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AUTHOR: 
 
 CRISP, STEPHEN 
 
 TITLE: 
 
 AN EPISTLE OF TENDER 
 
 COUNSEL AND ADVICE . 
 
 PLACE: 
 
 LONDON 
 
 DA TE : 
 
 1787 
 
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No^ 
 
 A H 
 
 EPISTLE 
 
 O F 
 
 TENDER COUNSEL 
 
 AND 
 
 D 
 
 I 
 
 E 
 
 T O 
 
 All that have believed the Truth, to exhort 
 them to Faithful nefs thereunto. 
 
 |. In taking heed of fettling in a Formality without 
 
 the Power. 
 
 IL To take heed the Spirit of this world doth not 
 
 drink up their Spirits. 
 
 JII. To keep their Word, and let their Yea be 
 
 always Yea. 
 
 JV. Not to truft too much to Education. 
 
 y. To love one another. 
 
 Wfittcn by one that travails for Zion's Pfofperity, 
 
 STEPHEN CRISP. 
 
 A NEW EDITIOK. 
 
 LONDON: 
 
 4 
 
 Printed by JAMES PHILLIPS, in Gcorgc-Yard, 
 
 |jombard-Street« i7^7* 
 
( 3 ) 
 
 A N 
 
 E P I S T L E, &c. 
 
 Dearly beloved Friends, Brethren, and Sifters. 
 
 TH E Salutation of my dear love, in the flowings 
 forth of life in the Lord Jefus Chrift, our only 
 Head, reacheth unto you all, in the fpiritual way 
 of communication, which you are made partakers of in the 
 Holy Spirit, in the reachings forth of this love and life, 
 which we have received from the Father of life, 
 
 I am drawn fortli to vifit you all with an Epiflle of Tender 
 Advice and Counjel'j and efpecially you, my dear friends, among 
 whom I have travelled in this and other nations. Oh ! the 
 remembrance of the glory and power of God, that hath ap- 
 peared amongft us in days paft, doth much affect my foul at 
 this time, knowing the Lord is the fame to them that do 
 hold faft the things they have heard and learned from the be- 
 ginning. And my fpirit is exercifed among you, caring 
 and praying for your liability and continuance in the truth ; 
 that ye may be prefervcd blamelcfs unto the day of his 
 coming, armed with power, and furniflied with wifdom, and 
 prepared with every good gift of the Spirit, to ftand againft 
 the wiles and fubtle workings of the devil your advcrfary, 
 who is upon his watch, which way he may deilroy you, 
 and fpoil you of- the lot of your inheritance, prepared for 
 you in Chrift Jefus our Lord : and for this purpofe doth he 
 fet all his fubtlcty at work, and doth inftigate many whom he 
 hath already caught in his fnares, and fets them- as fnares to 
 catch more of you, that by their example, ye that do yet 
 ftand, might alfo fail from your ftedfaftnefs, and be a prey 
 unto him. 
 
 A 2 Therefore, 
 
( 4 ) 
 
 Therefore, my dear friends, gird up the loins of your 
 minds, and put on the whole armour of light, then you will 
 fee round about you, and which way foever the enemy comes 
 to aflault you, you will be prepared to refift him. For your 
 fufEciency is in the light, and in the truth, which the devil 
 is out of j and if your eye be kept fmgle to truth in your 
 inward parts, it is not all the deceit of the devil, and all his 
 inftruments, can beguile you, but a certain fenfe will bd 
 given you of his myfterious workings. 
 
 And, my dear friends, I would not have you forget that 
 there are many ways to weaken and to darken you, which 
 muft all be watched againft ; therefore walk circumfpedly, 
 keeping your eye in your head, waiting to feel your ftrengthi 
 renewed daily. For be afTured, your trials and temptations 
 will be renewed, and if you be deftitute of the heavenly 
 daily bread, there will be a daily weakening, which will ap- 
 pear by your being overcome by fuch things as once you 
 had a power to ftand againft, which is a great grief to be- 
 hold in many. 
 
