IN the universal Love of the glorious Gospel of Christ, which ever breathes out Glory to God in the highest, on Earth Peace and good Will towards Men, I cordially salute you, and therein take Freedom humbly to offer the following Observations to your solid Consi­deration.

Notwithstanding, with much Comfort, I firm­ly hope we have a large Number in our Society, in a good Degree, faithful to the Principle of Truth we profess, giving Diligence to make their Calling and Election sure, walking circum­spectly and honestly as in the Day, both with re­gard to their moral and religious Conversation, though not without their respective Exercises on divers Accounts, not daring to forsake the Assem­bling [Page 2] of themselves together whilst capable; for the Encouragement of all such beloved Brethren and Sisters, wheresoever their Lots are cast (to whom my Heart is nearly knit in the Unity of the Spirit, and the Bond of Peace) it springs up in my Mind to remind them of the Apostle's ten­der Advice, Gal. vi. 9. Let us not be weary in Well-doing, for in due Season we shall reap if we faint not. James v. 7.8. Be patient therefore, Brethren, unto the Coming of the Lord. Behold the Husbandman waiteth for the precious Fruit of the Earth, and hath long Patience for it, until he re­ceive the early and latter Rain. Be ye also patient; stablish your Hearts; for the Coming of the Lord draweth nigh. 1 Pet. i. 13. Wherefore gird up the Loins of your Mind; be sober, and hope to the End for the Grace that is to be brought unto you at the Revelation of Jesus Christ. 1 Cor. xvi. 13.14. Watch ye, stand fast in the Faith, quit you like Men; be strong. Let all your Things be done with Charity.

Yet nevertheless, for the Sake of some, yea, alas! (with Regret be it spoken) many of the Professors of the blessed Truth, who through Coldness, Lukewarmness, Inconsiderateness, In­dolence, and the Want of a true Hunger and Thirst after Righteousness (occasioned by their neglecting the Work and Guidance of the Spirit of Truth they profess) are become very remiss and negligent in this highly and necessary and reasonable Duty of attending religious Meetings on Week-days, as well as First-days, I find it to rise in my Heart, in much Good-will▪ to [Page 3] recommend the following Observations to their serious Notice and Consideration.

1st. Insomuch as Almighty God, our faithful and righteous Creator, hath placed us in a Station absolutely dependent on him, in whom we live, and move, and have our Being, in whose Hand and Disposal we, our Lives, Health, Abilities both of Body and Mind, our Preserva­tion, our Protection, Support, Favours, Privi­leges and Enjoyments, both Temporal and Spiritual, are, we being, as it were, Tenants at Will, having no known Lease of our Time, or Command of any Thing, we are under most reasonable and close Obligations to behave our­selves as wholly dependent Creatures, humbly and honestly to pay due Homage and Obedience to him our gracious and bountiful Sovereign, Lord and Benefactor, for all his unmerited Fa­vours we enjoy under him, in faithfully answer­ing his Requirings, in doing justly, loving Mercy, and walking humbly with him; which three Articles briefly contain all our moral and reli­gious Duties, which none rightly perform who are negligent in attending Meetings for divine Worship.

2dly. May it be remembered, that in the pre­ceding Dispensations the Lord God required of his People, and commanded them strictly to ob­serve divers Convocations, and Feast-days; as the Feast of Passover; solemn Feasts and Fasts, as the Feast of the Tabernacles, of unleavened Bread, of Weeks, of Solemn-days and Assemblies; in the sincere and devout Observation whereof the [Page 4] People of God were accepted of him; Joel ii. 15.16. Blow the Trumpet in Zion (saith the Pro­phet) sanctify a Fast, call a solemn Assembly. Ga­ther the People; sanctify the Congregation; assemble the Elders; gather the Children, and those that suck the Breasts: Let the Bridegroom go forth of his Chamber, and the Bride out of her Closet. Zech. viii. 19. Thus saith the Lord of Hosts, the Fast of the fourth Month, and the Fast of the Fifth, and the Fast of the Seventh, and the Fast of the Tenth, shall be to the House of Judah Joy and Gladness, and chearful Feasts; therefore love the Truth and Peace. But the Neglect and Slighting thereof displeased God, and turned much to their own Disadvantage, as being the sorrowful Effect of their Declension, Captivity and Servitude, through their Disobedience to the Lord. Judah, saith the Text, is gone into Captivity, &c. The Ways of Zion do mourn, because none come to the solemn Feasts: All her Gates are desolate, her Priests sigh, her Virgins are afflicted, and she is in Bitterness.

3dly. 'Tis worthy our serious Notice and Con­sideration, how acceptable and pleasing to the Lord the Meetings, Communications, and the very Thoughts of those that scared him, and what peculiar Regard and tender Respect he had, what precious Promises he made unto them in those depraved Times, wherein Irreligion so much prevailed, that the Proud were called happy; yea, they that wrought Wickedness were set up; yea, they that tempted God were even delivered: Mal. iii. 16.17. Then (saith the Prophet Malachi) they that feared the Lord, spake often one to another, [Page 5] (whence we may conclude they were met to­gether) and the Lord hearkened and heard it, and a Book of Remembrance was written before him for them that feared the Lord, and that thought upon his Name. And they shall be mine, saith the Lord of Hosts, in that Day when I make up my Jewels; and I will spare them as a Man spareth his own Son that serveth him. The Passover was so strict­ly enjoined, that it was commanded on this wise, viz. Numb. ix. 13.14. The Man that is clean, and is not in a Journey, and forbeareth to keep the Passover, even the same Soul shall be cut off from his People; because he brought not the Offering of the Lord in his appointed Season: That Man shall bear his Sin. And if a Stranger shall sojourn among you, and will keep the Passover unto the Lord, according to the Ordinance of the Passover, and according to the Manner thereof, so he shall do: Ye shall have one Ordinance, both for the Stran­ger, and for him that was born in the Land.

Yet such was, and now is, the Mercy and Ju­stice of God, that he neither ever did, nor now doth, require any Thing unreasonable or imprac­ticable, for he condescended to allow a second Passover to such as were necessarily deprived of appearing at the First, by Reason of Indisposi­tion, through Uncleanness, or Absence in a Journey afar off.

4thly. Let us now come to the glorious Dis­pensation of the Gospel that we live in, where­in Christ, the Author thereof, our glorious High-priest and blessed Mediator, himself speaks unto the Churches, who is the compleat Antitype, [Page 6] in whom all the Types, Shadows and Figures con­center; and let it be with solemn Reverence, and all due Regard, humbly observed, that he hath graciously promised on this wise, Mat. xviii. 20. Where two or three are gathered together in my Name, there am I in the Midst of them. Rom. xii. 1. I beseech you therefore, Brethren, by the Mer­cies of God, that ye present your Bodies a living Sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable Service. Heb. x. 25. Not forsaking the Assembling of ourselves together, as the Man­ner of some is; but exhorting one another, and so much the more, as ye see the Day approaching.

