led by the Witness of God up to God And such as go from it upon them the Law of God is to be added and they by it to be stopped and limited The Law of God which Law is a Praise to them that do well who come from under the Occasion of the Law And in this that Eye is opened which beholds God and his Law which answers that of God in every one which when Men go from that of God in themselves the Law takes hold upon them Which when Adam went from he transgressed the Law of God when he went from the Life and Image of God within him and then the Law came upon him which was not made for the Righteous but for Sinners and Transgressors And in this stands the Covenant of Works the Law of Works that brings under and yokes the Man down which Christ the Covenant of God and of Life and of Peace redeems Men from under this Law and the Law of the Spirit of Life makes free from the Law of Sin and Death The Law of Life So Christ the Covenant of God being felt the Law of Life is come and witneffed within Man again and to such they that are in the Wisdom of God will be a Praise and your Moderation will increase your Temperance will increase your Knowledge of God and his Son Jesus Christ will increase whom to know is Eternal Life and this will not be lacking And so as ye are kept in the Wisdom of God and in his Life and Power ye will see the Law that goes over all Transgressors which was added because of Transgression Which Life lets you see to the Higher Power The Higher Power which was before any Transgression was because of which the Law was added upon Man when he went from that of God in himself Which as I said before every true Christian which is a Christian indeed witnesseth the Law of Life in Christ which sets free from the Law of Sin and Death and such come to see and feel him who was before any Transgression was And so as to the Lord God ye are kept faithful in your Generation and in his Fear are preserved in Humility and Mercy doing good and justly the Jaws of the Wicked will be broken and ye will feel the Lord's Blessing upon you and come to know the Seed in your selves which inherits which is the Heir of the Promise of the World without End And the Power of an endless Life you 'll feel in Christ the Seed in whom the Words of the Prophets and Apostles are fulfilled and therein is Vnity and Love Righteousness and Peace even in him who bruifeth the Serpent's Head that feeds upon Dust Here there is nothing fed upon but Life yea the Life which was with the Father before the World began which is Christ Jesus And who are in this are in the thing the Scripture testifies of Christendom on heaps And this hath been wanting in Christendom They have had the Words of the Prophets Christ and the Apostles and been on Heaps about them not being in the Seed Christ who is the End and Substance of them who is the Light and Life Righteousness Wisdom and Truth which makes free from the Adversary who is the Cause of Strife From a Lover of your Souls Eternal Good and of your Establishment in Righteousness and Peace in this Day of the Lamb's Power Glory to the Highest for ever G. F. DEar William Thou hast a fine Compassin Holland and Germany Epist 193. and under the Prince of Palatin's Government To William Ames And there is a Seed in Poland that desires Friends So in the Seed be faithful which is Immortal and is the Heir of the World where there is no End And so in that be faithful and spread the Truth over that part of the World For the Lord hath a Vine and a Mountain to be set up that a-ways and a Standard and Ensign held out to other Nations So in the Power of the Lord God and his Wisdom and Seed the Lord God Almighty preserve thee G. F. DEar Friends who have found the better part Epist 194. and chosen the better thing the one thing which lasteth for ever which is the Ground of all true Rejoycing and Joy in whom ye have all Riches and Life and the Blessings and the Immortal Power to be your Crown and Covering A time of Shearing And it may be there will be a Time of Shearing and Clipping but the Earth is the Lord's and the Fulness thereof So mind him to be your Portion and the Seed Christ your All and your Life and fear not loosing the Fleece for it will grow again And keep your Meetings in the Name of him that never fell which is above all the Meetings of Adam's Sons and Daughters in the Fall The Fellowship in the Gospet And keep in the Fellowship in the Gospel which is the Power of God which was before the Devil was and this Fellowship is above all the National Fellowships in the Fall of Adam And keep in the Worship of the Father in the Spirit and in the Truth which the Devil is out of and in that ye will live in the Truth and Spirit in your selves and walk in Vnity in the same and then ye are over all the Will-worships in the Fall of Adam where they are in the Strife about them And who are come to the Church in God do see above all the Churches of Adam in the Fall drove from God Egyptians and Babylonians And as the outward Jew suffered by the outward Egyptians and Babylonians and they persecuted them and killed their Children so the spiritual Egyptians and Mystery Babylon persecute and would kill the Jews in Spirit that worship God in the Spirit whose Praise is of God and not of Man and such have none from fallen Men but by them are persecuted But all such go as dumb before their Shearers for he that gave his Back and his Cheek to the Smiters overcame and reigns and hath the Victory and the Honour who is Christ the Amen the first and last the Top-and Corner-stone in him sit down in Life and Peace and Rest So no more but my Love in the Everlasting Seed the second Adam that never fell nor changed whose Love is above all the Love in Adam's House in the Fall G. F. FRiends Epist 195. all that are moved of the Lord by his Power Light and Life to go into other Nations as Messengers of his Covenant of Light to preach the Gospel according to that which shews the Secrets of every Man's heart wherein Nations are brought into Covenant with God and redeemed out of Tongues and People and Kindreds Keep your Feet upon the Top of the Mountains and sound deep to the Witness of God in every Man then will your Feet be Beautiful that publish Peace Liberty to Captives and to the Captives proclaim Liberty with your Feet
false Ways and Seducers and Deceivers and false Worshippers are out of And Jerusalem's Worshippers Jerusalem's Worshippers c. and Samaria's Worshippers and the Worship that is at the Mountain and the Idolatrous Worfhippers and the Worship of Devils all these are out of the Truth and out of the Spirit that changeth not But who are in the Truth and in the Spirit they are a-top of the World and a-top of him that abode not in the Truth their Feet are shod with it Therefore every one of you that are come into the World coming all to the Light ye come to your Armour ye come to that which lets you see Sin it is the Armour against it it is the Eye The Arment against Sia with which ye see that which must be cut down and judged to Death In which Truth which is the Light we have Fellowship one with another And this is the Counsel of the Lord God to you dwell all in the Power of God which is the Gospel of Peace And the Power of God is the Cross of Christ and ye that feel the Power of God ye feel Christ for Christ is the Power of God The Power of God is but one and the Light is but one and the Cross of Christ is but one which is the Power of God and the Gospel of Truth is but one which is the Power of God and there 's no other Ye that come to know these look for no other And Christ is that One in the Male and in the Female which is the Seed which the Promise of God is to and there all wait to find him and receive him Know ye not that Christ Jesus is in you except ye are Reprobates said the Apostle so now Reprobates if ye are Reprobates ye are Wonderers and Gazers in Adam in Transgression out of the Light out of the Life out of the Power out of the Truth out of the Way which is Christ But being in the Life ye are in the Way in the Truth in the Power of God in Christ out of Transgression in the Second Adam the Lord from Heaven out of the Transgression of the First Adam And if Christ Jesus be in you the Body of Sin is dead and ye are brought to God Emanuel and the Emanuel being known God with us is witnessed by every one of you that are redeemed by him out of the Transgression who are in the Second Adam So if Christ Jesus be in you and ye in him the Body is dead and ye are alive to Righteousness and Death is brought into Death Friends dwell all in the Light and then ye will dwell in Covenant with God and with God ye will have Peace And Friends all dwell in the Light that ye may receive the Wisdom of God of God The Wisdom of God by which all things were created with which Wisdom ye may come to order all the Creatures And be Low as Babes and Little Children for the Little Children receive the Kingdom And so all know the Promise which is to the Seed and know the Seed of God in one another that there be no Master but Christ who bruiseth the Serpent's Head where Debate and Enmity is No Master but Christ which is the cause of Strife So let the Seed be Master in the Male and in the Female that the Ground of Strife which would be Master may be kept under and the Seed which the Grave could not hold under be the Ruler so that ye may witness the Rock that the Gates of Hell cannot prevail against nor the Temptations of the Devil G. F. FRiends every where Epist 131. Dwell in the Power of the Lord God which is without End Striving about Earthly things in which ye may all have Unity And take heed of striving about Earthly things which is the unredeemed Part that is out of the Paradise and the Garden of God but that with the Wisdom of God ye may come to be ordered and order the Creatures by that by which they were made and created that by it ye may know your selves to be grverned And after that Riches do increase take heed of setting your Hearts upon them lest they become a Curse and a Plague to you For when ye were Faithful at the first the World would refrain from you and not have Commerce with you but after when they saw Trading and Dealing ye were Faithful and Just in things and Righteous and Honest in your Tradings and Dealings then they came to have Commerce and Trade with you the more because they know ye will not Cozen them nor Cheat them Then ye came to have greater Trading double than ever ye had and more than the World But there is the Danger and Temptation to you of drawing your Minds into your Business and clogging them with it so that ye can hardly do any thing to the Service of God but there will be crying My Business my Business and your Minds will go into the things and not over the things and so therein ye do not come into the Image of God in which is Dominion And so Riches when your Minds are got into the Riches and cumbred therewith ye go back into that ye were in before And then if the Lord God cross you and stop you by Sea and Land and take your Goods and Customers from you that your Minds should not be cumbred then that Mind that is cumbred it will fret being out of the Power of God And all Friends take heed of Jars and Strife for that is it which will Eat out the Seed in you Jars and Strife therefore let not that harbour in your Bosoms lest it eat out the Good in you and ye come to suffer in your own Particulars Therefore dwell in Love and Life and in the Power and Seed of God which is the Honourable Royal State And all that Speak or Preach abroad see that ye be in the Life and Power and Seed of God which will Edifie the Body and not in a brittle peevisb hasty fretful Mind but dwell in that which keeps down the contrary that that may speak which edifies the Body in Love And all take heed of vain Words Vain Words and Tatling idle Words but every where shop such that Love may continue in the Body and that the Seed may spread over all that Vnity may be kept And all Friends every where if Friends be Poor Poor Friends and Prisoners and in Want or in Prison that ye may in Wisdom relieve and cherish shch And all Friends every where Stop the Deceit that would devour and destroy which is out of the Truth and true Wisdom which must be limited that transgresseth the Spirit of God For since the Days of the Apostles the true Church hath been in the Wilderness and the Beast false Prophet Anti-Christ and false Church have ruled and reigned The false Church amongst whom have been the many
which you may be sensible of his Mercies in which Love you living in the pure Humility you learn of Christ Jesus For Presumption is learned of Adam in the Fall of the Serpent that brought him into the Fall where all the Defilement is and the Prophaneness Being in the Whoredom from God where all manner of Whoredom and Uncleanness is and Deceit and Falshood the Lyar and all Sin and Unrighteousness and Transgression And this is comprehended all to be in the Fall with the Serpent that brought them into the Fall whose Head Christ comes to bruise that is to break his Power and Srtength and to destroy him and his Works And Christ is Pure the Holy One that doth this the Righteous One the Holy One and in him live the Second Adam that never fell then shall you come to know a State that will never fall in that which is First and Last for Christ that sanctifies he is Pure who sanctifies the Impure he who never fell sanctifieth and washeth them that are in the Fall he who never transgressed redeems out of Transgresson he who never sinned redeems out of Sin and makes an end of it and he who never trespassed comes to forgive Trespasses and blot them out And every one that comes to witness this Forgiveness by him who have been the Trespassers against God they cannot but forgive Men their Trespasses against them as they come into the Kingdom of Glory and Life where the Lord hath his Glory O the Glory of the Lord which lasteth for ever And Glory Glory be to him for ever whose Everlasting Glory and life and Power shines over all and spreads it self and puts forth it self over all O Friends let Righteousness flow amongst you all Truth and Equity Vprightness and Holiness which becomes the House of God and live in the holy Order of the Life Spirit and Power of the Everlasting God Keep in the Faith that works by Love that purifieth your Hearts the Mystery of which is held in a pure Conscience which Faith brings you to have access to God and gives you Victory over that which separates from God This is that by which you subdue Mountains and quench the fiery Darts of Satan and overcome him withal and in this you have all pure Vnity and you edifie and build up in the Holy Faith the Gift of God and this is that which is to be contendd for which is the same that was once delivered to the Saints O live in the pure Hope which purifies you as he is Pure which Hope is Christ who was before the Hypocrites Hope was who both him and his Hope are impure and so feel Christ your Hope which anchors your Immortal Souls that staies it in all Waves Storms and Tempests and is sure and safe in all Weathers Christ who is the same to day as he was yesterday so no new thing For he is the Rock of Ages who was before Ages who is the Corner-Stone and also the First and Last who will crush and bruise to pieces all giddy wandering and unstablished Spirits and confound them who are cunning and hunt before the Lord for the Lord should go before them he should be the Guide For they that hunt before him will not have the Lord to be their Guide who is the same to day as he was yesterday and so for ever For Adam and Eve did not abide in their Possession not Cain nor Core nor Balaam see what came upon them and what was their end And likewise the Jews did not abide in the Possession of the Law of God which was Just and Holy And also the Apostatized Christians have gone from Christ and did not abide in him who is the same yesterday to day and for ever therefore they are gone into so many Ways and seek after so many new Ways and run into so many Fables as though Christ who is obeyed one day should not be obeyed next day And this is disobedient Cain wandering in the Land of Nod smiting at Abel who obeys Him who is the same to day as he was yesterday and so for evr yea a Lamb slain from the Foundation of the World who reigns over that Nature that hath slain him and will reign till he hath put all under his Feet And therefore Friends in Christ live and in him walk hear obey and follow him who is the same to day as be was yesterday and so for ever And so you that are the true Believs who ar past from Death and Sin that brought it and the Devil the Author of it are come to the Life of Christ Jesus who as I said before is the same to day as he was yesterday if your Belief stands in him that is the First and Last the same to day yesterday and for ever And this is the Believer that is born of God the Immortal Birth and this Birth is he that overcomes the World that doth not Sin that keeps himself because he is born of God and the Seed of God remains in him and hereby the Children of God and the true Believers are manifest from the false Believers and Children of the Devil He that doth Righteousness is of God he that doth not Righteousness is not of God Therefore you that feel the Law of the Spirit of Life in Christ Jesus to have put down the Law of Sin and Death in you that Authority of putting it down Be ye ordered by the Law of the Spirit of Life that is in Christ Jesus which makes you free from the Law of Sin and Death So in this Law of the Spirit of Life in Christ Jesus have you Fellowship Order Rule and Government in the Law of Life and in the Law of Peace that gives Victory which Christ Jesus is the Author of who renews you up into the Righteousness and Holiness in the Image of God out of the Vnrighteousness and Vnholiness and the Image of Stan. Here the Lord hath the Glory and Christ your Holy Redeemer and Saviour is confest to the Glory of God So wait that you may all sit down in Christ who is the First and the Last and the Image of God and Wisdom of God that by his Wisdom which is Pure Righteous and Holy you may come to order all things to God's Glory Adam fell from the State God placed him in and in the Fall Adam's Sons and Daughters turn from Way to Way of their own But for Man and Woman to come out of all National corrupt Ways Religions Churches Worships Fellowships and Teachers to the State that Adam and Eve was in before they fell and no farther that 's State where he may fall again But to come to Christ who was before the World began who is First and Last Beginning and Ending such abiding in him shall know a State that will never fall For Adam's State before he fell was above all the earthly and worldly-wise and knowing and their dark Understandings and perverse Ways which their perverse Spirit
Altar And other Places might be shewed of the Womens Offerings and Sacrifices And you may see Hannah's fervent Zeal to God and what a large Speech she made in magnifying and exalting the Lord in 1 Sam. 1st and 2d Chap. And so you may see the Offerings and Sacrifices of the Women were accepted upon God's Altar as well as the Mens But the hire of a Whore was not to be brought into the House of God for any Vow for it was an abomination to the Lord Deut. 23.10 Now Hannah's Husband and the other Womens Husbands Hannah's Offering that offered up their Offerings upon God's Altar were not offended at them nor did they say their Offerings were enough for them both but every one was to offer up their Peace-Offerings and Thanksgiving-Offerings themselves and other Offerings So here youmay see the Service and Work of the Women and how serviceable the Women were in their Assemblies in the time of the Law about the Tabernacle and Holy Things and how the Women offered upon God's Altar as well as the Men they had their Liberty But the hire of the Whore was to be kept out of God's House and not to be offered up upon God's Altar So ye may see man and Woman were meet helps in Paradise before the Fall and Death reigned from Adam till Moses and after Moses received the Law from God which went over Death and Sin that brought it who saw the State of Man and Woman in Paradise Men and Women in the time of the Law were meet helps again to one another in the Work and Service of the holy Things about the Tabernacle and Sanctuary and the Women had their Assemblies And it 's said in Joel 2. and in Acts 2. That the Lord would pur cut of his Spirit upon all Flesh in the last Days or Times So this Spirit being poured upon all Flesh in the Christian Times God poureth his Spirit upon all Flesh under the Gospel Sons and Daughters Hand-maids and Servants old Men and young Men that by the Spirit of God all these might have his Visions Prophesies and Dreams and this is his Spirit by which all should profit in the things that be Eternal and to serve God in the Spirit both Men and Women Sons and Daughters old Men and young Men Hand-maids and Servants and all offer up to God his Spiritual Sacrifices For all being dead in old earthly Adam Christ the heavenly Adam has tasted Death for them all and is a Propitiation for the Sins of the whole World and he enlightens all and his Grace hath appeared unto all and his Spirit is poured upon all Flesh and his Gospel which is the Power of God is preached to every Creature under Heaven And now must not all receive the Grace and believe in the Light and receive this Gospel and walk and labour in it both Men and Women Sons and Daughters old Men and young Servants and Handmaids Yea I say the Gospel being preached to all Nations and to every Creature under Heaven old Men and young Servants and Handmaids Sons and Daughters I say then must not all these receive this Gospel and the Light and Grace And are they not all to walk in it and to offer up their Spiritual Sacrifices upon the heavenly Altar in the New Covenant and to walk in the New and Living Way and all to receive the Light of Christ which enlightens all and to become Children of Light and to feel the Blood of Christ to cleanse them from all Sin which they have in old Adam So as the Women were to offer in the old Covenant and in the time of the Law upon the outward Altar their Offerings and God poured out his Spirit upon the House of Israel that they might understand and do what he commanded them At which time they had the Assemblies of the Women which were not forbidden So now in the time of the Gospel and the Day of Christ which enlightens all and in the time of his Grace which hath appeared unto all Men to teach them and to bring their Salvation and in the time of his Gospel preached to every Creature and in the time of his pouring out of his Spirit upon all Flesh that they might understand and walk and live in his Gospel and by his Spirit offer up their Spiritual Sacrifices So in this the Time and Day of Christ the captain of our Salvation must not all these Labour in the Gospel and in the Word and in the Grace and in the Light and know and do God and Christ's Work and Service about his heavenly Tabernacle and Sanctuary Assemblies of the Women in the time of the Cospol c. Hath not every one their Service that are enlightened And his Grace that hath appeared unto them are they not Stewards of it And must not they have their Assemblies of the Women in the time of the Gospel and of the New Covenant and in the time of Grace and Light and Life as well as in the time of the Law and of the old Covenant And are not all to albour in that which tends to God'd Glory and Praise and Honour For which End he hath made them all and for which End he hath redeemed them and converted them and translated and sanctified them to make them VessEls of his Honour and of his Grace and Mercies And so now the End of all our Men and Womens Meetings in the time of the Gospel the Power of Christ being the Authority of them is That they might all labour in his Power and in his Grace and in his Spirit and in his Light to his Service and his Business in Truth and Righteousness So the Women in the time of the Gospel Light and Grace are to look into their own selves and Families and to look to the Training up of their Children for they are oft-times more amongst them than the Men and may prevent many things that may fall out and many times they may make or marr their Children in their Education So now they come to be exercised in the Grace of God and to admonish and exhort reprove and rebuke and to keep all their Families modest honest vertuous sober and civil and not to gibe Liberty nor indulge that which tends to Vice or Lasiviousness or any Evil or Idleness or Sloathfulness or the Fashions of the World which pass away and to stop all vain Words and idle Talking and Stories and Tales which are unproffitable but rather to turn their Ears to Godliness which they should be trained up and exercised in and not to fulfil the Lust of the Eye for that being satisfied brings the Pride of Life and then comes the Lust of the Flesh and this is not of the Father but of the World And if either Men or Women suffer such things they suffer that which defiles their Children and Families And therefore such things are to be reproved in Families and their Children to be stop'd from going
