that lets in the Wills of the World upon the Life of Friends and so ye come to suffer by the World But at such Meetings let the Wisdom of God guide you that some may be there to preserve the Truth from suffering by the World that all Burdens may be kept off and taken away So will ye grow pure and strong And when there are any Meetings in unbroken Places ye that go to Minister to the World take not the whole Meeting of Friends with you thither to suffer with and by the World's Spirit but let Friends keep together and wait in their own Meeting-Place So will the Life in the Truth be preserved and grow And let Three or Four or Six that are grown up and are strong in the Truth go to such unbroken Places and thresh the Heathenish Nature and there is true Service for the Lord And to you all this is the Counsel of the Lord The Grace of God the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ be with your Spirits Amen G. F. To the Church of God in Lancashire Friends EVery one in particular who are of God and not of the VVorld Epist 15. walk out of the World 's vain Customs Ordinances and Commands and stand a Witness against them all in the Testimony of Jesus and witness him the Substance of all waiting in the Light of God and walking in it then will ye have Unity one with another and the Blood of Jesus Christ will cleanse you from all Sin for through it and by it we do overcome which Blood of the new Covenant is but one There shall ye witness the Lamb of God that takes away the Sins of the World Oh wait all in that which is pure to be fed alone of God with the Eternal Living Food Go not out among the Swine who feed upon the Outside the Husk among the Merchants of Babylon and so forsake the living Bread but as ye have received Christ Jesus in him walk that ye may all honour the Lord Jesus Christ and adorn his Gospel And be famous in his Light and bold in his Strength which will carry you above the World and above all the Deceits of it Oh in Love watch over one another for good and for the better and not for the worse And dwell in that which is pure of God in you lest your Thoughts get forth and then evil Thoughts get up and Surmising one against another which ariseth out of the vailed Mind which darkens the pure Discerning But as ye dwell in that which is of God it guides you up out of the Elementary Life and out of the Mortal into the Immortal which is hid from all the fleshly ones where is Peace and Joy Eternal to all that can witness the new Birth Babes in Christ born again of the Immortal Seed in it wait my Life is with you in perfect Unity bow down to nothing but the Lord God Bow down to nothing but the Lord. Satan would have had Christ to have bowed down but he would not the same Seed now the same Birth born in you now which is the same to day yesterday and for ever The Tempter will come to you and if ye look forth and hearken to his Words and let them in then ye bow down under him and worship him But I say unto you and charge you in the Presence of the Lord Mind the pure Seed of God in you and the mighty Power of God will cherish you up to the Lord God above all Temptations not to bow down to any thing but feeding upon the Immortal Food ye will feel your selves supported and carried over him by your Father and your God whi is over all blessed for ever Who is the Vertue of all Creatures the Wisdom of all Things all Holy Praises be unto the Holy Glorious Lord God for ever G. F. TO all you Epist 16. My dear Friends who have tasted of the immediate working Power of the Lord and do find an Alteration in your Minds and do see from whence Vertue doth come and Strength that doth renew the Inward Man and doth refresh you which draws you in Love to forsake the World and that which hath Form and Beauty in it to the Eye of the World and hath turned your Minds within which see your Houses foul and Corruptions strong and the Way narrow and straight which leads to Life Eternal To you all I say Wait upon God in that which is pure Tho' you see little and know little and have little and see your Emptiness and see your Nakedness and Barrenness and Unfruitfulness and see the Hardness of your Hearts and your own Unworthiness it is the Light that discovers all this and the Love of God to you and it is that which is Immediate but the dark Understanding cannot comprehend it So wait upon God in that which is pure in your Measure and stand still in it every one to see your Saviour to make you free from that which the Light doth discover to you to be Evil. For the Voice of the Bridegroom is heard in our Land and Christ is come amongst the Prisoners The Prisoner of Hope to visit them in the Prison-Houses they have all Hopes of Releasment and free Pardon and to come out freely for the Debt is paid wait for the Manifestation of it and he that comes out of Prison shall reign So Meet together all ye that fear the Lord God and think upon his Name his Mercies endure for ever his Mercies are in Temptatations and Troubles his Mercies are in Afflictions in Reproaches and in Scorns Therefore rejoyce ye Simple ones which love Simplicity and meet and wait together to receive Strength and Wisdom from the Lord God and in departing from Sin and Evil ye will be able to speak to the Praise of the Lord And meeting and waiting in his Power which ye have received in it all to Improve your Measure that God hath given you for ye never Improve your Measure so long as ye rely upon any visible thing without you Labour in Love but when ye come alone to wait upon God ye shall every one have a Reward according to your Deserts and every one your Penny who are called into the Vineyard to labour Therefore be faithful to God and mind that which is committed to you as faithful Servants labouring in Love some Threshing and some Ploughing and some to keep the Sheep He that can receive this let him And all to watch over one another in the Spirit of God So God Almighty bless guide and prosper you unto his Kingdom where there is no Tribulation When your Minds run into any thing outwardly without the Power it covers and vails the pure in you G. F. Dear Friends PRize your Time Epist 17. and the Love of the Lord to your Souls above all things The Light shew Sin and Evil. and mind that Light in you that shews you Sin and Evil. Which checks you
through which Christ gives you Rain having purchased the Field wherein the Pearl lies and now is the Spring time that the Lilly and the Rose begins to flourish and the Power of the Lord God who is over all And keep your Testimony for your Religion that you have received from God and for your Worship in the Spirit and in the Truth that Christ Jesus hath set up and for your Gospel-Fellowship which is in the Power of God before the Devil was And see that all live in Peace and in the Love of God for Love edifieth the Body for he who is the Head of it is the beloved of God who is from Everlasting to Everlasting And see that every ones Affections be set on things above To set our Affections upon things above and not upon things below that be Earthly for now is the time to contend for the Faith that gives Victory which was once delivered to the Saints in which you have Vnity And so the God of Power preserve you all and keep you in his blessed Seed to wit Christ Jesus that none of you may be without a Minister without a Priest or without a Prophet or without a Shepherd or without a Bishop but let every one receive him in his Offices Then you all have One who will exercise his Offices in you all whom God hath given for a Leader and a Covenant yea an Everlasting Leader who was the Foundation of the Prophets and Apostles and is to us this Day And so be Valiant for the Truth upon the Earth in the Seed Christ Jesus that through him who Destroys Death you may have a Crown of Life and through him you may be one another's Crown and Joy in the Lord yea I say through Christ who was glorified with the Father before the World began I am just now upon leaving this Island where I have had very great and blessed Service though I underwent very great Weights and Burthens and Sufferings and Travels But all is well and the blessed Seed and Power is over all to whom be Glory for evermore Amen Amen G. F. DEar Friends This is the Counsel of the Lord to you all who are brought into the Eternal Truth of God Epist 285. whose Minds are guided out of the Earth up to God and have received their Wisdom from God which Wisdom order all the Creatures To receive Wisdom from God that with it you may come to know how to order in the Creation with the Wisdom by which all was made This I charge you and warn you all in the Presence of the Living God That you suffer no Creature to perish for want of the Creatures and that none be lost through Sloathfulness Laziness and Filthiness and let not these things be which are for Condemnation with the Light that leads to the Wisdom To Order the Creation with which the Creation must be ordered And Friends let there be no Sloathfulness among you but all keep in Diligence and Liveliness For he that is Sloathful he is an evil Example and such must be judged with the Light that they may come to know the Servants Place and be Diligent And such as have gone up and down begging which you have received in amongst you with the Light which hath convinced them And to Inccurage Industry see that they be kept in Diligence and not wander but be kept in Obedience to the Light to receive their Wisdom from God how to Labour in the Creation and see that they have things decent and necessary and that their Nakedness may be covered that no Reproach nor Shame may come upon the Truth from such as are without but that with the Light all such may be denied who act contrary to it and in the Light which condemns the evil World ye may walk and receive the Light of the Son of God which the World stumbles at which is their Condemnation and in which the Saints have Vnity And all being kept diligent walking in the Light there will be no Sloathfulness For that is judged with the Light And Condemn that which is Evil. which is one with that in his Conscience which condemns him for Evil. This to go among Friends every where G. F. FRiends When you are met together Epist 286. in the Name of Jesus your Saviour let your Minds be over all to him and out of all things that changeth and perisheth and dieth of it self and will corrupt Our Mind to be over all things which perisheth and is visible up to him that is invisible the Lord God and his Son Jesus Christ that you may see him and feel him among you and in your Meetings in his Life and Light and Power and Spirit and that you may know that God is and that he is the Rewarder of all them that diligently seek him and to know that God is present And that which giveth the knowledge of him is the Light that shineth in the Heart in the Face of Jesus Christ and so see him in all your Troubles and Afflictions and that God is present God is present beholding our most secret Thoughts beholding all your Actions done in your Bodies and your Consenting to your Evil Thoughts Lusts or Motions the Thoughts what you will speak or act or Motions which you have not acted outwardly but if you do consent to do them in your Mind or Heart the Lord seeth them there to be done though they be not done outwardly to the sight of Men and so to God you must give an account of things done in your Bodies and of things done out of the Body for God both heareth and seeth what is done in the Body and what is said and done without the Body and therefore turn from the Evil that leadeth to destruction and judge it and your selves for cleaving to it and turn to the Lord and know him who is mighty to save and to reward all them that diligently seek him who is Almighty in his Power to save and deliver and to help in time of need So know him that was from Everlasting to Everlasting And here thou knowest God in his Power Light Kingdom of God stands in Righteousness and Life and Righteousness which his Kingdom stands in in that Righteousness and Power and Holy Ghost and Peace that never will have an End and is over all Kingdoms that will have an End and are unclean and any unclean and imperfect thing may enter into them and in them is Troubles Tumults and Sin and not Peace but Sorrow But into the Kingdom of God no imperfect thing entereth nor Sin nor any unclean thing For the Kingdom of God standeth in Righteousneass and Everlasting Peace and in Joy in the Holy Ghost G. F. FRiends Epist 287. Consider you that have known the Mercies of the Lord God To remember the Mercies of the Lord. and of Jesus Christ Look back and see how them that had known much of
is Holy and Righteous and to live in Peace who hath promised he will give Christ Jesus for a Covenant of Light and Peace to you who are called Gentiles and venant of Light by which you shall come to have Peace with the Lord God the King of the whole Earth This is the King of Kings and Lord of Lords in whose Hand is the Breath of all Mankind This is the God of the Spirits of all Falsh who hath made all Nations of Mankind of one Blood to dwell upon the Face of the Earth And God having divided the Sons and Daughters of Adam and scattered them up and down the Face of the Earth being in the Transgression and Sin led away with the God of the World the wicked One the Devil that abode not in the Truth who causes People to destroy one another and murder one another about Earthly things This is the Prince of Darkness that rules in all the Hearts of the Children of Disobedience disobedient to that which is Righteous in them which discovers the unrighteous Actions and Words drom the Righteous And Christ the Second Adam the Lord from Heaven saves Men from Sin Christ the Second Adam the Saviour of Men. who is Prince of Peace and of Life and the Covenant of God who brings Men to have Peace with God and one with another who destroys the Devil the Author of Strife This is Christ the Second Adam which brings the Sons and Daughters of Adam into Reconciliation with God again and destroys Sin and finishes it and makes Reconciliation for Sin and Iniquity G. F. To Friends in Barbadoes DEar Friends Epist 293. To whom is my Love in the Lord Jesus Christ by whom were all things made and by whom all things do consist and who filleth all things and doth uphold all by his Word and Power Christ the Head of his Church c. who is the First and Last the Holy Head of his Holy Church and the Door into the Holy Way for his Holy People to walk in and the setter up of a Holy Worship in the Holy Spirit and Truth to worship the Holy God in and the setter up of a Holy Religion to keep from the Spots of the World which Religion is pure in his Sight And this never came out of the Brain-beaten Stuff of Man nor of his Chamber of Imagery but for his People to walk in that they might sing forth his Praises in Righteousness And therefore all Friends in your Men and Womens-Meetings be faithful and see how you do grow in the Truth and Power of Godliness and are circumcised and witness your Renewings into the heavenly Image of him that created you and that you all may be fruitful in the Knowledge and Grace of our Lord Jesus Christ who is the Orderer of all things and wear his Livery and fine Linnen the Righteousness of Christ and hold forth his Ensign and his Standard and all to be filled with his Grace and Love and peaceable Truth and be over all outward Earthly things so that none be Carnally but Spiritually minded And walk as becomes the glorious Order of the Gospel having the Water of Life in your Cisterns and the Bread of Life in your Tabernacles and Fruits on your Trees to the Praise of God Amen And all your Family Meetings do not neglect among your Whites and Negroes but do your Diligence and Duty to God and them To keep Family Meetings which you will not neglect if you keep in the Faith of Abraham and of the blessed Seed which inheriteth the Crown And be at Peace among your selves that each one shew that you are in Christ the Prince of Peace and that doth shew that you are the Disciples of Christ and Learners and Followers of him So possess him who is Life Eternal Aman. And your Love and Kindness toward us the Lord redouble it of his Mercy into your Bosoms We are all pretty well We have had great Travail by Land and Sea and Rivers and Bays and Creeks in New-England Jersey Delaware Maryland Virginia Carolina where we have had great Service among Friends and Governors and others and Men and Womens-Meetings and with the Indians and their Kings and Emperoar O blessed be the Lord God Almighty who is over all and over all giveth Dominion And Glory be to his Great Name for ever Amen And his Truth is of a good Savour in the Hearts of People and spreads So no more but my Love Read this in your Men and Womens-Meetings G. F. Maryland the 24th of the 12th Month. 1672. FRiends The Truth is above all will stand over all them that hate it who labour in vain against it Epist 294. and will bring their old House on their own Heads to their great Trouble Truth above all and in the Winter and cold Weather when that their HoUse is down and their Religion is frozen and their Rivers are dried up and their Husks are gone and the Swine begin to cry about the Plantations and the Vermin runneth up and down amongst their old Rubbish and their Sparks and Candles are gone out and Hail and Storms lighteth upon the Head of the Wicked then Wo will be to God and Magog and to all the Wicked who have no Covering In Christ you have Peace in the World you have Trouble No Peace with God can be enjoyed but in the Covenant of Light which it Trouble Amen G. F. FRiends at the first Convincement there is not so much danger Epist 295. for the Spirit of God keeps in the Fear of the Lord and under Judgment Our Knowledge must be in the Spirit then after getting Acquaintance or Knowledge and a Familiarity and a Liberty but not in the Holy Spirit there is great danger and therefore your Knowledge and Familiarity must be in the invisible Spirit for the Flesh Fadeth and withereth as the Grass So that Knowledge and Familiarity is as Grass that withers but the Word of the Lord endureth for ever And the right knowledge of one another is this To know one another in that Word which was in the beginning before Man fell For Man liveth not by Bread alone but by every Word that proceedeth out of the Mouth of God This is the fresh and heavenly Food from above and above all the Husks that the Swineherd feedeth his Swine with in the unrepented State G. F. FRiends All keep your Meetings in the Power of the Lord God that hath gathered you Epist 296. and none to quenth the Spirit nor despise Prophesying Quench not the Spirit c. and so keep up your Testimony in publick and private Let not the Mouths of Babes and Sucklings be stopp'd nor the Seed in Males or Females but all be valian for the Truth upon the Earth Concerning your Womens-Meetings encourage all the Women of Families that are convinced and minds Vertue and loves the Truth and walks in it that they may come up into God's
Lord Jesus Christ and may beas lights to the dark World and Salt to season the Vnsavoury for every Sacrifice which was offered up to God it was to be seasoned with Salt Every Sacrifice to be seasoned with Salt so every Sacrifice now that is to be offered up to God it must be seasoned and made savoury with this heavenly Salt of his heavenly Spirit so that all may give a good savour to him and be as a sweet smelling Sacrifice to the pure holy God that made all to his Glory and you cannot bring forth this holy righteous and pure Fruit unto God but as you abide in Christ Jesus the Truth who did descend and ascend far above all Principalities Thrones and Dominions that he might have the Preheminence above all and that ye in Him might live above all unto God and so every one of you that has received Christ Jesus the Lord over all So in Him who is your Lord walk who is the Amen and there all the Living can Praise God together and the Living gathers in the Name of Jesus the Name of him who was dead and is alive again and lives for evermore who is the First and Last And here you all know that there is no Salvation in any other name under the whole Heaven but in the Name of Jesus who is a Priest made highter than the Heavens So in his Name keep your Meetings To keep their Meetings in the Name of Jesus in whom you have Salvation and these are the true Meetings and true Gatherings who feels Jesus Christ in the midst of them their Prophet their Councellor their Leader their Light and Life their Way and their Truth their Shepherd that laid down his Life for them that has bought you his Sheep who feeds you in his Pastures of Life and your heavenly Bishop to over-see you that you do not go astray again from God And so it 's through him you overcome and he that overcomes shall go no more forth out of his Fold out of his Pastures who shall sit down in the heavenly Places in Christ Jesus who is your Priest that offered up himself for you and Sacrifices you and makes you holy and clean that he may present you blameless up to the the holy and pure God and here you come to witness and know him in his Offices by his Light Spirit and Power and all your Mens and Womens Meetings in the Power of God which was before the Devil and his Power was Of the holy Order of the Cospel in the Holy Order of the Gospel keep them you being Heirs of the Everlasting Gospel the Everlasting Power of God that will last for ever a joyful Gospel in joyful Order a comfortable Gospel so a comfortable Order a glorious Gospel and glorious Order So in this Everlasting Gospel the Power of God in which you have Everlasting Fellowship and Dominion over all Sin and Wickedness Vnrighteousness Vnholiness and all that is bad whatsoever you have Dominion over in the Gospel the Power of God yea over the Devil And this Gospel may every one testifie unto and to the Order of it that it is not of Man nor by Man neither is it received but by the Revelation of Jesus Christ sent down from Heaven which all the Believers that have part in the first Resurrection lives walks and keeps in the Order of this Gospel and so has Power to Admonish Exhort Reprove and Rebuke with all Authority such as talks of Christ and does not walk in him such as profess him and does not possess him such as lives not in the Religion that was set up above Sixteen Hundred Years since such as profess Christ the Way and walk not in the Way the Truth and the Life all such talkers and not walkers are dishonourers of God and causes his holy Name to be blasphemed among such as make no Profession And therefore all Friends that knows that you are alive to God by Jesus Christ and knows your translation from Death to Christ the Life and from Darkness to Christ the Light so that you may all come now to be helps meet in your Restoration by Christ Jesus into the Image of God and his Righteousness and Holiness as Man and Woman was in before they fell For before they fell they were meet helps to subdue the Earth they had both Power over all that God made while they kept in the Image of God and his Righteousness and Holiness and so all that God made was blest and good to them and so none can renew up into the Righteousness and Image of God but Christ Jesus And therefore I say in him live and walk and keep his Gospel-Fellowship and Order so that Men and Women may be meet helps in the distinct Men and Womens Meetings one unto another in the Gospel the Power of God Men and Women helps meet iâ— their services in the Restoration as Man and Woman was in before they fell So if the Men has any thing to communicate unto the Women or the Women any thing to the Men in the Righteousness and Wisdom and Power of God in the Gospel-Order in which the heavenly Fellowship Vnity and Order is kept they may as Brethren and Sisters So here is the Foundation of our Meetings and our Men and Womens Meetings is testified unto by the Spirit of the Everlasting God that the Foundation of them is Christ of the increase of his righteous glorious and spiritual Government and Peace there is no end nor of the glorious everlasting heavenly Vnity and Order of his Heavenly Gospel which the spiritual and heavenly Minds keeps and walks in accordingly which is not of Man nor by Man so Man has no Glory but God and Christ alone who is Almighty Omnipotent Immortal Everlasting and Eternal and dwells in the Light blessed for ever the Inexpressible God And so all keep the Vnity of his Eternal Spirit which is the Eternal Bond of your Heavenly and Eternal Peace of your King of Kings Lord of Lords and Prince of Princes Peace Amen All Friends be faithful in the Lord's Power and in his Spirit to the Lord God and his Truth that is over all and will keep you over all as you all do live and walk in it to the Glory of God and bring forth Fruits that is heavenly to his Praise So live in the Possession of Life Eternal which was before Death And so in this Power of Christ nothing can get between you and the Lord your Everlasting Home So with my Love Swarthmore the 10th Month 1675. G. F. To all the Elect and Chosen of God in Christ Jesus before the Foundation of the World FRiends and Brethren Epist 317. It lies upon me from the Lord to write unto you these following Lines First I was sent out by the Lord God in his Eternal Light and Power G. F. sent to preach the Word of Life to preach the Word of Life which was
Seed of God and feedeth upon the Milk of this everlasting Word which liveth and abideth and endureth for ever and was in the beginning by which Word you have Wisdom and Salvation by which Wisdom all God's Children are justified The Lord God in his Immortal Power preserve you out of all Evil and out of the Earth and over your Enemies within and without in his everlasting Seed Christ that is over all to his Glory for ever Amen G. F. To Friends at Dantzick DEar Friends Epist 336. in the Love of God and the Lord Jesus Christ look above all your outward Sufferings and him that is out of Truth that makes you to suffer and let nothing separate you from the Love of God which you have in Christ Jesus by whom all things were made Not to be moved from the true Foundation Christ Jesus I say let not the Birth of the Flesh with all his carnal Weapons Goals and Prisons Threats or Reproaches move you nor separate you from the Love of God nor from your Foundation the Rock of Ages Christ Jesus But feel the Well of Life springing up in you to nourish the Plant that God has planted in you of his Renown that that may grow up within his Hedge his Power which will keep out the Devil and all the Venomous Beasts from entring into God's Garden or Kingdom And therefore let your Faith stand in the Lord's Power which is your Hedge and Defence and which is your Keeper and will keep you safe that you need not be afraid of your Enemy your Adversary for the Lord's Power is over his Head and you within his Power then nothing can get betwixt you and God and in the Power of the Lord is the City set upon his Hill where the Light shines and the heavenly Salt is and the Lamps burning and Trumpets sounding forth the Praise of God of the Eternal Joy in his Eternal Word of Life that lives and abides and indures for ever And so to the Praise and Glory of God you may bring forth fresh and green Fruit being grafted into the green Tree that never withers Oh be valiant for God's Glory and his Truth upon the Earth To be valiant for the Truth and spread it abroad and spread it abroad answering that of God in every Man and Womans Conscience knowing him that hath brought Everlasting Peace into the Earth So that the Songs of Salvation may be in your Mouths for it is said With the Heart Man believes and with the Mouth Confession is made to Salvation So every true Believer will confess to Christ his Salvation their Way Light and Life out of Death and Darkness their Prophet to open to them their Shepherd to feed them and their Bishop to oversee them their Captain and Commander to command and to lead them their Counsellor for to counsel them and their Priest who hath offered himself for them and also sanctifies them and offers them up to God To whom be all Praise and Golory for ever Amen I writ something to the Magistrates which is in Print in England which if you have it not to give them you may send into Holland and let it be translated into your Language and given to them and spread it up and down in your Country And as for Truth in this Part of the World and in America Truth prospers it prospers and spreads and goes on and by it many Men and Women are made God's Free Men and Women being redeemed from him that is out of Truth that they may serve God in the New Life in Christ Jesus out of the Old Life in Adam in the Fall and so come to live in the heavenly Vnity Wisdom Love and Dominion So in that Love that bears all things and keeps your Hearts Minds and Souls up to God which comes from God through which you come to love God and Christ and one another in that live and dwell Swarthmore the 17th of the 3d Month 1676. G. F. To Friends in Holland DEar Friends To whom is my Love in the Seed of Life Epist 337. that bruises the Head of the Seed of Death and through him you have all Life Eternal who is the Foundation of the Prophets and the Apostles and all God's People in all Ages their Rock to build upon that will stand the Waves of the Sea and all Storms and foul Weather who is the Horn of your Salvation to push down all that stands in your way to God and to push down him that has led Man and Woman from God So that you may all sing of your Rock and the Horn of your Salvation as the Holy Ones did in Ages past and Christ who is your Foundation the Lamb of God who hath been slain from the Foundation of the World Christ overcame the World and is ascended far above all things but now he has overcome the World and is risen and ascended far above all Principalities Powers Thrones and Dominions and is razing down to the Ground the World's Foundation from which Foundation he has been slain and is setting up himself the Living and Everlasting Foundation for all his to build upon and therefore because the World and its Foundation Christ is razing down they are are offended and angry and the Heathen Rage and take Counsel against the anointed but it 's to no purpose for he will shake the Foundation of all false Religions Ways Worships Churches and Teachers and will make the Pillars of them to totter and they must be at their wits end before they see another Foundation for God shook down the Four Monarchies the great Empires of the World and scattered them abroad with his Wind as the Chaff of the Summer Floor all those great Persecutors and the little Stone that 's cut out of the Mountain without Hands The Stone out of the Mountain without Hands c. that no earthly Man has the glory of is becoming a great Mountain and will fill the whole Earth Glory to God for ever and it will dash down all Mens Glory and Pride let them soar as high as Nebuchadnezzar and shelter as many under them as he did in their Sects that he may make them to know that the most High rules in the Kingdom of Men and that his Kingdom is an Everlasting Kingdom And therefore all Friends that know the Light which is the Life in Christ be faithful in the Truth and spread it abroad answering the Light of Christ in every one for Christ bid his Disciples go preach the Gospel unto all Nations And since that was done are many gathered into the Fellowship and Order of it but since the World has worshipped the Beast and given their Glory and Honour to him instead of God and Christ which Beast is out of Truth and had his Power from the Dragon and the Whore which all Nations has drunk of her Cup and she has rid upon the Beast and now the Everlasting Gospel must
for the Old Covenant of Circumcision was held in the Flesh and then they did feed upon the Natural Sacrifices but the New Covenant is held in the Grace Light and Spirit by which they are Circumcised and so do feed on their Heavenly Sacrifice For in the Old Covenant they were not to eat the Blood of Beasts or any Blood but in the New Covenant Christ tells you Except ye do eat my Flesh and drink my Blood ye have no part in me For as by Adam and Eve their eating that which God forbad came Death so if Adam and Eve's Sons and Daughters have Life again it is by eating of that which Christ commands and as by eating came Death so by eating gometh Life and not by talking no not by talking of the Son of God for all Reprobates may do so for the Apostle saith If Christ be not in you ye are Reprobates and he that hath not the Son of God hath not Life and he that hath the Son of God hath Life and the Saints did confess the Son of God was come and had given them an Understanding and they were in him and they were to walk as he walked and not only to talk as he talked For there are too many Talkers and few Walkers in Christ my desire is there may be more And the Lord God Almighty strengthen you in your inward Man and over all give you Dominion in the Seed of Life which bruiseth the Head of the Serpent tht brought Death and a Curse and this Seed bringeth the Blessings in which all Nations are blessed and out of this Seed they are not blessed though they may profess all the words of this good Seed and if they are not in it they have not the Blessing in it and they that be in this their Blessings and Peace flow as a River from the Rock and Foundation of Life that standeth sure which all the Prophets Apostles and sanctisied Ones did and do build upon who is their Life and Salvation So feel the Stone that is cut out of the Mountain without Hands which must become a great Mountain and foll the whole Earth which hath a Kingdom that is everlasting which except a Man be born again he neither can see it nor enter into his Kingdom And my Desire is that you in your Measures may be preserved to the Lord Love Mercy and do Justly and know what he doth require of you to love Mercy to do Justice and to walk Humbly with God for the more he giveth the more he requires and the less that he gives the less he requires who will judge the World in Righteousness according to the Gospel preached in every Creature shewing that there is something of God in every Creature that shall answer his Judgment And therefore my desire is that all may be faithful to what the Lord hath made known unto them by his Grace and Truth Light Power and Spirit and then the Lord will supply them with more to whom be Glory and Praise who is the Creator of all through Jesus Christ by whom all things were made Amen G. F. AND Dear Friends Epist 354 My Love to you all in the Seed of Life and Peace which floweth as a River and bruiseth the Head of the Serpent that hath brought Death and Darkness Woe Elected in Christ the Seed Misery and Imperfection upon and in Man and in this Seed Christ is all Nations blessed and elected and out of it is the Curse and Reprobation And out of this Seed are all the false Religions false Ways false Worships and false Churches or Bodies without Heads like so many Monsters which the Seed of the Serpent hath brought forth since the Apostles days and then they have made them Heads out of their Bodies or Churches and when one Head is fallen off then another they make and set it upon their Body or Church having lost and gone from the true Head Christ And sometimes the Members do fall out about making a Head for their Body so that the Members do destroy one another about it Going from Christ their Head they make to themselves Heads Now this monstrous Body is brought in by this ovil Seed in such as are gone from the Light Grace Truth Power and Spirit that cometh from Christ the heavenly Head in whom dwelleth the fulness of Divinity And they are never like to come to the true Head Christ but by coming to the Light Grace Truth Power Faith and Spirit of Jesus which cometh from him and turneth to him again the Head and so to hold him their Head by which all the Members are coupled together by Joints and Bands which do receive their Nourishment from him their Head who doth supply every Member with Life Everlasting from him that is alive and liveth for evermore And since such have gone from the Light Grace Truth spirit and Power of Jesus in this Night of Apostacy they have gone from that which cometh from the Head Christ which should join to him And therefore in this night of Apostacy there have been many Bodies without the true Head which have made so many Heads and set them upon their Bodies and when they are gone they do make more and the Beast Dragon Wolves and flse Worships or Bodies of People without the true Head Christ being out of the Grace Truth Light Power Faith and Spirit which the Apostles were in they have brought forth so many monstrous Bodies without Heads till they have made Heads for them and when one is gone they do make another And therefore all must come to the Grace Truth Power Spirit and Faith that cometh from Jesus if that they do come to him from whence it cometh and so hold him their Head Christ which Head all things were made by who is First and Last the Beginning and Ending Halelujah And my desires are That all may be in their Services for Christ Men and Women in his Grace Truth Light Power and Spirit that from him they may all have their Penny Dilligence rewarded who doth reward every Man and Woman according to their Works and not stand idle chaffering in the Market-place So with my Love in the Lord the Creator of all and in the Lord Jesus Christ by whom was all who is over all the First and Last a living Rock and Foundation for all the Living to build upon that are quickned by him and do believe in his Light which is the Life in Christ the Word by whom all things were made and so are grafted into Christ Grafted in Christ the living Tree that never withereth and so from him the green Tree every Graft doth receive its Nourishment that is grafted into him and so the living Root doth bear every living Branch and nourishes it that it may bring forth Fruit to the Praise of God over all blessed for ever And this is the Tree whose Leaf never fadeth nor Fruit faileth but its Fruit feedeth all the
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
Stripes we are healed Did not he suffer the Contradictio of Sinners who died for Sinners and went into the Grave for Sinners and died for the Ungodly yea tasted Death for every Man who through Death destroyed Death and the Devil the Power of Death and is risen For Death and the Grave could not hold him nor the Powers and Principalities Death could not hold Christ in the Grave with all their Guards and Watches could not hold him within the Grave but he is risen and is ascended far above all Principalities Powers Thrones and Dominions and is set down at the Right Hand of God and remaineth in the Heavens till all things be restored And he is restorign with his Light Grace Truth Power Spirit Faith Gospel and Word of Life so that you read of some that came to sit together in Heavenly Places in Christ Jesus And therefore all must bow at the Name of Jesus their Saviou in his Light Grace Truth Power Spirit and Gospel for he hath bowed for you if you rise with him and you must suffer with him if you will reign with him and die with him if you will live with him And all that are dead and buried with Christ and are risen with him they will seek those things that come down from above where Christ sits at the Right Hand of God and there you will seek those things which come down from above and not things which are below For those which seek those things that are below are the Talkers of God and Christ and the Prophets and Apostles words but they are not dead with Christ nor risen with him and therefore they do not seek those things that come down from Heaven where Christ sits at the Right Hand of God But they are them that seek the things that are above To seck those things which are above that are dead with Christ and risen with him they I say do seek those things which come down from Heaven where Christ sits at the Right Hand of God and they have not only sought them but have found them and received them and come to sit together in Heavenly Places in Christ Jesus a safe established and heavenly sitting in the heavenly Rest and Habitation in Christ Jesus who is the First and Last and over all from Everlasting to Everlasting Blessings and Praises over all be to the Lord God through him for ever Amen God is a God of Order The Eternal Living God of Truth he is a God of Order and is not the Author of Confusion but of Peace in all the Chruches of the Saints Now the Author of Confusion and not of Peace is the God of the World who abode not in the Truth because there is no Truth in him and when he speaks a Lie he speaks of his own for he is a Liar and the Father of it Now the Jews which did the God of the World's Lusts and them called Christians that do were in Strife Confusion and Disorder For the Jews they went out of the Order of Aaron and oses going from the Spirit of God poured out upon the House of Israel and so went from the Lord and his Law into Confusion and Disorder which the living God of Truth was not the Author of Also the Christians who go from te Light Grace Truth Power Spirit Gospel and Faith which Christ Jesus is the Author of they go from Christ and his Order who was not madee a Priest after the Order of Aaron but after the Order of Melchizedeck who was without beginning of Days or end of Life an Everlasting Order And such go into Strife and Confusion that go from Christ which Christ and God is not the Author of but the World's God who got into Man and Woman by Transgression and Disobedience of the Command of God who is the Author of Confusion Strife and Disorder in whom there is no Truth For what Order can there be in the World's God and amongst his Subjects in whom there is no Truth For in whom there is no Truth there is no true Order and they that abide not in the Truth Grace Light Spirit Gospel Faith and Word of Life they abide not in the Order of God and Christ And such will cry against the Order of the Truth Light Grace Spirit Gospel Faith and Word of Life which bring into the Order of Christ and the Order of the Living Eternal God of Truth who is a God of Order and delights in Order having Pleasure in them that live in his Sprit and Law of Life and the Gospel and its Order For Blessed is the Man that delights in the Law or Order of God it was so under the Old Covenant Much more Blessed is the Man or Woman that delights in the Law and Order of Love and the Law and Order of Faith and the Law and Order of Life and of the Gospel the Power of God And none keep the Law of Faith but who keep in the Faith which Christ is the Author of which wourks by Love And none keep the Law of Life but who keep in the Law of the Spirit and walk in it which is in Christ Jesus the heavenly and spiritual Second Andam who was before old Adam who under the World's God out of Truth in whom there is no Truth nor true Order but Confusion and Disorder And therefore all who come to God who is a God of Order must come bythe Grace Truth Light Power Gospel Faith and Anoitnting the Word of Life within and such come to love the Lord Jesus Christ and to delight in God and Christ's Order So you may see that God is a God of Order who called Aaron and Moses and they had an Order from God And Melchizedeck had an Order and Christ is after his Everlasting Order Christ'r Kingdom is Everlasting And Christ the Truth hath an Everlasting Kingdom that stands in Everlasing Righteousness and Power and Joy in the Holy Ghost yea an estableshed Kingdom that will never have an end and cannot be broken and no imperfect defiled nor corruptible thind enters into is And all Christ Jesus's Subjects of his Everlasting Kingdom that see it and enter into it are born again not of the Will of Man but of an Incorruptible Seed by the Word of God and have the Incorruptible Milk of the Word of God by which the grow from Babes to Men of God and have the Fine Linnen the Incorruptible Cloathing the Righteousness of Christ which is the Linnen which they do wear in Christs Kingdom So all Christ's Subjects of his Kingdom are known by their Birth and Cloathing and live in the Order of hiw Gospel of Love Lifew Light Grace and Truth and no Man comes into his Kingdom and Order but by the Light Grace Truth Faith Power and Spirit and Anointing and Word of Life within through which they know Christ and his Everlasting Kingdom that stands in Power and Righteousness and Joy in the Holy Ghost
and by ti keep in the Order of the Law of Life whcih they have in Christ Jesus Such as folow the God of the World bate the Order of Truth And they that follow the World's God that are out of Truth and disobey their Creator the God of Truth and the Lord Jesus Christ I say all such obey and follow him in whom there is no Truth and such cannot endure to hear talk of the Order of Truth and of the Gospel or the Law or Order of the Spirit of Life which is in Christ Jesus which all they that do obey the Voice of the Lord and Christ Jesus in his Light Grace and Truth and Gospel the Power of God and his Holy Spirit and Faith and Word of Life within come into Unity and Fellowship one with another and with the Son and with the Father and in this they know the Order of Christ and God to be a God of Order and delights in his Heavenly and Eternal Order of Light Life Power and Spirit of God that is over Death and Darkness and the World's God who is a God of Disorder in whom there is no true Order but Confusion and into this holy Order of the Everlasting Light and Life he cannot come Glory to the Lord God and his Son Christ Jesus who is over all from evelasting to Everlasting and is the Rock and Foundation and Habitation of his People blessed for ever and evermore Amen G. F. POSTSCRIPT Here you may see by these following Scriptures how the Apostles loved the Good and holy Order of Christ in his Gospel Some Scripture Collections concerning good Order in the Church and Light and Life and Truth but as Job said The Land of Darknese is without any Order And Babylon signifies Confusion which is the false Church and is called a Woman and a City of Confusion who iw against the Order of the true Church and gets the Titles of the true Chruch that is called a City and a Woman which brings forth the Man-Child Christ Jesus and of the increase of his Government and peace there shall be no end who sits upon the Throne of David and upon his dom to order it to establish it with Judgment and with Justice henceforth and for ever So here you may see Christ doth in his Kingdom and them that have him have his Order Isa 9.7 And David saith Although mine House be not so with God yet he hath made with me an Everlasting Covenant ordered in all thins and sure for this is all my Salvation and all my Desire c. 2 Sam. 23.5 Again David saith Order my steps by thy Word and let not Iniquity have Dominion over me Psalm 119.133 Which is the Duty of every Christian to have their Steps ordered by the Word of God that lives and abides and endures for ever which Word is a Word of Order And David saith The Steps of a good Man are ordered by the lord and he delights in his Way I have been young and now am old yet I have not seen the Righteous forsaken nor his Seed begging Bread He is ever merciful and lendeth and his Seed is blessed Psalm 37. Here you may see how the Lord delights in him and them that walk in the Steps the Lord orders them with his Word And him that orders his Conversation aright shall see the Salvation of God Psalm 50.23 And this Order must be in the Light which is the Life in Christ the Saviour And the Apostle Paul after he had spoken many things to the Corinthians he said Therest will I set in Order when I come 1 Cor. 11.34 And he saith concerning the Collections for the Saints in 1 Cor. 16.1 As I have given Order to the Churches of Galatia even so do ye to wit the Corinthians So they were to practise the same Order which were the Believers in Christ which the Apstle in the Power of Christ had given to them For the Apostle had the Wisdom of God which he had ordained before the World began unto the Glory of his People then and now also 1 Cor. 2. And the Order that the Apostle did give to the Churches of the Galatians and the Corinthians was That upon the First Day of the Week every one of them lay by him in store as God had prospered him c. 1 Cor. 16.2 And in Acts 14. When they had ordained Elders in every Church and had prayed they commended them to the Lord on whom they had believed confirming the Souls of the Disciples Elders Ordained c. and exhorting them to continue in the Faith and that they must through much Tribulation enter into the Kingdom of God And as Paul and others with him went through the Cities Decrees to be kept they delivered them the Decrees for to keep that were ordaine of the Apostles and Elders which were at Jerusalem and so were the Churches established in the Faith and increased in Number daily Acts 16. And the Occasion of these Decrees was because some Men that went from Judea taught the Brethren saying Except ye be circamcised after the manner of Moses ye cannot be saved Acts 15. And these Decrees were to stop such Preachers For the Apostles and Elders said Forasmuch as we have heard that certain which went out from us have troubled you with ords subverting your Souls saying Ye must be circumcised and keep the Law to whom we gave no such Commandment Now it is clear the Apostles and Elders gave these Teachers no such Commandment to preach such Doctrine to Trouble the Chruches And the Apostle Paul after he had spent some time t Caesaria and Antioch he went over all the Country of Asia and Phrygia in Order strengthening all the Disciples Acts 18. So you may see how they were a Comfort one to another And the Apostle writes to Titus Titus in Creete Chap. 1. For this Cause I have left thee in Creete that thou shouldst set in Order the thins that are wanting and ordain Elders in every City as I have appointed thee So here Titus in the Sapirit of God did observe that which Paul in the Power of Christ did exhort him to But such as are against the Order and Pracxtice in the Light and Gospel cannot order their Speeches by teason of SDarkness And the Apostle saith Col. 2.5 Though I be absent in the Flesh yet am I with you in the Spirit joying and beholding your Order and steadfastness of your Faith in Christ As ye have therefore received Christ Jesus the Lord so walk ye in him Here the Apostle rejoyced in the Order that kept them in the Faith and Steadfastness in Christ Jesus Therefore the Apostle saith Every Man in his own Order Christ the First Fruits c. For in Adam all died even so in Christ shall all be made alive And they that are alive in Christ Jesus are in his Order of Life and Light and in his Gospel the Power of God And the Apostle
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
the Brotherhood in the Spirit and to esteem all Men and Women as they are God's Creation whose natural Sun and Rain shineth and falleth upon the just and unjust and on their natural Fields and so doth God's Eternal Son of Righteousness shine with his Light and Grace and Spirit that he doth enlighten them withal and gives his Grace and Peace to all for his Spirit is poured out upon all Thus doth he shine through all and upon all and over all and above all and therefore let your Light shine that are the Believers in the Light that are become the Children of the Light that others may glorifie your Father which is in Heaven in seeing your good Works and your good and gracious Words and Lives and Conversations and mind the more excellent way the Apostle sheweth to the Corinthians which is the Charity that will bear all things and is not puffed up nor envieth not This doth keep above all brittleness And Friends Friends not to alter their settled Meetings without Mutual Consent after that your Meetings are settled and seasoned by the Power of the Lord if that you do alter them without the Consent of Friends in the Power of the Lord that makes and breeds Discontent and therefore keep them after they be settled in the Power of the Lord and you settled in it upon Christ the holy Rock and Foundation of God that standeth sure And in all your Meetings if that there be any Difference between Brother and Brother do not reflect one upon another in Meetings but speak one to another between your selves as Christ Commands and then you may preach the Gospel of Peace freely and speak the Truth in the love of it as it is in Christ Jesus And this is the best way that so nothing may be seen in your Meetings but the Life Truth and Peace so that the Serpent whose Meat is Dust may find none in your Meetings and none to quench nor abuse the Power or Spirit nor none to go beyond it's Motion for if you do you will both bring Trouble and Burthens upon your selves and others and run out that so you cna hardly get in again and therefore be wise in the heavenly Wisdom of God to be ordered in his Spirit of Understanding to the Glory of God and the Comfort and Edifying of his People that you all may know how to behave your selves in the Church of God to the glory of God And let all your Lives and Conver sations preach Vertue Purity Righteousness Holiness and Godliness else you cannot be the Lights of the World nor the Salt of the Earth And when any doth badly or wickedly they instead of being Lights or Salt are unsavory and are stumbling-blocks and when the Salt hath lost its savour it is good for nothing but to be trodden under the foot of Men and therefore keep your favour and then you will not come under the Foot of Men and in the Light and then you will not go into Darkness And therefore have Salt in your selves and Oil in your own Lamps and keep in your own Houses for it is the Whore that abideth not in her own House with the Word of Life and Grace and Truth within and to the Light and purifying Faith and mortifying and baptising Holy Spirit of God the Fruits of which Spirit is Love Peace The Fruits of the Spirit Long suffering Gentleness Meekness Temperance and bear one anothers Burthens and so fulfil the Law of Christ and forgive one another as Christ hath forgiven you and ftrive to excel one another in Holiness and Righteousness and Godliness and Meekness and Modesty in Vertue Truth and Love that you may all live to the Praise and Glory of God Amen And the Lord saith Isaiah 49.8 speaking of Christ I will give thee for a Covenant of the People to establish the Earth Christ a Covenant of the People to cause to inherit the desolate Heritages So that you may see the fulfilling of this in the Promise and have a Care of God's Glory and all live in the Seed Christ your Sanctuary which is a safe Place over all Storms and Destroyers who was before they were and will be when they are gone in whom you all have Rest and Peace and by whom you are presented to God holy in Body Soul and Spirit and therefore all must be kept clean and holy if that they do offer up or be presented to him that is Holy and therefore you must be a holy People and walk in the holy Truth and obey the holy Word of God and walk godly as the Grace of God teaches which brings Salvation and walk in the Light If that you do keep in the Fellowship in the heavenly Light and in this you do differ from the World that makes a profession of the Scriptures of Truth and dishonoureth God and causes his Holy Name to be blasphemed by their not obeying the Word nor walking in the Light Spirit and Grace and Truth whose Candle is gone out and now cannot indure to hear talk of the Light and therefore let your Light so shine before Men that they may see your good Works and glorifie your Father which is in Heaven and then you will have both his Favour Presence and Blessing and the Lord God Almighty preserve you all and Friends every where in his Power and Seed Christ Jesus Amen The 26th day of the 8th Month 1682. G. F. To Friends in New-Jersey and Pensilvania DEar Friends With my dear Love to you all Epist 376. in God's holy peaceable Truth and my desires are Wisdom of God gentle kind and easie to be intreated That you may be all kept careful of God's Glory Now in your settling of Plantations and Provinces and especially in woody Countries as those are you may have many Trials and Troubles but if you keep in the Wisdom of God that will keep you both gentle and kind and easie to be intreated one of another that will preserve you out of Heats or Extreams or Passions and that all Friends that come over be with speed settled in their Plantations that they may not lie and waste their Time both of themselves and their Servants and spend that which should help to settle them in their Plantations And therefore you that are concerned in ordering those things have a Care that no Reproach come upon your selves and your Countries but there may be such Care taken in all things that there may be no Complaints come into England against you And I desire that you may be very kind and courteous to all in Necessity in the Love of God for there are many People goes over to your Countries some Poor and some Rich and so many Eyes are upon you To be kind to all in Necessity and them that come over to you and therefore my desire is that you may all be careful in the Love of God and in his Truth and Righteousnes as the Family
up when they forbad all Oaths and Swearing And therefore every one 's Yea should be Yea and every one 's Nay should be Nay and so to stand And therefore all are to consider afore-hand before they speak their yea yea and before they speak their Nay Nay in the New Covenant of Grace Light and Life that with the Light they may see safely when they speak their yea yea and their Nay Nay which is the Practice of the Children of Light in the New Covenant of Light by and in which Light they see and consider what they are albe to perform what they speak at Yea Yea and what they are able to stand to at Nay Nay So if you walk in the Light it will preserve you out of all rash and hasty Words and Promises which many runs into that do neither perform either their Yea Yea or their Nay Nay Therefor in the New Covenant of Grace Light and Life all are to speak Yea Yea to what they can do and perform and what they say Nay Nay to thatin the Light and Life and Grace of God they may likewise stand to their Nay what they say Nay to So that none make any Promise or speak Yea Yea or Nay Nay rashly To keep Promises which they cannot perform For such kind of inconsiderate and rash Speaking is not in the Everlasting Covenant of Light Life and Grace Take heed lest you be numbred among the Covenant-breakers spoken of Rom. 1.31 and such Truce-breakers which the Apostle speaks of 2 Tim. 3. Which have a form of Godliness but deny the Power thereof from such turn away saith the Apostle And therefore they that deny the Power of Godliness will not be faithful to God nor Man and such cannot exercise a good Conscience to God in Obedience to him nor to Man to perform that which is just righteous and honest Therefore the Apostle exhorts the Christians in the New Testament to speak the Truth in Love and to put away Lying and to speak every Man the Truth to his Neighbour Eph. 4.15 25. And David saith Who shall abide in thy Tabernacle and who shall dwell in thy holy Hill He that walketh uprightly and worketh Righteousness and speaketh the Truth in his Heart But they that speak Vanity every one to his Neighbour with flattering Lips and a double Heart the Lord shall cut off And Solomon speaking of Wisdom say My Mouth shall speak Truth and Wickedness is an Abomination to my Lips And James says in his General Epistle So speak ye and so do c. So see here how certain and stedfast the holy Men of God would have God's People to be in their words and doings And also James was careful that the Saints in their very outward Dealings were to be just and reproved such for saying To day or to morrow we wil go into such a City and continne there a Year and buy and sell and get gain To have regard to God in our Purposes Whereas they did not know what should be on the morrow But they ought to say If the Lord will we shall live and do this or that Therefore you may see how careful the Apostle was to keep all true Christians in the Fear of the Lord and in the Sense of his Will God is true and faithful to his People in all Generations and so he would have his People to be true and faithful to him and to one another and to all Men in his Spirit and Truth And Christ saith He that is faithful in that which is least is faithful also in much and be that is unjust in the least is unjist also in much And further he faith If ye have not been faithful in the Vnrighteous Mammon or Riches who will commit unto you the true Riches Therefore there must be a Justness and Faithfulness in the outward Riches between Man and Man if you will have a place in your Hearts for the true heavenly Riches The inword Faithfulness to God bringeth forth Faithfulness to Men in outword Things And as the Apostle said to the Saints Finally Brethrean whatsoever things are true whatsoever things are honest whatsoever things are just whatsoever things are pure Follow whatsoever is pure and of good Report whatsoever thing 's are lovely whatsoever things are of good report if there be any virtue and if there be any praise think on these things Which are very good things to be minded thought upon and practised by the Church of Christ The Lord faith by Zachary These are the things that ye shall do speak ye every Man the Truth to his Neighbour execuse the Judgment of Truth and Peace in the Gates Again Therefore faith the Lord I am returned unto Zion and will dwell in the midst of Jerusalem and Jerusalem shall be called a City of Truth and the Mountain of the Lord of Host an holy Mountain And if outward Jerusalem was called so in the Days of the Old Testament surely much more is heavenly Jerusalem in the New Covenant and Testament called The City of the living God the heavenly Jerusalem into which nothing that is unclean can enter but all the Believers in the Light and the Children of the Light enter into it whose Names are written in the Lamb's Book of Life and are to walk in Truth and Righteousness and speak the Truth every Man to his Neighbour according to the Apostle's Doctrine And so as every one hath received Christ Jesus who is the Truth walk in him the Truth and speak the Truth as it is in Jesus For you are bought with a price therefore glorifie God in your Bodies and in your Spirits which are his And the Lord in Mercy grant that all his People who profess his Name may do s to his Praise to his Glory and to his Honour over all for ever Amen And do not slight the form of sound Words in Truth You who have bought the Truth do not sell it And He that orders his Conversation aright shall see the Salvation of God And the Apostle says to the Philippians Let your Conversation be as it becometh the Gospel of Christ For the Apostle says Our Conversation is in Heaven where must be the Conversation of all the true Followers of Christ that are built upon him the Rock and Foundation who is from above And the Lord GOD establish all his People upon this Rock and Foundation which standeth sure that upon him they may stand fast with the Grace and Truth that comes from him Amen Edmonton in the County of Middlesex the 23d of the 11th Morth 1682. G.F. A way to prevent the Indignation and Judgments of God from coming on a Kingdom Nation or Family commended to the Consciences of all concerned First Epist 381. All you Vintners that sell Wine that keep Taverns or such like Houses and all you Inn-keepers and you that keep Victualling-Houses Ale-Houses Not to suffer Men to abuse the Creation Strong-Water-Shops c. see
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
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
Oil in their Lamps Such were not diligent in the Work of God nor in the Concerns of the Lord nor in their own Particulars And therefore my desires are That you may all be diligent serving the Lord and minding his Glory and the Prosperity of his Truth this little time you have to live and be not like Adam in the Earth but use this World as though you did not use it for they that covet after this World fall into divers Snares and hurtful Lusts And therefore consider that you are but Sojourners here that you may pass your time in the Fear of God and you being many and having many of the Friends of the Ministry going over into those Parts you may be a hinderance one unto another if you do not travel in the Life of the Vniversal Truth taht would have all Men to be saved and come to the Knowledge of the Truth And if you would have them come to the Knowledge of Truth let them know it and where it is to be found So I desire that you be valiant for it upon the Earth that you may give a good account unto God at the last with Joy So I desire that all Friends in the Ministry may see this in Pensilvania and New-Jersey And so with my Love to you all in the Holy Seed of Life that reigns over all Amen Enfield the 30th of the 5th Month 1685. G. F. To Friends in Wales DEar Friends and Brethren In the Lord Jesus Christ Epist 406. whom he hath gathered by his glorious Hand and Power to himself who is the Rock of Ages and the Foundation of many Generations that cannot be shaken in which you have all Life Peace Rest Salvation and Eternal Happiness Your Epistle dated the Second of the Second Month 1685 by Order of your Yearly Meeting signed in behalf of that Meeting was received and publickly read in our Yearly Meeting and well accepted of in Love and Unity with the Spirit that gave it forth And Friends are very glad to hear feel and see your Fellowship and Unity in the Lord's blessed Truth and your Communion in the Holy Ghost and your Care in the Concerns of the holy pure peaceable Truth And how that you are and have been preserved over those unruly Spirits that have been as Trees without Fruit and Wells without Water inwardly ravening Wolves that have got the Form of Godliness and the Sheeps Cloathing but are out of the Spirit and Power and Life of the Sheep of Christ And over such Spirits we praise God that he hath given you Dominion And our desire is That you may all live and walk in Christ and sit down in him in his Grace and Truth and that you may answer the Truth of God in all People with the Word of Life and also answer the Good in all with a Godly and an Holy Life and Conversation And likewise all the Magistrates and Officers that are in Power you may answer the just Principle in them all To answer the just Principle in all Men. and live in the Spirit of Supplication and pray for all that you may lead a righteous and a godly Life under them all So that God over all and through you all and by you all may have the Glory the Thanks and the Praise To whom all is due God blessed for ever Our Yearly Meeting was peaceable and the Lord 's glorious Presence was amongst us whose Glory shines over all God blessed and praised for ever Amen Nowe all Dear Friends You know your Teacher and Leader Christ Jesus and you know him your High-Priest that 's made highter than the Heavens by the Power of an Endless Life by whom you are made a Royal Priesthood to offer up spiritual Sacrifices to God by Jesus Christ And you know there is no other way to God but by Jesus Christ and you know that God hath raised him up a Prophet in the New Testament who is to be heard in all things who opens and no Man can shut and shuts and no Man can open And ye know that Christ is the Bishop of your Souls to Oversee you that you do not go astray from God And ye know that Christ is the true Shepherd and has laid down his Life for his Sheep and is to be heard and followed who gives unto his Sheep Life Eternal And so abide in him who is your Life Eternal and Everlasting in whom you have Peace with the Everlasting God Amen London the 10th day of the 7th Month 1685. G. F. To Friends in Dantzick DEar Friends Epist 407. I am glad to hear of your Welfare in the Lord And my desires are To be valiant for Truth That in the Eternal Power of God you may be valiant for his holy pure Truth upon the Earth and his holy Religion that keeps from the Spots of the World and the new and living Way Christ Jesus that will keep you out and over all dead Ways that are in the World and the Worship of God in his holy Spirit and pure Truth which Christ Jesus set up above all the Worships in thd World And all Men and Women must come to the Spirit of God in their Hearts if they serve and worship God that made them And my Desires are That you may live in Peace and Love one with another and in the pure gentle Wisdom of God that is easie to be intreated And let your Faith stand in the Power of God and feel that in your Hearts which will keep you until the Day of Salvation And let all your Conversations be according to the glorious Gospel of Life and Salvation so that you may come to answer the Truth in all People and in your Words and Actions you may preach Truth Righteousness Vertue Pureness Godliness and Holiness without which none shall see the Lord. And now Friends consider the Lord's great Mercy and Kindness towards you who hath brought you through great Sufferings To praeise Gode Mercies Tribulations and Persecutions and that you have your Meetings peaceable it is a great Mercy of the Lord to you for you to prize and be faithful So with my Love to you all in the Lord Jesus Christ that reigns over all in whom you have Eternal Rest and Peace Amen And as for the Affairs of Truth here we are under great Persecutions Imprisonments and spoiling of Goods but the Lord does support his People above them all And of late the chief Magistrates have shewed some Favour towards us Bednal-Green the 11th of the 9th Moutb 1685. G. F. To Friends in Pensilvania East and West-Jersey THE Lord God who created Man and Woman in his Image Epist 408. and after his Likeness in Righteousness and Holiness he blessed them and said unto them Be fruitful and multiply and replenish the Earth and subdue it and have dominion over the Fish of the Sea and over the Fowl of the Air and over all Cattle and over all the Earth and over
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
worships him must worship him in Spirit and Truth The Beastly Nature in Man and Woman holdeth up the Beast and his Customs and Worships and the Plagues of God are to be poured upon the Beast and all them that worship the Beast and false Prophet And they that abide in the Truth worship not the Beast Inwardly nor Outwardly The Worship of the Beast denied but deny all the Beast's Worships and false Prophets and worship God in Spirit and Truth And they which do not abide in the Truth hold up the Beast's Worship and the false Prophets and they that do so shall have their Portion together Plagues will be poured upon such And ye that know God dwell in the Truth and tread upon the Deceit for God will be Glorified alone To whom be Glory and Honour for ever Amen G. F. TO all my Dear Brethren Epist 20. whom the God of Power hath enlightned with his Eternal Light and discovered unto you his Way of Truth and brought you out of the dark ways wherein ye have walked which dark ways all the World walks in But where the pure Light of God is witnessed it guides to himself The Light is but one which leads out of Darkness and the dark World into the World which is without End Therefore all Friends and Brethren in the Eternal Truth of GOd walk in it up to God and be not Sayers only nor Backsliders for the Backslider is a Sayer and not a Doer and there ariseth Ambition Pride and Presumption out of that Nature But dwell in the pure Light which God hath made manifest to you in your Understanding and turn your Minds to him and walk as Children of the Light The Backslider a Sayer and of the Day and be not Drunken in any thing nor run not to Extremes in any thing but be Moderate and Patient Wait for the Presence of the Great God and our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ and be not so Childish as to be tossed with Mens Words without Life And run not out after others Liberties which they have got into their Notions for thou that dost so wilt not abide in the Truth and so thou may'st come to be shaken and shake others who look at Words But wait every one in particular in the Measure that God hath given you upon God in the Fear of God then your Hearts will be kept clean and this is the sure Way And wait all to have the Son made manifest in you and the Son alone to set you free in your selves in particular The Son makes free and all that are made free by the Son are one But the first Nature that would have Liberty must go into Captivity which they that live in their Carnal Reasoning seek Freedom for But here is Man deceived in his first Birth But ye all in whom the Immortal Seed is brought to Light who are raised up to sit in heavenly Places with Christ Jesus and are become Children of the Day walk as Children of the Day and as Children of the Light and Let your Light so shine before Men that they may glorifie your Father which is in Heaven All loving the Light ye love the one thing which gathers your Hearts together to the Fountain of Light and Life and walking in it ye have Unity one with another and the Blood of Jesus Christ cleanseth you from all Sin The Knowledge of the Letter The Knowledge of the Letter which you formerly got into your Notions and Comprehensions the dark Mind gave dark Meanings to it and so kept you in the Broad Way but now wait all to have the same Spirit manifested in your Understandings which was in them which gave forth the Scriptures who were come out of the Broad Way Holy Men of God who had escaped the Pollutions of the World And if every particular of you know not a Principle within which is of God to guide you to wait upon God ye are still in your own Knowledge which is bruitish and sensual But waiting all upon God in that which is of God ye are kept open to receive the Teachings of God And the pure Wisdom and knowledge is that True Wisdom and Knowledge which comes from above which is to know God and Jesus Christ the Way which is hidden from the World and to walk out of your own Ways and out of your own Thoughts And dwelling in that which is pure up to God it commands your own Reason to keep silent and to cast your own Thoughts out and dwelling in that which is pure it discovereth all this So dwelling in the Spirit it keepeth all your Hearts to God To whom be all Praise Honour and Glory for ever From Judge Fell 's in Lancastire ' the 31st of the 11th Month 1652. G. F. To Friends at Kendal TO that of God in you I do speak Epist 21. that ye may watch over the Weak and see how the Plants of the Lord do grow And walk in the Joy and Love of the Truth Watch over the Weak serving God with Joyfulness of Heart and to you this is the Word of the Lord. And keep all that is bad down and out with the Light which condemns all Ungodliness so keep all that out which is for Condemnation that ye may all be preserved clean and pure that out of Condemnation ye may be kept and walk in the living Light So God Almighty be with you all And I charge you to read this among the Brethren and these Words mind with the Light that no Loosness be amongst you but own and be obedient to the Commands of the Lord that ye may stand out of and above all the contrary Commands of Man And so Fare-well G. F. OH Friends Epist 22. keep close to the Light in you and do not look forth at Words that proceed from a vain and light Mind but at the Power of Words The Power of Words For the Words of God that proceed from him are Powerful and Mighty in Operation to the throwing down of all the strong Holds of the man of Sin The Lord is coming in Power to gather his Chosen ones to himself and to Judge and Condemn the wicked One for evermore He will plague the Beast and burn the Whore and plague and torment the Disobedient and Rebellious and Backsliders very sore Therefore ye that know the Voice of the Lord hearken to it and see how ye stand in his Fear and how ye are brought into the Obedience of the Truth And take heed of looking forth at Man but keep close to the Light in you and see that your Minds be kept close to that and guided by that and being guided by that it will keep you clear and pure to receive the Teaching of the Lord. Have Salt in your selves and let your Words be few and seasoned Words few and savoury that they may be savoury And watch over one another in Love and walk in
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
one shall see the Lord. And let your Conversation be as becometh the Gospel To Friends in Cumberland the Holy Power of God which is the Gospel of Christ the Holy One who suffered by the Vnholy Ones And keep in the Lowly Mind and the Humility of Christ that the Fruits of your good Conversation and Translation and Regeneration in your Lives may appear The Fruits of a good Conversation as a People redeemed from the Pleasures of the Flesh and the Spirit of the World and the beggarly Lusts and that ye may obtain the Promise of the Eternal God and the Power of the Truth through the Word in the Heart the hidden Man that ye may obtain Victory over that which wars against your Souls through which ye may be arrayed and adorned and by that ye may be preserved and kept from that which is not of the Father the Lust of the Flesh the Lust of the Eye and the Pride of Life in the Simplicity and Innocency of Christ Jesus over all the Subtilty and feigned Deceit through which ye may esteem nothing in Comparison of that which is of God and him above all through Christ the Light the Truth the Power of God manifested in you False Liberty And keep out of all false Liberties and that which would lead you out of the Fear of God and in that ye will be preserved in the Sense of the Power and the Truth of God in your own Hearts In that every one watch through which Knowledge and Virtue is ministred unto you and Peace from the God of Virtue and Peace And keep out of all that which tends to Strife and Whisperings and Backbitings and Tattlings which draws from the Witness Watch and Fear of God within which leavens into the Fleshly Lusts and Nature and then that Judges and yet is in the same thing for which he Judges others which Nature and Judgment all is for Judgment and Condemnation So be Wise and keep your First Love break not Wedlock with the Lord Jesus Christ keep your first Habitation keep your Garments clean for such as so do they are blessed that ye may shine as Lights to the World Be Examples in Virtue and be Examples in Virtue Righteousness and Holiness walking in the Truth in all Patience and Quietness looking at the Lord your Strength and Christ Jesus the Conqueror and beyond all the Hills and Mountains that ye may be a good Savour to the Lord having Salt in your selves Let your Lamps be burning and your Lights shining and then ye will see over all the Unsavouriness that is in Adam's Family in the Fall who live in Christ the Power of God that never fell and keep Marriage with him the Holy One the Just One the Light the Truth and Power of God who makes an End of all Vnholiness And so walk in the Righteousness that your Feet may be kept in the Way of Peace And keep both your Tongues and Hands and Bodies and Lips and Minds and Words out of all that which would defile and corrupt you and bring you under the Indignation and Wrath of God and his Hand to be turned against you So keep in the Fear of God and keep in his Truth which ye at first received for Truth never changes And walk in the Spirit and then the Lusts of the Flesh will not be fulfilled and then Strife is kept out that which would be high and get up through which comes Strife and Wars So keep your Fellowship in the Spirit in which is the Unity and Bond of Peace Fruits of the Spirit and the Fruits of the Spirit will appear Righteousness Holiness Goodness Peace Soberness and Gentleness Chastity and Virtue through which ye may have Fruit to feed the Hungry and to relieve the Sick and Poor For the Unfruitful walks not in the Spirit and so bears not Fruit and so the Curse comes and Briars and Misery So eye the Lord God in all things in the Spirit who is a Spirit in that ye may distinguish his things and the things that are of your selves and what is of Men and what is of God and what to keep alive and what must dye So be Obedient to the Spirit and to the good Power of God that hath quickened you and live in it that ye may dye no more for that gives you Life For they that are made alive and come to dye again and to be Twice Dead Twice Dead plucked up c. and then come to be plucked up by the Roots such lye dead upon the Earth and corrupt it So let not the World let not things visible draw your Minds away from the Lord. Do not mind the Body more than the Lord do not forsake the Lord but be of good Faith in the Truth of God and live in it then ye live in Christ Jesus who is your Way who is your Teacher who is your Prophet who is your Priest who is the Bishop of your Immortal Souls Christ that never fell nor never changed nor never will change And here ye come into the Seed the Top-stone The Seed the Top-stone that is atop of the World set and before the World was who will remain when the World is gone who was full of Grace and Truth and Virtue and Life by whom Grace comes that brings Salvation who is every one of your Teacher in your selves So know Christ the Head and Salvation in which there is Peace and no Condemnation for the Condemnation is upon them that are out of the Light And so live in Vnity in the Light before Darkness and Enmity was in which ye have Peace and Love to God to Christ and to one another G. F. An Epistle to the Travellers in the Lord's Way with a Testimony against the False Prophets and them that hold them up FRriends Epist 38. All are to receive your Spiritual Bread and Water from the Father of Life by which ye may be strengthened and watered from the Father of Life in your passing and travelling on in your Spiritual Journey heartily and comfortably that ye may come to your heavenly Rest The Spiritual Travel being come and coming out of the great City of Sodom towards the City of heavenly Jerusalem where ye shall abide Eternally for ever Reason not with Flesh and Blood that shall never enter take not Counsel of that which draws thee nearer to Carnal things and draws thee to Consult with Carnal Reason Carnal Reasoning and so draws thy Eye and Mind to Visible things and so brings thee to wander from going on thy Journey and if thou followest that thou goest to Death Hell and Destruction and to the Pit and the Snare and that gets Dominion over thee and comes to rule over thee which ought not But every one wait in the pure Spirit to guide you to God then ye shall see the Promise of God fulfilled in you and the Springs of Life opened to you and Refreshment
opened and made manifest such are subject to the Hasband Christ Jesus Now take heed of getting these Words into the Comprehension and the light Mind speaking them there is Danger but that ye may all wait to be comprehended of and to walk in the Truth My little Children in the Lord God Almighty this is my Joy that ye be all ordered and guided by the mighty Power of God and dwell in it and know it in one another and know the Voice that speaketh and the Sound of the Words and Power of them For Words without Power destroy the Simplicity and bring up unto a Form and out of the Obedience of the Truth And therefore walk in the Power of the Truth Words without Power that the Name of the Lord God may be glorified among you and his Renown may be seen in you and among you and all the World may be astonished and the Lord admited in ordering of his People who are guided by his Wisdom and in it found And take heed of running out to make Conceited Ones Wise for then thou wilt consume that which the Lord hath given thee upon their Lusts and so give holy Savour and Salt and Discerning Therefore have Salt in your selves and be Low in Heart the Light is Low in you Be Low the Light is Low and it will teach you to be Low and to learn that Lesson of Jesus Christ to the plucking down all the high Thoughts and Imaginations And take heed of Strife in your Minds and if there be then glory not for it is the vain Mind and it is not good Let no Srife be amongst you and let none seek for the highest Place for there is the Separated Pharisee but be Lowly-minded Condescending one to another in a low Degree and bare one with another in Patience and be not High-minded but fear And all who are Servants Servants labour in Love labour in Love as unto God for the Earth is the Lord's and the Fulness thereof and labour in Singleness as unto the Lord. And all who have Families rule in the Power and Love of God that that Love may be Head among you For the time is coming that it shall be as with the Servant so with the Master and as with the Maid so with her Mistress For it is one hSeed that hath raised them up with one Power out of one Grave one Death which Seed all the Promises of God are to and as thou passest out of Death thou shalt witness the Promises of God fulfilled which are to the Seed destroying the one and raising up the other in thee So all Friends this is to you who know the Voice of the living God and know your Calling stand fast and waver not lest ye loose your Recompence of Reward but stand fast that ye may receive the Recompence of Reward For God is Just in all his ways and abideth faithful Turn not aside lest he whet his Sword and cut you asunder for ye that do the Wo followeth you Therefore all Friends mind that which is of God in you which is pure which is but One to guide you to the Father of Life who gives you Food and Rayment Food and Raiment and Strength that ye may gather strength and flourish and your Souls delight themselves in Fatness and feed and eat of the Abundance of Riches with him and from him which filleth all things and of the daily Bread which cometh from above which none can feed upon but who are above the World for who are below The daily Bread the Bread of Life never could nor would but are ready to stone them that confess they eat of the Bread of Life and would give of it to them Dear Friends wait upon the Lord that all of you may grow up in the Inward Man and be comforted and cherished there in the things that be Eternal So with Bowels of Love to you all I rest Read this among Friends who have an Vnderstanding and are called of the Lord and so Farewell And stand in the Will of the Lord and be Obedient to him And the Grace of our Lord Jesus Christ which teacheth you to deny all Ungodliness and Worldly Lusts that Grace fill and establish your Hearts that your Hearts may grow up in that Grace to God from whence all Gifts and Graces come Amen And all Friends Vain Palkers take heed of Vnruliness and vain Talking and Talkers for such are not Obedient to the Truth therefore avoid and shun it and them G. F. To seek the Kingdom of God first FRiends Epist 80. Seek the Kingdom of God first and the Righteousness thereof An Epistle to Friends conceraing seeking the Kingdome of God and the Rightousness thereof and those things what ye shall Eat and what ye shall Drink and wherewith ye shall be Cloathed will be added and will follow Therefore take no Thought what ye shall Eat nor what ye shall Drink nor wherewithal ye shall be Cloathed for the Gentiles seek after these things who seek not after the Kingdome of God and the Righteousness of it But seek ye first the Kingdom of God and the cloaths the Earth with Grass and who feeds the Young Ravens when they cry And the Kingdom of Heaven being sought after and the Righteousness of it he that is here lives out of the Creatures up to the Greator which differs him from the People of the World who take Thought which Thoughts they live in what they shall Eat what they shall Drink and what they shall put on And they that be there be out of the Wisdom of God which the Saints are in that have sought and found the Kingdom of God and his Righteousness which Wisdom brings them to use the Creatures to his Glory whether they Eat or whether they Drink all is done to the Praise and Glory of God Such as abide there can do nothing against the Truth Vse the Creatures to God ' Glory which Truth hath made them free indeed who into the Kingdome of the Dear Son of God are come which is without End who over the Kingdoms of the World reigneth G. F. ALL Friends every where Epist 81. to you this is the Word of the Lord God Dwell in the Life and Power of God and the Seed of God 1655 which inheriteth the Promise of God that all light hasty airy drunken Spirits may be limited and stopped and judged Airy drunker Spirits Judged and all Foolishness and Vnsavouriness and Confusion which causeth Distraction the Cause of it may be taken away and all ye kept in the Authority and Power of the Truth that know the Power of God manifested among you And ye knowing it and the Life dwell all in it and abuse it in no wife but wait for the Wisdom of God that it may be Justified of her Children and God glorified and honoured and exalted and the Pretiousness of his Truth considered well of which ye
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.
