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<DATE>2013-11-15</DATE>
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<NAME>John Pas</NAME>
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<ITEM>Proofed and reviewed as part of batch B131011.apex.</ITEM>
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<TEXT LANG="eng">
<FRONT>
<DIV1 TYPE="title page">
<PB REF="1" MS="y">
<P>AN EXHORTATION, By way of EPISTLE TO THE <HI>Friends of Chri&s;t,</HI> Every Where.</P>
<Q>Je&s;us &s;aid, My doctrine is not mine, but his that &s;ent me. If any man will do his will, he &s;hall know of the doctrine whe|ther it be of God, or whether I &s;peak of my &s;elf,
<BIBL>Joh. 7. 16, 17.</BIBL></Q>
<Q>Where two or three are gathered together, in my name, there am I, in the midst of them,
<BIBL>Matt. 18. 20.</BIBL></Q>
<Q>If ye keep my commandments ye &s;hall abide in my love; even as I have kept my fa|ther's commandments, and abide in his love,
<BIBL>Joh. 15. 10.</BIBL></Q>
<P><HI>London;</HI> Printed for <HI>T. Northcot,</HI> in <HI>George-yard,</HI> in <HI>Lombard-&s;treet,</HI> 1696.</P>
</DIV1>
</FRONT>
<BODY>
<DIV1 TYPE="text">
<PB REF="2">
<PB N="3" REF="2">
<HEAD>AN Exhortation, <HI>&amp;c.</HI></HEAD>
<P>DEar and tender <HI>Friends, Brethren</HI> and <HI>Si&s;ters,</HI> whom the Lord in his tender Love hath vi&s;ited in the&s;e lat|ter Days, and after a long and tedious Night of Darkne&s;s and Time of Apo&s;tacy, where|in the &s;aving Knowledge of the glorious God and our ble&s;|&s;ed Saviour Je&s;us Chri&s;t hath been but little known, and livingly experienced; to you who are now vi&s;ited with the
<PB N="4" REF="3"> bright-&s;hining Light of his glorious Day, <HI>that hath &s;prung up in this latter Age,</HI> and are called by his ble&s;&s;ed <HI>Grace,</HI> and quickned by his living <HI>Spirit,</HI> rai&s;ed by his eternal <HI>Power,</HI> to be a People, to the Prai&s;e of his <HI>Grace,</HI> and to the Hon|our of his everla&s;ting <HI>Name,</HI> and through the Revelation of our Lord Je&s;us Chri&s;t, are made Partakers of God's <HI>&s;av|ing Knowledge,</HI> in a good de|gree, and in whom the Al|mighty God our Heavenly Father, by his <HI>powerful Word</HI> hath began his glorious <HI>Work</HI> of <HI>Righteou&s;ne&s;s, Redem|ption</HI> and <HI>Eternal Salvati|on.</HI></P>
<P>To you, O my Friends, I feel the Love of God flow,
<PB N="5" REF="3"> and thereby am <HI>drawn</HI> to &s;end the&s;e following Lines, not on|ly as a Salutation of endeared Love, but as Coun&s;el and Ad|vice on the &s;everal Heads fol|lowing, <HI>viz.</HI></P>
<LIST>
<ITEM>I. <HI>To be diligent in waiting upon the Lord.</HI></ITEM>
<ITEM>II. <HI>And frequent in that Chri|&s;tian Duty, in meeting toge|ther for that End.</HI></ITEM>
</LIST>
<P>That you may renew your Acquaintance with him and your Strength in him, and be enabled by him, in Faithful|ne&s;s to follow him, and may feel your Hearts filled with <HI>Love</HI> to him, <HI>Fear</HI> towards him, <HI>Zeal</HI> for him, and a god|ly <HI>Concern</HI> for his Glory,
<PB REF="4">
<PB N="4" REF="5">
<GAP DESC="duplicate" EXTENT="1 page">
<PB N="5" REF="5">
<GAP DESC="duplicate" EXTENT="1 page">
