TENDER Counsel and Advice TO THE Flock of God Every where By a Lover of Truth and Righteousness William Bingley Psalms 107. 43. Whoso is Wise and will observe these things even they shall understand the Loving Kindness of the Lord. Psal 112. 1 2 3. Blessed is the Man that feareth the Lord that delighteth greatly in his Commandments his Seed shall be mighty upon Earth the Generation of the Righteous shall be Blessed Wealth and Riches shall be in his House and his Righteousness endureth for ever Gal. 5. 1. Stand fast therefore in the liberty wherewith Christ hath made us free and be not entangled again with the Yoke of Bondage London Printed and Sold by T. Sowle next Door to the Meeting-house in White-Hart-Court in Gracious-street and at the Bible in Leaden-hall-street near the Market 1697. TENDER Counsel and Advice TO THE Flock of God c. GOD who is Rich in Mercy to all that calls upon him in Sincerity and with a True and Humble Heart seeks him hath in his Unspeakable Love been Pleased to (a) Luke 1. 78 79. Visit us who once were under the Regions of the Shadow of Death with the Light of that Blessed Day which sprung from on High which is no other but the Light of his Beloved Son whom he Promised of Old to give For a (b) Isa 42. 6. 49. 6. Acts 13. 47. Covenant of the People for a Light of the Gentiles This is that Light with which he hath reached to us and caused to Shine in our (c) 2 Cor. 4. 6. Hearts to give us the Light of the Knowledge of the Glory of God in the Face of Jesus Christ whereby we who were in the times past scattered in the Darkness and Ignorance of our Minds upon the Desolate and Barren Mountains of empty Profession where we might have remained to this Day yea and all our Days in a Poor Miserable and Wretched State Desolate of the Knowledge of those things which makes truly Happy both in this World and that which is to come had not Almighty God in this the Day of his great Love Stretched out the Arm of his Power to gather us that we might no longer remain in Sin and Coruption which (d) Dan. 9. 24. Christ our Lord came to put an End to and by his Precious (e) Eph. 1. 7. Blood to Redeem us from And that we who were Aliens and Foreigners in our Minds from the Common Wealth of Israel might by the Work of his Eternal Power and Spirit in our Hearts be made nigh to him who gave his Life a Ransom for us whereby we might come to be Heirs of Peace through the true Knowledge of the Work of Sanctification wrought in our Hearts by his Spirit and then Inhabitants of that City which the Lord God and the Lamb is the (f) Rev. 21. 23. Light and Glory of Now Friends seeing the Lord hath done thus for us and not for us only but to all Mankind in general hath given a Visitation of Love and brought us to the Knowledge of Christ who is the (g) John 14. 6. Truth the Way and the Life and has opened (h) Heb. 10. 20. a Door for us to return to God again what remains but that we in a Holy Bowedness Reverence and Fear towards Almighty God and Love to Christ that first Loved us and laid down his Life Make a right Improvement of all the tender Mercies and Dealings of the Lord and truly answer the End of the Divine Discoveries and Visitations of the Great Everlasting God to us by receiving the Blessed Truth and the Heavenly Discovery thereof in the Love of it and joyning to the Appearance of it in our Souls and so loving the Rebukes and Convictions of it as to forsake every thing it Reproves for and Discovers to be Evil and wait to feel the (i) Joh. 16. 13. Guidance of it out of all Untruth into all Truth And as it is given to us to change and renew us in the Spirit (k) Eph. 4. 23. of our Minds So we may truly give up to it that it may work a thorough and effectual Change in us Translating us out of the Kingdom of Darkness into the Kingdom of the Dear Son of God and to possess that Treasure of Eternal Life that neither Moth can Eat (l) Mat. 6. 19. Rust Corrupt nor Thieves break through and Steal Now as that is the good End for which the Great God has bestowed so Great and Glorious a Principle upon Man if we be not thus Changed and made Heirs of Life the fault is our own for there is neither want of Good Will in God towards Man nor want of Power in that Divine Principle God has been Pleased to bestow upon Man but it is Mans loving the World and the Delights of it and Samson-like (m) Judg. 16. 4. harbouring a Dalilah in the Bosom for although a Profession of the Truth it self may be made from the Convictions and Discoveries it makes yet not being Changed and Renewed in the Spirit of our Minds but the Old Nature and Birth remaining Alive in them not given up to the Judgment and Stroak of Truth in themselves these are they that though a Day of Visitation hath reached them and the Blessed Truth is made known to them and the reproofs thereof have followed them yet they have not truly turned at the Reproofs thereof and so not received the Truth in the Love of it but are such as the Holy Apostle Rom. 1. 