when the false Hope of the Hypocrite sinks therein which are the Waters and it goes over them and in it they are swallowed up The Vnity in the Spirit is the Bond of the Prince of Princes Peace and the Fellowship in the Gospel and the Liberty in it is a perfect one above the imperfect where is Bondage G. F. FRiends Stand still and see be still and hear sit at Jesus Feet Epist 230. and chuse the better thing to do the Work of God A Greneral Epistle to Friends is to believe in his Son Jesus Christ the Light and your Hope and Faith is to stand in God and in his Son walk by that Faith which he is the Author of and walk in the Light and walk in the Spirit As every one hath received Christ so walk in him and so serve God in the Spirit and worship him in the Spirit and in the Truth for God is not worshipped out of the Spirit and Truth The Babes Milk is from the Word and their Bread is from above and there is no true Religion but what is pure from above and the stay'd patient People abide in their own House but the Whore is gadding abroad and there is no true Church but where Christ exercises his Offices in and amongst them and they are asking their Husband at home and he is their Head and the true Marriage to Christ the Heavenly Man is witnessed by such as are Flesh of his Flesh and Bone of his Bone none comes to be Children of the Light but such as believe in the Light no Sons of God but by receiving Christ and by being led by his Spirit no coming into all Truth but by being led by the Spirit of Truth no running the true Race in the straight way to get to the Glorious Crown but with Patience no Purifying but by coming to Christ the Hope of Glory the Purifier and no overcoming but by Believing in Christ the Light and he that doth so is Born of God And there is no true Witness within but the Light the Life and Spirit of Christ the true Record no true Faith but that which Christ is the Author of which giveth Victory no true Anchor to the Immortal Soul but by Christ the Hope of Glory So by Hope you are saved no true Liberty but in Christ and in his Law of the Spirit of Life and in his Gospel no true Knowledge of God but by his Light and Spirit in the Heart no Salvation but by the Name of Jesus no true Praying but in the Spirit no true Singing but in the Spirit Wherein true Rest Peace Joy c. stand and are injoyed no true Fast but that which breaks the Bond of Iniquity no true Fellowship but in the pure Faith Light Spirit and Gospel of God and Christ no true Foundation but Christ to build upon no true Way but Christ no true Seed but what Christ hath sown in the Heart no true Rest but in Christ no true Peace but in Christ no true Service to God and Christ but in the Newness of Life no knowing the things of God but by the Spirit of God no knowing the Son nor the Father but by the Revelation of the Holy Spirit no knowing the Scriptures but by the same Holy Ghost that moved the Holy Men to give them forth no calling Jesus Lord but by the Holy Ghost by which he was Conceived no Grafting into Christ but by Believing in the Light which is called the Light in Men and the Life in him no true Wisdom but from above and no true receiving it but in the Fear of the Lord and no true Understanding of Spiritual Things but what Christ gives no Divine Reason but in the Faith that Christ is the Author of which giveth Victory over that which is unreasonably and separates from God and no true Love to God but what he sheddeth abroad in the Heart and to know a Fellowship with Christ in his Death and Sufferings is above the Fellowship of Bread and Wine which will have an end but the Fellowship in the Gospel and Holy Spirit hath no end G. F. MY Dear Friends Epist 231. be faithful to the Lord God every one in the Truth and Power of God and his Righteousness that it may flow over all and walk and live in it that to the Lord God you may be a good Savour and a Blessing in your Generation Look over all Sufferings and that which makes you to Suffer Dwell in the Rock which is above all Storms and Tempests for now is the Trial of your Faith now is the Trial of your Meetings who are gathered in the Name of Jesus by them that are gathered in the name of Adam in the Fall Time of Trial. now is the Trial of your Worship which is in the Spirit and Truth by such as Worship out of the Spirit and Truth And now is the Trial of your Fellowship in the Gospel the Power of God by such whose Fellowship lies in outward things now is the Trial of your Church which is in God by those that have their Church in the Fall unsanctified and now is the Trial of your Faith and your Gospel-Fellowship in it which is a Mystery and Christ the second Adam is a Mystery to fallen Adam and Truth is a Mystery to all them that are out of it and the Light is a Mystery to all the Builders and Stumblers at it and haters of it and Godliness is a Mystery to all the Ungodly Therefore may you Praise the Lord and Bless his Name who hath reveaied these Mysteries to you in the Day of Trial by which you may withstand the Day of Darkness and the Hour of it For those that have Oil in their Lamps enter in with the Bridegroom who have heard his Voice at midnight And so happy and blessed are all you that have laid up in store against this Day and the time that is now come whose Bread fails not nor Water and have found the Land-mark of your Everlasting Portion and Inheritance in the Kingdom where nothing that defiles can enter And therefore be valiant for the Truth upon the Earth and fear no Amazement but fear the Lord who upholds all things by his Word and Power in whom is all your fresh Springs of Life Live and walk in the second Adam the Lord from Heaven and all keep out of Adam in the Fall that is Earthly that you may sit down in the heavenly Places in Christ Jesus that never fell God's care over his Heritage who is your Life who is your Peace and Salvavation who redeems you from the Earth that you may reign upon the Earth who makes you Kings and Priests to God and blessed be the Lord for ever who reigns and lives and rules amongst his Flocks and Assemblies Gardens Plants Vineyards Babes Children Sons and Daughters Servants and Prophets watering them with the Water of Life giving the increase of Life to them Glory
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
you know that your Bodies are the Temples of the Holy Ghost which is the Holy Spirit And can any Worship God who is a Spirit in the Truth but they must come to the Spirit and the Truth of God in their own Hearts Here we set up the Publick and Temple Worship which Christ set up which every Man and Woman in the World must come to Truth in the inward parts and the Spirit of God within them and Worship in the Spirit they must be in it and in the Truth to Worship the God of all Truth who is a Spirit And this is the Publick and Universal Worship and this brings every Man and Woman in the World to Truth and the Spirit of God in their own Hearts And so this brings all to know their Bodies to be the Temples of the Holy Spirit in which they worship as the Jew outward worshipped in his outward Temple But the Temple since the Apostles days has been so filled with Smoak out of the Bottomless Pit and so filled with Darkness that no Man could enter into the Temple to Worship God and there the Spirit of God hath been vexed and grieved And so their Prophesie Revelation and Vision hath been denied by the Authors of this Smoak but the Seventh Angel has poured out his Viol that Men begin to enter into the Temple to Worship God in the Spirit and Truth and the Glory of the Lord shall fill the Temple And Christ and his Apostles never altered this Worship in the Spirit and in the Truth though the Beast and the Whore the false Church have set up another Worship since the Apostles days But all must come to Worship God in Spirit which was before their Worship was set up which was set up in the Apostles days And so all must come to Worship God in the Spirit and in the Truth which was before Mass-Book was which got up many Hundred Years after Christ but that is and was the Publick and Universal Worship set up by Christ the Second Adam to the Sons of Adam in the Fall which brings every Man and Woman to Truth and the Spirit of God in their own Hearts in that Spirit and Truth they must Worship God But cries the World Did not they Pray in the Temple the Jew outward and must not you Pray in the Temple Yes the Jews in the Spirit prays in his Temple and sings and rejoyces in his Temple for what Do you not know that your Bodies are the Temples of the Holy Ghost And so if you Pray you must Pray in the Holy Ghost and rejoyce in the Holy Ghost and sing in the Spirit And how can you sing and rejoyce and pray in the Spirit but you must go into the Temple your Bodies being the Temples of the Holy Ghost For the outward Jew his Temple was thrown down And He is not a Jew that is one outward but he is a Jew that is one inward in the Spirit Stephen was Stoned to Death for denying the Jews outward Temple and witnessing Christ and Stephen was full of the Holy Ghost so he was the Temple of the Holy Ghost And so they whose Bodies are the Temples of the Holy Ghost are the Temples made without Hands which are set above all Temples made with Mens Hands But if you say Did not the Jews Priests dwell in the Temple and there they were to offer in the Temple I answer Yes there was but one Temple in the whole World commanded of God and it was set up at Jerusalem and never commanded to be set up in England Ireland Scotland France Spain and Rome but the Jews were to go either to worship at Jerusalem and there to keep the Feast of Tabernacles or else their Eyes were to rot in their Heads and their Tongues in their Mouths and their Camels were to die of such and such Plagues as in Zachary you may read And they were to come out of all Nations under Heaven to worship and keep the Feast of Tabernacles at Jerusalem and the Apostles did there wait at the time of Pentecost to be endued with Power from on High And so that Temple was thrown down about Forty Years after Christ For you that cry up outward Temple-worship made with Mens Hands in your own Nations are worse than the Jews for they were to have but one Temple and one People and that Temple is down and the Worship and he is not a Jew that is one outward but he is a Jew that is one inward in the Spirit And so Christ's Worship in the Spirit and Truth is set above the Jews outward Worship at Jerusalem and the Mountain Worship near Samaria and the Jew inward is set above the Jew outward and above the Jews outward Offering in his outward Temple and the Priest having Chambers in the Temple that was the Place of their Offering the Jew inward he offers in his Temple the Spiritual Sacrifices and no where else doth he offer but in his Temple for by the Spirit doth he offer to God who is a Spirit And they that offered in the Jews Temple were to wear the holy Garments so are you to do that are the true Christians and are called a Royal Priesthood What are all true Christians Priests Yes What are Women Priests Yes Women Priests And can Men and Women offer Sacrifices without they wear the holy Garments No What are the holy Garments Men and Women must wear The fine Linnen and they must go in White What is this the Priest's Surplice Nay the Surplice got up when the fine Linnen the Righteousness of Saints and going in White was lost What is the fine Linnen and going in White that this Royal Priesthood must wear which are the Royal Garments It is the Righteousness of Christ which is the Righteousness of the Saints this is the Royal Garment of the Royal Priesthood which every one must put on Men and Women so every one put of your Robes put on your Garments the Righteousness of Christ as a Cloak that you may offer to the Lord an Offering in Righteousness You that be sensible of the Lord's Mercies offer to him his Praise his Glory and Honour his Spiritual Sacrifice in your Temple as the sweet Odours Myhre and Frankincense And when the Jews Temple was cleansed and the Rubbish cast out of it the Glory of the Lord filled the Temple And when your Temples are cleansed and the Rubbish cast out of your Temples by your High Priest Jesus Christ in the Male and the Female who destroys the Devil and his Works you will witness renewing up into the Image of God into Righteousness and Holiness as Man was in before the Serpent got the Rubbish into him So Christ who destroys the Devil and his Works brings them to the State as Man and Woman was in before he got into him that is into Righteousness and Holiness and up into himself to the Measure of the fulness of Christ who was glorified with the Father
Jerusalem as in Zachary 14.12 So the outward Jew had but one Temple in the whole World and there they went to Worship in it and the Priest had a Chamber in the Temple And when Christ came he ended the Priesthood he ended the Offerings and the Temple and the Worship therein of the outward Jews and set up another Worship in the Spirit and in the Truth For when the Woman of Samaria that came to Jacob's Well said unto Christ How that our Father 's Worshipped in this Mountain where Jacob's Well was and the Well was made before Jerusalem was or the Temple either for Jacob died in Egypt and after him his Sons came out of Egypt and builded a Temple in Jerusalem and so there they set up a place of Worship after the Well was made So Christ said unto the Woman The Hour is coming and now is that they that Worship the Father must Worship him in Spirit and Truth and not at Jerusalem nor at this Mountain is God worshipped For God is a Spirit and they that worship him must worship him in the Spirit and in the Truth And then did Christ set up his Worship which was before the Popes Turks Common-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
Jew outward had but one Temple to Worship in the Jew inward must not have two for then they make a Sect and goes from Truth in their own Hearts and from the Spirit of God And so to Worship in the Truth and in the Spirit is to Worship in the Temple So every Man and Woman come to this one Temple Where is this one Temple Where the Spirit is in the Heart and the Truth in the inward Parts And this is the Temple that is not made with Hands do you not know that your Bodies are the Temples of the Holy Ghost And so this is the true Worship that Christ set up in the Spirit and in the Truth every Man and Woman in the whole World must come to it the Truth in their own Hearts that by it they may know the Truth and the God of Truth And by the Spirit they may know God who is a Spirit and so Worship him in the Spirit and in the Truth and this is the standing universal Worship that Christ the Second Adam the Lord from Heaven the Spirtual Man set up above Sixteen hundred Years since John 4. when he denied the Mountain Worship where Jacob's Well was and the Temple Worship of the outward Jews at Jerusalem where they went to the outward Temple Yearly to Worship And so every one are to Worship in the Spirit and come to the Spirit and Truth in their own Hearts and in that to Worship the God of Truth who is a Spirit as Christ commanded And so by the Spirit of Truth they come to Jerusalem which is above which cometh down out of Heaven from God So this is a true certain standing infallible and perfect Worship for Truth and the Spirit of God is certain infallible and perfect and so this Worship is a certain perfect Worship And so every one as I said before come to the Truth in your own Hearts and to the Spirit of God or else you cannot Worship the God of Truth who is a Spirit And every Man that Worships in the whole World who would find this Spirit and Truth they must go into the Temple And so in the Spirit and Truth Worship God who is a Spirit and this Spirit gives an Understanding to know God who is a Spirit and the Truth and to know the God of Truth who is to be worshipped in the Spirit and Truth who is God blessed for ever Amen G. F. FRriends To call Men Masters or Gracious Lord and putting off the Hat to them Epist 261. and the Man's Scraping with his Foot and the Woman's making a Curchey These Titles and Fashions not giving and observing doth not break the Law of Christ nor of God which respects no Man's Person but they are the customs of Nations which are vain and the great Manners and Civilities that lies among Christians is in saying You to one Man and the Man's putting off his Hat and scraping with his Foot and the Woman's bending her Knees and in these and such like things lies their Civilities their Honour and Manners and Well-Breeding as they call it But the right Manners is to keep People from evil Words which corrupts good Manners and God's Law and Christ respects no Man's Person And Man and Woman in their not Youing nor Scraping and Bowing are not unmannerly nor uncivil for Man was forbidden by the Angel to bow to him but to bow to God and to Worship him and to bow at the Name of Jesus who is called The Power of God and the Word of God for the Angel said to John he was his Fellow-servant So Servants were not to bow one to another and if they do is it not reproved by the Angel and reproved by Christ the seeking Honour one of another For how can you believe saith Christ that receive Honour one of onother John 5. So it is a mark that they are Unbelievers who receive Honour one of another and they are like the Pharisees that love the Praise of Men and are called of Men Master and like the Heathen that will be called Gracious Lords For saith he you are all Brethren and have one Master and Lord Christ Jesus and one Lord who is the Creator of all For all things were made subject to Man and Man subject to God all Creatures was to fear and dread Man and Woman but Man and Woman were to fear and dread God So all Christians are to have one heavenly spiritual Head Christ Jesus and heavenly spiritual Master and they all as Brethren are to serve and worship him And the Prophets and Apostles Thou'd God and Christ Kings and Princes and great Men and Women as you may see in the Scriptures and they were never offended at it And you never read in all the Scriptures of any that feared God that were offended at any for saying Thou to a single Person and standing with their Hats on unless it were the Pharisees that loved the praise of Men as it is said in the Book of Job If I give flattering Titles to Men my Maker would soon take me away And so all their flattering Titles and loving the Praise of Men and seeking Honour one of another it comes from that Ground that is out of Truth in the Image of the Beast and the Dragon who will be worshipped but the Angel would not be bowed down to by the Servant of the Lord he says God must be worshipped So they that Worship the Beast and the Dragon receive the Mark from the Dragon he Brands them and Marks them with his Spirit out of Truth and then he receives Honour from them and the vain Glory they give to him but they which are sealed with the Spirit of Promise they have their Father's Mark in their Fore-heads these Worship the Living God and are in his Image and his Likeness that he made them in the Beginning and in the Spirit of Christ Jesus and those are Christ's G. F. ALL Friends and People That is to be condemned in your selves which hath led you from Christ from God Epist 262. and from Vnity in the Light I say is condemned by the Light and must be executed and killed and stoned with the Living Stone and run thorow with the Living Sword and hammered down with the Living Hammer to pieces and burnt up with the Living Fire and so made an end of For that which leads into Loosness Whimsies Imaginations false Visions though it be condemned yet if it be not executed it is in danger to rise again and if it rise again and get over you it will be your Ruler if it get out of Prison and be alive and not executed For after a thing is condemned as Drunkenness Adultery Fornication or any manner of Loosness whatsoever or runnings out from the Spirit and Light if it be condemned and Judgment passed upon it if it be not executed there is danger of it's reviving For after a thing is Condemned and Judgment passed upon it it is to
God how soon they forgot him as in the Days of the old World and in the Days of Moses and in the Days of the Judges how they soon forgot God that had done great things for them and for sook God and his Way and Religion and Worship and followed such Gods as Men had made And in the Days of the Prophets how the People forsook the Lord God and in the Days of Christ and his Apostles how they were mostly gone astray from God though they kept an outward Profession of their Words yet denied Christ in his Light and Life and Power who was the End of the Law and the Prophets Many of old Time forsock the Truth and ran into Error And them that did receive Christ Jesus and believed in him in a few Ages after the Apostles how most of Christendom ran from the Life into Death and ran from the Light into Darkness and into Error from the Holy Sprit and into Babylon which is Confusion and from the Worship in the Spirit and in the Turth that Christ set up and follwed after the Worship of the Beast and the Dragon and went from the true Church after the Whore and from Christ the Way to God after the Ways that Men had made and from the Religion that is Pure from above after the Religions that Men have made And so now the Gospel is preached again Now the Gospel is preached again and the Living Way Christ to the Living God and his Religion and his Worship is set up and received of many and they come to the true Worship which is in God And all be Faithful All be faitbful and take heed of running back again where you were before lest you and your Children perish as others have done that forsook the Lord God for Mercies And therefore train up your Children in the Fear of God and in the Way of Christ and in his Worship and Religion that they may observe and keep in it when you are gone And walk in the Spirit and Truth And walk in the Spirit and keep in the Order of the Gospel in which God is worshipped and keep in the Order of the Gospel in the Power of God which was before the Devil was which Power of God will keep you Pure to God that nothing may get betwixt you and the Lord God And be obedient to the Law that God hath written in your Hearts and put in your Minds that you may be the Children of the New Covenant and that you may be the Royal Priesthood offering up to God the Spiritual Sacrifices And sitting under your Teacher the Grace of God which bringeth Salvation and seasoneth your Words and establisheth your Hearts And this Grace saveth and is sufficient saith God Almighty And you need no Man to teach you but as the same Anointing doth teach you to know all things which Anointing abideth in you And hearken all what the Righteosness of Faith saith speaking on this wise Rom. 10.6 7 8. The Word is nigh thee even in thy Heart and in thy Mouth to obey it and do it That thou need not say Who shall ascend to bring Christ from above or descend to bring Christ from the Grace c. for that is the Word of Faith which we do Preach G. F. To Friends in Carolina DEar Friends to whom is my Love in the blessed Seed Epist 288. which bruiseth the Head of the Serpent and is over all and changeth not which is the First and Last in whom you have Life and Peace with the God of Peace So you few that are that ways keep your Meetings Keep your Meetings in the Name of Jesus and meet together in the Name of Jesus whose Name is above every Name and Gathering is above every Gathering and there is no Salvation in any other Name but by the Name of Jesus and you Gathering in his Name where Salvation is he is your Prophet your Shepherd your Bishop your Priest in the midst of you to open to you and to santifie you and to feed you with Life and to quicken you with Life wait in his Power and Light that ye may be Children of the Light by believing in the Light which is the Life in Christ that you may be grafted into him the true Root and built upon him the true Foundation Who is the Foundation of his People who was the Foundation of the holy Prophets and Apostles and of all the holy Martyrs and is the Foundation of all his holy People now and is the Rock of Ages yea of the Ages of the Prophets and of the Ages of his Apostles and of the Ages of his People now and Martyrs who kept them above the Raging of the Seas and doth now which Rock the Wise Men builds upon the Rock that stands against all the Storms and Tempestuous Weather And therefore be valiant for God's Truth upon the Earth and his good Spirit and live in it by which you may profit in the things of God through which ye may answer the Witness of God in all and the Spirit which they grieve and quench which they are erred from through which he may be served and his Truth spread abroad So every one in your Measoures of the Spirit of God and Christ be faithful that in it you may increase and answer the Lord in a good Life and Conversation for all his Mercies And as every one hath received the Lord Jesus Christ so walk in him that you may serve the Lord in a New Life and worship him in the Spirit and Truth which the Devil is out of and by this Truth you may be made free by whith ye may be espoused and married to Christ Jesus for the Marriage of the Lamb is come and coming And therefore if you want Wisdom keep in the Truth that you may go to the Treasure of Life and of Salvation that you may be Heirs of the same and of Life and Possessors of it Yea I say Heirs of Life and Inherit that and that will be more to you than if all the World was your Portion and the Riches you lay up there will stand buy and be with uyou when time is gone and shall be no more For the Truth is the Truth and changeth not in which live and it will be your Peace and Joy everlasting And in the Seed Christ Jesus who bruises the Serpent's Head who was before the Devil was glorified with the Father before the World began and was from Ecverlasting to Everlasting the First and Last the Top and Corner-Stone in him live that you may inherit Life Everlasting and dwell in the Love of God in Christ Jesus that will edifie and build one another up and therein walk in all Holiness of Life and Conversation for that becomes God's House and dwell and live and walk in the Peaceable Truth that keeps you in Peace and in the Holy Fellowship of the Spirit the Bond of Peace by which
is Holy and Righteous and to live in Peace who hath promised he will give Christ Jesus for a Covenant of Light and Peace to you who are called Gentiles and venant of Light by which you shall come to have Peace with the Lord God the King of the whole Earth This is the King of Kings and Lord of Lords in whose Hand is the Breath of all Mankind This is the God of the Spirits of all Falsh who hath made all Nations of Mankind of one Blood to dwell upon the Face of the Earth And God having divided the Sons and Daughters of Adam and scattered them up and down the Face of the Earth being in the Transgression and Sin led away with the God of the World the wicked One the Devil that abode not in the Truth who causes People to destroy one another and murder one another about Earthly things This is the Prince of Darkness that rules in all the Hearts of the Children of Disobedience disobedient to that which is Righteous in them which discovers the unrighteous Actions and Words drom the Righteous And Christ the Second Adam the Lord from Heaven saves Men from Sin Christ the Second Adam the Saviour of Men. who is Prince of Peace and of Life and the Covenant of God who brings Men to have Peace with God and one with another who destroys the Devil the Author of Strife This is Christ the Second Adam which brings the Sons and Daughters of Adam into Reconciliation with God again and destroys Sin and finishes it and makes Reconciliation for Sin and Iniquity G. F. To Friends in Barbadoes DEar Friends Epist 293. To whom is my Love in the Lord Jesus Christ by whom were all things made and by whom all things do consist and who filleth all things and doth uphold all by his Word and Power Christ the Head of his Church c. who is the First and Last the Holy Head of his Holy Church and the Door into the Holy Way for his Holy People to walk in and the setter up of a Holy Worship in the Holy Spirit and Truth to worship the Holy God in and the setter up of a Holy Religion to keep from the Spots of the World which Religion is pure in his Sight And this never came out of the Brain-beaten Stuff of Man nor of his Chamber of Imagery but for his People to walk in that they might sing forth his Praises in Righteousness And therefore all Friends in your Men and Womens-Meetings be faithful and see how you do grow in the Truth and Power of Godliness and are circumcised and witness your Renewings into the heavenly Image of him that created you and that you all may be fruitful in the Knowledge and Grace of our Lord Jesus Christ who is the Orderer of all things and wear his Livery and fine Linnen the Righteousness of Christ and hold forth his Ensign and his Standard and all to be filled with his Grace and Love and peaceable Truth and be over all outward Earthly things so that none be Carnally but Spiritually minded And walk as becomes the glorious Order of the Gospel having the Water of Life in your Cisterns and the Bread of Life in your Tabernacles and Fruits on your Trees to the Praise of God Amen And all your Family Meetings do not neglect among your Whites and Negroes but do your Diligence and Duty to God and them To keep Family Meetings which you will not neglect if you keep in the Faith of Abraham and of the blessed Seed which inheriteth the Crown And be at Peace among your selves that each one shew that you are in Christ the Prince of Peace and that doth shew that you are the Disciples of Christ and Learners and Followers of him So possess him who is Life Eternal Aman. And your Love and Kindness toward us the Lord redouble it of his Mercy into your Bosoms We are all pretty well We have had great Travail by Land and Sea and Rivers and Bays and Creeks in New-England Jersey Delaware Maryland Virginia Carolina where we have had great Service among Friends and Governors and others and Men and Womens-Meetings and with the Indians and their Kings and Emperoar O blessed be the Lord God Almighty who is over all and over all giveth Dominion And Glory be to his Great Name for ever Amen And his Truth is of a good Savour in the Hearts of People and spreads So no more but my Love Read this in your Men and Womens-Meetings G. F. Maryland the 24th of the 12th Month. 1672. FRiends The Truth is above all will stand over all them that hate it who labour in vain against it Epist 294. and will bring their old House on their own Heads to their great Trouble Truth above all and in the Winter and cold Weather when that their HoUse is down and their Religion is frozen and their Rivers are dried up and their Husks are gone and the Swine begin to cry about the Plantations and the Vermin runneth up and down amongst their old Rubbish and their Sparks and Candles are gone out and Hail and Storms lighteth upon the Head of the Wicked then Wo will be to God and Magog and to all the Wicked who have no Covering In Christ you have Peace in the World you have Trouble No Peace with God can be enjoyed but in the Covenant of Light which it Trouble Amen G. F. FRiends at the first Convincement there is not so much danger Epist 295. for the Spirit of God keeps in the Fear of the Lord and under Judgment Our Knowledge must be in the Spirit then after getting Acquaintance or Knowledge and a Familiarity and a Liberty but not in the Holy Spirit there is great danger and therefore your Knowledge and Familiarity must be in the invisible Spirit for the Flesh Fadeth and withereth as the Grass So that Knowledge and Familiarity is as Grass that withers but the Word of the Lord endureth for ever And the right knowledge of one another is this To know one another in that Word which was in the beginning before Man fell For Man liveth not by Bread alone but by every Word that proceedeth out of the Mouth of God This is the fresh and heavenly Food from above and above all the Husks that the Swineherd feedeth his Swine with in the unrepented State G. F. FRiends All keep your Meetings in the Power of the Lord God that hath gathered you Epist 296. and none to quenth the Spirit nor despise Prophesying Quench not the Spirit c. and so keep up your Testimony in publick and private Let not the Mouths of Babes and Sucklings be stopp'd nor the Seed in Males or Females but all be valian for the Truth upon the Earth Concerning your Womens-Meetings encourage all the Women of Families that are convinced and minds Vertue and loves the Truth and walks in it that they may come up into God's
Salvation who Redeems out of the Curse and Fear of Men or that makes the Arm of Flesh his strength and not the Arm of God and therefore the Arm of the Lord being your Strength Christ your Rock and Salvation then you need not fear what Man can do unto you for all God's Children are dear and tender to him whom he hath begotten again by the Word of God to be Heirs of his Kingdom he feeds them with Life Eternal and the Milk of his Word which Word lives and abides and endures for ever and is always full and plentious of Milk to nurse and nourish all God's Children unto Eternal Life and to inherit his Kingdom and the World which is Everlasting which Christ is the Ruler of the heavenly and spiritual Man and therefore they that are in him must be New Creatures for all the Old Creatures are in old Adam And therefore my Desires are that you may all be settled in Christ Jesus who was dead and is alive again and lives for evermore a Prophet Counsellor Priest Bishop and Shepherd a Circumciser and Baptiser a living Rock and Foundation for evermore the Beginning and Ending the First and Last the Amen sit down in him and he in you in whom you have Peace with God Amen Swarthmore the 6th of the 12th Month 1678. G. F. MY Dear Friends Epist 353. Whose Faces are set towards Zion from this Dung-hill World of Vanity and Vexation of Spirit the Glory Comfort and Pleasures of which pass away they that have more or less of it and that enter into it enter into Trouble and when they are in it it is a great Trouble to come out of it and to be a Fool for Christ's sake Be a fool for Christ's sake who is not of this World but of the World that hath no end And therefore you must believe in the Light Grace and Truth that cometh from him in the Inward Parts or Heart which directeth your Minds to Christ from whence this comes and to unite to him that is Heavenly who saith Seek the Kingdom of God first and the Righteousness of his Kingdom then all outward things will be added to them that have found the Kingdom of God that stands in Righteousness over Unrighteousness and it stands in the Power of God over the Power of the Devil and was before he was and it standeth in Peace and Joy in the Holy Ghost over all the Unclean Ghosts or Unholy Spirits and the good Seed are the Children of this Kingdom which is Everlasting And take heed of your Wills and give not way to them but give way to the Power and Spirit of God which crucifieth it Submit your Wills to God and keeps it under the Cross of Christ so that your Inward Man may be renewed and the Old Adam put off so that the Day Light of Jesus Christ may be seen which Abraham rejoyced to see and so do they that be of the Faith of Abraham which Faith is the Gift of God that see the Son of Righteousness shine in their Hearts to nourish that which God hath there planted who watereth it with the living Water of the Word his living Plant And here is Water in your own Wells that you may drink out of your own Wells or Cisterns and to have Grapas off their own Vines from which they may have the new Wine in their new Bottles to glad and chear their Hearts with the Wine from the heavenly Branch of the heavenly Vine of which the Lord is the Husband-Man and this must every one of God's People feel What is the matter that all the World is of so many Ways since the Apostles days Because they are out of Christ the Way Out of Christ the one Way the new and living Way which is over all the dead Ways which was set up above Sixteen Hundred Years ago And why have they so many Religions Because that they are out of the pure and undefiled Religion before God which was set up above Sixteen Hundred Years ago which Religion keeps from the spots of the World and then this Religion must be above the World that keepeth from the spots of it and they that are gone from this Religion into them of their own making and tell People They must not be Perfect here and must carry a Body of Death with them to the Grave and others say That they must have a Purgatory when they are Dead this Doctrine is contrary to the Apostles who said Cleansed by the Blood of Jesus that They were cleansed by the Blood of Jesus and washed by the Water of the Word and this Blood and Water God's People must feel the effects of within to wash and cleanse their Hearts Souls Minds and Consciences Their Hearts and Consciences being sprinkled as the Apostle saith with the Blood of Jesus from their dead Works to serve the Living God For many may talk of the Blood of Jesus without them in their dead Works not serving the Living God their Hearts and Consciences being not sprinkled with the Blood of Jesus and they must feel it within as well as without And if they have Life they eat his Flesh and drink his Blood if they do live by him that is Heavenly and Spiritual the second Adam the Lord from Heaven For they have drank long enough into old Adam's unclean Spirit which is the cause that there are so many Bodies that they do vex and quench the good Spirit and resist the Holy Ghost which should Baptize them all into one Body that is to plunge down all Sin and Evil that is got up by Transgression and burn that up which is Chaff or Corruption and so to drink into one Spirit as the Apostles and Churches did in the Primitive Times and so to have the same Fellowship and Vnity in the holy spirit of Christ as they had to wit in Christ Jesus who was and is the holy Head of his Church his Elect in him And Jerusalem that is above is the Mother of all such and such do worship God as Christ taught above Sixteen Hundred Years ago in Spirit and in Truth So all must come to the Spirit and the Truth in their Hearts and Souls if they do know the God of Truth who is a Spirit and must worship him in Spirit and in the Truth into which holy Spirit and Truth the unclean Spirit and him that is out of Truth cannot come So all Will-worshippers and the Dragon and Beast and False Worshippers are out of this Holy spirit and Truth in which the Pure and Holy God is worshipped and as all that did eat of the Passover in the Old Covenant were to be Circumcised in the Flesh so are all in the New Covenant to be Circumcised with the Spirit by putting off the Body of the Sins of the Flesh that came upon Man by Transgression if they will feed on Christ their Heavenly Sacrifice All feed on Christ your beavenly Sacrifice
Living and the Leaves thereof heal the Nations And this Tree stands in the midst of God's Garden who saith In the midst of thy Church will I sing Praise The Eyes of People are upen it which are living Stones a spiritual Houshold of Faith Elect and Precious the Church of the living God written in Heaven so Holiness becomes the House of the Lord. And therefore the Lord doth require more from Friends than all other People because he hath given more to them and so all People do expect more from Friends than all other People in answering that of God in them all in truth and in Righteousness Holiness and Godliness for ye are the Lights of the World and the Salt of the Earth to season it So all must glorifie the Lord God in their Lives and Conversations with their Bodies Spirits and Souls which are Christ's who has bought them and cleansed them with his Blood and the pure Water of his Word who makes them sanctified Vessels of his Mercy for his Glory therefore none must dishonour the Lord. And therefore my Desires are that you may all be valiant for the Truth upon the Earth and keep up all your Men and Womens Meetings in the Lord's Power the Gospel which hath brought Life and Immortality to Light and it will preserve you in Life and Immortality over hom that hath darkned you and in this all will see their Works and Services for the Lord God and his Son Christ Jesus in that which hath brought Life and Immortality to Light in which Gospel is an Everlasting Perfect Fellowship and Order which will stand when all others are gone all the Saints that do enjoy this cannot but Praise the Lord and sing Praises to him for ever and ever Amen The Apostle saith If any Man be in Christ he is a new Creature old things are passed away behold all things are become new 2 Cor. 5.17 So they that are in Christ are new Creatures and they that are in old Adam are old Creatures and are in their old Things old Ways old Worships Old things done away and old Religions and have the old Garments and the old Bottles that hold the old Wine and cannot endure the new and have the old rusty moth-eaten Treasure And they that are in Christ the heavenly and spiritnal Second Adam who maketh all things new are new Creatures and spiritual Men and are heavenly-minded and are new Bottles that hold the new Wine and the new heavenly Treasure and have the new Cloathing the fine Linnen the Righteousness of Christ and are in the New and Living Way over all the dead Ways and they are in the New Worship which Christ set up above Sixteen hundred Years ago which is in the Spirit and in the Truth in which Holy Spirit and Holy Truth the Holy God is worshipped And this was new to both Jews and Gentiles and is new to all the Apostate Christians who are not in the Holy Spirit and Truth that the Apostles were in And this new Creature in Christ hath a new Religion which is pure and undefiled The new Creature bath the pure Religion and keepeth from the spots of the World And this Religion is new to the Jews and Gentiles and all the apostatized Christians that plead for a Body of Death and Sin to the Grave and a Purgatory when they are dead And they that be in Christ are new Creatures and they have a new Head who is the Head of all things the First born of every Creature and the Frist-begotten from the dead who is alive and liveth for evermore who bruiseth the Serpent's Head who hath made things old but Christ maketh all things new and they tht be in him are new Creatures and they that be out of Christ are the old Creatures in Old Adam and these old Creatures are doting about their old things and their old Bottles old Wine old Garments and are doting about their old Ways old Religions and old worships and persecuting one another with their old Carnal Weapons these old Creatures which dote about their old Worships Religions and Ways so that one old Creature falleth out with another old Creature so that these old doting Creatures in Old Adam out of Christ the Second Adam do wrestle with Flesh and Blood about their old Ways Religions and Worships And these old doting Creatures which be out of Christ the Saviour do destroy one another about their old Ways Worships Religions and Churches And these old Creatures that be out of Christ the Head are monstrous Bodies without a Head till that they have made one and then the old Creatures set it upon their Body which Head as they do think doth pardon their Sins and when this their Head is fallen off their Body then they do make another and set it on their old Creature 's Body But they that are in Christ are new Creatures And Christ is their Redeemer c. and Christ is their Head who is their Redeemer Sanctisier and Saviour who is alive and liveth for evermore and walk in Christ the Second Adam who is Heavenly and spiritual And the old Creatures out of Christ their Walk is in old Adam who are Natural and Carnal and so are their Weapons and Armour that they defend their old Ways Church Religion and worship with they are Carnal and not Spiritual by which they kill one another and the old Creatures do study or dote which way they may destroy or imprison persecute or banish spoil or torture the Righteous or new Creatures in Christ And they that be in Christ are new Creatures their Weapons and Armour are Spiritual and they do not wrestle with Flesh and Blood but Spiritual Wickedness and Rulers of Darkness in high Places and bring down Imaginations and high Thoughts as Christ whom those new Creatures are in teacheth them who saith that He came not to destroy Mens lives but to save them and rebuked such as would have had Mens Lives destroyed and told them that they did not know what Spirit they were of So it is clear that the old Creatures that be out of Christ which destroy Mens Lives about their old Ways Churches Religions and their old Worships do not know what Spirit they are of and although they do not know what Spirit they are of whether it be a good spirit or a bad one yet People must conform to that Way Religion Worship and Church that this old Creature that is out of Christ hath set up or else he will persecute them or destroy their Lives They that do Persecute for Rcligion are ignorant what Spirit they are of though Christ saith They do not know what Spirit they are of And is not this hard to conform to that which the old Creatures have made and set up which do not know their own Spirits nor what Spirit they bd of And therefore were not those Doctrines Ordinances Traditions and Rudiments of the World the old Creatures who
are in old Adam which they did and do dote after which the new Creatures in Christ Jesus the second Adam were not to taste touch nor handle for they did perish with the using And are not all the Will-worships and the Beasts and the Dragon's Worships of the old Creatures that be out of Christ bearing the Mark of the Beast in their Hand or Forehead And they that be in Christ which be new Creatures have their Father's Mark or Name in their Fore heads and worship the Holy Pure and Living God in Spirit and in Truth And it was the old Creatures that made Images and Idols and such make them now and worship them But they that are in Christ are new Creatures and are renewed up into the Image of God and worship him in his Holy Spirit and Truth that liveth for ever Amen And these cannot touch taste nor handle the old Creatures Images Idols Not to touch with the Rudiments of the World Doctrines Ordinances Traditions or Rudiments of the World which are the old Creatures in Old Adam which doth touth taste and handle them But the new Creature cannot who is in Christ the express Image of the Father and he maketh his new Creatures like himself Moses appointed Servants for God in the Law or Old Testament but Christ made Sons in the New Testament for as many as received Christ he gave them Power to become the Sons of God Swarthmore in Lancashire the 30th of the 11th Month 1678. G. F. To Friends in America concerning their Negroes and Indians ALL Friends Epist 335. every where that have Indians or Blacks You are to preach the Gospel to them The Gespel to be preacked to the Blacks Indians c. and other Servants if you be true Christians for the Gospel of Salvation was to be preached to every Creature under Heaven Christ commands it to his Disciples Go and teach all Nations baptizing them into the Name of the Father Son and Holy Ghost And this is the one Baptism with the Spirit into one Body which plunges down Sin and Corruption which hath gotten up by Disobedience and Transgression For all hath been plunged into Sin and Death from the Life for all died in Adam then they have been all subjected by the Evil Spirit which hath led them out of the Truth into the Evil and therefore they must all be baptized into the Death of Christ and put on Christ if they have Life And also you must preach the Grace of God to all Blacks and Indians which Grace brings Salvation that hath appeared unto all Men to teach and instruct them to live Godly Righteously and Soberly Which Grace of God is sufficient to teach and establish all true Christians that they may appear before the Throne of Grace And also you must teach and instruct Blacks and Indians and other Indians and Negroes directed to God's Spirit how that God doth pour out of his Spirit upon all Flesh in these days of the New Covenant and New Testament and that none of them must quench the Motions of his Spirit nor grieve it nor vex it nor rebel against it nor err from it nor resist it but be led by his good Spirit to instruct them and with which they may profit in the things of God neither must they turn from his Grace into Wantonness nor walk despitefully against the Spirit of Grace for it will teach them to live Soberly Godly and Righteously and season their Words And also you must instruct and teach your Indians and Negroes and all others how that Christ by the Grace of God Christ tasted Death for every Man and is the Propitiation for the Sins of the whole World tasted Death for every Man and gave himself a Ransom for all Men to be testified in due time and is the Propitiation not for the Sins of Christians only but for the Sins of the whole World And how that he doth enlighten every Man that cometh into the World with his true Light which is the Life in Christ by whom the World was made And Christ who is the Light of the World saith Believe in the Light that ye may become Children of the Light And they that do Evil and hate the Light which is the Life in Christ will not come to the Light because it will reprove them and love the Darkness more than the Light this Light is their Condemnation And so all must be turned from Darkness to Light to believe in the Light and from the Power of Satan to God and if they do not believe they will be reproved condemned and judged by Christ who hath all Power in Heaven and in Earth given unto him who will judge both the Quick and the Dead and reward every Man according to his Works whether they be good or evil And therefore you are to open the Promises of God to the Ignorant and how God would give Christ a Covenant a Light to the Gentiles Christ a Light to the Gentiles the Heathen and a New Covenant to the House of Israel and the House of Judah and that he is God's Salvation to the ends of the Earth and how that the Earth shall be covered with the Knowledge of the Lord as the Waters covers the Sea so that the glorious Knowledge of the Lord should cover the Earth And the Lord said The Example of Abraham for the Instruction of Families He knew that Abraham would teach and instruct his Family that they should learn to keep his Laws and Statutes after he was gone and Abraham did Circumcise all his Males yea them that he had bought with his Money of any Stranger Now who are of Faith and walks in the steps of faithful Abraham doth preach up and instruct all their Families in the Circumcision of the Spirit that they might be Circumcised with the Spirit which puts off the Body of Death and the Sins of the Flesh that is come up in Man and Woman by Transgression so that in the Spirit they may serve and worship the true and living God and so that ye all may come to enjoy the Presence of the Lord in your Families and improve your Talents that Christ hath given unto you for David saith that saw Christ in his New Covenant Let all Nations Praise the Lord and again All that have Breath Praise the Lord again Let the Poor and Needy praise thy Name And let all People praise thee O God And O ye Servants of the Lord praise the Lord for the Lord is good to all and his tender Mercies is over all his Works And all thy Works shall praise thee O Lord and thy Saints shall bless thee they shall speak of thy Glory and of thy Kingdom and talk of thy Power For the Lord saith From the rising of the Sun to the going down of the same my Name shall be great among the Gentiles And in every place Incense shall be offered unto my Name and a pure Offering
but Love that every one of you may be adorned with a meek and quiet Spirit which is with the Lord of great Price and every one of you to be indued with Wisdom from on High which is pure and peaceable gentle and easie to be intreated and full of Mercy and good Works let the Fruits of this appear among you all and then you will all be gentle and easily entreated one of another And keep in the Vnity of the Spirit which is the Bond of the heavenly Peace and then none quenches it and all walking as becomes the Glorious Joyful Peaceable Gospel of Christ which is the Power of God which was before the Devil and his Power was and is over him in this Gospel you all know Life and Immortality brought to Light that you all see your Everlasting Glorious Fellowship in the Everlasting Gospel of Peace in this Gospel the Power of God that was before Enmity was and will remain when it is gone And therefore all you who know this Glorious Gospel of Peace live and walk in it keeping your Glorious Heavenly Comfortable Fellowship in this Glorious Gospel of Peace in which Enmity cannot come as before and in this Everlasting Gospel the Everlasting God who is over all from Everlasting to Everlasting will have the Praise Glory and Thanks who is worthy of all for ever and evermore London the 7th of the 12th Month 1680. G. F. To Friends in Yorkshire DEar Friends Epist 365. In the Lord's Power and Holy Spirit feel his Presence amongst you who hath drawn you with his Spirit to his Son and you that have received him he gives you Power to become his Sons and Daughters and so from the Son of God the second Adam you have Power to meet whose Power is above Adam's Power and his Sons and Daughters in the Fall And now my Friends If you do want Wisdom and Knowledge to order you in the Affairs and Service of God Christ the Treasure of Wisdom c. Christ is the Treasure of your Wisdom and Knowledge and so receive them from his Treasury which is above This heavenly saving Wisdom and Knowledge from whence you have your Grace and Truth Light and Life and the Gospel the heavenly Spirit yea heavenly Food and heavenly Bread and Water of Life from above and the unleavened Bread and sweet Milk of the Word and Water of Life to keep the Feast of the heavenly Man's Passover which is not to be found in any of old Adam's Sons and Daughters Store-houses in the Fall but his old mouldy leavened sowre Bread which makes his Sons and Daughters Hearts to burn one against another and Cloaths them with his old Rags which will not cover their Nakedness which they have stitch'd together which must be all cast off and trodden under Foot by the Spirit and Power of Christ which Power turns you to Christ who Cloaths all his Sons and Daughters with his heavenly Fine Linnen which will never wax old And therefore let all your Lamps be trimmed and Candles lighted that all of you may see your Work and Service for God and Christ in this his Day So that you may have the Blessings from above from him as the holy Men and Women of God had in the days of old so that there may be nothing lacking neither Spiritual nor Temporal And so let all things be done in Peace and Love in the Name and Power of Jesus amongst you and all condescend to one another in Meekness Patience and Quietness in the Fear of the Lord being all ordered with the Wisdom of God which is from above which is pure peaceable gentle and easie to be intreated that all your Hearts Minds and Souls may be knit together in the Love of Christ and that you may be all of one Mind and Spirit in him and whatever you do let it be done in the Name and Power of Jesus to the Glory of God the Father that created all and takes care for all Blessed for ever Amen London the 6th of the 4th Month 1680. G. F. A Letter to the Captives who met together to Worship God in Algier DEar Friends I understand by a Letter from a Friend Epist 366. a Captive amongst you dated the 20th of the 10th Month 1681 That you have a Meeting there in Algier of about Twenty I am glad to hear you meet and it is very well that you have so much Liberty from your Patroons and my desire is That the Lord may preserve you all that do meet in the Name of Jesus that in your Lives and Conversations and Words To preach Righteousness in Life and Conversation you may preach Righteousness and Holiness and Godliness and the Life of Truth so that you may answer the Spirit of God both in the Turks and Moors and the rest of the Captives that God's City may be set upon the holy Hill there which cannot be hid but that all may see it with the Light wherewith Christ hath enlightned every Man that cometh into the World And that Christ's Ensign may be set up in those Parts that with his Light in all Men they may all see it and flock to it and Christ the Ensign furnisheth all that come to him with heavenly Armour and Spiritual Weapons Now Christ enlightens every Man that cometh into the World that every one may believe in the Light and may become a Child of the Light and have Eternal Life and be saved and so the Gospel of Salvation the Power of God is to be preached to every Creature under Heaven And he that believes is saved and hath the Salvation for Christ by the Grace of God hath tasted Death for every Man And the Grace of God that brings Salvation hath appeared to all Men And therefore all Men if they will have Salvation it must be by believing receiving and walking in the Grace of God which brings it And the Lord pours out of his Spirit upon all Flesh and therefore all Men and Women must come to this Holy Spirit of God by which the Spirit of Enmity may be slain and crucified in them that in this Holy Spirit of God they may all be in Love and Vnity and with the Spirit of God they may all come to know the Eternal Immortal God and serve and worship him in his Holy Spirit of Truth which he hath poured upon them And in this all will honour God and glorifie him through Jesus Christ in his New Covenant of Light and Grace And so my Dear Friends be faithful and valiant for God's Truth upon Earth and do not deny the Name of Jesus To be valiant for the Truth in whom you have Salvation whose Name is above every Name under the whole Heaven that ye may all be with his Light built upon him your Rock and Foundation that stands sure And now my Dear Friends tho' you remain as Captives yet if ye be Christ's and God's Free-men who leads the Devil into
