An epistle from our monethly meeting, at our publick meeting house in Reigate, in Surry, the 7th day of the 9th month, 1692 Society of Friends. Reigate Monthly Meeting. 1692 Approx. 12 KB of XML-encoded text transcribed from 5 1-bit group-IV TIFF page images. Text Creation Partnership, Ann Arbor, MI ; Oxford (UK) : 2011-12 (EEBO-TCP Phase 2). A57299 Wing R1477 ESTC R17179 12599614 ocm 12599614 64137

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Early English books online. (EEBO-TCP ; phase 2, no. A57299) Transcribed from: (Early English Books Online ; image set 64137) Images scanned from microfilm: (Early English books, 1641-1700 ; 675:2) An epistle from our monethly meeting, at our publick meeting house in Reigate, in Surry, the 7th day of the 9th month, 1692 Society of Friends. Reigate Monthly Meeting. Rigge, Ambrose, 1635?-1705. 8 p. s.n., [London : 1692] Caption title. At end: Written and signed in the behalf of the said meeting, by Ambrose Rigge. Reproduction of original in Duke University Library.

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eng Society of Friends -- England -- Surrey -- History -- Sources. Society of Friends. -- Reigate Monthly Meeting. 2020-09-21 Content of 'availability' element changed when EEBO Phase 2 texts came into the public domain 2011-02 Assigned for keying and markup 2011-02 Keyed and coded from ProQuest page images 2011-03 Sampled and proofread 2011-03 Text and markup reviewed and edited 2011-06 Batch review (QC) and XML conversion
An Epiſtle From our Monethly Meeting, at our Publick Meeting-Houſe in Reigate, in Surry, the 7th Day of the 9th Month, 1692.

WE being aſſembled with one accord in the Unity of the Spirit of Truth, and having a deep and weighty Conſideration upon our Hearts and Spirits, of the Important Affairs of the Church which the Lord hath gathered in theſe parts, and out of the Ways and Works of Darkneſs, to be a People to his praiſe, and to walk as Children of the Day, in all Godly Converſation and Holineſs; for he who hath called us is Holy, and he hath made us livingly ſenſible that without Holineſs of Life and Converſation none can be true Members of the Church of Chriſt, neither is any the Sons or Daughters of God, but as they are led and guided by the Spirit of God, in which all who have continued and walked, have been preſerved out of the Pollutions of the World; and are as Lights among their Neighbours, ſhewing forth before them their good Works, of a Godly, Peaceable and quiet Life, to the Praiſe and Glory of our Heavenly Father; for the Truth as it is in Jeſus (our holy Head, Leader and Governour) is the Life of Righteouſneſs, and freeth all who receives it from all Unrighteouſneſs: In this is the Children of God in our day manifeſted, from the Children of Belial: for whoſoever doth not Righteouſneſs is not of God, neither he who loveth not his Brother and Neighbour; but he who walketh uprightly, and walketh ſurely, and there is no occaſion of ſtumbling in him.

And now dearly beloved Friends, whom the Lord hath quickened and raiſed up out of the Grave of Sin and Corruption, to be Monuments of his Mercy, walk in the Light of the Lamb; ſo will the Salvation of God be as Walls and Bulworks round about you, to preſerve you from the fear of Evil: Stand ye as Witneſſes for God in your day againſt all Ungodlineſs and worldly Luſts, both amongſt your ſelves, and the World; be ye circumſpect and watchful both over your ſelves, and your Children, and Indulge them not in any thing that is Evil, but timely Reprove and Reſtrain it, leſt it become your Sin; and command them to obſerve the Law of God written in their Hearts; for if you love the Truth, as you ought your ſelves, you will train up your Children in it when they are young; and keep them to the plain and ſound Language which the Truth required and led all the Faithful into in the beginning; and keep them in plain and modeſt Apparel and Behaviour, in due ſubjection to the Truth in all things, in an Holy Converſation as much as in you lies, that they may grow up in the Grace of God as Plants of his Renown; this is your Duty the Lord requires it of you, even to watch over your Children, as thoſe that muſt give an Account to God, while they are under your Wings: Elie's not Reſtraining his Sons became his Sin, becauſe he reſtrained them not, and brought a Curſs upon his Houſe for ever, 1 Sam. 3. 13, 14. Therefore beware of winking at or neglecting your Childrens Sins, while under your Tuition, but bring them up in the Nurture and Admonition of the Lord, leſt they bring ſhame upon your Houſes, and a Reproach upon your Poſterity, as ſome have already done, by departing from the Counſel of God, and the Word of his Grace, which would have kept them in the hour of Temptation from the alurements of the Evil one, and ſo have made themſelves a Scorn to Fools, and a Deriſon to them that are round about, and hath opened the Mouthes of Evil men to Blaſpheam the Name of the Lord and his holy Tabernacle; Better had it been for ſuch not to have known the Way of Truth, then thus to turn from the holy Commandment, which is the Lamp of Righteouſneſs to guide our Feet in the Way of Peace.

