And such as these I saw might deceive now as they had in former Ages But it is impossible for them to deceive the Elect who were chosen in Christ who was before the World began and before Deceiver was Though others may be deceived in their Openings and Prophecies not keeping their Minds to the Lord Jesus Christ who doth Open and Reveal to his And I saw the State of those both Priests and People who in reading the Scriptures cry out much against Cain Esau and Judas and other wicked Men of former Times mentioned in the Holy Scriptures but do not see the Nature of Cain of Esau of Judas and those Others in themselves And these said It was They They They that were the bad People putting it off from themselves But when some of these came with the Light and Spirit of Truth to see into themselves then they came to say I I I it is I my self that have been the Ishmael and the Esau c. For then they came to see the Nature of wild Ishmael in themselves the Nature of Cain of Esau of Corah of Balaam and of the Son of Perdition in themselves sitting above all that is called God in them So I saw it was the fallen Man that was got up into the Scriptures and was finding Fault with those before-mentioned and with the back-sliding Jews calling them the sturdy Oaks and tall Cedars and fat Bulls of Bashan wild Heifers Vipers Serpents c. And charging them that it was They that closed their Eyes and stopped their Ears and hardned their Hearts and were dull of Hearing And that it was They that hated the Light and rebelled against it and that quenched the Spirit and vexed and grieved it and walked despightfully against the Spirit of Grace and turned the Grace of God into Wantonness And that it was They that resisted the Holy Ghost and They that got the Form of Godliness and turned against the Power And that They were the inwardly Ravening Wolves that had got the Sheep's Cloathing And that They were the Wells without Water and Clouds without Rain and Trees without Fruit c. But when these who were so much taken up with finding Fault with others and thought themselves clear from these Things came to look into themselves and with the Light of Christ throughly to search themselves they might see enough of this in themselves and then the Cry could not be It is He or They as before but I and We are found in these Conditions I saw also how People Read the Scriptures without a right Sense of them and without duly applying them to their own States For when they read that Death reigned from Adam to Moses and that the Law and the Prophets were until John and that the least in the Kingdom is greater than John they read these things without them and applyed them to others without them and the Things were true of others without them but they did not turn in to find the Truth of these things in themselves But as these things came to be opened in me I saw Death reigned over them from Adam to Moses from the Entrance into Trangression till they came to the Ministration of Condemnation which restrains People from Sin that brings Death Then when the Ministration of Moses is passed through the Ministry of the Prophets comes to be read and understood which reaches through the Figures Types and Shadows unto John the greatest Prophet born of a Woman whose Ministration prepares the Way of the Lord by bringing down the exalted Mountains and making strait Paths And as this Ministration is passed through an Entrance comes to be known into the Everlasting Kingdom So I saw plainly that none could read Moses aright without Moses's Spirit by which Moses saw how Man was in the Image of God in Paradice and how he fell and how Death came over him and how all Men have been under this Death And I saw how Moses received the pure Law that went over all Transgressors and how the clean Beasts which were Figures and Types were offered up when the People were come into the righteous Law that went over the first Transgression And both Moses and the Prophets saw through the Types and Figures and beyond them and saw Christ the great Prophet that was to come to fulfil them And I saw that none could read John's Words aright and with a true Understanding of them but in and with the same Divine Spirit by which John spake them and by his burning shining Light which is sent from God For by that Spirit their Crooked Natures might be made strait and their Rough Natures smooth and the Exacter and violent Doer in them might be thrown out And they that had been Hypocrites might come to bring forth Fruits meet for Repentance and their Mountain of Sin and Earthliness might be laid low in them and their Valley exalted in them that there might be a Way prepared for the Lord in them And then the least in the Kingdom is greater than John But all must first know the Voice crying in their Wilderness in their Hearts which through Transgression were become as a Wilderness Thus I saw it was an easie matter to say Death reigned from Adam to Moses and That the Law and the Prophets were until John and That the least in the Kingdom is greater than John But none could know how Death reigned from Adam to Moses c. but by the same Holy Spirit which Moses and the Prophets and John were in They could not know the Spiritual Meaning of Moses the Prophets and John's Words nor see their Path and Travels much less see through them and to the end of them into the Kingdom unless they had the Spirit and Light of Jesus Nor could they know the Words of Christ and of his Apostles without his Spirit But as Man comes through by the Spirit and Power of God to Christ who fulfills the Types Figures Shadows Promises and Prophecies that were of him and is led by the Holy Ghost into the Truth and Substance of the Scriptures sitting down in him who is the Author and End of them then are they read and understood with profit and great Delight Moreover the Lord God let me see when I was brought up into his Image in Righteousness and Holiness and into the Paradise of God the State How Adam was made a Living Soul And also the Stature of Christ the Mystery that had been hid from Ages and Generations Which things are hard to be uttered and cannot be born by many For of all the Sects in Christendom so called that I discoursed withal I found none that could bear to be told that any should come to Adam's Perfection into that Image of God and Righteousness and Holiness that Adam was in before he fell to be so clear and pure without Sin as he was Therefore how should they be able to bear being told that any should grow up to the Measure of
Holy and glorifie your Father which is in Heaven for he is glorified in your bringing forth good Fruits as ye abide in Christ the Vine in this his day of Life Power and Light thas shines over all And therefore all you that believe in the Light walk in the Light as Children of the Light and of Christ's everlasting Day that in the Light ye may have Fellowship with the Father and the Son and one with another keeping in the Unity of his holy Spirit in the Bond of his holy Peace in his Church that he is Head of And my desire is that God's Wisdom every where may be justified of her Children and that it may be shewed forth in Meekness and in the Fear of the Lord in this his Day Amen G. F. By that time the Yearly-Meeting was over I was very much wearied and spent wherefore about a Week after the Meeting I got out of Town to a Friend's House a little beyond Edmunton Edmunton South-street Winchmore-hill Berry-street where and at Southstreet I abode some time and had Meetings amongst Friends there and at Winchmore-hill and Berry-street And having my mind continually exercised in the Things of God the sense of his Infinite Goodness and Mercy to Mankind in visiting them after they had transgressed and rebelled against him and providing a Way and Means for their Return to him again was very much upon me And in the Opening of the Spirit of Truth I writ the following Paper on that Subject GOD who made all Men and Women 1687. Berry-street though they have transgressed his Commands and Laws and rebelled against him and hated his Light and grieved his Spirit and walked despitefully against his Spirit of Grace yet God who is merciful would have all to be saved and come to the knowledge of the Truth And all that come to the Knowledge of the Truth must know it in their inward parts I say the Grace and Truth which comes by Jesus all that do know and find do know and find it in their hearts and inward parts And such do find the hidden Man of the heart and the Pearl and the Leaven and the lost piece of Silver and the Kingdom of Heaven within For until all come to the Light and Truth in their hearts they have been strangers to these things in Adam in the Fall from the Image of God and his Light Power and Spirit and Kingdom But Christ that never fell brings Man and Woman again that follow him to know these things and to know the Truth him the Saviour and brings them into his Image and his everlasting Kingdom The Devil who is out of the Truth tempted Man and Woman to disobey God and so drew them into the Fall from the Truth So it is the Devil that hath stopped Mens Eyes and Ears and Hearts from the Truth who is called The God of the World who hath blinded the Eyes of Infidels or Heathen But Christ who bruises the Serpent's Head and destroys the Devil and his Works doth open Men's Hearts and Eyes and Ears who is their Saviour and Redeemer and giveth Life Eternal to his People that obey him and his Truth Blessed be the Lord for ever through Jesus Christ who hath tasted death for all Men to bring them out of the death of Adam and is a Propitiation for the sins of the whole World and gave himself a Ransome for all to be testified of in due time For as by Adam's transgression and disobedience Death and Condemnation came upon all Men so by Christ's Obedience unto Death Justification of Life is come upon all Men and He that believeth in Christ hath eternal life but he that doth not is condemned already But God would have all Men to be saved and come unto the knowledge of the Truth as it is in Jesus who is their Saviour and in him there is no Condemnation G. F. After I had been a while here I went to a Monthly-Meeting at Enfield and from thence with some Friends to Hartford Enfield Hartford where I stay'd three or four days visiting Friends both at their Publick Meetings on the First-day of the Week and at their Quarterly-Meetings both of Men and Women and good Service for the Lord I had amongst them Then passing from thence to Waltham-Abby I had a very good Meeting with Friends there Waltham-Abbey and the next day went from thence to another place to compose a Difference which for want of a right Understanding of each other had happened between some Friends I returned to Waltham that night 1687. Waltham Essex Gooses Wanstead Barking Gooses and the next day went with some Friends to Gooses which is William Mead's House in Essex Here I stay'd some Weeks yet was not Idle but often visited the Meetings thereabouts as at Wanstead Barking and at John Hardings And betwixt Meeting and Meeting I writ many things for spreading of Truth and for the opening Peoples Understandings to receive it One was a Paper proving from the Scriptures that People must Repent before they can receive the Gospel and the holy Spirit and the Kingdom of God or be baptized And this was it JOhn the Baptist came Preaching in the Wilderness of Judea saying Repent ye for the Kingdom of Heaven is at hand Matth. 3.2 And when John the Baptist was cast into Prison Mark says That Jesus came into Galilee preaching the Gospel of the Kingdom of God and saying The time is fulfilled and the Kingdom of God is at hand Repent ye and believe the Gospel Mark 1.14 15. Matthew also says From that time Jesus began to preach and to say Repent for the Kingdom of Heaven is at hand Matth. 4.17 And when Christ sent forth his Twelve Disciples two and two they went out and preached that Men should Repent Mark 6.12 Christ said to the Jews Except ye Repent ye shall all likewise perish Luke 13.3 5. And when the Publicans and Sinners came to hear Christ and the Pharisees and Scribes murmured saying This Man receiveth sinners and eateth with them Luke 15.1 2. Christ reproved them by a Parable and then told them Joy shall be in Heaven over one sinner that Repenteth more than over ninety and nine just persons which need no Repentance ver 7. And adds There is Joy in the presence of the Angels of God over one sinner that Repenteth ver 10. And Christ after he was Risen said unto his Disciples That Repentance and Remission of sins should be preached in his Name among all Nations beginning at Jerusalem Luke 24.47 Peter said unto the Jews Repent and be baptized every one of you in the Name of Jesus Christ for the Remission of sins and ye shall receive the Gift of the Holy Ghost Acts 2.38 And Paul said The times of this Ignorance God winked at but now commandeth all Men every where to Repent Acts 17.30 Simon Magus was called to Repentance if he had regarded it Acts 8.22 And the Apostle Paul did
Covetousness and Extortion God doth forbid that Wo be to the Man that Coveteth an Evil Covetousness that he may set his Nest on high and cover himself with thick Clay O do not love that which God doth forbid His Servant thou art whom thou dost obey whether it be of Sin unto Death or of Obedience unto Righteousness Think upon Lazarus and Dives the one fared sumptuously every Day the other was a Beggar See if thou be not Dives Be not deceived God is not mocked with vain Words Evil Communication corrupteth good Manners Awake to Righteousness and sin not G. F. That to Justice Barton was in these Words Friend THou that preachest Christ and the Scriptures in Words when any come to follow that which thou hast spoken of and to live the Life of the Scriptures then they that speak the Scriptures but do not lead their Lives according thereunto persecute them that do Mind the Prophets and Jesus Christ and his Apostles and all the Holy Men of God what they spake was from the Life But they that had not the Life but the Words Persecuted and Imprisoned them that lived in the Life which they had back-slidden from G. F. Now as I had written to the Justices and to the Priests so it was upon me to write to the Major of Darby also who though he did not sign the Mittimus had a Hand with the rest in sending me to Prison And to him I writ after this manner Friend THou art set in Place to do Justice but in Imprisoning my Body thou hast done contrary to Justice according to your own Law O take heed of pleasing Men more than God for that 's the way of the Scribes and Pharisees They sought the Praise of Men more than God Remember who said I was a Stranger and ye took me not in I was in Prison and ye visited me not O Friend thy Envy is not against me but against the Power of Truth I had no Envy to you but Love O take heed of Oppression for The Day of the Lord is coming that shall burn as an Oven and all the Proud and all that do wickedly shall be as Stubble and the Day that cometh shall burn them up saith the Lord of Hosts It shall leave them neither Root nor Branch O Friend if the Love of God were in thee thou would'st love the Truth and hear the Truth spoken and not Imprison unjustly The Love of God beareth and suffereth and envieth no Man If the Love of God had broken your Hearts you would shew Mercy but you do shew forth what ruleth you Every Tree doth shew forth its Fruit you do shew forth your Fruits openly For Drunkenness Swearing Pride and Vanity rule among you from the Teacher to the People O Friend Mercy and true Judgment and Justice are Cried for in your Streets Oppression Vnmercifulness Cruelty Hatred Pride Pleasures Wantonness and Fulness is in your Streets but the Poor is not regarded O take heed of the Wo Wo be to the Crown of Pride Wo be to them that drink Wine in Bowles and the Poor is ready to perish O remember Lazarus and Dives One fared deliciously every Day and the other was a Beggar O Friend Mind these Things for they are near and see whether thou be not the Man that is in Dives his State I writ also to the Court at Darby thus I Am moved to write unto you to take heed of Oppressing the Poor in your Courts or laying Burdens upon poor People which they cannot bear And of false Oaths or making them to take Oaths which they cannot perform The Lord saith I will come near to Judgment and will be a swift Witness against the Sorcerers against the false Swearers and against the Idolaters and against those that do oppress Widows and Fatherless Therefore take heed of all these things betimes The Lord's Judgments are all true and righteous and he delighteth in Mercy So love Mercy Dear People and Consider in Time Likewise to the Ringers who used to Ring the Bells in the Steeple-house called S. Peter's in Darby I sent these few Lines Friends TAke heed of Pleasures and prize your Time now while you have it and do not spend it in Pleasures nor Earthliness The Time may come that you will say You had Time when it is past Therefore look at the Love of God now while you have Time for it bringeth to loath all Vanities and worldly Pleasures O Consider Time is precious Fear God and rejoyce in him who hath made Heaven and Earth Now while I was there in Prison divers of the Professors came unto me to discourse with me And I had a Sense before they spake that they came to plead for Sin and Imperfection And I asked them Whether they were Believers and had Faith and they said Yes Then I asked them In whom and they said In Christ Then I replyed If ye are true Believers in Christ you are passed from Death to Life and if passed from Death then from Sin that bringeth Death And if your Faith be true it will give you Victory over Sin and the Devil and purify your Hearts and Consciences for the true Faith is held in a pure Conscience and it will bring you to please God and give you Access to him again But they could not endure to hear of Purity and of Victory over Sin and the Devil For they said They could not believe that any could be free from Sin on this Side the Grave Then I bid them give over babling about the Scriptures which were Holy Mens Words whilst they pleaded for Vnholiness And at another Time another Company of Professors came and they also began to plead for Sin And I asked them Whether they had Hope And they said Yes God forbid but we should have Hope Then I asked them What Hope is it that you have Is Christ in you the Hope of your Glory Doth it purify you as he is Pure But they could not abide to hear of being made pure here Then I bid them forbear talking of the Scriptures which were the Holy Men's Words For the Holy Men that writ the Scriptures pleaded for Holiness in Heart Life and Conversation here but since you plead for Impurity and Sin which is of the Devil what have you to do with the Holy Men's Words Now the Keeper of the Prison being an high Professor was greatly enraged against me and spake very wickedly of me But it pleased the Lord one Day to strike him so that he was in great Trouble and under great Terrors of Mind And as I was walking in my Chamber I heard a doleful Noise and standing still I heard him say to his Wife Wife I have seen the Day of Judgment and I saw GEORGE there and I was afraid of him because I had done him so much wrong and spoken so much against him to the Ministers and Professors and to the Justices and in Taverns and Ale-houses After this towards the Evening
but told them If they would appoint a Meeting for the next day at the Steeple-house and acquaint the People with it I might meet them They had a great deal of Reasoning about it some being for it and some against it In the Morning I walked out after I had spoken again to them concerning the Meeting and as I walked upon a Bank by the House there came several poor People Travellers asking Relief who I saw were in Necessity and they gave them nothing but said they were Cheats It grieved me to see such hard-heartedness amongst Professors whereupon when they were gone in to their Breakfast I ran after the Poor People about a quarter of a Mile and gave them some Money Mean while some of them that were in the House coming out again and seeing me a quarter of a Mile off said I could not have gone so far in such an Instant if I had not had Wings Hereupon the Meeting was like to have been put by for they were filled with such strange Thoughts concerning me that many of them were against having a Meeting with me I told them I ran after those poor People to give them some Money being grieved at their hard-heartedness who gave them nothing Then came Miles and Stephen Hubbersty and they being more simple-hearted Men would have the Meeting held So to the Chappel at Vnder-barrow I went and the Priest came and a great Meeting there was and the Way of Life and Salvation was opened and after a while the Priest fled away And many of Crook and Vnder-barrow were Convinced that day and received the Word of Life and stood fast in it under the Teaching of Christ Jesus Now after I had declared the Truth to them for some Hours and the Meeting was ended the Chief-Constable and some other Professors fell to Reasoning with me in the Chappel-Yard Whereupon I took a Bible and opened to them the Scriptures and dealt tenderly with them as one would do with a Child And they that were in the Light of Christ and Spirit of God knew when I spake Scripture though I did not mention Chapter and Verse after the Priest's Form unto them From hence I went along with an ancient Man 1652. Under-barrow whose Heart the Lord had opened and he invited me to his House His Name was James Dickinson He was Convinced that day and received the Truth and lived and died in it From his House I came the next day to James Taylor 's of Newton in Cartmell in Lancashire And on the First-day of the Week Lancashire Newton in Cartmell I went to the Chappel wheâ—e one Priest Camelford used to preach and after he had done I began to speak the Word of Life to the People But this Priest Camelford was in such a Rage and did so fret and was so peevish that he had no patience to hear but stirred up the rude Multitude and they rudely haled me out and struck and punched me and threw me Headlong over a Stone-Wall yet blessed be the Lord his Power preserved me He that did this Violence to me was a wicked Man one John Knipe whom afterwards the Lord cut off But there was a Youth in the Chappel writing after the Priest and I was moved to speak to him and he came to be Convinced and received a part of the Ministry of the Gospel His Name was John Brathwait Then went I up to an Ale-house whither many People resorted betwixt the time of their Morning and Afternoon-Preaching and I had a great deal of Reasoning with the People there declaring to them That God was come to Teach his People himself and to bring them off from all false Teachers such as the Prophets Christ and the Apostles cryed against And many received the Word of Life at that time and abode in it In the Afternoon I went about two or three Miles to another Steeple-house or Chappel called Lyndal And when the Priest had done I spake to him and the People what the Lord commanded me and there were great Opposers but afterwards they came to be Convinced After this I went to one Captain Sands who with his Wife seemed somewhat affected with Truth and if they could have held the World and Truth together they would have received it but they were Hypocrites and he a very Chaffy light Man Wherefore I reproved him for his Lightness and for his Jesting telling him It was not seemly in a great Professor as he was Thereupon he told me He had a Son who upon his Death-bed had also reproved him for it and warned him of it But he neither regarded the Admonition of his dying Son nor the Reproofs of God's Spirit in himself From hence I went to Vlverstone Ulverstone Swarthmore and so to Swarthmore to Judge Fell's whether came up one Lampitt a Priest who I perceived had been and still was an high Notionist With him I had a great deal of Reasoning for he would talk of high Notions and Perfection and thereby deceived the People He would have owned me but I could not own nor join with him he was so full of Filth He said He was above John and made as though he knew all things But I told him Death reigned from Adam to Moses and that he was under Death and knew not Moses for Moses saw the Paradise of God but he knew neither Moses nor the Prophets nor John For that crooked and rough Nature stood in him and the Mountain of Sin and Corruptions and the Way was not prepared in him for the Lord. 1652. Swarthmore He confessed he had been under a Cross in things but now he could sing Psalms and do any thing I told him Now he could see a Thief and join Hand in Hand with him But he could not preach Moses nor the Prophets nor John nor Christ except he were in the same Spirit that they were in Now Margaret Fell had been abroad in the Day-time and at Night her Children told her that Priest Lampitt and I had dis-agreed which did some-what trouble her because she was in a Profession with him but he hid his dirty Actions from them At Night we had a great deal of Reasoning and I declared the Truth to her and her Family The next day Lampitt came again and I had a great deal of Discourse with him before Margaret Fell who then clearly discerned the Priest and a Convincement of the Lord's Truth came upon her and her Family Within a day or two there was a day to be observed for an Humiliation and Margaret Fell asked me to go with her to the Steeple-house at Vlverstone Ulverstone for she was not wholly come off from them I replied I must do as I am ordered by the Lord. So I left her and walked into the Fields and the Word of the Lord came to me saying Go to the Steeple-house after them When I came the Priest Lampitt was singing with his People But his Spirit was so foul
we were passing from a Meeting and going through VVighton on a Market-day the People of the Town had set a Guard with Pitch-forks and although some of their own Neighbours were with us they kept us out of the Town and would not let us pass through the Town under a pretence of preventing the Sickness though there was no Occasion for any such thing However they fell upon us and had like to have spoiled us and our Horses But the Lord did restrain them that they did not much hurt and we passed away Another time as I was passing between two Friend's Houses some Rude Fellows lay in Wait in a Lane and exceedingly stoned and abused us but at last through the Lord's Assistance we got through them and had not much hurt But this shewed the Fruits of the Priest's Teaching which shamed their Profession of Christianity Bishoprick of Durham Now after I had visited Friends in that County I went through the Countries into Bishoprick having large Meetings by the way and a very large Meeting I had at Anthony Pearson's where many were Convinced From thence I passed through Northumberland to Darren-Water where there were great Meetings 1653. Northumberland and the Priests threatned that they would come but none came The everlasting Word of Life was freely preached and freely received and many Hundreds were turned to Christ their Teacher In Northumberland there came many to dispute Darren-Water of whom some pleaded against Perfection unto whom I declared That Adam and Eve were perfect before they fell and All that God made was perfect and that the Imperfection came by the Devil and the Fall But Christ that came to destroy the Devil said Be ye perfect Then one of the Professors said That Job said Shall mortal Man be more pure than his Maker The Heavens are not clear in his sight God charged his Angels with Folly But I shewed him his Mistake and let him see That it was not Job that said so but one of those that contended against Job for Job stood for Perfection and held his Integrity and they were called miserable Comforters Then these Professors said The Outward Body was the Body of Death and Sin I shewed them their Mistake in that also shewing them That Adam and Eve had each of them an Outward Body before the Body of Death and Sin got into them and that Man and Woman will have Bodies when the Body of Sin and Death is put off again when they are Renewed up into the Image of God again by Christ Jesus which they were in before they fell So they ceased at that time from Opposing further and glorious Meetings we had in the Lord's Power Then passed we on to Hexam Hexam where we had a great Meeting a Top of an Hill The Priest threatned that he would come and Oppose us but he came not so that all was quiet And the Everlasting Day and Renowned Truth of the Everliving God was sounded over those dark Countries and his Son exalted over all And it was proclaimed amongst the People that the Day was now come wherein all that had made a Profession of the Son of God might receive him and that to as many as would receive him he would give Power to become the Sons of God as he had done to me And it was further declared That he that had the Son of God he had Life Eternal but he that had not the Son of God though he profest all the Scriptures from the first of Genesis to the last of the Revelations he had not Life So after that all were directed to the Light of Christ by which they might see him and receive him and know where their true Teacher was and the Everlasting Truth had been largely declared amongst them we passed away through Hexam peaceably and came into Gilsland Gilsland a Country noted for Thieving Here a Friend spying the Priest went to speak to him whereupon the Priest came down to our Inn and the Town 's People gathered about us The Priest said He would prove us Deceivers out of the Bible but could find no Scripture for his purpose Then he went into the Inn and after a while came out again and brought some broken Sentences of Scripture that mention the Doctrines and Commandments of Men c. and Touch not Taste not c. for they perish with the using All which poor Man was his own Condition whereas we were persecuted because we would not Taste nor Touch nor Handle their Doctrines and Traditions 1653. Gillsland which we knew perished with the using I asked him What he called the Steeple-house Oh said he the dreadful House of God the Temple of God Then I shewed him and the poor dark People That their Bodies should be the Temples of God and that Christ never commanded these Temples but ended that Temple at Jerusalem which God had commanded While I was speaking the Priâ—st got away and afterwards the People made as if they feared we would take their Purses or steal their Horses judging us like themselves who are naturally given to Thieving Cumberland The next day we came through the Country into Cumberland again where we had a general Meeting of many Thousands of People a Top of an Hill near Langlands Langlands A glorious and heavenly Meeting it was for the Glory of the Lord did shine over all and there were as many as one could well speak over the Multitude was so great Their Eyes were fixed on Christ their Teacher and they came to sit under their own Vine insomuch that Francis Howgill coming afterwards to Visit them found they had no need of Words for they were sitting under their Teacher Christ Jesus In the sâ—nse whereof he sate down amongst them without speaking any thing A great Convincement there was in Cumberland Bishoprick Northumberland Westmorland Lancashire and Yorkshire And the Plants of God grew and flourished so the heavenly Rain descending and God's Glory shining upon them that many Mouths were opened by the Lord to his Praise yea to Babes and Sucklings he ordained Strength Brigham After my Release from Carlisle-Prison I was moved to go to Priest Wilkinson's Steeple-house again and I being got into the Steeple-house before him when he came in I was declaring the Truth to the People though they were but few for the most and the best of his Hearers were turned to Christ's free Teaching and we had a Meeting of Friends hard by where one Thomas Stubbs was declaring the Word of Life amongst them As soon as the Priest came in he Opposed me and there did we stay most part of the Day for when I began he Opposed me so if any Law was broken he broke it And when his People would be haling me out I manifested his Fruits to be such as Christ spake of when he said They shall hale you out of their Synagogues And then he would be ashamed and they would let me
and some Years I continued in that Condition in great Troubles and fain I would have put it from me And I went to many a Priest to look for Comfort but found no Comfort from them From Barnet I went to London where I took a Lodging London and was under great Misery and Trouble there For I looked upon the great Professors of the City of London and I saw all was dark and under the Chain of Darkness And I had an Uncle there one Pickering a Baptist and they were tender then Yet I could not impart my Mind to him nor join with them For I saw all Young and Old where they were Some tender People would have had me stayed but I was fearful and returned homewards in Leicestershire again Leicestershire having a Regard upon my Mind unto my Parents and Relations lest I should grieve them who I understood were troubled at my Absence When I was come down into Leicestershire my Relations would have had me Married But I told them I was but a Lad and I must get Wisdom Others would have had me into the Auxiliary Band among the Soldiery Coventry but I refused and I was grieved that they proffered such Things to me being a tender Youth Then I went to Coventry where I took a Chamber for a while at a Professor's House till People began to be acquainted with me for there were many tender People in that Town And after some time I went into my own Country again Leicestershire and was there about a Year in great Sorrows and Troubles and walked many Nights by my self Then the Priest of Drayton the Town of my Birth whose Name was Nathaniel Stevens would come often to me and I went often to him and another Priest sometimes would come with him And they would have given place to me to hear me and I would ask them Questions and reason with them And this Priest Stevens asked me a Question viz. Why Christ cryed out upon the Cross My God my God why hast thou forsaken me And why he said If it be possible let this Cup pass from me yet not my Will but thine be done And I told him At that time the Sins of all Mankind were upon him and their Iniquities and Transgressions with which he was wounded which he was to bear and to be an Offering for them as he was Man but died not as he was God And so in that he died for all Men and tasted Death for every Man he was an Offering for the Sins of the whole World This I spake being at that time in a measure sensible of Christ's Sufferings and what he went through And the Priest said It was a very good full Answer and such an one as he had not heard And at that time he would applaud and speak highly of me to others And what I said in Discourse to him on the Week-days that he would Preach of on the First-days for which I did not like him And this Priest afterwards became my great Persecutor Mansetter in Warwick-shire After this I went to another Ancient Priest at Mansetter in Warwick-shire and reasoned with him about the Ground of Despair and Temptations but he was ignorant of my Condition And he bid me Take Tobacco and