which is Eternal Now the Professors may see that the Hireling is fled and flies because he was an Hireling whose Religion was for the Summer whilst the Sun shin'd but in a Storm a Tempest a Mist or the Sun Clouded their Religion they flee from his Flight is in the Winter So the day manifests all things Our Religion is in the Power of God before Winter-Storms and Tempests were Mists Fogs or Clouds in the Light which shines over them all is our Religion that does not change in which there is Fruit born in the Winter by which Power of God all their Religions are seen which must have an end and will have an end which People runs into But in the Power of God and his Righteousness and Holiness which was before the Fall was live which power of God never alters not changes in which is both Life and Peace which remains for ever in that dwell and live and be Faithful and Valiant on Earth your Hearts stablished with Grace and your Words seasoned with the same keeping your selves in the Love of God and in the Life in which is Peace through which ye may be all a Comfort one to another living in the Life in which is the Everlasting Fellowship And so in that the Lord God Almighty preserve and keep you all Let this be read in all your Meetings in Barbadoes New-England Nevis and sent to Jamaica Virginia and Maryland to Friends there and to all the parts in the World where there is Friends A general Epistle to them all from Colchester in England G. F. The 10th Day of the 11th Month 1662. A General Epistle to be read in all the Christian Meetings in the World Blessed is he that readeth and blessed is he that heareth and understandeth and the eyes that see Read this over and you may read that which you have not read and see that which you have not seen MY Dear Friends all every where in the Seed dwell which is Christ the top-Stone over all Epist 222. feel it laid in which is Life Eternal which is over Death and before Death was and the Devil the Power of it every one sitting under their own Vine which is Christ the Life by whom the World was made that in that ye may all bear Fruit to God and all walking in the Name of the Lord which is the Power then you will walk in safety For blessed are all you that rise in the Power of God and lie down in the same Power your Beds are pare holy and undefiled who lie down in the Power of God before Unholiness was And so you that are gathered in the Name of Jesus who have bowed to the Name of Jesus whose Name is called The Power of God and the Word Light Life and Truth and for bowing to his Name for his Name sake have ye suffered all along by many Powers Christ a strong T wer his Name is a strong Tower So who have bowed to the Name and gathered in the Name of the Lord ye are in the strong Tower in which is safety and Peace for being gathered in the Name of Christ Jesus whose Name is above every Name for all things that was made was made by Christ above all other Names and Gatherings are you gathered who are gathered in the Name of Jesus Christ by whom all things were made and created and being gathered in the Name of Jesus Christ by which Salvation is brought by the Name of Christ and not by any other Name under Heaven but by the Name of Jesus Christ is Salvation brought by whom all things was made So ye being gathered in this Name by which Salvation is given here ye come to be Heirs of Salvation and then to Inherit Savation which is Christ and by this you come to fathom all other Names under the whole Heaven and to see them that there is no Salvation in them and so likewise all other Gatherings in all other Names no Salvation in them therefore cry People There is no assurance of Salvation upon the Earth who are gathered in other Names but not in the Name of Christ by which Salvation is brought and given by the Name of Christ by whom all things were made and this is the standing Gathering in the Name in the strong Tower where is the safety where is the Salvation given and brought Rejoyce ye all that are brought into this Gathering and have bowed to the Name of Jesus Now to bow at the Name of Jesus who is called the Power of God is to bow to the Power of God all things in Heaven and things in Earth must bow to the Name of Jesus before they be Reconciled to God Bow to the Name of Jesus for all things in Heaven and things in Earth are Reconciled by him in One So they must bow to the Name of Jesus as they have bowed to the Evil through which they are at difference one among another and not at Unity but bowing to the Name of Jesus brings to Reconciliation for all things in Heaven and things in Earth must bow at the Name of Jesus must bow at the Power of God before they be Reconciled in One. So bow at the Name of Jesus 2dly You must bow at the Cross of Christ which is the Power of God which since the Apostles days the Apostate Christians have lost and therefore they bow to a Cross a Stick a Stone a piece of Iron a piece of Wood Now bowing to the Cross of Christ which is the Power of God that strikes over the Nature of fallen Man for who bends and submits and yields and bows to the Power of God within feels it to rise over and strike over and work over the carnal Part and that Part that turns into ungodliness and all that is bad and is a cross to it So bow to the Power of God If all Christendom had done this they had had a Fellowship in this Cross of Christ which is a Mystery but a Cross Stick a Cross piece of Wood or Iron or Stone Crosses of Wood Iron and Stone this is not a Mystery but the Power of God that crosseth down the earthly carnal ungodly Part in Man and Woman and works over it and strikes over it and goes over it and crosseth it There is the Mystery of the Cross of Christ the Power of God in which is the Fellowship which Power of God keeps the Mind over all outward things in the Everlasting Power of God above them for the Power of God was before Unrighteousness and Uncleanness and the Idolatrous Part in Man was which Power of God is a cross to it and in that is the true Glorying in the Cross of Christ by which ye all are Crucified to the World and Dead to the World and the World is Dead to you Dead to the World through the Power of the Cross and the World is dead from the Power of the Cross in which Power is the Fellowship of
Meetings in the Name of the Lord Jesus Christ that never fell Epist 241. in which you may see over all the Meetings that are gathered by all the Sons of Adam that are out of the Power and Life You that are gathered in the Name of the Lord Jesus Christ that never feel him will you feel in the midst of your Gatherings in the Light Life and Truth And so look over all the Wicked's Prisons at the Seed of God Christ which was before they were and will stand when they are all gone And so never heed the Wicked's Tempest Storm nor Hail nor his Arrows nor Instruments of Cruelty let nor the Back and the Hair the Cheek and the Shoulder be ever turned from him though many Weapons be formed against him and his followers yet they shall never Prosper for the Seed Christ shall reign over all and will stand when they are gone which was before they were And so be Faithful unto the Lord God and be Valiant for his Truth upon Earth Shewing that something will oppose it or else what need the word Valiant be spoken And so mind the Truth and not the Wicked's Persecutions and the Living Way which is Christ Jesus who never fell nor changeth in which you may see over all Adam's Sons and Daughters Ways in the Fall who do change being in the Way Christ Jesus that never fell who doth not change in this Way you have Life Eternal in which you see over all in the Fall in which is Death and so Christ being the Way he that forsakes his Way forsakes his Life and he that doth not come out of the Way of Adam that fell into the Way of Adam that never fell lives in Death So let all haste and run for their Lives into Adam that never fell out of Adam that fell for Adam's Ways that fell are the Ways of Death but Adam that never fell is the Way of Life In Adam in the Fall is Trouble and Unquietness but in Adam that never fell is Peace and Rest In Adam in the Fall is Shadows and Turnings but in Adam who is the Living Way is no Shadows nor Turnings So every one in Adam that never fell Christ Jesus who never changeth the same yesterday to day and for ever then you are in the Living Way in which you all have Life in Christ the Living Way which never fell And so He is the Way and he that forsakes the Way Christ forsakes his Life In this all may sound forth Who hath any thing against this Way Christ who nevr fell nor changed 'T was Adam changed and Eve changed and their Sons and Daughters in the Fall are in the falling changing changable Ways But who are in Christ that never fell sees over them all in the Fall that turns about with every Wind as it ariseth And so in your Way live all in Christ Jesus so will you feel Light Life and Power that Life which was with the Father before the World began In that all Feed and in that feel Power and that way never changeth with the Winds and Tempest and the cry is Haste haste out of Adam and Eve's evil Ways in the Death Fall and Changings and run run out of them into the Second Adam the Life and the Way that never fell nor changeth G. F. The Saints Weapons are Spiritual that the Blessing of God may come upon all Men. WE are not against any Man Epist 242. but desire that the Blessing of the Lord may come upon all Men and that which brings the Curse may be destroyed and in patience do we wait for that and with Spiritual Weapons against it do we wrestle and not against any Man or Woman's Person For amongst Us Christ is King who bringeth the Blessing and destroyeth that which brought the Curse And whoever dwells in Righteousness Man or Woman and loves Mercy and doth Justly and walks Humbly with God and hath the Humility which goes before the Honour we are not against But whosoever doth Unrighteously or doth not Justly nor Righteously nor walk Humbly before God and will have Honour before Humility God will overturn such by his Power And in that let your Faith be for we look not at Persons but at the Power of God and know the reign of Christ amongst us And as it is said God save the King or God bless the King we would not have him nor any Man destroyed but saved and so blessed And the saved Man will not suffer any thing to rule that destroys and so our Mind is and we would that all Men were saved and come to the knowledge of the Truth which the Persecutors are out of And all Friends dwell in the endless Power of the Lord in which the Supremacy is known and the Power which hath no end whose Dominion is over all Dominions and will stand when all other have an end and in that is the Patience felt which runneth the Race and obtaineth the Crown and that hath the Wisdom which is sweet and cool and pure whereby the living Truth hath the Supremacy and Dominion and in that keep your Meetings G. F. ALL my Dear Friends Epist 243. this is your Day to stand in him that stood stedfast and reign'd over old Adam and the Devil and all the Persecutors Old Adam did not stand but Christ the second Adam the heavenly Man stood and never fell Ye I say in him stand for now is your time to stand in the Life over Death and in the Light over Darkness and in the Seed that bruises the Serpent's Head in whom you all have Life Dominion and Peace The Lord is coming upon the Wicked in his Thundering Power for they are ripe For they are all corrupt with Blood and their Flesb is rotten and they are all fallen into the Pit being led by their Blind Guides into the Pit and Ditches where they are rot and stink being putrified with the heat of their Lusts G. F. To Friends in Barbadoes Virginia Maryland New-England and elsewhere OH Epist 244. You all that have tasted of the Power of the Lord God and of his Truth that is pure and doth not admit of any impurity nor change O! therefore the holy Truth mind which will let nothing that is unholy in you live For nothing that is unholy can enter into the Kingdom of God and none that are disobedient to Truth must enter into the Paradise of God for because of Disobedience was Man and Woman put out of Paradise And therefore all every where mind the pure Power of the Lord God and the Truth which first Convinced you and whatsoever is gotten up through the Carnal Reason and your Eyes going from the Power of God and that which doth Convince you let that be purged out of your Hearts if not it will lift up your Hearts to Consultations Subtilty Questionings Reasonings and Disputes Oh! I fell too much of that which hath gotten up into the wrong understanding
Lord Jesus Christ and may beas lights to the dark World and Salt to season the Vnsavoury for every Sacrifice which was offered up to God it was to be seasoned with Salt Every Sacrifice to be seasoned with Salt so every Sacrifice now that is to be offered up to God it must be seasoned and made savoury with this heavenly Salt of his heavenly Spirit so that all may give a good savour to him and be as a sweet smelling Sacrifice to the pure holy God that made all to his Glory and you cannot bring forth this holy righteous and pure Fruit unto God but as you abide in Christ Jesus the Truth who did descend and ascend far above all Principalities Thrones and Dominions that he might have the Preheminence above all and that ye in Him might live above all unto God and so every one of you that has received Christ Jesus the Lord over all So in Him who is your Lord walk who is the Amen and there all the Living can Praise God together and the Living gathers in the Name of Jesus the Name of him who was dead and is alive again and lives for evermore who is the First and Last And here you all know that there is no Salvation in any other name under the whole Heaven but in the Name of Jesus who is a Priest made highter than the Heavens So in his Name keep your Meetings To keep their Meetings in the Name of Jesus in whom you have Salvation and these are the true Meetings and true Gatherings who feels Jesus Christ in the midst of them their Prophet their Councellor their Leader their Light and Life their Way and their Truth their Shepherd that laid down his Life for them that has bought you his Sheep who feeds you in his Pastures of Life and your heavenly Bishop to over-see you that you do not go astray again from God And so it 's through him you overcome and he that overcomes shall go no more forth out of his Fold out of his Pastures who shall sit down in the heavenly Places in Christ Jesus who is your Priest that offered up himself for you and Sacrifices you and makes you holy and clean that he may present you blameless up to the the holy and pure God and here you come to witness and know him in his Offices by his Light Spirit and Power and all your Mens and Womens Meetings in the Power of God which was before the Devil and his Power was Of the holy Order of the Cospel in the Holy Order of the Gospel keep them you being Heirs of the Everlasting Gospel the Everlasting Power of God that will last for ever a joyful Gospel in joyful Order a comfortable Gospel so a comfortable Order a glorious Gospel and glorious Order So in this Everlasting Gospel the Power of God in which you have Everlasting Fellowship and Dominion over all Sin and Wickedness Vnrighteousness Vnholiness and all that is bad whatsoever you have Dominion over in the Gospel the Power of God yea over the Devil And this Gospel may every one testifie unto and to the Order of it that it is not of Man nor by Man neither is it received but by the Revelation of Jesus Christ sent down from Heaven which all the Believers that have part in the first Resurrection lives walks and keeps in the Order of this Gospel and so has Power to Admonish Exhort Reprove and Rebuke with all Authority such as talks of Christ and does not walk in him such as profess him and does not possess him such as lives not in the Religion that was set up above Sixteen Hundred Years since such as profess Christ the Way and walk not in the Way the Truth and the Life all such talkers and not walkers are dishonourers of God and causes his holy Name to be blasphemed among such as make no Profession And therefore all Friends that knows that you are alive to God by Jesus Christ and knows your translation from Death to Christ the Life and from Darkness to Christ the Light so that you may all come now to be helps meet in your Restoration by Christ Jesus into the Image of God and his Righteousness and Holiness as Man and Woman was in before they fell For before they fell they were meet helps to subdue the Earth they had both Power over all that God made while they kept in the Image of God and his Righteousness and Holiness and so all that God made was blest and good to them and so none can renew up into the Righteousness and Image of God but Christ Jesus And therefore I say in him live and walk and keep his Gospel-Fellowship and Order so that Men and Women may be meet helps in the distinct Men and Womens Meetings one unto another in the Gospel the Power of God Men and Women helps meet iâ— their services in the Restoration as Man and Woman was in before they fell So if the Men has any thing to communicate unto the Women or the Women any thing to the Men in the Righteousness and Wisdom and Power of God in the Gospel-Order in which the heavenly Fellowship Vnity and Order is kept they may as Brethren and Sisters So here is the Foundation of our Meetings and our Men and Womens Meetings is testified unto by the Spirit of the Everlasting God that the Foundation of them is Christ of the increase of his righteous glorious and spiritual Government and Peace there is no end nor of the glorious everlasting heavenly Vnity and Order of his Heavenly Gospel which the spiritual and heavenly Minds keeps and walks in accordingly which is not of Man nor by Man so Man has no Glory but God and Christ alone who is Almighty Omnipotent Immortal Everlasting and Eternal and dwells in the Light blessed for ever the Inexpressible God And so all keep the Vnity of his Eternal Spirit which is the Eternal Bond of your Heavenly and Eternal Peace of your King of Kings Lord of Lords and Prince of Princes Peace Amen All Friends be faithful in the Lord's Power and in his Spirit to the Lord God and his Truth that is over all and will keep you over all as you all do live and walk in it to the Glory of God and bring forth Fruits that is heavenly to his Praise So live in the Possession of Life Eternal which was before Death And so in this Power of Christ nothing can get between you and the Lord your Everlasting Home So with my Love Swarthmore the 10th Month 1675. G. F. To all the Elect and Chosen of God in Christ Jesus before the Foundation of the World FRiends and Brethren Epist 317. It lies upon me from the Lord to write unto you these following Lines First I was sent out by the Lord God in his Eternal Light and Power G. F. sent to preach the Word of Life to preach the Word of Life which was
