Have you been convinced of the Justice of God how justly God might have damned you for the least sinne that ever you were guilty of that the great God hath cast many thousands into Hell for farre lesse sins then you have committed that it was ten thousand to one that you had not been lost that God hath been infinitely patient and forbearing towards you Rom. 2.4 Gen â— 17 7. Have you been convinced of your unworthinesse that you deserve for ever to be rejected of God and never to be received into favour with him Jerem 32.10 Phil. 3.7 8 9. 8. Have you understood seriously considered what it will cost you to be Christians indeed many as I have often told you when they are a little startled and awaked by the terrors of the Almighty make some foolish desperate resolutions and attempts to change their course of life and go on so to doe for a while but when they meet with stormes and tempests they change their minds and go back with the dogge to their vomit 2 Pet. 2.22 Math. 13.21 Luk. 14.28 to 34. have you conâ—â—dered that it will cost you the losse of Father and Mother wife and Children yea it may be your own lives also that you must take up Christs yoake and follow him Luk. 14.26.27 and are you resolved notwithstanding to be Christians can you say that none of these things move you you care not what you suffer or undergoe so that you may winne Christ and be found in him Phil. 3.7 8 9. 9. Hath God followed these convictions have they been revived againe when they have been dying or sleeping have they spurr'd you on to Christ and to a more dilligent and earnest enquiry after God and your selves Phil. 1.6 Phil. 2.13 Joh. 16.9 10. Did sinne lye so heavy upon your Consciences and the sence of Divine wrath as to make you restlessely and unweariedly to make out after Jesus Christ for rest and peace Math. 11.28.29 and when you went about to quiet your Consciences with your prayers or the good opinion of the Saints or your reformation or resting upon any other broken reeds or sparkes of your own kindling Did the blessed God fetch you off and continually pursue your Consciences untill he had brought your wills to choose and accept of Jesus Christ upon his own termes and that freely without looking back with reluctancy of Spirit c. finding a kind of loathnesse and unwillingnesse to foregoe your Idols but you could cherefully and heartily cast them all away can you remember that the Lord hath brought you so farre and is still carrying on the worke in your hearts can you find that your hearts were and still are drawn to go to the free grace and mercy of God in and by Iesus Christ by his blood and righteousnesse and in the sight and sense of your own lost miserable and woefull estate and condition being sinners and in the sense of your own vilenesse sinfullnesse unworthinesse insufficiency say sincerly heartily Oh Lord here is a poor wretched sinfull Creature come to thee for to be justifyed and pardoned Oh Lord I doe abhorre my selfe and all my own Righteousnesse I am a poor begger miserable blind naked Oh Lord I am a condemned person cast and lost and I am like to perish for ever by thy righteous Law but Oh I heare that there is another Court of Iustice and mercy erected for poor sinners to appeale unto and I am invited nay commanded to make my appeale there Lord I come unto thy free grace and mercy nay Lord I come to thy Justice in Ghrists name 1 Joh. 1.9 I believe that he came into the world to save sinners 1 Tim. 1.15 and that he hath satisfyed thy Justice that he obeyed thy Law that thou art well pleased with him Lord thou hast made thy Sonne to be sinne for some persons that they may be made Righteous by him he bore the sins of many yea for all that come unto thee by him with speciall Faith Oh Lord I desire to be made Righteous by his blood righteousnesse to have Redemption through his blood Oh Lord if it may please thee to Justify me for his sake Oh thou that justifies the ungodly own me and be well pleased with me use me in thy worke I shall account it my greatest happinesse Oh Lord whatever hath separated between me and thee heretofore I doe utterly and heartily renounce abhorre and forsake all my beloved sinnes all my beloved Righteousnesse that I may have Communion with thee that I may no more dishonour thee Oh Lord I have been a willing servant to sinne and the Divell but