and the Mystery of the Fellowship is Everlasting So if any wants the Power of God he wants the Mystery in which is the Fellowship althought he may have all the Scriptures 2. And now Friends if any be moved of the Lord God by his Power be Obedient to it Obedience to the Power and waithin the Life and in the Power and it will direct you to the Glory of God in his Wisdom not to abuse it that whatsoever ye do ye may do it to his Glory ye answering the Just Principle of God in every one 3. If any be moved to go to the Steeple-houses or Markets or to Rereove Sin in the Gate or to Exhort High or Low or to Reprove them Reason not with Flesh and Blood nor quench the Spirit And when ye have done in the same Spirit live and then ye will have Peace and Rest and Fellowship with God and one with another For the vnity is in the Spirit and it is the Bond of Peace 4. And all Friends in your Meetings do not quench the Spirit And take heed Judging in Meetings and do not judge one another in the Meetings but have patience until the Meetings be done So if any have any thing upon him to speak to another he may speak to him after the Meeting is done that will cover one another's Weakness and not hurt othres 5. And all Friends every where wait to feel the Power of God in your selves in your Meetings Sleeping in Meetings And take heed of Sleeping and feel the Power of God in one another that ye all may be in the Mystery of the Fellowship For Wo unto them that are at Ease in Zion I Warn and Charge you all in the Presence of the Living God that none make their Habitation in the Earth or build Tabernacles there lest ye become Vagabonds from the Lord But let every one rest in his Habitation in God and here is no Vagabond but there shall every one know an Heir-ship an Habit ation and an Inher it ance And I warn and charge you from the Lord not to make any of the World's Jewels your God but live all in the Power of the Lord God in which ye will be carried over the Spirit of the World 6. And Friends all every where dwell in the Love and Fear of the Lord God and in Peace one with another and in the Power and Life of the Lord God keep your Meetings and live in the Mystery of the Fellowship of the Gospel which is Everlasting This is to go to all the Meetings in the North among them to be reda G. F. FRiends Every one of you having a Light from the Son of God Epish 170. wait in it that ye may come to receive the Son of God from whence it comes and receive Power from him tobecome the Sons of God To Friends at Worcester and have Faith in him For who are of Faith are of abraham's Seed which faith gives the Victory over the World It is by Faith Concerining the Light our Hearts are purified So. dwell in the Light Faith which casts out all Jangling Spirits in which ye may have vnity one with another Vnity and with Christ from whence the Light comes and with the Father whom he is the Way to And that with the Light ye may answer the Light in every Man which comes from Christ though they hate it So the Lord God Almighty keep and preserve you AND all keep your Meetings in the Power of God that the Lord ye may see present among you G. F. An Epistle General to them who are of the Royal Priesthood About 1659. and Chosen Generation Given forth from the Movings of the Power and Spirit of Truth and now made publick To be sent abroad among the Saints scattered in Old and New-England Germany Holland Ireland Scotland Barbados and Virginia for them to read in the Fear of the Lord. FRiends Let all that ye do Epist 171. be done in the Name of the Lord Jesus Christ by whom all things were made and created that ye may do that which ye do in the true Dominion and then what ye do ye do in the Power of God And all Friends dwell in Love for that is the Mark of Disciple and Fruits of Faith and the Spirit Love the Mark of a Disciple which Love out of a pure Heart is the End of the Commandment and fulfils the Law and in that is Edification and Building And the Fruits of being past from Death to Life there is Love to God Brethren and Enemies being in the Seed that destroys Death and the Power of it the Devil We need no Mass for to teach us for the Spirit that gave forth the Scripture teacheth us how to pray sing praise rejoice 1. The Mass honour and worship God and in what and how to walk and to behave our felves to God and Man and leadeth us into all Truth in which is our Unity and it is our Comforter and Guide and Leader and not Men without which say They have not the Spirit and Power as the Apostles had that gave forth the Scriptures And we need not your common-Common-Prayer to teach us for the Spirit common- 2. common-Common-Prayer that gave forth Scriptures teacheth us how to pray praise sng fast and to give thanks and to praise and worship andin what and how to honour and glorifie God and how to walk before Him and Men and how to use all Creatures upon the Earth and leadeth and guideth into all Truth which was given forth from it which reproves the World of Sin That is our Comforter Leader and Guider by which we know Sonship and in which we have Unity and this doth ever change But that which Man doth invent and their Prayers and Forma which do say Men's invented Forms That they have not the same Spirit which gave forth the Scriptures do change But the Spirit that gave forth Scriptures teacheth us how to pray speak sing fast give thanks and how to read them with Vnderstanding and how to walk before God and Man and how to worship God and in what for it leadeth us into all Truth which is our Comforter in which we have Unity and Fellowship and to know the true Religion which doth never change And so the Spirit of Truth which gave forth the Scriptures is our Director Guide Leader and Comforter which reproveth the World for Sin Directories the End of them And this leadeth to see the End of all Directories which Man invents which have not the Spirit the Apostles had and when they cannot hold it up they cry to the Powers of the Earth to help them And these we see are from the Spirit erred and without the Spirit with whom we cannot trust our Bodies Spirits nor Souls into their hands but have committed them to the Lord whose they are And we are a People that are redeemed from the
is Pure before God and undefiled in his Sight that keeps from the Spots of the World Mark the Spots And these do not cry up a Body of Death nor a Purgatory when they are dead they are kept from the Spots of this World So they are far degenerated from this pure Religion from above which is undefiled before God which keeps from the Spots of this World and leads to visit the Fatherless Widows and Strangers whose Religion is that they must have a Body of Sin and Death unto the Grave and a Purgatory when they are dead And their Fatherless and Widows and Strangers must go a begging in the Streets All these Religions are from below and of their own making and not from above but of him that is out of Truth And all they that come to this pure Religion that is from above and comes to receive it it must be by the Spirit of God within and the Light of Christ within and his Grace within and his Faith within And the Image of God in them hath been lost since the Apostles days that Man and Woman was renewed into by Christ and therefore they have set up so many Inventions of their own Brain and outward Images and Likenesses and worship them for Man and Woman was in the Image of God before they fell And when they fell from the Image of God they set up many Images of God and Man and other Creatures of things in Heaven and things in Earth And when Christ came he renewed Man into the Image of God again and into his Likeness but since the Apostles days have they lost this Image of God and this Likeness and made a profession of Christ and the Apostles words as the Jews did of the Law and worshipped the Works of their own Hands and Images But now is Christ renewing Man again into the Image of God as they were in the Apostles days yea also I say as Adam and Eve were in before they fell Yea and in this Image of God they will reign over all Images and Image-makers either with hand or brain for they have made those Images and Likenesses by the Evil Spirit that is out of Truth which the Spirit of Truth leads out of and above them and from their works Glory to God for ever for his Image and his Likeness is led into by Christ Jesus and into Adam and Eve's State before they fell and not only into that State but into Christ Jesus that never fell And the true Praying hath been lost since the Apostles days for none can pray truly but by the Spirit of God unto God who is a Spirit or unto Christ who is a Quickning Spirit And all they that have erred from the Spirit cannot abide to hear talk of it and yet may have the Scripture from Genesis to the Revelations and make Prayers and say them over and give them to others to say over and so Pray by the Book and that must help his Infirmity and so have erred from the Spirit and from the true Doctrine of the Apostles who said The Spirit must help their Infirmities and they must pray in the Spirit So all that grieves and vexes and quenches the Spirit of God cannot pray in it to God who is a Spirit But they think to be heard by their much Babbling and asks and prays but do not receive and every one must come to the Spirit of God in themselves and to the Light and to the Faith that purifies his Heart and to the Spirit of Grace and Supplication and by this his Mind is to be turned towards Christ who prays to God and asks in the Name of Jesus and in the Power and Light and Spirit of Christ And the true Fellowship hath been lost and Sanctification and Belief and the Righteousness since the Apostles days For many have had the letter but lost the Life the Notion but lost the Possession the Profession but lost the Substance Christ Jesus but the true Fellowship is in the Gospel the Power of God which was before the Devil was and since Men lost this Power of God they have not known the Scriptures aright but they have set up Fellowships by that Spirit which is of him that is out of the Truth that have destroyed one another and persecuted them which are in the Power of God which is the Gospel which was before the Devil and all the Fellowships in old Adam was and will be when they are all gone Now the Gospel-Fellowship is a perfect Fellowship a pure and an holy Fellowship it is an everlasting Fellowship for the Power of God is everlasting it is over the Jews Fellowship in the outward things and the Gentiles invented Fellowships and the Fellowships of Bread Water and Wine for these are no Mysteries the World's Fellowship is no Mystery the Fellowship of Bread Water and Wine is no Mystery but the Gospel-Fellowship is a Mystery and none sees it but who comes to the Light of Christ and to the Truth in the inward parts For this is a standing Fellowship the Gospel the Power of God and all Fellowships out of it are imperfect and corrupt where the Body of Death and Sin and their Purgatory is pleaded for which Fellowships below Men make and are of Men and from Men but the Gospel is not of Men nor by Men but of God and from Christ So this Fellowship is the Church-Fellowship that is in God and it is a pure Fellowship the Gospel-Fellowship is which Gospel brings Life and Immortality to Light and expels away all that which darkens and burdens and loads the Soul Mind Spirit and Heart So this is Glad-Tidings to the Immortal Soul which comes by the Immortal Power up to the Immortal God where Life and Immortality comes to Light and to shine over him that hath darkened it Here is liberty to the Immortal Soul Mind and Spirit in the Gospel the Power of God which is the Gospel-Fellowship which is a Mystery but Bondage and Darkness to the other so Life and Immortality is hid from all them that makes Fellowships below and have their Fellowships by Men and of Men who are out of the Power of God the Gospel and makes Fellowships of old Authors and makes Fellowships of the Scriptures But being erred from the Spirit they know not the Scriptures nor the Power of God and there they are in Strife and Enmity in their Fellowships and falling-out about their Bread and Wine some taking it one way some another and falling-out about their handy Works and plucking People from one another to themselves and not to Christ nor his Gospel-Fellowship that came not by Men neither was it of Man So they that deny Revelation cannot preach Christ until he be revealed nor cannot preach the Gospel until it be revealed And they that say Revelations are ceased they may as well say there is no Gospel and so have no Christ to preach and are only Ministers of the Letter neither have
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
when ye speak an evil Word and tells you that ye should not be proud nor wanton nor fashion your selves like unto the World for the fashion of this World passeth away And if ye hearken to that it will keep you in Humbleness of Mind and Lowliness of Heart and turn your Minds within to wait upon the Lord to be guided by it and bring you to lay aside all Sin and Evil and keep you faithful to the Lord and bring you to wait on him for Teaching till an Entrance thereof be made to your Souls There is your Teacher the Light obeying it there is your Condemnation disobeying it If ye hearken to the Light in you it will not suffer you to conform to the evil Ways Customs Fashions Delights and Vanities of the World and so lead you to Purity to Holiness to Vprightness even up to the Lord. Dear Hearts hearken to it to be guided by it For if ye love the Light ye love Christ if ye hate that ye hate Christ Therefore in the Name of the Lord Jesus Christ consider of it and the Lord open your Understandings to know him G. F. ALL Dear Friends every where Epist 18. who have tasted of the Everlasting Power and are made Partakers of his Divine Nature Be faithful An Exhortation to Faithfulness and dwell in that which is Pure And take heed of the World 's evil Ways Words Worships Customs and Fashions neither let fair Speeches draw you out nor hard Speeches trouble you and make you afraid But fear the Lord God of Heaven and Earth who by his mighty Power upholds all things And be bold in the Power of Truth and valiant for it upon the Earth treading triumphing over and trampling all Deceit under Foot inward and outward having done it in your selves in particular ye have Power over the World in general And Meet together every-where and keep the Unity of the Spirit which is the Bond of Peace which Circumciseth Inwardly and puts off the Body of Sin and Baptiseth all into one Body with one Spirit And being written all in one another's Heart have all one Voice and the pure Language of Truth where in all plainness of Speech things may be spoken in Nakedness of Heart one unto another in the Eternal Unity in one Spirit which draws off and weans you from all things that are Created and External which fade and pass away up to God the Fountain of Life and Head of all things to whom be Glory Wisdom Riches and Honour God blessed for ever Who hath blessed us and given to us Eternal Life and this Life is in his Son and he that hath the Son hath the Father also And that which the World doth profess and make a Trade withal the Saints do enjoy and possess which the World doth not know but in the Letter And all Friends and Brethren in what ye know be faithful rejoycing and praising the Lord with all Thankfulness that the wise God should Call you and Elect you Oh! dwell in Love in your Hearts to God and one to another And the God of Love and Life keep you all in his Power and Love and Spirit to himself that ye may all be kept pure and stand pure and clean before him The Work and Harvest of the Lord is great My Prayers to God are for you that ye may be faithful and be kept faithful in the Work G. F. Dear and tender Friends MY Love is to you all in the Truth of God Epist 19. and my Prayers and Soul's Desire is to God To Friends in Truth that ye may be kept in the Simplicity of the Truth in Christ Jesus growing up in the Power of his Resurrection and to be made Conformable to his Death and to have Fellowship with him in his Sufferings and that all your Hearts may be knit together in Love and in one Spirit to God and be kept out of all the World 's evil Customs Fashions Words Works Manners Ordinances and Commandments which will all perish which the World holdeth up in the Carnal Mind The Carnal Eye and Mind and the Carnal Man doth act them For whatsoever is seen with a Carnal Eye is Carnal See if ye do find something in your Understandings made manifest which is Eternal to guide your Minds out of all External things which wither away and fade For the Cross is to the Carnal Mind your Carnal Minds going into the Carnal and Earthly things or your Eyes and Lusts into the Earth where Lightness Rashness Crosness Bitterness and Presumption is then the Tongae will run at random and is at liberty and he that hath not Power over his own Tongue his Religion is vain and the light Mind ruleth But the Light within which doth convince thee it will shew thee when the Mind goeth forth and shew thee the daily Cross which is to Crucifie that Carnal Mind For the Carnal Mind minds Carnal Things and the Cross is to the Will of Man for it shall never enter Therefore give not way to your Wills nor busie your selves nor Minds with needless and careless Words or such things for they will vail you and draw your Minds from God But keep within And when they shall say Christ is within Lo here or Lo there is Christ go not forth for Christ is within you And they are Seducers and Anti-Christs which draw your Minds out from the Teaching within you For the Measure is within and the Light of God is within and the Pearl is within you which is hid and the Word of God is within you and ye are the Temples of God and God hath said he will dwell in you and walk in you And then what need ye go to the Idols-Temples without you The true Church the Saints is in God but the Imitation of the Church is in the World without God The Seducers are in the World Anti-Christs and Deceivers are in the World and false Prophets are in the World and Covetousness is in the World and all Hypocrisie and all Heresie and Dissimulation and all Pride and looking for Honour is in the World and he that seeketh for it is of the Devil And all idle foolish Jesting and all light vain Talking which is not seemly nor convenient is in the World Therefore lay aside all Filthiness and Superfluity of naughtiness and fear God and give Glory to him and worship not the Beast for the Beast and the false Prophet must be cast into the Lake of Fire The true Figures and Types were outward and visible to the outward Eye and Mind but the Carnal Mind is to be taken away and destroyed For the Figures did Type forth the Substance when the Substance was come the Figures were taken away and Types were ended And the false Imitations of Christ and of God are in the World and the vain Worships of the World are the Worships of the Beast and are not of God For God is a Spirit and he that
Changable Priesthood which takes Tithes as the People of God did then But if we hire any Man and set him at Work we will give him his Wages and his Meat but such Dissemblers as say The Scripture is their Rule for it and we neither hired nor set them at Work all such Deceivers are denied who take the Scripture-Words and make a Cloak of them for their Covetous Practices Nevertheless if any Minister of Jesus Christ or Son or Daughter or Servant which Jesus Christ sends forth who said Freely ye have received freely give comes to our Houses and Minister unto us Spiritual Things we will set before him our Carnal things and he that soweth unto us Spiritual things it is the least that we minister unto him of our Carnal things But he that sueth us at the Law for Means Tithe-Suers and calleth me before Courts and Sessions and telleth me He is a Minister of Christ and Christ sent him all such Evil Beasts as the Apostle speaks of we deny who mind Earthly things whose God is their Belly who serve not the Lord Jesus Christ but their own Bellies But if any one come into our Houses as afore said to preach the Gospel to us we shall set before them and they shall eat freely as Christ saith Whatsoever they set before you that eat But to give Tithes to such as do not preach to us Spiritual things but deny Christ come in the Flesh and hold up things in the Figure all such we deny and for the Truth 's sake do we suffer by such Tithe-buyers And ye that have bought Tithes to get Gain thereby to you we cannot pay Tithes ye are as bad as the Priests to hold up such things as were acted in the Figure and deny Christ come in the Flesh And though ye may say Give Caesar his Due for a Cloak that Cloak we deny Nevertheless if we be owing any thing to Caesar or to any Ruler or Magistrate or Minister he shall have his Due So Caesar shall have his Due in his place and the Figure we own in its place and Christ in his place G. F. DEar John Epist 30. the Everlasting Arm of the Lord hold thee up and break all thy Bonds asunder and set thee upon the Rock on thy Feet To a suffering Friend in which thou may'st know his Presence and his Everlasting Supreme Power And so the God of Life be with thee And pray for thy Enemies for the Lord to open them and their Hearts and see themselves and thee G. F. DEar Friends Epist 31. Mind the stedfast Guide to the Lord where we do all meet in the Eternal Spirit in Oneness all being Baptised by it into one Body Baptism in one Spiritt having one Food the Eternal Bread of Life which the Immortal feed upon and all made to drink into one Spirit Perfection which is the Cup of the Communion of the Blood of our Lord Jesus Christ which makes Perfect and Redeems from all that is Vain Fleshly and Earthly up to God who is Holy Pure Spiritual and Eternal And let not any of you in your Desires wander from that which is Pure in you then your Conditions will be kept clear and pure to see all things as they are and a clear Separation will be made from that which is of Man and of your own and that which is of God and there will be a Growing up in that which is Pure And so be Low in your Minds waiting for the Coming of our Lord Jesus Christ in you all who is Lord over all to be Lord over all in you And so the Lord God of Power keep you all Farewell G. F. To Friends that their Minds go not out from the Spirit of God FRiends Epist 32. when your Minds go forth from the pure Spirit of God and are drawn out from it there the Image of God comes to be lost G. F.'s Epistle to Friends to live in the Cross About 1653. in those whose Minds goes out from the Pure to lust after that which is in the Fall which may appear like Truth in the Notion in that Nature out of the Truth lodgeth the Inchanter and Sorcerer To speak of Truth when ye are moved it is a Cross to the Will if ye live in the Truth The Inchanter and Sorcerer c. which ye speak ye live in the Cross to your own Wills For that which joyns with the Earthly Will goes out from God and that which is pure and so makes a place for the Inchanter and Sorcerer and the Airy Spirit to lodge in whereby a Grave is made for the Just and the Partition-wall between God and Man standing Death comes to reign and the Grave hath the Victory over such and in the Airy Spirit lodgeth the Inchanter which the Lord will rebuke Dwell in the Pure and Immortal and wait upon the Living God to have your Hope renewed and to be renewed again into the Image of God and the Image of the Devil defaced and the Prince of the Air cast out for he lodgeth in the Mind that doth despair and in that Mind that doth presume So dwell in the Light and wait upon God to have the Image of God renewed and all come to witness your selves to be restored by Christ Jesus into the Image of God The Image of God and to be made by him like to God pure holy perfect and righteous This was witnessed this is witnessed and this will be witnessed measurably with Thousands who are growing up out of the Fall and coming up out of the Grave Let not the Lust go out to any thing which is mortal to be Servant thereto but mind the Joyning to the Life Here ye are kept in the Image of God Not but that ye may use the Creatures lawfully but being kept in the Image of God The lawful Vse of the Creatures ye are kept as Kings over all the Creatures and over the Creation here ye will see all things and by whom they stand To the Pure all things are pure being in the Image of God above all the Creatures below not worshipping the Host of Heaven nor being in Bondage to the Creatures nor minding any thing in Comparison of that which is Immortal which joyns you unto the Lord and all that speak here in that which is Immortal are joyning unto the Lord. But that Nature keep out and that judge which is mortal which will joyn to the Harlot the fleshly from all that there is to be a Separation And here as ye are brought by the Power of God the Gate is seen that stands open which Gate is shut from all Mortal Eyes And all the Wonderers are here seen who inquire after new things and Novelties but the Wise Man satisfies not the Fool Novelties For that part is above the pure if it be not kept in the Cross which not being wrought out will joyn to the Flesh and so
in Battle against all the Philistians The Armour of Light and the Enemies of God being led and guided with the Spirit up to God the Father of Spirits that what ye do beget may be to him and into his Image and that which ye do present it may be perfect And so Mind this Sow not sparingly for the Lord hath a Seed that-aways So the Lord God Almighty preserve you And stir abroad whilst the Door is open and the Light shineth and so go on in that which letteth you see the World to comprehend it and to see what is imprisoned by it and suffereth by it So the Lord give you an Understanding in all things and his Arm go along with you that ye may be to his Glory And the Blessing of the Lord be with you DEAR Francis and Edward In the Life of God wait that ye may be with it led and kept to receive Wisdom from God To Fra. Howgill and Edw. Burrough that ye may order all things there with it and to be manifest to the Witness of God in all that ye may beget to God that as good Plow-men and good Thresher-men ye may be to bring out the Wheat Good Plowmen So the Lord God Almighty keep and preserve you G. F. DEar Friends Dwell in that which keeps your Peace Epist 136. and comprehends the Deceit and answers that of God in every one To Friends to dwell in that which keeps Peace And let Friends keep their Meetings and never hearken to Tales nor things without but keep their Peace and know the Life and Power Vnion and Fellowship which stands in God in and with which ye may stand over the World in the one Power Life and Wisdom Meetings and therein be kept to the Glory of the Lord God So in that which is pure the Lord God Almighty preserve you G. F. FRiends Let God's Wisdom have the stay of your Minds Epist 137. and let it be the End of all your Words beware of that Spirit God's Wisdom that leads out of it into any thing There is a Day coming wherein some may wish that they had walked in Wisdom Weaknesses and Failings as touching the Weaknesses one of another or the Failings one of another for what know ye who may stand or who may fall in the Day of God's Trial Then many that have been unstable may wish that they had kept their Secrets in their Bosoms and in God's Wisdom sought to restore all Secrets and not to scatter as that Spirit doth which cannot bear and cover the Weaknesses one of another who are yet in the Wilderness where the Trials are many I have seen a great Danger in this thing Wherefore beware of that Spirit that cannot bear one with another Forgime and Cover or forgive one another for that which cannot will discover rather than cover and bring a Cloud over many wheresoever it is received and raise the contrary in many and vail the Just it may be in whole Meetings for want of Wisdom to be stayed in the Meek Spirit The Meek Spirit which trys all Spirits and gives clear sight of things For want of this many may be cast by and scarce ever restored again Therefore I say Tread over the Dead and that which works in that Nature and reach to the Witness in all so will ye stand for God and God will bless you in the Day of Trial. G. F. FRiends Epist 138. Ye that are the Prisoners of the Lord Jesus Christ in outward Bonds who witness him by whom the World was made who is the King of Saints and who are his Prisoners Note and come under his Dominion and Government Ye are not your own but purchased with his Blood which washes and makes you clean and justifies whose Bodies are his Temple Though he suffers you to be Imprisoned yet in his Power your Bodies are kept and your Spirits also ye standing Witnesses for your Master Standing Witnesses for your King for your Prophet for your Covenant of Light for your Wisdom of God him by whom all things were made for the Word and Power by which all things were made and upheld against the Powers of Darkness who are out of the Light out of the Truth who cannot bind stop nor limit the unlimited Power which is over it and comprehends it They who are born of the Word and in the Power which upholds all things over that and the Power of the Evil One have Victory and sing over the false Prophet The false Prophet For the Devil was the Deceiver who in the Truth abode not and there is the false Prophet who speaks of his own and not from the Lord and there is the Beast that makes the War against the Lamb and his Saints who witness the Testimony of Jesus and the Word of God Therefore mind the Word of God ye Children of the Light who are in the Light that comes from the Word mind the Word of the Lord which is as a Hammer and as a Fire and sharper than a Two-edged Sword And ye who are the Lord's are not your own but they who are in their own Time The Time in the Father's hand see not the Time which is in the Father's Hand their Time is always and they do their own Works and not the Works of God which the Son of God did G. F. FRiends Epist 139. Know the Praying in the Spirit and with the Vnderstanding then ye will come to know the Sighs and Groans that cannot be uttered Praying in the Spirit For such as have not the Spirit that gave forth the Scriptures to guide them are as the Pharisees were in the Long Prayers and in the Wrath and in the Doubting and do not lift up holy Hands This makes a Difference between Praying in the Spirit and the Pharisees long Prayers that devoured Widows houses AND None owns the Light as it is in Jesus but he that owns the Light that Christ lighteth them withal And none owns the Truth Light and Truth but who owns the Light that cometh from Christ the Truth And none cometh to the Father but such who owns the Light that cometh from Christ which leads to him Nor none owns the Son except he owns the Light that cometh from him FOR all dwelling in the Light that comes from Jesus it leads out of Wars leads out of Strife leads out of the Occasion of Wars and leads out of the Earth up to God Wars and Strife out of Earthly-mandedness to Heavenly-mindedness and bringeth your Minds to be in Heaven G. F. ALL Friends every where Epist 140. that do suffer for Tithe and are served with Writs to answer at London take Copies of your Suppoena's and Writs To Friends Concerning Collecting their Sufferings that ye may have them when ye Appear to shew them to the Court whereby ye may be kept a top of the Persecutors
the other into Captivty where the Apostates are and so are become like untimely Figs or like unto the Corn upon the House-top Now this is the Word of the Lord God unto you all Keep your Habitations in the Light Life and Power which ye first received and felt in your selves that ye may be cloathed with the Blessing of the Lord which was before the Curse was And live in the Unity in the Light which was before Darkness was or the Power of it and in the Life which was before Death was and in the Truth which was before the Devil was and in the Power of God which was before the Power of Satan was All live in this that ye may be cloathed with that which is Immortal and attain to the Crown of Life and to know the Election before the World began He that is the First and the Last that is the Beginning and the Ending sit down in him not in Adam in the Fall but sit down in Christ that never fell and there that Life ye will come to know Sit down in Christ which was with the Father before the World began And so live in the Substance which is the Seed Christ who ends the Prophets first Conveant first Priesthood and all the Types and Figures and Shadows given after the Fall G. F. MY Dear Friends Epist 167. Be not carried away by good Words and fair Speeches Good Words and fair Speeches nor the Affectinate Part which is taken with them but every one have hold of the Truth in your selves and the Life and Light and Power of the Most-High by which ye may be staied upon Christ Bread the Staff of Life your Bread of Life he is the Staff of your Heavenly and Eternal Life Bread is the Staff of Life Now Friends who have denied the World Songs and Singing Songs and Singing sing ye in the Spirit and with Grace making Melody in your Hearts to the Lord. And ye having denied the World's formal Praying Praying pray ye always in the Spirit and watchy in it And ye that have denied the World's giving of Thanks and their saying of Grace and living out of it do ye in every thing give Thanks to the Lord through Jesus Christ And ye Giving Thanks that have denied the World's Praising God with their Lips whilst their Hearts are afar off do ye always praise the Lord night and day Saying Grace and from the Rising of the Sun to the Going down of the same praise ye the Lord. And ye that have denied the World's Fastings Praising Fastings and of their hanging down their Heads like a Bulrush for a day who smite with the Fist of Wickedness Keep ye the Fast of the Lord that breaks the Bond of Iniquity and lets the Oppressed go free that your Health may grow and your Light may shine as the Morning G. F. FRiends all every where who have tasted of the Love Epist 168. Mercy and Kindness of God and his Power ye are called to Holiness and Chastity Therefore keep out of inordinate Affections Inordinate Affections and inordinate fleshly Love and feigned Flattery and Desires which is below the Truth which will bring you to Infirmness And keep out of fond Affections and fond Love that draws out the fleshly Part the fleshly Eye and brings into Pride and Loosness and false Liberty and to abuse the Power of God Oh keep out of all Vncleanness whatever may be pretended and fleshly Desires for the Lust of the Eye the Lust of the Flesh and the Pride of Life are not of the Father but of the World And therefore keep down that which is not of the Father but of the World And take heed of dishonouring your Bodies and defiling your Minds but keep your Bodies clean from all Fornication Fornication and Adultery Adultery and Vncleanness for that which pretends otherwise and doth so defiles it and is out of the Truth and is contrary to the Law of God and contrary to Christ's Doctrine And therefore defile not your selves but live pure chast and holy as becometh the Saints for no Adulterer nor Fornicator hath any part in the Kingdome of God Such go from that of God in themselves and quench the Spirit of God and abuse his Power and go into fleshly Love and fained Desires and flattering Pretences covering it with a false Liberty and so are in the Bondage to the beggarly fleshly Lusts and whom they overcome they bring into the same Bondage and through their fained Flattery and dissembling Carriage rob and beguile and spoil Flattery to fulfil their insatiable ungodly Desires Wills and Lusts Therefore live in the Truth for all such things are out of the Truth and such as do the same whatsoever they be therefore all that go into Vncleanness under what fair Pretence soever are to be Judged G. F. TO all the Elect Chosen and Faithful Epist 165. who are of the Royal Seed of God living Stones Elect and Precious knit and built up together and united the Family and House-hold of God London the 11th of the 3d Month. and come to his Mountain that is established upon the top of all Mountains that walk in the Light of the Lord in Unity and Covenant with God in the Covenant of Life and Peace with him Who in this the Lamb's Day are the Gold tried in the Fire Who have been tried by Goods spoiling As Gold tried in the Fire by Bonds by Whippings by Mockings and Reproaches in the Day of the Lamb's Power and some have been tried unto Death and ye have proved to be the pure Gold that hath come out brighter and brighter Who have not feared the Waves of the Sea nor the Winds who fears not the storms nor the Weather whose Anchor holds which is the Hope the Mystery which Anchors the Soul which is Immortal to the Immortal God Among whom the Star or Jacob is seen and the Morning-Star is risen and the Sun of Righteousness shines and the Lamb's Voice is known the Charch in the Glory and Beauty is appeared and appearing The Mirriage of the Lamb. the Marriage of the Lamb and the Bride and the Wedding-day is known in which there is Unity and the Vigins sing Praises and follow the Lamb because of his sweet Ointment and the Virgins are upon Mount Zion And the Gospel is going forth unto all Nations Kindreds and Tongues and Life and Immortality is coming to Light thuough the Gospel which is the Power of God and the Mystery of the Fellowship is known The Mrstery of the Fellowship which is in the Power And for want of the Power the Gospel in which is the Fellowship hath Christendom been on Heaps and the Heathen Ignorant And now ye who know the Power of God ye know the Gospel and ye who are in the Power of God ye are in the Mystery of the Fellowship So Mark the Fellowship is a Mystery
Earth and World and need none of your Church-made-Faith The Church-made-Faith which ye have framed and made in Eleven Days time and your other Three Days set apart For Christ is the Author of our Faith which is the Gift of God which is a Mystery held in a pure Conscience And we say that all the Priests in Scotland London and New-England cannot make the Gift of God the Mystery which is the Faith which remains and by which Men are justified and saved neither have they Power over it which brings us to have Access to God and giveth us Victory over that which separated us from God And so we need none of their Faith to lead us for the Faith Christ is the Author of we live in Magistrates which they cannot make nor frame And though they may cry to the Magistrates to help them to uphold their Made-Faith which Idol they cannot hold up themselves which they have Invented and say They are not in the Life and Power as they were in that gave forth the Scriptures and say Revelation is ceased from People and There is no Victory while they be upon the Earth These are the Fruits of their Framed-Faith which we need not For the Spirit that gave forth the Scriptures teacheth us to know who is the Author of our Faith and the Fruits of it which giveth Victory And the Spirit teacheth us how to pray sing give thanks praise rejoyce fast worship God and in what and how to walk to God and Man and leadeth us into all Truth the Reprover of the World for Sin which is our Comforter Guide and Leader and Director in which we have Vnity and Fellowship that is without End and a pure Religion that doth never change And a great deal of stuff there is in their Books which is not worth mentioning which it and that Nature will Rot that gave it forth Church-Faith changeth but the Seed and Life and Power will stand Church-Faith changeth Directory changeth Common-Prayer changeth and Mass changeth And here are the four Religions which are got up since the Apostles Days which they have fought for and killed one another about But the Pure Religion doth not change which we are of and own in which is the Spiritual Weapons which were amongst the Apostles The True Faith changeth not for it abideth and remaineth which is the Gift of God Rom. 13. and a Mystery held in a pure Conscience of which we are and which is our Faith Mass for the Papists Common-Prayer for the Episcopal-Men and the Directory for the Presbyterians Church-made and framed Faith for the Independents and mixt Baptists and others And those have had their Fellowships in these for which they fought and about which Carnal Weapons got up since the Days of the Apostles Carnal Weapons But the Fellowship in the Spirit remains and doth not change which hath Spiritual Weapons and these are known and used to fight withal about Religion in which the Seed of God is known which bruiseth the Serpent's Head which led Man from God and made a Separation betwixt Man and God And the Election is known in him who was before the World began who is the Head of our Church and not they that be Head of the Mass The various Heads of them Head of your Directory Head of the Common-Prayer and Head of the Church-made-Faith which we see all change and come to nought and God confounds And Men stand in Doubts and Questions and have not Assurance in their Religion but that of God stands in them all bound They that followed the Pope were called Papists Papists and Protestants and they that protested against the Pope were called Protestants And thus they gave Names one to another And so Common-Prayer-Men and Directory-Men and Independents and Baptists And thus in the Envy out of the Love out of the Spirit which gave forth the Scriptures gave they Names once to another all which we judge Our Faith our Church our Vnity is in the Spirit The Quakers Faith and our Word at which we Tremble was in the Beginning before the Papists Mass and your Episcopals common-Common-Prayer and the Presbyterians Directory and Independents Baptists and other Church-made framed Faiths were and our Vnity Church and Fellowship will stand when they are all ended By which Spirit we judge them all and deny their works in which is our Vnity with God with the Scriptures and one with another For they have been to People like so many Changable Coverings but now the Spirit is taking them off by which we are Covered and is our Weapons in this Day of great Battel with them The Scriptures which ye do speak The Scriptures owned and shew forth in your Books are owned but your Imaginations of them we deny but they are all owned in themselves and places So they are all Ours which end in Christ who is Ours and in him we are that remaineth The Mass is the Papists Sacrifice that they kill about The various Sacrifices of them The Common-Prayer is the Episcopals Sacrifice that they persecute and kill about And The Directory is the Presbyterians Sacrifice they persecute and kill about The Made and framed Church-Faith is the Independents and and Baptists Sacrifice which they kill and persecute about Which Sacrifices the Lord doth not accept neither hath he Respect to which are of them who have erred from the Spirit which the Apostles were in with which they offered Spiritual Sacrifice to God the Father of Spirits which we are in And all my Dear Hearts Fellowship in Suffering and know the Fellowship of the Seed in its sufferings and to be made Conformable to his Death that ye in the suffering through it may know the Power of the Resurrection of the Just Seed And this is it which kills all bad Spirits that will talk but not do such may crucifie Christ in themselves afresh Therefore mind the daily suffering which the Seed had and have Unity with that so ye may rise with that which destroyeth that which causeth it to suffer The Papists cry Higher Powers Help Higher Powers Help help or else my Mass will go down and all my Ceremonies The Episcopal-Men cry Help help Higher Powers or else my Common-Prayer goes down The Presbyterians cry Help help Higher Powers or else my Directory will down The Independents and Anabaptists and others cry Help help Higher Powers or else my Framed Faith which is my Eleven Days Work will down and we shall not stand Are not ye ashamed all And shew ye are Naked out of the Power and Life the Apostles were in and from their Weapons Naked The Outward Power neither uphelp nor separated them from the Love of God which they had in Christ the End of the Law I am not one of them that call themselves Papists Common-Prayer-Men nor Presbyterians Independents nor Anabaptists Puritans nor Heathens which are out of the Life of God but that