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
in the Presence of the Living God of a feigned Humility and a feigned Love Feigned Love and Humility which is out of the Light and then that to use as a Customary Salutation or a Formal Gesture which is all for Condemnation and to be kept out being out of the Covenant So see that all your Actings be in and from the Light here ye will be kept clean and pure and will come to be sealed in the Everlasting Covenant of God with the Light which comes from Christ And again I charge you all in the Prefence of the Living God not to suffer your Minds to go out to Contend with them Contentions out of Truth who be not of the Truth in that which is out of the Truth both which are to be condemned with the Truth For the same Mind will boast and get up which is out of the Truth and reaches at things in the Comprehension though it lives not in it but is excluded out of the Truth and shall not enter but is for Condemnation And so to you all this is the Counsel of the Lord God of Power and of Peace that in Peace ye may be preserved to wait for the Spirit of Grace and of Wisdom and of Vnderstanding And Friends all every where Meet together waiting upon the Lord that your Minds may be guided by the Spirit of God up to God And know the Life of God in one another which all whose Minds are abroad are Strangers to and to the Covenant of Promise for the Covenant and Promise of Life is with and to the Seed The Covenant and Promise of Life And there is no Sin Iniquity or Transgression in the Covenant for that is all Judged being out of the Covenant of God And therefore all wait that ye all may come to witness the Covenant of Life made with your Souls and to find the Witness the Seal of the Spirit that ye are Sealed to God with Sin and Transgression finish'd and that ye may all witness Sin and Transgression finished and blotted out by Christ Jesus the New Covenant of God and ye may all come to know the Lord and to love the Light which Christ hath given you to teach you then ye will witness the Covenant yea Ten Thousands will witness the Covenant Christ Jesus For as the Lord said I will give him for a Covenant of Light to the Gentiles to open the blind eyes And so this Light doth open the Eyes of the blind All ye that were blind as the Gentiles or the Jews ye know that with the Light your Eyes are opened and ye do see the New Covenant the Unchangable Priest the Unchangable Covenant So in that which changeth not dwell that that which is changable and wavering may be Judged and Condemned with that which changeth not And though the Ministration of Condemnation was and is glorious in its time The Ministration of the Spirit yet the Ministration of the Spirit exceedeth in Glory which changeth not and there is no Condemnation to them who are in Christ Jesus the New Covenant who walk in the Spirit But who are in that which changeth running into the Changable Ways and Works without and are in that Nature which hates the Light all such are for Condemnation by the Light which is Eternal and never changeth And all the beggarly Lusts Traditions and Rudiments of Men which are acted in that Nature contrary to the Light are for Condemnation by the Light So dwelling all in the Light which is Vnchangable ye come to Judge all the Changable Ways and Worships Changable Worships that are Variable and Changable by that which comes from God which changeth not and with his Light which he hath given all those things are Judged So dwelling in the Judgment ye will be filled full of Mercy for first Judgment and then Mercy is to spread over all that the Just may rule over all And Friends I charge you all in the Presence of the Living God let no Evil Communication Evil Communication nor evil Words proceed out of your Mouths And if ye find the Root in you not taken away that would act such things dwell in the Light which lets you see the Evil Communications and with the Light give Judgment upon it in the particular and first Judge it there for that is it which corrupts the Good Manners And there areno good Manners but all is corrupted whilst there is Evil Communication and all that Profession is Abomination to the Lord whilst that stands So put away all filthy Communication out of your Mouths and all Wrath Vnrighteousness and Vngodliness with the Light ye will see it all and walking in the Light and loving it ye may Judge all that with the Light and with it come to know the good Manners and pure Communication And walking in this Light it will keep out all Evil Communication from amongst you for the corrupt Manners are there and procced form that and all the Profession which is performed in that Nature whilst the Evil Communication is standing is Abomination and for Condemnation For all the Evil Manners corrupt and all their Profession is corrupt and for the Fire So all walk in the Light with which ye are enlightned for it will teach you all the good Manners and pure Communication Good Manners and condemn all corrupt Manners and corrupt Communication and so to have the Heart and Mind cleansed from all such things And all walking in the Light ye have the Besom labour to sweep the Land from all such corrupt Manners and vain Communication and with the Light all that comes to be Judged down So the Light is the Judge and the Condemnation and in the Light walk and ye will shine And My Dear Brethren in the Covenant of Life keep to Yea and Nay and call the days First day Second day Third day Fourth day Yea and Nay Fifth day Sixth day and Seventh day as they were given forth First day Second day c. and called by God in the Beginning The Endless Riches ye are made partakers of and the Endless Inheritance ye are come to have a share of Heirs with Christ of the Kingdom that never fadeth away and ye that suffer with Christ shall reign with Christ And to you all Friends who are not come up to the Covenant and cannot witness that ye are come into it and sealed by the Spirit follow no Image-makers but the Life guiding you which is Eternal that will hew down all Imaginations and Likenesses and Images and Image-makers Image-makers that the Glorious God the Father of Life may be exalted the Ground of all Truth And Friends none to speak abroad but as ye are moved of God with the Spirit of the Lord and to that be obedient as faithful Servants that ye may enter into the Joy of your Lord. And Friends I warn and charge you all that there be no keeping of Old things
have bought Buy the Truth and sell it nol and do not sell it for changable things for things that pass away and subsist but for a time But as the glorious Truth is springing and manifest among you live and walk all worthy of what ye are called unto the high Calling in God and Christ Jesus above all the World out of all that which doth change where the Life that is Immortal is felt and a Crown that fadeth not away a Crown of Life that endureth for ever Live in the Dominion of the Life that is hid in God and every particular it know in one another And live in the Power of God and of Life that ye may see over the Day of Tempest over the Day of Darkness and Blackness and Mists And feel and know and come into that which comprehends the World that ye all may be guided with Wisdom and ordered to God's Glory And be all obedient to the Truth which all the Enmity is out of Be obedient to the Truth and know the Life of God in you all that with it ye may all be guided and your Hearts joined together up to God the Father of Life that ye may all be Inheritors of the Power of an Endless Life and of the World Fell the Seed of God where there is no End and Possessors of Substance And feel the Seed of God in you all which inherits the Promise from God which Seed is a-top of the Serpent's Head And keep that under that feeds upon Dust which the Glory and Life is over which Seed breaks the Strength of all Men and inherits the Strength of the Almighty the Possessor of Heaven and Earth which Seed is Christ that gives the Dominion over the first Adam over the Earthly and brings down all that which stains So feel the Seed which is Christ in you all and ye all will feel the Lamb of God which taketh away the Sins of the World who gives to see where there is no Shadow nor Change nor Altering nor Variableness wherein ye all may come to inherit the Blessings from God and come into the living Way For whose Way dyes they err from the living Principle of God in them The Principle of God for who walk in the Way that lives they answer the Principle of God in every Man though they act contrary to it that are in the Way that dayes and do not live but change and alter The Lamb must get the Victory And to you this is the Word of the Lord. So the Lamb must get the Victory in every one of you which is Christ in the Male and in the Female who brings into the Father's House from all the Congregations of the Dead and their Houses of Darkness wherein every one comes to have his Mansion and his Food of Life from God the Father of Life who is Blessed for ever-more Whose Kingdom and Glory is revealed and revealing and setting up in the Life and Power and Wisdom of God The Lord God Almighty preserve and keep you all in Love in Peace and Vnity one with another in the Light and Covenant with God and one with another which Light is the Condemnation of all that hate it AND my Dear Lambs and Babes and Plants the Lord God dwell every one of you in Your own Dwell in your own that ye may feel the pretious Springs of God AND Friends all dwell in the Authority of the Truth the Power of the Son of God and feel the Power and Dread of the Lamb which is to subdue all other Powers The Lamb subdues all other Powers All Power in Heaven and in Earth is given to the Son and his Authority stands over the World and will subdue it and make the Kingdoms of the World to become the Kingdom of the Son of God So live in Love Meekness Patience and in the Power and Wisdom of God which is over all the World SOVND Sound the Trumpet of the Lord of Hosts whose Terrible Day is come and coming and pleading with all Flesh by Fire and Sword The mighty Day of the Lord is coming upon all Flesh that all Hearts shall be ript up and made manifest Therefore whilst ye have time Repent This is the Message of the Lord to all Nations Let all your Laws be according to that of God in all Consciences G. F. THE Word of the Lord to all Friends Epist 82. who are brought into the Eternal Truth of God whose Minds are guided out of the Earth up to the Lord whose it is and have received Wisdom from God Wisdom Justified in the Diligent and the Slothful condemned that with it ye may come to know how to order the Creation with the Wisdom by which all things were made This I charge you and warn you all in the Fear of the Living God that no Creatures be destroyed through Slothfulness Laziness and Filthiness nor upon the Lust for if ye let that rule and be set up that is for Condemnation and that which sets it up if for Condemnation with the Light that leads to the Wisdom by which the Creation must be ordered And Friends to the Light in you all I speak See that there be no Slothfulness amongst you Slothfulness Judged but all keep in Diligence and Liveliness for he that is Slothful and gets the Form may have an easeful Mind but is an evil Example And all such must be Judged with the Light that they may come to know the Servant's place and be Diligent And such who have gone up and down a-Begging Beggars to inbour if ye have received any such amongst you with the Light which hath Convinced them see that they be kept in Diligence and not suffer'd to wander but be kept in Obedinence to the Light to receive the Wisdom from God how to labour in the Creation and see that they have things decent and necessary and their Nakedness covered that no Reproach nor Shame may come upon the Truth amongst such as are without but that with the Light all such may be Condemned who act contrary to it That in the Light which condemns the World ye may walk and receive the Light of the Son of God which the World stumbles at which is their Condemnation and in which the Saints have Unity And all being kept diligent and walking in the Light there will be no Slothfulness and then none shall have Self-ends in recceiving any but those Ends shall be Judged with the Light which is Eternal Nor no one can come in amongst you which hath such Ends to make a Prey upon you but ye dwelling in the Light which is Eternal he is Judged and Self-ends Self-Ends Judged with the Light which is Eternal which is one with the Light in his Conscience which condemns him Then if he own his Condemnation he is to be received amongst you in the Light in which ye all have Unity with Christ and with God And to
Seed Christ that never fell nor never will fall nor never changed nor never will change In this Seed Christ is Peace and Rest out of all Troubles out of all Whimsies Christ the Rest foolish Dreams Imaginations Fancies false Visions false Revelations For the Seed in which the Blessing is is felt and the Life and the Light and the Righteousness and the Truth that answers the Witness of God in all Men and Women whether they will hear or forbear And so all that are in Adam in the Fall both Men and Women and there remaining in the Fall they never are in Rest nor Peace Adam in the Fall his Travels but are in Travels Wars Strife Fightings the Lusts being the Ground of all this And Whimsies and Imaginations Fancies false Visions false Dreams Arrogancy Pride Ambition Swellings Puffed-up-ness that beings Shame and covers them with Shame which they possess that are in the Fall out of Christ the Second Adam that never fell For in Adam in the Fall is all the inward foul Weather Storms Tempests Winds Strifes the whole Family of it in Confusion being all gone from the Spirit and the Witness of God in themselves and the Power and the Light in which Power Light and Spirit is the Fellowship with God and one with another through which they come out of Adam in the Fall into the Second Adam that never fell The Second Adam the Quickner the Quickener who awakens Old Adam's Children in the Fall out of their Sleep of Sin and brings them out of his Ways up unto himself the Way Christ that never fell nor changed and out of and from his Teachers and Priests and Shepherds c. that change and fall to the Priest Shepherd and Prophet that never fell nor never changed nor never will fall nor change nor leave the Flock in the cold Wealther nor in the Winter nor Storms nor Tempests nor the Voice of the Wolf doth not frighten him from his Flock For the Light the Power the Truth the Righteousness did it ever leave you in any Weather or in any Storms or Tempests And so his Sheep know his Voice and follow him who gives them Life Eternal abundantly who saith to all that are Dead in Adam I am come mark I am come that ye Dead in Adam might have Life Christ the Second Adam is come that the Dead in the first Adam might have Life and might be quickened and might be awakened to Righteousness who are asleep in the Vnrighteousness And so he doth invite all Adam's Posterity to come to him that all through him might believe and come to Light and come to Life and come up into Peace and Rest for in the Second Adam ye have Peace ye have Rest So they have no Peace nor Rest in the Old Adam in the Fall but in the Second Adam Christ that never fell is both the Rest Christ the Rest and Peace and the Peace and the Life But in Adam in the Fall is neither Rest nor Peace nor Life but Darkness and Trouble and Sorrow and Burdenings and Changins And this Adam's Sons and Daughters in the Fall do inherit and possess in the World Therefore all come out of Adam in the Fall and haste to him that never fell nor never changed in whom ye have all both Rest and Peace and Life that was with the Father before the World began And so Meeting in the Name In in the Name of the Lord Jesus Christ that never fell keep your Meetings ye who are gathered in his Name and then ye will see over all the Gatherings of Old Adam's Sons and Daughters that be in the Fall and out of his Name But ye being gathered into his Name that never fell Christ Jesus fell the Seed of God over all that set that makes to suffer which was before that was and will stand and remain when that is all gone So Farwell G. F. MY Friends Epist 124. Be faithful and keep your Meetings and in that Light wait which comes from the Head Christ in whom are all your Lives from whence ye have your Light which is the Life in the Son The High Calling in Christ And ye which do witness the High Calling in Christ Jesus and are redeemed by him out of the World and are become New Greatures walk above the World and be not Hasty but in the Light and Life wait that with it your Minds may be directed and guided and joined together with that which is Immortal and Undefild in one Spirit up to the Immortal God And that with the Spirit One Baptism One Faith which he hath given you ye may witness the One Baptism into One Body and ye all with the Light may see the One Faith which Christ is the Author and the Finisher of and that ye may all see the End of you Faith the Salvation of your Souls with that which gives you the Victory over the World And fear the Lord and take heed of Strife and live in Peace and Love one with another believing all in the Light which maketh manifest that all ye may be the Children of the Light And this Belief giveth the Victory over the World He that is of this Faith is born of God and he that believeth in the Light shall not abide in Darkness nor shall ever be confounded For he believeth in that which manifesteth that which is to be confounded and trampled upon and he shall not be condemned but shall have the Light of Life And he that believeth not in the Light is with the Light condemned already And he that heareth not the Voice of the Son of God doth not live but is in Death Therefore he that heareth not the Light which comes from Christ the Life The Voice of the Son of God heareth nor the Vioce of the Son of God and he cometh not to Life And the Hour is come that they which have been in the Graves have heard the Voice of the Son of God and do live and they that do not hear the Voice of the Son of God do not live but are in the Death and the Grave And they that come to believe in the Light hear the Voice of the Son of God and live and out of the Condemnation are come and live over Death and the Grave and Hell and so come to Life G. F. FRiends to you all this is the World of the Lord Epist 125. Know the Seed of God in one another which Seed is Christ Look not out then ye will not Wonder but will be a-top of the Wonderer The Seed The Wonderer which is Christ being known in one another which the Promise of God is to every one of you know the Promises fulfilled in you whereby ye all may witness the Blessing of God fulfilled to you and in you And so in this the Lord God Almighty preserve you all to his Glory and that ye all may know the Flesh of Christ
