When and How ProfejSion muft be made; 9· 8; But that "'hieh is the ehiefcfi matter of our Profeffion is, The being and perfettions of God himfclf: R.is love ro man and power over him, and mans fubjed:ion and obligations unto Go,d : The per(on and office and works and benefitsof our Redeemer ; with all the duty that we owe to hini in perfect holinefs, and all che hopes that we have in him : the happinefs of ·the Saiilts, the odioufnefs of fin, and the mifcry of the wicked : Thefc and fuch as the(c are things that we are called to Profefs: yet fo as nor to deny or renounce the fmallefi truth. . ~·9· Dired-.3. Vndtrftanda!{othemanncr,howwe muftmal{e Profeffion of ReligWn. I· There is Dirtl'l· 3; a Profcffing by wordt, and a profeffing by Afli01u. 2. There is a folcmn profeffion by Gods pub!ick ordinances, and an occafional or privater profeffion by Conference, or by our convc:rfations.. And all thefe wayes mufi Religion be profeffcd. . . 9· 10. DircC.l. 4• Vnderftand al[o the{<afonofeach fort of l'roftffion, that you omit not the ftafon, nor do it Dirtfl. 4 ; unftafonably. 1. Profdfion by Baptifm, Lorl.t Supptr and Cburch-aJJembliet, mufi be done in their feafon, which the Church·guidcs are thecondu~ers .of. 2. Profelfionby an innocent, blamelefi, obedient Jife is never out of feafon. 3· Profeffion by private conference, and by occafional ad:s of piery, mull be when op'portunity invitcth us, an~ they arc likely to~ttain their ends. 4· . The whole frame of a Believers life fuould be fo Holy and Heavenly and mortified and above the world, is inay amount to a ferious profdlion that he liveth in confident hope of the life to come, and may fhew the world the diflerence between a Worldling and an heir of Heaven ; between corrupte~ nature and . t~u~ grace. The Proft!Jort of Godlimfs mufi be apeculi.r people o:.e.loHI of good worl;[, ••d adorned with . ~ ~~ .. 9· u. Dire6t. 5• 'fak.,e /jmi~lcare that your Profeffi;nbe futcJre, and that you be your felim atgood ~:'ma'·5~·· M youf"'ifefl to be. Otherwife, I· YourprofeiHon will condemn your fclves. 2 . And it will diib()o "' • nour the truth which you deceitfully profefs. There can fcarce a greater injury befall a good caufe, than te have a bad and fuameful patron todefend it. Rol'J. 2. 3· Andtbink,eft thou this 0 man, that judgeft them which dofuch thingt, anddeft the famtthatthou jhalte{capetbi judgtmento[God. Vcrf. 13• to 2 5 1hou that mak.fft thy boaft of the Law, through hre•"Jng the Law dijhonoureft thou God! For tht nameof God ii blajpheamed among the Gentilu through you.--- ~· 12. l'lireC.l. 6. Let n~t your f"'if<lfio~ be fo much of your own finctrity as of Gad and bit txitUeil· Dire/1. 6; cia : Boa]! not ofyour felvu, but of God and Chrij!, and the promife, and the Hope of true believm : and doit~~ Gods praife, and not f9J' your own. Be Cure that in alt your profdfion of R.ehglon, you be feeking honour to God, and not unto your felves. And then in this manner he that doubteth ofhisown fincerity, yet may and mufi: make profeffion of Chrifi and_true Religion : when you cannot proclaim· the uprightnefs of your own hearts, you may boldly proclaim the excellencies of Religion, and the happinefs of Saints. . ~· 13. Dirett. 7· Live upon Godalont, andtruft hit Alfufficiency, and •bhor th41 pufiUanimity aod Dire{]. 7 • bajeneji of [pirit wbicb malteth mm afraid or afhamed openly ta own the trutk. Remember the example of your Lord, who befurePOI]tius Pilatc witneffid a good confeffion, 1 Tim. 6. 13· who came for thH . end ~1tto the. worl~,. to bear r:ri.tneji .to the tru_th. Fear not th~ face of man, wh.ofcbreath is in his Job. rS. 3: 1 • nofinls, and JS pcnilung even wh1le he 1S threatnmg. If thou behcvc not that Chnfi can fc:cure thee The Arrians from the rage of man, thoubelievcfi not indeed in Chrifi : If thoubelieve not that He.averr will f1- undtr Vate11s, tistic for all that by f:orns or cru<ltiesthou fuffcrell from finners, thou hall not indeed the.hope of a ~'1 '~\;'fit" . heli.enr. And no wonder if thou profcfs not that which thou believefinot: But if thou believethat ,;dsth; 0~:n.., · God is Go~) and Chrift is ChriH, and Heaven is Heaven, and the Gofpel is true, thou hail: enough in tbodox Prea... thy Beliefto fccurc thee againH all the {corns and cruelties of man, and to tell thee that Chrifi will chers a~d for: hear thy charges, in all that thou fulferefi for his fake. 0 what abundance are fecretly convinced of, bad t?etr the truth, and their Confcicnces bear witnefs to the wifdor:n of the Saints, a~d a holy life_;. and ~~~~J;~o~~: yet they dare not openly own and ftand to the truth wh~eh they arc convmced of for teu of adhered to being mockt by the tongues of the profane, or for fear of lofing their places and preferments ] their Pafl(lrs. 0 wretch, dofi thou nqt tremble when thou art afhamed of Chrifi, to think of the day when and kept t!wr ~e will be ajhanud of thee.~ Then w.hen he comes in Glory no.ne wi!l be ~fhamed of him! Then Where ~~~;~~; JS the tongue that mockt htm and hts fcrvants ? Who then wtll dende hts holy wayes. 1hen that will could. 1 be thegrtAtejl Glory, which thou art now afuamcd of? Canfi thou belleve that day, and yet hide thy . s~piu> pro– profcffion, through cowardly fear or fhame of man ? Is man fo great, and is Chrift no greater in thine htbttum efi ut eyes than fo? If he be not more regardable tha~ man, believe not in him: If he be, regard him more; ~~Q:;d;~~:en~ and let not a worm be preferred befOie thy Savmur. tus'minime . . celebr.:trent, nee fua feditione :mim.as fubverterenc Chifiianas', Prttctpt. Hun~trr. in Piflore utim[. P·1I4· 9• '4· Dire(>, 8. If any dcubt .,ife, whetlm th•u jhoui</.ft now mak.,t partic•lar Profefr•• of tbe truth, Direfl. 8• . ( .M in the prefencc of ftormr~, nr whm required by magiftriiUJ or otherJ,&c.) let 1191 the advife.or intertjf M:tt.Jo.tS,z.;; of the jlefh bave aa~y baHd ot aU itt therefolving of thf c•fe; but let it he whdly dettrmi'ned M ihe in.ttrt/f 3s, J3, J8, J!l• of Chrijl rtquireth•. .Spare thy felf when the interefi of Chrill wi,uireth it ; not for tby felf, but for ~ 1,~,',~'. ' 5• htm: But when hiS mtere£115 mofi promoted by thy fuffenng, rqotce tbat thou art any way capable Joh. ,., 3 ..· · of ferving him. H~b. n. z.7. ~. '5· DireCl. 9• 1hou~b fometime~ aparticular profeffion of the faith maJ ht Nn{eafinablt, yet JOU ~·9· 2 5· muf! never mak,t any profeffion of tbt contrar.Y, tithtr by ~.,.ds or •llionto Truth may be fometimes (i. Dil'ei/. fl• lenced, but a Lye may never be profeffed or approved. - · ·
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