for the least sinne that ever you were guilty of that the great God hath cast many thousands into Hell for farre lesse sins then you have committed that it was ten thousand to one that you had not been lost that God hath been infinitely patient and forbearing towards you Rom. 2.4 Gen â— 17 7. Have you been convinced of your unworthinesse that you deserve for ever to be rejected of God and never to be received into favour with him Jerem 32.10 Phil. 3.7 8 9. 8. Have you understood seriously considered what it will cost you to be Christians indeed many as I have often told you when they are a little startled and awaked by the terrors of the Almighty make some foolish desperate resolutions and attempts to change their course of life and go on so to doe for a while but when they meet with stormes and tempests they change their minds and go back with the dogge to their vomit 2 Pet. 2.22 Math. 13.21 Luk. 14.28 to 34. have you conâ—â—dered that it will cost you the losse of Father and Mother wife and Children yea it may be your own lives also that you must take up Christs yoake and follow him Luk. 14.26.27 and are you resolved notwithstanding to be Christians can you say that none of these things move you you care not what you suffer or undergoe so that you may winne Christ and be found in him Phil. 3.7 8 9. 9. Hath God followed these convictions have they been revived againe when they have been dying or sleeping have they spurr'd you on to Christ and to a more dilligent and earnest enquiry after God and your selves Phil. 1.6 Phil. 2.13 Joh. 16.9 10. Did sinne lye so heavy upon your Consciences and the sence of Divine wrath as to make you restlessely and unweariedly to make out after Jesus Christ for rest and peace Math. 11.28.29 and when you went about to quiet your Consciences with your prayers or the good opinion of the Saints or your reformation or resting upon any other broken reeds or sparkes of your own kindling Did the blessed God fetch you off and continually pursue your Consciences untill he had brought your wills to choose and accept of Jesus Christ upon his own termes and that freely without looking back with reluctancy of Spirit c. finding a kind of loathnesse and unwillingnesse to foregoe your Idols but you could cherefully and heartily cast them all away can you remember that the Lord hath brought you so farre and is still carrying on the worke in your hearts can you find that your hearts were and still are drawn to go to the free grace and mercy of God in and by Iesus Christ by his blood and righteousnesse and in the sight and sense of your own lost miserable and woefull estate and condition being sinners and in the sense of your own vilenesse sinfullnesse unworthinesse insufficiency say sincerly heartily Oh Lord here is a poor wretched sinfull Creature come to thee for to be justifyed and pardoned Oh Lord I doe abhorre my selfe and all my own Righteousnesse I am a poor begger miserable blind naked Oh Lord I am a condemned person cast and lost and I am like to perish for ever by thy righteous Law but Oh I heare that there is another Court of Iustice and mercy erected for poor sinners to appeale unto and I am invited nay commanded to make my appeale there Lord I come unto thy free grace and mercy nay Lord I come to thy Justice in Ghrists name 1 Joh. 1.9 I believe that he came into the world to save sinners 1 Tim. 1.15 and that he hath satisfyed thy Justice that he obeyed thy Law that thou art well pleased with him Lord thou hast made thy Sonne to be sinne for some persons that they may be made Righteous by him he bore the sins of many yea for all that come unto thee by him with speciall Faith Oh Lord I desire to be made Righteous by his blood righteousnesse to have Redemption through his blood Oh Lord if it may please thee to Justify me for his sake Oh thou that justifies the ungodly own me and be well pleased with me use me in thy worke I shall account it my greatest happinesse Oh Lord whatever hath separated between me and thee heretofore I doe utterly and heartily renounce abhorre and forsake all my beloved sinnes all my beloved Righteousnesse that I may have Communion with thee that I may no more dishonour thee Oh Lord I have been a willing servant to sinne and the Divell but unwilling to serve thee but oh Lord now I am willing to cast of Sathan's service and to engage in thy service I preserre thy ways and thy Commandements tenthousand times before my old ways Oh Lord I have delighted in sinne but now in Holinesse to please my lusts but now to please my God Oh Lord I am willing to have an interest in Jesus Christ upon any termes send me where thou wilt do with me as it shall seem good unto thee only deny me not an interest in thy Son in thy speciall Love Oh for Christ for Christ am I come give me Christ else I dye I will hang upon thy invitation thy command thy promise Joh. 7.37 1 John 3.23 Joh. 6.37 Oh Lord thou hast invited sinners to come in and be reconciled unto thee O Lord thou hast intreated and beseeched sinners 2 Cor. 5.20 to accept of the termes of reconciliation Oh Lord I doe come I am a sinner I am one of them that is invited 't is true I am a great sinner oh yet I am but a sinner Oh I am willing now to be saved in the same way that Paul was Oh Lord why not I why not I seeeing that sinners are invited yea whoever will let him come O Lord thou hast commanded sinners such as see themselves lost to look upon thy mercy and Grace in Christ and be Saved Is 45.22 Oh Lord I come in Obedience to thy command I am resolved to hang here Yea Lord thou hast promised never to cast off such as come unto thee Oh Lord I 'll hang upon thy faithfullnesse and promise Oh let me find favour I am resolved to take no denyall I will not be put off without thee Lord Jesus I am resolved to be like the importunate Widdow Luk. 18.1 2 3 4. I will keep crying and praying Oh Lord 't is for my life Oh Lord thou hast been a long time waiting to be gracious unto me now I will wait for thee to answer my petition thou hast been many yeares wooing of me to gaine my Love and consent to marry thy Sonne Oh Lord now I 'll woe thee Oh now I consent freely Now with all my heart I am ready to contract with him here is my soule and body and all is ready for him Oh if I might but hear one comfortable word from
things for you having by his Grace brought you so farre in the way to Heaven and given you such great and singular priviledges and many more then I have named in the next place I intreat you to consider what manner of persons ought you to be in all manner of holy Conversation Godlinesse Oh study now to walke worthy of the Lord in all well pleasing being fruitfull in every good worke Oh consider what the Lord hath deserved at your hands what he hath redeemed chosen and called you for why he hath called you into the followship of his Son Jesus Christ and with each other and bestowed such great mercy upon you and labour to answer Gods ends Eph. 4.1 Col 1 10 1. Thess 2.12 1. Give up your selves wholly to God devote your soules and bodys and all your injoyment strength wisdome all the guifts that you have received of God unto him doe it freely and heartily say Oh Lord all that I am or have is all thine here Lord I freely give it to thee againe 1 Sam. 1.11.28 1 Pet. 4 19. 2. Love your Heavenly Father and Saviour as much as you can oh you heires of Hâ—aven the more you love him the fuller your hearts will be of Love to him the more cheerefully you will serve him and obey him the more you will fear to offend him or to grieve him Love will keep you from running out after the Creature oh t is a heart preserving grace NOw for the increasing and actuating your love to the ever blessed God Psal 18.1 2. 1. Consider and realize much the great Love the anspeakable love of the Lord Jesus to you it hath and it will for ever even astonish and confound men and Angels 1 Joh. 3.1 Rom. 5.8 9 10. 2. Consider and realize the freenesse of it he loved thee because it pleased him no other reason can be given for it but because he would he saw nothing in you worthy of his Love he might have hated you and loved others Rom. 9.11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 Deut. 7.6 7 8 9. 3. Consider how this Love hath been expressed God hath not expressed it by giving you corruptible things by giving you earthly inheritances not in giving you a reprobates portion no nor yet in making you perfectly holy without spot but in parting with his own deare Son in giving the dearly beloved of his Soule unto a cursed death for you to redeem you from the curse of the Law from sinne and Sathan to make you righteousnesse with the righteousnesse of God 2 Cor. 5. ult Rom. 5.8 1 Joh. 4.10 4. Believe and pray much for hearts full of Love go to him and say Oh Lord thou that hast all fullnesse of love I pray thee supply me Oh Lord I am empty Oh fill me Oh Lord thou hast commanded me to love thee Oh I desire to obey thee Oh thou hast promised to give it Deut. 30.6 Rom. 5.5 5. Consider that God is infinite in Glory and in Holinesse All the excellency beauty and holinesse that is upon all the Creatures is but a reflection of his Holinesse and Glory Oh how should poor wormer love him Exod. 15.11 6. Consider he hath loved you with an unchangeable love your sins Could never hinder its nor shall never be able to breake it he will continue to Love you though you oftentimes abate in your love to him Is 55.3 Jer. 31 3. 