AN EXHORTATION OF THE Friends and Brethren of London TO ALL YOUTHS and YOUNG MEN; Who are Children of Friends, and Apprentices, or have been Apprentices to Friends, who are Convinced in their Judgements of the Way of Truth, and inhabiting in and about this City.  
FRIENDS,  
WE whom the Lord hath made sensible of his Everlasting Day, and given a sight of the Glory thereof unto, cannot but be sensible of a Great Care upon our spirits for the Preserving the Honour and Glory of that Blessed Day of God, from being again any ways Veiled or Darkened by any thing on our parts, that is contrary thereunto: And this Care and Tenderness doth not only extend to keep us Watchful and Diligent in our own Particulars, but to have a Watchful Eye over Others, who do profess the same Name and Truth with us; desiring from our very Hearts, That as it hath pleased God to Visit us with his Everlasting Love, and to make his Power shine forth in this our Generation, so the Generations to come may know the spreading and Increase of the same, as we have done; which cannot be, but by a True, Diligent, Watchful Abiding in the Light of the Lord Jesus, which was unto us, and will be unto God's People in all Ages, the Morningstar, which leads unto the Day of Salvation: And while our Minds are exercised concerning these things, To our great Grief we see many Youths and Young Men (who are Children of Friends, & Apprentices, or have been Apprentices to Friends) who are Convinced in their Judgements of the Way of Truth, and are called to be the Plants of the next-coming Generation, to witness forth the Brightness of the Day of the Lord, and to Honour him in a Holy Conversation: Who, notwithstanding the great Love of God showed to them, in making known his Love and Way of Truth to them, in their Tender Years, yet do not Answer the Love of God to them, as they ought to do, nor Walk Closely with the Lord in his Way of Holiness, nor have had regard unto the Agreements and Covenants unto which they in their Indentures have Consented, which Truth would have taught to have performed with a diligent Respect and Care unto the Equity thereof: But on the contrary, many hold a Profession of the Blessed Truth in a Traditional Belief and Notion of the Good Testimonies which the Lord's People have born, and do not sink down into Lowliness of mind, as becomes the Gospel; but grow Heady and Stubborn, and are puffed up in Knowledge, and are Exalted above the Cross, and so let that Nature at Liberty unto which the Cross was and is appointed; and then that Nature leads into Looseness and Wantonness, and into Pride and Headiness, and Covenant-breaking both with God and Man, as well under a Profession of Truth, as under any other Profession, from which they seem to stand separated; and this hath brought Dishonour to the Name of our God; and by thus Walking, many good Parents have been Dishonoured, and Masters Wronged, and Truth Reproached, and the Holy Spirit of God in his People Grieved many a time.  
Therefore we do in the Name and Power of God, in which we stand Witnesses for God, exhort and admonish all Young Men, who do profess the precious Truth of God, that they be Careful and Diligent in their Places, as becomes the Truth; and that they be Obedient unto their Parents and Masters, as God hath commanded; and that they take heed of breaking those Good and Wholesome Rules and Orders, unto which themselves have Subscribed; for, Covenant-breakers the Lord will Judge. And we do exhort all Young Men, That they Honour the Truth in their Places, as becomes their Professions, that so they may Answer the Power of God, & live in it, by which they may come to be sensible of the Life and Unity that is in the Church of Christ. And we do truly desire, That the Power may be brought over the Rebellious Stubborn Nature, and a Stop thereby may be put to the Extravagant Courses taken by some professing the Truth: And therefore, if any Young Men, who do hear this our Exhortation, doth not submit thereunto, but do hereafter walk Loosely and Disorderly, either in Disobeying their Parents who walk in the Truth, or in Wronging, or being Unfaithful to their Masters, or in Spending their Time in Idleness or in Evil Company, and bringing Dishonour upon the Truth of God, and will not hear the Wholesome Counsel of their Parents and Masters, & reform their Evil Courses; then we desire that such Fathers and Masters may acquaint a few Stayed Sound Friends with the Matter in time, who may deal with such Young Men in the Counsel and Wisdom of God; and if they will not hear their Admonition, that then they may acquaint the Monthly Meeting therewith, that so such may be proceeded against; and if they will not yet Hear and Reform, that Truth may be cleared of such Disorderly Walkers, and Testimony may be given out against them, that their Professing the pure Truth may be no Cloak to their Unrighteous Actions, nor no Stumbling-Block may be laid by them in the way of them who believe not: But that the Testimony of God may be kept Pure, as we received it in the Beginning, and may be committed Pure unto the Generations to come.  
Given forth by the Friends and Brethren of London, at their Meeting held there, this 25th day of the 9th Month, 1672.