then it is to be understood, with our enemies, or • fuch as know us not: for them we have charity; ⚫ therefore have we writ; for truly neither is the truth hurt in herself nor are we brought into the leaft • doubt of our holy faith by them. Our unhappiness is, we are not understood, and envy takes great care we hhould not: I have fent with this our answers: be pleased to accept and perufe them; I hope I need not fay, impartially, to a man of fo much wisdom • and prudence. I leave the confequence with Almighty God, to whom we must all render our ac< count for the deeds done in this mortal body, whe⚫ther they be good or evil. Excufe my freedom, and accept my acknowledgment of former favour, and be affured it fhall ever meet with a grateful return' • from Thy fincere friend, however unknown, • Rickmersworth, ‹ W. P‚' • 1673.' To all Suffering FRIENDS in Holland, or Germany, particularly in Frederickstadt, and in or near Dantzick.' Rickmerfworth, 1ft of the 7th Month, 1673, My dear FRIENDS, N God's everlasting truth, and that heavenly in, doth my foul very dearly falute you all, who have' tasted of the invifible and heavenly life, that is made ⚫ known unto that refidue of the woman's feed, who • have been begotten into the living way of light and righteousness: oh! pleasant are the outgoings of the Lord to and in his children, whofe minds are truly' • ftaid upon him, and are freely refigned up into his all-wife difpofal; such shall abound in the joy of <God's • God's falvation, even in fufferings, perfecutions, tribulations, yea, deaths, and every peril that may attend your moft holy faith. Therefore, hold up your heads, and be ye comforted, O little flock, your Shepherd will not fly, though the wolf come: know your fhepherd, and dwell with him; and he will bring you into fweet and green paftures, in the midst of your enemies. Confult not with flesh and blood, to know what may be the caufe of your trials, how you may fhun them, or which way you may keep mammon and a good confcience too; but eye the Lord, without whofe providence a sparrow falls not to the ground. No new or ftrange thing can happen unto you: dwell in the faith that works by love, and that will caft out all fear, that begets any ftaggering from your holy teftimony: remember that many eyes are upon you, and as you acquit yourfelves in this exercife that may quickly be fuffered to come upon you, fo will God's truth be well or ill fpoken of; for people will measure your most holy way by you. The way they fee not, you they will behold: what know ye, but the Lord is now preparing and brightening of you for farther fervice, both where you live, and in other places? Oh! in the light of JESUS, "the just man's path," live and walk, that to the end you may endure; fo fhall you. glorify God, answer their labours who have travailed ' among you, and obtain unto yourselves eternal falvation. So, dear hearts, be ftill, quiet, and given ⚫ up in life and death, God's great work is going on: 'he always comes upon the wORLD in a STORM, and fometimes to his CHILDREN, that they may be the more weaned from the world; that people may be 'the more stirred up to mind them, and that truth ? may be more effectually manifefted through their felf-denial, patience, and refolution. Stand then, be valiant, and keep your minds to the invisible life, that in the light is felt; and then, I am perfuaded, "neither principalities, nor powers, nor life, nor death, "nor any other thing, fhall ever be able to feparate "C you you from the love of God," that hath been, and daily is, revealed to you in Chrift Jefus, the Lamb * of God, and Light of the world. The God of all peace keep your minds and spirits in perfect peace, amidst the greatest troubles and difquiets from without, that you may finish your teftimonies, with us, to his eternal praise that hath called us, who is over every name worthy, even God • blessed for ever. Amen, Amen. • Your fellow-feeling brother in the unchangeable · truth, Truth greatly prevails in thefe iflands, and grows daily famous over the heads of its peevish oppofers: and my friends, that have heard lately of you, travail and fympathize with you: you are < not alone, and he that is in you is greater than he that is in the world. Farewell.' To the LITTLE FLOCK and FAMILY of GOD, the People whom he hath called and gathered to the Knowledge and Belief of his Everlasting Way to Life and Salvation (of GOD beloved, but of • MEN traduced, and spoken evil