Six-Weeks Meeting is for to see Epist 418. that all their Meetings are preserved by the Wisdom of God in the Vnity of the Spirit The Care of the Six Weeks Meeting the Bond of Peace and in the Fellowship of the Holy Ghost being ordered by the pure gentle heavenly peaceable Wisdom easie to be intreated Holy and Vertuous Examples to all other Meetings both in City and Country And that all may be careful to speak short and pertinent to Matters in a Christian Spirit and dispatch Business quickly and keep out of long Debates and Heats and with the Spirit of God keep that down which is doting about Questions and Strife of Words that tend to Parties and Contention Which in the Church of God there is no such Custom to be allowed And likewise not to speak more than one at a time nor any in a fierce Way for that is not to be allowed in any Society neither Natural nor Spiritual but as the Apostle saith Be swift to hear and slow to speak and let it be in the Grace which seasons all Words And if there be any Differences that cannot be quickly ended in the Meeting let the Six-Weeks Meeting order some Friends to hear the Matter out of the Meeting without Respect of Persons and bring in the Report to the same Meeting the same Day if possible and the Meeting may give Judgment that no Business be delayed from time to time And so with my Love to you all in the Seed of Life Christ Jesus in whom ye have all Peace and Wisdom from him who is the Treasure of Knowledge and Wisdom Amen Kingston upon Thames the 5th of the 3d Month 1690. G. F. DEar Friends Epist 419. Something was upon me to write unto you that such among Friends who marry and provide great Dinners that instead thereof it will be of a good Savour on such Occasions that they may be put in mind at such times to give something to the Poor that be Widows and Fatherless To be Charitable and relieve the Poor and such like to make them a Feast or to Refresh them And this I look upon would be a very good Savour to feast the Poor that cannot feast you again and would be a good Practise and Example and would be a means to keep the Mind to the Lord and in remembrance of the Poor for they that give to the Poor lend to the Lord and the Lord will re-pay them And I do really believe what ever they give less or more according to their Ability cheerfully they will not have the less at the Years End for the Lord loves a cheerful Giver I know this Practice hath been used by some Twenty Years ago And so it is not only to give the Poor a little Victuals which you cannot eat your selves but give them a little Money that the Lord hath blessed you with and give it to some of the Womens Meetings for to distribute to the Poor So you will have the Blessings of the Lord and the Blessings of the Poor And so to be of a free noble Spirit above all the churlish Misers and Nigards and narrow Spirits These things I do recommend to you though it may look a little strange to weigh and consider the thing it will both be of a good Report and a good Savour and manifests a self-denial and openness of Heart and of the general Love of God London the 4th of the 4th Month 1690. G. F. To Friends Captives at Macqueness DEar Friends st 420. With my Love to you all in the Lord Jesus Christ in whom you have Life and Salvation and Rest and Peace with God and the Lord God Almighty with his Eternal Arm and Power uphold and preserve you in Christ in whom you have Rest and Peace though in the World Troubles and though you be in Captivity from your Wives and Children and Relations and Friends yet the Lord is present with you by his Spirit of Grace Light and Truth And so feel him at all times and stand in his Will do not Murmer nor Complain but stand still in the Faith and Power of God To stand in the Faith that you may see your Salvation for by Faith the Lord delivered his People out of Egypt by his Power and by Faith Enoch and Noah were preserved and Abraham Isaac and Jacob and by Faith the Prophets were delivered out of many Perils and Daniel out of the Lions Mouth And you may see how the Righteous were delivered by Faith in Heb. 11. And it would be very well if you that be Captives and Friends To meet to worship God could have Meetings as they had at Algier to the comforting and refreshing one another And you may speak to your Patroons of your meeting together to worship God that created Heaven and Earth and made all Mankind and gives you Breath Life and Spirit to serve and worship him And my Desires are to the Lord That you in his Truth and Power may answer the Truth in all both King and Prince and Turks and Moors that you may be a good Savour among them all and in them all manifesting that you are the Salt of the Earth and the Light of the World and a City set on a Hill that cannot be hid So that they may see your good Works and glorifie your Father which is in Heaven And what do you know but the Lord hath set you there to preach in Life and Word and good Conversation Therefore while you are there mind your Service for God who hath all things in his Hand And a Sparrow cannot fall to the Ground without his Providence And Christ is the Mountain that filleth the whole Earth and so you will feel him there And therefore keep in the Word of Power and in the Word of Patience and the Word of Wisdom that will give you Dominion over all Amen London the 25th of the 8th Month 1690. G. F. You may petition the Emperor or King and your Patroons Postscript whose Captives you are that you may have one Day in the Week to meet together to worship and serve the Great God that made you in Spirit and Truth For you worship no Representation Image or Likeness neither in Heaven nor in the Earth but the Great God who is Lord over all both in Heaven and Earth and is manifest by his Spirit in his People from you poor Captives who desire their Good here and their Eternal Happiness hereafter And you may draw up a Paper to this Effect and get it Translated into their Language and send it to the Emperor and his Council and your Patroons and set your Hands to it with all speed after the the receipt of this George Fox THE END THE FIRST TABLE CONTAINING The Names of Countries Cities Towns and Places mentioned in this Collection of Epistles being those from or to which they were sent and directed by the Author on Truth 's Account in England and
part through which wrong Liberty gets up which will bring a Plague into the Heart which is worse than an outward Plague O therefore consider the Life and the Power of God hath not the Supremacy in all your Hearts for I feel some Minds and some Bodies have let in that which hath defiled them and doth defile them O Cleanse cleanse cleanse and joyn to the pure Immortal Power for the Power of the Lord God will make room for it self either in cleansing or in vomiting or casting out them and that that doth not joyn to the Power of God Sodom that Whorish and Adulterous Spirit it must to the Fire and gainsaying Core into the Earth And it will throw down that which hath been lifted up The Beesom of the Lord is going forth to sweep the Candle of the Lord is lighted to search every corner of your Houses for the Just walks in the Path which is a shining Light which admits of no rubbish in it O come out of all these things which you have entertained in your Minds which you received not from them that came to minister unto you in the Beginning O dwell in the Power of the Lord God for to keep you low and take heed of getting up into Conceitedness and the Air and to set up that which pertains not to the Kingdom of God but to Strife which never the Apostles nor the Saints since in the Power of God set up for if you do the Power of God will sweep it and you all away And O you that come to be Vessels of Honour and Vessels of the Mercies of God have esteem of your Bodies for such as defile their Bodies are neither Vessels of Honour nor Vessels of the Mercies but of Wrath and are for the Wrath. Therefore keep out Strife keep out Fornication and the Adulterous Spirit keep out the Lusts of the Eye the Lusts of the Flesh and Pride of Life which is not of the Father that that which is of the Father may be received and have an entrance into every Vessel O be not lifted up with a vain Mind and let Balaam's Nature be slain that erreth from the Spirit and raiseth Stumbling-blocks and such as keep not their First Habitation in the Power of God and his Truth become Enemies to such as are Heirs of the Kingdom and the Power of an endless Life Therefore all Friends and People mind that which first convinced you that Power of God which first awakended you and arise and live in it that all your Eyes Minds and Hearts may be kept single and naked to God and to one another and uncloathed of all that which is contrary and is got up since For the Seed and the Life of Christ Jesus reigns and rules Glory to him for ever I have been uncapable to write or receive Writing along time or to speak or bear to be spoken to but have been as a Man buried alive for else I should have writ to you before now and therefore O Dear Friends give no occasion of stumbling keep tender for hardness of Heart is worse than an outward Plague for that brings Destruction many ways And so grieve not the Spirit in others nor in your selves And whatsoever is decent and comely follow honest and of a good report that makes for Peace and not for Strife under pretence of Love for that 's not of God For God who is Love is not the Author of Strife and Confusion but of Peace So I desire you to let Copies of this be sent into Virginia Maryland and New-England to be read amongst Friends in all their Meetings Things are pretty well here Friends being in Love and Unity and the Dread of the Lord God is amongst us who reigns and will reign G. F. An Epistle to be read in all the Assemblies of the Righteous ALL my Dear Friends every where Epist 245. live in the Noble Seed Christ Jesus the Saviour and the anointed One and the Righteous Holy One that your Minds Hearts Souls Spirits and Bodies may be Righteous living in the Righteousness of Christ Jesus in all Love Vertue Truth and Holiness without which none can see God For the Lord loveth the Righteous and the Righteous are in Peace and all Workers of Iniquity their Mouths shall be stopp'd The Throne of Iniquity must down and the Chamber of Imagery in every Heart for the Lord must have the Heart for it is to be his Offering and Sacrifice All Lips must be pure and Hands clean that confess the Lord Jesus Christ and all Tongues and Eyes single to God and one to another and all mind the Lord's Business in the Truth and be given up to him and in it serving the Lord God in newness of Life that all your Feet may be guided in the Way of Peace and to walk uprightly before the Lord in his Way which is Christ Jesus the Light which is Perfect This is the Way of the Just which is a shining Light and in this Way is the Living God well pleased with you And you that grow rich in the World in earthly things who have had a stirring in you formerly in the Service of God take heed lest your Minds run into your outward Businesses about outward things and therein be lifted up above the good and just Spirit and so leave the Service of the Lord and his Business in minding your own For outward Riches and the things of this World will pass away with the outward Riches therein for they have Wings but the Word of the Lord which lives and abides and endures for ever will remain Labour for the Riches of it for that will endure with you and seek the Kingdom of God which will never have an end that stands in Righteousness and in Holiness in which you have Joy and Peace in the Holy Ghost then all outward things will follow which is below So that in Righteousness Holiness and Truth as just Men and holy Men and Men fearing God and as righteous Men Sons and Servants and Children of God you may all live in all Righteousness Holiness Pureness Truth Justice and Equity in all manner of Life and Conversation so that your Conversations may shine as Lights of the World knowing that all Unrighteousness Uncleanness Unholiness Unjustice Untruth and Impurity is not of God but is out of the Kingdom of God and likewise all Cheaters and Cozeners who do enrich themselves by Falshood and all Drunkards Adulterers Whoremongers Fornicators Murderers Idolaters and Lyars these Works and Workers are out of the Kingdom of God and his Power and they are of their Father the Devil who is out of the Truth And therefore in the Truth live which the Devil and his Works are out of and that Truth makes you free In which Truth and Spirit is God worshipped All that do violence cursed Speakers and Swearers are out of the Truth and the Command of Christ Jesus and therefore live you in the Love of God in
the World could meet outwardly together and are not in the Power and Spirit the Apostles were in they are in a Separation But God Almighty is bringing his People by his Son Christ Jesus and by the same Power the Apostles were in out of this Separation and Apostacy from the Apostles Spirit that began in the Apostles days into the same Spirit that the Church and the Apostles were in in the Primitive Times and though they be absent in the Body or Flesh yet they are present in the Spirit seeing and beholding in the Spirit the Spiritual Order and the Stedfastness of their divine Faith which Christ the Second Adam the Spiritual Man hath been the Author and Finisher of And therefore let no Man beguile you by enticing Words from this Spiritual Order Fellowship and Vnity And again the Apostle saith For I verily as absent in the Body but present in the Spirit have judged already as though I was present concerning him that hath so done this deed So here was a Spiritual Sight and a Spiritual Judgment yea a Judgment though absent in the Body by a Spiritual Sight of such as walk not in the Spirit but walk out of the Order of it 1 Cor. 5.3 And this is to the Spiritual-minded who can judge of these things for as many as are led by the Spirit of God they are the Sons of God and the Lord now by his Spirit is separating his Sons and Daughters from the Apostacy and Sin which hath separated from the Spirit that the Apostles were in that they may behold one another with joy and comfort with the Spirit in the Spiritual Order Fellowship and Vnity though they be absent in the Body and in the Flesh yet they are present in the Spirit and know one another in the Spirit of God And also All one in Christ the Apostle saith As many as are baptized into Christ have put on Christ There is neither Jew nor Greek Bond nor Free and here is neither Male nor Female but ye are all one in Christ Jesus So though these be absent in the Body one from another Jews Greeks Bond or Free Males or Females yet they are all one in Christ Jesus the spiritual and heavenly Man and with the Spirit joying and beholding one anothers Spiritual Order so the Joying Vnity and Fellowship stands in the Spirit of God and not in the outward Fleshly Bodily Presence and Carnal and Natural Sight And therefore keep your Spiritual Order To keep in the spiritual Order joying in the Spirit beholding your Spiritual Order and Stedfastness of your Faith in Christ Jesus and in this you will be all stedfast Men and stedfast Women and not tossed up and down with every windy Doctrine and the cunning Crafts and Slights of Men but stedfast Men and stedfast Women in the Faith of Christ as Trees of Righteousness the Planting of the Lord whose Fruit is unto Holiness and whose end is Everlasting Life and such have Fruit on their own Trees and Water in their own Wells and are not shaken with Winds Storms nor Tempests that may rise up within or without but are stedfast and unmoveable built upon the Rock and Foundation of Life Christ Jesus so that as every one hath received the Gift even so minister one to another as good Stewards of the manifold Grace of God And this is the Grace of God wherein ye stand that will teach you to live Godly Righteously and Soberly and brings Salvation so not only to talk Godly but to live Godly keeping your selves in the Love of God and building up your selves in the most Holy Faith which you have from Christ Jesus which makes you stedfast and unmoveable from him who is the Author and Finisher of it and with the Spirit of God in which you spiritually behold your substantial and stedfast Spiritual Order over all outward and carnal Orders and will out-last them all with which Spirit you all see your work and service for the Eternal Immortal God of Truth to whom be all Glory Honour Thanks and Praises in the Church of Jesus Christ throughout all Ages World without end Amen From your Friend and Brother in the Kingdom and Patience of Jesus Worplesdom the 22d of the 5th Month 1680. G. F. To Friends in America DEar Friends My Love to you all in the holy peaceable Truth Epist 364. and my Desires are that whatsoever ye do may be done in the Name of Jesus to the Glory of God the Father and all be subject one to another in the Fear of the Lord God so that ye may all come to dwell in the Love of God which edifies the Body of Christ who is the heavenly Man and let all Strifes and Divisions and Backbitings All Strifes Divisions c. to cease or Whisperings or Prejudices cease and be buried and so whatsoever is amiss or hath been amiss let it be put down by the Truth and Spirit of God that it may be uppermost which is a strong Bond to Vnite your Hearts and Minds and Souls together and to the Lord and be kind and courteous one towards another all studying to be quiet and to excel one another in Vertue and Purity and Holiness and Righteousness and Godliness in all your Words and Lives and Conversations so that you may all walk as become Saints and Christians every one esteeming and preferring one another above your selves in the Truth in Meekness and Lowliness of Mind and Humility for he that Inhabits Eternity dwells with an humble Heart Not to quench the Spirit And therefore do not quench the least Motion of God's good Spirit in your selves nor in any other but let Truth and Goodness be cherished in all and let all Harshness and Bitterness and Revilings be kept down by the Truth that it may have its passage through you all and in it you may bear one anothers Weakness and Infirmities and so fulfil the Law of Christ keeping down Revenge Hastiness or Passion as knowing Vengance is the Lord's and he will repay it on every one that does wrong without respect of Persons For Friends you there should be as Lights or as a City that cannot be hid Lights I say to to give Light in all People and also to be as the Salt of the Earth to be a good Savour and savoury to all People for he or she that is an ill savour hath lost the Salts savour and is good for nothing and is trodden under the Foot of Men and therefore take heed of loosing the Salts savour either in Word or Conversation for if you do you will come under the Foot of Men they will trample upon you therefore be Careful Fervent Circumspect and Faithful in the Truth and let your Moderation Temperance and Sobriety appear to all Men shewing forth the Work of the Lord and your Honesty and Justness in all your Words and Dealings between Man and Man and that you may owe nothing to any Man
is our only Mediator and Advocate and as he was and is God over all blessed for ever whom he so dearly loved and honoured that he often offered up his Life and deeply suffered for him and that in dear and constant Love to his Seed that a holy Generation might be raised strengthned and increased in the Earth among the Children of Men. And his knowledge and Ministry of our Lord Jesus Christ being after the Spirit in Life and Power did no ways imply any lessening of the Dignity or Glory of Christ nor any defect of Faith or Love to Christ as he came and suffered in the Flesh for Mankind as some Adversaries have injuriously misrepresented and aspersed him for he highly esteemed Christ's Sufferings Death Resurrection and Glory and powerfully testified of the Vertue Power blessed and spirtual Design Fruit and Effects thereof as revealed and witnessed by his Holy Spirit And as we have no cause to question but as with this innocent and good Man to live was Christ so to die was Gain in both which he glorified God Christ Jesus being our Spiritual Rock Foundation and Head he is truly precious to us and all true Believers in all States and Conditions both of his Humiliation Glory and Dominion his great Grace and Goodness appearing in those precious Ministerial Gifts given by him when he ascended up on high for his Ministry and Church And 't is very observable that though to express Christ's Lowly Condition and Appearance in the World He is sometimes in Holy Scripture termed the Seed His Name is also called Wonderful Counsellor the Mighty God the Everlasting Father the Prince of Peace Upon whose Shoulders the Government is laid And of the increase of his Government and Peace there shall be no end Isaiah 9. And 't is most suitable to Christ's low humble and suffering Condition to make use of such Instruments as are most like himself in Humility and Lowliness of Mind although they be but low and mean in the World's Eye and Esteem God is pleased to make choice of low mean and weak things and of Instruments contemptible in the Eyes of the high and lofty ones of this World to confound the Wisdom of the World according to 1 Cor 1. He chose poor Shepherds to divulge that great Evangelical Truth of Christ's Birth and certain Women to preach that Gospel-Truth of his Resurrection Luke 2. 24. And both from Angelical Testimony as well as from their sight of Christ himself Truth must not be rejected because of such Instruments which God in his Wisdom is pleased to employ in his Work nor the Day of small things despised From small Beginnings of good Matters great Things glorious Attainments and Perfections do spring Glory Honour and Dominion to our most Gracious God and to the Lamb on his Throne for ever and ever Now dear and well-beloved Friends all live in Love and Peace following the true Faith peaceable and good Example of the Faithful in Christ and the God of Love and Peace will be with you Your true Friend and Brother In CHRIST JESUS George Whitehead London 1698. A COLLECTION Of many Select Epistles to Friends OF THAT Ancient Eminent and Faithful Minister of Jesus Christ GEORGE FOX A Testimony how the Lord sent G.F. forth at first in the Year 1643. WHEN the Lord first sent me forth in the Year 1643. The Year when the Lord first sent G.F. forth to declare his Truth I was sent as an Innocent Lamb and Young in Years amongst Men in the Nature of Wolves Dogs Bears Lions and Tigres into the World which the Devil had made like a Wilderness no right Way then found out of it And I was sent To Turn People from Darkness to the Light which Christ the Second Adam did Enlighten them withal that so they might see Christ their Way to God with the Spirit of God which he doth pour upon all Flesh that with it they might have an Understanding to know the Things of God and to know him and his Son Jesus Christ which is Eternal Life and so might worship and serve the Living God their Maker and Creator who takes Care for all who is Lord of all and with the Light and Spirit of God they might know the Scriptures which were given forth from the Spirit of God in the Saints and Holy Men and Women of God And when many began to be turned to the Light which is the Life in Christ and the Spirit of God which gave them an Understanding and had found the Path of the Just the Shining Light then did the Wolves Dogs Dragons Bears Lions Tigres Wild Beasts and Birds of Prey make a Roaring and a Screeching Noise against the Lambs Sheep Doves and Children of Christ and were ready to devour them and me and to tear us to pieces But the Lord's Arm and Power did preserve me though many times I was in Danger of my Life and very often cast into Dungeons and Prisons and haled before Magistrates But all things did work together for good And the more I was cast into outward Prisons the more People came out of their Spiritual and Inward Prison through the Preaching of the Gospel But the Priests and Professors were in such a great Rage and made the Rude and Profane People in such a Fury that I could hardly walk in the Streets or go in the High-ways but they were ready oft-times to do me a Mischief But Christ who hath all Power in Heaven and in the Earth did so restrain and limit them with his Power that my Life was preserved though many times I was near killed Oh! the Burdens and Travels that I went under Often my Life prest down under the Spirits of Professors and Teachers without Life and the Profane And besides the Troubles afterwards with Backsliders Apostates and false Brethren which were like so many Judas's in betraying the Truth and God's Faithful and Chosen Seed and causing the Way of Truth to be evil spoken of But the Lord blasted wasted and confounded them so that none did stand long for the Lord did either destroy them or bring them to nought and his Truth did flourish and his People in it to the Praise of God who is the Revenger of his Chosen G. F. Concerning the first Spreading of the Truth and how that many were Imprisoned c. AND the Truth sprang up first to us as to be a People to the Lord in Leicestershire in 1644. and in Warwickshire in 1645. and in Nottinghamshire in 1646. and in Darbyshire in 1647. and in the adjacent Countries in 1648. 1649. and 1650. and in Yorkshire in 1651. and in Lancashire and Westmorland in 1652. and in Cumberland and Bishoprick and Northumberland in 1653. and in London and most parts of the Nation of England and Scotland and Ireland in 1654. c. And in 1655. many went beyond Seas where Truth also sprang up And in 1656. Truth brake forth in America and many other places And
of God which would have kept them in Dominion And so Adam and Eve and the Serpent all went out of Truth And Eve eating of the Tree of Knowledge she had Knowledge and Wisdom after the Fall but not in the Dominion in the Power of God But the Seed Christ which was in the Beginning bruiseth this Serpent's Head and he is the Wisdom of God G. F. Friends THere is an Eye that hath looked to see the good Seed Epist 3. that was sown and queried from whence came these Tares A little Note of G. F. to Friends at first The Answer was and is The wicked One hath sown them Now read the Tares and what is the Effect of them and their Work And what they do and have done How they hang amongst the Wheat But now is the time of Harvest that both Wheat and Tares are seen and each distinguished the one from the other G. F. All Friends MInd that which is pure in you to guide you to God out of Babylon Epist 4. out of Confusion there all the World is About 1651. there is the Seat of the Beast there are the false Prophets and Deceivers as well within as without One Voice of Deceit knows not another nor none of them the Voice of the Living God But Dear Friends mind the Light of God in your Consciences which will shew you all Deceit dwelling in it guides out of the many things into one Spirit which cannot lye nor deceive They that are guided by it are one who have been made to drink into one Spirit and the Spirits of the Prophets are subject to the Prophets God is not the Author of Confusion but of Peace All Jarrings all Schisms all Rents are out of the Spirit for God hath tempered the Body together that there should be no Schism in the Body but all worship him with one Consent And as the Power and Life of Truth is made manifest watch in the Discerning one over another And beware of discouraging any in the Work of God The Labourers are few The Labourers are few that are faithful for God Take heed of hurting the Gift which God hath given to profit withal whereby ye have received Life through Death and a Measure of Peace by the Destruction of Evil. Pray that Peace may be multiplied and the Ministration of Life to the raising of the Dead that the Seed of the Woman may bruise the Serpent's Head discover all Deceit and rend all Vails and Coverings that the Pure may come to Life which Deceit hath trampled upon And all take heed to your Spirits that which is hasty discerns not the Good Seed Take heed of being corrupted by Flatteries they that know their God shall be strong But take heed of labouring to turn the Just aside for a thing of nought but know the Precious from the Vile the Clean from the Unclean These shall be as my Mouth saith the Lord for his VVork is great and his Gifts divers And therefore all mind your Gift mind your Measure mind your Calling and your VVork Some speak to the Conscience some plough and break the Clods some weed out and some sow some wait that Fowls devour not the Seed But wait all for the Gathering of the Simple-hearted ones for They that turn many to Righteousness shall shine for ever Mind the Light that all may be refreshed one in another and all in one And the God of Power and Love keep all Friends in Power in Love that there be no Surmisings but pure Refreshings in the unlimited Love of God which makes one another known in the Conscience to read one another's Hearts Being comprehended into this Love Oneness it is Inseparable and all are here one And keep in the Oneness and note them that cause Dissension contrary to the Gospel ye have received that one pure Faith may be held in all to guide and preserve all in the Vnity of the Spirit and Bond of Peace all one Family of Love Children of one Father and of the Houshold of God G. F. DEar Father and Mother in the Flesh Epist 5. but not of that Birth which speaks to you For like to that which doth beget is that which is begotten Praises Praises be given to my Heavenly Father who hath begotten me again by the Immortal Word To that of God in you both I speak and do beseech you both for the Lord's sake to Return within and wait to hear the Voice of the Lord there and waiting there and keeping close to the Lord a Discerning will grow that ye may distinguish the Voice of the Stranger when ye hear it Oh! be faithful be faithful to the Lord in that ye know for in the Buckstider the Lord hath no pleasure neither shall their Damnation slumber Oh! be Faithful Look not back nor be too forward further than ye have attained for ye have no Time but this present Time Therefore prize your Time for your Soul's sake And so grow up in that which is Pure and keep to the Oneness then shall my Joy be full So Fare ye well And the Lord God of Power keep you in his Power To him be Praises for evermore G. F. Friends NO one is Justified Epist 6. breaking the Commands of Christ no one is Justified Who they are that are not Justified living in Iniquity and no one is Justified in professing only Christ's Words and the Prophets and the Apostles Words and living out of their Lives And no one is Justified living in the first Birth and Nature and false Faith and Hope which doth not purifie as God is pure No Man is Justified not believing in the Light as Christ commands but with the Light is condemned for the Light is the Condemnation of all them that walk contrary to it Therefore the Power of God mind No Man is Justified acting contrary to that Spirit which doth convince them G. F. To Friends at Swarthmoore Friends LOve that which Judgeth the Carnal Mind Epist 7. and Crosseth it which maketh an Entrance to God and keepeth you open and then Refreshment will come into your Souls from the Lord. Dwell in the Power and know the Power of Words in one another and take heed of Deceit Farewell And the God of Love and Power keep you to himself G. F. Dear Friends THose that will live Godly in Christ Jesus must suffer Persecution Epist 8. God is Righteous God is Pure Holy and Just God is Clean. He that is Godly and Holy suffereth by the Ungodly and Unrighteous The Just suffereth by the Unjust and Unclean and Unjust and Filthy And so the Just suffereth by the Vnjust and he that is born of the Flesh persecutes him that is born of the Spirit G. F. Friends THat which is set up by the Sword is held up by the Sword Epist 9. and that which is set up by Spiritual Weapons About 1652. is held up by Spiritual Weapons and not by
joyned together to God and all that is Contrary Condemned And so the Lord God Almighty preserve and keep you all in Wisdom Friends A Warning from the Lord to you all in Wisdom to walk P. S. that ye may Adorn every one what ye profess A Warning to Friends to walk in the Testimony of God that the measure of God's Spirit in every one ye may answer And know the Lord to guide your Understandings and let his Wisdom be Justified by you all and ye in the measure of the Spirit of God in Unity kept Wisdom Justified that ye may see Righteousness spring and flourish among you and no Deceit stand nor nothing that is deceitful but with the Eternal Judge it down and keep it down that nothing may live that is for the Sword which would defile the Land Therefore in that which is Eternal dwell as a Royal Priesthood in that which comes from him by whom the World was made who to all your Souls is a Friend from whence the Refreshing is receiv'd So the Lord God Almighty preserve and keep you all that in his Life Dread and Power ye may be preserved G. F. FRiends Epist 34. I do Warn you in the Presence of the Living God not to speak the things of God out of the Fear of God at Random in a presumptuous Mind Proud Boasters for proud Boasters are excluded out of the Kingdom of God and with the Light of Christ condemned and with the Life that gave forth the Scriptures are they Judged Therefore to you this is the Word of the Lord In the Light which Christ hath enlightned every one of you withal in it wait and it love and ye shall have the Light of Life and it will bring you to stand in the Counsel of God and keep you from all wicked Ways And with it ye will see all the Inchanters Inchanters and false Prophets seen with the Light false Prophets who speak a Divination of their own Brain whose Minds are turned from the Light of Christ with this Light are they condemned All whose Minds are turned from it and hate it whose Deeds are evil with this Light are they Condemned though they may make a Profession of the Words which did proceed from the Light from them who lived in it and walked in it So they that turn from it and hate this Light making a Profession of their Words that dwelt in it and hate them that walk in the Light now Oh high Deceit all such are to be Condemned with the Light And such that hate the Light and deny it though they may profess the Words that did proceed from the Life and be full of them they turn no People from their wicked Ways for in the Counsel of God they stand not For they were in the Counsel of God who gave forth the Scriptures who were in the Life of them from which the Letter did proceed Therefore in the Life every one in your Measures wait and walk The Life opens the Scriptures which gave forth the Scriptures which will open them to you again else you all I do deny and ye are to be turned away from as having the Form but not the Power And know the Life of God in one another and the Power of God in one another but that Knowledge in the Form without the Life we deny tho' it be never so finely painted and the Harlot be never so beautiful who is turned from the Light which Christ hath enlightned withal This is the Harlot The Harlots Dress who dresseth her self with the Words that proceeded from the Light who persecuteth them who dwell in the Light who drinketh the Blood of the Saints who dwell in the Life which gave forth the Scriptures And with the Words that proceeded from the Light doth she cloth her self and is harlotted from the Life and all that she brings forth is contrary to the Light So she is called the Mother of Harlots But if ye love this Light and your Minds be guided by it to see the Face of Jesus and him the Head then with this Light ye will see all the Harlots and the Mother of Harlots and where she is and what she is joined to The Light is that by which ye come to see he that walketh in it stumbleth not But thou stumblest who art turned from the Light among the Harlots I charge you every one in the Presence of the Living God to take heed to the Light It is your Teacher loving it it is your Condemnation hating it G. F. To Friends in the Ministry STand up ye Prophets of the Lord for the Truth upon the Earth Epist 35. quench not your Prophecy neither heed them that despise it but in that stand Quench not Prophecy which brings you through to the End Heed not the Eyes of the World ye Prophets of the Lord but answer that in them all which they have closed their Eye to that ye may to them tell of things to come answering that of God in them that shall remain Keep ye in your Habitations ye Sons of God that over all the Contrary ye may reign And ye Daughters to whom it is given to Prophesie keep within your own Measure seeing over that which is without answering that of God in all And despise not the Prophecy keep down that Nature that would which is the same as that is which acts contrary to that of God in them Not lifted up Neither be lifted up in your Openings and Prophecies lest ye depart from that which opened and so come by the Son of God to be Judged and bidden to depart as Workers of Iniquity for a Worker of Iniquity is gone from that which leads to the Son of God who is the End of the Prophets Quench not the Spirit by which ye may prove all things The Spirit proves all things and that which is good hold fast for if the Spirit be quenched then Light is put for Darkness and Darkness for Light and Evil is put for Good and Good for Evil This is when the Spirit is quenched then cannot ye try all things then cannot ye hold fast that which is good For then they cannot see good when the Spirit is quenched but when the Spirit is not quenched then with the Spirit ye may see the Good to take the Good and the Evil to shun And this brings to put a Difference between the Precious and the Vile the Profane and the Holy the Clean and the Unclean the Spirit is it that proves all things G. F. FRiends Epist 36. Take your heavenly Censers and offer up your Spiritual Prayers to the Almighty God and having heavenly Fire in your Censers it will consume all false Offerings and Sacrifices The Sacrifice of Prayer which are offered in the evil Nature G. F. DEar Friends Prize your heavenly Calling Epist 37. by which ye are called into Holiness and Righteousness without which no
one shall see the Lord. And let your Conversation be as becometh the Gospel To Friends in Cumberland the Holy Power of God which is the Gospel of Christ the Holy One who suffered by the Vnholy Ones And keep in the Lowly Mind and the Humility of Christ that the Fruits of your good Conversation and Translation and Regeneration in your Lives may appear The Fruits of a good Conversation as a People redeemed from the Pleasures of the Flesh and the Spirit of the World and the beggarly Lusts and that ye may obtain the Promise of the Eternal God and the Power of the Truth through the Word in the Heart the hidden Man that ye may obtain Victory over that which wars against your Souls through which ye may be arrayed and adorned and by that ye may be preserved and kept from that which is not of the Father the Lust of the Flesh the Lust of the Eye and the Pride of Life in the Simplicity and Innocency of Christ Jesus over all the Subtilty and feigned Deceit through which ye may esteem nothing in Comparison of that which is of God and him above all through Christ the Light the Truth the Power of God manifested in you False Liberty And keep out of all false Liberties and that which would lead you out of the Fear of God and in that ye will be preserved in the Sense of the Power and the Truth of God in your own Hearts In that every one watch through which Knowledge and Virtue is ministred unto you and Peace from the God of Virtue and Peace And keep out of all that which tends to Strife and Whisperings and Backbitings and Tattlings which draws from the Witness Watch and Fear of God within which leavens into the Fleshly Lusts and Nature and then that Judges and yet is in the same thing for which he Judges others which Nature and Judgment all is for Judgment and Condemnation So be Wise and keep your First Love break not Wedlock with the Lord Jesus Christ keep your first Habitation keep your Garments clean for such as so do they are blessed that ye may shine as Lights to the World Be Examples in Virtue and be Examples in Virtue Righteousness and Holiness walking in the Truth in all Patience and Quietness looking at the Lord your Strength and Christ Jesus the Conqueror and beyond all the Hills and Mountains that ye may be a good Savour to the Lord having Salt in your selves Let your Lamps be burning and your Lights shining and then ye will see over all the Unsavouriness that is in Adam's Family in the Fall who live in Christ the Power of God that never fell and keep Marriage with him the Holy One the Just One the Light the Truth and Power of God who makes an End of all Vnholiness And so walk in the Righteousness that your Feet may be kept in the Way of Peace And keep both your Tongues and Hands and Bodies and Lips and Minds and Words out of all that which would defile and corrupt you and bring you under the Indignation and Wrath of God and his Hand to be turned against you So keep in the Fear of God and keep in his Truth which ye at first received for Truth never changes And walk in the Spirit and then the Lusts of the Flesh will not be fulfilled and then Strife is kept out that which would be high and get up through which comes Strife and Wars So keep your Fellowship in the Spirit in which is the Unity and Bond of Peace Fruits of the Spirit and the Fruits of the Spirit will appear Righteousness Holiness Goodness Peace Soberness and Gentleness Chastity and Virtue through which ye may have Fruit to feed the Hungry and to relieve the Sick and Poor For the Unfruitful walks not in the Spirit and so bears not Fruit and so the Curse comes and Briars and Misery So eye the Lord God in all things in the Spirit who is a Spirit in that ye may distinguish his things and the things that are of your selves and what is of Men and what is of God and what to keep alive and what must dye So be Obedient to the Spirit and to the good Power of God that hath quickened you and live in it that ye may dye no more for that gives you Life For they that are made alive and come to dye again and to be Twice Dead Twice Dead plucked up c. and then come to be plucked up by the Roots such lye dead upon the Earth and corrupt it So let not the World let not things visible draw your Minds away from the Lord. Do not mind the Body more than the Lord do not forsake the Lord but be of good Faith in the Truth of God and live in it then ye live in Christ Jesus who is your Way who is your Teacher who is your Prophet who is your Priest who is the Bishop of your Immortal Souls Christ that never fell nor never changed nor never will change And here ye come into the Seed the Top-stone The Seed the Top-stone that is atop of the World set and before the World was who will remain when the World is gone who was full of Grace and Truth and Virtue and Life by whom Grace comes that brings Salvation who is every one of your Teacher in your selves So know Christ the Head and Salvation in which there is Peace and no Condemnation for the Condemnation is upon them that are out of the Light And so live in Vnity in the Light before Darkness and Enmity was in which ye have Peace and Love to God to Christ and to one another G. F. An Epistle to the Travellers in the Lord's Way with a Testimony against the False Prophets and them that hold them up FRriends Epist 38. All are to receive your Spiritual Bread and Water from the Father of Life by which ye may be strengthened and watered from the Father of Life in your passing and travelling on in your Spiritual Journey heartily and comfortably that ye may come to your heavenly Rest The Spiritual Travel being come and coming out of the great City of Sodom towards the City of heavenly Jerusalem where ye shall abide Eternally for ever Reason not with Flesh and Blood that shall never enter take not Counsel of that which draws thee nearer to Carnal things and draws thee to Consult with Carnal Reason Carnal Reasoning and so draws thy Eye and Mind to Visible things and so brings thee to wander from going on thy Journey and if thou followest that thou goest to Death Hell and Destruction and to the Pit and the Snare and that gets Dominion over thee and comes to rule over thee which ought not But every one wait in the pure Spirit to guide you to God then ye shall see the Promise of God fulfilled in you and the Springs of Life opened to you and Refreshment
