A Loving SALUTATION With Several Seasonable Exhortations Contained in two General Epistles Sent unto all The Saints and Persecuted People of God in the household of Faith to be red among them before they be banished as Bondmen & Bondwomen out of the Land of their nativity for their Religion and Righteousness sake.  Blessed are ye when Men revile you and persecute you and say all manner of evil against you falsely for my name sake, Rejoice and be exceeding glad, for great is your reward in Heaven, for so persecuted they the Prophets that were before you. Matthew 5.11, 12. They wandered in Sheep Skins and Goat Skins in Deserts, in Mountains, in Dens, and Caves, and Holes of the Earth, for their God hath prepared for them a City. Heb. 11. 
Printed in the Year, 1665.   

A Loving Salutation, etc.  
Dear Friends,  
WHom I dearly love, and not I only, but the Lord also, whose love is largely manifested unto you, and whose Fatherly care is over you all, dwell together in a spiritual communion, that ye may be partakers of the Tree of Life, and feed of the hidden Manna come down from Heaven, as you sit together at the Table of the Lord; who are admitted as well as invited to come unto him, who easeth the weary hearted, and overcharged in Spirit by giving of his strength unto them to ease them that are both weary and heavy laden; for in him the weary find rest, peace and ease, who are returned out of the way and spirit of the World, and are entered into, and entertained of God, who filleth the hungry Soul with good things, when he sendeth the Rich (wise self conceited ones) empty away, and lets them not taste of his Eternal virtue and sweetness, it was David that tasted of the virtue and sweetness of God, who was of the Seed of Faith, when his heart was fixed upon God than it indicted that which was good, and meditated upon the Law of God, who tasted of the switness of the Eternal Word and power of God, and David had received a spirit of Faith or power of believing whereby he gave Testimony to the Truth, and bore witness for God, for he said I believed, and therefore I spoke, and the Davids of God or true Israelites after the Spirit, have declared of the goodness of God, which they have tasted of; who had tasted how good and gracious the Lord was, as now he is unto us, who are of the Seed of Election, and in their Declarations they related unto David, and said of him, I believed and therefore I spoke, and concerning themselves who were of the Seed of Faith, they said, we having received the same Spirit of Faith as David did receive of the Law, we believe, and therefore we speak or bare witness for God, and it was given them on the behalf of Christ Jesus, not only to believe on him, but also to suffer for his Names sake, and so it's now given to us, the true Spiritual Israelites who are of the Seed of Abraham which is the Seed of Faith, who have received the Spirit of Faith, or power of believing to carry us forth to give Testimony to the Truth, and speak on the behalf of the Lord, not only to believe on Christ Jesus, but also to suffer for Righteousness sake, and as none can believe to Salvation, but they who are of the seed of Faith, which is the seed of Election, to whom the Spirit of Faith is given, so none can stand in a trying time, to endure to the end in every trial that attendeth them under a suffering condition, but them to whom eternal life is given, for it's given to them that suffer, to whom the spirit of Faith is given, so that the seed of faith is attended with sufferings, for the seed of Faith is that which doth the will of God with delight, and therefore God grants unto it the desire of its heart, and it endureth for ever, because they who are of the seed of faith are they that do the will of God, power is given unto them to do, or to suffer according to his good will and pleasure, and they are known to be of the seed of Faith, and Christ's true and loving friends, because they abide in his Spirit, love one another and obey his commands, and because they who are of the seed of Election, which is the seed ●f Faith, do receive the spirit of faith to believe on Christ, and be obedient unto him, therefore are they attended with a suffering condition, and such are the sheep of Christ who are of the seed of faith, and he giveth to them eternal life which is a mark of Christ set upon his sheep, or character that they shall never perish. Oh my dear Friends who are of the seed of Abraham after the Spirit, you have received the spirit of Faith, which God gives to them that are of that seed, and because they are true Believers you are true subjects unto Christ, and because you cannot deny the faith of Gods elect, which purgeth and purifieth your hearts, nor withhold your obedience, but do love the truth, and give your obedience to the spirit and power of Christ Jesus. Therefore you are hated without a cause, and persecuted by the Spirit of the World, because your Mother is not Jerusalem from beneath, but Jerusalem from above, which is the mother of us all that are of the seed of Election, which is the seed that is appointed and ordained of God to inherit the Kingdom of Heaven; to you its given to know the mysteries of the Kingdom, but to others in Parables, that hearing they might hear and not understand, and seeing they might see and not perceive, least at any time they be converted and healed. So though many hear the everlasting Gospel preached, yet the seed of Faith are the receivers thereof into a good ground and right understanding, and those Divine Mysteries or glorious Truths are made plain unto them, which others understand not, to whom the gift of understanding is not given, who are Sons of the Bondwoman, and live after the flesh, to whom the Divine Truths are as Parables, and though they may see what a great work of Reformation is wrought in the Nation, yet they perceive not the mind of the Lord, nor receive not the people of God in whom that work is wrought, but reject them, and cast them out, as it was then, so it is now; he that was born of the flesh, persecuted him that was born after the Spirit, whereby it is evident that the Regenerate are not persecutors, nor ever were such in any age that we read