pass, who enter that kingdom of purity and glory which admits of nothing uncleau. Hence appears the necessity of closing with the convictions, and abiding under the operation of the refining power of the spirit of truth in the first place. "Seek ye first the kingdom of God, and "his righteousness." And we beseech you, dear Friends, carefully to avoid all connections, company, and converse, that have a tendency to entangle you in the spirit of the world, which lieth in wickedness, ever remembering, that its kingdom is foolishness, its pleasures are vanity and vexation of spirit, its sorrow works death, and its friendship is enmity with God. Seek therefore to live in the spirit and nature of the gospel, that ye may be lively examples, "in conversation, in charity, in spirit, in faith, in "purity." The more vice and vanity abound, the more strictly ought we to watch against them, that we may not be insnared and overcome by them. Numbers will neither be any excuse, nor alleviation to us in the great day of account; and if we see some fail on one hand, and some on another, whilst we lament their defection, let their harms be our warnings, and let us not, by any means, take occasion to lift ourselves up in our own esteem, by making unwise comparisons between their state and ours; but ever hold in due observance the following apostolic advice: "I say, through "the grace given unto me, to every man that is among you, not "to think of himself more highly than he ought to think; but to "think soberly, according as God hath dealt to every man the "measure of faith. Be clothed with humility, for God resisteth "the proud, and giveth grace to the humble. Be sober, be vigi"lant, because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walk"eth about, seeking whom he may devour. Be kindly affectioned "one to another," watching over one another for good; and seeing" the servant of the Lord must not strive, but be gentle unto "all men, let nothing be done through strife, or vain-glory ;"* but seek peace and pursue it, that good order, union and concord may be preserved. Be not apt to take offence, and let each in his own particular, be more assiduous to guard against his own weaknesses and imperfections, than to pry into, or expose those of others. Let mutual forbearance and forgiveness have due place among you; for, saith our Lord, "if ye forgive men their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you. But if ye forgive not men their trespasses, neither will your Father for give your trespasses."† 46 σε In all your concerns and conduct, keep an eye to the guidance. *ROM. xii. 3. 1 PET. v. 5. 8, Rom. xii. 10. 2 TIM. ii. 24. PHIL ii. 3. + MAT. vi. 14, 15. of divine wisdom, and your hearts open to its influence; that ye may be preserved upright in all your transactions, faithful in every branch of our christian testimony, and in a state of fitness to approach the divine presence in your religious meetings. Then may you, with reverent and humble confidence, wait and apply for the renewings of that quickening and consolating life and virtue, which qualifies for the practice of pure religion and acceptable worship, and is a rock of strength to the Lord's people, the joy of their souls, and the crown of their assemblies. Finally, dear Friends: we exhort you, that the fresh remembrance of our beloved brethren, lately, as well as formerly, removed from time to eternity, who were exemplary in life, and eminent in service, may humbly and earnestly engage all our minds to follow them as they followed Christ; that when the most sure and solemn period shall draw near to us, being redeemed from death and the power of the grave, we, with the like blessed assurance which appeared in them, may have experimentally to say, "O death! where is thy sting? O grave! where is "thy victory?" All the interests, honours and enjoyments of this mutable world, are not worthy to be placed in the least degree of comparison with such an excellent state. Seek it whilst, and where it is to be found, in the living principle of eternal truth, the spirit of life in Christ Jesus, the grace of God that bringeth salvation. Watch and wait for it, cleave to it, and abide in it, that when the end of all things to you here shall approach, you may be prepared to join the just of all generations, "the general "assembly and church of the first-born written in heaven," to ascribe "blessing and honour, and glory and power, unto him "that sitteth upon the throne, and unto the Lamb for ever and "ever." Signed in and on behalf of the Yearly Meeting, by Clerk to the Meeting this year. EPISTLE XCVII-1774. Dear Friends and Brethren, We salute you in the fellowship of the gospel, fervently desiring, that grace, mercy and peace may be with you; and that through the effectual operation of the Holy Spirit, every chrisțian virtue may be implanted in your hearts, and manifested in your lives, to your own comfort, and the praise of God, who hath called us to righteousness and holiness. We have had fresh cause to renew our grateful acknowledgments to the Father of Mercies, whose goodness hath been comfortably experienced in this large and solemn assembly, to our help and refreshment both in meetings for worship, and those for the preservation of order, and the due maintenance of discipline; wherein the affairs before us have been conducted in a spirit of brotherly love and christian condescension. The sufferings of Friends brought in this year from the counties in England, and from Wales, principally on account of tithes and those called church-rates, amount to four thousand one hundred and forty-two pounds; and those from Ireland to one thousand five hundred ninety-one pounds. One Friend is a prisoner by a process in the Exchequer, on account of tithes. By advices from the Quarterly Meetings in England, and by Epistles from Wales, North-Britain, Ireland, Holland, North and South-Carolina, Virginia, Maryland, Pennsylvania, New-York and New-England, we have information that the churches are generally preserved in love and unity, that a godly care is maintained for the promotion of truth and virtue, that great willingness appears in many parts to hear the truths of the gospel, that divers have been joined to us by convincement, and, that amongst our brethren in the American colonies, our testimony against the inhuman practice of slave-keeping gains ground, and hath had some happy influence on the minds of considerate people of other denominations, in opposition to that flagrant injustice to our fellow-creatures; for