God is sufficient in all Temptations to lead out of them and to keep over them G. F. FRiends Wait in the Light Epist 108. that with the Light every one of you may come to see Christ to be your Wisdom and your Righteousness and so come to see the Body his Church About 1656. of which he is the Head and in the Measure of Life waiting on the Father of Life ye may come to reign in the Life All that are here kept are in pure Joy and Love And in the Light wait Harlots and Idolaters seen that ye may see the Harlots and Idolaters c. which are to be fed with Judgment Spare not that which is for the Sword and for the Fire let all Fleshly-mindedness be troden under your Feet And standing in the Power ye will see the Seed slaying the Fat and chaining and binding the Vnruly The Fat and Vnruly and succouring all the Lambs and Babes This is the Word of the Lord to you G. F. FRiends Keep to Patience this is the Counsel of the Lord to you Epist 109. Do not Judge one another behind one anothers backs Concerning Judging nor speak Evil one of another for that is that which soweth the Enmity among Brethren Nor do not Judge one another before the World for that is that which is in the Extremes Passion and Hastiness and there ye do let in the World's Spirit to rejoyce over you and that is out of the Patience and Love and Wisdom and Fear of God and his Truth And every one dwell in the Seed and Life of God and in that know one another and Meeting together in that ye may see the Lord Jesus in the midst of you And Friends The Aggravating Part. go not into the Aggravating Part to strive with it lest ye do hurt to your Souls and run into the same Nature for Patience must get the Victory and answers to that of God in every one which will bring every one from the contrary So let your Moderation and Temperance and Patience be known to all for that which joins to the Aggravating Part sets up the Aggravating Part and breeds Confusion and reaches not to the Witness of God in every one And Friends keep out of the Worldly-Wise Part The Wise Part. for that will never let People joyn and unite together in Truth which enters into the Earth and the Apprehensions of Words but let Innocency be the Garment and Truth and Simplicity the Covering Then in the Innocency ye will have Vnity where there is no evil Thought but Love that thinks no Evil. Therefore Cover one anothers Nakedness let all things be done in Love and that will Edifie And let the Weight and Preciousness of Truth be in your Eye and esteemed above all things by you For here is my Grief when I hear any thing amongst Friends that hinders their Vnity and makes a Breach whereby the Wrong gets Ground who should live in the Seed which breaks the Bond of Iniquity Breaches and makes up all Breaches in which Seed shine answering the Witness of God in every one which bruises the Earthly Part under that brings forth Briars and Thorns and spreads over the World and all the contrary Therefore all ye which have known the Power of the Lord God and have tasted of the Seed of God Live in that in which ye come to have Vnity that that Part may be kept down And the Wrong Eye that looks out at one anothers Weaknesses that must be kept under even that where the Heat and the Burnings and the Enmity is the Seed of God a-top of all that must be set Cover Nakedness in which is the Vnity Therefore if there be any Nakedness in any or among any cover that and come all to the Seed of God in your own selves for in that is the Vertue to heal yea all Nations Slaughterings Wounds and Cuttings are the other Weapons in the other Part which is out of the Seed of God whose End is Peace in which is the Vnity which is the Top-stone over all the Enmity and a-top of it is laid and bruiseth it all down I am a Lover of your Souls Eternal Good Peace and Vnity in the Kingdom that stands in the Power which hath no End G. F. To the Prisoners at Exon. FRiends Epist 110. Mind that which keepeth you all Meek and Low to be guided with it Keep Meek and Low And all consider that which keepeth you in the Way of Peace that none of you may be pudling in your own carnal Wisdom which is to be confounded which is shut out of the Kingdom of God All wait to have Dominion over that that ye may know Peace and Unity and the Love of God that doth not change And do not strive one with another lest ye do hurt one another for it is not the hasty Spirit that doth get the Victory but the Lamb who must reign over the World and was before it was And the Mind which is forward The forward Mind Judge Judge and dwell in the peaceable Way and that ye may be Patterns in your Imprisonments to them which be out of the Image of the Son of God To the Prisoners in Exon Written whilst J. N. was there with many more in Prison G. F. A Warning from the Lord for Plainness of Speech to be used To go among Friends FRiends of God and Brethren Epist 111. This is a Warning to you all from the Lord God and Jesus Christ that all that ye speak it may be in Plainness of Speech Plainness of Speech according to that of God in all Consciences and that it may proceed from that of God in you the Light of Christ that all your Words be Words of Life to the Life and Death to the Death where it reigns above the Light And that all Words which are spoken be in Plainness of Speech that the Light of Christ in all Consciences which he hath enlightned every one withal may witness your Words to be the Words of Life So that dwelling in the Light to that of God ye may be made manifest in all Consciences which shall be their Condemnation that hate it Ye that dwell in the Light and walk in the Light use Plainness of Speech and plain Words single Words in the single Life pure Words from the pure Life seasoned Words seasoned with Grace which teacheth to deny all Ungodliness and Worldly Lusts They who live in Ungodliness and Worldly Lusts turn from the Grace of God into Wantonness who are light and vain whose Words are unsavoury not seasoned with Grace whose Words edifie not upon whom God will render Vengeance in Flames of Fire who shall be separated from his Presence and his Angels Therefore Friends in Plainness of Speech all dwell for dwelling in the Light it will bring you to Plainness and few Words to live in the Life The Life of the Scriptures which
false Ways and Seducers and Deceivers and false Worshippers are out of And Jerusalem's Worshippers Jerusalem's Worshippers c. and Samaria's Worshippers and the Worship that is at the Mountain and the Idolatrous Worfhippers and the Worship of Devils all these are out of the Truth and out of the Spirit that changeth not But who are in the Truth and in the Spirit they are a-top of the World and a-top of him that abode not in the Truth their Feet are shod with it Therefore every one of you that are come into the World coming all to the Light ye come to your Armour ye come to that which lets you see Sin it is the Armour against it it is the Eye The Arment against Sia with which ye see that which must be cut down and judged to Death In which Truth which is the Light we have Fellowship one with another And this is the Counsel of the Lord God to you dwell all in the Power of God which is the Gospel of Peace And the Power of God is the Cross of Christ and ye that feel the Power of God ye feel Christ for Christ is the Power of God The Power of God is but one and the Light is but one and the Cross of Christ is but one which is the Power of God and the Gospel of Truth is but one which is the Power of God and there 's no other Ye that come to know these look for no other And Christ is that One in the Male and in the Female which is the Seed which the Promise of God is to and there all wait to find him and receive him Know ye not that Christ Jesus is in you except ye are Reprobates said the Apostle so now Reprobates if ye are Reprobates ye are Wonderers and Gazers in Adam in Transgression out of the Light out of the Life out of the Power out of the Truth out of the Way which is Christ But being in the Life ye are in the Way in the Truth in the Power of God in Christ out of Transgression in the Second Adam the Lord from Heaven out of the Transgression of the First Adam And if Christ Jesus be in you the Body of Sin is dead and ye are brought to God Emanuel and the Emanuel being known God with us is witnessed by every one of you that are redeemed by him out of the Transgression who are in the Second Adam So if Christ Jesus be in you and ye in him the Body is dead and ye are alive to Righteousness and Death is brought into Death Friends dwell all in the Light and then ye will dwell in Covenant with God and with God ye will have Peace And Friends all dwell in the Light that ye may receive the Wisdom of God of God The Wisdom of God by which all things were created with which Wisdom ye may come to order all the Creatures And be Low as Babes and Little Children for the Little Children receive the Kingdom And so all know the Promise which is to the Seed and know the Seed of God in one another that there be no Master but Christ who bruiseth the Serpent's Head where Debate and Enmity is No Master but Christ which is the cause of Strife So let the Seed be Master in the Male and in the Female that the Ground of Strife which would be Master may be kept under and the Seed which the Grave could not hold under be the Ruler so that ye may witness the Rock that the Gates of Hell cannot prevail against nor the Temptations of the Devil G. F. FRiends every where Epist 131. Dwell in the Power of the Lord God which is without End Striving about Earthly things in which ye may all have Unity And take heed of striving about Earthly things which is the unredeemed Part that is out of the Paradise and the Garden of God but that with the Wisdom of God ye may come to be ordered and order the Creatures by that by which they were made and created that by it ye may know your selves to be grverned And after that Riches do increase take heed of setting your Hearts upon them lest they become a Curse and a Plague to you For when ye were Faithful at the first the World would refrain from you and not have Commerce with you but after when they saw Trading and Dealing ye were Faithful and Just in things and Righteous and Honest in your Tradings and Dealings then they came to have Commerce and Trade with you the more because they know ye will not Cozen them nor Cheat them Then ye came to have greater Trading double than ever ye had and more than the World But there is the Danger and Temptation to you of drawing your Minds into your Business and clogging them with it so that ye can hardly do any thing to the Service of God but there will be crying My Business my Business and your Minds will go into the things and not over the things and so therein ye do not come into the Image of God in which is Dominion And so Riches when your Minds are got into the Riches and cumbred therewith ye go back into that ye were in before And then if the Lord God cross you and stop you by Sea and Land and take your Goods and Customers from you that your Minds should not be cumbred then that Mind that is cumbred it will fret being out of the Power of God And all Friends take heed of Jars and Strife for that is it which will Eat out the Seed in you Jars and Strife therefore let not that harbour in your Bosoms lest it eat out the Good in you and ye come to suffer in your own Particulars Therefore dwell in Love and Life and in the Power and Seed of God which is the Honourable Royal State And all that Speak or Preach abroad see that ye be in the Life and Power and Seed of God which will Edifie the Body and not in a brittle peevisb hasty fretful Mind but dwell in that which keeps down the contrary that that may speak which edifies the Body in Love And all take heed of vain Words Vain Words and Tatling idle Words but every where shop such that Love may continue in the Body and that the Seed may spread over all that Vnity may be kept And all Friends every where if Friends be Poor Poor Friends and Prisoners and in Want or in Prison that ye may in Wisdom relieve and cherish shch And all Friends every where Stop the Deceit that would devour and destroy which is out of the Truth and true Wisdom which must be limited that transgresseth the Spirit of God For since the Days of the Apostles the true Church hath been in the Wilderness and the Beast false Prophet Anti-Christ and false Church have ruled and reigned The false Church amongst whom have been the many
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
Access to God And dwell in Patience and Love to God and one towards another for the Lamb must have the Victory over them all the Wild Beasts in the Field or Wilderness who are in the Fall from God Aud tho' these Beasts Horns be never so long The Beast's Horns yet the Lamb shall conquer them who gets the Victory and overcomes and takes away the Sin And the Lamb hath Wisdom the Lamb hath Power follow him then ye shall have his Mind Wisdom and Patience and in that ye follow the Spirit of Truth and are led by that against which there is no Law in which there is Life and Peace and Fellowship with the Son and the Father and all the Saints and their Words Therefore live in the Truth and then ye live in Christ the Way that lives who was before the Vntruth was in which the many Ways in the Wilderness are The Way of Truth And living in the Truth ye live in the Love and Vnity yea in that which was before the Enmity was and Imperfection in which Truth is all Perfection of Love and Life and Light which Light Life and Truth is the Way to God in whom the Church is which Christ is the Head of And who come to this Church they come into God the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ and who come to God they must come into the Light Life and Truth And that is the Way in which People are renewed into God's Image of Holiness and Righteousness again in which God is seen Which Way is out of the Ways of Man that is fallen from the Image of God's Righteousness and true Holiness in which Way are all the Gadders abroad from God out of the Life G. F. ALL Friends and Brethren In the Noble Seed of God live Epist 143. which hath the Promise of Life which is the Top-and Corner-Stone The Top-and Corner-Stone Christ over all set in whom is Life Eternal and Fulness for you all and Life Peace and Wisdom And the Seed Christ destroyeth the Devil and his Works which Seed Christ lives for ever Feel and know that in your selves which will never have an End and then ye will know that which doth remain and abide when the Devil and his Works are destroyed and gone The Seed remaineth Christ the Power of God which goeth over the Power of the Devil in which is the Saints Vnity that is Everlasting which bringeth to the Church The Saints Vnity that is in God And so all in the Power of the Lord God and the Seed live which is over all that which is not in his pure Life in which ye all have Vnity that never hath an End My Love is to you in the Seed in which there is Life G. F. FRiends Epist 144. Get not Knowledge in the unsanctified and unregenerated Part for that which is not sanctified in your own particulars Knowledge will not be to them that it is declared to Neither can ye feel your Words go from you with Joy and Life The unsanctified Part. that come from the unsanctified and unregenerated Part for that Part will glory and boast and vaunt it self and say This have I done and that have I spoken and not glory in the Lord. So this satisfies not and the Spirit in Prison is not refreshed by those things G. F. FRiends Where there is Strife among any of you Epist 145. mind the Light to Judge it down and Condemn it by which Light your Minds may be guided up to Christ where there is no Scrife to learn of him Strife Judged down and to Condemn all that with the Light which would give the World a Ground to reproach Truth and to see your Nakedness For that which is out of the Light will fall and confound it self So mind that which keeps your Peace and condemns that which leads into Weakness and that which will let in Prejudice from the Light goes All which is to be condemned with the Light which leads to Christ the Covenant of Peace And where there is Strife which leads out into many Words such will wither and bring themselves under Condemnation at last Many Words Such must be Silent and mind that which doth condemn them that the Life in them may arise wherein is no Strife For where Mens Spirits are high something is stirring that should be kept under take heed that get not up into Rule So first learn the Ministry of Condemnation in your selves that Life may arise before Ministry in the Spirit be known which preacheth Peace by Jesus Christ where there is no Strife Therefore wait to know the Time of Silence A time of Silence And all Friends Let your Patience and Moderation be known to all Men for nothing is attained to that is good by Strife for that is out of Christ in the forward Will which is to be condemned with the Light where is the Vnity which cometh from Christ and leadeth up to Christ the Covenant of Life And take heed All Friends of causing his Name to be blasphemed through you among the Heathen but mind and wait to receive the Love of God which bears all things and suffers all things and so comes to receive the Armour of Righteousness Love bears all things which quenches all the fiery Darts of Satan that the Patience that bears and suffers all things may be witnessed G. F. To Friends in Ireland FRiends Epist 146. Feel all of you the Power of the Lord God in your selves to guide your Minds up to God and to give you Dominion over all Weakness Dominion over Weakness and to strengthen and to heal you And look not out but every one feel the Power of God in your own particulars and let all your Faith stand in that then will ye have Vnity and in that ye will have Dominion and Victory and it will keep you in Order In which ye will have Virtue and in which ye will feel the Spirit in which ye will have Fellowship and Comfort And be Low and Still in the Life and Power and not hasty nor rash that ye may in the Life and Power answer that of God in every one Not Hasty nor Rash that crieth for Peace and Rest So dwell in the Love of God this I warn you and charge every one of you your Faith standing in this and in the Power of God then ye will feel the Presence of the Lord God among you G. F. To Friends in Wales FRiends Epist 147. Live in the Wisdom of the Lord for that is it which doth preserve you pure lively and gentle above that which is below And in the Increase of God live The hicrease of God and in his Virtue Power and Love that through it your Hearts may be established and filled with the same that Justice and Truth may in all things be amongst you and Christ Jesus known in the midst of you as a Prophet
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
believes hath the Witness in himself Mark and take Notice And so ye being in the Light every one in particular feed upon the Bread of Life The Bread of Life which comes from above which nourisheth up to Eternal Life wherein as every one grows up here every one gives Glory to the Father and to the Son and knows the Light which is the Way the Truth and the Life Every one of you that are to it turned ye are in the One Way Truth Light and Life feeding upon the One Bread which comes from above which whosoever doth eat of lives for ever and shall never dye Let this be read among all Friends every where in this Nation and elsewhere that to the Light are turned and in it are kept that in the Vnity they may all be kept And in it God Almighty preserve and keep you that ye may feel his Promises which is to the Seed and know the Seed to which the Blessing is and know the Flesh of Christ that ye may be Flesh of his Flesh And Friends Live at Peace among your selves waiting upon the Lord and the Lord God of Life and Peace be with you Let no Friends be discouraged but walk in the Truth and the Love of it and to it bend G. F. ALL Friends About 1658 I do Warn and Charge you in the Presence of the Living God in his Wisdom and Life keep that no Ill Savour be nor get up amongst you Epist 156. For ye are the Salt of the Earth to season and to make savoury to God To Friends to keep in that which is Savoury but if the Salt have lost its Savour it is henceforth good for nothing Therefore I do Warn you all Mind that which doth keep your Peace whereby ye all may grow in Love and know Christ in you all in whom is Peace Ye are the Light of the World to answer the Light in every one that with the Light they may see your good Works and by seeing them Good Works they may glorifie your Father which is in Heaven for all Deceit is Judged and Condemned by it And every one keep in the Measure of the Life of God and see that there be no Strife nor Presumption among you but all serve one another in Love and let that of God guide every one of you Serve in Love in which ye may have Vnity one with another and with God And in his Life wait to receive Power to bind and chain all down which is contrary to Truth And so in the Life and Power of God the Lord God Almighty preserve you to his Glory Amen THE Light is precious to him that believes in it and walks according to its Leading So while ye have the Light walk in the Light and live in the Light Christ the Truth The Light the Truth that ye may through Obedience to it be the Children of the Light and of the Day For the Light and the Truth is and was before Darkness and Deceit were G. F. FRiends By the Wisdom of God were all things made Epist 157. and by the Wisdom of God must all things be ordered again to God's Glory The Wisdom of God to order Transgression and Sin brings Death and Destruction but the Wisdom hid from the Eyes that be therein by which Wisdom all things were made and created was before Sin Death and Destruction were And so that is it which the Creatures and Creation of God must be ordered by that Wisdom which made them and doth not change which is hid from Death and Destruction and from that which is in the Transgression of Life and must not rule So Friends every where be Tender to those that have forsaken any thing for Truth Parents Masters And if that their Parents have put them out from them or their Masters put them away for Truth 's sake and them that are put out of their places for Truth 's sake such in the Truth receive and cherish that they may be kept in the Service of the Creation to God's Glory answering that of God in all For every one is to abide in their places and there to be faithful except they be put out or put away and be buffeted for no Fault and take it patiently that 's Thanks-worthy And do good unto all especially to them that are of the House-hold of Faith The House-hold of Faith and be as the Church of God guided in the Wisdom of the Most-High who causeth his Rain to fall upon the Just and upon the Vnjust And so be ye Merciful as your Heavenly Father is Merciful And know the Seed of God that is Heir of the Promise in every one of you and the Wisdom by which all things must be ordered to his Glory who upholds all things by his Word of Power By which Word of Wisdom all things were created and must be ordered again to the Glory of the Creator in which Man will be kept Clean unto God and honour God with his Substance and glorifie God in his Spirit Whereby every one's Conversation will come to be ordered aright and ye come to sit down in the heavenly Places in Christ Jesus The High Calling and to know the High Calling of God in Christ Jesus who calls out of Darkness into the Light out of Death into Life For he that calls is Holy and calls into Holiness without which none shall see the Lord. AND all Friends be faithful in the Seed and Life of the Lord God that is it which abideth in the Love of God for ever where every one hath his Bread which comes down from above That is the Birth which abideth in the House of the Lord God for ever The Birth which abideth and shall go no more forth which is greater than he that is in the World And in the Seed and Life keep your Meetings with God and one with another So in that the Lord God Almighty preserve you all to his Glory G. F. FRiends and Brethren every where Epist 158. Dwell in that which makes for Peace and Love for Blessed are the Peace-makers for theirs is the Kingdom To Friends to dwell in Peace and Love that stands in Righteousness Joy and Peace in the Holy Ghost and in Power Therefore seek the Peace in which is the Well-fare and Good of every one And take heed of Strife and Contention for that eats out the Good and dos not Edifie nor make for Peace for 't is Love that Edifies the Body Therefore keep in the Seed and know that which was afore Enmity was in which there 's both Peace and Life And all be careful to Watch over one another for one anothers Good and be Patient and keep low and down in the Power of the Lord God that there ye may come to enjoy the Kingdom of Peace and sit down with Abraham Isaac and Jacob in the same For Blessed are all ye that lie down in
you that suffer in the Truth and by the contrary for the Truth 's sake the Spirit of Glory will rest upon you and if you be evil spoken of for its sake being faithful on your parts Christ is Glorified AND Friends your House being built upon the Rock Christ Jesus by whom the World was made the Storms the Floods Rock Christ the Tempests you fear not but all whose House is built on the Sands the Floods the Storms beats down and washes away as you may see before your Eyes So Friends that are come to the beginning see over Storms and Tempests and Floods and live on the Rock which was before they were on that you may rest safe and in peace And Friends Fear not him that can kill the Body I say fear him not that can spoil thy Goods be not afraid of them for when they have done that they can do more for the Life is over them all they cannot touch that So mind that which is over them all G. F. DEar Friends whom Death Epist 224. Bonds nor the outward Creatures can separate from the Love of God in Christ Jesus Live in Peace and Love one with another and keep above that Sraightned Spirit of Strife which is below and out of the Power and Truth and Life of God Dwell in Dominion in Love in Life and in Vnity one with another in the Power of God which was before the Power of Darkness was and in the Seed of God which was before Enmity was and that you may all know Christ's Reign And feed in the Pastures of Life and none stain your Virginity nor Holiness where lieth your Beauty And all that Minister abroad walk as Examples to them you Minister to And keep in Peace that you may not destroy them that you do minister to So in the Fear of God live and spread the Truth abroad and set the Truth over all and in it live in which you will have Unity So my Love is in the Seed of God which is Immortal to you all G. F. FRiends keep in the Power of the Lord Epist 225. which will bring you over all to the Fine Linnen the Righteousness of the Saints and your Bread of Life and the same Power of the Lord will bring all your Persecuters to Rags and Poverty When they have done their Work they will have their Wages when the Righteous and Wicked have done their Work each shall have their Wages and so do not think the Time long For each must have their Day to do their Work in when the Wicked's Sun is gone down their Day is ended and then they are Reconed withal and payed and then the People of God's Day approches wherein according to their Works they shall have the Rewards of Life Eternal THE Power of God is over all P. S. and they that keep in it it will carry them over all G. F. MY Dear Friends Epist 226. in the Everlasting Seed and Covenant of Life be valiant for the Truth upon the Earth and dwell in the Power of the Lord God and never heed that which makes to Suffer but the Power of the Lord which was before it was and all live in that and spread the Truth abroad and every one improve your Lord and Master's Money your Talent to the advantage of your Lord. And be of good Faith and Valiant for the Truth you who are gathered in the Name of Jesus keep your Meetings in his Name over all the Meetings which are gathered by the Sons of Adam in the Fall and look over all Prisons and out ward Boads which are in time and will have an end at the Power of God look which hath no end in which your Life is and Peace Crown and Dominion and think not the time long that the Rod of the Wicked should lie on your Backs but rejoyce in Tribulations and Persecutions which is for the Trial of your Faith that it may be found more precious than Gold that perisheth For remember that Christ the Word was Tried and Christ is the Tried Stone and all the Prophets Apostles and Martyrs were Tried for their Testimony to the precious Pearl Seed and Truth and what Sufferings they had in all Ages were for the same by the dark World which was not worthy of them who were as Pilgrims and Strangers in the Earth and many of them forsook their Native Land and Country And so live in that which glorifieth the Lord you who know the Kindness Love and Mercies of God and are made partakes of the Heavenly Riches and of the Inheritance that never fadeth away and are Heirs of the Kingdom that never hath an end and are partakers of the Promises and Blessings that was before the Curse was and know the New Covenant made manifest in your Hearts and the Law of God there written and the Anointing within you to teach you and then you need no Man to teach you but as it doth teach you So abide in him and learn of him in whom God is well pleased and none turn to them which God is not well pleased with For you who are Children of God are not to look for Salvation from the Hills neither to look at the Arm of Flesh nor to put Confidence in Man who are redeemed from under the Curse and the Fear of Man and are bought with a Price the Blood of Jesus Christ and so are not your own and cannot do your own Wills nor other Mens but are to glorifie your Father which is in Heaven And so dwell in the Love of God together and in Peace and Unity and Fellowship in the Seed and Life For there is your growth and therein ye grow in Grace and Faith together The Lord God Almighty preserve you all in his Everlasting Arm and Hand which is his Power over all to his Glory bearing one with another in the gentle Wisdom which is peaceable and from above For how Joyful a thing it is for Brethren to dwell together in Vnity and hereby it is known that you are the Desciples of Christ if you love one another and a Mark that you are passed from Death to Life if you Love one another And so the Lord God preserve your Minds and Souls and Hearts all Holy and Pure to his Glory and all live and sit down in Christ the Seed who is the Faithful Witness the Amen the First and Last the beginning and ending No more but my Love is to you all in the Everlasting Seed Christ Jesus that never fell And Dear Friends keep low for there is no danger G. F. SIng and Rejoyce ye Children of the Day and of the Light Epist 227. for the Lord is at work in this thick Night of Darkness that may felt And Truth doth flourish as the Rose and the Lilies do grow among the Thorns and the Plants a-top of the Hills and upon them the Lambs doth skip and play And never heed the Tempests nor the Storms
had Dominion over all things that God had made Yea over the Serpent and he came and told her they should be as Gods if they would eat of the Fruit that was forbidden and they thought to have been as Gods and to be made wise but the Devil came to be God and they came to be Slaves and so he got into Adam's Heart and Eve's Heart through their Disobedience through which they lost their Dominion and the Serpent came to be God of the World the Deceiver Now saith the Lord to the Serpent Vpon thy Belly shalt thou go and Dust shall be thy Meat all the Days of thy Life So you may see how the Serpent got into Adam and Eve by Disobedience Secondly He ruleth in all Adam's Sons and Daughters Hearts that are disobedient to the Light the Truth the Power of God in themselves and he darkens their Hearts and Minds and makes them envious and from him they have their devilish earthly Wisdom and all their invented Arts and Ways that be bad that keeps up and stirs up the fallen Nature that is sometimss puffed up and sometimes down through which the Earth is brought out of its Course and the Bonds of Civility broken So here he that rules in the Disobedient and got into Adam and Eve's Heart by Disobedience which is called the God of the World whose Meat is Dust goes upon his Belly Now if this Ruler and this Governor of the Hearts of such as are Disobedient who is called the Prince of the Air and so whirles them up into the Air who got into Adam and Eve's Heart by Disobedience and rules in his Sons and Daughters Hearts by Disobedience if he goes upon his Belly how go they that he rules Better than the Ruler think you Must the ruled go better than the Ruler Thirdly If this Rulers Meat be Dust that rules in the Hearts of the Disobedient which got into Adam and Eve's Heart by Disobedience what feeds the ruled upon then if the Rulers Meat be Dust for can any feed upon Life but they that come to the Light and Life and Truth in their own Hearts by which Truth they come to see how he got in by Disobedience and how he rules the Disobedient Now do you think that the Devil would have any Man or Woman or his Messengers or Apostles to obey the Truth and Light in themselves then how can he rule in their Hearts nuless they went out of the Truth The Devil the Serpent got into their Hearts by Disobedience and rules the Disobedient and therefore it 's not like that the Devil or his Messengers or Prophets or Apostles would have any Man or Woman to obey the Light the Truth in their own Hearts for if they obey the Light the Truth which the Devil is out of and abide just By this they come to go upright from under the slavery of him which upon his Belly goes they come to feed upon the Life Christ which was with the Father before the World began not upon the Dust which he feeds upon which is out of the Truth and they that he rules are out of the Truth So it 's no strange thing for him and his Messengers to speak against the Light in the Heart for he hath made the World like a Wilderness all wild and rough he that got in by Disobedience and rules in the Disobedient it is not like that he would have People to obey the Light nor Life within them he that is out of Truth who got into Adam and Eve by Disobedience and rules in all them that are Disobedient going roaring up and down seeking whom he may devour And so Adam came to be lost and the Lamb came to be slain from the Foundation of the World and therefore comes Christ the First and the Last to destroy the Devil and his Works in Mens Hearts and sanctifies them by his Blood his Life which was the Sacrifice for the Sins of the whole World and destroys the Devil and his Works through Death and him that hath the Power of Death and Sanctifies and Washes Men and Women and presents them back again to God perfect but the Devil would not have Men and Women to own Perfection who hath made them Imperfect nor his Messengers but it is Christ that destroys him and his works and saith Be perfect and presents Men and Women perfect to God out of the Fall up to Adam before he fell and not only there but up to himself that never fell the Royal Seed And in him keep your Meetings and dwell in Peace and Love that the Fruits of the Spirit may abound among you for the Fruits of the Flesh are in the Fall where the Spirit is grieved for there they be out of the Quietness and out of the Rest and Peace Therefore in Christ that never fell the Peace and Rest and Light and Life and the Power and Truth live and God is well pleased and doth accept you in his Son Christ Jesus in the Seed in the Light in the Truth in the Power of God in the Righteousness and in the Wisdom but God doth not accept them nor you as they and you be in Adam in the Fall in their own Righteousness in their own Wisdom out of the Light out of the Truth out of the Life and not living in it in themselves And so God doth accept you in Christ the second Adam that never fell and is well pleased with you in Christ the Second Adam that Righteousness which was before Adam was is in Christ that never fell as you come out of Adam in the Fall and live in Christ Jesus that never fell And so Christ comes to be manifest in Peoples Hearts and the Son to be revealed who casts out the strong Man which hath kept the House and spoils his Goods who got into Adam and Eve by disobedience and rules in the Hearts of Adam and Eve's Sons and Daughters who are in disobedience And so Christ the Second Adam must rule in Peoples Hearts who are in the Obedience as he doth in all that have Power and injoy Life And so be valiant and faithful for the Truth upon the Earth serving the Lord in a new Life that is in Christ Jesus that never fell out of the old Life of Adam in the Fall for the old Life is in Adam in the Fall where the Spirit is grieved and the new Life is in Adam that never fell who was born in Bethlehem Beth is a House and lathem is Bread where the fulness is who will dry up the River Euphrates with its Froth which hath run so up and down among the Sons of Adam that People may drink at him the Fountain the Water of Life through whom you come to know the mighty God of Heaven and Earth the upholder of all things and creator of all things to his Glory and Honour being in Christ Jesus by whom were all things who is the Top and Corner Stone in whom you
smell and there is a difference between the Carnal Mind and the Spiritual and the meetings of Adam in the Fall and them that be gathered into Christ the Resurrection and the Life and Power and Spirit And the Sun shines and the Light is clear and not dim that you may see your Way and Life though there is a Storm and Tempest in the Sea And so mind the Summer and singing of Birds and not the Winter and Night in which evil Beasts do yell And so blessed and happy are you that have the Oil in your Lamps and have risen at the Voice of the Bridegroom and have laid up in store against this Day that is come which now all the rich in Profession who thought they had something are come to Poverty your old Opposers And the Rock remaineth And therefore all and every one from the Highest to the Lowest let none take your Crown but be Faithful for the Lord's Ears are open to the Cries of his oppressed and afflicted Ones he heareth the Groans and Cries Day and Night of them And the Lord's Eye is open and he sees all the Actions of Men and Times and Seasons are in his Hands who is King of Kings and Lord of Lords the Strong and All-sufficient Omnipotent God Elshdy who destroyeth the Destroyer and ruineth him that would destroy and ruine all who by his Seed destroyeth him and his Works And so in the Seed sit down in whom ye have Life and Peace and he remaineth and changeth not who now reigneth and is over all and in him live that hath been slain-from the Foundation of the World and prisoned and pressed as a Cart with Sheaves and yet gave his Back and Cheeks to the Smiter and his Hairs to the Pluckers of them off And so in him the Second Adam you will not be weary nor faint nor think the time long of your Sufferings For all the Weariness and Faintings is in Adam in the Fall And so your Church being in God and your Worship in the Spirit and Power and Truth which the Devil is out of and your Fellowship in the Gospel the Power of God which was before the Devil was keep your Fellowship in the Power of God and look above all outward Sufferings and dwell in that which is above all and will stand when all other is gone And so dwell in the Love of God and in the Vnity of the Spirit one with another And in that the Lord God Almighty preserve you all yea over all that which is contrary to his Power to his Glory for ever Amen G. F. ALL my Dear Friends in the Everlasting Power Epist 236. Life and Truth live for you cannot live without it in the Winds and Storms And though the Hills and the Mountains are burnt and the Trees are become fruitless and that Winter hath devoured the former Fruits and you do see that Persecution hath choaked them and the Heat hath scorched them whereby the untimely Figs are fallen and the Corn is withered on the House-top and the Night is come and the Evil Beasts go out of their Den But Truth lives and the Power of God is over them all and Christ ruleth and there is Bread of Lafe and Water of Life in him and in his House though the Caterpillers and Locusts are agreed to eat up all the Green But as you are in the Truth you are in its Day and they in the Darkness are in the Day of Darkness And all who are in the Truth rejoyce through Christ in the God of Truth and never heed Prisons for they are but for a time and mind him who hath all Times and Seasons in his Hand And never heed the raging Waves of the Sea nor be troubled at his Tongue that speaks nothing but Tribulation Anguish and Bondage nor be troubled at the Cords of the Ungodly for the Cords of Love the Power of God are stronger And what doth he that sits in Heaven but laugh them to scorn And so be Valiant for the Truth upon the Earth for the Power is the Lords And so my Love to all Friends in the Everlasting Seed that never fell nor changeth G. F. MY Dear Friends and Brethren Epist 237. The Lord is with you all every where who suffer for his Name and Truths sake in all your Bonds and Afflictions be of good Comfort for the Lord is with you neither be dismay'd at your Sufferings for if you suffer Christ suffereth and if you be persecuted it is Christ that is persecuted and if you be not visited it is Christ that is not visited and if you be opprest it is He that is opprest And He will lay no more upon you than you are able to bear And the Angel of his Presence suffered with the Outward Jew and Christ suffereth with the Inward Jew in the Spirit And so hath a fellow-feeling with you all in all your Bonds and Afflictions and Christ who suffereth will overcome all his Enemies He reigns and they must be his Footstool to stand upon And so be of good Faith and be Valiant for the Turth upon the Earth G. F. MY Dear Friends and Brethren all every where Epist 238. Keep your Habitation and your First Love and do not go forth from your Rule of Faith and Life within in which you all have Vnity and Fellowship and the Lord will be your Comforter and Teacher And if you do not go forth from the Light Spirit and Truth within the Light you will feel to guide and lead you and instruct you And by it you may have Immortality put upon you And be not ashamed of Christ Jesus the Light and Life and Teacher nor of his Spirit to lead you For can they find no occasion against you but because you worship God in Spirit and obey Christ Jesus his Command And so as the old Cry was Away with such a Fellow from the Earth it is not fit for him to live so it is now But blessed are those that keep their Habitations clean and live in the Power of the Lord which was before the Curse was G. F. A General Epistle to all Friends ALL my Dear Friends and Brethren Epist 239. who are of the Royal Seed of God Patience obtains the Victory that runs the Race and obtains the Crown be married and joyned to the Seed Christ the Lamb slain form the Foundation of the World form its Foundation I say For as you are joyned to the Seed and married to that which hath been slain from the Foundation of the World which hath the Victory and doth overcome by this you come to the End of the World mark to its End And now all Friends look upon the Sufferings that have been since the Fall and since the World began And again look upon the Valiant Prisoners and such as stood with the Lord and for the Lord and followed and obeyed his Movings and Motions and Commands with the Victory they had how they
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
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-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
God how soon they forgot him as in the Days of the old World and in the Days of Moses and in the Days of the Judges how they soon forgot God that had done great things for them and for sook God and his Way and Religion and Worship and followed such Gods as Men had made And in the Days of the Prophets how the People forsook the Lord God and in the Days of Christ and his Apostles how they were mostly gone astray from God though they kept an outward Profession of their Words yet denied Christ in his Light and Life and Power who was the End of the Law and the Prophets Many of old Time forsock the Truth and ran into Error And them that did receive Christ Jesus and believed in him in a few Ages after the Apostles how most of Christendom ran from the Life into Death and ran from the Light into Darkness and into Error from the Holy Sprit and into Babylon which is Confusion and from the Worship in the Spirit and in the Turth that Christ set up and follwed after the Worship of the Beast and the Dragon and went from the true Church after the Whore and from Christ the Way to God after the Ways that Men had made and from the Religion that is Pure from above after the Religions that Men have made And so now the Gospel is preached again Now the Gospel is preached again and the Living Way Christ to the Living God and his Religion and his Worship is set up and received of many and they come to the true Worship which is in God And all be Faithful All be faitbful and take heed of running back again where you were before lest you and your Children perish as others have done that forsook the Lord God for Mercies And therefore train up your Children in the Fear of God and in the Way of Christ and in his Worship and Religion that they may observe and keep in it when you are gone And walk in the Spirit and Truth And walk in the Spirit and keep in the Order of the Gospel in which God is worshipped and keep in the Order of the Gospel in the Power of God which was before the Devil was which Power of God will keep you Pure to God that nothing may get betwixt you and the Lord God And be obedient to the Law that God hath written in your Hearts and put in your Minds that you may be the Children of the New Covenant and that you may be the Royal Priesthood offering up to God the Spiritual Sacrifices And sitting under your Teacher the Grace of God which bringeth Salvation and seasoneth your Words and establisheth your Hearts And this Grace saveth and is sufficient saith God Almighty And you need no Man to teach you but as the same Anointing doth teach you to know all things which Anointing abideth in you And hearken all what the Righteosness of Faith saith speaking on this wise Rom. 10.6 7 8. The Word is nigh thee even in thy Heart and in thy Mouth to obey it and do it That thou need not say Who shall ascend to bring Christ from above or descend to bring Christ from the Grace c. for that is the Word of Faith which we do Preach G. F. To Friends in Carolina DEar Friends to whom is my Love in the blessed Seed Epist 288. which bruiseth the Head of the Serpent and is over all and changeth not which is the First and Last in whom you have Life and Peace with the God of Peace So you few that are that ways keep your Meetings Keep your Meetings in the Name of Jesus and meet together in the Name of Jesus whose Name is above every Name and Gathering is above every Gathering and there is no Salvation in any other Name but by the Name of Jesus and you Gathering in his Name where Salvation is he is your Prophet your Shepherd your Bishop your Priest in the midst of you to open to you and to santifie you and to feed you with Life and to quicken you with Life wait in his Power and Light that ye may be Children of the Light by believing in the Light which is the Life in Christ that you may be grafted into him the true Root and built upon him the true Foundation Who is the Foundation of his People who was the Foundation of the holy Prophets and Apostles and of all the holy Martyrs and is the Foundation of all his holy People now and is the Rock of Ages yea of the Ages of the Prophets and of the Ages of his Apostles and of the Ages of his People now and Martyrs who kept them above the Raging of the Seas and doth now which Rock the Wise Men builds upon the Rock that stands against all the Storms and Tempestuous Weather And therefore be valiant for God's Truth upon the Earth and his good Spirit and live in it by which you may profit in the things of God through which ye may answer the Witness of God in all and the Spirit which they grieve and quench which they are erred from through which he may be served and his Truth spread abroad So every one in your Measoures of the Spirit of God and Christ be faithful that in it you may increase and answer the Lord in a good Life and Conversation for all his Mercies And as every one hath received the Lord Jesus Christ so walk in him that you may serve the Lord in a New Life and worship him in the Spirit and Truth which the Devil is out of and by this Truth you may be made free by whith ye may be espoused and married to Christ Jesus for the Marriage of the Lamb is come and coming And therefore if you want Wisdom keep in the Truth that you may go to the Treasure of Life and of Salvation that you may be Heirs of the same and of Life and Possessors of it Yea I say Heirs of Life and Inherit that and that will be more to you than if all the World was your Portion and the Riches you lay up there will stand buy and be with uyou when time is gone and shall be no more For the Truth is the Truth and changeth not in which live and it will be your Peace and Joy everlasting And in the Seed Christ Jesus who bruises the Serpent's Head who was before the Devil was glorified with the Father before the World began and was from Ecverlasting to Everlasting the First and Last the Top and Corner-Stone in him live that you may inherit Life Everlasting and dwell in the Love of God in Christ Jesus that will edifie and build one another up and therein walk in all Holiness of Life and Conversation for that becomes God's House and dwell and live and walk in the Peaceable Truth that keeps you in Peace and in the Holy Fellowship of the Spirit the Bond of Peace by which
Service that they may be serviceable in their Generation and in the Creation and come into the Practice of the pure Religion which you have received from God from above that every one may know their Duty in it and their Service in the Power and Wisdom of God for now the Practick Part is called for People must not be alwayes talking and hearing but they must come into Obedience to the Great Power of the Great God of Heaven and Earth And so that none may stand out of the Vineyard idle and out of Service None to be idle in the Vineyard and out their Duty for such will talk and talle and judge with evil Thoughts of what they in the Vineyard say and do And therefore the Power of God must call all into their Duty into their Service into their Places into Vertue and Righteousness and into the Wisdom of God For all that be out of their Duty in their Service though they have the knowledge of it yet are not so serviceable in the Creation nor in their Generation for the Power of God must go over and is over all such by which Power all must be acted in which true Obedience is known And therefore train up your young Women to know their Duty in this thing the Elder women train up the Tounger Women c. that they may be in their Services and Places which they are to do in the Power and Wisdom of God by which you are kept open to the Lord to receive of his Gifts and Graces and of his Life through which you are to minister one to another And all keeping in it then there is none to lett or stop its flowing but through it you all are to be watered as a Garden of Plants by which they are nourished and so all be faithful and diligent in the Lord's Business and make all the sober Women professing Truth in the Country about you acquainted with this thing and when you have them together at the Monthly Meeting read this among them So no more but my Love G. F. DEar Friends Epist 297. Keep in the Power of the Lord for if you do lose that To keep in the Power of the Lord. you lose the Kingdom which stands in Power and Peace and Righteousness and Joy in the Holy Ghost for out of the Kingdom is Strife and no Peace and therefore keep in the Power and Life and Love which you did first receive that you all may be Heirs of the Kingdom and fit under your Teacher the Grace of God which will bring your Salvation that you may witness that you have a Teacher from God that doth bring your Salvation which Salvation is your Walls and Bulwarks that he may be glorified and ye may have your Comfort in your Salvation And keep your Mens and Womens Meetings both being Heirs of Life and of the Gospel-Order and of Christ and his Government though you may have some Opposers but this is a Day of possessing of Christ and his Government and of the Gospel-Order and therefore do not lose your Authority Men nor Women in the Gospel nor in Christ though some may slight it For the Foundation of our Mens and Womens-Meetings is Christ Jesus who bruiseth the Serpent's Head who is the Head of all false Orders and Foundations and the Gospel which is the Power of God which bringeth Life and Immortality to Light shines over him that did darken you which Power of God he is out of And therefore all in the Power and Spirit encourage both Men and Women in their Duty in the Order of the Gospel of Christ in whom you have Dominion and in him who changeth not My Love is to you all G. F. DEar Friends to whom is my Love in that which changeth not Epist 298. the Royal Seed that bruiseth the Serpent's Head in whom you have Life and Peace in that live and walk that you may bear Fruit to the Glory of God and answer that of God in every one And live in the Peace that passeth Knowledge and Understanding and in this troublesome time of Wars and Strife mind the Power or God and his Kingdom that standeth in Righteousness and Joy in the Holy Ghost that is over all and never will have an end and that will keep you over all these times of Trouble fresh in the Life and Power My Troubles have been great in the Service of the Lord and the Convincement of People is great in America and the Islands in those parts Blessed be the Lord God over all for ever Amen whose Power and Life and Truth is over all and he in his Power gave Dominion over all by Sea and by Land And People and Friends are well setled beyond the Sea and Meetings are precious beyond words So in haste my Love to all Friends in all those parts as tho' I named them and live in Love for that doth edifie you Bristol the 1st of the 6th Month 1673. G. F. To Friends at Jamaica FRiends We do hear that some professing Truth amongst you Epist 299. do not keep to your Meetings so diligently as they ought to do nor yet meet but few of you together on the First Days And the reason is That upon the First Days some of you write and make up your Accompts so as you cannot have time to go to and frequent the Meetings Truly Friends this is an ill Savour to come over here into England and shews that you mind your own Business more than the Lord's and the things of this Life more than the things that appertain to the Life that is without End which should be sought for first if you desire to be bless'd and to presper And if you do not you will grow loose and wither and not have the Blessing of God with you you cannot expect it And therefore you that go under the Name of the Friends of God and of Truth keep diligently your Meetings on the First Day together that the Lord's Power may stir among you for if you do not keep your Meetings upon the First Day of each Week you are worse than the World that meet in their Steeple-Houses or Places of Worship who prefer your own Business before the Lords The Lord I say will not in so doing prosper you in it And therefore I say once more in the Name of Christ Jesus keep your Meetings who are gathered in it And let there be Meetings on the Week Days and also Mens Meetings to see that nothing be lacking among you once in a Fornight and likewise a Womens Meeting though there be but a few For you that have seen the Order of Truth in England and other Places how can you go out of the Practice of it without growing wild and withering That so Men and Women in their distinct Places may be Helps meet in Government in the Seed of Life and in the Widom of God by which all things was made and in the
Power first to declare his Everlasting Gospel and then after People had received the Gospel I was moved to go through the Nation to advise them to set up the Mens Meetings and the Womens many of which were set up G. F. Advice effectual for the establishing good Order in the Church and I was moved to write to other Places for them to do the like that kept the Power And this was the End that all that had received the Gospel might be Possessors of it and of the Gospel-Order which is Heavenly and that all that had received Christ Jesus might so walk in him and possess his Government in the Church who are Members of him the heavenly Head and so Men and Women being Heirs of Christ they are Heirs of him and of his Government So that Men and Women may be both Possessors of this Government and Men and Women being Heirs of this Gospel might inherit it Then Men and Women are Heirs of the Order of the Gospel which is from Heaven and not by Man nor of Man which is an Everlasting Order which is from the Power of God for the Gospel is called the Everlasting Gospel So that all now in the Restoration by Christ Jesus into the Image of God may be helps meet in Holiness and Righteousness as Adam and Eve were in before they fell for in the Church of Christ where he is Head there is his Gospel and his Order and his Government there is his Power felt in every ones Heart and there is these Offices of Admonishing Rebuking Exhorting Reproving amongst them that are convinced and converted by them that are in the Power for there are several States So they that would not have People to be Admonished that goes under the Name of Truth and yet goes into Sin and Wickedness those are out of the Gospel-Order and Goverment of Christ Jesus and of a loose Mind themselves and would be up themselves and Lords But that Spirit is for Judgment for it is out of the Power of God and out of the Spirit in which is the Fellowship G. F. FRiends Epist 309. Seek the Peace of all Men which Peace is in Christ which is a Peace that the World cannot take away and blessed are the Peace-Makers To seek Peace that makes Peace among the Brethren and People these shall have a Blessing from the Lord the King of Peace but Wo be unto them that cause Strise and Offence And all walk in the Righteousness of Christ the Lord over your own Righteousness and do and act and speak in his Righteousness then you act and do and speak and walk in that in which you have Peace and then God will delight in you and you will be loved of him for he loveth the Righteous And let it be below any of God's People to raise an evil Report on his People Nat to receive false Reports or any others or to give both their Ears to any one's Report of his People or Matter till they have heard both Parties so that Righteousness and Truth and Judgment may be kept up and not fall And in your Men and Womens Meetings you are in and about the Lord's Business and not your own and therefore let the Lord be in your Eyes that all of you his Presence and Power and Wisdom and Judgment may receive to do and act and speak in And this keeps all in his Fear to be careful of their Words and Doings and keeps all Solid and Vertuous and Sober and then whatsoever is of a good Report and is Decent and Comely and whatsoever is Vertuous and tends to Vertue and is Lovely that to follow after and cherish And here your Eyes are kept open to see that nothing be lacking and that you stand in that which shall never fall in the Power and Spirit and Seed Christ who is the sure Foundation and the Rock of Ages G. F. FRiends In every thing give Thanks to the Lord Epist 310. for from him every good thing you do receive for the Apostle saith 1 Thess 5.18 In every thing give thanks To be Thankful for every good thing For this is the Will of God in Jesus Christ concerning you and they that do not obey this Doctrine do not do the Will of God in Christ Jesus And the Apostle saith Every Creature of God is good and nothing to be refased if it be received with thanksgiving c. 1 Tim. 4.4 And David saith At midnight I will rise to give thee thanks because of thy righteous Judgments Psalm 119.62 And David saith O give thanks unto the Lord for it is good because his Mercies endureth for ever Psal 118.1 So the Lord is worthy of all the Thanks and Praises through Jesus Christ who created all by Jesus Christ to his Glory and Honour for evermore G. F. For the Men and Womens Meetings in Barbadoes DEar Friends Let all things be done in Love Epist 311. and in the Spirit of Christ which is the Spirt of the Lamb that must have the Victory To keep in Love for Patience runneth the Race and hath the Crown And keep down rough Esau's Spirit for that will not let the Jew inward pass the King's High-way And therefore quench nothing that is good but keep in the Love of God that is shed in your Hearts and every one keep to your own Springs and at your own Breast and feel your own Bread in your own House from Heaven And strive not for Mastery but let Christ be the Master who is the Wisdom of God and your Wisdom and Righteousness and Sanctification and Justification And dwell in Humility and you to dwell in Humility and Love that will bear all things and that is not easily provoked and envieth not If your Love is not in this Love it is not the Love of God Though you may be convinced of the Truth but they are happy that do obey the Truth of what they are convinced and if they do not they will lose the Days of their Innocency and Simplicity And know the Birth that is Free-born which can give the Cheek to the Smiter for there is a Birth of the Mortal Seed and there is a Birth of the Immortal Seed by the Word of God that liveth and abideth for ever which latter hath a Habitation that is for ever And take heed Friends in laying open one anothers Weakness Not to expose the Weaknesses of one another but if any one has any thing to say let them speak to the Person concern'd and if they will not hear take two or three more before they are brought into Publick This is the Order of the Head Christ to his Body his Church And if any Report be upon any let them speak to the Parties that are concerned for the Report may be false And the Lord saith Thou shalt not raise a false Report upon my People So in this you will have a Care one of another for
was forbidden for a Woman to speak in the Church But this Woman is set forth for an Examp e to all Young and Old Women of her Love to Christ her Saviour and not only so but a preacher of him to all that looked for Redemption in Israel And the Woman of Canaan that came unto Jesus and said Lord help The Woman of Canaan her Faith but he answered and said It is not meet to take the Childrens Bread and cast it unto Dogs and she said Truth Lord yet the Dogs eat of the Crumbs which fall from the Master's Table Then Jesus answered and said unto her Oh Woman Great is thy Faith be it unto thee even as thou wilt So you may see by this Woman's Faith in Christ Jesus this Woman's Daugher was made whole which was an Example for all the Faithful to look unto Jesus for Help as you may see in Mat. 15. And Mary The Bounty and Humility of Mary that took a Pound of Oinment of Spikenard very costly and anointed the Feet of Jesus and wiped his Feet with her Hair and the whole House was filled with the Odour of the Ointment But when Judas saw it he had Indignation saying What profit is this waste Why was not this Ointment sold for Three hundred Pieces of Silver and given to the Poor as you may see in Mat. 26. and Mark 14. and John 12. Now this was Judas which carried the Bag and betrayed Christ and many there are that carry the Bag now that would not have their Wives nor the Women bestow any thing upon Christ nor his poor Followers But Jesus said Let her alone why trouble you her she hath wrought a good Work on me for the Poor ye have with you always and whensoever ye will ye may do them good but me ye have not always she hath done what she could she is come before hand to anoint my Body to my Burial Verily I say unto you wheresoever this Gospel shall be preached throughout the World this also that she hath done shall be spoken of for a Memorial of her So Christ did not forbid the Woman's Practice but encouraged her and so he doth still them that obey him And the Woman that was Twelve Years troubled with an Issue of Blood who had spent all upon Physicians and grew worse and worse her Faith was so strong that she believed if she could but touch the Hem of his Garment she should be well And as soon as she had touched his Cloaths The Faith of the Woman Twelve Tears diseased vertue went from Christ and healed her and then the Woman came fearing and trembling and fell down before Christ and told him all the Truth what she had done And he said unto her Daughter thy Faith hath made thee whole go in Peace Mark 5. Now Christ who is the Head of the Church here sufferedf a Woman to speak before him from whom she had received the Healing-Vertue And you may see when Christ was crucisied how many Women were there as Mary Magdalen and Mary the Mother of James and many others which came up to Jerusalem that were about Jesus at the time of his being crucified as in Mark 15. And Mary Magdalen Women the first Wienesses of Christ Resurrection and Mary the Mother of James came to the Sepulchne and the Angel said unto them Be not afnaid ye seek Jesus of Nazareth which was crucified he is not here he is arisen behold the place where they laid him But go your way tell his Disciples and Peter that he goeth beofe you into Galilee there shall you see him as he said unto you For Jesus appeared first viz. to Mary Magdalen as in Mark 16. And in John 20. it is said The two Angels said to Mary Woman why weepest thou And she said because they have taken away my Lord and I know not where they have laid him and when she had thus said she turned her self and saw Jesus standing and knew not that it was Jesus c. But Jesus said unto her Mary and she turned her self and said unto him Rabbi as much as to say Master and Jesus said unto her touch me not for I am not ascended yet unto my Father but go unto my Brethren and say unto them I ascend unto my Father and your Father and to my God and your God c. And Mary Magdalen came and told the Disciples that she had seen the Lord and that he had spoken these things unto her So here Mary Magdalen was a Messenger of Christ Jesus Mary Magdalen a Messenget of Christ who did not despise her speaking before him who was the Head of the Church nor did not refuse to send her to preach his Resurrection to his Disciples though she was a Woman And in Luke 24. it 's said It was Mary Magdalen and Joanna and Mary the Mother of James and other Women which were with them which told the Apostles that Christ was risen and this was said unto them Why seek ye the Living among the Dead He is not here he is risen Remember that he spoke unto you when he was yet in Galilee saying The Son of Man must be delivered into the Hands of Sinful Men c. And they remembred these words and they returned from the Sepulchre and told all these things unto the Eleven Disciples and all the rest And mark as I said before it was Mary Magdalen and Joanna and Mary the Mother of James and other Women that were with them which told these things unto the Apostles and these words seemed unto them as idle Tales and they believed them not Now mark their Message and to whom it was and who they were that were the Messengers the weaker Vessels and to whom to the Apostles and what they preached was what they remembred Christ had spoken to them before to wit that Christ should suffer and rise again And Christ appeared again unto two of his Disciples The Disciples going to â—maus c. and lie talked with them and asked them What Communication they had And they said unto him Art thou a Stranger in Jerusalem and knowest not the things that have befallen c And he said unto them What things And they said unto him Concerning Jesus of Nazareth that was a great Prophet and mighty in Deed and in Word before God and all People which the Jews have crucified but they trusted he should have redeemed Israel and besides all this to day is the third day since these things were done And certain Women also of our Company made us astonished which were early at his Sepulchre and when they found not is Body they came saying That they bad seen a Vision of Angels which said he was alive So here the Woman's Testimony of the Resurrection of Christ aftonished them And Jesus said unto them O Fools and slow of Heart to believe all that the Prophets have spoken Ought not Christ to have suffered these things
Springs and Fruitful and all that lives under God's Teaching knows it So serve God in the Spirit and in the newness of Life which is over the old that the Lord God's Presence may be felt amongst you and his Son a Prophet to open to you and a Priest to sanctifie you a Bishop to oversee you and a Shepherd to feed you the Rock of your Age and Ages the Foundation of your Generation and many Generations and who are in him who was elected before the Foundation of the World they build upon him who is the First and the Last the Beginning and Ending in him you have all Life and Salvation who is the Amen And my desire is To Incourage the Faithful Women in the Service of God that you may in the Power of God encourage all the Faithful Women in your Island in the Work and Service of God and now you have Six Mens Meetings if you had as many Womens Meetings it would include all the faithful Women in all the Corners of your Island and some of your ancient faithful Women to go from Meeting to Meeting till they are settled in the Power of God and that will keep all alive in the Lord's working Power and living Life And all that are not Faithful let them be admonished to Faithfulness that so they may come into the Light and Life and Service of God and Christ for all the Wise-hearted and Faithful Women in the time of the Law were to work about the Tabernacle of God and the Holy Things And they were called the Assemblies of the Women And all the Women in the time of the Law was to offer Sacrifices upon God's Altar as well as the Men. And now in the time of the Gospel which hath brought Life and Immortality to Light God doth pour out of his Spirit upon all Flesh and therefore live in the Gospel and its Order and all true Christians Men and Women doth offer their Spiritual Sacrifices to God who is a Spirit And therefore my Friends be valiant for God's Truth upon the Earth dwell in Love that will bear all things and let there be an Order entered in your Books To avoid provoking Words that there be no provoking Words spoken in your Meetings but if any have any thing to say let them speak to them in love privately And when ye have settled your Six Womens Meetings then you may have a Six Weeks or a Monthly as well as a Quarterly Meeting as you may see meet And so that all your Wells of Life may be kept open and every one have a fresh Spring springing up in you so that in every one of you the living Water of Life may flow so that ye all may be refreshed with the Fountain of Life and feel Christ a Bishop to oversee and a Counsellor to counsel and a King to rule in your Hearts and a Prophet to open and a Shepherd to feed you with his heavenly Food And so see that nothing be lacking among you To follow whatsoever is of good Report both inward and outward and whatsoever is decent comely modest vertuous righteous and of good report follow after and be stedfast upon Christ the Rock and Foundation And whatever you do let it be done in the Name of Jesus that is in his Power and mind the Gospel of Peace and its Ordr which hath brought Life and Immortality to Light that you may be preserved in Life and in Immortality by the Immortal Power And all to be Children of the Wisdom that is from above which is pure and peaceable and easie to be entreated keeping the Vnity in God's Holy Spirit in which is the Bond of the Prince of Princes Peace in whom you have all Peace Life and Salvation I received your Letter from your Quarterly Meeting and I am glad taht you are in the Lord's Work and Service And my desire is That ye all may stand up for the Glory and Honour of the Lord God and that his Blessings may abound among you And so if you do Write to New-England and Jamaica where I hear they have precious Men and Womens Meetings it might do well to encourage one another in the Work and Service of God So that the Women may all be helps meet to the Men in the Restoration in the Image of God as Man and Woman was in before they fell So with my Love in the Seed of Life to all Friends in the Island Swarthmore in Lancashire the 25th of the 8th Month 1676. G. F. To Friends in the Isle of Man MY Dear Friends be valiant for God's Truth upon the Earth Epist 334. and and live in the Light and Power and Spirit of God that you answer that of God in all by which their Minds may be turned to God And keep your Meetings in the Name of Jesus To keep your Meetings in the Name of Jesus in whom you have Salvation whose Name is above every Name under the whole Heaven that the Lord's Glory you may see to shine in and about your Tabernacles and his Presence among you to teach and order you and be you obedient to it So with my Love to you all in the Everlasting Seed that bruiseth the Head of the Serpent which Seed liveth and reigneth over all from Everlasting to Everlasting in his Glory in whom the Saints do sit down in their Peace and Rest and Joy for evermore Amen Swarthmore the 5th Month 1676. G. F. To Friends in Virginia and Maryland MY Dear Friends Epist 335. all dwell in the Love of God and in his Power and Truth that the Presence of the Lord God you all may injoy who is the Life of you all and the length of your Days who hath the Breath of all Mankind and the Spirits of all Flesh in his Hand and in him you do all live and move and have your being who is your Rock and Salvation and Fountain of Life and of all your Mercies and of your Water of Life And therefore serve and honour and fear and worship him in his Spirit and Truth and that you all may abide in the holy heavenly and spiritual Vine and in him bring forth heavenly and spiritual Fruits to the Glory of God who sent his Son to be a Leader Christ the Leader and Way to God and the Way to God who draweth all Men up to himself where he is ascended to sit together in Heavenly Places in Christ Jesus out of all Sin and Transgression by which Man was droven from God that made him barren and unfruitful And therefore be ye separated from the World to the Lord by the Word which was in the Beginning which divideth the Precious from the Vile that by that Word ye may be reconciled to God which Word reconcileth all things in Heaven and in the Earth in one which Word hammereth down that which made twain and so by the glorious Everlasting Word of Life you are born again of the Immortal
be preached again to all Nations Tongues and People that dwell upon the Earth So all Nations hath been darkned from Life and Immortality and now the Gospel which is the Power of God brings Life and Immortality to light again that they may come to see over him that has darkned them and before he was and such comes into the City of the heavenly Jerusalem and drinks of the Waters of Life freely And therefore all live and walk in the Light in which you have Fellowship and Vnity To live in Vnity Peace and Love which edifies and be at Peace among your selves and in Love which edifies and bears all things for this is that which passes Knowledge and keeps in the Humility of Christ Jesus So my desires are That you may all spread and grow in the Vine for the Lord hath a great People to come out in those Parts which I saw in 1651. And therefore Labour in God's Power that you may increase your heavenly Treasure and enter into the Joy of the Lord. And so with my Love to all in the Truth that walk and live in it that by it they may be made God's Free-men Swarthmore the 2d of the 7th 1676. G. F. To Friends in Maryland and Virginia MY Dear Friends Epist 338. be Valiant for the Truth and the Power of it in the Spirit and Faith of Jesus and let no one take your Crown for the Saints overcame by the Blood of the Lamb and the Testimony of Jesus and so fear not the Wrath of Man but fear the Lord and keep your Men and Womens Meetings in the Name of Jesus in whose Name you have Salvation Life and Peace so that all may be in the Vine bringing forth heavenly Fruit to the Glory of God and so feel his Banner of Love over you and you sitting under the Shadow of the Almighty and look over that which maketh to suffer to that which was before it was and know your Faith to stand in the Seed that bruiseth the Head of it which Seed Christ is your Rock and Foundation who will raze down the Foundation of the World of Wickedness from which Foundation the Lamb hath been slain but he is risen and hath overcome the World and hath the Victory Glory to the Lord God and the Lamb for ever Amen And in him you have the Victory and do overcome and they that do overcome From which Foundation in Christ we have the Victory shall eat of the hidden Manna and shall go no more forth into the barren World of Wickedness but feed in the fruitful Land of the Living and their Feet shall be set in a sure Place and beautiful are the Feet of those that publish Peace and glad Tiding and that says in Truth and Righteousness to Zion Thy God reigneth Who is a consuming Fire to the Wicked and the Joy of the Lord if strength to the Righteous So serve the Lord in the Newness of Life for the Lord is dishonoured in the Old Life of Wickedness and keep the Vnity of the Spirit which is the Bond of Peace which no Man can take away So with my Love to you all in the Everlasting Seed that changeth not G. F. ALL my Dear Friends and Brethren every where Epist 339. in the Name and Power of Jesus Christ your Lord and Saviour Life and Peace To live and walk in Christ live and walk in the Lamb which hath the Victory and so in the Humility of Christ which you have learned of him and in Patience with which you run the Race and obtain the Crown of Immortal Life and in the Love of God all dwell which will warm all your Hearts and knit and unite you together and build you up a Holy Temple for the Lord And his Love will keep and carry you above all things to the Glory of God And this Love will enable you to bear all things what-ever wicked Men can do unto you or what the Lord may try you withal So let your Faith be in the invisible God and his Son who is able to succour you and save you to the uttermost who is over all King Immortal Invisible the only wise God blessed for ever Amen So God Almighty establish you all upon this Holy Rock and Foundation Christ Jesus who is the same to day as yesterday and so for ever who was all the Holy Men and Womens Foundation who is the First and the Last the Beginning and Ending the Saints Mediator and Peace-Maker between them and God Their Joy and Rejoycing is in him their Everlasting Joy the Amen blessed for ever So with my Love in the Lord Jesus Christ unto you all in whom I have laboured and among you Swarthmore the 19th of the 12th Month 1676. G. F. To Friends in New Jersey in America MY Dear Friends in New Jersey and you that go to New Jersey Epist 340. My desire is that you may all be kept in the Fear of God and that you may have the Lord in your Eye in all your Undertakings For many Eyes of other Governments or Colonies will be upon you yea the Indians to see how you order your Lives and Conversations And therefore let your Lives and Words and Conversations be as becomes the Gospel that you may adorn the Truth and honour the Lord in all your Undertakings Let that only be in your Eye Honour God in all Vndertakings and then you will have the Lord's Blessing and increase both in Basket and Field and Store House and at your lyings down you will feel him and at your goings forth and comings in So that you may answer the Light and the Truth in all People both by your godly Lives and Conversations Serving the Lord and being valiant for his Truth with a joyful Heart upon the Earth and the Glorious Name in whom you have Salvation And keep up your Meetings for Worship and your Men and Womens Meetings for the Affairs of Truth both Monthly and Quarterly And after you are settled you may join together and build a Meeting-House And do not strive about outward things but dwell in the Love of God for that will unite you together and make you kind and gentle one towards another and to seek one anothers Good and Welfare and to be helpful one to another and see that nothing be lacking among you then all will be well And let Temperance and Patience Temperance Patience and Brotherly Love be exercised and Kindness and Brotherly Love be exercised among you so that you may abound in Vertue and the true Humility living in Peace shewing forth the Nature of Christianity that you may all live as a Family and the Church of God holding Christ your heavenly Head and he exercising his Offices among you and in you and hold him the Head by his Light Power and Spirit and that will keep your Minds over the Earthly Spirit up to God for the Earth and the Sea and all things
have the Life and the Truth which Death and Darkness cannot get into which is out of the Truth tho' they may talk of the Words of the Truth but keep in the pure Religion that was set up above Sixteen Hundred Years ago and this pure Religion which is undesiled before God will keep you from the Spots of the World and above all the spotted and dirty Religions that are not pure but are defiled before and in the sight of God And in this Religion in your Mens and Womens Meetings that are in the Gospel of Christ and in the Order of it you will see that nothing is lacking being ordered by the holy pure peaceable and gentle Wisdom of God from above and so keep in the Worship of God in the New Covenant in the Spirit and in the Truth which the Devil that foul Spirit who is out of the Truth cannot get into nor his Company And so in the Seed of Life which bruiseth the Head of the Serpent all dwell and sit down who is the Amen the First and Last in whom you have Peace with God and then nothing can get between you and the Lord God G. F. To the Yearly Meeting in Yorkshire MY Friends Epist 350. In the Service and in the Work of the Lord Jesus Christ the Second Adam in his Power Light and Truth live over Death and Darkness and him that is out of the Truth So all in the Seed that bruises the Serpent's Head stand up for God's Glory and Honour All to walk as becomes the Gospel in which Seed you are all one Male and Female and in which Seed you all have Peace and Vnity that is Everlasting And in this heavenly Seed see that all walk as becometh the glorious Gospel of Christ Jesus which hath brought Life and Immortality to light through the Gospel by which you do see over him that hath darkened you And this Gospel the Power of God will keep you in Life and in Immortality in which you may all see your Work and Service for the Lord God in Holiness and in Righteousness and in Godliness that the Lord God may be glorified in you all and among you all who is over all blessed for ever Amen And Friends see that all your Children and Families be trained up in the New Covenant of Grace and in Life and Peace and circumcised and baptized with the Spirit That Families be seasoned with Truth that they may all eat of the Spiritual Food and drink into one Spirit in the New Covenant and to feed upon the Substance as the Jews did on the Shadows in the Old which faded away And the Power of God the Gospel is the Authority of your Mens and Womens Meetings and every Heir of the Gospel is to Labour in their Inheritance and Possession in the Restoration into the Image of God in Righteousness and Holiness being made by Christ that never fell helps meet in the Restoration as they were before the Fall who is the First and Last the Foundation and Rock of Ages in him sit down in Life and Peace and Rest the Amen that nothing may get between you and the Lord God and see that nothing be lacking among you then all is well So with my Love in the Lord Jesus Christ London the 3d of the 4th Month 1678. G. F. FRiends Know what the Lord doth require of you Epist 351. and all have a Sense of that in your selves that he doth require which is to do Justly and to love Mercy and to walk humbly with God Now the Lord who is Merciful and Just Holy and Righteous Pure and Perfect he doth require The Lord requireth but in propoation to what he giveth That Man and Woman should do Justly and Righteously and live Godlily and Holily by the Holy Light and Spirit and Truth and Grace that the Lord hath given every Man and Woman to profit withal And so to answer the Holy Pure Righteous Just God of Truth in all their Lives and Words and Conversations and so to glorifie him upon the Earth And the more the Lord gives the more he requireth and the less that he giveth the less he requireth But the Lord requireth of every Man and Woman as he giveth who will judge the World in Righteousness by the Man Christ Jesus according to the Gospel the Power of God that is preached to every Creature under Heaven that is according to the invisible Power manifesting that there is something of the invisible Power of God in every Man and Woman So here the Lord Jesus Christ doth not Judge according to the hearing of the Ear and to the seeing of the Eye for with Righteousness shall he Judge you according to the Light which is the Life in the Word Christ with which he doth enlighten every Man that cometh into the World to the Salvation of them that believe in it and the Condemnation of them that do hate it and that will not receive the Gospel nor the Grace which bringeth Salvation which hath appeared to all Men but walk despitefully against the Spirit of Grace and iurn it unto Wantonness So according to his Grace and Light and Gospel will the righteous God Judge the World in Righteousness by Christ the Heavenly and Spiritual Man who hath died for the Sins of the World though they deny him that bought them and tasted Death for every Man Such deserve his Judgment Send this abroad among Friends to be read in their Meetings Swarthmore the 11th Month 1678. G. F. An Epistle to Friends to keep in the Power of God in their Peaceable Habitations over all the Troubles of the World ALL my Dear Friends and Brethren Epist 352. who are gathered by the Light Grace and Truth and Power and Spirit of Jesus Christ to him the Head over all by whom were all things created the First-born of every Creature and the First-begotten from the dead know him and the Power of his Resurrection that you all may be Partakers of it and of Life Everlasting and may sit together in the heavenly Places in Christ Jesus who is over all the First and Last and in him you have Peace who is not of this World for in this World there is trouble and the World did and doth hate Christ The World hated Christ before it hated them yea and his Light Grace Truth Power and Spirit and therefore it is no marvel if the World do hate Christ's Members that do follow him in his Light Grace Truth Power and Spirit and so with it receive him into them their Life and Salvation and so he that hath the Son of God hath Life who is the Fountain that filleth all that wait upon him with his heavenly Blessings and Riches of Life from Christ the Rock and Foundation that cannot be shaken though the Rocks and Foundations of the World may be shaken and cloven in pieces and the Pillars of the Earth may reel and stagger and all
