was and in the Truth and Power of God which the Devil is out of that every one of you may have your Penny that precious Penny and heavenly Treasure from God Almighty the great Lord who is the orderer and disposer and governour and ruler in the Vineyard among his Servants who pays them their Wages and gives them their heavenly Penny of Life Mark it is the Labourers in the Life And the Lord will give us the beavenly Penny Truth and Power of God that labours in God's Vineyard that have their heavenly Penny that Everlasting Treasure So see that you have it if you be in the Labour of Life you will have it Friends you see how Men and Women can speak enough for the World for Merchandize for Husbandry the Plow-man for his Plow but when they should come to speak for God they quench the Spirit and say and do not obey God's Will but come let us see what the Wife Merchants can say have they found the Pearl and Field and purchased the Field which yields those glorious glistering Pearls let us see what can you say for God and that heavenly Merchandise 1670 What can the Plow-man say for God with his Spiritual Plow Is the Fallow-Ground Plowed up Has he abundance of the heavenly Seed of Life So what can the heavenly Husband-Man say has he abundance of Spiritual Fruit in store What can the Thresher say his he gotten the Wheat out of the Sheaf the heavenly Wheat with his heavenly Flaile and let us see what can the Spiritual Plowman Husband-man and Thresher say for God And how they have laboured in the Vineyard that they may have their Penny some are breakers of Clods in the Vineyard some are Weeders some are cutting off the Brambles and Bushes and fitting the Ground and cutting up the Roots with the heavenly Ax for the Seed some are Harrowing in some are gathering and laying up the Riches so you may see here are Merchants Plow-men Harrowers Weeders Reapers Many sorts of Labourers in Gods Vineyard Threshers in God's Vineyard yet none are to find fault one with another but every one labouring in their places praising the Lord looking to him for their Wages their heavenly Penny of Life from the Lord of Life So none are to quench the Spirit nor to despise Prophesie lest ye limit the Holy One and every one is to minister as he hath received the Grace which hath appeared to all Men which brings Salvation so that the Lord's Grace his Light and Truth and Spirit and Power may have the passage and the rule in all Men and Women that by it he may have the Glory and from it in all who is blessed for ever and for ever The Lord hath said From the rising of the Sun to the going down of the same my Name shall be great among the Gentiles Now mark Friends this is a large Space wherein God's Name shall be great and the Lord further saith Holy and pure Incense is to be offered to God In every place Incense shall be offered unto my Name and a pure Offering for my Name shall be great among the Heathen saith the Lord of Hosts Now mark Friends this heavenly Incense and pure Offering is a spiritual Offering which is to be offered by the Spirit to God who is a Spirit then here none quenches the Spirit of God in their own Hearts and all such comes under the Title of the Royal Priesthood offering up Spiritual Sacrifices which Royal Priesthood has a Priest that lives for ever Christ Jesus And Friends do not quench the Spirit nor abuse the Power when it moves and stirs in you be obedient but do not go beyond nor do not add to it nor take from it for if you do you are reproved either for going beyond or taking from it And when any has spoken forth the things of the Lord by his Power and Spirit let them keep in the Power and Spirit and that keeps them in the Humility that when they have spoken forth the things of God they are neither higher nor lower but still keeps in the Power before and after and being obedient to the Spirit and Power of God it keeps them from deadness and alive to God and keeps them in a Sense that they do not go beyond and run out as some you know have done and all that hath come for want of living in the Power of God and in his Spirit which keeps all things in Subjection and in Order and in the true Fear of the Lord always to feel the Presence of the Lord with you Come Fisher-men what have you catched with your Nets What can you say for God Your Brethren Peter and John Fisher-men could say much for God Read in the Acts and you may see it I would not have you degenerate from their Spirit Shepherds and Herds-men where are you What can you say now for God whose abiding is much in the Fields David Jacob and Amos your fellow Shepherds and Heards-men do not you see they could say much for God I would have you to be like them and not to degenerate from their Spirit Come Trades-men Tent-Makers Physitians and