WHO have retained your Inte­grity, Love, and Life in the precious Truth, and are ma­king it your chiefest Interest to exalt the same in the Earth: To all such is my endeared Love, [...] blessed Fellowship of Life & Peace, [...] Almighty God on your Behalf, [...] [Page 2] may stand fast in that Liberty wherewith Christ hath set you free; taking good heed that you be not again entangled with the surfeiting Cares of this uncertain World, lest your Understandings be darkned, and you thereby be uncapable of answering the End for which the Lord raised you up: For although you, who I am at this time drawn forth in Exhortation to, may not be con­cerned in a Doctrinal Testimony; yet, my dear Friends, you who have known an Over­coming by the Blood of the Lamb, and His Power, to you it is given, not only to Believe, but to be as Pillars in GOD'S HOUSE. And I must say, That there is a great Work for you to do in this Day of outward Ease; and, were I not pressed in Spirit, in a Sight and Sense I have had of the State of the Churches, I should at this time have been silent: But now for the Lord's sake, and the Churches Reformation, I entreat the Faithful, to come up to the help of the Lord, against the Mighty.

IF any enquire, what I have seen in the Light of the Lord, so mightily to obstruct the Prosperity of Truth in the Faith, I do with Sorrow answer, It is the SPIRIT OF THE WORLD, PRIDE, and COVETOUSNESS, [...] EASE, with SELF-INTEREST.

[...] that there may be a Regulation, [...] the Lord's Love and Mercy is [...] the real Cause of this Epistle.

[Page 3] AND the way to Promote, and, I hope, in the Lord's Time, to Effect it to God's Ho­nour, and the Benefit and Enlargement of the Churches, is,

First, For the Faithful (who are as Pillars) Fathers, and Mothers in the Church, care­fully to observe the Operation of God's Holy Spirit, and thereby you will be enabled to set up an Holy Discipline, in your own Fa­milies; being often Inward, attending upon the Wonderful Counsellor. So shall you be enlarged, in due time, to gain upon each Church which you belong unto: For, dear Friends, if ever there was need for the Seers to be inward with the Lord, in deep Mourn­ing, the Husbands apart, and their faithful Wives apart, it looks to me to be in our Day. For, Oh! How is the Care and Coun­sel of the Lord, which was convey'd to us thro' our faithful Elders, with respect to Gospel Order, slighted; and thereby a Li­bertine Spirit got up, both in Habit and Conversation: And it is to be feared, that those Worldly Spirited Ones rather serve them­selves, than the True and Living GOD.

AND that such may be provoked to re­turn to the LORD with unfeigned Re­pentance, I am at this time concerned, to re­commend the excellent Method which Joshua, that brave Captain under the great King of Kings, took, when he had led the Children of [Page 4] rael into the Promised Land, and divided un­them their Lots, after he had powerfully and wisely gone in and out before them, until, by the Strength of the Lord, they had fought their Battels, and subdued their Ene­mies, taking Cities from them, till they were grown a Rich and numerous People, and possessed of Vineyards, and Olive-yards rea­dy planted to their Hands: Then this blessed Servant of the Lord, who, no doubt, had a clear Sight of the Danger they were in, of forgetting the Lord, the true and living God, by whose powerful Arm their Fathers were brought out of the House of Bondage, according to his Promise made to his faith­ful Servant Abraham. I say, This Wise Leader in Israel commemorates the Mercies, Victories, and wonderful Deliverances of God to them, without the least Ostentation, or desire of Honour, Name, or Fame in the World, or amongst [...] in a lively powerful Exhortation, expresseth, himself in these Words:

NOW therefore Fear the Lord, and serve him in Sincerity and Truth, and put away the Gods which your Father, served on the other side the Flood, and in Egypt, and serve ye THE LORD. And if it seem Evil unto you to serve the Lord, choose you this Day whom you will serve, whether the Gods which your Fathers served, that were on the other side of the Flood; or the Gods of the Amorites, in whose Land ye dwell: But [Page 5] as for ME, and MY HOUSE, We will serve the Lord, Josh. 24. ver. 14, 15.—But, Ver. 21, 22. If ye forsake the Lord, and serve strange Gods, then will he turn, and, do you hurt, and consume you, after that he hath done you good. And the People said unto Joshua, Nay, but WE will serve the Lord.

Dear Friends, Observe what Influence this lively Zeal, and Godly Resolution had upon the People; so that there appear'd a Willing­ness in them to put away those things which grieved the Lord, and hindred them from serving of him fully and freely, saying, God forbid that WE should forsake the Lord, to serve other Gods.

