1683. ' of, intreating them, to take their Goods again. And ~' some Friends came to London themselves, and treatLondon. 'ed with their Creditors, letting them understand,

'how their Conditions were, That they lay liable to 'have all that they had, taken from them, and told 'them, They would not have any Man to suffer by them: ' neither would they by Suffering offer up any thing, but 'what was really their own, or what they were able to pay for. Upon which several took their Goods back 'again, that they had fent down: And this wrought 'a very good Savour in the Hearts of many People, 'when they saw, that there was such a righteous, juft ' and honeft Principle in Friends, that would not 'make any to suffer for their Testimony; but what ' they did fuffer for the Testimony of Jesus, it should 'be really and truly their own, not other Peoples: 'And in this they owed nothing to any, but Love. 'So in this every Man and Woman stands in the free 'Offering, a free People, whether it be Spiritual or 'Temporal, which is their own; and in that they ' wrong no Man, neither inwardly nor outwardly. Ornan said unto David, I give thee the Threshing'floor, &c. and the Oxen for Burnt-offerings; and the Threshing-Instruments for Wood, and the Wheat for the 'Meat-offering; I give it all. But King David Said unto Ornan, Nay, but I will verily buy it for the full price : 'for I will not take that which is thine, for the Lord, nor offer Burnt-offerings without cost, I Chron. 21,22, &c. So it should be his own; and fo should it be every 'Man's, that offers. So you may fee here, that Da'vid would not accept of another Man's Gift for Offering to the Lord; he would not offer up that ' which cost him nothing: but it should be really his own, Pfal. 112.5. A good Man will guide bis af. 'fairs with difcretion.

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Let this be read in your Monthly and Quarterly

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Mens and Womens Meetings.

London the 2d of the

G. R.

Some time after the Yearly-Meeting I went down 1683. to Kingston upon Thames, to visit Friends there: and~ while I was there, it came upon me to write the fol. Kingston lowing Epistle to Friends in general, as a Salutation Thames. of Love unto them, and to ftir up the pure Mind in them.

' Dear Friends and Brethren, who are turned from 'Darkness to Light, and from the Power of Satan to 'God, who are the Believers in the Light, which is 'the Life in Christ, and are become the Children of 'the Light and of the Day, and are grafted into 'Chrift, the second Adam, the Lord from Heaven, ' and fo' are gathered in the Name of Jesus, in whom 'ye have Salvation, and not in any other Name un'der the whole Heaven. For Christ Jesus saith; Where ' two or three are gathered together in my Name, there am I in the midst of them, Matth. 18. 20. So here you 'being gathered in the Name of Jesus, he is in the 'midit of you, a Saviour, a Mediator, a Prophet, a • Shepherd, a Bishop, a Leader, a Counsellor, the Cap'tain of your Salvation, who bruises the Serpent's 'Head, and destroys the Devil and his Works. There'fore, Brethren in Chrift Jesus, exhort one another ' daily, while it is called to day; lest any of you be ' hardned through the Deceitfulness of Sin. For you

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are made Partakers of Chrift, if ye hold fast the be'ginning of your Confidence steadfast to the end, Hebr. 3.14. Therefore hear Christ's Voice; for he ' is in the midst of you a Teacher. And take heed, ' left there be in any of you an evil Heart of Unbelief, ' in departing from the living God, as there is in too many in this Day of Provocation and Temptation: 'But while it is day hear his Voice, and let us confi' der one another, to provoke unto Love, and to good Works. Let us hold fast the Profession of our Faith • without wavering (for he is faithful, that hath pro'mised, and that hath called you) not forsaking the 'Affembling of our selves together, as the manner of 'some is; (mark) as the manner of some is, that did and do forsake the Affsembling of themselves together:

upon

1683. 'ther: but exhorting one another, and so much the more,

upon

as you fee the Day of Light appearing. For if we Kingston fin wilfully, after we have received the Knowledge of Thames. 'the Truth, there remains no more Sacrifice for Sins; 'but a certain, fearful looking for of Judgment and 'fiery Indignation, which shall devour the Adversa'ries, Hebr. 10. And therefore it is good not to for'fake the Assembling of our selves together; but ex'hort one another daily: for Christ is in the midst 'of his People a Teacher and a Prophet, who faith, 'Learn of me; who is the Way, the Truth and the Life. And we being many, are one Body in Chrift (who are gathered in his Name) and every one Members one of another. Having then Gifts, differing accord'ing to the Grace that is given us, whether they be 'Prophecy, let us prophecy according to the propor'tion of Faith; and let those that do minister, wait on their Ministry; and those that be Teachers, on 'their Teaching; and he that exhorteth, on Exhorta'tion; he that gives, let him do it with Simplicity; 'and he that ruleth, with Diligence; and he that 'sheweth Mercy, he is to do it with Cheerfulness. 'Abhor that which is Evil; cleave to that which is good: Be kindly affectioned one towards another, 'with Brotherly Love in Honour preferring one ano'ther. Rejoyce in Hope; be patient in Tribulations; 'be not overcome with Evil, but overcome Evil with *Good; and (if it be possible) as much as lieth in you, live peaceably with all Men, Rom. 12. This is and was the Practice of the Church of Christ. And now 'the God of Hope fill you with all Joy and Peace in believing, that ye may abound in Hope, through the 'Power of the Holy Ghost. And I my self also am per'swaded of you, my Brethren, that ye also are full ' of Goodness, filled with all Knowledge, and are able 'also to admonish one another, Rom. 15. 13, 14. Here 'the Church of Christ, in which Christ was in the 'midst, a Teacher and the Head of the Church, they * were and are able through him to admonish one ano'ther. And let the Peace of God rule in your Hearts;

