the Cross of Christ 3dly The Fellowship of the Gospel the Power of God expels away all that which hath darkned the Vnderstanding darkned the Mind darkned the Heart and by the Power of God Life and Immortality is brought to Light in you by which Power of God ye come to see before that was that hath darkened you from Life and Immortality and over that Life and Immortaliy shines being in the Power of God which was before that was that had darkned Mankind and the Power of God the Gospel expels away that which burdened your Spirits Minds Hearts Consciences and Souls so that being driven away by the Power of God and the Mind set at liberty the Spirit the Conscience the Heart the Soul that is Immortal being brought up by the Power of God here the Soul hath its pleasure in God then by the Power of God Man seeth over that which hath burthened his Spirit Mind Soul and Conscience and beyond it and before it was where the Spirit Soul Mind and Conscience cries glad Tidings And here is the joyful Gospel and here is the Faith in the Everlasting Gospel the Power of God and here is Life and Immortality come to Light through the Power of God the Gospel which Power of God the Everlasting Gospel was before that was that darkned Man from Life and Immortality and hath loaded Peoples Minds Herts Souls and Consciences the Power of God was before that was and remains when that is all gone So now ye that are come to be Heirs of the Gosepl know it your Portion for as a Man is Heir of a Piece of Land or Hourse it 's his Portion which must have and end and he comes to Inherit it So Heirs of the Gospel it 's the Portion of Man and Woman and they that Inberit it they Inherit the Power of God which hath no end which was before the Power of Darkness was which hath darkned People from Life and Immortality and loaded their Spirits but being Heirs of that which was before that was here you Inherit the Gospel you Inherit the Power of God in which is stability here you are Church-Members and here you are Living Stones and here you are built up together a Spiritual Houshold here the Church in God is known the Father of Christ who is the Way to God where the Church is for now as Adam and Eve were drove from God and being in the Fall there Sons and Daughters have their Churches enough heaps upon heaps one against another and Heads of every Church and there they plead for Sin while they live upon the Earth but the Church that is in God the Father of Christ doth not so for as Mankind was drove from God they must come up again out of that state where they are defiled and be washed sanctified and cleansed and brought up out of the Fall up to God again If they come to the Church that is in God and the Fellowship which is the Gospel-Fellowship which is the Power of God in which is Stability before that was that hath unestablished People the Gospel the Power of God was and before the Devil was that hath unestablished People In which Gospel is Peace Stability Life and Immortality which is come to Light again In this is the Church-Fellowship with Christ in God which will stand for the Gospel is Everlasting the Church of God is the Pillar and ground of Truth Therefore this will stand when all other Churches and Fellowships amongst the Sons and Daughters of Men in the Fall will have an end Pillar and Ground of Truth The Church in God will stand the Pillar and Ground of Truth and the Fellowship of it will remain Therefore ye Heirs of the Gospel and Church-Members of it inherit it and sit down in the Fellowship of the same And this is beyond all the Writings Subscribings and Promisings to the Church-Fellowships that be among the Sons and Daughters of Adam in the Fall that when a storm comes or a Tempest they fly from their Church and Fellowship both But the Gospel stands the Church in God stands the Pillar and Ground of Truth which the Gates of Hell cannot prevail against 4thly Worship in Spirin and Truth The worship of God is in the Spirit and in the truth that 's the Publick Worship which Christ set up he preached it when he put down the Worship at the Mountain and at Jerusalem and said God is a Spirit and they that worship him must worship him in Spirit and Truth and the bour is come and now is that the Father seeks such to worship him Then the Hour was that Worship was set up above Sixteen hundred Years since when he denied and put down the Worship at the Mountain and at Jerusalem where the Fore-fathers worshipped So this Worship in the Spirit and in the Truth was contrary to the Fore-fathers This is the Publick Worship and this is not private nor particular the Nations Worships are particular which the Sons of Adam are broken into the several Worships one against another but this Worship in the Spirit and in the Truth hits all Men and Women they must come to the Spirit in themselves and the Truth in the inward parts this is publick this is not a private Worship but brings every Man and Woman to the Spirit of God in their own Hearts and Truth in their inward parts in which Spirit and Truth they must bow down and come into it if they be Worshippers of God in the Truth and in the Spirit And this is the standing Worship that Christ preach'd up a-top of the Hill where the Fore-fathers had worshipped And this Worship is over the Worship that was at Jerusalem and over the Worship that was at the Mountain so by this must every Man every Son of Adam and Daughter come to the Spirit in their own particulars and Truth in themselves by which they must know God is a Spirit and will be worshipped in the Spirit and in the Truth and so no Man must grieve nor vex nor quench the Spirit but all must worship in it and they must come to the truth in the Heart to the hidden Man in the Heart to a meek and quiet Spirit and they must not rebel against the Spirit if they worship in it and all coming to it they have the adorning that which beautifies and adorns them in the Eyes of God none must walk despitefully against the Spirit of Grace nor turn the Grace of God into Wantonness if they worship God in the Spirit if they grieve vex quench the Spirit of God within and turn the Grace of God into Wantonness and walk despitefully against the Spirit of God and rebel against the Spirit of God within and are haters of the Light These go from the publick Worship of God in the Spirit and Truth to the particular which fallen Men have invented but they that worship God in the Spirit and in the Truth are in that
over all the contrary in the Male and in the Female having a Light from him that gives the Light of the Knowledge of the Glory of God in the face of Christ Jesus Which Light shines in your Hearts and there shall every one feel their Treasure in the Earthen Vessel and the Power which is of God Now whosoever goes from the Light which they are enlightned withal they go into the Darkness and they go into the Wonders and run out gazing Lo here Lo there is Christ and saying Lo he is here Lo he is there I am come a Light into the World saith Christ which every one that cometh into the World is lightned withal which Light is the Covenant and every one who are in the Light are in the Covenant with God And so Friends every where keep your Meetings this is the Word of the Lord God to you and do not heed the Lo-here's or Lo-there's neither be troubled but heed every one the Life of God and do not gad abroad from the Truth within that ye may be kept out of all high-swelling Storms Bustlings and Tempests and with it ye may be kept over the World to him and in him that is not of the World And take heed of denying the Truth whosoever do they go from the Light within them and so go into the Darkness and into the Wonders The Wonderer And who go from the Light within go from the Emanuel from the Saviour within Christ Jesus and from the Truth in the inward parts and from the Wediator between you and God and from the Vine and so ye bear not Fruit to the Glory of God And going from the Light within ye go from your Peace and from the Covenant of God and going from the Light within ye go from the Life where every one receives the Light of Life And who go from the Light within go from the Increase of God who go from the Light within go from the Anointing within them and so continue not in the Son nor in the Father All who go from the Light within go out of the Covenant of Eternal Life But every one walking in the Light within which he hath received he shall there receive the Bread of Life Christ whom the Light comes from And so having your Food within ye shall not go forth to gather it but he that is in the Light and believes in it comes to know the Garner where-into the Wheat is gathered The Bread of Life and the Chaff that is to be burned with unquenchable Fire and the Floor throughly purged and the Immortal Crown is known Therefore all Friends keep in the Power and know the Power of God in one another and the Life that stands in God that out of all Dryness and Barrenness ye may be brought and kept in the Living and Eternal Spirit and Power And so the God of Glory keep you from the Evil that is in the World in Glory and in Vnity every one in your Measures Now the Power of God will never be shaken that which is to be shaken or tossed is out of the Power and the Power remains Therefore dwell in the Power which throws down all that which may be shaken or tossed and raiseth up that which can never be thrown down nor shaken And to you this is the Word of the Lord God And dwell in that and keep in that which keeps you out of and above the Knowledge of that which entreth into the Sensual Part for both these will fail Therefore in the Power and in the Life of God dwell which comprehends the World and reacheth and fathometh over it all in that dwell and live there will be your Peace it will keep you out of the Strife and Combustions and Heaps For this all comes to be fathomed Strife and Combustions chained and kept down by the Eternal Power and bound and bundled up for the Fire and judged down and all that which brancheth forth from it that nothing may reign but Life it self and all the Contrary the Filth amd Dross with the unquenchable Fire is to be consumed and burned Wait all this to know here is the Path of Righteousness and Purity and nothing shall stand but the Mountain of the Lord Glory to the Lord in the Beauty of Holiness which is felt and seen And all being kept in the Light and walking in that which ye are enlightned withal ye cannot be in the Strife for the Enmity is out of the Light and the vain Boaster which comes to nothing but is judged and condemned And when that ye are Met together in the Light hearken to it that ye may feel the Power of God in every one of you So here comes your Ear to be opened to hear the Counsel of the Lord God and here the Eye comes to be opened to see the Lord Jesus Christ in the midst of you ye all sitting under you Vines So every particular wait on him who received not Honour of Man neither glorified himself but the Light which enlightneth every one Man's Honour that cometh into the World is a Witnesse against all them that seek their own Glory or glorifie themselves or bear witness of themselves Now they who receive Honour from Man are from the Light both he that gives and he that takes it and it is to be stained and the Light stains it and condemns it So every particular of you to you this is the Word of the Lord God Know the Son of God to be revealed in you And know the Seed which is Christ to which the Promise of God is that ye may all witness the Seed of the Woman to bruise the Serpent's Head in every one of you The Serpent's Head That ye may all witness ye are come to him that was in the Beginning and to the Seed of the Woman which bruiseth the Serpent's Head in every one of you in your own particulars Then ye all will come to feed on the Bread of Life that comes from above And such are Redeemed out of the Transgression who are here that witness this But where the Seed of the Woman hath not bruised the Serpent's Head and that which abides not in the Truth reigns there is the Transgressour So that which is out of the Truth reigning the Serpent being Head The Seed of the Serpent and his Food he sows his Seed his Seed goes forth from him and his Food his Meat is Dust for he could not feed upon Life that abode not in the Truth which is the Life He that abides not in the Truth which is the Life his Food is Dust and he it is that is tormented And who are out of the Truth are out of the Worship of God for who are the Worshippers of the Father they must be in the Truth and in the Spirit And being in the Spirit and in the Truth they are in that the Devil abode not in but is out of and all
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-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
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
at Babel which Nimrod the Hunter before the Lord began to Build after God had destroyed the Old World with Water then would he go Build a Tower which should reach to Heaven then God came down and confounded them into many Languages So he hunted before the Lord but the Lord followed him and confounded him in all his Work as he will all the Builders that run before him And all the Priests that have gotten the many Languages which began at Babel they tell simple ignorant People that they have the Original and are the Orthodox Men and get into a different Habit from them and say The Quakers are a simple People and despise the Learned Orthodox Men who have the Original Give Ear O People If these Languages which came up at the confounding of Babel are the Priests Original that makes them Orthodox and Divine then Pilate that crucified Christ was as good an Orthodox Divine as they for when he crucified Christ he writ a Paper in Hebrew Greek and Latin and set a-top of him he was as ignorant of Scripture and of Orthodox and Divine Matters as you and you as he And the Apostle saith That Tongues must cease 1 Cor. 1â— 8 then that which makes Orthodox Men and Divines as you say must cease according to the Apostles Doctrine and so then Tongues neither are the Original nor make Orthodox nor Divine and John that gave forth the Revelations saith That the Whore and Beast set upon Tongues c. and the Everlasting Gospel must be preached again to all Kindreds and Tongues which was before Babel was where was the first beginning of Tongues Now it is clear that the Gospel must be preached to all Nations and Tongues and that Tongues are not the Original neither do they make Divines or Orthodox Men but it is clear that it is the Word which was in the Beginning which makes a Divine yea Trades-Men which are base and contemptible in the Eyes of the Proud and them that have gotten Babel's Tongues who are confounded by the Ministers of the Word which was in the Beginning before Babel was for all the Earth was of one Language and Speech before Babel And you that call your selves Orthodox Men made by Tongues and say That is your Original who are so blind and cannot see that there was an Original before Babel was for did not Enoch the Prophet the seventh from Adam who prophesied in the Old World before it was destroyed and long before Babel was speak concerning the coming of Christ in Ten Thousand of his Saints as in Jude And Lamech prophesied in the Old World concerning Noah and Adam and others might be instanced who were before your Tongues which you call your Original were And so we say that the Word of God is the Original which doth fulfil the Scriptures and the Word is it which makes a Divine which is called a Hammer but it is a Living Hammer and is called a Sword and Fire but it is a Living Sword and a Living Fire to hammer and cut down and burn up that which separated and kept Man from God by which Word Man is reconciled again to God which is called The Word of Reconciliation by this Word are Men and Women sanctified and made clean and this is the Word that makes both Men and Women Divine and brings them into the Divine Nature which hammers and cuts down that which corrupted their Nature and by this Word are they