out of all spiritual Pride let it not have place in any of your Hearts and hide it not from your Eyes for God beholds the Proud afar off and would any of you have God to behold you afar off and such as God beholds afar off are not near him for who are near him he doth behold them so they are precious in his sight his Eyes are over them and he giveth them more Grace but he resisteth the Proud a high Mind goeth before a Fall and Pride before Destruction and it hath brought Wo and Destruction upon many and but few humble themselves under the mighty Hand of God lowliness of mind and humility Therefore all keep in give not way to any proud Desires of your Hearts from whence cometh Proud Words and inclinations after high Attire shining and costly Apparel outwardly affecting the Antick Fantastical Fashions of the World which too many professing God's plain Truth get into and delight themselves in And all you Elder Men and Women professing the holy pure plain Truth of God be good Examples in Plainness Purity and Holiness unto the Younger Men Women and Children in your Lives and Conversations where-ever you come wear nothing neither speak or do any thing but that which is Grave and Savoury becoming Godliness which may reach to the Good and that which is of God in all may own approve and justifie you in the Younger look at you who are Elder and when or wherein any of you take liberty to fashion your selves like unto this World How can you expect but that the Younger Men and Women and Children will in that be apt to follow your Example and when you speak rude unsavoury Words may not you be ill Instruments to corrupt the good Manners of the younger sort of People amongst us And when you that are Elders do any thing against the pure Truth of God and the Younger behold you may not that hurt and defile them and so you become Ministers of Evil things to the weak and Young and grieve the Spirit of God in them and also in your selves which should seal you to the Day of Redemption and would keep the Crown of Pride from you all if you would keep in the Spirit of God and be led and guided by it for that never led nor will ever lead any to speak do or wear any thing unbecoming the Truth or Godliness I know that by the Worldly Liberty which some Elder men and women among us have taken in Words Deeds and Habits out of the Truth and condemned by it they have but weakened themselves brought a Vail over the Seed of God in them and rendered themselves less useful to serve God and his precious Truth in their Generation and all evil Words evil Deeds or evil Fashions spoken done or followed are a dis-service to the Truth works against it causeth a slight esteem of it and doth tend to hinder the Prosperity of it And therefore every one of you professing the Truth keep out of that which works against it and bringeth dishonour to it What manner of Persons ought we to be in all holy Conversation and Godliness who know the Truth of God to keep in his fear at all times to fear to offend him or grieve his holy Spirit in Words or Actions or by giving any way to Pride or High-mindedness in any thing what we say or do And in our Apparel men and women especially the Elder sort to be plain and modest and all to behave themselves in Sobriety and Moderation And you Friends that are Rich and have plenty of created Comforts in this World let not your Table become your Snare nor that which was given you for your Welfare become your Trap and with-hold any of you from God or your Duty wherein you ought to be found constant to him but be wise and shew forth Christian Moderation in the right use of all Creatures and keep out of that Excess which the World and worldly Professors take liberty in and sport themselves in the practice of in their Eating and Drinking at Marriage Feasts and other Feasts Oh! what â—luttening Rioting and Wantonness are even many found in which sorely displeaseth the Lord kindles his Wrath and that which they have cause to be ashamed of and such indeed as is a shame to Christianity in the Life of it for that is that which we are to mind and keep to the ancient practice and manner of the Primitive Christians in our Eating and Drinking Marriages Apparelling our selves that whether we eat or drink or whatsoever we do or take in hand that all may be done to the Praise and Honour of God in pure mindedness to give Thanks unto God the Father and our Lord Jesus Christ who dyed for us and all men and did purchase us with his own Blood that we all might know Remission of Sin and know the Deeds of the Body mortified and the Old man with his Deeds that are corruptible put off and to be covered with and adorned with the Heavenly Man who is from above and he nor the glory of his Kingdom is of this world O let all come to bear his Image be willing to be