Wisdom and their Vertue and Zeal and their Faith as you may see in the 2d of Samuel and the 20th And what think you of Esther read her Book Faster a Nursing Mother and by her Interecssion saved the Nation of the Jews and see the Behaviour of this vertuous honourable Woman who by her Wisdom Faith and Vertue preserved her People Israel she was a Nursing-Mother to them as you may read in the Book of Esther who kept a Fast with her Maidens to the Lord and also desired Mordecai to keep a Fast in Shushan Esther 4.16 Now Awarning to Careless Women all you careless Women that are out of God's Service and think ye have no need to be in the Service and Work of the Lord hear the Word of the Lord what Isaiah says to such Arise up ye Women that are at ease hear my Voice ye careless Danghters give ear to my Speech Many days and years shall ye be troubled ye careless Women for the Vintage shall fall and the Gathering shall noit come Nor you cannot expect it in your Ease and Carelesness that neglect God's Voice and Speech and are not Diligent your heavenly Vintage will fall and of it ye will have little gathering Tremble ye Women that are at ease be troubled ye careless Ones strip ye make ye bare gird Sackcloth upon your Loins c. Isaiah 32. Therefore put off that careless Garment and shake off Sloath and put on diligence in the Service of God Now the Jews had their Assemblies of Mourning-women and therefore the Prophet calls for the Mourning-women and let them bewail says he when the Jews went into Transgression And this was because the Men and Women were not Diligent in his Service in the Power and Spirit of God which he had poured upon them And Jeremiah says Hear the Word of the Lord O ye Women and let your Ears receive the Word of his Mouth and teach your Daughters wailing and every one their Neighbours Lamentation Jer. 9.20 So here the Prophet exhorts the Women to hear the Word of God first and then to teach and exhort their Daughters and Neighbours yea Wailing and Lamentation And were they not and are they not to teach their Families and their Neighbours from the Word of the Lord both in the time of the Law and the Gospel to prevent Wailign and Lamentation And see in Ezekiel how he exhorted and what the Lord says there I will cause Leadness to cease out of the Land that all Women may be taught not to do after their Lewdness And then as they are obedient to this Teaching they will shun the Judgments that came upon the Jews which were compared to Women as in Ezek. 23. And the Assemblies of the Women did continue amongst the Jews till they went into Captivity And when Saul and David had made a great slaughter upon the Philistines A General Asembly of Women the Women came out of all the Cities of Israel mark out of all the Cities of Israel and surely this was a great Assembly of Women singing and dancing c. with Joy and with Instruments of Musick and the Women answered one another as they played and sung Praises unto God And Saul the King was not angry with the Women but at David because they ascribed so much Honour to him for they were Partakers of the Salvation of the Lord and of the Deliverance as well as the Men 1 Sam. 18.6 And so they are Partakers in the Gospel of the Deliverance over the Devil the grand Enemy of Mankind and are exhorted to praise the Lord and to make Melody in their Hearts to the Lord for their Salvation and Deliverance by Christ in the time of the Gospel as well as the Men 1 Sam. 18. And in 2 Chron. 25. there Jeremiah lamented for Josiah and all the Singing Men and Singing-Women spoke of Josiah in their Lamentation So here was not only Singing-Men but Singing-Women which did not only Sing but Lament for this good Man Josiah And in the days of Ezra after the Jews returned from their Captivity to their Land there were Two Hundred Singing-Men and Singign-Women uEzra 2. And in Neh. 7. Women assistants to the Men in the Worship of God under the Law where the Priest stood up with Vrim and Thummim that is Light and Perfection they had Two Hundred and Forty Five Singing-Men and Singing-Women So these were incouraged by the Priests according to David and Solomon's Order and these were besides the Assemblies of the Women about Works and Services in the Holy Things for these sung Praises to God And in Zeph. 3. he saith Sing ye Daughters of Zion shout and rejoyce with all thy Heart ye Daughters of Jerusalem the Lord hath taken away thy Judgment c. the Lord is in the midst of thee thou shalt see Evil no more And in Zach. 2. he encourageth them to Sing and Rejoyce Oh Daughter of Zion for lo I come and I will dwell in the migst of thee saith the Lord. So here is great cause for the Daghter of Zion to rejoyce and who shall stop her Mouth And in Luke 1. you may see how the Angel of the Lord appeared unto Mary the Mother of Jesus and what he said to her and what a Noble Veruous Mind was in her and she said unto the Angel Behold the Handmaid of the Lord be it unto me according to thy Word so her Belief was beyond Zachariah's the Priest And when Mary came unto Elizabeth what a Meeting and Salu. Mary the Mother of our Lord and her Cousin Elizabeth's Meeting c. tation wat there and how she was filled with the Holy Ghost and the Babe leaped in her Womb and she praised the Lord God and called her the Mother of her Lord. Read from the 40th to the 57th verse and see how she extols the Lord and magnifies Christ Jesus for here was a Heavenly Meeting of these two which is chronicled to Ages So you may see her Belief was above Zachariah's the Priest So Mary and Elizabeth were notable Preachers of Christ Jesus And you may see in Luk. 2.7 how Mary wrapped Christ in Swadling-Cloaths and how tender she was of the Heavenly Birth conceived by the Holy Ghost And so must all true and tender Christians that receive him in the Spirit and how she kept all the Sayings that were spoken of Christ and pondered them in her Heart ver 19. And so should every true Christian And there was Anna a Prophetess Annah spoke of Christ in the Temple which was Eighty Four Years old who departed not from the Temple but served God with Fasting and Prayer Night and Day and she gave thanks unto the Lord and spoke of Christ unto all that looked for Redemption in Israel she spoke of Christ Here was a notable old Woman of Eighty Four Years of Age a Preacher and Declarer of Christ And you do not read that ever any despised her or said it
that you never let any Man or Woman have any more Wine Ale strong Drink Brandy or strong Waters or other strong Liquors than what is for their Health and their Good in that they may praise God for his good Creatures For every Creature of God is good and ought to be received with Thanksgiving But if you do give or let Men or Women have so much Wine Brandy strong Liquors strong Beer or Ale till they be Drunk or to make them Drunk 1. You destroy the good Creatures of God 2. You destroy them that have not Power over their Lusts no more than a Rat or a Swine who will drink till they are Drunk 3. You are a great caufe of ruining them in their Healths Purses and Estates their Children and Families in feeding of them in their Lusts The occasion of the Judgments of God by letting them have more than doth them good which also tends to bring God's Judgments upon you to your own Ruine and Destruction For many when they are full of Wine Beer or strong Liquors then they will call for Musick Pipe and Harp and it may be their Whores also And so in this you that suffer or allow such things are Nursers of Debauchery and Corrupters of them and of your own Families also And also such Men when they are full of Wine or strong Liquors and have destroyed the Creatures by taking more than doth them good then they are got to that height that they are ready to Quarrel and Abuse or Kill or Destroy one another and sometimes kill other People who do them no harm as they are walking or travelling in the Streets or High-ways For when they are overcome by strong Liquors then are they fit and do lie open to all manner of Wickedness And though you think by selling or letting People have Wine or strong Liquors more than doth them good or is for their Health The more they arink the more Gain you think it brings you and the more you vend your Goods the more Profit you get Ah poor Sellers Do not you think that God with his all seeing Eye doth behold you and your Actions And cannot the Lord soon bring a Blasting upon all your Undertakings and such ungodly Gain and Profits and whatsoever you have gained by your Covetousness and from the Lusts of others through which they do destroy their Estates Children and Families Will not this bring destruction upon you and your unrighteous Gain which you have gotten by feeding their Lusts For that which feeds the destroying Lust must needs be Destroyed and the Profit of That will not be Gain to you in the End For are not you sensible how many after they have spent their Estates or part of them they will run into your Debts for Wine or strong Liquors yea such as you let have more than did or doth them good And is not this the Cause that many break by trusting and other ways as before mentioned Trust should be with that which is Trusty which doth not Waste or Destroy and such God will bless And therefore take heed of letting any Man or Woman have any more Wine or strong Liquors than what is for their Nourishment Health and Good See what a dreadful Woe the Lord pronounced against them That rise up early in the morning that they may follow strong Drink that continue until night till Wine inflame them Then they call for the Harp and the Viol the Tabret and the Pipe c. But such regard not the work of the Lord neither consider the operation of his Hands A sad state Woe unto them that are mighty to drink Wine Woe to them that are mighty to drink Wine and are Men of strength to mingle strong Drink And therfore all to shun such thing all are to be sober and to mind and fear God that they may escape these Woes As you may see in Isaiah Chap. 5. And therefore all Vintners and such as sell Wine with Ale-Houses Inns and Victualling-Houses who sell Ale Brandy and strong Liquors never let any one have more than doth them good and is for their health as is said before so that all may eat and drink the good Creatures of God to his Praise and Glory which Drunkards and Gluttons cannot nor they who let them have the Creatures of God in excess or immoderately till they are drunk and surfeited for such do feed themselves without the Fear of God Secondly Let all who go under the Name of Christian Families train up their Children in the Fear of God and keep themselves in the Fear of God that they may keep all their Servants and Familes in the Fear of God out of all Loosness and Wantonness and Vanities and Excess and from all Drunkenness Fornication Whordom or Vncleanness and Vnrighteousness and all Vngodliness that they may keep out of all those things that displease or dishonour the Lord God And do not nourish up the Lust of the Eye nor the Pride of Life nor the Lust of the Flesh for if you do Sin the Cause of God's Wrath upon Families you nourish up that which is not of God the Father And therefore to shun all these Evils and to depart from them and keeping in the Fear of God this is the way to bring the Blessing of God upon a Land Kingdom Nation or Family God will destroy them which destroy the Earth Revel 11.18 Drunkenness makes a Man worse than a Beast and makes a strong Man Weak and a wise Man a Fool. This Testimony and Warning was and is owned and subscribed by many Vintners and others concerned in the Trades and Callings before-mentioned who were present at the reading of the Manuscript G.F. An Epistle to the Houshold of Faith FRiends Epist 382. Consider how the Blessing of the Lord came upon the Obedient and faithful to the Lord and rested upon them The Lord said to Abraham Get thee out of thy Country and from thy Kindred and from thy Fathers House The Promise to the Faithful c. And I will make of thee a great Nation and I will bless thee c. And thou shalt be a Blessing and I will Bless them that Bless thee and Curse them that Curse thee and in thee and thy Seed shall all the Families of the Earth be blessed Abraham obeyed the Lord and went forth from Vr of the Caldees and so he left all the Religions and Worships and Teachers of the Country of the Caldees behind him and followed the Lord And the Lord said unto Abraham Walk before me and be thou perfect Gen. 17.1 And again The Lord said unto Abraham Seeing that Abraham shall surely become a great and mighty Nation and all the Nations of the Earth shall be blessed in him Gen. 12.1 2 3. 18.18 And again The Lord said unto Abraham That in Blessing I will Bless thee and in Multiplying I will Multiply thy Seed as the Stars of Heaven and as the Sand which
is upon the Sea-shoar and thy Seed shall possess the Gates of his Enemies In the Seed are all Nations blessed and in thy Seed shall all the Nations of the Earth be Blessed because thou hast Obeyed my Voice Abraham Obeying God's Voice brought this Blessing upon him as in Gen. 22. And the Lord said I know Abraham that he will command his Children and his Houshold after him That they shall keep the way of the Lord to do Justice and Judgment that the Lord may bring upon Abraham all that which he hath spoken of him Now you may see here what it is that brings the Blessing and kept the Blessing upon Abraham and his Seed Faithful Abraham c. Now if you be of the true Faith you are of Abraham and are blessed with faithful Abraham Gal. 3.9 And in this Seed and Faith of Abraham you will Command your Children and your Houshold after you to keep the way of the Lord to do Justice and Judgment that the Lord may bring the Blessing upon you and your Houshold and Children keeping in the same Faith and Seed of Abraham and you and your Children and your Houshold keeping in the way of the Lord to do Justice and Judgment then I say the Blessing which came upon Abraham will come upon you and upon your Children and your Houshold and then you will know the Promise of God fulfilled Cursed is he that Curses thee and Blessed is he that Blesseth thee and therefore live and walk in the Seed which bruises the Head of the Serpent in which Seed all Nations are Blessed yea all Families Housholds and Children in which Faith and Seed you Command Mark Command your Children and your Houshold after you to keep the way of the Lord as Abraham did to do Justice and Judgment Gen. 18. 19. Now you that have not this Authority to Command over your Children and Housholds you are not in the Faith and Seed of Abraham to wit To Command our Families to keep the way of the Lord. To Command your Children and Houshold after you to keep the way of the Lord and to do Justice and Judgment Now the Lord had a Confidence in Abraham and so he hath in all them that be of his Seed and Faith now that they will Command their Children and Houshold to keep the way of the Lord as he did and walk before the Lord and to do Justice and Judgment and that Abraham's Family and Children should not go back again into those Country Religions or Ways which the Seed and Faith of Abraham hath and had led them out of For they that are commanded to come out of them into God's Way into the Way of the Lord are commanded to keep in the Way of the Lord and they are to command their Children and their Houshold to keep the Way of the Lord and to keep out of all the Ways of the World and out of all the Ungodly Unjust Ways in the Seed which bruises the Head of the Serpent And the Lord said to Isaac I will make thy Seed to multiply as the Stars of Heaven c. And in thy Seed shall all the Nations of the Earth be blessed Gen. 26.4 Now here you may see that Isaac inherited his Father's Inheritance in the Seed and in the Faith and Way of the Lord in which Seed all Nations are blest And so do all they that are of the Faith and Seed of Abraham that walk in the steps of faithful Abraham in the Way of the Lord and obey his Voice They who obey God's Voice inherit the Blessing inherit the Blessing of Abraham for you may see it was not the only Care that their Children might inherit a little Earth after them but that they might inherit the Seed and the Faith which had the Blessing And Isaac said to Jacob God Almighty bless thee and give the Blessing of Abraham to thee and to thy Seed with thee Gen. 28. And this Isaac spake to Jacob before Jacob had any Children and here you may see Isaac's care that Jacob and his Seed might inherit the Faith and Blessing of Abraham and Isaac and this should be their first Inheritance and then they should inherit the outward Land And this should be the care of all them that walk in the steps of the Faith of Abraham to see that their Children and Houshold do inherit the Faith Seed and Blessing of Abraham in the first place by keeping in the Way of the Lord c. And they are to command their Children to walk in the Way of the Lord c. that they may so do and you may see that Jacob did inherit the Blessing of Abraham and Isaac in Abraham and Isaac's Seed and Faith When the Lord said unto Jacob Thy Seed shall be as the Dust of the Earth and thou shall spread abroad to the West and to the East and to the North and to the South and in thee and in thy Seed shall all the Families of the Earth be blessed So here you may see Jacob's Possession who did inherit the Blessing of Abraham and Isaac and they that are of the Seed and Faith which keep the Way of the Lord they do inherit this Blessing in the Seed in which all Nations are blest And this is according to Christ Doctrine Seek the Kingdom of God first Seek ye first the Kingdom of God and his Righteousness and all these things shall be added unto you to wit What ye shall eat or what ye shall drink or wherewith shall ye be cloathed for after all these things do the Gentiles seek For your Heavenly Father knoweth that you have need of all these things And here Christ who was of the Seed of Abraham and of David according to the Flesh would have People to seek their Inheritance in the Kingdom of Heaven and its Righteousness before they seek outward things and they were to Lay up for themselves Treasure in Heaven c. And to know that Portion for them and their Children Matth. 6. And the Apostle saith The Children of the Promise are counted for the Seed Rom. 9.8 For in Isaac shall thy Seed be called Gen. 21.12 And Christ saith The good Seed are the Children of the Kingdom Matth. 13.38 And this is the Seed in which all Nations are blest who keep the Way of the Lord and Justice and Judgment such the Almighty hath blessed with the Blessings from above The Blessing of the Faithful the Blessings of the deep the Blessing of the breast and of the womb Gen. 49. And he will also bless the fruit of the Land thy Corn and thy Wine and thy Oil and the increase of thy Kine and the flocks of thy Sheep Deut. 7. And they that serve the Lord their God he will bless their Bread and their Water Exod. 23. And a faithful Man shall abound with Blessings Prov. 28.20 So you may see they that are in the Faith and in the Holy Seed
