THE Christian Directed IN HIS RACE to HEAVEN: OR, A Short ACCOUNT of that Knowledge and Practice that leads thither.  
By JAMES FORBES, Minister of the Gospel, at Gloucester.  
LONDON, Printed by J. Brudenell for Tho. Parkhurst at the Bible and Three-Crowns in Cheapside near Mercers-Chappel, 1700.   

THE CHRISTIAN Directed IN HIS Race to HEAVEN.  
FIRST, Consider often the Great End of your Creation, and Redemption by Christ: The great Jehovah was no more a Debtor to you, than to the most worthless Worm that creeps upon the Earth; the Distinguishing you from Brutes, Sensitive, and Imanimate Creatures, is a mere Act of Favour, in Furnishing you with such an Excellent Immaterial, Immortal, Spiritual and Divine Substance, the Soul, consisting of Understanding, Will, Conscience, Memory and Affections, whereby you are capable of the Knowledge of, and Communion with the High and Lofty One that Inhabits Eternity: Your Body is also wonderfully framed, Ps. 139.14. and fitted by the hand of an infinite Skilful Artificer, both for Services and Sufferings: I beseech you therefore by the Mercies of God, that you Consecrate yourselves, Souls and Bodies, a Living, Holy, and acceptable Sacrifice to the Author of your Being, which is your Reasonable Service, Rom. 12.1. And Glorify him with both, as knowing you are not your own, you are Bought with a Price, 1. Cor. 6.20. O remember you were sent into the World for Higher Ends than merely to Eat, Drink, Sleep, and satisfy the Lusts of the Flesh, Study to Answer the Ends of your Creation and Redemption.  
The Second Thing I commend to you is in the Words of the Wise Man, Prov. 2.3, 4, 5, 6. If thou Criest after Knowledge, and liftest up thy. Voice for Understanding, if thou seekest her as Silver, and searchest for her as for hid Treasures, then shalt thou understand the fear of the Lord, and find the Knowledge of God: For the Lord giveth Wisdom, out of his Mouth cometh Knowledge and Understanding. Be well Grounded in the Infallible Assurance of a Deity, s being the first Letter in the Alphabet of Christianity. Believe that there is a God, Heb. 11.6. Give Credit to Scripture-revelations concerning him, that he is such a one as is there Described; and let the Knowledge of his Incomprehensible Perfections leave some suitable Impresses upon you Spirits: Contemplate often the Infathomable depth of the Divine Glory of his Attributes, and you will find it to be an Exercise both Pleasing and Profitable, John 17.3. This is Life Eternal to know God  
1. Look upon him as an Eternal Being, which knew no beginning, and shall have no end, the Alpha and Omega, the First and the Last, Gen. 21.33. Isa. 44.6. and 57.15. Rom. 1.20. Revel. 1.8. Such an Antiquity as is Eternity is truly Honourable: This will make you have an undervaluing Esteem of the Choicest Creatures which are of Yesterday, and at best but Breathing nothings, in Comparison of him, Ps. 103.15, 16. As for Man, his Days are as Grass; as a Flower of the Field so he flourisheth; for the Wind passeth over it, and it is gone, and the place thereof shall know it no more; but the Mercy of the Lord is from Everlasting to Everlasting to them that fear him, and his Righteousness to children's Children. And 102.25, 26, 27. Of old hast thou laid the Foundation of the Earth, and the Heavens are the Work of thy Hands; they shall Perish, but thou shalt endure; yea all of them shall wax Old like a Garment, as a Vesture shalt thou Change them, and they shall be Changed; but thou art the same and thy Years shall have no End. The Children of thy Servants shall continue, and their Seed shall be established before thee.  
2. Survey his Glory as he is the being of beings, both as to their original and continuance, Acts 17.24, 25. The Apostle there brings a practical inference from this Position, that seeing God is the Being of Being's, all acts of Adoration should be suitable to so glorious a Being. God that made the World, and all things therein, seeing that he is Lord of Heaven and Earth, dwelleth not in Temples made with Hands, neither is Worshipped with men's Hands, as though he needed any thing, seeing he giveth to all Life and Breath, and all things v. 29. For as much then as we are the Offspring of God, we ought not to think that the Godhead is like unto Gold, or Silver, or Stone; graven by Art, and Man's device, John 4.24. God is a Spirit and they that Worship him must Worship him in Spirit and in truth.  
3. Take some view of the Infiniteness of his Wisdom, Prov. 3.19, 20. The Lord by Wisdom hath founded the Earth, by Understanding hath he established the Heavens, by his knowledge the Depths are broken up, and the Clouds drop down the Dew: Such a Survey will cause a Soul-humbling reflection upon your own folly and ignorance, Prov. 30.2, 3. Surely I am more brutish than any Man; I neither learned Wisdom not have the knowledge of the Holy: Who hath ascended up to Heaven? or descended? Who hath gathered the wind in his fists? Who hath bound the waters in a garment? Who hath established all the ends of the Earth? What is his name and what is his Son's name, if thou canst tell? This will make thee believe, that he can make thee wise unto Salvation, notwithstanding of all that darkness and folly that's upon you, Job. 12.13. With him is wisdom, and strength, he hat counsel and understanding. And you must needs break forth into admiration, Rom. 11.33. O the depth of the Riches both of the wisdom, and knowledge of God And into that Apostolical Doxology, 1 Tim. 1.17. Now unto the King Eternal, Immortal, Invisible, the only wise God, be Honour and Glory forever and ever Amen. Judas 25.  
4. Survey him in the Glory of his Immensity Ubiquity, Omnipresence, and Omniscience: And your great care will be at all times, and in all places, to walk as under his Allseeing eye, saying with the Psalmist, Psal. 139.2, 3. Thou knowest my down-sitting and my uprising, thou understandest my thought afar off; whither shall I go from thy Spirit, or whither shall I flee from thy presence? If I say surely the darkness shall cover me, even the Night shall be light about me, yea the darkness hideth not from thee, but the Night seemeth as the Day, the darkness and the light are both alike unto thee. 1 Sam. 16.7. 1 Chron. 28.9. The Lord searches all hearts, and understandeth all the imaginations of the thoughts, Psal. 7.10. Heb. 4.13. Acts 17.27, 28. God is not far from e-every one of us, for in him we live. This also would much heighten your apprehensions of God in all addresses to him, as being one that filleth Heaven and Earth, Jer. 23.24. 1 King. 8.27. Will God indeed dwell on the Earth? Behold the Heaven, and Heaven of Heavens cannot contain thee, how much less this House that I have built? Is. 66.1. with Acts 7.49. Thus saith the Lord, the Heaven is my Throne, the Earth is my Footstool, where is the House that ye build unto me? and where is the place of my rest? Psal. 145.3. Great is the Lord, and greatly to be praised, and his Greatness is unsearchable, 1 Tim. 6.16.  
O let Holy David's practice be yours, that so his expierience may be yours also, Psal. 16.8. I have set the Lord always before me, because he is at my right hand, I shall not be moved.  
5. Survey him in the bright shining beauty of his Holiness, Revel. 4.8. Holy, Holy, Holy Lord God Almighty, which was, and is, and is to come: This will make you with Isaiah say, Chap 6. v. 5. Woe is me, for I am undone because I am of unclean Lips, and I dwell in the midst of a people of unclean Lips, for mine eyes have seen the King, the Lord of Hosts. And with Job, Chap. 42. v. 5.6. I have heard of thee by the hearing of the ear, but now mine eye seethe thee, wherefore I abhor myself in dust and ashes. This will take you off from stinting yourselves to any Scanty measures of Holiness, making you pursue after it, to be Holy in all manner of conversation, as he that has called you is Holy, Levit. 19.2. 1 Pet. 1.15.  
I might go over the rest of the Attribute; Mercy, Grace, Love, Long-suffering, Infinite Power, All sufficiency, and Faithfulness: But from what is already hinted, the Way is in some measure made plain how you may manage such Meditations.  
Thirdly, what hitherto has been mentioned is little more than what is attainable by an improved Heathen, I must therefore call aloud upon you to soar yet higher in your contemplations of God in Christ. And here you may see that which is, and will be to all Eternity matter of admiration to Men and Angels, 1 Pet. 1.12. Here you may see God Reconciling an apostate and perishing World to himself, 2 Cor. 5.19. Here you may see a most noble unparallelled contrivance of infinite Wisdom and free Grace hatched in the womb of Eternity, how the Sons and Daughters of Adam, that by Sin had debased themselves as low as Hell, might be advanced to a state of Royal dignity as high as Heaven: Here you may see the Creator's condesinsion in stooping so low, as to clothe himself with Man's Nature, that Man might be made partaker of the Divine: Here you may see Mercy and Justice reconciled, Righteousness and Truth kissing each other. So great is his Justice, that Sin shall not pass unpunished, no not in his own dear Son, though a Sinner only by imputation, and having no personal pollution: And so great his is Mercy to most miserable sinners, that they have what of God is communicable, and what they are capable to receive, Grace and Glory upon free cost: Justice is satisfied to the full, as if there had never been any offence, and the ransomed of the Lord are restored to a better estate than Adam's was before the Fall. Behold here the reason why the World has stood near this 6000 years, it's by Christ all things consist, Col. 1.17. Come and behold an unspeakable union of hearts and affections between God and sinners, Angels and sinners, sinners and sinners, and of the whole Creation. Behold what encouragement the greatest of sinners have to come unto God with hopes of access and acceptance; and O what invincible obligations do all of us lie under highly to honour, adore, fear, reverence, worship, love, serve, pray unto, praise, and confide in this God O my Soul, and all that's within me, magnify the unsearchable riches of the glorious grace of this God, and let the whole Creation concur with me in celebrating his praiseworthy name. Luke 1.68, 69. Blessed be the Lord God of Israel, for he hath visited and Redeemed his People, and hath raised up a horn of Salvation for us, that we should be saved from our Enemies, and from the hand of them that hate us, that we might serve him without fear in Holiness and Righteousness before him all the days of our life. Revel. 5.11, 12. I beheld, and heard the voice of many Angels round about the Throne, and the Beasts and the Elders, and the number of them was ten thousand times ten Thousand, and Thousands of Thousands, saying with a loud voice, worthy is the Lamb that was Slain, to receive Power, and Riches, and Wisdom, and Srength and Honour, and Glory and Blessing: And every Creature which is in Heaven and on Earth, and under the Earth; and such as are in the Sea, and all that are in them heard I saying, Blessing, Honour, Glory and Power be unto him that sits on the Throne, and unto the Lamb for ever and ever.  
