A Gospel Church, Title page – Dedication

A Gospel Church · Title page – Dedication

A GOSPEL-CHURCH: OR, GOD'S Holy TEMPLE OPENED.

Wherein is ſhewed from the Scriptures, 1. What a Goſpel-Church is: 2. That ſuch a Church is of Divine Inſtitution. 3. With what Materials ſuch a Church ſhould be formed. 4. The Form of ſuch a Church, and how it ſhould be built. 5. The ſeveral Officers and Offices in the ſaid Church, and their reſpective Works and Dutys there. 6. The Duties of Church-Members to their Officers. 7. Their Duties to one another. 8. Their Church-Priviledges, and ſeveral other matters and concernments which may not here be mentioned, but may be found in the Epiſtle; all intended for the ſpiritual profit of Church-Members.

By Stephen Ford, Preacher of the Goſpel in London.

Theſe things I write unto thee, that thou may'ſt know how thou oughteſt to behave thy ſelf in the Houſe of God, 1 Tim. 3 14, 15.

Bleſſed are they that dwell in thy Houſe, they will be ſtill praiſing thee: They go from ſtrength to ſtrength, every one appearing before God in Zion, Pſal. 84.4.7.

London, Printed in the Year, 1675.

THE EPISTLE DEDICATORY.

To my entirely beloved, the Elders, Deacons, and to the reſt of the Church of Chriſt, over whom the Holy Ghoſt hath made me an Overſeer.

Friends,

I Am yours, and I hope you are Chriſt's. 1 Cor. 3.22, 23. You are exceeding dear to me, and ly deep in my heart; 1 Theſ. 2.8. Phil. 1.7. and you are my joy, and crown of rejoycing: eſpecially, ſome of you. 1 Theſ. 2.19, 20. Phil. 4.1. Your welfare and happineſs is mine; your thriving and growing in Grace, and in the ſaving knowledge of Jeſus Chriſt, 2 Pet. 3.18. is mine, and your ſtanding faſt in the Lord, and bearing much fruit is my comfort, 1. Theſ. 3.7, 8, 9. your Tryals and Afflictions are mine, and your witherings and languiſhings are my great afflictions and ſorrows. 2 Cor. 11.29. Rom. 12.15. whatever ſome of you may think or ſay of me: yet I can boldly ſay (if I know any thing of my heart) that God is my Record, how greatly I long after you all in the bowels of Jeſus Chriſt, Phil. 1.8. how thoughtful, and ſtudious I am to ſerve you, and to promote your preſent and eternal Bleſſedneſs, and that by all the wayes and means I can. And if I am not ſuccesful in my deſigns and endeavours, it is my burden, and I cannot help it. I know that Miniſters may and ought to plant and water, but 'tis God that giveth the increaſe, 1 Cor. 3.7. I know that I am weak, and I know alſo, that the happy ſucceſs of good mens labours, lies not in, or proceeds not from their Abilities, but from the Power of God, and his Spirit working with and by them; or elſe even a great Prophet Iſaiah may ſay, I have laboured in vain, Iſa. 49.4. yet I ſay, my Conſcience is my witneſs, that it is my deſire, aim and endeavour to be faithful to Chriſt and you, and to give all diligence to my work and your ſervice; to Preach the word in ſeaſon, and out of ſeaſon, 2 Tim. 4.2. to feed you with the Bread of ſound Doctrine, and to give to every one their portion of meat in due ſeaſon. I know and believe, that the all-ſeeing-eye of my great Lord and Maſter is ſtill on me, and that I muſt ſhortly give unto him an account of my Stewardſhip; Luk. 16.2. how I have performed my work, and diſcharged my Truſt to you: and therefore, I dare not but endeavour to be faithful in my Duty to Him and You. Should any of you ſuffer loſs, by any neglect or unfaithfulneſs of mine, the ſight and conviction of it would exceedingly afflict me: for I do greatly love you. I would be eminently Inſtrumental in nurſing, educating and building you up in Chriſt, in knowledge, faith, love, peace, joy, holineſs and ſpiritual conſolation, unto eternal life, and am really afflicted that I can do no more towards the attainment of it, and that I am no more ſucceſsful in what I do.

I hope you have ſome clear proofs and evidences, of what I have ſaid of my ſelf and endeavours, from my practiſes among you. For what other ends can I have in all my labours and ſpendings, but to ſerve Chriſt and your Souls, eſpecially, in and by thoſe that are extraordinary? what ſhould I aim at and deſign in the Monthly Lecture to and with you onelyonly; in my Lords dayes fortnights Lecture, and in writing this and ſome other books, but your good? you know, that I have ſpent my ſtrength in a more than ordinary manner to convince, regenerate and educate your Families; your Children, Servants, and other Relations of yours. For as I have told you; It was for their ſakes that I ſet it up, and have continued it many years; but how you have eſteemed and encouraged it, and how your Relations have improved it, I leave to all your Conſciences to judge. But however, I have given you a ſufficient proof of my love to you, and care of them, by ſpending my ſtrength and ſpirits with, and for their good: and all unprejudiced perſons cannot but acknowledge it. I could have ſit down (as others do) with Preachi g to you twice every Lords day, and one Lecture in the week-days; had I not ſeen a neceſſity of doing more, and had not my cordial Love to your Souls conſtrained me to the taking of extraordinary pains with you, and for you. My ends and deſigns in the ſaid Monthly Lecture were (1) To acquaint you with, and convince you of your duties in the Church, and that every one of you might know how to behave your ſelves in the houſe of God; 1 Tim. 3.15. and what duties were or are incumbent on you there. (2) To acquaint you with your Church-priviledges and ſpiritual advantages, that you might value and eſteem them; own and imbrace them; improve and walk worthy of them; and that you might be thankful for them. (3) That you might know on what bottom you ſtand in your Church-ſtate, and that you might ſtand there unmovably. (4) That you might know your miſcarriages in your Church-ſtate and Relation, and be humbled for; and repent of them in Duſt and Aſhes. (5) That you might know the Evils and Temptations you are lyable to in a Church-ſtate, and that you might watch againſt and avoid them. (6) That you might be enabled to anſwer Gain-ſayers, and refell their objections. (7) That you might look for, and expect all the promiſed good in your Church-ſtate, and endeavour the obtainment of it. (8) To quicken and provoke you, to move and perſwade you to all poſſible diligence, care and faithfulneſs, to, and in your own, Jeſus Chriſt's, and one anothers concerns in your Church-ſtate. That you might be pleaſing to God, and profitable to your own and each others Souls in the Ordinances of Chriſt, and in your Ʋnion and Communion one with another. Theſe were ſome of my ends in ſetting up that Lecture, and which I have with ſome meaſure of ſincerity of heart carried on, though under no ſmall diſcouragements from within and without.

