AN
EPISTLE
FROM
Thomas
Ianney
,
TO
FRIENDS
of
CHESHIRE
,
And
by
them
desired
to
be
made
Publick
.
Dearly
Beloved
Friends
,
YOU
amongst
whom
I
have
been
Conversant
,
when
I
lived
with
you
,
in
the
Land
of
my
Nativity
;
and
amongst
whom
sometimes
I
Laboured
in
that
Ability
,
I
had
Received
from
the
Lord
,
in
some
Travails
,
Exercises
,
and
Labours
of
Love
;
in
all
which
I
can
Appeal
to
God
(
and
I
also
Hope
that
I
have
a
Witness
in
you
)
that
I
never
Sought
my Self
,
Neither
Profit
nor
Praise
of
Men
,
but
have
Sought
the
Honour
of
God
,
the
Exaltation
of
his
Truth
,
and
the
gathering
of
People
thereinto
,
and
their
Growth
and
Establishment
therein
;
and
Blessed
be
the
Lord
,
who
hath
not
been
wanting
in
his
Rewards
&c.
And
Dear
Freinds
,
having
had
many
oppertunities
with
you
,
in
which
we
have
been
Refreshed
,
and
Comforted
together
,
in
the
Feeling
of
that
Arm
,
that
gathered
us
;
and
in
the
sweet
sence
of
the
Love
,
and
Mercy
of
our
God
,
Shed
abroad
in
our
Hearts
,
where
by
we
have
been
enlarged
towards
the
Lord
,
and
also
our
Love
and
Unity
one
towards
another
:
And
Blessed
be
the
God
of
all
our
Mercies
,
the
same
Love
,
Unity
,
and
Holy
Society
,
is
preserved
,
and
continued
amongst
all
the
Faithful
,
unto
this
Day
;
and
now
Oh!
my
Beloved
Friends
,
the
Remembrance
of
those
former
oppertunities
,
and
the
Sweet
Refreshment
therein
Enjoyed
,
have
been
often
in
my
Heart
,
since
I
saw
Your
Faces
,
Yea
,
they
are
upon
my
Soul
from
season
to
season
,
in
which
you
are
made
very
Near
,
and
Dear
unto
me
,
so
that
I
may
truly
say
,
that
Length
of
Time
,
nor
this
Far
Distance
at
which
we
are
outwardly
Separated
,
cannot
Seperate
me
in
Spirit
from
you
,
nor
blot
you
out
of
my
Remembrance
,
but
my
Heart
is
Tendered
,
and
my
love
accompanied
with
Holy
Breathings
,
and
Fervent
desires
unto
the
Lord
,
for
your
Stability
,
and
Growth
in
the
Truth
.
And
Dear
Freinds
,
this
Fresh
,
and
Living
Remembrance
of
you
,
Remaining
in
me
,
draws
me
to
give
you
this
Demonstration
thereof
,
in
the
Tender
Salutation
of
my
Dear
and
Unfained
love
unto
you
all
,
but
most
especially
,
to
those
that
yet
remain
of
them
,
who
received
the
Truth
,
in
an
Early
Hour
of
this
Blessed
Day
,
and
have
born
their
part
of
the
Heat
and
Burthen
thereof
,
who
have
helped
to
Tread
out
the
Path
for
them
,
that
have
and
yet
may
follow
after
;
although
it
hath
been
through
many
Sufferings
,
Various
Exercises
,
and
Difficulties
which
have
attended
them
in
that
work
and
day
:
I
say
all
such
who
have
kept
their
Integrity
,
and
have
not
lost
their
first
love
,
are
very
Dear
unto
me
.
And
all
you
Dear
Freinds
,
who
have
Come
in
of
Later
Times
,
who
love
the
Truth
,
and
prize
the
love
of
God
in
visiting
you
therewith
;
the
Salutation
of
my
love
doth
hereby
Reach
unto
you
,
and
the
Breathing
of
my
Soul
is
unto
God
for
you
,
that
in
a
Holy
perseverance
in
the
way
of
Truth
and
Life
,
and
also
in
the
work
of
your
day
you
may
be
preserved
,
in
your
Respective
places
and
services
,
which
the
Lord
hath
called
you
unto
,
and
fitted
you
for
.
