AN EPISTLE To the Church of Christ in CHIPPIN-NORTON As Also certaine Scripture Rules which Iesus Christ hath given to His Churches to walke by which are approved of and consented unto by all the Members of the said CHVRCH Published for their use and benefit and for the satisfaction of such persons as desire to know the Principles and practises of the Church aforesaid By STEPHEN FORD Pastor As ye have therefore received Christ the Lord so walke ye in him Col. 2.6 And as many as walke according unto this rule peace be on them and mercy and upon the Israel of God Gal. 6.16 OXFORD Printed by A. LICHFIELD Printer to the University for T. ROBINSON 1657. An Epistle to the Church of Christ in Chippin-Norton MY Dearely beloved friends my Brethren and Sisters in Christ Jesus when the blessed God inclined my heart to the worke of the Ministry my earnest request to God was that he would be pleased to east my lot in a place where I might be if he saw good eminently usefull in the Church and service of Christ and in order thereunto that he would be pleased to take off my heart from ayming at great things in the world that I might never be carryed away with them so as to neglect the worke of the Lord in any measure and that God would give me an enlarged heart and sufficient abilitys to performe so great a worke diligently and faithfully all my days but it pleased God to hold me in suspence many months after I began to preach sometimes gathering that God would have me fit down in one place sometimes in another but I could not be fully satisfyed where the Lord would have me to abide Whereupon I determined to stay longer in the Vniversity of Oxford and to wayt for a satisfactory answer from God The same week that I thus resolved I was desired to preach the next Lords day at Chippin-Norton which accordingly I did and it pleased God to begin to put a seale to my Ministry there as he had done in other places before and being importuned with much earnestnesse to preach to you once more I was willing so to do Afterward you earnestly with the rest of the Inhabitants desired me to accept of the place and be your Minister At that time I had three places offered me one of them was worth neer twenty times as much as this poor Vicariâ—ge that now I have as many can testify but I found my heart more inclined towards you then towards any of the said places and through Grace I refused all of them for your sakes and after I had spent many days in asking counsell of God I was perswaded and in some measure satisfyed that the Lord would have me abide with you at least for a time And accordingly I found the Lord sweetly and strongly bearing in my former resolutions and promises to God when I was depending upon him for directing and strengthning Grace upon my heart and the Lord was pleased to satisfy your desires by his engaging of my heart to continue with you and I assure you that I am willing to spend and to be spent for you and as I never thought any paines too great nor any difficulty too hard that I have not endeavoured to take and break thorow for the weale and happinesse of your soules so I trust I shall never knowingly neglect any oportunity wher in I may any way further your wellbeing here and your eternall Salvation hereafter Now my beloved the returnes that I doe expect and desire of you for all the sufferings that I have and am still like to undergoe for your sakeâ— for all my temporall losses for my care and paines labour and travel for your everlasting happinesse are that you will be pleased to read consider and practice these following dutys I intreat you all for Jesus Christ his sake for the love you beare to his name his honour for the love you have to your own soules if you love peace of Conscience and desire communion with the ever blessed God if you would have the sweet smiles of your heavenly Father breaking forth upon you for the love you professe to have to the glorious Gospell and Appointments of Christ for the respect you have to the Lords people who love you and pray for you who prayed for you before you could pray for your selves who have seen your conversion rejoyced with you for the Grace of God in you as Barnabas for the Saints at Antioch 11. Act. for the love you beare to me if you desire to lay up to your selves a good foundation against the time to come to have continuall assurance of the Love of God towards you if you would not be stumbling blocks to sinners if you value the pretious blood of your Redeemer if you desire to be prepared for death and to be partakers of that Crown of Glory which is laid up in Heaven for the heires of Heaven such as by patient continuance in well doing seek for it Rom. 2.7 I do beseech you in the first place 1. Try and examine your selves whether God hath throughly and savingly convinced you of your miserable and lost estate and condition by nature Joh. 16.8 which may be known by these particulars 1. Hath God by his Word and Spirit broken and melted your hearts hath it been and is it so still a soule emptying and heart breathing conviction hath the Lord shewn you your own nothingnesse and insufficiency that you have nothing in you that is able in whole or in part to deliver you out of your sad estate that you are poore and miserable and blind and naked Rev. 3.17 without Christs Righteousnesse Isa 55.1 2. 