And in purſuance of theſe and other holy ends, I have written ſome of the matters that I preached to you, and have made them ready for your eyes to read and behold them, your judgements and underſtandings to judge of them, and for your hearts to receive and embrace them: and that upon your deſire I have done it; as you know.

They are your matters, and therefore to you, I do dedicate and commend them, becauſe I love you: and if you give me encouragement, I could willingly ſpend, and be ſpent for you, 2 Cor. 12.15. Brethren, I grudge not at any pains and endeavours, cares and labours, I have taken and expended on you or yours: for, I think, that all that I can do for you is too little. I do heartily wiſh, I could be more ſerviceable and profitable to you; and the more you ſhall encourage and ſtrengthen my hands to ſerve you, the better I ſhall do it. I have taken pains to write this Book, or to compoſe, and ſet forth the matters contained in it, as well as I could: had I been able, I ſhould have done it better. But however it be done, be you ſure, that the matters diſcourſed of, are of great weight and moment to you. You will find but little in it of man (human frailties excepted) but therefore I hope, you will find the more of God and Goſpel-Truth there. For the Truths of God ſhine forth more gloriouſly, when they appear in their naked native beauty and ſimplicity, than when they come to us cloathed with humane Eloquence, and with the Rhetorical flouriſhes of mens wits. They are ſuch glorious things in their own nature, as that they are never more powerful on, and acceptable to holy gracious hearts, than when they are repreſented to them pure, clear and entire in their own words and language, ſtript of humane Ornaments and Garniſhes.

My deſign was not to commend my ſelf, but the real, the holy, and acceptable will of God: not to ſhew you, what any men think or judge of theſe matters, but to ſhew you, what the Holy Ghoſt thinks and ſpeaks of them. I expect ſevere cenſures from others, (becauſe far better mens works do uſually meet with them) but I hope to meet with none from you, for love will cover a multitude of weakneſſes in thoſe, whoſe aim, end and deſign is good in any good work; and you cannot but judge that mine was good in this good undertaking. You put me on the work, and I hope you will find nothing but Truth and plainneſs in it, and cover my infirmities with a mantle of charity; judge that I have performed it as well as I could, for Chriſt's, my own and your ſakes, and conclude, that I have not wilfully, knowingly or careleſly failed in any part of it. Now it is prepared for you, and brought to you by a hand of love, I hope you will take the pains to read and mind it, to underſtand and practiſe the duties contained in it: and although the form of it (as made by me) may not have your eſteem and conſideration, yet do not fail to give the matter of it it's due Reſpects and acknowledgment, let your Head and King, his Truths and wayes, have their dues from you; as alſo your own Souls; and you will greatly gratifie the Authour, who is your real friend.

In this Book, I have ſhewed you in ſeveral Chapters (1) What an inſtituted Goſpel-Church is. (2) That particular Congregational Churches are of Divine Inſtitution. (3) Of what materials they ſhould be conſtituted and formed. (4) What is the form of ſuch Churches, or how fit materials ſhould be joyned together, and made a formal houſe. (5) The ſeveral Officers of a Church, with their calls, qualifications, works and duties. (6) The duties of Church-members to their Officers. (7) Their duties to one another. (8) Their Church-priviledges and advantages. (9) I have ſhewed that all Believers are indiſpenſibly bound to joyn themſelves to ſome Goſpel-Church, if they can. (10) What the Ordinances are, that God hath given to his Churches. (11) How all Church members ought to walk towards God and men, and what Evils and Temptations they are ſubject to, or in danger of. (12) I have ſpoken ſomthing of the Lords Supper, and of many other things and matters of great moment, as you will find in your reading of the Book throughout: As that Church-members ought not to break off from the Churches, to which they are joyned, but in extraordinary caſes. I have not yet done; but ſhall preſent a few Requeſts to you, for my ſelf, my God, and your own Souls; and which I hope you will not deny me, but freely grant me, becauſe you will find them very reaſonable Requeſts, and ſuch as do nearly concern you and your God, as well as my ſelf.

