Earth and World and need none of your Church-made-Faith The Church-made-Faith which ye have framed and made in Eleven Days time and your other Three Days set apart For Christ is the Author of our Faith which is the Gift of God which is a Mystery held in a pure Conscience And we say that all the Priests in Scotland London and New-England cannot make the Gift of God the Mystery which is the Faith which remains and by which Men are justified and saved neither have they Power over it which brings us to have Access to God and giveth us Victory over that which separated us from God And so we need none of their Faith to lead us for the Faith Christ is the Author of we live in Magistrates which they cannot make nor frame And though they may cry to the Magistrates to help them to uphold their Made-Faith which Idol they cannot hold up themselves which they have Invented and say They are not in the Life and Power as they were in that gave forth the Scriptures and say Revelation is ceased from People and There is no Victory while they be upon the Earth These are the Fruits of their Framed-Faith which we need not For the Spirit that gave forth the Scriptures teacheth us to know who is the Author of our Faith and the Fruits of it which giveth Victory And the Spirit teacheth us how to pray sing give thanks praise rejoyce fast worship God and in what and how to walk to God and Man and leadeth us into all Truth the Reprover of the World for Sin which is our Comforter Guide and Leader and Director in which we have Vnity and Fellowship that is without End and a pure Religion that doth never change And a great deal of stuff there is in their Books which is not worth mentioning which it and that Nature will Rot that gave it forth Church-Faith changeth but the Seed and Life and Power will stand Church-Faith changeth Directory changeth Common-Prayer changeth and Mass changeth And here are the four Religions which are got up since the Apostles Days which they have fought for and killed one another about But the Pure Religion doth not change which we are of and own in which is the Spiritual Weapons which were amongst the Apostles The True Faith changeth not for it abideth and remaineth which is the Gift of God Rom. 13. and a Mystery held in a pure Conscience of which we are and which is our Faith Mass for the Papists Common-Prayer for the Episcopal-Men and the Directory for the Presbyterians Church-made and framed Faith for the Independents and mixt Baptists and others And those have had their Fellowships in these for which they fought and about which Carnal Weapons got up since the Days of the Apostles Carnal Weapons But the Fellowship in the Spirit remains and doth not change which hath Spiritual Weapons and these are known and used to fight withal about Religion in which the Seed of God is known which bruiseth the Serpent's Head which led Man from God and made a Separation betwixt Man and God And the Election is known in him who was before the World began who is the Head of our Church and not they that be Head of the Mass The various Heads of them Head of your Directory Head of the Common-Prayer and Head of the Church-made-Faith which we see all change and come to nought and God confounds And Men stand in Doubts and Questions and have not Assurance in their Religion but that of God stands in them all bound They that followed the Pope were called Papists Papists and Protestants and they that protested against the Pope were called Protestants And thus they gave Names one to another And so Common-Prayer-Men and Directory-Men and Independents and Baptists And thus in the Envy out of the Love out of the Spirit which gave forth the Scriptures gave they Names once to another all which we judge Our Faith our Church our Vnity is in the Spirit The Quakers Faith and our Word at which we Tremble was in the Beginning before the Papists Mass and your Episcopals Common-Prayer and the Presbyterians Directory and Independents Baptists and other Church-made framed Faiths were and our Vnity Church and Fellowship will stand when they are all ended By which Spirit we judge them all and deny their works in which is our Vnity with God with the Scriptures and one with another For they have been to People like so many Changable Coverings but now the Spirit is taking them off by which we are Covered and is our Weapons in this Day of great Battel with them The Scriptures which ye do speak The Scriptures owned and shew forth in your Books are owned but your Imaginations of them we deny but they are all owned in themselves and places So they are all Ours which end in Christ who is Ours and in him we are that remaineth The Mass is the Papists Sacrifice that they kill about The various Sacrifices of them The Common-Prayer is the Episcopals Sacrifice that they persecute and kill about And The Directory is the Presbyterians Sacrifice they persecute and kill about The Made and framed Church-Faith is the Independents and and Baptists Sacrifice which they kill and persecute about Which Sacrifices the Lord doth not accept neither hath he Respect to which are of them who have erred from the Spirit which the Apostles were in with which they offered Spiritual Sacrifice to God the Father of Spirits which we are in And all my Dear Hearts Fellowship in Suffering and know the Fellowship of the Seed in its sufferings and to be made Conformable to his Death that ye in the suffering through it may know the Power of the Resurrection of the Just Seed And this is it which kills all bad Spirits that will talk but not do such may crucifie Christ in themselves afresh Therefore mind the daily suffering which the Seed had and have Unity with that so ye may rise with that which destroyeth that which causeth it to suffer The Papists cry Higher Powers Help Higher Powers Help help or else my Mass will go down and all my Ceremonies The Episcopal-Men cry Help help Higher Powers or else my Common-Prayer goes down The Presbyterians cry Help help Higher Powers or else my Directory will down The Independents and Anabaptists and others cry Help help Higher Powers or else my Framed Faith which is my Eleven Days Work will down and we shall not stand Are not ye ashamed all And shew ye are Naked out of the Power and Life the Apostles were in and from their Weapons Naked The Outward Power neither uphelp nor separated them from the Love of God which they had in Christ the End of the Law I am not one of them that call themselves Papists Common-Prayer-Men nor Presbyterians Independents nor Anabaptists Puritans nor Heathens which are out of the Life of God but that
they the Secrets of God to preach which are revealed to them that fear him And that is the Spirit of Darkness from the Prince of Darkness that is out of the Fellowship of the Gospel where is Enmity which speaks it self sufficiently abroad among all their Fellowships and into this Fellowship of the Gospel the Power of God which was before the Devil was he cannot get And the Righteousness hath been lost since the Apostles days therefore People have been found in their own Self-Righteousness and Vnrighteousness and therefore they are all found out of Peace with God and with Christ and one with another for where there is Righteousness there is Peace And Sanctification hath been lost since the Apostles days therefore both Teachers and Hearers are found in Vncleanness and preach up the Body of Death and Sin and a Purgatory and so have forsaken him that should sanctifie them and make them clean And the Sanctifying Belief hath been lost since the Apostles days for he that Believes is born of God and he that Believes in the Light may become a Child of the Light every one that cometh into the World are enlightned by Christ that they should believe in the Light as he commands them and so become Children of the Light and he that believes overcomes the World And if there be no overcoming on this side of the Grave as the World's Preachers made of Men say then there is no true Believing on this side of the Grave and therefore the World is not overcome in them and he that is their God is of the World also For he that believes overcomes the World for greater is he that is in you than he that is in the World So this greater overcomes the less and he that Believes passes from Death and Sin that brings Death and the Devil the Power of Death So becomes a Child of Light and of the Day and of the Light which was before Darkness was or the Prince of it for this is the Belief that overcomes the World that sanctifies the Unbelieving Husband and the Unbelieving Wife else their Childeen were unholy but now they are clean 1 Cor. 7.14 For this Belief is greater than he that is of the World which overcomes him that would defile for this Belief in Christ which passes from Death to Life it takes away the root of Sin and Iniquity which is complained of in the Scriptures which they were born in though they had the Law which made nothing perfect which took hold of their outward Actions or Branches but this Belief makes the Root holy and if the Root be holy the Branches that springs from the Root will be holy also And all you that preach up a Body of Sin and Iniquity and that you must have a Body of Sin and Death unto the Grave and a Purgatory when you are Dead Neither Man nor Woman of you do believe aright for the Believing Wife sanctifies the Unbelieving Husband and the Believing Husband sanctifies the Unbelieving Wife else their Children were unclean but now they are holy So from this Sanctifying Belief you are all erred since the Apostles days But have made Beliefs and Creeds of your own and then say there is no overcoming on this side of the Grave you may as well say there is no true Belief G. F. An Exhortation to keep to the Ancient Principles of Truth FRiends Epist 263. Keep at a word in all your Dealings without Oppression And keep to the sound Language Thou to every one And keep your Testimony against the World's vain Fashions And keep your Testimony against the Hireling Priests and their Tithes and Maintenance And against the old Mass-houses and the repairing of them And against the Priests and the World 's joyning in Marriages And your Testimony against Swearing and the World 's corrupt Manners And against all Loosness Pleasures and Prophaness whatsoever And against all the World 's evil Ways vain Worships and Religions and to stand up for God's And to see that restiution be made by every one that hath done wrong to any And that all Differences be made up speedily that they do not fly abroad to corrupt Peoples Minds And that all Reports be stop'd that tend to the defaming one another And Friends Live all in the Power of the Lord God and in his Truth Light and Life that with it you may all with one Heart Soul and Mind keep Dominion and in the Light Life Truth and Power of God do true judgment Justice and Truth Righteousness and Equity in all your Men and Women's Meetings without favour or affection to Relations Kingdreds and Acquaintance or any Respect of Persons for if you do not so Judgment will come upon you from God to put you down from your Places For the Power of God Light Life and Truth respects not any but Justice Truth Righteousness and Equity c. Let Mercy overshadow the judgment Seat and let Mercy be mixt with Judgment Take heed of Foolish Pity and if you be not diligent against all Prophaness Sin Iniquity and Vncleanness Loosness and Debauchery and that which dishonoureth God then you let those things come up upon you which you should be a-top of and subdue and keep down with Righteousness and the Truth and the Power of God And in all your Men and Women's Meetings let all things be done in Love which doth edifie the Body and let nothing be done in Strife and vain Glory but keep in the Vnity of the Spirit which is the Bond of Peace And let all things be done in the Wisdom of God which is pure and gentle from above above the Earthly which is below sensual and devilish And take heed of hurting any concerning Marriages if the thing be right through any earthly Reasoning lest they do worse And so all be diligent for the Lord God and his Truth upon the Earth and the Inheritance of a Life that hath no end that you may live in that Seed that is blessed for evermore And be diligent in all your Meetings and see to the setting forth of Apprentices all Fatherless and poor Friends Children and that all the poor Widows be carefully look'd after that nothing may be lacking among you then all will be well And keep your Testimony against all the filthy Raggs of the old World and for your fine Linnen the Righteousness of Christ Jesus And keep your Testimony for your Liberty in Christ Jesus and stand fast in it against all the false Liberties in old Adam and your Liberty in the Spirit of God and in the Gospel of Christ Jesus against all the false and loose Liberties in the Flesh And train up all your Children in the Fear of the Lord and in his New Covenant Christ Jesus as the Jews did their Children and Servants in the old Covenant and so do you admonish your Children and Servants And let no Man or any live to themselves but in that Love that seeks not her own And
is Holy and Righteous and to live in Peace who hath promised he will give Christ Jesus for a Covenant of Light and Peace to you who are called Gentiles and venant of Light by which you shall come to have Peace with the Lord God the King of the whole Earth This is the King of Kings and Lord of Lords in whose Hand is the Breath of all Mankind This is the God of the Spirits of all Falsh who hath made all Nations of Mankind of one Blood to dwell upon the Face of the Earth And God having divided the Sons and Daughters of Adam and scattered them up and down the Face of the Earth being in the Transgression and Sin led away with the God of the World the wicked One the Devil that abode not in the Truth who causes People to destroy one another and murder one another about Earthly things This is the Prince of Darkness that rules in all the Hearts of the Children of Disobedience disobedient to that which is Righteous in them which discovers the unrighteous Actions and Words drom the Righteous And Christ the Second Adam the Lord from Heaven saves Men from Sin Christ the Second Adam the Saviour of Men. who is Prince of Peace and of Life and the Covenant of God who brings Men to have Peace with God and one with another who destroys the Devil the Author of Strife This is Christ the Second Adam which brings the Sons and Daughters of Adam into Reconciliation with God again and destroys Sin and finishes it and makes Reconciliation for Sin and Iniquity G. F. To Friends in Barbadoes DEar Friends Epist 293. To whom is my Love in the Lord Jesus Christ by whom were all things made and by whom all things do consist and who filleth all things and doth uphold all by his Word and Power Christ the Head of his Church c. who is the First and Last the Holy Head of his Holy Church and the Door into the Holy Way for his Holy People to walk in and the setter up of a Holy Worship in the Holy Spirit and Truth to worship the Holy God in and the setter up of a Holy Religion to keep from the Spots of the World which Religion is pure in his Sight And this never came out of the Brain-beaten Stuff of Man nor of his Chamber of Imagery but for his People to walk in that they might sing forth his Praises in Righteousness And therefore all Friends in your Men and Womens-Meetings be faithful and see how you do grow in the Truth and Power of Godliness and are circumcised and witness your Renewings into the heavenly Image of him that created you and that you all may be fruitful in the Knowledge and Grace of our Lord Jesus Christ who is the Orderer of all things and wear his Livery and fine Linnen the Righteousness of Christ and hold forth his Ensign and his Standard and all to be filled with his Grace and Love and peaceable Truth and be over all outward Earthly things so that none be Carnally but Spiritually minded And walk as becomes the glorious Order of the Gospel having the Water of Life in your Cisterns and the Bread of Life in your Tabernacles and Fruits on your Trees to the Praise of God Amen And all your Family Meetings do not neglect among your Whites and Negroes but do your Diligence and Duty to God and them To keep Family Meetings which you will not neglect if you keep in the Faith of Abraham and of the blessed Seed which inheriteth the Crown And be at Peace among your selves that each one shew that you are in Christ the Prince of Peace and that doth shew that you are the Disciples of Christ and Learners and Followers of him So possess him who is Life Eternal Aman. And your Love and Kindness toward us the Lord redouble it of his Mercy into your Bosoms We are all pretty well We have had great Travail by Land and Sea and Rivers and Bays and Creeks in New-England Jersey Delaware Maryland Virginia Carolina where we have had great Service among Friends and Governors and others and Men and Womens-Meetings and with the Indians and their Kings and Emperoar O blessed be the Lord God Almighty who is over all and over all giveth Dominion And Glory be to his Great Name for ever Amen And his Truth is of a good Savour in the Hearts of People and spreads So no more but my Love Read this in your Men and Womens-Meetings G. F. Maryland the 24th of the 12th Month. 1672. FRiends The Truth is above all will stand over all them that hate it who labour in vain against it Epist 294. and will bring their old House on their own Heads to their great Trouble Truth above all and in the Winter and cold Weather when that their HoUse is down and their Religion is frozen and their Rivers are dried up and their Husks are gone and the Swine begin to cry about the Plantations and the Vermin runneth up and down amongst their old Rubbish and their Sparks and Candles are gone out and Hail and Storms lighteth upon the Head of the Wicked then Wo will be to God and Magog and to all the Wicked who have no Covering In Christ you have Peace in the World you have Trouble No Peace with God can be enjoyed but in the Covenant of Light which it Trouble Amen G. F. FRiends at the first Convincement there is not so much danger Epist 295. for the Spirit of God keeps in the Fear of the Lord and under Judgment Our Knowledge must be in the Spirit then after getting Acquaintance or Knowledge and a Familiarity and a Liberty but not in the Holy Spirit there is great danger and therefore your Knowledge and Familiarity must be in the invisible Spirit for the Flesh Fadeth and withereth as the Grass So that Knowledge and Familiarity is as Grass that withers but the Word of the Lord endureth for ever And the right knowledge of one another is this To know one another in that Word which was in the beginning before Man fell For Man liveth not by Bread alone but by every Word that proceedeth out of the Mouth of God This is the fresh and heavenly Food from above and above all the Husks that the Swineherd feedeth his Swine with in the unrepented State G. F. FRiends All keep your Meetings in the Power of the Lord God that hath gathered you Epist 296. and none to quenth the Spirit nor despise Prophesying Quench not the Spirit c. and so keep up your Testimony in publick and private Let not the Mouths of Babes and Sucklings be stopp'd nor the Seed in Males or Females but all be valian for the Truth upon the Earth Concerning your Womens-Meetings encourage all the Women of Families that are convinced and minds Vertue and loves the Truth and walks in it that they may come up into God's
