nothing that is Unclean shall enter into the Kingdom of God and prize your Time while you have it lest the Time come that you say with Sorrow We had Time but it is past Oh why will ye die Why will ye chuse your own Ways Why will ye follow the Course of the World and why will ye follow Envy Malice Drunkenness and foolish Pleasures Know ye not in your Consciences that all these are Evil and Sin and that such as act such things shall never enter into the Kingdom of God Oh that ye would Consider and see how you have spent your Time and mind how ye do spend your Time and observe whom ye do serve for the Wages of Sin is Death Do not ye know that whatsoever is more than Yea and Nay cometh of Evil Oh ye Drunkards who live in Drunkenness do ye think to escape the Fire and the Judgment of God! Though ye swell in Venom and live in Lust for a while yet God will find you out and bring you to Judgment Therefore love the Light which Christ hath enlightened you withal who saith I am the Light of the World and who doth enlighten every one that cometh into the World One loves the Light and brings his Works to the Light and there is no occasion at all of stumbling the other hates the Light because his Deeds are Evil and the Light will reprove him Thou that hatest this Light thou hast it Thou knowest Lying is Evil Drunkenness is Evil Swearing is Evil Whoredom Theft and all Vngodliness and all Vnrighteousness is Evil Christ Jesus hath given thee Light enough to let thee see this is Evil. And this Light if thou lovest it will teach thee Holiness and Righteousness without which none shall see God but if thou hatest this Light it is thy Condemnation And thus are Christ's Words found to be true and fulfilled among you You that hate this Light set up Hirelings and Idols-Temples and such Priests as bear rule by their means and such Shepherds as hold up such things and such as are called of Men Masters and have the chiefest Place in the Assemblies whom Christ cried Wo against Matt. 23. And such as go in the way of Cain in Envy and after the Error of Balaam for Wages Gifts and Rewards These have been your Teachers and these you have held up But who love the Light are taught of God and the Lord is coming to teach his People himself and to gather his from the Hirelings and from such as seek for their Gain from their Quarter and from such as bear Rule by their Means The Lord is opening the Eyes of foolish People that they shall see such as bear Rule over them But all whose Eyes are shut are such as the Prophet spake of That have Eyes and see not but are foolish upholding such things Therefore poor People as ye love your own Souls consider the Love of God to your Souls while ye have time and do not turn the Grace of God into Wantonness That which shews you Vngodliness and worldly Lusts that should and would be your Teacher if ye would hearken to it for the Saints of Old witnessed the Grace of God to be their Teacher which taught them to live Soberly and Godly in this present World And ye that are not sober this Grace of God hath appeared unto you but you turn it into Wantonness and so set up Teachers without you who are not sober not holy not godly Here you are left without Excuse when the Righteous Judgment of God shall be revealed upon you all who live Ungodlily Therefore to the Light in you I speak and when the Book of Conscience shall come to be opened then shall you Witness what I say to be true and you all shall be judged out of it So God Almighty direct your Minds such of you especially as love Honesty and Sincerity that you may receive Mercy in the time of Need. Your Teacher is within you look not forth It will Teach you both lying in Bed and going Abroad to shun all Occasion of Sin and Evil. G. F. As the foregoing was directed To all the Inhabitants of Ulverston in general so it was upon me to write also to those more particularly that did most constantly follow W. Lampitt the Priest there And unto these I writ thus THE Word of the Lord God to all the People that follow Priest Lampitt who is a blind Guide Ye are such as are turned from the Light of Christ within which he hath enlightned you withal Ye are such as follow that which Christ cried Wo against that goes not in Christ's Way but in the Pharisees Way as ye may read Matt. 23. which our Lord Jesus Christ cried Wo against He is the same yesterday to day and for ever but him ye own not while ye follow such as he cried Wo against though under a Colour ye make a Profession and Lampitt your Priest makes a Trade of Christ's and the Saint's Words as his Fathers the Pharisees did make a Profession of the Prophets Words and of Moses his Words Wo was unto them who had not the Life so VVo is unto you who have not the Life that gave forth the Scriptures as your Fruits have made manifest For when the Lord hath moved some to come amongst you to preach the Truth freely you have knock'd them down beat and punch'd and haled them out of your Assemblies Such a People serves thee O Lampitt to make a prey upon and these are thy Fruits O let Shame Shame strike thee and you all in the Faces who make a Profession of Christ's Words thou and they and yet are Stoners and Strikers and Mockers and Scoffers Let all see if this be not a Cage of Vnclean Birds spoken of in the Scriptures which they who had the Life of the Scriptures spake of And such a Company of People thou deceivest and feedest them with thy Fancies and makest a Trade of the Scriptures and takest them for thy Cloak But thou art manifest to all the Children of Light for that Cloak will not cover thee but thy Skirts are seen and thy Nakedness appears And the Lord made one to go Naked among you a Figure of thy Nakedness and of your Nakedness and as a Sign amongst you before your destruction cometh that you might see that you were Naked and not covered with the Truth To the Light in all your Consciences I do speak which Christ Jesus doth enlighten you withal It will shew you the Time you have spent and all your Evil Deeds you have done in that Time who follow such a Teacher that acts contrary to this Light and leads you into the Ditch And when you are in the Ditch together both Teacher and People remember ye were warned in your Life time And if ever your Eye come to see Repentance and you obey the Light of Jesus Christ in you you will witness me to have been a Friend of your Souls and
at our Meeting in the Orchard As I was going along into the Orchard the People told me That Paul Gwin the rude jangling Baptist was going to the Meeting But I bid them Never heed It was nothing to me who went to it When I was come into the Orchard I stood upon the Stone that Friends used to stand on when they spake and I was moved of the Lord to put off my Hat and to stand a pretty while and let the People look at me for some Thousands of People were there While I thus stood silent this Rude Baptist began to find Fault with my Hair but I said nothing to him Then he run on into Words and at last Ye wise men of of Bristol said he I strange at you that you will stand here and hear a Man speak and affirm that which he cannot make good Then the Lord opened my Mouth for as yet I had not spoken a Word And I asked the People Whether they ever heard me speak before or ever saw me before And I bid them ' Take notice what kind of Man this was amongst them that should so Impudently say That I spake and Affirmed that which I could not make good and yet neither he nor they ever heard me or saw me before Therefore that was a lying envious malicious Spirit that spake in him and it was of the Devil and not of God Therefore I charged him in the Dread and Power of the Lord to be silent And the Mighty Power of God came over him and all his Company And then a glorious peaceable Meeting we had and the Word of Life was divided amongst them and they were turned from the Darkness to the Light and to Jesus their Saviour And the Scriptures were largely opened to them and the Traditions and Rudiments and ways 1656. Bristol and Doctrines of Men were laid open before the People which they had been in and they were turned to the Light of Christ that with it they might see them and see him to lead them out of them I opened also to them the Types and Figures and Shadows of Christ in the time of the Law and shewed them That Christ was come and had ended the Types and Shadows and Tithes and Oaths and put down Swearing and had set up Yea and Nay instead of it and a free Ministry for he was now come to Teach People himself and his heavenly Day was springing from on high So for many hours did I declare the Word of Life amongst them in the Eternal Power of God that by him they might come up into the Beginning and be Reconciled to him And having turned them to the Spirit of God in themselves that would lead into all Truth I was moved to pray in the mighty Power of God and the Lord's Power came over all But when I had done this Fellow began to babble again and John Audland was moved to bid him Repent and fear God So his own People and Followers being ashamed of him he passed away and never came again to disturb the Meeting And the Meeting brake up quietly and the Lord's Power and Glory shined over all a blessed Day it was and the Lord had the Praise After a while this Paul Gwin went beyond the Seas and many Years after I met with him again at Barbado's of which in its Place From Bristol we returned to Edward Pyot's where we had a great Meeting and the Lord's Power was over all and Truth was declared and spread abroad and many were turned to Christ Jesus their Life their Prophet to teach them their Shepherd to feed them and their Bishop to oversee them After the Meeting was done I had some Reasoning with some Professors and the Lord's Truth and Power came over them Slattenford From Edward Pyot's we passed to Slattenford where we had a very large Meeting Edward Pyot and another Friend being still with me and a great turning of People there was to the Lord Jesus Christ their Teacher and People were glad that they were brought to know their Way and their free Teacher and their Saviour Christ Jesus Wiltshire On the First-day following we went to Nathaniel Crips his House who had been a Justice of Peace in Wiltshire where it was supposed there were between Two and Three Thousand People at a Meeting and all was quiet And the mighty Power of God was manifest and People were turned to the Grace and Truth in their Hearts that came by Jesus Christ which would Teach them to deny all Vngodliness and wordly Lusts and to live soberly and godly in this present world So that every Man and Woman might know the Grace of God which had appeared to all Men and which was saving and sufficient to bring their Salvation This was to be their Teacher the Grace of God which would teach them how to live what to do and what to deny and would season their Words and establish their Hearts And this was a free Teacher to every one of them so that they might come to be Heirs of this Grace and of Christ by whom it came who hath ended the Prophets and the Priests that took Tithes and the Jewish Temple And as for these Hireling-Priests that take Tithes now 1656. Wiltshire and their Temples which Priests were made aâ— Schools and Colledges of Man's setting up and not by Christ they with all their Inventions were to be denied For the Apostles denied the true Priesthood and Temple which God had commanded after Christ had put an End thereto So the Scriptures and the Truths therein contained were largely opened and the People turned to the Spirit of God in their Hearts that by it they might be led into all Truth and understand the Scriptures and know God and Christ and come to have Unity with them and one with another in the same Spirit And the People went away generally satisfied and were glad that they were turned to Christ Jesus their Teacher and Saviour The next day we went from thence to Marlborough Marleborough where we had a little Meeting And the Sessions being in that Town that day they were granting forth a Warrant to send for me But one Justice Stooks being at the Sessions stopt them telling them There was a Meeting at his House yesterday at which were several Thousands So the Warrant was stopt and our Meeting was quiet and several received Christ Jesus their Teacher and came into the New Covenant and abode in it From hence we went to Newberry where we had a large Newberry blessed Meeting and several were Convinced there Thence we passed on to Reading where we had a large Reading precious Meeting in the Lord's Power amongst the Plants of God and many of the World came in and were reached and added to the Meeting and all was quiet and the Lord's Power was over all Kingston upon Thames We went from Reading to Kingston upon Thames where a few came in to
coming away to Friends At last when he had so very few left he would come to Pardsey-Crag where Friends had a Meeting of several hundreds of People who were all come to sit under the Lord Jesus Christ's Teaching and he would walk about the Meeting on the first-Days like a man that went about the Commons to look for Sheep Now during this time I came to this Pardsey-Crag-meeting and he with three or four of his followers that were yet left to him came to the Meeting that Day and they were all throughly Convinced After the Meeting was done Priest Wilkinson asked me two or three Questions which I answered him to his Satisfaction and from that time he came amongst Friends to their Meetings and became an Able Minister and preached the Gospel freely and turned many to Christ's free Teaching And after he had continued many Years in the free Ministry of Christ Jesus he died in the Truth SCOTLAND I had for some time felt Drawings on my Spirit to go into Scotland and had sent to one Colonel William Osborn of Scotland desiring him to come and meet me and he with some others with him were come out of Scotland to this Meeting So after the Meeting was over which he said was the most-glorious Meeting that ever he saw in his life I passed with him and those others that were with him into Scotland having Robert Widders with me who was a Thundring man against Hypocrisy and Deceit and the Rottenness of the Priests The first Night we came into Scotland we lodged at an Inn and the Inn-keeper told us There was an Earl lived about a Quarter of a Mile off who had a desire to see me and had left word at his House that if ever I came into Scotland he should send him word He told us there were three Draw-bridges to his House and that it would be Nine a Clock before the third Bridge was drawn So finding 1657. Scotland we had time in the Evening we walked down to his House He received us very lovingly and said He would have gone with us on our Journey but that he was before engaged to go to a Funeral After we had spent some time with him we parted very friendly and returned to our Inn. Next Morning we travelled on and passing through Dumfreeze Dumfreez Douglass we came to Douglas where we met with some Friends and from thence we passed to the Heads Heads where we had a blessed Meeting in the Name of Jesus and felt him in the midst Leaving Heads we went to Badcow and had a Meeting there Badcow to which abundance of People came and many were Convinced amongst whom there was one that was called a Lady Convinced Highlands From thence we passed towards the High-lands to William Osburn's House where we gathered up the Sufferings of Friends and the Principles of the Scotch Priests which may be seen in a Book called The Scotch-Priests Principles Afterwards we came back again to Heads and Badcow Heads Badcow Garshore and Garshore where the said Lady Margaret Hambleton was Convinced who afterwards went to warn O. Cromwel and Charles Fleetwood of the Day of the Lord that was coming upon them On the First-day we had a great Meeting and several Professors came to it Now the Priests had frighted the People with the Doctrine of Election and Reprobation telling them That God had ordained the greatest part of Men and Women for Hell and that let them Pray or Preach or Sing and do what