Universal Love Being an EPISTLE Given forth by the Spirit of God Through his Suffering Servant Will. Gibson AND Is to be sent into all Nations and Countries where the Lord God hath rais'd a People to worship him in Spirit and in Truth to be read in his Pure Fear in their publick Assemblies and private Families for their Edification and Comfort Printed in the Year 1671. Universal Love c. ALL Friends every where who have believ'd in Christ Jesus the true Light which lighteth every man that cometh into the World that all men in him might believe and be sav'd Whose Understandings he hath open'd by his Spiritual Light shining in your hearts and thereby hath given you to know your Duty towards God and Man and thereby hath drawn you to confess him before men and to make publique Confession and Profession of the Worship of God which is in Spirit and in Truth All in the same Pure Spiritual Light stedfastly continue Waiting Walking and Abiding that so every one of you may receive Strength from the Lord God of Heaven and Earth to perform your Duty unto him in all things yea to serve him with your whole strength as he hath commanded and to do that which is Just Righteous and Equal unto all People with whom you have to do That so you may shine as Lights in the World and that your Light may so shine before men that they may see your good works and Glorifie your Father which is in Heaven Christ the true Light saith No man lights a Candle putteth it under a Beshel that is he doth not hide or cover the Light but setteth it on a Candle-stick that it may give light unto all that are in the House So see that your Light be not hid vail'd nor cover'd but that it may shine forth in its Splender and Brightness leading and guiding you into all Truth according to his Promise who said I will send you the Spirit of Truth and he shall lead you into all Truth And this the Lord God hath fulfill'd unto a little Remnant and is fulfilling it daily and will fulfil it unto many Thousands who yet â—it in Darkness under the region and shaddow of Death Glory to his Blessed Name for his tender Mercy which he hath mightily shed abroad in this our Age in and through the Light Christ Jesus who is the Way to God the Father who is made manifest in us to take away and destroy all Sin because it is of the Devil and is against God and Grieves and Dishonours him therefore will God have it taken away and destroy'd by Jesus Christ his divine Wisdom and Power that so Man and Woman may be wholly freed from that Corruptible Bondage which the Devil hath brought them into by leading them into Sin which hath seperated them from him and with-holden his Blessings from them that so again they may be a Free People as it was in the beginning before Transgression was And this is the Glorious Liberty of the Sons and Daughters of God which Christ did restore many into in the Apostles dayes which Work he is now Gloriously carrying on in these our dayes Glory yea Glory be unto the Lord our God forever for the same For now the Children of the Lord are taught by him and his Sons and Daughters are led by his Spirit into all Truth and the Peace of all such is plentiful as a River whose Streams never fail and such can sensibly say Good is the Lord and worthy is he to be Feared Loved and Served for evermore So all Friends who have taken a Profession of the Holy Name of the Lord God upon you walk worthy of that Holy Call wherewith the Lord in his tender Mercy hath called you And in all your Buying and Selling and Exchanging of God's good Creatures in Markets and Fairs and in all other places abide in the Pure Spirit of the Lord Jesus Christ that therein you may be a sweet Savour of God unto his own Witness in the hearts of all People that see you and hear you all keeping in the Doctrine of Christ who said Let your yea be yea and your nay nay in your Communication and what is more cometh of Evil So all keep in sound Speech which the Spirit of Truth doth lead into that so you may all Glorifie God in buying and selling and exchanging of his good Creatures that so he may Bless you in the use of them for his Blessing is and will be upon the Faithful So let all words be spoken in the Pure â—ear and Counsel of the Lord in buying and selling and exchanging and in all your Handicraft Trades and Labours and keep out of that which is superfluous and needless and so your Words and Actions will be Few Sound and Savory without any Deceit and this will minister Grace unto the Hearers And Blessed are all those that so do their Substance is and will be Blessed And all Friends that Travel up and down in the World about your Occasions and come to lie or be at Inns Victualling-houses or Taverns where Beat Wine Ale or other strong Liquors are sold keep in the Pure Spirit of the Lord God that thereby you may be preserved Pure