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
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
5. Now all Women may here consider what is to be the Practice of such Women that profess Godliness and trust in God their Adorning is the hidden Man of the Heart which is Incorruptible and their Ornament is to of a meek and quiet Spirit which is in the sight of God of great Price but those Women whose outward Adorning is with broidered and plaited Heir and Gold and Pearls and Costly Array these have not the modest Apparrel which become Modest Sober Shamefaced Women that profess Godliness with good Works but such as are Unsober and Immodest such as look upon such things to become them are cloathed with corruptible and unquiet Spirits that do not possest Godliness with good Works and these outward Ornaments as plaiting and broidering the Hair and wearing of Gold and Pearls and Costly Array the Apostle saith Do not become Women professing Godliness with good Works but them that do not profess Godliness that are Shameless and Unsober they may become such Women that do not trust in God their proud Spirit may lead them to adorn themselves with such things as is said before which the Apostle forbids but the holy Women of God which professed Godliness with good Works and trusted in God adorned themselves not with plaiting the Hair or wearing of Gold or Pearls or Costly Array but with the hidden Man of the Heart in that which is not corruptible even the Ornament of a meek and quiet Spirit which is in the sight of God of great price And now consider also you Women that profess Godliness and go under the name of Holy Women who trust in God see that your selves and your Children and all your young Women are Adorned and Arrayed and have on this Ornament as the Apostle wills the Church of Christ to put on as the holy Women did of old and be not of an unmeek and unquiet Spirit and unsober and immodest when you are admonished and exhorted nor act contrary to the holy Women of old that trusted in God and such as professed Godliness according to the Apostles Doctrine And here you may see what care the Apostles had to keep the Saints the Church of Christ their Eyes Minds and Spirits above the wearing of Gold plaiting their Hair and Pearls and Costly Apparrel which is the Glory of this World which the holy Women that trusted in God and professed Godliness with good Works these things were not to be their Adorning nor Ornaments but as is said before the hidden Man of the Heart which was not Corrupt even the meek and quiet Spirit which is with the Lord of great price And this ought to be and is the Adorning and Ornament of all the holy Women that profess Godliness with good Works and trust in God And all you that have been Convinced of the Lord's Truth by his Spirit To refuse the Glory of the World take heed of Satan taking you up into a Mountain and of his shewing you the Glory of the World and of your Minds and Eyes going after it and receiving of it and so in that you fall from the Spirit and Truth of God that did Convince you and then to worship the Devil the King of Pride the God of the World that abode not in the Truth in whom there is no Truth and he to lead your Minds and Eyes after every new vain Fashion of the World that passeth away and that lieth in wickedness and so draweth you to the Love of the World which is Enmity to God and into the Wisdom of the World by which ye do not know God and then to such the Gospel of Life and Salvation is hid in whom the God of this World hath blinded their Minds and in such disobedient Ones the Prince of the Air rules and gets into them by disobeying the Truth and in such Christ doth not rule in their Hearts by Faith And it is not like when they make Shipwreck of it and a good Conscience And therefore walk in the Light of Christ and grow in his Grace and the Knowledge of the Lord Jesus Christ that bruises the Serpent's Head and destroys the Devil and his Works that you may all be established upon Christ the Rock and Foundation And if ye do believe in the Covenant of Light Life and Grace then why do not you all train up your Children in the same To Train up our Children n the Coveant of Grace Did not the Lord command the Jews to train up their Children in the Old Covenant and teach them to walk in it And were not all the Males to be Circumcised And they that were not Circumcised were to be cut off from the Congregation of the Lord So are not all you that profess the New Covenant of Grace Light and Life and the Gospel of Salvation preached to every Creature and the Grace of God which brings Salvation that hath appeared unto all Men to teach them to live Godly and to deny Ungodliness c. I say are not you all to train up your Children and Families in this Light of the Gospel and Grace of Christ which brings Salvation and brings them into favour with God that you may have the Comfort of your Children in this World and in that which is Everlasting And that they may be Circumcised with the Spirit of God which he poureth out upon all Flesh that with his Spiritual Circumcision the Body of Death and Sins of the Flesh may be cut off which are come into Man and Woman by Transgression that neither you nor they might dye in the Body of Death and in the Sins of the Flesh and such do not dye in the Lord for they that are not Circumcised with the Spiritual Circumcision are cut off from the heavenly Jerusalem and the Kingdom of God and Christ and from the Church of the Living God written in Heaven And therefore if you will have the Comfort of your Children in this World and that which is to come train them up in the Fear of God and in his Covenant of Light and Grace which Grace brings their Salvation and brings them into Favour with God and into the Spiritual Baptism and Circumcision so that they may serve and worship the Living God in his Spirit and Truth Amen And if Children and young People must be left and let alone to themselves and not be Admonished Exhorted and Restrained from the Evil and Vanities of the World then why did Moses and the Prophets and the Apostles which were sent of God exhort the People to train up their Children in the Fear of the Lord and to teach them his Law while they were young that they might not depart from it when they were old And if that they did the Lord did judge them as ye may read in the Scriptures of Truth and if that they must be left to themselves and not restrained from Evil then how came it to pass that old Ely lost his Life and his Priesthood Ely
an Example to Parents and the Arke of God for not restraining his Children from Evil And again if that they must be left to themselves why did the Prophets and the Apostles say That they must not quench nor vex nor grieve nor rebel against the Spirit of God nor turn the Grace of God into Wantonness nor walk despitefully against the Spirit of Grace but walk in the Spirit and in the Truth and in the Light and to love it and not to hate it for they that do not love the Light but hate it are condemned by it and so grow in the Condemnation and are not in the Justification of Life The Lord God commanded Abraham to Circumcise himself and his Children and Servants that were bought with Money and were born in his House He was to bring all his Males into this Covenant of outward Circumcision and the Lord said That Soul shall be cut off that is not Circumcised he hath broken my Covenant of outward Circumcision as you may see Gen. 17. Here you may see Abraham was to teach and instruct his Family and Servants and he was not to keep any Man or Servant that was Uncircumcised in his Family Now you that profess the New Covenant True Circumcision are not you and all your Children and Servants to be Circumcised with the Spirit of Circumcision And do not they that have not the Body of Death and the Sins of the Flesh cut off by Circumcision go down into the Pit and not into Paradise and the kingdom of God And therefore may not such Uncircumcised by the Spirit hurt the Families of true Christians in the Light Therefore consider Abraham was not to suffer and of his Children and Servants that were bought with his Money or born in his House to be Uncircumcised in the Old Covenant This care the Lord laid upon him in his Family in the Old Covenant Therefore consider you that profess the New Covenant of the Spirit of Circumcision what Care lies upon you in your Families of Teaching and Instructing your Servants and Children and to bring them to the Spirit of Circumcision And now do not say but you are all warned in your Life-time and therefore prise your time while you have it that you spend it to the Honour and Glory of God The 9th of the 5th Month 1686. G. F. An Epistle for them that are learned in Christ to read and understand THe Lord saith Epist 410. In this Mountain shall the Lord of Host make unto all People a feast of fat things c. And he will destroy in this Mountain the Face of the Covering cast over all People and the Veil that is spread over all Nations And he will swallow up Death into Victory and the Lord God will wipe away Tears from off all Faces Isai 5.26 27. 1 Cor. 15.54 Rev. 21.4 Is not this Mountain Christ Christ filleth the whole Earth that filleth the whole Earth where this Feast of fat things is And doth not Christ through Death destroy Death and the Devil the Power of Death and so takes away the Veil and Covering that is spread over all Nations that they may be covered with the Spirit that he pours upon all Flesh And the Apostle saith Moses put a Veil over his Face that the Children of Israel could not steadfastly look to the end of that which is to be abolished for their Minds were blinded For until this Day remains the same Veil untaken away in the reading of Moses and the Old Testament the Veil is upon their Hearts which Veil is done away in Christ and when they shall turn to the Lord the Veil shall be done away as in 2 Cor. 3. So here you may see the Veil that was spread over the Hearts of People The Veil over Peoples Hearts done away by Christ is done away by Christ and all they that are turned to the Lord with open Face behold as in a Glass the Glory of the Lord and are changed into the same Image from Glory to Glory even by the Spirit of the Lord. And the Lamb which is in the midst of the Throne shall feed his People and dwell amongst them who hath made their Robes white in the Blood of the Lamb And this is the Days of Christ whom God gives for a Covenant of the People to establish the Earth Sing O Heavens and rejoyce O Earth and break forth into Singing O Mountains for God hath comforted his People and hath Mercy upon his afflicted And Christ saith to the Prisoners Go forth unto them that are in Darkness shew your selves and they shall feed in Pastures For he that hath Mercy on them shall lead them and by the Springs of Water shall he guide them Isai 49. For God gave Christ for a Covenant to the People for a Light to the Gentiles to open the blind Eyes to bring out the Prisioners out of Prison and them that sit in darkness out of the Prison-Houses Isai 42.2 6 7. Rev. 7.15 16 17. So we that do witness this do praise the Lord God through Jesus Christ Behold the Tabernacle of God is with Men and he will dwell with them and they shall be his People Rev. 21.3 This is the Day of the New Covenant which People enjoy in Christ Jesus The Lord saith I will ransom them from the Power of the Grave I will redeem them from Death O Death I will be thy Plague O Grave I will be thy Destruction Hos 13.14 And the Apostle saith O Death where is thy Sting O Grave where is thy Victory The Sting of Death is Sin and the Strength of Sin is the Law But thanks be to God which gives us the Victory through Jesus Christ our Lord 1 Cor. 15.55 56 57. So here you may see the Grave had its Victory Christ gives Victory over Death and the Grave and Death hath its Sting which is Sin But the Strength of Sin is the Law But Christ gives us the Victory who makes an end of Sin the Sting of Death as in Dan. 9.24 And who through Death destroys Death and the Power of Death and is the End of the Law for Righteousness sake to every one that believes and so are dead to the Law by the Body of Christ Rom. 7.4 And Christ saith unto the Jews Verily verily he that hears my Word and believeth on him that sent me hath everlasting Life Mark Everlasting Life and shall not come into Condemnation but hath past from Death unto Life Then they have past from the Sting of Death which is Sin And as John saith we know that we are past from Death unto Life because we love the Brethren for he that loveth not his Brother abideth in Death John 5.24 1 John 2.44 So if they were past from Death to Life then they were past from Death and his Sting which is Sin through Jesus Christ who destroys Death and makes and End of Sin And again Christ saith to the Jews Verily verily