Fourthly, Rest not satisfied with a rational head-knowledge of the most sublime Gospel Mysteries, without some practical and experimental knowledge of the effectual, heart-renewing, and Soul-Sanctifying operations of the Spirit of God upon your Hearts; study a translation from Death to Life; from Satan to God; from the power of darkness into the Glorious Kingdom of our Lord Jesus. Put off the whole old Man with all his deceivable Lusts, and put on the Lord Jesus. Study Regeneration; know what it is to be be born from above by the Word and Spirit, John. 3. Begin. That you may say with those Tit. 3.3, 4. We ourselves also were sometimes foolish, disobedient, deceived, serving divers Lusts and pleasures, living in Malice and Envy, hateful and hating one another; but after that the kindness and love of God appeared, not by works of Righteousness which we have done, but according to his mercy he saved us, by the washing of regeneration, and renewing of the Holy Ghost, which he shed on us abundantly; that being justified by his Grace, we should be heirs according to the hope of eternal life. And Ephes. 2. Begin. Even when we were Dead in sins, hath he quickened us together with Christ, and hath raised us up together, and hath made us sit together in Heavenly places in Christ Jesus; we are the Workmanship of God Created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which were before ordained, that we should walk therein. O take heed of being mistaken in the business of Gospel-conversion, it concerns no less than the eternal Salvation or Damnation of your immortal Soul; it's something else than a bare literal knowledge, civility, morality, partial reformation, having some flashes of good desires, and resolutions, and something else than a bare outward profession, saying Lord, Lord: Know once what it is to have Heavenborn principles in your heart, what it is to have the old stony, hard, carnal, unclean, covetous, proud, impenitent and unbelieving heart, with all old things done away, and all things made new, 2 Cor. 5.17. New understanding, new will, new conscience, new affections: Give all diligence to make your calling and election sure, and it will much conduce to your comfortble walking throughout the course of your conversation.  
Fifthly; In order hereunto, I commend to you that of Heb. 6.1. Lay such a foundation of Repentance from dead works, and Faith towards God, as you shall have no occasion afterwards to overturn. In these two consists the whole of Gospel Conversion, therefore you had the more need see that both be of the right stamp: When you set about the work of Repentance, and closing with Christ by Faith, do it with all your might, that you may have no cause to repent of your Repentance, or to say, Ah! it is a great question whether ever to this day I have truly repent or believed; if my Repentance had been real, I had not relapsed into such and such Sins; I have been but a mere Hypocrite, and I must begin anew again, as if I had never known or professed any thing of God at all.  
Let your Repentance be such that you may say these five things of it.  
1. There's no known Sin that ever I have been guilty of, but it hath cost me some Tears, and my Heart has been even like to break with Sorrow for it. Oh! woe is me for what I have brought from the Womb into the World with me, and woe is me for what I have added to it since. O! what cause of Self-abhorrency is there, that I am born with inbred Principles of Enmity and Rebellion against the most High? The Seeds and Spawn of all Sins are in my Soul, and accordingly what Sin is it but either I have actually committed, or would have committed, if left to myself, and not under some restraint?  
2. There's no Sin but I have forsaken at least in Affection and Endeavour; the Lord knows there's no Sin which I love, but I do hate every false way; it's my Soul's desire to be rid of every thing that offends, and my strive in the stnength of Christ are in some measure suitable to my desires.  
3. It's Love to the Lord Jesus makes me thus to mourn for Sin, and to study Reformation of what is amiss; Oh! there's an infiniteness of Evil in Sin, it strikes against the very being of Divine Majesty, it robs him of the Glory of all his Attributes, it's the transgression of the righteous Law of a great and good God, that has loved me so as to send his Son to die for me; Oh! its Sin that crucified the Lord of Glory, Zech. 12.10. therefore I cannot any longer continue in it for a thousand Worlds. Ah and alas that I have acted so disingenuously against a God of so great Mercies, Love, Long-suffering and Patience! I would not do as I have done if it were to do again for ever so much; if there were no Hell to punish Sin, nor Heaven to reward Holiness, I would forsake the one, and follow after the other,  
4. This Sorrow for, and forsaking of Sin is not for a flash, when the hand of God is upon me in Sickness or otherwise, but it is a continual, lasting, soaking sorrow, Psal. 51.2. Mine iniquity is always before me. God is the same still, and therefore there is reason for me to be a repenting still, for Sins committed twenty years ago, as if they had been committed but last Hour.  
5. There's no Sin but I can freely confess and acknowledge, either openly if it has been a public Sin, 1 Tim. 1.13. or secretly to God, if it has been only a secret Sin, Psal. 32.5. 1 John 1.9. or to particular Persons; if I have injured them, I am willing to make restitution and reparation for the wrong done, Luke 19.8. I am not ashamed to take shame to myself, when God's Glory, and the Edification of others calls for any such thing at my Hands. James 5.16. Josh. 7.19.  
And so for your Faith, see that you may say these five things of it,  
1. It's a Faith of God's working, Col. 2.12, it's that that never grew in Nature's Garden; it's a thing I was not born with: Time was when I had it not, but was an Unbeliever; it's the gift of God, Ephes. 2.8. Phil. 1.29.  
2. This Faith of mine gives a cordial assent unto, and compliance with the whole will of God so so far as it is revealed to me in the Word. I close with Divine Precepts to be found in the Practice thereof, Psalm 119.66. with threaten to tremble thereat. Isa. 66.5. as well as Promises to taste the sweetness and comfort thereof, 2 Peter 1.4. Heb. 11.13.  
3. This Faith of mine closes with Christ in all his Offices: I am a poor Ignoramus in the mysteries of the Kingdom of Heaven; I do therefore enter myself a Scholar in Christ's School, to be taught and instructed by him who is anointed with an unmeasurable measure of the Spirit, to open the Eyes of the Blind, and unstop the Ears of the Deaf, Isa. 61.1. Ps. 45.7. this is to close with him in his prophetical Office. Sin has caused such an estrangement between God and Me, that if all the Angels in Heaven, and Creatures on Earth, would offer up themselves as a Sacrifice for my Sin, they could never satisfy Divine Justice, nor work Reconciliation for me, but there's virtue enough in the Lamb's Blood for effecting the same; this is to close with him in his priestly Office. Hitherto my Heart has been greatly at Enmity against Holiness, but am now through Grace made willing to submit to the Sceptre of Christ's Government, and to acknowledge him for my King, Lord and Lawgiver, Isa. 26.13. Other Lords besides thee have had dominion over us, but by thee we will make mention of thy Name; this is to close with him in his Kingly Office.  
4. this Faith of mine is operative and working, Gal. 5.6. fruitful, James 2.14. I am not a Solifidian,, but would have Faith and Works go together; a Heart-purifying, and Soul-sanctifying, Acts 15.9. as well as a justifying Faith, a Soul-humbling Faith, Habak. 2.4. Conquering and Victorious, 1 John 5.5 a Faith that in some measure fits me for doing and suffering what Christ and his cause calls for: See the whole Eleventh Chapter to the Hebrews.  
5. This Faith of mine is that which highly calls and sublimates my Spirit far beyond what Nature improved to the utmost could ever do, that through it I cannot only rejoice in the hope of Glory, but also glory in Tribulation, as knowing that Tribulation worketh Patience, and Patience Experience, and Experience Hope, and Hope maketh not ashamed, because the love of God is shed abroad in my Heart by the Holy Ghost which is given me, Rom. 5. begin. 1. Pet. 1.8. whom having not seen ye love; in whom, though now ye see him not, yet believing, ye rejoice with joy unspeakable and full of Glory, Rom. 15.13. Now the God of hope fill you with all Joy and Peace in believing, that ye may abound in Hope through the power of the Holy Ghost.  
6. When once you are clear in this Soul-concerning Business of the soundess of your Conversion, and solidity of the Foundation which you have laid, let it be your great care ever after to demean yourself in all things, as it becometh one that's dignified with so high and holy a Calling.  
1. Let the consideration of your espousals to the Royal Bridegroom Jesus Christ be a holy check to your Affections, that they do not inordinately run out after any strange Lovers.  
2. As you are a Child of God, a Son or Daughter of the King of Heaven, let it be your care to Love, Honour and Obey your Father; make addresses to him with a Childlike Confidence, with a holy and humble Boldness, actual dependence upon him for a supply of all Wants, Bodily and Spiritual, for this Life, and that which is to come.  
3. As your Body is honoured to be a Temple for the Holy Ghost, see that no sinful uncleanness or pollution be found upon it, 1 Cor. 6.19. and 3.17. he that defileth the Temple of God, him shall God destroy.  
4. As you are listed among the Lamb's followers, look to the great Captain of your Salvation, Heb. 2.10. Writ after his Copy, and follow his Example wherein it is imitable; acquit yourself as a good Soldier, having on the whole Armour of God, Ephes. 6. for it is not with Flesh and Blood, but with Principalities and Powers, and spiritual Wickednesses in high Places you wrestle.  
5. As you have entered yourself under the Tutorage of the great Prophet Jesus Christ, be still taking out new Lessons from his Word and Spirit.  
6. As he is the High Priest of your Profession, make use of him to lead you by the Hand into the Holy of Holies, as often as you have occasion to go thither, Ephes. 2.13. 18. Hebrews 2 end, and 4 end.  
7. As you are a Subject of so glorious a Kingdom, swear Fealty and Allegiance to your Sovereign; be true and loyal to him; keep the King's Laws, for in so doing, you may expect spiritual Peace, Gal. 6.16. Psal. 119.165. and protection from all Enemies, 1 Pet. 3.13. Who is he that will harm you, if ye are followers of that which is good?  
8. As you are a Fellow Citizens with the Saints, Ephes. 2.19. Let your Heart be united in the strictest Bond of Christian Love and Charity to all Heavenborn Ones: Be not ashamed to own for your Equals and Companions, such as are of the same Blood-royal with yourself, Psal. 16.3. David, though a Prince, counted it no disparagement to familiarize himself with such whose Fellowship was with the Father and the Son, Psal. 119.63.  
9 As you are elected and redeemed from among Men, Revel. 14.3, 4. be careful to keep you Garments clean from the pollutions of the World, James 1.27. Be not partaker of other men's Sins, 1 Tim. 5.22. Eat all unnecessary converse with them that are visibly wicked; Evil Communication corrupts good Manners, 1 Cor. 15.33.  
10. As you are an Heir of Glory, Born to an inheritance incorruptible, undefiled, and such as fadeth not away, reserved for you in the Heavens, 1 Pet. 1.3, 4. mind Heavenly and not Earthly things, set your Affections on things above, not on Sublunaries, Col. 3.1. Pass the time of your sojourning here in fear, 1 Pet. 1.17. 1 John 3.3 Every one that hath this Hope in him, purifieth himself even as God is pure, 2 Pet. 3.11, 12, 13, 14. Wherefore Brethren, seeing that ye look for such things, be diligent that ye may be found of him in peace, without spot and blameless, and be crucified to the World through the Cross of Christ, looking upon all its perishing Glory, to be but a Toy and Trifle, not worthy once to be named in comparison of that Glory to be revealed.  
Seventhly, consider more particularly what the special Duties are which you own unto God, unto others, and in respect of yourself; studying faithfulness and conscionableness in the performance and practice of each of them; the Summary of all is comprehended in that of Tit. 2.12. Holiness towards God, Righteousness towards others, and Sobriety in respect of yourself. To enlarge here according to the amplitude of the Subject might prove too teedious; study the Decalogue or Ten Commands exactly, reading Divine, Dod's Exposition upon them, with two other small pieces, called, The Marrow of modern Divinity, and there you will find much more than I can, in a few Lines in such a Compend as this communicate. I'll only give you a brief hint of things.  
The main things you own to God are, Worship, Service, Suffering, with what else his Word and Works of Providence do require.  
His Worship is either inward, spiritual and moral; and so,  
1. You are bound to study the Knowledge of God. Why do you think did the Lord create the World? but that the Heavens might declare his Glory, and the Firmament show forth his Praise, Psal. 19.1. What were the Scriptures written for? but that in Judah God might be known, and his Name great in Israel, Psal. 76.1. What did Christ come from the Bosom of God for, but to give forth Declarations of the Father, John 1.18. and 14.6, 7. What is the Law written in our Hearts for? Rom. 2.15. and what is the Spirit promised for? but that thereby we might attain to the Knowledge of the Almighty, John 14.26. And has not the Gospel brought Life and Immortality to Light, 2 Tim. 1.10? All things considered, your ignorance of God now will be inexcusable, and Knowledge is an indispensable requisite.  
