A General Epistle to all who have believed in the Light of the Lord jesus, and are called of God to follow the Lamb through the Great Tribulation.  
Dear Friends,  
WHom God hath called out of the world and the vanities of it to serve the living God in newness of life, and to be worshippers of him in Spirit and truth, and to be followers of Christ in the regeneration, and to be baptised with him into his suffering and death, that so you may be partakers of his resurrection and life, and manifest unto all that you are risen with him out of the grave of sin, wickedness, and death, by having your hearts renewed, and your affections and minds set to seek those things which are above, which are not transitory and visible, but everlasting and immortal, by which the souls of all the righteous and obedient children are refreshed, and nourished up unto eternal life, and through the eternal power of the Son of God, which hath been, and is manifest among them that believe, in the measure of his Spirit, and keep their first love and integrity unto the Lord, all his are preserved out of the temptation of the adversary within and without, who seeks to root out that which God hath planted, and to nip the blossom, and the bud, which God hath caused to spring forth through his tender love in your hearts, so that you might die to the good, and be spoiled in that wherein all your happiness lieth now and for ever. Oh therefore all watch and be circumspect, so much the more against temptations, lest you be ensnared, and your faith fail, and you fall short of the promise of God, in not continuing faithful to the end; friends, a care, and a tender love, and a godly jealousy is in my heart to you, and over you all that have believed, that none of you may be lost and scattered again in the deserts and mountains, and dry and parched places, where you have sometimes been in the time of unbelief, where the Goats who are rough can feed, that must go unto the left hand and have the curse: The zeal of the Lord and his truth, which so gloriously hath been manifest among you, above all the people and families of the earth in our generation, constrains me thus to write unto you, and to stir you up unto faithfulness in this day of trial, for now Satan desires to winnow you within, and to sift you without, therefore all watch and pray that your faith fail not, which now will be tried, and your hope, & your love, and your zeal to the Lord and his truth, and whether you will confess him before men, his way, worship, and Laws, and Statutes, which he hath revealed in your hearts, which fallen men opposes and contradicts, and sayers gainsay, and would not have him to rule, nor his servants to obey, so let it be manifest to all, you fear God rather than men, and love him, and obey him above the precepts of men which are against him; and whether you love the things that are above, beyond the things that are earthly; and whether you will own him, his cross, reproach, and suffering, or deny it, and have the liberty of the world which is bondage, and free from righteousness; It's no time of reserves, concealing, hover or halting, for there is an utter discord betwixt Christ and Belial, and so much the more of Christ, his power and kingdom is brought forth, so much the more is the hatred, envy, and wrath of the Devil kindled, who hath deceived the Nations, and blinded their eyes, and in his subjects who oppose the Lamb of God, and tread underfoot the blood of the Covenant, so that to one or other each one belongs, and which is for each part will be seen, for there can be no concord or reconciliation, therefore all children of the day put on the armour of light, and have your feet shod now when we walk through thorny places, and be not fearful or doubtful, but of believing hearts stand not aloof off, and idle when others are engaged in this spiritual War, pull not your necks out of the yoke when others draw, shelter not yourselves, when you see others in jeopardy, love not the world when you see others have thrown it off; be not entangled in cumbersome things, when you see others throw off all weights, turn not your backs in the day of the Lords controversy, but follow the Lamb; this is the day of tribulation we have to follow him in our age, like as all the Martyrs and Prophets had in their age, whose garments were made white in the blood of the Lamb; so all that continue and are not faint hearted, shall receive the Crown, the honour, the reward, and shall reign with Christ, who now suffers with him; therefore all dear children of God, and followers of Christ Jesus, let the loins of your minds be girded up, be now ready when the Lord calls, who is on my side, who will take part with me, who will own my reproach, who will engage with me, who will gather to my standard of salvation lifted up, and to my ensign of righteousness held forth in the world to redeem it, and who is ready and not abroad in the field, neither hath to go to the house top; but that all may say in their