“ Lay deeply to heart your natural state of sin and misery: Bethink you, that besides your original guilt, and the corruption of your whole nature, which was brought to the world with you, that you are also guilty of innumerable actual sins, by breaking all the commands of God in thought, word, and deed: for all which you are worthy of God's heavy curse and wrath to pursue you, both in this world, and that which is to come: and neither can you relieve yourselves out of this dangerous condition. ”

“ Here are suitable cordials for all our various cases; be it desertion, temptation, poverty, sickness, reproach or persecution; here is the heavenly rain, for making soft and tender hearts, here is meat for strong men, and milk for babes, which, through the divine blessing, will be both food and physic to our souls.
It is surely the Christian's duty, to read and meditate much on God's most excellent word, and that with pleasure and delight; the child delights to read his father's will and testament, and see what is bequeathed to him ”

“ Look more to God's providence and blessing for making you thrive and prosper in the world, than to your own skill or industry; and, as you would expect God's blessing, be just, upright, and honest in your dealings; cheating no man, defrauding no man, by lying, equivocating, or over-reaching. ”

“ Be content with your lot, whatever be the circumstances and ingredients thereof; be not your own carvers, lest you cut your fingers in the carving; whatever God gives to you, whatever he takes from you, acquiesce in his will, which should never be quarrelled; own your needy dependence on his providence, and in all the changes of your condition, say, Good is the will of the Lord. ”

“ Follow your lawful calling diligently, never be idle, but have your hand always in a turn, the hand of the diligent maketh rich; yet be not so much swallowed up with your worldly affairs, as to forget God, or your souls, or justle out religious duties: keep a good mind in all your affairs, swaying to no extreme, either of neglecting your lawful calling, under the pretence of constant devotion, or of too much engagement in throng of worldly business, under the pretence of dutiful providing for your families; every thing is beautiful in its season. ”

“ Do all you can in your station for promoting the interests of the gospel, as God doth call and enable you: join not at all with ill men and persecutors, to trouble any body for their religion and conscience: Sympathize with the persecuted people of God in foreign churches, also sympathize much with the blinded Jews, and Heathen nations, daily pray that God may pity and convert them, and make the light of the gospel shine through the world. ”

“ It is a staff and stay to the old, an ornament and guide to the young. In the word of God, we read the love which God bears to his children from all eternity, and will continue to have for them, when time shall be no more. ”

“ Flee speedily to Christ Jesus the only Son of God, and the only Saviour of sinners; renouncing your own righteousness, by true faith rest and rely upon his merits, and imputed righteousness, firmly expecting to be justified, pardoned, and saved thereby. ”

“ Propose God's glory as the chief end of all your actions, and make his word the rule of them: take heed that base, selfish by-ends be not your main end either in duties towards God, or towards man: He that walketh uprightly, walketh surely. ”

“ Mind seriously ye are frail mortal creatures, liable to a thousand dangerous accidents; Most certain it is, you must die, but when, where, or how, no body knows: Neither young, nor old, can promise themselves a day, or an hour, beyond the moment they breath in ”

“ Make an entire resignation of yourselves to God, and of all that you enjoy, and have an affection for; referring frankly to his will, wisdom and goodness, to dispose of you and yours in all things, in all cases, and at all times, as seemeth good and right in his fight: live a life of dependence on him, and trust in him, who can make all things work together for good to you. ”

“ Entertain and nourish tenderly the motions and impulses of God's Spirit on your spirits: when ye find kindly inclinations to duty, fall in with them; when you feel inward checks and fears with respect to sin, improve them to restrain you from all iniquity; take special heed you do not smother convictions, or wilfully resist and quench the Spirit's workings in your hearts. ”

“ Exercise yourselves also sometimes to spiritual meditations; think often of the joys of heaven, of the torments of hell, of the sweetness of God's promises, of the terribleness of his threatnings, of the hatefulness of sin, of the beauty of holiness, of the vanity of the world, of the advantage of real godliness, of your hazards thro' manifold temptations, and of the readiness and ability of Jesus Christ to help and comfort you in all cases, &c. ”

“ Study more to be well grounded in the fundamental principles of religion, than to spend your time about matters debatable, and less necessary to be known; see you do nothing that may break the peace and unity of the church: go not without the bounds of your station, under a pretence of zeal and a public spirit. ”

“ Pray daily unto God Almighty morning and evening at least; and see you be not formal or lazy in your devotions; and, besides secret closet prayer, also make conscience of family duties; set up, and keep up the worship of God in your families, by reading in the Bible, and by prayers and praises to God, who only can bless you and yours in all your actions and interests, prayerless persons, are justly to be looked on as godless persons. ”