1. I do earneſtly entreat and beſeech you, for the Lord Jeſus Chriſt his ſake, and for the love of the Spirit, to do all you can, and are bound in duty to do, to encourage me in my work, ſtrengthen my hands under my weights and burdens, and help me to run my Race, and finiſh my courſe with joy, 1 Cor. 9. Act. 20.24. and avoid whatever may juſtly diſcourage, tempt and provoke me; or that may weaken my hands, grieve and ſadden my heart, unfit & indiſpoſe me for & in my work & duty with you. For if you do not avoid it, you will tempt and provoke me to ſin, and hinder me in my work and duty. And my ſin will be your ſin, my loſs your loſs, and my ſorrow will be your ſorrow at long run. I can appeal to God, that I ſeek, deſire and endeavour to do you good in whatever I do or propound to have done for, or among you; and therefore, when you neglect to come to the worſhip of God, and keep your place; and when you neglect to ſet forward any good work in the Church for the honour of Chriſt, and the profit of the whole, you do diſcourage me, and tempt me to ſin: and the like you may do, many other wayes; which for brevity ſake, I ſhall not mention. Only this one namely, by your non-proficiency under the means of grace, which will be my great Affliction, becauſe I dearly love you. Your ſerious, conſcientious and conſtant attendance on the adminiſtration of the Ordinances of Chriſt with me; your growing in grace and profiting by them; your readineſs to help and aſſiſt me in promoting and carrying on of good works in the Church, and ſtanding by me in the Lord's work will exceedingly comfort & encourage me in my Miniſterial work. And pray conſider, if it be not your duty, and the will of God you ſhould ſo do. Heb. 13.17. Obey them that have the Rule over you, and ſubmit your ſelves, for they watch for your Souls, as that they may do it with joy and not with grief: why? why (ſays he) that is unprofitable for you.

Oh! give me your helping hand, and do not load and burden my work, but endeavour to make my work eaſie, and my life comfortable to the utmoſt of your power.

2. Pray for me, Heb. 13.18. and that with all poſſible importunity and conſtancy. For the more you do ſo pray to God for me, the more profitable he will make my labours to your Souls. Pray for me in your Cloſets, and wreſtle with God for me: for you, (eſpecially) you who walk with God, may do much for me in your Cloſets. I do remember you in mine; Oh! let me be remembred by you in our Cloſets alſo. For a ſtock of Prayers, of hearty, believing, fervent Prayers, kept a-running one for another, will bring in a great Revenue of grace from Heaven to us. You cannot expect, that I ſhould Preach warmly, profitably and powerfully to you, unleſs you ſo Pray for me. Therefore in obedience to the will of God, and for your own profit, do you continue in fervent Prayer unto God for me. Entreat him to pour out much of the Spirit of grace and the grace of the Spirit upon me, fill me with Miniſterial gifts, and make me an able Miniſter of the New Teſtament. That God may give me the door of utterance, and enable me to ſpeak, as I ought to ſpeak, Eph. 6.20. That God may work in me whatever is wel-pleaſing in his ſight, Heb. 13.21. fulfill in me all the good Counſel of his will, and the work of faith with power, 2 Theſ. 1.11. that the name of our Lord Jeſus Chriſt may be glorified in me, and by me. Oh! Pray for me, that I may be kept faithful to Chriſt and you; that I may labour and not faint, run and not be weary; that I may be able to bear up under all Burdens and Temptations, and be able to overcome and conquer them all; That I may rightly divide the word of Truth, and adminiſter the holy Ordinances of Chriſt according to his will, ſo, as that he may be magnified, and your Souls profited; That my heart may ſtand clear off the World, and that I may not be taken and entangled with any ſnares, and that I may perfect holineſs in the fear of God, 2 Cor. 7.1. and for whatever elſe you may rationally judge, I may ſtand in need of, as your Miniſter.

