whom it cost his Blood and his Life to fetch Adam and Eve and his Sons and Daughters out of that State in the Fall out of the unjust State to set them in the State before they fell and not only there but to bing them into himself that never fell Now what Value and Price and Worth have they made of the Blood of Christ that cleanseth from Sin and Death and yet told People that they would bring them to the Knowledge of the Son of God and to a perfect Man and now tell them they must not be perfect on the Earth but carry a Body of Sin about them to the Grave As much as to say They must be in the State of their Father Adam and their Mother Eve in the Fall under the Wrath Curse and Woe and must not come to the State they were in before they fell to the Image of God in Righteousness and True Holiness And thus the Deceivers are not worth the setting Foot after and yet ask them for what End Christ came They will say To destroy the Devil and his Works And then ask them if the Body of Sin and Death be not the Devil's Works and Imperfection They will say Yes and so are in Confusion Christ came to destroy the Devil and his Works they say and yet they must carry them to the Grave and yet People are saved by Christ they will say but while you are upon Earth you must not be made free from Sin This is as much as if one should be in Turkey a Slave chained to a Boat and one should come to redeem him to go into his own Country but say the Turks Thou art redeemed but while thou art upon the Earth thou must not go out of Turkey nor have the Chain off thee So saith Satan's Messengers you are redeemed but must carry a Body of Death about you and cannot go to your Father Adam's House before he fell but you must live in your Father Adam's House in the Fall while ye be upon Earth Redemption to by the Blood of Christ But I say you are redeemed by Christ it cost him his Blood to purchase Man out of this State he is in in the Fall and bring him up to the State Man was in before he fell so Christ became a Curse to bring Man out of the Curse and bore the Wrath to bring Man to the Peace of God that he might come to the Blessed State and to Adam's State he was in before he sell and not only thither but to a State in Christ that shall never fall And this is my Testimony to you and to all People upon the Earth And so the Teachers of the World cried Men are redeemed but while on the Earth they must have Original Sin in them and that is the Devil for he is the Original or Sin and of the Body of Death and that they are redeemed but they must never come to the State of their Father Adam before he fell while on the Earth This is sad Tidings Are these Messenges of God or Messengers of Satan So you may see by this where the Shepherds have brought their Flocks and in what they sit in Adam and Eve in the Fall not in Adam and Eve before they fell a good blessed State but in Adam and Eve in the Fall a bad cursed State and not in Christ that never fell Now mark the Apostle said He hath quickned us who were dead in Sins and Trespasses and hath made us to sit together in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus that in the Ages to come he might shew forth his exceeding Riches and Kindness towards us Now the Ages are come Glory to the Lord God over all in the Highest for ever that this Kindness and this Riches is seen that the Apostle's Preaching is fulfilled who said He had quickned us and made us to sit together in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus So mark in Christ Jesus Vs the Church Vs the Saints Vs the Believers and True Christians made us to sit together Here was their meeting here was their sitting in the heavenly Places in Christ Jesus the Second Adam the Lord from Heaven him that was glorified with the Father before the World began him that never fell but fetch'd Man and Woman out of the Fall to the State that Man and Woman was in before they fell and they not to sit there in Adam in the Fall nor in Adam before he fell but in heavenly Places in Christ Jesus before Adam fell And there is the safe sitting in Christ the New and Living Way the Word of God the Power of God the Light the Life and Truth in the First and in the Last in the Beginning and in the Ending in him in whom is no Shadow of turnings nor variableness in him the Saints sit the Church in Christ the Head and there is the exceeding Riches and the Kindness known again For is not here Kindness and Riches for Man and Woman to be brought out of that State in the Fall to the State of Adam and Eve before they fell Christ his Blood the Prince of our Redemption And he that doth bring them thither is Christ and it is by his Blood it cost him his Blood his Life and he doth not leave them in the State as Adam and Eve was in before they fell but he sets them down in himself who never fell a safer State than Adam was in the before he fell Now who sits hee in the heavenly Places in Christ Jesus the First and the Last the Beginning and Ending State of Innocency the safe Place in the Wisdom of God 1. They see where Adam and Eve sate before before they fell blessed and in a good State in the Image of God in Righteousness and Holiness 2. They see where Adam and Eve sate in the Fall with their Sons and Daughters fallen from Righteousness and Holiness and the Image of God where they have no Peace neither do they see God State under the Law nor have Dominion over the Creation 3. They see where the Jews sate in the Types Figures and Shadows and Temples and Oaths in the Offerings and Sacrifices and there were to sit till Christ the Substance came to end them all which Christ the Substance was before they was 4. They see where the Apostles sate in the heavenly Places in Christ Jesus the Substance of all the Types Figures and Shadows who ended them all and was before them all and will be when they are all gone 5. States since the Law They see where the Gentiles sit in the Traditions Inventions Idols Temple which God never commanded 6. They see where all the Apostate Christians have sate since the Apostles Days in the Rudiments Inventions Handy-works and Traditions and cannot sit long in them therefore turn one against another 7. Now the Age is come that the Kindness and Riches of the Lord is seen which was manifest among the
the Apostles Days who with the Light beareth witness against it not to be God's witness nor God's setting up And so the Children of the Light that believe in the Light their Bodies their Souls their Spirits and their Minds are washed clean in this pure clean holy Water that comes from above from the pure holy God which is one of these Witnesses in the Earth And the Blood The third Witness is his Blood with which the Hearts of People are sprinkled and their Consciences are sprinkled with the Blood of Jesus As Moses sprinkled the outside of the Posts c. with the Blood of Bulls and Goats which Blood of Bulls and Goats Christ's Blood ends which sprinkles the Heart and Conscience of People So this Blood of Jesus Christ the heavenly Man is felt in the Hearts and Consciences of People by which Blood they are sanctified they are cleansed from all their Dead Works to serve the Living God and to serve their Dead Works no longer So by this Blood they are cleansed from all Sin They that walk in the Light and believe in the Light they are Children of the Light and Children of the Day and the Blood of Jesus Christ the Son of God Blood of Christ cleanseth from all Sin cleanseth them from all Sin and their Garments are made white in the Blood of the Lamb by which they come to testifie of Jesus they overcome the Beast the Whore the false Church And so every true Believer believes as Christ hath taught them to Believe in the Light that so they may become Children of the Light The true Believer hath the Witness in himself They have these three Witnesses that bear witness in the Earth to bear witness in themselves and they can set to their Seal That God is true in all his Works in Prophets and Apostles and his Son and they shall come to know and do come to know the Three that bear Record in Heaven and the Three that bear Record in the Earth G. F. AND all ye Believers in the heavenly Light as Christ hath taught Epist 266. you seek that which is lost and driven away but the false Prophets false Ministers and Teachers they did not seek that which was lost True Ministers seek that which is lost and driven away from God they put no difference between the precious and the vile but mash all together like the Priests and Prophets of our times therefore seek that which was lost and driven away some may be driven away by the Storms some may be driven away by the great Winds of the Wicked and Storms of the Ungodly some may be driven away by Tempests and foul Weather and some may be lost in the foul Weather and lost in the Sea of the World for it is this wicked One that raiseth all these foul Weather and Storms therefore seek that which is lost ye that believe in the Light by which you see then you are distinguish'd from the false Prophets and Teachers and by the Light you put a difference between the precious and the vile for Jacob was found in a desart Land and you see all the Prophets how they sought that which was lost and the Apostles and how Christ encouraged to seek that which was lost and when the lost Sheep was found what Joy there was more than of the Ninety and Nine an who were they that make the Land desolate but the rough Esau's and wild Ishmael's and Core's and who makes the World as a Wilderness but the Devil and who brings the whole World to lie in Wickedness but the Devil that wicked One and if you should not find that which is lost and driven away at the first nor second To continue in seeking nor third time of seeking if you sould not find him that is lost go again that you may have your joy and rejoyce others for Christ in the Parable saith The Prodigal Son was lost yea was dead and is alive again when he had been feeding among Swine and upon Husks and could never fill his Belly When any such come back again they will tell you how hungry they were they could never fill their Bellies among the Husks while they went astray and tell you long Declarations of the Citizen that he was joined to And therefore when the lost is found and brought back again to the Father's House where there is Bread enough Joy for the lost Sheep is found there is Joy and the heavenly Instruments of Musick and the heavenly Feast of the heavenly Fat Things and the heavenly Robes of Righteousness are injoyed And so all be diligent ye Believers in the Light as Christ hath taught you look up and down in the Light you will see where the lost Sheep are and such as have been driven away you will spie them out out of the Woods or Brambles or Pits where there is no Water where they are ready to be Famish'd where they are tied with Thorns and Briars and so with the Light you will see and put a difference between the precious and the vile for whatsoever makes manifest is Light For by that you see and you will see with it how the false Prophets and Ministers and Teachers drive People away they drive them away from God and his Way from Christ and the Covenant of Light How angry they are with them that believe in it With their Clubs how have they beaten many and wounded many and imprisoned many because they would not be driven by them into the Devil's Pit-fold or Prison but do you never give over seeking for the Light shines over all which believe in and walk in the Path of the Just which is as a shining Light for it hath been the work of all the false Teachers and Ministers to drive away from God and his Truth and Light and those have been the Devil's Servants and the Wages he gives them is Death This hath been the Way of all true Ministers to seek that which was lost and that which was driven away as you may see Christ and the Apostles and all the true Prophets did and to bring them to feed in the Pastures of Life and gently to lead them whose Wages is Life and he gives them their heavenly Penny of Life Eternal G. F. To Ministring Friends FRiends Epist 267. All ye that Believe in the Light as Christ hath commanded that are become Children of the Light and of the Day and of the Promise Not to Judge one another and do minister therein do not judge one another in publick Meetings you that do Minister as you have received the Grace and have the Word of the Lord God committed to you that Minister abroad or go abroad in Cities Towns Countries or Nations do not judge one another nor reflect one upon another in publick Meetings for that hurts the Hearers and you do more hurt than you do good and that makes Confusion for if you have any
worships him must worship him in Spirit and Truth The Beastly Nature in Man and Woman holdeth up the Beast and his Customs and Worships and the Plagues of God are to be poured upon the Beast and all them that worship the Beast and false Prophet And they that abide in the Truth worship not the Beast Inwardly nor Outwardly The Worship of the Beast denied but deny all the Beast's Worships and false Prophets and worship God in Spirit and Truth And they which do not abide in the Truth hold up the Beast's Worship and the false Prophets and they that do so shall have their Portion together Plagues will be poured upon such And ye that know God dwell in the Truth and tread upon the Deceit for God will be Glorified alone To whom be Glory and Honour for ever Amen G. F. TO all my Dear Brethren Epist 20. whom the God of Power hath enlightned with his Eternal Light and discovered unto you his Way of Truth and brought you out of the dark ways wherein ye have walked which dark ways all the World walks in But where the pure Light of God is witnessed it guides to himself The Light is but one which leads out of Darkness and the dark World into the World which is without End Therefore all Friends and Brethren in the Eternal Truth of GOd walk in it up to God and be not Sayers only nor Backsliders for the Backslider is a Sayer and not a Doer and there ariseth Ambition Pride and Presumption out of that Nature But dwell in the pure Light which God hath made manifest to you in your Understanding and turn your Minds to him and walk as Children of the Light The Backslider a Sayer and of the Day and be not Drunken in any thing nor run not to Extremes in any thing but be Moderate and Patient Wait for the Presence of the Great God and our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ and be not so Childish as to be tossed with Mens Words without Life And run not out after others Liberties which they have got into their Notions for thou that dost so wilt not abide in the Truth and so thou may'st come to be shaken and shake others who look at Words But wait every one in particular in the Measure that God hath given you upon God in the Fear of God then your Hearts will be kept clean and this is the sure Way And wait all to have the Son made manifest in you and the Son alone to set you free in your selves in particular The Son makes free and all that are made free by the Son are one But the first Nature that would have Liberty must go into Captivity which they