AND now, my Dear Friends, whom God hath blessed with a large [...] of Grace, by the which you have been enabled to make a good Confession to his Name and Truth, in Holiness of Life in this Land, where my Lot is now fallen, to Travel up and down in the Love of God for no other End than that an In­crease of Love and Faithfulness may be known in the Gathered Churches of Christ. In order thereunto, I beseech you look into the true State of the Churches, and see if you, with me, cannot behold a great Declen­sion from the Primitive Plainness, Simplicity, and Sincerity which Truth led our faithful Elders into. Oh! the Testimonies they have left us, of the Care they had to order their [Page 6] Conversation in Words, Habit, and Deport­ment, so as to answer the Witness of God in all Men with whom they had to do.

AND now with Sorrow I lay before you, That in my late Travels, I saw too many taking up a Fleshly Ease, by letting an Earthly Carnal Mind prevail; even to the neglecting the Assembling themselves together, to Wait upon the Lord, and Worship him in Spirit and Truth.

THIS I know is the Cause of Grief to you faithful Elders; but that you may be blessed with Peace here, and leave a sweet Memorial to after Ages. let it be your Care, in each Church, to stir up the Negligent to a lively Commemoration of the Mercies of God; and with due Care to use your Christian Autho­rity, in the Management and Settlement of your own Families, in that decent Order, we, through the Mercy and Wisdom of God, have been Established in. And for your En­couragement therein, the Lord will be unto you a [...] and a shield, and Grace, and Glory, and no good Thing will be withold from such, who, in the Love of God, diligently Labour, Hope, and patiently Wait for to see Sion's Righteousness go forth as Brightness, and her Salvation as a Lamp that burneth; that the Gentiles may see her Light, and all Kings her Glory.

[Page 7] OH! I have to say, such sound Pillars, keeping faithful to the End, shall be crown­ed with Glory, Honour, Immortality, and Eter­nal Happiness for ever and ever.

AND if I may yield you a little Hand of Help, it is farther in my Heart to leave this Farewell Exhortation, to all Fathers and Mothers, Masters and Mistresses, especially of the Younger Sort; those who have in any Measure tasted of the good Word of Life, and of the Powers of the World to come: That all such be very careful, to walk wor­thy of the Vocation whereunto they have been called, in Honesty, Sobriety, and true Humility, having your Minds girded with the Girdle of Truth: So shall your Conversation answer the Witness of God in the Hearts of your Children and Servants, and also to such who do not yet profess with us, with whom you may be concerned. For, Dear Friends, your Candles have not been lighted by the Lord, to be put out again, or you to hide the Light thereof from your Families or Neighbour­hood, under a Bed, or under a Bushel. There­fore I desire you may arise, and trim your Lamps, and be watchful that your Lights may be kept shining, and Lamps burning: For it is not enough carelesly to retain a Knowledge of what the Lord hath done in times past; but that there be a daily waiting upon, and sup­plicating the Lord, for the renewing of his [Page 8] Love and Life, that thereby you may be kept alive to him, and may be a sweet Savour of Life unto Life in your Families and Neigh­bourhood: So will the Lord be glorifyed; and your Souls, that are thus renew'd, keeping under the Power of the holy Cross of Christ, in the whole Management of your Conversation. You, I say, shall then enjoy a serene Quiet, when the Lord is pleading with Backsliders, and the Wicked among the Children of Men.

AND Friends, this know, That the Day of the Lord's sifting the Churches ha­stens on apace: And my fervent Labour is, That all those who make mention of the Name of the Lord in this holy Way, may so demean themselves in true Self-denial, as that, when proved by Divine Wisdom, they may be found of that sound Wheat, that not one Grain of it may be lost.

AND, in order that it may be so, I intreat all, whom the Lord hath blessed with Families, that they carefully observe the Appearance of the Grace of God, in every of its Operations and Drawings. And what­soever the Lord thereby concerneth any one to do, let it be done with the utmost Diligence. So will Parents be good Examples to their Children, Masters to their Servants: For the Heads of Families are, or ought to be, the Lord's Ministers under him, ruling their Families [...] the Power of Love, by which [Page 9] they have known a being turned from Dark­ness, to the true Light, Christ Jesus: For surely, it is by this Power of Love, that we are enabled to order our Families rightly, both in Life and Manners. Therefore I would desire, That all may see to the dis­charging of their Duty aright, as in the Sight of an all-seeing God.