<PB N="6" REF="6"> the Propagating and Spread|ing of his precious <HI>Truth,</HI> the Exaltation and Renowning of his excellent <HI>Name,</HI> and in <HI>Plainne&s;s and Simplicity</HI> may be found, bearing your Te&s;ti|mony for him in <HI>all</HI> Re&s;pects, and not decline it in any. That you may have his Ble&s;|&s;ings, enjoy his Pre&s;ence, and be more abundantly made Par|takers of the Comforts of his Holy Spirit, and Joy of his Salvation.</P>
<P>And for this End I do in bro|therly Love exhort all to be in|ward in their Minds, and to have their Hearts exerci&s;ed in that <HI>Light</HI> in which they have <HI>believed,</HI> and that <HI>Spirit</HI> by which they have been <HI>quickened:</HI> And then you
<PB N="7" REF="6"> will &s;ee your &s;elves, know your States, be &s;en&s;ible of your Weakne&s;&s;es and Wants, and of the need you have to watch unto Prayer, and to wait on the Lord, and <HI>frequently</HI> to meet with his People for that End, and to be diligent when met, in attending upon the Lord in his Holy <HI>Fear,</HI> that you may feel his <HI>Pre&s;ence,</HI> re|new your Strength, and know his Work to <HI>pro&s;per,</HI> and be carry'd on in your Souls.</P>
<P>But if you neglect this Du|ty, and are not diligent there|in, altho' you are <HI>called,</HI> you cannot be <HI>faithful,</HI> nor become his <HI>cho&s;en</HI> People, but will grow <HI>cool</HI> in your Love to God, and will <HI>&s;lack</HI> in your Obedience, and will not par|take,
<PB N="8" REF="7"> Altho' you may hear of the GOOD of his Land, but will become dry, baren and unfruitful unto him; and al|tho' you may retain a Profe&s;|&s;ion of the Truth, and confe&s;s thereunto, yet the <HI>Love of the Word, and the Cares of it will grow,</HI> and the Spirit of it will prevail, and into the Evil that's in it you will be drawn, and under Condem|nation you will fall, and be in Danger to bring <HI>Reproach</HI> up|on Truth, <HI>Di&s;honour</HI> to the Name of God, and <HI>Scandal</HI> upon the Chri&s;tian <HI>Religion,</HI> and your Holy <HI>Profe&s;&s;ion,</HI> in your <HI>Lives</HI> and <HI>Conver&s;ations,</HI> and to decline your <HI>Te&s;timo|ny</HI> for the Lord, <HI>both in Words, Habit and Conver&s;ation</HI></P>
<PB N="9" REF="7">
<P>Oh! therefore, my dear Friends, prize the great Love of God to you, in vi&s;iting and calling you by his Light and Grace, and con&s;ider the End thereof; which is, that you might be a People to his Prai&s;e, and to the Honour of his Name, and <HI>might &s;hew forth the Vertue of him that hath cal|led you out of Darkne&s;s into his marvellous Light,</HI> 1 Pet. 2. 9. to &s;erve him with <HI>Reverence</HI> and <HI>godly Fear,</HI> and to be found diligent in that Practice <HI>of Meet|ing often together, and Speaking often one unto another, and think|ing on his Name,</HI> Mal. 3. 16. as tho&s;e that feared him <HI>did in the Ages pa&s;t,</HI> of whom the Lord &s;aid, the&s;e &s;hall be <HI>Mine.</HI></P>
<PB N="10" REF="8">
<P>Oh! that's precious to know, and comfortable to experi|ence that we are <HI>HIS, his</HI> People, <HI>his</HI> Children, <HI>his</HI> Ser|vants, <HI>his</HI> Sons and Daughters, then we &s;hall have <HI>his</HI> Ble&s;&s;ing, enjoy <HI>his</HI> Pre&s;ence, know <HI>his</HI> Care to be over us; and feed at <HI>his</HI> Table, partake of <HI>his</HI> Bread, be nouri&s;h'd by the Milk of <HI>his</HI> Word, grow in <HI>his</HI> Grace and the Knowledg of our Lord and Saviour Je&s;us Chri&s;t, and our Souls will be filled with Love to him (<HI>Joh.</HI> 15. 10, 12.) and we &s;hall ma|nife&s;t it by our keeping his Commandments, and be ena|bled by him to keep our Te&s;ti|mony <HI>un&s;potted,</HI> and in <HI>Truth</HI> and <HI>Faithfulne&s;s</HI> &s;tand Witne&s;|&s;es for him again&s;t the <HI>World,</HI>
