exalted spirits came to see unto what this work would tend, they took offence thereat, and sought to weaken the hands of faithful Friends in this good work, under pretence, that all must be left to the witness of God; and if people did not find judgment in themselves for what they did, they must not be judged by others, being themselves gone from truth's judgment and hardened: then they cried out innovation and imposition, and such like. "And hereupon were many again seduced and subverted, and drawn away from their steadfastness in the truth, and began to appear against the good order of the Lord's people, and to reflect upon the godly care that lay upon them, with unhandsome and unsavoury speeches and writings, until a secret root of bitterness and enmity got into several that had been convinced. In this root the enemy wrought with great craft and subtlety, to draw them from the blessed unity that is in Christ Jesus, the true Head of the true church, and begat them into many jealousies and groundless fears of an apostacy, while in the mean time he drew them so far to apostatize from their first love and first works, that they proceeded to expose Friends both in particular and in general, to the reproach and scorn of the world, as much as in them lay. "All which was borne and suffered with much long-suffering and patience, and a great travail lay upon many to endeavour the restoration of them that did thus oppose themselves; for we knew our sincerity, and knew that the Lord would stand by us, and bless our work and labour of love, and blast their work of enmity, and that their striving against the Lord and his blessed work in the hand of his innocent people, neither would nor could prosper. We doubted not at all, but he that had stood by us, and helped us from the beginning, would still stand by us, and give his truth and people the victory over every tongue and pen that rose up in judgment against us, as he hath done to this day, and their work is manifest, and they can proceed no further, blessed be his name for ever." "Also, my friends, it is worth your consideration, to behold, how by his invisible power, many faithful watchmen are raised up upon the walls of your Sion, that in most of your meetings, there be men and women upon whom God hath laid a concern, to be taking care for the good of the whole, and to take the oversight upon them, to see all things kept in good and decent order; and to make due provision for comforting and relieving the necessities of the needy and distressed, that nothing be lacking to make your way comfortable. These have not been, nor are brought under this charge, by any act of yours; but God hath raised up pastors and teachers, elders and deacons, of his own election and choice, and bowed their spirits to take upon them the work and service to which they are appointed for the Lord's sake, and for the body's sake, which is the church; to whom it may truly be said, as in Acts xx. 28, take ye heed to the flock of God, over which the Holy Ghost hath made you overseers, &c. And such ought to be hearkened to in the discharge of their trust, as those that must give an account to him that called them, and gifted them for their several works and services in the church. "By these means hath the Lord established among you a heavenly government, and built as it were a hedge about you, that ye may be preserved from generation to generation; a people fitted for the glory that is, and shall daily more and more be, revealed among and upon the faithful, who delight in that power that called them to be saints, and to bear a profession for the holy name of God, against the many names and ways that men in their changeable minds have set up, that the name of the Lord alone may be exalted." "And all you, dear Friends, upon whom the Lord hath laid a care for his honour, and for the prosperity of the truth, and gathered you into the good order of the Gospel, to meet together to manage the affairs thereof; take heed that ye have a single eye to the Lord; to do the Lord's business in the leadings of his spirit, which is but one, and brings all that are given up to be governed by it, to be of one mind and heart, at least, in the general purpose and service of those meetings. Although through the diversity of exercises, and the several degrees of growth among the brethren, every one may not see or understand alike in every matter, at the first propounding of it; yet this makes no breach of the unity, nor hinders brotherly kindness, but puts you often upon an exercise, and an inward travailing, to feel the pure, peaceable wisdom that is from above among you, and every one's ear is open to it, in whomsoever it speaks; and thereby a sense of life is given in the meeting, to which all that are of a simple and tender mind, join and agree. But if any among you should be contrary minded in the management of some outward affair, relating to the truth, this doth not break the unity that ye have in Christ, nor should it weaken brotherly love. So long as he keeps waiting for an understanding from God, to be gathered into the same sense with you, and walks with you according to the law of charity; such an one ought to be borne with and cherished, and the supplications of your souls will go up to God for him, that God may reveal it to him, if it be his will, that so no difference may be in un derstanding, so far as is necessary for the good of the church, no more than there is in matters of faith and obedience to God. such that so differ, suffer themselves to be led out of the bond of charity, and labour to impose their private sense upon the rest of their brethren, and are offended and angry, if it be not received; this is the seed of sedition and strife that hath grown up in too many to their own hurt. "And, therefore, my dear friends, beware of it, and seek not to drive a matter on in fierceness or in anger, nor to take offence into your minds at any time, because what seems to be clear to you, is not presently received; but let all things in the church be propounded with an awful reverence of Him that is the head and life of it; who hath said, Where two or three are met in my name, I will be in the midst of them: and so he is, and may be