of, but they were and are persecuted, and that by the degenerate and such as live after the flesh who daily err and go astray from the ways of God, and are persecutors of them who are born of water and the spirit, who live a new life in Christ Jesus. Therefore all you that live in the spirit, walk in the Spirit, & be not desirous of vain glory, for the glory of the World is but vain glory, and why should it be desired, or at all sought after by them that are entered into the Spirit of God, which is a Spirit of an exceeding and eternal weight of glory far exceeding that of the World, and provoke not one another, except to love and good works, nor envy one another, but be all at peace amongst yourselves, and with all Men as much as in you lieth, and let the peace of God rule in your hearts, and let the word of God dwell plentifully in you, and the God of peace and love will be with you, and will delight to do you good, because you are of the Seed of Faith, and have received the Spirit of Faith, you are received into Covenant with God, and have tasted of the milk of the Word, which is the virtue of God. Therefore as Newborn Babes or Regenerate, and Children of God desire the sincere milk of the Word, which is the virtue and sweetness of God, that ye may grow thereby, seeing you have tasted how good and gracious the Lord God is, who hath opened your understandings and poured forth of his Spirit upon you, and shed abroad his Heavenly overcoming love in your hearts. Oh therefore love the Lord above all, and love your Neighbour as yourself, for love is the fulfiling of the Law, and love thinketh no evil to any Man. Own therefore nothing to any Man but love. All dear friends dwell in the love of God, than you will not only love one another but enemies also, for the love of God extendeth to enemies, he loved us before we loved him, yea he loved us whilst we were enemies to him, he so loved the World that he gave his only begotten Son into the World, that whosoever believeth in him might not perish but have everlasting Life, the Love of God was the moving cause of sending his Son Christ Jesus into the World, the coming of the Son of God into the World was the manifestation of the Father's Love, or to manifest the Love of God unto the World, and they who received Christ Jesus, as him whom the Father sent for salvation, they manifested their Love unto God by believing in him, and being obedient to his heavenly Doctrine, and as many as received him, to them he gave power to become the Sons of God, so that the receivers of Christ are the true believers, who believe to salvation, and are impowered by the Eternal power of God regenerated and born of God, and are the Children and Heirs of God, and these are of the seed of Faith, who have received power of God, and by Faith do come unto God; and also by Faith do offer an acceptable Sacrifice, which is well pleasing to God, for he that cometh unto God must believe: So that there is no coming unto God without Faith, without Faith it's impossible to please God, so that the insidel and unbeliever cannot please God, or approath unto him, though such pretend to be worshipped of him. Abel was of the seed of Faith, having received the Spirit of Faith, or power of believing, he did by virtue of his Faith offer a more acceptable and excellent Sacrifice than Cain: Cain was of a wicked bloodthirsty nature, and yet he had a kind of religion, and would have been accepted, but God did not accept of his offering, because he was in evil doing: For (said the Lord unto him) if thou hadst done well thou hadst been accepted, but because thou hast done evil, sin lieth at the door, and the Apostle said in his time, take heed lest there be a Cain amongst you: Oh my Friends take heed that the Nature and Spirit of Cain (which is the Nature and Spirit of the wicked one) be not entered or entertained in any that make mention of the Name of the Lord in a way of separation from the world, for where there is a Cain, there will be a Sacrifice, but neither prepared, nor accepted of God, for that Nature and Spirit of Cain which is the false birth, will presume to be a worshipper, but may be known to be a false worshipper as well as a false birth, because it's Sacrifice is rejected and not accepted of the Lord: Therefore take heed, lest there be a Cain amongst you, for when that intrudes into that which is not admitted into by the Lord, but is discovered and rejected of God, than it turns into hatred against the seed of Faith, which is of God, because God accepts the offering of the seed of Faith, and rejects the offering of the wicked principle and Spirit, then that would destroy the other, because its works are righteous which is of the seed of Election, and the works of that is wicked which is of the seed of reprobation, and God sets a mark upon the wicked bloodthirsty one, that he may take vengeance upon it, for vengeance is mine saith the Lord, and I will repay it: Therefore as ye are acquainted with God, both in his merits and in the way of his judgements, and knows what the mercies of the Lord are unto, and what the judgements of God are against, and his wrath is revealed unto; for they that know the terrors of the Lord, cannot but in pity and great compassion beseech others that they would be reconciled unto God, and you that are of the seed of Faith, are not only come but also reconciled unto God, and are in the Covenant of Grace, and are anointed and sealed of God, and such are appointed to be Heirs of salvation; and because they are so God hath laid hold upon their Hearts by his eternal Spirit, and makes them clear unto him, who hath so evidently appeared and made known both himself and the way of salvation unto them: Oh my dear Friends the Lord is with you in your sufferings, and doth give you the Testimony of his Love unto you, for your refreshment, and of his Power, for your strength and encouragement: So to him I commit and commend you who knows how to order and dispose of you, both for his praise and your preservation, and in the Peace and Love of God I remain with you, and am  
Your Friend and Brother in a Spiritual Communion and Heavenly relation. R. F. Written the 17th of the third month, 1665.   