which keeps in the Way of the Lord and commands their Children and Houshold to do the same they have the Blessings from Heaven above and the Blessings below yea the Blessings of the Eternal Inheritance and of the Kingdom of God and that was their chief Inheritance That all the Faithful Seed of Abraham sought to possess their Houshold and their Children in who did command their Children and Houshold to keep the Way of God that they might inherit the Blessing David saith Blessed is the Man that walketh not in the counsel of the Vngodly nor standeth in the way of Sinners nor sitteth in the seat of the Scornful But his delight is in the Law of the Lord and in his Law doth meditate Day and Night Now here is the condition of them that do enjoy the Blessing they must keep from the Counsel of the Ungodly and the Way of Sinners and the Seat of the Scornful Now here you may see David's Instruction how People might inherit the Blessing Levit. 10. That you may put a difference betwixt the holy and unholy and between the clean and unclean and that you may teach your Children all the Statutes which the Lord hath spoken unto them by the hand of Moses And it was so in the Old Testament that they might learn the Statutes there Surely much more they are to learn the Commands of Christ in his New Testament And in Deut. 4.9 10. To Teach our Children the Fear of the Lord. They were to Teach their Sons and their Sons Sons and again they were to Teach their Children that they might learn to fear God all the days that they lived upon the Earth c. This they were to teach their Children and again in Deut. 11. It was the Command of God that they were to Teach their Children the Commandments of God and they were to speak of them when they sat in their House and when they walk'd by the Way when they lay down and when they rose up and in Deut. 30. Moses told them that The Word was nigh them in their Mouths and in their Hearts that they might do it And David said Come you Children hearken to me and I will teach you the fear of the Lord. O fear the Lord you Saints there is no want to them that fear him Psal 34.9 11. Ye that fear the Lord trust in the Lord he is their Help and their Shield Psal 115.11 And you may see all along in the Old Testament they that feared the Lord were commanded to teach and instruct their Children the Way of the Lord that they might walk in it and inherit the Blessing which was a better Portion than outward Riches which will pass away for they make themselves Wings and fly away Solomon saith Train up a Child in the may he should go and when he is old he will not depart from it Foolishness is bound up in the Heart of a Child but the Rod of Correction shall drive it far from him Prov. 22.15 He that spareth the Rod hateth his Son but he that loveth him chastiseth him betimes By Mercy and Truth iniquity is purged out and by the Fear of the Lord they depart from evil Prov. 13.24 and 16.6 And the Apostle's Command is For Children to obey their Parents in the Lord for this is right Eph. 6.1 and Col. 1.3 20. It is well pleasing to the Lord Children to obey their Parents Children to obey their Parents and the Bishops or Elders were to Rule well their own Houses and to have their Children in subjection with all gravity and likewise the Deacons were to rule their own Children and their own Houses well Tim. 1.3 And likewise you may see the good Report of the Widows bringing up Children which followed every good work c. And in Titus such as were Elders or Overseers their Children were to be Faithful Elders to govern their Families well not accused of Riot or Vnruly and the aged Women were to be of good Behaviour as becometh Holiness c. and Teachers of good things and that they Teach the younger Women to be Sober c. And That the Word of God be not blasphemed And Titus was to exhort young Men to be Sober-minded For the Grace of God which brings Salvation hath appeared unto all Men teaching us that denying Vngodliness and Worldly Lusts we should live Soberly Righteously and Godly in this present World that being justified by his Grace we should be made Heirs according to the Hope of Eternal Life And Peter saith As Obedient Children not fashioning your selves according to your former Lusts in your Ignorance but as he who hath called you is Holy Be Holy in all manner of Conversation so be you Holy in all manner of Conversation and be not like them feeding themselves without fear which are the Clouds without Rain and Wells without Water and Trees without Fruit whom Jude declares against such cannot eat and drink to the Praise and Glory of God c. So you see what care both in the Old and New Testament the faithful Parents had to teach their Children the Way of the Lord and the Lord hath a Confidence in all them that fear him and are of the Faith and Seed of Abraham that they will not only admonish their Children and Houshold but Command their Children and Houshold after them to keep the Way of the Lord c. Gen. 18. And to keep out of the wicked Ways of the World The Apostle saith They which be of Faith are blessed with faithful Abraham And so are all the Children of God by Faith in Christ Jesus and if you be Christ's then are you Abraham 's Seed and Heirs according to the Promise Gal. 3. And so the Children of God are counted for the Seed which the good Seed Christ saith are the Children of the Kingdom And the Apostle spake to the Romans that they should Walk in the steps of the Faith of Abraham Again the Apostle saith to the Corinthians concerning Titus Walked we not in the same Spirit walked we not in the same steps And in the first Epistle of Peter Christ hath suffered for us leaving us an Example Christ hath suffered for us leaving us an Example that we should follow his steps who did not sin neither was guile found in his mouth So these were holy steps and are a Religious Holy People that walk in the steps of faithful Abraham and of Christ and the Apostles and these have the pure Religion and do visit the Fatherless and Widows in their Affliction and keep themselves unspotted from the World and these are they that are Circumcised with the Spirit and Baptised with the Holy Ghost and serve God Night and Day and worship him in Spirit and Truth and these are the Religious Families which are of the holy divine pure and precious Faith which Christ is the Author and Finisher of which Faith purifieth their Hearts and is their Victory by which
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
a Place and a Name better than of Sons and Daughters saith the Lord and I will give them an everlasting Name which shall not be cut off Isa 56. So you may see how the Lord doth encourage his People to walk in the Truth in Faithfulness to him for the Lord hath loved his People with an everlasting Love therefore with loving-kindness hath he and doth he draw them unto himself to serve and worship him Jer. 31. And Christ saith He that believeth on him hath everlasting Life Mark hath it as in John And again Christ saith He that drinketh of the Water that I give shall never thirst but the Water that I shall give shall be in him as a well of Water springing up to Eternal Life So every one mind this Well in you who have drank of the Water which Christ hath given you And the Apostle saith God will punist them who disobey the Gospel God will punish them that disobey his Gospel with an everlasting destruction from the presence of the Lord and from the Glory of his power 2 Thess 1.9 Here you may see everlasting Destruction to the Wicked that disobey the Gospel and everlasting Life to them that believe and obey the Bospel of Christ Now they that disobey the Gospel of Christ refuse their own Comfort and Joy of Life and Salvation which Gospel is the Power of God which is preach'd to every Creature under Heaven to believe and obey therefore happy are you who have received it and obeyed it which brings Life and Immortality to Light in you that you see over the Enemy which darkened you and are now become Heirs of this comfortable and joyful Gospel of Life and everlasting Salvation in which everlasting Gospel you have an everlasting golrious Fellowship and in this everlasting Gospel you can praise the everlasting God that reigns over all from everlasting to everlasting And all that are of the Seed and Faith of David can say as David said Blessed be God from everlasting to everlastin and let all the People say Amen Praise ye the Lord. And further can say That the Mercy of the Lord is from everlasting to everlasting upon all them that fear him and his Righteousness unto the Children of Men Psalm 103.17 For the Lord God he changeth not he is the same that he was who inhabits Eternity and dwells in the humble Heart and therefore you humble Ones fear and serve and worship him And keep under the Wing of Christ and in him your Sanctuary and Saviour who destroys the Destroyer and is over all the First and Last Amen Dear Friends To shew forth the Nature of the Lamb. Who are under Sufferings for the Name of the Lord Jesus Christ and for his new and living Way and his pure undefiled Religion and his Worship in the Spirit and Truth that Christ who is from above and hath all Power in Heaven and Earth hath set up for all the followers of the Lamb to walk in his new and living Way and to keep in his pure undefiled Religion and Worship in Spirit and in Truth And now Dear Friends and Brethren my desire is That you may shew forth the Nature of the Lamb and the Vertue and the Life in which the Nobility of true Chriftianity is seen and manifested in your peaceable modest and vertuous Behaviour before the Powers that you are brought before and that none are to question or take thought what they are to say for it shall be given you in that same Hour what ye shall speak saith Christ Whosoever therefore shall confess me bfeore Men hism will I confess also before my Father which is in Heaven For with the Heart Man believeth unto righteousness and with the Mouth Confession is made unto Salvation Rom. 10.10 And every Tongueshall confess to God Rom. 14.11 And again the Apostle saith That every Tongue shall confess that Jesus Christ is Lord to the Glory of God the Father Philip. 2.10 So we cannot but confess and declare what our Eyes have seen Every Tongue shall confess to Christ and our Ears have heard and our Hands have handled of the Word of Life Christ Jesus by whom all things were made and created And Christ and his Disciples who often met on Mountains and in the Wilderness and on the Sea-side and in Ships and sometimes in Houses We do not read that the Jews and Priests called Christ and his Apostles Meetings Routs or Riots though the Jews and the chief Priests were bad enough against them For all Routs and Riots are out of the Spirit of Truth and so is Misbehaviour of all People for the Truth is peaceable and brings People into peaceable Lives and Conversations out of Routs and Riots and Misbehaviour and in Peace they worship God and they worship God in the Spirit who is a Spirit an din this holy pure Spirit is the Unity and Bond of Peace and is the Bond of good Behaviour and of holy Walking and Talking and it is the Bond of peaceable Lives and Conversations of all that worship God in Spirit and Truth and walk in the New and Living Way and keep in the pure holy and undefiled Religion And so Dear Friends be of one Mind and heart and Spirit and God Almighty Arm you with Patience and Humility who is God All-sufficient to give you Dominion with his Power and to support you And so with my Love to you all in the Lord Jesus Christ And let your Moderation appear unto all Men for Wisdom is justified of her Children And what any one of you doth want God is All-sufficient to supply you trust in him and in fear walk before him London the 3d day of the 10th Month 1684. G. F. POSTSCRIPT JOhn said Of evil Spirits That he saw three unclean Spirits like Frogs that came out of the Mouth of the Dragon and out of the Mouth of the Beast and out of the Mouth of the false Prophet Mark they do go out of their Mouths for they are Serpents and Devils working Miraracles that goeth out of their Mouths the foul unclean Spirits which goeth forth unto the Kings of the Earth and of the whole World Mark the whole world to gather together them Mark to gather them so here they are to be gathered to the Battel of the great day of God Almighty Rev. 16.13 14. And Satan the old Serpent shall go out to deceive the Nations which are in the four Quarters of the Earth God and Mgog to gather them together to Battel the Number of whom is as the Sand of the Sea so here is a gathering together by the Devil and they went upon the breadth of the Earth and compassed the Camp of the Saints about and the beloved City and Fire came down from God out of Heaven and devoured them so these were gathered together by the Devil the Destroyer was destroyed by God the Saviour of his People Rev. 20.8 And the Lord scattered Nimrod that mighty
5. Now all Women may here consider what is to be the Practice of such Women that profess Godliness and trust in God their Adorning is the hidden Man of the Heart which is Incorruptible and their Ornament is to of a meek and quiet Spirit which is in the sight of God of great Price but those Women whose outward Adorning is with broidered and plaited Heir and Gold and Pearls and Costly Array these have not the modest Apparrel which become Modest Sober Shamefaced Women that profess Godliness with good Works but such as are Unsober and Immodest such as look upon such things to become them are cloathed with corruptible and unquiet Spirits that do not possest Godliness with good Works and these outward Ornaments as plaiting and broidering the Hair and wearing of Gold and Pearls and Costly Array the Apostle saith Do not become Women professing Godliness with good Works but them that do not profess Godliness that are Shameless and Unsober they may become such Women that do not trust in God their proud Spirit may lead them to adorn themselves with such things as is said before which the Apostle forbids but the holy Women of God which professed Godliness with good Works and trusted in God adorned themselves not with plaiting the Hair or wearing of Gold or Pearls or Costly Array but with the hidden Man of the Heart in that which is not corruptible even the Ornament of a meek and quiet Spirit which is in the sight of God of great price And now consider also you Women that profess Godliness and go under the name of Holy Women who trust in God see that your selves and your Children and all your young Women are Adorned and Arrayed and have on this Ornament as the Apostle wills the Church of Christ to put on as the holy Women did of old and be not of an unmeek and unquiet Spirit and unsober and immodest when you are admonished and exhorted nor act contrary to the holy Women of old that trusted in God and such as professed Godliness according to the Apostles Doctrine And here you may see what care the Apostles had to keep the Saints the Church of Christ their Eyes Minds and Spirits above the wearing of Gold plaiting their Hair and Pearls and Costly Apparrel which is the Glory of this World which the holy Women that trusted in God and professed Godliness with good Works these things were not to be their Adorning nor Ornaments but as is said before the hidden Man of the Heart which was not Corrupt even the meek and quiet Spirit which is with the Lord of great price And this ought to be and is the Adorning and Ornament of all the holy Women that profess Godliness with good Works and trust in God And all you that have been Convinced of the Lord's Truth by his Spirit To refuse the Glory of the World take heed of Satan taking you up into a Mountain and of his shewing you the Glory of the World and of your Minds and Eyes going after it and receiving of it and so in that you fall from the Spirit and Truth of God that did Convince you and then to worship the Devil the King of Pride the God of the World that abode not in the Truth in whom there is no Truth and he to lead your Minds and Eyes after every new vain Fashion of the World that passeth away and that lieth in wickedness and so draweth you to the Love of the World which is Enmity to God and into the Wisdom of the World by which ye do not know God and then to such the Gospel of Life and Salvation is hid in whom the God of this World hath blinded their Minds and in such disobedient Ones the Prince of the Air rules and gets into them by disobeying the Truth and in such Christ doth not rule in their Hearts by Faith And it is not like when they make Shipwreck of it and a good Conscience And therefore walk in the Light of Christ and grow in his Grace and the Knowledge of the Lord Jesus Christ that bruises the Serpent's Head and destroys the Devil and his Works that you may all be established upon Christ the Rock and Foundation And if ye do believe in the Covenant of Light Life and Grace then why do not you all train up your Children in the same To Train up our Children n the Coveant of Grace Did not the Lord command the Jews to train up their Children in the Old Covenant and teach them to walk in it And were not all the Males to be Circumcised And they that were not Circumcised were to be cut off from the Congregation of the Lord So are not all you that profess the New Covenant of Grace Light and Life and the Gospel of Salvation preached to every Creature and the Grace of God which brings Salvation that hath appeared unto all Men to teach them to live Godly and to deny Ungodliness c. I say are not you all to train up your Children and Families in this Light of the Gospel and Grace of Christ which brings Salvation and brings them into favour with God that you may have the Comfort of your Children in this World and in that which is Everlasting And that they may be Circumcised with the Spirit of God which he poureth out upon all Flesh that with his Spiritual Circumcision the Body of Death and Sins of the Flesh may be cut off which are come into Man and Woman by Transgression that neither you nor they might dye in the Body of Death and in the Sins of the Flesh and such do not dye in the Lord for they that are not Circumcised with the Spiritual Circumcision are cut off from the heavenly Jerusalem and the Kingdom of God and Christ and from the Church of the Living God written in Heaven And therefore if you will have the Comfort of your Children in this World and that which is to come train them up in the Fear of God and in his Covenant of Light and Grace which Grace brings their Salvation and brings them into Favour with God and into the Spiritual Baptism and Circumcision so that they may serve and worship the Living God in his Spirit and Truth Amen And if Children and young People must be left and let alone to themselves and not be Admonished Exhorted and Restrained from the Evil and Vanities of the World then why did Moses and the Prophets and the Apostles which were sent of God exhort the People to train up their Children in the Fear of the Lord and to teach them his Law while they were young that they might not depart from it when they were old And if that they did the Lord did judge them as ye may read in the Scriptures of Truth and if that they must be left to themselves and not restrained from Evil then how came it to pass that old Ely lost his Life and his Priesthood Ely
worships him must worship him in Spirit and Truth The Beastly Nature in Man and Woman holdeth up the Beast and his Customs and Worships and the Plagues of God are to be poured upon the Beast and all them that worship the Beast and false Prophet And they that abide in the Truth worship not the Beast Inwardly nor Outwardly The Worship of the Beast denied but deny all the Beast's Worships and false Prophets and worship God in Spirit and Truth And they which do not abide in the Truth hold up the Beast's Worship and the false Prophets and they that do so shall have their Portion together Plagues will be poured upon such And ye that know God dwell in the Truth and tread upon the Deceit for God will be Glorified alone To whom be Glory and Honour for ever Amen G. F. TO all my Dear Brethren Epist 20. whom the God of Power hath enlightned with his Eternal Light and discovered unto you his Way of Truth and brought you out of the dark ways wherein ye have walked which dark ways all the World walks in But where the pure Light of God is witnessed it guides to himself The Light is but one which leads out of Darkness and the dark World into the World which is without End Therefore all Friends and Brethren in the Eternal Truth of GOd walk in it up to God and be not Sayers only nor Backsliders for the Backslider is a Sayer and not a Doer and there ariseth Ambition Pride and Presumption out of that Nature But dwell in the pure Light which God hath made manifest to you in your Understanding and turn your Minds to him and walk as Children of the Light The Backslider a Sayer and of the Day and be not Drunken in any thing nor run not to Extremes in any thing but be Moderate and Patient Wait for the Presence of the Great God and our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ and be not so Childish as to be tossed with Mens Words without Life And run not out after others Liberties which they have got into their Notions for thou that dost so wilt not abide in the Truth and so thou may'st come to be shaken and shake others who look at Words But wait every one in particular in the Measure that God hath given you upon God in the Fear of God then your Hearts will be kept clean and this is the sure Way And wait all to have the Son made manifest in you and the Son alone to set you free in your selves in particular The Son makes free and all that are made free by the Son are one But the first Nature that would have Liberty must go into Captivity which they that live in their Carnal Reasoning seek Freedom for But here is Man deceived in his first Birth But ye all in whom the Immortal Seed is brought to Light who are raised up to sit in heavenly Places with Christ Jesus and are become Children of the Day walk as Children of the Day and as Children of the Light and Let your Light so shine before Men that they may glorifie your Father which is in Heaven All loving the Light ye love the one thing which gathers your Hearts together to the Fountain of Light and Life and walking in it ye have Unity one with another and the Blood of Jesus Christ cleanseth you from all Sin The Knowledge of the Letter The Knowledge of the Letter which you formerly got into your Notions and Comprehensions the dark Mind gave dark Meanings to it and so kept you in the Broad Way but now wait all to have the same Spirit manifested in your Understandings which was in them which gave forth the Scriptures who were come out of the Broad Way Holy Men of God who had escaped the Pollutions of the World And if every particular of you know not a Principle within which is of God to guide you to wait upon God ye are still in your own Knowledge which is bruitish and sensual But waiting all upon God in that which is of God ye are kept open to receive the Teachings of God And the pure Wisdom and knowledge is that True Wisdom and Knowledge which comes from above which is to know God and Jesus Christ the Way which is hidden from the World and to walk out of your own Ways and out of your own Thoughts And dwelling in that which is pure up to God it commands your own Reason to keep silent and to cast your own Thoughts out and dwelling in that which is pure it discovereth all this So dwelling in the Spirit it keepeth all your Hearts to God To whom be all Praise Honour and Glory for ever From Judge Fell 's in Lancastire ' the 31st of the 11th Month 1652. G. F. To Friends at Kendal TO that of God in you I do speak Epist 21. that ye may watch over the Weak and see how the Plants of the Lord do grow And walk in the Joy and Love of the Truth Watch over the Weak serving God with Joyfulness of Heart and to you this is the Word of the Lord. And keep all that is bad down and out with the Light which condemns all Ungodliness so keep all that out which is for Condemnation that ye may all be preserved clean and pure that out of Condemnation ye may be kept and walk in the living Light So God Almighty be with you all And I charge you to read this among the Brethren and these Words mind with the Light that no Loosness be amongst you but own and be obedient to the Commands of the Lord that ye may stand out of and above all the contrary Commands of Man And so Fare-well G. F. OH Friends Epist 22. keep close to the Light in you and do not look forth at Words that proceed from a vain and light Mind but at the Power of Words The Power of Words For the Words of God that proceed from him are Powerful and Mighty in Operation to the throwing down of all the strong Holds of the man of Sin The Lord is coming in Power to gather his Chosen ones to himself and to Judge and Condemn the wicked One for evermore He will plague the Beast and burn the Whore and plague and torment the Disobedient and Rebellious and Backsliders very sore Therefore ye that know the Voice of the Lord hearken to it and see how ye stand in his Fear and how ye are brought into the Obedience of the Truth And take heed of looking forth at Man but keep close to the Light in you and see that your Minds be kept close to that and guided by that and being guided by that it will keep you clear and pure to receive the Teaching of the Lord. Have Salt in your selves and let your Words be few and seasoned Words few and savoury that they may be savoury And watch over one another in Love and walk in
in Battle against all the Philistians The Armour of Light and the Enemies of God being led and guided with the Spirit up to God the Father of Spirits that what ye do beget may be to him and into his Image and that which ye do present it may be perfect And so Mind this Sow not sparingly for the Lord hath a Seed that-aways So the Lord God Almighty preserve you And stir abroad whilst the Door is open and the Light shineth and so go on in that which letteth you see the World to comprehend it and to see what is imprisoned by it and suffereth by it So the Lord give you an Understanding in all things and his Arm go along with you that ye may be to his Glory And the Blessing of the Lord be with you DEAR Francis and Edward In the Life of God wait that ye may be with it led and kept to receive Wisdom from God To Fra. Howgill and Edw. Burrough that ye may order all things there with it and to be manifest to the Witness of God in all that ye may beget to God that as good Plow-men and good Thresher-men ye may be to bring out the Wheat Good Plowmen So the Lord God Almighty keep and preserve you G. F. DEar Friends Dwell in that which keeps your Peace Epist 136. and comprehends the Deceit and answers that of God in every one To Friends to dwell in that which keeps Peace And let Friends keep their Meetings and never hearken to Tales nor things without but keep their Peace and know the Life and Power Vnion and Fellowship which stands in God in and with which ye may stand over the World in the one Power Life and Wisdom Meetings and therein be kept to the Glory of the Lord God So in that which is pure the Lord God Almighty preserve you G. F. FRiends Let God's Wisdom have the stay of your Minds Epist 137. and let it be the End of all your Words beware of that Spirit God's Wisdom that leads out of it into any thing There is a Day coming wherein some may wish that they had walked in Wisdom Weaknesses and Failings as touching the Weaknesses one of another or the Failings one of another for what know ye who may stand or who may fall in the Day of God's Trial Then many that have been unstable may wish that they had kept their Secrets in their Bosoms and in God's Wisdom sought to restore all Secrets and not to scatter as that Spirit doth which cannot bear and cover the Weaknesses one of another who are yet in the Wilderness where the Trials are many I have seen a great Danger in this thing Wherefore beware of that Spirit that cannot bear one with another Forgime and Cover or forgive one another for that which cannot will discover rather than cover and bring a Cloud over many wheresoever it is received and raise the contrary in many and vail the Just it may be in whole Meetings for want of Wisdom to be stayed in the Meek Spirit The Meek Spirit which trys all Spirits and gives clear sight of things For want of this many may be cast by and scarce ever restored again Therefore I say Tread over the Dead and that which works in that Nature and reach to the Witness in all so will ye stand for God and God will bless you in the Day of Trial. G. F. FRiends Epist 138. Ye that are the Prisoners of the Lord Jesus Christ in outward Bonds who witness him by whom the World was made who is the King of Saints and who are his Prisoners Note and come under his Dominion and Government Ye are not your own but purchased with his Blood which washes and makes you clean and justifies whose Bodies are his Temple Though he suffers you to be Imprisoned yet in his Power your Bodies are kept and your Spirits also ye standing Witnesses for your Master Standing Witnesses for your King for your Prophet for your Covenant of Light for your Wisdom of God him by whom all things were made for the Word and Power by which all things were made and upheld against the Powers of Darkness who are out of the Light out of the Truth who cannot bind stop nor limit the unlimited Power which is over it and comprehends it They who are born of the Word and in the Power which upholds all things over that and the Power of the Evil One have Victory and sing over the false Prophet The false Prophet For the Devil was the Deceiver who in the Truth abode not and there is the false Prophet who speaks of his own and not from the Lord and there is the Beast that makes the War against the Lamb and his Saints who witness the Testimony of Jesus and the Word of God Therefore mind the Word of God ye Children of the Light who are in the Light that comes from the Word mind the Word of the Lord which is as a Hammer and as a Fire and sharper than a Two-edged Sword And ye who are the Lord's are not your own but they who are in their own Time The Time in the Father's hand see not the Time which is in the Father's Hand their Time is always and they do their own Works and not the Works of God which the Son of God did G. F. FRiends Epist 139. Know the Praying in the Spirit and with the Vnderstanding then ye will come to know the Sighs and Groans that cannot be uttered Praying in the Spirit For such as have not the Spirit that gave forth the Scriptures to guide them are as the Pharisees were in the Long Prayers and in the Wrath and in the Doubting and do not lift up holy Hands This makes a Difference between Praying in the Spirit and the Pharisees long Prayers that devoured Widows houses AND None owns the Light as it is in Jesus but he that owns the Light that Christ lighteth them withal And none owns the Truth Light and Truth but who owns the Light that cometh from Christ the Truth And none cometh to the Father but such who owns the Light that cometh from Christ which leads to him Nor none owns the Son except he owns the Light that cometh from him FOR all dwelling in the Light that comes from Jesus it leads out of Wars leads out of Strife leads out of the Occasion of Wars and leads out of the Earth up to God Wars and Strife out of Earthly-mandedness to Heavenly-mindedness and bringeth your Minds to be in Heaven G. F. ALL Friends every where Epist 140. that do suffer for Tithe and are served with Writs to answer at London take Copies of your Suppoena's and Writs To Friends Concerning Collecting their Sufferings that ye may have them when ye Appear to shew them to the Court whereby ye may be kept a top of the Persecutors
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
like it self Oh therefore mind the Holy Life the Chast Life That is the Bride's Cloathing by which she adorns her self for her Husband Christ Jesus Therefore in that which keeps your Peace live there is your Life and Dominion that Weeds may not grow nor Brambles but that it all may be cut down and weeded out For those grow through the Liberty of the Flesh and by that ye come to be darkned and lose your Discerning and Feeling The Beam in the Eye and there gets the Beam into the Eye by which ye come to Judge with that Judgment which is for Judgment which should be judged down by the Spirit of Truth and Peace And so Live in the same Peace with God and one with another and have Fellowship in the Chast Life and in the Spirit and Power of God And keep down that which lusts to Envy and Strife and Contention for that will not nor cannot bear true Judgment but will flatter and fawn and sow Dissension and so in the End will bring Dishonour both to God and his People That can never abide true Judgment or sound Doctrine for that Adulterates from God and joins in Marriage with that which is Adulterated from God And so the Vnchast follows the Whore and the Adulterer The Whore and Adulterer and goes to the Marriage-Supper of the Adulterer and the Whore but the Chast Virgin follows the Lamb and goes to the Marriage-Supper of the Lamb Therefore all live in the Chast Life by which ye may follow the Lamb of God to his Supper and Marriage And keep ye all out of that from whence Contentions and Strife and Wars arise which are the Fruits of them that live in the Lust which is seen with the Everlasting Power the Ground from whence Strife and Contention and Wars come The Ground of Strife the Vnchaste which live in the Lust which Lust will defile all that receive it Therefore all Friends every where your Fellowship is to be in the Gospel the Power of God and in the Spirit the Fruits of which is Peace in which ye all will be kept in Dominion Pure and Chaste to God and one towards another For all that come to the Sabbath of Rest must put off their Old Cloaths which they have worn in their Old Works Labours and Travels For Six Days the Jews were to labour but the Seventh Day was their Rest which is Perfection G. F. Concerning the Light FRiends Ye that be turned to the Light in it Wait Epist 155. in it Meet together that with it your Hearts may be joined together up to Christ the Head from whence the Light doth come The World's Gatherings with which ye may see all the World and all the Gatherings that are out of the Light which are in the Vanities of their Minds and in the Rebelliousness of their Hearts and Stubbornness of it from the Light But ye believing in the Light and receiving it ye receive and come into the Covenant with God and Peace with God and into that which gives the Knowledge of his Glory and of his Image And this Belief giveth the Victory over the World and brings unto God and into his Likeness and separates you from the World The World and its Likeness and its Likeness and Image and its Fashion which is out of the Light and its Knowledge and its Wisdom and its Honour and its Fear and its Love and its Rejoycing which are out of the Light in the Flesh and in the Iniquity where the Soul is in Death But in the Light rejoycing and walking ye receive the Love of God shed abroad into your Hearts which Love rejoyceth in the Truth mark in that which the Devil abode not in with that ye know and will know the Increase of God and know God and his Law put in your Minds and in your Hearts written where the Fear is placed where the Secrets of the Lord are revealed and the Light which is the Truth comes to be walked in Here is a Joy in the Lord where no Flesh glories In this waiting in the Light the World where there is no End it gives you to see World without End and the Power of the World which is to come ye will come to see and be Partakers of Which Power ye receiving who are in the Light it brings you to become the Sons of God and to be Heirs of the World where there is no End and of the Everlasting Inheritance which fadeth not away and the Riches which are durable where no Thief can come nor nothing to rust or canker for that is out of the Light that doth thieve rust or canker and in the Transgression Therefore ye Saints in the Light of the Most-High God whose Name is dreadful amongst you and his Power made manifest in Measure and his Glory appearing Walk worthy of the High Calling The High Calling Keep your Dominion keep your Place of Rest in the Power and Strength of the Almighty and Meet together in the Love Vnity and Peace Meet in the Love and know one another in this Love that changeth not which being received ye walk in that which condemns that which is changable This Love rejoiceth in the Truth and hath Dominion over him that abode not in the Truth but rejoyceth in that which the Devil abode not in And here the Spirit is received in which God is Worshipped the Father of Spirits He that believeth here believes in the Lord and shall never be confounded for he believes in that which doth Confound and Condemn those who are out of the Light and gone from the Word of God in the Heart and from the Power of God and from the Light of the Glorious Gospel which is the Power of God The God of the World hath blinded their Eyes that abide not in the Truth they are gone from the Light which is the Truth and all that are blinded by the God of the World The God of the World these are out of the Light and out of the Truth Therefore ye being in the Light and to it turned the Light of the glorious Gospel the Image of God is seen and the glorious Gospel received Therefore walk in the Light as the Children of the Light and know the Wisdom that is of her Children justified that ye may answer the Light in every one that comes into the World that hateth it And keep your Habitations that ye may every one feel your Spring in the Light which comes from the Lord and feel your Nourishment and Refreshment which waters the Plants and causeth them to grow up in the Lord from whom the pure living Springs come The Water the Witness And here is the Water which is the Witness in the Earth which doth wash and here comes the Spirit to be known the Witness which doth baptise and the Witness the Blood which doth cleanse which agrees with the Witness in Heaven So he that
Habitation They will say They must not Meet together such as are gathered in the Name of Christ Jesus that never fell who is above Adam that sell And thus the Devil would lay all wast and make the World like a Wilderness and break down the Bounds of the righteous Gardens and Plantations and would break them down into his Wilderness and lay them barren and wast And so when they are gone fromt he Truth themselves the Devil is got into them and would keep them from Meetings Meetings to draw others into the same who are gathered into the Name of Jesnes and are come to sit down in the heavenly Plate in Christ Jesus and are found with the Flock that lie down at Noon-day And so that fallen Spirit would bring the Saints to for sake their Assemblies and wouldmake them like a Wilderness if he cannot he will throw Dirt upon them and back-bite them and prejudice them and slander them and speak Evil of them and strive to sow discord amongst them and preach up some outward things amongst them to bring them into an outward Fellowship from the Immotal Power and Gospel-Fellowship and fill them with Earthly Wisdom and Knowledge Carnal Policy and Vnderstanding and carnal Policy with Quirks Tricks Turnings and Windings to over-word and ensnare the simple and to bring them into Questioning And so this Spirit is to destroy ruin and lay wast and to rob and beguile and would destroy if it were in its Power the Saints Fellowship and Worship and if it were possible to deceive the Elect. For sometimes it will come in the shew of Worship and fained Humility and other times with Esau's Tears but all the strength of it is set to lead the Innocent out of his Habitation and to destroy and devour him And so being adulterated from the true Spirit the true Light and the Fellowship in it Secret Evills it runs into all the secret Evils inward Adultery and outward Adultery Vncleanness and Fornication and being in the Evil Darkness and Vncleanness judges all like unto it self with its evil Thoughts and casts out its Flood of Evil-Speaking and Wickedness upon the righteous and just the Saints of the Most-High whose Garments are clean and pure And so this Spirit will cry down the Saints Fellowship in Spirit and Worship in Spirit and Truth and their Fellowship in the Power which was before their Forms were or the Devil either and when it cannot get them down and break their Fellowship to forsake their Assembling together which is contrary to the Apostles Doctrine and the Churches in the Primitive Times before the Apostasy and when they see they can neither break their Fellowship nor Worship Forms of Worship then they say Away with your Forms and cry down Forms to such as be in the Power of Godliness and that Spirit 's Work that doth so is to bring into such Forms in Time which are out of the Spirit and Truth and Power of God in which the Saints have Fellowship and Refreshment in which God is worshipped in that which is above and was before Time And that contrary Spirit its Work is to bring into the many Invented Forms in the Fall and sometimes runs out of all right Form into Confusion and out of all Orde of Life in which the Saints of the Most-high that walk in the Spirit are in the Fellowship and Power of Life having the Order of Life amongst them Keep your Habitation And therefore all Friends Keep your Habitation every where in the Truth of God and let your Lights be shining and your Lamps burning and have Oil in your Lamps and Salt in your selves to savour withal that ye may grow up into Christ Jesus by whom all things were made that wer made that through him ye may know all things And so Live in him that destroys the Enmity and in him sit in Christ Jesus in whom ye have Vnity Life Peace and Salvation The Honour was given to him that never changed nor never fell True Honour who is Christ Jesus and ye in him are partakers of this Honour and they that change and fall do not know this Honour but are a Dishonour to him G. F. FRiends live in the Seed of God that destroys the Devil Epist 188. who is the Author and Cause of Wars and Strife and brining of Men and People into the Earth where the War Strife and Pride is The Author of Wars here the outward Sword-men have not learned yet to beat their Swords and Spears into Plough-shares and Pruning-hooks Yet ye that are in that Seed see that ye Accuse no Man falsly that hath the Sword of Justice The Sword of Justice which is to keep the Peace and is a Terror to the Evil-doers and to keep down the Transgressors and for the praise of them that do well this is owned in its place But he that killeth with the Sword must perish with the Sword So there was a Time the Jews were to fight with outward Weapons with Sword and Spear Outward Weapons but there is a Time when Nations shall not learn War any more but shall come to that which shall take away the Occasion of Wars which was in the beginning before Wars were And Friends take heed of blending your selves with the outward Powers of the Earth ALL Friends dwell in the Life and Power and Seed of God 2. To Friends to dwell in the seed in which is their Safery in which ye may be kept in the Son of God's Kingdom and preserved in his Dominion out of all changable things in that God's Blessing will be with you In the Seed of God is the stayed State and in that is the Life and Peace with God and the Offering that satisfieth God and that perfecteth for ever them that are sanctified The stayed State And the Seed bruises and destroys the Serpent's head who is the Prince of the Air the Prince of Darkness the Tempter and the Troubler in which Seed is Peace and Life enjoyed and by the Wisdom of it to be ordered to God's Glory And there the Reign of Christ is known who is come to reign and to rule G. F. To Friends in New-England and Virginia MY Dear Friends Robert Hodson William Robinson Marmaduke Stevenson Peter Pearson William Brend William Leara and the rest of Friends in New-England and Virginia Epist 189. Concerning Judging Be faithful to the Lord in the Truth of the Lord God 8. Month 15. nd in his Power and Wisdom be valiant for it upon the Earth and spread it abroad and confound Deceit And dwell in the Power of God and stand in it which comprehends the whole World that through it ye may answer the Witness of God in every one and be a Dread to Nations And go on in Peace and Love and Vnity one with another and keep in the Wisdom of the Lord God that ye may be answerable to the
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
Apostles and Saints who sate in the heavenly Places in Christ Jesus where many sit now in Christ the Seed the First the Last and Beginning and the Ending and who sits in him as I said before sees where all the Apostatized Christians have sate since the Apostles Days who have removed their Seat from the Apostles and have not sate in the Seat the Apostles and the Saints sate in for had they sate in the heavenly Places in Christ Jesus him that destroyed the Enmity the Devil and his Works they had all sate in Vnity and Peace And they see where Jews sit where Gentiles sit and where Adam and Eve sate before they fell and where they sate in the Fall with their Sons and Daughters and where the Apostles sate in the heavenly Places in Christ Jesus They that sit in Christ they sit in him the Apostles sate in who is the First and the Last the Beginning and the Ending they see the Top and Corner-Stone over all set in which the Life flourisheth over all which was before the Devil the Power of Death and the Power of Darkness was which Seed Christ bruiseth and destroyeth the Saints sit in whom they have the Pastures of Life that floweth over all Death and was before it was and the Power of it 8. So as New-born Babes desire the sincere Milk of the Word that you may grow thereby mark the Milk that comes from the Word which was in the Beginning by that Milk is the growth and not in the Traditions handle not them nor the Rudiments nor the vain Inventions of Men neither touch them not taste them not for they perish with the using of them so then they do not grow by them But they may say Thou deniest the Means because thou dost not handle the Doctrines the Commandments the Rudiments that perish with the using Now that is not the Means but that is the Means the Milk that comes from the Word by which thou must grow thy growth is not by that which perisheth but as I said by the Milk that comes from the Word which was in the Beginning before the false Doctrines Traditions Rudiments of Men false Churches false Ways false Teachings Worship and Religion was before all these was the Word of God was thou dost not grow by any of those if thou shouldst teach them all thy Life-time and spend thy Days thou art never the nearer neither dost thou grow by them nor by the Tongues which makes their Divines the beginning of which was Babel which builds up and throws down as you may see Did they not build up the Church-Faith and Directory and now throw them down again Here is Babylon and were they not offended because you would not touch their Ordinances and told you you denied the means Now doth not the Word of God live abide and endure for ever when they are all gone So feed upon the Milk of the Word that you may grow by that Milk that comes from the Word that was before their Tongues and when you are redeemed from the Tongues and see the Beginning of Tongues Babel thou that feekest for the Milk of the Word Milk of the Word thou must seek to before Bable and Babylon was for the Word was before Babel was and stands when Babylon is down So the Milk which cometh from the Word is it by which thou must grow up in the things of God and this keeps the Eye pure and nourisheth thee up in the Word of Wisdom Word of Life Word of Patience by the Milk that comes from it up into the Word of Wisdom for Wisdom is with the grey Hairs and so up into the Life up into a living abiding State for the Word liveth and abideth for ever and by the Milk that cometh from the Word which was in the Beginning before the Fall of Man was with all the Confusions false Ways Worships Churches the Word was before they all were and abides when they are all gone feed of the Word the Milk of it and be quiet with the Milk by which thou growest and art nourished up to Everlasting Life by which thy Fruits will be unto Holiness and the End Everlasting Life feeding upon the Milk that comes from the Word which was before Vnholiness was and stands and remains when all that is gone by these you are all nourished by this you all grow in a living and abiding State upo into the Word Christ whose Name is called the Word of God in whom is the sitting down so Heirs of Christ and of Salvation inherit Salvation and Heirs of the Power of an Endless Life and Heirs of a Kingdom that hath no End and of a Power of a World to come So know this to be your Portion every one that you may be Heirs of the Blessings and inherit them that with them you may be cloathed meeting in the Name in the ftrong Tower meeting in the Spirit in which you may pray unto and worship God and sing which is the publick Worship of God which hath been lost since the Apostles Days by and amongst the inward Raveners from the Spirit of God which have been got up into particular Worshipping and Praying which if they come to the Publick they must come to the Spirit of God which their Fore-fathers inwardly ravened from and to the Publick Praying in the Spirit So dwell in the Love of God and build up your selves in the most Holy Faith and keep the Unity of the Spirit in the Bond of Peace and Worship God in the Spirit and Trath which the Devil is out of and in that meet in the Truth in the Power of God which wwas before the Devil was in which is the perfect Fellowship the Gospel-Fellowship which stands in the Power of God which was before the Devil was or the Fall of Man either where all Imperfection was and is which the Power of God expels away in which is the perfect Fellowship as I said before the Worship of God is a perfect Worship it is in the Truth in the Spirit so the Truth is that the Devil is out of and all Imperfection which Truth was before Imperfection was the Worship in the Truth never changeth which is of the God of all Truth who is a Spirit and this is the perfect standing Worship which will stand when all the Worships in the Fall is gone Devil Dragon Beast and Will-worship for Truth was before they all were for they are not perfect being out of Truth our of that which is perfect So all Friends be faithful and valiant for the Truth of God upon the Earth For there are Religions only for the Summer while the Sun shines amongst the Sons of Adam in the Fall but when the Storm comes their flight is in the Winter So this Day manifesteth every Birth of what sort it is and at that look it is not professing God nor Christ nor the Scriptures nor the Ordinances but mind the Birth he that is Born of
Floods nor Rains for the Seed Christ is over all and doth reigh And so be of good Faith and Valiant for the Truth For the Truth can live in the Goals And fear not the loss of the Fleece for it will grow again and follow the Lamb if it be under the Beast's Horns or under the Beast's Heels for the Lamb shall have the Victory over them all And so all live in the Seed Christ your Way that never fell and you do see over all the ways of Adam's and Eve's Sons and Daughters in the Fall And in the Seed Christ your Way you have Life and Peace and there you do see over all the ways of Adam in the Fall in which there is no Peace So in the Seed Christ stand and dwell in whom you have Life and Peace the Life that was with the Father before the World began The 9th Month 1663. G. F. DEar Friends who have tasted of that which is precious Epist 228. and have felt the Truth convincing of you and also felt the Power of the Lord God I feel something amongst some of you that is not right and how that such get up into the wise Part but are out of the Power and out of the Life and with that Judges and are beholding the Moats in others Eyes whilst the Beam is in their own Eyes Oh! Abuse not the Power in which is the Gospel-Fellowship which will keep all in Unity and grieve not the Spirit in which is the true Fellowship and the Bond of Peace Keep down High-mindedness despise not Prophesies and quench not the Spirit in the least for that is Flesh and not Spirit in your selves that doth so Judge not before the time that the Lord do come who brings to light all the hidden things of darkness in you run not into outward things that is the fleshly Mind that will run from one thing and so be restless and will not know what Seat to sit in after it hath been in one outward thing it will run into another and call it his growth in the Truth and fall a Judging others but that Jadgment is after the Flesh and there growth is in the Flesh for the Fruits of it is Strife Backbitings Whisperings and leads to Idleness Busie-Bodies from House to House Slandering Scandalizeing Vilisying and are in Lightness out of the Fear of God in Varience and sowing Dissention and these are the Seeds-Men of the Flesh and not of the Spirit and so feeds one another with that which burdens the Seed and quenches the Spirit and destroys the Love and Vnity which Love you should grow in So the Fruits of every Birth manifesteth it self the Fruits of the Spirit is Love and Peace and Truth and Plainness and Righteousness and Godliness But the Frutis of the Flesh are Backbitings Whisperings Lyings Slanderings Scandalizing And therefore mind what this Birth hath brought forth and shame it that hath cryed up outward things and what it hath run into and what it hath drawn you into that are in it and what it hath rent you from and whether you are not come to a loss and whether you are not gone into the Flesh and into the Air and lost your first Habitations of Tenderness and Compassion for every Birth knows its own and is grieved when it s own is Judged and that will never love plain Dealing and righteous Judgment which is honest and true but will have the false Prophets Cushion and Pillow and can neither endure sound Doctrine nor Judgment And therefore mind your first Habitation and first Love and that which did Convince you that you may all come into Life and Power to sit down in the Habitation of it in Love and Life and Vnity and let there not be a Backbiter nor Slanderous Tongue nor Lyar nor Whisperer Reproacher nor a Busie-body found amongst you for if there be it will leaven one another and bring Darkness and Death upon you Therefore as I said before Dwell in the Power of God in which you may keep Vnity Life Love and Peace and in which Power of God you may be drawn up out of Satan's Power into the Power of God in which is my Life and in it is my Habitation and Dwelling where I know the unspotted Garment hid from all the unclean Beasts Tongues Lips Hands and Eyes and Blessed are all you that keeps in the Power and have kept your first Habitation for you grow up as Calves in the Stall and such gad not abroad to change their ways for the Birth of the Flesh would have some outward thing to feed upon but the Birth of the Spirit reigns over it Farewell Lancaster Prison the 6th Day G. F. FRiends Epist 229. Let not your Knowledge be after the Flesh but in the Spirit Let not your Fellowship be in the Flesh but let it be in the Spirit So know Vnity in the Spirit and in the Gospel Let not your Affections be in the Flesh and on things below but let them be set on things that are above and on things that are heavenly above the things below Let not your Souls be subject to the Lower Power of Darkness which is out of the Truth lest you bring Destruction upon your own selves but let your Souls be subject to the Higher Power that is above the Lower Power of Darkness Let your Acquaintance and Familiarity be in the Spirit over that which would ensnare or entangle you and bring you not Bondage Let all your Minds be Heavenly and not Earthly Let all your Minds be Spiritual and kept above all that which is Carnal then they are kept out of Death in Life and in Peace For the Invisible is above all the Visible and the Immortal is above the Mortal and the Eternal is above the External and the Incorruptible is above the Corruptible As Life is above Death Life Light and Truth over the contraries and Truth is above Error and Falshood and Light is above Darkness and Righteousness is above Unrighteousness so the Goldy are above the Ungodly and Holy above the Prophane the Just is above the Unjust and the true Prophets and the true Ministers or Preachers and Apostles and the true Desciples are above all the False And the true Christ is above all the Anti-Christs and God is above the Devil and Virture is above Vice and the true Worship in the Spirit and in the Truth is above the false which is out of the Spirit and the Truth and the true Belief and Faith and Hope is above the false Belief which is Unbelief and the Living Faith is above the Dead Faith and the Hope that is the Anchor both sure and stedfast Anchors the Soul in the great Sea the World Sure Anchor when the Liviathan maketh a Storm among the Tongues Peoples Nations and Languages which are as Waters then the true Hope standeth and stayeth and is sure and stedfast and keeps the Soul up to God a-top of the Sea
Spirit the Living God who is a Spirit the God of all Truth he hath his Glory and Honour from the Spirit of the Lord in every Heart And so keep in the Spirit and Truth and Power of the Everlasting God who is from Everlasting to Everlasting that you may know him Lord of the Earth and of the Heaven and of the Heaven of Heavens Ruling and Reigning whose Eye is over all his Works that you may glorifie him in his Power and Spirit and serve him in the New Life which will keep you over all Mens Fables and Devices Whimsies and Imaginations out of all Janglings and vain Disputes of Men of corrupt Minds And so it is good for you all to live in him which is the same to day as he was yesterday Christ Jesus the Power of God and the Seed of Life and Word which was in the Beginning So no new thing but that which was and is to all Eternity Let your Fellowship be in that and your Vnity and Communion be in that for this is seen by the Eternal Eye the Eternal Vnity and the Eternal God So hear his Voice every one of you that speaks from Heaven whose Voice shakes the Earth and not the Earth only but the Heavens also The Heavn imports Joys So all the false Joys the lifted-up Joys or exalted Joys and Joys in vain glory and Joys in the world or any outward thing or creature and Men or Women His Voice that speaks from Heaven shakes the Earth and the Heavens and this must be shaken and removed both the Heavens and the Earth before that doth appear that can never be shaken the Noble Royal Seed Elect and Precious before the World began being Heirs of Him come to Inherit Him In Him you shall know that which cannot be shaken and there is the true Joy in that which is from Everlasting to Everlasting who is the Beginning and Ending Here is not any either lifted up or fallen down to dispair So I say hear his Voice harden not your Hearts for not hearing the Voice you harden your Hearts and then you provoke God to Wrath and sore Displeasure Let Him have your Ear that speaks from Heaven that you may come to observe his Counsel Teaching Instruction and Direction for all the Prophets and holy Men of God and the Apostles were attentive and obedient to this Heavenly Voice who Witnessed to the Truth who had a Witness in Heaven also And such declared forth the Glorious Truth which they had from the Instructions of the Almighty as you may read throughout the Scriptures what glorious Expressions and weighty Truths they declared whose Ears were attentive to Him that spoke from Heaven and how also they declared against them that stopped their Ears and closed their Eyes and hard ned their Hearts Their Ears not being attentive to the Heavenly Voice but to the Earthly and so if the Earthly and the Sin and Evil have the Ear it will fill it with that which is bad and harden the Heart and choak the Good therefore the Lord must have the Ear who is the Ruler of Heaven and Earth And as your Ears are attentive to the Lord's Voice that speaks from Heaven Iniquity's Mouth is stopped in you the Throne of Iniquity is thrown down in you that is the Wicked Spirit and Power where Iniquity fits and the Chambers of Imagery are thrown down in you where all Thoughts and Imaginations are As the Ear is attentive to the Voice of Him that speaketh from Heaven you will come to the Throne of the Lamb who hath the Power who hath the Victory and the Dominion that all may live there in the Everlasting Power of God that goes over all Deceit which was before Deceit and Darkness was and always feel a growing in the Power of the Lord God that is Universal and Everlasting that you may all be Heirs of the Power of an Endless Life and come to Inherit it and possess it and sit down in the Possession of the same that every one's Lot may fall in the Land of the Living where the Lord hath his Glory and his Honour for ever and ever O the Glory Glory of the Lord that spreads it over all And here you have his Savour and can taste your Meat in the Power of the Lord God feeding upon every Word that proceeds out of the Mouth of God having every one's Ear attentive to his Voice In this you grow up in the Life that is Eternal G. F. OH Dear Friends Epist 246. Mind every one your Habitation in the Power of the Lord God that first Convinced you and keep your Possession in it in the sense of God's Love and Mercy to your Souls for your Vnity and Fellowship lies in the spotless Power Truth and Life of the Everlasting God of Life and Power and herein to you the Springs of Life will be opened through which you may be daily Refreshed up to the God of Life Oh be tender of the spotless Truth and Life through which you may come to answer it in all Friends that they may have Vnity with you in the same Life and Power through which you may be a good Savour to God and a Blessing to him in your Generations serving the Lord God in the Newness of Life as a Chast Spouse and Bride to him in Body Soul and Spirit having an Esteem of your Bodies which are for the Lord and to be his Temple not for Adultery or Fornication nor Idolatry Oh therefore mind and keep in the holy Life and feel the Moving and Counselling Power and Spirit of the Almighty in you directing you into the Ways of Truth and Righteousness Peace and Holiness without which none shall see God Live in the Peaceable Life and love it eye that which makes for Peace for God is the Author of Peace and not of Confusion So live all in the precious Truth of God feeling it in its Operation through which Vnity and the Peaceable Life may be preserved amongst you in Righteousness and Peace for Wars and Strifes and Troubles and Fightings comes by Unrighteous Actions which is below Truth and Righteousness for Truth leads into the modest decent and comely Life which is Honourable and Esteemable to God and in the Hearts of all his People So live in the Truth and the Power of it that you may all come to be Heirs of the Power of an Endless Life and to Inherit and Possess the Endless Life the Power of a World that hath no end And so keep your Eyes to your Possessions and to the Life that hath no end and herein you will encrease in the Truth in the Righteousness and Holiness and the Power and Virtue of the Holy Life and so sit down in your Possessions that you may all serve the Lord in a pure Mind Soul and Spirit and none to defile your Bodies but have esteem of them as Vessels of Honour and Vessels fitted to receive the Treasures of the Lord. London