3. I do requeſt you, that if at any time you do certainly ſee, and undoubtedly know any failing or miſcarriage in, or by me, that you will ſpeedily, ſeriouſly, meekly, humbly, and as you ought to do, enform me of it. It is your duty to do ſo; if you do it as you ought, and may do it, I ſhall (through grace aſſiſting) receive it, thank you, and bleſs God for it, and account it my mercy. But I ſhall deſire you, to take heed and beware of theſe three evils towards me in this matter. (1) That you do not fancy and make evils or miſcarriages for me, and then charge them on me, as mine; when in truth they are not ſo. It is a very dangerous thing to condemn the Righteous, and juſtifie the wicked, as you know, Prov. 17.15. and it is moſt dangerous, and abominable in the ſight of the Righteous God to condemn, or falſly to charge his Embaſſadours, becauſe they ſtand in his ſtead, bear his Image of Authority, and do his Miniſterial work in his Churches▪ And yet how common is this evil among Profeſſors, as I can teſtifie? (2) Do not take up a Report from others againſt me, and take it for granted, becauſe you hear ſome Profeſſors of the good wayes of God tell you ſo. For the World, yea, and the Churches alſo are too full of ſlanderous and back biting Tongues. They are not aware of this evil, but hug and embrace it in their boſoms, practiſe it without fear, and commit this abomination with both hands, as the Prophet ſpeaks. Remember that Jeſus Chriſt hath ſtrictly charged you, in 1 Tim. 5.19. that you do not ſo much as receive an Accuſation againſt an Elder, under two or three witneſſes; and that on their certain knowledge of the Fact, not upon their conjectures, and feigned Circumſtances. For God is very curious and tender of their good Names, Credit and Reputations, and he knows, and all wiſe and holy men do know, that they are more obnoxious to the Envy, and that they lye more open to the wrath and hatred of men, than other men do. Therefore, I ſay, God hath ſet a higher mound about their good Name, for their ſecurity, than about others. (3) Do not take up my real or ſuppoſed miſcarriages, and ſpread them before others. Oh! my Brethren, let not this filthy deviliſh wickedneſs be found in you: let not others hear of my faults, before I do my ſelf: be not you Back-biters and Whiſperers againſt him, who loves you ſo much, as that he could ſpend and be ſpent in the ſervice of your Souls, and who ſeeks your good all he can. Requite not his love to you with ſuch miſchief and wickedneſs againſt him, for the Lord's ſake. You may do him much wrong thereby, but you will much more wrong Chriſt and your own Souls. And let none of you think, that Jeſus Chriſt is an idle Spectator of what you do herein, that he obſerves you not, or that becauſe you imagine you intend him no hurt in what you ſay of him, that therefore he will hold you guiltleſs. No, no: be not deceived, for God will not be mocked: what a man ſoweth, that ſhall he reap, Gal. 6.7. God doth not ſay, you may ſpeak evil of his Miniſters, or other men, if you intend not to hurt them thereby; no: but he deth expreſly forbid you to back bite, or ſpeak of their evils (though real) at all, behind their backs, until they prove incorrigible, and have rejected your reproofs and endeavours to convince and convert them, Levit. 19.16, 17. Jam. 4.11. Tit. 3.2. Rom. 1.30, 31. Pſal. 15.3. 2 Cor. 12.20. But in truth this excuſe or pretence is but a carnal, blind, and diabolical deluſion, to ſhut the eyes of men, and harden their hearts againſt the evils of it, that they may commit it with the more peace and ſatisfaction, that neither men nor their own Conſciences may reprove or controul them, and cry ſhame on them for their ſins, and that they may not be obſtructed, or any way impeded in their doing of that wherein they find pleaſure. Neither indeed, can they prove that they do not hate them, or intend their hurt. For it is infallibly certain that they do not really love ſuch, and that they are prejudiced againſt them, and do not in truth ſeek their good. For can I perſwade any reaſonable man by the rules of Reaſon, that I love him, and ſeek his good in the dark (as to him) by doing or ſpeaking that which experience ſhews, will inevitably tend to his hurt, to his ſhame and reproach, and to the alienating of others affections from him. Well then, tell me of my real faults to my face, that I may mend and do ſo no more, for that is the Will of Chriſt, Matth. 18.15. (4.) I do requeſt you to Viſit me, and let me have your good Company as often as conveniently you can; and when we meet, let our coming together be for the better, and not for the worſe. Surely, I think it is your Duty to give me loving Viſits, as well as I you, and that when you come, you ſhew a readineſs to ſpend our Time, and improve our Viſits to the profit of our Souls, unleſs the meeting be deſigned for other buſineſs. The ſtrangeneſs of ſome is no ſmall burden to my ſpirit, and I know not how their Conſciences do diſpence with ſuch Omiſſions. How can we think that ſuch do really Love one another, who regard not each others Company, nor, though they live near together, will vouchſafe to give them a Viſit in a whole year together? For true Love inclines to Communion, free and open-hearted Society together; and it is ſo far from being burdenſome to true Lovers ſo to do, as that it is their delight. Church-members are bound in duty to give their Teachers friendly Viſits, to encourage them in their Works, and to get ſome good from them to their own Souls. They ſhould come and propound Caſes to them, that concern their Faith, Practiſe, Peace, and Comfort, and declare to them their Soul troubles and temptations, and likewiſe their profit and gettings by their Miniſtry. They ſhould open unto them their Soul-wants and Spiritual diſeaſes, that ſo they may know the better how to ſuit their Miniſtry to them, and apply words in ſeaſon to their Conviction, Inſtruction, and Comfort. For the Prieſts Lips ſhould preſerve knowledge, and the People ſhould ſeek the Law at his mouth, for he is the Meſſenger of the Lord of Hoſts, Mal. 2.7. Mark it, It is not ſaid that they ſhould always, or moſtly go to their People, but that the People ſhould ſeek to them. Thus the Diſciples came to the Lord Jeſus with their Caſes. And truly Friends, you would greatly rejoyce my heart, if I might ſee the ſame practiſed by you in a holy and ſerious manner. I do aſſure you, that you ſhould be very welcome to me, and I ſhall moſt freely afford you my help, and give you what aſſiſtance I can. And I do further requeſt and entreat you, that when I come to viſit you, that then I may find you ready to entertain me with ſome profitable diſcourſe, that may better us in the Inner man; for that is the beſt Entertainment I deſire or expect from you; and it is that which I am ſure will turn to the beſt account now, and at the laſt day. Theſe are ſome of my reaſonable requeſts to you for my ſelf, which I hope you will not deny me.