2. Take heed of Hypocrily in all your undertakings and walkings your words and deportments towards God and men be sure to serve the great God in sincerity and in truth and whatever you professe promise or do to or for men do it without guile Coll. 3.23 1 Pet. 2.1 Jam. 3.17 1. Consider if you do any thing though never so Good an action never so worthy of praise from mâ—n hypocritically the blessed God will loose his glory 't is not a Pelievers doing of a good worke that glorifies God unlesse his whole heart be sincerely ingaged unto God in the performance And therefore the Apostle injoyns servants and all others to do what they doe heartily as to the Lord Col. 3.23 1 Chron. 28.9 2 Chron. 25.1 2. 2. Be sure that you will loose the Comfort God hath appointed his servants their imployments and in their faithfull and dilligent performing their duty to him he hath promised to give them Comfort Joy and Peace but now when men leave out the speciall qualification to which God hath promised acceptance and his presence and other benefits they shall loose the blessing promised 1 Cor. 28 9. 3. You will lose your reward hereafter you shall never heare at the day of Judgement one word for your comfort of any duty that you have performed but what hath been done in syncerity and Truth 25. Math 21. 4. Con if you doe not serve the Lord Christ in syncerity and in Truth you will grieve the heart of one of your greatest friends the Holy Ghost 4 Eph. 30. 4. Con. You will cause the blessed God to depart from you God cannot he will not hold communion with such as are hypocriticall in their duties you may not be hypocrities yet you may have much hypocrisie mixed with your duties and so much if you be not watchfull and very carefull as may cause the Lord to withdraw from you 3. I Beseech you endeavour to avoid all occasions of evill what ever may endanger and ensnare your hearts and cause them to forget the Lord and to depart from him as 1. The company of sinners a man can hardly touch pitch and not be defiled therewith he must be a strong Christian indeed that can associate himselfe much with sinners and not be insnared and seduced by them Psal 6.8 Psal 26.4 2. Be sure that you give not way to temptations but resist them yeeld not to the tempter a moment if you doe you will be foyld David and Sampson and Jehosaphat you know were overcome by temptations because they dallied with them and did not resist them 3. Take heed that you be not too bold in using your Christian Liberty it is easy to run too farre that way th people of God are not so often prejudiced by unlawfull things as by lawfull your hearts will be soon taken with these poor vain delights that perish wich the useing Gal 5.13 1 Cor. 6.12 4. Then you must be very carefull to turne away your eyes from beholding such objects as may probably provok and stirre up your Lusts those things that your hearts are soonest affected withall that are most apt to draw your minds and affections after them as the fashions and 〈◊〉 of this present age you will quickly loose your minds oh I like such cloathes and such fashions Psal 119.37 Joh. 31.1 5. Avoid occasions of evill in this walke not so much by example as by precept look not too much upon the practises of Rich Wise and Learned men it is not safe to follow examples especially of such men except they be
Lord do not give Jesus Christ cause to complain of you that his adversary the Divell hath better servants then he do not make Christ ashamed of you t is a shame to Christ to have dead lifelesse members when your hearts begin to flagg and to lose their activity then go to him for life who is the fountain of Life Ioh. 10.10 Psal 36 9. Isa 55.1 16. Labour to have alwaies upon your hearts the allseeing eye of God Consider that God sees all your thoughts intentions and all your contrivements he pondereth all your wayes yea there is not a thought in your hearts but he knoweth it altogether Christians know that God doth very narrowly pâ—y into all your aymes and ends more then into others he loves the feet of his Saints Oh my friends this will keep you from the entertaining of many idle thoughts and vaine words from misspending of precious time from sinfull selfish aims and ends in what you doe it will be a meanes to make you walk warily and circumspectly before God Saints and sinners and prevent backsliding from God Psal 139.4 Prov. 5.21 Jer 17.10 