be a waiting ãâã patience for some reasonabletime to see what may be effected or done therein before there be attempts made of such proposalls to another That so not may be found in such Levity and unconstancy as is manifest in the world ãâã runing hastily from one person to another And that before any such proposalls be made That the parents or such as have those persons in tuitioâ or Guardianship if any such be be first spoken to And their consent obtain'd therein if possible and also that widdowers and widdows be not to forward in makeing or accepting proposalls of Marriage again after the dâcease of former wives or husbands but that there be some Considerable foââbearance in those cases And that care be taken before any such widdower widdows be permited to marry again or consent be given thereto That âuch provision and settlements in temporall things be made and done for the âormer Issue Child or Children of such deceased husband or wife as shall be âeen and appear to be fair just honest and reasonable For the preserving of love peace and unity in famillies and amongst relations as also for preserving âhe Rights of Infants and those in minority from being wasted and spent âontrary to reason and equity And that due examination be made touching âhe clearnesse of all parties concerned before consent be given according to âormer advice and when any marriages are accomplished or soleminized âmongst friends that they be performed in the fear of God and in a grave âober devout and solemn manner before severall witnesles And Attested Certified and Recorded according to former advice And that friends be careâull at such times to keep out of the forms modes and customes of the world ãâã feasting and other superfluities as also in Rideing or going in great comâanies together in a vain splendor or wanton manner and that care be taken âmongst such as proffess the truth as much as possible may be that none that âake proffession of truth do concerne themselves in matters of marriage any âay or in making proposalls relateing thereunto with such as are not friends âor reputed to be of our society nor walk in fellowship with us in the grace ând spirit of Christ and that none marry or go about to endeavour the ââme without the consent or contray to the order and practice of friends And where any are found to err or go aside in these respects contrary ãâã the advice and counsell of friends and to that Righteousnesse self-denyall âârity plainness and decency which becomes true Christanity and a people ââoffessing Godlinesse and vertue or that do concern themselves in matters ãâã marriage with such as are not friends nor own'd to be of our society or do âarry without consent and contrary to the order and practice of friends that ãâã all these cases or any of them let such be spoken to advised admonish'd and ââalt with by friends at their particular monthly meetings even as the nature ãâã the fact may require and as in the wisdom of God and according to âââths order may be seen convenient Sixthly That all such as profess the truth be carefull to keep up their testimoâes against that great oppression of Tythes and other Impositions which the âârd by his Spirit doth testifie against and are contrary to the Glorious liberty ââd freedom of the gospel dispensation and that true records be kept of the ââfering of friends in those cases and all other upon truths account in every âonthly meeting and an account thereof fairely transcribed be brought up ââce every year at least to the quarterly meetings to be recorded there and âât care be taken in every particuler meeting to nominate one or two faithââââ friends to attend each monthly meeting as also that each monthly meeting do take care to nominate and appoint one or two such faithfull honesâ weighty and disreet Friends to attend the quarterly meetings as are in good unity with friends whose service may be to God and his people and are capable to represent that monthly meeting they do appear for in giveing Judgement of things relateing to truth and in doing and mannageing bussiness relateing to our Christian Society at the quarterly meeting And Lastly as we desire that these perticulars may be taken notice of anâ observed amongst friends in their severall places and stations So to thâ Intent that some care may be taken And Method used therein every waâ as the nature of the thing may require It is agreed that a record hereof bâ kept in the Quarterly meeting books And Coppys of same be sent to everâ monthly meeting in this County and we do advise and desire that it maâ be recorded there and enquiry made at the monthly meetings as occasion ãâã touching friends care about the things herein contain'd And that Coppy hereof be sent to be read in every perticular meeting And that every monthly meeting take care to nominate and appoint two or more honest sober weighty and discreet friends in every perticuler meeting to take care in the matter above-mentioned some for one thing and some for another as friends finâ a freedom and willingnesse in their minds to undertake the same and ãâã friends in the wisdom of God at