Dear Friends,  
In the unchangeable truth of the Everlasting God, who have heard the immediate voice from the excellent Glory, whereby you were called out of darkness, and turned to the true Light, who are become followers of the chief Shepherd in the flocks foot steps, and whose faith stands in the power of an endless life.  
I who am your Brother Companion, and fellow traveller through tribulations, a partaker of the like precious Faith, do wish an increase of Grace, Mercy, and Peace, with all other Heavenly virtues, and Spiritual blessings to all the solemn Assemblies of the Saints, and to all the Lords Prisoners, and persecuted people, even every particular family and friend in the household of Faith, to whom these is sent as a Salutation, and visible manifestation of my unfeigned love; for I am moved, and constrained in this day of my confinement to write unto you, seeing I cannot verbally declare what is in my heart concerning the great Salvation which hath been spoken of among you, and hath appeared unto you, that as a worker together with you by way of remembrance, I may be instrumental to stir up your pure minds in these perilous times, and to provoke you to persevere in that persuasion that cometh of God, and in the practice of Christianity now when persecution ariseth because of the Word.  
Dear Friends, despise not the day of small things, neither say, ye in your hearts that the Lord delays his coming, for the Son of God is come, who hath given you an understanding to know the invisible things of him who is the Creator of all things, and he hath sown among you that seed which is blessed, and greater is he that is in you, than he that is in the world, and the Light hath shined in your hearts to give unto you the knowledge of the Glory of God, in the face of Jesus Christ. Wherefore Friends, you that have by the Light of the glorious Gospel, received the knowledge of the only true God, glorify him as God, walk as becometh Saints, let your Conversation be as becometh the Gospel, worship God in the Spirit, and in the truth, speak often one to another as the Spirit gives you utterance, and as you are instructed by the Inspiration of the Almighty, and forsake not the Assembling of yourselves together, as the manner of some is, whose love waxeth cold, whose folly is made manifest, and who goeth out from us, because they are not of us, with whom the Lord is displeased, and by whom the hands of evil doers are strengthened, and the mouths of gainsayers opened, who waits for an occasion to speak evil of that way in which we worship the only true God of our Fathers, according to the practice of our Predecessors, stand fast therefore in the liberty where Jesus Christ hath made you free, and grieve not the holy Spirit of promise, by which you are sealed unto the day of Redemption, and wait to be inwardly refreshed, and abundantly satisfied in the true sense and feeling of your invisible Union, with the Spirits of just Men made perfect, and with the Saints in Light, whose Names God hath written in his Book of Remembrance, and who are numbered among his Jewels, against whom no Weapon that is form can prosper, nor no Enchantment can prevail, and Friends, fear not the frowns of them that afflict you, for he that commands the Winds sets bounds to the Sea, saying hitherto shalt thou pass and no farther, and he can restrain the wrath and fury of mortal Man in a moment, and turn their hearts as Rivers of Water, that his Saints and Servants may dwell in safety from him that puffeth at them, for a Sparrow cannot fall to the ground without your Heavenly Father's permission, and surely the least among you is of much more value than many sparrows; Oh therefore faint not in the day of adversity, nor fear none of the things that you must suffer for truth and Righteousness sake, but rejoice rather in as much as you are made partakers of Christ's sufferings, who for the joy that was set before him endured the Cross, and despised the shame, whose reproaches are greater riches than the treasures of the Kingdoms of this World, and the pleasure of sin which is but for a season.  