made by him conformable to him who is from above and above all that your Wills or Affections may not go out after or be set upon any thing that is Visible or Temporal but with a pure Eye look to him who is from Everlasting to Everlasting Invisible and Eternal let your Minds and Affections go after him and be set upon him and those things which are Invisible and Eternal all wait more and more to love and take pleasure in And all dear Friends and Brethren every where having received the Spirit of God poured forth from him keep therein for its good and profitable to be in the Spirit of God and that tends to Godliness which is profitable in all things having the promise of this Life and that which is to come and Pray often in the Spirit of God having a Spiritual Mind and Understanding also Pray to God the Father and our Lord Jesus Christ that you may be kept stedfast to him and preserved in Purity to his praise whilst in this present World O! be ye all fervent in Prayer and Supplications to God that you may abide faithful to him in your Words and Actions and that Testimony God hath called you to bear for him and his Truth be righteous true and faithful therein and grow up as Pillars in his House and not to defile your Garments any more with the Polutions of this evil World but constantly be kept to God out of Sin Evil throughout your Pilgrimage in it be tender oue towards another and pray one for another in the love of God that you may be kept always abounding in it and love and pray for your Enemies and do good to them that hate you and pray for them that despitefully use and persecute you considering that the Prayers of the Righteous the Lord doth hear regard and answer and their fervent Prayers in the Name of Christ prevails much with God and availeth much for the good of his Church and also for the benefit of the Children of men in general that have not sinned out their day nor are finally given up to utter Ruin and Destruction And my Friends in every thing that you do receive from God give humble and hearty Thanks to him and be you always contented with what you do receive from him whether it be that which may appear Evil or Good Affliction or Prosperity being Poor or Rich in every state be contented with your lot and portion in this world and shut out all murmuring against the Lord and all evil Thoughts and Grudgings one against another be content with such things as you have considring that we brought nothing with us into this world neither must we carry any thing out with us when we go away out of it and in it there is no long continuance And you that are but weak in the Faith or have but a little Faith neither have so much Wisdom and Knowledge as may be others have let not the weakness of thy Faith or want of that Wisdom and Knowledge that others may have at all discourage thee or raise any Doubts Reasonings or Questionings in thy mind that God will not hear or regard thy Prayers being in the least measure of the Spirit of God offered to him for he will both hear and answer thy Prayers that are in the living Faith without doubtings and reasoning of the Flesh notwithstanding thy weakness or littleness of thy Wisdom and Knowledge and if thou know not how to pray nor what to ask wait for the Spirit and to feel Life thereby to arise and move in thy heart for that will help thy Infirmities with Sighs and Groans that cannot be uttered forth in words howbeit he knoweth the mind of his own holy Spirit for it moves to Holiness to that which is good but not to that which is evil in any man or woman but to avoid that which is evil in all Thoughts Words and Actions our God knoweth the mind of his own Spirit in a holy Desire or pure Meditation without Words as well as with Words spoken forth Therefore my dear Friends let none of you struggle or strive in your own Wills to use many Words or Repetitions in Prayer to God the Father but feel his Spirit to move in all your Hearts for that will sufficiently help your Infirmities and teach you how to make your Requests in Prayer to God who knoweth what you stand in need of So dear Friends I do commit you to God and his Spirit of Truth in all your Hearts that that therein you may all serve worship and pray unto him and that you may please the Lord in all things is the fervent breathing Desires of your Friend and Brother in a Spiritual Relation in and through God and Christ Jesus the only Saviour and Mediator betwixt God and Man who ever liveth making Intercession for all the Saints J. P. Hosleydown the 18th of the 6th Month 1691. THE END
