MY dearly Beloved [...] Christ,. It was the desire and purpose of [...] Blessed Apostle [...] 12, 13. and he engaged [...] that it should [...] be alwayes putting [...] of such things as did concern the Everlasting good of [...] also endeavour that they might have the same in [...] example is my warrant, and should be my [...] to endeavour the like, (as farr as my Tenuity & slend [...]r abiliti [...] [...]) concerning your selves. For which cause as now by the space of two & [...] and upwards, I have been putting you in remembrance of sundry [...] dutyes of the Gospel, by word of mouth, so no small part of my intent in [...] present undertaking is, that you might remem­ber the Lord and your own [...] not only whilest I shall live, but also after my de­cease. And as it was [...] to the blessed Apostle, to be the more diligent during life, as knowing [...] shortly dy, and lay down this Tabernacle, 2 Pet: 1.14. And an other [...] more diligent & earnest, because the time of his de­parture was [...] hand 2 Tim. [...].5, 6. and our blessed Saviour afore them, would not fayle to work the [...] him that sent him, whilest it was day, because a night was comming when no man could work, John 9.4. In like sort I was the more desirous to perform this service (such as it is) for the good of your soules, as knowing that it will not be long (considering my yeares) afore the time come when I can be service­able here no more. But though you can not alwayes have my endeavours by word of mouth, yet what is here presented to your view, may be alwayes with you whenso­ever you shall pl [...]se to call for it: And as it is said of Abel, that being dead, he yet speaketh, Heb: 11.4. So why may not I be speaking to you in these poor papers for the good of your soules, when in person I shall be removed frm you by bodily death; So you have my Apologie for my present undertaking, and a manifestation of my Scope and aime therin.

Be pleased therefore I beseech you, to give me leave to commend to your [Page 2] consideration & acceptance in the Lord, a few l [...]ues of Christian counsell & advise, for the good of your precious and immortall sin it; which I desire to leave with you as the best Legacy I can be quea [...]h to you, [...], you may read and practise the same when I am taken from you: And I beseech you receive it as from one that doth unfainedly love you, or at the least doth wish he had a heart that could do it, and thinks he could be right heartily glad of the welfare & salvation of all your soules; and that when you and I must all appear before the Lords Tribunal, we might then [...]joyce and have comfort together in Christ Jesus for [...], as finding that our [...], whether mine in preaching, or yours in hearing [...]ther mine in writing, or [...] in reading, hath not been in vain. With such an heart I desire to tender to [...] and directions ensuing▪ [...] I desire that so and no otherwise [...] the [...] which [...] & directions are expessed in these Seaven particulars that [...] ▪

FIRST of all, I beseech [...] ▪ Be not [...] in the great work of Sorrow for your Sins, of Contrition [...] of Soul in sight and sence thereof. For you must needs confess [...] any amongst you but hath cause enough to be sencible of sin, and [...] affected therewith. For the Scripture is most true that tells you tha [...] [...] have sinned, Rom. 3.23. and [...].12. and that there is not a just man upon the [...] that doth good & sinneth not, Eccl. 7.20. and that if you say you have no [...] ▪ you deceive your selves, & the truth is not in you, 1 John 1.8. Now if there [...] sin in you, shall there not be grief & sorrow because of the same? Is not [...] most proper cause of sorrow? when you can truely say you have no [...] you will have no cause of sorrow; but this you can never say, whilest [...] are here upon earth. And sure it is, sin is a dishonour & grief unto God himself, and to his holy Spirit, Gen: 6.5, 6. Psal. 95.10. Ephe. 4.30. and if it be so to him, shall it be no grief to you? shall your sinns be a burthen to the Lord, Isay 1.13, 14, 24 and he be pressed under them, as a cart is pressed that is full of sheaves, Amos 2.13. and shall you be unsensible of any burden therin, and securely go on, as if there were no cause of grief or mourning for this thing? Never say you love the blessed God, if it be so with you; If your sin which is such a dishon­our and injury and grief to him, be not a grief to you also. If you be of those that must be saved by Christ, then it was for your sins▪ as well as for the sins of others that Christ was Crucified, and put to endure all those dolefull & bitter sufferings in the garden, and upon the Cross, Mat 26, & 27. F [...]r all his suffer­ings were for the sinns of those that must be saved, [...]. 53.5 6▪ 8. And can you believe & remember & consider these his sufferings, and look upon him [Page 3] as one whom you have pierced, & [...]et for all this remayn without true Contriti­on & grief of heart? believe it then your hearts are very hard indeed. What? kill Christ, and not be grieved? and look on him whom you have pierced, and yet not mourn, nor be in bitterness for all this? Is this possible? or may it not rather be concluded from Zech. 12.10. that those that do not bitterly mourn for their sins, as the cause of Christs sufferings, that such hard hearted creatures are none of those that must be saved by Christ, nor have part and portion in the saving benefits of his passion? He that was a man after Gods own heart, you may find him complaining that his iniquities were gone over his head, and were as an heavy burden, too heavy for him, Psal. 38.4. and that theref [...] he would declare his iniquity & be sorry for his sin, verse [...] though a man of much grace & holines, yet because of [...] [...]hat was still dwel­ling in him. cryes out, oh wretched man that I am, who shall deliver me from the body of this death? [...] 17, 20, 2 [...] ▪ 24. [...] both he & David, & other Saints have [...], the sinns & iniquities of other men, Psal [...] 3.18, 19. 2 Cor. 2.4. & 12.21. Ezek 9.4. 2 Pet. 2.7, 8. And if so, then judg in your selves, what hearts those men have, who are so unlike these men of God, that they have no heart to grieve & mourn for their own sinns, and much less for the iniquities of o­thers. And if Heaven be a pl [...]ce of wiping away mens teares from their eyes, Rev▪ 7.17. & 21.4. are th [...]y ever like to come there who have teares in-now for other causes, but [...]one for their sins? But what should I speak of comming to heaven? the truth is, without Compunction of heart & sorrow of soul for a mans sinns, be [...] like to attain to any truth of saving grace upon earth. For can a child be born, where there never was any travailing paines? can there [...] crop of corn at harvest, where the ground was never plowed, nor broken up? Is not the way to Canaan through the wilderness? doubtless through the wilderness you must go, if ever you will come to Canaan And what was that wilderness? a terrible place surely, yea a place wherin were fiery flying Serpents, and Scorpions, and drought, Deut. 8.15. a land of de­sarts, and of pits, and of the shaddow of death, Jer 2.6. and yet through this wilderness must Israel go, before they could enter into the good land. In like sort, a soul must go through a wilderness-like condition, that is, he must be afflicted with sight and sense of spiritual misery & sin, before he can attain to any state o [...] saving rest & grace in Christ Jesus For the Scripture tell [...] us that they to whom Christ Jesus is sent, are poor, broken- [...]e [...]rted, captives, pris [...]ner [...], blind, and bruised creature [...],, Luk 4.18. [...] [...]1.1. yea that they mourn in Sion, do sit in ashes, in mourning and in a spirit of heav [...] ▪ [...] [Page 4] and in a lost estate, and to those is the Lord [...]esus sent to seek & save them, and to preach the Gospel to them, Luke 19 10. Isai. 61.1. Luke 4.18. But for others, that do not feel themselves sick of sin, but are secure & hard hearted, as if they were righteous and whole & well, to those the Lord Jesus himself tells us that he is no physitian for the healing of them, Mat. 9.12, 13. and if Christ who is the only physitian to cure soules, be not sent unto [...], do not heal them nor call them, how is it possible that they should ever [...] healed? how is it possible that they should be converted & called? The [...] is, the ruine of many professours [...], that they are too [...] their first cōming on to profession; as the stony ground [...] with joy, but wanting depth of earth, and the stony heart not being [...]oughly broken & [...], therefore they continued not, but in time of [...] temptation fell [...], Mat: 13.5, 6, 20, 21. and so that proverb is [...]. The house will never stand, that is built [...] without digging deep that it may be founded on the Rock, [...] that is, that profession of Christianity, will not endure, that is not begun in serious and deep hu­miliation. And though there be men that count all sorrow for sin to be Le­gall, and not sutable, to the spirit of grace in the Gospel, yet it is better for you to believe the word of God, which makes mourning for sin, yea bitter mourning, as for an only Son, or the loss of one [...] first born, to be the effect & work of the spirit of grace poured forth upon Gods people, Zech: 12.10. & therefore not a meer legall business, as some would make it. They may repent that ever they did so much repent, & look upon their sorrow for sin, as Christ upon his enemies, Lord forgive me for I knew not what I did. But when Christ shall appear to comfort mourners, and to inflict that which long since he denounced, even wo to the [...] laugh, for they shall wail & weep, Luke 6.25. then these men will be of another [...], and wish they had had expe­rience of more true mourning and sorrow for sin [...]. And therefore my Be­loved▪ if you mean to reap in joy, see that you sow in t [...]ares, Psal. 126.5, 6. I mean, if ever you expect to have grace or glory, the salvation of God in this or in another world, see to it that the fallow ground of your hearts be through­ly plowed up, that you may not sow among thorns, [...] ▪ 4.3, 4. See to it that you be truely sensible of sin, and broken hearted, and as it were sick with sorrow for it, that so Christ & his Righteousness, may be highly esteemed by you, that you may believe in him, and in d [...]e time be comforted by him: In a word see to it, that you be not destitute of that godly sorrow that work [...]th Re­pentance to salvation, not to be repented of, 2 Cor: 7.10. If now you mourn [Page 5] in an holy and spiritual manner, the Lord Jesus hath pronounced that you are blessed, and shall be comforted, Mat. 5.4. But otherwise, expect not but that sorrow & mourning will seize upon you, if not now, then at such a time when you shall not be able to put them off, nor find any comfort therin. And as we say of winter, that, winter is seldom or never lost, so may we say of sorrow for sin it will not be alwayes left, but will certainly come, either at one time or anothe [...] either now in this life, or herefie [...] when it will be worse to be born. As Mos [...] said to those Tribes, Numb. 32.23. even so may I say to you, you have [...], and be sure your sin will find you out. It may be sweet [...] present, but assure your selves it will be bitterness in the [...] end, [...] 2.26. and at the last will bite like a Serpent, and sting [...] Adder, Pro: 23.32 yea be bitter as wormwood, and sharp as a two [...] word, Pro: 5.3, 4. But oh how much better [...], to feel the [...] sorrow here, where mercy and forgiveness may [...] hard-hearted & secure, and then to feel sorrow remediless in Hell!

2. Labour to be men of [...] Judgment and Vnderstanding in the things of Religion ▪ and make account th [...] all Errour is sin, as being frequently forbid­den by the Lord, Jam. 1.16. Mat 16.6, 11, 12. & 24.4. 1 John 4.1. In so much as as that some errours do no less then subvert the soul, Acts 15.24. ex­cluding out of Heaven, as other horrid workes of the flesh, Gal. 5.19, 20, 21. and [...] to them that hold thm, 2 Pet: 2.1. & 3.16. and others which are not so fundamental, but are as hay & stubble upon the foun­dation, yet even these do so hazard a mans salvation, that though he may be sa­ved holding the foundation, yet his work shall be burnt, and he shall suffer loss [...], 1 Cor: 3.15. Wherefore as you love your own soules, take heed of erronious doctrines & opinions; but contend ear­nestly for the Faith, that was once deliver [...]d to the Saints, Jude 3. Believe not every Spirit, but try the spirits whether they be of God, for many false prophets are gone out into the wor [...]d 1 [...]. 4.1. Yea your zeal for the Truth, and against the contrary should be such, that if any come to you and bring not the doct­rine of truth, you should not receive him into your house, nor bid him God speed 2 John 10. But if he were an Angel from heaven, hold him accursed. Gal. 8, 9. Therefore believe not them that think a man may be saved in any Religion, & that it were good to haue all Religions free, and that opinions haue no great danger in them. These are but the devises of Satan, that so pernicious errours might more easily be entertained, as not being greatly suspected: but believe the word of God which tells you otherwi [...] in the places cited, and in Mat. [...].15. Acts 20.29. where false Teachers are compared to greivous and ravening [Page 6] wolves, And if you can believe that sheep may do well enough though raven­ing wolves be let in amongst them, then you may believe that false doctrine and they that teach it are no wayes dangerous to the soules of men; But if the one be contrary to experience & common sense, and therefore may not be be­leived, then neither may the other. Wherefore my beloved, take heed you be not pluckt away with any errour of the wicked, and fall from your own stedfast­ [...]ss, 2 Pet: 3.17. But be diligent in the search & study of the holy Scriptures, [...] want wherof, is the cause of errour, Mat: 22.29. Acquaint your selves [...] Catechism, and be well grounded therin; for cōmonly they that [...] to [...] defective in the knowledg of Catechistical points. Make conscience [...] obey the Truth which you do already know; for such have a promise to [...] the truth, John 7.17. And live not in, nor foster any sinfull lust in your bea [...] or lives, for this makes captives to false doctrine, and them that teach it, 2 Tim: 3. [...]. And [...]e sure [...] down the pride of your hearts, & be low & little in your own eyes; [...] babes shall have the truths of Christ revealed to them, wheras with [...] self-conceited ones it shall be otherwise, Mat: 11.25. 1 Cor: 3.18. If yo [...] shall be wise in your own con­ceit, which God forbid, never think your sel [...] Christians indeed in such a case, for [...]here is more hope of a fool then of such, [...] 6.12. I think he said well and wisely, who said that to be a true christian without humility, was as hard as to be a man without a soul: and sure I am, [...] said very well, and very wisely, who tells us that God resisteth the proud [...] giveth grace to the h [...]mble 1 Pet 5.6. James 4.6.