felt by all who keep in his spirit. But he that follows his own spirit, sees nothing as he ought to see it. "For, my friends, it is not of absolute necessity that every member of the church should have the same measure of understanding in all things; for then where were the duty of the strong bearing with the weak? Where were the brother of low degree? Where would be any submitting to them that are set over others in the Lord? which all tend to preserving unity in the church, notwithstanding the different measures, and different growths of the members thereof. For as the spirits of the prophets are subject to the prophets, so are the spirits of all that are kept in a true subjection to the spirit of life in themselves, kept in the same subjection to the sense of life given by the same spirit in the church. By this means we come to know one Master, even Christ, and have no room for other masters, in the "Let all beware of their own spirits and matter of our obedience to God. natural tempers, and keep in a gracious tem"While every one keeps in this true sub-per, then ye are fit for the service of the house jection, the sweet concord is known, and the oil is not only upon Aaron's head, but it reacheth the skirts of his garment also; and things are kept sweet and savoury, and ye love one another, from the greatest to the least in sincerity and without dissimulation. This love excludes all whispering of evil things; all backbiting, tale-bearing, grudging and murmuring, and keeps Friends' minds clean one toward another, waiting for every opportunity to do each other good, and to preserve each other's reputation; and their hearts are comforted at the sight of one another. In all their affairs, both relating to the church and to the world, they will be watchful over their own spirits, and keep in the Lord's power, over that nature in themselves, that would be apt to take offence, or construe any word or action to a worse sense than the simplicity thereof, or the intention of the other concerned, will allow of. of God, whose house ye are, as ye keep upon the foundation that God hath laid; and he will build you up, and teach you how to build up one another in him. As every member must feel life in themselves, and all from one head, this life will not hurt itself in any, but be tender of the life in all; for by this one life of the Word, ye were begotten, and by it ye are nourished, and made to grow into your several services in the church of God. It is no man's learning, or artificial acquirements; it is no man's riches, or greatness in this world; it is no man's eloquence and natural wisdom, that makes him fit for government in the church of Christ: all his endowments must be seasoned with the heavenly salt, and his spirit subjected, and his gifts pass through the fire of God's altar, a sacrifice to his praise and honour, that so self may be crucified and baptized into death, and the gifts made use of in the power of the resurrection of the life of "And whereas it may often fall out, that Jesus in him. When this great work is among a great many, some may have a diffe- wrought in a man, then all his gifts and qualirent apprehension of a matter from the rest of fications are sanctified, and made use of for their brethren, especially in outward or tem- the good of the body which is the church, and poral things, there ought to be a Christian are as ornaments and jewels, which serve for liberty maintained for such to express their the joy and comfort of all who are partakers sense, with freedom of mind, or else they will of the same divine fellowship of life, in Christ go away burdened. If they speak their minds Jesus our Lord. Thus many come to be fitfreely, and a friendly and Christian conference ted and furnished to good works, which are be admitted thereupon, they may be eased, brought forth in their due seasons, for edificaand oftentimes the different apprehension of tion and building up the weak, and for repairsuch an one comes to be wholly removed, and his understanding opened, to see as the rest see. For the danger in society, doth not lie so much in this, that some few may have a differing apprehension in some things from the general sense; as it doth in this, namely, when ing the decayed places, and also for defence of them that are feeble, that hurtful things may not come near them." "In the next place, my dear friends, when ye are called upon in point of justice, to give a sentence of right between Friend and Friend, take heed that neither party get possession of your spirits beforehand, by any way or means whatsoever, or obtain any word or sentence from you in the absence of the other party, he not being yet heard. There is nothing more comely among men, than impartial judgment. Judgment is a seat where neither interest nor affection, nor former kindnesses may come. We may make no difference of the worthiness or unworthiness of persons in judgment, as we may in charity; but in judgment, if a good man, being mistaken, hath a bad case, or a bad man a good case, according to his case must he have sentence. It was a good saying, he that judgeth among men, judgeth for the Lord, and he will repay it. Therefore, let all be done as unto the Lord, and as ye are willing to answer it in his presence; and although some may for a time be discontented thereat, yet in time, God shall clear up your innocency as the sun at noonday. They that kick at sound judgment, will find hard work of it; they do but kick against that which will prick them; and, how ever such through their wilfulness, and their abounding in their own sense, may hurt themselves, yet you will be preserved and enjoy your peace and satisfaction in the discharge of your consciences in the sight of God. yet in this it is. You will find some that God hath made poor, and some that have made themselves poor, and some that others have made poor. These must all have their several considerations, in which you ought to labour to be unanimous, and not one to be taken up with an affection to one person more than another; but every one to love every one in the universal spirit, and then to deal out that love in the outward manifestations thereof, according to the measure that the Lord in his wisdom