yea he will if you do cast your selves and all your concernments upon him 2 Cor. 9.8 2 Tim. 1.12 Jud. 24. Phil. 4.19 7. God hath pronounced such as doe not relie on him but upon any other thing acâ—ursed oh 't is very dangerous Jerem. 17.5 8. Many promises are made to this duty God hath engaged himself by promise to you that shall rest alone on him to pardon you to helpe you to protect you to give you peace Mark. 16.16 Isa 41.10 Rom. 5.1 9. It is of all other duties the greatest and such a duty that if it be well performed will as a meanes enable you to performe all other duties that you owe to God or men you will hereby be inabled to pray to fight against flesh and blood yea against the Devill himselfe You will engage the great God to stand by you to supply you with all grace at all times Eph. 6.11 12 13 14 15 16 17. Math. 21.22 Notes of living by faith 1. YOu live by faith and rest on Christ when you can acquiesce satisfie and quiet your hearts in him when all creatures and creature supports and comforts faile you then you can trust in him and say I have interest in an able and faithfull God in a full and all sufficient Christ and here I can rest my soule and I am fully satisfyed I have enough in having him here lys my happinesse he hath made a Covenant that is sure and certaine and this is all my salvation 2 Sam. 23.5 but if you despond in your spirits complaine murmur and are as persons undone when the Lord takes away Creature supports then certainly you rested upon these things A man may think that he doth believe and relie on God with a strong faith so long as he is hedged about with Creature comforts but very difficult to know whether he can live by faith indeed at such a time 1 Jam. 30.6 Prov. 18 10. 2. If it be more and more familiar and easy to you you can quickly and readily go to your resting place and not account it a strange thing Psal 56.3 Isa 26.4 3. If you are not discouraged in the work God sets you about because of the difficulties you meet withall in it but you are carried on with much resolvednesse and boldnesse of spirit to doe your duty yea though your way be hedged up with thornes yet you will not decline any one duty it is a signe that you rest on Christ. Gen 22.10 first verses 20. Act. 24. 4. If you can keep your ground and stand stedfast and keep close to God in times of temptations and raising up of that unbeliefe that is in your hearts if you can say that none of these things move you 6. Eph. 11. to 18.7 Math. 26. 5. If when the Lord withdraws and hides his face from you when your graces are dead your Sanctification clouded your light is gone out as to your present sence I say if then you can rest on the name of the Lord 50. Isa 10.43 Psal 5. and stay upon the God of Jacob then to conclude well though it be a sad and cloudy day now yet I shall see the Sun-shine of grace againe 6. If when you see your emptinesse wants and insufficiency you can then go freely unto him who hath all fullnesse of all grace for supply and there wait untill it please him to satisfy your desires and you aâ—e kept from going back to broken Cisternes then you live by Faith 30. Isa 18. 2 Chron. 20.12 7. If you can quietly and cheerfully commit your selves to God all your cares troubles and injoyments and mind nothing but your duty and priviledges how you may receive from God and how you may live to him and please him well in all things how you may walk worthy of the Lord and bring forth fruit to his praise and take no care but a dutifull care what you shall eat and what you shall drink but throw your selves on God for these things then you Live by Faith 4. Phil. 6. 1 Pet. 57. 2 Tym. 1.12 NOw then for your comfort and incouragement know that if you can find that you are thus brought home to Christ that there is a reall hearty â—ntract made between Christ and your soule and that now it is your care to rest and rely on him then know for your comfort 1. That you have an interest in and a right unto all the promises that are made in Christ unto Believers the Father Sonne and Holy spirit are all by Covenant engaged to you to doe you good his wisdome his strength his goodnesse and farthfullnesse nay his Justice 1 Joh. 1.9 oh you that are the Lordâ— blessed ones rejoyce and be exceeding glad you may 't is your priviledge 2 Cor. 1.20 Joh. 18 21 23. 1 Joh 1 9. 2. You have freedom and liberty to treat with God about the great concernments of your soules or bodys yea you may draw neer unto him with boldnesse and confidence and make your requests known unto him Oh precious priviledge Heb. 10.19 20 21 22. Rom. 8.15 Heb. 4.15 16. 3. You have an interest in Christs love he can and will receive you and your Sacrifices that you shall offer up to God in his name he will plead your case in Heaven be sure he will never neglect you if you doe not neglect him he expressed his hearty love to his poor friends when he was leaving of the world promising them that if they should aske any thing in his name he would do it he that loves you can doe what he will for you Joh. 14.13 14 15. Joh. 15.7 John 16.23 24 26. Joh. 17. 4. God the Father himselfe loveth you Jesus Christs Father and your Father loves you notwithstanding your former sinnes and present infirmitys he loves you with an everlasting love before you loved him he had his heart fixed on you looking upon you in Christ when you were sinners though he loved you not with the love of delight and complacency as now he doth having stampt his own Image upon you Joh. 16.26 27. Joh. 14.23 5. Be sure that your Heavenly Father will never leave you nor forsake you provided that you endeavour to please him and continue faithfull unto him he will not doe as men to love for a month or a yeare and provide for their friends for a few days but as his love will be eternall so will his care be also he will provide for your soules and bodys Rom. 8.32 he delights in the Prosperity of his Servants Heb. 13.5 2 Chr. 15.2 6. You have an interest in and a peculiar right unto all the good things that Christ hath he hath purchased all things that pertaine to life and Godlinesse you being Christs all these benefits are yours name what you will that may make for your well being here and your eternall Salvation and happinesse hereafter Oh blessed portion 1 Cor. 3.21 22 23. Eph. 1 14. Rom. 8.32 NOw Beloved the Lord having done all these
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.