AND for the Encouragement of the Lord's People in this Practice, in the Power and Wisdom of God, I see clearly, and am constrained to leave it behind me, That the Lord requires a Godly Care in Families to be observed amongst his People; and I have seen it to be the only Expedient for a right Reformation, and Regulation in the Churches: For let me tell the Backslider, with the Co­vetous Earthly Minded, and those who are Lovers of Pleasure more than God, it is high time for such to Repent, and do their first Works, taking blame to themselves for their Unfaithfulness, and the Evil Example they have been unto their Families; either in trampling upon the Testimonies of our Faith­ful Suffering Elders, by Paying of TYTHE connivingly or willingly; or any other Evil that the Testimony of Truth is against: and for the future, redeem the Time, by doubling their Diligence, lest they should have Cause to Repent when it is too late, and then Horrour will be their Portion in a Dying Hour.

[Page 10] AND this farther I have to leave to the Unfaithful, for the clearing of my Con­science in the Sight of God; That if his Love will not prevail, neither Immediately, nor Instrumentally; the Lord will be Clear when he Judgeth, as he was in the Destru­ction of the Old World, together with the Cities of Sodom and Gomorrah; it having been the way of the Lord, to let those who are afar off, hear what he hath done, in order that they may be Warned, that HEARING and FEARING, they may be sa­ved whilst Mercy is offered.

AND that this may be the Choice of all, is the sincere Desire of One, who is made willing to spend and be spent for the Peace and Prosperity of the Church; and that all, who profess to be Members thereof, may be so Taught of the Lord, that they may come to be Established in Righteousness; and, by holding out to the End, may receive an Immortal Crown of Glory, which will never fade away.

THUS as I have in great Tenderness, and for the Ease of my Spirit, left a little Family exhortation to my Friends and Brethren in this Lord: It now remaineth with me, to leave a Token of Love to their tender Chil­dren in the City of London, and elsewhere.

[Page 11] OH! Children of Believing Parents, in whom is Innocency, and upon whom the Spots of this World have not yet prevailed: My love in Christ is great to you; belie­ving assuredly, that the Call of the Lord is unto you, that you may be of his Heritage and Sanctuary, in order to place his Name in the midst of you: For YOU hath he chosen, above all the Families of the Earth to shew forth his Praise, and declare his Won­derful Works to the Children of Men: There­fore my Desire is, that none may frustrate the Lord in his gracious Intention; but that his glorious Work may be carried on, both in particular, and in the general, to his Praise and the Churches Comfort. That it may be so, I desire you to take the following Ex­hortation.

First, AS you grow up to Years of Un­derstanding, so as to know Good from Evil be sure you chuse the Good, and refuse the E­vil: And if at any time you should transgress your Parents, Masters or Mistresses Commands before you cover it not with a QUIBBLE, or LYE; For although you ought not by any Means to disobey your Parents, yet if any, so want of due Care, at any time, should; I may be the Fault committed, may be no great Sin in the Sight of God; but if cover'd with a WILFUL LYE, a grievous Sin is committed for which you must know Sorrow, if Favour with [...] come to witness.

[Page 12] THEREFORE, Dear Hearts, Fear God a doing and speaking Truth in all things; for [...] once way be given to Lying, and an Habit of it got into, such lose the Favour of God, and forfeit their Credit with good Men.

THE next Evil I have to warn the Youth of, is, To beware of an high proud Mind, from whence Desires after the Glory of this World do proceed, which bring in a Train of unnecessary Cares and Troubles: So that it may easily be seen, the proud Man and Woman never want Misery, because they seldom have a settled quiet Content; and the chief Reason is, They go far from God, the alone Author of true Con­tent: For, as saith the Scripture, the Lord beholdeth the proud afar off: And that Man or Woman, who grows big with Conceit of themselves, can scarcely satisfy their Eyes with seeing, nor their Appetites with craving. Hence it follows, What shall I Eat? What shall I drink? Wherewithal shall I deck and a­dorn my self? Nay, saith the incessant Seeker after the Fashions, of this World, Which is the newest Fashion, Cut or Dress? All this is but Vanity and Vexation of Spirit. I take these to be like those the Prophet spoke of, when he speaks complaining of Israel, saying, Israel is an empty Vine, he bringeth forth Fruit unto him­self. Oh you Children of Believers! that you may not be of this Number, neither seek [...] come up in Imitation of those, who [Page 13] follow the foolish Fashions of this World, lest you grieve God and your tender Parents, whose Love and Zeal for the Truth, cannot admit of any such sinful Liberty: Therefore I beseech you, let your Conversation be with­out coveting those things: And do not seek to prove the Patience of your tender Parents, by your Mumuring and Reasoning, by bring­ing Examples on this wise, Such Friends Children have their Cloaths made after this Fa­shion or the other: Urging your Parents by your Reasoning, for that which hath no Rea­son in it; to wit, PRIDE, giving them no Rest until you have obtained your Ends. Oh! Let such fear in time, for those things border near upon wilful Disobedience; and it is to be feared, the next Step those will take, will be into the wide World of Wick­edness.