of thine hands and thou shalt lend unto many Nations and thou shalt not borrow and all People of the Earth shall see that thou art called by the Name of the Lord and they shall be afraid of thee Deut. 28.10 12. And David said I have been young and now am old yet have I not seen the Righteous forsaken nor his seed begging Bread for he is ever merciful and lendeth and his Seed is blessed Psal 37.25 26. A good Man sheweth favour and lendeth he will guide his affairs with Discretion Psal 112.5 The Righteous sheweth mercy and giveth Psal 31.21 The Righteous giveth and spareth not he that hath a bountiful Eye shall be blessed for he giveth of his Bread to the Poor Prov. 21.26 and 22.9 And he that giveth to the Poor shall not lack Prov. 28.27 God giveth to all Men liberally and upbraideth not So all Men should give of that which they have received of him liberally without upbraiding as in James 1.5 And he that giveth let him do it with Simplicity Rom. 12.8 Give and it shall be given unto you saith Christ Luke 6.38 And see the Care of the Apostles of the poor Saints as in 2 Cor. 9.6 7 8 9 10 11. But this I say he which soweth sparingly shall reap sparingly and he which sows bountifully shall reap bountifully 2 Cor. 9.6 So every Man To give liberally not grudgingly according as he purposeth in his Heart so let him give not grudgingly or of necessity for God loveth a chearful giver mark a chearful giver and God is able to make all Grace abound towards you that ye always having All-sufficiency in all things may abound to every good work as it is written He hath dispersed abroad he hath given to the Poor his Righteousness remaineth for ever mark now he that ministreth Seed to the sower both ministreth Bread for your Food and multiplies your Seed sown and encreaseth the Fruits of your Righteousness Isa 55.10 and 2 Cor. 9.7 10. Being enriched in every good thing to all Bountifulness which causeth through us thanksgiving to God And you may see how the Disciples every Man according to his ability determined to send Relief unto their Brethren which dwelt in Judea and they sent it by the Hands of Saul and Barnabas Acts 11.29 30. And so of Brotherly Love ye need not that I write unto you for God teacheth you to love one another 1 Thess 4.9 But whoso hath this World's goods and seeth his Brother have need Brotherly Love and shuts up his Bowels of Compassion from him how dwelleth the Love of God in him 1 John 3.17 There is a Generation whose Teeth are as Swords and their Jaw-teeth as Knives to devour the Poor from the Earth and the needy from among Men Prov. 30.14 And therefore the Poor and Needy is not to be oppressed nor vexed nor sent away empty but relieved and their Cause is to be pleaded as in Prov. 31.9 And the Apostle saith to the Church Give to him that needeth Eph. 4.28 But my God shall supply all your need according to his Riches in Glory by Christ Jesus Phil. 4.19 And Christ said That the Father knoweth what things ye have need of Matth. 6.8 And you may see the manner and way of Collections that the Apostles ordered for the Saints in 1 Cor. 16.1 And the Lord saith If thou deal thy Bread to the hungry To feed the Hungry and that thou bring the Poor that are cast out to thy House and when thou seest the Naked that thou cover him and that thou hide not thy self from thy own Flesh then shall thy Light break forth as the Morning and thy Health shall spring forth speedily and thy Righteousness shall go before thee the Glory of the Lord shall be thy rereward Isa 58.7 8.10 And if thou draw out thy Soul to the hungry and satisfie the afflicted then shall thy Light arise in Obscurity and thy Darkness shall be as the Noon-day And the Lord shall guide thee continually and satisfie thy Soul in Drought and make thy Bones fat and thou shalt be like a watered Garden and like a Spring of Water whose Waters fail not Here is the Practice of Godliness Isa 58.7 8 9 10 11 c. The hungry and thirsty their Souls fainteth in them then they cry unto the Lord and he fatisfieth the longing Soul in their trouble and filleth the hungry with Goodness or good things Psalm 107.50 The Lord which made Heaven and Earth which giveth Food to the Hungry preserveth the Stranger and relieveth the Widow and Fatherless but the way of the Wicked he turns up-side down Psalm 146.9 If thy Enemy hunger give him Bread to eat and if he thirst give him Water to drink Thou shalt heap Coals of Fire upon his Head and the Lord shall reward thee Prov. 25.21 22. And the Law of God ye may see in Ezek. 18.7 9. Against Oppression He that hath not oppressed any but hath restored the Debtor his Pledge and hath spoiled none by Violence and hath given his Bread to the Hungry and hath covered the Naked with his Garment he shall surely live faith the Lord God And Job said Because I delivered the Poor that cried and the Fatherless and him that had none to help the Blessing of him that was ready to perish came upon me I caused the Widows Heart to sing for Joy and I was a Father to the Poor Job 29.12 13. Dorcas a Woman a certain Disciple of Jesus Christ when she was dead it is recorded This Woman was full of good work mark full of good Works and Alms-deeds which she did in her Life-time and all the Widows mark all they stood by Peter the Widows and wept and shewed him the Coats and Garments that she had made whilst she wasalive with them mark with them A Womens Meeting in the Practice of Religion Acts 9.36 to the end Pure Religion Pure Religion and undefiled and undefiled before God and the Father is this to visit the Fatherless and Widows in their Affliction and to keep himself unspotted from the world James 1.27 And this Religion is to be practised by all the right and true Christians For if a Brother or Sister be naked and be destitute of daily Food and thou say unto one of them Depart in Peace warm your selves and fill your Bellies notwithstanding you give them not those things which are needful to the Body what helpeth it Even so Faith if it have no Works is dead in it self James 2.15 16 17. See how James encourages to practice Religion and to shew forth the Works of Faith that works by Love If thou afflict any Widow of Fatherless Child in any wise and they cry at all unto me To relieve the Widom I will surely hear their Cry saith the Lord and my wrath shall wax hot and I will kill you with the Sword and your Wives shall be Widows and your Children Fatherless Exod. 22.22 The
supply you and is near unto all that calls upon him in Truth and Righteousness Therefore cast your Care upon him for he Cares for you And so as you walk in the Truth to answer the Truth in your Patroons and others you will see in time you will reach the Good in them that they will give more Credit to you and Trust you more than them that disobey the Spirit of God in their Hearts So the Lord preserve you Faithful to himself Let us hear as often as you can how things are with you G. F. London the 4th of the 3d Month 1684. To the Quarterly and Monthly Meetings in England c. DEar Friends and Brethren in the Lord Jesus Christ Epist 392. who reigns over all and has all Power in Heaven and Earth given unto him by whose Eternal Power our Meetings this Year have been preserved unto his great Glory and Honour and his living refreshing Presence has livingly been amongst us for which his People do give him the Honour Glory Thanks and Praise who is Lord over all and worthy of all blessed for ever and ever And therefore we desire and intreat all our Friends and Brethren every where who are of the Seed of the Promise and the Children of the Kingdom of God and of the New Covenant of Light and Life To walk as becometh the Gospel To Walk in the same and worthy of the same to the Glory of God And you that do profess the primitive pure and undefiled Religion which is above all the Religions in the World Shew it forth in Life and Practice And you that profess the Worship of God in the Spirit and Truth which Christ hath set up which is above the Jews Worship and all the Worships that the Men of the World have set up Be stedfast in the same for all Worships out of God's Spirit and his Truth are Idolatry And now dear Friends and Brethren who profess and possess that which is above all Religions Ways and Worships in the World our desire is To exceed in Vertue c. that you may always out-strip and exceed the World in Virtue in Purity in Chastity in Godliness and in Holiness and in Modesty Civility and in Righteousness and in Love with that you may overcome the Evil and with the Good overcome the Bad So that your Moderation and sober Life may appear unto all Men and answer that of God in all that so the Fruits of the Spirit of God may shew themselves forth in Meekness and Kindness and Humility from the holy Understanding and the pure heavenly Wisdom and the Word of Life and Patience by which all things were made in that you will be able to bear all things and endure all things through him that strengthens you And whatsoever things are lovely decent or comely and honest and of a good Report that answers the Truth in all That mind and practice that God Almighty may be glorified through you in the Seed in which all Nations are blest which bruiseth the Head of the Serpent that brought the Curse in which Seed no Enmity nor Strife can come in wich Seed Christ Jesus your heavenly Vnity and Fellowship is preserved And whatsoever Storms or Tempests should arise in the World keep in the Seed Christ Jesus your Sanctuary Christ our Sanctuary who was before the World was who is your Saviour that destroys the Destroyer in whom you have all Life Peace Rest Safety and Salvation in him who is the Amen the First and Last in him Farewell and from him the Blessings of the Lord rest upon you G. F. To Friends in Holland DEar Friends in the peaceable Truth The Glory of God all mind Epist 393. in all your Lives and Conversations and that the heavenly Fruits of the Holy Spirit of God you may all bring forth to his Praise living in Righteousness Godliness and Meekness Lowliness and Humility To live in Righteousness c. learning of Christ Jesus your Saviour who is meek For the humble God doth teach and they grow up in his Grace and Favour And therefore all take heed of going back again into the World's Ways Spirit and Words but keep to the holy Spirit of God that doth lead you in the narrow way that is to Life Eternal And in the Lord's Light Power and Spirit meet together and keep your Meetings in the Name of Jesus Christ who hath all Power in Heaven and Earth given to him that you may feel his living and divine Presence among you and in his pure gentle and heavenly Love and Wisdom you may be valiant for the Name of Jesus and his Truth upon the Earth Not to be ashamed of Christ and not to be ashamed of Christ your Teacher and Prophet that God hath raised up in his New Covenant and Testament whom you are to hear neither be ashamed of Christ your Shepherd who hath laid down his Life for his Sheep whose Voice you are to hear who doth feed his Sheep and give them Life Eternal and none is able to pluck his Sheep out of his Hand his Power neither be ashamed of your High Priest who hath offered up himself for you and doth sanctifie you who is a Priest made higher than the Heavens neither be you ashamed of your Bishop and the chief Shepherd of your Souls to whom now ye are returned by his Grace and Truth who doth oversee you with his heavenly Eye that you do not go astray from God So in him let your Faith stand who is the Author and Finisher of it So with my Love to you all in the Lord Jesus Christ who is your Sanctuary in whom you all have Life Peace Rest and Salvation who is the Amen Greet ye one another with a Kiss of Charity Peace be with you all that are in Christ Jesus Amen This Charity keeps all God's People in the heavenly Love and Unity Amsterdam the 14th of the 4th Month 1683. G. F. DEar Friends and Brethren who are Elect and Chosen in Christ Jesus before the the Foundation of the World Epist 394. in Christ you have Peace and in the World you have Trouble But be of good cheer Christ hath overcome the World Christ hath overcome the World that lieth in Wickedness and all the Persecutors in it and in him you all overcome the Devil and his Works and without him you can do nothing but through Christ and his Power and Strength you will be able to do all things according to the Will of God And though for a time ye may suffer for the Name of Jesus and for his Truth and be cast into Prison and suffer the spoiling of your Goods the Eternal God knows and his Son Christ Jesus it is for him alone and his Truth 's sake we suffer and not for any evil doing or doing wrong to any Man And so the Lord hath given us not only to believe but also to saffer for his Name and Truth
World And that which keeps you from the Spots of the World will keep you from the Body of Death and Sins of the World which you are made free from by the Circumcision of Christ by his Spirit and by the Law of the Spirit of Life in Christ Jesus are made free from the Law of Sin and Death And now Friends you that do profess this pure and undefiled Religion before God the Father to keep unspotted from the World or from the Spots of the World take heed you that profess this pure and undefiled Regilion tha tye keep your selves from the World or that you do not get the World's Spots upon you And take heed of Grediness and Earthly-mindedness and Covetousness which the Apostle called Idolatry for it is a great Spot and Blot of the World that lieth in Wickedness And take heed of Unrighteousness in your Trades Commerces or Dealings For Unrighteousness is a Spot To be Just in Trade c. And take heed of Over-reaching or using any Deceitsulness or Defraud in your Trade or Commerce For Over-reaching and using Deceit of any Unjust thing will Blot you an Spot you and is contrary to the pure and undefiled Religion And take heed of Unrighteousness Ungodliness Unholiness Prophaness Loosness Filthiness Naughtiness and Evil Words which corrupt good Manners These things will Blot you and Spot you and are contrary to the pure undefiled Religion before God the Father And also take heed of Drunkenness Theft Murder Whordom Fornication Adultery and all manner of Uncleanness For they which act such things are void of the pure undefiled Religion before God the Father and they are blotted and spotted with the Actions of the World that lieth in Wickedness and their Religion is vain And take heed of Lying Swearing and Cursing which are Spots of the World and forbid by Christ and the Apostle And all such that follow the Lust of the Eye the Pride of Life and the Lust of the Flesh which is not of the Father but of the God of the World that abode not in the Truth such are spotted with the Spots of the World and are Proud Vain Lofty Scornful High Spots of the World and Spotted with the World's Spots and are void of the pure undefiled Religion before God the Father And take heed of Malice Hatred Envy Wrath Rage and Fury these are the Spots of the World who bear such Fruits contrary to the Spirit of Meekness Gentleness Kindness Tenderness Sobriety Love and Mercifulness which are the Fruits of the pure Spirit of God which leadeth to the pure undefiled Religion before God the Father which is To visit the Fatherless and Widows in their Affliction and to keep unspotted from the World this pure undefiled Religion keepeth in the Purity of Life and Conversation and this is above all and keeps from all the vain Religions in the World which pure and undefiled Religion it is the Duty of all true Christians to walk in by which they may be kept from the Spots of the World and this is the Religion that was set up above Sixteen Hundred Years ago in the Church of Christ and happy had all Christendom been if they had kept to this pure undefiled Religion to this day and then they would not have made so many Religions as they have done but to this pure undefiled Religion they must come again if ever they come to the true Religion The pure Religion and undefiled is the hest Religion for none can make a better than the pure undefiled Religion which was set up in the Church in the Apostles days above Sixteen Hundred Years ago unto which all that profess Christianity should be conformable even to this pure undefiled Religion which will keep them from the Spots of the World and then their Religion will not be of the World And this is the one pure undefiled Religion that all Christians should be of which is from one God the Creator of all So there is one God the Creator of all and one Lord Jesus christ by whom all things were made and created who is the one Mediator betwixt God and Man even the Man christ Jesus there in one Body and one Spirit even as you are called to one Hope of your Calling and one God and Father of all who is above you all and in you all and through you all and there is one Faith which Christ Jesus is the Author and Finisher of and there is one Baptism and by one Spirit we are all baptised into one Body whether we be Jews or Gentiles Bond or Free must all drink into this one Spirit of Christ and so to keep the Unity in the Spirit which is the Bond of Peace for the Apostle saith If any Man have not the Spirit of Christ he is none of his Rom. 8.9 for Christ saith in his Prayer to his Father That they may be all one meaning the true Christians as thou Father art in me and I in thee that they also may be one in us that they may be one ever as we are one I in them and thou in me that they may be made perfect in one to wit the Believers and Followers of Christ John 17.21 22 23. Here you may see God and Christ are one in them so he Prayeth that his People may be one in whom they have Rest Life Peace and Salvation with God through Jesus Christ Amen Let your Conversation or Practice be without Covetousness c. Hebr. 13.5 Only let your Conversation be as becometh the Gospel of Christ Philip. 1.17 The 4th of the 2d Month 1685. G. F. To Friends at York DEar Friends Epist 400. To you is my Love in the Seed of Life that bruises the Head of Enmity and in this Seed you all have Life and Peace that is Everlasting And my Desires are That you may all dwell in the Love that can bear all things To keep the Word of Wisdont and of Patience And keep the Word of Patience which will never be worn out for the Word liveth and abideth and endureth for ever and over all Trials keeps for the Word was in the Beginning and all things are upheld by the Word of his Power in it abide And so live and walk in the Wisdom that is from above that is heavenly pure peaceable gentle and easie to be intreated And keep in the Lamb-like Nature for the Suffering Lamb must have the Victory And so the Man of God must not strive but be gentle and yet valiant for God's Truth and not to fell it for they that do go into Bondage and Captivity for the Truth maketh all God's People free and the peaceale Truth is a peaceable Habitation And so in it God Almighty preserve you and all the Lord's People every where that they may Glorifie the Lord God of all their Comforts Lives and Mercies Amen Kingston the 13th of the 10th Month 1685. G. F. DEar Friends and Brethren in the Lord Jesus
the Chaff of the Summer Threshing-Floor and the Wind carried them away that no place was found for them and the Stone that smote this Image became a great Mountain and filled the whole Earth Christ filleth all things with his Divinity Dan. 2. Is not this Christ Jesus who hath all Power in Heaven and Earth given to him that he filleth the whole Earth with his Divinity to whom God gave the Heathen for an Inheritance and the attermost parts of the Earth for his Possession and his Seed doth inherit the Gentiles Isa 54. And doth not Christ now inherit the Gentiles or Heathen Yea the uttermost parts of the Earth he possesses with his divine Power Light and Seed who filleth the whole Earth and hath all Power in Heaven and Earth and Ruleth with his Spiritnal Divine Rod of Iron Not a Rod of corruptible Iron but he Ruleth them with his Divine Rod and dashes them to pieces like a Potters Vessel they that are the Children of the Kingdom see this and know Christ to rule in their Hearts and sit down in the heavenly Places in Christ Jesus who is the First and Last the Beginning and Ending by whom all things were made G. F. DEar Friends in Holland Friezland Hamborough Frederickstad Dantzick Palatinate and all other places there-aways where God's Truth and Ensign is set up Epist 403. Peace Grace and Truth be multiplied among you from God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ the Fountain of all Life Peace Grace and heavenly Wisdom and Vnderstanding and the God of all Power and Peace through our Lord Jesus Christ fill you with it and his heavenly Riches and that you may all walk worthy of his heavenly Calling in all Holiness Righteousness and Godliness c. in Life and Conversation and that by the Word of Life and Patience you may answer the Truth in all both High and Low so that you may be of good savour to God in the Hearts of all People For you know there is no other Way to God but by Christ Jesus No Way to God but by Christ Jesus and you know that God has raised up Christ to be a Prophet in his New Testament to be heard in all things and you know He opens and none can shut and he shuts and none can open and you know that Christ is the Bishop of your Souls to oversee that you do not go astray from God And you know that Christ is the true Shepherd and has laid down his Life for his Sheep and they know his Voice and they follow him and he gives them Life Eternal And also you know that Christ is your High Priest made higher than the Heavens by the Power of an Endless Life and by him you are made a Spiritual Priesthood to offer up Spiritual Sacrifices to God And as for our Yearly Meeting the Presence of the Eternal God Was amongst us and his Glory which shines over all and all was quiet and peaceable and it was the Lord's doing blessed be his Name for ever And your Epistle was read in the Yearly Meeting and Friends in the Lord's Power Read it and had Unity with your Spirits and are Sensible of your Spiritual Care in the Lord 's Eternal Power concerning Truth 's Affairs in those Parts In which God Almighty preserve you and increase you both in his Wisdom Knowledge and Vnderstanding that you may spread his blessed Truth abroad and answer it in all People Amen London the 10th of the 4th Month 1685. G. F. To Friends in Pensilvania DEar Friends Epist 404. I am glad to hear of the good Yearly Meeting at Road-Island and that the Lord's Power and Presence was there among you and it would be very well to Visit the Generation of the Righteous and to see how their Seed and Vines do grow in their heavenly Vineyards and Plantations and what heavenly Riches they have laid up in Store in God's Kingdom and to see how the Wheat is gathered into God's Garner and that all keep in the Worship that Christ set up in his Spirit and Truth and that all walk in the New and Living Way over all the Dead Ways in the World and all walk in the pure undefiled Religion that keeps from the Spots of the World and to see that all are guided in the pure and gentle Wisdom that is easie to be intreated and in the Love of God that can bear all things by which all peevish short and brittle Spirits may be kept down so that all may have their good Conversation in Christ Jesus all striving for Unity in the Spirit and the holy Faith that giveth and keepeth Victory over the Enemy And so that all may have a care of their Minds running into the Earth and Carnal Things For to be Carnally-minded is Death but to be Spiritually-minded is Life and Peace and let all take heed of neglecting the Gift of God but stir up the pure Mind one in another and the Lord with his Eternal Arm and Power preserve you diligent in his heavenly Work and Service in his Vineyard that it may not grow over with Briars Thorns and Thistles to choak the tender Plants And so my Desires are That you may live and walk in Christ Jesus and that you may answer the Truth in all the Professors and the Heathen And prize your Liberty both Natural and Spiritual while you have it and labour in the Truth while it is Day Remember me to all Friends as though I named them and as for the State of Friends here we are under great Sufferings and spoiling of Goods and Imprisonments and they have of late increased in spoiling of our Goods but God is All-sufficient who doth support us Glory to his Name for ever So with my Love in Christ Jesus to you all in whom you have all Eternal Rest and Peace with God Amen Bednal-Green the 10th of the 9th Month 1685. G. F. To Friends of the Ministry in Pensilvania and New-Jersey DEar Friends With my Love to you all Epist 405. and all the rest of Friends I was glad to hear from you but you gave me no account of the increase of Truth amongst you nor what Meetings you have had amongst the Indian Kings and their People abroad in the Countries and of your visiting Friends in New-England Virginia and Carolina nor of your Travels and Labours in the Gospel who hath in all those Countries liberty to serve and worship God and preach the Truth And I understand many have a desire to live in it especially in Carolina and you who travel now from Friends to Friends thither it is thought strange that you do not visit them therefore I desire that you may all improve your Gifts and Talents and not hide it in a Napkin lest it be taken from you and not to put your Candle under a Bushel lest it go out and not to be like the foolish Virgins which kept their Name of Virgins but neglected having