2. You are to fear God, having a high reverential esteem of him in your Heart, dreading to offend him, not only because of his greatness and justice, but also and especially because of his goodness and Mercy, Hos. 3.5. Levit. 19.14. Deut. 6.13. Psal. 2.11. Isa. 8.13. Heb. 12.28.  
3. Love him with all your Soul, Strength and Mind, Matth. 22.37. he will admit of no Rivals or Copartners in your Affections; he and he alone must have your Heart, the whole of your Heart, and that in the most intense Degrees, and always.  
4. Give a credential assent to every Tittle that proceeds out of his Mouth, relying also upon, and trusting in him, as one in whom there is everlasting Strength, Isa. 26.4. Psal. 2.8. and 11.1.  
5. Thankfulness for every Mercy, and Patience under all Afflictions, is that which you own unto God, 1 Thess. 5.18. Psal. 107.1. Luke 21.19. Heb. 10.36. Ephes. 5.20. James 1.4.  
6. Sincerity of Heart, and Zeal for his Glory, are Duties indispensable; what you do in matters of Religion, must not be to be seen in Men, or for any other base sinister selfish ends, but do all for the Glory of God, 1 Cor. 10.31. Phil. 2.3, 11.  
7. Be clothed with Humility, having always a low esteem of yourself, notwithstanding of Honours, Riches, Birth, Beauty, Breeding, Parts, Perfections, Privileges, Performances, Gifts, Graces, Experiences, Enjoyments, Doing and Suffering, Rom. 12.2. Coll. 2.12.  
8. Perseverance in the Faith and way of Well doing, is an ingredient of this inward Spiritual Worship; you must not begin in the Spirit and end in the Flesh, for then your last Estate will be worse than the Beginning, 2 Pet. 1.20, 21. So run that you may obtain, 1. Cor. 9.24. Rev. 2.7, 11, 17, 26, 27, 28. and 3.5, 10, 12, 21. Or 2dly. His Worship is External and Ceremonial, and here I commend these three Rules to you, 1. In Gospel Worship there's no religious Ceremony to be observed, as such, but what has the stamp of Divine Institution upon it: For any to institute new Ordinances, or to add Inventions of their own, as essential Ingredients thereof, is too high a Presumption for poor Creatures, neither must such human impositions be submitted unto. 2. As no Ceremony of human Institution is to be observed, so all of Divine are. Sincerity is inconsistent with a slighting and wilful neglect of any one known Ordinance, Luk. 1.6. Prayer, Praising, Preaching, Hearing, Baptism, Lord's-Supper, Church-Communion, Censure and Discipline are all of them to be kept up. As the first Command requires inward Worship, so the second that we worship him by such Ways and Means only as himself has appointed. 3. It is not enough to worship the only true God according to the first, and in his own Ordinances according to the second, but all must be done in a due Manner; and so as that the Name of God may be sanctified according to the third: Rest not on the Observation of external Ceremonies, though such as are of Divine Institution, but use them, 1. In Testimony of your Obedience to God's Command. 2. As a significative Expression of the Truth and Reality of your inward Worship; pray and praise that it may be know, how highly you esteem of Reverence and Love God, and that you acknowledge himas the Author of all Good trusting in him, and testifying your Gratitude for Mercies received. 3. As means of his own Appointment, wherein the choicest of Mercies are to be had from God through Christ, and the out-going of our Hearts towards him are to be enlarged at the highest Rate. 4. The Worship which God's People perform unto him, is all the active Glory which he has from the Creatures: His Justice is glorified in a passive way, in the eternal Condemnation of the Wicked, but the Spiritual Sacrifices and Services of his peculiar Ones, is all the active Glory which he has from his Creatures. 5. The Work of God's Worship is nothing else but an initiation and beginning of the Life of Heaven here on Earth; it is an habituating, inuring, and accustoming ourselves beforehand, to what we must do more solemnly and perfectly, and after another way and manner, when we come home to Emanuel's Land.  
The Duties which you own to others are these; Do by all, as you would be dealt by yourself. Matth. 7.12. Show all Meekness to all Men, Tit. 3.2. Be Kind, Courteous, Affable, Merciful and Compassionate to all; Love your Enemies; hate the Sins of all, but the Persons of none; pray for them that persecute you; bless them that curse you; render to no Man Evil for Evil, or Reviling for Reviling, but contrariwise, Blessing, knowing that you are thereunto called, that you should inherit a Blessing, 1 Pet. 3.8, 9 Matth. 5. end. Rom. 12. end. Do good to all, especially those of the Household of Faith, Gal. 6.10. Use Hospitality without Grudging, 1 Pet. 5.9. Be kindly affectioned to Strangers, not forgetting to entertain such, for thereby some have entertained Angels. Remember them that are in Bonds, as bound with them, and them which suffer Adversity, as being yourself also in the Body, Heb. 13.2, 3. Weep with them that Weep, and Rejoice with them that do Rejoice, Rom. 12.15. Visit the Fatherless and the Widow in their Affliction, James 1.27. Cloth the Naked Backs, Feed the hungry Bellies, and let the Loins of the Poor bless you, Job 30.19, 20. You are not to think, speak, or do aught that may have a tendency to the taking away the Life of any one in an unjust illegal way, but use all lawful Means for preservation of the same, according to the sixth Command: You are not only to possess your own Vessel in sanctification and Honour, not in the Lust of Concupiscence, even as the Gentiles which know not God, 1 Thess. 4.4, 5. but also, use all lawful Means for preservation of others Chastity, not thinking, speaking or doing what may deprive them thereof, by wanton Looks, obscene filthy Speeches, unseemly Carriages, gaudy Attire, excessive Feeding or pampering the Flesh, Whorish Dresses, mixed Dances, or any such like, according to the Seventh Command, Ephes. 5.3, 4, 5. Fornication, and all Uncleanness, let it not be once named amongst you, as becometh Saints, neither Filthiness, Foolish Talking, nor Jesting, which are not convenient; for this ye know, that no Whoremongers nor unclean Person hath any Inheritance in the Kingdom of Christ, and of God.  
You are to take no indirect course whereby to damnify any Person in his Estate or Goods, according to the Eighth Command, Ephes. 4.28. Let him that Stole steal no more, but rather let him Labour, working with his Hands the thing which is good, that he may give to him that needeth, 1 Thess. 4.6. Let no Man go beyond or defraud his Brother in any Matter, because that the Lord is the Avenger of all such, as we also have forewarned you and testified.  
You are not to say or do any thing that may take away the good name of another, or wrong them in their Reputation; for a good Name is better than precious Ointment, Eccles. 7.1. and rather to be chosen than great Riches, Prov. 22.1. He that speaketh Truth, showeth forth Righteousness, but a false Witness, Deceit; there is that speaketh like the piercings of a Sword, but the Tongue of the Wise is Health: The Lip of Truth shall be established for ever, but a lying Tongue is but for a Moment, Prov. 12.17, 18, 19 These six things doth the Lord hate; yea, seven are an Abomination to him; a proud Look; a lying Tongue, and Hands that shed innocent Blood; a Heart that deviseth wicked Imaginations; Feet that be swift in running to Mischief; a false Witness that speaketh Lies, and him that soweth Discord among Brethren, Prov. 6.16, 17, 18, 19 The words of a Talebearer are as Wounds, and they go down into the innermost parts of the Belly. Prov. 18.8. 2 Cor. 12.20, 21. I fear, lest when I come, I shall not find you such as I would, and that I shall be found unto you such as ye would not; lest there be Debates, Envyings, Wraths, Strifes, Backbitings, Whisper, Swell, Tumults; and lest when I come again, my God will humble me among you, and that I shall bewail many which have sinned already. Lastly, let your Conversation be without Covetousness, and be content with such things as ye have; for he hath said, I will never leave thee nor forsake thee, so that we may boldly say, the Lord is my helper, and I will not fear what Man shall do unto me, Heb. 13.5, 6. The Substance of all is, in that of Phil. 4.8. Whatsoever things are Honest, whatsoever things are Just, whatsoever things Pure, whatsoever things are Lovely, whatsoever things are of good Report; if there be any Virtue, and if there be any Praise, think on these things; and Rom. 13.8. Own nothing to any Man but Love, for they that love one another, have fulfilled the Law.  
More particularly the several Duties of all Relations are Christianly and Conscionably to be performed: And that this small piece may be of the more universal usefulness, to all of all sorts into whose Hands it shall come, I will endeavour by the Divine Assistance, to make it a clear Prospective or Looking-glass, wherein every one may see the Duties of their Respective Relations.  
Are you Magistrates? 1. Be truly thankful to God for advancing you above your Brethren, not having an overweening conceit of yourselves, because of your Exaltation; so God did require of him that was to be over his own People, Deut. 17.20. That his Heart should not be lifted up above his Brethren.  
2. Acquaint yourselves both with the Law of God, that you may know what is Just and Honest, and also with the Laws of that Kingdom, Commonwealth, Country or Corporation, where you exercise your Office, Deut. 17.18, 19 When he sitteth upon the Throne, he shall write him a Copy of this Law, and it shall be with him, and he shall read them all the days of his Life.  
3. Hate Sin and Vice in yourselves, ruling in the fear of God, 2 Sam. 23.3. that so you may the better punish Vice in others.  
4. As in the Administration of Justice you represent God's Person on Earth, so in all your judicial Proceed do nothing but as if God were the Actor thereof himself; he is no respecter of Persons, no more must you; he cannot be bribed with Gifts to pervert Justice, no more must you, 2 Chron. 19.6, 7.  
5. As you are to take severe Notice and inspection of the wicked Works of profligat Persons, punishing them according to their Demerits, so where you observe such as are Ingenious, Industrious, Virtuous and Peaceable; Countenance, Encourage and reward them, Rom. 13.3, 4. Ruler's ought not to be a terror to good Works, but to Evil; he that bears the Sword is to be an Avenger, to execute Wrath upon him that doth Evil, but a Minister of God for good to them that do Well.  
6. Let Justice be mixed with Mercy, not executing the rigour of the Law, unless in Cases highly Criminal, and unless an unevitable Necessity urges to it; Summum jus summa injuria: And do not so show Mercy to incorrigible Offenders, as by remissness in Justice to encourage others to the like Offences; show Mercy especially to the Poor, the Oppressed, Fatherless and Widows.  
7. Preserve Propriety, Peace and Safety, promoting Piety and the Means thereof, Reformation and Righteousness, that your Government may have an influential Operation upon the Godliness and Honesty of all in their Lives and Conversations, 1 Tim. 2.2. And that in you, that prophesy of Isa. 49.23. may have its Accomplishment, being to the Church and People of God, what a Father and Mother, a nursing Father and nursing Mother is to a poor young Suckling.  
8. Prefer the People's Good to your own private and personal Interest, being as little chargeable as it is possible, Nehem. 5.15. The former Governors that had been before me were chargeable unto the People, and had taken of them Bread and Wine, beside 40 Sheckels of Silver; yea, even the Servants bare rule over the People; but so did not I, because of the fear of God.  

