A SALUTATION TO THE Suffering-Seed OF GOD, WHEREIN The things are declared and signified beforehand that must shortly come to pass.  
By a Servant of the Lord, Josiah Coale.  
I will send you the Spirit of Truth the Comforter, and it shall show you things to come:  John 16.13. 
LONDON, Printed for William Warwick 1663.   

A Salutation to the Suffering-Seed of God, etc.  
DEarly beloved Friends, Brethren and Sisters, Babes, Lambs and Children, who are of the Election of Grace, and of the true Shepherds Fold, whom it hath pleased my heavenly Father in his Love, Life and Spirit, to gather out of the World, and to separate from amongst men, to be the first fruits unto Him, and to the LAMB, in this Day of his Power and glorious Appearance, and hath manifested his Power, and revealed his glorious Arm of Strength in and amongst you, and hath made known his blessed, sweet, refreshing Presence in the midst of you, whereby you have been refreshed, comforted and strengthened in the midst of many Trials, Tribulations and Temptations, which have been suffered to come upon you for the trial of your Faith since you were a People unto him: & you know right well, that he hath not been wanting unto you in any state or condition that you have been brought into, as you abode faithful unto him: And the mighty things which he hath done for you, and the great deliverances which he hath brought unto you in the time when you were in great distress, surely cannot be forgotten by you, but is worthy to be had in everlasting remembrance: And the things which you have seen of this kind, and the endless lovingkindness of God unto you therein manifested, is and (I hope) will be for ever sufficient to engage you to walk with the Lord in singleness and uprightness of heart, that in all trials of what nature or kind soever that you meet withal for the future time, you may hold fast your testimony for him, and your Faith and Confidence in him, and and be nothing daunted in your minds hearts, nor spirits, but in all things give up unto the Lord, and resign up your Cause unto him alone, and he will certainly plead for you in the hearts of your Enemies, and they shall assuredly know that his controversy is very great with them for your sakes: For he hath regard unto your sufferings, and the cries and deep groans of his oppressed suffering Seed, is continually before him, and he is near to bring deliverance unto all who in patience and contentedness wait upon him, and that trust in him with an upright, and with a perfect heart.  
Wherefore I say unto you all, my beloved Friends, Lambs and Babes of God, be patiented, and therein wait upon God, for the coming of the Lord draweth nigh, and the day of a great deliverance is at hand, wherein lie will do, and bring to pass such things which cannot be believed by many, though they should be told unto them: Therefore murmur not against the Lord in any wise, because of these things which are come to pass, and happened unto us, nor because of the greatness of the rage of the Adversary, for it is because he hath but a very short time, and though you have born long, and suffered much in divers kinds, and the oppressive yoke of Antichrist is not yet removed nor taken away, yet I say, my Friends, Fear not, nor faint not in your minds, but endure to the end in the Faith and Patience of Jesus, and when the things determined shall be accomplished, and the measure of iniquity shall be filled up, then shall the day of a great deliverance come unto you, and your eyes shall see Jerusalem a quiet habitation, the praise of the whole earth: And then shall the Lord God Almighty be known to reign in the Kingdoms of Men, and his Glory shall spread forth its self to the ends of the world, and be declared of throughout all the Nations of the Earth, and the Knowledge of God shall cover the Earth as the waters cover the Sea. These say are faithful and true, and things that must shortly come to pass and be fulfilled, the Lord hath spoken it, and blessed are all they who believe and obey the Word of the Gospel, and waits for the fulfilling of these things.  
Wherhfore my dear Friends, dwell low in God's fear, and in his Covenant of Light into which you are gathered, and wait to receive his pure, Divine, Heavenly wisdom to order you, and be you ordered thereby, and that will keep you out of all extremes, so that none will be lifted up above what is meet, because of the Promises of God, nor yet be cast down because of the threaten of the Enemy, that so you may neither turn aside to the right hand, nor to the left, but that you may walk on in the even way, which is the path of peace, and feel the Eternal Life which is of God, to remain and abide in you, so will you be kept fresh and lively in the beauty of Truth and Holiness, and shine as Lights to the World: For you are the Salt with which the Earth must be seasoned, and with which all things must be salted to make it savoury unto God, & acceptable unto him: For as the state of the World is in which they now lie, they are unsavoury unto God, and not at all a pleasant smell, neither hath he any delight in their Sacrifices, for even their prayers are abominable unto him, and their solemn Assemblies he hath no pleasure in, but his soul even loathes and abhors them, and he will certainly work a Reformation in the Earth, and he will beat down Babylon with a mighty blow, and will bring a great desolation upon her, & amongst her Merchants shall the noise of a great howling be heard, and all her delicacies shall come to nought, and all her costly attire (the works of cunning Workmen) shall be consumed, for she is come into remembrance before the Lord, and as she hath loved blood, so must she have blood to drink, for the Cup of God's Fury is already filled into the hands of the Saints of the Most High, to pour out unto her: And as she hath lived deliciously, and glorified herself, so much torment and sorrow must she have given unto her, yea she shall have doubled unto her according to all her works, and then shall the Saints, Prophets and holy Apostles rejoice over, when God shall have avenged us on her.  