 And now I have to warn you of a few things that have 
 for fome time lain upon me to fend among you, which I do 
 in feithfulnefs recommend to the pure witnefs of God in all 
 <onfciences ; not as if I judged any : but this I muft tell 
 you, there is one that judgeth, and will give an anfwer in 
 every one that liftens to him, by which he may know how 
 far any of thefe things have prevailed upon him. And he 
 that judgeth, will alfo by judgment deliver them that are 
 caught in fatan's fnares, if diey do hearken and fubmit to hjs 
 kadings, 
 
 Firft. Take heed, my dear friends, of holding the truth 
 in a bare formality, fatisfying yourfelves that you have for a 
 lono" time owned the way of truth, and under this confider- 
 ation fit down at eafe, as to the inward man, unacquainted 
 with the inward travails, either for yourfelves or others \ uncon* 
 cemed whether the noble plant grows, either in yourfelves or 
 in others. Oh ! my friends, this is a dangerous ftate, more 
 dangerous than my tongue or pen can declare : therefore 
 conlider how thy poor foul is beguiled in this condition s for, 
 in the firft place, thou art deprived of that daily enjoyment 
 
 which 
 
 f 5 ) 
 
 which others do enjoy in waiting upon the Lord ; they feel 
 his refrefhing prefence, which either fills them with joy and 
 comfort, or elfe opens their underftandings in the light of a 
 certain knowledge of, and teftimony againft, fuch things as 
 yet ftand in the way, and hinder the joy of his falv^tion 
 from them. But thou that fitteft in a dry formality, without 
 an inward travail upon thy fpirit, thou knoweft neither of 
 thefe things, but goeft on in the dark, not knowing whither 
 thou goeft, and fo in the length of time, thou being fuch a 
 ftranger to the work of truth in thyfelf, it grows to a quef- 
 tion with thee, whether others do witnefs any fuch powerful 
 workings, yea or nay ; for every thing that is not experi- 
 mental, is liable to queftion. As he that never faw, knows 
 not what feeing is ; and he that never fmelt any thin?» 
 knows not what fmelling is ; fo he that through long con- 
 tinuance in this formal manner of going to meetings', con- 
 tmues ftill unacquainted with the power, will at laft be eafily 
 made to queftion whether there be fuch a power or no ; 
 and in this ftate the dark power will work infenfibly, and 
 prevail upon thy fpirit, and fit thee for his own purpofe, and 
 will minifter a fecret liberty into thy mind, even as to the 
 form itfelf by degrees, and fo will make thee unfit to ftand 
 in fome fliarp trial that will come to try thee, either in 
 having fomething, or parting with fomething, which may be 
 had, or parted with, if thou wilt turn thy back on truth. 
 And when this time of trial comes upon thee, then the 
 ftrength and advantage that the enemy hath gotten upoa 
 thee in the time of thy lukewarm, loofe profeffion, is made 
 manifeft ; then thou art in great ftraits for a feafon. If the 
 temptation be in having a wife, or huft)and, or a portion, or 
 legacy, or gaining a fuit at law, or recovering a debt, or 
 fuch like things : and the things cannot be had without 
 letting the teftimony of thy proteffion fall, by fwearing, or 
 going to a prieft, or fome other matter contrary to thy pfo- 
 teffion ; oh I what ftruggling is there in thy foul to obtain 
 the thing thou defireft, and yet wouldeft fain be reckoned a 
 friend ftill, and art loth to be publickly numbered among 
 backfliders and apoftates. And fo if the temptation and tri2 
 comes on the other fide, in parting with any thing, which 
 thou loveft, for thy profeffion fake, as thy wife and children, 
 thy liberty, thy money, thy cattle, thy houfe and land, or 
 what elfe may be dear to thee -, oh ! how doth felf work to 
 
 A 3 fave 
 
( 6 ) 
 
 fave itfelf, and loth it is to part with the name and reputa- 
 tion of a friend of truth, and as loth to part with any of 
 thefe things for the truth's fake, not feeling the hundred fold 
 in this time, which Chrift fpoke of, nor the lite everlaltmg 
 neither. 
 
