AN EXHORTATION, By way of EPISTLE TO THE Friends of Christ, Every Where.  Jesus said, My doctrine is not mine, but his that sent me. If any man will do his will, he shall know of the doctrine whether it be of God, or whether I speak of myself, Joh. 7. 16, 17. Where two or three are gathered together, in my name, there am I, in the midst of them, Matt. 18. 20. If ye keep my commandments ye shall abide in my love; even as I have kept my father's commandments, and abide in his love, Joh. 15. 10. 
London; Printed for T. Northcot, in George-yard, in Lombardstreet, 1696.   

AN Exhortation, etc.  
DEar and tender Friends, Brethren and Sisters, whom the Lord in his tender Love hath visited in these latter Days, and after a long and tedious Night of Darkness and Time of Apostasy, wherein the saving Knowledge of the glorious God and our blessed Saviour Jesus Christ hath been but little known, and livingly experienced; to you who are now visited with the bright-shining Light of his glorious Day, that hath sprung up in this latter Age, and are called by his blessed Grace, and quickened by his living Spirit, raised by his eternal Power, to be a People, to the Praise of his Grace, and to the Honour of his everlasting Name, and through the Revelation of our Lord Jesus Christ, are made Partakers of God's saving Knowledge, in a good degree, and in whom the Almighty God our Heavenly Father, by his powerful Word hath begun his glorious Work of Righteousness, Redemption and Eternal Salvation.  
To you, O my Friends, I feel the Love of God flow, and thereby am drawn to send these following Lines, not only as a Salutation of endeared Love, but as Counsel and Advice on the several Heads following, viz.  

I. To be diligent in waiting upon the Lord.  
II. And frequent in that Christian Duty, in meeting together for that End.   
That you may renew your Acquaintance with him and your Strength in him, and be enabled by him, in Faithfulness to follow him, and may feel your Hearts filled with Love to him, Fear towards him, Zeal for him, and a godly Concern for his Glory, the Propagating and Spreading of his precious Truth, the Exaltation and Renowning of his excellent Name, and in Plainness and Simplicity may be found, bearing your Testimony for him in all Respects, and not decline it in any. That you may have his Blessings, enjoy his Presence, and be more abundantly made Partakers of the Comforts of his Holy Spirit, and Joy of his Salvation.  
And for this End I do in brotherly Love exhort all to be inward in their Minds, and to have their Hearts exercised in that Light in which they have believed, and that Spirit by which they have been quickened: And then you will see yourselves, know your States, be sensible of your Weaknesses and Wants, and of the need you have to watch unto Prayer, and to wait on the Lord, and frequently to meet with his People for that End, and to be diligent when met, in attending upon the Lord in his Holy Fear, that you may feel his Presence, renew your Strength, and know his Work to prosper, and be carried on in your Souls.  
But if you neglect this Duty, and are not diligent therein, altho' you are called, you cannot be faithful, nor become his chosen People, but will grow cool in your Love to God, and will slack in your Obedience, and will not partake, Although you may hear of the GOOD of his Land, but will become dry, barren and unfruitful unto him; and altho' you may retain a Profession of the Truth, and confess thereunto, yet the Love of the Word, and the Cares of it will grow, and the Spirit of it will prevail, and into the Evil that's in it you will be drawn, and under Condemnation you will fall, and be in Danger to bring Reproach upon Truth, Dishonour to the Name of God, and Scandal upon the Christian Religion, and your Holy Profession, in your Lives and Conversations, and to decline your Testimony for the Lord, both in Words, Habit and Conversation  
Oh! therefore, my dear Friends, prise the great Love of God to you, in visiting and calling you by his Light and Grace, and consider the End thereof; which is, that you might be a People to his Praise, and to the Honour of his Name, and might show forth the Virtue of him that hath called you out of Darkness into his marvellous Light, 1 Pet. 2. 9 to serve him with Reverence and godly Fear, and to be found diligent in that Practice of Meeting often together, and Speaking often one unto another, and thinking on his Name, Mal. 3. 16. as those that feared him did in the Ages past, of whom the Lord said, these shall be Mine.  
