An Epistle to be Communicated to Friends, & to be read in the Fear of the Lord in their Men and women's Meetings, and other Meetings; only among Friends, as they in the Wisdom of God shall see meet and serviceable.  
FRIENDS,  
WHereas it hath pleased the Lord in the unspeakable Riches of his Mercy, to visit a Remnant in his Love, and to meet with us in a Way where we expected him not, when we were wand'ring from Mountain to Hill, and choosing our own Ways, seeking the Living amongst the Dead; yea, when we had long thus wearied ourselves, and almost dispaired of finding what we sought, but were saying in ourselves, Who shall ascend up, or descend down for us, to bring that to us, without which our immortal Souls can find no Rest? Even in that time is the Lord appeared, not as a God afar off, but a God near, even in our Hearts is he appeared through the Light of his Son, and thereby opened he our Hearts and Understandings, according to his divine Wisdom, who knew every ones State and every ones Necessity; and he became as a Pillar of a Cloud by Day, and as a Pillar of Fire by Night unto all such as embraced and received his Appearance, and followed him faithfully; yea, he became as a wall of fire round about them who did wholly put their trust in him. And thus hath he gathered us to be a people, who were once as scattered Sheep that knew not the true Shepherd; and hath made us as Firstlings upon his holy Mountain, that we might be as Lights and Leaders to the next Generations; and many are so in the Sight of the Lord and his Anointed, and are so felt and known among his People.  
And seeing we are called to be as Firstlings and Examples to the Generations that are coming after us, it is highly needful that we watch diligently in the Fear and Wisdom of God, that nothing may be, nor remain among us as an Old Leaven, to grieve and burden the Redeemed, nor to be an Occasion of Evil Example to the Young Ones that are coming up after us: And considering that it is every one's Duty to be faithful in their Measures, and not to put that under a Bushel which is manifested from the Lord, but to bring it forth in the true Love of God, and Faithfulness to each other, to the edifying and building up, and to the Amendment and Admonition of those concerned, and that all Causes of Stumbling might be removed, and that we might not leave a Hoof in Egypt, but might all follow the Lamb as the Redeemed of the Lord together; and being Washed, Sanctified and Born again, might come to sing the New Song, with the New Name in our Foreheads, and Hallelujahs in our Mouths, Amen, Amen.  
For these good Ends it is in my heart to signify these two things, that at the present are principally upon me, which I have born a weight concerning for several years, and did hope that some elder and fit might feel the like Weight, and bring forth a Testimony concerning the same, whereupon I have forborn as long as well I durst; but now finding that I am not cleared of the Matter, but that in a fresh living Sense it is renewed in me, I dare not longer forbear to write the things that are upon my Spirit in these two Particulars, and recommend the same unto God's Witness in all Consciences.  
The first thing that lies before me is, concerning the bringing up of our Children, which is a very weighty Concern; and every one that hath the bringing up of Children will have very much to answer for, if they do not quit themselves as before the Lord in all Diligence and Faithfulness; they are God's Creatures, and given to Parents as a Gift from him, upon whom they are to improve their utmost Diligence, that they may grow up in the Fear of God; and that Parents should not overlook things in their Children through fond Affection, which they know by the Light of Jesus to be evil and bad; neither speak to them in a slender Reproof, as Eli did to his Sons, but from their youth upwards to set before their Eyes the Weight & Danger of their Iniquity, and that in a Holy Zeal, as for the Lord, and in a deep sense of his holy Power, seeking in their young years to reach the Witness of God in them, and above all things, to be a Good Example to them in all things, or else we break down in them that which we seek to build up; for how can we build them up in the Faith, except we so stand in the Faith as to obtain the Victory in ourselves? and how can we bring their Minds to the Light of Jesus, except we walk in it? Neither ought any one to be bitter to their Children, nor to require more of them then we know they are of Ability to perform; and when they fall short of their Duty, not to Correct them in our own Wills, nor in a Wrathful Angry Mind; for that Mind is itself for Correction; but on the contrary, to help them with the Rod of a gentle Chastisement, in the Fear of God, to bow their own stubborn Wills, and so comes the Witness in them to be reached, and they grow sensible in themselves that the Rod hath been a Help to them, and come to feel a Love and Unity with them that have so helped them, while their Minds are kept to the Truth.  
And seeing we are as a City set upon a Hill, and as Forerunners and Leaders to the next Generations, where and in what should the Pattern of our Godly Lives more appear and shine forth, then to the Innocent Children of our own Birth and Generation, which are committed to us as a particular Charge and Ministry, from their time of greatest Innocency upwards, to whom we are bound by the Band of Nature, and by the Ordinance of God, to take Care over, and to bring up in his pure Fear, in all Wisdom, Discretion and Watchfulness that we may be a good Savour in them and to them, whether it be unto Life, if they be Obedient, or unto Condemnation, if they become Rebellious? But alas! (with a great grief of spirit I writ it) here is a great want and shortness in many professing Truth (I speak not of all) for first, they receive not their Children as from the Lord, in the Faith as his Gift, neither do they offer them up again to him in their hearts, as being his, but seeing their own Likeness brought forth, embrace it as their own, and nourish it up in the self-love, and their lives being bound up in the children, every Appearance of sickness or death is as a death to the Parents; and accordingly if the Child grow up till its perverse and crooked Will gins to appear, then is the Father (and for the most part, most of all the Mother) afraid to give it due Correction fearing lest the Child should be grieved and vexed, and perhaps grow sick, yea, perhaps die, if it should be corrected to the breaking of its stout and stubborn Will; and what is this but Unbelief and Self-love in such Parents? but when Parents receive & possess their Children in the Faith, than the Light rules in the Parents, and that gives daily wisdom to rule the Children in God's wisdom; but when fleshly affection rules, what miserable disorder doth it bring forth, even amongst them that profess truth? and many times their children grow worse than many in the world; and that which is most to be lamented it happens sometimes, that the Parents have not quit themselves as they ought, nor fully cleared themselves of their Blood, so that there lies a Gild upon the Parents, and an Offence and stumbling in the minds of the Children, when they come to years, and to see how their Parents Care was not over them as it ought to have been: Oh, that none among us might be found guilty in this matter, but that every Friend would be diligent to keep a Good Conscience in the sight of God, that our Children may have a blessed Remembrance of us when we come to be taken from them, and they come to be in our state and condition, and that the Remembrance of our dealing with them may be as a good Pattern to them, and so from Generation to Generation, to the Honour and Glory of him who first called us, and to the edifying of them in the Faith, and to our Joy and everlasting Comfort, Amen.  