which the Devil is out of and the Dragon's Worship and the Beast's Worship and the Will-Worship are out of who worship in the Truth and in the Spirit are over all these Worships For Truth is before they all were and the Spirit and will stand when they are all gone 5thly To pray in the Spirit this was publick the publick Prayer set up among the Christians the Temple was the publick Place of Prayer among the Jews but to pray in the Spirit which is the Publick Prayer set up by the Apostles Every Man every Woman then must come to the Spirit of God in their own selves for it will give them Vnderstanding and Knowledge and give them Instruction it will help their Infirmities it will let them see their wants So in that must every Son and Daughter of Adam pray in the Spirit to God who is a Spirit And this is Publick the Spirit of God in every Man and Woman to pray with unto God who is a Spirit then in this Spirit have they Fellowship and Vnity and a Bond of Peace and this moderates all People and mortifies circumciseth and baptizeth Now who grieves and quenches and vexes and rebels against the Spirit of God within in which they should pray they are like the Jews Bablers and go into the particular Forms and go from the Publick which is V niversal whereby all Men and Women must pray to God who is a Spirit in the Spirit and keep out of the particular One hath one Set-Form another another that is particular as I said before but the praying in the Spirit is general by which every Man and Woman might see their Necessities and Wants and turn to God who is a Spirit for his help For Christ the quickning Spirit and the Spirit of the Lord within is that which brings People to life up their Eyes to the Lord in Spirit and Truth and to watch and pray by which they know Temptations and the Spirit giveth them Vnderstanding and Wisdom and Power to withstand them 6thly Singing in the Spirit is Publick every Man and every Woman in the whole World Sing in the Spirit they must not grieve it nor vex it if they sing in it and this is Publick But they that go from the Spirit of God within they go into the particular singing inventing this thing and that thing and then one will do it and another will not do it and so there is no true Felloship because it is not done in the Spirit and there is no true Fellowship in their Worshipping nor in their Praying because it is not done in the Spirit for the true Fellowship in Singing in Praying in Worshipping of God is in the Spirit of God which the Devil is out of for in that is the Bond of Peace 7thly The Teachers of the World told us who call'd themselves Ministers of Christ That they had receved a Gift from Christ who did ascend on high and led Captivity captive and this Gift was for the work of the Ministry and for the perfecting of the Saints and how that they were to bring People to the Knowledge of the Son of God from whence they had received this Gift and to the Unity of the Faith which Faith gives the Victory and brings to have access to God and also to a perfect Man's State and to the Measure of the Stature of the fulness of Christ And thus People followed them and were glad that they would bring them to a perfect Man's State that is to the State of Adam and Eve before they fell for they were perfect then and when we had followed them some twenty some thirty some more some less Years then they told us again that they hoped we would not look for Perfection while we are upon the Earth on this side the Grace for we must carry a Body of Sin about us and they hoped we would not look for Perfection and would not hold the Erronious Doctrine of Perfection and yet told us as before That they would bring us to a perfect Man's State Perfection and so we looked they would have fulfilled their Words for we have given our Money and have spent out Labour in following after them and hoped they would have fulfilled their Words and brought us to the Knowledge of the Son God and so to he Vnity of the Faith and to a perfect Man's state to our Father Adam's and Eve's state before they fell and now they have gotten our Money they hope we will not look for Perfection here Oh Deceivers We will never set foot more after them who will neither fulfil their Words nor give us our Money back again for we gave our Money that they should bring us to the Knowledge of the Son of God and to the Vnity of the Faith and bring us to a perfect Man's state and to a Measure of the Stature of the Fulness of Christ And now the Scriptures that speak of Sin and Imperfection they bring to prove that we should not be Perfect against their own Promises and Words and all the Scriptures that speak of Perfection or overcoming they tell us there must be a meaning put to them And thus they deceived us instead of bringing us to the Measure of the Stature of Christ who never fell the Second Adam the Lord from Heaven who said they would bring us to his Stature and now they cannot bring us to the Measure of the Stature of the Righteousness and Holiness of our Father Adam and Mother Eve that they were in before they fell for they had no Body of Sin before they fell nor Spot nor Wrinkle nor Blemish So the Deceivers hath got our Money and now calls that an Error which they said they would bring us unto a perfect man's state and so will not fulfil their Words nor give us our Money back again neither Thereforenow mark which of these Theree States the Shepherds and Teachers and Leaders kept their Flock in and do keep them in Whether is it in the State of Adam and Eve in the Fall where the Body of Death the Curse Wrath and Woe is Imperfection Spots Wrinkles and Blemishes and tell them they must be there for term of Life Or whether or no can they keep them in the blessed and good State of Righteousness and Holiness as Adam and Eve was in before they fell Or whether or no can they keep them in the Measure of the Stature of Christ who never fell Now consider which of these Three States do they Shepherds pretend to keep their Flocks in that deny Perfection and say their Sheep must carry a Body of Death on their Backs while on Earth for as the Tree falls it lies and htere is no Repentance in the Grave Whether it be not in Adam and Eve in the Fall with his Sons and Daughters Or in that State before they fell which was a good State in Righteousness and Holiness Or whether it be in Christ that never fell
when the false Hope of the Hypocrite sinks therein which are the Waters and it goes over them and in it they are swallowed up The Vnity in the Spirit is the Bond of the Prince of Princes Peace and the Fellowship in the Gospel and the Liberty in it is a perfect one above the imperfect where is Bondage G. F. FRiends Stand still and see be still and hear sit at Jesus Feet Epist 230. and chuse the better thing to do the Work of God A Greneral Epistle to Friends is to believe in his Son Jesus Christ the Light and your Hope and Faith is to stand in God and in his Son walk by that Faith which he is the Author of and walk in the Light and walk in the Spirit As every one hath received Christ so walk in him and so serve God in the Spirit and worship him in the Spirit and in the Truth for God is not worshipped out of the Spirit and Truth The Babes Milk is from the Word and their Bread is from above and there is no true Religion but what is pure from above and the stay'd patient People abide in their own House but the Whore is gadding abroad and there is no true Church but where Christ exercises his Offices in and amongst them and they are asking their Husband at home and he is their Head and the true Marriage to Christ the Heavenly Man is witnessed by such as are Flesh of his Flesh and Bone of his Bone none comes to be Children of the Light but such as believe in the Light no Sons of God but by receiving Christ and by being led by his Spirit no coming into all Truth but by being led by the Spirit of Truth no running the true Race in the straight way to get to the Glorious Crown but with Patience no Purifying but by coming to Christ the Hope of Glory the Purifier and no overcoming but by Believing in Christ the Light and he that doth so is Born of God And there is no true Witness within but the Light the Life and Spirit of Christ the true Record no true Faith but that which Christ is the Author of which giveth Victory no true Anchor to the Immortal Soul but by Christ the Hope of Glory So by Hope you are saved no true Liberty but in Christ and in his Law of the Spirit of Life and in his Gospel no true Knowledge of God but by his Light and Spirit in the Heart no Salvation but by the Name of Jesus no true Praying but in the Spirit no true Singing but in the Spirit Wherein true Rest Peace Joy c. stand and are injoyed no true Fast but that which breaks the Bond of Iniquity no true Fellowship but in the pure Faith Light Spirit and Gospel of God and Christ no true Foundation but Christ to build upon no true Way but Christ no true Seed but what Christ hath sown in the Heart no true Rest but in Christ no true Peace but in Christ no true Service to God and Christ but in the Newness of Life no knowing the things of God but by the Spirit of God no knowing the Son nor the Father but by the Revelation of the Holy Spirit no knowing the Scriptures but by the same Holy Ghost that moved the Holy Men to give them forth no calling Jesus Lord but by the Holy Ghost by which he was Conceived no Grafting into Christ but by Believing in the Light which is called the Light in Men and the Life in him no true Wisdom but from above and no true receiving it but in the Fear of the Lord and no true Understanding of Spiritual Things but what Christ gives no Divine Reason but in the Faith that Christ is the Author of which giveth Victory over that which is unreasonably and separates from God and no true Love to God but what he sheddeth abroad in the Heart and to know a Fellowship with Christ in his Death and Sufferings is above the Fellowship of Bread and Wine which will have an end but the Fellowship in the Gospel and Holy Spirit hath no end G. F. MY Dear Friends Epist 231. be faithful to the Lord God every one in the Truth and Power of God and his Righteousness that it may flow over all and walk and live in it that to the Lord God you may be a good Savour and a Blessing in your Generation Look over all Sufferings and that which makes you to Suffer Dwell in the Rock which is above all Storms and Tempests for now is the Trial of your Faith now is the Trial of your Meetings who are gathered in the Name of Jesus by them that are gathered in the name of Adam in the Fall Time of Trial. now is the Trial of your Worship which is in the Spirit and Truth by such as Worship out of the Spirit and Truth And now is the Trial of your Fellowship in the Gospel the Power of God by such whose Fellowship lies in outward things now is the Trial of your Church which is in God by those that have their Church in the Fall unsanctified and now is the Trial of your Faith and your Gospel-Fellowship in it which is a Mystery and Christ the second Adam is a Mystery to fallen Adam and Truth is a Mystery to all them that are out of it and the Light is a Mystery to all the Builders and Stumblers at it and haters of it and Godliness is a Mystery to all the Ungodly Therefore may you Praise the Lord and Bless his Name who hath reveaied these Mysteries to you in the Day of Trial by which you may withstand the Day of Darkness and the Hour of it For those that have Oil in their Lamps enter in with the Bridegroom who have heard his Voice at midnight And so happy and blessed are all you that have laid up in store against this Day and the time that is now come whose Bread fails not nor Water and have found the Land-mark of your Everlasting Portion and Inheritance in the Kingdom where nothing that defiles can enter And therefore be valiant for the Truth upon the Earth and fear no Amazement but fear the Lord who upholds all things by his Word and Power in whom is all your fresh Springs of Life Live and walk in the second Adam the Lord from Heaven and all keep out of Adam in the Fall that is Earthly that you may sit down in the heavenly Places in Christ Jesus that never fell God's care over his Heritage who is your Life who is your Peace and Salvavation who redeems you from the Earth that you may reign upon the Earth who makes you Kings and Priests to God and blessed be the Lord for ever who reigns and lives and rules amongst his Flocks and Assemblies Gardens Plants Vineyards Babes Children Sons and Daughters Servants and Prophets watering them with the Water of Life giving the increase of Life to them Glory
you know that your Bodies are the Temples of the Holy Ghost which is the Holy Spirit And can any Worship God who is a Spirit in the Truth but they must come to the Spirit and the Truth of God in their own Hearts Here we set up the Publick and Temple Worship which Christ set up which every Man and Woman in the World must come to Truth in the inward parts and the Spirit of God within them and Worship in the Spirit they must be in it and in the Truth to Worship the God of all Truth who is a Spirit And this is the Publick and Universal Worship and this brings every Man and Woman in the World to Truth and the Spirit of God in their own Hearts And so this brings all to know their Bodies to be the Temples of the Holy Spirit in which they worship as the Jew outward worshipped in his outward Temple But the Temple since the Apostles days has been so filled with Smoak out of the Bottomless Pit and so filled with Darkness that no Man could enter into the Temple to Worship God and there the Spirit of God hath been vexed and grieved And so their Prophesie Revelation and Vision hath been denied by the Authors of this Smoak but the Seventh Angel has poured out his Viol that Men begin to enter into the Temple to Worship God in the Spirit and Truth and the Glory of the Lord shall fill the Temple And Christ and his Apostles never altered this Worship in the Spirit and in the Truth though the Beast and the Whore the false Church have set up another Worship since the Apostles days But all must come to Worship God in Spirit which was before their Worship was set up which was set up in the Apostles days And so all must come to Worship God in the Spirit and in the Truth which was before Mass-Book was which got up many Hundred Years after Christ but that is and was the Publick and Universal Worship set up by Christ the Second Adam to the Sons of Adam in the Fall which brings every Man and Woman to Truth and the Spirit of God in their own Hearts in that Spirit and Truth they must Worship God But cries the World Did not they Pray in the Temple the Jew outward and must not you Pray in the Temple Yes the Jews in the Spirit prays in his Temple and sings and rejoyces in his Temple for what Do you not know that your Bodies are the Temples of the Holy Ghost And so if you Pray you must Pray in the Holy Ghost and rejoyce in the Holy Ghost and sing in the Spirit And how can you sing and rejoyce and pray in the Spirit but you must go into the Temple your Bodies being the Temples of the Holy Ghost For the outward Jew his Temple was thrown down And He is not a Jew that is one outward but he is a Jew that is one inward in the Spirit Stephen was Stoned to Death for denying the Jews outward Temple and witnessing Christ and Stephen was full of the Holy Ghost so he was the Temple of the Holy Ghost And so they whose Bodies are the Temples of the Holy Ghost are the Temples made without Hands which are set above all Temples made with Mens Hands But if you say Did not the Jews Priests dwell in the Temple and there they were to offer in the Temple I answer Yes there was but one Temple in the whole World commanded of God and it was set up at Jerusalem and never commanded to be set up in England Ireland Scotland France Spain and Rome but the Jews were to go either to worship at Jerusalem and there to keep the Feast of Tabernacles or else their Eyes were to rot in their Heads and their Tongues in their Mouths and their Camels were to die of such and such Plagues as in Zachary you may read And they were to come out of all Nations under Heaven to worship and keep the Feast of Tabernacles at Jerusalem and the Apostles did there wait at the time of Pentecost to be endued with Power from on High And so that Temple was thrown down about Forty Years after Christ For you that cry up outward Temple-worship made with Mens Hands in your own Nations are worse than the Jews for they were to have but one Temple and one People and that Temple is down and the Worship and he is not a Jew that is one outward but he is a Jew that is one inward in the Spirit And so Christ's Worship in the Spirit and Truth is set above the Jews outward Worship at Jerusalem and the Mountain Worship near Samaria and the Jew inward is set above the Jew outward and above the Jews outward Offering in his outward Temple and the Priest having Chambers in the Temple that was the Place of their Offering the Jew inward he offers in his Temple the Spiritual Sacrifices and no where else doth he offer but in his Temple for by the Spirit doth he offer to God who is a Spirit And they that offered in the Jews Temple were to wear the holy Garments so are you to do that are the true Christians and are called a Royal Priesthood What are all true Christians Priests Yes What are Women Priests Yes Women Priests And can Men and Women offer Sacrifices without they wear the holy Garments No What are the holy Garments Men and Women must wear The fine Linnen and they must go in White What is this the Priest's Surplice Nay the Surplice got up when the fine Linnen the Righteousness of Saints and going in White was lost What is the fine Linnen and going in White that this Royal Priesthood must wear which are the Royal Garments It is the Righteousness of Christ which is the Righteousness of the Saints this is the Royal Garment of the Royal Priesthood which every one must put on Men and Women so every one put of your Robes put on your Garments the Righteousness of Christ as a Cloak that you may offer to the Lord an Offering in Righteousness You that be sensible of the Lord's Mercies offer to him his Praise his Glory and Honour his Spiritual Sacrifice in your Temple as the sweet Odours Myhre and Frankincense And when the Jews Temple was cleansed and the Rubbish cast out of it the Glory of the Lord filled the Temple And when your Temples are cleansed and the Rubbish cast out of your Temples by your High Priest Jesus Christ in the Male and the Female who destroys the Devil and his Works you will witness renewing up into the Image of God into Righteousness and Holiness as Man was in before the Serpent got the Rubbish into him So Christ who destroys the Devil and his Works brings them to the State as Man and Woman was in before he got into him that is into Righteousness and Holiness and up into himself to the Measure of the fulness of Christ who was glorified with the Father
Jerusalem as in Zachary 14.12 So the outward Jew had but one Temple in the whole World and there they went to Worship in it and the Priest had a Chamber in the Temple And when Christ came he ended the Priesthood he ended the Offerings and the Temple and the Worship therein of the outward Jews and set up another Worship in the Spirit and in the Truth For when the Woman of Samaria that came to Jacob's Well said unto Christ How that our Father 's Worshipped in this Mountain where Jacob's Well was and the Well was made before Jerusalem was or the Temple either for Jacob died in Egypt and after him his Sons came out of Egypt and builded a Temple in Jerusalem and so there they set up a place of Worship after the Well was made So Christ said unto the Woman The Hour is coming and now is that they that Worship the Father must Worship him in Spirit and Truth and not at Jerusalem nor at this Mountain is God worshipped For God is a Spirit and they that worship him must worship him in the Spirit and in the Truth And then did Christ set up his Worship which was before the Popes Turks common-Common-Prayer Presbyterian Independant and other Worships were and the Worship that Christ Jesus set up was in the Spirit and in the Truth Now where is this Spirit and where is this Truth Is it not within People So as the Jew outward was to Worship in the Temple and there was but that one Temple commanded of God to be built which Christ came to end who set up his Worship in the Spirit and in the Truth So seeing the true Worship is in the Spirit and in the Truth and the Truth is within you in the inward parts the Spirit of God is within you you must not grieve vex nor quench it And so every Man and Woman in the whole World must come to the Spirit and Truth in their own Hearts by which they must know the God of Truth who is a Spirit and to feel the Spirit in their own Hearts and in the Spirit of Truth to Worship the God of Truth who is a Spirit So now as the Jew outward was to offer his Sacrifice in the outward Temple and no where else which Temple is now thrown down he is not a Jew who is one outward but he is a Jew who is one inward in the Spirit and in the Truth and so all ye Jews inward in the Spirit ye must worship in the Truth and in the Spirit And so the Jew inward can worship no where but in the Temple What Temple It is not a Temple that is made with Hands The Jews outward worshipped in the Temple that was made with Hands but the Jew inward his worship is to be in the Spirit and in the Truth and in a Temple not made with Hands So to worship in the Spirit and in the Truth is to worship in the Temple and no where else And so every Man and Woman in the whole World must worship in the Temple What Temple The Temple that is not made with Hands Where the Spirit of Truth is Know ye not that your Bodies are the Temples of the Holy Ghost that is to say the Holy Spirit And so every Man and Woman must be brought to Truth in their own Hearts and brought to the Spirit of God in their own Hearts This is the standing and perfect Worship and it will stand when all the Worships of old Adam are gone and when the Jews and Turks and Christians Worships that be not in the Truth are gone For this is a standing and perfect Worship the Spirit of God is Perfect And this is an Universal Worship and brings every individual Man and Woman to the Spirit of God in their own Hearts This makes no Sect but every one in the Spirit which is the Bond of Peace is in the Truth which the Enmity is out of And this Spiritual Worship is in the Spirit and Truth Christ Jesus the Spiritual Man the Heavenly Man which the Second Adam the Lord from Heaven set up above Sixteen hundred Years since And so every one is to be in it and to walk in the Truth and in the Spirit and to come to the Truth in their own particulars For that Spirit makes Sects which persecutes People for not following them but they are all to Worship in that Spiritual Worship which Christ Jesus set up and every Son and Daughter of Adam is to come to the Truth and Spirit in their own Hearts and so in that Spirit and Truth to Worship the God of Truth who is a Spirit for he seeketh such to Worship him And Christ persecuted none for not following his Worship but all are condemned by the Spirit in their own selves who grieves it and vexes and quenches it and all are Condemned with the Light and Truth that hate it who will not come to it but hate it So they all that Persecute about Religion run into Heaps and Sects and Darkness and are with the Light condemned And so none can Worship the God of Truth but who comes to the Truth in their own Hearts and none can Worship God who is a Spirit but who comes to the Spirit of God in their own Hearts which mortifies Sin and Evil which Spirit leads into all Truth So every one who is a Jew inward must Worship in the Spirit and Truth and every one must be brought to the Temple which is not made with Hands and to Worship in the Spirit which Christ set up who is the Spiritual Man Carnal Men may set up Worships who have not the same Spirit and Power the Apostles had And such leads People into Sects and Heaps and leads People out of the Spirit and persecutes one another about their Worships which is not the Way of Truth nor the Command of Christ but on the contrary to love one another So all that Worship in the Spirit and Truth comes to the Spirit and Truth in their own Hearts and loves one another and loves Enemies And so as the outward Jews Priests had Chambers in the Temple which Priests Chambers and Temple Christ hath ended So let Christ Jesus now have a Chamber in your Temple to sanctifie your Temple and cleanse your Temple that the Glory of the Lord may fill your Temple The Jews Priests were to cleanse the Temple and when they had cast the Rubbish out of it the Glory of the Lord filled their Temple And so Christ as I said before hath ended the Jews Priests Chambers and Temple And so all ye who are Jews inward in the Spirit let Christ your Priest have a Chamber in your Temple that he may cleanse your Temple and cast the Rubbish out of it which is come in by Transgression who doth renew you up into the Image of God as Adam and Eve were in before they fell so that the Glory of the Lord may fill your Temple And so as the
makes void the Testimony and Sufferings of our Brethren who have suffered many of them to Death by which many Widows and Fatherless have been made and which is contrary to the Doctrine of the Apostles and the Doctrine of the Martyrs and contrary to the Doctrine of the Righteous in this present Age all which are to be inquired into and to be exhorted to Faithfulness therein And that ye may keep your ancient Testimony for the Church which is in God the Living Members which Christ the Spiritual Man is the Holy Head of and your Heavenly Rock and Foundation And all such as marry by the Priests who have some of them the rought Hands of Esau and Fists of Wickedness and who have had their Hands dipp'd in the Blood of our Brethren in New-England and who have been the Cause of the Banishment of some of our Brethren and have spoiled so many of their Goods casting them into Prisons and keeping so many of them in Prison at this day All such as go to them for Wives or Husbands must come to Judgment and Condemnation of themselves and that Spirit that led them to the Priests to marry them or else Friends that keep their Habitations must write and bear their Testimony against them both For from Genesis to the Revelations you never read of any Priests that married any People but its God's Ordinance and whom God hath joined together let no Man put asunder And they took one another formerly in the Assemblies of the Righteous when all things were clear therefore let all these things be inquired into and brought to the Quarterly Meeting and from thence some ordered to go to them and to return what they say at your next Meeting And let all this be done before they or any of them be declared as Heathens or written against let them be Three or Four times admonish'd that they may have Gospel Order so that if it be possible they may come to that which at first did Convince them and to repent and condemn their Unrighteous Doings So that ye may not leave if possible a Hoof in Egypt Now all Friends who have known the Power of God and do believe in the Light of Jesus Christ who is your High-Priest who is made higher than the Heavens you come to know him to be your Teacher and to hear him in all things and that God may work all your Works in you and for you And all such pretended Friend or Friends that have gone to the Priests to marry them or have been drawn by their Heirs such have gone from the Light of Christ in themselves and have quenched the Motions of the Spirit of God in their own Hearts and distrusted God and let a Spirit of Vnbelief enter into them and thereby such cause the World to glory over them and Friends and both Priests and the World say that such are Hypocrites and they come to them but to save their Estates And they talk of the Living God but it 's seen the World is their God and the Priest must do their Work to preserve their Estate Such distrust the Living God about outward things though formerly they used to cry against them and their Teaching and their Marrying and their Baptizing but now they can come to them to marry them to save their Earth and to shun Suffering And thus they manifest their Hypocrisie And therefore all such as have gone to the Priest to be married by him come to the Witness of God in your Consciences by which you may come to condemn that Spirit that led you to them to be married For all those are far gone who can come so near a Priest as to hear his Prayers for Money and to pertake of his Works Such have turned against the Light and quenced the Spirit and abused the Power which would have risen in them against it And such in their Apostacies may have cried the Power of God is not amongst Friends as it was in the Beginning when they have abused it in themselves and grieved the Spirit of the Lord and Friends which live in the Spirit For it is not the Bishops nor Priests Work to marry People nor is it to be seen nor you never read throughout the Holy Scriptures that either Priests or Bishops married any but it is God's Work and his Ordinance for whom God joyns together let no Man put asunder And Marriage is honourable in all the Bed being undefiled And they took one another in the Assemblies of the righteous the Saints and holy Ones of God who were of the Seed of the Righeous Which Practice is now followed amongst the People of God called Quakers who are of the Seed and Generation of the Righteous the Elect People of God And also you may read how Jacob who was of the Seed of the Righteous took his Wife in the Assembly at Laban's House who gathered the People together when he took her having declared it before and all Parties were satisfied And Jacob was the beloved of God who took his Wife of the best sort of People his Father and Mother would not have him unequally yoked as Esau had been before And also you may read Isacc's Marriage in whom the Blessed Seed was called as the Apostle saith In Isaac shall they Seed be called And how wonderfully it was carried on by the Lord See Gen. 24.25 And also read how Boaz took his Wife Ruth after both Sides were satisfied in the Assembly of the People and Elders and how he declared it unto the Elders Ye are Witnesses this day that I take Ruth to be my Wife and they said We are thy Witnesses And of this Boaz came the Line of Christ For Boaz begat Obed and Obed begat Jesse and Jesse begat David And also Isaiah the Prophet who prophesied of Christ's Birth Sufferings and Death God commanded him when he was to go to the Prophetess that he should take Witnesses and write it in a Roll and this was the Command of God and he was of the Seed of the Righteous And likewise the Children of Israel when they were carried into Captivity when any did Marry and all things on both sides were clear they took one another according to the Law of Moses As for Example see Tobias And also Christ Jesus went to a Marriage in Cana in Galilee who ended the First Priesthood who is the Everlasting Priest And he went with his Disciples and the Mother of Jesus Whence it is clear that there was a Meeting and an Assembly of People And Marriage Being God's Ordinance and God's Joyning here Christ owns it for it was God's Joyning before the Fall and God's giving before the Fall and it is so in the restauration out of the Fall again by Christ Jesus who are come into the Spirit and Power of God they know it's God's Joyning again in the Restanration and whom he joyns together let no Man put asunder And so Marriage was a Figure of Christ and his
Wisdom and Sobriety and Gravity and Sincerity in Purity and Cleanness And keep free from Deceit and have no Fellowship with the unfruitful works of Darkness but rather reprove them And be Faithful to the Lord walk so as the World may be confounded and ashamed when they speak evil of you as Evil-Doers walking in Humbleness Lowliness and Uprightness before them it will take away all just Occasion of speaking Evil against the Truth And be bold and valiant for the Truth and press forward towards the Mark of the Price of the high Calling of God in Christ Jesus and let no Man take your Crown Dear Friends watch over one another in Love and stir up that which is pure in one another and exhort one another daily And the Lord keep you all in his Fear and in his Obedience now and evermore G. F. FRiends Fear not the Powers of Darkness but keep your Meetings and meet in that Epist 23. which keeps you over them and in the Power of God ye will have Unity And Dwell in Love and Vnity one with another and know one another in the Power of an Endless life which doth not change And know the Second Adam The first and second Adam the Lord from Heaven which is above the First Adam the Earthly where all Strife and Transgression is And all Friends every where be Faithful in the Life and Power of God and keep your Meetings above all the World in that which changes not that nothing but Christ may reign among you the Power of God and the Wisdom of God the Sanctification and Redemption that the Just over all may reign and the Seed of God may have the Dominion in you all that with that ye may all be ordered to the Glory of God Love thinks no Evil. and kept in the Bond of Peace and reign in the love of God which is out of the Iniquity and rejoiceth not in it which thinks no Evil. And have this Love shed abroad in all your Hearts and feel it abiding in you which Love of God edifies the Body And know the Word of God abiding in you The Word of God its Effects which was in the beginning and brings to the Beginning which Word being ingrafted it saves the Soul and hammers down and throws down and burns up that which wars against it G. F. TO all Friends every where Epist 24. Dwell in the Truth and walk in the Love of the Truth in Patience and every one in your Measure keep your Habitations and learn that good Lesson of Jesus Christ To be Low and Meek in heart giving no Occasion to the Adversary by Evil-doing Walk Vprightly But walk all honestly and uprightly for the Vpright and Meek in Heart know God and God delights in the Upright and Righteous And walking in Vprightness ye will be bold as Lions resisting the Wicked with your Spiritual Weapons not by bloody Hands as the Wicked are tearing and rending the Just that dwell in the Truth For the Lions want and hunger and rage but ye that fear the Lord shall want no good thing and they that wait upon the Lord he will give them their hearts Desire I witness the Words of the Lord to be true praised be his Name O Friends dwell in the Fear of the Lord and take heed of Presumption Presumption that your Minds run not out into Vanity and Lightness that the World may not take Occasion and the Truth suffer But every one keep your Habitation where God hath called you and take heed of Deceit and form nothing in your own Wills or Minds but grow up in the Inner Man putting off the Old Man with his Deeds as Trees of Righteousness which the Lord hath planted growing in Wisdom and Understanding to do the Will of God and not your own Wills He that doth the Will of God abideth in that which endureth for ever and seeth all Flesh to be as Grass and the Glory of the World to pass away Wo to the Proud Wo unto you proud Men who Compass the Earth to set your Nests on high all your Gods of Gold and Silver must perish and that Mind that holds them up must perish But all Friends mind that which is Eternal which gathers your Hearts together up to the Lord and lets you see that ye are written in one another's Heart Meet together every where growing up in the Spirit to the Lord the Fountain of Life the head of all things God blessed for ever Let not hard Words trouble you nor fair Speeches win you but dwell in the Power of Truth in the mighty God and have Salt in your selves to savour all Words and to stand against all the Wiles of the Devil in the mighty Power of God For God that raised up his own Seed in his Saints which Seed Christ is but one in all and spreads over all and throughout all and we now are thro' him come to have Dominion and Power over the Evil-One and to tread upon that which hath been too strong for us the Enemy of our Peace and the Enemy of our Unity with God and one with another Our Vnity with God and one with another So in that which is raised up in us which trampleth upon the Earthly dark Power have we Vnity with God and Fellowship with his Son and Vnity one with another so known to one another in that which none who are of the World knoweth So our Life is hid and our Happiness Joy and Delight hid from all who are ruled and governed by the Prince of the Air from under whose Dominion and Government we are Redeemed by the only Redeemer Christ Jesus not with Corruptible things neither is our Redemption of Man nor by man nor according to the Will of Man but Contrary to Man's Will And so our Unity and Fellowship with vain Man is loft and all his evil Ways are now turned into Enmity and all his Profession is now found to be Deceit and in all his fairest Pretences lodgeth Cruelty and the Bottom and Ground of all his Knowledge of God and Christ is found Sandy A Sandy Knowledge and cannot endure the Tempest For being brought off from that Foundation and having suffered the Loss of all which seemed beautiful upon the Sand which was there builded according to that Wisdom which was not Eternal but was Earthly upon which the Curse of God was and yet doth remain where it is standing we do declare against that Bottom and Foundation by the Power of God in that Light of Christ which discovers all false Foundations and makes manifest all Sandy Bottoms which Man hath builded upon For where the only true Seed takes Root Earthly Plants and Dwellings there all Man's Plants and Plantations are plucked up for there the Earth in which the Earthly Plants do grow is broken up plowed up and ripped up and all things made manifest which have lain hid in it For in
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
are to depart from God as Cursed to Everlasting Punishment where then will ye find him that ye talk of with your Mouths and call your Saviour Ye that live in your vain wicked profane Ways and take him to be your Cloak and say Ye are Redeemed by him and live in your Wickedness Go ye Cursed he will say I know you not Plagues Wo and Misery will be poured upon you all Let every one that nameth the Name of the Lord depart from Iniquity None can call him Lord but by the Holy Ghost and where the Holy Ghost is come there he is Lord and King This is witnessed in all his Saints where he is so but in Cain's Generation it is not but he persecutes it But he is risen and come in his Saints who is Lord and King who will reign over all the World and bear the Government upon his Shoulders The Lord is King in his Saints For the Lord is King in his Saints he guards them and guides them with his mighty Power and doth preserve his Seed and Children from the Seed of Evil-doers into his Kingdom of Glory and Eternal Rest where they find Joy and Peace and Rest Eternal All Glory and Praise be to the Lord God Almighty for ever G. F. ALL Friends in Westmorland Cumberland Bishoprick New-Castleside Northumberland and Lancashire Epist 39. Wait in the Measure of the Spirit of the Living God that with it all your Minds may be guided up to the Living God To Friends in the North. and to it take heed that ye may have Dominion over these Spirits that are in the Earth that in the Spirit of the Living God ye may all know one another and with it come to reign over the World in the Power of the mighty God which upholds all things and wait to receive Wisdom from God who created the Creatures to his Glory And the Lord God Almighty keep you all in the Spirit and be with you all And all of you Live in the Life live in the Life that with it ye may come to know the Father of Life and all being led with the Spirit of the Living God the Lord's Presence ye will enjoy and all that is contrary with it will be Judged So the Lord God Almighty preserve you in that which is Pure up to himself who is Pure to receive his Wisdom and that with it and in it ye all may come to be ordered to his Glory who is God over all to whom be all Honour and Glory God blessed for ever that with it ye may come to see the Lamb of God the Saviour of your Souls who was before the Letter was G. F. FRiends Epist 40. I do you all Warn and Charge to be faithful in the Measure of the Life of God Be Faithful which he hath given you And watch over one another that with that which is Pure ye may discern and Vnity have with that which is Pure And take heed of any Lightness and Frowardness which is Contrary to that which is Pure but in that wait and dwell Lightness and Frowardness to shun which doth that Judge in particular and general that the Garden of the Lord may be dress'd and ye in his Wisdom preserved and kept The Mighty Power of the Lord keep you all in his Spirit and with it up to himself your Hearts joined together And see that ye Meet together and be led together in the Spirit and in the Power of the Lord and that out of all Mens evil Wills ye keep which contrary to the Power and Light are This is the Counsel of the Lord to you G. F. FRiends Epist 41. to you all this Exhortation is from the Word of the Lord Dwell in the Life Friends to live in what they profess that with it ye may see the Father of Life And dwell in the Light with which Light the World is Condemned which Light comprehends the World's Wisdom which Light comprehends the World and their Knowledge and all the Deceivers which are entred into the World who are turned from the Light with which Light they are condemned that is the World which hates the Light because their Deeds are Evil and they will not bring their Deeds to the Light because the Light will reprove them they hating it Deceivers and Anti-Christs and you that live in it And all the Deceivers and all the Anti-Christs they are such as are turned from the Light which oppose Christ To you all my Brethren who dwell in the Light which is the Condemnation of the World and of all the Deceivers who are turned from the Light it is not possible that those Deceivers should deceive you who are the Elect which dwell in the Light which comprehends the World I do Charge you all in the Presence of the Living God to dwell in what ye speak and profess and none to profess what he doth not dwell in and none to profess what he is not a Sayer and not a Doer such beget vain Talkers So with the Light all such are to be condemned from the Life So I charge you all in the Presence of the Living God to Dwell in the Light which is the World's Condemnation The Light is the World's Condemnation who hates it Tho' they may profess all the Words declared from them that were in the Light of Christ they hating the Light in the particular with the Light which never changes are they and all their Profession to be condemned and Wo is the End of it and them from Christ who is the Light Wherefore to you I speak Friends that dwell in the Light and love it that to the Light in all Consciences of them that hate it which Christ Jesus doth enlighten them withal ye may be made manifest which is the World's Condemnation In the Light all Friends dwell which comprehends the World which is its Condemnation The highest Religion to it must bend and bow and all that is to be Condemned which is Contrary to it And all Friends dwell in the Light which is Eternal which comprehends the World that with it ye may comprehend the World and rise up and go on in the mighty Power of God as mighty Men of War in the Power and Strength of the mighty God of Life the Lord of Hosts who is with you your Shield The Lord of Hosts is your Armour Buckler and Defence and Armour who arms you over all the Wicked to reign triumph and trample God Almighty bless you and prosper his Work that to the Light in all Consciences ye may be made manifest to the Measure of God which is Pure which is given to every one that with it all may see what is contrary to God And to you this is from the Word of God G. F. To Friends concerning the Light in which they may see their Saviour and the Deceivers TO all Friends every where scattered abroad In the Light dwell
with his Blessings So the Lord God of Power be with you all my dear Hearts I am with you in the Spirit and in the Love of your God your Father and mine The Lord God prosper guide and protect you and bring you all into his Kingdom of Glory you who are Elected Called Chosen and Faithful who are the Lambs God Almighty bless you and keep you all my dear Hearts The Love of God passeth Knowledge The Love of God is Love past Knowledge which bears all things endures all things hopes all things envieth not thinketh no Evil. And the Love of God is the Ground of all true Love in your Hearts which casts out the Love of the World and the Enmity which was gotten betwixt you and God He that believes is born of God and he that is born of God overcomes the World So Fare ye all well and God Almighty bless and prosper you G. F. And all ye Friends that wait in that which is pure in it self which cannot lie which doth not change Wait upon God for God doth not change and let all Flesh be silent before the Lord that the Life may speak in all then the Mouth of the Lord is known Let Life speak and God is Exalted and Glorified with his own Work which he brings forth And Meet together therein every where and mind that which gathers you and wait on that which is pure which gathers you out of the Worlds Nature Disposition Conversation Churches Forms and Customs which will knit your Hearts together up to God That which gathers you out of all these is the Spirit of the Lord which will gather you up to him who is the Father of Spirits that ye may be able to Judge and Discern and Confound all the Deceit in the World and grow up to be as Kings and suffer nothing to reign in you but what is in the Life Eternal And beware of speaking in the Presence of the Lord except your Words be from the Eternal Life Words spoken from the Word the Eternal Word of God else it doth not profit nor build up nor edifie So God Almighty be with you all in your Meetings that ye may see him to be your Head King and Lord over all To you all who are enlightned with the Light of the Spirit that is the Light which shews you Sin and Evil and your evil Deeds and Actings and the Deceit and False-heartedness The Light teaches Holiness which will Teach you Holiness walking in it and bring you into Unity and it will draw your Minds up to God and in it ye will see more Light But hating the Light there is your Condemnation G. F. ALL Friends Epist 44. wait upon the Unlimited Power and Spirit of the Lord which baptises into one Body where ye will have all Unity in that which crucifies the Flesh and mortifies all evil Desires and puts off the Body of Sin the Old Man with his Deeds and Circumcises without hands and joyns together your Hearts up to God from whence the living Mercies come from the Living God alone who is God over all blessed for ever To that in every one of your Consciences do I appeal and speak to the Measure that God hath given the Light The Light is the Eye loving it and taking heed to it and waiting in it for Power from God it will guide you to the Father of Light in which ye will have all Unity and hating the Light it will be your Condemnation Oh Wait wait upon the Living God to nourish the tender Plant in you that ye may bring forth Fruits of Righteousness unto God for he accepts such and none else Therefore wait upon God he hath a pure Seed among you Let your waiting be in the Light and mind that he is a Wise Man whose Eye is in his Head which is Christ the End of all Priests the End of the outward Temple and the Fool 's Eye is abroad after many Priests and they are led away with Conceivings Temptations and divers Temptations Therefore in the Light wait where ye will see all Deceits within and without For it is a Sin to enter into Temptations but it is no Sin to be tempted Christ was tempted but he entred not into the Temptation Therefore in the Fear of the Lord wait and watch The Light is that which lets thee see Sin and Evil and Temptations which if thou enter into the Light will be thy Condemnation then thy Heart will not be right towards God But in the Light of God all wait Wisdom's Gate which will bring you to see where Wisdom's Gate is the Fear of the Lord is the beginning of it Pure Wisdom is let out of the Treasury into the pure Heart which sees God and fearing the Living God it keeps the Heart pure and clean to receive the Wisdom from the Treasury freely who doth not upbraid And as ye depart from Evil and Iniquity he breaks the Bonds by shewing Mercy and then the Understanding grows pure and clear So in the Power of the Lord God Fare ye well And the Lord God of Power keep you all in his Measure up to himself from and above all the World 's evil Ways Baits Customs and Teachings to trample upon them in his Power that Wisdom may be Justified of you all and ye may be preserved and God glorified To whom be all Glory Honour and Thanks over all God blessed for ever Read these among all my Brethren and Friends and send it abroad to Friends that ye may all know the Power of the Living God in one another not in Words but in Power So Farewell G. F. Concerning the Heirs of the Kingdom of God and how Christ was and his Saints are Tempted THey are the Heirs of the Kingdom of God Epist 45. and of the Generation of God that live out of the Kingdom of the Wicked World up to God in the Seed which all the Promises of God are to following after Christ who was in Egypt and passed out of Egypt the House of Darkness And he was in the Wilderness Christ was Tempted and there he was tempted to Lust after the Creature he was tempted to make himself away he was tempted to Worship the Devil to bow down and worship him He is the Captain of our Salvation he 's gone before he endured the Cross he despised the Shame he suffered the Contradiction of Sinners for the Glory that was set before him he hath won the Crown He hath overcome Egypt and he hath fulfilled the Law he hath overcome the World he hath overcome the Temptations he is able to succour all who are tempted It is no Sin to be tempted but to enter into the Temptation that is Sin He is the Head of the Body he is the Head of the Church Christ the Head of the Church who hath blotted out the Ordinances and Traditions of Men who is the End of the daily