and clean unto God in the use of eating and drinking of God's good Creatures that so whether you Eat or Drink or whatsoever you do you may do it in the Pure Wisdom of the Lord God to his Glory And not to drink in excess to spend God's good Creatures upon unclean Lusts but to be true Witnesses for God against all such things where ever you 〈◊〉 that so God's Blessing you may all feel in your Business Be not Drunk with Wine said the Apostle but be sia'd with the Spirit And all Friends in your particular 〈◊〉 in your daily Labour and Business all watch in the Hâ—ly â—pirit of God that the Enemy of your Soul may not 〈…〉 your Minds into Lightness Vain-words nor Laughteâ— nor Idle-jesting nor Anger Wrath Strife nor Business one against another but that you may live in unfeigned Lâ—ve together and serving one an other in the same 〈…〉 being subject unto their own Masters serving 〈…〉 with Eye-service but with an Upright Heart as unto Gods For whatsoever 〈◊〉 any man doth he shall receive a 〈◊〉 of the â—â—rd whether he be Bond or Free And Masters giving unto their Servants that which is right in the sight of God and 〈◊〉 as they would be done unto And Children obeying their Parents in the Lord which is just and right in the sight or the Lord. The Eye of the Lord is over the Righteous and his Ear iâ— open unto their Cries but the Face of the Lord is against every one that doth Evil. And all Friends that 〈◊〉 Parents of Children walk ye before them in 〈…〉 Wisdom of the Lord God and be good Examples unto them in all things directing their Minds unto the Principle of God when they are capable to receive
any of you nor let not the Storm or Heat of Persecution drive any of you away from the Lord God but all keep your Virginity unto the End And all Friends every where Keep your Meetings in the Name of the Lord Jesus Christ who never fell nor chang'd and feel his Living Vertue in the mid'st of you keeping you Quick Fresh and Lively out of all Carelesness Dulness and Drousiness for these are Uncomly So all have a great Care to keep out of such things and all wait upon the Lord in the Comly Order that you may all be Refresh'd by him in your Meetings and that you may all have Cause to say Good is the Lord and worthy is he to be waited upon for he feeds the Hungry with Good Things And as all do diligently wait upon God in the Measure of his Holy Spirit which he hath given unto them to profit withal they will feel a true Hungering and Thirsting after the Righteousness of God to be made Partakers of it more and more and unto such the Blessing doth belong and God will deal bountifully with such for he delighteth in his People's Diligence And as it is written The Diligent Hand maketh Rich but the Sluggard shall be clothed with Ruggs whose Field grows over with Briars and Thorns And Man in such a State is Miserable and shall not be Crown'd with Honour which God gives unto the Faithful nor can he in that State dye in Peace with the Lord. Therefore all be Faithfal unto the Lord God in all things that when your dayes are ended in this World you may rest Eternally in the Bosom of the Lord as it is written Blessed are the Dead which die in the Lord for they shall rest from their Labour and their Works shall follow them And Friends Our God who is the True and Living God he is Love as it is written of him and all People who do dwell in God they do dwell in unfeigned Love one unto another and also unto their Enemies as the Lord Jesus hath commanded In which Love of God we are raised up to Worship him and in it to watch one over another and to build up one another in Holiness and in it are we Comforted and Edified and are made of one Heart and Mind and made near and dear one unto another and truly tender one over another and careful one of anothers Good every way and in true Humility to Honour and Esteem one another and thereby led to be just and true in all our Words and Actions one to and concerning another and to and concerning all our Enemies in which we do seek the Eternal Good of all People and in which we do live in sweet Unity and pure Peace together as doth become the Family of God O how sweet is the Unity in God's Spirit of Love and Life in which the Bond of Peace is kept without BREACH For in the Spirit of Love and Life all Friends being kept which keeps all Upright Just and Pure the Bond of Peace cannot be broken So in this the Lord God of Heaven and Earth preserve you all my dear Friends unto whom my Love is dear and near in the Lord that so all your hearts may be full of the Pure Love of God which thinketh nor doth no evil unto any but doth good unto all that you may be known to be the Disciples of Christ who said Every Tree shall be known by its Fruit and said A Good Tree cannot bring forth Evil Fruit and he said The Good Man our of the Good Treasury of