believes hath the Witness in himself Mark and take Notice And so ye being in the Light every one in particular feed upon the Bread of Life The Bread of Life which comes from above which nourisheth up to Eternal Life wherein as every one grows up here every one gives Glory to the Father and to the Son and knows the Light which is the Way the Truth and the Life Every one of you that are to it turned ye are in the One Way Truth Light and Life feeding upon the One Bread which comes from above which whosoever doth eat of lives for ever and shall never dye Let this be read among all Friends every where in this Nation and elsewhere that to the Light are turned and in it are kept that in the Vnity they may all be kept And in it God Almighty preserve and keep you that ye may feel his Promises which is to the Seed and know the Seed to which the Blessing is and know the Flesh of Christ that ye may be Flesh of his Flesh And Friends Live at Peace among your selves waiting upon the Lord and the Lord God of Life and Peace be with you Let no Friends be discouraged but walk in the Truth and the Love of it and to it bend G. F. ALL Friends About 1658 I do Warn and Charge you in the Presence of the Living God in his Wisdom and Life keep that no Ill Savour be nor get up amongst you Epist 156. For ye are the Salt of the Earth to season and to make savoury to God To Friends to keep in that which is Savoury but if the Salt have lost its Savour it is henceforth good for nothing Therefore I do Warn you all Mind that which doth keep your Peace whereby ye all may grow in Love and know Christ in you all in whom is Peace Ye are the Light of the World to answer the Light in every one that with the Light they may see your good Works and by seeing them Good Works they may glorifie your Father which is in Heaven for all Deceit is Judged and Condemned by it And every one keep in the Measure of the Life of God and see that there be no Strife nor Presumption among you but all serve one another in Love and let that of God guide every one of you Serve in Love in which ye may have Vnity one with another and with God And in his Life wait to receive Power to bind and chain all down which is contrary to Truth And so in the Life and Power of God the Lord God Almighty preserve you to his Glory Amen THE Light is precious to him that believes in it and walks according to its Leading So while ye have the Light walk in the Light and live in the Light Christ the Truth The Light the Truth that ye may through Obedience to it be the Children of the Light and of the Day For the Light and the Truth is and was before Darkness and Deceit were G. F. FRiends By the Wisdom of God were all things made Epist 157. and by the Wisdom of God must all things be ordered again to God's Glory The Wisdom of God to order Transgression and Sin brings Death and Destruction but the Wisdom hid from the Eyes that be therein by which Wisdom all things were made and created was before Sin Death and Destruction were And so that is it which the Creatures and Creation of God must be ordered by that Wisdom which made them and doth not change which is hid from Death and Destruction and from that which is in the Transgression of Life and must not rule So Friends every where be Tender to those that have forsaken any thing for Truth Parents Masters And if that their Parents have put them out from them or their Masters put them away for Truth 's sake and them that are put out of their places for Truth 's sake such in the Truth receive and cherish that they may be kept in the Service of the Creation to God's Glory answering that of God in all For every one is to abide in their places and there to be faithful except they be put out or put away and be buffeted for no Fault and take it patiently that 's Thanks-worthy And do good unto all especially to them that are of the House-hold of Faith The House-hold of Faith and be as the Church of God guided in the Wisdom of the Most-High who causeth his Rain to fall upon the Just and upon the Vnjust And so be ye Merciful as your Heavenly Father is Merciful And know the Seed of God that is Heir of the Promise in every one of you and the Wisdom by which all things must be ordered to his Glory who upholds all things by his Word of Power By which Word of Wisdom all things were created and must be ordered again to the Glory of the Creator in which Man will be kept Clean unto God and honour God with his Substance and glorifie God in his Spirit Whereby every one's Conversation will come to be ordered aright and ye come to sit down in the heavenly Places in Christ Jesus The High Calling and to know the High Calling of God in Christ Jesus who calls out of Darkness into the Light out of Death into Life For he that calls is Holy and calls into Holiness without which none shall see the Lord. AND all Friends be faithful in the Seed and Life of the Lord God that is it which abideth in the Love of God for ever where every one hath his Bread which comes down from above That is the Birth which abideth in the House of the Lord God for ever The Birth which abideth and shall go no more forth which is greater than he that is in the World And in the Seed and Life keep your Meetings with God and one with another So in that the Lord God Almighty preserve you all to his Glory G. F. FRiends and Brethren every where Epist 158. Dwell in that which makes for Peace and Love for Blessed are the Peace-makers for theirs is the Kingdom To Friends to dwell in Peace and Love that stands in Righteousness Joy and Peace in the Holy Ghost and in Power Therefore seek the Peace in which is the Well-fare and Good of every one And take heed of Strife and Contention for that eats out the Good and dos not Edifie nor make for Peace for 't is Love that Edifies the Body Therefore keep in the Seed and know that which was afore Enmity was in which there 's both Peace and Life And all be careful to Watch over one another for one anothers Good and be Patient and keep low and down in the Power of the Lord God that there ye may come to enjoy the Kingdom of Peace and sit down with Abraham Isaac and Jacob in the same For Blessed are all ye that lie down in
if the Earthly and Sin and Evil have the Ear it will fill it with that which is bad and harden the Heart and choke the good Therefore the Lord must have the Ear who is the Ruler of Heaven and Earth And as your Ears are attentive to the Lords's Voice that is from Heaven Iniquity's Mouth is stopped in you Iniquity's Mouth stopped the Throne of Iniquity is thrown down in you that is the wicked Spirit and Power wherein Iniquity sits and the Chamber of Imagery is thrown down in you where Man's Thoughts and Imaginations are But as the Ear is Attentive to the Voice of him that speaks from Heaven ye will come to the Throne of the Lamb who hath the Victory and the Dominion that all may live in the Everlasting Power of God that goes over all Deceit which was before Deceit and Darkness was A Growth in the Power And always feel a Growing in the Power of the Lord God that is Universal and Everlasting that ye may be all Heirs of the Power of the Endless Life and come to inherit it and possess it and sit down in the Possession of the same that every one's Lot may fall in the Land of the Living where the Lord hath his Glory and his Honour for ever and ever Oh the Glory of the Lord spreads it self over all and here as ye abide ye have the Savour and can taste your Meat in the Power of the Lord God feeding upon every Word that proceeds out of the Mouth of God having your Ear open and attentive to his Voice in this ye grow up in the Life that is Eternal G. F. ALL Friends Epist 185. be Obedient to the Power of God which is the higher Power To Friends to know the Authority of the Seed and is above that which abode not in the Truth So ye that know the Power of God be obedient to it for ye have Authority from the Power of God which comprehends all the Powers of Darkness to answer the Witness of God in every one and to trample upon all the Power of Darkness and its Authority For ye that feel the Power that comprehends the World and all the Powers of Darkness keep in the Authority in the Power of God Mind not Words without the Power Mind not Words without the Power nor the pleasing of the Reason and Carnal Knowledge Wisdom and Understanding of Fancies and Thoughts of Men but dwell in the Authority the Power of God ye that know it That over all ye may reign in the Seed who fulfilled the Law and the Prophets who spake with Authority and speaks with Authority now more than the Scribes and Pharisees the Writers of the Law and of the Prophets and the Speakers of them who were Transgressors against the Life that gave forth the Words which were written And so the Authority of the Scriber and Pharisees who wrot Moses and the Prophets is as the Authority of the professing Christians who profess Christ and the Apostles Writings but are without the Life and from the Seed of God these are one with them who put Christ to Death and knew not the Authority of the Seed G. F. FRiends Epist 186. which have known and tasted of the Power of the Mighty God of Heaven and Earth and of his Light and Life be faithful in the Power Light Life and Truth To Friends in Barbadoes to wait to witness the Immanuel to the spreading of the Truth abroad with which ye may answer the Truth in the inward parts in every one And dwell in that which hind and chains and gives to see over the World that Life Wisdom and Power may reign among you that he turned to the Life and believe in it which come to receive the Light of Life Christ the Power of God Be saithful and spread the Truth abroad and walk in the Wisdom of God answering that of God in every one and write speak and send Books abroad into the Countries and Islands and Nations or main Land as ye are moved that the Sound of the Trumpet of the Lord's Host may be heard in the Nations and Islands Be valiant for the Truth And be faithful and valiant for the Truth of God upon the Earth that is the Truth that the Devil is out of and abode not in in that dwell and live in Vnity and Peace one with another So the God of Love Life and Power and Wisdom be with you And ye that are turned to the Light and gathered into it Meet together and keep your Meetings Keep your Meeting that ye may feel and see the Life of God among you and know that in one another for that keeps down and lays low all that which is out of the Kingdom So know the Power of God and keep your Peace therein that ye may all grow up in the Increase of God mark in the Increase of God and feel his Presence among you For where two or three are gathered together in my Name saith Christ that is in the Power I am there in the midst of them In this Meeting in this Gathering Christ is felt in the midst Who feels the Power of Christ feels Christ for he is the Power of God and the Immanuel with them but who go from God in the Transgression are in the first Adam where Death reigns and Darkness and this is the State that is Reprobated But who are turned to the Light Christ Jesus to the Immanuel they know the Interpretation thereof God with us who redeems out of Transgression and out of Death Immanuel God with us Darkness and Sin who being witnessed the State of fallen Man that was drove from God and the State of being brought to God again is witnessed by Jesus Christ the Covenant of Light In which Covenant which is Eight the Lord God Almighty preserve you all Ye may Write how things are with you in the Island G. F. This is to go among Friends MY Dear Frends Epist 187. Dwell in the Love of God together for that edifies you all Love edifies and by that ye are built up and who go from that puck down with Enmity and Discord and Wrangling and Quarreling and Disputing and are puffed up with high-lweling Words and are large in their Worldly Wisdom and Earthly Knowledge in a Shew to tread upon the simple and are of the great Comprehension Therefore keep over the Spirit for that will not stand to the End although it would be Lord it is scorched when the Heat of Persecution comes Disputes and Janglings And therefore stand Faithful For that which runs into Janglings and Disputes and Contentions and Questionings is the Disobedient That was the Devil's work in the Beginning which brought Eve out of her Habitation and that is the Work of his Servants in the Fall to bring the Innocent out of their Habitation to question reason and jangle with them to bring them out of their
to God who have been faithful in their outward Treasure or Mammon one to another So let every one's Conversation be without Covetousness let not that be once named among Saints Covetousness And Do to all Men as ye would have them do to you that is the Law and the Prophets if not ye are judged by them both For the Kingdom stands in Righteousness mark stands in it and in Peace and Joy in the Holy Ghost mark in it FOR Holiness becomes the House of God Postscript Whosoever acts Unholily it is that doth dishonour his House and doth not become it Whosoever acts Unfaithfully in this Outward Treasure or Mammon The House of God or in the true Treasure to God is not justified in the Sight of God nor Man for they are justified by Faith through Faithfulness both to God and Man For whosoever doth Righteousness is of God and he that doth not Righteousness is not of God For God loveth the Righteous and delighteth in them but not in them that do Vnrighteousness For in the Righteousness they have Peace but out of Righteousness People have Trouble So all God's People his Children his Saints must be Holy as he is Holy and therefore do that which is holy and just in all your Lives and Conversations And whatsoever ye do let it be done to the Praise and Glory of God mark that Have God's Praise and Glory in your Eye in all your Speakings and Doings then ye will be preserved to his Glory and then ye will honour him and them that honour him he will honour and beautifie The fine Linnen and cloath with the fine Linnen the Righteousness of Christ that Men may not see your Nakedness For God will have a holy People to serve him in Holiness a true People to serve him in Truth and in his Spirit and in his new and living Way above all the dead Ways that are come by Sin and Unrighteousness and Transgression of his Spirit and Power and Command So all ye that know his Power and Spirit live in it that ye may glorifie God in all your Lives and Conversations and Words that ye may answer that of God in all that ye may glorifie God in your Bodies Souls and Spirits which are his who hath made them and gives them to you for that End To whom be Glory and Honour for ever who created all for his Glory and for his Honour So the Lord God Almighty keep and preserve you faithful in all things to his Glory and Honour for ever He that walketh in his Integrity is Just and blessed shall be his Children after him Prov. 20.7 Vnjust Weights and Vnjust Measures both these are an Abomination to the Lord Verse 10. G. F. DEar Friends Epist 201. In the Stilness and Silence of the Power of the Almighty dwell which never varies alters nor changes but preserveth over and out of 3. Month 3. and above all the Changable Worships Religions Ministers Churches Teachings Principalities and Powers with the Power of God Stilness and Silence which keepeth over all this to the Kingdom of Christ that is Everlasting in which there is no Changing who is King of Kings and Lord of Lords all Power in Heaven and Earth is given unto him of whose Light Life Power and Wisdom Grace and Riches have ye received which comes from him that doth not Change So in that live that doth not Change the Vnchangable Life the Vnchangable Mind the Vnchangable Spirit and Wisdom and the Vnchangable Worship and Church of which Christ is the Vnchangable Head who remains the same yesterday to day and for ever in that ye will feel the Blessing and Presence of the Lord God of Life amongst you The unchangable Church and Worship as ye all abide in the unchangable Kingdom Dominion Power and Life who are Heirs of it according to your Measures who have received the Light and received the Life and Grace and the Power of a Kingdom and a World that hath no end So wait all in it that ye may be Possessors and Inheritors of the Kingdom and of the Life and Power which hath no end and of the Promises that are Yea and Amen and let nothing that is of the World alter you but keep ye in that which keepeth you in the Everlasting Kingdom of God The 3d of the 3d Month 1661. G. F. An Answer to a Letter sent to G. F. concerning the Voluntary Contribution to the King FRiend To the Thing thou Queriest of me concerning this Matter Epist 202. my Answer is Seeing that the King and his Friends desire it not as a Tax or an Assesment but a Free Gift of the People A Free Gift which cannot be said is an Oppression therefore it is left to all Friends to do as they are Free And what the World doth Friends are not to look at who will set up a thing and dislike it but Friends are to mind the Vniversal Power of the Lord God that they may do that freely in their own Power which they do better than by Compulsion Tax or Assess for if all things were done so it were the best in the Free State Bounty and Love which would more break the Hearts of People than by Force of Assesment and Tax So things are left to the Wisdom and Vniversal Spirit of the Lord God The Vniversal Spirit which goes over the Heads of all in the Fall that with the Living Power and Wisdom of God ye may overcome them and so do as ye are Free G. F. WHat Friends Do ye reign as Kings Epist 203. Can they pluck never a one of you out of the Father's Hand Are ye put forth The Father's Hand Do ye witness that Scripture fulfilled put forth to follow the King of Kings the Shepherd who gives Life abundantly In that let your Joy be still and your Comfort remain in which ye will feel the Endless Kingdom and Dominion In that the Lord be with you who is your Strength Comfort and Fulness for Evermore World without End And Friends Mind the Light and dwell in it and it will keep you a top of all the World and the Seed of God mind and know it and in it be Content Dwell in the Power of Truth and be not Negligent in that but Diligent serving the Lord every one in your Measures that to the Lord God every one of you may be a Blessing Be Diligent and a sweet Savour unto him in your Creation and Generation feeling and knowing the Lord's Power every one in your selves yea the Power of an Endless Life and of a Kingdom that hath no End and of a Dominion that is over all Dominions And in the Power of the Lord God Everlasting ye may feel the Seed of God in every particular of you raised up which doth inherit the same that ye may sit down in your own Possession of Everlasting Life And in that Meet together waiting
Likeness may be defaced which is gotten up in the Hearts of Men and People since the beginning in Transgression So bring them to the Great Sacrifice the Lord Jesus Christ The Great Sacrifice the Seed of the Woman who Offered up himself for the Sin of the World the Top-stone which is over all laid who is Restoring by his Power who hath all Power in Heaven and Earth who is Restoring all things into the place as they were in the beginning and Reconciling in one by his Power things in Heaven and things in Earth destroying that which made the Separation and broak Vnity which is the Enmity in Peoples Minds which the Light that doth enlighten every one that cometh into the World destroys through which all People come to have Peace with God and Fellowship who do believe in it So spread the Truth abroad and be Valiant for it upon the Earth Improve your Talent and be the wise Virgins with Oil in your Lamps The Talent and wise Virgins that ye may enter in with the Bridegroom Have Salt in your selves that ye may savour all things and keep your Consciences clean and pure unto God and all Men. Live in the Cross of Christ and rejoyce in it which is the Power of God and goes over all that which lives out from God and which is in the Transgression and its Fruits to which it is Death to this Cross the Power of God all must bend and bow And in the Power of God is the Fellowship of the Cross The Cross which keeps over all the Fellowships in the World and crucifies to them And so ye who are Heirs of the Power of a World that hath no end and a Kingdom that is Everlasting sit down in your Inheritances of the Power of the Kingdom of the Blessing of the Promise that are Heirs of the same that ye may increase in the Everlasting in the Blessing and heavenly Riches And though the Oppressors of the Earth will not let you have a Foot of Ground yet ye have the Power of God to stand in and so ye that are Heirs of that Oppressors and Christ Jesus whose the Earth is and all things therein and are in the Power of God separated from the Power of Darkness the Devil and are come into that which was before he was ye have nothing to lose for all yours is the Lora's For they that are separated by Sin and Transgression into the Earth drove there they strick fast and have much to lose whose Hearts are surfeited with the Earth and to that Glewed and all their Fellowship is out of the Cross of Christ the Power of God and are within the Power of Darkness and its Dominion over whom it hath the Supremacy which the Power of God goes over in which is the Son's Liberty and the Saints Fellowship that Lives for ever thorow which they have Eternal Life Let this be Copied over and sent abroad to the Isls unto New-England and Virginia G. F. ALL may Dear Friends and Brethren Epist 217. who of the mighty Power of God have tasted in which it hath brought you to the Measure of the Life of Truth Concerning Judging and to feel after God in it unto which ye are turned as a Way that is Living and has no End which is Christ Jesus who is the Way of Peace and destroys the Devil the Author of Strife All ye that are turned unto this living Way by the Power of the mighty God of Heaven and Earth Live in Peace one with another and Unity and do not Judge one another for that eats and wears out the Good and begets the Enmity and hinders growth in Truth Keep that down and live in Love and Peace that edifies And all every where unto you this is the Word of the Lord God Live in the Power of the mighty God of Heaven and Earth that goes over the unrighteous World The Power of the mighty God in which is the Strife and the Devil and his Works which Power of God was before they were in that ye will feel Vnity which was before Strife So dwell in that in which ye may have a Kingdom that hath no End and the Dominion that is above all Dominions upon the Earth In which Power of God ye may enlarge your Borders and spread Truth abroad both to Jews Christians and Heathens having the Power of God that goes over them all and was before they were With that Power of God ye will answer the Witness of God in all and bring them to that that with that they may have a part in the Kingdom of God and a share with you of the same in which ye will have Peace Life Joy Dominion and Prosperity And so it will be your Life to do good and to beget into Life up to God and in that Power that doth so Do good ye will not labour in vain But above all things take heed of Judging one another for in that ye may destroy one another and leave one another behind and drive one another back into the World and eat out the good of one another and so hinder Vnity hinder Growth in the Life and the Power of God in which ye should have Peace and Joy in one another and Love which edifies and overcomes and gets the Victory So go on in the Truth answering it in every one in the inward parts and in the Power of God which comprehends Deceit The standing Fellowship which was before it was in that is your Life and in that the Kingdom is felt that never hath an End and the Dominion over all Dominions in that stands your Peace and Joy in the Holy Ghost which is the the Spirit of God that plungeth down that which made the Separation from God in that will be your Fellowship which will stand and remain when all the Fellowships of the Earth are gone In which Fellowship in the spirit ye will have Fellowship with God the Father of Spirits and all the Scripture given forth from the same Spirit and with all the Saints that gave them forth and with their Spirits through which Spirit of God ye will be brought and come to the Spirits of Just Men which are made perfect and to God the Judge of all In which as I said before ye will have an Everlasting Fellowship in which Spirit ye will have an Vnderstanding in which Spirit ye will come to worship God the Father of Spirits and in the Truth which the Devil and his Works are out of and all the Will-worshippers So in that ye will know the Royal Dominion and Royal Fellowship in which Spirit ye will have the Spirit of Wisdom in which ye will know how to pray to God who is a Spirit and to praise and glorifie the Everlasting God who lives for ever and ever Amen! And in that ye will come to know and see to the Beginning before the World began and that which
