Dear Friends and Brethren,
FROM that universal love and care, which the Lord our God hath begotten in us towards one another, his church, and people, these things following are opened in us by His Holy Spirit, to present both unto you, who are called forth in a measure of the heavenly gift to labour and travel abroad to minister unto others, and unto you who are more resident in the several counties and meetings, who have a care and oversight committed to you by the Lord in your respective places, counties and meeting for the good order and comfort of the Church.
First -To those that are called forth with a testimony for God, and those that are endued with an heavenly gift for that end, - our tender advice and counsel in the Spirit of life and true love is, that you all wait and dwell in the heavenly life and Spirit of the gospel, wherein both true judgment and mercy is; that thereby you all may be made manifest in men’s consciences and be a good savour to God, both in life and doctrine: that your conversations, as well as your words, may preach Truth, {Page 330} and shine in your sobriety and holy examples and so be instrumental in His hands for the conversion, salvation, comfort, and establishment of others. And our earnest desire is, that you all may be preserved, in diligence and subjection to the power of an endless life, as that none may run on too hastily or forwardly in any exaltation of spirit away from the sense of the arising of the pure life and testimony: nor yet any to quench its arising, motions, or testimony, through fear, negligence, doubtings, secret dispute, or backwardness; but that every one may dwell in that living sense, willingness and diligence, as tends to your enlargement and growth, and to the increase of your gifts and measures in the life. And that every one who ministers, may be kept in the lowness, in subjection and tenderness of spirit to the Lord and his counsel; so that a clear and heavenly understanding may be opened and increased in them, and so in true meekness and humility retained, as that in the Spirit of the gospel, they may be enabled gradually to demonstrate the truth, to the opening the understandings, and for the conviction of the consciences of the hearers: before either they pass positive judgment upon Truth’s adversaries, or their principles. Also, that the first principles of the true light, repentance, and remission of sins through the name and power of our Lord Jesus Christ, be kept to, held forth, and preached to the world, for the preparing their hearts for God: and none suddenly to rush into, or strive out of God’s counsel to speak of, the high mysteries of the gospel, nor cast pearls before swine. Neither hastily, or at first entrance, out of their own measures and attainments to assert the highest doctrines, as that of perfection, or {Page 331} height of attainments, before people’s minds are prepared by the secret power of God for the first principles or beginnings; that they may not be stumbled, nor their minds biassed against Truth, by any hasty or untimely asserting matters beyond their measures and capacities, that is, without a deliberate progress in the work and travail of the Gospel: and that Christ, his death, blood, and resurrection, be reverently spoken of, according to Scripture expressions.
That none be forward or hasty in traversing the ways and principles of professors; to propose objections, nor to make or raise more in preaching, than they clearly answer by the plain evidence of the Spirit; lest any lose their matter, entangle themelves, and leave the hearers more dark and doubtful than they found them. And we warn and charge all concerned, both in England, Scotland and elsewhere, in the presence of the living God, to take heed of coming too near the disobedient hypocritical spirit of contentious professors, to gratify them with unsound words and nice distinctions which tend to darken knowledge, and vail the simplicity of the gospel, and to pervert the holy Truth.
Again, when any one in speaking, comes to feel both strength of life and matter of ministry to be wanting, we advise such not to strive to bring forth and enforce words but then to be still and wait till life arise to bring forth its own testimony: for that is the way to be enlarged, and to be further accomplished in the work. And not to run over or beyond the living sense of the heavenly life, nor into vain repetitions, either in preaching or praying, through striving or eagerness of mind but to keep {Page 332} low and tender, in the true sense and feeling of the holy seed and divine power, which gives life and strength.
We desire and exhort all such as are young, and not thoroughly experienced in the service and work of the gospel, to keep in their own proper gifts, measures, and orders of the life; and out of all striving or straining beyond their line, to be heard or seen of men: and so to be kept clear, in the true sense and exercise of their own proper gifts, out of all mere imitations and formed habits, which are not to edification.
And every one so keep in the peaceable wisdom and life in your travails, out of all extremes and whirlings, which tend to draw out and unsettle people’s minds. And avoid all imagined, unseasonable and untimely prophesyings which tend not only to stir up persecution, but also to the begetting airy and uncertain expectations, and to the amusing and affrighting simple people from receiving the Truth: for this practice, God’s wisdom neither leads to, nor justifies. And take heed of aggravating reflections and forward clashing at persons or people, with unseasonably and rashly using names of distinctions; which will be resented as reproachful to them, and not only stumble and prepossess their minds with prejudice, but also hinder their convincement whereas our endeavours have been and are, to open men’s understandings, and to convince their consciences, that they may repent.