and Low that nothing may reign Keep Low but Life among you and unto the Power of God be Obedient And Friends the going from the Life and Power into the Changable things there is the Strife which the Life is over by which Power of God all things were made wherein Wisdom is received to order all things to his Glory So the Seed Christ in you all know which doth go over the Earth and inherits the Promise of God that ye may be all Heirs of the Promise of God And Cease from your own Words The Promise of God but in the Power live for it breaks down Rocks Mountains old and Sandy Foundations and the Bond of Iniquity and makes up the Breach between God and Man and breaks down that which made the Breach So the Seed know one in another which Seed is Christ who according to the Flesh was of Abraham and according to the Spirit the Son of God And this is the Word of the Lord God to all Friends and a Charge to you from the Lord God To live in Peace one with another and that the Peace Life and Wisdom of God may rule you all G. F. To all Friends to abide in their Callings TO all Dear Friends who are called who are enlightned Epist 79. whose Midns are turned from the World's Worships and Teachers having your Eye to the Light and Guide within which is leading you out of this dark World and your old vain Conversations towards God and the World which is without End Mercy and Peace from God the Father be multiplied among you Every one of you abide in your Calling waiting upon God where he hath called you And take heed of Reasoning with Flesh and Blood for there Disobedience Pride and Presumption will arise and there ye will grow up to be Trees Fruitless Trees that bear no Fruit and as a Fig-Tree which beareth Leaves and no Fruit and as Wells without Water Oh! Therefore mind the Pure which would lead you out of this Corruptible Heathenish dark World and its vain Ways and from Destruction and Death to Life And so the Lord God of Power bless you guide you and preserve you on in your Way towards the holy City being called out of the unholy City for he that hath called you is Holy Now many are called but few are chosen Oh! Therefore abide in that which hath called you which is Holy and Pure up to him who is Holy and Pure and let the Time past of your eil Ways be sufficient wherein ye have lived in Wickedness and in the Ways of this untoward Generation lest your Minds do turn back into Egypt and the World and so cause the Worthy Name of the Lord to be blasphemed which hath called you by turning aside and growing into Hardness of Heart and turning from a pure Conscience and making Shipwrack of it and of Faith For ye may see how far many may go and did go and were led out of many things yet did turn again into the World So mind your present Guide and your present Condition and your Call what ye are called from and what ye are called to for whom the Lord hath called and chosen The Lord's Free-Men are the Lord's Free-Men And so abide every one in your Calling with God where God hath called you and there walk in Newness of Life and not in the Oldness of the Letter for he that turneth from him that calleth walks not in the Life of God Therefore all Friends walk in the Truth and in the Love of it up to God and every one in particular mind your Guide that ye may grow up in Wisdom Improve your Talents and improve your own Talents and the Gift which God hath given you And take heed of Words without Life for they tend to draw you out of the Power to live above the Truth and out of your Conditions which Nature will not have Peace except it have Words But every particular submit to that which is of God in you to guide you to God And be ye all Servants to the Truth and diligent in your Callings and serve one another in Love in which ye can wash one another's Feet Serve one another in Love So serve one another in Love and do not lavish out your selves without the Fear of God such are Clouds without Water which have the Words but not the Power flowen up into the Air which have a Light and yet are as Wandring Stars which lead up into the Presumption and thou that art there thy Garments are defiled for thou goest from the Spirit which should sanctifie thee for ye are sanctified through Obedience to the Spirit Therefore every particular Walk in the Spirit and obey it then ye will have all Vnity one with another in the Spirit and ye will see Knowledge Tongues and Prophecies shall cease Prophecies scall ceafe but he that cometh to the End to him who openeth all Truth is blessed Therefore all Friends Obey that which is pure within you and know one another in that which brings you to wait upon the Lord that ye may all witness a living Soul and your selves to be come out of Death For these things ye must all find within there is your Peace and there Refreshing comes into your Souls from the Lord And standing still in the Light within and therein waiting ye will see your Saviour Christ Jesus raising you up out of Death by which Work he is glorified For the Works of the Lord praise him which are Wonderous to the World Now every one in particular mind the Pure in you The Chast Virgins for the Chast Virgins follow Jesus Christ the Lamb of God who takes away the Sins of the World and who are not Chast will not follow him For that in every particular of you which is not Chast will not submit to the Pure which would guide you to God but rather submit to their own Thoughts and follow them and run after them and their own Wills and seek to accomplish them and so run out into that Generation whose Thoughts were not as God's Thoughts nor Ways as God's Warys Therefore watch all and abide all in your Callings the Light is that which will let you see your Transgression and your Running aside and the By-paths and Crooked ways and the Generation of Serpents and Vipers And this Light is Christ which sheweth these things Now before these things be known and judged of aright Judgment must be brought sorth into Victory and set up in the Earth where this State is witnessed Now the Woman which is the Church must be subject to her Husband in all things Jesus Christ is the Husband The Woman subject to her Husband in every thing she must be subject to him Who are in the Flesh know nothing of this in the first Nature for it the Mystery which the Apostle speaks of and so it is a Mystery still but where it is
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
all Friends live in the Power of God which ye first received the Power which was before the Fall was in that is the Fellowship and leads to both Order Comliness and Decency For all the Sects about Meats Drinks and Days are gotten up among the Sons and Daughters of Adam that are gone from the Power of God and his Image Righteousness and True Holiness which were before Coverings were And others who are fallen from that into such outward things there they are jangling about them And therefore keep over all such things in the Power of God which was before outward things were in that have ye perfect Fellowship and Vnity for there is your Profit For they that have a Fellowship in keeping on their Hats and observing of Meats those outward things lead them from the Power and so to no Profit but into Strife and Jangling and vain Disputes Therefore the Power of God all keep in The Power of God was before Strife was and in that is the perfect and standing Fellowship when all other Fellowships shall have an end which were set up since Adam's Fall And so Farewell My Love is to you all in the Everlasting Seed of God The Church of the Romans fell away by running into outward things The Church of the Romans from the Power and Life also the Corinthians Galatians and others of them and also the Seven Churches of Asia by running into outward things and what the outward things were they ran into ye may read And how the Apostle reproved them and what all are gone into since they lost the Power of God and the Vnity in the Spirit And therefore all Dear Friends keep in the Power of God over all outward things which was before they were and in that Power is the standing Vnity G. F. The Line of Righteousness and Justice stretched forth over all Merchants c. And an Exhortation unto all Friends and People whatsoever who are Merchants Tradesmen Husband-men or Sea-men who deal in Merchandize trade in Buying and Selling by Sea or Land or deal in Husbandry That ye all do that which is Just Equal and Righteous in the sight of God and Man one to another and to all Men And that ye use Just Weights and Just Measures and speak and do that which is True Just and Right in all things That so your Conversations Lives Practices and Tongues may preach to all People and answer the Good Just and Righteous Principles of God in them all In which ye may be serviceable unto God and to the Creation in your Generation and a blessing both to God and Man ALL Friends every where Epist 210. Live in the Seed of God which is the Righteousness at self and inherits the Wisdom and is the Wisdom it self The Wisdom of God with which Wisdom ye may order rule and govern all things which are under your Hands which God hath given you to his Glory Govern and order with his Wisdom all the Creatures that ye have under you and all Exchangings Merchandizing Husbandry Do what ye do in the Wisdom of God and with it which is pure from above and gentle and easie to be entreated With this Wisdom which is not earthly sensual nor devilish you do good unto all and hurt no one nor your selves for it is pure and preserves pure So this is the Word of the Lord God to you all Keep all in the Power of God over all the unrighteous World which Power of God was before it was In which Power of God ye will be preserved in Justice in Truth in equal Ballance and Weights and Measures in the Truth The Equal Ballance Uprightness and Honesty to all People So all here in this are serviceable to God in their Generation and to the Creation and to God are a Blessing Do rightly that is the Word of the Lord God to you all whether ye be Tradesmen of what Calling or Profession or Sort soever or Husbandmen Do rightly justly truly holily equally to all People in all things and that is according to that of God in every Man and the Witness of God and the Wisdom of God and the Life of God in your selves and there ye are serviceable in your Generation labouring in the thing that is good which doth not spoil nor destroy nor waste the Creation upon the Lusts And all Merchants whatsoever Sea men and Traffickers by Sea or Land This is the Word of the Lord God to you all Do justly speak truly to all People whatsoever A Terror to the Vnjusts Then are ye a Dread and a Terror to the Unjust Wrong no Man over-reach no Man if it may be never so 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 your Advantage but be plain righteous and holy in this are ye serviceable to your own Nation and others by your Change and Excharging of things and Merchandize and to the Lord God ye come to be a blessing in the Creation and Generation Live in the Life of Truth and let the Truth speak in all things and Righteousness and let Justice be acted and Holiness in all things without any Guile Fraud or Deceit so that is well-pleasing to God and Men and according to that of God in every one And this sheweth forth the Fruits of Believers that are passed from Death to Life from Death which came by Sin the Original of which is the Devil So being come from Death to Life which goes over him over him I say who is the Author of all Unrighteousness Now in the Truth and Righteousness ye will all have Peace Favour and the Blessing of the Lord in all things And that keepeth out the covetous Mind and covetous Desires The Covetous Mind the Power and Life of God that goes over the Power of Death which brought the Sin That which keepeth over this hath the Blessing and Encrease of the heavenly Riches and that shall not want the Creatures nor any good thing from them the Lord will not withhold So be careful to do good in all things to all People whatsoever In the Fear of God serve him and be diligent and not stubborn in any thing but plyable in the Power of God that keeps you over all the Powers of Unrighteousness acting so in that that ye may be a good Savour in all Nations Islands and Places where ye come in the Hearts of all People doing truly and plainly uprightly faithfully justly and honestly according to the Light of Christ Jesus in every Man that ye may witness to all Then will your Words Lives and Conversations preach and manifest that ye serve God in the New Life and that ye have put off the old Man and his Deeds which are unrighteous and that ye have put on the New Man which is renewed after God in Righteousness and Holiness according to his Image Loath Deceit and all Vnrighteousness Hard-heartedness Wronging Cozening Cheating or Vnjust Dealing but live and reign in the Righteous Life and Power of God Vnjust