2. Have your convictions been selfe loathing and selfe abhorring convictions Ezek. 36.31 Job 42.5 6. 3. Have you been convinced of the evill of sinne in generall and of your sinnes in particular both of emission and commission how the great the gracious and mercifull God hath been dishonoured by you he who waited to be gracious unto you so many yeares who invited and intreated you to come in and be reconciled to him by Jesus Christ 2 Jer. 19. Rom. 7.13 hath it been the burden of your soules that you should thus requite the Lord to choose rather to serve sinne and Sathan then to serve him Jerem. 3 25. 1 Tim. 1.13 4. Are you brought to loath to hate and abhorre all your sinnes your right hand and right eye sinnes your former beloved sinnes that were espoused to you doe you loath the very garment spotted with the flesh Psal 119.104 113. Rom. 7.15 5. Have you cast off taken your leave of all your former evill ways your flesh pleasing and profitable sinnes as you accounted them can you say that your hearts are brought to this that you had rather suffer much then sinne a little that you had rather die then hugge entertaine or commit any known sinne Ezek. 36.25 Judg. 10.16 Hos 14.8 1 Joh. 3.9 6.
yea he will if you do cast your selves and all your concernments upon him 2 Cor. 9.8 2 Tim. 1.12 Jud. 24. Phil. 4.19 7. God hath pronounced such as doe not relie on him but upon any other thing acâ—ursed oh 't is very dangerous Jerem. 17.5 8. Many promises are made to this duty God hath engaged himself by promise to you that shall rest alone on him to pardon you to helpe you to protect you to give you peace Mark. 16.16 Isa 41.10 Rom. 5.1 9. It is of all other duties the greatest and such a duty that if it be well performed will as a meanes enable you to performe all other duties that you owe to God or men you will hereby be inabled to pray to fight against flesh and blood yea against the Devill himselfe You will engage the great God to stand by you to supply you with all grace at all times Eph. 6.11 12 13 14 15 16 17. Math. 21.22 Notes of living by faith 1. YOu live by faith and rest on Christ when you can acquiesce satisfie and quiet your hearts in him when all creatures and creature supports and comforts faile you then you can trust in him and say I have interest in an able and faithfull God in a full and all sufficient Christ and here I can rest my soule and I am fully satisfyed I have enough in having him here lys my happinesse he hath made a Covenant that is sure and certaine and this is all my salvation 2 Sam. 23.5 but if you despond in your spirits complaine murmur and are as persons undone when the Lord takes away Creature supports then certainly you rested upon these things A man may think that he doth believe and relie on God with a strong faith so long as he is hedged about with Creature comforts but very difficult to know whether he can live by faith indeed at such a time 1 Jam. 30.6 Prov. 18 10. 2. If it be more and more familiar and easy to you you can quickly and readily go to your resting place and not account it a strange thing Psal 56.3 Isa 26.4 3. If you are not discouraged in the work God sets you about because of the difficulties you meet withall in it but you are carried on with much resolvednesse and boldnesse of spirit to doe your duty yea though your way be hedged up with thornes yet you will not decline any one duty it is a signe that you rest on Christ. Gen 22.10 first verses 20. Act. 24. 4. If you can keep your ground and stand stedfast and keep close to God in times of temptations and raising up of that unbeliefe that is in your hearts if you can say that none of these things move you 6. Eph. 11. to 18.7 Math. 26. 5. If when the Lord withdraws and hides his face from you when your graces are dead your Sanctification clouded your light is gone out as to your present sence I say if then you can rest on the name of the Lord 50. Isa 10.43 Psal 5. and stay upon the God of Jacob then to conclude well though it be a sad and cloudy day now yet I shall see the Sun-shine of grace againe 6. If when you see your emptinesse wants and insufficiency you can then go freely unto him who hath all fullnesse of all grace for supply and there wait untill it please him to satisfy your desires and you aâ—e kept from going back to broken Cisternes then you live by Faith 30. Isa 18. 2 Chron. 