17. Labour to be much affected with Gods favours to you but especially with the God of the Favours and mercies and endeavour to be very thankfull for them for soule mercies and bodily mercies Labour to see the true and full worth of the mercies that you enjoy consider that you are lesse then the least of them consider that all your injoyments all your mercies for your soules and bodies are given to you upon a speciall account they are new Covenant mercies and the Lord Jesus hath purchased them for you so long as you have a low esteem of mercies you cannot be affectionately thankfull for them Oh redeeming mercy electing mercy calling converting mercy confirming and coâ—forting mercies Oh how great is persevering mercy teaching and soule strengthening mercies oh your great Gospel mercies your Ordinary mercy your mercies of peace health and Liberty which all of the Lords precious Saints in the world cannot enjoy Math. 13.16 17. 18. Keep to the good way of God wherein you have walked and wherein you have found God sweetly revealing of himselfe unto you and take heed that you turne not aside to the right hand or to the left Oh labour to be stayd stable strong Christians take heed that you be not soon shaken in mind for t is a good thing that your hearts be established with grace let no man deceive you with vaine words and draw you back again from your faith and practice to the old corrupt formall way of worshiping God againe Oh let not the flatteries or frownes or reproaches of men though from your nearest relations in the least measure cause you to faint in your spirits or cause you in the least to decline from the ways of God if any man draw boâ—k saith God my soule shall have no pleasure in him think not that you doe not walk inthe ways of God because wicked men reproach you for so doing no my brethren but rather use it as an argument that you are in the way because you are reproached by such men Consider that so long as you walked as the world did and there was no difference between you and them they did not trouble you Gods owning of you and visiting you so often with such sweet expressions of love should confirme you in your principles and walking against all the Arguments of men Eph. 4.14 Heb. 13.9 2 Pet. 1.12 Gal 6.9 Heb. 12.3 4 5. Ioh. 15.18 19. 19. Let all that you doe all your purposes and intentions all your thoughts and words or as many as possble be directed to exalt the name of God When you heare the word preached heare for God that you may be made more like unto him that your hearts may be brought nearer unto him that you may know more of his will that you may doe more and so when you pray or converse with the people of God or with sinners pray for to exalt and honour him converse for God labour in all your callings and worldly businesses for God you will loose all your Labour cost and paines that you lay out and spend in any good work if you doe not intend for God and give it to him 1 Cor. 10.31 Col. 3.23 Prov. 3.6 20. I beseech you in the last place give diligent heed to these Rules that you have promised to walk by Labour to understand to remember and to practise every one of them so farre as they are practicall oh beloved your priviledges are many and great as you have oftentimes acknowledged to God and therefore be sure that your duties are many and great God having done more for you then for others oh therefore be more wise more holy more circumspect more loving more fruitfull more diligent and more faithfull then others oh labour to be more humble more sincere and more abounding in the work of the Lord. Oh my beloved friends in the Lord Jesus how insinitely are you ingaged to God you owe your selves and all your enjoyments unto him he hath kept back nothing from you that might doe you good he hath freely given his own Son his holy spirit oh rejoce in God and love and feare and honour him think nothing too much that you can doe to honour him he was contriving and lying out his thoughts from all eternity about your salvation contriving how to make you everlastingly honourable and happy Consider my deare friends you have but a few days to worke and suffer here you are drawing towards your rest oh how blessed will you be if you shall continue stedfast and unmovable in your walking with God unto the end Oh my Friends keep close to God he will keep with you he will not depart from you if you will not depart from him 2 Cron. 15.2 your God and Father will delight to do you good you may have the liberty to aske what you will and it shall be done if good for you oh fight strongly against your spirituall enemies you must