the following is taken from the 'memoir of john bunyan' in The Works of John Bunyan vol.1 by
george offor. mr. gifford was B's PASTOR, the man in bedford when B was starting out toward Christ.
...mr. gifford's race was short, consistent and successful.
B calls him by an appellation, very probably common in his neighbourhood and among his flock,
'HOLY MR. GIFFORD;
a title infinitely superior to all the honours of nobility or even of royalty.
he was a miracle of mercy and grace
for a very few years before he had borne the character of an impure and licentious man
-an open enemy to the saints of God.
HIS PASTORAL LETTER, left upon record in the church book,
written when drawing near the end of his pilgrimage, is most admirable;
it contains an allusion to his successors, Burton or Bunyan,
and must have had a tendency in forming their views of a gospel church.
even mr. southey praises this puritanic epistle as exemplifying
a wise and tolerant and truly christian spirit'
and as it has not been published in any life of B, i venture to introduce it without abridgment:-
'to the Church over which god mad me an overseer when i was in the world.
i beseech you, brethren beloved, let these words
(wrote in my love to you and care over you, when our heavenly Father was
removing me to the kingdom of His dear Son)
be read in your church gatherings together.
i shall not now, dearly beloved, write unto you about that which is the first
and without which all other things are as nothing in the sight of God, viz.
(latin, vi de li cet, 'that is to say, namely')
the keeping the mystery of the faith in a pure conscience;
i shall not, i say, write of these things (though the greatest), having spent my labours among you,
to root you and build you up in Christ through the grace you have received
and to press you to all manner of holiness in your conversations,
that you may be found of the Lord, without spot and blameless, at His coming.
but the things i shall speak to you of are about you CHURCH AFFAIRS,
which i fear have been little considered by most of you;
which things, if not minded aright and submitted unto, according to the will of God,
will by degrees bring you under divisions, distractions, and at last, to confusion of that
gospel order and fellowship which now, through grace, you enjoy.
therefore, my brethren, in the first place, i would not have any of you ignorant of this,
that every one of you are as much bound now to walk with the church in all love
and in the ordinances of Jesus Christ our Lord,
as when i was present among you.
neither have any of you liberty to join yourselves to any other society (note: group? congregation? other?)
because your pastor is removed from you. (note: bible?)
for you were not joined to the ministry, but to
to Christ and the church (suppose this means 'Church', the mystical church made up of the elect?)
and this is and was the will of God in Christ, to all the churches of the saints.
read acts 2.42 and compare it with acts 1.14-5.
and i charge you before the Lord, as you will answer it at the coming of our Lord Jesus,
that none of you be found guilty herein.
secondly. be constant in your church assemblies.
let all the work which concerns the church be done faithfully amongst you;
as admission of members, exercising of gifts, election of officers as need requires
and all other things as if named which the scriptures, being searched, will lead you into through the Spirit.
which things, if you do, the lord will be with you and you will convince others that Christ is your head
and your dependency is not upon man,
but if you do the work of the Lord negligently,
if you mind your own things and not the things of Christ,
if you grow of indifferent spirits, whether you mind the work of the Lord in His church or no,
i fer the Lord by degrees will suffer the comfort of your communion to be dried up
and the candlestick which is yet standing to be broken in pieces, which God forbid.
...the said party ought to declare, whether a brother or sister,
that through grace they will walk in love with the church,
though there should happen any difference in judgment about other things.
concerning separation from the church about
baptism, laying on of hands, anointing with oil, psalms or any externals,
i charge every one of you respectively..that none of you be found guilty of this great evil...
and made rent from the true church, which is but one.
i exhort you, brethren, in your comings together,
let all things be done decently and in order...
let all things be done among you without strife and envy, without self seeking and vain glory.
be clothed with humility and
submit to one another in love.
let the gifts of the church be exercised according to order.
let no gift be concealed which is for edification.
yet let those gifts be chiefly exercised which are most for the perfecting of the saints.
let your discourses be to build up one another in your most holy faith
and to provoke one another to love and good works.
if this be not well minded, much time may be spent and the church reap little or no advantage.
let there be strong meat for the strong and milk for babes.
in your assemblies avoid all disputes which gender to strifes,
as questions about externals and all doubtful disputations.