<PB N="11" REF="8"> all its corrupt Ways, Fa&s;hions, Cu&s;toms, Religions and Tra|ditions, and be pre&s;erv'd <HI>from touching the unclean thing; then the Lord will receive us,</HI> 2 Cor. 6. 17. and <HI>own</HI> us, <HI>&s;tand</HI> by and <HI>pre&s;erve</HI> us, <HI>protect</HI> and <HI>defend</HI> us, <HI>&s;upport</HI> and <HI>&s;u&s;tain</HI> us in and under <HI>all</HI> we may meet with, for the faithful Di&s;charge of our <HI>Duty</HI> to him, and keeping our <HI>Te&s;timony</HI> for him: Then, oh then! neither the <HI>Frowns</HI> nor <HI>Flatte|ries,</HI> the <HI>Threats</HI> nor <HI>Entreaties,</HI> the <HI>Favour</HI> nor <HI>Di&s;plea&s;ure</HI> of Men will prevail upon us, to decline our Te&s;timony or neglect our Duty. But the faithful Di&s;charg thereof, above all other things, by us, will be preferr'd, and our Love to
<PB N="12" REF="9"> Chri&s;t thereby manife&s;ted, as it ought to be; for you know he hath &s;aid, <HI>If any man love any thing more than me he is not worthy of me:</HI> Therefore let us <HI>look</HI> to him, and <HI>wait</HI> on him, and <HI>pray</HI> to him, to carry on, to pro&s;per and compleat the Work of <HI>Righteou&s;ne&s;s, Re|demption</HI> and <HI>Salvation</HI> in our Hearts and Souls. And be watchful again&s;t all that which would draw away your Hearts and Minds from the Lord into the Earth and earthly Things, and the Love and too eager pur&s;uit thereof; for that will <HI>cooll</HI> your Love to God, and <HI>chill</HI> your Zeal, and cau&s;e a <HI>Slackne&s;s</HI> to your Chri&s;tian Duty, of meeting together to wait upon God, and will have
<PB N="13" REF="9"> a Tendency to bring you into a cold, dead, formal State, and to make you like the Tree that had Leaves only, and no Fruit, to which Chri&s;t &s;aid, <HI>Let no fruit grow on thee: And pre&s;ently it withered, and came to nought,</HI> Matth. 21. 19.</P>
<P>Therefore my dear and ten|der Friends, that are vi&s;ited and called of latter time, be diligent in waiting upon God, and faithful to him, and an|&s;wer his Requirings, and be doers of his Will, &s;o far as he hath made it known; for as you are faithful in a few or little things, God will make known more and greater, for <HI>a brui&s;ed Reed &s;hall he not break, and the &s;moaking flax &s;hall he not quench; he &s;hall bring forth
<PB N="14" REF="10"> judgment unto truth,</HI> I&s;a. 43. 3. But there mu&s;t be a waiting on him in this Way, and a follow|ing him therein, and not a &s;tart|ing a&s;ide, like a broken Bow; for if ye do not follow Wi&s;dom in the Way &s;he leads, which is the Way of Righteou&s;ne&s;s, and in the middle Paths of Judgments, ye cannot be made Partakers of the living Sub|&s;tance, or know your Trea&s;ures filled.</P>
<P>Therefore faithfully follow the Lord, and ye &s;hall know him, (<HI>I&s;a.</HI> 42. 13.) to <HI>go forth as a mighty man; he &s;hall &s;tir up jealou&s;ie, like a man of war; he &s;hall cry, yea roar; he &s;hall prevail again&s;t his enemies. For he hath a bow, and a crown was given unto him, and he went forth