Oh! that's precious to know, and comfortable to experience that we are HIS, his People, his Children, his Servants, his Sons and Daughters, than we shall have his Blessing, enjoy his Presence, know his Care to be over us; and feed at his Table, partake of his Bread, be nourished by the Milk of his Word, grow in his Grace and the Knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ, and our Souls will be filled with Love to him (Joh. 15. 10, 12.) and we shall manifest it by our keeping his Commandments, and be enabled by him to keep our Testimony unspotted, and in Truth and Faithfulness stand Witnesses for him against the World, all its corrupt Ways, Fashions, Customs, Religions and Traditions, and be preserved from touching the unclean thing; then the Lord will receive us, 2 Cor. 6. 17. and own us, stand by and preserve us, protect and defend us, support and sustain us in and under all we may meet with, for the faithful Discharge of our Duty to him, and keeping our Testimony for him: Then, oh then! neither the Frowns nor Flatteries, the Threats nor Entreaties, the Favour nor Displeasure of Men will prevail upon us, to decline our Testimony or neglect our Duty. But the faithful Discharge thereof, above all other things, by us, will be preferred, and our Love to Christ thereby manifested, as it ought to be; for you know he hath said, If any man love any thing more than me he is not worthy of me: Therefore let us look to him, and wait on him, and pray to him, to carry on, to prosper and complete the Work of Righteousness, Redemption and Salvation in our Hearts and Souls. And be watchful against 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 pursuit thereof; for that will cooll your Love to God, and chill your Zeal, and cause a Slackness to your Christian Duty, of meeting together to wait upon God, and will have 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 Christ said, Let no fruit grow on thee: And presently it withered, and came to nought, Matth. 21. 19  
Therefore my dear and tender Friends, that are visited and called of latter time, be diligent in waiting upon God, and faithful to him, and answer his Requirings, and be doers of his Will, so 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 a bruised Reed shall he not break, and the smoking flax shall he not quench; he shall bring forth judgement unto truth, Isa. 43. 3. But there must be a waiting on him in this Way, and a following him therein, and not a starting aside, like a broken Bow; for if ye do not follow Wisdom in the Way she leads, which is the Way of Righteousness, and in the middle Paths of Judgements, ye cannot be made Partakers of the living Substance, or know your Treasures filled.  
Therefore faithfully follow the Lord, and ye shall know him, (Isa. 42. 13.) to go forth as a mighty man; he shall stir up jealousy, like a man of war; he shall cry, yea roar; he shall prevail against his enemies. For he hath a bow, and a crown was given unto him, and he went forth conquering, and to conquer, Rev. 6. 2. This is the Captain of the Lord's Host; this is he whom the Armies that are in Heaven follow; this is he in whom we have believed, Revelat. 1. 18. that was dead and is alive, and lives for ever more; this is he to whom all power is given in heaven and in earth, Matth. 28. 18. who will destroy our Enemies, and that great Enemy, that is, Death; that will put an end to Sin; that will finish transgressions; that will bring everlasting righteousness (Dan. 9 24.) into our Souls, and complete the Work of our Redemption and Salvation, which the Father sent him to do, if we follow him in Truth, in sincerity and uprightness of Heart in the way of the daily Cross (Matt. 10. 28.) and in the Regeneration, which is the End of our Call and Visitation, and is both our Duty and Interest; for thereby we shall 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, shall we be kept, while here, in a patiented continuance in well doing, and be made sharers of Glory, partakers of Immortality, and Inheritors of Eternal Life, Rom. 2. 7.  
Let nothing, therefore, in this low World, nor any thing you may meet with in your Pilgrimage through this mortal Life or Vale of Tears prevail upon you to neglect your Duty to God, or decline your Testimony for him, in any Respect: For he hath not only called and raised us up to be a People, but hath kept and preserved us in and under all our Exercises, Troubles, Sufferings or Afflictions that he hath suffered to come upon us for the trial of our Faith, and exercise of our Patience, of what kind or nature soever, whether from the World or among ourselves; he hath been a shelter in the Time of Storm and a Refuge in the Day of Trouble.  
Oh! Let us therefore remember his Love to us, and fear him and his Goodness, Hos. 3. 5. and be daily exercised in meditating in his LAW, and in a Spirit of Prayer and Supplication unto him, that we may keep the same and walk therein, and in his holy and undefiled way will he then lead us. And we shall partake of his Blessing and be directed by his Wisdom and guided by his Council, and in the End be received into Glory, Psal. 73. 24.  
Once more, therefore, my dear and tender Friends, in brotherly Love, I exhort you not to forsake the Assembling of yourselves together, as the manner of some is; but rather the more as the day approaches, Heb. 10. 25.  
For altho' this is a Day of outward Liberty, which the Lord by his Power and Providence hath brought us to enjoy, and after a Storm hath brought this Calm, for which we ought, and my Soul in Humility doth humbly thank the Lord, and return Praises to his Holy Name, and am also thankful unto those under whom we do enjoy this Mercy, and we ought to pray for them, That we may live a peaceable Life, in all Godliness and Honesty, 1 Tim. 2. 2.  