 Here is a day of great difficulty and diftrefs, which is 
 come, and is coming; upon many of fuch carelefs profeflbrs, 
 in which they ftand ui need of the help of the divme power 
 of God to fupport them, and to give them vi6tory. But, 
 alas ! they are eftrangcd from it. And now the form will not 
 fupport in the hour of this great trial, but the confultings 
 of flefh and blood are grown ftrong for want of living in the 
 daily crofs ; and that nature cries aloud in the ears of thy 
 foul, which thou haft indulged and fufFered to live ; and if 
 thou confidereft the truth, and weigheft the teftimony of 
 that aorainft thy own will and defire, then thou eafily feeft 
 which Is of moft weight with thee ; for a falfe weight, and 
 falfe balance, and falfe judgment, is got up in the time of 
 thy carelefs profefTion : and then the old deceiver comes in, 
 and tells thee, thou feeft no evil in it, or at leaft, not fo 
 much as on the contrary fide ; fo that of two evils, it is 
 wifdom to chufe the leaft ; and fuch like reafonings fill thy 
 mind, till at laft thy will being ftrong, -and thy underftand- 
 ino- darkened, thou takeft up a rcfolution to hazard thy 
 foul, and to part with thy dry withered teftimony, which 
 thou haft for a long time borne without life, and embrace 
 the price that is bidden for it, as Efau and Judas did, and fo 
 fclleft the truth which thou once followedft, and delivereft it 
 (as much as in thee lieth) into the hand of its enemy, to be 
 reproached and trampled upon. And this is the fruit and 
 effect of a long carcleflliefs and remiflhefs, which thou 
 thoughteft once^vvould never come to this : and when the 
 ferviints of the Lord have declared what fad cffeds fuch 
 necrlifrence would produce in time, thou haft been apt to 
 blets thT^eiv; and to reckon thou wouldeft never run fo far 
 out,^ as' publickly to bring reproach upon the way thou 
 ^rofcflbdft. Bur, alas ! thou little kneweft that thy foul s 
 enemy was all that while but preparing thee againft the day 
 of thy greateft trial, and as it were difarming thee againfl: 
 the day of battle, that he might the more eafily overcome 
 thee : but now thou feeft thou art fallen, when others, being 
 
 tried 
 
 ( 7 ) 
 
 tried with the fame temptations, ftand and abide In theif 
 teftimony ; and fo mighteft thou alfo, if thou hadft waited 
 upon God in diligence for the renewing of thy ftrength. 
 Alas ! miferable man or woman, what wilt thou do ? 
 thy cloak is now pulled off, thy fig-leaf profeffion is rent, 
 and thou haft but two ways, to wit, to turn thy mind from 
 the objca of thy delight, to the truth, which thou haft fold 
 for it, and by repentance, and through judgment, to wait to^ 
 fee if God will be merciful to thee, and to give up now at laft 
 to that work thou fo much before flightedft ; or elfe to take 
 the other way, and that is, to go on in thy rebellion againft 
 the light of Chrift Jefus, and add fin to fin, until the cuftoni 
 of fin may take away the fenfe of judgment, and fo thou 
 mayft grow to a fleftily eafe, and give over caring for thy 
 future well-being, and, like the beaft that perifheth, fet thy 
 heart upon the things of this life for a little feafon, and then 
 Cometh the end ; and thou who waft once called of God to 
 an inheritance in his light, liiuft now have thy portion in 
 the utter darknefs ; and thou that waft once called to have 
 been a veffel of honour, art now become a veffel of wrath 
 fitted for deftrudion. Oh ! my foul laments the condition 
 of fuch, and I ftiould rejoice if any of thefe carelefs profeffors 
 of truth might be awakened before it is too late. But, 
 however, I am thus far clear of their blood, and if they 
 perifti, the fault will be their own. 
 
 A fecond thing that lies upon me to warn you of, my 
 clear friends, is to watch againft the fpirit of this world, 
 leaft it drink up your fpirits too much in an eager purfuit 
 after the things of this world, which happens to fome, to 
 their great hurt and damage ; and the fiiare lies deep and 
 hidden, under a fubtle covering. For whereas it is the duty 
 of every man to take care for his family, and to be diligent 
 in the calling God hath fet him in, and to improve fuch 
 opportunities as God pleafeth to put into his hands ; here 
 the fubtle enemy works to make the care immoderate, to 
 turn the diligence into flavery, and the improving opportu- 
 nities which God gives him^ to a finding and fearching out 
 of opportunities, fometimes by indire^l: courfes, and fometimes 
 to the prejudice of his neighbour ; and all to try to fatisfy 
 a greedy defire after the heaping up of treafure in this world, 
 and through the earneftnefs of the affedion that kindles 
 