Now, dear Friends, have we not some Ground to fear, that so many as under the Profession of the blessed Truth, who do, whilst in Health and Strength, sadly neglect the Attending of Religi­ous Meetings, so much encouraged by the Pro­mise above, are not truly obedient, but neglect­ing their own Mercies, by so slighting our glo­rious High-priest, and his blessed Company, with his two or three gathered in his Name. Oh! that all the Professors of Truth were rightly con­cerned duly to regard the said gracious Promise, with the full Extent and Conditions thereof; and also to reduce to Practice the Advice of the Apostle, 1 Cor. v. 7.8. Purge out therefore the old Leaven, that ye may be a new Lump; as ye are unleavened. For even Christ our Pas­sover is sacrificed for us. Therefore let us keep the Feast, not with old Leaven, neither with the Leaven of Malice and Wickedness, but with the unleavened Bread of Sincerity and Truth.

[Page 7]May it therefore, I say, be humbly remem­bered, how this our gracious High Priest hath not only promised his Attendance, and most worthy Company, where two or three are gather­ed in his Name (as above) but has also merciful­ly and tenderly invited needy Souls unto him, on this wise, Mat. xi. 28.29.30. Come unto me all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you Rest. Take my Yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in Heart, and ye shall find Rest unto your Souls: For my Yoke is easy, and my Burden is light. And again, his Call is repeated. John vii. 37.38.39. In the last Day, that great Day of the Feast, Jesus stood, and cried, saying. If any Man thirst, let him come un­to me and drink. He that believeth on me, as the Scripture hath said, out of his Belly shall flow Ri­vers of living Water. But this spake he of the Spi­rit, which they that believe on him should receive, &c.

5thly. May it be added to the Premises, how that soon after the breaking forth of the blessed Truth, after the long and dark Night of Apo­stacy, our ancient Friends in the Morning of the Day, finding a conscientious Concern upon them to decline the Formalities then run into, retired and met together to wait upon the Lord, to know and witness the fulfilling of that blessed Promise of Christ to his Disciples, John xiv. 26. But the Com­forter, which is the Holy Ghost, whom the Father will send in my Name, He shall teach you all Things, and bring all Things to your Remembrance what­soever I have said unto you.—As they were (we have good Ground certainly to believe) led into [Page 8] this Practice, and by the same also mercifully re­garded and protected therein, through many and great Sufferings, occasioned by the penal Laws then in Force against those that dissented from the national Church, established by Law; so that our dear Fore-fathers and ancient faithful Friends, conscientiously then attended religious Meetings, both on First-days and other Days of the Week, under the Hazard of their Lives, Liberties and Estates; yea, I say, they flocked to Meetings as Doves to the Windows, though sometimes a good many Miles distant, and found great Peace in so doing, and the enriching Bles­sing of God to attend them, and often their Offspring too: So in Time, as they increased, by the Direction and sweet Influence of the blessed Spirit, they were engaged to appoint and settle Mettings here and there, as in the Wisdom of Truth they saw convenient, both on First-days and other Days of the Weeek; and when they were hauled from their Meetings to Prisons, they had often precious Meetings there, and found those Places, as Jacob said of Bethel, on his Pillow of Stone, to be to them as the House of God, and Gate of Heaven, being made to sing in the Prison as Paul and Silas did when their Legs were in the Stocks, by the then secular Powers.

Now, therefore, I beseech all that profess the ever blessed Truth, and especially those that are remiss in this important and so material a Duty now before us, duly to remember, and truly consider, how wonderfully the Lord hath [Page 9] wrought for his Church and People, how he hath turned the Hearts of Kings, and, in Effect, hath said to them,—Touch not mine Anointed, do my Prophets no Harm. What peaceable calm Times have we long enjoyed, with respect to those violent Storms and rugged Billows of Per­secution aforesaid! Are not we now both tole­rated and protected in keeping our religious Meetings! What then will become of those poor Professors of the unchangeable Truth, who, in this Time of Tranquility, and, as I may say, Sabbath-day of Rest from the aforementioned Probations, are taking their Flight from the re­fining Work and Baptism of the holy Spirit they are making a Profession of, into the inordinate Cares or Pleasures of this World, or into Indo­lence, Indifferency and Lukewarmness, touch­ing the vital Part of Religion, so as miserably to forsake (or at least too much neglect) the assembling of themselves together, in order to worship and pay due Homage to the bountiful Author of all our unmerited Mercies, temporal and spiritual!

Insomuch, therefore, as the divine Minister of the Sanctuary and true Tabernacle, which God hath pitched, and not Man, hath so reasonably afforded us such great Encouragement to attend religious Meetings, though consisting of very few in Number, and hath shewn so undeniably and indisputably his peculiar Approbation thereof, by that gracious and special Promise of his vouch­safing to be present with the two or three that so meet: The same Duty being also urged, and [Page 10] earnestly recommended by the Apostle to the Believers of his Day, that they should not for­sake the Assembling of themselves together, as the Manner of some in those Times was, and, alas! of too many in these Days, though so highly favoured: Heb. x. 24, 25. And let us consider, saith he, one another, to provoke unto Love, and to good Works: Not forsaking the Assem­bling of ourselves together, as the Manner of some is, but exhorting one another, and so much the more, as ye see the Day approaching.—And likewise remem­bering how the same Apostle fervently and pathe­tically addressed the Roman Church, exciting them to pious and devout Performance of this their reasonable Service, reminding them of the signal Mercies of God, as a pressing and cogent Argu­ment, moving grateful and truly considerate Per­sons to the faithful Performance of their reason­able Duties to their merciful Benefactor, and the glorious Donor of all their Enjoyments, expressed his Address on this wise,—Rom. xii. 1. I beseech you, therefore, (as above hinted) Brethren, by the Mercies of God, that ye present your Bodies a living Sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable Service. May we not safely conclude, that the right attending of Assemblies for divine Worship, is both a Duty acceptable unto God, and signally advantageous unto our Souls; and that, as this is an indispensable Duty (whilst we are in Health and Strength, and at Liberty) therefore the Omission of this weighty Service is of danger­ous Consequence.—Ezra ix. 4. Then were assem­bled unto me (saith Ezra, that deeply concerned [Page 11] Servant of the Lord) every one that trembled at the Words of the God of Israel. The true hearted Quakers then did, and now do (whilst Strength and Liberty do permit) assemble, in order to ob­tain Help and Relief from the Lord, to worship him in Spirit and Truth, to enjoy the sweet and edifying Communion one with another, as Members of one Body, by feeling the one quickening Spirit from the holy Head, the living Circulation of the Blood of Christ.

