IN the Love of the Pretious and Holy Truth , in a Conscientious Concern for the Honour of God , and in a Christian Care , that the Ancient Repute , that our Holy Religion hath obtained by the Just Dealing , Upright Walking , Circumspect and Inoffensive Conversation of those that have not only professed the Truth , but loved and obeyed it , and were Careful in their Words , Habit , Living , Furniture , Commerce and whole Conversation to preserve the same , by answering in all those things that Righteous and Holy Principle of Truth , and Witness , that God hath placed in the Consciences of all Mankind , notwithstanding the Scorn and great Sufferings they met withal .

But , to our great Grief , we have found , that some ( especially of late times ) which make Profession of the Worthy Name of our Lord Jesus Christ amongst us , have not had that due Regard thereunto , and the Honour thereof , as they ought , nor have been so Careful , as becomes them , in the Management of themselves , and their Affairs and Trade in the World ; but have Inconsiderately and Unadvisedly over-charged themselves with Debts , till they could not duly and justly discharge them , and by Neglecting their Affairs and Trade , and being too Extravagant in their Habits , Furniture of their Houses , and Living too high , and above what their Income would answer , and than becometh their Profession ; and thereby have hurt themselves : And for want of a Due and Timely Inspection into the State of their Affairs , or Stopping , when they have been Sensible of their own Inability , have gone on , till they have been under such Straights and Difficulties to satisfie their Creditors just Demand in due time , and that when they have come for Money , to put them off , have given them Expectations ; and sometimes ( when pressed hard upon ) made Promises to Pay within sometime Limited , and yet have not performed . And these things have been , and are attended with Evil Consequences , not only to the Persons themselves , but greatly Injurious to many others , and have been Occasion of Stumbling and Offence , and have also brought Dishonour to Truth , and a Reproach upon Us , and a Scandal upon our Holy Profession and Religion .

Wherefore it is our Tender Counsel and Christian Advice , in the Love of God , that all would truly Weigh and duly Consider these things , and Examine themselves with the Light of the Lord Jesus Christ , that each one may see , how things are with them ; For they that do well , love the Light , and bring their Deeds to it , that they may see , they are wrought in God ; but those that do Evil , hate the Light : And it 's those , that with Grief we do declare unto you , that by walking contrary to what they profess , in not keeping under the Guidance of the good Spirit of the Lord , and not learning of , or being seasoned with the Grace of God , they run into these things .

1. Therefore we Exhort and Counsel all to be Careful , not to launch out into Trade , beyond what they can honourably and punctually Answer , and without Injury to others .

2. That no one keep another out of their Just Debt to their Prejudice , beyond the usual Time of Payment , be the Time what it will they agree to pay at , they ought to be exact to it .

3. That every Faithful and Honest Friend , that knows any Reputed Friend , or Professor of the Truth among us faulty in any of these things afore-named , or any other thing unbecoming Truth , or our Christian Profession , that such Friend , that knows thereof , in Brotherly Love and Tenderness do privately speak to him or her thereof , and Counsel , Admonish and Reprove the Person offending , as the Case requires ; and if he or she doth not hear and amend , then to take One or Two more , and speak to him or her again ; and if he or she refuses to hear them , that then such Friend or Friends acquaint the Monthly-Meeting , where the party belongs , or such Friends thereof , that are appointed by the Monthly-Meeting to hear such things in the Intervals of Monthly-Meetings , that they may speedily call a Meeting ; and the said Meeting to do and advise , as in the Wisdom of God they shall see the Case requires .

4. And we do Advise and Counsel all Friends , as they tender their own Good , the Honour of Truth , and Preservation of our Holy Profession without Blame , to Inspect their outward Affairs , at least once ( or oftner ) in a Year , that they may know , how the Case stands with them , and to order and manage themselves accordingly . For by Experience we have found , that a frequent Examination of our selves , and Inspection of things relating to our outward and inward States and Conditions , with the Light of Christ , hath proved greatly beneficial , as we have diligently waited upon God , and humbly made our Supplication to him in the Spirit of his Son . And we have observed , that it 's those , that have declined in their Love and Obedience to Christ , and the due Observation of his Equal and Royal Law ( which saith , Thou shalt love thy Neighbour as thy self , James 2. 8. And , Whatsoever ye would that Men should do to you , even so do ye to them , Mat . 7. 12. ) that have not proved Faithful in the unrighteous Mammon . And as Christ said , Luke 16. 12. If ye have not been faithful in that which is anotber Man's , who shall give you that which is your own ?