 A 4 daily 
 
( 8 ) 
 
 iaily more and more, till a man comes in time to have the 
 increafe or decreafe of thefe things to be the objedts of his 
 joy or forrow ; and then he is miferable : for joy or forrow 
 are the higheft faculties of the mind, and ought to be fixed 
 on the higheft obje6h, and not upon tranfitory things under 
 the fun. But alas 1 how are many caft down at lofTes, and 
 lifted up at profits and gains. Oh ! my friends, take heed 
 l»f this fickle, uncertain ftate ; for while fome have too 
 much fet their minds upon the things of this world, they 
 have erred from the faith ; and placing their truft in uncer- 
 tain riches, when thefe have taken their wings and fled 
 away, their hope hath gone with them. Therefore I befeech 
 you, dear friends, have a care of fufFering your fpirits to be 
 (harpened and fet on edge about thefe outward things ; and 
 take heed of enlarging your trades and trafficks beyond your 
 ability, and beyond your capacity : for both thefe evils have 
 been the ruin of fome. For every one that hath ability, hath 
 not capacity for great things ; and every one that hath capa- 
 city, hath not ability ; and where either of thefe are want- 
 ing, fiich ought to be content with fuch low and mean 
 things as they are capable to manage, and able to reach, 
 and not to bear themfelves too much upon the one, and 
 then feek, by indirect means, to make the other anfwerable ; 
 for no man knows the iiTue beforehand : and therefore, 
 even in thefe things, every one ought to wait to know the 
 guidance of the Lord, and to be fubjeft unto his will, 
 though in a crofs to their own. As the apoftle faid of them 
 that fpoke in this manner, * We will go into fuch a city^ 
 and continue there a yea ^^ aud buy and jell^ and get gain \ 
 (which were lawful things in themfelves ;) yet faith he, 
 For that ye ought to fay^ If the Lord will : fo he that faith, 
 I will increafe my trade, and inlarge my adventures, that 
 my gain may thereby be inlarged ; even in this he ought 
 to fay, If the Lord wilL 
 
 Oh ! friends, wait to feel the governing hand of God 
 in thefe things, to govern you in your affairs, that fo he 
 may be acknowledged by you the Lord of earth, as well as 
 heaven ; the Ruler of your trading and dealings, as well as 
 of your religion and profeHion. 
 
 James iv. 13* 
 
 And, 
 
 ( 9 ) 
 
 And, friends, I defire you toxemember that the crown of 
 our profeifion was, that our Te^ was Tea^ and our Nay was 
 Nay : and fo it is ftill with alkthe faithful followers of the* 
 truth ; though too many have let in a falfe liberty, fmce 
 their firft convincement, and have not that refpedl to their 
 words as they ought to have ; to the great difhonour of God, 
 and grief of the righteous, and wounding of their own fouls* 
 Oh r my friends, let this be amended by every one that 
 hath been overtaken in it, as you tender the honour of 
 God, your own proiperity, and the good of others : for 
 many ftumblings have hereby been laid in the way of 
 fome who have been near to truth, and they have fallen, 
 and been loft ; but they that laid the ftumblings, will not 
 be found clear of their blood in the day of the Lord's 
 inquifition. 
 
 Therefore let all take heed for time to come, to be true 
 to their word ; for all who profefs the truth, do in a kind 
 pledge the truth as much as in them lies, or at leaft their 
 part in the truth, every time they pafs their promife, or fign 
 a bill or obligation for any payment to be made at a certain 
 time mentioned in the faid promife, bill, or obligation. And 
 fuch a one hath now no power to difpenfe with the payment 
 at the time appointed, without the confent of the party to 
 whom he is fo engaged ; and if he doth of himfelf delay, 
 or deny payment, he forfeits what he pledged, namely his 
 truth. Now which of you, having pledged your coat or 
 cloak for half the value, upon condition it ihall be redeemed 
 on a certain day, or to lofe it, would not be careful to 
 obferve the day r But Oh I of how much greater value is 
 this pledge, when truth lies at ftake ? I am fure they that 
 love it, will have more care of it than of a coat, or any 
 earthly thing. 
 
