in the day of account? You that by your ease and lukewarmness 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 mill stone were hanged about his neck, and that he were drowned in the depth of the sea." What then will be the portion of such as these? Therefore let all who are concerned therein, repent, and do their first works, before it be too late. if right time be not observed, right services may be lost. Whereas, if true discipline had been duly and rightly executed, it might 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 obstructing or breaking of this right line of discipline, has produced, I fear, a partial conniving amongst some; for have not And beside height, pride and fashions, the easy, lukewarm, and indifferent, who have which have appeared in too many with a lost their first love, daubed with untempered daring face, are there not those, who have mortar, in endeavouring to screen and defend nearly lost, or been ashamed of the plain the covetous, and those who trouble the church? language, both in speaking and writing? Are And on the other hand, have not such joined there not some who have gone into undue with the lukewarm daubers, when they have liberty of many kinds, and others who would been justly found fault with? and then, both be accounted something, who have gone into sorts have been easy with the high, proud, contentions and differences, through a covet- and libertines, who also in their turn, as they ous and selfish spirit, to the trouble of the had opportunity, have defended the rest; and church? I wish there may not be such. But thus they have strengthened one another, conI cannot well pass by this spirit of covetous-trary to that most solemn charge, which the ness without remarking, that it is an abominable evil in the sight of the Lord. Christ himself severely reprehended it, and cautioned to beware thereof. His holy apostle called it idolatry, and the former prophets cried out against it, as did also our worthy elder William Edmundson, often warning us to beware thereof; for where it takes deep root in the heart, it becomes a merciless, devouring spirit, not only endeavouring to devour others, but even destroying that man who gives way unto it, and very little can stand before it: therefore beware thereof wherever it appears! apostle Paul gave to Timothy, with regard to the management of church affairs, namely, "I charge thee 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." Such as these are men for God, and right judges for him; they cannot swerve or be par tial to any party, persons, or even the nearest relations, for favour, affection, or worldly ends. But as to those who are easy, lukewarm, partial, or cold, or such as are troublers of the church of God, who once knew better things, I have this in my heart to say,-The Lord's controversy is against them, whether they pretend to be teachers of others, or elders, and he will dreadfully plead with such, above others; for they may not only have their own blood to answer for, but also the blood of others. Therefore, let such repent in time, before it be too late. If any think me too sharp in what I write, I may tell them, it is no pleasing work to me, for I do it in the cross to my own will; the day calls for plain dealing, and I must discharge my conscience. And lastly, I now query in a more general manner, Are there not some, who were once very zealous and stood against all these things I have mentioned, who, 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, joining hand to hand, and putting shoulder to shoulder, to help the faithful in keeping out these things; by which means, I am persuaded they would in great measure have been kept out? And have not some of these, of late years, given way to those things But as for you, my dear Friends, who have themselves, and are there not others who have retained your first love to God, and have stood stood casy and unconcerned in mind, while zealously for the Lord and his Truth, whether they have beheld this departure; and instead you are ministers or elders, young or old, of helping the zealous and upright in heart, what I write touches you not; therefore I have rather clogged and weakened their hands, verily believe you will not be offended at it; by openly or secretly abetting the cause of the you can discern from what spirit I write. wrong spirited and the disorderly, so far as And notwithstanding I have enumerated many they were able, and thereby have sometimes hurtful things, which have prevailed upon warded off the stroke of justice and judgment, some who have been unwatchful, yet I hope in the way of discipline, and hindered the line none will mistake me so far, as that thereby I thereof being stretched over such in due time, mean the generality of Friends, which I am according to the nature of their offences? For | far from doing; for I believe and know that the Lord has still a faithful people in this na- emplary in their habit and apparel, and no tion, which I hope he will preserve to the end. tattlers; and thirdly, so far as Friends can Moreover, I have this in particular to say have a sense of their spirits, they should judge unto you, who go mourning under the burden whether they will be condescending to godly of these things:-Be not too much discouraged, elders, and not be likely either in words or though some of your brethren, that should have spirit to oppose them: for I have observed helped you, have left you :-it was so of old. some, who have been admitted without these Remember that servant of the Lord, Moses, qualifications, have in time proved great trouhow often he was brought into great straits, blers to the church, especially if they had by the opposition he met with from rebellious fluent tongues; and this I have beheld in some Israel; yet the Lord stood by him and carried places in my travels, to the grief of my soul. him through to the end. Remember the pro- Another thing I may also observe: we have phets Elijah, Ezekiel, and Jeremiah, with a great many young and middle-aged persons others, who sometimes thought they stood amongst us, who are orderly in their converalone, yet the Lord stood by them, and like-sation, and wish well to the prosperity of wise carried them through. Remember Paul, Truth; and yet are, as I may term it, either who said to Timothy upon one occasion, that indolent, or too much