to God And the Light is but One and all being guided by it all are subject to One and are One in the Vnity of the Spirit And if your Minds turn from the Light and that Mind speak of the Light there gets up Pride and Presumption and the Will and then ye begin to strike your Fellow-Servants Therefore all Dear Friends and Brethren Be Servants to the Truth and do not strive for Mastery but serve one another in Love Wash one another's Feet take Christ for your Example Serve one another in Love that I may hear of no Strife among you But all walk in the Truth and in the Love of it up to God for there ye are my Joy and Crown in the Lord. Children would be striving but that which would have the Mastery must dye and shall not enter into the Kingdom of God Therefore mind not high things but fear and condescend to Men of Low Degree for the Fear of the Lord keeps the Heart clean and the pure in Heart sees God AND Friends spread your selves abroad that ye may be serviceable for the Lord and his Truth and get over the Head of the Wicked and trample all that which is Contrary to God under your Feet that ye may Answer that of God in every one And him who was promised to be the Covenant of God to the Gentiles The Covenant of God and the New Covenant to the Jews hold forth to them both that all may know him their Leader to God and the Prisoner to come forth unto him G. F. THis is the Word of the Lord to all Friends and Fellow-Labourers in the Truth who are subduing the Earth and its earthly Knowledge Epist 65. and its Carnal Wisdom and beating down and threshing down that in Hope to get forth the Wheat and to be made Partakers of your Hope I charge you all dwell in the Light which doth comprehend the World their evil Ways their Will Worships what they worship Will-Worship and what is their End in all their Actions So that ye may yoke the Oxen and bridle the Horses and tame the wild Heifers and bring them to Christ's Yoke that is to the Light bring every one unto it to see their Way to Salvation and with it every one may know their Condemnation who act contrary to it Wait all on the Lord that ye may be settled and stayed in the Lord and to grow up in the Light that gave forth the Scriptures that there may be no stumbling about the Words which came from the Light For no Creature can read the Scriptures to profit thereby but who come to the Light and Spirit that gave them forth LOVE the Truth more than all and go on in the mighty Power of God Good Soldiers of Christ as good Soldiers of Christ well fixed in his glorious Gospel and in his Word and Power that ye may know him the Life and Salvation and bring up others into it G. F. ALL Friends Epist 66. Meet together in the Light that with it ye may see the Father of Life amongst you in your Meetings And so the Lord God of Power be with you and keep you And the Lord God Almighty give you Dominion over the Beasts of the Field The Beasts of the Field and the Fowls of the Air the Fishes in the Sea and all creeping things And the Lord God Almighty be with you all Farewell AND all live in Peace in Love in Life and in the Power of the Lord God and keep your Meetings every one of you waiting in the Power of God upon him Vnity with God that in it ye may have Vnity with God the Father and the Son and one with another AND Dear Friends Let Wisdom guide you in Patience and do not strive with any in Meetings Strive not in Meetings but dwell in the Power of the Lord God that can bear and suffer all things And make no Strife among Friends but live in that which makes for Peace and Love and Life in which Edification is known G. F. To Friends concerning Marriages WHom God joyneth together Epist 67. are with the Light which is Eternal in the Vnity in the Covenant of Life and of Peace and this Marriage is honourable What Marriage is honorable and what is not and this Bed is not defiled For the Light leads from all Whoredom and Adultery which God will Judge For there is no Marriage honourable but what is in the Lord and that is in the Light with which Light the Covenant of Life is known and seen and the Faith in Jesus the Gift of God is received And they that forbid Marriage are out of the Light and in the Doctrine of Devils And they which are in the Light whom God doth Join together let no Man put them asunder for they that seek to do so are in that Nature which acts contrary to the Light And this Marriage which is honourable with the Children of the Light is seen and known who are in the Covenant of Light and with the Light are turned to the Lord Jesus Christ who leads from all the Works of Darkness And none who are in the Light are afraid of their Deeds being tried but they bring them to the Light to be tried whether their Works be wrought in God Motions of the Flesh Condemned Now who follow the Motions of the Flesh fulfilling the Desires of their Will and go into the Lust of the Flesh such are adulterated from the Light and their Marriage is not honourable and the Children of the Light cannot approve of them But whom God doth Join together they are led from the evil Motions of the Flesh and the Children of the Light do Approve of and Justifie them And who follow the Motions of the Flesh are in the Eagerness Lust Extremes Excess and the Hastiness and that Mind is afraid to declare its Work tho' afterwards is forced by Constraint And that the Children of Light cannot Justifie which is done in that Nature contrary to the Light Therefore the Joining together in the Light the Children of the Light do Honour and Justifie and the Light doth not hide from its own but the Darkness hides from the Light and is afraid to be reproved Therefore all ye Children of the Light let your Light so shine before Men that the Marriage which is Honourable may be witnessed and all that is Contrary to the Light condemned Therefore let all Proceedings in such things Proceedings in Marriage where they are Intended be declared to the Children of Light that therewith they may have Vnity and all the Motions and Works of the Flesh may be condemned and that the Pretence of the Spirits Moving may not be a Cloak or Cover for the beastly Lust but that all such Proceedings may be searched into by the Light and tried whether they stand in or out of the Covenant Let this be read amongst all Friends The God of
you this is the Counsel of God To go amongst Friends evey where G. F. Dear Friends in the Eternal Truth of God Epist 83. whose Minds by the Light of Jesus Christ are turned towards God Meet often together in the Fear of the Lord and to the Light take heed that with it all your Minds may be kept up to God from whence it comes And in all your Meetings wait Low in his Fear Wait Low Meetings that ye may come to know the Life and Power of Truth one in another And all ye whom the Lord hath made Over-seers over his Church in your several Places Over-seers of the Church be faithful to the Lord and watch over the Flock of Christ with all Dilignce ye which are Strong watch over the Weak and stir up that which is Pure one in another see that in order all your Meetings be kept Be faithful unto the Lord where he hath set you and ye shall not lose your Reward Servants be faithful unto your Masters Masters and Servants not with Eye-service serving them as Men-pleasers but in Singleness of Heart as unto the Lord that ye may come to undo the heavy Burdens Being faithful in your Places where the Lord hath set you there is your right Service And take heed of forward Minds and of running out before your Guide for that leads out into Loosness and such plead for Liberty and run out in their Wills and bring Dishonour to the Lord and the Unbridled Will gets at Liberty and an Exalted Spirit gets up and Pride and Haughtiness and high Words Pride And such are they which add to the Burden and do not take it off Therefore all wait Low in the Fear of the Lord and be not hasty nor rash but see the Way be made Clear and as the Lord doth move you so do and return with speed when ye have done to the Place where ye were abiding and be faithful there that the Truth of God be not evil spoken through you as they speak of Vagabonds and Wanderers that it may not be so amongst you Vagabonds and Wanderers For such are Vagabonds and Wanderers which run before their Guide And Masters rule over your Servants in Love with all Diligence and Meekess knowing that ye have one Master in Heaven And Friends in all Places where any do go abroad as they do pass by Examine them Whether they are going and what about And if they cannot give a good Account to exhort them to return back and abide faithful in their Places until they see their Way mad Clear So Farewell in the Lord. The Eternal God of Power and Wisdom direct and guide you to his Eternal Praise that his Name may be honoured and glorified in you and through you all Be Diligent Be diligent every one in your Places where the Lord hath set you for the Work of the Lord is great and God Almighty keep you to be faithful Labourers in his Work From one who is a Lover of your Souls and whose Care is over the Church of God that it may be kept in Order and that all that are guided by his Spirit may be lead into all good Order London the 15th of the 3d Month 1655. G. F. To Friends to sit under their own Vine MY Dear Friends Epist 84. Sit every one of you under your own Vine and there none shall make you afraid and in that ye will bring forth Fruit to God abundantly to his Praise And in the Vine as ye abide Heirs of Christ ye will all become Heirs of Christ and come all to know the Seed which is Heir of the Power of the World where there is no End and Heirs of the Kingdom and so possess that And live in the Seed The Seed the the Top-Stone the Top-Stone which was before Enmity was in which ye will feel Vnty and Vertue and Love and Peace in that keep your Meetings G. F. An Epistle to Friends that with the Light they may see their Salvation FRiends Epist 85. All to the Light which Jesus Christ hath enlightned you withal that heed that with the Light of Christ the Saviour of your Souls ye may all come to see and enjoy Rest and the New Covenant ye may all witness where ye need no man to teach you saying Know the Lord. The Light shews Sin and Evil. And this Light shews you Sin and the Evil of the World and the Lust of it and the vain Fashions of it that pass away and the Unrighteousnss and the Ungodliness of it for they are not in Covenant with God but are contrary to the Light and to be condemned with the Light Therefore to the Light I direct you that with it ye may see your selves then in it stand that with it ye may see Jesus from whence it comes And not to join with your vain Thoughts nor that which doth consult and set and frame Ways there is the Idol-maker The Founder of Images and the Image-maker and the Founder of the Images whom ye will see with the Light if ye to it take heed And so the Founder of the Image will be destroyed and with that ye will come to hear the Voice of the Son of God and who hears his Voice shall live Stephen Moses And Stephen who was stoned to Death witnessed the Substance and Moses Words fulfilled who said Like unto me will God raise up a Prophet him shall ye hear He heard this Prophet and denied the First Temple and Priests The First Temple denied and so to deny that which God had commanded was more than to deny these which God never commanded Therefore consider in your Life-time how much time ye have spent in Hearing of othem and what Assurance ye have of the Eternal Inheritance which never fades away G.F. To Friends in London THere is something drawing towards you see to it Epist 86. Take heed of the Earth and keep a-top of that which will cumber the Mind and Dwell in Love and Peace one with another Keep a top of the Earth G. F. FRiends In the Power of the Lord go forth Epist 87. and gather with it into the Fold and spread the Name and Truth of the Lord abroad and in his Service be Diligent Concerning Preaching the Truth to the Heathen and all that are out of the Truth and for his Truth be Valiant on the Earth and for his Name 's sake And dwell in that which will pierce the Hearts of the Heathen and will overturn their Heathenish Customs and take away their false Covers and in that Power of the Lord be diligent answering the Witness of God in all Consciences And dwell in Peace and Love amongst yourselves Pierce the Hearts of the Heathen Confound the Deceit and bring the Truth over the Heads of the Heathen to the answering the Witness of God in them all And that is the Word of the
Access to God And dwell in Patience and Love to God and one towards another for the Lamb must have the Victory over them all the Wild Beasts in the Field or Wilderness who are in the Fall from God Aud tho' these Beasts Horns be never so long The Beast's Horns yet the Lamb shall conquer them who gets the Victory and overcomes and takes away the Sin And the Lamb hath Wisdom the Lamb hath Power follow him then ye shall have his Mind Wisdom and Patience and in that ye follow the Spirit of Truth and are led by that against which there is no Law in which there is Life and Peace and Fellowship with the Son and the Father and all the Saints and their Words Therefore live in the Truth and then ye live in Christ the Way that lives who was before the Vntruth was in which the many Ways in the Wilderness are The Way of Truth And living in the Truth ye live in the Love and Vnity yea in that which was before the Enmity was and Imperfection in which Truth is all Perfection of Love and Life and Light which Light Life and Truth is the Way to God in whom the Church is which Christ is the Head of And who come to this Church they come into God the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ and who come to God they must come into the Light Life and Truth And that is the Way in which People are renewed into God's Image of Holiness and Righteousness again in which God is seen Which Way is out of the Ways of Man that is fallen from the Image of God's Righteousness and true Holiness in which Way are all the Gadders abroad from God out of the Life G. F. ALL Friends and Brethren In the Noble Seed of God live Epist 143. which hath the Promise of Life which is the Top-and Corner-Stone The Top-and Corner-Stone Christ over all set in whom is Life Eternal and Fulness for you all and Life Peace and Wisdom And the Seed Christ destroyeth the Devil and his Works which Seed Christ lives for ever Feel and know that in your selves which will never have an End and then ye will know that which doth remain and abide when the Devil and his Works are destroyed and gone The Seed remaineth Christ the Power of God which goeth over the Power of the Devil in which is the Saints Vnity that is Everlasting which bringeth to the Church The Saints Vnity that is in God And so all in the Power of the Lord God and the Seed live which is over all that which is not in his pure Life in which ye all have Vnity that never hath an End My Love is to you in the Seed in which there is Life G. F. FRiends Epist 144. Get not Knowledge in the unsanctified and unregenerated Part for that which is not sanctified in your own particulars Knowledge will not be to them that it is declared to Neither can ye feel your Words go from you with Joy and Life The unsanctified Part. that come from the unsanctified and unregenerated Part for that Part will glory and boast and vaunt it self and say This have I done and that have I spoken and not glory in the Lord. So this satisfies not and the Spirit in Prison is not refreshed by those things G. F. FRiends Where there is Strife among any of you Epist 145. mind the Light to Judge it down and Condemn it by which Light your Minds may be guided up to Christ where there is no Scrife to learn of him Strife Judged down and to Condemn all that with the Light which would give the World a Ground to reproach Truth and to see your Nakedness For that which is out of the Light will fall and confound it self So mind that which keeps your Peace and condemns that which leads into Weakness and that which will let in Prejudice from the Light goes All which is to be condemned with the Light which leads to Christ the Covenant of Peace And where there is Strife which leads out into many Words such will wither and bring themselves under Condemnation at last Many Words Such must be Silent and mind that which doth condemn them that the Life in them may arise wherein is no Strife For where Mens Spirits are high something is stirring that should be kept under take heed that get not up into Rule So first learn the Ministry of Condemnation in your selves that Life may arise before Ministry in the Spirit be known which preacheth Peace by Jesus Christ where there is no Strife Therefore wait to know the Time of Silence A time of Silence And all Friends Let your Patience and Moderation be known to all Men for nothing is attained to that is good by Strife for that is out of Christ in the forward Will which is to be condemned with the Light where is the Vnity which cometh from Christ and leadeth up to Christ the Covenant of Life And take heed All Friends of causing his Name to be blasphemed through you among the Heathen but mind and wait to receive the Love of God which bears all things and suffers all things and so comes to receive the Armour of Righteousness Love bears all things which quenches all the fiery Darts of Satan that the Patience that bears and suffers all things may be witnessed G. F. To Friends in Ireland FRiends Epist 146. Feel all of you the Power of the Lord God in your selves to guide your Minds up to God and to give you Dominion over all Weakness Dominion over Weakness and to strengthen and to heal you And look not out but every one feel the Power of God in your own particulars and let all your Faith stand in that then will ye have Vnity and in that ye will have Dominion and Victory and it will keep you in Order In which ye will have Virtue and in which ye will feel the Spirit in which ye will have Fellowship and Comfort And be Low and Still in the Life and Power and not hasty nor rash that ye may in the Life and Power answer that of God in every one Not Hasty nor Rash that crieth for Peace and Rest So dwell in the Love of God this I warn you and charge every one of you your Faith standing in this and in the Power of God then ye will feel the Presence of the Lord God among you G. F. To Friends in Wales FRiends Epist 147. Live in the Wisdom of the Lord for that is it which doth preserve you pure lively and gentle above that which is below And in the Increase of God live The hicrease of God and in his Virtue Power and Love that through it your Hearts may be established and filled with the same that Justice and Truth may in all things be amongst you and Christ Jesus known in the midst of you as a Prophet
his Eye who for our sakes hath reproved Powers and Thrones and Dominions and rebuked them We are the Preachers of Righteousness in the great City Sodom wherein Christ was crucified where the Life of the Prophets and the Apostles and Holy Men of God lies slain and Cursers Cursers Swearers Drunkards Swearers Drunkards Eaters and Drinkers that rise up to play in all Fulness Wantonness and Prophaness profess their Words and make merry over their Lives And the Witnesses since the Apostles Days have been slain the Woman in the Wilderness the Lamb and his Wife shall be known which is come up out of the Wilderness So in this great City Sodom and Gomorrah Sodom and Gomorrah the False Church and the Whore are where all the Abominations are that made all the Nations drunk of the Wine of the Wrath of her Fornication whereby the World is all on Heaps about Religion and Church-Worship and the several Ways in Sodom's Nature professing the Saints Words imitating Forms killing and slaying one another about professing the Saints Words but out of their Life Which shews that they are not of the Royal Seed The Royal Seed which saith Love Enemies that 's the Royal Seed and they that follow him are of the Royal Priesthood and holy People and Generation amongst whom is the Royal Law of Love whereby we cannot respect Mens Persons for he who doth is convinced of the Royal Law to be a Transgressor So every one of us that is come to the Seed of God that bruiseth the Serpent's Head that led Man from God who is the Prince of the World the Prince of Darkness and the Prince of the Air the Father of Lies a Murderer from the Beginning the Corrupter of Mankind the Author of the Separation from God and the Original of Sin the Beginning of it which led Man from his Dominion over the Handy-Works of God The Handy-Works of God which the Royal Seed Christ destroys and renews Man again in the Image of God and brings him again to his Dominion over the Handy-Works of God And this Hundreds of Thousands are now witnessing by which they come to be Kings and redeemed from the Earth and come to be made Kings upon the Earth in the Image of God over the Handy-Works of God in the Wisdom by which they were created So all Powers whatever that are a Terror to Evil-Doers that bear not the Sword in vain to us are a Praise that do well And all Kings upon the Earth that were Anointed by God a Figure of our Christ the King the Anointed he ends them all Revel 1.6 and makes Kings to reign upon the Earth amongst these Christ is King wich Thousands witness amongst these he is King and all other Kings made by Man and putting Man on Earthly Crowns Earthly Man will put them off again and un-King them if they cross them This is the State amongst them in whom Christ reigns not nor the true Magistrate obeyed which is to the Evil-Doers a Terror But since the Apostles Days all hath been in Confusion about Religion Church and Worship amongst them that have killed the Witnesses and since the true Church went into the Wilderness and the Witnesses have been slain and the Man-Child caught up to God So they that have slain the Witnesses and killed the Saints have been in all this Confusion The Witnesses rising and the Witnesses are rising and the Everlasting Gospel shall be preached again amongst them that have had the Words but have slain the Life of the Prophets and the Apostles unto all Nations Kindreds and Tongues of them that dwell upon the Earth So the great Professors of the World which were the Jews could not abide Jesus the King that he should reign and where he is now in the Male and in the Female he is King and that makes Kings among whom he is King All in the Name of the mighty King of Kings is to be done and then it is in the Power G. F. ALL Friends Take heed of running on in a Form Epist 173. lest ye do lose the Power but keep in the Power and Seed of God in which ye will live in the Substance And at any Disputes take heed Disputes many may be lifted up in the Victory and Conquest and after have a Joy in the Prophecies and Openings and after fall And if Bablers come and Janglers say They have a Bad Metting and so the murmuring Nature getteth up out of Patience and the Seed which beareth all things and suffereth all things which keepeth down that which causeth Lifting up Murmuring and Disputing which the Seed endeth and Prophecy and keepeth down all the other that is contrary and would live in the contrary that which keeps down that which doth change is the Peace and the Corner-Stone and the staiedness in the Seed and Life G. F. DEar Friends all every where Feel the Seed of God over all that Epist 174. which is in the Fall that is gotten up The Fall of Adam since Adam and Eve fell from Righteousness and the Image of God and in which Fall the Lamb hath been slain And so feel the Seed of God over all that which makes to suffer and will stand and remain when he that makes to suffer is gone And so feel Christ to reign and rule over all that which is in the Fall Feel Life over all and there ye may all feel the Life to flow over all which Life was with the Father before the World began and which Life will remain when Death and the Power of it is gone And in that Life all live and dwell and in it keep your Meetings AND feel the Word of Patience and the Word of Wisdom in which ye may find both Patience and Wisdom in this Day of Life Patience and Wisdom And feel my Love to all Friends in the Everlasting Seed of God G. F. To Friends to serve one another in Love in outward things MY Dear Friends Epist 175. in the Order and Wisdom of Life order all things to God's Glory and dwell in the Love of God together all serving one another in Love and in the Life of the Truth and ye that give to the Poor Give to the Poor lend to the Lord and he will give you again with Advantage And so be Fruitful in every good Work and be Subject to one another in the Fear of the Lord and do that which ye do in Love and Peace and in that keep in the Authority and Power of God in Kindness Passion and basty Spirits And keep down and be Master over all Passion and the hasty and cross Spirits and silence that which is suddain and let Love have the Preheminence in all and over all And provoke one another to Love and to good Works and be diligent in all your places that ye may be a good Savour in the Hearts of all and that the Truth may flow
Spirit plungeth down by Baptism and putteth under and bringeth into the One Body and putteth that under which causeth many Heads and answereth to that which is Transgressed against For all must come to the One Baptism with the Spirit into the One Body And all my Dear Friends be faithful and quench not the Spirit but be Obedient to the Truth and spread it abroad The Witness of God in all which must go over all the World to Profossors Jews Christians and Heathen to the answering the Witness of God in them all that they may come to the Truth which answers the Witness in them to be made free by it And Friends In the Wisdom of God dwell which preserveth in Vnity in the Spirit and Power If any thing be spoken in a Meeting which ye cannot bear speak to them concerned betwixt them and you Meetings quiet after the Meeting is ended for if any of the World be there it may give Occasion to them to reproach Truth For Wisdom preserveth in the Peace and maketh Peace and preserveth out of the Contrary and overcomes with the Wisdom and Love and answereth the Witness with the Life and so hath Unity and that hath the Kingdom G. F ALL Friends Ye must come into a Tomperance above all the World And all Friends Ye must come into a Patience above all the World And all Friends Ye must come into a Moderation above all the World And all Friends Ye must come into a Wisdom above all the World And all Friends Ye must come into a Knowledge above all the World And all Friends Ye must come into an Vnderstanding above all the World And all Friends Ye must come into a Sobriety and Gravity and a seasoned State above all the World G. F. MY Dear Friends In the Love Epist 180. and Life and Power of the Lord God dwell in the Power Life and Seed which hath no End To Friends to take beed of getting into the Form without the Power in which ye all may have Vnity And be Faithful and Diligent in the things that are good and keep your Meetings and Meet together in the Power of the Lord which cannot be broken in which is an Everlasting Vnity And live in Peace and Vnity one with another and all keep in the Power of the Lord God and take heed of getting into a Form without the Power any of you for that will bring Deadness and Coldness and Weariness and Faintings and what will it not bring in that Nature therefore keep in the Power of the Lord which will keep all the Contrary down and out and preserve you in Peace and Life Love and Vnity fresh and fruitful and diligent in the Wisdom of the Lord God with which and in which ye may be kept and preserved to his Glory and be a good Savour to him and in the Hearts of all People That to the Lord ye may be a Blessing in your Generation and a peculiar People in Tenderness and full of that Faith which overcomes the World and all things in it through which ye may come all up into the Vnity of the Spirit which is the Bond of Peace AND all Friends Live in the Power of the Lord God and keep down the Wise Part which will judge Truth to be Simple The Wise Part. and come to despise it and cry up their own Words of Wisdom in its place G. F. FRiends Epist 181. Live in the unchangable Power of God which will keep you in Righteousness and Truth and Love and Vnity and Dominion over all the unclean Spirits The Supreme Power and rough Ways and Mountains within and without that the Power of the Lord God may be Supreme amongst you and that ye may in the Wisdom of the Lord be preserved And none abuse it but all patiently in the Power of the Lord wait that in it ye may be all kept Low in Love and Vnity with God and one with another that in the Seed ye may be kept which is Heir of the Power Earthly things And all be diligent in your Places serving the Lord and that your Spirits may not be pluck'd down with Earthly things nor limited by them but that in the Power of the Lord God ye may act over them the Handy-Works of God out of the Intanglements and Thraldom of them and out of the vain Inventions of Men but keep in the Power of the Lord God over them in which Power is the Mystery of the Fellowship and the Dominion and let every one's Eye behold it and mind it For that is it which will keep you out of the Changable things and present your Minds Souls and Spirits to the Lord and there the Seed comes up which is Heir of the Power and of the Wisdom which is pure from above where the City if known that lets no Uncleanness in and the Salt is known that savours all things Therefore feel it in the Heart which is more than in the Head or Tongue which many may strive for but do not obtain the Power nor the Kingdom Therefore all be Wise the Wisdom of God The beginning of Wisdom and let every one's Eye be unto that Wisdom which the departing from Sin and Evil is the Beginning of that with it ye may be ordered and do whatsoever ye have to do with it and by it In that ye will feel his Presence and Blessing that ye may know the Seed Immortal to have the Dominion in you that there ye may come to know Christ to reign And your Growth in the Seed is in the Silence The Growth in Silence where ye may all find a Feeding of the Bread of Life And all Friends keep in the Wisdom of the Lord that is pure and holy from above by which Wisdom ye may be preserved and kept holy and pure above that which is below and out of that which is below the wise part wherein is the Strife that being kept down by the Power of the Lord the Seed comes up which is Heir of the Power And there Innocency and Simplicity and Nakedness of Heart and Spirit is lived in and Life is fed upon G. F. And so if any Friends have Friends or Relations beyond Sea send them Books or Papers Books and be diligent to spread the Truth and send Latin Books or French Books or other Books to Leghorn France Poland Italy Norway Low-Countries c. MY Dear Hearts Epist 182. Do your Business faithfully and fear not the Amazement of Men To Friends beyond the Sear ye Sons and Daughters of Abraham Trample upon all Deceit and keep over all that in the Dominion of God's Power Fear not Man above the World answering that of God in all and spare not any Deceit Be ye faithful and ye will find and feel the Word Cut down Deceit which is sharper than any two-edged Sword to cut down Deceit and ye will feel the Blessing of
the Lord God with you And if the World's Works lie like a Wilderness care not for it and matter it not but do the Work of the Lord faithfully and ye will feel it prosper answering that of God in every one And so God Almighty preserve you in his Power G. F. FRiends Epist 183. Dwell in Patience and in the Power Life and Wisdom of God and in Peace and Love and Unity one with another And be subject in the Power and Life and Wisdom of God to God and to one another that in it ye may be as a pleasant Field to the Lord God As Libies and Flowers and as the Lillies and the Flowers and the Buds feeling the pleasant Showers and the Streams of Life from the Living God flowing upon you and coming into you whereby the Presence and Blessing of the Lord God Almighty amongst you all may be felt And in that the Lord God Almighty preserve and keep you that to him ye may be a good Savour And live in Peace And the God of all Peace keep you that nothing may reign and rule amongst you but the Life and Power and Seed and Wisdom of God that in him ye may be preserved by which all things were made and created That ye may be all ordered to his Glory and be a good Savour in the Hearts of all People in which ye do refresh others and are refreshed So dwell in the Fear of the Lord which brings a Dread and Terror upon all his Enemies Esau's Mount that are in Esau's Mount but your Peace comes from the Mountain of God And let your Joy and Peace be in the Lord. G. F. OH my Dear Friends and Brethren every where The Power of the Lord God that is over all live in Epist 184. that in that ye may feel Vnity and Fellowship that in the Power of the Lord God ye may all come to be Heirs of the Power of an Endless Life through which ye may inherit Eternity and so to feel Life Eternal abiding in you Now The Man-slayer and Persecutor the Man-slayer hath not Eternal Life abiding in him that is he that envies his Brother so all the Persecutors that envy their Brethren have not Eternal Life abiding in them Under this all the Persecutors about their Church and vain Religion false Worship Faith and Ministry are Therefore all of you feel this Eternal Life abiding in you for he that hath the Son of God hath Life Eternal and so in this Eternal Life ye have Fellowship with God and his Son and with one another and in this the Law of Life that is in Jesus Christ The Law of Life passeth Sentence on the Law of Sin and Death in every Man and Woman and brings it to the Execution Through which Law of Life Righteousness flows and runs down and also Justice and Truth and by this Law of the Spirit of Life in Christ Jesus Mark in Christ Jesus ye come to know the Lamb's Throne and the Throne of Iniquity thrown down and all blasphemous Mouths stopped and the Chambers of Imagery thrown down and the Houshold of God raised up and the Fruit less Trees thrown down and the Plant of God raised up The Plant of God which is of his own Planting the Tree of Righteousness whose Fruit is unto Holiness whose End is Everlasting Life So mark here 's the Fruit of this Tree and the End of this Tree and by this Spirit ye do distinguish Names and Plantings and Pluckings up and God's Building ye will distinguish from Man's Building and Man's Plucking down and man's Gathering together Ye that are gathered together in the Name of Jesus can distinguish Mens Gathering and their Scattering Oh! The Knowledge of Truth Therefore be Valiant for the Truth which ye are come to the Knowledge of and worship God in that Truth which the Devils is our of and abode not in this makes you free from the Devil and his Works that are out of the Truth Here in this Worship in the Truth and in the Spirit the living God who is a Spirit the God of all Truth he hath his Glory and his Honour from his Spirit in every Heart And so keep in the Spirit and Truth and the Power of the Everlasting God who is from Everlasting to Everlasting that ye may know him Lord of the Earth and of the Heaven and of the Heaven of Heavens ruling and reigning whose Eye is over all his Works that ye may glorifie him in his Power and Spirit and serve him in the New Life which will keep you over all Mens Fables and Devices Fables and Devices Whimsies and Imaginations out of all Janglings and vain Dispates of Men of corrupt Minds And so all to live in that which is the same to day as was yesterday Christ Jesus the Power of God and the Seed of Life and Word that was in the Beginning so no new thing but that which was and is to all Eternity Let your Fellowship be in that and your Vnity and Communion be in that for by the Spiritual Eye the Eternal Vnity with the Eternal God is seen So The Voice of God soakes the Earth and the Heavens Hear his Voice every where that speaks from Heaven whose Voice shakes the Earth and not the Earth only but Heaven also The Heaven signifies Joy so all the false Joys the lifted-up Joys or exalted Joy and Joy in vain Glory and Joy in the world or any outward thing or Creature or Men or Women his Voice that speaks from Heaven shakes the Earth and the Heavens and this must be shaken and removed both the Heaven and the Earth before that doth appear that can never be shaken the Noble Royal Seed Elect and Precious which was before the World began being Heirs of him come to inherit him in him ye shall know that which cannot be shaken and there is the true JOy the standing Joy in that which is from Everlasting to Everlasting who is the Beginning and Ending here is not any lifted up nor cast down So I say Hear his Voice and hearden not your Hearts for through not hearing his Voice ye harden your Hearts then ye provoke God to Wrath and sore Displeasure Let him have your Ear that speaks from Heaven that ye may come to observe his Counsel Teachings Instructions and Directions For all the Prophets the holy Men of God and the Apostles were Attentive and Obedient to this heavenly Voice who witnessed to the Truth who had a Witness in Heaven also and such declared forth the glorious Truth which they had from the Instruction of the Almighty As ye may read throughout the Scriptures what glorious Expressions and weighty Truths they declared whose Ears were Attentive to him that spake from Heaven and how they declared against them that stopped their Ears and closed their Eyes and hardened their Hearts For such whose Ears are not Attentive to the heavenly Voice are Earthly so
Witness one another in the Sight of weak Friends but dwell in the Power of the Lord God and that will keep that down in every particular which is to be judged through which ye may judge the whole World that lies in Wickedness Therefore dwell all I warn you from the Lord God of Power of Life of Heaven and Earth dwell in his Power and Wisdom and Life that in that ye may have Dominion over the World and the Andersaries in it and live in it through which ye will feel the Preciousness and Weight of Truth The Weight of Truth which now is going over all the World and To all Nations of Mankind the Everlasting Gospel the Power of God is to be preached through which life and Immortality shall come to Light in which Power is the Fellowship Therefore this is the Word of the Lord God to you all those that are convinced by the Power of the Lord God and the Light let them dwell in it in which they may have Vnity For the the Lord hath a Seed that ways if ye in Patience all of you wait and not matter the Weather the Storms the Winds the Hail the Rain when ye are to sow the Seed nor the rough Ground The Husbandman that is to be tilled For the Husband-man waits patiently after the Seed is sown there is a Winter before the Summer comes And there must be a great Work before the Misty Heathen be cleared in their Understandings that are so naturally and the dark Air be driven back and the Prince of Life and Light be witnessed Dwell in the Life and in the Light for the great Professors of Spiritual Babylon the Mother of Harlots that are full of Craft will be brought down and that must be witnessed before ye know the bride made ready for her Husband So live in Patience and in Peace and in the weighty Wisdom of God and then ye will see the End of all frothy Spirits that will not abide the Trial. Therefore Friends keep ye in the Power of the Lord God and dwell in Live one with another and in the pure Power and Life of Truth and the Seed of God which ye first kept in that ye may be kept over all light and airy Spirits that will be up and down like a Tempest Comers and Goers to the Seed that ye may stand in the Seed which is Everlasting Airy Spirits In that the Lord preserve you Ye may write over how things are there for Truth is well here and spreads abroad in the World in other Nations and is of a good Report G. F. Reading the 15th of the 8th Month 1659. THE Lord is King over all the Earth and Christ hath all Power in Heaven and in the Earth and he is King of Kings and Lord of Lords let him rule and reign in all your Hearts by Faith and exalt him in the Land and in your Assemblies G. F. OH Friends have an Esteem of Truth and God's Glory Epist 192. Keep down all Inordinate Affections Concerning Marrying with the world and bad Marriages and have an Esteem of Truth above your Lusts and Earthly things worldly Riches and Goods and mind the Example of the Old World When the Sons of God saw the Daughters of Men were fair they took unto them Wives of all that they liked and so made no Distinction between the Righteous and the Wicked Which grieved the Lord God that he said His Spirit should not always strive with Man And therefore he shortned his Days to an Hundred and twenty Years which before were many Hundred Years Enoch-Methuselah and Lamech Though Enoch Methuselah and Lamech and the holy Men of God their Marriages God did not Judge but when the Sons of those holy Men which were called the Sons of God went to the World for Wives they slew the Spiritual Birth in them and quenched the Holy Spirit of God in them and corrupted the Earth and filled it with Cruelty and followed the Imaginations of their own Hearts Lasts continually insomuch that they grieved the Lord and he repented that he made Man For he saw All Flesh had corrupted his Way upon the Earth saving Noah a Just Man with his Family who walked with God Noah a Just Man and did not join with the Wickedness of the World Therefore God destroyed the Old World The Old World and the Beginning thereof was these bad Marriages as Jude and Peter saith They followed strange Flesh by which they came to be corrupted and therefore God sent a Flood and destroyed the Old World with its ungodly Deeds And there is your Example that Marry with the World Gen. 6. And doth not the Lord say to the Chidren of Israel Forbidden Marriages Thou shalt not give thy Sons nor thy Daughters in Marriage with the Heathen And were not such as did so reproved by the Lord and his Prophets As ye may see through the Scriptures And doth not the Apostle say Be ye not unequally yoked together with Vnbelievers for what Fellowship hath Light with Darkness or Christ with Belial or a Believer with an Infidel For how many Thousands of the Jews did the Lord destroy which went and married with other Nations and pleaded Liberty And did not Phineas run one through and his Heathenish Woman Phineas And so must not all such be run through with the Sword of the Spirit of God And the Lord said Numb 25.7 8. Phineas hath turned mine Anger away from the Children of Israel when the Lord had destroyed Twenty four Thousand of them And doth not the World call such Bastard and Hypocrite Quakers and not faithful that go to the World for a Wife and to the Priests to be Married Priest's Marriages Oh! That ye should profess Truth and go from its Power and Life and so corrupt your selves and to have no more Esteem of your Bodies which God hath so honoured and made them Vessels of his Mercy to put his Mercy into And have no more Esteem of God his Truth nor his People but to Esteem your Affections and Lusts above them all and to make your selves a Talk and a Laughing-stock by going into that for which ye are judged of God and of all his People and of that of God in your own Consciences also Burying-places And do not Friends buy Burying-places because they cannot give their dead Bodies to the World no more than Abraham could And ye that profess your selves to be quickned by Christ and made alive by him to give your Bodies to them that are dead in Sins and Trespasses Oh ye makde your selves ridiculous both to God's People and the World and come under the Judgment of both and of God and the Scriptures to be such as follow strange Flesh and corrupt the Earth like the Old World Ye bring Burthens upon the Just But God will shorten your Days as he did the Old World's except ye repent as ye may