of); as also fuch as have of late any defires begotten in them after his eternal Truth, now refiding in the UNITED • PROVINCES ; Right Understanding, Sound Faith, and Perfect DEAR and Well-beloved FRIENDS, MY Y true and tender love in God, our life, who by the power that raifed our Lord Jefus Chrift from the dead, hath quickened us unto an Коре hope of eternal felicity, when days, and years, and times fhall be no more, do I at this time falute you, and the rest of Friends in all thofe parts, unto whom is the issuing forth of the light and love of God in ⚫ an abundant manner, that you may all receive plen⚫tiful redemption, and be refreshed in him, who is an everlasting fountain, that can never be exhausted; ⚫ and for the thirsty it is set open, that they who want ⚫ inward confolation and fatisfaction for their immortal fouls, might be abundantly replenished with the living crystal streams thereof: bleffed are they of the Father of all bleffings and mercies, that have their < eye turned unto him, that watch and wait upon him, who dare not to offend or grieve his good Spirit, ⚫ that stands ready not only to convince the world of 'fin, and turn many into the way of life; but feal all the faithful unto the inheritance of eternal life: that as you once bore the earthly image, and wore the beaft's feal in your foreheads, fo now you may daily witness the renewing of the heavenly image upon you, by the power of the Lord, inwardly felt, and a wearing of the Lamb's feal in your foreheads, by the Spirit of our God. Oh! be not scattered from this bleffed hope, nor let the bawlings of fome thick, carnal, head-wife 'opposers, who are more in word than in deed, and only skilled in science falsely so called (for it is filled with endless jangles and debates) any whit move you, my dear friends, from your holy ftanding; neither the reproaches of the profane, nor cruel fufferings ⚫ of some perfecuting Pharifees, nor, finally, the falling-away, and treacherous apoftafy, of any Judas, • Demas, or Alexander the copperfmith; but as pilgrims, estranged from the life and fpirit of this world, who are embarked for a more durable country and building that is eternal in the heavens, pass away your fojourning here below in fear and trembling, in diligence and godly converfation; that fo the gofpel may be adorned, the life and power of godlinefs 'fhine brightly forth through thofe black clouds, with which ⚫ which envious men feek to obfcure and eclipfe the beauty of your principles and practice, and God fhall have the glory, and you fhall be preferved to his ⚫ eternal kingdom: and therefore, my dear friends, have a care of the fnares the evil-one lays in the spirit of this world, whereby to draw out your minds < from the heavenly watch, against that which makes not for God's honour and your own true peace: that no fluggish, negligent, or earthly fpirit overtake yoù, fince the fatherly vifitation has reached unto you. Neither let vain thoughts or unneceffary difputations be cherished, for none of those things make for true comfort in the day of God. O that the crofs of Chrift may evermore be precious among you! And you whom the Lord of late hath more particularly extended his loving kindness unto, leave the dead to bury the dead; part with all, that you may have eternal life: make no bargains of eafe for your flesh ⚫ and blood, which must never enter into the kingdom ⚫ of God, and whofe confultings, if you yield to them, ⚫ will run you into eternal perdition. "Bleffed are the poor in fpirit, for theirs is the "kingdom of God;" and a man is then fo, when he hath parted with all for Chrift's name fake. I mean not a comfortable livelihood, as popifh friars do, that they may live on the hard labours of other men; that is, at beft, but the outside of the platter; but • those fashions, cuftoms, pleafures, honours, lufts, ‹ &c. that are from below, and formed and brought • forth by the spirit of this world, unto which the freeborn children of God, by the eternal Spirit, have ‹ been made strangers, not touching therewith. O let not the foolishness of the crofs be over-reafoned, cavilled, and difputed; a willing offering, refigned fpirit, and contented bearer of the reproach of men for confcience-fake, fuch God loves, and hath in great regard: he is a fufficient recompence; and every light affliction he repays with a far more exceeding weight of glory, even that pure spiritual glory, that was with the Father ere this world began, < O prize |