A General Epistle To all FRIENDS Every where Scattered up and down in the WORLD That they all may faithfully keep and walk in the Truth of God as they have received it thereby to eschew Evil and do Good in their Day and Generation Written by a Servant of God and Labourer for the Honour of his Name Prosperity of his Truth and the Churches Peace and Welfare JAMES PARK Heb. 13.20 21. Now the God of Peace that brought again from the Dead our Lord Jesus that great Shepherd of the Sheep through the Blood of the Everlasting Covenant make you perfect in every good Work to do his Will working in you that which is well-pleasing in his sight through Jesus Christ to whom be Glory for ever and ever Amen Printed and Sold by T. S. at the Crooked-Billet in Holywell-Lane in Shoreditch 1691. A General Epistle to all Friends every where scattered up and down in the World c. My Dear Friends and Brethren WHom I very dearly love in the Covenant of Light and Eternal Life from God made manifest wherein we have Peace with God and feel the Joy of his Salvation which hath been all along and is our Walls and Bullworks of defence wherein we know Safety and true Rest and Peace with God through Faith in Christ Jesus herein do I dearly Remember and Salute you all who are the Sons and Daughters of God begotten to him by the Word of his Grace and Eternal Life which liveth and abideth for evermore Oh! keep all within the Walls and Bullworks of God's Salvation that will be a sure Defence and as a munition of Rocks to you where your Bread will be sure and your Waters never fail but the Waters of a full Cup of Blessing will be known and the refreshing Streams be witnessed to your heavenly Joy Comfort and Refreshment in the Lord the everlasting Fountain from whom all our Comfort Joy and Refreshment cometh in all Storms Rains and greatest Raging of the Sea of wicked and ungodly Men your everlasting Rock Refuge and hiding Place you know which is most sure and certain in all the Perils and Dangers that you may meet with in your sojourning here flee to your Invincible Rock Christ Jesus and you will not fear the Rage of the Wicked nor be affraid what man can do unto you whose Breath is in his Nostrils but then you will only dread and fear the eternal God and reverence his Name who keepeth the Feet of his Saints that none of their Steps may slide but that all may walk uprightly without staggering at the Promises of God or stumbling at any Stumbling-block appearing in your Way and Travel as Pilgrims in this World then you will not be dismayed although the Earth be removed and carried into the midst of the Sea now when it is a time of the Lord 's shaking the Earth with the Heavens also and all Nations which are in the Hand of the Lord and he will shake them and remove the Earth out of its place and all Nations before him are but as the drop of a Bucket and the small Dust of the Ballance he taketh the Islands in his Hand as a very light thing and doth whatever he pleaseth in Heaven and in Earth and in all the Kingdoms of men and who hath a spiritual Eye opened and seeth through the vail of Darkness may see the Lord wonderfully shaking the old Heaven and the old Earth and that the old things shall pass away and all things become new a new Heaven and a new Earth wherein dwells Righteousness Blessed are you that know the old Heavens the old Earth with all the old things past away that are quite from them and stand clear from the old Heavens and the old Earth wherein Unrighteousness is found for the Lord said Behold I make all things new and rejoyce evermore in that which I creat for I creat Jerusalem a Rejoycing and her People a Praise And this is the New Jerusalem that cometh down from God out of Heaven as a prepared Bride for her Husband Mark as a Bride prepared for her Husband who is her Maker the Holy One of Israel in the midst of her who is not an unprepared but a prepared Bride for Christ Jesus her Husband And dear Friends Brethren and Sisters blessed are you who are come to know the Spirit of God and a being Married to Christ Jesus who are come to the general Assembly and Church of the first-born and keep as wise Virgins vigilent sober and watchful being stored with the heavenly Oyl in your Vessels with your Lamps always kept burning being ready and prepared for the Lord 's appearing in Power and great Glory and stand upon your Watch-Tower to oppose every appearance of the Enemy with the Sword of the Spirit which is the Word of God very nigh you with that war against the Enemy that he may not enter again into any of your Hearts to work that which is Evil and destroy the Good wrought or created in any perticular of you by the Lord God when the Enemy cometh as a Flood to tempt assault buffet or winnow you as Wheat it is to hurt the tender Vines that they may not grow nor put forth in freshness and greenness according to the good end of the heavenly great Planter and the Enemy would destroy the heavenly Babe begotten of God but you being all armed with the whole Armour of God waring with the