in store in the Mind or Memory or Heart-rising one against another or Backbiting among you Evil-speaking or speaking evil one of another but Judge that out by the Light of Christ And dwell in the Life of God then ye all in this Life of God will have Vnity And beware of and not suffer that in you to Contend which goeth out of the Truth but by the Truth Judge it out And Meet together every where knowing one another in the Spirit and not in the Flesh and with the Spirit of God wait upon God the Father of Spirits And Friends Live not on that which is out of the Truth but all be kept low that that which is pure of God and comes from God ye may live and feed upon And that there be no feeding on feigned Love Feigned Love but on that which is Pure and Eternal without Mixture or Stain that all the other may be hewen down and trampled upon and troden down Earth to the Earth Dust to the Dust that ye may allbe kept pure and in Joy waiting for the Eternal Riches from the Eternal God So all to know the Ministry and Prayer which is from and in the Spriti and in it all are one and by it all the contrary is Judged And take heed of Pride but by the Eternal Spirit Pride keep all that down and judge it The Sacrifices of the Wicked are Abominaiton to the Lord and he hears not Hypocrites but the Prayers of the Righteous are heard G. F. FRiends in the Life and Power of God dwell Epist 49. which doth teach you to deny your selves which keeps you from all Strife and from all Deceit that nothing may appear Self-denial but by the pure Spirit it may be Judged and that by the Spirit of God ye may all be kept up to him who is a God of Order and not of Confusion For all who are in Confusion are in that Nature that 's contrary to the Light who are with it to be Condemned And so the God of Life be with you all that the Fear of the Lord in all your hearts may be set that the Dread Terror and Fear of the Lord amongst you may remain and Faith from him ye may all come to receive and Love And let Love proceed one towards another from the Faith which purifies that all Actions to the Light may be brought that all Deeds contrary to the Light may with it be Condemned that in Peace and Righteousness ye may all grow up in that which is Eternal guided to him who is Eternal taking all heed to the Measure of God's Grace that with it your Minds may be guided up to God the Father of Life and all your Minds with the Eteranl kept to him who is Eternal That the Kingdom of God ye may all come to see The Kingdom of God waiting in the Light taking heed to it which calls to Repentance which informs your Minds towards the Kingdom of God where there is no End but Love Joy and Peace for Evermore And wait in the Light for Power to remove the Earthly part that ye may all witness the Kingdom and Joy in the Holy Ghost that with the Light your Minds may be kept up to God who is Pure and in it ye may all have Unity who in the Light of Life do walk For who contrary to the Light do act this is their Condemnation Vnsavoury Speeches c. And let no unsavoury Speeches nor Prophaness nor Loosness nor Idleness nor Filthiness be amongst you but be diligent serving the Lord in the Light for all that which is contrary to the Light with the Light is to be Condemned And to you this is the Word of the Lord that with the Spirit of the Lord that comes from the Father of Spirits ye may all come to witness the Spirit of Promise and set to your Seals that God the Father of Spirits is true So in the Name and Power of the Lord Jesus Christ be ye all kept and preserved and Keep together and Meet together that ye may grow in the Measure of God's Grace G. F. And all Dear Friends in the Eternal dwell that as the Plants of the Lord ye may grow The Plants of the Lord. and ye who are the Vineyard-dressers keep out the subtil and cunning Foxes who make their Holes in the Earth If in the Light ye all dwell which was before the Earth was with it ye will the tender Plants preserve And all Friends in that which is pure patiently wait to inherit the Substance and in that dwell which sees beyond the Shadow Types Traditions and evil Lust And dwell in the Life that ye may be nourished with living Food and be kept above the World in the Light that the Son of God be not crucified afresh with that which turns from the Light into the Lust So all ye that have a Sight of this and are come hither Wait in the Light that ye may grow up in the living Word to comprehend the World that every one of your Souls may come to find its Rest where no Burden is and the Travel in the Will of Man is ceased For all those Travels and Burdens are among them that contrary to the Light do act Self-Burdens and Travels and the Burden is their own and the Travel is their own which is to be condemned with the Light which leads up into Life And so the Power of the mighty God of Life be with you which is raising up his living Seed and the Seed is one which is turning up the Earth and cleaving it asunder and removing it out of its place and bringing into the Faith of Abraham and to the God of Abraham The Lord God be with you that in the Light dwell whose Minds are turned towards Christ the Way from all that which Christ the Light discovers to be evil Ye Children of the Light seek to turn many to the Light and to Wisdom's Gate bring them that ye may all come to be Door-Keepers in the House of the Lord and see what must be kept out of hi House Wisdom's Gate Door-Keepers and what to receive into the House and own no Sacrifice but that which is from the Living which is accepted of the Lord. G. F. ALL Friends Dwell in that which is Pure Epist 50. and wait for the Power of God to preserve you in that which is Pure up to God Concerning the Power of God And know the Seed of God in one another that the Knowledge which is after the Flesh may die and know the Power of God in one another Let your Faith stand in that which throws out the Earthly Nature and the Loftiness of Man which overturns the Worldly Wisdom and the Carnal Knowledge which is bruitish and Devilish In that which is Pure dwell that ye may be able to discern and savour and comprehend that which is not Pure Dwell in that which is
and Low that nothing may reign Keep Low but Life among you and unto the Power of God be Obedient And Friends the going from the Life and Power into the Changable things there is the Strife which the Life is over by which Power of God all things were made wherein Wisdom is received to order all things to his Glory So the Seed Christ in you all know which doth go over the Earth and inherits the Promise of God that ye may be all Heirs of the Promise of God And Cease from your own Words The Promise of God but in the Power live for it breaks down Rocks Mountains old and Sandy Foundations and the Bond of Iniquity and makes up the Breach between God and Man and breaks down that which made the Breach So the Seed know one in another which Seed is Christ who according to the Flesh was of Abraham and according to the Spirit the Son of God And this is the Word of the Lord God to all Friends and a Charge to you from the Lord God To live in Peace one with another and that the Peace Life and Wisdom of God may rule you all G. F. To all Friends to abide in their Callings TO all Dear Friends who are called who are enlightned Epist 79. whose Midns are turned from the World's Worships and Teachers having your Eye to the Light and Guide within which is leading you out of this dark World and your old vain Conversations towards God and the World which is without End Mercy and Peace from God the Father be multiplied among you Every one of you abide in your Calling waiting upon God where he hath called you And take heed of Reasoning with Flesh and Blood for there Disobedience Pride and Presumption will arise and there ye will grow up to be Trees Fruitless Trees that bear no Fruit and as a Fig-Tree which beareth Leaves and no Fruit and as Wells without Water Oh! Therefore mind the Pure which would lead you out of this Corruptible Heathenish dark World and its vain Ways and from Destruction and Death to Life And so the Lord God of Power bless you guide you and preserve you on in your Way towards the holy City being called out of the unholy City for he that hath called you is Holy Now many are called but few are chosen Oh! Therefore abide in that which hath called you which is Holy and Pure up to him who is Holy and Pure and let the Time past of your eil Ways be sufficient wherein ye have lived in Wickedness and in the Ways of this untoward Generation lest your Minds do turn back into Egypt and the World and so cause the Worthy Name of the Lord to be blasphemed which hath called you by turning aside and growing into Hardness of Heart and turning from a pure Conscience and making Shipwrack of it and of Faith For ye may see how far many may go and did go and were led out of many things yet did turn again into the World So mind your present Guide and your present Condition and your Call what ye are called from and what ye are called to for whom the Lord hath called and chosen The Lord's Free-Men are the Lord's Free-Men And so abide every one in your Calling with God where God hath called you and there walk in Newness of Life and not in the Oldness of the Letter for he that turneth from him that calleth walks not in the Life of God Therefore all Friends walk in the Truth and in the Love of it up to God and every one in particular mind your Guide that ye may grow up in Wisdom Improve your Talents and improve your own Talents and the Gift which God hath given you And take heed of Words without Life for they tend to draw you out of the Power to live above the Truth and out of your Conditions which Nature will not have Peace except it have Words But every particular submit to that which is of God in you to guide you to God And be ye all Servants to the Truth and diligent in your Callings and serve one another in Love in which ye can wash one another's Feet Serve one another in Love So serve one another in Love and do not lavish out your selves without the Fear of God such are Clouds without Water which have the Words but not the Power flowen up into the Air which have a Light and yet are as Wandring Stars which lead up into the Presumption and thou that art there thy Garments are defiled for thou goest from the Spirit which should sanctifie thee for ye are sanctified through Obedience to the Spirit Therefore every particular Walk in the Spirit and obey it then ye will have all Vnity one with another in the Spirit and ye will see Knowledge Tongues and Prophecies shall cease Prophecies scall ceafe but he that cometh to the End to him who openeth all Truth is blessed Therefore all Friends Obey that which is pure within you and know one another in that which brings you to wait upon the Lord that ye may all witness a living Soul and your selves to be come out of Death For these things ye must all find within there is your Peace and there Refreshing comes into your Souls from the Lord And standing still in the Light within and therein waiting ye will see your Saviour Christ Jesus raising you up out of Death by which Work he is glorified For the Works of the Lord praise him which are Wonderous to the World Now every one in particular mind the Pure in you The Chast Virgins for the Chast Virgins follow Jesus Christ the Lamb of God who takes away the Sins of the World and who are not Chast will not follow him For that in every particular of you which is not Chast will not submit to the Pure which would guide you to God but rather submit to their own Thoughts and follow them and run after them and their own Wills and seek to accomplish them and so run out into that Generation whose Thoughts were not as God's Thoughts nor Ways as God's Warys Therefore watch all and abide all in your Callings the Light is that which will let you see your Transgression and your Running aside and the By-paths and Crooked ways and the Generation of Serpents and Vipers And this Light is Christ which sheweth these things Now before these things be known and judged of aright Judgment must be brought sorth into Victory and set up in the Earth where this State is witnessed Now the Woman which is the Church must be subject to her Husband in all things Jesus Christ is the Husband The Woman subject to her Husband in every thing she must be subject to him Who are in the Flesh know nothing of this in the first Nature for it the Mystery which the Apostle speaks of and so it is a Mystery still but where it is
it ye may be guided up to God and in Unity kept together up to him the Father of Light and Life and God Almighty be with you And that the Dread and Terror of the Lord may among you be and Deceit confounded and that with the Measure if Life all your Mind may be guided up to God that so ye all in Peace and Love may be kept And let this be sent among Friends to be read in all their Meetings G. F. To a Friend IN the Will of God stand with thy own Will offered up Epist 97. as his was who said Not my Will but thine be done And beware of Striving in thy own Will against the Eternal Providence and Power The Eternal Providence and Power which is now working Invisibly cross and contrary to all the Powers of Darkness And in the Fear of the Lord wait that thy Duty to the Lord thou mayst know whose Everlasting Love is to thee whose Blessing reacheth unto thee if thou be faithful with faithful Abraham who received the Blessing and to his Seed after him So beware left through thy Forwardness and Rashness thou bring the Curse upon thee and so break thy Peace and Covenant with the Lord God Rashness The Everlasting God give thee Faith in Christ Jesus in whom the Promise is Yea and Amen G. F. DEar Friends stand in the Faith Epist 98. which gives the Victory over all the World in which ye all will have Victory and so come to be of Abrabam's Faith and know the Word that quickens you Faith gives Victory and reconciles to God and hammers down the Contrary So in the Power and Life of Christ Jesus live and in that ye all will be preserved to his Glory G. F. To all that make Mention of the Name of the Lord and that profess his living Truth FRiends Epist 99. A Warning and Charge to you all from the Presence of of the Living God To let all Lighness and Airiness Foolishness Wilfulness and Frothiness be Judged in Patience Lightness and Airiness Judged let it come to the Fire and be burned and Hay Wood and Stubble and all that which is above the Seed he that builds there is above the Foundation his Works are to be burned he will suffer Loss Therefore keep all down to the Seed of God and feel that a-top of all which Seed inherits the Promise of God that nothing may reign but the Seed it self which inherits from God So all come into the Authority of God which is not usurped which gives the Dominion over all the usurped Authority The one Power of the Son of God that ye may live all in the one Power of the Son of God which brings all into the Unity and subdues all things that cause the Enmity So the one Power the one Soul the one Heart the one Mind is witnessed here the Glory is revealed among you and the one Head Christ the Seed and ye are all of one Family Here is the Power of the Son of God known all Power being given to him which Power and Seed bruiseth the Serpent's head and breaks it in which standeth the Enmity So all Power is given to the Son to rule to subdue and to judge So live in the Power and ye live in the Vnity ye live in the Peace ye live all in the Subjection one to another in the Fear of the Lord The Seed is one ye live all in the Seed which is one which keeps a-top of the Head of the Serpent and keeps his Head down and bringeth it under So feel the Seed of God in every particular to be the Head in the Male and in the Female and then ye come to be Bone of his Bone and Flesh of his Flesh and to inherit every one the Promise of God in the particular whereby ye may come to be Inheritors in the Lord's Strength feeling it and possessing it in your own particulars So the Seed of the Serpent being kept down with the Seed which is Christ in the Particular he brings to see over all that is Contrary G. F. Concerning all fuch as set up outward Crosses FRiends Epist 100. in the Power of the Lord God dwell and live that over all the World ye may stand in that which fathoms it that ye may handle the Word of God aright The Word a Hammer which is as a Hammer and as a Sword to divide the precious from the vile and is as a Fire to burn up that which is hammered down and divided from the precious And in the Wisdom of God wait that ye may answer that of God in every one which Light will bring them off those things which they have set up in that Nature which is gone from the Light Which things the Light goes over and brings to see the Beginning and Ending of all those whom Christ said should come which John saw were come who went out from them whom all the World went after amongst whom have come up all these heads and Horns and Babylon Beast and false Prophet and Mother of Harlots who have sate upon the Waters which have been Peoples Nations and Languages And these have been from the Light and so from the Rock and from the true Foundation and the Kings of the Earth have drunk of the Cup of her Fornication And all Nations that have been from the Life and the Foundation of God have been in this Fornication from Christ the Husband So now People are to be turned by the Light to Christ their Husband the Rock the Corner-Stone and are to be brought from their outward Crosses to the Cross of Christ the Power of God within them and from the dead Image to the Image of God which they have lost through their going forth from the Light and thereby have lost the Power of God And all these Crosses of Wood and Stone Crosses of Wood and Stone and the Founder of them must all be thrown down by the Power of God which is the Cross of Christ and to the Light must they be turned which answers to that of God in every one before they come to feel Christ to rule and reign in them Then the outward dead Crosses of Stone Wood Silver or Gold they shall not need to have to put them in Remembrance of Christ or to bring him into their Minds for such as are come to the Light which Christ hath enlightned them withal and believe in it they feel the Power of God they feel Christ and his Cross which is the Power of God G. F. DEar Friends and Brethren in the Everlasting Seed of God Epist 101. which hath the Wisdom and Life Eternal and Dominion over all that is in the Fall in which the Blessing of the Everlasting God is known An Exhortation to Patience in the time of Suffering and his Life that never fadeth in which Seed that hath the Dominion nion over all that is in the
triumphed in the Lord over that which was against the Lord for by Faith Abraham forsook his Country and his Father's House and his National Worship And by Faith was Abel's Offering accepted of God unto whom God had respect Therefore did wicked Cain persecute and kill him about his Religion And this was not long after Man was fallen from the Righteousness and the Power and the Image of God which Man was made in And by the Faith and the Power and Wisdom of God did Moses go down and speak to Pharaoh the King of Egypt and through the Power and Hand and Arm of God he led them out of Egypt which signifies Misery Thraldom and Bondage though afterwards when they were come out and had tasted the Power of God many fell And Moses saw Christ the great Prophet that was to come which was to build his House as Moses by the Wisdom of God had done his in the time of the Law with Types Figures and Shadows and so look upon Moses how he conquered all the Magicians and comprehended all the Sorcerers and Southsayers and Pharaoh's Religion and their Worship and could not bow nor bend unto it Look upon Joseph who through the Enmity in his Brethren was sold into Egypt who underwent Reproach and Imprisonment unto whom God gave Power over all at last and confounded all the wise Men and the National Worshippers in Egypt and came in Favour over them all by the Power of God And remember Abraham who was in the Faith and the Fear of God and how Abimalek's House for his sake God plagued Therefore keep in the Faith of Abraham then who wrongs you the Hand of the Lord will turn against them And whilst they stood in the Power of God what Victories they had over their Enemies As instance Sampson David and Saul But when any went from the Command of God how under the Heathen they fell So now ye who are come to God's Power which goes over the Power of Darkness and before it was in that stand tuiumph nad trample who are come to the End of Carnal Weapons and striving with outward Arms And ye may lood upon them how Valiant they were over the Philistines both Sampson and David and his mighty Men when they were in the Power of God and how David's three mighty Men broke through a whole Host to fetch Water to refresh David Therefore now ye in the Power of the Lord the mighty God go over all the Philistines of the Earth and their Carnal Weapons as there they in the time of the Law did with Carnal Weapons And how often Jacob's Well was stopped up the beloved of God the Second Birth by the Philistines but Jacob did thresh the Mountains as he did arise and drove them away by which he might drink again So read this in the Substance who are come to the Second Birth which goes over Esau and the Philistines both which was before they were And also remember how the Prophets were Imprisoned and put into Dungeons and Stocks c. As in particular Jeremiah and how they were mocked and scoffed at and reproached for declaring against the Sins and Wickedness of the Times both by Rulers Teachers and People and yet by the Power of God they were carried through and over all And the Cry was then Cursed is he that puts his Trust in Man or feared Man or the Arm of Flesh c. So remember Daniel and the Three Children though Prisoners yet could not bow to the National Worship and so were cast into the Fiery Furnace and the Den of Lions unto whom the Lord God gave Dominion over their Enemies and confounded the National Worshippers with all the Magicians and made the King to change his Decree and Law And this was in the Babylonish Monarchy and when the Medes and Persians got up the Power was changed then they cast Daniel into the Den of Lions because he prayed to his God contrary to the King's Decree to whom God appeared again and confounded them all and made the King or Emperor to change his Decree Therefore keep Faith in the Power of God for that is it by which the Elders of old obtained a good Report And consider Mordecay who stood faithful and could not bow to proud Flesh though it was in danger of destroying all the Jews over whom through Obedience to God he gave him Victory by which he came to answer the Good in all People Now consider they that came to profefs Christ who was the Substance before the Types Figures and Shadows which were held up by the Jews in the Law and first Covenant and Priesthood and Ordinances which Christ the Substance came to end how that I say the Christians of Old by that kind of People the Jews as you do now suffer the most and have done by them that are the greatest Professors of Christ's Words but out of the Life and Power of Christ which the Apostles and Saints were in in the Primitive Times So it is no new thing and as Solomon saith Here is no new thing under the Sun for it is not a new thing for the Birth that is born after the Flesh to persecute the Birth that is born after the Spirit And look upon the Apostles and consider how they suffered and by whom that bore Testimony to the Substance their Sufferings were by such as were in the Husks Shadows Inventions and Rudiments of the World and such as were fallen from God's Righteousness Image and Holiness and not in the renewed State And consider how that the Hebrews suffered the spoiling of their Goods by the Hebrews who were called Jews as you may read in the Epistle to the Hebrews for ye read in few of the Epistles that the Gentiles suffered the spoiling of their Goods or the Christians by the Gentiles but mostly by the Jews the great Professors as you do and have done in these Days And consider how the Witness hath been slain and the true Church the Woman fled into the Wilderness who was persecuted and how she hath been fed there of God and how since that time the Beast and Dragon's Worship hath been up and the false Prophet and the Whore the false Church which hath riden on the Beast in the Dragon's Power whom the People have Worshipped who hath caused all Nations to drink of the Whore's Cup of Fornication Now you that have come to the end and beyond all the Worships of the Beast and after the Worship of the Dragon who comes now to fathom the Whore the fale Church and the false Prophets and comes to see the Power and to be in it that takes them and and casts them alive into the Lake of Fire which hath been Worshipped and burns the Whore's Flesh with Fire which Power gives them Dominion over them all and to see to the very Apostles Days what they were in and what hath got up since then for it is Sixteen Hundred Years since the false Prophets and
