I confess, my dear Friends, my writing after this manner looks rather like an history or narrative, than an epistle, but I desire you will bear with me, it being to magnify the loving kindness of the Lord in (rehearsing) his dealings with us, and for the information and encouragement of the younger, that they may follow the steps of the worthy ancients, who have followed Christ; and shun and avoid that libertine spirit, which I fear is now getting in, and has got in again, endeavouring to throw down and lay waste what our godly elders had reared up by the power of the Lord, and from this fear I am led to query after this manner.

Are there not some in being who not only saw those times of outward reformation, but also heartily joined therein, by putting away out of their houses and families those superfluities in fineness of apparel and household furniture, &e? I am satisfied there are. Or are there any, who, since that time, have owned that concern and for a time stood zealous for the plainness of truth? I am persuaded there are. And now I query, are there any of late times, of both sorts, who have lost that former zeal and suffered or permitted some of the same or greater superfluities in apparel and dress to be worn by their children and in their families; and likewise have suffered or permitted as fine or finer house furniture and garnishing to come into their own houses or their children's, which I am satisfied they might have prevented by zealously standing against it; and moreover, have they not connived at others that have gone into such things? I fear there are such.

Now, by these and the like means, and by taking examples from one another, the seeds of height, pride and vanity, have grown and spread, more (among us) than ever they were before that time of reformation, to the wounding and griev ing of the souls of the upright in heart. Ah ! Friends, Friends, I have this to say to you, from the movings of the Spirit of the Lord in my heart, how will you answer it in the day of account? You, I say, that by your easiness and lukewarm. ness, have let in those offensive things upon us again; for as our blessed Lord said, Whoso shall offend one of these little ones which believe in me, it were better for him that a millstone were hanged about his neck and that he were drowned in the depth of the sea. What will be the portion of such as these? Therefore let all who are con cerned herein repent and do their first works before it be too late.

Again, besides height, pride and fashions, which have (I fear) appeared in too many with a daring face, are there not some that have very much lost, or been ashamed of the plain language both in speaking and writing.

I further query, are there not some who have gone into undue liberty of many kinds, and others that would be accounted something, who have gone into contentions, broils and differences, (through a covetous and selfish spirit) to the trouble of the church? I wish there may not. But I cannot well pass by that evil spirit of covetousness without the following remark: "It is an abominable evil in the sight of the Lord, Christ

himself severely reprehended it and cautioned to beware thereof; his holy apostles called it idolatry, and the former prophets cried out against it; as did in like manner that worthy elder, William Edmundson (herein before mentioned) often warning us to beware thereof: where it takes deep root in the heart, it is a merciless devouring spirit, not only endeavouring to devour others, but even destroy that man himself who gives way thereto, and very little can stand before it, therefore beware thereof wherever it appears.

And lastly, besides what I have queried above, I here query in a more general manner; are there not some who were once very zealous and stood against all those things I have mentioned, and if they had kept their habitations in the Lord's holy truth, might have been made serviceable instruments in his hand, and as bright stars in the firmament of his power, and have joined hand in hand and put shoulder to shoulder, in helping the faithful to keep out those things; and by which means I am persuaded they would in great measure have been kept out: I say, are there not some of those (though I hope not many) that now of late years have been faulty in some of those things them. selves, and others who have stood easy and unconcerned in mind, while they have seen and beheld some that were going into them, and instead of helping the zealous and upright in heart, have rather clogged and weakened their hands, by openly or secretly abetting the cause of the wrong spirited and the disorderly, so far as they were able, and thereby have sometimes fended off

the stroke of justice and judgment, in the way of discipline and hindered the line thereof from being stretched over such in due time, according to the nature of their offences: for if right times be not observed, right services may be lost. Whereas, if true discipline had been duly and rightly executed, it might probably have tended to the good of such offenders themselves, as well as the deterring others from following their steps; but, above all, it would have kept up, and established good order and discipline in its right line in the Church of Christ.

The breaking or obstructing this right line of discipline has, I fear, produced a partial conniving amongst some; for have not the easy, luke warm, and indifferent, (who have lost their first love) daubed with untempered mortar, while they have endeavoured to skreen and defend the covetous, and troublers of the Church? And, on the other hand, have not such joined with the luke-warm daubers, when they have been justly found fault withal, and then both sorts have been easy with the high, proud, and libertines, who also in their turn (as they had opportunity) defended the rest; and thus they have strengthened one another, contrary to that most solemn charge which the apostle Paul gave to Timothy, in relation to the management of the Church affairs, viz. I charge thee, says he, before God, and the Lord Jesus Christ and the elect angels, that thou observe these things, without preferring one before another, doing nothing by partiality, 1 Tim. v. 21. Such as these are men

for God, and right judges for him. They eannot swerve or be partial to any party, person, or even nearest relations, for favour, affection, or worldly ends; but as to those who are easy, lukewarm, partial or cold, or such that are troublers of the Church of God, and who once knew better things, I have this in my heart to say (if there be any such, as I fear there are) the Lord's controversy is against them, whether they pretend to be teachers of others, or as elders, and he will dreadfully plead with such above others, for they may not only have their own blood to answer for, but I also the blood of others; therefore repent in time, before it be too late. If any one shall think me too sharp in what I write, I may tell them it is no pleasing work to me, for I do it in a cross to my own will, but the day calls for plain dealing, and I must discharge my conscience.

But as for you, my dear friends, who have retained your first love to God, and have stood zealous for the Lord and his truth, whether you are ministers or elders, young or old, what I write touches you not; therefore I verily believe you will not be offended at it, for you can discern from what spirit I write: but notwithstanding I have enumerated so many hurtful things which have prevailed upon some that have been unwatchful, yet I hope none will mistake me so far as that thereby I mean the generality of Friends, which I am far from doing; for I believe, and know, that the Lord has still a faithful people in this nation, which I hope he will preserve to the end. Moreover, I have this in particular to say to