and by ti keep in the Order of the Law of Life whcih they have in Christ Jesus Such as folow the God of the World bate the Order of Truth And they that follow the World's God that are out of Truth and disobey their Creator the God of Truth and the Lord Jesus Christ I say all such obey and follow him in whom there is no Truth and such cannot endure to hear talk of the Order of Truth and of the Gospel or the Law or Order of the Spirit of Life which is in Christ Jesus which all they that do obey the Voice of the Lord and Christ Jesus in his Light Grace and Truth and Gospel the Power of God and his Holy Spirit and Faith and Word of Life within come into Unity and Fellowship one with another and with the Son and with the Father and in this they know the Order of Christ and God to be a God of Order and delights in his Heavenly and Eternal Order of Light Life Power and Spirit of God that is over Death and Darkness and the World's God who is a God of Disorder in whom there is no true Order but Confusion and into this holy Order of the Everlasting Light and Life he cannot come Glory to the Lord God and his Son Christ Jesus who is over all from evelasting to Everlasting and is the Rock and Foundation and Habitation of his People blessed for ever and evermore Amen G. F. POSTSCRIPT Here you may see by these following Scriptures how the Apostles loved the Good and holy Order of Christ in his Gospel Some Scripture Collections concerning good Order in the Church and Light and Life and Truth but as Job said The Land of Darknese is without any Order And Babylon signifies Confusion which is the false Church and is called a Woman and a City of Confusion who iw against the Order of the true Church and gets the Titles of the true Chruch that is called a City and a Woman which brings forth the Man-Child Christ Jesus and of the increase of his Government and peace there shall be no end who sits upon the Throne of David and upon his dom to order it to establish it with Judgment and with Justice henceforth and for ever So here you may see Christ doth in his Kingdom and them that have him have his Order Isa 9.7 And David saith Although mine House be not so with God yet he hath made with me an Everlasting Covenant ordered in all thins and sure for this is all my Salvation and all my Desire c. 2 Sam. 23.5 Again David saith Order my steps by thy Word and let not Iniquity have Dominion over me Psalm 119.133 Which is the Duty of every Christian to have their Steps ordered by the Word of God that lives and abides and endures for ever which Word is a Word of Order And David saith The Steps of a good Man are ordered by the lord and he delights in his Way I have been young and now am old yet I have not seen the Righteous forsaken nor his Seed begging Bread He is ever merciful and lendeth and his Seed is blessed Psalm 37. Here you may see how the Lord delights in him and them that walk in the Steps the Lord orders them with his Word And him that orders his Conversation aright shall see the Salvation of God Psalm 50.23 And this Order must be in the Light which is the Life in Christ the Saviour And the Apostle Paul after he had spoken many things to the Corinthians he said Therest will I set in Order when I come 1 Cor. 11.34 And he saith concerning the Collections for the Saints in 1 Cor. 16.1 As I have given Order to the Churches of Galatia even so do ye to wit the Corinthians So they were to practise the same Order which were the Believers in Christ which the Apstle in the Power of Christ had given to them For the Apostle had the Wisdom of God which he had ordained before the World began unto the Glory of his People then and now also 1 Cor. 2. And the Order that the Apostle did give to the Churches of the Galatians and the Corinthians was That upon the First Day of the Week every one of them lay by him in store as God had prospered him c. 1 Cor. 16.2 And in Acts 14. When they had ordained Elders in every Church and had prayed they commended them to the Lord on whom they had believed confirming the Souls of the Disciples Elders Ordained c. and exhorting them to continue in the Faith and that they must through much Tribulation enter into the Kingdom of God And as Paul and others with him went through the Cities Decrees to be kept they delivered them the Decrees for to keep that were ordaine of the Apostles and Elders which were at Jerusalem and so were the Churches established in the Faith and increased in Number daily Acts 16. And the Occasion of these Decrees was because some Men that went from Judea taught the Brethren saying Except ye be circamcised after the manner of Moses ye cannot be saved Acts 15. And these Decrees were to stop such Preachers For the Apostles and Elders said Forasmuch as we have heard that certain which went out from us have troubled you with ords subverting your Souls saying Ye must be circumcised and keep the Law to whom we gave no such Commandment Now it is clear the Apostles and Elders gave these Teachers no such Commandment to preach such Doctrine to Trouble the Chruches And the Apostle Paul after he had spent some time t Caesaria and Antioch he went over all the Country of Asia and Phrygia in Order strengthening all the Disciples Acts 18. So you may see how they were a Comfort one to another And the Apostle writes to Titus Titus in Creete Chap. 1. For this Cause I have left thee in Creete that thou shouldst set in Order the thins that are wanting and ordain Elders in every City as I have appointed thee So here Titus in the Sapirit of God did observe that which Paul in the Power of Christ did exhort him to But such as are against the Order and Pracxtice in the Light and Gospel cannot order their Speeches by teason of SDarkness And the Apostle saith Col. 2.5 Though I be absent in the Flesh yet am I with you in the Spirit joying and beholding your Order and steadfastness of your Faith in Christ As ye have therefore received Christ Jesus the Lord so walk ye in him Here the Apostle rejoyced in the Order that kept them in the Faith and Steadfastness in Christ Jesus Therefore the Apostle saith Every Man in his own Order Christ the First Fruits c. For in Adam all died even so in Christ shall all be made alive And they that are alive in Christ Jesus are in his Order of Life and Light and in his Gospel the Power of God And the Apostle
but Love that every one of you may be adorned with a meek and quiet Spirit which is with the Lord of great Price and every one of you to be indued with Wisdom from on High which is pure and peaceable gentle and easie to be intreated and full of Mercy and good Works let the Fruits of this appear among you all and then you will all be gentle and easily entreated one of another And keep in the Vnity of the Spirit which is the Bond of the heavenly Peace and then none quenches it and all walking as becomes the Glorious Joyful Peaceable Gospel of Christ which is the Power of God which was before the Devil and his Power was and is over him in this Gospel you all know Life and Immortality brought to Light that you all see your Everlasting Glorious Fellowship in the Everlasting Gospel of Peace in this Gospel the Power of God that was before Enmity was and will remain when it is gone And therefore all you who know this Glorious Gospel of Peace live and walk in it keeping your Glorious Heavenly Comfortable Fellowship in this Glorious Gospel of Peace in which Enmity cannot come as before and in this Everlasting Gospel the Everlasting God who is over all from Everlasting to Everlasting will have the Praise Glory and Thanks who is worthy of all for ever and evermore London the 7th of the 12th Month 1680. G. F. To Friends in Yorkshire DEar Friends Epist 365. In the Lord's Power and Holy Spirit feel his Presence amongst you who hath drawn you with his Spirit to his Son and you that have received him he gives you Power to become his Sons and Daughters and so from the Son of God the second Adam you have Power to meet whose Power is above Adam's Power and his Sons and Daughters in the Fall And now my Friends If you do want Wisdom and Knowledge to order you in the Affairs and Service of God Christ the Treasure of Wisdom c. Christ is the Treasure of your Wisdom and Knowledge and so receive them from his Treasury which is above This heavenly saving Wisdom and Knowledge from whence you have your Grace and Truth Light and Life and the Gospel the heavenly Spirit yea heavenly Food and heavenly Bread and Water of Life from above and the unleavened Bread and sweet Milk of the Word and Water of Life to keep the Feast of the heavenly Man's Passover which is not to be found in any of old Adam's Sons and Daughters Store-houses in the Fall but his old mouldy leavened sowre Bread which makes his Sons and Daughters Hearts to burn one against another and Cloaths them with his old Rags which will not cover their Nakedness which they have stitch'd together which must be all cast off and trodden under Foot by the Spirit and Power of Christ which Power turns you to Christ who Cloaths all his Sons and Daughters with his heavenly Fine Linnen which will never wax old And therefore let all your Lamps be trimmed and Candles lighted that all of you may see your Work and Service for God and Christ in this his Day So that you may have the Blessings from above from him as the holy Men and Women of God had in the days of old so that there may be nothing lacking neither Spiritual nor Temporal And so let all things be done in Peace and Love in the Name and Power of Jesus amongst you and all condescend to one another in Meekness Patience and Quietness in the Fear of the Lord being all ordered with the Wisdom of God which is from above which is pure peaceable gentle and easie to be intreated that all your Hearts Minds and Souls may be knit together in the Love of Christ and that you may be all of one Mind and Spirit in him and whatever you do let it be done in the Name and Power of Jesus to the Glory of God the Father that created all and takes care for all Blessed for ever Amen London the 6th of the 4th Month 1680. G. F. A Letter to the Captives who met together to Worship God in Algier DEar Friends I understand by a Letter from a Friend Epist 366. a Captive amongst you dated the 20th of the 10th Month 1681 That you have a Meeting there in Algier of about Twenty I am glad to hear you meet and it is very well that you have so much Liberty from your Patroons and my desire is That the Lord may preserve you all that do meet in the Name of Jesus that in your Lives and Conversations and Words To preach Righteousness in Life and Conversation you may preach Righteousness and Holiness and Godliness and the Life of Truth so that you may answer the Spirit of God both in the Turks and Moors and the rest of the Captives that God's City may be set upon the holy Hill there which cannot be hid but that all may see it with the Light wherewith Christ hath enlightned every Man that cometh into the World And that Christ's Ensign may be set up in those Parts that with his Light in all Men they may all see it and flock to it and Christ the Ensign furnisheth all that come to him with heavenly Armour and Spiritual Weapons Now Christ enlightens every Man that cometh into the World that every one may believe in the Light and may become a Child of the Light and have Eternal Life and be saved and so the Gospel of Salvation the Power of God is to be preached to every Creature under Heaven And he that believes is saved and hath the Salvation for Christ by the Grace of God hath tasted Death for every Man And the Grace of God that brings Salvation hath appeared to all Men And therefore all Men if they will have Salvation it must be by believing receiving and walking in the Grace of God which brings it And the Lord pours out of his Spirit upon all Flesh and therefore all Men and Women must come to this Holy Spirit of God by which the Spirit of Enmity may be slain and crucified in them that in this Holy Spirit of God they may all be in Love and Vnity and with the Spirit of God they may all come to know the Eternal Immortal God and serve and worship him in his Holy Spirit of Truth which he hath poured upon them And in this all will honour God and glorifie him through Jesus Christ in his New Covenant of Light and Grace And so my Dear Friends be faithful and valiant for God's Truth upon Earth and do not deny the Name of Jesus To be valiant for the Truth in whom you have Salvation whose Name is above every Name under the whole Heaven that ye may all be with his Light built upon him your Rock and Foundation that stands sure And now my Dear Friends tho' you remain as Captives yet if ye be Christ's and God's Free-men who leads the Devil into
the Chaff of the Summer Threshing-Floor and the Wind carried them away that no place was found for them and the Stone that smote this Image became a great Mountain and filled the whole Earth Christ filleth all things with his Divinity Dan. 2. Is not this Christ Jesus who hath all Power in Heaven and Earth given to him that he filleth the whole Earth with his Divinity to whom God gave the Heathen for an Inheritance and the attermost parts of the Earth for his Possession and his Seed doth inherit the Gentiles Isa 54. And doth not Christ now inherit the Gentiles or Heathen Yea the uttermost parts of the Earth he possesses with his divine Power Light and Seed who filleth the whole Earth and hath all Power in Heaven and Earth and Ruleth with his Spiritnal Divine Rod of Iron Not a Rod of corruptible Iron but he Ruleth them with his Divine Rod and dashes them to pieces like a Potters Vessel they that are the Children of the Kingdom see this and know Christ to rule in their Hearts and sit down in the heavenly Places in Christ Jesus who is the First and Last the Beginning and Ending by whom all things were made G. F. DEar Friends in Holland Friezland Hamborough Frederickstad Dantzick Palatinate and all other places there-aways where God's Truth and Ensign is set up Epist 403. Peace Grace and Truth be multiplied among you from God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ the Fountain of all Life Peace Grace and heavenly Wisdom and Vnderstanding and the God of all Power and Peace through our Lord Jesus Christ fill you with it and his heavenly Riches and that you may all walk worthy of his heavenly Calling in all Holiness Righteousness and Godliness c. in Life and Conversation and that by the Word of Life and Patience you may answer the Truth in all both High and Low so that you may be of good savour to God in the Hearts of all People For you know there is no other Way to God but by Christ Jesus No Way to God but by Christ Jesus and you know that God has raised up Christ to be a Prophet in his New Testament to be heard in all things and you know He opens and none can shut and he shuts and none can open and you know that Christ is the Bishop of your Souls to oversee that you do not go astray from God And you know that Christ is the true Shepherd and has laid down his Life for his Sheep and they know his Voice and they follow him and he gives them Life Eternal And also you know that Christ is your High Priest made higher than the Heavens by the Power of an Endless Life and by him you are made a Spiritual Priesthood to offer up Spiritual Sacrifices to God And as for our Yearly Meeting the Presence of the Eternal God Was amongst us and his Glory which shines over all and all was quiet and peaceable and it was the Lord's doing blessed be his Name for ever And your Epistle was read in the Yearly Meeting and Friends in the Lord's Power Read it and had Unity with your Spirits and are Sensible of your Spiritual Care in the Lord 's Eternal Power concerning Truth 's Affairs in those Parts In which God Almighty preserve you and increase you both in his Wisdom Knowledge and Vnderstanding that you may spread his blessed Truth abroad and answer it in all People Amen London the 10th of the 4th Month 1685. G. F. To Friends in Pensilvania DEar Friends Epist 404. I am glad to hear of the good Yearly Meeting at Road-Island and that the Lord's Power and Presence was there among you and it would be very well to Visit the Generation of the Righteous and to see how their Seed and Vines do grow in their heavenly Vineyards and Plantations and what heavenly Riches they have laid up in Store in God's Kingdom and to see how the Wheat is gathered into God's Garner and that all keep in the Worship that Christ set up in his Spirit and Truth and that all walk in the New and Living Way over all the Dead Ways in the World and all walk in the pure undefiled Religion that keeps from the Spots of the World and to see that all are guided in the pure and gentle Wisdom that is easie to be intreated and in the Love of God that can bear all things by which all peevish short and brittle Spirits may be kept down so that all may have their good Conversation in Christ Jesus all striving for Unity in the Spirit and the holy Faith that giveth and keepeth Victory over the Enemy And so that all may have a care of their Minds running into the Earth and Carnal Things For to be Carnally-minded is Death but to be Spiritually-minded is Life and Peace and let all take heed of neglecting the Gift of God but stir up the pure Mind one in another and the Lord with his Eternal Arm and Power preserve you diligent in his heavenly Work and Service in his Vineyard that it may not grow over with Briars Thorns and Thistles to choak the tender Plants And so my Desires are That you may live and walk in Christ Jesus and that you may answer the Truth in all the Professors and the Heathen And prize your Liberty both Natural and Spiritual while you have it and labour in the Truth while it is Day Remember me to all Friends as though I named them and as for the State of Friends here we are under great Sufferings and spoiling of Goods and Imprisonments and they have of late increased in spoiling of our Goods but God is All-sufficient who doth support us Glory to his Name for ever So with my Love in Christ Jesus to you all in whom you have all Eternal Rest and Peace with God Amen Bednal-Green the 10th of the 9th Month 1685. G. F. To Friends of the Ministry in Pensilvania and New-Jersey DEar Friends With my Love to you all Epist 405. and all the rest of Friends I was glad to hear from you but you gave me no account of the increase of Truth amongst you nor what Meetings you have had amongst the Indian Kings and their People abroad in the Countries and of your visiting Friends in New-England Virginia and Carolina nor of your Travels and Labours in the Gospel who hath in all those Countries liberty to serve and worship God and preach the Truth And I understand many have a desire to live in it especially in Carolina and you who travel now from Friends to Friends thither it is thought strange that you do not visit them therefore I desire that you may all improve your Gifts and Talents and not hide it in a Napkin lest it be taken from you and not to put your Candle under a Bushel lest it go out and not to be like the foolish Virgins which kept their Name of Virgins but neglected having
I say unto you the Hour is coming and now is when the dead shall hear the Voice of the Son of God and they that hear shall live John 5.25 Christ saying The Hour cometh and now is that the Dead should hear his Voice So that they past from the Death that came by Adam into Everlasting Life in Christ Jesus See Ephes 2.1 2. And so they thanked God through Jesus Christ who gave them the Victory over Death and Sin Death's Sting so as it is written Death is swallowed up in Victory For Christ as I said before makes an End of Sin that is the Sting of Death and through Death destroys Death and the Devil the Power of Death So thanks be to God through and by Christ Jesus we have the Victory unto Everlasting Life over the Grave Death and its Sting And the Apostle saith Flesh and Blood cannot inherit the Kingdom of God Flesh and Blood cannot inherit the Kingdom of God neither doth Corruption inherit Incorruption And Christ saith Except a Man be born of the Spirit he cannot see the Kingdom of God neither can he enter into the Kingdom of God 1 Cor. 15.50 John 3.3 5. And Christ saith He that heareth my Word and believeth on him that sent me hath everlasting Life and shall not come into Condemnation but is past from Death to Life John 5.24 And he that believeth not is condemned already And he that believeth on the Son of God shall not perish but have eternal Life And again God so loved the World that he gave his only begotten Son that whosoever believed in him should not perish but have everlasting Life John 3.15 16 18. Now this Death which Adam fell into was a spiritual Death for by one Man's Disobedience or Offence namely Adam Judgment came upon all Men to Condemnation So all Men are under this Judgment and Condemnation in Adam in the Fall Even so by the Righteousness of one namely Christ the free Gift came upon all Men unto Justification of Life Rom. 5.18 19. So they that do not believe in Christ They who believe not in Christ abide in Death c. the Light as he Commands John 12.36 they abide in spiritual Death and Darkness and under the Judgment and Condemnation in Adam in the Fall in the perishing state But he that believeth on the Son of God hath Everlasting Life and passeth from Death to Life and shall not perish in Darkness and is not condemned but comes out of Condemnation c. But he that believeth not in the Son of God is condemned and shall not see Life and the Wrath of God abideth on him Such abide in the perishing state in the Death and Darkness in Adam in the Fall under Judgment and Condemnation But they that believe in Christ the Light do come out of Darkness and passes from Death to Life and come from under Judgment and Condemnation that came upon all Men by the Offence of one Man Adam and come from under the Wrath of God and from under Judgment and Condemnation into Favour with God and into Eternal and Everlasting Life in Christ Jesus and so have Victory over Death Darkness and Sin its Sting and the perishing State and the Grave of Adam in the Fall from Life Eternal and so are blessed that have part in the first Resurrection in Christ Jesus On such the second Death shall have no Power for they are in Christ Jesus the Resurrection and Eternal Everlasting Life and their Names are written in the Book of Life who destroys Death and Hell and the Devil the Power of Death Revel 20.10 14 15. And casts the Devil Death and Hell into the Lake of Fire that burns with Brimstone which is the second Death And The last Enemy that shall b destroyed is Death as the Apostle saith The last Enemy that shall be destroyed is Death But as it is written in Hos 13.14 Death is swallowed up into Victory For by Man namely Adam came Death and by Man namely Christ came also the Resurrection of the dead For as in Adam all died even so in Christ shall all be made alive So as by the one Man Adam Sin and Death came over all and by the Man Christ Life cometh over all And by Nature we are born of Adam and in Christ we are made the Children of God by Grace in Christ and quickened and made alive and restored to Life Everlasting by him And Christ who puts all things under his Feet he subdues Death under him who through Death destroys Death the last Enemy and the Devil the Power of Death and so makes an End of Sin the Sting of Death and brings in Everlasting Righteousness And in the way of Righteousness is Life and in the Path-way there is no Death The Law of the wise is a Fountain of Life to depart from the Snares of Death Prov. 12.28 13.14 The Lord saith Behold I create new Heavens and a new Earth and the former shall not be remembred nor come into mind But be you glad and rejoyce for ever in that which I create For behold I create Jerusalem a Rejoycing and her People a Joy And I will Rejoyce in Jerusalem and Joy in my People and the Voice of Weeping shall be no more heard in her nor the Voice of Crying Isa 65.17 18. And Peter saith in his General Epistle to the Church We according to his promise look for new Heavens and a new Earth wherein dwelleth Righteousness 2 Pet. 3.13 And John saith I saw a new Heaven and a new Earth Of New Heavens and the New Earth for the first Heaven and the first Earth were passed away and there was no more a Sea And I John saw the holy City new Jerusalem coming down from God out of Heaven prepared as a Bride adorned for her Husband And I heard a great Voice out of Heaven saying Behold the Tabernacle of God is with Men and he will dwell with them and they shall be his People and God shall be with them and be their God and God shall wipe away all Tears from their Eyes and there shall be no more Death mark no more Death in new Jerusalem neither Sorrow nor Crying neither shall there be any more Pain For the former things are passed away And he that sate upon the Throne said Behold I make all things new And he said unto me Write for these things are true and faithful And he said unto me It is done I am Alpha and Omega the Beginning and the End I will give unto him that is athirst of the Fountain of the Water of Life freely he that overcometh shall inherit all things and I will be his God and he shall be my Son Rev. 21.1 to the 8th Jerusalem which is below is in Bondage with her Children but Jerusalem which is above is free which is the Mother of us all which believe in the Light in Christ And in this New and Heavenly Jerusalem there