And now my beloved Friends, this I say unto you in and by the Spirit of the Lord, That the time hastens and draweth nigh in which these things must be brought to pass, yet nevertheless the things decreed and determined of the Lord must first be accomplished: So that although the power of darkness hath been long working, and doth still work, as it were, in a prevalent manner, by which sufferings and tribulation are brought upon us, yet I say, it is by the permission of the hand of the Lord, that these things are so, and he hath an end in suffering it so to be, and that for his own glory, and who shall say him nay for so doing, or reason with him about matters of so deep concernment, seeing his way is hid from man, and is not known unto any, but only them unto whom he reveals it.  
But this my Friends, I know from the Lord, That he hath an intent and purpose of good unto us thereby, and why then should not we all be content, and willingly submit unto the hand of the Lord, whose Fatherly care is over all his. And truly Friends, though we may say we have suffered long by the afflicting hand of our Enemies, and their stroke hath fallen hard upon many of us, and that great sufferings and afflictions seem still to attend us, yet my Friends (blessed be the Lord) my heart is not at all troubled at these things, neither do thoughts of fear enter, because I see the end of the Lord in it. And I know it is not contrary, but according to the determination of the Almighty that these things are so: Yet I dare not but acknowledge, that they by whom these sufferings are inflicted upon us, do go beyond their bounds and commission, and that is the very thing which will break them, when they have filled up their measure.  
Wherefore my beloved brethren, be you all  with me in this matter, and settle it in your hearts to bear all things with patience and contentedness, that may yet come upon you for the farther trial of your Faith, and put on Valour, and Courage, and Boldness, and be strong in the Lord, and in the Power of his Might, and be nothing daunted before the face of your Enemies, but let them see your courage in the Spirit of the Lamb, and in the Wisdom of God: For the Lord is assuredly with us, and amongst us, and will be an Enemy unto our Enemies: And what is it makes a people more dreadful and terrible, then to have the Presence of the Lord with them? And truly Friends, this I know from the Lord, and this I have received from God, That he will yet make his people a terror to the Nations round about them, and they shall come bowing and bending, and shall desire to be at a League and Covenant with all those who are, and abide in Covenant with God, because they shall know that God is with us.  
Therefore all my Friends, abide in that where you may have and enjoy the presence of the Lord, and know it to continue always with you, who will be your everlasting Comforter and your stay and strength in all states and conditions, and you will not be left comfortless by him, though you may be yet further tried, and sometimes it may be cast down, yet you will not be forsaken that trust in him, and repose confidence in him, for he will be always with you, and will give you of his Counsel and Wisdom, by which you will be directed to walk in the path of peace, and all occasions of stumbling will be removed out of the way, and you will not at all think it strange that the Lord suffereth you so to be tried, for you will see the end and purpose of God therein, and so in submission to his Heavenly Will in all things, you will have satisfaction, peace, joy and content: But if the reasoning part enter, that will soon darken the understanding, and veil the life, and the Counsel of God will be obscure to thee, and thou wilt not see the end of the Lord in his thus exercising of thee, and then sufferings will be grievous and hard to be born, and the murmurer will get up, that will murmur against God, and peace will fly from thee, and the afflicting hand of God will be upon thee also, because of thy unfaithfulness, and such a state is worse than his that never knew the way of Truth: Wherefore consult not with flesh and blood, but in patience continue to the end, in well-doing, and none to be weary therein, but be circumspect and diligent every one in your minds and spirits, and watch unto prayer, that you enter not into the temptation when it cometh, for your Adversary the Devil goeth about like a roaring Lion, and waits to devour, and lurks to destroy the precious life, and will lo see no opportunity that possibly he can get to make an entrance upon you, to deprive you of your treasure: Wherefore I say, Resist him steadfast in the Faith, and be you armed with the whole Armour of God, that you may be able to withstand him in all his appearances, for now he will bestir him with all his force and might, and will make many great oppositions and assaults both within and without, if by any means to beguile you as he did Eve in the beginning: but as you dwell in him who is the quickening Spirit, in him the Devil hath no part, neither can he prevail there, so in him your safety is from the devourer, for he that is begotten of God into this quickening Spirit, and therein abides, he it is that keepeth himself, and that wicked one toucheth him not. And so my dear Friends, I am full of unfeigned love to you all, and my heart is indeed greatly enlarged towards you with the goodness and love of God which abounds in me, and not in me only, but in all the Flock of my Father's Fold, who are faithful and upright-hearted unto him, and a Table richly decked he hath spread before us in the midst of our Enemies, and what could we more desire then the Lord hath done for us, and promised to do? He hath begotten us unto himself, and nourished and brought us up unto this state in which we now stand, and this he hath done by his own right hand of power, and hath form us for his praise, to be a peculiar people unto himself: And now this he requireth of every one, That you walk worthy of his Love, that it rise not in judgement against any one, and that every one answer his requirings, and the leadings and drawings of his Spirit, so shall his Love continue with you for ever, and you shall be as a watered Garden, whose springs doth not fail: So to the Lord do I resign you up, and commit you all to the Word of his Grace, who will preserve you, and keep you thereby who trust in him, and the Almighty Arm of God be amongst you, and prosper and preserve you unto his everlasting Kingdom, Amen.  