hearts, here am I ready to do thy will, ready to obey thee, and follow thee, and to suffer for thee, for whoso draws back, the Lord hath no pleasure in such, he that will save his life shall lose it, and he that will save his liberty will lose it in the Spirit; and he that will save his earthly possessions, and for the doing thereof will deny that which God hath persuaded him of that he ought to be faithful in, he will lose his inheritance in the heavenly; In a word, who so fails in holding forth that testimony, that they know God requires, and is their duty to render unto him, will lose the testimony of his Spirit they have sometimes felt in themselves, and will decay, and their love will wear out; Therefore whosoever are resigned and given up unto the Lord will be approved, and manifest to be on the Lord's part, by obedience unto these things mentioned; Friends, do you not believe it a duty, that every Christian ought to be exercised in, to meet together to wait upon him, to worship him, and to admonish, exhort, and strengthen one another to pray together in the holy Ghost, and one for another, and to edify and comfort one another; and do you not believe God dwells not in Temples made with hands, neither hath any fellowship with Idols, but is worshipped any where, and in every place where the Saints meet in his Name; again, have you not been comforted, edified, and strengthened in meeting, and have you not found the presence of the Lord and his face, and have you not felt his great power working in your hearts when you were assembled together in his Name, working in you to the opening of your hearts, and quickening and enlivening you souls unto God, and judging down the evil, and have you not ●elt his living mercies shed abroad in you and the springs of life opened, and the holy seed refreshed, and Gods witness reached in all, and many Convinced and Converted unto God in your assemblies, so that all have gone away comforted and refreshed, and resolved to continue in the grace of God, the Consideration of these things, dwelling in your hearts, and the sense of your own present condition should stir you up, and provoke you unto steadfastness in the faith and practice you have received and walked in from the beginning of the manifestation of God's love unto you, so that there should me thinks need little exhortation, God's enemies is resolved to do wickedly, be you also so to do your duty; they seek by any means to make any fall from their principles and steadfastness, do you seek to escape their snares, and to be kept clear in your consciences before God; Be valiant for the truth, sell it not, but all for it, th●● it may be your all, and then you shall see your lot is fallen in a good place, and your possession is pleasant, the Lord calls now to suffering, put now your necks in the yoke, bear one another's burden and so fulfil the law of Christ, and take heed you give not ear to that voice that speaks, save thy liberty, save thy estate, possess thy own & provide for thyself & spare thyself, that is the voice of the enemy of your souls so keep over the world and its spirit, let no slackness appear, for that makes suffering long, and that gives ground to your adversaries, that they shall prevail, & that weakens the hands of others, & strengthens not, this confirms our enemies in their deceit, that we are but as other men and people, that have professed God in Summer and fair weather, but will make shipwreck of all in a storm and in suffering, & any turning aside from the holy commandment of God openeth the mouths of God's enemies. Do not seek every one your own profit, ease, life and liberty only, but every one another's good, and mind not only one member, but the whole body: heed not them that draw back, that is no pre●●dent for you to follow, but them that press forward, and is not offended in the time of hardship, heed not them that will tell you they can keep their hearts upright to God, and retain their love to truth and friends, and yet will not afford their presence in your assemblies, but escapes suffering, and denies the Cross, and neglects their present duty, for that is deceit, and their own heart's will deceive them; put not off till to morrow, defer not the time, till you can see some more ease, and some greater calm, beware of that, for then coldness, fearfulness, and slavishness will enter in, and you will lose your strength: Moreover, if any have begun well, and be persuaded of the truth of that they have believed, and continue not unto the end, and do not finish, such will be reckoned foolish builders, that could not finish, and all will mock them, and neither God nor men can or will believe them, but your adversaries will glory over you again when any suffers, or are brought into bonds for Christ and the Gospel sakes, seek not to get out by any indirect means, neither make any Covenant with thy adversary, who would sell both thee and all faith and hope for money, that encourages deceit, and that spirit would