ed forth to the Lord God and the Lamb, who marks of true disciples, if ye love one another; is blessed for evermore. Amen. POSTSCRIPT. DEAR FRIENDS, we desire you, in the love of God, as it was our advice when present with you, that you watch one over another in love, and keep in a Christian spirit, forgiving one another; if any brother have anything against another, as God, for Christ's sake, doth forgive you, so forgive one another. Take the advice of the apostle, "Be not children in understanding, but in malice be ye children," that you may bear the marks of true disciples, and manifest yourselves to all men to be such; that you may be preachers of righteousness to the world, that lies in wickedness, and follow after those things that make for peace, and eschew the contrary, and the God of peace will bless you, and keep you from evil, that it hurt you not, to his glory, and your comfort. Amen. Let copies of this be taken and read in your meetings, and a copy be sent to Carolina. So remain your friends and brethren in the truth, letting you know that we are well, with love to you all, sending these lines as a token thereof. Farewell. THOMAS WILSON, An Epistle to Friends in Pennsylvania. THE tender salutation of our love in the Lord Jesus Christ, salutes you all, in the spring of divine love, as those that desire your growth and settlement in God's everlasting truth, of which, in his rich mercy, he hath made you sensible, and gathered you into, wherein you have found great peace with God, and sweet unity one with another, so that your hearts have been filled in your assemblies with his living presence, which hath occasioned praises to spring unanimously unto the Lord. for God is love, and they that dwell in him, dwell in love. "He that saith he is in the light, and hateth his brother, is in darkness, even until now. For if a man say he loves God, and hateth his brother, he is a liar.” Therefore we desire you may follow those things that make for peace, and eschew the contrary, all keeping down to your own gifts, travelling with the Seed, and for the coming of it into dominion, in all your hearts, that the will of God. Here you will be kept in a you may know your wills truly subjected to holy dread and pure awe, in all your meetings, and in your lives and conversations will be preachers of righteousness, tender of God's glory, and one over another, watching for good, and none for evil; but that eye will be plucked out. down, still waiting to feel the operation of the As you are kept truly bowed power of God, that was before the power of the devil, you will feel the arm that gathered you, to be about you, and keep you in all trials and exercises, as many have done to God's glory and their comfort; so that they can say, the same arm which gathered them, hath kept them unto this day, in unity with the Lord, and in fellowship one with another, and are concerned to be kept in the unity of the spirit, which is the bond of peace. Those grow sound in the faith, and in charity, and know the virtues of the charity, that "seeks not her own, is not easily provoked, thinketh no evil, rejoiceth not in iniquity, but rejoiceth in the truth;" without which, the apostle concluded, he was but as sounding brass and a tinkling symbal, though he had never so large gifts without it. Dear Friends, what gifts soever you have received, be careful that you be improving them, to the honour of the Giver, as those that know an account must be given unto Him, who will require it of us all; and how near that time is to any, may be out of the sight of most of us. Our souls are concerned for you, that you Dear Friends, truth is the same that ever it may all grow in grace, and increase in the was, and the power of it as prevailing as ever; knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ, and in and where it is kept to, and dwelt in, hath the obedience unto him, for it is they that do his same effect as ever, as many of you are wit-will, that shall know of his doctrine; whose nesses, who keep your habitation therein, with whom our souls are bound up in God's everlasting covenant of light, in which, as we walk, we have true fellowship one with another, and the blood of Jesus Christ his Son, cleanseth us from all unrighteousness. Let all be careful to walk in the light, where there is no occasion of stumbling, but every one will see their way in the Lord, and where your fellowship will be increased with him, and one with another, and you will bear to the world the doctrine is known to drop as the dew, and his speech to distil as the small rain. Blessed be his name forever, he is daily opening the divine mysteries of his kingdom to them who are kept humble and low before him, truly desiring to keep at wisdom's gate, and wait for counsel from the Lord every day, and to feel the assistance of his spirit, and dare not move until the Lord go before, and draw them forward; these walk safely, and feel their peace to flow as a river. The Lord establisheth their goings, that they are not easily moved with any storm or wind, but know the rock, and are as the dove that maketh her nest there; and though such may be tried, and lie as amongst the pots, yet shall they come forth more bright, as the dove whose wings are covered with silver, and her feathers with yellow gold, and shall know the trial of their faith to be more precious than that of gold which perisheth. So all keep the word of God's patience, and wait for the feeling of his power in all your meetings, that your hearts may be kept tender; and a godly care will be more and more raised in you all, to watch over your children, and train them up in the fear of the Lord, and to discharge your duty in restraining them, out of the ways and fashions of the world. Our souls are concerned for your tender children, that as they