the Earth dwell all the noisom Creatures and the Evil Beasts which are hurtful to the Creation For in the Earth the Devil dwells and walks but the Earth being plowed up he is made manifest and the Seat of his Dwelling is broken up That Mind which doth speak of God but lives not dwells not nor abides in the Fear of God that Mind must suffer and pass under the Judgment of God for the Curse of God is upon that Mind For that Mind is Earthly and of the Earth upon which the Curse of God is And that Mind may talk of God and speak of God but not in Union with God nor from Enjoyment of God in the Spirit nor from having purchased the Knowledge of him through Death and Sufferings A Hear-say Knowledge but from Hear-say of him and from Custom and Tradition which the true Fear of God doth destroy that Mind which speaks of him but doth not live in his Fear And that Mind is raised up which doth abide in his Fear and this is Acceptable Sacrifice which is pure clean holy and without Spot Then that which knows God speaks of him which hath purchased the true Knowledge of him through Suffering and to such there is no Condemnation but Joy and Peace And this Mind sings true Praises to God the other in Hypocrisie and therefore the Wo is unto it And this Mind is stayed upon God the other is gadding after the Creatures committing Fornication with other Lovers and speaks of God but is not subject to God and must pass through Condemnation G. F. To Friends in the Truth FRiends Epist 25. the Love of God is to you the Springs are opening and the Plants are refreshing with the living Waters Now Friends walk in the Truth as ye have received it and wait in that which keeps you in the Yea and Nay Yea and Nay the pure Commusication in the pure Communication in the Good Manners In the pure Conversation over all the World ye will reign whose Conversation is in Heaven and here the World ye will Judge walking in the Life And ye which turn from the Light which Jesus Christ hath enlightned you withal here are the Corrupt Manners the evil Communication the filthy Conversation which with the Light is all to be condemned Ye which turn from the Light are in Esau's Nature and chusing the Earth there is Profaness Therefore take heed to the Light and wait to receive Power from God to stand against that which the Light discovers to be Evil. And ye which are turned from the Light which Jesus Christ hath enlightned you withal and do turn to the Hireling-Priests which are Changable from the Priest which never changes Judas his Way ye walk in Judas his Steps Wo will be your End ye had better never to have been born ye are Betrayers of the Just. Ye that turn from the Light ye turn from Christ as Judas did and ye that walk in the Light ye walk after Christ and he is your Way but ye that turn from it to the Hireling-Priests Judas is your Way which is Destruction And ye that turn from the Light turn from the Command of God Cain is your Way And ye that turn from the Spirit Cain Balaam Core Balaam is your Way and ye that get up into Presumption Core is your Way which leads into Self-Separation and this Fruit will wither which is natural Knowledge which is seen with the Light and is to be condemned with the Light which never withers which is the Condemnation of the World which all the Children of the Light walk in Which Light walking in it will bring you to receive Christ Christ the Way to Salvation from whence it comes here is the Way to Salvation and as many as receive him to them he gives Power to become the Sons of God And the Son of God is but one in all Male and Female and the Light of God is but one So all walk in it to receive the Son in which Light is the Unity which brings to Fellowship with the Father and the Son And the Oneness is in the Light as the Father and the Son is one and brings you to where he is out of the World from the World and not to be of the World Therefore walk in the Light which is all the World's Condemnation even them of the highest Religion who act contrary to the Light And to you this is given forth from the Word of the Living God And thou that lovest thy Soul love the Light to wait for Christ the Saviour of thy Soul And ye that hear the Word The Word which was in the Beginning wait in the Light which comes from the Word which leads up to the Word which was in the beginning which breaks the World to pieces that lies in Wickedness and burns it as with a Fire and divides asunder the Precious from the Vile This is the Word which makes all clean which is received into the Heart and this is the Word of Faith which we Preach And the World Preaches the Words without being out of the Life and in the bruitish Knowledge which is condemned of God and by all who are of God that have and are in the Life of the Holy Scriptures Therefore I charge you all in the Presence of the Living God to wait in the Light which comes from Christ that with it ye may receive the Life that with the Light and Life which is one ye may come to have the Scriptures opened to you which were given forth from the Light And so all the World who have not the Light guiding their Understandings nor the Life but are Strangers to it there are the Sects The Rise of Sects and Opinions there are the many Opinions there is the Heresie which makes a Profession of the Letter declared from the Light but are out of the Life with the Light all this is condemned and the Children of Light are in Unity in that which gave forth the Holy Scriptures And so to you all this Testimony is from the Word of God This is to be Read among all Friends every where for this was I moved to send among you G. F. Concerning Marriages FRiends All they who do act contrary to the Light which comes from Christ Jesus Epist 26. and it hate whose Deeds are evil and live in strife about Words and their Minds are in Earthly things defrauding and wronging one another they know when they do so with the Light which comes from Christ Jesus So this Light which lets them see and know when they act contrary to it with this Light are they Condemned The Light condemns the Evil. And all that do act contrary to the Light and do join together in Marriage contrary to the Light and are joined with that which is contrary to the Light this is their Condemnation the Light which leads to God But who are joined together with the Light
are to depart from God as Cursed to Everlasting Punishment where then will ye find him that ye talk of with your Mouths and call your Saviour Ye that live in your vain wicked profane Ways and take him to be your Cloak and say Ye are Redeemed by him and live in your Wickedness Go ye Cursed he will say I know you not Plagues Wo and Misery will be poured upon you all Let every one that nameth the Name of the Lord depart from Iniquity None can call him Lord but by the Holy Ghost and where the Holy Ghost is come there he is Lord and King This is witnessed in all his Saints where he is so but in Cain's Generation it is not but he persecutes it But he is risen and come in his Saints who is Lord and King who will reign over all the World and bear the Government upon his Shoulders The Lord is King in his Saints For the Lord is King in his Saints he guards them and guides them with his mighty Power and doth preserve his Seed and Children from the Seed of Evil-doers into his Kingdom of Glory and Eternal Rest where they find Joy and Peace and Rest Eternal All Glory and Praise be to the Lord God Almighty for ever G. F. ALL Friends in Westmorland Cumberland Bishoprick New-Castleside Northumberland and Lancashire Epist 39. Wait in the Measure of the Spirit of the Living God that with it all your Minds may be guided up to the Living God To Friends in the North. and to it take heed that ye may have Dominion over these Spirits that are in the Earth that in the Spirit of the Living God ye may all know one another and with it come to reign over the World in the Power of the mighty God which upholds all things and wait to receive Wisdom from God who created the Creatures to his Glory And the Lord God Almighty keep you all in the Spirit and be with you all And all of you Live in the Life live in the Life that with it ye may come to know the Father of Life and all being led with the Spirit of the Living God the Lord's Presence ye will enjoy and all that is contrary with it will be Judged So the Lord God Almighty preserve you in that which is Pure up to himself who is Pure to receive his Wisdom and that with it and in it ye all may come to be ordered to his Glory who is God over all to whom be all Honour and Glory God blessed for ever that with it ye may come to see the Lamb of God the Saviour of your Souls who was before the Letter was G. F. FRiends Epist 40. I do you all Warn and Charge to be faithful in the Measure of the Life of God Be Faithful which he hath given you And watch over one another that with that which is Pure ye may discern and Vnity have with that which is Pure And take heed of any Lightness and Frowardness which is Contrary to that which is Pure but in that wait and dwell Lightness and Frowardness to shun which doth that Judge in particular and general that the Garden of the Lord may be dress'd and ye in his Wisdom preserved and kept The Mighty Power of the Lord keep you all in his Spirit and with it up to himself your Hearts joined together And see that ye Meet together and be led together in the Spirit and in the Power of the Lord and that out of all Mens evil Wills ye keep which contrary to the Power and Light are This is the Counsel of the Lord to you G. F. FRiends Epist 41. to you all this Exhortation is from the Word of the Lord Dwell in the Life Friends to live in what they profess that with it ye may see the Father of Life And dwell in the Light with which Light the World is Condemned which Light comprehends the World's Wisdom which Light comprehends the World and their Knowledge and all the Deceivers which are entred into the World who are turned from the Light with which Light they are condemned that is the World which hates the Light because their Deeds are Evil and they will not bring their Deeds to the Light because the Light will reprove them they hating it Deceivers and Anti-Christs and you that live in it And all the Deceivers and all the Anti-Christs they are such as are turned from the Light which oppose Christ To you all my Brethren who dwell in the Light which is the Condemnation of the World and of all the Deceivers who are turned from the Light it is not possible that those Deceivers should deceive you who are the Elect which dwell in the Light which comprehends the World I do Charge you all in the Presence of the Living God to dwell in what ye speak and profess and none to profess what he doth not dwell in and none to profess what he is not a Sayer and not a Doer such beget vain Talkers So with the Light all such are to be condemned from the Life So I charge you all in the Presence of the Living God to Dwell in the Light which is the World's Condemnation The Light is the World's Condemnation who hates it Tho' they may profess all the Words declared from them that were in the Light of Christ they hating the Light in the particular with the Light which never changes are they and all their Profession to be condemned and Wo is the End of it and them from Christ who is the Light Wherefore to you I speak Friends that dwell in the Light and love it that to the Light in all Consciences of them that hate it which Christ Jesus doth enlighten them withal ye may be made manifest which is the World's Condemnation In the Light all Friends dwell which comprehends the World which is its Condemnation The highest Religion to it must bend and bow and all that is to be Condemned which is Contrary to it And all Friends dwell in the Light which is Eternal which comprehends the World that with it ye may comprehend the World and rise up and go on in the mighty Power of God as mighty Men of War in the Power and Strength of the mighty God of Life the Lord of Hosts who is with you your Shield The Lord of Hosts is your Armour Buckler and Defence and Armour who arms you over all the Wicked to reign triumph and trample God Almighty bless you and prosper his Work that to the Light in all Consciences ye may be made manifest to the Measure of God which is Pure which is given to every one that with it all may see what is contrary to God And to you this is from the Word of God G. F. To Friends concerning the Light in which they may see their Saviour and the Deceivers TO all Friends every where scattered abroad In the Light dwell
which God hath clled me to that I am and in the Elect before the World began This is to go every where abroad amongst Friends who are of the Royal Priesthood which destroys that which made a separation from God From the Royal Seed goes the Royal Commandment The Royal Priesthood which Seed remains for ever from the Royal Seed to the Royal Seed which are the Royal Priesthood which have the Royal Law and Love to Friends and Enemies which is beyond the Love of the World and before it was That is the Royal Love where no Enmity can come FORGIVE us as we forgive them cry Papists cry Episcopal cry Presbyterians and Baptists and Independents these cry and say the Lord's Prayer Forgive us our Debts and Trespasses as we forgive them that trespass against us and then like a Company of senseless Men without Understanding fall a fighting one with another about their Trespasses and Debts and never mind what they prayed as though they never looked for Forgiveness and to receive the things they praycd for Forgive us as we forgive That pray Forgive us Lord as we forgive them and fall a persecuting and imprisoning one another and taking their Brethren and Fellow-servants by the Throat about Religion which in their Prayers they said Forgive us as we forgive them and will not forgive but say their Prayers as the Pharisees did the Scriptures and did not this is he that must be cast into Prison until he pay the utmost Farthing and must not come out And this hath been their Work since the Apostles Days and is not here Law The Apostles and Christ did not bid that any should kill about their Words but that they should love Enemies but ye will kill about their Words who were killed for speaking them forth And so all Friends dwell in the Seed of God which is Heir of the Power of the World which is without End in that dwell and keep your Meetings that ye may all be Possessors ALL Religions will fight about Religions and Worship and kill like the Heathen about their Gods Jews Gentiles Papists Protestants of all Sects which are out of the Power of the Lord and the Spirit that the Apostles were in And so they are all out of the Royal Spirit Fighting Religions that hath the Royal Spiritual Weapons and out of the Royal Seed which saith Love Enemies which is the Royal Command to the Royal Priesthood And they confess they have not the same Power and Spirit of the Apostles so then its true for them to say We are not the spiritual Men we have not spiritual Weapons to fight withal if ye do not help us Higher Powers we fall For we hold our Traditions and that which we have is by Tradition is by the Earthly Powers For we are not made Ministers as the Apostles were by the immediate Spirit and Power and Gifts as the Apostles were therefore the Higher Power must help us and to them go we with our Packet of Letters as Saul did for we are not spiritual-weaponed Men as Paul was For in all these things are the Priests guilty THE Papists Common-Prayer Men Presbyterian Independents Baptists persecute one another about their Inventions which they have invented their Mass their Common-Prayer their Directory Persecuting Religions Church-Faith which they have made and framed their Inventions and Handy-works and not for the Truth For they know not what Spirit they are of that persecute and would have Mens Lives destroyed about their Church Worship and Religion for Christ said He came not to destroy Mens lives but to save them Now they that know not what Spirit they are of that will persecute and destroy Mens Lives and not save them we cannot trust our Bodies Souls nor Spirts into their Hands that know not what Spirit they are of themselves they are not like to be trusted with others that would destroy by a Law which the Disciples would have done by Prayer to command Fire to come down from Heaven to destroy them that would not receive Christ Which Sort Christ rebuked and told them that they did not know what Spirit they were of And now if they did not know what Spirit they were of do these which have persecuted about Church and Religion since the Apostles Days who would compel Mens Bodies Goods Lives Souls and Estates into their Hands by a Law or else make them suffer These are not the Ministers of Christ the Saviour that destroy Mens Lives and they know not what Spirit they are of and the Lives Bodies and Souls are not to be trusted in their Hand And ye that do persecute shall have no Resurrection to Life except ye Repent But they that do know what Spirit they are of themselves they are in the unrebukable Zeal and by the Spirit of God they offer up their Spirits their Souls and Bodies to the Lord which are his whose they are to keep them G. F. WE are of the Royal Seed Elect and Precious Epist 172. before the World began that which ever the Sodomites crucified grieved and vexed by their unrighteous ungodly Conversation who lived in Fulness and Pleasures and abundance of Idleness And we are of that Seed that cannot serve the Wills and Lusts of Men and bow and stoop to them who are a People redeemed out of Kindreds Kingdoms Peoples and Nations who are of the Houshold of God built up together a spiritual House whose Builder and Maker is God and do reign upon the Earth as Kings and Priests unto God whom we serve Day and Night The Houshold of God And are of the Seed that hath been slain from the Foundation of the World which the Princes of the World and Councels and the Great and Wise of the Earth crucified who lived in the Form of Godliness of the Saints Words but quench'd the Spirit in themselves and being that Birth born of the Flesh persecuted that which is born of the Spirit We are of the Seed the Anointed which the Powers of the Earth combine and take Counsel together against whom God we see sitting in Heaven The Royal Priesthood laughs them to Scorn We are the Royal Priesthood who offers daily to the Lord the Spiritual Sacrifice the Holy Generation and the peculiar People zealous of good Works cloathed with the Zeal of Christ against the bad Works and the Workers thereof Therefore of all Nations Peoples Sects Ways Professions and Talkers of Religion are we hated by them that are out of the Way and Power of God though they profess Scriptures Church-Worship and Ministry yet such have crucified Christ and the Lord of Glory We are they that witness the Promise of God fulfilled and that do witness that the Age is come wherein God would shew forth his exceeding Riches and Kindness which was wrought amongst the Apostles The Anointed of God We are the Anointed of God and his Prophets that he saith Touch not who are as the Apple of