20.12 7. If you can quietly and cheerfully commit your selves to God all your cares troubles and injoyments and mind nothing but your duty and priviledges how you may receive from God and how you may live to him and please him well in all things how you may walk worthy of the Lord and bring forth fruit to his praise and take no care but a dutifull care what you shall eat and what you shall drink but throw your selves on God for these things then you Live by Faith 4. Phil. 6. 1 Pet. 57. 2 Tym. 1.12 NOw then for your comfort and incouragement know that if you can find that you are thus brought home to Christ that there is a reall hearty â—ntract made between Christ and your soule and that now it is your care to rest and rely on him then know for your comfort 1. That you have an interest in and a right unto all the promises that are made in Christ unto Believers the Father Sonne and Holy spirit are all by Covenant engaged to you to doe you good his wisdome his strength his goodnesse and farthfullnesse nay his Justice 1 Joh. 1.9 oh you that are the Lordâ— blessed ones rejoyce and be exceeding glad you may 't is your priviledge 2 Cor. 1.20 Joh. 18 21 23. 1 Joh 1 9. 2. You have freedom and liberty to treat with God about the great concernments of your soules or bodys yea you may draw neer unto him with boldnesse and confidence and make your requests known unto him Oh precious priviledge Heb. 10.19 20 21 22. Rom. 8.15 Heb. 4.15 16. 3. You have an interest in Christs love he can and will receive you and your Sacrifices that you shall offer up to God in his name he will plead your case in Heaven be sure he will never neglect you if you doe not neglect him he expressed his hearty love to his poor friends when he was leaving of the world promising them that if they should aske any thing in his name he would do it he that loves you can doe what he will for you Joh. 14.13 14 15. Joh. 15.7 John 16.23 24 26. Joh. 17. 4. God the Father himselfe loveth you Jesus Christs Father and your Father loves you notwithstanding your former sinnes and present infirmitys he loves you with an everlasting love before you loved him he had his heart fixed on you looking upon you in Christ when you were sinners though he loved you not with the love of delight and complacency as now he doth having stampt his own Image upon you Joh. 16.26 27. Joh. 14.23 5. Be sure that your Heavenly Father will never leave you nor forsake you provided that you endeavour to please him and continue faithfull unto him he will not doe as men to love for a month or a yeare and provide for their friends for a few days but as his love will be eternall so will his care be also he will provide for your soules and bodys Rom. 8.32 he delights in the Prosperity of his Servants Heb. 13.5 2 Chr. 15.2 6. You have an interest in and a peculiar right unto all the good things that Christ hath he hath purchased all things that pertaine to life and Godlinesse you being Christs all these benefits are yours name what you will that may make for your well being here and your eternall Salvation and happinesse hereafter Oh blessed portion 1 Cor. 3.21 22 23. Eph. 1 14. Rom. 8.32 NOw Beloved the Lord having done all these
such things for they are lawfull and others have done such things that have been holy wise men others have spent much time in seasting and merry meetings in jestings and merry discourses in sleeping and idlenesse and why not you also why these things are not altogether unlawfull and many other such wayes he hath to seduce you 3. Be sure to keep a strict watch when you are in vaine evill company for then you will be in great danger of being betrayed your hearts will soon be drawn to close with them at least to a conniving at them or to speak something that may manifest too much of your consenting to them and make them the more bold in their practises and betray your own hearts Psal 39.1 2. 4. Observe your hearts when providence calls you to change either your places or businesses or both for then you will be in great danger of loosing your hearts and your God too many gracious hearts have found it true by sad experience that have kept close to God for the most part after they have been converted so long as they have lived in the same places and followed the same imployments but in and after some considerable changes they have miserably fallen and departed from God 2 Sam. 11. 5. When you meet with any great disappointments and crosse providences or God at any time gives you your hearts desires then be sure to have a strict eye over your hearts for if you are not exceeding carefull at such times you will backslide from God for then your thoughts will be taken up about making some carnall advantag by the one or in looking too much on the second causes in the other at such times either your hearts will be too high or too low Job 1. 1 Sam. 1. 