And this was I moved by the Spirit of the Lord to write unto you, as a Salutation of my endeared Love unto you, and that the things that must shortly come to pass, might be signified unto you beforehand, and that you may be refreshed thereby: And so in the Faith thereof I rest and remain  
Your Brother in the patience and tribulation of the Lamb, Josiah Coale. Written at Kingston upon Thames, the 22. of the 7th month 1663. and is to go amongst Friends, to be read in their Assemblies in the Lord's fear.   

POSTSCRIPT.  
ANd Friends, not in any wise to forsake the assembling of yourselves together, in as much as you know the exceeding benefit you have received thereby, and you know full well, that it was the usual practice of the servants of God by whom you were begotten into the Truth, and instructed therein (of whom some remains amongst you unto this day, and some are fallen asleep) I say, it was their usual manner to exhort you, and to stir you up to that obedience of assembling yourselves together: And when did you meet together to wait upon God, and your hearts kept stayed upon him, but that you received your expected end? Wherefore let the remembrance of these things encourage you to continue in this well-doing while you have a being and liberty so to do: And though there were such in ages past, whose manner was to forsake the assembling of themselves together, and some such there are at this day also: Yet my Friends, let not them be your example to walk by, but every one to walk as you had and have them for examples amongst you who begat you into the truth, and by whom the Way of Life hath been made known unto you, & be ye followers of them even as they were, & are of Christ: For this my Friends I say unto you, There are some sprung up amongst us who have in effect, laboured to dissuade Friends from their usual way and manner of meeting and assembling together, with whose Spirit and proceed therein we have not unity, but must in the Spirit of Christ Jesus the Lamb of God, give testimony against them, and forewarn you not to receive that Spirit which goeth about to divert you from your usual way and manner of assembling together, in which you have had the comfort of the presence of the Lord, and received the Justification of Life, and thereby your growth hath been much added unto: So that certainly my Friends, that Spirit which would turn you aside from this godly practice (of assembling together) is a dangerous spirit, and is not of God, whatsoever it pretend, or though it cover itself with never so fair expressions. Wherefore my dear Friends, have Salt within you to savour withal, and keep your first Love, and your first Faith, through which you received life eternal; and hold fast your first simplicity, and your former integrity, and gad not abroad to change your ways, but meet together in the Name and Fear of the Lord, as your wont manner hath been, so shall you find the presence of God with you in your Assemblies, as in the days past, and his wont goodness and love you will feel, which will warm your hearts, and refresh your souls, by which you will be kept living unto him, and a good savour, and be to the praise of his Name, who is God over all blessed for ever.  
J. C.  
After the writing hareof, this following Paper came to my hands, which I judge very seasonable to publish herewith.   

To all that believe in Christ.  
YE that believe in Christ Jesus the Light of the World, and are convinced of the way of God's Truth, and know it by his Light in your own Consciences, continue all of you in this Faith, and be steadfast in it all your days, and let there be no neglect in any of you of meeting together, but approve your hearts to God, & to his people, in this thing of assembling yourselves together to wait upon the Lord, for it is his will thus to do, and it is according to the example of the Saints in former days, and it is according to our practice who are the first fruits to God, and to the Lamb, in this last age, and by the Spirit of the Lord, and in the Name and Power of Christ Jesus, we have given example therein, and instruction and exhortation thereunto, again and again, even that all that believe in Jesus, and are convinced of his Truth in their Consciences, should assemble themselves together once or twice a Week, or as the Wisdom of God teacheth, for in such practice of so meeting together, we have found much of the Lords presence many times refreshing our souls, yea many have received of the Lord in their Assembling together, the sense, and virtue, and peace of the Lord in an unexpressible manner, and we can certify to all, that it is the way of the Lord, and he is found in it, when people are turned to the gift of the Spirit of Christ in them, in their Meetings the Lord descendeth amongst them, every one being turned to their own, than the Lord is near unto them: And therefore again and again I exhort all, Meet together in the Name of Jesus, and you will find the Life, Peace and Comfort of Jesus amongst you: For if any being convinced, and believing, and will not assemble themselves together, it shows such to be unfaithful, negligent, and of a careless heart, and not regarding the honour of the Lord, nor their own peace, and amongst the disobedient must such be accounted, when the Lord comes to reward every one according to their works: And forasmuch as this very thing of our meeting together is become the main concroversie at this day between us and them that would destroy us, and out of their envy against God and his People, and to destroy the way of his Truth, do they contend against us in this case: Therefore as ye love the Cause of God, and would have it prevail against its Enemies, and as ye would not give the wicked one that occasion to say he hath overcomed, and as ye would not give God's Cause into his Enemy's hand, I say unto you, neglect not to meet together, that the Lord may delight to dwell with you, and to reveal the Mystery of his glory unto you, and that the Enemy of his Truth may be overcome both within and without: And hereby shall all know you to be the Lord's People, and that he hath a people that will serve him above the fear of this World.  
Edward Burroughs.  
THE END.