Custom-Men what can you say for God Do not you read that your fellow Trades-men in Ages past could say much for God Do not degenerate from their Spirit Do not you remember the Accusations of the wise and learned Grecians when the Apostles preached Christ among them that they were called Poor Trades-men and Fisher-men Therefore be Faithful The Preachers of Jesus Christ now are the same to the Wise of the World as then G. F. DEar Friends Epist 276. live in Peace and Love and Patience one with another for that doth edifie the Body and Strife doth not but doth eat out the Good To live in Peace and Love for the Body doth edifie it self in Love in which there is Nourishment and Vertue and Life from the Head so in that meet and build up one another Dear Hearts be faithful and live in the Life and Power and Seed of God and in Love and Peace one with another And so the God of Peace in it preserve you Peace be among you and live in that which keeps Peace for the Peace-makers are blessed And all strive for that which makes for Peace and they that are Lowest and so keeps receives the most from God G. F. MY Dear Friends Epist 277. when you were formerly in a Profession you took your Servants your Apprentices your Children along with you to your Places of Worship Care in training up Friends Children and Servants And now that you are come to Truth and are convinced that the same is the Truth of God through which you come to have a Portion and Inheritance of Life and Salvation and of a Kingdom and World which hath no end and into a Possession of that which formerly you did profess in Words Now therefore Friends you that are come to
Now a People following and doing that which is not Just is the Cause they do not live and inherit the Land Deut. 16.18 19 20. Ex. 23.6 And therefore do that which is Just that you may inherit Christ and your spiritual Land Thou shalt not oppress a stranger seeing you were strangers nor vex the Widows and Fatherless And the Lord saith You shall be holy Men unto me Again the Lord says Thou shalt not raise a false Report c. Put not thy Hand with the wicked to an unrighteous Witness Thou shalt not follow a multitude to do evil neither shalt thou speak in a Cause to decline after many to wrest Judgment Exod. 23.1 2. Again To Respect no Man in Judgment the Lord saith Ye shall not do unrighteousness in judgment thou shalt not respect the Person of the Poor nor honour the Person of the Mighty But in righteousness thou shalt judge thy neighbour Levit. 19.15 And Deut. 1.16 17. and Josh 7.24 I charged your Judges says Moses saying Hear the Causes between your Brethren judge righteously between every Man and his Brother and the stranger that is with him So let all the Strangers that are with you have righteous Judgment as well as those among your selves And again he saith Ye shall not respect Persons in judgment but ye shall hear the small as well as the great You shall not be afraid of the face of Man for the judgment as God's So long as ye judge Righteously And therefore now Friends my desire is That you all may be kept in the Power and Spirit of God and Christ in Humility and in that you will have a sense of all things that whatever you act it may be done in the Spirit and Power of Jesus Christ to the Praise of God the Father who is over all from Everlasting to Everlasting who beholds and sees all your Words and Actions that you may behold and see with his Spirit His and his Sons Divine Majesty among you Amen Read this in your Assembly and in your Meetings G. F. To suffering Friends at Horsham in Sussex DEar Friends Epist 368. Who suffer for your Testimony and to all the rest in your County I am glad to hear of your Faithfulness and of your standing for the Church which Christ is the Head of Two or three gathered in Christ's Name is a Church which is in God and are become his living Members and therefore wheresoever ye are in Prison or out of Prison where two or three are gathered in his Name there is a Church and Christ the Living Head in the midst of them a Prophet to open to his Church the things of his Kingdom and a Bishop to Oversee his Living Members that they be preserved in his Light Grace Truth Spirit and Gospel and he is a Shepherd to feed them with heavenly Food who gives Life Eternal to his Sheep which he hath purchased with his own Blood and a Priest who has offered up himself a Sacrifice for the Sins of the whole World who cleanses and washes and purifies his Church his People a High Priest made higher than the Heavens Heb. 7. And no Priest made below the Heavens will become Christ's Church and therefore feel and see Christ exercising his Prophetical Priestly and Kingly Offices and his ruling in your Hearts And all that will know the right Way or High-Way