in store in the Mind or Memory or Heart-rising one against another or Backbiting among you Evil-speaking or speaking evil one of another but Judge that out by the Light of Christ And dwell in the Life of God then ye all in this Life of God will have Vnity And beware of and not suffer that in you to Contend which goeth out of the Truth but by the Truth Judge it out And Meet together every where knowing one another in the Spirit and not in the Flesh and with the Spirit of God wait upon God the Father of Spirits And Friends Live not on that which is out of the Truth but all be kept low that that which is pure of God and comes from God ye may live and feed upon And that there be no feeding on feigned Love Feigned Love but on that which is Pure and Eternal without Mixture or Stain that all the other may be hewen down and trampled upon and troden down Earth to the Earth Dust to the Dust that ye may allbe kept pure and in Joy waiting for the Eternal Riches from the Eternal God So all to know the Ministry and Prayer which is from and in the Spriti and in it all are one and by it all the contrary is Judged And take heed of Pride but by the Eternal Spirit Pride keep all that down and judge it The Sacrifices of the Wicked are Abominaiton to the Lord and he hears not Hypocrites but the Prayers of the Righteous are heard G. F. FRiends in the Life and Power of God dwell Epist 49. which doth teach you to deny your selves which keeps you from all Strife and from all Deceit that nothing may appear Self-denial but by the pure Spirit it may be Judged and that by the Spirit of God ye may all be kept up to him who is a God of Order and not of Confusion For all who are in Confusion are in that Nature that 's contrary to the Light who are with it to be Condemned And so the God of Life be with you all that the Fear of the Lord in all your hearts may be set that the Dread Terror and Fear of the Lord amongst you may remain and Faith from him ye may all come to receive and Love And let Love proceed one towards another from the Faith which purifies that all Actions to the Light may be brought that all Deeds contrary to the Light may with it be Condemned that in Peace and Righteousness ye may all grow up in that which is Eternal guided to him who is Eternal taking all heed to the Measure of God's Grace that with it your Minds may be guided up to God the Father of Life and all your Minds with the Eteranl kept to him who is Eternal That the Kingdom of God ye may all come to see The Kingdom of God waiting in the Light taking heed to it which calls to Repentance which informs your Minds towards the Kingdom of God where there is no End but Love Joy and Peace for Evermore And wait in the Light for Power to remove the Earthly part that ye may all witness the Kingdom and Joy in the Holy Ghost that with the Light your Minds may be kept up to God who is Pure and in it ye may all have Unity who in the Light of Life do walk For who contrary to the Light do act this is their Condemnation Vnsavoury Speeches c. And let no unsavoury Speeches nor Prophaness nor Loosness nor Idleness nor Filthiness be amongst you but be diligent serving the Lord in the Light for all that which is contrary to the Light with the Light is to be Condemned And to you this is the Word of the Lord that with the Spirit of the Lord that comes from the Father of Spirits ye may all come to witness the Spirit of Promise and set to your Seals that God the Father of Spirits is true So in the Name and Power of the Lord Jesus Christ be ye all kept and preserved and Keep together and Meet together that ye may grow in the Measure of God's Grace G. F. And all Dear Friends in the Eternal dwell that as the Plants of the Lord ye may grow The Plants of the Lord. and ye who are the Vineyard-dressers keep out the subtil and cunning Foxes who make their Holes in the Earth If in the Light ye all dwell which was before the Earth was with it ye will the tender Plants preserve And all Friends in that which is pure patiently wait to inherit the Substance and in that dwell which sees beyond the Shadow Types Traditions and evil Lust And dwell in the Life that ye may be nourished with living Food and be kept above the World in the Light that the Son of God be not crucified afresh with that which turns from the Light into the Lust So all ye that have a Sight of this and are come hither Wait in the Light that ye may grow up in the living Word to comprehend the World that every one of your Souls may come to find its Rest where no Burden is and the Travel in the Will of Man is ceased For all those Travels and Burdens are among them that contrary to the Light do act Self-Burdens and Travels and the Burden is their own and the Travel is their own which is to be condemned with the Light which leads up into Life And so the Power of the mighty God of Life be with you which is raising up his living Seed and the Seed is one which is turning up the Earth and cleaving it asunder and removing it out of its place and bringing into the Faith of Abraham and to the God of Abraham The Lord God be with you that in the Light dwell whose Minds are turned towards Christ the Way from all that which Christ the Light discovers to be evil Ye Children of the Light seek to turn many to the Light and to Wisdom's Gate bring them that ye may all come to be Door-Keepers in the House of the Lord and see what must be kept out of hi House Wisdom's Gate Door-Keepers and what to receive into the House and own no Sacrifice but that which is from the Living which is accepted of the Lord. G. F. ALL Friends Dwell in that which is Pure Epist 50. and wait for the Power of God to preserve you in that which is Pure up to God Concerning the Power of God And know the Seed of God in one another that the Knowledge which is after the Flesh may die and know the Power of God in one another Let your Faith stand in that which throws out the Earthly Nature and the Loftiness of Man which overturns the Worldly Wisdom and the Carnal Knowledge which is bruitish and Devilish In that which is Pure dwell that ye may be able to discern and savour and comprehend that which is not Pure Dwell in that which is
Peace and Love be with you that to the Lord of Life ye may all be a sweet Savour and in the Wisdom of the Lord ye may all be kept watching one over another in that which is Pure and waiting for the Appearing of that which is Good G. F. FRiends know the Life and Power of God in your selves Epist 68. and one in another and to that Power be Obedient Know the Life and Power to Thresh down all Deceit within and without you in Wisdom and in that dwell which Comprehends the World and know the Rest which is for the People of God which he that believeth hath entred into So know the Life that stands in God and all know the Power of God for that Power shall never be shaken nor change but will shake down all that must be shaken and will change So in that the Lord God Almighty preserve you which giveth you to see where there is no Changing nor Shadow G. F. To Friends at Malton ALL my Dear Friends at Malton mind that which is Pure in you Epist 69. that ye may grow up in the Power out of the Form And take heed of Deceit and of Jarring one with another take heed of Strife and Confusion in your Minds But mind the pure Life of God in you according to your Measures to guide you up to God out of the Flesh and all the Ways and Works of it within and without which that which is Pure and Holy calls all unto So all walk in the Wisdom of God which is given into the pure Heart that none of your Nakedness may appear and Men see your shame but all wait in the Spirit upon God the Father of Spirits to be Cloathed with his Righteousness Be Cloathed with Righteousness So God Almighty keep you and bless you the Blessing of the Lord be with you and among you I am with you Present in Spirit joying and beholding your Faith towards God which ye have in Jesus Christ though Absent in Body AND all Friends Quench not the Spirit of God in you but live in the Authority of the Son of God and his Power whereby ye may be kept on Top of the World G. F. FRiends Epist 70. I do Judge all that in all which is contrary to the Life and Power of God even the Ground and Root of all Jars and Strife which is not of God Jars and Strife Judged but is out of the Life of God I Judge its Beginning and its Ending Judged it is by the Light And I do Judge with the Spirit of Truth all Foolishness Hastiness and Strife which is not of God And all Friends Wait in the Measure of the Spirit of God to guide you up to God and keep you all in Peace and Vnity Heed nothing P. S. but the Life and Power of the Lord God for all that is out of it is and will be Confounded G. F. To Friends to live in the Power of God in Christ that never fell DEar Friends Epist 71. all be Faithful in the Everlasting Seed in which ye have both Life and Power Dominion and Wisdom and Cloathing with that which is Immortal and the Blessing of the Lord and Peace in the Seed Christ that never fell nor changed nor will change in whom ye have Peace in whom ye have Blessings who takes away the Curse The Peace is in Christ For the Peace is in the Second Adam that never fell Christ Jesus and the Blessings and the Righteousness is in him but the Troubles and the Curse and the Unrighteousness and Misery is in Adam in the Fall and all deceitful Teachings Ways and Worships And so sit not down in Adam in the Fall but in Christ Jesus that never fell then in him ye will all have Life that was with the Father before the World began He ends all the Types Figures and Shadows first Covenant and Priefthood and Ways in the Fall in old Adam Christ that never fell who is the Way who is the Substance in him I say sit down and then ye will be all found in the endless Life For Adam lost his Habitation and Eve and the Apostate-Christians from the Righteousness from the Law and from the Power of God Therefore ye that are come to Christ Jesus the Substance the End of the Prophets in whom ye have Life as I said before which was with the Father before the World began in him live Serve one another in Love and love one another and serve one another in Love and in the Fear and Wisdom of God that is above Adam and Eve's Sons and Daughters Sensual Devilish Wisdom in the Fall And so keep your Meetings in the Name of Christ Jesus that never fell then ye will see over all the Meetings of Adam and Eve's Sons and Daughters in the Fall their Confused Meetings and Gatherings who are out of the Habitation of Righteousness and Holiness and so out of Peace So in the Life Christ live in whom ye have Peace keeping your Habitation in him that none be as the untimely Figs nor as the Corn upon the House top that is soon withered and gone But that ye may live in the Seed the Substance Christ the Life in whom ye have Riches that never fade away feeding upon the Tree of Life whose Leaves heal the Nations So live in Vnity one with another in the Life Christ Jesus that the Seed may be all your Crowns And so Fare-well My Love to all Friends in the Seed of God Christ Jesus who was with the Father before the World began G. F. AND Friends In the Measure of Life which the Father of Life hath given you Wait with it to be guided that ye all may profit in the Life and Spirit that the Fruits of it may appear To profit in the Life to the Glory of the Father of Life G. F. To Friends in the North. FRriends see that all Friends professing Truth there-aways Epist 72. in Order be kept that no Confasion no Pride Pride and Lust Judged Filthiness nor Vncleanness be amongst you but with the Light let all that be Judged down and Condemned and cast out that all in that which is pure may patiently wait to inherit the Substance And in that dwell which doth bring out of the Shadows Types Traditions Vngodliness Vnrighteousness Pride Filthiness Lust and Vncleanness So the mighty Power of the Lord God be with you all and keep you And all Friends dwell in the Life which from God comes the Father of Life that with it ye may see God and all may be nourished and fed with the living Food which comes from the Living God Ye Babes of God dewell in the Wisdom of God in Grace that ye may grow up in the Wisdom and the Grace of God So the mighty Power of the Lord be with you all and keep you in Obedience to the Light out of the Evil of the World which Light doth
Fall is the Wisdom that is pure and gentle which was before the Wisdom below was And so all Friends be ready to Offer up your selves in the Power of God joining to the Suffering Seed in which ye offer up your selves to God in the Patience Offer up your selve to suffer in your Sufferings feeling the Seed which was before that was which makes to suffer For the Lamb must have the Victory mark the Lamb and not the rough Nature which hath gotten up since Man fell from God's Image the Lamb must have the Victory over that So The Lamb must have the Victcry give up all in the Lamb's Nature that in that ye may all Meet in Life in Power in Victory and Dominion over all that which is in the Fall knowing the Birth that will persecute and the Birth that is persecuted and knowing the Birth that is born of the Flesh and the Birth that is born of the Spirit There is but these two Briths and the Elder must serve the Younger Two Births and the Elder is the first Birth Therefore feel all Jacob and the Seed of God then ye come to feel that which shall remain for ever and ever So in that all stand and dwell that to the mighty God ye may be a Blessing and a good Savour in the Hearts of all People being Valiant for the Truth upon the Earth And take heed of grieving the Spirit but be faithful and take heed of provoking and keep down all that with the Spirit of God that is Contrary to God by which ye may answer that of God in every one G. F. FRiends Incourage not your Wives nor Children Epist 102. in setting them up in the World's Honour for that which would do so in you is Carnal and the Carnal Mind is not subject to the Law of God If ye do mind that which is of God in you it will draw you up to God out of the World's Honour and Friendship and Words and Ways and Fellowships and Preferments Customs and Fashions up to God's Everlasting Kingdom The World's Honour and Preferments where is Everlasting Joy for evermore G. F. To keep to the Witness of God FRiends Epist 103. take heed of Darkness or going beyond your Bounds or Limits but keep in God's Fear that ye may receive his Wisdom from above To keep in Sincerity c. that with it ye may order all things to his Glory answering the Witness of God in every one keeping in Godly Sincerity and Simplicity Meekness Patience and Humbleness Justice Truth and Mercy What graceth the Government and this graceth a Government and is a Praise to them that do well and is a Terror to them that do Evil For they that do Evil go from the Witness of God in their own Conscience and then the Higher Power comes over them Therefore keep to the Witness of God in your selves and that is the Word of the Lord to you and then ye will have the Just Weight Just Weight and Measure and Ballance and true Vnderstanding to answer the just Principle of God in every one Bow and submit your selves to the Power of the Mighty God of Heaven and Earth and to no Deceit and take heed of bringing any into it Respecting Persons And take heed of respecting Persons in Judgment and that 's the Way to obtain Favour from the Lord and his Blessing From him who loves your Soul 's Eternal Peace and Good G. F. ALL Friends every where Epist 104. in the Power of God dwell and know that over all to keep you And lose not the Power of God which keeps down Concerning the Power tames and breaks all wild unruly rash and hasty Spirits which will run without the Power which Spirits reach not to the Seed and the Witness of God in Men and strike not through the Earthly neither receive Wisdom to be ordered to the Glory of the Lord God And there is Safety in the Power and there is the Wisdom of the Most-High felt Wisdom and the Power of the Endless Life And this is the Word of the Lord God to you all every where Dwell in the Power of the Lord God and live in it for that brings all your Souls into Peace into Oneness into God from whence they come who hath them all in his Hand And in the Power ye will all come to feel the End of Words the Life The End of Words the Life from which all Words of Truth were given forth and all hasty rash loose lustful Spirits the Power will strike down for they beget nothing to God but go out of his Dread Therefore this is the Word of the Lord God and a Charge unto all Friends upon the Earth to dwell all in his Power then his Dread Fear Terror and Majesty will be with you and amongst you all to Cleanse Wash Vessels for the Lord's Vse Water Regenerate and Sanctifie every one's Vessel who will be thereby fitted for the Lord's Vse So that the Power being lived in it keeps you over all the World in the Dread and Majesty of Truth in Cleanness and Newness of Life and to know the Wrath of the Lamb against all his Enemies And the Power of the Lord God will strike down the Lust that causeth Pride Strife and Contention it will bring you to live in Love and Vnity one with another and to know the Kingdom of the Most-High that stands in Power ruling in you all And all your Crowns it will lay down that are Mortal and will raise up the Seed and bring Life and Immortality to Light where the Crown that is Immortal is known and the Glory that fadeth not away is possessed And all Spirits that are unruly and out of the Power must be Judged with it and kept subject A Crown Immortal for that which lives in the Power is begotten by the Seed Christ the New Man that 's made after God in Righteousness and Holiness This Birth is of the Immortal Seed by the Word and Will of God not begotten or brought forth by the Will of Man And none quench the Spirit 's Movings in the least Degree nor none go beyond And feed not upon that which Dies of it self but on that which cometh from above Know the Son of Man's Flesh which is your Bread and his Blood which is your Drink which who eats and drinks of hungers no more nor thirsts no more but hath the Endless Life Nor none Write Writing Printing Speaking Print nor Speak for God but as ye are moved of the Lord God for that reacheth to that of God in others and is Effectual Nor none stop Writing or Speaking when ye are moved with the Spirit of the Lord God for the Power of the Lord God is to order and to keep down that which would be hasty or that which would not be Obedient for that leads into the Wilderness each way which the
of the Light must come Therefore all wait in the Measure of Life that with it your Hearts may be knit together And none to be hasty nor to will any thing there is not any thing received from God by him who willeth with his own Will For no Prophecy of the Scripture came by the Will of Man Peter The Will of Man that was not learned of Man but of Christ saw this And the Scripture is for the perfecting of the Man of God which is learned of God and came not by Man's Will So now mind your Growth and your Perfecting and your Stedfastness in the Light in which is the Unity So every one wait in the Light which comes from Christ the Head from whence Nourishment comes which nourishes the Body and all the Members from whence comes the Bread of Life which is from above and the Water of Life Therefore all wait in your Measure and walk after your Line which is the Light which comes from Christ The Line of Light which is your Life that every one of you may have Praise and Comfort in the same and every one of you may be kept in the Way of Righteousness and Peace up to the Lord who is Righteousness and Peace where the blessed Hope is seen with the Light that comes from him by whom the World was made That so the Covenant of Light Life and Peace ye may all come to witness and every one come to have Dominion and Rule over your own Spirits for the Spirit of Man lusteth to Envy if it be not subdued by the Spirit of the Living God Therefore wait and take heed lest any Nakedness appear and that which is not justified in the Sight of God Presumption And Presumption take heed of lest ye go from the Living God but in the Spirit dwell that over all that ye may reign and come to be recorded in the Book of Life which Life was before the World was And this brings you to see and read one another as Epistles written in one another's Hearts where in Vnity Love and Peace ye will come to dwell in the Life of the Spirit of the Living God The Saints taught of God in which the Saints had Vnity which brought them to be taught of the Living God and so they gave forth the Scrptures as they were moved by the Holy Ghost So no Prophecy in the Old Time came by the Will of Man but was learned of God So now ye waiting in the Spirit every one to be taught of God the Father of Spirits your Teacher is with you present and one in you all according to your Measures Which Spirit is given to every one of you to profit withal by which Holy Spirit the Scripture was given forth Which Scripture the World hath got who are sensual not having the Spirit and there they are fighting about the Outside and the Languages And there is the Sea Languages Sea and Beast which the Beast ariseth out of which the World wonders after and there is the Mother of Harlots with all her false Colours whose Eyes are out from the Light which comes from him by whom the World was made there ye may go and have a Name to live but are dead Now all be willing to wait in the Measure of that which is Eternal that no Fornication be found amongst you nor Deceit Fornication and Deceit that all may come to receive Wisdom from Christ who is the Wisdom of God That this Wisdom may be Justified in you all and ye all in the Light preserved and that which is contrary condemned So that ye may all be kept from Deadness and Slothfulness in the Fear of the Lord God and therein your Hearts kept clean And so the Lord God Almighty preserve you Friends Keep your Meetings every where waiting upon the Lord that to him ye may be a sweet Savour And watch over one another with the Measure of the Spirit of the Lord. Meetings The Lord God Almighty preserve you and keep you in his Will Wisdom Light Life and Power Let this be read among Friends G. F. FRiends Epist 133. Towards all Men walk in Wisdom and be gentle to all Men To keep in Love for that edifies for the Meek inherit the Earth and receive the Blessing And they that thirst after Righteousness shall inherit Righteousness and the Blessing And the Merciful do obtain Mercy and the Blessing And the pure in Heart shall see God Blessed are the pure in Heart and receive the Blessing And Blessed are they that mourn for they shall be comforted And Blessed are the Peace-makers for they are the Children of God And Blessed are they that are persecuted for Righteousness sake for theirs is the Kingdom of God And Blessed are ye when Men shall revile and persecute you and shall say all manner of Evil against you falsly for Christ's sake And it is Love that edifieth Faith and the Edifying is in the most Holy Faith which Faith is the Gift of God which giveth Victory over the World and in this is the Blessing which purifieth the Heart and this is it which bringeth to please God And that which edifieth is the living Faith and not the dead Faith and Love rejoiceth in the Truth and not in the Iniquity for that is not in Love So ye that are the Lord's Lot Mark and are his Inheritance and are in Covenant with God with him ye have Peace The Covenant with God which Covenant is given to all the World But they that hate the Light are out of Covenant with God and by the Light they are condemned and those which the Light doth condemn are out of the Covenant G. F. LIve in Peace Epist 134. all my Dear Babes of God one with another for Patience that obtains the Crown and hath the Victory And in Pureness live over the Deceit Patience obtains the Crown and answer the Witness of the Lord God in every one And keep in the Seed and Life of the Lord God that ye may feel the Blessing of the Lord God amongst you and upon you AND That which doth let you see your Sins in that stand and ye will see your Saviour The Saviour seen who was before the World was him by whom the World was made glorified with the Father before the World began he will be your Stay and Rest DEAR Friends dwell in the Seed of God and know it in you all that ye may know it to reign which is the Heir of Power and in that live and dwell and in it keep your Meetings And we must have the Patience to bear all manner of Evil done or spoken against us for Christ's sake and rejoyce at it G. F. For Francis Howgil and Edward Burrough About 1657. DEar Friends and Lambs Epist 135. Put on the Armour of Light and the Shield of Truth and the Breast-Plate of Righteousness that ye may stand
Christ a Prophet Priest and King Priest and King who hath gathered you in his Name to Open and Reveal to you and Rule you who is the quickning Spirit in whom the Spiritual Sacrifices are offered Therefore I say Know Christ who is the Substance of all the Types Figures and Shadows by whom the World was made who destroys the Enmity among People and the Devil the Author of it The Heave-Offering and in him is both Life and Peace The Heave-Offering was a Figure of Christ the One Offering the Priests and the Law and the First Covenant were Figures of the Everlasting Covenant Christ Jesus Oaths Oaths which ended Strife in the Time of the Law and before were Figures of Christ the Oath of God who sware by himself which Oath Christ Jesus endeth and destroys the Devil the Author of Strife and brings People to Yea and Nay who judges the false Oath and ends the true For there was no Oaths commanded before the Fall so there is none to be in the Restoration and Redemption by Christ They see this Doctrine that are renew'd again in Measure into God's Image and are come into Obedience to Christ's Doctrine and the Apostle's as in the Primitive Times and see the Ground of Swearing among the Jews The Ground of Swearing and see the Ground of Swearing got up since the Apostles Days among the Apostates from the Primitive Practice in the Church in the Apostles Days And they see that Oaths were not given to Man before the Fall and see they are not to be in the Restoration nor were not in the Primitive Times nor in the Beginning according to the Doctrine of Christ who is the First and the Last who is to be minded and his Doctrine who is the Top-and Corner-Stone And now is the Bride his Wife The Bride his Wife coming up out of the Wilderness where she hath been driven and been fed of God in this time of the Beast's Dragon's false Church's and Whore's Worship which hath gotten up since the Apostles Days Therefore all walk in the Light of the Lamb that by his Blood ye may be washed that through it and the Testimony of the Lord Jesus ye may overcome And Meet in the Power of God and in that keep your Meetings Meet in the Power that ye and every one of ye may inherit the Power of God and so come into your own Inheritances So live in Love Peace and Vnity one with another for the Body doth edifie it self in Love And the Grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you Amen! to teach you and to season and to establish your Hearts and to bring you Salvation and in that live which was before Enmity was G. F. An Exhortation to fervent Prayer and stedfast Faith in time of the greatest Troubles and Exercises OH My Dear Friends and Brethren every where Epist 148. Let all your Cries and Prayers be to the Lord in Singleness of Heart Cries and Prayers in his Spirit and Power and in Belief in God thro' Christ to receive what ye pray for For the Lord's Ears are open to the Cries of his Poor and Afflicted Ones So Day and Night let your Cries be to him who will keep you in all Distresses For in your Afflictions Christ is afflicted Christ is Afflicted and in all your Oppressions he is oppressed and in all your Imprisonments he is imprisoned and in all your Sufferings he suffereth and in all your Persecutions he is persecuted Saul Saul Why persecutest thou me said Christ And all Friends keep out of the vain Fashions of the World in your Apparel Vain Fashions and run not after every New Fashion the World inventeth and setteth up keep in your plain Fashion that ye may Judge the World's Vanity and its Spirit in its vain Fashions and shew a Constant Spirit in the Truth and Plainness And be Moderate and Chast in all your Families The Fast to the Lord. and in all your Imprisonments keep in the Fast to the Lord which breaks down the Bond of Iniquity by which every one's Health groweth And ye may also see how Christ Jesus encourages to Pray Mark 13. Take ye heed watch and pray Watch and Pray and what I say unto one I say unto all Watch. And in Luke 11 5-13 wherein he further encourages to Pray where Christ saith The Importunate Friend Which of you shall have a Friend and shall go unto him at midnight and say unto him Friend lend me three Loaves for a Friend of mine is in his Journey is come to me and I have nothing to set before him And he from within shall answer and say Trouble me not the Door is now shut and my Children are with me in Bed I cannot rise and give thee I say unto you though he will not rise and give him because he is his Friend yet because of his importunity he will rise and give him as many as he needeth Ask and it shall given And I say unto you Ask and it shall be given you seek and ye shall find knock and it shall be opened unto you For every one that asketh receiveth and he that seeketh findeth and to him that knocketh it shall be opened And upon this Christ encourages to Knock Pray and Seek For if a Son shall ask Bread of any of you that is a Father will he give him a Stone Or if he ask a Fish will he for a Fish give him a Serpent Or if he shall ask an Egg will he give him a Scorpion If ye then being Evil know how to give good Gifts unto your Children how much more shall your Heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to them that ask him And further he encourages to Pray Luke 18. He spake a Parable unto them that Men ought always to pray and not faint saying There was in a City a Judge The Vnjust Judge that feared not God neither regarded Man And there was a Widow in that City and she came to him and said Avenge me of mine Adversary and he would not for a while But afterwards he said within himself Though I fear not God nor regard Man yet because this Widow troubleth me I will avenge her lest by her continual coming she weary me And the Lord said Hear what the unjust Judge saith And shall not God avenge his own Elect which cry day and night unto him tho' he bear long with them I tell you that he will avenge them speedily Here mind the Promise of Christ that doth not change but will be fulfilled And Christ distinguishes in a Parable of a Pharisee who was a publick praying Man and of a Publican The Pharisee and Publican that stood a far off and cried for Mercy which being in the Fear was more Justified than the Pharisee who was in the publick Praying So Pray in the Spirit and in the Faith nothing wavering nor doubting And seek and watch
which God hath clled me to that I am and in the Elect before the World began This is to go every where abroad amongst Friends who are of the Royal Priesthood which destroys that which made a separation from God From the Royal Seed goes the Royal Commandment The Royal Priesthood which Seed remains for ever from the Royal Seed to the Royal Seed which are the Royal Priesthood which have the Royal Law and Love to Friends and Enemies which is beyond the Love of the World and before it was That is the Royal Love where no Enmity can come FORGIVE us as we forgive them cry Papists cry Episcopal cry Presbyterians and Baptists and Independents these cry and say the Lord's Prayer Forgive us our Debts and Trespasses as we forgive them that trespass against us and then like a Company of senseless Men without Understanding fall a fighting one with another about their Trespasses and Debts and never mind what they prayed as though they never looked for Forgiveness and to receive the things they praycd for Forgive us as we forgive That pray Forgive us Lord as we forgive them and fall a persecuting and imprisoning one another and taking their Brethren and Fellow-servants by the Throat about Religion which in their Prayers they said Forgive us as we forgive them and will not forgive but say their Prayers as the Pharisees did the Scriptures and did not this is he that must be cast into Prison until he pay the utmost Farthing and must not come out And this hath been their Work since the Apostles Days and is not here Law The Apostles and Christ did not bid that any should kill about their Words but that they should love Enemies but ye will kill about their Words who were killed for speaking them forth And so all Friends dwell in the Seed of God which is Heir of the Power of the World which is without End in that dwell and keep your Meetings that ye may all be Possessors ALL Religions will fight about Religions and Worship and kill like the Heathen about their Gods Jews Gentiles Papists Protestants of all Sects which are out of the Power of the Lord and the Spirit that the Apostles were in And so they are all out of the Royal Spirit Fighting Religions that hath the Royal Spiritual Weapons and out of the Royal Seed which saith Love Enemies which is the Royal Command to the Royal Priesthood And they confess they have not the same Power and Spirit of the Apostles so then its true for them to say We are not the spiritual Men we have not spiritual Weapons to fight withal if ye do not help us Higher Powers we fall For we hold our Traditions and that which we have is by Tradition is by the Earthly Powers For we are not made Ministers as the Apostles were by the immediate Spirit and Power and Gifts as the Apostles were therefore the Higher Power must help us and to them go we with our Packet of Letters as Saul did for we are not spiritual-weaponed Men as Paul was For in all these things are the Priests guilty THE Papists common-Common-Prayer Men Presbyterian Independents Baptists persecute one another about their Inventions which they have invented their Mass their Common-Prayer their Directory Persecuting Religions Church-Faith which they have made and framed their Inventions and Handy-works and not for the Truth For they know not what Spirit they are of that persecute and would have Mens Lives destroyed about their Church Worship and Religion for Christ said He came not to destroy Mens lives but to save them Now they that know not what Spirit they are of that will persecute and destroy Mens Lives and not save them we cannot trust our Bodies Souls nor Spirts into their Hands that know not what Spirit they are of themselves they are not like to be trusted with others that would destroy by a Law which the Disciples would have done by Prayer to command Fire to come down from Heaven to destroy them that would not receive Christ Which Sort Christ rebuked and told them that they did not know what Spirit they were of And now if they did not know what Spirit they were of do these which have persecuted about Church and Religion since the Apostles Days who would compel Mens Bodies Goods Lives Souls and Estates into their Hands by a Law or else make them suffer These are not the Ministers of Christ the Saviour that destroy Mens Lives and they know not what Spirit they are of and the Lives Bodies and Souls are not to be trusted in their Hand And ye that do persecute shall have no Resurrection to Life except ye Repent But they that do know what Spirit they are of themselves they are in the unrebukable Zeal and by the Spirit of God they offer up their Spirits their Souls and Bodies to the Lord which are his whose they are to keep them G. F. WE are of the Royal Seed Elect and Precious Epist 172. before the World began that which ever the Sodomites crucified grieved and vexed by their unrighteous ungodly Conversation who lived in Fulness and Pleasures and abundance of Idleness And we are of that Seed that cannot serve the Wills and Lusts of Men and bow and stoop to them who are a People redeemed out of Kindreds Kingdoms Peoples and Nations who are of the Houshold of God built up together a spiritual House whose Builder and Maker is God and do reign upon the Earth as Kings and Priests unto God whom we serve Day and Night The Houshold of God And are of the Seed that hath been slain from the Foundation of the World which the Princes of the World and Councels and the Great and Wise of the Earth crucified who lived in the Form of Godliness of the Saints Words but quench'd the Spirit in themselves and being that Birth born of the Flesh persecuted that which is born of the Spirit We are of the Seed the Anointed which the Powers of the Earth combine and take Counsel together against whom God we see sitting in Heaven The Royal Priesthood laughs them to Scorn We are the Royal Priesthood who offers daily to the Lord the Spiritual Sacrifice the Holy Generation and the peculiar People zealous of good Works cloathed with the Zeal of Christ against the bad Works and the Workers thereof Therefore of all Nations Peoples Sects Ways Professions and Talkers of Religion are we hated by them that are out of the Way and Power of God though they profess Scriptures Church-Worship and Ministry yet such have crucified Christ and the Lord of Glory We are they that witness the Promise of God fulfilled and that do witness that the Age is come wherein God would shew forth his exceeding Riches and Kindness which was wrought amongst the Apostles The Anointed of God We are the Anointed of God and his Prophets that he saith Touch not who are as the Apple of
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
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
the Cross of Christ 3dly The Fellowship of the Gospel the Power of God expels away all that which hath darkned the Vnderstanding darkned the Mind darkned the Heart and by the Power of God Life and Immortality is brought to Light in you by which Power of God ye come to see before that was that hath darkened you from Life and Immortality and over that Life and Immortaliy shines being in the Power of God which was before that was that had darkned Mankind and the Power of God the Gospel expels away that which burdened your Spirits Minds Hearts Consciences and Souls so that being driven away by the Power of God and the Mind set at liberty the Spirit the Conscience the Heart the Soul that is Immortal being brought up by the Power of God here the Soul hath its pleasure in God then by the Power of God Man seeth over that which hath burthened his Spirit Mind Soul and Conscience and beyond it and before it was where the Spirit Soul Mind and Conscience cries glad Tidings And here is the joyful Gospel and here is the Faith in the Everlasting Gospel the Power of God and here is Life and Immortality come to Light through the Power of God the Gospel which Power of God the Everlasting Gospel was before that was that darkned Man from Life and Immortality and hath loaded Peoples Minds Herts Souls and Consciences the Power of God was before that was and remains when that is all gone So now ye that are come to be Heirs of the Gosepl know it your Portion for as a Man is Heir of a Piece of Land or Hourse it 's his Portion which must have and end and he comes to Inherit it So Heirs of the Gospel it 's the Portion of Man and Woman and they that Inberit it they Inherit the Power of God which hath no end which was before the Power of Darkness was which hath darkned People from Life and Immortality and loaded their Spirits but being Heirs of that which was before that was here you Inherit the Gospel you Inherit the Power of God in which is stability here you are Church-Members and here you are Living Stones and here you are built up together a Spiritual Houshold here the Church in God is known the Father of Christ who is the Way to God where the Church is for now as Adam and Eve were drove from God and being in the Fall there Sons and Daughters have their Churches enough heaps upon heaps one against another and Heads of every Church and there they plead for Sin while they live upon the Earth but the Church that is in God the Father of Christ doth not so for as Mankind was drove from God they must come up again out of that state where they are defiled and be washed sanctified and cleansed and brought up out of the Fall up to God again If they come to the Church that is in God and the Fellowship which is the Gospel-Fellowship which is the Power of God in which is Stability before that was that hath unestablished People the Gospel the Power of God was and before the Devil was that hath unestablished People In which Gospel is Peace Stability Life and Immortality which is come to Light again In this is the Church-Fellowship with Christ in God which will stand for the Gospel is Everlasting the Church of God is the Pillar and ground of Truth Therefore this will stand when all other Churches and Fellowships amongst the Sons and Daughters of Men in the Fall will have an end Pillar and Ground of Truth The Church in God will stand the Pillar and Ground of Truth and the Fellowship of it will remain Therefore ye Heirs of the Gospel and Church-Members of it inherit it and sit down in the Fellowship of the same And this is beyond all the Writings Subscribings and Promisings to the Church-Fellowships that be among the Sons and Daughters of Adam in the Fall that when a storm comes or a Tempest they fly from their Church and Fellowship both But the Gospel stands the Church in God stands the Pillar and Ground of Truth which the Gates of Hell cannot prevail against 4thly Worship in Spirin and Truth The worship of God is in the Spirit and in the truth that 's the Publick Worship which Christ set up he preached it when he put down the Worship at the Mountain and at Jerusalem and said God is a Spirit and they that worship him must worship him in Spirit and Truth and the bour is come and now is that the Father seeks such to worship him Then the Hour was that Worship was set up above Sixteen hundred Years since when he denied and put down the Worship at the Mountain and at Jerusalem where the Fore-fathers worshipped So this Worship in the Spirit and in the Truth was contrary to the Fore-fathers This is the Publick Worship and this is not private nor particular the Nations Worships are particular which the Sons of Adam are broken into the several Worships one against another but this Worship in the Spirit and in the Truth hits all Men and Women they must come to the Spirit in themselves and the Truth in the inward parts this is publick this is not a private Worship but brings every Man and Woman to the Spirit of God in their own Hearts and Truth in their inward parts in which Spirit and Truth they must bow down and come into it if they be Worshippers of God in the Truth and in the Spirit And this is the standing Worship that Christ preach'd up a-top of the Hill where the Fore-fathers had worshipped And this Worship is over the Worship that was at Jerusalem and over the Worship that was at the Mountain so by this must every Man every Son of Adam and Daughter come to the Spirit in their own particulars and Truth in themselves by which they must know God is a Spirit and will be worshipped in the Spirit and in the Truth and so no Man must grieve nor vex nor quench the Spirit but all must worship in it and they must come to the truth in the Heart to the hidden Man in the Heart to a meek and quiet Spirit and they must not rebel against the Spirit if they worship in it and all coming to it they have the adorning that which beautifies and adorns them in the Eyes of God none must walk despitefully against the Spirit of Grace nor turn the Grace of God into Wantonness if they worship God in the Spirit if they grieve vex quench the Spirit of God within and turn the Grace of God into Wantonness and walk despitefully against the Spirit of God and rebel against the Spirit of God within and are haters of the Light These go from the publick Worship of God in the Spirit and Truth to the particular which fallen Men have invented but they that worship God in the Spirit and in the Truth are in that