buy itself out of the service of God, and grow weary, give no place to that, be content every one with your present condition, till God arise and plead our cause, and make our innocency and righteousness appear as noon day, and make his adversaries his footstool; which undoubtedly he will do, and make all know the most High aught to rule, and will rule in the kingdoms of men, and not give his glory unto another, neither suffer another to take it. Be conformable to none that goes about under pretence of love, to persuade or counsel you from your duty to God; neither submit to them that would betray you of your peace, heed not the frowns of corrupt men, nor the counsel of them who mind their own bellies, pleasure, ease, profit, and earthly things; let not natural affections and love either to lands, wife, or children blind your eyes, but love them, and receive them in the Lord, and enjoy them as though not: stand loose from all things, and out of all entanglements, and cast your care upon the Lord, who careth for the fatherless and the widow, and them that hath no helper in the earth; give no occasion or advantage to any that would turn your hearts aside from following the Lord, lest their love betray you; give up all you have and enjoy to the Lord and his service, and your Souls, Bodies, and Spirits as a sacrifice unto the Lord, that he may accept you, and pour forth and continue his blessing amongst you. Never heed the threats of them that are as the Oaks of Bashan, nor of the great men of the earth, that mind their pleasure and lusts, who shut you up in Prison, and hale you before Judgement seats for the Worship of God, and falsely accuse you and condemn you, when God justifies you; the moth shall e●t them up as a garment, and slain the glory of all flesh that withstand the Lord, and they shall melt away as snails, and as the fat of Lambs, and the kidnies of Rams, and God will bring the recompense of their own deeds upon their own pates, and wound the hoary scalp of every one that doth wickedly, who toucheth Gods anointed, and doth harm to his Prophets, and persecutes his Children; surely judgement is not far from the dwellings of them who have required the Lord thus, as to render him evil for good: and God will be avenged on such a faithless, merciless, perfidious people as this, and of such a spirit which rejoiceth in iniquity, and makes a mock of sin, and hates all reproof, and would cloak over all mischiefs with the Name of pure Laws and Authority, and Decrees of the Holy Church, yet persecutes and gainsays the highest power of God in things spiritual, that pertains to the conscience: the Beast, and false Prophet, and mother of Harlots have joined together, and flatters one another, and joins their strength together, against the true Church and heir of all the World, and would, under pretence of doing honour unto him, shut him out of the earth, and kills his subjects, and destroys the children of the free Woman under pretence of suppressing Heresy, and turns Judgement into Gall, Hemlock, and Wormwood, and in stead of relieving the oppressed, adds to their burdens.  
Friends, dwell above all these things, and the Devil and his rage; the earth is the Lords, and the fullness of it; we cannot be banished from God's presence, neither shall they fulfil their determination, or ever be able to root out that testimony which is among us, for Princes shall be given for its Ransom, and Kingdoms and Nations for its prosperity. The God of power strengthen you all, that you may quit yourselves like men of God, like children of the most high, whose inheritance is not here in the world, but in the Kingdom that fades not away: The Lord God of power be with you, and make you to consider what I say, and to receive this my true love unto you all for the Lord● sake, who partakes with all the suffering members of Christ in their bonds, and shall and can rejoice in all your comfort and joy. The peace of God dwell in your hearts, and his heavenly light shine upon all your tabernacles, that you may be as beautiful in the eyes of the Lord as the Roses of Sharon, and blossom as the Lilies of the valley, and yield your fruit as the Figtree that casteth not his fruit. The Lord takes our part, let none doubt of that, and pleads our cause, let all consider that; our enemies shall see it, and be troubled at this, and time shall manifest it: therefore be of believing hearts, and trust in the Lord, so shall you never be confounded, neither be ashamed, but be as mount Zion that cannot be moved, and as the mountains are round about Jerusalem, so shall the mercies of the Lord compass you about from this time forth and for evermore. Friends, Faith is sealed in my heart, and Love in my reins, and Gladness in my soul, and Peace in my conscience, so that none doth or can hinder my rejoicing, praised be the Lord for ever, and ever. Amen.  
Let this be dispersed among Friends, I desire. The Lord's Servant, and yours in all true, unfeigned, pure love, F. H.  
THE END.