his Eye who for our sakes hath reproved Powers and Thrones and Dominions and rebuked them We are the Preachers of Righteousness in the great City Sodom wherein Christ was crucified where the Life of the Prophets and the Apostles and Holy Men of God lies slain and Cursers Cursers Swearers Drunkards Swearers Drunkards Eaters and Drinkers that rise up to play in all Fulness Wantonness and Prophaness profess their Words and make merry over their Lives And the Witnesses since the Apostles Days have been slain the Woman in the Wilderness the Lamb and his Wife shall be known which is come up out of the Wilderness So in this great City Sodom and Gomorrah Sodom and Gomorrah the False Church and the Whore are where all the Abominations are that made all the Nations drunk of the Wine of the Wrath of her Fornication whereby the World is all on Heaps about Religion and Church-Worship and the several Ways in Sodom's Nature professing the Saints Words imitating Forms killing and slaying one another about professing the Saints Words but out of their Life Which shews that they are not of the Royal Seed The Royal Seed which saith Love Enemies that 's the Royal Seed and they that follow him are of the Royal Priesthood and holy People and Generation amongst whom is the Royal Law of Love whereby we cannot respect Mens Persons for he who doth is convinced of the Royal Law to be a Transgressor So every one of us that is come to the Seed of God that bruiseth the Serpent's Head that led Man from God who is the Prince of the World the Prince of Darkness and the Prince of the Air the Father of Lies a Murderer from the Beginning the Corrupter of Mankind the Author of the Separation from God and the Original of Sin the Beginning of it which led Man from his Dominion over the Handy-Works of God The Handy-Works of God which the Royal Seed Christ destroys and renews Man again in the Image of God and brings him again to his Dominion over the Handy-Works of God And this Hundreds of Thousands are now witnessing by which they come to be Kings and redeemed from the Earth and come to be made Kings upon the Earth in the Image of God over the Handy-Works of God in the Wisdom by which they were created So all Powers whatever that are a Terror to Evil-Doers that bear not the Sword in vain to us are a Praise that do well And all Kings upon the Earth that were Anointed by God a Figure of our Christ the King the Anointed he ends them all Revel 1.6 and makes Kings to reign upon the Earth amongst these Christ is King wich Thousands witness amongst these he is King and all other Kings made by Man and putting Man on Earthly Crowns Earthly Man will put them off again and un-King them if they cross them This is the State amongst them in whom Christ reigns not nor the true Magistrate obeyed which is to the Evil-Doers a Terror But since the Apostles Days all hath been in Confusion about Religion Church and Worship amongst them that have killed the Witnesses and since the true Church went into the Wilderness and the Witnesses have been slain and the Man-Child caught up to God So they that have slain the Witnesses and killed the Saints have been in all this Confusion The Witnesses rising and the Witnesses are rising and the Everlasting Gospel shall be preached again amongst them that have had the Words but have slain the Life of the Prophets and the Apostles unto all Nations Kindreds and Tongues of them that dwell upon the Earth So the great Professors of the World which were the Jews could not abide Jesus the King that he should reign and where he is now in the Male and in the Female he is King and that makes Kings among whom he is King All in the Name of the mighty King of Kings is to be done and then it is in the Power G. F. ALL Friends Take heed of running on in a Form Epist 173. lest ye do lose the Power but keep in the Power and Seed of God in which ye will live in the Substance And at any Disputes take heed Disputes many may be lifted up in the Victory and Conquest and after have a Joy in the Prophecies and Openings and after fall And if Bablers come and Janglers say They have a Bad Metting and so the murmuring Nature getteth up out of Patience and the Seed which beareth all things and suffereth all things which keepeth down that which causeth Lifting up Murmuring and Disputing which the Seed endeth and Prophecy and keepeth down all the other that is contrary and would live in the contrary that which keeps down that which doth change is the Peace and the Corner-Stone and the staiedness in the Seed and Life G. F. DEar Friends all every where Feel the Seed of God over all that Epist 174. which is in the Fall that is gotten up The Fall of Adam since Adam and Eve fell from Righteousness and the Image of God and in which Fall the Lamb hath been slain And so feel the Seed of God over all that which makes to suffer and will stand and remain when he that makes to suffer is gone And so feel Christ to reign and rule over all that which is in the Fall Feel Life over all and there ye may all feel the Life to flow over all which Life was with the Father before the World began and which Life will remain when Death and the Power of it is gone And in that Life all live and dwell and in it keep your Meetings AND feel the Word of Patience and the Word of Wisdom in which ye may find both Patience and Wisdom in this Day of Life Patience and Wisdom And feel my Love to all Friends in the Everlasting Seed of God G. F. To Friends to serve one another in Love in outward things MY Dear Friends Epist 175. in the Order and Wisdom of Life order all things to God's Glory and dwell in the Love of God together all serving one another in Love and in the Life of the Truth and ye that give to the Poor Give to the Poor lend to the Lord and he will give you again with Advantage And so be Fruitful in every good Work and be Subject to one another in the Fear of the Lord and do that which ye do in Love and Peace and in that keep in the Authority and Power of God in Kindness Passion and basty Spirits And keep down and be Master over all Passion and the hasty and cross Spirits and silence that which is suddain and let Love have the Preheminence in all and over all And provoke one another to Love and to good Works and be diligent in all your places that ye may be a good Savour in the Hearts of all and that the Truth may flow
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
as Job's Friends did against him But at the last the Lord commanded Job to offer a Sacrifice for his Friends because they had sinned and spoken not right as Job had who was Perfect and kept his Integrity And the Apostle said to the Saints That he had learned in all Conditions to be content Mark in all Conditions but this was when he was Paul not when he was Saul running up and down with his Packet of Letters halling the Saints before the Rulers like a Parater then he was not Content neither with his own Condition nor others But when he came to learn Christ who destroys the Devil and his Works who teacheth to know all things then in all things he learned to be Content so that you know that there is Learning and Learned as a Child when he is Learning and become Learned is witness of two States so Paul he had learned in all conditions to be content and who was his School-Master but Christ by whom all things were made not of Man nor by Man out of the Truth so while he learned of Men and by Men he was not Content neither are any others Therefore all are to learn of Christ the Light the Life and the Truth that you may come to that Condition to have learned in all Conditions to be content and not to trust in uncertain Riches for they have Wings and will flee away And so he is never counted a wise Man that will put any Confidence in that which will flee away from him for those are the Heirs of the Earth and the World that load themselves with thick Clay that they may set their Nests on high but they that be Heirs with Christ and of the Power of an Endless Life trust in the Living God and come to possess an Everlasting Inheritance of the Power of an Endless Life and come to increase in the Riches of the Everlasting Inheritance and there lay up Riches that are Everlasting which will abide for ever And mind every one God's Word in your Hearts and in your Mouths and obey it and do it and be not of them that are saying in their Hearts Who shall ascend or descend to fetch him from above or from the deep Keep down that Sayer under reproof and then your Ear will be open to that which the Righteousness of Faith saith The Word is nigh thee in thy Heart and in thy Mouth so thou needest not to say Who shall ascend or descend And that was the Word which the Messengers of God preached and do Preach and rebukes the Gain-sayer And so all People seeing the Devil hath made the World like a Wilderness and there is so many Ways in it that they do not know which Way to come out of it nor which to follow Therefore this is my Answer to you all Take David's Lamp and Light you may say What is that And where is it I say it is within you the Word of God You may say People do not use to carry Lamps in the Day-time but in the Night I say you be in the Night of Darkness and therefore the Word is called a Lamp and a Light to you by which you may see the Way of the Lord which is Perfect from all Mens Ways which are imperfect by which ye may see the Path of the Just to be a shining Light from all the unjust Paths that are in the Darkness for by this Word did David come to outstrip his Teachers and was made wiser than them all so it will you if you obey it for by this Word he saw Christ and called him Lord Therefore he loved the Word and hid it in his Heart and by it he spake so many glorious Expressions which the World since hath turned into Meeter and made Songs of them And this was the Word that came to Abraham which made him forsake his National Religion and Worship and obey the Lord and this was the Word that came to Jacob the Shepherd by which he saw Christ and prophesied of him to his Sons on his Death-bed when he said to Judah The Scepter should not depart from Judah nor a Law-giver from betwixt his Feet till Shilo came meaning Christ and the gathering of all Nations should be to him as it is at this Day the Gathering is to Christ And this was the Word that came to Moses the Shepherd when he was keeping Sheep which he obeyed and went to Egypt and brought the Children of Israel out of Egypt by which Word he was made a Minister and when that the Children of Israel were come out of Egypt into the Wilderness Deut. 30.14 he told them They need not go for the Word beyond the Seas c. for it was nigh them in their Hearts and Mouths to obey it and do it And this was the Word that made Moses a Prophet who prophesied of Christ and said Like unto him God would raise up a Prophet him should they hear in all things Mark in all things we are to be ordered both inward and outward through hearing Christ by whom all things were made And every one that would not hear this Prophet Christ should be cut off For how should they continue or reign that will not hear Christ And this was the Word that came to Samuel and made him a Prophet who spoke to Eli the Priest and reproved his Sons and the Children of Israel and this was the Word that made Saul to Prophesie and Balaam though they erred from it And this was the Word that made all the Prophets to Prophesie and to reprove the Kings of Israel and their Priests of their Superstition and Idolatrous Ways in setting Groves and Images in high places Isaiah 47.13 and reproved all their Monthly Prognostications who spoke and acted from them and not from the Lord. And this was the Word that came to Isaiah by which he prophesied of Christ and of his Preaching and of his Sufferings and by which Word he reproved the Shepherds which were as greedy dumb Doggs that could never have enough seeking their Gain from their Quarter And by this Word he saw that all the Children of God should be taught of God and be established in Righteousness and Peace and though many Tongues should rise up in Judgment against them yet those that were taught of God should condemn them all such Power should be given to his Children And the many Weapons formed against them should not prosper God would restrain them And also he saw them that were cast out that trembled at God's Word to whom God would appear to their glory and to the shame and to the confounding of them that cast them out for his Name sake as it is at this Day And this was the Word of God that made Jeremiah a Prophet by which he saw the New Covenant by which Word he was said to reprove the People and the Princes of the filthy and horrible thing committed in the Land that the Priests preached for
before the World began Here the Glory of the Lord will fill every one of your Temples through which you will come to Praise the Lord in your Temple and to offer an Offering in Righteousness in your Temple by the Spirit a Spiritual Sacrifice to God who is a Spirit So here you are a Royal Priesthood offering up the Spiritual Sacrifices And was not the Jew outward to have Fire and Lamps burn always in his Temple And are not the Jews in Spirit always to have the Word which is a Fire in their Temple and the Light of Christ For doth not Christ say Have Oil in your Lamps And were not their Bodies that Lamp And was there not to be Salt in the Jews Temple to season their Sacrifices And so are not you to have always Salt in your selves doth not Christ say so by which you may savour and be seasoned that all your Sacrifices may be seasoned with Salt And you know that the Jews outward were not to offer the Blind the Lame the Unclean and the Halt in their Temple neither are you that be the Jews in the Spirit to offer the Halt the Lame the Unclean nor the Swine nor the Blind but the Spiritual Sacrifice with the Spirit to God who is a Spirit by which Spirit you see and by which Spirit you are made clean and sanctified and are enabled to mortifie that Swinish Nature by which Spirit you come to walk upright not to halt as you walk in the Spirit by the Spirit you come to offer to God the Spiritual Sacrifices And this is the standing Offering in the Temple which Christ your Priest dwells in who ends the Jews Priests that dwelt in their outward Temple and their Temple and ends their Offerings and Sacrifices and the Blood of Bulls and Goats Christ the Offering once for all their Offerings and Christ the Everlasting Covenant ends the first Covenant and Christ the Temple ends the Jews outward Temple where their Offerings and Sacrifices were and the Priesthood and sets up the Royal Priesthood with his Royal Garment his Righteousness that offers to God the Spiritual Sacrifices in the Temple And so Christ ends all the Types Figures and Shadows and variable things that were given to Man since the Fall and held up by the Law which they were not to add to the Law of God nor take from it which stood very nigh Two thousand Years Which Law served till Christ came and was good in its Place and was added because of Transgression when many transgressed the Image of God his Righteousness and Holiness and were fallen from it then the Righteous Law which is Good Holy and Just came a-top of Man and this served till the Seed Christ came with all its Shadows but Christ is come who was the End of the Law for Righteousness sake to every one that believes and in Christ is no Shadow Variableness nor Turning for he was before Shadows were glorified with the Father before the World began who is the First and Last the Beginning and Ending the Top and Corner-Stone the chief Master-Builder the Elect and Precious One whom all the Builders in all Ages rejected that were of Men and by Men and from Men whom the Heirs of the World cast out and could not abide that he should Reign whose Right it is though he be the Foundation of many Generations all the Heirs of the World know not his Generation they that are in the First Birth whose Building is not on Christ the Rock but on the Sand and therefore have their Houses of Religion and Worship so often been beaten down with the Storms of the Sea not being upon the Rock Christ Jesus which is above all the Storms and Tempests in the World and before the Sea was who is the Lion of the Tribe of Judah and the Root of David and the Lamb of God which takes away the Sins of the World And the Lamb must have the Victory over all that are in the Nature of wild Beasts wild Heifers Doggs Wolves and Horses And is not this a Mystery to you all that the Lamb should take away your Sins that the Lamb should have the Victory over the Doggish Wolfish Heiserish and Swinish Nature in you like Horses or Serpents The Clean and Holy Lamb must have the Victory over all this in you and therefore joyn to him that hath the Victory who is the Captain of your Salvation who bruiseth the Serpent's Head Christ the Seed that is he that breaks the Serpent's Power and crusheth him to pieces destroying him and his Works Here Christ is King of Kings and Lord of Lords above all Principalities Powers and Thrones is he ascended Who opens and no Man shuts and shuts and no Man opens so he that opens to you by his Light none can shut from you who filleth your Lamps with Oil of Gladness and Christ shuts to all them that deny his Light for they deny him no Man among them then can open and that makes them go together by the Ears about their Worships and Churches and Scriptures and to Persecute one another Though they do profess Christ yet denying his Light they deny him These be Anti-Christs that be against him though they do profess him and such are by the Light condemned that are against the Power of God and the Gospel the Power of God is the savour of Death to them but a savour of Life to them that be in the Life And In me you have Peace says Christ and he gives Peace to them that are in him that no Man can take away But in the World you have Trouble saith Christ that is in Adam in the Fall from Righteousness and Holiness for in Righteousness there is Peace and in Holiness People see God and out of this Holiness they do not see God Concerning who drink the New Wine and who drink the Old and who are the Bottles that hold each And whose Teeth are set an Edge and whose not NOW all that are called Christendom they do profess to believe in the Name of Christ yet look upon them see what a confused Family it is worse than the Turks and Moguls and the Heathen for in the Turks Country there are Jews Christians and Turks and the Turks keep their Sabbath upon the Sixth Day the Jews upon the Seventh Day and the Christians upon the First Day and the Turks doth not Persecute them about Religion but lets them enjoy their Meetings And the Mogul it is said of him That there have been Sixty Sorts of Religions in his Country but he Persecutes none for their Religion but lets them have their Meetings And that all that are called Christendom professing the Name of Christ that they should Persecute one another and tear one another to pieces about Worship and Religion and the Steeple-House which they have given the Title of Church to which is a Title taken from the People and given to an House And that they should persecute one
Mark Free-Men and Free-Women And what hath made them Free-Men and Free-Women but Truth For if the Truth hath made you free then are you free indeed So free to worship God in the Spirit and in Truth which the Devil is out of for to serve the Lord God in the Spirit and in the New Life They are above the Serpent and from under his Controul and from under the Controul of old Adam and his beggarly Rudiments and Will-Worships and false Righteousness Truth makes free from all these and makes free to be Partakers of Christ Jesus and of his Blood and his Spirit and Mind who is the Prince of Peace and Prince of Life and makes free to be Partakers of the Divine Nature and Precious Faith and to be Members of the True Church and Gospel Fellowship and Power of God which was before the Devil was So stand fast in the Liberty wherewith Christ hath made you free free from the Devil Dragon and Serpent and all Slavery and Servitude For Free-Men do walk in their Freedom for it is the Truth makes them Free and so to Triumph in Glory And so if the Truth have made you free then are you free indeed free from all the Will-Worships and from all the windy Doctrines from all the evil Inventions Traditions Imaginations and Notions and Rudiments of Adam in the Fall who are from Truth and free from the Devil who is out of Truth So it is plain none are free but by the Truth and all in the Truth are Free-Men And all out of the Truth are Slaves in Old Adam and Slaves to Sin and Satan and to his Will-Worship and to their own Self-Righteousness and to their Rudiments Doctrines and Traditions serving divers Lusts Pleasures and Corruptions and serving the Creatures more than the Creator who is God blessed for ever and serving the Desires of their own Minds and so as Slaves are kept in Bondage all in Prison all in the Bonds of Death and Jaws of Death for who are out of Truth are no Free-Men Though they be High Priests and Readers Preachers and Expounders as the great High Priests and the lofty Pharisees and Scribes were Professing the Scriptures yet not in the Truth and so not Freemen For they are in Malice and Envy like Cain Oppressors like Pharaoh raging Persecutors like Nebuchadnezzar and the Jews as Wild as Ishmael as Prophane as Esau out of the Truth are all those found fasting with Fists of Wickedness lifting up bloody Hands mingling their Sacrifices with the Blood of the persecuted praying to the Majestrates for Persecution All this is out of Truth and not in the Freedom so not Free-Men but doing the Devil's Lusts and Service as the Jews did And so if the Truth make you free ye are free indeed ye are free from all those things above-mentioned The Truth makes free from Envy and from Prophaness and from Wildness and from Wickedness and from the bloody Hands Free from the Fasts of those that hang down their Heads like a Bulrush free from the persecuting Spirits free from the false Prophets Deceivers Seducers Anti-Christs and all Anti-Christian false Prophets Deceivers and Seducers are Satan's Bond-slaves Vassals and Bond men and being with his Oars chained in his Gallies they carry his Wares and do his Work up and down the World which is the Sea But Truth makes free from all these free from the Hipocrites Hope which perisheth free from Nebuchadnezzar's Fury and it makes free from the wild Heifers Nature and from the Dogg Swine Horse Viper Cockatrice Serpent's Nature and from the Spider and his Webb and from the Oak and Cedar and the Bramble and Briar and Bear and Lion The Truth makes free from all these and brings Man and Woman into the Image of God And so if the Truth makes you free then are you free indeed And the Truth is Christ and Christ is the Truth which makes you free from all Falshood and makes you free from the World which lies in Wickedness and Vnrighteousness by which you come to be Free-Men of the World which hath no End And an high-way shall be there Isaiah 35.8 and a way and it shall be called the way of holiness the unclean shall not pass over it Mark The unclean shall not pass over it This Way which is called the Way of Holiness was spoken of by Prophesie and this Way is Christ who is the Way of Holiness who is above the Vnclean and destroys it and the Ground of it the Devil and so the Vnclean cannot pass over this Way of Holiness This is our Way who are in scorn called Quakers to wit Christ And this Way of Holiness shall be for the way-faring Men though Fools yet they shall not err therein where no Lion nor ravenous Beast nor Lion's Whelp shall go thereon All the ravenous Beasts are without in the Way of the World without Christ and God But the Redeemed shall walk in this Way of Holiness Christ Jesus and the ransomed of the Lord shall walk in this Way of Holiness and they that do return from the Way of the World to Sion shall walk in this Way of Holiness with singing and everlasting Joy upon their Heads And they that walk in this Way of Holiness Christ Jesus shall obtain Joy and Gladness and Sorrow and Sighing shall flee away And all that walk in this Way of Holiness their deaf Ear is unstopped and their blind Eye is opened And the lame Man here shall leap as an Hart and the dumb Man's Yongue shall sing And here he shall see Waters gush out of the Rock and Streams out of the Desart in this Way of Holiness And here he shall see in this Way the patched Ground become a Pool and the thirsty Land full of Springs and in the Habitation where Dragons lay shall be Grass with Reeds and Rushes which begins to spring Glory be to the Lord for ever And this Way of Holiness which the Prophets prophesied of is Christ Jesus the Way who said of himself I am the Way and he is over all the fallen Ways and before the Way of the Serpent glorified with Father before the World began And this is the Way of the way-faring Men who have been way-faring up and down from Religion to Religion from Worship to Worship from one People to another from one Minister and Teacher to another and could not sit down in any of their Ways but way-fared travelled and sought And now Glory be to the Lord for ever Thousands of these way-faring Men are come to find their Way Christ Jesus and though Fools yet shall not err therein that is they shall not err in their Way They shall not err in Christ Jesus for there is no Error in him for he was before Error was for Christ the Way destroys the Devil and his Works the Ground of all Error So though they be called Fools these way-faring Men by all the Sons of Adam that are set down in their