brought into a Divine Wisdom Understanding Knowledge Spirit and Power And this is the Word that lives and abides and endures for ever by which the Saints are born again of the Immortal Seed and Word of God who feed upon the Milk of the Word up into a Divine Life Wisdom and Understanding and Divine Nature and by this Word they do see all Flesh to be as Grass and as the Flower of the Field that fadeth and the Word of God that lives and abides and endures for ever is Christ whose Name is called The Word of God And so keep the Word of Patience which is over all the Impatient Spirits and then you will know that the Word of Life the Word of Patience and Word of Wisdom is Everlasting and abides and endures for ever which all they that are in the Letter out of the Life and Word have neither Patience to themselves nor others for the Word of Patience and the Word of Life which is to be kept in all Tribulations was before Death and impatient Spirits were Concerning the Worship of God and the Jew Outward and the Jews Inward Offering with their Garments 1. THere was a Worship at Jerusalem 2. There was a Worship at the Mountain where Jacob's Well was Jacob went down into Egypt with his Family and he died in Egypt and his Sons carried him out of Egypt and Buried him in the Land of Canaan in his Grand-father Abraham's Burying-place and after several Hundred Years the Children of Israel came out of Egypt into the Land of Canaan and there they built Jerusalem and the Temple and there was but one Temple in the whole World commanded of God and that was at Jerusalem And before in the days of Jacob there was a Worship set up at the Mountain near unto Samaria where Jacob digged a Well Therefore when the Woman of Samaria came out to fetch Water at Jacob's Well the Woman reasoned with Christ about Worship and she said Our Fathers worshipped at this Mountain but others at Jerusalem and Christ answered her again The time cometh that neither at Jerusalem nor at this Mountain shall God be worshipped There he denies the continuance of these two publick Places of Worship and when he had done that he sets up another Worship for he said God was a Spirit and they that worshipped him must worship him in the Spirit and in the Truth for the Hour cometh and now is that such God seeks to worship him And this Worship he set up and preached up above Sixteen hundred Years since which Worship he set up many Hundred Years before Mass-Book Common-Prayer-Book Directory or Church-Faith was And this was the publick Worship that Christ set up in the Spirit and in the Truth For God is a Spirit and such he sought to Worship him that worshipped him in Spirit and Truth So all are to mind the Worship that God seeks and not the Worship that Men seek And Christ said That the Temple should be thrown down and the City of Jerusalem and the Jews scattered over all Nations And the Apostle saith He is not a Jew that is one outward but he is a Jew that is one inward in the Spirit and not of the Letter for that killeth but the Spirit makes alive What cries the World do you deny Temple-worship Nay we say every Man and Woman must come into the Temple if he Worship God in the Spirit and Truth And is not the Spirit within and the Truth in the inward parts For Do not
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
whom we preach warning every Man that we may present every Man perfect in Christ Jesus So the Perfection is in Christ Jesus the Imperfection is in old Adam So this is the true Hope that purifies which every one that hath it purifies himself even as he is Pure And every one that hath not a Possession of this Hope pleads for Impurity and Imperfection and a Body of Sin and a Body of Death unto their Grave and a Purgatory when they are dead Such have a Profession of the Scriptures like the Pharisees and the Hypocrites Hope which shall perish And the true Faith hath been lost since the Apostles Days the true Faith which purifies the Heart which is the Faith of God's Elect which Faith gives Victory over that which separates from God in which Faith ye all please God which Faith is the Gift of God and Christ is the Author of it every one look unto him for it for the finishing of it who is the Author of it In this Faith have all the Saints Vnity in that which gives Victory over the Devil for by the Faith which is the Shield do they resist him and quench his fiery Darts and they resist him that would defile them and make them imperfect and lead them into those things which would displease God And all that be out of this Faith they cry No Victory while we be upon the Earth but they must have a Body of Sin unto the Grave and a Purgatory to cleanse them in these be all in the Error concerning the Faith these have made Shipwreck of Faith and a good Conscience these are all in the dead Faith and so cannot preach the true and Living Faith of God's Elect These are all out of Vnity for the Vnity is in the Faith which gives Victory over the Devil These be out of the just Life which Just lives by his Faith The Life that I now live is by the Faith of the Son of God yet it is not I but Christ that lives in me said the Apostle And all that walks in the Faith of God's Elect which is the Victory over the Devil they walk in Vnity over the Enmity And the true Worship hath been lost smce the Apostles Days yea the Worship that Christ set up above Sixteen hundred Years since in the Spirit and in the Truth yea in the Spirit of God which was before the Spirit of the Devil was who is out of Truth and in the Truth which the Devil is out of In this Spirit and in this Truth God who is a Spirit and the God of Truth seeks that Men should worship him in the Truth and so every Man and Woman must come to Truth in the inward Parts and to the Spirit of God within themselves if they be Worshippers of God in the Spirit and Truth which the Devil abode not in And this is the standing and perfect Worship in which there is Vnity in the Truth for the Enmity is out of it and he cannot get into it Glory be to God for ever And Men that are erred from the Worship that Christ set up above Sixteen hundred Years since they are from the Truth within and the Spirit of God And by that unclean Spirit they have worshipped Images they have worshipped the Works of their own Hands they have worshipped the Dragon they have worshipped the Beast they have worshipped the Creature they have worshipped Angels persecuted one another about their Worships and they have persecuted the true Worshippers These are in the Blind Zeal who have hated the Light And so none can worship God who is a Spirit but they must come to the Truth in their inward Parts and to the Spirit of God in themselves by which Spirit they must know God to be a Spirit and to worship him in the Spirit They must know God to be the God of Truth and then worship him in the Truth which the Devil is out of in the Enmity an Adversary And this is the standing perfect infallible Worship that Christ Jesus the perfect infallible Man set up above Sixteen Hundred Years since And the true Way is lost since the Apostles Days which Christ set up above Sixteen Hundred Years since who said I am the Way to the Father and no Man cometh to the Father but by me So no one comes out of Old Adam but by Christ the Second Adam No one comes out of Darkness but by Christ the Light no one comes out of Death and from under the Prince of Death the Power of it but by Christ the Life So he is the Way to God No one comes out of Vnrighteousness but by Christ the Righteousness no one comes out of the Wisdom below but by Christ who is the Wisdom of God which is from above And no one comes out of Error and Evil but by Christ the Truth So he is the Door and the Way to God Almighty And no Man comes to the Father but by him No one comes out of Captivity or Prison but by Christ the heavenly Man And so they having erred from Christ the Way they have set up so many Ways in Christendom among them and fall out about their Ways one with another Enmity being among them Now Christ is the Way which the Unclean cannot walk in who was before the unclean Way was for he is over all the unclean and he is over all the perverse and crooked Ways and Mountainous Ways and evil and unrighteous and ungodly Ways he is over them all And none comes to this New and Living Way Christ Jesus but who come to the Grace of God in their Hearts the Spirit of God in their Hearts So he is the New and the Living Way who is the First and the Last the Beginning and the Ending set up from Everlasting to Everlasting And all that be out of this New and Living Way though they have all the Scriptures from the beginning of Genesis to the Revelations yet they are dead and under the Power of Death which Christ the Way destroys through Death yea the Power of Death the Devil and was before Death and his Power was Here is the New and the Living Way And the true Religion hath been lost and erred from since the Apostles days The Religion that is pure from above and undefiled before God which keeps from the spots of the World which is to visit the Widows and the Fatherless Now they that are out of this Religion have made many Religions but they are spotted and defiled and they cry up a Body of Death and Sin and Imperfection to the Grave and a Purgatory when they are Dead And their Widows and their Fatherless and Strangers go begging up and down their Streets and High-ways so their Steets and High-ways are Judges against them and their Bodies of Death and their Purgatories manifests their Errors and Ignorance from this pure Religion that comes down from above which is not of Man's making but comes down from God which
Salvation who Redeems out of the Curse and Fear of Men or that makes the Arm of Flesh his strength and not the Arm of God and therefore the Arm of the Lord being your Strength Christ your Rock and Salvation then you need not fear what Man can do unto you for all God's Children are dear and tender to him whom he hath begotten again by the Word of God to be Heirs of his Kingdom he feeds them with Life Eternal and the Milk of his Word which Word lives and abides and endures for ever and is always full and plentious of Milk to nurse and nourish all God's Children unto Eternal Life and to inherit his Kingdom and the World which is Everlasting which Christ is the Ruler of the heavenly and spiritual Man and therefore they that are in him must be New Creatures for all the Old Creatures are in old Adam And therefore my Desires are that you may all be settled in Christ Jesus who was dead and is alive again and lives for evermore a Prophet Counsellor Priest Bishop and Shepherd a Circumciser and Baptiser a living Rock and Foundation for evermore the Beginning and Ending the First and Last the Amen sit down in him and he in you in whom you have Peace with God Amen Swarthmore the 6th of the 12th Month 1678. G. F. MY Dear Friends Epist 353. Whose Faces are set towards Zion from this Dung-hill World of Vanity and Vexation of Spirit the Glory Comfort and Pleasures of which pass away they that have more or less of it and that enter into it enter into Trouble and when they are in it it is a great Trouble to come out of it and to be a Fool for Christ's sake Be a fool for Christ's sake who is not of this World but of the World that hath no end And therefore you must believe in the Light Grace and Truth that cometh from him in the Inward Parts or Heart which directeth your Minds to Christ from whence this comes and to unite to him that is Heavenly who saith Seek the Kingdom of God first and the Righteousness of his Kingdom then all outward things will be added to them that have found the Kingdom of God that stands in Righteousness over Unrighteousness and it stands in the Power of God over the Power of the Devil and was before he was and it standeth in Peace and Joy in the Holy Ghost over all the Unclean Ghosts or Unholy Spirits and the good Seed are the Children of this Kingdom which is Everlasting And take heed of your Wills and give not way to them but give way to the Power and Spirit of God which crucifieth it Submit your Wills to God and keeps it under the Cross of Christ so that your Inward Man may be renewed and the Old Adam put off so that the Day Light of Jesus Christ may be seen which Abraham rejoyced to see and so do they that be of the Faith of Abraham which Faith is the Gift of God that see the Son of Righteousness shine in their Hearts to nourish that which God hath there planted who watereth it with the living Water of the Word his living Plant And here is Water in your own Wells that you may drink out of your own Wells or Cisterns and to have Grapas off their own Vines from which they may have the new Wine in their new Bottles to glad and chear their Hearts with the Wine from the heavenly Branch of the heavenly Vine of which the Lord is the Husband-Man and this must every one of God's People feel What is the matter that all the World is of so many Ways since the Apostles days Because they are out of Christ the Way Out of Christ the one Way the new and living Way which is over all the dead Ways which was set up above Sixteen Hundred Years ago And why have they so many Religions Because that they are out of the pure and undefiled Religion before God which was set up above Sixteen Hundred Years ago which Religion keeps from the spots of the World and then this Religion must be above the World that keepeth from the spots of it and they that are gone from this Religion into them of their own making and tell People They must not be Perfect here and must carry a Body of Death with them to the Grave and others say That they must have a Purgatory when they are Dead this Doctrine is contrary to the Apostles who said Cleansed by the Blood of Jesus that They were cleansed by the Blood of Jesus and washed by the Water of the Word and this Blood and Water God's People must feel the effects of within to wash and cleanse their Hearts Souls Minds and Consciences Their Hearts and Consciences being sprinkled as the Apostle saith with the Blood of Jesus from their dead Works to serve the Living God For many may talk of the Blood of Jesus without them in their dead Works not serving the Living God their Hearts and Consciences being not sprinkled with the Blood of Jesus and they must feel it within as well as without And if they have Life they eat his Flesh and drink his Blood if they do live by him that is Heavenly and Spiritual the second Adam the Lord from Heaven For they have drank long enough into old Adam's unclean Spirit which is the cause that there are so many Bodies that they do vex and quench the good Spirit and resist the Holy Ghost which should Baptize them all into one Body that is to plunge down all Sin and Evil that is got up by Transgression and burn that up which is Chaff or Corruption and so to drink into one Spirit as the Apostles and Churches did in the Primitive Times and so to have the same Fellowship and Vnity in the holy spirit of Christ as they had to wit in Christ Jesus who was and is the holy Head of his Church his Elect in him And Jerusalem that is above is the Mother of all such and such do worship God as Christ taught above Sixteen Hundred Years ago in Spirit and in Truth So all must come to the Spirit and the Truth in their Hearts and Souls if they do know the God of Truth who is a Spirit and must worship him in Spirit and in the Truth into which holy Spirit and Truth the unclean Spirit and him that is out of Truth cannot come So all will-Will-worshippers and the Dragon and Beast and False Worshippers are out of this Holy spirit and Truth in which the Pure and Holy God is worshipped and as all that did eat of the Passover in the Old Covenant were to be Circumcised in the Flesh so are all in the New Covenant to be Circumcised with the Spirit by putting off the Body of the Sins of the Flesh that came upon Man by Transgression if they will feed on Christ their Heavenly Sacrifice All feed on Christ your beavenly Sacrifice