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
be executed For you know after a Thief or a Murderer is Condemned and Judged and have Sentence past upon him yet he is not executed that Day the Execution comes afterwards And therefore after Condemnation or Judgment is past upon any inward Evil or any outward Action of Evil let Execution be speedily done with the Living Hammer and the Living Sword and the Living Stone that the Living Fire may burn it up and consume it No Man after he hath beaten his Child hateth him ever afterwards but loveth him if he repent and amends so doth the Eternal Father and if the Child be fallen down into the Dirt he doth not go and tumble him more into the Dirt or into the Ditch and there let him lie in the Dirt and Ditch but takes him out and washes him and so doth the heavenly Father which leads his Children by his Hand and dandles them upon his Knee And so all that be called Fathers in the Truth or Mothers their Tenderness should be the same to all little Children in the Truth that can hardly go without leading that sometimes may fall into the Dirt and Ditch and ship aside and then be troubled and cry To such there should be Tenderness shewn and to wash them and help them and Love to such should be manifest for there is difference betwixt a stubborn rebellious and wilful Child and one that is Penitent for those must have great Chastisements that knows the will of their Father and doth it not they must have greater Stripes and sorer Stripes they must look for be sure to expect it than the other For Christ is manifest in the Flesh to condemn Sin in the Flesh all that witness Christ in them Male and Female I say Christ manifest in their Flesh he doth condemn the Sin that is in their Flesh yea and makes an end of Sin and finishes the Transgression and brings in Everlasting Righteousness into them But first he condemns the Sin that is in their Flesh the Unrighteousness in their Flesh and Ungodliness in their Flesh the Lyar the Swearer that is in their Flesh the Adulterer the Fornicator the Idolater and all Sin whatsoever it is he condemns in the Flesh So Christ is manifest in the Flesh to condemn the Sin that is in the Flesh that every one that witnesses Christ condemning Sin in the Flesh that they through Christ that condemns Sin in the Flesh might become God's Righteousness so they become anothers But the Sin being uncondemned in the Flesh they are of the Serpent of the Unrighteous One of the Ungodly One who adulterated from Truth they are his But the Sin being condemned in the Flesh Christ is manifest in the Flesh so that they become Christ's they are God's and are in Christ who destroys the Devil and his Works that are out of Truth And these know the New Life which God is served in and these know the New Earth wherein dwells Righteousness and these knows the Old Earth wherein dwells Vnrighteousness And these can bring forth things New and Old For they that are led by the Spirit of God are the Sons of God they that are led by the Spirit of the Devil are the Children of the Devil and his Works they do the Works of their Father as they that are led by the Spirit of God his Works they do the Works of their Father and all they that quench the Spirit of God and vexes the Spirit of God and grieves the Spirit of God and hate the Light of Christ and walks despitefully against the Spirit of Grace and turns it into wantonness and disobeys the Word of God in their Hearts and Mouths Sure you all may see such are not the Sons of God and do not the Works of God though they may profess the Scriptures from the beginning of Genesis to the end of the Revelations Neither doth that Birth know the Scriptures for they are known by the Spirit of God the Holy Ghost which led the holy Men of God to speak them forth by the same Spirit are they known again And Christ who was conceived by the Holy Ghost born of the Virgin he is known by the Holy Ghost again which led the holy Men of God to give forth Scriptures which now leads into all Truth And all them now who despise Revelations Inspirations Prophecies Gifts and Talents they despise the Spirit of God and his Gifts Such are neither Ministers of God or Christ nor his Sons but are the Sons of him that is out of the true Spirit that is of God in the Darkness Babel and Confusion who think they can do great matters with their Languages and with them make a Trade of the Scriptures who cannot endure any People should come to the Spirit that gave them forth for none can walk in the Spirit that quenches it and vexes and grieves it And none comes into the Church Fellowship that grieves and vexes and quenches the Spirit of God For the Fellowship is in the Spirit that is the Bond of Peace and none is led into all Truth but by the same Holy Ghost that was in the holy Men of God that gave forth the Scriptures of Truth And all that are led by this Spirit of Truth are led from the Spirit of the Devil that is out of Truth And all that are led by the Spirit that is out of Truth are the First-Birth of the Flesh and of that Murderer which will persecute him that is born of the Holy Spirit of God which leads into all Truth Which they that are led by the Spirit that is out of Truth are out of both the Father and Son And they that are led by the Spirit of Truth are the Sons of God and here are both in the Father and in the Son and in the Truth which abides for ever And here the Heir the Son inherits his Possession his Inheritance in the Kingdom that never hath an end The true Hope the true Cross the true Faith the true Worship the true Religion the true Way true Image and true Fellowship have been lost since the Apostles-Days amongst those called Christians which are out of the Life And they that have lost the Cross of Christ which is the Power of God in which is the true Fellowship they have set up a wooden or a stone Cross c. so false Crosses false Christians They that have lost the true Hope which purifies as He is Pure they have set up a Purgatory to cleanse them when they are dead And others cry up a Body of Sin and Death on this side of the Grave with their Hypocrites Hope and they have lost the true Ministry and set up a false One to preach up Imperfection And People were imperfect in old Adam before Christ came for the Law made nothing Perfect but the true Minister Christ in you the hope of Glory doth make Perfect both in the Apostles Days and now Christ in you the hope of Glory said the Apostle
whom we preach warning every Man that we may present every Man perfect in Christ Jesus So the Perfection is in Christ Jesus the Imperfection is in old Adam So this is the true Hope that purifies which every one that hath it purifies himself even as he is Pure And every one that hath not a Possession of this Hope pleads for Impurity and Imperfection and a Body of Sin and a Body of Death unto their Grave and a Purgatory when they are dead Such have a Profession of the Scriptures like the Pharisees and the Hypocrites Hope which shall perish And the true Faith hath been lost since the Apostles Days the true Faith which purifies the Heart which is the Faith of God's Elect which Faith gives Victory over that which separates from God in which Faith ye all please God which Faith is the Gift of God and Christ is the Author of it every one look unto him for it for the finishing of it who is the Author of it In this Faith have all the Saints Vnity in that which gives Victory over the Devil for by the Faith which is the Shield do they resist him and quench his fiery Darts and they resist him that would defile them and make them imperfect and lead them into those things which would displease God And all that be out of this Faith they cry No Victory while we be upon the Earth but they must have a Body of Sin unto the Grave and a Purgatory to cleanse them in these be all in the Error concerning the Faith these have made Shipwreck of Faith and a good Conscience these are all in the dead Faith and so cannot preach the true and Living Faith of God's Elect These are all out of Vnity for the Vnity is in the Faith which gives Victory over the Devil These be out of the just Life which Just lives by his Faith The Life that I now live is by the Faith of the Son of God yet it is not I but Christ that lives in me said the Apostle And all that walks in the Faith of God's Elect which is the Victory over the Devil they walk in Vnity over the Enmity And the true Worship hath been lost smce the Apostles Days yea the Worship that Christ set up above Sixteen hundred Years since in the Spirit and in the Truth yea in the Spirit of God which was before the Spirit of the Devil was who is out of Truth and in the Truth which the Devil is out of In this Spirit and in this Truth God who is a Spirit and the God of Truth seeks that Men should worship him in the Truth and so every Man and Woman must come to Truth in the inward Parts and to the Spirit of God within themselves if they be Worshippers of God in the Spirit and Truth which the Devil abode not in And this is the standing and perfect Worship in which there is Vnity in the Truth for the Enmity is out of it and he cannot get into it Glory be to God for ever And Men that are erred from the Worship that Christ set up above Sixteen hundred Years since they are from the Truth within and the Spirit of God And by that unclean Spirit they have worshipped Images they have worshipped the Works of their own Hands they have worshipped the Dragon they have worshipped the Beast they have worshipped the Creature they have worshipped Angels persecuted one another about their Worships and they have persecuted the true Worshippers These are in the Blind Zeal who have hated the Light And so none can worship God who is a Spirit but they must come to the Truth in their inward Parts and to the Spirit of God in themselves by which Spirit they must know God to be a Spirit and to worship him in the Spirit They must know God to be the God of Truth and then worship him in the Truth which the Devil is out of in the Enmity an Adversary And this is the standing perfect infallible Worship that Christ Jesus the perfect infallible Man set up above Sixteen Hundred Years since And the true Way is lost since the Apostles Days which Christ set up above Sixteen Hundred Years since who said I am the Way to the Father and no Man cometh to the Father but by me So no one comes out of Old Adam but by Christ the Second Adam No one comes out of Darkness but by Christ the Light no one comes out of Death and from under the Prince of Death the Power of it but by Christ the Life So he is the Way to God No one comes out of Vnrighteousness but by Christ the Righteousness no one comes out of the Wisdom below but by Christ who is the Wisdom of God which is from above And no one comes out of Error and Evil but by Christ the Truth So he is the Door and the Way to God Almighty And no Man comes to the Father but by him No one comes out of Captivity or Prison but by Christ the heavenly Man And so they having erred from Christ the Way they have set up so many Ways in Christendom among them and fall out about their Ways one with another Enmity being among them Now Christ is the Way which the Unclean cannot walk in who was before the unclean Way was for he is over all the unclean and he is over all the perverse and crooked Ways and Mountainous Ways and evil and unrighteous and ungodly Ways he is over them all And none comes to this New and Living Way Christ Jesus but who come to the Grace of God in their Hearts the Spirit of God in their Hearts So he is the New and the Living Way who is the First and the Last the Beginning and the Ending set up from Everlasting to Everlasting And all that be out of this New and Living Way though they have all the Scriptures from the beginning of Genesis to the Revelations yet they are dead and under the Power of Death which Christ the Way destroys through Death yea the Power of Death the Devil and was before Death and his Power was Here is the New and the Living Way And the true Religion hath been lost and erred from since the Apostles days The Religion that is pure from above and undefiled before God which keeps from the spots of the World which is to visit the Widows and the Fatherless Now they that are out of this Religion have made many Religions but they are spotted and defiled and they cry up a Body of Death and Sin and Imperfection to the Grave and a Purgatory when they are Dead And their Widows and their Fatherless and Strangers go begging up and down their Streets and High-ways so their Steets and High-ways are Judges against them and their Bodies of Death and their Purgatories manifests their Errors and Ignorance from this pure Religion that comes down from above which is not of Man's making but comes down from God which
will not have of your Bread of Life and Water of Life let them fast Of the Bread of Life that will neither receive nor give for the Bread of Life and Water of Life is not only given to feed your selves but by it you may feed others and refresh others therefore have Bread in your Houses and Water in your own Well and Fruit of your one Tree and Salt in your selves to Savour withal that you may try all things and have Oil in your own Lamps that they may burn in your own Temple and Odour and Frankincense that it may burn continually upon your own Altar that it may ascend as a sweet Savour Holy and Pure up to God who is Holy and Pure Be not removed off your Ground wherein you may grow and increase And so quench not the Spirit despise not Prophecy hate not the Light but improve your Talent hide it not but improve it mind the Kingdom within and the heavenly Penny and the Spirit of God which is given to Instruct you and walk according to the Rule of the Spirit of God that he hath given to you to profit withal and mind the Truth in the Inward Parts so that you may be adorned and arrayed with a meek and a quiet Spirit For the Light that shines in your Hearts will give you the Knowledge of the Glory of God in the Face of Jesus Christ How the Knowledge of God is attained that you may know the Heavenly Treasure in your Earthly Vessels and the Day-Star to arise the Day to dawn in your own Hearts that you may become Temples of Christ He to dwell with you and walk with you and sup with you and the Blood of Christ to sprinkle your Hearts from dead Works and your Consciences also that you may serve the Living God So know the true Faith to purifie your Hearts Christ the Author of true Faith which Christ is the Author and Finisher of and the true Hope to purifie you And so be true Believers in the Light as Christ Commands and become Children of the Light for he that believes hath the Witness in himself And know the true Word in your Hearts and Mouths which is the Word of Faith the Apostle preach'd which distinguishes your good Thoughts from bad and your good Words from bad which Word is in your Hearts to obey and do Which is as a Hammer to hammer down Sin and Evil and as a Sword to cut it down and as a Fire to burn it up So that by that Word you may be sanctified The Word Sanctifieth c. by that Word you may have Salvation by that Word you may be reconciled to God by which all things are upheld by his Word and Power by this Word you may be born again of the Immortal Seed that lives and abides for ever And so from this Word you may have your Milk for this is the ingrafted Word that is able to save the Soul and raise the Soul that is Immortal up unto the Immortal God And by this Word you will see over all the Deceivers of your Souls which Word was before they were And by this Word you will understand the Scriptures of Truth that cannot be broken And by this Word you will come to Judge all those that are got into the Imaginations concerning the Scriptures and that set them up in the room of God and Christ in their dark Imaginations who in their Darkness cannot comprehend the Light And by this Word you will have Riches out of this Word is Poverty And by this Word you will come to know Life and Salvation for in the beginning was the Word and the Word was with God and Christ's Name is called The Word of God and the Scriptures are the Words which are to be fulfilled So all be diligent in the Truth that you may be fruitful in the Word of God that it may have its Passage through you all G. F. Concerning those that go out of Vnity and deny Forms THose that are gone from the Light Epist 271. from the Spirit and Power of God and so from the Vnity by the Light and by the Spirit True Vnity in the Light and Spirit and by the Power are judged and the Power and Light and Spirit is over them and they being gone into their own Wills and into a perverse Spirit then they say they will not be subject to Mens Will nor to the Will of Man and that Spirit leads them out of the Bonds of Humanity when they are thus gone from the Light and the Power and Spirit of God they go out of all true Forms into Confusion and Emptiness without Form then they say they will not be subject to Forms and cry down all Forms with their Darkness and a perverse Spirit and so mash all together For there is a Form of Godliness Of the Form of Godliness and there is a Form of Sound Words many have a Form All Creatures have a Form the Earth hath a Form and all Things were brought into a Form by the Power of God for the Earth was once without Form and was void and empty and confused So they that be gone out of the Covenant of God and Life and out of the Power of God are gone into a confused Condition without Form a State which is out of the Bond of Civil Men and Women And so such are confused without the right Form for the Form that God hath made viz. The Form of the Earth the Form of the Creatures the Form of Men and Women the Form of Sound Words the Form of Godliness nor the Form of Sound Doctrine was never denied by the Men and Women of God Those testified against who deny the Power and quench the Spirit But such as got the Form only and denied the Power of Godliness those were denied for they deny the Power and do not only so but quench the Spirit and grieve and vex it and hate the Light by which Light they are condemned G. F. To Friends in Ireland KEep to the equal Measure and just Weight in all things Epist 272. both inwardly and outwardly that you may answer Equity answer Truth in the Oppressed and the Spirit and Grace and Light in all People To do Justice and Equity in all things And so being kept in Righteousness and Equity and Truth and Holiness that preserves you over the Inequality Injustice and the false Measure and Weight and Ballance in all Things both inward and outward And this keeps your Eye open keeps you in a Feeling Sense keeps you in Vnderstanding and true Wisdom and true Knowledge what you are to answer to all Men in Righteousness and Truth and Equity both inward and outward And this is to all you that have purchased or bought any Irish Land so that Justice and Righteousness and the true Measure and true Weight and even Ballance may be among you to answer that which is True and
Just and Even and Equal that you may answer that which is Equal and Just and True in your selves and in every Man and Woman that you may be preserved in the Sence and Favour of God and so may answer the good and righteous Principle in all by which they may be brought to Truth the equal Principle and just Measure and true Weight and Ballance by which they may know the just and true God in all his Works and Out-goings G. F. Not to trust in uncertain Riches ALL Friends Epist 273. Be ye as Strangers to all Things visible and created but be acquainted with the Creator your Maker the Lord God Almighty Outward things not durable for outward Things are not durable Riches nor durable Substance nor durable Habitations nor durable Possessions for they have Wings and will fly away and so therefore be as Pilgrims and Strangers to the World and all worldly created and visible things and witness Redemption from the Earth that you may reign upon the Earth as Kings and Priests to God The Righteous are as Kings and Priests to God that you may know a Habitation in God and the Riches of his Grace and Life that is everlasting and a Substance that fadeth not away the Riches which hath not wings and the Riches that is not deceitful that is durable and true For Men trusting in outward Riches and outward Things they will deceive and fail them and have Wings and flees away from them And so Man in that State is deceived and Riches are deceitful to him Therefore as I said before be as Strangers and Pilgrims to the World and all things therein possess as though you did not possess them and what you injoy as though you did not be above all such things and loose to them in the Invisible Life and Power which is over all things for the Birth that is born again of the Immortal Seed by the Word of God that lives and abides and endures for ever and is above all things for all things are upheld by his Word and Power And so be acquainted with the heavenly and certain Riches the durable Substance and the everlasting Possession and Inheritance of Life through which you may be acquainted with your Maker and Creator the Lord God Almighty G. F. MY Dear Friends in the pure and undefiled Life Epist 274. All live in the Holy Seed that changes not that will wear out all in the Transgression and was before Transgresion was and this Seed was never a Transgressor and it will be when Transgression is gone and is over that Spirit which is in Transgression and is a burdensome Stone to the Transgressor and him that is out of Truth and it will out-last all and so in that live in which ye may reign in the Life and Truth and in its time it will break all their Bonds For that Spirit that doth transgress doth Persecute in the particular the Just and Persecution makes the Just to suffer in the general and so they that will live Godly in Christ Jesus must suffer Persecution by them that Persecute those that are Godly it is no wonder for them to persecute the Godly in Christ the heavenly Man so the Just Suffereth within and without by the Vnjust And so be Valiant for the Lord's Truth upon the Earth and dwell in Love and in Humility and Meekness and Patience and Righteousness in which the Love of the Lord is manifested So no more but my Love G. F. ALL Friends every where in the living Spirit and living Power Epist 275. and in the heavenly Light dwell and quench not the Motions of of it in your selves nor the Movings of it in others Not to quench the Motions of the Spirit though many has run out and gone beyond their Measures yet many more has quench'd the Measure of the Spirit of God and after became dead and dull and questioned through a false Fear and so there hath been hurt doth ways And therefore be obedient to the Power of the Lord and his Spirit and his Spiritual Weapons War with that Philistian that would stop up your Wells and Springs Jacob's Well was in the Mountain read that within he was the second Birth And the Belief in the Power keeps the Spring open and none to despise Prophecy neither to quench the Spirit so that all may be kept open to the Spring that every one's Cup may run over For you may all Prophesie one by one All may Prophecy one by one and the Spirit of the Prophets is subject to the Prophets Would all the Lord's People were Prophets said Moses in his time when some found fault but the last time is the Christians time which injoys the Substance Christ Jesus and his Church is called a Royal Priesthood offering up Spiritual Sacrifices and his Church are his Believers in the Light And so in the Light every one should have something to Offer and to Offer an Offering in Righteousness to the living God else they are not Priests and such as quenches the Spirit cannot Offer In the time of God's pouring out of his Spirit upon all Flesh but becomes dull I will pour out of my Spirit upon all Flesh in the last time saith the Lord which is the true Christians time God's Sons and Daughters shall prophesie and your young Men shall see Visions and old Men shall dream Dreams and on my Servants and Hand-maids I will pour out of my Spirit in those Days and they shall Prophesie Now Friends if this be fulfilled Servants Handmaids Sons Daughters old Men young Men every one to feel the Spirit of God by which you may see the things of God and declare them to his Praise for with the Heart Man doth believe and with the Mouth Confession is made unto Salvation first he has it in his Heart before it comes out of his Mouth and this is beyond that Brain-beaten-heady stuff which Man has long studied about the Saints words which the holy Men of God spake forth as they were moved by the Holy Ghost So the Holy Ghost moved them before they came forth and spake them And therefore as I said before do not resist the Holy Ghost for they that did so grew stiff-necked and their Hearts were uncircumcised but feel this Holy Ghost this Spirit of Truth that leads you into all Truth So with the Holy Ghost and with the Light Build upon Christ the true Foundation and Power of God do you build upon Christ the Foundation and Life and by the same heavenly Light and Power and Spirit do you Labour in the Vineyard and do you minister and speak forth the things of God and do you digg for your Pearls therefore bring them forth and let them be seen how they glister the glistering Pearls And all come into the Vineyard of God to labour in the Light which was before Darkness was and with the Life which was before Death and his Power
was and in the Truth and Power of God which the Devil is out of that every one of you may have your Penny that precious Penny and heavenly Treasure from God Almighty the great Lord who is the orderer and disposer and governour and ruler in the Vineyard among his Servants who pays them their Wages and gives them their heavenly Penny of Life Mark it is the Labourers in the Life And the Lord will give us the beavenly Penny Truth and Power of God that labours in God's Vineyard that have their heavenly Penny that Everlasting Treasure So see that you have it if you be in the Labour of Life you will have it Friends you see how Men and Women can speak enough for the World for Merchandize for Husbandry the Plow-man for his Plow but when they should come to speak for God they quench the Spirit and say and do not obey God's Will but come let us see what the Wife Merchants can say have they found the Pearl and Field and purchased the Field which yields those glorious glistering Pearls let us see what can you say for God and that heavenly Merchandise 1670 What can the Plow-man say for God with his Spiritual Plow Is the Fallow-Ground Plowed up Has he abundance of the heavenly Seed of Life So what can the heavenly Husband-Man say has he abundance of Spiritual Fruit in store What can the Thresher say his he gotten the Wheat out of the Sheaf the heavenly Wheat with his heavenly Flaile and let us see what can the Spiritual Plowman Husband-man and Thresher say for God And how they have laboured in the Vineyard that they may have their Penny some are breakers of Clods in the Vineyard some are Weeders some are cutting off the Brambles and Bushes and fitting the Ground and cutting up the Roots with the heavenly Ax for the Seed some are Harrowing in some are gathering and laying up the Riches so you may see here are Merchants Plow-men Harrowers Weeders Reapers Many sorts of Labourers in Gods Vineyard Threshers in God's Vineyard yet none are to find fault one with another but every one labouring in their places praising the Lord looking to him for their Wages their heavenly Penny of Life from the Lord of Life So none are to quench the Spirit nor to despise Prophesie lest ye limit the Holy One and every one is to minister as he hath received the Grace which hath appeared to all Men which brings Salvation so that the Lord's Grace his Light and Truth and Spirit and Power may have the passage and the rule in all Men and Women that by it he may have the Glory and from it in all who is blessed for ever and for ever The Lord hath said From the rising of the Sun to the going down of the same my Name shall be great among the Gentiles Now mark Friends this is a large Space wherein God's Name shall be great and the Lord further saith Holy and pure Incense is to be offered to God In every place Incense shall be offered unto my Name and a pure Offering for my Name shall be great among the Heathen saith the Lord of Hosts Now mark Friends this heavenly Incense and pure Offering is a spiritual Offering which is to be offered by the Spirit to God who is a Spirit then here none quenches the Spirit of God in their own Hearts and all such comes under the Title of the Royal Priesthood offering up Spiritual Sacrifices which Royal Priesthood has a Priest that lives for ever Christ Jesus And Friends do not quench the Spirit nor abuse the Power when it moves and stirs in you be obedient but do not go beyond nor do not add to it nor take from it for if you do you are reproved either for going beyond or taking from it And when any has spoken forth the things of the Lord by his Power and Spirit let them keep in the Power and Spirit and that keeps them in the Humility that when they have spoken forth the things of God they are neither higher nor lower but still keeps in the Power before and after and being obedient to the Spirit and Power of God it keeps them from deadness and alive to God and keeps them in a Sense that they do not go beyond and run out as some you know have done and all that hath come for want of living in the Power of God and in his Spirit which keeps all things in Subjection and in Order and in the true Fear of the Lord always to feel the Presence of the Lord with you Come Fisher-men what have you catched with your Nets What can you say for God Your Brethren Peter and John Fisher-men could say much for God Read in the Acts and you may see it I would not have you degenerate from their Spirit Shepherds and Herds-men where are you What can you say now for God whose abiding is much in the Fields David Jacob and Amos your fellow Shepherds and Heards-men do not you see they could say much for God I would have you to be like them and not to degenerate from their Spirit Come Trades-men Tent-Makers Physitians and Custom-Men what can you say for God Do not you read that your fellow Trades-men in Ages past could say much for God Do not degenerate from their Spirit Do not you remember the Accusations of the wise and learned Grecians when the Apostles preached Christ among them that they were called Poor Trades-men and Fisher-men Therefore be Faithful The Preachers of Jesus Christ now are the same to the Wise of the World as then G. F. DEar Friends Epist 276. live in Peace and Love and Patience one with another for that doth edifie the Body and Strife doth not but doth eat out the Good To live in Peace and Love for the Body doth edifie it self in Love in which there is Nourishment and Vertue and Life from the Head so in that meet and build up one another Dear Hearts be faithful and live in the Life and Power and Seed of God and in Love and Peace one with another And so the God of Peace in it preserve you Peace be among you and live in that which keeps Peace for the Peace-makers are blessed And all strive for that which makes for Peace and they that are Lowest and so keeps receives the most from God G. F. MY Dear Friends Epist 277. when you were formerly in a Profession you took your Servants your Apprentices your Children along with you to your Places of Worship Care in training up Friends Children and Servants And now that you are come to Truth and are convinced that the same is the Truth of God through which you come to have a Portion and Inheritance of Life and Salvation and of a Kingdom and World which hath no end and into a Possession of that which formerly you did profess in Words Now therefore Friends you that are come to
stand in the Light which was before Darkness or the Prince of it was and stand in the Power of God which was before the Devil was and sit down in the heavenly Places in Christ Jesus who was set up from Everlasting to Everlasting And therefore keep your Faith in the Lord for he is the same who hath given you Dominion thro' Faith over the Mountains of Opposition by which they have been subdued and by which the Fiery Darts have been quenched And hath not this been fulfilled In all their Afflictions he was Afflicted Have Faith in Christ in time of Trial. and that the Angel of his Presence should be with them in their Trials and Sufferings So the Lord hath a tender Care of his Sheep his People that the Angel of his Presence should be with them in all their Trials And therefore let your Minds be out of all outward things and visibles and fear not the Fleece for it will grow again and if the Lord should try you now with the spoil of outward things after he hath blessed you with them to see whether your Minds be with them or with him Therefore now stand having on the whole Armour of God and his Righteousness and your Feet shod with the Power of God which was before the Devil was this will keep you from slipping and have on the Armour of Light to stand against Darkness and the Breast-Plate of Righteousness which is Armour-proof against the Devil and his Fiery Darts and keep the Shield of Faith and Sword of the Spirit the Word of God and the Helmet of Salvation that preserves the Head in all Battles with the Devil and his Instruments And thus with your heavenly Armour and Arms stand and keep your Possession of Life who are brought out of Spiritual Egypt Sodom and Babylon having one to go before you the Captain of your Salvation Christ Jesus who was before Moses and Joshua were and see how the Children of God all along in the Scriptures thro' Faith had the victory Daniel by Faith the three Children by Faith Abraham by Faith The Excellency of Faith Joshua by Faith and Caleb by Faith and the other Spies which had no Faith and the Elders among the outward Jews and the People how they fell through Unbelief but by Grace through Faith the Just were saved by Faith they had victory and by Faith they pleased God and therefore keep in the Faith and you will have the Water of Life and the Bread of Life from above and stand still in the Faith for the Just live by Faith and they that had not Faith to Believe they perished and Christ hath taught all how to believe To Believe in the Light who hath enlightned every one that cometh into the World he saith Believe in the Light which was a blessed Doctrine of the heavenly Man for you believing in the Light you believe in that which makes manifest all Things all Fruits all Creatures all Religions and Worship for the Light was before they all were and will be when they are all gone Therefore Believe in the Light saith the heavenly Man who teacheth what to believe in for whatsoever is made manifest is made manisest by the Light So to believe in the Light that doth make manifest all things that are reproveable therein you will become Children of the Light and Children of the Day and Sons of God And so will become Children of the Light and Daughters of God and Sons of Zion and Daughters of Zion the heavenly Zion the heavenly Joy and so herein you come to be of the Royal Family above all the Families of the Earth above all the Housholds of the Earth a Houshold of God the Workmanship of God the Planting of God the Building of God the Houshold of Faith which are Titles higher than all the Titles among Men in the World in the Creation Sons and Daughters and Servants and Hand maids every Man to enjoy something in the Houshold Every one to have an Inheritance of their own of Life that they may offer to God of their heavenly Substance who are called a Royal Priesthood that is a Kingly Priesthood over the Devil and over Adam in a Possession of a Spiritual Kingdom and of a World that hath no End and of an heavenly durable Substance and Riches which are Spiritual and so to offer up Spiritual Sacrifices to God who is a Spirit So now the time of Trying is therefore all to stand To stand faithful in time of Tryal and see if there be any thing able to separate you from Christ who is from Everlasting to Everlasting who is First and Last who makes an end of Sin and finishes Transgression and destroys the Devil and his Works and is the Top and Corner-Stone the Possession of all the Righteous the Rest and Sabbath of all the Righteous that have drank his Blood whom he hath made alive So in Christ you shall bear no burden for he destroys that which oppresses both Man and Beast and in Christ you shall not go out to gather your Meat who is your Sabbath and Rest but in old Adam there is no Rest in the second Adam the heavenly Man there is the Rest and in him to wit Christ the heavenly Man you need not go out to gather your Meat For he is the Bread of Life Christ is the Bread of Life and living Way to God that comes down from above in him stand and sit down in the heavenly Places in Christ Jesus who was with the Father before the World began who is your Way to God which Way was set up above Sixteen Hundreds Years since before all these got up among the Papists and Protestants who is the New and Living Way to all who are made a-live by him and drink his Blood The Dead make dead Ways for the Dead to walk in but mind you Christ's Worship which was set up above Sixteen Hundred Years since by himself in the Spirit and Truth whereby every one comes to the Truth the Spirit of God in his own Heart in which Truth and Spirit he worships the God of Truth who is a Spirit and feels him always present Now to Worship God in the Truth is that which the Devil and old Adam is out of and this is the perfect and standing Worship and People that have lost this Worship that Christ set up they have set up so many false Worships among Protestants and Papists and compelling one another to them since they have lost the peaceable Truth in which the God of Peace is worshipped And therefor enow all prize the standing Truth To stand in the Liberty which Christ gives and walk as becomes the Gospel the Power of God which was before the Devil was which destroys the Devil and his Works and so Stand fast in the Liberty where with Christ hath made you free yea free from the Devil and old Adam for the freedom is in him in
standing that by it they may be ordered and directed in his Holy Service and Business in his Holy Church which Christ is the Holy Head of as they are directed and ordered by the Lor's Power and Wisdom to praise and magnifie and glorifie him with Thanksgiving both in your mesn and Womens Meetings and all other Meetings in the Name of Jesus Christ for he is in the midst of them their Prophet Priest Teacber Shepherd Bishop and Counsellor opening with his heavenly Power feeding with his heavenly Food counselling with his heavenly Counsel sanctifying them to present them to the Holy God without Spot over-seeing them with his Holy Power and Spirit that God may have the Praise and the Glory through Jesus Christ in all and through all who is bleffed for ever So Friends are not to meet like a Company of People about Town or Parish-Business neither in their Mens nor Womens Meetings Frienas to feel the Pewt of God in their Meetings for the Affairs of Truth but to wait upon the Lord and feeling his Power and Spirit to lead them and order them to his Glory that so whatsoever they may do they may do it to the Praise and Glory of God and in Unity in the Faith and in the Spirit and in Fellowship in the Order fo the Gospel and the Devil and his Instruments cannot get into this Gospel which is the Power of God and that makes him rage and he would not have the Woman to have a share in it who first deceived the Woman and now would again nor the Men neither Nor he cannot get into the worship of God which is in Spirit and Truth which the Devil is out of and therefore keep your Possessions in the Power of God and your Habitations there within and in Christ Jesus who bruises the Head of the Serpent who is the Head of all false Orders and Disorders and has made the World like a Wilderness and he in his Instruments is against the Order of the Gospel and the Power of God that Men and Women should be in the Possession of and the Dignity thereof And this many spoke evil of in the Apostles Days and so they do now but the Power stands and the Order of it over his Head and his Instruments and Christ is the same to Day as Yesterday and so for ever and of the increase of his Government there is no End So all that be Heirs of Christ and of his Power and Righteousness are Heirs of his Government and they see there is no End of the increase of it And you may see how the Apostle after he had convinced People he brought them into Order of the Gospel and the Jews after they came out of Egypt they were brought into the Order of the Law of God And as the Christians come to believe in Christ then they are to come into the Order of the Gospel So as I was first moved of the Lord God G. F. moved first to preach the Gospel to go up and down the Nation to preach the Gospel then after the Lord moved me to go up and down to exhort and to write that all People might come into the Possession of the Gospel and the Order of it which is the Power of God which was before the Devil was which is not of Man nor by Man and his Word by which all things are upheld and ordered to the Glory of God And Christ is a Priest after the Order of Melchizedeck So you may see there was a Heavenly Order in the Power and Spirit of Christ's Priesthood as there was of Aaron's of whose Order Christ came not And the Apostle saith to the Church Let all things be done decently and in order And this Order was in the Power of God the Gospel 1 Cor. 14. Afterwards to exhort to the walking in the Order of the Gospel where all Decency is And the Apostle saith Though he was absent in the Flesh yet he was present with them in the Spirit rejoycing and beholding their order to wit the Churches Order and their stead fastness in Christ And as you have received Christ Jesus the Lord so walk in him So this was the Spiritual Order of the Gospel which the Apostle in Spirit beheld and does admonish them unto in whom their walking should be to wit in Christ the Spiritual heavenly Man and not to walk in Old Adam who was without this Spiritual heavenly Gospel-Order which is the Duty of all true Christians to walk in Christ and his Gospel-Order And it 's said in Psalm 37.23 The steps of a good Man is ordered by the Lord and that is by his Power and Spirit And in Psalm 50. To him that ordereth his Conversation aright will I shew forth the Salvation of God and whoso offereth Praises Glorifies me saith the Lord. So they that offers up Praises by the Spirit they glorifie God which all must keep to and not quench And all whose Conversation is ordered aright it is by the Power of God the Gospel for they are kept by the Power of God unto the Day of Salvation and this is the right Order and everlasting Order which all must keep and walk in by which all Conversations must be ordered aright that all may see their Salvation Christ Jesus who is the Head of the Church and who fees and receives him has Life Everlasting and through him they have Peace with God So all in him live and meet in whom you have Life and Peace that is Everlasting that none can take away which Peace is not this World's Peace And also the whole Church of Christ which are the Believers in the Light Children of the Light living Stones that makes up the Spiritual Houshold over which House Christ is the Head True Believers a Chosen Generation c. all such Believers Men and Women are a Chosen Generation a Royal Priesthood and Holy Nation a Peculiar People that they should shew forth the Vertue of Christ that hath called them out of Darkness into his Marvelous Light So into him the Life to wit Christ Jesus by whom the World was made here in him they know their Election before the World began So a Royal Priesthood Christ's Church is called offering up Spiritual Sacrifices to God who is a Spirit and this Royal Priesthood has a High Priest made higher than the Heavens to wit Christ Jesus and this Royal Priesthood is not after the order of Aaron whose Order was proved by his Rods bearing Fruit laid over Night in the Tabernacle and in the Morning brought forth Fruit but your Order is proved by your Rods budding and bringing forth Fruit in the Morning of God's Day which are the Fruits of the Spirit through which Spirit you come to offer according to your Order which is in the Power of God the Gospel the Spiritual Sacrifices To offer up Spiritual Sacrifices c. the first Fraies of the Spirit to God who is a Spirit according
Lord Jesus Christ and may beas lights to the dark World and Salt to season the Vnsavoury for every Sacrifice which was offered up to God it was to be seasoned with Salt Every Sacrifice to be seasoned with Salt so every Sacrifice now that is to be offered up to God it must be seasoned and made savoury with this heavenly Salt of his heavenly Spirit so that all may give a good savour to him and be as a sweet smelling Sacrifice to the pure holy God that made all to his Glory and you cannot bring forth this holy righteous and pure Fruit unto God but as you abide in Christ Jesus the Truth who did descend and ascend far above all Principalities Thrones and Dominions that he might have the Preheminence above all and that ye in Him might live above all unto God and so every one of you that has received Christ Jesus the Lord over all So in Him who is your Lord walk who is the Amen and there all the Living can Praise God together and the Living gathers in the Name of Jesus the Name of him who was dead and is alive again and lives for evermore who is the First and Last And here you all know that there is no Salvation in any other name under the whole Heaven but in the Name of Jesus who is a Priest made highter than the Heavens So in his Name keep your Meetings To keep their Meetings in the Name of Jesus in whom you have Salvation and these are the true Meetings and true Gatherings who feels Jesus Christ in the midst of them their Prophet their Councellor their Leader their Light and Life their Way and their Truth their Shepherd that laid down his Life for them that has bought you his Sheep who feeds you in his Pastures of Life and your heavenly Bishop to over-see you that you do not go astray again from God And so it 's through him you overcome and he that overcomes shall go no more forth out of his Fold out of his Pastures who shall sit down in the heavenly Places in Christ Jesus who is your Priest that offered up himself for you and Sacrifices you and makes you holy and clean that he may present you blameless up to the the holy and pure God and here you come to witness and know him in his Offices by his Light Spirit and Power and all your Mens and Womens Meetings in the Power of God which was before the Devil and his Power was Of the holy Order of the Cospel in the Holy Order of the Gospel keep them you being Heirs of the Everlasting Gospel the Everlasting Power of God that will last for ever a joyful Gospel in joyful Order a comfortable Gospel so a comfortable Order a glorious Gospel and glorious Order So in this Everlasting Gospel the Power of God in which you have Everlasting Fellowship and Dominion over all Sin and Wickedness Vnrighteousness Vnholiness and all that is bad whatsoever you have Dominion over in the Gospel the Power of God yea over the Devil And this Gospel may every one testifie unto and to the Order of it that it is not of Man nor by Man neither is it received but by the Revelation of Jesus Christ sent down from Heaven which all the Believers that have part in the first Resurrection lives walks and keeps in the Order of this Gospel and so has Power to Admonish Exhort Reprove and Rebuke with all Authority such as talks of Christ and does not walk in him such as profess him and does not possess him such as lives not in the Religion that was set up above Sixteen Hundred Years since such as profess Christ the Way and walk not in the Way the Truth and the Life all such talkers and not walkers are dishonourers of God and causes his holy Name to be blasphemed among such as make no Profession And therefore all Friends that knows that you are alive to God by Jesus Christ and knows your translation from Death to Christ the Life and from Darkness to Christ the Light so that you may all come now to be helps meet in your Restoration by Christ Jesus into the Image of God and his Righteousness and Holiness as Man and Woman was in before they fell For before they fell they were meet helps to subdue the Earth they had both Power over all that God made while they kept in the Image of God and his Righteousness and Holiness and so all that God made was blest and good to them and so none can renew up into the Righteousness and Image of God but Christ Jesus And therefore I say in him live and walk and keep his Gospel-Fellowship and Order so that Men and Women may be meet helps in the distinct Men and Womens Meetings one unto another in the Gospel the Power of God Men and Women helps meet iâ— their services in the Restoration as Man and Woman was in before they fell So if the Men has any thing to communicate unto the Women or the Women any thing to the Men in the Righteousness and Wisdom and Power of God in the Gospel-Order in which the heavenly Fellowship Vnity and Order is kept they may as Brethren and Sisters So here is the Foundation of our Meetings and our Men and Womens Meetings is testified unto by the Spirit of the Everlasting God that the Foundation of them is Christ of the increase of his righteous glorious and spiritual Government and Peace there is no end nor of the glorious everlasting heavenly Vnity and Order of his Heavenly Gospel which the spiritual and heavenly Minds keeps and walks in accordingly which is not of Man nor by Man so Man has no Glory but God and Christ alone who is Almighty Omnipotent Immortal Everlasting and Eternal and dwells in the Light blessed for ever the Inexpressible God And so all keep the Vnity of his Eternal Spirit which is the Eternal Bond of your Heavenly and Eternal Peace of your King of Kings Lord of Lords and Prince of Princes Peace Amen All Friends be faithful in the Lord's Power and in his Spirit to the Lord God and his Truth that is over all and will keep you over all as you all do live and walk in it to the Glory of God and bring forth Fruits that is heavenly to his Praise So live in the Possession of Life Eternal which was before Death And so in this Power of Christ nothing can get between you and the Lord your Everlasting Home So with my Love Swarthmore the 10th Month 1675. G. F. To all the Elect and Chosen of God in Christ Jesus before the Foundation of the World FRiends and Brethren Epist 317. It lies upon me from the Lord to write unto you these following Lines First I was sent out by the Lord God in his Eternal Light and Power G. F. sent to preach the Word of Life to preach the Word of Life which was
and Transgression taken off Men that believe in the Seed Christ Jesus who bruises the Head of the Serpent that has brought Man and Woman into his Image and his Works which Christ destroys both him and his works and renews Man and Woman up into the Image of God as they were in before they fell and into the Power to have Dominion to work in his Garden to subdue the Earth c. So that all are now to labour in the Garden of God that are in the Power and Image of God being brought into it by Christ Jesus that bruises the Serpent's Head that has been Head in them all So that Christ Jesus may be Head in all Men and Women and every Man and Woman may act from him their Holy Head their Life and Salvation and keep his heavenly Peace in his Church and every living Member believing in the Light which is the Life in Christ may be grafted into him the Fountain of Life and receive from him the Water of Life that they may feel the living Springs and the Rivers springing up in them to Eternal Life These are living Stones the spiritual Houshold of which Christ is both Head Rock and Foundation And Christ is called the Green Tree Christ the green Tree from whom all the Branches receive their Nourishment which Green Tree never withers into whom they are grafted by Belief in the Light which is the Life in him from whom they all receive their heavenly living nourishment through which every Graft is nourished then it comes to bud and bring forth Fruit to the Praise of the Eternal God Now every one of these living Believers are Members of the living Church in God which Christ is the Head of and every Member in the Church hath an Office and so every Member is serviceable in the Body in his Office in the Light which is over Darkness and was before it was and in the Life which is over Death and was before it was and in the Power of God which was before the Power of the Serpent was and so they are in this Light Life and Power to execute their Offices I say in this Divine Light Life Power and Spirit of God for God's Glory in Truth Purity Vertue Holiness and Righteousness they are to stand up for and the Honour of his Son and receive him who hath all Power in Heaven and Earth given to him and all that receive him he gives them Power to become the Sons and Daughters of God then in his Power all are to act and walk and to serve God in their Generation and in it to serve him in the New Creation in Righteousness and Holiness and to stand up in his Power for his Glory in his Power Righteousness and Holiness that Christ brings into them and renews them in and so into the Restoration that they may Labour in the Church and Garden of God in his Power to his Everlasting Praise and Glory Amen And all Friends To stand fast in the Liberty of Christ stand fast in the Liberty wherewith Christ hath made you free and in the Liberty in the Faith which Christ is the Author and Finisher of which Faith purifies the Hearts and gives Victory in which you have access to God the Mystery of which is held in a pure Conscience in which Faith it hath its true Liberty And keep in the Liberty of the Everlasting Glorious Gospel of Peace which is not of Man nor by Man but from Heaven which Gospel bringeth and hath brought Life and Immortality to Light and will preserve you in Life and Immortality over him that hath darkned you and in this Gospel you have Everlasting Liberty and Peace and in the Truth which maketh you free from him that is out of the Truth This free State all are to keep in and also in the pure holy Spirit of God and Christ that doth Mortifie all that is to be mortified and crucified and doth Baptize you into one Body In this Holy Spirit you are to walk which leadeth you into all Truth in which is your Vnity and Fellowship and giveth Liberty from that which hath grieved it and quenched and vexed it And so in the Liberty and Fellowship and Vnity of the holy pure and peaceable Spirit you are all to dwell and walk which is the Bond of the Prince of Princes Peace which the World cannot take away London the 13th of the 9th Month 1677. G. F. MY Dear Friends To whom is my Love in the Everlasting Seed Epist 345. that reigns over all and will overcome all your Persecutors and the Devil that is the cause thereof who fighteth against the Light which is the Life in Christ as they did against him in the Flesh above Sixteen Hundred Years ago And now my Friends Suffer as Lambs in the time of your Sufferings To suffer as Lambs in the Patience of the Lamb. let all your Wills be subjected with the Patience that hath the Victory and run the Race and obtain the Crown of Life and be willing to go to Suffer for Christ's sake for the Apostle said It is not only given you to Believe but also to Suffer for his Name sake in whom you have Salvation for They that suffer for Righteousness sake are Blessed and theirs is the Kingdom of God and by Faith the holy Men of God had Victory as you may see at large in Heb. 11. So nothing is overcome by any Man's Will but by Faith that giveth access to God in which they do Please God And I do believe that all your Sufferings will be for good for your Establishing upon the holy Rock of Life which was the Rock of all the Sufferers the Prophets and the Apostles who is the anointed Saviour to the answering that of God in all People for the Lord hath a great Work and Seed in that place So live in the Spirit that Mortifieth all and Circumciseth all and Baptiseth all so that with the Spirit you may sow to the Spirit and of the Spirit reap Life Everlasting And my desire is All to live in the Vnity of the Spirit and in the Bond of Peace that you may all be kept alive to God and live in the living Vnity of the Spirit which is the Bond of the heavenly Peace that passeth the Knowledge of the World which Peace brings such Joys which transcend all your Sufferings and will carry you above them And so in love to God and in love to your Persecutors you can pray for them who persecute you and this Suffering is above all the Sufferings in the World which are without Love and Charity who maketh one another to suffer when they get the upper hand but such are not the Sufferers for the true Lord Jesus who suffered though he was above all yet he made none to suffer and when he was Reviled he reviled not again but said Father forgive them and committed himself to him that judged Righteously So let the
