CHAP. XIII. 3.| PRACTICAL OBSERVATIONS. 539
a gracious influence unto that fear and reverence which causes them to cleave more firmly unto him.
Cuap. XIII. Ver. 1.—1. The power and glory of Christian reli- gion is exceedingly decayed and debased in the world. 2. Where the pretence of mutual love is continued in any measure, yet its nature is unknown, and its effects are generally neglected. 3. We are especially to watch unto the preservation of those graces, and the performance of those duties, which in our circumstances are most exposed to opposition. 4. Brotherly love is very apt to be impaired and decay if we do not endeavour continually to preserve and re- vive it. 5. It is a part of the wisdom of faith to consider aright the ways and occasions of the decay of mutual love, with the means of its preservation.
Ver. 2.—1. Especial seasons are directions and constraining motives unto especial duties. 2. Our hearts are not to be trusted unto in occasional duties if we preserve them not in a continual disposition towards them. 3. The mind ought continually to be on its watch, and in a gracious disposition towards such duties as are attended with difficulties and charge. 4. Examples of privileges annexed to duties, whereof the Scripture is full, are great motives and incentives to the same or the like duties. 5. Faith will make use of the highest privileges that ever were enjoyed on the performance of duties, to encourage unto obedience, though it expects not any thing of the same kind on the performance of the same duties. 6. When men designing that which is good do more good than they intended, they shall or may reap more benefit thereby than they expected.
Ver. 3.—1. If we be called unto suffering for the profession of the gospel, let us not think strange of it; it is no new thing in the world. 2. Bonds and imprisonment for the truth were consecrated to God and made honourable by the bonds and imprisonment of Christ him- self, and commended unto the church in all ages by the bonds and imprisonment of the apostles and primitive witnesses of the truth. 8. It is better, more safe and honourable, to be in bonds with and for Christ, than to be at liberty with a brutish, raging, persecuting world. 4. God is pleased to give grace and courage unto some to suffer for the gospel unto bonds. 5. When some are tried as unto their constancy in bonds, others are tried as unto their sincerity in the duties required of them. 6. Usually more fail in neglect of their duty towards sufferers, and so fall from their profession, than do so fail under and on the account of their sufferings. 7. Although there are peculiar duties required of us towards those who suffer for the gospel in an eminent manner, as unto bonds, yet are we not thereon discharged from the same kind of duties towards those who suffer in lesser degrees and in other things. 8. Not only those who are in
540 SUMMARY OF DOCTRINAL AND [CHAP. XIII. 4.
bonds for the gospel, or suffer to a high degree in their persons, are under the especial care of Christ, but those also who suffer in any other kind whatever, though the world may take little notice of them. 9. Professors of the gospel are exempted from no sorts of adversity, from nothing that is evil and grievous unto the outward man in this world, and therefore ought we not to think it strange when we fall into them. 10. We have no security of freedom from any sort of suffering for the gospel whilst we are in this body, or during the continuance of our natural lives. 11. We are not only exposed unto afflictions during this life, but we ought to live in the continual expectation of them, so long as there are any in the world who do actually suffer for the gospel. 12. The knowledge that we ourselves are continually obnoxious unto sufferings, no less than they who actually suffer, ought to incline our minds unto a diligent con- sideration of them in their sufferings, so as to discharge all duties of love and helpfulness towards them. 13. Unless it do so we can have no evidence of our present interest in the same mystical body with them, nor just expectation of any compassion or relief from others when we ourselves are called unto sufferings.
Ver. 4.—1. Divine institution is sufficient to render any state or condition of life honourable. 2. The more useful any state of life is, the more honourable it is. 3. That which is honourable by divine institution, and useful in its own nature, may be abused and ren- dered vile by the miscarriages of men, as marriage may be. 4. It is a bold usurpation of authority over the consciences of men, and a contempt of the authority of God, to forbid that state unto any which God hath declared honourable among all. 5. Means for purity and chastity not ordained, blessed, or sanctified unto that end, will prove furtherances of impurity and uncleanness, or worse evils. 6. The state of marriage being honourable in the sight of God himself, it is the duty of them that enter thereinto duly to consider how they may approve their consciences unto God in what they do. 7. In the state of marriage there is required of men a due consideration of their call unto it and of their ends in it, that they are those of God’s appointment. 8. Conjugal duties, regulated by the bounds assigned unto them by natural light, with the general rules of Scripture, and subservient unto the due ends of marriage, are honourable, giving no cause of pollution or shame. 9. Whatever light thoughts men may have of sin, of any sin, the judgment of God concerning all sin, which is according to truth, must stand for ever. 10, Fornication and adultery are sins in their own nature deserving eternal damna- tion. 11. Men living and dying impenitently in these sins shall eternally perish. 12. The especial aggravation of these sins doth in a peculiar manner expose men unto a sore condemnation. 13. All