grow in years, they may grow in grace, and be God's children, succeeding you in the way of righteousness, and be a blessing to you in your old age. We are sensible God's great love is unto them, and several of them were reached by his power, when we were with you; our love flows unto you and them, that you all may be kept by the power of God out of evil, in that life wherein you may find acceptance with him, where the streams of his love will be daily opened unto you, and in the sense of it you will be engaged to walk in fear before him, as those that feel his preserving arm, to be with and to support you. That God of his infinite mercy may grant this for you all, is the sincere breathing of your friends and brethren, in the kingdom, patience, and tribulation of the Lamb, with hearts full of love unto all the faithful, desiring your prayers to God for us, unto whom we commit you, with our own souls, who is only able to keep us from falling; to whom be all fear, obedience and worship, both now and evermore. Amen. THOMAS WILSON. JAMES DICKINSON. From Rhode Island, the 5th of the Fifth month, 1692. An Epistle to Friends in Barbadoes and elsewhere. Dear Friends, brethren and sisters, FOR whom we are concerned in true brotherly love, wherewith God, in his rich mercy hath filled our hearts, unto all the sons and daughters of men, but more especially to the household of faith, which hath been gathered by his eternal power, the salutation of our love in the Lord Jesus Christ tenderly flows forth. We desire you all to keep down to your gifts which God hath given you, waiting low in his fear, to feel the operation of his living power, to tender all your hearts, and open them unto the Lord, that your spirits may be truly bowed and subjected unto God's will, which is your sanctification. Here the springs of God's love will flow, and his life run from vessel to vessel, and the life of innocency flourish amongst you, and the Lord will put his own comeliness upon you, and cover you with his spirit, and your delight will be to feel the overshadowing of his presence. Here self will be had in no reputation, but denied by all, and your delight will be under the cross, which is the power of God, whereby you will be crucified to the world, and the world unto you; so will the Lord delight to visit your assemblies with his living presence, and fill your hearts with love to himself, and one to another, whereby you will be kept tender and humble, watching one over another for good, and none for evil; that eye that watches for evil must be plucked out, for wherever it is, it doth offend. All give up your hearts to God, to be kept by his power, in fellowship with him; then will your fellowship be sweet one with another, being made partakers of the saints fellowship, who wrote one to another, that they might have sweet fellowship together, and their fellowship was with the Father, and with his Son, Christ Jesus. So will you know all things that offend to be cast out of the king. dom, and you will be tender one over another, the strong lending a hand of help to the weak, and be of Moses' mind, who wished that all the people were prophets, and would not leave a hoof behind in Egypt; and not of the mind of him, that would have had Moses forbid Eldad and Medad to prophesy in the camp; nor of the mind of Pharaoh, and the Egyptians, that would have only the men to go and sacrifice to the Lord, but the women and children to stay and not go to sacrifice. Moses wished that all the Lord's people were prophets, and that he would put his spirit upon them, and the women and children all must go; and it is the mind of Christ, our spiritual Moses, that all, both male and female, should come up in their places. Jacob was tender and careful, not to over drive the flock, lest those with young should be hurt; which ought to be a caution to us, and thereby learn us to keep to the Lord's spirit. Wait for wisdom from him, that you may be guided thereby, in your gifts and places in the church of Christ, and so build up one another in the most holy faith, stirring up one another to love and good works, that wisdom may be justified of her children, and "your lights shine before men, that they seeing your good works, may glorify your Father which is in heaven." Be ye as a city set upon a hill, where their elder men will grow sound in the faith, and in charity, teaching the younger men to be sober-minded, and likewise the "aged women, that they be in behaviour as becometh holiness; not false accusers, but teachers of good things, that they may teach the younger women to be sober, to love their husbands, to love their children, to be chaste, keepers at home, that the word of God be not blasphemed, and that their adorning should not be the outward adorning of plaiting the hair, and wearing of gold, or putting on of apparel; but let it be of the hidden man of the heart, in that which is not corruptible, even the ornament of a meek and quiet spirit, which in the sight of God is of great price, for after this manner the holy women of old adorned themselves, who trusted in God." All that keep to God's spirit, must mind those things, and labour to keep their children out of pride, and the foolish fashions that are in the world, which youth are apt to run into, and covet after, and to take liberty one by another. join, we shall incur his displeasure, as Israel did, when they joined themselves with the inhabitants of the land, which the Lord had commanded they should not do, and brought God's wrath upon them, whereby we may take warning not to commit the like evil in suffering our minds to wander from the Lord, and join with the world in their ways, worships, customs and fashions, or to marry with them, which was expressly forbidden in the time of the first covenant, and also by the apostle in