they that separate themselves such as have not the Spirit But Beloved build up your selves in the most holy Faith praying in the Holy Ghost and keep your selves in the Love of God Jude Now I praise you Brethren that ye remember me in all things and keep the Ordinances as I delivered them unto you and the rest will I set in order when I come 1 Cor. 2.11 34. Paul in his Second Epistle to the Thessalonians Chap. 3.4 And we have Confidence in the Lord touching you that ye both do and will do the things which we command you Now we command you Brethren in the Name of our Lord Jesus Christ that ye withdraw your selves from every Brother that walketh disorderly and not after the Tradition which he received of us Now we exhort you Brethren to warn them that are unruly and comfort the feeble-minded and support the weak and be patient towards all Men for ye your selves are taught of God to love one another and that ye study to be quiet and walk honestly to them that are without and that ye may have lack of nothing 1 Thess 5.14 And in 2 Thess 2.15 Therefore Brethren stand fast and hold the Traditions which you have been taught whether by Word or our Epistle G. F. DEar Friends Epist 348. To whom is my Love in the heavenly Seed Christ Jesus Abraham and all the Faithful blessed in Christ without the Deeds of the Law in whom all Nations are blessed O therefore keep all in this Seed in which ye are blessed and in which Abraham and all the faithful were blessed without the Deeds of the Law and so the Promise was and is to the Seed and not to the Law of the first Covenant and in this Seed all Nations and ye are blessed which bruiseth the Head of the Seed which brought the Curse and separated between Man and God This is the Seed which reconciles you to God and this is the Seed in which ye are blessed both in Temporals and Spirituals through which you have an Inheritance that cannot be defiled among the sanctified neither can any defiled thing enter into its Possession for all Defilements are out of this Seed this is that which Leavens up into a New Lump and bruiseth the Head of the wicked Seed that Leavens into the Old Lump upon whom the Sun of Righteousness goes down and sets but never goes down nor sets to them that walk in the Seed in which all Nations are blessed by which Seed they are brought up to God which puts down that Seed which separated betwixt them and God so that there comes to be nothing betwixt them and God And so now all my Dear Friends my Desires are To be valiant for Truth and to spread it abroad That you may all be valiant in this heavenly Seed for God and his Truth upon the Earth and spread it abroad answering that of God in all that with it the Minds of People may be turned towards the Lord that he may come to be known and served and worshipped and that ye may all be the Salt of the Earth to make the unseasoned Savoury And in the Name of Jesus keep your Meetings who are gathered into it in whose Name ye have Salvation and he in the midst of you whose Name is above every Name under the whole Heaven And so you have a Prophet and Bishop Shepherd Priest and Counsellor above all the Counsellors Priests Bishops Prophets and Shepherds under the whole Heaven to exercise his Offices among you in your Meetings that are gathered in his Name And so Christ's Meeting and Gathering is above all the Meetings and Gatherings under the whole Heaven And so his Body his Church and He the Head of it is above all the Bodies and Churches and Heads under the whole Heaven And so the Faith that Christ is the Author of and the Worship that he hath set up and his Fellowship in his Gospel is above all Historical Faiths and the Faith 's that Men have made together with their Worships and Fellowships under the whole Heaven And now Dear Friends Light and Immortality brought to Light keep your Men and Womens Meetings in the Power of God the Gospel the Authority of them which brings Life and Immortality to light in you And this Gospel the Power of God will preserve you in Life and in Immortality which hath brought it to light in you that ye may see over him that hath darkned you and so from the Knowledge of the things of God And so it is he and his Iustruments that would darken you from Life and Immortality and that would throw down your Men and Womens Meetings which are established in the Power of God the Gospel and would darken you again from this Life and Immortality which the Gospel hath brought to light and will preserve you in Life and in Immortality as your Faith stands in the Power of God the Gospel in which every one sees your Work and Service for God and every Heir of the Power of God the Gospel hath Right to this Authority which is not of Man nor by Man which Gospel the Power of God is Everlasting and leads you into an everlasting Fellowship and in the Gospel is everlasting Joy Comfort and Peace which will-out-last all those Joys Comforts and Peace that will have an End and also that Spirit that opposes its Order and the glorious Fellowship Peace and Comfort that is in it And now my Dear Friends my Desire is By the Spirit are we all baptized into one Body That ye may keep in the Unity of the Spirit that Baptises you all into one Body which Christ is the Heavenly and Spiritual Head of so that you may see and witness to your Heavenly and Spiritual Head and all drink into that one Spirit which all People upon the Earth is not like to drink into while they grieve quench and rebel against it nor be baptised into one Body nor keep the Vnity of the Spirit which is the Bond of Peace Yea the King of Kings and Lord of Lords Peace which is the Duty of all true Christians to keep who are inwardly united to Christ So with my Love in the Everlasting Seed Swarthmore the 26th of the 7th Month 1678. G. F. To Friends in the County of Oxford DEar Friends Epist 349. Keep in the Lord's Power that his Kingdom stands in In what the Kingdom of God stands and in Righteousness and Peace and Joy in the Holy Ghost which the Devil and all his Instruments of Strife and Debate and Sowers of Discord among Brethren are out of and keep that Spirit out with the Power of God which was before it was in which Gospel the Power of God is your Holy and Heavenly Order in the Possession of the same Labour walking in the New and Living Way over all the dead Ways in Adam let them be what Sect they will and in this New and Living Way you
have the Life and the Truth which Death and Darkness cannot get into which is out of the Truth tho' they may talk of the Words of the Truth but keep in the pure Religion that was set up above Sixteen Hundred Years ago and this pure Religion which is undesiled before God will keep you from the Spots of the World and above all the spotted and dirty Religions that are not pure but are defiled before and in the sight of God And in this Religion in your Mens and Womens Meetings that are in the Gospel of Christ and in the Order of it you will see that nothing is lacking being ordered by the holy pure peaceable and gentle Wisdom of God from above and so keep in the Worship of God in the New Covenant in the Spirit and in the Truth which the Devil that foul Spirit who is out of the Truth cannot get into nor his Company And so in the Seed of Life which bruiseth the Head of the Serpent all dwell and sit down who is the Amen the First and Last in whom you have Peace with God and then nothing can get between you and the Lord God G. F. To the Yearly Meeting in Yorkshire MY Friends Epist 350. In the Service and in the Work of the Lord Jesus Christ the Second Adam in his Power Light and Truth live over Death and Darkness and him that is out of the Truth So all in the Seed that bruises the Serpent's Head stand up for God's Glory and Honour All to walk as becomes the Gospel in which Seed you are all one Male and Female and in which Seed you all have Peace and Vnity that is Everlasting And in this heavenly Seed see that all walk as becometh the glorious Gospel of Christ Jesus which hath brought Life and Immortality to light through the Gospel by which you do see over him that hath darkened you And this Gospel the Power of God will keep you in Life and in Immortality in which you may all see your Work and Service for the Lord God in Holiness and in Righteousness and in Godliness that the Lord God may be glorified in you all and among you all who is over all blessed for ever Amen And Friends see that all your Children and Families be trained up in the New Covenant of Grace and in Life and Peace and circumcised and baptized with the Spirit That Families be seasoned with Truth that they may all eat of the Spiritual Food and drink into one Spirit in the New Covenant and to feed upon the Substance as the Jews did on the Shadows in the Old which faded away And the Power of God the Gospel is the Authority of your Mens and Womens Meetings and every Heir of the Gospel is to Labour in their Inheritance and Possession in the Restoration into the Image of God in Righteousness and Holiness being made by Christ that never fell helps meet in the Restoration as they were before the Fall who is the First and Last the Foundation and Rock of Ages in him sit down in Life and Peace and Rest the Amen that nothing may get between you and the Lord God and see that nothing be lacking among you then all is well So with my Love in the Lord Jesus Christ London the 3d of the 4th Month 1678. G. F. FRiends Know what the Lord doth require of you Epist 351. and all have a Sense of that in your selves that he doth require which is to do Justly and to love Mercy and to walk humbly with God Now the Lord who is Merciful and Just Holy and Righteous Pure and Perfect he doth require The Lord requireth but in propoation to what he giveth That Man and Woman should do Justly and Righteously and live Godlily and Holily by the Holy Light and Spirit and Truth and Grace that the Lord hath given every Man and Woman to profit withal And so to answer the Holy Pure Righteous Just God of Truth in all their Lives and Words and Conversations and so to glorifie him upon the Earth And the more the Lord gives the more he requireth and the less that he giveth the less he requireth But the Lord requireth of every Man and Woman as he giveth who will judge the World in Righteousness by the Man Christ Jesus according to the Gospel the Power of God that is preached to every Creature under Heaven that is according to the invisible Power manifesting that there is something of the invisible Power of God in every Man and Woman So here the Lord Jesus Christ doth not Judge according to the hearing of the Ear and to the seeing of the Eye for with Righteousness shall he Judge you according to the Light which is the Life in the Word Christ with which he doth enlighten every Man that cometh into the World to the Salvation of them that believe in it and the Condemnation of them that do hate it and that will not receive the Gospel nor the Grace which bringeth Salvation which hath appeared to all Men but walk despitefully against the Spirit of Grace and iurn it unto Wantonness So according to his Grace and Light and Gospel will the righteous God Judge the World in Righteousness by Christ the Heavenly and Spiritual Man who hath died for the Sins of the World though they deny him that bought them and tasted Death for every Man Such deserve his Judgment Send this abroad among Friends to be read in their Meetings Swarthmore the 11th Month 1678. G. F. An Epistle to Friends to keep in the Power of God in their Peaceable Habitations over all the Troubles of the World ALL my Dear Friends and Brethren Epist 352. who are gathered by the Light Grace and Truth and Power and Spirit of Jesus Christ to him the Head over all by whom were all things created the First-born of every Creature and the First-begotten from the dead know him and the Power of his Resurrection that you all may be Partakers of it and of Life Everlasting and may sit together in the heavenly Places in Christ Jesus who is over all the First and Last and in him you have Peace who is not of this World for in this World there is trouble and the World did and doth hate Christ The World hated Christ before it hated them yea and his Light Grace Truth Power and Spirit and therefore it is no marvel if the World do hate Christ's Members that do follow him in his Light Grace Truth Power and Spirit and so with it receive him into them their Life and Salvation and so he that hath the Son of God hath Life who is the Fountain that filleth all that wait upon him with his heavenly Blessings and Riches of Life from Christ the Rock and Foundation that cannot be shaken though the Rocks and Foundations of the World may be shaken and cloven in pieces and the Pillars of the Earth may reel and stagger and all
for my Name shall be great among the Heathen saith the Lord of Hosts And this heavenly Incense and Offering in every place is the Spiritual Offering in the New Covenant for the Jews was to offer but in one place in the Temple in the Old Covenant but in the New Covenant their Offering is in the Holy Temple of their Hearts in the Spirit with which they Offer the pure and holy and acceptable Sacrifice to God with that Spirit which God hath given them they have a living Sense of God their Creator and Father of all their Mercies who hath made them and hath made all things for them and redeems them by his Son Christ Jesus to whom be Praise and Glory and Honour and Thanks for evermore So let all bow at the Name of Jesus to his Power and Light and Spirit All are to low to the Name of Jesus for they have bowed to the Power of Darkness that foul and unclean Spirit who is out of Truth and in whom there is no Truth And therefore now all are to bow at the Name of Jesus for there is no Salvation in any other Name under Heaven but in the Name of Jesus whose Name is above every Name under the whole Heaven who is the First Born of every Creature and the First Begotten from the Dead whom God now speaks to his People by his Son and all are to hear him the great Prophet and every Tongue is to confess to Christ Jesus to the Glory of God the Father who is the First and Last who bruises the Serpent's Head And so through Christ Jesus Man and Woman comes again to God All Blessings and Praises be to the Lord God through Jesus Christ for ever and evermore Amen Swartmore the 10th Month 1679. G. F. DEar Friends every where that have received the Truth as it is in Jesus Epist 356. which is holy and pure and brings to live in him that is Pure and Holy The Truth is Peaceable and a Peaceable Habitation and the Truth is sufficient and able to make you free from him that abode not in the Truth To live in the peaceable Truth out of Strise c. and in whom there is no Truth and all that do not live and walk in the Peaceable Truth follows him that is out of the Truth into Strifes and vain Janglings and Disputings like Men of Corrupt Minds destitute of the Truth And now the Grace and Truth that comes by Jesus Christ is that which all People should be under in this New Covenant of Light and Life and Grace and Truth as the Law came by Moses in the Old Covenant and the Jews were to be under the Law But the true Christians who hath received the Grace and Truth comes to be under this Grace's teaching leading and eftablishing by which Grace and Truth they are united and joyned to Jesus Christ from whence it comes And this Grace and Truth is able and sufficient to make you free from him that is out of the Truth and to come to have a Peaceable Habitation in Christ Jesus their Eternal Rest and Sabbath For Christ Jesus saith to his Believers and Followers In me ye have Peace but in the World ye have Trouble and the trouble is in the World of Wickedness In Christ we have Peace And therefore God's People are not to love the World nor the things of the World for the love of the World is Enmity to God And therefore feel God's Love shed abroad in all your Hearts through Christ Jesus to carry all your Hearts and your Minds above the Love of the World and this Love is that which will preserve you in the excellent way of bearing all things and the Love of God fulfils the Law And the Fruits of the pure holy Spirit of the God of Truth is Love which is a peaceable Spirit but the foul unclean Spirit that is out of the Truth is a ravenous unquiet unpeaceable Spirit And the Faith that Jesus Christ is the Author and Finisher of it works by Love and the Spirit of Faith is a Peaceable Spirit which Faith gives the Victory over the unpeaceable unruly ravenous Spirit and by which Faith you have the Inheritance And the Glorious Gospel of Christ Jesus which is the Power of God the Gospel of Peace which is over the Power of Darkness and was before it was and it will be when it is gone and in this Gospel all the Heirs of it have an Everlasting Unity and an Everlasting Glorious Fellowship in the Glorious Gospel of Peace yea a Glorious Peaceable Fellowship and an access to God And the Wisdom of God from above is gentle and peaceable and justifies and preserves all her Children above the unpeaceable Wisdom that is below and this Peaceable Wisdom preserves above all the unruly Spirits and vain Talkers and Janglers such as talk of the Wisdom of God but lives not in it but in the Wisdom of the World And such as talk of the Gospel of Christ the Power of God Such as talk of the Gospel and live out of it have not comfort in the Scriptures nor the Spirit of God but lives not in it but do live in the Power of Satan the Enemy and Adversary and the Devil the destroying Power and Spirit and such have no comfort of the Scriptures nor of the things of God nor of the Grace nor of the Truth nor of the Wisdom of God nor of Faith nor Light though they may talk of all these things while they follow that unruly foul unpeaceable Spirit that abode not in the Truth in whom there is no Truth and where there is no Truth there is Confusion and Disorder Now the God of Truth is a God of Order from whom you have Grace Truth and Faith which is his Gift and his Spirit and Gospel and Wisdom that you may all live in the Order of it and as it orders you For God is a God of Order and his Order is known in his Light Grace and Truth and Spirit and his Gospel the Power of God and in his Wisdom And all his Children and People should live in the Order of his Light Spirit and Gospel and Wisdom and delight in the Order of it And all you that know God and Jesus Christ which is Eternal Life then in this Eternal Life you do know that the God of Truth is a God of Order and you love his Order in his Light and Life and Grace and Truth in his Gospel and in his Spirit and in his heavenly pure Wisdom by which all his Children are justified And in his Truth that makes free from him that abode not in the Truth in whom there is no Truth that all his Children should walk in the Order of Truth which hath made them free who are born again of the Incorruptible Seed by the Word of God The Truth makes free that lives and abides and endures for ever And so feeds of the Milk of
this Immortal Word and so are of an Incorruptible Generation which is above the Corruptible and here is the hidden Man of the Heart that is Incorruptible known that hath an Everlasting Fellowship and hath an Incorruptible Crown and is an Heir of an Incorruptible Kingdom And now the God of this World and his Followers that abode not in the Truth in whom there is no Truth cannot endure to hear talk of the Order of Truth which is in the Light and Life and in the Gospel and in the Wisdom of the God of Truth For the World is full of Disorder and Confusion but the Living Eternal Immortal God of Truth is a God of Order and not of Confusion who hath sent his Son to destroy the Devil and his Works Blessings and Praises with all Glory and Thanks be unto him who hath all Power Might Majesty and Dominion now henceforth and for ever Amen G. F. DEar Friends Epist 357. All live the Life of the true Christians and not the Life of old Adam that went from God's Command and Voice nor like the Jews To live the Life of Christianity and such as have got the Name of Christians that say There is no hearing of God and Christ's Voice now which are out of the Life Power and Spirit Grace and Truth and Image of God that the true Christians were in and Adam and Eve before they fell so that none can live the Life of the true Christians and the holy Prophets and Apostles except they are in the same Power and Spirit Grace and Truth and Faith and Image that they were in which is a Life above the World and its God in whom there is no Truth no Life Light nor Power of the Living God abiding in them And therefore before any can live the Life of the Saints they must bow to the Name of Jesus their Saviour in his Light Grace and Truth and Power and Spirit which cometh from him who submitted himself to the shamesul Death of the Cross and destroyed Death and his Power who had no Sin nor Guile in his Mouth and is risen again for our Justification and so hath tasted Death for every Man and given himself a Ransom for all that all should now bow at his Name Jesus a Saviour and so to his Power and Authority bow who hath all Power in Heaven and Earth given to him So all Men have bowed under Death and Sin by Transgression Christ submitted to the Cross and Death for us And Christ hath submitted to the Cross and Death for them and hath born their Stripes for Sin and Iniquity who had no Sin neither knew any to bring us out of Death and Sin Therefore every one must bow at the Name of Jesus as before whatsoever they do in Word or Deed it must be done in the Name of Jesus and before that they can confess to Jesus Christ to the Glory of God the Father they must all bow at the Name of Jesus and bow to his Grace and Truth Light Spirit and Power that cometh by Jesus which they know Him the Fountain the Rock and Foundation to build upon who brings out of Death and Darkness into Light and Life and a Kingdom and a World that is Everlasting and there to have Food and Cloathing that is Everlasting G. F. DEar Friends With my Love to you in the holy Peaceable Truth that never changes nor admits of no Evil Epist 358. but makes all free that receive it and tht walk in it To live in Truth which admits of no Evil. and is over all the Clouds without Rain and Wells without Water and Trees without Fruit And from the Truth floweth Justice Equity Righteousness and Godliness Mercy and Tenderness that brings a Man's Heart Mind Soul and Spirit to the Infinite and Incomprehensible God and from it a Love flows to all the Univerfal Creation and would have all to come to the Knowledge of the Truth and it bends every one to their utmost Ability to serve God and his Truth and to spread it abroad and it brings their Minds out of the Earth which makes them brittle and changeable and uncertain for it doth not change neither doth it touch with that which does change As to Vnity It makes all like it self that do obey it Vniversal to live out of narrowness and self and deny it So it brings all into Oneness and answereth the good Principle of God in all People and brings into Humility and the Fear of the Lord which is the beginning of his Wisdom and it brings all to have a care of God's Glory and his Honour and watches over all the Professors of it for their good to keep within its bounds and walk within its order which he that is out of Truth leads into all disorder in whom there is no Truth and the Truth makes all its Children free from him and in it to reign over him Thanks Glory and Honour to the Lord God of Truth over all for ever Amen The Lord who is the God of all Peace and Order The Lord is the Protect or of his People alone Protects and Preserves his People with his Eternal Power for the Devil's Power is not Eternal it had a beginning and must have an ending for the Eternal Power limits that Devourer and Destroyer And therefore Friends Patience must be exercised in the Truth and keep to the Word of Patience which Word was before the World was and abides and endures for ever and it will keep Friends over and out of all the Snares of the World and its Temptations So with my Love in the Seed of Life that reigns over all and in it the Lord God Almighty preserve and keep you all to his Glory Amen G. F. An Epistle to be read amongst Friends FRiends You that are Believers in the Light Epist 359. which is the Life in Christ To Gather in the Name of Jesus and are grasted into him who is ascended far above all Principalities Power Thrones and Dominions by whom all things were made and created all the Children in the New Covenant do Gather together in the Name of Christ Jesus whose Name is above every Name under the whole Heaven and in whose Name they have Salvation and not by any other Name under the whole Heaven And at this Name must every Knee bow and every Tongue confess Christ Jesus to the Glory of God the Father and they that have bowed their knee to the Name of Jesus and do confess him to the Glory of God the Father cannot Gather in any other Name under Heaven below the Name of Jesus but Gather in the Name of Jesus which is above every Name under Heaven in whom they have Salvation and so cannot not Gather in any Name below Christ for they do know that they have not any Salvation in whatsoever Name that they do Gather together in below the Name of Jesus And being gathered in the Name of Jesus he
Author and Finisher of So in this holy divine pure and precious Faith they have a holy divine pure and precious Vnity and Liberty which is the Victory over the Enmity and the Adversary the Destroyer and all this Instruments and they cannot come within this holy divine pure and precious Vnity and Liberty which is in the Faith for it is a Mysteryj and gives Victory over him and the access to the pure God and to Christ the Author of it which all are too stand fast in that Liberty wherewith Christ hath made them free who is the heavenly and spiritual Man the Second Adam For the Bondaged Captivity and Thraldom false Freedom and false Liberty was and is in Old Adam in Transgression and the true Liberty is that which Christ the pure and holy One makes free in and this is a pure holy Liberty which Christ makes and sets his People free in in which they are all to stand fast over all the false Liberties and Freedoms which are Bondage Also the true Libertyis in the Truth which if the Truth hath made you free then are you free indeed from him that abode not in the Truth in whom there is no Truth So then there is no true Freedom nor Liberty in him and he in whom there is no Truth cannot come into this Freedom and Liberty which is in the Truth but remains in the False For the Jews in the days of Christ boasted of their liberty and Freedom though they were in Bondange both inwardly and outwardly and that they were of Abraham their Father but Christ told them The Devil was their Father and his lusts ye will do And also in the Days of the Apostles many of the false Christians boasted of their Liberty but who was overcome by them was brought into Bondage And the Apostle was so careful of his Liberty in Christ Jesus To be careful of our I iberty in Christ that such as came to spie it out and were somewhat in Conferrence but they added nothing to him and unto such he would not give place by Subjection but rather reproved them and directed every one to walk according to the measure of the Rule which God hath distributed to them And also true Liberty is inthe Light and Grace and the Spirit which comes by Jesus which by believig in te Light they are grafted into Christ and so into true Liberty and Freedom and so are entred into the Rest out of the Toil of old Adam for they are grafted into him who was befor old Adam For Unbelievers in the Light are grafted into old Adam in Transgression And the Believers in the Light which is the Life in Christ are grafted into Christ the Word by which all things were made and created So here is perfect true Freedom and Liberty And likewise the true Liberty and Freedom is in the Grace which brings Salvation and not Destruction and teaches to live Godly not Ungodly and Soberly not Unsoberly and Righteously not Unrighteously and teaches to deny the World and not to cleave to it and follow it This Grace establishes the Heart and seasons the Words the Fruits of its Liberty and Freedom will manifest it self And also the true Liberty in the pure Holy Spirit of God and Christ doth Baptize and Plunge down that which is gotten up by Transgression in Man and Woman and circumcises and cuts off the Body of Death and Sin in the Flesh that is gotten up in Man and Woman by Transgression and mortifies and kills that which would grieve vex or quench the Motions of the pure Spirit of God so that in this holy pure Spirit of this pure God and Christ is the holy pure Freedom and Liberty over all Bondage and false Liberties and Freedoms And the Fruits of this pure Spirit is pure Love Righteousness and Godliness Fruits of the Spirit Patience Temperance and Humility by which Spirit all are made to drink into one Spirit so that all are the living Wells that have their living Water from God and Christ their true and living Fountain and in which Spirit they have a holy and spiritual Fellowship in this Baptizing Mortifying Circumcisig Spirit yea one wit another and with the Son and the Father also through which the Love of God warms every one's Heart But when the Love of many waxes cold as Christ saith then they go from this Grace Ligth Truth Power and Spirit and the Anointing and the Word of God in their own Hearts then such turn to be Betrayers and not Saviours upon Mount Zion And against such God's swift Judgment turns and suddenly falls though they may cry for a time Liberty Freedom and Peace Peace but a Day of trouble will overtake them ere they are aware And therefore all ye Friends of Christ Jesus stand fast in that Liberty wherewith Christ hath made you free by his Light Grace Truth Spirit Faith and Everlasting Gospel the Everlasting Power of God which is an Everlasting Freedom and Liberty above all Bondage and false fallen Liberties and Freedoms in this glorious Gospel and glorious joyful Libert where all may exercise God and Christ's Holy Gifts in his Holy Supernatural Light Grace Truth Spirit and Divine Faith and Word of Life and the Gospel which Word cannot be bound with all the World's Cords or Chains For it is a Fire to burn and a Hammer to break and a Sword to cut in pieces and therefore love the Word and keep the Word of Patience and the Lord will keep you for it is a tried Word and it will keep you in all trials which shall come upon all the World to try them For the Word was before the World was and will be when the World is gone which all the new-born Babes of the Incorruptible Seed who partake of the Milk of the Word grow by it up into an Immortal Life and Kingdom that is without End Glory and Praises to the Lord God for ever And now ye Babes of Christ If the World do hate you it hated Christ your Lord and Master also if they do mock and reproach and defame and buffet you they did so to your Lord ad Master also who was and is the Green Tree that gives nourishment to all his Branches his Followers Now if the World do Persecute you and take away your Goods or Cloaths was not your Lord and Master so served Christ was persecuted mocked and crucified for us Did not they cast Lots for his Garments Was not he haled from the Priests to Herod and before Pontius pilate and spit upon And if they hate thee and spit upon thee he was hated and spit upon for thee Did he not go to Prison for thee And was he not mocked and scourged for thee Did not he bow to the Cross and Grave for thee he who had no Sin neither was Guile found in his Mouth And did he not bear they Sins in his own Body upon the Tree And was he not scourged for thee by whose
saith 1 Cor. 14. 40. Let all things be done Decently and in Order And the Heavens and the Earth and all things therein All things ordered by the Lord. are governed and ordered by the Lord in his Power and Wisdom and all God's Holy Angels are governed and ordered by God and all God's Children and People are governed and ordered by God and Christ in his Light and Spirit and Grace and Truth and Power Gospel and Word of Life And the Lord hath set apart him and them that are Godly for himself Psalm 4. And God hath ordained his Arrows against the Persecutors Psalm 7.13 And it ought to be the Practice of all the true Christians now that are in the same Power and Spirit as the Apostles were in to let all thins be done Decently and in Order in the New Covenant of Ligth Life and Grace to the Glory of the Great God who is over all and orders all things to his Glory Amen G. F. AND now 1680 Friends you who are called into this glorious Liberty of the Sons of God Epist 362. stand fast in it And as the Apostle saith Brethren ye have been called unto Liberty Of ture Liberty only use it not for an Occasion to the Flesh but in Love serve one another Gal. 5.13 As free not using your Liberty for a Cloak of Maliciousness but as the Servants of God 1 Pet. 2. For there were some who while they promised themselves Liberty they themselves were Servants of Corruption Such were like the Dog and the Sow biting and renting and vomiting and wallowing in the Mire and as bad as the Synagogue of the Libertines that turned against Stephen 2 Pet. 2. and Acts 6.9 And therefore the Apostle was careful of the Churches Liberty in Christ when he said But take heed lest this libet of yours become a Stumbing-block to them that are Weak c. 1 Cor. 8. For the Apostle was so careful and tender that he would no have his true Liberty judged of another man's Conscience c. as you may see more at large in 1 Cor. 10. And the Apostle said Falss Brethren came unawares privily to spy out their Liberty which they had in Christ Jesus that they might bring them into Bondage to whom we gave place by Subjection no not for an Hour that the Truth of the Gospel might continue with you to wit the Galatians Gal. 2.4 And therefore he exhorts them to stand fast in that Liberty wherewhith Christ Jesus hath made them free To stand fast in the Liberty of Christ c. which is the Duty of all true Christians now for to stand fast in that heavenly glorious Liberty which Christ the heavenly and spiritual Man the Second Adam makes them free in and in this they will have Salt in t hemselves to discern between the true Liberty and Freedom and the false and know how to use their holy and spirtual Liberty and Freedom in Christ Jesus to the Praise and Glory of God So Friends the Lord God Almighty preserve you all in the heavenly Order of Christ Jesus in his holy Seed Life Pfower and Spirit that all may live and walk in it to the Praise and Glory and Honour of God and Christ Amen The 3d of the 9th Month 1679. G.F. DEar Friends and Brethren Epist 3â—3 in the Lord Jesus Christ and blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ who hath blessed us with all spiritual Blessings in the heavenly Places in Christ Jesus and hath chosen us in him before the Foundation of the World And now that all may walk in him in Love who hath seen the great Deliverances of the Lord and hath been acquainted with his great Mercies that endure for ever Deliverance after Deliverance multitude of Deliverances out of great Trials and Temptations and hath seen how the Lord hath brought to Confusion the Enemies of his Truth both within and without from the Beginning and therefore in the Lord's Spirit and Power all that live in it that know the Lord are incouraged to trust in him God hath raised you up together and quickned you who were dead in Adam and made you to sit together in heavenly Places in Christ Jesus that you might shew forth the Riches of his Grace and Glory and his Kindness towards you through Jesus Christ By one Spirit are we baptised into one Body For by one Spirit we are all baptised into one Body wherther we be Jews or Gentiles Bond or Free and have been all made to drink into one Spirit And therefore endeavour all to keep the Vnity of the Spirit in the Bond of Peace and live and walk in the Spirit And the Fruits of this Spirit of God is Love Joy and Meekness c. And by this one Spirit you have access to the Father of Spirits and this one Spirit which baptises you into one Body both Male and Female knows your Service to God For the Spirit of God divides severally to every one of you as he wills your Offices and Places yet all in Vnity in the Spirit with which you are baptised into one Body and drink into one Spirit And the Apostle Paul who writ from Rome to the Collosians told them That they were compleat in Christ Jesus and said Though I be absent in the Flesh yet am I with you in the Spirit joying and beholding your Order and the steadfastness of your Faith in Christ And now the Lord hath gathered his People by his Power into the same Spirit that the Apostles and Churches were in in the Primitive Times And though they be absent in the Body or Flesh Men in one Room and the Women in another yea as far as the East is from the West or the North is from the South The Spirit present every where yet they are present in the Spirit rejoycing and beholding with the Spirit the Spiritual Order that the Churches and Apostles were in and the stedfastness of their precious holy and divine Faith which Christ the Second Adam is the Author and Finisher of and this is no Separation but they are the Houshold of this holy divine and precious Faith and live and walk in this holy Faith and Spirit of God by which they are baptized into one holy Body of which Christ Jesus the holy and spiritual Man is the Head And this I say again is no Separation thought they be absent in the Body or Flesh yet they are present in the Spirit and with the Spirit behold the Spiritual Order And this is not an imposed outward Form Order or Prescription as some Ignorantly think But they that do say and prescribe that Men and Women must meet all together outwardly in a Bodily Presence in one Room or else it is a Separation I say it is an outward Form an outward Order and Imposition and Prescription and fiercely Press it that know not the Spiritual Order yea I say if all Men and Women in
became a great Mountain and filled the whole Earth verse 35. They shall not hurt nor destroy in my holy Mountain For the Earth shall be full ot the Knowledge of the Lord ad the Waters covers the Sea Isa 11.9 The 27th of the 8th Month 1681. G. F. To Friends in Jamaica Dear Friends Epist 373. with my Love in the Lord to you all It hath been often in my mind from a Sense of the Spirit of the Lord which thing I shall lay before you and commend it to the Witness of God in all your Consciences The thing is this Advice to have a Yearly Meeting in Jamaica That if you had once in a Year a Yearly Meeting as they have in Holland Cermany and Freezlan and at Road Island and in England and else where which is and hath been of great Service for Friends to see one another and know how the Affairs of Truth prospers and how Friends doth grow in the Truth of God to the Comfort and Joy of one another in it in which the Lord Jesus Christ is exalted And if there should be any Difference among Friends it may be ended at the Yearly Meeting by some Friends out of the Meeting which could not be ended at other Meetings So that all things by the Truth and Power of God may be kept in Peace and Love all dwelling in the Wisdom of God that 's from above which is pure and peaceable and gentle and easie to be entreated And so for you once in a Year to meet together in the Lord's Power and to wait upon him in his Spirit and Truth one day and then another day you may have a Yearly Men and Womens Meeting in the Lord's Power which in time you may find and feel a great Service in the Lord's Spirit and Power in which you may feel his Presence and Blessing flow among you and as for Place and Time I shall leave it to your best Convenience and the Lord direct you that you may do all things whatever you do to his Glory for you know that in other Countries or Provinces they have either Half-Year Meetings or Yearly Meetings except it be in Jamaica which several times hath been in my Mind for you to have one there for where they are settled they see a great Service in them and the Lord hath owned them and honoured them with his Presence and that keeps all in a Sense of a care of his Glory and a care of one another that they may be kept and preserved in God's Eternal Truth in meekness in gentleness and in tenderness and in love that edifies the Body of Christ the second Adam the Lord from Heaven And so that all of you in Godliness Holiness and Righteousness may spend your Days to the Glory of God that your Conversations may be in Heaven and not below in the Earth among the wicked that the Lord God and his Son Christ Jesus may be glorified in you all who is over all blessed for ever Amen And Friends it would be very well if that you brought on your your Case of not Swearing and taking Oaths which hath been lost through that Spirit which was unfaithful Now the same Governor is come over again in whose time when he was there formerly that Act was obtained Yea and Nay instead of an Oath at the Assembly in which your Yea and Nay was taken instead of an Oath and Swearing Therefore see if you can prevail with this Governor and his Assembly to have the same Act renewed again and to clear your selves from that Spirit which was the cause that the Act was repealed So with my love in the Lord Jesus Christ to you all And my Desires are That you may all be preserved in God's Power to his Glory and that you may grow in the Truth and with the Truth answer the Truth in every one's inward parts so that ye may spread the Truth abroad and that with it your Hearts may be united together And walk in it and in the love of it for Love edifies the Body of Christ And that ye may be good Examples in the Truth and in Righteousness and Holiness and shew forth Christianity in the Possession of it above the outside Professors From Dolston the 24th of the 7th Month 1682. G. F. To Friends in Holland FRriends and Brethren in the Holy Seed of Life Epist 374. that reigneth over all in it walk and in the Power and Spirit To be as the Salt of the Earth c. and Truth of God that you all may be as a City set upon a Hill that cannot be hid and the Salt of the Earth and Light of the World to answer the Light of Christ in all and be a good Savour in them that are saved and in them that perish and all live in Love that beareth all things and doth deifie the Body of Christ and grow up in him your Head and Life and be kind and courteous and tender in Affection to one another and walk as becometh the Gospel of Christ the Power of God And dear Friends this Yearly Meeting the Lord's Power Was over all and his Seed of Life and the Lords living refreshing Presence was among us in all our Meetings And your Epistle from your Yearly Meeting in Holland was read to the refreshing of Friends and another from the half Years Meeting in Ireland and a Testimony from Scotland that Friends are in Love and Vnity there and the Truth prospereth and spreadeth and by Letters from America Friends have set up a Meeting about Twenty that are Captives among themselves and a Friend that is a Captive declareth the Truth there among them and their Masters doth let them meet and it may be of great Service there and the Lord's Power is over all and in it be Valiant for God's Truth upon the Earth and spread it abroad and that you may all in Humility exalt the Lord and that the Presence of God and his Son may be among you all and so the Blessing of the Lord be among you all Amen London the 17th of the 4th month 1682. G. F. To Friends in Barbadoes DEar Friends In all your Meetings see that the Lord God be glorified and have an Eye to his Glory Epist 375. and let all things be done without Strife or Reflections but all to mind the Testimony of Life and that which doth preserve your Unity in it and in that you will seek one anothers good and not slight one another but to esteem one another in the Truth and keep low in Humility for such God will exalt and be kind and tender-hearted one to another and dwell in the Love of God To be kind and tender hearted one to another that he doth shed abroad in your Hearts for that Love which cometh from God doth edifie the Body of Christ and therefore you must be of a noble Spirit that are of the noble Birth born of the Spirit and to love
the Brotherhood in the Spirit and to esteem all Men and Women as they are God's Creation whose natural Sun and Rain shineth and falleth upon the just and unjust and on their natural Fields and so doth God's Eternal Son of Righteousness shine with his Light and Grace and Spirit that he doth enlighten them withal and gives his Grace and Peace to all for his Spirit is poured out upon all Thus doth he shine through all and upon all and over all and above all and therefore let your Light shine that are the Believers in the Light that are become the Children of the Light that others may glorifie your Father which is in Heaven in seeing your good Works and your good and gracious Words and Lives and Conversations and mind the more excellent way the Apostle sheweth to the Corinthians which is the Charity that will bear all things and is not puffed up nor envieth not This doth keep above all brittleness And Friends Friends not to alter their settled Meetings without Mutual Consent after that your Meetings are settled and seasoned by the Power of the Lord if that you do alter them without the Consent of Friends in the Power of the Lord that makes and breeds Discontent and therefore keep them after they be settled in the Power of the Lord and you settled in it upon Christ the holy Rock and Foundation of God that standeth sure And in all your Meetings if that there be any Difference between Brother and Brother do not reflect one upon another in Meetings but speak one to another between your selves as Christ Commands and then you may preach the Gospel of Peace freely and speak the Truth in the love of it as it is in Christ Jesus And this is the best way that so nothing may be seen in your Meetings but the Life Truth and Peace so that the Serpent whose Meat is Dust may find none in your Meetings and none to quench nor abuse the Power or Spirit nor none to go beyond it's Motion for if you do you will both bring Trouble and Burthens upon your selves and others and run out that so you cna hardly get in again and therefore be wise in the heavenly Wisdom of God to be ordered in his Spirit of Understanding to the Glory of God and the Comfort and Edifying of his People that you all may know how to behave your selves in the Church of God to the glory of God And let all your Lives and Conver sations preach Vertue Purity Righteousness Holiness and Godliness else you cannot be the Lights of the World nor the Salt of the Earth And when any doth badly or wickedly they instead of being Lights or Salt are unsavory and are stumbling-blocks and when the Salt hath lost its savour it is good for nothing but to be trodden under the foot of Men and therefore keep your favour and then you will not come under the Foot of Men and in the Light and then you will not go into Darkness And therefore have Salt in your selves and Oil in your own Lamps and keep in your own Houses for it is the Whore that abideth not in her own House with the Word of Life and Grace and Truth within and to the Light and purifying Faith and mortifying and baptising Holy Spirit of God the Fruits of which Spirit is Love Peace The Fruits of the Spirit Long suffering Gentleness Meekness Temperance and bear one anothers Burthens and so fulfil the Law of Christ and forgive one another as Christ hath forgiven you and ftrive to excel one another in Holiness and Righteousness and Godliness and Meekness and Modesty in Vertue Truth and Love that you may all live to the Praise and Glory of God Amen And the Lord saith Isaiah 49.8 speaking of Christ I will give thee for a Covenant of the People to establish the Earth Christ a Covenant of the People to cause to inherit the desolate Heritages So that you may see the fulfilling of this in the Promise and have a Care of God's Glory and all live in the Seed Christ your Sanctuary which is a safe Place over all Storms and Destroyers who was before they were and will be when they are gone in whom you all have Rest and Peace and by whom you are presented to God holy in Body Soul and Spirit and therefore all must be kept clean and holy if that they do offer up or be presented to him that is Holy and therefore you must be a holy People and walk in the holy Truth and obey the holy Word of God and walk godly as the Grace of God teaches which brings Salvation and walk in the Light If that you do keep in the Fellowship in the heavenly Light and in this you do differ from the World that makes a profession of the Scriptures of Truth and dishonoureth God and causes his Holy Name to be blasphemed by their not obeying the Word nor walking in the Light Spirit and Grace and Truth whose Candle is gone out and now cannot indure to hear talk of the Light and therefore let your Light so shine before Men that they may see your good Works and glorifie your Father which is in Heaven and then you will have both his Favour Presence and Blessing and the Lord God Almighty preserve you all and Friends every where in his Power and Seed Christ Jesus Amen The 26th day of the 8th Month 1682. G. F. To Friends in New-Jersey and Pensilvania DEar Friends With my dear Love to you all Epist 376. in God's holy peaceable Truth and my desires are Wisdom of God gentle kind and easie to be intreated That you may be all kept careful of God's Glory Now in your settling of Plantations and Provinces and especially in woody Countries as those are you may have many Trials and Troubles but if you keep in the Wisdom of God that will keep you both gentle and kind and easie to be intreated one of another that will preserve you out of Heats or Extreams or Passions and that all Friends that come over be with speed settled in their Plantations that they may not lie and waste their Time both of themselves and their Servants and spend that which should help to settle them in their Plantations And therefore you that are concerned in ordering those things have a Care that no Reproach come upon your selves and your Countries but there may be such Care taken in all things that there may be no Complaints come into England against you And I desire that you may be very kind and courteous to all in Necessity in the Love of God for there are many People goes over to your Countries some Poor and some Rich and so many Eyes are upon you To be kind to all in Necessity and them that come over to you and therefore my desire is that you may all be careful in the Love of God and in his Truth and Righteousnes as the Family
the Srwer when he sat in a Ship Behold saith Christ a Sower went out to sow his Seed and as he sowed some fell by the High-way side and it was trodden down and the Fowles of the Air devoured it and some fell upon the Rocks or Stony Places where they had not much Earth and as soon as it was sprung up it withered away So he that receiveth the Seed into rocky and stony Places the same is he that receiveth the Word with joy yet hath he not root in himself but endureth for a while or for a while believeth and in Temptations falleth away for when Tribulations or Persecutions arise because of the Word by and by he is offended and upon too many such have we seen this Parable fulfilled in Times of Persecutions and Tribulations and Sufferings the Heat of Persecution when it is up they are scorch'd and withered away and so come to nothing And some fell among Thorns and the Thorns sprung up and choaked it and they also that received Seed among the Thorns are they that hear the Word and when they have heard go forth and are choak'd with the Cares of this World and Deceitfulness of Riches and Pleasures of this Life and become Vnfruitful and bring no Fruit to Perfection And this is seen to be the Condition of too many But the other fell into good Ground and brought forth Fruit some Thirty some Sixty and some an Hundred fold So they that received the Seed into the good Ground are they which in an honest and good Heart have heard the Word and understand it and keep it and bring forth Fruti with Patience some an Hundred fold some Sixty some Thirty as was said before these are the honest and good Hearts upon whom Christ the Son of Righteousness shines that nourishes his good Seed whol brings forth Fruit unto Perfection who lives over the deceitful Riches and Cares of the World and the Pleasures of this Life that pass away who are not offended nor moved at Tribulations and Persecutions but patiently do endure them such do bring forth Fruit unto Perfection yea an Hundred Sixty Thirty fold in Christ Jesus who bruises the Head of the Serpent that makes Men and Womens Hearts like the High-way thorny rocky and stony Ground for Men and Women whose Hearts are like unto the High-ways stony rocky and thorny Ground the Seed hath fallen into these Grounds as before and from these Grounds all can talk of the Seed and of the Word but bring forth no Fruit unto Perfection And therefore let all consider what Ground you are and what Fruit you bring forth and when ye hear the Word of the Kingdom that ye understand it which none can without the Light and Spirit of Christ and walk in it but he that shall endure to the end in the Light in the Grace Truth and Spirit and in Christ from whom you do receive these shall be saved For the Apostle saith The just Man lives by Faith The just lives by Faith And this is not by any Faith which Men make but by the Faith which Christ Jesus is both the Author and Finisher of in your Hearts and Consciences and in this Faith ye have access to God and do please him But If any Man draw back to wit in not living by this Faith doth not the Lord say my Soul shall have no pleasure in him But we are not of them who draw back unto Perdition that is a sad drawing back but of them that believe to the saving of our Souls From Kingston upon Thames the 2d of the 9th Month 1682. G. F. An Epistle to all Planters and such who are Transporting themselves into Foreign Plantations in America c. MY Friends that are gone and are going over to Plant Epist 379. and make outward Plantations in America Keep your own Plantations in your Hearts with the Spirit and Power of God that your own Vines and Lillies be not hurt And in all places where you do outwardly live and settle invite all the Indians and their Kings To invite the Iddian Kings to Friends Meetings and have Meetings with them or they with you so that you may make inward Plantaions with the Light and Power of God the Gospel and the Grace and Truth and Spirit of Christ and with it you may answer the Light and Truth and Spirit of God in the Indians their Kings and People and so by it you may make Heavenly Plantations in their Hearts for the Lord and so beget them to God that they may serve and worship him and spread his Truth abroad And so that you all may be kept warm in God's Love Power and Zeal for the Honour of his Name That his Name may be great among the Heathen or Gentiles and ye may see over or be Overseers with the Holy Ghost which was before the unclean Ghost got into Man and Woman So with this Holy Ghost you may see and over-see that the unclean Ghost and his Works may be kept out of the Camp of God So that his Camp may be Holy and all the Holy may come into it and He who is Holy may walk in the midft of you his Camp and be glorified in and among you all who is over all and worthy of all Glory from Everlasting to Everlasting blessed and praised for evermore From the rising of the Sun even to the going down of the same my Name shall be great among the Gentiles And in every place Incense shall be offered unto my Name and a pare Offering for my Name shall be great among the Heathen saith the Lord of Hosts Mal. 1.11 The Lord reigneth let the Earth rejoyce let the Multitudes of the Isles be glad let every thing that hath Breath praise the Lord for the Lord taketh pleasure in his People He will beautifie the meek with Salvation Plal. 97 and 98. and Plal. 149 150. London the 22d of the 9 the Month 1682. G. F. To all christians to keep to Yea Yea and Nay Nay and to fulfil their Words and Promises ALL my Dearly Beloved Friends and Brethren every where The Lord God Almighty Epist 382 with his holy Power and Spirit hath gathered and kept and preserved you to this Day a People to himself And now dear Friends and Brethren in all your Words in all your Business and Employments Have a care of breaking your Words and Promises to and People but that you may before you make and Promises to any Man or Woman consider before-hand that you may be able to perform and fulfil both you Words and Promises to all People that you make your Promises or give your Word unto And that you Yea be Yea That our Yea be Yea. and Nay Nay in all things which Christ hath set up instead of an Oath yea above an Oath and Swearing in his New Covenant and Testament And the Apostle James holds forth the same Doctrine And this Yea Yea and Nay Nay was set