Hypocrites and Sinners may fear but they that fear the Lord and wait upon him shall be as Mount Sion that cannot be removed for the Lord's Power is over all by which he keeps his People to the day of Salvation And therefore all you that have this Keeper Let the Lord be your Keeper the Power of the Lord through Faith unto the Day of Life and Salvation need none of the slumbering Keepers or Watchers for the Lord was the Keeper of Israel who neither slumbered nor slept till Israel forsook the Lord and then they set up slumbering and sleepy Watchers and Keepers like the Apostate Christians who have forsaken the Power of God to keep them and then they are soon forsaken And therefore Friends you that do know the Power of God in which the Kingdom of God stands you know your Keeper through the Faith which Jesus Christ is the Author of which stands in his Power and not in Words and so your Faith standing in his Power it will keep you out of the Words of Mens Wisdom and above them And the golden Lamp in your Tabernacle all are to have to burn with the heavenly Oil Heavenly Oil. which you have from Christ your High Priest being returned to him the great Shepherd and Bishop of your Souls who will bring you his Sheep into his safe Fold who gives unto his Sheep eternal Life and his Sheep shall not perish neither shall any pluck them out of his Hand Though Men may pluck Hypocrites and Apostates one from another Feel the Hand that preserved you but Christ saith No Man is able to pluck his Sheep out of his Fathers hand And therefore all feel the Hand that hath brought you out of Spiritual Egypt where Christ hath been crucified to Christ in his new Covenant of Light and Life as the Jews were brought out of Egypt in the Old Covenant which Christ hath abolished and makes all things new so that all may be grounded on him who was the Foundation of all the holy Prophets and Apostles and of all the holy Men of God to this day And therefore consider who it is that abides in the Tabernacle of God and dwells in his Holy Hill it is the Faithful and the Vpright which Holy Hill is a safe place for all the Upright As the Lord said In the last days the Mountain of the Lord's House should be established on the top of the Mountains and should be exalted above the Hills and all Nations should flow unto this established Honse And here the Lord does teach his People that comes up to the Mountain of the House of the God of Jacob So all Mountains Houses Hills and Teaching will be shaken but the Mountain of the Lord's House shall be established in the last Days as the Prophet said which is the Days of Christ Is not this the Stone that became a great Mountain and fills the whole Earth which smote and broke to pieces the Iron Clay Brass Silver and Gold Image or Monarchs which were as Mountains And this Stone which becomes a great Mountain The Stone that became a great Mountain sets up a Kingdom which shall never have an end Is not this the Kingdom of Christ which Christ saith Except a Man be born again he can neither see the Kingdom of God nor enter into it And therefore Friends all you that do know his Kingdom that stands in Power in Peace and Joy in the Holy Ghost over the Power of the Evil and all the unclean Ghosts which keeps them in their first Birth and leads them into all Evil as the Holy Ghost leads them into all Truth And so dear Friends and Brethren know this Rock this Stone this Foundation the House of God that is established upon the Lord's Mountain above all other Houses Hills Mountains and Teachings in the World where God doth teach his People and establish them upon Christ Jesus the living Rock and Foundation and living Way And so though there may be troubles without and troubles within yet if you wait upon the Lord he will renew your strength And the Children of God they are set for Signs and Wonders for as it is said Lo the Children that thou hast given me they are for Signs and Wonders And therefore Friends keep your Habitation in Christ Jesus Keep to Christ out of vain jangling in whom you have Peace for all the rude Talkers and vain Disputers and Janglers which cankers and rusts goes out of the peaceable Truth and that which is torn and dies of it self must not be fed upon but the Life must be fed upon which gives you Life Eternal And the Lord did not build his Zion and outward Jerusalem with Blood in the Old Covenant for they that did build their Zion and Jerusalem with Blood made their Zion a Field and their Jerusalem an Heap so if this Practice was forbidden in the Old Covenant much more in the New Zion not buil with Blood who think to build Zion and Jerusalem with Blood and Iniquity for such has not been Zion's Children nor Jerusalem's that is from above who shed Mens Blood concerning Religion Church and Worship for Christ rebuked such that would have had Mens lives destroyed and told them They knew not what Spirit they were of so they that do not know what Spirit they are of they are not like to build up God's Zion and Jerusalem For Christ said He came to save Mens Lives and not to destroy them for the World 's God was the destroyer of Mens lives but Christ came to destroy Him and his Works and to save Mens Lives and Souls also And so dear Friends let the Love of God which is shed abroad in your Hearts cast out all Fear And keep in the Name of Jesus in which you are gathered which is above every Name under the whole Heaven in whom you have Life and Salvation and his Presence among you whose Name is a Strong Tower and Christ is a Rock to hide your selves in and his Spirit to cover you which is a Covering sufficient enough for you and Wo will be to that Spirit which is covered but not with his Spirit they may fly to the Rocks and Mountains to cover and hide them No help in Egypt which will not be sufficient for the Rocks will rend and the Mountains will be removed such may run down into Spiritual Egypt for strength where Christ was crucified like the Jews in the Old Covenant that ran into outward Egypt from his Spirit but all was in vain And therefore trust in the Lord who has preserved you by his Glorious Light and Power to this day that you may be settled upon the Seed Christ Jesus which is over all that within and without that is contrary to it and bruiseth the Head of the Serpent that hath been between you and God So that in Christ the Seed you have Peace with the Lord God Life and Dominion and Election and
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
Vanity and have never so many flattering fair Words and good Speeches and trimmed and decked with the Sheeps cloathing yet they are in the Wolfs Nature and Whored from the Lamb and his Nature and so from the Seed Christ in whom all the Children of the Kingdom and the Elect are to walk that are of his Heavenly and Spiritual Generation and grow up in him as Trees of Righteousness whose Fruits are unto Holiness and whose End will be Everlasting Life And the End of that Spirit and Fruits before mentioned that are out of Christ and his peaceable Truth will be Destruction in the Lake of Fire And that is the Word of the Lord to you all therefore be warned what you join to and what you lay hands on suddenly For I remember before we were called Quakers as I was sitting in an House in Nottinghamshire about the Year 1648 the Word of the Lord came to me and said Some of those that should come to be convinced with the Light and Spirit of God and should come so far as Cain to hear God's Voice and as far as Balaam to hear God's Voice and to have some Openings and to come so far as Corah Dathan and Abiram these should be the Deceivers and the Troublers of the Church of Christ and seek to destroy the Faithful and to betray them Who formerly had some Experience to talk of but did not live in the Truth Which I and many others have seen come to pass and fulfilled For Christ said to his Disciples False Prophets and Anti-Christs That the false Prophets and the Anti-Christs which were inwardly the ravened Wolves which the Apostles and Believers should beware of should come to them to try them they had the Sheeps-cloathing and Outward Profession of Christianity but were Inwardly ravening Wolves to devour them Now these were Inwardly ravening from something And the Apostle John speaks of such as went out from us It seems they were one among them But saith he they were not of us for if they had been of us they would no doubt have continued with us but they went out from the true Church that they might be manifest that they were not of it And these were the Anti-christs and false Prophets that Christ said should come which John and the Apostles saw were come and exhorted the Church to beware of and to keep to the Vnction which they had from the Holy One. And this Vnction and Anointing as it abides within the Saints the true Church and they in it it will teach them all things and is Truth and by it they shall continue in the Son and the Father and so in the Holy Seed Rock and Foundation that cannot be shaken And the Apostle saith There was to be a falling away first before the Man of Sin was revealed the Son of Perdition who opposeth and exalteth himself c. And when the Apostle saw the Mystery of Iniquity already working and his coming is after the working of Satan with all Deceiveableness of Unrighteousness in them that perish because they receive not the Love of the Truth that they might be saved And such go into strong Delusions that they should believe a Lye and not the Truth And here you may see there is a falling away before the Son of Perdition or Judas be revealed and they that fall away receive not the Love of the Truth that they might be saved but believe Lyes that they shall be damned And the Lord will consume him with the Spirit of his Mouth and will destroy him with the Brightness of his coming the wicked One and Son of Perdition that is against the Righteous and is the Opposer and Betrayer of them Therefore all the Church of Christ are to stand stedfast To stand stedfast in Christ and be establish'd in Him in every good Word and Work who are from the beginning chosen for Salvation through Jesus Christ through the Sanctification of the Spirit and the belief of the Truth and are called by the Gospel the Power of God to the obtaining of the Glory of the Lord Jesus Christ in whom the glorious Rest and Peace is And you may see how the Church of Christ was troubled by such as went out from them and fell away from Truth and Inwardly ravened some went like unto the Swine into the Mire and some like the Doggs to the Vomit and some like Wolves that Inwardly ravened and yet kept the Sheeps-cloathing Some went in the Nature of Cain Sacrificers and yet were Destroyers of the Righteous and some went in the Nature or Spirit of Jannes and Jambres that withstood Moses and others in the Nature of Judas to Betray and others in the Nature of Corah Dathan and Abiram to Gain-say and Resist the Truth and others in the Nature of Jezabel And this Spirit and Nature troubled the Church in the Old Testament Troublers of the Church and troubled the Church in the New Testament and are troubling the Church of Christ in this Gospel-Day that is come and coming out of the Apostacy But God's Trumpet Spirit and Power was and is always sounded against it that all People may beware of this Evil Spirit and Nature and keep in the Seed Christ Jesus that bruises the Head of it in whom you have Love Rest Salvation Quietness and Peace Hallelujah And all dwell in Love then you dwell in God who is Love All dwell in God who is Love let that be all your Habitations which Love edifies the Body of Christ and builds you up in him and all strive to excel one another in Vertue in Patience Courteousness Kindness Tenderness Meekness and Humility in Temperance Modesty and Chastity and whatsoever things are Decent and Comely and of good Report Honest and Lovely that follow For these are the good Fruits of the Spirit of God and his Heavenly Seed which Fruits are acceptable to God and will make you all lovely and comely to him and unto one another in his Heavenly Seed in which as I said before you are blest and all Nations are blest which Seed Christ is your Sanctuary who destroys the Devil the Destroyer and so is over him and was before he was in whom the true Believers live and have Peace who Cloaths them with Salvation and with his Righteousness the sanctified One's fine Linnen So all walk worthy of the Mercies of God and his Blessings from Above and from Below to the Glory and Praise of God And they that dwell not in Love and Charity are like the sounding Brass and tinkling Cimbals as you may read 1 Cor. 13.1 8. This you may read amongst the Children of the Light and of the Day Dolston the 13th of the 10th Month 1683. G. F. To the Meeting of Friends in Truth that are Captives in Algiers NOw Epist 391. Dear Friends The Lord having drawn you by his Spirit to his Son Christ Jesus in whose Name ye come to be Gathered in whose Name ye have
supply you and is near unto all that calls upon him in Truth and Righteousness Therefore cast your Care upon him for he Cares for you And so as you walk in the Truth to answer the Truth in your Patroons and others you will see in time you will reach the Good in them that they will give more Credit to you and Trust you more than them that disobey the Spirit of God in their Hearts So the Lord preserve you Faithful to himself Let us hear as often as you can how things are with you G. F. London the 4th of the 3d Month 1684. To the Quarterly and Monthly Meetings in England c. DEar Friends and Brethren in the Lord Jesus Christ Epist 392. who reigns over all and has all Power in Heaven and Earth given unto him by whose Eternal Power our Meetings this Year have been preserved unto his great Glory and Honour and his living refreshing Presence has livingly been amongst us for which his People do give him the Honour Glory Thanks and Praise who is Lord over all and worthy of all blessed for ever and ever And therefore we desire and intreat all our Friends and Brethren every where who are of the Seed of the Promise and the Children of the Kingdom of God and of the New Covenant of Light and Life To walk as becometh the Gospel To Walk in the same and worthy of the same to the Glory of God And you that do profess the primitive pure and undefiled Religion which is above all the Religions in the World Shew it forth in Life and Practice And you that profess the Worship of God in the Spirit and Truth which Christ hath set up which is above the Jews Worship and all the Worships that the Men of the World have set up Be stedfast in the same for all Worships out of God's Spirit and his Truth are Idolatry And now dear Friends and Brethren who profess and possess that which is above all Religions Ways and Worships in the World our desire is To exceed in Vertue c. that you may always out-strip and exceed the World in Virtue in Purity in Chastity in Godliness and in Holiness and in Modesty Civility and in Righteousness and in Love with that you may overcome the Evil and with the Good overcome the Bad So that your Moderation and sober Life may appear unto all Men and answer that of God in all that so the Fruits of the Spirit of God may shew themselves forth in Meekness and Kindness and Humility from the holy Understanding and the pure heavenly Wisdom and the Word of Life and Patience by which all things were made in that you will be able to bear all things and endure all things through him that strengthens you And whatsoever things are lovely decent or comely and honest and of a good Report that answers the Truth in all That mind and practice that God Almighty may be glorified through you in the Seed in which all Nations are blest which bruiseth the Head of the Serpent that brought the Curse in which Seed no Enmity nor Strife can come in wich Seed Christ Jesus your heavenly Vnity and Fellowship is preserved And whatsoever Storms or Tempests should arise in the World keep in the Seed Christ Jesus your Sanctuary Christ our Sanctuary who was before the World was who is your Saviour that destroys the Destroyer in whom you have all Life Peace Rest Safety and Salvation in him who is the Amen the First and Last in him Farewell and from him the Blessings of the Lord rest upon you G. F. To Friends in Holland DEar Friends in the peaceable Truth The Glory of God all mind Epist 393. in all your Lives and Conversations and that the heavenly Fruits of the Holy Spirit of God you may all bring forth to his Praise living in Righteousness Godliness and Meekness Lowliness and Humility To live in Righteousness c. learning of Christ Jesus your Saviour who is meek For the humble God doth teach and they grow up in his Grace and Favour And therefore all take heed of going back again into the World's Ways Spirit and Words but keep to the holy Spirit of God that doth lead you in the narrow way that is to Life Eternal And in the Lord's Light Power and Spirit meet together and keep your Meetings in the Name of Jesus Christ who hath all Power in Heaven and Earth given to him that you may feel his living and divine Presence among you and in his pure gentle and heavenly Love and Wisdom you may be valiant for the Name of Jesus and his Truth upon the Earth Not to be ashamed of Christ and not to be ashamed of Christ your Teacher and Prophet that God hath raised up in his New Covenant and Testament whom you are to hear neither be ashamed of Christ your Shepherd who hath laid down his Life for his Sheep whose Voice you are to hear who doth feed his Sheep and give them Life Eternal and none is able to pluck his Sheep out of his Hand his Power neither be ashamed of your High Priest who hath offered up himself for you and doth sanctifie you who is a Priest made higher than the Heavens neither be you ashamed of your Bishop and the chief Shepherd of your Souls to whom now ye are returned by his Grace and Truth who doth oversee you with his heavenly Eye that you do not go astray from God So in him let your Faith stand who is the Author and Finisher of it So with my Love to you all in the Lord Jesus Christ who is your Sanctuary in whom you all have Life Peace Rest and Salvation who is the Amen Greet ye one another with a Kiss of Charity Peace be with you all that are in Christ Jesus Amen This Charity keeps all God's People in the heavenly Love and Unity Amsterdam the 14th of the 4th Month 1683. G. F. DEar Friends and Brethren who are Elect and Chosen in Christ Jesus before the the Foundation of the World Epist 394. in Christ you have Peace and in the World you have Trouble But be of good cheer Christ hath overcome the World Christ hath overcome the World that lieth in Wickedness and all the Persecutors in it and in him you all overcome the Devil and his Works and without him you can do nothing but through Christ and his Power and Strength you will be able to do all things according to the Will of God And though for a time ye may suffer for the Name of Jesus and for his Truth and be cast into Prison and suffer the spoiling of your Goods the Eternal God knows and his Son Christ Jesus it is for him alone and his Truth 's sake we suffer and not for any evil doing or doing wrong to any Man And so the Lord hath given us not only to believe but also to saffer for his Name and Truth
the Chaff of the Summer Threshing-Floor and the Wind carried them away that no place was found for them and the Stone that smote this Image became a great Mountain and filled the whole Earth Christ filleth all things with his Divinity Dan. 2. Is not this Christ Jesus who hath all Power in Heaven and Earth given to him that he filleth the whole Earth with his Divinity to whom God gave the Heathen for an Inheritance and the attermost parts of the Earth for his Possession and his Seed doth inherit the Gentiles Isa 54. And doth not Christ now inherit the Gentiles or Heathen Yea the uttermost parts of the Earth he possesses with his divine Power Light and Seed who filleth the whole Earth and hath all Power in Heaven and Earth and Ruleth with his Spiritnal Divine Rod of Iron Not a Rod of corruptible Iron but he Ruleth them with his Divine Rod and dashes them to pieces like a Potters Vessel they that are the Children of the Kingdom see this and know Christ to rule in their Hearts and sit down in the heavenly Places in Christ Jesus who is the First and Last the Beginning and Ending by whom all things were made G. F. DEar Friends in Holland Friezland Hamborough Frederickstad Dantzick Palatinate and all other places there-aways where God's Truth and Ensign is set up Epist 403. Peace Grace and Truth be multiplied among you from God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ the Fountain of all Life Peace Grace and heavenly Wisdom and Vnderstanding and the God of all Power and Peace through our Lord Jesus Christ fill you with it and his heavenly Riches and that you may all walk worthy of his heavenly Calling in all Holiness Righteousness and Godliness c. in Life and Conversation and that by the Word of Life and Patience you may answer the Truth in all both High and Low so that you may be of good savour to God in the Hearts of all People For you know there is no other Way to God but by Christ Jesus No Way to God but by Christ Jesus and you know that God has raised up Christ to be a Prophet in his New Testament to be heard in all things and you know He opens and none can shut and he shuts and none can open and you know that Christ is the Bishop of your Souls to oversee that you do not go astray from God And you know that Christ is the true Shepherd and has laid down his Life for his Sheep and they know his Voice and they follow him and he gives them Life Eternal And also you know that Christ is your High Priest made higher than the Heavens by the Power of an Endless Life and by him you are made a Spiritual Priesthood to offer up Spiritual Sacrifices to God And as for our Yearly Meeting the Presence of the Eternal God Was amongst us and his Glory which shines over all and all was quiet and peaceable and it was the Lord's doing blessed be his Name for ever And your Epistle was read in the Yearly Meeting and Friends in the Lord's Power Read it and had Unity with your Spirits and are Sensible of your Spiritual Care in the Lord 's Eternal Power concerning Truth 's Affairs in those Parts In which God Almighty preserve you and increase you both in his Wisdom Knowledge and Vnderstanding that you may spread his blessed Truth abroad and answer it in all People Amen London the 10th of the 4th Month 1685. G. F. To Friends in Pensilvania DEar Friends Epist 404. I am glad to hear of the good Yearly Meeting at Road-Island and that the Lord's Power and Presence was there among you and it would be very well to Visit the Generation of the Righteous and to see how their Seed and Vines do grow in their heavenly Vineyards and Plantations and what heavenly Riches they have laid up in Store in God's Kingdom and to see how the Wheat is gathered into God's Garner and that all keep in the Worship that Christ set up in his Spirit and Truth and that all walk in the New and Living Way over all the Dead Ways in the World and all walk in the pure undefiled Religion that keeps from the Spots of the World and to see that all are guided in the pure and gentle Wisdom that is easie to be intreated and in the Love of God that can bear all things by which all peevish short and brittle Spirits may be kept down so that all may have their good Conversation in Christ Jesus all striving for Unity in the Spirit and the holy Faith that giveth and keepeth Victory over the Enemy And so that all may have a care of their Minds running into the Earth and Carnal Things For to be Carnally-minded is Death but to be Spiritually-minded is Life and Peace and let all take heed of neglecting the Gift of God but stir up the pure Mind one in another and the Lord with his Eternal Arm and Power preserve you diligent in his heavenly Work and Service in his Vineyard that it may not grow over with Briars Thorns and Thistles to choak the tender Plants And so my Desires are That you may live and walk in Christ Jesus and that you may answer the Truth in all the Professors and the Heathen And prize your Liberty both Natural and Spiritual while you have it and labour in the Truth while it is Day Remember me to all Friends as though I named them and as for the State of Friends here we are under great Sufferings and spoiling of Goods and Imprisonments and they have of late increased in spoiling of our Goods but God is All-sufficient who doth support us Glory to his Name for ever So with my Love in Christ Jesus to you all in whom you have all Eternal Rest and Peace with God Amen Bednal-Green the 10th of the 9th Month 1685. G. F. To Friends of the Ministry in Pensilvania and New-Jersey DEar Friends With my Love to you all Epist 405. and all the rest of Friends I was glad to hear from you but you gave me no account of the increase of Truth amongst you nor what Meetings you have had amongst the Indian Kings and their People abroad in the Countries and of your visiting Friends in New-England Virginia and Carolina nor of your Travels and Labours in the Gospel who hath in all those Countries liberty to serve and worship God and preach the Truth And I understand many have a desire to live in it especially in Carolina and you who travel now from Friends to Friends thither it is thought strange that you do not visit them therefore I desire that you may all improve your Gifts and Talents and not hide it in a Napkin lest it be taken from you and not to put your Candle under a Bushel lest it go out and not to be like the foolish Virgins which kept their Name of Virgins but neglected having
5. Now all Women may here consider what is to be the Practice of such Women that profess Godliness and trust in God their Adorning is the hidden Man of the Heart which is Incorruptible and their Ornament is to of a meek and quiet Spirit which is in the sight of God of great Price but those Women whose outward Adorning is with broidered and plaited Heir and Gold and Pearls and Costly Array these have not the modest Apparrel which become Modest Sober Shamefaced Women that profess Godliness with good Works but such as are Unsober and Immodest such as look upon such things to become them are cloathed with corruptible and unquiet Spirits that do not possest Godliness with good Works and these outward Ornaments as plaiting and broidering the Hair and wearing of Gold and Pearls and Costly Array the Apostle saith Do not become Women professing Godliness with good Works but them that do not profess Godliness that are Shameless and Unsober they may become such Women that do not trust in God their proud Spirit may lead them to adorn themselves with such things as is said before which the Apostle forbids but the holy Women of God which professed Godliness with good Works and trusted in God adorned themselves not with plaiting the Hair or wearing of Gold or Pearls or Costly Array but with the hidden Man of the Heart in that which is not corruptible even the Ornament of a meek and quiet Spirit which is in the sight of God of great price And now consider also you Women that profess Godliness and go under the name of Holy Women who trust in God see that your selves and your Children and all your young Women are Adorned and Arrayed and have on this Ornament as the Apostle wills the Church of Christ to put on as the holy Women did of old and be not of an unmeek and unquiet Spirit and unsober and immodest when you are admonished and exhorted nor act contrary to the holy Women of old that trusted in God and such as professed Godliness according to the Apostles Doctrine And here you may see what care the Apostles had to keep the Saints the Church of Christ their Eyes Minds and Spirits above the wearing of Gold plaiting their Hair and Pearls and Costly Apparrel which is the Glory of this World which the holy Women that trusted in God and professed Godliness with good Works these things were not to be their Adorning nor Ornaments but as is said before the hidden Man of the Heart which was not Corrupt even the meek and quiet Spirit which is with the Lord of great price And this ought to be and is the Adorning and Ornament of all the holy Women that profess Godliness with good Works and trust in God And all you that have been Convinced of the Lord's Truth by his Spirit To refuse the Glory of the World take heed of Satan taking you up into a Mountain and of his shewing you the Glory of the World and of your Minds and Eyes going after it and receiving of it and so in that you fall from the Spirit and Truth of God that did Convince you and then to worship the Devil the King of Pride the God of the World that abode not in the Truth in whom there is no Truth and he to lead your Minds and Eyes after every new vain Fashion of the World that passeth away and that lieth in wickedness and so draweth you to the Love of the World which is Enmity to God and into the Wisdom of the World by which ye do not know God and then to such the Gospel of Life and Salvation is hid in whom the God of this World hath blinded their Minds and in such disobedient Ones the Prince of the Air rules and gets into them by disobeying the Truth and in such Christ doth not rule in their Hearts by Faith And it is not like when they make Shipwreck of it and a good Conscience And therefore walk in the Light of Christ and grow in his Grace and the Knowledge of the Lord Jesus Christ that bruises the Serpent's Head and destroys the Devil and his Works that you may all be established upon Christ the Rock and Foundation And if ye do believe in the Covenant of Light Life and Grace then why do not you all train up your Children in the same To Train up our Children n the Coveant of Grace Did not the Lord command the Jews to train up their Children in the Old Covenant and teach them to walk in it And were not all the Males to be Circumcised And they that were not Circumcised were to be cut off from the Congregation of the Lord So are not all you that profess the New Covenant of Grace Light and Life and the Gospel of Salvation preached to every Creature and the Grace of God which brings Salvation that hath appeared unto all Men to teach them to live Godly and to deny Ungodliness c. I say are not you all to train up your Children and Families in this Light of the Gospel and Grace of Christ which brings Salvation and brings them into favour with God that you may have the Comfort of your Children in this World and in that which is Everlasting And that they may be Circumcised with the Spirit of God which he poureth out upon all Flesh that with his Spiritual Circumcision the Body of Death and Sins of the Flesh may be cut off which are come into Man and Woman by Transgression that neither you nor they might dye in the Body of Death and in the Sins of the Flesh and such do not dye in the Lord for they that are not Circumcised with the Spiritual Circumcision are cut off from the heavenly Jerusalem and the Kingdom of God and Christ and from the Church of the Living God written in Heaven And therefore if you will have the Comfort of your Children in this World and that which is to come train them up in the Fear of God and in his Covenant of Light and Grace which Grace brings their Salvation and brings them into Favour with God and into the Spiritual Baptism and Circumcision so that they may serve and worship the Living God in his Spirit and Truth Amen And if Children and young People must be left and let alone to themselves and not be Admonished Exhorted and Restrained from the Evil and Vanities of the World then why did Moses and the Prophets and the Apostles which were sent of God exhort the People to train up their Children in the Fear of the Lord and to teach them his Law while they were young that they might not depart from it when they were old And if that they did the Lord did judge them as ye may read in the Scriptures of Truth and if that they must be left to themselves and not restrained from Evil then how came it to pass that old Ely lost his Life and his Priesthood Ely
and undefiled Life all Live Page 305 275. All Friends every where in the living Spirit and living Power c. Ibid. 276. Dear Friends live in Peace and Love Page 308 277. My Dear Friends when you were formerly in a Profession Ibid. 278. And Friends see that all Apprentices that are bound amongst you c. Page 310 1670. 279. The Substance of a General Epistle Page 311 280. All Dear Friends every where who have no helper but the Lord Page 315 281. Dear Friends the Truth of God mind Ibid. 282. Friends in the Seed that bruises the Serpent's Head c. Page 316 283. To Friends at Bristol in time of Suffering Page 317 1671. 284. Dear Friends and Brethren see that all live in the peaceable Truth Ibid. 285. Dear Friends this is the Counsel of the Lord to you all Page 319 286. Friends when you are met together in the Name of Jesus Ibid. 287. Friends consider you that have known the Mercies of the Lord Page 320 1672. 288. To Friends in Carolina Page 321 289. Dear Friends every where be faithful to God Page 322 290. Dear Friends live in Love for that is of God Ibid. 291. To all the Womens Meetings that are Believers in the Truth Page 323 292. To Friends in New-England virginia and Barbadoes Page 324 293. To Friends in Barbadoes Page 326 1673. 294. Friends the Truth is above all c. Page 327 295. Friends at the first Convincement there is not so much danger Ibid. 296. Friends all keep your Meetings in the Power of the Lord God Page 328 297. Dear Friends keep in the Power of the Lord Ibid. 298. Dear Friends to whom is my Love in that which changes not Page 329 299. To Friends at Jamaica Ibid. 300. Dear Friends let your Faith stand in the Power of God Page 330 301. To all the Womens Meetings Page 333 302. To all Friends that live in the Truth Page 334 303. Dear Friends all be faithful c. Page 335 304. To Friends in Virginia Ibid. 305. My Dear Friends live in the Seed c. Page 336 1674. 306. To Friends in Holland Page 337 307. My dear Friends who feel the Precious Truth Page 338 308. My dear Friends in England and all parts of the World Page 340 309. Friends seek the Peace of all Men Page 342 310. Friends in every thing give thanks Page 343 311. For the Men and Womens Meetings in Barbadoes Ibid. 312. All Friends that are in the Power of God Page 344 313. Friends all that are sensible of the Power of God c. Page 346 1675. 314. To all my dear Friends Elect and Precious in America Page 352 315. To Friends in Barbadoes Page 353 316. Dear Friends all that feel the Life and Power and Spirit of the Living God Page 354 317. To all the Elect and Chosen of God in Christ Jesus before the Foundation of the World Page 357 318. All Dear Friends and Brethren keep up your Testimony c. Page 361 319. To Friends in Nevis and the Caribby Islands Page 363 1676. 320. An Incouragement to all the faithful Womens Meetings c. Page 368. 321. To all the Men and Women's Meetings that are gathered in the Name of Jesus Page 389 332. To Friends in Cumberland Page 394 333. To Friends in Barbadoes Page 395 334. To Friends in the Isle of Man Page 397 335. To Friends in Virginia and Maryland Page 398 336. To Friends at Dantzick Ibid. 337. To Friends in Holland Page 399 338. To Friends in Maryland and Virginia Page 400 339. All my dear Friends and Brethren c. Page 401 340. To Friends in New-Jersey in America Ibid. 341. My Friends all you that know God and Christ your Teacher Page 402 342. My dear Friends and Brethren that Faith which is the Gospel of God c. Page 403 343. Friends in the Power and Image and Truth c. Page 405 1677. 344. An Epistle to be read in the Men and Womens Meetings c. Page 409 345. My dear Friends to whom is my Love in the Everlasting Seed Page 411 346. To Friends at Sussex Page 412 347. Concerning the Subjection of the Spirits of the Apostles one to another c. Page 413 348. Dear Friends to whom is my Love in the heavenly Seed Page 414 1678. 349. To Friends in the County of Oxford Page 416 350. To the Yearly Meeting in Yorkshire Ibid. 351. Friends know what the Lord doth require of you c. Page 417 352. An Epistle to Friends to keep in the Power of God c. Page 418 353. My dear Friends whose Faces are set towards Zion Page 420 354. And dear Friends my Love to you all in the Seed of Life Page 423 1679. 355. To Friends in America concerning their Negroes and Indians Page 426 356. Dear Friends every where that have received the Truth as it is in Jesus Page 428 357. Dear Friends all live in the Life of the true Christians Page 430 358. Dear Friends with my Love to you all in the holy peaceable Truth Page 431 359. An Epistle to be read among Friends Ibid. 360. To all the Men and Womens Meetings every where Page 434 361. An Epistle to Friends for them to read Page 439 And now my dear Friends concerning true Liberty Page 443 1680. 362. And now Friends you who are called into the Glorious Liberty Page 450 363. Dear Friends and Brethren in the Lord Jesus Christ Ibid. 364. To Friends in America Page 453 365. To Friends in Yorkshire Page 454 366. A Letter to the Captives who meet together to worship God in Algier Page 455 1681. 367. To Friends in Burlington West-Jersey Page 456 368. To suffering Friends at Horsham in Sussex Page 458 369. To the Flock of Christ Jesus every where Page 459 370. To suffering Friends at Leicester Page 460 371. To Friends in Carolina Page 462 372. An Epistle concerning the Government of Christ Page 463 1682. 373. To Friends in Jamaica Page 470 374. To Friends in Holland Page 471 375. To Friends in Barbadoes Ibid. 376. To Friends in New-Jersey and Pensilvania Page 473 377. To Friends that are Prisoners in York Page 474 378. To all the Elect of God chosen and faithful c. Page 476 379. An Epistle to all Planters c. in foreign Plantations America Page 477 380. To all Christians to keep to Yea Yea and Nay Nay c. Page 478 381. A Way to prevent the Indignation and Judgments of God Page 480 382. An Epistle to the Houshold of Faith Page 482 1683. 380. To the Quarterly Meeting at York Page 486 384. To the Six Weeks Meeting in Barbadoes Page 488 385. To suffering Friends in Prison at Bristol Page 489 386. To Friends in Charles-Town in Carolina Page 490 387. To the Monthly and Quarterly Meeting in England c. Page 491 388. To Friends that are Captives at Algier Ibid. 389. To the Houshold of Faith which is the Church of Christ Page 493 390. An Epistle to all
is our only Mediator and Advocate and as he was and is God over all blessed for ever whom he so dearly loved and honoured that he often offered up his Life and deeply suffered for him and that in dear and constant Love to his Seed that a holy Generation might be raised strengthned and increased in the Earth among the Children of Men. And his knowledge and Ministry of our Lord Jesus Christ being after the Spirit in Life and Power did no ways imply any lessening of the Dignity or Glory of Christ nor any defect of Faith or Love to Christ as he came and suffered in the Flesh for Mankind as some Adversaries have injuriously misrepresented and aspersed him for he highly esteemed Christ's Sufferings Death Resurrection and Glory and powerfully testified of the Vertue Power blessed and spirtual Design Fruit and Effects thereof as revealed and witnessed by his Holy Spirit And as we have no cause to question but as with this innocent and good Man to live was Christ so to die was Gain in both which he glorified God Christ Jesus being our Spiritual Rock Foundation and Head he is truly precious to us and all true Believers in all States and Conditions both of his Humiliation Glory and Dominion his great Grace and Goodness appearing in those precious Ministerial Gifts given by him when he ascended up on high for his Ministry and Church And 't is very observable that though to express Christ's Lowly Condition and Appearance in the World He is sometimes in Holy Scripture termed the Seed His Name is also called Wonderful Counsellor the Mighty God the Everlasting Father the Prince of Peace Upon whose Shoulders the Government is laid And of the increase of his Government and Peace there shall be no end Isaiah 9. And 't is most suitable to Christ's low humble and suffering Condition to make use of such Instruments as are most like himself in Humility and Lowliness of Mind although they be but low and mean in the World's Eye and Esteem God is pleased to make choice of low mean and weak things and of Instruments contemptible in the Eyes of the high and lofty ones of this World to confound the Wisdom of the World according to 1 Cor 1. He chose poor Shepherds to divulge that great Evangelical Truth of Christ's Birth and certain Women to preach that Gospel-Truth of his Resurrection Luke 2. 24. And both from Angelical Testimony as well as from their sight of Christ himself Truth must not be rejected because of such Instruments which God in his Wisdom is pleased to employ in his Work nor the Day of small things despised From small Beginnings of good Matters great Things glorious Attainments and Perfections do spring Glory Honour and Dominion to our most Gracious God and to the Lamb on his Throne for ever and ever Now dear and well-beloved Friends all live in Love and Peace following the true Faith peaceable and good Example of the Faithful in Christ and the God of Love and Peace will be with you Your true Friend and Brother In CHRIST JESUS George Whitehead London 1698. A COLLECTION Of many Select Epistles to Friends OF THAT Ancient Eminent and Faithful Minister of Jesus Christ GEORGE FOX A Testimony how the Lord sent G.F. forth at first in the Year 1643. WHEN the Lord first sent me forth in the Year 1643. The Year when the Lord first sent G.F. forth to declare his Truth I was sent as an Innocent Lamb and Young in Years amongst Men in the Nature of Wolves Dogs Bears Lions and Tigres into the World which the Devil had made like a Wilderness no right Way then found out of it And I was sent To Turn People from Darkness to the Light which Christ the Second Adam did Enlighten them withal that so they might see Christ their Way to God with the Spirit of God which he doth pour upon all Flesh that with it they might have an Understanding to know the Things of God and to know him and his Son Jesus Christ which is Eternal Life and so might worship and serve the Living God their Maker and Creator who takes Care for all who is Lord of all and with the Light and Spirit of God they might know the Scriptures which were given forth from the Spirit of God in the Saints and Holy Men and Women of God And when many began to be turned to the Light which is the Life in Christ and the Spirit of God which gave them an Understanding and had found the Path of the Just the Shining Light then did the Wolves Dogs Dragons Bears Lions Tigres Wild Beasts and Birds of Prey make a Roaring and a Screeching Noise against the Lambs Sheep Doves and Children of Christ and were ready to devour them and me and to tear us to pieces But the Lord's Arm and Power did preserve me though many times I was in Danger of my Life and very often cast into Dungeons and Prisons and haled before Magistrates But all things did work together for good And the more I was cast into outward Prisons the more People came out of their Spiritual and Inward Prison through the Preaching of the Gospel But the Priests and Professors were in such a great Rage and made the Rude and Profane People in such a Fury that I could hardly walk in the Streets or go in the High-ways but they were ready oft-times to do me a Mischief But Christ who hath all Power in Heaven and in the Earth did so restrain and limit them with his Power that my Life was preserved though many times I was near killed Oh! the Burdens and Travels that I went under Often my Life prest down under the Spirits of Professors and Teachers without Life and the Profane And besides the Troubles afterwards with Backsliders Apostates and false Brethren which were like so many Judas's in betraying the Truth and God's Faithful and Chosen Seed and causing the Way of Truth to be evil spoken of But the Lord blasted wasted and confounded them so that none did stand long for the Lord did either destroy them or bring them to nought and his Truth did flourish and his People in it to the Praise of God who is the Revenger of his Chosen G. F. Concerning the first Spreading of the Truth and how that many were Imprisoned c. AND the Truth sprang up first to us as to be a People to the Lord in Leicestershire in 1644. and in Warwickshire in 1645. and in Nottinghamshire in 1646. and in Darbyshire in 1647. and in the adjacent Countries in 1648. 1649. and 1650. and in Yorkshire in 1651. and in Lancashire and Westmorland in 1652. and in Cumberland and Bishoprick and Northumberland in 1653. and in London and most parts of the Nation of England and Scotland and Ireland in 1654. c. And in 1655. many went beyond Seas where Truth also sprang up And in 1656. Truth brake forth in America and many other places And
the Truth stood all the Cruelties and Sufferings that were Inflicted upon Friends by the Long-Parliament to the Spoiling of Goods Imprisonment and Death and over all the Reproches Lies and Slanders and then by O. Protector O. C. c. and all the Acts that O. Protector made and his Parliaments and his Son Richard after him and the Committee of Safety And after it withstood and lasted out all the Acts and Proclamations since 1660. that the King came in And still the Lord's Truth is over all and his Seed reigns and his Truth exceedingly spreads unto this Year 1676. And Friends never feared their Acts nor Prisons nor Goals nor Houses of Correction nor Banishments nor Spoilings of Goods nay nor Life it self And there was never any Persecution that came but we saw it was for Good and we looked upon it to be Good as from God And there was never any Prisons that I was in or Sufferings but still it was for the bringing Multitudes more out of Prison For they that Imprisoned the Truth and Quenched the Spirit in themselves would prison it and quench it without them So that there was a Time when there were so many in Prison that it became as a By-word Truth was scarcely any where to be found but in Goals And after that the King came in divers Friends suffered much because they would not Drink the King's Health and say Sufferings for not Drinking the King's Health God bless the King so that many times Friends were in Danger of their Lives by rude Persons who were ready to run them through with their Swords for refusing it until the King gave forth a Proclamation against Drinking Healths For we were and are against all Drinking Healths and Excess both before his Coming in and after and we desire the King 's good and that the Blessings of God might come upon him and all his Subjects and all People upon the Face of the Earth And we did desire People not to Drink the King's Health but let him have his Health and all People else and so to Drink for their own Health and Necessity only For that way of Drinking Healths and to Excess was not for the King's Health nor their own nor any others Which Excess often brought forth Quarrelling and Destroying one another for they destroyed the Creation and one another And this was not for the King's Wealth nor Health nor Honour but might grieve him to have the Creatures destroyed and his Subjects And so the Lord's Power gave us Dominion over that also and all our other Sufferings But Oh! the Number of Sufferers in the Common Wealth 's days and in O. Protector 's days and since But especially they that were haled before their Courts for not paying Tithes Sufferings for Tithes c. in O. C's days c. and not Swearing in their Juries and for not putting off their Hats and for going to Meetings on the First-Days under pretence of breaking the Sabbath and other Meetings in the Week-Days who were abused both in the Meetings and on the High-ways Oh Sufferings for Meetings how great were the Sufferings we then sustained upon these Accounts For sometimes they would drive Friends by Droves into the Prison-houses like Penfolds and there keep them on the First-Days and then take their Horses from them and keep them for pretended Breach of their Sabbath Though they would Ride in their Coaches and upon their Fat Horses to the Steeple-houses themselves and yet punish others And many Friends were turned out of their Copyholds and Customary Tenements because they could not Swear And as they went to Meetings they have been Stoned through the Streets and cruelly abused otherwise Sufferings for the Hat And many were Fined with great Fines and lay long in Prison for not putting off their Hats but Friends could never pay them though they kept them in Prison till they had satisfied their own Wills upon them and at last turned them out after they had kept them a Year or more in Prisons And many Friends were exceedingly spoiled in their Estates and Goods in the petty-Courts for Tithes till we got a Prohibition and Demur out of the King's-Bench that then threw the Trial of such things out of their petty-Courts that they might sue for them in the Courts at London And my Desire is that the Lord may open their Understandings also if it be his Will to throw them out of those Courts also And many Books I gave forth against Tithes and how the Priesthood was changed that took them And that Christ sent forth his 12 and after 70 Disciples and said unto them Freely they had received and freely they were to give And so all that are Transgressors and do not obey the Doctrine and Command of Christ therein we cannot receive them And many suffered for not Swearing Concerning not Swearing both before and since the King came in because they could not Swear in Obedience to the Command of Christ and the Apostle's who forbad all Swearing And Tenths were offered up in the time of the Law but all must be offered up in the time of the Gospel for Christ's sake For there were no Tithes nor Swearing before the Fall and so there are none again to be in the Restoration by Christ And though Swearing was in the time of the Law yet our Yea is to be Yea and our Nay to be Nay in the time of the Gospel And several Books I was moved to give forth against Swearing and that our Yea and Nay might be taken instead of an Oath and if we broke that let us suffer the same Punishment that they did that broke their Oaths And in Jamaica the Governor granted the thing and the Assembly Friends Sufferings about Swearing and something opened by G. F. concerning Oaths and it is also granted in some other Places And several of the Parliament-Men in England have acknowledged the Reasonableness of the thing For the true Oath of God was but to tie People to swear by the Lord and to say and to do Truth since Man and Woman fell in the time of the Law and not before the Fall And this was the Oath that Christ came to fulfil and end and he saith Swear not at all And I say Christ fulfils and ends this Oath which Men were to perform to the Lord who performs God's Oath which he sware by himself and fulfils that and he sets up Yea Yea and Nay Nay instead thereof Concerning which I and my Friends have written at large in our Books touching this Subject And the Magistrates after some time when they saw our Faithfulness in Yea and Nay they that were Moderate both before and since the King came in would put Friends into Offices without an Oath But they that were Cruel and Envious would fine Friends to get Money of them though Friends could not pay them any And thus the Lord's Power hath carried us through all and over
all to his Everlasting Glory and Praise For God's Power which was before the Devil 's was hath been our Hedge our Wall and our Keeper and the Preserver of his Plants and Vineyard who have not had the Magistrates Sword and Staff to help them nor never trusted in the Arm of Flesh And have gone without Judas his Bag or the Magistrates Sword and Staff to preach the Word of Life which was in the Begining before they were which Word reconciles to God And Thousands have received the Word of Reconciliation and are born again of the Immortal Seed by the Word of God and are feeding upon the Milk of the Word which lives and abides and endures for ever And many have suffered to Death for their Testimony both in England and beyond the Seas both before and since the King came in which ye may see as followeth This was given to the King and both Houses of Parliament being A brief and plain and true Relation of the late and sad Sufferings of the People of God in scorn called Quakers for worshipping and exercising a good Conscience towards God and Man By reason whereof Eighty nine have suffered till Death Thirty two of which died before the King came into England and Fifty seven since by hard Imprisonment and cruel Usage Forty three have died in the City of London and Southwark since the Act was made against Meetings c. about 1661. They have thus suffered of which a more particular Account was given with their Names that did suffer to the King and Parliament about 1663. And tho' divers Laws were designed against us How Friends suffered and of their Faithfulness and concerning the Acts that have been made since the King came in yet never could any of them justly touch us neither did they truly concern us tho' they did execute them unjustly upon us and they knew we were not the People justly chargeable and some have been made to confess it And all those Laws that were already made and the Oath which they imprison'd us for because we could not Swear at all in Obedience to the Command of Christ Jesus were never originally intended against us And yet we suffered by the several Powers and their Laws tho' they did not concern us both spoiling of Goods and Imprisonments even to Death it self And the Governor of Dover Castle when the King asked him If he had dispersed all the Sectaries Meetings He said That he had but the Quakers the Devil himself could not For if that he did Imprison them and break them up they would Meet again and if he should beat them and knock them down or kill some of them all was one they would meet and not resist again And thus the Lord's Power did support them and keep them over their Persecutors and made them to Justify our Patience and Lamb-like Nature This was about 1671. And since the King came in Three Acts have been made against us by the King and Parliament besides the Proclamations by which many have suffered Imprisonment and Banishment and many to Death And yet for all these Acts and Proclamations and Banishment and Persecutions and Sufferings Faithful Friends are as fresh as ever in the Lord's Power and Valiant for his Name and Truth And some Weak Ones there were when the King came in that did Swear and take the Oaths but after when they had so done they were sore troubled for disobeying the Command of Christ and the Apostle that they went to the Magistrates and condemned themselves and offered themselves to go to Prison And thus the Lord in his Everlasting Power hath been the Support and Stay of his People And when the Glorious Gospel and Truth was spread over the Nation and they had received the Word of Life Quarterly and Monthly Meetings set up then first the Quarterly and some Monthly Meetings were settled throughout the Nation and then after as Truth more and more spread the Monthly Mens-Meetings in 1667 and 1668. And then also some Womens-Meetings were set up and after the Womens-Meetings throughout the Nation and other Nations were exhorted unto and set up and established throughout the Nations For I was sent for to many sick People Womens Meetings set up and the occasion of it And at one time I was sent for to White-Chappel about the third Hour in the Morning to a Woman that was dying and her Child and the People was weeping about her And after a while I was moved in the Name and Power of Christ Jesus to speak to the Woman and she and her Child was raised up And she got up to the Astonishment of the People when they came in in the Morning and her Child also was healed And when I came to G. Roberts's House about Eight in the Morning there came in Sarah Blackberry to complain to me of the Poor and how many poor Friends were in Want and the Lord had shewed me what I should do in his Eternal Power and Wisdom How G.F. ordered Friends to Visit the Sick c. So I spake to her to bid about Sixty Women to meet me about the first Hour in the Afternoon at the Sign of the Helmet at a Friends House And they did so accordingly such as were sensible Women of the Lord's Truth and fearing God And what the Lord had opened unto me I declared unto them concerning their having a Meeting once a Week every Second Day that they might see and inquire into the Necessity of all poor Friends The Service of Womens-Meetings who were Sick and Weak and were in Wants or Widows and Fatherless in the City and Suburbs And so they blest the Lord for the Wisdom of God that had settled such a Meeting in his Power amongst them For they saw that all that were Heirs of the Power of God were to take their possession of the Power of God the Gospel and its Order which was before the Devil was And this brought them into the Practice of the pure Religion and to Visit the Sick and for the Relief of the Fatherless and the Widow and to see that nothing was lacking amongst them and that they in visiting the Sick in the Lord's Power and Word through it they would have the Wisdom of the Lord and of his Creation and how to administer his Creatures and by the same Power to heal and strengthen with the outward things and without them Which they have felt prosperous to this day and great things have been done in their Meetings by the Lord's Power and very honourable it hath been in the Eyes of all the Faithful yea and commendable in the World also And afterwards the same Womens-Meetings were settled up and down the Nation and beyond the Seas in the Power of the Lord which was before the Devil was into which Power of the Lord no Sect nor Apostasy can come but Peace and Unity And the Power of the Lord the Gospel is the Authority of all
Carnal Weapons The Lamb shall have the Victory The Peace-Maker hath the Kingdom and is in it and hath the Dominion over the Peace-Breaker to calm him in the Power of God And Friends Let the Waves break over your Heads There is rising a new and living Way out of the North which makes the Nations like Waters Hurt not the Vines nor the Oil nor such as know that the Earth is the Lord's and the fulness thereof The Days of Vertue Love and Peace are come and coming and the Lamb had and hath the Kings of the Earth to war withal and to fight withal who will overcome with the Sword of the Spirit the Word of his Mouth for the Lamb shall have the Victory And are not some like Ephraim with a miscarrying Womb Which have not brought forth the Substance the Birth from above Hos 9.13 14. but have brought forth Children to Murder G. F. To Friends to stand still in Trouble and see the Strength of the Lord. Friends WHatever ye are addicted to Epist 10. the Tempter will come in that thing and when he can trouble you then he gets Advantage over you and then ye are gone Stand still in that which is pure after ye see your selves and then Mercy comes in After thou seest thy Thoughts and the Temptations do not think but submit and then Power comes Stand still in that which shews and discovers and there doth Strength immediately come And stand still in the Light and submit to it and the other will be hush'd and gone and then Content comes And when Temptations and Troubles appear sink down in that which is pure and all will be hush'd and fly away Your Strength is to stand still after ye see your selves whatsoever ye see your selves addicted to Temptations Corruption Vncleanness c. then ye think ye shall never Overcome And Earthly Reason will tell you what ye shall lose hearken not to that but stand still in the Light that shews them to you and then Strength comes from the Lord and Help contrary to your Expectation Then ye grow up in Peace and no Trouble shall you move David fretted himself when he look'd out but when he was still no Trouble could him move When your Thoughts are out abroad then Troubles move you But come to stay your Minds upon that Spirit which was before the Letter here ye learn to read the Scriptures aright If ye do any thing in your own Wills then ye tempt God but stand still in that Power which brings Peace G. F. DEar Hearts Epist 11. Brethren and Babes of Christ wait to feed on the Immortal Food and walk in the Truth and God Almighty be among you And in it ye will see him stand all naked bare and uncovered before the Lord. And take heed of your Wills for that as Herod slayeth the Just and shipwracks the Faith and runs you into the Flesh Return back and stay your selves upon the Lord every particular to have your Minds guided by his Spirit growing up in that which is Precious and Immortal there is no feigned Love So the Eternal God keep you in his Eternal Love pure unto himself and naked and knit your Hearts together God Almighty bless you and water you with the Showers of his Mercy and with the Dew of Heaven G. F. Friends IF ye love the Light Epist 12. and walk in it ye love Christ and will all walk in Vnity together And if ye hate the Light ye hate Christ Here is your Teacher The Light is the Teacher who love it here is your Condemnation who hate the Light And the Conscience being fear'd there is a Returning to Teachers without For the Carnal will have its vain invented Form but the Spirit 's Form stands in the Power Prove your selves where ye are G. F. To the Flock of God about Sedburgh EVery one in your Measure wait upon God Epist 13. who is the true Shepherd and leads his Flock into the green Pastures and fresh Springs he opens daily this ye will see and experience And mind that which is pure in one another which joins you together for nothing will join To wait in the Measure of God or make fit but what is pure nor unite nor build but what is pure Therefore every particular fear God for whatsover ye build of your selves will not stand but will tumble down again altho' it be as Gold or Silver or Brass or Iron the strength of all these things which is above the Pure in you will come to nothing and this will not unite with the pure Therefore wait every one in the Measure which God hath given you and none of you be Sayers only but Doers of the Word And so walk in the Truth and be ye all Servants to it and it will lead you out of the World The World would have the Truth to serve them to talk of to trade withal and to contend withal these are the Wells without Water these are the Trees without Fruit But who dwell in the Spirit of the Lord which is pure which joins together and unites and builds up all in one Spirit see all these things and are separated from them So if ye live in the Spirit and walk in it ye will not fulfil the Lusts of the Flesh which will lead into Vncleanness and into Adultery and into that which despiseth Dignity which defiles the Flesh and goes from the pure Therefore the pure Faith is to be contended for and those who were sanctified by God the Father did contend for it and were preserved by it in Christ Jesus Therefore wait upon God for the living Bread that never fades away which he that eats of lives for ever So God Almighty bless you and keep you in the Measure of his Gift faithful to himself Dear Hearts to that which is pure in you I speak which the presumptuous Mind would veil that God alone may be exalted and all Flesh shattered down And all to take warning and not one to exalt himself above another but that God alone may be exalted among you all and in you all who alone is blessed for ever And ye may see from whence your heavenly Food comes alone and grow up by it for God hath done great Things in these Northern Parts and the Lord is doing great Things to the Exaltation of his Great Name and astonishing the Heathen notwithstanding the raging of the Beast and the opening of his Mouth to the Blaspheming of God and his Temple Therefore all be Valiant in the Lord God and so Fare ye well And the Lord God of Power keep you G. F. A Word from the Lord to Friends ALL Friends Epist 14. that are grown up in the Life and Power of the Truth see that when ye appoint your Meetings in any open Place in the Fields on the Moors or on the Mountains Concerning appointing Meetings that none appoint Meetings in your own Wills for
become one with the Harlot And such Joyn together to put Christ to Death afresh So therefore dwell in that which is Pure and Eternal which guides the Mind to God here is perfect Peace to those whose Minds are stayed upon the Lord Which if the Mind goeth from there the Peace is lost and there getteth in the light airy Spirit in that Nature The light airy Spirit And if the Mind go back to fetch up things again and speak them forth there will lodge the Airy Spirit too the there may be true Experiences and if the Life speak them forth by which they were opened it keeps down the Airy Spirit Therefore Mind the Substance that keeps you in your present Conditions and that which doth disobey or rebel against the Word of the Lord in that Nature lodgeth the Airy Spirit and that which hearkens to things that are spoken out of the Life without that lets in the Devil And so ye come to be possessed with evil Thoughts and Doubts and Carnal Reasonings and Bondage and Troubles these things in you will rest until the Life be risen again within to cast all that forth which the Earthly Ear and Mind hath let in Now if ye hearken diligently ye will learn your Safe-Guard and Judge forth that which is not Pure which defiles that the Just may have the Dominion And here ye will see what stains and what defiles and the pure Eye and Ear will be opened to hear God and the Wizzard and the Inchanter and the Sorcerer and the Soothsayer all that will be kept out and Judged For none of that must live in Israel where there is to be no Transgression For where they live Truth doth not and where Truth doth live that doth not but is all judged out G. F. To Friends for all to wait and walk in the Truth ALL Friends and Brethren every where Epist 33. in the Life and Power of the Lord wait and from it none walk but that to the Light of Christ in every one ye may be made manifest that the Fear and Dread of the Lord may be in all your hearts that nothing may reign Keep your Meetings but Life it self And so all your Meetings in every place keep waiting in the Light which from Christ doth come the Saviour of your Souls that his Presence in the midst ye may all feel who are gathered together in his Name and Power in his Light which is his Name and from the World's Gatherings are turned And if any be moved who are turned to the Light with the Power which comes from him To be moved with the Power to the Service for the Lord. to any Service for the Lord to it be Obedient and ye will see Christ with you to the End of the World But if any go before they are moved and so from the Light walk he is a Stumbling-block and is to be Judged and Condemned by the Light and is out of the Wisdom and out of the Fear and soweth to the Flesh and reaps Corruption and by the Light is Condemned For that answereth not the Light in every Man's Conscience neither doth it reach to the Life the Spirit in Prison but it manifesteth Weakness and Foolishness and Nakedness which is from the Light and contrary to it And such are Stumbling-blocks and do not answer the Witness of God in the Conscience Therefore wait all in the Light for to receive the Power from him who is not of the World that ye may be preserved from Nakedness and Weakness For that which goes from the Light and is not guided with it The Slothful runs into the Lust and there is the Slothful which is to be Judged and that that will offend to which the Wo is for it answereth not that of God in the Conscience Neither is it Honourable nor of good Report for that which is Honourable and of good Report answereth that which is of God and answereth the Light of Christ in every Man in the World with Wisdom which from the Light doth come even from him by whom the World was made Therefore all Friends this is a Charge to you all and a Command to you all in the Presence of the Living God In the Light Life and Power and Wisdom of God walk that to that of God in every one ye may be manifested in the sight of God and it may be your Witness that ye are of God in every Man's Conscience which witnesseth against the World and for him who is not of the World And wait all in the Light for the Wisdom by which all things were made with it to use all the Lord's Creatures to his Glory and none to stumble one another about the Creatures for that is not from the Light for which End they were Created and with the Wisdom Wait for the Wisdom by which all things were Created by which they were made ye may be kept out of the Mis-use of them in the Image of God that ye may come to see that the Earth is the Lord's and the fulness thereof and the Earth may come to yield her Increase and to injoy her Sabbaths and all such that walk Contrary to the Light may be turned to the Light that with the Light they may see and condemn that which is contrary to it So that in the Wisdom of God ye may all be kept and in the Fear of the Lord and his Righteousness established which is far from Oppression where all Bonds of Iniquity are broken and the Prince of Darkness Judged out and the Prince of Peace reigns under whose Dominion keep and walk And all that cause Strife are to be Condemned and shut out which have their Eye without and are Condemned by the Light the God of the World having blinded the Eye of the Vnbeliever Therefore ye Believers in the Light wait in the Wisdom that with it and in it ye may be ordered to the Glory of God that among you nothing may reign but Light and Life and Wisdom and Power the Dread and Fear of the Lord be among you and Truth and Righteousness reign which will answer the Light of Christ in every Man And all that is Contrary let it be Condemned with the Light which comes from him by which the World was made who was before the World was who lighteth every Man that cometh into the World Though they believe not in it yet ye may answer the Light in every Man tho' it be their Condemnation So being kept in the Light which cometh from him by whom the World was made who was before it was made ye come to receive the Wisdom by which all things were made and with it to order and use them to the Glory of God For that which is not from the Light nor from the Wisdom is the Offender which is to be Condemned with the Light which comes from the Life and to it in you all take heed that your Hearts may be
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
Epist 42. which comes from Christ that with it ye may see Christ your Saviour that ye may grow up in him For they who are in him are new Creatures and Old things are passed away and all things are become New And who are in him are led by the Spirit to them there is no Condemnation but they dwell in that which doth Condemn the World and do with the Light see the Deceivers and the Anti-Christs which are entred into the World And such Teachers as bear Rule by their means and such as seek for the Fleece Hireling-Teachers and make a Prey upon the People and are Hirelings and such as go in the Way of Cain and run greedily after the Error of Balaam and such as are called of Men Master and stand praying in the Synagogues and have the Chief Seats in the Assemblies All which are in the World which by those that dwelt in the Light were cried against for it did them Condemn and all such as speak a Divination of their own Brain and are filthy Dreamers who use their Tongues and steal the Words from their Neighbours with the Light the World and all these afore-said are comprehended and all that is in it and all they that hate it and all the Anti-Christs that oppose it and all the false Prophets and Deceivers that are turned from it with the Light are comprehended and with the Light are Condemned and all that are turned from it and hate it I am the Light of the World saith Christ and he doth enlighten every one that cometh into the World and he that loves the Light and walks in the Light receives the Light of Life And the other he hates the Light because his Deeds are evil and the Light doth reprove him And this is the Condemnation that Light is come into the World in which Light they that love it walk which is the Condemnation of him that hates it Anti-Christs false Prophets and Deceivers are seen And all the Anti-Christs and all the false Prophets and all the Deceivers the Beast and the well-favoured Harlot all these are seen with the Light to be in that Nature acting contrary to the Light and with the Light are they comprehended and by the Light condemned For he is not an Anti-Christ that walks in the Light that comes from Christ he is no Deceiver that walks in the Light that comes from Christ Many Deceivers are entred into the World The World hates the Light and Deceivers are turned from the Light and the Anti-christs they are turned from the Light therefore they oppose it and some of them call it a Natural Conscience a Natural Light and such put the Letter for the Light But with the Light which never changes which was before the World was are these Deceivers seen where they enter into the World For many Deceivers are entred into the World and the false Prophets are entred into the World the World hates the Light and if it were possible they would deceive the Elect. But in the Light the Elect do dwell which the Anti-Christs Deceivers and false Prophets are turned from into the World that hate the Light That Light which they do hate the Children of Light dwell in the Elect. So it is not possible that the Anti-Christs and Deceivers that are entred into the World that hate the Light should deceive the Elect who dwell in the Light which they hate which Light doth them all comprehend and the World which Light was before the World was and is the World's Condemnation in which Light the Elect walk And here it is not possible that they that dwell in the Light should be deceived which comprehends the World and is the World's Condemnation Which Light shall bring every Tongue to Confess and every Knee to bow when the Judgments of God come upon them it shall make them confess that the Judgments of God are Just G. F. TO all my Dear Brethren the Flock of God every where Epist 43. Keep together in the Power up to God 8. Month 53. and none be discouraged or disheartned at the Enemies without which are without God in the World but be bold all in the Power of Truth triumphing over the World Stand fast in the Freedom of Christ Hold your Freedom and keep and stand fast in it that ye may be armed with Wisdom and furnished against your Enemies who are Wiser in their Generation than the Children of Light But the Wisdom of the Most High is spreading and making it self manifest in your Hearts by which ye may comprehend the World's Wisdom the World's Worship and Knowledge The World's Worship and Knowledge And waiting in that which is Pure it will lead you into that which was before the World was before the false Worship was before the Seducers were before the Antichrist was and before the outward Temple was and false Prophet and Hirelings And here ye will comprehend the World and what is done in the World Therefore every one keep your Habitation abide the Trial and abide the Day and stand fast in your Freedom so far as Christ hath made you free free from Man's Will and Commandments Freedom from the Lusts of the World which imbondageth free from the Fashions and Lusts of the World the fleshly Will which bondageth and burdens the Pure And to you that cannot witness this Wait and mind the Pure and then the Burden will be easie and wait for Redemption and Salvation to make it so And your Strength is to stand still that ye may receive Refreshings that ye may know how to Wait and how to Walk before God by the Spirit of God within you So God Almighty be with you and keep you up to himself under his own Dominion from under the Dominion of Satan that ye may trample him under your Feet And Friends every where Meet together treading and trampling all the Deceit under your Feet Watch in the Eternal and watch over one another in that which is Eternal and see every one that your Words be from the Eternal Life Examin and Search with that which is Eternal which speaks to that which is in Prison in others And ye that are led forth to Exhort or to Reprove do it with all Diligence taking all Opportunities reproving that which devours the Creation and thereby destroys the very humane Reason For the Truth doth preserve every thing in its place And all Meet together every where and in your Meetings wait upon the Lord and take heed of forming Words but mind the Power and know that which is Eternal which will keep you all in Vnity walking in the Spirit See the Lord near and will let you see the Lord near you and amongst you So God Almighty be with you and multiply you and give you the Dew of Heaven the heavenly Dew the living Mercies which nourisheth the tender Plants which causeth them to grow bud and bring forth and water you
in the Presence of the Living God of a feigned Humility and a feigned Love Feigned Love and Humility which is out of the Light and then that to use as a Customary Salutation or a Formal Gesture which is all for Condemnation and to be kept out being out of the Covenant So see that all your Actings be in and from the Light here ye will be kept clean and pure and will come to be sealed in the Everlasting Covenant of God with the Light which comes from Christ And again I charge you all in the Prefence of the Living God not to suffer your Minds to go out to Contend with them Contentions out of Truth who be not of the Truth in that which is out of the Truth both which are to be condemned with the Truth For the same Mind will boast and get up which is out of the Truth and reaches at things in the Comprehension though it lives not in it but is excluded out of the Truth and shall not enter but is for Condemnation And so to you all this is the Counsel of the Lord God of Power and of Peace that in Peace ye may be preserved to wait for the Spirit of Grace and of Wisdom and of Vnderstanding And Friends all every where Meet together waiting upon the Lord that your Minds may be guided by the Spirit of God up to God And know the Life of God in one another which all whose Minds are abroad are Strangers to and to the Covenant of Promise for the Covenant and Promise of Life is with and to the Seed The Covenant and Promise of Life And there is no Sin Iniquity or Transgression in the Covenant for that is all Judged being out of the Covenant of God And therefore all wait that ye all may come to witness the Covenant of Life made with your Souls and to find the Witness the Seal of the Spirit that ye are Sealed to God with Sin and Transgression finish'd and that ye may all witness Sin and Transgression finished and blotted out by Christ Jesus the New Covenant of God and ye may all come to know the Lord and to love the Light which Christ hath given you to teach you then ye will witness the Covenant yea Ten Thousands will witness the Covenant Christ Jesus For as the Lord said I will give him for a Covenant of Light to the Gentiles to open the blind eyes And so this Light doth open the Eyes of the blind All ye that were blind as the Gentiles or the Jews ye know that with the Light your Eyes are opened and ye do see the New Covenant the Unchangable Priest the Unchangable Covenant So in that which changeth not dwell that that which is changable and wavering may be Judged and Condemned with that which changeth not And though the Ministration of Condemnation was and is glorious in its time The Ministration of the Spirit yet the Ministration of the Spirit exceedeth in Glory which changeth not and there is no Condemnation to them who are in Christ Jesus the New Covenant who walk in the Spirit But who are in that which changeth running into the Changable Ways and Works without and are in that Nature which hates the Light all such are for Condemnation by the Light which is Eternal and never changeth And all the beggarly Lusts Traditions and Rudiments of Men which are acted in that Nature contrary to the Light are for Condemnation by the Light So dwelling all in the Light which is Vnchangable ye come to Judge all the Changable Ways and Worships Changable Worships that are Variable and Changable by that which comes from God which changeth not and with his Light which he hath given all those things are Judged So dwelling in the Judgment ye will be filled full of Mercy for first Judgment and then Mercy is to spread over all that the Just may rule over all And Friends I charge you all in the Presence of the Living God let no Evil Communication Evil Communication nor evil Words proceed out of your Mouths And if ye find the Root in you not taken away that would act such things dwell in the Light which lets you see the Evil Communications and with the Light give Judgment upon it in the particular and first Judge it there for that is it which corrupts the Good Manners And there areno good Manners but all is corrupted whilst there is Evil Communication and all that Profession is Abomination to the Lord whilst that stands So put away all filthy Communication out of your Mouths and all Wrath Vnrighteousness and Vngodliness with the Light ye will see it all and walking in the Light and loving it ye may Judge all that with the Light and with it come to know the good Manners and pure Communication And walking in this Light it will keep out all Evil Communication from amongst you for the corrupt Manners are there and procced form that and all the Profession which is performed in that Nature whilst the Evil Communication is standing is Abomination and for Condemnation For all the Evil Manners corrupt and all their Profession is corrupt and for the Fire So all walk in the Light with which ye are enlightned for it will teach you all the good Manners and pure Communication Good Manners and condemn all corrupt Manners and corrupt Communication and so to have the Heart and Mind cleansed from all such things And all walking in the Light ye have the Besom labour to sweep the Land from all such corrupt Manners and vain Communication and with the Light all that comes to be Judged down So the Light is the Judge and the Condemnation and in the Light walk and ye will shine And My Dear Brethren in the Covenant of Life keep to Yea and Nay and call the days First day Second day Third day Fourth day Yea and Nay Fifth day Sixth day and Seventh day as they were given forth First day Second day c. and called by God in the Beginning The Endless Riches ye are made partakers of and the Endless Inheritance ye are come to have a share of Heirs with Christ of the Kingdom that never fadeth away and ye that suffer with Christ shall reign with Christ And to you all Friends who are not come up to the Covenant and cannot witness that ye are come into it and sealed by the Spirit follow no Image-makers but the Life guiding you which is Eternal that will hew down all Imaginations and Likenesses and Images and Image-makers Image-makers that the Glorious God the Father of Life may be exalted the Ground of all Truth And Friends none to speak abroad but as ye are moved of God with the Spirit of the Lord and to that be obedient as faithful Servants that ye may enter into the Joy of your Lord. And Friends I warn and charge you all that there be no keeping of Old things
who doth them enlighten that they may all see the Lord Jesus among them their Head and they his Branches in the Light waiting and growing up in Christ Jesus from whence it comes they may bring forth Fruit to the Glory of his Name And all waiting and walking in the Light with it ye will see the Lord Jesus amongst you And ye will see with the Light all that hate it who profess Christ Jesus Words declared from his Light and walk not in it by his Light are they and all their Profession condemned And to you this is the Word of the Lord. G. F. To call the Minds out of the Creatures ALL Friends of the Lord every where Epist 56. whose Minds are turned within towards the Lord Take heed and hearken to the Light within you which is the Light of Christ and of God which will call your Minds to within as ye heed it which were abroad in the Creatures that by it your Minds may be renewed and by it turned to God with that which is pure to worship the Living God the Lord of Hosts over all the Creatures That which calls your Minds out of the Lusts of the World The Lusts of the World and Evil Affections it will call them out of the evil Affections and Desires and turn you from them and set your Affections above And the same which calls your Minds out from the World's Teachers and the Creatures and to have your Minds renewed there your Obedience is to be known and found and there the Image of God is renewed and ye come to grow up into it That which calls your Minds out of the Earth turns it towards God where the pure Babe is born in the Virgin-Mind and the Babe's Food is known and the Childrens Bread witnessed which comes from the living God which nourisheth up to Eternal Life Which Babes and Children receive their Heavenly Wisdom from above from the Pure Living God and not from the Earthly One for that is troden under Foot with such And all who hate this Light whose Minds are abroad in the Creatures and in the Image of the Devil they may get the Saints Words who received their Wisdom from above in their old Nature and corruptible Mind but such are they who are Murderers of the Just Enemies to the Cross of Christ in whom the Prince of the Air lodgeth Sons of Perdition Murderers of the Just Betrayers of Christ Therefore take heed to the Light which is oppressed with that Nature which Light shall Condemn as it ariseth all that evil Nature and shut it out and turn it out of the House And so ye will come to see the Candle lighted the House sweeping and swept and then after the pure Treasure will be found The Treasure found and then the Name of the Eternal God will be exalted And the same Light that calls your Minds which were abroad out of the World the same turns them to God the Father of Light Here the pure Mind is known and the pure God is waited upon for Wisdom from above and the pure God is served night and day and the Peace which hath no End is enjoyed For ye may have Openings but your Minds going into the Lusts of the Flesh here the Affections are not mortified Therefore hearken to that and take heed to that which calls your Minds out of the vile Affections and the World's Lusts to have them renewed the same will turn your Minds to God the same Light will set your Affections above and bring you to wait for the pure Wisdom from God from on high that it may be Justified Wait all in that which calls your Minds inward and turns them to God and here is the Cross witnessed The Cross that the Mind shall feed upon nothing but the pure Light of God and on the living Food which comes from the living God So the Lord God Almighty be with you all and keep you all in his Strength and Power to his Glory over all the World whose Minds are called out of it and turn'd to God to Worship the Creator and serve him and not the Creature And the Light of God that calls your Minds out of the Creatures turns them to God to an Endless Being To see God always present Joy and Peace here is a seeing God always present who is not known to the World whose Minds are in the Creatures whose Knowledge is in the Flesh and whose Minds are not renewed Therefore to you whose Minds are called out of the Creatures and out of the World and fading things by the Eternal Light of God the same Eternal Light which hath turned it and presented it to God will bring you to see all these things and those whose Minds are abroad in the Creatures and so Judgment will be given upon that and them who hate the Light And Friends the Seed of God mind and dwell in it which will bring you to reign over the World and the Power of the Lord dwell in which will keep you Clear in your Understanding that the Seed of God may reign in you all which is but one in all which is Christ in the Male and in the Female which Seed the Promise is to Wait upon the Lord to feel the Just to reign over the Vnjust and the Seed of God to reign over the Seed of the Serpent and to be the Head that all which is Mortal Presumption may dye for out that will rise Presumption So Fare ye well And God Almighty bless guide and keep you all in his Wisdom G. F. To a Friend in Distress when the Accuser had got in IN the Time of thy Weakness the Accuser of the Brethren is got in Epist 57. therefore mind the Seed of God to cast him out and what may hinder thee from eating the things of the Creation So do not hear that but mind the Seed of the Lord and thou wilt feel Life and Dominion G. F. OH Friends Look not out for he that doth is darkned Epist 58. And take heed of Lightness take heed of the World and of busying your Minds with things not serviceable The Wise Man's Eye A Wise Man's Eye is in his Head but a Fool 's Eye is gazing up and down Oh! Be Valiant for the Truth upon the Earth and tread upon the Deceit And keep to Yea and Nay for he that hath not Power over his own Tongue his Religion is vain And take heed of Knowledge for it puffeth up Knowledge puffeth up but dwell in the Truth and be what ye speak he that abideth not in the Truth is led by the Evil one Wait on the Lord he will perfect his Work amongst you he that hearkens diligently to the Teacher within denieth all outward Hireling-Teachers He that is made the Temple of the Holy Ghost placeth no Holiness in the World's Temples The Teachers without exalt the Carnal Mind but the Teacher within destroyeth it There
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
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