encumbered with the no man stood with him, and all they of Asia things of this world, and thereby are backward had turned from him. And he oftentimes met in coming up into that service for Truth, of with great opposition and discouragements, which they might otherwise have been capayet the Lord stood by him, and carried him ble, were their spiritual senses rightly exerthrough all. These may be as examples and cised; but this backwardness occasions their encouragement to you: therefore slack not senses to grow dull for want of use. I believe your hands, be not dismayed because of the it will become the duty of godly elders, to stir oppositions and discouragements you meet up such to mind the gift that is in them, and with; stand your ground, and be zealous for if need be even to rouse them up to their duthe Lord and his testimony; and although ties, as well for their own good, as the service you cannot do all you desire, yet do all you they may have for the Truth. can, and the Lord will stand by you, and do for you as he did for those formerly. And now, dear Friends, one thing more bears with weight upon my mind, and I Dear Friends, there is another subject of could not be easy without touching upon it; great consequence, that I have not yet men- if it only tend to caution the younger ones, tioned, which has done abundance of mischief my end will be answered; and that is, rein the church, namely, the fondness and in-lating to the close joining in familiarity with dulgence of many parents to their children, in giving them their own way and wills so long, until the root of evil has grown and spread itself into many evil branches, and at length, they have been alienated from Truth and Friends. I could enlarge abundantly upon the evil effects of this fond indulgence; but that I have been so large already on other matters, and that we have so many advices against it. However, I say, that though some godly parents have discharged their duty to their children, which has not had the desired effect, yet these will be clear of their blood; but I believe too many have not performed their duty, by which neglect, their children have taken wrong liberty and fallen into hurtful things such parents must be accountable for it in the day of the Lord. any dark, opposite, and unruly spirits. You know we have advices against it, and the apostle Paul was of the same mind, when he advised to have no company with any, who obeyed not their word by that epistle, 2 Thess. iii. 14; yet in that case, he adviseth not to count such as an enemy, but to admonish him as a brother: but positively commands, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, to withdraw from every brother that walketh disorderly, and not after the tradition received of the apostle, and likewise to have no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness, but reprove them. Now if any who walk orderly and are in fellowship with Friends, contract a very intimate and unnecessary familiarity with persons of dark or opposite spirits, I believe it will I have already spoken of admitting young have the following bad effects:-it may rather men into our meetings for discipline, yet have strengthen them in that spirit, than help to rethis to add,—not as your director, but as be- claim them from their opposition; and may lieving it is what Truth will lead all right harden them in prejudice against those who spirited Friends into, in every quarter,-Be have kept firm against wrong things; besides very careful in admitting any, unless they the effect of ill example and hurt to others, come under the following qualifications. First, who are inclined to follow the steps of the unthey should be sober and orderly in conversa- faithful. But beyond all this, I have observed tion; secondly, they should be plain and ex- that even the orderly themselves have been in the day of account? You that by your ease and lukewarmness 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 mill stone were hanged about his neck, and that he were drowned in the depth of the sea." What then will be the portion of such as these? Therefore let all who are concerned therein, repent, and do their first works, before it be too late. if right time be not observed, right services may be lost. Whereas, if true discipline had been duly and rightly executed, it might 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 obstructing or breaking of this right line of discipline, has produced, I fear, a partial conniving amongst some; for have not And beside height, pride and fashions, the easy, lukewarm, and indifferent, who have which have appeared in too many with a lost their first love, daubed with untempered daring face, are there not those, who have mortar, in endeavouring to screen and defend nearly lost, or been ashamed of the plain the covetous, and those who trouble the church? language, both in speaking and writing? Are And on the other hand, have not such joined there not some who have gone into undue with the lukewarm daubers, when they have liberty of many kinds, and others who would been justly found fault with? and then, both be accounted something, who have gone into sorts have been easy with the high, proud, contentions and differences, through a covet- and libertines, who also in their turn, as they ous and selfish spirit, to the trouble of the had opportunity, have defended the rest; and church? I wish there may not be such. But thus they have strengthened one another, conI cannot well pass by this spirit of covetous-trary to that most solemn charge, which the ness without remarking, that it is an abomina- apostle Paul gave to Timothy, with regard to ble evil in the sight of the Lord. Christ himself severely reprehended it, and cautioned to beware thereof. His holy apostle called it idolatry, and the former prophets cried out against it, as did also our worthy elder William Edmundson, often warning us to beware thereof; for where it takes deep root in the heart, it becomes a merciless, devouring spirit, not only endeavouring to devour others, but even destroying that man who gives way unto it, and very little can stand before it: there-tial, or cold, or such as are troublers of ". fore beware thereof wherever it appears! the management of church affairs, namely, "I charge thee before God, and the Lord Jesus Christ, and the elect angels, that the