Be careful and labour in the peaceable gospel, to settle, stay, and establish people’s minds in the holy principle of life and light; that they may not be puffed up, nor run into hurrying, or confusion in their own wills but that the living praises of God {Page 333} may naturally break forth in his own life; [that they run not into] any singularity to admire or wander after any particular man or persons; for this tends to the hurt, both of themselves, and [of] some that labour amongst them, and hath been hurtful. Our labour and travail hath been and still is, to preach Christ, as servants for his sake, and to gather to Him, and not to ourselves; nor to seek popularity, applause, or praise of men, nor any self-interest; for if any do, they’ll fall, and the power of God will work them under, and without repentance cast them out.
And speak not evil one of another, to the lessening one anothers reputation, or testimonies for Truth; but be tender of one anothers testimony, not to weaken it, we exhort you in the name and power of God. As also, to let no strife, hard thoughts, nor jealousies, lodge in any of your minds one against another; but in brotherly love and tenderness, speak privately and gently one to another, to remove all offences, jealousies, and aggravations whatsoever, And be sure do not judge, nor reflect publicly, to the weakening or hindering the least gift, or testimony that is in any one for God and his Truth but where there is a sincerity and a tenderness, and the least budding or breaking forth of life, or heavenly gift, let it be nourished, and encouraged, and those that are young, watched over and holpen, in the tender love of God. Let there be no harshness nor severity exercised, to the hurt or prejudice of any; but feel the life and spirit of the Lamb through and over all.
Secondly. -And you, our Friends and brethren, who have a care and oversight committed to you in {Page 334} your several places and meetings, being set as pillars in the house of our God, -if any of you shall at any time come to see any weakness, want of wisdom, or miscarriage, either in doctrine or practice, by any who come abroad to labour or minister among you, - we tenderly request, and earnestly desire, that you would in brotherly love and tenderness, speak privately to them, for their good and preservation that they, and the testimony they have for the Truth may be preserved, and rightly improved; that none who have a call from God may be discouraged, nor any gift of God quenched. And so, all forbear public judgings and reflections upon such as have a gift given them, and a sincerity in their intentions though for a time there may be a want of wisdom in some, in the management thereof, yet do not discourage and wholly crush them under, but help them in the love and counsel of God. And as much as in you is, stop all false, depraving, and hurtful reports whisperings, tattles and backbitings; and get true judgment over all sowers of strife and discord, we beseech you, for the Truth’s sake.
And we desire you would be exemplary in your families, and careful in the education of your children in the holy nurture and fear of the Lord that thereby it may appear unto the world, that you are of the true seed of Abraham; of whom God testified, that He knew that he would command his children and household, that they should keep the way of the Lord.
And we beseech you for the Truth’s sake, with the power of God stop all busy, discontented spirits, (if any appear among you, ) from reflecting upon and meddling with the powers, or those in outward dominion, -and all fruitless discourses of {Page 335} that tendence and nature: which, with that old discontented professors spirit, (which is neither valiant in times of suffering, nor contented in times of liberty, ) are to be shunned, rejected and reproved, whenever met withal: that all among us walk innocently and peaceably with a good conscience before all the world; -for that gives true boldness and confidence.
And all of us seriously to eye and mind the supreme Power and over-ruling Hand, which commands the seas, and stops the floods, and still the winds and storms; and can restrain the remainder of men’s wrath, and turn them like waters, as seemeth good in the sight of Him, the Lord our God: -to whose love, oversight, care and protection, we commit you all, with his whole family desiring that his peace and unity may remain and increase in and among you, and the multiplying of all spiritual blessings and refreshments of life unto you all, who are of the same mind and spirit with us in that eternal truth, love and life; -wherein we dearly salute you all.
Our desire is, that copies of this be communicated to Friends and Brethren herein concerned. Your faithful brethren in the Lord,
George Whitehead, Alexander Parker, John Story, Thomas Salthouse, John Whitehead, John Graves, Robert Hodgson, James Parke, Jasper Batt, Thomas Robertson, John Crook, William Gibson, Stephen Crisp, William Smith, James Harrison, Thomas Green, Thomas Curtis, William Brend, Samuel Thornton, William Yardley.
London the 31st day of the 3rd month, 1672.
[From an ancient copy, apparently in Thomas Elwood’s hand-writing, on comparison with his original letters.]
[Source: Letters, &c., of Early Friends; Illustrative of the History of the Society, From Nearly it’s Origin, to about the Period of George Fox’s Decease; with Documents Respecting It’s Early Discipline, also Epistles of Counsel and Exhortation, &c. London: Harvey And Dayton, Gracechurch Street, 1841 pages 329-335]
- This Epistle seems to be specially addressed to Ministers, and those fillling the responsible station of overseers of the flock: the duties subsequently assigned to Elders, probably devolved at this time, on the faithful perhaps in both the stations above mentioned, but more especially on overseers.↩
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