are in old Adam which they did and do dote after which the new Creatures in Christ Jesus the second Adam were not to taste touch nor handle for they did perish with the using And are not all the Will-worships and the Beasts and the Dragon's Worships of the old Creatures that be out of Christ bearing the Mark of the Beast in their Hand or Forehead And they that be in Christ which be new Creatures have their Father's Mark or Name in their Fore heads and worship the Holy Pure and Living God in Spirit and in Truth And it was the old Creatures that made Images and Idols and such make them now and worship them But they that are in Christ are new Creatures and are renewed up into the Image of God and worship him in his Holy Spirit and Truth that liveth for ever Amen And these cannot touch taste nor handle the old Creatures Images Idols Not to touch with the Rudiments of the World Doctrines Ordinances Traditions or Rudiments of the World which are the old Creatures in Old Adam which doth touth taste and handle them But the new Creature cannot who is in Christ the express Image of the Father and he maketh his new Creatures like himself Moses appointed Servants for God in the Law or Old Testament but Christ made Sons in the New Testament for as many as received Christ he gave them Power to become the Sons of God Swarthmore in Lancashire the 30th of the 11th Month 1678. G. F. To Friends in America concerning their Negroes and Indians ALL Friends Epist 335. every where that have Indians or Blacks You are to preach the Gospel to them The Gespel to be preacked to the Blacks Indians c. and other Servants if you be true Christians for the Gospel of Salvation was to be preached to every Creature under Heaven Christ commands it to his Disciples Go and teach all Nations baptizing them into the Name of the Father Son and Holy Ghost And this is the one Baptism with the Spirit into one Body which plunges down Sin and Corruption which hath gotten up by Disobedience and Transgression For all hath been plunged into Sin and Death from the Life for all died in Adam then they have been all subjected by the Evil Spirit which hath led them out of the Truth into the Evil and therefore they must all be baptized into the Death of Christ and put on Christ if they have Life And also you must preach the Grace of God to all Blacks and Indians which Grace brings Salvation that hath appeared unto all Men to teach and instruct them to live Godly Righteously and Soberly Which Grace of God is sufficient to teach and establish all true Christians that they may appear before the Throne of Grace And also you must teach and instruct Blacks and Indians and other Indians and Negroes directed to God's Spirit how that God doth pour out of his Spirit upon all Flesh in these days of the New Covenant and New Testament and that none of them must quench the Motions of his Spirit nor grieve it nor vex it nor rebel against it nor err from it nor resist it but be led by his good Spirit to instruct them and with which they may profit in the things of God neither must they turn from his Grace into Wantonness nor walk despitefully against the Spirit of Grace for it will teach them to live Soberly Godly and Righteously and season their Words And also you must instruct and teach your Indians and Negroes and all others how that Christ by the Grace of God Christ tasted Death for every Man and is the Propitiation for the Sins of the whole World tasted Death for every Man and gave himself a Ransom for all Men to be testified in due time and is the Propitiation not for the Sins of Christians only but for the Sins of the whole World And how that he doth enlighten every Man that cometh into the World with his true Light which is the Life in Christ by whom the World was made And Christ who is the Light of the World saith Believe in the Light that ye may become Children of the Light And they that do Evil and hate the Light which is the Life in Christ will not come to the Light because it will reprove them and love the Darkness more than the Light this Light is their Condemnation And so all must be turned from Darkness to Light to believe in the Light and from the Power of Satan to God and if they do not believe they will be reproved condemned and judged by Christ who hath all Power in Heaven and in Earth given unto him who will judge both the Quick and the Dead and reward every Man according to his Works whether they be good or evil And therefore you are to open the Promises of God to the Ignorant and how God would give Christ a Covenant a Light to the Gentiles Christ a Light to the Gentiles the Heathen and a New Covenant to the House of Israel and the House of Judah and that he is God's Salvation to the ends of the Earth and how that the Earth shall be covered with the Knowledge of the Lord as the Waters covers the Sea so that the glorious Knowledge of the Lord should cover the Earth And the Lord said The Example of Abraham for the Instruction of Families He knew that Abraham would teach and instruct his Family that they should learn to keep his Laws and Statutes after he was gone and Abraham did Circumcise all his Males yea them that he had bought with his Money of any Stranger Now who are of Faith and walks in the steps of faithful Abraham doth preach up and instruct all their Families in the Circumcision of the Spirit that they might be Circumcised with the Spirit which puts off the Body of Death and the Sins of the Flesh that is come up in Man and Woman by Transgression so that in the Spirit they may serve and worship the true and living God and so that ye all may come to enjoy the Presence of the Lord in your Families and improve your Talents that Christ hath given unto you for David saith that saw Christ in his New Covenant Let all Nations Praise the Lord and again All that have Breath Praise the Lord again Let the Poor and Needy praise thy Name And let all People praise thee O God And O ye Servants of the Lord praise the Lord for the Lord is good to all and his tender Mercies is over all his Works And all thy Works shall praise thee O Lord and thy Saints shall bless thee they shall speak of thy Glory and of thy Kingdom and talk of thy Power For the Lord saith From the rising of the Sun to the going down of the same my Name shall be great among the Gentiles And in every place Incense shall be offered unto my Name and a pure Offering
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
in store in the Mind or Memory or Heart-rising one against another or Backbiting among you Evil-speaking or speaking evil one of another but Judge that out by the Light of Christ And dwell in the Life of God then ye all in this Life of God will have Vnity And beware of and not suffer that in you to Contend which goeth out of the Truth but by the Truth Judge it out And Meet together every where knowing one another in the Spirit and not in the Flesh and with the Spirit of God wait upon God the Father of Spirits And Friends Live not on that which is out of the Truth but all be kept low that that which is pure of God and comes from God ye may live and feed upon And that there be no feeding on feigned Love Feigned Love but on that which is Pure and Eternal without Mixture or Stain that all the other may be hewen down and trampled upon and troden down Earth to the Earth Dust to the Dust that ye may allbe kept pure and in Joy waiting for the Eternal Riches from the Eternal God So all to know the Ministry and Prayer which is from and in the Spriti and in it all are one and by it all the contrary is Judged And take heed of Pride but by the Eternal Spirit Pride keep all that down and judge it The Sacrifices of the Wicked are Abominaiton to the Lord and he hears not Hypocrites but the Prayers of the Righteous are heard G. F. FRiends in the Life and Power of God dwell Epist 49. which doth teach you to deny your selves which keeps you from all Strife and from all Deceit that nothing may appear Self-denial but by the pure Spirit it may be Judged and that by the Spirit of God ye may all be kept up to him who is a God of Order and not of Confusion For all who are in Confusion are in that Nature that 's contrary to the Light who are with it to be Condemned And so the God of Life be with you all that the Fear of the Lord in all your hearts may be set that the Dread Terror and Fear of the Lord amongst you may remain and Faith from him ye may all come to receive and Love And let Love proceed one towards another from the Faith which purifies that all Actions to the Light may be brought that all Deeds contrary to the Light may with it be Condemned that in Peace and Righteousness ye may all grow up in that which is Eternal guided to him who is Eternal taking all heed to the Measure of God's Grace that with it your Minds may be guided up to God the Father of Life and all your Minds with the Eteranl kept to him who is Eternal That the Kingdom of God ye may all come to see The Kingdom of God waiting in the Light taking heed to it which calls to Repentance which informs your Minds towards the Kingdom of God where there is no End but Love Joy and Peace for Evermore And wait in the Light for Power to remove the Earthly part that ye may all witness the Kingdom and Joy in the Holy Ghost that with the Light your Minds may be kept up to God who is Pure and in it ye may all have Unity who in the Light of Life do walk For who contrary to the Light do act this is their Condemnation Vnsavoury Speeches c. And let no unsavoury Speeches nor Prophaness nor Loosness nor Idleness nor Filthiness be amongst you but be diligent serving the Lord in the Light for all that which is contrary to the Light with the Light is to be Condemned And to you this is the Word of the Lord that with the Spirit of the Lord that comes from the Father of Spirits ye may all come to witness the Spirit of Promise and set to your Seals that God the Father of Spirits is true So in the Name and Power of the Lord Jesus Christ be ye all kept and preserved and Keep together and Meet together that ye may grow in the Measure of God's Grace G. F. And all Dear Friends in the Eternal dwell that as the Plants of the Lord ye may grow The Plants of the Lord. and ye who are the Vineyard-dressers keep out the subtil and cunning Foxes who make their Holes in the Earth If in the Light ye all dwell which was before the Earth was with it ye will the tender Plants preserve And all Friends in that which is pure patiently wait to inherit the Substance and in that dwell which sees beyond the Shadow Types Traditions and evil Lust And dwell in the Life that ye may be nourished with living Food and be kept above the World in the Light that the Son of God be not crucified afresh with that which turns from the Light into the Lust So all ye that have a Sight of this and are come hither Wait in the Light that ye may grow up in the living Word to comprehend the World that every one of your Souls may come to find its Rest where no Burden is and the Travel in the Will of Man is ceased For all those Travels and Burdens are among them that contrary to the Light do act Self-Burdens and Travels and the Burden is their own and the Travel is their own which is to be condemned with the Light which leads up into Life And so the Power of the mighty God of Life be with you which is raising up his living Seed and the Seed is one which is turning up the Earth and cleaving it asunder and removing it out of its place and bringing into the Faith of Abraham and to the God of Abraham The Lord God be with you that in the Light dwell whose Minds are turned towards Christ the Way from all that which Christ the Light discovers to be evil Ye Children of the Light seek to turn many to the Light and to Wisdom's Gate bring them that ye may all come to be Door-Keepers in the House of the Lord and see what must be kept out of hi House Wisdom's Gate Door-Keepers and what to receive into the House and own no Sacrifice but that which is from the Living which is accepted of the Lord. G. F. ALL Friends Dwell in that which is Pure Epist 50. and wait for the Power of God to preserve you in that which is Pure up to God Concerning the Power of God And know the Seed of God in one another that the Knowledge which is after the Flesh may die and know the Power of God in one another Let your Faith stand in that which throws out the Earthly Nature and the Loftiness of Man which overturns the Worldly Wisdom and the Carnal Knowledge which is bruitish and Devilish In that which is Pure dwell that ye may be able to discern and savour and comprehend that which is not Pure Dwell in that which is
Peace and Love be with you that to the Lord of Life ye may all be a sweet Savour and in the Wisdom of the Lord ye may all be kept watching one over another in that which is Pure and waiting for the Appearing of that which is Good G. F. FRiends know the Life and Power of God in your selves Epist 68. and one in another and to that Power be Obedient Know the Life and Power to Thresh down all Deceit within and without you in Wisdom and in that dwell which Comprehends the World and know the Rest which is for the People of God which he that believeth hath entred into So know the Life that stands in God and all know the Power of God for that Power shall never be shaken nor change but will shake down all that must be shaken and will change So in that the Lord God Almighty preserve you which giveth you to see where there is no Changing nor Shadow G. F. To Friends at Malton ALL my Dear Friends at Malton mind that which is Pure in you Epist 69. that ye may grow up in the Power out of the Form And take heed of Deceit and of Jarring one with another take heed of Strife and Confusion in your Minds But mind the pure Life of God in you according to your Measures to guide you up to God out of the Flesh and all the Ways and Works of it within and without which that which is Pure and Holy calls all unto So all walk in the Wisdom of God which is given into the pure Heart that none of your Nakedness may appear and Men see your shame but all wait in the Spirit upon God the Father of Spirits to be Cloathed with his Righteousness Be Cloathed with Righteousness So God Almighty keep you and bless you the Blessing of the Lord be with you and among you I am with you Present in Spirit joying and beholding your Faith towards God which ye have in Jesus Christ though Absent in Body AND all Friends Quench not the Spirit of God in you but live in the Authority of the Son of God and his Power whereby ye may be kept on Top of the World G. F. FRiends Epist 70. I do Judge all that in all which is contrary to the Life and Power of God even the Ground and Root of all Jars and Strife which is not of God Jars and Strife Judged but is out of the Life of God I Judge its Beginning and its Ending Judged it is by the Light And I do Judge with the Spirit of Truth all Foolishness Hastiness and Strife which is not of God And all Friends Wait in the Measure of the Spirit of God to guide you up to God and keep you all in Peace and Vnity Heed nothing P. S. but the Life and Power of the Lord God for all that is out of it is and will be Confounded G. F. To Friends to live in the Power of God in Christ that never fell DEar Friends Epist 71. all be Faithful in the Everlasting Seed in which ye have both Life and Power Dominion and Wisdom and Cloathing with that which is Immortal and the Blessing of the Lord and Peace in the Seed Christ that never fell nor changed nor will change in whom ye have Peace in whom ye have Blessings who takes away the Curse The Peace is in Christ For the Peace is in the Second Adam that never fell Christ Jesus and the Blessings and the Righteousness is in him but the Troubles and the Curse and the Unrighteousness and Misery is in Adam in the Fall and all deceitful Teachings Ways and Worships And so sit not down in Adam in the Fall but in Christ Jesus that never fell then in him ye will all have Life that was with the Father before the World began He ends all the Types Figures and Shadows first Covenant and Priefthood and Ways in the Fall in old Adam Christ that never fell who is the Way who is