they have access to God True Faith purifieth the Heart in which they please him in that Truth which Christ is the Author and Finisher of which is called the Gift of God and they that are of this Faith the same are the Children of Abraham and are blessed with faithful Abraham and Abraham was called the Friend of God and so are all his Children that are of his Seed and Faith they are not Friends of the Devil the wicked and unrighteous One but him and his Works they forsake who are Friends of God they are Friends of Righteousness and Holiness c. And such the Blessings of God rest upon them that are of the Seed and walk in the Seed Christ that bruises the Serpent's Head and in that Seed are all Nations blest and out of the Mouth of the Seed's seed shall not God's Word depart but it shall abide in the Mouth of the Seed's seed this living Word of God but the Word of God doth not abide in them who make a Profession of the Scriptures but live not in the Power and Spirit of the Holy Ghost that gave forth the Scriptures such are like the Jews John 5. and such think to have Life in the Scriptures but they will not come unto Christ that they may have Life for none come to Christ but by believing in the Light which is the Life in him the Word Now dear Friends and Brethren in Christ Jesus if you keep in the Seed and Faith of Abraham in it you will command your Children and Families to walk in the Way of the Lord for in it you have Authority that they may keep the pure holy and righteous Way of the Lord after you when you are gone that they may succeed you in the Faith and Seed and Way of the Lord and in the Blessing of God as Abraham Isaac and Jacob did Amen G. F. To the Quarterly Meeting at York DEar Friends and Brethren in the Lord Jesus Christ Epist 383. your Life and Salvation your Rock and Foundation Rest and Sanctuary in all Storms Trials and Sufferings Now dear Friends my desire is that you may all strive for that which makes for Peace For Blessed are the Peace makers they are called the Children of God And therefore whatsoever things are Honest Just Pure Lovely and of good Report if there be any Vertue and Praise think on these things to Practice them So that in the Power of the Lord that is over the Devil and his Power all may be kept Chaste In the Power of God all to keep Chast c. Pure and Holy to the Glory of God and all that are in the true Faith and Knowledge may shew it forth in Vertue Temperance Patience Godliness Brotherly Kindness and true Charity or Love which beareth all things For they that dwell in Love dwell in God that is their Habitation And let all things be done in Love in the Name and Power of Jesus Christ And all to strive in the Spirit of the Lord God and his Truth to be of one Mind and Judgment so that you may all be baptised with one Spirit into one Body and so all to drink into one Spirit And keep the Unity and Fellowship in the Holy Spirit of God which is the Bond of Peace amongst all God's Children that are led by his Holy Spirit whose Communion and Fellowship is in the Holy Ghost by which ye are led into all Truth Now Dear Friends Let there be no Strife in all your Meetings nor vain Janglings nor Disputings but let all that tends to Strife be ended out of your Meetings that they may be kept Peaceable so that you may be at Peace among your selves and the God of Peace and Love may fill all your Hearts which Love edifies his Church To condescend one to another in the Fear of the Lord. And condescend one to another in the Fear of the Lord to that which is Honest Just Vertuous and of good Report And where any Weakness has been in any thing let it be covered and buried in the Spirit and Love of God that his Spirit and Love may be uppermost in you all to unite all your Hearts together And that you may all shew forth that you are the Children which the heavenly Wisdom is justified of which is Pure mark Pure Peaceable Gentle and easie to be intreated which is above the Wisdom that is below that 's neither Pure Peaceable nor easie to be intreated c. And in all matters of Business or Difference or Controversies treat one another in such things kindly and gently and be not fierce or heady and high minded for that Spirit will bring Men and Women to be Lovers of themselves and to be Despisers of others and that which is good which leads Nature out of its Course and so looses Natural Affections and at last comes to be without Natural Affections which Spirit we see most of Christendom is led by For if they were in natural Affections they would not destroy their fellow Creatures about Religion but being without natural Affections they have not Affections to their fellow Creatures to wit Man and Woman which were made in God's Image The Law and the Prophets Commanded to Love their Neighbour as themselves To love our Neighbour as our selves and Christ Commands to do unto all Men as they would have Men do unto them And the Gospel Commands to Love one another by which they are known to be Christ's Disciples and to Love their Enemies and to pray for them and to forgive one another as Christ has forgiven them So that those whose Conversation is according to the Gospel of Peace do establsh the Law and the Prophets who know the Divine Nature and are made Partakers of it are not without natural Affections but have Affections to it to cherish and preserve it And this the Word of Wisdom teaches by which all things were made and created good and blessed by which all things are upheld by which all things are sanctified to God's People that God created by his Word and made them good and blessed them By which Word and Wisdom all things are sanctified to God's People as before and are used and ordered by his Word of Wisdom to his Glory and Praise And now Dear Friends whereas there have been formerly some Discourses by some in your Meeting of Marrying within a Year after the decease of the Wife or of the Husband my desire is in those things Friends may shew forth both Chastity and Vertue and Temperance For formerly hasty Marriages was reckoned amongst the infamous Persons Marriage within the Year not of good Report as for a Man or a Woman to Marry within the Year of the Death of the Wife or Husband And therefore for Vertue and Chastity's sake and the Truth and good Examples sake that which is Honest Lovely and of good Report keep and walk in and follow For we ought in the Power of Christ
Salvation and not in any other Name under the whole Heaven So that now you come to know Christ your Saviour who destroys the Destroyer the Devil and his Works and it 's He that brings forth Everlasting Righteousness that makes an End of Sin and finishes Transgression So that now you may live and walk in the Everlasting Righteousness of Christ Jesus who is your Priest Christ our Priest and Prophet that is made higher than the Heavens Hebr. 7. And who is your Prophet that God has raised up and not Man whom ye must hear in all things Acts 3.22 7.37 who were as lost Sheep gone astray but are now retarned to the chief Priest and Bishop of your Souls namely Christ Jesus 1 Pet. 2.25 And Christ saith He is the true Shepherd that hath laid down his Life for his Sheep and his Sheep know his Voice and follow him Who is the Holy and Just one and never Guile was found in his Mouth And Christ says No Man comes to the Father but by me So he is the New and Living Way and God has given him for a Leader and Counsellor to Counsel his People who is the Holy Living Rock and Foundation which is above all the Rocks and Foundations below For He the Rock and Foundation is from above whom all the Children of the Light that believe in his Light which is the Life in him and are grafted into him do build upon And so the Lord God Almighty with his Eternal Power support you all in all your Afflictions and Sufferings Trials and Temptations that you may be built and settled upon this Rock and Foundation that cannot be shaken And now dear Friends my desires are and the Desires of Friends here that you may all walk soberly honestly modestly and civilly and lovingly and gently and tenderly to all your Patroons and to all People And To walk Justly and Holily in all Words and dealings That ye may walk Righteously Justly and Holily in all your Words Dealings and Doings that his Name you do profess now may be honoured and you may reach by your Righteous Godly Lives and Conversations the Good in all your Patroons and in all others so that you may shew forth the Fruits of the Spirit and the Fruits of Christianity and that you are the Possessors of Christ Jesus your Mediator who has made Peace betwixt you and your God And as you have received Christ so walk in him and know him to rule in your Hearts by Faith For herein as Christ said is my Father glorified that you bring forth much heavenly Fruit and that your spiritual and heavenly Light may shine before Men that they may see your good Works and glorifie your Father which is in Heaven And now Friends we understand That some that have come lately among you have been under great Sufferings and Abuses by their Patroons because they cannot honour them with that Honour as other Slaves do or as they have done before Now To wear out Sufferings by Patience if you wait in Patience upon the Lord in his Truth for you are to buy the Truth and not to sell it and Truth is that that 's stronger than all the Lord in his time though he may try you can mollifie that Nature in them there as he hath done in other Places where he hath tried his People with such things And when they have seen 't is for Conscience sake towards God and it is from the Principle of Truth and the Spirit in which Spirit and Truth they worship the Most-High God who is an Eternal Incomprehensible Spirit who is God in Heaven and God in the Earth and dwells by his Spirit in his humble People they have been overcome And now Friends consider They are blessed who suffer for Christ's sake they are blessed that suffer for Christ's sake and it is not only given you to believe but to suffer for his Name And they that will live Godly in Christ Jesus must suffar Persecution But the Apostle says of the true Christians Who shall separate us from the Love of Christ Shall Tribulation or Distresses or Persecution or Famine or Nakedness or Peril or Sword As it is written For thy sake are we killed all the day long We are counted as Sheep for the slaughter In all these things we are more than Conquerers through him that loved us I am persuaded that neither Death nor Life nor Angels nor Principalities nor Powers nor things present nor things to come nor highth nor depth nor any other Creature shall be able to separate us from the Love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord Rom. 8.36 39. Psal 44.22 Now dear Friends you may see here was a Godly Sincerity Fervency Stedfastness and Resolution in the true Christians which ought to be in all such now without boasting And the Apostle says Rejoyce for as much as ye are partakers of Christ's Sufferings that when his Glory shall be revealed ye may be glad also with exceeding Joy For if ye be Reproached for the Name of Christ happy are ye for the Spirit of Glory and of God rests upon you on their part he is evil spoken of but on your part he is glorified 1 Pet. 4.13 14 15. And so dear Friends Be wife that you may give no just occasion To give no just occasion of Offence And keep low in the Humility for such learn of Christ and the meek follow him And so my desire is That you may all be preserved to the Glory of God and that you may be Valiant for the Truth upon the Earth and spread it abroad that all may come to the Spirit of God that God poureth upon all Flesh and to serve and worship him And so that all Flesh may see the Glory of God by his Spirit and that all might come to the Light which is the Life in Christ the Word by whom all things were made and created with which Light he enlightneth every Man that comes into the World to believe in and to love it and to try their works whether they be wrought in God yea or nay 1 John 3.19 20 21. And that all might come to the Grace of God which hath appeared to all Men and brings Salvation which will teach to live Godly Righteously and Soberly and deny Unrighteousness This is the true Christian's Teacher which brings Salvation and teacheth to deny that which would lead them into Destruction The true Christians Teacher into Ungodly Ungracious Ways and Words but this Grace teacheth the Saints to walk in Gracious Ways and their Words come to be seasoned with Grace which teaches them and brings their Salvation So that which is the true Christian's Teacher brings their Salvation And so every one sit under this Teacher as the true Church of Christ did as you may see Tit. 2.11 12. And so dear Friends I do commend you to him that has all Power to support who is God All-sufficient to
Oil in their Lamps Such were not diligent in the Work of God nor in the Concerns of the Lord nor in their own Particulars And therefore my desires are That you may all be diligent serving the Lord and minding his Glory and the Prosperity of his Truth this little time you have to live and be not like Adam in the Earth but use this World as though you did not use it for they that covet after this World fall into divers Snares and hurtful Lusts And therefore consider that you are but Sojourners here that you may pass your time in the Fear of God and you being many and having many of the Friends of the Ministry going over into those Parts you may be a hinderance one unto another if you do not travel in the Life of the Vniversal Truth taht would have all Men to be saved and come to the Knowledge of the Truth And if you would have them come to the Knowledge of Truth let them know it and where it is to be found So I desire that you be valiant for it upon the Earth that you may give a good account unto God at the last with Joy So I desire that all Friends in the Ministry may see this in Pensilvania and New-Jersey And so with my Love to you all in the Holy Seed of Life that reigns over all Amen Enfield the 30th of the 5th Month 1685. G. F. To Friends in Wales DEar Friends and Brethren In the Lord Jesus Christ Epist 406. whom he hath gathered by his glorious Hand and Power to himself who is the Rock of Ages and the Foundation of many Generations that cannot be shaken in which you have all Life Peace Rest Salvation and Eternal Happiness Your Epistle dated the Second of the Second Month 1685 by Order of your Yearly Meeting signed in behalf of that Meeting was received and publickly read in our Yearly Meeting and well accepted of in Love and Unity with the Spirit that gave it forth And Friends are very glad to hear feel and see your Fellowship and Unity in the Lord's blessed Truth and your Communion in the Holy Ghost and your Care in the Concerns of the holy pure peaceable Truth And how that you are and have been preserved over those unruly Spirits that have been as Trees without Fruit and Wells without Water inwardly ravening Wolves that have got the Form of Godliness and the Sheeps Cloathing but are out of the Spirit and Power and Life of the Sheep of Christ And over such Spirits we praise God that he hath given you Dominion And our desire is That you may all live and walk in Christ and sit down in him in his Grace and Truth and that you may answer the Truth of God in all People with the Word of Life and also answer the Good in all with a Godly and an Holy Life and Conversation And likewise all the Magistrates and Officers that are in Power you may answer the just Principle in them all To answer the just Principle in all Men. and live in the Spirit of Supplication and pray for all that you may lead a righteous and a godly Life under them all So that God over all and through you all and by you all may have the Glory the Thanks and the Praise To whom all is due God blessed for ever Our Yearly Meeting was peaceable and the Lord 's glorious Presence was amongst us whose Glory shines over all God blessed and praised for ever Amen Nowe all Dear Friends You know your Teacher and Leader Christ Jesus and you know him your High-Priest that 's made highter than the Heavens by the Power of an Endless Life by whom you are made a Royal Priesthood to offer up spiritual Sacrifices to God by Jesus Christ And you know there is no other way to God but by Jesus Christ and you know that God hath raised him up a Prophet in the New Testament who is to be heard in all things who opens and no Man can shut and shuts and no Man can open And ye know that Christ is the Bishop of your Souls to Oversee you that you do not go astray from God And ye know that Christ is the true Shepherd and has laid down his Life for his Sheep and is to be heard and followed who gives unto his Sheep Life Eternal And so abide in him who is your Life Eternal and Everlasting in whom you have Peace with the Everlasting God Amen London the 10th day of the 7th Month 1685. G. F. To Friends in Dantzick DEar Friends Epist 407. I am glad to hear of your Welfare in the Lord And my desires are To be valiant for Truth That in the Eternal Power of God you may be valiant for his holy pure Truth upon the Earth and his holy Religion that keeps from the Spots of the World and the new and living Way Christ Jesus that will keep you out and over all dead Ways that are in the World and the Worship of God in his holy Spirit and pure Truth which Christ Jesus set up above all the Worships in thd World And all Men and Women must come to the Spirit of God in their Hearts if they serve and worship God that made them And my Desires are That you may live in Peace and Love one with another and in the pure gentle Wisdom of God that is easie to be intreated And let your Faith stand in the Power of God and feel that in your Hearts which will keep you until the Day of Salvation And let all your Conversations be according to the glorious Gospel of Life and Salvation so that you may come to answer the Truth in all People and in your Words and Actions you may preach Truth Righteousness Vertue Pureness Godliness and Holiness without which none shall see the Lord. And now Friends consider the Lord's great Mercy and Kindness towards you who hath brought you through great Sufferings To praeise Gode Mercies Tribulations and Persecutions and that you have your Meetings peaceable it is a great Mercy of the Lord to you for you to prize and be faithful So with my Love to you all in the Lord Jesus Christ that reigns over all in whom you have Eternal Rest and Peace Amen And as for the Affairs of Truth here we are under great Persecutions Imprisonments and spoiling of Goods but the Lord does support his People above them all And of late the chief Magistrates have shewed some Favour towards us Bednal-Green the 11th of the 9th Moutb 1685. G. F. To Friends in Pensilvania East and West-Jersey THE Lord God who created Man and Woman in his Image Epist 408. and after his Likeness in Righteousness and Holiness he blessed them and said unto them Be fruitful and multiply and replenish the Earth and subdue it and have dominion over the Fish of the Sea and over the Fowl of the Air and over all Cattle and over all the Earth and over
Meetings as I said before with the Indian Kings and Peopie so that all the Earth may come to look unto the Lord for Salvation For if ye should seetle down in the Earth and have plenty and be full Not to set our Hearts on the Earth and at ease for a time and not keep in the Power and Service and Spirit of God you would quickly come to lose your Condition as some did in Road-Island when settled down in the Earth after a while and then turned to Jangling about it and some ran out one way and some another And therefore I desire that the Lord may grant that you may be all kept and preserved by his holy Power on his holy Mountain that ye may be of the holy Camp of God that with his Power Light Spirit Grace and Truth all that is contrary may be kept out from among you so that the Lord God Almighty and his Son may walk in the midst of you and may delight to do you good So with my Love to all faithful Friends My Desire is that you all may keep in the Power and Spirit of the Lord in the heavenly Unity that you may all shine forth to his Glory and Praise to whom all belongs God over all blessed for over Amen Edmunton the 27th of the 11th Month 1687. G. F. DEar Friends Epist 413. my Desire is that all Friends may prize the Mercies of the Lord and live in Humility in his Power that is over all To prize God's Mercies that you may answer God's Witness in all People in his Spirit and Truth in a Righteous Godly Life and Conversation and let not Liberty lift them up nor Sufferings cast them down but live in the Seed of Life that no Man can make higher nor lower for that is the Heir of God's Everlasting Kingdom So in this Seed which is your Sanctuary God Almighty keep you in whom you have Life and Wisdom that it may be justified of all her Children and they exercised in it in this Day of Christ Amen G. F. ALL my dear Friends and Brethren in the Lord Jesus Christ who by his Eternal Arm and Power Epist 414. hath supported upheld and preserved you stedfast to himself so that neither Reproaches Imprisonments nor spoiling of your Goods to the almost Ruining you outwardly and besides long and tedious Imprisoning of you and many to Death Persecutors could not drive the Faithful From Christ And yet all these Persecutors could not make you turn from Christ your Life Priest Bishop and Shepherd and through him you have been made more than Conquerers And so live and walk in him who is the same to day yesterday and for ever who doth overcome and will have the Victory in whom you have Life and Salvation and Peace with God So no more but my Love Goosey in Essex the 18th of the 12th Month. 1688. G. F. DEar Friends Epist 415. my Love is to all Friends in the Truth in the Eternal Life and my Desires is that in the Everlasting Life you and I may live To live in Christ even in the Lord Jesus Christ that is over all from Everlasting to Everlasting Amen G. F. To the Quarterly Men and Womens Meetings in London All Friends Strive to keep in Unity in the holy Spirit of Christ which is the Bond of the heavenly Peace Epist 416. and that you Elders may be Examples in the heavenly Wisdom To keep in the Vnity of the Spirit and Word of Life and of Power and Patience to all the younger that hardly know the right Hand from the left so that they may be trained up both by the Word and Law in their Hearts and good Example from their Elders in Grace Truth Virtue Modesty and Sobriety as becoming Men and Women professing and possessing Godliness being adorned with a meek and a quiet Spirit which is with the Lord of a great Price and keep that Eye blind and that Spirit under that would go into the Fashions of the World for that will blind and burden and will not bear sound Doctrine and therefore that must be kept down with the Spirit of God by which all may have Power over their own Spirits and they that have not are like unto a City whose Walls are broken down that any thing that is evil or had may come in And therefore the Power and Spirit of God is as the Wall that preserveth Therefore be Wise for when Lust is conceived it brings forth Sin and Sin when it is finished it brings forth Death Now here you may see what brings forth Sin and Death in Man and Woman which by the Spirit of God is to be mortified The Spirit of God mortifies Sin and by it their Affections to be changed and set on things above where Christ sits at the Right Hand of God so that you may come to fit in the heavenly Places in Christ Jesus which is a holy pure and safe Sitting in which all may keep that heavenly Feast of Christ our Passover not with the old Leaven of Malice and Wickedness but with the heavenly unleavened Bread of Sincerity and Truth for Christ our Passover hath been sacrificed for us and therefore he is the heavenly Bread which the Feast of him our Passover must be kept withal by the clean and circumcised in Spirit in the New Testament and Covenant For the Jews in the Old Testament and Covenant they were to be clean and circumcised outwardly before they eat of the outward Sacrifices which Sacrifice and Circumcision Christ our Sacrifice hath ended and therefore keep to him our Circumcisor and the Feast of our Passover and let all the old Leaven of Malice and Wickedness be purged out that you may become a new Lump in Christ Jesus Amen Goosey the 29th of the 10th Month 1689. G. F. DEar Friends and Brethren in Christ Jesus Epist 417. whom the Lord by his Eternal Arm and Power hath preserved to this Day all walk in the Power and Spirit of God that is over all in Love and Unity For Love overcomes and builds up and unites all the Members of Christ to him the Head for Love keeps out of all Strife Love keeps out of all Strife and is of God and Love and Charity never fails but keeps the Mind above all outward Things or strife about outward Thins and is that which overcomes Evil and casts out all false Fears and it is of God and unites all the Hearts of his People together in the heavenly Joy Concord and Unity And the God of Love preserve you all and settle and establish you in Christ Jesus your Life and Salvation in whom you have all Peace with God And so walk in him that you may be ordered in his peaceable heavenly Wisdom to the Glory of God and the Comfort one of another Amen London the 27th of the 3d Month 1689. G. F. To the Six Weeks Meeting in London 1690 THe
Six-Weeks Meeting is for to see Epist 418. that all their Meetings are preserved by the Wisdom of God in the Vnity of the Spirit The Care of the Six Weeks Meeting the Bond of Peace and in the Fellowship of the Holy Ghost being ordered by the pure gentle heavenly peaceable Wisdom easie to be intreated Holy and Vertuous Examples to all other Meetings both in City and Country And that all may be careful to speak short and pertinent to Matters in a Christian Spirit and dispatch Business quickly and keep out of long Debates and Heats and with the Spirit of God keep that down which is doting about Questions and Strife of Words that tend to Parties and Contention Which in the Church of God there is no such Custom to be allowed And likewise not to speak more than one at a time nor any in a fierce Way for that is not to be allowed in any Society neither Natural nor Spiritual but as the Apostle saith Be swift to hear and slow to speak and let it be in the Grace which seasons all Words And if there be any Differences that cannot be quickly ended in the Meeting let the Six-Weeks Meeting order some Friends to hear the Matter out of the Meeting without Respect of Persons and bring in the Report to the same Meeting the same Day if possible and the Meeting may give Judgment that no Business be delayed from time to time And so with my Love to you all in the Seed of Life Christ Jesus in whom ye have all Peace and Wisdom from him who is the Treasure of Knowledge and Wisdom Amen Kingston upon Thames the 5th of the 3d Month 1690. G. F. DEar Friends Epist 419. Something was upon me to write unto you that such among Friends who marry and provide great Dinners that instead thereof it will be of a good Savour on such Occasions that they may be put in mind at such times to give something to the Poor that be Widows and Fatherless To be Charitable and relieve the Poor and such like to make them a Feast or to Refresh them And this I look upon would be a very good Savour to feast the Poor that cannot feast you again and would be a good Practise and Example and would be a means to keep the Mind to the Lord and in remembrance of the Poor for they that give to the Poor lend to the Lord and the Lord will re-pay them And I do really believe what ever they give less or more according to their Ability cheerfully they will not have the less at the Years End for the Lord loves a cheerful Giver I know this Practice hath been used by some Twenty Years ago And so it is not only to give the Poor a little Victuals which you cannot eat your selves but give them a little Money that the Lord hath blessed you with and give it to some of the Womens Meetings for to distribute to the Poor So you will have the Blessings of the Lord and the Blessings of the Poor And so to be of a free noble Spirit above all the churlish Misers and Nigards and narrow Spirits These things I do recommend to you though it may look a little strange to weigh and consider the thing it will both be of a good Report and a good Savour and manifests a self-denial and openness of Heart and of the general Love of God London the 4th of the 4th Month 1690. G. F. To Friends Captives at Macqueness DEar Friends st 420. With my Love to you all in the Lord Jesus Christ in whom you have Life and Salvation and Rest and Peace with God and the Lord God Almighty with his Eternal Arm and Power uphold and preserve you in Christ in whom you have Rest and Peace though in the World Troubles and though you be in Captivity from your Wives and Children and Relations and Friends yet the Lord is present with you by his Spirit of Grace Light and Truth And so feel him at all times and stand in his Will do not Murmer nor Complain but stand still in the Faith and Power of God To stand in the Faith that you may see your Salvation for by Faith the Lord delivered his People out of Egypt by his Power and by Faith Enoch and Noah were preserved and Abraham Isaac and Jacob and by Faith the Prophets were delivered out of many Perils and Daniel out of the Lions Mouth And you may see how the Righteous were delivered by Faith in Heb. 11. And it would be very well if you that be Captives and Friends To meet to worship God could have Meetings as they had at Algier to the comforting and refreshing one another And you may speak to your Patroons of your meeting together to worship God that created Heaven and Earth and made all Mankind and gives you Breath Life and Spirit to serve and worship him And my Desires are to the Lord That you in his Truth and Power may answer the Truth in all both King and Prince and Turks and Moors that you may be a good Savour among them all and in them all manifesting that you are the Salt of the Earth and the Light of the World and a City set on a Hill that cannot be hid So that they may see your good Works and glorifie your Father which is in Heaven And what do you know but the Lord hath set you there to preach in Life and Word and good Conversation Therefore while you are there mind your Service for God who hath all things in his Hand And a Sparrow cannot fall to the Ground without his Providence And Christ is the Mountain that filleth the whole Earth and so you will feel him there And therefore keep in the Word of Power and in the Word of Patience and the Word of Wisdom that will give you Dominion over all Amen London the 25th of the 8th Month 1690. G. F. You may petition the Emperor or King and your Patroons Postscript whose Captives you are that you may have one Day in the Week to meet together to worship and serve the Great God that made you in Spirit and Truth For you worship no Representation Image or Likeness neither in Heaven nor in the Earth but the Great God who is Lord over all both in Heaven and Earth and is manifest by his Spirit in his People from you poor Captives who desire their Good here and their Eternal Happiness hereafter And you may draw up a Paper to this Effect and get it Translated into their Language and send it to the Emperor and his Council and your Patroons and set your Hands to it with all speed after the the receipt of this George Fox THE END THE FIRST TABLE CONTAINING The Names of Countries Cities Towns and Places mentioned in this Collection of Epistles being those from or to which they were sent and directed by the Author on Truth 's Account in England and
A COLLECTION OF Many Select and Christian EPISTLES Letters and Testimonies Written on sundry Occasions by that Ancient Eminent Faithful Friend and Minister OF CHRIST JESUS George Fox The Second Volume What thou seest write in a Book and send it unto the Seven Churches Rev. 1.11 For we write none other things unto you than what you have read and acknowledged and I trust you shall acknowledge even unto the End 2 Cor. 1.11 LONDON Printed and Sold by T. Sowle in White-Hart-Court in Gracious-street and at the Bible in Leaden-Hall-street 1698. AN EPISTLE By way of PREFACE To all Truth 's Friends and Friendly Readers Greeting In the dear and tender Love of my Heavenly Father which by his dear Son and blessed Spirit he hath plentifully shed abroad in many Hearts in this glorious Gospel-Day Glory to his worthy Name and excellent Power for ever Dear Friends I Am concerned to recommend the serious reading and perusal of the ensuing Collection unto all who sincerely desire the Promotion of Christ's Kingdom and Prosperity of his Church and Sion in true Love Vnion and Order in and by Christ Jesus himself the Head and Foundation thereof And that none of you would think the perusal of these Epistles wearisom or tedious because the same Words and Things in many of them may seem frequently repeated there being numerous Evangelical Truths and variety of good and wholsom Matter as well as diversities of Episties containing much Christian Counsel to many various States and Conditions of enlightned and enlivened Souls travelling and breathing to God so that the frequent intermix'd Repetitions of the same necessary Truths may be the better allowed and born with in the Reading However the moderate and ingenious Reader will not be offended thereat It being a thing frequent in the Holy Scriptures to have the same Gospel-Truths often repeated which many dull and forgetful Persons have need to be often told of such Matters of so great Importance The Author's Epistles and Matters of most general Concern are here collected to avoid Prolixity and unnecessary Repetitions as much as could be The Simplicity and Plainness of the Author's Stile is not to be despised he being more in Life and Substance than in the Wisdom of Words or Eloquence of Speech And the Lord being pleased in his Day to make great Vse of him and to do great Things by him for his Name and Seed's sake of which there yet remains Clouds of Witnesses even to that Divine Power and hidden Wisdom of God in the Mystery of Christ which was with him and supported him and lifted up his Head thorow many great Fights of Afflictions and Trials I confess I have not read or heard all the Epistles in the ensuing Collection but many of them which I know to be very seasonable weighty and necessary and therefore have cause to believe so of the rest which I have not read But by our long and frequent Conversation Knowledge and Intimacy together with his living and revived Testimonies his godly Care and Zeal for Truth 's Honour and Prosperity I have deeply read and known the Author his unfeigned Love Innocency and Integrity in the blessed Living Truth whose Christian Care among many other things relating to the Churches of Christ the Union Good Order and Discipline thereof greatly was That no Offence in any thing might be given that the Ministry might not be blamed well-knowing what Trials and Proofs attended Christ's Ministers and Ministry in these latter Days in some degree as in the Primitive Christians Times namely that he with many others in his Day approved himself and themselves as the Ministers of Christ in much Patience in deep Afflictions in Necessities in Distresses and some in Stripes and cruel Beatings in Prisons in Tumults in Labours by Watchings and by Fastings by Purity by Knowledge by Long-suffering by Kindness by the Holy Ghost by Love unfeigned by the Word of Truth by the Power of God by the Armour of Righteousness on the Right-hand and on the Left by Honour and Dishonour by evil Report and good Report as deceivers and yet true c. 2 Cor. 6. In which Proofs of God's Ministers this his Ancient Servant had a deep share and the true Root of the Matter was in him far beyond his Expressions And though many false Predictions Prophesies and cruel Threats were early breathed out by Persecators and envious Spirits against Him and Vs his Friends and Brethren whom he unfeignedly loved and against His and Our Holy Profession Way and Testimony as if in a very short time all would come to nought and be laid waste yet they have all been disappointed and proved false and his Christian Living Testimony and Work further manifest to be of God and not of Men nor of the Will of Man For Truth that 's strongest of all hath still prevailed and must prevail And though the Memory of this our deceased Brother and faithful Servant of Jesus Christ be still greatly Envied and be most grosly Defamed by some implacable Adversaries and hardned Apostates who could not obtain their evil Ends and destractive Designs against him in his Life-time yet his Memory is truly Precious to many Thousands who truly Fear God and Love his Truth who have a true Inward Sense That such a Divine Power and Providence attended him in his Innocent Christian Testimony Ministry Labours and Sufferings that the Devil and all persecuting Agents could never stop nor frustrate his Testimony or Service in turning many to Righteousness even from Darkness unto Light and from the Power of Satan unto God In many of the ensuing Epistles he often mentions the Seed the Life the Power of God and the like whereby he intends no other than what the Holy Scriptures testifie of Christ which we know he truly loved and esteemed and was often conversant in reading of them and had an excellent Memory and spiritual Sence thereof given him of the Lord. By the pure holy Seed he meant and declared Christ the promised Seed wherein all the Promises of God are Yea and Amen And as Christ is the Word of God the Word of Life the Word of Faith he is that immortal and incorruptible Seed of which all true and spiritual Believers and Children of the Light are begotten to God and born again and which Seed or Word of Eternal Life abideth in him that is born of God and sinneth not because thereof 1 John 3. And as the Generation of God and Children of his Kingdom and of the Promise are called the good Seed and counted for the Seed being born of that Incorruptible Seed or Word of Life which endureth for ever 1 Peter 1.23 15. And being that blessed Seed and Holy Generation which was foretold Christ should see and for which the travel of his Soul was Isa 53. This our deceased Friend and Servant of Jesus Christ truly testified of him in all Respects both as come in the Flesh and in the Spirit both as Christ was and
one shall see the Lord. And let your Conversation be as becometh the Gospel To Friends in Cumberland the Holy Power of God which is the Gospel of Christ the Holy One who suffered by the Vnholy Ones And keep in the Lowly Mind and the Humility of Christ that the Fruits of your good Conversation and Translation and Regeneration in your Lives may appear The Fruits of a good Conversation as a People redeemed from the Pleasures of the Flesh and the Spirit of the World and the beggarly Lusts and that ye may obtain the Promise of the Eternal God and the Power of the Truth through the Word in the Heart the hidden Man that ye may obtain Victory over that which wars against your Souls through which ye may be arrayed and adorned and by that ye may be preserved and kept from that which is not of the Father the Lust of the Flesh the Lust of the Eye and the Pride of Life in the Simplicity and Innocency of Christ Jesus over all the Subtilty and feigned Deceit through which ye may esteem nothing in Comparison of that which is of God and him above all through Christ the Light the Truth the Power of God manifested in you False Liberty And keep out of all false Liberties and that which would lead you out of the Fear of God and in that ye will be preserved in the Sense of the Power and the Truth of God in your own Hearts In that every one watch through which Knowledge and Virtue is ministred unto you and Peace from the God of Virtue and Peace And keep out of all that which tends to Strife and Whisperings and Backbitings and Tattlings which draws from the Witness Watch and Fear of God within which leavens into the Fleshly Lusts and Nature and then that Judges and yet is in the same thing for which he Judges others which Nature and Judgment all is for Judgment and Condemnation So be Wise and keep your First Love break not Wedlock with the Lord Jesus Christ keep your first Habitation keep your Garments clean for such as so do they are blessed that ye may shine as Lights to the World Be Examples in Virtue and be Examples in Virtue Righteousness and Holiness walking in the Truth in all Patience and Quietness looking at the Lord your Strength and Christ Jesus the Conqueror and beyond all the Hills and Mountains that ye may be a good Savour to the Lord having Salt in your selves Let your Lamps be burning and your Lights shining and then ye will see over all the Unsavouriness that is in Adam's Family in the Fall who live in Christ the Power of God that never fell and keep Marriage with him the Holy One the Just One the Light the Truth and Power of God who makes an End of all Vnholiness And so walk in the Righteousness that your Feet may be kept in the Way of Peace And keep both your Tongues and Hands and Bodies and Lips and Minds and Words out of all that which would defile and corrupt you and bring you under the Indignation and Wrath of God and his Hand to be turned against you So keep in the Fear of God and keep in his Truth which ye at first received for Truth never changes And walk in the Spirit and then the Lusts of the Flesh will not be fulfilled and then Strife is kept out that which would be high and get up through which comes Strife and Wars So keep your Fellowship in the Spirit in which is the Unity and Bond of Peace Fruits of the Spirit and the Fruits of the Spirit will appear Righteousness Holiness Goodness Peace Soberness and Gentleness Chastity and Virtue through which ye may have Fruit to feed the Hungry and to relieve the Sick and Poor For the Unfruitful walks not in the Spirit and so bears not Fruit and so the Curse comes and Briars and Misery So eye the Lord God in all things in the Spirit who is a Spirit in that ye may distinguish his things and the things that are of your selves and what is of Men and what is of God and what to keep alive and what must dye So be Obedient to the Spirit and to the good Power of God that hath quickened you and live in it that ye may dye no more for that gives you Life For they that are made alive and come to dye again and to be Twice Dead Twice Dead plucked up c. and then come to be plucked up by the Roots such lye dead upon the Earth and corrupt it So let not the World let not things visible draw your Minds away from the Lord. Do not mind the Body more than the Lord do not forsake the Lord but be of good Faith in the Truth of God and live in it then ye live in Christ Jesus who is your Way who is your Teacher who is your Prophet who is your Priest who is the Bishop of your Immortal Souls Christ that never fell nor never changed nor never will change And here ye come into the Seed the Top-stone The Seed the Top-stone that is atop of the World set and before the World was who will remain when the World is gone who was full of Grace and Truth and Virtue and Life by whom Grace comes that brings Salvation who is every one of your Teacher in your selves So know Christ the Head and Salvation in which there is Peace and no Condemnation for the Condemnation is upon them that are out of the Light And so live in Vnity in the Light before Darkness and Enmity was in which ye have Peace and Love to God to Christ and to one another G. F. An Epistle to the Travellers in the Lord's Way with a Testimony against the False Prophets and them that hold them up FRriends Epist 38. All are to receive your Spiritual Bread and Water from the Father of Life by which ye may be strengthened and watered from the Father of Life in your passing and travelling on in your Spiritual Journey heartily and comfortably that ye may come to your heavenly Rest The Spiritual Travel being come and coming out of the great City of Sodom towards the City of heavenly Jerusalem where ye shall abide Eternally for ever Reason not with Flesh and Blood that shall never enter take not Counsel of that which draws thee nearer to Carnal things and draws thee to Consult with Carnal Reason Carnal Reasoning and so draws thy Eye and Mind to Visible things and so brings thee to wander from going on thy Journey and if thou followest that thou goest to Death Hell and Destruction and to the Pit and the Snare and that gets Dominion over thee and comes to rule over thee which ought not But every one wait in the pure Spirit to guide you to God then ye shall see the Promise of God fulfilled in you and the Springs of Life opened to you and Refreshment
daily coming in from the Lord and then ye will come to Walk with the Lord forsaking all Father Mother A forsaking all Wife and Children Lands Livings and all Here is Joining to the Lord as one Spirit and he that doth not forsake all is not worthy of him All who are in the first Birth and all who reason with Flesh and Blood stand here and are for Persecuting them who are born of the Spirit that are passing out of this City towards the City whose Foundation and Builder is God For in that City the Righteous Ones are slain by them who are of Cain's Generation All ye who are got up into his steps professing Christ and to be Ministers of Christ who stand in the Envy and have the Chiefest place in the Assemblies and are called of Men Master which Christ forbids Lye down all for shame who are in Pride and Oppression Professors Pride and Oppression and in the steps and places of the Pharisees and have got a Form of the Words which the Apostles said and which Christ said and have got it in Three or Four Languages the Lord hath discovered you now the Lord God Almighty hath discovered you by his Prophets and Servants All Honour and Glory and Thanks be to him for ever who now is come to rule alone in his Saints Rejoyce O all ye Prophets and Righteous ones The Beast which made War with the Lamb and the Saints the Lamb hath got the Victory over the Beast and the Ten Horns which pushed at him Powerful Father and Eternal God to thee alone be all Glory Honour and Thanks for ever Now all ye Teachers The World's Teachers and Hearers described and Hearers that hold you up I witness against you that ye may be Witnesses against your selves and that ye may witness your selves to be in Cain's Generation and in the Generation of the false Prophets and Anti-Christs and Seducers who have the Form of Godliness but deny the Power and in the Generation of them that ever slew the righteous Seed as it will appear Now All People take notice who are they that bear Rule by their Means Who are the Hirelings now that the Scriptures speak of Who seek for their Gain from their Quarters now Who feed themselves with the Fat now Who seek for the Fleece and cloath themselves with the Wooll now and so make a Prey of the People Where are the Hirelings now The Priests preach for Hire and the Prophets prophesie for Money Who sues Men at the Law now which Christ spake against which the Apostle speaks against who was a Minister of the living Truth which testifies against all such Practices Who goes in the Way of Balaam now for Gifts and Rewards Where are the Covetous Teachers now Who are called of Men Master now Who love the Chiefest Places of the Assemblies now Who goes in Long Robes now Who stand praying in the Synagogues now and speak a Divination of their own Brain which the Wo was pronounced against by Christ Jesus the Substance of all the Prophecies who cried Wo against all such Pharisees and false Prophets Who hale out of the Synagogues now Who stone and stock prison and beat now and hale before Magistrates This was the Jews Practice and Religion ye may say the Jews did so The Prophets of God they testified against these things and the Apostles they testified against all these Practices And Jesus Christ testified against all the evil Works of the World and all these Practices were held up in Cain's Generation So be ye Witnesses that ye are here in the Generation of the false Prophets False Prophets Generation and in the Chair of them that spake a Divination of their own Brain that are called of Men Masters love the Chiefest places in the Assemblies lay heavy burthens upon the people of them that seek their Gain from their Quarters and of them that go in the Way of Balaam Cain's Sacrifice and in the Generation of Cain Where any Prophet comes to Cry against any of you ye seek to Imprison him or to destroy him which Abel did not as ye may read but Cain who was the first Birth whose Sacrifice God had no respect to no more hath God to your Customary Will-worships Praying and Prayers than to Cain's Cain's Generation For Cain's Generation was and is the same that ever it was and is not of the Generation of the Righteous And except ye all be born again ye cannot Inherit the Kingdom of God So here be ye Witnesses against your selves that ye are in the Generation of Cain which ever slew the Righteous Seed and in the Generation of all the false Prophets Put it not far from you as they did which put Christ to Death If thou hadst lived at that day thou may'st say thou would'st not have put Christ to Death But thou shalt see the same Nature in thee now as was then For now is the Son of God come and ye are of the same Generation that they were seeking to put him to Death where he is manifest But the Eternal Glorious God of Heaven and Earth the same as ever he was is manifesting himself in his Sons and Daughters who are called out of that Generation and Worship For he said Come out from among them be ye separate touch no Vnclean thing Be ye Separate and I will be a Father unto you and ye shall be my Sons and Daughters and this we witness and this is fulfilled The Generation of the Wicked we know and the Generation of the Faithful we know here is a Separation between the Precious and the Vile between the Holy and the Profane So all People weigh and see in what Generation ye are The Generation of the Righteous shall shine The Generation of the Righteous and Wicked distinguished the Generation of the Wicked are for the Fire prepared and to be turned into Hell Ye are the Stubble ye that are Proud are for the Fire ye that are Wicked ye are Chaff that the Wind drives to and fro ye that are Scorners are turned from God ye that are Heathenish know not God and all that are Heathen know not God the Lord will render Vengeance in Flames of Fire upon you The mighty Day of the Lord is coming that shall burn as an Oven The Fire is kindling in the Earth which shall burn up all Root and Branch Head and Tail the Lord of Hosts hath spoken it The Lord God of Power will reign O happy Day Praises Praises Praise ye the Lord ye Righteous Ones sing Praises to the Lord God Almighty for ever All ye Liars and Dissemblers must never inherit the Holy City in that State And all ye Liars and Dissemblers state which commit Sin and live in Sin know not God and who are disobedient and hold the Truth in Vnrighteousness the Wrath of God abides upon you All ye that work Iniquiquity and live and die in that
of the Light must come Therefore all wait in the Measure of Life that with it your Hearts may be knit together And none to be hasty nor to will any thing there is not any thing received from God by him who willeth with his own Will For no Prophecy of the Scripture came by the Will of Man Peter The Will of Man that was not learned of Man but of Christ saw this And the Scripture is for the perfecting of the Man of God which is learned of God and came not by Man's Will So now mind your Growth and your Perfecting and your Stedfastness in the Light in which is the Unity So every one wait in the Light which comes from Christ the Head from whence Nourishment comes which nourishes the Body and all the Members from whence comes the Bread of Life which is from above and the Water of Life Therefore all wait in your Measure and walk after your Line which is the Light which comes from Christ The Line of Light which is your Life that every one of you may have Praise and Comfort in the same and every one of you may be kept in the Way of Righteousness and Peace up to the Lord who is Righteousness and Peace where the blessed Hope is seen with the Light that comes from him by whom the World was made That so the Covenant of Light Life and Peace ye may all come to witness and every one come to have Dominion and Rule over your own Spirits for the Spirit of Man lusteth to Envy if it be not subdued by the Spirit of the Living God Therefore wait and take heed lest any Nakedness appear and that which is not justified in the Sight of God Presumption And Presumption take heed of lest ye go from the Living God but in the Spirit dwell that over all that ye may reign and come to be recorded in the Book of Life which Life was before the World was And this brings you to see and read one another as Epistles written in one another's Hearts where in Vnity Love and Peace ye will come to dwell in the Life of the Spirit of the Living God The Saints taught of God in which the Saints had Vnity which brought them to be taught of the Living God and so they gave forth the Scrptures as they were moved by the Holy Ghost So no Prophecy in the Old Time came by the Will of Man but was learned of God So now ye waiting in the Spirit every one to be taught of God the Father of Spirits your Teacher is with you present and one in you all according to your Measures Which Spirit is given to every one of you to profit withal by which Holy Spirit the Scripture was given forth Which Scripture the World hath got who are sensual not having the Spirit and there they are fighting about the Outside and the Languages And there is the Sea Languages Sea and Beast which the Beast ariseth out of which the World wonders after and there is the Mother of Harlots with all her false Colours whose Eyes are out from the Light which comes from him by whom the World was made there ye may go and have a Name to live but are dead Now all be willing to wait in the Measure of that which is Eternal that no Fornication be found amongst you nor Deceit Fornication and Deceit that all may come to receive Wisdom from Christ who is the Wisdom of God That this Wisdom may be Justified in you all and ye all in the Light preserved and that which is contrary condemned So that ye may all be kept from Deadness and Slothfulness in the Fear of the Lord God and therein your Hearts kept clean And so the Lord God Almighty preserve you Friends Keep your Meetings every where waiting upon the Lord that to him ye may be a sweet Savour And watch over one another with the Measure of the Spirit of the Lord. Meetings The Lord God Almighty preserve you and keep you in his Will Wisdom Light Life and Power Let this be read among Friends G. F. FRiends Epist 133. Towards all Men walk in Wisdom and be gentle to all Men To keep in Love for that edifies for the Meek inherit the Earth and receive the Blessing And they that thirst after Righteousness shall inherit Righteousness and the Blessing And the Merciful do obtain Mercy and the Blessing And the pure in Heart shall see God Blessed are the pure in Heart and receive the Blessing And Blessed are they that mourn for they shall be comforted And Blessed are the Peace-makers for they are the Children of God And Blessed are they that are persecuted for Righteousness sake for theirs is the Kingdom of God And Blessed are ye when Men shall revile and persecute you and shall say all manner of Evil against you falsly for Christ's sake And it is Love that edifieth Faith and the Edifying is in the most Holy Faith which Faith is the Gift of God which giveth Victory over the World and in this is the Blessing which purifieth the Heart and this is it which bringeth to please God And that which edifieth is the living Faith and not the dead Faith and Love rejoiceth in the Truth and not in the Iniquity for that is not in Love So ye that are the Lord's Lot Mark and are his Inheritance and are in Covenant with God with him ye have Peace The Covenant with God which Covenant is given to all the World But they that hate the Light are out of Covenant with God and by the Light they are condemned and those which the Light doth condemn are out of the Covenant G. F. LIve in Peace Epist 134. all my Dear Babes of God one with another for Patience that obtains the Crown and hath the Victory And in Pureness live over the Deceit Patience obtains the Crown and answer the Witness of the Lord God in every one And keep in the Seed and Life of the Lord God that ye may feel the Blessing of the Lord God amongst you and upon you AND That which doth let you see your Sins in that stand and ye will see your Saviour The Saviour seen who was before the World was him by whom the World was made glorified with the Father before the World began he will be your Stay and Rest DEAR Friends dwell in the Seed of God and know it in you all that ye may know it to reign which is the Heir of Power and in that live and dwell and in it keep your Meetings And we must have the Patience to bear all manner of Evil done or spoken against us for Christ's sake and rejoyce at it G. F. For Francis Howgil and Edward Burrough About 1657. DEar Friends and Lambs Epist 135. Put on the Armour of Light and the Shield of Truth and the Breast-Plate of Righteousness that ye may stand
the Lord God with you And if the World's Works lie like a Wilderness care not for it and matter it not but do the Work of the Lord faithfully and ye will feel it prosper answering that of God in every one And so God Almighty preserve you in his Power G. F. FRiends Epist 183. Dwell in Patience and in the Power Life and Wisdom of God and in Peace and Love and Unity one with another And be subject in the Power and Life and Wisdom of God to God and to one another that in it ye may be as a pleasant Field to the Lord God As Libies and Flowers and as the Lillies and the Flowers and the Buds feeling the pleasant Showers and the Streams of Life from the Living God flowing upon you and coming into you whereby the Presence and Blessing of the Lord God Almighty amongst you all may be felt And in that the Lord God Almighty preserve and keep you that to him ye may be a good Savour And live in Peace And the God of all Peace keep you that nothing may reign and rule amongst you but the Life and Power and Seed and Wisdom of God that in him ye may be preserved by which all things were made and created That ye may be all ordered to his Glory and be a good Savour in the Hearts of all People in which ye do refresh others and are refreshed So dwell in the Fear of the Lord which brings a Dread and Terror upon all his Enemies Esau's Mount that are in Esau's Mount but your Peace comes from the Mountain of God And let your Joy and Peace be in the Lord. G. F. OH my Dear Friends and Brethren every where The Power of the Lord God that is over all live in Epist 184. that in that ye may feel Vnity and Fellowship that in the Power of the Lord God ye may all come to be Heirs of the Power of an Endless Life through which ye may inherit Eternity and so to feel Life Eternal abiding in you Now The Man-slayer and Persecutor the Man-slayer hath not Eternal Life abiding in him that is he that envies his Brother so all the Persecutors that envy their Brethren have not Eternal Life abiding in them Under this all the Persecutors about their Church and vain Religion false Worship Faith and Ministry are Therefore all of you feel this Eternal Life abiding in you for he that hath the Son of God hath Life Eternal and so in this Eternal Life ye have Fellowship with God and his Son and with one another and in this the Law of Life that is in Jesus Christ The Law of Life passeth Sentence on the Law of Sin and Death in every Man and Woman and brings it to the Execution Through which Law of Life Righteousness flows and runs down and also Justice and Truth and by this Law of the Spirit of Life in Christ Jesus Mark in Christ Jesus ye come to know the Lamb's Throne and the Throne of Iniquity thrown down and all blasphemous Mouths stopped and the Chambers of Imagery thrown down and the Houshold of God raised up and the Fruit less Trees thrown down and the Plant of God raised up The Plant of God which is of his own Planting the Tree of Righteousness whose Fruit is unto Holiness whose End is Everlasting Life So mark here 's the Fruit of this Tree and the End of this Tree and by this Spirit ye do distinguish Names and Plantings and Pluckings up and God's Building ye will distinguish from Man's Building and Man's Plucking down and man's Gathering together Ye that are gathered together in the Name of Jesus can distinguish Mens Gathering and their Scattering Oh! The Knowledge of Truth Therefore be Valiant for the Truth which ye are come to the Knowledge of and worship God in that Truth which the Devils is our of and abode not in this makes you free from the Devil and his Works that are out of the Truth Here in this Worship in the Truth and in the Spirit the living God who is a Spirit the God of all Truth he hath his Glory and his Honour from his Spirit in every Heart And so keep in the Spirit and Truth and the Power of the Everlasting God who is from Everlasting to Everlasting that ye may know him Lord of the Earth and of the Heaven and of the Heaven of Heavens ruling and reigning whose Eye is over all his Works that ye may glorifie him in his Power and Spirit and serve him in the New Life which will keep you over all Mens Fables and Devices Fables and Devices Whimsies and Imaginations out of all Janglings and vain Dispates of Men of corrupt Minds And so all to live in that which is the same to day as was yesterday Christ Jesus the Power of God and the Seed of Life and Word that was in the Beginning so no new thing but that which was and is to all Eternity Let your Fellowship be in that and your Vnity and Communion be in that for by the Spiritual Eye the Eternal Vnity with the Eternal God is seen So The Voice of God soakes the Earth and the Heavens Hear his Voice every where that speaks from Heaven whose Voice shakes the Earth and not the Earth only but Heaven also The Heaven signifies Joy so all the false Joys the lifted-up Joys or exalted Joy and Joy in vain Glory and Joy in the world or any outward thing or Creature or Men or Women his Voice that speaks from Heaven shakes the Earth and the Heavens and this must be shaken and removed both the Heaven and the Earth before that doth appear that can never be shaken the Noble Royal Seed Elect and Precious which was before the World began being Heirs of him come to inherit him in him ye shall know that which cannot be shaken and there is the true JOy the standing Joy in that which is from Everlasting to Everlasting who is the Beginning and Ending here is not any lifted up nor cast down So I say Hear his Voice and hearden not your Hearts for through not hearing his Voice ye harden your Hearts then ye provoke God to Wrath and sore Displeasure Let him have your Ear that speaks from Heaven that ye may come to observe his Counsel Teachings Instructions and Directions For all the Prophets the holy Men of God and the Apostles were Attentive and Obedient to this heavenly Voice who witnessed to the Truth who had a Witness in Heaven also and such declared forth the glorious Truth which they had from the Instruction of the Almighty As ye may read throughout the Scriptures what glorious Expressions and weighty Truths they declared whose Ears were Attentive to him that spake from Heaven and how they declared against them that stopped their Ears and closed their Eyes and hardened their Hearts For such whose Ears are not Attentive to the heavenly Voice are Earthly so