6. Watch when God calls you to the solemne performance of any spirituall duty either privately or publiquely least when you come to the performance you come without hearts or without hearts that will rather hinder you then help you 1 Pet. 4.7 7. Be sure to watch your hearts when you are in holy duties especially when you pray or speak before others or when you joyne with others in prayer your hearts will be like the fooles eyes in every corner of the earth at such a time or pride and selfe exalting will arise in your hearts 1 Cor. 3. 8. When you have performed any spirituall duties and you have met with God in it you have been filled with joy and enlargements of heart your hearts are warme and chearfull you can read your names written in the Book of life oh then especially watch then you have more need then at any other times 1. Because your hearts will rest upon your enjoyments and set them up in the room of Christ I doe assure you that I have found my heart readier to rest upon these broken reeds and to neglect Christ then at any other time now you should endeavour to see it Jer. 2.13 2. Because your hearts will attribute that which only is due to God to the Creature and say my own hands have done this or by the excellent gifts and graces of such a man who prayed and Preached admirably and so forget that the holy spirit did all for you and in you Isa 26.12 Phil. 2.13 3. Because the heart is very apt to grow secure and carelesse then more then at another time then Satan and your own hearts will tell you that now all is well and therefore eat drink and be merry untill you have so provoked the spirit as that he will take his leave of your hearts secretly you shall not know when nor how he departs 1 Kings 9.2 compared 11 chap. 1.4 4. Because if you should depart from God after such sweet expressions of his love you will more dishonour and grieve him then before and God will take it as a very proud affront to his Majesty that when he hath sweetly and gratiously answered your desires you should so much slight and undervalue him as not to endeavour to keep what he hath given you 1 King 11 9. Psal 85.8 5. Because when you were waiting and depending on God for such or the like favours as you have received you promised and vowed that you would improve them when the Lord should grant them now you cannot possibly make good your promises and vowes except you be very watchfull Psal 76.11 Eccl. 5.4 5. 6. Because then you have power your faculties and graces are prepared you have divine strength put into your hand to walk with God and to doe some singular thing for God for the farther advantage of your soules more then at another time Psal 36.9 Psal 30.5 Therefore be much in this blessed duty especially at such times and know that 't is not your duty only at such times though especially then but at all times in all places in all businesses in all companies in all your conversings with men and in all your conversings with God 1. NOw to quicken you to this great duty consider these few things first if you shall carefully faithfully and constantly practise this duty you will be able to see and clearly to discerne all passages between God and your soules you will see his comings in and goings out you will know the method of the spirits workings you will be ready to imbrace and receive all his benefits you will quickly see a clear difference between your own spirits and the spirit of God your own wisdome and strength and his you will see the worth of divine assistances 2 Pet. 4.9 the 4 5 6. Chapters of the Cant. 2. You will be well provided to wage warre with the Divell your Lusts and the World you will be able to see your enemies a farre off you will not be surprised but be able to fight with them at a distance and then you will have a very great advantage when you shall be able to fight with your enemies at the swords poynt I can say that when I have fought with sin and Sathan at a distance that I never was conquered but was still a conqueror through the Lord Jesus that strengthened mee 1 Pet. 5.8 Eph. 6. 3. Consider that God hath pronounced such blessed God blesses you even in the very performance of it besides what soule advantages you will have thereby as you have heard Revel 16 15. Math. 24.42 46. 4. Consider that it is your duty to watch therefore do it in obedience to Gods command make Conscience of performing this duty as well and as much as of any other Mark 13.33 34 35 36 37. 5. You will make your passage to Heaven the more comfortable you will make the way easy and plaine you will not be so often at a losse as others are that neglect it you will be able to runne when others can hardly creep you will rejoyce when others mourne Psal 51. 6. God will enable you hereby to be ready to every good worke you will be able to go