and Low that nothing may reign Keep Low but Life among you and unto the Power of God be Obedient And Friends the going from the Life and Power into the Changable things there is the Strife which the Life is over by which Power of God all things were made wherein Wisdom is received to order all things to his Glory So the Seed Christ in you all know which doth go over the Earth and inherits the Promise of God that ye may be all Heirs of the Promise of God And Cease from your own Words The Promise of God but in the Power live for it breaks down Rocks Mountains old and Sandy Foundations and the Bond of Iniquity and makes up the Breach between God and Man and breaks down that which made the Breach So the Seed know one in another which Seed is Christ who according to the Flesh was of Abraham and according to the Spirit the Son of God And this is the Word of the Lord God to all Friends and a Charge to you from the Lord God To live in Peace one with another and that the Peace Life and Wisdom of God may rule you all G. F. To all Friends to abide in their Callings TO all Dear Friends who are called who are enlightned Epist 79. whose Midns are turned from the World's Worships and Teachers having your Eye to the Light and Guide within which is leading you out of this dark World and your old vain Conversations towards God and the World which is without End Mercy and Peace from God the Father be multiplied among you Every one of you abide in your Calling waiting upon God where he hath called you And take heed of Reasoning with Flesh and Blood for there Disobedience Pride and Presumption will arise and there ye will grow up to be Trees Fruitless Trees that bear no Fruit and as a Fig-Tree which beareth Leaves and no Fruit and as Wells without Water Oh! Therefore mind the Pure which would lead you out of this Corruptible Heathenish dark World and its vain Ways and from Destruction and Death to Life And so the Lord God of Power bless you guide you and preserve you on in your Way towards the holy City being called out of the unholy City for he that hath called you is Holy Now many are called but few are chosen Oh! Therefore abide in that which hath called you which is Holy and Pure up to him who is Holy and Pure and let the Time past of your eil Ways be sufficient wherein ye have lived in Wickedness and in the Ways of this untoward Generation lest your Minds do turn back into Egypt and the World and so cause the Worthy Name of the Lord to be blasphemed which hath called you by turning aside and growing into Hardness of Heart and turning from a pure Conscience and making Shipwrack of it and of Faith For ye may see how far many may go and did go and were led out of many things yet did turn again into the World So mind your present Guide and your present Condition and your Call what ye are called from and what ye are called to for whom the Lord hath called and chosen The Lord's Free-Men are the Lord's Free-Men And so abide every one in your Calling with God where God hath called you and there walk in Newness of Life and not in the Oldness of the Letter for he that turneth from him that calleth walks not in the Life of God Therefore all Friends walk in the Truth and in the Love of it up to God and every one in particular mind your Guide that ye may grow up in Wisdom Improve your Talents and improve your own Talents and the Gift which God hath given you And take heed of Words without Life for they tend to draw you out of the Power to live above the Truth and out of your Conditions which Nature will not have Peace except it have Words But every particular submit to that which is of God in you to guide you to God And be ye all Servants to the Truth and diligent in your Callings and serve one another in Love in which ye can wash one another's Feet Serve one another in Love So serve one another in Love and do not lavish out your selves without the Fear of God such are Clouds without Water which have the Words but not the Power flowen up into the Air which have a Light and yet are as Wandring Stars which lead up into the Presumption and thou that art there thy Garments are defiled for thou goest from the Spirit which should sanctifie thee for ye are sanctified through Obedience to the Spirit Therefore every particular Walk in the Spirit and obey it then ye will have all Vnity one with another in the Spirit and ye will see Knowledge Tongues and Prophecies shall cease Prophecies scall ceafe but he that cometh to the End to him who openeth all Truth is blessed Therefore all Friends Obey that which is pure within you and know one another in that which brings you to wait upon the Lord that ye may all witness a living Soul and your selves to be come out of Death For these things ye must all find within there is your Peace and there Refreshing comes into your Souls from the Lord And standing still in the Light within and therein waiting ye will see your Saviour Christ Jesus raising you up out of Death by which Work he is glorified For the Works of the Lord praise him which are Wonderous to the World Now every one in particular mind the Pure in you The Chast Virgins for the Chast Virgins follow Jesus Christ the Lamb of God who takes away the Sins of the World and who are not Chast will not follow him For that in every particular of you which is not Chast will not submit to the Pure which would guide you to God but rather submit to their own Thoughts and follow them and run after them and their own Wills and seek to accomplish them and so run out into that Generation whose Thoughts were not as God's Thoughts nor Ways as God's Warys Therefore watch all and abide all in your Callings the Light is that which will let you see your Transgression and your Running aside and the By-paths and Crooked ways and the Generation of Serpents and Vipers And this Light is Christ which sheweth these things Now before these things be known and judged of aright Judgment must be brought sorth into Victory and set up in the Earth where this State is witnessed Now the Woman which is the Church must be subject to her Husband in all things Jesus Christ is the Husband The Woman subject to her Husband in every thing she must be subject to him Who are in the Flesh know nothing of this in the first Nature for it the Mystery which the Apostle speaks of and so it is a Mystery still but where it is
have bought Buy the Truth and sell it nol and do not sell it for changable things for things that pass away and subsist but for a time But as the glorious Truth is springing and manifest among you live and walk all worthy of what ye are called unto the high Calling in God and Christ Jesus above all the World out of all that which doth change where the Life that is Immortal is felt and a Crown that fadeth not away a Crown of Life that endureth for ever Live in the Dominion of the Life that is hid in God and every particular it know in one another And live in the Power of God and of Life that ye may see over the Day of Tempest over the Day of Darkness and Blackness and Mists And feel and know and come into that which comprehends the World that ye all may be guided with Wisdom and ordered to God's Glory And be all obedient to the Truth which all the Enmity is out of Be obedient to the Truth and know the Life of God in you all that with it ye may all be guided and your Hearts joined together up to God the Father of Life that ye may all be Inheritors of the Power of an Endless Life and of the World Fell the Seed of God where there is no End and Possessors of Substance And feel the Seed of God in you all which inherits the Promise from God which Seed is a-top of the Serpent's Head And keep that under that feeds upon Dust which the Glory and Life is over which Seed breaks the Strength of all Men and inherits the Strength of the Almighty the Possessor of Heaven and Earth which Seed is Christ that gives the Dominion over the first Adam over the Earthly and brings down all that which stains So feel the Seed which is Christ in you all and ye all will feel the Lamb of God which taketh away the Sins of the World who gives to see where there is no Shadow nor Change nor Altering nor Variableness wherein ye all may come to inherit the Blessings from God and come into the living Way For whose Way dyes they err from the living Principle of God in them The Principle of God for who walk in the Way that lives they answer the Principle of God in every Man though they act contrary to it that are in the Way that dayes and do not live but change and alter The Lamb must get the Victory And to you this is the Word of the Lord. So the Lamb must get the Victory in every one of you which is Christ in the Male and in the Female who brings into the Father's House from all the Congregations of the Dead and their Houses of Darkness wherein every one comes to have his Mansion and his Food of Life from God the Father of Life who is Blessed for ever-more Whose Kingdom and Glory is revealed and revealing and setting up in the Life and Power and Wisdom of God The Lord God Almighty preserve and keep you all in Love in Peace and Vnity one with another in the Light and Covenant with God and one with another which Light is the Condemnation of all that hate it AND my Dear Lambs and Babes and Plants the Lord God dwell every one of you in Your own Dwell in your own that ye may feel the pretious Springs of God AND Friends all dwell in the Authority of the Truth the Power of the Son of God and feel the Power and Dread of the Lamb which is to subdue all other Powers The Lamb subdues all other Powers All Power in Heaven and in Earth is given to the Son and his Authority stands over the World and will subdue it and make the Kingdoms of the World to become the Kingdom of the Son of God So live in Love Meekness Patience and in the Power and Wisdom of God which is over all the World SOVND Sound the Trumpet of the Lord of Hosts whose Terrible Day is come and coming and pleading with all Flesh by Fire and Sword The mighty Day of the Lord is coming upon all Flesh that all Hearts shall be ript up and made manifest Therefore whilst ye have time Repent This is the Message of the Lord to all Nations Let all your Laws be according to that of God in all Consciences G. F. THE Word of the Lord to all Friends Epist 82. who are brought into the Eternal Truth of God whose Minds are guided out of the Earth up to the Lord whose it is and have received Wisdom from God Wisdom Justified in the Diligent and the Slothful condemned that with it ye may come to know how to order the Creation with the Wisdom by which all things were made This I charge you and warn you all in the Fear of the Living God that no Creatures be destroyed through Slothfulness Laziness and Filthiness nor upon the Lust for if ye let that rule and be set up that is for Condemnation and that which sets it up if for Condemnation with the Light that leads to the Wisdom by which the Creation must be ordered And Friends to the Light in you all I speak See that there be no Slothfulness amongst you Slothfulness Judged but all keep in Diligence and Liveliness for he that is Slothful and gets the Form may have an easeful Mind but is an evil Example And all such must be Judged with the Light that they may come to know the Servant's place and be Diligent And such who have gone up and down a-Begging Beggars to inbour if ye have received any such amongst you with the Light which hath Convinced them see that they be kept in Diligence and not suffer'd to wander but be kept in Obedinence to the Light to receive the Wisdom from God how to labour in the Creation and see that they have things decent and necessary and their Nakedness covered that no Reproach nor Shame may come upon the Truth amongst such as are without but that with the Light all such may be Condemned who act contrary to it That in the Light which condemns the World ye may walk and receive the Light of the Son of God which the World stumbles at which is their Condemnation and in which the Saints have Unity And all being kept diligent and walking in the Light there will be no Slothfulness and then none shall have Self-ends in recceiving any but those Ends shall be Judged with the Light which is Eternal Nor no one can come in amongst you which hath such Ends to make a Prey upon you but ye dwelling in the Light which is Eternal he is Judged and Self-ends Self-Ends Judged with the Light which is Eternal which is one with the Light in his Conscience which condemns him Then if he own his Condemnation he is to be received amongst you in the Light in which ye all have Unity with Christ and with God And to
34.35 Mich. 3. And now are such seen and known which our Lord Jesus Christ cried Wo against who stand praying in the Synagogues Mart. 23. having the chiefest Seats in the Assemblies called of Men Masters which devour Widows Houses And now are such Deceives seen and known Deceivers that by their Lies and Lightness have caused the people to err which speak a Divination of their own Brain and use their Tongues and say The Lord sent them when he never sent them And now are th Mockers and Scorners come which the Scriptures speak of which mock Scoffers stone and persecute the Children of the Light as they pass up and down the Streets and many have been almost murdered in the High-ways and Steeple-houses by them And now is the Scripture fulfilled which saith The Beast and Dragon That the Beast and the Dragon shall make War against the Lamb and the Saints for such are manifest now who are as natural brute Beasts what they know they know naturally having not the Life that gave forth the Scriptures but are found in the Self-Separation from the Spirit of God having gotten the Words which were declard from the Spirit of God murdering and destroying as much as in them lyeth those that are in the Light and Life of those holy Men of God that gave forth the Scriptures Now the Shame of all their Profession is seen which is Abomination unto the Lord which profess the Words declared from the Light of God but are strangers to the Light and Life And now the Vnsavoury things are smelt tased of and seen to be among many of the Professors of Religion who are more like Swine rending Dogs and Swine and like Dogs biting and devouring one another than like the Children of the Light Which doth them mainfest to be contrary to the Light which all that are contrary unto with the Light are condemned G. F. To all the Seed of Abraham which suffer for denying the World's Customs and because they cannot hold up the Corrupt Priesthood that is therin or for Testifying against the World that the Works threof are evil ALL Friends and Brethren every where Epist 92. that are Imprisoned for the Truth give your selves up in it and it will make you free To the Prisoners and the Power of the Lord will carry you over all the Persecutors which was before they were For since the Beginning hath this Persecution got up therefore live and reign in that Power which remains when the other is gone and in that ye will have Peace and Vnity with God and one with another who suffer for not putting into the false Prophets Mouths and for Crying against them and for not swearing Sufferings for not Swearing and not giving the World's Complements and their Honour which the Lord is staining and who are suffering for reproving Sin in the Gate Be faithful in the Life and Power of the Lord God and for the Truth be Valiant on the Earth and look not at your Sufferings but at the Power of God and that will bring some good out in all your Sufferings and your Imprisonments will reach to the Prisoned that the Persecutor prisons in himself So be faithful in your Sufferings in the Power of the Lord Tithes Oaths Temples who suffer now by a false Priesthood for his Tithes Oaths Temples which have got up since the Apostles days For as the Apostles and true Christians suffered for denying the Jewish Temple Priesthood Tithes and Oaths so ye do by the false and amongst the Apostatized Christians who are got up since the Apostles days So the Power and Life and Wisdom of the Lord God Almighty keep you and preserve you to finish your Testimony to the End that ye may witness every one of you a Crown of Life Eternal in which ye may sing Praises to the Lord and in that triumph And so be faithful in that which overcomes and gives Victory G. F. That Friends should have a Sense of one anothers Sufferings FRiends Epist 93. in the Power of the Lord God live which goes over the Heads of all the World that so in the Power ye may witness forth the Truth in their Courts and then if ye suffer ye by suffering will get Dominion over their Heads And lay down and offer up your Lives for one another Offer up your Lives for one anoher And here is the Love of and unto the Brethren manifest to lay down their Lives one for another But the Love of Christ is further he laid down his Life for his Enemies So dwell Low in the Life that ye may answer that of God in every one G. F. FRiends Epist 94. I do Warn and Exhort you all in the Presence of the Lord God Dwell in the Measure which God hath given you of himself in which is no Strife Dwell in Vnity but Unity Therefore every one of you dwell in it Boast not your selves And this I do Warn you of Boast not your selves above your Measures but dwell in the Truth it self that with the Measure of the Living Spirit of the Living God ye may be guided up to God in which Spirit ye will all have Vnity in the least Measure of it And so every one of you Judge Self for it would have the Mastery which is to be Condemned with the Light Self Judged and Mastery in which is Vnity So the Eternal God of Light and Life and Power be with you all and in you all And keep from all Strife and above it in Love and Vnity in every Place AND Friends the Going from the Life into the Changable is the Cause of Strife and Confusion G. F. GRow in the Increase of God My Dear Children and know all your Assurance in the Lord and the Seed in every one of you Epist 95. which the Promise of God is to And be Obedient to the Just and in the Truth of God wald and the Love of it And my Dear Hearts in the Seed dwell which gives the Victory over the World Victory over the World and that in the Wisdom ye may be preserved which bruises the contrary under foot whereby ye may reign in the Life of God to be as Nursers and Waterers of the Plants Nursers and Waterers and that all the Contrary may be kept under that in the Eternal Power of God ye may be kept which gives Dominion over all and condemneth the contrary In which Power the Lord God Almighty preserve you to his Glory Amen Live in the Life of God and feel it AND Friends take heed of being hurried with many Thoughts Many Thoughts but live in that which goes over them all G. F. A Warning to Friends to keep to the Light out of Deceit and Strife in Vnity FRiends Epist 96. I do warn and exhort you all in the Presence of the Lord God to Meet together in the Measure of Life that with
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
Power and Life and Seed of God must be set a-top of which keeps you over the World and brings you to the Beginning And all Friends every where Mectings In all your Meetings know and feel the Power and the Seed that is the Heir of the Promise of the Lord God amongst you over you and in you then in that ye will feel the Presence of the Lord God dwelling in the midst of you And to the Lord your Hearts will be brought and it will bring you nigh one to another and to come into sweet Love and Vnity Love and Vnity and into Easiness and Openness of Heart and keep you over all that which would stain you or hurt you or defile you Whereby Wisdom shall be given to you with which ye shall be ordered to God's Glory whereby ye shall feel his Blessing and order the Creatures to his Praise And the Gospel ye shall be shod with all Shield of Faith And standing and dwelling in the Power of God there the Shield of Faith ye will receive that gives the Victory over the World with which ye have all Access to God which Mystery of Faith is held in a pure Conscience So in the Power of God ye all living ye live in the Lamb's Authority in the Lamb's Dominion and Victory thro' him over all the World ye come to obtain to Answer that of God in all Consciences in Cleanness of Heart and Mind And all Friends In the Life and Power that stands in God dwell that ye may have Vnity with God and one with another and feel his Presence among you And the Seed and Life Feel God's Presence and Power and Wisdom of Christ know in you all and one in another And the Lord God Almighty preserve you and keep you in his Power Life and Dominion which lets you see him who was in the Beginning before the World was made that nothing may rule but Life it self that ye may feel God's Presence in you and with you that Truth and Life over all the World may spread So the Lord God Almighty preserve you in the Life and Power and Wisdom of God that ye may all be ordered to his Glory This is to be read in all your Meetings G. F. Concerning the Light To be read amongst Friends ALL Friends every where Epist 105. Keep your Meetings waiting in the Light To wait to know the Word of God which from the Lord Jesus Christ doth come so will ye receive Power from him and have the refreshing Springs of Life opened to your Souls and be kept sensible of the tender Mercies of the Lord. And know one another in the Life ye that be turned to the Light and in the Power which comes from the Lord Jesus Christ who is your Light who is your Life that ye may all in the Life see Christ to reign in you who is the Truth from whence ye have Light Here the Old Serpent is chained and put into the bottomless Pit and Christ is known to reign Christ to reign and ye to reign with him Heirs with him Joint-Heirs and Heirs of God Here is the Dominion received and witnessed of the World that is without End and the Promise of Life from the Father of Life to you who are turned to the Son who to the Father is the Way who is the Mediator between the Father and you The Everlasting Priest All wait to receive the Everlasting Priest the Everlasting Covenant of God of Light Life and Peace into which Covenant no Sin no Darkness nor Death comes but the Blessing of the only Wise God the Father of Life here is known where no Earthly Man can approach But he that is of God knows God's Truth and he that is of the Devil The Devil a Murderer doth his Lusts who was a Murderer from the Beginning in whom is no Truth who in it abode not So he it is that speaks a Lie and speaks of himself and not God's Word for he is out of the Truth But ye that be turned to the Light walk in the Light walk in the Truth where no Darkness is with which Light that never changeth ye may come to see that which was in the Beginning before the World was where there is no Shadow nor Darkness In which Light as ye wait ye will come to receive into your Hearts the Word of Faith The Word of Faith which reconciles to God and is as a Hammer to beat down all that is contrary and as a Sword to divide the Precious from the vile and as a Fire to burn up that which is contrary to the Precious Which Word is Pure and endureth for ever which was in the Beginning and is now again witnessed and made manifest Therefore wait in the Light that ye may all receive it the same Word that ever was which the Scriptures were given forth from So Friends keep your Meetings and as ye are moved of the Lord be Obedient to him and keep your Habitations And be not troubled but look at that which giveth you to see over the World So the Lord God Almighty preserve you all to his Glory Amen G. F. To Friends to keep in the Life out of Janglings FRiends Epist 106. Stand faithful to your Measures of the Gift of God which cometh from him who was before the World was made that ye may stand over the World and all the betraying Spirits in it that nothing may reign but Life in you all And keep out of Janglings and Parties Janglings and Parties in that which is able to keep you above them all to God and in that all wait And the Bustlings of the World keep out of in the Covenant of Peace with God G. F. MY Dear Friends in the Power of the Everlasting God which comprehends the Power of Darkness Epist 107. and all the Temptations in it In that Power of God dwell which will keep and bring you to the Word which was in the Beginning The Word which was in the Beginning which will keep you up to the Life and to feed upon the same over the Power of Darkness In that ye will find Strength and feel Dominion and Life and that will let you see before the Tempter was and over him and into that the Tempter cannot come for the Power and Truth he is out of And in that Life dwell in which ye will know Dominion And therefore let your Faith be in the Power and over the Weakness and Temptations Weakness and Temptations and look not out at them but look in the Light and Power of God at the Lord's Strength which will be made perfect in your weakest State And look at the Grace of God in all Temptations to bring your Salvation which is your Teacher to teach you for when ye do look or hearken to the Temptations ye go from your Teacher the Grace of God and so are darkened The Grace of
your Food and know his Reign And quench not the Spirit and stop not the Power Quench not the Spirit but dwell in that which doth stop and quench the Deceit And to you this is the Word of the Lord God And all Friends mind and heed the Life and Power of the Lord God for all that are out of it are and will be confounded Therefore dwell in that which condemns it in which will be your Peace G. F. For Friends to dwell in Love and Unity THE Word of the Lord God to all Friends Epist 126. Dwell in Peace and Vnity with God and one with another that to the Lord ye may be a sweet Savour and to one another A sweet Savour and also in them that hate the Light that ye may all come to witness the Sonship and to be Heirs of God and in the Spirit have Unity The Bond of Peace which is the Bond of Peace And the Seed of God and the Life mind G. F. ALL Friends every where do not delight in Apparel Epist 127. do not delight in the Creature more than the Creator Apparel and Riches Trust not in uncertain Riches which fade and pass away but in the living God trust and love the Riches that endure and fade not away Delight not in the World that ends but in the World that hath no End that there ye may all come to have an Assurance of the Endless Life G. F. To all Friends to keep in the Power of God out of the Cares of the World ALL Friends to that which is pure take heed Epist 128. that with that all your Minds may be kept up to God who is pure Grow as the Lilly that as the Lilly ye all may grow and receive Wisdom from God how to use the Creatures in their places to the Glory of him that created them For Wo is unto you that Lay up for the latter Day with Covetousness ye act in that Nature contrary to the Light taking Thought for to morrow what ye shall eat and what ye shall drink and what ye shall put on Look at the Life which is more than Food and the Body which is more than Raiment and consider the Lillies and Ravens The Lillies Ravens and the Earth and who feedeth them and cloatheth the Earth That in the Faith ye may stand and with it ye may come to see him who is Invisible He who lays up for the Latter Day with Covetousness he goes from that which should keep him out of Days The Ancient of Days up to God the Beginning of Days here the Ancient of Days comes to be seen and the Life out of Death springs and a diligent Serving God is known and every one for his Family provides For he is worse than an Infidel that doth not That which was before Days were Mind which brings to be Diligent serving the Lord and that keeps down the Destroyer And that keeps down the Covetous and the fleshly Principle and that which would run out into the Observation of Days And that keeps the Life up out of the Earth and keeps from trusting in the Riches Trasting in Riches that be uncertain and brings to trust in God who is living who is the Condemner of all the Gods who have Eyes and see not who keep People under their Dominion from the Light But all who to the Light take heed see God who is Living who all things seeth G. F. MY Dear Friends and Brethren Epist 129. Keep in the Seed of Peace which was before the Enmity and Adversary was in which ye will all have Life and Peace and Vnity and Dominion and in that ye will know Christ Jesus to reign The Reign of Christ who was before the World began in whom ye may know your Election and a Sitting in the Heavenly Places in Christ Jesus above all the Earthly Places below and Mens evil Traditions and vain Customs sitting in Christ Jesus keepeth out of them for he was before they were And let all Friends every where pray to the Lord to exalt his Truth to his Glory and his Kingdom which hath no End but is from Everlasting to Everlasting G. F. ALL Friends Epist 130. Dwell in the Truth in my Father's House there are many Mansions said Christ And ye all that do know the Life To all Friends to dwell in the Truth the Life of God the 〈◊〉 c. go not from it Heed not Words without Life but heed that which lets you see and know the Father For Mountains will arise and may arise But this is the Word of the Lord God and a Charge to you all in the Presence of the Lord God Heed the Power and Life the Power which ye have formerly known and tasted of and that will keep you until the Day of Salvation and that brings you to know the Kingdom of God to stand in Righteousness c. and that will bring you to comprehend Deceit The Deceit of the World and to fathom it and bring you to be over the Deceit of the World So ye that know the Power of the Lord God heed it and it will remove Questionings out of your Minds it will remove that which causeth Trouble to come into your Minds The Power is the Gospel But if ye go from the Power the formal Part gets up in you and the Wonders you 'll run into But the Power of God it is the Gospel and ye that have received the Power of God ye have received the Gospel and he is cursed that preacheth any other yea if an Angel from Heaven For Christ is the Power of God to whom the Angels must bow And Christ Jesus who was born of a Virgin crucified and is ascended and there is no other all of you that are turned to the Light wait to have him born in you every one in particular I am the Light of the World saith Christ by whom the World was made who doth enlighten Every Man that cometh into the World Christ the Light the Bread of Life Who is the Bread of Life that came down from above and who eateth of this Bread lives for ever Now Every one of you having a Light from Christ the Bread of Life wait and with and from it you 'll see know and have your Food in due Season Now every one that comes into the World having a Light from Christ Jesus who is not of the World and being turned to this Light which he is lighted withal he is turned to Jesus Christ from whence it comes And here none shall say Lo here is Christ or Lo there is Christ but every one with the Light which comes from him Christ is seen with the Light shall see Christ and shall see the Father through the Spirit that proceeds from the Father and the Son and the Glory that he had with the Father before the World began and shall have Dominion
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
in the Spirit every one in your Measures that ye have received and therein to be preserved and Christ the Life will open to you and the Spirit will give you an Understanding and a Distinction of the State of Asking The wavering State and not receiving and of seeking and not finding and the Praying in the wavering and in the doubting which is not in the Spirit of God But such ask in that Nature which doubts and would consume it on their Lusts Ask in Faith So ask in Faith that gives the Victory over the wavering doubting Nature And whatsoever ye ask believing it will be given unto you it is Christ's Promise John 14.13 14. For Christ saith Whatsoever ye ask in my Name that will I do that the Father may be glorified in the Son If ye shall ask any thidg in my Name I will do it If ye love me keep my Commandments So every one's Prayers are assured unto them and their Requests effectual in their Obedience and loving Christ and keeping his Commandments G. F. To Friends to know one another in the Light ALL Friends every where Meet together Epist 149. and in the Measure of God's Spirit wait that with it all your Minds may be guided up to God to receive Wisdom from God To Friends in the North. The first and second Adam that ye may all come to know how ye may walk up to him in his Wisdom that it may be justified of you and ye in it preserved up to God and he glorified And Friends Meet together and know one another in that which is Eternal which was before the World was For knowing one another only in the Letter and Flesh A Natural Knowledge differs you little from the Beasts of the Field for what they know they know naturally But all knowing one another in the Light which was before the World was this differs you from the Beasts of the Field and from the World's Knowledge and brings you to know one another in the Elect Seed which was before the World was And if ye turn from this Light ye grow strange and so neglecting Meetings ye grow cold and your Minds run into the Earth and grow weary and slothful and careless and heavy Neglect of Meetings and sottish and dull and dead Ye may speak then of things which were opened once from the Light though now ye be turned from it but with the Light in which is the Unity is all that condemned In which Light is the Fellowship with the Son from whence the Light comes which keeps in the Liveliness which keeps from Slothfulness and all those things before mentioned which are contrary to the Light which who turns from turns into Therefore in the Light wait and walk that ye may have Fellowship one with another I charge you all in the Presence of the Living God None boast that none boast your selves above your Measure of Light if ye do ye will be buffeted For such run into Presumption and so into Reproof Which Reproof that Spirit will not take patiently but gets up into Presumption which is to be condemned with the Light in which is the Vnity which keeps from Desperation and Presumption They which go from the Light the Enemy comes into them and the Envy and the Manslayer gets up within The Man-slayer and slays the Man and no such one hath Eternal Life abiding in him for he is turned from the Light which comes from Christ Jesus the Life All who do in the Light dwell which comes from Christ come to receive the Eternal Life The Love of God And here the Love of God is shed abroad in the heart and dwelling in Love ye dwell in God and from the Life the Eternal Love doth flow which Life comes from the Father of Life whose Love doth not change And so with the Light ye dwelling in it which leads to the Life ye will come to witness the Faith unfained and the Humility unfained and the Faith Faith which works by Love which purifies the Heart waiting in the Light which comes from Christ Jesus this is received from him For with the Light Man sees himself which Light comes from Christ who is the Author and Finisher of his Faith which Faith gives him the Victory over that which he sees to be contrary to the Light and to the Word And this is the One Faith and here the first Adam and the second Adam are known and seen Let this be read amongst Friends every where G. F. FRiends all every where In the Life and Power of God live and dwell and spread the Truth abroad Epist 150. Quench not the Spirit but live in Love and Vnity one with another To Friends to live in Love and Vnity together in the Power of God that with the Wisdom of God ye may all be ordered to God's Glory And live all in Patience one with another and in the Truth that ye may feel and see to the Beginning before the World and its Foundation was in the Faith which gives the Victory that nothing may reign but the Life and Power amongst you And live all as the Family of God in Love in Life in Truth in Power having your House established a-top of all the Mountains and Hills that ye may answer that of God in every Man and the Word of the Lord ye may witness to go forth among you and be among you So in this the Lord God Almighty preserve you and keep you The Son of God's Power And in the Son of God's Power live for all Power in Heaven and Earth is given to him who is to subdue all the Powers of Darkness and to make the Kingdoms of the World his Kingdom And none go beyond the Measure of the Spirit of God nor quench it for where it is quenched it cannot try things So if any have any thing upon them to speak in the Life of God stand up Speak in the Life and speak it if it be but Two or Three Words and sit down again and keep in the Life that ye may answer that of God in every Man upon the Earth To you this is the Word of the Lord God G. F. FRiends Epist 151. There was a Time when the Apostles preached Christ that died at Jerusalem Concerning several Ministrations of Paul's preaching Christ and they witnessed him forth and brought for Proof the Prophets Testimonies which prophesied of him And they that preached Christ's Sufferings at Jerusalem shewed the Fulfilling of the Prophet's and the Law and all that was written of him And after the Apostles preached Christ the Substance the End of the Types and Figures amongst them that had the Prophets Words Christ died at Jerusalem and the Law and the outward Temple and they shewed them out of the Prophets Words and out of the Law that that was the Christ that died at Jerusalem and suffered without the Gate
like it self Oh therefore mind the Holy Life the Chast Life That is the Bride's Cloathing by which she adorns her self for her Husband Christ Jesus Therefore in that which keeps your Peace live there is your Life and Dominion that Weeds may not grow nor Brambles but that it all may be cut down and weeded out For those grow through the Liberty of the Flesh and by that ye come to be darkned and lose your Discerning and Feeling The Beam in the Eye and there gets the Beam into the Eye by which ye come to Judge with that Judgment which is for Judgment which should be judged down by the Spirit of Truth and Peace And so Live in the same Peace with God and one with another and have Fellowship in the Chast Life and in the Spirit and Power of God And keep down that which lusts to Envy and Strife and Contention for that will not nor cannot bear true Judgment but will flatter and fawn and sow Dissension and so in the End will bring Dishonour both to God and his People That can never abide true Judgment or sound Doctrine for that Adulterates from God and joins in Marriage with that which is Adulterated from God And so the Vnchast follows the Whore and the Adulterer The Whore and Adulterer and goes to the Marriage-Supper of the Adulterer and the Whore but the Chast Virgin follows the Lamb and goes to the Marriage-Supper of the Lamb Therefore all live in the Chast Life by which ye may follow the Lamb of God to his Supper and Marriage And keep ye all out of that from whence Contentions and Strife and Wars arise which are the Fruits of them that live in the Lust which is seen with the Everlasting Power the Ground from whence Strife and Contention and Wars come The Ground of Strife the Vnchaste which live in the Lust which Lust will defile all that receive it Therefore all Friends every where your Fellowship is to be in the Gospel the Power of God and in the Spirit the Fruits of which is Peace in which ye all will be kept in Dominion Pure and Chaste to God and one towards another For all that come to the Sabbath of Rest must put off their Old Cloaths which they have worn in their Old Works Labours and Travels For Six Days the Jews were to labour but the Seventh Day was their Rest which is Perfection G. F. Concerning the Light FRiends Ye that be turned to the Light in it Wait Epist 155. in it Meet together that with it your Hearts may be joined together up to Christ the Head from whence the Light doth come The World's Gatherings with which ye may see all the World and all the Gatherings that are out of the Light which are in the Vanities of their Minds and in the Rebelliousness of their Hearts and Stubbornness of it from the Light But ye believing in the Light and receiving it ye receive and come into the Covenant with God and Peace with God and into that which gives the Knowledge of his Glory and of his Image And this Belief giveth the Victory over the World and brings unto God and into his Likeness and separates you from the World The World and its Likeness and its Likeness and Image and its Fashion which is out of the Light and its Knowledge and its Wisdom and its Honour and its Fear and its Love and its Rejoycing which are out of the Light in the Flesh and in the Iniquity where the Soul is in Death But in the Light rejoycing and walking ye receive the Love of God shed abroad into your Hearts which Love rejoyceth in the Truth mark in that which the Devil abode not in with that ye know and will know the Increase of God and know God and his Law put in your Minds and in your Hearts written where the Fear is placed where the Secrets of the Lord are revealed and the Light which is the Truth comes to be walked in Here is a Joy in the Lord where no Flesh glories In this waiting in the Light the World where there is no End it gives you to see World without End and the Power of the World which is to come ye will come to see and be Partakers of Which Power ye receiving who are in the Light it brings you to become the Sons of God and to be Heirs of the World where there is no End and of the Everlasting Inheritance which fadeth not away and the Riches which are durable where no Thief can come nor nothing to rust or canker for that is out of the Light that doth thieve rust or canker and in the Transgression Therefore ye Saints in the Light of the Most-High God whose Name is dreadful amongst you and his Power made manifest in Measure and his Glory appearing Walk worthy of the High Calling The High Calling Keep your Dominion keep your Place of Rest in the Power and Strength of the Almighty and Meet together in the Love Vnity and Peace Meet in the Love and know one another in this Love that changeth not which being received ye walk in that which condemns that which is changable This Love rejoiceth in the Truth and hath Dominion over him that abode not in the Truth but rejoyceth in that which the Devil abode not in And here the Spirit is received in which God is Worshipped the Father of Spirits He that believeth here believes in the Lord and shall never be confounded for he believes in that which doth Confound and Condemn those who are out of the Light and gone from the Word of God in the Heart and from the Power of God and from the Light of the Glorious Gospel which is the Power of God The God of the World hath blinded their Eyes that abide not in the Truth they are gone from the Light which is the Truth and all that are blinded by the God of the World The God of the World these are out of the Light and out of the Truth Therefore ye being in the Light and to it turned the Light of the glorious Gospel the Image of God is seen and the glorious Gospel received Therefore walk in the Light as the Children of the Light and know the Wisdom that is of her Children justified that ye may answer the Light in every one that comes into the World that hateth it And keep your Habitations that ye may every one feel your Spring in the Light which comes from the Lord and feel your Nourishment and Refreshment which waters the Plants and causeth them to grow up in the Lord from whom the pure living Springs come The Water the Witness And here is the Water which is the Witness in the Earth which doth wash and here comes the Spirit to be known the Witness which doth baptise and the Witness the Blood which doth cleanse which agrees with the Witness in Heaven So he that
the Power of the Lord and rise up in it and in Faith remain through which Power ye come to be preserved and united to the God of Life and Truth Words and Carriage And take heed of any Words or Carriage that do not tend to Edification and Building up in the Love and Life Therefore ye that have tasted of the Power of God and of his good Word and of his Light wait for Wisdom and in it walk that ye may be preserved in Vnity in the Light and Life and in Fellowship with God and one with another that to the Lord God ye may be a Good Savour and to him a Blessing in your Generation strengthening one another in the Faith in the Grace in the Word by which all things were made and created The Word of Patience And keeping the Word of Patience herein ye will see the Lord keeping you from all the Temptations which come to try them that dwell upon the Earth by which Word of God ye may all be preserved in the sweet and holy Life in which there is Unity in the Word which was before Enmity which Word doth fulfil the Words Therefore in that live that ye may all feel Life abundantly through the Light and Power that comes from the Word which was in the Beginning through which Immortal Word your Immortal Souls may be brought up to the Immortal God where is Joy Peace and Comfort So Strife and Contentions above all things live in that which stops Strife Contentions and Janglings and live in that by which ye come to Serve one another in Love even in the Love of God which thinks no evil nor envies not neither is it easily provoked Therefore live in that which is not easily provoked and thinks no evil which fulfils the Law which is Love out of a pure heart Prejudice And let not Prejudice boil in any of your hearts but let it be cast out by the Power of God in which is the Vnity and the Everlasting Kingdom that ye may all witness your being made Heirs of the same Kingdom of Peace and to be Inheritors of it sitting down in the same knowing your own Portion and increasing in the heavenly Riches And this is above all Strife that 's below and the Man of it which is born of the Egyptian Woman which genders to Bondage Therefore know the Seed the Second Man The Egyptian Woman the Heir of the Promise over all set and the Blessing and Presence of the Lord which was before Strife was Therefore know the Seed of Life and Peace to reign in you all which possesses the Kingdom where there is no End The Grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you all to teach season and establish you which brings your Salvation G. F. DEar Friends All dwell in the Everlasting Seed of God Epist 159. Christ Jesus in whom ye have Health and Strength Life and Dominion and Power over all Weaknesses Weaknesses and Infirmities And keep your Minds in the Strength of the Almighty and not in Weakness nor in the Infirmities but in the Lord's Power which was before Weakness and Infirmities were and then in that Power ye will find Life and Refreshment from the God of Strength And so in the Power of God that is over all keep your Minds in the Life and Peace of God and in the Assurance of him and his Love and so in that dwell and live in the Dominion of God in his Love and Life and Strength And be of good Faith Be of good Faith and of a valiant Mind for God's Truth upon the Earth in the Power Life Truth and Seed in which ye have Dominion Peace Wisdom and the Blessing of God upon you and in you and in that dwell and know that blessed Seed your Crown and Life No more but my Love For the Comfort of the People of God and their Incouragement to be Faithful and to put their Trust in him who performeth all his Promises THE People that know their God they prosper and prevail and they that do understand shall Instruct many And though they may fall and go into Captivity and be spoiled now yet when they shall so fall Captivity they shall be helped and when they are helped many shall cleave unto them And some of Understanding may fall for to try and purge them and to make them white till the Time be out For there is a Time appointed to Liberty for the faithful Sufferers A Time of Liberty that come from and through the great Tribulations and Michael shall stand up for the Children of thy People and every one shall be delivered that shall be found written in the Lambs Book of Life G. F. ALL my Dear Friends Folly and Wickedness will have an End Epist 160. but the Word of the Lord will have no End but endureth for ever So feed upon the Milk of the Word ye Babes To Friends in Bristol that ye may live by that which comes from it which doth endure G. F. OH Friends Epist 161. Do not Dye from the Good through the Wantonness of flesbly Lusts neither be choked with the Cares of this Life nor fear the Shearers neither let the Heat scorch your green Blade but dwell under the Shadow of the Almighty who will shade you from the Heat and Cold. Neither be cumbred nor surfeited with the Riches of this World nor bound nor straitned with them Riches nor married to them but be free and loose from them and be married to the Lord. The Sufferings in all Ages of the Righteous and Just were because they could not join to the Nations vain Worships evil Customs Rudiments Traditions and carnal Inventions but joined to the Lord and not to them The Sufferings of the Righteous and therefore they suffered and kept single to the Lord God in following him and his Truth and living in it the Amen the Crown Life Vertue and Righteousness that floweth over all in which the Righteous have Peace G. F. FRiends Epist 162. Keep your Meetings in the Power of God and in his Wisdom by which all things were made and in the Love of God Meetings for Business that by that by may order all to his Glory And when Friends have finished their Bufiness sit down and continue a while quietly and Wait upon the Lord to feel him And go not beyond the Power The Power but keep in the Power by which God Almighty may be felt among you For the Power will bruise the Head of the Serpent and all false and contrary Heads this blessed Seed as he is the Head of the Church so he is also the Head of every Member of his Body And so by the Power of the Lord ye come to love Truth and love Jesus Christ and love Holiness and by the Power ye come to love God and praise him and bless him and magnifie him who lives for
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-Prayer to teach us for the Spirit 2. 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
his Eye who for our sakes hath reproved Powers and Thrones and Dominions and rebuked them We are the Preachers of Righteousness in the great City Sodom wherein Christ was crucified where the Life of the Prophets and the Apostles and Holy Men of God lies slain and Cursers Cursers Swearers Drunkards Swearers Drunkards Eaters and Drinkers that rise up to play in all Fulness Wantonness and Prophaness profess their Words and make merry over their Lives And the Witnesses since the Apostles Days have been slain the Woman in the Wilderness the Lamb and his Wife shall be known which is come up out of the Wilderness So in this great City Sodom and Gomorrah Sodom and Gomorrah the False Church and the Whore are where all the Abominations are that made all the Nations drunk of the Wine of the Wrath of her Fornication whereby the World is all on Heaps about Religion and Church-Worship and the several Ways in Sodom's Nature professing the Saints Words imitating Forms killing and slaying one another about professing the Saints Words but out of their Life Which shews that they are not of the Royal Seed The Royal Seed which saith Love Enemies that 's the Royal Seed and they that follow him are of the Royal Priesthood and holy People and Generation amongst whom is the Royal Law of Love whereby we cannot respect Mens Persons for he who doth is convinced of the Royal Law to be a Transgressor So every one of us that is come to the Seed of God that bruiseth the Serpent's Head that led Man from God who is the Prince of the World the Prince of Darkness and the Prince of the Air the Father of Lies a Murderer from the Beginning the Corrupter of Mankind the Author of the Separation from God and the Original of Sin the Beginning of it which led Man from his Dominion over the Handy-Works of God The Handy-Works of God which the Royal Seed Christ destroys and renews Man again in the Image of God and brings him again to his Dominion over the Handy-Works of God And this Hundreds of Thousands are now witnessing by which they come to be Kings and redeemed from the Earth and come to be made Kings upon the Earth in the Image of God over the Handy-Works of God in the Wisdom by which they were created So all Powers whatever that are a Terror to Evil-Doers that bear not the Sword in vain to us are a Praise that do well And all Kings upon the Earth that were Anointed by God a Figure of our Christ the King the Anointed he ends them all Revel 1.6 and makes Kings to reign upon the Earth amongst these Christ is King wich Thousands witness amongst these he is King and all other Kings made by Man and putting Man on Earthly Crowns Earthly Man will put them off again and un-King them if they cross them This is the State amongst them in whom Christ reigns not nor the true Magistrate obeyed which is to the Evil-Doers a Terror But since the Apostles Days all hath been in Confusion about Religion Church and Worship amongst them that have killed the Witnesses and since the true Church went into the Wilderness and the Witnesses have been slain and the Man-Child caught up to God So they that have slain the Witnesses and killed the Saints have been in all this Confusion The Witnesses rising and the Witnesses are rising and the Everlasting Gospel shall be preached again amongst them that have had the Words but have slain the Life of the Prophets and the Apostles unto all Nations Kindreds and Tongues of them that dwell upon the Earth So the great Professors of the World which were the Jews could not abide Jesus the King that he should reign and where he is now in the Male and in the Female he is King and that makes Kings among whom he is King All in the Name of the mighty King of Kings is to be done and then it is in the Power G. F. ALL Friends Take heed of running on in a Form Epist 173. lest ye do lose the Power but keep in the Power and Seed of God in which ye will live in the Substance And at any Disputes take heed Disputes many may be lifted up in the Victory and Conquest and after have a Joy in the Prophecies and Openings and after fall And if Bablers come and Janglers say They have a Bad Metting and so the murmuring Nature getteth up out of Patience and the Seed which beareth all things and suffereth all things which keepeth down that which causeth Lifting up Murmuring and Disputing which the Seed endeth and Prophecy and keepeth down all the other that is contrary and would live in the contrary that which keeps down that which doth change is the Peace and the Corner-Stone and the staiedness in the Seed and Life G. F. DEar Friends all every where Feel the Seed of God over all that Epist 174. which is in the Fall that is gotten up The Fall of Adam since Adam and Eve fell from Righteousness and the Image of God and in which Fall the Lamb hath been slain And so feel the Seed of God over all that which makes to suffer and will stand and remain when he that makes to suffer is gone And so feel Christ to reign and rule over all that which is in the Fall Feel Life over all and there ye may all feel the Life to flow over all which Life was with the Father before the World began and which Life will remain when Death and the Power of it is gone And in that Life all live and dwell and in it keep your Meetings AND feel the Word of Patience and the Word of Wisdom in which ye may find both Patience and Wisdom in this Day of Life Patience and Wisdom And feel my Love to all Friends in the Everlasting Seed of God G. F. To Friends to serve one another in Love in outward things MY Dear Friends Epist 175. in the Order and Wisdom of Life order all things to God's Glory and dwell in the Love of God together all serving one another in Love and in the Life of the Truth and ye that give to the Poor Give to the Poor lend to the Lord and he will give you again with Advantage And so be Fruitful in every good Work and be Subject to one another in the Fear of the Lord and do that which ye do in Love and Peace and in that keep in the Authority and Power of God in Kindness Passion and basty Spirits And keep down and be Master over all Passion and the hasty and cross Spirits and silence that which is suddain and let Love have the Preheminence in all and over all And provoke one another to Love and to good Works and be diligent in all your places that ye may be a good Savour in the Hearts of all and that the Truth may flow
over all And let nothing be wanting amongst you and then all is and will be well And encourage one another to seek out the Poor and Sick and Fatherless and Widow and Imprisoned and make up their Necessities and Wants Necessities and Wants then there will be nothing lacking And keep in Discerning that ye may not be ensnared nor made a Prey upon but that in the Power and Wisdom of God ye may be kept over all such and to feel through all States and Conditions That the Lord God may be honoured in and by you all and ye all may be preserved in his Power and Life to his Glory For your bestowing of outward things to such as stand in need is the least Love and things of little Value in Comparison to the things that are above and Immortal And so keep over all in that in which ye have the Blessing poured upon you from the Lord God to cloath and cover you This is for the Mens Meetings G. F. FRiends Epist 176. That Minister up and down among Friends be Examples in Wisdom Life Patience Righteousness Holiness and in Godliness and Soberness An Exhortation to Friends that Minister to be good Examples that your Lives and Conversations may preach And keep out and over all vain youthful Ways and Childishness and over all those fallen Spirits that quarrel jangle and contend about outward things and have a Life in them through which they are eaten out from the Life and Truth of God and such become as the Dross and they come to be as the untimely Figs and as the Corn and Grass on the House-top And so ye all that minister abroad to others first see that ye be in the Truth that will never change and in the Word and Life that will abide and in the Gospel the Power of God Meats Drinks Apparel which was before Meats and Drinks and outward Apparel were that ye may abide in that which never changes that ye may not be confounded For when they that are Ministers change and alter from that which they went forth first in and brought the People into it doth shew that they are either gone out of the Truth or else they were never in the Truth and this confounds People They had better never have gone out at all Therefore ye that Minister abroad see that ye be in that which will never change and is over all them that do jangle about changable things for that being Ministred to People that never changes and they that Minister being in that An established State which never changes this begets People into an Established State For they are all fallen Spirits and not Ministers of the Word nor the Gospel nor of Christ that never fell which destroys the Devil and his Works in the Fall that are quarrelling and siding and disputing and contending and striving about outward things For that Mind that goes into them is in the Heats and Tempests up and down and is in the wrong Judgment and cries against others as being Lords and being esteemed and looked upon and looking at Men when the Wrong Lords in themselves and that is it which should not be esteemed The outward Part being gotten up in themselves who have gotten a Life in outward things in the outward Knowledge and the outward Reason and outward Wisdom that outward Part and Reason Wisdom and Knowledge must all perish and the Life they have in them also The Life of God before the Life of God can come to rule in them in which is the Everlasting Vnity and Fellowship And so Friends all that minister abroad in the Everlasting Word which never changes and the Gospel in it abide he First and Last For the Word keeps down the Pride of Life the Lust of the Flesh and the Lust of the Eye which is of the World and not of the Father And so let your Liberty be in the Word and Spirit and the Power of God which keeps you out of the Liberty of the World and its vain Fashions and be not fashioned after them And so take heed of light Words unseasoned Talk Vnseasoned Talk and of taking Liberty to the Flesh but walk in that which is pure and keep in that in which ye may have the Wisdom which is the Beauty the of gray Hairs that to the Lord God ye may be a good Savour and in the hearts of all walking in all Comliness and Decency The Word of Truth makes you to be seasoned and savoury and this is Comely keeping in the Beauty of Holiness in which Holiness the Lord is seen over the Beauty of the World that is vain G. F. ALL Friends every where who are dead to all carnal Weapons Epist 177. and have beaten them to pieces stand in that Carnal Weapons which takes away the Occasion of Wars in the Power which saves Mens Lives and destroys none nor would have others And as for the Rulers that are to keep Peace for Peace's sake and the Advantage of Truth Give Tribute give them their Tribute But to bear and carry carnal Weapons to Fight with the Men of Peace which live in that which takes away the Occasion of Wars they cannot act in such things under the several Powers but have paid their Tribute Which they may do still for Peace sake and not hold back the Earth but go over it and in so doing Friends may better claim their Liberty G. F. For Friends in Barbadoes Virginia New-England and all the Islands about FRiends and Brethren Epist 178. who are made Partakers of the Power of the World that is without End and are Partakers of the heavenly Gift and feel the Power in which is the Vnity Peace and Kingdom that hath no end in that feel one another and know one another and in the Life in which ye will have Peace and Unity one with another that the Top-Stone may be laid over all and ye all in the Wisdom Life and Seed in your measures may be preserved spreading the Truth abroad confounding the Deceit answering the Witness of God in all To which they must be brought before their Minds can be turned to God and be acquainted with his Couemnt of Promise and his Life and to know God Christendom on heaps the Father of Spirits For all Christendom which hath gotten the Words of the Prophets Christ and the Apostles that are not in the Spirit and Power as they were in that gave them forth are all on heaps about them and not in Unity being out of the Spirit in which is the Vnity and true Fellowship For there are the Heaps amongst them that are out of the Spirit and Power of God having the Words in the Transgression in the Fall in the Earth and in the many Bodies Names and Heads Churches Religions and Worships which are in the first Birth born of the Flesh which will persecute him that is born of the Spirit Baptism which
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
if the Earthly and Sin and Evil have the Ear it will fill it with that which is bad and harden the Heart and choke the good Therefore the Lord must have the Ear who is the Ruler of Heaven and Earth And as your Ears are attentive to the Lords's Voice that is from Heaven Iniquity's Mouth is stopped in you Iniquity's Mouth stopped the Throne of Iniquity is thrown down in you that is the wicked Spirit and Power wherein Iniquity sits and the Chamber of Imagery is thrown down in you where Man's Thoughts and Imaginations are But as the Ear is Attentive to the Voice of him that speaks from Heaven ye will come to the Throne of the Lamb who hath the Victory and the Dominion that all may live in the Everlasting Power of God that goes over all Deceit which was before Deceit and Darkness was A Growth in the Power And always feel a Growing in the Power of the Lord God that is Universal and Everlasting that ye may be all Heirs of the Power of the Endless Life and come to inherit it and possess it and sit down in the Possession of the same that every one's Lot may fall in the Land of the Living where the Lord hath his Glory and his Honour for ever and ever Oh the Glory of the Lord spreads it self over all and here as ye abide ye have the Savour and can taste your Meat in the Power of the Lord God feeding upon every Word that proceeds out of the Mouth of God having your Ear open and attentive to his Voice in this ye grow up in the Life that is Eternal G. F. ALL Friends Epist 185. be Obedient to the Power of God which is the higher Power To Friends to know the Authority of the Seed and is above that which abode not in the Truth So ye that know the Power of God be obedient to it for ye have Authority from the Power of God which comprehends all the Powers of Darkness to answer the Witness of God in every one and to trample upon all the Power of Darkness and its Authority For ye that feel the Power that comprehends the World and all the Powers of Darkness keep in the Authority in the Power of God Mind not Words without the Power Mind not Words without the Power nor the pleasing of the Reason and Carnal Knowledge Wisdom and Understanding of Fancies and Thoughts of Men but dwell in the Authority the Power of God ye that know it That over all ye may reign in the Seed who fulfilled the Law and the Prophets who spake with Authority and speaks with Authority now more than the Scribes and Pharisees the Writers of the Law and of the Prophets and the Speakers of them who were Transgressors against the Life that gave forth the Words which were written And so the Authority of the Scriber and Pharisees who wrot Moses and the Prophets is as the Authority of the professing Christians who profess Christ and the Apostles Writings but are without the Life and from the Seed of God these are one with them who put Christ to Death and knew not the Authority of the Seed G. F. FRiends Epist 186. which have known and tasted of the Power of the Mighty God of Heaven and Earth and of his Light and Life be faithful in the Power Light Life and Truth To Friends in Barbadoes to wait to witness the Immanuel to the spreading of the Truth abroad with which ye may answer the Truth in the inward parts in every one And dwell in that which hind and chains and gives to see over the World that Life Wisdom and Power may reign among you that he turned to the Life and believe in it which come to receive the Light of Life Christ the Power of God Be saithful and spread the Truth abroad and walk in the Wisdom of God answering that of God in every one and write speak and send Books abroad into the Countries and Islands and Nations or main Land as ye are moved that the Sound of the Trumpet of the Lord's Host may be heard in the Nations and Islands Be valiant for the Truth And be faithful and valiant for the Truth of God upon the Earth that is the Truth that the Devil is out of and abode not in in that dwell and live in Vnity and Peace one with another So the God of Love Life and Power and Wisdom be with you And ye that are turned to the Light and gathered into it Meet together and keep your Meetings Keep your Meeting that ye may feel and see the Life of God among you and know that in one another for that keeps down and lays low all that which is out of the Kingdom So know the Power of God and keep your Peace therein that ye may all grow up in the Increase of God mark in the Increase of God and feel his Presence among you For where two or three are gathered together in my Name saith Christ that is in the Power I am there in the midst of them In this Meeting in this Gathering Christ is felt in the midst Who feels the Power of Christ feels Christ for he is the Power of God and the Immanuel with them but who go from God in the Transgression are in the first Adam where Death reigns and Darkness and this is the State that is Reprobated But who are turned to the Light Christ Jesus to the Immanuel they know the Interpretation thereof God with us who redeems out of Transgression and out of Death Immanuel God with us Darkness and Sin who being witnessed the State of fallen Man that was drove from God and the State of being brought to God again is witnessed by Jesus Christ the Covenant of Light In which Covenant which is Eight the Lord God Almighty preserve you all Ye may Write how things are with you in the Island G. F. This is to go among Friends MY Dear Frends Epist 187. Dwell in the Love of God together for that edifies you all Love edifies and by that ye are built up and who go from that puck down with Enmity and Discord and Wrangling and Quarreling and Disputing and are puffed up with high-lweling Words and are large in their Worldly Wisdom and Earthly Knowledge in a Shew to tread upon the simple and are of the great Comprehension Therefore keep over the Spirit for that will not stand to the End although it would be Lord it is scorched when the Heat of Persecution comes Disputes and Janglings And therefore stand Faithful For that which runs into Janglings and Disputes and Contentions and Questionings is the Disobedient That was the Devil's work in the Beginning which brought Eve out of her Habitation and that is the Work of his Servants in the Fall to bring the Innocent out of their Habitation to question reason and jangle with them to bring them out of their
Habitation They will say They must not Meet together such as are gathered in the Name of Christ Jesus that never fell who is above Adam that sell And thus the Devil would lay all wast and make the World like a Wilderness and break down the Bounds of the righteous Gardens and Plantations and would break them down into his Wilderness and lay them barren and wast And so when they are gone fromt he Truth themselves the Devil is got into them and would keep them from Meetings Meetings to draw others into the same who are gathered into the Name of Jesnes and are come to sit down in the heavenly Plate in Christ Jesus and are found with the Flock that lie down at Noon-day And so that fallen Spirit would bring the Saints to for sake their Assemblies and wouldmake them like a Wilderness if he cannot he will throw Dirt upon them and back-bite them and prejudice them and slander them and speak Evil of them and strive to sow discord amongst them and preach up some outward things amongst them to bring them into an outward Fellowship from the Immotal Power and Gospel-Fellowship and fill them with Earthly Wisdom and Knowledge Carnal Policy and Vnderstanding and carnal Policy with Quirks Tricks Turnings and Windings to over-word and ensnare the simple and to bring them into Questioning And so this Spirit is to destroy ruin and lay wast and to rob and beguile and would destroy if it were in its Power the Saints Fellowship and Worship and if it were possible to deceive the Elect. For sometimes it will come in the shew of Worship and fained Humility and other times with Esau's Tears but all the strength of it is set to lead the Innocent out of his Habitation and to destroy and devour him And so being adulterated from the true Spirit the true Light and the Fellowship in it Secret Evills it runs into all the secret Evils inward Adultery and outward Adultery Vncleanness and Fornication and being in the Evil Darkness and Vncleanness judges all like unto it self with its evil Thoughts and casts out its Flood of Evil-Speaking and Wickedness upon the righteous and just the Saints of the Most-High whose Garments are clean and pure And so this Spirit will cry down the Saints Fellowship in Spirit and Worship in Spirit and Truth and their Fellowship in the Power which was before their Forms were or the Devil either and when it cannot get them down and break their Fellowship to forsake their Assembling together which is contrary to the Apostles Doctrine and the Churches in the Primitive Times before the Apostasy and when they see they can neither break their Fellowship nor Worship Forms of Worship then they say Away with your Forms and cry down Forms to such as be in the Power of Godliness and that Spirit 's Work that doth so is to bring into such Forms in Time which are out of the Spirit and Truth and Power of God in which the Saints have Fellowship and Refreshment in which God is worshipped in that which is above and was before Time And that contrary Spirit its Work is to bring into the many Invented Forms in the Fall and sometimes runs out of all right Form into Confusion and out of all Orde of Life in which the Saints of the Most-high that walk in the Spirit are in the Fellowship and Power of Life having the Order of Life amongst them Keep your Habitation And therefore all Friends Keep your Habitation every where in the Truth of God and let your Lights be shining and your Lamps burning and have Oil in your Lamps and Salt in your selves to savour withal that ye may grow up into Christ Jesus by whom all things were made that wer made that through him ye may know all things And so Live in him that destroys the Enmity and in him sit in Christ Jesus in whom ye have Vnity Life Peace and Salvation The Honour was given to him that never changed nor never fell True Honour who is Christ Jesus and ye in him are partakers of this Honour and they that change and fall do not know this Honour but are a Dishonour to him G. F. FRiends live in the Seed of God that destroys the Devil Epist 188. who is the Author and Cause of Wars and Strife and brining of Men and People into the Earth where the War Strife and Pride is The Author of Wars here the outward Sword-men have not learned yet to beat their Swords and Spears into Plough-shares and Pruning-hooks Yet ye that are in that Seed see that ye Accuse no Man falsly that hath the Sword of Justice The Sword of Justice which is to keep the Peace and is a Terror to the Evil-doers and to keep down the Transgressors and for the praise of them that do well this is owned in its place But he that killeth with the Sword must perish with the Sword So there was a Time the Jews were to fight with outward Weapons with Sword and Spear Outward Weapons but there is a Time when Nations shall not learn War any more but shall come to that which shall take away the Occasion of Wars which was in the beginning before Wars were And Friends take heed of blending your selves with the outward Powers of the Earth ALL Friends dwell in the Life and Power and Seed of God 2. To Friends to dwell in the seed in which is their Safery in which ye may be kept in the Son of God's Kingdom and preserved in his Dominion out of all changable things in that God's Blessing will be with you In the Seed of God is the stayed State and in that is the Life and Peace with God and the Offering that satisfieth God and that perfecteth for ever them that are sanctified The stayed State And the Seed bruises and destroys the Serpent's head who is the Prince of the Air the Prince of Darkness the Tempter and the Troubler in which Seed is Peace and Life enjoyed and by the Wisdom of it to be ordered to God's Glory And there the Reign of Christ is known who is come to reign and to rule G. F. To Friends in New-England and Virginia MY Dear Friends Robert Hodson William Robinson Marmaduke Stevenson Peter Pearson William Brend William Leara and the rest of Friends in New-England and Virginia Epist 189. Concerning Judging Be faithful to the Lord in the Truth of the Lord God 8. Month 15. nd in his Power and Wisdom be valiant for it upon the Earth and spread it abroad and confound Deceit And dwell in the Power of God and stand in it which comprehends the whole World that through it ye may answer the Witness of God in every one and be a Dread to Nations And go on in Peace and Love and Vnity one with another and keep in the Wisdom of the Lord God that ye may be answerable to the
Witness one another in the Sight of weak Friends but dwell in the Power of the Lord God and that will keep that down in every particular which is to be judged through which ye may judge the whole World that lies in Wickedness Therefore dwell all I warn you from the Lord God of Power of Life of Heaven and Earth dwell in his Power and Wisdom and Life that in that ye may have Dominion over the World and the Andersaries in it and live in it through which ye will feel the Preciousness and Weight of Truth The Weight of Truth which now is going over all the World and To all Nations of Mankind the Everlasting Gospel the Power of God is to be preached through which life and Immortality shall come to Light in which Power is the Fellowship Therefore this is the Word of the Lord God to you all those that are convinced by the Power of the Lord God and the Light let them dwell in it in which they may have Vnity For the the Lord hath a Seed that ways if ye in Patience all of you wait and not matter the Weather the Storms the Winds the Hail the Rain when ye are to sow the Seed nor the rough Ground The Husbandman that is to be tilled For the Husband-man waits patiently after the Seed is sown there is a Winter before the Summer comes And there must be a great Work before the Misty Heathen be cleared in their Understandings that are so naturally and the dark Air be driven back and the Prince of Life and Light be witnessed Dwell in the Life and in the Light for the great Professors of Spiritual Babylon the Mother of Harlots that are full of Craft will be brought down and that must be witnessed before ye know the bride made ready for her Husband So live in Patience and in Peace and in the weighty Wisdom of God and then ye will see the End of all frothy Spirits that will not abide the Trial. Therefore Friends keep ye in the Power of the Lord God and dwell in Live one with another and in the pure Power and Life of Truth and the Seed of God which ye first kept in that ye may be kept over all light and airy Spirits that will be up and down like a Tempest Comers and Goers to the Seed that ye may stand in the Seed which is Everlasting Airy Spirits In that the Lord preserve you Ye may write over how things are there for Truth is well here and spreads abroad in the World in other Nations and is of a good Report G. F. Reading the 15th of the 8th Month 1659. THE Lord is King over all the Earth and Christ hath all Power in Heaven and in the Earth and he is King of Kings and Lord of Lords let him rule and reign in all your Hearts by Faith and exalt him in the Land and in your Assemblies G. F. OH Friends have an Esteem of Truth and God's Glory Epist 192. Keep down all Inordinate Affections Concerning Marrying with the world and bad Marriages and have an Esteem of Truth above your Lusts and Earthly things worldly Riches and Goods and mind the Example of the Old World When the Sons of God saw the Daughters of Men were fair they took unto them Wives of all that they liked and so made no Distinction between the Righteous and the Wicked Which grieved the Lord God that he said His Spirit should not always strive with Man And therefore he shortned his Days to an Hundred and twenty Years which before were many Hundred Years Enoch-Methuselah and Lamech Though Enoch Methuselah and Lamech and the holy Men of God their Marriages God did not Judge but when the Sons of those holy Men which were called the Sons of God went to the World for Wives they slew the Spiritual Birth in them and quenched the Holy Spirit of God in them and corrupted the Earth and filled it with Cruelty and followed the Imaginations of their own Hearts Lasts continually insomuch that they grieved the Lord and he repented that he made Man For he saw All Flesh had corrupted his Way upon the Earth saving Noah a Just Man with his Family who walked with God Noah a Just Man and did not join with the Wickedness of the World Therefore God destroyed the Old World The Old World and the Beginning thereof was these bad Marriages as Jude and Peter saith They followed strange Flesh by which they came to be corrupted and therefore God sent a Flood and destroyed the Old World with its ungodly Deeds And there is your Example that Marry with the World Gen. 6. And doth not the Lord say to the Chidren of Israel Forbidden Marriages Thou shalt not give thy Sons nor thy Daughters in Marriage with the Heathen And were not such as did so reproved by the Lord and his Prophets As ye may see through the Scriptures And doth not the Apostle say Be ye not unequally yoked together with Vnbelievers for what Fellowship hath Light with Darkness or Christ with Belial or a Believer with an Infidel For how many Thousands of the Jews did the Lord destroy which went and married with other Nations and pleaded Liberty And did not Phineas run one through and his Heathenish Woman Phineas And so must not all such be run through with the Sword of the Spirit of God And the Lord said Numb 25.7 8. Phineas hath turned mine Anger away from the Children of Israel when the Lord had destroyed Twenty four Thousand of them And doth not the World call such Bastard and Hypocrite Quakers and not faithful that go to the World for a Wife and to the Priests to be Married Priest's Marriages Oh! That ye should profess Truth and go from its Power and Life and so corrupt your selves and to have no more Esteem of your Bodies which God hath so honoured and made them Vessels of his Mercy to put his Mercy into And have no more Esteem of God his Truth nor his People but to Esteem your Affections and Lusts above them all and to make your selves a Talk and a Laughing-stock by going into that for which ye are judged of God and of all his People and of that of God in your own Consciences also Burying-places And do not Friends buy Burying-places because they cannot give their dead Bodies to the World no more than Abraham could And ye that profess your selves to be quickned by Christ and made alive by him to give your Bodies to them that are dead in Sins and Trespasses Oh ye makde your selves ridiculous both to God's People and the World and come under the Judgment of both and of God and the Scriptures to be such as follow strange Flesh and corrupt the Earth like the Old World Ye bring Burthens upon the Just But God will shorten your Days as he did the Old World's except ye repent as ye may
led by the Witness of God up to God And such as go from it upon them the Law of God is to be added and they by it to be stopped and limited The Law of God which Law is a Praise to them that do well who come from under the Occasion of the Law And in this that Eye is opened which beholds God and his Law which answers that of God in every one which when Men go from that of God in themselves the Law takes hold upon them Which when Adam went from he transgressed the Law of God when he went from the Life and Image of God within him and then the Law came upon him which was not made for the Righteous but for Sinners and Transgressors And in this stands the Covenant of Works the Law of Works that brings under and yokes the Man down which Christ the Covenant of God and of Life and of Peace redeems Men from under this Law and the Law of the Spirit of Life makes free from the Law of Sin and Death The Law of Life So Christ the Covenant of God being felt the Law of Life is come and witneffed within Man again and to such they that are in the Wisdom of God will be a Praise and your Moderation will increase your Temperance will increase your Knowledge of God and his Son Jesus Christ will increase whom to know is Eternal Life and this will not be lacking And so as ye are kept in the Wisdom of God and in his Life and Power ye will see the Law that goes over all Transgressors which was added because of Transgression Which Life lets you see to the Higher Power The Higher Power which was before any Transgression was because of which the Law was added upon Man when he went from that of God in himself Which as I said before every true Christian which is a Christian indeed witnesseth the Law of Life in Christ which sets free from the Law of Sin and Death and such come to see and feel him who was before any Transgression was And so as to the Lord God ye are kept faithful in your Generation and in his Fear are preserved in Humility and Mercy doing good and justly the Jaws of the Wicked will be broken and ye will feel the Lord's Blessing upon you and come to know the Seed in your selves which inherits which is the Heir of the Promise of the World without End And the Power of an endless Life you 'll feel in Christ the Seed in whom the Words of the Prophets and Apostles are fulfilled and therein is Vnity and Love Righteousness and Peace even in him who bruifeth the Serpent's Head that feeds upon Dust Here there is nothing fed upon but Life yea the Life which was with the Father before the World began which is Christ Jesus And who are in this are in the thing the Scripture testifies of Christendom on heaps And this hath been wanting in Christendom They have had the Words of the Prophets Christ and the Apostles and been on Heaps about them not being in the Seed Christ who is the End and Substance of them who is the Light and Life Righteousness Wisdom and Truth which makes free from the Adversary who is the Cause of Strife From a Lover of your Souls Eternal Good and of your Establishment in Righteousness and Peace in this Day of the Lamb's Power Glory to the Highest for ever G. F. DEar William Thou hast a fine Compassin Holland and Germany Epist 193. and under the Prince of Palatin's Government To William Ames And there is a Seed in Poland that desires Friends So in the Seed be faithful which is Immortal and is the Heir of the World where there is no End And so in that be faithful and spread the Truth over that part of the World For the Lord hath a Vine and a Mountain to be set up that a-ways and a Standard and Ensign held out to other Nations So in the Power of the Lord God and his Wisdom and Seed the Lord God Almighty preserve thee G. F. DEar Friends who have found the better part Epist 194. and chosen the better thing the one thing which lasteth for ever which is the Ground of all true Rejoycing and Joy in whom ye have all Riches and Life and the Blessings and the Immortal Power to be your Crown and Covering A time of Shearing And it may be there will be a Time of Shearing and Clipping but the Earth is the Lord's and the Fulness thereof So mind him to be your Portion and the Seed Christ your All and your Life and fear not loosing the Fleece for it will grow again And keep your Meetings in the Name of him that never fell which is above all the Meetings of Adam's Sons and Daughters in the Fall The Fellowship in the Gospet And keep in the Fellowship in the Gospel which is the Power of God which was before the Devil was and this Fellowship is above all the National Fellowships in the Fall of Adam And keep in the Worship of the Father in the Spirit and in the Truth which the Devil is out of and in that ye will live in the Truth and Spirit in your selves and walk in Vnity in the same and then ye are over all the Will-worships in the Fall of Adam where they are in the Strife about them And who are come to the Church in God do see above all the Churches of Adam in the Fall drove from God Egyptians and Babylonians And as the outward Jew suffered by the outward Egyptians and Babylonians and they persecuted them and killed their Children so the spiritual Egyptians and Mystery Babylon persecute and would kill the Jews in Spirit that worship God in the Spirit whose Praise is of God and not of Man and such have none from fallen Men but by them are persecuted But all such go as dumb before their Shearers for he that gave his Back and his Cheek to the Smiters overcame and reigns and hath the Victory and the Honour who is Christ the Amen the first and last the Top-and Corner-stone in him sit down in Life and Peace and Rest So no more but my Love in the Everlasting Seed the second Adam that never fell nor changed whose Love is above all the Love in Adam's House in the Fall G. F. FRiends Epist 195. all that are moved of the Lord by his Power Light and Life to go into other Nations as Messengers of his Covenant of Light to preach the Gospel according to that which shews the Secrets of every Man's heart wherein Nations are brought into Covenant with God and redeemed out of Tongues and People and Kindreds Keep your Feet upon the Top of the Mountains and sound deep to the Witness of God in every Man then will your Feet be Beautiful that publish Peace Liberty to Captives and to the Captives proclaim Liberty with your Feet
upon the Mountains publishing Peace binding up the Broken-hearted having Oil of Gladness for them that mourn And this is the Word of the Lord God to you keep ye a-top of the Heads of all the Mountains of Sin and Opposition in Innocency Meekness and true Humility in the Fear of God that in his Dread and Wisdom ye may all be kept Dwell in the Light and in the Fear of the Lord staied And dwell in the Light of Christ that doth Enlighten every Man that comes into the World that all through him might believe and bring all to believe in the Light to give them the Knowledge of the Glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ from whom the Light comes that they are all enlightned with and that they may come into the Covenant of Light with God and his People And so dwell in the Power of the Lord God that ye may comprehend the World and see over it all And keep ye over all the unclean Spirits and Execute true Judgment answering to that of God in every Man and here is the Saints Honour And this is the Word of the Lord God to you Consultings Enter not into consultings with the wrong Nature lest ye Consult with the Adversary whose Head must be bruised and lest in the mean time that blind your Eye and raise up a light Spirit in you and take you Captive But dwell in the Power Dread and Fear of the Lord God that ye may answer that of God in every Man and stop the Mouth of that which Opposes that ye may blind the Eye that will not see the Light and the Ear stop that will not hear it for that must be judged For that is it that keeps all from Conversion and that is the Seed of the Serpent which must be bruised with the Seed of the Woman yea the Head of it And keep a-top of the Head of it that ye may answer that of God in every Man and be kept a-top of the contrary and tread it under feet And so the Lord God Almighty keep you in his Power and Wisdom Bind the Vnruly and by it bind the unruly and when ye have bound them then ye may speak to them and by it to fetter them then ye may catch them when ye will when they are fettered And get the Yoke upon the wild Heifer then will ye save your selves from a Push The wild Heifer and bring them down and order them with the Power and reach to the Witness And see that ye keep the Bit in the wild Horses Mouth The wild Horse whereby his Head may be held down And howsoever see that he be bridled then with the Power he will be ordered though he Snuffs and Snorts the Bridle being kept in his Mouth he is held down by it Though he cries Aha aha that is above the Witness And when this is done being kept in the Power ye will know him that Rides meekly upon the Foal of the Ass the Colt the Foal of the Ass to Jerusalem the highest place of Worship who brings the Prisoner out of the Pit where there is no Water Christ The Foal of the Ass the same to day as yesterday and for ever And the Lamb gets the Victory he that sits Meekly upon the Colt the Foal of the Ass He it is that gets the Victory he by whom the World was made who is not of the World that treads upon the Highest Worship in the World Lay Hands upon no Man suddenly I warn and charge you all in the Presence of the Living God but touch the Witness of God in every one G. F. DEar Friends in Jamaica and else where Epist 195. who know the Truth of God and have been Sufferers for the same All live in it Live in the Truth which the Devil is out of that ye may all be preserved in Peace and Freedom For Truth brings to the Noble Mind Spirit and Nature and Seed which never will bend to Sin and Vnrighteousness nor Vngodliness whatsoever nor to the Author of it And therefore all walk in the Truth that ye may all come to honour the Lord God in your Lives and Conversations in your Words and Dealings Just Dealings doing Truly Justly and Righteously unto all People that God may be glorified amongst you And that ye may come to be as Lights to the World and the Countries about you so that by your Light they may come to walk out of their dark unrighteous ungodly and corrupt Ways which the Corrupt People walk in which the holy and the sanctified Ones are of a more Noble Nature and Seed than to tread in those Paths And therefore all mind that in which ye may honour God and his holy Name into which ye are called that ye may answer the Lord God for all his tender Mercies and great Riches that he hath plentifully manifested and inriched you withal The Love of God That the Love of God may fill your Hearts which hath abundantly been shed in you that so it may abound one towards another and to all the Creatures of God for their Good that they may come to the Way of Life and Peace and that they seeing your Good Works may Glorifie your Father which is in Heaven And so let Truth Righteousness Holiness Pureness and Justness be your Jewels and in your Eyes esteemed above all for Unrighteousness Unholiness and Ungodliness is but Dross and is not of God nor Christ And therefore Live in the Truth which the Devil is out of and in the Life which was before Death and the Devil the Power of it was and in the Light which was before Darkness was and the Devil the Prince of it and in this ye will have Fellowship with God with Christ and one with anothr And so no more but my Love Things here are well and Meetings are quiet and large in this Nation and this part of the World Farewell Ye may Write unto us and let us know how things are with you G. F. DEar Friends in the Power of the Lord dwell Epist 197. which will keep you all in Vnity dwelling in it and all be bold in that threshing down all Deceit and wait to have all your Minds guided with that which is Eternal up to God who is Eternal And walk wisely in the Wisdom of God I Charge you in the presence of the living God and take heed of acting in your own Wills Self-Will judged contrary to that which is pure of God in you And know the Power and Life of God in one another which gave forth the Scriptures which was before the Scripture was which Life the Saints had Vnity in one with another So in the Life God Almighty preserve you And Meet together every where I Charge you in the Presence of the Lord and wait together upon God to have your Minds guided by that which is of God up to him Vnrighteousnes with