the severall monthly meetings shall see convenâent That so in the spirit of love and meeknesse friends may advise Cautioâ Admonish reprove and deal with such persons as proffess the truth and ãâã not answer the principle and testimony thereof in their lives and conveâsations nor walk according the advice and Counsell of friends in theââ respects in a sober holy plain and Godly manner as becomes a people reformââ in principle and practice from the errors vanitys and superfluities of thâ present world And that friends at their severall monthly meetings do speââ or write to such friends as shall be so appointed desiring their care in tââ premisses Recording their names in the monthly meeting books who thââ are in every perticular meeting that are appointed and willing to take caââ in such things and that if upon their advice caution reproof or admonitiââ such person or persons shall happen to refuse or neglect to take notice therâ so as to demean themselves as becomes the truth and the professors therâ That in those cases the persons so appointed do take care as afforesaid ââlay the matter before friends at the monthly meeting they belong to thââ so the persons may be dealt with according to truths order as the natureâ fact may require And as in the wisdom of God may be seen convenieââ That so in all things relateing to our holy fellowship and Christian sociâââ friends in their severall places may keep in that Righteous pure holy decent aââ sanctified state and order in principle doctrine devotion and conversation eveây way as becomes the Gospell of our Lord Jesus Christ And a people proâessing the same That God over all who is rich in his mercys favours and ââessings to us every way may have the glory and praise who is worthy for ever and ever Amen Given forth at Our Quarterly Meeting held at York the Twentieth day of the First Month 1690. Signed by the Order and on the behalf of the Meeting by Thomas Hammond
To all our Friends and Brethren at the severall Monthly and particular Meetings in and throughout the County of York GREETING WEE your Friends and Brethren who are Assembled togethââ in the fear of God to consider of the affaires of the truth in ââlation to our Christian Society in the County afforesaid havâ under our tender and Christian Consideration the great Loââ Mercy and Favour of our God in making known unto with many more the way of Life and Salvation in and the Blessed Appearance of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ who by the diâââveries of his Light Grace and Holy Spirit hath not only given us to see vanitys and wickedness of this present World but also through Faith in him aââ by the Glorious power and vertue of his spirit and goodness he hath in a gââââ measure gathered a Remnant out of those vanities defilements and pollutioââ wherein the World lyes to walk with him in that Divine light and Heavââly way which has alwayes been the Path of the Just and wherein the Faith to God do find great peace comfort and satisfaction in him having been âââcretly touch't and inwardly wrought upon by his power and spirit not onlâ the mortifying of Sin and evill but also to the Quickning and raising up of soules of many unto newness of Life and so are thereby brought into a capaâââ of worshiping and serving God not in the oldness of the Letter but in the âââness of that Spirit and Life wherein acceptance with the Father is known whereby we are brought into a spirituall fellowship and Communion with in the Son of his Love and are made liveing members of that Spirituall boââ whereof Christ our Lord is the head who is to have the Rule and preheminââ in the Church that so every member therein may be acted and govern'd by power and spirit to the praise and glory of God and mutuall comfort oâ another Yet in as much as we have all one common Enemy to watch against whâ his temptations does endeavour to ensnare the weak and if possible by his ââtillty and allurements to overcome many whom the Lord by his grace and ãâã has been at work withall and draw them back again into those vanities defilements which they have formerly been subject to and which the Lord his spirit doth testifie against therefore it is very necessary for every one ãâã âath known and experienced the goodness of the Lord in order to call and gaââer them out of the ways of the World and his heavenly hand to be stretched ãâã for their help and deliverance that they be very carefull and watchfull in ââeir ways that the enemy prevaile not again upon any of them to darken ââeir mindes and bring them back into folly and vanity and make them subââct to that power and spirit of darkness whereby their minds may become alienated from God and their understandings vailed so that its possible they âay return again into the practise of those things which they have formerly âeen addicted to and which once they have been sensible the Lord by his Spirit âath testified against and reproved them for as also its possible that such may ãâã too prone to admit of or otherwise Indulge such things not only in themâââves but also amongst their Children and Families which in the