whom we preach warning every Man that we may present every Man perfect in Christ Jesus So the Perfection is in Christ Jesus the Imperfection is in old Adam So this is the true Hope that purifies which every one that hath it purifies himself even as he is Pure And every one that hath not a Possession of this Hope pleads for Impurity and Imperfection and a Body of Sin and a Body of Death unto their Grave and a Purgatory when they are dead Such have a Profession of the Scriptures like the Pharisees and the Hypocrites Hope which shall perish And the true Faith hath been lost since the Apostles Days the true Faith which purifies the Heart which is the Faith of God's Elect which Faith gives Victory over that which separates from God in which Faith ye all please God which Faith is the Gift of God and Christ is the Author of it every one look unto him for it for the finishing of it who is the Author of it In this Faith have all the Saints Vnity in that which gives Victory over the Devil for by the Faith which is the Shield do they resist him and quench his fiery Darts and they resist him that would defile them and make them imperfect and lead them into those things which would displease God And all that be out of this Faith they cry No Victory while we be upon the Earth but they must have a Body of Sin unto the Grave and a Purgatory to cleanse them in these be all in the Error concerning the Faith these have made Shipwreck of Faith and a good Conscience these are all in the dead Faith and so cannot preach the true and Living Faith of God's Elect These are all out of Vnity for the Vnity is in the Faith which gives Victory over the Devil These be out of the just Life which Just lives by his Faith The Life that I now live is by the Faith of the Son of God yet it is not I but Christ that lives in me said the Apostle And all that walks in the Faith of God's Elect which is the Victory over the Devil they walk in Vnity over the Enmity And the true Worship hath been lost smce the Apostles Days yea the Worship that Christ set up above Sixteen hundred Years since in the Spirit and in the Truth yea in the Spirit of God which was before the Spirit of the Devil was who is out of Truth and in the Truth which the Devil is out of In this Spirit and in this Truth God who is a Spirit and the God of Truth seeks that Men should worship him in the Truth and so every Man and Woman must come to Truth in the inward Parts and to the Spirit of God within themselves if they be Worshippers of God in the Spirit and Truth which the Devil abode not in And this is the standing and perfect Worship in which there is Vnity in the Truth for the Enmity is out of it and he cannot get into it Glory be to God for ever And Men that are erred from the Worship that Christ set up above Sixteen hundred Years since they are from the Truth within and the Spirit of God And by that unclean Spirit they have worshipped Images they have worshipped the Works of their own Hands they have worshipped the Dragon they have worshipped the Beast they have worshipped the Creature they have worshipped Angels persecuted one another about their Worships and they have persecuted the true Worshippers These are in the Blind Zeal who have hated the Light And so none can worship God who is a Spirit but they must come to the Truth in their inward Parts and to the Spirit of God in themselves by which Spirit they must know God to be a Spirit and to worship him in the Spirit They must know God to be the God of Truth and then worship him in the Truth which the Devil is out of in the Enmity an Adversary And this is the standing perfect infallible Worship that Christ Jesus the perfect infallible Man set up above Sixteen Hundred Years since And the true Way is lost since the Apostles Days which Christ set up above Sixteen Hundred Years since who said I am the Way to the Father and no Man cometh to the Father but by me So no one comes out of Old Adam but by Christ the Second Adam No one comes out of Darkness but by Christ the Light no one comes out of Death and from under the Prince of Death the Power of it but by Christ the Life So he is the Way to God No one comes out of Vnrighteousness but by Christ the Righteousness no one comes out of the Wisdom below but by Christ who is the Wisdom of God which is from above And no one comes out of Error and Evil but by Christ the Truth So he is the Door and the Way to God Almighty And no Man comes to the Father but by him No one comes out of Captivity or Prison but by Christ the heavenly Man And so they having erred from Christ the Way they have set up so many Ways in Christendom among them and fall out about their Ways one with another Enmity being among them Now Christ is the Way which the Unclean cannot walk in who was before the unclean Way was for he is over all the unclean and he is over all the perverse and crooked Ways and Mountainous Ways and evil and unrighteous and ungodly Ways he is over them all And none comes to this New and Living Way Christ Jesus but who come to the Grace of God in their Hearts the Spirit of God in their Hearts So he is the New and the Living Way who is the First and the Last the Beginning and the Ending set up from Everlasting to Everlasting And all that be out of this New and Living Way though they have all the Scriptures from the beginning of Genesis to the Revelations yet they are dead and under the Power of Death which Christ the Way destroys through Death yea the Power of Death the Devil and was before Death and his Power was Here is the New and the Living Way And the true Religion hath been lost and erred from since the Apostles days The Religion that is pure from above and undefiled before God which keeps from the spots of the World which is to visit the Widows and the Fatherless Now they that are out of this Religion have made many Religions but they are spotted and defiled and they cry up a Body of Death and Sin and Imperfection to the Grave and a Purgatory when they are Dead And their Widows and their Fatherless and Strangers go begging up and down their Streets and High-ways so their Steets and High-ways are Judges against them and their Bodies of Death and their Purgatories manifests their Errors and Ignorance from this pure Religion that comes down from above which is not of Man's making but comes down from God which
is Pure before God and undefiled in his Sight that keeps from the Spots of the World Mark the Spots And these do not cry up a Body of Death nor a Purgatory when they are dead they are kept from the Spots of this World So they are far degenerated from this pure Religion from above which is undefiled before God which keeps from the Spots of this World and leads to visit the Fatherless Widows and Strangers whose Religion is that they must have a Body of Sin and Death unto the Grave and a Purgatory when they are dead And their Fatherless and Widows and Strangers must go a begging in the Streets All these Religions are from below and of their own making and not from above but of him that is out of Truth And all they that come to this pure Religion that is from above and comes to receive it it must be by the Spirit of God within and the Light of Christ within and his Grace within and his Faith within And the Image of God in them hath been lost since the Apostles days that Man and Woman was renewed into by Christ and therefore they have set up so many Inventions of their own Brain and outward Images and Likenesses and worship them for Man and Woman was in the Image of God before they fell And when they fell from the Image of God they set up many Images of God and Man and other Creatures of things in Heaven and things in Earth And when Christ came he renewed Man into the Image of God again and into his Likeness but since the Apostles days have they lost this Image of God and this Likeness and made a profession of Christ and the Apostles words as the Jews did of the Law and worshipped the Works of their own Hands and Images But now is Christ renewing Man again into the Image of God as they were in the Apostles days yea also I say as Adam and Eve were in before they fell Yea and in this Image of God they will reign over all Images and Image-makers either with hand or brain for they have made those Images and Likenesses by the Evil Spirit that is out of Truth which the Spirit of Truth leads out of and above them and from their works Glory to God for ever for his Image and his Likeness is led into by Christ Jesus and into Adam and Eve's State before they fell and not only into that State but into Christ Jesus that never fell And the true Praying hath been lost since the Apostles days for none can pray truly but by the Spirit of God unto God who is a Spirit or unto Christ who is a Quickning Spirit And all they that have erred from the Spirit cannot abide to hear talk of it and yet may have the Scripture from Genesis to the Revelations and make Prayers and say them over and give them to others to say over and so Pray by the Book and that must help his Infirmity and so have erred from the Spirit and from the true Doctrine of the Apostles who said The Spirit must help their Infirmities and they must pray in the Spirit So all that grieves and vexes and quenches the Spirit of God cannot pray in it to God who is a Spirit But they think to be heard by their much Babbling and asks and prays but do not receive and every one must come to the Spirit of God in themselves and to the Light and to the Faith that purifies his Heart and to the Spirit of Grace and Supplication and by this his Mind is to be turned towards Christ who prays to God and asks in the Name of Jesus and in the Power and Light and Spirit of Christ And the true Fellowship hath been lost and Sanctification and Belief and the Righteousness since the Apostles days For many have had the letter but lost the Life the Notion but lost the Possession the Profession but lost the Substance Christ Jesus but the true Fellowship is in the Gospel the Power of God which was before the Devil was and since Men lost this Power of God they have not known the Scriptures aright but they have set up Fellowships by that Spirit which is of him that is out of the Truth that have destroyed one another and persecuted them which are in the Power of God which is the Gospel which was before the Devil and all the Fellowships in old Adam was and will be when they are all gone Now the Gospel-Fellowship is a perfect Fellowship a pure and an holy Fellowship it is an everlasting Fellowship for the Power of God is everlasting it is over the Jews Fellowship in the outward things and the Gentiles invented Fellowships and the Fellowships of Bread Water and Wine for these are no Mysteries the World's Fellowship is no Mystery the Fellowship of Bread Water and Wine is no Mystery but the Gospel-Fellowship is a Mystery and none sees it but who comes to the Light of Christ and to the Truth in the inward parts For this is a standing Fellowship the Gospel the Power of God and all Fellowships out of it are imperfect and corrupt where the Body of Death and Sin and their Purgatory is pleaded for which Fellowships below Men make and are of Men and from Men but the Gospel is not of Men nor by Men but of God and from Christ So this Fellowship is the Church-Fellowship that is in God and it is a pure Fellowship the Gospel-Fellowship is which Gospel brings Life and Immortality to Light and expels away all that which darkens and burdens and loads the Soul Mind Spirit and Heart So this is Glad-Tidings to the Immortal Soul which comes by the Immortal Power up to the Immortal God where Life and Immortality comes to Light and to shine over him that hath darkened it Here is liberty to the Immortal Soul Mind and Spirit in the Gospel the Power of God which is the Gospel-Fellowship which is a Mystery but Bondage and Darkness to the other so Life and Immortality is hid from all them that makes Fellowships below and have their Fellowships by Men and of Men who are out of the Power of God the Gospel and makes Fellowships of old Authors and makes Fellowships of the Scriptures But being erred from the Spirit they know not the Scriptures nor the Power of God and there they are in Strife and Enmity in their Fellowships and falling-out about their Bread and Wine some taking it one way some another and falling-out about their handy Works and plucking People from one another to themselves and not to Christ nor his Gospel-Fellowship that came not by Men neither was it of Man So they that deny Revelation cannot preach Christ until he be revealed nor cannot preach the Gospel until it be revealed And they that say Revelations are ceased they may as well say there is no Gospel and so have no Christ to preach and are only Ministers of the Letter neither have
stand in the Light which was before Darkness or the Prince of it was and stand in the Power of God which was before the Devil was and sit down in the heavenly Places in Christ Jesus who was set up from Everlasting to Everlasting And therefore keep your Faith in the Lord for he is the same who hath given you Dominion thro' Faith over the Mountains of Opposition by which they have been subdued and by which the Fiery Darts have been quenched And hath not this been fulfilled In all their Afflictions he was Afflicted Have Faith in Christ in time of Trial. and that the Angel of his Presence should be with them in their Trials and Sufferings So the Lord hath a tender Care of his Sheep his People that the Angel of his Presence should be with them in all their Trials And therefore let your Minds be out of all outward things and visibles and fear not the Fleece for it will grow again and if the Lord should try you now with the spoil of outward things after he hath blessed you with them to see whether your Minds be with them or with him Therefore now stand having on the whole Armour of God and his Righteousness and your Feet shod with the Power of God which was before the Devil was this will keep you from slipping and have on the Armour of Light to stand against Darkness and the Breast-Plate of Righteousness which is Armour-proof against the Devil and his Fiery Darts and keep the Shield of Faith and Sword of the Spirit the Word of God and the Helmet of Salvation that preserves the Head in all Battles with the Devil and his Instruments And thus with your heavenly Armour and Arms stand and keep your Possession of Life who are brought out of Spiritual Egypt Sodom and Babylon having one to go before you the Captain of your Salvation Christ Jesus who was before Moses and Joshua were and see how the Children of God all along in the Scriptures thro' Faith had the victory Daniel by Faith the three Children by Faith Abraham by Faith The Excellency of Faith Joshua by Faith and Caleb by Faith and the other Spies which had no Faith and the Elders among the outward Jews and the People how they fell through Unbelief but by Grace through Faith the Just were saved by Faith they had victory and by Faith they pleased God and therefore keep in the Faith and you will have the Water of Life and the Bread of Life from above and stand still in the Faith for the Just live by Faith and they that had not Faith to Believe they perished and Christ hath taught all how to believe To Believe in the Light who hath enlightned every one that cometh into the World he saith Believe in the Light which was a blessed Doctrine of the heavenly Man for you believing in the Light you believe in that which makes manifest all Things all Fruits all Creatures all Religions and Worship for the Light was before they all were and will be when they are all gone Therefore Believe in the Light saith the heavenly Man who teacheth what to believe in for whatsoever is made manifest is made manisest by the Light So to believe in the Light that doth make manifest all things that are reproveable therein you will become Children of the Light and Children of the Day and Sons of God And so will become Children of the Light and Daughters of God and Sons of Zion and Daughters of Zion the heavenly Zion the heavenly Joy and so herein you come to be of the Royal Family above all the Families of the Earth above all the Housholds of the Earth a Houshold of God the Workmanship of God the Planting of God the Building of God the Houshold of Faith which are Titles higher than all the Titles among Men in the World in the Creation Sons and Daughters and Servants and Hand maids every Man to enjoy something in the Houshold Every one to have an Inheritance of their own of Life that they may offer to God of their heavenly Substance who are called a Royal Priesthood that is a Kingly Priesthood over the Devil and over Adam in a Possession of a Spiritual Kingdom and of a World that hath no End and of an heavenly durable Substance and Riches which are Spiritual and so to offer up Spiritual Sacrifices to God who is a Spirit So now the time of Trying is therefore all to stand To stand faithful in time of Tryal and see if there be any thing able to separate you from Christ who is from Everlasting to Everlasting who is First and Last who makes an end of Sin and finishes Transgression and destroys the Devil and his Works and is the Top and Corner-Stone the Possession of all the Righteous the Rest and Sabbath of all the Righteous that have drank his Blood whom he hath made alive So in Christ you shall bear no burden for he destroys that which oppresses both Man and Beast and in Christ you shall not go out to gather your Meat who is your Sabbath and Rest but in old Adam there is no Rest in the second Adam the heavenly Man there is the Rest and in him to wit Christ the heavenly Man you need not go out to gather your Meat For he is the Bread of Life Christ is the Bread of Life and living Way to God that comes down from above in him stand and sit down in the heavenly Places in Christ Jesus who was with the Father before the World began who is your Way to God which Way was set up above Sixteen Hundreds Years since before all these got up among the Papists and Protestants who is the New and Living Way to all who are made a-live by him and drink his Blood The Dead make dead Ways for the Dead to walk in but mind you Christ's Worship which was set up above Sixteen Hundred Years since by himself in the Spirit and Truth whereby every one comes to the Truth the Spirit of God in his own Heart in which Truth and Spirit he worships the God of Truth who is a Spirit and feels him always present Now to Worship God in the Truth is that which the Devil and old Adam is out of and this is the perfect and standing Worship and People that have lost this Worship that Christ set up they have set up so many false Worships among Protestants and Papists and compelling one another to them since they have lost the peaceable Truth in which the God of Peace is worshipped And therefor enow all prize the standing Truth To stand in the Liberty which Christ gives and walk as becomes the Gospel the Power of God which was before the Devil was which destroys the Devil and his Works and so Stand fast in the Liberty where with Christ hath made you free yea free from the Devil and old Adam for the freedom is in him in