Visible Saints being thus united together by mutuall consent they are now a true visible Church of Christ according unto Christs institution such was the Church in Jerusalem Act. 1.4 14 15. Act. 2.42 to the end Act. 8.1 Act. 13.1 Act. 4.32 5. That the said Church hath sufficient power to choose the Officers that Christ hath appointed and ordained to teach and Rule the said Church for Jesus Christ hath appointed and given to his Church Pastors Teachers and other Officers for the well being of his Church the said Church may call the said Officers to teach and rule her without the Officers or members of other Churches Act. 6.3 Eph. 4.11 12 13. 1 Chron. 29.20 22. Act. 15.22 Act. 13.1 2. Act. 11.22 2 Cor. 8.19 Math. 16.18 6. That the Church should aske Councell of God by fasting and prayer to direct her in her choise and to direct and blesse the person or persons to be chosen to teach and rule her as also to have knowledge of his or their holinesse and abilities for such a worke before the said Church choose them to teach and rule her Act. 14.23 Act. 6.6 Act. 1.24 Act. 13. 7. The Officers that Jesus Christ hath appointed for and given to his Churches are a Pastor Teacher Ruling Elders Deacons Eph. 4.11 1 Tim. 5.17 Act. 6.3 4 5 6. 1 Tim. 5. M. Hooker calls widdows Officers Survey part 2. pag. 4.32 M. Cotton calls them Assistants Way of the Churches pag. 39. 8. That a Pastor Teacher or any other of the said Officers have Authority and power from Christ and the choise and call of the Church and ordained according to the Gospell Rule to officiate in and to exercise the office of a Pastor c. in and over the said Church for Christ hath given them their power and the Church hath called them to exercise it in the said Church Eph. 4.11 12. Act. 20 28 1 Pet. 5.2 9. That a Pastor c. so Authorised and chosen by Christ and his Church hath power only to reach and officiate as Officers in the Church that hath chosen them although the said Pastors and Teachers may preach in other Churches and places aâ— gifted men Act. 20.28 1 Pet. 5. â— 10. That a Church so â—onstiruted according to the mind of Christ is not subject to any other church upon earth She hath no Lawgiver but Jesus Christ no head or Ruleâ— but Jesus Christ as a Church Maâ— 9.35 Mat. 16.18 11. That the said Church may desire the assistence of other Churches in difficult cases which cannot be determined by the Church and the Church should submit to their determinations if consonant to the minde of Christ Act. 15.1 to the 30. 12. That when any persons are desirous to joyn themselves to he Church the said persons should first make known their desires to the Pastor or Elders if the Church hath any and that the said persons do satisfie the Pastor some way or other of their fitnesse to be received into the said Church Act. 8.30 to 37. Math. 3.6 1 Pet. 3.15 13. That if the Pastor or Elder be satisfyed in the fitnesse and qualification of the said persons desiring admission that then the said Pastor or Elder is to propose the said persons to the Church at their next meeting 14. That all the members of the said Church that shall be present when a person is to be received into the Church are upon Scripture grounds to be satisfyed in the fitnesse and worthinesse of the person then to be admitted also to give their free consent to the persons admission and also in the censuring suspending and excommunicating of an offending member Act. 15 22 23 25. 1 Cor. 5.4 5. Act. 9.26 27. unlesse such as are unsatisfyed shall give convincing reasons why he ought not to be admitted in a short time the major part of the Church ought to admit the said person 15. That not a bare profession and forme of Godlinesse be adjudged a sufficient qualification for a Church member without the fruits of the power of Godlinesse Tâ—â— 1 16. 2 Tim 3.5 Math 3.7 8 9. Act 8.37 16. That in case any member of the Church be unsatisfied in the person proposed for admission that then the said member endeavour privately to be satlsfied as soon as possible but in case satisfaction cannot be obtained that then the said Member is to give the grounds and reasons of his non satisfaction to the Pastor or Elder and to no other person excepting him of whom he desires satisfaction or the Church shall call him so to doe least it should prove prejudiciall to the said person Math 18.15 17. 17. That ordinary and common infirmities incident both to weak and strong Saints are not to be sufficient grounds for to suspend any persons admission or to censure any member that shall be admitted provided that the said persons in the generall course of their lives walk as becomes the Gospell 1 Cor 5.1.11 Gal. 6.1 2. 18. That such persons as through modesty or want of the gift of utterance cannot by word of mouth declare the dealings of God with them to the satisfaction of the Church that then the said persons have Iberty to give satisfaction to the Church in writing or otherwise 19. That every member doe quietly and patiently submit to the judgement and determination of the Church if agreeable to the word of God in any case that shall be determined by the Church concerning any particular member thereof Heb. 13.17 Act. 15 1 Cor. 5. 20. That if upon due triall of Persons desiring admission the Church may gather by their words or works that they have the saving work of grace wrought in their hearts at least probably though but as a graine of Mustard seed if they have a competent measure of knowledge the said persons ought to be admitted notwithstanding they are but weake in grace in comparison of other men Rem 14.1 Rem 15.1 Act 2.37 to end 1 Cor 3.2 3. 21 That if the Persons that desire admission shall be found unworthy they should be desired to forbeare untill they shall be found worthy Math 3.7 8 9. Act 9.26 27. 22 That all such persons as are admitted members of the Church their Children also ought to be accounted and received members of the same Church and their Membership to be consirmed by Baptisme Act 2.38 39. 1 Cor. 7.17 Gen. 17.1 to 15. 23 That if any Member of the Church shall offend and persist in the practise of the sinne after reproofe first by one Member secondly by two or three that then the said offendor is to be brought before the Church and his sinne laid open to the Pastor by the persons that have dealt with him more privately and the Pastor is to acquaint the Church and the Church is to labour to convince him and to bring him to the sight of his sinne and if possible to repentance and it case he will not heare the Church and expresse his