THe Old English Protestant was such an one, that honoured God Mat. 22.37, 38, 39. 1 Pet. 2.17. above all, and under God gave Rom. 13.7. every one his due. His Mat. 6.33. first care was to serve God, and therein he did not what was good in his Deut. 12.8, 32. own, but in Gods fight, making the Word of God the Rule of his Worship. He highly e­steemed Col. 2.5. order in the House of God; but would not under colour of that, submit to superstitious rites, which are super­fluous, and Vers. 21, 22. perish in their use. He reverenced Rom. 13.1. Authority, keeping within its sphere; but durst not under pretence of subjection to the higher powers Mat. 15.9. Col. 2.8., worship God after the tra­ditions of men. He made conscience of Acts 2.42. all Gods Ordinances, though 1 Cor. 1.17. some he esteemed of more consequence. He was much in Col. 4.2. prayer; with it he Psal. 92.2. began, and closed the day. In it he was exercised in his Psal. 55.17. Mat. 6. 6. closet, 2 Sam. 6.20. family, 1 Tim. 2.1, 2. and publick As­sembly. He esteemed that manner of prayer best, where by the 1 Sam. 1.15. Rom. 8.26. gift of God, expressions were varied according to present wants and occasions; yet did he not account Num. 10.35, 36. set forms unlaw­ful. Therefore in that circumstance of the Church he did not wholly 1 Cor. 9.20, 21, 22, 23. reject the Liturgy, but the corruption of it. He estee­med Acts 13.15. Psal. 1.2. reading of the Word an Ordinance of God both in pri­vate and publick; but did not account reading to be preach­ing. The Word 2. Tim. 3.15. read he esteemed of more authority, but the 1 Cor. 1.21. Rom. 1.16. word preacht of more efficacy. Mat. 28.20. He accounted preaching as necessary now as in the Primitive Church: Gods 1 Cor. 1.21. pleasure being still by the foolishness of Preaching to save those that believe. He esteemed that Preaching best 1 Cor. 14.24.23. 1 Cor. 2. 1, 3, 4, 5. 2 Cor. 4. 5. wherein was most of God, least of man, when vain flourishes of wit and words w [...]e declined, and the demonstration of Gods Spirit and Pow­er studied: yet could be distinguish between 2 Cor. 2.17. 1 Tim. 4. 13. 2 Tim. 2. 15. Eccl. 12. 9, 10. studied plain­ness, and negligent rudeness. He accounted 1 Cor. 14.1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7. perspicuity the best grace of a Preacher; And that 1 Cor. 14.25. method best, which was most helpful to understanding, affection, and memory. To which ordinarily he esteemed none so conducible, as that by Doctrine, Reason and Use. He esteemed those 1 Tim. 5.1. Sermons best that came closet to the Conscience; yet would he have mens Consciences awakened, not their persons disgrac'd. He was a man of good spiritual 1 Pet. 2.2. appetite, and could not be contented with James 1.19.2 Tim. 4.1, 2. one meal a day. An Afternoon-Sermon did relish as well to him as one in the morning. He was not satisfied with Prov. 28.9. Prayers without Preaching: which if it were wanting at Amos 8.11, 12. Mat. 3.5. home, he would seek abroad; yet would he not by 1 Cor. 3.21, 22. 1 Cor. 4.6. absence discourage his Minister, if faithful, though another might have quicker gifts. A 2 Tim. 4.1, 2. Lecture he esteemed, though not necessary, yet a blessing, and would redeem Eph. 5.16. such an opportunity with some pains and loss. The 1 Cor. 16.2. Acts 20.7. Rev. 1.10. Lords day he esteemed a divine or­dinance, and Exod. 2.18. rest on it necessary so far as it conduced to holi­ness. He was Exod. 20.8. very conscientious in observing of that day as the Mart day of the Soul. He was very careful to 2 Chron. 22.20. Psalm 91. remember it, to get house and heart in order for it: and when it came, he was studious to improve it. He Ifa. 58.13, 14. redeemed the morning from superfluous sleep, Exod. 20.8. Acts 20.7. and watched the whole day over his thoughts and words, not only to restrain them from wicked­ness, but worldliness. Deut. 6.7. All parts of the day were alike holy to him, and his care was continued in it in variety of holy duties: what he heard in publick, he repeated in private, to Ifa. 58.13, 14. whet it upon himself and family. Lawful Exod. 2.6. Mar. 12.17.11.12, 13. recreations he thought this day unseasonable, and Cor. 17.14. unlawful ones much more abominable: yet he knew Acts 16.15. the liberty God gave him for needful refreshing, which he did neither refuse nor abuse. The Sacrament of 1 Cor. 10.6. Ba­ptism he received in infancy, which he looked back to in age to answer his ingagements, and claim his priviledges; The Lords John 7.37. & 6.48. Supper he accounted part of his Souls food: to which he laboured to keep an appetite. 1 Cor. 10.16 He esteemed it an Ordi­nance of nearest Communion with Christ, and so requiring most 1 Cor. 11.28. exact preparation. His first care was in the 1 Cor. 5.2, 13. examination of himself: yet as an act of Rev. 2.2. office or charity, he had an eye on others.