the Substance in him I say sit down and then ye will be all found in the endless Life For Adam lost his Habitation and Eve and the Apostate-Christians from the Righteousness from the Law and from the Power of God Therefore ye that are come to Christ Jesus the Substance the End of the Prophets in whom ye have Life as I said before which was with the Father before the World began in him live Serve one another in Love and love one another and serve one another in Love and in the Fear and Wisdom of God that is above Adam and Eve's Sons and Daughters Sensual Devilish Wisdom in the Fall And so keep your Meetings in the Name of Christ Jesus that never fell then ye will see over all the Meetings of Adam and Eve's Sons and Daughters in the Fall their Confused Meetings and Gatherings who are out of the Habitation of Righteousness and Holiness and so out of Peace So in the Life Christ live in whom ye have Peace keeping your Habitation in him that none be as the untimely Figs nor as the Corn upon the House top that is soon withered and gone But that ye may live in the Seed the Substance Christ the Life in whom ye have Riches that never fade away feeding upon the Tree of Life whose Leaves heal the Nations So live in Vnity one with another in the Life Christ Jesus that the Seed may be all your Crowns And so Fare-well My Love to all Friends in the Seed of God Christ Jesus who was with the Father before the World began G. F. AND Friends In the Measure of Life which the Father of Life hath given you Wait with it to be guided that ye all may profit in the Life and Spirit that the Fruits of it may appear To profit in the Life to the Glory of the Father of Life G. F. To Friends in the North. FRriends see that all Friends professing Truth there-aways Epist 72. in Order be kept that no Confasion no Pride Pride and Lust Judged Filthiness nor Vncleanness be amongst you but with the Light let all that be Judged down and Condemned and cast out that all in that which is pure may patiently wait to inherit the Substance And in that dwell which doth bring out of the Shadows Types Traditions Vngodliness Vnrighteousness Pride Filthiness Lust and Vncleanness So the mighty Power of the Lord God be with you all and keep you And all Friends dwell in the Life which from God comes the Father of Life that with it ye may see God and all may be nourished and fed with the living Food which comes from the Living God Ye Babes of God dewell in the Wisdom of God in Grace that ye may grow up in the Wisdom and the Grace of God So the mighty Power of the Lord be with you all and keep you in Obedience to the Light out of the Evil of the World which Light doth
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
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
And then there was a Time that the Apostles preached Christ in them to them that did believe and had received him Know ye not that Christ is in you except ye be Reprobates And Christ in you the Hope of Glory Christ in you the Hope of Glory And If Christ be in you the Body is dead And They that are Christ's have crucified the Affections and Lusts and all things are become new But this was spoken to them that believed who were the Saints to them Christ in them was preached the Substance of what the Prophets prophesied of and to believe in him who was risen the Resurrection Repentance and Faith But to the World the Apostles preached Repentance and to believe in Jesus Christ and taught Faith towards God But to them who were Redeemed out of the World in and to whom the Son of God was made manifest who were brought to God the Judge of all and to the Church in God and to the innumerable Company of Angels and to the Spirits of Just Men who were made perfect in him through Faith towards God preaching Repentance and the Doctrine of Baptism was needless Baptism in whom it was fulfilled to and in such as were brought to God He that can receive this may for to it there is no private Meaning There is a Time of preaching Faith towards God and there is a Time to be brought to God But such as are here deny the first Priesthood and witness the second with the Eternal Spirit of God who witness him without Father or Mother a Priest for ever after the Order of Melchisedech G. F. THis is the Word of the Lord God to you all Epist 152. In all Openings and Speakings let not the Man be lifted up for that will not be the Servant but the Master which is to be thrown down with that To Friends in their Openings from whence the Openings come Therefore that keep down which would be lifted up in the sight of the World Not to be lifted up for that doth often fall in the sight of the World but that being lifted up which answereth that of God in every Man this is of the Son of God who is exalted above the World and was before it was made and created And Every one dwell in the Seed and Life of God and in that know one another And Meet together and keep your Meetings that ye may see the Lord Jesus Christ in the midst of you G. F. To Friends beyond Sea that have Blacks and Indian Slaves DEar Friends Epist 153. I was moved to write these things to you in all those Plantations God that made the World and all things therein and giveth Life and Breath to all and they all have their Life and Moving and their Being in him he is the God of the Spirits of all Flesh and is no Respecter of Persons but Whosoever feareth him God is no Respector of Persons and worketh Righteousness is accepted of him And he hath made all Nations of one Blood to dwell upon the Face of the Earth and his Eyes are over all the Works of his Hands and seeth every thing that is done under the whole Heavens and the Earth is the Lord's and the Fulness thereof And he causeth the Rain to fall upon the Just and upon the Vnjust and also he causeth the Sun to shine upon the Just and the Vnjust and he commands to love all Men for Christ loved all so that he died for Sinners And this is God's Love to the World Christ died for Sinners in giving his Son into the World that whosoever believeth in him should not perish And he doth Enlighten every Man that cometh into the World that they might believe in the Son And the Gospel is preached to every creature under Heaven which is the Power that giveth Liberty and Freedom and is Glad Tidings to every Captivated Creature under the whole Heavens And the Word of God is in the Heart and Mouth to obey and do it and not for them to ascend or descend for it and this is the Word of Faith which was and is preached For Christ is given for a Covenant to the People and a Light to the Gentiles A Light to the Gentiles and to enlighten them who is the Glory of Israel and God's Salvation to the Ends of the Earth And so ye are to have the Mind of Christ and to be Merciful as your Heavenly Father is Merciful G. F. OH Friends keep out of that State Epist 154. which is out of and below the Chast Nature for all Vnchastness by the Power of the Lord The Chast Nature and his Truth and Light is to be judged Therefore live in the Truth and in the Light of God that keeps you all Chast for in that is the Vnity and out of that is the War For from the Lusts are the Wars and Strife Oh keep over that Nature that Purity may flow and Righteousness spread and Truth flourish and Love and Peace abound in and amongst all the Family of God! Keep down the Vnchast keep down the Adulterous Eye The Adulterous Eye and keep down the Lust of the Flesh which is not of the Father but of the World and Lust is against the Spiritual Fellowship and Spiritual Union and Spiritual Dominion for that would be as a Lord to Lord above the Spirit which the Spirit of God is Lord over and Judges it Keep down the Lustful Heart and Eye for that leads from God and joins with the Adulterate in any thing or with any thing that is Evil keep Truth and a pure Conscience and there ye have an unspotted Life in which ye may see over the spotted Life where no Chastity nor Purity is Therefore live in that which keeps you Chast Follow the Lamb. then ye follow Christ the Lamb for there is the holy Joy and Peace and Comfort and Unity known in the Life and Fellowship with the God of Life For what is the Cause of all the Lusting Spirits to Envy and of the Wisdom that is Sensual Earthly and Devilish but a Living and a Going out from the Truth and the Life Which Truth and Life is the Mark of the high Calling of God in Christ where the Peace is And so the Spirit of this World lusts to Envy it lusts to Strife it lusts to Contention it lusts against the Spirit of God the Lusts of the Eye and the Pride of Life and the Lusts of the Flesh cloathed with Flesh covered with Flesh not with the Spirit such are unchast and follow the Lust not the Lamb and so live in that which the War proceeds from and in Strife and Contention And therefore Mark that Spirit with the Eternal Power of God Evil Thoughts for it Judges with evil Thoughts being in the Earth and thinks all to be like it self being in the Bad and in the Lust and in the Adultery it judges all to be
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
the other into Captivty where the Apostates are and so are become like untimely Figs or like unto the Corn upon the House-top Now this is the Word of the Lord God unto you all Keep your Habitations in the Light Life and Power which ye first received and felt in your selves that ye may be cloathed with the Blessing of the Lord which was before the Curse was And live in the Unity in the Light which was before Darkness was or the Power of it and in the Life which was before Death was and in the Truth which was before the Devil was and in the Power of God which was before the Power of Satan was All live in this that ye may be cloathed with that which is Immortal and attain to the Crown of Life and to know the Election before the World began He that is the First and the Last that is the Beginning and the Ending sit down in him not in Adam in the Fall but sit down in Christ that never fell and there that Life ye will come to know Sit down in Christ which was with the Father before the World began And so live in the Substance which is the Seed Christ who ends the Prophets first Conveant first Priesthood and all the Types and Figures and Shadows given after the Fall G. F. MY Dear Friends Epist 167. Be not carried away by good Words and fair Speeches Good Words and fair Speeches nor the Affectinate Part which is taken with them but every one have hold of the Truth in your selves and the Life and Light and Power of the Most-High by which ye may be staied upon Christ Bread the Staff of Life your Bread of Life he is the Staff of your Heavenly and Eternal Life Bread is the Staff of Life Now Friends who have denied the World Songs and Singing Songs and Singing sing ye in the Spirit and with Grace making Melody in your Hearts to the Lord. And ye having denied the World's formal Praying Praying pray ye always in the Spirit and watchy in it And ye that have denied the World's giving of Thanks and their saying of Grace and living out of it do ye in every thing give Thanks to the Lord through Jesus Christ And ye Giving Thanks that have denied the World's Praising God with their Lips whilst their Hearts are afar off do ye always praise the Lord night and day Saying Grace and from the Rising of the Sun to the Going down of the same praise ye the Lord. And ye that have denied the World's Fastings Praising Fastings and of their hanging down their Heads like a Bulrush for a day who smite with the Fist of Wickedness Keep ye the Fast of the Lord that breaks the Bond of Iniquity and lets the Oppressed go free that your Health may grow and your Light may shine as the Morning G. F. FRiends all every where who have tasted of the Love Epist 168. Mercy and Kindness of God and his Power ye are called to Holiness and Chastity Therefore keep out of inordinate Affections Inordinate Affections and inordinate fleshly Love and feigned Flattery and Desires which is below the Truth which will bring you to Infirmness And keep out of fond Affections and fond Love that draws out the fleshly Part the fleshly Eye and brings into Pride and Loosness and false Liberty and to abuse the Power of God Oh keep out of all Vncleanness whatever may be pretended and fleshly Desires for the Lust of the Eye the Lust of the Flesh and the Pride of Life are not of the Father but of the World And therefore keep down that which is not of the Father but of the World And take heed of dishonouring your Bodies and defiling your Minds but keep your Bodies clean from all Fornication Fornication and Adultery Adultery and Vncleanness for that which pretends otherwise and doth so defiles it and is out of the Truth and is contrary to the Law of God and contrary to Christ's Doctrine And therefore defile not your selves but live pure chast and holy as becometh the Saints for no Adulterer nor Fornicator hath any part in the Kingdome of God Such go from that of God in themselves and quench the Spirit of God and abuse his Power and go into fleshly Love and fained Desires and flattering Pretences covering it with a false Liberty and so are in the Bondage to the beggarly fleshly Lusts and whom they overcome they bring into the same Bondage and through their fained Flattery and dissembling Carriage rob and beguile and spoil Flattery to fulfil their insatiable ungodly Desires Wills and Lusts Therefore live in the Truth for all such things are out of the Truth and such as do the same whatsoever they be therefore all that go into Vncleanness under what fair Pretence soever are to be Judged G. F. TO all the Elect Chosen and Faithful Epist 165. who are of the Royal Seed of God living Stones Elect and Precious knit and built up together and united the Family and House-hold of God London the 11th of the 3d Month. and come to his Mountain that is established upon the top of all Mountains that walk in the Light of the Lord in Unity and Covenant with God in the Covenant of Life and Peace with him Who in this the Lamb's Day are the Gold tried in the Fire Who have been tried by Goods spoiling As Gold tried in the Fire by Bonds by Whippings by Mockings and Reproaches in the Day of the Lamb's Power and some have been tried unto Death and ye have proved to be the pure Gold that hath come out brighter and brighter Who have not feared the Waves of the Sea nor the Winds who fears not the storms nor the Weather whose Anchor holds which is the Hope the Mystery which Anchors the Soul which is Immortal to the Immortal God Among whom the Star or Jacob is seen and the Morning-Star is risen and the Sun of Righteousness shines and the Lamb's Voice is known the Charch in the Glory and Beauty is appeared and appearing The Mirriage of the Lamb. the Marriage of the Lamb and the Bride and the Wedding-day is known in which there is Unity and the Vigins sing Praises and follow the Lamb because of his sweet Ointment and the Virgins are upon Mount Zion And the Gospel is going forth unto all Nations Kindreds and Tongues and Life and Immortality is coming to Light thuough the Gospel which is the Power of God and the Mystery of the Fellowship is known The Mrstery of the Fellowship which is in the Power And for want of the Power the Gospel in which is the Fellowship hath Christendom been on Heaps and the Heathen Ignorant And now ye who know the Power of God ye know the Gospel and ye who are in the Power of God ye are in the Mystery of the Fellowship So Mark the Fellowship is a Mystery
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
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
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
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