all Friends live in the Power of God which ye first received the Power which was before the Fall was in that is the Fellowship and leads to both Order Comliness and Decency For all the Sects about Meats Drinks and Days are gotten up among the Sons and Daughters of Adam that are gone from the Power of God and his Image Righteousness and True Holiness which were before Coverings were And others who are fallen from that into such outward things there they are jangling about them And therefore keep over all such things in the Power of God which was before outward things were in that have ye perfect Fellowship and Vnity for there is your Profit For they that have a Fellowship in keeping on their Hats and observing of Meats those outward things lead them from the Power and so to no Profit but into Strife and Jangling and vain Disputes Therefore the Power of God all keep in The Power of God was before Strife was and in that is the perfect and standing Fellowship when all other Fellowships shall have an end which were set up since Adam's Fall And so Farewell My Love is to you all in the Everlasting Seed of God The Church of the Romans fell away by running into outward things The Church of the Romans from the Power and Life also the Corinthians Galatians and others of them and also the Seven Churches of Asia by running into outward things and what the outward things were they ran into ye may read And how the Apostle reproved them and what all are gone into since they lost the Power of God and the Vnity in the Spirit And therefore all Dear Friends keep in the Power of God over all outward things which was before they were and in that Power is the standing Vnity G. F. The Line of Righteousness and Justice stretched forth over all Merchants c. And an Exhortation unto all Friends and People whatsoever who are Merchants Tradesmen Husband-men or Sea-men who deal in Merchandize trade in Buying and Selling by Sea or Land or deal in Husbandry That ye all do that which is Just Equal and Righteous in the sight of God and Man one to another and to all Men And that ye use Just Weights and Just Measures and speak and do that which is True Just and Right in all things That so your Conversations Lives Practices and Tongues may preach to all People and answer the Good Just and Righteous Principles of God in them all In which ye may be serviceable unto God and to the Creation in your Generation and a blessing both to God and Man ALL Friends every where Epist 210. Live in the Seed of God which is the Righteousness at self and inherits the Wisdom and is the Wisdom it self The Wisdom of God with which Wisdom ye may order rule and govern all things which are under your Hands which God hath given you to his Glory Govern and order with his Wisdom all the Creatures that ye have under you and all Exchangings Merchandizing Husbandry Do what ye do in the Wisdom of God and with it which is pure from above and gentle and easie to be entreated With this Wisdom which is not earthly sensual nor devilish you do good unto all and hurt no one nor your selves for it is pure and preserves pure So this is the Word of the Lord God to you all Keep all in the Power of God over all the unrighteous World which Power of God was before it was In which Power of God ye will be preserved in Justice in Truth in equal Ballance and Weights and Measures in the Truth The Equal Ballance Uprightness and Honesty to all People So all here in this are serviceable to God in their Generation and to the Creation and to God are a Blessing Do rightly that is the Word of the Lord God to you all whether ye be Tradesmen of what Calling or Profession or Sort soever or Husbandmen Do rightly justly truly holily equally to all People in all things and that is according to that of God in every Man and the Witness of God and the Wisdom of God and the Life of God in your selves and there ye are serviceable in your Generation labouring in the thing that is good which doth not spoil nor destroy nor waste the Creation upon the Lusts And all Merchants whatsoever Sea men and Traffickers by Sea or Land This is the Word of the Lord God to you all Do justly speak truly to all People whatsoever A Terror to the Vnjusts Then are ye a Dread and a Terror to the Unjust Wrong no Man over-reach no Man if it may be never so 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 your Advantage but be plain righteous and holy in this are ye serviceable to your own Nation and others by your Change and Excharging of things and Merchandize and to the Lord God ye come to be a blessing in the Creation and Generation Live in the Life of Truth and let the Truth speak in all things and Righteousness and let Justice be acted and Holiness in all things without any Guile Fraud or Deceit so that is well-pleasing to God and Men and according to that of God in every one And this sheweth forth the Fruits of Believers that are passed from Death to Life from Death which came by Sin the Original of which is the Devil So being come from Death to Life which goes over him over him I say who is the Author of all Unrighteousness Now in the Truth and Righteousness ye will all have Peace Favour and the Blessing of the Lord in all things And that keepeth out the covetous Mind and covetous Desires The Covetous Mind the Power and Life of God that goes over the Power of Death which brought the Sin That which keepeth over this hath the Blessing and Encrease of the heavenly Riches and that shall not want the Creatures nor any good thing from them the Lord will not withhold So be careful to do good in all things to all People whatsoever In the Fear of God serve him and be diligent and not stubborn in any thing but plyable in the Power of God that keeps you over all the Powers of Unrighteousness acting so in that that ye may be a good Savour in all Nations Islands and Places where ye come in the Hearts of all People doing truly and plainly uprightly faithfully justly and honestly according to the Light of Christ Jesus in every Man that ye may witness to all Then will your Words Lives and Conversations preach and manifest that ye serve God in the New Life and that ye have put off the old Man and his Deeds which are unrighteous and that ye have put on the New Man which is renewed after God in Righteousness and Holiness according to his Image Loath Deceit and all Vnrighteousness Hard-heartedness Wronging Cozening Cheating or Vnjust Dealing but live and reign in the Righteous Life and Power of God Vnjust
Dealing and Wisdom that presseth all the other down and to answer the good and just Principle in all People and that will win People to deal with you Doing Truth to all without respect to Persons to High or Low whatsoever Young or Old Rich or Poor And so here you Lives and Words will preach where-ever ye come All Husbandmen and Dealers about Husbandry whatsoever Cattle or Ground Do rightly to you all this is the Word of the Lord God Do rightly holily justly honestly plainly and truly to all Men and People whomsoever ye have to deal withal wrong not any in any case though it be never so much to your advantage Deny your selves and live in the Cross of Christ the Power of God for that destroys Injustice and without Holiness none can ever see the Lord and out of Righteousness there is no true Peace Therefore all of what Sort soever or what Calling soever Do justly whether ye be Masters or Servants Fathers or Mothers Sons or Daughters to one another and to all Do that which is Just and Righteous uprightly and holily in that you will hve Peace and see God So in all Husbandry Speak Truth act Truth doing justly and uprightly in all your Actions Speak Truth in all your Practices in all your Words in all your Dealings Buyings Sellings Changings and Commerce with People Let Truth be the Head and practise it And in all your Words let Truth be spoken This brings Righteousness forth and Deceit to the Judgment-bar Wrong no Man nor covet nor cheat nor oppress nor defraud any Man in any case but keep your Dominion in the Truth in Righteousness Holiness and Equity in the Power and Light and Wisdom of Christ In this ye answer the Light of Christ in every one and are a blessing to the Lord God and to your Generation ye are serviceable and come to walk in the New Life in which the Righteous Holy God is served In which Righteousness ye have Peace and in which Holiness ye see God For the Kingdom of God stands in Righteousness Peace and Joy in the Holy Ghost So speak the Truth whether Merchants or Tradesmen and all sorts of People whatsoever in all your Occasions and in all your Tradings Dealings and Doings The swift Witness speak the Truth act in the Truth and walk in the Truth and this brings Righteousness forth For it answereth the Witness of God in every one which lets every one see all the Deeds and Actions they have done amiss and Words which they have spoken amiss So the Witness of God Within them ariseth a swift Witness against them for their Words which they have spoken amiss and for their Actions which they have done amiss and brings them to the Judgment-Bar and to Condemnation Here Righteousness goes forth and here the sweet Savour to the Lord God begins to ascend and Truth and Equity ariseth both to be acted and spoken So all Friends of what Calling soever that dwell in the Power of God The Just Principle in all and feel the Power of God and the Light of Christ Jesus Dwell in that act in that that ye may answer that of God in every one upon on the Earth with your Actions and by your Conversations and by your Words being right just and true This goes over the unjust untrue unholy and unrighteous in the whole World and reacheth to the good and true Principle of God in all People which tells them when they do not do equally justly righteously and holily So that is the Word of God to you all Friends of what Calling soever ye be Live in the Power of Truth and Wisdom of God to answer that just Principle of God in all People upon the Earth and so ye answering of it thereby ye come to be as a City set upon a Hill which is above that Mountain that is in the whole World that lies above the Just Principle of God in every one there which the Power of God goes over So let your Lives preach let your Light shine that your Works may be seen that your Father may be glorified that your Fruits may be unto Holiness and that your End may be Everlasting Life Dwell in the Power of the Lord God and Light and Life with which ye may feel and see before the Unrighteousness was in this ye will know the Everlasting Righteousness brought forth which answered the Righteous Principle of God in every one to which they must come down to lead them and guide them to teach them to speak and act Truth justly righteously and holily And that hath the Dominion which doth justly holily and righteously speak act and think and this hath the praise of God and they who do so come to answer that which God requires To love Mercy do justly and to walk humbly with God And this is more than all the Talkers of Justice Righteousness and Holiness Talkers of Justice whose Life denies what their Tongues profess and talk of By that God and Christ is dishonoured So these are no good Example neither serviceable in their Generation nor Creation nor any but they who live in the Power of God and in his Wisdom in which they have the Righteousness Peace Truth Holiness Justice and Equity These are comely and savoury both God and Man And all of what Trade or Calling soever Keep out of Debts Owe to no Man any thing but Love Go not beyond your Estates Keep out of Debts lest ye bring your selves to Trouble and Cumber and a Snare keep low and down in all things ye act For a Man that would be great and goes beyond his Estate lifts himself up runs into Debt and lives highly of other Mens Means he is a waster of other Mens and a destroyer He is not serviceable to the Creation but a destroyer of the Creation and Creatures and cumbereth himself and troubleth others and is lifted up who would appear to be some Body but being from the Honest the Just and Good falls into the Shame Therefore dwell every one of you under your own Vine that know Redemption from the Earth and seek not to be Great but in that and dwell in the Truth Justice Righteousness and Holiness and there is the Blessing enlarged And no one of what Calling soever run into Debt Vsury and Exaction for many People have been wronged thereby they that have taken of them who by it have appeared great and lived above what they were and so would seem to be Therefore be true and honest holy and righteous every one in that which ye have Owe nothing but Love Owe to none any thing but Love and in that ye will feel the Blessing and come to be serviceable in the Creation serving one another in Love and not in Oppression and Taxation And that keeps all down in the Power Wisdom and Life of God and bends all minds to strive for one anothers good and to help one another in
to God who have been faithful in their outward Treasure or Mammon one to another So let every one's Conversation be without Covetousness let not that be once named among Saints Covetousness And Do to all Men as ye would have them do to you that is the Law and the Prophets if not ye are judged by them both For the Kingdom stands in Righteousness mark stands in it and in Peace and Joy in the Holy Ghost mark in it FOR Holiness becomes the House of God Postscript Whosoever acts Unholily it is that doth dishonour his House and doth not become it Whosoever acts Unfaithfully in this Outward Treasure or Mammon The House of God or in the true Treasure to God is not justified in the Sight of God nor Man for they are justified by Faith through Faithfulness both to God and Man For whosoever doth Righteousness is of God and he that doth not Righteousness is not of God For God loveth the Righteous and delighteth in them but not in them that do Vnrighteousness For in the Righteousness they have Peace but out of Righteousness People have Trouble So all God's People his Children his Saints must be Holy as he is Holy and therefore do that which is holy and just in all your Lives and Conversations And whatsoever ye do let it be done to the Praise and Glory of God mark that Have God's Praise and Glory in your Eye in all your Speakings and Doings then ye will be preserved to his Glory and then ye will honour him and them that honour him he will honour and beautifie The fine Linnen and cloath with the fine Linnen the Righteousness of Christ that Men may not see your Nakedness For God will have a holy People to serve him in Holiness a true People to serve him in Truth and in his Spirit and in his new and living Way above all the dead Ways that are come by Sin and Unrighteousness and Transgression of his Spirit and Power and Command So all ye that know his Power and Spirit live in it that ye may glorifie God in all your Lives and Conversations and Words that ye may answer that of God in all that ye may glorifie God in your Bodies Souls and Spirits which are his who hath made them and gives them to you for that End To whom be Glory and Honour for ever who created all for his Glory and for his Honour So the Lord God Almighty keep and preserve you faithful in all things to his Glory and Honour for ever He that walketh in his Integrity is Just and blessed shall be his Children after him Prov. 20.7 Vnjust Weights and Vnjust Measures both these are an Abomination to the Lord Verse 10. G. F. DEar Friends Epist 201. In the Stilness and Silence of the Power of the Almighty dwell which never varies alters nor changes but preserveth over and out of 3. Month 3. and above all the Changable Worships Religions Ministers Churches Teachings Principalities and Powers with the Power of God Stilness and Silence which keepeth over all this to the Kingdom of Christ that is Everlasting in which there is no Changing who is King of Kings and Lord of Lords all Power in Heaven and Earth is given unto him of whose Light Life Power and Wisdom Grace and Riches have ye received which comes from him that doth not Change So in that live that doth not Change the Vnchangable Life the Vnchangable Mind the Vnchangable Spirit and Wisdom and the Vnchangable Worship and Church of which Christ is the Vnchangable Head who remains the same yesterday to day and for ever in that ye will feel the Blessing and Presence of the Lord God of Life amongst you The unchangable Church and Worship as ye all abide in the unchangable Kingdom Dominion Power and Life who are Heirs of it according to your Measures who have received the Light and received the Life and Grace and the Power of a Kingdom and a World that hath no end So wait all in it that ye may be Possessors and Inheritors of the Kingdom and of the Life and Power which hath no end and of the Promises that are Yea and Amen and let nothing that is of the World alter you but keep ye in that which keepeth you in the Everlasting Kingdom of God The 3d of the 3d Month 1661. G. F. An Answer to a Letter sent to G. F. concerning the Voluntary Contribution to the King FRiend To the Thing thou Queriest of me concerning this Matter Epist 202. my Answer is Seeing that the King and his Friends desire it not as a Tax or an Assesment but a Free Gift of the People A Free Gift which cannot be said is an Oppression therefore it is left to all Friends to do as they are Free And what the World doth Friends are not to look at who will set up a thing and dislike it but Friends are to mind the Vniversal Power of the Lord God that they may do that freely in their own Power which they do better than by Compulsion Tax or Assess for if all things were done so it were the best in the Free State Bounty and Love which would more break the Hearts of People than by Force of Assesment and Tax So things are left to the Wisdom and Vniversal Spirit of the Lord God The Vniversal Spirit which goes over the Heads of all in the Fall that with the Living Power and Wisdom of God ye may overcome them and so do as ye are Free G. F. WHat Friends Do ye reign as Kings Epist 203. Can they pluck never a one of you out of the Father's Hand Are ye put forth The Father's Hand Do ye witness that Scripture fulfilled put forth to follow the King of Kings the Shepherd who gives Life abundantly In that let your Joy be still and your Comfort remain in which ye will feel the Endless Kingdom and Dominion In that the Lord be with you who is your Strength Comfort and Fulness for Evermore World without End And Friends Mind the Light and dwell in it and it will keep you a top of all the World and the Seed of God mind and know it and in it be Content Dwell in the Power of Truth and be not Negligent in that but Diligent serving the Lord every one in your Measures that to the Lord God every one of you may be a Blessing Be Diligent and a sweet Savour unto him in your Creation and Generation feeling and knowing the Lord's Power every one in your selves yea the Power of an Endless Life and of a Kingdom that hath no End and of a Dominion that is over all Dominions And in the Power of the Lord God Everlasting ye may feel the Seed of God in every particular of you raised up which doth inherit the same that ye may sit down in your own Possession of Everlasting Life And in that Meet together waiting
which is Eternal Now the Professors may see that the Hireling is fled and flies because he was an Hireling whose Religion was for the Summer whilst the Sun shin'd but in a Storm a Tempest a Mist or the Sun Clouded their Religion they flee from his Flight is in the Winter So the day manifests all things Our Religion is in the Power of God before Winter-Storms and Tempests were Mists Fogs or Clouds in the Light which shines over them all is our Religion that does not change in which there is Fruit born in the Winter by which Power of God all their Religions are seen which must have an end and will have an end which People runs into But in the Power of God and his Righteousness and Holiness which was before the Fall was live which power of God never alters not changes in which is both Life and Peace which remains for ever in that dwell and live and be Faithful and Valiant on Earth your Hearts stablished with Grace and your Words seasoned with the same keeping your selves in the Love of God and in the Life in which is Peace through which ye may be all a Comfort one to another living in the Life in which is the Everlasting Fellowship And so in that the Lord God Almighty preserve and keep you all Let this be read in all your Meetings in Barbadoes New-England Nevis and sent to Jamaica Virginia and Maryland to Friends there and to all the parts in the World where there is Friends A general Epistle to them all from Colchester in England G. F. The 10th Day of the 11th Month 1662. A General Epistle to be read in all the Christian Meetings in the World Blessed is he that readeth and blessed is he that heareth and understandeth and the eyes that see Read this over and you may read that which you have not read and see that which you have not seen MY Dear Friends all every where in the Seed dwell which is Christ the top-Stone over all Epist 222. feel it laid in which is Life Eternal which is over Death and before Death was and the Devil the Power of it every one sitting under their own Vine which is Christ the Life by whom the World was made that in that ye may all bear Fruit to God and all walking in the Name of the Lord which is the Power then you will walk in safety For blessed are all you that rise in the Power of God and lie down in the same Power your Beds are pare holy and undefiled who lie down in the Power of God before Unholiness was And so you that are gathered in the Name of Jesus who have bowed to the Name of Jesus whose Name is called The Power of God and the Word Light Life and Truth and for bowing to his Name for his Name sake have ye suffered all along by many Powers Christ a strong T wer his Name is a strong Tower So who have bowed to the Name and gathered in the Name of the Lord ye are in the strong Tower in which is safety and Peace for being gathered in the Name of Christ Jesus whose Name is above every Name for all things that was made was made by Christ above all other Names and Gatherings are you gathered who are gathered in the Name of Jesus Christ by whom all things were made and created and being gathered in the Name of Jesus Christ by which Salvation is brought by the Name of Christ and not by any other Name under Heaven but by the Name of Jesus Christ is Salvation brought by whom all things was made So ye being gathered in this Name by which Salvation is given here ye come to be Heirs of Salvation and then to Inherit Savation which is Christ and by this you come to fathom all other Names under the whole Heaven and to see them that there is no Salvation in them and so likewise all other Gatherings in all other Names no Salvation in them therefore cry People There is no assurance of Salvation upon the Earth who are gathered in other Names but not in the Name of Christ by which Salvation is brought and given by the Name of Christ by whom all things were made and this is the standing Gathering in the Name in the strong Tower where is the safety where is the Salvation given and brought Rejoyce ye all that are brought into this Gathering and have bowed to the Name of Jesus Now to bow at the Name of Jesus who is called the Power of God is to bow to the Power of God all things in Heaven and things in Earth must bow to the Name of Jesus before they be Reconciled to God Bow to the Name of Jesus for all things in Heaven and things in Earth are Reconciled by him in One So they must bow to the Name of Jesus as they have bowed to the Evil through which they are at difference one among another and not at Unity but bowing to the Name of Jesus brings to Reconciliation for all things in Heaven and things in Earth must bow at the Name of Jesus must bow at the Power of God before they be Reconciled in One. So bow at the Name of Jesus 2dly You must bow at the Cross of Christ which is the Power of God which since the Apostles days the Apostate Christians have lost and therefore they bow to a Cross a Stick a Stone a piece of Iron a piece of Wood Now bowing to the Cross of Christ which is the Power of God that strikes over the Nature of fallen Man for who bends and submits and yields and bows to the Power of God within feels it to rise over and strike over and work over the carnal Part and that Part that turns into ungodliness and all that is bad and is a cross to it So bow to the Power of God If all Christendom had done this they had had a Fellowship in this Cross of Christ which is a Mystery but a Cross Stick a Cross piece of Wood or Iron or Stone Crosses of Wood Iron and Stone this is not a Mystery but the Power of God that crosseth down the earthly carnal ungodly Part in Man and Woman and works over it and strikes over it and goes over it and crosseth it There is the Mystery of the Cross of Christ the Power of God in which is the Fellowship which Power of God keeps the Mind over all outward things in the Everlasting Power of God above them for the Power of God was before Unrighteousness and Uncleanness and the Idolatrous Part in Man was which Power of God is a cross to it and in that is the true Glorying in the Cross of Christ by which ye all are Crucified to the World and Dead to the World and the World is Dead to you Dead to the World through the Power of the Cross and the World is dead from the Power of the Cross in which Power is the Fellowship of
that the Thorns choak it and the Cares of the World they are such Stony Hearts that the Seed hath not much Earth that when Tryals and Persecutions comes with its heats it is scorched by the heat of the Sun And therefore be ye all warned of these Natures both of the Stony and of the Thorny and of the High-way Ground and of the Fowles and of the Air. And Friends keep down feigned Flattery Keep in the Truth that brings to plain-heartedness that all may be the good Ground that you may abound in Goodness and Righteousness and Holiness for Peace is sown to the Righteous and Gladness to the upright in Heart and see that you walk in the Light and the Life that it may be your Life that you may have Treasure in your Vessels that you may enter in with the Bridegroom having the Oil in your own Lamps that you may inherit the Life that is above all the foolish Talkers which be out of the Peace the Second Adam in whom the Peace is and the Life for they that be in Strife about the Body of Christ are in Adam in the Fall and they are neither at Peace in themselves with God nor Christ nor them that be in Christ so whatever Men or People profess their End manifests them and crowns them with Death or Life So live in the Word which all ends in the Seed this keeps over all Pretences in the Substance and over the Airy Spirits that be out of the Life running up and down sowing Dissention Tatling and Back-biting and Whispering and setting one against another The Seed Christ is over that Spirit and he hath little room in their Hearts for they are abroad in the Fields Above the World lifting up themselves higher than the World but are worse to deceive the Simple but Truth and the Light and the Life is over all that in which all keep your Habitation for Adam lost his Habitation and so his Sons and Daughters who are in the Disobedience are in the Fall and the Jews lost their Habitation from the Love of God and so they lost their Authority and were mingled among the Heathen And the Apostate-Christians lost their Habitation from the Life and Power that the Apostles were in And so have brought all Christendom into Heaps and Sects about outward things being out of the Life and Word which was in the Beginning before the Apostacy and the Fall was So live in the Word in that you have Life and Dominion and Authority over all that which Adam and Eve's Sons and Daughters invented and also over all in the Fall In which Word you have Wisdom as I said before and there is a faithful Witness Christ whose Name is called the Word and he is the First and the Last the Beginning and the Ending the Amen And Friends keep over all the Bustlings and Wars and Strife and the Talkers of such things among the Sons of Adam in the Fall you that be in Christ Jesus that never fell in whom is the Peace who makes the First Adam's Sons and Daughters to break their Swords into Plough-Shares and their Spears into Pruning-Hooks that they shall not learn War any more for they that be there are in the foolish State but they that are in Christ are in the wise State and have Spiritual Weapons though accounted by the World foolish yea the Wisdom of God is so to the Wisdom of the World which is Foolishness And so you that the Lord hath blessed in outward things for his Truth keep over them and out of them serving the Lord who hath blessed you lest you be intangled So keep above them in the Righteous Life and Conversation that Righteousness may flow to all Men in all things Honesty and Truth and that which doth Justice and doing justly that may flourish for whose Conversation is ordered aright they shall see the Salvation of God keep out of all Heats and Passions and over the tempestuous Spirits the ground of which is Vncleanness all which are up and down and sudden which makes a Mountain of Wickedness and Vnholiness and keeps out of the Holy Mountain which they that walk in the Light of the Lord goes to and they are taught his Ways Take heed of a false Liberty in any thing to the Flesh but keep your first Love and Habitation in the Power and Truth of God for the lowly Mind the humble and meek and broken and contrite Spirit and Heart the Lord doth not despise but exalt Keep out of the many Words of the World and take heed of a liberty of going into them but keep in the Power of the Lord God over all which was before all and is over all that your Lives and Conversations may preach to all Men and adorn the Truth of God and speak in the Hearts of all Men. Forsake not the assembling of your selves together as the manner of some was in the beginning of the Apostacy which entred into the reasoning Part and so went from the Exhorting daily and the Building and the Fellowship and the Communion of the Saints in the Spirit and from the Flocks and the Garden of God which he waters with his Water of Life and feeds with his Bread of Life and sets open his broad Rivers of Living Water to drink And such as forsake the Assemblies of the Righteous some for fear of the Earth and Sufferings become quarrelling Spirits and so go out of the Path of the Flocks Footsteps and sits not down with the Flock at Noon-day in the heavenly Places in Christ Jesus for there the Flocks meet and there they have all a Fountain through which they are all of one Soul and Mind and Judgment and Heart and Spirit and comes to be gathered out of all the Separations and Sects and Fellowships and Gatherings and Meetings of Adam and Eve in the Fall and sits down in Christ Jesus that never fell where the Fulness is and the Life in whom there is no Shadow no Variableness nor Turning in him that is the Way But Oh the Poverty the Shadows the Variableness the Turnings the Worships and Traditions and the Sects that be in the World among the Sons of Adam in the Fall Oh the Riches that is in him that never fell the Peace and the Life that was with the Father before the World began the Amen And Friends take heed of the vain Inventions and Arts of the World keep out of their Rhimes and their Verses for they are the Arts of Men and stirs up the light part and lifts up that that pertains to it self that is stirred up that will turn in the end to the Strife or the Earth But you that lives in the Word of God that never fell changes nor alters do not but as you are moved by it and that will stand and remain in whom you may know a Dwelling Life over Death and before it was for the Serpent that got into Adam and Eve by Disobedience they
of Iron Christ's Rod shall and will devour all the Serpents and Lying Wonders of the Spiritual Egypt and Sodom yea and all the Serpents that be in all Nations for all Nations are to be ruled by it And Moses Song was sung when his Rod had devoured the Serpents and the outward Egyptians in the Sea So the Lamb's Song shall be known as all the Spiritual Egyptians Serpents are devoured by Christ's Rod and the Spiritual Egyptians being overthrown in the Sea the Jews in Spirit shall rejoyce and sing the Song of the Lamb. The Abomination made Desolation that 's spoken of by Daniel the Prophet which should come in after the daily Sacrifice was taken way and should continue One Thousand Two Hundred and Ninety Days this Abomination that hath made Desolate from the Truth Light Life and the Power of God true Religion and true Worship and true Church and Fellowship So the Beast that John saw and speaks of which must continue Forty Two Months and the Whore the false Church upon the Beast which Beast should be Worshipped Forty Two Months the time of his continuing and the Whore should sit in her Scarlet the false Church upon the Beast The true Church this time has been in the Wilderness a Thousand Two Hundred and Threescore Days which is now come out again and the Man-Child is come down from Heaven to Rule all with his Rod of Iron and the Lamb and the Saints shall have the Victory who make War in Righteousness and are going on Conquering and to Conquer And so you followers of the Lamb be faithful and valiant for the Truth upon the Earth and heed not your Native Soil but mind the Birth that 's born and brought forth from the Womb of Eternity that separates you from your Mother's Womb by which you believe in God and fear not Man what he can do unto you neither look at the Hills for Salvation for the Lord can make the Rocks a standing Pool and the Mountains Streams And therefore dwell in the Power of God which was before the Fall of Man was whose fallen Spirit persecutes those who are come to taste of the Power of Christ's Resurrection and Life and in this Power of God you will not be weary nor faint which was before the fallen Spirit was that doth assault you and in this Power you will have stability content comfort joy and peace and keep over that Spirit let it not have power over you that may receive the Truth in a Notion and may be a little Civilized by it that is ready to joyn with every gain-saying Core and is ready to wander after every strange thing that 's new and so will follow strange Flesh who are uncleansed by the Power of Truth and unestablished in it and such often hath their Religion to seek that lives in Questionings and Disputings in carnal Reasons out of the Power of God in which is the Fellowship the one thing which is Christ the Substance in which all Stability is felt which has little room in such Hearts G. F. ALL you Prisoners of the Lord for his Truths sake Epist 234. and for keeping the Testimony of Jesus Christ against all the evil Inventions Traditions Rudiments Will-Worships feigned Humilities and Self-Righteousness of them that be in the Fall who are out of God's Power and Righteousness who have no Weapons but Carnal like themselves Carnal Your Patience must overcome all these rough and hasty Spirits in the World and your Love must bear all things for Patience obtains the Crown which is Immortal which runs the Race So it is the Lamb must have the Victory over all the unclean airy Spirits and over him that is out of the Truth So be Meek and Low then you follow the Example of Christ and come to bear the Image of the Just who suffered by the Vnjast and put on his Righteousness who suffered by the Vnrighteous whose Back was struck and his Hair was pluck'd off and Face was spit upon and yet cried Father forgive them Here he kept his Dominion a Sufferer who had the Victory which the Followers of the Lamb do in Measure attain unto So put on Conrage put on Patience Let your Loyalty be known for your King that hath conquered the Devil Death and Hell in walking in Righteousness Peace and Truth feeling the Power of God teaching every one of you when that Words are not uttered And let your Faith be in the Power that goes through all things and over all things and every one hearken to it So the Power of the mighty God know the Arm and how it works and the Hand how it carries you which brings out of Tribulation and Thraldom and Spiritual Egypt into Peace And this is the Power of God in which you will feel to before Enmity was and be at Peace one with another then you live in the Prince of Peace his Kingdom and Dominion and Life in which is Vnity which was before Enmity was which destroys it And so in the Power of the Lord God you are made strong which goes over the Power of Darkness and was before it was which is out of the Power of God And all People that are from the Witness of God in their own particulars they are all weak and seeble and stagger All Men and Womens Strength is in the Power of God that goes over the Power of Darkness So feel all this to go through all and over all Preaching and working in you and let the Ear be lent to it and hearken to it in one another And by it feel the Seed raised up in one another which is Heir of the Power that you may know each your Portion For all People that be from the Witness of God in their own particulars that be erred from it and hate the Light they are full of Darkness Sin and Iniquity Inspiration and Revelation while their Minds are erred from the Spirit of God in themselves is hid from them So when their Minds are turned with the Light and Spirit of God towards God then with it they shall know something of Revelation and Inspiration as they are turned with that of God from the Evil and emptied of that then there will be some room in them for something of God to be revealed and inspired into them And therefore in that they will have Prophesies and seeing things to come being turned from the Evil that hath darkened them and separated them from God in which they will see the Covenant through which they will come to have Peace with God G. F. FRiends Epist 235. You who now come to suffer by a Land-Flood keep on the Rock for there is Safety though a Storm be in the Sea and the Flood be great and the Winds great and the Way rough and crooked the Seed Christ can make all plain And so think not the Winter and Cold Weather nor the Night long for the Lillies do grow and the Gardens do give a good
Meetings in the Name of the Lord Jesus Christ that never fell Epist 241. in which you may see over all the Meetings that are gathered by all the Sons of Adam that are out of the Power and Life You that are gathered in the Name of the Lord Jesus Christ that never feel him will you feel in the midst of your Gatherings in the Light Life and Truth And so look over all the Wicked's Prisons at the Seed of God Christ which was before they were and will stand when they are all gone And so never heed the Wicked's Tempest Storm nor Hail nor his Arrows nor Instruments of Cruelty let nor the Back and the Hair the Cheek and the Shoulder be ever turned from him though many Weapons be formed against him and his followers yet they shall never Prosper for the Seed Christ shall reign over all and will stand when they are gone which was before they were And so be Faithful unto the Lord God and be Valiant for his Truth upon Earth Shewing that something will oppose it or else what need the word Valiant be spoken And so mind the Truth and not the Wicked's Persecutions and the Living Way which is Christ Jesus who never fell nor changeth in which you may see over all Adam's Sons and Daughters Ways in the Fall who do change being in the Way Christ Jesus that never fell who doth not change in this Way you have Life Eternal in which you see over all in the Fall in which is Death and so Christ being the Way he that forsakes his Way forsakes his Life and he that doth not come out of the Way of Adam that fell into the Way of Adam that never fell lives in Death So let all haste and run for their Lives into Adam that never fell out of Adam that fell for Adam's Ways that fell are the Ways of Death but Adam that never fell is the Way of Life In Adam in the Fall is Trouble and Unquietness but in Adam that never fell is Peace and Rest In Adam in the Fall is Shadows and Turnings but in Adam who is the Living Way is no Shadows nor Turnings So every one in Adam that never fell Christ Jesus who never changeth the same yesterday to day and for ever then you are in the Living Way in which you all have Life in Christ the Living Way which never fell And so He is the Way and he that forsakes the Way Christ forsakes his Life In this all may sound forth Who hath any thing against this Way Christ who nevr fell nor changed 'T was Adam changed and Eve changed and their Sons and Daughters in the Fall are in the falling changing changable Ways But who are in Christ that never fell sees over them all in the Fall that turns about with every Wind as it ariseth And so in your Way live all in Christ Jesus so will you feel Light Life and Power that Life which was with the Father before the World began In that all Feed and in that feel Power and that way never changeth with the Winds and Tempest and the cry is Haste haste out of Adam and Eve's evil Ways in the Death Fall and Changings and run run out of them into the Second Adam the Life and the Way that never fell nor changeth G. F. The Saints Weapons are Spiritual that the Blessing of God may come upon all Men. WE are not against any Man Epist 242. but desire that the Blessing of the Lord may come upon all Men and that which brings the Curse may be destroyed and in patience do we wait for that and with Spiritual Weapons against it do we wrestle and not against any Man or Woman's Person For amongst Us Christ is King who bringeth the Blessing and destroyeth that which brought the Curse And whoever dwells in Righteousness Man or Woman and loves Mercy and doth Justly and walks Humbly with God and hath the Humility which goes before the Honour we are not against But whosoever doth Unrighteously or doth not Justly nor Righteously nor walk Humbly before God and will have Honour before Humility God will overturn such by his Power And in that let your Faith be for we look not at Persons but at the Power of God and know the reign of Christ amongst us And as it is said God save the King or God bless the King we would not have him nor any Man destroyed but saved and so blessed And the saved Man will not suffer any thing to rule that destroys and so our Mind is and we would that all Men were saved and come to the knowledge of the Truth which the Persecutors are out of And all Friends dwell in the endless Power of the Lord in which the Supremacy is known and the Power which hath no end whose Dominion is over all Dominions and will stand when all other have an end and in that is the Patience felt which runneth the Race and obtaineth the Crown and that hath the Wisdom which is sweet and cool and pure whereby the living Truth hath the Supremacy and Dominion and in that keep your Meetings G. F. ALL my Dear Friends Epist 243. this is your Day to stand in him that stood stedfast and reign'd over old Adam and the Devil and all the Persecutors Old Adam did not stand but Christ the second Adam the heavenly Man stood and never fell Ye I say in him stand for now is your time to stand in the Life over Death and in the Light over Darkness and in the Seed that bruises the Serpent's Head in whom you all have Life Dominion and Peace The Lord is coming upon the Wicked in his Thundering Power for they are ripe For they are all corrupt with Blood and their Flesb is rotten and they are all fallen into the Pit being led by their Blind Guides into the Pit and Ditches where they are rot and stink being putrified with the heat of their Lusts G. F. To Friends in Barbadoes Virginia Maryland New-England and elsewhere OH Epist 244. You all that have tasted of the Power of the Lord God and of his Truth that is pure and doth not admit of any impurity nor change O! therefore the holy Truth mind which will let nothing that is unholy in you live For nothing that is unholy can enter into the Kingdom of God and none that are disobedient to Truth must enter into the Paradise of God for because of Disobedience was Man and Woman put out of Paradise And therefore all every where mind the pure Power of the Lord God and the Truth which first Convinced you and whatsoever is gotten up through the Carnal Reason and your Eyes going from the Power of God and that which doth Convince you let that be purged out of your Hearts if not it will lift up your Hearts to Consultations Subtilty Questionings Reasonings and Disputes Oh! I fell too much of that which hath gotten up into the wrong understanding
never changeth For the Word is the same now as it was in the Beginning in Ages past manifested over all which many Thousands have received Glory and Blessing to the Lord God for ever So be Faithful that you may be one another's Crown and rejoycing in the Lord going together in the Love and Fear of the Lord. For Friends in Maryland were a pretty People And Friends you have had large Experience of that Spirit that run into the Hat that it was not of God which scatters to the World and begot none to God which is to be bruised by the Seed of God Christ Jesus which gathers to God London the 1st of the 7th Month 1667. G. F. To Friends in Holland DEar Friends In the Everlasting Power of the Lord God Epist 253. I salute all the Faithful and Vpright among whom the Lord hath Joy and Delight in which Everlasting Power of God have you your Vnity Fellowship and Dominion And so Friends all Sufferings of Friends of what sort soever for Conscience sake to Christ in Holland in Germany in Zealand in Gilderland in the Palatinate in Freezland Sweedland Switzerland and Hambrough send an Account for what they have suffered and by whom together with the Examples that are fallen upon the Persecutors with their Mittimusses and Examinations send all these to London to Friends there that if any Ambassadors or Agents out of any of those Places come to London Friends may make Application to them for there are some Friends who are ordered for the same Purpose to take knowledge of such things And likewise if any Friends have come over into those Parts of the World and have not walked answerable to the Gospel of Truth but have walked scandalously and disorderly whether they have been such who have come over to Minister or Sea-men and Factors or Merchants or Masters of Ships whereby the Lord God hath been dishonoured and his Holy Name blasphemed by which his People are called And also all such who have not been Faithful in their Callings between Man and Man but have been deceitful in their Callings and have been Exactors and have not been true to their Word by such Doings they cause the Holy Name of the Lord God and his Righteous Truth to be evil spoken of That a List of all such may be gathered up and sent over to London to such who are to receive them and that if they condemn those things and have given forth a Paper of Condemnation against them if so that we may have a Copy of it also to take away the Reproach of their Transgressions from Frinds And let the Faithful Friends amongst you meet together to consider and take Care about these things G. F. FRiends Epist 254. let your Affections be set on things that are above for if they be on things below then your Minds Bodies Souls and Spirits will be brought into Bondage and in that the Evil will get into you and burden you which ought to be kept down by the Seed of Life And learn the true Humility of Christ the Second Adam And so all they that watch for the Soul must have the Immortal Eye for the Soul is Immortal And therefore all Eyes must be kept above that which is Mortal and out of it up to the Immortal God whose Dwelling is in the Light And so mind the Gospel which is Immortal and the Government of him that never sinned nor fell and to know the increase of it daily which hath no end For the Lord is establishing his Church in Righteousness and Truth whose Church is without spot wrinkle and blemish or any such thing and his People are a holy Generation and they are to stand up for Holiness in which Holiness they will see God among them And let every one see that they do keep their own Vineyard clean Dear Friends mind the Gospel which is the Power of God that was hefore the Devil and old Adam was in this Power is the Comely Order and out of this Power is all the Vncomely Orders And so know the Government of Christ and the Increase thereof which hath no end And this Governour and Government was before the Devil and old Adam was and will stand when all that is gone G. F. DEar Friends Epist 255. all who from the Beginning have been convinced of God's Truth and are turned to the World or gone into Drunkenness Swearing Pleasure and Loosness or to the old Mass-house or have fold the Truth for a Wife or Husband and gone to the Priests covertly to be Married contrary to the Truth they have professed These all must be Admonished to come to the Light that did first Convince them and give forth a Paper of Condemnation and send it to the Priests and to those Places where they have dishonoured God his Truth and People And so to clear the Truth that none may make a Jest of their Transgressions and by walking out of the Truth cause the Blind to wander so that the House may be swept And ye being an holy Generation may stand up for Holiness in your Generation as the Wicked World stands up for Vnholiness Surrey the 10th of the 7th Month 1668. G. F. MY Dear Friends Epist 256. Live in the Wisdom of God which is gentle and pure from above and easie to be intreated all bear one anothers Burdens and so fulfil the Law of Christ And if any weakness should appear in any in your Meetings not for any to lay it open and tell it abroad that 's not Wisdom that doth so for Love covereth a multitude of Sins and Love preserves and edifies the Body and he that dwells in Love dwells in God for God is Love and Love is not easily provoked and therefore keep the Law of Love to keep down that which is so provoked for that which is easily provoked hath Words which are for Condemnation Therefore let the Law of Love be amongst you which is not easily provoked and this Law of Love being amongst you it will keep down that which is so provoked and its Words and so the Body edifies it self in Love G. F. DEar Friends be faithful in the Service of God Epist 257. and mind the Lord's Business and be diligent so will the Power of the Lord be brought over all those that have gain-say'd it And all ye that are faithful go to visit them that have been Convinced from House to House that if it be possible ye may not leave a Hoof in Egypt And so every one go seek the lost Sheep and bring him home on your backs to the Fold and there will be more joy of that one Sheep than the Ninety and nine in the Fold And Friends all take heed of Sleeping in Meetings and Sottishness and Dulness for it is an unsavoury thing to see one sit Nodding in a Meeting and so to lose the Sense of the Lord And it 's a Shame and a Sadness both and it grieveth the
Vpright and Watchful that wait upon the Lord to see such things and for the Priests People and others that come into your Meetings and see you that come together to Worship God and to meet together to wait upon him and to have Fellowship in his Spirit for you to sit Nodding it is a shame and an unseemly thing Therefore be Careful and Watchful and let it be mended and mind the Light and Power of Christ Jesus in you and that will condemn all such things and lead you out of and above such things and make you watchful one over another for your Good Let this be read in all your Meetings G. F. DEar Friends in the Truth of God that changeth not Epist 258. is my Love to you in that which is unfeigned and everlasting in the same Power and the same Seed of Life as ever was and was at the first going forth among you And so Friends the Lord in his everlasting and mighty Power hath moved some to go over in those parts to Declare his Word of Life and Everlasting Gospel And some have not walked afterwards as becometh the Gospel both them that have declared it and them who have received it whereby there hath been a stop to the progress of the Truth and Power of God that it hath not had its full Course and by that burdens have been brought upon the Just and Innocent and the Mouths of the World instead of stopping them they have opened them to speak evil of the Truth and Way of God And so Friends this is the thing in short and plainness all that have come over into your Plantations and Islands either to Minister or Plant or as Passengers to see the Country or Sea-men Masters of Ships Factors or Merchants that have dishonoured the Lord God and his Truth and have opened the Mouths of the World to Blaspheme God and to speak Evil of his Way and Holy Truth that the Righteous live in Such I say before mentioned that have gotten into Drunkeness or Loosness in Words and Life and have not been faithful in their Dealings or have shewed any immodest Carriages or are gotten up into those things which the Power of God did not set up in the beginning which faithful Friends have continued in and have gone into Sects and Jangles which is out of the Power of God which Friends are in who keep their Habitations in Christ Jesus in whom there is Peace And all such likewise who are gone into Uncleanness and such who pretend to preach the Gospel and are sate down in the Earth like Demas and have forsaken the Gift of God and sit down in the Earth and esteemed the Earth before it and so set up their own Business and slighted the Lord's And such who are gotten into the rotten Principles of the Ranters who wear their Hats when Friends pray who out of the Wisdom of God would manifest to the World a Separation and to shew that they are not of the Spirit Power and Mind as Friends were in at the first As also all such that raise false Reports which are forbidden by the Lord among his People These things are to be searched out to the bottom that Righteousness and Truth may flow and have its passage through all Hearts and all may come to the Habitation which they had at the first and all that is contrary may come to Judgment and Condemnation For the House must be swept and cleansed of all the things above-mentioned that hath gotten into any that all may come up into the Sanctified Life for the Ancient of Days is come and the Judgment is set and they that have kept their Habitations witness this And therefore Friends this is my Advice to you I would have you to gather up a List of all these things aforementioned in all your Istands and Plantations let them be searched throughly that what is for Judgment and Condemnation may be brought to it and that you may send an Account to Friends at London of such that come from thence that have been since Scandalous in their Conversations So that every one may come to that which did at first Convince them and to condemn their contrary Actions And that Papers may be sent to the World who have known their Transgressions to clear Truth and Friends and to fetch it out of their Mouths that so they may not feed upon any ones Transgressions that the Miscarriages of some may not be charged on the Body of Friends G. F. MY Dear Friends Epist 259. be faithful in the Truth which the Devil is out of in which Truth you have Dominion over him And live in the Power of God which was before the Devil was in which Power of God which is the Gospel is your Fellowship And live in the Light which was before Darkness was and the Power of it in which Light is also your Everlasting Fellowship and in this you will know God's dwelling which is in the Light And dwell in the Life which was before Death was and the Devil the Power of it and in this Life you will have Dominion over Death and the Power of it And so you do well that take heed to the Light and walk in it and they that do Evil do not take heed to the Light And so walk in the Light as Children of the Light and in that ye will have Fellowship one with another and with the Son and the Father And so mind the Ingrafted Word which is able to save your Souls and that will keep your Eyes and Minds over all that which is not able to save and keep your Feet on the top of that And so be of that good Faith which gives you victory and access to God in which you do all please God and have Unity one with another And so mind the Seed Christ which is over all that which makes to Suffer and was before that was and will stand when that is gone that makes to suffer in that Seed live and know it your Crown and Life and in that you will be one anothers Crown and Joy in the Lord God blessed for ever And so keep your Meetings in the Name and Power of the Lord Jesus Christ that never fell and the Seed Christ reigns in whom you have Life that was with the Father before the World began G. F. DEar Friends If the Truth make you free then are ye free indeed Epist 260. So then there are none made Free-men but by Truth and all that are Free-men they are made free by the Truth they are God's Free-men they are Free-Citizens they are Free-Holders of an Everlasting Inheritance and free of an Everlasting Kingdom and they are Free-Heirs of Salvation and they are free of the heavenly City Jerusalem which is from above and they are free of the Power of an Endless Life which was before Death was So they are not Captives they are not Bond-men they are not Servants nor Slaves But