observe these things without preferring one before another, doing nothing by partiality." Such as these are men for God, and righ judges for him; they cannot swerve or beattial to any party, persons, or even the near relations, for favour, affection, or worldly en But as to those who are easy, lukewarms: church of God, who once knew better thing: But as for you, my dear Friends 397 .me up again, t six or seven and am still w long I shall I am but weak in spirit; and ation, when the I pray unto v soul, for presI may be truly uncertain hour, JOSEPH PIKE. Well, near Cork, 128, in the 71st SEPH PIKE. ch is beyond words, ich writing. ke 19th of First month, 1710. joess and openness, I send w what is past, but know not what many have no doubt been rightly the morning of the day, had excels, and were then as morning stars, beautifully, and were very zealous and able for a time; and yet, alas! not to on some who fell away through divers s, we see some of those who are nded, still retaining the form and Truth, and can perhaps speak gs as in the beginning, and of 6 a few of you would put out of countenance, with a steady and fixed gravity, abundance of the other side, who have no bottom but the vain customs of the times; and you will find the satisfaction in it, an overbalance to all you can lose, since the works of virtue and modesty carry in them an immediate and perpet. ual reward to the worker.' This seemed not unpleasant, being said in an open freedom: but then, alas! all was quenched at last by this;-all of them alleged, that our own young women of any note about London and Bristol went as fine as they, with the finest of silks and laced shoes, and when they went to Bath made as fine a show as any.' Not know. ing but some particulars might give too much occasion for this allegation, it was trying; but with some presence of mind I replied, ‘I have been lately at London and Bristol, and also at Bath, and have not observed any such; but at all these places, Friends are generally pretty greatly hurt, and at last some of them lost thereby; for these, having frequent opportunities of conversing together, and hearing the continual buzzing of things against the faithful, the orderly have in time lent an ear to them, whereby surmises and jealousies have been begotten, then hardness and prejudice have entered, and lastly, a joining in confederacy with dark spirits against those who have nothing more in view than the honour of the Lord and the good of souls; and by this very means, in the time of the separation, many who at first were honest-minded, were caught | in this snare, and some in this nation also. Therefore I hope the orderly will observe our minutes, and the advice and commands of the apostles; and should they have occasion to converse with any of the other sort, let them keep upon their watch, and behave towards them as towards such as are under admonition; for Truth, I am sure, will lead thereto. And now I shall conclude, in much bro-plain, and many of them even of the younger therly love, your dear friend, sort very well on that account; but such among us who take such liberties, go beside their profession, and are no examples of vir tue, but a dishonour and reproach to our profession, and a daily exercise to us; and I hope you will not look at the worst, since amongst us everywhere, you may find better and more general examples of virtue and plainness." Story's Journal, fol. p. 533.-EDITOR.] Cork, 2nd of Third Month, 1726. JOSEPH PIKE. [The following little circumstance has been unintentionally omitted to be inserted in its proper place, and forms a strong contrast with the sentiments of those, who being trained up in plainness, are so ready to throw it off. Thomas Story, much esteemed in his day for In the tenth month, 1726, I caught a violent the work's sake to which he was devoted, in cold, and was affected with the asthma, so that the course of a visit in Gospel love to Friends I was obliged to sit up in a chair for about six in Ireland, landed at Cork in 1716; and being weeks; after which, the gout seized me vio much fatigued came to Joseph Pike's, where lently, likewise the palsy in my tongue and he found a kind and open reception, and the right hand, so that I could not speak for some refreshment he stood in need of. "It being time, and was confined to bed for about twelve the time of the assizes," he writes, " many of or thirteen weeks, during which time I was the higher ranks were in town on that occa- not able to move my feet, and scarcely my sion; with some of whom our friends were hands, and very few thought I could recover. acquainted. One day, there came to my However, it was hid from me, whether I should friend Joseph Pike's to dinner, the young live or die:-but, oh! for ever magnified and Countess of Kildare and her maiden sister, praised be the holy name of the Lord! he did and three others of the gentry. Upon this oc- not leave or forsake me in this time of my casion, we had some free and open conversa- great weakness, and extreme pain of body; tion, in which they commended the plain dress for his dew rested almost continually upon of our women, as the most decent and comely, me, and the sweet incomes of his living and wishing it were in fashion among them. Upon comfortable presence supported me under all; this I told her, that she and the rest of her. so that my bed of suffering was very quality, standing in places of eminence, were made as a bed of pleasure. I was also prethe fittest to begin it, especially since they saw served from the least repining or murmuring a beauty in it, and would be sooner followed thought; being enabled to bless that hand, than those of lower degree. To this she re- which had permitted this affliction of body. plied, 'If we should dress ourselves plain, peo- I was also favoured with the evidence of his ple would gaze at us, call us Quakers, and holy Spirit witnessing with my spirit, that 1 make us the subject of their discourse and never joined with, or strengthened the hands town talk; and we cannot bear to be made so of wrong or libertine spirits, which was a particular.' I answered, 'The cause is so great comfort to me at that time; nor did I good, being that of truth and virtue, if you ever seek my own honour or the applause of heartily upon its just foundation, men, in all the little services I did in transact often |