that live in their Carnal Reasoning seek Freedom for But here is Man deceived in his first Birth But ye all in whom the Immortal Seed is brought to Light who are raised up to sit in heavenly Places with Christ Jesus and are become Children of the Day walk as Children of the Day and as Children of the Light and Let your Light so shine before Men that they may glorifie your Father which is in Heaven All loving the Light ye love the one thing which gathers your Hearts together to the Fountain of Light and Life and walking in it ye have Unity one with another and the Blood of Jesus Christ cleanseth you from all Sin The Knowledge of the Letter The Knowledge of the Letter which you formerly got into your Notions and Comprehensions the dark Mind gave dark Meanings to it and so kept you in the Broad Way but now wait all to have the same Spirit manifested in your Understandings which was in them which gave forth the Scriptures who were come out of the Broad Way Holy Men of God who had escaped the Pollutions of the World And if every particular of you know not a Principle within which is of God to guide you to wait upon God ye are still in your own Knowledge which is bruitish and sensual But waiting all upon God in that which is of God ye are kept open to receive the Teachings of God And the pure Wisdom and knowledge is that True Wisdom and Knowledge which comes from above which is to know God and Jesus Christ the Way which is hidden from the World and to walk out of your own Ways and out of your own Thoughts And dwelling in that which is pure up to God it commands your own Reason to keep silent and to cast your own Thoughts out and dwelling in that which is pure it discovereth all this So dwelling in the Spirit it keepeth all your Hearts to God To whom be all Praise Honour and Glory for ever From Judge Fell 's in Lancastire ' the 31st of the 11th Month 1652. G. F. To Friends at Kendal TO that of God in you I do speak Epist 21. that ye may watch over the Weak and see how the Plants of the Lord do grow And walk in the Joy and Love of the Truth Watch over the Weak serving God with Joyfulness of Heart and to you this is the Word of the Lord. And keep all that is bad down and out with the Light which condemns all Ungodliness so keep all that out which is for Condemnation that ye may all be preserved clean and pure that out of Condemnation ye may be kept and walk in the living Light So God Almighty be with you all And I charge you to read this among the Brethren and these Words mind with the Light that no Loosness be amongst you but own and be obedient to the Commands of the Lord that ye may stand out of and above all the contrary Commands of Man And so Fare-well G. F. OH Friends Epist 22. keep close to the Light in you and do not look forth at Words that proceed from a vain and light Mind but at the Power of Words The Power of Words For the Words of God that proceed from him are Powerful and Mighty in Operation to the throwing down of all the strong Holds of the man of Sin The Lord is coming in Power to gather his Chosen ones to himself and to Judge and Condemn the wicked One for evermore He will plague the Beast and burn the Whore and plague and torment the Disobedient and Rebellious and Backsliders very sore Therefore ye that know the Voice of the Lord hearken to it and see how ye stand in his Fear and how ye are brought into the Obedience of the Truth And take heed of looking forth at Man but keep close to the Light in you and see that your Minds be kept close to that and guided by that and being guided by that it will keep you clear and pure to receive the Teaching of the Lord. Have Salt in your selves and let your Words be few and seasoned Words few and savoury that they may be savoury And watch over one another in Love and walk in
are Joined together in God and let no Man put them asunder True Marriages Here is the true Joining and there will be a Clear Testimony unto them that God did Move and Command and Join them with his Light among all the Children of Light And this Marriage is honourable and the Bed not defiled And whom God doth move and command and join together it was and is by his Power G. F. TO all my Dear Friends and Brethren every where Epist 27. To Friends to be faithful and valiant in the Lord. He that hath the Son of God hath Life all that have not the Son of God have not Life The Son of God is he which makes free from all Sin and is come to destroy the Works of the Devil and to make us Conformable to his Image and the Image of the Devil to deface and destroy Freedom from Sin and the Image of God to renew us up in and so to bring us to walk in Righteousness Praises be unto the Glorious God for ever who has sent his Son into the World to take away the Sins of the World The Lamb of God the Son of God is but one in all his Males and Females Sons and Daughters and they all are one in Christ and Christ one in them all And all Friends walk worthy of your Calling in all Holiness for Holiness becomes the Saints without Holiness no Man shall see the Lord. And every one Improve your Talents labouring in the Vineyard dressing the Lord's Vineyard that ye may be found the faithful Servants who are as good Servants and walking all in Love to God and one to another And know one another in the Spirit which is Immortal for all other Knowledge in the Flesh vails the pure and hinders your Discerning There will arise Tares out of that Ground whence that Love springs Therefore dwell all in the pure Spirit of God and walking therein it will teach you every one in particular to know God the Father of Spirits And all to stand naked and bare and uncovered before the Living Lord God For Wo is to every one that is Covered Be Covered with the Spirit but not with the Spirit of the Lord and who are Covered and not with his Spirit will not stand in his Counsel But all ye who are Vncovered walking in the Spirit of the Lord God it will keep you all in his Counsel to stand Vncovered before the Lord bare and naked to receive Instruction and Counsel from him So God Almighty be with you all The Dew of Heaven is falling upon you to Water the tender Plants and the Blessing of God be amongst you which showers down amongst you The Heavenly Joy fill your Hearts and Comfort you in the Inward Man in all Tribulations The Glorious Light is shining the Immortal is bringing forth out of Death the Prisoners have Hope of their Pardon the Debt being paid and they freely purchased by Christ's Blood Prisoners of Hope and he into the Prison-Houses is come that the Prisoners begin to sing in Hope of their Eternal Freedom for Joy of Heart leaping and the dumb Tongue shall sing Praises And the Arrows of the Almighty are shooting against the Wicked Therefore be bold and valiant for the Truth triumph over all the Deceivers and trample upon their Deceits G. F. TO all you Epist 28. that are Enlightned with the Light that comes from Jesus The right Course of Nature to it take heed which leads into the right Course of Nature which who act contrary to it go out of the right Course of Nature into Drunkenness Rashness Lying Blaspheming Deceit and Vncleanness All this is out of the right Course of Nature and leads out of the right Course of Nature and destroys it and is to be Condemned with that which leads to the Glory of the first Body and leads Nature into its right Course and right Being which Man was in before he fell G. F. Concerning Tithes FRiends Epist 29. The Counsel of the Living God to you all is that ye may come to discern the Ministers of God and Christ from the Ministers of the World that have gotten the Scriptures for their Cloak and with it make a Colour to deceive and tell you That they are the Ministers of Jesus Christ and Christ hath sent them who sue you at the Law and hale you before Magistrates for Tithes and Maintenance when they do you no Work nor have ye hired them Yet they come and tell you Priest's Objection The Work-man is worthy of his Meat and the Labourer is worthy of his Hire Here the Custom of Sin hath taken away the Sense they are so accustomed to it But praised be the Lord God who hath given us his Light and with it all such are seen comprehended and judged and to such we cannot give Tithes nor Hire which do us no Work whom we have not hired for it is Contrary to Scripture and Christ's Doctrine and to that of God in our Consciences It is not for the saving of the Earth for it is the Lord's and the Fulness of it that we do not pay the Pirests Tithes for if we should we should uphold the First Priesthood and its Office who had their Store-Houses The first Priesthoods Store-Houses to put the Tithes into that were given them and then all the Widows Fatherless and Strangers did come and were to be filled in the Priest's Gate and the Priests were to minister it out of the Store-House as ye may read in Malachy and the Book of Moses who receiv'd a Law from God and gave it forth to the Priests to receive Tithes So with the Light which Christ Jesus hath given us with it we come to Witness him the Unchangable Priest and see the Change of the first Priesthood and the Change of the Law also by which the Priest received the Tithes as ye may read Heb. 7. So we do witness the New Testament and the New Covenant and the Everlasting Priest praised be God! and do Confess Christ Jesus come in the Flesh And all ye that would have us to give Priests Tithes and would Compel us so to do ye are they that do Oppose Christ's Doctrine and Commands to his Disciples Freely ye have received freely give and do not own the Unchangable Priest's being come to teach his People ye are against the Unchangable Priest's Office ye are against the New Covenant and New Testament And so we cannot uphold Tithes and such as take Tithes who act against Christ Jesus Tithe-takens act against Christ his Commands and deny him to be come in the Flesh in Life Doctrine and Power So we that suffer our Goods to be spoiled Joyfully it is for Christ's sake the unchangable Priest and for the New Covenant's sake and the New Testament's sake As the Hebrews did who suffered their Goods to be spoiled Joyfully and were a Gazing-stock and so we suffer now by the
become one with the Harlot And such Joyn together to put Christ to Death afresh So therefore dwell in that which is Pure and Eternal which guides the Mind to God here is perfect Peace to those whose Minds are stayed upon the Lord Which if the Mind goeth from there the Peace is lost and there getteth in the light airy Spirit in that Nature The light airy Spirit And if the Mind go back to fetch up things again and speak them forth there will lodge the Airy Spirit too the there may be true Experiences and if the Life speak them forth by which they were opened it keeps down the Airy Spirit Therefore Mind the Substance that keeps you in your present Conditions and that which doth disobey or rebel against the Word of the Lord in that Nature lodgeth the Airy Spirit and that which hearkens to things that are spoken out of the Life without that lets in the Devil And so ye come to be possessed with evil Thoughts and Doubts and Carnal Reasonings and Bondage and Troubles these things in you will rest until the Life be risen again within to cast all that forth which the Earthly Ear and Mind hath let in Now if ye hearken diligently ye will learn your Safe-Guard and Judge forth that which is not Pure which defiles that the Just may have the Dominion And here ye will see what stains and what defiles and the pure Eye and Ear will be opened to hear God and the Wizzard and the Inchanter and the Sorcerer and the Soothsayer all that will be kept out and Judged For none of that must live in Israel where there is to be no Transgression For where they live Truth doth not and where Truth doth live that doth not but is all judged out G. F. To Friends for all to wait and walk in the Truth ALL Friends and Brethren every where Epist 33. in the Life and Power of the Lord wait and from it none walk but that to the Light of Christ in every one ye may be made manifest that the Fear and Dread of the Lord may be in all your hearts that nothing may reign Keep your Meetings but Life it self And so all your Meetings in every place keep waiting in the Light which from Christ doth come the Saviour of your Souls that his Presence in the midst ye may all feel who are gathered together in his Name and Power in his Light which is his Name and from the World's Gatherings are turned And if any be moved who are turned to the Light with the Power which comes from him To be moved with the Power to the Service for the Lord. to any Service for the Lord to it be Obedient and ye will see Christ with you to the End of the World But if any go before they are moved and so from the Light walk he is a Stumbling-block and is to be Judged and Condemned by the Light and is out of the Wisdom and out of the Fear and soweth to the Flesh and reaps Corruption and by the Light is Condemned For that answereth not the Light in every Man's Conscience neither doth it reach to the Life the Spirit in Prison but it manifesteth Weakness and Foolishness and Nakedness which is from the Light and contrary to it And such are Stumbling-blocks and do not answer the Witness of God in the Conscience Therefore wait all in the Light for to receive the Power from him who is not of the World that ye may be preserved from Nakedness and Weakness For that which goes from the Light and is not guided with it The Slothful runs into the Lust and there is the Slothful which is to be Judged and that that will offend to which the Wo is for it answereth not that of God in the Conscience Neither is it Honourable nor of good Report for that which is Honourable and of good Report answereth that which is of God and answereth the Light of Christ in every Man in the World with Wisdom which from the Light doth come even from him by whom the World was made Therefore all Friends this is a Charge to you all and a Command to you all in the Presence of the Living God In the Light Life and Power and Wisdom of God walk that to that of God in every one ye may be manifested in the sight of God and it may be your Witness that ye are of God in every Man's Conscience which witnesseth against the World and for him who is not of the World And wait all in the Light for the Wisdom by which all things were made with it to use all the Lord's Creatures to his Glory and none to stumble one another about the Creatures for that is not from the Light for which End they were Created and with the Wisdom Wait for the Wisdom by which all things were Created by which they were made ye may be kept out of the Mis-use of them in the Image of God that ye may come to see that the Earth is the Lord's and the fulness thereof and the Earth may come to yield her Increase and to injoy her Sabbaths and all such that walk Contrary to the Light may be turned to the Light that with the Light they may see and condemn that which is contrary to it So that in the Wisdom of God ye may all be kept and in the Fear of the Lord and his Righteousness established which is far from Oppression where all Bonds of Iniquity are broken and the Prince of Darkness Judged out and the Prince of Peace reigns under whose Dominion keep and walk And all that cause Strife are to be Condemned and shut out which have their Eye without and are Condemned by the Light the God of the World having blinded the Eye of the Vnbeliever Therefore ye Believers in the Light wait in the Wisdom that with it and in it ye may be ordered to the Glory of God that among you nothing may reign but Light and Life and Wisdom and Power the Dread and Fear of the Lord be among you and Truth and Righteousness reign which will answer the Light of Christ in every Man And all that is Contrary let it be Condemned with the Light which comes from him by which the World was made who was before the World was who lighteth every Man that cometh into the World Though they believe not in it yet ye may answer the Light in every Man tho' it be their Condemnation So being kept in the Light which cometh from him by whom the World was made who was before it was made ye come to receive the Wisdom by which all things were made and with it to order and use them to the Glory of God For that which is not from the Light nor from the Wisdom is the Offender which is to be Condemned with the Light which comes from the Life and to it in you all take heed that your Hearts may be