they could it was all to no purpose if they were ordained for Hell And that God had a certain Number which were Elected for Heaven and let them do what they would as David an Adulterer and Paul a Persecutor yet elected Vessels for Heaven So the fault was not at all in the Creature less or more but God had ordained it so Now I was lead to open to the People the falseness and folly of their Priests Doctrines and shewed them How the Priests had abused those Scriptures which they had brought and quoted to them as in Jude and other Places For whereas they said There was no fault at all in the Creature I shewed them that they who Jude speaks of to wit Cain Core and Balaam who he says were ordained of old to Condemnation the fault was in them For did not God warn Cain and Balaam and gave a Promise to Cain If he did well he should be accepted And did not the Lord bring Core out of Egypt and his Company And yet did not he gainsay both God and his Law and his Prophet Moses So here People might see that there was a fault in Cain Corah and Balaam and so there is in all them that go in their ways For if they who are called Christians resist the Gospel as Core did the Law and err from the Spirit of God as Balaam did and if they do Evil as Cain did is not here a fault Which fault is in themselves and is the Cause of their Reprobation and not God Doth not Christ say Go preach the Gospel to all Nations Which is the Gospel of Salvation He would not have sent them out into all Nations to preach the Doctrine of Salvation if the greatest part of Men had been ordained for Hell Was not Christ a Propitiation for the sins of the whole World for those that become Reprobates as well as for the Saints He died for all Men the Vngodly as well as the Godly as the Apostle bears witness 2 Cor. 5.15 Rom. 5.6 And he enlightens every Man that cometh into the World that through him they might all believe And Christ bids them believe in the Light But all they that hate the Light which Christ bids all believe in they are Reprobated Again The Manifestation of the Spirit of God is given to every Man to profit withal But they that vex quench and grieve it are in the Reprobation and the fault is in them as it is also in them that hate his Light The Apostle saith The grace of God which brings Salvation hath appeared unto all Men teaching us saith he that denying Vngodliness and worldly Lusts we should live soberly righteously and godly in this present World Tit. 2.11.12 Now all those Men and Women that live Vngodly and in the Lusts of the World that turn this grace of God into Wantonness and walk despitefully against it and so deny God and the Lord Jesus Christ that bought them the fault is in all such that turn the grace into Wantonness and walk despitefully against that which would bring their Salvation and save them out of the Reprobation But the Priests it seems can see no fault in such as deny God and the Lord Jesus Christ that hath bought them such as deny his Light which they should believe in and his grace which should teach them to live godly and which should bring them their Salvation Now all that believe in the Light of
again bidding the Justices make an End of it there and not trouble the Assizes any more with me So I was continued Prisoner chiefly as it seemed through the means of Justice Parker who in this Case was as false as envious for he had promised Richard Cannon of London who had it seems Acquaintance with him That he would endeavour to have me set at Liberty and yet he was the worst Enemy I had in Court as some of the Court observed and reported Other of the Justices were very loving and promised That I should have the Liberty of the Town and to lodge at a Friend's House till the Sessions Which accordingly I had and the People were very civil and respectful to me Between this time and the Sessions having the Liberty of the Town for my Health's sake I had some Service for the Lord 1674. Worcester Prisoner with several People that came to Visit me For at one time there came Three Non conformist Priests and two Lawyers to discourse with me and one of the Priests undertook to prove That the Scriptures are the only Rule of Life Whereupon after I had plunged him about his Proof I had a fit Opportunity to open unto them The right and proper Vse Service and Excellency of the Scriptures and also to shew that the Spirit of God which was given to every one to profit withall and the Grace of God which bringeth Salvation and which hath appeared to all men and teacheth them that obey it to deny Vngodliness and Worldly Lusts and to live soberly righteously and godly in this present World that this I say is the most fit proper and universal Rule which God hath given to all Mankind to rule direct govern and order their Lives by Another time there came a Common-Prayer-Priest and some People with him and he asked me If I was grown up to Perfection I told him ' What I was I was by the Grace of God He replied It was a modest and civil Answer Then he urged the Words of John If we say that we have no sin we deceive our selves and the Truth is not in us And he asked What did I say to that I said with the same Apostle If we say that we have not sinned we make him a Liar and his Word is not in us who came to destroy Sin and to take away Sin So there is a Time for People to see that they have sinned and there is a Time for them to see that they have Sin and there is a Time for them to Confess their Sin and to forsake it and to know the Blood of Christ to cleanse from all Sin Then the Priest was asked ' Whether Adam was not perfect before he fell and whether all God's Works were not perfect The Priest said There might be a Perfection as Adam had and a falling from it But I told him There is a Perfection in Christ above Adam and beyond falling and that it was the Work of the Ministers of Christ to present every man perfect in Christ and for the Perfecting of them they had their Gifts from Christ And therefore they that denied Perfection denied the Work of the Ministry and the Gifts which Christ gave for the Perfecting of the Saints The Priest said We must always be striving But I told him It was a sad and comfortless sort of striving to strive with a Belief that we should never Overcome I told him also that Paul who cried out of the Body of Death did also Thank God who gave him the Victory through our Lord Jesus Christ So there was a time of Crying out for Want of Victory and a time of Praising God for the Victory And Paul said There is no Condemnation to them that are in Christ Jesus The Priest said Job was not perfect I told him God said Job was a perfect Man and that he did shun Evil and the Devil was forced to confess that God had set an Hedge about him which was not an outward Hedge but the invisible heavenly Power The Priest said Job said He chargeth his Angels with Folly and the Heavens are not clean in his sight I told him That was his Mistake for it was not Job said so but Eliphaz who contended against Job Well but said the Priest What say you to that Scripture The justest Man that is sinneth seven times a Day Why truly said I I say there is no such Scripture and with that the Priest's Mouth was stopped 1674. Worcester-Quarter-Sessions Many other Services I had with several sorts of People between the Assizes and the Sessions The next Quarter-Sessions began on the Twenty Ninth Day of the Second Month and there I was called before the Justices The Chair-man's Name was Street who was a Judge in the Welsh Circuit and he mis-represented me and my Case to the Country telling them That we had a Meeting at Tredington from all parts of the Nation to the terrifying of the King 's Subjects for which we had been committed to Prison That for the Trial of my Fidelity the Oaths were put to me and having had time to consider of it he aâ—ked me If I would now take the Oaths I desired Liberty to speak for my self and having obtained that began first to clear my self from those Falshoods he had charged on me and Friends declaring That we had not any such Meeting from all parts of the Nation as he had represented it but that except the Friend from whose House we came and who came with us to guide us thither and one Friend of Bristol who came accidentally or rather providentially to assist my Wife homewards after we were taken they that were with me were in a sense part of my own Family being my Wife and her Daughter and her Son-in-Law And we did not Meet in any way or manner that would occasion Terror to any of the King's Subjects for we met peaceably and quietly without Arms and I did not believe there could any one be produced that could truly say he was terrified with our Meeting Besides I told them we were but in our Journey the Occasion whereof I now again related as before Then as to the Oaths I shewed why I could not take them seeing Christ hath forbidden all Swearing and what I could say or sign in lieu of them as I had done before Yet they caused the Oaths to be read to me again and afterwards read an Indictment also which they had drawn up in Readiness having a Jury ready also Now when the Indictment was read the Judge asked me If I was Guilty I said Nay for it was a great Bundle of Lies which I shewed and proved to the Judge in several particulars which I instanced asking him if he did not know in his Conscience that they were Lies He said It was their Form I said ' It was not a true Form He asked me again Whether I was Guilty I told him Nay I was not Guilty of the Matter
the Stature of the Fulness of Christ when they cannot bear to hear that any shall come whilst upon Earth into the same Power and Spirit that the Prophets and Apostles were in Though it be a certain Truth that none can understand their Writings aright without the same Spirit by which they were written Now the Lord God hath opened to me by his invisible Power how that Every Man was enlightned by the Divine Light of Christ and I saw it shine through all And that they that believed in it came out of Condemnation and came to the Light of Life and became the Children of it But they that hated it and did not believe in it were Condemned by it though they made a Profession of Christ This I saw in the pure Openings of the Light without the help of any Man neither did I then know where to find it in the Scriptures though afterwards searching the Scriptures I found it For I saw in that Light and Spirit which was before Scripture was given forth and which led the Holy Men of God to give them forth That all must come to that Spirit if they would know God or Christ or the Scriptures aright which They that gave them forth were led and taught by But I observed a Dulness and Drowzy Heaviness upon People which I wondred at For sometimes when I would set my self to sleep my Mind went over all to the Beginning in that which is from Everlasting to Everlasting And I saw Death was to pass over this sleepy heavy State And I told People they must come to witness Death to that sleepy heavy Nature and a Cross to it in the Power of God that their Minds and Hearts might be on things above And on a certain Time as I was walking in the Fields the Lord said unto me Thy Name is written in the Lamb's Book of Life which was before the Foundation of the World And as the Lord spake it I believed and saw it in the New Birth Then sometime after the Lord commanded me to go abroad into the World which was like a briary thorny Wilderness And when I came in the Lord 's mighty Power with the Word of Life into the World the World swelled and made a Noise like the great raging Waves of the Sea Priests and Professors Magistrates and People were all like a Sea when I came to proclaim the Day of the Lord amongst them and to preach Repentance to them Now I was sent to turn People from Darkness to the Light that they might receive Christ Jesus For to as many as should receive him in his Light I saw that he would give Power to become the Sons of God Which I had obtained by receiving Christ And I was to direct People to the Spirit that gave forth the Scriptures by which they might be led into all Truth and so up to Christ and God as they had been who gave them forth And I was to turn them to the Grace of God and to the Truth in the Heart which came by Jesus that by this Grace they might be taught which would bring them Salvation that their Hearts might be established by it and their Words might be seasoned and all might come to know their Salvation nigh For I saw that Christ had died for all Men and was a Propitiation for all and had enlightned all Men and Women with his divine and saving Light And that none could be a true Believer but who believed in it I saw that the Grace of God which brings Salvation had appeared to all Men and that the Manifestation of the Spirit of God was given to every Man to profit withal These Things I did not see by the help of Man nor by the Letter tho' they are written in the Letter but I saw them in the Light of the Lord Jesus Christ and by his immediate Spirit and Power as did the Holy Men of God by whom the Holy Scriptures were written Yet I had no slight esteem of the Holy Scriptures but they were very precious to me For I was in that Spirit by which they were given forth and what the Lord opened in me I afterwards found was agreeable to them I could speak much of these things and many Volumes might be written but all would prove too short to set forth the Infinite Love Wisdom and Power of God in prepairing fitting and furnishing me for the Service he had appointed me to letting me see the Depths of Satan on the one Hand and opening to me on the other Hand the divine Mysteries of his own Everlasting Kingdom Now when the Lord God and his Son Jesus Christ did send me forth into the World to preach his Everlasting Gospel and Kingdom I was glad that I was Commanded To turn People to that Inward Light Spirit and Grace by which all might know their Salvation and their Way to God even that divine Spirit which would lead them into all Truth and which I infallibly knew would never deceive any But with and by this divine Power and Spirit of God and the Light of Jesus I was to bring People off from all their own ways to Christ the new and living Way and from their Churches which Men had made and gathered to the Church in God the general Assembly written in Heaven which Christ is the Head of And off from the World's Teachers made by Men to learn of Christ who is the Way the Truth and the Life of whom the Father said This is my beloved Son hear ye him and off from all the Worlds Worships to know the Spirit of Truth in the inward Parts and to be led thereby that in it they might Worship the Father of Spirits who seeks such to Worship him Which Spirit they that Worshipped not in knew not what they Worshipped And I was to bring People off from all the World's Religions which are vain that they might know the pure Religion and might visit the Fatherless the Widows and the Strangers and keep themselves from the Spots of the World And then there would not be so many Beggars the sight of whom often grieved my Heart to see so much Hard-heartedness amongst them that professed the Name of Christ And I was to bring them off from all the World's Fellowships and Prayings and Singings which stood in Forms without Power that their Fellowships might be in the Holy Ghost and in the Eternal Spirit of God that they might Pray in the Holy Ghost and Sing in the Spirit and with the Grace that comes by Jesus making Melody in their Hearts to the Lord who hath sent his beloved Son to be their Saviour and caused his heavenly Sun to shine upon all the World and through them all and his heavenly Rain to fall upon the Just and the Unjust as his outward Rain doth fall and his outward Sun doth shine on all which is God's unspeakable Love to the World And I was to bring People off from Jewish Ceremonies and from