are the Object for them that are not Convinced to turn against them that are Convinced Wo and Misery is for you Wo and Misery Ye had better never have been born nor known the Way of Truth whose latter End is worse than the Beginning when the Way of Peace is hid from your Eyes and a place of Repent ance ye cannot find tho' ye wash your Alter with Tears being in the stained Life where all the Tattlers Tale-carriers Vnclean Persons Envious Tale-carriers Murmurers and Complainers be in and are out of the Life and Power and Wisdom of God which hath the Royal Dominion and Possession of the Royal Seed Theresore Turn turn all that are not hardened and past feeling and hear the Voice that the Way of Peace and Repentance and the Way of Life and Salvation ve may know and live in and upon all your disorderly Carriages Walkings Words and Actions ye may come to receive Judgment and through that ye may receive Power to live a New Life in which God is served in the Truth and not the Devil who is out of the Truth for in the Truth is the holy Vnity and hte pure Dominion and the everlasting Life promised and received and the Royal Seed which the Elect hath wherein they have the Bread of Life G. F. To a Friend under an Exercise of Spirit KEEP Low in the Power Epist 212. and thy Eye in the Seed that destroyeth the Devil and his Works and bruiseth his Head and live up in the Seed which was before the Devil was that in that thou maist have Life and Peace in that which was before Death was And in the Seed Christ thou wilt have Dominion over all thy Enemies and see before they were And that which letteth thee to see thy Hardness Darkness Thoughts and Temptations and the Tempter and thy Confusion Deadness and thy Wants is the Light and Power and Spirit of God in thee which the Bad Spirit perswadeth thee to look out at The Temper And then thou murmurest and complainest and art discontent and not quiet and then the Enemy and Death covers thee and through that the Mind comes to be unestablished And therefore keep to the Good Spirit in thee which doth manifest Sin and the Devil and thy Mind being staid by that it will inform thee And keep thy Mind in the Seed in that is thy Lfie and look at the Good and not at the Bad but over it For it is not a Sin to be tempted and that which the Accuser layeth to thee and thy Mind being against it and not yielding to it it will never be laid to thy Charge And that thou wilt see as thou-with the Power of the Lord dost over-come And God give thee Dominion in the Life and Power and Truth in which is the Blessing and Peace and the Lord God Almighty bless thee in that Doubt not faint not question not for Eve was deceived by the Serpent the Questioner therefore keep over him in the Power of God and in that is the Reigning And take not Belief from the Serpent nor take Meat from him but keep thy Fast from that which is in the Fall for that bringeth from the Lord to feed upon the Accuser and the Tempter's Food Keep thy Fast that feeds unbelief And therefore keep thy Fast to the Lord and feed upon that which comes down from above in which there is Life and that strengtheneth that Faith which hath the Victory And therefore keep good Faith in him that was before the Devil was Christ the First and Last and in him sit down who is the Amen And when thou hast been troubled and resisted the Tempter hath not the Angel of the Lord after ministred to thee to the strengthening of thee G. F. Dear Friends Epist 213. In the Life and Power of God dwell by which ye were raised and by which ye are nourished and refreshed it is the sure Foundation The sure Foundation which shall never be raced out for it is laid of God and no Man can lay another And ye that feel the Life and Power of God in your selves ye feel Christ the Salvation Righteousness and Wisdom of God and so ye by the Power and Wisdom of God are kept and preserved in Sincerity and Integrity to God and thereby come to be established upon the Rock which the Gates of Hell cannot prevail against nor all the Fiery Darts of the Wicked touch And in the Power of God ye being gathered and established ye stand and live in that which scatters the Clouds and keeps your Eye clear to the Lord God by which Power ye see him in measure with a good Vnderstanding A good Vnderstanding through all the evil Powers and Spiritis which work in the Darkness against him and by the Power of God are preserved out of them and set above them where ye reign as Kings in the Immortal Seed of God by which the Serpent's Head is broken and his Seed destroyed For the true Freedom is in the Son The true Freedom who suffered and died and is risen again in Life and hath brought Life and Immortality to Light again in which Life and Light ye are the Children of the Most-high God and Heirs of the Everlasting Kingdom of God where ye have a sure Portion in the Joy and Peace and Blessing of God in which sit ye down and keep your Habitation And the God of Life and Peace and endless Love be with you all and cloath you with the Garment of Everlasting Praise that in all things ye may give him the Glory who lives for ever more G. F. FRiends the Power of the Lord God is over all them Epist 214. that keep on their Hats in Prayer and they do not keep on their Hats in Prayer neither by the Motion nor the Power of God nor by the Spirit of God Against such Apostates as kept on their Hats in Prayer but by an earthly dark Spirit against it and them that are in the Power of God This was the first Ground of it both in Jo. Perrot and his Company when he run out and J. N. when he run out Opposition the first Ground and this first was done in Opposition to them that were in the Truth and in the Power of God but the Power of God will crush to pieces that fained dark earthly Spirit and to the Earth and Pit itmust go with all its fained and false Pretences and the Power of the Lord God and his Truth reigns over it all The first that got up into this Posture of keeping on their Hats in Prayer against Friends were the Ranters Ranters The next was J. N. but he quickly by the Power of the Lrod saw it and judged it John Perrot and the next was Jo. Perrot whose End was according to his Work and so will those that continue in it For the Power of God is over them Dark
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
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
Hire and the Prophets prophesied falsly And for reproving them for their Superstition and Idolatry they struck him and put him in the Stocks and Prison and persecuted him in the Dungeon till his Persecutors were carried into Captivity And by the Word Jeremiah saw the number of Seventy Years of his Persecutors being in Babylon's Captivity Elijah by this Word was made a Prophet and by the Word reproved Ahab and Jezebel for their Idolatry and Worshipping of Images For which Word 's sake they persecuted him and the rest of the Prophets and was not he fed of the Ravens by the River And did they not seek to take away his Life And did not he think all the Lord's Prophets had been killed and he left alone yet did not the Lord say to him He had reserved Seven Thousand that had not bowed the Knee to Baal And Elisha the Plow-man by this Word was made a Prophet and forsook his Plough and by the Word reproved the Idolatry in his Age of Priests and People And by this Word was Ezekiel made a Prophet by which Word he reproved the Shepherds of Israel that made a Prey upon the People and Taught them for the Fleece And by the Word he saw that God would bring the People from under them that they should be made a Prey upon no longer and would gather them from their Mouths and set one Shepherd over them even Christ who is witnessed and by the Word he reproved the false Prophets that taught for handfuls of Barley and pieces of Bread and daubed with Vntempered Morter and sewed Pillows under the Arm-holes And by the Word he saw the Patern of the Temple and the return of the Jews And by this Word Daniel was made a Prophet and saw Christ and his Kingdom and how the Saints should take his Kingdom And by the Word he saw such that should rise up against the People of God And by the Word he numbred the Years of Christ to his time Four Hundred Ninety Nine Years and of his Death and how he should end the Sacrifices and how that Christ should bring up Everlasting Righteousness and put an end to Sin and end their Prophets and seal up their Visions And by the Word was Micah made a Prophet by which he cried against the Priests that preached for Hire and the Prophets that prophesied for Money and the Judges that judged for Rewards and such as preached Peace to the People that put in their Mouths like the Priests in these times and when they did not they prepared War against them and chop'd their Flesh and broke their Bones But Micah saw by the Word that the Sun was gone down upon such Prophets and Priests and they should have no Vision nor Answer from God Therefore such are against Revelations and Visions on them the Sun is fet and gone down upon and the Night comes upon them And by the Word was Amos the Herdsman made a Prophet who was a gatherer of Fruits and likewise all the rest of the Prophets who spoke forth Divine Things and reproved the Superstition and Idolatry in their time and day And by the Word did the Prophets speak forth Divine Things which Word brought them into the Divine Nature and Mind which Word hammered and cut down that which corrupted their Natures And this was the Word that made so many Fisher-men Preachers of the Gospel which is the Power of God And this was the Word which made Matthew the Toll-gatherer Luke the Physitian and Paul the Tent-maker Ministers and Preachers of the Gospel and Power of God And this was the Word which made Peter to see Joel's Prophesie how that God would pour out of his Spirit upon all Flesh and Sons and Daughters should Prophesie and young Men should see Visions and old Men dream Dreams and the pouring forth of the Spirit upon Servants and Hand-maids that every one should have something to speak to the Glory of God And now Priests and proud Prelates and Bishops and Popes though you have made a Trade of the Saints Words and the Apostles and Prophets Words and gotten a great deal of Money by them which were Fisher-men and Shepherds Words from the Word Yet nevertheless if a company of Shepherds Herdsmen Fisher-men Tent makers and Toll-gatherers should come amongst you to Preach you would say Away with these Mechannick Fellows they have not served Seven Years Apprentiship at the Coledges which were set up to make Ministers therefore they are not to set up because they have not served their Apprentiship What say the Shepherds Herdsmen Fisher-men Tent-makers Physitians and Toll-gatherers Do you make a Trade of our Friends Words who were of our Occupation that never served Apprentiships in Colledges before they spake forth the Words you make a Trade of What will you make a Trade of our Friends Words who were of our Occupation Away with you to Work and away with your Colledges for our Brother Paul the Tent-maker said He that will not Work must not Eat For would you own Christ if he had come in your Day who was called A Carpenter's Son You Popes with your Triple Crowns and you Lord Bishops with your Coaches and pampered Horses and gorgeous Apparel with your Black Coats and White Coats and Silk Girdles Are you like to entertain him who was called A Carpenter's Son Or to cast him and his Mother into the Manger in your Stables This was the Word by which John the Evangelist saw Christ who doth Enlighten every Man that cometh into the World and saw how he became Flesh and came to his own and that his own did not receive him but to as many as received Christ the Light that to them he gave Power to become the Sons of God which all they that are Ministers of the Letter made by their Seven Years learning in their Colleges and not by the Word hating the Light cannot know And by this Word the Minister of the Word preaches Christ's Word Life Death and Resurrection And therefore as John saith in his Epistle That which our Eyes have seen our Hands have handled and our Ears have heard of the Word of Life do we preach unto you that which was from the Beginning In the Beginning was the Word Scriptures the Words of God and Christ tho' since the Beginning were the Words and Letters for the Scriptures of Truth are the Words of God and the Words of Christ and he that adds to these Words faith John in the Revelations God shall add unto him the Plagues that are written in this Book c. So the Word was in the Beginning and Christ's Name is called The Word of God but Christ is neither called Scriptures nor Writings for Scriptures signifie Writings So In the Beginning was the Word since the Beginning were all false Ways false Churches false Teachers and in the Word ye comprehend them all The Priests say That Hebrew Greek and Latin are the Original and the many Languages began
another about eating Flesh and Fish the Lents and Holy-Days and about Fastings and about White-Coats Black-Coats Girdles Tippets and Hoods Altars Crosses and Candlesticks and about Processions and running to Graves for Relicks and such visiting Places And that they that profess Christ should fall out about outward things and tear one another to pieces about outward things and kill imprison and burn one another about such things and about their Sacraments and Baptisms which is Bread and Water and Wine the Kingdom of God stands not in Meats nor Drinks nor Flesh nor Fish nor Holy-Days nor Fasting-Days nor Tippets nor Hoods nor Girdles nor White-Coats nor Black-Coats nor Altars nor Candlesticks nor Processions nor Beads nor Steeple-Houses The Kingdom of God stands in Righteousness and Faith and Joy in the Holy Ghost and where there is Righteousness there is Peace and where there is true Faith there is Victory and Building one another up in the Holy Faith but out of this Faith there is no Building no Victory but Cain the Sacrificer persecuting Abel And therefore they are not counted wise Men and wise Women that persecute one another about such things that the Kingdom of God stands not in Therefore love one another instead of persecuting one another and be meek and not high and intreat and not threaten and bless and not curse and love and not hate and do good and not evil and live in the Will of God and be not self-willed and mind the Religion of Christ and not your own for you persecute one another about your own things that you invent and not Christ's for Christ's Religion doth not admit of any Persecution or Violence nor to hate Friends or Enemies but Self-Religion will hate and persecute both such deny Christ manifesting they are not of God And so biting and devouring one another hath been the way of consuming one another For was there not more true Christians before than there was after the Pope got up For when they did begin to bite one another then they consumed one another And you read in the Scriptures of Two Bottles the Old Bottle that holds the old Wine and the New Bottle that holds the New Wine and he that drinks the New will not desire to drink the Old and he that drinks the Old will not desire to drink the New And Christ is the Vine that affords this New Wine which is put in the New Bottle