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to which Peace of God ye are also called into one 1683.

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'Body (to wit, of Christ.) And let the Word of 'Christ dwell in you richly in all Wisdom, teach- Kingston 'ing and admonishing one another, &c. Col. 3. Thamps, And whatsoever ye do, in Word or Deed, do all in the Name of the Lord Jesus Christ, giving thanks to God ' and the Father by him. And above all things put on 'Charity, which is the Bond of Perfectness. And the 'Apostle faith to Timothy, Be not thou ashamed of the 'Testimony of our Lord, nor of me his Prisoner : but 'be thou Partaker of the Afflictions of the Gospel, ac'cording to the Power of God, who hatb saved us, and 'called us with an boly Calling; not according to our 'works, but according to his own purpose and grace, ' which was given us in Christ Jesus, before the world 'began, 2 Tim. 1. 8, 9. So here it concerns every one, 'not to be ashamed of the Testimony of our Lord, 'who hath called them by his Grace; and not to be 'ashamed of any of Chrift's Prisoners, and afflicted 'Ones for Christ's and his Gospel's fake, who abo'lishes Death, and brings Life and Immortality to 'Light through his Gospel: You that believe in the 'Light, know it. And Peter faith in his General Epi'stle to the Church of Christ, As every man (mark, ' every man) hath received the Gift, so minister the 'Same one to another, as good Stewards of the manifold Grace of God. If any man speak, let bim Speak, as the Oracles of God (lo not of Men :) If any man mi'wifter, let him do it as of the Ability which God gives '(so not of the Ability of Mens Arts and Sciences) 'that God in all things may be glorified through Jesus Chrift, &c. For these Gifts and Grace come from 'Jesus into the Hearts of the Members of his Church, whom he is in the midst of. And if any man Suffer, as a Christian, let him not be ashamed; but let 'him glorifie God, &c. And every true Christian ' hath the Prefence of Christ (who hath all power in ' Heaven and in Earth given him) to support them ' with his Power, Light and Life. And Christ faith to his Believers, Beware of men, for they will deliver 'you,

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1683. you up to the Councils, and they will Scourge you in ~the Synagogues, and you shall be brought before GoverKingston nours and Kings for my Names fake, for a Testimony Thames. 'against them and the Gentiles. But when they deliver 'you up, take no thought, how or what ye shall speak; 'for it shall be given you in the same hour, what ye 'Shall speak: for it is not you that speak; but the Spi'rit of your Father, that speaketh in you. And ye shall be hated of all men for my Names jake: but he 'that endureth to the end, shall be saved. The Difci'ple is not above his Master, nor the Servant above his 'Lord: It is enough for the Disciple, that he be as his 'Master, and the Servant as his Lord: for if they have 'called the Master of the house Beelzebub, what will they do to his Servant, Fear not them, which kill the Body, but are not able to kill the Soul, &c. A Sparrow shall not fall to the ground without your heavenly Father, &c. The hairs of your head are all numbred; ye are of more value, than many Sparrows. Whofoever therefore shall confess me before men, him will I *confefs also before my Father, which is in Heaven: *But whosoever shall deny me before Men, him will I alfo deny before my Father, which is in Heaven. And whosoever shall be ashamed of me and of my words, of *him shall the Son of Man be ashamed, &c. Matth. 1o. And again Chrift faith, Whosoever shall be ashamed of me and of my words in this adulterous and sinful Generation, of him also shall the Son of Man be asha'med, when he comes in the Glory of his Father with his holy Angels, Mark 8. 38. And Chrift faith to his Disciples, He that receiveth you, receiveth me; ' and be that receiveth me, receiveth him that fent me : He that receiveth a Prophet in the name of a Prophet, shall receive a Prophet's reward: And he that 'receiveth a righteous man in the name of a righteous man, shall receive a righteous man's reward. And 'whosoever shall give to drink unto one of these little ones a Cup of cold water only, in the name of a Difciple, verily I say unto you, he shall in no wife lofe his

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'reward. Matth. 10. 40, 41, 42. Here ye may fee,

how