most spiritual exercises of religion. There are external exercises of
conversations and carriages of the choicest saints; keep a fixed eye upon the wise, prudent, humble, holy, and heavenly deportment; write after the fairest copy you can find; labor to imitate those
Christians who are most eminent in grace. But,
11. The eleventh word of advice and counsel is this—Be much in the most spiritual exercises of religion. There are external exercises of religion—such as hearing, praying, singing, receiving, holy conference, etc., Isaiah 1:11-14, and 1 Tim. 4:8, and Mat. 6. Now custom, conviction, education, and a hundred other external considerations, may lead people to these external exercises. But there are the more spiritual exercises of religion—such as loving of God, delighting in God, prizing of Christ, compliance with the motions, counsels, and dictates of the Spirit, living in an exercise of grace, triumphing in Christ Jesus, setting our affections upon things above, meditation, self-examination, self-judging, etc. Now the more you live in the exercise of these, more spiritual duties of religion—the more you glorify God, the more you evidence the power of grace, and the in-dwellings of the Spirit—and the more you difference and distinguish yourselves from hypocrites and all unsound professors, and the better foundation you lay for a bright, strong, and growing assurance. But,
12. The twelfth and last word of advice and counsel I shall give you is
—To make a wise, a seasonable, a sincere, a daily, and a thorough improvement of all the talents that God has entrusted you with.
There is a talent of time, of power, of riches, of honor, of greatness—