as Job's Friends did against him But at the last the Lord commanded Job to offer a Sacrifice for his Friends because they had sinned and spoken not right as Job had who was Perfect and kept his Integrity And the Apostle said to the Saints That he had learned in all Conditions to be content Mark in all Conditions but this was when he was Paul not when he was Saul running up and down with his Packet of Letters halling the Saints before the Rulers like a Parater then he was not Content neither with his own Condition nor others But when he came to learn Christ who destroys the Devil and his Works who teacheth to know all things then in all things he learned to be Content so that you know that there is Learning and Learned as a Child when he is Learning and become Learned is witness of two States so Paul he had learned in all conditions to be content and who was his School-Master but Christ by whom all things were made not of Man nor by Man out of the Truth so while he learned of Men and by Men he was not Content neither are any others Therefore all are to learn of Christ the Light the Life and the Truth that you may come to that Condition to have learned in all Conditions to be content and not to trust in uncertain Riches for they have Wings and will flee away And so he is never counted a wise Man that will put any Confidence in that which will flee away from him for those are the Heirs of the Earth and the World that load themselves with thick Clay that they may set their Nests on high but they that be Heirs with Christ and of the Power of an Endless Life trust in the Living God and come to possess an Everlasting Inheritance of the Power of an Endless Life and come to increase in the Riches of the Everlasting Inheritance and there lay up Riches that are Everlasting which will abide for ever And mind every one God's Word in your Hearts and in your Mouths and obey it and do it and be not of them that are saying in their Hearts Who shall ascend or descend to fetch him from above or from the deep Keep down that Sayer under reproof and then your Ear will be open to that which the Righteousness of Faith saith The Word is nigh thee in thy Heart and in thy Mouth so thou needest not to say Who shall ascend or descend And that was the Word which the Messengers of God preached and do Preach and rebukes the Gain-sayer And so all People seeing the Devil hath made the World like a Wilderness and there is so many Ways in it that they do not know which Way to come out of it nor which to follow Therefore this is my Answer to you all Take David's Lamp and Light you may say What is that And where is it I say it is within you the Word of God You may say People do not use to carry Lamps in the Day-time but in the Night I say you be in the Night of Darkness and therefore the Word is called a Lamp and a Light to you by which you may see the Way of the Lord which is Perfect from all Mens Ways which are imperfect by which ye may see the Path of the Just to be a shining Light from all the unjust Paths that are in the Darkness for by this Word did David come to outstrip his Teachers and was made wiser than them all so it will you if you obey it for by this Word he saw Christ and called him Lord Therefore he loved the Word and hid it in his Heart and by it he spake so many glorious Expressions which the World since hath turned into Meeter and made Songs of them And this was the Word that came to Abraham which made him forsake his National Religion and Worship and obey the Lord and this was the Word that came to Jacob the Shepherd by which he saw Christ and prophesied of him to his Sons on his Death-bed when he said to Judah The Scepter should not depart from Judah nor a Law-giver from betwixt his Feet till Shilo came meaning Christ and the gathering of all Nations should be to him as it is at this Day the Gathering is to Christ And this was the Word that came to Moses the Shepherd when he was keeping Sheep which he obeyed and went to Egypt and brought the Children of Israel out of Egypt by which Word he was made a Minister and when that the Children of Israel were come out of Egypt into the Wilderness Deut. 30.14 he told them They need not go for the Word beyond the Seas c. for it was nigh them in their Hearts and Mouths to obey it and do it And this was the Word that made Moses a Prophet who prophesied of Christ and said Like unto him God would raise up a Prophet him should they hear in all things Mark in all things we are to be ordered both inward and outward through hearing Christ by whom all things were made And every one that would not hear this Prophet Christ should be cut off For how should they continue or reign that will not hear Christ And this was the Word that came to Samuel and made him a Prophet who spoke to Eli the Priest and reproved his Sons and the Children of Israel and this was the Word that made Saul to Prophesie and Balaam though they erred from it And this was the Word that made all the Prophets to Prophesie and to reprove the Kings of Israel and their Priests of their Superstition and Idolatrous Ways in setting Groves and Images in high places Isaiah 47.13 and reproved all their Monthly Prognostications who spoke and acted from them and not from the Lord. And this was the Word that came to Isaiah by which he prophesied of Christ and of his Preaching and of his Sufferings and by which Word he reproved the Shepherds which were as greedy dumb Doggs that could never have enough seeking their Gain from their Quarter And by this Word he saw that all the Children of God should be taught of God and be established in Righteousness and Peace and though many Tongues should rise up in Judgment against them yet those that were taught of God should condemn them all such Power should be given to his Children And the many Weapons formed against them should not prosper God would restrain them And also he saw them that were cast out that trembled at God's Word to whom God would appear to their glory and to the shame and to the confounding of them that cast them out for his Name sake as it is at this Day And this was the Word of God that made Jeremiah a Prophet by which he saw the New Covenant by which Word he was said to reprove the People and the Princes of the filthy and horrible thing committed in the Land that the Priests preached for
Mark Free-Men and Free-Women And what hath made them Free-Men and Free-Women but Truth For if the Truth hath made you free then are you free indeed So free to worship God in the Spirit and in Truth which the Devil is out of for to serve the Lord God in the Spirit and in the New Life They are above the Serpent and from under his Controul and from under the Controul of old Adam and his beggarly Rudiments and Will-Worships and false Righteousness Truth makes free from all these and makes free to be Partakers of Christ Jesus and of his Blood and his Spirit and Mind who is the Prince of Peace and Prince of Life and makes free to be Partakers of the Divine Nature and Precious Faith and to be Members of the True Church and Gospel Fellowship and Power of God which was before the Devil was So stand fast in the Liberty wherewith Christ hath made you free free from the Devil Dragon and Serpent and all Slavery and Servitude For Free-Men do walk in their Freedom for it is the Truth makes them Free and so to Triumph in Glory And so if the Truth have made you free then are you free indeed free from all the Will-Worships and from all the windy Doctrines from all the evil Inventions Traditions Imaginations and Notions and Rudiments of Adam in the Fall who are from Truth and free from the Devil who is out of Truth So it is plain none are free but by the Truth and all in the Truth are Free-Men And all out of the Truth are Slaves in Old Adam and Slaves to Sin and Satan and to his Will-Worship and to their own Self-Righteousness and to their Rudiments Doctrines and Traditions serving divers Lusts Pleasures and Corruptions and serving the Creatures more than the Creator who is God blessed for ever and serving the Desires of their own Minds and so as Slaves are kept in Bondage all in Prison all in the Bonds of Death and Jaws of Death for who are out of Truth are no Free-Men Though they be High Priests and Readers Preachers and Expounders as the great High Priests and the lofty Pharisees and Scribes were Professing the Scriptures yet not in the Truth and so not Freemen For they are in Malice and Envy like Cain Oppressors like Pharaoh raging Persecutors like Nebuchadnezzar and the Jews as Wild as Ishmael as Prophane as Esau out of the Truth are all those found fasting with Fists of Wickedness lifting up bloody Hands mingling their Sacrifices with the Blood of the persecuted praying to the Majestrates for Persecution All this is out of Truth and not in the Freedom so not Free-Men but doing the Devil's Lusts and Service as the Jews did And so if the Truth make you free ye are free indeed ye are free from all those things above-mentioned The Truth makes free from Envy and from Prophaness and from Wildness and from Wickedness and from the bloody Hands Free from the Fasts of those that hang down their Heads like a Bulrush free from the persecuting Spirits free from the false Prophets Deceivers Seducers Anti-Christs and all Anti-Christian false Prophets Deceivers and Seducers are Satan's Bond-slaves Vassals and Bond men and being with his Oars chained in his Gallies they carry his Wares and do his Work up and down the World which is the Sea But Truth makes free from all these free from the Hipocrites Hope which perisheth free from Nebuchadnezzar's Fury and it makes free from the wild Heifers Nature and from the Dogg Swine Horse Viper Cockatrice Serpent's Nature and from the Spider and his Webb and from the Oak and Cedar and the Bramble and Briar and Bear and Lion The Truth makes free from all these and brings Man and Woman into the Image of God And so if the Truth makes you free then are you free indeed And the Truth is Christ and Christ is the Truth which makes you free from all Falshood and makes you free from the World which lies in Wickedness and Vnrighteousness by which you come to be Free-Men of the World which hath no End And an high-way shall be there Isaiah 35.8 and a way and it shall be called the way of holiness the unclean shall not pass over it Mark The unclean shall not pass over it This Way which is called the Way of Holiness was spoken of by Prophesie and this Way is Christ who is the Way of Holiness who is above the Vnclean and destroys it and the Ground of it the Devil and so the Vnclean cannot pass over this Way of Holiness This is our Way who are in scorn called Quakers to wit Christ And this Way of Holiness shall be for the way-faring Men though Fools yet they shall not err therein where no Lion nor ravenous Beast nor Lion's Whelp shall go thereon All the ravenous Beasts are without in the Way of the World without Christ and God But the Redeemed shall walk in this Way of Holiness Christ Jesus and the ransomed of the Lord shall walk in this Way of Holiness and they that do return from the Way of the World to Sion shall walk in this Way of Holiness with singing and everlasting Joy upon their Heads And they that walk in this Way of Holiness Christ Jesus shall obtain Joy and Gladness and Sorrow and Sighing shall flee away And all that walk in this Way of Holiness their deaf Ear is unstopped and their blind Eye is opened And the lame Man here shall leap as an Hart and the dumb Man's Yongue shall sing And here he shall see Waters gush out of the Rock and Streams out of the Desart in this Way of Holiness And here he shall see in this Way the patched Ground become a Pool and the thirsty Land full of Springs and in the Habitation where Dragons lay shall be Grass with Reeds and Rushes which begins to spring Glory be to the Lord for ever And this Way of Holiness which the Prophets prophesied of is Christ Jesus the Way who said of himself I am the Way and he is over all the fallen Ways and before the Way of the Serpent glorified with Father before the World began And this is the Way of the way-faring Men who have been way-faring up and down from Religion to Religion from Worship to Worship from one People to another from one Minister and Teacher to another and could not sit down in any of their Ways but way-fared travelled and sought And now Glory be to the Lord for ever Thousands of these way-faring Men are come to find their Way Christ Jesus and though Fools yet shall not err therein that is they shall not err in their Way They shall not err in Christ Jesus for there is no Error in him for he was before Error was for Christ the Way destroys the Devil and his Works the Ground of all Error So though they be called Fools these way-faring Men by all the Sons of Adam that are set down in their
Church as the Apostle instanceth in Ephesians And therefore they were not to be unequally yoked Believers with Vnbelievers The Law of God did forbid it they were not to give their Sons and Daughters to the Heathen or marry with them for it grieved the Lord in the Old World and brought Destruction upon those bad Marriages When the Sons of God saw the Daughters of Men were fair and they took them Wives of all which they chose who corrupted the Earth and filled it with Violence Yet the Holy Men of God their Marriages were never judged of God in the Old World Neither Seth's Lamech's nor Mahalaleel nor Methusalah nor Noah nor Abraham Isaac nor Jacob and so none before the Law nor none in the Law nor in the time of the Gospel their Marriages were not judged by the Lord who walked in the Power and Spirit of the Lord and knew God's Joyning who brings the Man and Woman together but such as mingled with the Heathen and Vnbelievers and followed strange Flesh they went from the Spirit the lost the Sonship through such the Earth was corrupted and filled with Violence and such could not know God's Joyning who went from the Spirit and from the Law and Gospel and such are mingled among Heathens and Vnbelievers and follow strange Flesh and corrupts their own who go from the Spirit by which they have been sanctified and led into the Sonship And such as Marry with Vnbelievers and Heathen they go contrary to the Law of God and grieves him and their Righteous Parents So Marriage is God's Holy Ordinance and Christ that comes to restore all things again into their place he saith Whom God joyns together let no Man put asunder And brings it to the beginning again how God made them Male and Female So in the Restauration inther Image of God and Sanctification they are brought to the joyning one Male with one Famale again not for one Man to have many Women at once God did not make many for him but in the Fall from the Righteousness of God and his Image there they run together like Beasts a Man and many Women There Men joyn and put asunder but in the beginning it was not so saith Christ the Heavenly Men the Second Adam for God made them Male and Female and whom he joyns together let no Man put asunder And so God joyns with his Spirit and Power for he is a Spirit and this is a heavenly and spiritual Joyning and them that God joyns they do not follow strange Flesh but the Spirit of God and such a Marriage is sanctified by the Spirit and by the Lord and such knows his Heavenly Ordinance And this is the Marriage Christ owns and sets up and encourages who is the Covenant and the Quickning Spirit And so God who is a Spirit joyns with his Spirit Power and Light this joying is in the Covenant of God all such Marriages are honourable in all things for their Bed is nt defiled but where the Bed is defiled that Marriage is not Honourable And all that forbid Marriage are in the Doctrines of Devils and they that are in the Doctrine of Devils are out of Truth who destroys the Creation and destroys some one way and some another that are under his Power and Command from Truth but they that obey the Truth and obey Christ and obeys God they are over him and his Doctrine and the defiled Bed and strange Flesh and the Spirit gives them an Vnderstanding to know God and his joyning by his Spirit who is blessed for ever Now if any should say That Adam took his Wife alone and so run into the Works of Darkness and go together in the Dark contrary to the Righteous Seed and Holy Generation Such are judged by the Holy Seed and by them in the Holy Life and Law of God and with the Light of Christ Jesus condemned And as for Adam taking his Wife alone that was before there was any Witnesses But there was a Form of Words betwixt them before they went together or he knew her as followeth viz. And when the Lord God brought the Woman to Adam Adam said to the Lord This is Bone of my Bone and Flesh of my Flesh she shall be called Woman because she was taken out of Man and they shall be one Flesh But this Form of Words of Adam's and his doing is nothing to them that are Workers of Darkness and run together in the Dark For after the Earth was peopled you may read how the Generations of the Righteous did take one another in the Assemblies of the Righteous and it was Recorded before Witnesses So all such as Marry by the Priests or Marry by the World that are Vnbelievers do go from God's Power and Spirit and his joyning and do break the Law of God in their Marriages who forbad to joyn with Vnbelievers And therefore with the Light of Christ Jesus are such judged and condemned and must come through Condemnation and Judgment For the right joyning in Marriage is the Work of the Lord only Right joyning in Marriage is the Work of the Lord and not the Priests or Magistrates for it is God's Ordinance and not Man's And therefore Friends cannot consent that they should joyn them together For we Marry none it 's the Lord's Work and we are but Witnesses But yet if a Friend through tenderness have a desire that the Magistrate should know it after the Marriage is performed in a publick Meeting of Friends and others according to the holy Order and Practice of Friends in Truth throughout the World and according to the manner of the Holy Men and Women of God of old he may go and carry a Copy of the Certificate to the Magistrate Friends are left to their Freedom herein But for Priests or Magistrates to Marry or joyn any in that Relation it 's not according to the Scripture and our Testimony and Practice hath been always against it It was God's Work before the Fall and it is God's Work only in the Restauration Let not any go disorderly together in Marriage contrary to the Practice of the Holy Men of God who declared it in the Assemblies of the Righteous Twelve or more faithful Friends Relations to be present at Friends Marriage when they took one another all things being clear and they both being free from any other in respect to Marriage And when any take one another in Marriage let there not be less than a dozen Friends and Relations present according to your former Order having first acquainted the Men's Meeting and that they have Clearness and Unity with them and then it may be Recorded in a Book And if any walk contrary to the order of Truth herein let some be appointed to speak to them and give notice thereof to the next Meeting And all that are Widdows who have Children and do intend to Marry All Widdows to set out a proportionable part for her first Husbands Children before
