V. Sin. Their fifth fin is in their neglect of God's ordiFrances upon flight diverfions, when they are neither difabled by works of necessity, or mercy, contrary to Heb. x. 25. Not forfaking the affembling "of ourselves together, as the * manner of fome is." Trivial occasions should divert no Christian from attending upon God's ordinances. VI. Sin. The fixth fin is a defect in zeal for God's ordinances, manifested in their dilatory attendance; contrary to Pfal. cxxii. 1. "I was glad "when they faid unto me, let "us go into the houfe of the "Lord." And unfuitable to their first practice, Gal. iv. 5. * Where is then the bleffed"nefs?" &c. VII. Sin. The feventh fin is irreverence, and want of ferioufnefs under ordinances; contrary to Pfal. lxxxix. 7 "God "is greatly to be feared in the "affembly of the faints; and "to be had in reverence of all "that are round about him." And this is manifest in vain at tires; 1 Cor xi. fo. "The "woman ought to have pow er on her head, because of "the angels." And unfeemly postures and gestures; Eccl. V. I. Keep thy foot when "thou goest to the houfe of "God; and be more ready to "hear, than to give the facri*fice of fools." VOL. VIII. V. Duty. Their fifth duty is a retpectful carriage towards the meaneft Chriftian, and to have higher efteem of others than themselves. External things make no difference with Chrift; Rom. xii. 10. "In ho"nour preferring one another." Gal. iii. 28. "Ye are all one " in Chrift Jefus." Yet a decorum is to be kept fuitable to civil differences; Eph. v. 21. "Submitting yourselves to one "another in the fear of God." VI. Duty. Their sixth duty is, meekly to receive reproofs from each other for their fins, efpecially when the matter is juft, and the manner of delivering it regular; Pfal. cxli. 5. "Let the righteous fmite me, "it fhall be a kindness: And "let him reprove me, it thall "be an excellent oil," &c. VIII. Sin. The eighth fin reproveable in them, is, the neglect of giving and taking due reproofs from each other; contrary to Lev. xix. 17. "Thou "fhalt in any wife rebuke thy "neighbour, and not fuffer fin upon him." And Chrift's own rule, Matth. xviii. 15. "Go, and tell him his fault "between thee and him a"lone." And fo for taking reproofs, fee Pfal. cxli. 5. "Let the righteous fmite me," &c. IX. Sin. The ninth fin is, mutual ftrifes and animofities, not feasonably and prudently compofed among themfelves, but fcandaloufly expofed to the view of the world; contrary to the apostle's rule, 1 Cor. vi. 5, 6. Is there not a wife man among you, &c. But "brother goeth to law with "brother, and that before the "unbelievers? Now there"fore, there is utterly a fault among you." X. Sin. The tenth fin is, the privateness of their fpirits, centering too much in their own concerns; exprefsly condemned, Phil. ii. 21. "All feek "their own, not the things * that are Jefus Chrift's." And contrary to fcripture example, 2 Cor. xi. 29. "Who "is VIII. Duty. Their eighth duty is, chearfully to communicate their outward good things for the relief of their brethren; Heb. xiii. 16. “To "do good, and to communi"cate, forget not." And the better to enable them hereunto, to be diligent in their callings; Eph. iv. 28. “Work"ing with his hands, that he "may have to give to him "that needeth." And efpecially to make comfortable pro⚫ vifion for their minifters, not by way of courtesy, but duty; I Cor. ix. 14. "Even fo hath "God ordained, That they "which preach the gospel, "fhould live of the gospel," IX. Duty. Their ninth duty is, not only to relieve the diftreffed members of Chrift, but to feek out, and visit them; to know their spiritual and temporal wants, in order to a full discharge of that duty; James i. 27. "Pure religion, "and undefiled before God "and the Father, is this, To "vifit the fatherlefs and wi"dows in their affliction," &e. X. Duty. Their tenth duty is, to put charitable conftructions upon doubtful words and actions; and if either will admit a double fenfe, always to take it in the faireft, according to the law of charity; 1 Cor. xiii. 7. "Charity beareth all "things, believeth all things, "hopeth «is weak, and I am not weak ? Who is offended, and I burn "" not?" "hopeth all things, endureth "all things." And fuch a charity will defend and maintain church peace and unity. Six BENEFITS of walking by these RULES. 