the second covenant, who said, "Be not unequally yoked with unbelievers," &c. So thus you may see that God's people were to dwell alone, and not to mix with other nations; and while they did so dwell, the Lord wonderfully blessed them, so that Balaam could not curse them, nor any enchantment prevail against them, but their strength was as the strength of a lion and a unicorn, and their enemies were a prey to them. But when they joined themselves unto Baalpeor, the Lord's wrath was kindled against them, so that twenty-three thousand died of the plague, which the Lord sent amongst them. You that are parents of children, take Abraham for an example, of whom God gave testimony that he would command his household after him; so all are to wait for power from Oh! that your zeal may appear in a GosGod, and stand in your authority in your pel way, as Phineas' did, according to that families; and not indulge your children when they are young, nor deck them in the fashions of the world, as soon as they can go, nor let them speak the language of the world, as soon as they can speak, without reproving them, nor let them keep company with the world, without restraining them. These things we have seen to our great grief, and they have brought bitter mourning to our souls, considering the floodgate of iniquity it opens to youth. As those who feel a concern upon our spirits for the truth, and your good, and your childrens' also, we are drawn forth in tender love, to desire you to mind the truth, and the power of it, and be taught by it, and then we know you will be concerned to see things amended, where they have been amiss. We know there are many under a concern with our souls in this matter, which has been weighty upon our spirits; and therefore in true love, we visit you with these lines, desiring the Lord may fill you with love and zeal for his name and truth; that you may be valiant for it upon the earth, and in your testimonies for God, and against all that would defile the camp of God, and bring his wrath upon us, or cause him to withdraw his holy presence from us, which hath given us life, and separated us from the world's ways, worships, customs, and fashions. Now, as God hath separated us, we are to keep to him, that he may keep us so separated, that we may never join with those things again. For if we do so VOL. II.-No. 9. legal covenant, to the appeasing God's anger, that ye may know the Lord to make his covenant of peace with you, and that it may abide with you forever. For truly, God is jealous of his own glory, and will have a clean people to serve him in sincerity and uprightness, clear of all mixtures, and linsey-woolsey garments, which are not to be worn in this Gospel day, wherein the Lord hath been great in mercy and love, causing his glorious light to shine, and giving us the knowledge of himself; therefore let our care be, to keep in his fear, that we may walk before him in humility, worthy of those mercies and blessings, that God in all things may be glorified, and our peace preserved with him. Amen. We remain your friends and brethren in the truth, THOMAS WILSON, The God of our life keep you all an inward people, that the weight of his power may be upon your souls, that you may learn in true silence and stillness, where the divine mysteries of his kingdom are daily opened, and you will see through the mystery of iniquity, and not be ignorant of the wiles of satan; but abiding in the light, they will be clearly discovered, and you will be pressing after the life of innocency, whereunto God hath called you, and which must wear the crown. They who are most in favour with him, make it their habitation, labouring to have their own spirits silenced, and daily depend upon God's teaching. It was our glory in years past to learn in silence, which is since too much neglected by many professors of truth, upon whom a light frothy spirit has prevailed, having a life in disputes, arguments, and words to little purpose, but amusing and perverting the mind, which ought to be staid upon God, who is the strength and stay of his people, keeping them in perfect peace, whose minds are staid upon him. Such who run into disputes in their own wills and imaginations, depart from the truth, the sure foundation, and the light, whereunto our minds were at first turned, in which all that walk, are preserved in sweet fellowship one with another, and their unity in the spirit and light of the Lord Jesus Christ increaseth with him, and one with another, being weighty in spirit, not easily moved. Such see that all the disputes and arguments, even concerning religious matters, which proceed from the will of man, not of God's spirit, are but as froth and chaff, that will not abide God's fan, but be blown away by the whirlwind of his wrath. All your safety is and will be, to keep inward to the Lord, that he may be your teacher, your own spirits being silenced, waiting with delight to hear what he speaks. Then if he be pleased to open any of your mouths, for the edification one of another, it will be in his power and wisdom from above, that is, first pure, then peaceable, gentle, and easy to be entreated, in which you may build up one another in the most holy faith; but those that run into a passionate, hasty spirit, go out of the wisdom which is from above, into that which is from below, and the wrath of man cannot work the righteousness of God. So all keep in your own gifts, inward to the Lord, who will fit you for his service, and guide you in his wisdom, to hit the mark aimed at, and preserve you in the living faith delivered unto you, of which Christ Jesus our Lord is the Author, whereby you may live, as did the just in every generation, to the glory of God, and being, by his power, made as the weighty wheat, be gathered into the garner of his salvation, when