<PB N="15" REF="10"> conquering, and to conquer,</HI> Rev. 6. 2. This is the Captain of the Lord's Ho&s;t; this is he whom the <HI>Armies that are in Heaven follow;</HI> this is he in whom we have believed, <HI>Revelat. 1. 18. that was dead and is alive, and lives for ever more;</HI> this is he <HI>to whom all power is given in heaven and in earth,</HI> Matth. 28. 18. who will de&s;troy our Enemies, and that great Enemy, that is, Death; that will put an end to Sin; that will <HI>fini&s;h tran&s;gre&s;&s;ions;</HI> that will <HI>bring everla&s;ting righ|teou&s;ne&s;s</HI> (Dan. 9. 24.) into our Souls, and compleat the Work of our Redemption and Salva|tion, which the Father &s;ent him to do, if we follow him in Truth, in &s;incerity and up|rightne&s;s
<PB N="16" REF="11"> of Heart in the way of the daily Cro&s;s (<HI>Matt.</HI> 10. 28.) and in the Regeneration, which is the End of our Call and Vi&s;itation, and is both our <HI>Duty</HI> and <HI>Intere&s;t;</HI> for there|by we &s;hall obtain Peace to our Souls, find Acceptance with God, through him, and be fitted for his Kingdom; and as we live, abide and walk in him, &s;hall we be kept, while here, in a patient continuance in well doing, and be made &s;harers <HI>of Glory,</HI> partakers <HI>of Immortality,</HI> and Inheritors <HI>of Eternal Life,</HI> Rom. 2. 7.</P>
<P>Let nothing, therefore, in this low World, nor any thing you may meet with in your Pilgrimage through this mor|tal Life or Vale of Tears pre|vail
<PB N="17" REF="11"> upon you to neglect your Duty to God, or decline your Te&s;timony for him, <HI>in any Re&s;pect:</HI> For he hath not on|ly called and rai&s;ed us up to be a People, but hath kept and pre&s;erved us in and under all our Exerci&s;es, Troubles, Suf|ferings or Afflictions that he hath &s;uffer'd to come upon us for the trial of our Faith, and exerci&s;e of our Patience, of what kind or nature &s;oever, whether from the World or among our &s;elves; he hath been a &s;helter in the Time of Storm and a Refuge in the Day of Trouble.</P>
<P>Oh! Let us therefore re|member his Love to us, and fear him and his Goodne&s;s, <HI>Ho&s;.</HI> 3. 5. and be daily exerci&s;ed in
<PB N="18" REF="12"> meditating in his LAW, and in a Spirit of Prayer and Suppli|cation unto him, that we may keep the &s;ame and walk there|in, and in his holy and undefil'd way will he then lead us. And we &s;hall partake of his Ble&s;&s;ing and be directed by his <HI>Wi&s;dom</HI> and guided by his <HI>Council,</HI> and in the End be received into <HI>Glory, P&s;al.</HI> 73. 24.</P>
<P>Once more, therefore, my dear and tender Friends, in brotherly Love, I exhort you not to for&s;ake the <HI>A&s;&s;embling of your &s;elves together, as the man|ner of &s;ome is; but rather the more as the day approaches,</HI> Heb. 10. 25.</P>
<P>For altho' this is a Day of outward Liberty, which the Lord by his Power and Provi|dence
<PB N="19" REF="12"> hath brought us to en|joy, and after a Storm hath brought this Calm, for which we ought, and my Soul in Hu|mility doth humbly thank the Lord, and return Prai&s;es to his Holy Name, and am al&s;o thankful unto tho&s;e under whom we do enjoy this Mer|cy, and we ought to pray for them, That we may live a peaceable Life, in all Godli|ne&s;s and Hone&s;ty, 1 <HI>Tim.</HI> 2. 2.</P>