this Possession and go into the Assemblies of the People of God that be gathered into his Name where Salvation is and in no other Name under Heaven but in the Name of Jesus Christ Is it not more Reputable for you to take your Servants And bring them to Meetings Apprentices Children and Maidens along with you to the Meetings to be partakers of the Eternal Truth that they may have a Possession with you of the same that you do possess For if you should leave them behind and be careless of them they are many of them apt to run into Liberty and to Loosness and to Plays and to Tippling-Houses and so into loose Company Such Liberty hath been a great hurt to Youth and the Truth hath been much dishonoured thereby And such do not only lose the Wisdom of God and the true Vnderstanding given to them by his Son but the Reason of Men in these Practices And then after you may come to find fault with your Servants Children c. and for a small matter put some of them away when the Fault is in your selves that you did not take them along with you to the Meetings and govern them in the Wisdom of God and true Vnderstanding and Knowledge which is to know the true God and his Son Jesus Christ who he hath sent whom to know is Life Eternal By which Liberty such do not keep Authority over them for you should bring them to the Meetings with you to wait upon the Lord. For truly my Life hath been often burdened through the want of restraining them of that Liberty they run into wherein you should be more Prudent Wise and Careful and should keep more in your Dominion and Authority in the Life Power and Seed in which you have the true Wisdom Knowledge and Vnderstanding Therefore consider of these things in all your Families and remember the time of your former Professions wherein you exercised the Reason of Men as to bring your Servants c. to an outward Profession Now you being come to a Possession of Life take heed lest you lose the right Reason Wisdom Vnderstanding and Knowledge Therefore rouze up your selves that you may exercise the right Wisdom and Vnderstanding in that which lives for ever and is and will remain when all the contrary is gone Masters to be good Patterns to their Children and Servvants into which all must be brought that in that you may be good Patterns and Examples in all your Families and bring them forth with you to your Meetings that they may find the Substance of that which you did formerly profess in Words And now you enjoying the Substance be more careful be more diligent and circumspect that God may be glorified throughout all your Families and his Name may be called upon and honoured and exalted who is God over all blessed for ever And Friends some among you breed up your Children not as when you were in a Profession only in such a rude heady Way that when they grow up they do not matter you nor care for you so they are not a Blessing and a Comfort to you but in many Things they are worse than many of the World's more loose stubborn and disobedient Which Truth teaches no such things but brings more into Humility and Meekness and Gentleness and Tenderness so that when they come to be set to Prentice many times they run quite out into the World And therefore by the Power and Life and Wisdom of God these things you must take notice of that all such may be brought into and kept in subjection by the Power of God that God may be honoured and glorified through the breaking of the stubborn Will in them and subjecting them to Truth and let them all know their Places and not to give way to that which may get over you so then you will not know how to rule them at last but bring a Grief and Sorrow and Trouble upon you as too many Examples may be seen Therefore while they are young restrain them from such things and every one in the Life and Power and Seed of Truth And to restrain Youth from evil Practices keep your Authority and lose not the true Wisdom and Vnderstanding given you by Christ nor the true Knowledge nor true Reason which gives to distinguish good from bad but in all things keep your Authority which is given to you of God and your Places in it for they that fear and worship the Lord shall have a Place with him And in the Power and Life and Wisdom of God you will breed up and govern your Sons and Daughters Servants and Prentices and cause them to keep in their Places and in the Power of God answer the Good in them all For an outward Father or Mother over their Families Apprentices and Maidens are to keep all things that are outward civil and subject in their Places with Reason and true Wisdom And such as come to be Fathers in Truth are to train them up in the Truth and to exercise that Wisdom and that Knowledge and Vnderstanding which is beyond the outward Therefore in it they should train them up in the Truth through which all should bee free not in the Eye-service of Men but serving the Lord in Righteousness and Diligence in their Services That they may be Partakers of the heavenly Life and come to be Heirs of Salvation and Children of the Promise and Sons and Daughters of Sion to whom Christ is elect and precious and through him their Conversations may be brought up into heavenly Things and their Minds and Affections to be set on Things above So Friends all these Things consider of in the Life which was before Death was in the Truth which the Devil is out of in the Wisdom of God which is Pure from above and in the Righteousness which was before Vnrighteousness was that God may be glorified throughout all your Families who is blessed for ever G. F. AND Friends Epist 278. See that all Apprentices that are bound amongst you may serve out their times faithfully according to Covenant that all may know their Places Apprentices faithfully to serve out their Times for Youth if they be let loose are like wild Asses and wild Heisers and such many times bring a great dishonour to God by running into Loosness which are more fit to be under Rule and Order than to Rule and thro' a foolish Pity of some they let up a great deal of Airiness and Wildness in them All which should be kept under by the Power of God wherein the Honour of the Lord may be preserved and so that Liberty may not be given to Youth in those Cases for the true Liberty is in Christ Jesus which gives Authority over that which will dishonour God for many such things hath spoiled several in letting unbridled Youth at Liberty in taking the Reins to themselves and brought Trouble upon their Parents Masters and Mistresses and
Spirit you may be led into all Truth up to God and Christ from him who is out of the Truth Amen saith my Soul G. F. DEar Friends every where Epist 289. be faithful to God who hath been faithful and true to you therefore be you true to God and faithful Witnesses to him To be faithful Witnesses of Christ in time of Persecution and to Christ Jesus that now ye may all have Riches and Treasure laid up in store against a time of want storms and tempests that you amy stand for if you do not stand now you are as bad as such Professors who stood only when the Sun shined and crept out when it was fine and fair Weather but when a Storm or Tempest came then they ran creeping into their Holes and Corners and sculked into by-corners and fled by bace-doors who were ashamed or their Religion and what they Professed but when the Sun did shine then they showed their Enmity to the Righteous And therefore be you of the Faith of Dvid and of his Spirit who said I was Young and now am old I never saw the Righteous for saken nor his Seed begging Bread and the Lord to encourage his People saith In all their Af-flicions he was Afflicted and the Angel of his Presence saved them and Christ tells you It 's he that Suffers and is Persecuted when his Children are persecuted And so it 's for the Lord's sake that the JusT suffer by the Unjust and you read how such as suffer the spoiling of their Goods and Scoffing and Mocking yet they were not to forsake the Assembling themselves together as the manner of some was for they that suffer with Christ shall reign with him for the Lord may try you who hath blessed you with outward things whether your minds do stand with him or in the outward things G. F. DEar Friends Epist 290. Live in Love for that is of God and doth edifie the Body of Christ and keep in the Truth of God which the Devil is out of To live in Love and Peace with God and one with another and walk in Righteousness and then you will walk in Peace with God and one with another and walk in Holiness for that becomes the House of God and in Holiness you will see the Holy God among you And so that you may keep the Vnity in the Spirit which is the Bond of Peace and dwell in Love one with another for all Eyes in upon you and some watches for Evil but do you answer the Good in all in your Words and Lives This is the Counsel of the Lord God to you all and that you may be the Salt of the Earth and the Light of the World and as a City set on a Hill that cannot be hid so that all that do profess Christ and God may shew forth Christ and Godliness in Life and Word G. F. To all the Womens Meetings that are Belivers in the Truth FRiends Keep your Womens Meetings in the Power of God EpisT 291. which the Devil in out of and take your Possession of that which your are Heirs of and keep the Gospel-Order Man and Woman helps meet in the Image of God For Man and Woman were helps meet in the Image of God and in Righteousness and Holiness in the Dominion before they fell but after the Fall in the Transgression the Man was to rule over his Wife but in the Restauration by Christ into the Image of God and his Righteousness and Holiness again in that they are helps meet Man and Woman as they were in before the Fall Sarah obeyed Abraham and called him Lord. Abraham did also obey the Voice of his Wife Sarah in casting out the Bond-Woman and her Son Dorcas a Woman was a Disciple So there was a Woman Disciple as well as Men Disciples and mind the Women that accompanied her And Wo-men are to take up the Cross daily and follow Christ daily as well as the Men and so to be taught of him their Prophet and fed of him their Shepherd and councelled of him their Councellor and sanctified by him who offered up himself once for all And there were Elder Women in the Truth as well as Elder Men in the Truth and these Women are to be teachers of good thins so they have an Office as well as the Men for they have a Stewardship and must give an Account of their Stewardship to the Lord as well as the Men. Deborah was a Judge Examples of amny good Women Miriam and Huldah were Prophetesses old Annah was a Prophetess and a Preacher of Christ to all them that looked for Redemption in Jerusalem Mary Magdalen and the other Mary were the first Preachers of Christ's Resurrection to the Disciples and the Disciples could not believe their Message and Testimony that they had from Jesus as some now adays cannot but they received the Command and being sent preach'd it So is every Woman and Man to do that sees him risen and have the Command and Message Daughters shall Prophesie as well as Sons So they are to be obedient that has the Spirit poured upon them Women are to Prophesie and Prophesie is not to be quenched Them that has the Testimony of Jesus are commanded to keep it whether Men or Women Priscilla and Aquilla were both Exhorters and Expounders or Instructers to Apollos So in the Church there were Women Instructers and Prophetesses and Daughters Prophetesses in the Church for Philip had four Virgins that were Prophetesses and there were Women Disciples in the Church and Women Elders in the Church as well as Men. So Women are to keep in the FGovernment of Christ and to be Obeyers of Christ and Women are to keep the ComelyOrder of the Gospel as well as Men and to see that all that have received Christ Jesus that they walk in Christ Jesus and to see that all that has received the Gospel do walk in the Gospel the Power of God which they are Heirs of for this is a Day for all to keep their Possession in the Gospel-Order who be Heirs with Christ of the increase of whose Government there is no end So the Foundation of our Womens Meetings is Christ to all them that be Heirs of him and of his Government And the ground of our Order of the Womens Meetings is the Gospel the Power of God which was before the Devil was and all that be Heirs of the Gospel which hath brought Life and Immortality to Light in them which shines over him that hath darkned them and was before he was I say they are Heirs of the Comely Order of the Gospel and therefore I say take your Possessions of it and walk as becomes the Gospel and keep the Comely Order of it and in it keep your Meetings And here is the Ground and Foundation of our Womens Meetings Now Mothers of Families that has the ordering of Children Maids and Servants may do a great deal of Good
so that his Name may be glorified and he honoured in your bringing forth much heavenly Spiritual Fruit from the heavenly Seed that Christ the heavenly Seeds-Man hath sown in your Hearts that so an Hundred fold of Holiness Righteousness Godliness Vertue and Piety from this heavenly Seed you may bring forth and increase in this Life-time and in the World to come reap Life Everlasting And give no occasion to your Adversaries neither in your Lives nor Words but that you may all serve God in the New Life shewing forth that you are new Men and that you are renewed in the Image of God and that you are born again of the Immortal heavenly Seed by the eternal Everlasting Word that lives and abides and endures for ever And that you do feed upon the heavenly Milk and Bread from above and that your Conversation is in Heaven and that you are cloathed with the fine heavenly Linnen which is the Righteousness of Saints which is Christ's the Heavenly and Spiritual Man's Livery by which his Servants are known by his Badge of Righteousness and distinguished from all the Servants of Old Adam Egypt Sodom and Babylon with their Badge of Vnrighteousness And so be valiant for God's Truth upon the Earth And be valiant for the Truth c. and spread it abroad preach Christ and his Kingdom his Light his Grace his Truth to Men that all should walk in it and his dreadful Day upon all the Talkers of God Christ his Prophets and Apostles Words that do not walk in the same Power Spirit and Life Grace and Truth as they walked in I say Preach this to the Magistrates and amongst the Heathen-men and shew your seles to be quickned by Christ who have been dead in Sins and Trespasses but that you are now made alive by him and so shew forth his Light Life and Truth and that you are awakened to Righteousness and therefore shew it forth to them that are asleep in the Vnrighteousness So that the Lord's Glory and righteous Power Truth Light and Life may flow over all to his Glory over all for ever Amen And much I could write to you concerning these things but I have not been very well but blessEd be the Lord God his Everlasting Seed is over all which reigns from Everlasting to Everlasting and my Life is in it And therefore stand and live in the Lord's Name and Power which is against all manner of Vnrighteousness and in the Light which is against Darkness and all the Works thereof and in the Life which is against Death and over Death and all the Actors of it and in the Truth that is over all Evil and against all the Doers thereof within and without And so that in the Light Life Power and Truth of God and in his Holy Spirit you may live in Fellowship and in the Vnity of the Spirit which is your Bond of Peace yea even of the Prince of Princes Peace which the World cannot take away from you Swarthmore the 5th of the 9th Month. G. F. An Encouragement to all the Faithful Womens-Meetings in the WORLD who assemble together in the Fear of God for the Service of the Truth Wherein they may see how the Holy Men encouraged the Holy Women both in the Time of the Law and in the Time of the Gospel though Selfish and Vnholy Men may seek to Discourage them But go on in the Name and Power of Christ and Prosper FRiends Epist 320. You may read in the old World how one FAmily after another till Noah's time served the Lord God And then from Noah Abraham Isaac and Jacob and their Wives and after Moses and Aaron had brought the Children of Israel out of Egypt and that they were come to be a great People Moses said I would all the Lord's People were Prophets Numb 11.29 And when a young Man said unto Moses Eldad and Medad do Prophesie in the Camp Moses desired that all the Lord's People were Prophets and he would have had Moses to forbid them But Moses ansered and said unto him again Would to God all the Lord's People were Prophets and that the Lord would put his Spirit upon them So Moses here who was Captain Governour and Judge over Israel was far from restraining any from Prophesying in the Camp but reproved his Envy that would have had him forbid them and did moreover encourage them by saying I would to God all the Lord's People were Prophets And surely all the Lord's People are made up of both Men and Women And the Lord having given his Law to the Children of Israel which was Holy Just and Good the Lord said I have poured out my Spirit upon the House of Israel So that by this Spirit they might understand his Law which was Spiritual Ezek. 39.29 Now in the time of the Law there were the Assemblies of the Women for all the Women that were wise of Hearth did work with their Hands about those holy Things which God had commanded And all the Women those Hearts stirred them up in Wisdom Assemblies of the Women under the Law these Women wrought about those holy Things that belonged to the Tabernacle and Sanctuary as you may see in Exod. 35. And likewise the Assemblies of the Women in the 38th Chap. and of the Womens assEmbling at the Door of the Tabernacle of the Congregation and in the Margent it 's said They assembled by Troops Now here you may see That the Women were in the Work and Service of God as well as the Men and they had their Assemblies For God had poured out of his Spirit upon the House of Israel to give them an Understanding both Men and Women to do that and make those things which God had commanded which were called holy things which were but Figares and Shadows of the Substance Christ Jesus the Holy One. Now Moses and Aaron and the Seventy Elders did not say to those Assemblies of the Women We can do our Work our selves and you are more fitter to be at home to wash the Dishes or such-like Expressions but they did encourage them in Work and Sevice of God in those things which God had commanded them in the time of the Law For God having pured his Spirit upon the House of Israel God give his Spirit to the House of Israel under the Law to give them an Understading to do those things which God had commanded them by which Spirit their Hearts were stirred up to do God's Work both Males and Females And in the time of the Law the Women were to offer up Sacrifices and Offerings as well as the Men upon God's Altar as you may see Hannah when she brought Samuel and offered him up to the Lord she brought him to the House of the Lord in Shiloh and when she brought him she took up with her three Bullocks besides Flower and Wine So see how she paid her Vows to the Lord and offered up her Sacrifices upon God's
