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
Zion is Cloathed with and Shines forth in through all Generations The Psalmist was Affected with it when he breaks out on this wise Behold How Good and how Pleasant it is for Brethren to dwell together in (b) Psal 133. 1 2 3. Vnity it is like the Precious Oyntment upon the Head that ran down upon the Beard even Aaron 's Beard that went down to the Skirts of his Garments as the Dew of Hermon and as the Dew that descended upon the Mountains of Zion for there the Lord commanded the Blessing even Life for Evermore And Dear Friends who are Parents of Children and Masters and Mistresses of Families a great Care ought to be upon you to answer the Truth in all things and to dwell under the Government of it that it may Season and make Savory both your Words and Actions that you may be good Patterns and Examples in Virtue and Holiness in all things And take Care to Educate your Children in the Fear of the Lord and to Imprint a Remembrance of the Lord in their Minds in the days of their Youth and to keep them out of the Evil Ways and Bad Words that are in the World that they may not Learn the Evil Communication that is in the World which doth Corrupt Good Manners but bring them up in that Plainness and Moderation which the Truth leads into and as much as in you lies in the Plain Language having a Care you do not Indulge them in any thing which you know the Lord in Mercy hath gathered you from For if through Affection not Bounded by Truth you Indulge your Children in any thing that is wrong you will neither be just to your Children nor clear in the sight of God and from such Unwarrantable Indulgence we have seen the too often sad Effects which have followed by the degrees of Liberty which such Children have taken to please themselves and to gratifie their Loose Vain Minds which Youth is too much Inclin'd to both in the Fashions Customs and Language of the World and many from a nearness and affinity with the World have run from the very Form and Appearance of Truth which when too late their Indulgent Parents have began to see their endeavours to stop them have proved Ineffectual whereas had they like Boughs of a Tree been taken whilest Young and Tender they might have been bended and made pliable but having had so long a growth in the World's Nature their Stiffness hath been such that they would sooner Break than Bend. Oh Friends Be Careful and Check every Appearance of the Worlds Nature and Spirit betimes and endeavour to keep your Children in that Awe and Subjection as is due to you and becomes them not in a haâ—â— rugged fierce Spirit for that rather hardens but in Meekness keep your Dominion over them in the Truth that so that Yoke they ought to be under in their Youth (c) Prov. 22. 6. may be easie to them when they are Old and you may have the Comfort and Sweetness of it Now where Parents do their Duty by Good Example and also does Advise Admonish Reprove Correct and Restrain for in many cases there is a Restraining Power as appears in the Case of Old Ely (d) 1 Sam. 2. who although he gave his Children Gentle Reproof saying Why do ye such things Yet he did not Restrain them nor Exercise that Power and Authority that was put in his Hand and it was an Offence to God and their Wickedness and his Indulgence brought God's Judgments not only upon himself but his Posterity also I say where Parents do Discharge themselves and are Clear in the sight of God then if their Children will not be Restrain'd nor Prevail'd with but will take their Course in those By-paths that lead down to the Chambers of Death although it is Sorrowful for Parents to see their Children do so yet they have this Comfort in their Sorrow We are Clear of their Blood and their Destruction lyes at their own Door But on the other Hand when Parents behold their Children Steering their Course to Destruction and upon a search find they have not done their Duty but have been Remiss either in not being good Examples as they ought to have been or have not Exercised that Power which God put into their Hands but have let their Children have their own Ways and Wills till it was too late to break them thereof Oh! This brings a twofold Sorrow our Children are like to be ruined and we are not Clear of their Blood What Misery have Parents brought upon themselves nay have not whole Families been Ruined hereby and the Mouths of our Adversaries opened to speak Evil of the Blessed Truth and stumbling Blocks laid in the way of such as have been Enquiring after the Way of Peace and Salvation Therefore Friends I beseech you in the Love of my Heavenly Father be Careful and Watch the Enemy's Wiles in these and all other things and wait upon God for Wisdom and Counsel that therein you may be Acted to the Glory of his Name that God Almighty may fulfil his Promise to you which he made of Old when he said I will give them one (e) Jer. 32. 39. Heart and one Way that they may Fear me for ever for the good of them and their Children And how Sweet and Comfortable is it to see our Children Walk in the (f) 2 John 1. 4. Truth and to Fear the Lord and Serve him in their Day and then the Blessings of God will attend such For his (g) Prov. 10. 6. 28. 2. Blessings are with them that Fear him and will be their Portion and their Lot he will be their Sun and their Shield and this will be more than all the Treasures Riches and Pleasures of this World And Friends let us rather Labour to have our Children Intituled to Treasure in Heaven than to the Injoyments of this World and when our Children are grown up and fit to be Disposed of in Marriage let not the World and the things of it be the Chief Object of our Minds and to make them great therein but let us rather Eye and Aim at Truth for it is not outward (h) Luke 12. 15. Riches and Injoyments that make People Happy in this World but it is when Peoples Minds are subject to the Truth and are Sanctified by it and their Minds and Affections United in it that brings Felicity and Happiness in a Married State for it is by the Truth that outward Injoyments are Blest and Sanctified and truly made Comfortable to us what better Portion can any have than to have the Lord for their (i) Psal 16. 9. 6. Portion and to be the Lot of their Inheritance They may then in Truth say My Lot is fallen in a Good Ground I have a Pleasant Heritage and that this may be the chief Aim and Drift of our Minds both for our selves and our Children are the Hearty Prayers of my Soul to