which they that believe in his Light and become Children of his Light sit under his Vine and drink of his Wine And Adam in the Fall is the Old Bottle that holds the Old Wine of Transgression where all the sowre Grapes are and they that sit in Transgression drink of the sowre Grapes of which their Bottle is full full of the Wine of the Wrath of Fornication So they will not drink of the New So this old Wine that comes from the sowre Grapes sets all their Teeth on Edge by which they bite and devour one another and so are consumed one of another and devoured one of another by their biting with their edged Teeth Let all the Places called Christendom witness to this since there hath been a Pope and since there hath come up a Turk and how it was before there was a Pope or Turk either what grinning and biting with their Edged Teeth and consuming one another there hath been and is to this Day about Religions which they made themselves and are the works of their own Hands contrary to Christ and the Apostles Religion and have fed of the works of their own hands and bitten others with their edged Teeth that would not But they that drink of the New Wine and desire not to drink of the Old bite not but love one another and love Enemies and so they are not consumed one of another but live in Love Peace and Vnity and mind that which the Kingdom of God stands in Righteousness and Faith and Joy in the Holy Ghost and there is the pure Religion from above that keeps it self from the spots of the World which is To visit the Fatherless and relieve the Widows and live in the Vnity and Fellowship of the Spirit which is the Bond of Peace and lives in the Law of the Spirit of Life which makes free from the Law of Sin Death which Life was before Sin was or Death either And such sit under their own Vine Christ in the Fellowship of the Gospel the Power of God which Power of God was before the Devil was and are the Church in God and Christ is their Head But they that have the old Bottle full of the old Wine that comes from the Grapes of Transgression by which their Teeth are set on edge obey the Law of Sin and Death and are under the Authority of the Prince of the Air and Darkness and are under the Power of Death and his Lusts and Works they do who was a Lyar from the Beginning whose Religion lies in a Lye and not in the Truth that makes Free but that is it which the Devil is out of and all his Servants and therefore they fight against the Truth with their edged Teeth who are drunk with the old Wine and such cannot abide to hear talk of Truth and the Spirit to guide People who first hate it in themselves and quench it and grieve it but such the God of Truth will quench their fierceness and will grieve them that grieve his Spirit which is given to them Who will judge the World in Righteousness and the secrets of every ones Heart according to the Gospel and every one shall have a Reward according to his doing And all you that profess Jesus and live out of the Law of Jesus the Law of Love and Faith and the Spirit of Life that is in him you are all on Heaps about His and the Apostles Words like unto the Scribes Pharisees Jews and Saduces that professed the Law of God and his Prophets and lived out of the Law of God and the Life of his Prophets such were Heaps as the Christians are now that live not in the Law of Jesus which cannot build up one another but are the old Bottles full of old Wine whose Teeth are on edge with it tearing and biting at the Righteous and one at another but the Righteous shall Reign and his Seed shall have the Victory and God will break the Teeth of the Wicked Concerning gathering in the Name of Jesus CHrist Jesus the Second Adam who came amongst the Sons of fallen Adam you may see the beginning of his setting up his Meetings when he saith Where two or three are gathered together in my Name I am in the midst of them So you see here Christ begins with a few two or three for there was the gathering of the Jews Scribes and Pharisees their Temples and Synagogues And likewise there was the gathering of the Heathen to Diana's Temple and all them that gathered in the Name of Jesus came
Enmity or Adversary was And all such as cry Away with your Laws we will have none of your Laws To such as come to the Law of the Spirit of Life in Christ Jesus which makes free from the Law of Sin and Death and puts down that Authority which Life was before Death and Sin was and remains when it is gone and in the Life in Christ Jesus is the Saints Fellowship and Vnity and Bond of Peace All such as cry against Laws so much are the Sons of Belial and would be without the Yoke of the Law of the Son of God Such always were the stirrers up of Mischief and Schism from the Body and they took Liberty to say any thing as ye may read in the Book of Kings in the Days of Jezebel and in the Days of Stephen and yet these that cry so much against Laws yet they live themselve in the Law of Sin and Death which they obey when they do Evil who are without the Understanding of the Righteous Law which the Righteous live in and sees Therefore such must be exhorted and reproved if they go under the Name of Quakers and are not in the Life That Justice Judgment and Righteousness may flow as a River and as a Stream and drive away all the Filth from among us that nothing but the Power of God and the Life of Truth may amongst us rule that the Living God which hath blessed you with his heavenly Riches and Mercies and largely manifested them among you may be in all things honoured magnified and exalted To whom all belongs God over all blessed for ever So that every one may adorn the Truth and the Gospel and mind the Lord's Business above their own And every one be tender of the Glory of God and be careful that in no ways his Name and Truth be dishonoured So let this be read in all your Men and Womens Meetings who are to take notice of all such things So no more but my Love in the Vniversal Seed of God which never sinned which is First and Last the Top and Corner-Stone G. F. For Friends in the Ministry scattered abroad in Virginia Maryland New-England Barbadoes and other Plantatations beyond the Sea TO all you that minister abroad in those Parts Epist 252. this is the Word of the Lord to you all Live in Lowliness of Mind and Meekness of Spirit and Pureness of Heart and be Examples in your Lives and Chaste in your Conversations in Holiness of Mind that you may be a good Savour amongst the People where you come Let all ungracious light unseasoned Expressions be kept out of your Minds and Mouths which edifies not the New Life and keep single unto God and single-hearted to Man and plain in all things and low For it is the Word of the Lord and the Light of God that Prophesieth and Revealeth the Dispensation of the Gospel of Christ unto People Be ye faithful in it Epist 252. and walk answerable to it and to that holy Gift or Manifestation of Prophesie And let none be lifted up with it for Life brings low and down as you are kept in the Holiness of it and the Wisdom of God through which you answer that of God in all This doth not hinder the effect of that which you have to minister but the Life is opened to receive it in walking and answering that which you have to minister tho' the contrary part may rise up against you Be at Vnity amongst your selves that you may not make Sects nor Schisms or stumble the Weak For you know that cursed Spirit that made Rents and got into the Affections and uppermost Part of People hath buried the Witness of God in many and made open Rents which may break also into other Ages against Truth and them that live in it which in time will wither and fade away as Grass upon the House top and their Arrows will turn into their own Bowels that are shot against the Righteous both of the Professor and Prophane And so be Valiant for the Truth upon the Earth abhorring all Vncleanness and Vnrighteousness flying all youthful Ways and fond Affections below being kept above them shewing the new Life to them that be in the Old and a New Conversation to them that be in the Vain and Gentleness to all the Perverse and Straightness to all the Crooked and Plainness to all the Rough and Lowliness to all the Mountains of Ungodliness and Unrighteousness for the Lamb must have the Victory And so you may be one another's Crown Joy and Rejoycing in the Lord and not one another's Sorrow and Grief And so that all may be brought to the Witness of God which first convinced them who have run out and to the Life to answer it through which you may come to have Vnity with God and with them in the Eternal and Everlasting Life And some of you should take some of the eminent true good and upright Friends and go and discourse with some of the Heathen Kings desiring them to gather their Council and People together that you may declare God's Everlasting Truth and his Everlasting Way of Life and Salvation to them knowing that Christ is the Promise of God to them a Covenant of Light to the Gentiles which is the Heathen who is also the New Covenant to the Jews for you have been amongst the old rotten-hearted Professors and seen the Power of the Lord come over them So now turn to the Gentiles to whom Christ is given for a Covenant of Light and of Salvation to the Ends of the Earth So that the Light must be preached and sounded throughout all the Heathen Kings and Princes Countries and therefore as you feel and are moved about Six or more Persons living in those Parts near unto them to go with you as I said and desire the King to gather his Council and Subjects together that they may hear that which hath been promised to them God's Everlasting Covenant of Light and Life and Salvation to the Ends of the Earth And so be faithful in his Power which was before the Devil was who hath darkned People and set them one against another You having on the Armour of Light which was before the Power of Darkness and which must stand against them and having on the Breast-Plate of Righteousness that you may stand against all Vnrighteousness and the Shield of Faith the Helmet of Salvation and the Sword of the Spirit which is the Word of God which was before the World was through which you may savour and discern in Wisdom and in Vnderstanding you may judge and feel by the Word of Reconciliation committed to God's Servants his Sons and his Daughters which Word of Faith is now preached even the same which was amongst the Apostles which all must obey and do which reconciles to God and to just Mens Spirits and to one another So no more but my Love to you all in the Everlasting Seed of God that
whom we preach warning every Man that we may present every Man perfect in Christ Jesus So the Perfection is in Christ Jesus the Imperfection is in old Adam So this is the true Hope that purifies which every one that hath it purifies himself even as he is Pure And every one that hath not a Possession of this Hope pleads for Impurity and Imperfection and a Body of Sin and a Body of Death unto their Grave and a Purgatory when they are dead Such have a Profession of the Scriptures like the Pharisees and the Hypocrites Hope which shall perish And the true Faith hath been lost since the Apostles Days the true Faith which purifies the Heart which is the Faith of God's Elect which Faith gives Victory over that which separates from God in which Faith ye all please God which Faith is the Gift of God and Christ is the Author of it every one look unto him for it for the finishing of it who is the Author of it In this Faith have all the Saints Vnity in that which gives Victory over the Devil for by the Faith which is the Shield do they resist him and quench his fiery Darts and they resist him that would defile them and make them imperfect and lead them into those things which would displease God And all that be out of this Faith they cry No Victory while we be upon the Earth but they must have a Body of Sin unto the Grave and a Purgatory to cleanse them in these be all in the Error concerning the Faith these have made Shipwreck of Faith and a good Conscience these are all in the dead Faith and so cannot preach the true and Living Faith of God's Elect These are all out of Vnity for the Vnity is in the Faith which gives Victory over the Devil These be out of the just Life which Just lives by his Faith The Life that I now live is by the Faith of the Son of God yet it is not I but Christ that lives in me said the Apostle And all that walks in the Faith of God's Elect which is the Victory over the Devil they walk in Vnity over the Enmity And the true Worship hath been lost smce the Apostles Days yea the Worship that Christ set up above Sixteen hundred Years since in the Spirit and in the Truth yea in the Spirit of God which was before the Spirit of the Devil was who is out of Truth and in the Truth which the Devil is out of In this Spirit and in this Truth God who is a Spirit and the God of Truth seeks that Men should worship him in the Truth and so every Man and Woman must come to Truth in the inward Parts and to the Spirit of God within themselves if they be Worshippers of God in the Spirit and Truth which the Devil abode not in And this is the standing and perfect Worship in which there is Vnity in the Truth for the Enmity is out of it and he cannot get into it Glory be to God for ever And Men that are erred from the Worship that Christ set up above Sixteen hundred Years since they are from the Truth within and the Spirit of God And by that unclean Spirit they have worshipped Images they have worshipped the Works of their own Hands they have worshipped the Dragon they have worshipped the Beast they have worshipped the Creature they have worshipped