3. Content not your selves to live without the faithfull Ministry, and other holy appointments & Ordinances of Jesus Christ. But make account there is some­what in it, and much too▪ when Pastours & Teachers ac [...]rding to Gods heart shall f [...]ed his people with knowledg & understanding are promised as special bles­sings to the people of God, Jer: 3.15. Isai. 30.20. and are gifts reckoned amongst the principal fruits & benefits of the Ascension of Jesus Christ, Eph. 4.8 11, 12. On the other side▪ our Saviour tells us that when the blind lead the blind, both shall fall into the ditch, Mat: 15.14. & therefore he bewailes & pitties the con [...]i [...]on of such people who were as [...]heep that had no shepheard, and bids us make it one of our prayers, that the Lo [...]d of [...] harvest, would thrust forth labour­ers [...] Harvest, Mat: 9.36, 38. Some may think, (and so much I graunt is publ [...]shed [...] pr [...]nt) that when our Saviour speakes of a ministry, and of baptism to [...], and to have his presence therewith, till the end of the world, [...]: 28.9, 20. that by the word englished, The end of the world, He [...] no more but the end of that age that then was, when the Apostles were upon the earth, [Page 7] But by the like reason they may call the harvest when the Elect shall be gather­ed by the Angells into the glory of Heaven, and when the wicked shall be cast as tares into Hell fire, they may with as good reason call this Harvest the end of that age when the Apostles lived, for th [...]s also is called the end of the world, Mat. 13.30, 39, 40. and if it were absurd to call this Ha [...]vest the end of that age, it is no better to translate & expound the word so in the 28 of Matthew for the phrase is the same in both places; to omit the mention of other places also, where the phrase is used, as it is rightly englished for the end of this world, and not for the end of the Apostles age. The Apostle tells us, that the Lords Supper must be observed till the Lord come, 1 Cor: 11.26. and that the deli­vering up of the Kingdom as administred by external Ordinances shall not be till the end, 1 Cor: 15.24. but till that time, this way of administring Christs Kingdom shall continue. God forbid that you should be of their mind who think the use of Ordinances to be too low a dispēsation for them that have at­tained those excellent & high attainments of grace, and of Christ in the Spirit which they speak of, For was there ever time, or will there ever be a time of more excellent spiritual attainments then in the primitive Church at Jerusalem when it is expresly said, that great gra [...]e was upon them all, Acts 4.32, 33. and yet at this time of so great grace, they did not live without ordinances or above them, as having attained too high attainments to attend upon God in the use of such low dispensations; no▪ but they continued in the Apostles Doctrine, and fellowship, and breaking of bread, & prayers, Acts 2.42. If through profane­ness, or worldliness, or high flown imaginations of excellent attainments, you shall once think an able ministry, & Christs Ordināces to be of no great neces­sity, believe not that your hearts are in a right frame in such a case; for how should they, when they are so contrary to the heart of him who was a man after Gods own heart, I mean David, who often bewailes it & laments it as a great misery, when he was deprived of Sanctuary-enjoyments, as you may see in Psa 42. & 43. & 63. & 84. so that he was so farr from counting it an excellency to live without these things, or to please himself in such a condition that he bewailes such a thing as one of the greatest miseryes. It is not like but ere long I shall be taken from you: and then (if not sooner) see that you do your utmost endeavour to obtain a faithfull and an able Minister, to be set over you in the Lord: and acknowledg him & your other Elders your Over­seers & Rulers as the Scripture calls them, Acts 20.28. 1 Tim. 5.17. And therefore be content to Obey them, an [...] Submit your selves to them in the Lord. 1 [...] 5.12, 13. Heb▪ 13.7▪ 17. And though it be now a time when many think, that no great abilityes are requisite in a minister, or preacher of the word [Page 8] but that ordinary brethren may suffice for such imployment, yet you shall do better to be of his mind, who counts a man fit for such work, to be one of a thousand, Job 33.23. which imports that such men are not very common, but fare men. And otherwise what need was there for Paul to cry out oh who is sufficient for such things▪ 2 Cor: 2.16. Sure there was little reason for such an exclamation, if ability to read English be sufficient, but one would think that speech implyes, that such abilityes and [...] are requisite for this work, as are not very easy to be found. Sure it [...] Rule requires that such men should be able to deliver, the whole Counsel of God, Acts. 20.27. and to be able not only to deliver some truths, and by Sound doctrine to Exhort, but also to Convince gainsayers, 1 Ti [...]. 1.9. and if the ordinary so [...] of people can do this, I am much mistaken. They that would not much care if learning and Schools of Learning amongst Christians were suppressed, are but too like that wretch­ed Julian the Apostate, who forb [...]d all the children of Christians to be trained up in such Schooles; [...] and his reason was quia proprijs pennis ferimur, we are beaten or strickē saith he as it were with our own weapons. For he was vexed to see the learning and eloquence of some Christians, as Basil, Gregorie & others; and how they by learning were able to withstand the Argutia, or cunning subtilties of the Gentile [...]; and therefor to hinder christian Religion, and in favour to Gentilism, be devi­sed this devise, Theodor, l 3. C 8. Sozom. l 5. C 17. Socrat. l 3. C 10, & C 14. Carion, Chron. p. 278. Symson Historie, book 1. Cont. 4. p. 60. And therefore judg in your selves whether it be not sad and lamentable that professed Christians should be so like to this wretched Apostate and enemy of Christ. Amongst the sins of the house of Jerobo [...]m, which were causes to cut it off, and to destroy it from off the face of the earth, this is reckoned for one, that he made of the lowest of the people Priests, so that whose ever would might be conse­crated to such imployment, 1 King. 13.33, 34. And therefore I exhort you pr [...]ze the Ministry, & an able ministry as an Ordinance of Jesus Christ; and do not think it can be well with you if either you have none or none of any competent abilityes; but remember what the Apostle tells you R [...]m: 10.13, 14, 15. that as calling upon God is the way & meanes of salvation and without faith there can be no callin [...] upon God, so not any, faith without hearing, nor hear­ing without a Prea [...]er, not any preach except then [...]e sent, If therefore you desire salvation, you must see that you call upon the name of God that y [...]u may be saved; and if you desire to call upon God, you must see that you be be­lievers; and if you would be believers, you m [...]s [...] see the necessity [...] hearing sent preachers, as the way & meane, to believing, even as believing & [...]lling [Page 9] upon God is the way & meanes to Saluation. And when God shall be so gracious unto you as to bestow such a man upon you, see that you dearly love him & reverence him in the Lord, holding such in reputation, Phil. 2.29. and counting their very feet to be beautifull, Rom▪ 10.15. or otherwise the Lord will require it of you as a disrespect offered & done to him, who hath said, He that heareth & re [...]iveth you, heareth & receiveth me, and he that despiseth you, despiseth me, Luke 10.16. John 13.20.

4. Think it not enough to serve the Lord your selves alone in your own per­sons, but be sure to have special care that your Children & families may serve him also, and therefore remember to Instruct them and teach them the word and will of God, and to pray for them and with them, for Gods blessing to be upon their soules. For the former of these, there is express Cōmandement & charge, Eph. 6.4. Psal. 78.5, 6. Pro. 22.6. Deut: 6.6, 7. In which last Scripture, every housholder [...] Commanded of God to have the words of God in his heart, and that he teach them diligently to his children, talking of them when he sitteth in his house, and when he walketh by the way, when he lyeth down & when he riseth up. And therefore, if your children & servants be not instructed & taught in the word of God, you will not be able to give any good answer for it before the Lord, having lived in the neglect of so express & plain, so serious and solemn a Commandement. The truth is you have but little love either to God, or to your children, or to your selves, if you make not conscience of this duty. For love to God would both provoke to keep his Commandements, of which the teaching of your children is one, and would stirr up the soul that hath it to de­sire & endeavour that God might be honoured & served as much & by as many persons & people as possibly it could attain unto. And therefore how can you say that you love God, when you do not your best endeavour that others, at least your own children & housholds may do him service? Would you have God to have no service but by your selves, or whilest your selves are alive? You know your selves must not live alwayes; therefore it would be some Testimony of your love to his Majesty, if you be carefull to train up a poste­rity for the Lord, and so to teach them in his wayes, that your seed may serve him when your selves shall be dead & gone. As for your children, you know they are born in sin, and so children of wrath by nature▪ and without Rege­neration & holiness must never see the Kingdom of God; and can you love them, and not endeavour to help them out of this woefull & wretched con­dition? I think he loves his child, or his freind but little, that seeth him ly fast asleep within the flood-markes & reach of the tide, and so every hour in danger to be swept away & drowned in the waters and waves of the Sea, and [Page 10] for all this can endure yet to let him alone, and never endeavour to awake him and rouse him up, that he may escape that apparent & imminent danger. Judg then in your selves, what love there can be in you to your poor children when you take no care, or make no conscience to save their soules from the deluge of destruction, and from their