is no Death nor Night and the Nations of them that are saved shall walk in the Light of this New and Heavenly Jerusalem For the Glory of God doth enlighten it and the Lamb is the Light thereof and the Lord God and the Lamb are the Temple of this New and Heavenly Jerusalem that is from above and the Lord creates this Heavenly Jerusalem So this Heavenly and New Jerusalem is not made by the Workmanship of Mens Hands nor of Wood and Stone neither are People cast in Prison for not mending or repairing a Temple there for there is no outward Temple in the Heavenly Jerusalem for the Lord God Almighty and the Lamb are the Temple of it And the New Creatures that are in Christ Jesus and dwell in Love they dwell in God Such are in the Temple in Heavenly Jerusalem and are in Joy and in Fellowship with the Father and the Son blessed for ever Amen And Christ said to the Jews The Bread of God is he that cometh down from Heaven and giveth Life to the World No Persecution in New Jerusalem signifying that the World is Dead in Adam and wanteth Eternal Everlasting Life and they that eat not the Flesh of Christ and drink not his Blood have no Life in them For Adam and Eve by eating of the Fruit which God forbid them brought Death and all died in him but they that eat the Flesh of Christ the Bread from Heaven and drink his Blood have Eternal Life and shall live for ever and they do live by Christ and they do dwell in Christ and he doth dwell in them So you may see Adam and Eve by their eating of that which God forbad brought them into Spiritual Death and by eating the Flesh and drinking the Blood of Christ as he commands brings Men into a Spiritual Life that is Eternal And the Lord saith Ezek. 37. concerning the whole House of Israel which were the dry scattered Bones That he would open their Graves Of the Restoration of the House of Israel and bring them out of their Graves and yet these dry Bones which were the whole House of Israel that were in their Graves could speak who were the scattered Bones and say Behold our Bones are dry and our Hope is lost we are cut off for our parts So it seems that the whole House of Israel scattered Bones who were in their Graves could speak these words Then they were alive outwardly and their Breath was in their Nostrils but they were gone from the Breath of the Almighty that gives Life and Understanding Therefore the Lord poured his Spirit upon them and caused Breath to come upon them that they might live to God and so that they might all have one Shepherd namely Christ and come into his Everlasting Covenant and Christ their Sanctuary and then God's Tabernacle would be with them and then the Lord will be their God and they shall be his People G. F. To the Yearly Meeting in Yorkshire DEar Friends Epist 411. who are the Sons and Daughters of God who have his Law written in your Hearts by which you know God and Jesus Christ which is Eternal Life to know and you that have put on Christ Jesus are the New Creatures and are in him Clothed with Christ the Son of Righteousness To be Clothed with Christ who is the Light of the World and you that believe in the Light have the Light of Life and are Clothed with the Son of God that doth not change and are the true and living Members of the Church of Christ Jesus that is in God and have the Moon that is changeable under your Feet So all changable Religions Worships Ways Churches and Teachers which are like the Changeable Moon and the Changeable World with its Changeable Fashions the true Church of Christ that are Clothed with Christ the Son that doth not change hath all these Changeable Things like the Moon that changes under her Feet for the Son of God never changes for all things were made by him who is the First and Last the Beginning and Ending So as every one hath received Christ Jesus the Son of Righteousness walk in him to the Praise and Glory of God Amen London the 31st of the 3d Month 1686. G. F. To Friends in West-Jersey and Pensilvania DEar Friends Epist 412. I am glad to hear that the Truth 's Concerns is so well as it is with you and that you have set up your Half Years Meeting there which may be of great Service Half Years Meeting in America For indeed all the faithful Men and Women in the Power of the Lord do keep their Meetings that they may take care of God's Glory and to see that all are diligent that profess the Truth to walk in it and all the Loose and such as despise Dignities and the Power of God and true Christianity should be Admonish'd and Exhorted and not to have a Name of Truth without the Nature of it And so that all may walk in the Truth and by it come into a holy Life and Conversation by that they may answer that which is good both in the People among you and in the Indians For through want of Order in the Power of God and his Light Life and Truth there has been so many runnings out some one way and some another way And therefore all that are Faithful in your Country being kept in the Lord 's Eternal Power To keep our Meetings in the Lord's Power in it keep up all your Men and Womens Meetings that the Power of the Lord God may sparead over all and by it all Deceit and Loosness may be kept under and this will ease all the Magistrates and their Courts of all Evil and Loosness by having it stop'd and kill'd in the Birth before it comes into Action and to see in your Meetings that Friends may give no Occasion to the Indians And if sometimes you should have some Meetings with the Indian Kings and their Councils to let them know the Principles of Truth To inform the Indians of the Way of Salvation so that they may know the Way of Salvation and the Nature of true Christianity and how that Christ hath died for them who tasted Death for every Man And so the Gospel of Salvation must be Preached to every Creature under Heaven and how that Christ hath enlightned them who enlightens all that come into the World And God hath poured out his Spirit upon all Flesh and so the Indians must receive God's Spirit for the Grace of God which brings Salvation hath appeared to all Men And so let them know that they have a Day of Salvation Grace and Favour of God offered unto them if they will receive it it will be their Blessing And so now you that are settled in those Parts which have had a Testimony from the Lord to bear to People of the Truth you should spread abroad God's Eternal Truth and have
and Low that nothing may reign Keep Low but Life among you and unto the Power of God be Obedient And Friends the going from the Life and Power into the Changable things there is the Strife which the Life is over by which Power of God all things were made wherein Wisdom is received to order all things to his Glory So the Seed Christ in you all know which doth go over the Earth and inherits the Promise of God that ye may be all Heirs of the Promise of God And Cease from your own Words The Promise of God but in the Power live for it breaks down Rocks Mountains old and Sandy Foundations and the Bond of Iniquity and makes up the Breach between God and Man and breaks down that which made the Breach So the Seed know one in another which Seed is Christ who according to the Flesh was of Abraham and according to the Spirit the Son of God And this is the Word of the Lord God to all Friends and a Charge to you from the Lord God To live in Peace one with another and that the Peace Life and Wisdom of God may rule you all G. F. To all Friends to abide in their Callings TO all Dear Friends who are called who are enlightned Epist 79. whose Midns are turned from the World's Worships and Teachers having your Eye to the Light and Guide within which is leading you out of this dark World and your old vain Conversations towards God and the World which is without End Mercy and Peace from God the Father be multiplied among you Every one of you abide in your Calling waiting upon God where he hath called you And take heed of Reasoning with Flesh and Blood for there Disobedience Pride and Presumption will arise and there ye will grow up to be Trees Fruitless Trees that bear no Fruit and as a Fig-Tree which beareth Leaves and no Fruit and as Wells without Water Oh! Therefore mind the Pure which would lead you out of this Corruptible Heathenish dark World and its vain Ways and from Destruction and Death to Life And so the Lord God of Power bless you guide you and preserve you on in your Way towards the holy City being called out of the unholy City for he that hath called you is Holy Now many are called but few are chosen Oh! Therefore abide in that which hath called you which is Holy and Pure up to him who is Holy and Pure and let the Time past of your eil Ways be sufficient wherein ye have lived in Wickedness and in the Ways of this untoward Generation lest your Minds do turn back into Egypt and the World and so cause the Worthy Name of the Lord to be blasphemed which hath called you by turning aside and growing into Hardness of Heart and turning from a pure Conscience and making Shipwrack of it and of Faith For ye may see how far many may go and did go and were led out of many things yet did turn again into the World So mind your present Guide and your present Condition and your Call what ye are called from and what ye are called to for whom the Lord hath called and chosen The Lord's Free-Men are the Lord's Free-Men And so abide every one in your Calling with God where God hath called you and there walk in Newness of Life and not in the Oldness of the Letter for he that turneth from him that calleth walks not in the Life of God Therefore all Friends walk in the Truth and in the Love of it up to God and every one in particular mind your Guide that ye may grow up in Wisdom Improve your Talents and improve your own Talents and the Gift which God hath given you And take heed of Words without Life for they tend to draw you out of the Power to live above the Truth and out of your Conditions which Nature will not have Peace except it have Words But every particular submit to that which is of God in you to guide you to God And be ye all Servants to the Truth and diligent in your Callings and serve one another in Love in which ye can wash one another's Feet Serve one another in Love So serve one another in Love and do not lavish out your selves without the Fear of God such are Clouds without Water which have the Words but not the Power flowen up into the Air which have a Light and yet are as Wandring Stars which lead up into the Presumption and thou that art there thy Garments are defiled for thou goest from the Spirit which should sanctifie thee for ye are sanctified through Obedience to the Spirit Therefore every particular Walk in the Spirit and obey it then ye will have all Vnity one with another in the Spirit and ye will see Knowledge Tongues and Prophecies shall cease Prophecies scall ceafe but he that cometh to the End to him who openeth all Truth is blessed Therefore all Friends Obey that which is pure within you and know one another in that which brings you to wait upon the Lord that ye may all witness a living Soul and your selves to be come out of Death For these things ye must all find within there is your Peace and there Refreshing comes into your Souls from the Lord And standing still in the Light within and therein waiting ye will see your Saviour Christ Jesus raising you up out of Death by which Work he is glorified For the Works of the Lord praise him which are Wonderous to the World Now every one in particular mind the Pure in you The Chast Virgins for the Chast Virgins follow Jesus Christ the Lamb of God who takes away the Sins of the World and who are not Chast will not follow him For that in every particular of you which is not Chast will not submit to the Pure which would guide you to God but rather submit to their own Thoughts and follow them and run after them and their own Wills and seek to accomplish them and so run out into that Generation whose Thoughts were not as God's Thoughts nor Ways as God's Warys Therefore watch all and abide all in your Callings the Light is that which will let you see your Transgression and your Running aside and the By-paths and Crooked ways and the Generation of Serpents and Vipers And this Light is Christ which sheweth these things Now before these things be known and judged of aright Judgment must be brought sorth into Victory and set up in the Earth where this State is witnessed Now the Woman which is the Church must be subject to her Husband in all things Jesus Christ is the Husband The Woman subject to her Husband in every thing she must be subject to him Who are in the Flesh know nothing of this in the first Nature for it the Mystery which the Apostle speaks of and so it is a Mystery still but where it is
mind the pure Spirit of God in thee to guide thee up unto God to thunder down all Deceit within and without So Farewell God Almighty keep you all G. F. DEar Brethren In the mighty Power of God go on Epist 114. to which Power of the God of Heaven and Earth To E. B. and F. H. all the Powers of the Earth must bow that to that of God in all Consciences ye may be made manifest that that in them which is of God may witness The mighty Power of God that ye are sent of God Dwell in the Life of God that to the Spirits in Prison ye may minister and to it be made manifest that ye are no Deceivers but Saviours and such as are sent to lead from all Deceivers The Spirits in Prison and them to testifie against So in the mighty Power of God go on Preaching the Gospel to every Creature and Discipling them in the Name of the Father Son and Holy Spirit In the Name of Christ Preach the mighty Day of the Lord to all the Consciences of them who have lain long in Darkness and under its Chain where the Light shined but the Darkness could not comprehend it So in the Power of the Lord God go on and thresh that which hath been fed with the Harlot's Spirit and the Harlot famish The Harlot's Spirit which hath and doth Prison the Just I Charge you in the Presence of the Living God dwell in his Power that with his Power ye may be carried along to minister to all the Spirits Imprisoned by the Deceit As the Life of God doth arise it will lead you up to God the Father of Life in this your Fruits shall never wither But go on to plant a Vineyard The Vineyard and to Plow that ye may eat the Fruit thereof and to plant in Hope and to thresh in Hope that ye may be made Partakers of your Hope And to thresh out the Corn that the Wind may scatter the Chaff that the Corn may be gathered into the Barn So in the Power of the Lord Jesus Christ preach the Everlasting Gospel that by his Power the Sick may be healed the Leprous cleansed the Dead raised the Blind Eyes opened and the Devils cast out In the Name of the Lord Jesus Christ go on that that of God in all Consciences may witness that ye are sent of God and are of God and so according to that speak to bring up all unto the Head Christ and into the Life which gave forth the Scriptures for there 's the Unity and out of it is the Confusion G. F. To Friends Concerning the Word of Life FRiends and Brethren Epist 115. the Eternal Word from which ye have both spoken and ministred to others is the Word of Life the Word of Peace The Word of Reconciliation the Word of Reconciliation which makes of Twain one New Man and if ye do abide there there is no Division but Vnity in the Life which was before Death was and before Division was Therefore that which is divided is of the Kingdom that cannot stand and is for Condemnation by the Life and Word of Reconciliation That which speaks the Evil Language I do deny for that which speaks so doth not see throughly Therefore in the Light wait where the Vnity is where the Peace is where the Oneness with the Father and the Son is where there is no Rent nor Division but all one in Christ Jesus the Everlasting Fountain of Life and Covenant of Peace The Son of Man cometh not to be ministred unto but to minister Where the Life and Fulness dwells it hides and covers from that to which the Curse is that so it may minister forth to the Seed's Seed SOVND sound the Trumpet abroad ye Valiant Soldiers of Christ in his Kingdom Anti-Christs in Arms. of which is no End All the Anti-Christs in the Kingdoms of fallen Men are up in Arms against Christ G. F. Concerning Judging in Meetings FRiends Epist 116. Do not Judge one another in Meetings ye that do minister in the Meetings for your so doing hath hurt the People both within and without Meetings quiet and your selves under their Judgment ye have brought And your Judging one another in the Meetings hath emboldned others to Quarrel and Judge you also in the Meetings And this hath been all out of Order and the Church-Order also Now if ye have any thing to say to any stay till the Meeting be done and then speak to them in private between your selves and do not lay open one anothers Weakness Not to lay open Weakness for that is Weakness and not Wisdom to do so For your Judging one another in Meetings hath almost destroyed some Friends and distracted them And this is for want of Love that beareth all things and therefore let it be amended No more but my Love FRIENDS If any amongst you have Movings to do any Service for the Lord Do Service for the Lord. when they have done it let them return again with speed to their Habitation and there serve the Lord in their Generation that no Slothfulness may be amongst you But all keep in Diligence that no Occasion may be given to any to speak evil of the Truth but that ye may answer that of God in all So give no Offence Give no Offence for Wo is to those by whom Offences do come Yet Quench not the Spirit G. F. MY Dear Friends Keep your Meetings and ye will feel the Seed to arise though never a Word be spoken amongst you Epist 117. And be Faithful that ye may Answer that of God in every one Neglect not your Talent And do not neglect your Talent but in the Life and Power of God live which ye have received And my Dear Friends dwell in the Life and Power and Love of God and one towards another FRIENDS Dwell in the Measure of the Spirit of God and to it take heed that in it ye may grow The Love that is Eternal for the true and lasting Love proceeds from God who is Eternal And abiding in the Measure of Life ye will have Peace and Love that never changeth if from the Measure you turn Iniquity gets up and so the Love waxeth Cold and in that lodge the evil Thoughts Jealousies evil Will and Murmurings Wait in the Light which is of God that ye may all witness the Son of God and witness that which shall never wither so ye will see and feel God near G. F. LEt no Friends go begond their own Measure given them of God Epist 118. nor rejoyce in another Man's Line made ready to their Hands Another Man's Line lest that get up and would be Justified which is to be Condemned And that which will Boast and be Justified in the Sight of Men is out of the Kingdom excluded Therefore in the Measure of Life wait and with it be led to have