Angels persecuted one another about their Worships and they have persecuted the true Worshippers These are in the Blind Zeal who have hated the Light And so none can worship God who is a Spirit but they must come to the Truth in their inward Parts and to the Spirit of God in themselves by which Spirit they must know God to be a Spirit and to worship him in the Spirit They must know God to be the God of Truth and then worship him in the Truth which the Devil is out of in the Enmity an Adversary And this is the standing perfect infallible Worship that Christ Jesus the perfect infallible Man set up above Sixteen Hundred Years since And the true Way is lost since the Apostles Days which Christ set up above Sixteen Hundred Years since who said I am the Way to the Father and no Man cometh to the Father but by me So no one comes out of Old Adam but by Christ the Second Adam No one comes out of Darkness but by Christ the Light no one comes out of Death and from under the Prince of Death the Power of it but by Christ the Life So he is the Way to God No one comes out of Vnrighteousness but by Christ the Righteousness no one comes out of the Wisdom below but by Christ who is the Wisdom of God which is from above And no one comes out of Error and Evil but by Christ the Truth So he is the Door and the Way to God Almighty And no Man comes to the Father but by him No one comes out of Captivity or Prison but by Christ the heavenly Man And so they having erred from Christ the Way they have set up so many Ways in Christendom among them and fall out about their Ways one with another Enmity being among them Now Christ is the Way which the Unclean cannot walk in who was before the unclean Way was for he is over all the unclean and he is over all the perverse and crooked Ways and Mountainous Ways and evil and unrighteous and ungodly Ways he is over them all And none comes to this New and Living Way Christ Jesus but who come to the Grace of God in their Hearts the Spirit of God in their Hearts So he is the New and the Living Way who is the First and the Last the Beginning and the Ending set up from Everlasting to Everlasting And all that be out of this New and Living Way though they have all the Scriptures from the beginning of Genesis to the Revelations yet they are dead and under the Power of Death which Christ the Way destroys through Death yea the Power of Death the Devil and was before Death and his Power was Here is the New and the Living Way And the true Religion hath been lost and erred from since the Apostles days The Religion that is pure from above and undefiled before God which keeps from the spots of the World which is to visit the Widows and the Fatherless Now they that are out of this Religion have made many Religions but they are spotted and defiled and they cry up a Body of Death and Sin and Imperfection to the Grave and a Purgatory when they are Dead And their Widows and their Fatherless and Strangers go begging up and down their Streets and High-ways so their Steets and High-ways are Judges against them and their Bodies of Death and their Purgatories manifests their Errors and Ignorance from this pure Religion that comes down from above which is not of Man's making but comes down from God which
is Pure before God and undefiled in his Sight that keeps from the Spots of the World Mark the Spots And these do not cry up a Body of Death nor a Purgatory when they are dead they are kept from the Spots of this World So they are far degenerated from this pure Religion from above which is undefiled before God which keeps from the Spots of this World and leads to visit the Fatherless Widows and Strangers whose Religion is that they must have a Body of Sin and Death unto the Grave and a Purgatory when they are dead And their Fatherless and Widows and Strangers must go a begging in the Streets All these Religions are from below and of their own making and not from above but of him that is out of Truth And all they that come to this pure Religion that is from above and comes to receive it it must be by the Spirit of God within and the Light of Christ within and his Grace within and his Faith within And the Image of God in them hath been lost since the Apostles days that Man and Woman was renewed into by Christ and therefore they have set up so many Inventions of their own Brain and outward Images and Likenesses and worship them for Man and Woman was in the Image of God before they fell And when they fell from the Image of God they set up many Images of God and Man and other Creatures of things in Heaven and things in Earth And when Christ came he renewed Man into the Image of God again and into his Likeness but since the Apostles days have they lost this Image of God and this Likeness and made a profession of Christ and the Apostles words as the Jews did of the Law and worshipped the Works of their own Hands and Images But now is Christ renewing Man again into the Image of God as they were in the Apostles days yea also I say as Adam and Eve were in before they fell Yea and in this Image of God they will reign over all Images and Image-makers either with hand or brain for they have made those Images and Likenesses by the Evil Spirit that is out of Truth which the Spirit of Truth leads out of and above them and from their works Glory to God for ever for his Image and his Likeness is led into by Christ Jesus and into Adam and Eve's State before they fell and not only into that State but into Christ Jesus that never fell And the true Praying hath been lost since the Apostles days for none can pray truly but by the Spirit of God unto God who is a Spirit or unto Christ who is a Quickning Spirit And all they that have erred from the Spirit cannot abide to hear talk of it and yet may have the Scripture from Genesis to the Revelations and make Prayers and say them over and give them to others to say over and so Pray by the Book and that must help his Infirmity and so have erred from the Spirit and from the true Doctrine of the Apostles who said The Spirit must help their Infirmities and they must pray in the Spirit So all that grieves and vexes and quenches the Spirit of God cannot pray in it to God who is a Spirit But they think to be heard by their much Babbling and asks and prays but do not receive and every one must come to the Spirit of God in themselves and to the Light and to the Faith that purifies his Heart and to the Spirit of Grace and Supplication and by this his Mind is to be turned towards Christ who prays to God and asks in the Name of Jesus and in the Power and Light and Spirit of Christ And the true Fellowship hath been lost and Sanctification and Belief and the Righteousness since the Apostles days For many have had the letter but lost the Life the Notion but lost the Possession the Profession but lost the Substance Christ Jesus but the true Fellowship is in the Gospel the Power of God which was before the Devil was and since Men lost this Power of God they have not known the Scriptures aright but they have set up Fellowships by that Spirit which is of him that is out of the Truth that have destroyed one another and persecuted them which are in the Power of God which is the Gospel which was before the Devil and all the Fellowships in old Adam was and will be when they are all gone Now the Gospel-Fellowship is a perfect Fellowship a pure and an holy Fellowship it is an everlasting Fellowship for the Power of God is everlasting it is over the Jews Fellowship in the outward things and the Gentiles invented Fellowships and the Fellowships of Bread Water and Wine for these are no Mysteries the World's Fellowship is no Mystery the Fellowship of Bread Water and Wine is no Mystery but the Gospel-Fellowship is a Mystery and none sees it but who comes to the Light of Christ and to the Truth in the inward parts For this is a standing Fellowship the Gospel the Power of God and all Fellowships out of it are imperfect and corrupt where the Body of Death and Sin and their Purgatory is pleaded for which Fellowships below Men make and are of Men and from Men but the Gospel is not of Men nor by Men but of God and from Christ So this Fellowship is the Church-Fellowship that is in God and it is a pure Fellowship the Gospel-Fellowship is which Gospel brings Life and Immortality to Light and expels away all that which darkens and burdens and loads the Soul Mind Spirit and Heart So this is Glad-Tidings to the Immortal Soul which comes by the Immortal Power up to the Immortal God where Life and Immortality comes to Light and to shine over him that hath darkened it Here is liberty to the Immortal Soul Mind and Spirit in the Gospel the Power of God which is the Gospel-Fellowship which is a Mystery but Bondage and Darkness to the other so Life and Immortality is hid from all them that makes Fellowships below and have their Fellowships by Men and of Men who are out of the Power of God the Gospel and makes Fellowships of old Authors and makes Fellowships of the Scriptures But being erred from the Spirit they know not the Scriptures nor the Power of God and there they are in Strife and Enmity in their Fellowships and falling-out about their Bread and Wine some taking it one way some another and falling-out about their handy Works and plucking People from one another to themselves and not to Christ nor his Gospel-Fellowship that came not by Men neither was it of Man So they that deny Revelation cannot preach Christ until he be revealed nor cannot preach the Gospel until it be revealed And they that say Revelations are ceased they may as well say there is no Gospel and so have no Christ to preach and are only Ministers of the Letter neither have
they the Secrets of God to preach which are revealed to them that fear him And that is the Spirit of Darkness from the Prince of Darkness that is out of the Fellowship of the Gospel where is Enmity which speaks it self sufficiently abroad among all their Fellowships and into this Fellowship of the Gospel the Power of God which was before the Devil was he cannot get And the Righteousness hath been lost since the Apostles days therefore People have been found in their own Self-Righteousness and Vnrighteousness and therefore they are all found out of Peace with God and with Christ and one with another for where there is Righteousness there is Peace And Sanctification hath been lost since the Apostles days therefore both Teachers and Hearers are found in Vncleanness and preach up the Body of Death and Sin and a Purgatory and so have forsaken him that should sanctifie them and make them clean And the Sanctifying Belief hath been lost since the Apostles days for he that Believes is born of God and he that Believes in the Light may become a Child of the Light every one that cometh into the World are enlightned by Christ that they should believe in the Light as he commands them and so become Children of the Light and he that believes overcomes the World And if there be no overcoming on this side of the Grave as the World's Preachers made of Men say then there is no true Believing on this side of the Grave and therefore the World is not overcome in them and he that is their God is of the World also For he that believes overcomes the World for greater is he that is in you than he that is in the World So this greater overcomes the less and he that Believes passes from Death and Sin that brings Death and the Devil the Power of Death So becomes a Child of Light and of the Day and of the Light which was before Darkness was or the Prince of it for this is the Belief that overcomes the World that sanctifies the Unbelieving Husband and the Unbelieving Wife else their Childeen were unholy but now they are clean 1 Cor. 7.14 For this Belief is greater than he that is of the World which overcomes him that would defile for this Belief in Christ which passes from Death to Life it takes away the root of Sin and Iniquity which is complained of in the Scriptures which they were born in though they had the Law which made nothing perfect which took hold of their outward Actions or Branches but this Belief makes the Root holy and if the Root be holy the Branches that springs from the Root will be holy also And all you that preach up a Body of Sin and Iniquity and that you must have a Body of Sin and Death unto the Grave and a Purgatory when you are Dead Neither Man nor Woman of you do believe aright for the Believing Wife sanctifies the Unbelieving Husband and the Believing Husband sanctifies the Unbelieving Wife else their Children were unclean but now they are holy So from this Sanctifying Belief you are all erred since the Apostles days But have made Beliefs and Creeds of your own and then say there is no overcoming on this side of the Grave you may as well say there is no true Belief G. F. An Exhortation to keep to the Ancient Principles of Truth FRiends Epist 263. Keep at a word in all your Dealings without Oppression And keep to the sound Language Thou to every one And keep your Testimony against the World's vain Fashions And keep your Testimony against the Hireling Priests and their Tithes and Maintenance And against the old Mass-houses and the repairing of them And against the Priests and the World 's joyning in Marriages And your Testimony against Swearing and the World 's corrupt Manners And against all Loosness Pleasures and Prophaness whatsoever And against all the World 's evil Ways vain Worships and Religions and to stand up for God's And to see that restiution be made by every one that hath done wrong to any And that all Differences be made up speedily that they do not fly abroad to corrupt Peoples Minds And that all Reports