time of their âst Convincement they durst not allow of nor are they to be allowed of in our âhristian society Therefore we being thus sensible of the great love and kindness of our God ââwards his people on the one hand and of the wiles of the Enemy of the other âând and being Jealous that but too many especially in a time of outward ease ââd Liberty who have proffest the truth of our God and have outwardly walkâââ in society with us both have been and still may be not so Cautious diligent ââd circumspect as they ought to be upon diverse accounts And also having ââder our Consideration the many Living sound wholesom and Christian testimonies Cautions Admonitions and directions which have formerly been âââm time to time and upon severall occasions given forth by our ancient Friends ââd Brethren who have Labour'd amongst Us in the word and Doctrine As âo the Counsell and advice of our Friends and Brethren Recommended unto ãâã at sundry times and in divers Letters and Epistles from the Yearly Meeting at âââdon desiring Friends care in the matters and things hereafter mentioned As âevivall of the former testimonies cautious advice and directions as aforesaid ââd in order to stir up Friends in their severall and respective monthly and parââââlar meetings unto a holy care and diligence in these respects We have âând it to be our place and duty at this time in the love of God and under the ââây exercise of his divine Grace and Goodness wherein the Lord is pleased to ââcerne us with many more of his Children and People to recommend the ââââowing particulars unto all our Friends and Brethren at their severall Monthââ and particular meetings in the County aforesaid and by way of caution and ââotherly advice in the same Love we do tenderly lay these things before you Questioning your Concurrance therewith in this our holy and Christian ââncern for the Glory of God and comfort of his People First It is desired that all such as proffess the truth of Our God and themâââes to be members of that body whereof Christ our Lord is head Be very Carefull and diligent in their severall places at seasonable and convenient time to meet and Assemble together in the Name and fear of God to wait upon anâ worship him in Spirit and truth according to Divine Institution and that nonâ grow careless or negligent therein so as to forbear to meet together as aforesaid unless they have some urgent occasion to hinder them and that Friends in theiâ comeing together have regard to meet in due time and as near all together aâ well can be and when so met that every one Waite to be gathered in mind anâ Spirit near unto the Lord that so they may be exercised in that which Hevenly and pure to the praise and Glory of God and mutuall comfort onâ of another and in their severall exercises that they be very carefull to keep oââ of all form'd and Affected notes and sounds that do not purely spring and arise from that life and birth which has acceptance with the Father and where any such persons as profess the truth are found to be either negligent in meetinâ together or in comeing in due time or otherwise do give any just occasion ãâã any in the matters aforesaid that such be carefully spoken to and dealt wiââ by way of Caution Advice and Admonition and other such Christian aââ regular proceedings as in the wisdom of God may be seen convenient Secondly That all such Friends as have any publick Testimony or Serviââ in the Meetings or Assemblies of Friends Be very carefull and watchfull thââ their Ministry and service
stand in that Divine wisdom Spirit and Power which truly reaches and Informes the minds and understandings of people in heaveâly and Spirituall things as also in that which edifies builds up and confirmâ the heritage of the Lord in that which is Pure and Holy that so such as speââââ may speak as the oracles of God And those that minister may do it as of the âbility that God giveth that God in all things may be glorified through Jesus Christ and as it is both a High and holy calling so to Minister from God to ãâã people it is absolutely necessary and we do advise that all such as be exerciâââ or concerned therein be very cautious in their Words and Testimonies aââ that they speak the things which becomes sound Doctrine in gravitie and sinâârity recomending their Testimonies to every mans Conscience in the sight ãâã God as also that they be watchfull and carefull in their wayes and practiâââ that their Lives and Conversations may answere their Testimonies And such as becomes the Gospell and in all things shewing themselves patterns of gâââ works in Doctrine Incorruptness Gravity Sincerity Sound speech that cannot ãâã condemned That those who are of the contrary part may be ashamed havâ no evill thing justly to say of them and that none be found to concerne thââselves in publick Testimonies amongst Friends acting in their own will or wââdom and not in a Holy Subjection to the power and wisdom of God nor pââceeding in a forward unqualified manner speaking words without true knââledge or not becoming sound Doctrine nor medling with things they unâââstand not to the griefe