God how soon they forgot him as in the Days of the old World and in the Days of Moses and in the Days of the Judges how they soon forgot God that had done great things for them and for sook God and his Way and Religion and Worship and followed such Gods as Men had made And in the Days of the Prophets how the People forsook the Lord God and in the Days of Christ and his Apostles how they were mostly gone astray from God though they kept an outward Profession of their Words yet denied Christ in his Light and Life and Power who was the End of the Law and the Prophets Many of old Time forsock the Truth and ran into Error And them that did receive Christ Jesus and believed in him in a few Ages after the Apostles how most of Christendom ran from the Life into Death and ran from the Light into Darkness and into Error from the Holy Sprit and into Babylon which is Confusion and from the Worship in the Spirit and in the Turth that Christ set up and follwed after the Worship of the Beast and the Dragon and went from the true Church after the Whore and from Christ the Way to God after the Ways that Men had made and from the Religion that is Pure from above after the Religions that Men have made And so now the Gospel is preached again Now the Gospel is preached again and the Living Way Christ to the Living God and his Religion and his Worship is set up and received of many and they come to the true Worship which is in God And all be Faithful All be faitbful and take heed of running back again where you were before lest you and your Children perish as others have done that forsook the Lord God for Mercies And therefore train up your Children in the Fear of God and in the Way of Christ and in his Worship and Religion that they may observe and keep in it when you are gone And walk in the Spirit and Truth And walk in the Spirit and keep in the Order of the Gospel in which God is worshipped and keep in the Order of the Gospel in the Power of God which was before the Devil was which Power of God will keep you Pure to God that nothing may get betwixt you and the Lord God And be obedient to the Law that God hath written in your Hearts and put in your Minds that you may be the Children of the New Covenant and that you may be the Royal Priesthood offering up to God the Spiritual Sacrifices And sitting under your Teacher the Grace of God which bringeth Salvation and seasoneth your Words and establisheth your Hearts And this Grace saveth and is sufficient saith God Almighty And you need no Man to teach you but as the same Anointing doth teach you to know all things which Anointing abideth in you And hearken all what the Righteosness of Faith saith speaking on this wise Rom. 10.6 7 8. The Word is nigh thee even in thy Heart and in thy Mouth to obey it and do it That thou need not say Who shall ascend to bring Christ from above or descend to bring Christ from the Grace c. for that is the Word of Faith which we do Preach G. F. To Friends in Carolina DEar Friends to whom is my Love in the blessed Seed Epist 288. which bruiseth the Head of the Serpent and is over all and changeth not which is the First and Last in whom you have Life and Peace with the God of Peace So you few that are that ways keep your Meetings Keep your Meetings in the Name of Jesus and meet together in the Name of Jesus whose Name is above every Name and Gathering is above every Gathering and there is no Salvation in any other Name but by the Name of Jesus and you Gathering in his Name where Salvation is he is your Prophet your Shepherd your Bishop your Priest in the midst of you to open to you and to santifie you and to feed you with Life and to quicken you with Life wait in his Power and Light that ye may be Children of the Light by believing in the Light which is the Life in Christ that you may be grafted into him the true Root and built upon him the true Foundation Who is the Foundation of his People who was the Foundation of the holy Prophets and Apostles and of all the holy Martyrs and is the Foundation of all his holy People now and is the Rock of Ages yea of the Ages of the Prophets and of the Ages of his Apostles and of the Ages of his People now and Martyrs who kept them above the Raging of the Seas and doth now which Rock the Wise Men builds upon the Rock that stands against all the Storms and Tempestuous Weather And therefore be valiant for God's Truth upon the Earth and his good Spirit and live in it by which you may profit in the things of God through which ye may answer the Witness of God in all and the Spirit which they grieve and quench which they are erred from through which he may be served and his Truth spread abroad So every one in your Measoures of the Spirit of God and Christ be faithful that in it you may increase and answer the Lord in a good Life and Conversation for all his Mercies And as every one hath received the Lord Jesus Christ so walk in him that you may serve the Lord in a New Life and worship him in the Spirit and Truth which the Devil is out of and by this Truth you may be made free by whith ye may be espoused and married to Christ Jesus for the Marriage of the Lamb is come and coming And therefore if you want Wisdom keep in the Truth that you may go to the Treasure of Life and of Salvation that you may be Heirs of the same and of Life and Possessors of it Yea I say Heirs of Life and Inherit that and that will be more to you than if all the World was your Portion and the Riches you lay up there will stand buy and be with uyou when time is gone and shall be no more For the Truth is the Truth and changeth not in which live and it will be your Peace and Joy everlasting And in the Seed Christ Jesus who bruises the Serpent's Head who was before the Devil was glorified with the Father before the World began and was from Ecverlasting to Everlasting the First and Last the Top and Corner-Stone in him live that you may inherit Life Everlasting and dwell in the Love of God in Christ Jesus that will edifie and build one another up and therein walk in all Holiness of Life and Conversation for that becomes God's House and dwell and live and walk in the Peaceable Truth that keeps you in Peace and in the Holy Fellowship of the Spirit the Bond of Peace by which
and as he is a Priest who offered up himself for you who is made Higher than the Heavens and that is Higher than all the Priests that are made upon the Earth who Sanctifies his People his Church and presents them to God without blemish spot or wrinkle So I say know him in all his Offices exercising them amongst you and in you I am glad to hear of some of your diligence in taking that great Journey to Carolina through the Woods for if you visit them sometimes it would do well And there is a People at that place you call New-Country as you go to Carclina which had a great desire to see me amongst whom I had a Meeting I received Letters giving me an account of the Service some of you had with and amongst the Indian King and his Councel and if you go over again to Carolina you may enquire of Capt. Batts the Old Governor with whom I left a Paper to be read to the Emperor and his Thirty Kings under him of the Tusrowres who were to come to Treat for Peace with the People of Carolina Whether he did read it to them or no remember me to Major General Benett and Col. Dew and the rest of the Justices that were Friendly and Curteous to me when I was there and came to Meetings and tell them that I cannot but remember their Civility and Moderation when I was amongst them And so the Lord redouble it into your Hearts and theirs the Love and Kindness which they and you shewed unto me I have been a Prisoner here about these Eight Months and now I am Premunired because I cannot take an Oath but the Lord's Seed and Power is over all blessed be his Name for ever and Glory and Honour to Him who is over all and is worthy of all Read this amongst Friends in their Meetings G. F. Worcester 1673. MY Dear Friends Epist 305. Live in the Seed that bruiseth the Serpents Head who is the Head of all false Teachers and Ways and false Worships and Religions But Christ is the Head of all the true Worshippers and in his Name keep your Meetings in whom you have Salvation and not by any other Name under Heaven And fit under your Teacher Christ Jesus that doth bring your Salvation the Grace of God that you may all witness that you have a Teacher from God that doth bring your Salvation and in your Hearts you have received him and believed in him and with your Mouths confession is made to Salvation that your Teacher hath brought you that you all may witness his Salvation to be your Walls and Bulwarks that doth surround your Camps and Tabernacles London 1673. G. F. To Friends in Holland FRiends Do not grow barren but in the Root abiding Epist 306. ye will spring upward and bring forth much Fruit in this Life To grow in the Root and in the Life to come inherit Life Eternal and so your Lives being hid with Christ in God you will be made conformable to his Image and know the Power of his Resurrection and the Fellowship with him in his Sufferings and the Fellowship with him in his Death that you may have Fellowship with him in his Resurrection and Life And as you have born the Image of the Earthly so also you may bear the Image of the Heavenly And as your Vessels hath been full of Wrath and Dishonour so your Vessels may be full of his Mercies and Praises to God and as in your Old Earth hath dwelt Unrighteousness so you may see and know the New Earth wherein dwelleth Righteousness There is a Belief that God is not the Author of for such have not the Witness in themselves of what they do believe and a Belief may be of God and Christ and of the Scriptures and yet such may be in Death Faith for they are not in Christ the Light and so are not Children of the Light and there is a Faith which Christ is not the Author of and that Faith giveth not the Victory nor purifieth the Heart neither do they in it please God nor have they access to God and that is the dead Faith which hath no Works And there is a Hope that doth not purifie and that Hope is that which is not of Christ who saves and purifieth as he is pure but that Hope is the Hope of the Hypocrites Hope And there is a Way that may be defiled where all the Wolves Dogs and Beasts and the Vnclean passeth and hath many turning Ways in it and many crooked and rough and mountanious Ways in it and there is the broad Way that leadeth to Destruction and these are not the Way of Christ that leadeth to Life which is the narrow and strait Way And there arem any Names in the World by which there is no Salvation the Beast hath many Names which all the World wondereth after and receive the Beast's Mark that he marketh them with his Beastly Spirit and Power which he hath from the Dragon but there is but one Name under the whole Heaven by which People shall be saved and that is the Name of Jesus Salvation in the Name of Jesus only and they gathering in his Name by whom the World was made and receiving their Father the Lord God Almighty's Name and Mark in their Foreheads Christ is in the midst of them and they will not receive the Beast's Mark nor will not be marked by him And there are many Religions in the World all which are spotted and defiled with the World's Spirit with which they do destroy one another but there is but one pure Religion from above that is undefiled in the sight of God and that keeps from the Spots of the World Pure Religion and leads to visit the Widow and Fatherless in their distress and they that receive this pure Religion from God who is above it is by God's Spirit the fruits of which is Love and this pure undefiled Religion from God hath the Glory in all the Hearts of them that do receive it who is the Author of it and it is above all those Religions that are below that are made by Men's earthly sensual and devilish Wisdom who with it compel People to conform to them and such are not gentle pure nor peaceable as the Wisdom which is from above is And there is but one true Worship which the Devil is out of and his unclean Spirit and he cannot get into it The true Worship in the Spirit which Worship is in the Spirit and in the Truth which Christ the heavenly Man hath set up above Sixteen Hundred Years since and every one that cometh into the Spirit and into the Truth are the true Worshippers of the God of Truth who is a Spirit and all that are not in the Spirit and Truth are in the Beast's Worship out of the Spirit of God and in his Wrath under the Dragon's Power and there are many Instructors that
round the Nation to advise to the setting up the Men and Womens Meetings and to write to those Places where I could not go That all the Faithful might keep their Meetings in the Power of God and in it be settled and established And that all Marriages might be laid before the Men and Womens Meetings who were in the Wisdom of God and in the Possession of his Gospel Order who had the Care of the Church of Christ's Business that they in the Wisdom of God might look into it and see that they were clear from all other Persons c. And therefore now that Pretence is generally taken away from all they cannot say now That they cannot tell where to find a Meeting of the Faithful to lay their Marriages before them before they declare it in the common Publick Meetings Now that the Men and Womens Meetings are settled in the Power of God to look after the Churches Affairs for all knows where they may be found at certain Days Times and Places to lay it before them And they that go together in the Truth and Power of God will be willing to lay their Marriages before them that be in the same Truth and Power of God So that all things may be done in Truth Love and Vnity and Pureness Clearness and Holiness to the Praise and Glory of God And all whosoever they be that oppose this good Order are loose Spirits out of the Power of God and their Work tends to Loosness and to draw into a loose Liberty under a deceitful Pretence of keeping People out of Forms So the same Power and Spirit that directed all Marriages to be laid before the Faithful at the first when there were but few Friends in many parts of the Nations and no Mens nor Womens Meetings I say the same Power of God that did convince Friends at the first the same Power and Spirit directed to the setting up the Mens and Womens Meetings that they might be in the Possession of the Gospel and its Order And the same Power and Spirit of God set up our Order for Marriages in our Mens and Womens Meetings All to seeck first to the Parents before they engage the Affection of the Child And that all are to speak first to their Parents and have their Consent before they engage the Affections of the Children and this Order is settled by the Power of God in the Men and Womens Meetings for some formerly did speak to neither Father nor Mother till they had drawn out and entangled the Affections of the Daughter and that brought great troubles and discontent upon the Parents and among Friends And therefore this is to be enquired into in the Men and Womens Meetings where their Marriages are to be spoken of So as Friends come to Truth which the Devil is out of and to the Power of God which was before the Devil was all being Heirs of Life and the Gospel and Heirs of Christ I say take your Possession of Life and come into the Order of Life and into the Order of the Gospel and then you will have a Witness in your selves and will say with me our Order is not of Man nor by Man but by Jesus Christ and his Gospel and of his Government the increase of which there is no end And so all be faithful keeping in your Possessions and in your Inheritance in that where no Apostacy can come For I must tell you here is the same Spirit stirring if it could prevail that would lay waste God's Heritage and bring you out of your Possessions that it might rule over you But if you keep your Possessions of the Gospel-Order the Power of God in Christ Jesus you will rule over it being in and upon the Foundation of God that stands sure thought some earthly loose Spirits it may draw after them But mark the end of it for the Power remains and will remain and the Seed reigns over the Head of all such false Spirits A Warning to Oppose rs and Orders and Governments that is not set up by Jesus Christ and it will grind them to pieces That is the Word of the Lord God to you let whoever will oppose it for the Power was before they were and will stand when they are gone For all our Men and Womens Meetings which are set up by the Power and Spirit of God these Meetings are for the Practise of Religion and to see that all that do profess Truth do practise it and walk in it And all such as are against them are begetters of People into talking and not walking and of Saying but not Doing and such always were Judged by all them that walk in the Truth and in the pure Religion that is undefiled before God that kept and keeps from the Spots of the World And all such are never like to prosper that are against the Practice of the pure Religion And therefore as I said before live in the Possession of the Gospel and its Order the Power of God which was before the Devil was or the Apostacy either and know his Government of the increase of which there is no End who is set up from Everlasting to Everlasting the Amen And live in Love and Vnity one with another for that edifies the Body of Christ and that is it which will bear all things and in the Patience run the Race and have the Crown and keep in the Meekness of the Lamb that will have the Victory And such Opposers as crys against Forms and Prescriptions and Edicts of Men they are the most in it themselves this Day and gathers into a Separation by Prescriptions and Subscriptions and under a Pretence of crying against such things oppose the Power and them that be in the Possession of it But the Power will blast them and make them to wither like the Grass and Corn on the House-top as it did John Parrot and his Company to whom it was the Word of the Lord then and so it is to these now and the Word lives and abides and endures for ever So with my Love in the Lord Jesus Christ to you all in whom is my Labour and Travel for your Eternal Good and Settlement upon the Eternal Rock Amen Farewell Let this be read in the Men and Womens Meetings when Friends are assembled together Swarthmore the 12th of the 12th Month 1675. G. F. ALL Dear Friends and Brethren Keep up your Testimony Epist 318. in the Light Power and Spirit of God for the Worship Friends to keep their Testimony against the Anti-Christian Ministry that Christ set up above Sixteen hundred Years since in the Spirit and Truth which Truth the Devil is out of who is an unclean Spirit which is a Worship that cannot be shaken And keep up your Testimony against the Anti-Christian Ministry that is inwardly ravened from the Spirit of God and the Light of Christ and his Anti-Christian Tythes and Maintenance which he hath set up by that
hath come forth at their Mouths Nose and Ears And this I have seen upon Record who freely profer'd to watch in their own way but it would not be accepted And in other places it hath been the same And now as for Watching in it self Don't you Watch your Plantions against Thieves in the Night And are not common Watches set to discover Thieves in the Towns or House-Breakers or such as might wickedly Fire Houses Such civil Things we were subject to and do submit our selves for Conscience sake unto every such Ordinance of Man which are for the punishment of Evil Doers and for the praise of them that do well Now those Evil Doers that may Rob your Plantations or Houses you complaine to the Magistrates for the Punishment of them tho' you cannot Swear against them or if the Indians come to Rob your Plantations or Houses you complaine to the Magistrates for the Punishment of such evil doers to stop them which Magistrates are for the Praise of them that do well So this Watching is for the preventing Thieves and Murderers and stopping Burning of Houses So we do submit to every such Ordinance of Men for the Lord's sake for the Apostle exhorted to Submission whether it be to the King as supreme or Governors as unto them that are sent by him for the Punishing of the Evil Doers Of Subjection to Magistraies and for the praise of them that do well for so it is the Will of God that with well doing you might put to Silence the Ignorance of Foolish Men as free not using your Liberty for a Cloak of Maliciousness but as Servants of God so that Justice and Truth and Righteousness may be set upon the Unrighteous and Unjnst not using this Liberty for a Cloak of Unrighteousness to any one but as Servants in the Righteousness of the Righteous God as you may see in 1 Pet. 2.13 and in Titus 3.1 Put them in mind to obey Magistrates and to be ready to every good Work Mark every good Work that is against the evil as Drunkeness Murder Whordom these and all manner of Uncleanness so far we can obey them in the Lord's Power and Truth as they act against the Evil and that which dishonours God and if they Act against the Good or if they would comple us to those things which is matter of Conscience in us towards God we resist not bur suffer under them For Rulers are not to be a Terror to the Good Workers but to the Evil and wilt thou then not be afraid of the Power do that which is good and thou shalt have Praise of the same for he is a Minister of God to thee for good for he should keep down the Evil but if thou dost that which is Evil be afraid for he beareth not the Sword in vain for he is a Minister of God to Revenge and Execute Wrath upon him that doth Evil. Who is the Executor of Wrath upon the Evil Doer So he is the Revenger and Executioner of the Wrath upon the Evil Doer as God hath placed him upon the Adulterer and him that Steals or Kills and bears false Witness c. But when the Magistrate turns his Sword backward upon the Just and Righteous then he abuses his Power and therein the Just suffers under him And therefore such has been Warned by the Just as you may see through the Scriptures So you are not to be the Revengers but he is the Revenger and to that Power that executes the Revenge and brings the Sword upon the Adulterer Murderer Thief false Witness and other Evil Doers we must be subject to that Power and own that Power not only for Wrath but for Conscience sake which is for the Punishment of the Evil Doers and the Praise of them that do well For if any should come to Burn your House or Rob you or come to Ravish your Wives or Daughters or a Company should come to Fire a City or Town or come to Kill People don't you watch against all such Actions And won't you watch against such evil things in the Power of God in your own way You cannot but discover such things to the Magistrates who are to Punish such things and therefore the Watch is kept and set to discover such to the Magistrate that they may be Punished and if he does it not he bears his Sword in vain So if thou watches thy own Plantation against Thieves in thy own way which thou art desired for the good of thy self and Neghbours against such as would Burn thy Plantation and thy Neighbours and Destroy and Rob you wilt not thou discover this to the Magistrates to Punish such Evil Doers who is set for the Punishing of the Evil Doers and Executing Wrath upon them and for the Praise of them that do well Surely Yes And for this cause we pay tribute to them and give Cesar his due that we may live a Godly and Peaceable Life under them as they are God's Ministers attending upon this very thing to wit the Punishing of the Evil Doers and the Praise of them that do well for the Law was not made for the Righteous but for the Sinner and Disobedient which is good in its place Now if they do not do their Duty we are clear in giving them their Tribute or Customs I say if they do not do their Duty to keep down Evil Doers and be for the Praise of them that do well God Almighty will turn against them But if the Magistrate would have all both God's due and Cesar's too that we cannot give for God must have his Worship his Praise his Honour and his Due and Cesar must have his Due Render to God the things which are his and to Cesar the things which are his his earthly Custom and Tribute and so herein we render unto God the things which are God's and unto Cesar the things which are his And whereas some may say That the Apostle would not eat Flesh lest he should offend his Brother that was upon a Religious Account and not to give offence to the Magistrate who is set for the Punishing of the Evil Doers and for the Praise of them that do well And whereas the Apostle saith Col. 2. Wherefore if you be dead with Christ from the Rudiments of the World why as though living in the World are ye subject to Ordinances touch not taste not handle not which all are to perish with the using after the Commandments and Doctrines of Men Now these Ordinances these Doctrines these Commandments were concerning Religion and Worship and that was another thing where the Apostle saith Be subject to every Ordinance of Man for the Lord's sake for the Punishment of Evil Doers 1 Pet. 2.13 For this was for the Lord's sake which was for the Praise of them that do well and for the Punishment of the Evil Doer So he makes a distinction here And you know that Masters of Ships and Friends have their Watches all