5. If therefore any upon Examination find themselves in such a declining Condition , that they can but barely pay their just Debts , or fully satisfie for the same ; that such immediately advise with Two or Three faithful Friends of the Monthly-Meeting , to which he or she belongs , and make his or her Case known to them , and take their Advice therein .

6. And if any Person shall be so Unjust , to persist and go on , after he knows himself to be in a declining Condition , and afterwards Break , and cannot pay Twenty Shillings in the Pound , or fully satisfie his Creditors , he or they so wilfully and knowingly persisting , till their Circumstances are such as aforesaid , such Persons for their persisting without the Consent or Liberty of their Creditors , and Contrary to the righteous and equal Principle of Truth in themselves , and to our Christian Advice ; we cannot esteem them Friends of Truth , or afford them any Assistance , as such ; but must be necessitated ( if they do not repent thereof , and sensibly acknowledge their Fault ) to Testify against them , as Enemies to Truth .

7. And for the Prevention of these things , and the ill Effects that follow ( and that all that walk not according to Truth in their Conversations , may be visited and admonished ) we hereby signify , that we have recommended to the several Monthly-Meetings , in the Love of Christ to watch over all their Members , in and belonging to their respective Monthly-Meetings ; and to take Care , to appoint some faithful Friends in each Meeting to Visit them , and to endeavour , that this our Brotherly Advice and Christian Care for the Honour of God , his holy Name and precious Truth may be duly observed , and made effectual to the Good Ends proposed ; and that all may be Orderly in their whole Conversation , that so none among us may over-charge themselves with Debts , nor Trade beyond their Abilities , but keep Clear from Injuring others , or Adventuring or Hazzarding others Estates to Sea , or otherwise , when they have not Estates of their own to answer . And also that Friends be Careful to perform all their Promises , Obligations and Contracts , and make payment of Just Debts , and not tediously delay or keep back the Hire of Labourers and Manufactures , beyond the time appointed for Payment , and thereby give them Just Cause of Complaint of great Injury and Oppression , Oh Consider , what the Apostle James saith , The Hire of the Labourers , which James 5. 4. See also , Levit . 19. 13. Deut . 24. 14. is kept back by Fraud , crieth , and the cries of them are entred into the Ears of the LORD of Sabath .

And therefore , let all be Careful to Avoid such things , and living above what their Estates will bear ( by keeping Horses and Country-Houses , whereby great Wast is made by Loss of Time and Neglect of Business . ) For Pride ( as the Wise-man said ) goes before Destruction , and a haughty Spirit before the Fall : And we have seen it fulfilled upon some , that have gone thereinto , and have for a time appeared as great , nay higher in their beginning , than many others have done , when they have left off , who ( by their Honest Endeavours ) have gotten Estates : But such have often ended with a Stink and Reproach .

And this hath happened , because they have not walked in that Humility and Fear towards God ; which all that would attain True Riches , Honour and Life , and be made partakers of his Blessing , must dwell in . And it is not only the Duty , but Interest of every one of us , that would do well here , and be happy hereafter , to Abide in the holy Fear of God , and walk according to his Righteous Law in all things ; that those Reproaches and Scandals , that have of late been brought in a great Degree upon the Truth , Us , and our holy Profession , thereby may for the future be prevented .

And it 's Advised , That Friends be Careful to observe the Time Agreed upon to Meet together for the Worship of God , as the Quarterly-Meeting hath recommended to us ( held the 3d the of 11th Month , 1697. ) which is as followeth .

That Friends take Care to Attend the First-days and Week-days-Meetings at the Usual times appointed , viz. About the 9th hour in the Morning , as near as they can , and in the Winter-Season about the 2d hour in the Afternoon ; and in the Summertime , when the Days are long , about the 3d hour in the Afternoon , on those Days , which are not First-days .

And as they are truly Diligent to answer that Christian Advice , not to forsake the Assembling of themselves together ; and when met , Reverently and in Fear and Humility Wait upon the Lord in the Gift of his holy Spirit , all will be made sensible of their Inward States and Conditions ; and as they are Exercised in a Christian Travel of Spirit , and supplicate God in the Spirit of his Son , to help them and supply their Wants , they may be enabled to walk in Obedience to Truth , and be endued with the Wisdom thereof to order their Affairs with Discretion ; the Want whereof hath been one great Cause , that some have gone into those things , which we herein caution against . For those , that have neglected their Christian Duty of Meeting together to Wait upon God , and Worship and Serve him , have often not well spent their Time , but misspent it .