us that were turned to the Lord Jesus Christ but since it is become a Larger Meeting Leaving Kingston we rode to London Hide-park And when we came near Hide-Park we saw a great Concourse of People and looking towards them we espied the Protector coming in his Coach Whereupon I rode up to his Coach-side and some of his Life-Guard would have put me away but he forbad them So I rode down by his Coach-side with him declaring what the Lord gave me to say unto him of his Condition and of the Sufferings of Friends in the Nation shewing him ' how contrary this Persecution was to Christ and his Apostles and to Christianity London When we were come to James's Park-gate I left him and at parting he desired me to come to his House The next Day one of his Wife's Maids whose Name was Mary Sanders came up to me at my Lodging and said Her Master came to her and told her he would tell her some good News And when she asked him What it was He told her George Fox was come to Town She replied That was good News indeed for she was one that had received Truth but she said She could hardly believe him till he told her how I met him and rode from Hide-Park down to James 's Park with him After a little time Edward Pyot and I went to Whitehall Whitehal And when we came before him there was one called Dr. Owen Vice-chancellor of Oxford with him We were moved to speak to Oliver Cromwel concerning the Sufferings of Friends and laid them before him and directed him to the Light of Christ who had enlightned appeared to all Men. 1656. London Jude saith Behold the Lord cometh with Ten Thousands of his Saints to execute Judgment upon all and to convince all that are Vngodly among them of all their ungodly Deeds which they have ungodly committed and of all their hard Speeches which ungodly Sinners have spoken against him ver 15. Here mark again Him that cometh with ten Thousands of his Saints to Convince all of their ungodly Deeds and hard Speeches Here it is All of their ungodly Deeds and All of their hard Speeches none left out but All to be Convinced and Judged the World Reproved by him who comes with ten Thousands of his Saints and will Reign and be King and Judge And have not ye all something in you that doth Reprove you for your hard Speeches and your ungodly Deeds the Ungodliest of you all who live in your hard Speeches against him and against his Light and spiritual Appearance in his People Again the Apostle writing to the Gentiles saith But unto every one of us is given Grace according to the Measure of the gift of Christ Ephes 4.7 Now mark Here is the Measure of the Gift of Christ who lighteth every Man that cometh into the World Joh. 1.9 that all Men through him might believe He that believeth on him is not condemned but he that believeth not is condemned c. And this is the Condemnation that Light is come into the World c. Joh. 3.18.19 Now every Man that cometh â—nto the World being enlightned One he loveth it and brings his Deeds to the Light that with the Light he may see whether they be wrought in God The Other he hates the Light because his Deeds are Evil and he will not bring his Deeds to the Light because he knows the Light will reprove him So he that hates the Light wherewith Christ hath enlightned him knows the Light will reprove him for his evil Deeds and therefore he will not come to the Light Again the Lord by his Prophet saith concerning Christ I will give him for a Light to the Gentiles that he may be my Salvation to the Ends of the Earth Isa 49.6 And what is that which the Children that walk according to the Course of this World according to the Prince of the Power of the Air the Spirit that now worketh in the Children of Disobedience Ephes 2.2 are disobedient to Mark and read your selves who being disobedient walk according to the Course of the World according to the Power of the Prince of the Air Mark I say what it is that all such are disobedient to He that hath an Ear let him hear The Apostle saith to the Colossians The wrath of God cometh upon the Children of Disobedience Col. 3.6 Come ye Professors let us see Is not this something of God that is disobey'd Is it not that which is of God manifest in them which God hath shewed them which lets them see God's Judgments are upon such when they act unrighteously Is not this the Measure of God Mark and the Spirit that is in Prison and the Spirit of God that is grieved And ye Professors come let us read the Parable of the Talents and reckon with you and see who it is that hath hid the Lord's Money in the Earth Come ye that have gained enter ye into your Master's Joy Go thou that hast hid the Lord's Money in the Earth into utter Darkness Take it from him and give it to him that hath and every Man shall have his Reward For the Lord hath given to every Man according to â—is several Ability Mat. 25.15 Mark that To every Man according to his several Ability Read this if you can And now is the Lord coming to call every Man severally to Accompt to whom he hath given severally according to their Ability And now the wicked and slothful Servant who hid the Lord's Money in the Earth will be found out and the Lord's Money will be taken from him although he hath hidden it To him the Lord's Commands have been grievous but to us they are not who love God and keep his Commandments And saith the Apostle to the Romans I say through the Grace given unto me to every Man that is among you not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think but to think soberly according as God hath dealt to every Man the measure of Faith Rom. 12.3 Read and mark here is a Measure of Faith And saith another Apostle As every one hath received the Gift even so minister the same one to another as good Stewards of the manifold grace of God 1 Pet. 4.10 For the grace of God hath appeared to all Men. Now the good Stewards can give their Accompt with Joy But ye bad Stewards that turn the grace of God into Lasciviousness now ye will be reckoned withal now ye shall have your Reward But say the World Must every one minister as he hath received the Gift Yea say I but let him speak as the Oracles of God and let him do it as of the Ability which God giveth ver 11. John in the Revelation saith They were judged every Man according to their works Rev. 20.13 Christ saith Every idle Word that Men shall speak they shall give Account thereof in the day of Judgment Mat 12.36 So ye that name the
Name of Christ depart from Iniquity 2 Tim. 2.19 The Son of Man shall come in the glory of his Father with his Angels and then he shall reward every Man according to his Works Mat 16.27 He who is gone into a far Country and hath given the Talents to every one of you according to your several Ability will render to every Man according to his Deeds Rom. 2.6 And further I say unto you If any Man have not the Spirit of Christ he is none of his And if Christ be in you the Body is dead because of Sin but the Spirit is Life because of Righteousness Rom 8.9 10. So let the Light which cometh from Christ Examin for the Lord is appearing Ye that have received according to your Ability smite not your Fellow-servant and think not that the Lord delayeth the Time of his Coming Be not as they that said Let us Eat and Drink for to Morrow we shall die The Apostle tells the Ephesians that unto him this grace was given to make all Men see what is the Fellowship of the Mystery which from the beginning of the World hath been hid in God who created all things by Jesus Christ Eph. 3.9 Read and understand every one with the Light which comes from Christ the Mystery which will be your Condemnation if ye believe not in it This is to all who stumble at the work of the Spirit of God the manifestation of it which is given to every Man to profit withal Come ye Professors who stumble at it Let us read the Parables A Sower went forth to sow and some Seed fell on the High-way-ground and some on stony ground and some on thorny ground The Seed is the word the Son of Man is the Seeds-man He that hath an Ear let him hear Mat. 13. Now look all ye Professors which Ground ye are And what ye have brought forth And whether the wicked Seeds-man hath not got his Seed into your Ground He that hath an Ear let him hear it And come read another Parable of the Housholder hiring Labourers to go into the Vineyard and agreeing with every Man for a Penny Mat. 20. Every Man is to have his Penny the Last that went in as well as the First and the Last shall be First and the First shall be Last for many are called but few are chosen He that hath an Ear let him hear There is a Promise spoken to Cain that if he did well he should be accepted Gen. 4.7 And Esau had a Birth-right but despised it Yet is it not of him that willeth Rom. 9.16 but by grace ye are saved Ephes 2.8 And stand still and see your Salvation Exod. 14.13 And ye that be Children of Light put on the Armour of Light that ye may come into the Unity of the Faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God unto a perfect Man unto the measure of the Stature of the fulness of Christ that henceforth ye be no more Children tossed to and fro Eph. 4.13 And the Lord said he would make a new Covenant by writing his Law in People's Hearts and putting his Spirit in their inward parts whereby they should all come to know the Lord him by whom the World was made Now every one of you mind the Law written in your Hearts and this Spirit put in your inward parts that it need not be said to you Know the Lord but that ye may witness the Promise of God fulfilled in you But say the World and Professors If every one must come to witness the Law of God written in their Hearts and the Spirit put in the inward parts what must we do with all our Teachers As we come to witness that we need not any Man to Teach us to know the Lord having his Law written in our Hearts and his Spirit put in our inward parts This is the Covenant of Life the everlasting Covenant which decays not not changes not and here is the way to the Father without which no Man cometh unto the Father And here is the Everlasting Priesthood the End of the Old Priesthood whose Lips were to preserve Knowledge but now saith Christ Learn of me who is the High-Priest of the New Priesthood And saith the Apostle That ye may grow up in the Knowledge of Jesus Christ in whom are hid the Treasures of Wisdom and Knowledge So we are brought off from the Old Priesthood that did change to Christ to the New Priesthood that doth not change and off from the first Covenant that doth decay to the Everlasting Covenant that doth not decay Christ Jesus the Covenant of Light from whom every one of you have a Light that ye might believe in the Covenant of Light If ye do not believe ye are condemned for Light is come into the World and Men love Darkness rather than Light because their Deeds are evil I am come a Light into the World saith Christ that whosoever believeth in me should not abide in Darkness but have the Light of Life Joh. 12.46 And Believe in the Light that ye may be Children of the Light But ye who do not believe in the Light but hate it because it manifests your Deeds to be evil ye are they that are condemned by the Light Therefore while ye have Time prize it Seek the Lord while he may be found and call upon him while he is nigh lest ye say Time is past for the Rich Glutton's Time was past Therefore while Time is not quite past consider and search your selves and see if ye be not they that hate the Light and so are Builders that stumble at the Corner-stone for they that hated the Light and did not believe in the Light did so in Ages past I am the Light of the World saith Christ and who doth enlighten every Man that cometh into the World and he also saith Learn of me and of him God saith This is my beloved Son hear ye him Here is your Teacher But ye that hate the Light do not learn of Christ and will not have him to be your King to reign over you him to whom all Power in Heaven and Earth is given who bears his Government upon his Shoulders who is now come to reign who lighteth every Man that cometh into the World and who will give to every Man a Reward according to his Works whether they be good or evil So every Man with the Light that comes from Christ will see his Deeds both he that hates it and he that loves it And he that will not bring his Deeds to the Light because the Light will reprove him that is his Condemnation and he shall have a Reward according to his Deeds For the Lord is come to reckon with you and he looks for Fruits and now the Ax is laid to your Root and every Tree of you that bears not good Fruit must be hewen down and cast into the Fire G. F. Having staid sometime in London and visited the Meetings of Friends in
and Heats For God is a God at hand and the Most-High rules in the Children of Men. So then this is the Word of the Lord God unto you all what the Light doth make manifest and discover as Temptations Distractions Confusions do not look at the Temptations Confusions Corruptions but at the Light which discovers them and makes them manifest And with the same Light you may feel over them to receive Power to stand against them The same Light which lets you see Sin and Transgression will let you see the Covenant of God which blots out your Sin and Transgression which gives Victory and Dominion over it and brings into Covenant with God For looking down at Sin and Corruption and Distraction ye are swallowed up in it But looking at the Light which discovers them ye will see over them That will give Victory and ye will find Grace and Strength and there is the first Step to Peace That will bring Salvation and by it ye may see to the beginning and the Glory that was with the Father before the World began and so come to know the Seed of God which is the Heir of the Promise of God and of the World which hath no end and which bruises the Head of the Serpent who stops People from coming to God That ye may feel the Power of an endless Life the Power of God which is Immortal which brings the Immortal Soul up to the Immortal God in whom it doth rejoice So in the Name and Power of the Lord Jesus Christ God Almighty strengthen thee G. F. When the foregoing Paper was read to her she said It stay'd her Mind for the present Afterwards many Friends got Copies of it both in England and Ireland and read it to People that were Troubled in Mind and it was made useful for the setling of the Minds of several About this time came forth a Declaration from O. Cromwel the Protector for a Collection towards the Relief of divers Protestant Churches so called driven out of Poland and of Twenty Protestant-Families driven out of the Confines of Bohemia And there having been a like Declaration published some time before to invite the Nation to a Day of Solemn Fasting and Humiliation in Order to a Contribution to be made for the suffering Protestants of the Valleys of Lucern Angrona c. who were persecuted by the Duke of Savoy I was moved to write to the Protector and Chief Magistrates on this occasion both to shew them the Nature of a true Fast such as God requires and accepts and to make them sensible of their Injustice and Self-Condemnation in blaming the Papists for persecuting the Protestants abroad while they themselves calling themselves Protestants were at the same time persecuting their Protestant Neighbours and Friends at home That which I writ to them was after this manner To the Heads and Governours of this Nation who have put forth a Declaration for the keeping of a Day of Solemn Fasting and Humiliation for the Persecution as you say of divers People beyond the Seas professing the Reformed Religion which ye say hath been transmitted unto them from their Ancestors A Profession of the Reformed Religion may be transmitted to Generations and so holden by Tradition and in that wherein the Profession and Tradition is holden is the Day of Humiliation kept which stands in the Will of Man which is not the Fast that the Lord requires To bow down the Head like a Bulrush for a Day and the Day following be in the same Condition as they were the Day before To the Light of Christ Jesus in your Consciences do I speak which testifieth for God every Day and witnesseth against all Sin and Persecution which Measure of God if ye be guided by it doth not limit