 Therefore the ways to prevent all fuch mifcarriages, are 
 to be taken notice of; and in the firft place, that none run 
 themfelves into neceflities by indire(5: courfes, as by an 
 over-charging themfelves in trading ; nor in over-buying 
 more than they are able to compafs ; nor by furetyfhip, 
 which makes a fuppofed debt, though uncertain, and there- 
 fore the more dangerous, becaufe it may ome upon you at 
 
 unawares. 
 
( 10 ) 
 
 unawares, before you are prepared for it. Thefc things 
 ouo^ht* in wifdom, to be prevented before-hand. 
 
 to ' 
 
 Alfo every one that upon a jufl occafion doth borrow, 
 and doth pafs his word upon the reputation of truth, by 
 promife, bill, or obligation, ought at the fame time to have 
 fomething in his eye of mofV certainty, by which he fhall be - 
 enabled to perform his word ; and not to truft to returns of 
 adventures, increafe of crops, gains of trade, or others 
 keeping their word with him, or any fuch like uncer- 
 tainties ; for if any do fo, they may be in this fnare of 
 being unfaithful to their promife before they are aware. 
 But^although there is a kind of uncertainty in all thefe 
 tilings below, yet where a man's truth ar.d profeflion are 
 thus*^ depending, and muft be difcharged or forfeited, there 
 ought, as I faid before, to be fomething moft certain in 
 fuch an one's eye, by which he may fave his word ; as 
 money that he knows to be ready for his ufe, or goods 
 in pofTcflion, or lands that are free, and can be engaged if 
 the worft come : for you will find more peace in con- 
 fcience, and a better anfwering of truth, to make a new 
 engagement of land or goods, than to break an old en- 
 gagement of your truth and profeflion. 
 
 Dear friends, my heart is full in this matter, and much 
 I could write hereof, but I fpare you in love. Be wife in all 
 tiiefe things, that fo ye may not be in bondage and flavery 
 to the things of this life, but may have a dominion and 
 reign over them, according to your calling in Chrift 
 Jefus ; that none may have caufe juftly ag^ainft any of you, 
 to fay. Such an one's Yea is Nay ; for then he takes your 
 crown and your pledge, which is hard to gain again. 
 
 The next thing that lies upon me, is in refpe^: to 
 fuch as have been brought up and educated among us, 
 and are grown up, and do make profeflion of the fam? 
 way and truth in ^\'hich they have been educated: that 
 all fuch may take heed that they reft not in a bare 
 form of the truth, without having regard to their inward 
 travail of foul, and to their growth in the power of 
 godlinefs. For the fnares of their fouls enemy lie deep 
 in this matter, and his working is to draw their minds 
 
 into 
 
 y 
 
 ( It ) 
 
 into the world, whilft their bodies, and their puWick 
 profeflion, remain among friends ; and to keep them at 
 eafe and liberty fro;r. the daily crcfs, and from the cru- 
 cifyino- pov/cr, by which they fliould travail to fubdue 
 that nature in themfelves which' is grown up in their youth, 
 as well under this profeflion as under any other, wliere 
 the power is not minded diligently: and by this means 
 many are and remain unfitted for the teftlmony of triithj 
 wanting to be rooted and grounded in it, through an 
 experimental warfare in their own particulars. For, my 
 friends, I fay unto you in the words of the Lord, Except ye 
 be bor7i a^ain^ ye cannot fee the khizdom of God : and if ye 
 cannot fee that, what availeth it what you fee ? for all fight, 
 vifion, and opening of things, will not fave nor deliver 
 your fouls in the day of trial that will come upon you 
 for the trial of your faith ; and then if your fliith be 
 fuch a one as ftands in words aiid terms, though never 
 fo true, yet it will fail you in that day, and you will 
 not be able to ftand. 
 