And now, my Friends, may I take Freedom to make the following Remarks.

1st. It hath been objected by some on this wise, That as the Sabbath was but one Day in the Week commanded and set apart for divine Service, in the Time of the Mosaick Law, what need so much ado about Week-days Meetings now? To which very weak and poor Objection, I shall in the first Place answer thus: Suppose there had been in that Dispensation no other Day but the Seventh in each Week, appointed by the Lord, wherein his People should cease from servile Work, and devoutly and solemnly perform Worship to him; yet in this Gospel Dispensation we are, or ought to be, brought much nearer to God, and be much more devout and spiritually minded, according to the Apostle's Testimony, Heb. vii. 19. For the Law made nothing perfect, but the bringing in of a better Hope did, by the which we draw nigh unto God. Besides, the Solemnitie and holy Convocations, above mentioned, sufficient­ly refute the aforesaid very weak Plea and Ob­jection, which Solemnities were to be observed [Page 12] by the Lord's People in that Dispensation; the Neglectors whereof were to be taken Notice of, and called to an Account. What Apology then, I say, shall those make, or how shall they answer it, who are remiss and negligent in observing and attending the solemn Meetings and Assem­blies in this glorious Gospel Day?

2dly. Some may perhaps object, and seem to endeavour to excuse themselves in this Kind of Negligence, and Omission of so necessary and profitable a Duty, as we are, in much good Will to the Cause of Truth, and the Souls of its Professors, treating of, by alledging, That their Meeting is so small, or, that they have no publick Minister settled therein, they may perhaps scarce think it worth their while constantly to attend the same. Answ. Are not there two or three? If so many, Christ hath promised them his blessed Company, if met in a right Mind, who being the most excellent Minister of the Sanctuary and true Tabernacle, which God hath pitched, and not Man, without whom, the greatest of instrumental Ministers can do nothing, are of no Service: But this most powerful, most mer­ciful, and most glorious High Priest, and heaven­ly Minister, appears with his People and Flock, according to his gracious Promise; he can when he pleases, whose Time is the best Time, effect­ually and suitabiy supply all the Wants of his true Followers, without instrumental Ministers, (although we own, and humbly confess, that the Ministry of the Gospel, by and thro' Instru­ments influenced and actuated by the abovesaid [Page 13] all-powerful Minister, hath been, is, and ever will be of singular Service to the Husbandry, Heritage and Plantation of God, as it is rightly applied) and therefore ought to be valued in its Place.—But oh, alas! how do those ungrate­ful Creatures undervalue and put a Slight upon our blessed Mediator of this new Covenant, our Physician of the greatest Value, the Bishop of our Souls, and our Saviour, who hath shed his precious Blood, and given his Life a Ransom for us, that in any wise can find in their Heart to omit the attending even small Meetings, though without any instrumental Minister, when he hath upon most reasonable Conditions promised his Life-giving Presence there.

3dly. As the true-hearted and faithful Fol­lowers of humble Jesus find it their indispen­sable Duty, and peculiar Interest, to attend re­ligious Meetings, whether they be great or small, whether they have in them instrumental Ministers, or they have none, both on First-days and other Days of the Week, they grow and prosper in the Truth, even in the Root of true Religion, and are very often signally blessed and favour'd by kind Providence, even in the Things of this Life, and come up in the real Improvement of their Talents, and consequently in their respective Services in the Church, en­joying their Peace whilst in Health, and the Aboundings thereof when on sick and dying Beds; whilst, on the other hand, those poor unthinking Professors of Truth, who by ne­glecting the Work thereof in their own Hearts, [Page 14] become slack and backward in the attending of Meetings for divine Worship, letting in Reason­ings, and probably the vain Allegations above­said, they don't thrive in the true Religion, and seem also sometimes blasted, as touching their Success in temporal Affairs, are of little or no Help (but rather Nusances) in the Society, and often are made to bewail their past Negli­gence [...] sick and dving Beds, of which more hereafter.

Divers remarkable Instances of the peculiar Blessing of kind Providene attending the Pro­fess [...]s [...] Truth, who witnessed the real Work thereof in their own Hearts, and were obedient to its Requirings, have occurr'd to my particular Notice in my Pilgrimage; one whereof I may here mention.

A certain worthy ancient Minister gave, in my Audience, the following Relation; ‘That in his young Years (having been from his Childhood educated in the Way of the na­tional Church) being favour'd with the mer­ciful Visitation of the Lord, he became un­easy with the traditional Singings and super­ficial formalities used in the said Commu­nion, whereupon seeking and enquiring for the right Way of Worship acceptable unto God, he dropp'd into a small Meeting of Friends, wherein no instrumental Ministry (as I remember) was heard that Day; yet nevertheless the seeking Youth was made con­trite, melted, and throughly convinc'd of the Truth in that silent Meeting.’ (The like [Page 15] Account I have also heard concerning the Con­vincement of some others) ‘And thencefor­ward, persevering under an awful Regard to that gracious Hand that had so visited him, he grew in Grace and the saving Knowledge of God; who being of poor and low Cir­cumstances, as to Things of this Life, was oblig'd to labour hard for his Bread, and, being a Taylor by Trade, was often obliged to work at other Peoples Houses, yet could not be easy to omit Week-day Meetings, but laying aside his Work, was engag'd to walk often a pretty Way to Week-day Meetings; yet such was his Diligence and Industry be­fore and after the said Meetings, that those he work'd for desir'd no Allowance or Abate­ment for the Time spent on Account of the said Meetings. Some Time after this he married a young Woman convinc'd of the Truth a little while before. Now the Storms of Persecution rose high, and having now and then a Meeting in his House (being himself in the ministerial Capacity) they cheerfully suffer'd the Spoiling of their Goods for Truth's Sake, and were stripp'd very bare as to Temporals, having two small Children, and his Wife with Child of the third; yet keeping faithful, according to the best of their Knowledge and Ability, and consequently not daring to be remiss or indifferent in that im­portant Duty of attending religious Meetings, they were blessed every Way, and their little Oil and Meal were thereby render'd capable [Page 16] to answer all just Demands, and moreover to make many little Cakes for the Prophets of the Lord, having all along a Place and House of Reception and Hospitality for his Messen­gers to the Day of their Death, which was in Peace inexpressible.’