<P>But my dear Friends, now let's not decline or grow &s;lack in this Chri&s;tian Duty, or forbear the a&s;&s;embling of our &s;elves together, to <HI>wait</HI> on God in <HI>Diligence,</HI> and to <HI>&s;erve</HI> him in <HI>Faithfulne&s;s,</HI> and in a right Sen&s;e of his Mercies, of the multitude of which, this
<PB N="20" REF="13"> of peaceably meeting together is not the lea&s;t: And if any of tho&s;e that in the Di&s;charge of this Duty did diligently meet, when they could &s;eldom enjoy a quiet Meeting, and hazard the Lo&s;s of their Goods and Liberty, and by being confin|ed in <HI>Noy&s;om Goals</HI> and <HI>Stink|ing Holes and Dungeons,</HI> haz|arded their <HI>Healths,</HI> and con|&s;equently <HI>endanger'd their Lives:</HI> If any of the&s;e &s;hould now grow <HI>cold,</HI> and <HI>&s;lack</HI> in this Chri&s;tian Duty in this Time of Liberty, they may, notwith|&s;tanding what they have done and &s;uffered, fall &s;hort of that Re&s;t God hath prepar'd for his People, and mi&s;s of that Re|ward he gives to the Faithful.</P>
<PB N="21" REF="13">
<P>Therefore let all &s;uch be di|ligent herein, and per&s;evere to the End in <HI>Faithfulne&s;s</HI> and <HI>Diligence, i. e.</HI> in <HI>Meeting</HI> and <HI>Waiting upon God therein;</HI> and rather the more as the Day ap|proacheth: For, oh my Friends! I mu&s;t tell you, there is a Day approaching, wherein we &s;hall meet again with Tryals and Exerci&s;es, and &s;hall need to know the Lord to be our <HI>Strength</HI> and <HI>Refuge,</HI> our <HI>Rock</HI> and <HI>Hiding-place,</HI> and <HI>Defence.</HI></P>
<P>And the more <HI>diligent</HI> we are now in <HI>&s;erving</HI> him, and the more <HI>faithful</HI> we are in <HI>following</HI> him, the more we &s;hall renew our Acquaintance with the Lord and Strength in him, and be the better enabl'd to bear our Te&s;timony for him
<PB N="22" REF="14"> in &s;uch a Day, and have the more Comfort and Peace there|in. If then we can appeal to the Lord, like good <HI>Hezekiah;</HI> and &s;ay; <HI>Remember now, O Lord, I be&s;eech thee, how I have walked before thee, in truth, and with a perfect heart, and have done that which is good in thy &s;ight,</HI> 2 Kings, 20. 3.</P>
<P>Oh! let this be our Care, to &s;ee that we are found doing that which is good in his Sight, and that we <HI>&s;light</HI> none of his Mercies, nor <HI>neglect</HI> any <HI>Sea|&s;on</HI> or <HI>Opportunity</HI> that he af|fords us, but may diligently improve the &s;ame to his Hon|our, that it may in the end be to our Peace and Comfort.</P>
<P>And if any <HI>did,</HI> in the time of Suffering <HI>neglect</HI> and <HI>omit</HI>
<PB N="23" REF="14"> their Chri&s;tian Duty of Meet|ing together with God's Peo|ple, to <HI>wait</HI> upon him, to <HI>wor|&s;hip</HI> and <HI>&s;erve</HI> him, and to bear a <HI>Te&s;timony</HI> for him, &s;uch, that now remain <HI>ought to prize</HI> God's Love and Mercy, in affording <HI>&s;uch a Sea&s;on</HI> as this is.</P>
<P>And great Diligence and Care they ought to be found in, to improve the&s;e pre&s;ent peaceable Opportunities of Meeting together, that they may <HI>renew their Strength,</HI> and know <HI>their Love to God</HI> and <HI>Zeal</HI> for his Name and Te&s;timony to be <HI>increa&s;ed;</HI> and that out of that <HI>&s;lavi&s;h Fear</HI> that came over them, and from under that Spirit of the World that did then prevail over them, they may be brought, and by