18. Describes Who hold the Truth in Vnrighteousness and the Wrath of God is Revealed from Heaven against such and he gives the Reason for it in the next Verse Because that which may be known of God is manifest in them for God hath shewed it unto them So that it is not holding barely a Profession of the Truth that will do us any good but it is a being Renewed in our Minds or else whatever we may Profess the Wrath of God abides upon us So that we are not only to Profess the Truth but to Love it above all things and to yield Obedience to it for our Love to Christ Jesus the Truth is manifested by our Obedience and Subjection to him it being in vain to pretend we Love him whil'st we are not willing to Bow to him and to let him have the Government of our Minds If you Love me saith our Lord keep my Commandments John 14. 15. And again He that hath my Commandments and keepeth them he it is that Loveth me and he that Loveth me shall be Loved of my Father and I will Love him and Manifest my self to him Verse 21. Again Jesus said If a Man Love me he will keep my Words and he adds a Blessed and Comfortable Promise to such that thus Love him and my Father will Love him and we will come unto him and make our abode with him Verse 23. And seeing none are Lovers of him but these who
Fleshly Wisdom of this World is Ambitious does what it does to be seen of Men will Fawn and Flatter to gain the Applause of of others but will Slight Contemn Undervalue and Trample upon those that are Sincere and it seeks its own but not the things of Christ Jesus nor the good of his Flock is not tender but is unnatural and cruel will Sacrifice the good of Souls and the peace of the Church to gain its own ends this is that Spirit which the Apostle Warned against (a) 1 Cor. 13. and is not to be suffered in God's Camp and therefore Watch against it and its Abettors where-ever it appears and look upon it as a deadly Enemy to God and True Religion and dangerous to the Peace of the Church which ought to be prefer'd above and beyond any private Interest whatsoever So that it is not Specious Pretences Fair Speeches Old Experiences nor Knowledge where that is lost that gave the Experience and did make known the Mysteries of God and did make tender whil'st in Subjection to it that will or can truly Promote the Glory of God or the Peace of his Church For the Holy Apostle was truly Sensible of this when he said Though I speak with the Tongue of Men and Angels and have not Charity I am become as Sounding Brass or a Tinkling Cymbal and though I have the Gift of Prophecy (b) 1 Cor. 13. and understand all Mysteries and all Knowledge and though I have all Faith so that I could remove Mountains and have not Charity I am nothing And though I bestow all my Goods to feed the Poor and though I give my Body to be Burned and have not Charity it profiteth me nothing for Charity suffereth long and is kind Charity envieth not vaunteth not it self is not puffed up doth not behave it self unseemly seeketh not her own is not easiy provoked thinketh no evil rejoyceth not in Iniquity but rejoyceth in the Truth beareth all things believeth all things hopeth all things endureth all things Charity never faileth Now that these Blessed Fruits and Effects of the Love of God shed abroad in our Hearts we may be found in that they may be as Ornaments upon us and we may Shine forth in them as Lights upon an Hill and as Candles in Candlesticks that others may see our good Works and may Glorifie our Father which is in Heaven And Zion may become the Glory of many Nations and Jerusalem the Praise of the whole Earth and the Borders of God's Sanctuary enlarged and the Truth Prosper and many gathered to it And as we keep in the Wisdom and Counsel of God Peace and Unity will be Promoted Fervent Charity Brotherly Kindness and Bearing one with another in a Spirit of Love will increase and thereby the Sincere Incouraged the Feeble Strengthened the Heady and High-minded Rebuked the Backslider brought back the Careless and Negligent awakened and stirred up to Faithfulness and Diligence that nothing but Love and Truth may have any place amongst us then shall God have his Honour and we the Comfort of the Power and Presence of the Living God amongst us And Friends you hnow the Lord hath raised us up by his Mighty Power and Quickened us who were dead in Trespasses and Sins to be a People to him to answer the End for which we were Created and also the End for which he hath Redeemed us from that Bondage in which we were held by the Power of Darkness and that is to Serve and Worship him Now you know God is a Spirit and our Lord saith to the Woman of Samaria (c) John 4. 