all Friends live in the Power of God which ye first received the Power which was before the Fall was in that is the Fellowship and leads to both Order Comliness and Decency For all the Sects about Meats Drinks and Days are gotten up among the Sons and Daughters of Adam that are gone from the Power of God and his Image Righteousness and True Holiness which were before Coverings were And others who are fallen from that into such outward things there they are jangling about them And therefore keep over all such things in the Power of God which was before outward things were in that have ye perfect Fellowship and Vnity for there is your Profit For they that have a Fellowship in keeping on their Hats and observing of Meats those outward things lead them from the Power and so to no Profit but into Strife and Jangling and vain Disputes Therefore the Power of God all keep in The Power of God was before Strife was and in that is the perfect and standing Fellowship when all other Fellowships shall have an end which were set up since Adam's Fall And so Farewell My Love is to you all in the Everlasting Seed of God The Church of the Romans fell away by running into outward things The Church of the Romans from the Power and Life also the Corinthians Galatians and others of them and also the Seven Churches of Asia by running into outward things and what the outward things were they ran into ye may read And how the Apostle reproved them and what all are gone into since they lost the Power of God and the Vnity in the Spirit And therefore all Dear Friends keep in the Power of God over all outward things which was before they were and in that Power is the standing Vnity G. F. The Line of Righteousness and Justice stretched forth over all Merchants c. And an Exhortation unto all Friends and People whatsoever who are Merchants Tradesmen Husband-men or Sea-men who deal in Merchandize trade in Buying and Selling by Sea or Land or deal in Husbandry That ye all do that which is Just Equal and Righteous in the sight of God and Man one to another and to all Men And that ye use Just Weights and Just Measures and speak and do that which is True Just and Right in all things That so your Conversations Lives Practices and Tongues may preach to all People and answer the Good Just and Righteous Principles of God in them all In which ye may be serviceable unto God and to the Creation in your Generation and a blessing both to God and Man ALL Friends every where Epist 210. Live in the Seed of God which is the Righteousness at self and inherits the Wisdom and is the Wisdom it self The Wisdom of God with which Wisdom ye may order rule and govern all things which are under your Hands which God hath given you to his Glory Govern and order with his Wisdom all the Creatures that ye have under you and all Exchangings Merchandizing Husbandry Do what ye do in the Wisdom of God and with it which is pure from above and gentle and easie to be entreated With this Wisdom which is not earthly sensual nor devilish you do good unto all and hurt no one nor your selves for it is pure and preserves pure So this is the Word of the Lord God to you all Keep all in the Power of God over all the unrighteous World which Power of God was before it was In which Power of God ye will be preserved in Justice in Truth in equal Ballance and Weights and Measures in the Truth The Equal Ballance Uprightness and Honesty to all People So all here in this are serviceable to God in their Generation and to the Creation and to God are a Blessing Do rightly that is the Word of the Lord God to you all whether ye be Tradesmen of what Calling or Profession or Sort soever or Husbandmen Do rightly justly truly holily equally to all People in all things and that is according to that of God in every Man and the Witness of God and the Wisdom of God and the Life of God in your selves and there ye are serviceable in your Generation labouring in the thing that is good which doth not spoil nor destroy nor waste the Creation upon the Lusts And all Merchants whatsoever Sea men and Traffickers by Sea or Land This is the Word of the Lord God to you all Do justly speak truly to all People whatsoever A Terror to the Vnjusts Then are ye a Dread and a Terror to the Unjust Wrong no Man over-reach no Man if it may be never so 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 your Advantage but be plain righteous and holy in this are ye serviceable to your own Nation and others by your Change and Excharging of things and Merchandize and to the Lord God ye come to be a blessing in the Creation and Generation Live in the Life of Truth and let the Truth speak in all things and Righteousness and let Justice be acted and Holiness in all things without any Guile Fraud or Deceit so that is well-pleasing to God and Men and according to that of God in every one And this sheweth forth the Fruits of Believers that are passed from Death to Life from Death which came by Sin the Original of which is the Devil So being come from Death to Life which goes over him over him I say who is the Author of all Unrighteousness Now in the Truth and Righteousness ye will all have Peace Favour and the Blessing of the Lord in all things And that keepeth out the covetous Mind and covetous Desires The Covetous Mind the Power and Life of God that goes over the Power of Death which brought the Sin That which keepeth over this hath the Blessing and Encrease of the heavenly Riches and that shall not want the Creatures nor any good thing from them the Lord will not withhold So be careful to do good in all things to all People whatsoever In the Fear of God serve him and be diligent and not stubborn in any thing but plyable in the Power of God that keeps you over all the Powers of Unrighteousness acting so in that that ye may be a good Savour in all Nations Islands and Places where ye come in the Hearts of all People doing truly and plainly uprightly faithfully justly and honestly according to the Light of Christ Jesus in every Man that ye may witness to all Then will your Words Lives and Conversations preach and manifest that ye serve God in the New Life and that ye have put off the old Man and his Deeds which are unrighteous and that ye have put on the New Man which is renewed after God in Righteousness and Holiness according to his Image Loath Deceit and all Vnrighteousness Hard-heartedness Wronging Cozening Cheating or Vnjust Dealing but live and reign in the Righteous Life and Power of God Vnjust
Dealing and Wisdom that presseth all the other down and to answer the good and just Principle in all People and that will win People to deal with you Doing Truth to all without respect to Persons to High or Low whatsoever Young or Old Rich or Poor And so here you Lives and Words will preach where-ever ye come All Husbandmen and Dealers about Husbandry whatsoever Cattle or Ground Do rightly to you all this is the Word of the Lord God Do rightly holily justly honestly plainly and truly to all Men and People whomsoever ye have to deal withal wrong not any in any case though it be never so much to your advantage Deny your selves and live in the Cross of Christ the Power of God for that destroys Injustice and without Holiness none can ever see the Lord and out of Righteousness there is no true Peace Therefore all of what Sort soever or what Calling soever Do justly whether ye be Masters or Servants Fathers or Mothers Sons or Daughters to one another and to all Do that which is Just and Righteous uprightly and holily in that you will hve Peace and see God So in all Husbandry Speak Truth act Truth doing justly and uprightly in all your Actions Speak Truth in all your Practices in all your Words in all your Dealings Buyings Sellings Changings and Commerce with People Let Truth be the Head and practise it And in all your Words let Truth be spoken This brings Righteousness forth and Deceit to the Judgment-bar Wrong no Man nor covet nor cheat nor oppress nor defraud any Man in any case but keep your Dominion in the Truth in Righteousness Holiness and Equity in the Power and Light and Wisdom of Christ In this ye answer the Light of Christ in every one and are a blessing to the Lord God and to your Generation ye are serviceable and come to walk in the New Life in which the Righteous Holy God is served In which Righteousness ye have Peace and in which Holiness ye see God For the Kingdom of God stands in Righteousness Peace and Joy in the Holy Ghost So speak the Truth whether Merchants or Tradesmen and all sorts of People whatsoever in all your Occasions and in all your Tradings Dealings and Doings The swift Witness speak the Truth act in the Truth and walk in the Truth and this brings Righteousness forth For it answereth the Witness of God in every one which lets every one see all the Deeds and Actions they have done amiss and Words which they have spoken amiss So the Witness of God Within them ariseth a swift Witness against them for their Words which they have spoken amiss and for their Actions which they have done amiss and brings them to the Judgment-Bar and to Condemnation Here Righteousness goes forth and here the sweet Savour to the Lord God begins to ascend and Truth and Equity ariseth both to be acted and spoken So all Friends of what Calling soever that dwell in the Power of God The Just Principle in all and feel the Power of God and the Light of Christ Jesus Dwell in that act in that that ye may answer that of God in every one upon on the Earth with your Actions and by your Conversations and by your Words being right just and true This goes over the unjust untrue unholy and unrighteous in the whole World and reacheth to the good and true Principle of God in all People which tells them when they do not do equally justly righteously and holily So that is the Word of God to you all Friends of what Calling soever ye be Live in the Power of Truth and Wisdom of God to answer that just Principle of God in all People upon the Earth and so ye answering of it thereby ye come to be as a City set upon a Hill which is above that Mountain that is in the whole World that lies above the Just Principle of God in every one there which the Power of God goes over So let your Lives preach let your Light shine that your Works may be seen that your Father may be glorified that your Fruits may be unto Holiness and that your End may be Everlasting Life Dwell in the Power of the Lord God and Light and Life with which ye may feel and see before the Unrighteousness was in this ye will know the Everlasting Righteousness brought forth which answered the Righteous Principle of God in every one to which they must come down to lead them and guide them to teach them to speak and act Truth justly righteously and holily And that hath the Dominion which doth justly holily and righteously speak act and think and this hath the praise of God and they who do so come to answer that which God requires To love Mercy do justly and to walk humbly with God And this is more than all the Talkers of Justice Righteousness and Holiness Talkers of Justice whose Life denies what their Tongues profess and talk of By that God and Christ is dishonoured So these are no good Example neither serviceable in their Generation nor Creation nor any but they who live in the Power of God and in his Wisdom in which they have the Righteousness Peace Truth Holiness Justice and Equity These are comely and savoury both God and Man And all of what Trade or Calling soever Keep out of Debts Owe to no Man any thing but Love Go not beyond your Estates Keep out of Debts lest ye bring your selves to Trouble and Cumber and a Snare keep low and down in all things ye act For a Man that would be great and goes beyond his Estate lifts himself up runs into Debt and lives highly of other Mens Means he is a waster of other Mens and a destroyer He is not serviceable to the Creation but a destroyer of the Creation and Creatures and cumbereth himself and troubleth others and is lifted up who would appear to be some Body but being from the Honest the Just and Good falls into the Shame Therefore dwell every one of you under your own Vine that know Redemption from the Earth and seek not to be Great but in that and dwell in the Truth Justice Righteousness and Holiness and there is the Blessing enlarged And no one of what Calling soever run into Debt Vsury and Exaction for many People have been wronged thereby they that have taken of them who by it have appeared great and lived above what they were and so would seem to be Therefore be true and honest holy and righteous every one in that which ye have Owe nothing but Love Owe to none any thing but Love and in that ye will feel the Blessing and come to be serviceable in the Creation serving one another in Love and not in Oppression and Taxation And that keeps all down in the Power Wisdom and Life of God and bends all minds to strive for one anothers good and to help one another in
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
turned by that of God from the Evil and emptied of that then there will be some Room in them for fomething of God to be revealed and inspired into them And there in that they will have Prophecy seeing things to come being turned from the Evil that hath darkened them and separated them from God in which they will see the Covenant through which they will come to have Peace with God And all Friends your Sufferings ye may gently send to them Sufferings which make you to suffer whether it be Sheriffs Deputy-Lieutenants or Justices and let them see Christ's Mind nor the Aposthes were not to Imprison any nor did they Imprison any whereby ye may clear your Innocency to the Consciences and the Witnesses of God in all Men. G. F. MY Dear Friends Epist 209 In the Power of God and his Immortal Seed dwell in which ye all will have Life Eternal and inherit the Substance and Dominion To Friends in and about Nortolk and Lyn c. and a Kingdom of Life which never fadeth nor shall have an end And so dwell all in the Power of the Lord God in which ye may all feel and know your Strength renewed in that which is Immortal and be of one Mind in the Power of God and live in Love and Peace knowing the Kingdom of the same which stands in the Power of God which was before the Power of Satan And your Fellowship being in the same Power of God The Fellowship in the Power your Fellowship is in that which is Everlasting and that never hath an End And the Church-Fellowship is in God and the Worship is in the Spirit and in the Truth which Truth was before the Vntruth was and stands when all the Vntruth is gone in the World In this live and dwell in which ye will all have Vnity and Fellowship in which ye will feel Life Eternal amongst you In that Meet and keep your Meetings and wait together upon the Lord Meet in the Name who are gathered together in the Name of Jesus whose Name is above every Name So is his Gathering above all other Gatherings which Gathering stands when all other Gatherings are ended And not in any other Name under Heaven is Salvation brought but in the Name of Jesus in which Name are yur Gatherings in which Name ye all know your Salvation and shall all know it as ye abide all in the Power of God that keeps unto the Day of Salvation And so be Faithful unto the Lord God minding the Seed and feeling it and knowing of it in your selves which destroys the Devil the Destroyer and the Oppressor Murderer and Liar the Father of all Vnrighteousness and Vngodliness and all that is bad which the Seed destroys which Seed is Christ Therefore know that reign and the Top-stone over all laid in which ye will all feel Life Heirs of the Power and have Life Eternal coming to be heirs of the Power of God knowing every one that to be your Portion and Heirs of the Gospel and Inheriting it Then ye possess Fellowshp the Gospel Felloship which is Everlasting which is the power of God And so Farewell And the Lord God Almighty preserve you and keep you So my Love in the the Everlasting Seed of God is to you all From Mendlesham this 11th Day of the 1st Month. G. F. FRiends Epist 210. Trust not in Man nor in the Arm of Flesh neither put Confidence in them but in the Lord. Judge your selves and keep down the Boaster Keep down the Beaster and that which would be high under Judgment keep that down by the Power of God in your selves lest the Lord God bring upon you something without you to bring you down who do not keep that down in your selves And therefore keep all that down with the Power of the Lord God in your selves and then ye will have Dominion over it all in the Power of the Lord God And live all in the Power of God which was before the Fall in which ye will have Fellowship over all the Fellowships in the Fall The Fellowship in the Power and above all outward things that have an End which Fellowship soeth over all that which is in the Strife For in the Power of God your Fellowship there hath no End which was before the Fall and Strife was in which is peace which Fellowship will remain when all that which is in the Fall is gone and in which is the perfect Vnity which keeps over all such Spirits which run into outward things from which arise Quarrels and Strife and Imperfections And therefore keep in the Power of the Lord God that is Everlasting in which is the Fellowship that hath no End in that live and dwell And feel the Seed of God over all that whlch makes to suffer and it will remain when all that is gone in that ye will feel Life over Death and Light over Darkness And so in that the Lord God Almighty preserve you and keekp you in the Dominon This Day I came into the Isle of Ely where I hear nothing Isle of Ely but things are peaceable and Friends Minds kept over all the Bustlings in the World and take little notice thereof but minds the Power of God which was before the Fall was in which Fall are Bustlings And so to the Lord God be faithful G. F. FRiends All ye that have known the Way of Truth and tafted of the Power of the same and now turn back into the World's Fashions and Customs ye stop them that are coming out of the World The World's Fashions and Customs ye make them to stumble at the Truth ye make them to question the say of the lord which is out of the Way of the World and its Ways and ye grieve the Righteous and sadden the Hearts of the Upright and Simple ye had better ye had never known the Way of Light Life and Power ye are the Cause of many keeping in Darkness you are the Cause of the Boasting of the Wicked and make the sicked to take you for an Example and their Object against Truth and them that live in it to plead against its Ways Ye had better never have been born your Days will be Sad Trouble and Vengeance will be your Garment and Cloathing in that State and a hard thing it will be for any of you to Repent for you will find a more subtle thing in you Repentance than was before you knew the Way fo Truth who have neglected hearing the Voice of God through which your Hearts are hardened Ye are the Cause of many Husbands and many Wives to boast themselves against the Truth and Servants and Children thereof for in some Families ther are Servants Convinced and Children Convinced and in others there are Husband Convinced and not Wife and Wife and not Husband and Servants and not Master and Children and not Parents So ye that turn from Truth ye
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
earthly Spirits and their dark earthly Spirit and the Power of God was before they were and will remain when that they are gone and it reigns over them all And that is the Word of the Lord God to you all And for my part I had as leive see a Priest to stand up in a Meeting as one of these dark earthly Spirits with their Hats on their Heads when that Friends pray for they cannot deceive Friends For I have been more burthened with their dark subtle and Sophistical Spirit than with the Priests which had no more shew of Reverence to God in that than to a Horse whose outward seeming Righteousness hath deceived many but the Power of God which destroyeth the Deceiver undeceiveth and bringteth People to that which did first Convince them And they that kept on their Hats when Friends prayed after a while some of them ran to the Priests to be married and some to hear them in the Steeple-Houses then this dark earthly Spirit could bow and put off its Hat to its own the dark Spirit which kept on the Hat in the Assemblies of the Righteous in Opposition against the Spirit and Power of God A Fainedness of Love And so this Spirit hath led People into a Fainedness of Love and Liberty which the Power and Spirit of God cannot own but judge and stand over and reign over if they keep their Habitations in the Power and Life and Truth of God which reigneth If they that are and have been in this dark earthly Spirit had but had a regard to the Power of God and his Truth they would have been Tender Offence given and afraid of giving any Occasion of Offence both to them that are within and to them that are without to draw out their Minds to look at that which their earthly Spirit has promoted and so to lay Stumbling-blocks and set up an Idol and an Image to look at which draws Peoples Eyes from the Witness of God in themselves But the Power of God is gone over it and will break it down And so this Belial's Spirit which would be without Yoke cries to such as in Love exhort them and judge it Ye Lord over us And so this earthly dark Spirit which is gotten above the Witness of God in themselves which is not sensible of the moving Spirit and Power of God it sets up its own earthly Form which the Power of God never set up An earthly Spirit but judges And this earthly Spirit judges all that are gathered together in the Power and that are constrained by the Power and Love of God in a familiar way to take one another by the Hand through the dearness and nearness of the Love of God and the pure clean and holy Life and also are moved by the Power of the Lord God to put off their Hats in Prayer This dark Sophistical earthly Spirit thus hath judged these Practices of the People of God afore-mentioned to be but a Form which are done in the Power of God it being out of the Power it self and the Fellowship and Vnity of it And because they that are in it are gone from that which first convinced them into outward things and into their Form in the earthly Spirit it judges those that will not follow them that have lost the Power of God And thus many of them are darkned with a cankered rusty Spirit which will corrupt them and hath destroyed many And this is that Hardness of Heart that has brought the Plague of Hardness of Heart through which there has been Strangeness and not Vnity nor Familiarness nor Nighness in the Truth for how should it when they are gone from that which firt Convinced them To that all must come before they have Fellowship and true Vnity in the Power and Truth of God which if that had been minded it would have led to follow Whatsoever things are Comely whatsoever things are Decent whatsoever things are of good Report and such things as make for Peace But this Spirit has followed the contrary and therefore the Power of the Lord God and the Life and Truth is against it and over it is gone and reigns And ye with your earthly Spirit and earthly Form have given Occasion to the World to say That the People of God called Quakers are divided some with their Hats on and some with them off and so they are opposite one to the other And these are the Fruits of the earthly Spirit which would bring Darkness and Earth over all but the Power of God is over this dark and earthly Spirit and the World and them that are in it and looketh upon them and the World as one against the Truth and the Power of God And the People of God called Quakers The Vnity of the People of God are One and not divided in the Power of God and his Truth and in God's Power and Spirit they are in Vnity in the Truth and Power of an endless Life This I was moved of the Lord God to write G. F. To Friends that Labour in the Ministry that their Lives may Preach DEar Friends and Brethren amongst whom the Vine is manifest Epist 215. and who are by Faith grafting into it The Vine made manifest through and in which ye may bear Fruit to glorifie God be Wise in all things and Harmless that your Lives Conversations and Innocency may preach and reach to the Hearts of all your Opposers and Persecutors And be Faithful and Valiant for the Truth upon the Earth and Tender to one another in all Convenient outward things for that is the least Love And dwell in that which redeems you from the Earth the Power of God in which ye may know the Kingdom which is Everlasting and come to be Hairs of that that ye may sit down in your own Possession knowing the Seed of God which was before the Seed of the Serpent was knowing the Birth born of the Spirit The Birth of the Spirit which was before the Birth born of the Flesh was And so live in the Truth by which ye may see over that which stains corrupts cankers loads and burdens the Creation by which Power of God and Truth ye may answer the Spirit of God in all which the Wicked grieve vex and quench by their ungodly Lusts and filthy Conversation and unsavoury Words Fear not Sufferings which bring to wear the Crown Fear not him that can kill the Body only Through Sufferings the Crown but can't hurt the Soul for that that is Immortal goes over him Fear God and fear not him hat can spoil the Goods for the Earth is the Lord's and the Fulness of it But mind God's Power and let your Patience be Perfect and all your Words seasoned with Grace that they may edifie by which ye may season the Earth your Hearts being establish'd in the same over all the unsavory Words and Talkers and live in the Truth above them And
Likeness may be defaced which is gotten up in the Hearts of Men and People since the beginning in Transgression So bring them to the Great Sacrifice the Lord Jesus Christ The Great Sacrifice the Seed of the Woman who Offered up himself for the Sin of the World the Top-stone which is over all laid who is Restoring by his Power who hath all Power in Heaven and Earth who is Restoring all things into the place as they were in the beginning and Reconciling in one by his Power things in Heaven and things in Earth destroying that which made the Separation and broak Vnity which is the Enmity in Peoples Minds which the Light that doth enlighten every one that cometh into the World destroys through which all People come to have Peace with God and Fellowship who do believe in it So spread the Truth abroad and be Valiant for it upon the Earth Improve your Talent and be the wise Virgins with Oil in your Lamps The Talent and wise Virgins that ye may enter in with the Bridegroom Have Salt in your selves that ye may savour all things and keep your Consciences clean and pure unto God and all Men. Live in the Cross of Christ and rejoyce in it which is the Power of God and goes over all that which lives out from God and which is in the Transgression and its Fruits to which it is Death to this Cross the Power of God all must bend and bow And in the Power of God is the Fellowship of the Cross The Cross which keeps over all the Fellowships in the World and crucifies to them And so ye who are Heirs of the Power of a World that hath no end and a Kingdom that is Everlasting sit down in your Inheritances of the Power of the Kingdom of the Blessing of the Promise that are Heirs of the same that ye may increase in the Everlasting in the Blessing and heavenly Riches And though the Oppressors of the Earth will not let you have a Foot of Ground yet ye have the Power of God to stand in and so ye that are Heirs of that Oppressors and Christ Jesus whose the Earth is and all things therein and are in the Power of God separated from the Power of Darkness the Devil and are come into that which was before he was ye have nothing to lose for all yours is the Lora's For they that are separated by Sin and Transgression into the Earth drove there they strick fast and have much to lose whose Hearts are surfeited with the Earth and to that Glewed and all their Fellowship is out of the Cross of Christ the Power of God and are within the Power of Darkness and its Dominion over whom it hath the Supremacy which the Power of God goes over in which is the Son's Liberty and the Saints Fellowship that Lives for ever thorow which they have Eternal Life Let this be Copied over and sent abroad to the Isls unto New-England and Virginia G. F. ALL may Dear Friends and Brethren Epist 217. who of the mighty Power of God have tasted in which it hath brought you to the Measure of the Life of Truth Concerning Judging and to feel after God in it unto which ye are turned as a Way that is Living and has no End which is Christ Jesus who is the Way of Peace and destroys the Devil the Author of Strife All ye that are turned unto this living Way by the Power of the mighty God of Heaven and Earth Live in Peace one with another and Unity and do not Judge one another for that eats and wears out the Good and begets the Enmity and hinders growth in Truth Keep that down and live in Love and Peace that edifies And all every where unto you this is the Word of the Lord God Live in the Power of the mighty God of Heaven and Earth that goes over the unrighteous World The Power of the mighty God in which is the Strife and the Devil and his Works which Power of God was before they were in that ye will feel Vnity which was before Strife So dwell in that in which ye may have a Kingdom that hath no End and the Dominion that is above all Dominions upon the Earth In which Power of God ye may enlarge your Borders and spread Truth abroad both to Jews Christians and Heathens having the Power of God that goes over them all and was before they were With that Power of God ye will answer the Witness of God in all and bring them to that that with that they may have a part in the Kingdom of God and a share with you of the same in which ye will have Peace Life Joy Dominion and Prosperity And so it will be your Life to do good and to beget into Life up to God and in that Power that doth so Do good ye will not labour in vain But above all things take heed of Judging one another for in that ye may destroy one another and leave one another behind and drive one another back into the World and eat out the good of one another and so hinder Vnity hinder Growth in the Life and the Power of God in which ye should have Peace and Joy in one another and Love which edifies and overcomes and gets the Victory So go on in the Truth answering it in every one in the inward parts and in the Power of God which comprehends Deceit The standing Fellowship which was before it was in that is your Life and in that the Kingdom is felt that never hath an End and the Dominion over all Dominions in that stands your Peace and Joy in the Holy Ghost which is the the Spirit of God that plungeth down that which made the Separation from God in that will be your Fellowship which will stand and remain when all the Fellowships of the Earth are gone In which Fellowship in the spirit ye will have Fellowship with God the Father of Spirits and all the Scripture given forth from the same Spirit and with all the Saints that gave them forth and with their Spirits through which Spirit of God ye will be brought and come to the Spirits of Just Men which are made perfect and to God the Judge of all In which as I said before ye will have an Everlasting Fellowship in which Spirit ye will have an Vnderstanding in which Spirit ye will come to worship God the Father of Spirits and in the Truth which the Devil and his Works are out of and all the Will-worshippers So in that ye will know the Royal Dominion and Royal Fellowship in which Spirit ye will have the Spirit of Wisdom in which ye will know how to pray to God who is a Spirit and to praise and glorifie the Everlasting God who lives for ever and ever Amen! And in that ye will come to know and see to the Beginning before the World began and that which
quencheth and grieveth and vexeth the Spirit of God and that prayeth and that preacheth and that praiseth and yet grieveth and vexeth and quencheth the Spirit of God such God the Father of Spirits accepts not that judges rend to pieces and tear one another about Inventions Now ye being led by the Spirit of God up to God the Father of Spirits in which ye have the Fellowship out of all that you will be kept and in that Spirit of God the Lord God Almighty preserve you and keep you and in that meet and dwell Meetings in which your Meetings may be preserved over all that which is in the World that are out of the Spirit of God who are in Confusion contending about the Words Therefore ye in the Spirit of God answer that of God in them all So in that dwell and live and let no man take your Crown Send Copies of this to all Friends that are convinced in New-England Barbadoes and all the Islands thereways G. F. DEar Friends and Brethren Let Patience possess your Souls Epist 218. and in the Seed of God dwell that over all the Top-Stone may be laid and set And the Kingdom of Peace dwell in which hath no End To Friends in Ireland in which ye will feel the Supreme Head And in the Power of the Lord keep your Meetings which was before the Waves were or Winds either So in that look over all and keep in the Faith by which ye will have Access to God over that which separates from God in that ye will have Vnity and will not fear the Amazements which are in the Sea Fear not Amazements because of the Winds and Storms and Blusterings who know the Election which was before the World began And live in Peace and Vnity in that and send over how things are among you I am in the North at Swarthmoor And Dear Friends and Brethren be not troubled but dwell in the Seed of God whichgoeth over all this and remains and stands when all this Blustering is ended and gone Therefore look at the Lord above all and his Arm For God had a Rid in secret to fetch down these Persecutors A Rod ia secret which have long reigned in their Wickedness until they were neither fit for God nor Man hardly So again God hath a Rod in Reserve to bring down these Spirits which have been a Rod. Therefore all dwell in the Power and Spirit of God which which ye will comprehend all that which is to change with that which doth not change and hath no End in that live and ye will have an Everlasting Unity And to you this is the Word of the Lord God G. F. ALL my Dear Friends Epist 219. Dwell in the Life and Love and Power and Wisdom of God and in Unity one with another and the Peace and Wisdom of God fill all your Hearts that nothing may Rule in you but Life which stands in the Lord God G. F. FRiends Epist 220. Truth is that which is Pure and is that which the Serpent is out of for there is no Serpent in the Truth and it admits of no Impurity And so there is no Serpent in the Way of Truth to bite and hurt any for the Way being the Truth is the same as it was in the Beginning though many things have risen against it Yet it remains the same Pure Truth and Holy Way So if any one have gone from it they are for Condemnation and their Works And when any thing is once condemned and judged let it not be raised up again but keep it in the Grave and raise not up the Dead out of the Grave any more they living in the Life and Light which doth Condemn and Judge it And all live in the Love of God which gives Dominion over all and Unites and Edifies all that abide in it If among Friends Reports to be stopp'd any Reports or Surmises be about any or any Back-bitings or Whisperings all such things must be stopp'd and search'd out for thus saith the Lord Thou shalt not raise a false Report among my People And that some of the faithful Friends of every Meeting whose Sincerity is for the Glory of God his Honour and his Holy Name into which they are all called may be chosen to search out such things and follow it till they find out the Author or Authors of it that it may not lie upon any nor in any but that all may be cleared and taken out of every Mind and all the Reports stopp'd and the things that are for Judgment let them be Judged and Condemned And furthermore That Friends take notice of all such Friends as go to Sea Sea-men Merchants Masters of Ships and Passengers abroad and at home that profess the Truth That if they have any ways dis-honoured the Lord God and brought an evil Report either in their Trading Lives or Conversations upon the Truth and the good Land Directions towards Seafering Persons and dishonoured the Lord God and his Name Truth and People that they may search into the bottom of it that so if they have done any thing worthy of Condemnation and Judgment it may be past upon them without any Respect of Persons And if the Report be false let their Innocency be manifest and the Reporter reproved And so that all that profess Truth may walk in the Truth and the Light of the Lord who are Children of Light who have their Name after the Living God And all to be circumspect diligent and careful in all these things that in no wise God may be dishonoured but in all things your Lives and Words may Preach that profess the Truth And all them that have gone from England and dishonoured God beyond Sea to write over Sea to search out and know the Ground of the Matter that all Obstructins that have hindred the Glory of God and the spreading of his Truth may be taken away that the Lord's Name may not be dishonoured nor his Way and Truth evil spoken of And so all Reports being searched into in all the Plantations concerning Friends there that if any one hath done any thing to dishonour Truth beyond Sea let them come to Judgment and Condmnation and give forth Papers of the same that the Papers may be sent abroad to take off the Reproach from the Innocent and so answer the Witness of God in them through their Repentance And if they will not write their own Condemnations then Friends must write and deny them and take it out of the Mouths of the World And all Friends that have dishonoured God and his Truth and People and Friends have been to Admonish them in a Gospel-Way and they still go on in their Wickedness and not Repent Friends may draw up a Paper at their Meeting when they are clear of them against them and their disorderly Walking and unruly Spirits and Loosness in general Words not mentioning the particulars except they be
notoriously known And Friends to do this with speed Cancerning the disorderly and to bring it to the Meetings and if any one be known to be an open Offender that then there may be an open Testimony against him in the particular shewing how that we have no Vnity nor Fellowship with such Workers of Darkness and how that they cast out themselves from amongst us being gone from the Life and Power of God in which our Fellowship is And that Copies of theh Paper may be read in Meetings and the Copies of the Papers to be sent to the Men's Meetings in the Countries where they live G. F. MY Dear Friends all every where the Power of the Lord God Epist 221. that first Convinced you and his Light and Truth all wait and walk in and keep your first Habitations in the Power of the Lord God and in his Light and Life and Spirit by which all your Minds may be stay'd and kept up to the Lord God in the unchangable Light Life Power and Spirit And so ye living in the unchangable Life and Light ye see Christ that does not change but ends all Changable things Types Figures and Shadows and destroys the Author of all evil Inventions and Traditions among all the Sons and Daughters of Adam in the Fall and so live all up in the Royal Seed in which ye have Life which Life was before Death walking in the Light which was before Darkness and in the Power of God which was before the Power of Darkness was which Power of God will keep you out of all feigned Spirits creeping in a pretence of Love and Innocency to draw your Minds out from the Power of God and your first Habitations into some outward things which will draw the Mind outward from the Power and so from your Habitation of Peace through which trouble will enter as it hath done upon some which now do see how they have gone from their Habitation Therefore in the Power of the Lord God which is Everlasting in which is the Fellowship Live which Power of God is perfect in which is the perfect Fellowship which was before Imperfection was In which Power of God is the Joy and Life and ye keeping in your Habitations of the Light Life and Power of God the Gospel by which you all see and discern your own Conditions with the Spirit of discerning laying hands on no Man suddenly Spirit of discerning but proving and trying all things seeing your own Conditions by the Power of the Lord and his Light by which ye may have the Spirit of discerning waiting and walking in the Truth that ye may adorn it walking in the Truth which was before Vntruth was And whatsoever is comely decent and of good report follow and walk in which is to the answering that of God in every one for living in the Power of the Lord God through which ye have every one a Habitation in God by the Power of God ye will come over Enmity and see before it was for its Habitation is in the Earth and some outward things but the Power of the Lord God and the Truth he is out of who is the Author of Enmity and being gone out of Truth seeks to bring others out of their Habitations the Power of God Therefore live in the Power of the Lord God and keep your Habitations in the Light and Spirit in your own particulars that by it all your Minds may be subjected to God in which you may all live in Peace Love and Vnity and the Royal Spirit and Seed of Unity and Dignity which keeps over the Spirit of Strife and was before it for the Strife among the Sons and Daughters of Adam in their Fall from Righteousness and Holiness and the Image of God is about these outward things Therefore mind the Power of God and the Righteousness and Holiness and your renewings into it which was before the Fall was and follow that which makes for Peace in the Truth and in the Life and Power of God which Peace will stand in the same dwelling in Love and Unity by which ye may all honour the Truth which will keep you over all the fallen Spirits that are striving and are busie about that which is in the Fall manifesting that they be fallen from the Power of God and gone from their first Habitation in which Power of God is the Peace in which the Kingdom stands Therefore all mind that and to be Heirs of that Kingdom that stands in Righteousness Peace and Joy in the Holy Ghost And so feel the Seed of God over all that set that makes to suffer which was before that was and will stand and remain when that which makes to suffer is gone in which you may all feel the Life which was in the Father before the World began and feel Christ to reign amongst you who is the Prince of Peace and Life and this will keep you from being tossed and carried about with strange Doctrines for the Seed Christ was before they all were and will remain when they are all gone in a pretence of new discoveries and outward things to bring Peoples Minds from their Habitations of Life and Truth which comprehends all things and see all things Therefore mind the Spirit of Truth and the unfeigned Love and Faith that works by it over all the Feignedness that by the Shield of Faith the Sword of the Spirit that may be cut down that none may be deceived by that but keep the Vnity of the Faith that gives you the victory and access to God and the Unity of the spirit the Bond of Peace and the Fellowship of the Gospel which is the Power of God which Power of God was before the Power of Satan was in that Live and Meet and Walk in the Name of the Lord which is a strong Tower whose Name is the Power and in the Tower is the Safety over Wickedness and before it was siting under your own Vine and abiding in it then ye abide in Christ by whom the World was made who is the Light Life and Truth and the Power of God and as ye abide there ye bear Fruit to the Glory of God and through him ye come every one to have a Habitation in God who brings out of the Fall where the Curse is to the State that Man was in before he fell in whom the Saints sit down in whom are the Pastures of Life and riches Eternal Everlasting and the Blessing of the Lord that with that ye may be cloathed And so Farewell My Love to all Friends in the Everlasting Seed of God that never changes which was before Changings were and stands when all Changings are gone that ye may know Christ to reign amongst you the Prince of Life and the Prince of Peace and the Counseller hearing the Voice of the Light the Life the Power of God and Truth 's Voice which goes before you who will give you Life abundantly even that
which is Eternal Now the Professors may see that the Hireling is fled and flies because he was an Hireling whose Religion was for the Summer whilst the Sun shin'd but in a Storm a Tempest a Mist or the Sun Clouded their Religion they flee from his Flight is in the Winter So the day manifests all things Our Religion is in the Power of God before Winter-Storms and Tempests were Mists Fogs or Clouds in the Light which shines over them all is our Religion that does not change in which there is Fruit born in the Winter by which Power of God all their Religions are seen which must have an end and will have an end which People runs into But in the Power of God and his Righteousness and Holiness which was before the Fall was live which power of God never alters not changes in which is both Life and Peace which remains for ever in that dwell and live and be Faithful and Valiant on Earth your Hearts stablished with Grace and your Words seasoned with the same keeping your selves in the Love of God and in the Life in which is Peace through which ye may be all a Comfort one to another living in the Life in which is the Everlasting Fellowship And so in that the Lord God Almighty preserve and keep you all Let this be read in all your Meetings in Barbadoes New-England Nevis and sent to Jamaica Virginia and Maryland to Friends there and to all the parts in the World where there is Friends A general Epistle to them all from Colchester in England G. F. The 10th Day of the 11th Month 1662. A General Epistle to be read in all the Christian Meetings in the World Blessed is he that readeth and blessed is he that heareth and understandeth and the eyes that see Read this over and you may read that which you have not read and see that which you have not seen MY Dear Friends all every where in the Seed dwell which is Christ the top-Stone over all Epist 222. feel it laid in which is Life Eternal which is over Death and before Death was and the Devil the Power of it every one sitting under their own Vine which is Christ the Life by whom the World was made that in that ye may all bear Fruit to God and all walking in the Name of the Lord which is the Power then you will walk in safety For blessed are all you that rise in the Power of God and lie down in the same Power your Beds are pare holy and undefiled who lie down in the Power of God before Unholiness was And so you that are gathered in the Name of Jesus who have bowed to the Name of Jesus whose Name is called The Power of God and the Word Light Life and Truth and for bowing to his Name for his Name sake have ye suffered all along by many Powers Christ a strong T wer his Name is a strong Tower So who have bowed to the Name and gathered in the Name of the Lord ye are in the strong Tower in which is safety and Peace for being gathered in the Name of Christ Jesus whose Name is above every Name for all things that was made was made by Christ above all other Names and Gatherings are you gathered who are gathered in the Name of Jesus Christ by whom all things were made and created and being gathered in the Name of Jesus Christ by which Salvation is brought by the Name of Christ and not by any other Name under Heaven but by the Name of Jesus Christ is Salvation brought by whom all things was made So ye being gathered in this Name by which Salvation is given here ye come to be Heirs of Salvation and then to Inherit Savation which is Christ and by this you come to fathom all other Names under the whole Heaven and to see them that there is no Salvation in them and so likewise all other Gatherings in all other Names no Salvation in them therefore cry People There is no assurance of Salvation upon the Earth who are gathered in other Names but not in the Name of Christ by which Salvation is brought and given by the Name of Christ by whom all things were made and this is the standing Gathering in the Name in the strong Tower where is the safety where is the Salvation given and brought Rejoyce ye all that are brought into this Gathering and have bowed to the Name of Jesus Now to bow at the Name of Jesus who is called the Power of God is to bow to the Power of God all things in Heaven and things in Earth must bow to the Name of Jesus before they be Reconciled to God Bow to the Name of Jesus for all things in Heaven and things in Earth are Reconciled by him in One So they must bow to the Name of Jesus as they have bowed to the Evil through which they are at difference one among another and not at Unity but bowing to the Name of Jesus brings to Reconciliation for all things in Heaven and things in Earth must bow at the Name of Jesus must bow at the Power of God before they be Reconciled in One. So bow at the Name of Jesus 2dly You must bow at the Cross of Christ which is the Power of God which since the Apostles days the Apostate Christians have lost and therefore they bow to a Cross a Stick a Stone a piece of Iron a piece of Wood Now bowing to the Cross of Christ which is the Power of God that strikes over the Nature of fallen Man for who bends and submits and yields and bows to the Power of God within feels it to rise over and strike over and work over the carnal Part and that Part that turns into ungodliness and all that is bad and is a cross to it So bow to the Power of God If all Christendom had done this they had had a Fellowship in this Cross of Christ which is a Mystery but a Cross Stick a Cross piece of Wood or Iron or Stone Crosses of Wood Iron and Stone this is not a Mystery but the Power of God that crosseth down the earthly carnal ungodly Part in Man and Woman and works over it and strikes over it and goes over it and crosseth it There is the Mystery of the Cross of Christ the Power of God in which is the Fellowship which Power of God keeps the Mind over all outward things in the Everlasting Power of God above them for the Power of God was before Unrighteousness and Uncleanness and the Idolatrous Part in Man was which Power of God is a cross to it and in that is the true Glorying in the Cross of Christ by which ye all are Crucified to the World and Dead to the World and the World is Dead to you Dead to the World through the Power of the Cross and the World is dead from the Power of the Cross in which Power is the Fellowship of
Floods nor Rains for the Seed Christ is over all and doth reigh And so be of good Faith and Valiant for the Truth For the Truth can live in the Goals And fear not the loss of the Fleece for it will grow again and follow the Lamb if it be under the Beast's Horns or under the Beast's Heels for the Lamb shall have the Victory over them all And so all live in the Seed Christ your Way that never fell and you do see over all the ways of Adam's and Eve's Sons and Daughters in the Fall And in the Seed Christ your Way you have Life and Peace and there you do see over all the ways of Adam in the Fall in which there is no Peace So in the Seed Christ stand and dwell in whom you have Life and Peace the Life that was with the Father before the World began The 9th Month 1663. G. F. DEar Friends who have tasted of that which is precious Epist 228. and have felt the Truth convincing of you and also felt the Power of the Lord God I feel something amongst some of you that is not right and how that such get up into the wise Part but are out of the Power and out of the Life and with that Judges and are beholding the Moats in others Eyes whilst the Beam is in their own Eyes Oh! Abuse not the Power in which is the Gospel-Fellowship which will keep all in Unity and grieve not the Spirit in which is the true Fellowship and the Bond of Peace Keep down High-mindedness despise not Prophesies and quench not the Spirit in the least for that is Flesh and not Spirit in your selves that doth so Judge not before the time that the Lord do come who brings to light all the hidden things of darkness in you run not into outward things that is the fleshly Mind that will run from one thing and so be restless and will not know what Seat to sit in after it hath been in one outward thing it will run into another and call it his growth in the Truth and fall a Judging others but that Jadgment is after the Flesh and there growth is in the Flesh for the Fruits of it is Strife Backbitings Whisperings and leads to Idleness Busie-Bodies from House to House Slandering Scandalizeing Vilisying and are in Lightness out of the Fear of God in Varience and sowing Dissention and these are the Seeds-Men of the Flesh and not of the Spirit and so feeds one another with that which burdens the Seed and quenches the Spirit and destroys the Love and Vnity which Love you should grow in So the Fruits of every Birth manifesteth it self the Fruits of the Spirit is Love and Peace and Truth and Plainness and Righteousness and Godliness But the Frutis of the Flesh are Backbitings Whisperings Lyings Slanderings Scandalizing And therefore mind what this Birth hath brought forth and shame it that hath cryed up outward things and what it hath run into and what it hath drawn you into that are in it and what it hath rent you from and whether you are not come to a loss and whether you are not gone into the Flesh and into the Air and lost your first Habitations of Tenderness and Compassion for every Birth knows its own and is grieved when it s own is Judged and that will never love plain Dealing and righteous Judgment which is honest and true but will have the false Prophets Cushion and Pillow and can neither endure sound Doctrine nor Judgment And therefore mind your first Habitation and first Love and that which did Convince you that you may all come into Life and Power to sit down in the Habitation of it in Love and Life and Vnity and let there not be a Backbiter nor Slanderous Tongue nor Lyar nor Whisperer Reproacher nor a Busie-body found amongst you for if there be it will leaven one another and bring Darkness and Death upon you Therefore as I said before Dwell in the Power of God in which you may keep Vnity Life Love and Peace and in which Power of God you may be drawn up out of Satan's Power into the Power of God in which is my Life and in it is my Habitation and Dwelling where I know the unspotted Garment hid from all the unclean Beasts Tongues Lips Hands and Eyes and Blessed are all you that keeps in the Power and have kept your first Habitation for you grow up as Calves in the Stall and such gad not abroad to change their ways for the Birth of the Flesh would have some outward thing to feed upon but the Birth of the Spirit reigns over it Farewell Lancaster Prison the 6th Day G. F. FRiends Epist 229. Let not your Knowledge be after the Flesh but in the Spirit Let not your Fellowship be in the Flesh but let it be in the Spirit So know Vnity in the Spirit and in the Gospel Let not your Affections be in the Flesh and on things below but let them be set on things that are above and on things that are heavenly above the things below Let not your Souls be subject to the Lower Power of Darkness which is out of the Truth lest you bring Destruction upon your own selves but let your Souls be subject to the Higher Power that is above the Lower Power of Darkness Let your Acquaintance and Familiarity be in the Spirit over that which would ensnare or entangle you and bring you not Bondage Let all your Minds be Heavenly and not Earthly Let all your Minds be Spiritual and kept above all that which is Carnal then they are kept out of Death in Life and in Peace For the Invisible is above all the Visible and the Immortal is above the Mortal and the Eternal is above the External and the Incorruptible is above the Corruptible As Life is above Death Life Light and Truth over the contraries and Truth is above Error and Falshood and Light is above Darkness and Righteousness is above Unrighteousness so the Goldy are above the Ungodly and Holy above the Prophane the Just is above the Unjust and the true Prophets and the true Ministers or Preachers and Apostles and the true Desciples are above all the False And the true Christ is above all the Anti-Christs and God is above the Devil and Virture is above Vice and the true Worship in the Spirit and in the Truth is above the false which is out of the Spirit and the Truth and the true Belief and Faith and Hope is above the false Belief which is Unbelief and the Living Faith is above the Dead Faith and the Hope that is the Anchor both sure and stedfast Anchors the Soul in the great Sea the World Sure Anchor when the Liviathan maketh a Storm among the Tongues Peoples Nations and Languages which are as Waters then the true Hope standeth and stayeth and is sure and stedfast and keeps the Soul up to God a-top of the Sea
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
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
Meetings in the Name of the Lord Jesus Christ that never fell Epist 241. in which you may see over all the Meetings that are gathered by all the Sons of Adam that are out of the Power and Life You that are gathered in the Name of the Lord Jesus Christ that never feel him will you feel in the midst of your Gatherings in the Light Life and Truth And so look over all the Wicked's Prisons at the Seed of God Christ which was before they were and will stand when they are all gone And so never heed the Wicked's Tempest Storm nor Hail nor his Arrows nor Instruments of Cruelty let nor the Back and the Hair the Cheek and the Shoulder be ever turned from him though many Weapons be formed against him and his followers yet they shall never Prosper for the Seed Christ shall reign over all and will stand when they are gone which was before they were And so be Faithful unto the Lord God and be Valiant for his Truth upon Earth Shewing that something will oppose it or else what need the word Valiant be spoken And so mind the Truth and not the Wicked's Persecutions and the Living Way which is Christ Jesus who never fell nor changeth in which you may see over all Adam's Sons and Daughters Ways in the Fall who do change being in the Way Christ Jesus that never fell who doth not change in this Way you have Life Eternal in which you see over all in the Fall in which is Death and so Christ being the Way he that forsakes his Way forsakes his Life and he that doth not come out of the Way of Adam that fell into the Way of Adam that never fell lives in Death So let all haste and run for their Lives into Adam that never fell out of Adam that fell for Adam's Ways that fell are the Ways of Death but Adam that never fell is the Way of Life In Adam in the Fall is Trouble and Unquietness but in Adam that never fell is Peace and Rest In Adam in the Fall is Shadows and Turnings but in Adam who is the Living Way is no Shadows nor Turnings So every one in Adam that never fell Christ Jesus who never changeth the same yesterday to day and for ever then you are in the Living Way in which you all have Life in Christ the Living Way which never fell And so He is the Way and he that forsakes the Way Christ forsakes his Life In this all may sound forth Who hath any thing against this Way Christ who nevr fell nor changed 'T was Adam changed and Eve changed and their Sons and Daughters in the Fall are in the falling changing changable Ways But who are in Christ that never fell sees over them all in the Fall that turns about with every Wind as it ariseth And so in your Way live all in Christ Jesus so will you feel Light Life and Power that Life which was with the Father before the World began In that all Feed and in that feel Power and that way never changeth with the Winds and Tempest and the cry is Haste haste out of Adam and Eve's evil Ways in the Death Fall and Changings and run run out of them into the Second Adam the Life and the Way that never fell nor changeth G. F. The Saints Weapons are Spiritual that the Blessing of God may come upon all Men. WE are not against any Man Epist 242. but desire that the Blessing of the Lord may come upon all Men and that which brings the Curse may be destroyed and in patience do we wait for that and with Spiritual Weapons against it do we wrestle and not against any Man or Woman's Person For amongst Us Christ is King who bringeth the Blessing and destroyeth that which brought the Curse And whoever dwells in Righteousness Man or Woman and loves Mercy and doth Justly and walks Humbly with God and hath the Humility which goes before the Honour we are not against But whosoever doth Unrighteously or doth not Justly nor Righteously nor walk Humbly before God and will have Honour before Humility God will overturn such by his Power And in that let your Faith be for we look not at Persons but at the Power of God and know the reign of Christ amongst us And as it is said God save the King or God bless the King we would not have him nor any Man destroyed but saved and so blessed And the saved Man will not suffer any thing to rule that destroys and so our Mind is and we would that all Men were saved and come to the knowledge of the Truth which the Persecutors are out of And all Friends dwell in the endless Power of the Lord in which the Supremacy is known and the Power which hath no end whose Dominion is over all Dominions and will stand when all other have an end and in that is the Patience felt which runneth the Race and obtaineth the Crown and that hath the Wisdom which is sweet and cool and pure whereby the living Truth hath the Supremacy and Dominion and in that keep your Meetings G. F. ALL my Dear Friends Epist 243. this is your Day to stand in him that stood stedfast and reign'd over old Adam and the Devil and all the Persecutors Old Adam did not stand but Christ the second Adam the heavenly Man stood and never fell Ye I say in him stand for now is your time to stand in the Life over Death and in the Light over Darkness and in the Seed that bruises the Serpent's Head in whom you all have Life Dominion and Peace The Lord is coming upon the Wicked in his Thundering Power for they are ripe For they are all corrupt with Blood and their Flesb is rotten and they are all fallen into the Pit being led by their Blind Guides into the Pit and Ditches where they are rot and stink being putrified with the heat of their Lusts G. F. To Friends in Barbadoes Virginia Maryland New-England and elsewhere OH Epist 244. You all that have tasted of the Power of the Lord God and of his Truth that is pure and doth not admit of any impurity nor change O! therefore the holy Truth mind which will let nothing that is unholy in you live For nothing that is unholy can enter into the Kingdom of God and none that are disobedient to Truth must enter into the Paradise of God for because of Disobedience was Man and Woman put out of Paradise And therefore all every where mind the pure Power of the Lord God and the Truth which first Convinced you and whatsoever is gotten up through the Carnal Reason and your Eyes going from the Power of God and that which doth Convince you let that be purged out of your Hearts if not it will lift up your Hearts to Consultations Subtilty Questionings Reasonings and Disputes Oh! I fell too much of that which hath gotten up into the wrong understanding
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. London
the 16th of the 9th Month 1666. G F. DEar Friends Dwell in the gentle Wisdom of the Lord God Epist 247. which is easie to be intreated and let not Wilfulness Hastiness and Impatience lay open your Nakedness to the World but dwell in the Power Seed and Life of Christ Jesus the Wisdom of God that with that ye all may be kept Cloathed in Patience and in the Love of the Lord God and in the Light in which is the Vnity one with another and with God And in the peaceable Mind and Spirit dwell for the Patient Sufferer weareth the Crown and hath the Victory at last and not the hasty agravating revengeful killing and fighting Spirit which must be crushed down with the Seed of the Lord God that bruiseth the Serpent's Head which is the cause of Enmity Venom and Poyson which Head being bruised down with the Seed and Life then nothing is fed upon but Life and Glory And in that is the Peace G. F. FRiends Keep your Meetings in the Power of the Lord God Epist 248. that hath gathered you and none quench the Spirit nor despise Prophesying An Exhortation to set up Womens Meetings but keep up your Testimony in Publick and Private Let not the Mouths of Babes and Sucklings be stopp'd nor the Seed in Male or Female but all be Valiant for the Lord's Truth upon the Earth Concerning the Womens Meetings encourage all the Women of Families that are convinced and mind Vertue and love Truth and walk in it that they may come up into God's Service that they may be serviceable in their Generation and in the Creation and come into the Practice of the pure Religion which you have received from God from above that every One may come to know their Duty in it and their Service in the Power and Wisdom of God For now the practick Part is call'd for For People must not be always Talking and Hearing but they must come into Obedience to the Great God of Heaven and Earth And so that none may stand idle out of the Vineyard and out of the Service and out of their Duty for such will Talk and Tattle and Judge with evil Thoughts of what they in the Vineyard say and do And therefore the Power of the Lord God calls in all into their Duty into their Service in their Places in Vertue and Righteousness and into the Wisdom and Power of God For all that are out of this are out of their Duty and Services tho' they may have the Knowledge of it yet are not serviceable in the Creation nor in their Generation and the Power of God must go over and is over all such in which all must be acted and in which true Obedience is known And therefore train up your young Women to know their Duty in this thing that they may be in their Services and Places Young Women to be Instructed for all Truth 's Business you are to do in the Power and Wisdom of God by which you are kept open to the Lord to receive of his Gifts and Graces and of his Life through which you are to minister one to another And all keeping in it then there is none to lett nor stop its Flowings but through it you are all watered as a Garden of Plants by which you are nourished And so all be Faithful and Diligent And make all the sober Women both of Town and Country acquainted with this thing And read this in your Monthly Meetings when you are gathered together And when you have made the sober Women acquainted in the Towns and Countries and have them together then read this amongst them So no more but my Love G. F. A General Epistle to Friends and all People to read over and consider in the Fear of God BLessed are all those whose Minds are staid upon the Lord Epist 249. for they shall be kept in Perfect Peace I. Concerning the Word of God and the Original what it is so where the Mind is staid upon the Lord there is a Perfect Peace for it is a whole Peace which cannot be broken So here is not only a Perfect Peace but a Blessing a Perfect Peace which comes from the God of all Peace that bruiseth the Serpent's Head under your Feet the Troubler and the Blessings which come from the blessed God Perfect Peace in God only and not in the Creatures So all imperfect Peace may be broken that is when the Mind is staid upon the Creature or in any Creature and not upon the Creator or in any outward Things Goods Houses Lands or Inventions of Vanities in the foolish vain Fashions which the Lust of the Eye and the Pride of Life go into which will defile and corrupt it When any of these things fail and are not according to your Mind it being in them then your Peace is broken and you are cross and brittle and Envy gets up So this is not a perfect Peace but is a broken Peace and then you have the Trouble and not the Blessing And the Reason is because your Minds are in the Creatures and the outward Things and are not staid upon the Creator where the perfect Peace is and the Blessing where nothing can get betwixt you and the Lord. And this is below Job to have the Mind in the Creatures and visible things for when you are tried and Creatures fail you you are cross'd and troubled that shews an imperfect State for God said That Job was a perfect Man And when that the Lord suffered him to be tried and when that his Goods and Houses were thrown down and driven away and Servants killed he said Blessed be the Name of the Lord for the Lord gave and the Lord taketh Here his Mind was staied upon the Lord and he retained his Peace And when that his Children were destroyed and his Wife said to him What dost thou still retain thy Integrity Curse God and die he rebukes her and calls her A foolish Woman and said unto her Shall I receive good of the Lord and not evill Naked I came out of my Mother's Womb and naked I must return Here Job kept his Integrity still and did not all this while offend with his Lips Now many of you who think your selves high and above Job if that your Goods and Children should be after the same manner taken away whose Minds are in them you would be found in a troubled brickle State far below Job And when that Job's Friends came to reason with him who kept his Integrity and would no way yield to them they counted him an Hypocrite and said He restrained Prayer and filled his Belly with East-wind and said What shall mortal Man be more pure than his Maker Shall Man that is born of a Woman be just God chargeth his Angels with Folly and the Heavens are not clear in his Sight And these are the Scriptures the Priests use to bring against Friends who keep their Integrity
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
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
Enmity or Adversary was And all such as cry Away with your Laws we will have none of your Laws To such as come to the Law of the Spirit of Life in Christ Jesus which makes free from the Law of Sin and Death and puts down that Authority which Life was before Death and Sin was and remains when it is gone and in the Life in Christ Jesus is the Saints Fellowship and Vnity and Bond of Peace All such as cry against Laws so much are the Sons of Belial and would be without the Yoke of the Law of the Son of God Such always were the stirrers up of Mischief and Schism from the Body and they took Liberty to say any thing as ye may read in the Book of Kings in the Days of Jezebel and in the Days of Stephen and yet these that cry so much against Laws yet they live themselve in the Law of Sin and Death which they obey when they do Evil who are without the Understanding of the Righteous Law which the Righteous live in and sees Therefore such must be exhorted and reproved if they go under the Name of Quakers and are not in the Life That Justice Judgment and Righteousness may flow as a River and as a Stream and drive away all the Filth from among us that nothing but the Power of God and the Life of Truth may amongst us rule that the Living God which hath blessed you with his heavenly Riches and Mercies and largely manifested them among you may be in all things honoured magnified and exalted To whom all belongs God over all blessed for ever So that every one may adorn the Truth and the Gospel and mind the Lord's Business above their own And every one be tender of the Glory of God and be careful that in no ways his Name and Truth be dishonoured So let this be read in all your Men and Womens Meetings who are to take notice of all such things So no more but my Love in the Vniversal Seed of God which never sinned which is First and Last the Top and Corner-Stone G. F. For Friends in the Ministry scattered abroad in Virginia Maryland New-England Barbadoes and other Plantatations beyond the Sea TO all you that minister abroad in those Parts Epist 252. this is the Word of the Lord to you all Live in Lowliness of Mind and Meekness of Spirit and Pureness of Heart and be Examples in your Lives and Chaste in your Conversations in Holiness of Mind that you may be a good Savour amongst the People where you come Let all ungracious light unseasoned Expressions be kept out of your Minds and Mouths which edifies not the New Life and keep single unto God and single-hearted to Man and plain in all things and low For it is the Word of the Lord and the Light of God that Prophesieth and Revealeth the Dispensation of the Gospel of Christ unto People Be ye faithful in it Epist 252. and walk answerable to it and to that holy Gift or Manifestation of Prophesie And let none be lifted up with it for Life brings low and down as you are kept in the Holiness of it and the Wisdom of God through which you answer that of God in all This doth not hinder the effect of that which you have to minister but the Life is opened to receive it in walking and answering that which you have to minister tho' the contrary part may rise up against you Be at Vnity amongst your selves that you may not make Sects nor Schisms or stumble the Weak For you know that cursed Spirit that made Rents and got into the Affections and uppermost Part of People hath buried the Witness of God in many and made open Rents which may break also into other Ages against Truth and them that live in it which in time will wither and fade away as Grass upon the House top and their Arrows will turn into their own Bowels that are shot against the Righteous both of the Professor and Prophane And so be Valiant for the Truth upon the Earth abhorring all Vncleanness and Vnrighteousness flying all youthful Ways and fond Affections below being kept above them shewing the new Life to them that be in the Old and a New Conversation to them that be in the Vain and Gentleness to all the Perverse and Straightness to all the Crooked and Plainness to all the Rough and Lowliness to all the Mountains of Ungodliness and Unrighteousness for the Lamb must have the Victory And so you may be one another's Crown Joy and Rejoycing in the Lord and not one another's Sorrow and Grief And so that all may be brought to the Witness of God which first convinced them who have run out and to the Life to answer it through which you may come to have Vnity with God and with them in the Eternal and Everlasting Life And some of you should take some of the eminent true good and upright Friends and go and discourse with some of the Heathen Kings desiring them to gather their Council and People together that you may declare God's Everlasting Truth and his Everlasting Way of Life and Salvation to them knowing that Christ is the Promise of God to them a Covenant of Light to the Gentiles which is the Heathen who is also the New Covenant to the Jews for you have been amongst the old rotten-hearted Professors and seen the Power of the Lord come over them So now turn to the Gentiles to whom Christ is given for a Covenant of Light and of Salvation to the Ends of the Earth So that the Light must be preached and sounded throughout all the Heathen Kings and Princes Countries and therefore as you feel and are moved about Six or more Persons living in those Parts near unto them to go with you as I said and desire the King to gather his Council and Subjects together that they may hear that which hath been promised to them God's Everlasting Covenant of Light and Life and Salvation to the Ends of the Earth And so be faithful in his Power which was before the Devil was who hath darkned People and set them one against another You having on the Armour of Light which was before the Power of Darkness and which must stand against them and having on the Breast-Plate of Righteousness that you may stand against all Vnrighteousness and the Shield of Faith the Helmet of Salvation and the Sword of the Spirit which is the Word of God which was before the World was through which you may savour and discern in Wisdom and in Vnderstanding you may judge and feel by the Word of Reconciliation committed to God's Servants his Sons and his Daughters which Word of Faith is now preached even the same which was amongst the Apostles which all must obey and do which reconciles to God and to just Mens Spirits and to one another So no more but my Love to you all in the Everlasting Seed of God that
never changeth For the Word is the same now as it was in the Beginning in Ages past manifested over all which many Thousands have received Glory and Blessing to the Lord God for ever So be Faithful that you may be one another's Crown and rejoycing in the Lord going together in the Love and Fear of the Lord. For Friends in Maryland were a pretty People And Friends you have had large Experience of that Spirit that run into the Hat that it was not of God which scatters to the World and begot none to God which is to be bruised by the Seed of God Christ Jesus which gathers to God London the 1st of the 7th Month 1667. G. F. To Friends in Holland DEar Friends In the Everlasting Power of the Lord God Epist 253. I salute all the Faithful and Vpright among whom the Lord hath Joy and Delight in which Everlasting Power of God have you your Vnity Fellowship and Dominion And so Friends all Sufferings of Friends of what sort soever for Conscience sake to Christ in Holland in Germany in Zealand in Gilderland in the Palatinate in Freezland Sweedland Switzerland and Hambrough send an Account for what they have suffered and by whom together with the Examples that are fallen upon the Persecutors with their Mittimusses and Examinations send all these to London to Friends there that if any Ambassadors or Agents out of any of those Places come to London Friends may make Application to them for there are some Friends who are ordered for the same Purpose to take knowledge of such things And likewise if any Friends have come over into those Parts of the World and have not walked answerable to the Gospel of Truth but have walked scandalously and disorderly whether they have been such who have come over to Minister or Sea-men and Factors or Merchants or Masters of Ships whereby the Lord God hath been dishonoured and his Holy Name blasphemed by which his People are called And also all such who have not been Faithful in their Callings between Man and Man but have been deceitful in their Callings and have been Exactors and have not been true to their Word by such Doings they cause the Holy Name of the Lord God and his Righteous Truth to be evil spoken of That a List of all such may be gathered up and sent over to London to such who are to receive them and that if they condemn those things and have given forth a Paper of Condemnation against them if so that we may have a Copy of it also to take away the Reproach of their Transgressions from Frinds And let the Faithful Friends amongst you meet together to consider and take Care about these things G. F. FRiends Epist 254. let your Affections be set on things that are above for if they be on things below then your Minds Bodies Souls and Spirits will be brought into Bondage and in that the Evil will get into you and burden you which ought to be kept down by the Seed of Life And learn the true Humility of Christ the Second Adam And so all they that watch for the Soul must have the Immortal Eye for the Soul is Immortal And therefore all Eyes must be kept above that which is Mortal and out of it up to the Immortal God whose Dwelling is in the Light And so mind the Gospel which is Immortal and the Government of him that never sinned nor fell and to know the increase of it daily which hath no end For the Lord is establishing his Church in Righteousness and Truth whose Church is without spot wrinkle and blemish or any such thing and his People are a holy Generation and they are to stand up for Holiness in which Holiness they will see God among them And let every one see that they do keep their own Vineyard clean Dear Friends mind the Gospel which is the Power of God that was hefore the Devil and old Adam was in this Power is the Comely Order and out of this Power is all the Vncomely Orders And so know the Government of Christ and the Increase thereof which hath no end And this Governour and Government was before the Devil and old Adam was and will stand when all that is gone G. F. DEar Friends Epist 255. all who from the Beginning have been convinced of God's Truth and are turned to the World or gone into Drunkenness Swearing Pleasure and Loosness or to the old Mass-house or have fold the Truth for a Wife or Husband and gone to the Priests covertly to be Married contrary to the Truth they have professed These all must be Admonished to come to the Light that did first Convince them and give forth a Paper of Condemnation and send it to the Priests and to those Places where they have dishonoured God his Truth and People And so to clear the Truth that none may make a Jest of their Transgressions and by walking out of the Truth cause the Blind to wander so that the House may be swept And ye being an holy Generation may stand up for Holiness in your Generation as the Wicked World stands up for Vnholiness Surrey the 10th of the 7th Month 1668. G. F. MY Dear Friends Epist 256. Live in the Wisdom of God which is gentle and pure from above and easie to be intreated all bear one anothers Burdens and so fulfil the Law of Christ And if any weakness should appear in any in your Meetings not for any to lay it open and tell it abroad that 's not Wisdom that doth so for Love covereth a multitude of Sins and Love preserves and edifies the Body and he that dwells in Love dwells in God for God is Love and Love is not easily provoked and therefore keep the Law of Love to keep down that which is so provoked for that which is easily provoked hath Words which are for Condemnation Therefore let the Law of Love be amongst you which is not easily provoked and this Law of Love being amongst you it will keep down that which is so provoked and its Words and so the Body edifies it self in Love G. F. DEar Friends be faithful in the Service of God Epist 257. and mind the Lord's Business and be diligent so will the Power of the Lord be brought over all those that have gain-say'd it And all ye that are faithful go to visit them that have been Convinced from House to House that if it be possible ye may not leave a Hoof in Egypt And so every one go seek the lost Sheep and bring him home on your backs to the Fold and there will be more joy of that one Sheep than the Ninety and nine in the Fold And Friends all take heed of Sleeping in Meetings and Sottishness and Dulness for it is an unsavoury thing to see one sit Nodding in a Meeting and so to lose the Sense of the Lord And it 's a Shame and a Sadness both and it grieveth the
Vpright and Watchful that wait upon the Lord to see such things and for the Priests People and others that come into your Meetings and see you that come together to Worship God and to meet together to wait upon him and to have Fellowship in his Spirit for you to sit Nodding it is a shame and an unseemly thing Therefore be Careful and Watchful and let it be mended and mind the Light and Power of Christ Jesus in you and that will condemn all such things and lead you out of and above such things and make you watchful one over another for your Good Let this be read in all your Meetings G. F. DEar Friends in the Truth of God that changeth not Epist 258. is my Love to you in that which is unfeigned and everlasting in the same Power and the same Seed of Life as ever was and was at the first going forth among you And so Friends the Lord in his everlasting and mighty Power hath moved some to go over in those parts to Declare his Word of Life and Everlasting Gospel And some have not walked afterwards as becometh the Gospel both them that have declared it and them who have received it whereby there hath been a stop to the progress of the Truth and Power of God that it hath not had its full Course and by that burdens have been brought upon the Just and Innocent and the Mouths of the World instead of stopping them they have opened them to speak evil of the Truth and Way of God And so Friends this is the thing in short and plainness all that have come over into your Plantations and Islands either to Minister or Plant or as Passengers to see the Country or Sea-men Masters of Ships Factors or Merchants that have dishonoured the Lord God and his Truth and have opened the Mouths of the World to Blaspheme God and to speak Evil of his Way and Holy Truth that the Righteous live in Such I say before mentioned that have gotten into Drunkeness or Loosness in Words and Life and have not been faithful in their Dealings or have shewed any immodest Carriages or are gotten up into those things which the Power of God did not set up in the beginning which faithful Friends have continued in and have gone into Sects and Jangles which is out of the Power of God which Friends are in who keep their Habitations in Christ Jesus in whom there is Peace And all such likewise who are gone into Uncleanness and such who pretend to preach the Gospel and are sate down in the Earth like Demas and have forsaken the Gift of God and sit down in the Earth and esteemed the Earth before it and so set up their own Business and slighted the Lord's And such who are gotten into the rotten Principles of the Ranters who wear their Hats when Friends pray who out of the Wisdom of God would manifest to the World a Separation and to shew that they are not of the Spirit Power and Mind as Friends were in at the first As also all such that raise false Reports which are forbidden by the Lord among his People These things are to be searched out to the bottom that Righteousness and Truth may flow and have its passage through all Hearts and all may come to the Habitation which they had at the first and all that is contrary may come to Judgment and Condemnation For the House must be swept and cleansed of all the things above-mentioned that hath gotten into any that all may come up into the Sanctified Life for the Ancient of Days is come and the Judgment is set and they that have kept their Habitations witness this And therefore Friends this is my Advice to you I would have you to gather up a List of all these things aforementioned in all your Istands and Plantations let them be searched throughly that what is for Judgment and Condemnation may be brought to it and that you may send an Account to Friends at London of such that come from thence that have been since Scandalous in their Conversations So that every one may come to that which did at first Convince them and to condemn their contrary Actions And that Papers may be sent to the World who have known their Transgressions to clear Truth and Friends and to fetch it out of their Mouths that so they may not feed upon any ones Transgressions that the Miscarriages of some may not be charged on the Body of Friends G. F. MY Dear Friends Epist 259. be faithful in the Truth which the Devil is out of in which Truth you have Dominion over him And live in the Power of God which was before the Devil was in which Power of God which is the Gospel is your Fellowship And live in the Light which was before Darkness was and the Power of it in which Light is also your Everlasting Fellowship and in this you will know God's dwelling which is in the Light And dwell in the Life which was before Death was and the Devil the Power of it and in this Life you will have Dominion over Death and the Power of it And so you do well that take heed to the Light and walk in it and they that do Evil do not take heed to the Light And so walk in the Light as Children of the Light and in that ye will have Fellowship one with another and with the Son and the Father And so mind the Ingrafted Word which is able to save your Souls and that will keep your Eyes and Minds over all that which is not able to save and keep your Feet on the top of that And so be of that good Faith which gives you victory and access to God in which you do all please God and have Unity one with another And so mind the Seed Christ which is over all that which makes to Suffer and was before that was and will stand when that is gone that makes to suffer in that Seed live and know it your Crown and Life and in that you will be one anothers Crown and Joy in the Lord God blessed for ever And so keep your Meetings in the Name and Power of the Lord Jesus Christ that never fell and the Seed Christ reigns in whom you have Life that was with the Father before the World began G. F. DEar Friends If the Truth make you free then are ye free indeed Epist 260. So then there are none made Free-men but by Truth and all that are Free-men they are made free by the Truth they are God's Free-men they are Free-Citizens they are Free-Holders of an Everlasting Inheritance and free of an Everlasting Kingdom and they are Free-Heirs of Salvation and they are free of the heavenly City Jerusalem which is from above and they are free of the Power of an Endless Life which was before Death was So they are not Captives they are not Bond-men they are not Servants nor Slaves But
