Flavel concluded his double scheme with a list of six benefits of walking by the rules he proposed:
1. BENEFIT: Strict and heedful attendance to these rules will put a luster upon religion before the world, and make it glorious in the eyes of such as now despise it. Titus 2:10 “Adorn the doctrine of God our Savior in every respect.” Which he here speaks, to encourage all to ordinate [properly ordered] walking.
2. BENEFIT: This will allure and win the world over to Christ, and wonderfully prosper and further the design of the gospel. Philippians 2:15-16, “So that you will prove yourselves to be blameless and innocent, children of God above reproach in the midst of a crooked and perverse generation, among whom you appear as lights in the world, holding fast the word of life, so that in the day of Christ I will have reason to glory because I did not run in vain nor toil in vain.”
3. BENEFIT: This will effectually stop the mouths of all the detracting and blaspheming enemies of religion. 1 Peter 2:15, “For such is the will of God that by doing right you may silence the ignorance of foolish men.”
4. BENEFIT: This will eminently glorify God, which is the ultimate end of our beings. Matthew 5:16, “Let your light shine before men in such a way that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father who is in heaven.
5. BENEFIT: This will fill the people of God (by way of evidence) with much inward peace. Galatians 6:16, “And those who will walk by this rule, peace and mercy be upon them, and upon the Israel of God.”
6. BENEFIT: This will secure the presence of God with, and among us; whence results both the efficacy of ordinances, and the stability and glory of the churches: For Christ walks among the golden candlesticks, and threatens the churches, in case of defection from gospel rules, “to remove the candlestick out of his place, except they repent” (Revelation 2:1, 5).