working in you, shall measure forth to them. "And as to those who by sickness, lameness, age, or other impotency, are brought into poverty by the hand of Providence, these are your peculiar care and objects pointed out to you, to bestow your charity upon, for by them the Lord calls for it. For as the earth is the Lord's and the fulness of it, he hath by his sovereign power, commanded in every dispensation, that a part of what we enjoy from him, should be thus employed. The Israelites were not to reap the corners of their fields, nor to gather the gleanings of the corn nor vintage, it was for the poor. And in the time of the Gospel, they were to lay by on the first day of the week, a part of what God had blessed them with, for the relief of those that were in necessity; nay, they did not confine themselves in their charity to their own meetings, but had an universal eye through the whole church of Christ, and upon extraordinary occasions, sent their benevolence to relieve the saints at Jerusalem, in a time of need. All that keep in the guidance of the same universal spirit, will make it their business to be "Concerning practical charity, ye know it is supported by liberality; and where liberality ceaseth, charity waxeth cold, yea, so far ceaseth. Where there is no contribution, there is no distribution; where the one is sparing, the other is sparing. Therefore, let every one nourish charity in the root, that is, keep a liberal mind, a heart that looks upon the substance that is given him, as really bestow-found in the same practice of charity and good ed upon him as much for the support of charity, as for the support of his own body. And where people are of this mind, they will have a care of keeping back any of God's part, for he hath in all ages, in a most singular manner, espoused the cause of the poor, the widow and fatherless. He hath often signified by his prophets and ministers, a special charge upon rich men, that have this world's goods, that they should look to it that they were faithful stewards of what they possessed, and that they might be found in good works, and might not suffer their hearts so to cleave to uncertain riches, as to neglect the service God had given them the things of this life for, either to give them up when called for, in a testimony for his worthy name, or to communicate of them to those that were in necessity. "Now, as concerning the necessities of the poor, there is great need of wisdom when ye meet together about that affair; for as I said before, though the worthiness or unworthiness of persons is not to be considered in judgment, works: to do good, and to communicate, forget not, saith the apostle. They that forget not this Christian duty, will find out the poor's part in the corners and gleanings of the profits of their trades and merchandizing, as well as the old Israelite did the corners and gleanings of his field; and in the distribution of it, will have a regard to comfort such who are by the divine providence of God, put out of a capacity of enjoying those outward comforts of health, and strength and plenty, which others do enjoy. For while they are partakers of the same faith, and walk in the way of righteousness with you, submitting themselves patiently to the dispensation of God's providence towards them; they are of your household, and under your care, both to visit, and to relieve as members of the one body, of which Christ Jesus is head; and he that giveth to such poor, lendeth to the Lord, and he will repay it. "But there is another sort of poor, who make themselves poor through their sloth and carelessness, and sometimes by their wilful- scattered seed, in this and other nations; oh! ness; being heady and high-minded, and tak- let the dignity of your calling, provoke and ing things in hand that are more than they encourage you to be diligent attenders upon can manage, and make a flourish for a season, the work and service you are called to. Let and then through their own neglect, are plung- not your concerns in the world, draw you ed down into great poverty. These are a sort from observing the times and seasons appointwhich the primitive churches began to be trou-ed to meet together; but you that are elder, bled with in the early days of the Gospel. For set a good example to the younger sort, by a the apostle took notice of some that would not due observation of the hour appointed, that work at all, and sharply reproved them, and said, they that come first one time, may not by their they that would not work should not eat; and long staying for others, be discouraged, so as these are commonly a sort of busy-bodies, and perhaps they may be last another time; but meddlers with others' matters, while they ne- when the time is come, leave your business glect their own, and run into a worse way for the Lord's work, and he will take care than the unbelievers, while they profess to be your business shall not suffer, but will add a believers, yet do not take a due care for those blessing upon it, which will do more for you, of their own household. than the time can do that may be saved out of his service. : "The charity that is proper to such, is to give them admonition and reproof, and to convince them of their sloth and negligence; and if they submit to your reproof, and are willing to amend, then care ought to be taken to help them into a way and means to support themselves and sometimes by a little help in this kind, some have been reclaimed from the snares of their souls' enemy. But if they will not receive your wholesome counsel and admonition, but kick against it, either in their words or actions, Friends will be clear of such in the sight of God; for it is unreasonable in them to expect you should feed them that will not be advised by you, because they break the obligation of society, by their disorderly walking. For our communion doth not stand only in frequenting meetings, and hearing truth preached; but in answering the blessed principle of truth, in life and conversation, and therein both the rich and the poor have fellowship one with another. "And when ye have to do with perverse, and froward or disorderly persons, whom ye have occasion to reprove and to rebuke for the truth's sake, and