How to Worjhip God in Church affemblies. Dire{i. 7• Direlt. 7· Take heed of a pievi!h quarrelfome humour, that difpofeth you to carp at all that's faid and done, and w tind fault with every mode and circurnfiance, and to affect a cauflcfs fingularity as thinking that your own wayes and words and orders, are far more (Xcellenr than other mens: Think ill of nothing om of a quarrclfomc difpofirion, bur only as evidence confiraincrh you to dilfenr. Virea. 8. And then remember that we are all imperfect, and faulty men mu a needs perform a faulty worlhip if any, For it cannot be be.tterthan the agent. , Dirtd. 8. When you meet with a word in a Sermon or Prayer, which you do not like, Jet it not flop you, and hinder your fervent and peaceJ.ble proceeding in the rcfi; as jf you mun 110( joyn in that which is good, if there be any faulty mixture in it. But go on in that which you approve and thank God thar pardonerh the infirmitiesof others as well as your own. , Dirc/1. 9 , Direct. 9• Conform your felvcs to all the Lawful gcjlum and Cidiu"!es of the Church with which you joyn. You come not thither proudly to fhcw the: Congregation, that you are wiftr in the cir4 cumJlances of wOIOlip than they, nor needltfly to differ from them, much lds to harden men imo a fcvrn of firidncfs, by fcci ng you pbcc Religion in fingulariries in lawful and indifferent things. But you come to excrcife Love, peace and Concord, and with one mind and mouth to glorifie God. Stand when the ChurchJl•ndab ; fit when the Church fitteth ; k.,ml when the Church k,meletb, in cafes where God doth not forbid it. Diiea. IO• Direct. IO· Take heed of a Cliflomar)', formal fenf!.fl heart, that tolerateth it fdf from day to day to do holy things in a common manner, and with a common, dull, and carelcfs mind; For chat is r~ prophane them. C:dl in your Thoughts when they attempt to wander ; llir up your hearts when you fed them dull. Rrmtmbcr what you are about,and wirh whom it is that you have ro do, and thlt you tread on the duft of them who had fuch opporrunities before you which are now all gone, and fo will yours. You hear and prJy for more than your lives ; Therefore do it not as in jeafl: or :1s atlcep. Dirrfl. 11 , Dir:ct. r J, D> all in f"ith and Hope : Believe what you may get of God in prayer, and by an obeciH.nt hearing of his word! Would you no~ go cheerfu}(y to the ~ing, if he. had promifed you ro gram w!utc.ver you ask ? Huh not God prmmfed you more, than Kmgs can g1ve you? Oh it is an unbelieviNg and a dr[pairing heart, that turnet!l all into dead formality. Did you but Hope that God would do all that for you, which he hath told you he will do, and that you might get more Dirc<l. 12. by prayer than by your tr<d<S, or projects, or all your friends, you would go to God with more ear– ne!lnefs and more ddight ? Direct. 12. Apply all the Word of God to your [elves according to its ufcfulnefs. Ask as you go, Plow cloth this concern me? this reproof) rhis mark, this counfel, this comfort, this exhortation, rKis direchon: Remember as much as you can; but efpeeially the moll practical u{eful parts. Get it homt: fo deep upon your hearts, that it may not eafi!y tlide away? Root it by clofc application, as )'OU go, that affection may confirain you to remember it. Dire[/. , 3 , Direct. 13. Above all, Rcfolve to obey what God 01311 make known to be his will : Take heed left 1\ll. 10, H· any wi~tu! tin lhould efc:1pe the powtr .o~ the \Vord; and 010uld ordinarily go away with you ~s it 1 Slt·~·3·9,to. cam(, Carelefs heuing and carelefs l1 vmg tend mofldangerouf1y to a hardened heart, and a forfaken Prov. s. H· flare. If you regard iniquity in your heart, God will not hear your pray('rs. The facrifice of the ~;:1:·JJ. 1 "S. wicked is abominable to him. . !he foolith fbal_l not fiand. in his ~ghr, he hateth all the.workcrs efini· P:";~i. 5'· 5• quirr. He ch1t turnetl1 away Ius ear from heartng, (that ts, obeymg) the Law, even hts prayer is ab 0 .. D1n. '~· 21minable. To the wicked faith God, What hall rhou to do to take my Covenant into thy momh, Prov. 10 • 29· feeing thou hatcH infiru6tion, and lull cafi my words behind thee ? Obedience is better than facritice. ~r;tfo: 16 , He that nameth the name of Chri11.m.ull depa.rt from iniquity,.or e~{(: God will no~ find his mark 17, 1 s. upon him, nor take him ro be oJt!! of lm: Chrdls 01ecp know h1s VOICC. and follow htm, and to them & 1t5· 5· he wilt give eternal liti:. But if you had Preacht or done miracles in his name, he will fay to you, 1 S~m. 1 5· 12 · Dtpart from mr, I k,?tJW ) 'Du 1101, if ye be workers of iniquity. Look therefore to your foot ( to ~~~~m. 1.. 19 • your heart and life) when yQu go to the houfe of God, and be more ready to hear (his Law 1~~: ~~.2~;. that mufi govern you, that you may know his will and do it ) than to offer the facrifice of fools, ] ah.1o.s,4, (that is, dilobedicnc tinncrs ) that rhink.by f~cri~ces and outfide wor01ip to get pardon for an • 1 7· unholy life, and to reconcile God to them m thca hns, not knowing that rhus they add fin to fin. Ecc.ef. r. 1 ' If you feek God daily, and delight to know his wayes, as a Nltion that did rig!Heourncfs and for2' 3 ' 4 ' Cook not the ordinance of their God; If you ask of him the ordinances of jutlicc (found doctrine, Ifa. 5~. 1, t, 3· regular worthip, flrid: difcipline ) and take delight in appro1ching to God ; lf you humble your fouls with frequent fafis; and yet live in a courfe of wilful difubedience, you bbour in vain, and aggravate your fins, and Preachers had 11ced to lift up their vo:crs and be lowdcr Trumpets to tell . you of your fins, than eo orher men. But if ye will wafh you, and make you clean· and put away rf. 1• r. 10, tr, the evil of your doings, ceafe to do evil, learn to do well, fcck judgement, relieve the opprdfcd, &c. 12, tJ, I<;,, You may then come with boldncfs, and confidence unto God. Otherwife to what purpofe is the ~~; :~: ';~. ~~.:~~u~~;tob~~::,;~~~~~-~~;11 Y~:~~~~c~\on~,;\~ ~~ ,~~tr~ :~~ le~~; ~~-~~.i~ ~~o;.\~:~~~d ; 1~o~'t~~ Grn. 4•7· Prov. l.J. 34• :t\Utl' p .2J• mouth of the Lord hath fpoken it. If you do well !hall you not be accepted? but >t ye do <v•l, finlyerh ~t the door. Let your profeJfion 'be never fO great, and yOur parts and expreffi?ns. never fo s~raphical, fin is a reproach to any people : And if you would hid your felvcs from }Ultlce in the pureli Church, among the holiell people, and the moll: numerous and longdl prayers, be fure chat J;tm.. J. u. your fin will find you out. Your fecret Jufi, your covetous over·rcachjng, your fi:cret gluttony or l,on'. :.. 1;. [ipling~ rr.uch rr:orc your crimfon fins will furely find you out. Aias,
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