2. I have a few requeſts to you for God, and your Head and King, the Lord Jeſus Chriſt. (1.) That you would ſtill remember how you have received him, as your Lord Jeſus Chriſt, and ſo walk ye in him, Col. 2.6. Examine the Foundation you ſtand upon, and take not up with Reformation without Regeneration and real Ʋnion with Chriſt by Faith. It is to be feared that too too many Church-members ſit down ſhort of Chriſt, a new State, and a thorow change of heart; that they content themſelves with their being in the Churches of Chriſt, the uſe of Ordinances, and with their Church-priviledges. We read of five Fooliſh Virgins in fellowſhip with five Wiſe Virgins; and we read of bad Fiſhes in the Nets with the good; of Tares growing amongſt the good Wheat; and of Hypocrits in the Kingdom of Heaven, (the Churches) which Chriſt ſhall gather out and caſt into the fire, Matth. 25.2. Matth. 13.47, 48, 49, 50. Iſa. 33.14. Take good heed that none of you be ſuch: You have paſt the Teſt of mens judgments, and they take you for true Saints in their Char table judgments; but you may be notorious Hypocrites for all that, and you muſt paſs under the Infallible Tryal and Judgment of God too, who can and will make a true Judgment of you. Therefore do you endeavour to know your own States by ſerious and diligent ſearch, 2 Cor. 13.5. 2 Pet. 1.10. You may be Members of a true Church of Chriſt, and yet not be true Members of Chriſt; you may be Ʋnited to his People in Church-fellowſhip, whilſt you are Strangers to Chriſt. And know, that if you are Hypocrites in the Churches, you are an Abomination to him; you defile his holy Temple, and his Soul abhors you.

But I ſay, if upon your ſerious tryal of your ſelves, you find indeed, that you are new Creatures, and have really received Chriſt the Lord on his own terms, then do you walk in him, and worthy of him, Col. 1.10. Own him, Truſt him, Love him, Obey him, Subject and Live to him, as to your Head, Lord, and King. Receive, and walk by his Laws and Rules only, and give him the Honour and Glory of his Headſhip, and Authority over you, in, and by your ſo doing, Luk. 6.46. Remember that you are the Servants of Chriſt, bought with a price, even the price of Chriſt's Blood, that you ſhould be his Servants and Subjects; therefore be you not the Servants of men, in his matters and concernments, 1 Cor. 7.23. (2.) Do you ſtand up, and be Zealous for, and in the cauſe of your Lord and King, Rev. 3.19. You are redeemed to it, Tit. 2.14. and your Head expects it from you. Keep your hearts with him and for him, and ſuffer no Stranger, no Luſt, Self, or any Creature to Ʋſurp and Poſſeſs his Throne in you. Shew your Zeal againſt all Intruders, and fight them off when ever they aſſault you, or attempt to get poſſeſſion of your hearts. Be you Zealous for, and in his pure Goſpel-worſhip and Ordinances; for, and in upholding, ſanctifying and celebrating of them in the Church. (3.) Encourage and promote the Intereſt of Chriſt in each others hearts, and to enrich one another with the Truths and Grace of Chriſt as much as you can; for it is your duty ſo to do, and you will thereby pleaſe and glorifie him, 1 Theſ. 5.11. Jude 20. You ſhould labour to augment, encreaſe, and nouriſh the Graces, Comforts, and Experiences; provoke, ſtrengthen, and ſtir up one another to Love, Truſt, Fear, Honour, and Serve Chriſt more and better, For this is the Will of God concerning you, 1 Theſ. 5.18. (4.) Honour Chriſt by reproving your ſinning-Brethren, and endeavouring all you can to hide it from the knowledge of others, and to reſtore them with a ſpirit of meekneſs, not ſuffering ſin to reſt upon them, Gal. 6.1. Lev. 19.17. Lift them out of the ditch of Sin, whereinto Temptation hath caſt them, and that with all poſſible ſecrecy and privacy for the honour of Chriſt and your Brethren, and for the good of their Souls who have ſinned. Sin (eſpecially in Church-members) carries Reproach in its mouth, on Chriſt, his Ways and Temples; and therefore by the ſame Argument and Reaſon, and for the ſelf-ſame cauſe, that we are to honour Chriſt, and prevent all Reproach to his Name, Goſpel, and People, we ſhould hide each others ſins as long as poſſible, and there is hope; and endeavour privately to heal offences, and cure the Offenders. (5.) Labour to ſhine as Lights in all manner of holy Converſation and Godlineſs, 2 Pet. 3.11. Declare whoſe you are, and what you are, to all men, by your fruits of Holineſs and Righteouſneſs, Matth. 5.16. Phil. 2.15, 16. O remember that you are the Living Witneſſes of Jeſus Chriſt in the World, Iſa. 43.10, 12. Iſa. 44.8, 9. Rev. 11.3. and therefore you ſhould endeavour all you can, negatively and poſitively, by words, deeds, and carriages, to make full proof of, and give in your good Teſtimony to the holy Name, and to the Excellency of the Grace and good ways of Jeſus Chriſt. The Churches of Chriſt in the World, are as Beacons ſet on Hills, which attract and draw the eyes of all men to them. They watch for your halting, and are very curious in marking your ſteps; and that will be made a fault in you, which is not in others, Pſal. 27.11, 12. Therefore you muſt be a ſingular People before all men, and ſo walk as to ſhame your Enemies, and that they may have no evil thing (justly) to ſay of you, 1 Pet. 3.16. And you muſt not only be good negative Profeſſors and Walkers, but you muſt alſo ſhine and be fruitful in every good work, and in gracious words and carriages. You ſhould be excellent living Witneſſes to Chriſt and his ways, by ſhining in Humility, Meekneſs, Temperance, Love, Charity, Kindneſs, Self-denyal, Juſtice and Righteouſneſs, in Seriouſneſs and Gravity, in Sweetneſs and Affability, and in all Holineſs, Heavenly-mindedneſs, Zeal, and Spirituality; in Goodneſs, Peaceableneſs, or in what-ever Grace or Virtue may adorn the Doctrine of God our Saviour in all things. Theſe are ſome of the things I do requeſt of you for God and your King. As likewiſe that you lay to heart his Love and Grace to you, and endeavour to affect your hearts with them, ſtir them up to all cordial thankfulneſs, and oblige them to live and love forth praiſes to his holy Name. Remember, that you are under Electing, Redeeming, Regenerating, Quickening, Teaching and Comforting Love and Grace; and that you are entruſted with, and have the enjoyments of many glorious priviledges in your hands, for the filling you with all the fulneſs of Chriſt, and nouriſhing you up unto eternal Life in your Church-ſtate, Joh. 1.16. Eph. 4.11, 16. Pſal. 92 Pſal. 132. I have ſome Requeſts to you for, and in the behalf of your own Souls. Indeed all the other things deſired of you already, have reſpect and relation unto the good and profit of your own Souls, as well as to my good and God's Glory. But that which I ſhall now deſire of you, reſpects your Soul directly and immediately; and therefore I hope you will eaſily and readily grant them for your own ſakes; although Jeſus Chriſt, and my ſelf are concerned in them alſo.