is not a Word in all the Scripture to hold up the Practice of Sprinkling Infants nor the Word Sacrament Sprinkling Infants c. nor to hold up an Hour-glass to preach by for an Hour's time in a place but the vain Mind doth hold up many things which Christ doth not command Earth maketh Masters amongst Earthly Men but let him that ruleth The Earth maketh Masters rule in Love for the Earth is the Lord's and the fulness thereof And he that laboureth let him labour as to the Lord in love So let Love be the Head in all things and then the Lord is exalted then there is no Eye-service but Singleness of Heart then all that is done is done as as to the Lord. So be faithful in all things and keep from the World 's vain Customs Do not wear Apparel Apparel to gratifie the proud Mind neither Eat nor Drink to make your selves wanton for it was created for the Health and not for the Lust to be as Servants to us and we Servants to God to use all those things to his Glory To whom be Praises Honour and Glory for ever-more who hath created all things to his Glory and so to be used and spent Do not make Profession to be seen outwardly for Christ was Condemned by the World and the formal Professors and all his Followers are as Wonders to the World Therefore marvel not if the World hate you but rejoice Look not back but keep forward knowing that the World is Enmity with God Ye that know the Light love one another and dwell in it and know one another in it G. F. FRIENDS Make not Flesh your Arm by Carnal Reasonings Epist 59. Consultations and Disputings in that part An Exhortation to Friends not to make Flesh their Arm. which is above the Innocent Life for that needs none to plead its Cause but God its Father who will give you sufficient Strength and Wisdom at the same Hour the other shall and will fall before the Enemies of the Lord. G. F. To Friends to keep in the Fear of the Lord. FRiends Epist 60. Every particular mind that which is pure of God in you to guide you up to God and to keep you in the Fear of the Lord that ye may receive Refreshment from God alone in your selves and grow up in the Inward Man nourished and strengthned by that which is Immortal And delight in that which shews you the Deceit of your Hearts and Judges that which is contrary to God and be Obedient to that which is pure The Lord God a daily Help so ye will see the Lord God present with you a daily Help his Hand always ordering of you and as a Shepherd always keeping the Dogs from his Lambs whom he feeds in Green Pastures and waters with his Heavenly Dew of Mercy who makes them all fruitful The Cry of Want and Poverty shall be no more heard in the Land of the Living but Joy Gladness and Plenty The wearied Soul that hath lain in the Pit and in the Mire and lived in the Clouds of Temptation God is our King and cried out for want of the Lord shall cry plentious Redemption and say God is our King who fills Heaven and Earth and the Voice of our King is heard in our Land So Fare-ye-well in the Lord And the Lord God Almighty keep you and preserve you in his mighty Power G. F. FRiends Epist 61. dwell all in the Immortal Seed of God which is Heir of the Promise of God and doth inherit the same so every one of you know the Promise of God your Portion and the Power of God your Portion and the Kingdom of God that is everlasting without End and the Power of an endless Life being Heirs of that come to inherit it knowing it your Portion that ye may possess it and increase in the same Kingdom and Power and endless Life Here ye lay up Treasure in Heaven Lay up Treasure in Heaven where the Thief Moth nor Rust comes not And know the Seed of God in which is the Election that never altereth nor changeth which Seed never changeth neither doth it submit to that which doth change but standeth stedfast and distinct from all the Changables Which Seed endeth all Types Figures and Shadows and variable things and Typical things that do change which Seed doth not change which is Christ which keeps above all the Inventions Rudiments Traditions vain Talkers and Bablers that be in the World and standeth when they will be all gone and have an End In which Seed is Power Wisdom and Life Eternal that remains for ever and ever which hath the Dominion in the Life and Power The Vnchangable Wisdom of God and unchangable Wisdom of God which is pure and gentle from above and preserving above all the Destroying which keeps up the heads of the living to Life in that live Which Seed of God breaks the Head of them that go out of the Truth to wit the Serpent's And here Life goes over all in Renown and Dominion and the Top-stone comes to be over all laid So live in Life and the Love and the Power of God which was before Man and Woman fell in that Power ye are kept over all outward things that have been set up and are set up in the Fall which causeth Pride and Contention and Strife which if lived in keeps out of the Power in which is the Saints Everlasting Fellowship that stands and remains and is Everlasting for ever and ever In which Power the living Seed lives and the living Babes are preserved in which Power they have their Food from the God of Life which is living which nourishes the Immortal Babes up to the Immortal God with the Immortal Food through which they come to be the living Stones that build up the spiritual Houshold The Church is in God who are the Church in God who are brought out of the State where Adam and Eve with his Sons and Daughters is drove from God up to God again by Christ the Power of God who is the Way to God where the Church is in God that is the Pillar and Ground of Truth So all in that live which brings you up to God out of the State of Adam and Eve and his Sons and Daughters in the Fall In that Power as I said before ye will have an everlasting Fellowship with God and one with another which Power of God was before the Fall was In that Power ye will know one another and see one another in which ye shall ever be together in which ye shall see and know your Election before the World began So Fare-well G. F. ALL Friends be Low and in the Life of God dwell Epist 62. to keep you Low Ye are the Salt of the Earth to make it savoury unto God Ye are the Light of the World The Light Justifies walking therein Therefore walk in the Light of Christ
Royal Seed and Heirs of the Promise what are they to you who are Married to the Lamb who was Slain from the Foundation of the World against whom they warred and banded themselves and took Counsel together against the Lord and his Anointed who breaks their Bonds asunder whom neither Death Grave nor all the Powers of the World were able to hold nor contain but over all he rose the Seed and reigns till he hath made all his Enemies his Footstoole Honour and Praise be to the Lord the living God that lives for ever So all ye which are gathered in the Name of our Lord Jesus Christ whose Name is called that Power of God the Word which was in the beginning over the Powers of Darkness before it was and compelling Worships Ministry Maintenance and Churches were this Gathering Meeting in the Name this Meeting in the Name the Power the unrighteous World cannot separate you from it for it is over it and was before it was In that Power have ye the Kingdom and Dominion in the Power reigning over all that which hath been out of the Power And ye that partake of the Power have Power with God in that we need not bid you keep your Meetings for ye are met and gathered into the Fold of Christ Jesus and are put forth by him and are brought from under that that leads from God by the Power of God In this Gathering by the Power into the Name of Christ which is the Power with the Power he is felt in the midst who is King of Kings and Lord of Lords and Prince of Life and Peace and Prophet to open by his Power and Light in you all and a Priest for ever that lives to offer up the Spiritual Sacrifice and Praise to God and he being among you felt and in you all ye will have every one of you in your own particular Joy Peace Comfort Consolation Assurance Confidence and Satisfaction when all Gatherings Meetings Heaven and Earth Types and Figures and Shadows and Prophets and the Prophecies are ended And Swearing before the Law and in the Law and all invented Oaths since the Law and amongst the Heathen when these are gone past away and fulfilled the Election and the Seed and the Gathering in the Name of Jesus Christ the Lord of Life remains and stands and his Throne and Dominion in which there is no Curse but a Blessing So happy are ye who are partakers of this heirs of this Blessing and heirs of the Promise and of the Life and of the World that hath no End who have your Confidence and Assurance in him So all ye that have felt the Light and have been turned to it The Light in that Light ye feel the Covenant with God who is Light which brings to be acquainted with the Life of God and gives the Knowledge of Christ your Saviour and Redeemer which is the Salvation to the Ends of the Earth By which Light and Covenant ye are turned from Darkness and the Power of Satan that separated you from God who was the Enemy through whom ye had not Peace with God But now being turned from him into the Light and Power in this Covenant of Light and Power ye have Peace with God that destroys the Enmity and are come to receive it and so Heirs of the Kingdom that is Everlasting Be at Peace one with another and in Love and Tenderness and in the Wisdom of God order and preserve and nourish and cherish all things to his glory in which ye will feel his blessing and treasure and riches and Julness in you with you and amongst you So put on the Armour of Light that with it ye may be able to defend and see and walk and stand against all the Arrows and Darts that are in the unrighteous World The Armour of Light and before they were as Children of the Light and Children of the Day where the Darkness is past Put on your Breast-plate of Righteousness to save and preserve your Hearts and Minds and to keep you from all that which would defile and surfeit it or cause you to be weary or think the War or Time long For the Power is Everlasting and the Righteousness is Everlasting that destroys the Works of the Devil and him both whereby the Seed of God comes to be set on the head of it all The Shield of Faith Glory and Praise be to him for ever Put on therefore the Shield of Faith by which Faith your Shield ye have the Victory For Faith is a Mystery held in a pure Conscience by which ye have Access to God in which Faith ye please God in which Faith ye have Vnity which gives you the Victory over that which separates from God the Enmity In that Faith be Joyful which is the Faith of God's Elect that brings them over the World and to that which was before the Foundation of it And this is the Faith the Just lives by by which he is saved and justified by which he lives and conquers anmd hath the Victory over the Vnjust Glory to the Highest PVT on the Helmet of Salvation and take the Sword of the Spirit the Word of God your Helmet being on The Helmet of Salvation nothing can destroy nor hurt your Salvation Christ Jesus being your Helmet and your Head who destroys the Devil and his Works the Sword of the Spirit that mortifies that crucifies baptizes cuts off plunges under all Corruptions that have gotten up since the Transgression then in the Spirit ye will worship God and have Fellowship and Spiritual Weapons and come to be Spiritual Men and not as the Carnal World that rules and wrestles with Carnal Weapons and with Flesh and Blood The Stone cut out of the Mountain without hands will dash and break into pieces all the Cutters with Hands and Carnal-weaponed Men about Religion Church and Worship and his Kingdom is an Everlasting Kingdom and his Dominion hath no End This Stone is that which laid Nebuchadnezzar's head low and brought him to eat Grass like a Beast who knew not the Kingdom of the Most-high ruling in Men. So ye that know this Stone cut out of the Mountain without hands ye all know the Kingdom of the Most-high God ruling in you and his Dominion which s Everlasting and come to be his Temple For there was but One Temple in the whole World commanded of God One Temple as a Figure of Christ who would dwell in Man in Male and Female who should be the Temples of God in whom should be his Name and Power Blessings Honour and Glory and Praises be given to the Lord God for evermore by all them who witness this So all Dear Lambs and Babes and Brethren Happy and blessed are ye who the Seed do know which is Heir of the Blessings and the Power and Life and the Kingdom and the World that is Everlasting and without End Be shod all with the Gospel The Gospel