Sing Psalms Tobacco was a thing I did not love and Psalms I was not in an Estate to Sing I could not Sing Then he bid me come again and he would tell me many Things But when I came again he was angry and pettish For my former Words had displeased him And he told my Troubles and Sorrows and Griefs to his Servants so that it was got among the Milk-Lasses which grieved me that I should open my Mind to such an one I saw they were all Miserable Comforters And this brought my Troubles more upon me Tamworth Then I heard of a Priest living about Tamworth who was accounted an Experienced Man and I went Seven Miles to him But I found him but like an Empty hollow Cask Then I heard of one called Doctor Cradock of Coventry and I went to him and I asked him the Ground of Temptations and Despair and how Troubles came to be wrought in Man He asked me Who was Christ's Father and Mother I told him Mary was his Mother and that he was supposed to be the Son of Joseph but he was the Son of God Now as we were walking together in his Garden the Ally being narrow I chanced in turning to set my Foot on the side of a Bed at which the Man was in such a Rage as if his House had been on Fire And thus all our Discourse was lost and I went away in Sorrow worse than I was when I came I thought them Miserable Comforters And I saw they were all as Nothing to me for they could not reach my Condition After this I went to another one Macham a Priest in high Account And he would needs give me some Physick and I was to have been let Blood But they could not get one drop of Blood from me either in Arms or Head though they endeavoured it my Body being as it were dried up with Sorrows Grief and Troubles which were so great upon me that I could have wished I had never been born to see Vanity and Wickedness or that I had been born Blind that I might never have seen Wickedness nor Vanity and Deaf that I might never have heard vain and wicked Words or the Lord's Name blasphemed And when the time called Christmas came while others were Feasting and Sporting themselves I would have gone and looked out poor Widows from House to House and have given them some Money And when I was invited to Marriages as I sometimes was I would go to none at all but the next day or soon after I would go and visit them And if they were Poor I gave them some Money for I had wherewith both to keep my self from being Chargeable to others and to administer something to the Necessities of Others About the beginning of the Year 1646. as I was going to Coventry and entring towards the Gate a Consideration arose in me how it was said That All Christians are Believers Coventry both Protestants and Papists And the Lord opened to me that if all were Believers then they were all born of God and passed from Death to Life and that none were true Believers but such And though Others said they were Believers yet they were not At another time as I was walking in a Field on a First-day Morning the Lord opened unto me That being bred at Oxford or Cambridge was not enough to fit and qualifie Men to be Ministers of Christ And I stranged at it because it was the common Belief of People But I saw it clearly as the Lord opened it to me and was satisfied and admired the Goodness of the Lord who had opened this thing unto me that Morning Which struck at Priest Stevens his Ministry namely
is the Author of ye will have Peace and Access to God But if ye look out from the Faith and from that which would keep you in the Victory and look after fleshly Things or Words ye will be brought into Bondage to the Flesh again and to the Law which takes hold upon the Flesh and Sin and worketh Wrath and the Works of the Flesh will appear again The Law of God takes hold upon the Law of Sin and Death But the Law of Faith or the Law of the Spirit of Life which is the Love of God and which comes by Jesus who is the end of the Law for Righteousness-sake this makes free from the Law of Sin and Death This Law of Life fleshly-minded Men do not know yet they will tempt you to draw you from the Spirit into the Flesh and so into Bondage Therefore ye who know the Love of God and the Law of his Spirit and the freedom that is in Jesus Christ stand fast in him in that divine Faith which he is the Author of in you and be not entangled with the Yoke of Bondage For the Ministry of Christ Jesus and his Teaching bringeth into Liberty and Freedom But the Ministry that is of Man and by Man and which stands in the Will of Man bringeth into Bondage and under the shadow of Death and Darkness And therefore none can be a Minister of Christ Jesus but in the Eternal Spirit which was before the Scriptures were given forth For if they have not his Spirit they are none of his Though they may have his Light to condemn them that hate it yet they can never bring any into Unity and Fellowship in the Spirit except they be in it For the Seed of God is a burdensome Stone to the selfish fleshly earthly Will which reigns in its own Knowledge and Understanding that must perish and in its Wisdom that is Devilish And the Spirit of God is grieved and vexed and quenched with that which brings into the fleshly Bondage and that which wars against the Spirit of God must be mortified by it For the Flesh lusteth against the Spirit and the Spirit against the Flesh and these are contrary the one to the other The Flesh would have its Liberty and the Spirit would have its Liberty But the Spirit is to have its Liberry and not the Flesh If therefore ye quench the Spirit and join to the Flesh and be Servants of it then ye are judged and tormented by the Spirit But if ye join to the Spirit and serve God in it ye have Liberty and Victory over the Flesh and its Works Therefore keep in the daily Cross the Power of God by which ye may witness all that to be Crucified which is contrary to the Will of God and which shall not come into his Kingdom These things are here mentioned and opened for Information Exhortation and Comfort to others as the Lord Opened them unto me in that day And in that day I wondred that the Children of Israel should murmur for Water and Victuals for I could have fasted long without murmuring or minding Victuals But I was judged sometimes that I was not contented to be sometimes without the Water and Bread of Life that I might learn to know how to Want and how to Abound Lancashire And I heard of a Woman in Lancashire that had Fasted Two and twenty Days And I traveled to see her but when I came to her I saw that she was under a Temptation And when I had spoken to her what I had from the Lord I left her her Father being one high in Profession Duckenfield Manchester And passing on I went among the Professors at Duckenfield and Manchester where I stay'd a while and declared Truth among them And there were some Convinced who received the Lord's Teaching by which they were confirmed and stood in the Truth But the Professors were in a Rage all pleading for Sin and Imperfection and could not endure to hear talk of Perfection and of an holy and sinless Life But the Lord's Power was over all though they were chained under Darkness and Sin which they pleaded for and quenched the tender Thing in them About this time there was a great Meeting of the Baptists 1647. Broughton in Leicester-shire at Broughton in Leicester-shire with some that had separated from them and People of other Notions went thither And I went thither also Not many of the Baptists came but abundance of other People were there And the Lord opened my Mouth and his Everlasting Truth was declared amongst them and the Power of the Lord was over them all For in that day the Lord's Power began to spring and I had great Openings in the Scriptures and several were Convinced in those Parts and were turned from Darkness to Light and from the Power of Satan unto God and his Power they did receive and by it many were raised up to praise God And when I reasoned with Professors and other People some were Convinced and did stand Yet I was under great Temptations sometimes and my inward Sufferings were heavy but I could find none to open my Condition to but the Lord alone unto whom I cryed Night and Day And I went back into Nottingham-shire Nottingham-shire and there the Lord shewed me that the Natures of those things which were hurtful without were within in the Hearts and Minds of Wicked Men. The Natures of Dogs Swine Vipers of Sodom and Egypt Pharaoh Cain Ishmael Esau c. the Natures of these I saw within though People had been looking without And I cryed to the Lord saying Why should I be thus seeing I was never addicted to commit those Evils And the Lord answered That it was needful I should have a sense of all Conditions how else should I speak to all Conditions And in this I saw the Infinite Love of God I saw also that there was an Ocean of Darkness and Death but an infinite Ocean of Light and Love which flowed over the Ocean of Darkness And in that also I saw the Infinite Love of God and I had great Openings And as I was walking by the Steeple-house side in the Town of Mansfield Mansfield the Lord said unto me That which People do trample upon must be thy Food And as the Lord spake he opened it to me how that People and Professors did trample upon the Life even the Life of Christ was tramâ—led upon and they fed upon Words and fed one another with Words but trampled upon the Life And trampled under Foot the Blood of the Son of God which Blood was my Life and they lived in their airy Notions talking of him It seemed strange to me at the first that I should feed on that which the high Professors trampled upon but the Lord opened it clearly to me by his Eternal Spirit and Power Then came People from far and near to see me And I was fearful of being drawn out by them yet
Heathenish Fables and from Mens Inventions and windy Doctrines by which they blowed the People about this way and the other way from Sect to Sect and all their beggarly Rudiments with their Schools and Colledges for making Ministers of Christ who are indeed Ministers of their own making but not of Christ's And all their Images and Crosses and Sprinkling of Infants with all their Holy-days so called and all their vain Traditions which they had gotten up since the Apostles Days which the Lord's Power was against And in the Dread and Authority thereof was I moved to declare against them all and against all that Preached and not freely as being such as had not Received freely from Christ Moreover when the Lord sent me forth into the World he forbad me To put off my Hat to any High or Low And I was required to Thee and Thou all Men and Women without any respect to Rich or Poor Great or Small And as I traveled up and down I was not to bid People Good Morrow or Good Evening neither might I Bow or Scrape with my Leg to any one And this made the Sects and Professions to rage But the Lord's Power carried me over all to his Glory and many came to be turned to God in a little time For the heavenly Day of the Lord sprang from on high and brake forth apace by the Light of which many came to see where they were But oh the Rage that then was in the Priests Magistrates Professors and People of all sorts but especially in Priests and Professors For tho' Thou to a single Person was according to their own Learning their Accidence and Grammar Rules and according to the Bible yet they could not bear to hear it And the Hat-Honour because I could not put off my Hat to them it set them all into a Rage But the Lord shewed me that it was an Honour below which he would lay in the Dust and stain it an Honour which proud Flesh looked for but sought not the Honour which came from God only That it was an Honour invented by Men in the Fall and in the Alienation from God who were offended if it were not given them and yet would be looked upon themselves as Saints Church-members and great Christians But Christ saith How can ye believe who receive Honour one of another and seek not the Honour that cometh from God only And I saith Christ receive not Honour of Men Shewing that Men have an Honour which Men will receive and give but Christ will have none of it This is the Honour which Christ will not receive and which must be laid in the Dust Oh! the Rage and Scorn the Heat and Fury that arose Oh! the Blows Punchings Beatings and Imprisonments that we underwent for not putting off our Hats to Men For that soon tried all Mens Patience and Sobriety what it was Some had their Hats violently pluck'd off and thrown away so that they quite lost them The bad Language and evil Vsage we received on this Account is hard to be expressed besides the Danger we were sometimes in of losing our Lives for this Matter and that by the great Professors of Christianity who thereby discovered that they were not true Believers And though it was but a small thing in the Eye of Man yet a wonderful Confusion it brought among all Professors and Priests But blessed be the Lord many came to see the Vanity of that Custom of putting off the Hat to Men and felt the weight of Truth 's Testimony against it About this time I was sorely exercised in going to their Courts to cry for Justice and in speaking and writing to Judges and Justices to do Justly and in warning such as kept publick Houses for Entertainment that they should not let People have more Drink than would do them good And in testifying against their Wakes or Feasts their May-Games Sports Plays and Shews which trained up People to Vanity and Loosness and led them from the fear of God and the Days they had set forth for Holy-days were usually the times wherein they most dishonoured God by these things In Fairs also and in Markets I was made to declare against their deceitful Merchandize and Cheating and Cozening warning all to deal Justly and to speak the Truth and to let their Yea be yea and their Nay be nay and to do unto others as they would have others do unto them And fore-warning them of the Great and Terrible Day of the Lord which would come upon them all I was moved also to Cry against all sorts of Musick and against the Mountebanes playing Tricks on their Stages for they burdened the pure Life and stirred up Peoples Minds to Vanity I was much exercised too with Schoolmasters and School-mistresses warning them to teach their Children Sobriety in the fear of the Lord that they might not be nursed and trained up in Lightness Vanity and Wantonness Likewise I was made to warn Masters and Mistresses Fathers and Mothers in private Families to take care that their Children and Servants might be trained up in the fear of the Lord and that they themselves should be therein Examples and Patterns of Sobriety and Vertue to them For I saw that as the Jews were to teach their Children the Law of God and the Old Covenant and to train them up in it and their Servants yea the very Strangers were to keep the Sabbath amongst them and be Circumcised before they might eat of their Sacrifices so all Christians and all that made a Profession of Christianity ought to Train up their Children and Servants in the New Covenant of Light Christ Jesus who is God's Salvation to the Ends of the Earth that all may know their Salvation And they ought to train them up in the Law of Life the Law of the Spirit the Law of Love and of Faith that they might be made free from the Law of Sin and Death And all Christians ought to be Circumcised by the Spirit which puts off the Body of the Sins of the Flesh that they may come to Eat of the heavenly Sacrifice Christ Jesus that true spiritual Food which none can rightly feed upon but they that are Circumcised by the Spirit Likewise I was Exercised about the Star-Gazers who drew Peoples Minds from Christ the bright and the Morning-Star and from the Sun of Righteousness by whom the Sun and Moon and Stars and all things else were made who is the Wisdom of God and from whom the right Knowledge of all things is received But the black Earthly Spirit of the Priest wounded my Life And when I heard the Bell toll to call People together to the Steeple-house it struck at my Life For it was just like a Market-Bell to gather People together 1649. Vale of Beavor that the Priest might set forth his Ware to Sale O the Vast Sums of Money that are gotten by the Trade they make of selling the Scriptures and by their Preaching