1. Endeavour to profit by your means and priviledges, and to grow in all Grace in your Churchſtate and enjoyments therein. Do not reſt ſatisfied with your Church-ſtate and Priviledges, but make ſerious enquiry after your gettings; and what good, what ſpiritual profit you find in them, make uſe of them all to the gracious and holy ends for which they are given to you. Namely, to Teach and Inſtruct you; to Feed and Nouriſh you; to Arm and Strengthen you; to Comfort and Refreſh you; to Confine and Eſtabliſh you in the Faith of Chriſt; to Purge and Sanctifie you; to Confirm and Seal you up unto the day of Redemption, and to convey the Spirit and Grace of Chriſt into your hearts. To acquaint you with your ſelves, and enable you to know and diſcern the worſt and beſt of your ſelves; what God hath done for you, & what ſin, the world, and Devil have done againſt you. To acquaint you with Jeſus Chriſt, his Love, Grace, Truth, Providences, and Benefits, and to bring him into your Hearts, and into Fellowſhip and Communion with you. Therefore look after theſe Ends, and other of like Import, and ſee that you do indeed and in Truth proſecute and obtain them, and take not up ſhort of them. Oh! be you ſure to mind your Earnings in all your Enjoyments, and God's Ordinances.

2. Take hold of ſuch Counſels, Reproofs and Inſtructions, as your Brethren ſhall give you in time of need, to prevent your Sinning, or to reduce and turn you back from Sin to Duty. O remember, that it is a choice means, and one of God's Holy Ordinances to do you good: yea, to do you a great deal of good, and an unexpreſſible Pleaſure. And therefore, if you love your Souls, turn not a deaf Ear to them; ſlight them not, nor harden your Hearts againſt them. But hearken to, and cloſe up with them: Embrace them as choice Mercies to you; bleſs God exceedingly for them, and love and thank your Counſellors, and Reprovers heartily. For it is an invaluable mercy, to have ſuch true Friends at hand; who will expreſs ſo much love to, and care of us, as that when they ſee us in danger of falling, ſhall give us their preventing ſuccouringhand, to ſupport and hold us up; or when they ſee us fall and need their help, they ſhall not Hamlike, Gen. 9.22. go and tell others of it, but ſeaſonably give us their hands, to help us up again. Oh! be not angry with them, but love and thank them, and take, receive and reverence their Voice, as the Voice of God. And know, that if you reject and ſlight it, or are diſpleaſed with them for their Work and Labour of Love to you; you do thereby reject and ſlight the Voice of God, and are diſpleaſed at his Merciful diſpenſation to you for your good. For your Inſtructors and Counſellors, were ſent to you by God himſelf; and it was he that inclined their Hearts to go, and opened their Mouths to ſpeak to you, and do for you ſo great an office of Love. Therefore, be you of that wiſe ſort of Men, who will hear Reproof from their Friends. Prov. 1.5. Prov. 9.8, 9. Prov. 10.8. Prov. 12.15. Prov. 25.12. and own it as the Voice of God.

3. Be careful that you ſtay not, or take up in Ordinances, but go to, and have your eye on Chriſt in them. We are exceeding apt to ſtick faſt in the way of coming to God, and to ſit down ſhort of the end; of the God and grace of the means; and without great heedfulneſs and circumſpection in this matter, we may eaſily run our ſelves deep in ſin; and thereby wrong our Souls, as alſo by the want of the God and grace of the means. Mind that Text in Eſa. 64.5. Thou meeteſt him that remembers thee in thy wayes; namely, ſuch as ſeek God in his wayes, and paſs thorow them, unto himſelf. But obſerve, that by ſticking in, and taking up with Ordinances you greatly ſin againſt God, by making a God of Ordinances; ſetting up his Creatures in his place and Throne, giving unto them his Honour and Glory, and robbing him of his due. You neglect the fountain of living waters, and hew out to your ſelves broken Ciſterns, that can hold no water: which the Holy Ghoſt calls two evils, Jer. 2.13. You will thereby grieve the Holy Spirit, cauſe him to with-draw from you, and withold the bleſſings and good of his Ordinances from your Souls. Oh! my Brethren, little do many of you think how deep you are under the guilt of this ſin, and what a Controverſie God hath with your Souls for it; and little do you think what loſers and ſufferers you are thereby. Little do many think how often they are caught in this ſnare, and how exceedingly offenſive it is to God, and detrimental to their own Souls. Wonder not that Ordinances profit you not, and that God is not with you in them; if you ſtick in, and take up with them. In love I give you warning of it, that you may conſider it, watch and pray againſt it; that you may carefully mind and do what God requires in his Worſhip and Ordinances; namely, that you go to, and ſeek him in them indeed. And remember, that it is your Duty, that you muſt; and your Priviledge, that you may go to, and find him and his Grace in them.