<PB N="24" REF="15"> the Lord may be enabled to bear their Te&s;timony in <HI>Plain|ne&s;s</HI> and <HI>Faithfulne&s;s</HI> again&s;t the corrupt World, and the <HI>Lan|guage, Ways, Fa&s;hions</HI> and <HI>Cu|&s;toms</HI> thereof.</P>
<P>And in that Fear, Humility and Mode&s;ty that becomes the Followers of our Lord Je&s;us Chri&s;t, who was a Pattern of Humility; <HI>Who in the days of his fle&s;h, when he had offer'd up prayers and &s;upplications, with &s;trong crying and tears unto him that was able to &s;ave him from Death, was heard in that he feared,</HI> Heb. 5. 7. who was al&s;o exemplary in <HI>Truth, Plain|ne&s;s</HI> and <HI>Simplicity;</HI> the which, if we would follow his Ex|ample, let not us <HI>exceed;</HI> and then in <HI>Simplicity, Plainne&s;s</HI>
<PB N="25" REF="15"> and Truth, (<HI>Matt. 5. 37. Ro. 15. 5. Joh. 1. 51. Joh. 3. 3. Joh.</HI> 5. 19.) he will lead and keep all tho&s;e in, that will <HI>learn</HI> of and <HI>follow</HI> him, and that are <HI>diligent</HI> in <HI>&s;eeking</HI> God and <HI>&s;erving</HI> him in his Spirit, and &s;upplicating the Lord therein <HI>in true Faith,</HI> and <HI>the Name of the Lord Je&s;us Chri&s;t:</HI> There, oh, it's there, that what&s;oever they <HI>&s;o</HI> ask &s;hall receive, and the&s;e may be en|abled, in this Day, to &s;tand <HI>faithful</HI> and <HI>true Witne&s;&s;es</HI> for him in the approaching Day, wherein we &s;hall meet with Trials and Exerci&s;es, and there|fore as the Exhortation was, lets not <HI>for&s;ake the a&s;&s;embling our &s;elves together, as the manner of &s;ome is, but rather the more,
<PB N="26" REF="16"> as the Day approacheth,</HI> for if &s;uch <HI>neglect</HI> this <HI>Duty</HI> now, they'll not be <HI>able</HI> to endure the Exerci&s;es and Troubles of the approaching Day.</P>
<P>Therefore let all Prize and improve the pre&s;ent Time and Sea&s;ons of Love, in a <HI>diligent</HI> and <HI>frequent meeting together,</HI> and a <HI>diligent</HI> and <HI>faithful</HI> &s;erv|ing God, when <HI>&s;o met,</HI> and then the Lord will own us, appear among us, manife&s;t his <HI>pre&s;ence</HI> in the <HI>midst of us,</HI> o|ver&s;hadow our <HI>A&s;&s;emblies</HI> with the Wing of his <HI>Glory.</HI></P>
<P>And will cau&s;e the <HI>Holy Ghost to fall upon us</HI> (Acts 2. 4.) <HI>as we meet with one accord, fill us with the Holy Spirit,</HI> and make us partakers of the <HI>Comforts</HI> thereof, of the Life that's in
<PB N="27" REF="16"> his <HI>Pre&s;ence,</HI> and of the <HI>Joy</HI> of his <HI>Salvation,</HI> and will cau&s;e the <HI>Showers</HI> of his Divine <HI>Love plentifully</HI> to fall upon us, whereby his <HI>Heritage</HI> will be <HI>refre&s;hed,</HI> his <HI>Garden</HI> and <HI>Plants watered,</HI> and his People <HI>com|forted,</HI> and all <HI>grow</HI> up <HI>fre&s;h</HI> and <HI>Green</HI> in Life, in Vertue, in <HI>Love</HI> and <HI>Faithfulne&s;s</HI> to God, his Truth and Te&s;ti|mony, and <HI>one unto another.</HI></P>
<P>And as all thus grow in <HI>Love</HI> and <HI>Faithfulne&s;s,</HI> and en|crea&s;e through the Knowlege of him that <HI>hath called us to Glory and Vertue, and give all diligence,</HI> they'll <HI>add to that, like pretious Faith that they have obtained (through the Righ|teou&s;ne&s;s of God and our Saviour Je&s;us Christ) Vertue, and to