is Invisible doth open you by his Invisible Power and Spirit and brings down the carnal Mind in you so the Invisible and Immortal things are brought to Light in you O therefore you that know the Light walk in the Light For there are Children of Darkness that will talk or the Light and of the Truth and not walk in it but the Children of the Light love the Light and walk in the Light But the Children of Darkness walk in Darkness and hate the Light and in them the earthly Lusts and the carnal Mind choke the Seed of Faith and that bringeth Oppression on the Seed and Death over them O therefore mind the pure Spirit of the Everlasting God which will reach you to use the Creatures in their right place and which iudgeth the Evil. To thee O God be all Glory and Honour who art Lord of all Visibles and Invisibles To thee be all Praise who bringest out of the Deep to thy Self O powerful God who art worthy of all Glory For the Lord who created all and gives Life and Strength to all is over all and Merciful to all So thou who hast made all and art over all to thee be all Glory In thee is my Strength Refreshments and Life my Joy and my Gladness my Rejoycing and Glorying for evermore So to live and walk in the Spirit of God is Joy and Peace and Life but the Mind going forth into the Creatures or into any Visible Things from the Lord this bringeth Death Now when the Mind is got into the Flesh and into Death then the Accuser gets within and the Law of Sin and Death that gets into the Flesh and then the Life suffers under the Law of Sin and Death And then there is straitness and failings For then the Good is shut up and then the Self-Righteousness is set a top and then Man doth work in the outward Law and he cannot Justify himself by the Law but is Condemned by the Light For he cannot get out of that State but by abiding in the Light and resting in the Mercy of God and believing in him from whom all Mercy doth flow For there is Peace in resting in the Lord Jesus This is the Narrow Way that leads to him the Life but few will abide in it Therefore keep in the Innocency and be obedient to the Faith in him And take heed of Conforming to the World and of Reasoning with Flesh and Blood for that bringeth Disobedience and then Imaginations and Questionings do arise to draw from Obedience to the Truth of Christ But the Obedience of Faith destroyeth Imaginations and Questionings and Reasonings and all the Temptations in the Flesh and Buffetings and lookings forth and fetching up things that are past But not keeping in the Life and Light and not crossing the Corrupt Will by the Power of God the Evil Nature grows up in Man and then Burdens will come and Man will be stained with that Nature But Esau's Mountain shall be laid waste and become a Wilderness where the Dragons lie But Jacob the second Birth shall be fruitful and shall arise For Esau is hated and must not be Lord but Jacob the second Birth which is perfect and plain shall be Lord for he is beloved of God G. F. I writ another Paper also much about the same time and sent it forth amongst the Convinced People as followeth THE LORD is KING over all the Earth Therefore all People praise and glorifie your King in the true Obedience in the Uprightness and in the beauty of Holiness O Consider in the true Obedience the Lord is known and an Understanding from him is received Mark and consider in silence in the Lowliness of Mind and thou wilt hear the Lord speak unto thee in thy Mind His Voice is sweet and pleasant His Sheep hear his Voice and they will not hearken to another And when they hear his Voice they Rejoice and are Obedient they also sing for Joy Oh their Hearts are filled with everlasting Triumph They sing and praise the Eternal God in Sion their Joy shall never Man take from them Glory to the Lord God for Evermore But many that had been Convinced of the Truth turned aside because of the Persecution that arose Whereupon I writ a few Lines for the Comfort and Encouragement of the Faithful thus COme ye Blessed of the Lord and Rejoice together Keep in Unity and Oneness of Spirit Triumph above the World Be joyful in the Lord reigning above the World and above all things that draw from the Lord that in Clearness Righteousness Pureness and Joy you may be preserved to the Lord. O hear O hearken to the Call of the Lord and come out of the World and keep out of it for evermore And come Sing together ye Righteous Ones the Song of the Lord the Song of the Lamb which none can learn but they who are Redeemed from the Earth and from the World Now while I was in the House of Correction my Relations came to see me and being troubled for my Imprisonment they went to the Justices that cast me into Prison and desired to have me home with them offering to be bound in One hundred Pounds and others of Darby in fifty Pounds a piece with them that I should come no more thither to declare against the Priests So I was had up before the Justices and because I would not consent that they or any should be bound for me for I was Innocent from any Ill Behaviour and had spoken the Word of Life and Truth unto them Justice Bennet rose up in a rage and as I was kneeling down to Pray to the Lord to forgive him he ran upon me and struck me with both his Hands Crying Away with him Jailer Take him away Jailer Whereupon I was had back again to Prison and there kept until the time of my Commitment for Six Months was Expired But I had now the Liberty of walking a Mile by my self which I made use of as I felt freedom And sometimes I went into the Market and Streets and warned the People to Repent of their Wickedness and so returned to Prison again And there being Persons of several sorts of Religion in the Prison I sometimes went and visited them in their Meetings on the First-days After I had been before the Justices and they had required Sureties for my good Behaviour which I could not Consent should be given to blemish my Innocency It came upon me to write to the Justices again which I did as followeth Friends SEE what it is in you that doth Imprison and see who is Head in you and see if something do not Accuse you Consider you must be brought to Judgment Think upon Lazarus and Dives the one fared sumptuously every day the other a Beggar And now you have time prize it while you have it Would you have me to be bound to my Good Behaviour I am bound to my Good Behaviour And do Cry for Good Behaviour
and the Matter they sung so Vnsuitable to their States that after they had done singing I was moved of the Lord to speak to him and the People The Word of the Lord to them was He is not a Jew that is one Outward but he is a Jew that is one Inward whose Praise is not of Man but of God Then as the Lord opened further I shewed them That God was come to Teach his People by his Spirit and to bring them off from all their old Ways and Religions Churches and Worships for all their Religions and Worships and Ways was but talking of other Mens Words but they were out of the Life and Spirit which they were in who gave them forth Then cried out one called Justice Sawrey Take him away But Judge Fell's Wife said to the Officers Let him alone Why may not he speak as well as any other Lampitt also the Priest in Deceit said Let him speak So at length when I had declared a pretty while this Justice Sawrey caused the Constable to put me out and then I spake to the People in the Grave-yard Aldenham Upon the First-Day after I was moved to go to Aldenham-Steeple-house And when the Priest had done I spake to him but he got away Then I declared the Word of Life to the People and warned them to Return to the Lord. Ramside From thence I passed to Ram-side where was a Chappel in which one Thomas Lawson used to preach who was a high sort of a Priest and he very lovingly spake to his People in the Morning of my Coming in the Afternoon by which means very many People were gathered together When I came I saw there was no Place so Convenient to declare to the People there as the Chappel wherefore I went into the Chappel and all was quiet And the Priest Thomas Lawson went not up into his Pulpit but left all the Time to me And the Everlasting Day of the Eternal God was proclaimed that Day and the Everlasting Truth was largely declared which reached and entred into the Hearts of People and many received the Truth in the Love of it And this Priest came to be Convinced and left his Chappel 1652. Firbank Chappel and threw off his Preaching for Hire and came to preach the Lord Jesus and his Kingdom freely After that some rude People cast Scandals upon him and thought to have done him a Mischief but he was carried over all and grew in the Wisdom of God mightily and proved very serviceable in his Place Then returned I to Swarthmore again Swarthmore Dalton Steeple-house and on the next First-Day went to Dalton-Steeple-house where after the Priest had done I declared the Word of Life to the People that they might be turned from the Darkness to the Light and from the Power of Satan to God and might come off from their Superstitious Ways and from their Teachers made of Man to Christ the true and living Way to be taught of him From thence I went into the Island of Walnah Island of Walnah and after the Priest had done I spake to him but he got away Then I spake to the People and declared the Truth unto them but they were something Rude Then went I to speak with the Priest at his House but he would not be seen The People said he went to hide himself in the Hay-mow and they went to look for him there but could not find him Then they said he was gone to hide himself in the standing Corn but they could not find him there neither So I went to James Lancaster's who was Convinced in the Island and from thence I returned to Swarthmore again Swarthmore where the Lord's Power seized upon Margaret Fell and her Daughter Sarah and several of them Then I went to Becliff where Leornard Fell was Convinced Becliff and became a Minister of the Everlasting Gospel And several others were Convinced there and came into obedience to the Truth Here the People said They could not tell how to dispute and would fain have put on some other to hold Talk with me but I bid them Fear the Lord and not in a light way hold a Talk of the Lord's Words but put the Things in practice And I directed them to the Divine Light of Christ and his Spirit in their Hearts which would let them see all the Evil Thoughts Words and Actions that they had thought spoken and acted by which Light they might see their Sin and by which Light they might also see their Saviour Christ Jesus to save them from their Sins This I told them was their first Step to Peace even to stand still in the Light that shewed them their Sins and Transgressions by which they might come to see how they were in the fall of Old Adam in the Darkness and Death Strangers to the Covenant of Promise and without God in the World And by the same Light they might see Christ that died for them to be their Redeemer and Saviour and their Way to God After this I went to a Chappel beyond Gleaston which was built Chappel beyond Gleaston but never Priest had preached in it Thither all the Country up and down came and a quiet peaceable Meeting it was in which the Word of Life was declared amongst the People and many were convinced of the Truth about Gleaston 1652. Swarthmore Westmorland on Kendal-side From thence I returned to Swarthmore again where after I had staid a few Days and most of the Family were Convinced I went from thence back again into Westmorland where Priest Lampitt had been amongst the Professors on Kendal-Side and had mightily Incensed them against me telling them I held many strange Things So I met with them that he had so Incensed and sate up all Night with them at James Dickinson's and answered all their Objections And then they were both throughly satisfied with the Truth that I had declared and dissatisfied with him and his Lies that he had divulged so that he clearly lost the best of his Hearers and Followers who hereby came to see his Deceit and forsook him Then I passed on to John Audland's and Gervase Benson's and had great Meetings amongst those People that had been Convinced before And to John Blakelin's and Richard Robinson's and had mighty Meetings there and so up towards Grisedale Soon after Judge Fell being come home Margaret Fell his Wife sent to me desiring me to return thither And I feeling Freedom from the Lord so to do Swarthmore went back through the Country to Swarthmore Where when I came I found the Priests and Professors and that envious Justice Sawrey had much Incensed Judge Fell and Captain Sands against the Truth by their Lies But when I came to speak with him I answered all his Objections and so throughly satisfied him by the Scriptures that he was Convinced in his Judgment Then he asked me If I was that George Fox whom Justice
me Many of them lived in the Country and he could not tell how to send to them I told him He might acquaint them about the Town of it and send to as many in the Country as he could So the next Day we Met at the Castle there being about fourscore People to whom I declared the Truth for about the space of two Hours And the Lord's Power was over them all so that they had not Power to open their Mouths in Opposition When I had done one of them asked me a Question which I was loth to have answered for I saw it might lead into Jangling and I was unwilling to go into Jangling 1657. Nottingham for some of the People were tender yet I could not tell how well to escape it Wherefore I answered the Question and was moved forthwith to speak to Rice Jones and lay before him How that he had been the Man that had scattered such as had been Tender and some that had been Convinced and had been led out of many Vanities of the World which he had formerly judged but now he judged the Power of God in them and they being simple turned to him and so he and they were turned to be vainer than the World for many of his Followers were turned to be the greatest Foot-ball-players and Wrestlers in the Country So I told him it was the Serpent in him that had scattered and done hurt to such as were Tender towards the Lord. Nevertheless if he did wait in the Fear of God for the Seed of the Woman Christ Jesus to bruise the Serpent's Head in him that had scattered and done the hurt by the Seed Christ Jesus he coming into him he might come to gather them again by this heavenly Seed though it would be an hard work for him to gather them again out of those Vanities he had led them into At this Rice Jones said Thou liest it is not the Seed of the Woman that bruises the Serpent's Head No! said I What is it then I say it is the Law said he But said I the Scripture speaking of the Seed of the VVoman saith It shall bruise thy Head and thou shalt bruise his Heel Now hath the Law an Heel said I to be bruised Then Rice Jones and all his Company were at a stand and I was moved in the Power of the Lord to speak to him and say This Seed Christ Jesus the Seed of the VVoman which should bruise the Serpent's Head shall bruise thy Head and break you all to pieces Thus I did leave on the Heads of them the Seed Christ and not long after he and his Company scattered to pieces and several of them came to be Friends and stand to this Day For many of them had been Convinced about eight Years before but had been led aside by this Rice Jones For they denied the Inward Cross the Power of God and so went into Vanity And it was about eight Years since I had been formerly amongst them in which time I was to pass over them and by them seeing they had slighted the Lord's Truth and Power and the Visitation of his Love unto them But now was the time that I was moved to go to them again and it was of great Service for many of them were brought to the Lord Jesus Christ and were settled upon him sitting down under his Teaching and Feeding where they were kept fresh and green and the others that would not be gathered to him soon after withered This was that Rice Jones that some Years before had said I was then at the highest and should fall But poor Man he little thought how near his own Fall was We left Nottingham and went into Warwickshire 1658. Warwicksh Northamptonshire Leicestersh Bedfordsh Yearly Meeting and thence passing through some parts of Northamptonshire and Leicestershire visiting Friends and having Meetings with them as we travelled we came into Bedfordshire where we had large Gatherings in the Name of Jesus After some time we came to John Crook's House where a General Yearly Meeting for the whole Nation was appointed to be held This Meeting lasted Three Days and many Friends from most Parts of the Nation came to it so that the Inns and Towns round thereabouts were filled for many Thousands of People were at it And although there were some Disturbance by some rude People 1658. Bedfordshire Yearly Meeting that had run out from Truth yet the Lord's Power came over all and a glorious Meeting it was And the Everlasting Gospel was preached and many received it for there were many sorts of Professors came to the Meeting which Gospel brought Life and Immortality to Light in them and shined over all Then was I moved by the Power and Spirit of the Lord to open unto them the Promise of God how that it was made to the Seed not to Seeds as many but to One which Seed was Christ And that all People both Males and Females should feel this Seed in them which was Heir of the Promise that so they might all witness Christ in them the Hope of Glory the Mystery which had been hid from Ages and Generations which was revealed to the Apostles and is revealed again now after this long Night of Apostacy So that all might come up into this Seed Christ Jesus and walk in it and sit down together in the heavenly Places in Christ Jesus who was the Foundation of the Prophets and Apostles and the Rock of Ages and is our Foundation now And all sitting down in him sit down in the Substance the First and the Last that changes not the Seed that bruises the Serpent's Head and was before he was who ends all the Types Figures and Shadows and is the Substance of them all in whom there is no Shadow Now these things were upon me to open unto all that they might mind and see what it is they sit down in For First They that sit down in Adam in the Fall sit down in Misery in Death in Darkness and Corruption Secondly They that sit down in the Types Figures and Shadows and under the first Priesthood Law and Covenant sit down in that which must have an End and which made nothing perfect Thirdly They that sit down in the Apostacy that hath gotten up since the Apostles Days sit down in spiritual Sodom and Egypt and are drinking of the Whore's Cup under the Beast's and Dragon's Power Fourthly They that sit down in the State in which Adam was before he fell sit down in that which may be fallen from for he fell from that State though it was perfect Fifthly They that sit down in the Prophets sit down in that which must be fulfilled And they that sit down in the Fellowship of Water Bread and Wine these being temporal things they sit down in that which is short of Christ and of his Baptism Sixthly To sit down in a Profession of all the Scriptures from Genesis to the Revelations and not be
