From Minutes of the Meeting, held the "22nd of the third month, 1678," at the " Meeting Place, at Horslydown," the 23rd at "the Savoy," and the 24th at " the Bull and Mouth."
Postscript—"from the travelling brethren in another Meeting."
"And, all dear Friends, who have been gathered by the powerful Word of life, and united by the one Spirit of our Lord Jesus Christ, to be one blessed family and flock to him, and his over all for ever;—keep your blessed concord, and dwell and abide in that love that first visited you, which time can never wear out, nor many waters quench. It is at this time as a fresh living fountain {Page xxviii} in our hearts, opened by the God of all pure love, life, and mercies, who hath now been with us, as of old, and his overcoming precious presence is felt as in ancient times, in the deep and weighty sense of which our souls reach to you our beloved Friends and Brethren, beseeching you not to be weary of well doing, but through patience and well doing, to wait for that glory, honour, and eternal life, which are the everlasting recompense of the righteous.
"And because that the subtle working of an evil spirit, which seeketh to make a breach upon our heavenly fellowship, may have in measure overtaken and beguiled some that were tender, from their first simplicity, by suggesting, XR3611 as if the ends of our general meetings were not really the service of our Lord Jesus Christ, in his light, power, and Spirit, nor the good of his heritage, in all faithful labour of love, but to seek, and to set up our selves, and to erect and administer another government in the church of God, than that which ariseth from the power and Spirit of our Lord Jesus Christ; which old slanderous spirit we abhor; and blessed be the Lord, the way of this spirit is much hedged up, and it daily withers. And we do hereby further declare unto you, in the faith and testimony of Jesus, that XR2516 we disown and utterly reject all power, authority, and government in the church of Christ, that comes not from Christ, and that is not exercised in the holy power and free spirit of the Lord. Yet we are fully persuaded, according to the apostles, and our elder brethren in former generations, that they that are of God will hear us, in his blessed Spirit, in that which tends to the Lord's glory and honour, and by that which Friends have received from the Lord in them selves, they will be led to receive and embrace that which cometh from the gift and Spirit of God, by and through us his servants, and yours for his glory's sake, in unity, which we have sought above all, and our reward is with him. So, committing you to the Lord, and his ingrafted Word, which is able to save you to the uttermost, (by which the righteous live, and not by bread alone,) and desiring you may keep your possessions, in the power of the Lord Jesus Christ, who hath all power in heaven and earth com mitted to him, and in it take care of his glory ; we remain your travailing Friends and Brethren for Sion's prosperity, and the peace of Jerusalem."
"Signed on behalf of the Meeting, by
ELLIS HOOKES."
Source: Epistles from the Yearly Meeting of Friend held in London London. 1818. Introduction xvii, xviii.
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