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
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
Fruits in due Season their Leaf withereth not and whatsoever such do Prospereth for the Lord is the Rock and Defence of such and will preserve such from the Storm and Horrible (i) Psal 11. 6. Tempest which will come upon the Hypocrite the Rebellious and the Wicked And Dear Friends seeing God in his Infinite Love hath gathered us and redeemed us out of the World to be a People to him let not the World nor the things in it entangle us again nor let not the Enjoyment of any outward Substance which God has been pleased as Blessings to bestow upon us alienate our Minds and Affections from him for that would be Ingratitude in a high degree and a Sin which shall not go unpunished What! shall we forget the Hand that has Fed us and dealt Bountifully with us Nay shall we spurn against him that hath given us Food and Raiment and by his Providence hath preserved us from the Dangers that have often attended and given us Health and length of Days and hath been as an open Fountain to us God forbid that ever we should requite the Lord Evil for his Good Remember Israel's Sin and God's Complaint by the Prophet against them for it he calls Heaven and Earth to witness against them for they had received Blessings both from Heaven above and the Earth beneath therefore he calls both to witness against them Hear (k) Isa 1. 2 3. O Heavens and give Ear O Earth for the Lord hath spoken I have nourished and brought up Children and they have Rebelled against me The Ox knoweth his Owner and the Ass his Master Cribb but Israel my People doth not know my People doth not consider Oh! That every one may be stirred up to a diligent Search and Examination of themselves what is my Heart upon am I setting my Affections on things that are above or on things that are below For our Lord exhorted by his Apostle That (l) Col. 3. 2. we should set our Affections on things that are above for the things that are below fade away but the things that are above they are Heavenly and endure for ever and these are the things that ought to be the Objects of our Minds about these we ought to be taken up and employed before and above any earthly thing For Christ Jesus our Lord whom we ought to hear and obey in all things requires of us First seek the (m) Mat. 6. 33. Kingdom of Heaven and the Righteousness thereof and all these things shall be added unto us It was his care that we might not be over-thoughtful about things that perish for he that knows what is good for us better than we our selves know has promised All these things shall be added unto us and as we diligently observe his Counsel and Direction we shall find he will not be wanting to fulfil his Promises for we certainly know by good and comfortable Experience that they that Love and Fear the Lord shall want no good thing and therefore how ought we to abandon the World and Worldly-mindedness with all the inducements that would draw thereto to neglect our inward Exercise in the Gift of God towards him and from being Faithful Stewards of what God in Mercy hath bestowed upon us Therefore let all keep their Minds within the bounds of Truth and not launch out without the bounds of it in an eager pursuit after the Riches of the VVorld and thereby forget that Tender Frame of Spirit and Breathing which we ought to be in towards the Lord for if this Tender Breathing Frame of Spirit be lost then Coldness will come in our VVatch will be neglected the Fear and Awe that ought to be upon our Minds towards God will slide off and Forgetfulness of God and his dealings with us will by degrees come in its place Seeing therefore that yet a little while and these outward things will come to an end and that they may be taken from us and that we must certainly be taken from them O! The Care that ought to be upon our Minds that we may have Treasure in Heaven when all these things will come to an end And although this ought to be the Care of all yet this is not to encourage any whose Circumstances in the VVorld calls for Diligence Care and Industry to be Slothful in their Business nor to neglect an honest Endeavour to provide what is convenient for their Pilgrimage in this VVorld and also for their Families if they have any for when the Apostle Exhorts the Believers To be fervent in Spirit serving the Lord he at the same time Exhorts them not to be (n) Rom. 12. 11. slothful in Business and he himself as well as Exhorted shewed us an Example of Industry (o) Acts 20. 34. For his own hands ministred to his necessities and them that were with him So that where occasion requires Care and Diligence People are not to throw them aside on pretence that we must not let in the Cares of the VVorld nor busie our selves about the things of it This Extreme is a Stratagem of the Wicked One who worketh all the ways he can to Ensnare and Captivate Man For People may be Industrious and Careful in their Lawful Imployments and yet Meditate on Heavenly things and be a Spiritual-minded People waiting upon the Lord to enjoy his Living Presence and feel his Spirit and Power to be with them whereby they will be Strengthened and Comforted and their States and Conditions Sanctified to them and hereby truly learn in all States to be Contented then no Murmuring nor Repining at the Providences of the Almighty but he over all who is God of all our Mercies will be Blessed and Praised for all his Blessings and Mercies who alone is worthy for Evermore And Friends this is upon my Spirit also to entreat of you That all be careful to keep up your Testimony in every part of it for certain it is God hath called us to be Witnesses to him and for him in all things that we are concerned in in this World and first in our Trade and Dealing among Men that we be careful to answer that Just and Holy Principle in all which we Profess to be given of God to all Men to lead and guide them I say that we answer it in all by our Justice and Truth in Dealings doing to all as we would have others to (p) Mat. 7. 12. do to us watching against that Mind and Spirit that will wait for an Opportunity to take advantage to over-reach or defraud another though it may be done secretly and not be discovered by others yet God who is Judge of all sees it and such knows in themselves they would not be so done by And take not a liberty to speak of things by way of commending them above what they are in their Nature to induce the Unskilful Buyer either to buy or give more than the thing is really worth for this is not