whom our Saviour shed his precious blood, as well as for others, and to whom he dispenseth a measure of his grace in common with the rest of mankind. It hath often deeply affected our spirits, in these our annual solemnities, when we have considered the excellence of that divine principle, the manifestation of God's Holy Spirit in the heart and conscience, repeatedly inculcated in the Holy Scriptures, and held forth by us to the world, and at the same time have reflected upon the conduct of many in profession with us, who, for want of due regard thereunto, have become darkened in their minds, lukewarm towards religion, and in divers cases obviously defective in duty, to their own hurt, and the disreputation of our christian society. Yet we have sufficient ground to believe, that a considerable number are preserved who are honestly concerned to abide under the blessed guidance of the spirit of truth, to grow in grace, and in the saving knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ, and to walk as becometh the gospel. We earnestly intreat that all may be stirred up to embrace that needful exhortation of the prophet, "Turn thou to thy God, "keep mercy and judgment, and wait on thy God continually."* This duly put in practice, would by divine assistance, greatly conduce to the good of all. Be it therefore, brethren and sisters, who are parents of children, or heads of families, your constant endeavour, not to indulge any under your care, in the leavening friendships of those who have not a living sense of the truth as it is in Christ Jesus, and therefore abide in the modish vanities and pleasures of this world. Restrain them as much as may be, from any thing that hath a tendency to divert them from the true watch-tower of inward retirement; and for your own sakes as well as theirs, neglect no opportunities of encouraging them thereunto by your example, "What I say unto you," saith our Saviour, "I say unto all, "watch." Be prevailed with therefore, to make it your constant practice daily, before you enter upon affairs of a temporal nature, to wait reverently and patiently upon the gracious helper of Israel, to feel the arising of his pure influence over your minds, which you will find the best preparative for a proper discharge of duty in all your engagements: and be careful, whatever your concerns may be in the course of the day, to keep your attention towards him, and to do nothing that may offend and cause him to withdraw his preserving power from you, and leave you to your own weakness; so shall you be guarded against the inroads of evil, and not live as without God in the world, but under an awful sense of his heavenly presence, and the conduct of his good spirit, which leadeth in the way everlasting; and "Blessed," saith the Psalmist," are the undefiled in the way, "who walk in the law of the Lord. Blessed are they that keep "his testimonies, and that seek him with the whole heart. They "also do no iniquity." PSAL. cxix. 1, &c. We beseech you, dear young people, who are sensible of the visitation from on high, and have tasted the power of its love, suffer nothing to draw you from it. "See that ye refuse not him that "speaketh; for if they escaped not who refused him that spake " on earth, much more shall not we escape, if we turn away from "him that speaketh from heaven." This inward speaker is the spirit of your Redeemer. Esteem his reproofs above the world's caresses, and prize his cross before all its enjoyments; for these will soon terminate in disappointment and sorrow, but that will lead to enduring substance. The way to the crown is strait to flesh and blood, and there is no other by which it can be obtained. Be neither afraid nor ashamed of it. Enter it in the days of your youth, and whether you reach to old age or not, as you *HOSEA xii. 6. +MARK Xiii. 37. HEB. xii. 25. FROM FRIENDS IN LONDON. steadily persevere therein, you will have cause to rejoice in that peace which passeth the understanding of the carnal miud. Great is the advantage you possess above those in more advanced years, who have long suffered themselves to be insnared into negligence and delays, and who being again mercifully awakened to behold their danger, deeply deplore the loss they have sustained, and the difficulty they find in their return, from the many entanglements and inconveniences their former remisness hath subjected them to. Improve the precious opportunity put into your hands. "Seek the Lord while he is to be found: call upon him while he is "near." It will be highly beneficial to you, and contribute much to your strength and consolation, if you employ that time in attending upon God, and seeking to advance in divine life and virtue, which so many of our fellow creatures inconsiderately lavish away in idle and unprofitable discourse, in conversing with the numerons publications calculated to divert their attention from the Sacred Writings, and from a virtuous and godly life, by gratifying the passions, exciting levity, or instilling the pernicious principles of infidelity and licentiousness, and also in the pursuit of various kinds of dissipating and ruinous entertainments; those dangerous snares of Satan, which corrupt and captivate unguarded minds, whilst they pass upon them under the deceitful colour of innocent amusements. Give due regard to that apostolic advice, "Flee youthful lusts; but follow righteousness, faith, cha"rity, peace, with them that call on the Lord with a pure heart." 2 TIM. ii. 29. We are sensible, that many of you have experienced the work of truth begun, and in measure carried on in your hearts, to whom our exhortation is, stand always open thereunto. Set no bound in your minds to the operation of the Holy Spirit, either from inclinations to self-indulgence, or from the fear or favour of "Hitherto I will men. It is not for man to say to his maker, "follow thee, and no further. I must allow myself this and the "other liberty, in speech, in dress, in behaviour, in converse, in "commerce, or in any kind of self-gratification." You can never obtain divine approbation by this mean, but will surely incur the displeasure of him you were created to obey, minister cause for him to withdraw the sense of his preserving presence from you, and leave you to the painful fruits of your own devices. Remember, "The way of man is not in himself: It is "not in man that walketh to direct his steps-The steps of a "good man are ordered by the Lord." JER. X. 23. Psal. xxxvii. 23. Dear Friends of every age and station, in all your assemblies ૨૧ |