God And now The Monthly and Quarterly Meetings to be made up of two or three faithful Friends out of every particular Meeting that Monthly and Quarterly Meetings of two or three out of every particular Meeting of true and faithful Friends are set up and kept in the most convenient place in the middle of your County you may know in your Meetings of the Wants and Necessities of all Friends whether in Bonds or out Widows or Fatherless or aged People their Necessities being looked into and every one feeling one another's Condition this keeps in Tenderness and Love as a Family and nothing being lacking amongst you then all is well every Want and Necessity being supplied And by this one Meeting may be serviceable to another in outward things for that is the least Love and by this you may come into the Practice of the pure Religion which is to relieve the Widows Strangers Fatherless and Helpless And Friends all the Legacies that are given to the Men or Women's Meetings let them be kept as a publick Stock for the setting forth of Apprentices and setting them up And Friends to have and provide a House for them that be distempered and not to go to the World And to have an Alms-House or Hospital for all poor Friends that are past Work And Friends to have and provide a House or Houses where an Hundred may have Rooms to Work in and Shops of all sorts of things to Sell and where Widows and young Women might work and live And Dear Friends dwell all in the Everlasting Power of God and his Life in which is both Vnity Order Peace and Fellowship and wait in the Fear of the Everlasting God that his Wisdom you may receive which is pure and gentle from above by which all things were made by which Wisdom you may order all things to the Glory of God The Poor the Sick the Widows the Fatherless the Prisoners be tender of and feel every one's Condition as your own and let nothing be lacking amongst you according to the Apostle's Doctrine to the Church of God of Old Time and if nothing be lacking all is well And Dear Friends know in all your Meetings who is Sick and Weak and in Want and Widows and Fatherless and aged People that cannot help themselves and such as God hath distributed unto of that which God has distributed to lay aside for the Necessities of others as you are moved and commanded of the Lord God by his Power and Spirit for he that gives to the Poor lendeth to the Lord and he loves a cheerful Giver Secondly That all Prisoners for Truth be minded who are in want and who are not and the Families of such who are in Prison whether they are in want or not and such as are decayed any manner of way and cannot help themselves and such as have left a Calling which they cannot for Conscience sake follow do the best you can to help them and further them to Imployment that they may labour in the thing that is good and be a Blessing in the Creation that this you may do that you may be a Blessing in your Generation And all the Fatherless Children their Estates to be Recorded in a Book at the Monthly or Quarterly Meeting and all that are intrusted with any Estates may be entered at the Monthly or Quarterly Meetings Fatherless or Widows Estates that the Meeting may see that Justice be done unto them and require them to give an Account if need be and to do that which is just and equal so that there may be no Strife about outward things amongst you And that every one that is entrusted with any Widdows or Fatherless Children Estates may be faithful and not fail them in time of need And that every Quarterly Meeting may have an Eye over such as are intrusted and assist them in that which is right and righteous and to see that they are faithful to their Trust So that Righteousness and Justice and Truth and Equity may flow down amongst you and that the Wisdom of God be among Friends to order them in all things to his Glory And let two faithful Friends in the Truth in every particular Meeting be ordered to receive all Collections and to bring them to the Monthly Meetings and let two such Friends receive them there and bring them to the Quarterly Meeting and let four faithful Friends receive them there And whatever Collections are received let an Account be kept of what is received and to whom it is disbursed that so an Account may be given to any faithful Friend that may desire it And in every Monthly and Quarterly Meeting to inquire what Poor there are and who are fit to go Apprentices or Servants and that Friends then and there may order them to Apprentiships to such Trades as they in Wisdom shall think fit And if any Legacy be left by any deceased Friends to a particular Use as to putting forth Apprentices and breeding of poor Friends Children that the said Money be kept distinct as a Stock for the said Use and a particular Account thereof to be kept and the Quarterly Meeting to appoint some Persons to receive the said Money and to keep the Account thereof and the Meeting to see that it be disposed of to the Uses aforesaid And if any of the Principal Money so given be at any time made use of to any other Use that it be again made up by the Quarterly Meeting of Friends And though the Money be left or given to any particular Friend for the Use aforesaid yet the same to be paid to the two or three Persons whom the Quarterly Meeting shall appoint to receive such Money that the Meeting may have the ordering and laying-out the said Money to the best Advantage to the Uses aforesaid So that the Legacies given a part to the Meeting of Men or Women be kept a part for the setting forth poor Friends Children and setting them up in their Trades that the Memory of the deceased just Friend that gave it may not be forgotten And all Friends in the Wisdom of God train up your Children in the Fear of God Friends to train up their Children in the fear of the Lord. that they may receive the Wisdom of God and as they are capable they may be instructed and kept imployed in some lawful Calling that they may be diligent serving the Lord in the things that are good that none may live Idle and be Destroyers of the Creation or unserviceable in the Creation and thereby become burdensome to others and to the Just in themselves but that in the Wisdom of God all may walk and with it all things may he ordered And all Friends see that your Children be trained up in Soberness And in Soberness c. and Holiness and Righteousness and Temperance and Meekness and Gentleness and Lowliness and Modesty in their Apparel and Carriage and so to Exhort your Children and Families
thing to say have Patience let that Gift be exercised and speak to one another by your selves alone But exercise the Gift oft Patience for that was the way before any thing was spoken against any of the Church and that will shew the Spirit of Order and Government and the Spirit of Love and of Patience and Humility and keep down Passion and that part in your selves that cannot bear all things nor endure all things whereby the Love comes up that will endure all things and bear all things which edifies the Body and by which the Body is edified for the Spirit of the Prophets is subject to the Prophets this shews the true Spirit for that which cannot bear all things many times is forward in Judging that cannot bear all things nor endure all things and so goeth out of the true Love and Edification which breeds Confusion and Distraction and destroys more than ever it will beget to God And also goes out of the Church Order first speak to him alone for by that he may win his Brother Speaking publickly makes Strife some owning and some disowning and that Spirit must be shut out by the true Spirit that keeps Order and Unity and Fellowship and the true Love which edifies the Body And so every one which feels the Power stirring in them to Minister when they have done To live in the Power wherein they minister let them live in the Power and in the Truth and in the Grace that keeps in the seasoned Words and that keeps in a stablish'd and seasoned Life And so all may Minister as they have received the Grace so every one is a Steward of the Grace of God if he do not turn the Grace of God into Wantonness and so to Minister in that Love and Grace and Power that keeps all things in Subjection and Order and in Unity in the Life and in the Power and Light by which you may see that of God in every Man and answer to that which God hath shewed unto People For the true Labourers in the Vineyard do answer that of God the true Ministers brings People to that which is to instruct them viz. the Spirit of God True Ministers reacheth to the Witness of God in Mens hearts and so are Ministers of the Spirit and Ministers of the Grace they answer the Spirit and the Grace and Truth in all in which all that do Minister have Unity and through which they have Fellowship with God and Christ G. F. Not to be over-thoughtful of the things of this World FRiends Epist 268. Did not God provide for Man and Woman before he made them Did he not make all things in Six Days And the sixth Day he made Man in the Image of God in Righteousness and Holiness And therefore Christ who is the Son of God who comes to restore Man up again into the Image of God Not to be over-thoughtful and leads Man up into his Image in Righteousness and Holiness as he was in before he fell Doth he not reprove such as take thought and told them of their little Faith and that they could not add one Cubit to the Stature that God had made and it was the Practice of the Heathens and of the Gentiles to take thought So it 's clear before God made Man he took care for him but after Man was fallen from the Image of God and his Righteousness he took care and toiled though he cannot add one Cubit to his Stature in the Lord's Work For thou maist sow thy Seed in the Ground or Garden thou maist have much Cattel But trust in the Lord for all and other things but yet there is no increase but by the Lord neither of thy Seed nor of thy Cattle for is not the Earth the Lord's and the Fulness thereof Mark and doth he not give the increase who upholds all things by his Word and Power who is the Creator of all and provided for Man before he made him and set him in Dominion over all the Works of his Hands which Dominion Man lost Man lost Righteousness and Holiness in his disobeying the Command of God Christ restores Man into the Image of God which Christ comes to restore Man to and sets Man above all again as he was in the Beginning and up to his own State beyond Adam before he fell to him that never fell And so all that believe in the Light as Christ commanded in the Light they see they cannot add Cubit to the Stature and so they come to grow in the Faith in Christ and in God And so herein hath the Lord the Praise of his Works and all things praise him who hath created them all to his Honour and to his Glory and to his Praise and Man to glorifie him in Righteousness and Holiness in the Image of God and of Christ Jesus above all other Creatures in the Covenant of God in the Covenant of Light and Life in Christ Jesus Him by whom the World was made by him they praise and please God and in their pleasing God they Honour God and Christ G. F. Concerning the single Language ALL Friends Epist 269. that do believe in the Light as Christ hath commanded you and are become Children of Light keep to the proper Speech Proper Speech Thou to One and You to many that is Thee and Thou to a singular and You to many as you may see throughout the Scriptures it was the Language of God and Christ his Prophets and Apostles and all good Mens though it is the Practice of the First Birth and of the Flesh to say You when they should say Thou therefore take you heed of Flattery to please Men and of letting the World's Spirit over you though they have learn'd in their Grammar and Accidence and other teaching Books the Plural and Singular Language yet they speak Plural when they should speak Singular to One. G. F. FOR all that be gathered in the Name of Jesus Epist 270. and are mad a live by him and quickned by him they come to the Flock of Christ and know where they feed at Noon-Day they are gathered into the Name of Jesus Christ Salvation in no other Name than the Name of Jesus whose Name is above every Name and know that there is no Salvation under the whole Heaven but in the Name of Jesus in the Testimony that they have of Jesus which is the Spirit by which they see Jesus and see his Pastures of Life see his Springs of Life and his Rivers of Life and his Bread of Life and see the Foot-steps of the Flock the Testimony of Jesus the Spirit by which they see him and his Flock and they see the barren Mountains they have been upon and come off from And therefore all you that be gathered into the Name of Jesus and walk in the Path of the Just where the Footsteps of the Flock are quench not the Spirit in any and if any
Heart and Mouth to obey it and do it by which Word I am born again of the Immortal Seed which lives and abides and endures for ever by which Word I have Milk to give freely to Babes and Sucklings So the Possessors have Breasts and the Possessors Breasts are not dry Glory to the Lord for ever So no more but Love and God Almighty preserve you in his Wisdom that is pure and gentle from above by which you may be all ordered and order all that you have under your Hands to his Glory And keep in the Unity of the Holy Spirit which is the Bond of Peace of the Prince of Princes Peace which is every one of your Duty to keep this heavenly Peace of the Prince of Princes which none can take away from you for you are bound with the Spirit to keep it so that your Praise may be in the Gospel that you may admonish and exhort all that does profess the Truth of the Gospel that they may walk in the Truth and as becomes the Gospel and that every one that does profess Christ Jesus and has received him may walk in him in the new and living Way out of the old Way G. F. TO all Friends that live in the Truth Epist 302. and by it are become God's Free-men and Women and by the Truth and Power of God are brought out of the Worlds vain Fashions and Customs in their Feastings and Revelings and Banquetings and Wakes and other vain Feastings where they spoil the Creatures and dishonour the Lord God more those Times and Days which they call Holy Days and Feast Days than any other Times and Days and therefore you that are brought out of such things and do see the Vanity and Folly of them and likewise you that are brought out of all the extravagant Feastings of Compannies in Corporations and of making of Feasts when the Masters of Companies are Chose and Cunstables and Head-Burroughs you see their Vanity and their Folly and Madness in their destroying of the Creatures to the Reproach of Christianity and the Dishonour of God and the Blaspheming of his Name and many times through the abusing of themselves by excess are more like Beasts than Men in these things and doings and therefore as you do see the Folly and Vanity of all such Doings in their voluptuous and vain Feastings and cannot observe their evil Customs then that vain Spirit is in a great Rage and Fury because you have and do break off Fellowship with them in all this their vain Customs And therefore you that are redeemed from these things by Christ and from the Feasting of the Rich and all other their Vanities and voluptuous Dishonouring of God therein I say to you mind and practise Christ's words as you may read in Lake 13.14 Christ saith When thou makest a Dinner call not thy Friends nor thy Brethren neither Kinfolks nor thy Rich Neighbours lest they also bid thee again and a Recompence be made thee but when thou doest make a Feast call the Poor the Maimed the Lame and the Blind and thou shalt be blessed for they cannot recompence thee again but thou shalt be recompenced at the Resurrection of the Just So here you may see how Christ ordereth thee to make a Feast or a Dinner and to whom contrary to the World and tho' it be a cross to them yet it is to be obeyed and observed and practised for it is the heavenly Man's Doctrine and Command and Will and he that doth it shall know his Doctrine and this will judge the World in their vain Feasts Dinners and Suppers which they make for the Rich for which they have selfe Reward but Christ's command being obeyed denieth self and hath the Lord's Recompence and all that call him Lord should