And all Young Men and Maids, unto whom God hath given the knowledge of his ſaving Truth, be ye Sober and Watchful, for many and ſtrong are the aſſaults of the Enemy to overcome you, and to bring you back again into Egypt's Bondage: Stand ſtedfaſt in him who hath Called you, being girded with the Truth, that you may be able to Encounter the Enemy of your Souls, which way ſoever he appears, having upon your heads the Helmet of Salvation, and the Breaſt plate of Righteouſneſs, and Shield of Faith, and Sound Judgment, the Spiritual Sword girded about your Loins; In this Armour if you keep, the Enemy cannot touch you. The ſaving Truth which God hath made known in our day, doth Reedeem all who loves and obeys it, from all Evil whatſoever, and out of the Gall of Bitterneſs and Bond of Iniquity, and ſets free from every Evil Deed, Word and Work, and diſcovers Sin in the Seed, Bud and Root thereof, and gives power to ſlay it there, before it breaks forth into Action; for as it is Inward and Spiritual, it gives an Inward and Spiritual ſight of the Man of Sin in all his Wiles and Temptations in the conception thereof, and arms all who believes in it againſt the Enemy's power, being greater then the Enemy, is able to ſubdue his power in all mankind, and Redeem them from their vain Converſation, making them capable to ſerve, worſhip and obey the living God, which none can do while they are in the Evil deeds of the world. And neither Pride, Covetouſneſs, Drunkenneſs, Whoredom, Gluttony, Theft, Murder, Adultery, Idolatry, Hypocriſie, nor any Ungodlineſs whatſoever can have any power or prevalency over them who keeps the Word of Faith, which is nigh in their Hearts, ſuch are Cloathed with the Armour of Light, and they are able to quench all the fiery Darts of the Enemy of their Souls, and through Faith in the Son of God receives Victory over Death, Hell and the Grave; theſe are Plants of Righteouſneſs in our day, and are daily Watered and Pruned by the Father's the Right hand, and grow up as Trees of Righteouſneſs, the planting of the Lord, bringing forth Fruits in due Seaſon to the praiſe of his Name, who hath called them out of Darkneſs into his marvelous Light.

And now I exhort you Brethren and Friends, in the Name of our Lord Jeſus Chriſt, that you with-draw your ſelves from every Brother and Siſter who walks diſorderly, and have no fellowſhip with the unfruitful Works of Darkneſs, but rather in the Authority of Gods Power and Spirit reprove them: And that you keep not Company with Fornicators, for ſome are already turned aſide into Fornication: If any that is Called a Friend or a Brother, be a Fornicator, or Covetous, or an Idolater, or a Railer, or a Drunkard, or an Extortioner, with ſuch a one not to Eat; And if any obey not this Goſpel-Precept, Note that Perſon, and have no fellowſhip with him or her, that they may be aſhamed: And if any have fellowſhip or ſociety with ſuch before they Repent, after Friends (in Gods Power and Wiſdom) have given a Teſtimony againſt them, they are to be reproved and teſtified againſt, as out of the Order of the Goſpel, and Practiſe of the Holy Men of God in former Ages. For we cannot expect to ſtand clear as a people before our Enemics, till we have faithfully endeavoured that all our Meetings and Camp may be cleanſed of all Ungodlineſs whatſoever; for God is pure and Holy, and will have a People ſo; and no unclean thing or perſon can ſtand in his Court or Preſence, and in this his glorious Goſpel Day of Life, Light and Glory, the moſt Spiritual Miniſtration, and the Laſt and Greateſt that ever the World ſhall be viſi ed withal, which in tender Mercy and Loving-kindneſs he hath cauſed to dawn in us, he will be gloriſied in, by and through us; or without us, and againſt us; for his Name he will Exalt in Righteouſneſs over Nations, and he will overturn and overturn, till he come to whoſe right it is, in the Hearts and Conſciences of the Sons of men.