those who run out, with Another Epistle to Friends in America. OUR tender love in the Lord Jesus Christ, dearly salutes you, and all the faithful in that island, amongst whom we have travelled to preach the Gospel of life and salvation, desiring the Lord may bless you all, and in crease his love amongst you, and that you may be kept in his holy covenant of peace, into which he hath gathered you, by his own power, where you have sweet communion with the Lord, and one with another. In this you are a true strength one to another, the sweetness whereof none know but those who dwell in it, and keep to the conduct of the power that gathered them. These daily feel the springs of divine love and life, opened unto them, which keep them alive to God, and under a true concern for the peace of the church, and prosperity of Zion. We desire that this care may be kept in by you all, whom God hath gathered to abide in his covenant of light and life, and walk therein, where you will have true fellowship, and know the blood of Jesus Christ to cleanse you from all sin and unrighteousness, which hath been and still is the occasion of all the strife and contention, rents and divisions that have happened amongst us since we have been a people. We pray God to put a stop to all these, and keep all his people in true fear and humility in their gifts, waiting to know their strength renewed in him, that they may stand against the enemy, who la bours to scatter God's heritage, whom he hath gathered. So be preserved in unity with the Lord, and one with another, where cries and supplications are daily poured forth to the Lord for one another, as ours are for you, and we desire yours may be for us, that we may be borne up through the many tribulations we meet with, and that we may have the gift of utterance to proclaim the everlasting Gospel, and be preserved out of the hands of unreasonable men. Dear Friends, we desire as you are free and clear, and have your hearts open thereto, that you will send us a certificate from your Monthly Meeting of your unity with us, while directed, that every one is to be salted with we were present with you, and at our parting fire, and every sacrifice seasoned with salt; from you; and enclose it for us, to be left at mark, the vessel is to be seasoned with the Joseph Groves' in Barbadoes. We have had holy fire of the word of God, and sanctified good service here, and the Lord hath been by the truth, otherwise God will not accept of with us, to our great comfort, though under their offerings, no more than he did the offergreat sorrow of soul, for those things which ings of Aaron's sons, who offered strange fire, have happened at Delaware, and more espe- which the Lord never commanded, and so cially to see them published in print, to the brought death upon them. You may also obview of the world, and the enemies of truth. serve, that when Moses was dead, who received The publishers of which may expect a reward the law from God's mouth, that Joshua was according to their works, and God, in his own to succeed him in the same spirit, which plaintime, will wipe away all those reproaches, and ly appears from the positive command of the ease the spirits of them that travel under the weight thereof. Unto him we are willing to commit the cause, and do commit you, and our own souls; so remain your friends and brethren, THOMAS WILSON, Lord to him, that he should be courageous, and observe and do according to all the law, which Moses, the servant of the Lord commanded him. He was not to depart therefrom either to the right hand or to the left, that so he might prosper wherever he went. By which it is plain, the blessing is only to them, who come up in the same holy Spirit, which case is very applicable to Friends in this our day; To Friends of Mount-melick, Men's Meeting, for it is undeniable, that the weighty rules and and elsewhere. Dear Friends, order of the church were received in the beginning by our ancients and elders from the opening of the divine Spirit of Truth, and I HAVE been for some years past, and more settled in the counsel of God. And as surely especially of late, under deep considerations as ever Joshua was to succeed Moses, and to respecting the state of Friends, and the affairs observe all the law which was commanded of truth in general, and our Monthly Meeting him; so are Friends now, who are of a sucin particular, which hath brought a weight of ceeding generation, faithfully to keep and obexercise upon my mind; and doubting whether serve those weighty rules and precepts left I may ever have an opportunity of seeing them by their elders, without turning from you, so as to ease myself of what remains as a concern upon me, I was willing to communicate these few lines to your weighty and serious consideration. them, either to the right hand or to the left; and it remains as a testimony in my heart for the Lord, to leave with you, that when any offer anything in Men's Meetings, which conThe order and government of the church tradicts the ancient rules and divine precepts was settled by the same divine spirit, from settled amongst us in the heavenly power, they which the true ministry sprung; and all who contradict the very counsel of God, and it is speak in Men's Meetings, should be careful but an offering of strange fire, which God they do not speak anything to offend God, but never commanded, neither will accept, and wait to have their offerings seasoned with so they bring death over themselves, kindle grace, and offered in the same divine spirit, strange fire in the meeting, dazzle the minds by which the order and government of the of Friends, and are hinderers of the work and church was first established. And as the doc- service of truth. trine of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ THOMAS WILSON. THE END. |