and trouble of Friends but that all such as are or may âe concern'd in the Work and service of the Gospell may in all things endeavour ãâã shew themselves approved unto God and his People in that which is pure and Holy to the praise and Glory of him that has called them unto that excellent work and also to the help comfort and edification of his People Thirdly That all such as professe the truth be carefull to keep to the ââain and single Language unto all people And that parents do not by any âeans Indulge their Children in speaking to either of them in the plurall ââmber not in any other matter contrary to truths Testimony nor allow ââem the Liberty of those sports and plays which viciate their mindes and âârrupt their manners but traine them up in the fear of God Restraining ââem from evill folly and vanitie and as much as in them Lyes cause them âhilst in their minoritys to read the holy Scriptures of truth And such books are profitable And to frequent the Assemblies of God's People and bring ââem up in the Nurture and Admonition of the Lord That so they may grow as a Generation to serve the Lord in their day And that none go into âr be found in the Vain and Gaudy Habits Dresses Attires nor Foolish âatick Modes and Fashions of the World either in Apparell Furniture or âther superfluities whatsoever nor Joyne with any in observing and keeping the Feasts Feast-dayes banquets or vain customs of the World but that all ââep both in Habit and Practise every way unto that Decency plainness verââ and moderation which becoms the Truth and as People professing the ââspell of our blessed Lord And where any fault defect or misdimenour ãâã appear and is manifest amongst such as profess the truth in these respects âany other It is desired that such Persons be duly Cautioned Warned Adâânished and dealt with by honest Friends in such manner as in the wisdom ãâã God and according to Truth 's order may be seen convenient Fourthly That all such as proffesse the truth be carefull in their dealings ââd concerns amongst men that they be not forward or Lavish in praising ãâã commending their wares and merchandizes beyond the reall and true deâââ That they be cautious in their words and expressions upon every acââânt And that they be punctuall in performing their promisses And that ãâã yea be yea and nay nay in all their Conversations That they endeaââââ both in their discourses and conversations to dwell inoffensively under the ââvernement and as much as in them lies labour to live peaceably with all men And if any differrances happen to fall out one amongst another that care be âââen to lay the matter before freinds in due time in order to be heard and âââârmind by them And that none do forwardly engage themselves in suites or âââtroversies at Law with any others But upon Just and Righteous grounds ãâã with good advice and deliberation And none Lanch forth or go into greater matters bargaines dealings and concernes in the world then they are able to mannage well and honourably go through with good crediâ and reputation Nor contract such debts As they are not capable to make good and punctuall payment of in due time But that in all things friends may so endeavour to keep in such a holy Just Righteous And self denying way and method in all their dealings and concernes whatsoever as may tend to truths praise and their comfort And wherein any thing of the contrary iâ found in any of these cases or any other where truths reputation is or may be concerned It is desired that freinds have a watchfull and carefull eye in due time towards such to advise caution admonish reprove and deal with then in a regular and Christian way That so if possible a stop may be put to all such proceedings as may in the least be hurtfull or of an ill report And if any have already gone too far in contracting further or greater debts theâ they are capable of discharging That such be advised by no means to absenâ themselves nor flee from Justice But yeild up what estate they have to thâ creditors towards payment of their just debts as also offer up their bodies to the Creditors unlesse they will be pleased to give them leave to be at liberty to labour for more towards their releif and further Satisfaction or payment of their debts And if any person that proffesses the truth do refuse or neglect to take the advice and counsell of freinds herein or in any other matter ãâã this or the like nature or tendency that such may be dealt with in due time âven as the nature of the fact may require in order to clear the truth of sucâ aspersions as may arise through such persons acting contrary to Justice reasoâ and equity and the advise of freinds in those cases Fiftly That all such as professe the truth be very cautious in their proceedings relating to Marriage that their eye be not so much to the world and worldlâ ends as unto the Lord and the concurrence of his grace and goodness ãâã all those concernes that they be not hasty or forward in making such proposalls to any but with good advise caution and deliberation and when ãâã after such proposalls be made and are not Imbraced that there