fight before you can overcome before you can be crowned as conquerers even as Jesus Christ himselfe hath done for us and before us surely if we will be partakers with Christ in his Crown and Glory we must first suffer and worke with him Consider all the goodworkes that you shall performe in sincerity for the glory of God shall all be remembred at the last day to the infinite and endlesse Joy and comfort of your soules all your sufferings for Righteousnesse sake shall be abundantly rewarded feare not litle slock it is your Fathers good pleasure to give you a Kingdome your Lord and Saviour will shortly come and see you he will fetch you home unto himselfe when your enemies shall have that dreadfull sentence depart from me ye cursed he will say to you come ye blessed of my Father inherit the Kingdome of Glory now you that have followed me shall sit upon twelve Thrones
from one duty to another from one businesse to another from one place to another to performe the dutys of your particular callings and goe from them to prayer or hearing or meditation or discoursing with the Saints oh my brethren what a priviledge will you have none can be greater then to have the heart disposed unto every good word and worke for God Tit. 3.1 Luk. 12.40 7. Be much and often in the great duty of private prayer take heed of neglecting that spirituall and soule enriching duty it hath been and still it is the Common experience of the Lords people that the neglect of this dutie hath been unspeakably prejudiciall to their soules and beloved the Devill will Labour more to keep Believers from this dutie then I thinke from any other for nothing can prejudice the Devills Kingdome like unto this duty well performed now that your hearts may be the more engaged to this duty I shall intreat you to realize these few considerations and Scriptures Math. 6 6.9 Math. 26.41 Mark 13.33 Luk. 18.1 Luk. 21.36 1 Thess 5.17 1. IT is Gods way his Ordinance appointment to Communicate and â—onvey his choisest soul saving mercys to his People so that if ever you expect much of God be much in private prayer Math. 7.6 7 8 Psal 2.8 2. Cons God hath promised his Spirit to helpe such as shall be faithfull in waiting on God in this duty so that when you intend to pray but meet with great oppositions with much deadnesse and coldnesse of hâ—art many great temptations be not in the least discouraged but go to the Lord and tell him that you intend to pray as he hath commanded you but you cannot unlesse he will helpe you tell God that he hath promised his Spirit to helpe you and that now you Stand in need of him and intreat him to give him to you and take no denyall Rom. 8.26 27. Gal. 4 6. Joh. 14.26 3. Consider that the great God hath condescended to promise to heare the very groans and sighs of your hearts when by reason of the prevalency of your corruptions and temptations you cannot speake out your wants and desires to God Rom. 8 26 27. Psal 79.11 4 Your Heavenly Father invites you to converse with him he intreats you not to be strangers to him God would have his people to be familiar with him call on me saith God I will heare thee you may goe to God in Christs name as friends invited to feast with him and to aske what you will of him Psal 50 15 Math. 11.28 Joh. 15.7 5. Consider that your Heavenly Father Complaines much of his peoples strangenesse to him and tells them they had forgotten him days without number Jer. 2.32 Isa 43 22. 6. Consider that God is your friend and Father he is full of bowells of love compassion and goodnesse he will be exceeding ready to receive you and here your prayers and grant your desires so that when you goe to God to petition him for any mercy remember you goe to the greatest and most real heartedst friend that you have Exod. 34.6 7. Jer. 3.19 Psal 86.5 7. Consider that you have a great faithfull loving and potent friend in Heaven to transact all your businesses in Heaven between God and your soules one who can experimentally sympathize with you your advocate and Intercessor is man as well as God you may open your very hearts to him with as much freedome and holy boldnesse as you may to any friend you have in the world remember what he promised you before he went into Heaven and put him in minde of them and be sure that he will be as good as his word 1 Joh 2.1 2 John 14.13 14 15. John 16 23 24 26. John 15.14 8. Consider prayer is an appointment of God whereby God will hold Communion with his people in his Ordinance God communicates his minde unto his friends and the blessings of the new Covenant and Believers having received of God they give back againe