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temperance. Live as men accountable to God, your hearts, and your converfation in heaven, and your moderation appearing in all things.

All would be glad to escape everlasting misery, the habitation of rebels to the laws and government of our great creator. All would be glad to be admitted into everlasting happiness, the portion of fuch as obey thofe laws and that government. Why then will any amongst us, be the enemy's inftruments in promoting apoftacy, from the very life of true religion, and godliness? Oh rather choose to escape mifery, and enfure happiness. Break off all connections, which are obftacles to it. It is Chrift's command. If thy right hand offend thee, cut it off." Lay aside every weight, and the fin which most easily besets. Be obedient to him, and thou wilt be happy, feparated from the miferable regions of obstinate and obdurate finners.

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XII. Let us all call to mind, and not hastily forget it, that Christ has given himself for us, to "redeem us from all iniquity, and to purify unto "himself a peculiar people, zealous of good "works." Yet notwithstanding all this, it is evident that too many amongst us are induced, and induce one another, to flight the kindest offers

of their best friend. They give ear to the voice of the stranger, and fway'd by his perswasions, put off their embracing a faviour's offer. Far from being zealous of doing all that is well pleafing to God, they counteract that profeffion, to which he by his holy spirit, hath called us. To propose to obey the Almighty at some future day, and in that prefumptuous hope, to ftifle divine conviction, is a most fatal artifice of the grand adverfary, whereby he infenfibly darkens the mind, and hardens the heart, to render us his vaffals, and to fecure us to himself as fuch.-As delays herein are infinitely dangerous, as we can not repent when we will, for repentance is God's gift, begin then, while it is the day of God's vifitation; for when the night overtakes, none can work out the foul's falvation.

XIII. Wherefore cleave clofe in heart, to the divine gift, the mystery hid from ages, but now revealed, even Chrift in you the hope of glory, that your fouls may be enamoured with that beauty which will never fade. Lay hold of all the helps and means by him provided. Be kind to all, but familiar with few, and those few such as fear the Lord. This fear preferved Jofeph, in the time, of trial; but for want of it Abfalom overset all his personal advantages. Seek to be closely linked

with good friends: for "two are better than one, " and a threefold cord is not easily broken." Great are the benefits and folid fatisfactions, found in truly religious fociety. Formerly when the proud were counted happy, they who feared the Lord, fpake often one to another, and the Lord declared his approbation of the pious ardour with which they mutually animated each other. As on one hand, "the friendship of the world is en"mity with God:*" So on the other, Ifrael the Lord's people, were to dwell alone by themselves; and not to be numbered with the nations; their fafety and true peace depending hereupon, they were enjoined not to contract any alliance or intimacy with them, to prevent the decay of that fervent love to the Lord their God, which he inspired them with, while they abode in his covenant, and duly obferved his laws, his ftatues and ordinances ; and to prevent their children from contracting the manners of those nations, and runing into their fashions and cuftoms. While they kept together in an united care, and veneration of the Lord, they profpered both outwardly and inwardly; nothing could harm them, no effort of the common enemy could prevail against them. May we thus keep together, ftrengthening one another in the love of

* James iv. 4.

God, and faithfulness to him, and then we may be fure that our cafe will be the

very fame.

XIV. There are many we believe, orderly and reputable in their lives, who need to be more baptized into the ardent love of God, and dedication of heart to his caufe, that they may not be like flothful fervants, at ease in Zion, and indulging themselves, instead of ferving the Lord. The harveft is great, and needs more labourers, to fill up the vacant places of many removed from works to rewards. What want of ministers, elders, of fuch whom the Holy Ghoft hath made overfeers, taking heed to themselves, and to the flock, of helpers of one another in animating vifits, both to families and individuals, in the lively flow of that love which the Lord giveth to them who devote their hearts to his fervice.

A few yet are mercifully preferved, who for Zion's fake cannot be at ease, but through all difcouragements hold on their way, knowing they serve a good mafter, and refolving through his grace, never to defert his fervice, but to keep their places under his direction, and to hold faft the bleffed truth, in the love of it, to the end of their lives. May he grant an increase of their number and strength! I defire above all things for myself,

that to the end of my days, I may be one of their number. O my foul, come thou into their fecret adoration of God; with their affembly herein, mayeft thou ever be united! For indeed the Lord is good to them that seek and diligently serve him, nourishing that life, which is hid with Christ, a life which will never die; well rewarding them for all their labours, and for the sacrifices which they offer to him, on the altar of obedience, giving them an hundredfold.

XV. When our Lord told his difciples, that one of them should betray him, the rest heard it with concern, and enquired, Is it I? Many have contributed to the great declenfion, and each of us fhould enquire, Is it I? Many have need to be created anew in Chrift Jefus, unto good works; but they must first put off the old man, with his deeds, in deep humiliation before the Lord; which to them, who patiently abide under his righteous judgments for fin, draws down the gift of repentance unto falvation, never to be repented of; and that new birth without which we can have no place in his kingdom. We must give up all our idols; elfe we are undone. own wills must be fubjected to the will of God., All our own wisdom must be laid at his feet. We must deny ourselves, take up our crofs daily, and follow him. There are no other terms on

Our

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