God to a Day but leads to the Fast which the Lord requires which is To loose the Bonds of Wickedness to undo the heavy Burdens to break every Yoak and to let the oppressed go free Isa 58.6 7. This is the Fast the Lord requires and this stands not in the Transmission of Times nor in the Traditions of Men But this stands in that which was before Times were and which leads out of Time and shall be when Time shall be no more And these that teach for Doctrine the Commandments of Men are they that ever persecuted the Life and Power when it came And whereas ye mention a Decree or Edict that was made against the said Persecuted Protestants all such Decrees or Edicts proceed from the Ground of the Pope's Religion and Supremacy and therein stands his Tyranny and Cruelty acted in that Will which is in that Nature which exerciseth Lordship over one another as ye may read Mark 10.42 Luke 22.25 as all the Heathen do and ever did and in the Heathenish Nature is all the Tyranny and Persecution exercised by them that are out of the Obedience to the Light of Christ Jesus in the Conscience which is the Guider and Leader of all who are tender of that of God in the Conscience But who are not led by this know not what it is to suffer for Conscience sake Now whereas ye take into your Consideration the sad Persecution Tyranny and Cruelty exercised upon them whom ye call your Protestant Brethren and do Contribute and Administer to their Wants outwardly this is good in its place and we own it and see it good to administer to the Necessities of others and to do good to all and we who are Sufferers by a Law derived from the Pope are willing to join and to contribute with you to their outward Necessities For the Earth is the Lord's and the Fulness thereof who is good to all and gracious to all and willing that all should be saved and come to the Knowledge of the Truth But in the mean time while ye are doing this and taking notice of others Cruelty Tyranny and Persecution turn your Eye upon your selves and see what ye are doing at home To the Light of Christ Jesus in all your Consciences I speak which cannot Lie nor cannot Err nor cannot bear False Witness but doth bear Witness for God and cries for Equity and Justice and Righteousness to be executed See what ye are doing who profess the Scriptures which were given forth by the Saints in Light who dwelt in the Light and in the Life of them For them who do now witness the same Light the same Life and the same Power which gave forth the Scriptures which ye in Words profess them ye persecute them ye hale out of your Synagogues and Markets them ye beat stock and Imprison Now let that of God in your Consciences which is just and righteous and equal examin and try whether ye have any Example or Precedent to exercise this Persecution which now many in this Nation suffer under who are a People harmless and innocent walking in Obedience towards God and Man And though ye account the way of Truth they walk in Heresie
yet therein do they exercise themselves to have always a Conscience void of Offence towards God and Man as ye may read the Saints of Old did Acts 24.14 15 16. not wronging any Man neither giving any just Cause of Offence only being obedient to the Commands of the Lord to declare as they are moved by the Holy Ghost and standing for the Testimony of a Good Conscience speaking the Truth in Christ their Consciences bearing them witness that they lie not For this do they suffer under you who in Words profess the same thing for which they suffer Now see if any Age or Generation did ever persecute as ye do For ye profess Christ Jesus who Reveals the Father and persecute them that witness the Revelation of the Father by Christ Jesus unto them Ye profess Christ Jesus who is the Light of the World that enlightens every one that cometh into the World and yet persecute them that bear Witness and give Testimony to this Light Ye profess that the Word is become Flesh and yet persecute them that witness it so Ye profess that whosoever confesseth not that Jesus Christ is come in the Flesh is an Antichrist and yet persecute them that do Confess him come in the Flesh and call them Antichrists and Deceivers Ye profess that the Kingdom of Christ is come and yet persecute them that witness it come Ye profess Christ Jesus the Resurrection and the Life and yet persecute them that witness him to be so If ye say How shall we know that these People who say they witness these things do so or no I answer Turn your Minds to the Light which Christ Jesus hath enlightned you withal which is one in all and if ye walk in the Light ye shall have the Light of Life and then ye will know and see what ye have done who have persecuted the Lord of Glory in his People in whom is Life and the Life is the Light of Men. To no other Touchstone shall we turn you but into your own Consciences and there shall ye find the Truth of what we have declared unto you and of what we bear Testimony to according to the Holy Scriptures And when the Books of Consciences are opened and all judged out of them then shall ye Witness us to be of God and our Testimony to be true though now ye may stop your Ears and harden your Hearts while it is called to day But then ye shall know what ye have done and whom ye have transgressed against and then ye will see that no Persecutors in any Age or Generation that ever went before you did ever Transgress against that Light and Measure of God made manifest in such manner as ye have done For though Christ and the Apostles were persecuted in their times the Jews for the most part of them did not know that he was the Christ when he came notwithstanding that they had the Scriptures which prophesied of him neither did they believe that he was Risen again when the Apostles preached his Resurrection But ye say Ye believe he is come and ye say Ye believe his Resurrection and yet ye persecute those that witness him come in the Flesh those that are buried with him in Baptism those that are conformable to his Death and know the Power of his Resurrection those ye persecute those ye hale before Magistrates and suffer to be beaten in your Synagogues those ye cause to be whipt and stock't and shamefully entreated and into Prison cast and kept as many Goals in this Nation at this day testifie to your Faces Therefore honestly consider what ye are doing while ye are taking notice of others Cruelties lest ye over-look your own There is some difference in many things between the Popish Religion and that which ye call the Protestant but in this Persecution of yours there is no difference For ye will Confess that the Foundation of your Religion is grounded upon the Scriptures and yet now ye are persecuting them that be in the same Life which they were in who spake forth the Scriptures your selves being the mean while under a Profession of the Words they spake and this ye shall one day witness So ye have a Profession and Form and persecute them that are in the Possession Life and Power Therefore know assuredly that ye must come to Judgment for he is made manifest to whom all Judgment is committed Therefore to the Light of Christ Jesus in your Consciences which searcheth and trieth you turn your Minds and stand still and wait there to receive the Righteous Law which is according to that of God in the Conscience which is now rising and is bearing witness against all Ungodliness and Unrighteousness of Men and they whom ye persecute are manifest to God and that of God in all Consciences shall bear witness for us that we are of God And this ye shall one day witness whether ye will hear or forbear Our Rejoycing is in the Testimony of our Consciences that in Simplicity and Godly Sincerity not with Fleshly Wisdom but by the Grace of God we have had our Conversation in the World not handling the Word of God deceitfully but in the Manifestation of the Truth commending our selves to every Man's Conscience in the sight of God and if our Gospel be hid it is hid to them that are lost And for the witnessing the holding the Mystery of Faith in a pure Conscience do we suffer and are subject for Conscience sake This is thank-worthy if a Man for Conscience sake endure Griefs and Suffering wrongfully And in this is our Joy and Rejoicing having a good Conscience that whereas we are evil spoken of as Evil-Doers they may be ashamed that falsly accuse our good Conversation in Christ which is not only the putting away of the Filth of the Flesh but the Answer of a good Conscience towards God by the Resurrection of Jesus Christ And this we Witness made manifest Eternal Praises to the Living God and bear Testimony to that which spake it in the Apostle in Life and Power And therefore do we bear witness and testifie against those who being got into a Form and Profession of it do persecute the Life and Power Therefore to the Eternal Light of Christ Jesus the Searcher and Trier of all Hearts turn your Minds and see what ye are doing lest ye overturn your Foundation and Bottom whereon ye pretend to stand while ye are professing the Scriptures and persecuting the Life Light and Power which they were in who gave them forth For the Stone cut out of the Mountains without Hands is now striking at the Feet of the Image the Profession which is set up and stands in the Will of Man Now is that made manifest unto which all must answer and appear before the Judgment-Seat of Christ that every one may receive the things done in his Body according to that he hath done whether it be good or bad Knowing therefore the Terror of the Lord
your Principle and then you will sell your Coat and buy a Sword and Fight for the Kingdom of Christ Answ As for this we say to you that Christ said to Peter Put up thy Sword in his place though he had said before he that had no Sword might sell his Coat and buy one to the fulfilling of the Law and Scripture yet after when he had bid him put it up he said He that taketh the Sword shall perish with the Sword And further Christ said to Pilate Thinkest thou that I cannot now pray to my Father and he shall presently give me more than twelve Legions of Angels And this might satisfie Peter Luke 22.36 after he had put up his Sword when he said to him He that took it should perish by it which satisfieth us Mat. 26.51 52 53. And in the Revelation it 's said He that kills with the Sword shall perish with the Sword and here is the Faith and the Patience of the Saints And so Christ's Kingdom is not of this World therefore do not his Servants Fight as he told Pilate the Magistrate who Crucified him and did they not look upon Christ as a Raiser of Sedition and did not he say Forgive them But thus it is that we are numbred amongst Transgressors and numbred amongst Fighters 1660. London that the Scriptures might be fulfilled That Spirit of Christ by which we are guided is not changeable so as once to command us from a thing as Evil and again to move unto it and we do certainly know and so testifie to the World That the Spirit of Christ which leads us into all Truth will never move us to Fight and War against any Man with outward Weapons neither for the Kingdom of Christ nor for the Kingdoms of this World First Because the Kingdom of Christ God will exalt according to his Promise and cause it to grow and flourish in Righteousness Not by Might nor by Power of outward Sword but by my Spirit saith the Lord Zech. 4.6 So those that use any Weapon to Fight for Christ or for the establishing of his Kingdom or Government both the Spirit Principle and Practice in that we deny Secondly We do earnestly desire and wait That by the Word of God's Power and its effectual Operation in the Hearts of Men the Kingdoms of this World may become the Kingdoms of the Lord and of his Christ that he might Rule and Reign in Men by his Spirit and Truth that thereby all People out of all different Judgments and Professions might be brought into Love and Vnity with God and one with another and that they might all come to witness the Prophets Words who said Nation shall not lift up Sword against Nation neither shall they learn War any more Isa 2.4 Mich. 4.3 So we whom the Lord hath called into the Obedience of his Truth have denied Wars and Fightings and cannot again any more learn it And this is a certain Testimony unto all the World of the Truth of our Hearts in this particular that as God perswadeth every Man's Heart to believe so they may receive it For we have not as some others gone about cunningly with devised Fables nor have we ever denied in Practice what we have professed in Principle but in Sincerity and Truth and by the Word of God have we laboured to be made manifest unto all Men that both we and our ways might be witnessed in the Hearts of all People And whereas all manner of Evil hath been falsly spoken of us we hereby speak forth the plain Truth of our Hearts to take away the occasion of that Offence that so we being Innocent may not suffer for other Men's Offences nor be made a Prey upon by the Wills of Men for that of which we were never Guilty but in the Uprightness of our Hearts we may under the Power ordained of God for the Punishment of Evil-doers and for the Praise of them that do well live a peaceable and godly Life in all Godliness and Honesty For although we have always suffered and do now more abundantly suffer yet we know that it 's for Righteousness sake For our rejoycing is this the Testimony of our Consciences that in Simplicity and godly Sincerity not with fleshly Wisdom but by the Grace of God we have had our Conversation in the World 2 Cor. 1.12 Which for us is a Witness for the convincing of our Enemies For this we can say to all the World we have wronged no Man's Persons or Possessions we have used no Force nor Violence against any Man we have been found in no Plots nor guilty of Sedition when we have been wronged we have not sought to revenge our selves we have not made resistance against Authority but wherein we could not obey for Conscience-sake we have suffered even the most of any People in the Nation We have been counted as Sheep for the Slaughter Persecuted and Despised Beaten Stoned Wounded Stocked Whipped Imprisoned Haled out of Synagogues cast into Dungeons and Noisom Vaults where many have died in Bonds shut up from our Friends denied needful Sustenance for many days together with other the like Cruelties And the Cause of all these our Sufferings is not for any Evil but for things relating to the Worship of our God and in obedience to his Requirings of us For which Cause we shall freely give up our Bodies a Sacrifice rather than disobey the Lord For we know as the Lord hath kept us Innocent so he will plead our Cause when there is none in the Earth to plead it So we in Obedience unto his Truth do not love our Lives unto Death that we may do his Will and wrong no Man in our Generation but seek the Good and Peace of all Men. And he that hath commanded us That we shall not Swear at all Matth. 5.34 hath also commanded us That we shall not Kill Matth. 5. So that we can neither Kill Men nor Swear for nor against them And this is both our Principle and Practice and hath been from the Beginning so that if we suffer as suspected to take up Arms or make War against any it is without any Ground from us For it neither is noâ— ever was in our Hearts since we owned the Truth of God neither shall we ever do it because it is contrary to the Spirit of Christ his Doctrine and the Practices of his Apostles even contrary to him for whom we suffer all things and endure all things And whereas Men come against us with Clubs Staves Drawn Swords Pistols cock't and do beat cut and abuse us yet we never resisted them but to them our Hair Backs and Cheeks have been ready But it is not an Honour to Manhoood or Nobility to run upon harmless People who lift not up an Hand against them with Arms and Weapons Therefore consider these things ye Men of Understanding For Plotters Raisers of Insurrections Tumultuous Ones and Fighters running with Swords Clubs Staves and Pistols one