and in the Wisdom of God may find the best way for the setting forth of their Children and to see that their Children are prerseved in Truth and to instruct them in the Fear of the Lord. And you may see the care of Abraham about Isaac taking of his wife The Care of Abraham Isaac and their Wives for their Children and the Care of Sarah that the Son of the Bond Woman should not be Heir with her Son and how that he sent his Servant that spoke to the Parents before he spoke to Rebecca the Daughter concerning the MessAge of his Master Abraham and they confessed it did proceed from the Lord as in Gen. 24. And also you may see the Care of Rebecca concerning Jacob who said If jacob Take a Wife of the Daaghters of Heth what good will my Life do me And here you may see Isaac and Rebecca helps meet and Isaac did not say Hold thy Tongue thou Foolish Woman For Isaac exhorted Jacob and charged him not to take a Wife of the Daughters of Canaan as you may see in Gen. 27. And when Rebecca was with Child the Children struggled in her Womb and she said If it be so why am I thus And she went to the Lord to enquire and the Lord said unto her Two Nations are in thy Womb and two manner of People and the Elder shall serve the Tounger c. as in Gen. 25. So you may see that she had Recourse to the Lord and enquired of the Lord and he heard her and spoke to her and she heard the Lord's Voice she is an Example to all Women in that Condition to ask Counsel of the Lord as she did And when Sarah said to Abraham Abraham obeythe Voice of his Wife Cast forth the Bond-Woman and her Son for the Son of the Bond-Woman shall not be Heir with my Son Isaac but this thing was grievous in Abraham 's sight because of his Son Ishmael But God said unto Abraham Let it not be grievous in thy sight because of the Lad and because of the Bond-Woman for in all that Sarah hath said unto thee hearken unto her Voice for in Isaac shall thy Seed be called Here you may see God justified this honourable Woman's speaking and her Husband Abraham did according to her words as in Gen. 21 for the Church was in Abraham's House at that time and so Sarah spoke in the Church And you may see the Counsel of Rebecca to Jacob and how she instructed her Son in Chap. 27. c. And likewise you may see Rechel and Leah their Counsel to Jacob who answered Jacob And Jacob was Counselled by his Wives and said unto him Is there yet any Portion or Inberitance for us in our Father's House Are we not counted of his as Strangers For be hath sold us and hath quite devoured also our Money for all the Riches which God hath taken from our Father that is ours and our Childrens and now therefore whatsoever God hath said unto thee do This was Rachel's and Leah's Counsel unto Jacob and were not these three a Church then And did he forbid them from speaking in the Church see Gen. 31.14 15 16. And in Exod. 1. there you may see the Midwives which feared God did not obey King Rharaoh's Command in destroying the Male-Children but saved them alive And after that the King of Egypt sent for the Midwives The Egyptian Midwife's an Example and asked them Why they had done so in saving the Male-Children Yet these Midwives after he had thus examined them and re-inforced his Command yet they still disobeyed his Command and would not yield to his Persecuting Murdering Devree and therefore it is said God dealt well with the Midwives And it came to pass because the Midwives feared God that he made them Houses And here you may see the Lord took Care for these honourable Women that feared him And do ye think that these honourable Women did not meet often together and took Counsel together to stand together and adventure their own Lives and Estates to preserve the Lives of those Male-Children Would you not say if this were in your Days that these were bold Women to answer the King after such a manner and to disobey the King's Commands thus as in Exod 1. And after the Children of Israel came out of Egypt and saw the Destruction of Pharaoh and his Host after Moses made an End of his Song and praising of the Lord then Miriam the Prophetess Miriam tra the Women's Song the Sister of Aaron took a Timbrel in her Hand and all the Women went out after her with Timbrels and with Dances mark all the Women and Miriam answered them and said Sing ye unto the Lord for he hath triumphed gloriously the Horse and his Rider hath he overthrown in the Sea c. Now here you may see what an Assembly there was of the Women that praised the Lord which were instructed by Miriam the Prophetess and Moses and Aaron were not offended at them for they were sensible of their Joy and were Partakers of the Deliverance and Salvation the Women as well as the Men as you may see in Exod. 15. And Deborah a Prophetess she judged Israel Deborah a Judge and Prophetess and sent to Baruch and exhorted and encouraged him and she prophesied to him that he should not have the Glory of the Battel but that the Lord should sell Sisera into the Hands of a Woman as you may see in Judges 4 5. Chap. Then sung Deborah and praised the Lord and there you may see her large Declaration in praising and magnifying the Name of the Lord the whole Chapter throughout and how she said BlessEd be jael above all Women the Wife of Heber blessed shall she be in the Tent c. And we do not read that the Elders did reprove her or bid her hold her Prating for she was filled with the Power of the Lord to praise his Name Judges 5. And you may see how the Apostle set forth the honourable Women and their Faithfulness and Constancy who by Faith received the Dead raised to Life again Hebr. 11.35 And Hannah who prayed in the Temple before Ely as aforesaid Hannah's Prayer who was ignorant of her Condition he teproved her and thought she had been Drunk but she convinced him so that at last he encouraged her and desired the Lord to grant her Petition And when the Lord had granted it to her you may see how this honourable Woman exalts the Lord 1 Sam. 2.1 to the 10th And Ruth and Naomi you may see what vertuous Women they were and how the Women blessed the Lord on their behalf and how they declared of the Goodness of the Lord to them And Huldah the Prophetess which dwelt in Jerusalem in the College Huldah's Instruction to the King's Ministers where the King sent out the Priest Hilkiah and his Scribe and others to enquire of her Now the Jews here
Hypocrites and Sinners may fear but they that fear the Lord and wait upon him shall be as Mount Sion that cannot be removed for the Lord's Power is over all by which he keeps his People to the day of Salvation And therefore all you that have this Keeper Let the Lord be your Keeper the Power of the Lord through Faith unto the Day of Life and Salvation need none of the slumbering Keepers or Watchers for the Lord was the Keeper of Israel who neither slumbered nor slept till Israel forsook the Lord and then they set up slumbering and sleepy Watchers and Keepers like the Apostate Christians who have forsaken the Power of God to keep them and then they are soon forsaken And therefore Friends you that do know the Power of God in which the Kingdom of God stands you know your Keeper through the Faith which Jesus Christ is the Author of which stands in his Power and not in Words and so your Faith standing in his Power it will keep you out of the Words of Mens Wisdom and above them And the golden Lamp in your Tabernacle all are to have to burn with the heavenly Oil Heavenly Oil. which you have from Christ your High Priest being returned to him the great Shepherd and Bishop of your Souls who will bring you his Sheep into his safe Fold who gives unto his Sheep eternal Life and his Sheep shall not perish neither shall any pluck them out of his Hand Though Men may pluck Hypocrites and Apostates one from another Feel the Hand that preserved you but Christ saith No Man is able to pluck his Sheep out of his Fathers hand And therefore all feel the Hand that hath brought you out of Spiritual Egypt where Christ hath been crucified to Christ in his new Covenant of Light and Life as the Jews were brought out of Egypt in the Old Covenant which Christ hath abolished and makes all things new so that all may be grounded on him who was the Foundation of all the holy Prophets and Apostles and of all the holy Men of God to this day And therefore consider who it is that abides in the Tabernacle of God and dwells in his Holy Hill it is the Faithful and the Vpright which Holy Hill is a safe place for all the Upright As the Lord said In the last days the Mountain of the Lord's House should be established on the top of the Mountains and should be exalted above the Hills and all Nations should flow unto this established Honse And here the Lord does teach his People that comes up to the Mountain of the House of the God of Jacob So all Mountains Houses Hills and Teaching will be shaken but the Mountain of the Lord's House shall be established in the last Days as the Prophet said which is the Days of Christ Is not this the Stone that became a great Mountain and fills the whole Earth which smote and broke to pieces the Iron Clay Brass Silver and Gold Image or Monarchs which were as Mountains And this Stone which becomes a great Mountain The Stone that became a great Mountain sets up a Kingdom which shall never have an end Is not this the Kingdom of Christ which Christ saith Except a Man be born again he can neither see the Kingdom of God nor enter into it And therefore Friends all you that do know his Kingdom that stands in Power in Peace and Joy in the Holy Ghost over the Power of the Evil and all the unclean Ghosts which keeps them in their first Birth and leads them into all Evil as the Holy Ghost leads them into all Truth And so dear Friends and Brethren know this Rock this Stone this Foundation the House of God that is established upon the Lord's Mountain above all other Houses Hills Mountains and Teachings in the World where God doth teach his People and establish them upon Christ Jesus the living Rock and Foundation and living Way And so though there may be troubles without and troubles within yet if you wait upon the Lord he will renew your strength And the Children of God they are set for Signs and Wonders for as it is said Lo the Children that thou hast given me they are for Signs and Wonders And therefore Friends keep your Habitation in Christ Jesus Keep to Christ out of vain jangling in whom you have Peace for all the rude Talkers and vain Disputers and Janglers which cankers and rusts goes out of the peaceable Truth and that which is torn and dies of it self must not be fed upon but the Life must be fed upon which gives you Life Eternal And the Lord did not build his Zion and outward Jerusalem with Blood in the Old Covenant for they that did build their Zion and Jerusalem with Blood made their Zion a Field and their Jerusalem an Heap so if this Practice was forbidden in the Old Covenant much more in the New Zion not buil with Blood who think to build Zion and Jerusalem with Blood and Iniquity for such has not been Zion's Children nor Jerusalem's that is from above who shed Mens Blood concerning Religion Church and Worship for Christ rebuked such that would have had Mens lives destroyed and told them They knew not what Spirit they were of so they that do not know what Spirit they are of they are not like to build up God's Zion and Jerusalem For Christ said He came to save Mens Lives and not to destroy them for the World 's God was the destroyer of Mens lives but Christ came to destroy Him and his Works and to save Mens Lives and Souls also And so dear Friends let the Love of God which is shed abroad in your Hearts cast out all Fear And keep in the Name of Jesus in which you are gathered which is above every Name under the whole Heaven in whom you have Life and Salvation and his Presence among you whose Name is a Strong Tower and Christ is a Rock to hide your selves in and his Spirit to cover you which is a Covering sufficient enough for you and Wo will be to that Spirit which is covered but not with his Spirit they may fly to the Rocks and Mountains to cover and hide them No help in Egypt which will not be sufficient for the Rocks will rend and the Mountains will be removed such may run down into Spiritual Egypt for strength where Christ was crucified like the Jews in the Old Covenant that ran into outward Egypt from his Spirit but all was in vain And therefore trust in the Lord who has preserved you by his Glorious Light and Power to this day that you may be settled upon the Seed Christ Jesus which is over all that within and without that is contrary to it and bruiseth the Head of the Serpent that hath been between you and God So that in Christ the Seed you have Peace with the Lord God Life and Dominion and Election and
up when they forbad all Oaths and Swearing And therefore every one 's Yea should be Yea and every one 's Nay should be Nay and so to stand And therefore all are to consider afore-hand before they speak their yea yea and before they speak their Nay Nay in the New Covenant of Grace Light and Life that with the Light they may see safely when they speak their yea yea and their Nay Nay which is the Practice of the Children of Light in the New Covenant of Light by and in which Light they see and consider what they are albe to perform what they speak at Yea Yea and what they are able to stand to at Nay Nay So if you walk in the Light it will preserve you out of all rash and hasty Words and Promises which many runs into that do neither perform either their Yea Yea or their Nay Nay Therefor in the New Covenant of Grace Light and Life all are to speak Yea Yea to what they can do and perform and what they say Nay Nay to thatin the Light and Life and Grace of God they may likewise stand to their Nay what they say Nay to So that none make any Promise or speak Yea Yea or Nay Nay rashly To keep Promises which they cannot perform For such kind of inconsiderate and rash Speaking is not in the Everlasting Covenant of Light Life and Grace Take heed lest you be numbred among the Covenant-breakers spoken of Rom. 1.31 and such Truce-breakers which the Apostle speaks of 2 Tim. 3. Which have a form of Godliness but deny the Power thereof from such turn away saith the Apostle And therefore they that deny the Power of Godliness will not be faithful to God nor Man and such cannot exercise a good Conscience to God in Obedience to him nor to Man to perform that which is just righteous and honest Therefore the Apostle exhorts the Christians in the New Testament to speak the Truth in Love and to put away Lying and to speak every Man the Truth to his Neighbour Eph. 4.15 25. And David saith Who shall abide in thy Tabernacle and who shall dwell in thy holy Hill He that walketh uprightly and worketh Righteousness and speaketh the Truth in his Heart But they that speak Vanity every one to his Neighbour with flattering Lips and a double Heart the Lord shall cut off And Solomon speaking of Wisdom say My Mouth shall speak Truth and Wickedness is an Abomination to my Lips And James says in his General Epistle So speak ye and so do c. So see here how certain and stedfast the holy Men of God would have God's People to be in their words and doings And also James was careful that the Saints in their very outward Dealings were to be just and reproved such for saying To day or to morrow we wil go into such a City and continne there a Year and buy and sell and get gain To have regard to God in our Purposes Whereas they did not know what should be on the morrow But they ought to say If the Lord will we shall live and do this or that Therefore you may see how careful the Apostle was to keep all true Christians in the Fear of the Lord and in the Sense of his Will God is true and faithful to his People in all Generations and so he would have his People to be true and faithful to him and to one another and to all Men in his Spirit and Truth And Christ saith He that is faithful in that which is least is faithful also in much and be that is unjust in the least is unjist also in much And further he faith If ye have not been faithful in the Vnrighteous Mammon or Riches who will commit unto you the true Riches Therefore there must be a Justness and Faithfulness in the outward Riches between Man and Man if you will have a place in your Hearts for the true heavenly Riches The inword Faithfulness to God bringeth forth Faithfulness to Men in outword Things And as the Apostle said to the Saints Finally Brethrean whatsoever things are true whatsoever things are honest whatsoever things are just whatsoever things are pure Follow whatsoever is pure and of good Report whatsoever thing 's are lovely whatsoever things are of good report if there be any virtue and if there be any praise think on these things Which are very good things to be minded thought upon and practised by the Church of Christ The Lord faith by Zachary These are the things that ye shall do speak ye every Man the Truth to his Neighbour execuse the Judgment of Truth and Peace in the Gates Again Therefore faith the Lord I am returned unto Zion and will dwell in the midst of Jerusalem and Jerusalem shall be called a City of Truth and the Mountain of the Lord of Host an holy Mountain And if outward Jerusalem was called so in the Days of the Old Testament surely much more is heavenly Jerusalem in the New Covenant and Testament called The City of the living God the heavenly Jerusalem into which nothing that is unclean can enter but all the Believers in the Light and the Children of the Light enter into it whose Names are written in the Lamb's Book of Life and are to walk in Truth and Righteousness and speak the Truth every Man to his Neighbour according to the Apostle's Doctrine And so as every one hath received Christ Jesus who is the Truth walk in him the Truth and speak the Truth as it is in Jesus For you are bought with a price therefore glorifie God in your Bodies and in your Spirits which are his And the Lord in Mercy grant that all his People who profess his Name may do s to his Praise to his Glory and to his Honour over all for ever Amen And do not slight the form of sound Words in Truth You who have bought the Truth do not sell it And He that orders his Conversation aright shall see the Salvation of God And the Apostle says to the Philippians Let your Conversation be as it becometh the Gospel of Christ For the Apostle says Our Conversation is in Heaven where must be the Conversation of all the true Followers of Christ that are built upon him the Rock and Foundation who is from above And the Lord GOD establish all his People upon this Rock and Foundation which standeth sure that upon him they may stand fast with the Grace and Truth that comes from him Amen Edmonton in the County of Middlesex the 23d of the 11th Morth 1682. G.F. A way to prevent the Indignation and Judgments of God from coming on a Kingdom Nation or Family commended to the Consciences of all concerned First Epist 381. All you Vintners that sell Wine that keep Taverns or such like Houses and all you Inn-keepers and you that keep Victualling-Houses Ale-Houses Not to suffer Men to abuse the Creation Strong-Water-Shops c. see