that the Thorns choak it and the Cares of the World they are such Stony Hearts that the Seed hath not much Earth that when Tryals and Persecutions comes with its heats it is scorched by the heat of the Sun And therefore be ye all warned of these Natures both of the Stony and of the Thorny and of the High-way Ground and of the Fowles and of the Air. And Friends keep down feigned Flattery Keep in the Truth that brings to plain-heartedness that all may be the good Ground that you may abound in Goodness and Righteousness and Holiness for Peace is sown to the Righteous and Gladness to the upright in Heart and see that you walk in the Light and the Life that it may be your Life that you may have Treasure in your Vessels that you may enter in with the Bridegroom having the Oil in your own Lamps that you may inherit the Life that is above all the foolish Talkers which be out of the Peace the Second Adam in whom the Peace is and the Life for they that be in Strife about the Body of Christ are in Adam in the Fall and they are neither at Peace in themselves with God nor Christ nor them that be in Christ so whatever Men or People profess their End manifests them and crowns them with Death or Life So live in the Word which all ends in the Seed this keeps over all Pretences in the Substance and over the Airy Spirits that be out of the Life running up and down sowing Dissention Tatling and Back-biting and Whispering and setting one against another The Seed Christ is over that Spirit and he hath little room in their Hearts for they are abroad in the Fields Above the World lifting up themselves higher than the World but are worse to deceive the Simple but Truth and the Light and the Life is over all that in which all keep your Habitation for Adam lost his Habitation and so his Sons and Daughters who are in the Disobedience are in the Fall and the Jews lost their Habitation from the Love of God and so they lost their Authority and were mingled among the Heathen And the Apostate-Christians lost their Habitation from the Life and Power that the Apostles were in And so have brought all Christendom into Heaps and Sects about outward things being out of the Life and Word which was in the Beginning before the Apostacy and the Fall was So live in the Word in that you have Life and Dominion and Authority over all that which Adam and Eve's Sons and Daughters invented and also over all in the Fall In which Word you have Wisdom as I said before and there is a faithful Witness Christ whose Name is called the Word and he is the First and the Last the Beginning and the Ending the Amen And Friends keep over all the Bustlings and Wars and Strife and the Talkers of such things among the Sons of Adam in the Fall you that be in Christ Jesus that never fell in whom is the Peace who makes the First Adam's Sons and Daughters to break their Swords into Plough-Shares and their Spears into Pruning-Hooks that they shall not learn War any more for they that be there are in the foolish State but they that are in Christ are in the wise State and have Spiritual Weapons though accounted by the World foolish yea the Wisdom of God is so to the Wisdom of the World which is Foolishness And so you that the Lord hath blessed in outward things for his Truth keep over them and out of them serving the Lord who hath blessed you lest you be intangled So keep above them in the Righteous Life and Conversation that Righteousness may flow to all Men in all things Honesty and Truth and that which doth Justice and doing justly that may flourish for whose Conversation is ordered aright they shall see the Salvation of God keep out of all Heats and Passions and over the tempestuous Spirits the ground of which is Vncleanness all which are up and down and sudden which makes a Mountain of Wickedness and Vnholiness and keeps out of the Holy Mountain which they that walk in the Light of the Lord goes to and they are taught his Ways Take heed of a false Liberty in any thing to the Flesh but keep your first Love and Habitation in the Power and Truth of God for the lowly Mind the humble and meek and broken and contrite Spirit and Heart the Lord doth not despise but exalt Keep out of the many Words of the World and take heed of a liberty of going into them but keep in the Power of the Lord God over all which was before all and is over all that your Lives and Conversations may preach to all Men and adorn the Truth of God and speak in the Hearts of all Men. Forsake not the assembling of your selves together as the manner of some was in the beginning of the Apostacy which entred into the reasoning Part and so went from the Exhorting daily and the Building and the Fellowship and the Communion of the Saints in the Spirit and from the Flocks and the Garden of God which he waters with his Water of Life and feeds with his Bread of Life and sets open his broad Rivers of Living Water to drink And such as forsake the Assemblies of the Righteous some for fear of the Earth and Sufferings become quarrelling Spirits and so go out of the Path of the Flocks Footsteps and sits not down with the Flock at Noon-day in the heavenly Places in Christ Jesus for there the Flocks meet and there they have all a Fountain through which they are all of one Soul and Mind and Judgment and Heart and Spirit and comes to be gathered out of all the Separations and Sects and Fellowships and Gatherings and Meetings of Adam and Eve in the Fall and sits down in Christ Jesus that never fell where the Fulness is and the Life in whom there is no Shadow no Variableness nor Turning in him that is the Way But Oh the Poverty the Shadows the Variableness the Turnings the Worships and Traditions and the Sects that be in the World among the Sons of Adam in the Fall Oh the Riches that is in him that never fell the Peace and the Life that was with the Father before the World began the Amen And Friends take heed of the vain Inventions and Arts of the World keep out of their Rhimes and their Verses for they are the Arts of Men and stirs up the light part and lifts up that that pertains to it self that is stirred up that will turn in the end to the Strife or the Earth But you that lives in the Word of God that never fell changes nor alters do not but as you are moved by it and that will stand and remain in whom you may know a Dwelling Life over Death and before it was for the Serpent that got into Adam and Eve by Disobedience they
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
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
from the Jews Synagogue and Temple and likewise the Gentiles into the Name of Jesus whose Name is above every Name and there is no Salvation by any other Name under the whole Heaven but by the Name of Jesus into which the true Gathering is where all know their Salvation And so who are gathered into the Name of Jesus are gathered into his Power and Authority For you know when a Tax or Assesment is gathered in the Name of the Head or Heads of a Nation it comes with Power and Authority and you obey it either actively or passively And so who are gathered in the Name of Jesus they are gathered in the Power of the Second Adam whose Power and Authority is above the Power of the First Adam's Sons and Daughters by which Power and in whose Names their People are gathered but Christ whose Name is above every Name there is no Salvation by any other under Heaven but by the Name of Jesus and they that are gathered in this Name of Jesus by his Power in which they know their Salvation they do see that there is no Salvation by any other Name under the whole Heaven nor Gathering by which they gather they bid Farewel to all other Names and Gatherings under Heaven as knowing there is no Salvation but in the Name of Jesus and this fulfils Jacob's Prophesie who said The Lawgiver shall not depart from between Judah 's Feet until Shilo come and the Gathering of all Nations shall be unto him So then it 's clear if the Gathering of all Nations be unto Christ they must forsake all that into which they were gathered before And therefore that makes all the Heads of the National Ways to be angry that holds them up and with such The Lamb makes War in Righteousness going on Conquering and to Conquer that he may Rule whose right it is that he might subdue all things to himself in whose Name all things are to be done and to whom all People are to be gathered whom God hath given for Salvation to the ends of the Earth And likwise this doth fulfil Moses prophesie who said Like unto me will God raise up a Prophet whom in all things the People shall hear who is the Salvation to the ends of the Earth to whom the Gathering of all Nations must be and they who are gathered in his Name do and must hear him in all things by whom all things were made and created who was glorified with the Father before the World began A Warning to all to keep out of the vain Fashions of the World which lead them below the Serious Life and not to Fashion themselves according to the World FRiends Keep out of the vain Fashions of the World Epist 250. let not your Eyes and Minds and Spirits run after every Fashion in Apparel of the Nations for that will lead you from the Solid Life into unity with that Spirit that leads to follow the Fashions of the Nations after every Fashion of Apparel that gets up But mind that which is sober and modest and keep to your plain Fashions that therein you may judge the World whose Minds and Eyes are in What they shall put on and what they shall eat And Friends that see the World so often alter their Fashions if you follow them and run into them in that ye cannot judge the World but the World will rather judge you Therefore keep all in the Modesty and Plainness and Fervency and Sincerity and be Circumspect for they that follow those things that the World's Spirit invents daily cannot be Solid and many Fashions might be instanced both of Hats Caps and Cloaths of Men and Women that daily are invented which they that run into them are near unto the World's Spirit and their Eyes are gazing after them when they should be upon the Lord from whom they should receive Judgment Therefore all keep down that Spirit of the World that runs into so many Fashions to please the Lust of the Eye the Lust of the Flesh and the Pride of Life And Fashion not your selves according to your former Lust of Ignorance and let the time past be sufficient in which you have lived according to the Lusts of Men and the Course of the World that the rest of your time you may live to the Will of God taking no thought what ye shall Eat what ye shall Drink or what ye shall put on that therein your Lives may judge the Heathen and that you may be as the Lillies For nothing you brought into the World neither any thing shall you take out And therefore while the Eye is gazing after every new Fashion and the Mind and Desire is thirsting to get it when it has it it lifts up the Mind and so brings under the Judgment of them that be in the sober Life and of the World also and to be like them Therefore take heed of the World's Fashions lest ye be moulded up into their Spirit and that will bring you to slight Truth and lift up the wrong Eye and wrong Mind and wrong Spirit and hurt and blind the pure Eye and pure Mind and quench the Holy Spirit and through such foolish Toys and Fashions and fading things you may lose your Conditions Therefore take heed of the World's Vanity and trust not in uncertain Riches neither covet the Riches of this World but Seek the Kingdom of God and the Righteousness thereof and all other things will follow and let your Minds be above the costly and vain Fashions of Attire but mind the hidden Man of the Heart which is a meek and a quiet Spirit which is of great Price with the Lord And keep to Justice and Truth in all your Dealings and Tradings at a Word and to the form of sound Words in the Power of the Lord and in Equity in Yea and Nay in all your Dealings that your Lives and Conversations may be in Heaven and above the Earth that they may preach to all that you have to deal withal so that you may be as a City set on a Hill that cannot be hid and as Lights of the World answering the equal Principle in all that God in all things may be glorified So that you may pass your time here with Fear as Pilgrims and Strangers and Sojourners having an Eye over all things that are uncertain as Cities Houses Lands Goods and as things below possess them as if ye did not and they that Marry as if they did not yet as having a City whose Maker and Builder is God and a Possession of an Inheritance that will never fade away in which you have Riches that will abide with you Eternally G. F. MY Dear Friends in the Truth and Seed of God Epist 251. in which is Purity and Life let that flow from the Head to the Feet that Righteousness and Judgment may run down our Streets as a stream For now Friends are become a People gathered in the holy Name of Jesus Therefore
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
Jew outward had but one Temple to Worship in the Jew inward must not have two for then they make a Sect and goes from Truth in their own Hearts and from the Spirit of God And so to Worship in the Truth and in the Spirit is to Worship in the Temple So every Man and Woman come to this one Temple Where is this one Temple Where the Spirit is in the Heart and the Truth in the inward Parts And this is the Temple that is not made with Hands do you not know that your Bodies are the Temples of the Holy Ghost And so this is the true Worship that Christ set up in the Spirit and in the Truth every Man and Woman in the whole World must come to it the Truth in their own Hearts that by it they may know the Truth and the God of Truth And by the Spirit they may know God who is a Spirit and so Worship him in the Spirit and in the Truth and this is the standing universal Worship that Christ the Second Adam the Lord from Heaven the Spirtual Man set up above Sixteen hundred Years since John 4. when he denied the Mountain Worship where Jacob's Well was and the Temple Worship of the outward Jews at Jerusalem where they went to the outward Temple Yearly to Worship And so every one are to Worship in the Spirit and come to the Spirit and Truth in their own Hearts and in that to Worship the God of Truth who is a Spirit as Christ commanded And so by the Spirit of Truth they come to Jerusalem which is above which cometh down out of Heaven from God So this is a true certain standing infallible and perfect Worship for Truth and the Spirit of God is certain infallible and perfect and so this Worship is a certain perfect Worship And so every one as I said before come to the Truth in your own Hearts and to the Spirit of God or else you cannot Worship the God of Truth who is a Spirit And every Man that Worships in the whole World who would find this Spirit and Truth they must go into the Temple And so in the Spirit and Truth Worship God who is a Spirit and this Spirit gives an Understanding to know God who is a Spirit and the Truth and to know the God of Truth who is to be worshipped in the Spirit and Truth who is God blessed for ever Amen G. F. FRriends To call Men Masters or Gracious Lord and putting off the Hat to them Epist 261. and the Man's Scraping with his Foot and the Woman's making a Curchey These Titles and Fashions not giving and observing doth not break the Law of Christ nor of God which respects no Man's Person but they are the customs of Nations which are vain and the great Manners and Civilities that lies among Christians is in saying You to one Man and the Man's putting off his Hat and scraping with his Foot and the Woman's bending her Knees and in these and such like things lies their Civilities their Honour and Manners and Well-Breeding as they call it But the right Manners is to keep People from evil Words which corrupts good Manners and God's Law and Christ respects no Man's Person And Man and Woman in their not Youing nor Scraping and Bowing are not unmannerly nor uncivil for Man was forbidden by the Angel to bow to him but to bow to God and to Worship him and to bow at the Name of Jesus who is called The Power of God and the Word of God for the Angel said to John he was his Fellow-servant So Servants were not to bow one to another and if they do is it not reproved by the Angel and reproved by Christ the seeking Honour one of another For how can you believe saith Christ that receive Honour one of onother John 5. So it is a mark that they are Unbelievers who receive Honour one of another and they are like the Pharisees that love the Praise of Men and are called of Men Master and like the Heathen that will be called Gracious Lords For saith he you are all Brethren and have one Master and Lord Christ Jesus and one Lord who is the Creator of all For all things were made subject to Man and Man subject to God all Creatures was to fear and dread Man and Woman but Man and Woman were to fear and dread God So all Christians are to have one heavenly spiritual Head Christ Jesus and heavenly spiritual Master and they all as Brethren are to serve and worship him And the Prophets and Apostles Thou'd God and Christ Kings and Princes and great Men and Women as you may see in the Scriptures and they were never offended at it And you never read in all the Scriptures of any that feared God that were offended at any for saying Thou to a single Person and standing with their Hats on unless it were the Pharisees that loved the praise of Men as it is said in the Book of Job If I give flattering Titles to Men my Maker would soon take me away And so all their flattering Titles and loving the Praise of Men and seeking Honour one of another it comes from that Ground that is out of Truth in the Image of the Beast and the Dragon who will be worshipped but the Angel would not be bowed down to by the Servant of the Lord he says God must be worshipped So they that Worship the Beast and the Dragon receive the Mark from the Dragon he Brands them and Marks them with his Spirit out of Truth and then he receives Honour from them and the vain Glory they give to him but they which are sealed with the Spirit of Promise they have their Father's Mark in their Fore-heads these Worship the Living God and are in his Image and his Likeness that he made them in the Beginning and in the Spirit of Christ Jesus and those are Christ's G. F. ALL Friends and People That is to be condemned in your selves which hath led you from Christ from God Epist 262. and from Vnity in the Light I say is condemned by the Light and must be executed and killed and stoned with the Living Stone and run thorow with the Living Sword and hammered down with the Living Hammer to pieces and burnt up with the Living Fire and so made an end of For that which leads into Loosness Whimsies Imaginations false Visions though it be condemned yet if it be not executed it is in danger to rise again and if it rise again and get over you it will be your Ruler if it get out of Prison and be alive and not executed For after a thing is condemned as Drunkenness Adultery Fornication or any manner of Loosness whatsoever or runnings out from the Spirit and Light if it be condemned and Judgment passed upon it if it be not executed there is danger of it's reviving For after a thing is Condemned and Judgment passed upon it it is to
be executed For you know after a Thief or a Murderer is Condemned and Judged and have Sentence past upon him yet he is not executed that Day the Execution comes afterwards And therefore after Condemnation or Judgment is past upon any inward Evil or any outward Action of Evil let Execution be speedily done with the Living Hammer and the Living Sword and the Living Stone that the Living Fire may burn it up and consume it No Man after he hath beaten his Child hateth him ever afterwards but loveth him if he repent and amends so doth the Eternal Father and if the Child be fallen down into the Dirt he doth not go and tumble him more into the Dirt or into the Ditch and there let him lie in the Dirt and Ditch but takes him out and washes him and so doth the heavenly Father which leads his Children by his Hand and dandles them upon his Knee And so all that be called Fathers in the Truth or Mothers their Tenderness should be the same to all little Children in the Truth that can hardly go without leading that sometimes may fall into the Dirt and Ditch and ship aside and then be troubled and cry To such there should be Tenderness shewn and to wash them and help them and Love to such should be manifest for there is difference betwixt a stubborn rebellious and wilful Child and one that is Penitent for those must have great Chastisements that knows the will of their Father and doth it not they must have greater Stripes and sorer Stripes they must look for be sure to expect it than the other For Christ is manifest in the Flesh to condemn Sin in the Flesh all that witness Christ in them Male and Female I say Christ manifest in their Flesh he doth condemn the Sin that is in their Flesh yea and makes an end of Sin and finishes the Transgression and brings in Everlasting Righteousness into them But first he condemns the Sin that is in their Flesh the Unrighteousness in their Flesh and Ungodliness in their Flesh the Lyar the Swearer that is in their Flesh the Adulterer the Fornicator the Idolater and all Sin whatsoever it is he condemns in the Flesh So Christ is manifest in the Flesh to condemn the Sin that is in the Flesh that every one that witnesses Christ condemning Sin in the Flesh that they through Christ that condemns Sin in the Flesh might become God's Righteousness so they become anothers But the Sin being uncondemned in the Flesh they are of the Serpent of the Unrighteous One of the Ungodly One who adulterated from Truth they are his But the Sin being condemned in the Flesh Christ is manifest in the Flesh so that they become Christ's they are God's and are in Christ who destroys the Devil and his Works that are out of Truth And these know the New Life which God is served in and these know the New Earth wherein dwells Righteousness and these knows the Old Earth wherein dwells Vnrighteousness And these can bring forth things New and Old For they that are led by the Spirit of God are the Sons of God they that are led by the Spirit of the Devil are the Children of the Devil and his Works they do the Works of their Father as they that are led by the Spirit of God his Works they do the Works of their Father and all they that quench the Spirit of God and vexes the Spirit of God and grieves the Spirit of God and hate the Light of Christ and walks despitefully against the Spirit of Grace and turns it into wantonness and disobeys the Word of God in their Hearts and Mouths Sure you all may see such are not the Sons of God and do not the Works of God though they may profess the Scriptures from the beginning of Genesis to the end of the Revelations Neither doth that Birth know the Scriptures for they are known by the Spirit of God the Holy Ghost which led the holy Men of God to speak them forth by the same Spirit are they known again And Christ who was conceived by the Holy Ghost born of the Virgin he is known by the Holy Ghost again which led the holy Men of God to give forth Scriptures which now leads into all Truth And all them now who despise Revelations Inspirations Prophecies Gifts and Talents they despise the Spirit of God and his Gifts Such are neither Ministers of God or Christ nor his Sons but are the Sons of him that is out of the true Spirit that is of God in the Darkness Babel and Confusion who think they can do great matters with their Languages and with them make a Trade of the Scriptures who cannot endure any People should come to the Spirit that gave them forth for none can walk in the Spirit that quenches it and vexes and grieves it And none comes into the Church Fellowship that grieves and vexes and quenches the Spirit of God For the Fellowship is in the Spirit that is the Bond of Peace and none is led into all Truth but by the same Holy Ghost that was in the holy Men of God that gave forth the Scriptures of Truth And all that are led by this Spirit of Truth are led from the Spirit of the Devil that is out of Truth And all that are led by the Spirit that is out of Truth are the First-Birth of the Flesh and of that Murderer which will persecute him that is born of the Holy Spirit of God which leads into all Truth Which they that are led by the Spirit that is out of Truth are out of both the Father and Son And they that are led by the Spirit of Truth are the Sons of God and here are both in the Father and in the Son and in the Truth which abides for ever And here the Heir the Son inherits his Possession his Inheritance in the Kingdom that never hath an end The true Hope the true Cross the true Faith the true Worship the true Religion the true Way true Image and true Fellowship have been lost since the Apostles-Days amongst those called Christians which are out of the Life And they that have lost the Cross of Christ which is the Power of God in which is the true Fellowship they have set up a wooden or a stone Cross c. so false Crosses false Christians They that have lost the true Hope which purifies as He is Pure they have set up a Purgatory to cleanse them when they are dead And others cry up a Body of Sin and Death on this side of the Grave with their Hypocrites Hope and they have lost the true Ministry and set up a false One to preach up Imperfection And People were imperfect in old Adam before Christ came for the Law made nothing Perfect but the true Minister Christ in you the hope of Glory doth make Perfect both in the Apostles Days and now Christ in you the hope of Glory said the Apostle
whom we preach warning every Man that we may present every Man perfect in Christ Jesus So the Perfection is in Christ Jesus the Imperfection is in old Adam So this is the true Hope that purifies which every one that hath it purifies himself even as he is Pure And every one that hath not a Possession of this Hope pleads for Impurity and Imperfection and a Body of Sin and a Body of Death unto their Grave and a Purgatory when they are dead Such have a Profession of the Scriptures like the Pharisees and the Hypocrites Hope which shall perish And the true Faith hath been lost since the Apostles Days the true Faith which purifies the Heart which is the Faith of God's Elect which Faith gives Victory over that which separates from God in which Faith ye all please God which Faith is the Gift of God and Christ is the Author of it every one look unto him for it for the finishing of it who is the Author of it In this Faith have all the Saints Vnity in that which gives Victory over the Devil for by the Faith which is the Shield do they resist him and quench his fiery Darts and they resist him that would defile them and make them imperfect and lead them into those things which would displease God And all that be out of this Faith they cry No Victory while we be upon the Earth but they must have a Body of Sin unto the Grave and a Purgatory to cleanse them in these be all in the Error concerning the Faith these have made Shipwreck of Faith and a good Conscience these are all in the dead Faith and so cannot preach the true and Living Faith of God's Elect These are all out of Vnity for the Vnity is in the Faith which gives Victory over the Devil These be out of the just Life which Just lives by his Faith The Life that I now live is by the Faith of the Son of God yet it is not I but Christ that lives in me said the Apostle And all that walks in the Faith of God's Elect which is the Victory over the Devil they walk in Vnity over the Enmity And the true Worship hath been lost smce the Apostles Days yea the Worship that Christ set up above Sixteen hundred Years since in the Spirit and in the Truth yea in the Spirit of God which was before the Spirit of the Devil was who is out of Truth and in the Truth which the Devil is out of In this Spirit and in this Truth God who is a Spirit and the God of Truth seeks that Men should worship him in the Truth and so every Man and Woman must come to Truth in the inward Parts and to the Spirit of God within themselves if they be Worshippers of God in the Spirit and Truth which the Devil abode not in And this is the standing and perfect Worship in which there is Vnity in the Truth for the Enmity is out of it and he cannot get into it Glory be to God for ever And Men that are erred from the Worship that Christ set up above Sixteen hundred Years since they are from the Truth within and the Spirit of God And by that unclean Spirit they have worshipped Images they have worshipped the Works of their own Hands they have worshipped the Dragon they have worshipped the Beast they have worshipped the Creature they have worshipped Angels persecuted one another about their Worships and they have persecuted the true Worshippers These are in the Blind Zeal who have hated the Light And so none can worship God who is a Spirit but they must come to the Truth in their inward Parts and to the Spirit of God in themselves by which Spirit they must know God to be a Spirit and to worship him in the Spirit They must know God to be the God of Truth and then worship him in the Truth which the Devil is out of in the Enmity an Adversary And this is the standing perfect infallible Worship that Christ Jesus the perfect infallible Man set up above Sixteen Hundred Years since And the true Way is lost since the Apostles Days which Christ set up above Sixteen Hundred Years since who said I am the Way to the Father and no Man cometh to the Father but by me So no one comes out of Old Adam but by Christ the Second Adam No one comes out of Darkness but by Christ the Light no one comes out of Death and from under the Prince of Death the Power of it but by Christ the Life So he is the Way to God No one comes out of Vnrighteousness but by Christ the Righteousness no one comes out of the Wisdom below but by Christ who is the Wisdom of God which is from above And no one comes out of Error and Evil but by Christ the Truth So he is the Door and the Way to God Almighty And no Man comes to the Father but by him No one comes out of Captivity or Prison but by Christ the heavenly Man And so they having erred from Christ the Way they have set up so many Ways in Christendom among them and fall out about their Ways one with another Enmity being among them Now Christ is the Way which the Unclean cannot walk in who was before the unclean Way was for he is over all the unclean and he is over all the perverse and crooked Ways and Mountainous Ways and evil and unrighteous and ungodly Ways he is over them all And none comes to this New and Living Way Christ Jesus but who come to the Grace of God in their Hearts the Spirit of God in their Hearts So he is the New and the Living Way who is the First and the Last the Beginning and the Ending set up from Everlasting to Everlasting And all that be out of this New and Living Way though they have all the Scriptures from the beginning of Genesis to the Revelations yet they are dead and under the Power of Death which Christ the Way destroys through Death yea the Power of Death the Devil and was before Death and his Power was Here is the New and the Living Way And the true Religion hath been lost and erred from since the Apostles days The Religion that is pure from above and undefiled before God which keeps from the spots of the World which is to visit the Widows and the Fatherless Now they that are out of this Religion have made many Religions but they are spotted and defiled and they cry up a Body of Death and Sin and Imperfection to the Grave and a Purgatory when they are Dead And their Widows and their Fatherless and Strangers go begging up and down their Streets and High-ways so their Steets and High-ways are Judges against them and their Bodies of Death and their Purgatories manifests their Errors and Ignorance from this pure Religion that comes down from above which is not of Man's making but comes down from God which
thing to say have Patience let that Gift be exercised and speak to one another by your selves alone But exercise the Gift oft Patience for that was the way before any thing was spoken against any of the Church and that will shew the Spirit of Order and Government and the Spirit of Love and of Patience and Humility and keep down Passion and that part in your selves that cannot bear all things nor endure all things whereby the Love comes up that will endure all things and bear all things which edifies the Body and by which the Body is edified for the Spirit of the Prophets is subject to the Prophets this shews the true Spirit for that which cannot bear all things many times is forward in Judging that cannot bear all things nor endure all things and so goeth out of the true Love and Edification which breeds Confusion and Distraction and destroys more than ever it will beget to God And also goes out of the Church Order first speak to him alone for by that he may win his Brother Speaking publickly makes Strife some owning and some disowning and that Spirit must be shut out by the true Spirit that keeps Order and Unity and Fellowship and the true Love which edifies the Body And so every one which feels the Power stirring in them to Minister when they have done To live in the Power wherein they minister let them live in the Power and in the Truth and in the Grace that keeps in the seasoned Words and that keeps in a stablish'd and seasoned Life And so all may Minister as they have received the Grace so every one is a Steward of the Grace of God if he do not turn the Grace of God into Wantonness and so to Minister in that Love and Grace and Power that keeps all things in Subjection and Order and in Unity in the Life and in the Power and Light by which you may see that of God in every Man and answer to that which God hath shewed unto People For the true Labourers in the Vineyard do answer that of God the true Ministers brings People to that which is to instruct them viz. the Spirit of God True Ministers reacheth to the Witness of God in Mens hearts and so are Ministers of the Spirit and Ministers of the Grace they answer the Spirit and the Grace and Truth in all in which all that do Minister have Unity and through which they have Fellowship with God and Christ G. F. Not to be over-thoughtful of the things of this World FRiends Epist 268. Did not God provide for Man and Woman before he made them Did he not make all things in Six Days And the sixth Day he made Man in the Image of God in Righteousness and Holiness And therefore Christ who is the Son of God who comes to restore Man up again into the Image of God Not to be over-thoughtful and leads Man up into his Image in Righteousness and Holiness as he was in before he fell Doth he not reprove such as take thought and told them of their little Faith and that they could not add one Cubit to the Stature that God had made and it was the Practice of the Heathens and of the Gentiles to take thought So it 's clear before God made Man he took care for him but after Man was fallen from the Image of God and his Righteousness he took care and toiled though he cannot add one Cubit to his Stature in the Lord's Work For thou maist sow thy Seed in the Ground or Garden thou maist have much Cattel But trust in the Lord for all and other things but yet there is no increase but by the Lord neither of thy Seed nor of thy Cattle for is not the Earth the Lord's and the Fulness thereof Mark and doth he not give the increase who upholds all things by his Word and Power who is the Creator of all and provided for Man before he made him and set him in Dominion over all the Works of his Hands which Dominion Man lost Man lost Righteousness and Holiness in his disobeying the Command of God Christ restores Man into the Image of God which Christ comes to restore Man to and sets Man above all again as he was in the Beginning and up to his own State beyond Adam before he fell to him that never fell And so all that believe in the Light as Christ commanded in the Light they see they cannot add Cubit to the Stature and so they come to grow in the Faith in Christ and in God And so herein hath the Lord the Praise of his Works and all things praise him who hath created them all to his Honour and to his Glory and to his Praise and Man to glorifie him in Righteousness and Holiness in the Image of God and of Christ Jesus above all other Creatures in the Covenant of God in the Covenant of Light and Life in Christ Jesus Him by whom the World was made by him they praise and please God and in their pleasing God they Honour God and Christ G. F. Concerning the single Language ALL Friends Epist 269. that do believe in the Light as Christ hath commanded you and are become Children of Light keep to the proper Speech Proper Speech Thou to One and You to many that is Thee and Thou to a singular and You to many as you may see throughout the Scriptures it was the Language of God and Christ his Prophets and Apostles and all good Mens though it is the Practice of the First Birth and of the Flesh to say You when they should say Thou therefore take you heed of Flattery to please Men and of letting the World's Spirit over you though they have learn'd in their Grammar and Accidence and other teaching Books the Plural and Singular Language yet they speak Plural when they should speak Singular to One. G. F. FOR all that be gathered in the Name of Jesus Epist 270. and are mad a live by him and quickned by him they come to the Flock of Christ and know where they feed at Noon-Day they are gathered into the Name of Jesus Christ Salvation in no other Name than the Name of Jesus whose Name is above every Name and know that there is no Salvation under the whole Heaven but in the Name of Jesus in the Testimony that they have of Jesus which is the Spirit by which they see Jesus and see his Pastures of Life see his Springs of Life and his Rivers of Life and his Bread of Life and see the Foot-steps of the Flock the Testimony of Jesus the Spirit by which they see him and his Flock and they see the barren Mountains they have been upon and come off from And therefore all you that be gathered into the Name of Jesus and walk in the Path of the Just where the Footsteps of the Flock are quench not the Spirit in any and if any
Just and Even and Equal that you may answer that which is Equal and Just and True in your selves and in every Man and Woman that you may be preserved in the Sence and Favour of God and so may answer the good and righteous Principle in all by which they may be brought to Truth the equal Principle and just Measure and true Weight and Ballance by which they may know the just and true God in all his Works and Out-goings G. F. Not to trust in uncertain Riches ALL Friends Epist 273. Be ye as Strangers to all Things visible and created but be acquainted with the Creator your Maker the Lord God Almighty Outward things not durable for outward Things are not durable Riches nor durable Substance nor durable Habitations nor durable Possessions for they have Wings and will fly away and so therefore be as Pilgrims and Strangers to the World and all worldly created and visible things and witness Redemption from the Earth that you may reign upon the Earth as Kings and Priests to God The Righteous are as Kings and Priests to God that you may know a Habitation in God and the Riches of his Grace and Life that is everlasting and a Substance that fadeth not away the Riches which hath not wings and the Riches that is not deceitful that is durable and true For Men trusting in outward Riches and outward Things they will deceive and fail them and have Wings and flees away from them And so Man in that State is deceived and Riches are deceitful to him Therefore as I said before be as Strangers and Pilgrims to the World and all things therein possess as though you did not possess them and what you injoy as though you did not be above all such things and loose to them in the Invisible Life and Power which is over all things for the Birth that is born again of the Immortal Seed by the Word of God that lives and abides and endures for ever and is above all things for all things are upheld by his Word and Power And so be acquainted with the heavenly and certain Riches the durable Substance and the everlasting Possession and Inheritance of Life through which you may be acquainted with your Maker and Creator the Lord God Almighty G. F. MY Dear Friends in the pure and undefiled Life Epist 274. All live in the Holy Seed that changes not that will wear out all in the Transgression and was before Transgresion was and this Seed was never a Transgressor and it will be when Transgression is gone and is over that Spirit which is in Transgression and is a burdensome Stone to the Transgressor and him that is out of Truth and it will out-last all and so in that live in which ye may reign in the Life and Truth and in its time it will break all their Bonds For that Spirit that doth transgress doth Persecute in the particular the Just and Persecution makes the Just to suffer in the general and so they that will live Godly in Christ Jesus must suffer Persecution by them that Persecute those that are Godly it is no wonder for them to persecute the Godly in Christ the heavenly Man so the Just Suffereth within and without by the Vnjust And so be Valiant for the Lord's Truth upon the Earth and dwell in Love and in Humility and Meekness and Patience and Righteousness in which the Love of the Lord is manifested So no more but my Love G. F. ALL Friends every where in the living Spirit and living Power Epist 275. and in the heavenly Light dwell and quench not the Motions of of it in your selves nor the Movings of it in others Not to quench the Motions of the Spirit though many has run out and gone beyond their Measures yet many more has quench'd the Measure of the Spirit of God and after became dead and dull and questioned through a false Fear and so there hath been hurt doth ways And therefore be obedient to the Power of the Lord and his Spirit and his Spiritual Weapons War with that Philistian that would stop up your Wells and Springs Jacob's Well was in the Mountain read that within he was the second Birth And the Belief in the Power keeps the Spring open and none to despise Prophecy neither to quench the Spirit so that all may be kept open to the Spring that every one's Cup may run over For you may all Prophesie one by one All may Prophecy one by one and the Spirit of the Prophets is subject to the Prophets Would all the Lord's People were Prophets said Moses in his time when some found fault but the last time is the Christians time which injoys the Substance Christ Jesus and his Church is called a Royal Priesthood offering up Spiritual Sacrifices and his Church are his Believers in the Light And so in the Light every one should have something to Offer and to Offer an Offering in Righteousness to the living God else they are not Priests and such as quenches the Spirit cannot Offer In the time of God's pouring out of his Spirit upon all Flesh but becomes dull I will pour out of my Spirit upon all Flesh in the last time saith the Lord which is the true Christians time God's Sons and Daughters shall prophesie and your young Men shall see Visions and old Men shall dream Dreams and on my Servants and Hand-maids I will pour out of my Spirit in those Days and they shall Prophesie Now Friends if this be fulfilled Servants Handmaids Sons Daughters old Men young Men every one to feel the Spirit of God by which you may see the things of God and declare them to his Praise for with the Heart Man doth believe and with the Mouth Confession is made unto Salvation first he has it in his Heart before it comes out of his Mouth and this is beyond that Brain-beaten-heady stuff which Man has long studied about the Saints words which the holy Men of God spake forth as they were moved by the Holy Ghost So the Holy Ghost moved them before they came forth and spake them And therefore as I said before do not resist the Holy Ghost for they that did so grew stiff-necked and their Hearts were uncircumcised but feel this Holy Ghost this Spirit of Truth that leads you into all Truth So with the Holy Ghost and with the Light Build upon Christ the true Foundation and Power of God do you build upon Christ the Foundation and Life and by the same heavenly Light and Power and Spirit do you Labour in the Vineyard and do you minister and speak forth the things of God and do you digg for your Pearls therefore bring them forth and let them be seen how they glister the glistering Pearls And all come into the Vineyard of God to labour in the Light which was before Darkness was and with the Life which was before Death and his Power
was and in the Truth and Power of God which the Devil is out of that every one of you may have your Penny that precious Penny and heavenly Treasure from God Almighty the great Lord who is the orderer and disposer and governour and ruler in the Vineyard among his Servants who pays them their Wages and gives them their heavenly Penny of Life Mark it is the Labourers in the Life And the Lord will give us the beavenly Penny Truth and Power of God that labours in God's Vineyard that have their heavenly Penny that Everlasting Treasure So see that you have it if you be in the Labour of Life you will have it Friends you see how Men and Women can speak enough for the World for Merchandize for Husbandry the Plow-man for his Plow but when they should come to speak for God they quench the Spirit and say and do not obey God's Will but come let us see what the Wife Merchants can say have they found the Pearl and Field and purchased the Field which yields those glorious glistering Pearls let us see what can you say for God and that heavenly Merchandise 1670 What can the Plow-man say for God with his Spiritual Plow Is the Fallow-Ground Plowed up Has he abundance of the heavenly Seed of Life So what can the heavenly Husband-Man say has he abundance of Spiritual Fruit in store What can the Thresher say his he gotten the Wheat out of the Sheaf the heavenly Wheat with his heavenly Flaile and let us see what can the Spiritual Plowman Husband-man and Thresher say for God And how they have laboured in the Vineyard that they may have their Penny some are breakers of Clods in the Vineyard some are Weeders some are cutting off the Brambles and Bushes and fitting the Ground and cutting up the Roots with the heavenly Ax for the Seed some are Harrowing in some are gathering and laying up the Riches so you may see here are Merchants Plow-men Harrowers Weeders Reapers Many sorts of Labourers in Gods Vineyard Threshers in God's Vineyard yet none are to find fault one with another but every one labouring in their places praising the Lord looking to him for their Wages their heavenly Penny of Life from the Lord of Life So none are to quench the Spirit nor to despise Prophesie lest ye limit the Holy One and every one is to minister as he hath received the Grace which hath appeared to all Men which brings Salvation so that the Lord's Grace his Light and Truth and Spirit and Power may have the passage and the rule in all Men and Women that by it he may have the Glory and from it in all who is blessed for ever and for ever The Lord hath said From the rising of the Sun to the going down of the same my Name shall be great among the Gentiles Now mark Friends this is a large Space wherein God's Name shall be great and the Lord further saith Holy and pure Incense is to be offered to God In every place Incense shall be offered unto my Name and a pure Offering for my Name shall be great among the Heathen saith the Lord of Hosts Now mark Friends this heavenly Incense and pure Offering is a spiritual Offering which is to be offered by the Spirit to God who is a Spirit then here none quenches the Spirit of God in their own Hearts and all such comes under the Title of the Royal Priesthood offering up Spiritual Sacrifices which Royal Priesthood has a Priest that lives for ever Christ Jesus And Friends do not quench the Spirit nor abuse the Power when it moves and stirs in you be obedient but do not go beyond nor do not add to it nor take from it for if you do you are reproved either for going beyond or taking from it And when any has spoken forth the things of the Lord by his Power and Spirit let them keep in the Power and Spirit and that keeps them in the Humility that when they have spoken forth the things of God they are neither higher nor lower but still keeps in the Power before and after and being obedient to the Spirit and Power of God it keeps them from deadness and alive to God and keeps them in a Sense that they do not go beyond and run out as some you know have done and all that hath come for want of living in the Power of God and in his Spirit which keeps all things in Subjection and in Order and in the true Fear of the Lord always to feel the Presence of the Lord with you Come Fisher-men what have you catched with your Nets What can you say for God Your Brethren Peter and John Fisher-men could say much for God Read in the Acts and you may see it I would not have you degenerate from their Spirit Shepherds and Herds-men where are you What can you say now for God whose abiding is much in the Fields David Jacob and Amos your fellow Shepherds and Heards-men do not you see they could say much for God I would have you to be like them and not to degenerate from their Spirit Come Trades-men Tent-Makers Physitians and Custom-Men what can you say for God Do not you read that your fellow Trades-men in Ages past could say much for God Do not degenerate from their Spirit Do not you remember the Accusations of the wise and learned Grecians when the Apostles preached Christ among them that they were called Poor Trades-men and Fisher-men Therefore be Faithful The Preachers of Jesus Christ now are the same to the Wise of the World as then G. F. DEar Friends Epist 276. live in Peace and Love and Patience one with another for that doth edifie the Body and Strife doth not but doth eat out the Good To live in Peace and Love for the Body doth edifie it self in Love in which there is Nourishment and Vertue and Life from the Head so in that meet and build up one another Dear Hearts be faithful and live in the Life and Power and Seed of God and in Love and Peace one with another And so the God of Peace in it preserve you Peace be among you and live in that which keeps Peace for the Peace-makers are blessed And all strive for that which makes for Peace and they that are Lowest and so keeps receives the most from God G. F. MY Dear Friends Epist 277. when you were formerly in a Profession you took your Servants your Apprentices your Children along with you to your Places of Worship Care in training up Friends Children and Servants And now that you are come to Truth and are convinced that the same is the Truth of God through which you come to have a Portion and Inheritance of Life and Salvation and of a Kingdom and World which hath no end and into a Possession of that which formerly you did profess in Words Now therefore Friends you that are come to