23. The hour cometh and now is when the true Worshippers shall Worship the Father in Spirit and Truth for the Father seeketh such to Worship him Now as the true Worship stands in Spirit they that are performers of it must be in the Spirit that is they must be Spiritually-minded their Hearts and Souls must be turned to this Spirit waiting to feel the Work of it both to fit them by taking away and Purging them from every thing that makes them unfit for so great an Exercise as that is to wash from all Corruptions and to draw the Mind out of that which would defile it for whil'st the Heart is defiled it is not fit for this Worship As God is Holy so is his Worship and it must be peform'd by a Heart and Mind that is made so or else we shall have such a return as Israel had of Old by the Prophet (d) Isa 1. 12 13 15. When ye come to appear before me who hath required this at your Hands to tread my Courts Bring no more vain Oblations c. And when ye spread forth your hands I will hide mine Eyes from you yea when you make many Prayers I will not hear your hands are full of Blood So that it is in vain for People to approach before the Lord with an Earthly Corrupt Heart and Mind Man has nothing to do to tread his Courts till a Reformation in some measure be wrought and that they know Repentance and an earnest Willingness and Desire to have their Hearts Washed in the (e) Zach. 13. 1. Fountain which God hath opened which is the Life and Virtue of his Beloved Son For when the Prophet had in the Chapter before advised Verse 16 17 18. Wash ye make ye clean put away the evil of your doings from before mine Eyes cease to do evil and learn to do well c. then he saith Come now and let us reason together c. So that it is evident People must come rightly prepared or else they have no right to tread his Courts nor to offer any thing as a Sacrifice to him And therefore let every Mind especially when met together in our Solemn Meetings for it is not barely coming there and hearing what may be spoken there but every one must be turned in to the Gift of God's Spirit in your own Hearts and feel your Minds exercised in it and you truly subject to the Leadings and Dictates of it that you may be a Spiritual-minded People and it is in this Frame God is Worshipped for when the Mind is truly subject to the Spirit of Life it quickens and raises such a Soul into a deep Sense of the Dealings of the Lord and his Goodness and Mercies which have been very many and the many Deliverances and Preservations God hath wrought for us and in this sense the Soul truly Bows before him and Admires his Goodness and Adores him for it and here the Worship of God is perform'd acceptably and such feel returns of Peace into their Souls and thereby are opened and enlarged to Praise the Lord and Speak well of his Name and these grow as (f) Mal. 4. 2. Calves in the Stall and as (g) Isa 44. 2. Willows by the Water-Courses these are like a Tree (h) Psal 1. 3. Planted by the Rivers of Water they bring forth their
the Lord. And as there is a Care and Duty that ought to be upon Parents to Educate their Children in the Fear of the Lord so there is a Duty upon Children to Parents to have an Aweful Regard to them and to Love them and be subject to them not to be Stubborn Self-will'd Heady High-minded or Perverse but to be Meek and Gentle willing to be Advised Tender Condescending and Affectionate Considering the great Care and Pains Parents have taken for them many ways and therefore ought not to be Rewarded with Unnaturalness Disobedience and Contempt but with a Meek Condescending Compliance in all Honest and Lawful things and this brings Parents and Children to have Comfort one in another and a Blessing from God upon both And also as touching Servants there ought to be a Care upon Masters and Mistresses so to walk towards their Servants as that they may answer the Witness of God in them and yet keep that Authority as in their Places in the Truth not in a Lordly Spirit nor a High Severe Cruel Mind but in the Savouryness of the Truth not giving way upon Provocations that may be given tho' it may be a Fault in them that gives them to fly out into Rage and Passion and consequently into Rash and Unsavoury Words as calling Uncomly and Unproper Names and Threatning Expressions for when Passion exceeds the Bounds of Reason then the Tongue is at Liberty to express that which is Unsavoury and afterwards has cause many times to Repent but where Fults are Committed let such Reproof be given in a good Temper of Mind as carries a Convinceing Authority along with it this is the way to answer the good in them and keep down that which is contrary in our selves and as it is just and equal for Masters to expect and require of Servants a diligent Performance of their Service and Work for which they take Wages so on the other hand Servants ought not to be Cruelly Used nor Oppressed in their Service but that Moderation which Truth leads into used and lived in on both hands and then they that are served will have quiet and content in them that Serve and Servants will have Comfort in their Services and thereby the Truth and Reputation of it will be Promoted and Love and Concord Increase And Servants ought also to behave themselves in their places Justly and Faithfully in a considering Mind with due Respect to those they serve in all Quietness and Diligence not as (k) Eph. 6. 