(4.) Live by faith in all your wayes, and make uſe of all God's Ordinances in Faith and Hope. For it is faith in Chriſt, and on the Covenant and promiſes, that will keep you ſteady and unmovable: that will hold your Souls in Life, and with joy draw water out of the Wells of Salvation, Eſa. 12.3. Rom. 15.13. It is faith and hope that will unite your hearts to Chriſt and his Promiſes, and encourage you in your doing and ſufferingwork, Rom. 5.5. 1 Joh. 3.3. unbelief holds off, and keeps back mercies from you; but faith and hope draws them to you. You cannot ſee God in his Worſhip and Ordinances, but by Faith; neither can you ſee the beauty, and glorious Excellency of the Promiſes, Goſpel-Ordinances, and Goſpel-precepts and obedience to them, but by Faith. You can get no good, no encouragement in the Goſpel, and wayes of God, but by faith and hope. Therefore live by Faith and in a well-grounded hope.

(5) Be ſure to prepare to meet God in his Worſhip; and do all you can to get your Hearts ready. Do not ruſh unadviſedly into his Preſence; but be ſure to do it with much conſideration and deliberation. Prepare to meet thy God, Amos. 4.12. and prepare thy work without, Prov. 24.27. Get ye Idols out, and get your hearts into a holy frame and diſpoſition for your God and his ſervice: get a holy awe of him on your minds, a deep ſenſe of your wants, weakneſs, and vileneſs, and of his greatneſs, purity and holineſs on your hearts; that you may draw nigh unto him with fear and trembling, Heb. 12.28. Pſal. 2.11. For if you draw nigh to God, without ſuch preparations, be ſure you do not, cannot honour and worſhip him, as God; neither will he meet you and bleſs you.

6. To conclude: let me requeſt you to cleave to the Lord with full purpoſe of heart, Act. 11.23. Walk with God, and ſerve him in ſincerity and Truth, Joſhua. 24.14. Be you alwayes able to ſay with Paul and other Saints; that your rejoycing is this, the Teſtimony of your Conſciences: that in ſimplicity and Godly ſincerity, you have your Converſations, 2 Cor. 1.12. Be you much in your cloſet-work; I mean in ſecret Prayer, Meditation and Examination, and make what earnings you can of theſe Duties and Priviledges. Let your Hearts be ſet on things above, and not on worldly things, Col. 3.2. cling to Chriſt in Love, and keep your Affections warm and lively for him. Converſe much with Chriſt, his Love, Grace, Death, and with his Reſurrection and Interceſſion; with his Laws, Promiſes and Diſpenſations, and with the fulneſs of grace he hath received for you. Acquaint your ſelves with your future glory, and conſider much, what you ſhall be hereafter. (I jumble many things together, for brevity ſake.) By theſe and other Means and Duties, you will glorifie God and profit your own Souls: you will rejoyce my heart, and engage me to bleſs God for you; and the fruits of all will appear in your walkings in the Church, as becomes the Goſpel of Chriſt. Finally my Brethren, will you grant me theſe few reaſonable Requeſts? Truly, I deſire them of you for your own good and Chriſt's honour, becauſe you are exceeding dear to me, and I do entirely love you, and ſincerely ſeek your preſent and eternal happineſs: I ſhall preſent you with a few Conſiderations, and ſo conclude.

(1) Conſider, that you are a holy People in Name and Profeſſion, and a happy People in Priviledges and Dignities. And therefore you muſt walk and carry your ſelves anſwerable to them.

(2) Conſider, the time when you were built up a ſpiritual houſe: Was it not in the Sickneſs-Year, (in the beginning of the Year): even then, when God was about to cut down Scores of Thouſands round about you, and when he was ready to make great devaſtations in this City, by the Plague? Are you not as Brands pluckt out of the Fire, and continued in your Church-ſtate, in the midſt of devouring Judgments; that you might be a peculiar People unto God?

(3) Conſider, how wonderfully the Lord hath preſerved and continued your Priviledges and Mercies to you, and that in very Evil times and places, when many of your Brethren have loſt theirs: and wherefore he hath dealt ſo graciouſly with you, and whether you have anſwered his Ends in reality and truth?

(4) Conſider, your ſolemn Engagement, when you en red into, and became Members of the Church. Did you not engage to walk with God therein; wait on and conſtantly celebrate the Service, Ordinances and Worſhip of his Houſe, and perform your reſpective Duties to one another? And have you done ſo? The vows of God are on you, and therefore you had need look to your ſelves, and conſider your wayes.

(5) Conſider, what Enjoyments and Communion with God you have had, ſince your embodying together, and growing up into a Temple in the Lord: and what earnings and improvements you have made of them? what growth in grace and encreaſing with the encreaſe of God? what have been the fruits of all, to the glory of God, the profit of your own and others Souls?

(6) Conſider, what eſteem your Lord and King hath of you, and what honours he hath conferred upon you? he hath made you a Houſe or Temple of Kings and Prieſts, and he hath ſet you near himſelf, Rev. 5.10. Eph. 2. You are the holy Temple and Houſhold of God, the Palace and Gallery of the great King; and you are his Habitation and Garden, wherein he walks and dwells with great delight. He honours you with his ſpecial Preſence, (if you walk with and pleaſe him) and he calls you by his own Name. You are his glory, joy and Crown, and he glories in you. You are exceeding dear to him, and pretious in his account, and you are entruſted with his Richeſt Treaſures. And therefore conſider.