the Lord which is a (v) Prov. 14. 27. Fountain of Life to depart from these and all the Snares of Death and to take heed to the divine Instruction of the Grace of God in their own Hearts which teacheth to deny all these things and not only to deny Evil but to (w) Tit. 2. 12. live a Holy Sober and Godly Life in this present evil World and consider in seriousness when a temptation presents to the jollity and liberty of this World either from an Inclination in our selves or by others to draw us into it will this be pleasiing to God ought I to take this liberty will it not gender to bondage or shall I hereby answer the great love of God towards me shall I be an Instrument to civilize those among whom I am or shall I not rather be an evil Instrument to strengthen them in that liberty which will keep them in bondage to Sin and Satan I entreat in the Love of God every one consider these things and also that we are not our own we are bought (x) 1 Cor. 6. 20. and 7. 23. 1 Pet 1. 19. with a Price and this Price with which we are bought is no less than the Precious Blood of the Son of God and being thus bought we ought not to live to our selves or gratify our own Hearts lusts and minds but to live to him that hath bought us And as the Apostle saith to Glorify God in our Bodies and Spirits which are the Lord 's And as to the general we are a Body and Society whom God in some measure has brought into a good and wholsom discipline that we watch over one another in Love not with an evil Eye nor in Sowerness and Prejudice and in that go about to reprove for that will never do good but in a Holy concern for God and the good of Souls first knowing our own consciences clear in God's sight to Counsel Admonish Reprove and Rebuke not sparing any things that are reproveable in any nor overlooking through Favour or Afection for that weakens our discipline gives advantage to the Enemy of the Blessed Truth and is hurtful to those to whom Reproof and Rebuke is due therefore that that which is wrong may be kept down by the authority of the Truth and we kept in Wisdom and Councel of the Lord and Holy Zeal for his Name and Truth whereby Truth will grow our adversary the Devil who lies in wait to beguile and defile those whom God has Visited and begun his work in will be disappointed and with those that are ensnared we shall labour in a Spirit of (y) Gal. 6. 1. Meekness and in Bowels of Compassion to bring them to a sence of their out-goings and to recover them to the Fold from whence they have strayed so will Truth prosper and spread and its Reputation increase and many gathered to the Name of the Lord whereby the borders of Gods Sanctuary being enlarged Righteousness will Flourish in the Earth And Friends as by the Arm and Power of the Almighty we were gathered to be a People and by Vertue of the Life of Jesus Christ our Lord are united and knit together to be a Society and Body of which the Lord Jesus is the Head as such a Body we have affairs to manage and to look after for the Glory of the Name of the Lord and for the preservation of our Peace this I entreat of all that all things may be managed in Love and Brotherly kindness in a Meek and Quiet Spirit none striving for Mastery for there is to be no (z) 1 Pet. 5. 3. Lording over one another amongst us for we are Brethren having one Lord and Master Christ Jesus And as there is an abiding here one Brother or Member cannot say to another I have no need of thee if they are really Members but it is to be observed that none can be Members of this Body nor have any Service there acceptable to God but as they are in that life which makes them so and that Life is Meek Gentle not Stuborn Wilful Heady and High-minded for that where-ever it appears has another Head than Christ Jesus viz. He that would lay waste our Society is their Head and as it is unnatural for the Members of our outward Bodies to tear hurt and abuse one another so much more for the Members in this Spiritual Fellowship and Body whereof Christ is Head But on the contrary Oh the Care Tenderness and Sympathy that is there one with and towards another whether in Suffering or in Joy and here all being kept in our proper Places and Stations we shall all be Subject to our Head and the Life of our Head Christ Jesus will flow through all its Members and preserve a due Subjection And Dear Friends in all matters that we are Concerned in to Manage for the good of this Body let Strife and Contention be avoided the way to prevent the occasion whereof is by every ones keeping close to the Truth and to seek to promote that only for where Truth only is Promoted there is no occasion of Strife but when Men through Favour or Affection will Espouse that which is wrong and by Craft and Parts not Subject to the Truth will Uphold and Vindicate it and force things upon others which they ought not this lays a Foundation for Strife and Contention and this may be opposed in a wrong Mind and Spirit for where the Mans Part gets up to Contend though against a wrong thing this never does good for the more it is given way to the higher the Flame of Contention will rise and though this may and does too often happen yet they that in a Cool and Meek Spirit and in a Concern for God without any particular End to themselves or others do oppose what is wrong are not the Cause of Contention for there is a Distinction to be made between them that in Meekness Contend against what is wrong and those that would bring in that which should not be brought in and thereby cause Contention For I observe the Apostle adviseth to Mark them that Cause Division so that the Cause is to be watched against and that being removed the Effects will cease My Earnest Desire is therefore in the Love of God That nothing be Encouraged or taken hold of that would Cause Strife and Contention but that we may be all of one (a) Rom. 12. 16. 15. 6. 1 Cor. 1. 10. Mind and may speak the same thing by keeping to the Truth and shutting out all that is contrary to it so shall we be more and more United in One and kept in the Unity of the Spirit which is the Bond of our Peace and hereby Satan's designs and the designs of his Agents will be Disappointed and the Peace of the Church kept Inviolable and we shall Shine forth in that Comliness which God ever did and will put upon his Chosen Ones this is the Beautiful Garment that