do as the Lord commandeth and they that are his Disciples and do love him will keep his Commands for saith Christ If you love them that love you what thank have you For Sinners also loves those that love them And if you do good to them that do good to you what thank have you For Sinners also do even the same So give and it shall be given unto you Good Measure pressed down shaken together and running over into your Bosoms and the Lord is kind to the unthankful and therefore be ye Merciful as your heavenly Father is Merciful Luke 6. And therefore as you have forsaken all the World 's vain Feastings and Dinners and Suppers if so give the Blind the Lame the Maimed the Widow the Fatherless and the Poor a Feast or a Dinner and obey Christ the heavenly Man's Doctrine tho' it do cross old earthly Adam's Will and Practices and though he be angry never heed him but obey the Lord. G. F. DEar Friends Epist 303. all be Faithful in the Eternal Power of God that is over all I say keep in this Power of God that you may answer that of God in all and not that which is contrary for the Kingdom standeth in Power and in Righteousness and Joy in the Holy Ghost So that which doth not live in the Power and Righteousness and Joy in the Holy Ghost cometh not into the Kingdom So this Kingdom and Power and Righteousness and Holy Ghost in which is the Joy is over all and this Kingdom standeth not in Word but in Power So know one another in the Power and in the Spirit of God who is a Spirit know and confess Christ in his Death and Sufferings and in his Resurrection So no more but my Love in him Worcester Prison the 21st of the â—th Month 1673. G. F. To Friends in Virginia DEar Friends to whom is my Love Epist 304. I am glad to hear of the Increase of Truth amongst you and the Lord prosper his Work and increase People in his Knowledge who will fulfil his Promise That the Knowledge of the Lord shall cover the Earth as the Waters covers the Sea in the New Covenant though in the Old Covenant the Word was to Jacob and the Statutes to Israel the like was not to other Nations but the New Covenant is to all Nations Jews and Gentiles For I will give him for a Covenant of Light to the Gentiles and he shall be my Salvation to the ends of the Earth therefore he saith Look unto me all ye ends of the Earth and be ye saved And there is no Salvation by any other Name under Heaven but by the Name of Jesus which signifies a Saviour And in his Name keep your Mens and Womens and all your other Meetings that you may feel Him in the midst of you exercising his Offices as he is a Prophet which God has raised up to open to you and as he is a Shepherd who has laid down his Life for you to feed you so hear his Voice and as he is a Councellor and a Commander follow Him and his Counsel and as he is a Bishop to oversee you with his heavenly Power and Spirit
Moon that shall be turned into Darkness before the Notable Day of the Lord come and where this Notable Day of the Lord is seen and by whom it is seen they see the Glorious Son of God the Son of Righteousness by whom was all things who is over all things who is the Head of his People and dwells in them who is present with them and who was and will be to all Eternity of whose Kingdom there is no end who is God over all blessed for ever Kinston the 1st of the 7th Month 1674. G. F. MY Dear Friends in England Epist 308. and all parts of the World the Gospel which is the Power of God which you have received from the Beginning Given forth in the time of his Sickness in Worcester Prison 1674. keep in it and the Fellowship of it in which there is neither Sect nor Schism but an Everlasting Fellowship and an Everlasting Order which Gospel brings Life and Immortality to Light in every one of your Hearts and lets you see over him that hath darkned you Now every Man and Woman here will have a Testimony in their own Hearts Friends to have their Fellowship in the Truth of this Order and Fellowship being Heirs and Inheritors of it by which you will see over all the Jalse Orders and Fellowships that are or may be fet up or made Therefore it is good for every one to keep their Habitation For those that went in Cain's Way as the Apostles speaks of they envied the Apostles that kept the Fellowship And Corah's Way and Balaam's Way these were them that had been great Professors that envied the Apostles For mark it was the Way of such as were of Cain Corah and Balaam's Spirit to oppose the Power who were against Abel and Moses and the Apostles and so there began the Apostacy and there came up the many Orders amongst them in the Apostacy So that at last the Gospel-Order was lost amongst them And keep the Cospel-Order and the Government of Christ and his Worship and the Beast was then set up And therefore now the Gospel-Order is to be set up again and the Government of Christ Jesus by them that be Heirs of him and of his Government who is First and Last the Beginning and the End of the increase of whose Government there is no End Now I say you that be Heirs of Christ possess him and walk in him and as you have received him so walk all in Peace and Love and live in his Worship in the Spirit and Truth which the Devil is out of And at your General Assemblies of the Ministry at London or elsewhere examine as it was at the first whether all the Ministers that goes forth into the Countries The Ministers to watch over one another do walk as becomes the Gospel For that you know was one End of that Meeting to prevent and take away Scandal And to examine whether all do keep in the Government of Christ Jesus that preach him and in the Order of the Gospel and to exhort them that doth not For the Foundation is already laid which is Christ and his Government is set up of the increase of which there is no end So had all these called Christians kept in his Order and Government they had not troubled themselves and others with so many Disorders if he had been Head of their Church so if you keep in the Gospel-Order and Government of Christ Jesus you will keep out of the Apostacy which they have been in and the many false Orders That more go from Gospel-Order to the Apost acy and Governments that they went into and made one against another when they went from the true as you may see in the Scriptures of Truth that it was some high Cain and Corah-like Spirits that did so for Cain was able to build a City And Corah that opposed the Chief Leader Moses was of the Princes of the People And so these opposed with their many Orders the true Order And Balaam that was able to teach a Nation and Prophesie before a King and made the Children of Israel to stumble by his bad Counsel These were Men of Esteem these are them the World went after these came to ride upon the People and such as these opposed Abel Moses and Christ the Leader and Governor and his Apostles and set up the many Orders and Governments in their Churches and broke all into Sects And therefore Friends if you keep under Christ the Governor who governs his Church in Righteousness and who is a Prophet and Preacher and keep in his Gospel-Order none of these can deceive you let them come with never so fair Pretences For Christ bruises the Serpent's Head who is the Head of all false Teachers and false Orders that are not in his Power and is the First and Last and therefore keep in his Power and in the Vnity of his Spirit which is the Bond of Peace Mark the Pure Holy Eternal invisible Spirit of God is the Bond of Peace Therefore forfeit not your Bond of the Prince of Princes for if you do you lose your Life and go into Death and into an evil Spirit and break the Prince of Princes Peace so that you lose your Peace with him Christ Jesus And therefore it concerns all that profess themselves to be Ministers to be humble else they are no Learners of Christ not to be harsh nor high minded but walk as Examples amongst God's Flock and not to be Lords over God's Inheritance but let him be Lord whose Right it is c. And you have known the manner of my Life G. F's great Labour in the Gospel the best part of Thirty Years since I went forth and forsook all things I sought not my self I sought you and his Glory that sent me and when I turned you to him that is able to save you I left you to him And my Travels hath been great in Hungers and Colds when there was few for the first Six or Seven Years that I often lay in Woods and Commons in the Night that many times it was as a by-word That I would not come into Houses and lie in their Beds and the Prisons have been made my Home a great part of my time and in danger of my Life and in Jeopardy daily And amongst you I have made my self of no Reputation to keep the Truth up in Reputation as you all very well know it that be in the Fear of God With the low I made my self low and with the weak and feeble I was as one with them and condescended to all Conditions for the Lord had fitted me so before he sent me forth and so I passed through great Sufferings in my Body as you have been sensible And few at the first took Care for the establishing Men and Womens Meetings tho' they were generally owned when they understood them but the Everlasting God that sent me forth by his Everlasting
did not despise Communication with a Woman And she instructed the Priest and the King's Scribe which came to her So neither King nor Priest did despise this Propheress's Teaching and Instruction but obeyed it as you may see what a large Sermon she preached to them in 2 Kings 22. from 14 to the end And you may see Abigail that honourable Woman's Wisdom Abigail's Conduct and advice to David how she saved her FAmily and her House from DesTruction Yet she did not go to ask her Husband old churlish Nabal at home but she who was innocent and wise took it upon her self and you may see what a brave Sermon she preached to David who heard her patiently and she tole David how that he was bound up in the bundle of Life with the Lord God And David blessEd the Lord God that she come to him and said The Lord God of Israel had sent her that day to meet him and said Blessed be thy Advice and blessed be thou which hast kept me this day from shedding Blood as you may read in 1 Sam. 25th And was not this a Noble and Honourable Act of his Woman which prevented so much Evil and Blood-shed which her Husband had like to have brought upon them So David did not despise the Counsel of this honourable Woman who was wiser than her Husband Nabal And now must not the Virgins in the time of the Gospel trim their Lamps and get Oil into their own Lamps by labouring in the Grace Light and Power of Christ and keep their Lamps trimmed and always burning In the time of the Law it was Aaron the Priest's Office but in the time of the Gospel all the Virgin Minds must trim their Lamps that their Lamps may burn the clearer and to see that they have Oil in their Lamps from the heavenly Olive-Tree Christ Jesus And therefore they that would not have the Virgins and Women to be diligent serving the Lord in his heavenly Business and Service their Lamps are going out and they are become Fools and would have others like themselves And the Lord sent Elijah in the time of the Famine Widom of Zaphath's Faith and said unto him Behold I have commanded a Widow Woman to sustain thee and he arose and went to Zarephath and when he came to the Gate of the City the Widow-Woman was gathering Sticks to make a Fire to bake her a Cake who had but one handful of Meal and a little Oil in a Cruce and yet in Faith she made the Man of God a Cake though she had no more than his that she and her Son might eat and then die but her Meal wasted not nor her Cruce of Oil according to the Word of the Lord and so the Lord blessed his Woman as you may see in 1 Kings 17. And in the 2d of Kings and the 4th there you may see the Faith of the Widow-Woman and how largely she spoke unto the Prophet Elisha and how the Lord encreased her stock of Oil through her Belief and Faithfulness And Elisha passed unto Shunnim And the Shunamite Woman's Hospitality to the Prophet where there was a great Woman and she constrained him to eat Bread and so it was as oft as he passed by that he truned in thither to eat Bread and she said unto her Husband Behold now I perceive that this is a Holy Man of God which passes by us continually let us make him a little Chamber I pray thee on the Wall and let us set for him there a Bed and a Table and a Stool and a CandlesTick and it shall be that when he comes to us that he shall turn in thither Now to this good Action of this holy Woman was her Husband subject and how she was blest afterwards for her Faithfulness and receiving of the Man of God Now the Prophet of the Lord did not despise this Woman's speaking in the time of the Law Neither did Solomon despise the Prophesie his Mother taught him Prov. 31. And David said The Lord gave the Word and great was the Company of those that published it psalm 68.11 And the King's Daughter was among the honourable Women So there were the honourable Woman that feared and served the Lord God in the time of the Law and before the Law But now there should be much more in the time of the Gospel Women should be more Servicealle in the Church in the time of the Gospel than they were under the Law which is preached to every Creature which Gospel-Light has enlightned every Man that cometh into the World and in the time of the Covenant of Grace which hath appeared unto all Men to teach them and bring their Salvation And so in the time of the Gospel Light and Grace the honourable Women should be meet helps and Fellow-labourers together in the Work and Service of the Lord as Man and Woman was before they fell and as they were in the time of the Law For that honourable Deborah which was a valiant Mother in Israel Deborah a valiant Mother in Israel was a Judge and a Prophetess Judges 5. And Jephtha's Daughter was not she a vertuous young Woman and see what a Sermon she preached to her Father and said to him Jeptha's Daughter vertuous Let me go up to the Mountains to bewail my Virginity and he said unto her Go and she went and her Companions Fellow-Virgins and she said unto her Father As thou hast opened thy Mouth unto the Lord so do unto me according to what hath proceeded out of thy Mouth forasmuch as the Lord hath taken Vengeance for thee of thy Enemies And the Daughters of Israel went yearly to lament the Daughter of Jeptha Judges 11. So here they had a Yearly Meeting upon this Occasion But the Assemblies of the Women about the Works and Services the Lord commanded was beyond this And Manoah Sampson's Mother Manoah had more Faith than her Huaband unto whom the Angel of the Lord appeared and declared unto her great things which she declared unto her Husband but her Husband did not reprove her and when her was in fear that they should die then his Wife encouraged him saying If the Lord were pleased to kill us he would not have rceived a Brunt-Offering and heave shewed us all these things And here you may see the steadfastness of this Woman's Faith beyond her Husband 's as in Judges 13. And the Woman of Tekoah see what a Sermon she preached to King David 2 Sam. 14. And you may see what a large Sermon the Woman of the City of Abel preached unto Joab the General she told him The wise Woman of the City Abel she was one of htme that were peaceable and faithful in Israel and thou seekest to destroy a City and a Mother of Israel why wilt thou swallow up th Inheritance of the Lord So she convinced him and preserved the City And so these and such Women are recorded to Posterity for their