The second thing that lies as a weight upon me, and have done for several Years, is concerning the manner of Trading that is practised by several professing the pure Principle of Truth, both Merchants and Shopkeepers, and other Tradesmen, who take too much Liberty in getting and borrowing Money ●f others to enlarge their Trading in the World, b●yond what Truth allows: When I first felt the weight of this matter upon me, I presently examined my own Affairs, and took such a course as to prevent all peril of any Body suffering by me, however things might happen; and the same course did our Brethren take, who lived in those parts, they feeling the weight of the matter upon them as well as I; so that we came to sit every one as under our own Figtree, being satisfied that if we came to suffer loss in our outward things, whether for our Testimony, or by War, or by Sea, we should lose but our own: But many I find to be otherwise minded, who out of a greedy, though uncertain Hope of Profit, gets that which is other men's into their Hands; and when they see things goes not according to their Expectations, but that Losses and Crosses happens in their Trading, are not so faithful and open hearted to let their Creditors know thereof, but rather goes on, setting themselves at Ease, and takes a large Liberty in their House-keeping and Expenses, as if all that is under their Hands were their own; and this lasts a while, until not only their own, but other men's Estates are spent also, and all the while under a show of Profession, although all uprightness, and fear of God, and regard to make a righteous Account with men be lost; these are a stink among men, and a shame to their Profession: And this Evil increaseth daily in some parts of this Nation, where many young Ones, brought up among us, and hath little to begin withal, upon the Reputation of Truth dares to adventure upon, and get Credits, and set themselves in a high posture of Trading, House-keeping, and Expenses. And some that are Ancient Professors of Truth, and should watch over them, and Counsel and Bridle them with the Bridle of Truth and Righteousness, in the Power and Wisdom of God, they are so encumbered with great Deal, and great Debts, and Credits, and Adventures, both of what is their own and other men's, that they are not without Peril and Danger of falling short at one time or other, if loss at Sea, or spoiling of Goods for their Testimony should happen to themselves; & in the mean time that Godly care and jealousy is not taken by such over the younger sort as it ought to be; but some runs on without fear of God, or upright Communication of their State and Condition unto sound and faithful weighty Friends (and especially to such, whom they have made to be concerned in their Concerns) as they ought to do from time to time, that it might stand in their choice, whether they would be longer concerned with them or not; which is but a righteous and just thing, that every Creditor ought to keep, not only the Propriety, but the Command of what is his own, to ask it and receive it, when he sees cause, and not to be beguiled by great shows, as if the Debtor were in a good Condition as to his outward Estate, when indeed it's very bad: But such do like this World, first seek the Kingdom of this World under a Profession of Truth: But if the Kingdom of Heaven were first sought, as it ought to be, than every one would sink down in the fear of God, to feel him leading them and ordering their Trading and Merchandise in sujection to his Will, Jam. 4.13, 14, 15. Go to now, ye that say to day or to morrow, We will go into such a City, and continue there a Year, and buy and sell, and get Gain; whereas ye know not what shall be on the morrow: For what is your Life, it is even a Vapour, that appeareth for a little time, and then vanisheth away. For that ye ought to say, If the the Lord will, we shall live and do this or that. And not to go on in their own Wills, adventuring the Estates of others without their knowledge or consent; when they themselves knows well enough, that if the Adventures fail, their Security must fail also. Oh! how many Widows and Orphans, Old and Weak are there oppressed and wronged by these things? Doth not such think and believe that the Want, Poverty, and Cry of these will bring down Vengeance from the Righteous God? or think they not, that God will visit for these things for his precious Truth and Names-sake, and for the Cry of the Oppressed? yea, assuredly he will plead their Cause, and will disburden and clear his Truth and People of them, & their unrighteous Deeds together.  
Is it not our duty, both Old and Young, to set our Affairs in such a posture, as that we may be out of danger that any Body should suffer by us, while we in the mean time only aim at our own profit & advantage. Oh, let the Truth here be judge, and then I know the Elder Friends will labour to quit themselves in this matter, and so have power to put a stop and bridle to such young Ones as takes this course, or else the peril and reproach of both will lie at their Door in a great measure. Oh! that a holy Zeal may increase in many Hearts for the removing of this great Evil, and let go the eager desire of great profit; and every one to be content with his own, and serve the Lord and his Truth therewith according to his Ability. (and if he please, he will increase it) And take care of the younger sort, and become good Examples to them in this matter, that the stink of offences in this kind may be stopped, and the Truth of God may prosper and flourish more and more, Amen.  
Colchester the 29th of the 9th Mon. 1677. Geertruyd Deril●●iesen.