be put to him and that he would refuse to Swear But when the Assize came and the Oath was tendered him he desired Time to consider of it and that being granted him till the next Assize he got leave to go to London before the Assize came again and came no more back but staid at London till the Plague brake forth and there both he and his Wife were Cut off He was a very Wicked Man and the Judgments of God came upon him For he had published a very wicked Book against Friends full of Lies and Blasphemies the Occasion of which was this Whilst he was in Lancaster-Castle he challenged Friends to have a Dispute with them Whereupon I got leave of the Jailer to go up to them And entring into Discourse with him he affirmed That some Men never had the Spirit of God and that the true Light which enlightneth every one that cometh into the world is natural For Proof of his first Assertion he instanced Balaam affirming That Balaam had not the Spirit of God I affirmed and proved That Balaam had the Spirit of God and that Wicked Men have the Spirit of God else how could they quench it and vex it and grieve it and resist the Holy Ghost like the stiff-necked Jews To his Second Assertion I answered That the true Light which enlightneth every Man that cometh into the World was the Life in the Word and that was Divine and Eternal and not Natural And he might as well say that the Word was Natural as that the Life in the Word was Natural And Wicked Men were enlightned by this Light else how could they hate it Now it is expresly said that they did hate it And the Reason given why they did hate it was because their Deeds were evil and they would not come to it because it reproved them and that must needs be in them that reproved them Besides that Light could not be the Scriptures of the New-Testament for it was testified of before any part of the New-Testament was written So it must be the Divine Light which is the Life in Christ the Word before Scriptures were And the Grace of God which brought Salvation had appeared unto all Men and taught the Saints but they that turned it into Wantonness and walked despitefully against the Spirit of Grace were the Wicked Again the Spirit of Truth the Holy Ghost the Comforter which leads the Disciples of Christ into all Truth the same should Reprove the World of Sin of Righteousness and of Judgment and of their Vnbelief So the Wicked World had it to reprove them and the true Disciples and Learners of Christ that believed in the Light as Christ commands they had it to lead them But the World that did not believe in the Light though they were lighted but hated the Light which they should have believed in and loved the Darkness rather than it this World had a Righteousness and a Judgment which the Holy Ghost reproved them for as well as for their Vnbelief So having proved that the Good and the Bad were enlightned and that the Grace of God had appeared unto them all and that all had the Spirit of God else they could not vex and grieve it I told Major Wiggan The least Babe there might see him and presently stood up one Richard Cubham and proved him an Anti-christ and a Deceiver by Scripture Then the Jailer had me away to my Prison again And afterwards Wiggan wrote a Book of this Dispute and put in abundance of abominable Lies But his Book was soon Answered in Print and he himself not long after was cut off as afore is said This Wiggan was poor and while he was a Prisoner at Lancaster he sent into the Country and got Money gathered for Relief of the Poor People of God in Prison and many People gave freely thinking it had been for Vs when-as indeed it was for himself But when we heard of it we laid it upon him and writ also into the Country that ' Friends might let the People know the Truth of the Matter that it was not our manner to have Collections made for us and that those Collections were only for Wiggan and another a drunken Preacher of his Society who would be so drunk that once he lost his Britches After this it came upon me to write a Paper to the Judges and other Magistrates concerning their Giving Evil Words and Nick-names to such as were brought before them And that which I writ was after this manner and thus directed To all you that be Judges or other Officers whatsoever in the whole World who profess your selves to be Christians Friends HErein and by reading the Scriptures ye may see both your own Words and Carriage and the Words Carriage and Practice of both Jews and Heathens and of the great King of Kings the great Law-giver and Judge of the whole World First For the Words and Carriage of the Jews when such as were worthy of Death were brought before such as were Rulers amongst them When Achan had taken the Babylonish Garment and the two hundred Shekels of Silver and the Wedge of Gold of Fifty Shekels weight and Joshua who was then Judge of Israel had by the Lot found him out he did not say unto him Sirrah nor You Rascal Knave Rogue as some that are called Christian Magistrates are too apt to do But Joshua said unto Achan My Son Mark his clean Language and Savoury Expression and gracious Words My Son said he give I pray thee Glory to the Lord God of Israel and make Confession unto him and tell me now what thou hast done hide it not from me Then Achan confessed that he had sinned against the Lord God of Israel and thus and thus he had done And then Joshua the Judge said Why hast thou troubled Israel The Lord shall trouble thee this day and they stoned him and his with Stones and burnt his Goods with Fire But there was no unsavoury Word given to him that we read of though he was worthy of Death Josh 7. So when the Man that gathered Sticks upon the Sabbath-day was taken and brought before Moses the Judge in Israel and put in Ward until the Mind of the Lord was known concerning him We read not of any reviling Language given him but the Lord said to Moses and Moses to the People The Man shall surely be put to Death Numb 15.35 So likewise in the Rebellion of Corah Dathan and Abiram where Moses called them to Trial he did not Sirrah them or mis-call them but said to Corah and the rest Hear I pray you ye Sons of Levi Numb 16.8 And when he gave the Sentence against them he said If these Men die the common Death of all Men c. He did not say If these Rascals or Knaves as many that profess themselves Christians will now do When Elihu spake to Job who was a Judge and to his Friends and said Let me not I pray you
out of the Truth for the Good will Overcome the Evil and the Light Darkness and the Life Death and Vertue Vice and Righteousness Vnrighteousness The False Prophet cannot overcome the True but the True Prophet Christ will overcome all the False So be Faithful and live in that which doth not think the time long G. F. But after some time it pleased the Lord to allay the Heat of this Violent Persecution and I felt in Spirit an overcoming of the Spirits of those Men-Eaters that had stirred it up and carried it on to that Height of Cruelty though I was outwardly very Weak And I plainly felt and those Friends that were with me and that came to Visit me saw and took notice that as the Persecution Ceased I came from under the Travels and Sufferings that had lain with such Weight upon me So that towards the Spring I began to Recover and to walk up and down beyond the Expectation of many who did not think I could ever have gone abroad again I had been so exceeding Weak through the Travel and Exercise that was upon my Spirit Whilst I was under this Spiritual Travel and Suffering the State of the City New Jerusalem which comes down out of Heaven was opened to me which some Carnal-minded People had looked upon to be like an outward City or Town that had dropt out of the Elements But I saw the Beauty and Glory of it the Length the Breadth and the Height thereof all in Compleat Proportion And I saw that all who are within the Light of Christ and in his Faith which he is the Author of and in the Spirit the Holy Ghost which Christ and the Holy Prophets and Apostles were in and within the Grace and Truth and within the Power of God that was before the Devil was which was the Walls of the City such are within the City such are Members of this City and have right to Eat of the Tree of Life which yields her Fruit every Month and whose Leaves are for the healing of the Nations But they that are out of the Grace out of the Truth out of the Light Spirit and Power of God such as Resist the Holy Ghost quench vex and grieve the Spirit of God and hate the Light and turn the Grace of God into Wantonness and do Despight to the Spirit of Grace such as have erred from the Faith and made Ship-wrack of it and of a Good Conscience and abuse the Power of God and despise Prophesying Revelation and Inspiration these are the Dogs and Vnbelievers that are without the City And these make up the great City Babylon Confusion and her Cage the Power of Darkness and the Evil Spirit of Error surround and cover them over And in this great City Babylon are the False Prophets in the false Power and false Spirit and the Beast in the Dragon's Power and the Whore that is gone a Whoring from the Spirit of God and from Christ her Husband But the Lord's Power is over all this Power of Darkness Cage Whore Beast Dragon False Prophets and their Worshippers who are for the Lake which burns with Fire Many things more did I see concerning the Heavenly City the New Jerusalem which are hard to be uttered and would be hard to be received But in short This Holy City is within the Light and all that are within the Light are within the City the Gates whereof stand open all the Day for there is no Night there that all may come in and Christ's Blood being shed for every Man and he tasted Death for every Man and enlightneth every Man that cometh into the World and his Grace that brings Salvation having appeared to all Men there is no Place or Language but there his Voice may be heard The Christians in the Primitive Times were called by Christ A City set upon an Hill and they were also called The Light of the World and The Salt of the Earth But when the Christians lost the Light and Salt and Power of God then they came to be trodden under foot like unsavoury Salt Even as the Jews who while they kept the Law of God were kept above all Nations but when they turned their Backs on God and his Law then were they trodden under foot of other Nations So Adam and Eve while they obeyed God were kept in his Image and in the Paradise of God in Dominion over all the Works of God's Hands but when they disobeyed God they lost the Image of God the Righteousness and the Holiness in which they were made they lost their Dominion and were driven out of Paradise and so fell under the dark Power of Satan and came under the Chains of Darkness But the Promise of God was That the Seed of the Woman Christ Jesus should bruise the Serpents Head should break his Power and Authority which had led into Captivity and had held Man in it So Christ who is the First and Last sets Man free and is the Resurrection of the Just and Vnjust the Judge of the Quick and Dead and they that are in him are invested with everlasting Rest and Peace out of all the Labours and Travels and Miseries of Adam in the Fall So he is sufficient and of Ability to Restore Man up into the State that Man was in before he fell and not into that State only but up into that State also that never fell even to himself I had also in this time a great Exercise and Travel of Spirit upon me concerning the Powers and Rulers of these Nations from the sense I had of the many tender Visitations and faithful Warnings that had been given them and of their great Abuse thereof who had refused to hear and had rejected the Counsel of the Lord. And though I knew Friends would be Clear of their Blood yet I could not but Mourn over them and gave forth these few Lines following concerning them WE have given them a Visitation and have faithfully Warned them and have declared to them our Innocency and Vprightness and that we never did any Hurt to the King nor to any of his People We have nothing in our Hearts but Love and Good-will to him and his People and desire their Eternal Welfare But if they will not hear then the Day of Judgment and of Sorrow of Torment and Misery and sudden Destruction will come from the Lord upon them that have been the Cause of the Sufferings of many Thousands simple innocent harmless People that have done them no hurt nor have had any Ill Will towards him or them but have desired their Eternal Good for the Eternal Truth 's sake Destruction will come upon them that turn the Sword backward Therefore do not blind your Eyes the Lord will bring swift Destruction and Misery upon you Surely he will do it and will relieve his Innocent People who have groaned for Deliverance from under your Oppression and have also groaned for your Deliverance out of Wickedness Blessed be
the Author of your Faith And them that loves to be Popular would have People's Faith to stand in them and such do not preach Christ but themselves But such as preach Christ and his Gospel would have every Man and Woman to be in the Possession of it and so to have every Man and Woman's Faith to stand in Christ the Author of it and in the Power of God which was before the Devil was and it will be when he is gone And their Faith standing in the Power of God then nothing can get betwixt them and God For if any should fall amongst us as too many have done then that leads its Followers either into the Waters or into the Earth And if any should go from the Spirit of Prophecy that did open to them and from the Power they may speak their Experiences which the Power hath opened to them formerly And so might Adam and Eve speak of what they saw and enjoyed in Paradise and so might Cain and Balaam of what they saw and also the Jews and Corah and Dathan who praised God on the Banks and saw the Victory over Pharaoh and they ate of the Manna and drank of the Rock and came to Mount Sinai and saw the Glory of the Lord. And so also might the false Apostles speak of their Experiences and all those false Christians that turned from the Apostles and Christ And so may such do now that err from the Spirit that are come out of Egypt in Spirit and Sodom and have known the Raging of the Sodomites as Lot did the outward and the Pursuit of the Spiritual Egyptians as the outward Jew did of the outward Egyptians yet if they do not Walk in the Spirit of God and in the Light and in the Grace which keeps their Hearts stablished and their Words seasoned and also their Faith to stand in the Power of God in which the Kingdom stands they may go forth like the false Christians and like the Jews and like Adam and Eve and Cain and Corah and Balaam and be wandring Stars Trees without Fruit and Wells without Water and Clouds without Rain and so come to be Vnsavoury and trodden down And as Adam who lost Paradise and the Jews who lost the Holy Land not walking in the Law and keeping the Command of God and as the Christians who lost the City and the Hill and the Salt and the Light since the Apostle's Days and came to be unsavoury and to be trodden under foot of Men. And therefore let every one's Faith stand as I said before in the Lord's Power which is over all through which they may be built upon the Rock and the Foundation of God the Seed Christ Jesus that bruises the Head of the Serpent who was before he was and will be when he is gone who is the Head of his Church So that all in Christ may be always fresh and green for he is the green Tree that never withers and all are fresh and green that are grafted into him and abide in him fresh and green and bring forth heavenly fresh Fruits to the Praise of God And though Adam and Eve fell from Paradise and the Jews fell from the Law of God and many of the Christians fell from their Prophecies and erred from the Faith and the Spirit and the Grace and the Stars have fallen as was spoken of in the Revelations yet the Spirit Grace Faith and Power of God remains And many such States have I seen within this Twenty Eight Years though there is a State that shall never fall nor be