read Gen. 6. And therefore mind God's Ordinance and then ye will know God's Joyning by his Spirit and by his Power And be not corrupted with them that follow strange Flesh and corrupt themselves that creep among you and would be called by you Name Bastard-Quakers which the Priests and the World call Bastard-Quakers And therefore keep the Gospel-Order which is the Power of God before the Devil was and the Government of Christ Jesus which destroys the Devil and all his Works G. F. ALL Friends every where that are Convinced with Truth and profess it and own it About 1660. Epist 191. Keep to the Single Language the good Spirit the Light of Christ Jesus leads to it and that which goes from that The Single Language which doth not live in it is to be judged And then if Man or Woman seek to get Gain by speaking the improper untrue Language and flattering Language of the World which is in Confusion the Lord may take that Gain away from them For Plural and Singular was the Language of God and Christ and all good Men and of the Prophets and Apostles Singular and Plural but the Confused World that lies in Confusion cannot endure it who live not in the Fear of God neither follow the Example of good Men but are in the double Tongue quenching the Spirit and hating the Light of Christ Jesus which is Single And so al Friends train up your Children in the same Singular and Plural Language all Masters Mistresses and Dames or whatsoever ye are called Friends Children that do take Friends Children that are in the Singular and Plural Language it is not fit for you to bring them out of it neither to Force nor Command them otherwise to please your Customers nor to please Men for if they should pay Two or Three for One that would displease you who would have them to speak Two or Three when they should speak Singular Thee and Thou to One. And so do not lose that Testimony which slays the World's Honour and do not go into the Custom of the World's Fashions or Commands nor force others from that which is the Language of God and Christ and all good Men and Women into that which is Contrary to God and Christ and all good Men and Women for there must be 1660 and always was a Distinction betwixt One and Many For if in your Practice ye should not do it but let one have many things when he should have but one thing ye would think to suffer Wrong and your Servants to do that which were not Righteous and so do not they speak that which is not Righteous when they say Many for One and Non-sense and Confusion And therefore keep to the proper sound Single Language For indeed I did hear some Apprentices and Servants that were troubled at their Apprentces and Servants for saying Thee and Thou to one and because they would not say the word You and such who have known the Language from their Childhood And therefore that Selfish Man-pleasing and Daubing Spirit ust be put down with the Spirit and condemned with the Light else ye will presently be ridiculous to the World and to all Men and they will say Ye are not so as ye were in he Beginning and so follows the Customs of the World and not the Practice of Christ and all good Men. And so this is written that all may Fear the Lord and they who have done so may do so no more and that others may be warned and not to go into such things But mind the Truth and Spirit of God the Light of Christ Jesus that none of the Free-born may lose the true Language and speak half the World's Language and half of the People of God For to say to Friends Thee and Thou and to the World You that is Hypocrisie Hypocyifie and therefore for all Hypocrites and Hypocrifie and Dissembling to be kept under Judgment for that is a Dissembling with the Witness of God For ye see the Outward Jews when they went from the Law of God in process of time spake half Hebrew and half Ashdod Half Hebrew half Ashdod And therefore to prevent all Dissembling and Hypocrifie keep to the Spirit of God and Light of Christ Jesus that the Jews inward may not have a Mixed Lanugage no more than the Jews outward to speak half the confused Language of the World and half the true Language Nor to the World speak confusedly to speak the Plural for the Singular and when ye are among the World speak as the World doth and when ye are amongst Friends speak as they do This Spirit is not from the Spirit of God but is Hypocrifie and for Judgment And so let the Truth have its Passage in all things and speak True Words and not False with the Light ye will see who act contrary to it will be condemned by it So let Friends be distinct from all the World in their Language in their Ways in Love and in their Conversations for in that ye are over the World and Judge them by Scripture Scriptures Grammar and Accidence by Grammar and Accidence and all other Teaching-Books for ye have them all on your side to hammer them down withal who follow neither Scriptures Grammar nor Accidence nor their own Teaching-Books and are Judged by them all and the Spirit of God also which leads to one and to divide and distinguish Singular from Plural many things from one thing and One from Two and Three and many Men and Women from One many Ways from One many Churches from One many Fellowships from One and the many Words from One and the many Gods from One and the True Christ from the many Anti-Christs and false All this is distinguished and known by the One Spirit the Light and Power of Christ Jesus which gives an Understanding Let this be sent abroad that all may read it over G. F. FRiends In the Fear of the Lord God live departing from Sin and Evil Epist 192. as it appears in your own particulars and therein ye will receive the Wisdom of God by which all things were made and created A General Etistle to Friends concerning divers Particulars with which Wisdom they may be ordered to the Glory of God that created all things and with that Wisdom use all things and order all that are under your Hands and Dominion to the Glory of him that created them And in this ye will feel the Lord God going in and out amongst you and to be with you and his Blessing and Presence with you in your Actings and he over all giving you Dominion in his Wisdom Power and Life that with that ye may come to answer that of God in every one with which your Minds should be guided up to God And in that ye will be a good Savour to God and in the Hearts of all People that live up to the Witness and are
that which is good just and righteous and serve one another in that in that ye live in the Life and in the Seed the Power and Righteousness that is everlasting which is of God and his Wisdom through which ye come to answer the good just and holy Principle of God in every one upon the Earth In which Power ye have Dominion in which ye come to live the Life which is well-pleasing to God a Life which shall stand when the World is ended And in this Life Power and Wisdom of God that is endless ye are a Terror to all A Terror to Defrauders that are in the Wisdom below ye are a Terror to all that are in the unrighteous Actions and Words And ye are a Terror to all that are in the unjust and unequal doings and all the Defrauders Cozeners Cheaters Over-reachers Lyars and Wrong-dealers In the Power of God and his Life in which ye have Justice ye have Truth ye have Equity ye have Righteousness and it cometh to be to you as natural you Words your Lives your Conversations your Presence and your Practices both judge and preach and ye will be a Terror to all them in the just Life and everlasting Righteousness Christ Jesus living in him and in his Wisdom and walking in him and speaking the Truth as it is in him in all things your Life and your Words are a Terror to all that speak not Truth in their Dealings and to all that act not truly and righteously in their Doings your Lives do judge them and are a Judge to them and through your Constancy Faithfulness and Life which is Everlasting ye bring many to Amendment For both Life Actions Words and Conversation preach all these preach to the unrighteous World being in the Everlasting Righteousness which over the World hath Dominion through which Life Power Seed of God and Wisdom ye reach and answer the good and just Principle of God in every one and it will make them at last confess to you though they may go on in the contrary for a time So in that Power Wisdom and Strength that gives you Dominion over all and to answer that of God in all the Love and Power of the Lord Jesus Christ preserve and keep you all in his Wisdom Life Seed and Dominion that to him ye may be a Blessing and a good Savour in the Hearts of all People And let all your Actions and Words be one with the Witness of God in all People Amen The Wicked and Unrighteous owe Envy and Hatred and with that they pay their Debt but the Righteous Just and Harmless who owe nothing to any Man but Love with that they pay their Debt But Drunkards Adulterers Swearers Rioters who eat and drink and rise up to play and live in Pleasures wantonly upon the Earth Fighters Quarrellers Envious Malicious Vnjust Vnrighteous all such Actions and Practices are judged out of the Power of God and out of his Kingdom AND all Friends every where that are Shop-keepers or Merchants or Factors or any other Trades keep low in the Power of God and do not go beyond your Capacity nor reach after things more than ye can justly perform and answer all Men but all in your places be just and true that ye may answer all Men within and without and Truth and Justice in your Returns that ye may keep your Words So say and so do which is the Royal Law of Liberty in all your Tradings else ye are a Dishonour to Christianity So say and so do therefore see your Business that what ye do and what ye say ye may perform that ye may not break your Words and Promises for if ye do ye go to Loss Neither are ye Masters of what ye take in hand for a Master should be a top of things and be in that which can command things And none to be Negligent in their Business but give an Account by Words or Writings how things are with them when others write to them so that none may Wrong one another in these outward things nor oppress one another but be serviceable one to another Things beyond Ability keeping their Words their going into things beyond their Ability makes them break their Words keeping within their Compass with that which they may answer others lest any should be lifted up For it is bad thing to be lifted up and to make a Noise and a Shew for a time with other Peoples Goods and cannot keep their Word their Promise their Day such may be lifted up for a time and Break and Fall and go out as a Stink and bring a great Dishonour to Christ and true Christians And therefore keeping your Word your Day and keeping your just Measure your just Weight that keeps down the Oppression And by keeping to that just Measure and Weight and to your Word and Day Just Measure just Weight by the Power of God and his Spirit in your own Hearts there the Blessing is doubled there ye come to be Rich and ye are a good Savour to God and in the Hearts of all People So every one strive to be Rich in the Life and in the Kingdom and Things of the World that hath no End for he that covets to be Rich in the things of this World falls into many Snares and hurtful Lusts And therefore let him that buys or sells or possesses or uses this World be as if he did not Let them be Masters over the World in the Power and Spirit of God and let them know that they owe no Man any thing but Love yet serve God in Truth and one another in their Generation For Friends if ye be not faithful in the Outward Treasure and Outward Mammon who will trust you with the True Treasure Or who can believe that ye have the True Treasure The True Treasure but that ye speak by hear-say of it So I say to you all See that ye are faithful in this Outward Mammon this Outward Treasure of the things of this Life of this World faithful to your Word faithful to your Days faithful to your Promises in all your Tradings Traffickings Bargainings true and just and righteous and honest in these outward Treasures or Mammon concerning the things of this World of this Life of these outward Riches just and faithful true and honest Men and Women in these outward things I say as Christ saith Who will trust you with the true and heavenly Treasure if not as before Therefore I say to be faithful in these Outwards that shews an honest Man and honest Women faithful in all your Dealings and Practices between Man and Man and Woman and Woman that sheweth an honest Heart and a faithful Man and Woman in outward things that answers the faithful Principle in all People So all Men and Women to be faithful in these outward things one to another that shews the good Heart to receive the true Treasure that ye may be faithful in it
to God who have been faithful in their outward Treasure or Mammon one to another So let every one's Conversation be without Covetousness let not that be once named among Saints Covetousness And Do to all Men as ye would have them do to you that is the Law and the Prophets if not ye are judged by them both For the Kingdom stands in Righteousness mark stands in it and in Peace and Joy in the Holy Ghost mark in it FOR Holiness becomes the House of God Postscript Whosoever acts Unholily it is that doth dishonour his House and doth not become it Whosoever acts Unfaithfully in this Outward Treasure or Mammon The House of God or in the true Treasure to God is not justified in the Sight of God nor Man for they are justified by Faith through Faithfulness both to God and Man For whosoever doth Righteousness is of God and he that doth not Righteousness is not of God For God loveth the Righteous and delighteth in them but not in them that do Vnrighteousness For in the Righteousness they have Peace but out of Righteousness People have Trouble So all God's People his Children his Saints must be Holy as he is Holy and therefore do that which is holy and just in all your Lives and Conversations And whatsoever ye do let it be done to the Praise and Glory of God mark that Have God's Praise and Glory in your Eye in all your Speakings and Doings then ye will be preserved to his Glory and then ye will honour him and them that honour him he will honour and beautifie The fine Linnen and cloath with the fine Linnen the Righteousness of Christ that Men may not see your Nakedness For God will have a holy People to serve him in Holiness a true People to serve him in Truth and in his Spirit and in his new and living Way above all the dead Ways that are come by Sin and Unrighteousness and Transgression of his Spirit and Power and Command So all ye that know his Power and Spirit live in it that ye may glorifie God in all your Lives and Conversations and Words that ye may answer that of God in all that ye may glorifie God in your Bodies Souls and Spirits which are his who hath made them and gives them to you for that End To whom be Glory and Honour for ever who created all for his Glory and for his Honour So the Lord God Almighty keep and preserve you faithful in all things to his Glory and Honour for ever He that walketh in his Integrity is Just and blessed shall be his Children after him Prov. 20.7 Vnjust Weights and Vnjust Measures both these are an Abomination to the Lord Verse 10. G. F. DEar Friends Epist 201. In the Stilness and Silence of the Power of the Almighty dwell which never varies alters nor changes but preserveth over and out of 3. Month 3. and above all the Changable Worships Religions Ministers Churches Teachings Principalities and Powers with the Power of God Stilness and Silence which keepeth over all this to the Kingdom of Christ that is Everlasting in which there is no Changing who is King of Kings and Lord of Lords all Power in Heaven and Earth is given unto him of whose Light Life Power and Wisdom Grace and Riches have ye received which comes from him that doth not Change So in that live that doth not Change the Vnchangable Life the Vnchangable Mind the Vnchangable Spirit and Wisdom and the Vnchangable Worship and Church of which Christ is the Vnchangable Head who remains the same yesterday to day and for ever in that ye will feel the Blessing and Presence of the Lord God of Life amongst you The unchangable Church and Worship as ye all abide in the unchangable Kingdom Dominion Power and Life who are Heirs of it according to your Measures who have received the Light and received the Life and Grace and the Power of a Kingdom and a World that hath no end So wait all in it that ye may be Possessors and Inheritors of the Kingdom and of the Life and Power which hath no end and of the Promises that are Yea and Amen and let nothing that is of the World alter you but keep ye in that which keepeth you in the Everlasting Kingdom of God The 3d of the 3d Month 1661. G. F. An Answer to a Letter sent to G. F. concerning the Voluntary Contribution to the King FRiend To the Thing thou Queriest of me concerning this Matter Epist 202. my Answer is Seeing that the King and his Friends desire it not as a Tax or an Assesment but a Free Gift of the People A Free Gift which cannot be said is an Oppression therefore it is left to all Friends to do as they are Free And what the World doth Friends are not to look at who will set up a thing and dislike it but Friends are to mind the Vniversal Power of the Lord God that they may do that freely in their own Power which they do better than by Compulsion Tax or Assess for if all things were done so it were the best in the Free State Bounty and Love which would more break the Hearts of People than by Force of Assesment and Tax So things are left to the Wisdom and Vniversal Spirit of the Lord God The Vniversal Spirit which goes over the Heads of all in the Fall that with the Living Power and Wisdom of God ye may overcome them and so do as ye are Free G. F. WHat Friends Do ye reign as Kings Epist 203. Can they pluck never a one of you out of the Father's Hand Are ye put forth The Father's Hand Do ye witness that Scripture fulfilled put forth to follow the King of Kings the Shepherd who gives Life abundantly In that let your Joy be still and your Comfort remain in which ye will feel the Endless Kingdom and Dominion In that the Lord be with you who is your Strength Comfort and Fulness for Evermore World without End And Friends Mind the Light and dwell in it and it will keep you a top of all the World and the Seed of God mind and know it and in it be Content Dwell in the Power of Truth and be not Negligent in that but Diligent serving the Lord every one in your Measures that to the Lord God every one of you may be a Blessing Be Diligent and a sweet Savour unto him in your Creation and Generation feeling and knowing the Lord's Power every one in your selves yea the Power of an Endless Life and of a Kingdom that hath no End and of a Dominion that is over all Dominions And in the Power of the Lord God Everlasting ye may feel the Seed of God in every particular of you raised up which doth inherit the same that ye may sit down in your own Possession of Everlasting Life And in that Meet together waiting
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
notoriously known And Friends to do this with speed Cancerning the disorderly and to bring it to the Meetings and if any one be known to be an open Offender that then there may be an open Testimony against him in the particular shewing how that we have no Vnity nor Fellowship with such Workers of Darkness and how that they cast out themselves from amongst us being gone from the Life and Power of God in which our Fellowship is And that Copies of theh Paper may be read in Meetings and the Copies of the Papers to be sent to the Men's Meetings in the Countries where they live G. F. MY Dear Friends all every where the Power of the Lord God Epist 221. that first Convinced you and his Light and Truth all wait and walk in and keep your first Habitations in the Power of the Lord God and in his Light and Life and Spirit by which all your Minds may be stay'd and kept up to the Lord God in the unchangable Light Life Power and Spirit And so ye living in the unchangable Life and Light ye see Christ that does not change but ends all Changable things Types Figures and Shadows and destroys the Author of all evil Inventions and Traditions among all the Sons and Daughters of Adam in the Fall and so live all up in the Royal Seed in which ye have Life which Life was before Death walking in the Light which was before Darkness and in the Power of God which was before the Power of Darkness was which Power of God will keep you out of all feigned Spirits creeping in a pretence of Love and Innocency to draw your Minds out from the Power of God and your first Habitations into some outward things which will draw the Mind outward from the Power and so from your Habitation of Peace through which trouble will enter as it hath done upon some which now do see how they have gone from their Habitation Therefore in the Power of the Lord God which is Everlasting in which is the Fellowship Live which Power of God is perfect in which is the perfect Fellowship which was before Imperfection was In which Power of God is the Joy and Life and ye keeping in your Habitations of the Light Life and Power of God the Gospel by which you all see and discern your own Conditions with the Spirit of discerning laying hands on no Man suddenly Spirit of discerning but proving and trying all things seeing your own Conditions by the Power of the Lord and his Light by which ye may have the Spirit of discerning waiting and walking in the Truth that ye may adorn it walking in the Truth which was before Vntruth was And whatsoever is comely decent and of good report follow and walk in which is to the answering that of God in every one for living in the Power of the Lord God through which ye have every one a Habitation in God by the Power of God ye will come over Enmity and see before it was for its Habitation is in the Earth and some outward things but the Power of the Lord God and the Truth he is out of who is the Author of Enmity and being gone out of Truth seeks to bring others out of their Habitations the Power of God Therefore live in the Power of the Lord God and keep your Habitations in the Light and Spirit in your own particulars that by it all your Minds may be subjected to God in which you may all live in Peace Love and Vnity and the Royal Spirit and Seed of Unity and Dignity which keeps over the Spirit of Strife and was before it for the Strife among the Sons and Daughters of Adam in their Fall from Righteousness and Holiness and the Image of God is about these outward things Therefore mind the Power of God and the Righteousness and Holiness and your renewings into it which was before the Fall was and follow that which makes for Peace in the Truth and in the Life and Power of God which Peace will stand in the same dwelling in Love and Unity by which ye may all honour the Truth which will keep you over all the fallen Spirits that are striving and are busie about that which is in the Fall manifesting that they be fallen from the Power of God and gone from their first Habitation in which Power of God is the Peace in which the Kingdom stands Therefore all mind that and to be Heirs of that Kingdom that stands in Righteousness Peace and Joy in the Holy Ghost And so feel the Seed of God over all that set that makes to suffer which was before that was and will stand and remain when that which makes to suffer is gone in which you may all feel the Life which was in the Father before the World began and feel Christ to reign amongst you who is the Prince of Peace and Life and this will keep you from being tossed and carried about with strange Doctrines for the Seed Christ was before they all were and will remain when they are all gone in a pretence of new discoveries and outward things to bring Peoples Minds from their Habitations of Life and Truth which comprehends all things and see all things Therefore mind the Spirit of Truth and the unfeigned Love and Faith that works by it over all the Feignedness that by the Shield of Faith the Sword of the Spirit that may be cut down that none may be deceived by that but keep the Vnity of the Faith that gives you the victory and access to God and the Unity of the spirit the Bond of Peace and the Fellowship of the Gospel which is the Power of God which Power of God was before the Power of Satan was in that Live and Meet and Walk in the Name of the Lord which is a strong Tower whose Name is the Power and in the Tower is the Safety over Wickedness and before it was siting under your own Vine and abiding in it then ye abide in Christ by whom the World was made who is the Light Life and Truth and the Power of God and as ye abide there ye bear Fruit to the Glory of God and through him ye come every one to have a Habitation in God who brings out of the Fall where the Curse is to the State that Man was in before he fell in whom the Saints sit down in whom are the Pastures of Life and riches Eternal Everlasting and the Blessing of the Lord that with that ye may be cloathed And so Farewell My Love to all Friends in the Everlasting Seed of God that never changes which was before Changings were and stands when all Changings are gone that ye may know Christ to reign amongst you the Prince of Life and the Prince of Peace and the Counseller hearing the Voice of the Light the Life the Power of God and Truth 's Voice which goes before you who will give you Life abundantly even that
smell and there is a difference between the Carnal Mind and the Spiritual and the meetings of Adam in the Fall and them that be gathered into Christ the Resurrection and the Life and Power and Spirit And the Sun shines and the Light is clear and not dim that you may see your Way and Life though there is a Storm and Tempest in the Sea And so mind the Summer and singing of Birds and not the Winter and Night in which evil Beasts do yell And so blessed and happy are you that have the Oil in your Lamps and have risen at the Voice of the Bridegroom and have laid up in store against this Day that is come which now all the rich in Profession who thought they had something are come to Poverty your old Opposers And the Rock remaineth And therefore all and every one from the Highest to the Lowest let none take your Crown but be Faithful for the Lord's Ears are open to the Cries of his oppressed and afflicted Ones he heareth the Groans and Cries Day and Night of them And the Lord's Eye is open and he sees all the Actions of Men and Times and Seasons are in his Hands who is King of Kings and Lord of Lords the Strong and All-sufficient Omnipotent God Elshdy who destroyeth the Destroyer and ruineth him that would destroy and ruine all who by his Seed destroyeth him and his Works And so in the Seed sit down in whom ye have Life and Peace and he remaineth and changeth not who now reigneth and is over all and in him live that hath been slain-from the Foundation of the World and prisoned and pressed as a Cart with Sheaves and yet gave his Back and Cheeks to the Smiter and his Hairs to the Pluckers of them off And so in him the Second Adam you will not be weary nor faint nor think the time long of your Sufferings For all the Weariness and Faintings is in Adam in the Fall And so your Church being in God and your Worship in the Spirit and Power and Truth which the Devil is out of and your Fellowship in the Gospel the Power of God which was before the Devil was keep your Fellowship in the Power of God and look above all outward Sufferings and dwell in that which is above all and will stand when all other is gone And so dwell in the Love of God and in the Vnity of the Spirit one with another And in that the Lord God Almighty preserve you all yea over all that which is contrary to his Power to his Glory for ever Amen G. F. ALL my Dear Friends in the Everlasting Power Epist 236. Life and Truth live for you cannot live without it in the Winds and Storms And though the Hills and the Mountains are burnt and the Trees are become fruitless and that Winter hath devoured the former Fruits and you do see that Persecution hath choaked them and the Heat hath scorched them whereby the untimely Figs are fallen and the Corn is withered on the House-top and the Night is come and the Evil Beasts go out of their Den But Truth lives and the Power of God is over them all and Christ ruleth and there is Bread of Lafe and Water of Life in him and in his House though the Caterpillers and Locusts are agreed to eat up all the Green But as you are in the Truth you are in its Day and they in the Darkness are in the Day of Darkness And all who are in the Truth rejoyce through Christ in the God of Truth and never heed Prisons for they are but for a time and mind him who hath all Times and Seasons in his Hand And never heed the raging Waves of the Sea nor be troubled at his Tongue that speaks nothing but Tribulation Anguish and Bondage nor be troubled at the Cords of the Ungodly for the Cords of Love the Power of God are stronger And what doth he that sits in Heaven but laugh them to scorn And so be Valiant for the Truth upon the Earth for the Power is the Lords And so my Love to all Friends in the Everlasting Seed that never fell nor changeth G. F. MY Dear Friends and Brethren Epist 237. The Lord is with you all every where who suffer for his Name and Truths sake in all your Bonds and Afflictions be of good Comfort for the Lord is with you neither be dismay'd at your Sufferings for if you suffer Christ suffereth and if you be persecuted it is Christ that is persecuted and if you be not visited it is Christ that is not visited and if you be opprest it is He that is opprest And He will lay no more upon you than you are able to bear And the Angel of his Presence suffered with the Outward Jew and Christ suffereth with the Inward Jew in the Spirit And so hath a fellow-feeling with you all in all your Bonds and Afflictions and Christ who suffereth will overcome all his Enemies He reigns and they must be his Footstool to stand upon And so be of good Faith and be Valiant for the Turth upon the Earth G. F. MY Dear Friends and Brethren all every where Epist 238. Keep your Habitation and your First Love and do not go forth from your Rule of Faith and Life within in which you all have Vnity and Fellowship and the Lord will be your Comforter and Teacher And if you do not go forth from the Light Spirit and Truth within the Light you will feel to guide and lead you and instruct you And by it you may have Immortality put upon you And be not ashamed of Christ Jesus the Light and Life and Teacher nor of his Spirit to lead you For can they find no occasion against you but because you worship God in Spirit and obey Christ Jesus his Command And so as the old Cry was Away with such a Fellow from the Earth it is not fit for him to live so it is now But blessed are those that keep their Habitations clean and live in the Power of the Lord which was before the Curse was G. F. A General Epistle to all Friends ALL my Dear Friends and Brethren Epist 239. who are of the Royal Seed of God Patience obtains the Victory that runs the Race and obtains the Crown be married and joyned to the Seed Christ the Lamb slain form the Foundation of the World form its Foundation I say For as you are joyned to the Seed and married to that which hath been slain from the Foundation of the World which hath the Victory and doth overcome by this you come to the End of the World mark to its End And now all Friends look upon the Sufferings that have been since the Fall and since the World began And again look upon the Valiant Prisoners and such as stood with the Lord and for the Lord and followed and obeyed his Movings and Motions and Commands with the Victory they had how they
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
Spirit the Living God who is a Spirit the God of all Truth he hath his Glory and Honour from the Spirit of the Lord in every Heart And so keep in the Spirit and Truth and Power of the Everlasting God who is from Everlasting to Everlasting that you may know him Lord of the Earth and of the Heaven and of the Heaven of Heavens Ruling and Reigning whose Eye is over all his Works that you may glorifie him in his Power and Spirit and serve him in the New Life which will keep you over all Mens Fables and Devices Whimsies and Imaginations out of all Janglings and vain Disputes of Men of corrupt Minds And so it is good for you all to live in him which is the same to day as he was yesterday Christ Jesus the Power of God and the Seed of Life and Word which was in the Beginning So no new thing but that which was and is to all Eternity Let your Fellowship be in that and your Vnity and Communion be in that for this is seen by the Eternal Eye the Eternal Vnity and the Eternal God So hear his Voice every one of you that speaks from Heaven whose Voice shakes the Earth and not the Earth only but the Heavens also The Heavn imports Joys So all the false Joys the lifted-up Joys or exalted Joys and Joys in vain glory and Joys in the world or any outward thing or creature and Men or Women His Voice that speaks from Heaven shakes the Earth and the Heavens and this must be shaken and removed both the Heavens and the Earth before that doth appear that can never be shaken the Noble Royal Seed Elect and Precious before the World began being Heirs of Him come to Inherit Him In Him you shall know that which cannot be shaken and there is the true Joy in that which is from Everlasting to Everlasting who is the Beginning and Ending Here is not any either lifted up or fallen down to dispair So I say hear his Voice harden not your Hearts for not hearing the Voice you harden your Hearts and then you provoke God to Wrath and sore Displeasure Let Him have your Ear that speaks from Heaven that you may come to observe his Counsel Teaching Instruction and Direction for all the Prophets and holy Men of God and the Apostles were attentive and obedient to this Heavenly Voice who Witnessed to the Truth who had a Witness in Heaven also And such declared forth the Glorious Truth which they had from the Instructions of the Almighty as you may read throughout the Scriptures what glorious Expressions and weighty Truths they declared whose Ears were attentive to Him that spoke from Heaven and how also they declared against them that stopped their Ears and closed their Eyes and hard ned their Hearts Their Ears not being attentive to the Heavenly Voice but to the Earthly and so if the Earthly and the Sin and Evil have the Ear it will fill it with that which is bad and harden the Heart and choak 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 Lord's Voice that speaks from Heaven Iniquity's Mouth is stopped in you the Throne of Iniquity is thrown down in you that is the Wicked Spirit and Power where Iniquity fits and the Chambers of Imagery are thrown down in you where all Thoughts and Imaginations are As the Ear is attentive to the Voice of Him that speaketh from Heaven you will come to the Throne of the Lamb who hath the Power who hath the Victory and the Dominion that all may live there in the Everlasting Power of God that goes over all Deceit which was before Deceit and Darkness was and always feel a growing in the Power of the Lord God that is Universal and Everlasting that you may all be Heirs of the Power of an 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 O the Glory Glory of the Lord that spreads it over all And here you have his 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 every one's Ear attentive to his Voice In this you grow up in the Life that is Eternal G. F. OH Dear Friends Epist 246. Mind every one your Habitation in the Power of the Lord God that first Convinced you and keep your Possession in it in the sense of God's Love and Mercy to your Souls for your Vnity and Fellowship lies in the spotless Power Truth and Life of the Everlasting God of Life and Power and herein to you the Springs of Life will be opened through which you may be daily Refreshed up to the God of Life Oh be tender of the spotless Truth and Life through which you may come to answer it in all Friends that they may have Vnity with you in the same Life and Power through which you may be a good Savour to God and a Blessing to him in your Generations serving the Lord God in the Newness of Life as a Chast Spouse and Bride to him in Body Soul and Spirit having an Esteem of your Bodies which are for the Lord and to be his Temple not for Adultery or Fornication nor Idolatry Oh therefore mind and keep in the holy Life and feel the Moving and Counselling Power and Spirit of the Almighty in you directing you into the Ways of Truth and Righteousness Peace and Holiness without which none shall see God Live in the Peaceable Life and love it eye that which makes for Peace for God is the Author of Peace and not of Confusion So live all in the precious Truth of God feeling it in its Operation through which Vnity and the Peaceable Life may be preserved amongst you in Righteousness and Peace for Wars and Strifes and Troubles and Fightings comes by Unrighteous Actions which is below Truth and Righteousness for Truth leads into the modest decent and comely Life which is Honourable and Esteemable to God and in the Hearts of all his People So live in the Truth and the Power of it that you may all come to be Heirs of the Power of an Endless Life and to Inherit and Possess the Endless Life the Power of a World that hath no end And so keep your Eyes to your Possessions and to the Life that hath no end and herein you will encrease in the Truth in the Righteousness and Holiness and the Power and Virtue of the Holy Life and so sit down in your Possessions that you may all serve the Lord in a pure Mind Soul and Spirit and none to defile your Bodies but have esteem of them as Vessels of Honour and Vessels fitted to receive the Treasures of the Lord. 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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
all are to walk worthy of the High Calling of God in Christ Jesus and every one as he hath received Him so walk in Him as becometh the Gospel which is the Power of God which was before the Devil was that in that your Life may shine before Men to answer that of God in all that they may behold your good Works and glorifie your Father which is in Heaven And so walk in the Light as Children of the Light and of the Day For you know that formerly we did cry against the Powers of the Earth because that Judgment and Justice and Righteousness did not run down their Streets And now that Friends are become a great People shall not Judgment and Justice and Righteousness run down our Streets as a Stream and a Flood to drive away all the filth from amongst us And now that Friends are become a good Savour in the Hearts of all People they have a Friend in their House that will plead for them by which Friends have been kept and preserved in the Life to answer the Friend in their House And God having given them his Dominion and Favour lose it not but rather increase it in the Life for at first ye know that many could not take so much Money in your Trade as to buy Bread with all People stood a loofe of you when you stood upright and gave them the plain Language and were at a Word but now you through the Life come to answer that of God in all they say they will trust you before their own People knowing that you will not Cheat nor Wrong nor Cozen nor Oppress them For the cry is now amongst them that are without Where is there a Quaker of such and such a Trade So that they will deal with Friends before they will deal with their own Oh! Therefore Friends who have purchased this through great Sufferings lose not this great favour which God hath given unto you but that you may answer the Witness of God in every Man which witnesseth to your Faithfulness that they may glorifie your Father on your behalf And now Friends if there be any Oppression Exaction or Defrauding by making a Prize through the Freedom which God hath given you the World will see such and say the Quakers are not as they were therefore such should be exhorted to Equity and Truth And also if any run into Debt and aim at great things and make a great Shew in the World of others Goods which comes to burden others and lift up themselves with that which is not their own and are not able to satisfie them according to their time and word such hurt themselves burden others and oppress them and brings grief and cause heart-rising in them to see such grown up by Oppression therefore such must be exhorted to Justice Equity and Righteousness and an even Measure to do as they would be done by And also such as go under the name of Quaker that are gotten into the Earth and settle their Nests there in ease such comes to cry against Quakers Meetings saying Away with your Forms and will not come to our Meetings and hurts others by which the World gets occasion against the Truth Therefore such must be exhorted for such never knew the purchase of the Truth and if they did they have sold it And Friends forget not the Assembling of your selves together as the manner of some is and was lest there be an evil Heart of Unbelief in departing from the Living God but exhort one another daily and so much the more as the Day doth appear shewing the more Light the more Day the more Building the more Exhorting in the Light and in the Spirit in Fellowship one with another And they that do forsake the Assembling of themselves together as the manner of some was in the Apostles Days and is the manner of some now such grow more and more in the evil Heart departing from the Living God And this brought in the Apostacy which the Apostates set up and all the whole Body of trifling Traditions Therefore such as be in the Everlasting Power of God must exhort such to take heed and be wise And also all such unruly Spirits that have professed falsly and got under the Name of Quakers whose evil Words corrupt good Manners must be exhorted from House to House And also such young People Lasses and Lads that goes in youthful Ways and takes Liberty to go into Pleasure and to Play and to Ale-Houses and Drunkenness which corrupt the Earth which is one Mark that they are dead whilst they live And kills the Just and burdens the Righteous and causeth the Way of Truth to be evil spoken of Therefore such must be exhorted to live in the Truth and to come to that which will mortifie that which leads to Death so that Truth may be adorned by them And also such that will not go to Meetings and cries against others that do and says they are Forms of Men and one while they will not give the Hand and another while they will keep on their Hats when Friends Pray and yet secretly they can go to bad Houses as several have done From these abominable things they must be exhorted and reproved And if they do not repent and come to judge and condemn those things that they have done amiss and do live in that which doth condemn and give forth a Paper to take their Transgressions and bad Doings out of Friends Minds and to the People of the World manifesting their Repentance But if they do neither repent judge nor condemn nor give forth a Paper against such bad Actions which makes the World to speak evil of the Truth and the right Way then Friends must give forth a Paper to the World to certifie against them for clearing the Truth And better such had never professed the Name nor known the Truth nor come among them who were gathered into the Name of Jesus and into the Form of Sound Words and into the Son of God and Godliness then to have gone into a Form of their own which they have received yea even from the worst of Men who are thereby come under the Judgment of common outward People And therefore Friends all Uncleanness of all sorts and Unrighteousness and Unfaithfulness and youthful Ways of runing out and liftings up such must be exhorted and reproved that Truth and Righteousness may flow thro' which you may keep that which you have bought and kept through great Sufferings and some to Death that Truth in all things may be adorned And all such as are Tattlers Busie-Bodies Back-biters and Gossippers are to be exhorted to mind their own Conditions that they may live in the Truth and not to draw others out to Words wherein there is no profit that Truth may flow and the Life may flow and the Vnity may increase in the Spirit and Power that all may come to live in the Gospel-Order which was before the Devil or