Duties of Subjects.  
1. Bless God for hedging you about with such a Fence of Magistracy, as an Ordinance, whereby you are secured against all Injuries and Violence, which you are liable unto from Adam's apostate Posterity; Men turned into Monsters: The Consideration of the desperate Wickedness that now lodges in the Hearts of the Sons of Men, has often made me put a high Estimate upon this Mercy of Magistracy, for if it were not for it, the whole World would be quickly filled with horrid Robberies, Adulteries, and Murders, sheathing our Swords into one another's Bowels: As God's Glory and his People's Good have been the two great ends which he has proposed to himself in all his Transactions, so in this, Rom. 13.4. He is the Minister of God to thee for Good; therefore be thankful.  
2. Seeing God has so well provided for you, you are to suffer any injury, rather than be your own Avengers, Matth. 5.39, 40, 41. Whosoever shall smite thee on the Right Cheek, turn to him the other also; and whosoever will sue thee at the Law, and take away thy Coat, let him have thy Cloak also, i. e. rather than fall a quarrelling, and fight with him that thus misuses thee. If thou art injured, thou hast God's Deputy to go unto; but a private Person and a Christian must never be his own Avenger, nor retaliate injuries for injuries, Rom. 12.17, 18. If it be possible as much as in you lieth, live Peaceably with all Men: Dear beloved, avenge not yourselves, but rather give place unto Wrath; for it is written, Vengeance is mine, I will repay, saith the Lord, Deut. 32.35.  
3. Honour the Persons of Magistrates, whether Wicked or Godly, for their Office sake, as being Gods upon Earth, 1 Pet. 2.17. Fear God, Honour the King, Exod. 22.28. Thou shalt not revile the Gods, nor curse the Ruler of thy People; no, not in thy Thought or Bedchamber; for a Bird of the Air shall carry the Voice, and that which hath Wings shall tell the Matter, Eccles. 10.20.  
4. Seeing your peaceable possession of Temporals is from them as an Ordinance of God, you are to contribute to their maintenance, according to your Ability and their public Necessities, Rom. 13.6, 7. For this cause pay you Tribute also, for they are God's Ministers, attending continually upon this very thing; render therefore to all their Due, Tribute to whom Tribute, Custom to whom Custom.  
5. Obey them in all their lawful Commands, and in Case they command any thing contrary to God's Word, submit to their Authority, and the Penalties inflicted by them, without making resistance, Rom. 13.1, 2. Let every Soul be subject to the Higher Powers, for there is no Power but of God; whosoever therefore resisteth the Power, resisteth the Ordinance of God.  
6. Pray for them, 1 Tim. 2.1, 2. I exhort, that first of all Supplications, Prayers, Intercessions, and giving of Thanks be made for all Men, for Kings, and all that are in Authority; for this is good and acceptable in the fight of God our Saviour.  
7. As thou art a Subject, and so one that in conjunction with others, constitute'● a Body Politic, study to promote the Public good, according to thy Power, and the station in which Providence hath placed thee; Pray for mercies to the Nation, Country, City and Town where thou livest, as well as for mercies to thyself and Family, Jer. 2.9, 7. Bless God for Public, as well as Personal mercies; mourn for national Sins and Calamities: Whatever thy Talon is, Public or Private; I mean for a more Public or Private use, wrap it not up in a Napkin; if it be for Preaching, Physic, Teaching School, or for advancing Trade and Manufactures, make improvement of it accordingly: maintain a civil concord, with all that are Members of the same Body Politic with thyself: Envy not Superiors, walk humbly towards Inferiors; let every one of us praise his Neighbour for his good to edification; Rom. 15.2. and 14.19.   

Duties of Ministers.  
1. Retain a deep sense of the weightiness of this Soul-concerning work to which you are called 2 Cor. 2.16. Who is sufficient for these things?  
2. Let the Sense of self-insufficience, and weightiness of the work, put you upon driving a great Trade with Heaven, in acting dependence upon, and making frequent addresses unto God, for supplies suitable, 2 Cor. 2.3, 5. We are not sufficient to think any thing of our selves, but our sufficience is of God; he that doth not fetch his Sermons by Prayer from Heaven, is never like to reach the Hearts of others.  
3. Study the Scriptures, your own Hearts, Providences, the Hearts, tempers, constitutions, customs and conversations of others much, using all other men's diligently and industriously, whereby you may be able, and apt to Teach, upon all occasions, 1 Tim. 4.13, 14, 15, 16. Give attendance to Reading, to Exhortation, to Doctrine; meditate on these things, give thyself wholly to them.  
4. Deliver no Message but what you receive from the mouth of God in the Holy Scriptures; keep back no part of the Counsel of God; speak as the Oracles of God, in the Name and Authority of the Son of God, as Ambassadors of Christ, representing his Person, as such, that believe the Truths which you commend to others, Ezek. 3.17. Acts 20.27. 1 Pet. 4.11. 2 Cor. 5.20. and 4.13. Psal. 116.10.  
5. Manage Christ's work with Christ's Spirit not your own: His Spirit is a Spirit of Wisdom, show yourselves Workmen that need not be ashamed, dividing the Word of God aright, 1 Tim. 2.15. His Spirit is a Spirit of self-denial and Zeal: To get a livelihood or great name to yourselves, must not be your principal nor ultimate end in preaching the Gospel; for that were not to preach Christ, but yourselves, 2 Cor. 4.5. 1 Thes. 2.4, 5, 6. As we were allowed of God to be put in trust with the Gospel, even so we speak, not as pleasing Men, but God, which tryeth our Hearts, for neither at any time used we flattering words, as ye know, nor a Cloak of Covetousness, God is witness; nor of Men sought we Glory, nor of you, nor yet of others.  
9 Show all tenderness of compassion, love and pity to the Souls of Sinners, 1 Thes. 2.8. So being affectionately desirous of you, we were willing to have imparted not the Gospel of God only to you, but also our own Souls, because ye were dear unto us, 1 Cor. 2.19, 20, 21, 22. Psal. 1.8. 2 Tim. 4.25, 26. 2 Tim. 4.1, 2. Comfort the feeble minded, and support the weak. 1 Thes. 5.14. Be tender of troubled and afflicted Consciences, Heb. 12.12, 13. Lift up the Hands which hang down, and the feeble Knees, and make straight paths for your Feet, lest that which is lame be turned out of the way, but rather let it be healed, Gal 6.1. If a Man be overtaken in a fault, restore such a one in the Spirit of meekness, considering thyself, lest thou also be tempted.  
7. To Soundness in Doctrine add Holiness of Conversation, being Exemplary in all works of Piety and Charity, Tit, 1.7, 8, 9 A Bishop (and a Minister of the Gospel) must be blameless, as the Steward of God, not self-willed, not soon angry, not given to Wine, no striker, not given to filthy lucre, but a lover of Hosptiality a lover of good Men, Sober, Holy, Just, Temperate; holding fast the faithful word, as he has been taught, that he may be able by sound Doctrine both to exhort and convince the gainsayers. And Tit. 2.7. In all things showing thyself a pattern of good works, in Doctrine showing uncorruptness, gravity, sincerity, sound speech, that cannot be condemned, that he that is of the contrary part may be ashamed, having no evil to say of you 2 Tim. 2.22. Flee youthful Lusts; but follow Righteousness, Faith, Charity and Peace with them that call on the name of the Lord with a pure Heart, 1 Tim. 6.11, 12. and 4.12. Be thou an example of the Believers in Word, in Conversation, in Charity, in Spirit, in Faith, in Purity, and 3.7. 1 Pet. 5.1, 2. Feed the Flock of God which is among you, not as being Lords over God's heritage, but as being examples to the Flock.  
8. Be painful and laborious in the Lord's Vineyard; for the Harvest is great and the Labourers are few, 1 Thes. 2.9. 2 Cor. 12.14, 15. I will very gladly spend, and be spent for you, though the more abundantly I love you, the less I am loved, 2 Tim. 4.2. Preach in season and out of season, Acts 5.42. Daily in the Temple, and in every House, they ceased not to Preach Jesus Christ: Much unlike many Loyteres among us, who count it a great matter to Preach, or rather Read an old rusty Homiley, once a Month or six Weeks: Watch over the Souls of your People, as Remembring-that you must give an account, Heb 13.17. And therefore habit constant coaation, and frequent familiar converse with them will be necessary, Acts 20.28. Take heed to yourselves, and to all the Flock, over which the Holy Ghost hath made you overseers, to feed the Church of God, which he has purchased with his own Blood. Non residents never had their Commission from Christ, and they will have but few or none to present unto him as their Crown and Glory, in the great day of accounts:  
9 Look well to the government both of your own House, and of the House or Church of God, 1 Tim. 3.4, 5. One that ruleth well his own House, having his Children in subjection with all gravity; for if a Man know not how to rule his own House, how shall he take care of the Church of God? Let nothing be seen in yourselves, or those that belong unto you, that may give just occasion of offence to others, whereby the work of God may be hindered: Be Faithful, Impartial, and Authoritative in the administration of Censures, as an Ordinance of Christ: The Keys of the Kingdom of Heaven are a great trust; sh●●● not Heavens Gate, or the Door of the Church, against the weakest visible believer, whom Christ and his People would have admitted: And keep in none that are scandalous, and obstinate, whom Christ and his People would have excluded, in nothing aming at the destruction of any, but the edification of all, 2 Cor. 10.4, 5, 6. The weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but mighty through God, to the pulling down of strong holds, and having in a readiness to revenge all disobedience, when your obedience is fulfilled.  
Lastly, if you have a clear providential Call to suffer persecution for any truth of the Gospel, or Ordinance of Christ, decline it not, 2 Tim. 2.3. Endure hardness as a good Soldier of Christ, v. 8, 9, 10. Remember that Jesus Christ, of the Seed of David, was 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, Phillip 2.17. Yea, and if I be offered up upon the Sacrifice and service of your Faith, I joy and rejoice 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 virtual declaration of his Mind and Counsel, concerning your Election from Eternity and Salvation to all Eternity; which calls aloud upon you for Spiritual Rejoicing, 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 rejoice because your Names are written in Heaven, 2 Thes. 2.13, 14, 15. We are bound to give thanks unto God always 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 Breastplate 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 fulfil 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 show 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. Dear beloved, I beseech you, as Strangers and Pilgrims, abstain from Fleshly Lusts which war against the Soul, having your conversation honest among the Gentiles, that whereas they speak against you as evil doers, they may, by your good works which they shall behold, Glorify 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 testify 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 Risen 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 yourselves 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 yourselves unto God, as those that are alive from the Dead; and your Members as Instruments of Righteousness unto God: He hath now broke the Serpent's Head, triumphed over Principalities and Powers, taken away the Handwriting 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 itself 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. Show fidelity in preserving truth among yourselves, keeping your Understandings and Judgements untainted with errors and heresies, Acts 20.19, 30, 31. Eph. 4.14. Heb. 13.9. Be not carried about with strange Doctrines, for it is a good thing that the Heart be established with Grace, not with Merits, which have not profited them that have been occupied therein, 2 Cor. 2.11. 2, 3, 4. I am zealous over you with a Godly jealousy, for I have espoused you to one Husband, that I may present you as a chaste Virgin to Christ; but I fear lest by any means, as the Serpent beguiled Eve, through his Subtlety, so your Minds should be corrupted from the simplicity that is in Christ: For if he that cometh perceiveth another Jesus whom we have not prepared, or if ye receive another Spirit which ye have not received, or another Gospel, which ye have not accepted, ye might well bear with him, Gal. 1.8. Though we or an Angel from Heaven, Preach any other Gospel unto you, than that which we have Preached unto you, let him be accursed: Contend for the truth, against all that shall corrupt or oppose it, Judas 1. Let no Ordinance be lost, or adulterated with your good will; restore all to their primitive purity, and keep them in it: Let the word of the Lord also go forth from you, unto others, that you being the Lord's Holy Mountain, may be a rich Blessing to all places round about, Ezek. 34.26. Psal. 110.2. Think your selves of some expedient how to propagate the Gospel, according to your capacities, abilities, and as present Providences will permit, after the pattern of the Church of Thessalonica, 1 Ep. 1 Chap. v. 6, 7, 8. Yea, become followers of us, and of the Lord; having received the Word in much affliction, with joy of the Holy Ghost, so that ye were examples to all that were at Macedonia, and Achaia, for from you sounded out the word of the Lord.  