Lord is good to all and his tender Mercies are over all his works Psalm 145.8 9. The Righteous considereth the Cause of the Poor but the wicked regardeth not to know it to wit the Cause of the Poor what Condition they are in And consider the Poor Prov. 29.7 And if thy Brother be waxen poor and fallen in decay with thee then shalt thou relieve him yea though he be a Stranger or a Sojourner that he may live with thee Lev. 25.35 The Poor is hated even of his Neighbour but the Rich hath many Friends but he that is merciful to the Poor happy is he Prov. 14. 20 21. He that oppresseth the Poor reproaches his Maker but he that honoureth him to wit his Maker hath Mercy on the Poor Prov. 14.31 Whoso mocks the Poor reproaches his Maker Prov. 17.5 Whoso stops his Ears at the Cry of the Poor he also shall cry himself but shall not be heard Prov. 21.13 The Lord maketh Poor and maketh Rich he bringeth low and lifteth up I Sam. 2.7 Therefore I command thee thou shalt open thy Hand wide unto thy Brother to thy Poor and to thy Needy in the Land saith the Lord Deut. 15.11 The Poor useth Entreaties but the Rich answereth roughly Prov. 18.23 Here you may see what Care the Lord lays upon his People to look after the Poor Widows and Fatherless both in the time of the Law and in the time of the Gospel and how that they should obey him in his Commands the Lord God who created all and gives the encrease of all and gives Man and Woman good things both Temporal and Spiritual to do good withal So the Lord is to be obeyed and his Truth is to be practised and the pure Religion that in undefiled before God and the Father is above all Religions in the World And this Religion is To visit the Widows and Fatherless in their Affliction Of the pure unspotted Religion and to keep himself unspotted from the World mark unspotted from the World And this Religion is above the Papists that must have a Purgatory to wash off their Spots of the World and above those Potestants that plead they must have a Body of Death and Sin to the Grave with which they are spotted like Leopards And these are the Religions of the World and are not the pure and undefiled Religion before God and the Father and their Fatherless and Widows in their Afflictions are not visited as they ought to be And therefore you who are come to be of this Pure Religion that is undefiled before God and the Father and do visit the Widows and Fatherless in their Afflictions and do keep your selves unspotted from the World you are of the Religion that was not set up by Man but by Christ and his Apostles above Sixteen Hundred Years since by which you see over all the Religions set up since and see therefore that you practise it And Job said If I did despise the Cause of my Man-Servant Not to despise the Cause of the Poor or of my Maid-Servant when they contended with me what then shall I do when God shall arise and when he visiteth what shall I answer him See the Care of this patient Man Is not this for all the true Christians to practise Job 31. ver 13 14 15. And saith Job Did not he that made me in the Womb make him and did not one fashion us in the Womb Verse 15. And if I have with-held the Poor from their Desire or have caused the Eyes of the Widow to fail or have eaten my Morsel my self alone and the Fatherless have not eaten thereof for from my youth he was brought up with me as with a Father and I have guided her to wit the Widow from my Mother's Womb If I have seen any perish for want of Clothing or any poor without Covering if his Loins have not blessed me But to relieve the oppressed and the stranger and if he were not warmed with the Fleece of my Sheep if I have lift up my Hand against the Fatherless when I saw my Help in the Gate then let mine Arm fall from my Shoulder-blade and mine Arm be broken from the Bone The Stranger did not lodge in the Street but I opened my Doors for the Traveller Job 31. Did not I weep for him that was in Trouble was not my Soul grieved for the Poor Now here ye may all see the Actions and Practice of this Man by his practising the pure Religion So it is not a Talk but a walking in it as you may see in Job 30 31 Chapters And blessd is he that considereth the Poor the Lord will deliver him in time of Trouble Psalm 41.1 Now all you that profess God and Christ see how you walk in the Steps of these good Men and Women and not only to talk as they did but do and practise as they did for it is not every one that saith Lord Lord enters the Kingdom but be that doth what he commands And Christ saith Ye call me Lord and Master and ye say well for so I am and if I then your Lord and Master have washed your Feet Of Self-denial ye also ought to wash one another's Feet For I have given you an Example that ye should do as I have done unto you And if ye know these things happy are ye if ye do them John 13.17 And Christ saith Not every one that saith unto me Lord Lord shall enter into the Kingdom of Heaven but he that doth the Will of my Father which is in Heaven Matth. 7.21 So all People may see by Christ's own Words that their Saying and Speaking of God and Christ and his Prophets and Apostles signifies nothing except they Do his Will that is Practise it and be obedient to what be commands and requires G. F. To Friends in Cumberland DEar Friends Epist 332. Who are gathered in the Name of Jesus by whom all things were made and created who upholds all things by his Word and Power To be faithful in Sufferings and gives the increase of all things the Earth is his and the fulness thereof And therefore let your Minds and Hearts be with the Lord and your Care cast upon him And though the Lord is pleased now to try you and to exercise you in Sufferings and permits your Persecutors to spoil your Goods or cast you into Prison to try whether your Minds be in him or in the outward things he gives you Yet let not visible things separate you from the Love of God in Christ Jesus nor no Persecutions amaze you nor separate your Minds from the Love of God For all things shall work together for Good to them that love God for the Love of God bears all things and suffer all things and they that spoil the Goods of the Innocent and cast them into Prison for serving and worshipping of God the Lord fees it and beholds it and so leave them to
they that separate themselves such as have not the Spirit But Beloved build up your selves in the most holy Faith praying in the Holy Ghost and keep your selves in the Love of God Jude Now I praise you Brethren that ye remember me in all things and keep the Ordinances as I delivered them unto you and the rest will I set in order when I come 1 Cor. 2.11 34. Paul in his Second Epistle to the Thessalonians Chap. 3.4 And we have Confidence in the Lord touching you that ye both do and will do the things which we command you Now we command you Brethren in the Name of our Lord Jesus Christ that ye withdraw your selves from every Brother that walketh disorderly and not after the Tradition which he received of us Now we exhort you Brethren to warn them that are unruly and comfort the feeble-minded and support the weak and be patient towards all Men for ye your selves are taught of God to love one another and that ye study to be quiet and walk honestly to them that are without and that ye may have lack of nothing 1 Thess 5.14 And in 2 Thess 2.15 Therefore Brethren stand fast and hold the Traditions which you have been taught whether by Word or our Epistle G. F. DEar Friends Epist 348. To whom is my Love in the heavenly Seed Christ Jesus Abraham and all the Faithful blessed in Christ without the Deeds of the Law in whom all Nations are blessed O therefore keep all in this Seed in which ye are blessed and in which Abraham and all the faithful were blessed without the Deeds of the Law and so the Promise was and is to the Seed and not to the Law of the first Covenant and in this Seed all Nations and ye are blessed which bruiseth the Head of the Seed which brought the Curse and separated between Man and God This is the Seed which reconciles you to God and this is the Seed in which ye are blessed both in Temporals and Spirituals through which you have an Inheritance that cannot be defiled among the sanctified neither can any defiled thing enter into its Possession for all Defilements are out of this Seed this is that which Leavens up into a New Lump and bruiseth the Head of the wicked Seed that Leavens into the Old Lump upon whom the Sun of Righteousness goes down and sets but never goes down nor sets to them that walk in the Seed in which all Nations are blessed by which Seed they are brought up to God which puts down that Seed which separated betwixt them and God so that there comes to be nothing betwixt them and God And so now all my Dear Friends my Desires are To be valiant for Truth and to spread it abroad That you may all be valiant in this heavenly Seed for God and his Truth upon the Earth and spread it abroad answering that of God in all that with it the Minds of People may be turned towards the Lord that he may come to be known and served and worshipped and that ye may all be the Salt of the Earth to make the unseasoned Savoury And in the Name of Jesus keep your Meetings who are gathered into it in whose Name ye have Salvation and he in the midst of you whose Name is above every Name under the whole Heaven And so you have a Prophet and Bishop Shepherd Priest and Counsellor above all the Counsellors Priests Bishops Prophets and Shepherds under the whole Heaven to exercise his Offices among you in your Meetings that are gathered in his Name And so Christ's Meeting and Gathering is above all the Meetings and Gatherings under the whole Heaven And so his Body his Church and He the Head of it is above all the Bodies and Churches and Heads under the whole Heaven And so the Faith that Christ is the Author of and the Worship that he hath set up and his Fellowship in his Gospel is above all Historical Faiths and the Faith 's that Men have made together with their Worships and Fellowships under the whole Heaven And now Dear Friends Light and Immortality brought to Light keep your Men and Womens Meetings in the Power of God the Gospel the Authority of them which brings Life and Immortality to light in you And this Gospel the Power of God will preserve you in Life and in Immortality which hath brought it to light in you that ye may see over him that hath darkned you and so from the Knowledge of the things of God And so it is he and his Iustruments that would darken you from Life and Immortality and that would throw down your Men and Womens Meetings which are established in the Power of God the Gospel and would darken you again from this Life and Immortality which the Gospel hath brought to light and will preserve you in Life and in Immortality as your Faith stands in the Power of God the Gospel in which every one sees your Work and Service for God and every Heir of the Power of God the Gospel hath Right to this Authority which is not of Man nor by Man which Gospel the Power of God is Everlasting and leads you into an everlasting Fellowship and in the Gospel is everlasting Joy Comfort and Peace which will-out-last all those Joys Comforts and Peace that will have an End and also that Spirit that opposes its Order and the glorious Fellowship Peace and Comfort that is in it And now my Dear Friends my Desire is By the Spirit are we all baptized into one Body That ye may keep in the Unity of the Spirit that Baptises you all into one Body which Christ is the Heavenly and Spiritual Head of so that you may see and witness to your Heavenly and Spiritual Head and all drink into that one Spirit which all People upon the Earth is not like to drink into while they grieve quench and rebel against it nor be baptised into one Body nor keep the Vnity of the Spirit which is the Bond of Peace Yea the King of Kings and Lord of Lords Peace which is the Duty of all true Christians to keep who are inwardly united to Christ So with my Love in the Everlasting Seed Swarthmore the 26th of the 7th Month 1678. G. F. To Friends in the County of Oxford DEar Friends Epist 349. Keep in the Lord's Power that his Kingdom stands in In what the Kingdom of God stands and in Righteousness and Peace and Joy in the Holy Ghost which the Devil and all his Instruments of Strife and Debate and Sowers of Discord among Brethren are out of and keep that Spirit out with the Power of God which was before it was in which Gospel the Power of God is your Holy and Heavenly Order in the Possession of the same Labour walking in the New and Living Way over all the dead Ways in Adam let them be what Sect they will and in this New and Living Way you
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
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