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
Mark Free-Men and Free-Women And what hath made them Free-Men and Free-Women but Truth For if the Truth hath made you free then are you free indeed So free to worship God in the Spirit and in Truth which the Devil is out of for to serve the Lord God in the Spirit and in the New Life They are above the Serpent and from under his Controul and from under the Controul of old Adam and his beggarly Rudiments and Will-Worships and false Righteousness Truth makes free from all these and makes free to be Partakers of Christ Jesus and of his Blood and his Spirit and Mind who is the Prince of Peace and Prince of Life and makes free to be Partakers of the Divine Nature and Precious Faith and to be Members of the True Church and Gospel Fellowship and Power of God which was before the Devil was So stand fast in the Liberty wherewith Christ hath made you free free from the Devil Dragon and Serpent and all Slavery and Servitude For Free-Men do walk in their Freedom for it is the Truth makes them Free and so to Triumph in Glory And so if the Truth have made you free then are you free indeed free from all the Will-Worships and from all the windy Doctrines from all the evil Inventions Traditions Imaginations and Notions and Rudiments of Adam in the Fall who are from Truth and free from the Devil who is out of Truth So it is plain none are free but by the Truth and all in the Truth are Free-Men And all out of the Truth are Slaves in Old Adam and Slaves to Sin and Satan and to his Will-Worship and to their own Self-Righteousness and to their Rudiments Doctrines and Traditions serving divers Lusts Pleasures and Corruptions and serving the Creatures more than the Creator who is God blessed for ever and serving the Desires of their own Minds and so as Slaves are kept in Bondage all in Prison all in the Bonds of Death and Jaws of Death for who are out of Truth are no Free-Men Though they be High Priests and Readers Preachers and Expounders as the great High Priests and the lofty Pharisees and Scribes were Professing the Scriptures yet not in the Truth and so not Freemen For they are in Malice and Envy like Cain Oppressors like Pharaoh raging Persecutors like Nebuchadnezzar and the Jews as Wild as Ishmael as Prophane as Esau out of the Truth are all those found fasting with Fists of Wickedness lifting up bloody Hands mingling their Sacrifices with the Blood of the persecuted praying to the Majestrates for Persecution All this is out of Truth and not in the Freedom so not Free-Men but doing the Devil's Lusts and Service as the Jews did And so if the Truth make you free ye are free indeed ye are free from all those things above-mentioned The Truth makes free from Envy and from Prophaness and from Wildness and from Wickedness and from the bloody Hands Free from the Fasts of those that hang down their Heads like a Bulrush free from the persecuting Spirits free from the false Prophets Deceivers Seducers Anti-Christs and all Anti-Christian false Prophets Deceivers and Seducers are Satan's Bond-slaves Vassals and Bond men and being with his Oars chained in his Gallies they carry his Wares and do his Work up and down the World which is the Sea But Truth makes free from all these free from the Hipocrites Hope which perisheth free from Nebuchadnezzar's Fury and it makes free from the wild Heifers Nature and from the Dogg Swine Horse Viper Cockatrice Serpent's Nature and from the Spider and his Webb and from the Oak and Cedar and the Bramble and Briar and Bear and Lion The Truth makes free from all these and brings Man and Woman into the Image of God And so if the Truth makes you free then are you free indeed And the Truth is Christ and Christ is the Truth which makes you free from all Falshood and makes you free from the World which lies in Wickedness and Vnrighteousness by which you come to be Free-Men of the World which hath no End And an high-way shall be there Isaiah 35.8 and a way and it shall be called the way of holiness the unclean shall not pass over it Mark The unclean shall not pass over it This Way which is called the Way of Holiness was spoken of by Prophesie and this Way is Christ who is the Way of Holiness who is above the Vnclean and destroys it and the Ground of it the Devil and so the Vnclean cannot pass over this Way of Holiness This is our Way who are in scorn called Quakers to wit Christ And this Way of Holiness shall be for the way-faring Men though Fools yet they shall not err therein where no Lion nor ravenous Beast nor Lion's Whelp shall go thereon All the ravenous Beasts are without in the Way of the World without Christ and God But the Redeemed shall walk in this Way of Holiness Christ Jesus and the ransomed of the Lord shall walk in this Way of Holiness and they that do return from the Way of the World to Sion shall walk in this Way of Holiness with singing and everlasting Joy upon their Heads And they that walk in this Way of Holiness Christ Jesus shall obtain Joy and Gladness and Sorrow and Sighing shall flee away And all that walk in this Way of Holiness their deaf Ear is unstopped and their blind Eye is opened And the lame Man here shall leap as an Hart and the dumb Man's Yongue shall sing And here he shall see Waters gush out of the Rock and Streams out of the Desart in this Way of Holiness And here he shall see in this Way the patched Ground become a Pool and the thirsty Land full of Springs and in the Habitation where Dragons lay shall be Grass with Reeds and Rushes which begins to spring Glory be to the Lord for ever And this Way of Holiness which the Prophets prophesied of is Christ Jesus the Way who said of himself I am the Way and he is over all the fallen Ways and before the Way of the Serpent glorified with Father before the World began And this is the Way of the way-faring Men who have been way-faring up and down from Religion to Religion from Worship to Worship from one People to another from one Minister and Teacher to another and could not sit down in any of their Ways but way-fared travelled and sought And now Glory be to the Lord for ever Thousands of these way-faring Men are come to find their Way Christ Jesus and though Fools yet shall not err therein that is they shall not err in their Way They shall not err in Christ Jesus for there is no Error in him for he was before Error was for Christ the Way destroys the Devil and his Works the Ground of all Error So though they be called Fools these way-faring Men by all the Sons of Adam that are set down in their
have an Eye over them that come to spy out your Liberty in Christ and will report out of your Meetings things to make Advantage and to the defaming of Persons And let every one seek the good of one another and their Wellfare in the Truth and make others Condition their own and this keeps as a Father and Mother to condescend to a Child And all live in the Seed which hath the Blessing and in the Wisdom by which you may order all things to God's Glory over the evil Seed that is out of the Truth And if any one hath any thing to say in opposition to the matter of Marriages propounded by any to the Meeting such Friend or Friends to make it known what they have against the Parties to such as are appointed by the Meeting to enquire into the Clearness of the Parties who laid their Intentions before the Meeting And such Friends as have Intentions of Marriage first to lay it before the Men and Women of the Monthly Meeting they belong to and to see that things are Clear before they are brought to the Two Weeks Meeting And if any Difference arise either about Marriages or any other Case in the Two Weeks Meetings that the Business be presently referred to Six Friends to have a hearing of the Matter another day or else for them to go forth and determine it presently and not to discourse it in the open Meeting And if any Legacy be left by any deceased Friend to a particular Use as to putting forth Apprentices and breeding up poor Friends Children that the said Money be kept distinct as a Stock for the said Use and a particular Account thereof to be kept And the Quarterly or Six Weeks Meetings to see that the said Monies be disposed of to the Uses as aforesaid And if any of the principal Money so given be at any time made Use of to any other Use that it be again made up by the Meeting of Friends in General And though the Money be left or given to any particular Friend for the Use aforesaid yet the same to be paid to Two or Three Persons whom the Quarterly Meeting or Six Weeks Meeting shall appoint to receive such Money that so the Meeting may have the Ordering and Disposing of the said Money to the best Advantage and Use intended And that Friends do keep in their Testimony against the vain Fashions of the World and all Loosness and Vncleanness whatsoever and againsT all Prophane idle Tipling and taking Tobaccor in Coffee-Houses and Ale-Houses which is an ill Savour And against all Strife and Contention whatsoever And that some Friends be appointed at every Meeting to keep the Doors to keep down rude Boys and unruly Spirits that so the Meetings may be kept Civil and Quiet And if one Friend hath any thing against another let him not treasure it up till the time of his Marriage and then cast it upon him publickly but let him presently speak to the Friend and also to them that the Meeting hath appointed to see after his Clearness c. And that things may not be deferred too long at the Two Weeks Meeting concering Marriages but that they may be answered in a short time lest they be put to a strait in the Matter And stop all bad Reports for thou shalt not raise a falfe Report upon my People saith the Lord and minister Justice upon it presently so that no Man or Woman may be defiled or defamed with such things Read this in the Men and Womens Meetings in the Fear of the Lord as often as you see occasion and record it in your Book G. F. An Additional Extract from other of G. F's Epistles both of former and later Dates more largely speaking to things contained in the Paper foregoing with some new Matters recommended to Friends by him from time to time to be taken notice of at their Quarterly and other Meetings FRiends Fellowship must be in the Spirit Epist 264. and all Friends must know one another in the Spirit and Power of God And in all the Meetings of the County Two or Three may be appointed from them to go to the Quarterly Meetings for to give Notice one to another if there be any that walk not in the Truth and have been convinced and gone from the Truth and so have dishonoured God And likewise if any that profess the Truth follow Pleasures Drunkenness Gaming 's or are not faithful in their Callings and Dealings nor Honest nor Just but run into Debt and so bring a Scandal upon the Truth Friends may give Notice to the Quarterly Meeting if there be any such and some may be ordered to go and Exhort them and bring in their Answers to the next Quarterly Meeting And so to query and search out all such as live not as becomes the Truth and the Gospel and yet do profess it so that they all may walk in it as well as talk of it for none hath the heavenly Comfort of it but who do walk in it For all the Talkers of Christ and his Gospel that do not walk in him disthonour him And all Uncleanness and Loosness in all your Meetings Judge and Condemn with the Light Power and Spirit of Christ so that nothing may reign among you but that which doth glorifie God and Christ And to admonish all them that be Careless and Slothful to Diligence in the Truth and Service for God and to bring forth heavenly Fruits to God that they may mind the good Works of God and do them in believing in his Son and shew it forth in their Conversations and to deny the Devil and his bad Works and not to do them And to seek them that be lost or driven away from the Truth into the Devil's dark Wilderness by his dark Power seek them again by the Truth and by the Truth and Power of God bring them to God again And to see that all that come amongst Friends and profess Truth keep to Yea and Nay in their Dealings and Communications in Justice and Equity and not in Oppression And that in all the Monthly Meetings there be an Inquiry whether any that profess Truth are out of the pure Language Thou to every one whether they keep up God and Christ's Language that the Holy Prophets and Apostles used over all the flattering Words in the World And Friends my Desire is That ye all may be preserved in the Lord's Power and in his Everlasting Seed and so in the Order of the Gospel and in the Government of Christ Jesus of the Increase of which there is no end And that ye may keep up your ancient Testimony in the Power and Spirit of God against Tithes and that ye may keep up your ancient Testimony in the sincere Life for Christ your High-Priest against the Heireling Priests and their Old Temples manifesting that ye are the Temples of God And let Inquiry be made concerning all such among Friends as do pay Tithes which
in the Truth that the Lord may be glorified in all your Families And teach your Children when they are young then will they remember it when they are old according to Solomon's Counsel So that your Children may be a Blessing to you and not a Curse And all Men and Women are to order their Children and Servants in the Order of the Gospel and in the New Covenant And to order them in the Order of the Gospel that they may all come to know the Lord. For the outward Jews were to train up their Children in the Old Law in the Old Covenant And so you that are called Christians are to train up your Children in the Fear of the Lord and in Christ Jesus that they may walk in Him in Modesty and Holiness and Virtue And so all to govern their Families And they that are to Govern are to be governed and ordered themselves by the Spirit and Power of God to God's Glory and as Examples in their Families for all Loosness is out of the Power of God either in Word or Life And so by the Power of God and his Righteousness and Truth and Light and Life all that is to be judged and kept under and down and the Truth and the Light and Spirit of God must be walk'd in which all Loosness is out of And so whatsoever things are of good Report or whatsoever things are Lovely or whatsoever things are Pure and Decent and Vertuous and Godly and Righteous and Holy and Just that follow after and do the Works of Charity and not your own but the good Works of Hospitality which are accepted of God And keep the Order of the Gospel the Power of God which Power of God was before the Devil was and is over him which brings Life and Immortality to Light in Men and Women and Men and Women they are to walk in this Power of God and to keep in it Men and Women to walk in the Power of God being Heirs of the same and under the Goverment of Christ Jesus who bruiseth the Serpent's Head and destroys him and his Government Men and Women being Heirs of Grace and Life together and of the Power of God and of the Gospel of Christ Jesus the Amen And so as they come to possess and inherit him and his Gospel-Order they come to possess him and his Government and Order the increase of which there is no End And that Notice be taken of all evil Speakers Backbiters Slanderers and foolish Talkers and idle Jesters for all these corrupt good Manners and are not according to the Saints and Holy Men's Practise Against Backbiters whose Words were seasoned with Salt ministering Grace to the Hearers And all such as go up and down to Cheat Against Cheats by borrowing and getting Money of Friends and have cheated several all such are to be stopped and judged and Notice of them is to be given to Friends and to other Persons And Dear Friends in the Everlasting Seed of Life Wisdom and Salvation my Desire is that you all may be preserved in it to the Glory of God For heavenly Vnity and in his Power and Light and Life over Death and Darkness in the heavenly Vnity in all your Meetings Now concerning them that do go to the Quarterly Meeting they must be substantial Friends Quarterly Meetings Members that can give a Testimony of your Sufferings and how things are amongst you in every particular Meeting So that none that are raw or weak that are not able to give a Testimony of the Affairs of the Church and Truth may go on behalf of the particular Meetings to the Quarterly Meetings but may be nursed up in your Monthly Meetings and there fitted for the Lord's Service So that two may go one time from every particular Meeting and two another time or as it is ordered in your Monthly Meetings So that some may go from all your Meetings that make up your Monthly Meetings for the Quarterly Meeting should be made up of weighty seasoned and substantial Friends that understands the Business of the Church for no unruly and unseasoned Peasons should come there nor indeed into the Monthly Meetings but who are single-hearted seasoned and honest And if any one should speak or tattle any thing out of your Monthly or Quarterly Meetings Against Partling to the blemishing or defaming any Person or the Meetings such are to be brought to Judgment and Condemnation for it breaks the Priviledge and Order of your Christian Society in your Meetings so that all may be kept and preserved in the Power of the Lord and in his Spirit in Love and Vnity And therefore keep your Meetings solid and sober and let the Authority of your Men and Womens Meetings be in the Power of God Authority of Meetings for every Heir of the Power has Right to that Authority and in it keep the King of Kings and Lord of Lord's Peace in his Church And so the Lord give you Wisdom that by it you may be ordered to his Glory Care of God's Glory and Truth and that every one may have a care of God's Glory and of his Name and Truth and that in his Power you may see that all do walk as becomes his glorious Gospel which hath brought Life and Immortality to Light in you which will preserve you in Life and in Immortality over the Devil that has darkned you So that nothing may get betwixt your Souls and Minds and the Lord God that he may be glorified in you all and through you all and over you all blessed for ever Amen And the least Member in the Church hath an Office and is serviceable and every Member hath need one of another And now Friends so many Monthly Mens Meetings as you have in your County you may have so many Monthly Womens Meetings and if once a Year at least you had a General Womens Meeting it would be well for in some Counties they have as many Quarterly Womens Meetings as Mens and in others they have only two in the Summer-time Womens Meetings because the Ways are foul and Days short in Winter And that one or two Friends in every Meeting do take an Account of all the Marriages Births and Burials Births Burials and carry them to the Monthly Meetings and let one or two there be ordered to receive them and record them there in a Book which is to be kept at the Monthly Meetings And from thence a Copy of what is recorded there to be brought to the Quarterly Meeting and let one or two Friends be appointed there to receive them and to record them all in one Book which is to be kept for the whole County And this will be most safe that if one Book should happen to be lost the other may be preserved for the Use of such as may have occasion And that all Friends who are not already provided may speedily procure convenient Burying-places
and Apostles but are out of their Life as their Practice speaks And therefore it 's the Life that differs and the New way differs from the Old and the Religion that 's above from that which is below and the Worship Christ set up above 16 Hundred Years ago from all them that are made since amongst the Nominal Christians and the Fellowship of God in the Spirit and Gospel differs from all the Fellowships that have been made since the Apostles Days and the Liberty in Christ in the Gospel in the Spirit is far above the Liberty of old Adam in the Flesh in the Sin the Wages of which is Death here no false Liberty can be in the Spirit and in the Power of the Gospel and in Christ Jesus nor no false Freedom in the Truth for all false Freedom is out of the Truth and therefore keep over all those false Liberties and false Freedoms In old Adam and his Spirit and Power of God that 's holy and pure without Spot So no more but my Love in the Holy Seed that 's over all To be read in all Friends Meetings And send Copies of this to Maryland Virginia Barbadoes New-England c. G. F. FRiends Epist 282. in the Seed that bruises the Serpent's Head and destroyeth the Devil and his Works live and in the Light which is the Life In Christ the Seed who bruiseth the Serpents Head in the Word by which all things were made which Light and Life and Word doth hammer and cut down and condemn and judge all evil Words and Works and the Spirit of them that is out of the Light Life Seed and Word of Reconciliation in this I have Vnity with you and in this all true Believers are reconciled to God and one to another Is our Vnity and Fellowship and in it is the heavenly Wisdom in which is the holy and spiritual Fellowship preserved over that short brikle defaming and unconstant Spirit which must be kept down with the Spirit of God that doth not change which hath been crucified by the Wicked but the Seed of Life doth slay the Enmity and in Life and Power reigns over it Glory to the Lord God for ever Amen G. F. To Friends at Bristol in time of Suffering DEar Friends Epist 283. Now is the Time for you to stand therefore put on the whole Armour of God from the Crown of the Head unto the Soles of your Feet To publick Men to keep their Testimony that you may stand in the Possession of Life And you that have been Publick Men and formerly did travel abroad mind to keep up your Testimony both in the City and in the Countries that you may encourage Friends to keep up their Meetings as usual there-away so that none faint in the time of Trial but that all may be encouraged both small and great to stand faithful to the Lord God and his Power and Truth that their Heads may not sink in the Storms but may be kept up above the Waves So go into your Meeting-Places as at other times And keep up your Publick Testimony and visit Friends there-abouts now in this time of Storm for there is your Crown in the Vniversal Power and Spirit of God So let your Minds In the time of Persecution and Souls and Hearts be kept above all outward and visible things Few travel now the Countries It may be well to visit them lest any should faint Stir up one another in that which is Good and to faithfulness in the Truth this Day And let your Minds be kept above all visible things for God took Care for Man in the Beginning and set him above the Works of his Hands And therefore mind the heavenly Treasure that will never fade away and dwell in the Seed in which you may know your Election It 's hard for me to give forth in Writing what is before me because of my bodily weakness but I was desirous in some measure to ease my Mind desiring that you may stand fast and faithful to Truth Of my Travels and Weakness it 's like you have heard and of my Affliction both by them that are without and also by them that are within which are hard to be uttered and spoken My Love is to all faithful Friends The 2d of the 11th Mouth 1670. G. F. DEar Friends and Brethren See that all live in the peaceable and blessed Truth into which no Enmity can come Epist 284. for the blessed Seed Christ Jesus takes away the Curse They who receive Christ receive Power to become the Sons of God the Increase of whose Government there is no End who rules in Righteousness amongst the Righteous for ever And see that this Righteousness in which you all have Peace run down and flow as a Stream among you who are begotten again into a lively Hope and born again by the Immortal Seed of the Word of God which lives and abides for ever And you who have received Christ have received Power to become the Sons of God and to believe in the Light in Obedience to Christ's Command by which you become Children of the Light and Children of the Day Therefore this I say unto you Let no Man abuse this Power that is Everlasting and keep the Gospel-Order which was before any Impurity was and will be when it is gone So that in all your Men and Womens-Meetings see that Vertue flow and see that all your Words be gracious and see that Love flows which bears all things that Kindness Tenderness and Gentleness may be among you and that the Fruits of the good Spirit may abound That Love Kindness and Gentleness abound for nothing that is unclean must enter into God's Kingdom which stands in Righteousnss and in Holiness and in the Power of God and in the Joy of the Holy Ghost For all Joy that is out of the Holy Ghost will have an End And see in all your Men and Womens-Meetings that God be no ways dishonoured nor the pure and blessed Name of Christ in which you are gathered be blasphemed but in all things that God may be glorified exalted and honoured And to take Care that nothing be lacking among the Poor for you have the Light to see all Evil and the Power to withstand it And to take Care that nothing be lacking among the Poor and to see that nothing be lacking then all will be well among you in all your Men and Womens-Meetings And see that nothing be lacking neither within nor without for God is rich in both and abundance of his Riches you have received And so this is a Warning and a Charge to you all in the Presence of the Living God that you keep up the Testimony of Jesus against all that which is contrary to Jesus the heavenly Man that your Fruits may appear to his Glory and your Works to his Praise and that you may have Water in your own Cisterns and know those Clouds
God how soon they forgot him as in the Days of the old World and in the Days of Moses and in the Days of the Judges how they soon forgot God that had done great things for them and for sook God and his Way and Religion and Worship and followed such Gods as Men had made And in the Days of the Prophets how the People forsook the Lord God and in the Days of Christ and his Apostles how they were mostly gone astray from God though they kept an outward Profession of their Words yet denied Christ in his Light and Life and Power who was the End of the Law and the Prophets Many of old Time forsock the Truth and ran into Error And them that did receive Christ Jesus and believed in him in a few Ages after the Apostles how most of Christendom ran from the Life into Death and ran from the Light into Darkness and into Error from the Holy Sprit and into Babylon which is Confusion and from the Worship in the Spirit and in the Turth that Christ set up and follwed after the Worship of the Beast and the Dragon and went from the true Church after the Whore and from Christ the Way to God after the Ways that Men had made and from the Religion that is Pure from above after the Religions that Men have made And so now the Gospel is preached again Now the Gospel is preached again and the Living Way Christ to the Living God and his Religion and his Worship is set up and received of many and they come to the true Worship which is in God And all be Faithful All be faitbful and take heed of running back again where you were before lest you and your Children perish as others have done that forsook the Lord God for Mercies And therefore train up your Children in the Fear of God and in the Way of Christ and in his Worship and Religion that they may observe and keep in it when you are gone And walk in the Spirit and Truth And walk in the Spirit and keep in the Order of the Gospel in which God is worshipped and keep in the Order of the Gospel in the Power of God which was before the Devil was which Power of God will keep you Pure to God that nothing may get betwixt you and the Lord God And be obedient to the Law that God hath written in your Hearts and put in your Minds that you may be the Children of the New Covenant and that you may be the Royal Priesthood offering up to God the Spiritual Sacrifices And sitting under your Teacher the Grace of God which bringeth Salvation and seasoneth your Words and establisheth your Hearts And this Grace saveth and is sufficient saith God Almighty And you need no Man to teach you but as the same Anointing doth teach you to know all things which Anointing abideth in you And hearken all what the Righteosness of Faith saith speaking on this wise Rom. 10.6 7 8. The Word is nigh thee even in thy Heart and in thy Mouth to obey it and do it That thou need not say Who shall ascend to bring Christ from above or descend to bring Christ from the Grace c. for that is the Word of Faith which we do Preach G. F. To Friends in Carolina DEar Friends to whom is my Love in the blessed Seed Epist 288. which bruiseth the Head of the Serpent and is over all and changeth not which is the First and Last in whom you have Life and Peace with the God of Peace So you few that are that ways keep your Meetings Keep your Meetings in the Name of Jesus and meet together in the Name of Jesus whose Name is above every Name and Gathering is above every Gathering and there is no Salvation in any other Name but by the Name of Jesus and you Gathering in his Name where Salvation is he is your Prophet your Shepherd your Bishop your Priest in the midst of you to open to you and to santifie you and to feed you with Life and to quicken you with Life wait in his Power and Light that ye may be Children of the Light by believing in the Light which is the Life in Christ that you may be grafted into him the true Root and built upon him the true Foundation Who is the Foundation of his People who was the Foundation of the holy Prophets and Apostles and of all the holy Martyrs and is the Foundation of all his holy People now and is the Rock of Ages yea of the Ages of the Prophets and of the Ages of his Apostles and of the Ages of his People now and Martyrs who kept them above the Raging of the Seas and doth now which Rock the Wise Men builds upon the Rock that stands against all the Storms and Tempestuous Weather And therefore be valiant for God's Truth upon the Earth and his good Spirit and live in it by which you may profit in the things of God through which ye may answer the Witness of God in all and the Spirit which they grieve and quench which they are erred from through which he may be served and his Truth spread abroad So every one in your Measoures of the Spirit of God and Christ be faithful that in it you may increase and answer the Lord in a good Life and Conversation for all his Mercies And as every one hath received the Lord Jesus Christ so walk in him that you may serve the Lord in a New Life and worship him in the Spirit and Truth which the Devil is out of and by this Truth you may be made free by whith ye may be espoused and married to Christ Jesus for the Marriage of the Lamb is come and coming And therefore if you want Wisdom keep in the Truth that you may go to the Treasure of Life and of Salvation that you may be Heirs of the same and of Life and Possessors of it Yea I say Heirs of Life and Inherit that and that will be more to you than if all the World was your Portion and the Riches you lay up there will stand buy and be with uyou when time is gone and shall be no more For the Truth is the Truth and changeth not in which live and it will be your Peace and Joy everlasting And in the Seed Christ Jesus who bruises the Serpent's Head who was before the Devil was glorified with the Father before the World began and was from Ecverlasting to Everlasting the First and Last the Top and Corner-Stone in him live that you may inherit Life Everlasting and dwell in the Love of God in Christ Jesus that will edifie and build one another up and therein walk in all Holiness of Life and Conversation for that becomes God's House and dwell and live and walk in the Peaceable Truth that keeps you in Peace and in the Holy Fellowship of the Spirit the Bond of Peace by which
Spirit you may be led into all Truth up to God and Christ from him who is out of the Truth Amen saith my Soul G. F. DEar Friends every where Epist 289. be faithful to God who hath been faithful and true to you therefore be you true to God and faithful Witnesses to him To be faithful Witnesses of Christ in time of Persecution and to Christ Jesus that now ye may all have Riches and Treasure laid up in store against a time of want storms and tempests that you amy stand for if you do not stand now you are as bad as such Professors who stood only when the Sun shined and crept out when it was fine and fair Weather but when a Storm or Tempest came then they ran creeping into their Holes and Corners and sculked into by-corners and fled by bace-doors who were ashamed or their Religion and what they Professed but when the Sun did shine then they showed their Enmity to the Righteous And therefore be you of the Faith of Dvid and of his Spirit who said I was Young and now am old I never saw the Righteous for saken nor his Seed begging Bread and the Lord to encourage his People saith In all their Af-flicions he was Afflicted and the Angel of his Presence saved them and Christ tells you It 's he that Suffers and is Persecuted when his Children are persecuted And so it 's for the Lord's sake that the JusT suffer by the Unjust and you read how such as suffer the spoiling of their Goods and Scoffing and Mocking yet they were not to forsake the Assembling themselves together as the manner of some was for they that suffer with Christ shall reign with him for the Lord may try you who hath blessed you with outward things whether your minds do stand with him or in the outward things G. F. DEar Friends Epist 290. Live in Love for that is of God and doth edifie the Body of Christ and keep in the Truth of God which the Devil is out of To live in Love and Peace with God and one with another and walk in Righteousness and then you will walk in Peace with God and one with another and walk in Holiness for that becomes the House of God and in Holiness you will see the Holy God among you And so that you may keep the Vnity in the Spirit which is the Bond of Peace and dwell in Love one with another for all Eyes in upon you and some watches for Evil but do you answer the Good in all in your Words and Lives This is the Counsel of the Lord God to you all and that you may be the Salt of the Earth and the Light of the World and as a City set on a Hill that cannot be hid so that all that do profess Christ and God may shew forth Christ and Godliness in Life and Word G. F. To all the Womens Meetings that are Belivers in the Truth FRiends Keep your Womens Meetings in the Power of God EpisT 291. which the Devil in out of and take your Possession of that which your are Heirs of and keep the Gospel-Order Man and Woman helps meet in the Image of God For Man and Woman were helps meet in the Image of God and in Righteousness and Holiness in the Dominion before they fell but after the Fall in the Transgression the Man was to rule over his Wife but in the Restauration by Christ into the Image of God and his Righteousness and Holiness again in that they are helps meet Man and Woman as they were in before the Fall Sarah obeyed Abraham and called him Lord. Abraham did also obey the Voice of his Wife Sarah in casting out the Bond-Woman and her Son Dorcas a Woman was a Disciple So there was a Woman Disciple as well as Men Disciples and mind the Women that accompanied her And Wo-men are to take up the Cross daily and follow Christ daily as well as the Men and so to be taught of him their Prophet and fed of him their Shepherd and councelled of him their Councellor and sanctified by him who offered up himself once for all And there were Elder Women in the Truth as well as Elder Men in the Truth and these Women are to be teachers of good thins so they have an Office as well as the Men for they have a Stewardship and must give an Account of their Stewardship to the Lord as well as the Men. Deborah was a Judge Examples of amny good Women Miriam and Huldah were Prophetesses old Annah was a Prophetess and a Preacher of Christ to all them that looked for Redemption in Jerusalem Mary Magdalen and the other Mary were the first Preachers of Christ's Resurrection to the Disciples and the Disciples could not believe their Message and Testimony that they had from Jesus as some now adays cannot but they received the Command and being sent preach'd it So is every Woman and Man to do that sees him risen and have the Command and Message Daughters shall Prophesie as well as Sons So they are to be obedient that has the Spirit poured upon them Women are to Prophesie and Prophesie is not to be quenched Them that has the Testimony of Jesus are commanded to keep it whether Men or Women Priscilla and Aquilla were both Exhorters and Expounders or Instructers to Apollos So in the Church there were Women Instructers and Prophetesses and Daughters Prophetesses in the Church for Philip had four Virgins that were Prophetesses and there were Women Disciples in the Church and Women Elders in the Church as well as Men. So Women are to keep in the FGovernment of Christ and to be Obeyers of Christ and Women are to keep the ComelyOrder of the Gospel as well as Men and to see that all that have received Christ Jesus that they walk in Christ Jesus and to see that all that has received the Gospel do walk in the Gospel the Power of God which they are Heirs of for this is a Day for all to keep their Possession in the Gospel-Order who be Heirs with Christ of the increase of whose Government there is no end So the Foundation of our Womens Meetings is Christ to all them that be Heirs of him and of his Government And the ground of our Order of the Womens Meetings is the Gospel the Power of God which was before the Devil was and all that be Heirs of the Gospel which hath brought Life and Immortality to Light in them which shines over him that hath darkned them and was before he was I say they are Heirs of the Comely Order of the Gospel and therefore I say take your Possessions of it and walk as becomes the Gospel and keep the Comely Order of it and in it keep your Meetings And here is the Ground and Foundation of our Womens Meetings Now Mothers of Families that has the ordering of Children Maids and Servants may do a great deal of Good
Power first to declare his Everlasting Gospel and then after People had received the Gospel I was moved to go through the Nation to advise them to set up the Mens Meetings and the Womens many of which were set up G. F. Advice effectual for the establishing good Order in the Church and I was moved to write to other Places for them to do the like that kept the Power And this was the End that all that had received the Gospel might be Possessors of it and of the Gospel-Order which is Heavenly and that all that had received Christ Jesus might so walk in him and possess his Government in the Church who are Members of him the heavenly Head and so Men and Women being Heirs of Christ they are Heirs of him and of his Government So that Men and Women may be both Possessors of this Government and Men and Women being Heirs of this Gospel might inherit it Then Men and Women are Heirs of the Order of the Gospel which is from Heaven and not by Man nor of Man which is an Everlasting Order which is from the Power of God for the Gospel is called the Everlasting Gospel So that all now in the Restoration by Christ Jesus into the Image of God may be helps meet in Holiness and Righteousness as Adam and Eve were in before they fell for in the Church of Christ where he is Head there is his Gospel and his Order and his Government there is his Power felt in every ones Heart and there is these Offices of Admonishing Rebuking Exhorting Reproving amongst them that are convinced and converted by them that are in the Power for there are several States So they that would not have People to be Admonished that goes under the Name of Truth and yet goes into Sin and Wickedness those are out of the Gospel-Order and Goverment of Christ Jesus and of a loose Mind themselves and would be up themselves and Lords But that Spirit is for Judgment for it is out of the Power of God and out of the Spirit in which is the Fellowship G. F. FRiends Epist 309. Seek the Peace of all Men which Peace is in Christ which is a Peace that the World cannot take away and blessed are the Peace-Makers To seek Peace that makes Peace among the Brethren and People these shall have a Blessing from the Lord the King of Peace but Wo be unto them that cause Strise and Offence And all walk in the Righteousness of Christ the Lord over your own Righteousness and do and act and speak in his Righteousness then you act and do and speak and walk in that in which you have Peace and then God will delight in you and you will be loved of him for he loveth the Righteous And let it be below any of God's People to raise an evil Report on his People Nat to receive false Reports or any others or to give both their Ears to any one's Report of his People or Matter till they have heard both Parties so that Righteousness and Truth and Judgment may be kept up and not fall And in your Men and Womens Meetings you are in and about the Lord's Business and not your own and therefore let the Lord be in your Eyes that all of you his Presence and Power and Wisdom and Judgment may receive to do and act and speak in And this keeps all in his Fear to be careful of their Words and Doings and keeps all Solid and Vertuous and Sober and then whatsoever is of a good Report and is Decent and Comely and whatsoever is Vertuous and tends to Vertue and is Lovely that to follow after and cherish And here your Eyes are kept open to see that nothing be lacking and that you stand in that which shall never fall in the Power and Spirit and Seed Christ who is the sure Foundation and the Rock of Ages G. F. FRiends In every thing give Thanks to the Lord Epist 310. for from him every good thing you do receive for the Apostle saith 1 Thess 5.18 In every thing give thanks To be Thankful for every good thing For this is the Will of God in Jesus Christ concerning you and they that do not obey this Doctrine do not do the Will of God in Christ Jesus And the Apostle saith Every Creature of God is good and nothing to be refased if it be received with thanksgiving c. 1 Tim. 4.4 And David saith At midnight I will rise to give thee thanks because of thy righteous Judgments Psalm 119.62 And David saith O give thanks unto the Lord for it is good because his Mercies endureth for ever Psal 118.1 So the Lord is worthy of all the Thanks and Praises through Jesus Christ who created all by Jesus Christ to his Glory and Honour for evermore G. F. For the Men and Womens Meetings in Barbadoes DEar Friends Let all things be done in Love Epist 311. and in the Spirit of Christ which is the Spirt of the Lamb that must have the Victory To keep in Love for Patience runneth the Race and hath the Crown And keep down rough Esau's Spirit for that will not let the Jew inward pass the King's High-way And therefore quench nothing that is good but keep in the Love of God that is shed in your Hearts and every one keep to your own Springs and at your own Breast and feel your own Bread in your own House from Heaven And strive not for Mastery but let Christ be the Master who is the Wisdom of God and your Wisdom and Righteousness and Sanctification and Justification And dwell in Humility and you to dwell in Humility and Love that will bear all things and that is not easily provoked and envieth not If your Love is not in this Love it is not the Love of God Though you may be convinced of the Truth but they are happy that do obey the Truth of what they are convinced and if they do not they will lose the Days of their Innocency and Simplicity And know the Birth that is Free-born which can give the Cheek to the Smiter for there is a Birth of the Mortal Seed and there is a Birth of the Immortal Seed by the Word of God that liveth and abideth for ever which latter hath a Habitation that is for ever And take heed Friends in laying open one anothers Weakness Not to expose the Weaknesses of one another but if any one has any thing to say let them speak to the Person concern'd and if they will not hear take two or three more before they are brought into Publick This is the Order of the Head Christ to his Body his Church And if any Report be upon any let them speak to the Parties that are concerned for the Report may be false And the Lord saith Thou shalt not raise a false Report upon my People So in this you will have a Care one of another for