And dear Friends, have a care of the Love of the World, and the Riches thereof; do not choke the good Seed of the Kingdom of Righteouſneſs ſown in you, for the Enemy lies near many in that reſpect, their Care, Labour and Induſtry being more for the Meat that periſheth, then for that which nouriſheth to Eternal Life; and many grows Cold in their Love, Zeal and Affection to thoſe weighty Duties which God requires of us, in meeting often together to wait upon him, to feel the operation of his Divine Power and his Comfortable Preſence which hath often opened Life and the treaſures of it to our Souls; and we have waited upon the Lord, we have renewed our ſtrength, and in meeting often together we have ſelt the Lords preſence in the midſt of us, ſo that we have not ſought his Face in vain; all Holy Praiſes be returned to him for evermore.

And now beloved Friends and Brethren, as the Lord in tender Mercy hath called us out of Darkneſs, to be Children of his Goſpel-Day, let us not ſleep as do others. but with girded Loins watch and be ſober, caſting off all the unfruitful Works of Darkneſs, and put on the Armour of Light, that we may be valient Souldiers in the Army of the Lamb, and to be able quench all the Fiery Darts of the Enemy; for of a truth, the Lord is ariſen to ſearch his Jeruſalem with Candles, and he will aſſuredly find out the Hypocrite and the Unclean, and him who hath ſaved the Wedge of Gold and the Babyloniſh Garment, though never ſo cloſe hid in his Tent; for all things are naked and bare to his All-ſeeing Eye; and wo to him who is covered, and not with the Spirit of the Lord, for he will be left naked to his own Shame to the view of all beholders.

And all Young Friends, both Male and Female, who have believed in the Truth, and are coming up in the World, beware of a Wanton Looſe Spirit, for it will lay you open to many Snares and Temptations, where by you will be betrayed by the Enemy of your Souls into many noiſome Luſts, which will drown you in Perdition, if you give way thereto; but firſt ſeek the Kingdom of God, and the Righteouſneſs thereof, by walking in the Truth that you have believed in, and then all other things needful for you will be given you of God, and the Bleſſing withal, which will make you Rich and add no Sorrow with it: And take heed of ſeeking Lawful things by Unlawful means, for if you ſo obtain them, they will wither under your Hands: And make not haſte to be Rich in this World, nor to lay up great things for your Children, leaſt it prove their Snare and your Sorrow: for ſome of us have been Young, and now are grown Old, yet in all our days we never ſaw the Righteous forſaken, nor his Seed (who hath walked in the Way thereof to the End) begging their Bread; the way to be Happy and Proſperous in this World, and that which is to Come, is firſt to breath after Righteouſneſs, and walk in its Way, though for it you drink a bitter Cup from the Hands of Men, which if you are willing to drink for a time, the ſweet Cup of Bleſſing and Conſolation will be given you of God, who keeps the beſt Wine till laſt, and he will Crown your Gray Hairs with Honour and Immortallity: So let not out your Affections after the fooliſh, vain and frivolous Faſhions and Cuſtoms of this World, for they will wither as the Graſs, and fade as the Flower thereof. So God Almighty direct your Way, and keep you under the Wing of hi Power, in the pure Religion which keeps Unſpotted of the World, that the honourable Name by which you are called, and in which you have been preſerved, as you have truſted in it, may be your Rock, Refuge, and Tower to the End of your Dayes; Amen.

Written and Signed in the behalf of the ſaid Meeting, By Ambroſe Rigge. THE END.