Seed Christ that never fell nor never will fall nor never changed nor never will change In this Seed Christ is Peace and Rest out of all Troubles out of all Whimsies Christ the Rest foolish Dreams Imaginations Fancies false Visions false Revelations For the Seed in which the Blessing is is felt and the Life and the Light and the Righteousness and the Truth that answers the Witness of God in all Men and Women whether they will hear or forbear And so all that are in Adam in the Fall both Men and Women and there remaining in the Fall they never are in Rest nor Peace Adam in the Fall his Travels but are in Travels Wars Strife Fightings the Lusts being the Ground of all this And Whimsies and Imaginations Fancies false Visions false Dreams Arrogancy Pride Ambition Swellings Puffed-up-ness that beings Shame and covers them with Shame which they possess that are in the Fall out of Christ the Second Adam that never fell For in Adam in the Fall is all the inward foul Weather Storms Tempests Winds Strifes the whole Family of it in Confusion being all gone from the Spirit and the Witness of God in themselves and the Power and the Light in which Power Light and Spirit is the Fellowship with God and one with another through which they come out of Adam in the Fall into the Second Adam that never fell The Second Adam the Quickner the Quickener who awakens Old Adam's Children in the Fall out of their Sleep of Sin and brings them out of his Ways up unto himself the Way Christ that never fell nor changed and out of and from his Teachers and Priests and Shepherds c. that change and fall to the Priest Shepherd and Prophet that never fell nor never changed nor never will fall nor change nor leave the Flock in the cold Wealther nor in the Winter nor Storms nor Tempests nor the Voice of the Wolf doth not frighten him from his Flock For the Light the Power the Truth the Righteousness did it ever leave you in any Weather or in any Storms or Tempests And so his Sheep know his Voice and follow him who gives them Life Eternal abundantly who saith to all that are Dead in Adam I am come mark I am come that ye Dead in Adam might have Life Christ the Second Adam is come that the Dead in the first Adam might have Life and might be quickened and might be awakened to Righteousness who are asleep in the Vnrighteousness And so he doth invite all Adam's Posterity to come to him that all through him might believe and come to Light and come to Life and come up into Peace and Rest for in the Second Adam ye have Peace ye have Rest So they have no Peace nor Rest in the Old Adam in the Fall but in the Second Adam Christ that never fell is both the Rest Christ the Rest and Peace and the Peace and the Life But in Adam in the Fall is neither Rest nor Peace nor Life but Darkness and Trouble and Sorrow and Burdenings and Changins And this Adam's Sons and Daughters in the Fall do inherit and possess in the World Therefore all come out of Adam in the Fall and haste to him that never fell nor never changed in whom ye have all both Rest and Peace and Life that was with the Father before the World began And so Meeting in the Name In in the Name of the Lord Jesus Christ that never fell keep your Meetings ye who are gathered in his Name and then ye will see over all the Gatherings of Old Adam's Sons and Daughters that be in the Fall and out of his Name But ye being gathered into his Name that never fell Christ Jesus fell the Seed of God over all that set that makes to suffer which was before that was and will stand and remain when that is all gone So Farwell G. F. MY Friends Epist 124. Be faithful and keep your Meetings and in that Light wait which comes from the Head Christ in whom are all your Lives from whence ye have your Light which is the Life in the Son The High Calling in Christ And ye which do witness the High Calling in Christ Jesus and are redeemed by him out of the World and are become New Greatures walk above the World and be not Hasty but in the Light and Life wait that with it your Minds may be directed and guided and joined together with that which is Immortal and Undefild in one Spirit up to the Immortal God And that with the Spirit One Baptism One Faith which he hath given you ye may witness the One Baptism into One Body and ye all with the Light may see the One Faith which Christ is the Author and the Finisher of and that ye may all see the End of you Faith the Salvation of your Souls with that which gives you the Victory over the World And fear the Lord and take heed of Strife and live in Peace and Love one with another believing all in the Light which maketh manifest that all ye may be the Children of the Light And this Belief giveth the Victory over the World He that is of this Faith is born of God and he that believeth in the Light shall not abide in Darkness nor shall ever be confounded For he believeth in that which manifesteth that which is to be confounded and trampled upon and he shall not be condemned but shall have the Light of Life And he that believeth not in the Light is with the Light condemned already And he that heareth not the Voice of the Son of God doth not live but is in Death Therefore he that heareth not the Light which comes from Christ the Life The Voice of the Son of God heareth nor the Vioce of the Son of God and he cometh not to Life And the Hour is come that they which have been in the Graves have heard the Voice of the Son of God and do live and they that do not hear the Voice of the Son of God do not live but are in the Death and the Grave And they that come to believe in the Light hear the Voice of the Son of God and live and out of the Condemnation are come and live over Death and the Grave and Hell and so come to Life G. F. FRiends to you all this is the World of the Lord Epist 125. Know the Seed of God in one another which Seed is Christ Look not out then ye will not Wonder but will be a-top of the Wonderer The Seed The Wonderer which is Christ being known in one another which the Promise of God is to every one of you know the Promises fulfilled in you whereby ye all may witness the Blessing of God fulfilled to you and in you And so in this the Lord God Almighty preserve you all to his Glory and that ye all may know the Flesh of Christ
believes hath the Witness in himself Mark and take Notice And so ye being in the Light every one in particular feed upon the Bread of Life The Bread of Life which comes from above which nourisheth up to Eternal Life wherein as every one grows up here every one gives Glory to the Father and to the Son and knows the Light which is the Way the Truth and the Life Every one of you that are to it turned ye are in the One Way Truth Light and Life feeding upon the One Bread which comes from above which whosoever doth eat of lives for ever and shall never dye Let this be read among all Friends every where in this Nation and elsewhere that to the Light are turned and in it are kept that in the Vnity they may all be kept And in it God Almighty preserve and keep you that ye may feel his Promises which is to the Seed and know the Seed to which the Blessing is and know the Flesh of Christ that ye may be Flesh of his Flesh And Friends Live at Peace among your selves waiting upon the Lord and the Lord God of Life and Peace be with you Let no Friends be discouraged but walk in the Truth and the Love of it and to it bend G. F. ALL Friends About 1658 I do Warn and Charge you in the Presence of the Living God in his Wisdom and Life keep that no Ill Savour be nor get up amongst you Epist 156. For ye are the Salt of the Earth to season and to make savoury to God To Friends to keep in that which is Savoury but if the Salt have lost its Savour it is henceforth good for nothing Therefore I do Warn you all Mind that which doth keep your Peace whereby ye all may grow in Love and know Christ in you all in whom is Peace Ye are the Light of the World to answer the Light in every one that with the Light they may see your good Works and by seeing them Good Works they may glorifie your Father which is in Heaven for all Deceit is Judged and Condemned by it And every one keep in the Measure of the Life of God and see that there be no Strife nor Presumption among you but all serve one another in Love and let that of God guide every one of you Serve in Love in which ye may have Vnity one with another and with God And in his Life wait to receive Power to bind and chain all down which is contrary to Truth And so in the Life and Power of God the Lord God Almighty preserve you to his Glory Amen THE Light is precious to him that believes in it and walks according to its Leading So while ye have the Light walk in the Light and live in the Light Christ the Truth The Light the Truth that ye may through Obedience to it be the Children of the Light and of the Day For the Light and the Truth is and was before Darkness and Deceit were G. F. FRiends By the Wisdom of God were all things made Epist 157. and by the Wisdom of God must all things be ordered again to God's Glory The Wisdom of God to order Transgression and Sin brings Death and Destruction but the Wisdom hid from the Eyes that be therein by which Wisdom all things were made and created was before Sin Death and Destruction were And so that is it which the Creatures and Creation of God must be ordered by that Wisdom which made them and doth not change which is hid from Death and Destruction and from that which is in the Transgression of Life and must not rule So Friends every where be Tender to those that have forsaken any thing for Truth Parents Masters And if that their Parents have put them out from them or their Masters put them away for Truth 's sake and them that are put out of their places for Truth 's sake such in the Truth receive and cherish that they may be kept in the Service of the Creation to God's Glory answering that of God in all For every one is to abide in their places and there to be faithful except they be put out or put away and be buffeted for no Fault and take it patiently that 's Thanks-worthy And do good unto all especially to them that are of the House-hold of Faith The House-hold of Faith and be as the Church of God guided in the Wisdom of the Most-High who causeth his Rain to fall upon the Just and upon the Vnjust And so be ye Merciful as your Heavenly Father is Merciful And know the Seed of God that is Heir of the Promise in every one of you and the Wisdom by which all things must be ordered to his Glory who upholds all things by his Word of Power By which Word of Wisdom all things were created and must be ordered again to the Glory of the Creator in which Man will be kept Clean unto God and honour God with his Substance and glorifie God in his Spirit Whereby every one's Conversation will come to be ordered aright and ye come to sit down in the heavenly Places in Christ Jesus The High Calling and to know the High Calling of God in Christ Jesus who calls out of Darkness into the Light out of Death into Life For he that calls is Holy and calls into Holiness without which none shall see the Lord. AND all Friends be faithful in the Seed and Life of the Lord God that is it which abideth in the Love of God for ever where every one hath his Bread which comes down from above That is the Birth which abideth in the House of the Lord God for ever The Birth which abideth and shall go no more forth which is greater than he that is in the World And in the Seed and Life keep your Meetings with God and one with another So in that the Lord God Almighty preserve you all to his Glory G. F. FRiends and Brethren every where Epist 158. Dwell in that which makes for Peace and Love for Blessed are the Peace-makers for theirs is the Kingdom To Friends to dwell in Peace and Love that stands in Righteousness Joy and Peace in the Holy Ghost and in Power Therefore seek the Peace in which is the Well-fare and Good of every one And take heed of Strife and Contention for that eats out the Good and dos not Edifie nor make for Peace for 't is Love that Edifies the Body Therefore keep in the Seed and know that which was afore Enmity was in which there 's both Peace and Life And all be careful to Watch over one another for one anothers Good and be Patient and keep low and down in the Power of the Lord God that there ye may come to enjoy the Kingdom of Peace and sit down with Abraham Isaac and Jacob in the same For Blessed are all ye that lie down in
evermore For the Power of the Lord will work through all if that ye follow it WHEN ye do Judge of Matters or when ye do Judge of Words or when ye do Judge of Persons Concerning Judging all these are distinct things A wise Man will not give both his Ears to one Party but reserve one for the other Party and will hear both and then Judge G. F. MY Dear Friends Epist 163. In the Life live in which is the Vnity and Peace one with another and Lowliness and Humbleness of Heart and Mind Wisdom received serving one another in the Fear of the Lord God by and in which Fear the Wisdom of God is received from above and by which all things were made and created and by which ye may all be ordered to his Glory And so this is the Word of the Lord God to you all Live in the Power of the Lord God in which is Peace Love Unity and Dominion in the Life and Power of God which was before Enmity was The Light and Life and in the Light which was before Darkness was and in the Life which was before Death was And so in that feel Vnity and Life in the Power of God And so the Seed of God feel over all that set which makes to suffer which was before it was and will remain when that is all gone And so feel the Top-Stone over all laid that his Life ye may feel over all and in that live G. F. MY Dear Friends Epist 164. Keep your Meetings in the Power of the Lord God To Friends To keep their Meetings in which ye may all feel Life Eternal among you And do not forsake the Assembling of your selves together but provoke one another to Love in which is Edification Life Peace Truth and Dominion in which ye may feel the Blessing of God covering you ye dwelling in the same And so Meet together in the Name of the Sons and Daughters of Adam in the Fall and will stand when they are all gone in which there is Life Peace and Wisdom Order and Edification in the Love and Life of Christ over all the brittle and foolish Priests and Professors in the World and in which Life and Power there is the perfect Fellowship that will stand for ever Perfect Fellowship when all other Fellowships are ended and gone And so ye that know the Life and Power and Light of Christ which was before Death and Darkness and the Power of the same was Be Faithful who are gathered together in this Life and Power and are Met in it in it keep your Meetings in the Life and Power of the Lord over all other Meetings in which ye may all feel one another in the Fellowship and Vnity that is Everlasting and never hath End And so in that the Lord God Almighty preserve you all to his Glory that to the Lord God ye may be a Blessing in your Generation and a good Savour to God and in the Hearts of all People That none may say ye are an unstay'd unestablihsed or a fickle People and have your Religion Truth and Worship to seek but that ye have it already and are established in the Life and Power of God Christ the Heal. and in his Worship Church and Religion which Christ is the Head and the Life of which destroyeth the Devil and his Works who is the Pasture of Life who was before Death was And so him feel over all that set which makes to suffer who was before it was and will remain when it is gone And so feel the Top-Stone over all laid and Christ to reign G. F. ALL Friends Be faithful in the Power of God and his Seed Epist 165. and mind the Power of God which was before the Power of Darkness and the Fall of Adam were In which Power of God is your Fellowship and in which Fellowship ye may see over the Jews Fellowship and the Gentiles and ye may see the Apostles Fellowship Fellowship in the Power and the Apostatised Christians Now the Gospel is preached and the true Fellowship come into again which the Apostles were in which was before the Apostatised Christians Fellowship was out of the Life and Power of God which the Apostles were in and the Church in the Primitive Times And the Gospel-Fellowship the Power of God is prefect in which is our Fellowship which was before any Imperfection was And they have no more Command to set up Temples Tithes Temples Tithes Oaths Swearing Oaths or Swearing among the Christians since the Apostles Days than the Gentiles had to set up Diana's Temple for the Temple-Worship Tithes and Oaths Christ came to end and to bring People out of them and to make them his Temples and to bring to Yea Yea and Nay Nay in their Communications And so before the Fall there were no Oaths in the Fall there were but in the Restoration there are to be no Oaths Tithes nor outward Temples G. F. To the Church of God in Scotland DEar Friends In the Power and Light is my Love to you all Epist 166. in which the Vertue Life Holiness and Righteousness is known To Friends in Scotland to live in the Truth which they first received and the Riches that never fade away Live in the Truth which ye first received that it may be your Crown and your Cloathing And dwell in Love and Peace and Vnity one with another in the Trath of God which the Devil is out of and keep your Meetings in the Name of Christ Jesus that never fell and then ye will see over all the Gatherings in the Fall in whom the Peace Life and the Blessing is And all know one another in him who is the Substance and him to be your Way and Teacher Priest and Prophet that never fell and then ye will see over all the false Ways Christ your Way Teacher Priest and Prophet Prophets Priests and Teachers in the Fall ye being in him that never fell your Priest and Prophet Be Faithful to God every one in your Measure of Light Life and Truth which Truth is over the whole World and all that is in it And so living in the Light and Truth ye may answer the Light and Truth in every Man and Woman and be a good Savour to God in the Hearts of all People And keeping your Habitations in the Truth and in the Light and Life then ye will see over Adam and Eve their Sons and Daughters Habitations in the Fall who cannot abide the Truth Light and Life in the inward Parts therefore they are not in Peace one with another Habitations in the Fall being not in the Habitation that Adam was in before he fell nor in Christ that neve fell in whom the Saints sit down in the Life Christ who was with the Father before the World began Adam lost his Habitation and the Jews lost their Habitations the one went into the Earth and
the Lord God with you And if the World's Works lie like a Wilderness care not for it and matter it not but do the Work of the Lord faithfully and ye will feel it prosper answering that of God in every one And so God Almighty preserve you in his Power G. F. FRiends Epist 183. Dwell in Patience and in the Power Life and Wisdom of God and in Peace and Love and Unity one with another And be subject in the Power and Life and Wisdom of God to God and to one another that in it ye may be as a pleasant Field to the Lord God As Libies and Flowers and as the Lillies and the Flowers and the Buds feeling the pleasant Showers and the Streams of Life from the Living God flowing upon you and coming into you whereby the Presence and Blessing of the Lord God Almighty amongst you all may be felt And in that the Lord God Almighty preserve and keep you that to him ye may be a good Savour And live in Peace And the God of all Peace keep you that nothing may reign and rule amongst you but the Life and Power and Seed and Wisdom of God that in him ye may be preserved by which all things were made and created That ye may be all ordered to his Glory and be a good Savour in the Hearts of all People in which ye do refresh others and are refreshed So dwell in the Fear of the Lord which brings a Dread and Terror upon all his Enemies Esau's Mount that are in Esau's Mount but your Peace comes from the Mountain of God And let your Joy and Peace be in the Lord. G. F. OH my Dear Friends and Brethren every where The Power of the Lord God that is over all live in Epist 184. that in that ye may feel Vnity and Fellowship that in the Power of the Lord God ye may all come to be Heirs of the Power of an Endless Life through which ye may inherit Eternity and so to feel Life Eternal abiding in you Now The Man-slayer and Persecutor the Man-slayer hath not Eternal Life abiding in him that is he that envies his Brother so all the Persecutors that envy their Brethren have not Eternal Life abiding in them Under this all the Persecutors about their Church and vain Religion false Worship Faith and Ministry are Therefore all of you feel this Eternal Life abiding in you for he that hath the Son of God hath Life Eternal and so in this Eternal Life ye have Fellowship with God and his Son and with one another and in this the Law of Life that is in Jesus Christ The Law of Life passeth Sentence on the Law of Sin and Death in every Man and Woman and brings it to the Execution Through which Law of Life Righteousness flows and runs down and also Justice and Truth and by this Law of the Spirit of Life in Christ Jesus Mark in Christ Jesus ye come to know the Lamb's Throne and the Throne of Iniquity thrown down and all blasphemous Mouths stopped and the Chambers of Imagery thrown down and the Houshold of God raised up and the Fruit less Trees thrown down and the Plant of God raised up The Plant of God which is of his own Planting the Tree of Righteousness whose Fruit is unto Holiness whose End is Everlasting Life So mark here 's the Fruit of this Tree and the End of this Tree and by this Spirit ye do distinguish Names and Plantings and Pluckings up and God's Building ye will distinguish from Man's Building and Man's Plucking down and man's Gathering together Ye that are gathered together in the Name of Jesus can distinguish Mens Gathering and their Scattering Oh! The Knowledge of Truth Therefore be Valiant for the Truth which ye are come to the Knowledge of and worship God in that Truth which the Devils is our of and abode not in this makes you free from the Devil and his Works that are out of the Truth Here in this Worship in the Truth and in the Spirit the living God who is a Spirit the God of all Truth he hath his Glory and his Honour from his Spirit in every Heart And so keep in the Spirit and Truth and the Power of the Everlasting God who is from Everlasting to Everlasting that ye may know him Lord of the Earth and of the Heaven and of the Heaven of Heavens ruling and reigning whose Eye is over all his Works that ye may glorifie him in his Power and Spirit and serve him in the New Life which will keep you over all Mens Fables and Devices Fables and Devices Whimsies and Imaginations out of all Janglings and vain Dispates of Men of corrupt Minds And so all to live in that which is the same to day as was yesterday Christ Jesus the Power of God and the Seed of Life and Word that was in the Beginning so no new thing but that which was and is to all Eternity Let your Fellowship be in that and your Vnity and Communion be in that for by the Spiritual Eye the Eternal Vnity with the Eternal God is seen So The Voice of God soakes the Earth and the Heavens Hear his Voice every where that speaks from Heaven whose Voice shakes the Earth and not the Earth only but Heaven also The Heaven signifies Joy so all the false Joys the lifted-up Joys or exalted Joy and Joy in vain Glory and Joy in the world or any outward thing or Creature or Men or Women his Voice that speaks from Heaven shakes the Earth and the Heavens and this must be shaken and removed both the Heaven and the Earth before that doth appear that can never be shaken the Noble Royal Seed Elect and Precious which was before the World began being Heirs of him come to inherit him in him ye shall know that which cannot be shaken and there is the true JOy the standing Joy in that which is from Everlasting to Everlasting who is the Beginning and Ending here is not any lifted up nor cast down So I say Hear his Voice and hearden not your Hearts for through not hearing his Voice ye harden your Hearts then ye provoke God to Wrath and sore Displeasure Let him have your Ear that speaks from Heaven that ye may come to observe his Counsel Teachings Instructions and Directions For all the Prophets the holy Men of God and the Apostles were Attentive and Obedient to this heavenly Voice who witnessed to the Truth who had a Witness in Heaven also and such declared forth the glorious Truth which they had from the Instruction of the Almighty As ye may read throughout the Scriptures what glorious Expressions and weighty Truths they declared whose Ears were Attentive to him that spake from Heaven and how they declared against them that stopped their Ears and closed their Eyes and hardened their Hearts For such whose Ears are not Attentive to the heavenly Voice are Earthly so