one anothers good preferring one another in the Truth And so let the true Brotherly Love continue and Kindness Affableness and Courteousness and whatsoever is Decent Comely and of a good Report in the Eyes of God and the Hearts of all good Men that to follow after and so that in your Men and Womens Meetings nothing may be seen of the old Leaven of the old Malice nor of the old Man nor hid Deeds nor his old Image nor his old Bottle may not be drank of nor his sowre Grapes eaten of for if you do it will set your Teeth on edge one against another But mind the Royal Seed Christ Jesus that makes all things new that new and Living Way a new Man after God and his Image So Children of the New Covenant having the new Leaven that leavens up onto the Love of God which edifies the Body of which Christ is Head and new Bettles full of new Wine from Christ the Vine the new Wine which makes all your Hearts glad to God and Christ and one in another To serve God with a new Heart So here is the new Heart the new Spirit the new Life in which the Living God is sered And therefore this is the Word of the Lord God to you all Let this new Way new Covenant new Man new Leaven new Wine new Life shew forth its Fruits in the new Life from the new Man So that the Fruits of the Old may not appear and that the Bond of Peace in the Vnity of the Spirit may be kept amongst you So keep in this Vnity of the Spirit which is the Bond of Peace and none to break their Peace and go into the ill Behaviour for that is out of the Spirit of God and Christ which is meek gentle c. So that the Lord God of your Lives may be Glorified in you all and above all who is over all God blessed for ever and ever London the 15th of the 3d Mouth G. F. ALL Friends that are in the Power of God Epist 312. and in his Spirit through which Spirit you pray unto God and ask in the Name of Christ Jesus which all true Prayers are to be in and the true Singing and Rejoycing is to be in the Spirit All true Worship performed in the Sptrit and the true Preaching and Ministry is to be in the Spirit for the Saints were made able Ministers of the Spirit and not of the letter Now when a Minister in the Spirit of the living God does minister Spiritual and Heavenly Things and they that receives them receives them with joy in the Assembly now he that is a Minister of the Spirit and ministers Spiritual Things and if they that receive them receive them in Sincerity with Joy and Gladness and Rejoice in the receiving of them whilst the other is ministring of them he that is a Minister of the Spirit does not judge such but Rejoyces in them that does receive them and praises God for the same And so likewise they that do Sing in the Spirit does reach to the Spirit in others whereby they have a sense that it proceedeth from the Spirit for at the Hearing of the Speech the true Minister there is Joy to all that seek and thirst after Righteousness for the preaching the Gospel is the Glad-Tidings the Joyful News and is a comfort both to Soul Body and Spirit to all that receive it in Integrily and Sincerity and they cannot but Rejoice at the Cound of the Power where it is received and they that preaches in this cannot judge such as Rejoices in the Spirit and Power and in their Souls praises God when they hear the Sound of it Oh the Everlasting Gospel the Everlasting Power of God which is Liberty where this is heard the Sound of it which is the Liberty to the Spirit to the Soul to the Creature if a Creature should praise God in his Soul in his Spirit in the very hearing of the Sound of this glorious Gospel or make a Joyful Melody the Minister of the Spirit which preaches the Glorious Gospel cannot judge such for that and say it is a confused Noise for that is the Minister of the Letter that so judges who may gather up parcels of the Letter and make a Song of that or Preachment of that to which the Gospel-Ministry of the Spirit is the Savour of Death unto Death and of Life unto Life And concerning Praying in the Spirit which Spirit make Intercession to God with Sighs and Groans that cannot be uttered Of Prayer in the Spirit Now where this Spirit is prayed in which all true Prayer is to be in it makes Intercessino through the Vails through the Clouds and thick Darkness by the Invisible Powere to the Invisible God and this prayer being made in an Assembly to the Throne of Grace and there the Assembly in their Spirits joyns in this Spirit and does make Intercession and does enter through the Vails Clouds and thick Darkness to the Throne of Grace and if some of these should praise God in a Joyful Sound with their Souls and Sprit can he that prays in the Spirit and makes Intercession therein judge them that Groans in the Spirit and feels the Intercession to the Throne of Grace No he cannot for he feels a Unity in the Spirit and set case that some do Groan and Sight when another is Praying in the Spirit that makes the Intercession easie in the Invisible Spirit to the Invisible God and Throne of his Grace which the Spirit of God operating in the Assembly makes some to Sigh and Groan being sensible of their wants and the Power has awakened such therefore can any judge such that prays in the Power and Spirit that has awakened them Nay but hears them and is glad where it stirs and so having the Mind of the Lord and makes Intercession to him by his Spirit who hears the Sighs of the Needy and Groans of the Oppressed he cannot judge such and therefore they that do judge such Sighers Prayers and such who make a joyful Melody from the Word dwelling in their Hearts they who judge such are not in the Spirit that makes Intercession and that which is contrary is to be reproved and admonished in private by them that are in the Spirit of God lest they pluck up the Wheat and Tares together and make a Confusion in the Church for God is not the Author of Confusion God the Author of Peace c. but of Peace and good Order But that Spirit which is High and Lofty and can form a Praise by words and Pray in his own Spirit will judge such Sighing Groaning Praising and Singing as before but that exalted Spirit is to be cut down with the Sword of the Spirit For if any should Sigh or Groan or Rejoyce or make a joyful Sound whe another is Praying in the Spirit of God and Ministring in the Spirit Spiritual Things this the Spirit of Error cannot bear
Lord Jesus Christ and may beas lights to the dark World and Salt to season the Vnsavoury for every Sacrifice which was offered up to God it was to be seasoned with Salt Every Sacrifice to be seasoned with Salt so every Sacrifice now that is to be offered up to God it must be seasoned and made savoury with this heavenly Salt of his heavenly Spirit so that all may give a good savour to him and be as a sweet smelling Sacrifice to the pure holy God that made all to his Glory and you cannot bring forth this holy righteous and pure Fruit unto God but as you abide in Christ Jesus the Truth who did descend and ascend far above all Principalities Thrones and Dominions that he might have the Preheminence above all and that ye in Him might live above all unto God and so every one of you that has received Christ Jesus the Lord over all So in Him who is your Lord walk who is the Amen and there all the Living can Praise God together and the Living gathers in the Name of Jesus the Name of him who was dead and is alive again and lives for evermore who is the First and Last And here you all know that there is no Salvation in any other name under the whole Heaven but in the Name of Jesus who is a Priest made highter than the Heavens So in his Name keep your Meetings To keep their Meetings in the Name of Jesus in whom you have Salvation and these are the true Meetings and true Gatherings who feels Jesus Christ in the midst of them their Prophet their Councellor their Leader their Light and Life their Way and their Truth their Shepherd that laid down his Life for them that has bought you his Sheep who feeds you in his Pastures of Life and your heavenly Bishop to over-see you that you do not go astray again from God And so it 's through him you overcome and he that overcomes shall go no more forth out of his Fold out of his Pastures who shall sit down in the heavenly Places in Christ Jesus who is your Priest that offered up himself for you and Sacrifices you and makes you holy and clean that he may present you blameless up to the the holy and pure God and here you come to witness and know him in his Offices by his Light Spirit and Power and all your Mens and Womens Meetings in the Power of God which was before the Devil and his Power was Of the holy Order of the Cospel in the Holy Order of the Gospel keep them you being Heirs of the Everlasting Gospel the Everlasting Power of God that will last for ever a joyful Gospel in joyful Order a comfortable Gospel so a comfortable Order a glorious Gospel and glorious Order So in this Everlasting Gospel the Power of God in which you have Everlasting Fellowship and Dominion over all Sin and Wickedness Vnrighteousness Vnholiness and all that is bad whatsoever you have Dominion over in the Gospel the Power of God yea over the Devil And this Gospel may every one testifie unto and to the Order of it that it is not of Man nor by Man neither is it received but by the Revelation of Jesus Christ sent down from Heaven which all the Believers that have part in the first Resurrection lives walks and keeps in the Order of this Gospel and so has Power to Admonish Exhort Reprove and Rebuke with all Authority such as talks of Christ and does not walk in him such as profess him and does not possess him such as lives not in the Religion that was set up above Sixteen Hundred Years since such as profess Christ the Way and walk not in the Way the Truth and the Life all such talkers and not walkers are dishonourers of God and causes his holy Name to be blasphemed among such as make no Profession And therefore all Friends that knows that you are alive to God by Jesus Christ and knows your translation from Death to Christ the Life and from Darkness to Christ the Light so that you may all come now to be helps meet in your Restoration by Christ Jesus into the Image of God and his Righteousness and Holiness as Man and Woman was in before they fell For before they fell they were meet helps to subdue the Earth they had both Power over all that God made while they kept in the Image of God and his Righteousness and Holiness and so all that God made was blest and good to them and so none can renew up into the Righteousness and Image of God but Christ Jesus And therefore I say in him live and walk and keep his Gospel-Fellowship and Order so that Men and Women may be meet helps in the distinct Men and Womens Meetings one unto another in the Gospel the Power of God Men and Women helps meet iâ— their services in the Restoration as Man and Woman was in before they fell So if the Men has any thing to communicate unto the Women or the Women any thing to the Men in the Righteousness and Wisdom and Power of God in the Gospel-Order in which the heavenly Fellowship Vnity and Order is kept they may as Brethren and Sisters So here is the Foundation of our Meetings and our Men and Womens Meetings is testified unto by the Spirit of the Everlasting God that the Foundation of them is Christ of the increase of his righteous glorious and spiritual Government and Peace there is no end nor of the glorious everlasting heavenly Vnity and Order of his Heavenly Gospel which the spiritual and heavenly Minds keeps and walks in accordingly which is not of Man nor by Man so Man has no Glory but God and Christ alone who is Almighty Omnipotent Immortal Everlasting and Eternal and dwells in the Light blessed for ever the Inexpressible God And so all keep the Vnity of his Eternal Spirit which is the Eternal Bond of your Heavenly and Eternal Peace of your King of Kings Lord of Lords and Prince of Princes Peace Amen All Friends be faithful in the Lord's Power and in his Spirit to the Lord God and his Truth that is over all and will keep you over all as you all do live and walk in it to the Glory of God and bring forth Fruits that is heavenly to his Praise So live in the Possession of Life Eternal which was before Death And so in this Power of Christ nothing can get between you and the Lord your Everlasting Home So with my Love Swarthmore the 10th Month 1675. G. F. To all the Elect and Chosen of God in Christ Jesus before the Foundation of the World FRiends and Brethren Epist 317. It lies upon me from the Lord to write unto you these following Lines First I was sent out by the Lord God in his Eternal Light and Power G. F. sent to preach the Word of Life to preach the Word of Life which was
out of the Unity which Teaching is forbidden both by Law and Gospel and they are not fit to Teach if they have not learn'd Subjection to the Spirit of God and know the Silence of all Flesh before the Lord and have not learn'd to adorn themselves with that which is modest and the Lesson of Sobriety whith becomes Godliness and with the good Works the Fruits of the Spirit And such Women as have learn'd this Lesson may Teach and Prophesie for the Spirit is poured upon them to that End And the same Apostle saith Elder Women Nurses Mothers Teachers c. in the Church of Christ 1 Tim. 5. That the Women should be as Mothers and a Mother is a Nurser and a Teacher and Instructer of her Children and the younger Women as Sisters with all Purity and Sisters in Christ and in Purity all have but one Father and a Sister is in the Vnity in the Spirit in the Gospel 1 Tim. 5. And if any Woman that believes have widows let them relieve them So here was the Womans Work to relieve their Widows c. And again The Apostle writes to Titus and saith unto him Speak thou the things which become sound Doctrine c. The aged Women that they be of good behaviour as becometh Holiness not false Accusers not given to much Wine teachers of good things Now here they must be qualified before they can be Teachers of those good things And that these aged Women teach the younger Women first To be Sober secondly To love their Husbands thirdly To love their Children fourthly To be Discreet fifthly To be Chaste and keepers at home and Good Obedient to their own Husbands that the Word of God be not blasphemed Now here the aged Women not a Woman but the aged Women were to teach the younger Women these things And how could these Women be Teachers of all these Vertues and good Things if these Mothers and holy Woman did not meet togeter and converse together of Holiness and Vertue as in Tit. 2. And in 1 Pet. 3. Women to win Husbands by the Word and Conversation also he encourageth Wives and Women That if their Husbands will not be won by the Word they may without the Word be won by the chaste Conversation of the Wives whilst they behold your chaste Conversation saith he coupled with Fear and whose adorning saith he Let it not be that of the Outward with plaiting of the Hair or wearing of Gold or putting on costly Apparel but let it be 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 this he saith was the Ornament of the holy Women in the old time with which they adorned themselves who trusted in God as Sarch c. whose Daughters ye are as long as ye do well and are not afraid with any Amazement And likewise the Believing Husband and the Believing Wife are Heirs together of the Grace and Life And therefore the Believing Women being Heirs of Grace and Life as well as the Men they may impart of their Life which they do inherit as well as Men for an Heir of Life is beyond an Heir of the Earth And there is no Believing Husband will hinder his Believing Wife Men not to binder Wives from administring to the Necessity of the Poor c. being Heirs of Life to adiminister some of their temporal things to them that are in Necessity he will not have all the Earth to himself but let her have the disposing of some of it as well as himselfe whilst they do enjoy it and ministring of outward things is the least Love And Women many times know the Condition of poor Families and Widows and such as are in distress more than the Men because they are most conversant in their Families and about such things But there are many Idle Talkers and Busie Bodies that are out of the Sense and Service of God that will not do good themselves nor suffer others to do their Service of Love and Charity for the Lord in the Church And John writes in his Second Epistle unto the Elect Lady and her Chidlren whom I love in the Truth saith he and not I only Note John the Evang list sent his Epistle to a Woman but also all they that have known the Truth for the Truth 's sake which dwelleth in us and shall be with us for ever c. I rejoyce greatly says he that I have found they Children walking in the Truth And further saith I write no new Commandment unto thee but that which we had from the beginning that we love one another And so he trusts to come and see her and speak Face to Face unto her the Children of thy Elect Sister greet thee Amen The elect Lady and her elect Sister So was not this an honourable Woman that had trained up her Children in the Truth as was commanded by John And he admonished her against such as did transgress and did not abide in the Doctrine of Christ Jesus that they had not the Father nor the Son but they that did abide in the Doctrine of Christ Jesus had both the Father and the Son So is not this an Encouragement to all faithful Women to see that their Children do walk in the Truth and abide in the Doctrine of Christ that they may have both the Father and Son And farther Solomon saith A gracious Woman attains Honour The vertues of a gracious Woman and a vertuous Woman is a Crown to her Husband and every wise Woman buildeth her own House Surely then she hath a work to do he that hath Ears let him hear But the foolishe Woman plucketh it down with her Hands And there are too many of those that are in the Transgression of the Spirit and Power of God with which they must build But a Woman that feareth God she shall be praised give her of the Fruit of her hands and let her Works Praise her in the Gates And then surely she hath a work to do that must praise her in the Gates She stretcheth forth her hands to the Poor yea she reacheth forth her hands to the Needy Prov. 31. And must she not then have something of the Outward to do it withal She opens her Mouth in Wisdom and in her Tongue is the Law of Kingness She looks well to the Ways of her Houshold and eateth not the Bread of Idleness She is like the Merchant 's Shir she bringeth her Food from far she riseth also whilst it is Night and giveth Meat to her Houshold and Portions to her Maidens she considereth a Field and buyeth it with the Fruit of her hands she planteth a Vineyard she guirdeth her Loins with strength and strengtheneth her Arms she perceiveth that her Merchandize is good her Candle goeth not out by Night c. And here is an Example to all Women a
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
natural Men with all the Arts Languages and Wisdom upon the Earth can find it out or know this Mystery nor make it for Christ Jesus the heavenly and spiritual Man is the Author and Finisher of it and no natural Man though he may have all the Languages that began at Babel and yet he may not know the Mystery of this One Faith which Christ Jesus is the Author of For Pilate that set Hebrew Greek and Latin a-top of Christ who was the Author and Finisher of Faith he was so ignorant of the Mystery of Faith that he asked Christ What is Truth And the Greeks that spoke Natural Greek and the Hebrews that spoke Natural Hebrew the Preaching of Christ the Author and Finisher of the true Faith was a Stumbling-block and Foolishness to them So I do conclude That no Man or Woman hath true Faith only by the Natural Knowledge Reading or Vnderstanding of the Original Tongue and Language of the New Testament no more than the Natural Jews had by the Reading or Knowing of the Natural Tongue of the Old Testament nor can any in the whole World have true Faith except Jesus Christ be the Author and Finisher of it Now those that do say That the Tongues are the Original and by them the Orthodox Men and the Divines so called are qualified which Tongues began at Babel and these be the Preachers that makes Faiths for People who hath gotten Scriptures in Hebrew Greek and Latin But I must tell you that Pilate and Herod and the Jews and the Chief Priests and the Grecians and others that could speak Latin and Greek and Hebrew Naturally knew not Christ nor this One Faith which is the Gift of God which Christ is the Author of No more can they with all their Natural Knowledge of all the Tongues until Christ Jesus the Author of the true and saving Faith give it unto them by which One Faith was Enoch translated before the many Languages were and by which Faith Abel's Sacrifice was accepted and by which Faith Noah built the Ark and by which Faith he was saved and by which Faith now all the Houshold of Faith are saved from the Wrath by which God will destroy the wicked World which is reserved in store by the same Word unto Fire against the Day of Judgment and Perdition of ungodly Men which Word will hammer down all and burn up all and cut down all the Vngodly and by which Word all things were made by which Word of Life and Wisdom his People are reconciled to God and therefore they love the Word Christ who doth fulfil the Mind of God G. F. FRiends In the Power and Image and Truth and Wisdom of God Epist 343. who are come under God and Christ's Teaching the heavenly and spiritual Man Don't you strive about Men like the Carnal Corinthians Not to be carnal and divide about Men. that cried I am of Paul and I am of Apollos And them that do so leave them to themselves after you have admonished them to keep to the Light Grace and Faith that comes from Christ if they will not hear it nor him nor you then I say they must be left to themselves And you whose Faith stands not in Men but in Christ the Author of it and in his Gospel of Salvation by which you are saved which Gospel is the Power of God your Keeper Keep ye in the Order of the Gospel the Power of God all ye that are Heirs of it and in this Power of God keep your Men and Womens Meetings the Power of God being the Author and Authority of them by which Power of God the Gospel you are saved and have your liberty and in it you are over him that would destroy you and darken you and keep you in Bondage In which Power of God the Gospel you see Life and Immortality brought to light So it is the Gospel that hath brought it to Light and keeps Life and Immortality and an Vnderstanding up in you above him that has darkned you from it Now this is an Everlasting and Invisible Power in which you are all help meets in the Restoration by Christ the heavenly and spiritual Man whereby you are brought into the Image Lakeness Righteousness Holiness and Power of God as Man and Woman were in before they fell And now the same Spirit that drew Adam and Eve from the Image and Likeness of God and his Power and Righteousness and Holiness under a pretence to feed upon that which God had forbidden them for they thought they should have been wiser than God had taught them would keep Man and Woman in the Fall Now they by hearkning to that Spirit and eating of the forbidden Fruit fell and lost the Image of God The cause of Man's fall and Righteousness and Holiness and the Power in which they had the Dominion and were brought into the Fall by hearkning to this false Spirit the Adversary who envied their Happiness and Prosperity And so by their Fall they came under another Power another Image another Likeness and another God even the God of the World Now this Adversary and Deceiver appeared against Man in Paradise and now Men and Women are deceived by him and under his Power in the Earth who creeps on his Belly and Dust is his Meat This same Spirit who is the Adversary and Destroyer that led Adam and Eve into the Fall strives to keep Men and Women in the Fall and in the Earth and opposes them in their Conversion Regeneration and Restoration And this was the same Spirit that rose in Cain against Abel and envied his Acceptable Sacrifice and his Righteous State as it did Adam and Eve's Prosperity in the Ruling Power wherein they had Dominion over all And the same Spirit is risen now which strives to keep People in the Fall where he has got them that Men and Women should not be helps meet in the Restoration by Christ Jesus as they were in before they fell in Power and Righteousness and Holiness and Likeness The same Spirit that envied Mâ—â—s happiness the same opposes good Order in the Church and Image of God So I say the same Spirit that envied Adam and Eve before they fell the same Spirit opposes the Men and Womens Meetings in the Order of the Gospel in their Restoration And that which led them into the Fall does strive to keep them in the Fall that It might be Lord and not Christ Lord who Restores them so the same Spirit now would not have Men and Women to have Dominion in the Power of God over all in the Restoration as they were help meets together in the Beginning And this is the Adversary the Serpent that led into the Fall and would keep in the Fall and there be Head But Christ who is the Head and gives forth the Order of his Gospel for his People to live and walk in and under his Spiritual and Heavenly Government bruises the Head of
this Adversary to Man and Woman and God's Order and Government and Teaching and Christ that does bruise his Head is the Head of all his People that fits under his Teaching and under his Order and Government which they are to walk in So the same Spirit is risen that rose against Noah in the Old World yea it is seen what the Sons of God run into then even that which grieved God by following that Spirit which led from God which led Adam and Eve also from God But Noah was preserved in the Ark over the Floods when the Old World was drowned but all God's People are preserved in Christ Jesus over the Floods of the World and that Spirit that led Adam and Eve into the Fall and to feed upon that which made them think they should be wiser than God had taught them I say they are preserved in Christ Jesus the Ark over all the Floods of the Adversary and from the Judgments that God brings upon him and them that follows him And as Noah was preserved in the Ark over the outward Floods that drowned the Old World so will God's People be preserved from the Fire and Brimstone that is prepared for the Wicked and the Devil and his Angels And the same Spirit is risen now that led Nimrod to build Babel a City to preserve him and them after the Flood but God did confound Them and their Work And so he will do all such Builders For you see how God did confound all the Jewish Builders yea the Wise Master Builders who rejected Christ the Corner-Stone and his Order and his Government and his Counsel And the great City Babylon which this Spirit and its Followers has built since the Apostles is come into remembrance with God which the same destroying Spirit has built that led Adam and Eve from God and from the Order he placed them in So this same Spirit which hath led Man and Woman from the Order the Apostles were in strives to lead People from it now where it is risen And the same Spirit that led Cain to kill Abel who afterwards built a City and the same Spirit that led Adam and Eve from the Command of God in Paradise leads from it now but God will lay Cain's City waste and there is no Lodging in it for the Saints who seek another City whose Builder and Maker is God And the same Spirit is risen now that arose in Pharaoh and in Corah Dathan and Abiram in Pharaoh to oppose the People and stop them from going out of Egypt and walking in the Law of God in which they might worship God which Law of God was Good Just and Holy and went over all Transgression and Sin which led into Death that it might reign and not the Lord and his Law And that Spirit that led Corah Dathan and Abiram who thought Moses took too much upon him and busied himself too much pretending that the People were Holy so would not have them go further but there to have made a stop and set down according to its Will But see how they were stopp'd and what became of Pharaoh how he was sunk in the Sea and the other into the Earth And what became of them that opposed Aaron in his Priesthood The Spirit of Coran risen now to oppose the Servants of the Lord. their Rods did not bud yet they would have been Teachers and Ministers but had not the Fruit in the Tabernacle in the Morning that they might see how to deal their Bread to the hungry and therefore they whose Rods did not bud God's Fire consumed them for they have nothing to offer to God but manifest Presumption and Rebellion And see the end of such And the same Spirit that rose against the Prophets in the Jews who resisted the Holy Ghost and rebelled against the Spirit is risen now and is the same Spirit that deceived Adam and Eve in Paradise which led the People from God and his Law and his Prophets But what became of these Jews and what was their end Some to the Fire some to the Sword and some to Captivity as you may read And those that rebelled against Moses and Joshua and Caleb wandred in the Wilderness till they perished and came not to the good Land And therefore keep under Christ Jesus's Teaching To keep under the Teaching of Christ who is the Prophet God has raised up like Moses whom all should hear and obey And the same Spirit is risen now that rose against Christ and the Apostles And Christ called them Serpents and of their Father the Devil the Destroyer the Adversary who had deceived Adam and Eve by his false Teaching and envied their Happiness and led them from God So you may see how these Jews high and low were gone from God and his Law and his Command by hearkning to and obeying this Spirit which had led Adam and Eve to disobey God's Command and therefore they would not receive his Son nor his Order nor Doctrine And what became of all these Jews was not their City laid waste and they scattered over all Nations and they destroyed of the Destroyer who had denied Christ their Saviour that wept over them and would have saved them from Destruction And such as came to John and was baptized by him and rejoyced in his Light for a season and many that followed Christ and said he was a Prophet yet at last these turned from him that descended and ascended and he told them that rejoyced in John's burning Light for a season God's Mind was not abiding in them and that they had not seen his Shape nor heard his Voice at any time and that they received Honour of Man but knew not Christ the heavenly Man that received not Honour of the earthly Man who received their Favour one of another And such as said he was a Prophet when he said They must eat his Flesh the heavenly Bread that came down from Heaven they forsook him for their Minds turned downward to feed upon that which was below And the same Spirit is risen now The same Spirit that rose against the Apostles is risen now that rose against the Apostles as you may see in their Epistles in the Romans Corinthians and in Peter Timothy Titus Jude and John Some got the Form of Godliness and denied the Power and some were Enemies to the Cross of Christ the Power of God others were getting another Gospel than the Power of God which brought them under the Curse others were speaking the things of God in the Words that Man's Wisdom taught them others their Faith was standing in Words and not in the Power of God others their Faith was standing in Paul and Apollo's which should have stood in Christ Which grieved the Apostles for their Faith should have stood in Christ whom they preached Others with good Words and fair Speeches deceived the Hearts of the Simple And therefore all they which preach'd Faith and made shipwrack of
Faith was and are still denied And all such as preach God and Christ and crucifies Christ to themselves afresh and denies God in their Works were then and are denied And all such as preach the Light and walk in Darkness and preach the Spirit the Fruits of which is Love and Peace and are in Strife and Enmity were never owned by God nor Christ nor good Men though they may be called Christians And all such as preach Liberty and themselves were Servants of Corruption were and are still denied And all such as cries Lord Lord and preaches Christ Christ and does not his Will enters not into his Kingdom themselves And into it they can bring none that do not go into it themselves Which Kingdom stands in Power and in Joy and Peace in the Holy Ghost And all such as preach the Word of God and are not doers of the Word they are Deceivers of their own Souls and they may deceive others with the good Words And such cannot be reconciled to God neither can they bring others to Reconciliation with God So this Spirit is but One which Spirit all along has wrought against the true Spirit of God in all his People and was in Srife and Contention and Disquietness against the Righteous in all Ages but it wrought its own Destruction and the Fall of them that followed it as you may see through all the Scriptures And therefore all are to keep the Vnity of the Spirit All are to keep the Vnity of the Spirit the Bond of the heavenly Man Christ Jesus's Peace who renews Man up into the Image of God as Man was in before he fell and not only into that State but up into himself that never fell where they know both his Gospel-Order and his Heavenly Government and are subject to it He being the Head above all Principalities Powers Thrones and Dominions Who is ascended above all that he might fill all things Who is over all the Beginning and Ending and Lives and Reigns from Everlasting to Everlasting the Amen G. F. An Epistle to be read in the Men and Womens Meetings DEar Friends Epist 344. My Love in the Lord Jesus Christ to you all in whom I have laboured and my Desires are the God of all Peace and the Son of Peace may fill all your Hearts with his Love and Peace and Wisdom and Knowledge in all things to do his heavenly glorious Will in that you will know his Son's Doctrine and as you know it obey it And my Desires are in the Lord All to walk worthy of their Holy Vocation that you may all walk worthy of your Vocation and of him that his called you to Holiness and Righteousness and to Peace so that his Peace may flow as a River and Righteousness run down as a Stream to the gladding of the City of God the Walls of which is his Power and Salvation and Light and Life And now My Friends Keep all your Meetings in the Name of Jesus in whom you have all Salvation which is above every Name under the whole Heaven in which there is no Salvation And also all your Men and Womens Meetings every where keep in the Power of the Lord Jesus Christ his Gospel by which he hath brought Life and Immortality to light in you that you may see over him that hath darkned you and before he was which Power will preserve you in Life and Immortality So that you may now all labour in the Gospel the Power of God in his glorious and comfortable Gospel joyfully serving the Lord in his Gospel of Peace through which Gospel you have Peace with God So that in this Gospel All to be stirred up to Labour in the Lord's Service the Power of God there can come nothing between you and God Here is your heavenly Order not of Man nor by Man So that all the faithful Men and Women may in the Lord's Power be stirred up in their Inheritances of the same Gospel and to labour in it helps-meet in the Restoration as Man and Woman was before the Fall in the Garden of God all are to work in his Righteousness and in his Image in his Power in his Garden to subdue the Earth and keep the Dominion in his Power in the Restoration as Man and Woman did in the Image of God before the Fall Whosoever would hinder you in this Work it is the same Serpent's Spirit that led Adam and Eve into the Fall from the Work of God which now would keep you in the Fall to do his Work and Command and not the Lord's and therefore over that keep your Dominion Authority and Inheritance in the Restoration in the Power of God in which every one of you must give an account to God and therefore be diligent in the Lord's Power Light Life and Spirit in which you all see your Services to God so that he may be glorified among you all and in you all and over you all his Glory may shine And you all Men and Women in your Men and Womens Meetings be diligent labouring in the Light Life and the Power of God the Gospel in the Garden and Church of God so that Righteousness and Peace may flow down amongst you and Truth and Godliness Purity Vertue and Holiness over all that is contrary and that the Weight and Care of God's Glory and his Honour and his pure Holy Name and his Truth Religion and Worship you may all stand up for against that which would in any wise cause it to be evil spoken of by ill Walkers and Talkers and let all things you do be done in Love and condescend one to another in the Power of the Lord and in his Truth have esteem one of another and let all things be done among you without any Strife for it's Love that edifies the Body and knits it together and unites it to Christ the heavenly and holy Head The Reproach taken from Woman that was first in Transgression And now you Women though you have been under Reproach because Eve was first in Transgression the Promise was The Seed of the Woman should bruise the Serpents Head And this Promise of God is fulfilled A Virgin should have a Child and they should call his Name Emanuel God with us again For Man and Woman was drove from God out of Paradise and the Serpent became their Head and god of the World but Christ is come according to the Promise of God and his Prophets who was born of a Virgin and therefore saith Mary My Spirit doth rejoyce in God my Saviour My Soul doth magnifie the Lord for he hath regard to the low estate of his Hand maid for behold from henceforth all Generations shall call me Blessed Now here comes the Reproach to be taken off from Women which were first in Transgression who are not suffered to speak in the Church but here Mary did speak and believe that which was spoken to her And also the Reproach
and Transgression taken off Men that believe in the Seed Christ Jesus who bruises the Head of the Serpent that has brought Man and Woman into his Image and his Works which Christ destroys both him and his works and renews Man and Woman up into the Image of God as they were in before they fell and into the Power to have Dominion to work in his Garden to subdue the Earth c. So that all are now to labour in the Garden of God that are in the Power and Image of God being brought into it by Christ Jesus that bruises the Serpent's Head that has been Head in them all So that Christ Jesus may be Head in all Men and Women and every Man and Woman may act from him their Holy Head their Life and Salvation and keep his heavenly Peace in his Church and every living Member believing in the Light which is the Life in Christ may be grafted into him the Fountain of Life and receive from him the Water of Life that they may feel the living Springs and the Rivers springing up in them to Eternal Life These are living Stones the spiritual Houshold of which Christ is both Head Rock and Foundation And Christ is called the Green Tree Christ the green Tree from whom all the Branches receive their Nourishment which Green Tree never withers into whom they are grafted by Belief in the Light which is the Life in him from whom they all receive their heavenly living nourishment through which every Graft is nourished then it comes to bud and bring forth Fruit to the Praise of the Eternal God Now every one of these living Believers are Members of the living Church in God which Christ is the Head of and every Member in the Church hath an Office and so every Member is serviceable in the Body in his Office in the Light which is over Darkness and was before it was and in the Life which is over Death and was before it was and in the Power of God which was before the Power of the Serpent was and so they are in this Light Life and Power to execute their Offices I say in this Divine Light Life Power and Spirit of God for God's Glory in Truth Purity Vertue Holiness and Righteousness they are to stand up for and the Honour of his Son and receive him who hath all Power in Heaven and Earth given to him and all that receive him he gives them Power to become the Sons and Daughters of God then in his Power all are to act and walk and to serve God in their Generation and in it to serve him in the New Creation in Righteousness and Holiness and to stand up in his Power for his Glory in his Power Righteousness and Holiness that Christ brings into them and renews them in and so into the Restoration that they may Labour in the Church and Garden of God in his Power to his Everlasting Praise and Glory Amen And all Friends To stand fast in the Liberty of Christ stand fast in the Liberty wherewith Christ hath made you free and in the Liberty in the Faith which Christ is the Author and Finisher of which Faith purifies the Hearts and gives Victory in which you have access to God the Mystery of which is held in a pure Conscience in which Faith it hath its true Liberty And keep in the Liberty of the Everlasting Glorious Gospel of Peace which is not of Man nor by Man but from Heaven which Gospel bringeth and hath brought Life and Immortality to Light and will preserve you in Life and Immortality over him that hath darkned you and in this Gospel you have Everlasting Liberty and Peace and in the Truth which maketh you free from him that is out of the Truth This free State all are to keep in and also in the pure holy Spirit of God and Christ that doth Mortifie all that is to be mortified and crucified and doth Baptize you into one Body In this Holy Spirit you are to walk which leadeth you into all Truth in which is your Vnity and Fellowship and giveth Liberty from that which hath grieved it and quenched and vexed it And so in the Liberty and Fellowship and Vnity of the holy pure and peaceable Spirit you are all to dwell and walk which is the Bond of the Prince of Princes Peace which the World cannot take away London the 13th of the 9th Month 1677. G. F. MY Dear Friends To whom is my Love in the Everlasting Seed Epist 345. that reigns over all and will overcome all your Persecutors and the Devil that is the cause thereof who fighteth against the Light which is the Life in Christ as they did against him in the Flesh above Sixteen Hundred Years ago And now my Friends Suffer as Lambs in the time of your Sufferings To suffer as Lambs in the Patience of the Lamb. let all your Wills be subjected with the Patience that hath the Victory and run the Race and obtain the Crown of Life and be willing to go to Suffer for Christ's sake for the Apostle said It is not only given you to Believe but also to Suffer for his Name sake in whom you have Salvation for They that suffer for Righteousness sake are Blessed and theirs is the Kingdom of God and by Faith the holy Men of God had Victory as you may see at large in Heb. 11. So nothing is overcome by any Man's Will but by Faith that giveth access to God in which they do Please God And I do believe that all your Sufferings will be for good for your Establishing upon the holy Rock of Life which was the Rock of all the Sufferers the Prophets and the Apostles who is the anointed Saviour to the answering that of God in all People for the Lord hath a great Work and Seed in that place So live in the Spirit that Mortifieth all and Circumciseth all and Baptiseth all so that with the Spirit you may sow to the Spirit and of the Spirit reap Life Everlasting And my desire is All to live in the Vnity of the Spirit and in the Bond of Peace that you may all be kept alive to God and live in the living Vnity of the Spirit which is the Bond of the heavenly Peace that passeth the Knowledge of the World which Peace brings such Joys which transcend all your Sufferings and will carry you above them And so in love to God and in love to your Persecutors you can pray for them who persecute you and this Suffering is above all the Sufferings in the World which are without Love and Charity who maketh one another to suffer when they get the upper hand but such are not the Sufferers for the true Lord Jesus who suffered though he was above all yet he made none to suffer and when he was Reviled he reviled not again but said Father forgive them and committed himself to him that judged Righteously So let the