6. Col. 3. 22 23. Eye-Servants but Conscienciously Performing their Service as in the sight of God and where any are Servants to those that know not the Blessed Truth you may by your Savoury Lives and Honest Endeavours and Conversations in your places be Instruments in the Hand of the Lord to reach to the Good in them and they thereby brought to Love and Embrace the Truth that so you in your places may Shine as Lights upon an Hill that they seeing your Conscientiousness and Justice in what you are Intrusted in may have cause to Glorifie God on your behalfs and be Careful not to give way to a Froward and Perverse Mind nor to give any Just Cause of Provocation nor to let in a Spirit of Scorn and Contempt towards those you serve nor to give way to Whispering nor Tale-bearing for that many times breeds Disturbances in Families and many times occasions Differences between Friends it is of a very ill Tendency and ought be watch'd against and condemned that so the Blessed Truth may Flourish and both Servants and Masters in their places may be Instruments in the Hand of the Lord by their Just and Good Conversation for the Inlarging the borders of Truth and Righteousness in the Earth to God's Glory and the Mutual Comfort one of another And Friends be Careful in all things to preserve Love and Peace and Concord amongst the Flock and Heritage of God and to shun every thing that would lessen it or any ways undermine the Foundation of True Society one with another which is Love and Fervent Charity Therefore beware of Evil-Speakings and Surmisings one against another and also of Whisperings Backbitings and (l) Prov. 18. 8. and 11. 13. and 19. 20. and 16. 28. Tale-bearing and do not encourage give ear to or receive any such things from others but rather reprove and discourage it where-ever it appears nor none Act as busie Bodies in other Peoples Matters where we are not for Truth and its sake Concerned for where these things are given way to they beget Grudgings Heart-burnings and Jealousies against one another and this is the way to break Uuity lay waste Society and put all things into Confusion and therefore let us watch against all such things and Live in Peace and Charity one with another bearing one with anothr and so fulfil (m) Gal. 6. 2. the Law of Christ that the World may see we are the Disciples of our Lord whom we Profess and that we are Lovers of Him and his Word who gave himself a Ransom for us and that the Promotion of his Name and Truth is more to us than any Worldly End or Interest whatsoever that his Glory may be Exalted over all by us and through us in all things and the Glory of his Name may Shine upon us and we Beautified therewith For he will Beautifie the (n) Psal 149. 4. Meek with Salvation and he makes them to Inherit the Earth for he teacheth the Humble of his Ways and the Meek (o) Psal 25. 9. he guides in Judgment He is not wanting to them that Fear him nor his Hand shut up to them that depend upon him but he is an open Fountain and as a place of (p) Isa 33. 21. Broad Rivers and Streams of Refreshment to those whose Souls thirst after him and he will fill them with his Goodness and they shall be Satisfied he will break (q) Psal 22. 26. Bread to the hungring Soul and will give Water of Life to the thirsty his Name will be a strong (r) Prov. 18. 10. Tower for them where they shall find Safety in the time of Storms Oh Friends Feel your Minds thus gathered to the Lord and to his Power and Goodness that his Arm may be our Strength and Support whatever may be met with in this World and that in that Strength we receive by a diligent waiting upon him we may Serve and Glorifie our God in our Day and Serve one another in Brothely Love and may be one anothers Joy and Comfort in the Lord that he who is the Fountain and Well-spring of all our Living Mercies and Comforts and hath made us what we are in his Beloved Son may have the Honour and Glory of all over all who alone is worthy for evermore saith my Soul Who am a Lover of all Mankind but more especially of those who Love the Lord Jesus Christ W. B. THE END