On the other Hand many, by the wretched Indifferency about spiritual and religious Mat­ters (though it may be at the same time pretty stanch Moralists, have become guilty of this miserable Deficiency of neglecting or forsaking the Assembling themselves, in order to perform divine Worship on Week-days, and some have so lamentably been prevailed upon by that In­disposition of Lukewarmness, or by the surfeit­ing and choaking Cares of this World, the Deceitfulness of Riches, or the Love of other Things, or it may be in some weak Persons, by taking a Disgust against some Minister, Friend or Friends of the Meeting) have shame­fully absented religious Assemblies, even often on the First-days of the Week, absolutely con­trary to the Laws of God, the Laws of the Land, and the repeated Advices and well known Rules of the Society, they would unreasonably be accounted Members of. But alas! alas! such are in a miserable dwindling State and Habit of Soul, laying a Foundation for future Repentance, Anguish and Tribulation; many piteous Instances of this Kind have appeared (and peradventure some such may at this Day be found) under the Profession of the Truth; one [Page 17] of which I shall here take Freedom to mention, as a Caution worthy to be taken Notice of.

‘A certain young Man, as I remember, be­ginning Trade and Business for himself, was thereby so engrossed and hurried in his anxi­ous Mind, that he too much omitted the Attending of religious Meetings; but being attacked by Sickness, and brought to a Bed of Languishing, his past Negligence became his Burden, under the Sense of which he groaned and bemoaned himself; and being asked by a Friend the Cause of his so great Distress of Mind, he answered, It was because he had been too remiss in going to Meetings, especially Week-day Meetings; but added, that if the Lord would be pleased to raise him up again to his former State of Health, he would for the future be more careful, and more di­ligent in that important Duty.’

Oh! therefore that all in Time of Liberty, Health and Strength of Body, may consider their own both Duty and Interest in this Re­spect, as that they may not suffer themselves, through too eager Pursuit of, or too close At­tachment to the Enjoyments of this fading World, or supine Indolence, to be deprived thereby of the many Gospel Privileges offered unto us, of which the peaceable Enjoyment of our religious Meetings is one of great Worth, and always so accounted and highly valued by the faithful and truly thoughtful People of God.

[Page 18]4thly. Besides what is afore said touching the great Disadvantage that accrues to those Particu­lars, who are found deficient in this momentous Duty now treated of, they are bad Examples to the young People and others, and especially those who have Children coming up, and per­haps Servants under their Care too, being in the Station of Governors of Families (as they are evidently negligent) lose their Authority, and render themselves bad Precedents to their Chil­dren and Servants, and so, as such, cannot give effectual Precepts and Advice to their Families, but alas! through their dismal Neglect and In­dolence, their poor Children, being too much left to themselves, often prove Libertines, and run to Ruin. How then shall such unfaithful Parents in the Day of Account answer for these Neglects, both with respect to their own Par­ticulars, and poor Families, and the Meetings they belong, to which, if they had been honestly concerned, they might have been of good Ser­vice? Shall not such unjust Stewards be called to an Account? Oh! that all Parents of Chil­dren, and Governors of Families, would seri­ously and timely consider how pleasing and ac­ceptable to the Lord Abraham's Care and Con­cern for his Children, and for those under his immediate Care was! Gen. xviii. 17, 19. Shall I, said the Lord, hide from Abraham that Thing which I do? For I know him, that he will com­mand his Children and his Houshold after him, and they shall keep the Way of the Lord.

[Page 19]All those that meet, I say, in the Name of Jesus, that is, under a truly awful, religious and conscientious Concern of Mind, do not on­ly perform their reasonable Service to God, and so reap his Peace and Blessing, but are of singular Help and Comfort to the true-hearted in the Meeting; whilst the absent Worldlings, being as miserable Comforters, are neither just and ho­nest to God, to themselves, nor to their Friends and Families: Manifold, therefore, I say, are the Obligations we are all under, and more espe­cially we that have Children and Families, to come up in the honest Discharge of that our rea­sonable Service, viz. both with regard to the due Performance of, 1st, Our Duties to God; 2dly, To our Children and Families; 3dly, To the Meetings we respectively belong; and 4thly, That we may bear our Testimony openly to all Be­holders, in assembling ourselves to wait upon, and worship the Father in Spirit and in Truth, even on Week-days as well as First-days.

5thly. It is almost surprizing to observe, how divers Professors of Truth, who seem very disre­gardful of Christ's glorious Promise, which they plainly discover by their slighting and absenting Meetings, where two or three are met; yet if a noted publick Friend appoints a Meeting, how such are raised on the Wing, and flock to hear him, and sometimes follow him to the next Meeting. Now although we ought certainly, whilst capable, willingly and thankfully to give the Lord's Messengers and Ambassadors our Company, and seriously hear, and rightly apply [Page 20] their Messages; yet insomuch as blessed Jesus, our great and good Lord and Master, hath pro­mised to be in the Midst of two or three rightly met, we ought to prefer him above all; I say, without slighting or undervaluing the least Ser­vant who bringeth glad Tidings, whose very Feet are beautiful upon the Mountains: But they plainly appear to neglect and slight the most glorious Minister and High Priest, who too seldom attend small Meetings, pursuant to his said conditional Promise, and (as it were) Ap­pointment.

I would by no Means have my Reader to suppose, by what is afore said, that I am blam­ing my Friends for accompanying the Messengers of the Lord to the next Meeting, for that is a Brotherly Duty, which I myself took great De­light in, whilst in Health and Strength in my younger Years, and would encourage the right Minded in so doing; neither would I hereby discourage any who having been Neglectors of Week-day Meetings, may find themselves awakened and roused up by any Instrument: I would not, I say, discourage such from going along with such a Friend to the next Meeting, or further, as the Cords of Truth may draw him, and to keep close to that divine Touch and Influence they have been favoured with, through the Ministry of the said Instrument, which they may undoubtedly find renewed and increased, as they humbly retire to the Master and Spring of all Good in their own Hearts, who hath promised to be with the two or three, [Page 21] who are, or shall be, rightly gathered, when such instrumental Ministers may be far absent, or even removed from us (by Death.) The great and good Shepherd, speaking of himself and his Flock, saith thus, John x. 4. When he putteth forth his own Sheep, he goeth before them, and the Sheep follow him, for they know his Voice. When­ever therefore he putteth sorth any, old or young, Masters or Servants, rich or poor, and goeth before them, let them readily go forth and follow him. We heartily wish they may grow and prosper; yet I must say, wheresoever any Professors of Truth are found and observed from Time to Time to neglect or forsake, or, at least, do not duly attend their respective Meetings at Home, both on First-days and other Days of the Week; and yet it may be are forward to attend Monthly, General, and sometimes probably Quarterly-meet­ings, may not such their Proceedings be justly ac­counted irregular and preposterous? Or how can we expect those can be of real Service at Monthly and Quarterly-meetings, who slight and forsake the Meetings they belong to at Home? It is much desired therefore, that all professing the blessed Principle of Truth, in whatsoever Sta­tions or Vocations they are placed, may let the Harms of others be their seasonable Caution, that they may be effectually roused up and excited to Diligence in the honest Performance of this weighty Duty, now spoken of in much Good­will to Souls, the right Discharge whereof has often been, and is, attended with the enriching Blessing of kind Providence in spiritual Things, [Page 22] and sometimes in temporal, and the Neglect thereof is attended with Leanness of Soul, with many Disappointments and Disadvantages.