sins of heart & life, whereby they are in dayly danger to be swept away with that deluge, & to be overwhelmed with destruction. Please not your selves as if you loved them sufficiently in that you are carefull to provide them meat & cloaths, and other necessaryes for the body. For Turks & Indians can do so; and should not you be better and do better then they? Will you do no more for the soules of your children then Pagans & Infidels would do for the soules of theirs? Very beares and other [...]uit beasts, yea and the Sea-monsters, are not so unnatural, but that they have some care of their young ones, Lam: 4.3. Only this care of theirs reacheth no further but to the flesh or body, as indeed they have no immortal Soules to care or be cared for. But I beseech you, let your care & love to your children reach further, even to do your utmost endeavour to help forward the salvation of their precious and immortal soules; else never say you do truely love them. Nay in such case you cannot say you do truely love your selves. For the neglect of this duty will be your own disadvantage, and will further your own dis­comfort, both in this & in another world. If children be duely instructed when they are young, there is hope they will walk according thereto when they shall be grown, Pro: 22.6. and will not this be a comfort & joy of heart to any godly Parent? the holy Ghost tells us that the wise Son maketh a glad Father, Pro. 10.1. & 23. ver. 24, 25. & ver. 15, 16. But on the other side, who knoweth not, that the Father of a fool hath no joy, Pro: 17.21, 25. and that a child left to himself bringeth his Mother to shame, Pro: 29.15. Unless therefore you love your own sorrow & shame, you must not leave your childrē to them­seves, neglecting to instrust them in the word & wayes of God, but as you love your selves & your own comfort, you must be carefull of this duty; for this meanes is conducible to such an end, and the neglect hereof, doth [...]end to the contrary. Consider seriously of this one thing, viz when poor children shall be plagued & damned in Hell for their sin, and the wa [...]t of [...]ace, and when the Parents also shall be in the same conditi [...]n as for their other sins, so for this amongst the rest, that they have neglected this duty to their children, and dyed without Repentance for it, what a miserable & [...] day will that be? what a hearing will it be to poor tormented soules to hear their children cry out against them thus, or to the like purpose, viz ‘All this that we here suf­fer is through you: You should have taught us the things of God, and did not, [Page 11] you should have restrained us from Sin and corrected us, and you did not: [...] were the meanes of our Originall Corruption and guiltiness, and yet you never shewed any competent care that we might be delivered from it, from you we did receive it, by your neglect we have continued in it, and now we are [...]amned for it: Woe unto us that we had such Carnall and careless parents, and woe un­to you that had no m [...]re Compassion and p [...]ty to prevent the everlasting misery of your own Children.’ All this is no more then may well be imagined & supposed to be the woefull condition of many poor children & their Parents, in another world. And if all this seem a light thing in the eyes of any Pa­rent or housholder, I may say, the Lord be mercifull to such a man, for his heart is very hard. Joshua was otherwise minded, for he is resolute that he and his house will serve the Lord, Josh. 24.15. and David giveth grave and godly In­structions to his Son Solomon 1. Chron: 28.9. that he should know & serve the Lord, and so Pro. 4.3, 4, 5. And of Abraham, God himself gives Testi­mony, that he kn [...]w that he would Command his children & his household, to keep the way of the Lord, and to do Judgment & Justice, Gen. 18.19. and why are these examples recorded, but for imitation? Yea our Saviour tells us, that those that are the children of Abraham, will do the works of Abraham, John 8.39 Therfore as ever you desire to be known unto your selves or others to be the children of Abraham by a true & lively faith, so see that you be carefull to tread in his steps and to do his workes, as in other things wherin he is propounded as a pat­tern, so in this particular of instructing & well ordering of your children & fa­milies. But alas, all your instructing will avail nothing, unless God do give the blessing; and therefore you must also be diligent and faithfull in the practise of prayer for & with your families. Husbands & Wives must live in peace, that their prayers be not hindered, 1 Pet: 3.7. Cornelius prayed in his house, Acts 10.30. David by prayer is said to bless his house, 1 Chron. 16.43 Abraham prayeth earnestly for Ishmael, oh that Ishmael might live in thy sight, Gen: 17. [...]8. and who can think but he prayd for Isaac also, and for the rest of his children? There is a dreadfull Imprecatiō for the wrath of God to be pour­ed out upon the [...] that call not on Gods Name, J [...]r 10.25. oh see that you be not of that number, for the wrath of God is terrible and intollerable. Pray without [...] & remember that every creature is [...] God & Prayer, 1 [...] 4.4, 5. So [...]at your [...] & your marriage of which he there especially spea [...] [...] by like reason, your buying & s [...]lling, your plow­ing and [...]wing, [...]our sowing & mowing and reaping, your feeding cattle and keep [...] sheep, yo [...] planting orchards & gardens, your b [...]k [...]ng and brewing, your building houses [...] outhouses, your fencing in ground or other [...] [Page 12] what ever, you can not have any holy or sanctified use thereof, if the word of God in your families, and prayer there be neglected. Therefore teach your children the word of God, firstly the principles of Catechism, and afterwards highe [...] points, and pray that they, and your endeavours with them & for them may be blessed. Tell them, so many of them as have been Baptized, and tell it them as soon as they shall be able to learn, what a solemn Covenant there is between the God of heaven & them, whereby the Lord takes them to be his own. Ezek. 16.8. yea to be his Children, Sons & daughters unto him, Ezek. 16.20, 21. [...]sai 43.8. and engageth himself to be a God to them, Gen: 17.7. and this even from their Infancy, or mothers womb, Psal. 22.10. Isai. 46.3. Tell them also that in their Baptism, this Covenant between the Lord & them was solemnly confirmed & sealed; for it was so with the Circumcised, Gen: 17.11 Rom▪ 4.11. and it is no less with the Baptised. Yea and tell them that they were Baptized into the name of the Father, Son and Holy Ghost, Mat: 28.19. and therefore do now bear the name of God upon them, and so are not their own but his, as being called by his name, Deut: 28.9, 10. Isai. 43.7. & 63. last; And if they be the Lords, and be called by his name, and have him to be their God by Covenant, they may be well assured that all the rich blessings of that Cove­nant shall be their Inheritance for ever, if it be not through their own default, because the Lord is the Faithfull God that keepeth Covenant and Mercy with them that love him and keep his Commandements, even to a thousand geneeations, Deut: 7.9. Psal. 105.8. So that if they do not break Covenant with him, He will never break with them. But on the contrary, you must not fail to tell them that if they for their parts shall walk contrary to their Covenant, in the wayes of sin & unbelief, and shall continue impenitently therin, this will be a great aggravation of their sin in the sight of God, and will bring upon them the sorer and more dreadfull judgments, as breach of Covenant hath ever done, Deu: 29 25, and 31.16, 17. Judges 2.20. Jer: 11.10, 11. Ezek. 16.8, 32, 38, 59. and their Baptism, which if they kept their Covenant, might be unto them a pledg and seal of salvation, will now be altogether fruitless & unprofitable, as if it were no Baptism, Rom: 2.25, 28. and the condition of the children of Turks or Indians or other Pagans, which were never Baptized, but are strangers from God and from his Covenant, will be no worse, nor more uncomfortable then theirs; or rather theirs will be farr worse, their sins being against more mercy and being violations of the Covenant, which was confirmed & sealed in their Baptism. Tell them seriously of these things, and press upon them the re­membrance, consideration, and conscience of their Baptism & Covenant, and the great engagement that lyeth upon them thereby. Take account of them [Page 13] how they profit by hearing Sermon. Suffer them not to profane the Sabbath or Lords day, by spending it in idleness, or mispending any part of that holy time in play, but remember that in the fourth Commandement, the house­holder is charged to keep that day holy, and to see that Son & daughter, man and maid may do the like. Yea the Mother & mistress of the house is not ex­empted from this duty; for Solomon was instructed by his Mother, Pro. 31.1. &c: and Timothy by his Mother and Grandmother; for he knew the holy Scriptures of a child, 2 Tim: 3.15. and how should that be but by his Mother and Grandmother being believers, 2 Tim: 1.5. for his Father was a Greek, Acts 16.1. And every Vertuous woman will open her mouth with Wisedom, (viz in her house amongst her children and servants, for in the Church shee must be silent, 1 Cor: 14.34, 35.) and the Law of Grace is in her tongue, Pro: 31.26.

Mothers, you are more with your children whilest they are little ones, then their Fathers are, therefore he still teaching them as soon as ever they are capa­ble of learning. You are at much paines with the bodyes of your children, and suffer not a little while you bear them in your wombs & when you bring them into the world, and will you not be at some paines for the saving of their soules? You are naturally of tender and dear affection to your children, and God mislikes it not that it be so; but will you shew no affection to them in respect of their soules, which is the principal matter? will it not move you to think that the children of your own bowells should everlastingly perish, and be in unconceivable misery world without end? I beseech you have pitty upon them, and do your best to teach them, and pray for them, weep for them, and wrestle with God for them, who knowes but the prayers and teares of a faithfull Mother may be the salvation of the childs soule?

