PRELIMINARY INFORMATION. "For G. F. (45.)" "Our Dear Father in the Lord, "For though we have ten thousand instructors in Christ, yet we have not many fathers, for in Christ Jesus thou hast begotten us through the gospel, eternal praises be to our Father; we thy babes with one consent being gathered together in the power of the Spirit : thou being present with us, our souls doth thirst. and languish after thee, and doth challenge that right that we have in thee, oh, thou Bread of Life, without which Bread our souls will starve. Oh, for evermore give us this Bread, and take pity on us whom thou hast nursed up with the breasts of consolation. Oh, our life, our desires is to see thee again, that we may be refreshed and established, and so have life more abundantly. And let not that beastly power, which brings us in bondage, separate thy bodily presence from us, who reigns as King above it, and would rejoice to see thy kingly power here triumph over it. Oh, our dear nursing Father, we hope thou wilt not leave us comfortless, but will come again: though that sorrow be for a time, yet joy cometh in the morning. Oh, our life, we hope to see thee again that our joy may be full; for in thy presence is fulness of joy, and where thou dwells is pleasure for evermore. Oh, thou fountain of eternal life, our souls thirst after thee; for in thee alone is our life and and without thee have we no peace: For peace, our souls is much refreshed by seeing thee, and our life is preserved by thee, oh thou Father of eternal felicity. "MARGARETT FELL. "BRIDGET FELL, "WILL: CATON." "Oh, our dear Father, when wilt thou come? SUSAN FELL. "Dear Father, pray for us. SARAH FELL. "Oh, my dear Heart, shall we not see thee once more again? ISSABELL FELL. "Thou art the Fountain of Life. MARY FELL. "My own dear Heart, "Though thou hast shaked the dust of thy Feet at him who would not receive thee nor is not worthy of thee which shall be a Testimony against him for ever yet thou knowest that we have received thee into our Hearts and shall live with thee eternally and it is our life and joy to be with thee. And so my dear Heart let not the power of darkness separate thy bodily presence from us which will be a grief and trouble to us and especially through him whom thou knows can call nothing his own but the plagues and woes. My soul thirsts to have thee to come once if it days to strike down the deceit in him for the Truths sake and if thou do not come it will add abundantly to our sorrow and strengthen the beastly power. I know it is a burthen and suffering to thee but thou hast borne our burthens and suffered for us and with us and now dear Heart do not leave us nor forsake us M F be but for two or three for our life and peace is in thee "This was sent to G F & he came back againe to thes that sent for him & he that he shak'd the dost of hise feet against was not long after convinsed" 1652 After the greater part of this work was sent to press, I received a copy of “An Appeal to the Society of Friends, by Elisha Bates," which is altogether so powerful, that I cannot satisfactorily do otherwise than call the attention of Friends to it; because it appears to me to be providentially ordered, that a flood of light should be poured into the "chambers of imagery," wherein the idolatrous system was put together, by which such a multitude of people have been deluded. In the "Appeal," a facsimile is given of George Fox's Letter to Oliver Cromwell, in which he unequivocally arrogates to himself Messiahship: for he calls himself "the Son of God," and says that his "kingdom is not of this world." And a letter written to James Nayler, by Margaret Fell, a copy of which is also given in the "Appeal," places the subject beyond all question: for the main purport of this letter seems to be, to remonstrate with James Nayler for presuming to dispute the title to the Messiahship with George Fox!! And James Nayler was afterwards convicted as a blasphemer by the Parliament, in 1656. some persons may peruse this volume without having the opportunity of seeing the "Appeal," I give a copy of Margaret Fell's Letter, with Elisha Bates's introductory observations upon it, which are as follows, (page 16 :)" The de As lusion of James Nayler made much stir in the nation at the time at which it happened. He appears to have had a most erroneous idea of the indwelling of Christ in him; and to have supposed that he himself was the peculiar instrument, raised up for introducing some extraordinary dispensation or discovery of truth. In consequence of these delusions, he sanctioned the application of terms and addresses to himself, which were unlawful to any created being. George Fox visited him when in prison, on this account; but he, supposing himself the special instrument for the great work which he imagined was about to take place, did not hold himself in the least degree subject to Fox. The latter says, 'The next day I spake to James Nayler again, and he slighted what I said, and was dark and much out; yet he would have come and kissed me. But I said, since he had turned against the power of God, I could not receive his show of kindness, so the Lord God moved me to slight him, and to set the power of God over him. So after I had been warring with the world, there was now a wicked spirit risen up amongst Friends to war against, and I admonished him and his company. And when he was come to London his resisting the power of God in me, and the truth that was declared to |