the Cross of Christ 3dly The Fellowship of the Gospel the Power of God expels away all that which hath darkned the Vnderstanding darkned the Mind darkned the Heart and by the Power of God Life and Immortality is brought to Light in you by which Power of God ye come to see before that was that hath darkened you from Life and Immortality and over that Life and Immortaliy shines being in the Power of God which was before that was that had darkned Mankind and the Power of God the Gospel expels away that which burdened your Spirits Minds Hearts Consciences and Souls so that being driven away by the Power of God and the Mind set at liberty the Spirit the Conscience the Heart the Soul that is Immortal being brought up by the Power of God here the Soul hath its pleasure in God then by the Power of God Man seeth over that which hath burthened his Spirit Mind Soul and Conscience and beyond it and before it was where the Spirit Soul Mind and Conscience cries glad Tidings And here is the joyful Gospel and here is the Faith in the Everlasting Gospel the Power of God and here is Life and Immortality come to Light through the Power of God the Gospel which Power of God the Everlasting Gospel was before that was that darkned Man from Life and Immortality and hath loaded Peoples Minds Herts Souls and Consciences the Power of God was before that was and remains when that is all gone So now ye that are come to be Heirs of the Gosepl know it your Portion for as a Man is Heir of a Piece of Land or Hourse it 's his Portion which must have and end and he comes to Inherit it So Heirs of the Gospel it 's the Portion of Man and Woman and they that Inberit it they Inherit the Power of God which hath no end which was before the Power of Darkness was which hath darkned People from Life and Immortality and loaded their Spirits but being Heirs of that which was before that was here you Inherit the Gospel you Inherit the Power of God in which is stability here you are Church-Members and here you are Living Stones and here you are built up together a Spiritual Houshold here the Church in God is known the Father of Christ who is the Way to God where the Church is for now as Adam and Eve were drove from God and being in the Fall there Sons and Daughters have their Churches enough heaps upon heaps one against another and Heads of every Church and there they plead for Sin while they live upon the Earth but the Church that is in God the Father of Christ doth not so for as Mankind was drove from God they must come up again out of that state where they are defiled and be washed sanctified and cleansed and brought up out of the Fall up to God again If they come to the Church that is in God and the Fellowship which is the Gospel-Fellowship which is the Power of God in which is Stability before that was that hath unestablished People the Gospel the Power of God was and before the Devil was that hath unestablished People In which Gospel is Peace Stability Life and Immortality which is come to Light again In this is the Church-Fellowship with Christ in God which will stand for the Gospel is Everlasting the Church of God is the Pillar and ground of Truth Therefore this will stand when all other Churches and Fellowships amongst the Sons and Daughters of Men in the Fall will have an end Pillar and Ground of Truth The Church in God will stand the Pillar and Ground of Truth and the Fellowship of it will remain Therefore ye Heirs of the Gospel and Church-Members of it inherit it and sit down in the Fellowship of the same And this is beyond all the Writings Subscribings and Promisings to the Church-Fellowships that be among the Sons and Daughters of Adam in the Fall that when a storm comes or a Tempest they fly from their Church and Fellowship both But the Gospel stands the Church in God stands the Pillar and Ground of Truth which the Gates of Hell cannot prevail against 4thly Worship in Spirin and Truth The worship of God is in the Spirit and in the truth that 's the Publick Worship which Christ set up he preached it when he put down the Worship at the Mountain and at Jerusalem and said God is a Spirit and they that worship him must worship him in Spirit and Truth and the bour is come and now is that the Father seeks such to worship him Then the Hour was that Worship was set up above Sixteen hundred Years since when he denied and put down the Worship at the Mountain and at Jerusalem where the Fore-fathers worshipped So this Worship in the Spirit and in the Truth was contrary to the Fore-fathers This is the Publick Worship and this is not private nor particular the Nations Worships are particular which the Sons of Adam are broken into the several Worships one against another but this Worship in the Spirit and in the Truth hits all Men and Women they must come to the Spirit in themselves and the Truth in the inward parts this is publick this is not a private Worship but brings every Man and Woman to the Spirit of God in their own Hearts and Truth in their inward parts in which Spirit and Truth they must bow down and come into it if they be Worshippers of God in the Truth and in the Spirit And this is the standing Worship that Christ preach'd up a-top of the Hill where the Fore-fathers had worshipped And this Worship is over the Worship that was at Jerusalem and over the Worship that was at the Mountain so by this must every Man every Son of Adam and Daughter come to the Spirit in their own particulars and Truth in themselves by which they must know God is a Spirit and will be worshipped in the Spirit and in the Truth and so no Man must grieve nor vex nor quench the Spirit but all must worship in it and they must come to the truth in the Heart to the hidden Man in the Heart to a meek and quiet Spirit and they must not rebel against the Spirit if they worship in it and all coming to it they have the adorning that which beautifies and adorns them in the Eyes of God none must walk despitefully against the Spirit of Grace nor turn the Grace of God into Wantonness if they worship God in the Spirit if they grieve vex quench the Spirit of God within and turn the Grace of God into Wantonness and walk despitefully against the Spirit of God and rebel against the Spirit of God within and are haters of the Light These go from the publick Worship of God in the Spirit and Truth to the particular which fallen Men have invented but they that worship God in the Spirit and in the Truth are in that
which the Devil is out of and the Dragon's Worship and the Beast's Worship and the Will-Worship are out of who worship in the Truth and in the Spirit are over all these Worships For Truth is before they all were and the Spirit and will stand when they are all gone 5thly To pray in the Spirit this was publick the publick Prayer set up among the Christians the Temple was the publick Place of Prayer among the Jews but to pray in the Spirit which is the Publick Prayer set up by the Apostles Every Man every Woman then must come to the Spirit of God in their own selves for it will give them Vnderstanding and Knowledge and give them Instruction it will help their Infirmities it will let them see their wants So in that must every Son and Daughter of Adam pray in the Spirit to God who is a Spirit And this is Publick the Spirit of God in every Man and Woman to pray with unto God who is a Spirit then in this Spirit have they Fellowship and Vnity and a Bond of Peace and this moderates all People and mortifies circumciseth and baptizeth Now who grieves and quenches and vexes and rebels against the Spirit of God within in which they should pray they are like the Jews Bablers and go into the particular Forms and go from the Publick which is V niversal whereby all Men and Women must pray to God who is a Spirit in the Spirit and keep out of the particular One hath one Set-Form another another that is particular as I said before but the praying in the Spirit is general by which every Man and Woman might see their Necessities and Wants and turn to God who is a Spirit for his help For Christ the quickning Spirit and the Spirit of the Lord within is that which brings People to life up their Eyes to the Lord in Spirit and Truth and to watch and pray by which they know Temptations and the Spirit giveth them Vnderstanding and Wisdom and Power to withstand them 6thly Singing in the Spirit is Publick every Man and every Woman in the whole World Sing in the Spirit they must not grieve it nor vex it if they sing in it and this is Publick But they that go from the Spirit of God within they go into the particular singing inventing this thing and that thing and then one will do it and another will not do it and so there is no true Felloship because it is not done in the Spirit and there is no true Fellowship in their Worshipping nor in their Praying because it is not done in the Spirit for the true Fellowship in Singing in Praying in Worshipping of God is in the Spirit of God which the Devil is out of for in that is the Bond of Peace 7thly The Teachers of the World told us who call'd themselves Ministers of Christ That they had receved a Gift from Christ who did ascend on high and led Captivity captive and this Gift was for the work of the Ministry and for the perfecting of the Saints and how that they were to bring People to the Knowledge of the Son of God from whence they had received this Gift and to the Unity of the Faith which Faith gives the Victory and brings to have access to God and also to a perfect Man's State and to the Measure of the Stature of the fulness of Christ And thus People followed them and were glad that they would bring them to a perfect Man's State that is to the State of Adam and Eve before they fell for they were perfect then and when we had followed them some twenty some thirty some more some less Years then they told us again that they hoped we would not look for Perfection while we are upon the Earth on this side the Grace for we must carry a Body of Sin about us and they hoped we would not look for Perfection and would not hold the Erronious Doctrine of Perfection and yet told us as before That they would bring us to a perfect Man's State Perfection and so we looked they would have fulfilled their Words for we have given our Money and have spent out Labour in following after them and hoped they would have fulfilled their Words and brought us to the Knowledge of the Son God and so to he Vnity of the Faith and to a perfect Man's state to our Father Adam's and Eve's state before they fell and now they have gotten our Money they hope we will not look for Perfection here Oh Deceivers We will never set foot more after them who will neither fulfil their Words nor give us our Money back again for we gave our Money that they should bring us to the Knowledge of the Son of God and to the Vnity of the Faith and bring us to a perfect Man's state and to a Measure of the Stature of the Fulness of Christ And now the Scriptures that speak of Sin and Imperfection they bring to prove that we should not be Perfect against their own Promises and Words and all the Scriptures that speak of Perfection or overcoming they tell us there must be a meaning put to them And thus they deceived us instead of bringing us to the Measure of the Stature of Christ who never fell the Second Adam the Lord from Heaven who said they would bring us to his Stature and now they cannot bring us to the Measure of the Stature of the Righteousness and Holiness of our Father Adam and Mother Eve that they were in before they fell for they had no Body of Sin before they fell nor Spot nor Wrinkle nor Blemish So the Deceivers hath got our Money and now calls that an Error which they said they would bring us unto a perfect man's state and so will not fulfil their Words nor give us our Money back again neither Thereforenow mark which of these Theree States the Shepherds and Teachers and Leaders kept their Flock in and do keep them in Whether is it in the State of Adam and Eve in the Fall where the Body of Death the Curse Wrath and Woe is Imperfection Spots Wrinkles and Blemishes and tell them they must be there for term of Life Or whether or no can they keep them in the blessed and good State of Righteousness and Holiness as Adam and Eve was in before they fell Or whether or no can they keep them in the Measure of the Stature of Christ who never fell Now consider which of these Three States do they Shepherds pretend to keep their Flocks in that deny Perfection and say their Sheep must carry a Body of Death on their Backs while on Earth for as the Tree falls it lies and htere is no Repentance in the Grave Whether it be not in Adam and Eve in the Fall with his Sons and Daughters Or in that State before they fell which was a good State in Righteousness and Holiness Or whether it be in Christ that never fell
whom it cost his Blood and his Life to fetch Adam and Eve and his Sons and Daughters out of that State in the Fall out of the unjust State to set them in the State before they fell and not only there but to bing them into himself that never fell Now what Value and Price and Worth have they made of the Blood of Christ that cleanseth from Sin and Death and yet told People that they would bring them to the Knowledge of the Son of God and to a perfect Man and now tell them they must not be perfect on the Earth but carry a Body of Sin about them to the Grave As much as to say They must be in the State of their Father Adam and their Mother Eve in the Fall under the Wrath Curse and Woe and must not come to the State they were in before they fell to the Image of God in Righteousness and True Holiness And thus the Deceivers are not worth the setting Foot after and yet ask them for what End Christ came They will say To destroy the Devil and his Works And then ask them if the Body of Sin and Death be not the Devil's Works and Imperfection They will say Yes and so are in Confusion Christ came to destroy the Devil and his Works they say and yet they must carry them to the Grave and yet People are saved by Christ they will say but while you are upon Earth you must not be made free from Sin This is as much as if one should be in Turkey a Slave chained to a Boat and one should come to redeem him to go into his own Country but say the Turks Thou art redeemed but while thou art upon the Earth thou must not go out of Turkey nor have the Chain off thee So saith Satan's Messengers you are redeemed but must carry a Body of Death about you and cannot go to your Father Adam's House before he fell but you must live in your Father Adam's House in the Fall while ye be upon Earth Redemption to by the Blood of Christ But I say you are redeemed by Christ it cost him his Blood to purchase Man out of this State he is in in the Fall and bring him up to the State Man was in before he fell so Christ became a Curse to bring Man out of the Curse and bore the Wrath to bring Man to the Peace of God that he might come to the Blessed State and to Adam's State he was in before he sell and not only thither but to a State in Christ that shall never fall And this is my Testimony to you and to all People upon the Earth And so the Teachers of the World cried Men are redeemed but while on the Earth they must have Original Sin in them and that is the Devil for he is the Original or Sin and of the Body of Death and that they are redeemed but they must never come to the State of their Father Adam before he fell while on the Earth This is sad Tidings Are these Messenges of God or Messengers of Satan So you may see by this where the Shepherds have brought their Flocks and in what they sit in Adam and Eve in the Fall not in Adam and Eve before they fell a good blessed State but in Adam and Eve in the Fall a bad cursed State and not in Christ that never fell Now mark the Apostle said He hath quickned us who were dead in Sins and Trespasses and hath made us to sit together in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus that in the Ages to come he might shew forth his exceeding Riches and Kindness towards us Now the Ages are come Glory to the Lord God over all in the Highest for ever that this Kindness and this Riches is seen that the Apostle's Preaching is fulfilled who said He had quickned us and made us to sit together in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus So mark in Christ Jesus Vs the Church Vs the Saints Vs the Believers and True Christians made us to sit together Here was their meeting here was their sitting in the heavenly Places in Christ Jesus the Second Adam the Lord from Heaven him that was glorified with the Father before the World began him that never fell but fetch'd Man and Woman out of the Fall to the State that Man and Woman was in before they fell and they not to sit there in Adam in the Fall nor in Adam before he fell but in heavenly Places in Christ Jesus before Adam fell And there is the safe sitting in Christ the New and Living Way the Word of God the Power of God the Light the Life and Truth in the First and in the Last in the Beginning and in the Ending in him in whom is no Shadow of turnings nor variableness in him the Saints sit the Church in Christ the Head and there is the exceeding Riches and the Kindness known again For is not here Kindness and Riches for Man and Woman to be brought out of that State in the Fall to the State of Adam and Eve before they fell Christ his Blood the Prince of our Redemption And he that doth bring them thither is Christ and it is by his Blood it cost him his Blood his Life and he doth not leave them in the State as Adam and Eve was in before they fell but he sets them down in himself who never fell a safer State than Adam was in the before he fell Now who sits hee in the heavenly Places in Christ Jesus the First and the Last the Beginning and Ending State of Innocency the safe Place in the Wisdom of God 1. They see where Adam and Eve sate before before they fell blessed and in a good State in the Image of God in Righteousness and Holiness 2. They see where Adam and Eve sate in the Fall with their Sons and Daughters fallen from Righteousness and Holiness and the Image of God where they have no Peace neither do they see God State under the Law nor have Dominion over the Creation 3. They see where the Jews sate in the Types Figures and Shadows and Temples and Oaths in the Offerings and Sacrifices and there were to sit till Christ the Substance came to end them all which Christ the Substance was before they was 4. They see where the Apostles sate in the heavenly Places in Christ Jesus the Substance of all the Types Figures and Shadows who ended them all and was before them all and will be when they are all gone 5. States since the Law They see where the Gentiles sit in the Traditions Inventions Idols Temple which God never commanded 6. They see where all the Apostate Christians have sate since the Apostles Days in the Rudiments Inventions Handy-works and Traditions and cannot sit long in them therefore turn one against another 7. Now the Age is come that the Kindness and Riches of the Lord is seen which was manifest among the