5. Content not your selves with the name of Christians or of Church-mem­bers, nor with meer profession or an external form of Religion, but see that you be Religious in sincerity & truth, mainly following [...]fter and shewing forth the power of godlyness, and avoiding whatsoever is contrary thereunto or may hinder therein. For God requireth truth in the inward parts, Psal 51▪6. and cou [...]ts nothing true religion or godliness which is but external or outward but that only which is inward in the heart & spirit, and inner man, R [...] 2. two last. The Pharises were just & righteous before men, and made a [...] shew outwardly, but their hearts w [...]hin being full of Hypocrisy & iniquity, therefore the Lord abhord them, & all their seemingly glorious performances, Luke 16.15. Mat: 23.27, 28. Think with your selve [...] that God knoweth the heart, Ac [...]s 1.24. & 15.8. Psa. 44.21. Rev. 2.23. So that though you may de­ceive men and your own selves, yet him you can not deceive Think with [Page 14] your selves that though Hypocrisie may ly hid & unknown for a time, yet it shall not alwayes do so, but in time shall be revealed & brought to light, Luke 12.1, 2. 1 Cor: 4.5. Think with your selves, that all professours are not found but there are many yea very many that are otherwise; for many are called, so as to be amongst the guests of God it the marriage fe [...]t, and yet of them that are thus called, there are few that are chosen, and that have indeed the wed­ding garment, Mat: 22.10, 11, 12, 14. And lastly think this with your selves that of all punishments, the punishment of hypocrites is amongst the greatest fo [...] when the dreadfull wrath of God is expressed against that man, Mat. 24. it is said, he shall have his portion with Hypocrites, verse 5 [...]. which intimates, that the portion of Hypocrites shall be most dreadfull & terrible. To be Baptized, to be a member of the visible Church of Christ, to be admitted to the Lords Table & to all other priviledges of the Church, To be outward­ly blameless & no wayes scandalously vicious for Adulery, Fornication, Lasciviousness, Drunkenness, Prophaneness, Swearing, Scoffing at godly­ness, or such like, To be frequent in prayer, in reading the Scriptures & good books, in hearing Sermons, and repeating them afterward, in Sab­bath-services & other dutyes of Gods worship, All this may be & the heart not right in the sight of God; for all this is but the form of godlyness, which pos­sibly may be, where the power of godlyness is wanting, 2 Tim: 3.5. The pith & power of Religion & godlyness is another thing, and consisteth cheifly in that which is inward in the heart & soul; as, In a true sight & sense of a mans own sin & vileness, even of that which is inward in the heart, 1 King. 8.38. Rom: 7.14, 21, 23, 24. with an unfeined self-loathing, or abhorring of a mans self because of the same, and in all true humility and low thoughted­ness of a mans self: In true self-denyal, when the will of a man is so subdued to the will of God, as that he can be content that Gods will should take place afore his own, whether that will of God be manifested in the Scriptures or in Providences, and whether it should be submitted & yeilded unto by doing, or by suffering: In Faith unfained, and the life of faith, when a man adhereth and cleaveth to God in Christ, and to the precious promises of his grace, even then when sense & carnal reason do speak contrary, and when in the eye of flesh & blood there is little or no appearance of any such thing as the promise holdeth forth: In the practise of Mortification, when a man is continually beating down his corruption, & striving in the strength of Christ from day to day that his flesh with the affections & [...] thereof may b [...] Crucified and killed, maintaining a combat and warr against sin, and unfeinedly de­siring that no iniquity might have dominion over him, but that the old [Page 16] man and all the body of sin might be destroyed: In the spirituality of duty, when a man endeauoureth to do all that he doth, whether of the first or second Table, whether in his general or particular calling, 1. In obedience to God that hath so commanded, 2. With the heart & soul and not alone with the outward man, 3. In sense of a mans own infirmity and not in his own strength, but [...]n the strēgth of Christ, 4. With an heart desirous to please and glorifie God therein, 5. Never taking contentment in any thing he doth, further then the Spirit of Christ doth thus carry him forth in all,

6. Feeling need of the pardoning grace of God in the blood and Interces­sion of Christ, for the best of his performances, 7. Looking up thereunto for the same and for all his acceptance: In heavenly mindedness, when a mans affections and conversation are so in Heaven that he takes no con [...]tment in the best of all the comforts that are under the Sun, but counts them all va­nity & vexation of spirit, having many thoughts and holy actings of spirit towards God and Christ, longing for death, and loving the appearing of the Lord Jesus, and this not out of pangs of impatience as not willing to do or suffer the will of God, but from unfained hatred of his own sin & cor­ruption, and from earnest desire to be freed from it, and to obtain the enjoy­ment of more full communion with God and Jesus Christ then in this life can be attained unto, These and such like are the things wherein true Religion and the power of godlines consists: but in meer bodily exercise & external shewes and performances, in them it consisteth not. Oh then strive earnest­ly after the one, and content not your selves with the other. In these dayes and in this country, profession is somewhat common, Authority through the goodnes of God countenancing Religion, and ministring Justice against all known ungodlines and unrighteousness of men. You have therefore so much more need to take heed and beware, least your Religion reach no further but to the profession & the external form thereof▪ this for the causes mentioned being so common, and the eye of man being able to reach no further. It is true the condition of many amongst you (and so in other parts of this Country) is such as necessarily puts you on to have much imploy­ment about the things of this life, and to labour with care & paines taking in the workes of husbandry, and other worldly business for the maintenance of your selves & your families, the Lord hav [...]ng laid this burden on man, that [...] & experience shewes that it is an easy thing in the middest of worldly business to loose the life and power of Religion, that nothing thereof should be left but only the external form, as it were the carcass or shell, [...], and having consumed the very soul & [...] [Page 17] 1 Kings 20.40. was busie here and there, he whom he should have kept was missing and gone: So while many men are busie here & there about worldly imployments, the power and life of Religion, which they should have care­fully kept, is utterly lost and quite gone. The deceitfulness of riches, and cares of this life, do as thornes choak the seed of the word in many professours, that they become unfruitfull, Mark 4.19. As Demas forsook Paul through love of this present world, 2 Tim: 4.10. and Ezekiels hearers could not hear the word with profit, because their heart went after their coveteousness, Ezek. 33.31. Oh therefore take heed, I do beseech you, least it be so with any of you, least earthly cares and encumbrances should dull your spirits, and take off their edge in the things of greatest importance, and lest by these things all the vigour of Religion should be wasted and worne out, and nothing be left but a dry & sapless formallity, a spiritless & powerless profession. You would be more happy if you could make a vertue of necessity, I mean if you could turn all the acts of your particular callings, all the imployments that God hath laid upō you about these earthly things, if you could turn them all into so many acts of Religion and Obedience towards God. Which is not a thing impossible, for the Apostle expressly requires it of Servants, that what ever they did (viz: in the labours of their callings) they should do it as unto Christ, as to the Lord and not unto men, Eph. 6.5, 6 7. Col. 3.22, 23. And if servants may do their works and dutyes of their places with such a spirit, why may not masters do theirs with the like spirit, and Parents theirs, and children theirs, and husband & wives theirs, and every man & euery woman perform their earthly imployments in such fear of God, in such singleness of heart, in such respect to the Cōmandement, that all these may be so many several acts of O­bedience towards God, so many parts & expressions of the power & practise of godliness? If Adam had not sinned, his dressing & keeping the garden Gen: 2.15. would have been so: and doubtless with our blessed Saviour it was so; for he was subject to Joseph & Mary as a child to his parents, Luke 2.51. and it is like he wrought with Joseph at the work of a Carpenter, and therfore he was not only called the Carpenters son, but the Carpenter Mark 6.3. and his Religious & pious spirit would doubtless do all these external and earthly business with respect to God and in obedience to him. And the truth is, it is not only the object about which actions are conversant, but the heart wherewith they are done, and the grounds of doing them, with the ends that are aimed at therein, that makes them acts of Religion truly pleasing to God; So that if these be not right and spiritual, then preaching & praying, hearing & repeating Sermons, & such like will be no better then acts of pro­faneness & ungodlyness, and in the issue be charged upon the doers as so many [Page 18] But on the contrary, civill imployments if they be performed with spiritual minds, upon such spiritual grounds, and to such spiritual ends as they might and ought, then these imployments even these will be accounted & approv­ed of, as acts of religion & godlyness, or obedience towards God, and as such will be pleasing in his sight. Wherefore, to make an end of this, let it be your care, and the Lord help you that you may do it effectually, that earthly or worldly imployments may not destroy nor diminish the life and power of godlyness & religion, but that the life & power of religion may breath and be put forth in all your earthly & civil imployments.