which keeps in the Way of the Lord and commands their Children and Houshold to do the same they have the Blessings from Heaven above and the Blessings below yea the Blessings of the Eternal Inheritance and of the Kingdom of God and that was their chief Inheritance That all the Faithful Seed of Abraham sought to possess their Houshold and their Children in who did command their Children and Houshold to keep the Way of God that they might inherit the Blessing David saith Blessed is the Man that walketh not in the counsel of the Vngodly nor standeth in the way of Sinners nor sitteth in the seat of the Scornful But his delight is in the Law of the Lord and in his Law doth meditate Day and Night Now here is the condition of them that do enjoy the Blessing they must keep from the Counsel of the Ungodly and the Way of Sinners and the Seat of the Scornful Now here you may see David's Instruction how People might inherit the Blessing Levit. 10. That you may put a difference betwixt the holy and unholy and between the clean and unclean and that you may teach your Children all the Statutes which the Lord hath spoken unto them by the hand of Moses And it was so in the Old Testament that they might learn the Statutes there Surely much more they are to learn the Commands of Christ in his New Testament And in Deut. 4.9 10. To Teach our Children the Fear of the Lord. They were to Teach their Sons and their Sons Sons and again they were to Teach their Children that they might learn to fear God all the days that they lived upon the Earth c. This they were to teach their Children and again in Deut. 11. It was the Command of God that they were to Teach their Children the Commandments of God and they were to speak of them when they sat in their House and when they walk'd by the Way when they lay down and when they rose up and in Deut. 30. Moses told them that The Word was nigh them in their Mouths and in their Hearts that they might do it And David said Come you Children hearken to me and I will teach you the fear of the Lord. O fear the Lord you Saints there is no want to them that fear him Psal 34.9 11. Ye that fear the Lord trust in the Lord he is their Help and their Shield Psal 115.11 And you may see all along in the Old Testament they that feared the Lord were commanded to teach and instruct their Children the Way of the Lord that they might walk in it and inherit the Blessing which was a better Portion than outward Riches which will pass away for they make themselves Wings and fly away Solomon saith Train up a Child in the may he should go and when he is old he will not depart from it Foolishness is bound up in the Heart of a Child but the Rod of Correction shall drive it far from him Prov. 22.15 He that spareth the Rod hateth his Son but he that loveth him chastiseth him betimes By Mercy and Truth iniquity is purged out and by the Fear of the Lord they depart from evil Prov. 13.24 and 16.6 And the Apostle's Command is For Children to obey their Parents in the Lord for this is right Eph. 6.1 and Col. 1.3 20. It is well pleasing to the Lord Children to obey their Parents Children to obey their Parents and the Bishops or Elders were to Rule well their own Houses and to have their Children in subjection with all gravity and likewise the Deacons were to rule their own Children and their own Houses well Tim. 1.3 And likewise you may see the good Report of the Widows bringing up Children which followed every good work c. And in Titus such as were Elders or Overseers their Children were to be Faithful Elders to govern their Families well not accused of Riot or Vnruly and the aged Women were to be of good Behaviour as becometh Holiness c. and Teachers of good things and that they Teach the younger Women to be Sober c. And That the Word of God be not blasphemed And Titus was to exhort young Men to be Sober-minded For the Grace of God which brings Salvation hath appeared unto all Men teaching us that denying Vngodliness and Worldly Lusts we should live Soberly Righteously and Godly in this present World that being justified by his Grace we should be made Heirs according to the Hope of Eternal Life And Peter saith As Obedient Children not fashioning your selves according to your former Lusts in your Ignorance but as he who hath called you is Holy Be Holy in all manner of Conversation so be you Holy in all manner of Conversation and be not like them feeding themselves without fear which are the Clouds without Rain and Wells without Water and Trees without Fruit whom Jude declares against such cannot eat and drink to the Praise and Glory of God c. So you see what care both in the Old and New Testament the faithful Parents had to teach their Children the Way of the Lord and the Lord hath a Confidence in all them that fear him and are of the Faith and Seed of Abraham that they will not only admonish their Children and Houshold but Command their Children and Houshold after them to keep the Way of the Lord c. Gen. 18. And to keep out of the wicked Ways of the World The Apostle saith They which be of Faith are blessed with faithful Abraham And so are all the Children of God by Faith in Christ Jesus and if you be Christ's then are you Abraham 's Seed and Heirs according to the Promise Gal. 3. And so the Children of God are counted for the Seed which the good Seed Christ saith are the Children of the Kingdom And the Apostle spake to the Romans that they should Walk in the steps of the Faith of Abraham Again the Apostle saith to the Corinthians concerning Titus Walked we not in the same Spirit walked we not in the same steps And in the first Epistle of Peter Christ hath suffered for us leaving us an Example Christ hath suffered for us leaving us an Example that we should follow his steps who did not sin neither was guile found in his mouth So these were holy steps and are a Religious Holy People that walk in the steps of faithful Abraham and of Christ and the Apostles and these have the pure Religion and do visit the Fatherless and Widows in their Affliction and keep themselves unspotted from the World and these are they that are Circumcised with the Spirit and Baptised with the Holy Ghost and serve God Night and Day and worship him in Spirit and Truth and these are the Religious Families which are of the holy divine pure and precious Faith which Christ is the Author and Finisher of which Faith purifieth their Hearts and is their Victory by which
they have access to God True Faith purifieth the Heart in which they please him in that Truth which Christ is the Author and Finisher of which is called the Gift of God and they that are of this Faith the same are the Children of Abraham and are blessed with faithful Abraham and Abraham was called the Friend of God and so are all his Children that are of his Seed and Faith they are not Friends of the Devil the wicked and unrighteous One but him and his Works they forsake who are Friends of God they are Friends of Righteousness and Holiness c. And such the Blessings of God rest upon them that are of the Seed and walk in the Seed Christ that bruises the Serpent's Head and in that Seed are all Nations blest and out of the Mouth of the Seed's seed shall not God's Word depart but it shall abide in the Mouth of the Seed's seed this living Word of God but the Word of God doth not abide in them who make a Profession of the Scriptures but live not in the Power and Spirit of the Holy Ghost that gave forth the Scriptures such are like the Jews John 5. and such think to have Life in the Scriptures but they will not come unto Christ that they may have Life for none come to Christ but by believing in the Light which is the Life in him the Word Now dear Friends and Brethren in Christ Jesus if you keep in the Seed and Faith of Abraham in it you will command your Children and Families to walk in the Way of the Lord for in it you have Authority that they may keep the pure holy and righteous Way of the Lord after you when you are gone that they may succeed you in the Faith and Seed and Way of the Lord and in the Blessing of God as Abraham Isaac and Jacob did Amen G. F. To the Quarterly Meeting at York DEar Friends and Brethren in the Lord Jesus Christ Epist 383. your Life and Salvation your Rock and Foundation Rest and Sanctuary in all Storms Trials and Sufferings Now dear Friends my desire is that you may all strive for that which makes for Peace For Blessed are the Peace makers they are called the Children of God And therefore whatsoever things are Honest Just Pure Lovely and of good Report if there be any Vertue and Praise think on these things to Practice them So that in the Power of the Lord that is over the Devil and his Power all may be kept Chaste In the Power of God all to keep Chast c. Pure and Holy to the Glory of God and all that are in the true Faith and Knowledge may shew it forth in Vertue Temperance Patience Godliness Brotherly Kindness and true Charity or Love which beareth all things For they that dwell in Love dwell in God that is their Habitation And let all things be done in Love in the Name and Power of Jesus Christ And all to strive in the Spirit of the Lord God and his Truth to be of one Mind and Judgment so that you may all be baptised with one Spirit into one Body and so all to drink into one Spirit And keep the Unity and Fellowship in the Holy Spirit of God which is the Bond of Peace amongst all God's Children that are led by his Holy Spirit whose Communion and Fellowship is in the Holy Ghost by which ye are led into all Truth Now Dear Friends Let there be no Strife in all your Meetings nor vain Janglings nor Disputings but let all that tends to Strife be ended out of your Meetings that they may be kept Peaceable so that you may be at Peace among your selves and the God of Peace and Love may fill all your Hearts which Love edifies his Church To condescend one to another in the Fear of the Lord. And condescend one to another in the Fear of the Lord to that which is Honest Just Vertuous and of good Report And where any Weakness has been in any thing let it be covered and buried in the Spirit and Love of God that his Spirit and Love may be uppermost in you all to unite all your Hearts together And that you may all shew forth that you are the Children which the heavenly Wisdom is justified of which is Pure mark Pure Peaceable Gentle and easie to be intreated which is above the Wisdom that is below that 's neither Pure Peaceable nor easie to be intreated c. And in all matters of Business or Difference or Controversies treat one another in such things kindly and gently and be not fierce or heady and high minded for that Spirit will bring Men and Women to be Lovers of themselves and to be Despisers of others and that which is good which leads Nature out of its Course and so looses Natural Affections and at last comes to be without Natural Affections which Spirit we see most of Christendom is led by For if they were in natural Affections they would not destroy their fellow Creatures about Religion but being without natural Affections they have not Affections to their fellow Creatures to wit Man and Woman which were made in God's Image The Law and the Prophets Commanded to Love their Neighbour as themselves To love our Neighbour as our selves and Christ Commands to do unto all Men as they would have Men do unto them And the Gospel Commands to Love one another by which they are known to be Christ's Disciples and to Love their Enemies and to pray for them and to forgive one another as Christ has forgiven them So that those whose Conversation is according to the Gospel of Peace do establsh the Law and the Prophets who know the Divine Nature and are made Partakers of it are not without natural Affections but have Affections to it to cherish and preserve it And this the Word of Wisdom teaches by which all things were made and created good and blessed by which all things are upheld by which all things are sanctified to God's People that God created by his Word and made them good and blessed them By which Word and Wisdom all things are sanctified to God's People as before and are used and ordered by his Word of Wisdom to his Glory and Praise And now Dear Friends whereas there have been formerly some Discourses by some in your Meeting of Marrying within a Year after the decease of the Wife or of the Husband my desire is in those things Friends may shew forth both Chastity and Vertue and Temperance For formerly hasty Marriages was reckoned amongst the infamous Persons Marriage within the Year not of good Report as for a Man or a Woman to Marry within the Year of the Death of the Wife or Husband And therefore for Vertue and Chastity's sake and the Truth and good Examples sake that which is Honest Lovely and of good Report keep and walk in and follow For we ought in the Power of Christ
the Disobedience and Pride of the Jews and how his Judgments were fulfilled upon them that did not Repent and how the Apostle did admonish and reprove such as went into Pride and the Fashions of the World THE Lord saith Because the Daughters of Zion are Haughty The Pride of the Daughters of Zion and walk with stretched forth Necks and wanton Eyes walking and mincing as they go and making a tinkling with their Feet therefore the Lord will smite with a Scab the Crown of the Head of the Daughters of Zion and the Lord will discover their secret Parts in that Day the Lord will take away the Bravery of their Tinkling Ornaments about their Feet and their Cauls and their Round Tyres like the Moon the Chains mark the Chains and the Bracelets and the Mufflers the Bonnets and the Ornaments of the Legs and the Head-bands and the Tablets and the Ear-rings the Rings and Nose-Jewels the Changable Suits of Apparrel and the Mantles and the Wimbles and the Crisping-pins and Glasses and the fine Linnen and the Hoods and the Vails And it shall come to pass that instead of sweet smell there shall be a stink and instead of a girdle a rent and instead of well set hair baldness and instead of a stomacher a girding of sackcloath and burning instead of beauty Thy Men shall fall by the Sword and thy Mighty in the War and her Gates shall lament and mourn and she being desolate shall sit on the Ground Isa 3.16 to the end And you may read in 2 Kings 17. how that the Children of Israel were carried into Captivity in Assyria for the King of Assyria besieged Samaria and after three Years Besieging he took it and carrried away the Ten Tribes of the Children of Israel into the Land of Assyria And Isaiah according to the Word of the Lord went to the Prophetess and she conceived and bore a Son c. And the Lord said Before the Child should have the Knowledge to cry My Father and my Mother the Riches of Damascus and the Spoil of Samaria shall be taken away by the King of Assyria Isa 8.3 4. Now here you may see what a Destruction came upon Samaria and the Jews because of their Rebellion and Disobedience The Ten Tribes punished for their Pride and their Haughtiness and Pride as Isaiah cried against in Chap. 3. And then what became of all their Haughtiness and Pride and their Mincing and their Tinkling with their Feet and their Chains and Bracelets and Jewels and Round Attire with their Glasses and Hoods and Veils when they were driven away by Droves by the King of Assyria into Captivity into Assyria out of their own Land Houses and Cities Then Isaiah 's Prophecy was fulfilled upon those Haughty and Proud Jews And did not Nebuchadnezzar afterwards carry away the two Tribes and destroy Jerusalem because of their Disobedience Rebellion Haughtiness and Pride who would not regard the Lord nor his Prophets therefore the Lord suffered them to be led away Prisoners out of their own Houses Cities and Land into Babylon so strip'd them of their Pride And the Two Tribes also and caused them to be carried away into strange Countries so was not the Prophets Prophecy fulfilled upon them The Lord saith Behold the Day cometh that shall burn as an Oven and all the Proud yea all that do Wickedly shall be as Stubble and the Day that cometh shall burn them up The proud as Stubble saith the Lork of Host that it shall leave them neither Root nor Branch But unto them that fear my Name shall the Son of Righteousness arise with healing in his Wings and ye shall go forth and grow up as Calves in the Stall Mal. 4.1 2. Therefore it is good for all to keep out of Pride and Wickedness in Humility lest they be burnt up And the Apostle commanded That Women adorn themselves in modest Apparrel with Shamefacedness and Sobriety not with Broidered Hair or Gold or Pearls or Costly Array but that which becometh Women professing Godliness with good Works I tim 2.9 10. And likewise Peter in his General Epistle saith to the Women Whose Adorning let it not be that outward Adorning of plaiting the Hair and of wearing of Gold or of putting on of Apparrel but let it be the hidden Man of the Heart in that which is not Corruptible even the Ornament of a meek and quiet Spirit which is in the sight of God of great price For after this manner in the old time the holy Women who trusted in God adorned rhemselves being in subjection unto their own Husbands 1 Pet. 3.3 4 5. Here you may see both the Prophets and Apostles declared against the Pride and Haughtiness of People both in the Old and New Testament And the Apostle John saith in his first General Epistle to the Church of Christ Love not the World Love not the World neither the things that are in the World if any one love the World the love of the Father is not in him for all that is in the World the lust of the Flesh the Lust of the Eye and the Pride of Life is not of the Father but is of the World and the World passeth away and the Lust thereof but he that doth the Will of God abideth for ever 1 John 2.2 15 16 47. Now here you may see an express Command to the true Christians the Church of Christ against the Love of the World and the Things of the World and the Lust of the Eye and the Lust of the Flesh and the Pride of Life and they that love the World the love of the Father is not in them and how that the World passeth away and the Lust thereof and therefore love not the Lust of the Eye the Lust of the Flesh and the Pride of Life which is not of the Father And do not most of Christendom say the Lord's Prayer Our Father which art in Heaven hallowed be thy Name c. and you that live in the Lust of the Flesh and the Lust of the Eyes and the Pride of your Life which is not of the Father which is in Heaver but of the World that passeth away and the Lust thereof And is it not said The Devil is the king of Pride And therefore do not do his Lusts but he that doth the Will of God abideth for ever And therefore consider when you say Our Father which art in Heaven hallowed be the Name c. when you live in those things which are not of the Father which is in Heaven and daily obey and love the Lust of your Eye the Lust of your Flesh and the Pride of your Life which is not of the Father but of the World And the Apostle John tells you He that toves the World the love of the Father is not in him G. F. An Epistle to all the Prisoners and Sufferers for the Name of the Lord Jesus Christ and his Worship The Word of God is