unwilling to serve thee but oh Lord now I am willing to cast of Sathan's service and to engage in thy service I preserre thy ways and thy Commandements tenthousand times before my old ways Oh Lord I have delighted in sinne but now in Holinesse to please my lusts but now to please my God Oh Lord I am willing to have an interest in Jesus Christ upon any termes send me where thou wilt do with me as it shall seem good unto thee only deny me not an interest in thy Son in thy speciall Love Oh for Christ for Christ am I come give me Christ else I dye I will hang upon thy invitation thy command thy promise Joh. 7.37 1 John 3.23 Joh. 6.37 Oh Lord thou hast invited sinners to come in and be reconciled unto thee O Lord thou hast intreated and beseeched sinners 2 Cor. 5.20 to accept of the termes of reconciliation Oh Lord I doe come I am a sinner I am one of them that is invited 't is true I am a great sinner oh yet I am but a sinner Oh I am willing now to be saved in the same way that Paul was Oh Lord why not I why not I seeeing that sinners are invited yea whoever will let him come O Lord thou hast commanded sinners such as see themselves lost to look upon thy mercy and Grace in Christ and be Saved Is 45.22 Oh Lord I come in Obedience to thy command I am resolved to hang here Yea Lord thou hast promised never to cast off such as come unto thee Oh Lord I 'll hang upon thy faithfullnesse and promise Oh let me find favour I am resolved to take no denyall I will not be put off without thee Lord Jesus I am resolved to be like the importunate Widdow Luk. 18.1 2 3 4. I will keep crying and praying Oh Lord 't is for my life Oh Lord thou hast been a long time waiting to be gracious unto me now I will wait for thee to answer my petition thou hast been many yeares wooing of me to gaine my Love and consent to marry thy Sonne Oh Lord now I 'll woe thee Oh now I consent freely Now with all my heart I am ready to contract with him here is my soule and body and all is ready for him Oh if I might but hear one comfortable word from
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
Judging the twelve tribes of Israel Then your enemies will be confounded and ashamed then they shall bow and bend to you Oh you that now suffer from your relations you shall then be perfectly delivered and separated from them it will not then grieve your hearts to see them rebellious your naturall affections shall then cease you will be then wholly swallowed up in glorifying the blessed God then all your teares shall be wiped away your sorrow shall flee away you shall be swallowed up of life Oh how welcome will you be to Saints Angells Oh then you will a dmire free Grace you will crie Grace Grace thon you shall have your hearts filled with love to God then all your prayers sighs groâ—ns and teares shall be answered then you shall rejoce without ceasing then you shall be crowned with Glory and Honour and you shall never be reproached any more Oh you beloved of Gods soule you shall never complaine of a dead heart any more Never crie out of a hard heart of a streightned narrow heart any more then your hearts shall be enlarged and you shall forever sing for joy of heart oh therefore be willing to follow Christ a litle while he that shall come to put you into the full possession of your promised happinesse will come and will not tarrie unspeakably blessed shall you be if your blessed Saviour should come and find you so doing which is the prayer of Your servant in the Gospell of Christ S. F. A short Preface touching the occasion of Printing-these following Rules WHen I saw that the blessed God had by the Preaching ing of the glorious Gospell turned the hearts of many sinners from sin unto himselfe from resting on their own Righteousnesse to an earnest enquiry after an interest in Christs Righteousnesse I was much pressed in Spirit to endeavour to bring the said Converts into Gospell order and accordingly shewed that it was their duty and Priviledge to enter into a Church state and as soon as they heard that it was their duty they wayted on God by fasting and prayer for wisedome and strength to walke in that way that God had appointed them to walke in and after they had spent many days in asking helpe of God the Lord so satisfyed their hearts as that they declared their desire to walke in that way that I had through grace made