Enemy the Enemy will flie from you and will not be able to prevail for to enter any of your Hearts again by any of his Temptations Assaults Buffettings or Winnowing whereby he cometh seeking whom of us he may devour And the Children of the wicked One know not God nor that which is begotten or wrought by him and therefore they set themselves in great Rage and Fury against the Lord and that which he worketh in his People who are begotten to him and purely live to him God who hath made you Witnesses of a Spiritual Warfare for God and his Works and against the Devil and his Works and you know the Lord by his Spirit led us on with heavenly Zeal and Courage to strike at the Devil and his Works that are dark and corruptible that they might be put of for the Birth and Fruits that are of the Flesh cannot please God that birth and fruits of the Flesh must be known to dye and wither for they that are in that Birth cannot be subject to the Righteous Law and Decree of the Lord God So all must come out of that Birth which is of the Flesh and the corrupt Nature that came upon Man by his fall from God whereby he became an evil and corrupt Tree and brought forth Bryars and Thorns nigh unto cursing whose end is to be burned becoming a degenerate Plant even a Child of a strange Vine unto the Lord who did plant mankind a noble Vine a holy and right Seed My dear Friends feel that right Seed that
God hath sown in all your Hearts that in and by the same you may all stand and remain as noble Plants in the Vineyard of the Lord that none of you may be found corrupt Trees that wither and bring not forth good Fruit or as them who are twice dead and plucked up by the Roots and as wandring Stars who have left their Habitation that once they had in the Truth although such may retain the Profession of the Truth and come amongst us but Friends you having an inward Eye opened by the Spirit of the living God you will see them and beware of them and avoid their Deceit and Falsehood in their most plausable Words and fair Speeches which may tickle the Ears of such as have itching Ears and draw out the Minds of the Simple to their hurt But all of you mind the Lord God and eye him in all his Leadings and whither so ever the Lamb goeth follow him faithfully even through the greatest Hardships Difficulties and Tribulation that you may be called to pass through in this present world of Calamity and Troubles Oh! keep going on to Perfection in the Path of the Just and run the Race that God hath set before you with patience although you meet with many great Troubles and fiery Tryals look not out for that is the way that God leadeth his People into his Kingdom of Love Joy Rest and Peace which is everlasting and the great Tribulations which the Righteous meet with for a season in this world and are called to pass through is but the more to wash them and prepare them for that everlasting Crown and Kingdom which the faithful God in what he hath promised to the Flock of Christ will certainly give unto them and whatsoever evil men may do against the Church of God in the execution of their Malice Violence Spoils or Ruins which the Lord hath in many Ages suffered to come upon the precious Sons Daughters of Sion yet in all that which such suffered our heavenly Father designed nothing towards them but good and for their profit to make them more and more pertakers of his Glory who in common Calamities and Judgments met with hard measure and sufferings from wicked men that did not fear God but were bent to work Wickedness to do it with greediness such now will the Lord judge and recompence the Evil of their own Ways and Doings upon their own Heads and the divine Vengeance of God did overtake and will overtake such and with all the Wicked and Unrighteous of the Earth is the Righteous God pleading and they shall be broken to pieces by him even like a Potters Vessel for they cannot stand in Judgment in the great Day of the Lord wherein terribly he will shake the Earth that it may be removed out of its place in Peoples hearts also he will shake the Heavens for that is to be shaken that Heaven and Earth may be full of his Glory and that the Knowledge of the Lord may cover the Earth as the Waters cover the Sea that Knowledge may be increased Now in the woful Day of Judgment Calamity from God come and coming upon the Wicked and Ungodly it doth appear to me as if some weak and feeble Ones amongst us should say What will become of us shall me be hid in the Day of the Lord's Wrath will the Lord have pitty upon and spare us when the overflowing Scourge shall pass through the Land This I have to say as from God concerning the Righteous every where Fear not Man neither be dismayed at his Looks because of God's Judgments being in the Earth or when Calamity cometh for although Judgments