and see if they could get a full Discharge for her that she might enjoy her Estate and Liberty without Molestation This was somewhat difficult at first to get but by diligent Attendance on it they at length obtained it the King giving Command to one called Sir John Otway to signifie his Pleasure therein by Letter to the Sheriff and others concerned therein in the Country Which Letter Sarah Fell going down with her Brother and Sister Rous carried with her to Lancaster and by them I writ to my Wife as followeth My Dear Heart in the Truth and Life that changeth not IT was upon me that Mary Lower and Sarah should go to the King concerning thy Imprisonment and to Kirby that the Power of the Lord might appear over them all in thy Deliverance They went and then they thought to have come down but it was upon me to stay them a little longer that they might follow the Business till it was Effected which it now is and is here sent down The late Declaration of mine hath been very serviceable People being generally satisfied with it So no more but my Love in the Holy Seed G. F. The Declaration here mentioned was a Printed Sheet writ upon occasion of a New Persecution stirred up For by that time I was got back out of Leicestershire to London a fresh Storm was Risen occasioned as it was thought by that Tumultuous Meeting in a Steeple-house in Wiltshire or Gloucestershire mentioned a little before where a Contest happening between a Presbyterian-Priest and the Priest of the Parish with their Hearers on either side the Common-Prayer-Book was Cut to pieces and other great Disorders committed 1670. London From which it was said some Members of Parliament took Advantage to get that Act passed against Seditious Conventicles which soon after came forth and was turned against us who of all People were free from Sedition and Tumult Whereupon I writ the Declaration before mentioned shewing from the Preamble and Terms of the said Act That we were not such a People nor our Meetings such Meetings as were described in that Act. Beside that Declaration I writ also another short Paper on the occasion of that Act against Meetings opening our Case to the Magistrates as followeth O Friends Consider this Act which limits us to Five that but Five may Meet Is this To do as ye would be done by Would ye be so served your selves We own Christ Jesus as well as you both his Coming Death and Resurrection and if we be Contrary-minded to you in some things is not this the Apostle's Exhortation to Wait till God hath Revealed it Doth not he say What is not of Faith is Sin And seeing we have not Faith in things which ye would have us to do would it not be Sin in us if we should do contrary to our Faith And why should any Man have Power â—ver any other Man's Faith seeing Christ is the Author of it When the Apostles did preach in the Name of Jesus and great Multitudes heard them and the Rulers forbad them to speak any more in that Name did not they bid them Judge Whether it were better to obey God or Man Would not this Act have taken hold of the Twelve Apostles and Seventy Disciples for they Met often together And if there had been an Act or Law made then That not above Five should have met with Christ would not that have been an hindring him from Meeting with his Disciples And do ye think that he who is the Wisdom of God or his Disciples would have obeyed it If such a Law had been made in the Apostles days That not above Five might have met together who had been different-minded from either the Jews or the Gentiles Do ye think the Churches of Christ at Corinth Philippi Ephesus Thessalonica or the rest of the Gathered Churches would have Obeyed it O therefore consider For we are Christians and partake of the Nature and Life of Christ. And strive not to Limit the Holy One for God's Power cannot be limited and is not to be quenched And do unto all men as ye would have them do unto you for that is the Law and the Prophets This is from those who wish you all well and desire your Everlasting Good and Prosperity who are called Quakers who seek the Peace and Good of all People though they do Afflict us and cause us to suffer G. F. Now as I had endeavoured to soften the Magistrates and to take off the Sharpness of their Edge in the Execution of the Act so it was upon me to write a few Lines to Friends To strengthen and encourage them to stand fast in their Testimony and bear with Christian Patience and Content the Suffering that was coming upon them This I did in the following Epistle ALL my Dear Friends Keep in the Faith of God above all outward things and in his Power that hath given you Dominion over all The same Power of God is still with you to deliver you as formerly for God and his Power is the same and his Seed is over all and before all and will be when that which makes to suffer is gone And so be of good Faith in that which Changeth not for whatsoever any doth against the Truth it will come upon themselves and fall as a Milstone on their Heads And if so be that the Lord do suffer you to be Tried let all be given up and look at the Lord and his Power which is over the whole World and will be when the World is gone And in the Lord's Power and Truth Rejoice Friends over that which makes to suffer in the Seed which was before it was for the Life and Truth and the Power of God is over all And all keep in that and if ye do suffer in that it is to the Lord. Friends the Lord hath blessed you in Outward Things and now the Lord may Try you Whether your Minds be in the Outward Things or with the Lord that gave you them Therefore keep in the Seed by which all Outward Things were made and which is over them all What! shall not I pray and speak to God with my Face towards Heavenly Jerusalem according to my wonted Time And let not any one 's Dalilah shave his Head lest such lose their Strength neither Rest in its Lap lest the Philistines be upon you For your Rest is in Christ Jesus therefore Rest not in any thing else London the 12th of the 2d Month 1670. G. F. On the First Day of the Week next after the Act came in force I went to the Meeting at Grace-Church-Street Gracious-Street-Meeting where I expected the Storm was most likely to begin When I came there I found the Street full of People and a Guard set to keep Friends out of their Meeting-house I went thereupon to the other Passage that goes out of Lombard-Street and there also I found a Guard but the Court was full of People
abroad through the Island Whereupon I with some other Friends drew up a Paper to go forth in the Name of the People called Quakers for the clearing Truth and Friends from those false Reports It was directed thus For the Governour of Barbados with his Council and Assembly and all others in Power both Civil and Military in this Island from the People called Quakers WHereas many scandalous Lies and Slanders have been cast upon us to render us odious as that We do deny God and Christ Jesus and the Scriptures of Truth c. This is to Inform you that all our Books and Declarations which for these many Years have been published to the World do clearly testifie the contrary Yet notwithstanding for your Satisfaction we do now plainly and sincerely declare That we do Own and Believe in God the only-Wise Omnipotent and Everlasting God who is the Creator of all things both in Heaven and in the Earth and the Preserver of all that he hath made who is God over all blessed for ever To whom be all Honour and Glory Dominion Praise and Thanksgiving both now and for evermore And we do Own and Believe in Jesus Christ his beloved and only begotten Son in whom he is well-pleased Who was conceived by the Holy Ghost and born of the Virgin Mary in whom we have Redemption through his Blood even the Forgiveness of Sins Who is the Express Image of the Invisible God the First-born of every Creature by whom were all things created that are in Heaven and that are in Earth visible and invisible whether they be Thrones or Dominions or Principalities or Powers All things were created by him And we do Own and Believe that he was made a Sacrifice for Sin who knew no Sin neither was Guile found in his Mouth And that he was Crucified for us in the Flesh without the Gates of Jerusalem and that he was Buried and Rose again the Third Day by the Power of his Father for our Justification And we do Believe that he Ascended up into Heaven and now sitteth at the Right Hand of God This Jesus who was the Foundation of the Holy Prophets and Apostles is our Foundation and we do believe that there is no other Foundation to be laid but that which is laid even Christ Jesus who we believe tasted Death for every Man and shed his Blood for all Men and is the Propitiation for our Sins and not for ours only but also for the Sins of the whole World According as John the Baptist testified of him when he said Behold the Lamb of God that taketh away the Sins of the World Joh. 1.29 We believe that he alone is our Redeemer and Saviour even the Captain of our Salvation who saves us from Sin as well as from Hell and the Wrath to come and destroys the Devil and his Works who is the Seed of the Woman that bruises the Serpent's Head to wit Christ Jesus the Alpha and Omega the First and the Last That he is as the Scriptures of Truth say of him our Wisdom and Righteousness Justification and Redemption neither is there Salvation in any other for there is no other Name under Heaven given among Men whereby we may be saved It is he alone who is the Shepherd and Bishop of our Souls He it is who is our Prophet whom Moses long since testified of saying A Prophet shall the Lord your God raise up unto you of your Brethren like unto me him shall ye hear in all things whatsoever he shall say unto you And it shall come to pass that every Soul that will not hear that Prophet shall be destroyed from among the People Acts 2.22 23. He it is that is now Come and hath given us an Vnderstanding that we may know him that is true and he rules in our Hearts by his Law of Love and of Life and makes us free from the Law of Sin and Death and we have no Life but by him for he is the quickning Spirit the Second Adam the Lord from Heaven by whose Blood we are cleansed and our Consciences sprinkled from Dead Works to serve the Living God And he is our Mediator that makes Peace and Reconciliation between God offended and us offending he being the Oath of God the New Covenant of Light Life Grace and Peace the Author and Finisher of our Faith Now this Lord Jesus Christ the Heavenly Man the Emanuel God with us we all own and believe in him whom the High-Priest raged against and said he had spoken Blasphemy whom the Priests and the Elders of the Jews took Counsel together against and put to Death the same whom Judas betrayed for Thirty Pieces of Silver which the Priests gave him as a Reward for his Treason who also gave large Money to the Souldiers to broach an Horrible Lie namely That his Disciples came and stole him away by Night whilst they slept And after he was Risen from the Dead the History of the Acts of the Apostles sets forth how the Chief-Priests and Elders persecuted the Disciples of this Jesus for Preaching Christ and his Resurrection This we say is that Lord Jesus Christ whom we own to be our Life and Salvation And as concerning the Holy Scriptures we do believe That they were given forth by the Holy Spirit of God through the Holy Men of God who as the Scripture it self declares 2 Pet. 1.21 spake as they were moved by the Holy Ghost We believe they are to be Read Believed and Fulfilled He that fulfils them is Christ and they are profitable for Doctrine for Reproof for Correction and for Instruction in Righteousness that the Man of God may be perfect throughly furnished unto all good Works 2 Tim. 3.16 and are able to make wise unto Salvation through Faith in Christ Jesus And we do believe that the Holy Scriptures are the Words of God for it s said in Exod. 20.1 God spake all these Words saying c. meaning the Ten Commandments given forth upon Mount Sinai And in Rev. 22.18 saith John I testifie to every man that heareth the Words of the Prophecy of this Book If any man addeth unto these and if any Man shall take away from the Words of the Book of this Prophecy not the Word c. So in Luke 1.20 Because thou believest not my Words And so in John 5.47 and John 15.7 John 14.23 John 12.47 So that we call the Holy Scriptures as Christ and the Apostles called them and Holy Men of God called them viz. the Words of God Another Slander and Lye they have cast upon us namely That we should teach the Negroes to Rebell A thing we utterly abhor and detest in our Hearts the Lord knows it who is the Searcher of all Hearts and knows all things and so can witness and testifie for us that this is a most Abominable Vntruth For that which we have spoken and declared to them is To exhort and admonish them to be sober and to fear God and
are with me and we are well Glory to the Lord for ever who hath carried us through many Perils Perils by Water and in Storms Perils by Pirates and Robbers Perils in the Wilderness and amongst false Professors Praises to him whose Glory is over all for ever Amen Therefore mind the fresh Life and live all to God in it I do intend if the Lord will to stay a while this-away it may be till the Fair. So no more but my Love to all Friends Bristol the 28th Day of the 4th Month 1673. G. F. Between this and the Fair my Wife came out of the North to Bristol to me and her Son-in-Law Thomas Lower with two of her Daughters came with her And her other Son-in-Law John Rouse and W. Penn and his Wife and Gerrard Roberts came down from London and many Friends from several parts of the Nation came to the Fair and glorious powerful Meetings we had there at that time for the Lord 's Infinite Power and Life was over all In the fresh Openings whereof I was moved to declare of Three Estates and Three Teachers viz. That God was the first Teacher of Man and Woman in Paradise And as long as they kept to and under God's Teaching they kept in the Image of God and in his Likeness in Righteousness and Holiness and in Dominion over all that God had made in the blessed State in the Paradise of God But when they heark'ned to the Serpent's false Teaching who was out of Truth and disobeyed God and obeyed the Serpent in feeding upon that which God forbad them then they lost the Image of God the Righteousness and Holiness and came under the Power of Satan and were turned out of Paradise out of the Blessed into the Cursed State And then the Promise of God was That the Seed of the Woman should bruise the Serpent's Head and break his Power that Man and Woman were under and destroy his Works So here were Three States and Three Teachers God was the first Teacher in Paradise and whilst Man kept under his Teaching he was happy The Serpent was the Second Teacher and when Man followed his Teaching he came into Misery and into the Fall from the Image of God and Righteousness and Holiness and from the Power that he had over all that God had made and came under the Serpent whom he had Power over before Christ Jesus was the Third Teacher of whom God saith This is my beloved Son in whom I am well pleased hear ye him and who himself saith Learn of me This is the true Gospel-Teacher who bruises the Head of the Serpent that is the False Teacher and the Head of all False Teachers and of all False Religions False Ways False Worships and False Churches Now Christ who said Learn of me and of whom the Father said Hear ye him he said I am the Way to God I am the Truth I am the Life and the true Light So as Man and Woman come up again to God and are renewed up into his Image Righteousness and Holiness by Christ thereby they come up into the Paradise of God the State which Man was in before he fell and into an higher State than that to sit down in Christ that never fell Therefore the Son of God is to be heard in all things who is the Saviour and the Redeemer and hath laid down his Life and bought his Sheep with his precious Blood And we can challenge all the World Who hath any thing to say against our Way our Saviour our Redeemer who is our Prophet whom God hath raised up that we may hear and whom we must hear in all things Who hath any thing against our Shepherd Christ Jesus who leads and feeds us and we know his Heavenly Voice And who hath any thing against our Bishop in whose Mouth was never Guile found who doth Oversee us in his Pasture of Life that we do not go astray from God and out of his Fold And who hath any thing against our Priest Christ Jesus made higher than the Heavens who gives us freely and commands us to give freely And who hath any thing to say against our Leader and Counsellor Christ Jesus who never sinned but is holy and harmless and separate from Sinners God hath commanded us to hear him and he saith Learn of me and if we should disobey God's and Christ's Command we should be like our Father Adam and Mother Eve who disobeyed God's Command and hearkned to the Serpent's Teaching Now Man commands and would force us to hear the Hirelings who plead for Sin and the Body of Death to the Grave which Doctrine savours of the Devil 's Teaching not of Christ's But we resolve to hear the Son as both he and the Father command and in hearing the Son we hear the Father also as the Scripture testifies For the Author to the Hebrews says God who at sundry times and in divers manners spake in time past unto the Fathers by the Prophets hath in these last days spoken unto us by his Son Mark that God hath spoken unto us his Apostles Disciples Church by his Son And whereas some have objected That although Christ did speak both to his Disciples and to the Jews in the days of his Flesh yet since his Resurrection and Ascension he doth not speak now The Answer is That as God did then speak by his Son in the Days of his Flesh so the Son Christ Jesus doth now speak by his Spirit Wherefore John saith in the Revelations He that hath an Ear let him hear what the Spirit saith to the Churches Rev. 2. And Christ is said to speak from Heaven Heb. 12.25 See that ye refuse not him that speaketh for if they escaped not who refused him that spake on Earth much more shall not we escape if we turn away from him that speaketh from Heaven They that resisted Moses his Law who spake on Earth died for it without Mercy which was a Natural Death but they that refuse him that speaks from Heaven neglect and slight their own Salvation and so die a Spiritual Death through Unbelief and Hardness of Heart Therefore was the Exhortation given of old To day if ye will hear his Voice harden not your Hearts as in the Provocation c. Heb. 3.15 c. So that they who neglect or refuse to hear the Voice of Christ now speaking from Heaven in this his Gospel-Day harden their Hearts Therefore let all mark well thâ—se three States and Teachers The God of Truth was the first Teacher wâ—â—â—e Man was in Paradise and in Innocency The Serpent was the second Teacher the false Teacher who by his false Teaching came to be the God of the World which lies in Wickedneâ—s Christ Jesus that bruises the Serpent's Head is the third Teacher who saith Learn of me and of whom God saith This is my beloved Son in whom I am well pleased Hear ye him and of whom the Testimony of the Saints of Old was That