And further, with regard to that great Duty Friends owe to their Children, in the due Nur­ture and Education of them, to which they are bound by the Laws of God and Nature, we ought in the first Place to look well to ourselves, and then to our Children; Luke xxiii. 28. Daugh­ters of Jerusalem, weep not for me, said Christ, but weep for yourselves, and for your Children. How shall any be rightly concerned for their Children, who are negligent touching their own Condi­tions? 'Tis to be feared the wide Courses of ma­ny Children have been often occasioned (in great Measure) by the Indolence and Irreligion of their Parents. I cannot well omit taking Notice of one Stripling, whose Parents were Professors of Truth, rich in Things of this Life; yet alas! these Parents, being themselves too remiss in attending Week-day Meetings, and conse­quently not good Examples, did not train up their Son in the Performance of that Duty, wherein they themselves were deficient: So he grew up so much indulged in Liberty, that I was credibly informed he has been seen, even in the very Time of the Meeting, which was held near their Dwelling-house, to walk into the fields with his Fowling-piece, &c. But oh! what was the Consequence of such irreligious Proceedings and Liberties; this Youth became rather an Affliction than a Comfort to Friends, lived fast as a Libertine, and died soon in the [Page 23] Flower of his Age: Which sorrowful Remarks I make with much Awe, Humility and Reve­rence.

6thly. Some Professors of Truth, as hinted before, have betrayed so much Indiscretion, and unmortified Temper of Mind, as to absent reli­gious Meetings, and it may be, Meetings of Business too, through some Dislike or Offence taken against some particular Friend or Friends, or perhaps against some Steps in the Discipline, or it may be, against the Minister belonging to the Meeting; which unjustifiable Steps lead to Confusion, the Loss of Unity with the Society, and oftentimes is attended with great Disadvan­tage to the immortal Souls of these unhappy Persons, who foolishly fall into so bad a Prac­tice; and besides all this, it affords a very bad Example to the young People (especially) whose quick Eyes are upon them, and these their By-steps, and will very likely make shrewd Remarks on such Misconduct, which is grie­vous to all good Men that behold it, but most pernicious to those guilty thereof; of whom we may say, Job v. 2. Wrath killeth the foolish Man, and Envy slayeth the silly One.

7thly. As the truly concerned and faithful Friends to what they profess do, whilst capa­ble thereof, find it their incumbent Duty dili­gently to attend Meetings, both on First-days and other Days of the Week; so it is their Care both to observe, as much as they well can, the Hour appointed for the Gathering of the Meet­ings, and also when there, to sit under a fervent [Page 24] and inward Concern, that they may be made sen­sible of the fulfilling of Christ's gracious Promise abovesaid, that Christ will be in the Midst of them that meet in his Name; while, on the other hand, many careless and lukewarm Professors are both slack in meeting together, and when they do come, often come very late and straggling, and when met, sit too much unconcerned, if not sleeping, whilst the Honest-hearted are in a deep Travail, and perhaps weeping; to whom those negligent Professors are so far from being Help­meets, that they are too often a Burden to others truly concerned, yet, alas! the greatest Loss and Disadvantage is to their own Souls; so that, tho' they go at Times to religious Assemblies, they don't reap that spiritual Benefit that they might do, because they do not diligently sow to the Spirit. Therefore, as faith [...] Friends, truly concerned to improve their Time and Talents, find Meetings of Worship, Times and Places of Improvement, Pleasure and Profit; and, there­fore, are like careful, industrious Tradesmen, very desirous, though through some Difficulties, to attend those Places where the most Gain and Advantage may be in all Likelihood obtained. But pray how should they, who, thro' the Ne­glect of their Talents of Grace and Truth, find little or nothing of either Profit or Pleasure in religious Meetings, be desirous to press through Crowds to get to them? Nay, may we not safely conclude those, who are remiss in getting to religious Meetings, do not experience (by reason of their own Neglect of the Gift of Grace) that [Page 25] sweet and excellent Gain of Godliness, which the Faithful do, and therefore may probably think it scarce worth their while to take much Pains about such a Matter; when it is very likely the same Persons, in case they had Ground to hope they could gain a Sum of Money, or make a con­siderable Improvement of their temporal Stock, in the Way of their outward Business, would be very careful not to miss the Opportunity, altho' they can scarce be prevailed upon to use such Endeavours for the obtaining the most blessed, most excellent Company and Presence of Jesus, our glorious High Priest, our Saviour, the King of Salem, and the Prince of Peace, though so lovingly invited by him. May not they, who slight such a gracious Promise, apply to themselves those Words of the Almighty,— 1 Sam. ii. 30. They that despise me shall be lightly esteemed. On the other hand, may not the true and faithful At­tenders of religious Assemblies, by Faith lay hold on that Promise,—Them that honour me, I will honour. And likewise receive Consolation and Encouragement from these Words of Christ,— Luke xii. 32. Fear not little Flock, for it is your Father's good Pleasure to give you the Kingdom. Faithful Friends forecast their Business so as no­thing, so far as in them lies, may interfere and hin­der them from attending Week-day Meetings. Do not we generally know on what Day the Week-day Meetings will fall? We ought therefore, I say, so to forecast, and as much as we can, to order our temporal Affairs, that nothing, which may be well done on another Day, may be suffered to fall in [Page 26] our Way as an Impediment to hinder us from meeting with Christ and his two or three. If I attend religious Meetings only on such Days, wherein the very Laws of the Land suffer no Fairs or Markets to be held, nor will allow me to open my Shop, or to be engaged in servile Work: If, I say, I serve (or pretend to serve) God in religious Assemblies on those Days only, on which the Laws of the Land do not allow me actually to labour for the Things of this World▪ what Reward have I?

8thly. As King Solomon adviseth,—Prov. xxii. 6. Train up a Child in the Way he should go, &c. It is fully believed by a large Cloud of living Wit­nesses, that as Men should go to, and diligently attend Meetings for divine Worship; so even Children ought to be trained up in attending such Assemblies, when in the Wisdom of Truth, pi­ous Parents, Guardians and Schoolmasters may see convenient and suitable, not at all doubting, but all those that have these tender Plants under their Care, as they mind their own Conditions and Growths in Grace, will be moved and helped prudently and gradually to train them towards (and in due Time in) the real Performance of this so important a Duty; neither over-driving the little Lambs, nor, through a too fond Indul­gence or Carelessness, leaving them behind, or suffer them to loiter, but always watching over them with an Eye of Regard, in a due Consider­ation of their tender Age, Capacities and Cir­cumstances. Being thus conducted, I don't much question but they will often find themselves [Page 27] engaged to bring the little Ones to Meetings at proper Times.