had Dominion over all things that God had made Yea over the Serpent and he came and told her they should be as Gods if they would eat of the Fruit that was forbidden and they thought to have been as Gods and to be made wise but the Devil came to be God and they came to be Slaves and so he got into Adam's Heart and Eve's Heart through their Disobedience through which they lost their Dominion and the Serpent came to be God of the World the Deceiver Now saith the Lord to the Serpent Vpon thy Belly shalt thou go and Dust shall be thy Meat all the Days of thy Life So you may see how the Serpent got into Adam and Eve by Disobedience Secondly He ruleth in all Adam's Sons and Daughters Hearts that are disobedient to the Light the Truth the Power of God in themselves and he darkens their Hearts and Minds and makes them envious and from him they have their devilish earthly Wisdom and all their invented Arts and Ways that be bad that keeps up and stirs up the fallen Nature that is sometimss puffed up and sometimes down through which the Earth is brought out of its Course and the Bonds of Civility broken So here he that rules in the Disobedient and got into Adam and Eve's Heart by Disobedience which is called the God of the World whose Meat is Dust goes upon his Belly Now if this Ruler and this Governor of the Hearts of such as are Disobedient who is called the Prince of the Air and so whirles them up into the Air who got into Adam and Eve's Heart by Disobedience and rules in his Sons and Daughters Hearts by Disobedience if he goes upon his Belly how go they that he rules Better than the Ruler think you Must the ruled go better than the Ruler Thirdly If this Rulers Meat be Dust that rules in the Hearts of the Disobedient which got into Adam and Eve's Heart by Disobedience what feeds the ruled upon then if the Rulers Meat be Dust for can any feed upon Life but they that come to the Light and Life and Truth in their own Hearts by which Truth they come to see how he got in by Disobedience and how he rules the Disobedient Now do you think that the Devil would have any Man or Woman or his Messengers or Apostles to obey the Truth and Light in themselves then how can he rule in their Hearts nuless they went out of the Truth The Devil the Serpent got into their Hearts by Disobedience and rules the Disobedient and therefore it 's not like that the Devil or his Messengers or Prophets or Apostles would have any Man or Woman to obey the Light the Truth in their own Hearts for if they obey the Light the Truth which the Devil is out of and abide just By this they come to go upright from under the slavery of him which upon his Belly goes they come to feed upon the Life Christ which was with the Father before the World began not upon the Dust which he feeds upon which is out of the Truth and they that he rules are out of the Truth So it 's no strange thing for him and his Messengers to speak against the Light in the Heart for he hath made the World like a Wilderness all wild and rough he that got in by Disobedience and rules in the Disobedient it is not like that he would have People to obey the Light nor Life within them he that is out of Truth who got into Adam and Eve by Disobedience and rules in all them that are Disobedient going roaring up and down seeking whom he may devour And so Adam came to be lost and the Lamb came to be slain from the Foundation of the World and therefore comes Christ the First and the Last to destroy the Devil and his Works in Mens Hearts and sanctifies them by his Blood his Life which was the Sacrifice for the Sins of the whole World and destroys the Devil and his Works through Death and him that hath the Power of Death and Sanctifies and Washes Men and Women and presents them back again to God perfect but the Devil would not have Men and Women to own Perfection who hath made them Imperfect nor his Messengers but it is Christ that destroys him and his works and saith Be perfect and presents Men and Women perfect to God out of the Fall up to Adam before he fell and not only there but up to himself that never fell the Royal Seed And in him keep your Meetings and dwell in Peace and Love that the Fruits of the Spirit may abound among you for the Fruits of the Flesh are in the Fall where the Spirit is grieved for there they be out of the Quietness and out of the Rest and Peace Therefore in Christ that never fell the Peace and Rest and Light and Life and the Power and Truth live and God is well pleased and doth accept you in his Son Christ Jesus in the Seed in the Light in the Truth in the Power of God in the Righteousness and in the Wisdom but God doth not accept them nor you as they and you be in Adam in the Fall in their own Righteousness in their own Wisdom out of the Light out of the Truth out of the Life and not living in it in themselves And so God doth accept you in Christ the second Adam that never fell and is well pleased with you in Christ the Second Adam that Righteousness which was before Adam was is in Christ that never fell as you come out of Adam in the Fall and live in Christ Jesus that never fell And so Christ comes to be manifest in Peoples Hearts and the Son to be revealed who casts out the strong Man which hath kept the House and spoils his Goods who got into Adam and Eve by disobedience and rules in the Hearts of Adam and Eve's Sons and Daughters who are in disobedience And so Christ the Second Adam must rule in Peoples Hearts who are in the Obedience as he doth in all that have Power and injoy Life And so be valiant and faithful for the Truth upon the Earth serving the Lord in a new Life that is in Christ Jesus that never fell out of the old Life of Adam in the Fall for the old Life is in Adam in the Fall where the Spirit is grieved and the new Life is in Adam that never fell who was born in Bethlehem Beth is a House and lathem is Bread where the fulness is who will dry up the River Euphrates with its Froth which hath run so up and down among the Sons of Adam that People may drink at him the Fountain the Water of Life through whom you come to know the mighty God of Heaven and Earth the upholder of all things and creator of all things to his Glory and Honour being in Christ Jesus by whom were all things who is the Top and Corner Stone in whom you
leads into here are all manner of Uncleanness Unrighteousness Falsities Puffing-up and Pride and all the crooked rough cross Ways and Mountains of Sin which are become as Graves and Prisons for the Just Adam's State before he fell is beyond all this who fell into this but Christ that never fell is a State beyond Adam and he is to be heard and followed that never fell and in him are People to sit down who is the Rest and Peace and Life who destroyeth the Devil and his Works and makes and end of Sin together with Vngodliness and Vnrighteousness which hath dishonoured God so bruiseth the Head of the Serpent and breaks his Power and crusheth him to pieces that the Seed Christ may rise in all which honoureth the Father Now this being manifest and known in all then the Lamb is known to have the Victory which hath been slain from the Foundation of the World and then in the Seed you come to know your Election before the World began And here the Lord's Words are fulfilled his Glory he will not give to another who destroyeth that that took the Glory to it self which brings up to that Noble Seed and Plant in Man which gives the Glory to God And here as you live in the Seed Christ Jesus your Election you know before the World began and Reprobation since the World began For Core Cain Ishmael Esau Sodom and Egypt Spritual and Temporal have been since the World began For Egypt is Thraldom Bondage Anguish and Darkness and Sodom is Whoredom and Cain disobeyed the Voice of God and Core gain-said the Law and whoever feels all this Nature in them they are Vessels of Wrath and let them not complain and say Why hast thou made me thus For there are Vessels of Honour and Vessels of Dishonour Vessels of Mercy Vessels of Wrath And it is not in him that willeth and runneth but in God that sheweth Mercy Now Esau the First Birth signifieth a Worker Jacob is the Second Birth signifieth a Supplanter and when Jacob hath supplanted Esau the First Birth the prophane Nature Jacob is called Israel that is as much as to say Thou hast Power with God now So where the Election is risen and hath put down Cain Core Egypt Sodom the First Birth slain which brought all the Wrath into the Vessel and the old Bottle broken Here is a new Bottle that holdeth the new Wine and Vessels of Honour and Vessels of Mercy in the Election before the World began and you have all things made new a new Heaven and a new Earth And all Friends that be in any manner of Sufferings Imprisonments or Banishments for Christ and his Truths sake live in Christ and sit down in him in whom you have all Peace Life Vertue and Rest in Christ Jesus who was before all that was that makes to suffer and will remain when it 's all gone and was the First and Last the Beginning and Ending the same to day yesterday and for ever In him sit down and live that doth not change then your Religion doth not change your Worship doth not change your Way doth not change for Christ being you Way who is the same to day yesterday and for ever and your Fellowship and Vnity and Community doth not change being with the Father who doth not change but is the same from Everlasting to Everlasting And they whose Religion Fellowship and Worship changes and gads about and changeth their Ways are fickle and have itching Ears after the Ways that change from Christ who doth not change who is the Way the same to day as he was yesterday to be walked in And all Friends that are in any Temptations or Troubles look at Christ who bruiseth the Serpent's Head your Adversary your Enemy your Troubler your Tempter your Defiler your Accuser he Wicked One fear him not but look at Christ Jesus that bruiseth his Head breaketh his Power and Strength and crusheth him to pieces in Christ have you Peace which was before the Devil was Reign in him Christ Jesus who is your Light and Life and Salvation and fear God and give glory glory to him for ever For this Serpent the Enemy the Adversary the Devil the Wicked One the Dragon the Accuser the Tempter he tempted Christ to the Creatures to the Glory of the World and to worship him to destroy himself but Christ bruiseth his Head breaks his Power and Strenght and crusheth him to pieces and destroyeth him and his works So in him live and rejoyce in whom you have Peace and Life and Dominion in him who was before the Serpent was the First and Last the same yesterday to day and for ever Ah my dear Friends and Brethren every where the Power of the Lord God is over all live in it that you may feel a Vnity and Fellowship in the Power of the Lord God that through that Power of the Lord God you may all come to be Heirs of the Power of an Endless Life through which you may Inherit Eternity and so to feel Life Eternal abiding in you the Manslayer hath not Eternal Life abiding in him that is he that envies his Brother So all the Persecutors that envy their Brethren have not Eternal Life abiding in them Under this all the Persecutors about Church Religion Worship Faith Ministry and Fellowships and Envious Persons having not Eternal Life abiding in them are comprehended Therefore you all fee this Eternal Life abiding in you And he that hath the Son of God hath Life Eternal abiding in him and so in this Eternal Life you have an Eternal Fellowship with God and his Son and with one another And in this the Law of Life that is in Jesus Christ passeth Sentence on the Law of Sin and Death in every Man and Woman and brings it to the Exceution Through which Law of Life Righteousness flows and runs down as a stream and also Justice and Truth Here by this Law of the Spirit of Life in Christ Jesus Mark in Christ Jesus you come to know the Lamb's Throne and the Throne of Iniquity thrown down its Mouth stopped and the Chambers of Imagery thrown down and the Houshold of God raised the Fruitless Trees thrown down and the Plant of God raised up which is of his own planting a Tree of Righteousness whose Fruit is unto Holiness whose end is Everlasting Life So mark here the Fruits of this Tree and the End of this Tree By this you distinguish Man's planting and Man's plucking up and God's building you will distinguish from Man's building and Man's plucking down and Man's gathering together you that are gathered in the Name of Jesus distinguish and their scattering Oh therefore be valiant for the Truth which you are come to the knowledge of and worship God in that Truth which the Devil is out of and abode not in this makes you free from the Devil and his Works that ar out of Truth Here in this Worship in the Truth and in the
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
be executed For you know after a Thief or a Murderer is Condemned and Judged and have Sentence past upon him yet he is not executed that Day the Execution comes afterwards And therefore after Condemnation or Judgment is past upon any inward Evil or any outward Action of Evil let Execution be speedily done with the Living Hammer and the Living Sword and the Living Stone that the Living Fire may burn it up and consume it No Man after he hath beaten his Child hateth him ever afterwards but loveth him if he repent and amends so doth the Eternal Father and if the Child be fallen down into the Dirt he doth not go and tumble him more into the Dirt or into the Ditch and there let him lie in the Dirt and Ditch but takes him out and washes him and so doth the heavenly Father which leads his Children by his Hand and dandles them upon his Knee And so all that be called Fathers in the Truth or Mothers their Tenderness should be the same to all little Children in the Truth that can hardly go without leading that sometimes may fall into the Dirt and Ditch and ship aside and then be troubled and cry To such there should be Tenderness shewn and to wash them and help them and Love to such should be manifest for there is difference betwixt a stubborn rebellious and wilful Child and one that is Penitent for those must have great Chastisements that knows the will of their Father and doth it not they must have greater Stripes and sorer Stripes they must look for be sure to expect it than the other For Christ is manifest in the Flesh to condemn Sin in the Flesh all that witness Christ in them Male and Female I say Christ manifest in their Flesh he doth condemn the Sin that is in their Flesh yea and makes an end of Sin and finishes the Transgression and brings in Everlasting Righteousness into them But first he condemns the Sin that is in their Flesh the Unrighteousness in their Flesh and Ungodliness in their Flesh the Lyar the Swearer that is in their Flesh the Adulterer the Fornicator the Idolater and all Sin whatsoever it is he condemns in the Flesh So Christ is manifest in the Flesh to condemn the Sin that is in the Flesh that every one that witnesses Christ condemning Sin in the Flesh that they through Christ that condemns Sin in the Flesh might become God's Righteousness so they become anothers But the Sin being uncondemned in the Flesh they are of the Serpent of the Unrighteous One of the Ungodly One who adulterated from Truth they are his But the Sin being condemned in the Flesh Christ is manifest in the Flesh so that they become Christ's they are God's and are in Christ who destroys the Devil and his Works that are out of Truth And these know the New Life which God is served in and these know the New Earth wherein dwells Righteousness and these knows the Old Earth wherein dwells Vnrighteousness And these can bring forth things New and Old For they that are led by the Spirit of God are the Sons of God they that are led by the Spirit of the Devil are the Children of the Devil and his Works they do the Works of their Father as they that are led by the Spirit of God his Works they do the Works of their Father and all they that quench the Spirit of God and vexes the Spirit of God and grieves the Spirit of God and hate the Light of Christ and walks despitefully against the Spirit of Grace and turns it into wantonness and disobeys the Word of God in their Hearts and Mouths Sure you all may see such are not the Sons of God and do not the Works of God though they may profess the Scriptures from the beginning of Genesis to the end of the Revelations Neither doth that Birth know the Scriptures for they are known by the Spirit of God the Holy Ghost which led the holy Men of God to speak them forth by the same Spirit are they known again And Christ who was conceived by the Holy Ghost born of the Virgin he is known by the Holy Ghost again which led the holy Men of God to give forth Scriptures which now leads into all Truth And all them now who despise Revelations Inspirations Prophecies Gifts and Talents they despise the Spirit of God and his Gifts Such are neither Ministers of God or Christ nor his Sons but are the Sons of him that is out of the true Spirit that is of God in the Darkness Babel and Confusion who think they can do great matters with their Languages and with them make a Trade of the Scriptures who cannot endure any People should come to the Spirit that gave them forth for none can walk in the Spirit that quenches it and vexes and grieves it And none comes into the Church Fellowship that grieves and vexes and quenches the Spirit of God For the Fellowship is in the Spirit that is the Bond of Peace and none is led into all Truth but by the same Holy Ghost that was in the holy Men of God that gave forth the Scriptures of Truth And all that are led by this Spirit of Truth are led from the Spirit of the Devil that is out of Truth And all that are led by the Spirit that is out of Truth are the First-Birth of the Flesh and of that Murderer which will persecute him that is born of the Holy Spirit of God which leads into all Truth Which they that are led by the Spirit that is out of Truth are out of both the Father and Son And they that are led by the Spirit of Truth are the Sons of God and here are both in the Father and in the Son and in the Truth which abides for ever And here the Heir the Son inherits his Possession his Inheritance in the Kingdom that never hath an end The true Hope the true Cross the true Faith the true Worship the true Religion the true Way true Image and true Fellowship have been lost since the Apostles-Days amongst those called Christians which are out of the Life And they that have lost the Cross of Christ which is the Power of God in which is the true Fellowship they have set up a wooden or a stone Cross c. so false Crosses false Christians They that have lost the true Hope which purifies as He is Pure they have set up a Purgatory to cleanse them when they are dead And others cry up a Body of Sin and Death on this side of the Grave with their Hypocrites Hope and they have lost the true Ministry and set up a false One to preach up Imperfection And People were imperfect in old Adam before Christ came for the Law made nothing Perfect but the true Minister Christ in you the hope of Glory doth make Perfect both in the Apostles Days and now Christ in you the hope of Glory said the Apostle
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
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
and Apostles but are out of their Life as their Practice speaks And therefore it 's the Life that differs and the New way differs from the Old and the Religion that 's above from that which is below and the Worship Christ set up above 16 Hundred Years ago from all them that are made since amongst the Nominal Christians and the Fellowship of God in the Spirit and Gospel differs from all the Fellowships that have been made since the Apostles Days and the Liberty in Christ in the Gospel in the Spirit is far above the Liberty of old Adam in the Flesh in the Sin the Wages of which is Death here no false Liberty can be in the Spirit and in the Power of the Gospel and in Christ Jesus nor no false Freedom in the Truth for all false Freedom is out of the Truth and therefore keep over all those false Liberties and false Freedoms In old Adam and his Spirit and Power of God that 's holy and pure without Spot So no more but my Love in the Holy Seed that 's over all To be read in all Friends Meetings And send Copies of this to Maryland Virginia Barbadoes New-England c. G. F. FRiends Epist 282. in the Seed that bruises the Serpent's Head and destroyeth the Devil and his Works live and in the Light which is the Life In Christ the Seed who bruiseth the Serpents Head in the Word by which all things were made which Light and Life and Word doth hammer and cut down and condemn and judge all evil Words and Works and the Spirit of them that is out of the Light Life Seed and Word of Reconciliation in this I have Vnity with you and in this all true Believers are reconciled to God and one to another Is our Vnity and Fellowship and in it is the heavenly Wisdom in which is the holy and spiritual Fellowship preserved over that short brikle defaming and unconstant Spirit which must be kept down with the Spirit of God that doth not change which hath been crucified by the Wicked but the Seed of Life doth slay the Enmity and in Life and Power reigns over it Glory to the Lord God for ever Amen G. F. To Friends at Bristol in time of Suffering DEar Friends Epist 283. Now is the Time for you to stand therefore put on the whole Armour of God from the Crown of the Head unto the Soles of your Feet To publick Men to keep their Testimony that you may stand in the Possession of Life And you that have been Publick Men and formerly did travel abroad mind to keep up your Testimony both in the City and in the Countries that you may encourage Friends to keep up their Meetings as usual there-away so that none faint in the time of Trial but that all may be encouraged both small and great to stand faithful to the Lord God and his Power and Truth that their Heads may not sink in the Storms but may be kept up above the Waves So go into your Meeting-Places as at other times And keep up your Publick Testimony and visit Friends there-abouts now in this time of Storm for there is your Crown in the Vniversal Power and Spirit of God So let your Minds In the time of Persecution and Souls and Hearts be kept above all outward and visible things Few travel now the Countries It may be well to visit them lest any should faint Stir up one another in that which is Good and to faithfulness in the Truth this Day And let your Minds be kept above all visible things for God took Care for Man in the Beginning and set him above the Works of his Hands And therefore mind the heavenly Treasure that will never fade away and dwell in the Seed in which you may know your Election It 's hard for me to give forth in Writing what is before me because of my bodily weakness but I was desirous in some measure to ease my Mind desiring that you may stand fast and faithful to Truth Of my Travels and Weakness it 's like you have heard and of my Affliction both by them that are without and also by them that are within which are hard to be uttered and spoken My Love is to all faithful Friends The 2d of the 11th Mouth 1670. G. F. DEar Friends and Brethren See that all live in the peaceable and blessed Truth into which no Enmity can come Epist 284. for the blessed Seed Christ Jesus takes away the Curse They who receive Christ receive Power to become the Sons of God the Increase of whose Government there is no End who rules in Righteousness amongst the Righteous for ever And see that this Righteousness in which you all have Peace run down and flow as a Stream among you who are begotten again into a lively Hope and born again by the Immortal Seed of the Word of God which lives and abides for ever And you who have received Christ have received Power to become the Sons of God and to believe in the Light in Obedience to Christ's Command by which you become Children of the Light and Children of the Day Therefore this I say unto you Let no Man abuse this Power that is Everlasting and keep the Gospel-Order which was before any Impurity was and will be when it is gone So that in all your Men and Womens-Meetings see that Vertue flow and see that all your Words be gracious and see that Love flows which bears all things that Kindness Tenderness and Gentleness may be among you and that the Fruits of the good Spirit may abound That Love Kindness and Gentleness abound for nothing that is unclean must enter into God's Kingdom which stands in Righteousnss and in Holiness and in the Power of God and in the Joy of the Holy Ghost For all Joy that is out of the Holy Ghost will have an End And see in all your Men and Womens-Meetings that God be no ways dishonoured nor the pure and blessed Name of Christ in which you are gathered be blasphemed but in all things that God may be glorified exalted and honoured And to take Care that nothing be lacking among the Poor for you have the Light to see all Evil and the Power to withstand it And to take Care that nothing be lacking among the Poor and to see that nothing be lacking then all will be well among you in all your Men and Womens-Meetings And see that nothing be lacking neither within nor without for God is rich in both and abundance of his Riches you have received And so this is a Warning and a Charge to you all in the Presence of the Living God that you keep up the Testimony of Jesus against all that which is contrary to Jesus the heavenly Man that your Fruits may appear to his Glory and your Works to his Praise and that you may have Water in your own Cisterns and know those Clouds
