A COLLECTION OF MANY SELECT AND CHRISTIAN EPISTLES, LETTERS AND TESTIMONIES, WRITTEN ON SUNDRY OCCASIONS, BY THAT Ancient, eminent, faithful Friend, and minister of Christ Jesus, GEORGE FOX IN TWO VOLUMES. VOL. I. What thou seest, write in a book, and send it unto the seven churches.-Rev. i. 11. For we write none other things unto you than what you have read and acknowledged, and I trust you PHILADELPHIA: MARCUS T. C. GOULD, No. 6, NORTH EIGHTH STREET. NEW YORK: ISAAC T. HOPPER, No. 420, PEARL STREET. J. HARDING, PRINTER. 1831 AN EPISTLE, BY WAY OF PREFACE, To all truth's friends and all friendly readers, greeting: in the dear and tender love of my heavenly Father, which by his dear son and blessed spirit, he hath plentifully shed abroad in many hearts in this glorious gospel day: glory to his worthy name and excellent power for ever. DEAR FRIENDS,-I am concerned to recommend the serious reading and perusal of the ensuing collection, unto all who sincerely desire the promotion of Christ's kingdom, and prosperity of his church and Sion, in true love, union, and order, in and by Christ Jesus himself, the head and foundation thereof. And that none of you would think the perusal of these Epistles wearisome or tedious, because the same words and things in many of them may seem frequently repeated, there being numerous evangelical truths, and variety of good and wholesome matter, as well as diversities of epistles, containing much christian counsel to many various states and conditions of enlightened and enlivened souls travelling and breathing to God; so that the frequent intermixed repetitions of the same necessary truths may be the better allowed and borne with in the reading. However, the moderate and ingenuous reader will not be offended thereat, it being a thing frequent in the holy scriptures, to have the same gospel truths often repeated; for many dull and forgetful persons have need to be often told of such matters, of so great importance. The author's epistles and matters of most general concern are here collected, so as to avoid prolixity and unnecessary repetitions, as much as could be. The simplicity and plainness of the author's style is not to be despised, he being more in life and substance than in the wisdom of words, or eloquence of speech. And the Lord being pleased in his day to make great use of him, and to do great things by him, for his name and seed's sake; of which there yet remain clouds of witnesses, even to that divine power and hidden wisdom of God, (in the mystery of Christ,) which was with him, and supported him, and lifted up his head through many great fights of afflictions and trials. I confess, I have not read or heard all the epistles in the ensuing col lection; but many of them, which I know to be very seasonable, weighty and necessary; and therefore have cause to believe so of the rest, which I have not read. But, by our long and frequent conversation, knowledge, and intimacy, (together with his living and revived testimonies, his godly care and zeal for truth's honour and prosperity,) I have deeply read and known the author, his unfeigned love, innocency, and integrity in the blessed living truth, whose christian care, (among many other things, relating to the churches of Christ, the union, good order and discipline thereof,) greatly was, that no offence in any thing might be given; that the ministry might not be blamed; well knowing what trials and proofs attended Christ's ministers and ministry in these latter days, (in some degree,) as in the primitive christians' times; namely, that he, with many others in his day, approved himself, and themselves, as the ministers of Christ, in much patience, in deep afflictions, in necessities, in distresses, (and some in stripes and cruel beatings,) in prisons, in tumults, in labours, by watchings and by fastings, by purity, by knowledge, by long suffering, by kindness, by the holy ghost, by love unfeigned, by the word of truth, by the power of God, by the armour of righteousness, on the right hand, and on the left, by honour and dishonour, by evil report and good report; as deceivers, and yet true, &c. 2 Cor. vi. In which proofs of God's ministers, this his ancient servant had a deep share, and the true root of the matter was in him, far beyond his expressions. And though many false predictions, prophecies, and cruel threats were early breathed out by persecutors and envious spirits against him, and us his friends and brethren, whom he unfeignedly loved, and against his and our holy profession, way, and testimony, as if in a very short time all would come to nought, and be laid waste; yet they have all been disappointed, and proved false, and his christian living testimony and work further manifested to be of God, and not of men, nor of the will of man. For truth, that is strongest of all, hath still prevailed, and must prevail. And though the memory of this our deceased brother and faithful servant of Jesus Christ, be still greatly envied, and be most grossly defamed, by some implacable adversaries, and hardened apostates, who could not obtain their evil ends and destructive designs against him in his life time; yet his memory is truly precious to many thousands, who truly fear God and love his truth, who have a true inward sense, that such a divine power and providence attended him in his innocent christian testimony, ministry, labours, and sufferings, that the devil and all persecuting agents, could never stop nor frustrate his testimony or service, in turning many to righteousness, even from darkness unto light, and from the power of satan unto God. In many of the ensuing epistles, he often mentions the seed, the life, |