be stop'd that tend to the defaming one another And Friends Live all in the Power of the Lord God and in his Truth Light and Life that with it you may all with one Heart Soul and Mind keep Dominion and in the Light Life Truth and Power of God do true judgment Justice and Truth Righteousness and Equity in all your Men and Women's Meetings without favour or affection to Relations Kingdreds and Acquaintance or any Respect of Persons for if you do not so Judgment will come upon you from God to put you down from your Places For the Power of God Light Life and Truth respects not any but Justice Truth Righteousness and Equity c. Let Mercy overshadow the judgment Seat and let Mercy be mixt with Judgment Take heed of Foolish Pity and if you be not diligent against all Prophaness Sin Iniquity and Vncleanness Loosness and Debauchery and that which dishonoureth God then you let those things come up upon you which you should be a-top of and subdue and keep down with Righteousness and the Truth and the Power of God And in all your Men and Women's Meetings let all things be done in Love which doth edifie the Body and let nothing be done in Strife and vain Glory but keep in the Vnity of the Spirit which is the Bond of Peace And let all things be done in the Wisdom of God which is pure and gentle from above above the Earthly which is below sensual and devilish And take heed of hurting any concerning Marriages if the thing be right through any earthly Reasoning lest they do worse And so all be diligent for the Lord God and his Truth upon the Earth and the Inheritance of a Life that hath no end that you may live in that Seed that is blessed for evermore And be diligent in all your Meetings and see to the setting forth of Apprentices all Fatherless and poor Friends Children and that all the poor Widows be carefully look'd after that nothing may be lacking among you then all will be well And keep your Testimony against all the filthy Raggs of the old World and for your fine Linnen the Righteousness of Christ Jesus And keep your Testimony for your Liberty in Christ Jesus and stand fast in it against all the false Liberties in old Adam and your Liberty in the Spirit of God and in the Gospel of Christ Jesus against all the false and loose Liberties in the Flesh And train up all your Children in the Fear of the Lord and in his New Covenant Christ Jesus as the Jews did their Children and Servants in the old Covenant and so do you admonish your Children and Servants And let no Man or any live to themselves but in that Love that seeks not her own And
People Glory to his Name for ever Amen Great Persecutions are in most Counties in England and may are imprisoned in many Places and their Goods spoiled and we had a very large Yearly Meeting here and very Peaceable and Quiet And the Lord's Power and Presence was richly manifest in our Meetings and the Lord wonderfully supports Friends in all their Trials and Sufferings and Friends generally are in much Love and Vnity one with another Now Friends we desire that at your Quarterly Meeting you may write over an Epistle to the Yearly Meeting in London of the Affairs of the Church of Christ and the Prosperity and the spreading of his Truth there for we had a large Epistle from the Half Year Meeting in Ireland which declares that Friends were all in Vnity there and likewise and Account was given from Scotland that Friends were in Vnity there Account from divers parts of Friends Love c. and likewise an Epistle was read in our Yearly Meeting here from the Yearly Meeting in Holland which gives an Account that Friends are in Love and Vnity there and in Freezland Germany and other places but at Embden and Dantzick they are under great Persecution and we have lately a new Meeting set up beyond Holland who have been under much Suffexings and Persecutions but they stand faithful so the Lord. And at Algier in the Turks Country Friends there have set up a Meeting amongst themselves which are Captives about Twenty Friends A Meeting of Captive Friends at Algier and some other of the Captives have been Convinced at that Meeting And one Thomas Tilby a Captive Friend hath a Testimony for God and speaks there among them and their Patroons or Masters lets them meet and one of their Masters spoke to a Friend as he was going to a Meeting and thought he had been going to a publick Tipling House and he stop'd him and ask'd him whether he was going and he told him to Worship the Great God and he said it was well and let him go and some of the Turks said They had some among them of their People that would not buy Stolen Goods I have written a large Epistle to them to incourage them and that they might Preach the Gospel abroad in those Parts both in their Words Lives and Conversations and this Meeting there among the Turds may be of great service And now Friends all be careful of God's Glory and seek the good one of another and strive all to be of one Mind and Heart and that the Peace and gentle Wisdom of God may order you all And be curteous and kind and tender-hearted one to another and so the Lord God Almighty in his Holy Spirit preserve you all in Vnity and Fellowship one with another Amen And Friends you may send a Copy of this to the Caribbe Islands to be read in their Quarterly Meetings and you may read it in your own G. F. DEar Friends Epist 316. All that feels the Life and Power and Spirit of the Living God who are made alive by Christ Jesus the living heavenly and spiritual Man and sp are come to feed upon the Heavenly and Spiritual Things which Christ your Shepherd directs you to according to your Capacity Age and Growth and so to know him that God has sent to Feed you above all the Feeders that Men have sent To look to Jesus Therefore look unto him who with his Net which is his Power hath gathered you out of this great Sea the World And now do not build like the Fools upon the Sand of the Sea-shore but upon the Rock and Foundation which is Christ the Life that will stand over Death Tempests Winds and Storms and so looking unto Jesus that is your Saviour that has saved you out of the Flood you may walk upon the World's Sea looking unto him that will finish it and so in truth you can say Faith is your Victory this is your Victory even your Faith that Jesus has been the Author of the heavenly and spiritual Man And Faith comes by hearing of the Word by which all things was made and created and by which all things are upheld which lives and abides and indures for ever which Word was in the beginning with God and God was the Word which Word became Flesh and dwelt among us who beheld his Glory the Glory as of the only begotten Son of God who is risen whom you come now to hear and see and not only so but come to be made partakers of his Glory and of his Resurrection from the Dead So blessed are they They are blessed who have a part in the first Resurrection and you that comes to have part in the first Resurrection that on you the second Death may have no power and such as doth they know a dying to Sin here and putting off the Body of Sin and Death and a crucifying the Old Man with his Affections and Lusts and a putting him off and to be dead from the Rudiments of the World And so they that die with Christ shall live with him and they that are risen with Christ can never touch taste nor handle the Doctrines Commandments and dead Rudiments of Men of the World but let such put on the New Man which after the Image of God is created in Righteousness and Holiness and such comes to live in Christ and walk in him and have their part or lott in the first Resurrection in Christ Jesus and the second Death hath no power over them but they live in him that hath Power over Death Hell and the Grave and over the Devil and the Power of Death Christ Jesus who was before he was the First and Last but they that will not believe in Christ the Resurrection and the Life are for Condemnation with the Devil Hell and Death which is to be cast into the Lake of Fire and over such the second Death hath Power And therefore all that comes out of Death and partake of the first Resurrection and know that they have been Dead in Sins and Trespasses and are quickned by Christ Jesus and know a living here in Christ and a dying here with Christ while upon the Earth for John spake it whilst he was upon the Earth the second Death shall have no power over them and they that does not the second Death hath power over them which as I said before must be cast into the Lake of Fire that burns with Brimstone and such has not the Blessing as they in the first Resurrection but the Curse Wo and Misery And therefore all you who are the first Fruits to God in the Resurrection by Jesus Christ and who know him the Resurrection and the Life and are translated from Darkness to Light and into the Kingdom of his dear Son that stands in Righteousness and Holiness and Joy in the Holy Ghost that you may shew forth righteous and holy Fruits so that you may glorifie God the Father of our
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
Lord is good to all and his tender Mercies are over all his works Psalm 145.8 9. The Righteous considereth the Cause of the Poor but the wicked regardeth not to know it to wit the Cause of the Poor what Condition they are in And consider the Poor Prov. 29.7 And if thy Brother be waxen poor and fallen in decay with thee then shalt thou relieve him yea though he be a Stranger or a Sojourner that he may live with thee Lev. 25.35 The Poor is hated even of his Neighbour but the Rich hath many Friends but he that is merciful to the Poor happy is he Prov. 14. 20 21. He that oppresseth the Poor reproaches his Maker but he that honoureth him to wit his Maker hath Mercy on the Poor Prov. 14.31 Whoso mocks the Poor reproaches his Maker Prov. 17.5 Whoso stops his Ears at the Cry of the Poor he also shall cry himself but shall not be heard Prov. 21.13 The Lord maketh Poor and maketh Rich he bringeth low and lifteth up I Sam. 2.7 Therefore I command thee thou shalt open thy Hand wide unto thy Brother to thy Poor and to thy Needy in the Land saith the Lord Deut. 15.11 The Poor useth Entreaties but the Rich answereth roughly Prov. 18.23 Here you may see what Care the Lord lays upon his People to look after the Poor Widows and Fatherless both in the time of the Law and in the time of the Gospel and how that they should obey him in his Commands the Lord God who created all and gives the encrease of all and gives Man and Woman good things both Temporal and Spiritual to do good withal So the Lord is to be obeyed and his Truth is to be practised and the pure Religion that in undefiled before God and the Father is above all Religions in the World And this Religion is To visit the Widows and Fatherless in their Affliction Of the pure unspotted Religion and to keep himself unspotted from the World mark unspotted from the World And this Religion is above the Papists that must have a Purgatory to wash off their Spots of the World and above those Potestants that plead they must have a Body of Death and Sin to the Grave with which they are spotted like Leopards And these are the Religions of the World and are not the pure and undefiled Religion before God and the Father and their Fatherless and Widows in their Afflictions are not visited as they ought to be And therefore you who are come to be of this Pure Religion that is undefiled before God and the Father and do visit the Widows and Fatherless in their Afflictions and do keep your selves unspotted from the World you are of the Religion that was not set up by Man but by Christ and his Apostles above Sixteen Hundred Years since by which you see over all the Religions set up since and see therefore that you practise it And Job said If I did despise the Cause of my Man-Servant Not to despise the Cause of the Poor or of my Maid-Servant when they contended with me what then shall I do when God shall arise and when he visiteth what shall I answer him See the Care of this patient Man Is not this for all the true Christians to practise Job 31. ver 13 14 15. And saith Job Did not he that made me in the Womb make him and did not one fashion us in the Womb Verse 15. And if I have with-held the Poor from their Desire or have caused the Eyes of the Widow to fail or have eaten my Morsel my self alone and the Fatherless have not eaten thereof for from my youth he was brought up with me as with a Father and I have guided her to wit the Widow from my Mother's Womb If I have seen any perish for want of Clothing or any poor without Covering if his Loins have not blessed me But to relieve the oppressed and the stranger and if he were not warmed with the Fleece of my Sheep if I have lift up my Hand against the Fatherless when I saw my Help in the Gate then let mine Arm fall from my Shoulder-blade and mine Arm be broken from the Bone The Stranger did not lodge in the Street but I opened my Doors for the Traveller Job 31. Did not I weep for him that was in Trouble was not my Soul grieved for the Poor Now here ye may all see the Actions and Practice of this Man by his practising the pure Religion So it is not a Talk but a walking in it as you may see in Job 30 31 Chapters And blessd is he that considereth the Poor the Lord will deliver him in time of Trouble Psalm 41.1 Now all you that profess God and Christ see how you walk in the Steps of these good Men and Women and not only to talk as they did but do and practise as they did for it is not every one that saith Lord Lord enters the Kingdom but be that doth what he commands And Christ saith Ye call me Lord and Master and ye say well for so I am and if I then your Lord and Master have washed your Feet Of Self-denial ye also ought to wash one another's Feet For I have given you an Example that ye should do as I have done unto you And if ye know these things happy are ye if ye do them John 13.17 And Christ saith Not every one that saith unto me Lord Lord shall enter into the Kingdom of Heaven but he that doth the Will of my Father which is in Heaven Matth. 7.21 So all People may see by Christ's own Words that their Saying and Speaking of God and Christ and his Prophets and Apostles signifies nothing except they Do his Will that is Practise it and be obedient to what be commands and requires G. F. To Friends in Cumberland DEar Friends Epist 332. Who are gathered in the Name of Jesus by whom all things were made and created who upholds all things by his Word and Power To be faithful in Sufferings and gives the increase of all things the Earth is his and the fulness thereof And therefore let your Minds and Hearts be with the Lord and your Care cast upon him And though the Lord is pleased now to try you and to exercise you in Sufferings and permits your Persecutors to spoil your Goods or cast you into Prison to try whether your Minds be in him or in the outward things he gives you Yet let not visible things separate you from the Love of God in Christ Jesus nor no Persecutions amaze you nor separate your Minds from the Love of God For all things shall work together for Good to them that love God for the Love of God bears all things and suffer all things and they that spoil the Goods of the Innocent and cast them into Prison for serving and worshipping of God the Lord fees it and beholds it and so leave them to