(7) What he may and doth require of, and expect from you? you know, that where much is given, much is required and expected; and you know how to apply it to your ſelves.

(8) Conſider what you ſhall be hereafter, and what is now preparing for you in Heaven? You have your Race to run, and you have a great prize to win, 1 Cor. 9. You have a Wilderenſs to go thorow, and a Heavenly Canaan to poſſeſs. You are now to fight the good Fight of Faith, 1 Tim. 6.12. and you ſhall be Crowned in the end, 2 Tim. 4.7, 8. Now you are to Sow in Tears, that you may Reap in Joy; and now you are to ſow and gather Fruit unto Eternal Life, Joh. 4.36. and hereafter you ſhall Reap Life everlaſting, Gal. 6.8. Your Head and King is gone to Heaven to take poſſeſſion for you, and make ready Manſions of Glory for your Reception and Entertainment, Joh. 14.2, 3. He will not fail to come again in glorious State and Triumph, to fetch you home unto himſelf, and to preſent you ſpotleſs and glorious before his Father with exceeding joy. Becauſe he lives, namely, at his Fathers right hand in eternal glory, you ſhall live there alſo, and you ſhall be ever with the Lord, Joh. 14.3, 19. Math. 25.32, 33, 34. 1 Theſ. 4.16, 17. Eph. 5. Jude 24. You are now of the Church Militant; ſhortly you ſhall be of, and with the Church Triumphant. You are intitled to an Eternal Inheritance, and ſhortly you ſhall be put into the peaceable and joyful poſſeſſion of it, as ſoon as you are of full Age. Your Names are now enroled among the general Aſſembly of Believers, and Church of the Firſt-born, written in Heaven, Heb. 12.23. But it will not be long e're you ſhall be taken in among that Heavenly and Glorious Society, where you ſhall ſee and know as you are known, 1 Cor. 13. 1 Joh. 3. Oh that you would (now) apply theſe things unto your ſelves, and rejoyce in the faith and hope of them, 1 Pet. 1.8. Oh that you would be looking for, and haſtening to that bleſſed Hope, and glorious Appearance of your great God and Saviour Jeſus Chriſt, Tit. 2.13. 2 Pet. 3.12. Oh that you would be ſtedfaſt and unmovable, and always abounding in the work of the Lord, for as much as your labour ſhall not be in vain in the Lord, 1 Cor. 15. ult. Now is your working-time, hereafter you ſhall have a rewarding and reſting time. The one is very ſhort, the other Eternal. Oh conſider! how faſt your glaſs is running out, and how near you may be at your Journeys end? how gray hairs are coming on you, and what a great change Death will ſhortly make among you? The Lord Jeſus is at work for you in Heaven, and you lye deep in his heart and deareſt Affections. He will ſend you many Love-Letters by the holy Spirit, that ſhall raviſh and greatly rejoyce your hearts; if you carry your ſelves dutifully to, and walk pleaſantly before him. He will open the richeſt Treaſures of his Love and Grace unto you, and cauſe his fountain of pleaſures to flow in upon your Souls; and after a little while, he will inſtate you into, and give you an Eternal weight of glory, 2 Cor. 4.17. Oh, that I might ſo run as to obtain! ſo Preach, Walk, and Miniſter unto you, as to make you fat and flouriſhing in the Houſe of God, and approve my ſelf a faithful Steward of the myſteries of God to you! Oh that you, who are Ruling Elders and Deacons, and are honoured with noble Works and Offices in his Houſe, would carefully, diligently, faithfully, and profitably mind your work, and do your duty there; and that all the Members would mind and practiſe their works and duties alſo! O what a happy and renowned Church would you (then) be! and what peace you might obtain to your ſelves thereby? Oh! what advantages and opportunities have you all to honour Chriſt, convince the World, profit your own Souls, and be uſeful to one another? which I do once more entreat you to conſider and lay to heart, and ſo walk as to obtain the ends of your Church-ſtate and priviledges. And in order thereunto, pray read this Book over and over again, and that with a ſingle eye, and unprejudicate minds. Read, and ponder wel… what you read. Read, and pray for a Bleſſing from Heaven on your hearts; and Read, that you may know and practiſe your Duties therein held forth, not that you may find matters to cavil at, and except againſt. Receive and uſe this Book as a Pledge and Teſtimony of my true and unfeigned Love & Reſpects to you, & an evidence of my Cordial deſires and intentions to promote the everlaſting welfare of your Souls. Brethren I call Heaven and Earth to witneſs, That in all my miniſtrations to you, in all my writings and doings for and with you, I do heartily, earneſtly, and unfainedly ſeek and deſign your preſent and eternal Good; your Peace and Ʋnity, your Comfort and Holineſs, your Growth and Stability in the Grace and Truths of Chriſt; and that you may be a Glorious Temple of God, and a Church of Renown for Fruitfulneſs and Spirituality; for Peace, Concord, and true Holineſs, Oh! how do I deſire it, and long to ſee it! And know, that what is wanting in my Ability to do you Service, ſhall be made up in Diligence, Love, and Faithfulneſs, while I live.

And now Brethren, I commend you to God, and to the Word of his Grace, which is able to build you up, and to give you an Inheritance among all them that are Sanctified. And ſhall remain for ever,

Yours in the Lord Jeſus, to Love and Serve to his power, S. F.