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
Springs and Fruitful and all that lives under God's Teaching knows it So serve God in the Spirit and in the newness of Life which is over the old that the Lord God's Presence may be felt amongst you and his Son a Prophet to open to you and a Priest to sanctifie you a Bishop to oversee you and a Shepherd to feed you the Rock of your Age and Ages the Foundation of your Generation and many Generations and who are in him who was elected before the Foundation of the World they build upon him who is the First and the Last the Beginning and Ending in him you have all Life and Salvation who is the Amen And my desire is To Incourage the Faithful Women in the Service of God that you may in the Power of God encourage all the Faithful Women in your Island in the Work and Service of God and now you have Six Mens Meetings if you had as many Womens Meetings it would include all the faithful Women in all the Corners of your Island and some of your ancient faithful Women to go from Meeting to Meeting till they are settled in the Power of God and that will keep all alive in the Lord's working Power and living Life And all that are not Faithful let them be admonished to Faithfulness that so they may come into the Light and Life and Service of God and Christ for all the Wise-hearted and Faithful Women in the time of the Law were to work about the Tabernacle of God and the Holy Things And they were called the Assemblies of the Women And all the Women in the time of the Law was to offer Sacrifices upon God's Altar as well as the Men. And now in the time of the Gospel which hath brought Life and Immortality to Light God doth pour out of his Spirit upon all Flesh and therefore live in the Gospel and its Order and all true Christians Men and Women doth offer their Spiritual Sacrifices to God who is a Spirit And therefore my Friends be valiant for God's Truth upon the Earth dwell in Love that will bear all things and let there be an Order entered in your Books To avoid provoking Words that there be no provoking Words spoken in your Meetings but if any have any thing to say let them speak to them in love privately And when ye have settled your Six Womens Meetings then you may have a Six Weeks or a Monthly as well as a Quarterly Meeting as you may see meet And so that all your Wells of Life may be kept open and every one have a fresh Spring springing up in you so that in every one of you the living Water of Life may flow so that ye all may be refreshed with the Fountain of Life and feel Christ a Bishop to oversee and a Counsellor to counsel and a King to rule in your Hearts and a Prophet to open and a Shepherd to feed you with his heavenly Food And so see that nothing be lacking among you To follow whatsoever is of good Report both inward and outward and whatsoever is decent comely modest vertuous righteous and of good report follow after and be stedfast upon Christ the Rock and Foundation And whatever you do let it be done in the Name of Jesus that is in his Power and mind the Gospel of Peace and its Ordr which hath brought Life and Immortality to Light that you may be preserved in Life and in Immortality by the Immortal Power And all to be Children of the Wisdom that is from above which is pure and peaceable and easie to be entreated keeping the Vnity in God's Holy Spirit in which is the Bond of the Prince of Princes Peace in whom you have all Peace Life and Salvation I received your Letter from your Quarterly Meeting and I am glad taht you are in the Lord's Work and Service And my desire is That ye all may stand up for the Glory and Honour of the Lord God and that his Blessings may abound among you And so if you do Write to New-England and Jamaica where I hear they have precious Men and Womens Meetings it might do well to encourage one another in the Work and Service of God So that the Women may all be helps meet to the Men in the Restoration in the Image of God as Man and Woman was in before they fell So with my Love in the Seed of Life to all Friends in the Island Swarthmore in Lancashire the 25th of the 8th Month 1676. G. F. To Friends in the Isle of Man MY Dear Friends be valiant for God's Truth upon the Earth Epist 334. and and live in the Light and Power and Spirit of God that you answer that of God in all by which their Minds may be turned to God And keep your Meetings in the Name of Jesus To keep your Meetings in the Name of Jesus in whom you have Salvation whose Name is above every Name under the whole Heaven that the Lord's Glory you may see to shine in and about your Tabernacles and his Presence among you to teach and order you and be you obedient to it So with my Love to you all in the Everlasting Seed that bruiseth the Head of the Serpent which Seed liveth and reigneth over all from Everlasting to Everlasting in his Glory in whom the Saints do sit down in their Peace and Rest and Joy for evermore Amen Swarthmore the 5th Month 1676. G. F. To Friends in Virginia and Maryland MY Dear Friends Epist 335. all dwell in the Love of God and in his Power and Truth that the Presence of the Lord God you all may injoy who is the Life of you all and the length of your Days who hath the Breath of all Mankind and the Spirits of all Flesh in his Hand and in him you do all live and move and have your being who is your Rock and Salvation and Fountain of Life and of all your Mercies and of your Water of Life And therefore serve and honour and fear and worship him in his Spirit and Truth and that you all may abide in the holy heavenly and spiritual Vine and in him bring forth heavenly and spiritual Fruits to the Glory of God who sent his Son to be a Leader Christ the Leader and Way to God and the Way to God who draweth all Men up to himself where he is ascended to sit together in Heavenly Places in Christ Jesus out of all Sin and Transgression by which Man was droven from God that made him barren and unfruitful And therefore be ye separated from the World to the Lord by the Word which was in the Beginning which divideth the Precious from the Vile that by that Word ye may be reconciled to God which Word reconcileth all things in Heaven and in the Earth in one which Word hammereth down that which made twain and so by the glorious Everlasting Word of Life you are born again of the Immortal
are in old Adam which they did and do dote after which the new Creatures in Christ Jesus the second Adam were not to taste touch nor handle for they did perish with the using And are not all the Will-worships and the Beasts and the Dragon's Worships of the old Creatures that be out of Christ bearing the Mark of the Beast in their Hand or Forehead And they that be in Christ which be new Creatures have their Father's Mark or Name in their Fore heads and worship the Holy Pure and Living God in Spirit and in Truth And it was the old Creatures that made Images and Idols and such make them now and worship them But they that are in Christ are new Creatures and are renewed up into the Image of God and worship him in his Holy Spirit and Truth that liveth for ever Amen And these cannot touch taste nor handle the old Creatures Images Idols Not to touch with the Rudiments of the World Doctrines Ordinances Traditions or Rudiments of the World which are the old Creatures in Old Adam which doth touth taste and handle them But the new Creature cannot who is in Christ the express Image of the Father and he maketh his new Creatures like himself Moses appointed Servants for God in the Law or Old Testament but Christ made Sons in the New Testament for as many as received Christ he gave them Power to become the Sons of God Swarthmore in Lancashire the 30th of the 11th Month 1678. G. F. To Friends in America concerning their Negroes and Indians ALL Friends Epist 335. every where that have Indians or Blacks You are to preach the Gospel to them The Gespel to be preacked to the Blacks Indians c. and other Servants if you be true Christians for the Gospel of Salvation was to be preached to every Creature under Heaven Christ commands it to his Disciples Go and teach all Nations baptizing them into the Name of the Father Son and Holy Ghost And this is the one Baptism with the Spirit into one Body which plunges down Sin and Corruption which hath gotten up by Disobedience and Transgression For all hath been plunged into Sin and Death from the Life for all died in Adam then they have been all subjected by the Evil Spirit which hath led them out of the Truth into the Evil and therefore they must all be baptized into the Death of Christ and put on Christ if they have Life And also you must preach the Grace of God to all Blacks and Indians which Grace brings Salvation that hath appeared unto all Men to teach and instruct them to live Godly Righteously and Soberly Which Grace of God is sufficient to teach and establish all true Christians that they may appear before the Throne of Grace And also you must teach and instruct Blacks and Indians and other Indians and Negroes directed to God's Spirit how that God doth pour out of his Spirit upon all Flesh in these days of the New Covenant and New Testament and that none of them must quench the Motions of his Spirit nor grieve it nor vex it nor rebel against it nor err from it nor resist it but be led by his good Spirit to instruct them and with which they may profit in the things of God neither must they turn from his Grace into Wantonness nor walk despitefully against the Spirit of Grace for it will teach them to live Soberly Godly and Righteously and season their Words And also you must instruct and teach your Indians and Negroes and all others how that Christ by the Grace of God Christ tasted Death for every Man and is the Propitiation for the Sins of the whole World tasted Death for every Man and gave himself a Ransom for all Men to be testified in due time and is the Propitiation not for the Sins of Christians only but for the Sins of the whole World And how that he doth enlighten every Man that cometh into the World with his true Light which is the Life in Christ by whom the World was made And Christ who is the Light of the World saith Believe in the Light that ye may become Children of the Light And they that do Evil and hate the Light which is the Life in Christ will not come to the Light because it will reprove them and love the Darkness more than the Light this Light is their Condemnation And so all must be turned from Darkness to Light to believe in the Light and from the Power of Satan to God and if they do not believe they will be reproved condemned and judged by Christ who hath all Power in Heaven and in Earth given unto him who will judge both the Quick and the Dead and reward every Man according to his Works whether they be good or evil And therefore you are to open the Promises of God to the Ignorant and how God would give Christ a Covenant a Light to the Gentiles Christ a Light to the Gentiles the Heathen and a New Covenant to the House of Israel and the House of Judah and that he is God's Salvation to the ends of the Earth and how that the Earth shall be covered with the Knowledge of the Lord as the Waters covers the Sea so that the glorious Knowledge of the Lord should cover the Earth And the Lord said The Example of Abraham for the Instruction of Families He knew that Abraham would teach and instruct his Family that they should learn to keep his Laws and Statutes after he was gone and Abraham did Circumcise all his Males yea them that he had bought with his Money of any Stranger Now who are of Faith and walks in the steps of faithful Abraham doth preach up and instruct all their Families in the Circumcision of the Spirit that they might be Circumcised with the Spirit which puts off the Body of Death and the Sins of the Flesh that is come up in Man and Woman by Transgression so that in the Spirit they may serve and worship the true and living God and so that ye all may come to enjoy the Presence of the Lord in your Families and improve your Talents that Christ hath given unto you for David saith that saw Christ in his New Covenant Let all Nations Praise the Lord and again All that have Breath Praise the Lord again Let the Poor and Needy praise thy Name And let all People praise thee O God And O ye Servants of the Lord praise the Lord for the Lord is good to all and his tender Mercies is over all his Works And all thy Works shall praise thee O Lord and thy Saints shall bless thee they shall speak of thy Glory and of thy Kingdom and talk of thy Power For the Lord saith From the rising of the Sun to the going down of the same my Name shall be great among the Gentiles And in every place Incense shall be offered unto my Name and a pure Offering
this Immortal Word and so are of an Incorruptible Generation which is above the Corruptible and here is the hidden Man of the Heart that is Incorruptible known that hath an Everlasting Fellowship and hath an Incorruptible Crown and is an Heir of an Incorruptible Kingdom And now the God of this World and his Followers that abode not in the Truth in whom there is no Truth cannot endure to hear talk of the Order of Truth which is in the Light and Life and in the Gospel and in the Wisdom of the God of Truth For the World is full of Disorder and Confusion but the Living Eternal Immortal God of Truth is a God of Order and not of Confusion who hath sent his Son to destroy the Devil and his Works Blessings and Praises with all Glory and Thanks be unto him who hath all Power Might Majesty and Dominion now henceforth and for ever Amen G. F. DEar Friends Epist 357. All live the Life of the true Christians and not the Life of old Adam that went from God's Command and Voice nor like the Jews To live the Life of Christianity and such as have got the Name of Christians that say There is no hearing of God and Christ's Voice now which are out of the Life Power and Spirit Grace and Truth and Image of God that the true Christians were in and Adam and Eve before they fell so that none can live the Life of the true Christians and the holy Prophets and Apostles except they are in the same Power and Spirit Grace and Truth and Faith and Image that they were in which is a Life above the World and its God in whom there is no Truth no Life Light nor Power of the Living God abiding in them And therefore before any can live the Life of the Saints they must bow to the Name of Jesus their Saviour in his Light Grace and Truth and Power and Spirit which cometh from him who submitted himself to the shamesul Death of the Cross and destroyed Death and his Power who had no Sin nor Guile in his Mouth and is risen again for our Justification and so hath tasted Death for every Man and given himself a Ransom for all that all should now bow at his Name Jesus a Saviour and so to his Power and Authority bow who hath all Power in Heaven and Earth given to him So all Men have bowed under Death and Sin by Transgression Christ submitted to the Cross and Death for us And Christ hath submitted to the Cross and Death for them and hath born their Stripes for Sin and Iniquity who had no Sin neither knew any to bring us out of Death and Sin Therefore every one must bow at the Name of Jesus as before whatsoever they do in Word or Deed it must be done in the Name of Jesus and before that they can confess to Jesus Christ to the Glory of God the Father they must all bow at the Name of Jesus and bow to his Grace and Truth Light Spirit and Power that cometh by Jesus which they know Him the Fountain the Rock and Foundation to build upon who brings out of Death and Darkness into Light and Life and a Kingdom and a World that is Everlasting and there to have Food and Cloathing that is Everlasting G. F. DEar Friends With my Love to you in the holy Peaceable Truth that never changes nor admits of no Evil Epist 358. but makes all free that receive it and tht walk in it To live in Truth which admits of no Evil. and is over all the Clouds without Rain and Wells without Water and Trees without Fruit And from the Truth floweth Justice Equity Righteousness and Godliness Mercy and Tenderness that brings a Man's Heart Mind Soul and Spirit to the Infinite and Incomprehensible God and from it a Love flows to all the Univerfal Creation and would have all to come to the Knowledge of the Truth and it bends every one to their utmost Ability to serve God and his Truth and to spread it abroad and it brings their Minds out of the Earth which makes them brittle and changeable and uncertain for it doth not change neither doth it touch with that which does change As to Vnity It makes all like it self that do obey it Vniversal to live out of narrowness and self and deny it So it brings all into Oneness and answereth the good Principle of God in all People and brings into Humility and the Fear of the Lord which is the beginning of his Wisdom and it brings all to have a care of God's Glory and his Honour and watches over all the Professors of it for their good to keep within its bounds and walk within its order which he that is out of Truth leads into all disorder in whom there is no Truth and the Truth makes all its Children free from him and in it to reign over him Thanks Glory and Honour to the Lord God of Truth over all for ever Amen The Lord who is the God of all Peace and Order The Lord is the Protect or of his People alone Protects and Preserves his People with his Eternal Power for the Devil's Power is not Eternal it had a beginning and must have an ending for the Eternal Power limits that Devourer and Destroyer And therefore Friends Patience must be exercised in the Truth and keep to the Word of Patience which Word was before the World was and abides and endures for ever and it will keep Friends over and out of all the Snares of the World and its Temptations So with my Love in the Seed of Life that reigns over all and in it the Lord God Almighty preserve and keep you all to his Glory Amen G. F. An Epistle to be read amongst Friends FRiends You that are Believers in the Light Epist 359. which is the Life in Christ To Gather in the Name of Jesus and are grasted into him who is ascended far above all Principalities Power Thrones and Dominions by whom all things were made and created all the Children in the New Covenant do Gather together in the Name of Christ Jesus whose Name is above every Name under the whole Heaven and in whose Name they have Salvation and not by any other Name under the whole Heaven And at this Name must every Knee bow and every Tongue confess Christ Jesus to the Glory of God the Father and they that have bowed their knee to the Name of Jesus and do confess him to the Glory of God the Father cannot Gather in any other Name under Heaven below the Name of Jesus but Gather in the Name of Jesus which is above every Name under Heaven in whom they have Salvation and so cannot not Gather in any Name below Christ for they do know that they have not any Salvation in whatsoever Name that they do Gather together in below the Name of Jesus And being gathered in the Name of Jesus he