not bound 2. Tim. 2.9 Dear Friends in the Seed of Life that is over all Epist 398. whom the Lord doth support and hath supported by his Eternal Arm and Power to stand for his Glory be valiant for his Truth and his Name upon the Earth who is God All-sufficient and Almighty over all to support you all and to supply you with all things needful Now dear Friends it is not only given you to believe in the Name of Christ but also to suffer for his Name sake so you see and know To suffer for Christ is the Gift of God as well as Faith 't is a Gift given you to believe and a Gift to suffer for Christ's sake and his Righteousness but however as Christ saith Be ye wise as Serpents and harmless as Doves for Christ's Believers are as Sheep or Lambs among Wolves he hath declared that they shall be brought before Counsels and before Rulers for his Name sake But Christ bids his Disciples Take no Thought what they shall speak for it shall be given you in that same Hour what ye shall speak for it is not you that speak but the Spirit of your Father that speaketh in you and this Spirit of the Father is sufficient to trust to for it shall answer all if they have Ears to hear and comfort his People his Lambs and Sheep And Christ further said speaking to his Disciples Ye shall be hated of all Men for my Name sake but he that endureth to the end the same shall be saved and he that heareth you to wit Christ's Sheep heareth me saith Christ and he that despiseth you despiseth me namely Christ and he that despiseth me despiseth him that sent me to wit the Father Matth. 10. Luke 10. And the Disciple is not above his Master nor the Servant above his Lord for Christ the Lord and Master of the Sheep was despised so it is enough for the Desciple that he be as his Master The Desciple is not above his Master and the Servant as his Lord for if they call the Master of the House namely Christ Belzebub how much more shall they call them of his Houshold But the very Hairs of your Head are all numbered Fear ye not therefore ye are of more value than many Sparrows and not one of them shall fall to the Ground without the heavenly Father See here Christ encourages his Lambs and Sheep therefore stand in his Will And if the Lord suffer you who are his Lambs and Sheep and are as Doves and Chickens that Christ hath gathered under his Wings and none are able to pluck you out of his Hands his Power who hath all Power in Heaven and Earth given to him and now if it be the Will of the Lord to try you his Lambs and Sheep by spoiling of your outward Goods as he did his Servant Job and others of his Servants and Children in the days of the Apostles who took joyfully the spoiling of their Goods and Moses by Faith chose rather to suffer Affliction with the People of God than to injoy the Pleasures of Sin which are but for a season esteeming the Reproaches of Christ greater Riches than all the Treasures of Egypt for he had an Eye to the Recompence of Reward as in Heb. 11. And therefore consider how Noah Lot Abraham Isaac and Jacob by Faith served the Lord and went through Sufferings and Trials and Jeremiah and the rest of the Prophets through Faith went through great Sufferings and Imprisonments and Daniel and the Three Children passed through great Sufferings and Trials by Faith so Faith was their Victory which was the Gife of God which Christ is the Author and Finisher of and you read in the Days of the Apostles what Sufferings and Imprisonments they were carried through by Faith and since the Apostles Days how all the Martyrs were carried through great Sufferings and Imprisonments by their Faith which was their Victory in which Faith they pleased God and had Victory over the Devil and in which Faith they were all in Unity Now dear Friends and Brethren if it doth please the Lord to try you who are the Believers in the Light and Children of the Light and the Day of Christ I say again if it please the Lord and it be his Will to try you in stinking Prisons and Dungeons Bride-wells Houses of Correction and suffer you to be put in such places who are his Sheep and Lambs The Lord can Sanctifie all our Sufferings to us and make them pleasant Plants and Branches I say the Lord can sanctifie all such places for his People his Children his Sons and Daughters and make all pleasant to them For his Sheep and People cannot go any where from the Lord for the Lord and his Presence is with them and the Angel of his Presence faves them and therefore such Goals and Dungeons bridewells Houses of Correction which are for evil Doers if the Lord do try or suffer his People to be put in such places yet his People are all in the Hand and under the Wings of Christ and he can sanctifie all such places to them and you in that State are to pray for the Enemies that put you there and if they curse and hate you you are to bless them and to do good unto them and you are to pray for them that despitefully use you and persecute you and love your Enemies that you may be Children of your Father which is in Heaven for he maketh the Sun to shine on the Evil and on the Good and causeth his Rain to fall on the Just and on the Vnjust And the Apostle saith to the Believers Try all things hold fast that which is good so you holding fast that which is good with that you cna try all things whether they be good or bad and be not overcome with Evil but overcome Evil with Good To over come Evil with Good This is the Command So it is the Good that must overcome the Evil and what hath the Children of God to overcome the Evil withal but the Good Therefore then all must hold fast that which is Good if that with the Good they overcome the Evil and can try all things but when any do go from the Good in themselves then they are not like with it to ovecome the Evil nor with it try all things without holding fast that which is Good for without it you cannot try all things nor overcome the Evil except you hold fast that which is Good which was before the Dad was or Evil either for by the Good Evil is overcome and with it you can try all things whether they are Good or Bad and a good Man David saith He hath dispersed he hath given to the poor his Righteousness endureth for ever his Horn shall be exalted with honur They that chuse the things that please the Lord and keep his Covenant even them will I give a Name in my House and within my Walls
New Testament Circumcision is of the Spirit and of the Children of the New Covenant their Bodies are the Temples of the Living God and none are saved or justified by the Works and Righteousness of the Law in the Old Covenant but by the Faith of Christ and his Righteousness And so all the Figures Shadows and Types Christ the substance of all Figures and Types in the Old Testament and Covenant Christ the Substance is come and abolishes them and doth them away and he saith Behold I make all things new So the New Creature in Christ Jesus seeth the Old Things are past away and all Things are become New So the New Creature is the new Bottle that holds the new Wine he hath the new Garments and a piece of new Cloth must not be sewed in the Old Garment So the old Garments and old Bottle and old Wine must be kept distinct from the new Garments and new Cloth and new Bottles and new Wine So the New Covenant and New Testament is distinct from the Old Covenant and Old Testament The New and Living Way in the New Testament and New Covenant is distinct from the Way in the Old Testament and Old Covenant and the new Creatures in Christ Jesus that beholds all things are become new to them and see that the old Things are past away from them Here is a Distinction betwixt the new Creatures and the old Creatures that cry up the old Thing and live in them and the New that crieth up the New and liveth in them And in the Old Testament the outward Jews defended their Religion by Carnal Weapons and outward Armour but in the New Testament the Children of the New Covenant their Armour and Weapons are Spiritual not Carnal And in the Old Testament and Old Covenant there was a Tribe of Priests that offered up outward Offerings and Sacrifices but in the New Testament the Children of the New Covenant are called A Spiritual Houshold and a Royal and a holy Priesthood to offer Spiritual Sacrifices acceptable to God by Jesus Christ And in the Old Testament and the Old Covenant the Priesthood was made by the Law of a Carnal Commandment but Christ our High-Priest in the Testament was made after the Power of an endless Life And the High-Priest in the Old Testament entered into the outward Sanctuary called The Holy Place made with Hands which Priesthood and Sanctuary is abolished and done away by Christ But Christ in his New Testament is entered into Heaven it self now to appear in the Presence of God for the Children of the New Testament who do praise God through Jesus Christ their Mediator who makes their Peace betwixt them and God for he that sitteth on the Throne maketh all things new and reconciles to God The Temple built by Solomon The Temple of Solomon a Figure of Christ and his Church was partly a Figure of Christ and partly of his Church For when Christ suffered the Temple of his Holy Body to be destroyed and was raised again from the Dead John 2.19 then Christ raised up us the Christian Church which is the true spiritual House and Temple wherein God dwelleth 1 Cor. 6.19 And Isaiah the Prophet and also the Apostle speaking of Christ's Sufferings saith in Isa 53. and Acts 8.33 how that the Lord should make Christ his Soul an Offering for Sin Christ's Soul an Offering for Sin who poured out his Soul unto Death and the Prophet saith Who shall declare his Generation Yet the Prophet saith He shall see his Seed namely Christ and did not Christ see his Seed his faithful Apostles and Disciples And the Apostle saith For both he that Sanctifieth namely Christ and they who are Sanctified are all of one for which cause Christ is not ashamed to call them Brethren So then they are of his Seed which can preach Christ and can declare his heavenly and holy Generation And again he saith I will declare thy Name among my Brethren So here Christ calleth his Believers his Brethren Christ our Brother and again he saith Behold I and the Children which God hath given me are for Signs and for Wonders in Israel so they are now to all outward Professors without Possession Isa 8.18 and Heb. 2.11 And Isaiah saith The Lord himself shall give you a Sign namely the outward Jews Behold a Virgin shall conceive and bear a Son and shall call his Name Emanuel Isa 7.14 Mat. 1.23 This Christ Christ the Emanuel the Emanuel God with us he was a Sign to the Jews and a Wonder when he came and he is a Sign and a Wonder to all outward Professors of the Scripture without Possession where he is revealed and manifest in his People for he saith Behold I and the Children whom the Lord hath given me are for Signs and for Wonders in Israel So where Christ the Son of God is revealed in his People and they come to be of his Seed Brethren and Generation and declare his Generation they are for Signs and for Wonders and for Gazing-Stocks to all the outward Professors of God and Christ and the Prophets and Apostles without the Possession of their Life and Spirit And the Apostle saith That Abraham was called a Friend of God James 2.24 We are the Friends of God if we keep his Commandments And Christ saith to his Disciples Ye are my Friends if ye do whatever I command Henceforth I call you not Servants for the Servant knoweth not what his Lord doth But I have called you Friends for all things that I have heard of my Father I have made known unto you Here Christ called his Disciples sometimes Friends and sometimes Brethren as before as in John 15.19 and Heb. 2.11.12 And as many as received Christ to them he gave Power to become the Sons of God even to them that believed on his Name which were born not of Blood nor of the Will of the Flesh nor of the Will of Man but of God John 1.12 13. These are they that declared the Generations of Christ And John saith Behold or take notice what manner of Love the Father bestowed upon us that we should be called the Sons of God Beloved now we are the Sons of God therefore the World knoweth us not because it knew him not 1 John 3.1 2. Here you may see the World knoweth not God nor his Sons So it is no marvel if the World that lieth in Wickedness be haters of God and haters of his Son and Sons but greater is he that is in God's Sons and Daughters than he that is in the World by which they do overcome the World as in 1 John 4.4 And the Lord said to Job When the Morning Stars sang together and all the Sons of God shouted for joy Job 38.7 There was cause of Joy to hear that heavenly Harmony And God hath Anointed Christ with Oil of Gladness above his fellows Heb. 1.9 Moses was faithful in all his House as a Servant
every creeping thing upon the Earth and over every living thing that moveth upon the Earth Gen. I. Now here you may see the Power and Authority that God gave unto Man over all the Earth and the Sea and all things therein The Authority God gaveMan in the begining And now when Cain had done wickedly and killed his Brother about Religion the Lord told him He was cursed from the Earth and when thou tillest the Earth it shall not henceforth yield unto thee her strength And then C ain said It shall come to puss that every one that findeth me shall slay me And then Cain went and built a City in the Land of Nod Gen. 4. Now here you may see what was the Cause that the Earth should not yield her strength after it was tilled and of Cain's fear of being killed and of building the City And John saith in his Epistle He that hateth his Brother is a Murderer or a Man-slayer and no Murderer hath eternal Life abiding in them 1 John 3.15 Now here you may see that Cain and such Murderers have not Eternal Life abiding in them and then they are not like to have Dominion but be in Fears and get into Cities But Abraham who sojourned in the Land of Promise as in a strange Country dwelt in Tabernacles with Isanc and Jacob as Heirs with him of the same Promise for he looked for a City which hath Foundations whose Builder and Maker is God So they looked above all the Cities that were built by Men in the Land of Promise as in Heb. 11. 9,10 For Abraham was in the Faith in which he pleased God and had Victory And the Lord God blessed Noah and his Sons when they came out of the Ark and said unto them Be fruitful and maltiply and replenish the Earth and the fear of you and the dread of you shall be upon every Beast of the Earth and upon every Fowl of the Air and upon all that moveth upon the Earth and upon all the Fish of the Sea into your Hands are they delivered Gen. 9. Here again you may see that faithful Noah had Power over all the Creatures that God made upon the Earth and in the Sea and they were delivered unto Noah and his Sons hands and the Lord said unto the Children of Israel Great Blessings to the Obedient in Levit. 26. If that they were obedient and kept his Commandments he would give them their Rain in due season and the Land should yield her Increase and the Trees of the Field should yield their Fruit and their Threshing should reach to their Vintage and their Vintage unto their sowing Time and you shall eat your Bread unto the full and shall dwell in your Land safely mark safely and I will give Peace in the Land and ye shall lie down and none shall make you afraid and I will rid evil Beasts out of your Land neither shall the Sword go through the Land I will set my Tabernacle among you and my Soulshall not abhor you and I will walk among you and will be your God and you shall be my People This is to all them that are faithful and obey and serve the Lord but if you be disobedient then see what Fears and Judgments and Plagues Many Judgments to Disobedience and Sorrows comes upon you and the Curse will come upon you both in City and Field when thou goest out and when thou comest in and the Curse will be in thy Basket and in thy Store and the Fruit of thy Body and the Fruit of thy Land and the Increase of tby Flocks and the Lord will send his Vexations and Rebukes upon all that thou sets thy Hands unto and the Lord will smite with Consumptions and Feavers and Blastings and Mildews c. and the Heavens that is over their Heads shall be Iron and the Earth that is under thee shall be as Brass and the Lord shall make the Rain of the Land Powder and Dust thou shalt carry much Seed into thy Field and sbalt gather little the Locusts shall consume it and thou shalt plant Vineyards and the Worms shall eat them because thou hearkens not to the Voice of the Lord thy God to keep his Commandments c. And because thou servest not the Lord God with joyfulness and with gladness of Heart for the abundance of all things the Lord thy God giveth thee and therefore shalt thou serve thine Enemies which the Lord thy God shall send against thee in hunger and in thirst and in nakedness and in want of all things and thine Enemy shall put a Yoke of Iron about thy neck to yoke thee down Who will not bear the Yoke of Christ and doth not hearken to the Lord to serve and obey him but they that diligently hearken to the Lord their God and obey and serve him in Truth and Righteousness he blesses them in the City and in the Field and in their Basket and in their Store-house and in all they set their Hands to and he blesses the Fruit of their Body and the Fruit of their Ground and the Cattle and their Flocks and the Lord shall open his good Treasure the Heavens to give them Rain upon their Land in his season and to bless all the Works of their Hands that thou may lend to other Nations and shalt not borrow And these are the Blessings of them that hearken to the Lord and serve him as you may see in Deut. 28. the Blessings that come upon the Faithful and the Judgments upon thd Disobedient and Unfaithful When God giveth quietness who then can make trouble c. whether it be done against a Nation or against a Man only Job 34.29 The Lord shall save the humble Person he shall deliver the Island of the Innocent it is delivered by the Pureness of the Hands Job 22.29 30. Read this in all your Assemblies both in Pensilvania and West-Jersey Bednal-Green near London the 4th Month 1686. G. F. To all the holy Women that trust in God and do profess Godliness with good Works according to the Apostles Doctrine in this Age for them to read over and put in Practice FRiends the Apostle saith Epist 409. I will therefore that Women adorn themselves in modest Apparrel with Shamefacedness and Sobriety and not with broidered Hair or Gold or Pearls or Costly Array The Christian Adorning but as becometh Women professing Godliness with good Works 1 Tim. 2.9 10. And likewise Peter saith in his General Epistle to the Church of Christ to the Women Whose adorning let it not be that outward adorning of plaiting the Hair and wearing of Gold and of putting on of Apparrel but let it be the hidden Man of the Heart in that which is not Corruptible even the Ornament of a meek and quiet Spirit which is in the sight of God of a great price for after this manner in old time the holy Women also who trusted in God adorned themselves 1 Pet. 3.3 4
an Example to Parents and the Arke of God for not restraining his Children from Evil And again if that they must be left to themselves why did the Prophets and the Apostles say That they must not quench nor vex nor grieve nor rebel against the Spirit of God nor turn the Grace of God into Wantonness nor walk despitefully against the Spirit of Grace but walk in the Spirit and in the Truth and in the Light and to love it and not to hate it for they that do not love the Light but hate it are condemned by it and so grow in the Condemnation and are not in the Justification of Life The Lord God commanded Abraham to Circumcise himself and his Children and Servants that were bought with Money and were born in his House He was to bring all his Males into this Covenant of outward Circumcision and the Lord said That Soul shall be cut off that is not Circumcised he hath broken my Covenant of outward Circumcision as you may see Gen. 17. Here you may see Abraham was to teach and instruct his Family and Servants and he was not to keep any Man or Servant that was Uncircumcised in his Family Now you that profess the New Covenant True Circumcision are not you and all your Children and Servants to be Circumcised with the Spirit of Circumcision And do not they that have not the Body of Death and the Sins of the Flesh cut off by Circumcision go down into the Pit and not into Paradise and the kingdom of God And therefore may not such Uncircumcised by the Spirit hurt the Families of true Christians in the Light Therefore consider Abraham was not to suffer and of his Children and Servants that were bought with his Money or born in his House to be Uncircumcised in the Old Covenant This care the Lord laid upon him in his Family in the Old Covenant Therefore consider you that profess the New Covenant of the Spirit of Circumcision what Care lies upon you in your Families of Teaching and Instructing your Servants and Children and to bring them to the Spirit of Circumcision And now do not say but you are all warned in your Life-time and therefore prise your time while you have it that you spend it to the Honour and Glory of God The 9th of the 5th Month 1686. G. F. An Epistle for them that are learned in Christ to read and understand THe Lord saith Epist 410. In this Mountain shall the Lord of Host make unto all People a feast of fat things c. And he will destroy in this Mountain the Face of the Covering cast over all People and the Veil that is spread over all Nations And he will swallow up Death into Victory and the Lord God will wipe away Tears from off all Faces Isai 5.26 27. 1 Cor. 15.54 Rev. 21.4 Is not this Mountain Christ Christ filleth the whole Earth that filleth the whole Earth where this Feast of fat things is And doth not Christ through Death destroy Death and the Devil the Power of Death and so takes away the Veil and Covering that is spread over all Nations that they may be covered with the Spirit that he pours upon all Flesh And the Apostle saith Moses put a Veil over his Face that the Children of Israel could not steadfastly look to the end of that which is to be abolished for their Minds were blinded For until this Day remains the same Veil untaken away in the reading of Moses and the Old Testament the Veil is upon their Hearts which Veil is done away in Christ and when they shall turn to the Lord the Veil shall be done away as in 2 Cor. 3. So here you may see the Veil that was spread over the Hearts of People The Veil over Peoples Hearts done away by Christ is done away by Christ and all they that are turned to the Lord with open Face behold as in a Glass the Glory of the Lord and are changed into the same Image from Glory to Glory even by the Spirit of the Lord. And the Lamb which is in the midst of the Throne shall feed his People and dwell amongst them who hath made their Robes white in the Blood of the Lamb And this is the Days of Christ whom God gives for a Covenant of the People to establish the Earth Sing O Heavens and rejoyce O Earth and break forth into Singing O Mountains for God hath comforted his People and hath Mercy upon his afflicted And Christ saith to the Prisoners Go forth unto them that are in Darkness shew your selves and they shall feed in Pastures For he that hath Mercy on them shall lead them and by the Springs of Water shall he guide them Isai 49. For God gave Christ for a Covenant to the People for a Light to the Gentiles to open the blind Eyes to bring out the Prisioners out of Prison and them that sit in darkness out of the Prison-Houses Isai 42.2 6 7. Rev. 7.15 16 17. So we that do witness this do praise the Lord God through Jesus Christ Behold the Tabernacle of God is with Men and he will dwell with them and they shall be his People Rev. 21.3 This is the Day of the New Covenant which People enjoy in Christ Jesus The Lord saith I will ransom them from the Power of the Grave I will redeem them from Death O Death I will be thy Plague O Grave I will be thy Destruction Hos 13.14 And the Apostle saith O Death where is thy Sting O Grave where is thy Victory The Sting of Death is Sin and the Strength of Sin is the Law But thanks be to God which gives us the Victory through Jesus Christ our Lord 1 Cor. 15.55 56 57. So here you may see the Grave had its Victory Christ gives Victory over Death and the Grave and Death hath its Sting which is Sin But the Strength of Sin is the Law But Christ gives us the Victory who makes an end of Sin the Sting of Death as in Dan. 9.24 And who through Death destroys Death and the Power of Death and is the End of the Law for Righteousness sake to every one that believes and so are dead to the Law by the Body of Christ Rom. 7.4 And Christ saith unto the Jews Verily verily he that hears my Word and believeth on him that sent me hath everlasting Life Mark Everlasting Life and shall not come into Condemnation but hath past from Death unto Life Then they have past from the Sting of Death which is Sin And as John saith we know that we are past from Death unto Life because we love the Brethren for he that loveth not his Brother abideth in Death John 5.24 1 John 2.44 So if they were past from Death to Life then they were past from Death and his Sting which is Sin through Jesus Christ who destroys Death and makes and End of Sin And again Christ saith to the Jews Verily verily