from one duty to another from one businesse to another from one place to another to performe the dutys of your particular callings and goe from them to prayer or hearing or meditation or discoursing with the Saints oh my brethren what a priviledge will you have none can be greater then to have the heart disposed unto every good word and worke for God Tit. 3.1 Luk. 12.40 7. Be much and often in the great duty of private prayer take heed of neglecting that spirituall and soule enriching duty it hath been and still it is the Common experience of the Lords people that the neglect of this dutie hath been unspeakably prejudiciall to their soules and beloved the Devill will Labour more to keep Believers from this dutie then I thinke from any other for nothing can prejudice the Devills Kingdome like unto this duty well performed now that your hearts may be the more engaged to this duty I shall intreat you to realize these few considerations and Scriptures Math. 6 6.9 Math. 26.41 Mark 13.33 Luk. 18.1 Luk. 21.36 1 Thess 5.17 1. IT is Gods way his Ordinance appointment to Communicate and â—onvey his choisest soul saving mercys to his People so that if ever you expect much of God be much in private prayer Math. 7.6 7 8 Psal 2.8 2. Cons God hath promised his Spirit to helpe such as shall be faithfull in waiting on God in this duty so that when you intend to pray but meet with great oppositions with much deadnesse and coldnesse of hâ—art many great temptations be not in the least discouraged but go to the Lord and tell him that you intend to pray as he hath commanded you but you cannot unlesse he will helpe you tell God that he hath promised his Spirit to helpe you and that now you Stand in need of him and intreat him to give him to you and take no denyall Rom. 8.26 27. Gal. 4 6. Joh. 14.26 3. Consider that the great God hath condescended to promise to heare the very groans and sighs of your hearts when by reason of the prevalency of your corruptions and temptations you cannot speake out your wants and desires to God Rom. 8 26 27. Psal 79.11 4 Your Heavenly Father invites you to converse with him he intreats you not to be strangers to him God would have his people to be familiar with him call on me saith God I will heare thee you may goe to God in Christs name as friends invited to feast with him and to aske what you will of him Psal 50 15 Math. 11.28 Joh. 15.7 5. Consider that your Heavenly Father Complaines much of his peoples strangenesse to him and tells them they had forgotten him days without number Jer. 2.32 Isa 43 22. 6. Consider that God is your friend and Father he is full of bowells of love compassion and goodnesse he will be exceeding ready to receive you and here your prayers and grant your desires so that when you goe to God to petition him for any mercy remember you goe to the greatest and most real heartedst friend that you have Exod. 34.6 7. Jer. 3.19 Psal 86.5 7. Consider that you have a great faithfull loving and potent friend in Heaven to transact all your businesses in Heaven between God and your soules one who can experimentally sympathize with you your advocate and Intercessor is man as well as God you may open your very hearts to him with as much freedome and holy boldnesse as you may to any friend you have in the world remember what he promised you before he went into Heaven and put him in minde of them and be sure that he will be as good as his word 1 Joh 2.1 2 John 14.13 14 15. John 16 23 24 26. John 15.14 8. Consider prayer is an appointment of God whereby God will hold Communion with his people in his Ordinance God communicates his minde unto his friends and the blessings of the new Covenant and Believers having received of God they give back againe to him by acknowledging his free mercy and grace in blessing and praising of his Name and in resting and relying upon him for further expressions of his Love and by commending his goodnesse and inhauncing it Jam. 4.8 1 and 2. Chapters of the Acts 9. Consider God hath promised to heare and to Answer the desires and requests of his people that are according unto his will and God is ever mindfull of his Covenant Jer. 29.12 13 14. Psal 34.15 10. Consider that if you shall be negligent in this duty you will quickly incurre guilt on your consciences and bring heardnesse upon your hearts you will grieve the holy Spirit and cause him to withdraw from you you will bring upon your selves many feares and doubtings which will greatly perplex and trouble your soules you will loose the exercise and use of all your Graces yea you will have all your spirituall comforts taken from you Psal 30.5 2. Be sure to performe this duty according to the will of God Oh my beloved t is not enough to pray much but take heed how you pray t is not any kind of praying that is a Sacrifice well pleasing to God Mat. 6.9 after this manner therefore pray ye saith Christ 1. Before you begin to pray set a part a little time to prepare by considering 