all Friends live in the Power of God which ye first received the Power which was before the Fall was in that is the Fellowship and leads to both Order Comliness and Decency For all the Sects about Meats Drinks and Days are gotten up among the Sons and Daughters of Adam that are gone from the Power of God and his Image Righteousness and True Holiness which were before Coverings were And others who are fallen from that into such outward things there they are jangling about them And therefore keep over all such things in the Power of God which was before outward things were in that have ye perfect Fellowship and Vnity for there is your Profit For they that have a Fellowship in keeping on their Hats and observing of Meats those outward things lead them from the Power and so to no Profit but into Strife and Jangling and vain Disputes Therefore the Power of God all keep in The Power of God was before Strife was and in that is the perfect and standing Fellowship when all other Fellowships shall have an end which were set up since Adam's Fall And so Farewell My Love is to you all in the Everlasting Seed of God The Church of the Romans fell away by running into outward things The Church of the Romans from the Power and Life also the Corinthians Galatians and others of them and also the Seven Churches of Asia by running into outward things and what the outward things were they ran into ye may read And how the Apostle reproved them and what all are gone into since they lost the Power of God and the Vnity in the Spirit And therefore all Dear Friends keep in the Power of God over all outward things which was before they were and in that Power is the standing Vnity G. F. The Line of Righteousness and Justice stretched forth over all Merchants c. And an Exhortation unto all Friends and People whatsoever who are Merchants Tradesmen Husband-men or Sea-men who deal in Merchandize trade in Buying and Selling by Sea or Land or deal in Husbandry That ye all do that which is Just Equal and Righteous in the sight of God and Man one to another and to all Men And that ye use Just Weights and Just Measures and speak and do that which is True Just and Right in all things That so your Conversations Lives Practices and Tongues may preach to all People and answer the Good Just and Righteous Principles of God in them all In which ye may be serviceable unto God and to the Creation in your Generation and a blessing both to God and Man ALL Friends every where Epist 210. Live in the Seed of God which is the Righteousness at self and inherits the Wisdom and is the Wisdom it self The Wisdom of God with which Wisdom ye may order rule and govern all things which are under your Hands which God hath given you to his Glory Govern and order with his Wisdom all the Creatures that ye have under you and all Exchangings Merchandizing Husbandry Do what ye do in the Wisdom of God and with it which is pure from above and gentle and easie to be entreated With this Wisdom which is not earthly sensual nor devilish you do good unto all and hurt no one nor your selves for it is pure and preserves pure So this is the Word of the Lord God to you all Keep all in the Power of God over all the unrighteous World which Power of God was before it was In which Power of God ye will be preserved in Justice in Truth in equal Ballance and Weights and Measures in the Truth The Equal Ballance Uprightness and Honesty to all People So all here in this are serviceable to God in their Generation and to the Creation and to God are a Blessing Do rightly that is the Word of the Lord God to you all whether ye be Tradesmen of what Calling or Profession or Sort soever or Husbandmen Do rightly justly truly holily equally to all People in all things and that is according to that of God in every Man and the Witness of God and the Wisdom of God and the Life of God in your selves and there ye are serviceable in your Generation labouring in the thing that is good which doth not spoil nor destroy nor waste the Creation upon the Lusts And all Merchants whatsoever Sea men and Traffickers by Sea or Land This is the Word of the Lord God to you all Do justly speak truly to all People whatsoever A Terror to the Vnjusts Then are ye a Dread and a Terror to the Unjust Wrong no Man over-reach no Man if it may be never so 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 your Advantage but be plain righteous and holy in this are ye serviceable to your own Nation and others by your Change and Excharging of things and Merchandize and to the Lord God ye come to be a blessing in the Creation and Generation Live in the Life of Truth and let the Truth speak in all things and Righteousness and let Justice be acted and Holiness in all things without any Guile Fraud or Deceit so that is well-pleasing to God and Men and according to that of God in every one And this sheweth forth the Fruits of Believers that are passed from Death to Life from Death which came by Sin the Original of which is the Devil So being come from Death to Life which goes over him over him I say who is the Author of all Unrighteousness Now in the Truth and Righteousness ye will all have Peace Favour and the Blessing of the Lord in all things And that keepeth out the covetous Mind and covetous Desires The Covetous Mind the Power and Life of God that goes over the Power of Death which brought the Sin That which keepeth over this hath the Blessing and Encrease of the heavenly Riches and that shall not want the Creatures nor any good thing from them the Lord will not withhold So be careful to do good in all things to all People whatsoever In the Fear of God serve him and be diligent and not stubborn in any thing but plyable in the Power of God that keeps you over all the Powers of Unrighteousness acting so in that that ye may be a good Savour in all Nations Islands and Places where ye come in the Hearts of all People doing truly and plainly uprightly faithfully justly and honestly according to the Light of Christ Jesus in every Man that ye may witness to all Then will your Words Lives and Conversations preach and manifest that ye serve God in the New Life and that ye have put off the old Man and his Deeds which are unrighteous and that ye have put on the New Man which is renewed after God in Righteousness and Holiness according to his Image Loath Deceit and all Vnrighteousness Hard-heartedness Wronging Cozening Cheating or Vnjust Dealing but live and reign in the Righteous Life and Power of God Vnjust
which is the Power of God which hath brought Life and Immortality to Light and hath and doth abolish Death I say be Shod in the Power and then your Feet will not slip nor slide and ye will not fall and ye will stand stedfast being shod with the Everlasting Gospel in the Preparation of it And standing in the Power ye stand over the Workers of Iniquity and all Vnrighteousness in the World and slippery Ways standing in the Power which was before Death Darkness and the Power of Darkness and Death was which hath darkened Life and Immortality from People so that they could not walk and get forward on their Way to the Lord. But in the Power of God the Gospel being in it and with it shod your Feet standing in the Power ye over Death Darkness and the Power of it may stand walk go and leap which was before it was there is Faithfulness and Stedfastness and there ye may walk without Doubt And keep the Word of Patience and take unto you the Word of God and who are born of it of the Immortal Seed nourished by the Milk of the same up to Eternal Life know things as they were in the beginning they feed upon that which Lives and not upon that which is in the World and in the Fall which is below the Word and below the Power and below the Truth and out of it who know the Shepherd and his Crook The Shepherd which plucks you out he shews you the Pastures of Life in which ye must feed Every one that knows the Power and Light and by it is guided and turned to him feels and knows this And so ye that have the Word of Patience ye have the Hammer ye have that which was in the beginning ye have that which lives and abides and endures for ever Ye know what the Hammer is to and ye know the Word is a Fire and what the Fire is to So ye that have the Word have the Fire which burns up all that which doth not abide and doth not endure and doth not live for ever as the Word doth which is the Word of Wisdom So ye that have the Word have the Wisdom which was in the beginning before that which is below was So ye that have the Word have the Sword yea sharper than a Sword with two Edges which will cut down all that which hath gotten up since the beginning which hath transgressed the Just Spirit and burn up that which hath gotten up since the beginning in the Transgression And this is the Word that makes clean and reconciles to God and is the Word of Reconciliation The Word of Patience And this is the Word of Patience to keep you and ye will be kept in the Hour of Temptation that comes upon them that dwell upon the Earth For the Word of God was before the Tempter was and goes over him and destroys him in that live in his Life that is Fternal which doth abide So in that the Lord Jesus Christ preserve you For in that Patience is exercised in that Word which comprehends all that which hath gotten up since the beginning for with that ye may be tried But the Word is over alol in that live which hammers burns cuts down and reconciles against whom the Tempter and Temptation cannot come nigh to prevail it breaks his Head Neither meddle not nor mix your selves with the Powers of the World nor things below but live in the Power of God which is peaceable And forasmuch as we are scandalized Plots and Plotters as Plotters we in the Power of God do comprehend the Power of Darkness which Power was before the Powers of Darkness were which destroys Darkness and the Power of it And we cannot Plot it is impossible we should standing in that which destroys Darkness and the Devil the Power of it who is the Author of Plots and the Enmity in Peoples Minds bondaging and bringing the Creature into thraldom which we in the Power of God would have all Persons from under it and would have no Man's Person in the whole World hurt but in the Power of God would have all Men saved and seek all Mens Peace And so in that which manifests all Plots and the Author of them the Devil and that which judges him and destroys him and them are we in and are made Partakers of him who redeems and saves and heals and sets free who is the Power of God So all you who are Partakers of the Power of God that have been turned to the Light and received the Power of God Christ Jesus that hath given you Power to become the Sons of God in which Light and Power of God The Saints Liberty by which ye were turned to him ye come up into the Liberty the Liberty of the Sonship into the Power of God that doth redeem and save and destroy that which leads from God which doth defile and destroys it and gives Dominion That is the Power of God in which the Saints have Liberty where the Sons of God sing together and praise glorifie and honour their Father to whom be Glory Praise and Honour for Evermore Who in him triumpheth in Glory and can say Emanuel is born and a Son is given So all in the Life and Power of God's Seed and Wisdom which is Everlasting dwell and know the Seed of God in every one of you in your own particulars Male and Female which Seed is the Heir of the Promise the Heir of the Wisdom and Heir of the World that hath no End of an Endless Life and the Heir of the Kingdom that is Everlasting and the Heir of the Blessing where there is no Curse And every one an Heir of the Power of the Blessings of the Kingdom come to inherit The Election come to possess your own Inheritance and then sit down in your own Possession in which ye may know every one your Election in the Seed which was before the World began and so be Possessors and Inheritors of Life and Substance The Substance is the Seed the Top-Stone on top of the Law on top of the Prophets on top of the Types Figures Shadows Parables and ends them all and on top of all Heathens Inventions though it hath been a Mystery hid from Ages See now the Seed the Seed of the Lamb and his Marriage is known and the Lamb reigns where there is no Curse but the Blessing The Curse is out of his Dominion who destroys the Author of the Curse Wrath Plagues and Woe that hath the Blessing the Seed Christ Jesus AND all Friends Improve your Talents that to you all it may be said Well done good and faithful Servants for they who do not The Talents their Talents are taken a way from them who have been Slothful Complainers and Idle Let your Lamps be burning have Oil in your own Lamps and Salt in your selves then ye are the Wise Virgins that enters in with the
you that suffer in the Truth and by the contrary for the Truth 's sake the Spirit of Glory will rest upon you and if you be evil spoken of for its sake being faithful on your parts Christ is Glorified AND Friends your House being built upon the Rock Christ Jesus by whom the World was made the Storms the Floods Rock Christ the Tempests you fear not but all whose House is built on the Sands the Floods the Storms beats down and washes away as you may see before your Eyes So Friends that are come to the beginning see over Storms and Tempests and Floods and live on the Rock which was before they were on that you may rest safe and in peace And Friends Fear not him that can kill the Body I say fear him not that can spoil thy Goods be not afraid of them for when they have done that they can do more for the Life is over them all they cannot touch that So mind that which is over them all G. F. DEar Friends whom Death Epist 224. Bonds nor the outward Creatures can separate from the Love of God in Christ Jesus Live in Peace and Love one with another and keep above that Sraightned Spirit of Strife which is below and out of the Power and Truth and Life of God Dwell in Dominion in Love in Life and in Vnity one with another in the Power of God which was before the Power of Darkness was and in the Seed of God which was before Enmity was and that you may all know Christ's Reign And feed in the Pastures of Life and none stain your Virginity nor Holiness where lieth your Beauty And all that Minister abroad walk as Examples to them you Minister to And keep in Peace that you may not destroy them that you do minister to So in the Fear of God live and spread the Truth abroad and set the Truth over all and in it live in which you will have Unity So my Love is in the Seed of God which is Immortal to you all G. F. FRiends keep in the Power of the Lord Epist 225. which will bring you over all to the Fine Linnen the Righteousness of the Saints and your Bread of Life and the same Power of the Lord will bring all your Persecuters to Rags and Poverty When they have done their Work they will have their Wages when the Righteous and Wicked have done their Work each shall have their Wages and so do not think the Time long For each must have their Day to do their Work in when the Wicked's Sun is gone down their Day is ended and then they are Reconed withal and payed and then the People of God's Day approches wherein according to their Works they shall have the Rewards of Life Eternal THE Power of God is over all P. S. and they that keep in it it will carry them over all G. F. MY Dear Friends Epist 226. in the Everlasting Seed and Covenant of Life be valiant for the Truth upon the Earth and dwell in the Power of the Lord God and never heed that which makes to Suffer but the Power of the Lord which was before it was and all live in that and spread the Truth abroad and every one improve your Lord and Master's Money your Talent to the advantage of your Lord. And be of good Faith and Valiant for the Truth you who are gathered in the Name of Jesus keep your Meetings in his Name over all the Meetings which are gathered by the Sons of Adam in the Fall and look over all Prisons and out ward Boads which are in time and will have an end at the Power of God look which hath no end in which your Life is and Peace Crown and Dominion and think not the time long that the Rod of the Wicked should lie on your Backs but rejoyce in Tribulations and Persecutions which is for the Trial of your Faith that it may be found more precious than Gold that perisheth For remember that Christ the Word was Tried and Christ is the Tried Stone and all the Prophets Apostles and Martyrs were Tried for their Testimony to the precious Pearl Seed and Truth and what Sufferings they had in all Ages were for the same by the dark World which was not worthy of them who were as Pilgrims and Strangers in the Earth and many of them forsook their Native Land and Country And so live in that which glorifieth the Lord you who know the Kindness Love and Mercies of God and are made partakes of the Heavenly Riches and of the Inheritance that never fadeth away and are Heirs of the Kingdom that never hath an end and are partakers of the Promises and Blessings that was before the Curse was and know the New Covenant made manifest in your Hearts and the Law of God there written and the Anointing within you to teach you and then you need no Man to teach you but as it doth teach you So abide in him and learn of him in whom God is well pleased and none turn to them which God is not well pleased with For you who are Children of God are not to look for Salvation from the Hills neither to look at the Arm of Flesh nor to put Confidence in Man who are redeemed from under the Curse and the Fear of Man and are bought with a Price the Blood of Jesus Christ and so are not your own and cannot do your own Wills nor other Mens but are to glorifie your Father which is in Heaven And so dwell in the Love of God together and in Peace and Unity and Fellowship in the Seed and Life For there is your growth and therein ye grow in Grace and Faith together The Lord God Almighty preserve you all in his Everlasting Arm and Hand which is his Power over all to his Glory bearing one with another in the gentle Wisdom which is peaceable and from above For how Joyful a thing it is for Brethren to dwell together in Vnity and hereby it is known that you are the Desciples of Christ if you love one another and a Mark that you are passed from Death to Life if you Love one another And so the Lord God preserve your Minds and Souls and Hearts all Holy and Pure to his Glory and all live and sit down in Christ the Seed who is the Faithful Witness the Amen the First and Last the beginning and ending No more but my Love is to you all in the Everlasting Seed Christ Jesus that never fell And Dear Friends keep low for there is no danger G. F. SIng and Rejoyce ye Children of the Day and of the Light Epist 227. for the Lord is at work in this thick Night of Darkness that may felt And Truth doth flourish as the Rose and the Lilies do grow among the Thorns and the Plants a-top of the Hills and upon them the Lambs doth skip and play And never heed the Tempests nor the Storms