deceived in the Elect before the World began who are come to the End of the Prophecies and are in him where they end and renewed up into the Image of God by Christ which Man was in before he fell in that Power where he had Dominion over all that God made and not only so but Attain to a perfect Man unto the measure of the Stature of the fulness of Christ who never fell And in him is the Sitting down in Life Eternal where their Feet stand sure and fast in the Gospel his Power and here their Bread is sure and he that ears this Bread lives for ever And all Friends and Brethren that do Declare God's Eternal Truth and Word of Life live in it and be seasoned with Grace and salted with the Heavenly Salt that your Lives and Conversations may preach where-ever you come That there be no Rawness nor no Quenching of the Spirit nor despising Prophecy neither in Men nor Women For all must Meet in the Faith that Jesus is the Author of and in the Light that comes from Jesus and so grafted into the Life that your Knowledge may be there one of another in Christ And that there may be none Slothful nor sitting down in Earthly Things and minding them like Demas of old lest you Cloath your selves with another Clothing than you had at first but all to keep Chaste for the Chaste do follow the Lamb. And Friends that are settled in Places that be Ministers possess as if ye did not married as if ye were not and be loose to the World in the Lord's Power for God's Oil will be a-top of all Visible things which makes his Lamps to burn and to give Light afar off And none strive nor covet to be Rich in this World in these Changeable things that will pass away but your Faith to stand in the Lord God who changes not that Created all and gives the Increase of all And now Friends Concerning Faithful Men and Womens-Meetings which were set up in God's Counsel whoever should oppose them and the Authority and Tenure of them I say They oppose the Power of God which is the Authority of them and they are no Ministers of the Gospel nor of Christ that opposes his Power which all are to possess For the true Ministers of Christ that preach Christ and his Gospel which is to be preacht to all Nations as Deceit is gone over all Nations and all Nations have drunk the Whore's Cup and she hath them in her Cage her unclean Power from the Beast and Dragon out of the Power of God and out of Truth and the Spirit of God the Apostles were in the Power of God must come over all this again and all the true Ministers that preach the Gospel the Power of God must bring all People into the Possession of it again I say whosoever preaches the Gospel of Christ and him to People or Nations and those People and Nations receiving the Gospel they receive the Power of God that brings Life and Immortality to Light in them and they see over the Devil that hath darkned them and the Beast and the Whore and her Cage And so by the Power of God Life and Immortality is brought to Light in them then all these Men and Women being Heirs of this Power the Gospel they are Heirs of Authority and Power over the Devil Beast Whore and Dragon So all
right understanding thereof and be gathered thereunto Several Epistles also to Friends I writ in this time on divers Occasions and Subjects whereof one was to the Friends of the Yearly Meeting which was held in London this year 1679. a Copy of which here follows My Dear Friends and Brethren WHO are Assembled together in the Name and Power of the Lord Jesus Christ Grace Mercy and Peace from God the Father and from the Lord Jesus Christ fill all your hearts and establish you in his Grace Mercy and Peace upon Christ the holy living Rock and Foundation who is the First and Last and over all the Foundations and Rocks in the whole world a Rock and Foundation of Life for all the Living to build upon which stands sure in his heavenly divine Light which is the Life in him by whom all things were made who is the precious Stone laid in Sion and not in the World which all the Wise Master-Builders rejected who pretended to build People up to Heaven with the Words of the Prophets and the Law from Mount Sinai but out of the Life of both and therefore such Builders could not receive the Law of Life from Christ the precious Stone laid in Sion nor the Word from heavenly Jerusalem But you My Dear Friends that have received this Law from heavenly Sion and the Word from heavenly Jerusalem in the New Covenant where the Life and Substance is enjoyed you do see the end and abolishing of the Jews Law and Ceremonies from Mount Sinai And therefore my desire is that you all may keep in the Law of Life and Love 1679. Swarthmore which ye have in Christ Jesus by which Love the Body is edified and knit and united together to Christ Jesus the Head Which Love doth bear all things and fulfils the Law and will preserve all in Humility and in it to be of one mind heart and soul so that all may come to drink into that One Spirit that doth Baptize them and Circumcise them Plunging down and Cutting off the Body of the Sins of the Flesh that is gotten up in Man and Woman by their transgressing of God's Commands So that in this holy pure Spirit all may serve and worship the pure God in Spirit and in Truth which is over all the Worships that are out of God's Spirit and his Truth And in this Spirit ye will all have a Spiritual Unity and Fellowship over all the Fellowships of the Unclean Spirits which be out of Truth in the World And so by this holy Spirit all your hearts minds and souls may be knit together to Christ from whence it comes and by the Grace and Truth which is come by Jesus Christ which all should be under the Teachings of in the New Covenant and not under the Law as the outward Jews were in the Old Covenant So that by this Grace and Truth in the New Covenant all may be made God's free Men and Women to serve God in the new Life and in the new and living Way shewing forth the Fruits of the new heart and new spirit in the New Covenant over death and darkness and before it was Glory be unto the Lord for ever And now Friends in this Grace and Truth is your heavenly gracious and true Liberty to every Spiritual Mind that makes you free from him that is out of Truth where your bondage was Also your Liberty in the holy divine and precious Faith which gives you Victory over that that hath separated you from God and Christ and through which Faith ye have Access to God again through Jesus Christ So in this divine and holy Faith ye have divine holy and precious Liberty yea and Victory over him that separated you from God and this Faith is held in a pure Conscience So the Liberty in the Spirit of God is in that which baptizes and plunges down Sin and Iniquity and puts off the Body of Death and Sins of the Flesh that is gotten up by transgressing of God's Command as I said before And also the Liberty of the Gospel which is sent from Heaven by the Holy Ghost which is the Power of God which was and is again to be preached to all Nations In this Gospel the Power of God which is over the Power of Satan is the true Liberty and the Gospel-Fellowship and Order So that the Evil Spirit or Conscience or false dead Faith and that which is ungracious and out of Truth and not in the Spirit of God nor in his Gospel nor in the divine Faith its Liberty is in the Darkness For all the true Liberty is in the Gospel and in the Truth that makes free and in the Faith and in the Grace and in Christ Jesus who destroys the Devil and his Works that hath brought all Mankind into Bondage So in this heavenly peaceable Spirit and Truth and Faith which works by Love and in the Gospel of Peace and in Christ Jesus is all the Saints Peace and pure true and holy Liberty in which they have Salt and Sense and Feeling Discerning and Savour yea and Unity and Fellowship one with another yea and with the Son and the Father that heavenly eternal Fellowship So all being subject to the Grace and Truth and to the Faith and Gospel the Power of God and to his good Spirit in this they distinguish all true pure and holy Liberty from that which is false And this will bring all to sit low for Patience runs the Race and the Lamb must have the Victory and not the rough unruly and vain Talkers unbaptized uncircumcised and unsanctified For such travel not in the way of Regeneration but in the way of unregeneration Neither go they down into the Death with Christ by Baptism and therefore such are not like to Reign with him in his Resurrection who are not buried with him in Baptism Therefore all must go downward into the Death of Christ and be crucified with him if they will Arise and follow him in the Regeneration before they come to Reign with him And Friends Many may have precious Openings but I desire all may be comprehended in that thing which doth open to them And that they may all keep in the daily Cross then they keep in the Power that doth kill and crucifie that which would lead them amongst the Beasts and Goats to leaven them into their rough unruly spirit But that through the Cross the Power of God That may be crucified and they in the Power might follow the Lamb. For the Power of God keeps all in Order and in Subjection and in Humility in that which is lovely and vertuous decent comely temperate and moderate that their Moderation comes to appear to all men So my desire is that all your Lights may shine as from a City set upon a Hill that cannot be hid And that ye may be the Salt of the Earth to salt and season it and make it savoury to God and you all seasoned with it Then
fine Opportunity to open the Way of Truth amongst them After I was come to London London I was moved to write the following Paper concerning that Spirit which had led some who profest Truth into Strife and Division and to oppose the Way and Work of the Lord. Friends YOU that do keep your habitations in the Truth that is over all do see that it is the same Spirit that doth lead the Backsliders and Apostates now from the Spiritual Fellowship and Unity of God's People and the Church of Christ that led out Adam and Eve from God and the Jews from God and his Law to Rebel against his Spirit and so to turn against God and his Prophets And this Spirit was the same that was in the World which was got into the Jews when they were gone from the Spirit of God and then they turned against God and his Prophets and against Christ and his Apostles And that Spirit led them to be as bad as Pilate or worse The Enmity or Adversary was got within them against the Truth and them that walked in it and the Spirit of the Lord so that they killed and destroyed the Just. And this was the Spirit of the Devil the Destroyer who would seek not only to destroy the Truth but the Order of it and them that walk in it when true Christianity was planted among the Possessors of the Light 1681. London Grace and Truth and the Gospel-holy Faith and Spirit and they did enjoy Christ in their hearts But when some did begin to Err from the Spirit and Faith and hate the Light and disobey the Gospel and to turn the Grace of God into Wantonness and walk despitefully against the Spirit of Grace and turn from the Truth and Crucifie to themselves Christ afresh and put him to open shame These were they that let in the Spirit of the World who held the Form of Godliness but denied the Power thereof which troubled the Churches in the Apostles days And when the Spirit of Satan had got into such they were more troublesome to the Church than the open Persecutors that were without And these got into the Assemblies to deceive the hearts of the Simple having the good Words and fair Speeches and Sheep's-Cloathing Paul Peter John Jude and James had much to do with such and to keep them from troubling the Church of Christ For they are out of the Light Power and Spirit and therefore the Apostles of Christ did exhort the Saints to keep to the Word of Life within and to the Anointing and to the Grace and Truth and holy Spirit in their hearts This foul Spirit will profess all the Scriptures in words but by the Spirit of God which is holy that Spirit is tried and its fruits And so the Apostates went from the Power and Spirit of God and turned against the Prophets and the Martyrs of Jesus and became the Whore whose Cup all Nations drunk of And the Dragon with his Tail threw down many of the Stars and would have devoured the Woman with his Flood but the Woman the true Church was preserved and the Gates of Hell cannot prevail against her And then the Dragon made war with her Seed So the Dragon and the Whore and Beast and false Prophets all made war against the Lamb and the Saints but the Lamb and the Saints will overcome them all and will have the Victory And now the Everlasting Gospel is preached again to all Nations Tongues and Peoples and many are gathered into the Gospel the Power of God and are turned to the Light which is the Life in Christ and are grafted into him and are come to walk in the Order of the New Covenant of Light and Life in the Gospel of Peace and Salvation The same Spirit that opposed the Apostles and the Churches in their days opposes now yea it is the same that opposed Christ and disdained him that disdaineth God's Servants now And the same that did oppose the Prophets and rebelled against Moses opposes and rebels against God's Servants and People now And it is the same dark blind and disobedient faithless wilful jealous Spirit that doth persecute some with the Hands and others with the Tongue And it is the same Spirit of Enmity the Adversary and Destroyer that tempted Adam and Eve to disobey God and did deceive them which deceived the Jews and tempted them and deceived all those that went from the Church in the Apostles days And it is the same Spirit that is now going about sometimes like a roaring Lion sometimes like a twisting Serpent to tempt and to deceive 1682. London and to devour having the fair Speeches and good Words and Sheeps-Cloathing in a Form of Godliness and in pretence of the Light and Liberty but denies the Power thereof and inwardly are ravening Wolves and if it were possible they would deceive the very Elect. But the Elect are in the Covenant of Light and Life and in the Power of God over them and in Christ who will grind them to pieces and will slay all his Enemies with his spiritual Sword who will not have him to rule over or in them In Christ all his People have Rest and Peace who is their Sanctuary over all Storms and Tempests And in Christ the Sanctuary no Deceiver nor Destroyer can come for he is a place of sweet Rest and Safety Hallelujah Praise the Lord for his Sanctuary Amen G. F. Sufferings continuing still hard upon Friends at London I found my Service lay mostly here Wherefore I went but a little out of Town and not far being frequent at the most publick Meetings to encourage Friends both by Word and Example to stand fast in the Testimony to which God had called them And at other times I went about from house to house visiting those Friends that had their Goods taken away for their Testimony to Truth And because the wicked Informers were grown very audacious by reason that they had too much Countenance and Encouragement from some Justices who trusting wholly to their Information proceeded against Friends without hearing them whereby many Friends were made to suffer not only contrary to Right but even contrary to Law also I advised with some Friends about it and we drew up a Paper which was afterwards delivered to most of the Magistrates in and about the City which was as followeth WHereas some Informers have obtained Warrants of some Justices of Peace and have Convicted many of us without hearing us or once Summoning us to Appear before them by which proceedings many have had their Goods seized and taken away being generally fined Ten Pounds a piece for an unknown Speaker and some of those Persons so fined have not been that day at the Meetings they were fined for and the Speaker notwithstanding hath himself been fined for the same Meeting the same day the others were fined for the unknown Speaker By which the Justices may see the Wickedness of these Informers by whose false