He endeavoured to have the scandalous Rev. 2.25. cast out of Com­munion: but he Mat. 16.6. cast not out himself, because the scandalous were suffered by the negligence of others. He condemned Acts 13.12. 1 Cor. 7.5. that superstition and vanity of Popish mock-fasts, yet negle­cted not one occasion to humble his soul by right fasting: Mat. 15.8. He abhorred the Popish Doctrine of opus oper atum, in the no­tion. And in practise rested in John 4.23, 24. no performance; but what was done in spirit and truth. He thought God had left a Rule in his Word for Heb. 3.2, 5, 6. Discipline, which he judged pertaining not to the being, but well-being of a Church. He esteemed those Churches most pure, where the Government is by Elders, yet unchurched not those where it was otherways. Perfection 1 Cor. 11.17, 18, 19. Rev. 2.14, 20. in Churches he thought a thing rather to be desired than obtained. And so he expected not a Church state without all defects. The 1 Cor. 5.2. Rev. 2.5. Ezek. 5.4. corruptions that were in Churohes he thought his duty to bewail, with endeavours of amendment: yet would he not Heb. 10.25. John 4.11. se­parate, where he might partake in the worship, and not in the corruption. He put not 1 Tim. 2.8. holiness in Churches, as in the Temple of the Jews; but onely counted them convenient like their Synagogues. He would have them kept 1 Cor. 14.40. decent, not magnificent; knowing that the Gospel requires not outward pomp. His chiefest musick was James 5.13. singing of Psalms: wherein though he neglected not the melody of the voice, yet he chiefly looked after that of the Col. 3.16. heart. He disliked such 1 Cor. 14.26 Church­musick as moved sensual delight, and was an hindrance to spi­ritual inlargements. He accounted Rom. 13.1. James 1.27. subjection to the higher Powers to be part of pure Religion, as well as to visit the fa­therless and widows: yet did he distinguish between authority and lusts of Magistrates; to that he submitted, 1 Cor. 7.23. but in these he durst not be a servant of men, being bought with a price. Rom. 13.5. Just Laws and Commands he willingly obeyed, not onely for fear, but for Conscience also; but such as were unjust he re­fused to observe, chusing Acts 4.19. rather to obey God than man: yet his refusal was Jer. 26.14, 15. modest and with submission to penalties, unless he could procure indulgence from Authority. He was careful in all relations to know and do duty, and that with Eph. 5.21, 22, &c. singleness of heart as unto Christ. He accounted Col. 3.22. Religion an engage­ment to duty, that the best Christians should be best husband, best wives, best parents, best children, best masters, best ser­vants, best Magistrates, best Subjects, that the 1 Tim. 6.1. Titus 2.9, 10. 1 Pet. 3.1, 2, 3. Titus 3.1. Mat. 17.27. doctrine of God might be adorned Col. 4.15. not blasphemed. His family he en­deavoured to make a Church, both in regard of Psal. 101.2, 6, 7. persons and exercises, admitting none into it but such as feared God, and labouring that those that were born in it, might be born again to God. He 1 Chr. 16.43. blessed his family morning and evening, by the Word and Prayer, and took care to perform those Ordinances in the best season. He brought up his Children in the nurture and Eph. 6.4. admonition of the Lord, and commanded his Gen. 18.19. servants to keep the way of the Lord. He set up Psal. 101. discipline in his family as he desired it in the Church, not onely reproving, 1 Sam. 3.13. but re­straining vileness in his. Tit. 2.21, 12. He was conscientious Prov. 11.1. of equity as well as piety: knowing that 2 Cor. 1.17. unrighteousness is abomination as well as ungodliness. He was cautelous in promising, Psalm 15. 4. but careful in performing, counting his word no less engagement than his bond. He was a man of a tender heart, not onely in regard of his Ezek. 36.26. own sin, but others Luke 10.33, 37. misery, not counting mer­cy Mat. 25.34, 35. James 2.13. arbitrary, but necessary duty, wherein he prayed for Psalm 112.5. Wisdom to direct him, so he studied for Rom. 12.8. chearfulness and a bounty to act. He was sober 2 Cor. 9.5, 6, 7. in the use of the things of this life, rather 1 Pet. 5.8. 1 Cor. 9.27. beating down the body, than pampering it, yet Eccles. 2.24. he denied not himself the use of Gods blessing, lest he should be Deut. 8.10. unthankful; but avoided excess left he should be foregetful of the ^e Donor. In his habit he avoided 1 Tim. 2.9. 1 Pet. 3.3, 4. costliness and vanity, neither exceeding his degree in civility, nor declining what suited with Christianity, desiring in all things to express Phil. 4.8. gra­vity. His whole life he accounted Eph. 6.10, 11, 12. a warfare, wherein Christ was his Captain, his Arms Eph. 6.18. Hosea 12.4. 1 Cor. 15.48. Eph. 4.14, 6, and 7. Prayers and Tears. The Mat. 16.24. Gal. 6.14, 15. Cross his Banner, and his Luke 8.15. Rev. 12.11. and 14.22. Word, Vincit qui patitur.

He was [...] immoveable in all times, so that they who in the midst of many opinions have lost the view of true Religion, may return to him, and there find it.