now which Christ is the Author of it must stand in the Power of God in which Power of God the Everlasting Kingdom stands and so as every one's Faith stands in the Power of God this keeps all in the Power of Godliness For as it was in the Days of the Apostles when some was crying up Paul and Apollos and so forth he judged them as Carnal and exhorted them and admonished them that their Faith should stand in the Power of God So it was not to stand in Men nor in the Words of Man's Wisdom but in the Power of God And he said He would not know the Speech of them but the Power amongst them for the Kingdom of God is not in Word but in Power And so it is to be now Every one's Faith must stand in the Power of God and not in Men nor their Speeches of the good Words For we have seen by Experience when they begin to cry up Men and their Faith to stand in them such Men as would have Peoples Faith stand in them loves Popularity and brings not People's Faith to stand in the Power of God and such cannot exalt Christ And when such fall they draw a great Company after them And therefore the Apostle would not know such after the Flesh but would know them that were in the Power and Spirit and struck down every one's Faith that stood in the Words of Man's Wisdom that they might stand in the Power of God And so it must be now And all whose Faith doth not stand in the Power of God they cannot Exalt his Kingdom that stands in Power and therefore every one's Faith must stand in the Power of God And the Apostle denied Popularity when he Judged the Corinthians for looking at Paul and Apollos to be Carnal and such are Carnal still And therefore all should know one another in the Spirit Life and Power and look at Christ and this keeps all low and down in the Humility And they whose Faith stands in Men will make Sects as in the Days of J. N. and J. P. and since in others And such their Faith Christ is not the Author of and if he be they have erred from it and made Shipwrack of it And all those that are in the True Faith that stands in the Power of God they will Judge them as Carnal and Judge down that Carnal Part in them that cries up Paul or Apollos that their Faith may stand in the Power of God and that they may Exalt Christ the Author of it For every one's Eye ought to be to Jesus the Author and Finisher of their Faith and every Just Man and Woman may live by their Faith which Jesus Christ is the Author and Finisher of And by this Faith every Man and Woman may see God who is Invisible which Faith gives the Victory by which he hath Access to God And so every one's Faith and Hope standing in the Power of God in it they all have Vnity and Victory and Access to God's Throne of Grace in which Faith they do please God which Christ is the Author of And so by that Faith they are Saved and by this Faith they obtain the good Report and subdue all the Mountains that have been betwixt them and God So that Power hath kept and preserved Friends over their Persecutors and over the Wrath of Men and above the Spoilings of their Goods and Imprisonments as seeing God that hath created all and gives the Encrease of all and upholds all by his Word and Power Therefore let every one's Faith be in his Power And here in this no Schism or Sect can come for it is over them and before they were and will be when they are gone But perfect Vnity is in the Truth and in the Spirit that does Circumcise the Body of Death and that puts off the Sins of the Flesh and plunges it down with the Spirit And in the Spirit of God there is a perfect Fellowship and Christ is the Minister of this Circumcision and Baptism So this is upon me from the Lord to write unto you all that every one of your Faith that Jesus is the Author of may stand in the Power of God and from the Lord I do warn you and all every where to the same For if a Star should fall which has been a Light either the Earth or the Sea does receive it that is the Earthly Mind or the foaming raging People Though neither the Seed nor Light nor Power nor Truth ever fell nor the Faith it self the Gift of God but Men going from it then they become Vnsavoury For Adam whilst he kept in Truth and obeyed the Command of God he was happy but when he disobeyed the Lord he fell under the Power of Satan and became unhappy though he might talk after of his Experiences in Paradice but he had lost his Image and his Power and Dominion that God Created him in And the Jews after they received the Law of God as long as they kept the Law of God which was just holy good and perfect it kept them good just and holy and savoury but when they turned their Backs off the Lord and forsook his Law then they came under the Power of Darkness and under the Powers of the Earth and were trodden under as unsavoury And so the Christians they were called a City set on a Hill The Light of the World and the Salt of the Earth but when they forsook the Power of God and their Faith stood in Words and Men and not in the Power then their Walls fell down though the Power in it self stood and they lost their Hill and their Saltness and their Shining And so as Christendom now does confess they are not in the same Power and Spirit as the Apostles were in so not in the same Salt nor upon the same Hill So they came to be trodden under and the Beast and the Whore and the false Prophet are uppermost the unsavoury So their Dead Faith is in Men and in Words and therefore they are full of Sects and one against another And now the Everlasting Gospel the Power of God is preacht again which was before the Devil was that had darkned Man and by this Power of God the Gospel Life and Immortality is come to light again And therefore every one's Faith is to stand in this Power the Gospel that hath brought Life and Immortality to Light in them and so to be Heirs of the Power of God the Gospel And here have all Men and Women a Right to the Power of God before the Devil was and the Power of God is the Authority of the Mens and the Womens-Meetings and of all the other Meetings set up thereby But now as the Gospel is preacht again if your Faith doth not stand in the Power but in Men and in the Wisdom of Words you will grow Carnal and such are for Judgment who cry up as they did Paul and Apollos and not Christ
right understanding thereof and be gathered thereunto Several Epistles also to Friends I writ in this time on divers Occasions and Subjects whereof one was to the Friends of the Yearly Meeting which was held in London this year 1679. a Copy of which here follows My Dear Friends and Brethren WHO are Assembled together in the Name and Power of the Lord Jesus Christ Grace Mercy and Peace from God the Father and from the Lord Jesus Christ fill all your hearts and establish you in his Grace Mercy and Peace upon Christ the holy living Rock and Foundation who is the First and Last and over all the Foundations and Rocks in the whole world a Rock and Foundation of Life for all the Living to build upon which stands sure in his heavenly divine Light which is the Life in him by whom all things were made who is the precious Stone laid in Sion and not in the World which all the Wise Master-Builders rejected who pretended to build People up to Heaven with the Words of the Prophets and the Law from Mount Sinai but out of the Life of both and therefore such Builders could not receive the Law of Life from Christ the precious Stone laid in Sion nor the Word from heavenly Jerusalem But you My Dear Friends that have received this Law from heavenly Sion and the Word from heavenly Jerusalem in the New Covenant where the Life and Substance is enjoyed you do see the end and abolishing of the Jews Law and Ceremonies from Mount Sinai And therefore my desire is that you all may keep in the Law of Life and Love 1679. Swarthmore which ye have in Christ Jesus by which Love the Body is edified and knit and united together to Christ Jesus the Head Which Love doth bear all things and fulfils the Law and will preserve all in Humility and in it to be of one mind heart and soul so that all may come to drink into that One Spirit that doth Baptize them and Circumcise them Plunging down and Cutting off the Body of the Sins of the Flesh that is gotten up in Man and Woman by their transgressing of God's Commands So that in this holy pure Spirit all may serve and worship the pure God in Spirit and in Truth which is over all the Worships that are out of God's Spirit and his Truth And in this Spirit ye will all have a Spiritual Unity and Fellowship over all the Fellowships of the Unclean Spirits which be out of Truth in the World And so by this holy Spirit all your hearts minds and souls may be knit together to Christ from whence it comes and by the Grace and Truth which is come by Jesus Christ which all should be under the Teachings of in the New Covenant and not under the Law as the outward Jews were in the Old Covenant So that by this Grace and Truth in the New Covenant all may be made God's free Men and Women to serve God in the new Life and in the new and living Way shewing forth the Fruits of the new heart and new spirit in the New Covenant over death and darkness and before it was Glory be unto the Lord for ever And now Friends in this Grace and Truth is your heavenly gracious and true Liberty to every Spiritual Mind that makes you free from him that is out of Truth where your bondage was Also your Liberty in the holy divine and precious Faith which gives you Victory over that that hath separated you from God and Christ and through which Faith ye have Access to God again through Jesus Christ So in this divine and holy Faith ye have divine holy and precious Liberty yea and Victory over him that separated you from God and this Faith is held in a pure Conscience So the Liberty in the Spirit of God is in that which baptizes and plunges down Sin and Iniquity and puts off the Body of Death and Sins of the Flesh that is gotten up by transgressing of God's Command as I said before And also the Liberty of the Gospel which is sent from Heaven by the Holy Ghost which is the Power of God which was and is again to be preached to all Nations In this Gospel the Power of God which is over the Power of Satan is the true Liberty and the Gospel-Fellowship and Order So that the Evil Spirit or Conscience or false dead Faith and that which is ungracious and out of Truth and not in the Spirit of God nor in his Gospel nor in the divine Faith its Liberty is in the Darkness For all the true Liberty is in the Gospel and in the Truth that makes free and in the Faith and in the Grace and in Christ Jesus who destroys the Devil and his Works that hath brought all Mankind into Bondage So in this heavenly peaceable Spirit and Truth and Faith which works by Love and in the Gospel of Peace and in Christ Jesus is all the Saints Peace and pure true and holy Liberty in which they have Salt and Sense and Feeling Discerning and Savour yea and Unity and Fellowship one with another yea and with the Son and the Father that heavenly eternal Fellowship So all being subject to the Grace and Truth and to the Faith and Gospel the Power of God and to his good Spirit in this they distinguish all true pure and holy Liberty from that which is false And this will bring all to sit low for Patience runs the Race and the Lamb must have the Victory and not the rough unruly and vain Talkers unbaptized uncircumcised and unsanctified For such travel not in the way of Regeneration but in the way of unregeneration Neither go they down into the Death with Christ by Baptism and therefore such are not like to Reign with him in his Resurrection who are not buried with him in Baptism Therefore all must go downward into the Death of Christ and be crucified with him if they will Arise and follow him in the Regeneration before they come to Reign with him And Friends Many may have precious Openings but I desire all may be comprehended in that thing which doth open to them And that they may all keep in the daily Cross then they keep in the Power that doth kill and crucifie that which would lead them amongst the Beasts and Goats to leaven them into their rough unruly spirit But that through the Cross the Power of God That may be crucified and they in the Power might follow the Lamb. For the Power of God keeps all in Order and in Subjection and in Humility in that which is lovely and vertuous decent comely temperate and moderate that their Moderation comes to appear to all men So my desire is that all your Lights may shine as from a City set upon a Hill that cannot be hid And that ye may be the Salt of the Earth to salt and season it and make it savoury to God and you all seasoned with it Then
together in the heavenly places in him And so are clothed with Christ Jesus the Sun who is the Mountain that filleth the whole Earth with his Divine Power and Light And so all his People see him and feel him both by Sea and Land so he is in all places of the Earth felt and seen of all his And Christ Jesus saith to the outward Professors the Jews I am from above ye are from below or beneath ye are of this World to wit that is beneath And so their Religions Worships Ways Teachers Faiths Beliefs and Creeds are made of Men and are below and of this World that changeth like the Moon and ye may see their Religions Ways Worships and Teachers they are all changeable like the Moon but Christ the Sun with which the Church is clothed doth not change nor his Church for they are spiritually minded and their Way Worship and Religion is spiritual from Christ who is from above and not of this World For Christ hath redeemed you from the World and their changeable Rudiments and Elements and old things and their changeable Teachers and from their changeable Faiths and Beliefs For Christ is the Author and Finisher of his Churches Faith who is from above and saith Believe in the Light that ye may become Children of the Light And it is given them not only to believe but to suffer for his Name So this Faith and Belief is above all Faiths and Beliefs which change like the Moon And God's People are an holy Nation a peculiar People a spiritual Houshold and Royal Priesthood offering up spiritual Sacrifice to God by Jesus Christ and are zealous of righteous godly good works and their Zeal is for that which is of God against the Evil which is not of God And Christ took upon him the Seed of Abraham he doth not say the corrupt Seed of the Gentiles So according to the Flesh he was of the holy Seed of Abraham and of David and his holy Body and Blood was an Offering and a Sacrifice for the Sins of the whole World as a Lamb without blemish whose Flesh saw no Corruption And so by the one Offering of himself in the New Testament and New Covenant he has put an end to all the Offerings and Sacrifices amongst the Jews in the Old Testament And Christ the holy Seed was crucified dead and buried according to the Flesh and raised again the third day and his Flesh saw no Corruption Though he was crucified in the Flesh yet quickned again by the Spirit and is alive and liveth for evermore and hath all Power in Heaven and Earth given to him and reigneth over all and is the One Mediator betwixt God and Man even the Man Christ Jesus And Christ said He gave his flesh for the life of the World And the Apostle saith His Flesh saw no Corruption So that which saw no Corruption he gave for the life of the corrupt World to bring them out of Corruption And Christ said again He that eateth my Flesh and drinketh my Blood hath eternal life for my Flesh is Meat indeed and my Blood is Drink indeed And he that eateth my Flesh and drinketh my Blood dwelleth in me and I in him And he that eats not his Flesh and drinks not his Blood which is the life of the Flesh hath not Eternal Life Now as the Apostle saith All died in Adam Then all are dead Now all coming spiritually to eat the Flesh of Christ the second Adam and drink his Blood his Blood and Flesh gives all