stand in the Light which was before Darkness or the Prince of it was and stand in the Power of God which was before the Devil was and sit down in the heavenly Places in Christ Jesus who was set up from Everlasting to Everlasting And therefore keep your Faith in the Lord for he is the same who hath given you Dominion thro' Faith over the Mountains of Opposition by which they have been subdued and by which the Fiery Darts have been quenched And hath not this been fulfilled In all their Afflictions he was Afflicted Have Faith in Christ in time of Trial. and that the Angel of his Presence should be with them in their Trials and Sufferings So the Lord hath a tender Care of his Sheep his People that the Angel of his Presence should be with them in all their Trials And therefore let your Minds be out of all outward things and visibles and fear not the Fleece for it will grow again and if the Lord should try you now with the spoil of outward things after he hath blessed you with them to see whether your Minds be with them or with him Therefore now stand having on the whole Armour of God and his Righteousness and your Feet shod with the Power of God which was before the Devil was this will keep you from slipping and have on the Armour of Light to stand against Darkness and the Breast-Plate of Righteousness which is Armour-proof against the Devil and his Fiery Darts and keep the Shield of Faith and Sword of the Spirit the Word of God and the Helmet of Salvation that preserves the Head in all Battles with the Devil and his Instruments And thus with your heavenly Armour and Arms stand and keep your Possession of Life who are brought out of Spiritual Egypt Sodom and Babylon having one to go before you the Captain of your Salvation Christ Jesus who was before Moses and Joshua were and see how the Children of God all along in the Scriptures thro' Faith had the victory Daniel by Faith the three Children by Faith Abraham by Faith The Excellency of Faith Joshua by Faith and Caleb by Faith and the other Spies which had no Faith and the Elders among the outward Jews and the People how they fell through Unbelief but by Grace through Faith the Just were saved by Faith they had victory and by Faith they pleased God and therefore keep in the Faith and you will have the Water of Life and the Bread of Life from above and stand still in the Faith for the Just live by Faith and they that had not Faith to Believe they perished and Christ hath taught all how to believe To Believe in the Light who hath enlightned every one that cometh into the World he saith Believe in the Light which was a blessed Doctrine of the heavenly Man for you believing in the Light you believe in that which makes manifest all Things all Fruits all Creatures all Religions and Worship for the Light was before they all were and will be when they are all gone Therefore Believe in the Light saith the heavenly Man who teacheth what to believe in for whatsoever is made manifest is made manisest by the Light So to believe in the Light that doth make manifest all things that are reproveable therein you will become Children of the Light and Children of the Day and Sons of God And so will become Children of the Light and Daughters of God and Sons of Zion and Daughters of Zion the heavenly Zion the heavenly Joy and so herein you come to be of the Royal Family above all the Families of the Earth above all the Housholds of the Earth a Houshold of God the Workmanship of God the Planting of God the Building of God the Houshold of Faith which are Titles higher than all the Titles among Men in the World in the Creation Sons and Daughters and Servants and Hand maids every Man to enjoy something in the Houshold Every one to have an Inheritance of their own of Life that they may offer to God of their heavenly Substance who are called a Royal Priesthood that is a Kingly Priesthood over the Devil and over Adam in a Possession of a Spiritual Kingdom and of a World that hath no End and of an heavenly durable Substance and Riches which are Spiritual and so to offer up Spiritual Sacrifices to God who is a Spirit So now the time of Trying is therefore all to stand To stand faithful in time of Tryal and see if there be any thing able to separate you from Christ who is from Everlasting to Everlasting who is First and Last who makes an end of Sin and finishes Transgression and destroys the Devil and his Works and is the Top and Corner-Stone the Possession of all the Righteous the Rest and Sabbath of all the Righteous that have drank his Blood whom he hath made alive So in Christ you shall bear no burden for he destroys that which oppresses both Man and Beast and in Christ you shall not go out to gather your Meat who is your Sabbath and Rest but in old Adam there is no Rest in the second Adam the heavenly Man there is the Rest and in him to wit Christ the heavenly Man you need not go out to gather your Meat For he is the Bread of Life Christ is the Bread of Life and living Way to God that comes down from above in him stand and sit down in the heavenly Places in Christ Jesus who was with the Father before the World began who is your Way to God which Way was set up above Sixteen Hundreds Years since before all these got up among the Papists and Protestants who is the New and Living Way to all who are made a-live by him and drink his Blood The Dead make dead Ways for the Dead to walk in but mind you Christ's Worship which was set up above Sixteen Hundred Years since by himself in the Spirit and Truth whereby every one comes to the Truth the Spirit of God in his own Heart in which Truth and Spirit he worships the God of Truth who is a Spirit and feels him always present Now to Worship God in the Truth is that which the Devil and old Adam is out of and this is the perfect and standing Worship and People that have lost this Worship that Christ set up they have set up so many false Worships among Protestants and Papists and compelling one another to them since they have lost the peaceable Truth in which the God of Peace is worshipped And therefor enow all prize the standing Truth To stand in the Liberty which Christ gives and walk as becomes the Gospel the Power of God which was before the Devil was which destroys the Devil and his Works and so Stand fast in the Liberty where with Christ hath made you free yea free from the Devil and old Adam for the freedom is in him in
Christ and not in the Devil who is out of Truth nor in old Adam yea Christ is able to deliever out of the Six Troubles and the Seventh Trouble the perfection of Trouble he who is the Perfection it self so he is the Deliverer and Mediator Who is our Deliverer Mediator and Intercessor and the Intercessor that makes Peace betwixt you and God So in Christ who is the Deliverer is the Peace and the Rest yea an everlasting Rest he was set up over all Troubles and Persecutions and Persecutors who was before they were glorified with the Father before the World began and he will be when they are all gone as I said before all that have drank his Blood and are made alive by him have Life yea a Possession that will never have an end but them that are Dead in old Adam are against Christ who is the Life till he make them alive by Believing in the Light and then they become the Congregation of the Living And these are them that are gathered together by the Lord and them that are not gathered together by the Lord but by Men to themselves they come to be scattered Now the Congregation of the Living they have drank the Blood of Jesus that are alive by him and so are gathered together by him the heavenly Man and he is in the midst of them to preserve them and exercife his Offices among them as a Shepherd and a Bishop and a Prophet c. And these are the living Members who have a living Head Christ Jesus and that saying comes to be fulfilled Thy dead Men shall live together with my dead Body shall they arise so come to live with Christ Jesus And they are the Congregation of the Dead that believes not in the Light nor drinks the Blood of Jesus but Death and Destruction talks of him and of God and his Prophets and Apostles words and they come to set their House upon the Sand To build upon the Rock Christ Jesus and so are the Fools and then a Storm arises upon the Sea and their House is presently in the Sea again and there they are drowned the House sits so nigh the Sea that in a little Storm they are drowned they are so nigh the World But the Wise Men sets their House upon the Rock and the Rock is Christ the Life who was before the World was and will stand over all and they that are built upon it the Storms and and Tempests cannot move their Rock nor their House So here is the Wisdom of the Wise who build their House upon him by whom all things was created who is the Rock of Ages So in all Storms they keep to their House and they meet in Him and are gathered in Him and He is their Head and Counsellor to order them and in Him they all please God and in Christ Jesus are one anothers Crown and Life and so through him they have all a Crown of Life who was with the Father before the World began So in him sit down over all the windy Doctrines that tosses the Chaff abroad in the World I say in Christ sit down in him who was before the World was for out of him is all wearisomeness but in him ye have rest G. F. ALL Dear Friends every where who have no Helper but the Lord Epist 280. who is your Strength and your Life Let your Cries and Prayers be to him from whom all your help and strength comes God is the only Help of his People who with his Eternal Power hath kept up your Heads above all Waves and Storms let none go out of their Habitations in the stormy Time of the Night and stand in his Lot the Seed Christ Jesus to the end of the Day There is the Lot of your Inheritance and in this Seed you will see the Bright and Morning Star appear which will expel the Night of Darkness that hath been in your Hearts by which Morning Star you will come to the Everlasting Day which was before Night was So every one feel this Bright Morning Star in your Hearts there to expel the Darkness G. F. DEar Friends The Truth of God mind and his pure holy Power Epist 281. which the Lord hath made you partakers of by his good Spirit Grieve not the Spirit O let not his Spirit be grieved by you Let that be mortified that would get up to grieve or quench the Spirit for that will corrupt your Reason Understanding and Knowledge and that which gives you to know God and Christ that 's Life Eternal And all have a care that you do not abuse the Power Nor abuse the Power nor crucifie to your selves the Seed a-fresh but let that be crucified by the Seed in which Seed you have Life Eternal And therefore prize the Truth above all things Now you have Liberty to spread it abroad for you are called to Righteousness and Holiness without which none shall see God Therefore mind your High Calling in God out of lod Adam into Christ Jesus the second Adam and keep your Meetings in the Name of Jesus and feel him in the midst of you who is your Life and Salvation and that all occasions and stumbling-blocks may be taken away so that the precious Truth may be minded by you all wherein all are to live in Vnity and walk in Peace Live in Vnity Peace c. with the God of Peace and one with another that all your Springs may be kept open and all your Fountains may run with living Water and all your Candles may burn and every one may have Bread on his own Table in his Temple and his Rod budding there that he may be known to be a Priest of the Royal Priesthood So that all may have Salt in your selves that you may be good for something for if you be not the good Salt you cannot make the Earth savoury Therefore all keep in the Sense of Truth and be digging for the Pearl in your own Field and to find the Silver in your own House that was lost and the Leaven in your own Hearts that where it works and is joyned to will leaven into its own Nature So in all your Meetings be faithful in the Power and Life that you may be watered by the Spring of Life that you may grow And so whatever Strife or whatever runs out Shun all occasion of Offence or whatever occasion of Offence has been let the Seed of God rise and put all that down in All that all you in the everlasting Seed the second Adam may have your Peace Familiarness and Kindness and Affableness and Courteousness and Gentleness and Love one with and towards another for the Power of the Lord God is over all and his Everlasting Seed Christ Jesus reigns over all in whom is Eternal Fellowship Peace and Vnity and not in old Adam for old Adam's Sons and Daughters may get the words of Christ and of the Prophets
Gospel the Power of God which was before the Devil was So that you may feel the Presence of the Lord with you And-that all Friends may be invited to the Meetings and that you may be good Examples and Patterns unto all in the Island in righteous Dealing and Doings in Weights and in Measures And keep to the sound Language and the Honour that you have received from above so that your Lives and Conversations may preach in Vertue Righteousness and Holiness that God may be glorified through you and among you all that you may be Patterns in Holiness and in Truth as you expect the Blessing of God in with and among you And owe nothing to any Man but Love And so feek first the Kingdom of God and keep in it then all outward things will flow to you so as there will be no want of them if you enjoy God who upholds all with his Word and Power and gives the increase of all And see that there may be no ill Example among you and no such ill Report may be heard of you in Old England And when you have got up your First Days and Weekly Meetings and Men and Womens Meetings in the Power of God which will preserve you in Truth and Righteousness see that nothing be lacking among you then send over how things are with you how Truth speads and prospers from your Men and Womens Meetings to the Men and Momens Meetings in Old England So no more but my Love G. F. DEar Friends Epist 300. Let your Faith stand in the Power of God for that is your Keeper unto the Day of Salvation so every one that hath not yet obtained it come to that Day for the Kingdom stands in Power and not in Words Therefore as I said before let you Faith stand in the Power of God in which the Kingdome stands Kingdom of Peace and Joy which stands in Righteousness and Holiness and in the Holy Ghost where no unclean things enters neither can it For the Power of the Lord God keeps you fresh keeps you open and keeps you alive and keeps you in a sense of the things of his Kingdom the Treasures the Pearls and Riches and Jewels thereof and this Power will keep you all in Peace and in Vnity and Quietness and Condescention and Love and Kindness one to another and in the Power of the Lord and in his Spirit you will be enabled to give the Lord his Glory and continual Praise and continual Thanks which is due unto him from you all it will ascend to him who is worthy of all blessed for evermore And so none quench the Spirit nor the Motions of it in you lest Isaac's Well be stopp'd up by the uncircumcised Philistine that must go down into the Pit who hath lived aloft for as Christ comes to take the Peace from the Earth which Men are in as all Sects and Ways that have Peace in their Ways Religions and Worships and Traditions of their Fore-Fathers as in the Days of his Flesh when he came amongst the Pharisees Sadduces Herodians Scribes and other Sects among them and likewise all others that now have a Peace in the Earth and that are settled in it they must know that Peace taken away before they are redeemed out of the Earth and so as he taketh away that Peace such as come to learn of him and to be his Disciples and Followers his Peace he gives unto them who is the King of Peace the Prince of Peace and of Life and which is such a Peace that the World cannot take away from them And this you and all Friends every where have sufficiently known who have been and are the Learners of Christ Jesus both Men and Women that in all your Persecutions Mockings Imprisonings spoiling of Gods they could never take your Peace away which you had from this Prince of Peace Is not this true and the Scripture fulfilled in you Therefore let him have the Praises and the Glory out of all your Hearts and keep this Peace in the Vnity of the Spirit the Bond of Peace you are bound to keep it with the Spirit this Prince of Princes Peace you are all bound to keep it by the Law of Life the Law of the Spirit for Christ is the same now to day as yesterday and so for ever the same as in the Apostles Days who said Think you that I came to send Peace on Earth I tell you Nay but rather Debate For the Father shall be against the Son and the Son against the Father And the Mother against her Daughter and the Daughter against her Mother And the Daughter in Law against the Mother in Law c. Luke 12.53 And he that loveth Father or Mother more than me is not worthy of me said Christ Jesus Or he that loveth Son or Daughter more than me is not worthy of me And he that taketh not up his Cross and follows not me is not worthy of me He that will save his Life shall lose it and he that is willing to lose his Life for my sake shall save it And speaking to his Disciples said He that receiveth you receiveth me and he that receiveth me receiveth him that sent me Matth. 10. These things Friends have been seen and have been fulfilled and must be fulfilled for Christ is the same to day as yesterday and so for ever For have not you seen Son against the Father and Father against the Son and Mother against the Daughter and Daughter against the Mother c. And this hath been through retaining Christ who sets at Variance and so not at Peace for he doth not bring a Peace to that Nature they lived in in Old Adam And so we may see when People are convinced what Variance it maketh in a Family This hath been seen and fulfilled when a Husband is convinced or a Wife is convinced or Son or Daughter in a Family is convinced And this must be fulfilled and interprets its self in the fulfilling for he brings a Sword and War and not Peace to tha Nature they lived in and had in Old Adam before they received the Prince of Peace and te Sword of the Spirit from him to war against the other Peace which they had and so the Peace of all Religions must be broken before they come to the true Religion from above and the Peace of all Worships must be broken before they come to the worship in the Spirit and Truth the Davil is out of and the Peace of all Ways must be broken that Men and People are in before they come into the Way of Christ Jesus and the Peace of all Churches must be broken before they come to the Church which is in God and the Peace of all Fellowships must be broken before they come into the Fellowship of the Spirit and Vnity therein which is the Bond of Peace and the Peace of all Earthly Teachers must be broken who are made of Men by natural Tongues before
but swells and breaks out into Confusion and Disorder which as I said before is to be cut down with the Sword of the Spirit for he denies the effect of true Prayer and the Spirit of Prayer which makes Intercession who hath or would have no feeling of the effects of true Prayer but that which is Formal and in the Imitation that makes many to Groan and Sigh which is burdened with that Spirit yea many tender ones And therefore all is to keep low before the Lord in the Humility in the Spirit and Power out of the Imagination Imitation and Self-exaltation And so keep in the Vnity of the Spirit which is the Bond of Peace Caution to keep cut Imagination c. yea the Bond of the Prince of Princes Peace hear the Gospel of Peace is known and the Peace of God which passes all Understanding which is the King of Kings and Lord of Lords and Prince of Princes Peace who saith In me you have Peace and all is bound by the Spirit of God to keep his Peace and all his Believers and faithful Ones and true Christians are bound to keep it amongst themselves and in all their Assemblies his Church which he is the Head of Worcester Goal the 14th of the oth Month 1674. G. F. FRiends Epist 313. All that are sensible of the Power of God and has received it All live in the Power of God which is Immortal and Everlasting live in it and grow up in it for the Power of God is over the Power of the Devil which Power of God is the Gospel and it 's called the Cross of Christ And therefore all ye Men and Women that has received the Gospel the Power of God and come to be Heirs of it take your Possessions of the same and init keep your Mens and Womens Meetings in your Possession of the Gospel the Power of God herein is the holy heavenly and powerful Order which is Everlasting and will have no end and this Order of the Gospel which is the Power of God is over all the Orders is the World and before they were whether Jews Gentiles or Apostate-Christians For the Apostle saith in Gal. 1.11 12. Now I certifie you Brethren to wit the Church that the Gospel which was prech'd of me was not after Man for I neither received it of Man neither was I taught it but by the Revelation of Jesus So I can declare to you all in the Presence of the Lord That the Gospel which is the Power of God I neither received of Man neither was I taught it but by the Revelation of Jesus Christ And all you that have received the same Power to wit the Gospel and are Possessors of it can testifie that the Gospel the Power of God is neither by Man nor of Man tho' some Men and Women in their Carnal Wisdom may oppose it but as Peter saith 1 Pet. 1.11 12. The Gospel by the Holy Ghost sent down from Heaven was it which was preached to the Churches then and so it is now And therefore all you that have received it this heavenly and everlasting Power of God the heavenly Dignity keep in your Possessions of it beig Heirs of it and in the Holy Order of it and walk as becomes the Gospel and let your Conversation be accordig to it as the Saints As the Saints did in Primitive Times and the Churches were in the Primitive Times for Christ That redeemed his People out of their vain Conversation and purchased them with his Blood and is become the Head of the Church the heavenly and spiritual Man has given them a heavenly and spiritual Possession and Order to walk in and to keep in which is the Heavenly and Eternal the Power of God whcih I am not asamed of of the Gospel of Christ for it is the Power of God unto Salvation to every one that believes Rom. 1. 16. And the Cross of Christ is the everlasting Powere of God so no longer do you keep in Fellowship but as you keep in the Cross of Christ for the Enemy to the Cross of Christ is the Mind that runs into outward and earthly things and sets up another God to wit their Belly and another Glory to wit their Shame and therfore it 's called the Mystery of the Fellowship of the Cross of Christ which is the Power of God so this Fellowship is not of Man nor by Man for it is in the Everlasting Power of God And therefore forsake not the Fellowship And forsake not the Assembling your selves together and the Assembling of your selves together in it as the manner of some is and was but Exhort one another and so much the more because ye see that the Day draweth nigh more and more unto you for if there be a Sinning wilfully after that ye have received the Knowledge of the Truth there remanins no more Sacrifice for Sin but a fearful looking for Judgment and for Indignation which shall devour the Adversaries And therefore keep in the new and living Way which is prepared for all the true Believers as you may see in Heb. 10.20 And exhort one another daily while it is called to day mark while it is called to day for thou maist lose the Harvest Day and be hardned before to morrow and lest any of you be hardned through the Deceitfulness of Sin and this was the Practice of the Church that was in the Light Power and Spirit of God as in Heb. 3. And in Titus see how the Apotle admonishes him who was in the Power of God to Exhort and Rebuke with all Authority and so forth after he had shewed him how the Grace of God which bringeth Salvation which appeareth to all Men which taught the Saints how to live c. and they that went from it was to be Rebuked and others Exhorted to it Tit. 2.11 And also he Instructs Timothy who was in the Power of God to Exhort the Church and likewise that the Scriptures Scriptnre profitable for Reproof Instruction Correction c. which were given forth by the Inspiration of God were profitable for Doctrine to Reprove Instruct and Correct in Righteousness that the Man of God may be Perfect throughly furnish'd to all good Works mark the Man of God not the Man of the World that denies Perfection and they that have the Spirit of God that gave forth the Scriptures does the same 2 Tim. 3.16 17. And they that was to Exhort was to be an Example in Word and Conversation in Love in Spirit in Faith and in Pureness such was to give attendance to Exhortation and to Doctrine and still are as you may see in 1 Tim. 12.13 And Peter saith to the Church in the Primitive Times which ought to be the Practice of the Church of Christ now as every Man hath received the Gift even so let him minister the same one to another as good Stewards of the manifold Grace o God If any Man speak let
him speak as the Oracles of God if any Man minister let him do it as of the Ability which God gieth mark God giveth and not Man or as God hath ministred to him that God in all things may be glorified through jesus Christ to whom be Praise and Dominion for ever and ever Amen 1. Pet. 4. And the Apostle saith to every one of us is given Grace according to the measure of the Gift of Christ for there is one God and Father of all which is above all and through all and in you all so every one now as then is to mind him that is in them all who is above all and his Gift and the measure of Grace the Gift fo Christ for it will teach them and bring their Salvation and through the measure of the Gift of Grace they grow up to a perfect Man and to the measure of the Stature of the fulness of Christ as may be seen Eph. 4. And as God hath dealt to every Man a Measure Of Faith in the Faith they should walk which gives them Victory and access to God which purifies their Hearts with which they please God And the Apostle said to the Church then which is to be the Practice of the true Church now That according to the Grace that was given whether we Prophesie Every one to keep to the Measure of Grace received let us Prophesie according to the Proportion of Faith or any Office let us wait on the Office or he that Teacheth on Teaching and he that Ministreth on Ministring or he that Exhorteth on Exhortation and he that distributeth let him do it with simplicity c. And be that sheweth Mercy with cheerfulness as you may see Rom. 12. So all this is to be done in the Faith and according to the Measure of the Grace given to every one so that all may be done in the Faith according to the Measure of Grace given to every one so that all may be done in the Faith from one Spirit which the manifestation of is given to every one to profit withal by which Spirit they are all baptized into one Body which Christ the heavenly Spiritual Man is the Head of So all Members from the Eye to the Foot are serviceable in the Body in the Grace of God who are joined together by the Spirit of God and to Christ their Head from whom they receive Nourishment for the Spirit of God does distribute to every one severally as he will and so are all made to drink mark to drink into one Spirit in which they have all Fellowship in the heavenly drinking of the Spiritual Drink and eating of the Spiritual Bread that comes down from Heaven Therefore every Man and Womans Eye must be lifted up to Heaven and Minds and Thirsts and Desires and Hearts and the Soul that hungers and the Needy that sighs and the Poor that groans for this Bread that comes down from Heaven and the Spiritual Drink and so they may have the Spiritual Bread in their own Houses and heavenly Water in their own Cisterns with which they may have to refresh them felves and others So here may all eat and drink to the Praise and the Glory of God for all drinks into one Spirit And as they eat of the Bread that comes down from Heaven then they can say the Scripture is fulfilled all Eyes are Lifted up unto thee thou opens with thy Hand to wit thy Power and thou fillest with thy Blessings and then with their Souls Hearts and Spirits Minds and Lips they will shew forth his Praise in praising God the Creator who is in all over all through all and above all And therefore in the Power and Name of Jesus in whose Name you were gathered keep your Meetings your Mesn and Womens Meetings that in the Power you may be kept in the Holy Vnity and Holy Order in Diligence in the Church of God and in his Business and Affairs Admonishing Exhoring Rebuking such as talk and does not walk accordingly such as professes and does not possess and such as are the Sayers and are not the Doers So that every ones Life and Conversation may be as becomes the Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ the heavenly Man and keep in the Vnity of the Spirit which is the Bond of the Prince of Princes Peace which if you break you fonfeit your Riches in your Estate and Inheritance of Life And some Men may say Man must have the Power and Superiority over the Woman because God says The Man must rule over his Wife and that Man is not of the Woman but the Woman is of the Man Man and Womin to be helps-meet now as in the beginning Indeed after Man fell that Command was but before Man fell there was no such Command for they were both meet helps and they were both to have Dominion over all that God made And as the Apostle saith for as the Woman is of the Man his next Words are so is the Man also by the Woman but all things are of God And so the Aposcle clears his own Words and so as Man and Woman is restored again by Christ up into the Image of God they both have Dominion again in the Righteousness and Holiness and are helps meet as before they fell So then the Man is not without the Woman neither the Woman without the Man in the Lord. He that hath an Ear to hear let him hear But there is some dark Spirits that say That for Women to meet together to worship God apart from the Men is monstrous and ridiculous But this dark Spirit has not defined what Worship is for if a Company of Women should meet together and some of these Women should kneel down and lift up their Hands and Eyes to God and pray to God or praise God as John would have fallen down to the Angel this is Worsbip And if the dark Spirit calls this Monstrous and Ridiculous because Men is not with them then it will follow it will be monstrous and ridiculous to pray to God or to worship God except Men be with them Therefore with the Spirit of God all may see what Confusion this dark Spirit is running into that is against Womens-Meetings and that Women must not worship God apart from the Men and calls it monstrous and ridiculous but from their own monstrous Spirit their own ridiculousness is manifest For you may see in the Scripture what Worship was and what Worship is such as was not to worship Idols they were not to lift up their Hands nor Eyes to them nor to fall down to them but to worship God and to bow bown to him and to lift up their Hands and Eyes to him for all Men and Women must lift up their Eyes Hands Hearts and Spirits to the Lord and to bow to him and worship him and ought in all their Meetings that gather in the Name of Jesus to wait upon the Lord for Wisdom Counsel and Vnder
People Glory to his Name for ever Amen Great Persecutions are in most Counties in England and may are imprisoned in many Places and their Goods spoiled and we had a very large Yearly Meeting here and very Peaceable and Quiet And the Lord's Power and Presence was richly manifest in our Meetings and the Lord wonderfully supports Friends in all their Trials and Sufferings and Friends generally are in much Love and Vnity one with another Now Friends we desire that at your Quarterly Meeting you may write over an Epistle to the Yearly Meeting in London of the Affairs of the Church of Christ and the Prosperity and the spreading of his Truth there for we had a large Epistle from the Half Year Meeting in Ireland which declares that Friends were all in Vnity there and likewise and Account was given from Scotland that Friends were in Vnity there Account from divers parts of Friends Love c. and likewise an Epistle was read in our Yearly Meeting here from the Yearly Meeting in Holland which gives an Account that Friends are in Love and Vnity there and in Freezland Germany and other places but at Embden and Dantzick they are under great Persecution and we have lately a new Meeting set up beyond Holland who have been under much Suffexings and Persecutions but they stand faithful so the Lord. And at Algier in the Turks Country Friends there have set up a Meeting amongst themselves which are Captives about Twenty Friends A Meeting of Captive Friends at Algier and some other of the Captives have been Convinced at that Meeting And one Thomas Tilby a Captive Friend hath a Testimony for God and speaks there among them and their Patroons or Masters lets them meet and one of their Masters spoke to a Friend as he was going to a Meeting and thought he had been going to a publick Tipling House and he stop'd him and ask'd him whether he was going and he told him to Worship the Great God and he said it was well and let him go and some of the Turks said They had some among them of their People that would not buy Stolen Goods I have written a large Epistle to them to incourage them and that they might Preach the Gospel abroad in those Parts both in their Words Lives and Conversations and this Meeting there among the Turds may be of great service And now Friends all be careful of God's Glory and seek the good one of another and strive all to be of one Mind and Heart and that the Peace and gentle Wisdom of God may order you all And be curteous and kind and tender-hearted one to another and so the Lord God Almighty in his Holy Spirit preserve you all in Vnity and Fellowship one with another Amen And Friends you may send a Copy of this to the Caribbe Islands to be read in their Quarterly Meetings and you may read it in your own G. F. DEar Friends Epist 316. All that feels the Life and Power and Spirit of the Living God who are made alive by Christ Jesus the living heavenly and spiritual Man and sp are come to feed upon the Heavenly and Spiritual Things which Christ your Shepherd directs you to according to your Capacity Age and Growth and so to know him that God has sent to Feed you above all the Feeders that Men have sent To look to Jesus Therefore look unto him who with his Net which is his Power hath gathered you out of this great Sea the World And now do not build like the Fools upon the Sand of the Sea-shore but upon the Rock and Foundation which is Christ the Life that will stand over Death Tempests Winds and Storms and so looking unto Jesus that is your Saviour that has saved you out of the Flood you may walk upon the World's Sea looking unto him that will finish it and so in truth you can say Faith is your Victory this is your Victory even your Faith that Jesus has been the Author of the heavenly and spiritual Man And Faith comes by hearing of the Word by which all things was made and created and by which all things are upheld which lives and abides and indures for ever which Word was in the beginning with God and God was the Word which Word became Flesh and dwelt among us who beheld his Glory the Glory as of the only begotten Son of God who is risen whom you come now to hear and see and not only so but come to be made partakers of his Glory and of his Resurrection from the Dead So blessed are they They are blessed who have a part in the first Resurrection and you that comes to have part in the first Resurrection that on you the second Death may have no power and such as doth they know a dying to Sin here and putting off the Body of Sin and Death and a crucifying the Old Man with his Affections and Lusts and a putting him off and to be dead from the Rudiments of the World And so they that die with Christ shall live with him and they that are risen with Christ can never touch taste nor handle the Doctrines Commandments and dead Rudiments of Men of the World but let such put on the New Man which after the Image of God is created in Righteousness and Holiness and such comes to live in Christ and walk in him and have their part or lott in the first Resurrection in Christ Jesus and the second Death hath no power over them but they live in him that hath Power over Death Hell and the Grave and over the Devil and the Power of Death Christ Jesus who was before he was the First and Last but they that will not believe in Christ the Resurrection and the Life are for Condemnation with the Devil Hell and Death which is to be cast into the Lake of Fire and over such the second Death hath Power And therefore all that comes out of Death and partake of the first Resurrection and know that they have been Dead in Sins and Trespasses and are quickned by Christ Jesus and know a living here in Christ and a dying here with Christ while upon the Earth for John spake it whilst he was upon the Earth the second Death shall have no power over them and they that does not the second Death hath power over them which as I said before must be cast into the Lake of Fire that burns with Brimstone and such has not the Blessing as they in the first Resurrection but the Curse Wo and Misery And therefore all you who are the first Fruits to God in the Resurrection by Jesus Christ and who know him the Resurrection and the Life and are translated from Darkness to Light and into the Kingdom of his dear Son that stands in Righteousness and Holiness and Joy in the Holy Ghost that you may shew forth righteous and holy Fruits so that you may glorifie God the Father of our
Night long and they Watch to preserve the Ship and to prevent any Enemy or Hurts that might come to the Ship by Passengers or otherwise And Christ came in the Fourth Watch of the Night walking on the Sea c. And Peter was in the Ship and his Disciples as you may see in Matth. 14. and in Mark 6. and 48. And Simon Peter had part of the Ship as you may see in Luke 5. And so it was that James and John Sons of Zebedee were Partners with Simon And Christ saith Luke 12.38 39. speaking of his Coming We are to keep our Watch both outwardly and inwardly and Exhorting to watch If he to wit the Master should come in the second or third Watch and find them Watching blessed are those Servants So this Watching was for Christ and against Sin and Evil in their own Hearts And then he brings a Comparison And this know that if the good Man of the House said he had known what Hour the Thief would come he would have watched and not suffered his House to be broken up c. And so here is the good Man's watching against Sin and Evil without and the Spoiler and Thief without whom the Magistrate is to Revenge and to lay his Sword upon And here is also a watching against Sin and Evil within and a waiting to receive Christ the Lord at his Coming And as there is a shutting the outward Doors to keep out the Murderers and the Thieves and a Bolting and Locking of them out So there is a shutting up and locking the Door of the Heart to keep out the Adulterer and Murderer and all that is Deceitful from coming within into the Heart And Friends the Priests and Professors used to bring this Scripture You must be subject to every Ordinance of Man for the Lords sake to the end that we should pay them their Maintenance and hold up their Worship And when the Magistrates brought that Scripture for these ends we could not obey them in these things nor touch nor taste their Ordinances Doctrines nor Commandments But to be subject to every Ordinance of Man for the Lord's sake which was for the Punishment of Evil Doers as Drunkards Thieves Murderers Adulterers and such like and to keep down such Evil Doers and that we might live a Godly and Peaceable Life under them which was for the Praise of them that do well this we always owned and were subject to and watched against and declared against in our own way and laid such Actors and Actions before the Magistrates for them to punish and keep down with their Power If a Magistrate compel against our Conscience we patiently Suffer which is their Sword of Justice but if they would compel us to things that we could not do contrary to our Conscience for the Lords sake we suffered for it So where Friends has the Government as in Rhode Island and that Province Friends was willing to watch in their own way and they made a Law that none should be compelled to take Arms. So Friends have always profered the Magistrates though they could not joyn with then in carrying Arms Swords and Pistols yet to watch in their own way against the Evil Doer And this they have profered in Barbadoes as I have heard to discover if Negroes should rise up to Burn Plantations or Steal or do any hurt or other Indians invading their Land And so if the foreign Indians should come to Steal your Goods or to Kill for you to be left to your freedom to watch in your own way and to discover to the Magistrate such as would destroy your Lives or Plantations or Steal let them come from at home or come from abroad such Evil Doers the Magistrate is to punish who is for the Praise of them that do well So that you may live and lead a Godly and Peaceable Life under them And you that are Righteous you watching discovering and declaring against such Evil doers and things you clear your selves and demonstrate that your testimony is against such things And if the Magistrates should be evily inclined and God should bring the Evil Doers as a Rod upon them yet you are clear in your testimony that knows Truth and are in your Duty and in your Obedience And for this cause he has his Tributs To give to the Magistrate Tribute Custom and Due and double Honour and his Custome and his Due and double Honour if he Rules well and God has his Praise and his Honour and in that Power and Truth of God which is against Vntruth and the Power of Darkness and in the Light which is against Evil and in the Life which is against Death you discover the Bad to him for him to Punish them upon true Evidence and if he does not do it it will lie upon him And if he be a Praise to the Evil and a Discouragement to the Good then the Lord will deal with him and tho' to such for Conscience and for the Lord's sake we cannot be subject to the Evil but rather suffer thereby and are subject to that which punishes and keeps down the Evil and are glad of it And we desire that Justice were uppermost in all Magistrates that they would hear Friends at their Yea or Nay that do come to them and discover to them the Evil and that they might see what they should do and what they should not do So Friends may discover all that which is Evil which comes to devour and destroy both within and without both within the Island and without to them that should keep it down And so in the Lord 's Everlasting Power in which Freedom is and Dominion the Lord God Almighty keep you in his Power and Life in the Gospel which brings Life and Immortality to Light in you that you may see over the Devil that had darkned you and kept you in a separation from God So that by his Gospel the Power of God which was before the Devil was and will be when he is gone who was the Author of Strife That in that Power you may all freely approach to God and in it feel nothing betwixt you and the Lord of hindring your Passage unto him So that in this Gospel the Power of God in which Life and Immortality is brought to Light you may keep and feel your Everlasting Fellowship and Order of the Gospel which is not of Man nor by Man So with my Love to all Friends in all those Parts as though I named them and be at Peace one with another neither Judge one another about such things but live in Love which doth edifie And in the Power of God that your Hearts and Souls and Minds may unite together in it and all to walk as becomes the Gospel That our Lives and Conversations may preach c. And let your Lives and Conversations Preach that with a Measure of the Spirit of God you may reach to that of God in all