all are to walk worthy of the High Calling of God in Christ Jesus and every one as he hath received Him so walk in Him as becometh the Gospel which is the Power of God which was before the Devil was that in that your Life may shine before Men to answer that of God in all that they may behold your good Works and glorifie your Father which is in Heaven And so walk in the Light as Children of the Light and of the Day For you know that formerly we did cry against the Powers of the Earth because that Judgment and Justice and Righteousness did not run down their Streets And now that Friends are become a great People shall not Judgment and Justice and Righteousness run down our Streets as a Stream and a Flood to drive away all the filth from amongst us And now that Friends are become a good Savour in the Hearts of all People they have a Friend in their House that will plead for them by which Friends have been kept and preserved in the Life to answer the Friend in their House And God having given them his Dominion and Favour lose it not but rather increase it in the Life for at first ye know that many could not take so much Money in your Trade as to buy Bread with all People stood a loofe of you when you stood upright and gave them the plain Language and were at a Word but now you through the Life come to answer that of God in all they say they will trust you before their own People knowing that you will not Cheat nor Wrong nor Cozen nor Oppress them For the cry is now amongst them that are without Where is there a Quaker of such and such a Trade So that they will deal with Friends before they will deal with their own Oh! Therefore Friends who have purchased this through great Sufferings lose not this great favour which God hath given unto you but that you may answer the Witness of God in every Man which witnesseth to your Faithfulness that they may glorifie your Father on your behalf And now Friends if there be any Oppression Exaction or Defrauding by making a Prize through the Freedom which God hath given you the World will see such and say the Quakers are not as they were therefore such should be exhorted to Equity and Truth And also if any run into Debt and aim at great things and make a great Shew in the World of others Goods which comes to burden others and lift up themselves with that which is not their own and are not able to satisfie them according to their time and word such hurt themselves burden others and oppress them and brings grief and cause heart-rising in them to see such grown up by Oppression therefore such must be exhorted to Justice Equity and Righteousness and an even Measure to do as they would be done by And also such as go under the name of Quaker that are gotten into the Earth and settle their Nests there in ease such comes to cry against Quakers Meetings saying Away with your Forms and will not come to our Meetings and hurts others by which the World gets occasion against the Truth Therefore such must be exhorted for such never knew the purchase of the Truth and if they did they have sold it And Friends forget not the Assembling of your selves together as the manner of some is and was lest there be an evil Heart of Unbelief in departing from the Living God but exhort one another daily and so much the more as the Day doth appear shewing the more Light the more Day the more Building the more Exhorting in the Light and in the Spirit in Fellowship one with another And they that do forsake the Assembling of themselves together as the manner of some was in the Apostles Days and is the manner of some now such grow more and more in the evil Heart departing from the Living God And this brought in the Apostacy which the Apostates set up and all the whole Body of trifling Traditions Therefore such as be in the Everlasting Power of God must exhort such to take heed and be wise And also all such unruly Spirits that have professed falsly and got under the Name of Quakers whose evil Words corrupt good Manners must be exhorted from House to House And also such young People Lasses and Lads that goes in youthful Ways and takes Liberty to go into Pleasure and to Play and to Ale-Houses and Drunkenness which corrupt the Earth which is one Mark that they are dead whilst they live And kills the Just and burdens the Righteous and causeth the Way of Truth to be evil spoken of Therefore such must be exhorted to live in the Truth and to come to that which will mortifie that which leads to Death so that Truth may be adorned by them And also such that will not go to Meetings and cries against others that do and says they are Forms of Men and one while they will not give the Hand and another while they will keep on their Hats when Friends Pray and yet secretly they can go to bad Houses as several have done From these abominable things they must be exhorted and reproved And if they do not repent and come to judge and condemn those things that they have done amiss and do live in that which doth condemn and give forth a Paper to take their Transgressions and bad Doings out of Friends Minds and to the People of the World manifesting their Repentance But if they do neither repent judge nor condemn nor give forth a Paper against such bad Actions which makes the World to speak evil of the Truth and the right Way then Friends must give forth a Paper to the World to certifie against them for clearing the Truth And better such had never professed the Name nor known the Truth nor come among them who were gathered into the Name of Jesus and into the Form of Sound Words and into the Son of God and Godliness then to have gone into a Form of their own which they have received yea even from the worst of Men who are thereby come under the Judgment of common outward People And therefore Friends all Uncleanness of all sorts and Unrighteousness and Unfaithfulness and youthful Ways of runing out and liftings up such must be exhorted and reproved that Truth and Righteousness may flow thro' which you may keep that which you have bought and kept through great Sufferings and some to Death that Truth in all things may be adorned And all such as are Tattlers Busie-Bodies Back-biters and Gossippers are to be exhorted to mind their own Conditions that they may live in the Truth and not to draw others out to Words wherein there is no profit that Truth may flow and the Life may flow and the Vnity may increase in the Spirit and Power that all may come to live in the Gospel-Order which was before the Devil or
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
be executed For you know after a Thief or a Murderer is Condemned and Judged and have Sentence past upon him yet he is not executed that Day the Execution comes afterwards And therefore after Condemnation or Judgment is past upon any inward Evil or any outward Action of Evil let Execution be speedily done with the Living Hammer and the Living Sword and the Living Stone that the Living Fire may burn it up and consume it No Man after he hath beaten his Child hateth him ever afterwards but loveth him if he repent and amends so doth the Eternal Father and if the Child be fallen down into the Dirt he doth not go and tumble him more into the Dirt or into the Ditch and there let him lie in the Dirt and Ditch but takes him out and washes him and so doth the heavenly Father which leads his Children by his Hand and dandles them upon his Knee And so all that be called Fathers in the Truth or Mothers their Tenderness should be the same to all little Children in the Truth that can hardly go without leading that sometimes may fall into the Dirt and Ditch and ship aside and then be troubled and cry To such there should be Tenderness shewn and to wash them and help them and Love to such should be manifest for there is difference betwixt a stubborn rebellious and wilful Child and one that is Penitent for those must have great Chastisements that knows the will of their Father and doth it not they must have greater Stripes and sorer Stripes they must look for be sure to expect it than the other For Christ is manifest in the Flesh to condemn Sin in the Flesh all that witness Christ in them Male and Female I say Christ manifest in their Flesh he doth condemn the Sin that is in their Flesh yea and makes an end of Sin and finishes the Transgression and brings in Everlasting Righteousness into them But first he condemns the Sin that is in their Flesh the Unrighteousness in their Flesh and Ungodliness in their Flesh the Lyar the Swearer that is in their Flesh the Adulterer the Fornicator the Idolater and all Sin whatsoever it is he condemns in the Flesh So Christ is manifest in the Flesh to condemn the Sin that is in the Flesh that every one that witnesses Christ condemning Sin in the Flesh that they through Christ that condemns Sin in the Flesh might become God's Righteousness so they become anothers But the Sin being uncondemned in the Flesh they are of the Serpent of the Unrighteous One of the Ungodly One who adulterated from Truth they are his But the Sin being condemned in the Flesh Christ is manifest in the Flesh so that they become Christ's they are God's and are in Christ who destroys the Devil and his Works that are out of Truth And these know the New Life which God is served in and these know the New Earth wherein dwells Righteousness and these knows the Old Earth wherein dwells Vnrighteousness And these can bring forth things New and Old For they that are led by the Spirit of God are the Sons of God they that are led by the Spirit of the Devil are the Children of the Devil and his Works they do the Works of their Father as they that are led by the Spirit of God his Works they do the Works of their Father and all they that quench the Spirit of God and vexes the Spirit of God and grieves the Spirit of God and hate the Light of Christ and walks despitefully against the Spirit of Grace and turns it into wantonness and disobeys the Word of God in their Hearts and Mouths Sure you all may see such are not the Sons of God and do not the Works of God though they may profess the Scriptures from the beginning of Genesis to the end of the Revelations Neither doth that Birth know the Scriptures for they are known by the Spirit of God the Holy Ghost which led the holy Men of God to speak them forth by the same Spirit are they known again And Christ who was conceived by the Holy Ghost born of the Virgin he is known by the Holy Ghost again which led the holy Men of God to give forth Scriptures which now leads into all Truth And all them now who despise Revelations Inspirations Prophecies Gifts and Talents they despise the Spirit of God and his Gifts Such are neither Ministers of God or Christ nor his Sons but are the Sons of him that is out of the true Spirit that is of God in the Darkness Babel and Confusion who think they can do great matters with their Languages and with them make a Trade of the Scriptures who cannot endure any People should come to the Spirit that gave them forth for none can walk in the Spirit that quenches it and vexes and grieves it And none comes into the Church Fellowship that grieves and vexes and quenches the Spirit of God For the Fellowship is in the Spirit that is the Bond of Peace and none is led into all Truth but by the same Holy Ghost that was in the holy Men of God that gave forth the Scriptures of Truth And all that are led by this Spirit of Truth are led from the Spirit of the Devil that is out of Truth And all that are led by the Spirit that is out of Truth are the First-Birth of the Flesh and of that Murderer which will persecute him that is born of the Holy Spirit of God which leads into all Truth Which they that are led by the Spirit that is out of Truth are out of both the Father and Son And they that are led by the Spirit of Truth are the Sons of God and here are both in the Father and in the Son and in the Truth which abides for ever And here the Heir the Son inherits his Possession his Inheritance in the Kingdom that never hath an end The true Hope the true Cross the true Faith the true Worship the true Religion the true Way true Image and true Fellowship have been lost since the Apostles-Days amongst those called Christians which are out of the Life And they that have lost the Cross of Christ which is the Power of God in which is the true Fellowship they have set up a wooden or a stone Cross c. so false Crosses false Christians They that have lost the true Hope which purifies as He is Pure they have set up a Purgatory to cleanse them when they are dead And others cry up a Body of Sin and Death on this side of the Grave with their Hypocrites Hope and they have lost the true Ministry and set up a false One to preach up Imperfection And People were imperfect in old Adam before Christ came for the Law made nothing Perfect but the true Minister Christ in you the hope of Glory doth make Perfect both in the Apostles Days and now Christ in you the hope of Glory said the Apostle
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
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
and as he is a Priest who offered up himself for you who is made Higher than the Heavens and that is Higher than all the Priests that are made upon the Earth who Sanctifies his People his Church and presents them to God without blemish spot or wrinkle So I say know him in all his Offices exercising them amongst you and in you I am glad to hear of some of your diligence in taking that great Journey to Carolina through the Woods for if you visit them sometimes it would do well And there is a People at that place you call New-Country as you go to Carclina which had a great desire to see me amongst whom I had a Meeting I received Letters giving me an account of the Service some of you had with and amongst the Indian King and his Councel and if you go over again to Carolina you may enquire of Capt. Batts the Old Governor with whom I left a Paper to be read to the Emperor and his Thirty Kings under him of the Tusrowres who were to come to Treat for Peace with the People of Carolina Whether he did read it to them or no remember me to Major General Benett and Col. Dew and the rest of the Justices that were Friendly and Curteous to me when I was there and came to Meetings and tell them that I cannot but remember their Civility and Moderation when I was amongst them And so the Lord redouble it into your Hearts and theirs the Love and Kindness which they and you shewed unto me I have been a Prisoner here about these Eight Months and now I am Premunired because I cannot take an Oath but the Lord's Seed and Power is over all blessed be his Name for ever and Glory and Honour to Him who is over all and is worthy of all Read this amongst Friends in their Meetings G. F. Worcester 1673. MY Dear Friends Epist 305. Live in the Seed that bruiseth the Serpents Head who is the Head of all false Teachers and Ways and false Worships and Religions But Christ is the Head of all the true Worshippers and in his Name keep your Meetings in whom you have Salvation and not by any other Name under Heaven And fit under your Teacher Christ Jesus that doth bring your Salvation the Grace of God that you may all witness that you have a Teacher from God that doth bring your Salvation and in your Hearts you have received him and believed in him and with your Mouths confession is made to Salvation that your Teacher hath brought you that you all may witness his Salvation to be your Walls and Bulwarks that doth surround your Camps and Tabernacles London 1673. G. F. To Friends in Holland FRiends Do not grow barren but in the Root abiding Epist 306. ye will spring upward and bring forth much Fruit in this Life To grow in the Root and in the Life to come inherit Life Eternal and so your Lives being hid with Christ in God you will be made conformable to his Image and know the Power of his Resurrection and the Fellowship with him in his Sufferings and the Fellowship with him in his Death that you may have Fellowship with him in his Resurrection and Life And as you have born the Image of the Earthly so also you may bear the Image of the Heavenly And as your Vessels hath been full of Wrath and Dishonour so your Vessels may be full of his Mercies and Praises to God and as in your Old Earth hath dwelt Unrighteousness so you may see and know the New Earth wherein dwelleth Righteousness There is a Belief that God is not the Author of for such have not the Witness in themselves of what they do believe and