9.  Church members ought to pray for one another, and that with a real love, fervency, and importunity, as they do for themselves, James v. 16.  O with what serious minds and strong affections should all church members pray for one another!  They should be much in building up one another, and praying in the Holy Ghost one for another, Jude 20.  They should carry one another in their hearts at the throne of grace, especially such as are under affliction, the whole Church in general, and her teachers in particular, Heb. xiii. 18, and wrestle with God for them; for they have the spirit of prayer given them, and audience and interest in heaven, for others, as well as for themselves.

10.  Church members should often meet together for prayer and holy conversation, by two or three or more, as they may have opportunity.  This was wont to be the commendable practice of our forefathers, when Christ, duty, heaven, and religion lay warmer on their hearts than now they do; and this is still the practice of some, that are now alive.  God hath promised his glorious teaching, and his warming, strengthening, sanctifying, and comforting presence to such as do so, Matt, xviii. 20.  Church members find time enough to visit one another, and meet together to tell some idle stories, to tattle about other men’s matters, which do not concern them, and perhaps to backbite some of their brethren, and to prejudice the minds of persons against their teachers and their work, if they do not please them.  And will not such meetings have bitterness in the end?  Is it not great iniquity for Christians to tempt one another to sin, and to wrong their own souls, by misspending that precious time which they might have employed in the service of God, and one another’s spiritual profit.  Men and women were wont to discourse often of the things of God and their experiences one to another, Mal. iii. 16.  But, alas! few persons are now to be found, who can find time and inclination for such an exercise.  And the reason seems to be, that most are great strangers to God and to themselves, and are so much intoxicated with the things of this world, that they will not attend with any pleasure unto the spiritual duties of religion.

11.  Church members ought to encourage one another by their example, to attend regularly on the public ordinances of God’s worship in his church.  Whenever the church meets for the celebration of the worship of God, all her members are bound to meet together at the appointed time, except in extraordinary cases; otherwise good order cannot be kept, and the public duties performed, for the glory of God, and the edification of the church.  By church members wilfully or carelessly absenting themselves at the time of meeting, they give an evil example to others, tempt them to do the like, and cast a stumbling-block in the way of their duty, Heb. x. 25.