same Mind be in you as was in Christ Jesus for the Apostle said That they had the Mind of Christ and the Lamb overcame and had the Victory and his sanctified Ones that following him are partakers thereof Glory to his Name for ever Amen The 18th of the 5th Month 1677. G. F. To Friends at Sussex MY Dear Friends Epist 346. To whom is my Love and to the rest of Friends that a-ways And my desire is that you may all Suffer as Lambs of Christ for when he was reviled he reviled not again and he gave his back and cheek to the Strikers and Smiters and his hair to be pluck'd off and was as a Lamb led dumb before his Shearers and he opened not his Mouth though he was the King of Kings and Lord of Lords and so left his Fellowers and Believers an Example that they should follow him like Innocent Lambs for the Lamb and the Saints have the Victory over all the Tearers and Strikers and Pluckers Let Patience have its perfect Work and Devourers and Persecutors and so let Patience have its perfect Work in you and among you in which you run the Race and do obtain the Crown of Eternal Life And do not strive but keep down that Spirit that would strive with Love which differeth you from all other Sufferers that have not Love which envieth not neither is provoked but beareth all things and indureth all things and will wear out all Evil Doers And so be Faithful and of the good Faith that hath the Victory and in it suffer joyfully as the Saints did and leave the Gain-sayers to the Lord God who will Reward and Re-pay them And keep in the Seed that will out-last all and bruise the Head of the Serpent And so the Lord God preserve you all both in Life Word and Conversation to his Glory and that all your Words may be Gracious Amen The 8th of the 5th Month 1677. G. F. Concerning Subjection of the Spirits of the Apostles one to another in the Vnity of the Spirit of Christ THE Apostles heard at Jerusalem Epist 347 that the Samaritans had received the Word of God and they sent unto them Peter and John Acts 8.14 Now Peter and John did not in opposition say Peter and Paul We will stay till we have a Motion But as the Spirts of the Prophets were subject to the Prophets so the Spirits of the Apostles were subject to the Apostles And when tidings came to the Church at Jerusalem That the Grecians had believed they sent forth Barnabas to them Barnabas and when he came he Exhorted them and when Barnabas had found Paul he brought him to Antioch and there the Disciples were first called Christians and the Church sent the Collection by the hands of Paul and Barnabas unto the Elders Acts 11.22 23 30. and 9.27 Paul and Barnabas Paul and Barnabas took with them John whose Sirname was Mark and Mark did not Gain-say and tell them I must wait for a Motion Acts 12.25 It pleased the Apostles and Elders with the Church to send chosen Men to Antioch with Paul and Barnabas and Judas Surnamed Barsabas and Silas chief Men among the Brethren Barsabas and Silas and writ Letters by them unto the Gentiles Acts 15.22 saying For asmuch as we have heard that certain that went out from us have troubled you with words subverting your Souls saying Ye must be Circumcised and keep the Law unto whom we gave no such Commandment It seemed good unto us being assembled with one accord to send chosen Men unto you Men that have hazarded their Lives for the Name of our Lord Jesus Christ Paul said unto Barnabas Let us go again unto every City The Care of the Apostles to visit those again to whom they bad preacht the Gospel where we have preached the Word of the Lord and see how they do and Barnabas determined to take Mark with them and Paul chose Silas being recommended by the Brethren unto the Grace of God and they went through Syria and Cilicia and as they went through the Cities they delivered them the Decrees for to keep that were ordained of the Apostles and Elders which were at Jerusalem and so were the Churches confirmed and established in the Faith and increased in number daily Acts 16.4 The Brethren exhorted the Disciples to receive Apollos Acts 18.27 Apollos And Paul sent unto the Ephesians and called the Elders of the Church and exhorted them Acts 20.17 Paul commends Phebe Phebe a Servant of the Church which is at Cencrea and bid them receive her in the Lord and assist her in whatsoever business she hath need of Rom. 16. Now if Timothy come so that ye receive him without fear let no Man despise him but conduct him forth in Peace that he might come unto me for I look for him with the Brethren Paul said to the Corinthians Did I make a gain of you by any whom I sent unto you 2 Cor. 12.17 Or did Titus make a gain of you Tychicus a beloved Brother and faithful Minister of the Lord shall make known unto you all things Titus and Tychicus whom I have sent unto you for the same purpose that you might know our affairs and comfort your hearts Eph. 6.21 22. Paul sent to the Colossians Onesimus with Tychicus to make known all things unto them that was done with him Col. 4.9 And when they had read his Epistle Onesimus they were to cause it to read at Laodicea and Paul charged the Thessalonians by the Lord that they did read his Epistle amongst all the holy Brethren 1 Thess 5.27 And Paul saith Take Mark bring him with thee for he is profitable to me for the Ministry and Tychicus I have sâ—at to Ephesus Artemas and Zenas the Lawyer 2 Tim. 4.11.12 Paul said to Titus Chap. 3.12 When I shall send Artemas or Tychicus unto thee be thou diligent to come unto me to Nicopolis and bring Zenas the Lawyer and Apollos on their journey diligently that nothing be wanting unto them Paul saith to Philemon Having confidence in thy obedience I wrote unto thee knowing that thou will also do more than I say Philemon 21 22. John saith 2 Epist Look to your selves that we lose not these things that we have wrote but that we may receive a full reward I wrote unto the Churches but Diotrephas who loveth to have the preheminence amongst them received us not Wherefore if I come I will remember his deeds which he doth prating against us with malicious words 2. and 3. Epistle of John The woful End of such as separate themselves having not the Spirit And in Jude Such as goes in Balaam Cain and Corah's way wandering Stars raging Waves of the Sea Wells without Water Clouds without Rain Trees without Fruit twice dead and pluck'd up by the Roots their Mouths speak great Swelling Words to whom is reserved the Blackness of Darkness for ever These are
Salvation who Redeems out of the Curse and Fear of Men or that makes the Arm of Flesh his strength and not the Arm of God and therefore the Arm of the Lord being your Strength Christ your Rock and Salvation then you need not fear what Man can do unto you for all God's Children are dear and tender to him whom he hath begotten again by the Word of God to be Heirs of his Kingdom he feeds them with Life Eternal and the Milk of his Word which Word lives and abides and endures for ever and is always full and plentious of Milk to nurse and nourish all God's Children unto Eternal Life and to inherit his Kingdom and the World which is Everlasting which Christ is the Ruler of the heavenly and spiritual Man and therefore they that are in him must be New Creatures for all the Old Creatures are in old Adam And therefore my Desires are that you may all be settled in Christ Jesus who was dead and is alive again and lives for evermore a Prophet Counsellor Priest Bishop and Shepherd a Circumciser and Baptiser a living Rock and Foundation for evermore the Beginning and Ending the First and Last the Amen sit down in him and he in you in whom you have Peace with God Amen Swarthmore the 6th of the 12th Month 1678. G. F. MY Dear Friends Epist 353. Whose Faces are set towards Zion from this Dung-hill World of Vanity and Vexation of Spirit the Glory Comfort and Pleasures of which pass away they that have more or less of it and that enter into it enter into Trouble and when they are in it it is a great Trouble to come out of it and to be a Fool for Christ's sake Be a fool for Christ's sake who is not of this World but of the World that hath no end And therefore you must believe in the Light Grace and Truth that cometh from him in the Inward Parts or Heart which directeth your Minds to Christ from whence this comes and to unite to him that is Heavenly who saith Seek the Kingdom of God first and the Righteousness of his Kingdom then all outward things will be added to them that have found the Kingdom of God that stands in Righteousness over Unrighteousness and it stands in the Power of God over the Power of the Devil and was before he was and it standeth in Peace and Joy in the Holy Ghost over all the Unclean Ghosts or Unholy Spirits and the good Seed are the Children of this Kingdom which is Everlasting And take heed of your Wills and give not way to them but give way to the Power and Spirit of God which crucifieth it Submit your Wills to God and keeps it under the Cross of Christ so that your Inward Man may be renewed and the Old Adam put off so that the Day Light of Jesus Christ may be seen which Abraham rejoyced to see and so do they that be of the Faith of Abraham which Faith is the Gift of God that see the Son of Righteousness shine in their Hearts to nourish that which God hath there planted who watereth it with the living Water of the Word his living Plant And here is Water in your own Wells that you may drink out of your own Wells or Cisterns and to have Grapas off their own Vines from which they may have the new Wine in their new Bottles to glad and chear their Hearts with the Wine from the heavenly Branch of the heavenly Vine of which the Lord is the Husband-Man and this must every one of God's People feel What is the matter that all the World is of so many Ways since the Apostles days Because they are out of Christ the Way Out of Christ the one Way the new and living Way which is over all the dead Ways which was set up above Sixteen Hundred Years ago And why have they so many Religions Because that they are out of the pure and undefiled Religion before God which was set up above Sixteen Hundred Years ago which Religion keeps from the spots of the World and then this Religion must be above the World that keepeth from the spots of it and they that are gone from this Religion into them of their own making and tell People They must not be Perfect here and must carry a Body of Death with them to the Grave and others say That they must have a Purgatory when they are Dead this Doctrine is contrary to the Apostles who said Cleansed by the Blood of Jesus that They were cleansed by the Blood of Jesus and washed by the Water of the Word and this Blood and Water God's People must feel the effects of within to wash and cleanse their Hearts Souls Minds and Consciences Their Hearts and Consciences being sprinkled as the Apostle saith with the Blood of Jesus from their dead Works to serve the Living God For many may talk of the Blood of Jesus without them in their dead Works not serving the Living God their Hearts and Consciences being not sprinkled with the Blood of Jesus and they must feel it within as well as without And if they have Life they eat his Flesh and drink his Blood if they do live by him that is Heavenly and Spiritual the second Adam the Lord from Heaven For they have drank long enough into old Adam's unclean Spirit which is the cause that there are so many Bodies that they do vex and quench the good Spirit and resist the Holy Ghost which should Baptize them all into one Body that is to plunge down all Sin and Evil that is got up by Transgression and burn that up which is Chaff or Corruption and so to drink into one Spirit as the Apostles and Churches did in the Primitive Times and so to have the same Fellowship and Vnity in the holy spirit of Christ as they had to wit in Christ Jesus who was and is the holy Head of his Church his Elect in him And Jerusalem that is above is the Mother of all such and such do worship God as Christ taught above Sixteen Hundred Years ago in Spirit and in Truth So all must come to the Spirit and the Truth in their Hearts and Souls if they do know the God of Truth who is a Spirit and must worship him in Spirit and in the Truth into which holy Spirit and Truth the unclean Spirit and him that is out of Truth cannot come So all Will-worshippers and the Dragon and Beast and False Worshippers are out of this Holy spirit and Truth in which the Pure and Holy God is worshipped and as all that did eat of the Passover in the Old Covenant were to be Circumcised in the Flesh so are all in the New Covenant to be Circumcised with the Spirit by putting off the Body of the Sins of the Flesh that came upon Man by Transgression if they will feed on Christ their Heavenly Sacrifice All feed on Christ your beavenly Sacrifice
Living and the Leaves thereof heal the Nations And this Tree stands in the midst of God's Garden who saith In the midst of thy Church will I sing Praise The Eyes of People are upen it which are living Stones a spiritual Houshold of Faith Elect and Precious the Church of the living God written in Heaven so Holiness becomes the House of the Lord. And therefore the Lord doth require more from Friends than all other People because he hath given more to them and so all People do expect more from Friends than all other People in answering that of God in them all in truth and in Righteousness Holiness and Godliness for ye are the Lights of the World and the Salt of the Earth to season it So all must glorifie the Lord God in their Lives and Conversations with their Bodies Spirits and Souls which are Christ's who has bought them and cleansed them with his Blood and the pure Water of his Word who makes them sanctified Vessels of his Mercy for his Glory therefore none must dishonour the Lord. And therefore my Desires are that you may all be valiant for the Truth upon the Earth and keep up all your Men and Womens Meetings in the Lord's Power the Gospel which hath brought Life and Immortality to Light and it will preserve you in Life and Immortality over hom that hath darkned you and in this all will see their Works and Services for the Lord God and his Son Christ Jesus in that which hath brought Life and Immortality to Light in which Gospel is an Everlasting Perfect Fellowship and Order which will stand when all others are gone all the Saints that do enjoy this cannot but Praise the Lord and sing Praises to him for ever and ever Amen The Apostle saith If any Man be in Christ he is a new Creature old things are passed away behold all things are become new 2 Cor. 5.17 So they that are in Christ are new Creatures and they that are in old Adam are old Creatures and are in their old Things old Ways old Worships Old things done away and old Religions and have the old Garments and the old Bottles that hold the old Wine and cannot endure the new and have the old rusty moth-eaten Treasure And they that are in Christ the heavenly and spiritnal Second Adam who maketh all things new are new Creatures and spiritual Men and are heavenly-minded and are new Bottles that hold the new Wine and the new heavenly Treasure and have the new Cloathing the fine Linnen the Righteousness of Christ and are in the New and Living Way over all the dead Ways and they are in the New Worship which Christ set up above Sixteen hundred Years ago which is in the Spirit and in the Truth in which Holy Spirit and Holy Truth the Holy God is worshipped And this was new to both Jews and Gentiles and is new to all the Apostate Christians who are not in the Holy Spirit and Truth that the Apostles were in And this new Creature in Christ hath a new Religion which is pure and undefiled The new Creature bath the pure Religion and keepeth from the spots of the World And this Religion is new to the Jews and Gentiles and all the apostatized Christians that plead for a Body of Death and Sin to the Grave and a Purgatory when they are dead And they that be in Christ are new Creatures and they have a new Head who is the Head of all things the First born of every Creature and the Frist-begotten from the dead who is alive and liveth for evermore who bruiseth the Serpent's Head who hath made things old but Christ maketh all things new and they tht be in him are new Creatures and they that be out of Christ are the old Creatures in Old Adam and these old Creatures are doting about their old things and their old Bottles old Wine old Garments and are doting about their old Ways old Religions and old worships and persecuting one another with their old Carnal Weapons these old Creatures which dote about their old Worships Religions and Ways so that one old Creature falleth out with another old Creature so that these old doting Creatures in Old Adam out of Christ the Second Adam do wrestle with Flesh and Blood about their old Ways Religions and Worships And these old doting Creatures which be out of Christ the Saviour do destroy one another about their old Ways Worships Religions and Churches And these old Creatures that be out of Christ the Head are monstrous Bodies without a Head till that they have made one and then the old Creatures set it upon their Body which Head as they do think doth pardon their Sins and when this their Head is fallen off their Body then they do make another and set it on their old Creature 's Body But they that are in Christ are new Creatures And Christ is their Redeemer c. and Christ is their Head who is their Redeemer Sanctisier and Saviour who is alive and liveth for evermore and walk in Christ the Second Adam who is Heavenly and spiritual And the old Creatures out of Christ their Walk is in old Adam who are Natural and Carnal and so are their Weapons and Armour that they defend their old Ways Church Religion and worship with they are Carnal and not Spiritual by which they kill one another and the old Creatures do study or dote which way they may destroy or imprison persecute or banish spoil or torture the Righteous or new Creatures in Christ And they that be in Christ are new Creatures their Weapons and Armour are Spiritual and they do not wrestle with Flesh and Blood but Spiritual Wickedness and Rulers of Darkness in high Places and bring down Imaginations and high Thoughts as Christ whom those new Creatures are in teacheth them who saith that He came not to destroy Mens lives but to save them and rebuked such as would have had Mens Lives destroyed and told them that they did not know what Spirit they were of So it is clear that the old Creatures that be out of Christ which destroy Mens Lives about their old Ways Churches Religions and their old Worships do not know what Spirit they are of and although they do not know what Spirit they are of whether it be a good spirit or a bad one yet People must conform to that Way Religion Worship and Church that this old Creature that is out of Christ hath set up or else he will persecute them or destroy their Lives They that do Persecute for Rcligion are ignorant what Spirit they are of though Christ saith They do not know what Spirit they are of And is not this hard to conform to that which the old Creatures have made and set up which do not know their own Spirits nor what Spirit they bd of And therefore were not those Doctrines Ordinances Traditions and Rudiments of the World the old Creatures who
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
not all People in their several false Religions Ways and Sects yea the very Turks and Heathens train up their Children in their own Ways And likewise did not the Jews train up their Children in the Old Testament and Old Covenant of works which old Testament and Covenant Christ hath abolished and hath established the New Covenant of Light Life and Grace And therefore must not all the Jews in Spirit in this New Testament train up their Children in this New Covenant of Light Life and Grace Or else do they not bring themselves under Condemnation For doth not the Beasts and the Fowles teach their Young to pick suck and feed their Young All our good things comes from God and Christ the giver of them And will not the Young one cry after the Old ones for their Food All these things might teach People Now you having your Food from Christ and God your Father yea your Bread your Milk your Water your Wine your Honey your Fine Linnen your Cloathing your Breath your Life your Souls and the Image of God which he made you in which Man and Woman hath lost by Transgression but are to be renewed into it again by Christ your Redeemer and Sanctifier and Reconciler and Mediator who makes your Peace between you and God from whom you have your Light Grace and Truth who gives you his Gospel and Faith and Spirit in whose Name you have Salvation and not by any other Name under the whole Heaven who is your heavenly spiritual Rock and Foundation and have not you all these things from above freely and none of them from below And also your Heavenly Armour and Spiritual Weapons in which you stand Witnesses for God and Christ And cannot you train up all your Children in the Fear of God and tell them from whence you have all these good things that they may come to receive of all these good things which you receive from the good God and Christ the Treasure of Wisdom and Knowledge Good Children are the Crown of old Men. that you may say The Children of your Children are the Crown of your old Men in the Truth and the Glory of their Fathers in God and that you may say Your Wives are as fruitful Vines by the sides of your House and your Children like Olive Plants round about your Table thus shall they be blessed that fear the Lord that you may say Your Sons are Plants of God growing up in their Youth And Daughters in Truth as polished Stones and that your Daughters may be as Corner-Stones polished after the similitude of a Palace and that your Garners are full and affordeth all manner of Store so that there is no complaining in your Streets And happy is that People whose God is the Lord. And now my Friends if there happen any Difference among Friends either with Friends or the World Let it be put to Referrence if it cannot be ended between themselves And all that are concerned to End any Difference Friends not to go to Law but to end Differences amongst themselves let them have but one Ear to one Party and let them reserve the other Ear to hear the other Party so that they may Judge Impartially of Matters without Affection or Favour or Respect of Persons For you may see how the Jews in the Old Covenant did judge of things among themselves as long as they kept the Law of God and did not go to other Nations or to the Heathen for them to judge of their Matters and therefore the Apostle reproves the Corinthians for that fault for going to Law one with another before Vnbelievers and told them that the Saints should judge the World yea Angels and then how much more might they Judge of things appertaining to this Life And therefore the Apostle exhorted If then ye have Judgment of things pertaining to this Life set them to judge that are least esteemed in the Church And to speak to him that hath Offended alone And Christ saith If thy Brother trespass against thee go and tell him his fault between him and thee alone if he should hear thee thou hast gained thy Brother But if he will not hear thee then take with thee one or two more that in the Mouth of two or three Witnesses every Word may be established And if he neglect to hear them tell it to the Church and if he neglect to hear the Church let him be unto thee as a Heathen and a Publican Verily I say unto you whatsoever is bound on Earth shall be bound in Heaven and whatsoever ye shall loose on Earth shall be loosed in Heaven And farther Christ said If two of you shall agree on Earth as touching any thing that they shall ask it shall be done for them of my Father which is in Heaven For where two or three are gathered together in my Name there am I in the midst of them Mat. 18. And Christ saith And if he neglect to hear them to tell the Church If thy Brother trespass against thee rebuke him and if he Repent forgive him And if he trespass against thee seven times in a day and seven times if he turn again saying I Repent thou shalt forgive him Luke 17. Here you may see what Instructions Christ who is the King of Kings and Lord of Lords gives to his Church and much more which is too large to write And they had Elders in the Old Covenant then much more ought there to be Elders in the New Covenant which are grown in the Truth And they had the Assemblies of the Women in the Law who was concerned in the things about the Figures and Shadows and they wrought about the Holy things and they brought of their clean things to be offered all which Christ the Holy One hath abolished and put an end to in the Old Covenant All are to walk in the fear of God So much more the Believers in Christ in the New Testament in the time of the Gospel are to have their Assemblies and Meetings besides their Instructing and looking into their own Families whether they walk in the Fear of God And then after in the General Service of the Church of God the aged Men and aged Women in the Truth are to be Teachers of good things as the Lord shall order them with his Spirit to Teach and Instruct Exhort Admonish Reprove Rebuke with the Holy Spirit And to rebuke and reprove in the holy Spirit for the least Member hath an Office and every Believer in the Light which is the Life in Christ is a Member of Christ's Church and grafted into him and so he is the holy Head of the Church and they are Heirs of his Order and of his Government of the Increase of which there is no end in his Eternal Power and Spirit And therefore all that deny the Men and Womens Meetings that are established in the Light Power and Spirit of Christ by which we are
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
saith 1 Cor. 14. 40. Let all things be done Decently and in Order And the Heavens and the Earth and all things therein All things ordered by the Lord. are governed and ordered by the Lord in his Power and Wisdom and all God's Holy Angels are governed and ordered by God and all God's Children and People are governed and ordered by God and Christ in his Light and Spirit and Grace and Truth and Power Gospel and Word of Life And the Lord hath set apart him and them that are Godly for himself Psalm 4. And God hath ordained his Arrows against the Persecutors Psalm 7.13 And it ought to be the Practice of all the true Christians now that are in the same Power and Spirit as the Apostles were in to let all thins be done Decently and in Order in the New Covenant of Ligth Life and Grace to the Glory of the Great God who is over all and orders all things to his Glory Amen G. F. AND now 1680 Friends you who are called into this glorious Liberty of the Sons of God Epist 362. stand fast in it And as the Apostle saith Brethren ye have been called unto Liberty Of ture Liberty only use it not for an Occasion to the Flesh but in Love serve one another Gal. 5.13 As free not using your Liberty for a Cloak of Maliciousness but as the Servants of God 1 Pet. 2. For there were some who while they promised themselves Liberty they themselves were Servants of Corruption Such were like the Dog and the Sow biting and renting and vomiting and wallowing in the Mire and as bad as the Synagogue of the Libertines that turned against Stephen 2 Pet. 2. and Acts 6.9 And therefore the Apostle was careful of the Churches Liberty in Christ when he said But take heed lest this libet of yours become a Stumbing-block to them that are Weak c. 1 Cor. 8. For the Apostle was so careful and tender that he would no have his true Liberty judged of another man's Conscience c. as you may see more at large in 1 Cor. 10. And the Apostle said Falss Brethren came unawares privily to spy out their Liberty which they had in Christ Jesus that they might bring them into Bondage to whom we gave place by Subjection no not for an Hour that the Truth of the Gospel might continue with you to wit the Galatians Gal. 2.4 And therefore he exhorts them to stand fast in that Liberty wherewhith Christ Jesus hath made them free To stand fast in the Liberty of Christ c. which is the Duty of all true Christians now for to stand fast in that heavenly glorious Liberty which Christ the heavenly and spiritual Man the Second Adam makes them free in and in this they will have Salt in t hemselves to discern between the true Liberty and Freedom and the false and know how to use their holy and spirtual Liberty and Freedom in Christ Jesus to the Praise and Glory of God So Friends the Lord God Almighty preserve you all in the heavenly Order of Christ Jesus in his holy Seed Life Pfower and Spirit that all may live and walk in it to the Praise and Glory and Honour of God and Christ Amen The 3d of the 9th Month 1679. G.F. DEar Friends and Brethren Epist 3â—3 in the Lord Jesus Christ and blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ who hath blessed us with all spiritual Blessings in the heavenly Places in Christ Jesus and hath chosen us in him before the Foundation of the World And now that all may walk in him in Love who hath seen the great Deliverances of the Lord and hath been acquainted with his great Mercies that endure for ever Deliverance after Deliverance multitude of Deliverances out of great Trials and Temptations and hath seen how the Lord hath brought to Confusion the Enemies of his Truth both within and without from the Beginning and therefore in the Lord's Spirit and Power all that live in it that know the Lord are incouraged to trust in him God hath raised you up together and quickned you who were dead in Adam and made you to sit together in heavenly Places in Christ Jesus that you might shew forth the Riches of his Grace and Glory and his Kindness towards you through Jesus Christ By one Spirit are we baptised into one Body For by one Spirit we are all baptised into one Body wherther we be Jews or Gentiles Bond or Free and have been all made to drink into one Spirit And therefore endeavour all to keep the Vnity of the Spirit in the Bond of Peace and live and walk in the Spirit And the Fruits of this Spirit of God is Love Joy and Meekness c. And by this one Spirit you have access to the Father of Spirits and this one Spirit which baptises you into one Body both Male and Female knows your Service to God For the Spirit of God divides severally to every one of you as he wills your Offices and Places yet all in Vnity in the Spirit with which you are baptised into one Body and drink into one Spirit And the Apostle Paul who writ from Rome to the Collosians told them That they were compleat in Christ Jesus and said Though I be absent in the Flesh yet am I with you in the Spirit joying and beholding your Order and the steadfastness of your Faith in Christ And now the Lord hath gathered his People by his Power into the same Spirit that the Apostles and Churches were in in the Primitive Times And though they be absent in the Body or Flesh Men in one Room and the Women in another yea as far as the East is from the West or the North is from the South The Spirit present every where yet they are present in the Spirit rejoycing and beholding with the Spirit the Spiritual Order that the Churches and Apostles were in and the stedfastness of their precious holy and divine Faith which Christ the Second Adam is the Author and Finisher of and this is no Separation but they are the Houshold of this holy divine and precious Faith and live and walk in this holy Faith and Spirit of God by which they are baptized into one holy Body of which Christ Jesus the holy and spiritual Man is the Head And this I say again is no Separation thought they be absent in the Body or Flesh yet they are present in the Spirit and with the Spirit behold the Spiritual Order And this is not an imposed outward Form Order or Prescription as some Ignorantly think But they that do say and prescribe that Men and Women must meet all together outwardly in a Bodily Presence in one Room or else it is a Separation I say it is an outward Form an outward Order and Imposition and Prescription and fiercely Press it that know not the Spiritual Order yea I say if all Men and Women in
but Love that every one of you may be adorned with a meek and quiet Spirit which is with the Lord of great Price and every one of you to be indued with Wisdom from on High which is pure and peaceable gentle and easie to be intreated and full of Mercy and good Works let the Fruits of this appear among you all and then you will all be gentle and easily entreated one of another And keep in the Vnity of the Spirit which is the Bond of the heavenly Peace and then none quenches it and all walking as becomes the Glorious Joyful Peaceable Gospel of Christ which is the Power of God which was before the Devil and his Power was and is over him in this Gospel you all know Life and Immortality brought to Light that you all see your Everlasting Glorious Fellowship in the Everlasting Gospel of Peace in this Gospel the Power of God that was before Enmity was and will remain when it is gone And therefore all you who know this Glorious Gospel of Peace live and walk in it keeping your Glorious Heavenly Comfortable Fellowship in this Glorious Gospel of Peace in which Enmity cannot come as before and in this Everlasting Gospel the Everlasting God who is over all from Everlasting to Everlasting will have the Praise Glory and Thanks who is worthy of all for ever and evermore London the 7th of the 12th Month 1680. G. F. To Friends in Yorkshire DEar Friends Epist 365. In the Lord's Power and Holy Spirit feel his Presence amongst you who hath drawn you with his Spirit to his Son and you that have received him he gives you Power to become his Sons and Daughters and so from the Son of God the second Adam you have Power to meet whose Power is above Adam's Power and his Sons and Daughters in the Fall And now my Friends If you do want Wisdom and Knowledge to order you in the Affairs and Service of God Christ the Treasure of Wisdom c. Christ is the Treasure of your Wisdom and Knowledge and so receive them from his Treasury which is above This heavenly saving Wisdom and Knowledge from whence you have your Grace and Truth Light and Life and the Gospel the heavenly Spirit yea heavenly Food and heavenly Bread and Water of Life from above and the unleavened Bread and sweet Milk of the Word and Water of Life to keep the Feast of the heavenly Man's Passover which is not to be found in any of old Adam's Sons and Daughters Store-houses in the Fall but his old mouldy leavened sowre Bread which makes his Sons and Daughters Hearts to burn one against another and Cloaths them with his old Rags which will not cover their Nakedness which they have stitch'd together which must be all cast off and trodden under Foot by the Spirit and Power of Christ which Power turns you to Christ who Cloaths all his Sons and Daughters with his heavenly Fine Linnen which will never wax old And therefore let all your Lamps be trimmed and Candles lighted that all of you may see your Work and Service for God and Christ in this his Day So that you may have the Blessings from above from him as the holy Men and Women of God had in the days of old so that there may be nothing lacking neither Spiritual nor Temporal And so let all things be done in Peace and Love in the Name and Power of Jesus amongst you and all condescend to one another in Meekness Patience and Quietness in the Fear of the Lord being all ordered with the Wisdom of God which is from above which is pure peaceable gentle and easie to be intreated that all your Hearts Minds and Souls may be knit together in the Love of Christ and that you may be all of one Mind and Spirit in him and whatever you do let it be done in the Name and Power of Jesus to the Glory of God the Father that created all and takes care for all Blessed for ever Amen London the 6th of the 4th Month 1680. G. F. A Letter to the Captives who met together to Worship God in Algier DEar Friends I understand by a Letter from a Friend Epist 366. a Captive amongst you dated the 20th of the 10th Month 1681 That you have a Meeting there in Algier of about Twenty I am glad to hear you meet and it is very well that you have so much Liberty from your Patroons and my desire is That the Lord may preserve you all that do meet in the Name of Jesus that in your Lives and Conversations and Words To preach Righteousness in Life and Conversation you may preach Righteousness and Holiness and Godliness and the Life of Truth so that you may answer the Spirit of God both in the Turks and Moors and the rest of the Captives that God's City may be set upon the holy Hill there which cannot be hid but that all may see it with the Light wherewith Christ hath enlightned every Man that cometh into the World And that Christ's Ensign may be set up in those Parts that with his Light in all Men they may all see it and flock to it and Christ the Ensign furnisheth all that come to him with heavenly Armour and Spiritual Weapons Now Christ enlightens every Man that cometh into the World that every one may believe in the Light and may become a Child of the Light and have Eternal Life and be saved and so the Gospel of Salvation the Power of God is to be preached to every Creature under Heaven And he that believes is saved and hath the Salvation for Christ by the Grace of God hath tasted Death for every Man And the Grace of God that brings Salvation hath appeared to all Men And therefore all Men if they will have Salvation it must be by believing receiving and walking in the Grace of God which brings it And the Lord pours out of his Spirit upon all Flesh and therefore all Men and Women must come to this Holy Spirit of God by which the Spirit of Enmity may be slain and crucified in them that in this Holy Spirit of God they may all be in Love and Vnity and with the Spirit of God they may all come to know the Eternal Immortal God and serve and worship him in his Holy Spirit of Truth which he hath poured upon them And in this all will honour God and glorifie him through Jesus Christ in his New Covenant of Light and Grace And so my Dear Friends be faithful and valiant for God's Truth upon Earth and do not deny the Name of Jesus To be valiant for the Truth in whom you have Salvation whose Name is above every Name under the whole Heaven that ye may all be with his Light built upon him your Rock and Foundation that stands sure And now my Dear Friends tho' you remain as Captives yet if ye be Christ's and God's Free-men who leads the Devil into