6. God has fenced you with many Hedges, and strong Fortifications, to wit with his own Power, Providence, Spirit, Word, Angels, and other Creatures, insomuch that the Gates of Hell shall not prevail against you: Let therefore Mount Zion be glad, and the Daughters of Judah be glad; walk about Zion, go round about her, tell the Towers thereof; mark well her Bulwarks, consider her Palaces, that ye may tell it to the Generations following, for this God is our God for ever and ever, he will be our guide unto Death, Ps. 48. to the end Isa. 4.5, 6. The Lord will create upon every dwelling place of Mount Zion, and upon the Assemblies, a Cloud and Smoke by Day, and shining of a Flaming Fire by Night; for upon all the Glory shall be a defence; and there shall be a Tabernacle for a Shadow in the Daytime from the Heat, and for a place of Refuge, and for a covert from the Storm and Rain. And 41.10, 11, 12. Fear not, for I am with thee; be not dismayed, for I am thy God: I will strengthen thee, yea I will help thee, yea I will uphold thee with the Right Hand of my Righteousness; behold all they that were incensed against thee shall be ashamed, and confounded: They shall be as nothing, and they that strive with thee, shall perish: Thou shalt seek them, and shalt not find them; even them that contended with thee, they that were against thee shall be as nothing, and as a thing of nought,  
7. As God has made many Promises to you, my indeed all Promises are Yea and Amen to you that believe, 2 Cor. 1.20. So suck the Breasts of these Consolations, and let the Word of Christ dwell Richly in you, in all Wisdom, Col. 3.16. Choose Promises as a part of your Portion, Psal. 119.111. Acting Faith and Patience, for the accomplishment thereof, and comforting yourselves therewith, in all your Afflictions, Distresses, and Tribulations: Get some compendious Catalogue, not only in your Heads, but also in your Hearts, of such promises especially which may afford you some comfortable relief against the temptations and troubles that do ordinarily attend a Church-state. ●●le instance in a few, to show you how to make improvement of the rest.  
1. Are you at any time under perturbation of Mind, fearing the Rage and Rejection of the Men of the World for your separation, not walking with them in the same way of visible Worship? Let that of 2 Cor. 6.17, 18. be ready at hand as a present remedy: Come out from among them, and be ye separate, saith the Lord, and touch not the unclean thing, and I will receive you, and will be a Father to you, and ye shall be my Sons and Daughters, saith the Lord God Almighty: It's true this Scripture is principally understood, of separation from Idolatry and Idolaters, but not exclusive of other separations, where there is visible Righteousness and Unrighteousness, Light and Darkness, Christ and Belial, Piety and Tolerated Profaneness: As you may see v. 14.15.  
2. Is the want of able Officers, or being de. prived of such as ye had, your grief? Make use of Ezek. 34.15, 16. I will feed them in a good Pasture, and upon the high Mountains of Israel shall the Fold be: I will seek that which was lost, and bring again that which was driven away, and will bind up that which was broken, and strengthen that which was sick, Jer. 3.14, 15. I will take you one of a City, and two of a Family, and I will bring you to Zion, and I will give you pastors according to mine Heart, which shall feed you with Knowledge and Understanding: If it be for God's Glory and your good, you may believe that some time or other that of Isa. 30.20, 21. shall be fulfilled: I limit not the Holy One to Days, Weeks, Months or Years, Though the Lord give you the Bread of Adversity, and the Water of Affliction, yet shall not thy Teachers be removed into a Corner any more, but thine Eyes shall see thy Teachers, and thine Ears shall hear a Word behind thee, saying, this is the way, walk ye in it, when ye turn to the Right Hand and to the Left.  
3. Are you a reproach to Neighbours, vile and contemptible in the Eyes of all that are round about? See Isa. 28.5. The Lord of Hosts shall be for a Crown of Glory, and for a Diadem of Beauty to the residue of his People. And 62.3. Thou shalt also be for a Crown of Glory in the Hand of the Lord, and a Royal Diadem in the Hand of thy God 〈◊〉 Thou shalt no more be termed, forsaken, neither shall thy Land any more be termed, desolate but thou shalt be called Hephzibah, and thy Land Beulah, for the Lord delighteth in thee, and thy Land shall be Married, Isa. 51.7. Harken un to me ye that know Righteousness, the People in whose Heart is my Law. Fear ye not the reproach of Men, neither be afraid of their Revile, for the Moth shall eat them up as a Garment, and the Worm shall eat them as Wool; but my Righteousness shall be for ever, and my Salvation from Generation to Generation, Isa. 54.4, 5. Ezek. 36.15. ●  
4. Is it so that Ordinances do you but little good, your Souls are still Barren and Unfruitful, for all their droppings, and bedewings? Act Faith upon Psal. 92.13, 14. The Righteous shall Flourish like the Palmtree, he shall grow like a Cedar in Lebanon: Those that be Planted in the House of the Lord shall Flourish in the Courts of our God, they shall still bring forth Fruit in Old Age, they shall be Fat and Flourishing, to show that the Lord is upright, Isa. 27.3, 6. I the Lord water the Vineyard of Red Wine every moment: He shall cause them that come of Jacob to take Root, Israel shall Blossom and Bud, and fill the Face of the World with Fruit, And 35.5, 6, 7. Then shall the Eyes of the Blind be opened, and the Ears of the Deaf shall be unstopped: Then shall the Lame Man Leap, as an Hart, and the Tongue of the Dumb shall speak: For in the Wilderness shall Waters break out, and Streams in the Desert: The parched Ground shall become a Pool, and the Thirsty Land Springs of Water, in the Habitation of Dragons, where each lay, shall be Grass, with Reads and Rushes. And 44.3, 4. I will pour Water upon him that is Thirsty, and Floods upon the dry Ground. I will pour my Spirit upon thy Seed, and my Blessing upon thine Offspring, and they shall Spring up as among the Grass, as Willows by the Water side, Mal. 4.2. Unto you that fear my Name shall the Sun of Righteousness arise with healing in his Wings, and ye shall go forth, and grow up as Calves of the Stall.  
5. Are you troubled with any bad Members, the Looseness and Carnality of whose Conversation proves a scandal to the Gospel, and a reproach to your profession? Comfort yourselves with the promised purity of such a Church-state yet to come; which will admit of no Persons visibly unholy, Zech. 14.20, 21. In that Day shall there be upon the Bells of the Horses, Holiness to the Lord: And the Pots of the Lord's House, shall be like Bowls before the Altar; yea, every Pot in Judca and in Jerusalem shall be Holiness unto the Lord of Hosts, and all they that Sacrifice shall come and take of them, and seethe therein; and in that Day shall there be no more the Canaanite in the House of the Lord of Hosts, Isa. 35.4, 5. And a Highway shall be there, and it shall be called the way of Holiness: The unclean shall not pass over it; but it shall be for those: The way-fairing Men, tho' Fools, shall not err therein: No Lion shall bethere, nor any Ravenous Beast shall go up thereupon; but the Redeemed of the Lord shall walk there, Isa. 60.21. Thy People shall be all Righteous, Zeph. 3.13. The remnant of Israel shall not do Iniquity, nor speak Lies; neither shall a deceitful Tongue be found in their Mouth,  
6. Are you troubled with intestine divisions, carnal discords, strises, emulations, and envyings, by reason of which you cannot cordially join together in Acts of Worship? See Zeph. 3.9. I will turn to the People a pure Language, that they may call upon the Name of the Lord, to serve him with one consent, Zech. 14.9. The Lord shall be King over all the Earth. In that Day shall be one Lord, and his Name one, Jer. 32.39. I will give them one Heart, and one Way, that they may fear me for ever, for the good of them, and of the Children after them, Isa. 11.13. Ephraim shall not envy Judah, and Judah shall not vex Ephraim: Though this promise does more particularly relate to a Reconciliation between the Ten Tribes and the Two, yet by converting it into a Prayer it is applicable to your case. Thus, Lord, hast thou said that thou wilt do, and so for the Jews, and will not thou do so also for us? Are not we made partakers of the fatness of the Olive, are not their privileges ours? And their promises in some degree ours? Eph. 3.6. And, 2.13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18.  
7. Are you so poor in temporals, that you know not how to Subsist yourselves, nor how to maintain your Poor? See Psal. 132.13, 14, 15. The Lord hath chosen Zion, he hath desired it for his Habitation: This is my rest for ever, here will I dwell; I will abundantly bless her Provision, I will satisfy her Poor with Bread. And 33.18. The Eyes of the Lord is upon them that fear him, to keep them alive in time of Famine. And 34.9, 10. there's no want to them that fear the Lord: The young Lions do lack, and suffer hunger, but they that seek the Lord shall not want any good thing.  
8. Have you much ado to trust God for your Children and Posterity, how they shall be provided for, as to Spirituals and Temporals, See 5 Gen. 17.7. I will establish my Covenant between me and thee, and thy Seed after thee in their Generations, for an Everlasting Covenant, to be a God unto thee, and to thy Seed after thee, Isa. 59.21. My Spirit and my words shall not departed out of thy Mouth, nor out of the Mouth of thy Seed, nor out of the Mouth of thy Seeds Seed, Deut. 4.40. Thou shalt keep his Statutes and Comandments, which I command thee this Day, that it may go well with thee, and with thy Children after thee, Psal. 103.17. The mercy of the Lord is from Everlasting to Everlasting upon them that fear him, and Righteousness unto his children's Children, Acts 2.39. The promise is to you and to your Children, Isa. 44.3. and 65.23. and 66.22. Psal 102.28. and 89.30, 31, 32, 33.  
9 Are you at any time under despondency, because of persecution for the Gospel? See Math. 5.10, 11, 12. Blessed are they which are persecuted for Righteousness sake, for theirs is the Kingdom of Heaven: Blessed are ye when Men shall revile you, and persecute you; and shall say all manner of Evil against you falsely, for my Name sake: Rejoice and be exceeding glad, for great is your reward in Heaven: So perfected they the Prophets which were before you, Mark 10.29, 30. Verily I say unto you, there's no Man that hath left Houses, or Brethren, or Sisters, or Father, or Mother, or Wife, or Children, or Lands, for my sake, and the Gospels, but he shall receive now an hundred-fold in his time, Houses and Brethren with persecutions, and in the World to come Eternal Life, 1 Pet. 4.12, 13, 14. Beloved, think it not strange concerning the fierce trial which is to try you, as though some strange thing happened unto you, but rejoice in as much as ye are partakers of Christ's Sufferings; that when his Glory shall be revealed, ye may be glad also with exceeding joy: If ye are reproached for the Name of Christ, happy are ye, for the Spirit of Glory and of God resteth upon you. Are you convented before Courts, and called before Magistrates, and know not how to carry it in such a case? See Math. 10.18, 19, 20. Ye shall be brought before Governors and Kings, for my sake for a Testimony against them, and the Gentiles: But when they deliver you up, take no thought how, or what ye shall 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 Glorify 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 Apostatise 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 departed, and the Hills be removed; but my kindness shall not departed 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, than 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 yourselves, to them that are over you in the Lord?  