known unto them and desire to be farther instructed in their dutys in order thereunto and also of their dutys in a Church state whereupon I wrote these following Rules which I judge to be according to the revealed will of God and proposed them unto the said persons who freely gave their consent and resolved to endeavour to the utmost of their abillitys to walke by the said Rules Now the Saints in their place being many and all of them besides many of the Lords people that live in other places dâ—sired to have the said Rules by them many of them not being able to read any mans writing which could not be except their said Rules were printed where fore being also exceedingly importuned by the Church I thought good to have them printed which I hope will be offensive to none and prositable to many Certaine Scripture Rules which Iesus Christ hath given to his Churches to walke by which are approved of and consented to by all the Members of the Church of Christ walking in Gospell-fellowship in Chippin-Norton THE matter of a visible Church of Christ are Visible Saints such as in the Judgment of rationall Charity according to the revealed will of God appeare to be Saints Luke 22.14 Act. 1.15 16. Act. 2.37 to the end Act. 4.32 Act. 5.14 Act. 9.26 27. Act. 8.37 Act. 14.22 23. Rom. 1.7 1 Cor. 1.2 2 Cor. 1.1 Gal. 1.4 Eph. 1.1 Phil. 1.1 Coll. 1.2 1 Thess 1.1 4. 2 Thess 1.1 2 3. To these Scriptures may be added the Judgements of many Godly and learned divines both Presbyterian and Independent the Assembly in their confession of Faith M. Hooker of new England M. Cotton M. Norton M. Ainsworth D. Owen D. Goodwin M. Jer. Burroughs M. Nye M. Bridges M. Greenhill M. Wellman M. William Bartlet M. Stuckly M. Châ—shull M. Palmer and the Ministers that joyned with him in Answering M Humphâ—ys Book for free Admission M. Robinson and many more mighâ— be added to these 2. The formall cause of a visible Church of Christ are Saints united in Gospell ordâ—r For a certaine number of true Beliâ—vers walking at a distance from each other and scattered up and down in a Towne or Parish living as strangers to each other doe not properly and formally make a visible Church but only such as walke together accoridng to Christs appointment so then that which gives being to a true visible Church of Christ is when seaven or more Believers do freely and voluntarily give up themselves to each other promising in the strength of God to walke together in the same individuall ordinances of Christ and in the practice of the same dutys according to the Gospell Deut. 29.1 9. 2 Cor. 8.5 Gal. 2 9. Nâ—h 9 38. Neb. 10.1 29. Josh 24.21.28 3. For the Fathers kniting of the hearts of all the members together in mutuall love which is the bond of perfectnesse among Saints also that they may performe all dutys the more freely to each other for many other reasons it is needfull that all that at first imbody together all that afterwards shall be added that they be satisfied in each others fitnesse to be Church members upon such grounds as Paul others in the primitive times did conclude mens Sainiship from they did not conclude that men were Saints because they were not prophane but upon such grounds as these that they did bring forth fruits of Righteousnessâ— Phil. 1.1 compared with v. 11. that they did trade for Heavenâ— Phil 3.20 from such notes of true conversion as they had in Act. 2.37 to the end such as David speakes of in Psal 15.1 2. and Paul Rom. 8.1 who walked after the Spirit and their Love unto and delighting in the Saints Eph. 1.15 Psal 15.4 also such grounds as we read of in 2 Cor. 7.10 11. and such as waited for the coming of Jesus Christ 1 Cor 1.7 which none but Saints can really do by their understanding of spirituall things Spiritually as such doe understand whom God loves 1 Cor. 2.9 10 14. being such as had made a publik profession of their subjection to Christ 2 Cor. 9.13 and also by their Sanctification and Holinesse 1 Cor. 6 11. by the fruits of their Faith they were known to be Saints as Paul calls them upon that ground 1 Coll. 1.6 1 Thess 1.3 now upon these and the like grounds we are to Judge charitably of men and to conclude that they are Saints though possibly some of them may be Hypocrites and to receive them into fellowship as brethren and to performe all offices of love towards them as members of Christ 4.