hath Righteousness with Vnrighteousness And what Communion hath Light with Darkness And what Concord hath Christ with Belial And what part hath he that Believeth with an Infidel Mark Part and what agreement hath the Temple of God with Idols Wherefore come out from among them and be ye separate saith the Lord and touch no unclean thing and I will receive you and I will be a Father unto you that is take care for you and ye shall be my Sons and Daughters saith the Lord God Almighty And therefore if God's Sons and Daughters must be separated from all such things without and not to touch them neither to have an agreement or unity with them nor be yoked with such Actions and Actors without and not touch such as act such things Then are they not to be separated from all such Actions and Actors within and not to touch such as act such things though he be called a Brother or Sister seeing such Actions makes them Infidels and like Belial and bring them into Darkness And if there be no Fellowship Communion Yoaking or Agreement with such Actions and Actors without then what Yoaking Communion or Fellowship and Agreement mark Agreement can there be with such as act such things within that is called a Brother or Sister or keep Company with such or Eat with such that have a form of Godliness but deny the Power Therefore such Leapers that defile the Camp of God ought to be turned out of it till they be healed and cleansed from such Leprosies as knowing that such Actions and Actors are out of the Kingdom of God and out of the Holy City New and Heavenly Jerusalem And no unclean thing comes into the Kingdom of God nor enters into the Kingdom the Holy City And none comes into the Holy City but by Repentance and being turned and changed from all manner of Evil and Uncleanness whatsoever The Adulterer is brought to a Morsel of Bread and the Sloathful goes in Raggs But the Vertuous are Happy and the Diligent are Rich that serve the Lord. To have no Fellowship with the Works of Darkness Therefore have no Fellowship with the unfruitful Works of Darkness but rather reprove them For the Church of Christ's Fellowship that are the Believers is in the Light which is the Life in Christ And so their Fellowship is with the Father and the Son and their Communion is in the Holy Ghost which proceeds from the Father and the Son And therefore the Church of Christ is to abstain from every Appearance of Evil And if they are to abstain from every Appearance of Evil then they cannot joyn or have unity with them where Evil appears And again the Apostle saith to the Church of the Thessalonians That they were to study to be quiet and to do their own business and to work with their own hands and to walk honestly towards them that are without and that ye may have lack of nothing So here you may see the Diligence in the Truth that the Apostle exhorted the Church to Practice First They are all to study to be quiet Secondly They are all to do their own business and work with their own hands that they may lack nothing None to be busie Bodies And Thirdly To walk honestly towards them that are without And if they walk honestly towards them that are without they must walk honestly to them that are within For the Apostle had some occasion to write to the Thessalonians upon the Matter For saith he we hear that there are some which walk among you disorderly working not at all but are busie Bodies Now them that are such we command and exhort by our Lord Jesus Christ that with quietness they work and eat their own Bread And if any Man obey not our Word by this Epistle note that Man c. and have no company with him that he may be ashamed Yet count him not as an Enemy but admonish him as a Brother You may see there were not those gross Evils charged upon him as were upon some among the Corinthians So you may see the Apostle's care in the Church of Christ was to keep all things clean and pure and all diligent in their places serving the Lord and not to be busie Bodies and talkers about other Men's business but to be quiet and not idle but doing their own business that they may lack nothing and so eat their own Bread Natural and Spiritual Now the Apostle speaks of Widows in his first Epistle to Timothy Chap. 5. what sort of Widows they were to receive To instruct the Elder as Fathers and the younger Men as Brethren And ye may see first the decent and lovely Practice in the Church of Christ Rebuke not an Elder but intreat him as a Father and younger Men as Brethren and the elder Women as Mothers and the younger Women as Sisters with all purity So are these to be intreated And honour Widows that are Widows indeed And if any Widow have Children or Nephews let them learn mark learn first to shew piety at home and requite their Parents for that is good and acceptable before God So this Piety must be learn'd and shewed at home and these the Widows must learn to look to Here these Widow-women have a service and in the first place they must learn to shew Piety at home and to their Parents and Nephews and to shew it abroad then in the Church of Christ So all must learn this Lesson to shew Piety to their Children and Nephews and to requite their Parents For this Practice and Service is good and acceptable before God Now the State of desolate Widows She that is a Widow indeed A Widow indeed and desolate trusteth in God and continueth in Supplications and Prayers night and day But she that lives in Pleasure is dead while she lives These things give in charge that they may be blameless But if any provide not for his own and especially for those of his own House he has denied the Faith and is worse than an Infidel mark that is worse than the World For the Faith brings every Man and every Widow to be diligent and to provide for their own that is their Children and Nephews or Kindred and Parents as before But the Apostle says Especially those of his own House And so here is Piety to be shewn still two ways For his own and especially to those of his own House or Family and here are Nephews and Parents as before mentioned Again the Apostle saith Let not a Widow be taken into the Number under Threescore Years Old c. Mark here was a Number that the Widow was to be taken into and the Widow that was to be taken into this Number see her qualifications before she come into the Number She must be well reported of for good Works if she have brought up Children The Qualifications of a Widow indeed if she have lodged Strangers if she have washed the
chaste Mind And therefore they are not like to expect a Blessing in this Life nor in that which is to come without great Judgment and Repentance Therefore such Actions are to be reproved that they may be brought into Chastity Vertue and Piety and to the Adorning the hidden Man of the Heart which is not corruptible and the Ornament of a meek and quiet Spirit which Ornament or Adorning is acceptable with the Lord. For after this manner in Old Time the Holy Women who trusted in God adorned themselves And likewise such To keep Covenant in Marriage as after they are married break their Covenant in Marriage such go from the Spirit of God and his Joining and from the Spiritual Society of God's People and their Unity and Fellowship Such are to be reproved by the Spirit of God And if they do not return after Reproof Friends cannot have Unity or Fellowship with them but turn away from them though they may have the Form of Godliness and have been called a Sister or a Brother but have denied the Power of Godliness Therefore all must abide in Christ the Vine if they bring forth Fruit to the Glory and Praise of God Amen The Apostle says Now we command you Brethren in the Name of our Lord Jesus Christ that ye withdraw your selves from every Brother that walks disorderly c. 2 Thess 3. Now The Case of old Eli a Warning to Parents Dear Friends consider old Eli's Case who did admonish his Children but because he did not restrain them from the Follies and the Evils they run into therefore the Lord brought his Judgments upon him that he lost his Childrens Lives and his Priesthood and his own Life And do you think that this was not written for an Example that others should be warned hear and fear And was not the Gospel and the Law given forth to restrain People from Sin and Evil and such things as dishonour God G. F. An Epistle to all Friends every where FRiends Epist 390. This is the Word of the Lord unto you all All live in the Seed in which all Nations are blest in which Seed you are blest every way Christ the Blessing of all Nations in your rising up and lying down in your goings forth and comings in And you have the Blessings from above and the Blessings from beneath in this Holy Seed yea the Blessings of him that dwelt in the Bush that made the very Ground Holy that Moses trod upon who brings you out of the World which is as a Bushy Thorny Wilderness that ye might dwell in this blessed Seed in which all Nations are blest which bruises the Serpent's Head who was the first Questioner and Tempter and Lyar and Deceiver and Man and Woman by harkening or giving Ear to this Questioner Lyar and Tempter the Serpent they fell from their Habitation in the Image of God and so went out of their Habitation and Service that God had placed them in and commanded them to do But the Seed of the Woman is come that bruises the Serpent's Head in which Seed Christ all Nations are blest And all you who live and walk in this Seed you live in him that bruises the Serpent's Head that Lyar Tempter and Questioner yea and every one by this Seed Christ may be renewed up into the Image of God as Adam and Eve were in in the Beginning Then you are all in your Habitations of Life and Truth and the Image of God and in it you know your Services Vnruly Talkers that the Lord God Almighty commands you And you living in this Holy Seed you live over all vain unruly Talkers and vain Disputers Men of corrupt Minds which have the Form of Godliness but deny the Power thereof All you as live in the Seed that bruises the Serpent's Head turn away from such for their Work is to destroy whose Words eat as a Canker who do profess Truth in Words and may have the Form of Godliness but in their Works deny the Power thereof who are to every good Work or Service Reprobated And these are as the raging Waves of the Sea and Tempests they are known by their tempestuous Spirits and its raging like a raging of the Sea cassing up Mire and Dirt a murdering Spirit like Cain a Gain-saying Spirit like Corah and erred from the true Spirit like Balaam No Rain in their Clouds no Water in their Wells nor Fruit on their Trees twice dead that is once dead and made alive and dead again so they cannot grow in the Truth Light nor the Spirit of God nor his Gospel but such corrupt the Earth and corrupt Peoples Minds are sowers of Discord Strife and Contention Co-workers with the Serpent to beguile the unstable Minds all such the Seed of God reigns over And therefore in this Holy Seed Christ all live and walk and shun such evil Spirits and their Works and all be establish'd in this Seed Christ Jesus that the Serpentine Spirit either by its Strife Vain Jangling Vain Disputing or its sowing of Dissention Tempting and Questioning not with feigned fair flattering inticing Words may not draw you out of your Habitation of the Seed Christ Jesus and the Image of God and your Work and Service in it that God and Christ Commands you And therefore beware of this Serpentine Spirit Beware of Doggs who will devour that you may not be deceived as Eve was and beware of Doggs that will bite and devour you and beware of Evil-workers though they have never such fair Words to deceive the Hearts of the simple Beware of false Prophets which are inwardly ravened from the Spirit of God and are become Wolves though they have got the Sheeps cloathing and the Words of Truth of Christ and his Apostles whose Fruits are as Thorns and Thistles But the Seed Christ that discovers all these things in him live grow up and walk and be established And beware of the Leaven of the Pharisees And of the Leaven of the Pharisees who make an outward Profession of the Holy Mens Words but are Persecuters of the Seed Christ Jesus in whom all Nations are blest and Despisers of his peaceable Government of the increase of which there is no end And into this blessed Seed the Serpent cannot come nor none of his Instruments nor his Angels which are evil Spirits And all the Doters about Questions and Strife of Words and the vain Janglers and vain perverse Disputers and Contenders and the sowers of Strife and Dissention Not to dote about Questions and strife of Words makers of Debate and Strife All these are out of the blessed peaceable Seed although they may profess the Truth of all the New and Old Testament in Words without the Power of God that they are turned away from and therefore they are to be turned away from the Trumpet of the Lord his Spirit and Power is blown against them though they have never such high swelling Words of
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
5. Now all Women may here consider what is to be the Practice of such Women that profess Godliness and trust in God their Adorning is the hidden Man of the Heart which is Incorruptible and their Ornament is to of a meek and quiet Spirit which is in the sight of God of great Price but those Women whose outward Adorning is with broidered and plaited Heir and Gold and Pearls and Costly Array these have not the modest Apparrel which become Modest Sober Shamefaced Women that profess Godliness with good Works but such as are Unsober and Immodest such as look upon such things to become them are cloathed with corruptible and unquiet Spirits that do not possest Godliness with good Works and these outward Ornaments as plaiting and broidering the Hair and wearing of Gold and Pearls and Costly Array the Apostle saith Do not become Women professing Godliness with good Works but them that do not profess Godliness that are Shameless and Unsober they may become such Women that do not trust in God their proud Spirit may lead them to adorn themselves with such things as is said before which the Apostle forbids but the holy Women of God which professed Godliness with good Works and trusted in God adorned themselves not with plaiting the Hair or wearing of Gold or Pearls or Costly Array but with 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 And now consider also you Women that profess Godliness and go under the name of Holy Women who trust in God see that your selves and your Children and all your young Women are Adorned and Arrayed and have on this Ornament as the Apostle wills the Church of Christ to put on as the holy Women did of old and be not of an unmeek and unquiet Spirit and unsober and immodest when you are admonished and exhorted nor act contrary to the holy Women of old that trusted in God and such as professed Godliness according to the Apostles Doctrine And here you may see what care the Apostles had to keep the Saints the Church of Christ their Eyes Minds and Spirits above the wearing of Gold plaiting their Hair and Pearls and Costly Apparrel which is the Glory of this World which the holy Women that trusted in God and professed Godliness with good Works these things were not to be their Adorning nor Ornaments but as is said before the hidden Man of the Heart which was not Corrupt even the meek and quiet Spirit which is with the Lord of great price And this ought to be and is the Adorning and Ornament of all the holy Women that profess Godliness with good Works and trust in God And all you that have been Convinced of the Lord's Truth by his Spirit To refuse the Glory of the World take heed of Satan taking you up into a Mountain and of his shewing you the Glory of the World and of your Minds and Eyes going after it and receiving of it and so in that you fall from the Spirit and Truth of God that did Convince you and then to worship the Devil the King of Pride the God of the World that abode not in the Truth in whom there is no Truth and he to lead your Minds and Eyes after every new vain Fashion of the World that passeth away and that lieth in wickedness and so draweth you to the Love of the World which is Enmity to God and into the Wisdom of the World by which ye do not know God and then to such the Gospel of Life and Salvation is hid in whom the God of this World hath blinded their Minds and in such disobedient Ones the Prince of the Air rules and gets into them by disobeying the Truth and in such Christ doth not rule in their Hearts by Faith And it is not like when they make Shipwreck of it and a good Conscience And therefore walk in the Light of Christ and grow in his Grace and the Knowledge of the Lord Jesus Christ that bruises the Serpent's Head and destroys the Devil and his Works that you may all be established upon Christ the Rock and Foundation And if ye do believe in the Covenant of Light Life and Grace then why do not you all train up your Children in the same To Train up our Children n the Coveant of Grace Did not the Lord command the Jews to train up their Children in the Old Covenant and teach them to walk in it And were not all the Males to be Circumcised And they that were not Circumcised were to be cut off from the Congregation of the Lord So are not all you that profess the New Covenant of Grace Light and Life and the Gospel of Salvation preached to every Creature and the Grace of God which brings Salvation that hath appeared unto all Men to teach them to live Godly and to deny Ungodliness c. I say are not you all to train up your Children and Families in this Light of the Gospel and Grace of Christ which brings Salvation and brings them into favour with God that you may have the Comfort of your Children in this World and in that which is Everlasting And that they may be Circumcised with the Spirit of God which he poureth out upon all Flesh that with his Spiritual Circumcision the Body of Death and Sins of the Flesh may be cut off which are come into Man and Woman by Transgression that neither you nor they might dye in the Body of Death and in the Sins of the Flesh and such do not dye in the Lord for they that are not Circumcised with the Spiritual Circumcision are cut off from the heavenly Jerusalem and the Kingdom of God and Christ and from the Church of the Living God written in Heaven And therefore if you will have the Comfort of your Children in this World and that which is to come train them up in the Fear of God and in his Covenant of Light and Grace which Grace brings their Salvation and brings them into Favour with God and into the Spiritual Baptism and Circumcision so that they may serve and worship the Living God in his Spirit and Truth Amen And if Children and young People must be left and let alone to themselves and not be Admonished Exhorted and Restrained from the Evil and Vanities of the World then why did Moses and the Prophets and the Apostles which were sent of God exhort the People to train up their Children in the Fear of the Lord and to teach them his Law while they were young that they might not depart from it when they were old And if that they did the Lord did judge them as ye may read in the Scriptures of Truth and if that they must be left to themselves and not restrained from Evil then how came it to pass that old Ely lost his Life and his Priesthood Ely