1. You own them Love and Respect for their Office, and Works sake, as they are the representeves of Christ's 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 falsehood 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 hearty 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 Mystery 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 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 administered in the name of Christ, Heb. 13.17. Obey them that have the Rule over you, and submit yourselves, 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 communicate 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 Blow 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 there's no need for me to Apologise, 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 joined together in the same Mind, and in the same Judgement, 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 , having the same Love; being of one accord, of one mind, Rom. 15.5. The God of patience and consolation, grant you to be  one towards another, according to Christ Jesus; that ye may with one Mind and Mouth glorify 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 myself am persuaded 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 hardened 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 ourselves 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, aught to bear with the Infirmities of the weak, and not please ourselves. 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 uncomely parts have more abundant comeliness, Phil. 2.3. Let nothing be done through strife or vainglory, but in lowliness of Mind let each esteem other better than themselves, Rom. 12.16. Mind not high things, but condescend to Men of low Estate.  
5. If any difference in Principles or Practices fall out among you, pursue after Peace notwithstanding thereof, especially if it be not in fundamentals of Faith, and if it be visible that what the parties that differ from you do, is from a Principle of Conscience, and are in all other things conscientious, Rom. 4.2, 3. One believeth that he may eat all things, another who is weak, eateth Herbs: Let not him that eateth, despise him that eateth not, v. 17, 18, 19 The Kingdom of God is not Meat and Drink, but Righteousness, and Peace, and Joy in the Holy Ghost; for he that in these things serveth Christ, is acceptable to God, and approved of Men: Let us therefore, follow after the things which make for Peace, and things wherewith one may edify another, Phil. 3.15, 16. Let as many as be perfect, be thus minded; and if in any thing ye be otherwise minded, God shall reveal even this unto you: Nevertheless whereto we have already attained, let us walk by the same Rule, let usmind the same thing, Ephes. 4.3, 4, 5, 6.  
6. Harbour not suspicious thoughts of one another's Hypocrisy, Rom 14.4. Who art thou that judgest another Man's Servant? To his own Master he standeth or falleth; yea he shall be holden up: v. 10. Why dost thou judge thy Brother? We shall all stand before the Judgment-seat of Christ, Jam. 4.11, 12. Speak not evil one of another, Brethren, he that speaketh evil of his Brother; and judgeth his Brother, speaketh evil of the Law, and judgeth the Law; but if thou judge the Law, thou art not a Doer of the Law, but a Judge: There is one Lawgiver, who is able to save and to destroy, Who art thou that judgest another? Matth. 7.1, 2. Judge not, that ye be not Judged; for with what Judgement ye Judge, ye shall be Judged, and with what Measure meet, it shall be Measured to you again.  
7. Be very tender of doing any thing that may give just cause of offence to your Spiritual Relations, especially in matters indifferent, Rom. 14.13, 14. Let no Man put a stumbling-Block, or an occasion to fall in his Brother's way: I know, and am persuaded by the Lord Jesus, that there is nothing unclean of itself, (i. e. none of those Meats which were unclean under the Law, are so now made under the Gospel) but to him that esteemeth any thing unclean, to him it is unclean: If thy Brother is destroyed with thy Meat, thou walkest not charitably; destroy not him with thy Meat for whom Christ Died, 1 Cor. 9.10, 11, 12, 13. Take heed lest by any means this liberty of yours become a stumbling Block to them that are Weak: For if any Man see thee which hast knowledge, sit at Meat in the Idols Temple, Shall not the Conscience of him that is weak be emboldened to eat those things which are offered to Idols? And through thy knowledge shall the weak Brother perish, for whom Christ Died? But when ye sin so against the weak Brethren, and wound their weak Conscience, ye sin against Christ; wherefore if Meat make my weak Brother to offend, I will eat no Flesh while the World standeth, lest I make my weak Brother to offend, 1 Cor. 10.23, 24. All things are Lawful for me, but all things are not expedient; all things are Lawful for me, but all things edify not; let no Man seek his own, but every Man another Wealth. v. 32.33. Give none offence, neither to the Jews nor to the Gentiles, nor to the Church of God, even as I please all Men in all things, not seeking mine own profit, but the profit of many, that they may be saved, Matth. 18.6, 7. Gal. 5.13. 1 Pet. 2.16.  
8. Visit one another as frequently as your occasions will give leave, and let your Visits be as Acts of Charity: When you come together spend not your time in talking of News, Trifles, or against others, but fall upon some Soul-edifying discourse, Mal. 3.16. They that feared the Lord spoke often to another, and the Lord harkened and heard it, and a Book of Remembrance was written before him, for them that feared the Lord, and thought upon his Name, and they shall be mine, saith the Lord of Hosts in that Day when I make up my Jewels. Ephes. 4.29. Let no corrupt Communication proceed out of your Mouth, but that which is good to the use of edifying, that it may Minister Grace to the hearers. Col. 4.6. Let your Speech be always with Grace, seasoned with Salt.  
9 Pray one for another, Ephes. 6.18. Praying always, with all Prayer and Supplication in the Spirit, watching thereunto with all Perseverance, and Supplication for all Saints.  
10. Show a tender Sympathy with each other in your several conditions, 1 Pet. 3.8. Have compassion one of another, and be pitiful, 1 Cor. 12.26. If one of the Members do suffer, all the Members should suffer with it: If one Member be Honoured, all the Members should rejoice with it, Gal. 6.2. Bear one another's Burdens, and so fulfil the Law of Christ.  
11. Confess your faults one to another, and forgive one another, even where there has been not only supposed, but real injuries, Jam. 5.16. Col. 3.12, 13. Put on, as the elect of God, Holy and Beloved, Bowels of Mercies, Kindness, Humbleness of Mind, Meekness, Long-suffering, forbearing one another, and forgiving one another, even as Christ forgave you, so also do ye, Matth. 5.23. If thou bring thy gift to the Altar, and there remember'st that thy Brother hath aught against thee, leave there thy gift before the Altar, and go thy way; first be reconciled to thy Brother, and then come and offer thy gift.  
12. If there are such among you as are really Poor, Sick, Aged, and Infirm, not able to work for themselves, or impoverished by the Hand of Providence, contribute to their necessities out of that which God has lent you, 1 John 3.17. Who so hath this World's Good, and seethe his Brother need, and shutteth up his Bowels of compassion from him, how dwelleth the Love of God in him? Read the whole Eighth Ch. of the 2 Epistle to the Corinthians: Where the Apostle exhorts them unto a liberal distrubition to the poor Saints at Jerusalem, from the example of the Macedonians, from the commendation of their former forwardness, from the example of Christ, and the Spiritual profit that would redound to themselves thereby. Moreover, Brethren, we do you to wit of the Grace of God, bestowed on the Churches of Macedonia, how that in a great trial of Affliction, the abundance of their Joy, and their deep Poverty abounded unto the Riches of their liberality: For to their Power I bear record; yea and, beyond their Power, they were willing of themselves, praying us with much entreaty, that we would receive the gift, and take upon us the fellowship of Ministering to the Saints: Therefore as ye abound in every thing, in Faith, in Utterance, 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 Ministering 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 cheerful 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 supplieth the want of the Saints, but is abundant also by many thanksgivings unto God; while by the experiment of this Ministration, they glorify 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 breathe 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 writ 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 writ 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 envieth not, vaunteth not itself, is not puffed up, doth not behave itself unseemly, seeketh not her own, is not easily provoked, thinketh no evil, rejoiceth not in iniquity, but rejoiceth 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. Husband's 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 Rejoice with the Wife of thy Youth; let her be as the loving Hind, and as the pleasant Roe; let her Breasts satisfy thee at all times, and be thou always Ravished 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 Ravished 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 eyelids; 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  not be Burnt? Can one go upon hot Coals and his Feet not be Burnt? So he that goeth in to his Neighbour's 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 yourselves 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 another's tempers, and bear with one another's 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 hindered, 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 Yoked 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 departed; 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 sav● 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 died, and risen 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, , keepers at home, obedient to their own Husbands, that the Word of God be not Blasphemed, Col. 3.18. Submit yourselves 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  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 Array, 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 hid them from their Children, showing 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, Nature, Temper, Talents, Disposition, and Inclination, Prov. 20.11. Even a Child is known by his do, what way he is inclined, whether to good or evil.  
4. Provide Temporals for them, by all Lawful and Honest ways, without wronging your own Consciences or others, Prov. 19.14. House and Riches are the Inheritance of Fathers, 2 Cor. 12.14. The Children ought not to lay up for their Parents, but the Parents for their Children, 1 Tim. 5.8. If any provide not for his own, specially for those of his own House, he hath denied the Faith, and is worse than an Infidel.  
5. As much as in you lieth, transmit a Blessing to your Posterity, with Temporals, being chief Solicitous, that they may become the Children of God, having true Grace wrought in their Souls, Prov. 8.10, 11. Receive my Instruction, and not Silver, and Knowledge rather than choice Gold: For Wisdom is better than Rubies, and all things that may be desired, are not to be compared to it, Psal. 37.16.  
6. Improve not your parental Authority with too much rigour, lest they be driven to take desperate courses, Col. 3.21. Father's provoke not your Children to anger, lest they be discouraged: When once they are of Age deal with their Consciences, convincing them of the sinfulness of their ways, mixing lenity and tenderness with your Authority, Ephes. 6.4. Bring them up in the Nurture and Admonition of the Lord. Charge them to serve the Lord God of your Fathers, 1 Thes. 2.11. Gen. 18.19. I know Abraham, that he will command his Household, and his Children after him, and they shall keep the way of the Lord, to do Justice an Judgement, Deut. 32.46. Set your Hearts unto all the words which I testify amongst you this day, which ye shall command your Children to observe, to do all the words of this Law.  
7. Provide fit matches for them, being careful that they Mary in the Lord, Gen. 24.2, 3, 4. Abraham said to his Servant, thou shalt not take a Wife unto my Son, of the Daughters of the Canaanites, among whom I dwell, but thou shalt go to my Country and to my Kindred, and take a Wife unto my Son Isaac.  
8. Be much in seeking the Lord for them, that they may be abundantly Blessed with all Blessings Spiritual and Temporal: Parents Prayers may prove their children's best Portion, even a Treasure laid up in Heaven for them. Children of many Prayers seldom miscarry: Be affected towards your Children as Paul to the Galatians, Chap. 4. v. 19 My little Children, of whom I Travel in Birth again, until Christ be form in you. Job sent and sanctified his Children, Chap 1. v. 5. i.e. He sent up Prayers to God for them, he offered burnt offerings, according to the number of them all.   

Duties of Children to Parents.  