or Path to the Church in God 2 Thess 1. must walk in the Light which is the Life in Christ and that will guide them to Christ the Way to God the Head of the Church the Rock and Foundation of God that stands sure And now Dear Friends my Desires are that you may all live in the Love of God and in the Vnity of his Spirit which is the Bond of Peace in which you will be all Kind and Courteous one to another and so the God of all Peace and Power support you and strengthen you and uphold you throughout all your Trials and Sufferings that he may be glorified in you all who is over all from Everlasting to Everlasting blessed for ever from whom ye have Blessing and Life London the 20th of the 12th Month 1681. G. F. To the Flock of Christ Jesus every where to be read in their Assemblies GRace Epist 369. Mercy and Peace be multiplied among you all from God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ who is the Fountain of all And God who hath called you by his Grace and gathered you to be a People by his Power and Spirit to his Son Christ Jesus your holy heavenly spiritual Head Life Rock and Foundation Now that you may all walk in Christ Jesus and abide in him your Vine and in him you will all bring forth heavenly Fruit to the Praise and Glory of God Christ saith In me ye have Peace in the World ye have Trouble In Christ we have Peace and therefore keep out of the Spirit of the World let not the Spirit of the World come into you for if ye do ye go into Trouble both inwardly and outwardly But if ye keep in Christ who is not of the World you keep in your heavenly Place and Region For He that hath the Son of God he hath Life and therefore keep in the Life in Christ and he that hath not the Son of God is in old Adam in Death without Life And Without me says Christ ye can do nothing without his Grace Without Christ we can do nothing his Light his Truth his Gospel his Power his Spirit his Faith ye can do nothing and If Christ be not in you ye are Reprobates and if he be in you and you in him you are in the Election and in the Seed in which all Nations are blest And therefore my Friends and Brethren both Males and Females keep and walk in the Seed in which all Nations are blest which bruises the Head of the Serpent and destroys the Devil and his Works which brought Misery and the Curse upon all Nations So that in this holy Seed you all may be the Children of the Kingdom of God that stands in Righteousness and Power and Joy in the Holy Ghost I say in the Righteousness of Christ which was before Unrighteousness was and in the Power of God which was before the Power of Satan and Dragon was and in the Peace of God that passes all the Vnderstanding of the World and was before the God of the World was and in the Holy Ghost which was before the unclean Ghost got into Man and Woman And so that you may all come to walk in the New Covenant of Light which was before the Prince of Darkness was and Life that is over Death 1601 and was before Death was Here in this you will have your heavenly Religion to walk in which will keep you out of all the World 's unruly Ways and Actions and ungracious Words and Languages that all your Words be seasoned with the Grace of
became a great Mountain and filled the whole Earth verse 35. They shall not hurt nor destroy in my holy Mountain For the Earth shall be full ot the Knowledge of the Lord ad the Waters covers the Sea Isa 11.9 The 27th of the 8th Month 1681. G. F. To Friends in Jamaica Dear Friends Epist 373. with my Love in the Lord to you all It hath been often in my mind from a Sense of the Spirit of the Lord which thing I shall lay before you and commend it to the Witness of God in all your Consciences The thing is this Advice to have a Yearly Meeting in Jamaica That if you had once in a Year a Yearly Meeting as they have in Holland Cermany and Freezlan and at Road Island and in England and else where which is and hath been of great Service for Friends to see one another and know how the Affairs of Truth prospers and how Friends doth grow in the Truth of God to the Comfort and Joy of one another in it in which the Lord Jesus Christ is exalted And if there should be any Difference among Friends it may be ended at the Yearly Meeting by some Friends out of the Meeting which could not be ended at other Meetings So that all things by the Truth and Power of God may be kept in Peace and Love all dwelling in the Wisdom of God that 's from above which is pure and peaceable and gentle and easie to be entreated And so for you once in a Year to meet together in the Lord's Power and to wait upon him in his Spirit and Truth one day and then another day you may have a Yearly Men and Womens Meeting in the Lord's Power which in time you may find and feel a great