Mark Free-Men and Free-Women And what hath made them Free-Men and Free-Women but Truth For if the Truth hath made you free then are you free indeed So free to worship God in the Spirit and in Truth which the Devil is out of for to serve the Lord God in the Spirit and in the New Life They are above the Serpent and from under his Controul and from under the Controul of old Adam and his beggarly Rudiments and Will-Worships and false Righteousness Truth makes free from all these and makes free to be Partakers of Christ Jesus and of his Blood and his Spirit and Mind who is the Prince of Peace and Prince of Life and makes free to be Partakers of the Divine Nature and Precious Faith and to be Members of the True Church and Gospel Fellowship and Power of God which was before the Devil was So stand fast in the Liberty wherewith Christ hath made you free free from the Devil Dragon and Serpent and all Slavery and Servitude For Free-Men do walk in their Freedom for it is the Truth makes them Free and so to Triumph in Glory And so if the Truth have made you free then are you free indeed free from all the Will-Worships and from all the windy Doctrines from all the evil Inventions Traditions Imaginations and Notions and Rudiments of Adam in the Fall who are from Truth and free from the Devil who is out of Truth So it is plain none are free but by the Truth and all in the Truth are Free-Men And all out of the Truth are Slaves in Old Adam and Slaves to Sin and Satan and to his Will-Worship and to their own Self-Righteousness and to their Rudiments Doctrines and Traditions serving divers Lusts Pleasures and Corruptions and serving the Creatures more than the Creator who is God blessed for ever and serving the Desires of their own Minds and so as Slaves are kept in Bondage all in Prison all in the Bonds of Death and Jaws of Death for who are out of Truth are no Free-Men Though they be High Priests and Readers Preachers and Expounders as the great High Priests and the lofty Pharisees and Scribes were Professing the Scriptures yet not in the Truth and so not Freemen For they are in Malice and Envy like Cain Oppressors like Pharaoh raging Persecutors like Nebuchadnezzar and the Jews as Wild as Ishmael as Prophane as Esau out of the Truth are all those found fasting with Fists of Wickedness lifting up bloody Hands mingling their Sacrifices with the Blood of the persecuted praying to the Majestrates for Persecution All this is out of Truth and not in the Freedom so not Free-Men but doing the Devil's Lusts and Service as the Jews did And so if the Truth make you free ye are free indeed ye are free from all those things above-mentioned The Truth makes free from Envy and from Prophaness and from Wildness and from Wickedness and from the bloody Hands Free from the Fasts of those that hang down their Heads like a Bulrush free from the persecuting Spirits free from the false Prophets Deceivers Seducers Anti-Christs and all Anti-Christian false Prophets Deceivers and Seducers are Satan's Bond-slaves Vassals and Bond men and being with his Oars chained in his Gallies they carry his Wares and do his Work up and down the World which is the Sea But Truth makes free from all these free from the Hipocrites Hope which perisheth free from Nebuchadnezzar's Fury and it makes free from the wild Heifers Nature and from the Dogg Swine Horse Viper Cockatrice Serpent's Nature and from the Spider and his Webb and from the Oak and Cedar and the Bramble and Briar and Bear and Lion The Truth makes free from all these and brings Man and Woman into the Image of God And so if the Truth makes you free then are you free indeed And the Truth is Christ and Christ is the Truth which makes you free from all Falshood and makes you free from the World which lies in Wickedness and Vnrighteousness by which you come to be Free-Men of the World which hath no End And an high-way shall be there Isaiah 35.8 and a way and it shall be called the way of holiness the unclean shall not pass over it Mark The unclean shall not pass over it This Way which is called the Way of Holiness was spoken of by Prophesie and this Way is Christ who is the Way of Holiness who is above the Vnclean and destroys it and the Ground of it the Devil and so the Vnclean cannot pass over this Way of Holiness This is our Way who are in scorn called Quakers to wit Christ And this Way of Holiness shall be for the way-faring Men though Fools yet they shall not err therein where no Lion nor ravenous Beast nor Lion's Whelp shall go thereon All the ravenous Beasts are without in the Way of the World without Christ and God But the Redeemed shall walk in this Way of Holiness Christ Jesus and the ransomed of the Lord shall walk in this Way of Holiness and they that do return from the Way of the World to Sion shall walk in this Way of Holiness with singing and everlasting Joy upon their Heads And they that walk in this Way of Holiness Christ Jesus shall obtain Joy and Gladness and Sorrow and Sighing shall flee away And all that walk in this Way of Holiness their deaf Ear is unstopped and their blind Eye is opened And the lame Man here shall leap as an Hart and the dumb Man's Yongue shall sing And here he shall see Waters gush out of the Rock and Streams out of the Desart in this Way of Holiness And here he shall see in this Way the patched Ground become a Pool and the thirsty Land full of Springs and in the Habitation where Dragons lay shall be Grass with Reeds and Rushes which begins to spring Glory be to the Lord for ever And this Way of Holiness which the Prophets prophesied of is Christ Jesus the Way who said of himself I am the Way and he is over all the fallen Ways and before the Way of the Serpent glorified with Father before the World began And this is the Way of the way-faring Men who have been way-faring up and down from Religion to Religion from Worship to Worship from one People to another from one Minister and Teacher to another and could not sit down in any of their Ways but way-fared travelled and sought And now Glory be to the Lord for ever Thousands of these way-faring Men are come to find their Way Christ Jesus and though Fools yet shall not err therein that is they shall not err in their Way They shall not err in Christ Jesus for there is no Error in him for he was before Error was for Christ the Way destroys the Devil and his Works the Ground of all Error So though they be called Fools these way-faring Men by all the Sons of Adam that are set down in their
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
have an Eye over them that come to spy out your Liberty in Christ and will report out of your Meetings things to make Advantage and to the defaming of Persons And let every one seek the good of one another and their Wellfare in the Truth and make others Condition their own and this keeps as a Father and Mother to condescend to a Child And all live in the Seed which hath the Blessing and in the Wisdom by which you may order all things to God's Glory over the evil Seed that is out of the Truth And if any one hath any thing to say in opposition to the matter of Marriages propounded by any to the Meeting such Friend or Friends to make it known what they have against the Parties to such as are appointed by the Meeting to enquire into the Clearness of the Parties who laid their Intentions before the Meeting And such Friends as have Intentions of Marriage first to lay it before the Men and Women of the Monthly Meeting they belong to and to see that things are Clear before they are brought to the Two Weeks Meeting And if any Difference arise either about Marriages or any other Case in the Two Weeks Meetings that the Business be presently referred to Six Friends to have a hearing of the Matter another day or else for them to go forth and determine it presently and not to discourse it in the open Meeting And if any Legacy be left by any deceased Friend to a particular Use as to putting forth Apprentices and breeding up poor Friends Children that the said Money be kept distinct as a Stock for the said Use and a particular Account thereof to be kept And the Quarterly or Six Weeks Meetings to see that the said Monies be disposed of to the Uses as aforesaid And if any of the principal Money so given be at any time made Use of to any other Use that it be again made up by the Meeting of Friends in General And though the Money be left or given to any particular Friend for the Use aforesaid yet the same to be paid to Two or Three Persons whom the Quarterly Meeting or Six Weeks Meeting shall appoint to receive such Money that so the Meeting may have the Ordering and Disposing of the said Money to the best Advantage and Use intended And that Friends do keep in their Testimony against the vain Fashions of the World and all Loosness and Vncleanness whatsoever and againsT all Prophane idle Tipling and taking Tobaccor in Coffee-Houses and Ale-Houses which is an ill Savour And against all Strife and Contention whatsoever And that some Friends be appointed at every Meeting to keep the Doors to keep down rude Boys and unruly Spirits that so the Meetings may be kept Civil and Quiet And if one Friend hath any thing against another let him not treasure it up till the time of his Marriage and then cast it upon him publickly but let him presently speak to the Friend and also to them that the Meeting hath appointed to see after his Clearness c. And that things may not be deferred too long at the Two Weeks Meeting concering Marriages but that they may be answered in a short time lest they be put to a strait in the Matter And stop all bad Reports for thou shalt not raise a falfe Report upon my People saith the Lord and minister Justice upon it presently so that no Man or Woman may be defiled or defamed with such things Read this in the Men and Womens Meetings in the Fear of the Lord as often as you see occasion and record it in your Book G. F. An Additional Extract from other of G. F's Epistles both of former and later Dates more largely speaking to things contained in the Paper foregoing with some new Matters recommended to Friends by him from time to time to be taken notice of at their Quarterly and other Meetings FRiends Fellowship must be in the Spirit Epist 264. and all Friends must know one another in the Spirit and Power of God And in all the Meetings of the County Two or Three may be appointed from them to go to the Quarterly Meetings for to give Notice one to another if there be any that walk not in the Truth and have been convinced and gone from the Truth and so have dishonoured God And likewise if any that profess the Truth follow Pleasures Drunkenness Gaming 's or are not faithful in their Callings and Dealings nor Honest nor Just but run into Debt and so bring a Scandal upon the Truth Friends may give Notice to the Quarterly Meeting if there be any such and some may be ordered to go and Exhort them and bring in their Answers to the next Quarterly Meeting And so to query and search out all such as live not as becomes the Truth and the Gospel and yet do profess it so that they all may walk in it as well as talk of it for none hath the heavenly Comfort of it but who do walk in it For all the Talkers of Christ and his Gospel that do not walk in him disthonour him And all Uncleanness and Loosness in all your Meetings Judge and Condemn with the Light Power and Spirit of Christ so that nothing may reign among you but that which doth glorifie God and Christ And to admonish all them that be Careless and Slothful to Diligence in the Truth and Service for God and to bring forth heavenly Fruits to God that they may mind the good Works of God and do them in believing in his Son and shew it forth in their Conversations and to deny the Devil and his bad Works and not to do them And to seek them that be lost or driven away from the Truth into the Devil's dark Wilderness by his dark Power seek them again by the Truth and by the Truth and Power of God bring them to God again And to see that all that come amongst Friends and profess Truth keep to Yea and Nay in their Dealings and Communications in Justice and Equity and not in Oppression And that in all the Monthly Meetings there be an Inquiry whether any that profess Truth are out of the pure Language Thou to every one whether they keep up God and Christ's Language that the Holy Prophets and Apostles used over all the flattering Words in the World And Friends my Desire is That ye all may be preserved in the Lord's Power and in his Everlasting Seed and so in the Order of the Gospel and in the Government of Christ Jesus of the Increase of which there is no end And that ye may keep up your ancient Testimony in the Power and Spirit of God against Tithes and that ye may keep up your ancient Testimony in the sincere Life for Christ your High-Priest against the Heireling Priests and their Old Temples manifesting that ye are the Temples of God And let Inquiry be made concerning all such among Friends as do pay Tithes which
to be Help-meets together as long as they live And if any Man or Woman come out of another Country they must bring a Certificate from the Men and Womens Meeting to them where they take their Wife and Husband And no Man or Woman is to be permitted to proceed in Marriage if they be engaged or entangled with any other till they be cleared Dear Friends All Differences amongst Friends to be ended by some appointed out of the Meetings if there happen any Difference betwixt Friend and Friend let them speak to one anothe and if they will not hear let them take Two or Three of the Meeting they belong to that they may End it if they can And if they cannot End it then it may be laid before the Monthly Meeting And if it cannot be ended there then it may be brought to the Quarterly Meeting and there let it be put to half a Dozen Friends that they may End it that they may keep their Meetings quiet Or Friends to stand to the End made by Six or more they that are at Difference may chuse Three Friends and Friends may chuse Three more to them and let them stand to their Judgment For there is few that love Quietness and Peace will have their Names brought to a Monthly or Quarterly Meeting to have their Names sounded over the Country That they are in Strife but will rather endeavour to End it amongst themselves or at their own Meeting before that they come to the Monthly Meeting And if there be any Difference brought to the Monthly or Quarterly Meeting either Mens or Womens Friends to speak but one at a time after you have heard them one by one and let but one speak at a time know of them whether they will stand to your Judgment And if they will let half a Dozen Friends make a final End of it But if they will not stand to your Judgment they are not fit to bring it thither And if any Brother or Sister hear any Report of any Brother or Sister Reports to be stopp'd let him or her go to the Party and know the Truth of the Report and if true let the thing be Judged If false go then to the Reporter and let him or her be Judged And if any should report it at a second or third hand without going to the Party of whom the Report goes let such be brought to Judgment For thou shalt neither raise nor suffer a false Report to lie upon my People saith the Lord for they are to be Holy as he is Holy and Just as he is Just Now concerning Gospel-Order though the Doctrine of Jesus Christ requireth his People to admonish a Brother or Sister twice before they tell the Church yet that limiteth none so as that they shall use no longer forbearance before they tell the Church but that they shall not less than twice admonish their Brother or Sister before they tell the Church All disorderly Persons to be admonished And it is desired of all That before they publickly Complain they wait in the Power of God to feel if there is no more required of them to their Brother or Sister before they expose him or her to the Church Let this be weightily considered And further when the Church is told and the Party admonished by the Church again and again and he or they remain still unsensible and unreconciled let not final Judgment go forth against him or her till every one of the Meeting have cleared his or her Conscience that if any thing be upon any further to visit such a Transgressor they may clear themselves that if possibly the Party may be reached and saved And after all are clear of the Blood of such an one let the Judgment of Friends in the Power of God go forth against him or her as moved for the Lord's Honour and Glory's sake that no Reproach may come or rest upon God's Holy Name Truth and People And all such as behold their Brother or Sister in a Transgression Such as admonish others to do it in a Spirit of Meekness go not in a rough light or upbraiding Spirit to reprove or admonish him or her but in the Power of the Lord and Spirit of the Lamb and in the Wisdom and Love of the Truth which suffers thereby to admonish such an Offender So may the Soul of such a Brother or Sister be seasonably and effectually reached unto and overcome and they may have Cause to bless the Name of the Lord on their behalf and so a Blessing may be rewarded into the Bosom of that faithful and tender Brother or Sister that so admonished them And be it known unto all Friends casts out none but such as go from Truth casts out themselves we cast out none from among us for if they go from the Light and Spirit and Power in which our Vnity is they cast out themselves And it has been our Way to admonish them that they may come to that Spirit and Light of God which they are gone from and so come into the Vnity again For our Fellowship stands in the Light that the World hates and in the Spirit which the World grieves vexes and quenches and if they will not hear our Admonitions as before the Light condemns them and then goes the Testimony of Truth out against them And no Condemnation ought to go further than the Transgression is known No Condemnation to go further than the Transgression and if he or she returns and gives forth a Paper of Condemnation against him or her self which is more desirable than that we should do it this is a Testimony of his or her Repentance and Resurrection before God his People and the whole World as David Psal 57. when Nathan came to admonish him And that no Testimony by way of Condemnation Admonition to be before Condemnation be given forth against any Man or Woman whatever Crime they commit before Admonition and till such time as they have had Gospel-Order according to Christ's Doctrine And so keep the Church-Order of the Gospel Admonition to be in the gentle Wisdom of God according as the Lord Jesus Christ hath commanded that is If thy Brother offend thee speak to him betwixt thee and him and if he will not hear take two or three If he will not hear two or three then tell it to the Church c. And if any one do miscarry admonish them gently in the Wisdom of God so that you may preserve him and bring him to Condemnation and preserve him from farther Evils which it is well if such do not run into and it will be well for all to use the gentle Wisdom of God towards them in their Temptations and condemnable Actions and with using gentleness to bring them to condemn their Evil and to let their Condemnation go as far as the bad Action has gone and no farther to defile the Minds of Friends or others
and so to clear God's Truth and People and to convert the Soul to God and preserve them out of further Evils And take heed of spreading such things in the Minds of the World and farther than they are gone there lest you by that means do cause them to blaspheme God's Name and cause them to speak evil of the Truth and God's People such do deserve Reproof that so do and Condemnation So be Wise in the Wisdom of God And let no one accuse any one None to be publickly Reproved before privately spoken unto either in a Monthly or Quarterly Meeting publickly except they have spoken to them by themselves first and by two or three as before And Dear Friends in the Power of the Lord God you who are gathered with it which is the Authority of your Mens and Womens Meetings in the Power of the Lord Jesus see that all things be well amongst you and that all do walk in the Truth All Friends to walk in the Truth they do profess and as becometh the Gospel of Christ and his Glorious Light and Life so that all may stand up for God's Glory and be valiant for his Truth and all to grow up in it And if any hear Reports or have any thing against any Brother or Sister let them first speak to them before that they declare it abroad and this will keep down Backbiting and Whispering and preserve in Brotherly Love And all Loosness whatsoever let it be reproved And Admonish and Exhort and Encourage such as are young and tender to keep and preserve them in the Way of Life and so watch over one another for good And that Care be taken from time to time Friends to take care of the Poor and of Prisoners and such as are Sick as Friends are moved thereunto for relieving faithful Friends Necessities and for other Services of Truth which shall be delivered into the Hands of a faithful Friend or Friends who are desired to be Receivers for that Purpose who are to give an Account of all Monies that shall be by them received and disbursed at the next Monthly or Quarterly Meeting after it shall be laid out if it be desired and so the Accompt to be ended that ministring Friends may not be cumbered with outward things but kept out of them and that what Monies shall be by them disbursed for the Service of poor Friends as aforesaid shall be disposed of as Friends of the Monthly or Quarterly Meeting see meet to dispose of the same And all Friends be tender over all Friends that are Prisoners upon Truths account and that are sick and weak People Strangers and Fatherless and Widows Servants and Children that their Parents Masters or Dames and Relations are not Friends keeping in the Power of the Lord it will lead you in all things without many Words and bring you to see and feel and live in that which was before Enmity was or Words either which will chain it under In that you all will have Vnity and be all as a Family and in it be all as one in that is the Peace and Vnity And also all Widows in all your several Meetings let them be taken notice of To take Care for the Widows and to set out their Children Apprentices and informed and encouraged in their outward Business that there be not any hindrance put to them in their inward Growth and so to be carefully looked after that they may be nourished and cherished and preserved in the Truth that Love may be increased And if they have many Children to put them out Apprentices or Servants which may be a Burthen to them to bring up then let Friends take Care to case them by putting them forth as may be seen meet Let all these things be looked into every Meeting and Notice thereof given to the next Monthly or Quarterly Meeting and some ordered to see that all these things are done according to Truth and Righteousness And in all your Meetings let notice be given to the Quarterly Meeting of all poor Friends And when ye have heard that there is many more Poor belonging to one Meeting than to another and that Meeting thereby is burdened and oppressed One Meeting to help another let the rest of the Meetings assist and help them so that ye may ease one another and help to bear one anothers Burdens and so fulfil the Law of Christ And so see that nothing be lacking according to the Apostles's words mark nothing lacking then all is well For the Jews outward though they were as the Stars of Heaven and as the Sand upon the Sea-shore for multitude ye there was not to be a Beggar amongst them according to the Law of God And amongst the Christians in the first Age there was a Men's Meeting set up at Jerusalem to see that nothing was lacking which was the Gospel-Order according to the Law of Jesus and this continued as long as they lived in the Life Power and Spirit of God But when the Apostacy came in and the true Church fled into the Wilderness which was to continue there One thousand two hundred and sixty Days and the Witnesses prophesied in Sackcloath One thousand two hundred and sixty Days and the Beast was worshipped just so long One thousand two hundred and sixty Days and then all things went out of order and every thing was wanting in that time they worshipped the Dragon and the Beast and the Devil made the World like a Wilderness But now the Judgment of the Great Whore and of the Beast is come and with them the false Prephet and the Dragon who shall be cast alive into the Lake of Fire The true Church coming out of the Wilderness And the true Church is coming up out of the Wilderness and the Man-Child which was caught up into Heaven is come down again to rule all Nations with a Rod of Iron And the Marriage of the Lamb is come and the Lamb and the Saints shall have the Victory and the Everlasting Gospel is and shall be preached again as was among the Apostles and the Gospel-Order shall be set up as was amongst them and a Men's Meeting as was at the first Conversion to see that nothing be lackingi in the Church then all is well So there is not to be a Beggar now amongst the Christians according to the Law of Jesus as there was not to be any among the Jews according to the Law of Moses And Dear Friends who feel the Power of the Everlasting God for all who are out of it are in Confusion you being come into God's Fear which is the beginning of true Wisdom by which all things were made and created and by it all things must be ordered again to God's Glory All that are out of this Wisdom are in the earthly devilish and destroying State but the Wisdom from above is gentle and pure and preserves you yea and the whole Creation to the Glory of
in the Truth that the Lord may be glorified in all your Families And teach your Children when they are young then will they remember it when they are old according to Solomon's Counsel So that your Children may be a Blessing to you and not a Curse And all Men and Women are to order their Children and Servants in the Order of the Gospel and in the New Covenant And to order them in the Order of the Gospel that they may all come to know the Lord. For the outward Jews were to train up their Children in the Old Law in the Old Covenant And so you that are called Christians are to train up your Children in the Fear of the Lord and in Christ Jesus that they may walk in Him in Modesty and Holiness and Virtue And so all to govern their Families And they that are to Govern are to be governed and ordered themselves by the Spirit and Power of God to God's Glory and as Examples in their Families for all Loosness is out of the Power of God either in Word or Life And so by the Power of God and his Righteousness and Truth and Light and Life all that is to be judged and kept under and down and the Truth and the Light and Spirit of God must be walk'd in which all Loosness is out of And so whatsoever things are of good Report or whatsoever things are Lovely or whatsoever things are Pure and Decent and Vertuous and Godly and Righteous and Holy and Just that follow after and do the Works of Charity and not your own but the good Works of Hospitality which are accepted of God And keep the Order of the Gospel the Power of God which Power of God was before the Devil was and is over him which brings Life and Immortality to Light in Men and Women and Men and Women they are to walk in this Power of God and to keep in it Men and Women to walk in the Power of God being Heirs of the same and under the Goverment of Christ Jesus who bruiseth the Serpent's Head and destroys him and his Government Men and Women being Heirs of Grace and Life together and of the Power of God and of the Gospel of Christ Jesus the Amen And so as they come to possess and inherit him and his Gospel-Order they come to possess him and his Government and Order the increase of which there is no End And that Notice be taken of all evil Speakers Backbiters Slanderers and foolish Talkers and idle Jesters for all these corrupt good Manners and are not according to the Saints and Holy Men's Practise Against Backbiters whose Words were seasoned with Salt ministering Grace to the Hearers And all such as go up and down to Cheat Against Cheats by borrowing and getting Money of Friends and have cheated several all such are to be stopped and judged and Notice of them is to be given to Friends and to other Persons And Dear Friends in the Everlasting Seed of Life Wisdom and Salvation my Desire is that you all may be preserved in it to the Glory of God For heavenly Vnity and in his Power and Light and Life over Death and Darkness in the heavenly Vnity in all your Meetings Now concerning them that do go to the Quarterly Meeting they must be substantial Friends Quarterly Meetings Members that can give a Testimony of your Sufferings and how things are amongst you in every particular Meeting So that none that are raw or weak that are not able to give a Testimony of the Affairs of the Church and Truth may go on behalf of the particular Meetings to the Quarterly Meetings but may be nursed up in your Monthly Meetings and there fitted for the Lord's Service So that two may go one time from every particular Meeting and two another time or as it is ordered in your Monthly Meetings So that some may go from all your Meetings that make up your Monthly Meetings for the Quarterly Meeting should be made up of weighty seasoned and substantial Friends that understands the Business of the Church for no unruly and unseasoned Peasons should come there nor indeed into the Monthly Meetings but who are single-hearted seasoned and honest And if any one should speak or tattle any thing out of your Monthly or Quarterly Meetings Against Partling to the blemishing or defaming any Person or the Meetings such are to be brought to Judgment and Condemnation for it breaks the Priviledge and Order of your Christian Society in your Meetings so that all may be kept and preserved in the Power of the Lord and in his Spirit in Love and Vnity And therefore keep your Meetings solid and sober and let the Authority of your Men and Womens Meetings be in the Power of God Authority of Meetings for every Heir of the Power has Right to that Authority and in it keep the King of Kings and Lord of Lord's Peace in his Church And so the Lord give you Wisdom that by it you may be ordered to his Glory Care of God's Glory and Truth and that every one may have a care of God's Glory and of his Name and Truth and that in his Power you may see that all do walk as becomes his glorious Gospel which hath brought Life and Immortality to Light in you which will preserve you in Life and in Immortality over the Devil that has darkned you So that nothing may get betwixt your Souls and Minds and the Lord God that he may be glorified in you all and through you all and over you all blessed for ever Amen And the least Member in the Church hath an Office and is serviceable and every Member hath need one of another And now Friends so many Monthly Mens Meetings as you have in your County you may have so many Monthly Womens Meetings and if once a Year at least you had a General Womens Meeting it would be well for in some Counties they have as many Quarterly Womens Meetings as Mens and in others they have only two in the Summer-time Womens Meetings because the Ways are foul and Days short in Winter And that one or two Friends in every Meeting do take an Account of all the Marriages Births and Burials Births Burials and carry them to the Monthly Meetings and let one or two there be ordered to receive them and record them there in a Book which is to be kept at the Monthly Meetings And from thence a Copy of what is recorded there to be brought to the Quarterly Meeting and let one or two Friends be appointed there to receive them and to record them all in one Book which is to be kept for the whole County And this will be most safe that if one Book should happen to be lost the other may be preserved for the Use of such as may have occasion And that all Friends who are not already provided may speedily procure convenient Burying-places
Burying Places and that thereby a Testimony may stand against the Superstitious Idolizing of those places called holy Ground For Abraham bought a place to bury his Dead in and would not Bury them amongst the Egyptians and Canaanites And Jacob was brought out of Egypt and Joseph and they were buryed in their Grand-Father and Father's Burying-places And so Friends get decent Burying-places for your Dead and let them be decently and well fenced that you may shew a good Example to the World in all things And Dear Friends do all that you do in Peace and Love Do all in Peace and Love and in the Fear of God condescending one unto another in the Simplicity and Innocency of Life and Truth and in the Wisdom of God that that may be every ones Crown that nothing may be done in Strife to occasion Words for you are called to Peace and Holiness in which the Kingdom stands and to serve one another in Love And my Love is to all Friends in the Everlasting Seed of God in which is Life Purity Cleanness and Righteousness that shines over all And all Friends do that which ye do in the Power of God And in the Power of God and then you are the Lord's Free-men in Love and not Captives For all which is done out of the Power of God is in the Captivity So wait all in the Power of the Lord and in the Light in which you will feel Life and Peace and the Lord's Blessing So in that the Lord God Almighty preserve you and keep you over all that which is contrary and give you Victory and Dominion And in Peace and Love live in the Spirit and Power of God in which is the Vnity and the Fellowship in the Bond of Peace that Truth and Life may reign amongst you that in all things you may adorn and grace the Truth that never hath an end And the Lord God Almighty preserve you in his Seed His Prayer for the same Life and Wisdom and give you Discerning Victory and Dominion over all that which is contrary that you may feel Christ's Reign and Authority in which you may all act in his Power and Authority So in that God Almighty preserve you And draw up an Account of all that have died in Prison Of Prisoners in every County for Truth 's Testimony and lay them before the Magistrates and so to keep Friends clear from the Blood of all Men. And preserve a Lift of their Sufferings together with the Number that have died in Prison that their Blood may come upon them that have thirsted after it And Sufferings and that their Testimony may not be lost who have sealed it with their Blood but that it may be preserved And so keep a Record of them in your Quarterly Meeting Books So that the Memorial of the Innocent Sufferers for the Truth and the Name of Jesus may not be lost nor forgotten that his Name and Power that hath supported them may be exalted that hath carried them over Death and their Persecutors and the spoiling of their Goods So in the heavenly Seed Christ Jesus that reigns who is the Living Rock and Foundation and stands sure for all his Elect to build upon stand above all the Rocks and Foundations that are below and will have an end and in him the Lord God Almighty preserve you and keep you all Amen And all my Dear Friends every where Speaking in Steeple-houses who have been moved of the Lord God to speak in Steeple-Houses to the Priests or in Markets to the People or in Courts or Fairs or Assizes or Towns let an Account thereof be drawn up together in one Book with the substance of their Words that they spake in the Power of God This would be a Book that may stand to Generations that they may see their faithful Testimony and what Strength God did ordain out of the the Mouths of Babes and Sucklings And Friends that have been moved to go to the Professors Meetings that their Testimony there may not be lost together with all the Examples that have fallen upon the Persecutors And such Testimonies of Friends as are deceased Of Deceased Friends Testimonies let them be Recorded that so the Testimony of the Lord through his Servants may not be lost that he raised up in his People for the same they were carried on thro' great Tribulations and Sufferings and many laid down their Lives and had their Goods spoiled and they persecuted to Death to keep up their Testimony which the Lord moved them to speak by his Spirit to future Generations So that those Words that they were moved to speak forth by the Power may not be lost that the Power and Spirit of the Lord may be exalted So that an account may be taken of that which hath been spoken and done by the Motions of the Spirit of God from the first as above-mentioned And so be Diligent and those that can write help them that cannot This may be easily done And all they that be Publick Ministers if unknown that pass up and down the Countries What Ministers to have Certificates and to other Nations for them to have a Certificate from their Meeting where such Persons are known and all their Practices are looked into that will prevent any bad Spirits that may scandalize honest Men. For they that do minister to others must have a double Diligence in Vertue and Chastity and Patience and Carefulness and Watchfulness more than their Hearers lest they Judge them For Christ the heavenly Man is our Example and the Apostle saith Follow us as we do follow Christ For who esteems the beggarly Lusts before Vertue is not worthy of it and who preferreth his Ungodliness and his Unholiness and his Earthliness before that which is Heavenly is not worthy of the Heavenly nor of Godliness nor Righteousness c. And Dear Friends be Faithful you that know the Light the Truth and the Power of God and his Life in the Wisdom of God be Faithful by which Wisdom all things was made and created In Wisdom and by which Wisdom all things that are created must be ordered again to the Glory of the Creator And you that are come to know the Truth and the Power of it all come to know the Order of Life so that all things may be kept in that sweet Order and Government to the Glory of God and the Refreshment of all Order and a sweet Savour to God and in the Hearts of all People that through the Wisdom of God ye may adorn the Truth in all things for the preserving of Love Peace and Vnity amongst all And live in the peaceable Truth and keep in the heavenly Order of the Gospel and in the Government of the heavenly Man And Government of Christ the Increase of which there is no end and walk in the pure and underfiled Religion that keeps you from the spots of the
World and in the Worship of God in the Spirit and Truth which the Devil is out of So that in the Truth you may be preserved in Peace with God and one with another And in the Spirit of Truth you may be preserved in the Vnity and Fellowship of it in which is the Bond of Peace And my desire is that all the faithful Men and faithful Women in the Light and Power and Spirit of Christ And Possession of Truth all may be kept in the Possession of the Truth and that all such may make up the Men and Womens Meetings so that you all may be in your Possessions of the Order of the Gospel and the Government of Christ the Seed that bruises the Head of the Serpent who is the Head of all ill Government and Disorders So that the joyful and glorious Order of the Everlasting Gospel all may be in the Possession of so that in the Light Spirit and Power ye may all have a care of God's Glory and his Honour and his Church's Peace keeping in the Vnity of his Everlasting Spirit which is the Bond of the Heavenly and Spiritual Prince of Princes Peace And all that are in the Possession of this Admonish may admonish and exhort all such as walk not as becomes the Gospel and glorifie not the Lord with their Bodies Souls and Spirits and so see that as every one has received Christ Jesus that they do walk in him that all may walk in the Holiness which becomes the House of God so that God may be glorified by his Light Power and Spirit in all who is over all God blessed for ever And so the God of Glory who hath brought Christ from the Dead Quickned for what end by him are you quickned and raised from the Dead that henceforth you should not live to your selves but to him and walk in him who is the Amen and over all the First and Last G. F. ALL you that are Believers in the Light of Christ Epist 265. which manifesteth Darkness ye are kept by the Power of God unto the Day of Salvation So though your Salvation is not yet compleated Believers how kept yet you have your Keeper the Power of God which neither slumbers nor sleeps and it will keep you unto that Day For those Virgins in the Parable they had their Keeper by which they were preserved in their Virginity which they were never accused of loosing for it is said that the Cry was at midnight that is the mid time of Darkness for Darkness is called Night and the Voice of the Bridegroom was at midnight Arise Now they that had no Oil in their Lamps did not enter with the Bridegroom but they that had Oil did Now that which doth keep is the Power of God and preserves pure unto him in the Virginity from that which would defile the Virgin Mind Virgins and the Virgin Soul and Spirit For it is all from the same Man of Sin that defiles the Mind and the Spirit that leads them out to defile their Bodies and corrupt them therefore all is to mind their Keeper the Power of God which was before the Devil the Man of Sin Oils Lamps was by which Power of God they have Oil in their Lamps through which their Lamps may be always Burning in their Temple and such come to be the Temple of God for they that defile the Temple defile their Souls and Bodies they let in the Defiler and Destroyer and so their Lamps go out and they go from God and his Power the Keeper and such God will destroy and so many as are kept by the Power of the Lord unto the Day of Salvation Day of Salvation Power though the Day of Salvation is not yet compleated yet in the Day of Salvation the People of God are a willing People even in this Day of his Power And so they are to abide with their Keeper which is the Power of God for while they be in the Night and not in the Day of Salvation nor Day of Power tho' they may be in the Widerness of Temptations and Trouble Spiritual Israel's Travel yet may feel the Power the Keeper to lead through all these things out of Egypt through the Red Sea through the Wilderness through Jordan the River of Judgment and over the Canaanites and therefore every one's Faith is to stand in the Power of God and believe in the Power of God that will bring to the Day of God's Power and to the Day of his Salvation For the outward Jew did not enter because of Unbelief and so this great foul Man of Sin hath defiled all Mankind outwardly and inwardly And therefore all to have their Faith to stand in the Power of God their Keeper for the defilement is in the Night by the Power of Darkness and through it By Faith in the Power safety Therefore let thy Faith stand in the Power of God thy Keeper which will keep both Body and Soul and Spirit clean and blameless to the Day of Redemption and Day of Salvation and by the Power of God such will have a Dominion over the foul Man of Sin the Devil for it is he in People that leads and tempts to outward Defilement of their Body Loss of Virginity the Cause and so to lose their Virginity and it is he that draws their Minds from God and Christ and from God's Ways and his Worship and his Truth and his Spirit and his Grace and his Faith that he works in People Therefore if thy Faith stand in the Power of God all by it is preserved in this Body Soul and Spirit in Purity and a hidden Mind Soul and Spirit secret to the Lord who is a Spirit and they are preserved by his Power their Keeper For as is the saying of some of the World that are the most modest that they will keep their outward Virginity to the Day of their Death or of their Marriage but such as before that have no esteem of their Bodies no more than unruly Beasts Vncleanness give up their Bodies to Vncleanness and Themselves to work Wickedness and so forsake their Keeper the Power of God which should keep both inwardly and outwardly And so all the inward Virgin Minds and Souls and Spirits that are hidden to the Lord they will dye before they will lose their inward Virginity but will keep it to the Marriage of the Lamb as the Wise Virgins did by which Power they are preserved over the Man of Sin whom Christ their Husband bruises the Head of and destroys him and his work for Christ was before the Man of Sin was the Devil and his Works either who was glorified with the Father before the World began and therefore all such Virgins as are come to Christ and are married to him Christ your Husband He will deal with the foul Man of Sin Who are married to Christ and bruise his Head and break his Power
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
this Possession and go into the Assemblies of the People of God that be gathered into his Name where Salvation is and in no other Name under Heaven but in the Name of Jesus Christ Is it not more Reputable for you to take your Servants And bring them to Meetings Apprentices Children and Maidens along with you to the Meetings to be partakers of the Eternal Truth that they may have a Possession with you of the same that you do possess For if you should leave them behind and be careless of them they are many of them apt to run into Liberty and to Loosness and to Plays and to Tippling-Houses and so into loose Company Such Liberty hath been a great hurt to Youth and the Truth hath been much dishonoured thereby And such do not only lose the Wisdom of God and the true Vnderstanding given to them by his Son but the Reason of Men in these Practices And then after you may come to find fault with your Servants Children c. and for a small matter put some of them away when the Fault is in your selves that you did not take them along with you to the Meetings and govern them in the Wisdom of God and true Vnderstanding and Knowledge which is to know the true God and his Son Jesus Christ who he hath sent whom to know is Life Eternal By which Liberty such do not keep Authority over them for you should bring them to the Meetings with you to wait upon the Lord. For truly my Life hath been often burdened through the want of restraining them of that Liberty they run into wherein you should be more Prudent Wise and Careful and should keep more in your Dominion and Authority in the Life Power and Seed in which you have the true Wisdom Knowledge and Vnderstanding Therefore consider of these things in all your Families and remember the time of your former Professions wherein you exercised the Reason of Men as to bring your Servants c. to an outward Profession Now you being come to a Possession of Life take heed lest you lose the right Reason Wisdom Vnderstanding and Knowledge Therefore rouze up your selves that you may exercise the right Wisdom and Vnderstanding in that which lives for ever and is and will remain when all the contrary is gone Masters to be good Patterns to their Children and Servvants into which all must be brought that in that you may be good Patterns and Examples in all your Families and bring them forth with you to your Meetings that they may find the Substance of that which you did formerly profess in Words And now you enjoying the Substance be more careful be more diligent and circumspect that God may be glorified throughout all your Families and his Name may be called upon and honoured and exalted who is God over all blessed for ever And Friends some among you breed up your Children not as when you were in a Profession only in such a rude heady Way that when they grow up they do not matter you nor care for you so they are not a Blessing and a Comfort to you but in many Things they are worse than many of the World's more loose stubborn and disobedient Which Truth teaches no such things but brings more into Humility and Meekness and Gentleness and Tenderness so that when they come to be set to Prentice many times they run quite out into the World And therefore by the Power and Life and Wisdom of God these things you must take notice of that all such may be brought into and kept in subjection by the Power of God that God may be honoured and glorified through the breaking of the stubborn Will in them and subjecting them to Truth and let them all know their Places and not to give way to that which may get over you so then you will not know how to rule them at last but bring a Grief and Sorrow and Trouble upon you as too many Examples may be seen Therefore while they are young restrain them from such things and every one in the Life and Power and Seed of Truth And to restrain Youth from evil Practices keep your Authority and lose not the true Wisdom and Vnderstanding given you by Christ nor the true Knowledge nor true Reason which gives to distinguish good from bad but in all things keep your Authority which is given to you of God and your Places in it for they that fear and worship the Lord shall have a Place with him And in the Power and Life and Wisdom of God you will breed up and govern your Sons and Daughters Servants and Prentices and cause them to keep in their Places and in the Power of God answer the Good in them all For an outward Father or Mother over their Families Apprentices and Maidens are to keep all things that are outward civil and subject in their Places with Reason and true Wisdom And such as come to be Fathers in Truth are to train them up in the Truth and to exercise that Wisdom and that Knowledge and Vnderstanding which is beyond the outward Therefore in it they should train them up in the Truth through which all should bee free not in the Eye-service of Men but serving the Lord in Righteousness and Diligence in their Services That they may be Partakers of the heavenly Life and come to be Heirs of Salvation and Children of the Promise and Sons and Daughters of Sion to whom Christ is elect and precious and through him their Conversations may be brought up into heavenly Things and their Minds and Affections to be set on Things above So Friends all these Things consider of in the Life which was before Death was in the Truth which the Devil is out of in the Wisdom of God which is Pure from above and in the Righteousness which was before Vnrighteousness was that God may be glorified throughout all your Families who is blessed for ever G. F. AND Friends Epist 278. See that all Apprentices that are bound amongst you may serve out their times faithfully according to Covenant that all may know their Places Apprentices faithfully to serve out their Times for Youth if they be let loose are like wild Asses and wild Heisers and such many times bring a great dishonour to God by running into Loosness which are more fit to be under Rule and Order than to Rule and thro' a foolish Pity of some they let up a great deal of Airiness and Wildness in them All which should be kept under by the Power of God wherein the Honour of the Lord may be preserved and so that Liberty may not be given to Youth in those Cases for the true Liberty is in Christ Jesus which gives Authority over that which will dishonour God for many such things hath spoiled several in letting unbridled Youth at Liberty in taking the Reins to themselves and brought Trouble upon their Parents Masters and Mistresses and
great dishonour upon God Let care be taken that Truth suffer not about such things and that none buy out their Time without the Consent of their Parents or Guardians or And none buy eut their Times without Consent of Parents c. in the want of them to advise with the Mothly-Meetings For do you not see what Hurt hath been done in such Cases Wherefore keep all such under the Yoak and hinder and stop Wickedness and Loosness that would break forth So in all such things you should exercise the pure Wisdom of God the pure Reason Knowledge and Vnderstanding and in the Authority of it keep that none under a Profession of Truth be let into Loosness whereas Youth should be kept under a Bridle and Restraint and be nurtured and trained up in the Fear and Wisdom of God that the Power of God and God's Truth may have it's Passage through all and over all and all Lightness Frothiness Wildness and Loosness may be kept down So that the Good may be kept up in all to honour and to glorifie the Lord God Almighty who is blessed for evermore who Reigns among us G. F. The Substance of a General Epistle 1670 ALL Friends every where Epist 279. who are Friends of Christ the heavenly Man by whom the World was made and are become Friends of God through Christ Jesus who are quickned by Jesus and made alive by him who were dead in Old Adam and now are made alive by the Second Adam and have drank his Blood through which you have Life and by which you come from among the Congregations of the dead who only talk of his Blood and his Flesh And now being gathered in the Name of Jesus Friends to keep cheir Meetings in the Name of Jesus who hath made you alive in the Name of him whose Blood you have drank yea even of the heavenly Man's which is his Life and so are come out of your native Countries Religions and Worships and left the old Stuff behind who are gotten a top of the old House and will not go down again to fetch out any of the old Stuff I say ye that are gathered in the Name of Jesus the heavenly Man out of the Old Adam and are made alive by the heavenly Man keep your Meetings in the Name of Jesus Then it is he that is persecuted if you be persecuted and he Christ suffers in his persecuted Members that suffers for in all your Afflictions and Sufferings he is with you who are made alive by him and have drank his Blood and so are come to be faithful Witnesses of Christ Jesus as all that are made alive by him are and have drank his Blood for they that have not drank his Blood and are not made alive by him are no true Witnesses of Christ Jesus And therefore you that the Lord hath gathered and sought and searched out who have been scattered in this cloudy dark Day since the Apostles Days of Light and have been made a Prey upon by the Hireling Shepherds and have been left to the Wolves by the flying of the Hirelings whom you thought had been true Men and now the Lord hath sought and searched and found and gathered you from their Mouths to whose Mouths you have been a Prey and the Lord is known to feed you a top of the Mountains with his heavenly Bread and he hath set one Shepherd over you the heavenly Man who lives for ever who is the Shepherd over all the Living that are made alive by him and so the Lord hath the Glory of seeking and of gathering you out of the Wildernesses Pits Graves and Ditches of Old Adam and the Serpent and from him Brambles and Briars and so Christ by whom the World was made is the Rest of the Living that he hath made alive and is their Shepherd to feed them with Life and with the Springs of Life and is the Bishop of their Souls that doth Oversee them that they do not go out of the Pastures of Life and from the Springs of Life nor from the Fold of Life It is a glorious Pasture to be fed a top of all the Mountains in the Life in the Pastures of Life by the living Shepherd and to be overseen by the living Bishop and to be sanctified and to be presented to God by the living Priest and to be counselled by the living Counselsor to an Everlasting Inheritance and to a Kingdom and to a World that hath no End by an everlasting Priest that sanctifies and offers you to God without Spot or Wrinkle a perfect Offering who sprinkles your Consciences and Hearts with his Blood that you may serve the living God and not the dead Works among the Dead And now you having an Everlasting Preacher Christ the Everlasting Minister c. whom God hath anointed to preach and an Everlasting Minister that ministers Grace and Life and Salvation and Truth to you an Everlasting Prophet that God hath raised up who s to be heard all the Living hear him but the Dead talk but of his Fame So none can silence or stop the Mouth of them whom he opens or take away your Shepherd your Bishop your Minister your Freacher your Prophet your Councellor c. And therefore let him have your Ears hearken to him let him be set up in your Hearts who was set up from Everlasting to Everlasting by the Father whom all the Righteous Witness Christ Jesus who is your Possession being Heirs with him by whom all the living are made alive and so in him live by whom the World was made who was glorified with the Father before the World began So in Christ the heavenly Man you have rest but in old Adam the Transgressor you have no rest there is the Wilderness Sodom Egypt Babylon and Confusion For God blessed Abraham in his obeying of his Commands when he went from his Native Country and Relations yea and made him a Prince So they that are redeemed out of Kindreds and Tongues Christ makes as Princes to overcome the Prince of Darkness And Abraham was to walk before God who was perfect and he was to be perfect so must all who are of the Faith of Abraham Abraham saw Christ's Day and did rejoyce but Thousands now come to injoy the Day that Abraham saw The outward Jews did eat of the Manna in the Wilderness and disobeyed and perished The blessed effects of eating of the Flesh of Christ but they that eat of the Flesh of Christ and drink his Blood have Life Everlasting and this gives an Eternal Life by which they come to an Eternal Possession and to the Land of the Living as the outward Jews came to possess the Land of Canaan And so you that are Heirs of Christ the heavenly Man and are come to possess him whom he hath made alive stand fast now is your time to stand stand in the Life which was before Death or the King of it was
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
Spirit you may be led into all Truth up to God and Christ from him who is out of the Truth Amen saith my Soul G. F. DEar Friends every where Epist 289. be faithful to God who hath been faithful and true to you therefore be you true to God and faithful Witnesses to him To be faithful Witnesses of Christ in time of Persecution and to Christ Jesus that now ye may all have Riches and Treasure laid up in store against a time of want storms and tempests that you amy stand for if you do not stand now you are as bad as such Professors who stood only when the Sun shined and crept out when it was fine and fair Weather but when a Storm or Tempest came then they ran creeping into their Holes and Corners and sculked into by-corners and fled by bace-doors who were ashamed or their Religion and what they Professed but when the Sun did shine then they showed their Enmity to the Righteous And therefore be you of the Faith of Dvid and of his Spirit who said I was Young and now am old I never saw the Righteous for saken nor his Seed begging Bread and the Lord to encourage his People saith In all their Af-flicions he was Afflicted and the Angel of his Presence saved them and Christ tells you It 's he that Suffers and is Persecuted when his Children are persecuted And so it 's for the Lord's sake that the JusT suffer by the Unjust and you read how such as suffer the spoiling of their Goods and Scoffing and Mocking yet they were not to forsake the Assembling themselves together as the manner of some was for they that suffer with Christ shall reign with him for the Lord may try you who hath blessed you with outward things whether your minds do stand with him or in the outward things G. F. DEar Friends Epist 290. Live in Love for that is of God and doth edifie the Body of Christ and keep in the Truth of God which the Devil is out of To live in Love and Peace with God and one with another and walk in Righteousness and then you will walk in Peace with God and one with another and walk in Holiness for that becomes the House of God and in Holiness you will see the Holy God among you And so that you may keep the Vnity in the Spirit which is the Bond of Peace and dwell in Love one with another for all Eyes in upon you and some watches for Evil but do you answer the Good in all in your Words and Lives This is the Counsel of the Lord God to you all and that you may be the Salt of the Earth and the Light of the World and as a City set on a Hill that cannot be hid so that all that do profess Christ and God may shew forth Christ and Godliness in Life and Word G. F. To all the Womens Meetings that are Belivers in the Truth FRiends Keep your Womens Meetings in the Power of God EpisT 291. which the Devil in out of and take your Possession of that which your are Heirs of and keep the Gospel-Order Man and Woman helps meet in the Image of God For Man and Woman were helps meet in the Image of God and in Righteousness and Holiness in the Dominion before they fell but after the Fall in the Transgression the Man was to rule over his Wife but in the Restauration by Christ into the Image of God and his Righteousness and Holiness again in that they are helps meet Man and Woman as they were in before the Fall Sarah obeyed Abraham and called him Lord. Abraham did also obey the Voice of his Wife Sarah in casting out the Bond-Woman and her Son Dorcas a Woman was a Disciple So there was a Woman Disciple as well as Men Disciples and mind the Women that accompanied her And Wo-men are to take up the Cross daily and follow Christ daily as well as the Men and so to be taught of him their Prophet and fed of him their Shepherd and councelled of him their Councellor and sanctified by him who offered up himself once for all And there were Elder Women in the Truth as well as Elder Men in the Truth and these Women are to be teachers of good thins so they have an Office as well as the Men for they have a Stewardship and must give an Account of their Stewardship to the Lord as well as the Men. Deborah was a Judge Examples of amny good Women Miriam and Huldah were Prophetesses old Annah was a Prophetess and a Preacher of Christ to all them that looked for Redemption in Jerusalem Mary Magdalen and the other Mary were the first Preachers of Christ's Resurrection to the Disciples and the Disciples could not believe their Message and Testimony that they had from Jesus as some now adays cannot but they received the Command and being sent preach'd it So is every Woman and Man to do that sees him risen and have the Command and Message Daughters shall Prophesie as well as Sons So they are to be obedient that has the Spirit poured upon them Women are to Prophesie and Prophesie is not to be quenched Them that has the Testimony of Jesus are commanded to keep it whether Men or Women Priscilla and Aquilla were both Exhorters and Expounders or Instructers to Apollos So in the Church there were Women Instructers and Prophetesses and Daughters Prophetesses in the Church for Philip had four Virgins that were Prophetesses and there were Women Disciples in the Church and Women Elders in the Church as well as Men. So Women are to keep in the FGovernment of Christ and to be Obeyers of Christ and Women are to keep the ComelyOrder of the Gospel as well as Men and to see that all that have received Christ Jesus that they walk in Christ Jesus and to see that all that has received the Gospel do walk in the Gospel the Power of God which they are Heirs of for this is a Day for all to keep their Possession in the Gospel-Order who be Heirs with Christ of the increase of whose Government there is no end So the Foundation of our Womens Meetings is Christ to all them that be Heirs of him and of his Government And the ground of our Order of the Womens Meetings is the Gospel the Power of God which was before the Devil was and all that be Heirs of the Gospel which hath brought Life and Immortality to Light in them which shines over him that hath darkned them and was before he was I say they are Heirs of the Comely Order of the Gospel and therefore I say take your Possessions of it and walk as becomes the Gospel and keep the Comely Order of it and in it keep your Meetings And here is the Ground and Foundation of our Womens Meetings Now Mothers of Families that has the ordering of Children Maids and Servants may do a great deal of Good
Heart and Mouth to obey it and do it by which Word I am born again of the Immortal Seed which lives and abides and endures for ever by which Word I have Milk to give freely to Babes and Sucklings So the Possessors have Breasts and the Possessors Breasts are not dry Glory to the Lord for ever So no more but Love and God Almighty preserve you in his Wisdom that is pure and gentle from above by which you may be all ordered and order all that you have under your Hands to his Glory And keep in the Unity of the Holy Spirit which is the Bond of Peace of the Prince of Princes Peace which is every one of your Duty to keep this heavenly Peace of the Prince of Princes which none can take away from you for you are bound with the Spirit to keep it so that your Praise may be in the Gospel that you may admonish and exhort all that does profess the Truth of the Gospel that they may walk in the Truth and as becomes the Gospel and that every one that does profess Christ Jesus and has received him may walk in him in the new and living Way out of the old Way G. F. TO all Friends that live in the Truth Epist 302. and by it are become God's Free-men and Women and by the Truth and Power of God are brought out of the Worlds vain Fashions and Customs in their Feastings and Revelings and Banquetings and Wakes and other vain Feastings where they spoil the Creatures and dishonour the Lord God more those Times and Days which they call Holy Days and Feast Days than any other Times and Days and therefore you that are brought out of such things and do see the Vanity and Folly of them and likewise you that are brought out of all the extravagant Feastings of Compannies in Corporations and of making of Feasts when the Masters of Companies are Chose and Cunstables and Head-Burroughs you see their Vanity and their Folly and Madness in their destroying of the Creatures to the Reproach of Christianity and the Dishonour of God and the Blaspheming of his Name and many times through the abusing of themselves by excess are more like Beasts than Men in these things and doings and therefore as you do see the Folly and Vanity of all such Doings in their voluptuous and vain Feastings and cannot observe their evil Customs then that vain Spirit is in a great Rage and Fury because you have and do break off Fellowship with them in all this their vain Customs And therefore you that are redeemed from these things by Christ and from the Feasting of the Rich and all other their Vanities and voluptuous Dishonouring of God therein I say to you mind and practise Christ's words as you may read in Lake 13.14 Christ saith When thou makest a Dinner call not thy Friends nor thy Brethren neither Kinfolks nor thy Rich Neighbours lest they also bid thee again and a Recompence be made thee but when thou doest make a Feast call the Poor the Maimed the Lame and the Blind and thou shalt be blessed for they cannot recompence thee again but thou shalt be recompenced at the Resurrection of the Just So here you may see how Christ ordereth thee to make a Feast or a Dinner and to whom contrary to the World and tho' it be a cross to them yet it is to be obeyed and observed and practised for it is the heavenly Man's Doctrine and Command and Will and he that doth it shall know his Doctrine and this will judge the World in their vain Feasts Dinners and Suppers which they make for the Rich for which they have selfe Reward but Christ's command being obeyed denieth self and hath the Lord's Recompence and all that call him Lord should do as the Lord commandeth and they that are his Disciples and do love him will keep his Commands for saith Christ If you love them that love you what thank have you For Sinners also loves those that love them And if you do good to them that do good to you what thank have you For Sinners also do even the same So give and it shall be given unto you Good Measure pressed down shaken together and running over into your Bosoms and the Lord is kind to the unthankful and therefore be ye Merciful as your heavenly Father is Merciful Luke 6. And therefore as you have forsaken all the World 's vain Feastings and Dinners and Suppers if so give the Blind the Lame the Maimed the Widow the Fatherless and the Poor a Feast or a Dinner and obey Christ the heavenly Man's Doctrine tho' it do cross old earthly Adam's Will and Practices and though he be angry never heed him but obey the Lord. G. F. DEar Friends Epist 303. all be Faithful in the Eternal Power of God that is over all I say keep in this Power of God that you may answer that of God in all and not that which is contrary for the Kingdom standeth in Power and in Righteousness and Joy in the Holy Ghost So that which doth not live in the Power and Righteousness and Joy in the Holy Ghost cometh not into the Kingdom So this Kingdom and Power and Righteousness and Holy Ghost in which is the Joy is over all and this Kingdom standeth not in Word but in Power So know one another in the Power and in the Spirit of God who is a Spirit know and confess Christ in his Death and Sufferings and in his Resurrection So no more but my Love in him Worcester Prison the 21st of the â—th Month 1673. G. F. To Friends in Virginia DEar Friends to whom is my Love Epist 304. I am glad to hear of the Increase of Truth amongst you and the Lord prosper his Work and increase People in his Knowledge who will fulfil his Promise That the Knowledge of the Lord shall cover the Earth as the Waters covers the Sea in the New Covenant though in the Old Covenant the Word was to Jacob and the Statutes to Israel the like was not to other Nations but the New Covenant is to all Nations Jews and Gentiles For I will give him for a Covenant of Light to the Gentiles and he shall be my Salvation to the ends of the Earth therefore he saith Look unto me all ye ends of the Earth and be ye saved And there is no Salvation by any other Name under Heaven but by the Name of Jesus which signifies a Saviour And in his Name keep your Mens and Womens and all your other Meetings that you may feel Him in the midst of you exercising his Offices as he is a Prophet which God has raised up to open to you and as he is a Shepherd who has laid down his Life for you to feed you so hear his Voice and as he is a Councellor and a Commander follow Him and his Counsel and as he is a Bishop to oversee you with his heavenly Power and Spirit
Moon that shall be turned into Darkness before the Notable Day of the Lord come and where this Notable Day of the Lord is seen and by whom it is seen they see the Glorious Son of God the Son of Righteousness by whom was all things who is over all things who is the Head of his People and dwells in them who is present with them and who was and will be to all Eternity of whose Kingdom there is no end who is God over all blessed for ever Kinston the 1st of the 7th Month 1674. G. F. MY Dear Friends in England Epist 308. and all parts of the World the Gospel which is the Power of God which you have received from the Beginning Given forth in the time of his Sickness in Worcester Prison 1674. keep in it and the Fellowship of it in which there is neither Sect nor Schism but an Everlasting Fellowship and an Everlasting Order which Gospel brings Life and Immortality to Light in every one of your Hearts and lets you see over him that hath darkned you Now every Man and Woman here will have a Testimony in their own Hearts Friends to have their Fellowship in the Truth of this Order and Fellowship being Heirs and Inheritors of it by which you will see over all the Jalse Orders and Fellowships that are or may be fet up or made Therefore it is good for every one to keep their Habitation For those that went in Cain's Way as the Apostles speaks of they envied the Apostles that kept the Fellowship And Corah's Way and Balaam's Way these were them that had been great Professors that envied the Apostles For mark it was the Way of such as were of Cain Corah and Balaam's Spirit to oppose the Power who were against Abel and Moses and the Apostles and so there began the Apostacy and there came up the many Orders amongst them in the Apostacy So that at last the Gospel-Order was lost amongst them And keep the Cospel-Order and the Government of Christ and his Worship and the Beast was then set up And therefore now the Gospel-Order is to be set up again and the Government of Christ Jesus by them that be Heirs of him and of his Government who is First and Last the Beginning and the End of the increase of whose Government there is no End Now I say you that be Heirs of Christ possess him and walk in him and as you have received him so walk all in Peace and Love and live in his Worship in the Spirit and Truth which the Devil is out of And at your General Assemblies of the Ministry at London or elsewhere examine as it was at the first whether all the Ministers that goes forth into the Countries The Ministers to watch over one another do walk as becomes the Gospel For that you know was one End of that Meeting to prevent and take away Scandal And to examine whether all do keep in the Government of Christ Jesus that preach him and in the Order of the Gospel and to exhort them that doth not For the Foundation is already laid which is Christ and his Government is set up of the increase of which there is no end So had all these called Christians kept in his Order and Government they had not troubled themselves and others with so many Disorders if he had been Head of their Church so if you keep in the Gospel-Order and Government of Christ Jesus you will keep out of the Apostacy which they have been in and the many false Orders That more go from Gospel-Order to the Apost acy and Governments that they went into and made one against another when they went from the true as you may see in the Scriptures of Truth that it was some high Cain and Corah-like Spirits that did so for Cain was able to build a City And Corah that opposed the Chief Leader Moses was of the Princes of the People And so these opposed with their many Orders the true Order And Balaam that was able to teach a Nation and Prophesie before a King and made the Children of Israel to stumble by his bad Counsel These were Men of Esteem these are them the World went after these came to ride upon the People and such as these opposed Abel Moses and Christ the Leader and Governor and his Apostles and set up the many Orders and Governments in their Churches and broke all into Sects And therefore Friends if you keep under Christ the Governor who governs his Church in Righteousness and who is a Prophet and Preacher and keep in his Gospel-Order none of these can deceive you let them come with never so fair Pretences For Christ bruises the Serpent's Head who is the Head of all false Teachers and false Orders that are not in his Power and is the First and Last and therefore keep in his Power and in the Vnity of his Spirit which is the Bond of Peace Mark the Pure Holy Eternal invisible Spirit of God is the Bond of Peace Therefore forfeit not your Bond of the Prince of Princes for if you do you lose your Life and go into Death and into an evil Spirit and break the Prince of Princes Peace so that you lose your Peace with him Christ Jesus And therefore it concerns all that profess themselves to be Ministers to be humble else they are no Learners of Christ not to be harsh nor high minded but walk as Examples amongst God's Flock and not to be Lords over God's Inheritance but let him be Lord whose Right it is c. And you have known the manner of my Life G. F's great Labour in the Gospel the best part of Thirty Years since I went forth and forsook all things I sought not my self I sought you and his Glory that sent me and when I turned you to him that is able to save you I left you to him And my Travels hath been great in Hungers and Colds when there was few for the first Six or Seven Years that I often lay in Woods and Commons in the Night that many times it was as a by-word That I would not come into Houses and lie in their Beds and the Prisons have been made my Home a great part of my time and in danger of my Life and in Jeopardy daily And amongst you I have made my self of no Reputation to keep the Truth up in Reputation as you all very well know it that be in the Fear of God With the low I made my self low and with the weak and feeble I was as one with them and condescended to all Conditions for the Lord had fitted me so before he sent me forth and so I passed through great Sufferings in my Body as you have been sensible And few at the first took Care for the establishing Men and Womens Meetings tho' they were generally owned when they understood them but the Everlasting God that sent me forth by his Everlasting
standing that by it they may be ordered and directed in his Holy Service and Business in his Holy Church which Christ is the Holy Head of as they are directed and ordered by the Lor's Power and Wisdom to praise and magnifie and glorifie him with Thanksgiving both in your mesn and Womens Meetings and all other Meetings in the Name of Jesus Christ for he is in the midst of them their Prophet Priest Teacber Shepherd Bishop and Counsellor opening with his heavenly Power feeding with his heavenly Food counselling with his heavenly Counsel sanctifying them to present them to the Holy God without Spot over-seeing them with his Holy Power and Spirit that God may have the Praise and the Glory through Jesus Christ in all and through all who is bleffed for ever So Friends are not to meet like a Company of People about Town or Parish-Business neither in their Mens nor Womens Meetings Frienas to feel the Pewt of God in their Meetings for the Affairs of Truth but to wait upon the Lord and feeling his Power and Spirit to lead them and order them to his Glory that so whatsoever they may do they may do it to the Praise and Glory of God and in Unity in the Faith and in the Spirit and in Fellowship in the Order fo the Gospel and the Devil and his Instruments cannot get into this Gospel which is the Power of God and that makes him rage and he would not have the Woman to have a share in it who first deceived the Woman and now would again nor the Men neither Nor he cannot get into the worship of God which is in Spirit and Truth which the Devil is out of and therefore keep your Possessions in the Power of God and your Habitations there within and in Christ Jesus who bruises the Head of the Serpent who is the Head of all false Orders and Disorders and has made the World like a Wilderness and he in his Instruments is against the Order of the Gospel and the Power of God that Men and Women should be in the Possession of and the Dignity thereof And this many spoke evil of in the Apostles Days and so they do now but the Power stands and the Order of it over his Head and his Instruments and Christ is the same to Day as Yesterday and so for ever and of the increase of his Government there is no End So all that be Heirs of Christ and of his Power and Righteousness are Heirs of his Government and they see there is no End of the increase of it And you may see how the Apostle after he had convinced People he brought them into Order of the Gospel and the Jews after they came out of Egypt they were brought into the Order of the Law of God And as the Christians come to believe in Christ then they are to come into the Order of the Gospel So as I was first moved of the Lord God G. F. moved first to preach the Gospel to go up and down the Nation to preach the Gospel then after the Lord moved me to go up and down to exhort and to write that all People might come into the Possession of the Gospel and the Order of it which is the Power of God which was before the Devil was which is not of Man nor by Man and his Word by which all things are upheld and ordered to the Glory of God And Christ is a Priest after the Order of Melchizedeck So you may see there was a Heavenly Order in the Power and Spirit of Christ's Priesthood as there was of Aaron's of whose Order Christ came not And the Apostle saith to the Church Let all things be done decently and in order And this Order was in the Power of God the Gospel 1 Cor. 14. Afterwards to exhort to the walking in the Order of the Gospel where all Decency is And the Apostle saith Though he was absent in the Flesh yet he was present with them in the Spirit rejoycing and beholding their order to wit the Churches Order and their stead fastness in Christ And as you have received Christ Jesus the Lord so walk in him So this was the Spiritual Order of the Gospel which the Apostle in Spirit beheld and does admonish them unto in whom their walking should be to wit in Christ the Spiritual heavenly Man and not to walk in Old Adam who was without this Spiritual heavenly Gospel-Order which is the Duty of all true Christians to walk in Christ and his Gospel-Order And it 's said in Psalm 37.23 The steps of a good Man is ordered by the Lord and that is by his Power and Spirit And in Psalm 50. To him that ordereth his Conversation aright will I shew forth the Salvation of God and whoso offereth Praises Glorifies me saith the Lord. So they that offers up Praises by the Spirit they glorifie God which all must keep to and not quench And all whose Conversation is ordered aright it is by the Power of God the Gospel for they are kept by the Power of God unto the Day of Salvation and this is the right Order and everlasting Order which all must keep and walk in by which all Conversations must be ordered aright that all may see their Salvation Christ Jesus who is the Head of the Church and who fees and receives him has Life Everlasting and through him they have Peace with God So all in him live and meet in whom you have Life and Peace that is Everlasting that none can take away which Peace is not this World's Peace And also the whole Church of Christ which are the Believers in the Light Children of the Light living Stones that makes up the Spiritual Houshold over which House Christ is the Head True Believers a Chosen Generation c. all such Believers Men and Women are a Chosen Generation a Royal Priesthood and Holy Nation a Peculiar People that they should shew forth the Vertue of Christ that hath called them out of Darkness into his Marvelous Light So into him the Life to wit Christ Jesus by whom the World was made here in him they know their Election before the World began So a Royal Priesthood Christ's Church is called offering up Spiritual Sacrifices to God who is a Spirit and this Royal Priesthood has a High Priest made higher than the Heavens to wit Christ Jesus and this Royal Priesthood is not after the order of Aaron whose Order was proved by his Rods bearing Fruit laid over Night in the Tabernacle and in the Morning brought forth Fruit but your Order is proved by your Rods budding and bringing forth Fruit in the Morning of God's Day which are the Fruits of the Spirit through which Spirit you come to offer according to your Order which is in the Power of God the Gospel the Spiritual Sacrifices To offer up Spiritual Sacrifices c. the first Fraies of the Spirit to God who is a Spirit according
to your Order as I said before of the Gospel the Power of God For the Jew outward was to offer the first Fruits of the Earth according to the Order of Aaron but according to the Order of the Gospel you both Men and Women are to offer the first Fruits of the Spirit to God who is a Spirit over all blessed for ever And shew how the Lord has blest you in your Spiritual Fruits and how you have been Captives in Spiritual Egypt and how you were redeemed Much more I might Write concerning these things but they are hard to be uttered or to be born for there has so much Strife and Foolishness entred into the Minds of People and a want of the stilness and quietness in the pure Spirit of God in which things are revealed that hath been vailed in which things are opened that hath been hid and uncovered that hath been covered But wait all in the Dilligence in the holy Life by which the holy things are seen and received in which the holy Vnity and Fellowship is So no more but my Love G. F. To all my dear Friends Elect and Precious in America STand fast in the Faith which Christ Jesus is the Author of Epist 314. by his heavenly Ensign To stand fast in the Faith in your heavenly Armor and your Feet shod with the Preparation of the Heavenly Gospel of Peace and your Heads preserved with the Helmet of Salvation and your Hearts fenced with the Breast-plate of Righteousness and so stand feeling and seeing God's Banner of Love over your Heads manifesting that you are the good Ground that God's Seed hath taken Root downward in and springs upward in and brings forth Fruits in some Sixty and some Hundred fold in this Life to the Praise and Glory of God always beholding the Sun of Righteousness that never sets ruling the supernatural Day of which you are Children and the Persecutors Sun the heat of it which rises and sets again cannot scorch your Blade which it may do that Seed that grows on the Stony Ground And therefore be valiant for God's Truth upon the Earth and fear him And be Valiant for God's Truth that can break their Fetters their Goals and their Bonds in sunder and can make your Fleece to grow again after the Wolves have torn the Wooll from your Backs for the Rod of the Wicked shall not be always upon the Backs of the Righteous And therefore mind Christ who is the first and last who bruises the Head of him who is the Head of all Persecutors to wit the Devil And consider how all the Faithful in all Ages suffered from Righteous Abel to Just Lot and the Children of Isreal by Pharaoh and the true Prophets by the false and Christ and the Apostles by the vagabond Professing Jews out of the Possession and what rejoycing it was to them to suffer for the Lord Jesus and how it was given unto them not only to Believe but also to Suffer so it was the Gift of God to them not only to Believe but to Suffer and to bear them up in their Sufferings And consider how all the Martyrs and Saints have suffered since the Apostles days by the Heathens and false Christians and so there is no new thing under the Sun And therefore keep your Meetings in the Name of Jesus And keep your Meetings in the Name of Jesus whose Name is above every Name in whose Name you have Salvation and be valiant for God's Truth upon the Earth and sound his Name abroad and keep in the Truth and give no just Occasion to the Adversary for the Lamb must have the Victory and keep in the Lords Power that is over all and in his peaceable Truth in which you will seek the Good and Eternal Welfare and Salvation of all People And the Prophet Isaiah speaking of Christ says In all their Afflictions he was afflicted and the Angel of his Presence saved them so all Friends feel the Lord in all your Afflictions And the Apostle saith We our selves glory in you to wit in the Churches of God for your Patience and Faith in all your Persecutions and and Tribulations that you indure So here you may see the Saints are one anothers Joy in the Lord who doth uphold them in all their Persecutions Tribulations and Sufferings and therefore look over the Devil that is out of Truth that makes to suffer to Christ who bruises his Head and in Christ who is First and Last in him have you Rest Life and Peace And you see by Faith Examples of Faith Moses chose rather to suffer Afflictions with the People of God than to enjoy the Pleasures of Sin for a Season So by Faith he esteemed the Reproaches of Christ greater Riches than the Treasures in Egypt And by Faith Moses forsook Egypt not fearing the Wrath of the King for he indured as seeing him who is invisible and so by Faith God's People now forsake Spiritual Egypt And by Faith the Mouths of the Lions were stopp'd and by Faith they indured Tortures not accepting Deliverance that they might obtain a better Resurrection and by Faith they underwent all the cruel Mockings Scornings Bonds and Imprisonments and by Faith they underwent Stoning and Sawing asunder and were tempted and slain with the Sword and they wandered about in Sheep skins and Goats-skins being destitute afflicted and tormented of whom the World was not worthy c. Now all these lived in the one Faith by which they saw him who was invisible which is the Faith of God's Elect now which Christ Jesus is the Author and Finisher of which Faith upholds his People now as it did them against the Persecutors in Days and Ages past And hold fast the Hope which anchors the Soul which is sure and stedfast that you may float above the Word's Sea for your Anchor holds sure and stedfast in the bottom let the Winds Storms and raging Waves rise never so high And your Star is fix'd by which you may steer to the Eternal Land of Rest and Kingdom of God So no more but my Love to you all Swarthmore in Lancashire the 12th of the 12th Month 1675. G. F. To Friends in Barbadoes DEar Friends To whom is my Love in the Holy Truth Epist 315. my desire is that you may all be valiant for it against all Deceit that the Camp of God may be kept clean Faithful in their Testimenies and all may be faithful in your Testimonies of Light and Life against all those things which have come up in this Night of Apostacy from the Light Life and Power of God So look at the Lord and his Eternal Power which hath brought you out of the Night of Apostacy to his Eternal Praise and his Power hath preserved you to this Day The Lord with his glorious Power was with us in all our Assemblies at this Yearly Meeting he hath the Dominion and over all evil Spirits gave Dominion to his