THEREFORE I entreat Young People, who have in any Measure been guilty of the above-mention'd Evils, be humbled before the Lord, strip your selves of all your vain At­tire, Repent that ever you gave Way to the Reins of your vain Minds, to be drawn out after the Glory of this World.

THERE is also another dangerous Snare, which the Enemy seeks to catch Young People in, that is, The Fellowship and Friend­ship of those, who do not profess with us; by which some of our Youth, in giving way [Page 14] to frequent Walking and Conversation with them, have been captivated into unequal Mar­riages by Priests, who, with Sorrow it may be spoken, mind their Gain more than the Happiness of the Youth they thus couple together: For Ministers for God ought to give every Parent their Right, in disposing of their Children: The want of which hath brought many a hoary Head with Sorrow to the Grave; as also occasioned many a distracted languishing Family in the Protestant Nations. And I must say to all such who have been privy to such hidden theivish Matches, I do not see how they can Answer it to Almighty God, or to such wronged Parents.

NOW, dear Friends, Be warned, take the Apostle's Advice, Be not unequally yoaked, a Believer with an Unbeliever, 2 Cor. 6. 14, Such Doings, though they may be sweet in the Tast, yet we have seen it bitter in the going down, viz. That those, who, for want of Watchfulness, have been prevailed upon to an unequal Yoaking, afterwards coming to a Sight of their Youthful Folly, and having Children, how bitter hath it been to such Parents, when they could not have them brought up in that Faith where they believe Salvation is most surely to be obtained: The strife that hath thereupon followed, hath many times caused great Distraction between Husband and Wife, betwixt whom nothing should be but LOVE.

[Page 15] AND that all Young People may be pre­served, out of this, and all other Evils, shun had Company as infectious both to Soul and Body, and let your spare Hours be spent in Religious Company, or Retirement, reading or meditating on Heavenly Subjects; of which you are blessed with Variety. So shall you come up in fevour with God, and all Reli­gious People: Which that you may, is the Sincere Desire of my Soul.

AND now a few Words to those Young Men and Women, who like brave noble Jo­seph, from your Childhood have feared God, and obeyed your Parents, resisting Tempta­tions, both inwardly, and outwardly: To you is God's Love large, upon your Heads is the Blessing of Joseph. Oh! you blossoming Boughs, whose Ripe Fruits will be Holiness unto the Lord; you who have been afflicted to see your Brethren and Sisters miss their Way in the afore-mentioned Evils, praying for their Return; and when any of them do return, meet them with Joy. It is you whose Branches shall spread over the Wall of all Opposition, and, in the Power of the Lord, shall be en­nabled to tread upon Scorpions, and overcome evil Spirits; for the Lord is calling to the Sons and Daughters of Sion, to arise and work; yea, thresh the World of Wicked­ness, and he will make their Horns Iron, and their Hoofs as Brass, they shall go forth in his Name, as silver Trumpets to the Nations▪ [Page 16] which yet lies in Idolatrous Darkness; and their Wisdom shall confound the Wisdom of the carnally wise Men of this World, and bring to nought the Understanding of the Prudent; for it is the Lord's Will, the Earth should be filled with his Living Know­ledge: Therefore you faithful Sons and Daughters, keep in Humility, out of all Self­Conceit, and the Lord will be with you, as he was with your Faithful Elders; and you shall be a Royal Diadem in the Hand of our God: To whose Powerful Produ­ction I leave you, sincerely supplicating the Lord, that the Prodigal may be brought Home, and the Faithful may be preserved to the End of Time, that in the End we may all Rest in those glorious Mansions, where the Wicked cannot trouble; but our weary Souls shall be at Rest, praising the Lord God and the Lamb, World without End, Amen.