Living and the Leaves thereof heal the Nations And this Tree stands in the midst of God's Garden who saith In the midst of thy Church will I sing Praise The Eyes of People are upen it which are living Stones a spiritual Houshold of Faith Elect and Precious the Church of the living God written in Heaven so Holiness becomes the House of the Lord. And therefore the Lord doth require more from Friends than all other People because he hath given more to them and so all People do expect more from Friends than all other People in answering that of God in them all in truth and in Righteousness Holiness and Godliness for ye are the Lights of the World and the Salt of the Earth to season it So all must glorifie the Lord God in their Lives and Conversations with their Bodies Spirits and Souls which are Christ's who has bought them and cleansed them with his Blood and the pure Water of his Word who makes them sanctified Vessels of his Mercy for his Glory therefore none must dishonour the Lord. And therefore my Desires are that you may all be valiant for the Truth upon the Earth and keep up all your Men and Womens Meetings in the Lord's Power the Gospel which hath brought Life and Immortality to Light and it will preserve you in Life and Immortality over hom that hath darkned you and in this all will see their Works and Services for the Lord God and his Son Christ Jesus in that which hath brought Life and Immortality to Light in which Gospel is an Everlasting Perfect Fellowship and Order which will stand when all others are gone all the Saints that do enjoy this cannot but Praise the Lord and sing Praises to him for ever and ever Amen The Apostle saith If any Man be in Christ he is a new Creature old things are passed away behold all things are become new 2 Cor. 5.17 So they that are in Christ are new Creatures and they that are in old Adam are old Creatures and are in their old Things old Ways old Worships Old things done away and old Religions and have the old Garments and the old Bottles that hold the old Wine and cannot endure the new and have the old rusty moth-eaten Treasure And they that are in Christ the heavenly and spiritnal Second Adam who maketh all things new are new Creatures and spiritual Men and are heavenly-minded and are new Bottles that hold the new Wine and the new heavenly Treasure and have the new Cloathing the fine Linnen the Righteousness of Christ and are in the New and Living Way over all the dead Ways and they are in the New Worship which Christ set up above Sixteen hundred Years ago which is in the Spirit and in the Truth in which Holy Spirit and Holy Truth the Holy God is worshipped And this was new to both Jews and Gentiles and is new to all the Apostate Christians who are not in the Holy Spirit and Truth that the Apostles were in And this new Creature in Christ hath a new Religion which is pure and undefiled The new Creature bath the pure Religion and keepeth from the spots of the World And this Religion is new to the Jews and Gentiles and all the apostatized Christians that plead for a Body of Death and Sin to the Grave and a Purgatory when they are dead And they that be in Christ are new Creatures and they have a new Head who is the Head of all things the First born of every Creature and the Frist-begotten from the dead who is alive and liveth for evermore who bruiseth the Serpent's Head who hath made things old but Christ maketh all things new and they tht be in him are new Creatures and they that be out of Christ are the old Creatures in Old Adam and these old Creatures are doting about their old things and their old Bottles old Wine old Garments and are doting about their old Ways old Religions and old worships and persecuting one another with their old Carnal Weapons these old Creatures which dote about their old Worships Religions and Ways so that one old Creature falleth out with another old Creature so that these old doting Creatures in Old Adam out of Christ the Second Adam do wrestle with Flesh and Blood about their old Ways Religions and Worships And these old doting Creatures which be out of Christ the Saviour do destroy one another about their old Ways Worships Religions and Churches And these old Creatures that be out of Christ the Head are monstrous Bodies without a Head till that they have made one and then the old Creatures set it upon their Body which Head as they do think doth pardon their Sins and when this their Head is fallen off their Body then they do make another and set it on their old Creature 's Body But they that are in Christ are new Creatures And Christ is their Redeemer c. and Christ is their Head who is their Redeemer Sanctisier and Saviour who is alive and liveth for evermore and walk in Christ the Second Adam who is Heavenly and spiritual And the old Creatures out of Christ their Walk is in old Adam who are Natural and Carnal and so are their Weapons and Armour that they defend their old Ways Church Religion and worship with they are Carnal and not Spiritual by which they kill one another and the old Creatures do study or dote which way they may destroy or imprison persecute or banish spoil or torture the Righteous or new Creatures in Christ And they that be in Christ are new Creatures their Weapons and Armour are Spiritual and they do not wrestle with Flesh and Blood but Spiritual Wickedness and Rulers of Darkness in high Places and bring down Imaginations and high Thoughts as Christ whom those new Creatures are in teacheth them who saith that He came not to destroy Mens lives but to save them and rebuked such as would have had Mens Lives destroyed and told them that they did not know what Spirit they were of So it is clear that the old Creatures that be out of Christ which destroy Mens Lives about their old Ways Churches Religions and their old Worships do not know what Spirit they are of and although they do not know what Spirit they are of whether it be a good spirit or a bad one yet People must conform to that Way Religion Worship and Church that this old Creature that is out of Christ hath set up or else he will persecute them or destroy their Lives They that do Persecute for Rcligion are ignorant what Spirit they are of though Christ saith They do not know what Spirit they are of And is not this hard to conform to that which the old Creatures have made and set up which do not know their own Spirits nor what Spirit they bd of And therefore were not those Doctrines Ordinances Traditions and Rudiments of the World the old Creatures who
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
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
and therefore all must come to this Grace of God in their Hearts which brings their Salvation if they have Salvation and come to the Throne of Grace and this is the Covenant of Grace in which is the Election and God who made all pours out of his Spirit upon all Men and Women in the World in the Days of his New Covenant yea upon Whites and Blacks Moors and Turks and Indians Christians Jews and Gentiles that all with the Spirit of God might know God and the things of God and serve and worship him in his Spirit and Truth that he hath given them but they that do resist the Truth and quench and vex and grieve and rebel against the Spirit that God hath given them such are not like to serve and worship God in his Spirit and Truth but he that endures to the end in God's Grace Spirit Light and Truth shall be saved and the Gospel of Salvation is preached to every Creature under Heaven which Gospel is the Power of God and the Gospel of Peace and so it is glad Tidings to every Creature under Heaven and to all Nations to the Turks Jews Indians Moors Christians and Gentiles if they receive and obey the Gospel of Salvation it is glad Tidings to them all Now this is the Day of God's gathering And therefore all must come to the Light Grace Truth Power and Spirit of God in their own Particulars which they have from God and Christ that by it they might be built upon Christ their heavenly Rock and Foundation who is their Way to God who bruises the Serpent's Head and through Death destroyed Death and the Devil the Power of Death and so destroys Death and so destroys the Devil and his Works for Sin brought Death and now Christ who destroys Death that Sin brought and makes an end of Sin is the Sanctuary for all his Believers in all Storms and Tempests Trials and Troubles and Sufferings to rest upon in whom they have Peace yea Life and Salvation Now there is a common Saying among the Turks to the Christians Your Crucified God meaning Christ Now this is their mistake tho' God was in Christ reconciling the World to himself it was not the Eternal God that died It was Christ as he was Man who suffered in the Flesh upon the Cross and not God that was crucified and was crucified that was in Christ for Christ said when he was about to suffer My God my God why hast thou forsaken me So Christ suffered in the Flesh and died and was crucified as he was Man not as he was God the Word which was in the Beginning but as he was Man who bore the Sins and Iniquities of all Mankind and was an Offering for the Sins of the whole World who through Death tasted Death for every Man all being in Death in Adam so that they might have Life through Christ the Second Adam So I say again that Christ did not die as he was God but as Man He was crucified and buried and rose again the third Day and ascended and is at the Right Hand of God this he did by the Power of God as he was Man So the Turks are mistaken to say or to think that the Eternal God could be crucified or dye Dear Friends I thought needful to write a Letter to you concerning this their mistake which you may be wise in making use of To exalt God's Name in their Captivity and my desires are that you may be preserved and exalt God's Name in your Places of Captivity and in your Lives Words and Conversations answering God's Witness in the Turks Jews Moors and your Patroons And keep low and walk wisely that you may be a good Savour in the Hearts of all there-aways and then the Blessings of the Lord and his Presence will rest upon you and be in you I think you have more Liberty to meet there than we have here for they keep us out of our Meetings and cast us into Prison and spoil our Goods And therefore prize your Liberty in your Meetings and do not abuse it and the Lord preserve you all in his Grace Fear and Wisdom that you may grow up in Christ the Head and walk in him to the Glory of God Amen Read this openly in your Meetings and I have sent you here some Books that you may read them and give them to the Turks or English as you may see fit which Books are to the Turks one concerning Good Conversation and another concerning the Temple and another concerning Abraham instructing his Family and one to all Kings and Princes and another concerning Revelation and Inspiration with some others to read among your selves And Friends it would be very well for you if you could get the Turks and Moors Language that you might be the more inabled to direct them to the Grace and Spirit of God in them which they have from God in their Hearts and then geting their Language you would be able to write and translate any Papers to them which may be serviceable to instruct them and for the spreading of the Truth among the Turks and Moors So with my Love to you Gousey in Essex the 10th of the 2d Month 1683. G. F. To all the Houshold of Faith which is the Church of Christ who is the Author and Finisher of Faith who are to do good unto all but especially to them of the same Faith THE Apostle saith to the Church of Christ Epist 3â—3 I wrote unto you an Epistle not to keep company with Fornicators yet not altogether with the Fornicators of this World nor with the Covetous Extortioners Not to keep Company with Scandalous Persons Idolaters c. For then ye must needs go out of the World 1 Cor. 5. But now I have written unto you Not to keep Company if any Man that is called a Brother be a Fornicator or Covetous or an Idolater or a Railer or a Drunkard or an Extortioner c. with such an one no not to eat Therefore you see all such are to be avoided as knowing neither Fornicators Adulterers Effeminate and Abusers of themselves with Mankind nor Thieves nor Covetous nor Drunkards nor Revilers nor Extortioners shall inherit the Kingdom of God So ye may see all such Workers you are not to keep Company with nor so much as to eat with them though they have gone under the Notion of Brothers and Sisters So the Camp of God must be kept clean of such for the Feast must be kept with unleavened Bread of Sincerity and Truth So the old Leaven must be purged out For a little Leaven leavens the whole Lump And therefore ye must be a new Lump as ye are leavened by it For even Christ our Passover is sacrificed for us Therefore as is said before let us keep the Feast with Sincerity and Truth And the Apostle saith Not to be unequally yoked Be ye not unequally yoked together with Vnbelievers For what Fellowship