Objection. Some have objected to such Propo­sals on this wise,—Let them first have Sense, and then bring them to Meetings. Answ. He that was represented by a certain Houshoulder, who went out early in the Morning to hire Labourers into his Vineyard, hath often touched the tender Minds of Children in the early Part of their Time, and, as it were, in the Dawn and Morn­ing of their Day; some about the sixth, seventh, eighth or tenth Year of their Age (or some sooner) have been graciously visited, broken and tendered by the sweet Influences of him, who blessed the little Children that were formerly brought unto him, commanding that such should be suffered, and in no wise forbidden. We cannot fix the Time of Childrens Visitations, whether at the third, sixth, or ninth Hour he shall be pleased to give them an Invitation out of the Market­place into the Vineyard; however, it is firmly believed it is the indispensible Duty of Parents, School-masters, and those entrusted with the Nur­ture of Children, humbly to present them before the Lord in the solemn Meetings of Worship abovesaid, and fervently to beg his Blessing upon them, which I am sensible is and will be un­doubtedly the Concern of all those Parents, &c. that are (or shall be) rightly concerned for their own Souls. But, oh! Friends, how can it be expected, that they who neglect their own States and Conditions, and their own respective Duties in attending Meetings, should be effectu­ally [Page 28] concerned for, and rightly bring those up in the Nurture and Admonition of the Lord, who are under their Care? How should those Parents who do not weep for themselves, rightly weep for their Children? Weep not for me, said Christ, to the lamenting Daughters of Jerusalem, but weep for yourselves and your Chil­dren. Nay, some of those Parents, remiss in their Duty to God and their own Souls (in Regard to attending Meetings, &c.) and conse­quently to their Offspring, have too often re­jected and taken amiss the Advice of their well-wishing Friends, with respect to their Negli­gence, respecting their own Welfare, and conse­quently their Childrens Good. Some Parents, it may be, have gone to Meetings themselves, but have too often left their Children (or at least too many of them) at Home, exposed, very likely, to unsuitable Company, and undue Liberties. Nay, some living in the Town where the First-day and Week-day Meetings were held, have both themselves and their Children too much forsaken the Assembling themselves together, especially on the Week-days, and perhaps some of those irreligious Professors would be sitting, or walking, or talking in the Street, during the Week-day Meeting-time, and when ad­monished to a more becoming Conduct, they have taken it amiss, and spurned violently against the Advice and the Adviser; and by such Beha­viour it has been thought they have harden­ed their Children against Friends. But, alas! those imprudent Creatures, both Elder and [Page 29] Younger, have been attended with manifest Tokens of the great Loss they sustained there­by divers Ways. May therefore the Harms of others be our seasonable Precautions.

In Answer to the Objections some have made, or may make, against bringing Children to reli­gious Meetings, scarce thinking them, perhaps, capable of receiving Profit therein, I much desire the Words and Observations of our worthy Friend Robert Barclay, in his Proposition of Worship, Pag. 359, 360, may be seriously considered, as follows: ‘And this Power would sometimes also reach to, and wondefully work in Meetings, even in little Children, to the Admiration and Astonishment of many.’

When honest Parents have done what they could, or can do, on Account of their own and their dear Childrens Souls Welfare, all may be little enough; but happy those poor Parents, who being tried with that exceeding bitter Cup, and Heart-breaking Exercise, of having a Prodi­gal Son or Daughter, can in Sincerity appeal unto the Lord, on this wise,—Lord, thou' knowest I have done my Best for my Children, both by humble Prayer and frequent Intercession with thee for them, as well as by Example and Precept, for their Preservation.

But what will become of those unhappy Parents, who have afforded their Children nei­ther good Examples nor Precepts, but disre­garded the greatest Business of their Time, that is, of working out their own Salvation, and therefore have neglected (and by that Neglect [Page 30] rendered themselves uncapable) to bring up their Children in the Nurture and Admonition of the Lord? What, I say, will become of such Parents, when they see the Miscarriages and bad Courses of any of their Offspring, being conscious to themselves of their sinful Neglect touching their Education, and may be obliged to confess, and sorrowfully reflect on themselves for this their Deficiency, as being in some sort accessary to the Ruin of their poor Children.

I find in the Journal of our worthy Friend Thomas Chalkley, that he was sometimes con­cerned to exhort Friends to bring their Children to Meetings, and educate them when young, in the Way they should go, that they might not depart from it when old; which I am persuaded faithful Friends have all along been (and still are) conscientiously concerned to do, as being to them not a Matter of Indifferency, but [...]ver esteemed by them as their incumbent and paternal Duty. Don't we read, Matthew xiv. 2 [...]. that besides the five Thousand Men, Wo­men and Children who followed, and were fed by Christ, even in a Wilderness or desart Place, when he appeared amongst them in the Body of Flesh? Shall any therefore now be so unwise in these calm and quiet Times, wherein we may sit together peaceably and undisturbed in our reli­gious Mettings, and wait for the spiritual Appear­ance of Christ: Can any, I say, be so unwise, as now to neglect religious Meetings? Should we not by all Means, in Point of Gratitude to our gracious God, in Point of Justice to our own [Page 31] Souls, our Children, Families, and our Friends, flock to our religious Meetings, both on First-days and other Days of the Week, taking our Children along with us, and allowing all rea­sonable Liberty to our Servants? But oh! how shall those answer for it at the great Day of Account, who are, or shall be found negligent in an Affair of so great Importance! The late and disorderly coming to Meetings of some of the Professors of Truth, who generally drop in, when those who carefully observe the Hour ap­pointed have sitten perhaps Half an Hour, or most of an Hour, do not only interrupt and hurt the Meeting, but is a bad Example to the young People and others, but the greatest Loss is their own. This irregular Practice of coming late to Meetings is inconsistent with our Reputation as a religious Society, and contrary to the Practice of Friends in the Beginning, of whom we read, that not only those of advanced Years were good Examples in this Respect, but also that some of their Children, who were left at Home during their Parents Imprisonment for keeing up this Testimony, were concerned honourably to at­tend their religious Meetings, and were them­selves also called in question by the secular Powers for this their Christian Testimony in those trying and proving Times? Shall therefore any, either Parents or Children, dare, through Indolence and Lukewarmness, to be guilty of such Ingratitude in neglecting, or not duly at­tending religious Meetings in these peaceable [Page 32] Times, wherein there is, through the Mercy of kind Providence, a great Calm to the Churches.