And
all
you
Young
and
Tender
ones
,
who
are
a
Generation
,
now
growing
up
after
us
;
the
Lord
who
is
the
Searcher
of
all
Hearts
,
he
knoweth
the
secret
Exercises
,
and
inward
Travels
,
that
is
often
in
my
Soul
on
your
behalfs
;
and
not
in
m●
only
,
but
I
am
satisfied
,
the
like
is
in
many
more
,
together
also
with
the
many
Supplications
that
are
put
up
unto
the
Lord
on
your
behalf
;
that
you
may
be
a
Generation
that
may
serve
the
Lord
in
Righteousness
;
and
in
order
thereunto
,
keep
you
down
unto
Gods
Holy
Witness
,
in
your
own
Hearts
,
that
you
may
thereby
See
,
Consider
,
and
Improve
,
the
many
Priviledges
,
and
Advantages
,
which
the
Lord
affordeth
unto
you
,
(
above
,
and
beyond
what
many
have
had
in
their
Youth
,
who
have
gone
before
you
)
in
the
enjoyment
o●
many
oppertunities
,
in
which
,
how
often
hath
,
Yea
,
and
doth
the
Lord
cause
his
Heavenly
Trumpet
to
be
Sounded
giving
a
certain
Sound
,
not
only
for
your
true
Info●mation
;
bu●
also
how
many
Exhortations
▪
and
Faithful
Warnings
have
you
had
,
and
that
from
the
spirit
of
the
Lor●
▪
let
his
Witness
in
you
all
answer
.
And
Moreover
,
many
of
you
have
had
both
the
Advice
and
Example
of
Godly
Parents
,
who
have
been
and
are
greatly
concerned
for
you
▪
and
that
you
might
stand
up
in
their
places
,
in
a
faith●ul
Testimony
unto
the
never
Dying
Truth
,
when
they
are
gone
to
their
Rest
,
following
the
foot-steps
of
the
Flock
;
that
hath
gone
before
you
,
and
be
a
G●neration
blessed
of
the
Lord
;
but
,
if
any
of
you
slight
the
mercies
of
the
Lord
,
and
the
great
benefits
he
tendereth
you
,
some
of
which
I
have
oft
hinted
unto
you
before
,
(
and
many
more
I
might
have
mention'd
)
and
suffer
your
hearts
to
be
drawn
aside
,
by
the
Spirit
of
this
World
,
then
will
you
grow
into
Hardness
,
and
get
above
his
Witness
,
and
kick
against
the
reproofs
of
Instruction
,
either
dictated
to
you
by
the
Spirit
of
the
Lord
in
your selves
or
Parents
,
or
any
other
who
are
truly
concerned
for
your
good
;
if
thus
I
say
you
abuse
the
love
of
God
,
then
he
in
wrath
will
enter
into
Judgment
with
you
,
and
it
will
be
more
tolerable
for
them
that
never
heard
the
Name
of
the
Lord
mention'd
,
nor
his
Truth
declared
,
then
it
will
be
for
you
.
But
all
Friends
,
both
Old
and
Young
,
prize
you
the
love
of
our
God
,
in
which
he
hath
visited
us
,
and
in
which
he
hath
preserved
us
unto
this
day
,
and
in
which
he
still
waites
to
be
gracious
unto
us
;
therefore
keep
down
to
that
holy
breathing
Seed
,
which
the
Lord
is
raising
in
this
his
powerful
day
,
whereby
he
hath
begotten
you
in
measure
unto
himself
,
and
thereby
you
will
kept
in
a
dependancy
upon
the
Lord
,
daily
waiting
for
a
fresh
Supply
from
him
,
(
that
so
you
may
not
grow
weary
in
the
way
of
the
Lord
,
)
but
may
be
furnished
thereby
for
the
work
of
your
day
,
in
your
respective
places
and
services
,
unto
which
the
Lord
hath
called
you
.
For
,
dear
Friends
,
many
of
you
are
not
unacquainted
,
that
many
are
the
Wiles
,
and
Various
the
Workings
of
the
Enemy
,
whereby
he
endeavours
to
keep
from
a
holy
perseverance
in
the
way
of
the
Lord
,
and
to
weaken
our
hands
in
his
Work
;
that
so
if
possible
,
he
may
deprive
us
of
our
Reward
:
endeavouring
to
work
upon
us
according
to
our
various
Inclinations
,
Weakness
and
Wills
;
and
therefore
a
few
things
are
at
present
before
me
,
to
advise
and
caution
you
in
,
especially
such
as
may
not
be
so
well
acquainted
with
the
Wiles
of
Satan
.
And
First
,
beware
of
living
above
the
Seed
of
God
,
in
an
airy
mind
,
for
that
mind
is
easily
drawn
into
the
Vanities
of
thi●
World
,
and
therein
ensnared
;
and
therefore
I
Advise
and
Exhort
you
,
where
that
Nature
lies
near
,
to
keep
it
under
the
Yoke
,
that
as
the
Apostle
exhorted
the
Churches
in
his
day
,
there
may
be
no
persons
amongst
us
,
as
Esau
was
,
who
sold
his
Bi●●h-right
for
a
thing
of
Naught
.