and outward Calamity may reach all in general yet will the Lord remember to spare keep and support the weak of his Flock that continue with him in Tribulations and follow him fully he will give them a Kingdom of Rest Joy and Peace which is everlasting the Light of his Countenance shall shine upon them he will give them Beauty for Ashes and the heavenly Oyl of Joy instead of the Spirit of Heaviness that is but for a Night but Joy cometh in the Morning the Lord will hide spare and pitty you weak and feeble Ones in times of Peril Trouble and greatest Danger you abiding faithful unto him he will not leave you comfortless but will comfort you and will be a Rock and Refuge to you for you will find a sure place of Refuge in his holy Name in which you have believed and do trust he will not forget you nor forsake you in your greatest straits be patient in Tribulation for Tribulation worketh Patience and patience Experience and Experience that Hope which maketh not ashamed and that will be as an Anchor to hold you all unto and keep you steadfast upon the sure and certain Rock of Ages Christ Jesus even from the least of you to the greatest and from the weakest of you to the strongest and you will mightily be upheld and supported by him in all through all and over all that which God may permit wicked Men or Devils to do against you to trouble oppress or try you who being sound Righteous you shall have the blessed Reward thereof freely bestowed upon you in this World and that which is to come and it shall go well with you however it be as to Troubles Oppressions or Tryals in this world when God's Judgments are in the Earth and the Vials of his Wrath poured forth with fury upon the Heads of the Wicked and Ungodly to cut them off the Lord will have mercy upon Sion he will hear the Cry of the Afflicted true Sion his Bowels of Compassion will the more appear and be inlarged to relieve save help and deliver you and to cause your Enemies to be at Peace with you God's love and care in watching over his and to incamp about them that is a sure Defence and a Buckler and Shield will the Lord ever be to all that fear him and think upon his Name whether weaker or stronger God who is just and equal in all his judgments and wayes will not destroy the Righteous with the wicked from that great Deluge that came upon the old World for there great wickedness wherewith they then provoaked the Almighty to great Indignation against them yet he saved Noah that Preacher of Righteousness and his Family being Righteous in an Ark which Noah built being warned of God to do it long before it was finished when the Flood came in that Ark was he and his Family saved and not destroyed with the wicked and when God overthrew the Cities of Sodom and Gomorrow by a dreadful violent Fire the destroying Angel could not proceed to his work till just Lott was gone out of Sodom but afterward those Cities were laid in Ashes And how did the Lord keep and preserve that fruitful Bow Joseph who was hated of his Brethren and sold by them a Slave into Aegypt how did the Lord help
are poor in this World Wait for Counsel from the Lord to direct you how to give Advice and Direction unto others that are but weak in the Faith and do not so clearly see their way and work be tender towards them and helpful to them in the Lord and Eyes to them and Feet to the Lame that have halted and help them on by a Hand of Love and true Tenderness held forth to them that need it then will the Lord be with you bless your Meetings beautifie and honour them more and more with his holy comfortable Presence and give you Dominion and Power over all that which would hurt and destroy or make Schisms rend and divide Member from Member or the Body from the Head The Lord hath been with you and preserved you together of one Heart in his business and when you have been about your own his Blessing you have felt and he will be with you as ye all stand fast in the Faith doing his Work unto the end And all you who are Convinced of God's Truth but not brought to live and walk in it following your own Wills Spirits Passions and vile Affections not knowing how to bridle your Tongues nor to keep out of the Evil Words and Ways of the Wicked but are often catched in the Snares of the Wicked and led captive by Satan at his Will tremble before the Lord fear his holy Name whilst God spareth you and suffereth you to cumber the Ground for you fruitless Trees cumber the Ground and must be cut down God will not always spare nor bear with you for your abuse of his Patience and Long-suffering the Lord will judge you he will plead with you in his Wrath who follow your own Wills and suffereth your own Spirits Passions and vile Affections to sway govern and make you Bond-slaves and to keep you fast Captives to Sin and Satan