into such things And therefore they are to have an Esteem of Truth and Virtue above all such things and not to indulge any such things as will draw out their Minds from Vertue to Vice Now when the Women are met together in the Light Women when met to be helpful to one another and in the Gospel the Power of God some are of a more large Capacity and Understanding than other Women and are able to inform and instruct and stir up others into Diligence Vertue and Righteousness and Godliness and in the Love and Wisdom of God to Inform and Reform their Families and to help them that be of weaker Capacities and Understandings in the Wisdom of God that they may be fruitful in every good Work and Word So that they may see that all their Families are ordered to God's Glory and that which tends to Loosness or Evil either in words ways or actions that would corrupt them either in their Lives or Manners may be kept down and reproved So that all their Children and Servants may be trained up in the Fear of God in the New Covenant for among the Jews in the Old Covenant them that sojourned amongst them were to keep the Sabbath and if they did eat of their Sacrifice they were bo be circumcised And the Women had their Assemblies in the Days of the Judges and the Kings and old Ely's Sons abused them and old Ely did admonish his Sons but he did not resTrain them from their Wickedness and therefore God cut off his Sons and he lost the Ark of God and the Priesthood and his own Life also So many of you may admonish your Children but if ye do not restrain them by the holp of the Spirit of God which God hath given to you you will quench the Spirit of God in you by indulging them so by that you will lose your spiritual Offering and your Priesthood therein Ely an example to all Parents and take heed if you do not lose your own Lives and your Childrens also therefore mind old Ely for your Example Now old Ely was not against the Assemblies of the Women who assembled by Troops as in the Margent of the Bible you may see 1 Sam. 2.21 22. though some Men now a days may be against Womens Meetings or Assemblies in the Gospel-times and against Woments Speaking or Prophecying but they are ignorant of the universal Spirit and of their Service and Labour to God in his Grace and Gospel and are of a narrow Spirit and are not the true Servers of God themselves for if they were they would have all People to serve God in his Power and to keep the true Religion which is to visit the Fatherless and the Widows and to keep themselves from the Spots of the World And some there have been that would not have the Women to meet without the Men and some of them say the Women must not speak in the Church and if they must not speak what should they meet with them for But what Spirit is this that would exercise Lordship over the Faith of any And what a Spirit is this that will neither suffer the Women to speak amongst the Men nor to meet amongst themselves to speak But all this is for Judgment with that Spirit that gives Liberty unto all that Labour in the Gospel in the Light and in the Grace And some Men and Women there are that suggest if Women should meet by themselves in the Order of the Gospel the Power of God they would be too high but such Men and Women as so suggest are too high already and would be ruling over Men and Women's Possessions and waste their own for if they were in the Power and Spirit of God they need not fear any one's getting over them For the Power and Spirit of God gives Liberty to all for Women are Heirs of Life as well as the Men and so Stewards of the manifold Grace of God And they must all give an account of their Stewardship All must give account of their Stewardship and are to be Possessors of Life and Light and Grace and the Gospel of Christ and to Labour in it and to keep their Liberty and Freedom in it as well as the Men. And they are Believers in the Light as well as the Men and so Children of the Light and of the Day as well as the Men. And so the Assemblies of the Women Assemblies of Women to be in the Gospel as was in the time of the Law whom God hath poured out his Spirit upon are to be in the time of the Gospel as well as in the time of the Law that they may be helps meet to the Men in the time of the Gospel in the Restoration as they were in the Beginning and time of the Law So all the Women in all their Assemblies in the time of the Gospel and of the New Covenant of Light Life and Grace are to be incouraged as they were in the time of the Law and to be stirred up in the Wisdom of God to their Diligence and Service of God and Christ in his New Covenant in his Gospel-time Concerning the Substance to do the Lord's Business about the Heavenly Tabernacle and Heavenly Garnients as the Women were about the Figure in the time of the Law And now you that stumble at Womens Meetings had not your Women many vain Meetings before they were convinced and you were not then offended at them when they met to satisfie the Flesh and had Junketing Meetings to themselves did you reprove them for such Meetings And why should they not now meet in their Conversion in the Lord's Power and Spirit to do his Business and to visit the Fatherless and Widows and to keep themselves from the Spots of the World which is the Practice of the pure Religion wherein the Men and Women may be helps meet in the Religion that is not of the World that keeps from the Spots of the World But some have said That such Meetings must not be That they may be helpful with the Men to prevent Evil c. but as Business requires or occasions them As much as to say you must not make up the Hedges till the Beasts have devoured your Corn and then the Parish Overseers must meet together to compute the Damage And here their Wisdom is seen as if it were not more their Duty to meet to prevent bad Actions that may fall out and with the Power of God to stop up Gaps to prevent Evil or weak Places for when the Evil is entred into it is of the latest to meet then which rather brings Scandal that Remedy and therefore the Labourers in the Gospel Men and Women being helps meet are to see that all walk and live in the Order of the Gospel and to see that nothing be lacking then all is well For the Women in their Assemblies may inform one another of the poor Widows and Fatherless
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
Seed of God and feedeth upon the Milk of this everlasting Word which liveth and abideth and endureth for ever and was in the beginning by which Word you have Wisdom and Salvation by which Wisdom all God's Children are justified The Lord God in his Immortal Power preserve you out of all Evil and out of the Earth and over your Enemies within and without in his everlasting Seed Christ that is over all to his Glory for ever Amen G. F. To Friends at Dantzick DEar Friends Epist 336. in the Love of God and the Lord Jesus Christ look above all your outward Sufferings and him that is out of Truth that makes you to suffer and let nothing separate you from the Love of God which you have in Christ Jesus by whom all things were made Not to be moved from the true Foundation Christ Jesus I say let not the Birth of the Flesh with all his carnal Weapons Goals and Prisons Threats or Reproaches move you nor separate you from the Love of God nor from your Foundation the Rock of Ages Christ Jesus But feel the Well of Life springing up in you to nourish the Plant that God has planted in you of his Renown that that may grow up within his Hedge his Power which will keep out the Devil and all the Venomous Beasts from entring into God's Garden or Kingdom And therefore let your Faith stand in the Lord's Power which is your Hedge and Defence and which is your Keeper and will keep you safe that you need not be afraid of your Enemy your Adversary for the Lord's Power is over his Head and you within his Power then nothing can get betwixt you and God and in the Power of the Lord is the City set upon his Hill where the Light shines and the heavenly Salt is and the Lamps burning and Trumpets sounding forth the Praise of God of the Eternal Joy in his Eternal Word of Life that lives and abides and indures for ever And so to the Praise and Glory of God you may bring forth fresh and green Fruit being grafted into the green Tree that never withers Oh be valiant for God's Glory and his Truth upon the Earth To be valiant for the Truth and spread it abroad and spread it abroad answering that of God in every Man and Womans Conscience knowing him that hath brought Everlasting Peace into the Earth So that the Songs of Salvation may be in your Mouths for it is said With the Heart Man believes and with the Mouth Confession is made to Salvation So every true Believer will confess to Christ his Salvation their Way Light and Life out of Death and Darkness their Prophet to open to them their Shepherd to feed them and their Bishop to oversee them their Captain and Commander to command and to lead them their Counsellor for to counsel them and their Priest who hath offered himself for them and also sanctifies them and offers them up to God To whom be all Praise and Golory for ever Amen I writ something to the Magistrates which is in Print in England which if you have it not to give them you may send into Holland and let it be translated into your Language and given to them and spread it up and down in your Country And as for Truth in this Part of the World and in America Truth prospers it prospers and spreads and goes on and by it many Men and Women are made God's Free Men and Women being redeemed from him that is out of Truth that they may serve God in the New Life in Christ Jesus out of the Old Life in Adam in the Fall and so come to live in the heavenly Vnity Wisdom Love and Dominion So in that Love that bears all things and keeps your Hearts Minds and Souls up to God which comes from God through which you come to love God and Christ and one another in that live and dwell Swarthmore the 17th of the 3d Month 1676. G. F. To Friends in Holland DEar Friends To whom is my Love in the Seed of Life Epist 337. that bruises the Head of the Seed of Death and through him you have all Life Eternal who is the Foundation of the Prophets and the Apostles and all God's People in all Ages their Rock to build upon that will stand the Waves of the Sea and all Storms and foul Weather who is the Horn of your Salvation to push down all that stands in your way to God and to push down him that has led Man and Woman from God So that you may all sing of your Rock and the Horn of your Salvation as the Holy Ones did in Ages past and Christ who is your Foundation the Lamb of God who hath been slain from the Foundation of the World Christ overcame the World and is ascended far above all things but now he has overcome the World and is risen and ascended far above all Principalities Powers Thrones and Dominions and is razing down to the Ground the World's Foundation from which Foundation he has been slain and is setting up himself the Living and Everlasting Foundation for all his to build upon and therefore because the World and its Foundation Christ is razing down they are are offended and angry and the Heathen Rage and take Counsel against the anointed but it 's to no purpose for he will shake the Foundation of all false Religions Ways Worships Churches and Teachers and will make the Pillars of them to totter and they must be at their wits end before they see another Foundation for God shook down the Four Monarchies the great Empires of the World and scattered them abroad with his Wind as the Chaff of the Summer Floor all those great Persecutors and the little Stone that 's cut out of the Mountain without Hands The Stone out of the Mountain without Hands c. that no earthly Man has the glory of is becoming a great Mountain and will fill the whole Earth Glory to God for ever and it will dash down all Mens Glory and Pride let them soar as high as Nebuchadnezzar and shelter as many under them as he did in their Sects that he may make them to know that the most High rules in the Kingdom of Men and that his Kingdom is an Everlasting Kingdom And therefore all Friends that know the Light which is the Life in Christ be faithful in the Truth and spread it abroad answering the Light of Christ in every one for Christ bid his Disciples go preach the Gospel unto all Nations And since that was done are many gathered into the Fellowship and Order of it but since the World has worshipped the Beast and given their Glory and Honour to him instead of God and Christ which Beast is out of Truth and had his Power from the Dragon and the Whore which all Nations has drunk of her Cup and she has rid upon the Beast and now the Everlasting Gospel must
therein are his and he gives the increase thereof And therefore be not over eager after outward things but keep above them in the Lord's Power and Seed Christ Jesus that is over all in whom you have all Life Election and Salvation And write over Yearly from your Meetings how you are settled and how your Affairs go in the Truth and how your Men and Womens Meetings are settled And my Desires are That we may hear that you are a good Savour to God in those Countries So that the Lord may Crown all your Actions with his Glory So with my Love to all Swarthmore the 4th of the 1st Month 1676. G. F. MY Friends Epist 341. All you that do know God and Christ your Teacher and are come to be the Sons and Daughters of the Lord God and are in his New Covenant in which you all do know the Lord and need not any Man to say unto you Know the Lord And are Heirs of the Gospel of Peace and Salvation that hath brought Life and Immortality to light and that by the Power of God the Gospel you do see over him the Adversary and the Destroyer that hath darkned you And so doth know that the Power of God is the Authority of your Mens and Womens Meetings in it keep them and all other Meetings and all such as be Heirs of Grace and Heirs of Life and Heirs of the Gospel keep your Mens and Womens Meetings in the Power of God the Authority of them and they that crieth against them or you strive not with them for they will in God's time die of themselves and wither away but keep your Testimony of the Life and of Grace and of the Gospel and of the Order of it and your Faith in him your Teacher who bruises the Head of the Serpent the Author of all Disorder and ill Government even Christ the increase of whose Government in his Truth and Power and Righteousness there is no end Glory to the Lord God for evermore And so all strive to be of one Mind and Heart and Soul and Spirit To live in Vnity in the Love of God and Faith living together in Vnity and in the Love of God all drinking into one Spirit by which you are Baptised into one Body having one Head who is Heavenly and Spiritual and in the one Spirit by which you are Circumcised which putteth off the Body of the Sins of the Flesh So as you do keep to the Spirit of Christ it will keep you to be one Body and to him the one Head Christ Jesus the Amen G. F. MY Dear Friends and Brethren Epist 342. That Faith which is the Gift of God which all the Saints lived in and by which they pleased God and had Victory by which they had access to God and by To live in that Faith wherein the Ancients pleased God and in which Faith they did walk And all the Just in all Ages and Generations did live by the same Faith Do you all live and walk now in your Age I say walk in that Faith by which Enoch the Seventh from Adam was translated and by which he had this Testimony that he pleased God And also keep in that Faith by which Noah built his Ark wherein he and his Family were preserved and the old World that grieved God and his good Spirit were drowned And also walk in that Faith by which Abraham forsook his Father's House and Native Country and their Idolatrous Religion And live in that Faith by which Moses forsook Egypt and refused to be called the Son of Pharaoh's Daughter and chose rather to suffer Affliction with the People of God than to enjoy the Pleasures of the World for a season And by this Faith which is the Gift of God he saw God who is Invisible And by this Faith was Rahab the Harlot saved and her Family And by this Faith the Walls of Jerico fell down without any outward Instrument of War And by this Faith Jacob went down into Egypt and his Children and by this Faith he knew they should return again And the Jews that did not keep in this Faith their Carcases fell in the Wilderness but they that kept in this Faith entered into the Land of Promise And by this Faith had all the Valiants of God the Victory and his holy Prophets and Prophetesses as you may read all along in the Scriptures And by this Faith were they kept in the Fire and by it the violence of the Fire was quench'd and by it the Mouths of the Lions were stopped So by this Faith they had the Victory And by this Faith was Elijah taken up to Heaven And so as Christ Jesus saith Faith saves and makes whole To look unto Jesus And all are to look unto Jesus the Heavenly and the Spiritual Man the Second Adam the Lord from Heaven by whom all things was made and created who is the First and the Last to be both the Author and Finisher of their Faith Now Christ said When the Son of Man cometh shall he find Faith in the Earth For all both Jews and Gentiles were concluded under Sin and Vnbelief so Sin and Vnbelief was over them and they shut up under it So whosoever hath this true saving and justifying Faith Christ Jesus hath been the Author of it and is the Finisher of this Divine and Precious Faith So all Eyes must look unto him for he is both the Author and Finisher of this Living Precious and Divine Faith And this is the Faith of God's Elect by which Faith they have access to God and know their Election by which Faith they are translated from Death to Life and from the Darkness to the Light and from the Power of Satan unto the Power of God and from the Corruption to the Incorruption and from the Mortal to the Immortal and from the Natural to the Spiritual And by this Faith By Faith the Devil is resisted the Devil the Destroyer is resisted who abode not in the Truth and by this Faith the Fiery Darts is quenched of Satan the Adversary of Man and he thereby is overcome So by this Faith you come to know the Partition Wall broken down that hath been betwixt you and God So in this Faith are all the Houshold of Faith to build upon Christ Jesus who bruises the Serpent's Head who is the Author and Finisher of Faith and this is called the Holy Faith and the One Faith and by this one Faith which Jesus Christ is the Author and Finisher of by whom all things was made and created by it we do understand the Worlds were made by the Word of God and this is the Faith which all the Houshold of Faith are to contend for That Faith which Christ is the Author of this One Faith which Christ Jesus is the Author of which Faith is the Gift of God and is held in a pure Conscience And it is called the Mystery of Faith for no
have the Life and the Truth which Death and Darkness cannot get into which is out of the Truth tho' they may talk of the Words of the Truth but keep in the pure Religion that was set up above Sixteen Hundred Years ago and this pure Religion which is undesiled before God will keep you from the Spots of the World and above all the spotted and dirty Religions that are not pure but are defiled before and in the sight of God And in this Religion in your Mens and Womens Meetings that are in the Gospel of Christ and in the Order of it you will see that nothing is lacking being ordered by the holy pure peaceable and gentle Wisdom of God from above and so keep in the Worship of God in the New Covenant in the Spirit and in the Truth which the Devil that foul Spirit who is out of the Truth cannot get into nor his Company And so in the Seed of Life which bruiseth the Head of the Serpent all dwell and sit down who is the Amen the First and Last in whom you have Peace with God and then nothing can get between you and the Lord God G. F. To the Yearly Meeting in Yorkshire MY Friends Epist 350. In the Service and in the Work of the Lord Jesus Christ the Second Adam in his Power Light and Truth live over Death and Darkness and him that is out of the Truth So all in the Seed that bruises the Serpent's Head stand up for God's Glory and Honour All to walk as becomes the Gospel in which Seed you are all one Male and Female and in which Seed you all have Peace and Vnity that is Everlasting And in this heavenly Seed see that all walk as becometh the glorious Gospel of Christ Jesus which hath brought Life and Immortality to light through the Gospel by which you do see over him that hath darkened you And this Gospel the Power of God will keep you in Life and in Immortality in which you may all see your Work and Service for the Lord God in Holiness and in Righteousness and in Godliness that the Lord God may be glorified in you all and among you all who is over all blessed for ever Amen And Friends see that all your Children and Families be trained up in the New Covenant of Grace and in Life and Peace and circumcised and baptized with the Spirit That Families be seasoned with Truth that they may all eat of the Spiritual Food and drink into one Spirit in the New Covenant and to feed upon the Substance as the Jews did on the Shadows in the Old which faded away And the Power of God the Gospel is the Authority of your Mens and Womens Meetings and every Heir of the Gospel is to Labour in their Inheritance and Possession in the Restoration into the Image of God in Righteousness and Holiness being made by Christ that never fell helps meet in the Restoration as they were before the Fall who is the First and Last the Foundation and Rock of Ages in him sit down in Life and Peace and Rest the Amen that nothing may get between you and the Lord God and see that nothing be lacking among you then all is well So with my Love in the Lord Jesus Christ London the 3d of the 4th Month 1678. G. F. FRiends Know what the Lord doth require of you Epist 351. and all have a Sense of that in your selves that he doth require which is to do Justly and to love Mercy and to walk humbly with God Now the Lord who is Merciful and Just Holy and Righteous Pure and Perfect he doth require The Lord requireth but in propoation to what he giveth That Man and Woman should do Justly and Righteously and live Godlily and Holily by the Holy Light and Spirit and Truth and Grace that the Lord hath given every Man and Woman to profit withal And so to answer the Holy Pure Righteous Just God of Truth in all their Lives and Words and Conversations and so to glorifie him upon the Earth And the more the Lord gives the more he requireth and the less that he giveth the less he requireth But the Lord requireth of every Man and Woman as he giveth who will judge the World in Righteousness by the Man Christ Jesus according to the Gospel the Power of God that is preached to every Creature under Heaven that is according to the invisible Power manifesting that there is something of the invisible Power of God in every Man and Woman So here the Lord Jesus Christ doth not Judge according to the hearing of the Ear and to the seeing of the Eye for with Righteousness shall he Judge you according to the Light which is the Life in the Word Christ with which he doth enlighten every Man that cometh into the World to the Salvation of them that believe in it and the Condemnation of them that do hate it and that will not receive the Gospel nor the Grace which bringeth Salvation which hath appeared to all Men but walk despitefully against the Spirit of Grace and iurn it unto Wantonness So according to his Grace and Light and Gospel will the righteous God Judge the World in Righteousness by Christ the Heavenly and Spiritual Man who hath died for the Sins of the World though they deny him that bought them and tasted Death for every Man Such deserve his Judgment Send this abroad among Friends to be read in their Meetings Swarthmore the 11th Month 1678. G. F. An Epistle to Friends to keep in the Power of God in their Peaceable Habitations over all the Troubles of the World ALL my Dear Friends and Brethren Epist 352. who are gathered by the Light Grace and Truth and Power and Spirit of Jesus Christ to him the Head over all by whom were all things created the First-born of every Creature and the First-begotten from the dead know him and the Power of his Resurrection that you all may be Partakers of it and of Life Everlasting and may sit together in the heavenly Places in Christ Jesus who is over all the First and Last and in him you have Peace who is not of this World for in this World there is trouble and the World did and doth hate Christ The World hated Christ before it hated them yea and his Light Grace Truth Power and Spirit and therefore it is no marvel if the World do hate Christ's Members that do follow him in his Light Grace Truth Power and Spirit and so with it receive him into them their Life and Salvation and so he that hath the Son of God hath Life who is the Fountain that filleth all that wait upon him with his heavenly Blessings and Riches of Life from Christ the Rock and Foundation that cannot be shaken though the Rocks and Foundations of the World may be shaken and cloven in pieces and the Pillars of the Earth may reel and stagger and all