the Dead in Adam life and quickens them out of their sins and trespasses in which they were dead and so they come to sit together in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus and so are living Members of the Church of Christ that he is the Head of and are clothed with the Sun the Sun of Righteousness the Son of God that never changes and have the changeable Moon under their feet and all changeable worldly things and inventions and works of mens hands and do see the People how that they do change from one Worship to another and from one Religion to another and from one Way to another and one Church to another and yet their hearts are not changed And the Letter of Scripture is read by the Christians like the Jews but the Mystery is hid They have the Sheeps-clothing the outside but are inwardly ravened from the Spirit which should bring them into the Lamb's and Sheep's Nature The Scripture saith All the Vncircumcised must go down into the Pit And therefore all must be Circumcised with the Spirit of God which puts off the Body of Death and Sins of the Flesh that came into Man and Woman by their Disobedience and transgressing of God's Commands I say all must be Circumcised with the Spirit which puts off the Body of Death and Sins of the Flesh before they come up into Christ their Rest that never fell and be clothed with him the Sun of Righteousness G. F. Kingston Towards the latter End of this Year I went down to Kingston to visit Friends there and stay'd some time at my Son Rouse's near Kingston While I Was there I writ a Paper concerning the Falling away foretold by the Apostle Paul 2 Thess 2.3 Which Paper was as followeth THE Apostle saith that there must be a Falling away first before the Wicked one and Man of sin the Son of Perdition be Revealed which betrayeth Christ within as the Son of Perdition betrayed Christ without And they that betray Christ within crucifie to themselves Christ afresh and put him to open shame Before the Apostles deceased this Man of Sin and Son of Perdition was revealed for they saw the Antichrist come and false Prophets and false Apostles and Deceivers come having a Form of Godliness but denied the Power thereof They saw the Wolves dressed in the Sheep's Clothing and such as went in Cain's Corah's and Balaam's way and Jezabel's and the Whore of Babylon the Whore of Confusion the Mother of Harlots and such as were Enemies to the Cross of Christ that served not the Lord Jesus Christ but their own Bellies These Christ saw should come and said If it were possible they should deceive the Elect and commanded his Followers not to go after them And the Apostle said Turn away from such and Christ and his Apostles warned the Church of Christ of such And now in this day of Christ and his Gospel after the long Night of Apostacy from the Light and Grace and Truth and Life and Spirit of Christ Jesus the Son of Perdition the wicked One the Man of Sin is revealed again and the inwardly ravening Wolves in Sheeps clothing and the Spirit of Cain Corah Balaam Jezabel the Antichrists false Prophets and false Apostles and such as are Enemies to the Cross of Christ who serve not the Lord Jesus but their own Bellies and crucifie Christ to themselves and put him to open shame This Spirit have we seen in
this Gospel-day of Christ but Christ will consume them with the Spirit of his Mouth and destroy them with the Brightness of his Coming But God's People whom he hath chosen unto Salvation in Christ from the beginning through the Sanctification of the Spirit and the belief of the Truth stand stedfast in Christ Jesus and are thankful to God by and through his Son their Rock and Salvation who is their Happiness and eternal Inheritance The Apostle saith Ye were as Sheep going astray but are now returned to the Shepherd and Bishop of your Souls So when People are returned to Christ their Shepherd they do know his Voice and follow him and are returned to the Bishop of their Souls and then they do believe in him 1686. Kingston and receive Wisdom and Vnderstanding from him who is from above heavenly and spiritual Then they do Act like spiritual and holy Men and Women and come to be Members of the Church of Christ and then a spiritual Care cometh upon the Elders in Christ that all the Members do walk in Christ and in his Light Grace Spirit and Truth that they may adorn their Confession and Profession of Christ and see that all do walk in the Order of the holy Spirit and the everlasting Gospel of Peace Life and Salvation And this Order keeps out of Confusion for the Gospel of Peace the Power of God was before Confusion was And all the Heirs of the Gospel are Heirs of its Order and are in this Gospel which brings Life and Immortality to Light in them by which all Men and Women may see their Work and Services in it to look after the Poor Widows and Fatherless and to see that nothing be lacking and that all do honour the Lord in their Lives and Conversations When the whole House of Israel were in their Graves and Sepulchres and were called The scattered dry Bones yet they could speak and say Their Bones were dry their Hope was lost or they were without Hope and they were cut off so that they were Alive outwardly and could speak outwardly So that which is called Christendom may very well be called The scattered dry Bones and they be said to be in their Graves and Sepulchres dead from the heavenly Breath of Life and from the Spirit and Word of Life that gathereth to God Though they can speak and are Alive outwardly yet they remain in the Congregations or Churches of the Dead that want the vertue of Life For the Jews whom God poured his Spirit upon and gave them his Law when they rebelled against the Spirit of God and turned from God and his Law then they came to be dry scattered Bones and were turned into their Graves and Sepulchres And so Christendom that is turned from the Grace and Truth and Light of Christ and the Spirit that God poureth upon all flesh they are become the scattered dry Bones and are in their Graves and Sepulchres and are the Congregations or Churches of the Dead though they can speak and are Alive outwardly Christ saith I am come that they might have life and that they might have it more abundantly And he gave his flâ—sh for the life of the World And he saith I am the Resurrection and the Life and I am the Way the Truth and the Life No man cometh unto the Father but by me And Christ is the quickening Spirit All being dead in Adam they are to be quickened and made alive by Christ the second Adam And when they are quickned and made alive by him then they do Meet together in the Name of Jesus Christ their Saviour who died for their Sins and is risen for their Justification and so was dead and is alive again and liveth for evermore And all whom he hath quickened and made alive even all the living do Meet in the Name of Jesus who is alive and he their living Prophet Shepherd and Bishop is in the midst of them and is their living Rock and Foundation and a living Mediator between them and the living God And so the Living do praise the living God through Jesus Christ through whom they have Peace with God And so all the Living have Rest in Christ their Life and he is their Sanctification and their Righteousness and their Treasure of Wisdom Knowledge and Vnderstanding which is spiritual and heavenly And he is the spiritual Tree and Root which all the Believers in the Light the Life in Christ that do pass from the death in Adam to the Life in Christ and overcome the World and are born of God are grafted into even Christ the heavenly Tree which beareth all the spiritual Branches or Grafts So these do Meet in his Name and are gathered in him and do sit together in heavenly places in Christ Jesus their Life who hath quickened and made them alive And so all the Living do worship the living God in his holy Spirit and Truth in which they Live and Walk And into this Worship the foul unclean Spirit the Devil cannot get for the holy Spirit and Truth is over him and he is out of it This is the standing Worship which Christ set up in his New Covenant And they that are quickened and made alive by Christ are the living Stones and living Members and spiritual Houshold and Church or Congregation of Christ who is the living Head and Husband And they that are quickened and made alive by Christ are a living Church and have a living Head and are come from the Congregations or Churches of the Dead in Adam where Death and Destruction talks of God and of his Prophets and Apostles in their Wisdom that is below and earthly and devilish and in the knowledge that is bruitish and in the understanding that comes to naught For what they know is natural by their natural Tongues and Arts and Sciences in which they corrupt themselves This is the state of the Dead in Adam But the Quickened and they that are made alive by Christ do discern between the Living and the Dead Kingston upon Thames the 12th Month 1686 7. G. F. While I was at Kingston I writ also another Paper shewing That the Lord in all Ages called the Righteous out from amongst the Wicked before he destroyed them Which Paper here follows NOah and his Family were called into the Ark before the Old World was destroyed with the Flood of Water And all the Faithful Generation that lived before were taken away and died in the Faith before that Flood of Destruction came upon the wicked Old World The Lord did call Lot out of Sodom before he did destroy and consume it and the Wicked there Christ said It cannot be that a Prophet perish out of Jerusalem and he said O Jerusalem Jerusalem which killest the Prophets and stonest them that are sent unto thee how often would I have gathered thy Children together as a Hen gathereth her Brood under her Wings but ye would not Luke 13.33 34. And Christ said unto
of the Land of Egypt for before that time the Lord had not given to Man and Woman his outward Sabbath-day to keep neither in the Old World nor after in Abraham's time nor in Isaac's nor in Jacob's time until the Jews came out of Egypt to Mount Sina in the Wilderness And then there the Lord gave the Law and his Sabbath as a Sign in the Old Covenant of Christ the Eternal Rest in the New Covenant and they that believe do enter into Christ their Rest. Adam the first Man is the Root from whence we all spring naturally And Christ is called the last or second Adam because he is the Beginning and Root of all them that are spiritual The first Adam was made a living Soul And Christ the last Adam was made a quickening Spirit Christ by the Grace of God tasted death for every Man that they might all come into Favour with God and that every Tongue should Confess that Jesus Christ is Lord to the glory of God the Father I writ also a Paper there Concerning the Two Seeds distinguishing the Seed wherein the Blessing is received from the Seed which the Curse remains upon Of that Paper the following is a Copy THE Lord said to Abraham In thy Seed shall all the Nations of the Earth be blessed Gen. 22.18 And thy Seed shall be as the Stars of Heaven and as the Sand which is upon the Sea-shore and as the Dust of the Earth that cannot be numbred Chap. 13.16 and 15.5 and 22.17 Now in this Seed all Nations and Families of the Earth are blessed but not in the Seed of Evil Doers and of Falshood nor in the Seed of the Adulterer and the Whore Isa 1.4 and 57.3 4. for the Seed of the Wicked shall be cut off 1687. Kingston saith the Lord Psal 37.28 The Lord said to David That his Seed should endure for ever Psal 89.36 And again it is said Psal 102.28 The Children of thy Servants shall continue and their Seed shall be established before thee Now ye may see that here is a Distinction betwixt the Two Seeds for the Seed of Evil Doers and of the Adulterer and Whore and of the Wicked shall be Cut off and so it is not blessed But Christ bruises the Head of the Serpent and his Seed which he soweth in them that do disobey and transgress God's Command and rebel against God's good Spirit This Wicked Seed of the Serpent is Curst and is an Enemy to the Seed in whom all are blessed But Christ bruises the Head of this cursed Seed of Enmity and destroys the Devil and his Works and in his Seed are all blessed and all are in Unity in this Seed And all the Children of the Seed are the Children of the Kingdom of God and of Christ and are blessed with faithful Abraham and who are of the saving divine precious Faith are of Abraham and walk in the Steps of the Seed and Faith of Abraham and are blessed with him yea all Nations and all the Families of the Earth And the Lord said to Abraham Thy Seed shall be a stranger in a Land that is not theirs and shall serve them and they shall afflict them Four hundred years and that Nation whom they shall serve will I judge and afterwards shall they to wit God's Seed come out with great Substance Gen. 15.13 14. Here ye may see That which Afflicts God's Seed he will judge and did judge for he did destroy the First-birth of Pharaoh and overthrew him and his Host And an holy Man said Except the Lord of Sabaoth had left us a Seed or Remnant we had been as Sodom c. that is destroyed and burnt But in the Seed which destroys the Devil and his Works and bruises the Head of the Serpent and his Seed are all Nations and Families of the Earth blessed Christ according to the flesh was of Abraham and of David for he took not on him the Nature of Angels but the Seed of Abraham in which Seed all Nations and Families of the Earth are blessed And so they that are of his Seed are of the Generation of Christ and so are Flesh of his Flesh and Bone of his Bone Now all Nations and Families of the Earth must be in this holy Seed if they have the Blessings and are blessed And out of the Mouth of this Seed's Seed shall not God's Word depart but shall Remain and abide in the Mouth of this Seed's Seed in which they are blessed Isa 59.21 So it is not the First-birth's talking of the Words of Christ the Seed in whose Mouth the Word of God doth not abide that makes an outward Profession like the Jews that did kill and persecute the Prophets and crucified Christ the Seed and Substance of the Law and Prophets which the Jews professed in words but they denied Christ the Seed and Life And all the Christians so called that do profess the Scriptures in Words and are not in the Seed Christ they are in the Confusion and are like the Jews And so neither Jews nor Christians are blessed except they be in Christ the Seed of Life But though Christ is said to be of the Seed of David and of Abraham as his Generation is declared by Matthew and Luke yet Christ was not born of the Will of the Flesh nor of the Will of Man but of God For he was Conceived by the Holy Ghost and not by the Will of Man but by the Will of God born of the Virgin and supposed to be the Son of Joseph but was the Son of God and his Name was called Jesus because he should save his People from their sins and Emanuel God with us And Christ took not upon him the Nature of Angels but the Seed of Abraham as I said before and so was made of the Seed of David according to the Flesh and declared to be the Son of God with Power according to the Spirit of Holiness by the Resurrection from the dead Rom. 1.4 So the Generation of Christ is a Mystery And Christ saw his Seed or Word to grow up in his Disciples And Christ in you the hope of Glory the Apostle calls The Mystery which hath been hid from Ages and Generations but now is made manifest to the Saints or sanctified Ones Col. 1.26 27. Whom we preach warning every Man and teaching every Man in all Wisdom that we may present every Man perfect in Christ Jesus v. 28. For in Christ the second Adam all are made perfect and compleat and in Adam in the Fall all are deformed and made imperfect So out of Christ all Mankind are Imperfect and Deformed Let them paint and dress themselves with the Sheep's Clothing and with the Form of Godliness of the Prophets and Christ's and his Apostles Words never so much yet if Christ be not in them they are Uncompleat Imperfect Deformed Reprobates But the Apostle tells the Church of Christ Ye are compleat in Christ which is the Head of all