to him by acknowledging his free mercy and grace in blessing and praising of his Name and in resting and relying upon him for further expressions of his Love and by commending his goodnesse and inhauncing it Jam. 4.8 1 and 2. Chapters of the Acts 9. Consider God hath promised to heare and to Answer the desires and requests of his people that are according unto his will and God is ever mindfull of his Covenant Jer. 29.12 13 14. Psal 34.15 10. Consider that if you shall be negligent in this duty you will quickly incurre guilt on your consciences and bring heardnesse upon your hearts you will grieve the holy Spirit and cause him to withdraw from you you will bring upon your selves many feares and doubtings which will greatly perplex and trouble your soules you will loose the exercise and use of all your Graces yea you will have all your spirituall comforts taken from you Psal 30.5 2. Be sure to performe this duty according to the will of God Oh my beloved t is not enough to pray much but take heed how you pray t is not any kind of praying that is a Sacrifice well pleasing to God Mat. 6.9 after this manner therefore pray ye saith Christ 1. Before you begin to pray set a part a little time to prepare by considering 1. What your wants are what you stand most in need of 2. Whether it be your duty at that time it is an easy matter to be mistaken and to pray when we should doe some other thing I assure you friends 't is a great thing yea a choise mercy indeed for a Believer to do all duties in their season 3. Whether God hath promised to give such things as you intend to aske whether there be any generall or paticular promise to be a foundation for your faith 4. Consider with whom you have to doe in prayer a God who is Justice Goodnesse Wisedome Strength Mercy Love Omniscient Omnipresent and a Spirit and then 5. Consider what frame of heart is or may be most suitable to these glorious Attributes of God 6. Consider your own unworthinesse how infinitely unworthy you are of such a priviledge 7. To consider your own insufficiency that you can do nothing without the assistance of the Holy Spirit and that he hath promised the Spirit to them that in sincerity aske him 8. To consider what encouragements you have from God to pray and other considerations you should use to prepare your hearts 3. When you go to God believe for much and expect much of God take heed of doubtings and of low and narrow expectations open your mouths wide that is your faith that God may fill your hearts Jam. 1.5 Psal 8.10 4. Be sure that you get your hearts affected with your wants and with the greatnesse preciousnesse of those mercys that can supply them that so your hearts may hunger and thirst earnestly after them Math. 5.6 5. Go to God the Father in Christs name go in
repentance that then the said Member is to be suspended or cast out of the Church and that all the Members present should give their consent thereunto Math 18 17. Num. 15.30 31. Num. 19.13 20. Ezra 10.8 1 Cor. 5.4 5. 2 Cor. 2.6 but in case some few Members should refuse to give their consent to the suspending or excommunicating the said offendor without giving the Church convincâ—ng reasons for their refusall the major part may suspend or cast him out 24. That in case any person fearing God shall desire to joyne with the Church but through weaknesse of judgement and want of light in these things cannot be fully satisfied in some circumstance used and practised in the Church and yet the said person be willing to walk in Gospell Fellowship with them in all other things he ought to be admitted into the Church provided it may not apparently tond to make a breach in the said Church Rom. 14.1 2 3 4 5 6. Rom. 15. 1 Cor. 8. More Particular Practicall Rules For walking in Church fellowship THat all endeavour to the utmost of their power and abilities especially by their practice to set up and maintain all the ordinances of Christ that he hath given to his Church for his own Glory and his Churches edification and comfort Zach. 14.17 18. Jos 24.15 Deut. 6 7. Eph. 6. Geâ— 18 19. 1. Publique and Private prayer which are Gods holy appointments for to convey Grace into the hearts of his Saints Luke 21.36 Acts 1.24 Acts 4 41. Mark 6 6. 2. Preaâ—hing and hearing the word publiquely or privately these are Gods Ordinances Prov. 8.34 Act. 18 28 Act. 20.20 Isa 55.3 3. Singing of Psolmes and Hymes and Spirituall Songs Math. 26 30. Eph. 5.19 Coll. 3 16 Jam. 5.13 4. Conferences one with another is an Ordinance of Jesus Christ 1 Thes 5.11 Heb. 10.24 25. Jude 20. 