his Heart bringeth forth Good Things But he said The Evil Man out of the Evil Treasury of his Heart bringeth forth Evil Things Which are the Fruits of the Flesh begotten therein by the power of Darkness which doth Rule in the Hearts of all the Wicked and Ungodly upon the Face of the whole Earth Which Evil Things are Envy Malice Murder Oppression Injustice False-judgment Idolatry Strife Hypocrisie Defrauding one another in Words and Actions Evil Imaginations and Evil Thoughts and Evil Words Pride Covetousness Swearing Lying Drunkenness Whoredom Thieft Lightness Wildness Vain-Laughter Idle-Jesting Whispering False-accusing and Tale-bearing to sow Strife c. So all Friends who do make Profession of the pure Truth and perfect Way of the Lord and to be Followers of the Lord Jesus Christ the Patient and Innocent Lamb of God who did not Sin neither was Deceit at any time in any thing found in his Mouth See how you do follow him your Living Example and perfect Pattern I say Search all with the Heart searching Spirit of the Lord God and see that you stand out of all those before mention'd Evils c. For because of them comes the Wrath of God upon those who do continue in them and do not believe in Christ and follow him who leads out of them and destroyes them For no Vnclean Thing can inherit God's Kingdom But Glory to the Lord God He hath Redeem'd a Remnant from such of the before mention'd Evils as they were guilty of who now know a Pure Peaceable Rest and a quiet Habitation in him in whom he workes to Will and to Do of his own Good Pleasure and he is daily Redeeming those that wait upon him in the Wayes of his Righteous Judgments And so all who do profess the Truth and live and walk contrary to it and thereby cause the Way of Truth to be Evil-spoken of and harden the Hearts of Unbelievers against it and so shut the Kingdom of Heaven against men not entring themselves but by their Evil Example hinder others If they do not Repent while they have time and amend their wayes and walk orderly as becomes the Gospel heavy will the Judgments of God fall upon them in the End And all such who have once known and Professed the Way of Truth and in some Measure and for some time have walked in it but now are turn'd away from it into the Ungodliness again like the Dog to his Vomit and the Sow that was wash'd to the wallowing in the Mire and now are grown so hard-hearted that they can speak Evil of the Way of Truth and oppose it and hate contemn scorn and reproach those who live in it and suffer for it My Soul pitties them Miserable is their Condition O that it were in their Heart to seek a Place of Repentance then it may be the Lord might shew Mercy unto them But if they do go on in Gainsaying as Core did then had it been better for them that they had never been born for Everlasting Torment and Anguish will be the Reward of their wicked work And dear Friends and Brethren and Sisters every where This Testimony am I mov'd of the Lord God to bear for your Consolation viz. That this is the True and Living Faith wherein we stand who have believ'd in the Lord Jesus Christ the true Light and have follow'd the Leadings of his Blessed Holy Spirit which hath led us
out of the Evil that is in the World by which we have been crucified unto the World and its Glory and the many Sinful Customs and Fashions that are of it and in it and by which we have been led into a Holy Innocent Conversation And by and in this Faith we do live to God and in it are we brought to Love God Uprightly and to serve him with our whole strength For this Faith is his own Gift which hath wrought by Love in us Effectually to the purifying of our Hearts and Spirits which were defill'd with sin And in this Holy Faith is our Religion and Worship Pure and is of the Pure God and so is accepted by him and we have the Witness of this in our own Hearts And we do certainly know that we are of God by his Spirit which he hath given us And this is the one standing Faith which is God's Gift in which the Pure Standing Unchangeable Worship of God is again renew'd and set up among'st us as it was in the Apostles dayes Glory yea Glory be to the Lord God forever whose day of Light and Life is now again made manifest in and unto us as it was in the Apostles dayes and it shines Gloriously among'st us to our great Consolation O the Glory the Glory of the Lord God! O how doth it shine in the Assemblies of the Righteous Overcoming Refreshing and Melting the Hearts of the Upright and making them more glad then they that have great increase of Corn and Wine and Oyle And we can truly say The Lord hath dealt bountifully with us our Lot is fallen in a Fruitful Hill and we have a goodly Inheritance and this is our Inheritance The everlasting Power and Wisdom of the Lord our God whereby we are redeem'd out of the Evil that is