1. Benefit. Strict and heedful attendance to these rules, will put a luftre upon religion before the world, and make it glorious in the eyes of fuch as now defpife it. Tit. ii. "Adorn the doctrine of God our Saviour in all things." Which he here speaks, to encourage all to ordinate walking. 10. 66 II. Benefit. This will allure and win the world over to Christ, and wonderfully profper and further the design of the gofpel. Phil. ii. 15, 16. "That ye may be blameless and harmlefs, the fons of God without rebuke, in the midst of " a crooked and perverfe nation, &c. That I may rejoice in "the day of Chrift, that I have not run in vain, neither laboured in vain." III. Benefit. This will effectually stop the mouths of all the detracting and blafpheming enemies of religion. 1 Pet ii. 15. For fo is the will of God, that with well-doing, ye may put "to filence the ignorance of foolish men." IV. Benefit. This will eminently glorify God, which is the ultimate end of our beings. Matth. v. 16." Let your light "fo thine before men, that they may fee your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven.” V. Benefit. This will fill the people of God (by way of evidence) with much inward peace. Gal. vi. 16. “And as many "as walk according to this rule, peace be on them, and mercy upon the Ifrael of God." VI. Benefit. This will fecure the prefence of God with, and among us; whence refults both the efficacy of ordinances, and the stability and glory of the churches: For Chrift walks among the golden candlesticks, and threatens the churches, in cafe of defection from gospel rules, "to remove the candlestick out of his place, except they repent," Rev. ii. 1, 5. An Alphabetical TABLE of the principal Matters contained in the Whole. A VOLUME I. A Basement of Chrift, several instances of it in his in carnation Vid. Humiliation. Abilities of men to use the means of grace, how to be im- differs from that which is civil Adrian (the emperor), his lamentable cry when dying Affections, the melting of them, from a fenfe of Chrift's fufferings, is no infallible fign of grace What care we should take of being deceived by the workings of them A believing meditation on Chrift's fufferings, is of great force to melt them Agony (of Chrift) in the garden described Useful inferences from the confideration of it Amyntas, a remarkable story of his interceeding for his Anathema Maranatha, the meaning of this expreffion Apoftacy of Chrift's difciples in his fufferings Vid Difciples. Affumption of our nature by the Son of God Vid. Incarnation. B BElievers, the fafety of their condition in Chrift Ought when dying to commit their fouls to God What things are implied in their committing their departing fpirits to God Their encouragements to cómmend their spirits to God's Pag. 240 150. 202 432 232 284 286, 299 30L 181. 53 473 74, 373 307 76 124 478 479 hands 478 Should commit all their concerns into God's hand Bernard (faint), an obfervable remark of his concerning 487 Chrift's incarnation 248 Blindness of mind, The terribleness of this judgment Blood of Chrift, one drop of it not fufficient to redem the world Pag. 148 168 Body of Chrift, was extraordinarily fitted for being fenfible of pain 355 454 46 Whence the preciousness of it rifes Bofom of God, what is fignified by Chrift's being there us Buried, The reafons of Christ's being buried Vid. Funeral. C CHildren, Their duty to their parents fhewn in fix par ticulars How Chrift's example enforces their duties upon them Their difobedience to their parents, a fign of their being without Chrift Serious queries proposed to them The danger of their undatifulness to their parents, fhewn in fix things Directions for their carriage towards either godly or un 391 117 492 415 418 419 ibid. 420 godly parents 422 Chrift, How faid to be the only object of St. Paul's know as crucified His excellency to believers The wonderfulness of his love in our redemption ledge Several excellent properties of the knowledge of him, The fufficiency of his doctrine to make men wife to falvation His glory and pleasure with the Father before his incar nacion The nature of his delight in his pre-existent state, shewn feveral ways 33 35 38 39 44 46 50 How wonderfully the love of God shines forth in giving him 66 What is implied in God's giving him 68 How the gift of him yields us hope for all good things 72 |