Floods nor Rains for the Seed Christ is over all and doth reigh And so be of good Faith and Valiant for the Truth For the Truth can live in the Goals And fear not the loss of the Fleece for it will grow again and follow the Lamb if it be under the Beast's Horns or under the Beast's Heels for the Lamb shall have the Victory over them all And so all live in the Seed Christ your Way that never fell and you do see over all the ways of Adam's and Eve's Sons and Daughters in the Fall And in the Seed Christ your Way you have Life and Peace and there you do see over all the ways of Adam in the Fall in which there is no Peace So in the Seed Christ stand and dwell in whom you have Life and Peace the Life that was with the Father before the World began The 9th Month 1663. G. F. DEar Friends who have tasted of that which is precious Epist 228. and have felt the Truth convincing of you and also felt the Power of the Lord God I feel something amongst some of you that is not right and how that such get up into the wise Part but are out of the Power and out of the Life and with that Judges and are beholding the Moats in others Eyes whilst the Beam is in their own Eyes Oh! Abuse not the Power in which is the Gospel-Fellowship which will keep all in Unity and grieve not the Spirit in which is the true Fellowship and the Bond of Peace Keep down High-mindedness despise not Prophesies and quench not the Spirit in the least for that is Flesh and not Spirit in your selves that doth so Judge not before the time that the Lord do come who brings to light all the hidden things of darkness in you run not into outward things that is the fleshly Mind that will run from one thing and so be restless and will not know what Seat to sit in after it hath been in one outward thing it will run into another and call it his growth in the Truth and fall a Judging others but that Jadgment is after the Flesh and there growth is in the Flesh for the Fruits of it is Strife Backbitings Whisperings and leads to Idleness Busie-Bodies from House to House Slandering Scandalizeing Vilisying and are in Lightness out of the Fear of God in Varience and sowing Dissention and these are the Seeds-Men of the Flesh and not of the Spirit and so feeds one another with that which burdens the Seed and quenches the Spirit and destroys the Love and Vnity which Love you should grow in So the Fruits of every Birth manifesteth it self the Fruits of the Spirit is Love and Peace and Truth and Plainness and Righteousness and Godliness But the Frutis of the Flesh are Backbitings Whisperings Lyings Slanderings Scandalizing And therefore mind what this Birth hath brought forth and shame it that hath cryed up outward things and what it hath run into and what it hath drawn you into that are in it and what it hath rent you from and whether you are not come to a loss and whether you are not gone into the Flesh and into the Air and lost your first Habitations of Tenderness and Compassion for every Birth knows its own and is grieved when it s own is Judged and that will never love plain Dealing and righteous Judgment which is honest and true but will have the false Prophets Cushion and Pillow and can neither endure sound Doctrine nor Judgment And therefore mind your first Habitation and first Love and that which did Convince you that you may all come into Life and Power to sit down in the Habitation of it in Love and Life and Vnity and let there not be a Backbiter nor Slanderous Tongue nor Lyar nor Whisperer Reproacher nor a Busie-body found amongst you for if there be it will leaven one another and bring Darkness and Death upon you Therefore as I said before Dwell in the Power of God in which you may keep Vnity Life Love and Peace and in which Power of God you may be drawn up out of Satan's Power into the Power of God in which is my Life and in it is my Habitation and Dwelling where I know the unspotted Garment hid from all the unclean Beasts Tongues Lips Hands and Eyes and Blessed are all you that keeps in the Power and have kept your first Habitation for you grow up as Calves in the Stall and such gad not abroad to change their ways for the Birth of the Flesh would have some outward thing to feed upon but the Birth of the Spirit reigns over it Farewell Lancaster Prison the 6th Day G. F. FRiends Epist 229. Let not your Knowledge be after the Flesh but in the Spirit Let not your Fellowship be in the Flesh but let it be in the Spirit So know Vnity in the Spirit and in the Gospel Let not your Affections be in the Flesh and on things below but let them be set on things that are above and on things that are heavenly above the things below Let not your Souls be subject to the Lower Power of Darkness which is out of the Truth lest you bring Destruction upon your own selves but let your Souls be subject to the Higher Power that is above the Lower Power of Darkness Let your Acquaintance and Familiarity be in the Spirit over that which would ensnare or entangle you and bring you not Bondage Let all your Minds be Heavenly and not Earthly Let all your Minds be Spiritual and kept above all that which is Carnal then they are kept out of Death in Life and in Peace For the Invisible is above all the Visible and the Immortal is above the Mortal and the Eternal is above the External and the Incorruptible is above the Corruptible As Life is above Death Life Light and Truth over the contraries and Truth is above Error and Falshood and Light is above Darkness and Righteousness is above Unrighteousness so the Goldy are above the Ungodly and Holy above the Prophane the Just is above the Unjust and the true Prophets and the true Ministers or Preachers and Apostles and the true Desciples are above all the False And the true Christ is above all the Anti-Christs and God is above the Devil and Virture is above Vice and the true Worship in the Spirit and in the Truth is above the false which is out of the Spirit and the Truth and the true Belief and Faith and Hope is above the false Belief which is Unbelief and the Living Faith is above the Dead Faith and the Hope that is the Anchor both sure and stedfast Anchors the Soul in the great Sea the World Sure Anchor when the Liviathan maketh a Storm among the Tongues Peoples Nations and Languages which are as Waters then the true Hope standeth and stayeth and is sure and stedfast and keeps the Soul up to God a-top of the Sea
Anti-Christs came in therefore they may plead Antiquity Now with the Power of God ye may look what Tricks they have play'd in the World since the Primitive Times in the Apostacy But now is the Bride coming up out of the Wilderness and the Prophet is arisen and arising and the Everlasting Gospel shall be and is Preached again to all Nations Kindreds Tongues and Peoples of them that dwell upon the Earth and the Reapers and going forth to reap People down and so up to God and to bring them into the Barn and to gather the Wheat into the Garner And People shall come to Worship God that made Heaven and Earth the Sea and all that is therein and the Beast's Worship and Dragon's Worship and the great Whore's Church is falling the true Woman is coming up false Prophets are falling true Prophets and true Witnesses are rising and fisen Sing Triumph and Rejoyce Glory in the Highest trample tread and bow them before the mighty God Let the Wicked bow before the Gates of the Righteous Sing and Rejoyce the Heaven of Heavens Praise the Lord. Now the Dragon's Worship Beast false Church false Prophet is taken the old Dragon cast into the Lake of Fire and with him the false Prophets and the Flesh of the Whore burnt Reap out reap out reap out I say with the Power of God ye Reapers unto the Lord for here is the Day of Harvest for as the other falls the Day of Harvest is known a Day of Gathering for it is that which hat inwardly Ravened that hath scattered For the inwardly Raveners and Wolves in Sheeps Cloathing whose Fruits have been Briars and Thorns and Thistles are them which have made up the false Church the Whore the false Prophets and the Beast's Worship and the Dragon's Worship out of the Truth which have made the World like a Wilderness overgrown with Thistles Thorns and Briars in which lodge the Wolves and Dragons the beginning of this Ravening into this State was a matter of Sixteen Hundred Years since amongst whom is found the Blood of the Martyrs Prophets and Saints in the Faith and in the Testimony of Jesus shed in this dark Night of Apostacy Separation Degeneration with all their compelling Worships Inventions Laws Traditions Churches Rudiments to be observed and Cups for People to drink In these I say and among these have the Righteous suffered since the Days of the Apostles and among them is the Blood of the Martyrs and the Prophets and holy People of the Royal Seed found and by them have they all suffered and from amongst them will God fetch his Royal Seed with his own Hand and with his mighty Power will he fetch it Glory over all to him Rejoyce and Sing Praises He is now Tryumphing Gloriously and bringing ye over with his Power that ye might see to the beginning before Man fell and know the State of the Jews in the Law and the State of the Christians in the end of the Law and the State of the Apostatized pretended Christians since the Apostles Days out of both Law and Gospel how they have gotten up and in what they have lived out of the Lofe and Power the Apostles were in and Christ Jesus who is the First and the Last the Top and Corner-Stone who is over all felt and lies heavy upon the Transgressors who is the Rock upon which the Lambs leaps and skips him feel in you all then ye may all feel the First and the Last who destroys the Devil and his Works which are imperfect whose works are Persecution and Murder and Banishment and Cruelty and Imprisonment For the Devil shall cast some into Prison saith John in the Revelations and the Devil was a Murderer from the beginning and a Lyer whom Christ destroys and his Works who was before he was and remains when he is destroyed and gone and his Works Therefore in him the Seed have ye Life Eternal and in him meet together and then ye are in the Pastures of Life who is the First and the Last who is over Death and the Power of it and the Pastures of Death So who are in this Royal Seed comprehends the State and Time before the Law the Time of the Law the Time of Christians and the Time of the Apostacy For the Seed Christ is the First and the Last the Beginning and the Ending and in the Seed is the stayedness and plainness of Words and Life yet a Mystery to all them that be out of it And comprehends and sees the State of the Sufferings of the Just before the Law and the State of the Sufferings of the Just in the Law by whom and for what they suffered and also comprehends the State of the Christians who lived in the end of the Law in Christ the Substance and by whom they suffered and for what even by such as were the greacest Professors out of the Lofe of Moses and the Prophets which had they been in it they would have read Christ the Substance and all them that testified of him and were Witnesses of him And also comprehends the State and sees who are them that Apostatized from the Apostles and the Church in the Primitive Times who have been the Sufferers and who it is that hath made them to Suffer and for what So the Measuring Line of Righteousness is in this known and also the State now wherein the Lamb and the Saints shall have the Victory and the rising of the Witnesses and the Prophets and the Reapers going forth to Reap the Earth and the Woman is coming out of the Wilderness and the Worshipping of God that made Heaven and Earth the Sea and the dry Land is known and the desturction of the Devil's Worship and the Dragon 's and the false Prophets and the great Whore the false Church and the Saints shall reign and the Lamb shall have victory and the Bride the Lamb's Wife shall be known which is the true Church which Christ is the Head of So in this live that is in the Life and Power of Christ in Christ the Substance in which ye may know him the First and the Last and the Gospel-Fellowship which is preached again which Gospel is the Power of God which was before the Power of Darkness was which hath darkened Life and Immortality from People in which Power Life and Immortality comes to be brought to Light again to People in which Power of God is the Fellowship which is a Mystery So wait to know every particular of your selves to be Heirs of this and know your Portion the Power of God the Gospel-Fellowship then are ye Members one of another and living Stones that build up the Spiritual Houshold And also know the Cross of Christ which is the Power of God which Crucifies from the State in the Fall and the Apostacy in that State I say that Adam and Eve and all their Sons and Daughters are in in the Fall where in that State they glory in the
leads into here are all manner of Uncleanness Unrighteousness Falsities Puffing-up and Pride and all the crooked rough cross Ways and Mountains of Sin which are become as Graves and Prisons for the Just Adam's State before he fell is beyond all this who fell into this but Christ that never fell is a State beyond Adam and he is to be heard and followed that never fell and in him are People to sit down who is the Rest and Peace and Life who destroyeth the Devil and his Works and makes and end of Sin together with Vngodliness and Vnrighteousness which hath dishonoured God so bruiseth the Head of the Serpent and breaks his Power and crusheth him to pieces that the Seed Christ may rise in all which honoureth the Father Now this being manifest and known in all then the Lamb is known to have the Victory which hath been slain from the Foundation of the World and then in the Seed you come to know your Election before the World began And here the Lord's Words are fulfilled his Glory he will not give to another who destroyeth that that took the Glory to it self which brings up to that Noble Seed and Plant in Man which gives the Glory to God And here as you live in the Seed Christ Jesus your Election you know before the World began and Reprobation since the World began For Core Cain Ishmael Esau Sodom and Egypt Spritual and Temporal have been since the World began For Egypt is Thraldom Bondage Anguish and Darkness and Sodom is Whoredom and Cain disobeyed the Voice of God and Core gain-said the Law and whoever feels all this Nature in them they are Vessels of Wrath and let them not complain and say Why hast thou made me thus For there are Vessels of Honour and Vessels of Dishonour Vessels of Mercy Vessels of Wrath And it is not in him that willeth and runneth but in God that sheweth Mercy Now Esau the First Birth signifieth a Worker Jacob is the Second Birth signifieth a Supplanter and when Jacob hath supplanted Esau the First Birth the prophane Nature Jacob is called Israel that is as much as to say Thou hast Power with God now So where the Election is risen and hath put down Cain Core Egypt Sodom the First Birth slain which brought all the Wrath into the Vessel and the old Bottle broken Here is a new Bottle that holdeth the new Wine and Vessels of Honour and Vessels of Mercy in the Election before the World began and you have all things made new a new Heaven and a new Earth And all Friends that be in any manner of Sufferings Imprisonments or Banishments for Christ and his Truths sake live in Christ and sit down in him in whom you have all Peace Life Vertue and Rest in Christ Jesus who was before all that was that makes to suffer and will remain when it 's all gone and was the First and Last the Beginning and Ending the same to day yesterday and for ever In him sit down and live that doth not change then your Religion doth not change your Worship doth not change your Way doth not change for Christ being you Way who is the same to day yesterday and for ever and your Fellowship and Vnity and Community doth not change being with the Father who doth not change but is the same from Everlasting to Everlasting And they whose Religion Fellowship and Worship changes and gads about and changeth their Ways are fickle and have itching Ears after the Ways that change from Christ who doth not change who is the Way the same to day as he was yesterday to be walked in And all Friends that are in any Temptations or Troubles look at Christ who bruiseth the Serpent's Head your Adversary your Enemy your Troubler your Tempter your Defiler your Accuser he Wicked One fear him not but look at Christ Jesus that bruiseth his Head breaketh his Power and Strength and crusheth him to pieces in Christ have you Peace which was before the Devil was Reign in him Christ Jesus who is your Light and Life and Salvation and fear God and give glory glory to him for ever For this Serpent the Enemy the Adversary the Devil the Wicked One the Dragon the Accuser the Tempter he tempted Christ to the Creatures to the Glory of the World and to worship him to destroy himself but Christ bruiseth his Head breaks his Power and Strenght and crusheth him to pieces and destroyeth him and his works So in him live and rejoyce in whom you have Peace and Life and Dominion in him who was before the Serpent was the First and Last the same yesterday to day and for ever Ah my dear Friends and Brethren every where the Power of the Lord God is over all live in it that you may feel a Vnity and Fellowship in the Power of the Lord God that through that Power of the Lord God you may all come to be Heirs of the Power of an Endless Life through which you may Inherit Eternity and so to feel Life Eternal abiding in you the Manslayer hath not Eternal Life abiding in him that is he that envies his Brother So all the Persecutors that envy their Brethren have not Eternal Life abiding in them Under this all the Persecutors about Church Religion Worship Faith Ministry and Fellowships and Envious Persons having not Eternal Life abiding in them are comprehended Therefore you all fee this Eternal Life abiding in you And he that hath the Son of God hath Life Eternal abiding in him and so in this Eternal Life you have an Eternal Fellowship with God and his Son and with one another And in this the Law of Life that is in Jesus Christ passeth Sentence on the Law of Sin and Death in every Man and Woman and brings it to the Exceution Through which Law of Life Righteousness flows and runs down as a stream and also Justice and Truth Here by this Law of the Spirit of Life in Christ Jesus Mark in Christ Jesus you come to know the Lamb's Throne and the Throne of Iniquity thrown down its Mouth stopped and the Chambers of Imagery thrown down and the Houshold of God raised the Fruitless Trees thrown down and the Plant of God raised up which is of his own planting a Tree of Righteousness whose Fruit is unto Holiness whose end is Everlasting Life So mark here the Fruits of this Tree and the End of this Tree By this you distinguish Man's planting and Man's plucking up and God's building you will distinguish from Man's building and Man's plucking down and Man's gathering together you that are gathered in the Name of Jesus distinguish and their scattering Oh therefore be valiant for the Truth which you are come to the knowledge of and worship God in that Truth which the Devil is out of and abode not in this makes you free from the Devil and his Works that ar out of Truth Here in this Worship in the Truth and in the
through which Christ gives you Rain having purchased the Field wherein the Pearl lies and now is the Spring time that the Lilly and the Rose begins to flourish and the Power of the Lord God who is over all And keep your Testimony for your Religion that you have received from God and for your Worship in the Spirit and in the Truth that Christ Jesus hath set up and for your Gospel-Fellowship which is in the Power of God before the Devil was And see that all live in Peace and in the Love of God for Love edifieth the Body for he who is the Head of it is the beloved of God who is from Everlasting to Everlasting And see that every ones Affections be set on things above To set our Affections upon things above and not upon things below that be Earthly for now is the time to contend for the Faith that gives Victory which was once delivered to the Saints in which you have Vnity And so the God of Power preserve you all and keep you in his blessed Seed to wit Christ Jesus that none of you may be without a Minister without a Priest or without a Prophet or without a Shepherd or without a Bishop but let every one receive him in his Offices Then you all have One who will exercise his Offices in you all whom God hath given for a Leader and a Covenant yea an Everlasting Leader who was the Foundation of the Prophets and Apostles and is to us this Day And so be Valiant for the Truth upon the Earth in the Seed Christ Jesus that through him who Destroys Death you may have a Crown of Life and through him you may be one another's Crown and Joy in the Lord yea I say through Christ who was glorified with the Father before the World began I am just now upon leaving this Island where I have had very great and blessed Service though I underwent very great Weights and Burthens and Sufferings and Travels But all is well and the blessed Seed and Power is over all to whom be Glory for evermore Amen Amen G. F. DEar Friends This is the Counsel of the Lord to you all who are brought into the Eternal Truth of God Epist 285. whose Minds are guided out of the Earth up to God and have received their Wisdom from God which Wisdom order all the Creatures To receive Wisdom from God that with it you may come to know how to order in the Creation with the Wisdom by which all was made This I charge you and warn you all in the Presence of the Living God That you suffer no Creature to perish for want of the Creatures and that none be lost through Sloathfulness Laziness and Filthiness and let not these things be which are for Condemnation with the Light that leads to the Wisdom To Order the Creation with which the Creation must be ordered And Friends let there be no Sloathfulness among you but all keep in Diligence and Liveliness For he that is Sloathful he is an evil Example and such must be judged with the Light that they may come to know the Servants Place and be Diligent And such as have gone up and down begging which you have received in amongst you with the Light which hath convinced them And to Inccurage Industry see that they be kept in Diligence and not wander but be kept in Obedience to the Light to receive their Wisdom from God how to Labour in the Creation and see that they have things decent and necessary and that their Nakedness may be covered that no Reproach nor Shame may come upon the Truth from such as are without but that with the Light all such may be denied who act contrary to it and in the Light which condemns the evil World ye may walk and receive the Light of the Son of God which the World stumbles at which is their Condemnation and in which the Saints have Vnity And all being kept diligent walking in the Light there will be no Sloathfulness For that is judged with the Light And Condemn that which is Evil. which is one with that in his Conscience which condemns him for Evil. This to go among Friends every where G. F. FRiends When you are met together Epist 286. in the Name of Jesus your Saviour let your Minds be over all to him and out of all things that changeth and perisheth and dieth of it self and will corrupt Our Mind to be over all things which perisheth and is visible up to him that is invisible the Lord God and his Son Jesus Christ that you may see him and feel him among you and in your Meetings in his Life and Light and Power and Spirit and that you may know that God is and that he is the Rewarder of all them that diligently seek him and to know that God is present And that which giveth the knowledge of him is the Light that shineth in the Heart in the Face of Jesus Christ and so see him in all your Troubles and Afflictions and that God is present God is present beholding our most secret Thoughts beholding all your Actions done in your Bodies and your Consenting to your Evil Thoughts Lusts or Motions the Thoughts what you will speak or act or Motions which you have not acted outwardly but if you do consent to do them in your Mind or Heart the Lord seeth them there to be done though they be not done outwardly to the sight of Men and so to God you must give an account of things done in your Bodies and of things done out of the Body for God both heareth and seeth what is done in the Body and what is said and done without the Body and therefore turn from the Evil that leadeth to destruction and judge it and your selves for cleaving to it and turn to the Lord and know him who is mighty to save and to reward all them that diligently seek him who is Almighty in his Power to save and deliver and to help in time of need So know him that was from Everlasting to Everlasting And here thou knowest God in his Power Light Kingdom of God stands in Righteousness and Life and Righteousness which his Kingdom stands in in that Righteousness and Power and Holy Ghost and Peace that never will have an End and is over all Kingdoms that will have an End and are unclean and any unclean and imperfect thing may enter into them and in them is Troubles Tumults and Sin and not Peace but Sorrow But into the Kingdom of God no imperfect thing entereth nor Sin nor any unclean thing For the Kingdom of God standeth in Righteousneass and Everlasting Peace and in Joy in the Holy Ghost G. F. FRiends Epist 287. Consider you that have known the Mercies of the Lord God To remember the Mercies of the Lord. and of Jesus Christ Look back and see how them that had known much of