if any come among you who will be contentious in these things,
let it be declared that you have no such order, nor any of the churches of God.
if any come among you with any doctrine contrary to the doctrine of Christ,
you must not treat with such an one as with a brother
or enter into dispute of the things of faith with reasonings (for this is contrary to the scriptures).
but let such of the brethren who are the fullest of the Spirit and the word of Christ,
oppose such an one steadfastly face to face
and lay open his folly to the church, from the scriptures.
if a brother through weakness speak anything contrary to any known truth of God
(though not intended by him)'
some other brother of the church must in love clear up the truth,
lest many of the church be laid under temptation.
let no respect of persons be in your comings together.
when you are met as a church there's neither rich nor poor, bond nor free in Christ Jesus.
'tis not a good practice to be offering places or seats when those who are rich come in;
especially it is a great evil to take notice of such in time of prayer or the word.
then are bowings and civil observances at such times not of God.
private wrongs are not presently to be brought unto the church.
if any of the brethren are troubled about externals, let some of the church (let it not be a church business)
pray for and with such parties.
none ought to withdraw from the church if any brother should walk disorderly,
but he that walketh disorderly must bear his own burden, according to the scriptures. (bible?)
if any brother should walk disorderly he cannot be shut out from any ordinance before church censure.
study among yourselves what is the nature of fellowship, as the word, prayer and breaking of bread,
which, whilst few, i judge, seriously consider,
there is much falling short of duty in the churches of Christ.
you that are most eminent in profession, set a pattern to all the rest of the church.
let your faith, love and zeal be very eminent,
if any of you cast a dime light you will do much hurt in the church.
let there be kept up among you solemn days of prayer and thanksgiving
and let some time be set apart to seek God for your seeds (??!)
let your deacons have a constant stock by them to supply the necessity of those who are in want.
truly, brethren, there is utterly a fault among you that are rich,
especially in this thing;
'tis not that little which comes from you on the first day of the week that will excuse you.
i beseech you, be not found guilty of this sin any longer.
he that sows sparingly will reap sparingly.
be not backward in your gathering together.
let none of you willingly stay till part of the meeting be come
(not to wait for one another, each one to come in good time)
especially such who should be examples to the flock.
...i beseech you, forbear sitting in prayer, except parties be any way disabled.
'tis not a posture which suits with the majesty of such an ordinance.
would you serve your prince so?
in prayer, let all self affected expressions be avoided and all vain repetitions.
God hath not gifted, i judge, every brother to be a mouth to the church.
let such as have most of the demonstration of the Spirit and of power, shut up your comings together,
that ye may go away with your hearts comforted and quickened.
some together in time and leave off orderly, for God is a God of order among His saints.
let none of you give offence to his brother in indifferent things, but be subject to one another in love.
be very careful what gifts you approve of by consent for public service.
spend much time before the Lord about choosing a pastor,
for though i suppose he is before you (foot: alluding to B or his co pastor, burton or to both)
whom the Lord has appointed.
yet it will be no disadvantage to you, i hope, if you walk a year or two as you are before election
and then, if you be all agreed, let him be set apart according to the scriptures.
salute the brethren who walk not in fellowship with you, with the same love
and name of brother or sister as those who do.
let the promises made to be accomplished in the latter days,
be often urged before the Lord in you comings together.
forget not your brethren in bonds.
love him much for the work's sake who labours over you in the word and doctrine.
let no man despise his youth. (foot: bunyan was about 27)
muzzle not the mouth of the ox that treads out the corn to you.
search the scriptures. let some of them be read to you about this thing.
if the members at such a time will go to a public ministry, it must first be approved of by the church.
farewell: exhort, counsel, support, reprove one another in love.
finally, brethren, be all of one mind,
walk in love one to another, even as Christ Jesus hath loved you and given Himself for you.
SEARCH THE SCRIPTURES FOR A SUPPLY OF THOSE THINGS WHEREIN I AM WANTING.
now the God of peace, who raised up our Lord Jesus Christ from the dead,
multiply His peace upon you and preserve you to His everlasting kingdom of Jesus Christ.
stand fast. the Lord is at hand.
that this was written by me, i have set my name to it in the presence of two of the brethren of the church.
..
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