1. What your wants are what you stand most in need of 2. Whether it be your duty at that time it is an easy matter to be mistaken and to pray when we should doe some other thing I assure you friends 't is a great thing yea a choise mercy indeed for a Believer to do all duties in their season 3. Whether God hath promised to give such things as you intend to aske whether there be any generall or paticular promise to be a foundation for your faith 4. Consider with whom you have to doe in prayer a God who is Justice Goodnesse Wisedome Strength Mercy Love Omniscient Omnipresent and a Spirit and then 5. Consider what frame of heart is or may be most suitable to these glorious Attributes of God 6. Consider your own unworthinesse how infinitely unworthy you are of such a priviledge 7. To consider your own insufficiency that you can do nothing without the assistance of the Holy Spirit and that he hath promised the Spirit to them that in sincerity aske him 8. To consider what encouragements you have from God to pray and other considerations you should use to prepare your hearts 3. When you go to God believe for much and expect much of God take heed of doubtings and of low and narrow expectations open your mouths wide that is your faith that God may fill your hearts Jam. 1.5 Psal 8.10 4. Be sure that you get your hearts affected with your wants and with the greatnesse preciousnesse of those mercys that can supply them that so your hearts may hunger and thirst earnestly after them Math. 5.6 5. Go to God the Father in Christs name go in
you no account why he doth so Psal 5 6. 9. Consider that you cannot do any thing without him you can neither heare nor pray nor discourse without his wâ—sedome and strength and therefore how little cause have you to be proud of your selves 2 Cor. 3.5 6. Rom. 26 27. 10. Consider that God requires and Commands you to walke humbly what doth the Lord your God requires of you the Prophet answers to walke humbly with your God Mich. 6.8 Col. 3.12 10. LAbour to have and to keep always a tender Conscience that the â—ppearance of sinne may make some impression on it Conscience is an active stirring faculty it will not be quiet if you give it liberty if you do not offer violence to it take heed my friends you may soon get a seared sleepy Conscience in a great measure and know for certain that if you stop the mouth of Conscience you will also hinder the spirits workings who worketh in and by Conscience and if the Holy Ghost and your Consciences should once cease their operations you may be suffered to run into sin and so from sin to sin for you have as it were bound up the hands of your keepers 2 Chron 34.27 Act. 24.16 1 Tim. 1.5 Heb. 10.22 11. Take heed of taking the glorious and fearfull name of God in vain of using it commonly and frequently without feare and trembling you will not use the name of some great men without some reverence and respect consider what God hath spoken of Himselfe to his Creatures to beget in them a holy feare and reverence how ill the Lord hath taken it that men speak so slightly and carelessely of him the Lord will not hold such a person guiltlesse that taketh his name in vaine that is that speaketh of God in a common ordinary manner Oh my friends if you love the Great and Holy God shew your Love to him in being tender of his honour never make mention of the name of God but with a self abhorring but with a deliberate purpose to exalt and honour him Oh my beloved for the Lord Jesus Christ his sake if ever you hope to see the face of the Holy God I beseech you when you speak of God or to him do it with feare reverence and trembling Exod 20.7 Deut 5.11 Deut. 28.58 13. Treasure up the word into your hearts when and after you have heard it Preached unto you one great reason why you do not grow faster in knowledge in mortification and holinesse is because you are I am afraid like unto the hearers that James speaks of Jam. 1.23 24. if ever you exspect good by the word you must take pains with your hearts before you heare and when you are hearing and after that you have heard to consider what you have heard to labour to have it turned into Grace in every faculty of your soules to heare for afterward to search and see what advantage you may make of every Sermon you heare 1 Cor. 15.2 Math. 13.18 to 24. Psal 119.11 13. Labour to walk joyfully and chearfully a holy serious mirth a spirituall rejoycing is very commendable in a Saint let your rejoycing be in God not in your selves let it appear that Religion is a reall thing that you tast and feele more sweetnesse and joy in the wayes of God that you walk in then others to doe in their own wayes 1. Consider that God hath promised it he hath promised to make his servants joyfull to comfort and cheare their hearts Oh you blessed of the Lord make out to God the Father and Jesus Christ for much of it Isa 35.1 2 10. Isa 56.7 Isa 65.13 14. 