which is great slavery and so are apt to be drawn into lew'd Company and to have fellowship with them who are given up to work Wickedness and to hatch Mischief and put it in practice Take heed how you go on in the ways of evil men take no pleasure in their company if sometimes thou fall into their company occasionally or accidentally without thy seeking or desiring but with all and care diligence avoid their company avoid their evil Words and avoid all their ungodly Conversation and avoid as much as in you lies Taverns and Ale-houses where so many wrong their own Souls and Bodies also and impoverish their Families and waste the Creatures that in themselves are good which many may want greatly and although it be lawful to go to such publick Houses upon just occasion or as necessity may require it yet for any to go for Lust or Fashion-sake and to sit long with them who Injuriously frequent such Houses that hath been a Snare to many Young Men and Women to their great hurt every way and is no good expedient for the Aged to spend their pretious time unprofitably in Taverns and Ale-houses or any other Houses where you may receive harm and bring Reproach upon the Name of the Lord amongst wicked and ungodly men and women who regard not what Wickedness they do act nor what Evil they can tempt and draw others into desiring that you that know the Truth might become the Companions of Drunkards Swearers Lyars and be made pertakers with them in their ungodly Deeds whereby such debauch the Minds of all that will have fellowship with them and then rejoyce in their Iniquity and sport themselves when they have drawn the minds of others out to joyn with them in their abominable Practices Therefore let such as are Convinced of the Truth and frequent our Meetings whom this may concern leave off such Company and put away all your Iniquities that you are guilty of and amend your ways and doing lest the Lord be provoked so to Wrath by you as suddainly to cut you off in your Iniquity and it prove your utter Destruction And dear Friends be mindful of and patiently wait for your final Change or the Dissolution of the earthly House of this Tabernacle and before give all diligence to obtain a certain assurance that you have a House not made with Hands eternal in the Heavens There are but few mind or consider how near their Change may be or when the last moment of Time they may have to spend in this present World shall be many Wise men and Prophets of God in our day are removed and taken away from us and from the Evil to come and many other Ancient Friends that stood firm in their Day in Testimony to the Lord and his Truth who had overcome and were made as Pillars in his House are fallen asleep and are at Rest from their Labours and Services for the Lord and Works of Righteousness which they wrought in their Day let it be your care to remember and follow that good Example they gave you and left to us all that we might be one with them who were faithful Followers of Christ Jesus and laboured in his universal Spirit and indured much Hardship and great Sufferings but did not stagger nor faint in their minds being of great Courage and Heavenly Resolution in God's Work and prepared for their Dissolution before it came and their Work was done which the Lord gave them to do O! be of the same Mind and Resignation to serve please and follow God and to finish that Work he hath given you to do before it be said to you That time with you in this World shall be no longer The Lord is sealing his Servants by his holy Spirit and hath sealed many to the Day of Redemption such have the mark of God on their Fore-heads but cannot touch nor receive the mark of the Beast on their Fore-heads or in their Hands the destroying Angel must not hurt nor harm such that are sealed with the holy Seal of the Spirit of God which all ought to wait for after you have believed and feel a fervent Zeal for God as much as ever being always zealously affected in that which is good with a circumspect watch against that which is Evil and every appearance thereof and keep harmless and without fault in the sight of God then whoever blame you or speak evil of you falsly yet will you be justified by the Lord and clear when he judgeth that judgeth Righteously And beware of all manner of Deceit Guile and Hypocrisie with all Double-dealing Dissimulation Whispering Tale-bearing too much practised amongst some professing the pure and precious Truth of God that come amongst us and would be owned as of us and of the pure Religion but have not a Bridle for their Tongues neither take heed to their Sayings or Doings noâ— are they simple-hearted but subtil some of them and wise to do Evil shuning and avoiding the Plain Language of Truth according to the Scripture of Truth which is Thee and Thou to a