Church as the Apostle instanceth in Ephesians And therefore they were not to be unequally yoked Believers with Vnbelievers The Law of God did forbid it they were not to give their Sons and Daughters to the Heathen or marry with them for it grieved the Lord in the Old World and brought Destruction upon those bad Marriages When the Sons of God saw the Daughters of Men were fair and they took them Wives of all which they chose who corrupted the Earth and filled it with Violence Yet the Holy Men of God their Marriages were never judged of God in the Old World Neither Seth's Lamech's nor Mahalaleel nor Methusalah nor Noah nor Abraham Isaac nor Jacob and so none before the Law nor none in the Law nor in the time of the Gospel their Marriages were not judged by the Lord who walked in the Power and Spirit of the Lord and knew God's Joyning who brings the Man and Woman together but such as mingled with the Heathen and Vnbelievers and followed strange Flesh they went from the Spirit the lost the Sonship through such the Earth was corrupted and filled with Violence and such could not know God's Joyning who went from the Spirit and from the Law and Gospel and such are mingled among Heathens and Vnbelievers and follow strange Flesh and corrupts their own who go from the Spirit by which they have been sanctified and led into the Sonship And such as Marry with Vnbelievers and Heathen they go contrary to the Law of God and grieves him and their Righteous Parents So Marriage is God's Holy Ordinance and Christ that comes to restore all things again into their place he saith Whom God joyns together let no Man put asunder And brings it to the beginning again how God made them Male and Female So in the Restauration inther Image of God and Sanctification they are brought to the joyning one Male with one Famale again not for one Man to have many Women at once God did not make many for him but in the Fall from the Righteousness of God and his Image there they run together like Beasts a Man and many Women There Men joyn and put asunder but in the beginning it was not so saith Christ the Heavenly Men the Second Adam for God made them Male and Female and whom he joyns together let no Man put asunder And so God joyns with his Spirit and Power for he is a Spirit and this is a heavenly and spiritual Joyning and them that God joyns they do not follow strange Flesh but the Spirit of God and such a Marriage is sanctified by the Spirit and by the Lord and such knows his Heavenly Ordinance And this is the Marriage Christ owns and sets up and encourages who is the Covenant and the Quickning Spirit And so God who is a Spirit joyns with his Spirit Power and Light this joying is in the Covenant of God all such Marriages are honourable in all things for their Bed is nt defiled but where the Bed is defiled that Marriage is not Honourable And all that forbid Marriage are in the Doctrines of Devils and they that are in the Doctrine of Devils are out of Truth who destroys the Creation and destroys some one way and some another that are under his Power and Command from Truth but they that obey the Truth and obey Christ and obeys God they are over him and his Doctrine and the defiled Bed and strange Flesh and the Spirit gives them an Vnderstanding to know God and his joyning by his Spirit who is blessed for ever Now if any should say That Adam took his Wife alone and so run into the Works of Darkness and go together in the Dark contrary to the Righteous Seed and Holy Generation Such are judged by the Holy Seed and by them in the Holy Life and Law of God and with the Light of Christ Jesus condemned And as for Adam taking his Wife alone that was before there was any Witnesses But there was a Form of Words betwixt them before they went together or he knew her as followeth viz. And when the Lord God brought the Woman to Adam Adam said to the Lord This is Bone of my Bone and Flesh of my Flesh she shall be called Woman because she was taken out of Man and they shall be one Flesh But this Form of Words of Adam's and his doing is nothing to them that are Workers of Darkness and run together in the Dark For after the Earth was peopled you may read how the Generations of the Righteous did take one another in the Assemblies of the Righteous and it was Recorded before Witnesses So all such as Marry by the Priests or Marry by the World that are Vnbelievers do go from God's Power and Spirit and his joyning and do break the Law of God in their Marriages who forbad to joyn with Vnbelievers And therefore with the Light of Christ Jesus are such judged and condemned and must come through Condemnation and Judgment For the right joyning in Marriage is the Work of the Lord only Right joyning in Marriage is the Work of the Lord and not the Priests or Magistrates for it is God's Ordinance and not Man's And therefore Friends cannot consent that they should joyn them together For we Marry none it 's the Lord's Work and we are but Witnesses But yet if a Friend through tenderness have a desire that the Magistrate should know it after the Marriage is performed in a publick Meeting of Friends and others according to the holy Order and Practice of Friends in Truth throughout the World and according to the manner of the Holy Men and Women of God of old he may go and carry a Copy of the Certificate to the Magistrate Friends are left to their Freedom herein But for Priests or Magistrates to Marry or joyn any in that Relation it 's not according to the Scripture and our Testimony and Practice hath been always against it It was God's Work before the Fall and it is God's Work only in the Restauration Let not any go disorderly together in Marriage contrary to the Practice of the Holy Men of God who declared it in the Assemblies of the Righteous Twelve or more faithful Friends Relations to be present at Friends Marriage when they took one another all things being clear and they both being free from any other in respect to Marriage And when any take one another in Marriage let there not be less than a dozen Friends and Relations present according to your former Order having first acquainted the Men's Meeting and that they have Clearness and Unity with them and then it may be Recorded in a Book And if any walk contrary to the order of Truth herein let some be appointed to speak to them and give notice thereof to the next Meeting And all that are Widdows who have Children and do intend to Marry All Widdows to set out a proportionable part for her first Husbands Children before
she Marries let inquiry be made what she hath done for her Children if there be no Will made then let such part of her late Husband's Estate be set out for the Children as is equal and according to Truth and what they can do more afterwards let them do it also And where there is a Will made let those Legacies and Portions be improved and secured before their Marriage for the Children of the Deceased with what more they can do for them And then when these things are done let them be Recorded in a Book at the next Quarterly Meeting And all Men that hunts after Women from Woman to Woman Such reproved as run from one Woman to another a Suiting and also Women whose Affections run sometimes after one Man and soon after to another and so hold one another in Affection and so draws out the Affections one of another and after a while leave one another and go to others and then do the same things there these doings are more like Sodom than Saints and is not of God's moving nor joyning where they are not to be parted For Marriage is God's Ordinance and God's Command one to another and in that is felt the Power of God And if any goes together in Marriage Friends to bring a Copy of the Certificate to the Magistrates if thereunto required having declared it at Friends Meetings if the Magistrates do cast them into Prison because they are not married according to the National Law or by a Priest all the Men Friends and Women Friends in the Meeting or Twelve of them may set their Hands to a Paper and send it to the Justices it being done in Truth and Righteousness and according to the Scriptures of Truth As Boaz declared his taking of Ruth in the Town-gate and Jacob when he was married Laban called in his Kindred and other Examples you may see in the Scriptures who did Marry and had no Ring nor Priest neither to Marry them Now All Friends to speak first to the Parents before they speak to the Party no Man ought to speak to a Woman concerning Marriage before that he hath spoken to her Father and Mother and have their Consent and if she have no Father or Mother but Guardians and Trustees then they must speak to them if she be under Age that they may have their Consent and so proceed accordingly as Abraham's Servant did concerning Isaac's Wife And you are to see that all Widdows do make Provision for their Children before they are married to another according to Truth and Righteousness And you are to see Strict Inquiry to be made into Friends Clearness from all others that every Man and Woman are free from all Entanglements with any other Woman or Man before that they are married and if they have been engag'd you must have a Certificate under the hands of the Person that they have been entangled with to discharge them so that all things may be done in Peace and Vnity and Righteousness according to the Truth that is in every Man and Woman And if the young Man or young Woman's Relations be of the World they must have their Consent and a Certificate from them And if the Man or Woman comes from beyond Sea or out of another Country ye must have a Certificate from the Men and Women's Meetings there how they have lived and whether they are free from all other Persons by any Engagement Covenant or Contract concerning Marriage and if they are not clear they must answer that and be cleared by a Certificate under their Hands before they proceed any further And if any Man should defile a Woman If any one defile a Woman he is to Marry her he must Marry her if she be a beggar though he have never so many Hundreds for he must fulfil the Law of God for the Law of God commands it that he must Marry her and condemn his Action and clear God's Truth But no such Marriages where the Bed is defiled we bring into our Men and Women's Meetings but some Friends if such a thing happen draw up a Certificate and they to set their Hands to it that they will live faithfully together as Man and Wife and fulfil the Law of God And this I write if ever such a thing should happen but I hope that Friends will be careful and keep in the Fear of the Lord that they may have an Esteem of the Lord's Truth and their own Bodies and of the honourable Marriage where the Bed is undefiled And when any Marriages is to be propounded Marriages first to be propounded to the Womens Meetings let it be laid before the Women's Meeting first And after they have declared it there if they do know any thing of the Man or the Woman that it should not proceed so far as to the Men's Meeting then let two or or three Women go to the Men's Meeting that some of the Men and Women may have a distinct Meeting concerning it and let them end it before it comes to the Men's Meeting and if there be no such occasion of any such Meeting let two or three Women go along with them to the Men's Meeting And so after Friends have taken their Names and Places of abode let two Women of the Women's Meeting be nominated and two Men of the Men's Meeting that if any one have any thing to say against the Couple before the next Meeting they may speak to them and if there should appear any thing they may end it before they come to the Meeting And if there be nothing when they come the second time again to the Women's Meeting the Woman may go along with them to the Men and testifie that they know nothing against their proceedings And likewise the Men that are appointed to inquire out to make the like report and let the Man and the Woman always appear together when they lay their Intentions of Marriage So then the thing is left to the Men to give their Judgment and Advice to the Couple that is to be married all things being clear and nothing appearing to the contrary and their Fathers and Mothers or Guardians or Overseers being satisfied then they may have their Liberty to appoint a Meeting where they please in some publick Meeting-Place where their Relations and Friends may be present After they have past through the Meetings then the Persons to be married to appoint a solemn Meeting for their Marriage and there get a Certificate ready drawn up with the Day of the Month Place and Year how that such a Couple did take one another in the Presence of God and in the Presence of his People who had laid their said Intions so often before them and all things being found clear according to the Law of God and the Practice of the Holy Men recorded in the Scriptures of Truth to live together in Christian Honourable Marriage according to God's Ordinance and his Joining
to be Help-meets together as long as they live And if any Man or Woman come out of another Country they must bring a Certificate from the Men and Womens Meeting to them where they take their Wife and Husband And no Man or Woman is to be permitted to proceed in Marriage if they be engaged or entangled with any other till they be cleared Dear Friends All Differences amongst Friends to be ended by some appointed out of the Meetings if there happen any Difference betwixt Friend and Friend let them speak to one anothe and if they will not hear let them take Two or Three of the Meeting they belong to that they may End it if they can And if they cannot End it then it may be laid before the Monthly Meeting And if it cannot be ended there then it may be brought to the Quarterly Meeting and there let it be put to half a Dozen Friends that they may End it that they may keep their Meetings quiet Or Friends to stand to the End made by Six or more they that are at Difference may chuse Three Friends and Friends may chuse Three more to them and let them stand to their Judgment For there is few that love Quietness and Peace will have their Names brought to a Monthly or Quarterly Meeting to have their Names sounded over the Country That they are in Strife but will rather endeavour to End it amongst themselves or at their own Meeting before that they come to the Monthly Meeting And if there be any Difference brought to the Monthly or Quarterly Meeting either Mens or Womens Friends to speak but one at a time after you have heard them one by one and let but one speak at a time know of them whether they will stand to your Judgment And if they will let half a Dozen Friends make a final End of it But if they will not stand to your Judgment they are not fit to bring it thither And if any Brother or Sister hear any Report of any Brother or Sister Reports to be stopp'd let him or her go to the Party and know the Truth of the Report and if true let the thing be Judged If false go then to the Reporter and let him or her be Judged And if any should report it at a second or third hand without going to the Party of whom the Report goes let such be brought to Judgment For thou shalt neither raise nor suffer a false Report to lie upon my People saith the Lord for they are to be Holy as he is Holy and Just as he is Just Now concerning Gospel-Order though the Doctrine of Jesus Christ requireth his People to admonish a Brother or Sister twice before they tell the Church yet that limiteth none so as that they shall use no longer forbearance before they tell the Church but that they shall not less than twice admonish their Brother or Sister before they tell the Church All disorderly Persons to be admonished And it is desired of all That before they publickly Complain they wait in the Power of God to feel if there is no more required of them to their Brother or Sister before they expose him or her to the Church Let this be weightily considered And further when the Church is told and the Party admonished by the Church again and again and he or they remain still unsensible and unreconciled let not final Judgment go forth against him or her till every one of the Meeting have cleared his or her Conscience that if any thing be upon any further to visit such a Transgressor they may clear themselves that if possibly the Party may be reached and saved And after all are clear of the Blood of such an one let the Judgment of Friends in the Power of God go forth against him or her as moved for the Lord's Honour and Glory's sake that no Reproach may come or rest upon God's Holy Name Truth and People And all such as behold their Brother or Sister in a Transgression Such as admonish others to do it in a Spirit of Meekness go not in a rough light or upbraiding Spirit to reprove or admonish him or her but in the Power of the Lord and Spirit of the Lamb and in the Wisdom and Love of the Truth which suffers thereby to admonish such an Offender So may the Soul of such a Brother or Sister be seasonably and effectually reached unto and overcome and they may have Cause to bless the Name of the Lord on their behalf and so a Blessing may be rewarded into the Bosom of that faithful and tender Brother or Sister that so admonished them And be it known unto all Friends casts out none but such as go from Truth casts out themselves we cast out none from among us for if they go from the Light and Spirit and Power in which our Vnity is they cast out themselves And it has been our Way to admonish them that they may come to that Spirit and Light of God which they are gone from and so come into the Vnity again For our Fellowship stands in the Light that the World hates and in the Spirit which the World grieves vexes and quenches and if they will not hear our Admonitions as before the Light condemns them and then goes the Testimony of Truth out against them And no Condemnation ought to go further than the Transgression is known No Condemnation to go further than the Transgression and if he or she returns and gives forth a Paper of Condemnation against him or her self which is more desirable than that we should do it this is a Testimony of his or her Repentance and Resurrection before God his People and the whole World as David Psal 57. when Nathan came to admonish him And that no Testimony by way of Condemnation Admonition to be before Condemnation be given forth against any Man or Woman whatever Crime they commit before Admonition and till such time as they have had Gospel-Order according to Christ's Doctrine And so keep the Church-Order of the Gospel Admonition to be in the gentle Wisdom of God according as the Lord Jesus Christ hath commanded that is If thy Brother offend thee speak to him betwixt thee and him and if he will not hear take two or three If he will not hear two or three then tell it to the Church c. And if any one do miscarry admonish them gently in the Wisdom of God so that you may preserve him and bring him to Condemnation and preserve him from farther Evils which it is well if such do not run into and it will be well for all to use the gentle Wisdom of God towards them in their Temptations and condemnable Actions and with using gentleness to bring them to condemn their Evil and to let their Condemnation go as far as the bad Action has gone and no farther to defile the Minds of Friends or others
Spirit you may be led into all Truth up to God and Christ from him who is out of the Truth Amen saith my Soul G. F. DEar Friends every where Epist 289. be faithful to God who hath been faithful and true to you therefore be you true to God and faithful Witnesses to him To be faithful Witnesses of Christ in time of Persecution and to Christ Jesus that now ye may all have Riches and Treasure laid up in store against a time of want storms and tempests that you amy stand for if you do not stand now you are as bad as such Professors who stood only when the Sun shined and crept out when it was fine and fair Weather but when a Storm or Tempest came then they ran creeping into their Holes and Corners and sculked into by-corners and fled by bace-doors who were ashamed or their Religion and what they Professed but when the Sun did shine then they showed their Enmity to the Righteous And therefore be you of the Faith of Dvid and of his Spirit who said I was Young and now am old I never saw the Righteous for saken nor his Seed begging Bread and the Lord to encourage his People saith In all their Af-flicions he was Afflicted and the Angel of his Presence saved them and Christ tells you It 's he that Suffers and is Persecuted when his Children are persecuted And so it 's for the Lord's sake that the JusT suffer by the Unjust and you read how such as suffer the spoiling of their Goods and Scoffing and Mocking yet they were not to forsake the Assembling themselves together as the manner of some was for they that suffer with Christ shall reign with him for the Lord may try you who hath blessed you with outward things whether your minds do stand with him or in the outward things G. F. DEar Friends Epist 290. Live in Love for that is of God and doth edifie the Body of Christ and keep in the Truth of God which the Devil is out of To live in Love and Peace with God and one with another and walk in Righteousness and then you will walk in Peace with God and one with another and walk in Holiness for that becomes the House of God and in Holiness you will see the Holy God among you And so that you may keep the Vnity in the Spirit which is the Bond of Peace and dwell in Love one with another for all Eyes in upon you and some watches for Evil but do you answer the Good in all in your Words and Lives This is the Counsel of the Lord God to you all and that you may be the Salt of the Earth and the Light of the World and as a City set on a Hill that cannot be hid so that all that do profess Christ and God may shew forth Christ and Godliness in Life and Word G. F. To all the Womens Meetings that are Belivers in the Truth FRiends Keep your Womens Meetings in the Power of God EpisT 291. which the Devil in out of and take your Possession of that which your are Heirs of and keep the Gospel-Order Man and Woman helps meet in the Image of God For Man and Woman were helps meet in the Image of God and in Righteousness and Holiness in the Dominion before they fell but after the Fall in the Transgression the Man was to rule over his Wife but in the Restauration by Christ into the Image of God and his Righteousness and Holiness again in that they are helps meet Man and Woman as they were in before the Fall Sarah obeyed Abraham and called him Lord. Abraham did also obey the Voice of his Wife Sarah in casting out the Bond-Woman and her Son Dorcas a Woman was a Disciple So there was a Woman Disciple as well as Men Disciples and mind the Women that accompanied her And Wo-men are to take up the Cross daily and follow Christ daily as well as the Men and so to be taught of him their Prophet and fed of him their Shepherd and councelled of him their Councellor and sanctified by him who offered up himself once for all And there were Elder Women in the Truth as well as Elder Men in the Truth and these Women are to be teachers of good thins so they have an Office as well as the Men for they have a Stewardship and must give an Account of their Stewardship to the Lord as well as the Men. Deborah was a Judge Examples of amny good Women Miriam and Huldah were Prophetesses old Annah was a Prophetess and a Preacher of Christ to all them that looked for Redemption in Jerusalem Mary Magdalen and the other Mary were the first Preachers of Christ's Resurrection to the Disciples and the Disciples could not believe their Message and Testimony that they had from Jesus as some now adays cannot but they received the Command and being sent preach'd it So is every Woman and Man to do that sees him risen and have the Command and Message Daughters shall Prophesie as well as Sons So they are to be obedient that has the Spirit poured upon them Women are to Prophesie and Prophesie is not to be quenched Them that has the Testimony of Jesus are commanded to keep it whether Men or Women Priscilla and Aquilla were both Exhorters and Expounders or Instructers to Apollos So in the Church there were Women Instructers and Prophetesses and Daughters Prophetesses in the Church for Philip had four Virgins that were Prophetesses and there were Women Disciples in the Church and Women Elders in the Church as well as Men. So Women are to keep in the FGovernment of Christ and to be Obeyers of Christ and Women are to keep the ComelyOrder of the Gospel as well as Men and to see that all that have received Christ Jesus that they walk in Christ Jesus and to see that all that has received the Gospel do walk in the Gospel the Power of God which they are Heirs of for this is a Day for all to keep their Possession in the Gospel-Order who be Heirs with Christ of the increase of whose Government there is no end So the Foundation of our Womens Meetings is Christ to all them that be Heirs of him and of his Government And the ground of our Order of the Womens Meetings is the Gospel the Power of God which was before the Devil was and all that be Heirs of the Gospel which hath brought Life and Immortality to Light in them which shines over him that hath darkned them and was before he was I say they are Heirs of the Comely Order of the Gospel and therefore I say take your Possessions of it and walk as becomes the Gospel and keep the Comely Order of it and in it keep your Meetings And here is the Ground and Foundation of our Womens Meetings Now Mothers of Families that has the ordering of Children Maids and Servants may do a great deal of Good
to your Order as I said before of the Gospel the Power of God For the Jew outward was to offer the first Fruits of the Earth according to the Order of Aaron but according to the Order of the Gospel you both Men and Women are to offer the first Fruits of the Spirit to God who is a Spirit over all blessed for ever And shew how the Lord has blest you in your Spiritual Fruits and how you have been Captives in Spiritual Egypt and how you were redeemed Much more I might Write concerning these things but they are hard to be uttered or to be born for there has so much Strife and Foolishness entred into the Minds of People and a want of the stilness and quietness in the pure Spirit of God in which things are revealed that hath been vailed in which things are opened that hath been hid and uncovered that hath been covered But wait all in the Dilligence in the holy Life by which the holy things are seen and received in which the holy Vnity and Fellowship is So no more but my Love G. F. To all my dear Friends Elect and Precious in America STand fast in the Faith which Christ Jesus is the Author of Epist 314. by his heavenly Ensign To stand fast in the Faith in your heavenly Armor and your Feet shod with the Preparation of the Heavenly Gospel of Peace and your Heads preserved with the Helmet of Salvation and your Hearts fenced with the Breast-plate of Righteousness and so stand feeling and seeing God's Banner of Love over your Heads manifesting that you are the good Ground that God's Seed hath taken Root downward in and springs upward in and brings forth Fruits in some Sixty and some Hundred fold in this Life to the Praise and Glory of God always beholding the Sun of Righteousness that never sets ruling the supernatural Day of which you are Children and the Persecutors Sun the heat of it which rises and sets again cannot scorch your Blade which it may do that Seed that grows on the Stony Ground And therefore be valiant for God's Truth upon the Earth and fear him And be Valiant for God's Truth that can break their Fetters their Goals and their Bonds in sunder and can make your Fleece to grow again after the Wolves have torn the Wooll from your Backs for the Rod of the Wicked shall not be always upon the Backs of the Righteous And therefore mind Christ who is the first and last who bruises the Head of him who is the Head of all Persecutors to wit the Devil And consider how all the Faithful in all Ages suffered from Righteous Abel to Just Lot and the Children of Isreal by Pharaoh and the true Prophets by the false and Christ and the Apostles by the vagabond Professing Jews out of the Possession and what rejoycing it was to them to suffer for the Lord Jesus and how it was given unto them not only to Believe but also to Suffer so it was the Gift of God to them not only to Believe but to Suffer and to bear them up in their Sufferings And consider how all the Martyrs and Saints have suffered since the Apostles days by the Heathens and false Christians and so there is no new thing under the Sun And therefore keep your Meetings in the Name of Jesus And keep your Meetings in the Name of Jesus whose Name is above every Name in whose Name you have Salvation and be valiant for God's Truth upon the Earth and sound his Name abroad and keep in the Truth and give no just Occasion to the Adversary for the Lamb must have the Victory and keep in the Lords Power that is over all and in his peaceable Truth in which you will seek the Good and Eternal Welfare and Salvation of all People And the Prophet Isaiah speaking of Christ says In all their Afflictions he was afflicted and the Angel of his Presence saved them so all Friends feel the Lord in all your Afflictions And the Apostle saith We our selves glory in you to wit in the Churches of God for your Patience and Faith in all your Persecutions and and Tribulations that you indure So here you may see the Saints are one anothers Joy in the Lord who doth uphold them in all their Persecutions Tribulations and Sufferings and therefore look over the Devil that is out of Truth that makes to suffer to Christ who bruises his Head and in Christ who is First and Last in him have you Rest Life and Peace And you see by Faith Examples of Faith Moses chose rather to suffer Afflictions with the People of God than to enjoy the Pleasures of Sin for a Season So by Faith he esteemed the Reproaches of Christ greater Riches than the Treasures in Egypt And by Faith Moses forsook Egypt not fearing the Wrath of the King for he indured as seeing him who is invisible and so by Faith God's People now forsake Spiritual Egypt And by Faith the Mouths of the Lions were stopp'd and by Faith they indured Tortures not accepting Deliverance that they might obtain a better Resurrection and by Faith they underwent all the cruel Mockings Scornings Bonds and Imprisonments and by Faith they underwent Stoning and Sawing asunder and were tempted and slain with the Sword and they wandered about in Sheep skins and Goats-skins being destitute afflicted and tormented of whom the World was not worthy c. Now all these lived in the one Faith by which they saw him who was invisible which is the Faith of God's Elect now which Christ Jesus is the Author and Finisher of which Faith upholds his People now as it did them against the Persecutors in Days and Ages past And hold fast the Hope which anchors the Soul which is sure and stedfast that you may float above the Word's Sea for your Anchor holds sure and stedfast in the bottom let the Winds Storms and raging Waves rise never so high And your Star is fix'd by which you may steer to the Eternal Land of Rest and Kingdom of God So no more but my Love to you all Swarthmore in Lancashire the 12th of the 12th Month 1675. G. F. To Friends in Barbadoes DEar Friends To whom is my Love in the Holy Truth Epist 315. my desire is that you may all be valiant for it against all Deceit that the Camp of God may be kept clean Faithful in their Testimenies and all may be faithful in your Testimonies of Light and Life against all those things which have come up in this Night of Apostacy from the Light Life and Power of God So look at the Lord and his Eternal Power which hath brought you out of the Night of Apostacy to his Eternal Praise and his Power hath preserved you to this Day The Lord with his glorious Power was with us in all our Assemblies at this Yearly Meeting he hath the Dominion and over all evil Spirits gave Dominion to his
the Lord to deal with them For that which they get by spoiling you they will never be the richer for and when they have done spoiling the Lord can spoil them and theirs And all the Goods they take from Friends for serving God will torment them at last and be a greater Plague to them more than keeping on your Hats and saying Thou to them was And you have had Experience how the other Powers spoiled your Goods The Spoil of the Righteous not durable Riches to their Persecutors but were they either the richer or the fatter Nay the more thery did eat destroy and devour the more they look like Pharaoh's lean Cattel And did not the Christians of old suffer joyfully the spoiling of their Goods by Professors and Prophane So they that are born of the Flesh will persecute them that are born of the Spirit and they that will live Godly in Christ Jesus must suffer Persecution and blessed are they that do suffer Persecution for Christ and his Righteousness sake And so never fear the loss of the Fleece for God can make it grow again as he did poor Job's And it is the way of the Enemy and Adversary to set upon the young convinced to think by that means to make them to yield For have you not read it was the way how that the Enemies of Israel of old fell upon the weak and feeble of their Camp and the hindermost of the Flock but they had their Reward at the End And so wait upon the Lord and he will support you though he may try you a while as he doth all his Saints that the Trial of your Faith may come forth more pure than Gold And so never fear Man nor what they are permitted to do unto you but the Lord Though the hungry Lions may lack yet they that wait upon the Lord shall not want any good thing for his Promise is he will never leave them nor forsake them And so the Lord God Almighty give you Power and Courage to stand against all the Wiles of the Enemy and to be Valiant for his Truth upon the Earth And so with my Love in the Everlasting Seed Christ Jesus who is over him that makes to suffer and will be when he is gone Marshgrange the 6th of the 4th Month. 1676. G. F. To Friends in Barbadoes MY Dear Friends in the heavenly Relation and Zion's Children Epist 333 amongst whom the Stone that the Builders rejected is elect and precious and in him Christ you are Elect Christ the Head of God's Church who is the Head of the Corner of God's Building And therefore in the Name of Jesus keep your Meetings in whom you all have Salvation and not by any other Name under Heaven and though the Lord may try you where your Minds are and in what by the outward Powers yet be valiant for God's Truth upon the Earth and if some of you be cast into Prison and your Goods be spoiled the Seed is upon the Head of him that maketh to suffer and will remain when he is gone And the Lord God who giveth the increase of all both Invisible and Visible can make the Fleece to grow again And therefore let your Faith be in the Power and Word of Life And the Authority of your Men and Womens Meetings is the Power of God and all the Heirs of the Gospel are Heirs of Christ the heavenly Man and of his Government the increase of which there is no end And so all walk in Christ So walk in Christ who bruiseth the Serpent's Head that hath gotten between you and God so as you all are in him then nothing can get between you and the Lord God and so in the glorious Order of the Gospel the Power of God dwell which is over the Devil and the World and before he and it was and the Power of God will be when he and it is gone This is the everlafting Gospel which bringeth Life and Immortality to Light and that you all may see over him that hath darkned you to him who was before he was and the Power of God will be when he is gone And therefore walk in the glorious blessed peaceable and comfortable Order of the everlasting Gospel for the Gospel the Power of God is the Gospel of Peace and the Truth is Peaceable The Devil the Destroyer and Adversary abode not in the Peaceable Truth and the Kingdom of God stands in Peace and Joy in the Holy Ghost and the Vnity of the Spirit is a Bond of Peace yea the Bond of the heavenly Man the Prince of Princes Peace that Bond must be kept by all Zion's Children the Heirs of Life And all seek the Peace and Good one of another To seek Peace and dwell is Love and dwell in the Love of God thet does edifie the Body of Christ and bears all things and endures all things and build up one another in the most holy Faith which you have from Christ the holy One for Holiness becomes the House of God And therefore all mind that which becomes his House and now is the time for every one to put on the Armour of God and to take his Weapons and Arms that you may stand by God's Ensign in the Truth against him that is out of Truth keeping on your Helmet of Salvation as a token of your Victory and your Breast-Plate of Righteousness which preserves both Mind Heart and Soul and your Loins girded with Truth Keep on the Armor of Righteousness that you may be Valiant for it and your Feet shod with the Preparation of the Gospel the Power of God that your Feet may stand fast over all slippery Places in the Power of God the Gospel that is sure and everlasting Here is your Armor and your Weapon is the Sword of the Spirit the Word of God the Word of Life and Salvation and Wisdom and Reconciliation that is as a Sword and a Hammer to cut down and hammer down that which hath made a separation betwixt you and God and is as Fire to burn it up And the Shield of Faith that is your Shield by which you have victory and access to God by which Faith all the Just lives and are saved and contend for it which is declared to the Saints by Christ who is the Author and Finisher of it And by this Faith you come to Christ the Author and as many as receive him walk in him that you may be always fresh and green in him who bruises the Head of the Serpent that hath made People lean and barren and hath made so many barren Mountains which Christ is gathering and calling his People from that they might walk in the Light of the Lord and come to the Mountain of the House of the Lord that is established above all the Mountains where God teaches all his the Way of Life Truth and Salvation And the Mountain of the House of the Lord is always green with fresh
Seed of God and feedeth upon the Milk of this everlasting Word which liveth and abideth and endureth for ever and was in the beginning by which Word you have Wisdom and Salvation by which Wisdom all God's Children are justified The Lord God in his Immortal Power preserve you out of all Evil and out of the Earth and over your Enemies within and without in his everlasting Seed Christ that is over all to his Glory for ever Amen G. F. To Friends at Dantzick DEar Friends Epist 336. in the Love of God and the Lord Jesus Christ look above all your outward Sufferings and him that is out of Truth that makes you to suffer and let nothing separate you from the Love of God which you have in Christ Jesus by whom all things were made Not to be moved from the true Foundation Christ Jesus I say let not the Birth of the Flesh with all his carnal Weapons Goals and Prisons Threats or Reproaches move you nor separate you from the Love of God nor from your Foundation the Rock of Ages Christ Jesus But feel the Well of Life springing up in you to nourish the Plant that God has planted in you of his Renown that that may grow up within his Hedge his Power which will keep out the Devil and all the Venomous Beasts from entring into God's Garden or Kingdom And therefore let your Faith stand in the Lord's Power which is your Hedge and Defence and which is your Keeper and will keep you safe that you need not be afraid of your Enemy your Adversary for the Lord's Power is over his Head and you within his Power then nothing can get betwixt you and God and in the Power of the Lord is the City set upon his Hill where the Light shines and the heavenly Salt is and the Lamps burning and Trumpets sounding forth the Praise of God of the Eternal Joy in his Eternal Word of Life that lives and abides and indures for ever And so to the Praise and Glory of God you may bring forth fresh and green Fruit being grafted into the green Tree that never withers Oh be valiant for God's Glory and his Truth upon the Earth To be valiant for the Truth and spread it abroad and spread it abroad answering that of God in every Man and Womans Conscience knowing him that hath brought Everlasting Peace into the Earth So that the Songs of Salvation may be in your Mouths for it is said With the Heart Man believes and with the Mouth Confession is made to Salvation So every true Believer will confess to Christ his Salvation their Way Light and Life out of Death and Darkness their Prophet to open to them their Shepherd to feed them and their Bishop to oversee them their Captain and Commander to command and to lead them their Counsellor for to counsel them and their Priest who hath offered himself for them and also sanctifies them and offers them up to God To whom be all Praise and Golory for ever Amen I writ something to the Magistrates which is in Print in England which if you have it not to give them you may send into Holland and let it be translated into your Language and given to them and spread it up and down in your Country And as for Truth in this Part of the World and in America Truth prospers it prospers and spreads and goes on and by it many Men and Women are made God's Free Men and Women being redeemed from him that is out of Truth that they may serve God in the New Life in Christ Jesus out of the Old Life in Adam in the Fall and so come to live in the heavenly Vnity Wisdom Love and Dominion So in that Love that bears all things and keeps your Hearts Minds and Souls up to God which comes from God through which you come to love God and Christ and one another in that live and dwell Swarthmore the 17th of the 3d Month 1676. G. F. To Friends in Holland DEar Friends To whom is my Love in the Seed of Life Epist 337. that bruises the Head of the Seed of Death and through him you have all Life Eternal who is the Foundation of the Prophets and the Apostles and all God's People in all Ages their Rock to build upon that will stand the Waves of the Sea and all Storms and foul Weather who is the Horn of your Salvation to push down all that stands in your way to God and to push down him that has led Man and Woman from God So that you may all sing of your Rock and the Horn of your Salvation as the Holy Ones did in Ages past and Christ who is your Foundation the Lamb of God who hath been slain from the Foundation of the World Christ overcame the World and is ascended far above all things but now he has overcome the World and is risen and ascended far above all Principalities Powers Thrones and Dominions and is razing down to the Ground the World's Foundation from which Foundation he has been slain and is setting up himself the Living and Everlasting Foundation for all his to build upon and therefore because the World and its Foundation Christ is razing down they are are offended and angry and the Heathen Rage and take Counsel against the anointed but it 's to no purpose for he will shake the Foundation of all false Religions Ways Worships Churches and Teachers and will make the Pillars of them to totter and they must be at their wits end before they see another Foundation for God shook down the Four Monarchies the great Empires of the World and scattered them abroad with his Wind as the Chaff of the Summer Floor all those great Persecutors and the little Stone that 's cut out of the Mountain without Hands The Stone out of the Mountain without Hands c. that no earthly Man has the glory of is becoming a great Mountain and will fill the whole Earth Glory to God for ever and it will dash down all Mens Glory and Pride let them soar as high as Nebuchadnezzar and shelter as many under them as he did in their Sects that he may make them to know that the most High rules in the Kingdom of Men and that his Kingdom is an Everlasting Kingdom And therefore all Friends that know the Light which is the Life in Christ be faithful in the Truth and spread it abroad answering the Light of Christ in every one for Christ bid his Disciples go preach the Gospel unto all Nations And since that was done are many gathered into the Fellowship and Order of it but since the World has worshipped the Beast and given their Glory and Honour to him instead of God and Christ which Beast is out of Truth and had his Power from the Dragon and the Whore which all Nations has drunk of her Cup and she has rid upon the Beast and now the Everlasting Gospel must
Faith was and are still denied And all such as preach God and Christ and crucifies Christ to themselves afresh and denies God in their Works were then and are denied And all such as preach the Light and walk in Darkness and preach the Spirit the Fruits of which is Love and Peace and are in Strife and Enmity were never owned by God nor Christ nor good Men though they may be called Christians And all such as preach Liberty and themselves were Servants of Corruption were and are still denied And all such as cries Lord Lord and preaches Christ Christ and does not his Will enters not into his Kingdom themselves And into it they can bring none that do not go into it themselves Which Kingdom stands in Power and in Joy and Peace in the Holy Ghost And all such as preach the Word of God and are not doers of the Word they are Deceivers of their own Souls and they may deceive others with the good Words And such cannot be reconciled to God neither can they bring others to Reconciliation with God So this Spirit is but One which Spirit all along has wrought against the true Spirit of God in all his People and was in Srife and Contention and Disquietness against the Righteous in all Ages but it wrought its own Destruction and the Fall of them that followed it as you may see through all the Scriptures And therefore all are to keep the Vnity of the Spirit All are to keep the Vnity of the Spirit the Bond of the heavenly Man Christ Jesus's Peace who renews Man up into the Image of God as Man was in before he fell and not only into that State but up into himself that never fell where they know both his Gospel-Order and his Heavenly Government and are subject to it He being the Head above all Principalities Powers Thrones and Dominions Who is ascended above all that he might fill all things Who is over all the Beginning and Ending and Lives and Reigns from Everlasting to Everlasting the Amen G. F. An Epistle to be read in the Men and Womens Meetings DEar Friends Epist 344. My Love in the Lord Jesus Christ to you all in whom I have laboured and my Desires are the God of all Peace and the Son of Peace may fill all your Hearts with his Love and Peace and Wisdom and Knowledge in all things to do his heavenly glorious Will in that you will know his Son's Doctrine and as you know it obey it And my Desires are in the Lord All to walk worthy of their Holy Vocation that you may all walk worthy of your Vocation and of him that his called you to Holiness and Righteousness and to Peace so that his Peace may flow as a River and Righteousness run down as a Stream to the gladding of the City of God the Walls of which is his Power and Salvation and Light and Life And now My Friends Keep all your Meetings in the Name of Jesus in whom you have all Salvation which is above every Name under the whole Heaven in which there is no Salvation And also all your Men and Womens Meetings every where keep in the Power of the Lord Jesus Christ his Gospel by which he hath brought Life and Immortality to light in you that you may see over him that hath darkned you and before he was which Power will preserve you in Life and Immortality So that you may now all labour in the Gospel the Power of God in his glorious and comfortable Gospel joyfully serving the Lord in his Gospel of Peace through which Gospel you have Peace with God So that in this Gospel All to be stirred up to Labour in the Lord's Service the Power of God there can come nothing between you and God Here is your heavenly Order not of Man nor by Man So that all the faithful Men and Women may in the Lord's Power be stirred up in their Inheritances of the same Gospel and to labour in it helps-meet in the Restoration as Man and Woman was before the Fall in the Garden of God all are to work in his Righteousness and in his Image in his Power in his Garden to subdue the Earth and keep the Dominion in his Power in the Restoration as Man and Woman did in the Image of God before the Fall Whosoever would hinder you in this Work it is the same Serpent's Spirit that led Adam and Eve into the Fall from the Work of God which now would keep you in the Fall to do his Work and Command and not the Lord's and therefore over that keep your Dominion Authority and Inheritance in the Restoration in the Power of God in which every one of you must give an account to God and therefore be diligent in the Lord's Power Light Life and Spirit in which you all see your Services to God so that he may be glorified among you all and in you all and over you all his Glory may shine And you all Men and Women in your Men and Womens Meetings be diligent labouring in the Light Life and the Power of God the Gospel in the Garden and Church of God so that Righteousness and Peace may flow down amongst you and Truth and Godliness Purity Vertue and Holiness over all that is contrary and that the Weight and Care of God's Glory and his Honour and his pure Holy Name and his Truth Religion and Worship you may all stand up for against that which would in any wise cause it to be evil spoken of by ill Walkers and Talkers and let all things you do be done in Love and condescend one to another in the Power of the Lord and in his Truth have esteem one of another and let all things be done among you without any Strife for it's Love that edifies the Body and knits it together and unites it to Christ the heavenly and holy Head The Reproach taken from Woman that was first in Transgression And now you Women though you have been under Reproach because Eve was first in Transgression the Promise was The Seed of the Woman should bruise the Serpents Head And this Promise of God is fulfilled A Virgin should have a Child and they should call his Name Emanuel God with us again For Man and Woman was drove from God out of Paradise and the Serpent became their Head and god of the World but Christ is come according to the Promise of God and his Prophets who was born of a Virgin and therefore saith Mary My Spirit doth rejoyce in God my Saviour My Soul doth magnifie the Lord for he hath regard to the low estate of his Hand maid for behold from henceforth all Generations shall call me Blessed Now here comes the Reproach to be taken off from Women which were first in Transgression who are not suffered to speak in the Church but here Mary did speak and believe that which was spoken to her And also the Reproach
Hypocrites and Sinners may fear but they that fear the Lord and wait upon him shall be as Mount Sion that cannot be removed for the Lord's Power is over all by which he keeps his People to the day of Salvation And therefore all you that have this Keeper Let the Lord be your Keeper the Power of the Lord through Faith unto the Day of Life and Salvation need none of the slumbering Keepers or Watchers for the Lord was the Keeper of Israel who neither slumbered nor slept till Israel forsook the Lord and then they set up slumbering and sleepy Watchers and Keepers like the Apostate Christians who have forsaken the Power of God to keep them and then they are soon forsaken And therefore Friends you that do know the Power of God in which the Kingdom of God stands you know your Keeper through the Faith which Jesus Christ is the Author of which stands in his Power and not in Words and so your Faith standing in his Power it will keep you out of the Words of Mens Wisdom and above them And the golden Lamp in your Tabernacle all are to have to burn with the heavenly Oil Heavenly Oil. which you have from Christ your High Priest being returned to him the great Shepherd and Bishop of your Souls who will bring you his Sheep into his safe Fold who gives unto his Sheep eternal Life and his Sheep shall not perish neither shall any pluck them out of his Hand Though Men may pluck Hypocrites and Apostates one from another Feel the Hand that preserved you but Christ saith No Man is able to pluck his Sheep out of his Fathers hand And therefore all feel the Hand that hath brought you out of Spiritual Egypt where Christ hath been crucified to Christ in his new Covenant of Light and Life as the Jews were brought out of Egypt in the Old Covenant which Christ hath abolished and makes all things new so that all may be grounded on him who was the Foundation of all the holy Prophets and Apostles and of all the holy Men of God to this day And therefore consider who it is that abides in the Tabernacle of God and dwells in his Holy Hill it is the Faithful and the Vpright which Holy Hill is a safe place for all the Upright As the Lord said In the last days the Mountain of the Lord's House should be established on the top of the Mountains and should be exalted above the Hills and all Nations should flow unto this established Honse And here the Lord does teach his People that comes up to the Mountain of the House of the God of Jacob So all Mountains Houses Hills and Teaching will be shaken but the Mountain of the Lord's House shall be established in the last Days as the Prophet said which is the Days of Christ Is not this the Stone that became a great Mountain and fills the whole Earth which smote and broke to pieces the Iron Clay Brass Silver and Gold Image or Monarchs which were as Mountains And this Stone which becomes a great Mountain The Stone that became a great Mountain sets up a Kingdom which shall never have an end Is not this the Kingdom of Christ which Christ saith Except a Man be born again he can neither see the Kingdom of God nor enter into it And therefore Friends all you that do know his Kingdom that stands in Power in Peace and Joy in the Holy Ghost over the Power of the Evil and all the unclean Ghosts which keeps them in their first Birth and leads them into all Evil as the Holy Ghost leads them into all Truth And so dear Friends and Brethren know this Rock this Stone this Foundation the House of God that is established upon the Lord's Mountain above all other Houses Hills Mountains and Teachings in the World where God doth teach his People and establish them upon Christ Jesus the living Rock and Foundation and living Way And so though there may be troubles without and troubles within yet if you wait upon the Lord he will renew your strength And the Children of God they are set for Signs and Wonders for as it is said Lo the Children that thou hast given me they are for Signs and Wonders And therefore Friends keep your Habitation in Christ Jesus Keep to Christ out of vain jangling in whom you have Peace for all the rude Talkers and vain Disputers and Janglers which cankers and rusts goes out of the peaceable Truth and that which is torn and dies of it self must not be fed upon but the Life must be fed upon which gives you Life Eternal And the Lord did not build his Zion and outward Jerusalem with Blood in the Old Covenant for they that did build their Zion and Jerusalem with Blood made their Zion a Field and their Jerusalem an Heap so if this Practice was forbidden in the Old Covenant much more in the New Zion not buil with Blood who think to build Zion and Jerusalem with Blood and Iniquity for such has not been Zion's Children nor Jerusalem's that is from above who shed Mens Blood concerning Religion Church and Worship for Christ rebuked such that would have had Mens lives destroyed and told them They knew not what Spirit they were of so they that do not know what Spirit they are of they are not like to build up God's Zion and Jerusalem For Christ said He came to save Mens Lives and not to destroy them for the World 's God was the destroyer of Mens lives but Christ came to destroy Him and his Works and to save Mens Lives and Souls also And so dear Friends let the Love of God which is shed abroad in your Hearts cast out all Fear And keep in the Name of Jesus in which you are gathered which is above every Name under the whole Heaven in whom you have Life and Salvation and his Presence among you whose Name is a Strong Tower and Christ is a Rock to hide your selves in and his Spirit to cover you which is a Covering sufficient enough for you and Wo will be to that Spirit which is covered but not with his Spirit they may fly to the Rocks and Mountains to cover and hide them No help in Egypt which will not be sufficient for the Rocks will rend and the Mountains will be removed such may run down into Spiritual Egypt for strength where Christ was crucified like the Jews in the Old Covenant that ran into outward Egypt from his Spirit but all was in vain And therefore trust in the Lord who has preserved you by his Glorious Light and Power to this day that you may be settled upon the Seed Christ Jesus which is over all that within and without that is contrary to it and bruiseth the Head of the Serpent that hath been between you and God So that in Christ the Seed you have Peace with the Lord God Life and Dominion and Election and
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
Stripes we are healed Did not he suffer the Contradictio of Sinners who died for Sinners and went into the Grave for Sinners and died for the Ungodly yea tasted Death for every Man who through Death destroyed Death and the Devil the Power of Death and is risen For Death and the Grave could not hold him nor the Powers and Principalities Death could not hold Christ in the Grave with all their Guards and Watches could not hold him within the Grave but he is risen and is ascended far above all Principalities Powers Thrones and Dominions and is set down at the Right Hand of God and remaineth in the Heavens till all things be restored And he is restorign with his Light Grace Truth Power Spirit Faith Gospel and Word of Life so that you read of some that came to sit together in Heavenly Places in Christ Jesus And therefore all must bow at the Name of Jesus their Saviou in his Light Grace Truth Power Spirit and Gospel for he hath bowed for you if you rise with him and you must suffer with him if you will reign with him and die with him if you will live with him And all that are dead and buried with Christ and are risen with him they will seek those things that come down from above where Christ sits at the Right Hand of God and there you will seek those things which come down from above and not things which are below For those which seek those things that are below are the Talkers of God and Christ and the Prophets and Apostles words but they are not dead with Christ nor risen with him and therefore they do not seek those things that come down from Heaven where Christ sits at the Right Hand of God But they are them that seek the things that are above To seck those things which are above that are dead with Christ and risen with him they I say do seek those things which come down from Heaven where Christ sits at the Right Hand of God and they have not only sought them but have found them and received them and come to sit together in Heavenly Places in Christ Jesus a safe established and heavenly sitting in the heavenly Rest and Habitation in Christ Jesus who is the First and Last and over all from Everlasting to Everlasting Blessings and Praises over all be to the Lord God through him for ever Amen God is a God of Order The Eternal Living God of Truth he is a God of Order and is not the Author of Confusion but of Peace in all the Chruches of the Saints Now the Author of Confusion and not of Peace is the God of the World who abode not in the Truth because there is no Truth in him and when he speaks a Lie he speaks of his own for he is a Liar and the Father of it Now the Jews which did the God of the World's Lusts and them called Christians that do were in Strife Confusion and Disorder For the Jews they went out of the Order of Aaron and oses going from the Spirit of God poured out upon the House of Israel and so went from the Lord and his Law into Confusion and Disorder which the living God of Truth was not the Author of Also the Christians who go from te Light Grace Truth Power Spirit Gospel and Faith which Christ Jesus is the Author of they go from Christ and his Order who was not madee a Priest after the Order of Aaron but after the Order of Melchizedeck who was without beginning of Days or end of Life an Everlasting Order And such go into Strife and Confusion that go from Christ which Christ and God is not the Author of but the World's God who got into Man and Woman by Transgression and Disobedience of the Command of God who is the Author of Confusion Strife and Disorder in whom there is no Truth For what Order can there be in the World's God and amongst his Subjects in whom there is no Truth For in whom there is no Truth there is no true Order and they that abide not in the Truth Grace Light Spirit Gospel Faith and Word of Life they abide not in the Order of God and Christ And such will cry against the Order of the Truth Light Grace Spirit Gospel Faith and Word of Life which bring into the Order of Christ and the Order of the Living Eternal God of Truth who is a God of Order and delights in Order having Pleasure in them that live in his Sprit and Law of Life and the Gospel and its Order For Blessed is the Man that delights in the Law or Order of God it was so under the Old Covenant Much more Blessed is the Man or Woman that delights in the Law and Order of Love and the Law and Order of Faith and the Law and Order of Life and of the Gospel the Power of God And none keep the Law of Faith but who keep in the Faith which Christ is the Author of which wourks by Love And none keep the Law of Life but who keep in the Law of the Spirit and walk in it which is in Christ Jesus the heavenly and spiritual Second Andam who was before old Adam who under the World's God out of Truth in whom there is no Truth nor true Order but Confusion and Disorder And therefore all who come to God who is a God of Order must come bythe Grace Truth Light Power Gospel Faith and Anoitnting the Word of Life within and such come to love the Lord Jesus Christ and to delight in God and Christ's Order So you may see that God is a God of Order who called Aaron and Moses and they had an Order from God And Melchizedeck had an Order and Christ is after his Everlasting Order Christ'r Kingdom is Everlasting And Christ the Truth hath an Everlasting Kingdom that stands in Everlasing Righteousness and Power and Joy in the Holy Ghost yea an estableshed Kingdom that will never have an end and cannot be broken and no imperfect defiled nor corruptible thind enters into is And all Christ Jesus's Subjects of his Everlasting Kingdom that see it and enter into it are born again not of the Will of Man but of an Incorruptible Seed by the Word of God and have the Incorruptible Milk of the Word of God by which the grow from Babes to Men of God and have the Fine Linnen the Incorruptible Cloathing the Righteousness of Christ which is the Linnen which they do wear in Christs Kingdom So all Christ's Subjects of his Kingdom are known by their Birth and Cloathing and live in the Order of hiw Gospel of Love Lifew Light Grace and Truth and no Man comes into his Kingdom and Order but by the Light Grace Truth Faith Power and Spirit and Anointing and Word of Life within through which they know Christ and his Everlasting Kingdom that stands in Power and Righteousness and Joy in the Holy Ghost