a Belief may be of God and Christ and of the Scriptures and yet such may be in Death Faith for they are not in Christ the Light and so are not Children of the Light and there is a Faith which Christ is not the Author of and that Faith giveth not the Victory nor purifieth the Heart neither do they in it please God nor have they access to God and that is the dead Faith which hath no Works And there is a Hope that doth not purifie and that Hope is that which is not of Christ who saves and purifieth as he is pure but that Hope is the Hope of the Hypocrites Hope And there is a Way that may be defiled where all the Wolves Dogs and Beasts and the Vnclean passeth and hath many turning Ways in it and many crooked and rough and mountanious Ways in it and there is the broad Way that leadeth to Destruction and these are not the Way of Christ that leadeth to Life which is the narrow and strait Way And there arem any Names in the World by which there is no Salvation the Beast hath many Names which all the World wondereth after and receive the Beast's Mark that he marketh them with his Beastly Spirit and Power which he hath from the Dragon but there is but one Name under the whole Heaven by which People shall be saved and that is the Name of Jesus Salvation in the Name of Jesus only and they gathering in his Name by whom the World was made and receiving their Father the Lord God Almighty's Name and Mark in their Foreheads Christ is in the midst of them and they will not receive the Beast's Mark nor will not be marked by him And there are many Religions in the World all which are spotted and defiled with the World's Spirit with which they do destroy one another but there is but one pure Religion from above that is undefiled in the sight of God and that keeps from the Spots of the World Pure Religion and leads to visit the Widow and Fatherless in their distress and they that receive this pure Religion from God who is above it is by God's Spirit the fruits of which is Love and this pure undefiled Religion from God hath the Glory in all the Hearts of them that do receive it who is the Author of it and it is above all those Religions that are below that are made by Men's earthly sensual and devilish Wisdom who with it compel People to conform to them and such are not gentle pure nor peaceable as the Wisdom which is from above is And there is but one true Worship which the Devil is out of and his unclean Spirit and he cannot get into it The true Worship in the Spirit which Worship is in the Spirit and in the Truth which Christ the heavenly Man hath set up above Sixteen Hundred Years since and every one that cometh into the Spirit and into the Truth are the true Worshippers of the God of Truth who is a Spirit and all that are not in the Spirit and Truth are in the Beast's Worship out of the Spirit of God and in his Wrath under the Dragon's Power and there are many Instructors that
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
this Immortal Word and so are of an Incorruptible Generation which is above the Corruptible and here is the hidden Man of the Heart that is Incorruptible known that hath an Everlasting Fellowship and hath an Incorruptible Crown and is an Heir of an Incorruptible Kingdom And now the God of this World and his Followers that abode not in the Truth in whom there is no Truth cannot endure to hear talk of the Order of Truth which is in the Light and Life and in the Gospel and in the Wisdom of the God of Truth For the World is full of Disorder and Confusion but the Living Eternal Immortal God of Truth is a God of Order and not of Confusion who hath sent his Son to destroy the Devil and his Works Blessings and Praises with all Glory and Thanks be unto him who hath all Power Might Majesty and Dominion now henceforth and for ever Amen G. F. DEar Friends Epist 357. All live the Life of the true Christians and not the Life of old Adam that went from God's Command and Voice nor like the Jews To live the Life of Christianity and such as have got the Name of Christians that say There is no hearing of God and Christ's Voice now which are out of the Life Power and Spirit Grace and Truth and Image of God that the true Christians were in and Adam and Eve before they fell so that none can live the Life of the true Christians and the holy Prophets and Apostles except they are in the same Power and Spirit Grace and Truth and Faith and Image that they were in which is a Life above the World and its God in whom there is no Truth no Life Light nor Power of the Living God abiding in them And therefore before any can live the Life of the Saints they must bow to the Name of Jesus their Saviour in his Light Grace and Truth and Power and Spirit which cometh from him who submitted himself to the shamesul Death of the Cross and destroyed Death and his Power who had no Sin nor Guile in his Mouth and is risen again for our Justification and so hath tasted Death for every Man and given himself a Ransom for all that all should now bow at his Name Jesus a Saviour and so to his Power and Authority bow who hath all Power in Heaven and Earth given to him So all Men have bowed under Death and Sin by Transgression Christ submitted to the Cross and Death for us And Christ hath submitted to the Cross and Death for them and hath born their Stripes for Sin and Iniquity who had no Sin neither knew any to bring us out of Death and Sin Therefore every one must bow at the Name of Jesus as before whatsoever they do in Word or Deed it must be done in the Name of Jesus and before that they can confess to Jesus Christ to the Glory of God the Father they must all bow at the Name of Jesus and bow to his Grace and Truth Light Spirit and Power that cometh by Jesus which they know Him the Fountain the Rock and Foundation to build upon who brings out of Death and Darkness into Light and Life and a Kingdom and a World that is Everlasting and there to have Food and Cloathing that is Everlasting G. F. DEar Friends With my Love to you in the holy Peaceable Truth that never changes nor admits of no Evil Epist 358. but makes all free that receive it and tht walk in it To live in Truth which admits of no Evil. and is over all the Clouds without Rain and Wells without Water and Trees without Fruit And from the Truth floweth Justice Equity Righteousness and Godliness Mercy and Tenderness that brings a Man's Heart Mind Soul and Spirit to the Infinite and Incomprehensible God and from it a Love flows to all the Univerfal Creation and would have all to come to the Knowledge of the Truth and it bends every one to their utmost Ability to serve God and his Truth and to spread it abroad and it brings their Minds out of the Earth which makes them brittle and changeable and uncertain for it doth not change neither doth it touch with that which does change As to Vnity It makes all like it self that do obey it Vniversal to live out of narrowness and self and deny it So it brings all into Oneness and answereth the good Principle of God in all People and brings into Humility and the Fear of the Lord which is the beginning of his Wisdom and it brings all to have a care of God's Glory and his Honour and watches over all the Professors of it for their good to keep within its bounds and walk within its order which he that is out of Truth leads into all disorder in whom there is no Truth and the Truth makes all its Children free from him and in it to reign over him Thanks Glory and Honour to the Lord God of Truth over all for ever Amen The Lord who is the God of all Peace and Order The Lord is the Protect or of his People alone Protects and Preserves his People with his Eternal Power for the Devil's Power is not Eternal it had a beginning and must have an ending for the Eternal Power limits that Devourer and Destroyer And therefore Friends Patience must be exercised in the Truth and keep to the Word of Patience which Word was before the World was and abides and endures for ever and it will keep Friends over and out of all the Snares of the World and its Temptations So with my Love in the Seed of Life that reigns over all and in it the Lord God Almighty preserve and keep you all to his Glory Amen G. F. An Epistle to be read amongst Friends FRiends You that are Believers in the Light Epist 359. which is the Life in Christ To Gather in the Name of Jesus and are grasted into him who is ascended far above all Principalities Power Thrones and Dominions by whom all things were made and created all the Children in the New Covenant do Gather together in the Name of Christ Jesus whose Name is above every Name under the whole Heaven and in whose Name they have Salvation and not by any other Name under the whole Heaven And at this Name must every Knee bow and every Tongue confess Christ Jesus to the Glory of God the Father and they that have bowed their knee to the Name of Jesus and do confess him to the Glory of God the Father cannot Gather in any other Name under Heaven below the Name of Jesus but Gather in the Name of Jesus which is above every Name under Heaven in whom they have Salvation and so cannot not Gather in any Name below Christ for they do know that they have not any Salvation in whatsoever Name that they do Gather together in below the Name of Jesus And being gathered in the Name of Jesus he
Author and Finisher of So in this holy divine pure and precious Faith they have a holy divine pure and precious Vnity and Liberty which is the Victory over the Enmity and the Adversary the Destroyer and all this Instruments and they cannot come within this holy divine pure and precious Vnity and Liberty which is in the Faith for it is a Mysteryj and gives Victory over him and the access to the pure God and to Christ the Author of it which all are too stand fast in that Liberty wherewith Christ hath made them free who is the heavenly and spiritual Man the Second Adam For the Bondaged Captivity and Thraldom false Freedom and false Liberty was and is in Old Adam in Transgression and the true Liberty is that which Christ the pure and holy One makes free in and this is a pure holy Liberty which Christ makes and sets his People free in in which they are all to stand fast over all the false Liberties and Freedoms which are Bondage Also the true Libertyis in the Truth which if the Truth hath made you free then are you free indeed from him that abode not in the Truth in whom there is no Truth So then there is no true Freedom nor Liberty in him and he in whom there is no Truth cannot come into this Freedom and Liberty which is in the Truth but remains in the False For the Jews in the days of Christ boasted of their liberty and Freedom though they were in Bondange both inwardly and outwardly and that they were of Abraham their Father but Christ told them The Devil was their Father and his lusts ye will do And also in the Days of the Apostles many of the false Christians boasted of their Liberty but who was overcome by them was brought into Bondage And the Apostle was so careful of his Liberty in Christ Jesus To be careful of our I iberty in Christ that such as came to spie it out and were somewhat in Conferrence but they added nothing to him and unto such he would not give place by Subjection but rather reproved them and directed every one to walk according to the measure of the Rule which God hath distributed to them And also true Liberty is inthe Light and Grace and the Spirit which comes by Jesus which by believig in te Light they are grafted into Christ and so into true Liberty and Freedom and so are entred into the Rest out of the Toil of old Adam for they are grafted into him who was befor old Adam For Unbelievers in the Light are grafted into old Adam in Transgression And the Believers in the Light which is the Life in Christ are grafted into Christ the Word by which all things were made and created So here is perfect true Freedom and Liberty And likewise the true Liberty and Freedom is in the Grace which brings Salvation and not Destruction and teaches to live Godly not Ungodly and Soberly not Unsoberly and Righteously not Unrighteously and teaches to deny the World and not to cleave to it and follow it This Grace establishes the Heart and seasons the Words the Fruits of its Liberty and Freedom will manifest it self And also the true Liberty in the pure Holy Spirit of God and Christ doth Baptize and Plunge down that which is gotten up by Transgression in Man and Woman and circumcises and cuts off the Body of Death and Sin in the Flesh that is gotten up in Man and Woman by Transgression and mortifies and kills that which would grieve vex or quench the Motions of the pure Spirit of God so that in this holy pure Spirit of this pure God and Christ is the holy pure Freedom and Liberty over all Bondage and false Liberties and Freedoms And the Fruits of this pure Spirit is pure Love Righteousness and Godliness Fruits of the Spirit Patience Temperance and Humility by which Spirit all are made to drink into one Spirit so that all are the living Wells that have their living Water from God and Christ their true and living Fountain and in which Spirit they have a holy and spiritual Fellowship in this Baptizing Mortifying Circumcisig Spirit yea one wit another and with the Son and the Father also through which the Love of God warms every one's Heart But when the Love of many waxes cold as Christ saith then they go from this Grace Ligth Truth Power and Spirit and the Anointing and the Word of God in their own Hearts then such turn to be Betrayers and not Saviours upon Mount Zion And against such God's swift Judgment turns and suddenly falls though they may cry for a time Liberty Freedom and Peace Peace but a Day of trouble will overtake them ere they are aware And therefore all ye Friends of Christ Jesus stand fast in that Liberty wherewith Christ hath made you free by his Light Grace Truth Spirit Faith and Everlasting Gospel the Everlasting Power of God which is an Everlasting Freedom and Liberty above all Bondage and false fallen Liberties and Freedoms in this glorious Gospel and glorious joyful Libert where all may exercise God and Christ's Holy Gifts in his Holy Supernatural Light Grace Truth Spirit and Divine Faith and Word of Life and the Gospel which Word cannot be bound with all the World's Cords or Chains For it is a Fire to burn and a Hammer to break and a Sword to cut in pieces and therefore love the Word and keep the Word of Patience and the Lord will keep you for it is a tried Word and it will keep you in all trials which shall come upon all the World to try them For the Word was before the World was and will be when the World is gone which all the new-born Babes of the Incorruptible Seed who partake of the Milk of the Word grow by it up into an Immortal Life and Kingdom that is without End Glory and Praises to the Lord God for ever And now ye Babes of Christ If the World do hate you it hated Christ your Lord and Master also if they do mock and reproach and defame and buffet you they did so to your Lord ad Master also who was and is the Green Tree that gives nourishment to all his Branches his Followers Now if the World do Persecute you and take away your Goods or Cloaths was not your Lord and Master so served Christ was persecuted mocked and crucified for us Did not they cast Lots for his Garments Was not he haled from the Priests to Herod and before Pontius pilate and spit upon And if they hate thee and spit upon thee he was hated and spit upon for thee Did he not go to Prison for thee And was he not mocked and scourged for thee Did not he bow to the Cross and Grave for thee he who had no Sin neither was Guile found in his Mouth And did he not bear they Sins in his own Body upon the Tree And was he not scourged for thee by whose