Here I take Freedom to insert some sensible Expressions of some pious Children, a little be­fore their Death, touching religious Meetings, as a convincing Argument that Children have received Benefit in attending them, and to obvi­ate the Objections that some Parents have made, or may make, against the Concern of such Friends as advise Father and Mothers professing the Truth, to bring [...] Children to Meetings whilst young▪

I. [...] POST, aged about eight Years, a little before her Death, expressed her Delight in going to Meetings. Piety promoted, Part V. Pag. 87.

II. REBEKAH TOOVEY, aged about nine Years, said (near her Death) she loved to go to Meetings; they were sweet to her. Ibid. Pag. 143.

III. WILLIAM FENNELL, aged about twelve Years when he died, calling for his Si­sters and Brother, (on his sick Bed) he exhorted them to love Truth, and to go to Meetings, and think upon God and good Things, and the Lord would love them.

'Tis plain therefore, that young Plants have often been, and may be, truly sensible of the singular Benefit to be reaped in religious Meet­ings.

9thly. 'Tis admirable to observe what Diffi­culties, even through Hail, Rain and Snow, up early, and down late, will some Professors wade [Page 33] through, in order to attend Markets and Fairs, but what small Matters will sometimes deter them from setting out to a religious Meeting? I had, said one, intended to have been at such a Meeting, but there came a Shower of Rain when I was just going off, and prevented me. May we not say to such a poor cool One, O thou of little Faith!

Our worthy Friend, Thomas Chalkley, observes in his Journal, Page 324, that ‘one John Pick­ering, the Governor of Tortola, made seve­ral new Forms to accommodate the People in religious Meetings in his own House, which he sent six Miles on Mens Heads, the Roads not being passable by Carriage, by Carts, &c. This I think worth noting, says he, that their Zeal may be had in Remembrance, and that ours may be stirred up to a more religious Concern, who will scarce go six Steps to a religious Meeting, or will not go at all.’

10thly. When we remember and consider, as above observed, the heavy Exercises and deep Sufferings, Spoilings of Goods, Imprisonments, &c. our Fore-fathers were tried with, and mer­cifully enabled faithfully and nobly to endure and go through with Christian Patience for their Testimonies Sake, in holding their religious Meetings. And when we also humbly consider, how our gracious God has rebuked the Storms of Persecution, and has caused a long Calm to his Church and People, this marvellous Work of the Lord ought never to be forgotten, but thankfully, and, in deep Humility, ever to be [Page 34] remembered and duly acknowledged by all the Professors of Truth, by a Conduct truly religious, circumspect and agreeable to these invaluable Favours, and in the sincere, diligent and fervent Performance of all our several Duties we owe unto him the Author and Giver of all our Pri­vileges.

But oh! Friends, when the Faithful in our Israel, with much Sorrow and Regret take No­tice of the lamentable Lukewarmness of too many under the Profession of the blessed Truth in divers Places, who have not only too much forsaken the Attending of Week-day Meetings, but in some Places have quite dropt them, as many faithful Brethren think, to the great and certain Loss of themselves, their Families and their Children, and to the Dishonour of our gra­cious God, to the Disadvantage of our Society in general, and the great Affliction of the liv­ing Members thereof, and is like to prove, as many good Friends fear, an Inlet to other undue Liberties and hurtful Things.

While I am writing these Words, the mourn­ful Expostulation of Moses, with backsliding Israel of old, springs in my Mind, wherein he movingly cries out on this wise, Deut. xxxii. 6. Do ye thus requite the Lord, O foolish People and unwise? Is not he thy Father that hath bought thee? Hath he not made thee, and established thee, &c. Where­fore, with much Concern of Mind, for the Lord's Sake, for the Welfare of yourselves, Fa­milies and Children (that have them) I cordially and compassionately address you, who may be [Page 35] guilty of this Defection and Revolt here men­tioned and mourned for. Pray consider in time of this your Negligence, as the certain Effects of your slighting the Reproofs, Teachings and Operations of the Spirit of Truth ye make Pro­fession of; and I beseech you, take away the Cause, that the Effects may cease, by timely, diligently and devoutly retiring to, and obey­ing this precious Gift of God in your own Hearts, whereby ye may be helped, before your Day be over, to repair those lamentable Breaches, and, as I may say, rebuild these very sorrowful Desolations. Oh! Friends, is this a Time to drop your religious Meetings, when the Lord hath so marvellously opened our Way, so that, through the Clemency of the mild Government we live under, we, as a People, are not only tolerated, but protected in attending them? He hath wonderfully, as I may say, divided and opened our Way through the Oppo­sition of secular Powers, penal Laws, Prison­houses, &c. Shall any of us now sit down at Ease in any Engagement of this uncertain World, short of a truly religious Concern and Persever­ance in the Way and Work of Regeneration, when, I say, our Way is thus opened? I beg of you, by the Mercies of Christ, duly to remem­ber, and practise according to the Command of the Almighty, when he had opened the Way for his People, saying,—Speak to my People that they go forward. And, my Beloved, herein ear­nestly sought after, and in the good Will of the Gospel treated with, suffer me to say, as this [Page 36] grievous dropping of Week-day Meetings may justly be called a Backsliding from the Purity and Integrity of our worthy Antients, and the Prac­tice of the Faithful in this Day, and from the repeated Advices and Directions of many Parti­culars, as well as our Yearly-meeting from time to time, who have been engaged to counsel in di­vine Love; let such remember the tender Call of the Lord to his backsliding Israel of old, with the Heart-affecting conditional Promise annexed thereto, Jer. iii. 22. Return ye backsliding Children, and I will heal your Backslidings▪ which gracious and compassionate Promise, I humbly hope, will be vouchsafed unto you, in case ye shall rightly observe the gracious Invitation to return, and shall be sincerely and heartily concerned henceforward to let your past Negligence suffice, and for the fu­ture use your utmost Diligence to make your Cal­ling and Election sure, and shall, as the Apostle exhorted the Ephesians, Eph. v. 15.16. Walk circumspectly, not as Fools, but as Wise, redeeming the Time, because the Days are evil. That when the great and notable approaching Day shall come, wherein each of you shall be called to an Ac­count,—Come give an Account of thy Steward­ship, for thou shalt be no longer Steward; each of you may receive this most desirable and welcome Sentence, Mat. xxv. 21. Well done, thou good and faithful Servant, thou hast been faithful over a few Things, I will make thee Ruler over many Things; enter thou into the Joy of thy Lord.

But, alas! alas! how can they expect to be then denominated good and faithful Servants, [Page 37] who in this gracious Toleration are thus un­gratefully neglecting or dropping their Week-day Meetings, and so slighting the encouraging Expressions of blessed Jesus, the righteous Judge of the Quick and Dead, while they are yet in Health and Strength, and in a Capacity to meet together with the two or three?