let the Word of Christ dwell in you richly in all Wisdom teaching and admonishing one another c. Col. 3. And whatsoever ye do in Word or Deed do all in the Name of the Lord Jesus Christ giving thanks to God and the Father by him And above all things put on Charity which is the Bond of Perfectness And the Apostle saith to Timothy Be not thou ashamed of the Testimony of our Lord nor of me his Prisoner but be thou Partaker of the Afflictions of the Gospel according to the Power of God who hath saved us and called us with an holy Calling not according to our works but according to his own purpose and grace which was given us in Christ Jesus before the world began 2 Tim. 1.8 9. So here it concerns every one not to be ashamed of the Testimony of our Lord who hath called them by his Grace and not to be ashamed of any of Christ's Prisoners and afflicted Ones for Christ's and his Gospels sake who abolishes Death and brings Life and Immortality to Light through his Gospel You that believe in the Light know it And Peter saith in his General Epistle to the Church of Christ As every man mark every man hath received the Gift so minister the same one to another as good Stewards of the manifold Grace of God If any man speak let him speak as the Oracles of God so not of Men If any man minister let him do it as of the Ability which God gives so not of the Ability of mens Arts and Sciences that God in all things may be glorified through Jesus Christ c. For these Gifts and Grace come from Jesus into the hearts of the Members of his Church whom he is in the midst of And if any man suffer as a Christian let him not be ashamed but let him glorifie God c. And every true Christian hath the presence of Christ who hath all power in Heaven and in Earth given him to support them with his power light and life And Christ saith to his Believers Beware of men for they will deliver you up to the Councils and they will scourge you in the Synagogues and you shall be brought before Governours and Kings for my Names sake for a Testimony against them and the Gentiles But when they deliver you up take no thought how or what ye shall speak for it shall be given you in the same hour what ye shall speak for it is not you that speak but the Spirit of your Father that speaketh in you And ye shall be hated of all men for my Names sake but he that endureth to the end shall be saved The Disciple is not above his Master nor the Servant above his Lord It is enough for the Disciple that he be as his Master and the Servant as his Lord for if they have called the Master of the house Beelzebub what will they do to his Servant Fear not them which kill the Body but are not able to kill the Soul c. A Sparrow shall not fall to the ground without your heavenly Father c. The hairs of your head are all numbred ye are of more value than many Sparrows Whosoever therefore shall confess me before men him will I confess also before my Father which is in heaven But whosoever shall deny me before Men him will I also deny before my Father which is in heaven And whosoever shall be ashamed of me and of my words of him shall the Son of Man be ashamed c. Matth. 10. And again Christ saith Whosoever shall be ashamed of me and of my words in this adulterous and sinful Generation of him also shall the Son of Man be ashamed when he comes in the Glory of his Father with his holy Angels Mark 8.38 And Christ saith to his Disciples He that receiveth you receiveth me and he that receiveth me receiveth him that sent me He that receiveth a Prophet in the name of a Prophet shall receive a Prophet's reward And he that receiveth a righteous man in the name of a righteous man shall receive a righteous man's reward And whosoever shall give to drink unto one of these little ones a Cup of cold water only in the name of a Disciple verily I say unto you he shall in no wise lose his reward Matth. 10.40 41 42. Here ye may see how Christ encourages his Disciples and them that receive them And John saith Among the chief Rulers of the Jews many believed in Christ but because of the Pharisees they did not confess him lest they should be put out of the Synagogue John 12.42 Too many such Believers are now a-days who dare not Confess Christ lest they should lose the favour of men But Christ encourages the faithful Disciples and told them They would put them out of their Synagogues yea that the time should come that whosoever killed them would think they did God service And these things said he will they do unto you because they have not known the Father nor me But these things have I told you that when the time shall come ye may remember that I told you of them John 16.2 3 4. Here ye may see what Christ told his Disciples should come to pass to them And Saul before he was Converted did Compel the Christians to blaspheme and made havock of the Church of Christ Acts 8. and chap. 22. and 26. And did not the Beast in the Revelations Compel both small and great to worship him and his Image And did not all worship it but they who had their Names written in the Lamb's Book of Life before the Foundation of the World And did not Nebuchadnezzar set up an Image sixty Cubits high and six Cubits broad And then did not he cause an Herauld to cry aloud It is commanded that all People and Nations and Languages fall down and worship the golden Image that Nebuchadnezzar hath set up And whoso falleth not down and worshippeth shall the same hour be cast into the midst of the fiery Furnace And were not Shadrach Meshach and Abednego cast into the Furnace Dan. 3. But God delivered them Therefore it is good to be faithful to God and his Worship in Spirit and Truth And the Jews had agreed that if any man should Confess Christ he should be put out of their Synagogue John 9.22 So it was for Christ's sake they were Excommunicated out of their Synagogues But as it is written Behold I lay in Sion a Stumbling-stone and a Rock of Offence and who so believes on him shall not be ashamed So Christ is a Stumbling-stone and a Rock of Offence to all the Unbelievers in the Light which is the Life in Christ whether they be Jews Christians or Gentiles The Jews did believe a Christ was To come from the Scriptures And the Christians believe He is come by the Scriptures but do not believe in the Light which is the Life in Christ as Christ commands and so do not become the
well as Men. And Deborah was a Judge and a Prophetess and do not You make use of Deborah's and Miriam's words in your Service and Worship as you may see Judg. 5. v. 1 31. Deborah's large Speech or Song And Barak did not forbid her nor none of the Jewish Priests And did not she make this Speech or Song in the Congregation or Church of Israel And in the Book of Ruth there are good Speeches of those good Women which were not forbidden And Hannah prayed in the Temple before Ely and the Lord Answered her prayer And see what a Speech Hannah makes and a praising of God before Ely the High-Priest and he did not forbid her 1 Sam. 2. v. 1. to 10. And Josiah the King sent his Priest with several others to Ask Counsel of Huldah the Prophetess who dwelt at Jerusalem in the Colledge 2 King 22.14 2 Chron. 34.22 So here the King and his Priests did not despise the Counsel of this Prophetess and she did prophesie to the Congregation of Israel as may be seen in these Chapters And in Luke 1.41 to 55. there see what a godly Speech Elizabeth made to Mary and what a large godly Speech Mary made also And Mary said That the Lord did regard the Low Estate of his Hand-maid c. And don't you make use in your Worship and Service of Mary's and Elizabeth's words from Luke 2.41 to 55. who were holy Women in your Churches and yet forbid Womens speaking in your Churches and to be in silence yet all sorts of Women speak in your Churches when they sing and say Amen And in Luke the second there was one Anna a Prophetess she was a Widow of about fourscore and four years which departed not from the Temple but served God with Fasting and Prayer night and day Did not she Confess Christ Jesus in the Temple and gave thanks to the Lord and spake of Christ to all that looked for Redemption in Jerusalem Luke 2.36 37 38. So such holy Women were not forbidden to speak in the Church neither in the Law nor Gospel And was it not Mary Magdalen and other Women that first preached Christ's Resurrection to the Apostles The Woman indeed namely Eve was first in Transgression and so they were Women that first preacht the Resurrection of Christ Jesus for Christ said to Mary c. Go to my Brethren and say unto them I Ascend unto my Father and to your Father and to my God and to your God John 20.17 And Luke 24.10 it was Mary Magdalen and Johanna and Mary the Mother of James and other Women that were with them which told the Apostles that Christ was risen from the dead and their words and these Womens words were as Idle Tales to the Apostles and they believed them not Ibid. vers 11. And vers 22. Certain Women also of our Company made us astonished they said So here it may be seen that the Womens preaching the Resurrection of Christ did Astonish the Apostles and Christ sent these Women to preach his Resurrection so it is no shame for such Women to preach Christ Jesus neither were they to be silent when Christ sends them And the Apostle says Every Tongue shall Confess to God Rom. 14.11 and Every Tongue shall Confess that Jesus Christ is Lord to the Glory of God the Father Philip. 2.11 So Here 't is Clear that Women must Confess Christ as well as men if Every Tongue must Confess And the Apostle saith There 's neither Male nor Female for ye are all one in Christ Jesus Gal. 3.28 And whereas 't is said Women must ask their Husbands at home c. Now the Duke knows very well Virgins have no Husbands nor Widows for Anna the Prophetess was a Widow And if Christ be the Husband Men must ask Counsel of him at home as well as Women before they Teach And set the Case that a Turk's Wife should be a Christian or a Papist's Wife should be a Lutheran or a Calvinist must they Ask and Learn of their Husbands at home before they confess Christ Jesus in the Congregation of the Lord Their Counsel will be to them to turn Turks or Papists I Intreat the Duke to Consider these things And again I Intreat him to mind God's Grace and Truth in his heart that is come by Jesus that by his Spirit of Grace and Truth he may come to serve and worship God in his Spirit and Truth so that he may serve the Living Eternal God that made him in his Generation and have his Peace in Christ that the World cannot take away And I do desire his Good Peace and Prosperity in this World and his Eternal Comfort and Happiness in the World that is Everlasting without End Amen London the 26th of the 8th Month 1684. G. F. Besides the fore-going I writ also Epistles to Friends one of which the following is a Copy FRiends and Brethren in the Lord Jesus Christ in whom you have all life peace and salvation Walk in him who is your heavenly Rock and Foundation that stands sure who hath all Power in Heaven and Earth given unto him So his Power is over all And let your Faith stand in his Power which is over all from everlasting to everlasting and so is over the Devil and his power that in the holy heavenly Wisdom of God ye may be all preserved and kept to God's glory out of all snares and temptations so that God's Wisdom may be justified of all his Children in this day of his power and they all may be faithful serving and worshipping God in his Spirit and Truth and valiant for it upon the Earth For as the Apostle saith They that believe are entred into their rest and have ceased from their own works as God did from his Now this Rest is an Eternal Rest in Christ the Eternal Son of God in whom every true Believer hath everlasting Life in Christ Jesus their Rest and everlasting Day For Christ the Rest bruiseth the Serpent's head and through Death destroyeth Death and the Devil the power of Death and his works And he is the eternal Rest that giveth eternal Life to his Sheep And Christ fulfilleth the Prophets and all the Figures Shadows and Ceremonies as in the Old Testament and all the Promises are Yea and Amen in Christ their and our Eternal Rest who was the Eternal Rest to all the true Believers in the Apostles days and ever since and is so now And Christ is the Beginning and the Ending the First and Last who is ascended above all Principalities Powers Thrones and Dominions that he might fill all things For by Jesus Christ all things were made and created whether they be things in Heaven or things in the Earth and he is the eternal Rest and they that believe are entred into Christ their Eternal Rest in whom they have as I said before Eternal Life and peace with God Wherefore I say again in him who is your Rest live and abide for in
Thistles and sharp Rocks and Mountains and never be hurt nor never wear out their Shooes but their Feet are always beautiful upon the Mountains Moses a Captain the Servant of the Lord said unto the People of Israel I have led you forty years in the Wilderness your Cloths are not waxen old upon you and thy Shooe is not waxen old upon thy foot Deut. 29.5 Here ye may see the Jews in the Old Testament their Cloths and their Shooes did not wax old But they who are Christ's followers whom he shooeth with his Everlasting Gospel of Peace and Cloatheth with his fine Linnen his Righteousness and Arms with his Arms and Armour they are cloathed shod and armed with that which will never decay nor wax old nor canker nor rust nor corrupt nor grow blunt Now all whether Christians or Jews or Gentiles that hate the Light of Christ and close their Eyes and stop their Ears to it are not like to see Christ their Ensign and Captain of their Salvation but are blind And as there is no outward Captain would List a Company of blind and deaf men and cloath and arm them with outward Armour so such as are blind and deaf whose Eyes are closed and Ears stopped to the heavenly Light of Christ he is not like to cloath them with his fine Linnen and arm them with his heavenly and spiritual Armour nor are they like to be spiritually and heavenly disciplined and to see and know his holy and spiritual living Camp nor to follow him while they are deaf and blind and hate his Light which is the Life in Christ the heavenly Ensign and Captain of their Salvation For it is the Light that shines in the heart which gives the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Christ Jesus who is the Ensign and Captain of Mens Salvations and who hath brought and doth bring many Sons unto glory Praises Honour and Glory be unto the Lord over all who liveth for ever Amen Gooses the 14th of the 2d Month 1690. G. F. London A Week after this I return'd to London and after a little stay there Kingston went down to visit Friends at Kingston where I stay'd not long London but came back to London and remained there in the Lord's work Yearly-Meeting till after the Yearly-Meeting which was in the Fourth Month this Year in which the wonted Goodness of the Lord was witnessed and his blessed Presence enjoyed and his heavenly Power livingly felt opening the hearts of his People unto him and his Divine Treasures of Life and Wisdom in and unto them whereby many useful and necessary things relating to the safety of Friends and to the honour and prosperity of Truth were weightily treated of and unanimously concluded After the Meeting was over I writ the following Paper to Friends to be added to the Epistle which from the Yearly-Meeting was sent into the several Counties ALL Friends every where that are alive to God through Jesus Christ and are living Members of Christ the holy Head Be still and stand still in the Lord's Camp of Holiness and Righteousness and therein see the Salvation of God and your Eternal Life Rest and Peace and in it you may feel and see the Lord's Power is over all and how the Lord is at work in his Power and ruling the Nations with his Rod of Iron and is breaking in the Nations the old leaky Vessels and Cisterns to pieces like the Potter's Vessels