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
therein are his and he gives the increase thereof And therefore be not over eager after outward things but keep above them in the Lord's Power and Seed Christ Jesus that is over all in whom you have all Life Election and Salvation And write over Yearly from your Meetings how you are settled and how your Affairs go in the Truth and how your Men and Womens Meetings are settled And my Desires are That we may hear that you are a good Savour to God in those Countries So that the Lord may Crown all your Actions with his Glory So with my Love to all Swarthmore the 4th of the 1st Month 1676. G. F. MY Friends Epist 341. All you that do know God and Christ your Teacher and are come to be the Sons and Daughters of the Lord God and are in his New Covenant in which you all do know the Lord and need not any Man to say unto you Know the Lord And are Heirs of the Gospel of Peace and Salvation that hath brought Life and Immortality to light and that by the Power of God the Gospel you do see over him the Adversary and the Destroyer that hath darkned you And so doth know that the Power of God is the Authority of your Mens and Womens Meetings in it keep them and all other Meetings and all such as be Heirs of Grace and Heirs of Life and Heirs of the Gospel keep your Mens and Womens Meetings in the Power of God the Authority of them and they that crieth against them or you strive not with them for they will in God's time die of themselves and wither away but keep your Testimony of the Life and of Grace and of the Gospel and of the Order of it and your Faith in him your Teacher who bruises the Head of the Serpent the Author of all Disorder and ill Government even Christ the increase of whose Government in his Truth and Power and Righteousness there is no end Glory to the Lord God for evermore And so all strive to be of one Mind and Heart and Soul and Spirit To live in Vnity in the Love of God and Faith living together in Vnity and in the Love of God all drinking into one Spirit by which you are Baptised into one Body having one Head who is Heavenly and Spiritual and in the one Spirit by which you are Circumcised which putteth off the Body of the Sins of the Flesh So as you do keep to the Spirit of Christ it will keep you to be one Body and to him the one Head Christ Jesus the Amen G. F. MY Dear Friends and Brethren Epist 342. That Faith which is the Gift of God which all the Saints lived in and by which they pleased God and had Victory by which they had access to God and by To live in that Faith wherein the Ancients pleased God and in which Faith they did walk And all the Just in all Ages and Generations did live by the same Faith Do you all live and walk now in your Age I say walk in that Faith by which Enoch the Seventh from Adam was translated and by which he had this Testimony that he pleased God And also keep in that Faith by which Noah built his Ark wherein he and his Family were preserved and the old World that grieved God and his good Spirit were drowned And also walk in that Faith by which Abraham forsook his Father's House and Native Country and their Idolatrous Religion And live in that Faith by which Moses forsook Egypt and refused to be called the Son of Pharaoh's Daughter and chose rather to suffer Affliction with the People of God than to enjoy the Pleasures of the World for a season And by this Faith which is the Gift of God he saw God who is Invisible And by this Faith was Rahab the Harlot saved and her Family And by this Faith the Walls of Jerico fell down without any outward Instrument of War And by this Faith Jacob went down into Egypt and his Children and by this Faith he knew they should return again And the Jews that did not keep in this Faith their Carcases fell in the Wilderness but they that kept in this Faith entered into the Land of Promise And by this Faith had all the Valiants of God the Victory and his holy Prophets and Prophetesses as you may read all along in the Scriptures And by this Faith were they kept in the Fire and by it the violence of the Fire was quench'd and by it the Mouths of the Lions were stopped So by this Faith they had the Victory And by this Faith was Elijah taken up to Heaven And so as Christ Jesus saith Faith saves and makes whole To look unto Jesus And all are to look unto Jesus the Heavenly and the Spiritual Man the Second Adam the Lord from Heaven by whom all things was made and created who is the First and the Last to be both the Author and Finisher of their Faith Now Christ said When the Son of Man cometh shall he find Faith in the Earth For all both Jews and Gentiles were concluded under Sin and Vnbelief so Sin and Vnbelief was over them and they shut up under it So whosoever hath this true saving and justifying Faith Christ Jesus hath been the Author of it and is the Finisher of this Divine and Precious Faith So all Eyes must look unto him for he is both the Author and Finisher of this Living Precious and Divine Faith And this is the Faith of God's Elect by which Faith they have access to God and know their Election by which Faith they are translated from Death to Life and from the Darkness to the Light and from the Power of Satan unto the Power of God and from the Corruption to the Incorruption and from the Mortal to the Immortal and from the Natural to the Spiritual And by this Faith By Faith the Devil is resisted the Devil the Destroyer is resisted who abode not in the Truth and by this Faith the Fiery Darts is quenched of Satan the Adversary of Man and he thereby is overcome So by this Faith you come to know the Partition Wall broken down that hath been betwixt you and God So in this Faith are all the Houshold of Faith to build upon Christ Jesus who bruises the Serpent's Head who is the Author and Finisher of Faith and this is called the Holy Faith and the One Faith and by this one Faith which Jesus Christ is the Author and Finisher of by whom all things was made and created by it we do understand the Worlds were made by the Word of God and this is the Faith which all the Houshold of Faith are to contend for That Faith which Christ is the Author of this One Faith which Christ Jesus is the Author of which Faith is the Gift of God and is held in a pure Conscience And it is called the Mystery of Faith for no
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
for my Name shall be great among the Heathen saith the Lord of Hosts And this heavenly Incense and Offering in every place is the Spiritual Offering in the New Covenant for the Jews was to offer but in one place in the Temple in the Old Covenant but in the New Covenant their Offering is in the Holy Temple of their Hearts in the Spirit with which they Offer the pure and holy and acceptable Sacrifice to God with that Spirit which God hath given them they have a living Sense of God their Creator and Father of all their Mercies who hath made them and hath made all things for them and redeems them by his Son Christ Jesus to whom be Praise and Glory and Honour and Thanks for evermore So let all bow at the Name of Jesus to his Power and Light and Spirit All are to low to the Name of Jesus for they have bowed to the Power of Darkness that foul and unclean Spirit who is out of Truth and in whom there is no Truth And therefore now all are to bow at the Name of Jesus for there is no Salvation in any other Name under Heaven but in the Name of Jesus whose Name is above every Name under the whole Heaven who is the First Born of every Creature and the First Begotten from the Dead whom God now speaks to his People by his Son and all are to hear him the great Prophet and every Tongue is to confess to Christ Jesus to the Glory of God the Father who is the First and Last who bruises the Serpent's Head And so through Christ Jesus Man and Woman comes again to God All Blessings and Praises be to the Lord God through Jesus Christ for ever and evermore Amen Swartmore the 10th Month 1679. G. F. DEar Friends every where that have received the Truth as it is in Jesus Epist 356. which is holy and pure and brings to live in him that is Pure and Holy The Truth is Peaceable and a Peaceable Habitation and the Truth is sufficient and able to make you free from him that abode not in the Truth To live in the peaceable Truth out of Strise c. and in whom there is no Truth and all that do not live and walk in the Peaceable Truth follows him that is out of the Truth into Strifes and vain Janglings and Disputings like Men of Corrupt Minds destitute of the Truth And now the Grace and Truth that comes by Jesus Christ is that which all People should be under in this New Covenant of Light and Life and Grace and Truth as the Law came by Moses in the Old Covenant and the Jews were to be under the Law But the true Christians who hath received the Grace and Truth comes to be under this Grace's teaching leading and eftablishing by which Grace and Truth they are united and joyned to Jesus Christ from whence it comes And this Grace and Truth is able and sufficient to make you free from him that is out of the Truth and to come to have a Peaceable Habitation in Christ Jesus their Eternal Rest and Sabbath For Christ Jesus saith to his Believers and Followers In me ye have Peace but in the World ye have Trouble and the trouble is in the World of Wickedness In Christ we have Peace And therefore God's People are not to love the World nor the things of the World for the love of the World is Enmity to God And therefore feel God's Love shed abroad in all your Hearts through Christ Jesus to carry all your Hearts and your Minds above the Love of the World and this Love is that which will preserve you in the excellent way of bearing all things and the Love of God fulfils the Law And the Fruits of the pure holy Spirit of the God of Truth is Love which is a peaceable Spirit but the foul unclean Spirit that is out of the Truth is a ravenous unquiet unpeaceable Spirit And the Faith that Jesus Christ is the Author and Finisher of it works by Love and the Spirit of Faith is a Peaceable Spirit which Faith gives the Victory over the unpeaceable unruly ravenous Spirit and by which Faith you have the Inheritance And the Glorious Gospel of Christ Jesus which is the Power of God the Gospel of Peace which is over the Power of Darkness and was before it was and it will be when it is gone and in this Gospel all the Heirs of it have an Everlasting Unity and an Everlasting Glorious Fellowship in the Glorious Gospel of Peace yea a Glorious Peaceable Fellowship and an access to God And the Wisdom of God from above is gentle and peaceable and justifies and preserves all her Children above the unpeaceable Wisdom that is below and this Peaceable Wisdom preserves above all the unruly Spirits and vain Talkers and Janglers such as talk of the Wisdom of God but lives not in it but in the Wisdom of the World And such as talk of the Gospel of Christ the Power of God Such as talk of the Gospel and live out of it have not comfort in the Scriptures nor the Spirit of God but lives not in it but do live in the Power of Satan the Enemy and Adversary and the Devil the destroying Power and Spirit and such have no comfort of the Scriptures nor of the things of God nor of the Grace nor of the Truth nor of the Wisdom of God nor of Faith nor Light though they may talk of all these things while they follow that unruly foul unpeaceable Spirit that abode not in the Truth in whom there is no Truth and where there is no Truth there is Confusion and Disorder Now the God of Truth is a God of Order from whom you have Grace Truth and Faith which is his Gift and his Spirit and Gospel and Wisdom that you may all live in the Order of it and as it orders you For God is a God of Order and his Order is known in his Light Grace and Truth and Spirit and his Gospel the Power of God and in his Wisdom And all his Children and People should live in the Order of his Light Spirit and Gospel and Wisdom and delight in the Order of it And all you that know God and Jesus Christ which is Eternal Life then in this Eternal Life you do know that the God of Truth is a God of Order and you love his Order in his Light and Life and Grace and Truth in his Gospel and in his Spirit and in his heavenly pure Wisdom by which all his Children are justified And in his Truth that makes free from him that abode not in the Truth in whom there is no Truth that all his Children should walk in the Order of Truth which hath made them free who are born again of the Incorruptible Seed by the Word of God The Truth makes free that lives and abides and endures for ever And so feeds of the Milk of
this Immortal Word and so are of an Incorruptible Generation which is above the Corruptible and here is the hidden Man of the Heart that is Incorruptible known that hath an Everlasting Fellowship and hath an Incorruptible Crown and is an Heir of an Incorruptible Kingdom And now the God of this World and his Followers that abode not in the Truth in whom there is no Truth cannot endure to hear talk of the Order of Truth which is in the Light and Life and in the Gospel and in the Wisdom of the God of Truth For the World is full of Disorder and Confusion but the Living Eternal Immortal God of Truth is a God of Order and not of Confusion who hath sent his Son to destroy the Devil and his Works Blessings and Praises with all Glory and Thanks be unto him who hath all Power Might Majesty and Dominion now henceforth and for ever Amen G. F. DEar Friends Epist 357. All live the Life of the true Christians and not the Life of old Adam that went from God's Command and Voice nor like the Jews To live the Life of Christianity and such as have got the Name of Christians that say There is no hearing of God and Christ's Voice now which are out of the Life Power and Spirit Grace and Truth and Image of God that the true Christians were in and Adam and Eve before they fell so that none can live the Life of the true Christians and the holy Prophets and Apostles except they are in the same Power and Spirit Grace and Truth and Faith and Image that they were in which is a Life above the World and its God in whom there is no Truth no Life Light nor Power of the Living God abiding in them And therefore before any can live the Life of the Saints they must bow to the Name of Jesus their Saviour in his Light Grace and Truth and Power and Spirit which cometh from him who submitted himself to the shamesul Death of the Cross and destroyed Death and his Power who had no Sin nor Guile in his Mouth and is risen again for our Justification and so hath tasted Death for every Man and given himself a Ransom for all that all should now bow at his Name Jesus a Saviour and so to his Power and Authority bow who hath all Power in Heaven and Earth given to him So all Men have bowed under Death and Sin by Transgression Christ submitted to the Cross and Death for us And Christ hath submitted to the Cross and Death for them and hath born their Stripes for Sin and Iniquity who had no Sin neither knew any to bring us out of Death and Sin Therefore every one must bow at the Name of Jesus as before whatsoever they do in Word or Deed it must be done in the Name of Jesus and before that they can confess to Jesus Christ to the Glory of God the Father they must all bow at the Name of Jesus and bow to his Grace and Truth Light Spirit and Power that cometh by Jesus which they know Him the Fountain the Rock and Foundation to build upon who brings out of Death and Darkness into Light and Life and a Kingdom and a World that is Everlasting and there to have Food and Cloathing that is Everlasting G. F. DEar Friends With my Love to you in the holy Peaceable Truth that never changes nor admits of no Evil Epist 358. but makes all free that receive it and tht walk in it To live in Truth which admits of no Evil. and is over all the Clouds without Rain and Wells without Water and Trees without Fruit And from the Truth floweth Justice Equity Righteousness and Godliness Mercy and Tenderness that brings a Man's Heart Mind Soul and Spirit to the Infinite and Incomprehensible God and from it a Love flows to all the Univerfal Creation and would have all to come to the Knowledge of the Truth and it bends every one to their utmost Ability to serve God and his Truth and to spread it abroad and it brings their Minds out of the Earth which makes them brittle and changeable and uncertain for it doth not change neither doth it touch with that which does change As to Vnity It makes all like it self that do obey it Vniversal to live out of narrowness and self and deny it So it brings all into Oneness and answereth the good Principle of God in all People and brings into Humility and the Fear of the Lord which is the beginning of his Wisdom and it brings all to have a care of God's Glory and his Honour and watches over all the Professors of it for their good to keep within its bounds and walk within its order which he that is out of Truth leads into all disorder in whom there is no Truth and the Truth makes all its Children free from him and in it to reign over him Thanks Glory and Honour to the Lord God of Truth over all for ever Amen The Lord who is the God of all Peace and Order The Lord is the Protect or of his People alone Protects and Preserves his People with his Eternal Power for the Devil's Power is not Eternal it had a beginning and must have an ending for the Eternal Power limits that Devourer and Destroyer And therefore Friends Patience must be exercised in the Truth and keep to the Word of Patience which Word was before the World was and abides and endures for ever and it will keep Friends over and out of all the Snares of the World and its Temptations So with my Love in the Seed of Life that reigns over all and in it the Lord God Almighty preserve and keep you all to his Glory Amen G. F. An Epistle to be read amongst Friends FRiends You that are Believers in the Light Epist 359. which is the Life in Christ To Gather in the Name of Jesus and are grasted into him who is ascended far above all Principalities Power Thrones and Dominions by whom all things were made and created all the Children in the New Covenant do Gather together in the Name of Christ Jesus whose Name is above every Name under the whole Heaven and in whose Name they have Salvation and not by any other Name under the whole Heaven And at this Name must every Knee bow and every Tongue confess Christ Jesus to the Glory of God the Father and they that have bowed their knee to the Name of Jesus and do confess him to the Glory of God the Father cannot Gather in any other Name under Heaven below the Name of Jesus but Gather in the Name of Jesus which is above every Name under Heaven in whom they have Salvation and so cannot not Gather in any Name below Christ for they do know that they have not any Salvation in whatsoever Name that they do Gather together in below the Name of Jesus And being gathered in the Name of Jesus he
is the midst of them the Prince of Life and Peace and Captain of Salvation and a Prophet to open the Book of Couscience Christ the Prince of Life and Captain of our Salvation and the Book of the Law and Prophets and Gospel and his Book of Life to them and a Bishop to oversee them and a Heavenly Shepherd to feed them in his Heavenly Pasture of Life and a Heavenly King to rule in their Hearts and in his glorious Kingdom amongst them that are born again and that seeth and entereth into his Everlasting Kingdom of Righteousness Peace and Joy in the Holy Ghost And all these Children in the Kingdom and in the New Covenant of Grace Light and Life cannot feed of any Bread for their Immortal Souls that is made by Man which he hath heavened with the sowre Leaven for that sowre leavened Bread will make their Hearts to burn and the Jews were not to keep their Feasts with leavened Bread in the old Covenant The Jews in Spirit keep their Feast with unleavened Bread from Heaven then much more the Jews in the Spirit in the new Covenant who hath their Bread from Heaven their unleavened Bread who in the new Covenant doth keep their Feast with unleavened Bread from Heaven and cannot feed their Souls with any Bread but that which cometh down from Heaven and this Bread from Heaven giveth Life to the Soul and is the Staff of their heavenly Life this heavenly Bread as the outward Bread is the Staff of the natural Life in this World that must have an end but the Bread from Heaven is the heavenly Staff of Life that doth nourish up into a heavenly Life and a World and a Kingdom that is without end And such as feedeth on this heavenly Bread cannot feed their Souls with any Bread below that which comes from Heaven for it doth not give them Life So that they can neither touch taste nor handle that which is below which perisheth for the Breaa of Life from Heaven doth not persh but giveth Life Eternal and this Bread is sure and they that feedeth upon it shall hunger no more So all Eyes are to look up to Heaven for this Bread of Life which giveth them Life and not below Heaven for neither are they to follow them that crieth Lo it is here and lo there or to drink of their Cup that are whored from the Spirit of God nor to eat of their leaveneed Bread for they that do believe in the Light which is the Life in Christ are grafted into him the true Vine So the Believers do feel a living Spring springing up in them to Eternal Life True Believers drink of the Spring of Eternal Life from the Fountain from whence it cometh And so here all the true Believers have the upper and the nether Springs in themselves and such may drink freely and eat freely of the Bread and Water of Life and doth hunger and thirst no more but eat and drink that which is Eternal which nourisheth them up to Eternal Life and so beareth Heavenly Spiritual Fruits to the Praise of the Eternal God which Plants he hath watered by his upper and nether Springs which Trees or plants their Fruits are unto Holiness and their End is Everlasting Life So none of the Children of the New Covenant need go to the World for Bread or Water to give them Life Everlasting to keep them from the World's Storms or Weapons to defend their Church or Worship for they have them from Heaven and heavenly Bread and Water and Spiritual Weapons and Armour and the Righteousness of Christ the fine Linnen their Cloathing Glory to the Lord for ever who makes all his spiritually Rich and to be Lenders and not Borrowers and Givers and not Receivers which is more blessed than the Receiver And the Jews in the old Covenant were to wash their Cloaths and to sanctifie themselves when they did appear before the Lord and so are the Children of God in the New Covenant of Life Light and Grace who do appear before the Lord God's Children are to put on the Righteousness of Christ are to be washed and cleansed and sanctified and to put on the Righteousness of Christ their fine Linnen that never will wax old and so to put off all the Old Adam's Garments that he hath covered himself and his Sons and Daughters with in the Fall and Transgression which will wax old and rot but that which God and Christ doth put on and cloath his Saints withal is Everlasting So Man's Righteousness and his filthy Rags must be put off and they must come into the Righteousness of Christ and put it on which doth exceed the Righteousness of the Law if they do enter into the Kingdom of God which doth stand in Righteousness and Peace and Joy in the Holy Ghost Now in the Old Testament it 's said The Priests Lips is to preserve the Peoples Knowledge But the New Testament saith Christ is the Treasnre of Wisdom and Knowledge That Christ is the Treasure of Wisdom and Knowledge The Old Testament saith That you must offer your Sheep Goats Bulls and Heifers and other Creatures which God commanded by the Law in the Old Testament for your Sins and cleansing But the New Testament saith That Christ is offered up once for all And the Old Testament saith That the Blood of Bulls and other Creatures cleanseth from Sin But the New Testament saith That Christ's Blood cleanseth from all Sin And in the Old Testament it 's said You must carry your Offerings and First-Fruits and Tithe to the Store-House But the New Testament saith Freely you have received freely give and forbiddeth Bag or Staff And in the Old Testament the Priest was to light the Candles and Lamps in the Tabernacle and Temple and to circumcise the Men-Children But the New Testament saith And enlightens his People with his Light and Life Christ doth enlighten every Man that cometh into the World with his heavenly Light which is the Life in Christ the Word and the Spirit of Man is the Candle of the Lord So he doth enlighten the Candle and Lamp in the Tabernacle and saith Believe in the Lght that ye may become Children of the Light and Christ doth minister the Circumcision in the Spirit that putteth off the Body of the Sins of the Flesh that came upon Man and Woman by Transgression So that the Children are the Circumcision of the Spirit in the New Testament and not of the Flesh and Letter as they were in the Old Testament And in the Old Testament it 's said That the Priests put the Testament and the Law and the Pot of Manna into the Ark in the Tabernacle and Temple But in the New Testament God poureth out of his Spirit upon all Flesh in the new Covenant God poureth out of his Spirit upon all Flesh and the Holy Ghost proceedeth from the Father and the Son into the Hearts of his
People to lead them into all Truth and reproveth the World of Sin and the Bread of Life that they have from Christ is in their Arks and Hearts or in their Temples and God doth write his Law in the Hearts and Minds of his People So in the New Testament they have the Law written in the Heart and Mind and the Old they had in the Letter and Tables of Stone and in the New they have the Testament and Testimony the Spirit of Christ in their Hearts and the heavenly unleavened Bread in their Hearts which they do keep the Everlasting Feast with And in the Old Testament The circumcised in Heart do eat of the heavenly Bread Flesh the Clean and circumcised out wardly did eat of the Passover the Lamb without blemish But in the New Testament the clean and circumcised in Heart do eat of the Passover Christ the heavely Bread and Flesh and so doth keep the Feast of their Passover in the New Testament And the Old Testament had the outward Temple and Tabernacle and outward Lights But in the New Testament the Saints Bodies are the Temples and Tabernacles of God and his Light doth shme in their Hearts to give them the knowledge of the Glory of God in the Face of Jesus Christ And in the Old Testament it 's said Do this and live and the New saith Believe in the Light Christ and be saved And the Old Testament saith Thou shalt Swear and perform thy Oaths to the Lord But Christ saith in the New True Christians are not to be angry without a Cause Swear not at all And the Old Testament saith Thou shalt not kill nor commit Adultery But Christ in the New saith Thou shalt not be Angry without a cause and thou shalt not lust after a Woman And the Old Testament saith Thou shalt stand up and Curse But the New saith Bless and curse not The Old Testament saith Thou shalt hate thine Enemy But the New saith Thou shalt love thy Enemies and do good to them that hate thee and despitefully use thee So the New Covenant and Testament is not according to the Old And in many other things besides these it might be shewed how one doth exceed the other in Glory G. F. To all the Men and Womens Meetings every where ALL the faithful Men and Women Epist 360. are to be as Abraham and Sarah Abraham the Father of the Faithful and Sarah a Mother in Israel Men and Women are meet belps in the Restoration by Christ Jesus to give Suck and to nourish up the Seed the Heir of the Promise Likewise to be as Adam and Eve before they fell weet-helps in the Image of God and in the Power of God with which they were to sudue the Earth In which Power of Image of God they were not only to subdue the Earth but subdue Unrighteousness and all Ungodliness and that which they know doth dishonour God And likewise all the faithful Women are to be as Dorcas And to be fellow helpers in Christ Jesus a Disciple of Christ Jesus that their good Works of the Spirit and Faith may follow them And also they are to be as Phebe who was a Minister of the Church at Cencrea and she was such a faithful trusty Minister that the Apostle sent his Epistle by her to Rome from Corinth with a Recommendation of her And also all the faithful Men and Women are to be as Aquilla and Priscilla who were the Apostles fellow-helpers in Christ Jesus and had a Church in their House and were Inftructers concerning the things of God and Christ Jesus in his New Testament and New Covenant and of his Kingdom And likewise to be as Mary Magdalen and Joanna and mary the Mother of James and other Women that were with those Women which first preached and declared to the Apostles the Resurrection of Jesus Christ and Christ said unto those Women Go and tell his Disciples that he was risen from the Dead so these Women were the first Messengers of the Glad-Tidings Matth. 28. Luke 24. Mark 16. And these Tidiugs did astonish the Apostles at first for they said Certain Women of our Company which were of the Disciples made us astonished saying That Jesus was risen from the Dead this two of his Disciples said when they were talking with Christ Women were the first Preachers of Christ's Rgsurrection but they did not perceive it till he opened their Eyes as in Luke 24. So the Women continued in their firm Belief and then after wards the Apostles came to believer also And therefore it is good for every one to have a Sense of the Resurrection of Christ and not seek him below but seek him above for he is risen from the Dead and lives and sits at the Right Hand of the Living God And also all the Faithful are to be as Miriam the Prophetess to Incourage the Church and Praise God And also to be as Huldah the Prophetess who instructed the King his Princes and Priests in the Law of God and the Old Covenant So they should be much more diligent to teach and instruct in the New Covenant and Testament which doth exceed the Old in its Glory And also to be as Anna the Prophetess an ancient Woman of Eighty four Years Old and she gave thanks and spake of Christ to all them that looked for Redemption in ferusalem and so here was general and a publick Preaching of Christ Jesus And also to be as Hannah in the old Testament who conscecrated her Son Samuel unto the Lord and the Lord accepted her Prayers Tears and Offerings So she had not a mind to let him run Wild. And likewise as Deborah Deborah both a Prophetess and a Judge in Israel who was a Prophetess in the Old Covenant and a Judge in Israel what Victories with outward Weapons the Lord did give her and how she praised the Lord which was by Faith in the time of the Old Covenant But in the time of the New Covenant the true Believers wrestles not with Flesh and Blood but are all to be diligent in the Spiritual Judgment and warfare in the Spiritual Israel And the Apostle writes to Titus how he had left him in Creete that he should set in order the things that were wanting and ordain Elders in every City as he had appointed him And after he had spoken many things to Titus concerning Overseers and Teachers that they must be Blameless he saith That the Aged Men must be sober grave temporate sound in Faith in Charity and in Patience Aged Men and Women that their behaviour be as becomes the Gospel And the AgedWomen likewise that they be in Behaviour as hecomes Holiness not false Accusers c. but to be teachers of good things and that they teach the younger Women to be sober to love their Husbands and to love their Children and to be chaste keepers at home good obedient c. that the Word of God
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
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
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
Captain of Salvation And Christ's Government in the Hearts of his People is by his Grace and Truth Christ governs by his Light c. in the Hearts of Men. that comes from Christ Jesus by whom all things were made who doth enlighten every Man that cometh into the World which Light is the Life in Him he saith Believe in the Light that you may become the Children of the Light and such have the Light of Life and by it comes under Christ's Government and Peace and his Order in his Light and Life Now they that hate his Light they hate the Life in Christ the heavenly Man and such will hate Christ by whom all things were made and created and hate his Order and his Justice and Judgment and his Light and Life And such are not like to come into his established Government and Kingdom so Christ who is the Governor the Counsellor the Orderer He orders and governs with his Light his Life in the Hearts of all the Believers in the Light and all the Believers in the Light have the Witness in themselves of Christ their Ruler Counsellor Orderer heavenly Governor and of his Judgment Justice and Peace and that of the encrease of his Government there is no End Now they that hate the Light which is the Life in Christ the Second Adam They that hate the Light refuse Christ to Rule over them the Lord from Heaven they are them that would not have Christ rule over them nor in them therefore it condemns them and what is the matter that all Men and Women do not see but are blind and are not in Vnity Is it not because they hate the Light the Life in the Second Adam and will not come to the Light nor wald in the Light And then is not the Light their Condemnation who are in transgressing Old Adam And how are they like to see or believe or have Faith in Christ that hated his Light and will not come to it which is the Life in the Second Adam And therefore all that hates his Light which is the Life in him are not like to see nor receive Faith from him that will not believe in his Light nor come to it but hate it and such will hate both the Divine Faith and the Author of it And therefore all that do hate the Light which is the Life in Christ which he enlightens them withal they hate his Order they hate his Government his Rule yea Christ the Second Adam the Lord from Heaven And all such haters of Christ his Light Life Order Government and Counsel are in a false Liberty though they may profess Christ or his Government in Words yet not believing in the Light and walking in the Light the Life of Christ they have no true Fellowship one with another but are in Confusion and have no true Fellowship with the Believers in the Light the Life in Christ nor with the Son and the Father for how should they For until they come to believe in the Light the Life in the Second Adam they cannot see their own States they are in a blind State for none sees nor enters into the Kingdom of God till they are Boru again and those that are Born again are the Believers in the Light the Life in Christ and so Bocome Children of the Light grafted into Christ and such do know and see the true Liberty in Christ Jesus the Second Adam All such do see and know that all false Liberty is out of the Light the Life in the Second Adam in Old Adan in the Transgression And Christ that doth enlighten every Man that cometh into the World which is the Life in him such comes to Christ Christ enlighteneth every Man and are grafted into him the Head and so holds Christ their Head by whom all things were made and created who is over all from Everlasting to Everlasting the First and the Last the Beginning and the Ending These are they that see his Order his Government and his Rule in their Hearts and receives his Law of Spirit and Life and live and walk in it which makes them free from the Law of Sin and Death These see Christ to be the Author and Finisher of their holy divine precious Faith And their Faith stands in Christ who is the Author of it who hath all Power in Heaven and Earth given to him Christ hath all Power in Heaven and in Earth And the Mystery of this Faith they hold in a pure Conscience and do know the Law of this Faith and the Law of Love that God hath shed in their Hearts through Jesus Christ And so in this Light Faith and Life that they have from Jesus the Second Adam the Lord from Heaven they come all to be of one Faith of one Light and one Life and so of one Mind Heart and Judgment in this New Covenant of Light and Life so in it they are under the Government and Counsel and Order of Jesus that he establishes in his Everlasting Covenant of Light and Life in their Hearts The Law came by Moses and all the Jews were to be under the Law in the Old Covenant and this Law served till Christ the Seed came in his New Covenant He is come and now Grace and Truth is come by Jesus Christ the great Governor And now this Grace and this Truth is come form Him into the Hearts of all his Believers And with and in this Grace and Truth Christ rules in the Hearts of them that receives his Grace and Truth and with this Grace and Truth and in it every Believer and Saint receiveth Christ their Governor and his Order and his Counsel and heavenly Judgment and Justice from the heavenly Man in his established Government The Grace of God bringeth Salvation which he establishes with his Grace and Truth Now this Grace of God which brings Salvation which hath appeared unto all Men which does manifest that all Men have a Day of Grace and Favour Now this must needs be the special Grace of God which brings Salvation which hath appeared unto all Men. Now then not receiving this Grace and Favour of God but turning from this Grace into Wantonness and walking despitefully against the Spirit of Grace therein they are hardened and blind and turns that into Wantonness and walks despitefully against it which should teach them and bring their Salvation And therefore such comes to be blind and hardened against the Grace and Favour of God that truns it into Wantonness as I said before and walks despitefully against the Spirit of Grace and Truth and such turns against God and Christ from whence Grace and Truth comes and turns from and against his People that are established in the Grace of God that brings their Salvation Tho' such may profess God and Christ in Words only and his Grace and Truth their Profession will come to nothing except they receive his Grace and Truth into their Hearts They that
do receive Christ in his Grace and Truth which comes from him they know his Government in the Truth They who receive Christ in his Grace know his Government in the Truth and in the Covenant of Grace yea in their Hearts and knows their gracious and true Liberty in the Grace and Truth and in Christ from whence it comes and his holy and heavenly Order in his Grace and his Reign in their Hearts And all such that walks despitefully against the Spirit of Grace and turns the Grace into Wantonness though such may profess God and Christ their Profession will come to nothing and all their Liberty is false and in the Flesh in Old Adam in Transgression For true Liberty is in the Grace and Truth that is come by Jesus which leads up unto Jesus from whence it comes in whom the everlasting true Liberty is For Christ who is the Truth Holy and Pure he reigns in the Truth and in his Grace And therefore every Man and Woman must with this Grace and Truth in their Hearts which they have from Christ feel and see Christ's Reign and Rule in their Hearts and him in his heavenly Eternal everlasting Government The Lord spoke by his Prophet Joel That it shall come to pass in the last Days tht God will pour out of his Spirit upon all Flesh c. Joel 2.28 And Peter said This is that which was spoken by the Prophet Joel It shall come to pass in the last Days saith God that I will pour out of my Spirit upon all Flesh and your Sons and your Daughters shall Prophesie Your young Men shall see Visions and your old Men shall dream Dreams and on my Servants and on my Hand-maids I will pour out in those days of my Spirit and they shall Prophesie Acts 2.17 18. Now it is God that pours out of his Spirit upon all Flesh by which Sons God pours out his Spirit upon all Flesh Daughters young Men old Men Servants and Handmaids have their Visions and Prophesies and Dreams And these last Days are the Days of Christ in his Gospel and New Covenant It is said in the Old Covenant That God did pour out of his Spirit upon the House of Israel and the House of Judah But in the Days of the New Covenant of Light and Grace God poured out of hes Spirit upon all Flesh both Jews and Gentiles Now all Flesh must come to the Spirit of God and be led and guided by it if they will see Christ's heavenly spiritual Government and Order and with this Spirit to know Christ the spiritual Man to rule and govern in their Hearts And all that by this Spirit are circumcised they eat of the heavenly Passover or their Bread from Heaven And all that are baptized with the Spirit are baptized into one Body and do all drink into one Spirit So here they are one in this spiritual Fellowship which is the true Church-Fellowship even that Church which is in God the Pillar and Ground of Truth which Church Christ is the heavenly and spiritual Head of and well he may for he is the Author of their Faith and the Author of their Light and Life Grace and Truth and Spirit and Gospel of Peace and Salvation by which he Rules in the Hearts of his living Members the Church And all they that grieve vex quench and rebel against the Spirit comes to be blind as the Jews and will not see with their Eyes nor hear with their Ears nor perceive with their Hearts and such may profess Christ in the New Testament and the Apostles Words and the Government and Order of Christ as the Jews did profess the Old Testament and Christ to come but they would not receive him then when he was come No more do they now that profess he is come who vexes and quenches his Spirit and grieves it and rebels against it and errs from it And such are not like to receive Christ into their Hearts nor come into his heavenly Order and established peaceable Government as those that are led by the Spirit of God which are the Sons of God and keeps the Vnity of the Spirit which Holy Spirit is the Bond of Peace amongst all Christ's Subjects Lambs and Sheep thet feed together in his Pasture of Life For it is God that gives the heavenly Understanding of Christ's established Government and Order And they that quench and vex and rebel against the Spirit of God will rebel against Christ's established Government and Order and his People that are in it that are led by the Spirit of Wisdom and Understanding and a sound Mind And such as will not hear the Spirit of God in themselves will neither hear God nor Christ nor his Sheep nor such as he sends but rebel against them Now the Gospel being preached to or in every Creature under Heaven which Gospel is the power of God to Salvation to every one that Believes So that all that receives this Gospel the Power of God unto Salvation in their Hearts receives Christ the Power of God and his Government and Order in the Power And Christ reigns in their Hearts in his Power and such comes into the Gospel-Order and they that come to be Heirs of the Gospel the Power of God to Salvation are Heirs of Christ's peaceable established Government and are true Subjects to Christ's Power and established peaceable Government and so this Gospel the Power of God to Salvation is peaceable joyful and comfortable which is the Gospel of Christ the Second Adam Christ the Second Adam the Lord from Heaven the Lord from Heaven and is not called the Gospel of old Adam in Transgression and this Gospel which is the Power of God unto Saluation it keeps all that believes in it in the Everlasting Joy Peace and Comfort and in Order for it is the Everlasting Gospel which brings Life and Immortality to Light by which they see over the Devil and before he was that hath blinded them and darkned them from Life and Immortality So in this Gospel that hath brought Life and Immortality to Light in God's People both Men and Women they are established in the Order of it in which they do serve the Eternal Everlasting God of Truth Now all they that do not receive the Gospel of Christ the Power of God to Salvation which is preached to every or in every Creature under Heaven Life and Immortality is not brought to Light in them and such the God of the World hath blinded and so they remain Blind under the God of the World and such are Blind concerning the Order of the Gospel and are ignorant of their Salvation and of that Joy and Comfort and Peace of the Gospel neither can they serve God in the Gospel though they may profess Christ and his Gospel in words yet such hath no Comfort of it And therefore such as disobeys the Gospel of Christ the Power of God to Salvation and will not receive it nor