But my dear Friends, now let's not decline or grow slack in this Christian Duty, or forbear the assembling of ourselves together, to wait on God in Diligence, and to serve him in Faithfulness, and in a right Sense of his Mercies, of the multitude of which, this of peaceably meeting together is not the least: And if any of those that in the Discharge of this Duty did diligently meet, when they could seldom enjoy a quiet Meeting, and hazard the Loss of their Goods and Liberty, and by being confined in Noisome Goals and Stinking Holes and Dungeons, hazarded their Healths, and consequently endangered their Lives: If any of these should now grow cold, and slack in this Christian Duty in this Time of Liberty, they may, notwithstanding what they have done and suffered, fall short of that Rest God hath prepared for his People, and miss of that Reward he gives to the Faithful.  
Therefore let all such be diligent herein, and persevere to the End in Faithfulness and Diligence, i. e. in Meeting and Waiting upon God therein; and rather the more as the Day approacheth: For, oh my Friends! I must tell you, there is a Day approaching, wherein we shall meet again with Trials and Exercises, and shall need to know the Lord to be our Strength and Refuge, our Rock and Hiding-place, and Defence.  
And the more diligent we are now in serving him, and the more faithful we are in following him, the more we shall renew our Acquaintance with the Lord and Strength in him, and be the better enabled to bear our Testimony for him in such a Day, and have the more Comfort and Peace therein. If then we can appeal to the Lord, like good Hezekiah; and say; Remember now, O Lord, I beseech thee, how I have walked before thee, in truth, and with a perfect heart, and have done that which is good in thy sight, 2 Kings, 20. 3.  
Oh! let this be our Care, to see that we are found doing that which is good in his Sight, and that we slight none of his Mercies, nor neglect any Season or Opportunity that he affords us, but may diligently improve the same to his Honour, that it may in the end be to our Peace and Comfort.  
And if any did, in the time of Suffering neglect and omit their Christian Duty of Meeting together with God's People, to wait upon him, to worship and serve him, and to bear a Testimony for him, such, that now remain aught to prize God's Love and Mercy, in affording such a Season as this is.  
And great Diligence and Care they ought to be found in, to improve these present peaceable Opportunities of Meeting together, that they may renew their Strength, and know their Love to God and Zeal for his Name and Testimony to be increased; and that out of that slavish Fear that came over them, and from under that Spirit of the World that did then prevail over them, they may be brought, and by the Lord may be enabled to bear their Testimony in Plainness and Faithfulness against the corrupt World, and the Language, Ways, Fashions and Customs thereof.  
And in that Fear, Humility and Modesty that becomes the Followers of our Lord Jesus Christ, who was a Pattern of Humility; Who in the days of his flesh, when he had offered up prayers and supplications, with strong crying and tears unto him that was able to save him from Death, was heard in that he feared, Heb. 5. 7. who was also exemplary in Truth, Plainness and Simplicity; the which, if we would follow his Example, let not us exceed; and then in Simplicity, Plainness and Truth, (Matt. 5. 37. Ro. 15. 5. Joh. 1. 51. Joh. 3. 3. Joh. 5. 19) he will lead and keep all those in, that will learn of and follow him, and that are diligent in seeking God and serving him in his Spirit, and supplicating the Lord therein in true Faith, and the Name of the Lord Jesus Christ: There, oh, it's there, that whatsoever they so ask shall receive, and these may be enabled, in this Day, to stand faithful and true Witnesses for him in the approaching Day, wherein we shall meet with Trials and Exercises, and therefore as the Exhortation was, let's not forsake the assembling ourselves together, as the manner of some is, but rather the more, as the Day approacheth, for if such neglect this Duty now, they'll not be able to endure the Exercises and Troubles of the approaching Day.  
Therefore let all Prize and improve the present Time and Seasons of Love, in a diligent and frequent meeting together, and a diligent and faithful serving God, when so met, and then the Lord will own us, appear among us, manifest his presence in the midst of us, overshadow our Assemblies with the Wing of his Glory.  
And will cause the Holy Ghost to fall upon us (Acts 2. 4.) as we meet with one accord, fill us with the Holy Spirit, and make us partakers of the Comforts thereof, of the Life that's in his Presence, and of the Joy of his Salvation, and will cause the Showers of his Divine Love plentifully to fall upon us, whereby his Heritage will be refreshed, his Garden and Plants watered, and his People comforted, and all grow up fresh and Green in Life, in Virtue, in Love and Faithfulness to God, his Truth and Testimony, and one unto another.  