<PB N="28" REF="17"> Vertue Knowledge, to Know|ledge Temperance, to Temperance Patience and Godline&s;s, and to Godline&s;s Brotherly Kindne&s;s and Charity; and if the&s;e things be in you and abound, they make you that ye &s;hall neither be bar|ren nor unfruitful in the Know|ledge of God and our Lord Je&s;us Christ,</HI> 2 Pet. 1. 3, 5, 6, 7, 8.</P>
<P>And therefore, my dear Friends, it greatly concerns us to <HI>wait</HI> and <HI>attend</HI> upon the Lord God, in the Spirit of his <HI>dear Son,</HI> and to be <HI>frequent</HI> and <HI>diligent</HI> in that <HI>Chri&s;tian Duty,</HI> that we may <HI>&s;en&s;ibly know</HI> and <HI>livingly Experience</HI> an Increa&s;e in the Knowledge of God, and in the&s;e Chri&s;tian <HI>Vertues;</HI> which if we <HI>neglect</HI> our <HI>Duty</HI> of <HI>Meeting</HI> and <HI>Wait|ing</HI>
<PB N="29" REF="17"> upon God, we can never truly know the&s;e things, nor grow in the&s;e Chri&s;tian <HI>Ver|tues,</HI> neither can we be true to our Te&s;timony, nor keep the &s;ame &s;o <HI>clear</HI> and <HI>clean</HI> in all things, as we ought, nor <HI>rightly do</HI> and <HI>ob&s;erve</HI> Chri&s;t's Commands, endure his Cro&s;s and follow his <HI>Example,</HI> in that <HI>plainne&s;s</HI> and <HI>&s;implicity</HI> which becomes tho&s;e that are his <HI>Di&s;ciples,</HI> that we may not in any thing <HI>decline</HI> therefrom, under any <HI>Colour</HI> or <HI>Pretence what&s;oever,</HI> either for the <HI>Fear</HI> of &s;uffering or to <HI>plea&s;e</HI> any&punc; And then, oh then! my dear and tender Friends, our God will <HI>ble&s;s</HI> us, and Chri&s;t will <HI>love us,</HI> and we &s;hall <HI>love</HI> him, and to all Men, thereby, it <HI>will
<PB N="30" REF="18"> be known we are his Di&s;ciples, in that we love one another,</HI> John 13, 35.</P>
<P>This is a plea&s;ant Habita|tion and &s;afe Dwelling-place: Here <HI>Fear</HI> will be ca&s;t out, <HI>Jea|lou&s;ies</HI> will have no place, <HI>Life</HI> will be felt, <HI>Comfort</HI> enjoyed, <HI>Zeal</HI> and <HI>Diligence</HI> encrea&s;ed, <HI>Care</HI> and <HI>Caution</HI> u&s;ed, that we may not ju&s;tly offend any, or give occa&s;ion thereof, (1 <HI>Cor.</HI> 10. 31.) either to <HI>Jews or Gen|tiles, or the Church of God,</HI> by our <HI>unfaithfulne&s;s to God, Cool|ne&s;s</HI> to love, and <HI>Slackne&s;s</HI> to do our Duty, <HI>decling</HI> our <HI>Meet|ings,</HI> and being <HI>carele&s;s, drou&s;ie</HI> or <HI>negligent</HI> in <HI>waiting</HI> and <HI>at|tending</HI> upon God therein; for one Cau&s;e, if not the <HI>main</HI> and <HI>great,</HI> is, That &s;ome a|mong
<PB N="31" REF="18"> us have been and are lia|ble to be drawn, and are too apt to imitate (in their <HI>Lan|guage</HI> vain <HI>Fa&s;hions,</HI> fooli&s;h <HI>Dre&s;&s;es,</HI> evil Cu&s;toms and Ways) the World, or tho&s;e that do not keep in that <HI>Meek|ne&s;s</HI> and <HI>Lowline&s;s</HI> that Chri&s;t exhorted to, and was a Pattern of.</P>
<P>And this is through their <HI>weak|ne&s;s</HI> and <HI>Corruption</HI> of Heart, <HI>Love of the World,</HI> and the <HI>Lust of the Eye, the Lust of the Fle&s;h</HI> and <HI>Pride of Life, (1 Joh.</HI> 2. 15, 16.) which hath had a Place in them, and hath been too much occa&s;ioned through Remi&s;ne&s;s in their Chri&s;tian Duty, of <HI>frequently</HI> Meeting together in the <HI>Fear</HI> and <HI>Name</HI> of God and Je&s;us Chri&s;t, and