Service in the Lord's Spirit and Power in which you may feel his Presence and Blessing flow among you and as for Place and Time I shall leave it to your best Convenience and the Lord direct you that you may do all things whatever you do to his Glory for you know that in other Countries or Provinces they have either Half-Year Meetings or Yearly Meetings except it be in Jamaica which several times hath been in my Mind for you to have one there for where they are settled they see a great Service in them and the Lord hath owned them and honoured them with his Presence and that keeps all in a Sense of a care of his Glory and a care of one another that they may be kept and preserved in God's Eternal Truth in meekness in gentleness and in tenderness and in love that edifies the Body of Christ the second Adam the Lord from Heaven And so that all of you in Godliness Holiness and Righteousness may spend your Days to the Glory of God that your Conversations may be in Heaven and not below in the Earth among the wicked that the Lord God and his Son Christ Jesus may be glorified in you all who is over all blessed for ever Amen And Friends it would be very well if that you brought on your your Case of not Swearing and taking Oaths which hath been lost through that Spirit which was unfaithful Now the same Governor is come over again in whose time when he was there formerly that Act was obtained Yea and Nay instead of an Oath at the Assembly in which your Yea and Nay was taken instead of an Oath and Swearing Therefore see if you can prevail with this Governor and his Assembly to have the same Act renewed again and to clear your selves from that Spirit which was the cause that the Act was repealed So with my love in the Lord Jesus Christ to you all And my Desires are That you may all be preserved in God's Power to his Glory and that you may grow in the Truth and with the Truth answer the Truth in every one's inward parts so that ye may spread the Truth abroad and that with it your Hearts may be united together And walk in it and in the love of it for Love edifies the Body of Christ And that ye may be good Examples in the Truth and in Righteousness and Holiness and shew forth Christianity in the Possession of it above the outside Professors From Dolston the 24th of the 7th Month 1682. G. F. To Friends in Holland FRriends and Brethren in the Holy Seed of Life Epist 374. that reigneth over all in it walk and in the Power and Spirit To be as the Salt of the Earth c. and Truth of God that you all may be as a City set upon a Hill that cannot be hid and the Salt of the Earth and Light of the World to answer the Light of Christ in all and be a good Savour in them that are saved and in them that perish and all live in Love that beareth all things and doth deifie the Body of Christ and grow up in him your Head and Life and be kind and courteous and tender in Affection to one another and walk as becometh the Gospel of Christ the Power of God And dear Friends this Yearly Meeting the Lord's Power Was over all and his Seed of Life and the Lords living refreshing Presence was among us in all our Meetings And your Epistle from your Yearly Meeting in Holland was read to the refreshing of Friends and another from the half Years Meeting in Ireland and a Testimony from Scotland that Friends are in Love and Vnity there and the Truth prospereth and spreadeth and by Letters from America Friends have set up a Meeting about Twenty that are Captives among themselves and a Friend that is a Captive declareth the Truth there among them and their Masters doth let them meet and it may be of great Service there and the Lord's Power is over all and in it be Valiant for God's Truth upon the Earth and spread it abroad and that you may all in Humility exalt the Lord and that the Presence of God and his Son may be among you all and so the Blessing of the Lord be among you all Amen London the 17th of the 4th month 1682. G. F. To Friends in Barbadoes DEar Friends In all your Meetings see that the Lord God be glorified and have an Eye to his Glory Epist 375. and let all things be done without Strife or Reflections but all to mind the Testimony of Life and that which doth preserve your Unity in it and in that you will seek one anothers good and not slight one another but to esteem one another in the Truth and keep low in Humility for such God will exalt and be kind and tender-hearted one to another and dwell in the Love of God To be kind and tender hearted one to another that he doth shed abroad in your Hearts for that Love which cometh from God doth edifie the Body of Christ and therefore you must be of a noble Spirit that are of the noble Birth born of the Spirit and to love