and undefiled Life all Live Page 305 275. All Friends every where in the living Spirit and living Power c. Ibid. 276. Dear Friends live in Peace and Love Page 308 277. My Dear Friends when you were formerly in a Profession Ibid. 278. And Friends see that all Apprentices that are bound amongst you c. Page 310 1670. 279. The Substance of a General Epistle Page 311 280. All Dear Friends every where who have no helper but the Lord Page 315 281. Dear Friends the Truth of God mind Ibid. 282. Friends in the Seed that bruises the Serpent's Head c. Page 316 283. To Friends at Bristol in time of Suffering Page 317 1671. 284. Dear Friends and Brethren see that all live in the peaceable Truth Ibid. 285. Dear Friends this is the Counsel of the Lord to you all Page 319 286. Friends when you are met together in the Name of Jesus Ibid. 287. Friends consider you that have known the Mercies of the Lord Page 320 1672. 288. To Friends in Carolina Page 321 289. Dear Friends every where be faithful to God Page 322 290. Dear Friends live in Love for that is of God Ibid. 291. To all the Womens Meetings that are Believers in the Truth Page 323 292. To Friends in New-England virginia and Barbadoes Page 324 293. To Friends in Barbadoes Page 326 1673. 294. Friends the Truth is above all c. Page 327 295. Friends at the first Convincement there is not so much danger Ibid. 296. Friends all keep your Meetings in the Power of the Lord God Page 328 297. Dear Friends keep in the Power of the Lord Ibid. 298. Dear Friends to whom is my Love in that which changes not Page 329 299. To Friends at Jamaica Ibid. 300. Dear Friends let your Faith stand in the Power of God Page 330 301. To all the Womens Meetings Page 333 302. To all Friends that live in the Truth Page 334 303. Dear Friends all be faithful c. Page 335 304. To Friends in Virginia Ibid. 305. My Dear Friends live in the Seed c. Page 336 1674. 306. To Friends in Holland Page 337 307. My dear Friends who feel the Precious Truth Page 338 308. My dear Friends in England and all parts of the World Page 340 309. Friends seek the Peace of all Men Page 342 310. Friends in every thing give thanks Page 343 311. For the Men and Womens Meetings in Barbadoes Ibid. 312. All Friends that are in the Power of God Page 344 313. Friends all that are sensible of the Power of God c. Page 346 1675. 314. To all my dear Friends Elect and Precious in America Page 352 315. To Friends in Barbadoes Page 353 316. Dear Friends all that feel the Life and Power and Spirit of the Living God Page 354 317. To all the Elect and Chosen of God in Christ Jesus before the Foundation of the World Page 357 318. All Dear Friends and Brethren keep up your Testimony c. Page 361 319. To Friends in Nevis and the Caribby Islands Page 363 1676. 320. An Incouragement to all the faithful Womens Meetings c. Page 368. 321. To all the Men and Women's Meetings that are gathered in the Name of Jesus Page 389 332. To Friends in Cumberland Page 394 333. To Friends in Barbadoes Page 395 334. To Friends in the Isle of Man Page 397 335. To Friends in Virginia and Maryland Page 398 336. To Friends at Dantzick Ibid. 337. To Friends in Holland Page 399 338. To Friends in Maryland and Virginia Page 400 339. All my dear Friends and Brethren c. Page 401 340. To Friends in New-Jersey in America Ibid. 341. My Friends all you that know God and Christ your Teacher Page 402 342. My dear Friends and Brethren that Faith which is the Gospel of God c. Page 403 343. Friends in the Power and Image and Truth c. Page 405 1677. 344. An Epistle to be read in the Men and Womens Meetings c. Page 409 345. My dear Friends to whom is my Love in the Everlasting Seed Page 411 346. To Friends at Sussex Page 412 347. Concerning the Subjection of the Spirits of the Apostles one to another c. Page 413 348. Dear Friends to whom is my Love in the heavenly Seed Page 414 1678. 349. To Friends in the County of Oxford Page 416 350. To the Yearly Meeting in Yorkshire Ibid. 351. Friends know what the Lord doth require of you c. Page 417 352. An Epistle to Friends to keep in the Power of God c. Page 418 353. My dear Friends whose Faces are set towards Zion Page 420 354. And dear Friends my Love to you all in the Seed of Life Page 423 1679. 355. To Friends in America concerning their Negroes and Indians Page 426 356. Dear Friends every where that have received the Truth as it is in Jesus Page 428 357. Dear Friends all live in the Life of the true Christians Page 430 358. Dear Friends with my Love to you all in the holy peaceable Truth Page 431 359. An Epistle to be read among Friends Ibid. 360. To all the Men and Womens Meetings every where Page 434 361. An Epistle to Friends for them to read Page 439 And now my dear Friends concerning true Liberty Page 443 1680. 362. And now Friends you who are called into the Glorious Liberty Page 450 363. Dear Friends and Brethren in the Lord Jesus Christ Ibid. 364. To Friends in America Page 453 365. To Friends in Yorkshire Page 454 366. A Letter to the Captives who meet together to worship God in Algier Page 455 1681. 367. To Friends in Burlington West-Jersey Page 456 368. To suffering Friends at Horsham in Sussex Page 458 369. To the Flock of Christ Jesus every where Page 459 370. To suffering Friends at Leicester Page 460 371. To Friends in Carolina Page 462 372. An Epistle concerning the Government of Christ Page 463 1682. 373. To Friends in Jamaica Page 470 374. To Friends in Holland Page 471 375. To Friends in Barbadoes Ibid. 376. To Friends in New-Jersey and Pensilvania Page 473 377. To Friends that are Prisoners in York Page 474 378. To all the Elect of God chosen and faithful c. Page 476 379. An Epistle to all Planters c. in foreign Plantations America Page 477 380. To all Christians to keep to Yea Yea and Nay Nay c. Page 478 381. A Way to prevent the Indignation and Judgments of God Page 480 382. An Epistle to the Houshold of Faith Page 482 1683. 380. To the Quarterly Meeting at York Page 486 384. To the Six Weeks Meeting in Barbadoes Page 488 385. To suffering Friends in Prison at Bristol Page 489 386. To Friends in Charles-Town in Carolina Page 490 387. To the Monthly and Quarterly Meeting in England c. Page 491 388. To Friends that are Captives at Algier Ibid. 389. To the Houshold of Faith which is the Church of Christ Page 493 390. An Epistle to all
believes hath the Witness in himself Mark and take Notice And so ye being in the Light every one in particular feed upon the Bread of Life The Bread of Life which comes from above which nourisheth up to Eternal Life wherein as every one grows up here every one gives Glory to the Father and to the Son and knows the Light which is the Way the Truth and the Life Every one of you that are to it turned ye are in the One Way Truth Light and Life feeding upon the One Bread which comes from above which whosoever doth eat of lives for ever and shall never dye Let this be read among all Friends every where in this Nation and elsewhere that to the Light are turned and in it are kept that in the Vnity they may all be kept And in it God Almighty preserve and keep you that ye may feel his Promises which is to the Seed and know the Seed to which the Blessing is and know the Flesh of Christ that ye may be Flesh of his Flesh And Friends Live at Peace among your selves waiting upon the Lord and the Lord God of Life and Peace be with you Let no Friends be discouraged but walk in the Truth and the Love of it and to it bend G. F. ALL Friends About 1658 I do Warn and Charge you in the Presence of the Living God in his Wisdom and Life keep that no Ill Savour be nor get up amongst you Epist 156. For ye are the Salt of the Earth to season and to make savoury to God To Friends to keep in that which is Savoury but if the Salt have lost its Savour it is henceforth good for nothing Therefore I do Warn you all Mind that which doth keep your Peace whereby ye all may grow in Love and know Christ in you all in whom is Peace Ye are the Light of the World to answer the Light in every one that with the Light they may see your good Works and by seeing them Good Works they may glorifie your Father which is in Heaven for all Deceit is Judged and Condemned by it And every one keep in the Measure of the Life of God and see that there be no Strife nor Presumption among you but all serve one another in Love and let that of God guide every one of you Serve in Love in which ye may have Vnity one with another and with God And in his Life wait to receive Power to bind and chain all down which is contrary to Truth And so in the Life and Power of God the Lord God Almighty preserve you to his Glory Amen THE Light is precious to him that believes in it and walks according to its Leading So while ye have the Light walk in the Light and live in the Light Christ the Truth The Light the Truth that ye may through Obedience to it be the Children of the Light and of the Day For the Light and the Truth is and was before Darkness and Deceit were G. F. FRiends By the Wisdom of God were all things made Epist 157. and by the Wisdom of God must all things be ordered again to God's Glory The Wisdom of God to order Transgression and Sin brings Death and Destruction but the Wisdom hid from the Eyes that be therein by which Wisdom all things were made and created was before Sin Death and Destruction were And so that is it which the Creatures and Creation of God must be ordered by that Wisdom which made them and doth not change which is hid from Death and Destruction and from that which is in the Transgression of Life and must not rule So Friends every where be Tender to those that have forsaken any thing for Truth Parents Masters And if that their Parents have put them out from them or their Masters put them away for Truth 's sake and them that are put out of their places for Truth 's sake such in the Truth receive and cherish that they may be kept in the Service of the Creation to God's Glory answering that of God in all For every one is to abide in their places and there to be faithful except they be put out or put away and be buffeted for no Fault and take it patiently that 's Thanks-worthy And do good unto all especially to them that are of the House-hold of Faith The House-hold of Faith and be as the Church of God guided in the Wisdom of the Most-High who causeth his Rain to fall upon the Just and upon the Vnjust And so be ye Merciful as your Heavenly Father is Merciful And know the Seed of God that is Heir of the Promise in every one of you and the Wisdom by which all things must be ordered to his Glory who upholds all things by his Word of Power By which Word of Wisdom all things were created and must be ordered again to the Glory of the Creator in which Man will be kept Clean unto God and honour God with his Substance and glorifie God in his Spirit Whereby every one's Conversation will come to be ordered aright and ye come to sit down in the heavenly Places in Christ Jesus The High Calling and to know the High Calling of God in Christ Jesus who calls out of Darkness into the Light out of Death into Life For he that calls is Holy and calls into Holiness without which none shall see the Lord. AND all Friends be faithful in the Seed and Life of the Lord God that is it which abideth in the Love of God for ever where every one hath his Bread which comes down from above That is the Birth which abideth in the House of the Lord God for ever The Birth which abideth and shall go no more forth which is greater than he that is in the World And in the Seed and Life keep your Meetings with God and one with another So in that the Lord God Almighty preserve you all to his Glory G. F. FRiends and Brethren every where Epist 158. Dwell in that which makes for Peace and Love for Blessed are the Peace-makers for theirs is the Kingdom To Friends to dwell in Peace and Love that stands in Righteousness Joy and Peace in the Holy Ghost and in Power Therefore seek the Peace in which is the Well-fare and Good of every one And take heed of Strife and Contention for that eats out the Good and dos not Edifie nor make for Peace for 't is Love that Edifies the Body Therefore keep in the Seed and know that which was afore Enmity was in which there 's both Peace and Life And all be careful to Watch over one another for one anothers Good and be Patient and keep low and down in the Power of the Lord God that there ye may come to enjoy the Kingdom of Peace and sit down with Abraham Isaac and Jacob in the same For Blessed are all ye that lie down in
the Power of the Lord and rise up in it and in Faith remain through which Power ye come to be preserved and united to the God of Life and Truth Words and Carriage And take heed of any Words or Carriage that do not tend to Edification and Building up in the Love and Life Therefore ye that have tasted of the Power of God and of his good Word and of his Light wait for Wisdom and in it walk that ye may be preserved in Vnity in the Light and Life and in Fellowship with God and one with another that to the Lord God ye may be a Good Savour and to him a Blessing in your Generation strengthening one another in the Faith in the Grace in the Word by which all things were made and created The Word of Patience And keeping the Word of Patience herein ye will see the Lord keeping you from all the Temptations which come to try them that dwell upon the Earth by which Word of God ye may all be preserved in the sweet and holy Life in which there is Unity in the Word which was before Enmity which Word doth fulfil the Words Therefore in that live that ye may all feel Life abundantly through the Light and Power that comes from the Word which was in the Beginning through which Immortal Word your Immortal Souls may be brought up to the Immortal God where is Joy Peace and Comfort So Strife and Contentions above all things live in that which stops Strife Contentions and Janglings and live in that by which ye come to Serve one another in Love even in the Love of God which thinks no evil nor envies not neither is it easily provoked Therefore live in that which is not easily provoked and thinks no evil which fulfils the Law which is Love out of a pure heart Prejudice And let not Prejudice boil in any of your hearts but let it be cast out by the Power of God in which is the Vnity and the Everlasting Kingdom that ye may all witness your being made Heirs of the same Kingdom of Peace and to be Inheritors of it sitting down in the same knowing your own Portion and increasing in the heavenly Riches And this is above all Strife that 's below and the Man of it which is born of the Egyptian Woman which genders to Bondage Therefore know the Seed the Second Man The Egyptian Woman the Heir of the Promise over all set and the Blessing and Presence of the Lord which was before Strife was Therefore know the Seed of Life and Peace to reign in you all which possesses the Kingdom where there is no End The Grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you all to teach season and establish you which brings your Salvation G. F. DEar Friends All dwell in the Everlasting Seed of God Epist 159. Christ Jesus in whom ye have Health and Strength Life and Dominion and Power over all Weaknesses Weaknesses and Infirmities And keep your Minds in the Strength of the Almighty and not in Weakness nor in the Infirmities but in the Lord's Power which was before Weakness and Infirmities were and then in that Power ye will find Life and Refreshment from the God of Strength And so in the Power of God that is over all keep your Minds in the Life and Peace of God and in the Assurance of him and his Love and so in that dwell and live in the Dominion of God in his Love and Life and Strength And be of good Faith Be of good Faith and of a valiant Mind for God's Truth upon the Earth in the Power Life Truth and Seed in which ye have Dominion Peace Wisdom and the Blessing of God upon you and in you and in that dwell and know that blessed Seed your Crown and Life No more but my Love For the Comfort of the People of God and their Incouragement to be Faithful and to put their Trust in him who performeth all his Promises THE People that know their God they prosper and prevail and they that do understand shall Instruct many And though they may fall and go into Captivity and be spoiled now yet when they shall so fall Captivity they shall be helped and when they are helped many shall cleave unto them And some of Understanding may fall for to try and purge them and to make them white till the Time be out For there is a Time appointed to Liberty for the faithful Sufferers A Time of Liberty that come from and through the great Tribulations and Michael shall stand up for the Children of thy People and every one shall be delivered that shall be found written in the Lambs Book of Life G. F. ALL my Dear Friends Folly and Wickedness will have an End Epist 160. but the Word of the Lord will have no End but endureth for ever So feed upon the Milk of the Word ye Babes To Friends in Bristol that ye may live by that which comes from it which doth endure G. F. OH Friends Epist 161. Do not Dye from the Good through the Wantonness of flesbly Lusts neither be choked with the Cares of this Life nor fear the Shearers neither let the Heat scorch your green Blade but dwell under the Shadow of the Almighty who will shade you from the Heat and Cold. Neither be cumbred nor surfeited with the Riches of this World nor bound nor straitned with them Riches nor married to them but be free and loose from them and be married to the Lord. The Sufferings in all Ages of the Righteous and Just were because they could not join to the Nations vain Worships evil Customs Rudiments Traditions and carnal Inventions but joined to the Lord and not to them The Sufferings of the Righteous and therefore they suffered and kept single to the Lord God in following him and his Truth and living in it the Amen the Crown Life Vertue and Righteousness that floweth over all in which the Righteous have Peace G. F. FRiends Epist 162. Keep your Meetings in the Power of God and in his Wisdom by which all things were made and in the Love of God Meetings for Business that by that by may order all to his Glory And when Friends have finished their Bufiness sit down and continue a while quietly and Wait upon the Lord to feel him And go not beyond the Power The Power but keep in the Power by which God Almighty may be felt among you For the Power will bruise the Head of the Serpent and all false and contrary Heads this blessed Seed as he is the Head of the Church so he is also the Head of every Member of his Body And so by the Power of the Lord ye come to love Truth and love Jesus Christ and love Holiness and by the Power ye come to love God and praise him and bless him and magnifie him who lives for