6▪ Above all other things be carefull in all your desires and endeavours to make out after the enjoyment of God himself, and of Communion with his blessed Majesty, as your summum bonum, your chi [...]f good. For you are utterly un­done if your hearts come not up to this, even to desire and choose the blessed God himself for your portion and for all your happiness, but shall sit down as contented or satisfied with any thing else that falls short of God. They that are farr from God shall perish, he destroyeth all them that go a whoring from him, Psal. 73.27. And amongst all the miseries of an unregenerate state, this is reckoned as the sorest & worst, that such men are without God in the world, Ephe. 2.12. Think with your selves how at the last day the dreadfull doom of the reprobate will chiefly be this, that they shall eternally be separated from the favourable presence of God, Ma [...] 25.41. 2 Thes. 1.9. which doth evidently demonstrate that to enjoy communion with the blessed God, is of all things the most desirable for any of the sonns of men. Imagine all the good in the whole world to be gathered into one store-house, and there to be laid up in one heap, you know he that were farr from that store-house and had no part there must needs be miserable; and even so is such a soul as is without the injoyment of God. If the Sun should depart out of the world there would be nothing left but dreadfull darkness upon all the Creation, all light being now placed in the Sun: and if the fountain be dryed up or stopped, all the streames must needs fail. In like sort take away the injoy­ment of God from any soul, and all that is left must needs be nothing worth, but even a lump of vanity & evill. For the best of creatures without God are but vanity, yea & vexation of spirit. You may believe him that by large ex­perience had found it so, and gives us his report & testimony of what he had found, Eccles. 1.2. and 12.8. And the time will come when his words will be found of others to be a truth, if now it seem not so. When sickness comes when old age comes, when the temptations of the Divel do assault you, when the pangs of death are upon you, oh then what will all these things availe you in that day? they will surely be then as Jobs freinds, dry & empty [Page 19] pits, miserable comforters and physitians of no value Job 6.15. &c: & 13.4. [...] 16.2. Yea then it will be found that all things else besides God are but [...] things, that cannot profit nor deliver for they are vain, 1 Sam: 12.21. Th [...] Prodigal when absent from his fathers face & family, may seek to fill his bell [...] with the husks that the swine did eat, but he will find that it will not be, tha [...] those husks will not satisfie, but that for all them he will begin to be in want, and be ready to perish through hunger, and all because he is absent from his fathers house, where there is bread enough and to spare, Luk [...] 15. I tell you true my beloved, if a man could enjoy the world at will, the great­est confluence of creature-comforts that ever man enjoyed, yet if he have not the fruition of the favour of God, all these things would stand him one day in little or no stead, but in the fulness of all his sufficiency, he shall be in streights, Job 20.22. and the creatures will yeild him no more content & satisfaction then a bed which is shorter then that a man can stretch himself on it, and a covering which is narrower then that he can wrap himself [...]n it, Isai. 28.20. Oh then as you love your soules, take heed of resting in any creature, and of looking no further then to them. Do not spend your money for that which is not bread, and your labour for that which satisfieth not, Isai. 55.2. do not hew out unto your selves the Cisternes, the broken Cisternes of one creature or another, that can hold no water, but make out in the desires and longings of your soules after God him­self, who is the fountain of l [...]ving waters, [...] 2.13. Do not wander in the out­goings of your hearts after this or that inferiour good, and neglect the Lord who is the principal, for that would be to be like them that wandred and wen [...] from mountain to h [...]ll f [...]rgetting [...] place, Jer▪ 50.6. Remember David who at one time in his prosperity thoug [...]t he should never be moved, the Lord had made his mounta [...]n [...] but when God did once hide his face he was troubled, P [...]al. 3 [...].6.7. and the great mountain of all his outward prosperity could not preven [...] that trouble. You will do more w [...]sely if you follow him when he said, [...] God, Psal. 63.8. or him that said▪ [...] to draw [...] to God, Lord whom have [...] heaven but thee? and the [...]e is none upon earth that I desire besides thee, Psal 73.25, last or him that could say, the Lord [...] my portion saith my soul, therefore wi [...] [...] hope in him, Lan. 3.24. For if you do not go a [...] in your affiance or affecti­on after other things, but [...] neer to God and choose h [...]m alone for your portion, you will never repent of such a choise, but w [...]ll see cause to rejoyce in it, and with thankfulness to acknowledg, that [...] lines ar [...] fall [...]n to you in p [...]ea [...]ant pla [...]es, & that in God you have a good [...]y [...], Psal. 16.5, 6. This is the good part, the best part, that can be chosen, and they that have grace to make their choise of it, it shall never be taken from them, Luke 10.42 But in God as in the fountain of life, in whose light they shall see light, [Page 20] and who makes them drink of the River of his pleasures, in him, and in his favour they shall be abundantly satisfied, Psal. 36.7, 8.9. & 17.15. and their soules shall one day be [...]lied as with marrow and fatness, and their mouths shall prayse the Lord with joyfull lips, Psal. 63.5. It is no great matter if the comfort of creatures shall fail them, if they shall be compassed about with miseries & distresses on every side, yea if they walk in the valley of the shaddow of death, yet having God with them and his favour towards them, they need not to fear for any of these things but may comfort themselves and rejoyce in God in the worst condition that can befall them, and at such times be even filled with joy and with the Holy-Ghost, Hab: 3.17, 18. 1 Sam: 30.6. Psal. 23.4. Acts 13.52. Loe freinds what it is to have the enjoyment of God. Wherefore if you be wise draw neer to God, and make him your portion. You see it will be good, yea best for you so to do; and the Lord help you that you may do it unfeinedly and effectually, without delay and without declining. Do you not consider what a great & heinous Idolatry it is, when men choose unto themselves other God: besides the Lord Jehovah, the only true & living God? It is you know the first Commandement of the ten, Thou shalt have no other Gods but Mee? and to love the Lord above all, even with all the heart and with all the soul, & with all the mind & with all the strength, this is the first and great Commandement Mat: 22.37. Beware therefore that no love of any creature what ever it be, much less the love of any Sin, beware I say that no love to any of these be predominant in your soules above the love of God: you will be v [...]le Idolaters if it be so with you. Beware that there be no Idolls in your hearts, for this may be as bad Idolatry as that which is more apparent & open. See to it that in judgment and affection you do truely account it your cheifest happiness to enjoy the Lord, and that you make him your cheifest good and your last end. If sin be (as it is) an aversion or turning away of the soul from God to something else besides him & above him, then in the work of g [...]ace there is a conversion and turning of the soul towards God again, as to the best and cheifest good of all. If it be not thus with you, you will not be able to clear it up to your own consciences that any saving work of grace is wrought in your soules: for how should you, when yet there is something else, which your soules do prefer before God? The very reason why you hear and pray, why you do any duty of one kind or another, yea why you do desire to live and breath on earth, the very reason of all these things, if your hearts be right is cheifly this, that you may se [...]k the Lord h [...] self, as the fi [...]st cause and [...]ast end, [...]ha [...] yo [...] may honour h [...]m and do for him, and be happy in the inj [...]yment of [...]. They in Ze [...]. 7. fasted and mourned many a time in this and in that month, even those seventy yeares; and yet saith God, [...] ye [Page 21] at all fast unto me, even unto me, verse 5. It seemes their fasting was neither with hearts that desired nor aimed to honour God, nor to enioy commu­nion with God, and therefore all their fasting is rejected, because God was not sought therein. If you do not seek the Lord in your doings and per­formances, nor make him the end of your desires & endeavours, but that there be something else that your hearts do more esteem then him, and can rest contented withall, though without him, then I must needs say your state in grace is very questionable, or rather unquestionably unsound. For if any man love the world, (sure if he love the same better then God) the love of the Father is not in him, 1 John 2.15. It is (and must needs be so accounted, even) a vile dishonour & notorious contempt against the alsufficient and blessed God, when any creature whether a mans self, or ought else is more re­spected and esteemed then he. Therefore though many say, who will shew us any good, yet let your hearts say, Lord lift up the light of thy countenance up­on us, and this shall be to us more gladnes of heart, then in the time when their corn and their wine increased, Psal. 4.6, 7. CHRISTIAN, thou that readest these lines, Lift up thy heart unto God, and pray that he would give thee such an heart that thou mightest in sincerity say, Oh that above all things I might have the enjoyment of God! oh that above all things I migh be to the hon­our of God.