Lord to you And live in the Seed The Ministry of the Life and Spirit and there ye will feel the Ministry of the Life and Spirit in your own particulars in which ye may be serviceable to others that are without and amongst your selves And let the Heathen know that the Plagues and Curses and Wrath and Wo is unto them that live out of the Truth for Wrath Wo to the Heathen Envy and Strife is out of the Truth and the Vengeance of God is due to them that do not Obey it where is the burning flaming Fire And let them know that the Glory of the Lord is risen AND walk in the Power of the Lord and in his Wisdom that in Places where ye do come ye may season them and be all of a good Savour in the Hearts of all and to the Lord a Blessing in your Generation G. F. FRiends Meet together waiting upon the Lord Epist 88. that nothing but the Life may among you reign and that in Life Life to reign Love and Wisdom ye may grow up And in the Measure of the Grace of God all wait to guide your Minds up to God And all Friends Meetings in Order kept I do lay it upon you for to see that in Order all your Meetings be kept So the Lord God Almighty keep you all to his Glory in his Wisdom to himself Amen To be read among all Friends at their Meetings G. F. For Plimouth FRiends keep your Meetings that in the Truth ye may reign Epist 89. and in the Power spread it abroad And keep in the Truth that Be Valiant for the Truth on Earth ye may see and feel the Lord's Presence amongst you and for it be Valiant upon the Earth and know one another in the Power of it So the Lord God Almighty preserve you in his Power to his Glory Amen G. F. FRiends All ye Epist 90. whose Minds are turned with the Light towards Jesus Christ from whence it comes in it wait Something of the Work of the Light manifest that with it ye may all see Jesus and all that Condemned which is Contrary to it that so by that ye may be kept from all Extremes Passions Passions and Hastiness Agonies and Hastiness Presumption and Desperation For dwelling in the Light which doth never change this keeps your Minds out of all those things before-mentioned which lead Nature out of its true Course The true Course of Nature and with the Light all that is seen and condemned which is contrary to it And that which doth Condemn keeps you in Peace and Order and leads to the Door of Mercy and Nature into its right Course and into the Vertue of that Word by which the Creatures were made and with it to use them all to his Gloy Which Light is the Condemnation of the Carnal Wisdom and Knowledge of the wicked World and the Condemnation of the Disobedient and the Condemnation of them whose Deeds are Evill who hate the Light Which brings to witness the Word to be as a Fire to burn up that which is to be condemned and to the purging of the Floor and burning the Chaff with unquenchable Fire and to the Gathering of the Wheat into the Garner Therefore in this Light dwell and wait True Words from which the true Words did proceed that with it all those Words may be opened again and all they condemned with the Light which have the Words and act contrary to it such must go empty away And to you this is the Word of the Lord Have Salt in your selves That ye may come to have Savour and Salt in your selves For dwelling in the Light ye will be manifest to the Light in their Consciences though they hate it who have the Words declared from the Light such go empty away from God who is Light And all they who abide in the Light of the Lord see all such to be out of the true Course of Nature who act contrary to the Light which defiles the Flesh and they are such who were of old ordained to Condemnation with the Light G. F. A General Epistle for Friends Concerning the Priests ALL Friends Epist 91. in the Spirit of the Living God wait upon God to learn of The Blasphemy known and who they are and with the Light they are seen and discovered and to be taught by him For now doth the Beast open his Mouth in Blasphemy speaking great swelling Words And now is the Cage of Vnclean Birds and the Vnclean Spirits which are gone forth into the Earth seen And now are the Locusts see and the Caterpillars known And now are the Seven Thunders uttering their Voices And now are the Hail-stones falling and the Vials of the Wrath of God pouring out upon the Beast and the false Prophet And now are the whited Walls seen Whited Walls and the painted Sepulchres who garnish the Sepulcres of the Righteous and build the Tombs of the Prophets full of dead Mens Bones Ravening Wolves Now are the Inwardly-ravening Wolves seen which have gotten the Sheeps-Cloathing And now are the false Prophets seen which through Covetousness make Merchandize of the People Briars and Thorns And now are the Thistles and Briars and Thorns where the Figs do not grow seen And now are they seen