World John 18.36 And Christ is the Image of the Invisible God the First-born of every Creature For by him were all things created that are in Heaven and that are in Earth visible and invisible whether they be Thrones or Dominions or Principalities or Powers all things were created by him and for him and he is before all things and by him all things consist Col. 1.15 16 17. Here ye may see All things Consist by Jesus Christ and all things were Created by Christ and for him whether they be things in Heaven or things in Earth visible or invisible they were Created by him and for him yea Thrones Dominions or Principalities or Powers these were all created by him and for him So Christ is King of Kings and Lord of Lords Rev. 19.16 And the Prince of the Kings of the Earth Chap. 1.5 And out of his Mouth goes a sharp Sword with which he shall smite the Nations and he shall rule them with a Rod of Iron As the Vessel of a Potter shall they be dashed in pieces who do not obey him who is King of Kings and Lord of Lords This is Christ by whom all things were made who doth rule the Nations who saith I am Alpha and Omega the Beginning and the Ending the First and the Last So he is over all Nations and above them all Now we must understand this Rod of Iron by which Christ who is the First and Last doth rule the Nations is a Figurative Speech of Christ who is Ascended into Heaven and is at the right hand of God yet all Power in Heaven and Earth is given unto him and All things were created by him and for him So then they are Christ's and he hath power over all things for all are his So as the Scripture saith By me Kings Reign and Princes decree Justice Prov. 8.15 But if they abuse his Power and do not do Justice as is decreed by Christ the King of Kings and Lord of Lords the First and the Last they must feel and know the weight of his Rod of Iron by which he will rule such as abuse his Power and do not do Justice that is decreed by him who hath all Power in Heaven and Earth given to him and rules in the Kingdoms of Men. Kingston the 11th Month 1687. G. F. Several other things I writ while I was now at Kingston for my Spirit being continually exercised towards God I had many precious Openings of Divine Matters and divers places of Scripture both in the Old Testament and in the New relating to a state of Regeneration and Sanctification c. were brought to my remembrance by the holy Spirit some of which I committed to writing and were as followeth THey that Touched the dead were unclean and were to be cleansed by the Water of Purification Numb 19. And they which touch the dead Doctrines or Faiths and let them in burden the pure and defile and make themselves unclean until the Spring of the Water of the Word do arise and wash and cleanse them for all the Dead in Adam in the Fall are Vnclean and they must be washed by Christ in his Blood and Water of Life who quickeneth and makes alive A Dwarf might not come near to Offer upon God's Altar but he might eat ot the holy Bread that he might grow Levit. 21.20 c. So the New-born Babes may eat of the Milk of the Word that they may grow thereby and increase And he that had any Blemish might not come near to Offer upon God's Altar neither might any thing be Offered upon God's Altar that had any Blemish or was Vnclean Lev. 21. And it is said The Vngodly shall not stand in the Judgment nor Sinners in the Congregation of the Righteous Psal 1.5 But God standeth in the Congregation of the Mighty Psal 82.1 The Camp of God was to be kept Clean and Holy All that which was unclean or defiled was to be kept out of God's Camp in the Old Testament And in the New Testament all that is defiled and unclean must be kept out of God's Kingdom the new and heavenly Jerusalem that is from above All was to pass through the Fire even of those things that would bear the Fire and to be purified by Fire and Water before the People might come into God's Camp Numb 31. So all must be Circumcised and Baptised with the Holy Ghost and with Fire and be cleansed with the Blood of Christ and washed with the Water of the Word before they come into the Kingdom of God and into heavenly Jerusalem The Apostle Paul saith We know that if our earthly House of this Tabernacle were dissolved we have a Building of God an House not made with Hands eternal in the Heavens For in this we groan earnestly desiring to be clothed upon with our House which is from Heaven that mortality might be swallowed up of life 2 Cor. 5.1 2 4. Here is WE in the Earthly House of this Tabernacle which We are they that have received Christ and are become the Sons of God and New Creatures and Children of the Light that do believe in Christ's Light who have an Eternal House in the Heavens where Mortality is swallowed up of Life in which House from Heaven they will not groan And Peter said I think it meet as long as I am in this Tabernacle to stir you up by putting you in remembrance knowing that shortly I must put off this my Tabernacle even as our Lord Jesus Christ hath shewed me 2 Pet. 1.13 14. So Peter knew he must put off this Tabernacle shortly but as long as he was in it he did stir up the Saints to their duty in holiness that they might remember it after he was deceased The Apostle Paul saith The first Man is of the Earth Earthly mark Earthly 1 Cor. 15.47 And as we have born the Image of the Earthy we shall also bear the Image of the Heavenly mark the Heavenly ver 49. And We have this Treasure in earthen Vessels c. 2 Cor. 4.7 And I live said he yet not I but Christ liveth in me Gal. 2.20 who is the Life of all God's People And Christ said to the Jews That the Dead are raised even Moses shewed at the Bush when he calleth the Lord the God of Abraham and the God of Isaac and the God of Jacob for he is not the God of the Dead but of the Living for all live unto him Luke 20.37 38. So None of us liveth to himself and no man dieth to himself For whether we live we live unto the Lord and whether we die we die unto the Lord. Whether we live therefore or die we are the Lord 's For to this end Christ both died and rose and revived that he might be Lord both of the dead and living Rom. 14.7 8 9. For all died in Adam and Christ by the Grace of God tasted death for every Man that they might come out of the death in Adam to
the Eternal life in Jesus Christ Who is also a quickening Spirit for as in Adam all died even so in Christ shall all be made alive So Christ that Died and Rose again is Lord both of the Living and of the Dead for the Living live to the Lord and die in him and are blessed All Christendom say that they do believe in God and in Christ and that they do believe Moses and the Prophets and preach Christ Moses and the Prophets So their Words and Writings are preached and printed and ye say ye do believe them But now what Life do ye live Are ye through the Law dead to the Law that ye may live unto God And are ye Crucified with Christ and doth Christ live in you And is the Life that ye now live in the flesh by the faith of the Son of God and ye do not live but Christ liveth in you who gave himself for you Is this your present Life for the Just live by the faith which Christ is the Author and Finisher of by which holy divine and precious Faith they have Victory over that which is vile and unholy and is not divine and in this Faith they do please God and have Access to God and his Son who fulfilleth the Law and the Prophets For the Law and the Prophets were until John and since that the Kingdom of God hath been preached and Men do press into it And the Least in the Kingdom of God is Greater than John though he was the greatest Prophet born of a Woman So see whether ye are in the Kingdom that stands in Peace and Righteousness and Joy in the Holy Ghost or not Christ who is the Image of the Invisible God the First-born of every Creature was before any Creature for by him were all things created that are in Heaven and that are in the Earth visible or invisible whether they be Thrones or Dominions or Principalities or Powers all things were created by him and for him and he was before all things and by him all things consist And he is the Head of the Body the Church and is the beginning the First-born from the dead So here ye may see that all things were made by Christ Jesus and all things were created for Christ Jesus and by him all things consist and have their being who is the First-born from the dead and dieth no more And it pleased the Father that in him all Fulness should dwell and by Christ to reconcile all things unto himself whether they be things in Heaven or things in the Earth And in him are hid all the Treasures of Wisdom and Knowledge who is the Head of all Principality and Power for all Power in Heaven and in Earth is given to him the First-born of every Creature and the First-born from the dead who liveth for evermore in his power over all the Lamb slain from the Foundation of the World and while the World's Spirit rules in mens hearts they do not know Christ nor the beginning nor ending of the Work of God Christ was outwardly crucified and slain without the Gates of Jerusalem by the disobedient Jews And they that hate the Light of Christ and disobey his Gospel and quench his Spirit and are erred from his Faith do crucifie to themselves Christ afresh So Adam and Eve and their Children that disobeyed God did slay the Lamb and the blind Jews that disobeyed God crucified Christ Jesus and the outward Christians that live and walk not in Christ but in Sin and Evil though they do make an outward Profession of Christ yet they do Crucifie to themselves Christ afresh But as to Christ himself he is Ascended far above all Principalities Thrones Powers and Dominions so that they cannot put him to death or Crucifie him any more as to himself But what the Killers and Crucifiers and Persecutors do now upon the Earth it is against Christ as in themselves and in his Members as Christ said to Saul Why Persecutest thou me Acts 9.4 For what is done to his Members Christ takes as done to himself Matth. 25.40 and 45. And they that did not visit Christ but persecuted him in his Members they persecuted Christ in themselves first The Serpent that Enemy to Man and Woman and Satan that Adversary to Man's prosperity and the Devil the destroyer the God of the World and Prince of the Air that ruleth in the hearts of the Disobedient he got in by disobedience But Christ bruises his head breaketh his power to pieces and destroys the Devil and his Works and through death destroys death and the Devil the power of death And so Christ the Light and Life hath all power in Heaven and Earth and openeth the Prison-doors and the Eyes of the blind and takes Captive him that hath led into Captivity and gives Gifts unto Men. And so Christ bindeth the strong man of sin and spoils his goods for Christ is stronger than the Devil and casts him out Hallelujah For the strong man of sin is the God of the World and his House is the whole World that lieth in Wickedness And the God of the World hath kept his house and his goods have been in peace until a stronger than he comes and binds the Devil and casts him out and then destroys him and his goods And so Christ the Son of God who is stronger than the Devil having destroyed the Devil and his Works setteth up his House and all the Believers in the Light are the Children of Light and are of the Son of God's spiritual House and the Son of God is over his House for evermore Glory to God in the Highest through Jesus Christ Amen God spake by the mouth of all his holy Prophets concerning Christ Jesus his Son the holy One so they were holy men and not unholy that God spake by And therefore all that name the Name of the Lord Jesus Christ are to depart from Iniquity Kingston upon Thames the 11th Month 1687. G. F. I returned to London towards the latter end of the Eleventh Month 1687. Chiswick Hammersmith visiting Friends in the way at Chiswick and at Hammersmith where I had Two Meetings one upon a First-day and the other upon the Occasion of a Marriage there at which were many of the World's People amongst whom I had a very seasonable Opportunity of opening the Way of Truth London Being come to London I visited Friends Meetings in and about the City as the Lord led me in whose Service I continued labouring in the City until the middle of the First Month 1687 8. Enfield Barnet Waltham-Abbey At which time I went down towards Enfield and visited Friends there and thereabouts and at Barnet and Waltham-Abbey and other places where I had many Meetings and very good Service amongst Friends in which I spent several Weeks And then returned to London London Yearly-Meeting where I continued labouring in the work of the Gospel of our Lord until after the
Thistles and sharp Rocks and Mountains and never be hurt nor never wear out their Shooes but their Feet are always beautiful upon the Mountains Moses a Captain the Servant of the Lord said unto the People of Israel I have led you forty years in the Wilderness your Cloths are not waxen old upon you and thy Shooe is not waxen old upon thy foot Deut. 29.5 Here ye may see the Jews in the Old Testament their Cloths and their Shooes did not wax old But they who are Christ's followers whom he shooeth with his Everlasting Gospel of Peace and Cloatheth with his fine Linnen his Righteousness and Arms with his Arms and Armour they are cloathed shod and armed with that which will never decay nor wax old nor canker nor rust nor corrupt nor grow blunt Now all whether Christians or Jews or Gentiles that hate the Light of Christ and close their Eyes and stop their Ears to it are not like to see Christ their Ensign and Captain of their Salvation but are blind And as there is no outward Captain would List a Company of blind and deaf men and cloath and arm them with outward Armour so such as are blind and deaf whose Eyes are closed and Ears stopped to the heavenly Light of Christ he is not like to cloath them with his fine Linnen and arm them with his heavenly and spiritual Armour nor are they like to be spiritually and heavenly disciplined and to see and know his holy and spiritual living Camp nor to follow him while they are deaf and blind and hate his Light which is the Life in Christ the heavenly Ensign and Captain of their Salvation For it is the Light that shines in the heart which gives the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Christ Jesus who is the Ensign and Captain of Mens Salvations and who hath brought and doth bring many Sons unto glory Praises Honour and Glory be unto the Lord over all who liveth for ever Amen Gooses the 14th of the 2d Month 1690. G. F. London A Week after this I return'd to London and after a little stay there Kingston went down to visit Friends at Kingston where I stay'd not long London but came back to London and remained there in the Lord's work Yearly-Meeting till after the Yearly-Meeting which was in the Fourth Month this Year in which the wonted Goodness of the Lord was witnessed and his blessed Presence enjoyed and his heavenly Power livingly felt opening the hearts of his People unto him and his Divine Treasures of Life and Wisdom in and unto them whereby many useful and necessary things relating to the safety of Friends and to the honour and prosperity of Truth were weightily treated of and unanimously concluded After the Meeting was over I writ the following Paper to Friends to be added to the Epistle which from the Yearly-Meeting was sent into the several Counties ALL Friends every where that are alive to God through Jesus Christ and are living Members of Christ the holy Head Be still and stand still in the Lord's Camp of Holiness and Righteousness and therein see the Salvation of God and your Eternal Life Rest and Peace and in it you may feel and see the Lord's Power is over all and how the Lord is at work in his Power and ruling the Nations with his Rod of Iron and is breaking in the Nations the old leaky Vessels and Cisterns to pieces like the Potter's Vessels that will not hold his living Water of Life who are erred from the Spirit But blessed be the Lord God of Heaven and Earth 1690. London Yearly Meeting who by his Eternal Arm and Power hath settled all his People upon the living holy Rock and Foundation that stands sure whom he hath drawn by his Spirit to his Son and gathered them into the Name of Jesus Christ his only begotten Son full of Grace and Truth who hath all Power in Heaven and Earth given to him Whose Name is above every Name under the whole Heaven and all his living Members know there is no Salvation given by any other Name under the whole Heaven but by the Name of Jesus and he their Salvation and their living Head is felt in the midst of them in his Light Life Spirit Grace and Truth and his Word of Patience Wisdom and Power who is his People's Prophet that God hath raised up in his New Testament and Covenant to open to them and their living Shepherd that hath purchased redeemed and bought them with his precious Blood And Christ the living One feeds his living Sheep in his living Pastures of Life and his living Sheep know their living Shepherd's voice with his living Bread and Water and follow him and will not follow any of the World's Hirelings nor Thieves nor Robbers nor Climbers that are without Christ the Door And likewise Christ's living Children know Christ the Bishop of their Souls to oversee them with his heavenly and spiritual Eye that they may be preserved in his Fold of Life and go no more forth And also they know Christ their holy Priest that by the Grace of God tasted Death for them and for every Man and is a Propitiation for their Sins and not for their Sins only but for the Sins of the whole World and by the one Offering up of himself he hath perfected for ever them that are sanctified And such an High-Priest becomes Christ's Sheep in his New Covenant and Testament who is holy and harmless and separate from sinners and is made higher than the Heavens who is not made a Priest after the Order of Aaron with his Tithes Offerings c. but he makes an end of all those things and hath abolished them and is made an High-Priest after the Power of an endless life who ever liveth to make Intercession for his People and is able to save to the uttermost all that come to God through him Who is the one holy Mediator betwixt God and Man and who sanctifies his People his Church that he is Head of and presents them to God without spot or wrinkle or blemish or any such thing and makes them an holy royal Priesthood to offer up spiritual holy Sacrifices acceptable to God by Jesus Christ who is King of all Kings and Lord of all Lords in the Earth So an holy heavenly King who hath â—all power in Heaven and Earth given to him and rules in all the hearts of his Sheep and Lambs by his holy divine precious Faith that is held in all the pure Consciences of his People which holy Faith Christ the holy One is the Author and Finisher of By which holy Faith all the Just live and in which holy divine and precious Faith all the Just and holy Ones have Unity and by it they do quench all the fiery Darts of Satan and by this holy divine and precious Faith they have access to the pure God in which they do please him And Christ