in the World and through Faith in the same are upheld in Purity wherein our Peace and Joy is great at this day and no man can take it from us And my dear Friends I know the Lord God is daily encreasing your Faith who have been freely given up to suffer for Righteousness sake so that you can say with the Prophet Though there be no Flocks in the Fold and though the Fruits of the Earth be taken from you for your pure Obedience unto God yet can you not Murmur at it but do still Rejoyce in the Lord God of your Salvation and can cast your Care upon him knowing he doth care for you as a Tender Father for his Tender and Obedient Children And my dear Friends Though all the false Worshippers and Apostates upon the whole Earth should joyn together and seek to destroy our Testimony and pure Faith and pure Worship yet can they never do it But the Testimony and Faith and Worship into which we are gather'd by the Lord our God it shall stand and remain when all their Fighting Persecuting and Blood-thirsty Faiths and Religions and Worships and False Testimonies are gone and ended And we shall yet live to Praise the Lord our God notwithstanding all the Rage and Fury of our Enemies And though Sufferings may attend us for a little time yet will they be ended in the Lord's Time and he doth suffer us to be try'd but it is not in Enmity to us but in Love that we may be gather'd unto him out of all things which perish with the using and that we may know him to be our Strength and that he may shew forth his Vertue and Power in us in our Sufferings and that People who sit in Darkness and whose Hearts are set on Earthly Things may see that he hath redeem'd a People from the Earth who can suffer the Loss of all earthly Enjoyments rather then to deny their Testimony Faith and Religion which he hath call'd them into And by Friends Faithfulness herein is the Lord God Glorified and the Understandings of People opened and they come to see the difference betwixt those who do profess Christ in words and Faithful Friends who do enjoy him in Life and Power And so the Wise Man's House upon the Rock comes to be known from the Fool 's House upon the Sand that so those who are dissatisfied with the Dead Huskey False Worships that are in the World may know where to centre and sit down even with us who are become the Flock and Heritage of the Lord God And God's Worship in the Spirit and in the Truth which he hath set up among'st us and into which we are gather'd it must spread over the Nations and Kingdoms of the World and the Nations and Kingdoms of this World must become our God's and his Christ's as it is written This hath the Lord God Decreed and all his Enemies cannot reverse nor alter this his Decree And God will certainly throw down all the Fighting Persecuting Blood-thirsty Faiths and Worships and Religions upon the Face of the Earth which have been set up in the Fallen Earthly and Sensual and Divilish-wisdom of Wicked Men about which they have shed the Blood of many Innocent People who have been taught of God and therefore could not bow unto their Devilish Inventions And the Living Powerful Almighty Dreadful God before whom all the strength of his Enemies is but as a Thred of Tow in the bot fiery Flame he is risen to execute his Judgments upon the Old Red Draggon the Devil who hath made the Nations like the Raging Sea throwing forth Mire and Dirt and hath set People to devour one another about Religion Faith and Worship like Wolves Lions and Dogs And the Lord God will certainly Plague him and Bind him and REDEEM the Nations from under his Accursed power And the Great Whore who hath been drunk with the Blood of the Saints who have kept the Testimony of Jesus which is the Spirit of Prophesie Her will God judge and the Beast and False Prophets and all whose Hands and Hearts are defiled with shedding Innocent Blood the Wrath Indignation of the Lord God will be heavy upon them And God will certainly Waste Consume and Confound with his Righteous Judgments the Stock and Root of the Wicked and Ungodly and will Rout Wickedness and Ungodliness out of the Nations of the Earth and will plant the Nations with Righteousness Holiness and Purity that so he may be Exalted over all the Works of his Hands And the Lamb Christ Jesus the Prince of Life and Peace who comes not to destroy mens Lives but to save them He must have the Victory over the Dragon Beast Whore and False Prophets whose Work hath been and still is to destroy both the Souls and Bodies of People And all Nations that come to be sav'd must walk in the Light of the Lamb Christ Jesus in which Light we do now Raign with him over all Deceit and over all the false Worships in the World notwithstanding our outward Sufferings for our Raign is Spiritual and Inward AND all Friends who are newly convinced or such who may be Young