5. That Jesus Christ will have particular Churches untill his second coming and therefore 't is the duty of all Saints in their places and capacities to help to set up and uphold this Ordinance and appointment of Jesus Christ Rom. 16.4 16. 1 Cor. 7.17 1 Cor. 11.16 Gal. 1.2 Rev. 1.11 Rev. 2.7 Rev. 22.16 6. Baptisme and the Lords Supper are Gods Ordinances and they are appointed to be signes and Seales of the Covenant of Grace between God the Father Son and Believers Math. 28.19 1 Cor. 11.23 7. The Ministry is an Ordinance of Jesus Christ and to continue in the Church unto the end of the World and therefore all should endeavour to set up and to vindicate Christs Ministers and their Ministry as much as they can Eph. 4.11 12 13. 1 Tim. 5.17 Heb. 13 17. as an ordinance of Christ 2. that all doe endeavour to grow in grace and to be spirituall Saints such as may worship God in Spirit and in Truth and walk spiritually before Saints and sinners that they may commend Religion unto others by their spirituality for God hath promised that such as are planted in the house of the Lord shall flourish and goe from strength to strength in Sion Psal 92.13 Psal 84.7 you should labour to be spirituall in all places in all companies and in all businesses in your words and deportments Ioh. 4.24 1 Cor. 3.1 2.3 Gal. 6.2 3. It is the duty of all to labour and endeavour to obtain so much wisdome and spirituall understanding as is possible in spirituall things that so they may be able to serve God and worship him according unto his will that they may not be soon shaken in mind and tossed to and fro with every wind of Doctrine but that they may be perfectly joyned together in the same mind and in the same judgement in the truth Coll. 1.9 Eph. 4.12 13. Eph. 3 18.19 4. That all doe labour after a great measure of Faith that they may be able to trust God in times of triall and not dispond and be dejected at every providence that thwarts sense and reason but to be able to cast themselves on the free grace mercy faithfullnesse wisdome power and Love of God in Christ and to give him all the glory of his dispensations the contrary renders Religion odious and unpleasant 2 Pet. 3 18. Eph. 6.9 to 18 Eph. 4.15 5. That all the members of the said Church do endeavour faithfully according to their abilities and opportunities to performe such duties as they owe to each other in their relations whether as Saints and members of Christs body or aâ— Men and so as Parents or Children or Husbands c. Rom. 13.8 or as Offiâ—ers that teach or rule or as private members that are taught and ruled 1. A Pastâ—r is to attend upon Preaching the word in season and out of season and to administer the Sacraments to answer objections doubts and scruples to the study of the word to maintain and defend the Truths he Preaches to waiâ—h over the flock to protect them from wrong as much as he can all which he iâ— to doe as a Pastor of his own flock only and he is to manage matters in the Church that concernes the well ordering of it 1 Cor. 12.28 Rom 12.6 7 8 Luk 22. Act. 20.11 2 Cor. 1.4 Mal. 2.7 1 Tâ—m 4.13 14. 2 Tim. 2.15 T it 1.9 1 Pet. 5.2 2. The duâ—y of the Members to their Pastor first to provide for him for his subsistance and comfortable being that he may not be entangled with the affaires of this life but that he may wholly give up himselfe to the work of the Lord 1 Tim. 4.15 and discharge the trust committed to him Gal. 6 6 7 8. Rom 15.27 1 Cor. 9.7 to 15. 2. Not to receive an accusation against him under two or thre with nesses 1 Tim. 5.1 19. 3. To give him that Love and respect that is due to him and no more to be carefull not to give him that honour that is due only to God or to refuse to give him that which God commands them freely to give unto him 1 Thes 5.12 13. 1 Tim 5.17 Heb 13 17. 4. To attend upon his Ministry as they have opportunity both in private and publick Act 2.42 5. And in a speciall manner to pray for him that God may blesse him in his studies that God may direct him to Preach such truths as may by the blessing of God be most advantagious and profitable to Saints and sinners and that God may give him the door of utterance that he may speak the Word with boldnesse and clearnesse that he may give to every one his portion that he may be able to divide the word aright that he may be led into all truth that he may be very successefull in the turning of many sinners to God 1 Thes 5.25 Heb. 13.18 Act. 12.5 2 Cor. 1.11 Phil. 1.19 Rom. 15.30 Eph. 6.18 19. The duties of Members to each other and towards all men 6. The Members are commanded to Love each other truly and heartily without dissimulation in deed and in truth Eph. 5.2 1