which make Merchandize of the Words of the Prophets Christ and the Apostles and through Pretence make long Prayers who devour Widows Houses And now are such known who lead silly Women Captive who are always learning and never able to come to the Knowledge of the Truth some Thirty Forty some Sixty Years And now are such known and seen Beating in the Synagogues and mainfest with the Light that Christ spake of that should beat his Followers in the Synagogues and hale them before Magistrates for his Names sake yea if they kill'd them should think they did God good Service And now are such Teachers seen and known that sport themselves in the Day-time and walk after their own Ungodly Lusts And now such are seen that go in Cain's Way Cain's Way who would murder and do murder in their Hearts who are in Envy who are the Vagabonds and the Fugitives who have not an Habitation in God who is Love And now are such seen and known that go in Balaam's Way that love the Wages of Unrighteousness Balaam's Way Gifts and Rewards And now are such seen and known that bear Rule by their Means and the pople love to have it so holding up the horrible and filthy thing committed in the Land as in Jeremy Jerem. 5. And now are such Shepherds seen and known Isaiah 56. as seek for their Gain from their Quarters Now are such seen and known Hirelings as seek for the Fleece and the Wooll and make a Prey upon the people and such as re Hirelings which the Lord sent Ezekiel and Micah to cry against Ezek.
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
the Lord to deal with them For that which they get by spoiling you they will never be the richer for and when they have done spoiling the Lord can spoil them and theirs And all the Goods they take from Friends for serving God will torment them at last and be a greater Plague to them more than keeping on your Hats and saying Thou to them was And you have had Experience how the other Powers spoiled your Goods The Spoil of the Righteous not durable Riches to their Persecutors but were they either the richer or the fatter Nay the more thery did eat destroy and devour the more they look like Pharaoh's lean Cattel And did not the Christians of old suffer joyfully the spoiling of their Goods by Professors and Prophane So they that are born of the Flesh will persecute them that are born of the Spirit and they that will live Godly in Christ Jesus must suffer Persecution and blessed are they that do suffer Persecution for Christ and his Righteousness sake And so never fear the loss of the Fleece for God can make it grow again as he did poor Job's And it is the way of the Enemy and Adversary to set upon the young convinced to think by that means to make them to yield For have you not read it was the way how that the Enemies of Israel of old fell upon the weak and feeble of their Camp and the hindermost of the Flock but they had their Reward at the End And so wait upon the Lord and he will support you though he may try you a while as he doth all his Saints that the Trial of your Faith may come forth more pure than Gold And so never fear Man nor what they are permitted to do unto you but the Lord Though the hungry Lions may lack yet they that wait upon the Lord shall not want any good thing for his Promise is he will never leave them nor forsake them And so the Lord God Almighty give you Power and Courage to stand against all the Wiles of the Enemy and to be Valiant for his Truth upon the Earth And so with my Love in the Everlasting Seed Christ Jesus who is over him that makes to suffer and will be when he is gone Marshgrange the 6th of the 4th Month. 1676. G. F. To Friends in Barbadoes MY Dear Friends in the heavenly Relation and Zion's Children Epist 333 amongst whom the Stone that the Builders rejected is elect and precious and in him Christ you are Elect Christ the Head of God's Church who is the Head of the Corner of God's Building And therefore in the Name of Jesus keep your Meetings in whom you all have Salvation and not by any other Name under Heaven and though the Lord may try you where your Minds are and in what by the outward Powers yet be valiant for God's Truth upon the Earth and if some of you be cast into Prison and your Goods be spoiled the Seed is upon the Head of him that maketh to suffer and will remain when he is gone And the Lord God who giveth the increase of all both Invisible and Visible can make the Fleece to grow again And therefore let your Faith be in the Power and Word of Life And the Authority of your Men and Womens Meetings is the Power of God and all the Heirs of the Gospel are Heirs of Christ the heavenly Man and of his Government the increase of which there is no end And so all walk in Christ So walk in Christ who bruiseth the Serpent's