<PB N="32" REF="19"> <HI>diligently, humbly</HI> and <HI>reverent|ly Waiting</HI> and <HI>Attending</HI> upon him therein, and giving up, in <HI>Obedience</HI> to the Call and Re|quirings of God, and being <HI>true</HI> to the inward <HI>Di&s;coveries</HI> of his <HI>Light</HI> and <HI>Convictions</HI> of his Spirit in <HI>their Hearts.</HI></P>
<P>Oh! therefore, all you who &s;hall find your &s;elves in this State, and have any De&s;ires to amend your Ways. Let me, in brotherly Love, and in great good Will to your <HI>Souls Good,</HI> earne&s;tly intreat you to be <HI>diligent</HI> in <HI>Waiting</HI> and <HI>At|tending</HI> upon the Lord, in the A&s;&s;emblies of his Cho&s;en Peo|ple, and inwardly exercis'd in the precious &amp; <HI>un&s;peakable Gift of God's Spirit,</HI> 2 Cor. 9. 15. <HI>and draw near him in Faith, and with
<PB N="33" REF="19"> a true Heart,</HI> Heb. 10. 22. Then will the Lord <HI>draw near</HI> to you, <HI>renew your Strength, wean</HI> your Hearts, and <HI>draw</HI> your Affecti|ons off and from all the fading <HI>Vanities,</HI> fooli&s;h <HI>Delights,</HI> &s;inful <HI>Plea&s;ures,</HI> corrupt <HI>Ways,</HI> evil <HI>Cu&s;toms,</HI> unprofitable <HI>Talk:</HI> And from what&s;oever is either <HI>offen&s;ive</HI> unto God, <HI>hurtful</HI> to your Souls, <HI>unbecoming</HI> the <HI>Truth</HI> and our Holy <HI>Profe&s;&s;ion,</HI> and &s;et <HI>your Minds upon things above,</HI> Col. 3. 2. and <HI>rai&s;e you up by his Power,</HI> Rom. 6. 4 <HI>into newne&s;s of Life</HI> and <HI>redeem you,</HI> Rev. 14. 3, 4. from the World, and the Evil of it, and bring you into <HI>Covenant with God,</HI> and <HI>&V;nity with his People,</HI> and teach you <HI>&s;o</HI> to live and walk, that you may <HI>plea&s;e him, e&s;cape
<PB N="34" REF="20"> his Wrath,</HI> (1 Eph. 6.) and be a People to the <HI>Prai&s;e of his Grace,</HI> and to the <HI>Honour of his Name,</HI> and to do what you do therein; then will your <HI>Peace be as a River, and your Righteou&s;ne&s;s, like the Waves of the Sea,</HI> and we &s;hall not only give <HI>Honour</HI> to God, but be a <HI>Comfort</HI> one to another, and be one another's <HI>Joy</HI> and <HI>Crown</HI> of Rejoycing in the Lord, which that we may be kept in <HI>Love</HI> and <HI>Faithfulne&s;s</HI> to God, and one another, to the End,</P>
<Q>Is the hearty Prayer of your &s;in|cere Friend and Brother, in that mo&s;t precious Truth, which will <HI>out-live</HI> and <HI>la&s;t</HI> all the Contemners of <HI>it,</HI> and gives <HI>Joy,</HI> in <HI>Believing</HI> and <HI>Com|fort,</HI>
<PB N="35" REF="20"> in obeying, and through them <HI>Peace</HI> and <HI>Salvation,</HI> to the Immortal Soul, as there is an abiding therein.</Q>
<CLOSER><DATELINE>George-yard, London, <DATE><HI>the</HI> 11th of the 3d Month, 1696.</DATE></DATELINE>
<SIGNED>I. Field.</SIGNED></CLOSER>
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<BACK>
<DIV1 TYPE="errata">
<P><HI>Errata,</HI> p. 8. l. 8. for <HI>Word</HI> r. <HI>World</HI></P>
<TRAILER>FINIS.</TRAILER>
</DIV1>
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