7. But how should men that are sinners have any access to God, or en­joy Cōmunion with him. It is true, of themselves they can not, yet the [...]e is hope in Israel concerning this thing, because JESVS CHRIST the Eternal Son of God hath taken on him the nature of man, and in that nature hath fulfilled all Righ­teousness, and been Obedient to the death, even the death of the Cross: and so giving his life a ransome for many hath made Reconciliation for the sins of the people, that now by the merit of his death & Obedience, that d [...]stance that sin had made be­tween the soul & God, might be taken away, and sinners have access to God by him, who otherwise could have no Communion with him. You know what is written, that Christ hath suffered, the Just for the unjust, that he might bring us to God, 1 Pet: 3.18. and so by him we have access unto the Father Ephes 2.18. This therefore is the seventh and last though not the least part of my advice unto you in the Lord, That with all seriousness and uprightness you choose this Lord Jesus, and him alone as the only and Alsufficient way & meanes for your enjoyment of God the cheif good. For this Lord Jesus is the only Advocate and Mediatour between God and the soules of men. And as there is but one God so there is but one Mediatour between God & men, the Man Christ J [...]sus, 1 Tim: 2.5. He is the way, the truth and the life, there is no comming to the Father but by him, John 14.6. To enjoy God it is true is our life, for in his favour is [...]ife, [Page 22] yea his loving kindness is better then life it self, Psal. 30.5. & 63.3. But it is as true, that this life can not now be had but through Christ, so that he that hath the Son hath life, and he that hath not the Son hath not life, 1 John 5.12 If you desire Communion with God and shall sue unto him that you may enjoy it, (and you are most wretched & accursed if you do it not) yet in such case the Lord will speak to you in language like to that of the Lord of Egypt unto Jacobs sonns, never see my face except your brother be with you, never look to see the face of God to your comfort in this or in another world, except Jesus Christ be with you, and that you present your selves before God in his Satis­faction & Mediation. You may not think, oh let such thoughts be far from you, that you can have access to God or be accepted of him, for any thing that you have wrought or can work. You know but little of your selves if you do not know, that the best of your performances have need of pardon through the blood of Christ, and therefore they are not able to purchase any pardon or favour for you in the sight of God; no, no, it is Christ alone that must do this for you▪ you and your works must be washed in his precious blood, and so cleansed from the uncleaness that is in you & them, or else both you & they will be rejected of God as most abominable in his sight. It is Christ alone that is the true High Priest that beares the iniquity of the holy things of Gods people, that through his Holiness they may be accepted before the Lord▪ Exod: 28.38. which otherwise they could not be. It is he that is that true Golden Altar that Sanctifies all gifts, that are offered upon him. It is he that offers Incense with the prayers of all Saints, and perfumes them with his Merits and Intercession, that so they may ascend with acceptance before God out of his hand, Rev: 8.3, 4. Wherefore of necessity you must disclaim all thought of any worth in your selves, or in the best of your doings, and look for all acceptance of your persons & performances through Jesus Christ and through him alone, as that blessed Martyr John Lambert cryed out at his death, none but Christ, none but Christ. When Christ was in the world he was allwayes carefull to honour the Father, & now the Father would have all men to honour him, even as they honour the Father; and we are plainly told, that he that honour­eth not the Son, he honoureth not the Father which sent him, John. 5.23. And of the honour that we should do unto the Son, this is the Summ, that we ac­knowledg all our interest in God, and so in all good to be only through him and accordingly through him alone to look for it, and to behave our selves as those that so do. If you shall through grace do thus, this will be greatly for the honour of Jesus Christ, wherein you have a notable & pregnant example of blessed Paul, as having gone before you in this way of giving honour to the Lord Jesus. For sometimes you have him say that he esteemed not to know [Page 23] any thing [...] Jesus Christ and [...] Crucifyed, 1 Cor: 2.2. Sometime you hear him say, God forbid th [...] I should glory in any thing [...] in the Cross of our Lord J [...]sus Christ, Gal▪ 6.14. and sometime he tells you that the things that [...]ere [...] unto him, those [...]e accounted l [...]ss for Christ, [...] doubtless [...] counted all things but loss for the excellency of the knowledg of Christ Jesus his Lord, for whom he suffer­ed the loss of all things, and [...] count them but [...] that he might [...] Christ, & might be found in him, not having his own Righteousness which was of the Law, but th [...] which is by the faith of Christ, even the Righteousness which is of God through fai [...]h, that he might kn [...]w him, and so forth as is more largely expressed in that 3. of Phil. verse 7, 8, 9, 10. A worthy pattern, and worthy to be followed; Yea & that which is followed by all them that are believers in truth, for unto all such this Lord Jesus is very precious, as 1 Pet: 2.7. yea he is exalted and ex­tolled, and is very high; Isai. 52.13. they count him white & ruddy, the cheifest amongst ten thousand, so that he is very excellent in their eyes from top to toe, his head, his eyes, his cheekes, his lips, his leggs & all have surpassing excellen­cy in them in their esteem, and what ever he be to others, to them he is allto­gether lovely, C [...]nt: 5.10, 11. &c: Wherefore if you do not dearly love and highly prize the Lord Jesus Christ, never count your selves to be true believers o [...] true Christians, for in truth you are then farr from it. Therefore be [...]se merchants, and sell all that you have to purchase this pearl: let the choisest of creature-comforts, the best of your own righteousness, and the sweetest of sinns, even the right eye and all, below & little base & bitter, in your esteem, in comparison of Jesus Christ. Accept him gladly as your only Lord and Saviou [...]. Take his yoake upon you, for it is easy and his burden light, and be not of them that say (in heart at least) we will not have this man to reigne over us, Luke 19.14. but coūt it (for so you well may) not only your duty but your hap­piness to be under his blessed and gracious government; you will find this to be a thousand times better, then to be left to your selves, to fulfill or follow your own wills. Consider how sweetly & lovingly he invites poor soules to come to him, professing that he will [...]n no wise reject them that so do, but promi­sing that he will entertain them & give them rest, John 6.37. Mat: 11.28 29. Yea and how he layes the blame of mens eternal death & perdition upon them­selves, because they w [...]ll not come unto him that they may have life, J [...]hn 5.40. but he would have gathered them, as an henn doth chickens under her wings, and they would not Mat: 23.37. Be afraid therefore least a promise of eternal life and rest being left you in Christ Jesus, any of you should seem to come short of it, Heb: 4.1. That God should send his Christ into the world to save sinners, and sinners should neglect to come to this Christ or to accept of him, as if they had no need of him, or could do well enough without him, this will doubtless [Page 24] be the damnation, the great & deep [...]damnation of a world of men at the last day, J [...]hn 3.19. Kindness and grace despised must needs prouoke & procure the heavier wrath. Men had better to have been Turks or other Infidels, and never have heard of the name of Jesus of Nazereth, the Son of God the Sa­viour of the world, then living under the Gospel where they have heard of these things, yet to live and dy in their unbelief without union & communion with Christ, and in a continued neglect of him; yea it had been good for such men if they had never been born Oh take heed and be afraid that it be not so with you or any of you; and again I say take heed and be afraid of such a thing.