thee about it Oh that I might see but one smile but one good look to encomage me to continue my suit Oh Lord the end of my coming to thee is that I may be made holy as well as happy to be saved from sinne as well as from wrath Oh Lord if thou shouldest reject me I shall dishonour thee to all eternity the thoughts whereof is burthen some to mee if thou shalt please to accept me and adopt me into that family and ingraft me into Christ I shall live to thy honour and glory Oh Lord when bloody persecuting Paul sought for favour for acceptance when Mary Magdalene and other great sinners came to thee for pardon thou didst accept them O Lord thou art as full of Mercy and goodnesse as ever oh for Christs sake for Love and Mercy sake Oh for the Honour and prayse of thy great name pardon love receive me into thine arms of Love Hath the Lord dealt thus with you have you been thus brought to Christ could you never be quiet and satisfyed untill you had peace spoken to you by Christ in answer to your constant and importunate suits and petitions oh then be of good comfort Christ is thine the spirit of God is in thee thou hast an interest in the speciall Love of God and in the Govenant of Grace thou mayst go on tryumphing over sinne death and hell who shall lay any thing to your charge Rom. 8. Christ is at the right hand of the Father for you Oh but beloved your worke is not yet at an end you may not think that it is enough that you are in Christ and Christ in you that now you may fit still and be idle no you just now beginne to worke you never served Christ till he brought you home unto himselfe Oh then now up and be doing and the Lord will be with you My beloved the reason why I have given these few trialls and desired you to try your estates by them is that you may go on in the practice of your duty to God and man the more freely quietly and Comfortably for I am very sensible what advantage the Devill hath upon poor Believers in their Christian walking when they are always upon every temptation ready to doubt whether they are in Christ when they should go about their masters businesse the Divell would faine perswade them that they are not his servants and that they have no relation to him his end is to render their lives uncomfortable and unfruitfull but now when poor soules are sure that they have thus been brought to Christ as before and reasoning thus well I can say that I have been thus drawn to Christ I have chosen him upon his own termes and he hath said he will cast off none that so come to him well I will cast my soule upon his word I l'e trust him with my selfe and all my concernements I le care for nothing but how I may live and honour God how I may bring forth fruite to him I am commanded to cast all my care on him 1 Pet. 5.7 Phil. 4. and to commit my selfe unto him in well doing well I will goe about my Fathers worke and doe what he hath commanded me I beseech you minde this in the whole course of your lives when you are tempted to neglect your worke and fall back to distrustfull feares and doubts about your estates oh then stand up stoutly and be not overtaken with the tempters wiles and you will find it very advantageous to your soules 2. If upon due triall and search you can find that you have been convineed emptyed and humbled and at last brought to Christ as you have heard Oh then be sure there to rest and rely let the free Grace and Mercy of God in and by Christ and the blood and Righteousnesse of Christ manifested and held forth in the Promises be the foundation you rest upon rest there for continuall pardon for acceptance for all supplys of Grace all must come from thence here God will finde you and you shall find God this is your greatest duty yea and your greatest priviledge a priviledge farre greater then Adams Now to move you and presse you to this great duty 1. Consider that it is an easier matter then most of the Lords people think it is to rest and live upon some broken Cistern Jer. 2.13 after that they are in Christ and are Justifyed As first upon Prayer when they have prayed with more affection then ordinarily they doe or secondly upon brokennesse and enlargement of heart or thirdly on former experiences they are of singular use but not to be refted upon not to be set up in the roome of Christ fourthly on grace in them on knowledge faith or love or patience fiftly or on obedience your care to please God your respect unto his Commands beloved you are to blesse God that he hath wrought these things in you and labour to be eminent in them but if you rest and relie upon those or the like expect acceptance because of these things to have your wants supplyed because it is so with you or that God is therefore engaged to you to do you good herein you greatly erre now that you may see that it is an easy thing thus to doe take notice 2. Chron. 14.11 compared 2 Chr. 16.1 to the end Gen. 20.2 Math. 26. 2. Be sure that your old selfish principle will draw you in servility to rest upon something of your own though not altogether as you did before Christ and you were one yet in part it will be so 3. You will exceedingly wrong your own soules if you doe not rest on God and relie wholly on him in Christ as you have heard 4. How unworthy will it be of your profession to Iesus Christ for when you were burdened with your sinnes you sought for ease and reliefe to other helpes and Savioures but they could give you none and being perswaded to goe to Christ alone and to cast all your burdens on him Math. 11.28 29. when you promised him that if he would receive you and take of the guilt of sin from you you would for ever rest on him wholy cast your selves upon him now you have obtained your hearts desire of him be sure it is expected that you should make good your promise live out your profession which you made to him in time of trouble Christ will take it very ill at your hands if now you should neglect him and trust to those things that could not helpe you in time of need Judg. 10.12 13 14. 5. You will cause the Lord Iesus to leave you to your selves yea in time of need when you shall go to him for helpe he will bid you go unto your Gods Judg. 10.14 he will withdraw from you and suspend his strengthening Grace his teaching and comforting presence if you doe rest upon and trust in any other 6. Consider that Christ alone can supply all your wants