“ Be good in all relations; not only a good Christian in general, that daily reads, and prays, and runs to preachings and communions; but be a good husband; a good wife; be a dutiful parent, and an obedient child; be a righteous master, and a diligent and honest servant; be a good peaceable neighbour, wronging nobody either with tongue or hands ”

“ Be moderate in all things: in your judgement of yourselves, and opinion of others: be moderate in eating, that you be not gluttonous; in drinking, that it be not to excess; in apparel, that ye be not prodigal; in your house-keeping, that ye stretch not either beyond your rank or ability; in your recreations, that ye mispend not precious time; sobriety is always safe and commendable. Philip. iv. 5. Tit. ii. 12.
Exh. 25. Make as much conscience of sin and duty in secret before God alone, as openly in the sight of men: have a care of Pharisaical righteousness. ”

“ Study to be always ready, by making your peace with God, by securing an interest in Christ, by living near God in the daily practice of piety, and by avoiding all wickedness, that when the Lord shall send you a summons to remove hence to your long home, you may be found fit to die, and to step into eternity. ”

“ Mortify and bear down the inward passions, and corrupt affections of your heart, such as anger, envy, malice, privy hatred, revenge, lustfulness, covetousness, pride, ambition, and all secret inclinations to impiety: till your souls be purged of these, ye cannot expect the Holy Ghost will dwell in you as a temple. ”

“ IN reading the word of God, if ye would profit by it, then look to God for his blessing upon it when ye begin, pray that he may bless it to you, and open your ears and hearts to hear and comply with it as the voice of God. ”

“ Be not vain or proud of any temporal thing: neither of riches, honour, beauty, strength of body, parts nor gifts of mind, nay not of grace itself; all earthly possessions and goods are uncertain, vain, and liable to innumerable chances, and changes. ”

“ Bear afflictions patiently and submissively, and be more concerned to get the sanctified use of your troubles, than how to be freed from them: look to the hand of God, in all the pains, sickness, crosses, losses, disappointments, reproaches and vexations ye meet with; in faith and hope, cast your cares and burdens upon the Lord. ”

“ Be strong in the grace that is in Christ; be not satisfied with small measures of grace; use all fit and proper means for growing in grace, and keeping it in lively exercise; without the exercise of grace, ye can do nothing to purpose either in performing duties, subduing corruptions, bearing afflictions, or resisting temptations, &c. ”

“ When ye rise up, or ly down, when ye walk in the streets, or in the fields, when you are employed in any part of your lawful calling, even at all times, and every where, by night or by day, you may have good thoughts towards God, and about your soul concerns. ”

“ Be charitable to the poor, as far as you are able; if you cannot help them with your purse, help them with your prayers and sympathy, and such offices of kindness and humility, as may make the miserable to bless you. ”

“ THERE are many who either are not able to buy books of great price, or not willing to carry about with them books of great bulk; therefore, we have cast into this small portable Pocket-book, the following Bundle of Exhortations, which, we hope, compendiously contain the chief substantials of practical religion; which are of most common use, and that people should most carefully mind, and be daily exercised in ”

“ CONSIDER your soul concerns with the greatest seriousness; all other concerns are but trifles and vanities in comparison hereof: inconsideration is the bane and ruin of souls, it is the parent of sloth and of security, and the great hinderance of needful resolution: and specially consider, that ye have precious immortal souls, which, after the end of this short life, will live for ever, either in everlasting happiness, or everlasting misery. It is your chief concern to see to thesalvation of your souls, as ye would not be found inconsiderate fools, or stupid sots, Mat. ”

“ Keep out of ill company, bad examples corrupt good manners: Think shame to converse familiary with openly profane and debauched persons; this will neither be for your credit, comfort, nor profit; rather chuse virtuous, sober and godly people to be your ordinary companions: Such a man as ye would be, draw you to like company. Prov. xxii. 24. Ps cxix. 63.
Exh. 19. Lead a holy and religious life, walking sincerely according to the righteous commands of God: Set the Lord always before your face; content not yourselves with a bare form, and outward shew of godliness without the power of it ”

“ Airth and fix your affections right: Love not the world, nor any earthly comfort immoderately: Give your heart's love to precious Christ above all things, who is only worthy of your chief desires. Col. ”

“ Keep at the utmost distance from the common sins of the times, from cursing, swearing, drunkenness, stealing, cheating, lying, reviling, baudy-language, fornication, and all uncleanness, deriding or mocking true godliness, or wishing evil to the godly, &c. ”