The covenant of Gods free grace most sweetly unfolded and comfortably applied to a…

Learn we then hereby, Use 1 every one of us to judge our selves and our families, and to teach every person to judge themselves, as at other times, so more especially in the days of their humiliation, and when they come to renew their promises and vows with their God. If David were not able to say, that his house were perfect with God, what then may we say? we have not that means which he had, such Teachers to instruct us, such guides whereby we might be brought forward, neither are we compassed about with Prophets in a land of uprightness; where shall we find an house that walks with God as David did? that grows as the tender grass, and is as the Sun without cloud? We are therefore to charge our ⟨p. 8⟩selves with our follies and failings, and to humble our selves for them, whether it be towards God, or towards one another: we should consider how we are failing in the true fear of God, how subject we are to eye-service; and although we can do little in reforming Kingdoms and Nation, yet we may take care for our own houses, we may judge our selves and our families in our manifold failings, we may judge our selves for our high-mindedness, drowsiness in good duties, for our evil slow heart to get hold of any spiritual thing, for our customary performance. How do we start aside from them upon every occasion? our common complaint is, we are wanting to God in his fear and holy service; we are too strait hearted in the performance of good duties: true cause there is why it may be so with us; yet this is but a branch of the Covenant, and the reason of our failings in that is, because we are wanting in righteousness one towards another; husbands walk not towards their wives, nor their wives back again to them; Parents to their children, nor children to their parents, &c. as they all ought to do, according to the Law of God; and therefore we are to judge our selves for our uncleanness, for our unprofitableness under the means we enjoy, and toward one another; and this is the cause why such good means as are used, are not so powerful to prevail with us: The Sun riseth without cloud, and shineth forth freely and powerfully; if we be overclouded, and overshadowed with any inordinate unruly passions, and unbeseeming behaviour;

Learn we then hereby, Ʋse 1 every one of us to judge our selves and our families, and to teach every person to judge themselves, as at other times, so more especially in the dayes of their humiliation, and when they come to renew their promises and vowes with their God. If David were not able to say, that his house were perfect with God, what then may we say? we have not that means which he had, such Teachers to instruct us, such guides whereby we might be brought forward, neither are wee compassed about with Prophets in a land of uprightnesse; where shall we finde an house that walks with God as David did? that growes as the tender grasse, and is as the Sun without cloud? Wee are therefore to charge our