1. Stand fast and fixed in the good Word of God, which is settled for ever in Heaven, Psal. 119.89. as the Copy of the Divine Nature and Law. Stand having your Loins girt about with Truth, Ephes. 6.14. and having on the Breastplate of Righteousness. This is the grand and perfect rule of Faith, Worship and Life. Keep within these Trenches and you have an assurance of protection. I know no other method possible to Peace but in an universal resolution to impose nothing upon others but what Christ himself hath imposed, what Scripture commands, Matth. 28.20. Teach Men to observe whatever I have commanded you, and then I am with you to the end of the World. This is a Minister of Christs Commission, and he cannot look for Christ to be with him, if he go either contrary to, beyond, or not according to his instructions. Let this be first done, and then Men may consider whether any thing further be necessary or convenient. Let us therefore, in the Name of God, beg his holy Spirit, whom Christ hath promised, and that he shall lead us into all Truth, John 16.13. He is the only infallible Interpreter of Gods ⟨p. 246⟩mind, He shall take of mine, says our Saviour, and show it unto you, vers. 14. Then read the Scriptures as Christ himself did, Luke 4.16. his custom was, he went into the Synagogue, on the Sabbath day, and stood up for to read, and when the Book of God was delivered to him, he read the 61 of Isaiah, a Prophecy of himself, and so he closed the Book and gave it to the Minister; then he expounded and applied it to the present circumstances, That he came to preach to the poor, heal the broken hearted, give deliverance to the captives, open the Eyes of the blind, to set at liberty them that are bruised. Oh blessed pattern for every Minister of Christ to follow! And sing the Psalms or Hymns, as we read he also did, Matth. 26.30. and the Ancient Christians, as Eusebius and Pliny also saith, Used early to sing Psalms and Praise to Christ, Administer the Sacraments in the very words of Christ: But guard the Door that the grossly ignorant and profane may not come in, 1 Cor. 5.11. If any degenerate so, as first and second admonition reclaim not, shut the Door upon him, Let him be to you as an Heathen or a Publican, for so is the rule of Christ, Matth. 18.17.
1. Stand fast and fix'd in the good Word of God, which is setled for ever in Heaven, Psal. 119.89. as the Copy of the Divine Nature and Law. Stand having your Loins girt about with Truth, Ephes. 6.14. and having on the Breastplate of Righteousness. This is the grand and perfect rule of Faith, Worship and Life. Keep within these Trenches and you have an assurance of protection. I know no other method possible to Peace but in an universal resolution to impose nothing upon others but what Christ himself hath imposed, what Scripture commands, Matth. 28.20. Teach Men to observe whatever I have commanded you, and then I am with you to the end of the World. This is a Minister of Christs Commission, and he cannot look for Christ to be with him, if he go either co•trary to, beyond, or not according to his instructions. Let this be first done, and then Men may consider whether any thing further be necessary or convenient. Let us therefore, in the Name of God, beg his holy Spirit, whom Christ hath promised, and that he shall lead us into all Truth, John 16.13. He is the only infallible Interpreter of Gods ⟨p. 246⟩mind, He shall take of mine, says our Saviour, and shew it unto you, vers. 14. Then read the Scriptures as Christ himself did, Luke 4.16. his custom was, he went into the Synagogue, on the Sabbath day, and stood up for to read, and when the Book of God was delivered to him, he read the 61 of Isaiah, a Prophesie of himself, and so he closed the Book and gave it to the Minister; then he expounded and applied it to the present circumstances, That he came to preach to the poor, heal the broken hearted, give deliverance to the captives, open the Eyes of the blind, to set at liberty them that are bruised. Oh blessed pattern for every Minister of Christ to follow! And sing the Psalms or Hymns, as we read he also did, Matth. 26.30. and the Ancient Christians, as Euscbius and Pliny also saith, Ʋsed early to sing Psalms and Praise to Christ, Administer the Sacraments in the very words of Christ: But guard the Door that the grosly ignorant and profane may not come in, 1 Cor. 5.11. If any degenerate so, as first and second admonition reclaim not, shut the Door upon him, Let him be to you as an Heathen or a Publican, for so is the rule of Christ,