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
is no Death nor Night and the Nations of them that are saved shall walk in the Light of this New and Heavenly Jerusalem For the Glory of God doth enlighten it and the Lamb is the Light thereof and the Lord God and the Lamb are the Temple of this New and Heavenly Jerusalem that is from above and the Lord creates this Heavenly Jerusalem So this Heavenly and New Jerusalem is not made by the Workmanship of Mens Hands nor of Wood and Stone neither are People cast in Prison for not mending or repairing a Temple there for there is no outward Temple in the Heavenly Jerusalem for the Lord God Almighty and the Lamb are the Temple of it And the New Creatures that are in Christ Jesus and dwell in Love they dwell in God Such are in the Temple in Heavenly Jerusalem and are in Joy and in Fellowship with the Father and the Son blessed for ever Amen And Christ said to the Jews The Bread of God is he that cometh down from Heaven and giveth Life to the World No Persecution in New Jerusalem signifying that the World is Dead in Adam and wanteth Eternal Everlasting Life and they that eat not the Flesh of Christ and drink not his Blood have no Life in them For Adam and Eve by eating of the Fruit which God forbid them brought Death and all died in him but they that eat the Flesh of Christ the Bread from Heaven and drink his Blood have Eternal Life and shall live for ever and they do live by Christ and they do dwell in Christ and he doth dwell in them So you may see Adam and Eve by their eating of that which God forbad brought them into Spiritual Death and by eating the Flesh and drinking the Blood of Christ as he commands brings Men into a Spiritual Life that is Eternal And the Lord saith Ezek. 37. concerning the whole House of Israel which were the dry scattered Bones That he would open their Graves Of the Restoration of the House of Israel and bring them out of their Graves and yet these dry Bones which were the whole House of Israel that were in their Graves could speak who were the scattered Bones and say Behold our Bones are dry and our Hope is lost we are cut off for our parts So it seems that the whole House of Israel scattered Bones who were in their Graves could speak these words Then they were alive outwardly and their Breath was in their Nostrils but they were gone from the Breath of the Almighty that gives Life and Understanding Therefore the Lord poured his Spirit upon them and caused Breath to come upon them that they might live to God and so that they might all have one Shepherd namely Christ and come into his Everlasting Covenant and Christ their Sanctuary and then God's Tabernacle would be with them and then the Lord will be their God and they shall be his People G. F. To the Yearly Meeting in Yorkshire DEar Friends Epist 411. who are the Sons and Daughters of God who have his Law written in your Hearts by which you know God and Jesus Christ which is Eternal Life to know and you that have put on Christ Jesus are the New Creatures and are in him Clothed with Christ the Son of Righteousness To be Clothed with Christ who is the Light of the World and you that believe in the Light have the Light of Life and are Clothed with the Son of God that doth not change and are the true and living Members of the Church of Christ Jesus that is in God and have the Moon that is changeable under your Feet So all changable Religions Worships Ways Churches and Teachers which are like the Changeable Moon and the Changeable World with its Changeable Fashions the true Church of Christ that are Clothed with Christ the Son that doth not change hath all these Changeable Things like the Moon that changes under her Feet for the Son of God never changes for all things were made by him who is the First and Last the Beginning and Ending So as every one hath received Christ Jesus the Son of Righteousness walk in him to the Praise and Glory of God Amen London the 31st of the 3d Month 1686. G. F. To Friends in West-Jersey and Pensilvania DEar Friends Epist 412. I am glad to hear that the Truth 's Concerns is so well as it is with you and that you have set up your Half Years Meeting there which may be of great Service Half Years Meeting in America For indeed all the faithful Men and Women in the Power of the Lord do keep their Meetings that they may take care of God's Glory and to see that all are diligent that profess the Truth to walk in it and all the Loose and such as despise Dignities and the Power of God and true Christianity should be Admonish'd and Exhorted and not to have a Name of Truth without the Nature of it And so that all may walk in the Truth and by it come into a holy Life and Conversation by that they may answer that which is good both in the People among you and in the Indians For through want of Order in the Power of God and his Light Life and Truth there has been so many runnings out some one way and some another way And therefore all that are Faithful in your Country being kept in the Lord 's Eternal Power To keep our Meetings in the Lord's Power in it keep up all your Men and Womens Meetings that the Power of the Lord God may sparead over all and by it all Deceit and Loosness may be kept under and this will ease all the Magistrates and their Courts of all Evil and Loosness by having it stop'd and kill'd in the Birth before it comes into Action and to see in your Meetings that Friends may give no Occasion to the Indians And if sometimes you should have some Meetings with the Indian Kings and their Councils to let them know the Principles of Truth To inform the Indians of the Way of Salvation so that they may know the Way of Salvation and the Nature of true Christianity and how that Christ hath died for them who tasted Death for every Man And so the Gospel of Salvation must be Preached to every Creature under Heaven and how that Christ hath enlightned them who enlightens all that come into the World And God hath poured out his Spirit upon all Flesh and so the Indians must receive God's Spirit for the Grace of God which brings Salvation hath appeared to all Men And so let them know that they have a Day of Salvation Grace and Favour of God offered unto them if they will receive it it will be their Blessing And so now you that are settled in those Parts which have had a Testimony from the Lord to bear to People of the Truth you should spread abroad God's Eternal Truth and have
causeth People to err but there is but one Spirit of Truth which leadeth into all Truth and this is the one Spirit that led the Prophets and Apostles to give forth the Scriptures and all the Instructers that are out of it causeth People to err from the Spirit that the Prophets and Apostles were in and so are in Confusion And there is one Leader One Leader Jesus Christ Christ Jesus that God hath given and all that are not led by him are led into the Ditch the corrupting place and they tell them there is no Perfection here and all the Learned in Babel's confused Tongues who have the Letter of the Scriptures yet following their own Spirits seeth not and the Divination of their own Brains and using their Tongues such buildeth up Babylon again who are not in the Spirit the Prophets and Apostles were in and know not the Tongue of the Learned nor the Scriptures of Christ and the Prophets and the Apostles but they are as a sealed up Book to them and therefore they are Raging and Contending about the meanings of them teaching their People by their Example to do the same G. F. MY Dear Friends Epist 307. who feels the precious Truth of God by which you are made God's Freemen and Women and have bought the Truth To be fruitful in good Works do not sell it for Dross or Dung but be valiant for the Truth upon the Earth you who have received God's Seed into the good Ground that in this Life some bring forth Fifty Sixty and a Hundred fold of Fruit from God's Seed to his Glory and that have received the Anointing Oil in your Lamps from the Holy One that they may burn and shine both Night and Day in your Tabernacles through which you may be lighted into the Bridegroom's Chamber and the Power of God has always been your Keeper and will be unto the Day of Salvation which Power of God is over all yea over the Power of the Devil the Waster and Destroyer who makes the World like a Wilderness and fills it with Vnrighteousness Death Darkness and Cruelty Therefore let your Faith stand in the Power of God which the Kingdom stands in which is a Cross to the World's Power that causes Persecution which Power of God is the Gospel which was before the Devil was that brought Death and Darkness into you this Power of God brings Life and Immortality to Light in you by which Power you see over him that has darkned you and before he was And you that are Heirs of this Gospel keep the holy and heavenly Order of it by which Power of God you come to digg and has found the Pearl in your own Field of great Price by which Power of God you come to sell all and to purchase the Field then you have Riches enough And have Salt in your selves that you may savour withal and that your Salt lose not its savour through which you may be kept from under the Feet of Men though they that will live Godly in Christ Jesus must suffer Persecution and it is not only given you to believe in Christ but to suffer for his Name whose Name is above every Name and there is no Salvation by no other Name under Heaven but by the Name of Jesus The Name of Jesus a strong Tower whose Name is a strong Tower and the Righteous flee unto it and are safe by whose Name and Power that is over all you have been upheld through all your Tribulations Sufferings Imprisonments spoiling of Goods And Christ Jesus and his Power is the same to day as he was yesterday and so for ever And therefore as I said before let your Faith stand in his Power for Christ's Kingdom stands not in Word but in Power and in Righteousness and in Joy in the Holy Ghost whose Kingdom is an Everlasting Kingdom and the Riches in it is Everlasting Blessed are all they that are Heirs and Possessors of this their Minds and Hearts are kept over all fading things and the Riches that has Wings that the Spoiler may spoil And therefore Consider all the Faithful before you The excellency of the knowledg of Christ how they Accounted all but as loss dross and dung to the excellency of the Knowledge that they had in Christ Jesus and Consider likewise the Faith of the Martyrs the Faith of the Apostles and Primitive Christians that kept the Faith and Testimony of Jesus their Patience was seen And likewise Consider all the Prophets of God to Enoch how their Faithfulness is made manifest and all the rest how they were tried by Persecutors by Prisons and by spoiling of their Earthly Goods and Riches but never of the Heavenly Goods and Riches for there the Thief and Spoiler could not come And therefore mind that Noble Seed that never bowed to Sin and Iniquity nor the Devil but bruises his Head and destroys him and his Works that ye may all be Flesh of his Flesh and Bone of his Bone who is your heavenly Food and Bread that comes down from Heaven through whom you may eat and live by him as he lives by the Father and so by eating this heavenly Bread that comes down from Heaven you may have Everlasting Life The Lord may try you by Persecution or spoiling your outward Goods which he has given you by permitting the Spoilers and Persecutors come to try you that you may come forth like Gold seven times tried in the Fire the Perfection of trial for many are the Troubles of the Righteous but the Lord will deliver out of them all and happy are they that are tried Above all Earthly Riches that they may come forth more purer than Gold And let none sell their Birth-right for a Mess of Pottage and a Piece of Bread Esau-like And let let none have their Eyes wander after their carrying away the Fleece nor look back at Sodom's Judgments for the Earth is the Lord's and the fulness thereof and he can make the Fleece grow again And therefore consider the Riches of Job and the Poverty of Job and how his Friends despised him in his Poverty and how they were reproved and God encreased his Prosperity and lenghthened his Tranquility And as Daniel's Windows were open towards outward Jerusalem in the time of the Informers when he pray'd to his God as he did before in the time when they were not And therefore should not all your Windows and Doors be open towards heavenly Jerusalem your Mother that God may come in and help you against the false Mother and her Children And therefore keep your Meetings in the time of Sufferings as you did before and preach the Word in season and out of season the Word I say that commands the Clouds and Storms and was before they were And therefore blessed are those Eyes that sees the Sun of Righteousness that never sets the Sun of Righteousness that changes not for the Prophet speaks of a Sun and