Head that hath gotten between you and God so as you all are in him then nothing can get between you and the Lord God and so in the glorious Order of the Gospel the Power of God dwell which is over the Devil and the World and before he and it was and the Power of God will be when he and it is gone This is the everlafting Gospel which bringeth Life and Immortality to Light and that you all may see over him that hath darkned you to him who was before he was and the Power of God will be when he is gone And therefore walk in the glorious blessed peaceable and comfortable Order of the everlasting Gospel for the Gospel the Power of God is the Gospel of Peace and the Truth is Peaceable The Devil the Destroyer and Adversary abode not in the Peaceable Truth and the Kingdom of God stands in Peace and Joy in the Holy Ghost and the Vnity of the Spirit is a Bond of Peace yea the Bond of the heavenly Man the Prince of Princes Peace that Bond must be kept by all Zion's Children the Heirs of Life And all seek the Peace and Good one of another To seek Peace and dwell is Love and dwell in the Love of God thet does edifie the Body of Christ and bears all things and endures all things and build up one another in the most holy Faith which you have from Christ the holy One for Holiness becomes the House of God And therefore all mind that which becomes his House and now is the time for every one to put on the Armour of God and to take his Weapons and Arms that you may stand by God's Ensign in the Truth against him that is out of Truth keeping on your Helmet of Salvation as a token of your Victory and your Breast-Plate of Righteousness which preserves both Mind Heart and Soul and your Loins girded with Truth Keep on the Armor of Righteousness that you may be Valiant for it and your Feet shod with the Preparation of the Gospel the Power of God that your Feet may stand fast over all slippery Places in the Power of God the Gospel that is sure and everlasting Here is your Armor and your Weapon is the Sword of the Spirit the Word of God the Word of Life and Salvation and Wisdom and Reconciliation that is as a Sword and a Hammer to cut down and hammer down that which hath made a separation betwixt you and God and is as Fire to burn it up And the Shield of Faith that is your Shield by which you have victory and access to God by which Faith all the Just lives and are saved and contend for it which is declared to the Saints by Christ who is the Author and Finisher of it And by this Faith you come to Christ the Author and as many as receive him walk in him that you may be always fresh and green in him who bruises the Head of the Serpent that hath made People lean and barren and hath made so many barren Mountains which Christ is gathering and calling his People from that they might walk in the Light of the Lord and come to the Mountain of the House of the Lord that is established above all the Mountains where God teaches all his the Way of Life Truth and Salvation And the Mountain of the House of the Lord is always green with fresh
Hypocrites and Sinners may fear but they that fear the Lord and wait upon him shall be as Mount Sion that cannot be removed for the Lord's Power is over all by which he keeps his People to the day of Salvation And therefore all you that have this Keeper Let the Lord be your Keeper the Power of the Lord through Faith unto the Day of Life and Salvation need none of the slumbering Keepers or Watchers for the Lord was the Keeper of Israel who neither slumbered nor slept till Israel forsook the Lord and then they set up slumbering and sleepy Watchers and Keepers like the Apostate Christians who have forsaken the Power of God to keep them and then they are soon forsaken And therefore Friends you that do know the Power of God in which the Kingdom of God stands you know your Keeper through the Faith which Jesus Christ is the Author of which stands in his Power and not in Words and so your Faith standing in his Power it will keep you out of the Words of Mens Wisdom and above them And the golden Lamp in your Tabernacle all are to have to burn with the heavenly Oil Heavenly Oil. which you have from Christ your High Priest being returned to him the great Shepherd and Bishop of your Souls who will bring you his Sheep into his safe Fold who gives unto his Sheep eternal Life and his Sheep shall not perish neither shall any pluck them out of his Hand Though Men may pluck Hypocrites and Apostates one from another Feel the Hand that preserved you but Christ saith No Man is able to pluck his Sheep out of his Fathers hand And therefore all feel the Hand that hath brought you out of Spiritual Egypt where Christ hath been crucified to Christ in his new Covenant of Light and Life as the Jews were brought