like Jonathan's and David's, making you to be of one heart and soul. It will make you enjoy each other's society with spiritual delight. It will make you to sympathize with one another; and to bear each other's burdens. It will make you to communicate in all things communicable, with gladness, and singleness of heart, as you are able, and that with a special love, beyond that which you show to them which are not alike excellent. Yea, it is so entire and so ardent, that you will not hold your life to be too dear, to lay down for the common good of the brethren.

When; therefore, you meet with those that fear God, improve the communion of saints, not only by communicating in natural and temporal good things as you are able, and as there is need; but especially in the communion of things spiritual, edifying yourselves in your most holy faith, by holy speech and conference, and (in due time and place) in reading the holy scriptures and good books, and by prayer, and singing of psalms together.

That your singing may please God, and edify yourself and others, observe these rules:

1. Sing as in God's sight, and, in matter of prayer and praise, speak to God in singing.

2. The matter of your song must be spiritual, either indited by the Spirit, or composed of matter agreeing thereunto.

3. You must sing with understanding.

4. You must sing with judgment, being able in private to make choice of psalms suitable to the present time and occasion; and both in private and public to apply the psalm sung to your own parti

cular case, only taking heed that you do not apply the imprecations made against the enemies of Christ and his church in general, to your enemies in particular; also endeavour to confirm your faith, and incline your will and affections according to the subject of your psalmody, whether you sing the prophecies of Christ, his promises, threats, commands, mercies, or judgments, &c.

5. You must make melody to the Lord in your heart; which is done, (1.) By preparing and setting the heart in tune. It must be an honest heart. (2.) The heart must be lifted up. (3.) The mind intent. (4.) The affections lively; the heart believing, and, in matter of praise and thanks, joyous.

6. Lose not your short and precious time, with idle compliments, worldly discourses, or talking of other men's matters and faults; nor yet in a barren and fruitless hearing and telling of news, out of affectation of strangeness and novelty. But let the matter of your talk be, either of God, or of his word and ways, wherein you should walk; or of his works of creation, preservation, redemption, sanctification, and salvation; of his judgments which he executeth in the world, and of his mercies shown towards his people: or matter of Christian advice, either of the things of this life, or of that which is to come. Impart also each to other the experience and proofs you have had of God's grace and power, in your Christian warfare. And, as there shall be cause, exhort, admonish, and comfort one another. To do all these well, will require special godly wisdom, humility, and love. If these three be in

you, and abound, your society will be profitable: the strong will not despise the weak, neither will the weak judge the strong. You will be far from putting a stumbling block, or an occasion to fall in your brother's way, but you will follow after the things which make for peace, and things wherewith you may edify one another. You will then bear

with each other's infirmities, and not seek to please yourself, but your neighbour, for his good to edifi

cation.

You must first be wise to make choice, not only of such matter of speech as is good and lawful, but such as is fit, considering the condition and need of those before whom you speak. In proposing questions, you must not only take heed that they be not vain, foolish, and needless; such as engender strife, and do minister and multiply questions, rather than godly edifying; but you must be careful that they be fit and pertinent, both in respect of the person to whom they are proposed, and in respect of the person or persons before whom they must be answered.

Some men have special gifts for one purpose, some for another. Some for interpreting scripture; some for deciding of controversies; some for discovering Satan's methods and enterprises; some are excellent for comforting and curing afflicted and wounded consciences; some are better skilled, and more exercised in one thing than in another. And some also of God's dear children, as they are not able to bear all exercises of religion; so neither are they capable of hearing and profiting by all kind of discourses of religion. If this were wisely observed,

Christian conference would be much more useful,

than usually it is.

Secondly, You must be lowly minded, and of an humble spirit, not presuming above your gifts and calling. When you speak of the things of God, be reverent, serious, and sober, keeping yourself within the line, both of your calling, and the measure of that knowledge and grace which God hath given you; speaking positively and confidently only of those things which you clearly understand, and whereof you have experience, or sure proof. Think not yourself too good to learn of any; neither harden your neck against the admonitions and reproofs of any. If you have an humble heart, you will do as David did, when he was admonished and advised by a woman. He saw God in it, and

blessed him for it; he received the good counsel, and blessed her that gave it: "Now blessed be God who hath sent thee to meet me this day," said he," and blessed be thy advice, and. blessed be thou who hast kept me this day from coming to shed blood."

Thirdly, There will be need of the exercise of much fervent love and charity, even amongst the best. For as Satan hath malice against all good company and good conference, he will infuse matters of difference and discord. And because the best men differ in opinion, (though not in fundamentals, yet) in ceremonies, and less necessary points of religion; and forasmuch as they all have infirmities, and, while the remains of corrupt nature are in them, are subject and apt to mistake and misconstrue one another's actions and speeches, you will need

that this bond of love be strong, that it be not broken asunder by any of these, or other such means; but that you remain strongly and sweetly knit together in the unity of the Spirit, through this bond of peace.

I especially recommend this Christian society in brotherly love; because, 1. There is nothing giveth a more sensible evidence of conversion, and translation from death to life, than this. 2. Nothing doth more assist the increase and power of godliness in any place or person, than this. For, let it be observed, though there be never such an excellent minister in any place; you will see little improvement in grace amongst the people, until many of them become of one heart; showing it by consorting together in Christian fellowship, in the communion of saints. 3. Nothing bringeth more sensible joy, comfort, and delight, next to communion with God in Christ, than the actual communion of saints and love of brethren. It is the beginning of that happiness on earth, which shall be perfected in heaven. It is for kind, the same, only differing in degree.

And, to conclude this subject, after you have been in company, good or bad, it will be worth your while to examine how far you have hindered any evil in others, and have preserved yourself from evil: how far you have endeavoured to do good to others, and how much you have gained in knowledge, serious affection, zeal, or any other good grace, by your company; and according as you find, let your conscience reprove or comfort you.

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