and as he is a Priest who offered up himself for you who is made Higher than the Heavens and that is Higher than all the Priests that are made upon the Earth who Sanctifies his People his Church and presents them to God without blemish spot or wrinkle So I say know him in all his Offices exercising them amongst you and in you I am glad to hear of some of your diligence in taking that great Journey to Carolina through the Woods for if you visit them sometimes it would do well And there is a People at that place you call New-Country as you go to Carclina which had a great desire to see me amongst whom I had a Meeting I received Letters giving me an account of the Service some of you had with and amongst the Indian King and his Councel and if you go over again to Carolina you may enquire of Capt. Batts the Old Governor with whom I left a Paper to be read to the Emperor and his Thirty Kings under him of the Tusrowres who were to come to Treat for Peace with the People of Carolina Whether he did read it to them or no remember me to Major General Benett and Col. Dew and the rest of the Justices that were Friendly and Curteous to me when I was there and came to Meetings and tell them that I cannot but remember their Civility and Moderation when I was amongst them And so the Lord redouble it into your Hearts and theirs the Love and Kindness which they and you shewed unto me I have been a Prisoner here about these Eight Months and now I am Premunired because I cannot take an Oath but the Lord's Seed and Power is over all blessed be his Name for ever and Glory and Honour to Him who is over all and is worthy of all Read this amongst Friends in their Meetings G. F. Worcester 1673. MY Dear Friends Epist 305. Live in the Seed that bruiseth the Serpents Head who is the Head of all false Teachers and Ways and false Worships and Religions But Christ is the Head of all the true Worshippers and in his Name keep your Meetings in whom you have Salvation and not by any other Name under Heaven And fit under your Teacher Christ Jesus that doth bring your Salvation the Grace of God that you may all witness that you have a Teacher from God that doth bring your Salvation and in your Hearts you have received him and believed in him and with your Mouths confession is made to Salvation that your Teacher hath brought you that you all may witness his Salvation to be your Walls and Bulwarks that doth surround your Camps and Tabernacles London 1673. G. F. To Friends in Holland FRiends Do not grow barren but in the Root abiding Epist 306. ye will spring upward and bring forth much Fruit in this Life To grow in the Root and in the Life to come inherit Life Eternal and so your Lives being hid with Christ in God you will be made conformable to his Image and know the Power of his Resurrection and the Fellowship with him in his Sufferings and the Fellowship with him in his Death that you may have Fellowship with him in his Resurrection and Life And as you have born the Image of the Earthly so also you may bear the Image of the Heavenly And as your Vessels hath been full of Wrath and Dishonour so your Vessels may be full of his Mercies and Praises to God and as in your Old Earth hath dwelt Unrighteousness so you may see and know the New Earth wherein dwelleth Righteousness There is a Belief that God is not the Author of for such have not the Witness in themselves of what they do believe and a Belief may be of God and Christ and of the Scriptures and yet such may be in Death Faith for they are not in Christ the Light and so are not Children of the Light and there is a Faith which Christ is not the Author of and that Faith giveth not the Victory nor purifieth the Heart neither do they in it please God nor have they access to God and that is the dead Faith which hath no Works And there is a Hope that doth not purifie and that Hope is that which is not of Christ who saves and purifieth as he is pure but that Hope is the Hope of the Hypocrites Hope And there is a Way that may be defiled where all the Wolves Dogs and Beasts and the Vnclean passeth and hath many turning Ways in it and many crooked and rough and mountanious Ways in it and there is the broad Way that leadeth to Destruction and these are not the Way of Christ that leadeth to Life which is the narrow and strait Way And there arem any Names in the World by which there is no Salvation the Beast hath many Names which all the World wondereth after and receive the Beast's Mark that he marketh them with his Beastly Spirit and Power which he hath from the Dragon but there is but one Name under the whole Heaven by which People shall be saved and that is the Name of Jesus Salvation in the Name of Jesus only and they gathering in his Name by whom the World was made and receiving their Father the Lord God Almighty's Name and Mark in their Foreheads Christ is in the midst of them and they will not receive the Beast's Mark nor will not be marked by him And there are many Religions in the World all which are spotted and defiled with the World's Spirit with which they do destroy one another but there is but one pure Religion from above that is undefiled in the sight of God and that keeps from the Spots of the World Pure Religion and leads to visit the Widow and Fatherless in their distress and they that receive this pure Religion from God who is above it is by God's Spirit the fruits of which is Love and this pure undefiled Religion from God hath the Glory in all the Hearts of them that do receive it who is the Author of it and it is above all those Religions that are below that are made by Men's earthly sensual and devilish Wisdom who with it compel People to conform to them and such are not gentle pure nor peaceable as the Wisdom which is from above is And there is but one true Worship which the Devil is out of and his unclean Spirit and he cannot get into it The true Worship in the Spirit which Worship is in the Spirit and in the Truth which Christ the heavenly Man hath set up above Sixteen Hundred Years since and every one that cometh into the Spirit and into the Truth are the true Worshippers of the God of Truth who is a Spirit and all that are not in the Spirit and Truth are in the Beast's Worship out of the Spirit of God and in his Wrath under the Dragon's Power and there are many Instructors that
Moon that shall be turned into Darkness before the Notable Day of the Lord come and where this Notable Day of the Lord is seen and by whom it is seen they see the Glorious Son of God the Son of Righteousness by whom was all things who is over all things who is the Head of his People and dwells in them who is present with them and who was and will be to all Eternity of whose Kingdom there is no end who is God over all blessed for ever Kinston the 1st of the 7th Month 1674. G. F. MY Dear Friends in England Epist 308. and all parts of the World the Gospel which is the Power of God which you have received from the Beginning Given forth in the time of his Sickness in Worcester Prison 1674. keep in it and the Fellowship of it in which there is neither Sect nor Schism but an Everlasting Fellowship and an Everlasting Order which Gospel brings Life and Immortality to Light in every one of your Hearts and lets you see over him that hath darkned you Now every Man and Woman here will have a Testimony in their own Hearts Friends to have their Fellowship in the Truth of this Order and Fellowship being Heirs and Inheritors of it by which you will see over all the Jalse Orders and Fellowships that are or may be fet up or made Therefore it is good for every one to keep their Habitation For those that went in Cain's Way as the Apostles speaks of they envied the Apostles that kept the Fellowship And Corah's Way and Balaam's Way these were them that had been great Professors that envied the Apostles For mark it was the Way of such as were of Cain Corah and Balaam's Spirit to oppose the Power who were against Abel and Moses and the Apostles and so there began the Apostacy and there came up the many Orders amongst them in the Apostacy So that at last the Gospel-Order was lost amongst them And keep the Cospel-Order and the Government of Christ and his Worship and the Beast was then set up And therefore now the Gospel-Order is to be set up again and the Government of Christ Jesus by them that be Heirs of him and of his Government who is First and Last the Beginning and the End of the increase of whose Government there is no End Now I say you that be Heirs of Christ possess him and walk in him and as you have received him so walk all in Peace and Love and live in his Worship in the Spirit and Truth which the Devil is out of And at your General Assemblies of the Ministry at London or elsewhere examine as it was at the first whether all the Ministers that goes forth into the Countries The Ministers to watch over one another do walk as becomes the Gospel For that you know was one End of that Meeting to prevent and take away Scandal And to examine whether all do keep in the Government of Christ Jesus that preach him and in the Order of the Gospel and to exhort them that doth not For the Foundation is already laid which is Christ and his Government is set up of the increase of which there is no end So had all these called Christians kept in his Order and Government they had not troubled themselves and others with so many Disorders if he had been Head of their Church so if you keep in the Gospel-Order and Government of Christ Jesus you will keep out of the Apostacy which they have been in and the many false Orders That more go from Gospel-Order to the Apost acy and Governments that they went into and made one against another when they went from the true as you may see in the Scriptures of Truth that it was some high Cain and Corah-like Spirits that did so for Cain was able to build a City And Corah that opposed the Chief Leader Moses was of the Princes of the People And so these opposed with their many Orders the true Order And Balaam that was able to teach a Nation and Prophesie before a King and made the Children of Israel to stumble by his bad Counsel These were Men of Esteem these are them the World went after these came to ride upon the People and such as these opposed Abel Moses and Christ the Leader and Governor and his Apostles and set up the many Orders and Governments in their Churches and broke all into Sects And therefore Friends if you keep under Christ the Governor who governs his Church in Righteousness and who is a Prophet and Preacher and keep in his Gospel-Order none of these can deceive you let them come with never so fair Pretences For Christ bruises the Serpent's Head who is the Head of all false Teachers and false Orders that are not in his Power and is the First and Last and therefore keep in his Power and in the Vnity of his Spirit which is the Bond of Peace Mark the Pure Holy Eternal invisible Spirit of God is the Bond of Peace Therefore forfeit not your Bond of the Prince of Princes for if you do you lose your Life and go into Death and into an evil Spirit and break the Prince of Princes Peace so that you lose your Peace with him Christ Jesus And therefore it concerns all that profess themselves to be Ministers to be humble else they are no Learners of Christ not to be harsh nor high minded but walk as Examples amongst God's Flock and not to be Lords over God's Inheritance but let him be Lord whose Right it is c. And you have known the manner of my Life G. F's great Labour in the Gospel the best part of Thirty Years since I went forth and forsook all things I sought not my self I sought you and his Glory that sent me and when I turned you to him that is able to save you I left you to him And my Travels hath been great in Hungers and Colds when there was few for the first Six or Seven Years that I often lay in Woods and Commons in the Night that many times it was as a by-word That I would not come into Houses and lie in their Beds and the Prisons have been made my Home a great part of my time and in danger of my Life and in Jeopardy daily And amongst you I have made my self of no Reputation to keep the Truth up in Reputation as you all very well know it that be in the Fear of God With the low I made my self low and with the weak and feeble I was as one with them and condescended to all Conditions for the Lord had fitted me so before he sent me forth and so I passed through great Sufferings in my Body as you have been sensible And few at the first took Care for the establishing Men and Womens Meetings tho' they were generally owned when they understood them but the Everlasting God that sent me forth by his Everlasting
and Transgression taken off Men that believe in the Seed Christ Jesus who bruises the Head of the Serpent that has brought Man and Woman into his Image and his Works which Christ destroys both him and his works and renews Man and Woman up into the Image of God as they were in before they fell and into the Power to have Dominion to work in his Garden to subdue the Earth c. So that all are now to labour in the Garden of God that are in the Power and Image of God being brought into it by Christ Jesus that bruises the Serpent's Head that has been Head in them all So that Christ Jesus may be Head in all Men and Women and every Man and Woman may act from him their Holy Head their Life and Salvation and keep his heavenly Peace in his Church and every living Member believing in the Light which is the Life in Christ may be grafted into him the Fountain of Life and receive from him the Water of Life that they may feel the living Springs and the Rivers springing up in them to Eternal Life These are living Stones the spiritual Houshold of which Christ is both Head Rock and Foundation And Christ is called the Green Tree Christ the green Tree from whom all the Branches receive their Nourishment which Green Tree never withers into whom they are grafted by Belief in the Light which is the Life in him from whom they all receive their heavenly living nourishment through which every Graft is nourished then it comes to bud and bring forth Fruit to the Praise of the Eternal God Now every one of these living Believers are Members of the living Church in God which Christ is the Head of and every Member in the Church hath an Office and so every Member is serviceable in the Body in his Office in the Light which is over Darkness and was before it was and in the Life which is over Death and was before it was and in the Power of God which was before the Power of the Serpent was and so they are in this Light Life and Power to execute their Offices I say in this Divine Light Life Power and Spirit of God for God's Glory in Truth Purity Vertue Holiness and Righteousness they are to stand up for and the Honour of his Son and receive him who hath all Power in Heaven and Earth given to him and all that receive him he gives them Power to become the Sons and Daughters of God then in his Power all are to act and walk and to serve God in their Generation and in it to serve him in the New Creation in Righteousness and Holiness and to stand up in his Power for his Glory in his Power Righteousness and Holiness that Christ brings into them and renews them in and so into the Restoration that they may Labour in the Church and Garden of God in his Power to his Everlasting Praise and Glory Amen And all Friends To stand fast in the Liberty of Christ stand fast in the Liberty wherewith Christ hath made you free and in the Liberty in the Faith which Christ is the Author and Finisher of which Faith purifies the Hearts and gives Victory in which you have access to God the Mystery of which is held in a pure Conscience in which Faith it hath its true Liberty And keep in the Liberty of the Everlasting Glorious Gospel of Peace which is not of Man nor by Man but from Heaven which Gospel bringeth and hath brought Life and Immortality to Light and will preserve you in Life and Immortality over him that hath darkned you and in this Gospel you have Everlasting Liberty and Peace and in the Truth which maketh you free from him that is out of the Truth This free State all are to keep in and also in the pure holy Spirit of God and Christ that doth Mortifie all that is to be mortified and crucified and doth Baptize you into one Body In this Holy Spirit you are to walk which leadeth you into all Truth in which is your Vnity and Fellowship and giveth Liberty from that which hath grieved it and quenched and vexed it And so in the Liberty and Fellowship and Vnity of the holy pure and peaceable Spirit you are all to dwell and walk which is the Bond of the Prince of Princes Peace which the World cannot take away London the 13th of the 9th Month 1677. G. F. MY Dear Friends To whom is my Love in the Everlasting Seed Epist 345. that reigns over all and will overcome all your Persecutors and the Devil that is the cause thereof who fighteth against the Light which is the Life in Christ as they did against him in the Flesh above Sixteen Hundred Years ago And now my Friends Suffer as Lambs in the time of your Sufferings To suffer as Lambs in the Patience of the Lamb. let all your Wills be subjected with the Patience that hath the Victory and run the Race and obtain the Crown of Life and be willing to go to Suffer for Christ's sake for the Apostle said It is not only given you to Believe but also to Suffer for his Name sake in whom you have Salvation for They that suffer for Righteousness sake are Blessed and theirs is the Kingdom of God and by Faith the holy Men of God had Victory as you may see at large in Heb. 11. So nothing is overcome by any Man's Will but by Faith that giveth access to God in which they do Please God And I do believe that all your Sufferings will be for good for your Establishing upon the holy Rock of Life which was the Rock of all the Sufferers the Prophets and the Apostles who is the anointed Saviour to the answering that of God in all People for the Lord hath a great Work and Seed in that place So live in the Spirit that Mortifieth all and Circumciseth all and Baptiseth all so that with the Spirit you may sow to the Spirit and of the Spirit reap Life Everlasting And my desire is All to live in the Vnity of the Spirit and in the Bond of Peace that you may all be kept alive to God and live in the living Vnity of the Spirit which is the Bond of the heavenly Peace that passeth the Knowledge of the World which Peace brings such Joys which transcend all your Sufferings and will carry you above them And so in love to God and in love to your Persecutors you can pray for them who persecute you and this Suffering is above all the Sufferings in the World which are without Love and Charity who maketh one another to suffer when they get the upper hand but such are not the Sufferers for the true Lord Jesus who suffered though he was above all yet he made none to suffer and when he was Reviled he reviled not again but said Father forgive them and committed himself to him that judged Righteously So let the