is the midst of them the Prince of Life and Peace and Captain of Salvation and a Prophet to open the Book of Couscience Christ the Prince of Life and Captain of our Salvation and the Book of the Law and Prophets and Gospel and his Book of Life to them and a Bishop to oversee them and a Heavenly Shepherd to feed them in his Heavenly Pasture of Life and a Heavenly King to rule in their Hearts and in his glorious Kingdom amongst them that are born again and that seeth and entereth into his Everlasting Kingdom of Righteousness Peace and Joy in the Holy Ghost And all these Children in the Kingdom and in the New Covenant of Grace Light and Life cannot feed of any Bread for their Immortal Souls that is made by Man which he hath heavened with the sowre Leaven for that sowre leavened Bread will make their Hearts to burn and the Jews were not to keep their Feasts with leavened Bread in the old Covenant The Jews in Spirit keep their Feast with unleavened Bread from Heaven then much more the Jews in the Spirit in the new Covenant who hath their Bread from Heaven their unleavened Bread who in the new Covenant doth keep their Feast with unleavened Bread from Heaven and cannot feed their Souls with any Bread but that which cometh down from Heaven and this Bread from Heaven giveth Life to the Soul and is the Staff of their heavenly Life this heavenly Bread as the outward Bread is the Staff of the natural Life in this World that must have an end but the Bread from Heaven is the heavenly Staff of Life that doth nourish up into a heavenly Life and a World and a Kingdom that is without end And such as feedeth on this heavenly Bread cannot feed their Souls with any Bread below that which comes from Heaven for it doth not give them Life So that they can neither touch taste nor handle that which is below which perisheth for the Breaa of Life from Heaven doth not persh but giveth Life Eternal and this Bread is sure and they that feedeth upon it shall hunger no more So all Eyes are to look up to Heaven for this Bread of Life which giveth them Life and not below Heaven for neither are they to follow them that crieth Lo it is here and lo there or to drink of their Cup that are whored from the Spirit of God nor to eat of their leaveneed Bread for they that do believe in the Light which is the Life in Christ are grafted into him the true Vine So the Believers do feel a living Spring springing up in them to Eternal Life True Believers drink of the Spring of Eternal Life from the Fountain from whence it cometh And so here all the true Believers have the upper and the nether Springs in themselves and such may drink freely and eat freely of the Bread and Water of Life and doth hunger and thirst no more but eat and drink that which is Eternal which nourisheth them up to Eternal Life and so beareth Heavenly Spiritual Fruits to the Praise of the Eternal God which Plants he hath watered by his upper and nether Springs which Trees or plants their Fruits are unto Holiness and their End is Everlasting Life So none of the Children of the New Covenant need go to the World for Bread or Water to give them Life Everlasting to keep them from the World's Storms or Weapons to defend their Church or Worship for they have them from Heaven and heavenly Bread and Water and Spiritual Weapons and Armour and the Righteousness of Christ the fine Linnen their Cloathing Glory to the Lord for ever who makes all his spiritually Rich and to be Lenders and not Borrowers and Givers and not Receivers which is more blessed than the Receiver And the Jews in the old Covenant were to wash their Cloaths and to sanctifie themselves when they did appear before the Lord and so are the Children of God in the New Covenant of Life Light and Grace who do appear before the Lord God's Children are to put on the Righteousness of Christ are to be washed and cleansed and sanctified and to put on the Righteousness of Christ their fine Linnen that never will wax old and so to put off all the Old Adam's Garments that he hath covered himself and his Sons and Daughters with in the Fall and Transgression which will wax old and rot but that which God and Christ doth put on and cloath his Saints withal is Everlasting So Man's Righteousness and his filthy Rags must be put off and they must come into the Righteousness of Christ and put it on which doth exceed the Righteousness of the Law if they do enter into the Kingdom of God which doth stand in Righteousness and Peace and Joy in the Holy Ghost Now in the Old Testament it 's said The Priests Lips is to preserve the Peoples Knowledge But the New Testament saith Christ is the Treasnre of Wisdom and Knowledge That Christ is the Treasure of Wisdom and Knowledge The Old Testament saith That you must offer your Sheep Goats Bulls and Heifers and other Creatures which God commanded by the Law in the Old Testament for your Sins and cleansing But the New Testament saith That Christ is offered up once for all And the Old Testament saith That the Blood of Bulls and other Creatures cleanseth from Sin But the New Testament saith That Christ's Blood cleanseth from all Sin And in the Old Testament it 's said You must carry your Offerings and First-Fruits and Tithe to the Store-House But the New Testament saith Freely you have received freely give and forbiddeth Bag or Staff And in the Old Testament the Priest was to light the Candles and Lamps in the Tabernacle and Temple and to circumcise the Men-Children But the New Testament saith And enlightens his People with his Light and Life Christ doth enlighten every Man that cometh into the World with his heavenly Light which is the Life in Christ the Word and the Spirit of Man is the Candle of the Lord So he doth enlighten the Candle and Lamp in the Tabernacle and saith Believe in the Lght that ye may become Children of the Light and Christ doth minister the Circumcision in the Spirit that putteth off the Body of the Sins of the Flesh that came upon Man and Woman by Transgression So that the Children are the Circumcision of the Spirit in the New Testament and not of the Flesh and Letter as they were in the Old Testament And in the Old Testament it 's said That the Priests put the Testament and the Law and the Pot of Manna into the Ark in the Tabernacle and Temple But in the New Testament God poureth out of his Spirit upon all Flesh in the new Covenant God poureth out of his Spirit upon all Flesh and the Holy Ghost proceedeth from the Father and the Son into the Hearts of his
Author and Finisher of So in this holy divine pure and precious Faith they have a holy divine pure and precious Vnity and Liberty which is the Victory over the Enmity and the Adversary the Destroyer and all this Instruments and they cannot come within this holy divine pure and precious Vnity and Liberty which is in the Faith for it is a Mysteryj and gives Victory over him and the access to the pure God and to Christ the Author of it which all are too stand fast in that Liberty wherewith Christ hath made them free who is the heavenly and spiritual Man the Second Adam For the Bondaged Captivity and Thraldom false Freedom and false Liberty was and is in Old Adam in Transgression and the true Liberty is that which Christ the pure and holy One makes free in and this is a pure holy Liberty which Christ makes and sets his People free in in which they are all to stand fast over all the false Liberties and Freedoms which are Bondage Also the true Libertyis in the Truth which if the Truth hath made you free then are you free indeed from him that abode not in the Truth in whom there is no Truth So then there is no true Freedom nor Liberty in him and he in whom there is no Truth cannot come into this Freedom and Liberty which is in the Truth but remains in the False For the Jews in the days of Christ boasted of their liberty and Freedom though they were in Bondange both inwardly and outwardly and that they were of Abraham their Father but Christ told them The Devil was their Father and his lusts ye will do And also in the Days of the Apostles many of the false Christians boasted of their Liberty but who was overcome by them was brought into Bondage And the Apostle was so careful of his Liberty in Christ Jesus To be careful of our I iberty in Christ that such as came to spie it out and were somewhat in Conferrence but they added nothing to him and unto such he would not give place by Subjection but rather reproved them and directed every one to walk according to the measure of the Rule which God hath distributed to them And also true Liberty is inthe Light and Grace and the Spirit which comes by Jesus which by believig in te Light they are grafted into Christ and so into true Liberty and Freedom and so are entred into the Rest out of the Toil of old Adam for they are grafted into him who was befor old Adam For Unbelievers in the Light are grafted into old Adam in Transgression And the Believers in the Light which is the Life in Christ are grafted into Christ the Word by which all things were made and created So here is perfect true Freedom and Liberty And likewise the true Liberty and Freedom is in the Grace which brings Salvation and not Destruction and teaches to live Godly not Ungodly and Soberly not Unsoberly and Righteously not Unrighteously and teaches to deny the World and not to cleave to it and follow it This Grace establishes the Heart and seasons the Words the Fruits of its Liberty and Freedom will manifest it self And also the true Liberty in the pure Holy Spirit of God and Christ doth Baptize and Plunge down that which is gotten up by Transgression in Man and Woman and circumcises and cuts off the Body of Death and Sin in the Flesh that is gotten up in Man and Woman by Transgression and mortifies and kills that which would grieve vex or quench the Motions of the pure Spirit of God so that in this holy pure Spirit of this pure God and Christ is the holy pure Freedom and Liberty over all Bondage and false Liberties and Freedoms And the Fruits of this pure Spirit is pure Love Righteousness and Godliness Fruits of the Spirit Patience Temperance and Humility by which Spirit all are made to drink into one Spirit so that all are the living Wells that have their living Water from God and Christ their true and living Fountain and in which Spirit they have a holy and spiritual Fellowship in this Baptizing Mortifying Circumcisig Spirit yea one wit another and with the Son and the Father also through which the Love of God warms every one's Heart But when the Love of many waxes cold as Christ saith then they go from this Grace Ligth Truth Power and Spirit and the Anointing and the Word of God in their own Hearts then such turn to be Betrayers and not Saviours upon Mount Zion And against such God's swift Judgment turns and suddenly falls though they may cry for a time Liberty Freedom and Peace Peace but a Day of trouble will overtake them ere they are aware And therefore all ye Friends of Christ Jesus stand fast in that Liberty wherewith Christ hath made you free by his Light Grace Truth Spirit Faith and Everlasting Gospel the Everlasting Power of God which is an Everlasting Freedom and Liberty above all Bondage and false fallen Liberties and Freedoms in this glorious Gospel and glorious joyful Libert where all may exercise God and Christ's Holy Gifts in his Holy Supernatural Light Grace Truth Spirit and Divine Faith and Word of Life and the Gospel which Word cannot be bound with all the World's Cords or Chains For it is a Fire to burn and a Hammer to break and a Sword to cut in pieces and therefore love the Word and keep the Word of Patience and the Lord will keep you for it is a tried Word and it will keep you in all trials which shall come upon all the World to try them For the Word was before the World was and will be when the World is gone which all the new-born Babes of the Incorruptible Seed who partake of the Milk of the Word grow by it up into an Immortal Life and Kingdom that is without End Glory and Praises to the Lord God for ever And now ye Babes of Christ If the World do hate you it hated Christ your Lord and Master also if they do mock and reproach and defame and buffet you they did so to your Lord ad Master also who was and is the Green Tree that gives nourishment to all his Branches his Followers Now if the World do Persecute you and take away your Goods or Cloaths was not your Lord and Master so served Christ was persecuted mocked and crucified for us Did not they cast Lots for his Garments Was not he haled from the Priests to Herod and before Pontius pilate and spit upon And if they hate thee and spit upon thee he was hated and spit upon for thee Did he not go to Prison for thee And was he not mocked and scourged for thee Did not he bow to the Cross and Grave for thee he who had no Sin neither was Guile found in his Mouth And did he not bear they Sins in his own Body upon the Tree And was he not scourged for thee by whose
he may be glorified in and amongyou Amen So Fare ye well in the Lord. G. F. London the 18th of the 12th Month 1681. To Friends in Carolina DEar Friends Epist 371. with my Love to all the Faithful and Tender Friends in Christ the Holy Seed that bruises the Head of the Serpent the cause of Enmity in which Seed no Enmity is Christ bruises the Head of the Serpent nor can come for in this Seed is all Nations blessed which destroys the evil Seed that brought the Curse and his cursed Works and Workers So let this Seed Christ rule in all your Hearts who was promised and prophesied of to come who is come and reigns in whom is Wisdom Salvation Life and Glory over all the First and Last this Seed doth live and reign over all that doth change and will have an end Now in this holy Seed you injoy the Blessings and your Election in it which was before the World began Now in this holy Seed is the Treasure of Wisdom and Knowlede and as you all live and walk in this Seed you will have Wisdom and Knowledge that is heavenly from this Treasure with which Wisdom and Knowledge you will have Vnderstanding that all your Conversations may be ordered by it aright and to preach Righteousness and Holiness and Godliness so that you may glorifie God in your Lives and Conversations and all your Words may be gracious and seasoned with Grace and whatever Promises you may make to any Man you may consider before that you may perform them that so your Words may preach Righteousness and Truth so that you may be the Lights of the World and the Salt of the Earth that by your Light shining you may answer the Light in all Men and by the Grace and by the Salt you may savour that which is unsavoury and so by your good Works and keeping to the Salt and to the Light shining you may be Instrumental to open the Eyes of others to know your Father which is in Heaven that they may glorifie him And my Desire is To keep low week c. that all Friends may keep low and meek and humble that he that doth Inhahit Eternity may dwell with you and that you may take upon you Christ's Yoke that you may draw with his heavenly Plow that with it the Earth may be turned up that hath oppressed and grieved the tender Seed and God's Holy Spirit so that God's Plantations may be minded above the out ward that his Lillies and Vines may grow and bring forth Fruit to his Praise who giveth the Increase And now Dear Friends Keep in the Love of God which doth edifie the Body of Christ that will bear all things And be gentle and courteous and kind one to another in the fear of Lord for there is no danger in keeping low for the danger is to such that are high and lofty and puff'd up Such will swell and though they may have good Words and a form of Godliness yet such that do so swell will break out into bitter Fruits Strife and Contention and such go out from the Power of God and his Spirit and so out of the Camp of God and then out of the Vnity of the Spirit which is the Bond of Peace and therefore all must keep in the holy Spirit of God if they will keep in Fellowship with the Saints in Light and so keep the Bond of Peace For they that go from the Spirit of God in themselves though they have the whole Form of Godliness they break the Bond of Peace and such runs into vain Disputes Strife and Contention But there is no such Custom in the Church of Christ which keeps the Vnity in the Spirit which is the Bond of Peace And now Dear Friends in the Name and Power of the Lord Jesus Christ and his Spirit keep all your Meetings for Worship and your Meetings for Business that you may see that all that professes the Light of Christ and his Truth and hath received it that they do wald according to Truth and as becomes the Gospel that the Name of God may not be blasphemed amongst you And if that you of Ashly Cooper River and that ways and Albermarle River and that ways Advice for a Yearly Meeting had once a Year or once in a half Year a Meeting together it might do very well some where in the middle of the Country as you shall see meet as they have in Maryland and Road Island And if you had sometimes some Meetings with the Indian Kings and their People to preach the Gospel of Peace of Life and of Salvation to them for the Gospel is to be preached to every Creature and Christ hath tasted Death for every Man and died for their Sins that they might come out of Death and Sin and live to Christ that died for them who hath enlightened them with the Light which is the Life in himself and God pours out of this Spirit upon all Flesh that is upon all Men and Women And the Grace and Favour of God appears unto all Men so that all may believe in his Light and walk in his Holy Spirit and receive his Grace which will teach them to live Godly c. and bring them Salvation so that you may come to see the Light of Christ's Glorious Gospel set up in those Parts And God hath promised he will lift up an Ensign unto the Nations And again There shall be a Root of Jesse Christ God's Ensign to the Nations which shall stand for an Ensign to the People to it the Gentiles shall seek And again he saith For the Earth shall be full of the knowledge of the Lord as the Waters cover the Sea So I desire that That part of the Earth may be filled with the Knowledge of the Lord. And now dear and tender Friends my tender desire is That you may in no wise abuse neither by your Words nor by your Lives nor Conversations the Liberty which God or the Rulers have given you but in all things you may have an Eye to God's Glory that he may be glorified by you all who is worthy of all who is the Lord of all both in Heaven and Earth blessed for ever G. F. An Epistle concerning the Government of Christ and his Peace of whose Kingdom there shall be no End COncerning the Government of Christ and his Peace Epist 372. the encrease of which there shall be no End upon the Throne of David and upon his Kingdom to order it and to establish it with Judgment and Justice from henceforth and for ever The Zeal of the Lord of Hosts will perform this Now Christ Jesus thd Second Adam the Lord from Heaven it is He who Rules and Reigns and Governs in the Hearts of his Saints who are the Believers in his Light the Life in him who is their Governor and Counsellor who died for their Sins and is risen for their Justification and is the
Salvation and not in any other Name under the whole Heaven So that now you come to know Christ your Saviour who destroys the Destroyer the Devil and his Works and it 's He that brings forth Everlasting Righteousness that makes an End of Sin and finishes Transgression So that now you may live and walk in the Everlasting Righteousness of Christ Jesus who is your Priest Christ our Priest and Prophet that is made higher than the Heavens Hebr. 7. And who is your Prophet that God has raised up and not Man whom ye must hear in all things Acts 3.22 7.37 who were as lost Sheep gone astray but are now retarned to the chief Priest and Bishop of your Souls namely Christ Jesus 1 Pet. 2.25 And Christ saith He is the true Shepherd that hath laid down his Life for his Sheep and his Sheep know his Voice and follow him Who is the Holy and Just one and never Guile was found in his Mouth And Christ says No Man comes to the Father but by me So he is the New and Living Way and God has given him for a Leader and Counsellor to Counsel his People who is the Holy Living Rock and Foundation which is above all the Rocks and Foundations below For He the Rock and Foundation is from above whom all the Children of the Light that believe in his Light which is the Life in him and are grafted into him do build upon And so the Lord God Almighty with his Eternal Power support you all in all your Afflictions and Sufferings Trials and Temptations that you may be built and settled upon this Rock and Foundation that cannot be shaken And now dear Friends my desires are and the Desires of Friends here that you may all walk soberly honestly modestly and civilly and lovingly and gently and tenderly to all your Patroons and to all People And To walk Justly and Holily in all Words and dealings That ye may walk Righteously Justly and Holily in all your Words Dealings and Doings that his Name you do profess now may be honoured and you may reach by your Righteous Godly Lives and Conversations the Good in all your Patroons and in all others so that you may shew forth the Fruits of the Spirit and the Fruits of Christianity and that you are the Possessors of Christ Jesus your Mediator who has made Peace betwixt you and your God And as you have received Christ so walk in him and know him to rule in your Hearts by Faith For herein as Christ said is my Father glorified that you bring forth much heavenly Fruit and that your spiritual and heavenly Light may shine before Men that they may see your good Works and glorifie your Father which is in Heaven And now Friends we understand That some that have come lately among you have been under great Sufferings and Abuses by their Patroons because they cannot honour them with that Honour as other Slaves do or as they have done before Now To wear out Sufferings by Patience if you wait in Patience upon the Lord in his Truth for you are to buy the Truth and not to sell it and Truth is that that 's stronger than all the Lord in his time though he may try you can mollifie that Nature in them there as he hath done in other Places where he hath tried his People with such things And when they have seen 't is for Conscience sake towards God and it is from the Principle of Truth and the Spirit in which Spirit and Truth they worship the Most-High God who is an Eternal Incomprehensible Spirit who is God in Heaven and God in the Earth and dwells by his Spirit in his humble People they have been overcome And now Friends consider They are blessed who suffer for Christ's sake they are blessed that suffer for Christ's sake and it is not only given you to believe but to suffer for his Name And they that will live Godly in Christ Jesus must suffar Persecution But the Apostle says of the true Christians Who shall separate us from the Love of Christ Shall Tribulation or Distresses or Persecution or Famine or Nakedness or Peril or Sword As it is written For thy sake are we killed all the day long We are counted as Sheep for the slaughter In all these things we are more than Conquerers through him that loved us I am persuaded that neither Death nor Life nor Angels nor Principalities nor Powers nor things present nor things to come nor highth nor depth nor any other Creature shall be able to separate us from the Love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord Rom. 8.36 39. Psal 44.22 Now dear Friends you may see here was a Godly Sincerity Fervency Stedfastness and Resolution in the true Christians which ought to be in all such now without boasting And the Apostle says Rejoyce for as much as ye are partakers of Christ's Sufferings that when his Glory shall be revealed ye may be glad also with exceeding Joy For if ye be Reproached for the Name of Christ happy are ye for the Spirit of Glory and of God rests upon you on their part he is evil spoken of but on your part he is glorified 1 Pet. 4.13 14 15. And so dear Friends Be wife that you may give no just occasion To give no just occasion of Offence And keep low in the Humility for such learn of Christ and the meek follow him And so my desire is That you may all be preserved to the Glory of God and that you may be Valiant for the Truth upon the Earth and spread it abroad that all may come to the Spirit of God that God poureth upon all Flesh and to serve and worship him And so that all Flesh may see the Glory of God by his Spirit and that all might come to the Light which is the Life in Christ the Word by whom all things were made and created with which Light he enlightneth every Man that comes into the World to believe in and to love it and to try their works whether they be wrought in God yea or nay 1 John 3.19 20 21. And that all might come to the Grace of God which hath appeared to all Men and brings Salvation which will teach to live Godly Righteously and Soberly and deny Unrighteousness This is the true Christian's Teacher which brings Salvation and teacheth to deny that which would lead them into Destruction The true Christians Teacher into Ungodly Ungracious Ways and Words but this Grace teacheth the Saints to walk in Gracious Ways and their Words come to be seasoned with Grace which teaches them and brings their Salvation So that which is the true Christian's Teacher brings their Salvation And so every one sit under this Teacher as the true Church of Christ did as you may see Tit. 2.11 12. And so dear Friends I do commend you to him that has all Power to support who is God All-sufficient to