Also
,
beware
lest
the
●●●e
of
this
World
prevails
in
any
above
the
love
of
God
;
for
if
the
earthly
Mind
prevails
,
it
will
bring
an
unconcern
dress
over
thee
,
in
respect
of
the
Work
of
the
Lord
,
and
too
little
regard
to
the
Affairs
of
the
Church
of
Christ
,
and
weaken
thee
in
thy
Place
and
Service
,
which
the
Lord
hath
called
thee
unto
;
and
therefore
all
in
whom
this
Spirit
may
lie
near
,
watch
against
it
,
lest
it
prevailing
should
draw
thee
Demas
like
,
to
forsake
the
Truth
for
the
love
of
this
present
World
.
Again
,
beware
of
that
Spirit
which
is
over
forward
,
and
works
in
the
will
of
Man
,
for
that
leads
to
go
about
the
weighty
things
of
God
and
Truth
,
in
an
overly
,
unconcerned
and
unsanctified
Mind
,
and
such
in
matters
appertaining
to
the
Church
of
Christ
,
will
more
seek
its
own
Honour
and
the
Praise
of
Men
,
then
the
Honour
of
God
,
and
Comfort
of
his
People
.
But
all
dear
Friends
,
who
are
in
such
affairs
concern'd
,
waite
you
low
upon
the
Lord
,
to
feel
your
Hearts
seasoned
by
him
,
and
your
Spirits
weightily
composed
before
him
;
so
will
the
Lord's
Council
open
in
you
,
and
his
Will
will
be
done
by
you
,
and
his
Peace
will
be
felt
in
you
,
and
his
Honour
you
will
seek
and
not
your
own
,
and
so
will
Peace
,
True
love
,
and
Unity
grow
amongst
you
;
and
thus
the
Lord
will
make
you
Honourable
in
his
House
.
Also
Friends
,
as
the
Apostle
advised
the
Church
in
his
day
,
so
do
I
advise
and
exhort
you
to
beware
,
lest
the
Serpent
through
his
Subtilty
,
as
he
beguiled
Eve
,
should
beguile
any
of
you
with
any
fair
pretence
whatsoever
,
thereby
to
draw
you
from
the
Foundation
of
God
,
or
as
he
did
to
Eve
,
presenting
the
●●odliness
of
the
Tree
of
Knowledge
,
and
then
enticing
her
to
eat
of
the
Fruit
thereof
,
pretending
to
her
,
that
if
they
would
feed
thereon
,
they
should
be
as
Gods
;
●his
begot
in
her
an
inordinate
desire
after
it
▪
and
then
she
thought
it
to
be
good
for
Food
,
after
the
Tempt●tion
had
ent●ed
her
,
althoug●
before
whilst
she
good
in
the
Council
of
God
,
and
had
regard
to
his
Command
,
she
saw
the
Danger
,
and
said
,
We
may
not
touch
it
lest
we
die
.
So
I
exhort
you
,
dear
Friends
,
to
beware
lest
any
of
you
should
be
taken
with
the
like
Temptation
,
for
if
it
enter
,
it
will
draw
your
Minds
,
so
after
it
,
that
it
will
cause
you
to
neglect
the
way
of
Life
,
your
waiting
to
feel
it
,
and
your
desire
to
feed
upon
it
;
and
then
a
withering
and
decaying
to
the
life
of
God
will
gradua●ly
steal
upon
you
;
but
in
the
Holy
Life
,
the
Wisdom
whic●
is
from
above
,
is
received
,
which
is
first
Pure
,
then
Peaceab●e
,
Gentle
and
Easie
to
be
entreated
,
&c.
and
the
encrea●e
of
his
Wisdom
tendeth
to
the
Edification
,
and
Peace
of
the
Church
;
but
where
the
desire
takes
place
that
would
be
Wise
,
more
then
Holy
,
and
more
Thirsty
to
know
than
to
feel
and
obey
,
this
I
say
,
draws
into
a
notional
and
empty
knowledge
,
and
begets
Conceite●ness
,
Ambition
,
and
Spiritual
Pride
,
and
leads
from
the
Meekness
and
Innocency
of
a
Sheep
of
Christ
,
into
the
rough
Nature
of
a
Goat
that
climbs
and
feeds
high
,
in
Conceit
and
Notion
,
and
not
in
the
valley
of
true
Humility
,
but
rambles
over
all
Fences
:
So
that
the
Bounds
of
Truth
,
are
too
straight
for
him
,
perhaps
both
in
Principle
and
Practice
,
and
not
only
so
,
but
those
are
apt
to
thrust
with
Thigh
,
and
Shoulder
against
the
poor
of
the
Flock
,
and
such
cause
Molestation
,
Trouble
,
and
Exercises
in
the
Church
of
Christ
,
rather
then
Comfort
,
Edification
and
Peace
.