you find them stout and high, and reflecting upon you, then is a time for the Lamb's meekness to shine forth, and for you to feel your authority in the name of Christ to deal with such an one, and to wait for the pure and peaceable wisdom from above, to bring down and confound the earthly wisdom. In this frame of mind labour together, to pull the entangled sheep out of the thicket, and to restore that which is gone astray, to the fold again, if you can; but if you cannot, yet ye save yourselves from the guilt of his blood; and if such do perish, his blood will be on his own head. But, on the other hand, if ye suffer their perverse spirits to enter, and their provocations to have a place in you, so as to kindle your spirits into a heat and passion, then you get a hurt, and are incapable to do "There is another sort that are made poor them any good; but words will break out that by the oppressions and cruelties of others. will need repentance, and the wicked will be These oppressed poor, cry loudly in the ears stiffened and strengthened thereby, and you of the Almighty, and he will in his own time, miss the service that you did really intend. avenge their case: but in the mean time there Therefore, dearly beloved, keep upon your is a tenderness to be extended to them, not watch, keep on your spiritual armour, keep knowing how soon it may be our turn; and your feet shod with the preparation of the if there be need of counsel and advice, or if Gospel of peace, and the God of peace will any application can be made to any that are be with you, and crown your endeavours with able to deliver them from the oppressors in good success, to your joy and comfort. He such cases, let all that are capable, be ready will bring his power over your adversaries and and willing to advise, relieve and help the dis-opposers, more and more, to which many shall tressed; and this is an acceptable work of charity, and a great comfort to such in sharp afflictions, and their souls will bless the instruments of their ease and comfort. "And, my dear friends, as God hath honoured you with so high and holy a calling, to be his servants and workmen in this his great and notable day, and to work together in his power, in setting forth his praise and glory in the earth, and gathering together in one the bow and bend in your sight; and will bring shame and confusion upon the rebellious, who harden their hearts, and stiffen their necks, against the Lord, and his Christ, and kingdom, which he will exalt in the earth, notwithstanding all that satan and his evil instruments can do, to hinder the growth and progress of his blessed truth; for of the increase of the government and of the peace of the kingdom of Christ, there shall be no end." THE END. A BRIEF ACCOUNT OF THE LIFE OF CHRISTOPHER STORY, A MINISTER OF THE GOSPEL, IN THE SOCIETY OF FRIENDS. "The path of the just is as the shining light, that shineth more and more unto the perfect day." Prov. iv. 18. "Mark the perfect man, and behold the upright; for the end of that man is peace." Psal. xxxvii. 37. The Testimony of BRIDGET STORY, concerning | his brethren, who were then but few in number her deceased husband, CHRISTOPHER STORY. in those parts. The Lord was pleased to lay a concern upon him to visit the churches in THE LORD, who is the giver of all good divers places in this nation, also in Scotland gifts, and from whom all our mercies and and Ireland, several times. And I doubt not blessings proceed, graciously favoured me with but his labour of love was blessed, he being the privilege of this my dear husband, whose endued with a gift of the ministry that was company and fellowship, whilst I enjoyed them, not only plain, but powerful and edifying, and were esteemed by me, as the greatest of tempo- often fell upon the heritage of God, as a sweet ral mercies. The loss of such a worthy hus- shower upon the tender grass, whereby they band affects my heart with great sorrow; but were comforted and refreshed in the Lord. in consideration that my loss, though very His care was great over the churches of Christ, great, is his unspeakable gain, I am therefore that all might be preserved in true love and made to bless the Lord, who gives and takes unity; and the Lord was pleased to furnish away at his pleasure. We lived together in him with an excellent understanding in the the married state upwards of fifty years, in true affairs relating to the Discipline, and the good love and sweet concord. It pleased God, a order established therein. He was very dilifew years after our being married, to visit my gent and unwearied in attending such meetdear husband with the day-spring from on ings; and his blameless conversation, and the high, and it had such good effect, as to bring authority he was endued with, gave him great him under the just judgments of God for sin. room amongst his brethren, who much loved And notwithstanding his being religiously in- and honoured him. It is not within the reach clined from his youth, yet when the Lord was of my capacity to set forth the worth of this pleased to open his understanding, he saw his my dear husband, yet I thought it my duty to building must all be thrown down, being not pay this tribute to his memory, for he was not upon the true foundation; and being humbled only an husband, but even as a nursing father before the Lord, he willingly bowed under the to me, and a tender and watchful father over yoke of Christ, and took up his daily cross, our children. The remembrance of the many and thereby became a disciple and follower of sweet and comfortable times I have enjoyed him. The Lord having prepared him for his with him among the Lord's people, gives me service, in his own time endued him with a occasion to bless the Lord, and also humbly gift of the ministry, being one of the first that to beg of him to raise up others in the room was raised up in that service in this part of of him, and of many more of our worthy the country; and continuing in faithfulness ancients who are removed from us, to stand both in doing and in suffering, which soon fell as faithful testimony-bearers, for his name and to his lot, he became very serviceable amongst | truth upon the earth; that the Lord's great |