James Clark

“ Thank God heartily for all the mercies you receive, whether with respect to your bodies or your souls; freely acknowledge you get more mercies than you are worthy of, more than you improve or guide well, more than you are profitably thankful for, and more mercies than many others get, who are better and more serviceable to God than you: Reckon it a great mercy that you are out of hell, and that you have the opportunity of the precious gospel of Christ: Notice and record all the mercies of God; and at times take a while on purpose to thank and praise God for them. ”

“ 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 deserve God's heavy curse and 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. ”

“ 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 of all your affairs, swaying to no extreme, tither 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. ”

“ 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 equivocating, lying, or over-reaching. ”

“ Do all you can in your station for promoting the interests of the gospel, as God doth call and enable you join not with any perfecutors, to trouble any one for their religion and conscience sympathize with the persecuted people of God in foreign churches; daily pray for the blinded Jews and heathen nations, that God may take pity and convert them and make the light of the gospel shine throughout 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. Here are found the leaves of the tree of life which God hath ordained for the healing of the nations. In a word, here is the true judge of controversies, a hammer for hereticks, a touch-stone for docttrine, a rule for our lives, a comforter and counsellor in this house of our pilgrimage: a sovereign cordial in all our souls distresses ”

“ 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 cafes, and at all times, as seemeth good and right in his sight: live a life of dependance on him, and trust in him, who can make all things work together for good to you. ”

“ The scriptures are our book of evidence for heaven, shall we part with our evidences? The saints of old were both advocates and martyrs for the truth, they held fast by scripture, though it was at the expence of their lives. ”

“ Mind seriously ye are frail mortal creatures, liable to a thousand dangerous accidents,: Must certain it is you must die, but when, where, or how, nobody knows: Neither young nor old can promise themselves a day, or an hour, beyond the moment they breath in ”

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

“ Be good in all relations: not only a good Christian in general, that daily reads and prays, and runs to preachngs and communions; but be a good husband, a wife; be a dutiful parent, and an obedient child be a righteous master, and diligent and honest servant, be good and peaceful neighbour ”

“ 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 retrain you from all iniquity; take special heed you do not smother convictions, or wilfully resist and quench the Spirit's workings in your hearts. ”

“ It is surely the Christian's duty to read and meditate much on God's most holy word, and that with pleasure and delight the child delights to read his father's will and testament, and see what is been dedicateed to him; citizens delight to read their charters, to see their privileges ”

“ 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 prayer and praises to God, who only can bless you and yours in all your actions and interests prayerless persons, are surely to be looked on as Godless persons. ”

“ Look 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 iii. ”

“ Study to be aways 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 to your long home, you may be fit to step into eternity. ”

“ Keep out of ill company, bad examples corrupt good manners: Thing shame to converse familiarly with openly profane and debauched persons; this will neitherbe for your credit, comfort, or profit, rather chase virtuous, sober and godly people to be your companions: Such a man as ye would be, draw to like company. ”

“ Be strong in the grace that is in Christ; be not satisfied with small measures of grace; use all 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, resisting temptations, or bearing afflictions, &c. ”

“ When ye rise up or lye down when you 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 place,by night or by day. You may have good thoughts toward God, and about your soul concerns. ”

“ Study more to be well grounded in the fundemental principles of religion, than spending your time about matters debetable, or disputable; see you do nothing that may break the peace and unity of the church ”

“ Exh. 23. be not vain or proud of any temporal thing; neither riches or honour, beauty, strength of body, parts nor gifts of the mind, nay, not of grace itself: all earthly possessions and goods are uncertain, vain and liable to innumerable chances and changes Eccl. i. 2, 14.
Exh, 24, Be moderate in all things in, your judgement of yourselves, and opposition of others; be moderate in eating, so that you be not gluttonous, in drinking, that it be not to excess; in apparel, that it be not prodigal; in your house-keeping, that ye stretch not beyond your rank and ability ”

“ 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 ”

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

“ Consider your foul concerns with the greatest seriousness; all other concerns are but trifles and vanities in comparison hereof: inconsiderations is the bane and ruin of souls, it is the parent of sloth and security, and the great hinderance of needful resolution: and specially consider, that you have precious and 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 the salvation of your souls, as you would not be foun dinconsiderate fools, or stupid sots, Mat. ”