And
this
farther
I
have
to
Testifie
,
the
Lord
is
come
and
coming
,
to
judge
between
Cattle
and
Cattle
,
not
only
to
see
what
is
begotten
,
but
also
to
see
what
begets
and
what
Men
beget
by
;
now
if
any
work
in
the
Wisdom
which
is
from
below
,
and
their
own
Parts
and
Abilities
in
the
will
of
Man
,
such
beget
not
to
God
,
but
beget
into
their
own
Image
;
and
hence
springeth
the
windy
Doctrine
,
which
unsettles
People
,
and
tosses
them
too
and
fro
;
and
likewise
hereby
they
come
to
be
puffed
up
,
with
conceits
of
their
own
Wisdom
,
and
Attainments
,
but
are
far
from
a
State
of
true
Purity
.
Much
further
could
I
track
this
Spirit
,
but
I
conclude
it
here
,
it
makes
People
like
the
Church
of
Laodicea
,
that
thought
she
was
Wise
and
Rich
,
&c.
when
she
was
Poor
,
and
Blind
,
and
Naked
.
But
all
you
my
dear
Friends
,
who
keep
to
that
living
Word
,
(
whereby
you
have
been
begotten
to
God
,
and
made
Sheep
of
Christ
,
)
wherein
your
Souls
in
every
Exercise
and
Service
,
the
Lord
calls
you
unto
,
depend
upon
him
,
to
be
abilitated
by
him
,
knowing
you
can
do
nothing
of
your selves
,
as
you
wait
to
feel
the
rising
and
opperation
of
his
living
Powerful
Word
,
which
begets
into
its
Image
a
true
Sheep
,
Meek
and
Innocent
,
and
these
wait
to
be
led
by
the
good
Shepherd
,
into
the
low
Vallies
where
they
meet
with
living
Refreshment
;
and
cannot
feed
upon
the
Barren
Mountains
,
in
Notions
,
and
Imaginations
,
but
wait
to
feel
the
Bread
of
Life
broken
,
and
the
fresh
Springs
opened
unto
their
Souls
;
and
these
know
and
wait
to
hear
the
Voice
of
the
good
Shepherd
,
and
follow
him
,
and
will
not
hear
the
Strangers
Voice
,
neither
follow
his
Alurements
;
but
follow
their
good
Shepherd
in
the
path
of
the
Just
,
which
is
the
bright
Shining
Light
,
and
wait
to
feel
him
to
put
them
forth
,
and
to
go
before
them
,
and
guide
them
in
all
their
Exercises
:
and
in
their
Depending
upon
him
,
and
Obedience
unto
him
,
they
Witness
his
Promise
made
good
unto
them
,
who
said
of
such
,
I
give
unto
them
Eternal
Life
.
So
dear
Friends
,
I
commit
you
to
God
,
and
commend
you
to
the
Word
of
his
Grace
,
in
which
you
have
believed
,
and
it
is
become
the
word
of
Faith
to
us
,
as
it
was
to
the
Primitive
Christians
,
and
we
know
it
to
be
a
quick
and
powerful
Word
,
the
Word
of
Patience
,
and
the
Word
of
Wisdom
,
having
thereby
been
quickned
to
God
,
and
also
have
been
thereby
prepared
for
,
and
preserved
in
,
and
carried
through
many
Exercises
,
in
obedience
to
it
:
and
all
who
keep
,
to
it
know
,
it
lives
and
abides
,
and
are
thereby
kept
alive
to
God
,
and
bring
forth
Fruits
of
Righteousness
and
Holiness
to
the
Praise
and
Glory
of
God
,
and
their
own
Consolation
and
Comfort
,
and
that
we
may
all
in
so
doing
be
preserved
unto
the
end
,
is
the
earnest
desire
of
your
unfeigned
Friend
,
THOMAS
JANNEY
.
From
my
House
near
the
Falls
of
Delaware
in
the
County
of
Bucks
in
Pensylvania
,
the
16th
day
of
the
10th
.
Month
,
1693.
I
desire
this
may
be
Read
and
Received
in
a
measure
of
the
same
Love
in
which
I
send
it
.