out of Egypt in the Old Covenant which Christ hath abolished and makes all things new so that all may be grounded on him who was the Foundation of all the holy Prophets and Apostles and of all the holy Men of God to this day And therefore consider who it is that abides in the Tabernacle of God and dwells in his Holy Hill it is the Faithful and the Vpright which Holy Hill is a safe place for all the Upright As the Lord said In the last days the Mountain of the Lord's House should be established on the top of the Mountains and should be exalted above the Hills and all Nations should flow unto this established Honse And here the Lord does teach his People that comes up to the Mountain of the House of the God of Jacob So all Mountains Houses Hills and Teaching will be shaken but the Mountain of the Lord's House shall be established in the last Days as the Prophet said which is the Days of Christ Is not this the Stone that became a great Mountain and fills the whole Earth which smote and broke to pieces the Iron Clay Brass Silver and Gold Image or Monarchs which were as Mountains And this Stone which becomes a great Mountain The Stone that became a great Mountain sets up a Kingdom which shall never have an end Is not this the Kingdom of Christ which Christ saith Except a Man be born again he can neither see the Kingdom of God nor enter into it And therefore Friends all you that do know his Kingdom that stands in Power in Peace and Joy in the Holy Ghost over the Power of the Evil and all the unclean Ghosts which keeps them in their first Birth and leads them into all Evil as the Holy Ghost leads them into all Truth And so dear Friends and Brethren know this Rock this Stone this Foundation the House of God that is established upon the Lord's Mountain above all other Houses Hills Mountains and Teachings in the World where God doth teach his People and establish them upon Christ Jesus the living Rock and Foundation and living Way And so though there may be troubles without and troubles within yet if you wait upon the Lord he will renew your strength And the Children of God they are set for Signs and Wonders for as it is said Lo the Children that thou hast given me they are for Signs and Wonders And therefore Friends keep your Habitation in Christ Jesus Keep to Christ out of vain jangling in whom you have Peace for all the rude Talkers and vain Disputers and Janglers which cankers and rusts goes out of the peaceable Truth and that which is torn and dies of it self must not be fed upon but the Life must be fed upon which gives you Life Eternal And the Lord did not build his Zion and outward Jerusalem with Blood in the Old Covenant for they that did build their Zion and Jerusalem with Blood made their Zion a Field and their Jerusalem an Heap so if this Practice was forbidden in the Old Covenant much more in the New Zion not buil with Blood who think to build Zion and Jerusalem with Blood and Iniquity for such has not been Zion's Children nor Jerusalem's that is from above who shed Mens Blood concerning Religion Church and Worship for Christ rebuked such that would have had Mens lives destroyed and told them They knew not what Spirit they were of so they that do not know what Spirit they are of they are not like to build up God's Zion and Jerusalem For Christ said He came to save Mens Lives and not to destroy them for the World 's God was the destroyer of Mens lives but Christ came to destroy Him and his Works and to save Mens Lives and Souls also And so dear Friends let the Love of God which is shed abroad in your Hearts cast out all Fear And keep in the Name of Jesus in which you are gathered which is above every Name under the whole Heaven in whom you have Life and Salvation and his Presence among you whose Name is a Strong Tower and Christ is a Rock to hide your selves in and his Spirit to cover you which is a Covering sufficient enough for you and Wo will be to that Spirit which is covered but not with his Spirit they may fly to the Rocks and Mountains to cover and hide them No help in Egypt which will not be sufficient for the Rocks will rend and the Mountains will be removed such may run down into Spiritual Egypt for strength where Christ was crucified like the Jews in the Old Covenant that ran into outward Egypt from his Spirit but all was in vain And therefore trust in the Lord who has preserved you by his Glorious Light and Power to this day that you may be settled upon the Seed Christ Jesus which is over all that within and without that is contrary to it and bruiseth the Head of the Serpent that hath been between you and God So that in Christ the Seed you have Peace with the Lord God Life and Dominion and Election and
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