and by ti keep in the Order of the Law of Life whcih they have in Christ Jesus Such as folow the God of the World bate the Order of Truth And they that follow the World's God that are out of Truth and disobey their Creator the God of Truth and the Lord Jesus Christ I say all such obey and follow him in whom there is no Truth and such cannot endure to hear talk of the Order of Truth and of the Gospel or the Law or Order of the Spirit of Life which is in Christ Jesus which all they that do obey the Voice of the Lord and Christ Jesus in his Light Grace and Truth and Gospel the Power of God and his Holy Spirit and Faith and Word of Life within come into Unity and Fellowship one with another and with the Son and with the Father and in this they know the Order of Christ and God to be a God of Order and delights in his Heavenly and Eternal Order of Light Life Power and Spirit of God that is over Death and Darkness and the World's God who is a God of Disorder in whom there is no true Order but Confusion and into this holy Order of the Everlasting Light and Life he cannot come Glory to the Lord God and his Son Christ Jesus who is over all from evelasting to Everlasting and is the Rock and Foundation and Habitation of his People blessed for ever and evermore Amen G. F. POSTSCRIPT Here you may see by these following Scriptures how the Apostles loved the Good and holy Order of Christ in his Gospel Some Scripture Collections concerning good Order in the Church and Light and Life and Truth but as Job said The Land of Darknese is without any Order And Babylon signifies Confusion which is the false Church and is called a Woman and a City of Confusion who iw against the Order of the true Church and gets the Titles of the true Chruch that is called a City and a Woman which brings forth the Man-Child Christ Jesus and of the increase of his Government and peace there shall be no end who sits upon the Throne of David and upon his dom to order it to establish it with Judgment and with Justice henceforth and for ever So here you may see Christ doth in his Kingdom and them that have him have his Order Isa 9.7 And David saith Although mine House be not so with God yet he hath made with me an Everlasting Covenant ordered in all thins and sure for this is all my Salvation and all my Desire c. 2 Sam. 23.5 Again David saith Order my steps by thy Word and let not Iniquity have Dominion over me Psalm 119.133 Which is the Duty of every Christian to have their Steps ordered by the Word of God that lives and abides and endures for ever which Word is a Word of Order And David saith The Steps of a good Man are ordered by the lord and he delights in his Way I have been young and now am old yet I have not seen the Righteous forsaken nor his Seed begging Bread He is ever merciful and lendeth and his Seed is blessed Psalm 37. Here you may see how the Lord delights in him and them that walk in the Steps the Lord orders them with his Word And him that orders his Conversation aright shall see the Salvation of God Psalm 50.23 And this Order must be in the Light which is the Life in Christ the Saviour And the Apostle Paul after he had spoken many things to the Corinthians he said Therest will I set in Order when I come 1 Cor. 11.34 And he saith concerning the Collections for the Saints in 1 Cor. 16.1 As I have given Order to the Churches of Galatia even so do ye to wit the Corinthians So they were to practise the same Order which were the Believers in Christ which the Apstle in the Power of Christ had given to them For the Apostle had the Wisdom of God which he had ordained before the World began unto the Glory of his People then and now also 1 Cor. 2. And the Order that the Apostle did give to the Churches of the Galatians and the Corinthians was That upon the First Day of the Week every one of them lay by him in store as God had prospered him c. 1 Cor. 16.2 And in Acts 14. When they had ordained Elders in every Church and had prayed they commended them to the Lord on whom they had believed confirming the Souls of the Disciples Elders Ordained c. and exhorting them to continue in the Faith and that they must through much Tribulation enter into the Kingdom of God And as Paul and others with him went through the Cities Decrees to be kept they delivered them the Decrees for to keep that were ordaine of the Apostles and Elders which were at Jerusalem and so were the Churches established in the Faith and increased in Number daily Acts 16. And the Occasion of these Decrees was because some Men that went from Judea taught the Brethren saying Except ye be circamcised after the manner of Moses ye cannot be saved Acts 15. And these Decrees were to stop such Preachers For the Apostles and Elders said Forasmuch as we have heard that certain which went out from us have troubled you with ords subverting your Souls saying Ye must be circumcised and keep the Law to whom we gave no such Commandment Now it is clear the Apostles and Elders gave these Teachers no such Commandment to preach such Doctrine to Trouble the Chruches And the Apostle Paul after he had spent some time t Caesaria and Antioch he went over all the Country of Asia and Phrygia in Order strengthening all the Disciples Acts 18. So you may see how they were a Comfort one to another And the Apostle writes to Titus Titus in Creete Chap. 1. For this Cause I have left thee in Creete that thou shouldst set in Order the thins that are wanting and ordain Elders in every City as I have appointed thee So here Titus in the Sapirit of God did observe that which Paul in the Power of Christ did exhort him to But such as are against the Order and Pracxtice in the Light and Gospel cannot order their Speeches by teason of SDarkness And the Apostle saith Col. 2.5 Though I be absent in the Flesh yet am I with you in the Spirit joying and beholding your Order and steadfastness of your Faith in Christ As ye have therefore received Christ Jesus the Lord so walk ye in him Here the Apostle rejoyced in the Order that kept them in the Faith and Steadfastness in Christ Jesus Therefore the Apostle saith Every Man in his own Order Christ the First Fruits c. For in Adam all died even so in Christ shall all be made alive And they that are alive in Christ Jesus are in his Order of Life and Light and in his Gospel the Power of God And the Apostle
the World could meet outwardly together and are not in the Power and Spirit the Apostles were in they are in a Separation But God Almighty is bringing his People by his Son Christ Jesus and by the same Power the Apostles were in out of this Separation and Apostacy from the Apostles Spirit that began in the Apostles days into the same Spirit that the Church and the Apostles were in in the Primitive Times and though they be absent in the Body or Flesh yet they are present in the Spirit seeing and beholding in the Spirit the Spiritual Order and the Stedfastness of their divine Faith which Christ the Second Adam the Spiritual Man hath been the Author and Finisher of And therefore let no Man beguile you by enticing Words from this Spiritual Order Fellowship and Vnity And again the Apostle saith For I verily as absent in the Body but present in the Spirit have judged already as though I was present concerning him that hath so done this deed So here was a Spiritual Sight and a Spiritual Judgment yea a Judgment though absent in the Body by a Spiritual Sight of such as walk not in the Spirit but walk out of the Order of it 1 Cor. 5.3 And this is to the Spiritual-minded who can judge of these things for as many as are led by the Spirit of God they are the Sons of God and the Lord now by his Spirit is separating his Sons and Daughters from the Apostacy and Sin which hath separated from the Spirit that the Apostles were in that they may behold one another with joy and comfort with the Spirit in the Spiritual Order Fellowship and Vnity though they be absent in the Body and in the Flesh yet they are present in the Spirit and know one another in the Spirit of God And also All one in Christ the Apostle saith As many as are baptized into Christ have put on Christ There is neither Jew nor Greek Bond nor Free and here is neither Male nor Female but ye are all one in Christ Jesus So though these be absent in the Body one from another Jews Greeks Bond or Free Males or Females yet they are all one in Christ Jesus the spiritual and heavenly Man and with the Spirit joying and beholding one anothers Spiritual Order so the Joying Vnity and Fellowship stands in the Spirit of God and not in the outward Fleshly Bodily Presence and Carnal and Natural Sight And therefore keep your Spiritual Order To keep in the spiritual Order joying in the Spirit beholding your Spiritual Order and Stedfastness of your Faith in Christ Jesus and in this you will be all stedfast Men and stedfast Women and not tossed up and down with every windy Doctrine and the cunning Crafts and Slights of Men but stedfast Men and stedfast Women in the Faith of Christ as Trees of Righteousness the Planting of the Lord whose Fruit is unto Holiness and whose end is Everlasting Life and such have Fruit on their own Trees and Water in their own Wells and are not shaken with Winds Storms nor Tempests that may rise up within or without but are stedfast and unmoveable built upon the Rock and Foundation of Life Christ Jesus so that as every one hath received the Gift even so minister one to another as good Stewards of the manifold Grace of God And this is the Grace of God wherein ye stand that will teach you to live Godly Righteously and Soberly and brings Salvation so not only to talk Godly but to live Godly keeping your selves in the Love of God and building up your selves in the most Holy Faith which you have from Christ Jesus which makes you stedfast and unmoveable from him who is the Author and Finisher of it and with the Spirit of God in which you spiritually behold your substantial and stedfast Spiritual Order over all outward and carnal Orders and will out-last them all with which Spirit you all see your work and service for the Eternal Immortal God of Truth to whom be all Glory Honour Thanks and Praises in the Church of Jesus Christ throughout all Ages World without end Amen From your Friend and Brother in the Kingdom and Patience of Jesus Worplesdom the 22d of the 5th Month 1680. G. F. To Friends in America DEar Friends My Love to you all in the holy peaceable Truth Epist 364. and my Desires are that whatsoever ye do may be done in the Name of Jesus to the Glory of God the Father and all be subject one to another in the Fear of the Lord God so that ye may all come to dwell in the Love of God which edifies the Body of Christ who is the heavenly Man and let all Strifes and Divisions and Backbitings All Strifes Divisions c. to cease or Whisperings or Prejudices cease and be buried and so whatsoever is amiss or hath been amiss let it be put down by the Truth and Spirit of God that it may be uppermost which is a strong Bond to Vnite your Hearts and Minds and Souls together and to the Lord and be kind and courteous one towards another all studying to be quiet and to excel one another in Vertue and Purity and Holiness and Righteousness and Godliness in all your Words and Lives and Conversations so that you may all walk as become Saints and Christians every one esteeming and preferring one another above your selves in the Truth in Meekness and Lowliness of Mind and Humility for he that Inhabits Eternity dwells with an humble Heart Not to quench the Spirit And therefore do not quench the least Motion of God's good Spirit in your selves nor in any other but let Truth and Goodness be cherished in all and let all Harshness and Bitterness and Revilings be kept down by the Truth that it may have its passage through you all and in it you may bear one anothers Weakness and Infirmities and so fulfil the Law of Christ keeping down Revenge Hastiness or Passion as knowing Vengance is the Lord's and he will repay it on every one that does wrong without respect of Persons For Friends you there should be as Lights or as a City that cannot be hid Lights I say to to give Light in all People and also to be as the Salt of the Earth to be a good Savour and savoury to all People for he or she that is an ill savour hath lost the Salts savour and is good for nothing and is trodden under the Foot of Men and therefore take heed of loosing the Salts savour either in Word or Conversation for if you do you will come under the Foot of Men they will trample upon you therefore be Careful Fervent Circumspect and Faithful in the Truth and let your Moderation Temperance and Sobriety appear to all Men shewing forth the Work of the Lord and your Honesty and Justness in all your Words and Dealings between Man and Man and that you may owe nothing to any Man
do receive Christ in his Grace and Truth which comes from him they know his Government in the Truth They who receive Christ in his Grace know his Government in the Truth and in the Covenant of Grace yea in their Hearts and knows their gracious and true Liberty in the Grace and Truth and in Christ from whence it comes and his holy and heavenly Order in his Grace and his Reign in their Hearts And all such that walks despitefully against the Spirit of Grace and turns the Grace into Wantonness though such may profess God and Christ their Profession will come to nothing and all their Liberty is false and in the Flesh in Old Adam in Transgression For true Liberty is in the Grace and Truth that is come by Jesus which leads up unto Jesus from whence it comes in whom the everlasting true Liberty is For Christ who is the Truth Holy and Pure he reigns in the Truth and in his Grace And therefore every Man and Woman must with this Grace and Truth in their Hearts which they have from Christ feel and see Christ's Reign and Rule in their Hearts and him in his heavenly Eternal everlasting Government The Lord spoke by his Prophet Joel That it shall come to pass in the last Days tht God will pour out of his Spirit upon all Flesh c. Joel 2.28 And Peter said This is that which was spoken by the Prophet Joel It shall come to pass in the last Days saith God that I will pour out of my Spirit upon all Flesh and your Sons and your Daughters shall Prophesie Your young Men shall see Visions and your old Men shall dream Dreams and on my Servants and on my Hand-maids I will pour out in those days of my Spirit and they shall Prophesie Acts 2.17 18. Now it is God that pours out of his Spirit upon all Flesh by which Sons God pours out his Spirit upon all Flesh Daughters young Men old Men Servants and Handmaids have their Visions and Prophesies and Dreams And these last Days are the Days of Christ in his Gospel and New Covenant It is said in the Old Covenant That God did pour out of his Spirit upon the House of Israel and the House of Judah But in the Days of the New Covenant of Light and Grace God poured out of hes Spirit upon all Flesh both Jews and Gentiles Now all Flesh must come to the Spirit of God and be led and guided by it if they will see Christ's heavenly spiritual Government and Order and with this Spirit to know Christ the spiritual Man to rule and govern in their Hearts And all that by this Spirit are circumcised they eat of the heavenly Passover or their Bread from Heaven And all that are baptized with the Spirit are baptized into one Body and do all drink into one Spirit So here they are one in this spiritual Fellowship which is the true Church-Fellowship even that Church which is in God the Pillar and Ground of Truth which Church Christ is the heavenly and spiritual Head of and well he may for he is the Author of their Faith and the Author of their Light and Life Grace and Truth and Spirit and Gospel of Peace and Salvation by which he Rules in the Hearts of his living Members the Church And all they that grieve vex quench and rebel against the Spirit comes to be blind as the Jews and will not see with their Eyes nor hear with their Ears nor perceive with their Hearts and such may profess Christ in the New Testament and the Apostles Words and the Government and Order of Christ as the Jews did profess the Old Testament and Christ to come but they would not receive him then when he was come No more do they now that profess he is come who vexes and quenches his Spirit and grieves it and rebels against it and errs from it And such are not like to receive Christ into their Hearts nor come into his heavenly Order and established peaceable Government as those that are led by the Spirit of God which are the Sons of God and keeps the Vnity of the Spirit which Holy Spirit is the Bond of Peace amongst all Christ's Subjects Lambs and Sheep thet feed together in his Pasture of Life For it is God that gives the heavenly Understanding of Christ's established Government and Order And they that quench and vex and rebel against the Spirit of God will rebel against Christ's established Government and Order and his People that are in it that are led by the Spirit of Wisdom and Understanding and a sound Mind And such as will not hear the Spirit of God in themselves will neither hear God nor Christ nor his Sheep nor such as he sends but rebel against them Now the Gospel being preached to or in every Creature under Heaven which Gospel is the power of God to Salvation to every one that Believes So that all that receives this Gospel the Power of God unto Salvation in their Hearts receives Christ the Power of God and his Government and Order in the Power And Christ reigns in their Hearts in his Power and such comes into the Gospel-Order and they that come to be Heirs of the Gospel the Power of God to Salvation are Heirs of Christ's peaceable established Government and are true Subjects to Christ's Power and established peaceable Government and so this Gospel the Power of God to Salvation is peaceable joyful and comfortable which is the Gospel of Christ the Second Adam Christ the Second Adam the Lord from Heaven the Lord from Heaven and is not called the Gospel of old Adam in Transgression and this Gospel which is the Power of God unto Saluation it keeps all that believes in it in the Everlasting Joy Peace and Comfort and in Order for it is the Everlasting Gospel which brings Life and Immortality to Light by which they see over the Devil and before he was that hath blinded them and darkned them from Life and Immortality So in this Gospel that hath brought Life and Immortality to Light in God's People both Men and Women they are established in the Order of it in which they do serve the Eternal Everlasting God of Truth Now all they that do not receive the Gospel of Christ the Power of God to Salvation which is preached to every or in every Creature under Heaven Life and Immortality is not brought to Light in them and such the God of the World hath blinded and so they remain Blind under the God of the World and such are Blind concerning the Order of the Gospel and are ignorant of their Salvation and of that Joy and Comfort and Peace of the Gospel neither can they serve God in the Gospel though they may profess Christ and his Gospel in words yet such hath no Comfort of it And therefore such as disobeys the Gospel of Christ the Power of God to Salvation and will not receive it nor
of God and be careful and tender to your Servants in all Respects that there may come no Complaints from them or others that so in all things you may be ordered by the Wisdom of God that his Blessing may be amongst you And Dear Friends I desire that you would send over an Account by the next Ship how many Meetings you have and how many Meetings Monthly of Men and Women and how many Quarterly Meetings and Half-Year Meeitings and let us know how Truth spreacs and prospers amongst you which you would do well to write over every Year to the Yearly Meeting at London So with my Love in the Seed which reigns over all in whom you have all Life and Salvation and Peace in the Lord God G. F. To Friends that are Prisoners in York DEar Friends Epist 377. with my Love to you and all the rest of the faithful Friends in Bonds and my desire is to the Lord that ye all may stand faithful and valiant for his glorious Name To stand saithful in the time of Storms and his holy peaceable Truth now in this Day of Storm and Tempest that none may turn their Backs on the Lord in this Day of Trial and none may be ashamed of confessing of Christ before the Adulterous Generation as Christ said lest Christ be ashamed of them before his Father and before his holy Andels and therefore now is the Time and Day of your Trial for the Lord is Just though I know that the Faithful and Innocent Just and Righteous must stand it out and therefore mind the Lord in all your Sufferings and keep all low and in the Humility of Heart and there you will feel that he taht inhabits Eternity dwells with an humble Heart and he will be your Shield and Buckler and defender in time of Trouble and the Lord hath promised to deliver his People in the Six Troubles yea in the Seventh the Perfection of Troubles and therefore do not think Time long and your Sufferings long for the Lord will lay no more upon you but what you are able to bear yea upon his faithful People I know it and am a Witness for God in all my Sufferings and Imprisonments and haling before Magistrates about Sixty times about this Thirty six Year And so Friends when you are tried you may come forth more precious than Gold that is tried in the Fire and keep the Word of Patience and it will keep you from the Temptations that comes upon the World to try them for the Word of God was before the World was And though you be in outward Bonds from your Wives Families Houses and Relations yet the Word of God is not bound The Word of God is not bound neither can they bind the Word of God it 's at Liberty it abides and indures for ever it will make you all rich though they think to make you poor with their Bonds and casts you into Prisons but I tell you the Word of God will make you rich for the Word of God was before the Wicked and his Bonds were for in the Beginning was the Word but since the beginning was the Devil who had cast some into Prison spoken of in Revelations that ten Days might be a longer time than ten natural Days For they that will live Godly in Christ Jesus shall suffer Pesecution by the Vngodly for it was the Just that suffered by the Unjust in all Ages and Christ said to Saul Why Persecutest thou me So they that stood in Christ and were in Christ Jesus it was Christ that was Persecuted as well as they in whom he reigned And do not you understand and know the Sufferings and Trials of the holy Men of God went through and how by Faith they subdued the Mountains and consider the Faith of Abraham Isaac and Jacob The Faith of the Patriarchs and the Faith of Abel and Enoch and Noah and the Faith of Jeremiah and the rest of the Prophets and the Faith of Daniel and the Three Children and the Faith of all the Apostles what Sufferings and Imprisonments they went through and consider all the Martyrs since the Apostles days consider what Sufferings they have gone through and God and Christ is the same to uphold you that are given up in his Spirit Power and Faith to stand for his Glory and be valiant for his Truth and Name upon the Earth And therefore keep in your Sanctuary Christ Jesus who destroys the Destroyer and bruises the Serpents Head and so in Christ Jesus your Sanctuary you all are in safety in whom you have all Life and Salvation and Peace with God in him you may all Triumph and Rejoyce with exceeding great Joy and say What shall separate us from the Love of God which we have in Christ Jesus And the Apostle said to the Saints in their Days That there was not any thing able to separate him from the Love of God in Christ jesus you feeling the same Love you feeling the same Faith to dwell in you and walk by For the just shall live by Faith which is his victory and hath access to God in which he pleases God And so with my Love to you all in Christ Jesus who was before the Devil was that makes you to suffer and will be when he is gone In Christ you have heavenly Peace that none can take away from you in him dwell and live Amen POSTSCRIPT AND all be Faithful in their Testimony of Life against Riches and all those things which hath come up in this Night of Apostacy from the Light Life and Power of Christ and God against all Loosness whatsoever that the heavenly Camp of God may be kept holy clean and pure And all Friends look at the Lord above allyour Sufferings and trust in him who with his his Eternal Power hath preserved you to this day and the Lord in his Glorious Power was with us in all our Assemblies at this Yearly Meeting he over all hath the Dominion and over all evil Spirits gave Dominion to his People Glory to his Name for ever Amen And therefore let you Faith be in the Gospel the Power of God which hath brought Life and Immortality to Light in you G. F. To all the Elect of God Chosen and Faithful who have known the Work of the Lord and his Dealings and his Eternal Hand his Spirit and Power in preserving of you to this Day and in this Glorious Gospel Day of Christ Jesus who are built upon him the holy Rock and Foundation of God that standeth sure and are fed with the Heavenly Bread and feel the Springs of Living Water and enjoy the Presence of Lord who daily gives the Increase AND now Friends Epist 378. with the Eternal Power and Heavenly Light of Christ with it you have seen and do see and will see that which Christ hath spoken Matth. 13. and Luke 8. which he taught to the great Multitude in Parables Parable of
up when they forbad all Oaths and Swearing And therefore every one 's Yea should be Yea and every one 's Nay should be Nay and so to stand And therefore all are to consider afore-hand before they speak their yea yea and before they speak their Nay Nay in the New Covenant of Grace Light and Life that with the Light they may see safely when they speak their yea yea and their Nay Nay which is the Practice of the Children of Light in the New Covenant of Light by and in which Light they see and consider what they are albe to perform what they speak at Yea Yea and what they are able to stand to at Nay Nay So if you walk in the Light it will preserve you out of all rash and hasty Words and Promises which many runs into that do neither perform either their Yea Yea or their Nay Nay Therefor in the New Covenant of Grace Light and Life all are to speak Yea Yea to what they can do and perform and what they say Nay Nay to thatin the Light and Life and Grace of God they may likewise stand to their Nay what they say Nay to So that none make any Promise or speak Yea Yea or Nay Nay rashly To keep Promises which they cannot perform For such kind of inconsiderate and rash Speaking is not in the Everlasting Covenant of Light Life and Grace Take heed lest you be numbred among the Covenant-breakers spoken of Rom. 1.31 and such Truce-breakers which the Apostle speaks of 2 Tim. 3. Which have a form of Godliness but deny the Power thereof from such turn away saith the Apostle And therefore they that deny the Power of Godliness will not be faithful to God nor Man and such cannot exercise a good Conscience to God in Obedience to him nor to Man to perform that which is just righteous and honest Therefore the Apostle exhorts the Christians in the New Testament to speak the Truth in Love and to put away Lying and to speak every Man the Truth to his Neighbour Eph. 4.15 25. And David saith Who shall abide in thy Tabernacle and who shall dwell in thy holy Hill He that walketh uprightly and worketh Righteousness and speaketh the Truth in his Heart But they that speak Vanity every one to his Neighbour with flattering Lips and a double Heart the Lord shall cut off And Solomon speaking of Wisdom say My Mouth shall speak Truth and Wickedness is an Abomination to my Lips And James says in his General Epistle So speak ye and so do c. So see here how certain and stedfast the holy Men of God would have God's People to be in their words and doings And also James was careful that the Saints in their very outward Dealings were to be just and reproved such for saying To day or to morrow we wil go into such a City and continne there a Year and buy and sell and get gain To have regard to God in our Purposes Whereas they did not know what should be on the morrow But they ought to say If the Lord will we shall live and do this or that Therefore you may see how careful the Apostle was to keep all true Christians in the Fear of the Lord and in the Sense of his Will God is true and faithful to his People in all Generations and so he would have his People to be true and faithful to him and to one another and to all Men in his Spirit and Truth And Christ saith He that is faithful in that which is least is faithful also in much and be that is unjust in the least is unjist also in much And further he faith If ye have not been faithful in the Vnrighteous Mammon or Riches who will commit unto you the true Riches Therefore there must be a Justness and Faithfulness in the outward Riches between Man and Man if you will have a place in your Hearts for the true heavenly Riches The inword Faithfulness to God bringeth forth Faithfulness to Men in outword Things And as the Apostle said to the Saints Finally Brethrean whatsoever things are true whatsoever things are honest whatsoever things are just whatsoever things are pure Follow whatsoever is pure and of good Report whatsoever thing 's are lovely whatsoever things are of good report if there be any virtue and if there be any praise think on these things Which are very good things to be minded thought upon and practised by the Church of Christ The Lord faith by Zachary These are the things that ye shall do speak ye every Man the Truth to his Neighbour execuse the Judgment of Truth and Peace in the Gates Again Therefore faith the Lord I am returned unto Zion and will dwell in the midst of Jerusalem and Jerusalem shall be called a City of Truth and the Mountain of the Lord of Host an holy Mountain And if outward Jerusalem was called so in the Days of the Old Testament surely much more is heavenly Jerusalem in the New Covenant and Testament called The City of the living God the heavenly Jerusalem into which nothing that is unclean can enter but all the Believers in the Light and the Children of the Light enter into it whose Names are written in the Lamb's Book of Life and are to walk in Truth and Righteousness and speak the Truth every Man to his Neighbour according to the Apostle's Doctrine And so as every one hath received Christ Jesus who is the Truth walk in him the Truth and speak the Truth as it is in Jesus For you are bought with a price therefore glorifie God in your Bodies and in your Spirits which are his And the Lord in Mercy grant that all his People who profess his Name may do s to his Praise to his Glory and to his Honour over all for ever Amen And do not slight the form of sound Words in Truth You who have bought the Truth do not sell it And He that orders his Conversation aright shall see the Salvation of God And the Apostle says to the Philippians Let your Conversation be as it becometh the Gospel of Christ For the Apostle says Our Conversation is in Heaven where must be the Conversation of all the true Followers of Christ that are built upon him the Rock and Foundation who is from above And the Lord GOD establish all his People upon this Rock and Foundation which standeth sure that upon him they may stand fast with the Grace and Truth that comes from him Amen Edmonton in the County of Middlesex the 23d of the 11th Morth 1682. G.F. A way to prevent the Indignation and Judgments of God from coming on a Kingdom Nation or Family commended to the Consciences of all concerned First Epist 381. All you Vintners that sell Wine that keep Taverns or such like Houses and all you Inn-keepers and you that keep Victualling-Houses Ale-Houses Not to suffer Men to abuse the Creation Strong-Water-Shops c. see
Vanity and have never so many flattering fair Words and good Speeches and trimmed and decked with the Sheeps cloathing yet they are in the Wolfs Nature and Whored from the Lamb and his Nature and so from the Seed Christ in whom all the Children of the Kingdom and the Elect are to walk that are of his Heavenly and Spiritual Generation and grow up in him as Trees of Righteousness whose Fruits are unto Holiness and whose End will be Everlasting Life And the End of that Spirit and Fruits before mentioned that are out of Christ and his peaceable Truth will be Destruction in the Lake of Fire And that is the Word of the Lord to you all therefore be warned what you join to and what you lay hands on suddenly For I remember before we were called Quakers as I was sitting in an House in Nottinghamshire about the Year 1648 the Word of the Lord came to me and said Some of those that should come to be convinced with the Light and Spirit of God and should come so far as Cain to hear God's Voice and as far as Balaam to hear God's Voice and to have some Openings and to come so far as Corah Dathan and Abiram these should be the Deceivers and the Troublers of the Church of Christ and seek to destroy the Faithful and to betray them Who formerly had some Experience to talk of but did not live in the Truth Which I and many others have seen come to pass and fulfilled For Christ said to his Disciples False Prophets and Anti-Christs That the false Prophets and the Anti-Christs which were inwardly the ravened Wolves which the Apostles and Believers should beware of should come to them to try them they had the Sheeps-cloathing and Outward Profession of Christianity but were Inwardly ravening Wolves to devour them Now these were Inwardly ravening from something And the Apostle John speaks of such as went out from us It seems they were one among them But saith he they were not of us for if they had been of us they would no doubt have continued with us but they went out from the true Church that they might be manifest that they were not of it And these were the Anti-christs and false Prophets that Christ said should come which John and the Apostles saw were come and exhorted the Church to beware of and to keep to the Vnction which they had from the Holy One. And this Vnction and Anointing as it abides within the Saints the true Church and they in it it will teach them all things and is Truth and by it they shall continue in the Son and the Father and so in the Holy Seed Rock and Foundation that cannot be shaken And the Apostle saith There was to be a falling away first before the Man of Sin was revealed the Son of Perdition who opposeth and exalteth himself c. And when the Apostle saw the Mystery of Iniquity already working and his coming is after the working of Satan with all Deceiveableness of Unrighteousness in them that perish because they receive not the Love of the Truth that they might be saved And such go into strong Delusions that they should believe a Lye and not the Truth And here you may see there is a falling away before the Son of Perdition or Judas be revealed and they that fall away receive not the Love of the Truth that they might be saved but believe Lyes that they shall be damned And the Lord will consume him with the Spirit of his Mouth and will destroy him with the Brightness of his coming the wicked One and Son of Perdition that is against the Righteous and is the Opposer and Betrayer of them Therefore all the Church of Christ are to stand stedfast To stand stedfast in Christ and be establish'd in Him in every good Word and Work who are from the beginning chosen for Salvation through Jesus Christ through the Sanctification of the Spirit and the belief of the Truth and are called by the Gospel the Power of God to the obtaining of the Glory of the Lord Jesus Christ in whom the glorious Rest and Peace is And you may see how the Church of Christ was troubled by such as went out from them and fell away from Truth and Inwardly ravened some went like unto the Swine into the Mire and some like the Doggs to the Vomit and some like Wolves that Inwardly ravened and yet kept the Sheeps-cloathing Some went in the Nature of Cain Sacrificers and yet were Destroyers of the Righteous and some went in the Nature or Spirit of Jannes and Jambres that withstood Moses and others in the Nature of Judas to Betray and others in the Nature of Corah Dathan and Abiram to Gain-say and Resist the Truth and others in the Nature of Jezabel And this Spirit and Nature troubled the Church in the Old Testament Troublers of the Church and troubled the Church in the New Testament and are troubling the Church of Christ in this Gospel-Day that is come and coming out of the Apostacy But God's Trumpet Spirit and Power was and is always sounded against it that all People may beware of this Evil Spirit and Nature and keep in the Seed Christ Jesus that bruises the Head of it in whom you have Love Rest Salvation Quietness and Peace Hallelujah And all dwell in Love then you dwell in God who is Love All dwell in God who is Love let that be all your Habitations which Love edifies the Body of Christ and builds you up in him and all strive to excel one another in Vertue in Patience Courteousness Kindness Tenderness Meekness and Humility in Temperance Modesty and Chastity and whatsoever things are Decent and Comely and of good Report Honest and Lovely that follow For these are the good Fruits of the Spirit of God and his Heavenly Seed which Fruits are acceptable to God and will make you all lovely and comely to him and unto one another in his Heavenly Seed in which as I said before you are blest and all Nations are blest which Seed Christ is your Sanctuary who destroys the Devil the Destroyer and so is over him and was before he was in whom the true Believers live and have Peace who Cloaths them with Salvation and with his Righteousness the sanctified One's fine Linnen So all walk worthy of the Mercies of God and his Blessings from Above and from Below to the Glory and Praise of God And they that dwell not in Love and Charity are like the sounding Brass and tinkling Cimbals as you may read 1 Cor. 13.1 8. This you may read amongst the Children of the Light and of the Day Dolston the 13th of the 10th Month 1683. G. F. To the Meeting of Friends in Truth that are Captives in Algiers NOw Epist 391. Dear Friends The Lord having drawn you by his Spirit to his Son Christ Jesus in whose Name ye come to be Gathered in whose Name ye have
Spirit and Truth And thereforefore Friends you that have been turned to the Light and Truth and Grace of Christ and know the Power and Spirit of Jesus walk in the same and in it keep your Fellowship and your Dominion over all that which is out of the Truth and abides not in the Truth And that your heavenly Light may shine and you may all be kept in Love and Vnity in the same Light Power and Spirit to the Glory of God and the Comfort one of another Amen London the 27 of the 3d Month 1684. G. F. To the suffering Friends of Dantzick FRiends Epist 396. With my Love in the Lord Jesus Christ to you who is your Saviour and Prophet Christ the Prophet Shepherd High-Priest and Bishop of Souls that God has raised up for you to hear in all things your Shepherd that has laid down his Life for you whose Voice ye must hear who will seed you in his Living Pastures of Life who is your Priest that offered himself for you who sanctifies you that he might present you to God So is become your High Priest who is made higher than the Heavens so is a higher Priest than the Priesthood of Aaron and all the Priesthoods upon the Earth that are made by Men below For he is a High-Priest made higher than the Heavens Hebr. 7. And so is the chief Shepherd and Bishop of your Souls to Oversee you that you do not go astray from God who is your Sanctuary in whom you are preserved from the Destroyer who destroys the Devil the great Destroyer and his Works and bruises his Head and breaks his Power He namely Christ is your Saviour in him you have Rest and Peace Salvation and Life Eternal Now Dear Friends We do hear and understand that the Magistrates have cast you into Prison again in Dantzick and that they have proffered you your Liberty upon Condition that you would go away or forsake your common Meeting-place or divide your selves into several little Meetings Truly Friends we have had many of these proffers made to Us within this Twenty or Thirty Years but we never durst make such Bargains or Covenants to forsake the Assembling of our selves together as we used to do but did leave our suffering Cause wholly to the Lord Christ Jesus To Commit our Cause to God in whose Name we were gathered who has all Power in Heaven and Earth given unto him And the Lord at last did and hath tendered the Hearts of many of our Prosecutors both in England and other Places and therefore in the Spirit and Power of the Lord Jesus Christ it is good to be faithful who is God all sufficient to support and supply you all in whatever you do and strengthen you in all Conditions For if that should get a little Advantage upon you and get you into Weakness it would not rest so but get more upon you And therefore it is good to stand fast in the Liberty in Christ Jesus the Second Adam the Lord from Heaven who hath made you free out of the Snares and Bondage and Limitations of the Wills of the Sons of Old Adam And whereas some of the Magistrates have alledg'd That Christ departed out of the Coasts of the Gadarenes upon their Request after he had cast the Devils out of the possest Men and they enter'd into their Swine and run into the Sea This Argument is of no weight for you to go out of their Coasts or City who are settled Citizens and have Wives and Families for Christ went up and down from Place to Place and preached as he said The Son of Man hath not where to lay his Head though the subtle Foxes had Holes and the high-flown Fowls had their Nests And would they take it kindly themselves if the King of Poland their Protector who is of a contrary Profession should use the same Argument to them and say Be gone or else do not meet at your great Publick Places of Worship but meet in small Companies or else to depart out of these Coasts as Christ did out of the Coasts of the Gadarenes And if ye do not then you are disobedient to Christ's Example as they do apply it upon you And so let them weigh the Matter and their Argument with the just Law of God to do unto you as they would be done unto themselves And now Dear Friends I desire however that you walk wisely To walk wisely before all and gently and lovingly and meekly and soberly to all the Magistrates and all People that they may have no just Occasion in any thing against you For the Good must overcome the Bad as the Apostle says Overcome Evil with Good and dwell in that Love that can bear all things and endure all things And nothing can separate you from this Love which you have in God through Jesus Christ In this Love build up and edifie one another that by it you may answer the Good in all People and spread his Truth abroad and be valiant for that upon Earth So in his Holy peaceable Truth and his Seed Christ Jesus in which all Nations are blest God Almighty preserve and keep you to his Glory Amen And now Dear Friends To take beed lest Flattery prevail more than Cruelty you that have stood such hard and cruel Sufferings so long for the Lord's Name and Truth and could not be overcome by Cruelty take heed now lest you be overcome by fair Words and Flattery for in that there is a greater Danger G. F. An Epistle to Friends against Pride Haughtiness and the vain Customs and Fashions of the World FRiends Epist 397. Here you may see how the holy Men of God testifie against Pride Against Pride Haughtiness c. Haughtiness High-mindedness and the abominable Customs and Fashions and the ungodly Lusts of the World which is not of the Father but of the World And how Man and Woman came into these things by forsaking the Lord and so falling from his Image And how Christ renews them up into the Image of God again to serve him in Humility And all that are in the Image of God are of one Mind To all Friends and Brethren every where Peace from God and the Lord Jesus Christ be multiplied in you who by his Grace Light and Spirit are turned towards the Lord to receive it from him and that by it you may grow up in the Lord Jesus Christ out of the Worlds Nature and Spirit For Christ said unto his Believers and followers Ye are not of the World even as I am not of the World I have given them thy Word and the World hath hated them because they are not of the World And therefore as the Apostle saith love not the World nor the things of the World for the love of the World is Enmity to God And in the beginning God created Man in his own Image So in the likeness of God created he him Male and Female
is no Death nor Night and the Nations of them that are saved shall walk in the Light of this New and Heavenly Jerusalem For the Glory of God doth enlighten it and the Lamb is the Light thereof and the Lord God and the Lamb are the Temple of this New and Heavenly Jerusalem that is from above and the Lord creates this Heavenly Jerusalem So this Heavenly and New Jerusalem is not made by the Workmanship of Mens Hands nor of Wood and Stone neither are People cast in Prison for not mending or repairing a Temple there for there is no outward Temple in the Heavenly Jerusalem for the Lord God Almighty and the Lamb are the Temple of it And the New Creatures that are in Christ Jesus and dwell in Love they dwell in God Such are in the Temple in Heavenly Jerusalem and are in Joy and in Fellowship with the Father and the Son blessed for ever Amen And Christ said to the Jews The Bread of God is he that cometh down from Heaven and giveth Life to the World No Persecution in New Jerusalem signifying that the World is Dead in Adam and wanteth Eternal Everlasting Life and they that eat not the Flesh of Christ and drink not his Blood have no Life in them For Adam and Eve by eating of the Fruit which God forbid them brought Death and all died in him but they that eat the Flesh of Christ the Bread from Heaven and drink his Blood have Eternal Life and shall live for ever and they do live by Christ and they do dwell in Christ and he doth dwell in them So you may see Adam and Eve by their eating of that which God forbad brought them into Spiritual Death and by eating the Flesh and drinking the Blood of Christ as he commands brings Men into a Spiritual Life that is Eternal And the Lord saith Ezek. 37. concerning the whole House of Israel which were the dry scattered Bones That he would open their Graves Of the Restoration of the House of Israel and bring them out of their Graves and yet these dry Bones which were the whole House of Israel that were in their Graves could speak who were the scattered Bones and say Behold our Bones are dry and our Hope is lost we are cut off for our parts So it seems that the whole House of Israel scattered Bones who were in their Graves could speak these words Then they were alive outwardly and their Breath was in their Nostrils but they were gone from the Breath of the Almighty that gives Life and Understanding Therefore the Lord poured his Spirit upon them and caused Breath to come upon them that they might live to God and so that they might all have one Shepherd namely Christ and come into his Everlasting Covenant and Christ their Sanctuary and then God's Tabernacle would be with them and then the Lord will be their God and they shall be his People G. F. To the Yearly Meeting in Yorkshire DEar Friends Epist 411. who are the Sons and Daughters of God who have his Law written in your Hearts by which you know God and Jesus Christ which is Eternal Life to know and you that have put on Christ Jesus are the New Creatures and are in him Clothed with Christ the Son of Righteousness To be Clothed with Christ who is the Light of the World and you that believe in the Light have the Light of Life and are Clothed with the Son of God that doth not change and are the true and living Members of the Church of Christ Jesus that is in God and have the Moon that is changeable under your Feet So all changable Religions Worships Ways Churches and Teachers which are like the Changeable Moon and the Changeable World with its Changeable Fashions the true Church of Christ that are Clothed with Christ the Son that doth not change hath all these Changeable Things like the Moon that changes under her Feet for the Son of God never changes for all things were made by him who is the First and Last the Beginning and Ending So as every one hath received Christ Jesus the Son of Righteousness walk in him to the Praise and Glory of God Amen London the 31st of the 3d Month 1686. G. F. To Friends in West-Jersey and Pensilvania DEar Friends Epist 412. I am glad to hear that the Truth 's Concerns is so well as it is with you and that you have set up your Half Years Meeting there which may be of great Service Half Years Meeting in America For indeed all the faithful Men and Women in the Power of the Lord do keep their Meetings that they may take care of God's Glory and to see that all are diligent that profess the Truth to walk in it and all the Loose and such as despise Dignities and the Power of God and true Christianity should be Admonish'd and Exhorted and not to have a Name of Truth without the Nature of it And so that all may walk in the Truth and by it come into a holy Life and Conversation by that they may answer that which is good both in the People among you and in the Indians For through want of Order in the Power of God and his Light Life and Truth there has been so many runnings out some one way and some another way And therefore all that are Faithful in your Country being kept in the Lord 's Eternal Power To keep our Meetings in the Lord's Power in it keep up all your Men and Womens Meetings that the Power of the Lord God may sparead over all and by it all Deceit and Loosness may be kept under and this will ease all the Magistrates and their Courts of all Evil and Loosness by having it stop'd and kill'd in the Birth before it comes into Action and to see in your Meetings that Friends may give no Occasion to the Indians And if sometimes you should have some Meetings with the Indian Kings and their Councils to let them know the Principles of Truth To inform the Indians of the Way of Salvation so that they may know the Way of Salvation and the Nature of true Christianity and how that Christ hath died for them who tasted Death for every Man And so the Gospel of Salvation must be Preached to every Creature under Heaven and how that Christ hath enlightned them who enlightens all that come into the World And God hath poured out his Spirit upon all Flesh and so the Indians must receive God's Spirit for the Grace of God which brings Salvation hath appeared to all Men And so let them know that they have a Day of Salvation Grace and Favour of God offered unto them if they will receive it it will be their Blessing And so now you that are settled in those Parts which have had a Testimony from the Lord to bear to People of the Truth you should spread abroad God's Eternal Truth and have
and undefiled Life all Live Page 305 275. All Friends every where in the living Spirit and living Power c. Ibid. 276. Dear Friends live in Peace and Love Page 308 277. My Dear Friends when you were formerly in a Profession Ibid. 278. And Friends see that all Apprentices that are bound amongst you c. Page 310 1670. 279. The Substance of a General Epistle Page 311 280. All Dear Friends every where who have no helper but the Lord Page 315 281. Dear Friends the Truth of God mind Ibid. 282. Friends in the Seed that bruises the Serpent's Head c. Page 316 283. To Friends at Bristol in time of Suffering Page 317 1671. 284. Dear Friends and Brethren see that all live in the peaceable Truth Ibid. 285. Dear Friends this is the Counsel of the Lord to you all Page 319 286. Friends when you are met together in the Name of Jesus Ibid. 287. Friends consider you that have known the Mercies of the Lord Page 320 1672. 288. To Friends in Carolina Page 321 289. Dear Friends every where be faithful to God Page 322 290. Dear Friends live in Love for that is of God Ibid. 291. To all the Womens Meetings that are Believers in the Truth Page 323 292. To Friends in New-England virginia and Barbadoes Page 324 293. To Friends in Barbadoes Page 326 1673. 294. Friends the Truth is above all c. Page 327 295. Friends at the first Convincement there is not so much danger Ibid. 296. Friends all keep your Meetings in the Power of the Lord God Page 328 297. Dear Friends keep in the Power of the Lord Ibid. 298. Dear Friends to whom is my Love in that which changes not Page 329 299. To Friends at Jamaica Ibid. 300. Dear Friends let your Faith stand in the Power of God Page 330 301. To all the Womens Meetings Page 333 302. To all Friends that live in the Truth Page 334 303. Dear Friends all be faithful c. Page 335 304. To Friends in Virginia Ibid. 305. My Dear Friends live in the Seed c. Page 336 1674. 306. To Friends in Holland Page 337 307. My dear Friends who feel the Precious Truth Page 338 308. My dear Friends in England and all parts of the World Page 340 309. Friends seek the Peace of all Men Page 342 310. Friends in every thing give thanks Page 343 311. For the Men and Womens Meetings in Barbadoes Ibid. 312. All Friends that are in the Power of God Page 344 313. Friends all that are sensible of the Power of God c. Page 346 1675. 314. To all my dear Friends Elect and Precious in America Page 352 315. To Friends in Barbadoes Page 353 316. Dear Friends all that feel the Life and Power and Spirit of the Living God Page 354 317. To all the Elect and Chosen of God in Christ Jesus before the Foundation of the World Page 357 318. All Dear Friends and Brethren keep up your Testimony c. Page 361 319. To Friends in Nevis and the Caribby Islands Page 363 1676. 320. An Incouragement to all the faithful Womens Meetings c. Page 368. 321. To all the Men and Women's Meetings that are gathered in the Name of Jesus Page 389 332. To Friends in Cumberland Page 394 333. To Friends in Barbadoes Page 395 334. To Friends in the Isle of Man Page 397 335. To Friends in Virginia and Maryland Page 398 336. To Friends at Dantzick Ibid. 337. To Friends in Holland Page 399 338. To Friends in Maryland and Virginia Page 400 339. All my dear Friends and Brethren c. Page 401 340. To Friends in New-Jersey in America Ibid. 341. My Friends all you that know God and Christ your Teacher Page 402 342. My dear Friends and Brethren that Faith which is the Gospel of God c. Page 403 343. Friends in the Power and Image and Truth c. Page 405 1677. 344. An Epistle to be read in the Men and Womens Meetings c. Page 409 345. My dear Friends to whom is my Love in the Everlasting Seed Page 411 346. To Friends at Sussex Page 412 347. Concerning the Subjection of the Spirits of the Apostles one to another c. Page 413 348. Dear Friends to whom is my Love in the heavenly Seed Page 414 1678. 349. To Friends in the County of Oxford Page 416 350. To the Yearly Meeting in Yorkshire Ibid. 351. Friends know what the Lord doth require of you c. Page 417 352. An Epistle to Friends to keep in the Power of God c. Page 418 353. My dear Friends whose Faces are set towards Zion Page 420 354. And dear Friends my Love to you all in the Seed of Life Page 423 1679. 355. To Friends in America concerning their Negroes and Indians Page 426 356. Dear Friends every where that have received the Truth as it is in Jesus Page 428 357. Dear Friends all live in the Life of the true Christians Page 430 358. Dear Friends with my Love to you all in the holy peaceable Truth Page 431 359. An Epistle to be read among Friends Ibid. 360. To all the Men and Womens Meetings every where Page 434 361. An Epistle to Friends for them to read Page 439 And now my dear Friends concerning true Liberty Page 443 1680. 362. And now Friends you who are called into the Glorious Liberty Page 450 363. Dear Friends and Brethren in the Lord Jesus Christ Ibid. 364. To Friends in America Page 453 365. To Friends in Yorkshire Page 454 366. A Letter to the Captives who meet together to worship God in Algier Page 455 1681. 367. To Friends in Burlington West-Jersey Page 456 368. To suffering Friends at Horsham in Sussex Page 458 369. To the Flock of Christ Jesus every where Page 459 370. To suffering Friends at Leicester Page 460 371. To Friends in Carolina Page 462 372. An Epistle concerning the Government of Christ Page 463 1682. 373. To Friends in Jamaica Page 470 374. To Friends in Holland Page 471 375. To Friends in Barbadoes Ibid. 376. To Friends in New-Jersey and Pensilvania Page 473 377. To Friends that are Prisoners in York Page 474 378. To all the Elect of God chosen and faithful c. Page 476 379. An Epistle to all Planters c. in foreign Plantations America Page 477 380. To all Christians to keep to Yea Yea and Nay Nay c. Page 478 381. A Way to prevent the Indignation and Judgments of God Page 480 382. An Epistle to the Houshold of Faith Page 482 1683. 380. To the Quarterly Meeting at York Page 486 384. To the Six Weeks Meeting in Barbadoes Page 488 385. To suffering Friends in Prison at Bristol Page 489 386. To Friends in Charles-Town in Carolina Page 490 387. To the Monthly and Quarterly Meeting in England c. Page 491 388. To Friends that are Captives at Algier Ibid. 389. To the Houshold of Faith which is the Church of Christ Page 493 390. An Epistle to all
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