And dear Friends forget not the wonders which the right hand of the Lord hath brought to pass in order to your deliverance out of the Land of Egypt, and the works which he hath wrought for you since the day of your Infancy in the Immortal life, and his tender mercies from time to time, towards you his little flock; hath not he divided the Waters of the Sea, and prepared you a high way through the Wilderness, and how ha●h he carried you in his arms, and upholden you by the right hand of his Righteousness, when you were young and tender, and under many temptations, and trials of cruel mockings, when you had no certain abiding place, nor no City to dwell in, when you were set as signs and wonders among your Kinsfolks, and former familiars, and could not follow the multitude to do evil, nor ran with the World into excess of riot as formerly. How hath he fed you with the Milk of the Word, and refreshed your Souls with the water of Life, from the Wells of Salvation; how hath he drawn you as with the cords of a man, and brought you into his Banqueting house, where his banner over you is love, where the light of his Candle hath shined on your heads, and his secret upon your Tabernacle. Hath not he spread his skirts over you, and put beautiful Garments on you, and chosen you out of the World, and entered into a Covenant with you, that you may serve God acceptably in your Generation as a people saved by him, and chosen to publish his Name to the Nations, who is perfecting his praise out of the mouths of Babes, that no flesh may glory in his Presence: Oh how hath the Spirit of the Father spoken through many of you, who are the weak things of the World in the defence and vindication of truth when called before Rulers, and judgement seats, where you have been called to confess Christ before Men, and to contend for the faith once delivered to the Saints; and how often have you seen the arm of the Lord revealed, and his hand stretched out for your deliverance out of the dark Dungeons, Dens, Caves, and nasty holes of the earth, unto which you have been exposed for your Religion and Righteousness sake, in the day of your Pilgrimage upon the Earth.  
Let these experimental Considerations confirm your confidence, and strengthen your faith and patience, and provoke you to perseverance in that persuasion which cometh of God. And dearly beloved, being compassed about with so great a Cloud of witnesses that in former ages, and in these last days have sustained great sufferings for the name of Christ, think it not strange concerning the fiery trials and persecutions which you do, or may endure, as if some strange accident or new thing had happened in your days for the trial of your faith, patience, and principles, is very precious, and all these things are working for you a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory then either eye hath seen, or ear hath heard, or hath ever entered into the heart of Man to conceive, for we know that all things shall work together for good to them that love the Lord Jesus in sincerity and truth; And Friends, let none think worse of the way in which we worship the only true God of our Fathers, because wicked Men desires not the knowledge of it, for truth is as precious as ever, and the eye of the Lord is over his People in all their Trials, and he is with them in all their Tribulations, and in all their afflictions he is afflicted, and whosoever toucheth them toucheth the Apple of his Eye, and his Ear is attentive to the Cry of the Poor, the sighs of the needy, and the groans of the Prisoners, and the supplication of the souls under the Altar hath entered within the veil, and the Cry of the Oppressed is come before the God of the whole Earth, who will not always keep silence and suffer the rod of the wicked to lie upon the lot of the righteous, for it is a righteous thing with the Lord to recompense Tribulation to the Troublers and Persecuters of his People, and to you that are troubled, rest and peace, and refreshment, and everlasting consolation, when he cometh to be glorified in his Saints, and to be admired of all them that know him, and let not the Trial of cruel mocking, spoiling of goods, bonds, nor banishment fright you, for the Lord whom you serve is God of the whole Earth, and the Angel of his Presence which is with you to guide you and preserve you in the Land of your nativity, will be with you in the vast howling Wilderness, and in the Islands afar of, to direct your steps, and to administer unto all you who are heirs of eternal salvation such necessary accommodations as is convenient and suitable at all seasons, for he feeds the Ravens and clotheth the Lilies and takes care for Oxen, and opens Springs in the Desert where the wild Asses quench their thirst, and will he not much more manifest his Fatherly care, and kindness unto you who are his peculiar treasure, and of more value than the Cattle upon a thousand Hills.  
So Friends manifest your mindfulness o● 〈◊〉 Eternal Inheritance by your faithfulness to the Lord in your ●●●blick Testimony, whether it be by doing, or suffering, that whitsour Testimony is finished an entrance may be administered unto you, into that Eternal Inheritance which fadeth not away.  
Thomas Salthouse. White-Lyon Prison Southwark. the 3d. Month 1665.  
THE END.