Captivity that led you Captive into his Prison of Death Darkness and Corruption If Christ I say has led you out of that Prison and Captivity into the glorious Liberty of the Sons of God stand fast in the Liberty wherewith Christ hath made you free and be not entangled with any Yoke of Bondange to bring you out of that heavenly spiritual Liberty For in this you are free notwithstanding the Prisons and Captivity of Men and they are but small matters to it And therefore trust in the Arm of the Lord's Power who can lay the Mountains low and remove the Hills out of their Places and make his Lambs to skip over all And therefore mind the Lord and his Power Good effects may come out of Afflictions that is over all that that makes you to suffer Now your Sorrows and Afflictions may bring many to call upon the Name of the Lord when he has brought you low for God is Merciful and Gracious to the Righteous and his Mercies endure for ever And tho' Hunger and Thirst and Cold many times you are in and many Distresses yet the Lord is able to support you And now that you may mind the Lord in your Poverty and prize his Mercies and consider how that did not enough prize his Mercies and Liberty and Plenty And ye may read 107th Psalm throughout there ye may see how the Lord brought down such as contemned his Counsel and rebelled against his Words Well what can you tell but that this may be the Day of the Lord with you in your Captivity to bring down your Hearts and Spirits that with the Spirit of the Lord you may turn to him who is a God at Hand and that you may call upon the Lord in Truth and Righteousness that all your Sufferings Afflictions and Captivity may be sanctified to you So that you may say All things shall work together for good to them that love God And so with Job you may bless God who giveth and taketh away and that you may glorifie God in whatsoever Condition you may be that no Trouble may move you and that you may rejoyce in Afflictions Persecutions and Tribulations in the Lord through his Spirit that doth uphold you And as you do walk in the Light Grace Spirit and Gospel you may turn others to it That you may have Vnity with them in it and that they may come out of the spiritual Prison of Death Darkness and Corruption and Captivity into the Liberty of the Sons of God in Christ Jesus Amen So with my Love to you all in the Holy Seed Christ Jesus that Reigns over all from Everlasting to Everlasting The Lord preserve you all tender Vines in him Amen London the 17th of the 1st Month 1682. G. F. To Friends in Burlington West-Jersey DEar Friends Epist 367. The Lord by his mighty Hand and Power having brought you to that Place and now you are setled there my desire is That your Lives and Conversations may preach Righteousness and Holiness for without Holiness none shall see God And going into Unholiness that 's the Cause that none sees God and the Cause why there is not Peace among a Nation or People is because they do not live and walk in Righteousness but walk and follow the unrighteous Spirit which is out of the Truth And again Christ says Blessed are the pure in Heart for they shall see God For it is the defiled and impure Hearts that do not see God And therefore keep in the pure Spirit of God that does mortifie all Impurity and Unholiness which doth blind People from the Sight of the pure God And now my Friends Friends to be Circumspect The Eyes of other Nations will be upon you and now you professing Truth beyond them all but if that you don't exceed them in Truth in Righteousness in Holiness Justice and Equity and in the Wisdom of God that 's Pure Peaceable c. by which you may answer the Good in your Government and all Governments about you likewise which is my desire that you may that they may not see any Nakedness among you if you do not you will bring both the Judgment of God upon you and the Judgment of Truth that you and we profess For you know how that Friends in England and other Places have admonish'd the Governors and Rulers to do that which is Just and Right and therefore now you are come into Place Rulers must be Just have a Care that you do that which is Just and Right lest you come under the same Reproof by others And therefore have an Eye to the Lord in all your Actions For David saith 2 Sam. 23.3 The God of Israel said the Rock of Israel spake to me He that ruleth over Men must be just ruling in the fear of God and he shall be as the light of the morning that doth so when the Sun riseth even as a morning without Clouds as the tender Grass springing out of the Earth by clear shining after Rain Here you may see it must not be unjust Men and Men that do not fear God that must be Rulers for they do not receive his Wisdom to rule withal and such will be as Clouds without Water as in Jude and then they are not like to refresh the tender Grass but hurt it And Solomon saith As the roaring Lion and the ranging Bear Majestrates a Terror to evil doers c. so is a wicked Ruler over the poor People And therefore with the Spirit of God keep down the wicked Spirit in you and then you will keep down the roaring Lion and the ranging Bear with the Spirit of Meekness and Patience and Wisdom and Vnderstanding Prov 28.15 And the Apostle says Rulers are not a terror to good Works but to the evil Therefore both Rulers and ruled must be out of the evil Works And the Rulers cannot be a Terror to evil Works if they live in them themselves Therefore all ought to live in the Power of God which brings them out of the Evil to do that which is Good and then they will be an Honour to God and a Praise one to another both Ruler and Ruled Now the Lord said unto Moses Judges and Officers shalt thou make in all thy Gates so they was not to be made in Corners which the Lord giveth thee in all the Tribes and they shall judge the People with just Judgment Mark just Judgment Thou shalt not wrest judgment Not to wrest Judgment c. thou shalt not respect Persons thou shalt take no Gift For the Gift blindeth the Eyes of the wise and perverteth the Words of the righteous Thou shalt not wrest the judgment of the Poor in any Case Keep the far from a false matter The innocent and righteous slay thou not for I will not justifie the wicked That which is altogether just shalt thou follow that thou maist live and inherit the Land which the Lord thy God hath given thee
God that hath brought you Salvation that you may edifie the Hearers and your Conversation may be in Heaven And keep in the Cross of Christ The Cross of Christ the Power of God the Power of God that keeps you crucified to the World that is Dead to the World and the World Dead and Crucified to you For if you do not keep in this Power of God which was before the World and its God was to keep you crucified to the World but let in the Spirit of the World you let in his God which will crucifie the Good in you and you will come to crucifie to your selves the Son of God afresh and put him to open shame Therefore keep that crucified with the Power of God the Cross of Christ which did and would crucifie the Just and then you will keep alive in the Power of God and live in Christ Jesus and he is alive in you and you in him And now all Friends and Brethren let your Meekness your Temperance and your Gentleness and Sobriety and Tenderness and Moderation appear to all Men That your Light may so shine that they may see your good Works and glorifie your Father which is in Heaven And ye being the Salt of the Earth you will make all Savoury therefore take heed of losing your Salt lest you be trodden under the Feet of Men. And keep out of the restless discontented disquieted Spirit of the World about the Government To be peaceable under Government For you know it has been always our way to seek the Good of all and to live Peaceably under the Government and to seek their Eternal Good Peace and Hapiness in the Lord Jesus Christ and to lay our Innocent Sufferings before them who have suffered as Lambs and Sheep and made no Resistance but have prayed for them that persecuted us and despitefully used us and hated us according to the Command of Christ For ye were as Sheep gone astray but are now returned unto the Shepherd and Bishop of your Souls For hitherto ye are called because Christ hath suffered for us leaving us an Example that ye should follow his steps who did no sin neither was guile found in his Mouth Who when he was reviled reviled not again when he suffered he threatned not but committed himself to him that judgeth Righteously And he that will love Life and see good Days let him refrain his Tongue from speaking Evil and his Lips that he speak no Guile 2 Pet. 2. The 21st of the 9th Month 1681. G. F. To Suffering Friends in Leicester DEar Friends Epist 370. that are in Prison and all Friends and Sufferers that are in the County to whom is my Love in the Lord 's Eternal Power and Seed of Life that reigns over all in whom you have Peace with God and Riches that is Everlasting Now Dear Friends your Sufferings has been long in that County and great have been your Trials and spoiling of your Goods through your Adversaries and Persecutors Rage against you but the Lord 's secret Hand and Power is that which hath upheld you through all to himself and therefore we may say What shall separate us from the Love of God that we have in Christ Jesus Shall Tribulations Pesecutions Powers or Principalities Thrones or Dominions Nay there is not any thing able to separate us from the Love of God in Christ Jesus whom you have chosen a Priest that is from above not from below who has offered up himself to God for you who is not like the Jews Priests that had the Tithes of the People for offering up their outward Offerings and such like Services So you have a Priest from Heaven Christ a Priest made higher than the Heavens and is made higher than the Heavens and is the Prophet that God has raised up like Moses whom ye are to hear in his Light Grace and Truth And he is your Shepherd from Heaven who has laid down his Life for his Sheep who is above all the Earthly Shepherds below and this Shepherd will feed you with that which is Heavenly And he is your Bishop from Heaven to oversee you that you may be kept from sitting down in any Earthly Place with your Minds Spirits and Souls but only to sit down in the heavenly Places in Christ Jesus who is the heavenly and spiritual Bishop who lives for evermore the First and Last the Beginning and Ending who is the First Born of every Creature and the First Begotten from the Dead who does quicken and makes alive and begets from the Death and makes them to sit together whom he has made alive in the Heavenly Places in himself And now Dear Friends I do feel the Lord's Eternal Power present with you in all your Sufferings Faith to stand in the Power of God how it hath and doth support you and therefore let your Faith be stedfast in the Power of God which will keep you all unto the Day of Salvation And that you may all be Valiant and Faithful for God's Truth upon the Earth in this Day of Trial and Persecution from both Teachers Professors and Profane which are below whose Persecuting Spirit will have but a time and therefore be of good Faith for a Sparrow shall not fall to the Ground without the Will of the Father and ye are of more value than many Sparrows And Blessed are they which suffer Persecution for Righteousness sake for theirs is the Kingdom of Heaven And blessed are ye when Men shall revile you and persecute you and say all manner of Evil against you falsly for my sake Rejoyce and be exceeding glad for great is your Reward in Heaven For so the old Persecutors persecuted the Prophets and Apostles before you But Rejoyce in as much as ye are partakers of Christ's Sufferings for the Spirit of Glory and of God rests upon you who are railed upon and suffer for his Name sake And though he is evil spoken of by your Persecutors but on your part he is glorified that suffer for his Name And therefore let none be ashamed to suffer as a Christian but let him glorifie God in his Sufferings who doth support him And so Dear Friends live in Love and Unity and be Kind To live in Love and Vnity and Courteous and Tender-hearted one towards another yea and to all your Persecutors that you may heap Coals of Fire upon their Heads and so overcome Evil with Good And so the God of all Peace establish you all upon his heavenly Rock and Foundation of Life Christ Jesus which standeth sure and cannot be moved And so with my Love to you all in the holy Seed in which all Nations are blest And in this Seed the Lord God Almighty keep and preserve you which bruises the Head of the evil Seed that makes you to suffer And the Lord God Almighty arm you with his Armour and strengthen you that you may be able to stand to his Glory and that
the Brotherhood in the Spirit and to esteem all Men and Women as they are God's Creation whose natural Sun and Rain shineth and falleth upon the just and unjust and on their natural Fields and so doth God's Eternal Son of Righteousness shine with his Light and Grace and Spirit that he doth enlighten them withal and gives his Grace and Peace to all for his Spirit is poured out upon all Thus doth he shine through all and upon all and over all and above all and therefore let your Light shine that are the Believers in the Light that are become the Children of the Light that others may glorifie your Father which is in Heaven in seeing your good Works and your good and gracious Words and Lives and Conversations and mind the more excellent way the Apostle sheweth to the Corinthians which is the Charity that will bear all things and is not puffed up nor envieth not This doth keep above all brittleness And Friends Friends not to alter their settled Meetings without Mutual Consent after that your Meetings are settled and seasoned by the Power of the Lord if that you do alter them without the Consent of Friends in the Power of the Lord that makes and breeds Discontent and therefore keep them after they be settled in the Power of the Lord and you settled in it upon Christ the holy Rock and Foundation of God that standeth sure And in all your Meetings if that there be any Difference between Brother and Brother do not reflect one upon another in Meetings but speak one to another between your selves as Christ Commands and then you may preach the Gospel of Peace freely and speak the Truth in the love of it as it is in Christ Jesus And this is the best way that so nothing may be seen in your Meetings but the Life Truth and Peace so that the Serpent whose Meat is Dust may find none in your Meetings and none to quench nor abuse the Power or Spirit nor none to go beyond it's Motion for if you do you will both bring Trouble and Burthens upon your selves and others and run out that so you cna hardly get in again and therefore be wise in the heavenly Wisdom of God to be ordered in his Spirit of Understanding to the Glory of God and the Comfort and Edifying of his People that you all may know how to behave your selves in the Church of God to the glory of God And let all your Lives and Conver sations preach Vertue Purity Righteousness Holiness and Godliness else you cannot be the Lights of the World nor the Salt of the Earth And when any doth badly or wickedly they instead of being Lights or Salt are unsavory and are stumbling-blocks and when the Salt hath lost its savour it is good for nothing but to be trodden under the foot of Men and therefore keep your favour and then you will not come under the Foot of Men and in the Light and then you will not go into Darkness And therefore have Salt in your selves and Oil in your own Lamps and keep in your own Houses for it is the Whore that abideth not in her own House with the Word of Life and Grace and Truth within and to the Light and purifying Faith and mortifying and baptising Holy Spirit of God the Fruits of which Spirit is Love Peace The Fruits of the Spirit Long suffering Gentleness Meekness Temperance and bear one anothers Burthens and so fulfil the Law of Christ and forgive one another as Christ hath forgiven you and ftrive to excel one another in Holiness and Righteousness and Godliness and Meekness and Modesty in Vertue Truth and Love that you may all live to the Praise and Glory of God Amen And the Lord saith Isaiah 49.8 speaking of Christ I will give thee for a Covenant of the People to establish the Earth Christ a Covenant of the People to cause to inherit the desolate Heritages So that you may see the fulfilling of this in the Promise and have a Care of God's Glory and all live in the Seed Christ your Sanctuary which is a safe Place over all Storms and Destroyers who was before they were and will be when they are gone in whom you all have Rest and Peace and by whom you are presented to God holy in Body Soul and Spirit and therefore all must be kept clean and holy if that they do offer up or be presented to him that is Holy and therefore you must be a holy People and walk in the holy Truth and obey the holy Word of God and walk godly as the Grace of God teaches which brings Salvation and walk in the Light If that you do keep in the Fellowship in the heavenly Light and in this you do differ from the World that makes a profession of the Scriptures of Truth and dishonoureth God and causes his Holy Name to be blasphemed by their not obeying the Word nor walking in the Light Spirit and Grace and Truth whose Candle is gone out and now cannot indure to hear talk of the Light and therefore let your Light so shine before Men that they may see your good Works and glorifie your Father which is in Heaven and then you will have both his Favour Presence and Blessing and the Lord God Almighty preserve you all and Friends every where in his Power and Seed Christ Jesus Amen The 26th day of the 8th Month 1682. G. F. To Friends in New-Jersey and Pensilvania DEar Friends With my dear Love to you all Epist 376. in God's holy peaceable Truth and my desires are Wisdom of God gentle kind and easie to be intreated That you may be all kept careful of God's Glory Now in your settling of Plantations and Provinces and especially in woody Countries as those are you may have many Trials and Troubles but if you keep in the Wisdom of God that will keep you both gentle and kind and easie to be intreated one of another that will preserve you out of Heats or Extreams or Passions and that all Friends that come over be with speed settled in their Plantations that they may not lie and waste their Time both of themselves and their Servants and spend that which should help to settle them in their Plantations And therefore you that are concerned in ordering those things have a Care that no Reproach come upon your selves and your Countries but there may be such Care taken in all things that there may be no Complaints come into England against you And I desire that you may be very kind and courteous to all in Necessity in the Love of God for there are many People goes over to your Countries some Poor and some Rich and so many Eyes are upon you To be kind to all in Necessity and them that come over to you and therefore my desire is that you may all be careful in the Love of God and in his Truth and Righteousnes as the Family
they have access to God True Faith purifieth the Heart in which they please him in that Truth which Christ is the Author and Finisher of which is called the Gift of God and they that are of this Faith the same are the Children of Abraham and are blessed with faithful Abraham and Abraham was called the Friend of God and so are all his Children that are of his Seed and Faith they are not Friends of the Devil the wicked and unrighteous One but him and his Works they forsake who are Friends of God they are Friends of Righteousness and Holiness c. And such the Blessings of God rest upon them that are of the Seed and walk in the Seed Christ that bruises the Serpent's Head and in that Seed are all Nations blest and out of the Mouth of the Seed's seed shall not God's Word depart but it shall abide in the Mouth of the Seed's seed this living Word of God but the Word of God doth not abide in them who make a Profession of the Scriptures but live not in the Power and Spirit of the Holy Ghost that gave forth the Scriptures such are like the Jews John 5. and such think to have Life in the Scriptures but they will not come unto Christ that they may have Life for none come to Christ but by believing in the Light which is the Life in him the Word Now dear Friends and Brethren in Christ Jesus if you keep in the Seed and Faith of Abraham in it you will command your Children and Families to walk in the Way of the Lord for in it you have Authority that they may keep the pure holy and righteous Way of the Lord after you when you are gone that they may succeed you in the Faith and Seed and Way of the Lord and in the Blessing of God as Abraham Isaac and Jacob did Amen G. F. To the Quarterly Meeting at York DEar Friends and Brethren in the Lord Jesus Christ Epist 383. your Life and Salvation your Rock and Foundation Rest and Sanctuary in all Storms Trials and Sufferings Now dear Friends my desire is that you may all strive for that which makes for Peace For Blessed are the Peace makers they are called the Children of God And therefore whatsoever things are Honest Just Pure Lovely and of good Report if there be any Vertue and Praise think on these things to Practice them So that in the Power of the Lord that is over the Devil and his Power all may be kept Chaste In the Power of God all to keep Chast c. Pure and Holy to the Glory of God and all that are in the true Faith and Knowledge may shew it forth in Vertue Temperance Patience Godliness Brotherly Kindness and true Charity or Love which beareth all things For they that dwell in Love dwell in God that is their Habitation And let all things be done in Love in the Name and Power of Jesus Christ And all to strive in the Spirit of the Lord God and his Truth to be of one Mind and Judgment so that you may all be baptised with one Spirit into one Body and so all to drink into one Spirit And keep the Unity and Fellowship in the Holy Spirit of God which is the Bond of Peace amongst all God's Children that are led by his Holy Spirit whose Communion and Fellowship is in the Holy Ghost by which ye are led into all Truth Now Dear Friends Let there be no Strife in all your Meetings nor vain Janglings nor Disputings but let all that tends to Strife be ended out of your Meetings that they may be kept Peaceable so that you may be at Peace among your selves and the God of Peace and Love may fill all your Hearts which Love edifies his Church To condescend one to another in the Fear of the Lord. And condescend one to another in the Fear of the Lord to that which is Honest Just Vertuous and of good Report And where any Weakness has been in any thing let it be covered and buried in the Spirit and Love of God that his Spirit and Love may be uppermost in you all to unite all your Hearts together And that you may all shew forth that you are the Children which the heavenly Wisdom is justified of which is Pure mark Pure Peaceable Gentle and easie to be intreated which is above the Wisdom that is below that 's neither Pure Peaceable nor easie to be intreated c. And in all matters of Business or Difference or Controversies treat one another in such things kindly and gently and be not fierce or heady and high minded for that Spirit will bring Men and Women to be Lovers of themselves and to be Despisers of others and that which is good which leads Nature out of its Course and so looses Natural Affections and at last comes to be without Natural Affections which Spirit we see most of Christendom is led by For if they were in natural Affections they would not destroy their fellow Creatures about Religion but being without natural Affections they have not Affections to their fellow Creatures to wit Man and Woman which were made in God's Image The Law and the Prophets Commanded to Love their Neighbour as themselves To love our Neighbour as our selves and Christ Commands to do unto all Men as they would have Men do unto them And the Gospel Commands to Love one another by which they are known to be Christ's Disciples and to Love their Enemies and to pray for them and to forgive one another as Christ has forgiven them So that those whose Conversation is according to the Gospel of Peace do establsh the Law and the Prophets who know the Divine Nature and are made Partakers of it are not without natural Affections but have Affections to it to cherish and preserve it And this the Word of Wisdom teaches by which all things were made and created good and blessed by which all things are upheld by which all things are sanctified to God's People that God created by his Word and made them good and blessed them By which Word and Wisdom all things are sanctified to God's People as before and are used and ordered by his Word of Wisdom to his Glory and Praise And now Dear Friends whereas there have been formerly some Discourses by some in your Meeting of Marrying within a Year after the decease of the Wife or of the Husband my desire is in those things Friends may shew forth both Chastity and Vertue and Temperance For formerly hasty Marriages was reckoned amongst the infamous Persons Marriage within the Year not of good Report as for a Man or a Woman to Marry within the Year of the Death of the Wife or Husband And therefore for Vertue and Chastity's sake and the Truth and good Examples sake that which is Honest Lovely and of good Report keep and walk in and follow For we ought in the Power of Christ
's sake and so it is the Gift of God with his Eternal Spirit and Power that doth uphold us in all our Sufferings which hath made so many to finish their Testimony for the Truth in Goals and Prisons and not to love their Lives to the Death but love God and Christ Jesus above their Lives and all outward things as Practice and Experience have declared it And now dear Friends To be faithful to the end be faithful in Christ Jesus to the end that you may all have the Crown of Life and that Peace from Christ Jesus which the World and all the Apostate Spirits from the Truth cannot take away from you I say neither the World with their outward Persecutions and spoiling of Goods nor the Apostate Spirits from the peaceable Truth with all their Lies and Defamations and their filthy scandalous Books and evil Tongues though they be like the raging Waves of the Sea casting up Mire and Dirt whose Folly is manifest to all that hear and see them yet all this cannot disturb the Peace of the Righteous And all the restless unquiet unruly Murmurers and Complainers that are filled with false Jealousies and are the wandering Stars who are wandered from the Witness of the Lord in their own Hearts such their Judgments do not linger nor their Damnation doth not slumber though they may be suffered for a time to try God's People And now Friends you know envious Cain was a Sacrificer as well as Abel but out of the Faith and Righteousness who Murdered his Brother Abel he may be said to have been a Type of Judas who was a partaker of the Ministry yet betrayed his Master And you read that Ishmael and Esau were circumcised as well as Isaac and Jacob but Esau hated Jacob and would have slain him and Ishmael scoffed at Isaac and so he that is born of the Flesh persecuteth him that is born of the Spirit and that Birth is not Heir with the Seed of the Promise though it may come into the outward Form and outward Profession And likewise you read of Corah Dathan and Abiram and their Company and their Rebelling against the Lord and his Servants Moses and Aaron and of their false Liberty but what became of them in Numb 16. you may see And likewise how that the Jews after the Lord brought them out of Egypt made themselves a Calf of their Jewels and Ear-rings as in Exod. 32. Psalm 106.19 The Jews made a Calf in Horeb and worshipped the Golden Image and forgot God their Saviour who had done great things in Egypt and wonderous things in the Land of Ham and murmured in their Tents and hearkened not to the Voice of the Lord And therefore God overthrew them in the Wilderness and they came not into the promised Land And you read how the Jews run into false Liberty in the Days of Baalam and joined with Baal-Peor Examples of Apostates of old Times and how the Anger of the Lord was kindled against them and what a destruction he brought upon them who had turned against the Lord and his faithful People as in Numb 25. And likewise how often the Jews murmurred against Moses and Aaron and what a destruction came upon them in the Wilderness that none of that old Stock the Lord brought out of Egypt that dishonoured him though they had seen his Glory none entred into the Land save Caleb and Joshua but they perished in the Wilderness for their Murmurring and Rebelling and therefore take heed of Murmurring and Rebelling against the Lord and his Spirit but in all things learn to be content And also you read in Judges how often the Jews forsook the Lord and what Judgments came upon them and also how the Jews turned against the Prophets and imprisoned and persecuted them And in the Days of the Kings as in the Chronicles how David and many of the Prophets and the Righteous suffered But what became of them that made them suffer And likewise in the Days of Christ and his Apostles how did they fuffer by the professing Jews And there were many Comers and Goers in the Days of Christ that could say Lord Lord But such do not enter into the Kingdom of God except they do the Will of God And you read how the Apostles and the true Church were troubled with false Christians and false Brethren whom Paul writeth against in many of his Epistles and Peter and John and Jude and John in his Revelations And therefore all Friends dwell in the Seed Christ Jesus in whom ye cannot be deceived who bruises the Head of the Serpent who is the Head of all Deceivers and the Head of all Enmity and false Ways Worships and Religions and the Head of all false Liberties But in Christ Jesus in whom all Nations are blessed is the true Liberty in him all stand fast so far as he hath made you free and in him all walk as ye have received him to the Praise and Glory of God In whom you have all Eternal Life Peace Rest and Salvation and in him the Lord God Almighty preserve you all in Love Vnity and Fellowship Who is able to support you and supply you with his Eternal Hand and Power with what you do need in all your Sufferings and Trials Amen G. F. To Friends at the Yearly Meeting in York DEar Friends Who are turned to the Light Epist 395. and are the Believers in the Light which is the Life in Christ my Desires are To be established upon Christ the Rock That you may all be established upon him your Eternal Rock and Foundation and grow up in Christ Jesus the Second Adam by his Light Grace and Truth that is come from him for you know Christ had many Enemies and his Disciples and Followers and Moses in the time of the Law such as turned their Backs on the Lord Christ and his Followers have many Enemies and erred from his good Spirit and rebelled against it they turned against the Lord and Moses and Aaron and they went from the Fellowship of the Law of God and his Spirit and then Destruction came upon them Such Jews were they that rebelled against Christ and his Apostles and yet were great Professors of the Old Testament And such that were called Christians that got the Form of Godliness and the fair Speeches and good Words but denied the Power thereof and so the Order thereof Such as these separated themselves and erred from the Spirit and the Faith and so from the Unity of the Faith and the Fellowship of the Spirit of God Such were and are to be turned away from by all them that are in the Faith and the Spirit of God and all the Spiritual Witnesses in the Tabernacles of God testifies against such though they may make a great Profession of Christ and the Apostles Words but deny the Power and err from the Spirit and the peaceable Truth Such cannot be the true Worshippers of God in the
Spirit and Truth And thereforefore Friends you that have been turned to the Light and Truth and Grace of Christ and know the Power and Spirit of Jesus walk in the same and in it keep your Fellowship and your Dominion over all that which is out of the Truth and abides not in the Truth And that your heavenly Light may shine and you may all be kept in Love and Vnity in the same Light Power and Spirit to the Glory of God and the Comfort one of another Amen London the 27 of the 3d Month 1684. G. F. To the suffering Friends of Dantzick FRiends Epist 396. With my Love in the Lord Jesus Christ to you who is your Saviour and Prophet Christ the Prophet Shepherd High-Priest and Bishop of Souls that God has raised up for you to hear in all things your Shepherd that has laid down his Life for you whose Voice ye must hear who will seed you in his Living Pastures of Life who is your Priest that offered himself for you who sanctifies you that he might present you to God So is become your High Priest who is made higher than the Heavens so is a higher Priest than the Priesthood of Aaron and all the Priesthoods upon the Earth that are made by Men below For he is a High-Priest made higher than the Heavens Hebr. 7. And so is the chief Shepherd and Bishop of your Souls to Oversee you that you do not go astray from God who is your Sanctuary in whom you are preserved from the Destroyer who destroys the Devil the great Destroyer and his Works and bruises his Head and breaks his Power He namely Christ is your Saviour in him you have Rest and Peace Salvation and Life Eternal Now Dear Friends We do hear and understand that the Magistrates have cast you into Prison again in Dantzick and that they have proffered you your Liberty upon Condition that you would go away or forsake your common Meeting-place or divide your selves into several little Meetings Truly Friends we have had many of these proffers made to Us within this Twenty or Thirty Years but we never durst make such Bargains or Covenants to forsake the Assembling of our selves together as we used to do but did leave our suffering Cause wholly to the Lord Christ Jesus To Commit our Cause to God in whose Name we were gathered who has all Power in Heaven and Earth given unto him And the Lord at last did and hath tendered the Hearts of many of our Prosecutors both in England and other Places and therefore in the Spirit and Power of the Lord Jesus Christ it is good to be faithful who is God all sufficient to support and supply you all in whatever you do and strengthen you in all Conditions For if that should get a little Advantage upon you and get you into Weakness it would not rest so but get more upon you And therefore it is good to stand fast in the Liberty in Christ Jesus the Second Adam the Lord from Heaven who hath made you free out of the Snares and Bondage and Limitations of the Wills of the Sons of Old Adam And whereas some of the Magistrates have alledg'd That Christ departed out of the Coasts of the Gadarenes upon their Request after he had cast the Devils out of the possest Men and they enter'd into their Swine and run into the Sea This Argument is of no weight for you to go out of their Coasts or City who are settled Citizens and have Wives and Families for Christ went up and down from Place to Place and preached as he said The Son of Man hath not where to lay his Head though the subtle Foxes had Holes and the high-flown Fowls had their Nests And would they take it kindly themselves if the King of Poland their Protector who is of a contrary Profession should use the same Argument to them and say Be gone or else do not meet at your great Publick Places of Worship but meet in small Companies or else to depart out of these Coasts as Christ did out of the Coasts of the Gadarenes And if ye do not then you are disobedient to Christ's Example as they do apply it upon you And so let them weigh the Matter and their Argument with the just Law of God to do unto you as they would be done unto themselves And now Dear Friends I desire however that you walk wisely To walk wisely before all and gently and lovingly and meekly and soberly to all the Magistrates and all People that they may have no just Occasion in any thing against you For the Good must overcome the Bad as the Apostle says Overcome Evil with Good and dwell in that Love that can bear all things and endure all things And nothing can separate you from this Love which you have in God through Jesus Christ In this Love build up and edifie one another that by it you may answer the Good in all People and spread his Truth abroad and be valiant for that upon Earth So in his Holy peaceable Truth and his Seed Christ Jesus in which all Nations are blest God Almighty preserve and keep you to his Glory Amen And now Dear Friends To take beed lest Flattery prevail more than Cruelty you that have stood such hard and cruel Sufferings so long for the Lord's Name and Truth and could not be overcome by Cruelty take heed now lest you be overcome by fair Words and Flattery for in that there is a greater Danger G. F. An Epistle to Friends against Pride Haughtiness and the vain Customs and Fashions of the World FRiends Epist 397. Here you may see how the holy Men of God testifie against Pride Against Pride Haughtiness c. Haughtiness High-mindedness and the abominable Customs and Fashions and the ungodly Lusts of the World which is not of the Father but of the World And how Man and Woman came into these things by forsaking the Lord and so falling from his Image And how Christ renews them up into the Image of God again to serve him in Humility And all that are in the Image of God are of one Mind To all Friends and Brethren every where Peace from God and the Lord Jesus Christ be multiplied in you who by his Grace Light and Spirit are turned towards the Lord to receive it from him and that by it you may grow up in the Lord Jesus Christ out of the Worlds Nature and Spirit For Christ said unto his Believers and followers Ye are not of the World even as I am not of the World I have given them thy Word and the World hath hated them because they are not of the World And therefore as the Apostle saith love not the World nor the things of the World for the love of the World is Enmity to God And in the beginning God created Man in his own Image So in the likeness of God created he him Male and Female
the Grace of God which brings Salvation hath appeared unto all Men. Teaching us to deny ungodliness and worldly Lusts That we should live soberly righteously and godly in this present World Which is the Duty of every true Christian that to deny and so to live Tit. 2.11 And thefore the Apostle exhorts Timothy to fly Youthful Lusts and to follow Righteousness Faith and Charity and Peace with all them that call on the Name of the Lord out of a pure Heart And such Teachers who had the Form of Godliness but deny the Power which the Saints were to turn away from those were them that led silly People Captive laden with Sin and divers Lusts 2 Tim. 2.22 and 3.5 And such as could not abide sound Doctrine but after their own Lusts shall heap to themselves Teachers having Itching Ears they turn away their Ears from the Truth and Grace that comes by Jesus Christ which should teach them to bring their Salvation and from the Spirit of God which they should walk in To walk in the Spirit as the Apostle saith If ye walk in the Spirit mark in the Spirit ye shall not fulfil the Lusts of the Flesh Gal. 5.16 And the Apostle further saith That every one of you should know how to possess his Vessel in Sanctification and Honour and not in the Lusts of Concupiscence even as the Gentiles which know not God 1 Thess 4.4 If a Man purge himself from these things he shall be a Vessel unto honour and sanctified and meet for his Masters use and prepared for every good work 2 Tim. 2.21 But they that will be rich fall into Temptations and Snares and into many foolish hurtful Lusts which drowns Men in Destruction and Perdition But the Man of God is to fly these things and follow after Righteousness Godliness Faith Love Patience and Meekness 1 Tim. 6.11 And they that are Christ's have crucified the Flesh with the Affections and Lusts Gal. 5.24 And Haughtiness and High-mindedness was forbidden both by God and his People And David saith The afflicted People the Lord will save And his Eyes are upon the haughty to bring them down 2 Sam. 22.28 And David said Lord my Heart is not haughty nor mine Eyes lofty and my Soul is like a weaned Child Psalm 131.2 Then he was fit for the Kingdom God And again David saith God will save his afflicted People but will bring down high looks Psalm 18.27 And Solomon saith Before Destruction the Heart of Man is haughty and before Honour is Humility Prov. 18.21 And Isaiah declared against the Haughtiness of the Daughters of Zion Isaiah 3. And how the haughty People of the Earth do languish because they had transgressed God's Laws and changed his Ordinances And doth not the Lord say by Isaiah Chap. 16.6 The Pride of Moab That Moab should howl for his Pride and Haughtiness And I will punish the World for their Evil and the Wicked for their Iniquity And I will cause the Arrogancy of the Proud to cease And I will lay low the Haughtiness of the Terrible The lofty looks of Man shall be brought low and the Haughtiness of Men shall be bowed down and the Lord alone shall be exalted in that Day And this is a good Day for the Day of the Lord of Hosts shall be upon every one that is proud and lofty and upon every one that is lifted up and he shall be brought low Isaiah 2.3 10.24 And Ezekiel saith That the Children of Israel was haughty and like Sodom and committed abominations before the Lord and he took them away Ezek. 16.46 And Zephaniah saith Thou shalt be no more haughty Zeph. 3.11 Neither shall ye go haughtily Mic. 23.1 And therefore all are to learn Humility that they may exalt the Lord their Maker And the Apostle exhorted the Romans Not to be high-minded but fear for they stood by Faith Rom. 11.20 And the Apostle exhorted Timothy to charge those that were Rich in this World The Rich not to be high-minded That they be not high-minded nor trust in uncertain Riches but in the living God who gives us richly all things to enjoy 1 Tim. 6.17 And the Apostle again tells Timothy That the heady high-minded are lovers of Pleasure more than lovers of God And daily Experience shews as you may see at large the Fruits of such 2 Tim. 3.4 And therefore all those things the Faithful are to shun and to be kindly affectioned one to another with brotherly Love and in Honour preferring one another Rom. 12.10 And the Apostle exhorts the Corinthians to be perfectly joined together in the same Mind and in the same Judgment that they might all speak the same thing So that there may be no Division among them 1 Cor. 1. And again To be of one Mind and to live in Peace in 2 Cor. 13.11 The Apostle saith Be Perfect be of good Comfort be of one Mind live in Peace And the God of Love and Peace shall be with you For by one Spirit we are all baptized into one Body whether Jews or Gentiles Bond or Free And have been all made to drink into one Spirit and the Spirit of the Prophets are subject to the Prophets For God is not the Author of Confusion but of Peace 1 Cor. 12.13 14.32 33. And the Apostle writes to the Philippians That they should be of one Accord and of one Mind and said Let nothing be done in strife or vain-glory but in lowliness of Mind c. Phil. 23. And the Apostle saith to the Romans Be of one Mind towards one another and not mind high things and to be wise in their own Conceits but condescend to Men of low estate Rom. 12.16 And the God of Patience and Consolation grant you to be like minded all towards one another according to Christ Jesus That ye may with one mind and one mouth glorifie God even the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ Receive ye one another as Christ also received us to the glory of God Rom. 15.5 6 7. For God hath given to his People the Spirit of Power and of Love and a sound Mind 2 Tim. 17. And Peter in his first General Epistle Chap. 3. ver 8. saith Be ye all of one Mind and have Compassion one of another love as Brethren be pitiful be courteous And the Apostle Paul saith in Acts 20.19 how he served the Lord in all humility of Mind And it is a Mark of Christ's Disciples as he saith if they love one another and love Enemies And so all that are Believers in him are to love one another as he hath loved us who hath laid down his Life for us And therefore all are to deny themselves yea and to offer all up for him And whatsoever you do do it in the Name of Jesus to the Praise and Glory of God G. F. POSTSCRIPT A Testimony out of the Old Testament and New of the Lord sending his Prophets to declare his Judgments against