2. Consider that the Lord commands you to rejoyce therefore labour to be joyfull and chearfull in obedience unto the command of God Phil. 4 4. Psal 97.12 3. Consider that Jesus Christ hath prayed for it when Jesus Christ was about to take his leave of his friends you know he made a long prayer to his Father for his Servants and Friends that he was to leave behind him in a persecuting world and among other Petitions you have this Ioh. 17.13 I come to thee Father that they may have my joy fulfilled in themselves 1. Be sure to call to mind and to realize what once you were and what you are now you were once Children of wrath and of the Divell but now you are the sonnes and daughters of God once the servants of sinne but now the servants of Christ Eph. 2.1 2 4 5. Tit. 3.3 4 5. 2. Call to mind what great things Jesus Christ hath done for you and what it hath cost him to make heirs of eternall glory Tit. 2.14 Rom. 5.8 9. 3. Be often minding of your heavenly Fathers Love and free grace to you how he continues still to love you how his heart and Christs heart stands affected towards you that he loves you really and heartily Ioh. 3.16 1 Ioh. 3.1 4. Remember your future estate what you shall be though now you have many heavy burthens on you yet the time is coming that you shall be freed from all and shall be partakers of the fulnesse of Christs ioy you shall see him as he is realize it to your own soules that so your hearts may be affected greatly therewith 1 Ioh. 3.2 Coll. 3.4 2 Cor. 4.17 Revel 2.10 14. TAke heed that you give not place to distrustfull unbelieving thoughts and reasoning in a carnall manner at any crosse dispensations you will then quickly fall into the commitment of other sinnes you will murmure and repine against God you will hinder your prayers acceptance you will quickly weaken the hands of grace if you give way to the raisings up of unbeliefe and entertaine it in your hearts you will quickly ruine your selves 1. Therefore to prevent it consider that it is your duty to believe and not to entertain any distrustfull thoughts of God and God takes speciall notice of you whether you be obedient unto him accordingly 1 Joh. 3.23 Isa 26.4 Isa 50.10 2. Consider that distrustfulnesse will grieve the Holy Ghost he hath wrought faith in your hearts and commands you to use it in order to the destroying of unbeliefe and therefore now expects that you should believe and reject all such wicked thoughts Eph. 4.30 3. Consider how exceeding hurtfull it will be to your souls if it be not kept in subjection it will hinder your spirituall comforts and make you goe sorrowfull to your graves and disinable you for all your work and service for God Rom. 15.13 4. Consider what grounds you have to believe what helps and encouragements you have Gods commands his promises his Oath his faithfulnesse power goodnesse mercy and love engaged for you you have the Lord Jesus interceding for you in heaven with his merits Rom. 1.17 Heb. 6.17 18. 1 Thes 5.24 Rom. 8.34 15. Labour to be of lively active publique spirits let not the Divels disciples be more lively and active for their Lord then you are for Christ your
Lord do not give Jesus Christ cause to complain of you that his adversary the Divell hath better servants then he do not make Christ ashamed of you t is a shame to Christ to have dead lifelesse members when your hearts begin to flagg and to lose their activity then go to him for life who is the fountain of Life Ioh. 10.10 Psal 36 9. Isa 55.1 16. Labour to have alwaies upon your hearts the allseeing eye of God Consider that God sees all your thoughts intentions and all your contrivements he pondereth all your wayes yea there is not a thought in your hearts but he knoweth it altogether Christians know that God doth very narrowly pâ—y into all your aymes and ends more then into others he loves the feet of his Saints Oh my friends this will keep you from the entertaining of many idle thoughts and vaine words from misspending of precious time from sinfull selfish aims and ends in what you doe it will be a meanes to make you walk warily and circumspectly before God Saints and sinners and prevent backsliding from God Psal 139.4 Prov. 5.21 Jer 17.10 17. Labour to be much affected with Gods favours to you but especially with the God of the Favours and mercies and endeavour to be very thankfull for them for soule mercies and bodily mercies Labour to see the true and full worth of the mercies that you enjoy consider that you are lesse then the least of them consider that all your injoyments all your mercies for your soules and bodies are given to you upon a speciall account they are new Covenant mercies and the Lord Jesus hath purchased them for you so long as you have a low esteem of mercies you cannot be affectionately thankfull for them Oh redeeming mercy electing mercy calling converting mercy confirming and coâ—forting mercies Oh how great is persevering mercy teaching and soule strengthening mercies oh your great Gospel mercies your Ordinary mercy your mercies of peace health and Liberty which all of the Lords precious Saints in the world cannot enjoy Math. 13.16 17. 