believe in it How can they receive the Order of the Gospel of Christ the hevenly Man from whence the Gospel comes or to receive him to reign in their Hearts when they will not receive his Gospel the Power of God to Salvation in their Hearts And again How can they receive his People or believe his People that are in the Order of the Gospel of Christ and hath received it and him in their Hearts who disobeys it and will not receive it in their own Hearts Such are not like to come into the Order of the Gospel that disobey it Such will disobey Christ and will not regard his People in whom he reigns who walk in the Order of his Gospel the Power of God unto Salvation Now it 's Christ the Second Adam that lighteth every Man that cometh into the World with the Light which is the Life in himself and every one that believeth in the Light and becomes Children of the Light and walks in it they walk in Unity and Fellowship and in the Order of the Light and Government of Christ in such Christ doth reign And all them that hate this Light and will not come to it nor believe in it they are condemned by it Now The Grace of God hath appeared unto all Men. The Grace of God that brings Salvation hath appeared unto all Men and all Men that receives this Grace and Truth that is come by Jesus they receive Christ from whence it comes in their Hearts to be their Teacher and their Salvation and so comes into Christ's Government and Order in the Truth and into the Covenant of Grace And they that hate the Truth and turn from the Grace mto Wantonness and walk despitefully against the Spirit of Grace they turn against Christ his Order and Government and his Power also And God pouring out if his Spirit upon all Flesh All that are led by the Spirit of God and Christ are the Sons of God and such are obeyers of Christ's Spiritual Order and Government And they that quench the Spirit of God and rebels against it rebels against Christ's Order and Government and Him in his People and their Spiritual Fellowship and the Gospel of Salvation being preached to every Creature under Heaven which Gospel is the Power of God Every Creature under Heaven must receive this Gospel in their Hearts if they receive Christ and his Government and his Order of the Gospel and him to rule in their Hearts And all you that have received it have received the Comfort of it and those that disobey and rebel against the Gospel the Power of God such disobeys and rebels against God and Christ and his Government and his People which are in the Order of the Gospel the Power of God And as it is said Christ is in you except you be Reprobates and all that receives Christ in them it is by his Light which is the Life in him and the Grace and Truth that comes by Jesus and the Faith that he is the Author of and his Spirit and Gospel This they must receive in their Hearts if they receive Christ in them And Christ said to his Disciples and Followers That He would send them the Spirit of Truth the Comforter which should proceed from the Father and the Son which should lead them into all Truth and be should reprove the World of Sin Righteousness and Judgment So that which leads the Believers and Diseiples of Christ into all Truth and is their Comforter is the Reprover of the World of their Sin Righteousness and Judgment So here is that which is the World's Reprover is the Saints Comforter and Leader into all Truth and so into all true Fellowship and true Liberty And this Holy Spirit and Comforter does not proceed from old Adam nor any of his Followers but from the Father and the Son And so every one is to have Oil in your own Lamps from the heavenly Olive-Tree To have Oil in our own Lamp from Christ the Olive-Tree that your Lamps may burn always both Night and Day in your Tabernacles looking to your High-Priest who will feed your Lamps with heavenly Oil. And every one have heavenly Salt in your selves to favour withal what is Earthly and what is Heavenly and what is from Below and what is from Above and what is out of the Truth and what is in the Truth And that every one may keep their own Vine in their own Garden Vine and their own Lilly in their own Field or Orchard which Lilly doth exceed Solomon in all his Glory And every one have the Word of Faith in their Hearts and Mouths to obey and do which will Sanctifie and make you Holy and Reconcile you to God And every one have the Anointing or Vnction within you Anointing which you have from the Father or Holy One so that in it you may continue in the Father and in the Son And every one continue in the Grace of God Grace which will teach you how to live and what to deny adn will bring your Salvation and establish you upon Christ the Rock and Foundation from whence the Grace does come And every one abide in the holy divine and precious Faith Precious Faith which you do hold in a pure Conscience by which Faith you do live and have Victory over that which displeaseth God And in this Faith you do please God which Jesus Christ the Lord from Heaven is the Author and Finisher of And every one that hath digged deep Pearl and found the Pearl of great Price and hath sold all and purchased the Field then the Field and Pearl is your own Such do know a thorow Redemption And all you Believers in the Light which is the Life in Christ that are become the Children of Light walk in the Light and in Christ as you have received him And every one mind the heavenly Leaven Leaven that will leaven you into a new Lump And every one keep the Feast of Christ our Passover Passover with his heavenly unleavened Bread in Sincerity and Truth And every one mind the Light that God hath commanded to shine out of Darkness and hath shined into your Hearts to give you the Light of the Knowledge of the Glory of God in the Face of Jesus Christ your Saviour that the excellency of the Power may be of God and not of your selves In this you are sensible of his heavenly Treasure in your earthly Vessels and every one have Water in your own Wells and Cisterns and heavenly Fruit on your Trees which God hath planted Nebuchadnezzar though his Greatness reached to Heaven Nebuchaadnezzar bumbled as a Tree yet he was to be hewn down until he knew that the Most High ruleth in the Kingdoms of Men And the God of Heaven shall set up a Kingdom which shall never be destroyed and the Kingdom shall not be left to other People Dan. 2.44 And the Stone that smote the Image
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
'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
Hunters gathering who gathered up People together to build Babel and confounded them Gen. 10.11 And Isaiah said All they Children shall be taught of the Lord and great shall be the Peace of thy Children and in Righteousness shall they be established Behold they shall surely gather together but not by me saith the Lord And whosoever shall gather together against thee shall fall for thy sake No Weapon that is formed against thee shall prosper No Weapon form'd against God's Heritage shall prosper and every Tongue that shall rise against thee in judgment thou shalt condemn This is the heritage of the Servants of the Lord and their Righteousness is of me saith the Lord Isai 54. And Christ Jesus saith Where two or three are gathered together in my Name there am I in the midst of them And the Apostle said to the Jews speaking of Christ That there is no Salvation in any other For there is no other Name under Heaven given among Men whereby we must be saved Acts 4.12 but by Christ Jesus So here is the Saints true Gathering in the Name of Christ Jesus the Second Adam and none is able to pluck them out of his hand John 10. For Christ the Seed of the Woman bruises the Serpent's Head and Christ through Death destroys Death and the Devil the Power of Death and so doth reconcile all things both in Heaven and in the Earth into one The Devil abode not in the Truth and so he became a Devil The Devil not abiding in the Truth became an Enemy a Destroyer and a Serpent and Enemy and a Satan and Adversary to the Truth and to Righteousness and Holiness and to Man and Woman that God made in his Image in Righteousness and Holiness so he became an Enemy and Adversary and Destroyer who is out of the Truth and abode not in it in whom there is no Truth and so is called the Old Serpent and Satan and Devil Tempter and false Accuser and Christ through Death destroys Death and the Devil the Power of Death And when the Jews went from the Truth they became Enemies and Adversaries to it and Destroyers of the Righteous and the Just yea they were Adversaries and Accusers and Enemies to the Prophets and Christ Jesus and Apostles and Christ called the Jews Vipers and Serpents and said to them that made a Profession of the Scriptures of the Old Testament but were gone from the Truth of them that they were of their Father the Devil and his Works and Lusts they would do And here the Jews that went out of the Truth did not they become as Serpents Enemies Satans Adversaries and Judas's Betrayers and of the Devil Destroyers of the Just And when they which are called Christians became haters of the Light and Walkers despitefully against the Spirit of Grace Despisers of the Word in their Hearts and erred from the Truth and the true Faith and professed the Form of Godliness but denied the Power thereof and so denied the Spirit ot true Christianity These became as Serpents Enemies Satan Adversaries to true Christianity and of the Devil that seek to destroy it and Judas's Betrayers of it and of the Righteous and the Just where-ever it appeared to the unjust And this hath been the Work of that Spirit that did not abide in the Truth in all Ages to be as Enemies Adversaries and Judas's Betrayers who seek to deftroy the Truth but Christ the Truth doth destroy that destroying Spirit who is the Saviour And Christ said to the Jews and to the Scribes and Pharisees which were the greatest outward Professors and appliers of the Prophets and Promises of the Old Testament to themselves upon the Earth and yet the greatest Persecutors of the holy Men and Women and the Lord's Prophets upon the Earth I say that Christ said to them O Jerusalem Jerusalem thou that killest the Prophets Christ lamented over Jerusalem and stonest them which are sent unto thee how often would I have gathered they Children together even as a Hen gathereth her Chickens under her Wings and ye would not Behold your Houses are left unto you desolate c. Matth. 23.37 38. Jersalem was the chiefest Place of Worship and the chiefest City among the Jews and the greatest Place of Persecution and yet the Lord Jesus Christ wept over this City and would have gathered these persecuting Professors who were without possessing of the Life of what they did profess but they would not come to him that they might have Life And these persecuting Jews Scribes and Pharisees Christ said unto them Te compass Sea and Land to make one Proselyte and when he is made he is two-fold mord the Child of Hell Matth. 23. Here you may see these Scribes Pharisees and Jews the great Professors and Temple-Worshippers without Life what they gathered into and what Disciples they made in their compassing Sea and Land they made them like themselves and the Devil and Satan and the Serpent who abode not in the Truth and seek to draw all out of the Truth and to make them as Serpents and Satan Adversaries and of the Devil Destroyers and so he rules in the Hearts of the Disobedient and blindeth the Eyes of the Heathen or Infidels and the apostatised Christians from the Spirit of Christ and the Life of Christianity they do seek to draw all from the Truth and Spirit of Christ and the Life of Christianity into Death Enmity and into Persecution and Destroying like the Devil Jews and Judas both in one Spirit according to their Measures that they have from the Devil but all that live and walk inthe Truth and the Spirit of Jesus labour to bring and draw and gather all into the Truth and to Christ their Saviour who destroyeth the Destroyer G. F. Concerning the pure and undefiled Religion that was set up above Sixteen Hundred Years ago Which all that do own God and Christ are to walk in DEar Friends Epist 399. You who profess the Light Faith Grace and Spirit of Christ and the pure undefiled Religion before God the Father To keep from the Spots of the World are to keep your selves unspotted from the World and to bridle your Tongues from evil Words which corrupt good Manners the Light of Christ Jesus letteth you see the Spots of the World and the Grace of God will teach you tho deny them and the Spirit of Truth if you be led by it teacheth you to mortifie and subdue them And now Friends Here is the pure and undefiled Religion which the Apostles in the Primitive Times did own and which now we do own This is pure Religion and is undefiled before God the Father and to keep unspotted from the World First This Religion is Pure Secondly It is undefiled before God the Father And that which is pure and undefiled before God the Father if you live in it and obey it it will keep you unspotted from the World and so from the Spots of the
World And that which keeps you from the Spots of the World will keep you from the Body of Death and Sins of the World which you are made free from by the Circumcision of Christ by his Spirit and by the Law of the Spirit of Life in Christ Jesus are made free from the Law of Sin and Death And now Friends you that do profess this pure and undefiled Religion before God the Father to keep unspotted from the World or from the Spots of the World take heed you that profess this pure and undefiled Regilion tha tye keep your selves from the World or that you do not get the World's Spots upon you And take heed of Grediness and Earthly-mindedness and Covetousness which the Apostle called Idolatry for it is a great Spot and Blot of the World that lieth in Wickedness And take heed of Unrighteousness in your Trades Commerces or Dealings For Unrighteousness is a Spot To be Just in Trade c. And take heed of Over-reaching or using any Deceitsulness or Defraud in your Trade or Commerce For Over-reaching and using Deceit of any Unjust thing will Blot you an Spot you and is contrary to the pure and undefiled Religion And take heed of Unrighteousness Ungodliness Unholiness Prophaness Loosness Filthiness Naughtiness and Evil Words which corrupt good Manners These things will Blot you and Spot you and are contrary to the pure undefiled Religion before God the Father And also take heed of Drunkenness Theft Murder Whordom Fornication Adultery and all manner of Uncleanness For they which act such things are void of the pure undefiled Religion before God the Father and they are blotted and spotted with the Actions of the World that lieth in Wickedness and their Religion is vain And take heed of Lying Swearing and Cursing which are Spots of the World and forbid by Christ and the Apostle And all such that follow the Lust of the Eye the Pride of Life and the Lust of the Flesh which is not of the Father but of the God of the World that abode not in the Truth such are spotted with the Spots of the World and are Proud Vain Lofty Scornful High Spots of the World and Spotted with the World's Spots and are void of the pure undefiled Religion before God the Father And take heed of Malice Hatred Envy Wrath Rage and Fury these are the Spots of the World who bear such Fruits contrary to the Spirit of Meekness Gentleness Kindness Tenderness Sobriety Love and Mercifulness which are the Fruits of the pure Spirit of God which leadeth to the pure undefiled Religion before God the Father which is To visit the Fatherless and Widows in their Affliction and to keep unspotted from the World this pure undefiled Religion keepeth in the Purity of Life and Conversation and this is above all and keeps from all the vain Religions in the World which pure and undefiled Religion it is the Duty of all true Christians to walk in by which they may be kept from the Spots of the World and this is the Religion that was set up above Sixteen Hundred Years ago in the Church of Christ and happy had all Christendom been if they had kept to this pure undefiled Religion to this day and then they would not have made so many Religions as they have done but to this pure undefiled Religion they must come again if ever they come to the true Religion The pure Religion and undefiled is the hest Religion for none can make a better than the pure undefiled Religion which was set up in the Church in the Apostles days above Sixteen Hundred Years ago unto which all that profess Christianity should be conformable even to this pure undefiled Religion which will keep them from the Spots of the World and then their Religion will not be of the World And this is the one pure undefiled Religion that all Christians should be of which is from one God the Creator of all So there is one God the Creator of all and one Lord Jesus christ by whom all things were made and created who is the one Mediator betwixt God and Man even the Man christ Jesus there in one Body and one Spirit even as you are called to one Hope of your Calling and one God and Father of all who is above you all and in you all and through you all and there is one Faith which Christ Jesus is the Author and Finisher of and there is one Baptism and by one Spirit we are all baptised into one Body whether we be Jews or Gentiles Bond or Free must all drink into this one Spirit of Christ and so to keep the Unity in the Spirit which is the Bond of Peace for the Apostle saith If any Man have not the Spirit of Christ he is none of his Rom. 8.9 for Christ saith in his Prayer to his Father That they may be all one meaning the true Christians as thou Father art in me and I in thee that they also may be one in us that they may be one ever as we are one I in them and thou in me that they may be made perfect in one to wit the Believers and Followers of Christ John 17.21 22 23. Here you may see God and Christ are one in them so he Prayeth that his People may be one in whom they have Rest Life Peace and Salvation with God through Jesus Christ Amen Let your Conversation or Practice be without Covetousness c. Hebr. 13.5 Only let your Conversation be as becometh the Gospel of Christ Philip. 