created he them and God blessed them And in this state God set them above all things that he had made But after Man and Woman had transgressed the Command of God they sewed Figg-leaves together to make them Aprons for their Eyes were opened and they came to see their Shame By their Transgression and by transgressing the Command of God the spiritual Eye came to be shut and Man and Woman came to fall from the Image of God And so after Man and Woman had transgressed the Command of God and fallen from his Image the Lord God made Coats of Skins to cloath them withal So you may see That the first Covering which Adam and Eve made after Transgression was made of Figg-leaves and the natural Sun would soon scorch and dry them to Powder But those that the Lord made them was of Skins So the transgression of the Command of God came when the Ear went out after the Serpent Sin the cause of Shame and Shame the cause of Covering and the Eye went after the Fruit of the Tree which God forbid them to Eat of So here they came to see their outward Shame and Nakedness who had fallen from the Image of God that covered them and therefore they went to cover the outward Shame And now Man and Woman in the Fall is taking thought what they shall eat and drink and what they shall put on And this is come upon them by forsaking the Lord's Teaching and following the Serpents And doth not John say Love not the World neither the things that are in the World If any Man love the World the love of the Father is not in him And farther saith For all that is in the World the Lust of the Flesh the Lust of the Eye and the Pride of Life this is not of the Father but of the World and the World passeth away and the Lust thereof Now all may see what Man and Woman is fallen into by transgressing the Command of God and therefore it is not good for any to live in that which will pass away and is not of the Father but of the World And you may see how Pride is cried against throughout the Scriptures of Truth And they that fear the Lord do hate Evil The evil Consequences of Pride Pride and Arrogancy By Pride cometh Contention and a Man's Pride shall bring him low but Honour upholds the Humble in Spirit Prov. 29.23 For when Pride cometh then cometh Shame and Pride goeth before Destruction and an haughty Mind before a fall but with the lowly is Wisdom Prov. 11.2 and 16.18 And better it is to be of an humble Spirit with the lowly than to divide the Spoil with the proud And Isaiah saith The Lord of Host hath purposed to stain the Pride of all Glory and to bring into contempt all the Honourable of the Earth Isa 23.9 And therefore love not that which God will stain The Lord saith He will spread forth his Hands in the midst of them as he that swimmeth and he will bring down their Pride Isa 25.11 And therefore it is good to keep it down in every one And the Lord cries Wo to the Crown of Pride whose glorious Beauty is a fading Flower and when the Crown of Pride is trodden under Foot the Lord of Host shall be for a Crown of Glory Isa 28.1 5. And the Lord saith He will marr the Pride of Judah and the great Pride of Jerusalem Jer. 13.9 And doth not Jeremiah say Because of the Pride of Moab he was so exceeding Proud his Loftiness his Arrogancy and the Haughtiness of his Heart brought him unto Derision Jer. 48.26 29. And therefore it is good to keep in the Humility For Pride is that which deceives the Heart and brings the Judgments of God Jer. 49.16 And therefore take heed let not Pride budd lest the Rod blosom Ezekiel 7. to verse 11. And the Children of Israel they were grown in Pride and fulness of Bread like Sodom when they transgressed against the Lord like their Father Adam And therefore let them that profess themselves Christians take heed lest they be found in the same steps And see in Ezekiel 16.49 what became of Sodom and the Children of Israel And when Nebuchadnezzar confessed the Kingdom of God and Praised and Extolled and Honoured the King of Heaven and said All his Works are Truth and his Ways Judgments and those that walk in Pride God is able to abase Dan. 4.34 c. And Hosea saith The Pride of Israel doth testifie to his Face and therefore Israel and Ephraim shall fall in their Iniquity And Judah shall fall with them Hos 5.5 And therefore you may see and take heed of Pride for it is the cause of Man and Womans fall And in Hosea 7. you may see that Pride hath hindred Man from seeking after the Lord and turning to him And you may see Edom's Destruction was for his Pride Obad. 1. And you may see the Judgments that came upon the Philistines and Moab and Ammon and Ashur for their Pride Zeph. 2. And in Zachariah 10 and 11 Chapters Judgments of God because of Pride doth not Lord say The Pride of Jordan shall be spoiled and the Pride of Asyria shall be brought down and there shall be a Voice of Howling of the Shepherds for their Glory is spoiled And Christ saith in Mark Pride is one of those Evils that cometh out of the Heart and defiles the Man so take heed of that which defiles And as John saith The Lust of the Flesh the Lust of the Eye and the Pride of Life this is not of the Father but of the World all this must be kept down in Christians And David saith The wicked in his Pride doth persecute the Poor but are they not taken in their Devices that they have imagined Psal 10.2 Again David saith The Lord hid them that feared him in the secret of his Presence from the Pride of Man and kept them secretly in a Pavillion from the strife of Tongues Psal 31.20 And also David saith That Pride compasseth the wicked as a Chain c. and they speak loftily and they set their Mouths against Heaven but the Lord casts down such to Destruction and saves the Righteous that fears him And so you may see how Pride was testified against by Christ and his Prophets and the holy Men of God both in the Old and New Testament since Man and Woman fell from the Image of God and therefore all is to fear the Lord and learn of Christ Jesus who is meek and low in Heart For it is said That Josiah's Heart was tender and he humbled himself before the Lord 2 Chron. 34.33 And if my People The effects of true Humility which are called by my Name shall humble themselves and pray and seek my Face and turn from their wicked Ways then will I hear from Heaven and forgive them their Sins and heal the Land and mine Eyes shall be opened and mine
5. Now all Women may here consider what is to be the Practice of such Women that profess Godliness and trust in God their Adorning is the hidden Man of the Heart which is Incorruptible and their Ornament is to of a meek and quiet Spirit which is in the sight of God of great Price but those Women whose outward Adorning is with broidered and plaited Heir and Gold and Pearls and Costly Array these have not the modest Apparrel which become Modest Sober Shamefaced Women that profess Godliness with good Works but such as are Unsober and Immodest such as look upon such things to become them are cloathed with corruptible and unquiet Spirits that do not possest Godliness with good Works and these outward Ornaments as plaiting and broidering the Hair and wearing of Gold and Pearls and Costly Array the Apostle saith Do not become Women professing Godliness with good Works but them that do not profess Godliness that are Shameless and Unsober they may become such Women that do not trust in God their proud Spirit may lead them to adorn themselves with such things as is said before which the Apostle forbids but the holy Women of God which professed Godliness with good Works and trusted in God adorned themselves not with plaiting the Hair or wearing of Gold or Pearls or Costly Array but with the hidden Man of the Heart in that which is not corruptible even the Ornament of a meek and quiet Spirit which is in the sight of God of great price And now consider also you Women that profess Godliness and go under the name of Holy Women who trust in God see that your selves and your Children and all your young Women are Adorned and Arrayed and have on this Ornament as the Apostle wills the Church of Christ to put on as the holy Women did of old and be not of an unmeek and unquiet Spirit and unsober and immodest when you are admonished and exhorted nor act contrary to the holy Women of old that trusted in God and such as professed Godliness according to the Apostles Doctrine And here you may see what care the Apostles had to keep the Saints the Church of Christ their Eyes Minds and Spirits above the wearing of Gold plaiting their Hair and Pearls and Costly Apparrel which is the Glory of this World which the holy Women that trusted in God and professed Godliness with good Works these things were not to be their Adorning nor Ornaments but as is said before the hidden Man of the Heart which was not Corrupt even the meek and quiet Spirit which is with the Lord of great price And this ought to be and is the Adorning and Ornament of all the holy Women that profess Godliness with good Works and trust in God And all you that have been Convinced of the Lord's Truth by his Spirit To refuse the Glory of the World take heed of Satan taking you up into a Mountain and of his shewing you the Glory of the World and of your Minds and Eyes going after it and receiving of it and so in that you fall from the Spirit and Truth of God that did Convince you and then to worship the Devil the King of Pride the God of the World that abode not in the Truth in whom there is no Truth and he to lead your Minds and Eyes after every new vain Fashion of the World that passeth away and that lieth in wickedness and so draweth you to the Love of the World which is Enmity to God and into the Wisdom of the World by which ye do not know God and then to such the Gospel of Life and Salvation is hid in whom the God of this World hath blinded their Minds and in such disobedient Ones the Prince of the Air rules and gets into them by disobeying the Truth and in such Christ doth not rule in their Hearts by Faith And it is not like when they make Shipwreck of it and a good Conscience And therefore walk in the Light of Christ and grow in his Grace and the Knowledge of the Lord Jesus Christ that bruises the Serpent's Head and destroys the Devil and his Works that you may all be established upon Christ the Rock and Foundation And if ye do believe in the Covenant of Light Life and Grace then why do not you all train up your Children in the same To Train up our Children n the Coveant of Grace Did not the Lord command the Jews to train up their Children in the Old Covenant and teach them to walk in it And were not all the Males to be Circumcised And they that were not Circumcised were to be cut off from the Congregation of the Lord So are not all you that profess the New Covenant of Grace Light and Life and the Gospel of Salvation preached to every Creature and the Grace of God which brings Salvation that hath appeared unto all Men to teach them to live Godly and to deny Ungodliness c. I say are not you all to train up your Children and Families in this Light of the Gospel and Grace of Christ which brings Salvation and brings them into favour with God that you may have the Comfort of your Children in this World and in that which is Everlasting And that they may be Circumcised with the Spirit of God which he poureth out upon all Flesh that with his Spiritual Circumcision the Body of Death and Sins of the Flesh may be cut off which are come into Man and Woman by Transgression that neither you nor they might dye in the Body of Death and in the Sins of the Flesh and such do not dye in the Lord for they that are not Circumcised with the Spiritual Circumcision are cut off from the heavenly Jerusalem and the Kingdom of God and Christ and from the Church of the Living God written in Heaven And therefore if you will have the Comfort of your Children in this World and that which is to come train them up in the Fear of God and in his Covenant of Light and Grace which Grace brings their Salvation and brings them into Favour with God and into the Spiritual Baptism and Circumcision so that they may serve and worship the Living God in his Spirit and Truth Amen And if Children and young People must be left and let alone to themselves and not be Admonished Exhorted and Restrained from the Evil and Vanities of the World then why did Moses and the Prophets and the Apostles which were sent of God exhort the People to train up their Children in the Fear of the Lord and to teach them his Law while they were young that they might not depart from it when they were old And if that they did the Lord did judge them as ye may read in the Scriptures of Truth and if that they must be left to themselves and not restrained from Evil then how came it to pass that old Ely lost his Life and his Priesthood Ely
I say unto you the Hour is coming and now is when the dead shall hear the Voice of the Son of God and they that hear shall live John 5.25 Christ saying The Hour cometh and now is that the Dead should hear his Voice So that they past from the Death that came by Adam into Everlasting Life in Christ Jesus See Ephes 2.1 2. And so they thanked God through Jesus Christ who gave them the Victory over Death and Sin Death's Sting so as it is written Death is swallowed up in Victory For Christ as I said before makes an End of Sin that is the Sting of Death and through Death destroys Death and the Devil the Power of Death So thanks be to God through and by Christ Jesus we have the Victory unto Everlasting Life over the Grave Death and its Sting And the Apostle saith Flesh and Blood cannot inherit the Kingdom of God Flesh and Blood cannot inherit the Kingdom of God neither doth Corruption inherit Incorruption And Christ saith Except a Man be born of the Spirit he cannot see the Kingdom of God neither can he enter into the Kingdom of God 1 Cor. 15.50 John 3.3 5. And Christ saith He that heareth my Word and believeth on him that sent me hath everlasting Life and shall not come into Condemnation but is past from Death to Life John 5.24 And he that believeth not is condemned already And he that believeth on the Son of God shall not perish but have eternal Life And again God so loved the World that he gave his only begotten Son that whosoever believed in him should not perish but have everlasting Life John 3.15 16 18. Now this Death which Adam fell into was a spiritual Death for by one Man's Disobedience or Offence namely Adam Judgment came upon all Men to Condemnation So all Men are under this Judgment and Condemnation in Adam in the Fall Even so by the Righteousness of one namely Christ the free Gift came upon all Men unto Justification of Life Rom. 5.18 19. So they that do not believe in Christ They who believe not in Christ abide in Death c. the Light as he Commands John 12.36 they abide in spiritual Death and Darkness and under the Judgment and Condemnation in Adam in the Fall in the perishing state But he that believeth on the Son of God hath Everlasting Life and passeth from Death to Life and shall not perish in Darkness and is not condemned but comes out of Condemnation c. But he that believeth not in the Son of God is condemned and shall not see Life and the Wrath of God abideth on him Such abide in the perishing state in the Death and Darkness in Adam in the Fall under Judgment and Condemnation But they that believe in Christ the Light do come out of Darkness and passes from Death to Life and come from under Judgment and Condemnation that came upon all Men by the Offence of one Man Adam and come from under the Wrath of God and from under Judgment and Condemnation into Favour with God and into Eternal and Everlasting Life in Christ Jesus and so have Victory over Death Darkness and Sin its Sting and the perishing State and the Grave of Adam in the Fall from Life Eternal and so are blessed that have part in the first Resurrection in Christ Jesus On such the second Death shall have no Power for they are in Christ Jesus the Resurrection and Eternal Everlasting Life and their Names are written in the Book of Life who destroys Death and Hell and the Devil the Power of Death Revel 20.10 14 15. And casts the Devil Death and Hell into the Lake of Fire that burns with Brimstone which is the second Death And The last Enemy that shall b destroyed is Death as the Apostle saith The last Enemy that shall be destroyed is Death But as it is written in Hos 13.14 Death is swallowed up into Victory For by Man namely Adam came Death and by Man namely Christ came also the Resurrection of the dead For as in Adam all died even so in Christ shall all be made alive So as by the one Man Adam Sin and Death came over all and by the Man Christ Life cometh over all And by Nature we are born of Adam and in Christ we are made the Children of God by Grace in Christ and quickened and made alive and restored to Life Everlasting by him And Christ who puts all things under his Feet he subdues Death under him who through Death destroys Death the last Enemy and the Devil the Power of Death and so makes an End of Sin the Sting of Death and brings in Everlasting Righteousness And in the way of Righteousness is Life and in the Path-way there is no Death The Law of the wise is a Fountain of Life to depart from the Snares of Death Prov. 12.28 13.14 The Lord saith Behold I create new Heavens and a new Earth and the former shall not be remembred nor come into mind But be you glad and rejoyce for ever in that which I create For behold I create Jerusalem a Rejoycing and her People a Joy And I will Rejoyce in Jerusalem and Joy in my People and the Voice of Weeping shall be no more heard in her nor the Voice of Crying Isa 65.17 18. And Peter saith in his General Epistle to the Church We according to his promise look for new Heavens and a new Earth wherein dwelleth Righteousness 2 Pet. 3.13 And John saith I saw a new Heaven and a new Earth Of New Heavens and the New Earth for the first Heaven and the first Earth were passed away and there was no more a Sea And I John saw the holy City new Jerusalem coming down from God out of Heaven prepared as a Bride adorned for her Husband And I heard a great Voice out of Heaven saying Behold the Tabernacle of God is with Men and he will dwell with them and they shall be his People and God shall be with them and be their God and God shall wipe away all Tears from their Eyes and there shall be no more Death mark no more Death in new Jerusalem neither Sorrow nor Crying neither shall there be any more Pain For the former things are passed away And he that sate upon the Throne said Behold I make all things new And he said unto me Write for these things are true and faithful And he said unto me It is done I am Alpha and Omega the Beginning and the End I will give unto him that is athirst of the Fountain of the Water of Life freely he that overcometh shall inherit all things and I will be his God and he shall be my Son Rev. 21.1 to the 8th Jerusalem which is below is in Bondage with her Children but Jerusalem which is above is free which is the Mother of us all which believe in the Light in Christ And in this New and Heavenly Jerusalem there