1. Give them all due Reverence and Respect, Ep. 6.2. Honour thy Father and thy Mother which is the first Commandment with Promise, that it may be well with thee, and thou mayest live long on the Earth.  
2. Obey their counsels and commands, Prov 23.22. Hearken unto thy Father that begat thee, and despise not thy Mother when she is Old And 30.17. The Eye that mocketh at his Father, and despiseth to obey his Mother, the Ravens of the Valley shall pick it out, and the young Eagles shall eat it, Col 3.20. Ephes. 6.1.  
3. Submit to their correction, Heb. 12.8. We have had Fathers of our Flesh which have corrected us, and we gave them reverence, v. 7. What Son is he whom the Father chasteneth not?  
4. Trace the steps of your godly Parents, Joh. 8.39. If ye were Abraham's Children, ye would do the works of Abraham, 1 Pet. 3.6.— Whose Daughters ye are, as long as ye do well, 2 Tim. 1.5. When I remember the unfeigned Faith that is in thee, which dwelled first in thy Grandmother Lois, and thy Mother Eunice, and I am persuaded that in thee also, Rom. 4.11, 12, 19, 20; 21.22.  
5. Dispose not of yourselves in Marriage without their consent: Where Parents consent is wanting, as one saith, there God's blessing is away; Yea, a Curse comes often upon such Matches. Seth's Sons Marrying with Cain's Daughters, without the consent of their godly Parents, had a wretched Posterity. Juda, Marrying a Canaanite, without his Father's advice, contrary to the principle of the pious Patriarches, which was against the mixed Marriages of an Israelite with a Canaanite, had two such Sons that God would not suffer them to live, but slew them himself, Gen. 38.2, 3. and 26.34. 34. with 27.46. Esau marrying after the same manner, his Wives were a grief of mind to his Father and Mother. Rebecca said to Isaac, I am weary of my life, because of the Daughters of Heth; if Jacob take of them for a Wife, what good shall my life do me?  
6. If Providence do so impoverish your Parents, that they have not a competence for a subsistence, you ought to provide for them, and supply their wants, 1 Tim. 5.4. If any Widow have Children, or Nephews, let them learn first to show Piety at home, and to requite the Parents, for that is good and acceptable before God, v. 16. If any Man or Woman that believeth have Widows, let them relieve them, and let not the Church be charged, that it may relieve them that are Widows indeed. Joseph nourished his Father, with all his household and Brethren, Gen. 47.12. Ruth gave of her glean to her Mother-in-law Naami, ch. 2.18. Matth. 15.5. Be not more unnatural than the Stork which feeds her aged Parents, carrying them on her Shoulders into the Meadows, and bringing them back again.   

Duties of Masters to Servants.  
1. Be Christianly affectionate both to the Souls and Bodies of your Servants: Catechise and Instruct them in the knowledge of God: Exhort them to serve God with their Souls as well as yourselves with their Bodies. Allow them time for Reading the Scriptures, and Private Prayer: See that they Sanctify the Sabbath, in hearing Sermons, and in other religious exercises, craving an account how they have profited: Be not too rigorous in imposing hard labour upon them, which they cannot perform: Do not over-task nor over-work them, like the Egyptians to the Israelites, Exod. 5.7, 8. A righteous Man is merciful to his Beast, how much more to his Servant? If they fall Sick in your service; be wanting the use of no means, that may be for their recovery; not like the hardhearted Amalekite, that left his Servant in the Field, because of Sickness, 2 Sam. 30.13. but like the Centurion, who besought Christ to cure his paralytic Servant, Mat. 8.5, 6, 7.  
2. Give unto your Servants that which is just and equal, knowing also that you have a Master in Heaven, Col. 4.1. Let them have Food an Raiment, Meat, Drink, and Wages according to their deserts, and your agreement with them, Luke 17.8. Gird thyself and serve me, till I have Eaten and Drunken, and afterwards thou shalt Eat and Drink, Prov. 31.15. And 27.27. Mt. 20.8. The Lord of the Vineyard saith unto the Steward, call the Labourers, and give them their hire, beginning from the last unto the first. To withhold the Labourers Wages is a crying sin, Deut. 24.14. Thou shalt not oppress a hired Servant that is poor and needy; thou shalt give him his hire at his Day; neither shall the Sun go down upon it, lest he cry against thee unto the Lord, and it be sin unto thee. Jam. 5.4. Behold the hire of the Labourers which have Reaped down your Fields, which is of you kept back by fraud, cryeth, and the cries of them which have Reaped are entered into the ears of the Lord of Sabbaoths.  
3. Bear with many infirmities and small faults in Servants, not being too couriosly sollicitious to pry thereinto. Eccl. 7.21. 22. Take no heed to all words that are spoken, lest thou hear thy Servant curse thee; for often times also thine own Heart knoweth, that thou thyself hast cursed others.  
4. Do the same things unto them; forbearing threatening, knowing, that your Master also is in Heaven; neither is there respect of Persons with him, Ephes. 6.5. Deal by them, as you would have your Heavenly Master deal by you; and as you would have Earthly Masters deal by you, if you were Servants: They are to obey you in the Lord, so command them only in the Lord, command them nothing against their own consciences: You would have them serve you, not with eye-service, but sincerely and in singleness of Heart; so show yourselves kind to them, not dissemblingly, or fraudulently; but uprightly and conscionably. You would have them leave nothing of your work undone, so leave nothing of their Wages unpaid. Carry not yourselves Imperiously, Harshly, Churlishly, nor Nabal-like to them; give them not provoking or irritating Language.  
5. Walk exemplarily in all Holiness and Righteousness of conversation, before them, especially in the performance of Family-duties: The eyes of Servants are much on their Masters and Mistresses, to mark what they say, and do, Prov. 29.12. If a Ruler hearken to Lies, all his Servants are wicked, Ps. 101.2, 3, 4. I will walk within mine House with a perfect Heart; mine Eyes be upon the faithful of the Land, that they may dwell with me: He that walketh in a perfect way he shall serve me; he that worketh deceit, shall not dwell within my House; he that telleth Lies shall not tarry in my sight. Let not wickedness dwell within your Tabernacles, that so God may make the Habitation of your Righteousness prosperous, Job 8.6. Col. 4.12. Master's continue in Prayer, and watch in the same with Thanksgiving.   

Duties of Servants.  
1. Honour your Masters, 1 Tim. 6.1. Let as many Servants as are under the Yoke, count their own Masters worthy of all Honour, that the name of God and his Doctrine, be not Blasphemed, 1 Pet. 2.18.  
2. Do in all things Lawful according to their command, Ephes. 6.5. And Col. 3.22. Obey in all things your Masters according to the Flesh Tit. 2.9.  
3. Do their work cheerfully, and readily, at all times, when their eye is off, as when upon you, and as remembering you are still under God's eye, Col. 3.22, 23, 24. Not with eye-service, as Men-pleasers, but in singleness of Heart, fearing God: And whatsoever ye do, do it hearty, as to the Lord, and not unto Men, knowing that of the Lord ye shall receive the reward of the Inheritance; for ye serve the Lord Christ, Ephes. 6.5, 6, 7, 8. Doing the Will of God from the Heart, with good will doing service as to the Lord, and not to Men, knowing that whatsoever good thing any Man doth, the same shall he receive of the Lord whether he be bound or free.  
4. Disclose not their secrets, neither discourse of things out of the Family to their prejudice: Servants must not be as spies in the House, nor Tale-tellers out of it, for such are worse than Thiefs.  
5. Be diligent in the quick dispatch of their bussiness, and speedy execution of their commands, Gen. 24.31. Abraham's Servant would not eat till he had told his errand; and as soon as he had done, he says thus, v. 54. Send me away that I may go to my Master,  
6. Do for them as for yourselves; nay prefer their business before your own. Gen. 30.30. The Lord, faith Jacob to Laban, hath Blessed thee since my coming to thee, and now when shall I provide for mine own House also? See Gen. 37.38. Do not Purloin, Steal, or Wast their Goods by riotous Eating, Drinking, or any unnecessary expenses; you must not wittingly or willingly cousin them of a Farthing. Tit. 2.10. Not purlonging, but showing all good fidelity, that they may adorn the Doctrine of God our Saviour in all things. Mat. 25.23.  
7. When you are Rebuked or Chid for your faults, do not return any proud or saucy replies, but rather answer with silence, Tit. 2.9. Not answering again, Prov. 15.1. A soft Answer turneth away Wrath, but grievous words stir up Anger.  
8. If Providence cast you upon such as are harsh and untoward, who both in words and deeds do misuse you, carry it meekly and patiently towards them, 1 Pet. 2.18, 19 Servants be subject, not only to the good and gentle, but also to the froward; for this is thankworthy: If a Man for conscience towards God, endure grief, suffering wrongfully, for even hereunto were ye called.  
9 If ye are Servants to such as are Godly, show them not the less, but rather, more respect upon that account, 1 Tim. 6.2, 3, 4. They that have believing Masters, let them not despise them, because they are Brethren, but rather do them service, because they are Faithful, and Beloved, partakers of the benefit. These things Teach and Exhort; if any Man Teach otherwise, and consent not to wholesome words, even the words of our Lord Jesus Christ, and the Doctrine which is according to Godliness, he is Proud, knowing nothing, but doting about questions, and strifes, and words, whereof cometh envy.  
Thus you have had some delineation of the Duties which you own unto God, and others: The Conclusion of all shall commend some few things which concern every particular Christian, in reference to the right order●ing of his own Conversation.  
1. Let God have the first Fruits of your thoughts every Morning; you will find it profitable and advantageous to your Souls, to begin and end every day with some Godly meditations: As soon as you awake, let this or some such thought enter into your Heart, O what mercy is it, I am yet out of Hell, that the Lord has given me any comfortable refreshment this last Night; my awaking thus after Sleep, and rising after a lying down, may serve as an Ebmleme to put me in mind of the Resurrection of the Body, after it hath slept the sleep of Death in the Grave for some season: O how comfortable to the Eye is the Light of the Sun after a dismal Darkness, but how much more comfortable would the Light of God's countenance prove to my dark and disconsolate Heart, showing himself as a reconciled God to me in the Blood of a Saviour? What is the end of God in sparing me this one day more? And what is the work carved out for this day? And how shall I manage it? When you are putting off or on your , have these or the like thoughts, O that I could cast off the works of Darkness and put on the Armour of Light! O that I might be devested of the Old Man, and invested with the Righteousness of the Lord Jesus! When you are Washing your Hands, send up this or some such Ejacluation to Heaven, O that all my sinful pollutions may be done away this Morning, by the Blood and Spirit of the Lord Jesus.  
2. Drive some Trade with Heaven oftener than once, every Day, by Private Prayer, Ps. 55.17. Evening, and Morning, and at Noon, will I pray, and cry aloud. First, Choose the most seasonable times for it, and what time is thus spent, account it no hindrance, but rather a furtherance to your other Business. Secondly, Eat Formality and Pharisaicalness in it. Mat. 6. begin. 3ly, Let the whole Heart be engaged in it, with all possible seriousness, and Spirituality, without Distracting, Carnal, Roving, Wandering, and Worldy thoughts. 4ly, Consider your Soul-wants beforehand, that you may know what to say to God, when you go to him. 5ly, Go in a most humble self-abasing Sense of your own vileness, and unworthiness, but with some Holy confidence, upon the account of Divine precepts and promises, Christ's Death and Intercession: Look upon God in Christ as a Fountain of all supplies. 6ly, Do not give over wrestling till you can say that more or less your Soul has found something of God in this duty. 7ly, Rest not on the Duty done, but study to keep your Heart from Morning to Night in a praying temper. Luke 18. begin. Thess. 8. O for the Lord's sake let me engage you to perseverance in this so Soul-concerning an exercise. Eighthly, Take heed of frequent intermissions upon pretence of Business, present indisposition, or any other account whatsoever: He or She that will leave off Praying for one or two whole Days together, may come to do so for Months together. I have known some professors myself, that have sadly smarted under the experience of laying side Private Prayers.  
