Two general epistles sent in manuscript to friends of truth by George Fox the younger ; and now printed for their further service.

The Servant of Jesus Christ, and prisoner for the Word of God, sendeth greeting unto the Flock of God who in this day suffer bonds and other tribulations and cru∣elties for the precious Truth, even for obeying the Go∣spel of salvation, which is the Power of God.

OH ye beloved ones, who have valued the eternal Truth above your nearest and dearest Relations, Liberties, Estates & Lives, and have hazarded and given up all freely in the Cause of God, your reward is with you, which is free: Oh ye heirs of eternal life, ye babes of God, born of the Seed Royal, ye children of the promise, who are counted for the Seed, the glory and peace of God resteth up∣on you, and the Arm of my Father is your strength, the Lord our righteousness is his Name, who is your strong Tower, the place of your safety: Oh my beloved Friends, my bowels are filled with the streams of Eternal life and love, which run∣neth forth freely unto you, who are highly favoured of God, who are counted worthy to suffer for his living eternal truth; blessed be you of the Lord my Saviour, happy are you ye chil∣dren of the Most High; filled be your bowels with the springs of eternal life, and filled be your hearts and mouths with the high praises of Emanuel: Oh Friends, through faith in the blood of the Lamb do you stand, and in it shall you overcome and obtain the victory over the Beast, false Prophet and Dra∣gon,

whose hour this is in the power of darkness, which is gi∣ven to them for a moment to try your precious Faith. There∣fore my beloved ones, who know the clefts of the Rock, and the place where the King is found: O retire all thither, and solace your selves under the banner of his love, remove not away from the springs of his strength & virtue which he hath opened unto you, but dwel in his patience, and wait in his Light, in the pure stilness, til he arise and make his enemies his footstool. Oh Friends, you that cannot act contrary to the wil of Emanuel, you that cannot bow down to any other image but the Light of the glorious Gospel, which is the image of the invisible God; you that cannot cease from worshipping him in the spirit and truth; you that cannot cease petition∣ing him, and meeting together in his Name, notwithstanding the Decree of the Rulers, and the raging of the wicked, I feel you in Daniels spirit, and enjoy you in that power which stop∣peth the mouths of the Lyons; you whose bodies are cast into Prisons, Dungeons and Holes, you who are numbred with transgressors, and are separated from your outward Relati∣ons; you who have given up your Estates and Lives and all, or are freely willing so to do, if you be called to it; I know the Lord my God is not wanting to you, I know you are filled with his pure peace, power and presence; I know you have all, and enjoy all that the Lord seeth to be good for you, even as I your brother do, who suffereth with you; and thus we re∣ceive an hundred fold, even in this time with persecution, and eternal life in the World to come is ours; faint not: Oh my Brethren and Sisters, in the overcomings of the Power, Love, Virtue, Mercy and Joy of our God which filleth my Vessel, do I salute you all, and am near unto you in the spirit of love, rejoicing to hear of your faithfulness and courage. Ah my amiable ones, multiplied be your faith and strength in the power of the eternal God, for we are not yet come to the depth of our tryals.

Verily it is but a remnant that wil follow the Lamb whi∣thersoever he goeth: Oh ye Virgins who defile not your selves with the weaker things, but are washed and pure in the chast

life of the Lamb, and redeemed from the earth by his power, his righteousness is your garment; yea his spirit is your cover∣ing, his eye is upon you for good, though the Whore may yet a little while prevail against your bodies, though she may yet drink some more blood, yet be not dismayed, seeing you know that by which victory shall be obtained; and all these things shall work together for good to you that love the Lord, and not your lives unto the death. Oh ye Babes of God, this day have I long waited and looked for, & of it have I been made to prophesie, and in the Faith, Word and Power of God I further testifie, that this day must yet be hotter (for a little space) that no dross may remain among the pure gold, of which the Jewels are to be made up; but my Friends, the Lord our King in whom we have trusted, he shall arise and work such wonders In the earth, (even in this age) as shall astonish and amaze the Heathen, and cause the ears of many that shall hear thereof to tingle, and mens hearts shall fail them because of those things that they shall behold; but as for you who know the word of eternal life, hold that fast, and look ye not out, nor back (remember Lots Wife) neither let in fears, but watch and wait in the eternal counsel of my Father, and he wil minister strength proportionable to every ones trial, and be a safe hiding-place to the meek.