 Therefore, dear friends, fink down in lowlinefs and 
 ^ humility, and wait to feel the power revealed in you, 
 and join your minds to it in a living faith, that you 
 may come to experience every vain thought and exalted 
 defire, and every idle word, aiid evil adion, to be judged 
 by the pure judgment of truth, and a fubduing of that 
 nature that lufteth unto difobedience of the righteous law of 
 God in your hearts : and as that nature is kept under 
 the daily crofs, it will weaken and die daily in you, and 
 the weaker it is made, the more you will feel of the 
 powerful quickenings of the word of God in your fouls, 
 and a tender life will fpring up in you, to your great 
 comfort, that will be tender of the glory of God, and 
 of the honour and reputation of your profeflion. And as 
 you join herev/ith, you will be acquainted with the travails 
 of the true Zion, the mother of us all, who brings not 
 forth but through deep exercifes ; and although this will 
 take you off from the delights and pleafures, and loftinefs 
 of this w^orld, yet the end will repay all your forrow ; 
 for this will bring you to know the worth of truth, and 
 ' teach you to fet a value upon it, and upon every teftimony 
 of it, beyond all traiifitory and fading things j whereas 
 
 others* 
 
( 12 ) 
 
 ©Acrs, who have lightly come by their profcffion, will 
 lightly efteem it, and lightly let it go again. Therefore 
 my concern is, that you might be wife unto falvation, 
 and for that end do I fend this to you, that ye might 
 be brought to try your foundations, every one in your- 
 felves, before it be tried for you ; for then it will be too 
 late to come to the true foundation, or at leaft it will 
 be through greater hardfhip. When the cry at midnight 
 is heard, and the time of entrance cometh, it will be too 
 late to buy oil to your lamps ; and then fuch who have a 
 lamp, and no oil, will be fhut out. Therefore prize your 
 time, and examine what reafon you have in yourfelves to 
 make profefTion of the name and way of God, more than 
 that you were educated therein, and brought up to it by 
 your parents, guardians, or mafters. Have you ever felt 
 the heavenly virtue of it overfhadowing your fouls ? And 
 if you have, do you retain and keep the favour of it ftill 
 upon your fpirits ? Do you feel yourfelves polTefTed with 
 that awe, fear, and reverence of the Lord's prefence, which 
 the Lord's people felt in the beginning of their day, and 
 die faithful do ftill feel ? Is the inward enjoyment of the 
 life of truth a greater joy to you than all your outward 
 enjoyments ? If fo, then you will not fell it, nor part 
 with it, for any thing in this v^orld : and the teftimonies, 
 which fuch do bear for the truth, will not be traditional, 
 but from a fenfible convincement in themfelves; fo that 
 they will be able to fay, " Thefe things have we received 
 « from the Lord, and they are the teftimonies of God ma- 
 « nifeft to us in the light of his Son Chrift Jefus, in 
 ^ whom we have believed.'* 
 
 Oh! friends, how will this drive back the ftorm of tempt- 
 ations that will come, both inwardly and outwardly, in a 
 time of trouble ? How many are there, who for want of 
 this aflurance in themfelves, have been brought to great 
 queftionings and doubtings, and knew not whether to go 
 backward or forward ? and many have halted and ftaggered, 
 and fome have fallen, and rofe no more, to the ruin of them- 
 felves and others. Therefore, my dear friends, truft not to 
 the refolutions of your own fpirits, without a fenfe of the 
 power, nor to a receiving the truth by your education, but 
 all wait to be made living and true witnefles of the 
 
 rifmg 
 
 ( 13 ) 
 
 rifing of the power in your own hearts, and of the carrying 
 on of the work of the power in yourfelves ; to the regenerating 
 you, and bringing you to that birth that trufteth in nothing, 
 but in the Lord alone, and hath him for its fupport in the 
 greateft exercifes. Then fhall ye ftand and remain, and 
 be a generation chofen of God, to bear his name and 
 teftimony, and to commit it to the next generation. 
 
 And, friends, let the brotherly-love that was fown in 
 your hearts, as a precious feed in your firft convince* 
 ment, continue and increafe daily ; that as ye are made 
 partakers of one hope of falvation in Chrift Jefus, fo ye 
 may continue of one mind and heart, according to the 
 working of his fpirit in you, having a tender refpedl one 
 for another, as children of one father, and as fuch who 
 feed at one table. For Chrift hath ordained, and doth 
 ordain in all his churches, that we fhouki love one another ; 
 that we fhould ihun all occafions of offences and grief; 
 walking orderly, as becomes his holy gofpel, that we may 
 be an honour thereunto, and a ftrength and comfort to 
 one another. This is our great ordinance, our new com- 
 mandment, which was alfo from the beginning, and will 
 always abide the fame through all generations. There-* 
 fore, my friends and brethren, let the fruits of fincere 
 and brotherly-love abound amongft you both in word and 
 ileed, and let none be wanting in fulfilling the It7zu of 
 Charity^ without which all profefTion will be but like found- 
 ing brafs, or a tinkling cymbal. 
 