But when you are once come to Christ, as I hope many of you are, then let all your life be a life of faith, in the frequent actings and exercises thereof upon this Christ, that from him in whom all fulness dwells, you may receive con­tinuall supplyes of grace, according to all your occasions & needs, while you are in the wilderness of this world, you can not do better then to be alwayes leaning upon your beloved. In your selves you are feeble & weak, yea you have need of much and continuall supplyes of grace, and Christ hath sufficient and abundant fulness for you. Make all your addresses unto God (and you are not right if those addresses be not frequent & many, but let them all be made) in this Christs Mediation and Name; so you shall find acceptance with the Father, as this Christ hath promised John 16.23. but otherwise you may not look for any such matter.

And being redeemed to God by his blood, and reconciled by his death, you must now make account that you a [...]e not your own, but his; and therefore you must no more live to your selves, but to him that dyed for you and rose a­gain, and heerunto the love of Christ should constrain you, 1 Cor: 6.20. 2 Cor: 5.14, 15. He hath deerly loved you, how can you be so unthankfull as not to love him again? And if you love him, you must keep his Commandements, for himself gives this as a bad [...] and token of such as love him, J [...]hn 14.21, 23. Your love its true is l [...]ttle worth, and can not be profitable to him at all: But this must needs be ackowledged that he is well worthy of your love, were it never so good. And you shall be no loosers by loving him; for he loves [...] him, [...] 8.17. and the Father loveth them also. J [...]hn 1 [...].21. & 16 27. and both Father & Son will come to him that truely loveth Christ; and will man [...] them [...]elves to such a one, and make their abode w [...]th him, J [...]hn 14.21, 23. Yet [...]hey that l [...]ve him [...] keep his C [...]mmandements, shall continue in his love, [...] Commandements and [...] in his lo [...]e. J [...]hn 15.1 [...] His love moved him to [...], and your love to him should be such as to suffer any affliction, yea t [...] lay [Page 25] down your lives for his sake, if he shall call you unto it. If you love any creature how dear or near so ever it may be, yea if you love your own lives better then him, he will never own you for his, nor account you his disc [...]ples, Mat: 10.37. Luke 14.26. and how much less if you love any sin so dearly that you can not leave it for Christs sake, but still retain it and live in it? Therefore see that you love him, and love him above all. Let your thoughts be much taken up in holy musings & meditations of him. Long for his pre­sence in the commings in and gracious workings & fillings of his spirit. Let it be your greif, if at any time his face be hid from you▪ and count it a weari­some time till he shew himself again: with the loyal spouse of Christ it is so Cant: 3. & 5. and that heart is no better then the heart of an harlot, that hath not many thoughts of her husband when absent from her, but can bear his absence though it be never so long, without greif, with few and seldome thoughts of him, & small desires of his comming. He is now absent from you all in regard of his bodily presence; but he hath promised his spiritual presence, which is as good if not much better, Ma [...] 28.20. John 16.7. And besides his supporting, assisting, & sanctifying presence by that Spirit, there are (especially to some soules and at some times) such spirituall consolations afforded in sense of their injoyment of Christ, they are said to be filled with comfort, and to be exceeding joyfull in all their tribulation, 2 Cor. 7.4. to be filled with peace and joy in believing, Rom: 15.13. to know the love of Christ which passeth knowledg, & to be filled with all fulness of God, Ephe. 3.19. Yea that Christ brings them into the banqu [...]ting house and his banner over them is love, that he stayes them as with flagons and comforts them with apples, they being sick of love, that his left hand is under their head, and his right hand doth embrace them, Cant: 2.4, 5, 6. that in regard of the sweetnes of his love he is unto them as a bundle of myrrh and doth ly all night between their breasts, Cant 1.1 [...]. and many such things which that book of the SONG doth express. Therefore if you love him, these con­solations of his Spirit must not be small with you, Job 15.11. but you must highly prize them, earnestly desire them, and pray for them, and be diligent in the use of the word and Ordinances wherein they are wont to be dispensed and count it as the Apostle counts it, Rom. 14.17. a great part of the King­dome of God to enioy these joyes of the Holy Ghost.

But I must tell you the truth, it is but a small pittance of the comforts of Christ in comparison, that in this world you can enjoy. No, no, Jesus Christ is not here, he hath left this world and is gone unto the Father, and here we can see him no more. His choisest sai [...]ts can not see him in fullness, till the time come that they be removed hence, and then they shall see him, yea and be like unto him, for they shall see him as he is, 1 Iohn 3.2. and then shall [Page 26] all weakness and imperfection be done away, and perfection come in stead thereof, 1 Cor: 13.10. Yea then shall be fulfilled the promise that he hath promised, that having prepared a place in heaven for his redeemed, he will come again & take them to himself, that where he is there they may be also. John 14.2, 3. and then shall appear the full performance of that prayer of his, when he prayed unto the Father, that those whom he had given him might be with him where he is to behold his glory which is given unto him by the Father▪ John 17.2 [...] When this time shall come, then, my dearly beloved▪ you may be happy in the full fruition of Christ; but before that time it can not be. While you are at home in the body, you are absent from the Lord, 2 Cor. 5.6. Therefore take not up your rest on this side Jordan: Count not your selves to have attained what is to be attained, for you have yet no more but the first fruits, Rom 8.23 the full harvest is yet to come. Oh long for the harvest, long for your de­parture, and for the appearing of Christ. You know who said, it was his de­sire to depart and to be with Christ, which was farr better, Phil. 1.23. You know it is the description of all the godly, that they love the appearing of J [...]sus Christ, 2 Tim 4.8. Y [...]w know it is their prayer, when he said he would sure­ly come quickly, Amen say they, even so come Lord J [...]sus, R [...]v 22.20. My hearts desire is, my dearly beloved, that you may be like minded that you may sincerely love the Lord Jesus, truely desiring the fullest enjoyment of him and of the Father through him, and heartily hating what ever is co [...]rary thereto; and that you may be preserved unto his heavenly Kingdom, having your hearts directed unto the love of God & to the patient wayting for Christ, and that you may be found of him in peace w [...]thout spot and blame [...]ess, yea unblamable in holyness before God the Father at the comming of our Lord J [...]sus Christ with all his saints.

For these ends I have written to you as here you see, and I think I have done it out of an [...] desire [...] of the good of your soule [...]. Weaknesses I doubt not there are herein, as als [...] in every thing that comes from me. If what is here presented to you had been [...] well have be [...]eemed it you, yet such as it is I commend it to your serious consideration and Gods blessing, and so leave it with you. Yet this I must desire that you would not give these things the reading only, and so dis [...]u [...]s them w [...]th a ba [...]e approvall or disapprovall, but that what is according to God, you would seriously endeavour the practise thereof. As our Saviour said, if you know these things happy are you if you do the [...] [...]. 13.17. Even so say I to you. The directions are not many in number, but only seven, and so not hard to be remembred for the substance of them: and yet as I conceive, they are all of great importance, and not any of them that can be safely neglected. [Page 27] If you be destitute of godly sorrow & humiliation for sin, and true humility of mind, If you be not sound in the faith, but corrupt in your judgment▪ [...] great things of Religion. If you lightly esteem the Ministry and Ordi­nances of Jesus Christ, If you neglect the religious ordering of your familyes and good of posterity, If you content your selves with the form of godliness without the power thereof, If you choose not God himself as your last end and cheif good, and Jesus Christ as the way & meanes for the enjoyment of God, If in all or any of these you shall be careless & culpable, and shall so [...] without care or conscience of amendment, I tell you true it will be no less then the endangering of your precious soules to be utterly lost in ever­lasting woe; and so much the more because you have had this warning also▪ besides all that you have had formerly by one meanes or by another. But if the Lord shall help you to endeavour Obedience according to the will of God, as God in Christ shall be glorified thereby, So it will be greatly to your own comfort, and to mine also in the day of Jesus Christ; In whom I rest,