a Place and a Name better than of Sons and Daughters saith the Lord and I will give them an everlasting Name which shall not be cut off Isa 56. So you may see how the Lord doth encourage his People to walk in the Truth in Faithfulness to him for the Lord hath loved his People with an everlasting Love therefore with loving-kindness hath he and doth he draw them unto himself to serve and worship him Jer. 31. And Christ saith He that believeth on him hath everlasting Life Mark hath it as in John And again Christ saith He that drinketh of the Water that I give shall never thirst but the Water that I shall give shall be in him as a well of Water springing up to Eternal Life So every one mind this Well in you who have drank of the Water which Christ hath given you And the Apostle saith God will punist them who disobey the Gospel God will punish them that disobey his Gospel with an everlasting destruction from the presence of the Lord and from the Glory of his power 2 Thess 1.9 Here you may see everlasting Destruction to the Wicked that disobey the Gospel and everlasting Life to them that believe and obey the Bospel of Christ Now they that disobey the Gospel of Christ refuse their own Comfort and Joy of Life and Salvation which Gospel is the Power of God which is preach'd to every Creature under Heaven to believe and obey therefore happy are you who have received it and obeyed it which brings Life and Immortality to Light in you that you see over the Enemy which darkened you and are now become Heirs of this comfortable and joyful Gospel of Life and everlasting Salvation in which everlasting Gospel you have an everlasting golrious Fellowship and in this everlasting Gospel you can praise the everlasting God that reigns over all from everlasting to everlasting And all that are of the Seed and Faith of David can say as David said Blessed be God from everlasting to everlastin and let all the People say Amen Praise ye the Lord. And further can say That the Mercy of the Lord is from everlasting to everlasting upon all them that fear him and his Righteousness unto the Children of Men Psalm 103.17 For the Lord God he changeth not he is the same that he was who inhabits Eternity and dwells in the humble Heart and therefore you humble Ones fear and serve and worship him And keep under the Wing of Christ and in him your Sanctuary and Saviour who destroys the Destroyer and is over all the First and Last Amen Dear Friends To shew forth the Nature of the Lamb. Who are under Sufferings for the Name of the Lord Jesus Christ and for his new and living Way and his pure undefiled Religion and his Worship in the Spirit and Truth that Christ who is from above and hath all Power in Heaven and Earth hath set up for all the followers of the Lamb to walk in his new and living Way and to keep in his pure undefiled Religion and Worship in Spirit and in Truth And now Dear Friends and Brethren my desire is That you may shew forth the Nature of the Lamb and the Vertue and the Life in which the Nobility of true Chriftianity is seen and manifested in your peaceable modest and vertuous Behaviour before the Powers that you are brought before and that none are to question or take thought what they are to say for it shall be given you in that same Hour what ye shall speak saith Christ Whosoever therefore shall confess me bfeore Men hism will I confess also before my Father which is in Heaven For with the Heart Man believeth unto righteousness and with the Mouth Confession is made unto Salvation Rom. 10.10 And every Tongueshall confess to God Rom. 14.11 And again the Apostle saith That every Tongue shall confess that Jesus Christ is Lord to the Glory of God the Father Philip. 2.10 So we cannot but confess and declare what our Eyes have seen Every Tongue shall confess to Christ and our Ears have heard and our Hands have handled of the Word of Life Christ Jesus by whom all things were made and created And Christ and his Disciples who often met on Mountains and in the Wilderness and on the Sea-side and in Ships and sometimes in Houses We do not read that the Jews and Priests called Christ and his Apostles Meetings Routs or Riots though the Jews and the chief Priests were bad enough against them For all Routs and Riots are out of the Spirit of Truth and so is Misbehaviour of all People for the Truth is peaceable and brings People into peaceable Lives and Conversations out of Routs and Riots and Misbehaviour and in Peace they worship God and they worship God in the Spirit who is a Spirit an din this holy pure Spirit is the Unity and Bond of Peace and is the Bond of good Behaviour and of holy Walking and Talking and it is the Bond of peaceable Lives and Conversations of all that worship God in Spirit and Truth and walk in the New and Living Way and keep in the pure holy and undefiled Religion And so Dear Friends be of one Mind and heart and Spirit and God Almighty Arm you with Patience and Humility who is God All-sufficient to give you Dominion with his Power and to support you And so with my Love to you all in the Lord Jesus Christ And let your Moderation appear unto all Men for Wisdom is justified of her Children And what any one of you doth want God is All-sufficient to supply you trust in him and in fear walk before him London the 3d day of the 10th Month 1684. G. F. POSTSCRIPT JOhn said Of evil Spirits That he saw three unclean Spirits like Frogs that came out of the Mouth of the Dragon and out of the Mouth of the Beast and out of the Mouth of the false Prophet Mark they do go out of their Mouths for they are Serpents and Devils working Miraracles that goeth out of their Mouths the foul unclean Spirits which goeth forth unto the Kings of the Earth and of the whole World Mark the whole world to gather together them Mark to gather them so here they are to be gathered to the Battel of the great day of God Almighty Rev. 16.13 14. And Satan the old Serpent shall go out to deceive the Nations which are in the four Quarters of the Earth God and Mgog to gather them together to Battel the Number of whom is as the Sand of the Sea so here is a gathering together by the Devil and they went upon the breadth of the Earth and compassed the Camp of the Saints about and the beloved City and Fire came down from God out of Heaven and devoured them so these were gathered together by the Devil the Destroyer was destroyed by God the Saviour of his People Rev. 20.8 And the Lord scattered Nimrod that mighty
Hunters gathering who gathered up People together to build Babel and confounded them Gen. 10.11 And Isaiah said All they Children shall be taught of the Lord and great shall be the Peace of thy Children and in Righteousness shall they be established Behold they shall surely gather together but not by me saith the Lord And whosoever shall gather together against thee shall fall for thy sake No Weapon that is formed against thee shall prosper No Weapon form'd against God's Heritage shall prosper and every Tongue that shall rise against thee in judgment thou shalt condemn This is the heritage of the Servants of the Lord and their Righteousness is of me saith the Lord Isai 54. And Christ Jesus saith Where two or three are gathered together in my Name there am I in the midst of them And the Apostle said to the Jews speaking of Christ That there is no Salvation in any other For there is no other Name under Heaven given among Men whereby we must be saved Acts 4.12 but by Christ Jesus So here is the Saints true Gathering in the Name of Christ Jesus the Second Adam and none is able to pluck them out of his hand John 10. For Christ the Seed of the Woman bruises the Serpent's Head and Christ through Death destroys Death and the Devil the Power of Death and so doth reconcile all things both in Heaven and in the Earth into one The Devil abode not in the Truth and so he became a Devil The Devil not abiding in the Truth became an Enemy a Destroyer and a Serpent and Enemy and a Satan and Adversary to the Truth and to Righteousness and Holiness and to Man and Woman that God made in his Image in Righteousness and Holiness so he became an Enemy and Adversary and Destroyer who is out of the Truth and abode not in it in whom there is no Truth and so is called the Old Serpent and Satan and Devil Tempter and false Accuser and Christ through Death destroys Death and the Devil the Power of Death And when the Jews went from the Truth they became Enemies and Adversaries to it and Destroyers of the Righteous and the Just yea they were Adversaries and Accusers and Enemies to the Prophets and Christ Jesus and Apostles and Christ called the Jews Vipers and Serpents and said to them that made a Profession of the Scriptures of the Old Testament but were gone from the Truth of them that they were of their Father the Devil and his Works and Lusts they would do And here the Jews that went out of the Truth did not they become as Serpents Enemies Satans Adversaries and Judas's Betrayers and of the Devil Destroyers of the Just And when they which are called Christians became haters of the Light and Walkers despitefully against the Spirit of Grace Despisers of the Word in their Hearts and erred from the Truth and the true Faith and professed the Form of Godliness but denied the Power thereof and so denied the Spirit ot true Christianity These became as Serpents Enemies Satan Adversaries to true Christianity and of the Devil that seek to destroy it and Judas's Betrayers of it and of the Righteous and the Just where-ever it appeared to the unjust And this hath been the Work of that Spirit that did not abide in the Truth in all Ages to be as Enemies Adversaries and Judas's Betrayers who seek to deftroy the Truth but Christ the Truth doth destroy that destroying Spirit who is the Saviour And Christ said to the Jews and to the Scribes and Pharisees which were the greatest outward Professors and appliers of the Prophets and Promises of the Old Testament to themselves upon the Earth and yet the greatest Persecutors of the holy Men and Women and the Lord's Prophets upon the Earth I say that Christ said to them O Jerusalem Jerusalem thou that killest the Prophets Christ lamented over Jerusalem and stonest them which are sent unto thee how often would I have gathered they Children together even as a Hen gathereth her Chickens under her Wings and ye would not Behold your Houses are left unto you desolate c. Matth. 23.37 38. Jersalem was the chiefest Place of Worship and the chiefest City among the Jews and the greatest Place of Persecution and yet the Lord Jesus Christ wept over this City and would have gathered these persecuting Professors who were without possessing of the Life of what they did profess but they would not come to him that they might have Life And these persecuting Jews Scribes and Pharisees Christ said unto them Te compass Sea and Land to make one Proselyte and when he is made he is two-fold mord the Child of Hell Matth. 23. Here you may see these Scribes Pharisees and Jews the great Professors and Temple-Worshippers without Life what they gathered into and what Disciples they made in their compassing Sea and Land they made them like themselves and the Devil and Satan and the Serpent who abode not in the Truth and seek to draw all out of the Truth and to make them as Serpents and Satan Adversaries and of the Devil Destroyers and so he rules in the Hearts of the Disobedient and blindeth the Eyes of the Heathen or Infidels and the apostatised Christians from the Spirit of Christ and the Life of Christianity they do seek to draw all from the Truth and Spirit of Christ and the Life of Christianity into Death Enmity and into Persecution and Destroying like the Devil Jews and Judas both in one Spirit according to their Measures that they have from the Devil but all that live and walk inthe Truth and the Spirit of Jesus labour to bring and draw and gather all into the Truth and to Christ their Saviour who destroyeth the Destroyer G. F. Concerning the pure and undefiled Religion that was set up above Sixteen Hundred Years ago Which all that do own God and Christ are to walk in DEar Friends Epist 399. You who profess the Light Faith Grace and Spirit of Christ and the pure undefiled Religion before God the Father To keep from the Spots of the World are to keep your selves unspotted from the World and to bridle your Tongues from evil Words which corrupt good Manners the Light of Christ Jesus letteth you see the Spots of the World and the Grace of God will teach you tho deny them and the Spirit of Truth if you be led by it teacheth you to mortifie and subdue them And now Friends Here is the pure and undefiled Religion which the Apostles in the Primitive Times did own and which now we do own This is pure Religion and is undefiled before God the Father and to keep unspotted from the World First This Religion is Pure Secondly It is undefiled before God the Father And that which is pure and undefiled before God the Father if you live in it and obey it it will keep you unspotted from the World and so from the Spots of the
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
Christ the Son to abide for ever for a Testimony of these things which were to be spoken after namely the Substance Christ but Christ as a Son is over his House whose we are namely that are the Sons and Children of God as in Heb. 3.5 6. So here is a distinction betwixt the Servant's House Moses and the Son's House Christ Jesus And Christ said While ye have the Light believe in the Light that ye may become Children of the Light as in John 12.36 So the way to become the Children of the Light is to believe in the Light And the Apostle saith to the Ephesians Chap. 5.8 Ye were sometimes Darkness but now are ye Light in the Lord walk as Children of the Light And again the Apostle writeth to the Thessalonians Ye are all Children of the Light and Children of the Day we are not of the Night nor of Darkness 1 Thess 5.5 These were the Believers in the Light that were become Children of the Light and Day of Christ And Christ said unto such Ye are the Light of the World and a City set on a Hill To be Blameless and without Rebuke that cannot be hid and such are to be blameless and harmless the Sons of God without rebuke in the midst of a crooked and perverse Generation among whom ye shine as Lights in the World Philip. 2.15 For as the Prophet saith in Isa 54.13 and Christ saith in John 6.45 All thy Children shall be taught of the Lord and great shall be the Peace of thy Children in Righteousness shall they be established And the Apostle saith As many as are led by the Spirit of God they are the Sons of God The Spirit it self beareth Witness with our Spirits that we are the Children of God and if Children then Heirs of God and Joint Heirs with Christ If so he that we suffer with him that we may be also glorified together namely with Christ Rom. 8.14 16 17. Here you may see the Sons of God are Heirs of God and Joint Heirs with Christ such can declare of his Generation for they which are Children of the Flesh these are not the Children of God nor cannot in Truth declare of Christ's Generation but the Children of the Promise are counted for the Seed as in Rom. 9.8 For Christ saith to Nicodemus Except a Man be born again of Water and the Spirit he cannot see the Kingdom of God nor enter into it That which is born of the Flesh is Flesh and that which is born of the Spirit is Spirit John 3.3 5 6. For he that is born of the Spirit is persecuted by him that is born of the Flesh and Jerusalem that is above is the Mother of all them that are born of the Spirit and so are all the Children of God by Faith in Christ Jesus as in Gal. 3.26 and 4.26 So as the Apostle saith to the Church of Ephesians Chap. 3.6 That the Gentiles should be Fellow Heirs of the same Body and Partakers of his Promise in Christ by the Gosspel who were built together for an Habitation of God through the Spirit Eph. 2.22 And God hath chosen the poor of this World rich in Faith and Heirs of the Kingdom which he hath promised to them that love him as in James 2.5 Christ said Chirst soweth good Seed in the Heart He that soweth the Seed is the Son of Man the Field is the World the good Seed are the Children of the Kingdom but the Tares are the Children of the wicked One the Enemy that soweth them is the Devil Matth. 13.37 38 39. Here Christ maketh a distinction betwixt the two Seeds and the two Sowers and the good Seed are the Children of the Kingdom of God but the bad Seed must be cast into the Fire which are the Children of the wicked One. And Christ said in Luke 8.11 The Seed is the Word of God And Peter saith Being born again not of Corruptible Seed but of Incorruptible by the Word of God which liveth and abideth and indureth for ever such feed upon the Milk of the Word and grow thereby I Pet. 1.23 and 2.2 And John saith Whosoever is born of God doth not commit Sin for his Seed remaineth in him and he cannot Sin because he is born of God in this the Children of God are manifest from the Children of the Devil and in this the true Birth is manifest and this Seed and Birth knows the Kingdom of Christ and declares of his Generation who is built upon him the heavenly Rock and Foundation for Jesus Christ our Saviour abolished Death and hath brought Life and Immortality to Light through his Glorious Everlasting Gospel the Power of God 2 Tim. 1.10 And the Apostle saith The Law served till Christ came The Law served and it was added because of Transgression till the Seed should come namely Christ Gal. 3.19 And now Christ the Seeds-Man is come who is the end of the Law for Righteousness sake to every one that believes and they that Believe are all the Children of God by Faith in Christ Jesus And the Lord said to Abraham In thy Seed shall all the Kindreds or all the Families of the Earth be blessed Acts 3.25 Gen. 12.3 Acts 7.6 And this is the Seed that sojourned in a strange Land and they that did evilly intreat this Seed and bring it into Bondage God did judge And the Promises of God is sure to all the Seed as in Rom. 4.16 And the Children of the Promise are counted for the Seed for these are the Children of the Kingdom as in Rom. 9.8 And the Dragon was wroth with the Woman and went to make War with her Seed which kept the Command of God and had and have the Testimony of Jesus Rev. 12.17 Now here you may see it is against the Seed which keeps the Command of God and Testimony of Jesus the Dragon maketh War but Christ the Seed of the Woman bruises the Serpent's Head For the Lord saith I will pour out my Spirit upon thy Seed and my Blessing upon thy Off-spring Isa 44.3 All who are in the Seed know God's Spirit and Blessings And the Lord said My Words which I have put in thy Mouth shall not depart out of thy nor out of the Mouth of thy Seed nor out of the Mouth of thy Seeds Seed Now is not this the Seed in which all Nations are blessed in whose Mouch God's Word remains As in Isaiah 59.21 And are not these the Children of the Seed which are the Children of the kingdom of God And the Lord said concerning Christ Ask of me and I will give thee the Heathen for thine Inheritance and the utmost parts of the Earth for thy Possession Thou shalt break them with a Rod of Iron thou shalt dash them to pieces like a Potters Vessel Psal 2.8.9 And the great Image of Gold Silver Brass Iron and Clay spoken of in Daniel which was broken to pieces by Christ the Stone and became like
the Chaff of the Summer Threshing-Floor and the Wind carried them away that no place was found for them and the Stone that smote this Image became a great Mountain and filled the whole Earth Christ filleth all things with his Divinity Dan. 2. Is not this Christ Jesus who hath all Power in Heaven and Earth given to him that he filleth the whole Earth with his Divinity to whom God gave the Heathen for an Inheritance and the attermost parts of the Earth for his Possession and his Seed doth inherit the Gentiles Isa 54. And doth not Christ now inherit the Gentiles or Heathen Yea the uttermost parts of the Earth he possesses with his divine Power Light and Seed who filleth the whole Earth and hath all Power in Heaven and Earth and Ruleth with his Spiritnal Divine Rod of Iron Not a Rod of corruptible Iron but he Ruleth them with his Divine Rod and dashes them to pieces like a Potters Vessel they that are the Children of the Kingdom see this and know Christ to rule in their Hearts and sit down in the heavenly Places in Christ Jesus who is the First and Last the Beginning and Ending by whom all things were made G. F. DEar Friends in Holland Friezland Hamborough Frederickstad Dantzick Palatinate and all other places there-aways where God's Truth and Ensign is set up Epist 403. Peace Grace and Truth be multiplied among you from God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ the Fountain of all Life Peace Grace and heavenly Wisdom and Vnderstanding and the God of all Power and Peace through our Lord Jesus Christ fill you with it and his heavenly Riches and that you may all walk worthy of his heavenly Calling in all Holiness Righteousness and Godliness c. in Life and Conversation and that by the Word of Life and Patience you may answer the Truth in all both High and Low so that you may be of good savour to God in the Hearts of all People For you know there is no other Way to God but by Christ Jesus No Way to God but by Christ Jesus and you know that God has raised up Christ to be a Prophet in his New Testament to be heard in all things and you know He opens and none can shut and he shuts and none can open and you know that Christ is the Bishop of your Souls to oversee that you do not go astray from God And you know that Christ is the true Shepherd and has laid down his Life for his Sheep and they know his Voice and they follow him and he gives them Life Eternal And also you know that Christ is your High Priest made higher than the Heavens by the Power of an Endless Life and by him you are made a Spiritual Priesthood to offer up Spiritual Sacrifices to God And as for our Yearly Meeting the Presence of the Eternal God Was amongst us and his Glory which shines over all and all was quiet and peaceable and it was the Lord's doing blessed be his Name for ever And your Epistle was read in the Yearly Meeting and Friends in the Lord's Power Read it and had Unity with your Spirits and are Sensible of your Spiritual Care in the Lord 's Eternal Power concerning Truth 's Affairs in those Parts In which God Almighty preserve you and increase you both in his Wisdom Knowledge and Vnderstanding that you may spread his blessed Truth abroad and answer it in all People Amen London the 10th of the 4th Month 1685. G. F. To Friends in Pensilvania DEar Friends Epist 404. I am glad to hear of the good Yearly Meeting at Road-Island and that the Lord's Power and Presence was there among you and it would be very well to Visit the Generation of the Righteous and to see how their Seed and Vines do grow in their heavenly Vineyards and Plantations and what heavenly Riches they have laid up in Store in God's Kingdom and to see how the Wheat is gathered into God's Garner and that all keep in the Worship that Christ set up in his Spirit and Truth and that all walk in the New and Living Way over all the Dead Ways in the World and all walk in the pure undefiled Religion that keeps from the Spots of the World and to see that all are guided in the pure and gentle Wisdom that is easie to be intreated and in the Love of God that can bear all things by which all peevish short and brittle Spirits may be kept down so that all may have their good Conversation in Christ Jesus all striving for Unity in the Spirit and the holy Faith that giveth and keepeth Victory over the Enemy And so that all may have a care of their Minds running into the Earth and Carnal Things For to be Carnally-minded is Death but to be Spiritually-minded is Life and Peace and let all take heed of neglecting the Gift of God but stir up the pure Mind one in another and the Lord with his Eternal Arm and Power preserve you diligent in his heavenly Work and Service in his Vineyard that it may not grow over with Briars Thorns and Thistles to choak the tender Plants And so my Desires are That you may live and walk in Christ Jesus and that you may answer the Truth in all the Professors and the Heathen And prize your Liberty both Natural and Spiritual while you have it and labour in the Truth while it is Day Remember me to all Friends as though I named them and as for the State of Friends here we are under great Sufferings and spoiling of Goods and Imprisonments and they have of late increased in spoiling of our Goods but God is All-sufficient who doth support us Glory to his Name for ever So with my Love in Christ Jesus to you all in whom you have all Eternal Rest and Peace with God Amen Bednal-Green the 10th of the 9th Month 1685. G. F. To Friends of the Ministry in Pensilvania and New-Jersey DEar Friends With my Love to you all Epist 405. and all the rest of Friends I was glad to hear from you but you gave me no account of the increase of Truth amongst you nor what Meetings you have had amongst the Indian Kings and their People abroad in the Countries and of your visiting Friends in New-England Virginia and Carolina nor of your Travels and Labours in the Gospel who hath in all those Countries liberty to serve and worship God and preach the Truth And I understand many have a desire to live in it especially in Carolina and you who travel now from Friends to Friends thither it is thought strange that you do not visit them therefore I desire that you may all improve your Gifts and Talents and not hide it in a Napkin lest it be taken from you and not to put your Candle under a Bushel lest it go out and not to be like the foolish Virgins which kept their Name of Virgins but neglected having
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
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
leads into here are all manner of Uncleanness Unrighteousness Falsities Puffing-up and Pride and all the crooked rough cross Ways and Mountains of Sin which are become as Graves and Prisons for the Just Adam's State before he fell is beyond all this who fell into this but Christ that never fell is a State beyond Adam and he is to be heard and followed that never fell and in him are People to sit down who is the Rest and Peace and Life who destroyeth the Devil and his Works and makes and end of Sin together with Vngodliness and Vnrighteousness which hath dishonoured God so bruiseth the Head of the Serpent and breaks his Power and crusheth him to pieces that the Seed Christ may rise in all which honoureth the Father Now this being manifest and known in all then the Lamb is known to have the Victory which hath been slain from the Foundation of the World and then in the Seed you come to know your Election before the World began And here the Lord's Words are fulfilled his Glory he will not give to another who destroyeth that that took the Glory to it self which brings up to that Noble Seed and Plant in Man which gives the Glory to God And here as you live in the Seed Christ Jesus your Election you know before the World began and Reprobation since the World began For Core Cain Ishmael Esau Sodom and Egypt Spritual and Temporal have been since the World began For Egypt is Thraldom Bondage Anguish and Darkness and Sodom is Whoredom and Cain disobeyed the Voice of God and Core gain-said the Law and whoever feels all this Nature in them they are Vessels of Wrath and let them not complain and say Why hast thou made me thus For there are Vessels of Honour and Vessels of Dishonour Vessels of Mercy Vessels of Wrath And it is not in him that willeth and runneth but in God that sheweth Mercy Now Esau the First Birth signifieth a Worker Jacob is the Second Birth signifieth a Supplanter and when Jacob hath supplanted Esau the First Birth the prophane Nature Jacob is called Israel that is as much as to say Thou hast Power with God now So where the Election is risen and hath put down Cain Core Egypt Sodom the First Birth slain which brought all the Wrath into the Vessel and the old Bottle broken Here is a new Bottle that holdeth the new Wine and Vessels of Honour and Vessels of Mercy in the Election before the World began and you have all things made new a new Heaven and a new Earth And all Friends that be in any manner of Sufferings Imprisonments or Banishments for Christ and his Truths sake live in Christ and sit down in him in whom you have all Peace Life Vertue and Rest in Christ Jesus who was before all that was that makes to suffer and will remain when it 's all gone and was the First and Last the Beginning and Ending the same to day yesterday and for ever In him sit down and live that doth not change then your Religion doth not change your Worship doth not change your Way doth not change for Christ being you Way who is the same to day yesterday and for ever and your Fellowship and Vnity and Community doth not change being with the Father who doth not change but is the same from Everlasting to Everlasting And they whose Religion Fellowship and Worship changes and gads about and changeth their Ways are fickle and have itching Ears after the Ways that change from Christ who doth not change who is the Way the same to day as he was yesterday to be walked in And all Friends that are in any Temptations or Troubles look at Christ who bruiseth the Serpent's Head your Adversary your Enemy your Troubler your Tempter your Defiler your Accuser he Wicked One fear him not but look at Christ Jesus that bruiseth his Head breaketh his Power and Strength and crusheth him to pieces in Christ have you Peace which was before the Devil was Reign in him Christ Jesus who is your Light and Life and Salvation and fear God and give glory glory to him for ever For this Serpent the Enemy the Adversary the Devil the Wicked One the Dragon the Accuser the Tempter he tempted Christ to the Creatures to the Glory of the World and to worship him to destroy himself but Christ bruiseth his Head breaks his Power and Strenght and crusheth him to pieces and destroyeth him and his works So in him live and rejoyce in whom you have Peace and Life and Dominion in him who was before the Serpent was the First and Last the same yesterday to day and for ever Ah my dear Friends and Brethren every where the Power of the Lord God is over all live in it that you may feel a Vnity and Fellowship in the Power of the Lord God that through that Power of the Lord God you may all come to be Heirs of the Power of an Endless Life through which you may Inherit Eternity and so to feel Life Eternal abiding in you the Manslayer hath not Eternal Life abiding in him that is he that envies his Brother So all the Persecutors that envy their Brethren have not Eternal Life abiding in them Under this all the Persecutors about Church Religion Worship Faith Ministry and Fellowships and Envious Persons having not Eternal Life abiding in them are comprehended Therefore you all fee this Eternal Life abiding in you And he that hath the Son of God hath Life Eternal abiding in him and so in this Eternal Life you have an Eternal Fellowship with God and his Son and with one another And in this the Law of Life that is in Jesus Christ passeth Sentence on the Law of Sin and Death in every Man and Woman and brings it to the Exceution Through which Law of Life Righteousness flows and runs down as a stream and also Justice and Truth Here by this Law of the Spirit of Life in Christ Jesus Mark in Christ Jesus you come to know the Lamb's Throne and the Throne of Iniquity thrown down its Mouth stopped and the Chambers of Imagery thrown down and the Houshold of God raised the Fruitless Trees thrown down and the Plant of God raised up which is of his own planting a Tree of Righteousness whose Fruit is unto Holiness whose end is Everlasting Life So mark here the Fruits of this Tree and the End of this Tree By this you distinguish Man's planting and Man's plucking up and God's building you will distinguish from Man's building and Man's plucking down and Man's gathering together you that are gathered in the Name of Jesus distinguish and their scattering Oh therefore be valiant for the Truth which you are come to the knowledge of and worship God in that Truth which the Devil is out of and abode not in this makes you free from the Devil and his Works that ar out of Truth Here in this Worship in the Truth and in the
chaste Mind And therefore they are not like to expect a Blessing in this Life nor in that which is to come without great Judgment and Repentance Therefore such Actions are to be reproved that they may be brought into Chastity Vertue and Piety and to the Adorning the hidden Man of the Heart which is not corruptible and the Ornament of a meek and quiet Spirit which Ornament or Adorning is acceptable with the Lord. For after this manner in Old Time the Holy Women who trusted in God adorned themselves And likewise such To keep Covenant in Marriage as after they are married break their Covenant in Marriage such go from the Spirit of God and his Joining and from the Spiritual Society of God's People and their Unity and Fellowship Such are to be reproved by the Spirit of God And if they do not return after Reproof Friends cannot have Unity or Fellowship with them but turn away from them though they may have the Form of Godliness and have been called a Sister or a Brother but have denied the Power of Godliness Therefore all must abide in Christ the Vine if they bring forth Fruit to the Glory and Praise of God Amen The Apostle says Now we command you Brethren in the Name of our Lord Jesus Christ that ye withdraw your selves from every Brother that walks disorderly c. 2 Thess 3. Now The Case of old Eli a Warning to Parents Dear Friends consider old Eli's Case who did admonish his Children but because he did not restrain them from the Follies and the Evils they run into therefore the Lord brought his Judgments upon him that he lost his Childrens Lives and his Priesthood and his own Life And do you think that this was not written for an Example that others should be warned hear and fear And was not the Gospel and the Law given forth to restrain People from Sin and Evil and such things as dishonour God G. F. An Epistle to all Friends every where FRiends Epist 390. This is the Word of the Lord unto you all All live in the Seed in which all Nations are blest in which Seed you are blest every way Christ the Blessing of all Nations in your rising up and lying down in your goings forth and comings in And you have the Blessings from above and the Blessings from beneath in this Holy Seed yea the Blessings of him that dwelt in the Bush that made the very Ground Holy that Moses trod upon who brings you out of the World which is as a Bushy Thorny Wilderness that ye might dwell in this blessed Seed in which all Nations are blest which bruises the Serpent's Head who was the first Questioner and Tempter and Lyar and Deceiver and Man and Woman by harkening or giving Ear to this Questioner Lyar and Tempter the Serpent they fell from their Habitation in the Image of God and so went out of their Habitation and Service that God had placed them in and commanded them to do But the Seed of the Woman is come that bruises the Serpent's Head in which Seed Christ all Nations are blest And all you who live and walk in this Seed you live in him that bruises the Serpent's Head that Lyar Tempter and Questioner yea and every one by this Seed Christ may be renewed up into the Image of God as Adam and Eve were in in the Beginning Then you are all in your Habitations of Life and Truth and the Image of God and in it you know your Services Vnruly Talkers that the Lord God Almighty commands you And you living in this Holy Seed you live over all vain unruly Talkers and vain Disputers Men of corrupt Minds which have the Form of Godliness but deny the Power thereof All you as live in the Seed that bruises the Serpent's Head turn away from such for their Work is to destroy whose Words eat as a Canker who do profess Truth in Words and may have the Form of Godliness but in their Works deny the Power thereof who are to every good Work or Service Reprobated And these are as the raging Waves of the Sea and Tempests they are known by their tempestuous Spirits and its raging like a raging of the Sea cassing up Mire and Dirt a murdering Spirit like Cain a Gain-saying Spirit like Corah and erred from the true Spirit like Balaam No Rain in their Clouds no Water in their Wells nor Fruit on their Trees twice dead that is once dead and made alive and dead again so they cannot grow in the Truth Light nor the Spirit of God nor his Gospel but such corrupt the Earth and corrupt Peoples Minds are sowers of Discord Strife and Contention Co-workers with the Serpent to beguile the unstable Minds all such the Seed of God reigns over And therefore in this Holy Seed Christ all live and walk and shun such evil Spirits and their Works and all be establish'd in this Seed Christ Jesus that the Serpentine Spirit either by its Strife Vain Jangling Vain Disputing or its sowing of Dissention Tempting and Questioning not with feigned fair flattering inticing Words may not draw you out of your Habitation of the Seed Christ Jesus and the Image of God and your Work and Service in it that God and Christ Commands you And therefore beware of this Serpentine Spirit Beware of Doggs who will devour that you may not be deceived as Eve was and beware of Doggs that will bite and devour you and beware of Evil-workers though they have never such fair Words to deceive the Hearts of the simple Beware of false Prophets which are inwardly ravened from the Spirit of God and are become Wolves though they have got the Sheeps cloathing and the Words of Truth of Christ and his Apostles whose Fruits are as Thorns and Thistles But the Seed Christ that discovers all these things in him live grow up and walk and be established And beware of the Leaven of the Pharisees And of the Leaven of the Pharisees who make an outward Profession of the Holy Mens Words but are Persecuters of the Seed Christ Jesus in whom all Nations are blest and Despisers of his peaceable Government of the increase of which there is no end And into this blessed Seed the Serpent cannot come nor none of his Instruments nor his Angels which are evil Spirits And all the Doters about Questions and Strife of Words and the vain Janglers and vain perverse Disputers and Contenders and the sowers of Strife and Dissention Not to dote about Questions and strife of Words makers of Debate and Strife All these are out of the blessed peaceable Seed although they may profess the Truth of all the New and Old Testament in Words without the Power of God that they are turned away from and therefore they are to be turned away from the Trumpet of the Lord his Spirit and Power is blown against them though they have never such high swelling Words of
Vanity and have never so many flattering fair Words and good Speeches and trimmed and decked with the Sheeps cloathing yet they are in the Wolfs Nature and Whored from the Lamb and his Nature and so from the Seed Christ in whom all the Children of the Kingdom and the Elect are to walk that are of his Heavenly and Spiritual Generation and grow up in him as Trees of Righteousness whose Fruits are unto Holiness and whose End will be Everlasting Life And the End of that Spirit and Fruits before mentioned that are out of Christ and his peaceable Truth will be Destruction in the Lake of Fire And that is the Word of the Lord to you all therefore be warned what you join to and what you lay hands on suddenly For I remember before we were called Quakers as I was sitting in an House in Nottinghamshire about the Year 1648 the Word of the Lord came to me and said Some of those that should come to be convinced with the Light and Spirit of God and should come so far as Cain to hear God's Voice and as far as Balaam to hear God's Voice and to have some Openings and to come so far as Corah Dathan and Abiram these should be the Deceivers and the Troublers of the Church of Christ and seek to destroy the Faithful and to betray them Who formerly had some Experience to talk of but did not live in the Truth Which I and many others have seen come to pass and fulfilled For Christ said to his Disciples False Prophets and Anti-Christs That the false Prophets and the Anti-Christs which were inwardly the ravened Wolves which the Apostles and Believers should beware of should come to them to try them they had the Sheeps-cloathing and Outward Profession of Christianity but were Inwardly ravening Wolves to devour them Now these were Inwardly ravening from something And the Apostle John speaks of such as went out from us It seems they were one among them But saith he they were not of us for if they had been of us they would no doubt have continued with us but they went out from the true Church that they might be manifest that they were not of it And these were the Anti-christs and false Prophets that Christ said should come which John and the Apostles saw were come and exhorted the Church to beware of and to keep to the Vnction which they had from the Holy One. And this Vnction and Anointing as it abides within the Saints the true Church and they in it it will teach them all things and is Truth and by it they shall continue in the Son and the Father and so in the Holy Seed Rock and Foundation that cannot be shaken And the Apostle saith There was to be a falling away first before the Man of Sin was revealed the Son of Perdition who opposeth and exalteth himself c. And when the Apostle saw the Mystery of Iniquity already working and his coming is after the working of Satan with all Deceiveableness of Unrighteousness in them that perish because they receive not the Love of the Truth that they might be saved And such go into strong Delusions that they should believe a Lye and not the Truth And here you may see there is a falling away before the Son of Perdition or Judas be revealed and they that fall away receive not the Love of the Truth that they might be saved but believe Lyes that they shall be damned And the Lord will consume him with the Spirit of his Mouth and will destroy him with the Brightness of his coming the wicked One and Son of Perdition that is against the Righteous and is the Opposer and Betrayer of them Therefore all the Church of Christ are to stand stedfast To stand stedfast in Christ and be establish'd in Him in every good Word and Work who are from the beginning chosen for Salvation through Jesus Christ through the Sanctification of the Spirit and the belief of the Truth and are called by the Gospel the Power of God to the obtaining of the Glory of the Lord Jesus Christ in whom the glorious Rest and Peace is And you may see how the Church of Christ was troubled by such as went out from them and fell away from Truth and Inwardly ravened some went like unto the Swine into the Mire and some like the Doggs to the Vomit and some like Wolves that Inwardly ravened and yet kept the Sheeps-cloathing Some went in the Nature of Cain Sacrificers and yet were Destroyers of the Righteous and some went in the Nature or Spirit of Jannes and Jambres that withstood Moses and others in the Nature of Judas to Betray and others in the Nature of Corah Dathan and Abiram to Gain-say and Resist the Truth and others in the Nature of Jezabel And this Spirit and Nature troubled the Church in the Old Testament Troublers of the Church and troubled the Church in the New Testament and are troubling the Church of Christ in this Gospel-Day that is come and coming out of the Apostacy But God's Trumpet Spirit and Power was and is always sounded against it that all People may beware of this Evil Spirit and Nature and keep in the Seed Christ Jesus that bruises the Head of it in whom you have Love Rest Salvation Quietness and Peace Hallelujah And all dwell in Love then you dwell in God who is Love All dwell in God who is Love let that be all your Habitations which Love edifies the Body of Christ and builds you up in him and all strive to excel one another in Vertue in Patience Courteousness Kindness Tenderness Meekness and Humility in Temperance Modesty and Chastity and whatsoever things are Decent and Comely and of good Report Honest and Lovely that follow For these are the good Fruits of the Spirit of God and his Heavenly Seed which Fruits are acceptable to God and will make you all lovely and comely to him and unto one another in his Heavenly Seed in which as I said before you are blest and all Nations are blest which Seed Christ is your Sanctuary who destroys the Devil the Destroyer and so is over him and was before he was in whom the true Believers live and have Peace who Cloaths them with Salvation and with his Righteousness the sanctified One's fine Linnen So all walk worthy of the Mercies of God and his Blessings from Above and from Below to the Glory and Praise of God And they that dwell not in Love and Charity are like the sounding Brass and tinkling Cimbals as you may read 1 Cor. 13.1 8. This you may read amongst the Children of the Light and of the Day Dolston the 13th of the 10th Month 1683. G. F. To the Meeting of Friends in Truth that are Captives in Algiers NOw Epist 391. Dear Friends The Lord having drawn you by his Spirit to his Son Christ Jesus in whose Name ye come to be Gathered in whose Name ye have