18. Keep to the good way of God wherein you have walked and wherein you have found God sweetly revealing of himselfe unto you and take heed that you turne not aside to the right hand or to the left Oh labour to be stayd stable strong Christians take heed that you be not soon shaken in mind for t is a good thing that your hearts be established with grace let no man deceive you with vaine words and draw you back again from your faith and practice to the old corrupt formall way of worshiping God againe Oh let not the flatteries or frownes or reproaches of men though from your nearest relations in the least measure cause you to faint in your spirits or cause you in the least to decline from the ways of God if any man draw boâ—k saith God my soule shall have no pleasure in him think not that you doe not walk inthe ways of God because wicked men reproach you for so doing no my brethren but rather use it as an argument that you are in the way because you are reproached by such men Consider that so long as you walked as the world did and there was no difference between you and them they did not trouble you Gods owning of you and visiting you so often with such sweet expressions of love should confirme you in your principles and walking against all the Arguments of men Eph. 4.14 Heb. 13.9 2 Pet. 1.12 Gal 6.9 Heb. 12.3 4 5. Ioh. 15.18 19. 19. Let all that you doe all your purposes and intentions all your thoughts and words or as many as possble be directed to exalt the name of God When you heare the word preached heare for God that you may be made more like unto him that your hearts may be brought nearer unto him that you may know more of his will that you may doe more and so when you pray or converse with the people of God or with sinners pray for to exalt and honour him converse for God labour in all your callings and worldly businesses for God you will loose all your Labour cost and paines that you lay out and spend in any good work if you doe not intend for God and give it to him 1 Cor. 10.31 Col. 3.23 Prov. 3.6 20. I beseech you in the last place give diligent heed to these Rules that you have promised to walk by Labour to understand to remember and to practise every one of them so farre as they are practicall oh beloved your priviledges are many and great as you have oftentimes acknowledged to God and therefore be sure that your duties are many and great God having done more for you then for others oh therefore be more wise more holy more circumspect more loving more fruitfull more diligent and more faithfull then others oh labour to be more humble more sincere and more abounding in the work of the Lord. Oh my beloved friends in the Lord Jesus how insinitely are you ingaged to God you owe your selves and all your enjoyments unto him he hath kept back nothing from you that might doe you good he hath freely given his own Son his holy spirit oh rejoce in God and love and feare and honour him think nothing too much that you can doe to honour him he was contriving and lying out his thoughts from all eternity about your salvation contriving how to make you everlastingly honourable and happy Consider my deare friends you have but a few days to worke and suffer here you are drawing towards your rest oh how blessed will you be if you shall continue stedfast and unmovable in your walking with God unto the end Oh my Friends keep close to God he will keep with you he will not depart from you if you will not depart from him 2 Cron. 15.2 your God and Father will delight to do you good you may have the liberty to aske what you will and it shall be done if good for you oh fight strongly against your spirituall enemies you must fight before you can overcome before you can be crowned as conquerers even as Jesus Christ himselfe hath done for us and before us surely if we will be partakers with Christ in his Crown and Glory we must first suffer and worke with him Consider all the goodworkes that you shall performe in sincerity for the glory of God shall all be remembred at the last day to the infinite and endlesse Joy and comfort of your soules all your sufferings for Righteousnesse sake shall be abundantly rewarded feare not litle slock it is your Fathers good pleasure to give you a Kingdome your Lord and Saviour will shortly come and see you he will fetch you home unto himselfe when your enemies shall have that dreadfull sentence depart from me ye cursed he will say to you come ye blessed of my Father inherit the Kingdome of Glory now you that have followed me shall sit upon twelve Thrones