so that his Name may be glorified and he honoured in your bringing forth much heavenly Spiritual Fruit from the heavenly Seed that Christ the heavenly Seeds-Man hath sown in your Hearts that so an Hundred fold of Holiness Righteousness Godliness Vertue and Piety from this heavenly Seed you may bring forth and increase in this Life-time and in the World to come reap Life Everlasting And give no occasion to your Adversaries neither in your Lives nor Words but that you may all serve God in the New Life shewing forth that you are new Men and that you are renewed in the Image of God and that you are born again of the Immortal heavenly Seed by the eternal Everlasting Word that lives and abides and endures for ever And that you do feed upon the heavenly Milk and Bread from above and that your Conversation is in Heaven and that you are cloathed with the fine heavenly Linnen which is the Righteousness of Saints which is Christ's the Heavenly and Spiritual Man's Livery by which his Servants are known by his Badge of Righteousness and distinguished from all the Servants of Old Adam Egypt Sodom and Babylon with their Badge of Vnrighteousness And so be valiant for God's Truth upon the Earth And be valiant for the Truth c. and spread it abroad preach Christ and his Kingdom his Light his Grace his Truth to Men that all should walk in it and his dreadful Day upon all the Talkers of God Christ his Prophets and Apostles Words that do not walk in the same Power Spirit and Life Grace and Truth as they walked in I say Preach this to the Magistrates and amongst the Heathen-men and shew your seles to be quickned by Christ who have been dead in Sins and Trespasses but that you are now made alive by him and so shew forth his Light Life and Truth and that you are awakened to Righteousness and therefore shew it forth to them that are asleep in the Vnrighteousness So that the Lord's Glory and righteous Power Truth Light and Life may flow over all to his Glory over all for ever Amen And much I could write to you concerning these things but I have not been very well but blessEd be the Lord God his Everlasting Seed is over all which reigns from Everlasting to Everlasting and my Life is in it And therefore stand and live in the Lord's Name and Power which is against all manner of Vnrighteousness and in the Light which is against Darkness and all the Works thereof and in the Life which is against Death and over Death and all the Actors of it and in the Truth that is over all Evil and against all the Doers thereof within and without And so that in the Light Life Power and Truth of God and in his Holy Spirit you may live in Fellowship and in the Vnity of the Spirit which is your Bond of Peace yea even of the Prince of Princes Peace which the World cannot take away from you Swarthmore the 5th of the 9th Month. G. F. An Encouragement to all the Faithful Womens-Meetings in the WORLD who assemble together in the Fear of God for the Service of the Truth Wherein they may see how the Holy Men encouraged the Holy Women both in the Time of the Law and in the Time of the Gospel though Selfish and Vnholy Men may seek to Discourage them But go on in the Name and Power of Christ and Prosper FRiends Epist 320. You may read in the old World how one FAmily after another till Noah's time served the Lord God And then from Noah Abraham Isaac and Jacob and their Wives and after Moses and Aaron had brought the Children of Israel out of Egypt and that they were come to be a great People Moses said I would all the Lord's People were Prophets Numb 11.29 And when a young Man said unto Moses Eldad and Medad do Prophesie in the Camp Moses desired that all the Lord's People were Prophets and he would have had Moses to forbid them But Moses ansered and said unto him again Would to God all the Lord's People were Prophets and that the Lord would put his Spirit upon them So Moses here who was Captain Governour and Judge over Israel was far from restraining any from Prophesying in the Camp but reproved his Envy that would have had him forbid them and did moreover encourage them by saying I would to God all the Lord's People were Prophets And surely all the Lord's People are made up of both Men and Women And the Lord having given his Law to the Children of Israel which was Holy Just and Good the Lord said I have poured out my Spirit upon the House of Israel So that by this Spirit they might understand his Law which was Spiritual Ezek. 39.29 Now in the time of the Law there were the Assemblies of the Women for all the Women that were wise of Hearth did work with their Hands about those holy Things which God had commanded And all the Women those Hearts stirred them up in Wisdom Assemblies of the Women under the Law these Women wrought about those holy Things that belonged to the Tabernacle and Sanctuary as you may see in Exod. 35. And likewise the Assemblies of the Women in the 38th Chap. and of the Womens assEmbling at the Door of the Tabernacle of the Congregation and in the Margent it 's said They assembled by Troops Now here you may see That the Women were in the Work and Service of God as well as the Men and they had their Assemblies For God had poured out of his Spirit upon the House of Israel to give them an Understanding both Men and Women to do that and make those things which God had commanded which were called holy things which were but Figares and Shadows of the Substance Christ Jesus the Holy One. Now Moses and Aaron and the Seventy Elders did not say to those Assemblies of the Women We can do our Work our selves and you are more fitter to be at home to wash the Dishes or such-like Expressions but they did encourage them in Work and Sevice of God in those things which God had commanded them in the time of the Law For God having pured his Spirit upon the House of Israel God give his Spirit to the House of Israel under the Law to give them an Understading to do those things which God had commanded them by which Spirit their Hearts were stirred up to do God's Work both Males and Females And in the time of the Law the Women were to offer up Sacrifices and Offerings as well as the Men upon God's Altar as you may see Hannah when she brought Samuel and offered him up to the Lord she brought him to the House of the Lord in Shiloh and when she brought him she took up with her three Bullocks besides Flower and Wine So see how she paid her Vows to the Lord and offered up her Sacrifices upon God's
and in the Wisdom of God may find the best way for the setting forth of their Children and to see that their Children are prerseved in Truth and to instruct them in the Fear of the Lord. And you may see the care of Abraham about Isaac taking of his wife The Care of Abraham Isaac and their Wives for their Children and the Care of Sarah that the Son of the Bond Woman should not be Heir with her Son and how that he sent his Servant that spoke to the Parents before he spoke to Rebecca the Daughter concerning the MessAge of his Master Abraham and they confessed it did proceed from the Lord as in Gen. 24. And also you may see the Care of Rebecca concerning Jacob who said If jacob Take a Wife of the Daaghters of Heth what good will my Life do me And here you may see Isaac and Rebecca helps meet and Isaac did not say Hold thy Tongue thou Foolish Woman For Isaac exhorted Jacob and charged him not to take a Wife of the Daughters of Canaan as you may see in Gen. 27. And when Rebecca was with Child the Children struggled in her Womb and she said If it be so why am I thus And she went to the Lord to enquire and the Lord said unto her Two Nations are in thy Womb and two manner of People and the Elder shall serve the Tounger c. as in Gen. 25. So you may see that she had Recourse to the Lord and enquired of the Lord and he heard her and spoke to her and she heard the Lord's Voice she is an Example to all Women in that Condition to ask Counsel of the Lord as she did And when Sarah said to Abraham Abraham obeythe Voice of his Wife Cast forth the Bond-Woman and her Son for the Son of the Bond-Woman shall not be Heir with my Son Isaac but this thing was grievous in Abraham 's sight because of his Son Ishmael But God said unto Abraham Let it not be grievous in thy sight because of the Lad and because of the Bond-Woman for in all that Sarah hath said unto thee hearken unto her Voice for in Isaac shall thy Seed be called Here you may see God justified this honourable Woman's speaking and her Husband Abraham did according to her words as in Gen. 21 for the Church was in Abraham's House at that time and so Sarah spoke in the Church And you may see the Counsel of Rebecca to Jacob and how she instructed her Son in Chap. 27. c. And likewise you may see Rechel and Leah their Counsel to Jacob who answered Jacob And Jacob was Counselled by his Wives and said unto him Is there yet any Portion or Inberitance for us in our Father's House Are we not counted of his as Strangers For be hath sold us and hath quite devoured also our Money for all the Riches which God hath taken from our Father that is ours and our Childrens and now therefore whatsoever God hath said unto thee do This was Rachel's and Leah's Counsel unto Jacob and were not these three a Church then And did he forbid them from speaking in the Church see Gen. 31.14 15 16. And in Exod. 1. there you may see the Midwives which feared God did not obey King Rharaoh's Command in destroying the Male-Children but saved them alive And after that the King of Egypt sent for the Midwives The Egyptian Midwife's an Example and asked them Why they had done so in saving the Male-Children Yet these Midwives after he had thus examined them and re-inforced his Command yet they still disobeyed his Command and would not yield to his Persecuting Murdering Devree and therefore it is said God dealt well with the Midwives And it came to pass because the Midwives feared God that he made them Houses And here you may see the Lord took Care for these honourable Women that feared him And do ye think that these honourable Women did not meet often together and took Counsel together to stand together and adventure their own Lives and Estates to preserve the Lives of those Male-Children Would you not say if this were in your Days that these were bold Women to answer the King after such a manner and to disobey the King's Commands thus as in Exod 1. And after the Children of Israel came out of Egypt and saw the Destruction of Pharaoh and his Host after Moses made an End of his Song and praising of the Lord then Miriam the Prophetess Miriam tra the Women's Song the Sister of Aaron took a Timbrel in her Hand and all the Women went out after her with Timbrels and with Dances mark all the Women and Miriam answered them and said Sing ye unto the Lord for he hath triumphed gloriously the Horse and his Rider hath he overthrown in the Sea c. Now here you may see what an Assembly there was of the Women that praised the Lord which were instructed by Miriam the Prophetess and Moses and Aaron were not offended at them for they were sensible of their Joy and were Partakers of the Deliverance and Salvation the Women as well as the Men as you may see in Exod. 15. And Deborah a Prophetess she judged Israel Deborah a Judge and Prophetess and sent to Baruch and exhorted and encouraged him and she prophesied to him that he should not have the Glory of the Battel but that the Lord should sell Sisera into the Hands of a Woman as you may see in Judges 4 5. Chap. Then sung Deborah and praised the Lord and there you may see her large Declaration in praising and magnifying the Name of the Lord the whole Chapter throughout and how she said BlessEd be jael above all Women the Wife of Heber blessed shall she be in the Tent c. And we do not read that the Elders did reprove her or bid her hold her Prating for she was filled with the Power of the Lord to praise his Name Judges 5. And you may see how the Apostle set forth the honourable Women and their Faithfulness and Constancy who by Faith received the Dead raised to Life again Hebr. 11.35 And Hannah who prayed in the Temple before Ely as aforesaid Hannah's Prayer who was ignorant of her Condition he teproved her and thought she had been Drunk but she convinced him so that at last he encouraged her and desired the Lord to grant her Petition And when the Lord had granted it to her you may see how this honourable Woman exalts the Lord 1 Sam. 2.1 to the 10th And Ruth and Naomi you may see what vertuous Women they were and how the Women blessed the Lord on their behalf and how they declared of the Goodness of the Lord to them And Huldah the Prophetess which dwelt in Jerusalem in the College Huldah's Instruction to the King's Ministers where the King sent out the Priest Hilkiah and his Scribe and others to enquire of her Now the Jews here
out of the Unity which Teaching is forbidden both by Law and Gospel and they are not fit to Teach if they have not learn'd Subjection to the Spirit of God and know the Silence of all Flesh before the Lord and have not learn'd to adorn themselves with that which is modest and the Lesson of Sobriety whith becomes Godliness and with the good Works the Fruits of the Spirit And such Women as have learn'd this Lesson may Teach and Prophesie for the Spirit is poured upon them to that End And the same Apostle saith Elder Women Nurses Mothers Teachers c. in the Church of Christ 1 Tim. 5. That the Women should be as Mothers and a Mother is a Nurser and a Teacher and Instructer of her Children and the younger Women as Sisters with all Purity and Sisters in Christ and in Purity all have but one Father and a Sister is in the Vnity in the Spirit in the Gospel 1 Tim. 5. And if any Woman that believes have widows let them relieve them So here was the Womans Work to relieve their Widows c. And again The Apostle writes to Titus and saith unto him Speak thou the things which become sound Doctrine c. The aged Women that they be of good behaviour as becometh Holiness not false Accusers not given to much Wine teachers of good things Now here they must be qualified before they can be Teachers of those good things And that these aged Women teach the younger Women first To be Sober secondly To love their Husbands thirdly To love their Children fourthly To be Discreet fifthly To be Chaste and keepers at home and Good Obedient to their own Husbands that the Word of God be not blasphemed Now here the aged Women not a Woman but the aged Women were to teach the younger Women these things And how could these Women be Teachers of all these Vertues and good Things if these Mothers and holy Woman did not meet togeter and converse together of Holiness and Vertue as in Tit. 2. And in 1 Pet. 3. Women to win Husbands by the Word and Conversation also he encourageth Wives and Women That if their Husbands will not be won by the Word they may without the Word be won by the chaste Conversation of the Wives whilst they behold your chaste Conversation saith he coupled with Fear and whose adorning saith he Let it not be that of the Outward with plaiting of the Hair or wearing of Gold or putting on costly Apparel but let it be the hidden Man of the Heart in that which is not Corruptible even the Ornament of a meek and quiet Spirit which is in the sight of God of great Price And this he saith was the Ornament of the holy Women in the old time with which they adorned themselves who trusted in God as Sarch c. whose Daughters ye are as long as ye do well and are not afraid with any Amazement And likewise the Believing Husband and the Believing Wife are Heirs together of the Grace and Life And therefore the Believing Women being Heirs of Grace and Life as well as the Men they may impart of their Life which they do inherit as well as Men for an Heir of Life is beyond an Heir of the Earth And there is no Believing Husband will hinder his Believing Wife Men not to binder Wives from administring to the Necessity of the Poor c. being Heirs of Life to adiminister some of their temporal things to them that are in Necessity he will not have all the Earth to himself but let her have the disposing of some of it as well as himselfe whilst they do enjoy it and ministring of outward things is the least Love And Women many times know the Condition of poor Families and Widows and such as are in distress more than the Men because they are most conversant in their Families and about such things But there are many Idle Talkers and Busie Bodies that are out of the Sense and Service of God that will not do good themselves nor suffer others to do their Service of Love and Charity for the Lord in the Church And John writes in his Second Epistle unto the Elect Lady and her Chidlren whom I love in the Truth saith he and not I only Note John the Evang list sent his Epistle to a Woman but also all they that have known the Truth for the Truth 's sake which dwelleth in us and shall be with us for ever c. I rejoyce greatly says he that I have found they Children walking in the Truth And further saith I write no new Commandment unto thee but that which we had from the beginning that we love one another And so he trusts to come and see her and speak Face to Face unto her the Children of thy Elect Sister greet thee Amen The elect Lady and her elect Sister So was not this an honourable Woman that had trained up her Children in the Truth as was commanded by John And he admonished her against such as did transgress and did not abide in the Doctrine of Christ Jesus that they had not the Father nor the Son but they that did abide in the Doctrine of Christ Jesus had both the Father and the Son So is not this an Encouragement to all faithful Women to see that their Children do walk in the Truth and abide in the Doctrine of Christ that they may have both the Father and Son And farther Solomon saith A gracious Woman attains Honour The vertues of a gracious Woman and a vertuous Woman is a Crown to her Husband and every wise Woman buildeth her own House Surely then she hath a work to do he that hath Ears let him hear But the foolishe Woman plucketh it down with her Hands And there are too many of those that are in the Transgression of the Spirit and Power of God with which they must build But a Woman that feareth God she shall be praised give her of the Fruit of her hands and let her Works Praise her in the Gates And then surely she hath a work to do that must praise her in the Gates She stretcheth forth her hands to the Poor yea she reacheth forth her hands to the Needy Prov. 31. And must she not then have something of the Outward to do it withal She opens her Mouth in Wisdom and in her Tongue is the Law of Kingness She looks well to the Ways of her Houshold and eateth not the Bread of Idleness She is like the Merchant 's Shir she bringeth her Food from far she riseth also whilst it is Night and giveth Meat to her Houshold and Portions to her Maidens she considereth a Field and buyeth it with the Fruit of her hands she planteth a Vineyard she guirdeth her Loins with strength and strengtheneth her Arms she perceiveth that her Merchandize is good her Candle goeth not out by Night c. And here is an Example to all Women a
the Lord to deal with them For that which they get by spoiling you they will never be the richer for and when they have done spoiling the Lord can spoil them and theirs And all the Goods they take from Friends for serving God will torment them at last and be a greater Plague to them more than keeping on your Hats and saying Thou to them was And you have had Experience how the other Powers spoiled your Goods The Spoil of the Righteous not durable Riches to their Persecutors but were they either the richer or the fatter Nay the more thery did eat destroy and devour the more they look like Pharaoh's lean Cattel And did not the Christians of old suffer joyfully the spoiling of their Goods by Professors and Prophane So they that are born of the Flesh will persecute them that are born of the Spirit and they that will live Godly in Christ Jesus must suffer Persecution and blessed are they that do suffer Persecution for Christ and his Righteousness sake And so never fear the loss of the Fleece for God can make it grow again as he did poor Job's And it is the way of the Enemy and Adversary to set upon the young convinced to think by that means to make them to yield For have you not read it was the way how that the Enemies of Israel of old fell upon the weak and feeble of their Camp and the hindermost of the Flock but they had their Reward at the End And so wait upon the Lord and he will support you though he may try you a while as he doth all his Saints that the Trial of your Faith may come forth more pure than Gold And so never fear Man nor what they are permitted to do unto you but the Lord Though the hungry Lions may lack yet they that wait upon the Lord shall not want any good thing for his Promise is he will never leave them nor forsake them And so the Lord God Almighty give you Power and Courage to stand against all the Wiles of the Enemy and to be Valiant for his Truth upon the Earth And so with my Love in the Everlasting Seed Christ Jesus who is over him that makes to suffer and will be when he is gone Marshgrange the 6th of the 4th Month. 1676. G. F. To Friends in Barbadoes MY Dear Friends in the heavenly Relation and Zion's Children Epist 333 amongst whom the Stone that the Builders rejected is elect and precious and in him Christ you are Elect Christ the Head of God's Church who is the Head of the Corner of God's Building And therefore in the Name of Jesus keep your Meetings in whom you all have Salvation and not by any other Name under Heaven and though the Lord may try you where your Minds are and in what by the outward Powers yet be valiant for God's Truth upon the Earth and if some of you be cast into Prison and your Goods be spoiled the Seed is upon the Head of him that maketh to suffer and will remain when he is gone And the Lord God who giveth the increase of all both Invisible and Visible can make the Fleece to grow again And therefore let your Faith be in the Power and Word of Life And the Authority of your Men and Womens Meetings is the Power of God and all the Heirs of the Gospel are Heirs of Christ the heavenly Man and of his Government the increase of which there is no end And so all walk in Christ So walk in Christ who bruiseth the Serpent's Head that hath gotten between you and God so as you all are in him then nothing can get between you and the Lord God and so in the glorious Order of the Gospel the Power of God dwell which is over the Devil and the World and before he and it was and the Power of God will be when he and it is gone This is the everlafting Gospel which bringeth Life and Immortality to Light and that you all may see over him that hath darkned you to him who was before he was and the Power of God will be when he is gone And therefore walk in the glorious blessed peaceable and comfortable Order of the everlasting Gospel for the Gospel the Power of God is the Gospel of Peace and the Truth is Peaceable The Devil the Destroyer and Adversary abode not in the Peaceable Truth and the Kingdom of God stands in Peace and Joy in the Holy Ghost and the Vnity of the Spirit is a Bond of Peace yea the Bond of the heavenly Man the Prince of Princes Peace that Bond must be kept by all Zion's Children the Heirs of Life And all seek the Peace and Good one of another To seek Peace and dwell is Love and dwell in the Love of God thet does edifie the Body of Christ and bears all things and endures all things and build up one another in the most holy Faith which you have from Christ the holy One for Holiness becomes the House of God And therefore all mind that which becomes his House and now is the time for every one to put on the Armour of God and to take his Weapons and Arms that you may stand by God's Ensign in the Truth against him that is out of Truth keeping on your Helmet of Salvation as a token of your Victory and your Breast-Plate of Righteousness which preserves both Mind Heart and Soul and your Loins girded with Truth Keep on the Armor of Righteousness that you may be Valiant for it and your Feet shod with the Preparation of the Gospel the Power of God that your Feet may stand fast over all slippery Places in the Power of God the Gospel that is sure and everlasting Here is your Armor and your Weapon is the Sword of the Spirit the Word of God the Word of Life and Salvation and Wisdom and Reconciliation that is as a Sword and a Hammer to cut down and hammer down that which hath made a separation betwixt you and God and is as Fire to burn it up And the Shield of Faith that is your Shield by which you have victory and access to God by which Faith all the Just lives and are saved and contend for it which is declared to the Saints by Christ who is the Author and Finisher of it And by this Faith you come to Christ the Author and as many as receive him walk in him that you may be always fresh and green in him who bruises the Head of the Serpent that hath made People lean and barren and hath made so many barren Mountains which Christ is gathering and calling his People from that they might walk in the Light of the Lord and come to the Mountain of the House of the Lord that is established above all the Mountains where God teaches all his the Way of Life Truth and Salvation And the Mountain of the House of the Lord is always green with fresh
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
Faith was and are still denied And all such as preach God and Christ and crucifies Christ to themselves afresh and denies God in their Works were then and are denied And all such as preach the Light and walk in Darkness and preach the Spirit the Fruits of which is Love and Peace and are in Strife and Enmity were never owned by God nor Christ nor good Men though they may be called Christians And all such as preach Liberty and themselves were Servants of Corruption were and are still denied And all such as cries Lord Lord and preaches Christ Christ and does not his Will enters not into his Kingdom themselves And into it they can bring none that do not go into it themselves Which Kingdom stands in Power and in Joy and Peace in the Holy Ghost And all such as preach the Word of God and are not doers of the Word they are Deceivers of their own Souls and they may deceive others with the good Words And such cannot be reconciled to God neither can they bring others to Reconciliation with God So this Spirit is but One which Spirit all along has wrought against the true Spirit of God in all his People and was in Srife and Contention and Disquietness against the Righteous in all Ages but it wrought its own Destruction and the Fall of them that followed it as you may see through all the Scriptures And therefore all are to keep the Vnity of the Spirit All are to keep the Vnity of the Spirit the Bond of the heavenly Man Christ Jesus's Peace who renews Man up into the Image of God as Man was in before he fell and not only into that State but up into himself that never fell where they know both his Gospel-Order and his Heavenly Government and are subject to it He being the Head above all Principalities Powers Thrones and Dominions Who is ascended above all that he might fill all things Who is over all the Beginning and Ending and Lives and Reigns from Everlasting to Everlasting the Amen G. F. An Epistle to be read in the Men and Womens Meetings DEar Friends Epist 344. My Love in the Lord Jesus Christ to you all in whom I have laboured and my Desires are the God of all Peace and the Son of Peace may fill all your Hearts with his Love and Peace and Wisdom and Knowledge in all things to do his heavenly glorious Will in that you will know his Son's Doctrine and as you know it obey it And my Desires are in the Lord All to walk worthy of their Holy Vocation that you may all walk worthy of your Vocation and of him that his called you to Holiness and Righteousness and to Peace so that his Peace may flow as a River and Righteousness run down as a Stream to the gladding of the City of God the Walls of which is his Power and Salvation and Light and Life And now My Friends Keep all your Meetings in the Name of Jesus in whom you have all Salvation which is above every Name under the whole Heaven in which there is no Salvation And also all your Men and Womens Meetings every where keep in the Power of the Lord Jesus Christ his Gospel by which he hath brought Life and Immortality to light in you that you may see over him that hath darkned you and before he was which Power will preserve you in Life and Immortality So that you may now all labour in the Gospel the Power of God in his glorious and comfortable Gospel joyfully serving the Lord in his Gospel of Peace through which Gospel you have Peace with God So that in this Gospel All to be stirred up to Labour in the Lord's Service the Power of God there can come nothing between you and God Here is your heavenly Order not of Man nor by Man So that all the faithful Men and Women may in the Lord's Power be stirred up in their Inheritances of the same Gospel and to labour in it helps-meet in the Restoration as Man and Woman was before the Fall in the Garden of God all are to work in his Righteousness and in his Image in his Power in his Garden to subdue the Earth and keep the Dominion in his Power in the Restoration as Man and Woman did in the Image of God before the Fall Whosoever would hinder you in this Work it is the same Serpent's Spirit that led Adam and Eve into the Fall from the Work of God which now would keep you in the Fall to do his Work and Command and not the Lord's and therefore over that keep your Dominion Authority and Inheritance in the Restoration in the Power of God in which every one of you must give an account to God and therefore be diligent in the Lord's Power Light Life and Spirit in which you all see your Services to God so that he may be glorified among you all and in you all and over you all his Glory may shine And you all Men and Women in your Men and Womens Meetings be diligent labouring in the Light Life and the Power of God the Gospel in the Garden and Church of God so that Righteousness and Peace may flow down amongst you and Truth and Godliness Purity Vertue and Holiness over all that is contrary and that the Weight and Care of God's Glory and his Honour and his pure Holy Name and his Truth Religion and Worship you may all stand up for against that which would in any wise cause it to be evil spoken of by ill Walkers and Talkers and let all things you do be done in Love and condescend one to another in the Power of the Lord and in his Truth have esteem one of another and let all things be done among you without any Strife for it's Love that edifies the Body and knits it together and unites it to Christ the heavenly and holy Head The Reproach taken from Woman that was first in Transgression And now you Women though you have been under Reproach because Eve was first in Transgression the Promise was The Seed of the Woman should bruise the Serpents Head And this Promise of God is fulfilled A Virgin should have a Child and they should call his Name Emanuel God with us again For Man and Woman was drove from God out of Paradise and the Serpent became their Head and god of the World but Christ is come according to the Promise of God and his Prophets who was born of a Virgin and therefore saith Mary My Spirit doth rejoyce in God my Saviour My Soul doth magnifie the Lord for he hath regard to the low estate of his Hand maid for behold from henceforth all Generations shall call me Blessed Now here comes the Reproach to be taken off from Women which were first in Transgression who are not suffered to speak in the Church but here Mary did speak and believe that which was spoken to her And also the Reproach
they that separate themselves such as have not the Spirit But Beloved build up your selves in the most holy Faith praying in the Holy Ghost and keep your selves in the Love of God Jude Now I praise you Brethren that ye remember me in all things and keep the Ordinances as I delivered them unto you and the rest will I set in order when I come 1 Cor. 2.11 34. Paul in his Second Epistle to the Thessalonians Chap. 3.4 And we have Confidence in the Lord touching you that ye both do and will do the things which we command you Now we command you Brethren in the Name of our Lord Jesus Christ that ye withdraw your selves from every Brother that walketh disorderly and not after the Tradition which he received of us Now we exhort you Brethren to warn them that are unruly and comfort the feeble-minded and support the weak and be patient towards all Men for ye your selves are taught of God to love one another and that ye study to be quiet and walk honestly to them that are without and that ye may have lack of nothing 1 Thess 5.14 And in 2 Thess 2.15 Therefore Brethren stand fast and hold the Traditions which you have been taught whether by Word or our Epistle G. F. DEar Friends Epist 348. To whom is my Love in the heavenly Seed Christ Jesus Abraham and all the Faithful blessed in Christ without the Deeds of the Law in whom all Nations are blessed O therefore keep all in this Seed in which ye are blessed and in which Abraham and all the faithful were blessed without the Deeds of the Law and so the Promise was and is to the Seed and not to the Law of the first Covenant and in this Seed all Nations and ye are blessed which bruiseth the Head of the Seed which brought the Curse and separated between Man and God This is the Seed which reconciles you to God and this is the Seed in which ye are blessed both in Temporals and Spirituals through which you have an Inheritance that cannot be defiled among the sanctified neither can any defiled thing enter into its Possession for all Defilements are out of this Seed this is that which Leavens up into a New Lump and bruiseth the Head of the wicked Seed that Leavens into the Old Lump upon whom the Sun of Righteousness goes down and sets but never goes down nor sets to them that walk in the Seed in which all Nations are blessed by which Seed they are brought up to God which puts down that Seed which separated betwixt them and God so that there comes to be nothing betwixt them and God And so now all my Dear Friends my Desires are To be valiant for Truth and to spread it abroad That you may all be valiant in this heavenly Seed for God and his Truth upon the Earth and spread it abroad answering that of God in all that with it the Minds of People may be turned towards the Lord that he may come to be known and served and worshipped and that ye may all be the Salt of the Earth to make the unseasoned Savoury And in the Name of Jesus keep your Meetings who are gathered into it in whose Name ye have Salvation and he in the midst of you whose Name is above every Name under the whole Heaven And so you have a Prophet and Bishop Shepherd Priest and Counsellor above all the Counsellors Priests Bishops Prophets and Shepherds under the whole Heaven to exercise his Offices among you in your Meetings that are gathered in his Name And so Christ's Meeting and Gathering is above all the Meetings and Gatherings under the whole Heaven And so his Body his Church and He the Head of it is above all the Bodies and Churches and Heads under the whole Heaven And so the Faith that Christ is the Author of and the Worship that he hath set up and his Fellowship in his Gospel is above all Historical Faiths and the Faith 's that Men have made together with their Worships and Fellowships under the whole Heaven And now Dear Friends Light and Immortality brought to Light keep your Men and Womens Meetings in the Power of God the Gospel the Authority of them which brings Life and Immortality to light in you And this Gospel the Power of God will preserve you in Life and in Immortality which hath brought it to light in you that ye may see over him that hath darkned you and so from the Knowledge of the things of God And so it is he and his Iustruments that would darken you from Life and Immortality and that would throw down your Men and Womens Meetings which are established in the Power of God the Gospel and would darken you again from this Life and Immortality which the Gospel hath brought to light and will preserve you in Life and in Immortality as your Faith stands in the Power of God the Gospel in which every one sees your Work and Service for God and every Heir of the Power of God the Gospel hath Right to this Authority which is not of Man nor by Man which Gospel the Power of God is Everlasting and leads you into an everlasting Fellowship and in the Gospel is everlasting Joy Comfort and Peace which will-out-last all those Joys Comforts and Peace that will have an End and also that Spirit that opposes its Order and the glorious Fellowship Peace and Comfort that is in it And now my Dear Friends my Desire is By the Spirit are we all baptized into one Body That ye may keep in the Unity of the Spirit that Baptises you all into one Body which Christ is the Heavenly and Spiritual Head of so that you may see and witness to your Heavenly and Spiritual Head and all drink into that one Spirit which all People upon the Earth is not like to drink into while they grieve quench and rebel against it nor be baptised into one Body nor keep the Vnity of the Spirit which is the Bond of Peace Yea the King of Kings and Lord of Lords Peace which is the Duty of all true Christians to keep who are inwardly united to Christ So with my Love in the Everlasting Seed Swarthmore the 26th of the 7th Month 1678. G. F. To Friends in the County of Oxford DEar Friends Epist 349. Keep in the Lord's Power that his Kingdom stands in In what the Kingdom of God stands and in Righteousness and Peace and Joy in the Holy Ghost which the Devil and all his Instruments of Strife and Debate and Sowers of Discord among Brethren are out of and keep that Spirit out with the Power of God which was before it was in which Gospel the Power of God is your Holy and Heavenly Order in the Possession of the same Labour walking in the New and Living Way over all the dead Ways in Adam let them be what Sect they will and in this New and Living Way you
Living and the Leaves thereof heal the Nations And this Tree stands in the midst of God's Garden who saith In the midst of thy Church will I sing Praise The Eyes of People are upen it which are living Stones a spiritual Houshold of Faith Elect and Precious the Church of the living God written in Heaven so Holiness becomes the House of the Lord. And therefore the Lord doth require more from Friends than all other People because he hath given more to them and so all People do expect more from Friends than all other People in answering that of God in them all in truth and in Righteousness Holiness and Godliness for ye are the Lights of the World and the Salt of the Earth to season it So all must glorifie the Lord God in their Lives and Conversations with their Bodies Spirits and Souls which are Christ's who has bought them and cleansed them with his Blood and the pure Water of his Word who makes them sanctified Vessels of his Mercy for his Glory therefore none must dishonour the Lord. And therefore my Desires are that you may all be valiant for the Truth upon the Earth and keep up all your Men and Womens Meetings in the Lord's Power the Gospel which hath brought Life and Immortality to Light and it will preserve you in Life and Immortality over hom that hath darkned you and in this all will see their Works and Services for the Lord God and his Son Christ Jesus in that which hath brought Life and Immortality to Light in which Gospel is an Everlasting Perfect Fellowship and Order which will stand when all others are gone all the Saints that do enjoy this cannot but Praise the Lord and sing Praises to him for ever and ever Amen The Apostle saith If any Man be in Christ he is a new Creature old things are passed away behold all things are become new 2 Cor. 5.17 So they that are in Christ are new Creatures and they that are in old Adam are old Creatures and are in their old Things old Ways old Worships Old things done away and old Religions and have the old Garments and the old Bottles that hold the old Wine and cannot endure the new and have the old rusty moth-eaten Treasure And they that are in Christ the heavenly and spiritnal Second Adam who maketh all things new are new Creatures and spiritual Men and are heavenly-minded and are new Bottles that hold the new Wine and the new heavenly Treasure and have the new Cloathing the fine Linnen the Righteousness of Christ and are in the New and Living Way over all the dead Ways and they are in the New Worship which Christ set up above Sixteen hundred Years ago which is in the Spirit and in the Truth in which Holy Spirit and Holy Truth the Holy God is worshipped And this was new to both Jews and Gentiles and is new to all the Apostate Christians who are not in the Holy Spirit and Truth that the Apostles were in And this new Creature in Christ hath a new Religion which is pure and undefiled The new Creature bath the pure Religion and keepeth from the spots of the World And this Religion is new to the Jews and Gentiles and all the apostatized Christians that plead for a Body of Death and Sin to the Grave and a Purgatory when they are dead And they that be in Christ are new Creatures and they have a new Head who is the Head of all things the First born of every Creature and the Frist-begotten from the dead who is alive and liveth for evermore who bruiseth the Serpent's Head who hath made things old but Christ maketh all things new and they tht be in him are new Creatures and they that be out of Christ are the old Creatures in Old Adam and these old Creatures are doting about their old things and their old Bottles old Wine old Garments and are doting about their old Ways old Religions and old worships and persecuting one another with their old Carnal Weapons these old Creatures which dote about their old Worships Religions and Ways so that one old Creature falleth out with another old Creature so that these old doting Creatures in Old Adam out of Christ the Second Adam do wrestle with Flesh and Blood about their old Ways Religions and Worships And these old doting Creatures which be out of Christ the Saviour do destroy one another about their old Ways Worships Religions and Churches And these old Creatures that be out of Christ the Head are monstrous Bodies without a Head till that they have made one and then the old Creatures set it upon their Body which Head as they do think doth pardon their Sins and when this their Head is fallen off their Body then they do make another and set it on their old Creature 's Body But they that are in Christ are new Creatures And Christ is their Redeemer c. and Christ is their Head who is their Redeemer Sanctisier and Saviour who is alive and liveth for evermore and walk in Christ the Second Adam who is Heavenly and spiritual And the old Creatures out of Christ their Walk is in old Adam who are Natural and Carnal and so are their Weapons and Armour that they defend their old Ways Church Religion and worship with they are Carnal and not Spiritual by which they kill one another and the old Creatures do study or dote which way they may destroy or imprison persecute or banish spoil or torture the Righteous or new Creatures in Christ And they that be in Christ are new Creatures their Weapons and Armour are Spiritual and they do not wrestle with Flesh and Blood but Spiritual Wickedness and Rulers of Darkness in high Places and bring down Imaginations and high Thoughts as Christ whom those new Creatures are in teacheth them who saith that He came not to destroy Mens lives but to save them and rebuked such as would have had Mens Lives destroyed and told them that they did not know what Spirit they were of So it is clear that the old Creatures that be out of Christ which destroy Mens Lives about their old Ways Churches Religions and their old Worships do not know what Spirit they are of and although they do not know what Spirit they are of whether it be a good spirit or a bad one yet People must conform to that Way Religion Worship and Church that this old Creature that is out of Christ hath set up or else he will persecute them or destroy their Lives They that do Persecute for Rcligion are ignorant what Spirit they are of though Christ saith They do not know what Spirit they are of And is not this hard to conform to that which the old Creatures have made and set up which do not know their own Spirits nor what Spirit they bd of And therefore were not those Doctrines Ordinances Traditions and Rudiments of the World the old Creatures who
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
not all People in their several false Religions Ways and Sects yea the very Turks and Heathens train up their Children in their own Ways And likewise did not the Jews train up their Children in the Old Testament and Old Covenant of works which old Testament and Covenant Christ hath abolished and hath established the New Covenant of Light Life and Grace And therefore must not all the Jews in Spirit in this New Testament train up their Children in this New Covenant of Light Life and Grace Or else do they not bring themselves under Condemnation For doth not the Beasts and the Fowles teach their Young to pick suck and feed their Young All our good things comes from God and Christ the giver of them And will not the Young one cry after the Old ones for their Food All these things might teach People Now you having your Food from Christ and God your Father yea your Bread your Milk your Water your Wine your Honey your Fine Linnen your Cloathing your Breath your Life your Souls and the Image of God which he made you in which Man and Woman hath lost by Transgression but are to be renewed into it again by Christ your Redeemer and Sanctifier and Reconciler and Mediator who makes your Peace between you and God from whom you have your Light Grace and Truth who gives you his Gospel and Faith and Spirit in whose Name you have Salvation and not by any other Name under the whole Heaven who is your heavenly spiritual Rock and Foundation and have not you all these things from above freely and none of them from below And also your Heavenly Armour and Spiritual Weapons in which you stand Witnesses for God and Christ And cannot you train up all your Children in the Fear of God and tell them from whence you have all these good things that they may come to receive of all these good things which you receive from the good God and Christ the Treasure of Wisdom and Knowledge Good Children are the Crown of old Men. that you may say The Children of your Children are the Crown of your old Men in the Truth and the Glory of their Fathers in God and that you may say Your Wives are as fruitful Vines by the sides of your House and your Children like Olive Plants round about your Table thus shall they be blessed that fear the Lord that you may say Your Sons are Plants of God growing up in their Youth And Daughters in Truth as polished Stones and that your Daughters may be as Corner-Stones polished after the similitude of a Palace and that your Garners are full and affordeth all manner of Store so that there is no complaining in your Streets And happy is that People whose God is the Lord. And now my Friends if there happen any Difference among Friends either with Friends or the World Let it be put to Referrence if it cannot be ended between themselves And all that are concerned to End any Difference Friends not to go to Law but to end Differences amongst themselves let them have but one Ear to one Party and let them reserve the other Ear to hear the other Party so that they may Judge Impartially of Matters without Affection or Favour or Respect of Persons For you may see how the Jews in the Old Covenant did judge of things among themselves as long as they kept the Law of God and did not go to other Nations or to the Heathen for them to judge of their Matters and therefore the Apostle reproves the Corinthians for that fault for going to Law one with another before Vnbelievers and told them that the Saints should judge the World yea Angels and then how much more might they Judge of things appertaining to this Life And therefore the Apostle exhorted If then ye have Judgment of things pertaining to this Life set them to judge that are least esteemed in the Church And to speak to him that hath Offended alone And Christ saith If thy Brother trespass against thee go and tell him his fault between him and thee alone if he should hear thee thou hast gained thy Brother But if he will not hear thee then take with thee one or two more that in the Mouth of two or three Witnesses every Word may be established And if he neglect to hear them tell it to the Church and if he neglect to hear the Church let him be unto thee as a Heathen and a Publican Verily I say unto you whatsoever is bound on Earth shall be bound in Heaven and whatsoever ye shall loose on Earth shall be loosed in Heaven And farther Christ said If two of you shall agree on Earth as touching any thing that they shall ask it shall be done for them of my Father which is in Heaven For where two or three are gathered together in my Name there am I in the midst of them Mat. 18. And Christ saith And if he neglect to hear them to tell the Church If thy Brother trespass against thee rebuke him and if he Repent forgive him And if he trespass against thee seven times in a day and seven times if he turn again saying I Repent thou shalt forgive him Luke 17. Here you may see what Instructions Christ who is the King of Kings and Lord of Lords gives to his Church and much more which is too large to write And they had Elders in the Old Covenant then much more ought there to be Elders in the New Covenant which are grown in the Truth And they had the Assemblies of the Women in the Law who was concerned in the things about the Figures and Shadows and they wrought about the Holy things and they brought of their clean things to be offered all which Christ the Holy One hath abolished and put an end to in the Old Covenant All are to walk in the fear of God So much more the Believers in Christ in the New Testament in the time of the Gospel are to have their Assemblies and Meetings besides their Instructing and looking into their own Families whether they walk in the Fear of God And then after in the General Service of the Church of God the aged Men and aged Women in the Truth are to be Teachers of good things as the Lord shall order them with his Spirit to Teach and Instruct Exhort Admonish Reprove Rebuke with the Holy Spirit And to rebuke and reprove in the holy Spirit for the least Member hath an Office and every Believer in the Light which is the Life in Christ is a Member of Christ's Church and grafted into him and so he is the holy Head of the Church and they are Heirs of his Order and of his Government of the Increase of which there is no end in his Eternal Power and Spirit And therefore all that deny the Men and Womens Meetings that are established in the Light Power and Spirit of Christ by which we are
gathered together He being in the midst of them they may as well deny Christ as deny his heavenly Order of his Gospel and his Heavenly Spiritual Government And all them that deny the Men and Womens Meetings People are to come into the possession of what thay profess in the New Covenant in the Restoration out of Death and Darkness by Christ and in his Gospel of Light and Life they may as well deny the Preaching of the Gospel if People shall not come into the Possession of that which is Preach'd and Practice it For the Faithful Men and Women that are restored into the Image of God by Christ Jesus as Adam and Eve were in before they fell they were meet-helps in Righteousness and in the Image of God and in Christ Jesus yea they were meet-helps one to another and Christ makes them as Kings and Priests to Reign upon the Earth over the Serpent and the Devil the Destroyer in the Power of God which was before he was in which is the holy Order And they do that offer the Spiritual Sacrifices to God and are his heavenly Witnesses stands for God and Christ and his Righteousness in his Light and Life They that do offer Spiritual Sacrifices are to stand up for God and Christ by which they are grafted into Christ and so by and in his Power Light and Life stands over Death and Darkness and the Prince and Power of it and in it Reigns over him And so doth Praise God and his Son that liveth for ever and sings Hallalujah Swarthmore the 10th Month 1679. G. F. An Epistle to Friends for them to read MY Dear Friends The peaceable Truth live in Epist 361. which you have received from Jesus your Saviour and that by the Grace and Truth that is come by him into your Hearts No bringing forth good Fruits but by abiding in Christ you may all abide in Christ and grow up in him from whence it comes For as Christ saith Except you abide in me ye cannot bring forth Fruit. And there is none that abide in Christ but who abide in his Light Grace and Truth And Christ saith Without me ye can do nothing who is the Heavenly and Spiritual Man without Christ we can do nothing the Second Adam the Lord from Heaven who hath all Power in Heaven and Earth given to him So without this Truth and Grace and Light and Power and Spirit of Christ Jesus which you receive from him you cannot abide in him This brings you to abide in him and to have his Presence to strengthen you so that through him you may do all things which he commands and requires of you And now The Grace and Truth that comes from Christ brings to Christ the Rock and Foundation Dear Friends to the Light and Grace and Truth in your Hearts you were turned at the first and now as you do all walk in the Light and are established in the Grace and Truth in your Hearts Minds and Souls it brings you to Christ the heavenly spiritual Rock and Foundation and to build upon him with the Light Grace and Truth that comes from him and then you will see such as Christ speaks of that did profess him and preach him but did not abide in his Light Grace and Truth so not in Christ Jesus and such Christ will not know that do not abide in him with his Light Grace and Truth from whence it comes For the Grace And the Grace and Truth that cometh from Jesus makes inward Christians Truth and Light that cometh by Jesus this makes inward Christians and the Jews inward who have the Praise of God though may be not of Men. And the Apostles in their Days they had to do with several sorts of People some that preached Christ of Envy and some of Contention and some of Good-will notwithstanding the Apostles rejoyced that Christ was preached But then after a time when many had gotten the Form of Christianity and Godliness and denied the Power thereof he exhorted the Faithful that kept their Habitation in Christ Jesus to turn away from such And yet such went under the Name of Christians else they could not have the Form of Godliness And likewise Such as have the form of Godliness but deny the Power of it are to be turned away such as got the good Words and fair Speeches with which they deceived the Hearts of the Simple these were got to be Preachers among the Christians And the heady high-minded and fierce Despisers these had the Form of Godliness though they denied the Power of it which they were turned from So they that lived in the Light Grace and Truth and the Power and Spirit of Christ were to turn away from such that had the Form of Godliness and denied the Power And such as these that had the Form of Godliness and denied the Power were come farther than such as taught for Doctrine the Rudiments and Precepts of the World and Doctrines of Men or the professing Jews and Gentiles that stood against the Name of Christ which were altogether Unbelievers of the very Form of Godliness of the New Covenant And likewise such that were doting about Questions and Strife about Words The vain Talkers were the Persecutors of the Church in the Apostles days and so are now vain Janglers and Disputers Men of corrupt Minds and those that were unruly and vain Talkers many of these were Teachers which were Troublers of the Churches in the Apostles days And those that Peter and Jude cried against that were come so far as Balaam to Prophesie and Cain to hear the Voice of God and a Corah which came out of Egypt many of these got up to be Teachers having high swelling Words which the Apostle judged amongst the fallen Angels and the old World and Sodom who were turned to be Mockers And such-like as these were they that separated themselves being sensual having not the Spirit And so it seems these did set up Separations from the Apostles and Saints in their Days And the Apostle declareth how the Lord saved his People out of the Land of Egypt and afterwards destroyed them that believed not Angels left their first Habitation and the Angels that kept not their first State but left their own Habitation he hath reserved in everlasting Chains under Darkness unto the Judgment of the great Day And so these which went under the Name of Christians that had been convinced and had got a Form of Godliness and Christianity that kept not their first State in the Light and Grace and Truth and by it their Habitation in Christ Jesus they came under the Chain of Darkness And therefore Friends you see how the Apostle was troubled with the false Apostles and Satan's Messengers that got among the Corinthians and how they despised the Apostle And likewise what was got up among the Romans and Galatians and in the Days of John as he manifests in
his Epistles And therefore how Careful were the true Apostles of the Saints in their Watching over them For John said If ye walk in the Light as he is in the Light then have we Fellowship one with another And that ye also may have Fellowship with us for truly our Fellowship is with the Father and his Son Jesus Christ And these things write we unto you that your Joy may be full For many may talk of the Light and preach the Light Those that walk in the Light are accepted but to walk in the Light that is it which grafts into Christ Jesus and brings to live in him which talking of him doth not And as the Apostle said As every one hath received Christ Jesus so walk in him And the Sayers of the Word and not the Doers deceived their own Souls So there may be many Sayers of the Word deceivers of their own Souls and others and Preachers of Christ Jesus But the Doers of the Word and the Walkers in Christ Jesus are they that are accepted of the Lord. And again as the Apostle saith The Word of Faith was nigh them in their Hearts and Mouths to obey it and do it and that was the Word of Faith which they preached And the Light shined in their Hearts to give them the knowledge of the Glory of God in the Face of Christ Jesus And the anointing which you have received of him abideth in you and ye need not that any Man teach you but as the same anointing teacheth you all things that is true and is no Lye and even as it hath taught you ye shall abide in him And these things I have written unto you saith the Apostle concerning them that seduce you So here may all the inward Christians in the Grace Light Truth Power and Spirit of Christ Jesus see what the Apostles exhorted the Saints unto that they might be preserved in their Day and so by the sme now from them that deceived their own Souls and othes And so by this Light The Anointing the Saiats Guide this Word the Anointing Grace Truth power and Spirit of Jesus Christ in the Heart Mind and Soul must all the Saints be guided now by which they may come to be inward Christians and have a Habitation in Christ Jesus and so built upon Him the Living Rock and Roundation as the Saints were in the Apostles Days and so to have Salt in your selves and the Leaven in your own Meal and the Pearl in your own Field and yuor Lamps lighted in your own Tabernacles and nourished with the heavenly Oil. So that you may put a Difference betwixt the Clean and the Unclean and what you are to touch and whaat you are not And that no Man or Woman may look below Heaven for their Bread tonourish their Souls and inward Man and below God and Christ for their Springs which by continuing in the Light which is the Life in Christ the Word by which all things were made and created they shall have a Spring from him the Fountain springing up in them to Eternal Life so they shall have both the upper and nether Springs to nourish the Plant that God hath planted And such as came out of Egypt with Moses and after rebelled against the Lord and Moses and the Law and the Prophets were a greater Grief to Moses and the Prophets than the Heathen And likewise Apostates both under the Law and the Gospel the greatest Exercises to the Servants of God those that came to be Christians called and had got the Form of Godliness came to be a greater Grief to the Apostles than the World for their Work was to seek to destroy that which the Apostle had begotten and them that they had turned to Christ And therefore well might the Apostle exhort the Saints to turn away from such that had the Form of Godliness and denied the Power and therefore he told the Saints The Kingdom of Heaven stands not in Words but in Power and therefore they were to know one another in the Spirit and Power and that is the Internal Knowledge And their Fellowship was to be in the Holy Ghost and their Unity in the Spirit which was the Bond of Peace and their Fellowship was to be inthe Gospel which was the Power of God So an Everlasting Fellowship in the Everlasting Power of God that will out-last the Power of Darkness for it was before it was And also their Vnity was to be in the precious Divine Faith which Christ was the Author and Finisher of the Mystery of which was held in a pure Conscience and their Worship was in the Spirit of God and in Truth So you may see what a Heavenly Unity and Fellowship and a Worship Christ and the Apostles set up And the Saints in the Light Grace Truth Spirit and the Power of God the Gospel lived in it and walked in it So with the Light Grace Truth Power Spirit and Word of Life in the Heart all hold Christ the Head who is the Head of all thigs by whom all things were made who is the Treasure of the heavenly saving Wisdom and Knowledge who is called the Second Adam the Lord from Heaven And therefore all are to have their Knowledge and their Wisdom from him the Treasure by the Light Grace Truth Power and Spivit that comes from him it leads you to him your Treasure of heavenly Wisdom and Knowledge by which Knowledge you know God and Jesus Christ whom he hath sent which is Life Eternal to know And now my Dear Friends concerning True Liberty THE True liberty is in the Gospel the Power of God which the Devil and his Instruments with his false Liberty cannot get into And in this Gospel is the Saints Fellowship which the Devil with all his false Fellowships cannot get into nor find it True Liberty in the Faith of Christ for it is a Mystery Likewise true Liberty is in the Faith which Jesus Christ is the Author and Finisher of which gives Victory over that which separated Man and Woman from God and by which they have access to God again And in this holy pure divine precious Faith that is held in the pure Conscience which pure Conscience hath its pure holy divine precious Liberty in this holy divine precious Faith which works by Love and not as the dead Faith doth which works by Enmity which is the Fruit of this holy pure divine Faith and in it is the divine pure holy and precious Liberty and Freedom So here is the divine holy pure and precious Liberty in this Faith which works by Love that is the Victory over that which brought Man and Woman into Bondage and Slavery and false Liberty Faith is the Saints victory So this living Faith is the Victory over all dead Faiths and false Freedoms and Liberties which holy divine pure and precious Faith 's the Saints were and are to contend for which Christ the Holy One is the
saith 1 Cor. 14. 40. Let all things be done Decently and in Order And the Heavens and the Earth and all things therein All things ordered by the Lord. are governed and ordered by the Lord in his Power and Wisdom and all God's Holy Angels are governed and ordered by God and all God's Children and People are governed and ordered by God and Christ in his Light and Spirit and Grace and Truth and Power Gospel and Word of Life And the Lord hath set apart him and them that are Godly for himself Psalm 4. And God hath ordained his Arrows against the Persecutors Psalm 7.13 And it ought to be the Practice of all the true Christians now that are in the same Power and Spirit as the Apostles were in to let all thins be done Decently and in Order in the New Covenant of Ligth Life and Grace to the Glory of the Great God who is over all and orders all things to his Glory Amen G. F. AND now 1680 Friends you who are called into this glorious Liberty of the Sons of God Epist 362. stand fast in it And as the Apostle saith Brethren ye have been called unto Liberty Of ture Liberty only use it not for an Occasion to the Flesh but in Love serve one another Gal. 5.13 As free not using your Liberty for a Cloak of Maliciousness but as the Servants of God 1 Pet. 2. For there were some who while they promised themselves Liberty they themselves were Servants of Corruption Such were like the Dog and the Sow biting and renting and vomiting and wallowing in the Mire and as bad as the Synagogue of the Libertines that turned against Stephen 2 Pet. 2. and Acts 6.9 And therefore the Apostle was careful of the Churches Liberty in Christ when he said But take heed lest this libet of yours become a Stumbing-block to them that are Weak c. 1 Cor. 8. For the Apostle was so careful and tender that he would no have his true Liberty judged of another man's Conscience c. as you may see more at large in 1 Cor. 10. And the Apostle said Falss Brethren came unawares privily to spy out their Liberty which they had in Christ Jesus that they might bring them into Bondage to whom we gave place by Subjection no not for an Hour that the Truth of the Gospel might continue with you to wit the Galatians Gal. 2.4 And therefore he exhorts them to stand fast in that Liberty wherewhith Christ Jesus hath made them free To stand fast in the Liberty of Christ c. which is the Duty of all true Christians now for to stand fast in that heavenly glorious Liberty which Christ the heavenly and spiritual Man the Second Adam makes them free in and in this they will have Salt in t hemselves to discern between the true Liberty and Freedom and the false and know how to use their holy and spirtual Liberty and Freedom in Christ Jesus to the Praise and Glory of God So Friends the Lord God Almighty preserve you all in the heavenly Order of Christ Jesus in his holy Seed Life Pfower and Spirit that all may live and walk in it to the Praise and Glory and Honour of God and Christ Amen The 3d of the 9th Month 1679. G.F. DEar Friends and Brethren Epist 3â—3 in the Lord Jesus Christ and blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ who hath blessed us with all spiritual Blessings in the heavenly Places in Christ Jesus and hath chosen us in him before the Foundation of the World And now that all may walk in him in Love who hath seen the great Deliverances of the Lord and hath been acquainted with his great Mercies that endure for ever Deliverance after Deliverance multitude of Deliverances out of great Trials and Temptations and hath seen how the Lord hath brought to Confusion the Enemies of his Truth both within and without from the Beginning and therefore in the Lord's Spirit and Power all that live in it that know the Lord are incouraged to trust in him God hath raised you up together and quickned you who were dead in Adam and made you to sit together in heavenly Places in Christ Jesus that you might shew forth the Riches of his Grace and Glory and his Kindness towards you through Jesus Christ By one Spirit are we baptised into one Body For by one Spirit we are all baptised into one Body wherther we be Jews or Gentiles Bond or Free and have been all made to drink into one Spirit And therefore endeavour all to keep the Vnity of the Spirit in the Bond of Peace and live and walk in the Spirit And the Fruits of this Spirit of God is Love Joy and Meekness c. And by this one Spirit you have access to the Father of Spirits and this one Spirit which baptises you into one Body both Male and Female knows your Service to God For the Spirit of God divides severally to every one of you as he wills your Offices and Places yet all in Vnity in the Spirit with which you are baptised into one Body and drink into one Spirit And the Apostle Paul who writ from Rome to the Collosians told them That they were compleat in Christ Jesus and said Though I be absent in the Flesh yet am I with you in the Spirit joying and beholding your Order and the steadfastness of your Faith in Christ And now the Lord hath gathered his People by his Power into the same Spirit that the Apostles and Churches were in in the Primitive Times And though they be absent in the Body or Flesh Men in one Room and the Women in another yea as far as the East is from the West or the North is from the South The Spirit present every where yet they are present in the Spirit rejoycing and beholding with the Spirit the Spiritual Order that the Churches and Apostles were in and the stedfastness of their precious holy and divine Faith which Christ the Second Adam is the Author and Finisher of and this is no Separation but they are the Houshold of this holy divine and precious Faith and live and walk in this holy Faith and Spirit of God by which they are baptized into one holy Body of which Christ Jesus the holy and spiritual Man is the Head And this I say again is no Separation thought they be absent in the Body or Flesh yet they are present in the Spirit and with the Spirit behold the Spiritual Order And this is not an imposed outward Form Order or Prescription as some Ignorantly think But they that do say and prescribe that Men and Women must meet all together outwardly in a Bodily Presence in one Room or else it is a Separation I say it is an outward Form an outward Order and Imposition and Prescription and fiercely Press it that know not the Spiritual Order yea I say if all Men and Women in
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
of God and be careful and tender to your Servants in all Respects that there may come no Complaints from them or others that so in all things you may be ordered by the Wisdom of God that his Blessing may be amongst you And Dear Friends I desire that you would send over an Account by the next Ship how many Meetings you have and how many Meetings Monthly of Men and Women and how many Quarterly Meetings and Half-Year Meeitings and let us know how Truth spreacs and prospers amongst you which you would do well to write over every Year to the Yearly Meeting at London So with my Love in the Seed which reigns over all in whom you have all Life and Salvation and Peace in the Lord God G. F. To Friends that are Prisoners in York DEar Friends Epist 377. with my Love to you and all the rest of the faithful Friends in Bonds and my desire is to the Lord that ye all may stand faithful and valiant for his glorious Name To stand saithful in the time of Storms and his holy peaceable Truth now in this Day of Storm and Tempest that none may turn their Backs on the Lord in this Day of Trial and none may be ashamed of confessing of Christ before the Adulterous Generation as Christ said lest Christ be ashamed of them before his Father and before his holy Andels and therefore now is the Time and Day of your Trial for the Lord is Just though I know that the Faithful and Innocent Just and Righteous must stand it out and therefore mind the Lord in all your Sufferings and keep all low and in the Humility of Heart and there you will feel that he taht inhabits Eternity dwells with an humble Heart and he will be your Shield and Buckler and defender in time of Trouble and the Lord hath promised to deliver his People in the Six Troubles yea in the Seventh the Perfection of Troubles and therefore do not think Time long and your Sufferings long for the Lord will lay no more upon you but what you are able to bear yea upon his faithful People I know it and am a Witness for God in all my Sufferings and Imprisonments and haling before Magistrates about Sixty times about this Thirty six Year And so Friends when you are tried you may come forth more precious than Gold that is tried in the Fire and keep the Word of Patience and it will keep you from the Temptations that comes upon the World to try them for the Word of God was before the World was And though you be in outward Bonds from your Wives Families Houses and Relations yet the Word of God is not bound The Word of God is not bound neither can they bind the Word of God it 's at Liberty it abides and indures for ever it will make you all rich though they think to make you poor with their Bonds and casts you into Prisons but I tell you the Word of God will make you rich for the Word of God was before the Wicked and his Bonds were for in the Beginning was the Word but since the beginning was the Devil who had cast some into Prison spoken of in Revelations that ten Days might be a longer time than ten natural Days For they that will live Godly in Christ Jesus shall suffer Pesecution by the Vngodly for it was the Just that suffered by the Unjust in all Ages and Christ said to Saul Why Persecutest thou me So they that stood in Christ and were in Christ Jesus it was Christ that was Persecuted as well as they in whom he reigned And do not you understand and know the Sufferings and Trials of the holy Men of God went through and how by Faith they subdued the Mountains and consider the Faith of Abraham Isaac and Jacob The Faith of the Patriarchs and the Faith of Abel and Enoch and Noah and the Faith of Jeremiah and the rest of the Prophets and the Faith of Daniel and the Three Children and the Faith of all the Apostles what Sufferings and Imprisonments they went through and consider all the Martyrs since the Apostles days consider what Sufferings they have gone through and God and Christ is the same to uphold you that are given up in his Spirit Power and Faith to stand for his Glory and be valiant for his Truth and Name upon the Earth And therefore keep in your Sanctuary Christ Jesus who destroys the Destroyer and bruises the Serpents Head and so in Christ Jesus your Sanctuary you all are in safety in whom you have all Life and Salvation and Peace with God in him you may all Triumph and Rejoyce with exceeding great Joy and say What shall separate us from the Love of God which we have in Christ Jesus And the Apostle said to the Saints in their Days That there was not any thing able to separate him from the Love of God in Christ jesus you feeling the same Love you feeling the same Faith to dwell in you and walk by For the just shall live by Faith which is his victory and hath access to God in which he pleases God And so with my Love to you all in Christ Jesus who was before the Devil was that makes you to suffer and will be when he is gone In Christ you have heavenly Peace that none can take away from you in him dwell and live Amen POSTSCRIPT AND all be Faithful in their Testimony of Life against Riches and all those things which hath come up in this Night of Apostacy from the Light Life and Power of Christ and God against all Loosness whatsoever that the heavenly Camp of God may be kept holy clean and pure And all Friends look at the Lord above allyour Sufferings and trust in him who with his his Eternal Power hath preserved you to this day and the Lord in his Glorious Power was with us in all our Assemblies at this Yearly Meeting he over all hath the Dominion and over all evil Spirits gave Dominion to his People Glory to his Name for ever Amen And therefore let you Faith be in the Gospel the Power of God which hath brought Life and Immortality to Light in you G. F. To all the Elect of God Chosen and Faithful who have known the Work of the Lord and his Dealings and his Eternal Hand his Spirit and Power in preserving of you to this Day and in this Glorious Gospel Day of Christ Jesus who are built upon him the holy Rock and Foundation of God that standeth sure and are fed with the Heavenly Bread and feel the Springs of Living Water and enjoy the Presence of Lord who daily gives the Increase AND now Friends Epist 378. with the Eternal Power and Heavenly Light of Christ with it you have seen and do see and will see that which Christ hath spoken Matth. 13. and Luke 8. which he taught to the great Multitude in Parables Parable of
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
which keeps in the Way of the Lord and commands their Children and Houshold to do the same they have the Blessings from Heaven above and the Blessings below yea the Blessings of the Eternal Inheritance and of the Kingdom of God and that was their chief Inheritance That all the Faithful Seed of Abraham sought to possess their Houshold and their Children in who did command their Children and Houshold to keep the Way of God that they might inherit the Blessing David saith Blessed is the Man that walketh not in the counsel of the Vngodly nor standeth in the way of Sinners nor sitteth in the seat of the Scornful But his delight is in the Law of the Lord and in his Law doth meditate Day and Night Now here is the condition of them that do enjoy the Blessing they must keep from the Counsel of the Ungodly and the Way of Sinners and the Seat of the Scornful Now here you may see David's Instruction how People might inherit the Blessing Levit. 10. That you may put a difference betwixt the holy and unholy and between the clean and unclean and that you may teach your Children all the Statutes which the Lord hath spoken unto them by the hand of Moses And it was so in the Old Testament that they might learn the Statutes there Surely much more they are to learn the Commands of Christ in his New Testament And in Deut. 4.9 10. To Teach our Children the Fear of the Lord. They were to Teach their Sons and their Sons Sons and again they were to Teach their Children that they might learn to fear God all the days that they lived upon the Earth c. This they were to teach their Children and again in Deut. 11. It was the Command of God that they were to Teach their Children the Commandments of God and they were to speak of them when they sat in their House and when they walk'd by the Way when they lay down and when they rose up and in Deut. 30. Moses told them that The Word was nigh them in their Mouths and in their Hearts that they might do it And David said Come you Children hearken to me and I will teach you the fear of the Lord. O fear the Lord you Saints there is no want to them that fear him Psal 34.9 11. Ye that fear the Lord trust in the Lord he is their Help and their Shield Psal 115.11 And you may see all along in the Old Testament they that feared the Lord were commanded to teach and instruct their Children the Way of the Lord that they might walk in it and inherit the Blessing which was a better Portion than outward Riches which will pass away for they make themselves Wings and fly away Solomon saith Train up a Child in the may he should go and when he is old he will not depart from it Foolishness is bound up in the Heart of a Child but the Rod of Correction shall drive it far from him Prov. 22.15 He that spareth the Rod hateth his Son but he that loveth him chastiseth him betimes By Mercy and Truth iniquity is purged out and by the Fear of the Lord they depart from evil Prov. 13.24 and 16.6 And the Apostle's Command is For Children to obey their Parents in the Lord for this is right Eph. 6.1 and Col. 1.3 20. It is well pleasing to the Lord Children to obey their Parents Children to obey their Parents and the Bishops or Elders were to Rule well their own Houses and to have their Children in subjection with all gravity and likewise the Deacons were to rule their own Children and their own Houses well Tim. 1.3 And likewise you may see the good Report of the Widows bringing up Children which followed every good work c. And in Titus such as were Elders or Overseers their Children were to be Faithful Elders to govern their Families well not accused of Riot or Vnruly and the aged Women were to be of good Behaviour as becometh Holiness c. and Teachers of good things and that they Teach the younger Women to be Sober c. And That the Word of God be not blasphemed And Titus was to exhort young Men to be Sober-minded For the Grace of God which brings Salvation hath appeared unto all Men teaching us that denying Vngodliness and Worldly Lusts we should live Soberly Righteously and Godly in this present World that being justified by his Grace we should be made Heirs according to the Hope of Eternal Life And Peter saith As Obedient Children not fashioning your selves according to your former Lusts in your Ignorance but as he who hath called you is Holy Be Holy in all manner of Conversation so be you Holy in all manner of Conversation and be not like them feeding themselves without fear which are the Clouds without Rain and Wells without Water and Trees without Fruit whom Jude declares against such cannot eat and drink to the Praise and Glory of God c. So you see what care both in the Old and New Testament the faithful Parents had to teach their Children the Way of the Lord and the Lord hath a Confidence in all them that fear him and are of the Faith and Seed of Abraham that they will not only admonish their Children and Houshold but Command their Children and Houshold after them to keep the Way of the Lord c. Gen. 18. And to keep out of the wicked Ways of the World The Apostle saith They which be of Faith are blessed with faithful Abraham And so are all the Children of God by Faith in Christ Jesus and if you be Christ's then are you Abraham 's Seed and Heirs according to the Promise Gal. 3. And so the Children of God are counted for the Seed which the good Seed Christ saith are the Children of the Kingdom And the Apostle spake to the Romans that they should Walk in the steps of the Faith of Abraham Again the Apostle saith to the Corinthians concerning Titus Walked we not in the same Spirit walked we not in the same steps And in the first Epistle of Peter Christ hath suffered for us leaving us an Example Christ hath suffered for us leaving us an Example that we should follow his steps who did not sin neither was guile found in his mouth So these were holy steps and are a Religious Holy People that walk in the steps of faithful Abraham and of Christ and the Apostles and these have the pure Religion and do visit the Fatherless and Widows in their Affliction and keep themselves unspotted from the World and these are they that are Circumcised with the Spirit and Baptised with the Holy Ghost and serve God Night and Day and worship him in Spirit and Truth and these are the Religious Families which are of the holy divine pure and precious Faith which Christ is the Author and Finisher of which Faith purifieth their Hearts and is their Victory by which
Jesus to outstrip the World in Vertue Chastity Modesty and Temperance and in that which is of good Report Our Light to shine before Men. For our heavenly Light ought to shine so before Men that they may see our good Works and glorifie our Father which is in Heaven And therefore all in the Church of Christ ought to live in the Spirit and Power of Christ in which they do Judge the World and all the fallen Angels So in this Heavenly Power the Vertue Purity Chastity flows and shines over all and they that do possess as though they did not and they Marry as though they married not They are all resigned in the Power of Christ that gives Dominion over the World which brings all into one Mind and to be of one Heart and Soul and to one Judgment and are a Chosen Generation a Royal Priesthood and Holy Nation a peculiar People that shews forth the Praise of Christ who hath called them out of Darkness into his marvellous Light and as Living Stones are built up a Spiritual Houshold an Holy Priesthood to offer up Spiritual Sacrifices acceptable to God by Jesus Christ And so my Dear Friends To walk in Christ my desire is That in Jesus Christ ye may all live and walk who is the Seed of the Woman that bruises the Serpents Head that is the Head of all Wickedness and Strife and in this Seed Christ all Nations are blessed as they live and walk in him And the Blessings from above and the Blessings beneath rest upon them And in this Seed Christ all have Rest and Peace who is the First and the Last over all Blessed for ever Amen In him is my Love to you all as though I named you Read this in your Quarterly Meeting at York G. F. To the Six Weeks Meeting in Barbadoes DEar Friends Epist 384. In Christ in whom we have Peace Purity Holiness and Righteousness you must be kept Holy and Righteous to the Glory of God and Righteousness and Holiness and Puririty must wear and outlive all that is contrary to it and Patience and Meekness and Humility and Kindness and Sobriety must wear out Passion Envy Strife and Wrath High-mindedness and Loftiness and Wilfulness and therefore consider the Holy Men and Women of God must not strive but be gentle to all and in that alone keep their Dominion Not to strive but be gentle For truly Friends Love gathereth into Love and edifies the Body of Christ and let nothing be done with Strife but in Love to the Glory of God in the Name of Christ and in his Power so that you all may see and feel Christ among you ordering you all to his Glory with his Wisdom which is Pure Peaceable and Easie to be intreated so that none may be burdened nor oppressed in your Meetings but that the Life and Seed may reign in you all and so the Lord may have the Glory of all and ye may all have Comfort in him your Head And do not much strive with unruly Talkers but keep your Peace in the Spirit and Power of Christ that will overcome and wear out all that is contrary to it So that all may keep their own Habitation in Christ Jesus who is over all the First and Last and in his Power and Spirit live and walk that so you all may be Trees with Fruits and Wells with Water and have Bread in your own Tabernacles and your own Lamps trimmed and burning and that there may be no Strife among you but dwell in Love for he that dwelleth in Love dwelleth in God so God who is Love is to be your Salvation To condescend to the Meek c. And condescend to the meek and to every appearance of the Lord God and make every one's Condition in the Truth your own in that you will deny your selves and become all to all in the Truth so that none may be hurt in the Truth nor made to stumble nor the blind caused to wander but be directed into the right way and all as the tender Plants may grow together as the Lord 's Planting and he watering them and giving the increase and growth to his Glory so that the Lord may have the Praise and Glory of all his Works Amen And be careful in all your Meetings that they may be kept peaceable in the Wisdom of God that is pure and peaceable and easie to be intreated so that Wisdom may be justified of her Children That there be no Harshness or Fierceness but Meekness and Mildness and gracious Language which will edifie and season the Hearers and be of a good savour And this will honour the Seed Christ from whence Grace and Truth cometh and will be to your Comfort and shew forth whose Children you are for as Christ said Blessed are the Peace-makers they are Children of God And therefore all do this Work that you may have this Blessing And so with my Love to you all that are convinced of God's Truth as though I named you all and all to dwell in Love then you all do dwell in God as I said before and so the Lord God Almighty preserve you all in Christ your Sanctuary Amen You may read this in your Monthly or Quarterly Meetings Kingston the 7th of the 9th Month 1683. G. F. To suffering Friends in Prison at Bristol DEar Friends With my Love to all the Prisoners and the Faithful Epist 385. as though I named them It is the time now for all the Faithful to keep in Christ their Sanctuary To keep to Christ our Sanctuary in whom you have all Peace Rest Life and Salvation and by the Testimony of Jesus and the Blood of the Lamb whose Names are written in the Lamb's Book of Life before the Foundation of the World they were they that did overcome and did eat of the hidden Manna and had the new Name and therefore now is the time to keep the Word of Patience and the Testimony of Jesus for they that keep the Word of Patience the Lord will keep them in the Hour of Temptation which will come upon the whole World to try them which dwell upon the Earth for the Word was before the World was and the Tempter for all things were made by the Word And it is also the Word of Reconciliation the Word of Power the Word of Wisdom and the Word of Life and the Word of Salvation by which People are reconciled to God that are born again of the incorruptible Seed by the Word of God and they feed and grow by the Milk of the Word which lives and abides and endures for ever which strengthens all the Faithful in all Ages in all their Afflictions Imprisonments and Sufferings and it is the same to God's People now in this Day of Trial to preserve all his People every where in his Spirit and Power faithful to himself for he that endures faithful to the End shall be saved He that end ares