1.17 The 4th of the 2d Month 1685. G. F. To Friends at York DEar Friends Epist 400. To you is my Love in the Seed of Life that bruises the Head of Enmity and in this Seed you all have Life and Peace that is Everlasting And my Desires are That you may all dwell in the Love that can bear all things To keep the Word of Wisdont and of Patience And keep the Word of Patience which will never be worn out for the Word liveth and abideth and endureth for ever and over all Trials keeps for the Word was in the Beginning and all things are upheld by the Word of his Power in it abide And so live and walk in the Wisdom that is from above that is heavenly pure peaceable gentle and easie to be intreated And keep in the Lamb-like Nature for the Suffering Lamb must have the Victory And so the Man of God must not strive but be gentle and yet valiant for God's Truth and not to fell it for they that do go into Bondage and Captivity for the Truth maketh all God's People free and the peaceale Truth is a peaceable Habitation And so in it God Almighty preserve you and all the Lord's People every where that they may Glorifie the Lord God of all their Comforts Lives and Mercies Amen Kingston the 13th of the 10th Month 1685. G. F. DEar Friends and Brethren in the Lord Jesus
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
is the midst of them the Prince of Life and Peace and Captain of Salvation and a Prophet to open the Book of Couscience Christ the Prince of Life and Captain of our Salvation and the Book of the Law and Prophets and Gospel and his Book of Life to them and a Bishop to oversee them and a Heavenly Shepherd to feed them in his Heavenly Pasture of Life and a Heavenly King to rule in their Hearts and in his glorious Kingdom amongst them that are born again and that seeth and entereth into his Everlasting Kingdom of Righteousness Peace and Joy in the Holy Ghost And all these Children in the Kingdom and in the New Covenant of Grace Light and Life cannot feed of any Bread for their Immortal Souls that is made by Man which he hath heavened with the sowre Leaven for that sowre leavened Bread will make their Hearts to burn and the Jews were not to keep their Feasts with leavened Bread in the old Covenant The Jews in Spirit keep their Feast with unleavened Bread from Heaven then much more the Jews in the Spirit in the new Covenant who hath their Bread from Heaven their unleavened Bread who in the new Covenant doth keep their Feast with unleavened Bread from Heaven and cannot feed their Souls with any Bread but that which cometh down from Heaven and this Bread from Heaven giveth Life to the Soul and is the Staff of their heavenly Life this heavenly Bread as the outward Bread is the Staff of the natural Life in this World that must have an end but the Bread from Heaven is the heavenly Staff of Life that doth nourish up into a heavenly Life and a World and a Kingdom that is without end And such as feedeth on this heavenly Bread cannot feed their Souls with any Bread below that which comes from Heaven for it doth not give them Life So that they can neither touch taste nor handle that which is below which perisheth for the Breaa of Life from Heaven doth not persh but giveth Life Eternal and this Bread is sure and they that feedeth upon it shall hunger no more So all Eyes are to look up to Heaven for this Bread of Life which giveth them Life and not below Heaven for neither are they to follow them that crieth Lo it is here and lo there or to drink of their Cup that are whored from the Spirit of God nor to eat of their leaveneed Bread for they that do believe in the Light which is the Life in Christ are grafted into him the true Vine So the Believers do feel a living Spring springing up in them to Eternal Life True Believers drink of the Spring of Eternal Life from the Fountain from whence it cometh And so here all the true Believers have the upper and the nether Springs in themselves and such may drink freely and eat freely of the Bread and Water of Life and doth hunger and thirst no more but eat and drink that which is Eternal which nourisheth them up to Eternal Life and so beareth Heavenly Spiritual Fruits to the Praise of the Eternal God which Plants he hath watered by his upper and nether Springs which Trees or plants their Fruits are unto Holiness and their End is Everlasting Life So none of the Children of the New Covenant need go to the World for Bread or Water to give them Life Everlasting to keep them from the World's Storms or Weapons to defend their Church or Worship for they have them from Heaven and heavenly Bread and Water and Spiritual Weapons and Armour and the Righteousness of Christ the fine Linnen their Cloathing Glory to the Lord for ever who makes all his spiritually Rich and to be Lenders and not Borrowers and Givers and not Receivers which is more blessed than the Receiver And the Jews in the old Covenant were to wash their Cloaths and to sanctifie themselves when they did appear before the Lord and so are the Children of God in the New Covenant of Life Light and Grace who do appear before the Lord God's Children are to put on the Righteousness of Christ are to be washed and cleansed and sanctified and to put on the Righteousness of Christ their fine Linnen that never will wax old and so to put off all the Old Adam's Garments that he hath covered himself and his Sons and Daughters with in the Fall and Transgression which will wax old and rot but that which God and Christ doth put on and cloath his Saints withal is Everlasting So Man's Righteousness and his filthy Rags must be put off and they must come into the Righteousness of Christ and put it on which doth exceed the Righteousness of the Law if they do enter into the Kingdom of God which doth stand in Righteousness and Peace and Joy in the Holy Ghost Now in the Old Testament it 's said The Priests Lips is to preserve the Peoples Knowledge But the New Testament saith Christ is the Treasnre of Wisdom and Knowledge That Christ is the Treasure of Wisdom and Knowledge The Old Testament saith That you must offer your Sheep Goats Bulls and Heifers and other Creatures which God commanded by the Law in the Old Testament for your Sins and cleansing But the New Testament saith That Christ is offered up once for all And the Old Testament saith That the Blood of Bulls and other Creatures cleanseth from Sin But the New Testament saith That Christ's Blood cleanseth from all Sin And in the Old Testament it 's said You must carry your Offerings and First-Fruits and Tithe to the Store-House But the New Testament saith Freely you have received freely give and forbiddeth Bag or Staff And in the Old Testament the Priest was to light the Candles and Lamps in the Tabernacle and Temple and to circumcise the Men-Children But the New Testament saith And enlightens his People with his Light and Life Christ doth enlighten every Man that cometh into the World with his heavenly Light which is the Life in Christ the Word and the Spirit of Man is the Candle of the Lord So he doth enlighten the Candle and Lamp in the Tabernacle and saith Believe in the Lght that ye may become Children of the Light and Christ doth minister the Circumcision in the Spirit that putteth off the Body of the Sins of the Flesh that came upon Man and Woman by Transgression So that the Children are the Circumcision of the Spirit in the New Testament and not of the Flesh and Letter as they were in the Old Testament And in the Old Testament it 's said That the Priests put the Testament and the Law and the Pot of Manna into the Ark in the Tabernacle and Temple But in the New Testament God poureth out of his Spirit upon all Flesh in the new Covenant God poureth out of his Spirit upon all Flesh and the Holy Ghost proceedeth from the Father and the Son into the Hearts of his
People to lead them into all Truth and reproveth the World of Sin and the Bread of Life that they have from Christ is in their Arks and Hearts or in their Temples and God doth write his Law in the Hearts and Minds of his People So in the New Testament they have the Law written in the Heart and Mind and the Old they had in the Letter and Tables of Stone and in the New they have the Testament and Testimony the Spirit of Christ in their Hearts and the heavenly unleavened Bread in their Hearts which they do keep the Everlasting Feast with And in the Old Testament The circumcised in Heart do eat of the heavenly Bread Flesh the Clean and circumcised out wardly did eat of the Passover the Lamb without blemish But in the New Testament the clean and circumcised in Heart do eat of the Passover Christ the heavely Bread and Flesh and so doth keep the Feast of their Passover in the New Testament And the Old Testament had the outward Temple and Tabernacle and outward Lights But in the New Testament the Saints Bodies are the Temples and Tabernacles of God and his Light doth shme in their Hearts to give them the knowledge of the Glory of God in the Face of Jesus Christ And in the Old Testament it 's said Do this and live and the New saith Believe in the Light Christ and be saved And the Old Testament saith Thou shalt Swear and perform thy Oaths to the Lord But Christ saith in the New True Christians are not to be angry without a Cause Swear not at all And the Old Testament saith Thou shalt not kill nor commit Adultery But Christ in the New saith Thou shalt not be Angry without a cause and thou shalt not lust after a Woman And the Old Testament saith Thou shalt stand up and Curse But the New saith Bless and curse not The Old Testament saith Thou shalt hate thine Enemy But the New saith Thou shalt love thy Enemies and do good to them that hate thee and despitefully use thee So the New Covenant and Testament is not according to the Old And in many other things besides these it might be shewed how one doth exceed the other in Glory G. F. To all the Men and Womens Meetings every where ALL the faithful Men and Women Epist 360. are to be as Abraham and Sarah Abraham the Father of the Faithful and Sarah a Mother in Israel Men and Women are meet belps in the Restoration by Christ Jesus to give Suck and to nourish up the Seed the Heir of the Promise Likewise to be as Adam and Eve before they fell weet-helps in the Image of God and in the Power of God with which they were to sudue the Earth In which Power of Image of God they were not only to subdue the Earth but subdue Unrighteousness and all Ungodliness and that which they know doth dishonour God And likewise all the faithful Women are to be as Dorcas And to be fellow helpers in Christ Jesus a Disciple of Christ Jesus that their good Works of the Spirit and Faith may follow them And also they are to be as Phebe who was a Minister of the Church at Cencrea and she was such a faithful trusty Minister that the Apostle sent his Epistle by her to Rome from Corinth with a Recommendation of her And also all the faithful Men and Women are to be as Aquilla and Priscilla who were the Apostles fellow-helpers in Christ Jesus and had a Church in their House and were Inftructers concerning the things of God and Christ Jesus in his New Testament and New Covenant and of his Kingdom And likewise to be as Mary Magdalen and Joanna and mary the Mother of James and other Women that were with those Women which first preached and declared to the Apostles the Resurrection of Jesus Christ and Christ said unto those Women Go and tell his Disciples that he was risen from the Dead so these Women were the first Messengers of the Glad-Tidings Matth. 28. Luke 24. Mark 16. And these Tidiugs did astonish the Apostles at first for they said Certain Women of our Company which were of the Disciples made us astonished saying That Jesus was risen from the Dead this two of his Disciples said when they were talking with Christ Women were the first Preachers of Christ's Rgsurrection but they did not perceive it till he opened their Eyes as in Luke 24. So the Women continued in their firm Belief and then after wards the Apostles came to believer also And therefore it is good for every one to have a Sense of the Resurrection of Christ and not seek him below but seek him above for he is risen from the Dead and lives and sits at the Right Hand of the Living God And also all the Faithful are to be as Miriam the Prophetess to Incourage the Church and Praise God And also to be as Huldah the Prophetess who instructed the King his Princes and Priests in the Law of God and the Old Covenant So they should be much more diligent to teach and instruct in the New Covenant and Testament which doth exceed the Old in its Glory And also to be as Anna the Prophetess an ancient Woman of Eighty four Years Old and she gave thanks and spake of Christ to all them that looked for Redemption in ferusalem and so here was general and a publick Preaching of Christ Jesus And also to be as Hannah in the old Testament who conscecrated her Son Samuel unto the Lord and the Lord accepted her Prayers Tears and Offerings So she had not a mind to let him run Wild. And likewise as Deborah Deborah both a Prophetess and a Judge in Israel who was a Prophetess in the Old Covenant and a Judge in Israel what Victories with outward Weapons the Lord did give her and how she praised the Lord which was by Faith in the time of the Old Covenant But in the time of the New Covenant the true Believers wrestles not with Flesh and Blood but are all to be diligent in the Spiritual Judgment and warfare in the Spiritual Israel And the Apostle writes to Titus how he had left him in Creete that he should set in order the things that were wanting and ordain Elders in every City as he had appointed him And after he had spoken many things to Titus concerning Overseers and Teachers that they must be Blameless he saith That the Aged Men must be sober grave temporate sound in Faith in Charity and in Patience Aged Men and Women that their behaviour be as becomes the Gospel And the AgedWomen likewise that they be in Behaviour as hecomes Holiness not false Accusers c. but to be teachers of good things and that they teach the younger Women to be sober to love their Husbands and to love their Children and to be chaste keepers at home good obedient c. that the Word of God