And as all thus grow in Love and Faithfulness, and increase through the Knowledge of him that hath called us to Glory and Virtue, and give all diligence, they'll add to that, like precious Faith that they have obtained (through the Righteousness of God and our Saviour Jesus Christ) Virtue, and to Virtue Knowledge, to Knowledge Temperance, to Temperance Patience and Godliness, and to Godliness Brotherly Kindness and Charity; and if these things be in you and abound, they make you that ye shall neither be barren nor unfruitful in the Knowledge of God and our Lord Jesus Christ, 2 Pet. 1. 3, 5, 6, 7, 8.  
And therefore, my dear Friends, it greatly concerns us to wait and attend upon the Lord God, in the Spirit of his dear Son, and to be frequent and diligent in that Christian Duty, that we may sensibly know and livingly Experience an Increase in the Knowledge of God, and in these Christian Virtues; which if we neglect our Duty of Meeting and Waiting upon God, we can never truly know these things, nor grow in these Christian Virtues, neither can we be true to our Testimony, nor keep the same so clear and clean in all things, as we ought, nor rightly do and observe Christ's Commands, endure his Cross and follow his Example, in that plainness and simplicity which becomes those that are his Disciples, that we may not in any thing decline therefrom, under any Colour or Pretence whatsoever, either for the Fear of suffering or to please any▪ And then, oh then! my dear and tender Friends, our God will bless us, and Christ will love us, and we shall love him, and to all Men, thereby, it will be known we are his Disciples, in that we love one another, John 13, 35.  
This is a pleasant Habitation and safe Dwelling-place: Here Fear will be cast out, Jealousies will have no place, Life will be felt, Comfort enjoyed, Zeal and Diligence increased, Care and Caution used, that we may not justly offend any, or give occasion thereof, (1 Cor. 10. 31.) either to Jews or Gentiles, or the Church of God, by our unfaithfulness to God, Coolness to love, and Slackness to do our Duty, decling our Meetings, and being careless, drowsy or negligent in waiting and attending upon God therein; for one Cause, if not the main and great, is, That some among us have been and are liable to be drawn, and are too apt to imitate (in their Language vain Fashions, foolish Dresses, evil Customs and Ways) the World, or those that do not keep in that Meekness and Lowliness that Christ exhorted to, and was a Pattern of.  
And this is through their weakness and Corruption of Heart, Love of the World, and the Lust of the Eye, the Lust of the Flesh and Pride of Life, (1 Joh. 2. 15, 16.) which hath had a Place in them, and hath been too much occasioned through Remissness in their Christian Duty, of frequently Meeting together in the Fear and Name of God and Jesus Christ, and diligently, humbly and reverently Waiting and Attending upon him therein, and giving up, in Obedience to the Call and Requirings of God, and being true to the inward Discoveries of his Light and Convictions of his Spirit in their Hearts.  
Oh! therefore, all you who shall find yourselves in this State, and have any Desires to amend your Ways. Let me, in brotherly Love, and in great good Will to your Souls Good, earnestly entreat you to be diligent in Waiting and Attending upon the Lord, in the Assemblies of his Chosen People, and inwardly exercised in the precious & unspeakable Gift of God's Spirit, 2 Cor. 9 15. and draw near him in Faith, and with a true Heart, Heb. 10. 22. Then will the Lord draw near to you, renew your Strength, wean your Hearts, and draw your Affections off and from all the fading Vanities, foolish Delights, sinful Pleasures, corrupt Ways, evil Customs, unprofitable Talk: And from whatsoever is either offensive unto God, hurtful to your Souls, unbecoming the Truth and our Holy Profession, and set your Minds upon things above, Col. 3. 2. and raise you up by his Power, Rom. 6. 4 into newness of Life and redeem you, Rev. 14. 3, 4. from the World, and the Evil of it, and bring you into Covenant with God, and Unity with his People, and teach you so to live and walk, that you may please him, escape his Wrath, (1 Eph. 6.) and be a People to the Praise of his Grace, and to the Honour of his Name, and to do what you do therein; then will your Peace be as a River, and your Righteousness, like the Waves of the Sea, and we shall not only give Honour to God, but be a Comfort one to another, and be one another's Joy and Crown of Rejoicing in the Lord, which that we may be kept in Love and Faithfulness to God, and one another, to the End,  Is the hearty Prayer of your sincere Friend and Brother, in that most precious Truth, which will outlive and last all the Contemners of it, and giveth Joy, in Believing and Comfort, in obeying, and through them Peace and Salvation, to the Immortal Soul, as there is an abiding therein. 
George-yard, London, the 11th of the 3d Month, 1696. I. Field.   

Errata, p. 8. l. 8. for Word r. World  
FINIS.