believe in it How can they receive the Order of the Gospel of Christ the hevenly Man from whence the Gospel comes or to receive him to reign in their Hearts when they will not receive his Gospel the Power of God to Salvation in their Hearts And again How can they receive his People or believe his People that are in the Order of the Gospel of Christ and hath received it and him in their Hearts who disobeys it and will not receive it in their own Hearts Such are not like to come into the Order of the Gospel that disobey it Such will disobey Christ and will not regard his People in whom he reigns who walk in the Order of his Gospel the Power of God unto Salvation Now it 's Christ the Second Adam that lighteth every Man that cometh into the World with the Light which is the Life in himself and every one that believeth in the Light and becomes Children of the Light and walks in it they walk in Unity and Fellowship and in the Order of the Light and Government of Christ in such Christ doth reign And all them that hate this Light and will not come to it nor believe in it they are condemned by it Now The Grace of God hath appeared unto all Men. The Grace of God that brings Salvation hath appeared unto all Men and all Men that receives this Grace and Truth that is come by Jesus they receive Christ from whence it comes in their Hearts to be their Teacher and their Salvation and so comes into Christ's Government and Order in the Truth and into the Covenant of Grace And they that hate the Truth and turn from the Grace mto Wantonness and walk despitefully against the Spirit of Grace they turn against Christ his Order and Government and his Power also And God pouring out if his Spirit upon all Flesh All that are led by the Spirit of God and Christ are the Sons of God and such are obeyers of Christ's Spiritual Order and Government And they that quench the Spirit of God and rebels against it rebels against Christ's Order and Government and Him in his People and their Spiritual Fellowship and the Gospel of Salvation being preached to every Creature under Heaven which Gospel is the Power of God Every Creature under Heaven must receive this Gospel in their Hearts if they receive Christ and his Government and his Order of the Gospel and him to rule in their Hearts And all you that have received it have received the Comfort of it and those that disobey and rebel against the Gospel the Power of God such disobeys and rebels against God and Christ and his Government and his People which are in the Order of the Gospel the Power of God And as it is said Christ is in you except you be Reprobates and all that receives Christ in them it is by his Light which is the Life in him and the Grace and Truth that comes by Jesus and the Faith that he is the Author of and his Spirit and Gospel This they must receive in their Hearts if they receive Christ in them And Christ said to his Disciples and Followers That He would send them the Spirit of Truth the Comforter which should proceed from the Father and the Son which should lead them into all Truth and be should reprove the World of Sin Righteousness and Judgment So that which leads the Believers and Diseiples of Christ into all Truth and is their Comforter is the Reprover of the World of their Sin Righteousness and Judgment So here is that which is the World's Reprover is the Saints Comforter and Leader into all Truth and so into all true Fellowship and true Liberty And this Holy Spirit and Comforter does not proceed from old Adam nor any of his Followers but from the Father and the Son And so every one is to have Oil in your own Lamps from the heavenly Olive-Tree To have Oil in our own Lamp from Christ the Olive-Tree that your Lamps may burn always both Night and Day in your Tabernacles looking to your High-Priest who will feed your Lamps with heavenly Oil. And every one have heavenly Salt in your selves to favour withal what is Earthly and what is Heavenly and what is from Below and what is from Above and what is out of the Truth and what is in the Truth And that every one may keep their own Vine in their own Garden Vine and their own Lilly in their own Field or Orchard which Lilly doth exceed Solomon in all his Glory And every one have the Word of Faith in their Hearts and Mouths to obey and do which will Sanctifie and make you Holy and Reconcile you to God And every one have the Anointing or Vnction within you Anointing which you have from the Father or Holy One so that in it you may continue in the Father and in the Son And every one continue in the Grace of God Grace which will teach you how to live and what to deny adn will bring your Salvation and establish you upon Christ the Rock and Foundation from whence the Grace does come And every one abide in the holy divine and precious Faith Precious Faith which you do hold in a pure Conscience by which Faith you do live and have Victory over that which displeaseth God And in this Faith you do please God which Jesus Christ the Lord from Heaven is the Author and Finisher of And every one that hath digged deep Pearl and found the Pearl of great Price and hath sold all and purchased the Field then the Field and Pearl is your own Such do know a thorow Redemption And all you Believers in the Light which is the Life in Christ that are become the Children of Light walk in the Light and in Christ as you have received him And every one mind the heavenly Leaven Leaven that will leaven you into a new Lump And every one keep the Feast of Christ our Passover Passover with his heavenly unleavened Bread in Sincerity and Truth And every one mind the Light that God hath commanded to shine out of Darkness and hath shined into your Hearts to give you the Light of the Knowledge of the Glory of God in the Face of Jesus Christ your Saviour that the excellency of the Power may be of God and not of your selves In this you are sensible of his heavenly Treasure in your earthly Vessels and every one have Water in your own Wells and Cisterns and heavenly Fruit on your Trees which God hath planted Nebuchadnezzar though his Greatness reached to Heaven Nebuchaadnezzar bumbled as a Tree yet he was to be hewn down until he knew that the Most High ruleth in the Kingdoms of Men And the God of Heaven shall set up a Kingdom which shall never be destroyed and the Kingdom shall not be left to other People Dan. 2.44 And the Stone that smote the Image
became a great Mountain and filled the whole Earth verse 35. They shall not hurt nor destroy in my holy Mountain For the Earth shall be full ot the Knowledge of the Lord ad the Waters covers the Sea Isa 11.9 The 27th of the 8th Month 1681. G. F. To Friends in Jamaica Dear Friends Epist 373. with my Love in the Lord to you all It hath been often in my mind from a Sense of the Spirit of the Lord which thing I shall lay before you and commend it to the Witness of God in all your Consciences The thing is this Advice to have a Yearly Meeting in Jamaica That if you had once in a Year a Yearly Meeting as they have in Holland Cermany and Freezlan and at Road Island and in England and else where which is and hath been of great Service for Friends to see one another and know how the Affairs of Truth prospers and how Friends doth grow in the Truth of God to the Comfort and Joy of one another in it in which the Lord Jesus Christ is exalted And if there should be any Difference among Friends it may be ended at the Yearly Meeting by some Friends out of the Meeting which could not be ended at other Meetings So that all things by the Truth and Power of God may be kept in Peace and Love all dwelling in the Wisdom of God that 's from above which is pure and peaceable and gentle and easie to be entreated And so for you once in a Year to meet together in the Lord's Power and to wait upon him in his Spirit and Truth one day and then another day you may have a Yearly Men and Womens Meeting in the Lord's Power which in time you may find and feel a great Service in the Lord's Spirit and Power in which you may feel his Presence and Blessing flow among you and as for Place and Time I shall leave it to your best Convenience and the Lord direct you that you may do all things whatever you do to his Glory for you know that in other Countries or Provinces they have either Half-Year Meetings or Yearly Meetings except it be in Jamaica which several times hath been in my Mind for you to have one there for where they are settled they see a great Service in them and the Lord hath owned them and honoured them with his Presence and that keeps all in a Sense of a care of his Glory and a care of one another that they may be kept and preserved in God's Eternal Truth in meekness in gentleness and in tenderness and in love that edifies the Body of Christ the second Adam the Lord from Heaven And so that all of you in Godliness Holiness and Righteousness may spend your Days to the Glory of God that your Conversations may be in Heaven and not below in the Earth among the wicked that the Lord God and his Son Christ Jesus may be glorified in you all who is over all blessed for ever Amen And Friends it would be very well if that you brought on your your Case of not Swearing and taking Oaths which hath been lost through that Spirit which was unfaithful Now the same Governor is come over again in whose time when he was there formerly that Act was obtained Yea and Nay instead of an Oath at the Assembly in which your Yea and Nay was taken instead of an Oath and Swearing Therefore see if you can prevail with this Governor and his Assembly to have the same Act renewed again and to clear your selves from that Spirit which was the cause that the Act was repealed So with my love in the Lord Jesus Christ to you all And my Desires are That you may all be preserved in God's Power to his Glory and that you may grow in the Truth and with the Truth answer the Truth in every one's inward parts so that ye may spread the Truth abroad and that with it your Hearts may be united together And walk in it and in the love of it for Love edifies the Body of Christ And that ye may be good Examples in the Truth and in Righteousness and Holiness and shew forth Christianity in the Possession of it above the outside Professors From Dolston the 24th of the 7th Month 1682. G. F. To Friends in Holland FRriends and Brethren in the Holy Seed of Life Epist 374. that reigneth over all in it walk and in the Power and Spirit To be as the Salt of the Earth c. and Truth of God that you all may be as a City set upon a Hill that cannot be hid and the Salt of the Earth and Light of the World to answer the Light of Christ in all and be a good Savour in them that are saved and in them that perish and all live in Love that beareth all things and doth deifie the Body of Christ and grow up in him your Head and Life and be kind and courteous and tender in Affection to one another and walk as becometh the Gospel of Christ the Power of God And dear Friends this Yearly Meeting the Lord's Power Was over all and his Seed of Life and the Lords living refreshing Presence was among us in all our Meetings And your Epistle from your Yearly Meeting in Holland was read to the refreshing of Friends and another from the half Years Meeting in Ireland and a Testimony from Scotland that Friends are in Love and Vnity there and the Truth prospereth and spreadeth and by Letters from America Friends have set up a Meeting about Twenty that are Captives among themselves and a Friend that is a Captive declareth the Truth there among them and their Masters doth let them meet and it may be of great Service there and the Lord's Power is over all and in it be Valiant for God's Truth upon the Earth and spread it abroad and that you may all in Humility exalt the Lord and that the Presence of God and his Son may be among you all and so the Blessing of the Lord be among you all Amen London the 17th of the 4th month 1682. G. F. To Friends in Barbadoes DEar Friends In all your Meetings see that the Lord God be glorified and have an Eye to his Glory Epist 375. and let all things be done without Strife or Reflections but all to mind the Testimony of Life and that which doth preserve your Unity in it and in that you will seek one anothers good and not slight one another but to esteem one another in the Truth and keep low in Humility for such God will exalt and be kind and tender-hearted one to another and dwell in the Love of God To be kind and tender hearted one to another that he doth shed abroad in your Hearts for that Love which cometh from God doth edifie the Body of Christ and therefore you must be of a noble Spirit that are of the noble Birth born of the Spirit and to love
the Srwer when he sat in a Ship Behold saith Christ a Sower went out to sow his Seed and as he sowed some fell by the High-way side and it was trodden down and the Fowles of the Air devoured it and some fell upon the Rocks or Stony Places where they had not much Earth and as soon as it was sprung up it withered away So he that receiveth the Seed into rocky and stony Places the same is he that receiveth the Word with joy yet hath he not root in himself but endureth for a while or for a while believeth and in Temptations falleth away for when Tribulations or Persecutions arise because of the Word by and by he is offended and upon too many such have we seen this Parable fulfilled in Times of Persecutions and Tribulations and Sufferings the Heat of Persecution when it is up they are scorch'd and withered away and so come to nothing And some fell among Thorns and the Thorns sprung up and choaked it and they also that received Seed among the Thorns are they that hear the Word and when they have heard go forth and are choak'd with the Cares of this World and Deceitfulness of Riches and Pleasures of this Life and become Vnfruitful and bring no Fruit to Perfection And this is seen to be the Condition of too many But the other fell into good Ground and brought forth Fruit some Thirty some Sixty and some an Hundred fold So they that received the Seed into the good Ground are they which in an honest and good Heart have heard the Word and understand it and keep it and bring forth Fruti with Patience some an Hundred fold some Sixty some Thirty as was said before these are the honest and good Hearts upon whom Christ the Son of Righteousness shines that nourishes his good Seed whol brings forth Fruit unto Perfection who lives over the deceitful Riches and Cares of the World and the Pleasures of this Life that pass away who are not offended nor moved at Tribulations and Persecutions but patiently do endure them such do bring forth Fruit unto Perfection yea an Hundred Sixty Thirty fold in Christ Jesus who bruises the Head of the Serpent that makes Men and Womens Hearts like the High-way thorny rocky and stony Ground for Men and Women whose Hearts are like unto the High-ways stony rocky and thorny Ground the Seed hath fallen into these Grounds as before and from these Grounds all can talk of the Seed and of the Word but bring forth no Fruit unto Perfection And therefore let all consider what Ground you are and what Fruit you bring forth and when ye hear the Word of the Kingdom that ye understand it which none can without the Light and Spirit of Christ and walk in it but he that shall endure to the end in the Light in the Grace Truth and Spirit and in Christ from whom you do receive these shall be saved For the Apostle saith The just Man lives by Faith The just lives by Faith And this is not by any Faith which Men make but by the Faith which Christ Jesus is both the Author and Finisher of in your Hearts and Consciences and in this Faith ye have access to God and do please him But If any Man draw back to wit in not living by this Faith doth not the Lord say my Soul shall have no pleasure in him But we are not of them who draw back unto Perdition that is a sad drawing back but of them that believe to the saving of our Souls From Kingston upon Thames the 2d of the 9th Month 1682. G. F. An Epistle to all Planters and such who are Transporting themselves into Foreign Plantations in America c. MY Friends that are gone and are going over to Plant Epist 379. and make outward Plantations in America Keep your own Plantations in your Hearts with the Spirit and Power of God that your own Vines and Lillies be not hurt And in all places where you do outwardly live and settle invite all the Indians and their Kings To invite the Iddian Kings to Friends Meetings and have Meetings with them or they with you so that you may make inward Plantaions with the Light and Power of God the Gospel and the Grace and Truth and Spirit of Christ and with it you may answer the Light and Truth and Spirit of God in the Indians their Kings and People and so by it you may make Heavenly Plantations in their Hearts for the Lord and so beget them to God that they may serve and worship him and spread his Truth abroad And so that you all may be kept warm in God's Love Power and Zeal for the Honour of his Name That his Name may be great among the Heathen or Gentiles and ye may see over or be Overseers with the Holy Ghost which was before the unclean Ghost got into Man and Woman So with this Holy Ghost you may see and over-see that the unclean Ghost and his Works may be kept out of the Camp of God So that his Camp may be Holy and all the Holy may come into it and He who is Holy may walk in the midft of you his Camp and be glorified in and among you all who is over all and worthy of all Glory from Everlasting to Everlasting blessed and praised for evermore From the rising of the Sun even 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 pare Offering for my Name shall be great among the Heathen saith the Lord of Hosts Mal. 1.11 The Lord reigneth let the Earth rejoyce let the Multitudes of the Isles be glad let every thing that hath Breath praise the Lord for the Lord taketh pleasure in his People He will beautifie the meek with Salvation Plal. 97 and 98. and Plal. 149 150. London the 22d of the 9 the Month 1682. G. F. To all christians to keep to Yea Yea and Nay Nay and to fulfil their Words and Promises ALL my Dearly Beloved Friends and Brethren every where The Lord God Almighty Epist 382 with his holy Power and Spirit hath gathered and kept and preserved you to this Day a People to himself And now dear Friends and Brethren in all your Words in all your Business and Employments Have a care of breaking your Words and Promises to and People but that you may before you make and Promises to any Man or Woman consider before-hand that you may be able to perform and fulfil both you Words and Promises to all People that you make your Promises or give your Word unto And that you Yea be Yea That our Yea be Yea. and Nay Nay in all things which Christ hath set up instead of an Oath yea above an Oath and Swearing in his New Covenant and Testament And the Apostle James holds forth the same Doctrine And this Yea Yea and Nay Nay was set
and therefore all must come to this Grace of God in their Hearts which brings their Salvation if they have Salvation and come to the Throne of Grace and this is the Covenant of Grace in which is the Election and God who made all pours out of his Spirit upon all Men and Women in the World in the Days of his New Covenant yea upon Whites and Blacks Moors and Turks and Indians Christians Jews and Gentiles that all with the Spirit of God might know God and the things of God and serve and worship him in his Spirit and Truth that he hath given them but they that do resist the Truth and quench and vex and grieve and rebel against the Spirit that God hath given them such are not like to serve and worship God in his Spirit and Truth but he that endures to the end in God's Grace Spirit Light and Truth shall be saved and the Gospel of Salvation is preached to every Creature under Heaven which Gospel is the Power of God and the Gospel of Peace and so it is glad Tidings to every Creature under Heaven and to all Nations to the Turks Jews Indians Moors Christians and Gentiles if they receive and obey the Gospel of Salvation it is glad Tidings to them all Now this is the Day of God's gathering And therefore all must come to the Light Grace Truth Power and Spirit of God in their own Particulars which they have from God and Christ that by it they might be built upon Christ their heavenly Rock and Foundation who is their Way to God who bruises the Serpent's Head and through Death destroyed Death and the Devil the Power of Death and so destroys Death and so destroys the Devil and his Works for Sin brought Death and now Christ who destroys Death that Sin brought and makes an end of Sin is the Sanctuary for all his Believers in all Storms and Tempests Trials and Troubles and Sufferings to rest upon in whom they have Peace yea Life and Salvation Now there is a common Saying among the Turks to the Christians Your Crucified God meaning Christ Now this is their mistake tho' God was in Christ reconciling the World to himself it was not the Eternal God that died It was Christ as he was Man who suffered in the Flesh upon the Cross and not God that was crucified and was crucified that was in Christ for Christ said when he was about to suffer My God my God why hast thou forsaken me So Christ suffered in the Flesh and died and was crucified as he was Man not as he was God the Word which was in the Beginning but as he was Man who bore the Sins and Iniquities of all Mankind and was an Offering for the Sins of the whole World who through Death tasted Death for every Man all being in Death in Adam so that they might have Life through Christ the Second Adam So I say again that Christ did not die as he was God but as Man He was crucified and buried and rose again the third Day and ascended and is at the Right Hand of God this he did by the Power of God as he was Man So the Turks are mistaken to say or to think that the Eternal God could be crucified or dye Dear Friends I thought needful to write a Letter to you concerning this their mistake which you may be wise in making use of To exalt God's Name in their Captivity and my desires are that you may be preserved and exalt God's Name in your Places of Captivity and in your Lives Words and Conversations answering God's Witness in the Turks Jews Moors and your Patroons And keep low and walk wisely that you may be a good Savour in the Hearts of all there-aways and then the Blessings of the Lord and his Presence will rest upon you and be in you I think you have more Liberty to meet there than we have here for they keep us out of our Meetings and cast us into Prison and spoil our Goods And therefore prize your Liberty in your Meetings and do not abuse it and the Lord preserve you all in his Grace Fear and Wisdom that you may grow up in Christ the Head and walk in him to the Glory of God Amen Read this openly in your Meetings and I have sent you here some Books that you may read them and give them to the Turks or English as you may see fit which Books are to the Turks one concerning Good Conversation and another concerning the Temple and another concerning Abraham instructing his Family and one to all Kings and Princes and another concerning Revelation and Inspiration with some others to read among your selves And Friends it would be very well for you if you could get the Turks and Moors Language that you might be the more inabled to direct them to the Grace and Spirit of God in them which they have from God in their Hearts and then geting their Language you would be able to write and translate any Papers to them which may be serviceable to instruct them and for the spreading of the Truth among the Turks and Moors So with my Love to you Gousey in Essex the 10th of the 2d Month 1683. G. F. To all the Houshold of Faith which is the Church of Christ who is the Author and Finisher of Faith who are to do good unto all but especially to them of the same Faith THE Apostle saith to the Church of Christ Epist 3â—3 I wrote unto you an Epistle not to keep company with Fornicators yet not altogether with the Fornicators of this World nor with the Covetous Extortioners Not to keep Company with Scandalous Persons Idolaters c. For then ye must needs go out of the World 1 Cor. 5. But now I have written unto you Not to keep Company if any Man that is called a Brother be a Fornicator or Covetous or an Idolater or a Railer or a Drunkard or an Extortioner c. with such an one no not to eat Therefore you see all such are to be avoided as knowing neither Fornicators Adulterers Effeminate and Abusers of themselves with Mankind nor Thieves nor Covetous nor Drunkards nor Revilers nor Extortioners shall inherit the Kingdom of God So ye may see all such Workers you are not to keep Company with nor so much as to eat with them though they have gone under the Notion of Brothers and Sisters So the Camp of God must be kept clean of such for the Feast must be kept with unleavened Bread of Sincerity and Truth So the old Leaven must be purged out For a little Leaven leavens the whole Lump And therefore ye must be a new Lump as ye are leavened by it For even Christ our Passover is sacrificed for us Therefore as is said before let us keep the Feast with Sincerity and Truth And the Apostle saith Not to be unequally yoked Be ye not unequally yoked together with Vnbelievers For what Fellowship
Saints Feet if she have relieved the Afflicted if she have dilgently followed every good Work c. These are the qualified Widows that are to be taken into the Number So here was a great Practice and a diligence in Piety for this Woman to do before she was receivinto the Number of the Faithful But says the Apostle The Younger Refuse for when they begin to wax Wanton against Christ c. they cast off their first Faith and withal they learn to be Idle so they forsake to learn and shew Piety and to live in that and so do not learn to be diligent and wander about from House to House and not only Idle but Tattlers and busie-Bodies speaking things they ought not and therefore such things were and are to be reproved such as these were not to be received and taken into the Number of the Faithful but to be refused And again the Apostle saith I will therefore that ye Younger Woman Marry bear Children guide the House give no occasion to the Adversary to speak reproachfully And the Apostle says To relieve our own Relations and to charge the Church with them If any Man or Woman that believeth have Widows let them relieve them and let not the Church be charged that it may relieve those that are Widows indeed So here you may see the Care Piety and Duty if either Man or Woman that Believes have Widows they are to relieve them and not let the Church of Christ be charged with them So let Men and Women learn to shew Piety to Widows to Nephews and to Parents And the Apostle saith to Timothy I charge thee before God and the Lord Jesus Christ and the Elect Angels that thou observe these things without preferring one before another do nothing by partiality lay hands suddenly on no Man So here you may see the Apostle's Care in the Church of Christ who would have all to be exercised in Truth and Piety and be diligent in their Service that Truth requireth of them And then again the Apostle speaks of such as are Lovers of themselves Covetous Proud Boasters disobedient to Parents Unthankful Unholy without natural Affections to wit to Husband or Wife Children Parents or others and likewise Truce-breakers which break their Covenant or Promises in their Marriages with God and with Man and so likewise break their Truce and Covenant with Men in Outward Things and also such as are false Accusers Incontinent Fierce Despisers of them that are Good such are not like to be subject to the good Spirit of God in themselves and Traitors Heady High-minded Lovers of Pleasures more than Lovers of God having the form of Godliness but deny the Power thereof from such turn away says the Apostle now if they were to turn away from them they were not to be heeded though they had the Form of Godliness and of Christianity if they were to turn away from them they were not to receive them into the Camp for such are as Lepers are to be turned away from And therefore the Camp of God must be kept clean And Christ hath given Authority to his Church to admonish and exhort and to reprove and rebuke all such things with his Authority Now Friends concerning putting on of Apparrel The Apostle in the Spirit and Power of Christ had a Care in the Church of God that they should adorn themselves as becomes the Gospel The Gospel Adorning with chaste Lives and Conversations and 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 a great Price This is that which arrays and beautifies God's Church and not the outward adorning and plaiting the Hair and every new Fashion that comes up into the World 1. Pet. 3. And also the Apostle writes to Timothy and gives him that Exhortation to the Church That Women adorn themselves with modest Apparrel mark Modest with shamefacedness and sobriety mark Sobriety not with broidered Hair or Gold or Pearls For that was the Practice of the Jew outward and is to this Day or costly Array But with that which becomes Women professing Godliness with good Works So this is the Adorning that all that profess Godliness must be arrayed withal 1 Tim. 2.9 So that all may be in that good Behaviour as becomes Godliness and Holiness And likewise Chaste and Discreet Teachers of good things that the Word of God may not be blasphemed which they profess as in Tit. 2. And it 's desired That all Friends that have Children To train up Children and Servants in the pure Religion Families and Servants may train them up in the pure and unspotted Religion and in the nurture and fear of God and that frequently they read the Holy Scriptures which is much better than to be gadding abroad And exhort and admonish them that every Family apart may serve and worship the Lord as well as in Publick And that when they go to Meetings they may take their Servants and Families with them that they may not go wandring up and down in the Fields or to Ale-Houses as many have done to the dishonour of God and to the dishonour of their Masters and Mistresses Families and to their own Ruine and Destruction And therefore for Christ's sake and his pure Religion let there be Care taken to prevent all these things For such an one as cannot rule well his own House having his Children in subjection with all gravity how can he take Care of the Church of God 1 Tim. 3. And now Friends concerning Marriages Concerning Marriages of which very many things have been written it 's desired that all may be careful in that thing of running hastily together And consider it first that first as it is God's Joining so it is his Ordinance and it is honourable in all and the Bed undefiled And again such Men as draw out young Womens Affections and run from one to another and leave them and run to others And such Women as draw out Mens Affections and then leave them and draw out other Mens Affections These Practises bring many young Women and many young Men into Trouble and are sharply to be reproved For this Work is not of God's Joining but out of his Covenant Some of which have gone so far as to Promises Espousals and Contracts and then left them and gone to others This is to be Judged and Reproved For as we make no Contract for Marriages we break none And likewise such young People that trim up themselves in gay Apparrel and make a great shew and hang most on their Backs that appear what they are not in Substance The ill Consequence of Pride and Vanity which Women have sometimes deceived young Men and Men deceived Women and drawn out their Affections and Minds by outward shew and deceived one another and brought one another into Trouble Such are out of the Fear of God and a
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
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
Ear attentive to their Prayer this is the Comfort of the humble 2 Chron. 7.12 And David saith The Lord forgets not the cry of the humble Psal 9.12 Again David saith Arise O Lord lift up thy Hand forget not the humble Lord thou hast heard the desire of the humble thou wilt prepare their Hearts and wilt cause thine Ear to hear Psal 10.12 17. And the Lord who Inhabits Eternity whose Name is Holy saith I dwell in the High and Holy Places And also with him that is of a contrite and humble Spirit to revive the Spirit of the Humble and to revive the Hearts of the Contrite Ones Isa 57.15 Here is Joy and Comfort to the Humble And James saith God gives Grace to the Humble but he resisteth the Proud James 4.6 Humble your selves therefore under the Mighty Hand of God that he may exalt you in due time and be cloathed with Humility 1 Pet. 5.6 So you may see how God resisteth the Proud and dwells with the Humble as is testified both in the Old Testament and the New And Christ saith Whosoever shall humble himself as this little Child the same shall be greatest in the Kingdom of Heaven So here you may see Christ and the Prophets and the Apostles taught Humility and judged Pride And again Christ saith He that humbleth himself shall be exalted and he that exalteth himself shall be abased Luke 14.11 and 18.14 And therefore learn of Chirst who is meek and low in Heart For he rules in the Hearts of the Humble who is King Priest and Prophet and a Shepherd to feed them and a Bishop to oversee them and an Everlasting Father who begets Man and Woman up into the Image of God and an Everlasting Prince of Peace And so all that are in true Humility are the true Subjects of Christ and all the Children of Pride are subject to the Prince of the Air the God of the World who is the King of Pride in whom there is no Truth Now concerning vain Fashions Deckings and Customs c. THE Lord forbids his People by Jeremiah to follow them Not to follow the People in their Customs c. nor to learn the way of the Heathen for the Customs of the People were vain and they did not only deck themselves but they also decked their Images and Idols and God's People were not to be dismayed at the Signs of Heaven in the Old Covenant for the Heathen was dismayed at them much less in the New Covenant should the true Christians not be dismayed at them Jer. 10.2 c. And again doth not Jeremiah cry against the Paintings and Deckings of Judah And though Judah rent her Face with painting yet her Lovers would despise her And this was when they forsook God and followed other Lovers and therefore God's Anger was against them in the Old Covenant much more in the New Jer. 4.30 And it is true God did deck the Jews in the Old Covenant with outward things but when they played the Harlot with them and decked their Images with them the Lord's Anger was against them as in Ezekiel 16.15 16. And Hosea cries out against the Jews decking of themselves with Ear-rings and Jewels and going after other Lovers and forgetting the Lord Hosea 2.13 And you may see the attire of the Harlot and the subtilty of her Heart how she decks her self and decks her Bed and deceives a young Man among the Youth Prov. 7. And therefore let all that profess themselves Christians take heed of such deckers And you may see how the Lord sent Isaiah to cry against their Haughtiness and stretched out Necks and wanton Eyes and Tincklings Pride and Haughtiness and Mincings and their round Tires like the Moon and their Chains and Braclets and their Rings and Nose-Jewels and other vain Ornaments and told them They should be desolate for the spoil of the Poor was in their Houses Isa 3.16 Now if such things was testified against in the Old Covenant then surely much more in the New And in Revelation 17 18 Chapters you may see how the Whore deck'd her self who drank the Blood of the Martyrs but at her fall God's People sung Hallelujah And in Levit. 18. The Lord commanded the Jews in the Old Covenant Not to defile themselves with the Customs of the Heathen so much more they should not do it in the New Covenant And the Apostle Paul exhorts the Corinthians to use this World and not abuse it for the Fashion of this World passeth away And Peter exhorts the Saints Not to fashion themselves according to their former Lusts in their ignorance but as Christ who had called them was Holy so be ye Holy in all manner of Conversation 1 Pet. 1 14. So see what a Care the Apostle had lest that they should go into their former Lusts of Ignorance And the Apostle Paul tells the Philippians Their Conversations was in Heaven from whence we look for a Saviour the Lord Jesus Christ who shall change our vile Bodies that they may be fashioned like unto his glorious Body Philip. 3.21 This is the fashion that all true Christians is to look at Now concerning wearing and putting on of Apparel Isaiah testifieth against the vanity in the Apparel Vanity in the Apparrel and the changable Suits among the Jews Isaiah 3. And what became of Tyrus with all his broidered Works and Chests of Rich Apparel did not the Lord bring them down in their Pride Ezek. 27.24 And did not Zephaniah say The Lord would punish all such as were cloathed with strange Apparrel Zeph. 1.8 But first they were cloathed Inwardly in Transgression before they cloathed Outwardly with the strange Apparrel And what became of Dives with all his Sumptuousness and Bravery who despised poor Lazarus And also Herod And are not Peoples Eyes gazing more after fine Apparrel than after the Image of God Luke 16.19 and Acts 12.21 And you may see that the first Apparrel that Adam made after Transgression was of Figg Leaves and then God made them Coats of Skins But now People are so far degenerated from that and have gotten so far into the Lusts of the Flesh the Lusts of the Eye and the Pride of Life that they know not what to put on And their Life is below the Lillies and the Fowles of the Air as Christ saith The Fowles of the Air do not sow nor reap nor gather into Barnes And the Lillies they toil not neither do they spin but the heavenly Father feeds and cloaths them And Christ also saith speaking to People That ye are much better than the Fowles of the Air or the Lillies And therefore take ye no thought what ye shall eat or what ye shall drink or wherewith ye shall be cloathed for after these things the Gentiles do seek for your heavenly Father knoweth that you have need of all these things but first seek ye the Kingdom of Heaven and the Righteousness thereof and all these things shall be
added unto you as in Matth. 6. Here you may see how Christ is restoring People up into the Image of God out of the Thoughts and Cares of the Heathen for God took care of Man and Woman before he made them And the Apostle exhorted Timothy how the Women should adorn themselves with modest Apparrel Modest Apparrel c. and with Shamefulness and Sobriety and not with broidered or plaiting the Hair or Gold Pearls or Costly Array but with that which becomes Women professing Godliness with good Works 1 Tim. 2. mark this every one And James he reproves and and exhorts such whose Eye and Esteem was to the Gold Ring and goodly Apparel more than the poor in vile Raiment and tells them They were not to hold the Faith of our Lord Jesus Christ with respect to Persons much more not with gay Cloathing or Apparrel James 2.1 And Peter in 1 Pet. 3. exhorts the Saints how to adorn themselves The Adorning of the Holy Women Whose Adorning let it not be the outward Adorning of plaiting the Hair or wearing of Gold and putting on of Apparrel 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 For after this manner in old Times the holy Women also who trusted in God adorned themselves And this ought to be the Adorning now in the New Covenant And though you may say The Jews or Hebrews adorned themselves with Jewels and they did adorn the Temple c. But in the New Covenant these things were forbidden And they were to adorn the Temple of the Heart and not to defile that and to know the hidden Man of the Heart which is not corruptible And therefore look into all your Hearts and see if you can find any thing there which is not corruptible and to put off the old Man with his Deeds with the Lust of the Flesh the Lust of the Eye and the Pride of Life which is not of the Father but of the World And this old Man delights in the glory of the World which must be put off And all Christians in the New Covenant must put on the New Man that is renewed in Knowledge after the Image of God that created him which walks and serves God in the New and Living Way who is born again not of corruptible Seed but of incorruptible Seed by the Word of God and feed upon the incorruptible Milk and Wine and Water and Bread and the incorruptible Flesh and Blood of Christ and wears the fine Linnen the Righteousness of Christ the incorruptible Cloathing And this is the Birth born of the Spirit that enters into the incorruptible Kingdom of God as in John 3.5 and in 1 Pet. 1.23 And the Apostle Paul exhorts the Ephesians in Chapter 4.22 To put off out vain Conversation To put off their former Conversation the old Man which is corruptible according to the deceitful Lusts and be renewed in the Spirit of your Minds that is out of the Fall of Adam And that ye put on the New Man which after God is created in Righteousness and true Holiness So here Man comes to know his first Creation and his Degeneration so always to see the New Man put on which is in Righteousness and Holiness and the old Man put off with all his vain Deckings Trimmings and Cloathings which is not acceptable both in the sight of God and his People And so all in the New Covenant are to be conformable to the Image of God Rom. 8.2 For all hath been conformed long enough to the Image of Satan And the Apostle saith We all behold with open face as in a Glass the Glory of the Lord and are changed into the same image from Glory to Glory even as by the same Spirit of the Lord 2 Cor. 3.10 So every one are to mind this happy and blessed Change And the Apostle saith Put on the Lord Jesus and make no provision for the Flesh to fulfil the Lust thereof Rom. 13.14 And as every one hath received the Lord Jesus so walk in him and then you will put off the Old Adam and his Deeds in Transgression and not walk in him but walk in Christ that never sinned nor was guilt found in his Mouth And if any Man be in Christ he is a new Creature Old things passeth away and all things become new 2 Cor. 5.17 Therefore the Apostle exhorts the Colosians Chap. 2.8 That they were not to follow the Rudiments of the World for they were not after Christ And so People are not to follow the World's Rudiments but Christ And you may see how the Children of Israel that came out of Egypt Not to Lust and tempt God as Israel did and the mixt Multitude lusted after the Flesh-pots of Egypt And the Lord smote them with a grievous Plague Numb 11. And David saith They tempted God in their Hearts by asking Meat for their Lust Psam 78.18 And again David saith They lusted exceedingly in the Wilderness and tempted God in the Desart And he gave them their Request but sent leanness into their Souls Psalm 106.14 15. And therefore in the New Covenant the Apostle saith These things were for our Examples to the intent we should not lust after evil things as they also lusted 1 Cor. 10.11 And Solomon exhorts to keep from the evil Woman from the flattery of the Tongue of a strange Woman Lust not after her Beauty in thy Heart neither let her take thee with her Eye-lids For by means of a whorish Woman a Man is brought to a piece of Bread And the Adulterous will hunt for thy precious Life Prov. 6.26 And Christ not only forbids Adultery but Lust also Matth. 5. And again Christ saith The Cares of the World and the Love of other things choaks the Word and it becomes unfruitful to them Mark 4.19 And you may see what became of such as the Apostle speaks of in Rom. 1.21 Who when they knew God they glorified him not as God neither were thankful How at last God gave them up when they forsook him through the Lust of their Hearts And there you may see what Evils they run into And also you may see in Jude 16.18 How he declares against Murderers and Complainers and Mockers who walked after their ungodly Lusts And in 1 Pet. 2.11 there the Apostle Peter saith Dearly beloved I beseech you as Strangers and Pilgrims abstain from fleshly Lusts which war against the Soul And James saith Wars and Fightings came from the Lusts War and Fightings came from the Lusts that warred in their Members And such asked but received not because they asked amiss that they might consume it upon their Lusts Therefore saith he know ye not that the friendship of this World is Enmity to God Whosoever therefore will be a Friend to the World is an Enemy to God James 4.1 And Paul saith That
the Disobedience and Pride of the Jews and how his Judgments were fulfilled upon them that did not Repent and how the Apostle did admonish and reprove such as went into Pride and the Fashions of the World THE Lord saith Because the Daughters of Zion are Haughty The Pride of the Daughters of Zion and walk with stretched forth Necks and wanton Eyes walking and mincing as they go and making a tinkling with their Feet therefore the Lord will smite with a Scab the Crown of the Head of the Daughters of Zion and the Lord will discover their secret Parts in that Day the Lord will take away the Bravery of their Tinkling Ornaments about their Feet and their Cauls and their Round Tyres like the Moon the Chains mark the Chains and the Bracelets and the Mufflers the Bonnets and the Ornaments of the Legs and the Head-bands and the Tablets and the Ear-rings the Rings and Nose-Jewels the Changable Suits of Apparrel and the Mantles and the Wimbles and the Crisping-pins and Glasses and the fine Linnen and the Hoods and the Vails And it shall come to pass that instead of sweet smell there shall be a stink and instead of a girdle a rent and instead of well set hair baldness and instead of a stomacher a girding of sackcloath and burning instead of beauty Thy Men shall fall by the Sword and thy Mighty in the War and her Gates shall lament and mourn and she being desolate shall sit on the Ground Isa 3.16 to the end And you may read in 2 Kings 17. how that the Children of Israel were carried into Captivity in Assyria for the King of Assyria besieged Samaria and after three Years Besieging he took it and carrried away the Ten Tribes of the Children of Israel into the Land of Assyria And Isaiah according to the Word of the Lord went to the Prophetess and she conceived and bore a Son c. And the Lord said Before the Child should have the Knowledge to cry My Father and my Mother the Riches of Damascus and the Spoil of Samaria shall be taken away by the King of Assyria Isa 8.3 4. Now here you may see what a Destruction came upon Samaria and the Jews because of their Rebellion and Disobedience The Ten Tribes punished for their Pride and their Haughtiness and Pride as Isaiah cried against in Chap. 3. And then what became of all their Haughtiness and Pride and their Mincing and their Tinkling with their Feet and their Chains and Bracelets and Jewels and Round Attire with their Glasses and Hoods and Veils when they were driven away by Droves by the King of Assyria into Captivity into Assyria out of their own Land Houses and Cities Then Isaiah 's Prophecy was fulfilled upon those Haughty and Proud Jews And did not Nebuchadnezzar afterwards carry away the two Tribes and destroy Jerusalem because of their Disobedience Rebellion Haughtiness and Pride who would not regard the Lord nor his Prophets therefore the Lord suffered them to be led away Prisoners out of their own Houses Cities and Land into Babylon so strip'd them of their Pride And the Two Tribes also and caused them to be carried away into strange Countries so was not the Prophets Prophecy fulfilled upon them The Lord saith Behold the Day cometh that shall burn as an Oven and all the Proud yea all that do Wickedly shall be as Stubble and the Day that cometh shall burn them up The proud as Stubble saith the Lork of Host that it shall leave them neither Root nor Branch But unto them that fear my Name shall the Son of Righteousness arise with healing in his Wings and ye shall go forth and grow up as Calves in the Stall Mal. 4.1 2. Therefore it is good for all to keep out of Pride and Wickedness in Humility lest they be burnt up And the Apostle commanded That Women adorn themselves in modest Apparrel with Shamefacedness and Sobriety not with Broidered Hair or Gold or Pearls or Costly Array but that which becometh Women professing Godliness with good Works I tim 2.9 10. And likewise Peter in his General Epistle saith to the Women Whose Adorning let it not be that outward Adorning of plaiting the Hair and of wearing of Gold or of putting on of Apparrel 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 For after this manner in the old time the holy Women who trusted in God adorned rhemselves being in subjection unto their own Husbands 1 Pet. 3.3 4 5. Here you may see both the Prophets and Apostles declared against the Pride and Haughtiness of People both in the Old and New Testament And the Apostle John saith in his first General Epistle to the Church of Christ Love not the World Love not the World neither the things that are in the World if any one love the World the love of the Father is not in him for all that is in the World the lust of the Flesh the Lust of the Eye and the Pride of Life is not of the Father but is of the World and the World passeth away and the Lust thereof but he that doth the Will of God abideth for ever 1 John 2.2 15 16 47. Now here you may see an express Command to the true Christians the Church of Christ against the Love of the World and the Things of the World and the Lust of the Eye and the Lust of the Flesh and the Pride of Life and they that love the World the love of the Father is not in them and how that the World passeth away and the Lust thereof and therefore love not the Lust of the Eye the Lust of the Flesh and the Pride of Life which is not of the Father And do not most of Christendom say the Lord's Prayer Our Father which art in Heaven hallowed be thy Name c. and you that live in the Lust of the Flesh and the Lust of the Eyes and the Pride of your Life which is not of the Father which is in Heaver but of the World that passeth away and the Lust thereof And is it not said The Devil is the king of Pride And therefore do not do his Lusts but he that doth the Will of God abideth for ever And therefore consider when you say Our Father which art in Heaven hallowed be the Name c. when you live in those things which are not of the Father which is in Heaven and daily obey and love the Lust of your Eye the Lust of your Flesh and the Pride of your Life which is not of the Father but of the World And the Apostle John tells you He that toves the World the love of the Father is not in him G. F. An Epistle to all the Prisoners and Sufferers for the Name of the Lord Jesus Christ and his Worship The Word of God is