that will not hold his living Water of Life who are erred from the Spirit But blessed be the Lord God of Heaven and Earth 1690. London Yearly Meeting who by his Eternal Arm and Power hath settled all his People upon the living holy Rock and Foundation that stands sure whom he hath drawn by his Spirit to his Son and gathered them into the Name of Jesus Christ his only begotten Son full of Grace and Truth who hath all Power in Heaven and Earth given to him Whose Name is above every Name under the whole Heaven and all his living Members know there is no Salvation given by any other Name under the whole Heaven but by the Name of Jesus and he their Salvation and their living Head is felt in the midst of them in his Light Life Spirit Grace and Truth and his Word of Patience Wisdom and Power who is his People's Prophet that God hath raised up in his New Testament and Covenant to open to them and their living Shepherd that hath purchased redeemed and bought them with his precious Blood And Christ the living One feeds his living Sheep in his living Pastures of Life and his living Sheep know their living Shepherd's voice with his living Bread and Water and follow him and will not follow any of the World's Hirelings nor Thieves nor Robbers nor Climbers that are without Christ the Door And likewise Christ's living Children know Christ the Bishop of their Souls to oversee them with his heavenly and spiritual Eye that they may be preserved in his Fold of Life and go no more forth And also they know Christ their holy Priest that by the Grace of God tasted Death for them and for every Man and is a Propitiation for their Sins and not for their Sins only but for the Sins of the whole World and by the one Offering up of himself he hath perfected for ever them that are sanctified And such an High-Priest becomes Christ's Sheep in his New Covenant and Testament who is holy and harmless and separate from sinners and is made higher than the Heavens who is not made a Priest after the Order of Aaron with his Tithes Offerings c. but he makes an end of all those things and hath abolished them and is made an High-Priest after the Power of an endless life who ever liveth to make Intercession for his People and is able to save to the uttermost all that come to God through him Who is the one holy Mediator betwixt God and Man and who sanctifies his People his Church that he is Head of and presents them to God without spot or wrinkle or blemish or any such thing and makes them an holy royal Priesthood to offer up spiritual holy Sacrifices acceptable to God by Jesus Christ who is King of all Kings and Lord of all Lords in the Earth So an holy heavenly King who hath â—all power in Heaven and Earth given to him and rules in all the hearts of his Sheep and Lambs by his holy divine precious Faith that is held in all the pure Consciences of his People which holy Faith Christ the holy One is the Author and Finisher of By which holy Faith all the Just live and in which holy divine and precious Faith all the Just and holy Ones have Unity and by it they do quench all the fiery Darts of Satan and by this holy divine and precious Faith they have access to the pure God in which they do please him And Christ
and to God's Spirit and to the Grace and Truth in your hearts that comes by Jesus Christ that with it ye may search your hearts And so do not grieve nor vex nor quench God's good Spirit in your hearts and walk not despitefully against the Spirit of Grace nor turn from it into Wantonness and yet make a Profession of God and Christ in Words 1677. Amsterdam when your hearts are afar off and living in Pleasures and wantonly upon the Earth sporting your selves killing the Just and Crucifying to your selves Christ afresh and putting him to open shame And so dishonouring God and Christ and Christianity and making a Profession and a Trade of the Scriptures keeping People always Learning that they may be always paying Therefore Cease from Man whose Breath is in his Nostrils and look unto the Lord all ye ends of the Earth and be saved for the Lord God of Heaven and Earth is come to teach his People himself by his Light Spirit Grace and Truth and to bring them off all the World's Teachers And God hath raised up Christ Jesus his Prophet whom People should hear and saith This is my beloved Son hear ye him and Christ saith Learn of me I am the Way the Truth and the Life and no Man comes to the Father but by me And there is no Salvation by any other Name under the whole Heaven but by the Name of Jesus who saith I am the good Shepherd and have laid down my Life for my Sheep and my Sheep hear my voice and follow me and will not follow the Hireling For Christ feeds them in the Pastures of Life that will never wither And God hath anointed Christ Jesus to preach if you will hear him and God hath given Christ for a Counsellor and a Leader if you will be Led and Counselled by him and God hath given Christ for a Bishop to Oversee you and a King to Rule you if you will be Overseen and Ruled by him And you that will not have Christ to Rule over you who never sinned nor Guile was found in his Mouth you may read his Sentence in the New Testament upon such And is not Christ a sufficient Teacher whose Blood was shed for you and tasted Death for every Man And doth not Christ say to his Ministers Freely ye have received freely give And the Apostle saith We covet no Man's Gold Silver or Apparel but Laboured with their Hands and kept the Gospel without Charge Have they that are called Ministers amongst you done the same and kept this Command of Christ Jesus Let them be Examined and Examine themselves And have you not trimmed your Outsides but look within with the Light and Spirit of Christ Jesus and see if your Insides be not black and foul For Christ Jesus who doth Enlighten every Man that cometh into the World with the Life in himself who is the Word he saith Believe in the Light that ye may become Children of the Light and with the Light ye may see all the Evil Deeds ye have done and all your ungodly Deeds that ye have acted and committed and all your ungodly Words you have spoken and all your ungodly Thoughts ye think that ye may turn from them and turn to Christ from whence the Light comes who is your Saviour and Redeemer who hath given you a Light to see your Sin and how that you are dead in Adam that with the same Light you may see Christ the quickening Spirit who makes you alive to God and saves you from your sin But if you hate the Light which is the Life in Christ the Prince of Life and Love the Darkness and the Prince of Darkness more than the Light or the Life in Christ whose Deeds be Evil and because it will Reprove you Christ tells you This Light will be your Condemnation John 3. And therefore be Warned now in your Day and while you have Time turn to the Lord and do not quench the Spirit of the Father by which he draws to his Son nor hate the Light of Christ for if you do you hate the Life in Christ and so remain under Condemnation from God and Christ with the Light who now speaks to his People by his Son as he did in the Apostles Days so the same God that was the Speaker by the Prophets to the Fathers and Speaker to Adam and Eve in Paradise And happy had Adam and Eve and the Jews and all Christians been if they had kept to this Speaker and not have followed the Serpent that false Speaker and his Instruments And now God is the true Speaker by his Son who bruises the Head of the Serpent the false Teacher who is the Head of all false Ways and false Prophets and false Churches and false Religions and Worships And so God and Christ is bringing People to the pure and undefiled Religion that will keep them from the Spots of the World and into the new and living Way Christ Jesus and to the Church in God which Christ is the Head of as he was in the Apostles Days and to worship God in the Spirit and Truth which Worship Christ set up above Sixteen hundred years since And therefore must all People come to the Grace and Spirit of Truth in their own hearts to know the God of Truth who is a Spirit and in the Spirit and Truth to worship and serve and honour and glorifie the Living God who is over all and Worthy of all Blessed for evermore Amen And ye Magistrates and Officers read this in all your Assemblies and cause all your Priests to read it in their Churches that they and you and all People may hear and fear the God of Heaven as you will Answer it at the Great and Terrible Day of Judgment and Vengeance of the Lord God Almighty And this is in Love to your Souls and for your Temporal and Eternal Good Amsterdam the 19th of the 7th Month 1677. G. F. 1677. Harlingen in Friezland An Epistle concerning true Fasting true Prayer true Honour and against Persecution and for the true Liberty in Christ Jesus To pag. 438 and that all may have a care that the Apostle hath not bestowed his Labour in vain upon you in your observing of Days Months Times Feasts and Years and of coming under the beggarly Elements and the Yoke of Bondage again and of bringing and forcing People into them WHere did ever Christ or his Apostles Command any Believers or Christians to observe Holy-Days or Feast-Days and let us see where it is written in the Scriptures of the New Testament in the Four Evangelists or the Epistles or the Revelation that ever Christ or his Apostles gave the Christians any such Command that they should observe the Time called Christmas or a Day for Christ's Birth or that they should observe the Time called Easter or Whitsuntide or Peter or Paul's or Mark or Luke's Days or any other Saints Day Now you that profess your selves to be
not Banish him and Persecute him out of your Cities and Corporations And how can you enter into his Kingdom and have a share of his Kingdom though you may profess him in Words And do not they go into Everlasting Punishment that did not visit Christ in Prison Then what will become of you that do Banish and Imprison him where he is manifest in his Members nor suffer them to Meet together to enjoy him amongst them according to his Promise And therefore you that will not let Christ Reign in his People and have his Liberty in them in your Cities and Countries to Exercise his Offices you will not have your Liberty in Heaven and you that will not let Christ Reign in your Hearts nor suffer him to Reign in his People here upon the Earth in this World in your Kingdoms you will not Reign with Christ in Heaven in his Kingdom nor in the World without end And so you that banish the Truth out of your Cities or Countries or his People for its sake you do banish the Truth and Christ out of your hearts from Ruling there and so you your selves are not the Temples of God And then when you have banished Christ and his Truth out of your own hearts then you do banish such in whom he Rules out of your Estates and Country and then see what Judgments the Lord doth bring upon you when you are left to your selves yea Fears and Troubles and one Judgment after another that come upon you you are even filled with them But the Banished and Sufferers for Truth and Christ's sake have a peaceable habitation in the Truth which the Devil is out of and cannot get in which habitation will out-last all the habitations of the Wicked and Persecutors though they be never so full of Words without Life and Truth So the Life and the Truth will out-last all Airy Notions and Christ the Lamb and patient Seed will overcome the Devourer and the unpatient Seed and they that have the Garments the Righteousness of Christ which is the fine Linnen it will out-last all the Rags and Inventions of Men. For Christ saith to his Learners Be of good chear I have overcome the World the persecuting World and so he said unto his Disciples Marvel not if that the World hate you for it hated me before you And therefore let all that profess themselves Christians lay away Persecution about Religion Churches or Worship Fasting or Praying-Days for you have no Command from Christ and his Apostles to Persecute any For Christ who is the King of Kings and Lord of Lords when they called him a Deceiver and blasphemed him and said He had a Devil he did not Persecute any of them for it nor force or compel any to hear and believe him nor the Apostles after him but he bad them that would have been plucking up the Tares Let the Tares and the Wheat grow together until the Harvest So you have no Command from Christ or his Apostles to Persecute Imprison or Banish or Spoil the Goods of any for matter of pure Conscience and Religion Worship Faith and Church in the Gospel-times Harlingen in Friezland the 11th of the 6th Month 1677. G. F. A Warning to the Magistrates Priests and People of the City of Hamborough to Humble themselves before the Lord and not to be High-minded Friends YOU have painted and garnished the Inside of your outward Houses and High-places but look within your Hearts with the Light of Christ Amsterdam which he hath enlightned you and every Man that cometh into the World withal and with it you may see To pag. 448 how foul your Hearts and Insides are with Sin and Evil which Christ tells you ye should make clean who told the Pharisees how they painted the Sepulchres of the Righteous and they themselves were full of Rottenness and Corruption Therefore look into your selves 1677. Amsterdam and your own hearts what you are full of to paint out the Sepulchres of the Righteous Apostles and making a Trade and a Profession of their words without the same Holy Ghost and Power and Light and Truth which they were in will not stand at the Day of God's Vengeance And therefore Repent while you have Time and turn to the Lord with your whole hearts and do not think your selves to be secure without his Immediate Almighty Protection For it is not all your Works nor all your own Strength and Power and Defence that can protect you and you to look at them and think your selves secure and to sit down in your Security and in it let your hearts be merry and at rest and ease But then when the Lord brings a Scourge upon you that you are filled with Terrours and Fears remember you were Warned that you were set down but not in the true Rest and then all your own Strength and Force will stand you in no stead and you will acknowledge that it must be God that must protect you And therefore take Warning for your Priests and People are too high and are swallowed up too much in this World and the Vanities of it carry your Minds away from God and your Care is more for the World than for God and more after the Riches of the World than after the Riches of the World that has no end For know you not that all your Heaps of outward Treasure must have an end and that you must Leave them all behind you Therefore I am to Warn and Advice you both High and Low Priests and People to come to the Grace Light and Truth that comes by Jesus Christ and also to come to the Manifestation of the good Spirit of God which is given to you to profit withal that with This Grace and Truth and Light and Spirit of Christ you may turn to Christ Jesus from whence it comes who saith Learn of me and God saith This is my beloved Son hear ye him And so all the Children of the New Covenant that walk in the New and Living Way do hear Christ their Prophet that God has raised up who is their Teacher and Priest whom God hath anointed to Preach And so now God doth speak to his People by his Son as he did in the Apostles Days And so the Lord is come to Teach his People himself by his Grace Light Truth and Spirit and to bring them off all the Worlds Teachers that are made by Men since the Apostles days who have kept People always Learning that they may always be paying of them And is come to bring them off all the Worlds Religions to the Religion that he set up in the Apostles Days in the New Covenant which is pure and undefiled before God in his sight and keeps from the Spots of the World c. And the Lord is come to bring them off all the World's Churches to the Church in God which Christ the heavenly Man is Head of and to bring them off all the World's Worships to