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CONVINCED PERSONS.

WE esteem it very necessary and requisite, that young convinced and well inclined persons be early visited in the love of God, by faithful friends, for their encouragement, help, and furtherance in the truth. 1710.

We earnestly entreat that a holy care may rest upon all professors of truth, to walk circumspectly as good examples; that, in a particular manner, the ministers and elders may carefully watch, that their conduct may be to the edification and strength of the honest, though sometimes weak inquirers. 1753.

Advised, that for initiating convinced persons into membership with us, that they apply to a preparative meeting and make their request, and if the preparative meeting approve the same, that it inform the monthly meeting thereof; whereupon the monthly meeting may appoint some suitable friends to inquire into their lives and conversations, and also take a solid opportunity of conference with them, in order the better to understand, whether their motives for such request be sincere and from true conviction, and make report of their suitable

ness to become members accordingly; which, if satisfactory to the meeting, a minute be then made thereon, signifying its acceptance of such persons as members of our society.

But in all such cases, friends are desired carefully to attend to the advice of the apostle, viz. "Lay hands suddenly on no man."

COVETOUSNESS.

LET none strive nor covet to be rich in this world, in these changeable things that will pass away; but let your faith stand in the Lord God, who changes not, who created all, and who gives the increase of all. 1676.

We do, in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ, warn and charge all that profess the truth amongst us, to take heed and beware of covetousness, overreaching, oppressing and defrauding of any; from whence strife, contention and law-suits, do often arise; and, if any difference about these things do happen among you, to stop and suppress it. 1697.

As our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ exhorted and warned to take heed and beware of covetousness, which is idolatry, we are concerned that all professing Christianity among us may take heed of pride, covetousness, and hastening to be rich in the world, which are pernicious and growing evils; let them be watched against, resisted and suppressed, in the fear and dread of Almighty God, and have no place or countenance in his camp. O ye grave elders, both men and women! be careful and watch

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ful against these evils, and over the youth in these

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We beseech you to stand upon your guard against the allurements and temptations of this evil world; and beware of an ambitious and covetous spirit, by which many are ensnared in too eager a pursuit of earthly enjoyments; the danger of which is thus described by the apostle Paul: "They that will be rich, fall into temptation and a snare, and into many foolish and hurtful lusts, which drown men in destruction and perdition. For the love of money is the root of all evil; which, while some coveted after, they have erred from the faith, and pierced themselves through with many sorrows." Beware therefore, dearly beloved, lest you also, being led aside by the love of this world, and the deceitfulness of riches, fall from your own steadfastness. 1740.

DAYS AND TIMES.

Some reasons for not observing Feasts and Feast Days and Times, and other human injunctions and institutions relative to the worship of God.

EVER Since we were a people we have had a testimony against formal worship, being convinced by the precepts of our Lord Jesus Christ, the testimonies of his apostles, and our own experience, that the worship and prayers which God accepts, are such only as are produced by the influence and assistance of his Holy Spirit; we cannot, therefore, consistently, unite with any in the observation of public fasts, feasts, and what they term holy days; or such injunctions and forms as are devised in man's will for divine worship; the dispensation to which outward observations were peculiar, having long since given place to the spiritual dispensation of the gospel, we believe the fast we are now called to is not the bowing of the head like a bulrush for a day, but a universal and continual fasting and refraining from every thing which has a tendency to defile the soul, and unfit it for becoming the temple of the Holy Ghost, according to the injunctions of Christ to his primitive disciples: "If any man will come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me." "Watch ye therefore, and pray always, that ye may be accounted worthy to escape all these things that shall come to pass,

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