3. Be diligent in the duties of some Lawful Calling, Prov. 10.4. The Hand of the diligent maketh Rich: Be just and honest in it: Make conscience of following it close, because of God's command to work Six Days. This you will experience to be an excellent preservative from many evils, and inconveniencies, which Idleness would expose you unto: An Idle Person lies open to all temptations, he is a cushion for the Devil to sit down on, and a Horse ready Saddled to Ride to Hell on.  
4. Be critical in the observation of every Days Sins, for exciting an assiduous renual of repentance for the same, and of every Days mercies, not forgetting to give thanks unto God for them: Say thus towards the close of the Day, O that I might not go to Bed with guilt upon my Conscience this Night, whatever in me has been offensive to thy Holy Majesty, in Thought, Word, or Action; pardon for Christ's sake, the carnality of my thoughts: When first ja work in the Morning, my backwardness, formality and deadness in Private Prayer, the Earthliness, Vanity, Frothiness and Levity of my Spirit all Day long. And so for mercies say thus, O Blessed be God for Food and Raiment, Health and Strength, and Liberty and Relations, Protection and Preservation: O Blessed be God, that I have been kept from the actual commission of such sins as many others are wallowing in, and I myself might have been, if not restrained by Grace.  
5. Take heed of the first rising and beginning of every the least sin. Keep a continual strict watch over your Hearts; take present notice of what you discover amiss within, check yourselves for it; dally not with any temptation without, making some vigorous resistance: That which may be easily nipped in the Bud, may cost you Thousands of Prayers and Tears, afterwards. Custom in sin is not conquered with a wet Finger. Have a Holy jealousy of yourselves as to every sin, otherwise you know not what height of impiety you may come to, ere you be ware, Luke 21.34. 1 Cor. 10.12. 1 Pet. 4.7. And 5.8.  
6. Study mortification, especially of your Beloved Sins and Lusts; such as your Natural temper or education, or strong temptations with which you are continually haunted, or such as your Calling most prompts you unto, that so you may approve your Hearts unto God, in something beyond what is attainable by the most refined Hypocrite, Ps. 18.23. Keep under your Bodies, make no Provision for the Flesh, to fulfil the Lusts thereof: Deny yourselves of carnal pleasures, rather than suffer an interruption of your inward peace, and communion with God: Rest not satisfied with a bare cessation from the external, acts of sin for a season, with the silence of a secure Conscience, ceasing to trouble you, with the removal of temptation, or the exchange of one sin with another: But get the unclean Spirit totally dispossessed; lay the Axe to the Root of the Tree, and strike at the most inward, close, unmortified corruptions of the Heart: Pray for the fin-mortifying Spirit of. Jesus Christ, and draw virtue from him whereby you may be enabled to mortify the deeds of the Body, Rom. 8.13.  
7. Look well to the government of your affections. First, Never desire things sublunary but with submission to the Will of God; but let your desires after God and Christ, Grace and Glory, know no bounds or limits, being enlarged to a kind of infinitness. Secondly, Lay not out your Love so inordinately upon any Creature, Person, or thing, so as to bereave the Lord of Glory of his due: Love Creatures for what of God is in them, for what of God you may have from or by them, and so as contentedly to part with them, when Providence would have it so. Thirdly, Hare the Persons of none in the World, but so as that you can cordially pity and pray for the vilest. Sin is to be the only object of your hatred in whatsoever Subjects, yourselves, or others. Fourthly, Moderate your joy for outward enjoyments and also your Sorrow for outward Crosses, and Losses; all excess in carnal mirth, and melancholy is discommendble, 1 Cor. 7.29. Phil. 4.4. Fifthly, Give not way to servile fear, where there is no cause of fear, neithere be too Foolishly bold, or venturous, when there is just cause of fear. Sixthly, be Angry at no thing but sin, and sin not in being Angry at sin. Eph. 4.26, 27. If at any time you are Angry, let not the Sun go down upon your wrath, lest by that time you have slept a little upon it, it turn into malice. Labour to subdue your Passions so as that you can patiently bear with affronts and indignities without a Passionate retribution of like for like. Seventhly, Be never too hotly zealous in pleading for your own Private Personal concerns; but be zealous in the cause of God, for his Glory and Honour, tempering your Zeal still with Knowledge, anda Holy discretion. Eighthly, Let your hopes for Heaven be well bottomed; not the Hypocrites hope; and persist in a patiented waiting to the end, for what is wrapped up in the promise, and for what Faith has believed, so as never to be swallowed up in a distrustful despair, Pet. 1.13.  
8. Be frequent in self-examination, try the truth of your Graces by the Touchstone of the Word, 2 Cor. 13.15. Lament. 3.40. Ps. 119.59. Ps. 4.4. Interrogate yourselves sometimes whether yet there be an effectual change wrought upon your Hearts; whether at this instant God is present with, or absent from you; whether you are Dead and Lumpish, or Lively and Active in the present temper of your Spirits; whether you are going backward, or forward, there will be no time lost in communing with yourselves about Soul-concerns, for if upon search you discover an advance and growth in Grace, it will occasion praises and thanksgivings; if otherwise, humiliation and reformation.  
9 In every Ordinance of Worship, mind the sanctifying of God's Name, the furthering your Souls communion with God, and the increase of Grace in you.  
1. Peruse the Scriptures as a Love-Letter sent from Heaven, wherein you may Read as in Letters of Gold, engraven with the point of Diamond, the eternal purpose and counsel of God, concerning your Salvation: Be of David's mind, Ps. 19.10. The Judgements of the Lord are true and righteous altogether; more to be desired than Gold, yea than much sine Gold; Sweeter also than Honey and the Honey Comb. Always with Reading join Prayer and Meditation: Observe some order and method: Be constant in it; using it as your Souls daily Food, 1 Pet. 2.2. Let them that are able and can spare time, Read the Bible with some helps for better understanding the literal sense thereof: I humbly commend Jackson's Annot. from Genes. to Isa. and the Dutch Annot. from Isa. to the end: To them that would Read Practical Observations, Piscator, and the Scotish Divines, so far as they have gone in commenting thus on the Scriptures.  
2. Where the Word is Preached, in the Name of Christ, as an Ordinance of God, by such as are Authorized from Heaven, make conscience of hearing it, not as it is the Word of Man, but as it is the Word of God, which effectually worketh in them that believe, 1 Thes. 2.13.  
3. When you have occasion to sit down at the Lord's Table as a fellow-communicant with the invited guests of the King of Glory, Come, First, self-examination being previous, according to the command of Christ, 1 Cor. 11.28. Secondly, With a more than ordinary edge upon your Appetite. 3ly, With Knowledge and Faith, to discern the Lord's Body. 4ly, With such a penitential frame of Heart, that you cannot tell how to look upon him whom you have pierced, with dry Eyes. 5ly, Let Sacrament seasons be solemn renuals of your Covenant with God, coming under a sacred Oath, that you will with full purpose of Heart cleave unto him, and his ways all your Days. 6ly, Study to answer the ends of Christ in this institution, in experiencing it to be a Soul-sanctifying Love-feast, in respect of the sweet communion you have with himself therein, and with those that are visible Members of his Body mystical. 7ly, What Kisses of Christ's Mouth and Embraces of Bosom-Love are there communicated, be chary of them; walk worthy of the Lord unto all wellpleasing, not turning Grace into wantonness.  
4. Let the Lord's Day be your delight. First, Set it apart wholly for the service of God, in works of Piety and Charity, Isa. 58.13, 14. Let it be a Holy Day indeed to you, on which you are not to think your own thoughts, speak your own words, nor do your own works, or use recreations at other times Lawful. Secondly, Observe it as a time of Triumphant Joy and Thankfulness for the Glorious work of our Redemption by Christ. Thirdly, As a significative memorial of your celebrating an eternal sabbatism in the Heavens.  
10. Learn contentation with every condition, studying the duties that are proper both for a prosperous and an afflicted state, so as to be found in the practice thereof.   

Duties of a prosperous State.  
1. When you are high in Estate be humble in Mind, having low thoughts of yourselves, as being less than the lest of all God ' s mercy's, Gen. 32.10. Secondly, In fullness deny not God, saying, Who is the Lord? Prov. 30.9. Thirdly, Acknowledge him with Thankfulness, as the Author of all your Enjoyments. 4ly, Testify your Thankfulness in Honouring him with your substance, and with the first fruits of your increase, Prov. 3.9. Fifthly, Despise not the poor, neither shut your Bowels against them. Sixthly, Take not encouragement to sin the more against God, because his Grace abounds towards you; but fear him because of his goodness, Hos. 3.5. Seventhly, Read, Pray, Hear, Meditate, watch over your Hearts, maintain a constant communion with God in Holy walkings, and perform all Holy duties as much then as ever. Eighthly, When you are at the height and top of prosperity, expect and prepare for a change every Day, that it may never surprise you unawares, but that with Job you may say, there's no evil come upon me, but what I feared. 9ly, Be so far from Glutting and Surfeiting your selves with Creature comforts and Enjoyments, terminating your satisfaction and content wholly therein, that you shall rather thereby be made to long for Heaven's Glory the more, saying often thus within yourselves, If a little Water that comes from the Cistern now be so sweet and refreshing, O what will a full draught of the Water of Life, Drunk at the Fountain and Wellhead be, to all eternity! If there be so much comfort in Creatures, O what is in the Creator himself when he shall be all in all to us, and in Christ, when we shall see him, and be as he is! Come Lord Jesus, even so come quickly.   

Duties of an afflicted State.  
1. Eye the Hand of God in all cross ocurrences, as considering there's no evil in the City, but what is of him, Amos 3.6. Secondly, Consider what in yourselves may be the cause of the crosses; search, till you find out the plague of your own Hearts. Thirdly, Be humbled for whatever has provoked the Lord to deal thus by you, and turn unto him that smites you with a hearty and thorough Reformation. 4ly, Is any Man afflicted? let him pray. Jam. 5.13. If ever there was a time for you to pour out your Souls into the Bosom of God, It's when his chastening Hand is upon you, Isa. 26.16. Hos. 5.15. Fifthly, Harbour not any thoughts of repining at God's good pleasure, but bear his indignation patiently. 6ly, Be Thankful not only for former mercies, but also for the present temperature and mixture of mercy with justice, Lam. 3.22. Say with Job, the Lord gives, the Lord takes, Blessed be the Name of the Lord for ever, Job. 1.21. Seventhly, Act Faith upon particular promises made to an afflicted condition, saying with Job, Job 13.15. Tho' thou kill me I will trust in thee. 8ly, Sympathise 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 infinitely 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 yourselves 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 beforehand: 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 Nature's 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 terrors were at the Door. Let your House be set in order, that you may have nothing to do but to Die, 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.