And all you whom the Lord God hath touched with his living Power, and visited with his eternal truth, and counted worthy, and hath begotten you into the knowledge of his truth in any measure, and brought you to believe in the same (though you be yet out of bonds) know this my Friends, that this is a day wherein God wil try your faith and love which you have professed in, and to him; yea, this is a day wherein a mighty storm is arisen, which wil shake down the unsound, and the untimely fruit, that so the sound which partakes of the sap and virtue of the tree, may be clearly made manifest; yea this is a day in which the good Hus∣bandman wil separate the seed from the chaff, which he wil scat∣ter by his searching winds; therefore I beseech you all (who have any true love unto God, and the way of his holiness) keep close to the measure of his invisible Life & Power in your own vessels, that so you may retain strength, and he made able to stand witnesses

for his Name; and I exhort and warn you all, that you suffer not your minds to be entangled or encumbered with the cares of this life, lest thereby the enemy get advantage against you, and so you lose your strength. Oh take heed of he Enemies temptati∣ons, if he come unto you, and offer you the things of this life, that may seem pleasing to the creature, and tell you that you shall enjoy them if you wil bow unto him, consent not to him, for if you cannot enjoy them and the presence and love of God, let them all go, and murmure not, deny not the Lord, let not the fear of the loss of any visible thing cause yau to act contrary to that which God hath made manifest unto you. Let not your lives be dear unto you for the cause of God. Oh Friends, this is a day wherein God wil try who they are that love any changea∣ble thing more then himself, or who they be that wil defile their consciences, and deny his Witness therein, to save their estates, liberties and lives, and verily they that shall so do, heavy plagues, vengeance and judgements shall fall upon them, and that sud∣denly, the mouth of the Lord hath spoken i••: But joy, peace and glory everlastingly shal rest upon them that stand stedfast in the Fa••th received from God. Therefore dear Hearts, be faithful unto death, and ye shall receive the crown of Life. And all you my Friends who have of this Worlds goods, let the love of God stil abound in you, and then you wil be constrained by it to re∣fresh your poor brethren and sisters that stand in need this day, and thereby you may take away the cause of some temptation: which otherwise might fall upon them. And oh my Friends, I know the love and care of many of you hath been, and yet is exceeding large in this particular, even so let it be stil continu∣ed, and the Lord shall be glorified and honored thereby, and he wil be your exceeding great reward.

O Lord my God, thou hast filled my bowels with thy eternal power, thou hast filled my heart with gladness, and my mouth with praises beyond all utterance; also thy peace and thy glory resteth upon me; thou hast mightily filled me with words and boldness; yea, thou hast set me above the fears of death; thou hast caused me to be content with whatsoever thou hast suffered

to come upon me; and thou knowest I neither fear imprison∣ment, banishment, death, or any other cruelty that is possible for man to inflict upon my body; thou knowest J neither regard their threatnings, nor the flatteries of the wicked, for my trust is alone in thee, and thou art my strength and my glory; thou hast made me to be content to be even what ever thou wouldst have me: Thou knowest I seek nothing but thy honor alone; therefore wilt thou honor me before the people, according to thy Word.

And now O Lord my God, I beseech thee keep thy people in this day of tryal and hour of temptation, keep them above the earth, and out of the flatteries of a deceitful tongue, and keep them in contentedness with thy pure will in all things: Fill them with boldness and valour for thy Name and Truth, that so they may be careful for nothing, but to answer thy holy requirings; that thou mayest have the honor and glory of all, and that thou mayest exalt thy truth, and them in it over all.

Then shall praises break forth and be multiplyed unto thee, oh thou King of Saints, oh thou everlasting Fountain of endless life, who is able to express thy mighty and strange acts which thou art doing, and about to do: Oh keep thy people I beseech thee, faithful in their particular measures and places; oh that they may understand thy outgoing every thing, so shall not thy work in any be condemned.

From the Gate-House Palace yard, Westminst. the 17th of the 11th. month 1660.

George Fox the younger.