 But if this life be kept to, the life of religion will be 
 felt, and each one will be taught his duty and charge 
 concerning anotlier, and know how to give comfort in 
 charity, to admonifh in charity : to reprove in charity, 
 and alfo to receive thefe in charitv ; and this will ex- 
 elude for ever all whifpering, and tale- bearing, and bring 
 to dealing plainly and uprightly with every one, not fuf- 
 fering fin to reft upon the" foul of thy brother, but to 
 deal with him quickly, and with plainnefs, yet tenderly, 
 . even as thou thyfelf would ft be dealt withal. And how- 
 ever this kind of dealing be* taken, thou fhalt not mifs 
 of thy reward, but thy peace will remain with thee : for 
 while friends are looking to the power of God, as their 
 
 guide 
 
( H ) 
 
 •uide and leader in all thefe things and their def.gn is 
 fimolv God's glory, the clearing their own confc.enccs, 
 S the good of their brother, they will not be d.fcou- 
 Sed in their undertakings ; for they know the power 
 wil certainly come over whatfoever oppofeth.t: and th>s 
 w keep your minds quiet and free from d.llurbances. 
 wh n yo'u L men, and parties, rife agamft the power 
 knowin<r that the power is an everlaftm- rock. But as 
 forThofe things that appear againft it they are but for 
 a feafon, in which feafon patience muft be exercifed, and 
 L counfel of wi'^om ftood in and then you Wl be 
 kept from ftasgering, or froa, fcattenng, by all tne fair 
 ftiews the fpirit of oppofition may make. 
 
 For they that enjoy the life and fubftance, and feed 
 daily of the bread which comes down from heaven, have 
 fquick fenfe and difcerning of things that are prer^.ted 
 to them, and do know them that are of the earth, by their 
 earthly favour, from thofe that are of the heavenly, widi 
 ~Sr heavenly favour. They know what feeds the head 
 and the wit and carnal rcafon, and wimt v..U nour.ib the 
 Mortal foul; and fo come to be fixed, and are not ready 
 io feed upon unfavoury food, nor to be eafdy tolTed, nor 
 to be troubled at evil tidings, nor cannot be dr.wn after 
 one thin- or man by an-afte6tion, nor fet agamc another 
 ZnZ° thing by / prejudice : but the true balance of a 
 Tfound judgment,^ fettled in the civinc knowledge, accord- 
 tnlto the meafure that the Father has beftowed, keeps 
 fufh fteady in their way, both in refpcct to the.r own 
 teftimony and converfation, and alfo m reipec^l .o their 
 dealing with others. 
 
 Oh ! my dear friends, in fuch doth the truth fnine, and 
 fucharethe true followers of Chrift, and th.y are worth/ 
 to be followed, becaufe tl-.ir way is r.s a fh.nmg light 
 Sining on towlrds the perfeSt day. And in this fure and 
 fteady way, my foul's defire is, that you fd I may walk and 
 continue walking unto tl'.o cna of our aays, lu ..\ J.bru/, 
 truth, ju/r!ce, rhhuoul^u/s, and charity, as good erramplcs 
 n our day, and comfortable precedents in o.,r end, to 
 them that {hall remain. That lo we may deliver over all 
 the teaimouies of our Lord Jcfus unto tnc fucceed.ng 
 
 generations, 
 
 ^ 
 
 T» 
 
 ( IS ) 
 
 generations, as pure, as certain, and as innocent as we 
 received them in the beginning ; and in the end of all 
 our labours, travails, trials, and exercifes, may lay down 
 our heads in that fabbath of reft that remains alw^ays for 
 the Lord's people. 
 
 This is the breathing defire that lives in me, for you 
 who have believed in our Lord Jefus Chrift ; in whofe 
 name, and in a fenfe of his povi^er, and of the life he hath 
 revealed in every member of his whole body, I falute you 
 all, and bid you farewell. 
 
 STEPHEN CRISP. 
 
 1680. 
 
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