to the end shall be saved And Christ saith He that is ashamed of me before Men him will I be ashamed of before my Father and his Angels which are in Heaven And therefore it is good to confess Christ before Men to be your Priest Prophet your Shepherd your Bishop your Way your Mediator that makes your Peace betwixt God and you and be valiant for his glorious Name and Truth upon the Earth And so with my Love in the Seed in which you and all Nations are blest From Dosston the 6th of the 10th Month 1683. G. F. To Friends in Charles-Town in Carolina DEar Friends Epist 386. of the Monthly Meeting of Charles-Town in Ashley Cooper River in Carolina I received your Letter dated the Sixth Day of the Eighth Month 1683. Wherein you give an Account of your Meeting and of the Country and of your Liberty in that Province which I am glad to hear of though your Meeting is but small but however stand all faithful in Truth and Righteousness that your Fruits may be unto Holiness and your End will be Everlasting Life And that you may be Patterns of Vertue Modesty Chastity and Sobriety shewing forth the Fruits and Life of Christianity in your Lives and Conversations To be Patterns of Vertue c. that they may preach Righteousness Truth and Holiness to all People in that dark Wilderness that you may answer the Truth both in them that are called Christians and in the Indians And my desire is that you may prise your Liberty both Natural and Spiritual and the Favour that the Lord hath given you that your Yea is taken instead of an Oath and that you do serve both in Assemblies Juries and other Offices without Swearing according to the Doctrine of Christ Which is a great Thing worth prizing And take heed of abusing that Liberty or losing the Savour of the Heavenly Salt which seasons your Lives and Conversations in Truth Holiness and Righteousness For you know when the Salt hath lost its Savour it 's good for nothing but to be trodden under the Foot of Men. For we here are under great Persecution betwixt Thirteen and Fourteen Hundred in Prison an Account of which hath lately been delivered to the King Besides the great Spoil and Havock which is made of Friends Goods by Informers and besides the great Spoil upon the two thirds of our Estates About 1400 Friends in Prison in 1683. and upon the Twenty Pound a Month Acts and for not going to the Steeple-House and besides many are imprisoned and premunired for not Swearing Alegiance both Men Women Widows and Maids and many are fined and cast into Prison as Rioters for Meeting to worship God And we are kept out of our Meetings in Streets and High-ways in many Places of the Land and beaten and abused And therefore prise the Liberty both Natural and Spiritual that you enjoy And many are cast into Prison because they cannot pay the Priests Tithes and also many are cast into Prison by the Bishops Writs De Excommunicato Capiendo So that at present we are under great Sufferings Persecutions and Imprisonments But the Lord's Power is over all and that supports his People But in Ireland Scotland Holland Germany and Dantzick we hear that Friends are in peace and quietness and therefore you that have great Liberty both natural and spiritual as aforesaid be valiant for God's Truth upon the Earth and spread it abroad To spread Truth abroad both among them that are called Christians and Indians turning them from Darkness to Light Christ Jesus the Saviour whom God hath set up for an Ensign among the Gentiles or Heathen and to be his Salvation unto the ends of the Earth So seek the Good of all and the Profit of all and the Salvation and the Glory of God above all and the Exalting of his Name and Truth in your Day and Generation and live in Love and in the Truth and the Love of it and overcome evil with good and hold fast that which is good then you can try all things And so with my Love to you all in the holy Seed of Life Christ Jesus that reigns over all who is your Sanctuary in whom you have all Life and Peace and Salvation in Him the Lord God Almighty preserve and keep you all Holy Pure and Clean to his Glory Amen London the 23d of the 12th Month 1683. G. F. To the Monthly and Quarterly Meeting in England c. FRiends Be all Faithful in your Testimony against Tithes Epist 387. and all those things that have come up in the Night of Apostacy from the Light Life and Power of God and Christ and against all Loosness whatsoever that the heavenly Camp of God may be kept clean and pure And all Friends look at the Lord above all your Sufferings To look at the Lord above all Sufferings and trust in him who by his Eternal Power has preserved you to this Day The Lord in his Glorious Power was with us in all our Assemblies at this Yearly Meeting he over all hath the Dominion and over all evil Spirits gave Dominion to his People Glory to his Name for ever Amen And therefore let your Eye be to the Gospel the Power of God which has brought Life and Immortality to Light in you which is farther than the Law to be looked at The 9th of the 4th Month 1683. G. F. To Friends that are Captives at Algier DEar Friends who are Captives in Algier Epist 388. whom the Lord hath enlightned with his Day spring from on High and visited you with his tender Mercies in your Slavery and Captivity that you may know his Will and do it in his Light Grace Truth and Spirit that you may serve and worship the Holy Eternal and Invisible God that made you Now dear Friends to you is my Love and to all the rest that fears God that meets with you my Desires are To keep in Humility and the Fear of God that you may all keep low in Humility in the Fear of God there is no danger for God dwells with the Humble and teaches the Humble the way they should walk And therefore be careful of God's Glory you who profess the Name of God and his Son that your Lives and Words and Conversations may preach Godliness Righteousness Holiness Virtue Sobriety and Modesty both to Turks Moors Jews and to your Patroons and to the Families where you live for Christ hath enlightned every Man that comes into the World Christ hath enlightened all Men. he hath enlightned the Turks Jews and Moors with the Light which is the Life in him the Word that all in the Light might know God and Christ and The Grace of God which brings Salvation hath appeared unto all Men so to the Turks Jews and Moors yea to all Nations so that with the Grace of God they may be taught to deny Ungodliness and Unrighteousness and live Righteously and Godly
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
Salvation and not in any other Name under the whole Heaven So that now you come to know Christ your Saviour who destroys the Destroyer the Devil and his Works and it 's He that brings forth Everlasting Righteousness that makes an End of Sin and finishes Transgression So that now you may live and walk in the Everlasting Righteousness of Christ Jesus who is your Priest Christ our Priest and Prophet that is made higher than the Heavens Hebr. 7. And who is your Prophet that God has raised up and not Man whom ye must hear in all things Acts 3.22 7.37 who were as lost Sheep gone astray but are now retarned to the chief Priest and Bishop of your Souls namely Christ Jesus 1 Pet. 2.25 And Christ saith He is the true Shepherd that hath laid down his Life for his Sheep and his Sheep know his Voice and follow him Who is the Holy and Just one and never Guile was found in his Mouth And Christ says No Man comes to the Father but by me So he is the New and Living Way and God has given him for a Leader and Counsellor to Counsel his People who is the Holy Living Rock and Foundation which is above all the Rocks and Foundations below For He the Rock and Foundation is from above whom all the Children of the Light that believe in his Light which is the Life in him and are grafted into him do build upon And so the Lord God Almighty with his Eternal Power support you all in all your Afflictions and Sufferings Trials and Temptations that you may be built and settled upon this Rock and Foundation that cannot be shaken And now dear Friends my desires are and the Desires of Friends here that you may all walk soberly honestly modestly and civilly and lovingly and gently and tenderly to all your Patroons and to all People And To walk Justly and Holily in all Words and dealings That ye may walk Righteously Justly and Holily in all your Words Dealings and Doings that his Name you do profess now may be honoured and you may reach by your Righteous Godly Lives and Conversations the Good in all your Patroons and in all others so that you may shew forth the Fruits of the Spirit and the Fruits of Christianity and that you are the Possessors of Christ Jesus your Mediator who has made Peace betwixt you and your God And as you have received Christ so walk in him and know him to rule in your Hearts by Faith For herein as Christ said is my Father glorified that you bring forth much heavenly Fruit and that your spiritual and heavenly Light may shine before Men that they may see your good Works and glorifie your Father which is in Heaven And now Friends we understand That some that have come lately among you have been under great Sufferings and Abuses by their Patroons because they cannot honour them with that Honour as other Slaves do or as they have done before Now To wear out Sufferings by Patience if you wait in Patience upon the Lord in his Truth for you are to buy the Truth and not to sell it and Truth is that that 's stronger than all the Lord in his time though he may try you can mollifie that Nature in them there as he hath done in other Places where he hath tried his People with such things And when they have seen 't is for Conscience sake towards God and it is from the Principle of Truth and the Spirit in which Spirit and Truth they worship the Most-High God who is an Eternal Incomprehensible Spirit who is God in Heaven and God in the Earth and dwells by his Spirit in his humble People they have been overcome And now Friends consider They are blessed who suffer for Christ's sake they are blessed that suffer for Christ's sake and it is not only given you to believe but to suffer for his Name And they that will live Godly in Christ Jesus must suffar Persecution But the Apostle says of the true Christians Who shall separate us from the Love of Christ Shall Tribulation or Distresses or Persecution or Famine or Nakedness or Peril or Sword As it is written For thy sake are we killed all the day long We are counted as Sheep for the slaughter In all these things we are more than Conquerers through him that loved us I am persuaded that neither Death nor Life nor Angels nor Principalities nor Powers nor things present nor things to come nor highth nor depth nor any other Creature shall be able to separate us from the Love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord Rom. 8.36 39. Psal 44.22 Now dear Friends you may see here was a Godly Sincerity Fervency Stedfastness and Resolution in the true Christians which ought to be in all such now without boasting And the Apostle says Rejoyce for as much as ye are partakers of Christ's Sufferings that when his Glory shall be revealed ye may be glad also with exceeding Joy For if ye be Reproached for the Name of Christ happy are ye for the Spirit of Glory and of God rests upon you on their part he is evil spoken of but on your part he is glorified 1 Pet. 4.13 14 15. And so dear Friends Be wife that you may give no just occasion To give no just occasion of Offence And keep low in the Humility for such learn of Christ and the meek follow him And so my desire is That you may all be preserved to the Glory of God and that you may be Valiant for the Truth upon the Earth and spread it abroad that all may come to the Spirit of God that God poureth upon all Flesh and to serve and worship him And so that all Flesh may see the Glory of God by his Spirit and that all might come to the Light which is the Life in Christ the Word by whom all things were made and created with which Light he enlightneth every Man that comes into the World to believe in and to love it and to try their works whether they be wrought in God yea or nay 1 John 3.19 20 21. And that all might come to the Grace of God which hath appeared to all Men and brings Salvation which will teach to live Godly Righteously and Soberly and deny Unrighteousness This is the true Christian's Teacher which brings Salvation and teacheth to deny that which would lead them into Destruction The true Christians Teacher into Ungodly Ungracious Ways and Words but this Grace teacheth the Saints to walk in Gracious Ways and their Words come to be seasoned with Grace which teaches them and brings their Salvation So that which is the true Christian's Teacher brings their Salvation And so every one sit under this Teacher as the true Church of Christ did as you may see Tit. 2.11 12. And so dear Friends I do commend you to him that has all Power to support who is God All-sufficient to
's sake and so it is the Gift of God with his Eternal Spirit and Power that doth uphold us in all our Sufferings which hath made so many to finish their Testimony for the Truth in Goals and Prisons and not to love their Lives to the Death but love God and Christ Jesus above their Lives and all outward things as Practice and Experience have declared it And now dear Friends To be faithful to the end be faithful in Christ Jesus to the end that you may all have the Crown of Life and that Peace from Christ Jesus which the World and all the Apostate Spirits from the Truth cannot take away from you I say neither the World with their outward Persecutions and spoiling of Goods nor the Apostate Spirits from the peaceable Truth with all their Lies and Defamations and their filthy scandalous Books and evil Tongues though they be like the raging Waves of the Sea casting up Mire and Dirt whose Folly is manifest to all that hear and see them yet all this cannot disturb the Peace of the Righteous And all the restless unquiet unruly Murmurers and Complainers that are filled with false Jealousies and are the wandering Stars who are wandered from the Witness of the Lord in their own Hearts such their Judgments do not linger nor their Damnation doth not slumber though they may be suffered for a time to try God's People And now Friends you know envious Cain was a Sacrificer as well as Abel but out of the Faith and Righteousness who Murdered his Brother Abel he may be said to have been a Type of Judas who was a partaker of the Ministry yet betrayed his Master And you read that Ishmael and Esau were circumcised as well as Isaac and Jacob but Esau hated Jacob and would have slain him and Ishmael scoffed at Isaac and so he that is born of the Flesh persecuteth him that is born of the Spirit and that Birth is not Heir with the Seed of the Promise though it may come into the outward Form and outward Profession And likewise you read of Corah Dathan and Abiram and their Company and their Rebelling against the Lord and his Servants Moses and Aaron and of their false Liberty but what became of them in Numb 16. you may see And likewise how that the Jews after the Lord brought them out of Egypt made themselves a Calf of their Jewels and Ear-rings as in Exod. 32. Psalm 106.19 The Jews made a Calf in Horeb and worshipped the Golden Image and forgot God their Saviour who had done great things in Egypt and wonderous things in the Land of Ham and murmured in their Tents and hearkened not to the Voice of the Lord And therefore God overthrew them in the Wilderness and they came not into the promised Land And you read how the Jews run into false Liberty in the Days of Baalam and joined with Baal-Peor Examples of Apostates of old Times and how the Anger of the Lord was kindled against them and what a destruction he brought upon them who had turned against the Lord and his faithful People as in Numb 25. And likewise how often the Jews murmurred against Moses and Aaron and what a destruction came upon them in the Wilderness that none of that old Stock the Lord brought out of Egypt that dishonoured him though they had seen his Glory none entred into the Land save Caleb and Joshua but they perished in the Wilderness for their Murmurring and Rebelling and therefore take heed of Murmurring and Rebelling against the Lord and his Spirit but in all things learn to be content And also you read in Judges how often the Jews forsook the Lord and what Judgments came upon them and also how the Jews turned against the Prophets and imprisoned and persecuted them And in the Days of the Kings as in the Chronicles how David and many of the Prophets and the Righteous suffered But what became of them that made them suffer And likewise in the Days of Christ and his Apostles how did they fuffer by the professing Jews And there were many Comers and Goers in the Days of Christ that could say Lord Lord But such do not enter into the Kingdom of God except they do the Will of God And you read how the Apostles and the true Church were troubled with false Christians and false Brethren whom Paul writeth against in many of his Epistles and Peter and John and Jude and John in his Revelations And therefore all Friends dwell in the Seed Christ Jesus in whom ye cannot be deceived who bruises the Head of the Serpent who is the Head of all Deceivers and the Head of all Enmity and false Ways Worships and Religions and the Head of all false Liberties But in Christ Jesus in whom all Nations are blessed is the true Liberty in him all stand fast so far as he hath made you free and in him all walk as ye have received him to the Praise and Glory of God In whom you have all Eternal Life Peace Rest and Salvation and in him the Lord God Almighty preserve you all in Love Vnity and Fellowship Who is able to support you and supply you with his Eternal Hand and Power with what you do need in all your Sufferings and Trials Amen G. F. To Friends at the Yearly Meeting in York DEar Friends Who are turned to the Light Epist 395. and are the Believers in the Light which is the Life in Christ my Desires are To be established upon Christ the Rock That you may all be established upon him your Eternal Rock and Foundation and grow up in Christ Jesus the Second Adam by his Light Grace and Truth that is come from him for you know Christ had many Enemies and his Disciples and Followers and Moses in the time of the Law such as turned their Backs on the Lord Christ and his Followers have many Enemies and erred from his good Spirit and rebelled against it they turned against the Lord and Moses and Aaron and they went from the Fellowship of the Law of God and his Spirit and then Destruction came upon them Such Jews were they that rebelled against Christ and his Apostles and yet were great Professors of the Old Testament And such that were called Christians that got the Form of Godliness and the fair Speeches and good Words but denied the Power thereof and so the Order thereof Such as these separated themselves and erred from the Spirit and the Faith and so from the Unity of the Faith and the Fellowship of the Spirit of God Such were and are to be turned away from by all them that are in the Faith and the Spirit of God and all the Spiritual Witnesses in the Tabernacles of God testifies against such though they may make a great Profession of Christ and the Apostles Words but deny the Power and err from the Spirit and the peaceable Truth Such cannot be the true Worshippers of God in the
created he them and God blessed them And in this state God set them above all things that he had made But after Man and Woman had transgressed the Command of God they sewed Figg-leaves together to make them Aprons for their Eyes were opened and they came to see their Shame By their Transgression and by transgressing the Command of God the spiritual Eye came to be shut and Man and Woman came to fall from the Image of God And so after Man and Woman had transgressed the Command of God and fallen from his Image the Lord God made Coats of Skins to cloath them withal So you may see That the first Covering which Adam and Eve made after Transgression was made of Figg-leaves and the natural Sun would soon scorch and dry them to Powder But those that the Lord made them was of Skins So the transgression of the Command of God came when the Ear went out after the Serpent Sin the cause of Shame and Shame the cause of Covering and the Eye went after the Fruit of the Tree which God forbid them to Eat of So here they came to see their outward Shame and Nakedness who had fallen from the Image of God that covered them and therefore they went to cover the outward Shame And now Man and Woman in the Fall is taking thought what they shall eat and drink and what they shall put on And this is come upon them by forsaking the Lord's Teaching and following the Serpents And doth not John say Love not the World neither the things that are in the World If any Man love the World the love of the Father is not in him And farther saith For all that is in the World the Lust of the Flesh the Lust of the Eye and the Pride of Life this is not of the Father but of the World and the World passeth away and the Lust thereof Now all may see what Man and Woman is fallen into by transgressing the Command of God and therefore it is not good for any to live in that which will pass away and is not of the Father but of the World And you may see how Pride is cried against throughout the Scriptures of Truth And they that fear the Lord do hate Evil The evil Consequences of Pride Pride and Arrogancy By Pride cometh Contention and a Man's Pride shall bring him low but Honour upholds the Humble in Spirit Prov. 29.23 For when Pride cometh then cometh Shame and Pride goeth before Destruction and an haughty Mind before a fall but with the lowly is Wisdom Prov. 11.2 and 16.18 And better it is to be of an humble Spirit with the lowly than to divide the Spoil with the proud And Isaiah saith The Lord of Host hath purposed to stain the Pride of all Glory and to bring into contempt all the Honourable of the Earth Isa 23.9 And therefore love not that which God will stain The Lord saith He will spread forth his Hands in the midst of them as he that swimmeth and he will bring down their Pride Isa 25.11 And therefore it is good to keep it down in every one And the Lord cries Wo to the Crown of Pride whose glorious Beauty is a fading Flower and when the Crown of Pride is trodden under Foot the Lord of Host shall be for a Crown of Glory Isa 28.1 5. And the Lord saith He will marr the Pride of Judah and the great Pride of Jerusalem Jer. 13.9 And doth not Jeremiah say Because of the Pride of Moab he was so exceeding Proud his Loftiness his Arrogancy and the Haughtiness of his Heart brought him unto Derision Jer. 48.26 29. And therefore it is good to keep in the Humility For Pride is that which deceives the Heart and brings the Judgments of God Jer. 49.16 And therefore take heed let not Pride budd lest the Rod blosom Ezekiel 7. to verse 11. And the Children of Israel they were grown in Pride and fulness of Bread like Sodom when they transgressed against the Lord like their Father Adam And therefore let them that profess themselves Christians take heed lest they be found in the same steps And see in Ezekiel 16.49 what became of Sodom and the Children of Israel And when Nebuchadnezzar confessed the Kingdom of God and Praised and Extolled and Honoured the King of Heaven and said All his Works are Truth and his Ways Judgments and those that walk in Pride God is able to abase Dan. 4.34 c. And Hosea saith The Pride of Israel doth testifie to his Face and therefore Israel and Ephraim shall fall in their Iniquity And Judah shall fall with them Hos 5.5 And therefore you may see and take heed of Pride for it is the cause of Man and Womans fall And in Hosea 7. you may see that Pride hath hindred Man from seeking after the Lord and turning to him And you may see Edom's Destruction was for his Pride Obad. 1. And you may see the Judgments that came upon the Philistines and Moab and Ammon and Ashur for their Pride Zeph. 2. And in Zachariah 10 and 11 Chapters Judgments of God because of Pride doth not Lord say The Pride of Jordan shall be spoiled and the Pride of Asyria shall be brought down and there shall be a Voice of Howling of the Shepherds for their Glory is spoiled And Christ saith in Mark Pride is one of those Evils that cometh out of the Heart and defiles the Man so take heed of that which defiles And as John saith The Lust of the Flesh the Lust of the Eye and the Pride of Life this is not of the Father but of the World all this must be kept down in Christians And David saith The wicked in his Pride doth persecute the Poor but are they not taken in their Devices that they have imagined Psal 10.2 Again David saith The Lord hid them that feared him in the secret of his Presence from the Pride of Man and kept them secretly in a Pavillion from the strife of Tongues Psal 31.20 And also David saith That Pride compasseth the wicked as a Chain c. and they speak loftily and they set their Mouths against Heaven but the Lord casts down such to Destruction and saves the Righteous that fears him And so you may see how Pride was testified against by Christ and his Prophets and the holy Men of God both in the Old and New Testament since Man and Woman fell from the Image of God and therefore all is to fear the Lord and learn of Christ Jesus who is meek and low in Heart For it is said That Josiah's Heart was tender and he humbled himself before the Lord 2 Chron. 34.33 And if my People The effects of true Humility which are called by my Name shall humble themselves and pray and seek my Face and turn from their wicked Ways then will I hear from Heaven and forgive them their Sins and heal the Land and mine Eyes shall be opened and mine
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
World And that which keeps you from the Spots of the World will keep you from the Body of Death and Sins of the World which you are made free from by the Circumcision of Christ by his Spirit and by the Law of the Spirit of Life in Christ Jesus are made free from the Law of Sin and Death And now Friends you that do profess this pure and undefiled Religion before God the Father to keep unspotted from the World or from the Spots of the World take heed you that profess this pure and undefiled Regilion tha tye keep your selves from the World or that you do not get the World's Spots upon you And take heed of Grediness and Earthly-mindedness and Covetousness which the Apostle called Idolatry for it is a great Spot and Blot of the World that lieth in Wickedness And take heed of Unrighteousness in your Trades Commerces or Dealings For Unrighteousness is a Spot To be Just in Trade c. And take heed of Over-reaching or using any Deceitsulness or Defraud in your Trade or Commerce For Over-reaching and using Deceit of any Unjust thing will Blot you an Spot you and is contrary to the pure and undefiled Religion And take heed of Unrighteousness Ungodliness Unholiness Prophaness Loosness Filthiness Naughtiness and Evil Words which corrupt good Manners These things will Blot you and Spot you and are contrary to the pure undefiled Religion before God the Father And also take heed of Drunkenness Theft Murder Whordom Fornication Adultery and all manner of Uncleanness For they which act such things are void of the pure undefiled Religion before God the Father and they are blotted and spotted with the Actions of the World that lieth in Wickedness and their Religion is vain And take heed of Lying Swearing and Cursing which are Spots of the World and forbid by Christ and the Apostle And all such that follow the Lust of the Eye the Pride of Life and the Lust of the Flesh which is not of the Father but of the God of the World that abode not in the Truth such are spotted with the Spots of the World and are Proud Vain Lofty Scornful High Spots of the World and Spotted with the World's Spots and are void of the pure undefiled Religion before God the Father And take heed of Malice Hatred Envy Wrath Rage and Fury these are the Spots of the World who bear such Fruits contrary to the Spirit of Meekness Gentleness Kindness Tenderness Sobriety Love and Mercifulness which are the Fruits of the pure Spirit of God which leadeth to the pure undefiled Religion before God the Father which is To visit the Fatherless and Widows in their Affliction and to keep unspotted from the World this pure undefiled Religion keepeth in the Purity of Life and Conversation and this is above all and keeps from all the vain Religions in the World which pure and undefiled Religion it is the Duty of all true Christians to walk in by which they may be kept from the Spots of the World and this is the Religion that was set up above Sixteen Hundred Years ago in the Church of Christ and happy had all Christendom been if they had kept to this pure undefiled Religion to this day and then they would not have made so many Religions as they have done but to this pure undefiled Religion they must come again if ever they come to the true Religion The pure Religion and undefiled is the hest Religion for none can make a better than the pure undefiled Religion which was set up in the Church in the Apostles days above Sixteen Hundred Years ago unto which all that profess Christianity should be conformable even to this pure undefiled Religion which will keep them from the Spots of the World and then their Religion will not be of the World And this is the one pure undefiled Religion that all Christians should be of which is from one God the Creator of all So there is one God the Creator of all and one Lord Jesus christ by whom all things were made and created who is the one Mediator betwixt God and Man even the Man christ Jesus there in one Body and one Spirit even as you are called to one Hope of your Calling and one God and Father of all who is above you all and in you all and through you all and there is one Faith which Christ Jesus is the Author and Finisher of and there is one Baptism and by one Spirit we are all baptised into one Body whether we be Jews or Gentiles Bond or Free must all drink into this one Spirit of Christ and so to keep the Unity in the Spirit which is the Bond of Peace for the Apostle saith If any Man have not the Spirit of Christ he is none of his Rom. 8.9 for Christ saith in his Prayer to his Father That they may be all one meaning the true Christians as thou Father art in me and I in thee that they also may be one in us that they may be one ever as we are one I in them and thou in me that they may be made perfect in one to wit the Believers and Followers of Christ John 17.21 22 23. Here you may see God and Christ are one in them so he Prayeth that his People may be one in whom they have Rest Life Peace and Salvation with God through Jesus Christ Amen Let your Conversation or Practice be without Covetousness c. Hebr. 13.5 Only let your Conversation be as becometh the Gospel of Christ Philip. 1.17 The 4th of the 2d Month 1685. G. F. To Friends at York DEar Friends Epist 400. To you is my Love in the Seed of Life that bruises the Head of Enmity and in this Seed you all have Life and Peace that is Everlasting And my Desires are That you may all dwell in the Love that can bear all things To keep the Word of Wisdont and of Patience And keep the Word of Patience which will never be worn out for the Word liveth and abideth and endureth for ever and over all Trials keeps for the Word was in the Beginning and all things are upheld by the Word of his Power in it abide And so live and walk in the Wisdom that is from above that is heavenly pure peaceable gentle and easie to be intreated And keep in the Lamb-like Nature for the Suffering Lamb must have the Victory And so the Man of God must not strive but be gentle and yet valiant for God's Truth and not to fell it for they that do go into Bondage and Captivity for the Truth maketh all God's People free and the peaceale Truth is a peaceable Habitation And so in it God Almighty preserve you and all the Lord's People every where that they may Glorifie the Lord God of all their Comforts Lives and Mercies Amen Kingston the 13th of the 10th Month 1685. G. F. DEar Friends and Brethren in the Lord Jesus
Christ Epist 401. who is your holy heavenly Rock and Foundation of God that standeth sure who was the Foundation and the Rock of his Church Christ the Foundation of God that standeth sure in the Apostles days and is now You may see how Christ sent John tho Encourage his Church and saith in Rev. 3.8 I know thy Works Behold I have set before thee an open Door and no Man can shut it For thou hast a little strength and hast kept my Word and hast not denied my Name Behold I will make them of the Synagogue of Satan which say they are Jews and are not but do lye behold I will make them to come and worship before they feet and to know that I have loved thee Because thou hast kept the Word of my Patience I also will keep thee from the hour of Temptation which shall come upon all the World to try them that dwell upon the face of the Earth Now you may see what Comfort the Sons and Daughters of God have that keep the Word of Patience what a Door is opened to them of the Blessings Mercies and Riches of God which no Man can shut from them And they which said they were Jews and were not or such as make outward Profession of the Words of Truth and Form of Godliness and are not in the Truth such the Lord saith Behold I will make them of the Synagogue of Satan c. So here you may see the Lord would have his Children his Church to take notice what he will make of them that do not possess the Truth namely The Synagogue of Satan he will bow them down and make them to know He loveth his faithful People And all such as went out from the Church of Christ Those who go from the Church maifest themselves in the Apostles days which were not of them and Corah Dathan and Abiram that went out from the Jews c. and all they that separated themselves in the Apostles days from the Church of Chrift and all they that separated themselves now c. and are gone out from the Church of Christ have maniseft they were not of them They that went out from the Church of Chrust in the Apostles days and separated themselves from them and all they that go from the Church of Christ now and separate themselves from them they have erred from the Word of Patience and have not kept that but such are gone into Temptations of the World and are become as the Synagogue of Satan and like Raging Waves of the Sea Satan's Fruits and Works they do manifest so that by their Fruits it is known of what Synagogue they are and have and do sufficiently discover it in all Ages how that Patience is worn out and weareth out and that they have not kept the Word of Patience and none such are like to preach the Word of God and the Word of Life and the Word of Patience and the Word of Wisdom that liveth and abideth and endureth for ever that keep not the Word of Patience for how can such keep the Word of Patience or the Word of Life or the Word of Wisdom when they separate themselves and go out from the Church of shrist and are not of it For had they been of it they would have continued with the Church of Christ in the Word of Life Wisdom and Patience But now they do manifest themselves to be out of the gentle Wisdom of God The Fruits of hem who ere not led by the Wisdom of God and out of the Word of Patience in a Rash Hasty Furious Envious Malicious Hateful Lying Defaming Slandering Gain-saying and Envious Spirit of Cain Corah and Ham and the Fruits of this Spirit is manifest sufficiently now as in other Ages to them that live in the Word of Life Wisdom and Patience by which Word all God's Children are born again of the Immortal Seed and feeds upon the Milk of the Word by which Word all things were made and created by which Word all God's People are reconciled to God which Word liveth and abideth and endureth for ever Now as there isa growth and adding to Faith and Vertue and Knowledge and Temperance and Godliness and Patience and Brotherly Kindness and Charity as God's Children are led by the Spirit of God in which they have Unity and it is the Bond of their Peace So as there is an erring from the Spirit of God there is a degenerating from Vertue Kindness and true Knowledge and Godliness and Temperance and Patience and Brotherly Kindness and Charity this we have seen both now in this Age as in the Days of the Apostles and this degenerating Spirlt whose Patience is worn out they may get all the good Words in the Scriptures Words of the Spirit Words of Truth Words of Faith and the Promises and apply them to their Impatient Spirits but they will lose the Comfort of them But the Word of Life the Word of Wisdom the Word of Patience will never be worn out but liveth and abideth and endureth for ever Dear Friends f we suffer for Righteousness appy are we Be ye Followers of that which is good and if ye suffer for Righteousness sake happy are ye For it 's better if the Will of God be so that ye suffer for well-doing and not for evil-doing because Christ also suffered for us leaving us an Example that we should follow his steps Who when he was reviled reviled not again when he suffered he threatned not but committed himself to him that judgeth Righteously If ye suffer for Righteousness sake happy are ye and be not afraid of their Terror neither be troubled having a good Conseience that whereas they speak Evil of you as of Evil-doers they may be ashamed that falsly accuse your good conversation in Christ And if ye are Reproached for the Name of Christ Jesus happy are ye for the Spirit of Glory and of God resteth upon you on their part he is Evil spoken of but on your part he is Glorified But let none of you suffer as a Murderer or a Thief or as a Busie-body in other Mens matters But if any Man suffer as a Christian let him not be ashamed but let him Glorifie God upon this behalf that he suffereth as a Christian not as a Murderer Thief Evil-doer or a Busie-body in other Mens matters for that is not a Suffering for Christ who hath suffered for you and they that will reign with him must suffer with him The God of all Grace who hath called us into his Eternal Glory by Jesus Christ after that ye have suffered a while make ye perfect stablish strengthen and settle you this is through the Sufferings for Christ Jesus the Captain of our Salvation who was made perfect through Sufferings and is able to succour all his Followers in their Temptations and Sufferings And the Apostle saith to the Church of Christ the Philipians I count all things but loss for the
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
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
is no Death nor Night and the Nations of them that are saved shall walk in the Light of this New and Heavenly Jerusalem For the Glory of God doth enlighten it and the Lamb is the Light thereof and the Lord God and the Lamb are the Temple of this New and Heavenly Jerusalem that is from above and the Lord creates this Heavenly Jerusalem So this Heavenly and New Jerusalem is not made by the Workmanship of Mens Hands nor of Wood and Stone neither are People cast in Prison for not mending or repairing a Temple there for there is no outward Temple in the Heavenly Jerusalem for the Lord God Almighty and the Lamb are the Temple of it And the New Creatures that are in Christ Jesus and dwell in Love they dwell in God Such are in the Temple in Heavenly Jerusalem and are in Joy and in Fellowship with the Father and the Son blessed for ever Amen And Christ said to the Jews The Bread of God is he that cometh down from Heaven and giveth Life to the World No Persecution in New Jerusalem signifying that the World is Dead in Adam and wanteth Eternal Everlasting Life and they that eat not the Flesh of Christ and drink not his Blood have no Life in them For Adam and Eve by eating of the Fruit which God forbid them brought Death and all died in him but they that eat the Flesh of Christ the Bread from Heaven and drink his Blood have Eternal Life and shall live for ever and they do live by Christ and they do dwell in Christ and he doth dwell in them So you may see Adam and Eve by their eating of that which God forbad brought them into Spiritual Death and by eating the Flesh and drinking the Blood of Christ as he commands brings Men into a Spiritual Life that is Eternal And the Lord saith Ezek. 37. concerning the whole House of Israel which were the dry scattered Bones That he would open their Graves Of the Restoration of the House of Israel and bring them out of their Graves and yet these dry Bones which were the whole House of Israel that were in their Graves could speak who were the scattered Bones and say Behold our Bones are dry and our Hope is lost we are cut off for our parts So it seems that the whole House of Israel scattered Bones who were in their Graves could speak these words Then they were alive outwardly and their Breath was in their Nostrils but they were gone from the Breath of the Almighty that gives Life and Understanding Therefore the Lord poured his Spirit upon them and caused Breath to come upon them that they might live to God and so that they might all have one Shepherd namely Christ and come into his Everlasting Covenant and Christ their Sanctuary and then God's Tabernacle would be with them and then the Lord will be their God and they shall be his People G. F. To the Yearly Meeting in Yorkshire DEar Friends Epist 411. who are the Sons and Daughters of God who have his Law written in your Hearts by which you know God and Jesus Christ which is Eternal Life to know and you that have put on Christ Jesus are the New Creatures and are in him Clothed with Christ the Son of Righteousness To be Clothed with Christ who is the Light of the World and you that believe in the Light have the Light of Life and are Clothed with the Son of God that doth not change and are the true and living Members of the Church of Christ Jesus that is in God and have the Moon that is changeable under your Feet So all changable Religions Worships Ways Churches and Teachers which are like the Changeable Moon and the Changeable World with its Changeable Fashions the true Church of Christ that are Clothed with Christ the Son that doth not change hath all these Changeable Things like the Moon that changes under her Feet for the Son of God never changes for all things were made by him who is the First and Last the Beginning and Ending So as every one hath received Christ Jesus the Son of Righteousness walk in him to the Praise and Glory of God Amen London the 31st of the 3d Month 1686. G. F. To Friends in West-Jersey and Pensilvania DEar Friends Epist 412. I am glad to hear that the Truth 's Concerns is so well as it is with you and that you have set up your Half Years Meeting there which may be of great Service Half Years Meeting in America For indeed all the faithful Men and Women in the Power of the Lord do keep their Meetings that they may take care of God's Glory and to see that all are diligent that profess the Truth to walk in it and all the Loose and such as despise Dignities and the Power of God and true Christianity should be Admonish'd and Exhorted and not to have a Name of Truth without the Nature of it And so that all may walk in the Truth and by it come into a holy Life and Conversation by that they may answer that which is good both in the People among you and in the Indians For through want of Order in the Power of God and his Light Life and Truth there has been so many runnings out some one way and some another way And therefore all that are Faithful in your Country being kept in the Lord 's Eternal Power To keep our Meetings in the Lord's Power in it keep up all your Men and Womens Meetings that the Power of the Lord God may sparead over all and by it all Deceit and Loosness may be kept under and this will ease all the Magistrates and their Courts of all Evil and Loosness by having it stop'd and kill'd in the Birth before it comes into Action and to see in your Meetings that Friends may give no Occasion to the Indians And if sometimes you should have some Meetings with the Indian Kings and their Councils to let them know the Principles of Truth To inform the Indians of the Way of Salvation so that they may know the Way of Salvation and the Nature of true Christianity and how that Christ hath died for them who tasted Death for every Man And so the Gospel of Salvation must be Preached to every Creature under Heaven and how that Christ hath enlightned them who enlightens all that come into the World And God hath poured out his Spirit upon all Flesh and so the Indians must receive God's Spirit for the Grace of God which brings Salvation hath appeared to all Men And so let them know that they have a Day of Salvation Grace and Favour of God offered unto them if they will receive it it will be their Blessing And so now you that are settled in those Parts which have had a Testimony from the Lord to bear to People of the Truth you should spread abroad God's Eternal Truth and have
Six-Weeks Meeting is for to see Epist 418. that all their Meetings are preserved by the Wisdom of God in the Vnity of the Spirit The Care of the Six Weeks Meeting the Bond of Peace and in the Fellowship of the Holy Ghost being ordered by the pure gentle heavenly peaceable Wisdom easie to be intreated Holy and Vertuous Examples to all other Meetings both in City and Country And that all may be careful to speak short and pertinent to Matters in a Christian Spirit and dispatch Business quickly and keep out of long Debates and Heats and with the Spirit of God keep that down which is doting about Questions and Strife of Words that tend to Parties and Contention Which in the Church of God there is no such Custom to be allowed And likewise not to speak more than one at a time nor any in a fierce Way for that is not to be allowed in any Society neither Natural nor Spiritual but as the Apostle saith Be swift to hear and slow to speak and let it be in the Grace which seasons all Words And if there be any Differences that cannot be quickly ended in the Meeting let the Six-Weeks Meeting order some Friends to hear the Matter out of the Meeting without Respect of Persons and bring in the Report to the same Meeting the same Day if possible and the Meeting may give Judgment that no Business be delayed from time to time And so with my Love to you all in the Seed of Life Christ Jesus in whom ye have all Peace and Wisdom from him who is the Treasure of Knowledge and Wisdom Amen Kingston upon Thames the 5th of the 3d Month 1690. G. F. DEar Friends Epist 419. Something was upon me to write unto you that such among Friends who marry and provide great Dinners that instead thereof it will be of a good Savour on such Occasions that they may be put in mind at such times to give something to the Poor that be Widows and Fatherless To be Charitable and relieve the Poor and such like to make them a Feast or to Refresh them And this I look upon would be a very good Savour to feast the Poor that cannot feast you again and would be a good Practise and Example and would be a means to keep the Mind to the Lord and in remembrance of the Poor for they that give to the Poor lend to the Lord and the Lord will re-pay them And I do really believe what ever they give less or more according to their Ability cheerfully they will not have the less at the Years End for the Lord loves a cheerful Giver I know this Practice hath been used by some Twenty Years ago And so it is not only to give the Poor a little Victuals which you cannot eat your selves but give them a little Money that the Lord hath blessed you with and give it to some of the Womens Meetings for to distribute to the Poor So you will have the Blessings of the Lord and the Blessings of the Poor And so to be of a free noble Spirit above all the churlish Misers and Nigards and narrow Spirits These things I do recommend to you though it may look a little strange to weigh and consider the thing it will both be of a good Report and a good Savour and manifests a self-denial and openness of Heart and of the general Love of God London the 4th of the 4th Month 1690. G. F. To Friends Captives at Macqueness DEar Friends st 420. With my Love to you all in the Lord Jesus Christ in whom you have Life and Salvation and Rest and Peace with God and the Lord God Almighty with his Eternal Arm and Power uphold and preserve you in Christ in whom you have Rest and Peace though in the World Troubles and though you be in Captivity from your Wives and Children and Relations and Friends yet the Lord is present with you by his Spirit of Grace Light and Truth And so feel him at all times and stand in his Will do not Murmer nor Complain but stand still in the Faith and Power of God To stand in the Faith that you may see your Salvation for by Faith the Lord delivered his People out of Egypt by his Power and by Faith Enoch and Noah were preserved and Abraham Isaac and Jacob and by Faith the Prophets were delivered out of many Perils and Daniel out of the Lions Mouth And you may see how the Righteous were delivered by Faith in Heb. 11. And it would be very well if you that be Captives and Friends To meet to worship God could have Meetings as they had at Algier to the comforting and refreshing one another And you may speak to your Patroons of your meeting together to worship God that created Heaven and Earth and made all Mankind and gives you Breath Life and Spirit to serve and worship him And my Desires are to the Lord That you in his Truth and Power may answer the Truth in all both King and Prince and Turks and Moors that you may be a good Savour among them all and in them all manifesting that you are the Salt of the Earth and the Light of the World and a City set on a Hill that cannot be hid So that they may see your good Works and glorifie your Father which is in Heaven And what do you know but the Lord hath set you there to preach in Life and Word and good Conversation Therefore while you are there mind your Service for God who hath all things in his Hand And a Sparrow cannot fall to the Ground without his Providence And Christ is the Mountain that filleth the whole Earth and so you will feel him there And therefore keep in the Word of Power and in the Word of Patience and the Word of Wisdom that will give you Dominion over all Amen London the 25th of the 8th Month 1690. G. F. You may petition the Emperor or King and your Patroons Postscript whose Captives you are that you may have one Day in the Week to meet together to worship and serve the Great God that made you in Spirit and Truth For you worship no Representation Image or Likeness neither in Heaven nor in the Earth but the Great God who is Lord over all both in Heaven and Earth and is manifest by his Spirit in his People from you poor Captives who desire their Good here and their Eternal Happiness hereafter And you may draw up a Paper to this Effect and get it Translated into their Language and send it to the Emperor and his Council and your Patroons and set your Hands to it with all speed after the the receipt of this George Fox THE END THE FIRST TABLE CONTAINING The Names of Countries Cities Towns and Places mentioned in this Collection of Epistles being those from or to which they were sent and directed by the Author on Truth 's Account in England and
other Places A AMerica 2. 352. 399. 401. 426. 453. 471. 477 Algier 455. 471. 491. 502 Amsterdam 505 B Bishoprick 2. 36. 45. 52 Bristol 123.317 329. 489 Barbadoes 129. 138. 143. 181. 226. 228. 253. 316. 324. 326. 343. 353. 366. 395. 471. 488 Burlington 456 Bednal-Green 532. 540. 543. 545 C Cumberland 3. 31. 36. 45. 52. 394 Castle 5. 203 City 6 Colchester 186 Cockford 196 Carolina 321. 462. 490 Carribby Islands 354. 363 Charles Town 490 D Darbyshire 2 Dover 5 Dantzick 398. 491. 508. 529. 542 Dolston 471. 490. 502 E England 2. 5. 329. 399. 470. 473. 491. 504 Exon 88 Essex 196. 493. 554 Edmunton 480. 554 Enfield 541 East-Jersey 543 F France 140 Friezland 255. 470. 539 Frederickstadt 539 G Germany 129. 151. 255. 470. 491 Guilderland 255 Gousey 493. 554. 555 H Holland 129. 151. 255. 337. 399. 470. 471. 491. 539 Hamborough 255. 539 Horsham 458 I Ireland 2. 112. 129. 181. 304. 471. 491 Jamaica 4. 153. 186. 329. 363. 397. 470 Islands 138. 144. 178. 180. 181 Italy 140 Isle of Man 397 K Kendal 19 Kingston 340. 477. 489. 529. 556 L Leicestershire 2. 460 Lancashire 13. 18. 36. 52 Lancaster 154. 200. 203 London 4. 5. 76. 77. 108. 109. 127. 164. 235. 255. 344. 411. 417. 454. 455. 456. 459. 462. 471. 477. 491. 504. 508. 540. 542. 545. 552. 554. 555. 556. 557 Leghorn 140 Low Countries 140 Lynn 172 M Malton 63 Markets 61. 128 Medlesham 172 Maryland 177. 186. 226. 228. 253. 316. 327. 398. 400 Marshgrainge 389. 394 Middlesex 480 Macqueness 556 N Nottinghamshire 2 Northumberland 2. 36. 45. 52 North 11.65.115 Northern 13 Newcastle 36. 52 New-England 129. 138. 146. 178. 181. 186. 226. 253. 262. 277. 316. 324. 397 Norway 140 Norfolk 172 Nevis 186. 363 New-Jersey 401. 473. 541 O Oxford 416 P Plymouth 77 Poland 140. 151 Palatine 151 Palatinate 255. 539. 541 Pensilvania 473. 540. 543. 545. 553 R Reading 147 Rode Island 366. 470 S Scotland 2. 125. 129. 471. 491 Southwark 5 Suburbs 6 Swarthmore 10. 353. 357. 361. 368. 397. 399. 400. 401. 402. 416. 417. 420. 426. 428. 439 Sedburgh 12 Sweedland 255 Swisserland 255 Surrey 256 Sussex 412. 458 V Virginia 129. 138. 146. 177. 180. 186. 226. 228. 253. 316. 324. 335. 398. 400 W Westmorland 2. 36. 52 White-Chappel 6 Wales 112. 541 Worcester 129. 333. 335. 336. 340. 346 Worplesdom 453 West-Jersey 456. 543. 545. 555 Y Yorkshire 2. 416. 455. 552 York 474. 486. 488. 507. 528 Z Zealand 255 THE SECOND TABLE Being a Catalogue of the Epistles of that Faithful Servant of Christ G. Fox to Friends contained in this Volume 1643. A Testimony how the Lord sent G. F. forth at the first Page 1 1644. Concerning the spreading of the Truth and how that many were Imprisoned c. Page 2 1650. Upon the fourth Day of the first Month I felt the Power of the Lord to spread over all the World in Praise Page 7 Epistle 1. Friends forsake the Company of c. Page 8 2. Friends the Children of the Devil how expert are they in Evil Ibid. 3. Friends there is an Eye that looketh to see the good Seed Page 9 1651. 4. All Friends mind that which is pure in you to God Ibid. 1652. 5. Dear Father and Mother c. Page 10 6. Friends no one is justified breaking the Commands of Christ Ibid. 7. To Friends at Swarthmore Ibid. 8. Dear Friends those that will Live Godly in Christ Jesus Page 11 9. Friends that which is set up by the Sword is upheld by the Sword Ibid. 10. To Friends to stand still in Troubles and see the strength of the Lord Ibid. 11. Dear Hearts Brethren and Babes of Christ wait to feed Page 12 12. Friends if you love the Light and walk in it ye love Christ Ibid 13. To the Flock of God about Seburgh Ibid. 14. A word from the Lord to Friends Page 13 15. To the Church of God in Lancashire Ibid. 16. To all you my Dear Friends who have tasted of c. Page 14 17. Dear Friends prize your time and the Love of the Lord Page 15 18. All Dear Friends every where Ibid. 19. Dear and Tender Friends Page 16 20. To all my Dear Brethren Page 17 21. To Friends at Kendal Page 19 22. Oh Friends keep close to the Light in you Ibid. 1653. 23. Friends fear not the Power of Darkness Page 20 24. To all Friends every where dwell in the Truth Ibid. 25. To Friends in the Truth Page 22 26. To Friends concerning Marriages Friends all they Page 23 27. To all my Dear Friends and Brethren Ibid. 28. To all you that are enlightened c. Page 24 29. Concerning Tithes Ibid. 30. To a Suffering Friend Page 26 31. Dear Friends mind the stedfast Guide to the Lord Ibid. 32. To Friends that their Minds go not from the Spirit of God Ibid. 33. To Friends for all to wait and walk in the Truth Page 28 34. Friends I do warn you c. Page 30 35. To Friends in the Ministry Page 31 36. Friends take your heavenly Censures and offer c. Ibid. 37. Dear Friends prize your heavenly Calling Ibid. 38. An Epistle to the Travellers in the Lord's Way Page 33 39. All Friends in Westmorland Cumberland Bishoprick Northumberland and Lancashire Page 36 40. Friends I do you all warn and charge to be Faithful c. Ibid. 41. Friends to you all this Exhortation is from c. Page 36 42. To Friends concerning the Light Page 37 43. To all my Dear Brethren the Flock of God c. Page 38 44. All Friends wait upon the unlimitted Power and Spirit c. Page 40 45. Concerning the Heirs of rhe Kingdom of God Page 41 46. To all Friends who are in the Unity which is in the Light Page 44 47. All Friends every where who with the Light c. Page 45 48. To Friends concerning Judging Page 47 49. Friends in the Life and Power of God dwell Page 49 50. All Friends dwell in that which is Pure c. Page 51 51. To Friends concerning the Cross of Christ the Power of God Ibid. 52. All Friends in Westmorland Lancashire Cumberland Bishoprick Page 52 53. Concerning the Duty of all Friends in Truth c. Page 53 54. This is sent among Friends who be in the Light Ibid. 55. The Word of the Lord God to all my Brethren c. Page 54 56. To call the Minds out of the Creatures Page 55 1654. 57. To a Friend in Distress Page 57 58. Oh Friends look not out c. Ibid. 59. Friends make not Flesh your Arm by carnal Reasoning Ibid 60. To Friends to keep in the fear of the Lord Page 58 61. Friends dwell all in the Immortal Seed of God Ibid. 62. All Friends be low in the Life of God Ibid. 63. To Friends concerning the Covenant of Light and Life Ibid. 64. To Friends in the Ministry Page 61 65. This is the Word of the Lord to all Friends and Fellow-Labourers
in the Truth Ibid. 66. All Friends meet together in the Light c. Page 62 67. To Friends concerning Marriages Ibid. 68. Friends know the Life and Power of God Page 63 69. To Friends at Malton Ibid. 70. Friends I do Judge that in all which is contrary to the Life and Power of God Page 64 71. To Friends to live in the Power of God in Christ that never fell Ibid. 72. To Friends in the North Page 65 73. Concerning Tithes Ibid. 74. My Dear Friends live in the Immortal Seed and Power of the Lord God Page 66 75. Dearly beloved Friends and Brethren in the Power and Life Page 67 76. Oh all Friends in the Unchangable Life Power and Seed c. Page 68. 77. Friends in the Measure of Life Ibid. 78. Friends in the Power and Life of God dwell in Unity Page 69 79. To all Friends to abide in their Callings Ibid. 80. To seek the Kingdom of God first Page 72 1655. 81. All Friends every where c. Page 73 82. The Word of the Lord to all Friends Page 74 83. Dear Friends in the Eternal Truth of God c. Page 75 84. To Friends to sit under their own Vines c. Page 76 85. An Epistle to Friends that with the Light they may see c. Ibid. 86. To Friends in London Page 77 87. Friends in the Power of the Lord go forth Ibid. 88. Friends meet together waiting upon the Lord c. Ibid. 89. For Plimouth Ibid 90. Friends all ye whose Minds are turned c. Ibid. 91. A General Epistle to Friends concerning the Priests Page 78 92. To all the Seed of Abraham c. Page 79 93. That Friends should have a sense of one anothers Sufferings Page 80 94. Friends I do Warn and Exhort you all Ibid. 95. Grow in the Increase of God Page 81 96. A Warning to Friends to keep to the Light out of Deceit Ibid. 97. To a Friend Ibid. 98. Dear Friends stand in the Faith Ibid. 99. To all that make mention of the Name of the Lord c. Page 82 100. Concerning all such as set up outward Crosses c. Ibid. 101. Dear Friends and Brethren in the Everlasting Seed of God c. Page 83 102. Friends incourage not c. Ibid. 103. To keep to the Witness of God Page 84 104. All Friends every where in the Power of God dwell Ibid. 105. Concerning the Light c. Page 86 106. To Friends to keep in the Life c. Ibid. 107. Now dear Friends in the Power of the Everlasting God Page 87 1656. 108. Friends wait in the Light c. Ibid. 109. Friends keep to the Patience c. Ibid. 110. To Friends Prisoners at Exon Page 88 111. A Warning from the Lord for Plainness of Speech to be used Ibid. 112. All Friends mind the Light Page 91 113. To a Friend in the Ministry Ibid. 114. Dear Brethren in the mighty Power of God c. Ibid. 115. To Friends concerning the Word of Life c. Page 92 116. Concerning Judging in Meetings Ibid. 117. My dear Friends keep your Meetings c. Page 93 118. Let no Friends go beyond their own Measures Ibid. 119. Friends wait in the Life c. Ibid. 120. My dear Friends dwell in the Everlasting Seed c. Ibid. 121. To Friends to take care of such as suffer for owning the Truth Page 94 122. Friends to that which is pure I speak c. Ibid. 123. Men in the Fall are in the Wars and Strife c. Page 95 124. My Friends be faithful and keep your Meetings Page 96 125. Friends to you all this is c. Page 97 126. For Friends to dwell in Love and Unity Ibid. 127. All Friends every where do not delight in Apparrel c. Ibid. 128. To all Friends to keep in the Power of God c. Ibid. 129. My dear Friends and Brethren keep in the Seed of Peace Page 98. 130. All Friends dwell in the Truth Ibid. 131. Friends every where dwell in the Power of the Lord God Page 102 132. An Epistle to Friends for all to keep in the Light Page 104 133. Friends towards all Men walk in Wisdom c. Page 106 134. Live in Peace c. Ibid. 1657. 135. To Francis Howgill and Edward Burroughs Ibid. 136. Dear Friends dwell in that which keeps your Peace c. Page 107 137. Friends let God's Wisdom have the Stay of your Minds Ibid. 138. Friends ye that are Prisoners of the Lord Jesus Christ Ibid. 139. Friends know the Praying in the Spirit Page 108 140. All Friends every where that do suffer for Tithes Ibid. 141. To Friends to gather up their Sufferings and lay them before Judges Page 109 142. All my dear Friends keep up your Heads above the Waters Page 110 143. All Friends and Brethren in the Noble Seed of God Page 111 144. Friends get not Knowledge in the unsanctified Part Ibid. 145. Friends where there is Strife among any of you c. Ibid. 146. To Friends in Ireland Page 112 147. To Friends in Wales Ibid. 148. An Exhortation to fervent Prayer and stedfast Faith Page 113 149. To Friends to know one another in the Light c. Page 115 150. Friends all every where in the Life and Power of God live Page 116 151. Friends there was a time when the Apostles preached Christ Ibid. 152. This is the Word of the Lord God to you all Page 117 153. To Friends beyond the Sea that have Black and Indian Slaves Ibid. 154. Oh Friends keep out of that State c. Ibid. 155. Concerning the Light Page 119 156. All Friends I do Warn and Charge you Page 120 1658. 157. Friends by the Wisdom of God was all things made c. Page 121 158. Friends and Brethren every where dwell in that which makes for Peace Page 122 159. Dear Friends all dwell in the Everlasting Seed of God Christ Jesus Page 123 160. All my dear Friends Folly and Wickedness will have an end c. Ibid. 161. Oh Friends do not dye from the Good Ibid. 162. Friends keep your Meetings in the Power of God c. Page 124 163. Dear Friends in the Life live Ibid. 164. My dear Friends keep your Meetings in the Power of the Lord Ibid. 165. All Friends be faithful in the Power of God Page 125 166. To the Church of God in Scotland Ibid. 167. My dear Friends be not carried away by good Words c. Page 126 168. Friends all every where who have tasted of the Love c. Page 127 169. To all the Elect Chosen and Faithful Ibid. 170. Friends every one of you having Light from the Son of God Page 129 1659. 171. A General Epistle to them who are of the Royal Priesthood Ibid. 172. We are of the Royal Seed Elect and Precious c. Page 133. 173. All Friends take heed of running on in a Form c. Page 135 174. Dear Friends all every where feel the Seed of God over all Ibid.
175. To Friends to serve one another in Love Page 136 176. Friends that Minister c. Ibid. 177. All Friends every where who are dead to all Carnal Weapons Page 137 178. To Friends in Barbadoes Virginia New-England and all the Islands about Page 138 180. My dear Friends in the Love and Life c. Page 139 181. Friends live in the unchangeable Power of God Ibid. 182. My dear Hearts do your Business faithfully Page 140 183. Friends dwell in Patience c. Ibid. 184. Oh my dear Friends and Brethren Page 141 185. All Friends be obedient to the Power of God Page 142 186. Friends which have known and tasted of the Power of the Mighty God Page 143 187. This to go among Friends Page 144 188. Friends live in the Seed of God Page 145 189. To Friends in New-England and Virginia Page 146 190. Oh Friends have an esteem of Truth and God's Glory Page 147 1660. 191. All Friends every where that are Convinced with Truth Page 148 192. Friends in the fear of the Lord God live Page 150 193. Dear William thou hast c. Page 151 194. Dear Friends who have found the better Part Ibid. 195. Friends all that are moved of the Lord c. Page 152 196. Dear Friends in Jamaica and elsewhere Page 153 197. Dear Friends in the Power of the Lord dwell Ibid. 198. Dear Friends keep over all that which tends to Strife Page 154 1661. 199. Friends the Matter concerning not putting off the Hat in Prayer Ibid. 200. The Line of Righteousness and Justice stretched forth over all Merchants c. Page 156 201. Dear Friends in the Stilness and Silence of the Power of the Almighty dwell Page 162 202. An Answer to a letter sent to G. F. Page 163 203. What Friends do ye Reign as Kings c. Ibid. 204. To all Friends Prisoners Page 164 205. All Friends live in God's Dominion Ibid. 206. In the Power of God that is Everlasting Page 165 207. Dear Friends look over all Sufferings Page 170 208. All ye Prisoners of the Lord for his Truth Ibid. 209. My Dear Friends in the Power of God c. Page 172 210. Friends trust not in Man c. Ibid. 211. Friends all ye that know the way of Truth Page 173 212. To a Friend under an exercise of Spirit Page 174 213. Dear Friends in the Life and Power of God dwell Ibid. 214. Friends the Power of the Lord God is over all Page 175 1662. 215. To Friends to Labour in the Ministry that their Lives may Preach Page 177 216. To Friends in New-England and the Islands beyond Sea Page 178 217. All my Dear Friends and Brethren c. Page 180 218. Dear Friends and Brethren let Patience possess your Souls Page 181 219. All my Dear Friends dwell in the Life Page 182 220. Friends Truth is that which is pure Ibid. 221. All my Dear Friends every where the Power of the Lord God c. Page 183 222. A General Epistle to be read in all the Christian Meetings c. Page 186 223. All Dear Friends and Brethren stand fast in the Power of the Lord God Page 196 224. Dear Friends whom Death Bonds nor the Outward Creature can separate Page 197 225. Friends keep in the Power of the Lord Ibid. 1663. 226. My Dear Friends in the Everlasting Seed c. Page 198 227. Sing and Rejoyce ye Children of the Day Page 199 228. Dear Friends who have tasted of that which is precious Ibid. 229. Friends let not your knowledge be after the Flesh Page 200 230. Friends stand still and see be still and hear Page 201 1664. 231. My Dear Friends be faithful to the Lord God Page 202 Two General Epistles to be read c. 232. 1. All Friends every where who are gathered in the name of Jesus Page 203 233. 2. Friends this is the day of the tryal of your Faith Page 209 234. All you Prisoners of the Lord c. Page 211 235. Friends you who now come to suffer by a Land-Flood keep on the Rock Page 212 236. All my Dear Friends in the Everlasting Power c. Page 213 237. My Dear Friends and Brethren the Lord is with you all c. Page 214 238. My dear Friends and Brethren all every where keep your Habitations Ibid. 239. A General Epistle to all Friends Ibid. 240. Friends all Outward Things Figures Types Shadows and Inventions c. Page 220 241. Dear Friends keep your Meetings in the Name of the Lord Jesus Page 225 1665. 242. The Saints Weapons are Spiritual Page 226 1666. 243. All my Dear Friends this is your day to stand Ibid. 244. To Friends in Barbadoes Virginia Maryland New-England c. Ibid. 245. An Epistle to be read in all the Assemblies of the Righteous Page 228 246. Oh Dear Friends mind every one your Habitation c. Page 234 247. Dear Friends dwell in the gentle Wisdom of the Lord God Page 235 248. Friends keep your Meetings in the Power of the Lord God Ibid. 1667. 249. A General Epistle to Friends and to all People c. Page 236 1st Concerning the Worship of God and the Jew Outward c. Page 242. 2d Concerning who drink the New Wine and who drink the Old Page 246 3d Concerning Gathering in the Name of Jesus Page 248 250. A Warning to all to keep out of the Vain Fashions of the World Page 249 251. My Dear Friends in the Truth and Seed of God c. Page 251 252. For Friends in the Ministry scattered abroad in Virginia c. Page 253 253. To Friends in Holland Page 255 1668. 254. Friends let your affections be set on things which are above Page 256 255. Dear Friends all who from the beginning have been Convinced Ibid. 256. My Dear Friends live in the Wisdom of God Ibid. 257. Dear Friends be faithful in the service of God Page 257 258. Dear Friends in the Truth of God Ibid. 259. Dear Friends be faithful in the Truth which the Devil is out of Page 258 260. Dear Friends if the Truth make you free then are you free indeed Page 259 261. Friends to call Men Masters or Gracious Lord c. Page 266 262. All Friends and People this is to be condemned c. Page 267 263. An Exhortation to keep in the Ancient Principles of Truth Page 274 1669. 264. An Additional Extract from other of G. F's Epistles Page 276 265. All you that are believers in the Light which manifesteth Darkness Page 293 266. And all you believers in the heavenly Light c. Page 299 267. To Ministring Friends Page 300 268. Not to be over-thoughtfull of the things of this World Page 301 269. Concerning the single Language Page 302 270. For all that be gathered in the Name of Jesus Ibid. 271. Concerning those who go out of Unity and deny Forms Page 303 272. To Friends in Ireland Page 304 273. Not to trust in uncertain Riches Ibid. 274. My Dear Friends in the pure
Friends Page 498 1684. 391. To the Meeting of Friends in Truth that are Captives in Algier Page 502 392. To the Quarterly and Monthly Meetings in England c. Page 504 393. To Friends in Holland Page 505 394. Dear Friends and Brethren who are Elect and Chosen in Christ Page 506 395. To Friends at the Yearly Meeting in York Page 507 396. To the Suffering Friends of Dantzick Page 508 397. An Epistle to Friends against Pride and Haughtiness Page 510 398. An Epistle to all the Prisoners and Sufferers for the Name of the Lord Jesus Page 521 1685. 399. Concerning the Pure and Undefiled Religion c. Page 526 400. To Friends at York Page 528 401. Dear Friends and Brethren in the Lord Jesus Christ Page 529 402. A General Epistle Dear Friends go not from your Habitations Page 533 403. Dear Friends in Holland Friezland Hambrough Frederickstadt Dantzick Palatinate c. Page 539 404. To Friends in Pensilvania Page 540 405. To Friends in the Ministry in Pensilvania and New-Jersey Page 541 406. To Friends in Wales Ibid. 407. To Friends in Dantzick Page 542 1686. 408. To Friends in Pensilvania East and West-Jersey Page 543 409. To all the holy Women that trust in God c. Page 545 410. An Epistle for them that are learn'd in Christ to read and understand Page 548 411. To the Yearly Meeting in Yorkshire Page 552 1687. 412. To Friends in West-Jersey and Pensilvania Page 553 413. Dear Friends my desire is that all Friends prize the Mercy c. Page 554 1688. 414. All my Dear Friends and Brethren Ibid. 415. Dear Friends my Love is to all Ibid. 1689. 416. To the Quarterly Men and Womens Meetings in London Ibid. 417. Dear Friends and Brethren in Christ Jesus Page 555 1690. 418. To the Six Weeks Meeting in London Ibid. 419. Dear Friends something was upon me to Write to you c. Page 556 420. To Friends Captives in Macqueness Ibid. The End of the Second Table ERRATA PAge 14. l. 45. no Parenthisis p. 15. l. 36. for and so r. but p. 16. l. 42. for into r. of p. 18. l. 10. for into r. in p. 3 r. l. 23. for they r. â—e p. 39. l. 44. after Friends dele that p. 42. l. 42. for so r. for p. 43. l. 3. after reason add which p. 59. l. 8. for is r. are p. 64. l. 6. after ending add and p. 67. l. 34. for Beauty r. Joy p. 137. l. 23. for he r. the Ibid. l. 31. dele the before of p. 142. l. 29. r. Lord's r. Lord p. 146. l. 6. after it dele to p. 153. l. 23. for which r. but p. 180. l. 26. after Ills add and p. 211. l. 7. after Abomination add that Ibid. l. 11. dele that p. 226. l. 39. dele are p. 234. l. 13. dele it p. 267. l. 3. after say add that p. 334. l. 44. for this r. these p. 338. l. 47. for has r. have p. 339. l. 39. dele let Ibid. l. 40. for wander r. wandring p. 344. l. 26. for which r. this Ibid. l. 34. after things dele and p. 353. l. 22. for Word's r World's p. 356. l. 17. after Sacrifices add for p. 398. l. 22. for feedeth r. feed p. 437. l. 27. for sprikles r. sprinkles p. 455. l. 9. for met r. meet p. 456. l. 5. for Bondange r. Bondage Ibid. l. 17. after how add He brought them down p. 462. l. 45. after of add the p. 475. l. 40. dele his p. 508. l. 19. dele fore p. 514. l. 49. dele and p. 517. l. 8. for to r. and p. 534. l. 45. for Disciple r. Disciples p. 545. l. 27. after to add be BOOKS Printed and Sold by T. Sowle next Door to the Meeting-House in White-Hart-Court in Gracious-Street And at the Bible in Leaden Hall-Street near the Market 1699. SAmuel Fisher's Works in Folio Robert Barclay's Works in Folio George Fox's Journal with W. Penn's Preface Folio The Works of the Long Mournful and Sorrowful Distressed Isaac Penington Folio The VVorks of that Memorable and Ancient Servant of Christ Stephen Crisp containing also a Journal of his Life giving an Account of his Convincement Travels Labours and Sufferings in and for the Truth price bound 5 s. A Collection of the several Writings and Faithful Testimonies of that suffering Servant of God and patient Follower of the Lamb Humphry Smith Truth 's Innocency and Simplicity Shining through the Conversion Gospel-Ministry Labours Epistles of Love Testimonies and VVarnings to Professors and Profane with the Long and Patient Sufferings of that Ancient and Faithful Minister and Servant of Jesus Christ Tho. Taylor VVho finished his Course in the Year MDCLXXXI price 5 s. A Collection of certain Epistles and Testimonies of Divine Consolation Experience and Doctrine Written by that Faithful Patient and Long-suffering Servant of Christ William Bennit The Memory of the Righteous Revived being a brief Collection of the Books and Written Epistles of John Camm and John Audland Together with several Testimonies relating to those two Faithful Labourers price bound 2 s. Truth Vindicated by the Faithful Testimony and Writings of the Innocent Servant and Hand-maid of the Lord Elizabeth Bathurst Deceased price bound 1 s. Baptism and the Lord's Supper Substantially Asserted being an Apology in behalf of the People called Quakers concerning those Two Heads By Robert Barclay price bound 1 s. A Catechism and Confession of Faith By R. Barclay price bound 9 d. No Cross No Crown A discourse shewing the Nature and Discipline of the holy Cross of Christ By W. Penn. In Two Parts The Fifth Addition price bound 3 s. An Address to Protestants of all Perswasions more especially the Magistracy and Clergy for the Promotion of Virtue and Charity In Two Parts By W. Penn a Protestant The Second Edition Corrected and Enlarged price bound 1 s. 6 d. An Account of W. Penn's Travails in Holland and Germany for the Service of the Gospel of Christ by way of Journal Containing also divers Letters and Epistles writ to several Great and Eminent Persons whilst there The Second Impression Corrected by the Author 's own Copy with some Answers to the Letters not before Printed price bound 2 s. A Brief Account of the Rise and Progress of the People called Quakers in which their Fundamental Principle Doctrines Worship Ministry and Discipline are plainly Declared to prevent the Mistakes and Pervertions that Ignorance and Prejudice may make to abuse the Credulous With a Summary Relation of the former Dispensations of God in the World by way of Introduction By W. Penn. price bound 1 s. Primitive Christianity Revived in the Faith and Practice of the People called Quakers Written in Testimony to the present Dispensation of God through them to the VVorld That Prejudices may be Removed the Simple Instructed the VVell-enclined Encouraged and the Truth and its Innocent Friends Rightly Represented By W. Penn. price bound 1 s. The Harmony of Divine and Heavenly Doctrines Demonstrated in sundry Declarations on
evermore For the Power of the Lord will work through all if that ye follow it WHEN ye do Judge of Matters or when ye do Judge of Words or when ye do Judge of Persons Concerning Judging all these are distinct things A wise Man will not give both his Ears to one Party but reserve one for the other Party and will hear both and then Judge G. F. MY Dear Friends Epist 163. In the Life live in which is the Vnity and Peace one with another and Lowliness and Humbleness of Heart and Mind Wisdom received serving one another in the Fear of the Lord God by and in which Fear the Wisdom of God is received from above and by which all things were made and created and by which ye may all be ordered to his Glory And so this is the Word of the Lord God to you all Live in the Power of the Lord God in which is Peace Love Unity and Dominion in the Life and Power of God which was before Enmity was The Light and Life and in the Light which was before Darkness was and in the Life which was before Death was And so in that feel Vnity and Life in the Power of God And so the Seed of God feel over all that set which makes to suffer which was before it was and will remain when that is all gone And so feel the Top-Stone over all laid that his Life ye may feel over all and in that live G. F. MY Dear Friends Epist 164. Keep your Meetings in the Power of the Lord God To Friends To keep their Meetings in which ye may all feel Life Eternal among you And do not forsake the Assembling of your selves together but provoke one another to Love in which is Edification Life Peace Truth and Dominion in which ye may feel the Blessing of God covering you ye dwelling in the same And so Meet together in the Name of the Sons and Daughters of Adam in the Fall and will stand when they are all gone in which there is Life Peace and Wisdom Order and Edification in the Love and Life of Christ over all the brittle and foolish Priests and Professors in the World and in which Life and Power there is the perfect Fellowship that will stand for ever Perfect Fellowship when all other Fellowships are ended and gone And so ye that know the Life and Power and Light of Christ which was before Death and Darkness and the Power of the same was Be Faithful who are gathered together in this Life and Power and are Met in it in it keep your Meetings in the Life and Power of the Lord over all other Meetings in which ye may all feel one another in the Fellowship and Vnity that is Everlasting and never hath End And so in that the Lord God Almighty preserve you all to his Glory that to the Lord God ye may be a Blessing in your Generation and a good Savour to God and in the Hearts of all People That none may say ye are an unstay'd unestablihsed or a fickle People and have your Religion Truth and Worship to seek but that ye have it already and are established in the Life and Power of God Christ the Heal. and in his Worship Church and Religion which Christ is the Head and the Life of which destroyeth the Devil and his Works who is the Pasture of Life who was before Death was And so him feel over all that set which makes to suffer who was before it was and will remain when it is gone And so feel the Top-Stone over all laid and Christ to reign G. F. ALL Friends Be faithful in the Power of God and his Seed Epist 165. and mind the Power of God which was before the Power of Darkness and the Fall of Adam were In which Power of God is your Fellowship and in which Fellowship ye may see over the Jews Fellowship and the Gentiles and ye may see the Apostles Fellowship Fellowship in the Power and the Apostatised Christians Now the Gospel is preached and the true Fellowship come into again which the Apostles were in which was before the Apostatised Christians Fellowship was out of the Life and Power of God which the Apostles were in and the Church in the Primitive Times And the Gospel-Fellowship the Power of God is prefect in which is our Fellowship which was before any Imperfection was And they have no more Command to set up Temples Tithes Temples Tithes Oaths Swearing Oaths or Swearing among the Christians since the Apostles Days than the Gentiles had to set up Diana's Temple for the Temple-Worship Tithes and Oaths Christ came to end and to bring People out of them and to make them his Temples and to bring to Yea Yea and Nay Nay in their Communications And so before the Fall there were no Oaths in the Fall there were but in the Restoration there are to be no Oaths Tithes nor outward Temples G. F. To the Church of God in Scotland DEar Friends In the Power and Light is my Love to you all Epist 166. in which the Vertue Life Holiness and Righteousness is known To Friends in Scotland to live in the Truth which they first received and the Riches that never fade away Live in the Truth which ye first received that it may be your Crown and your Cloathing And dwell in Love and Peace and Vnity one with another in the Trath of God which the Devil is out of and keep your Meetings in the Name of Christ Jesus that never fell and then ye will see over all the Gatherings in the Fall in whom the Peace Life and the Blessing is And all know one another in him who is the Substance and him to be your Way and Teacher Priest and Prophet that never fell and then ye will see over all the false Ways Christ your Way Teacher Priest and Prophet Prophets Priests and Teachers in the Fall ye being in him that never fell your Priest and Prophet Be Faithful to God every one in your Measure of Light Life and Truth which Truth is over the whole World and all that is in it And so living in the Light and Truth ye may answer the Light and Truth in every Man and Woman and be a good Savour to God in the Hearts of all People And keeping your Habitations in the Truth and in the Light and Life then ye will see over Adam and Eve their Sons and Daughters Habitations in the Fall who cannot abide the Truth Light and Life in the inward Parts therefore they are not in Peace one with another Habitations in the Fall being not in the Habitation that Adam was in before he fell nor in Christ that neve fell in whom the Saints sit down in the Life Christ who was with the Father before the World began Adam lost his Habitation and the Jews lost their Habitations the one went into the Earth and
leads into here are all manner of Uncleanness Unrighteousness Falsities Puffing-up and Pride and all the crooked rough cross Ways and Mountains of Sin which are become as Graves and Prisons for the Just Adam's State before he fell is beyond all this who fell into this but Christ that never fell is a State beyond Adam and he is to be heard and followed that never fell and in him are People to sit down who is the Rest and Peace and Life who destroyeth the Devil and his Works and makes and end of Sin together with Vngodliness and Vnrighteousness which hath dishonoured God so bruiseth the Head of the Serpent and breaks his Power and crusheth him to pieces that the Seed Christ may rise in all which honoureth the Father Now this being manifest and known in all then the Lamb is known to have the Victory which hath been slain from the Foundation of the World and then in the Seed you come to know your Election before the World began And here the Lord's Words are fulfilled his Glory he will not give to another who destroyeth that that took the Glory to it self which brings up to that Noble Seed and Plant in Man which gives the Glory to God And here as you live in the Seed Christ Jesus your Election you know before the World began and Reprobation since the World began For Core Cain Ishmael Esau Sodom and Egypt Spritual and Temporal have been since the World began For Egypt is Thraldom Bondage Anguish and Darkness and Sodom is Whoredom and Cain disobeyed the Voice of God and Core gain-said the Law and whoever feels all this Nature in them they are Vessels of Wrath and let them not complain and say Why hast thou made me thus For there are Vessels of Honour and Vessels of Dishonour Vessels of Mercy Vessels of Wrath And it is not in him that willeth and runneth but in God that sheweth Mercy Now Esau the First Birth signifieth a Worker Jacob is the Second Birth signifieth a Supplanter and when Jacob hath supplanted Esau the First Birth the prophane Nature Jacob is called Israel that is as much as to say Thou hast Power with God now So where the Election is risen and hath put down Cain Core Egypt Sodom the First Birth slain which brought all the Wrath into the Vessel and the old Bottle broken Here is a new Bottle that holdeth the new Wine and Vessels of Honour and Vessels of Mercy in the Election before the World began and you have all things made new a new Heaven and a new Earth And all Friends that be in any manner of Sufferings Imprisonments or Banishments for Christ and his Truths sake live in Christ and sit down in him in whom you have all Peace Life Vertue and Rest in Christ Jesus who was before all that was that makes to suffer and will remain when it 's all gone and was the First and Last the Beginning and Ending the same to day yesterday and for ever In him sit down and live that doth not change then your Religion doth not change your Worship doth not change your Way doth not change for Christ being you Way who is the same to day yesterday and for ever and your Fellowship and Vnity and Community doth not change being with the Father who doth not change but is the same from Everlasting to Everlasting And they whose Religion Fellowship and Worship changes and gads about and changeth their Ways are fickle and have itching Ears after the Ways that change from Christ who doth not change who is the Way the same to day as he was yesterday to be walked in And all Friends that are in any Temptations or Troubles look at Christ who bruiseth the Serpent's Head your Adversary your Enemy your Troubler your Tempter your Defiler your Accuser he Wicked One fear him not but look at Christ Jesus that bruiseth his Head breaketh his Power and Strength and crusheth him to pieces in Christ have you Peace which was before the Devil was Reign in him Christ Jesus who is your Light and Life and Salvation and fear God and give glory glory to him for ever For this Serpent the Enemy the Adversary the Devil the Wicked One the Dragon the Accuser the Tempter he tempted Christ to the Creatures to the Glory of the World and to worship him to destroy himself but Christ bruiseth his Head breaks his Power and Strenght and crusheth him to pieces and destroyeth him and his works So in him live and rejoyce in whom you have Peace and Life and Dominion in him who was before the Serpent was the First and Last the same yesterday to day and for ever Ah my dear Friends and Brethren every where the Power of the Lord God is over all live in it that you may feel a Vnity and Fellowship in the Power of the Lord God that through that Power of the Lord God you may all come to be Heirs of the Power of an Endless Life through which you may Inherit Eternity and so to feel Life Eternal abiding in you the Manslayer hath not Eternal Life abiding in him that is he that envies his Brother So all the Persecutors that envy their Brethren have not Eternal Life abiding in them Under this all the Persecutors about Church Religion Worship Faith Ministry and Fellowships and Envious Persons having not Eternal Life abiding in them are comprehended Therefore you all fee this Eternal Life abiding in you And he that hath the Son of God hath Life Eternal abiding in him and so in this Eternal Life you have an Eternal Fellowship with God and his Son and with one another And in this the Law of Life that is in Jesus Christ passeth Sentence on the Law of Sin and Death in every Man and Woman and brings it to the Exceution Through which Law of Life Righteousness flows and runs down as a stream and also Justice and Truth Here by this Law of the Spirit of Life in Christ Jesus Mark in Christ Jesus you come to know the Lamb's Throne and the Throne of Iniquity thrown down its Mouth stopped and the Chambers of Imagery thrown down and the Houshold of God raised the Fruitless Trees thrown down and the Plant of God raised up which is of his own planting a Tree of Righteousness whose Fruit is unto Holiness whose end is Everlasting Life So mark here the Fruits of this Tree and the End of this Tree By this you distinguish Man's planting and Man's plucking up and God's building you will distinguish from Man's building and Man's plucking down and Man's gathering together you that are gathered in the Name of Jesus distinguish and their scattering Oh therefore be valiant for the Truth which you are come to the knowledge of and worship God in that Truth which the Devil is out of and abode not in this makes you free from the Devil and his Works that ar out of Truth Here in this Worship in the Truth and in the