Again, may it be observed, that when Moses, that faithful Servant of the Lord, was near leaving the People, being One Hundred and Twenty Years old, he wrote the Law, and de­livered it to the Priests which bore the Ark of the Lord, and unto all the Elders of Israel, with this positive Command and Charge, saying, Deut. xxxi. 12, 13. Gather the People together, Men, Women and Children, and thy Stranger which is within thy Gates, that they may hear, and that they may learn and fear the Lord your God, and observe to do all the Words of this Law: And that their Children, which have not known any Thing, may hear and learn to fear the Lord your God as long as ye live in the Land, whither ye go over Jordan to possess it.

Please to mark here, Strangers, and even Children, were not to be overlooked or left at Home, but to appear among the Elders at the Time and Place appointed; neither were the People of the Lord to drop or omit the due Per­formance of this Charge so long as they should live in the Land. Shall Gospel Duties then be dropt in this glorious Gospel Dispensation? How many good Friends, even upon their dying Beds, have been frequently concerned to advise [Page 38] their Survivors, diligently and duly to attend re­ligious Meetings?

May we remember that the Jews began their Preparation of the Sabbath, at Three [...] Clock in the Afternoon of the aforegoing Day, that is, of the Sixth-day of the Week: Should we not therefore now, as the Meeting-day and Time approaches, be, after a suitable Manner, abstract­ing our Minds and Thoughts from earthly Things, and get into a proper Concern for meet­ing in the Name of Jesus, with the two or three, in order to know him in the Midst of us. But would it not be a very sorry and piteous Case, if any of us should have our Minds so ingrossed and employed with Things of this World, that we should go talking and communing, on the Meeting-days, about earthly Concerns, almost to the Meeting-house Door, and likewise, Meet­ing being broken up, resume the same worldly Subjects of Discourse? If such should in the Meeting receive any Share of the heavenly Seed into their Hearts (being too much like the High­way Ground) are they not in Danger of having the same devoured by the Fowls of the Air? Oh! therefore, how great Care and Circumspection ought we to be found in, both in going to our Meetings, waiting reverently in them, and awful­ly returning from them, and even in the whole Course of our short and uncertain Time? If therefore an honest Concern of this Kind was come into, and duly observed by the Professors of Truth, that is, a proper Exercise, a strict Observation of the Hour appointed, and a [Page 39] suitable Concern and waiting for the sensible Enjoyment of the divine Presence; all which necessary Steps I am well assured the Principle we profess would, if rightly obeyed, lead all its Professors into; our religious Meetings would, in the best Sense, become Times and Places of Pleasure and Profit united; and as for the most Part, or often, our Meetings have in them some Children, some infirm Persons, who are scarce able to endure very long Meetings, though we cannot limit the Continuation of our Meetings by the Clock or Hour-glass, yet, by the Methods abovesaid, through the Lord's Blessing thereupon, Meetings would be short and sweet, and the Performance of this our reasonable Duty would be rendered unto the general not grievous, but joyous and profitable, even to the sincere Weak­lings of the Flock, according to the Assertion of him who has promised his blessed Company, —My Yoke is easy, and my Burden is light. And inasmuch as our Profession of the Guidance and Teachings of the holy Spirit in the Gospel Dis­pensation, implies an Abrogation of the typical Ceremonies commanded and practised under the Mosaick Law, how greatly it behoves us, and under how close Obligations do we lie, who profess the blessed Truth, so to demean ourselves at all Times, and in all Places (but especially in our religious Meetings) that nothing inconsi­stent with our high Profession may appear; no scandalous Dullness or Sleepiness, no gaping or yawning, no wandering Eyes, no unbecoming or restless Postures, may ever appear in the Times [Page 40] of our Devotion; for, to be sure, whether we watch ourselves rightly or not, the Eyes of the People are upon us; and if, while we profess to be come beyond Ceremonies, formal Prayer, premeditated Sermons, formal Singings, and the like, any of us should be so unhappy and un­wise, by an unprudent Conduct, Lukewarmness, and an unconcerned Frame of Mind in our re­ligious Meetings, to give Occasion to any that have their Eyes upon us, some it may be for Good, and some otherwise, to say, we, or any of us, are so poor, that we have neither Shadow nor Substance, we shall certainly hurt our Souls, and be bad Examples to others.

Finally, my Friends, having in much Love, Charity and Good-will, not (I assure you) with a View churlishly to expose the Failings of any weak Brother or Sister, but rather by Way of Caution to all where these Lines may come, made the foregoing Remarks, I now most dearly salute you our dear and near Friends, who have dedicated the Day of your Health and Strength to the Service of Truth, in diligently attending Meetings, and faithfully discharging your Duties therein, but now either thro' Want of Health, or by Reason of old Age, or other Circum­stances are rendered incapable of appearing in religious Assemblies; be not discouraged, the Lord is with you, his holy Arms are about you. Trust in the Lord, for in the Lord Jehovah is everlasting Strength: He, who accepts of a Man according to what he hath, and not according to what he hath not, will accept of your sincere [Page 41] and private Devotions; and you may, I trust, by Faith, lay hold on these Words of Christ, as if spoken to you, Luke xii. 32. Fear not little Flock, for it is your Father's good Pleasure to give you the Kingdom. And also, I am satisfied ye may lay hold on that Promise, John xiv. 23. If a Man love me, he will keep my Words, and my Father will love him, and we will come unto him, and make our Abode with him. O my dearly Beloved, although you be deprived of appearing personally with your dear Friends in publick Assemblies, you have here each of you, through the most merciful Condescension of the Lord, a most comfortable, most gracious Promise of the per­manent Company of the Father and the Son, who will make their Abode with you.

In the Love of the everlasting Gospel I greet you, and bid you all Farewel, who am

P. S. Some may perhaps have said, or may say, I can have as good a Meeting with a good Book by my Fire-side, as you can have at your pub­lick Assembly. Answ. We must own the Lord is omnipresent, and will undoubtedly own his Peoples private Devotion, though they cannot personally attend with their Friends; but whilst they are favoured with the Blessing of Health [Page 42] and Strength, it is according to the Apostle's Exhortation, Heb. x. 25, and divers other Scrip­tures, their undoubted Duty to meet and as­semble together, to demonstrate their Care for the Maintenance of the publick Worship of Almighty God. And it is often observed, that this pretended Fire-side Devotion is only an Excuse, and tends to the Destruction rather than Edification, not only of such Particulars, but of the Society in general.

I much desire that the worthy and wholesome Advices, lovingly and suitably, from time to time, recommended to us by our yearly Meet­ing on divers particular Accounts, and especial­ly these that follow, as pertinent to the Matter in Hand, may be read and duly observed by us all.