Salvation who Redeems out of the Curse and Fear of Men or that makes the Arm of Flesh his strength and not the Arm of God and therefore the Arm of the Lord being your Strength Christ your Rock and Salvation then you need not fear what Man can do unto you for all God's Children are dear and tender to him whom he hath begotten again by the Word of God to be Heirs of his Kingdom he feeds them with Life Eternal and the Milk of his Word which Word lives and abides and endures for ever and is always full and plentious of Milk to nurse and nourish all God's Children unto Eternal Life and to inherit his Kingdom and the World which is Everlasting which Christ is the Ruler of the heavenly and spiritual Man and therefore they that are in him must be New Creatures for all the Old Creatures are in old Adam And therefore my Desires are that you may all be settled in Christ Jesus who was dead and is alive again and lives for evermore a Prophet Counsellor Priest Bishop and Shepherd a Circumciser and Baptiser a living Rock and Foundation for evermore the Beginning and Ending the First and Last the Amen sit down in him and he in you in whom you have Peace with God Amen Swarthmore the 6th of the 12th Month 1678. G. F. MY Dear Friends Epist 353. Whose Faces are set towards Zion from this Dung-hill World of Vanity and Vexation of Spirit the Glory Comfort and Pleasures of which pass away they that have more or less of it and that enter into it enter into Trouble and when they are in it it is a great Trouble to come out of it and to be a Fool for Christ's sake Be a fool for Christ's sake who is not of this World but of the World that hath no end And therefore you must believe in the Light Grace and Truth that cometh from him in the Inward Parts or Heart which directeth your Minds to Christ from whence this comes and to unite to him that is Heavenly who saith Seek the Kingdom of God first and the Righteousness of his Kingdom then all outward things will be added to them that have found the Kingdom of God that stands in Righteousness over Unrighteousness and it stands in the Power of God over the Power of the Devil and was before he was and it standeth in Peace and Joy in the Holy Ghost over all the Unclean Ghosts or Unholy Spirits and the good Seed are the Children of this Kingdom which is Everlasting And take heed of your Wills and give not way to them but give way to the Power and Spirit of God which crucifieth it Submit your Wills to God and keeps it under the Cross of Christ so that your Inward Man may be renewed and the Old Adam put off so that the Day Light of Jesus Christ may be seen which Abraham rejoyced to see and so do they that be of the Faith of Abraham which Faith is the Gift of God that see the Son of Righteousness shine in their Hearts to nourish that which God hath there planted who watereth it with the living Water of the Word his living Plant And here is Water in your own Wells that you may drink out of your own Wells or Cisterns and to have Grapas off their own Vines from which they may have the new Wine in their new Bottles to glad and chear their Hearts with the Wine from the heavenly Branch of the heavenly Vine of which the Lord is the Husband-Man and this must every one of God's People feel What is the matter that all the World is of so many Ways since the Apostles days Because they are out of Christ the Way Out of Christ the one Way the new and living Way which is over all the dead Ways which was set up above Sixteen Hundred Years ago And why have they so many Religions Because that they are out of the pure and undefiled Religion before God which was set up above Sixteen Hundred Years ago which Religion keeps from the spots of the World and then this Religion must be above the World that keepeth from the spots of it and they that are gone from this Religion into them of their own making and tell People They must not be Perfect here and must carry a Body of Death with them to the Grave and others say That they must have a Purgatory when they are Dead this Doctrine is contrary to the Apostles who said Cleansed by the Blood of Jesus that They were cleansed by the Blood of Jesus and washed by the Water of the Word and this Blood and Water God's People must feel the effects of within to wash and cleanse their Hearts Souls Minds and Consciences Their Hearts and Consciences being sprinkled as the Apostle saith with the Blood of Jesus from their dead Works to serve the Living God For many may talk of the Blood of Jesus without them in their dead Works not serving the Living God their Hearts and Consciences being not sprinkled with the Blood of Jesus and they must feel it within as well as without And if they have Life they eat his Flesh and drink his Blood if they do live by him that is Heavenly and Spiritual the second Adam the Lord from Heaven For they have drank long enough into old Adam's unclean Spirit which is the cause that there are so many Bodies that they do vex and quench the good Spirit and resist the Holy Ghost which should Baptize them all into one Body that is to plunge down all Sin and Evil that is got up by Transgression and burn that up which is Chaff or Corruption and so to drink into one Spirit as the Apostles and Churches did in the Primitive Times and so to have the same Fellowship and Vnity in the holy spirit of Christ as they had to wit in Christ Jesus who was and is the holy Head of his Church his Elect in him And Jerusalem that is above is the Mother of all such and such do worship God as Christ taught above Sixteen Hundred Years ago in Spirit and in Truth So all must come to the Spirit and the Truth in their Hearts and Souls if they do know the God of Truth who is a Spirit and must worship him in Spirit and in the Truth into which holy Spirit and Truth the unclean Spirit and him that is out of Truth cannot come So all Will-worshippers and the Dragon and Beast and False Worshippers are out of this Holy spirit and Truth in which the Pure and Holy God is worshipped and as all that did eat of the Passover in the Old Covenant were to be Circumcised in the Flesh so are all in the New Covenant to be Circumcised with the Spirit by putting off the Body of the Sins of the Flesh that came upon Man by Transgression if they will feed on Christ their Heavenly Sacrifice All feed on Christ your beavenly Sacrifice
Living and the Leaves thereof heal the Nations And this Tree stands in the midst of God's Garden who saith In the midst of thy Church will I sing Praise The Eyes of People are upen it which are living Stones a spiritual Houshold of Faith Elect and Precious the Church of the living God written in Heaven so Holiness becomes the House of the Lord. And therefore the Lord doth require more from Friends than all other People because he hath given more to them and so all People do expect more from Friends than all other People in answering that of God in them all in truth and in Righteousness Holiness and Godliness for ye are the Lights of the World and the Salt of the Earth to season it So all must glorifie the Lord God in their Lives and Conversations with their Bodies Spirits and Souls which are Christ's who has bought them and cleansed them with his Blood and the pure Water of his Word who makes them sanctified Vessels of his Mercy for his Glory therefore none must dishonour the Lord. And therefore my Desires are that you may all be valiant for the Truth upon the Earth and keep up all your Men and Womens Meetings in the Lord's Power the Gospel which hath brought Life and Immortality to Light and it will preserve you in Life and Immortality over hom that hath darkned you and in this all will see their Works and Services for the Lord God and his Son Christ Jesus in that which hath brought Life and Immortality to Light in which Gospel is an Everlasting Perfect Fellowship and Order which will stand when all others are gone all the Saints that do enjoy this cannot but Praise the Lord and sing Praises to him for ever and ever Amen The Apostle saith If any Man be in Christ he is a new Creature old things are passed away behold all things are become new 2 Cor. 5.17 So they that are in Christ are new Creatures and they that are in old Adam are old Creatures and are in their old Things old Ways old Worships Old things done away and old Religions and have the old Garments and the old Bottles that hold the old Wine and cannot endure the new and have the old rusty moth-eaten Treasure And they that are in Christ the heavenly and spiritnal Second Adam who maketh all things new are new Creatures and spiritual Men and are heavenly-minded and are new Bottles that hold the new Wine and the new heavenly Treasure and have the new Cloathing the fine Linnen the Righteousness of Christ and are in the New and Living Way over all the dead Ways and they are in the New Worship which Christ set up above Sixteen hundred Years ago which is in the Spirit and in the Truth in which Holy Spirit and Holy Truth the Holy God is worshipped And this was new to both Jews and Gentiles and is new to all the Apostate Christians who are not in the Holy Spirit and Truth that the Apostles were in And this new Creature in Christ hath a new Religion which is pure and undefiled The new Creature bath the pure Religion and keepeth from the spots of the World And this Religion is new to the Jews and Gentiles and all the apostatized Christians that plead for a Body of Death and Sin to the Grave and a Purgatory when they are dead And they that be in Christ are new Creatures and they have a new Head who is the Head of all things the First born of every Creature and the Frist-begotten from the dead who is alive and liveth for evermore who bruiseth the Serpent's Head who hath made things old but Christ maketh all things new and they tht be in him are new Creatures and they that be out of Christ are the old Creatures in Old Adam and these old Creatures are doting about their old things and their old Bottles old Wine old Garments and are doting about their old Ways old Religions and old worships and persecuting one another with their old Carnal Weapons these old Creatures which dote about their old Worships Religions and Ways so that one old Creature falleth out with another old Creature so that these old doting Creatures in Old Adam out of Christ the Second Adam do wrestle with Flesh and Blood about their old Ways Religions and Worships And these old doting Creatures which be out of Christ the Saviour do destroy one another about their old Ways Worships Religions and Churches And these old Creatures that be out of Christ the Head are monstrous Bodies without a Head till that they have made one and then the old Creatures set it upon their Body which Head as they do think doth pardon their Sins and when this their Head is fallen off their Body then they do make another and set it on their old Creature 's Body But they that are in Christ are new Creatures And Christ is their Redeemer c. and Christ is their Head who is their Redeemer Sanctisier and Saviour who is alive and liveth for evermore and walk in Christ the Second Adam who is Heavenly and spiritual And the old Creatures out of Christ their Walk is in old Adam who are Natural and Carnal and so are their Weapons and Armour that they defend their old Ways Church Religion and worship with they are Carnal and not Spiritual by which they kill one another and the old Creatures do study or dote which way they may destroy or imprison persecute or banish spoil or torture the Righteous or new Creatures in Christ And they that be in Christ are new Creatures their Weapons and Armour are Spiritual and they do not wrestle with Flesh and Blood but Spiritual Wickedness and Rulers of Darkness in high Places and bring down Imaginations and high Thoughts as Christ whom those new Creatures are in teacheth them who saith that He came not to destroy Mens lives but to save them and rebuked such as would have had Mens Lives destroyed and told them that they did not know what Spirit they were of So it is clear that the old Creatures that be out of Christ which destroy Mens Lives about their old Ways Churches Religions and their old Worships do not know what Spirit they are of and although they do not know what Spirit they are of whether it be a good spirit or a bad one yet People must conform to that Way Religion Worship and Church that this old Creature that is out of Christ hath set up or else he will persecute them or destroy their Lives They that do Persecute for Rcligion are ignorant what Spirit they are of though Christ saith They do not know what Spirit they are of And is not this hard to conform to that which the old Creatures have made and set up which do not know their own Spirits nor what Spirit they bd of And therefore were not those Doctrines Ordinances Traditions and Rudiments of the World the old Creatures who
Hunters gathering who gathered up People together to build Babel and confounded them Gen. 10.11 And Isaiah said All they Children shall be taught of the Lord and great shall be the Peace of thy Children and in Righteousness shall they be established Behold they shall surely gather together but not by me saith the Lord And whosoever shall gather together against thee shall fall for thy sake No Weapon that is formed against thee shall prosper No Weapon form'd against God's Heritage shall prosper and every Tongue that shall rise against thee in judgment thou shalt condemn This is the heritage of the Servants of the Lord and their Righteousness is of me saith the Lord Isai 54. And Christ Jesus saith Where two or three are gathered together in my Name there am I in the midst of them And the Apostle said to the Jews speaking of Christ That there is no Salvation in any other For there is no other Name under Heaven given among Men whereby we must be saved Acts 4.12 but by Christ Jesus So here is the Saints true Gathering in the Name of Christ Jesus the Second Adam and none is able to pluck them out of his hand John 10. For Christ the Seed of the Woman bruises the Serpent's Head and Christ through Death destroys Death and the Devil the Power of Death and so doth reconcile all things both in Heaven and in the Earth into one The Devil abode not in the Truth and so he became a Devil The Devil not abiding in the Truth became an Enemy a Destroyer and a Serpent and Enemy and a Satan and Adversary to the Truth and to Righteousness and Holiness and to Man and Woman that God made in his Image in Righteousness and Holiness so he became an Enemy and Adversary and Destroyer who is out of the Truth and abode not in it in whom there is no Truth and so is called the Old Serpent and Satan and Devil Tempter and false Accuser and Christ through Death destroys Death and the Devil the Power of Death And when the Jews went from the Truth they became Enemies and Adversaries to it and Destroyers of the Righteous and the Just yea they were Adversaries and Accusers and Enemies to the Prophets and Christ Jesus and Apostles and Christ called the Jews Vipers and Serpents and said to them that made a Profession of the Scriptures of the Old Testament but were gone from the Truth of them that they were of their Father the Devil and his Works and Lusts they would do And here the Jews that went out of the Truth did not they become as Serpents Enemies Satans Adversaries and Judas's Betrayers and of the Devil Destroyers of the Just And when they which are called Christians became haters of the Light and Walkers despitefully against the Spirit of Grace Despisers of the Word in their Hearts and erred from the Truth and the true Faith and professed the Form of Godliness but denied the Power thereof and so denied the Spirit ot true Christianity These became as Serpents Enemies Satan Adversaries to true Christianity and of the Devil that seek to destroy it and Judas's Betrayers of it and of the Righteous and the Just where-ever it appeared to the unjust And this hath been the Work of that Spirit that did not abide in the Truth in all Ages to be as Enemies Adversaries and Judas's Betrayers who seek to deftroy the Truth but Christ the Truth doth destroy that destroying Spirit who is the Saviour And Christ said to the Jews and to the Scribes and Pharisees which were the greatest outward Professors and appliers of the Prophets and Promises of the Old Testament to themselves upon the Earth and yet the greatest Persecutors of the holy Men and Women and the Lord's Prophets upon the Earth I say that Christ said to them O Jerusalem Jerusalem thou that killest the Prophets Christ lamented over Jerusalem and stonest them which are sent unto thee how often would I have gathered they Children together even as a Hen gathereth her Chickens under her Wings and ye would not Behold your Houses are left unto you desolate c. Matth. 23.37 38. Jersalem was the chiefest Place of Worship and the chiefest City among the Jews and the greatest Place of Persecution and yet the Lord Jesus Christ wept over this City and would have gathered these persecuting Professors who were without possessing of the Life of what they did profess but they would not come to him that they might have Life And these persecuting Jews Scribes and Pharisees Christ said unto them Te compass Sea and Land to make one Proselyte and when he is made he is two-fold mord the Child of Hell Matth. 23. Here you may see these Scribes Pharisees and Jews the great Professors and Temple-Worshippers without Life what they gathered into and what Disciples they made in their compassing Sea and Land they made them like themselves and the Devil and Satan and the Serpent who abode not in the Truth and seek to draw all out of the Truth and to make them as Serpents and Satan Adversaries and of the Devil Destroyers and so he rules in the Hearts of the Disobedient and blindeth the Eyes of the Heathen or Infidels and the apostatised Christians from the Spirit of Christ and the Life of Christianity they do seek to draw all from the Truth and Spirit of Christ and the Life of Christianity into Death Enmity and into Persecution and Destroying like the Devil Jews and Judas both in one Spirit according to their Measures that they have from the Devil but all that live and walk inthe Truth and the Spirit of Jesus labour to bring and draw and gather all into the Truth and to Christ their Saviour who destroyeth the Destroyer G. F. Concerning the pure and undefiled Religion that was set up above Sixteen Hundred Years ago Which all that do own God and Christ are to walk in DEar Friends Epist 399. You who profess the Light Faith Grace and Spirit of Christ and the pure undefiled Religion before God the Father To keep from the Spots of the World are to keep your selves unspotted from the World and to bridle your Tongues from evil Words which corrupt good Manners the Light of Christ Jesus letteth you see the Spots of the World and the Grace of God will teach you tho deny them and the Spirit of Truth if you be led by it teacheth you to mortifie and subdue them And now Friends Here is the pure and undefiled Religion which the Apostles in the Primitive Times did own and which now we do own This is pure Religion and is undefiled before God the Father and to keep unspotted from the World First This Religion is Pure Secondly It is undefiled before God the Father And that which is pure and undefiled before God the Father if you live in it and obey it it will keep you unspotted from the World and so from the Spots of the