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
every creeping thing upon the Earth and over every living thing that moveth upon the Earth Gen. I. Now here you may see the Power and Authority that God gave unto Man over all the Earth and the Sea and all things therein The Authority God gaveMan in the begining And now when Cain had done wickedly and killed his Brother about Religion the Lord told him He was cursed from the Earth and when thou tillest the Earth it shall not henceforth yield unto thee her strength And then C ain said It shall come to puss that every one that findeth me shall slay me And then Cain went and built a City in the Land of Nod Gen. 4. Now here you may see what was the Cause that the Earth should not yield her strength after it was tilled and of Cain's fear of being killed and of building the City And John saith in his Epistle He that hateth his Brother is a Murderer or a Man-slayer and no Murderer hath eternal Life abiding in them 1 John 3.15 Now here you may see that Cain and such Murderers have not Eternal Life abiding in them and then they are not like to have Dominion but be in Fears and get into Cities But Abraham who sojourned in the Land of Promise as in a strange Country dwelt in Tabernacles with Isanc and Jacob as Heirs with him of the same Promise for he looked for a City which hath Foundations whose Builder and Maker is God So they looked above all the Cities that were built by Men in the Land of Promise as in Heb. 11. 9,10 For Abraham was in the Faith in which he pleased God and had Victory And the Lord God blessed Noah and his Sons when they came out of the Ark and said unto them Be fruitful and maltiply and replenish the Earth and the fear of you and the dread of you shall be upon every Beast of the Earth and upon every Fowl of the Air and upon all that moveth upon the Earth and upon all the Fish of the Sea into your Hands are they delivered Gen. 9. Here again you may see that faithful Noah had Power over all the Creatures that God made upon the Earth and in the Sea and they were delivered unto Noah and his Sons hands and the Lord said unto the Children of Israel Great Blessings to the Obedient in Levit. 26. If that they were obedient and kept his Commandments he would give them their Rain in due season and the Land should yield her Increase and the Trees of the Field should yield their Fruit and their Threshing should reach to their Vintage and their Vintage unto their sowing Time and you shall eat your Bread unto the full and shall dwell in your Land safely mark safely and I will give Peace in the Land and ye shall lie down and none shall make you afraid and I will rid evil Beasts out of your Land neither shall the Sword go through the Land I will set my Tabernacle among you and my Soulshall not abhor you and I will walk among you and will be your God and you shall be my People This is to all them that are faithful and obey and serve the Lord but if you be disobedient then see what Fears and Judgments and Plagues Many Judgments to Disobedience and Sorrows comes upon you and the Curse will come upon you both in City and Field when thou goest out and when thou comest in and the Curse will be in thy Basket and in thy Store and the Fruit of thy Body and the Fruit of thy Land and the Increase of tby Flocks and the Lord will send his Vexations and Rebukes upon all that thou sets thy Hands unto and the Lord will smite with Consumptions and Feavers and Blastings and Mildews c. and the Heavens that is over their Heads shall be Iron and the Earth that is under thee shall be as Brass and the Lord shall make the Rain of the Land Powder and Dust thou shalt carry much Seed into thy Field and sbalt gather little the Locusts shall consume it and thou shalt plant Vineyards and the Worms shall eat them because thou hearkens not to the Voice of the Lord thy God to keep his Commandments c. And because thou servest not the Lord God with joyfulness and with gladness of Heart for the abundance of all things the Lord thy God giveth thee and therefore shalt thou serve thine Enemies which the Lord thy God shall send against thee in hunger and in thirst and in nakedness and in want of all things and thine Enemy shall put a Yoke of Iron about thy neck to yoke thee down Who will not bear the Yoke of Christ and doth not hearken to the Lord to serve and obey him but they that diligently hearken to the Lord their God and obey and serve him in Truth and Righteousness he blesses them in the City and in the Field and in their Basket and in their Store-house and in all they set their Hands to and he blesses the Fruit of their Body and the Fruit of their Ground and the Cattle and their Flocks and the Lord shall open his good Treasure the Heavens to give them Rain upon their Land in his season and to bless all the Works of their Hands that thou may lend to other Nations and shalt not borrow And these are the Blessings of them that hearken to the Lord and serve him as you may see in Deut. 28. the Blessings that come upon the Faithful and the Judgments upon thd Disobedient and Unfaithful When God giveth quietness who then can make trouble c. whether it be done against a Nation or against a Man only Job 34.29 The Lord shall save the humble Person he shall deliver the Island of the Innocent it is delivered by the Pureness of the Hands Job 22.29 30. Read this in all your Assemblies both in Pensilvania and West-Jersey Bednal-Green near London the 4th Month 1686. G. F. To all the holy Women that trust in God and do profess Godliness with good Works according to the Apostles Doctrine in this Age for them to read over and put in Practice FRiends the Apostle saith Epist 409. I will therefore that Women adorn themselves in modest Apparrel with Shamefacedness and Sobriety and not with broidered Hair or Gold or Pearls or Costly Array The Christian Adorning but as becometh Women professing Godliness with good Works 1 Tim. 2.9 10. And likewise Peter saith in his General Epistle to the Church of Christ to the Women Whose adorning let it not be that outward adorning of plaiting the Hair and wearing of Gold and of putting on of Apparrel 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 a great price for after this manner in old time the holy Women also who trusted in God adorned themselves 1 Pet. 3.3 4
5. Now all Women may here consider what is to be the Practice of such Women that profess Godliness and trust in God their Adorning is the hidden Man of the Heart which is Incorruptible and their Ornament is to of a meek and quiet Spirit which is in the sight of God of great Price but those Women whose outward Adorning is with broidered and plaited Heir and Gold and Pearls and Costly Array these have not the modest Apparrel which become Modest Sober Shamefaced Women that profess Godliness with good Works but such as are Unsober and Immodest such as look upon such things to become them are cloathed with corruptible and unquiet Spirits that do not possest Godliness with good Works and these outward Ornaments as plaiting and broidering the Hair and wearing of Gold and Pearls and Costly Array the Apostle saith Do not become Women professing Godliness with good Works but them that do not profess Godliness that are Shameless and Unsober they may become such Women that do not trust in God their proud Spirit may lead them to adorn themselves with such things as is said before which the Apostle forbids but the holy Women of God which professed Godliness with good Works and trusted in God adorned themselves not with plaiting the Hair or wearing of Gold or Pearls or Costly Array but with the hidden Man of the Heart in that which is not corruptible even the Ornament of a meek and quiet Spirit which is in the sight of God of great price And now consider also you Women that profess Godliness and go under the name of Holy Women who trust in God see that your selves and your Children and all your young Women are Adorned and Arrayed and have on this Ornament as the Apostle wills the Church of Christ to put on as the holy Women did of old and be not of an unmeek and unquiet Spirit and unsober and immodest when you are admonished and exhorted nor act contrary to the holy Women of old that trusted in God and such as professed Godliness according to the Apostles Doctrine And here you may see what care the Apostles had to keep the Saints the Church of Christ their Eyes Minds and Spirits above the wearing of Gold plaiting their Hair and Pearls and Costly Apparrel which is the Glory of this World which the holy Women that trusted in God and professed Godliness with good Works these things were not to be their Adorning nor Ornaments but as is said before the hidden Man of the Heart which was not Corrupt even the meek and quiet Spirit which is with the Lord of great price And this ought to be and is the Adorning and Ornament of all the holy Women that profess Godliness with good Works and trust in God And all you that have been Convinced of the Lord's Truth by his Spirit To refuse the Glory of the World take heed of Satan taking you up into a Mountain and of his shewing you the Glory of the World and of your Minds and Eyes going after it and receiving of it and so in that you fall from the Spirit and Truth of God that did Convince you and then to worship the Devil the King of Pride the God of the World that abode not in the Truth in whom there is no Truth and he to lead your Minds and Eyes after every new vain Fashion of the World that passeth away and that lieth in wickedness and so draweth you to the Love of the World which is Enmity to God and into the Wisdom of the World by which ye do not know God and then to such the Gospel of Life and Salvation is hid in whom the God of this World hath blinded their Minds and in such disobedient Ones the Prince of the Air rules and gets into them by disobeying the Truth and in such Christ doth not rule in their Hearts by Faith And it is not like when they make Shipwreck of it and a good Conscience And therefore walk in the Light of Christ and grow in his Grace and the Knowledge of the Lord Jesus Christ that bruises the Serpent's Head and destroys the Devil and his Works that you may all be established upon Christ the Rock and Foundation And if ye do believe in the Covenant of Light Life and Grace then why do not you all train up your Children in the same To Train up our Children n the Coveant of Grace Did not the Lord command the Jews to train up their Children in the Old Covenant and teach them to walk in it And were not all the Males to be Circumcised And they that were not Circumcised were to be cut off from the Congregation of the Lord So are not all you that profess the New Covenant of Grace Light and Life and the Gospel of Salvation preached to every Creature and the Grace of God which brings Salvation that hath appeared unto all Men to teach them to live Godly and to deny Ungodliness c. I say are not you all to train up your Children and Families in this Light of the Gospel and Grace of Christ which brings Salvation and brings them into favour with God that you may have the Comfort of your Children in this World and in that which is Everlasting And that they may be Circumcised with the Spirit of God which he poureth out upon all Flesh that with his Spiritual Circumcision the Body of Death and Sins of the Flesh may be cut off which are come into Man and Woman by Transgression that neither you nor they might dye in the Body of Death and in the Sins of the Flesh and such do not dye in the Lord for they that are not Circumcised with the Spiritual Circumcision are cut off from the heavenly Jerusalem and the Kingdom of God and Christ and from the Church of the Living God written in Heaven And therefore if you will have the Comfort of your Children in this World and that which is to come train them up in the Fear of God and in his Covenant of Light and Grace which Grace brings their Salvation and brings them into Favour with God and into the Spiritual Baptism and Circumcision so that they may serve and worship the Living God in his Spirit and Truth Amen And if Children and young People must be left and let alone to themselves and not be Admonished Exhorted and Restrained from the Evil and Vanities of the World then why did Moses and the Prophets and the Apostles which were sent of God exhort the People to train up their Children in the Fear of the Lord and to teach them his Law while they were young that they might not depart from it when they were old And if that they did the Lord did judge them as ye may read in the Scriptures of Truth and if that they must be left to themselves and not restrained from Evil then how came it to pass that old Ely lost his Life and his Priesthood Ely
an Example to Parents and the Arke of God for not restraining his Children from Evil And again if that they must be left to themselves why did the Prophets and the Apostles say That they must not quench nor vex nor grieve nor rebel against the Spirit of God nor turn the Grace of God into Wantonness nor walk despitefully against the Spirit of Grace but walk in the Spirit and in the Truth and in the Light and to love it and not to hate it for they that do not love the Light but hate it are condemned by it and so grow in the Condemnation and are not in the Justification of Life The Lord God commanded Abraham to Circumcise himself and his Children and Servants that were bought with Money and were born in his House He was to bring all his Males into this Covenant of outward Circumcision and the Lord said That Soul shall be cut off that is not Circumcised he hath broken my Covenant of outward Circumcision as you may see Gen. 17. Here you may see Abraham was to teach and instruct his Family and Servants and he was not to keep any Man or Servant that was Uncircumcised in his Family Now you that profess the New Covenant True Circumcision are not you and all your Children and Servants to be Circumcised with the Spirit of Circumcision And do not they that have not the Body of Death and the Sins of the Flesh cut off by Circumcision go down into the Pit and not into Paradise and the kingdom of God And therefore may not such Uncircumcised by the Spirit hurt the Families of true Christians in the Light Therefore consider Abraham was not to suffer and of his Children and Servants that were bought with his Money or born in his House to be Uncircumcised in the Old Covenant This care the Lord laid upon him in his Family in the Old Covenant Therefore consider you that profess the New Covenant of the Spirit of Circumcision what Care lies upon you in your Families of Teaching and Instructing your Servants and Children and to bring them to the Spirit of Circumcision And now do not say but you are all warned in your Life-time and therefore prise your time while you have it that you spend it to the Honour and Glory of God The 9th of the 5th Month 1686. G. F. An Epistle for them that are learned in Christ to read and understand THe Lord saith Epist 410. In this Mountain shall the Lord of Host make unto all People a feast of fat things c. And he will destroy in this Mountain the Face of the Covering cast over all People and the Veil that is spread over all Nations And he will swallow up Death into Victory and the Lord God will wipe away Tears from off all Faces Isai 5.26 27. 1 Cor. 15.54 Rev. 21.4 Is not this Mountain Christ Christ filleth the whole Earth that filleth the whole Earth where this Feast of fat things is And doth not Christ through Death destroy Death and the Devil the Power of Death and so takes away the Veil and Covering that is spread over all Nations that they may be covered with the Spirit that he pours upon all Flesh And the Apostle saith Moses put a Veil over his Face that the Children of Israel could not steadfastly look to the end of that which is to be abolished for their Minds were blinded For until this Day remains the same Veil untaken away in the reading of Moses and the Old Testament the Veil is upon their Hearts which Veil is done away in Christ and when they shall turn to the Lord the Veil shall be done away as in 2 Cor. 3. So here you may see the Veil that was spread over the Hearts of People The Veil over Peoples Hearts done away by Christ is done away by Christ and all they that are turned to the Lord with open Face behold as in a Glass the Glory of the Lord and are changed into the same Image from Glory to Glory even by the Spirit of the Lord. And the Lamb which is in the midst of the Throne shall feed his People and dwell amongst them who hath made their Robes white in the Blood of the Lamb And this is the Days of Christ whom God gives for a Covenant of the People to establish the Earth Sing O Heavens and rejoyce O Earth and break forth into Singing O Mountains for God hath comforted his People and hath Mercy upon his afflicted And Christ saith to the Prisoners Go forth unto them that are in Darkness shew your selves and they shall feed in Pastures For he that hath Mercy on them shall lead them and by the Springs of Water shall he guide them Isai 49. For God gave Christ for a Covenant to the People for a Light to the Gentiles to open the blind Eyes to bring out the Prisioners out of Prison and them that sit in darkness out of the Prison-Houses Isai 42.2 6 7. Rev. 7.15 16 17. So we that do witness this do praise the Lord God through Jesus Christ Behold the Tabernacle of God is with Men and he will dwell with them and they shall be his People Rev. 21.3 This is the Day of the New Covenant which People enjoy in Christ Jesus The Lord saith I will ransom them from the Power of the Grave I will redeem them from Death O Death I will be thy Plague O Grave I will be thy Destruction Hos 13.14 And the Apostle saith O Death where is thy Sting O Grave where is thy Victory The Sting of Death is Sin and the Strength of Sin is the Law But thanks be to God which gives us the Victory through Jesus Christ our Lord 1 Cor. 15.55 56 57. So here you may see the Grave had its Victory Christ gives Victory over Death and the Grave and Death hath its Sting which is Sin But the Strength of Sin is the Law But Christ gives us the Victory who makes an end of Sin the Sting of Death as in Dan. 9.24 And who through Death destroys Death and the Power of Death and is the End of the Law for Righteousness sake to every one that believes and so are dead to the Law by the Body of Christ Rom. 7.4 And Christ saith unto the Jews Verily verily he that hears my Word and believeth on him that sent me hath everlasting Life Mark Everlasting Life and shall not come into Condemnation but hath past from Death unto Life Then they have past from the Sting of Death which is Sin And as John saith we know that we are past from Death unto Life because we love the Brethren for he that loveth not his Brother abideth in Death John 5.24 1 John 2.44 So if they were past from Death to Life then they were past from Death and his Sting which is Sin through Jesus Christ who destroys Death and makes and End of Sin And again Christ saith to the Jews Verily verily
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
whose Light doth Justifie you who then shall condemn you Therefore in that dwell which doth Condemn all the Evil in the World G. F. AND all Friends every where pray to the Lord to give you Dominion over all and that in his Power and Life and Seed ye may live and reign And all Friends submit your selves one to another in the Fear of God and be one with the Witness of God in all One with the Witness of God and look at that and that will keep you down from looking at the Bad but looking at the Good keepeth your Minds over the Bad with the Lord. G. F. To Friends Concerning the Covenant of Light and Life FRiends every where Epist 63. to the Measure of the Life of God in you all take heed that with it your Minds may be guided up to the Living God from whence Light and Life doth come and Vertue A Note concerning the Life and Strength and Nourishment so that with the Life ye may be kept from that which vails and clouds and darkens where the Mist of Darkness cometh over you Wherefore to the Measure of Light take heed that with it all your Minds may be guided up to the Father of Life from whence Life cometh that the Knowledge of the Glory of God in the Face of Christ Jesus ye may all come to enjoy So that in Peace Patience Righteousness and Temperance and Godliness ye may be kept and all grow up in brotherly Kindness Brotherly Kindness and be kept from that which causeth Strife and Sects and Divisions so that nothing may rule but the Light of God among you To that which is pure and lowly take heed that Mastery and Strife may be thrown down and the Evil Eye and the Eye that is out from the Life of God may be known and pluck'd out so that the Light of the glorious Gospel may shine and that ye may all know it And so all awake to the Righteousness of Christ the Righteousness of God whom Man was departed from Christ the Righteousness of God who enlighteneth every one The Righteousness of Christ that cometh into the World that all Men through him might believe So all having a Light from Christ Jesus the Righteousness of God he is the Way to the Father whom God gave for a Covenant of Light Life and Peace Therefore every one in your Measures Wait that ye may see him and come to witness the Covenant of Life and Peace with God receiving his Gift Christ Jesus the Son and Mediator So this I warn you all in the Presence of the Living God to wait every one in the Measure of Light and of Life that ye may all come to witness the Seal of the Covenant The Seal the Covenant and be led and kept with that which will keep you Spotless and Clean and Holy and Righteous where Power is received from him who hath given you a Light so that in the Light ye may all have Vnity and in it be kept and all that which is contrary to it with it may be Condemned And in this Covenant of Light and Life the Gift of God know one another and him by whom the World was made who was before the World was who is now again manifested Glory and Honour for ever be unto the Lord That the Crown that is Immortal ye may all come to see and receive and your own Crowns lay down at the Feet of Jesus And so his Light being come to all your own Works are ceased from and your own Thoughts which if ye follow them they will lead you into Error Therefore wait in the Light which comes from him by whom the World was made to receive Wisdom from him that in it and with it ye may be preserved from the World and out of the World to him by whom the World was made and that Wisdom may be Justified of her Children Wisdom Justified of her Children and ye kept all Low in the Fear of God from all Strife and Deceit and Dissension and Pollution and Hypocrisie and Dissimulation single with the Measure of Light which comes from the Father of Life Every one to feel with the Life of God the Arm of the Lord God not to be shortened but to reach to every one of you all and to carry you all in his Arm and gently to lead them that are with young So feeling the Presence of the Lord God with you ye receive Vertue into your Souls from the Living God who nourisheth his own living Plant and Plants So the Lord God Almighty preserve you in the Light which shews to every one their evil Deeds and reproves for them this is the true Light which if ye come to it and love it ye come to Christ and love him by whom the World was made and it will let you see the Chief Shepherd and Bishop of your Souls and how ye have gone astray like Sheep without a Shepherd For it is that which restores you to Christ the Bishop of your Souls who is the Prophet that must be heard And all who will not come to the Light which cometh from Jesus Christ but hate it because their Deeds are evil they do know that the Light will reprove them Therefore this is their Condemnation The Light of Truth the Light which is your Teacher who come to it and receive it ye receive Christ and he giveth the Power to become the Sons of God which many do witness blessed be the Name of the Lord. Therefore wait every one in your Measure to know the Scripture fulfilled in you which came not by the Will of Man but was learned of God which is for the perfecting of the Man of God through Faith in Christ Jesus and is to be read and to be fulfilled and to be practised which was given forth from the Spirit Therefore every one wait in the Measure of the Spirit to learn of him as they did which gave it forth G. F. To Friends in the Ministry ALL Friends Epist 64. who are moved of the Lord to speak the Word of the Lord whom the Lord hath made to be his Mouth speak not your own Words to feed the sensual part of Man in your own Wills for there God is not honoured and Wisdom is not justified But ye that are moved to speak in Steeple-Houses or to the Priests who have not the Word of the Lord Speak the Word of the Lord faithfully but the Letter speak the Word of the Lord faithfully neither add to it with your Reason nor diminish from it with a disobedient Mind but speaking the Word of the Lord faithfully it is sharper than a Two-edged Sword to cut down all Deceit and as a Fire to burn up the Chaff and it purifies you that speak it And so as an Hammer it will break down all the Contrary And the Word is but One which sanctifies all and cleanseth the Heart and sanctifies and reconciles
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
Lord to you And live in the Seed The Ministry of the Life and Spirit and there ye will feel the Ministry of the Life and Spirit in your own particulars in which ye may be serviceable to others that are without and amongst your selves And let the Heathen know that the Plagues and Curses and Wrath and Wo is unto them that live out of the Truth for Wrath Wo to the Heathen Envy and Strife is out of the Truth and the Vengeance of God is due to them that do not Obey it where is the burning flaming Fire And let them know that the Glory of the Lord is risen AND walk in the Power of the Lord and in his Wisdom that in Places where ye do come ye may season them and be all of a good Savour in the Hearts of all and to the Lord a Blessing in your Generation G. F. FRiends Meet together waiting upon the Lord Epist 88. that nothing but the Life may among you reign and that in Life Life to reign Love and Wisdom ye may grow up And in the Measure of the Grace of God all wait to guide your Minds up to God And all Friends Meetings in Order kept I do lay it upon you for to see that in Order all your Meetings be kept So the Lord God Almighty keep you all to his Glory in his Wisdom to himself Amen To be read among all Friends at their Meetings G. F. For Plimouth FRiends keep your Meetings that in the Truth ye may reign Epist 89. and in the Power spread it abroad And keep in the Truth that Be Valiant for the Truth on Earth ye may see and feel the Lord's Presence amongst you and for it be Valiant upon the Earth and know one another in the Power of it So the Lord God Almighty preserve you in his Power to his Glory Amen G. F. FRiends All ye Epist 90. whose Minds are turned with the Light towards Jesus Christ from whence it comes in it wait Something of the Work of the Light manifest that with it ye may all see Jesus and all that Condemned which is Contrary to it that so by that ye may be kept from all Extremes Passions Passions and Hastiness Agonies and Hastiness Presumption and Desperation For dwelling in the Light which doth never change this keeps your Minds out of all those things before-mentioned which lead Nature out of its true Course The true Course of Nature and with the Light all that is seen and condemned which is contrary to it And that which doth Condemn keeps you in Peace and Order and leads to the Door of Mercy and Nature into its right Course and into the Vertue of that Word by which the Creatures were made and with it to use them all to his Gloy Which Light is the Condemnation of the Carnal Wisdom and Knowledge of the wicked World and the Condemnation of the Disobedient and the Condemnation of them whose Deeds are Evill who hate the Light Which brings to witness the Word to be as a Fire to burn up that which is to be condemned and to the purging of the Floor and burning the Chaff with unquenchable Fire and to the Gathering of the Wheat into the Garner Therefore in this Light dwell and wait True Words from which the true Words did proceed that with it all those Words may be opened again and all they condemned with the Light which have the Words and act contrary to it such must go empty away And to you this is the Word of the Lord Have Salt in your selves That ye may come to have Savour and Salt in your selves For dwelling in the Light ye will be manifest to the Light in their Consciences though they hate it who have the Words declared from the Light such go empty away from God who is Light And all they who abide in the Light of the Lord see all such to be out of the true Course of Nature who act contrary to the Light which defiles the Flesh and they are such who were of old ordained to Condemnation with the Light G. F. A General Epistle for Friends Concerning the Priests ALL Friends Epist 91. in the Spirit of the Living God wait upon God to learn of The Blasphemy known and who they are and with the Light they are seen and discovered and to be taught by him For now doth the Beast open his Mouth in Blasphemy speaking great swelling Words And now is the Cage of Vnclean Birds and the Vnclean Spirits which are gone forth into the Earth seen And now are the Locusts see and the Caterpillars known And now are the Seven Thunders uttering their Voices And now are the Hail-stones falling and the Vials of the Wrath of God pouring out upon the Beast and the false Prophet And now are the whited Walls seen Whited Walls and the painted Sepulchres who garnish the Sepulcres of the Righteous and build the Tombs of the Prophets full of dead Mens Bones Ravening Wolves Now are the Inwardly-ravening Wolves seen which have gotten the Sheeps-Cloathing And now are the false Prophets seen which through Covetousness make Merchandize of the People Briars and Thorns And now are the Thistles and Briars and Thorns where the Figs do not grow seen And now are they seen which make Merchandize of the Words of the Prophets Christ and the Apostles and through Pretence make long Prayers who devour Widows Houses And now are such known who lead silly Women Captive who are always learning and never able to come to the Knowledge of the Truth some Thirty Forty some Sixty Years And now are such known and seen Beating in the Synagogues and mainfest with the Light that Christ spake of that should beat his Followers in the Synagogues and hale them before Magistrates for his Names sake yea if they kill'd them should think they did God good Service And now are such Teachers seen and known that sport themselves in the Day-time and walk after their own Ungodly Lusts And now such are seen that go in Cain's Way Cain's Way who would murder and do murder in their Hearts who are in Envy who are the Vagabonds and the Fugitives who have not an Habitation in God who is Love And now are such seen and known that go in Balaam's Way that love the Wages of Unrighteousness Balaam's Way Gifts and Rewards And now are such seen and known that bear Rule by their Means and the pople love to have it so holding up the horrible and filthy thing committed in the Land as in Jeremy Jerem. 5. And now are such Shepherds seen and known Isaiah 56. as seek for their Gain from their Quarters Now are such seen and known Hirelings as seek for the Fleece and the Wooll and make a Prey upon the people and such as re Hirelings which the Lord sent Ezekiel and Micah to cry against Ezek.
gave forth the Scriptures which was before the Scriptures were given forth and with it ye will see their Conditions that dwelt in the Life and gave forth the Scriptures And with this Light ye will see their Conditions who were testified against who were out of the Life by them who dwelt in the Light and with it all that comes to be seen read and understood which was given forth with the Life and from the Life and all comes to be known in Plainness and is with Plainness spoken forth again Which comes not by the Will of Man For no Prophecy of the Scripture came by the Will of Man all the Prophecies in it were out of the Will of Man The Will of Man And they Witnessed and Prophesied of Christ who was born not by the Will of Man who was supposed to be the Son of Joseph but was the Son of God And all the Apostles were made Ministers by the Will of God and not by Man nor of Man but by the Will of God and so they witnessed Christ who was not born by the Will of Man who were made Ministers not by the Will of Man And they witnessed that no Prophesie of the Scripture in old time came by the Will of Man neither was it of any private Interpretation but holy Men of God spake it as they were moved by the holy Ghost the holy Mover which is but one And all who are in their own Wills and have the Scripture and make a feigned Profession of that which came not by the Will of Man are in the Presumption and with the Light of Christ which he hath enlightned every one that comes into the World withal with that Light shall they be condemned even all that hate it and live in their own Wills And so the Vnity of the Saints is in that which condemns the World And all who live in their own Wills and yet make a Profession of the Scriptures there are the Sects and Opinions Sects and Opinions and there is no Unity and they have not Unity amongst themselves but only an Oneness in Nature tho' not in Unity in their Meanings of the Letter That which comes not by the Will of Man but is contrary to his Will and contrary to all the World 's evil Ways and overturns them which is according to that of God in all Consciences with that have Unity which testifieth against every Man when he acts contrary to it and with it he shall be judged and condemned in his own Knowledge and Vnderstanding And ye all walking in this Light it will bring you to all Plainness and Singleness of Speech Mystery of Iniquity which will make the Deceit to tremble and the Mystery of Iniquity to shake which lodgeth in the Temple and sits there where it ought not to sit and is exalted above all that is called God Now with the Brightness of his Coming is he discovered and with the Breath of his Mouth he is to be consumed So dwell all in the Eternal Power of God and in his pure Light that ye may be a Terror to all Evil-doers and to all Ungodliness and to all who act Unrighteously and live in Uncleanness And so ye will come to use plain Words and plainness of Speech to them all The Witch and Iachanter and no Flattery shall dwell in you no Inchanter nor Witch shall live no Hypocrisie shall stand before the Judgment-Seat of God but shall be as the Chaff driven to and fro that the Scripture may be fulfilled upon them And all who are out of Plainness with the Eternal Light which Christ hath enlightned them withal shall they be condemned and confounded in Time The Light was before Time For this Light was before Time and is in Time which lets every Man and Woman see all their Actions done in Time and hating this Light this is their Condemnation But all loving this Light and walking in this Light ye will come to walk in that which is the World's Condemnation and it will bring you to see the World to be gone from God from Christ and all who are of God And this is the Counsel of God to you that in that which is contrary to your Fleshly Wills ye may all wait and walk for that will lead you from all vain Thoughts and all evil Desires there wait and ye will witness the Birth born not by the Will of Man And this Birth is Heir of another World and Heir of the certain Riches which is manifest to that of God in all Consciences So to you all this is a Warning from the Lord who are in the Light and love the Light which Christ Jesus hath enlightned you withal which is contrary to your Wills and all Mens Wills that with it ye may use plainness of Speech to all and so to be made manifest to that which they hate which is their Condemnation the Light And abiding in Christ Christ the Vine who is the Vine every one will come to witness your selves to be as Branches abiding in the Vine and sitting under the Vine This was I moved of the Lord to send out abroad among you as a Message to all the Plants of the Lord. If ye speak any thing contrary to the Light which Christ hath enlightned you withal with the Light ye are to be condemned And if any among you do speak of Former Experiences and not dwell in the Light but in Hypocrisie and Prefumption and Envy without the Fear of God ye are to be thrown down and with the Light condemned and Wo upon thy Head from God and Christ proceeds and art to be turned out and Judged with the Light and with the Life Therefore in the Life dwell and walk every one in particular then ye will have Vnity one with another and grow up to be Trees of Righteousness the Planting of the Lord. G. F. ALL 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 Epist 112. and know it and in it be Content Dwell in the Seed which is Heir of the Promise of Life Eternal The Seed the Heir and dwell in the Possession of that And in all your Doings and Words be faithful to the Lord and to Men let this be your daily Exercise G. F. To a Friend in the Ministry DEar Brother Supposed to E. B. Mind the Lord and stand in his Will and Counsel Look not forth at Time nor Place Epist 113. but at thy Father's House wheresoever thou art And dwell in the pure Measure of God in thee and there thou wilt see the Lord God present with thee For the bringing forth many out of Prison art thou there set behold See the Lord God present the Word of the Lord cannot be bound The Lord God of Power give thee Wisdom Courage Manhood and Boldness to thresh down all Deceit Dear Heart be Valiant and
mind the pure Spirit of God in thee to guide thee up unto God to thunder down all Deceit within and without So Farewell God Almighty keep you all G. F. DEar Brethren In the mighty Power of God go on Epist 114. to which Power of the God of Heaven and Earth To E. B. and F. H. all the Powers of the Earth must bow that to that of God in all Consciences ye may be made manifest that that in them which is of God may witness The mighty Power of God that ye are sent of God Dwell in the Life of God that to the Spirits in Prison ye may minister and to it be made manifest that ye are no Deceivers but Saviours and such as are sent to lead from all Deceivers The Spirits in Prison and them to testifie against So in the mighty Power of God go on Preaching the Gospel to every Creature and Discipling them in the Name of the Father Son and Holy Spirit In the Name of Christ Preach the mighty Day of the Lord to all the Consciences of them who have lain long in Darkness and under its Chain where the Light shined but the Darkness could not comprehend it So in the Power of the Lord God go on and thresh that which hath been fed with the Harlot's Spirit and the Harlot famish The Harlot's Spirit which hath and doth Prison the Just I Charge you in the Presence of the Living God dwell in his Power that with his Power ye may be carried along to minister to all the Spirits Imprisoned by the Deceit As the Life of God doth arise it will lead you up to God the Father of Life in this your Fruits shall never wither But go on to plant a Vineyard The Vineyard and to Plow that ye may eat the Fruit thereof and to plant in Hope and to thresh in Hope that ye may be made Partakers of your Hope And to thresh out the Corn that the Wind may scatter the Chaff that the Corn may be gathered into the Barn So in the Power of the Lord Jesus Christ preach the Everlasting Gospel that by his Power the Sick may be healed the Leprous cleansed the Dead raised the Blind Eyes opened and the Devils cast out In the Name of the Lord Jesus Christ go on that that of God in all Consciences may witness that ye are sent of God and are of God and so according to that speak to bring up all unto the Head Christ and into the Life which gave forth the Scriptures for there 's the Unity and out of it is the Confusion G. F. To Friends Concerning the Word of Life FRiends and Brethren Epist 115. the Eternal Word from which ye have both spoken and ministred to others is the Word of Life the Word of Peace The Word of Reconciliation the Word of Reconciliation which makes of Twain one New Man and if ye do abide there there is no Division but Vnity in the Life which was before Death was and before Division was Therefore that which is divided is of the Kingdom that cannot stand and is for Condemnation by the Life and Word of Reconciliation That which speaks the Evil Language I do deny for that which speaks so doth not see throughly Therefore in the Light wait where the Vnity is where the Peace is where the Oneness with the Father and the Son is where there is no Rent nor Division but all one in Christ Jesus the Everlasting Fountain of Life and Covenant of Peace The Son of Man cometh not to be ministred unto but to minister Where the Life and Fulness dwells it hides and covers from that to which the Curse is that so it may minister forth to the Seed's Seed SOVND sound the Trumpet abroad ye Valiant Soldiers of Christ in his Kingdom Anti-Christs in Arms. of which is no End All the Anti-Christs in the Kingdoms of fallen Men are up in Arms against Christ G. F. Concerning Judging in Meetings FRiends Epist 116. Do not Judge one another in Meetings ye that do minister in the Meetings for your so doing hath hurt the People both within and without Meetings quiet and your selves under their Judgment ye have brought And your Judging one another in the Meetings hath emboldned others to Quarrel and Judge you also in the Meetings And this hath been all out of Order and the Church-Order also Now if ye have any thing to say to any stay till the Meeting be done and then speak to them in private between your selves and do not lay open one anothers Weakness Not to lay open Weakness for that is Weakness and not Wisdom to do so For your Judging one another in Meetings hath almost destroyed some Friends and distracted them And this is for want of Love that beareth all things and therefore let it be amended No more but my Love FRIENDS If any amongst you have Movings to do any Service for the Lord Do Service for the Lord. when they have done it let them return again with speed to their Habitation and there serve the Lord in their Generation that no Slothfulness may be amongst you But all keep in Diligence that no Occasion may be given to any to speak evil of the Truth but that ye may answer that of God in all So give no Offence Give no Offence for Wo is to those by whom Offences do come Yet Quench not the Spirit G. F. MY Dear Friends Keep your Meetings and ye will feel the Seed to arise though never a Word be spoken amongst you Epist 117. And be Faithful that ye may Answer that of God in every one Neglect not your Talent And do not neglect your Talent but in the Life and Power of God live which ye have received And my Dear Friends dwell in the Life and Power and Love of God and one towards another FRIENDS Dwell in the Measure of the Spirit of God and to it take heed that in it ye may grow The Love that is Eternal for the true and lasting Love proceeds from God who is Eternal And abiding in the Measure of Life ye will have Peace and Love that never changeth if from the Measure you turn Iniquity gets up and so the Love waxeth Cold and in that lodge the evil Thoughts Jealousies evil Will and Murmurings Wait in the Light which is of God that ye may all witness the Son of God and witness that which shall never wither so ye will see and feel God near G. F. LEt no Friends go begond their own Measure given them of God Epist 118. nor rejoyce in another Man's Line made ready to their Hands Another Man's Line lest that get up and would be Justified which is to be Condemned And that which will Boast and be Justified in the Sight of Men is out of the Kingdom excluded Therefore in the Measure of Life wait and with it be led to have