World And that which keeps you from the Spots of the World will keep you from the Body of Death and Sins of the World which you are made free from by the Circumcision of Christ by his Spirit and by the Law of the Spirit of Life in Christ Jesus are made free from the Law of Sin and Death And now Friends you that do profess this pure and undefiled Religion before God the Father to keep unspotted from the World or from the Spots of the World take heed you that profess this pure and undefiled Regilion tha tye keep your selves from the World or that you do not get the World's Spots upon you And take heed of Grediness and Earthly-mindedness and Covetousness which the Apostle called Idolatry for it is a great Spot and Blot of the World that lieth in Wickedness And take heed of Unrighteousness in your Trades Commerces or Dealings For Unrighteousness is a Spot To be Just in Trade c. And take heed of Over-reaching or using any Deceitsulness or Defraud in your Trade or Commerce For Over-reaching and using Deceit of any Unjust thing will Blot you an Spot you and is contrary to the pure and undefiled Religion And take heed of Unrighteousness Ungodliness Unholiness Prophaness Loosness Filthiness Naughtiness and Evil Words which corrupt good Manners These things will Blot you and Spot you and are contrary to the pure undefiled Religion before God the Father And also take heed of Drunkenness Theft Murder Whordom Fornication Adultery and all manner of Uncleanness For they which act such things are void of the pure undefiled Religion before God the Father and they are blotted and spotted with the Actions of the World that lieth in Wickedness and their Religion is vain And take heed of Lying Swearing and Cursing which are Spots of the World and forbid by Christ and the Apostle And all such that follow the Lust of the Eye the Pride of Life and the Lust of the Flesh which is not of the Father but of the God of the World that abode not in the Truth such are spotted with the Spots of the World and are Proud Vain Lofty Scornful High Spots of the World and Spotted with the World's Spots and are void of the pure undefiled Religion before God the Father And take heed of Malice Hatred Envy Wrath Rage and Fury these are the Spots of the World who bear such Fruits contrary to the Spirit of Meekness Gentleness Kindness Tenderness Sobriety Love and Mercifulness which are the Fruits of the pure Spirit of God which leadeth to the pure undefiled Religion before God the Father which is To visit the Fatherless and Widows in their Affliction and to keep unspotted from the World this pure undefiled Religion keepeth in the Purity of Life and Conversation and this is above all and keeps from all the vain Religions in the World which pure and undefiled Religion it is the Duty of all true Christians to walk in by which they may be kept from the Spots of the World and this is the Religion that was set up above Sixteen Hundred Years ago in the Church of Christ and happy had all Christendom been if they had kept to this pure undefiled Religion to this day and then they would not have made so many Religions as they have done but to this pure undefiled Religion they must come again if ever they come to the true Religion The pure Religion and undefiled is the hest Religion for none can make a better than the pure undefiled Religion which was set up in the Church in the Apostles days above Sixteen Hundred Years ago unto which all that profess Christianity should be conformable even to this pure undefiled Religion which will keep them from the Spots of the World and then their Religion will not be of the World And this is the one pure undefiled Religion that all Christians should be of which is from one God the Creator of all So there is one God the Creator of all and one Lord Jesus christ by whom all things were made and created who is the one Mediator betwixt God and Man even the Man christ Jesus there in one Body and one Spirit even as you are called to one Hope of your Calling and one God and Father of all who is above you all and in you all and through you all and there is one Faith which Christ Jesus is the Author and Finisher of and there is one Baptism and by one Spirit we are all baptised into one Body whether we be Jews or Gentiles Bond or Free must all drink into this one Spirit of Christ and so to keep the Unity in the Spirit which is the Bond of Peace for the Apostle saith If any Man have not the Spirit of Christ he is none of his Rom. 8.9 for Christ saith in his Prayer to his Father That they may be all one meaning the true Christians as thou Father art in me and I in thee that they also may be one in us that they may be one ever as we are one I in them and thou in me that they may be made perfect in one to wit the Believers and Followers of Christ John 17.21 22 23. Here you may see God and Christ are one in them so he Prayeth that his People may be one in whom they have Rest Life Peace and Salvation with God through Jesus Christ Amen Let your Conversation or Practice be without Covetousness c. Hebr. 13.5 Only let your Conversation be as becometh the Gospel of Christ Philip. 1.17 The 4th of the 2d Month 1685. G. F. To Friends at York DEar Friends Epist 400. To you is my Love in the Seed of Life that bruises the Head of Enmity and in this Seed you all have Life and Peace that is Everlasting And my Desires are That you may all dwell in the Love that can bear all things To keep the Word of Wisdont and of Patience And keep the Word of Patience which will never be worn out for the Word liveth and abideth and endureth for ever and over all Trials keeps for the Word was in the Beginning and all things are upheld by the Word of his Power in it abide And so live and walk in the Wisdom that is from above that is heavenly pure peaceable gentle and easie to be intreated And keep in the Lamb-like Nature for the Suffering Lamb must have the Victory And so the Man of God must not strive but be gentle and yet valiant for God's Truth and not to fell it for they that do go into Bondage and Captivity for the Truth maketh all God's People free and the peaceale Truth is a peaceable Habitation And so in it God Almighty preserve you and all the Lord's People every where that they may Glorifie the Lord God of all their Comforts Lives and Mercies Amen Kingston the 13th of the 10th Month 1685. G. F. DEar Friends and Brethren in the Lord Jesus
Meetings as I said before with the Indian Kings and Peopie so that all the Earth may come to look unto the Lord for Salvation For if ye should seetle down in the Earth and have plenty and be full Not to set our Hearts on the Earth and at ease for a time and not keep in the Power and Service and Spirit of God you would quickly come to lose your Condition as some did in Road-Island when settled down in the Earth after a while and then turned to Jangling about it and some ran out one way and some another And therefore I desire that the Lord may grant that you may be all kept and preserved by his holy Power on his holy Mountain that ye may be of the holy Camp of God that with his Power Light Spirit Grace and Truth all that is contrary may be kept out from among you so that the Lord God Almighty and his Son may walk in the midst of you and may delight to do you good So with my Love to all faithful Friends My Desire is that you all may keep in the Power and Spirit of the Lord in the heavenly Unity that you may all shine forth to his Glory and Praise to whom all belongs God over all blessed for over Amen Edmunton the 27th of the 11th Month 1687. G. F. DEar Friends Epist 413. my Desire is that all Friends may prize the Mercies of the Lord and live in Humility in his Power that is over all To prize God's Mercies that you may answer God's Witness in all People in his Spirit and Truth in a Righteous Godly Life and Conversation and let not Liberty lift them up nor Sufferings cast them down but live in the Seed of Life that no Man can make higher nor lower for that is the Heir of God's Everlasting Kingdom So in this Seed which is your Sanctuary God Almighty keep you in whom you have Life and Wisdom that it may be justified of all her Children and they exercised in it in this Day of Christ Amen G. F. ALL my dear Friends and Brethren in the Lord Jesus Christ who by his Eternal Arm and Power Epist 414. hath supported upheld and preserved you stedfast to himself so that neither Reproaches Imprisonments nor spoiling of your Goods to the almost Ruining you outwardly and besides long and tedious Imprisoning of you and many to Death Persecutors could not drive the Faithful From Christ And yet all these Persecutors could not make you turn from Christ your Life Priest Bishop and Shepherd and through him you have been made more than Conquerers And so live and walk in him who is the same to day yesterday and for ever who doth overcome and will have the Victory in whom you have Life and Salvation and Peace with God So no more but my Love Goosey in Essex the 18th of the 12th Month. 1688. G. F. DEar Friends Epist 415. my Love is to all Friends in the Truth in the Eternal Life and my Desires is that in the Everlasting Life you and I may live To live in Christ even in the Lord Jesus Christ that is over all from Everlasting to Everlasting Amen G. F. To the Quarterly Men and Womens Meetings in London All Friends Strive to keep in Unity in the holy Spirit of Christ which is the Bond of the heavenly Peace Epist 416. and that you Elders may be Examples in the heavenly Wisdom To keep in the Vnity of the Spirit and Word of Life and of Power and Patience to all the younger that hardly know the right Hand from the left so that they may be trained up both by the Word and Law in their Hearts and good Example from their Elders in Grace Truth Virtue Modesty and Sobriety as becoming Men and Women professing and possessing Godliness being adorned with a meek and a quiet Spirit which is with the Lord of a great Price and keep that Eye blind and that Spirit under that would go into the Fashions of the World for that will blind and burden and will not bear sound Doctrine and therefore that must be kept down with the Spirit of God by which all may have Power over their own Spirits and they that have not are like unto a City whose Walls are broken down that any thing that is evil or had may come in And therefore the Power and Spirit of God is as the Wall that preserveth Therefore be Wise for when Lust is conceived it brings forth Sin and Sin when it is finished it brings forth Death Now here you may see what brings forth Sin and Death in Man and Woman which by the Spirit of God is to be mortified The Spirit of God mortifies Sin and by it their Affections to be changed and set on things above where Christ sits at the Right Hand of God so that you may come to fit in the heavenly Places in Christ Jesus which is a holy pure and safe Sitting in which all may keep that heavenly Feast of Christ our Passover not with the old Leaven of Malice and Wickedness but with the heavenly unleavened Bread of Sincerity and Truth for Christ our Passover hath been sacrificed for us and therefore he is the heavenly Bread which the Feast of him our Passover must be kept withal by the clean and circumcised in Spirit in the New Testament and Covenant For the Jews in the Old Testament and Covenant they were to be clean and circumcised outwardly before they eat of the outward Sacrifices which Sacrifice and Circumcision Christ our Sacrifice hath ended and therefore keep to him our Circumcisor and the Feast of our Passover and let all the old Leaven of Malice and Wickedness be purged out that you may become a new Lump in Christ Jesus Amen Goosey the 29th of the 10th Month 1689. G. F. DEar Friends and Brethren in Christ Jesus Epist 417. whom the Lord by his Eternal Arm and Power hath preserved to this Day all walk in the Power and Spirit of God that is over all in Love and Unity For Love overcomes and builds up and unites all the Members of Christ to him the Head for Love keeps out of all Strife Love keeps out of all Strife and is of God and Love and Charity never fails but keeps the Mind above all outward Things or strife about outward Thins and is that which overcomes Evil and casts out all false Fears and it is of God and unites all the Hearts of his People together in the heavenly Joy Concord and Unity And the God of Love preserve you all and settle and establish you in Christ Jesus your Life and Salvation in whom you have all Peace with God And so walk in him that you may be ordered in his peaceable heavenly Wisdom to the Glory of God and the Comfort one of another Amen London the 27th of the 3d Month 1689. G. F. To the Six Weeks Meeting in London 1690 THe