Salvation and not in any other Name under the whole Heaven So that now you come to know Christ your Saviour who destroys the Destroyer the Devil and his Works and it 's He that brings forth Everlasting Righteousness that makes an End of Sin and finishes Transgression So that now you may live and walk in the Everlasting Righteousness of Christ Jesus who is your Priest Christ our Priest and Prophet that is made higher than the Heavens Hebr. 7. And who is your Prophet that God has raised up and not Man whom ye must hear in all things Acts 3.22 7.37 who were as lost Sheep gone astray but are now retarned to the chief Priest and Bishop of your Souls namely Christ Jesus 1 Pet. 2.25 And Christ saith He is the true Shepherd that hath laid down his Life for his Sheep and his Sheep know his Voice and follow him Who is the Holy and Just one and never Guile was found in his Mouth And Christ says No Man comes to the Father but by me So he is the New and Living Way and God has given him for a Leader and Counsellor to Counsel his People who is the Holy Living Rock and Foundation which is above all the Rocks and Foundations below For He the Rock and Foundation is from above whom all the Children of the Light that believe in his Light which is the Life in him and are grafted into him do build upon And so the Lord God Almighty with his Eternal Power support you all in all your Afflictions and Sufferings Trials and Temptations that you may be built and settled upon this Rock and Foundation that cannot be shaken And now dear Friends my desires are and the Desires of Friends here that you may all walk soberly honestly modestly and civilly and lovingly and gently and tenderly to all your Patroons and to all People And To walk Justly and Holily in all Words and dealings That ye may walk Righteously Justly and Holily in all your Words Dealings and Doings that his Name you do profess now may be honoured and you may reach by your Righteous Godly Lives and Conversations the Good in all your Patroons and in all others so that you may shew forth the Fruits of the Spirit and the Fruits of Christianity and that you are the Possessors of Christ Jesus your Mediator who has made Peace betwixt you and your God And as you have received Christ so walk in him and know him to rule in your Hearts by Faith For herein as Christ said is my Father glorified that you bring forth much heavenly Fruit and that your spiritual and heavenly Light may shine before Men that they may see your good Works and glorifie your Father which is in Heaven And now Friends we understand That some that have come lately among you have been under great Sufferings and Abuses by their Patroons because they cannot honour them with that Honour as other Slaves do or as they have done before Now To wear out Sufferings by Patience if you wait in Patience upon the Lord in his Truth for you are to buy the Truth and not to sell it and Truth is that that 's stronger than all the Lord in his time though he may try you can mollifie that Nature in them there as he hath done in other Places where he hath tried his People with such things And when they have seen 't is for Conscience sake towards God and it is from the Principle of Truth and the Spirit in which Spirit and Truth they worship the Most-High God who is an Eternal Incomprehensible Spirit who is God in Heaven and God in the Earth and dwells by his Spirit in his humble People they have been overcome And now Friends consider They are blessed who suffer for Christ's sake they are blessed that suffer for Christ's sake and it is not only given you to believe but to suffer for his Name And they that will live Godly in Christ Jesus must suffar Persecution But the Apostle says of the true Christians Who shall separate us from the Love of Christ Shall Tribulation or Distresses or Persecution or Famine or Nakedness or Peril or Sword As it is written For thy sake are we killed all the day long We are counted as Sheep for the slaughter In all these things we are more than Conquerers through him that loved us I am persuaded that neither Death nor Life nor Angels nor Principalities nor Powers nor things present nor things to come nor highth nor depth nor any other Creature shall be able to separate us from the Love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord Rom. 8.36 39. Psal 44.22 Now dear Friends you may see here was a Godly Sincerity Fervency Stedfastness and Resolution in the true Christians which ought to be in all such now without boasting And the Apostle says Rejoyce for as much as ye are partakers of Christ's Sufferings that when his Glory shall be revealed ye may be glad also with exceeding Joy For if ye be Reproached for the Name of Christ happy are ye for the Spirit of Glory and of God rests upon you on their part he is evil spoken of but on your part he is glorified 1 Pet. 4.13 14 15. And so dear Friends Be wife that you may give no just occasion To give no just occasion of Offence And keep low in the Humility for such learn of Christ and the meek follow him And so my desire is That you may all be preserved to the Glory of God and that you may be Valiant for the Truth upon the Earth and spread it abroad that all may come to the Spirit of God that God poureth upon all Flesh and to serve and worship him And so that all Flesh may see the Glory of God by his Spirit and that all might come to the Light which is the Life in Christ the Word by whom all things were made and created with which Light he enlightneth every Man that comes into the World to believe in and to love it and to try their works whether they be wrought in God yea or nay 1 John 3.19 20 21. And that all might come to the Grace of God which hath appeared to all Men and brings Salvation which will teach to live Godly Righteously and Soberly and deny Unrighteousness This is the true Christian's Teacher which brings Salvation and teacheth to deny that which would lead them into Destruction The true Christians Teacher into Ungodly Ungracious Ways and Words but this Grace teacheth the Saints to walk in Gracious Ways and their Words come to be seasoned with Grace which teaches them and brings their Salvation So that which is the true Christian's Teacher brings their Salvation And so every one sit under this Teacher as the true Church of Christ did as you may see Tit. 2.11 12. And so dear Friends I do commend you to him that has all Power to support who is God All-sufficient to
's sake and so it is the Gift of God with his Eternal Spirit and Power that doth uphold us in all our Sufferings which hath made so many to finish their Testimony for the Truth in Goals and Prisons and not to love their Lives to the Death but love God and Christ Jesus above their Lives and all outward things as Practice and Experience have declared it And now dear Friends To be faithful to the end be faithful in Christ Jesus to the end that you may all have the Crown of Life and that Peace from Christ Jesus which the World and all the Apostate Spirits from the Truth cannot take away from you I say neither the World with their outward Persecutions and spoiling of Goods nor the Apostate Spirits from the peaceable Truth with all their Lies and Defamations and their filthy scandalous Books and evil Tongues though they be like the raging Waves of the Sea casting up Mire and Dirt whose Folly is manifest to all that hear and see them yet all this cannot disturb the Peace of the Righteous And all the restless unquiet unruly Murmurers and Complainers that are filled with false Jealousies and are the wandering Stars who are wandered from the Witness of the Lord in their own Hearts such their Judgments do not linger nor their Damnation doth not slumber though they may be suffered for a time to try God's People And now Friends you know envious Cain was a Sacrificer as well as Abel but out of the Faith and Righteousness who Murdered his Brother Abel he may be said to have been a Type of Judas who was a partaker of the Ministry yet betrayed his Master And you read that Ishmael and Esau were circumcised as well as Isaac and Jacob but Esau hated Jacob and would have slain him and Ishmael scoffed at Isaac and so he that is born of the Flesh persecuteth him that is born of the Spirit and that Birth is not Heir with the Seed of the Promise though it may come into the outward Form and outward Profession And likewise you read of Corah Dathan and Abiram and their Company and their Rebelling against the Lord and his Servants Moses and Aaron and of their false Liberty but what became of them in Numb 16. you may see And likewise how that the Jews after the Lord brought them out of Egypt made themselves a Calf of their Jewels and Ear-rings as in Exod. 32. Psalm 106.19 The Jews made a Calf in Horeb and worshipped the Golden Image and forgot God their Saviour who had done great things in Egypt and wonderous things in the Land of Ham and murmured in their Tents and hearkened not to the Voice of the Lord And therefore God overthrew them in the Wilderness and they came not into the promised Land And you read how the Jews run into false Liberty in the Days of Baalam and joined with Baal-Peor Examples of Apostates of old Times and how the Anger of the Lord was kindled against them and what a destruction he brought upon them who had turned against the Lord and his faithful People as in Numb 25. And likewise how often the Jews murmurred against Moses and Aaron and what a destruction came upon them in the Wilderness that none of that old Stock the Lord brought out of Egypt that dishonoured him though they had seen his Glory none entred into the Land save Caleb and Joshua but they perished in the Wilderness for their Murmurring and Rebelling and therefore take heed of Murmurring and Rebelling against the Lord and his Spirit but in all things learn to be content And also you read in Judges how often the Jews forsook the Lord and what Judgments came upon them and also how the Jews turned against the Prophets and imprisoned and persecuted them And in the Days of the Kings as in the Chronicles how David and many of the Prophets and the Righteous suffered But what became of them that made them suffer And likewise in the Days of Christ and his Apostles how did they fuffer by the professing Jews And there were many Comers and Goers in the Days of Christ that could say Lord Lord But such do not enter into the Kingdom of God except they do the Will of God And you read how the Apostles and the true Church were troubled with false Christians and false Brethren whom Paul writeth against in many of his Epistles and Peter and John and Jude and John in his Revelations And therefore all Friends dwell in the Seed Christ Jesus in whom ye cannot be deceived who bruises the Head of the Serpent who is the Head of all Deceivers and the Head of all Enmity and false Ways Worships and Religions and the Head of all false Liberties But in Christ Jesus in whom all Nations are blessed is the true Liberty in him all stand fast so far as he hath made you free and in him all walk as ye have received him to the Praise and Glory of God In whom you have all Eternal Life Peace Rest and Salvation and in him the Lord God Almighty preserve you all in Love Vnity and Fellowship Who is able to support you and supply you with his Eternal Hand and Power with what you do need in all your Sufferings and Trials Amen G. F. To Friends at the Yearly Meeting in York DEar Friends Who are turned to the Light Epist 395. and are the Believers in the Light which is the Life in Christ my Desires are To be established upon Christ the Rock That you may all be established upon him your Eternal Rock and Foundation and grow up in Christ Jesus the Second Adam by his Light Grace and Truth that is come from him for you know Christ had many Enemies and his Disciples and Followers and Moses in the time of the Law such as turned their Backs on the Lord Christ and his Followers have many Enemies and erred from his good Spirit and rebelled against it they turned against the Lord and Moses and Aaron and they went from the Fellowship of the Law of God and his Spirit and then Destruction came upon them Such Jews were they that rebelled against Christ and his Apostles and yet were great Professors of the Old Testament And such that were called Christians that got the Form of Godliness and the fair Speeches and good Words but denied the Power thereof and so the Order thereof Such as these separated themselves and erred from the Spirit and the Faith and so from the Unity of the Faith and the Fellowship of the Spirit of God Such were and are to be turned away from by all them that are in the Faith and the Spirit of God and all the Spiritual Witnesses in the Tabernacles of God testifies against such though they may make a great Profession of Christ and the Apostles Words but deny the Power and err from the Spirit and the peaceable Truth Such cannot be the true Worshippers of God in the
all to his Everlasting Glory and Praise For God's Power which was before the Devil 's was hath been our Hedge our Wall and our Keeper and the Preserver of his Plants and Vineyard who have not had the Magistrates Sword and Staff to help them nor never trusted in the Arm of Flesh And have gone without Judas his Bag or the Magistrates Sword and Staff to preach the Word of Life which was in the Begining before they were which Word reconciles to God And Thousands have received the Word of Reconciliation and are born again of the Immortal Seed by the Word of God and are feeding upon the Milk of the Word which lives and abides and endures for ever And many have suffered to Death for their Testimony both in England and beyond the Seas both before and since the King came in which ye may see as followeth This was given to the King and both Houses of Parliament being A brief and plain and true Relation of the late and sad Sufferings of the People of God in scorn called Quakers for worshipping and exercising a good Conscience towards God and Man By reason whereof Eighty nine have suffered till Death Thirty two of which died before the King came into England and Fifty seven since by hard Imprisonment and cruel Usage Forty three have died in the City of London and Southwark since the Act was made against Meetings c. about 1661. They have thus suffered of which a more particular Account was given with their Names that did suffer to the King and Parliament about 1663. And tho' divers Laws were designed against us How Friends suffered and of their Faithfulness and concerning the Acts that have been made since the King came in yet never could any of them justly touch us neither did they truly concern us tho' they did execute them unjustly upon us and they knew we were not the People justly chargeable and some have been made to confess it And all those Laws that were already made and the Oath which they imprison'd us for because we could not Swear at all in Obedience to the Command of Christ Jesus were never originally intended against us And yet we suffered by the several Powers and their Laws tho' they did not concern us both spoiling of Goods and Imprisonments even to Death it self And the Governor of Dover Castle when the King asked him If he had dispersed all the Sectaries Meetings He said That he had but the Quakers the Devil himself could not For if that he did Imprison them and break them up they would Meet again and if he should beat them and knock them down or kill some of them all was one they would meet and not resist again And thus the Lord's Power did support them and keep them over their Persecutors and made them to Justify our Patience and Lamb-like Nature This was about 1671. And since the King came in Three Acts have been made against us by the King and Parliament besides the Proclamations by which many have suffered Imprisonment and Banishment and many to Death And yet for all these Acts and Proclamations and Banishment and Persecutions and Sufferings Faithful Friends are as fresh as ever in the Lord's Power and Valiant for his Name and Truth And some Weak Ones there were when the King came in that did Swear and take the Oaths but after when they had so done they were sore troubled for disobeying the Command of Christ and the Apostle that they went to the Magistrates and condemned themselves and offered themselves to go to Prison And thus the Lord in his Everlasting Power hath been the Support and Stay of his People And when the Glorious Gospel and Truth was spread over the Nation and they had received the Word of Life Quarterly and Monthly Meetings set up then first the Quarterly and some Monthly Meetings were settled throughout the Nation and then after as Truth more and more spread the Monthly Mens-Meetings in 1667 and 1668. And then also some Womens-Meetings were set up and after the Womens-Meetings throughout the Nation and other Nations were exhorted unto and set up and established throughout the Nations For I was sent for to many sick People Womens Meetings set up and the occasion of it And at one time I was sent for to White-Chappel about the third Hour in the Morning to a Woman that was dying and her Child and the People was weeping about her And after a while I was moved in the Name and Power of Christ Jesus to speak to the Woman and she and her Child was raised up And she got up to the Astonishment of the People when they came in in the Morning and her Child also was healed And when I came to G. Roberts's House about Eight in the Morning there came in Sarah Blackberry to complain to me of the Poor and how many poor Friends were in Want and the Lord had shewed me what I should do in his Eternal Power and Wisdom How G.F. ordered Friends to Visit the Sick c. So I spake to her to bid about Sixty Women to meet me about the first Hour in the Afternoon at the Sign of the Helmet at a Friends House And they did so accordingly such as were sensible Women of the Lord's Truth and fearing God And what the Lord had opened unto me I declared unto them concerning their having a Meeting once a Week every Second Day that they might see and inquire into the Necessity of all poor Friends The Service of Womens-Meetings who were Sick and Weak and were in Wants or Widows and Fatherless in the City and Suburbs And so they blest the Lord for the Wisdom of God that had settled such a Meeting in his Power amongst them For they saw that all that were Heirs of the Power of God were to take their possession of the Power of God the Gospel and its Order which was before the Devil was And this brought them into the Practice of the pure Religion and to Visit the Sick and for the Relief of the Fatherless and the Widow and to see that nothing was lacking amongst them and that they in visiting the Sick in the Lord's Power and Word through it they would have the Wisdom of the Lord and of his Creation and how to administer his Creatures and by the same Power to heal and strengthen with the outward things and without them Which they have felt prosperous to this day and great things have been done in their Meetings by the Lord's Power and very honourable it hath been in the Eyes of all the Faithful yea and commendable in the World also And afterwards the same Womens-Meetings were settled up and down the Nation and beyond the Seas in the Power of the Lord which was before the Devil was into which Power of the Lord no Sect nor Apostasy can come but Peace and Unity And the Power of the Lord the Gospel is the Authority of all
the Mens and Womens Meetings and all the Heirs of the Power the Gospel both Men and Women are to take their possessions of the Inheritance of the Power of God which is over the Devil So in it nothing can get betwixt them and the Lord God And at the Settling of the Mens-Meetings in the Gospel the Power of God A Mens-Meeting of the Primitive Christians I let them see how they had a Mens-Meeting in the first Conversion amongst the Primitive Christians of such as were faithful Men and full of the Holy Ghost and these were to see in the Lords Power and Wisdom that nothing was lacking For since the Christians denied the Jews Temple 1650 Store-House and Priests where the Widows Strangers and Fatherless were relieved they set up a Mens-Meeting in the Power of God and in the Holy Ghost and they had Deaconnesses also to see that Widows Fatherless and Strangers were relieved and that nothing was wanting among them Now tho' this Practice hath been lost since the Apostles Days since Men have gone from the Power of God and the Holy Ghost that the Apostles were in and therefore are the Streets and Country so full of Widows Strangers and Beggars From whence Wants come and so full of Wants who want the Sense of the good Spirit and Power to open their Hearts as the Apostles and Primitive Christians were in But the Everlasting Gospel being preached again by the same Holy Ghost as the Apostles were in and received from Heaven as they received it and many Thousands having received this Gospel now again Mens-Meetings are set up as were in the Days of the Apostles in the Power of God and in the Holy Ghost And Womens-Meetings as Mothers and that they may be Teachers of good Things and so to see that nothing be lacking amongst them and so to do Good unto all but especially to the Houshold of Faith And now the Power of God is the Authority of both our Mens and Womens-Meetings and all our other Meetings which Power of God was before the Apostasie was from the Apostles and before the Fall and the Devil was and is over all and all are to take their Possessions of it and in it to do God's Service and Business So these Meetings are for the Converted and Elect before the World began and such as are Heirs of the Power and do possess it and what they do and act in the Spirit and Power of God they do it in that which shall never have an End to the Glory of God for ever Amen! G. F. UPon the Fourth Day of the First Month 1650 I felt the Power of the Lord to spread over all the World in Praise Praise Honour and Glory be to the Lord of Heaven and Earth Lord of Peace Lord of Joy Thy Countenance maketh my Heart glad Lord of Glory Lord of Mercy Lord of Strength Lord of Life and Power over Death and Lord of Lords and King of Kings In the World there are Lords many but to us there is but one God the Father of whom are all things and one Lord Jesus Christ by whom are all things To whom be all Glory who is Worthy The Earth maketh Lords In the World are many Lords and many Gods and the Earth maketh Lords coveting after Riches and oppressing the Creatures and so the Covetous Mind getting to it self Lords it above others This Nature of Lordly Pride is Head until subdued by the Power of God For every one in that State doth strive to be above another few will strive to be the lowest O that every one would strive to put down in themselves Mastery and Honour that the Lord of Heaven and Earth might be exalted G. F. Friends FOrsake the Company of wild People and chuse the Company of sober Men Epist 1. and that will be Creditable in the End And chusing the Company of wild and light People To shun ill Company which delight in vain Fashions and ill Courses is dangerous and of a bad Report among sober People for the Eyes of such will be upon you And if they see ye are wild ye will come under their Censure Therefore love Gravity and Soberness and Wisdom that doth preserve G. F. Friends THE Children of the Devil Epist 2. how expert are they in Evil in all Deceit in his Kingdom and yet they may speak of the things of God but no Vulturous Eye nor Venemous Beast ever trod in the Steps of the Just though they may talk of the VVay For who have their Conversation in this World and only mind the Things of this World in vain do they profess Godliness But the Children of God who are conceived and begotten of him are not of this World neither do they mind only the Things of this World but the Things which are Eternal But the Children of this World do mostly mind the External Things The World's Love and their Love is in them and the other live by Faith the one is sanctified by the Word the other painted with the Words The Children of God are pure in Heart not looking only at the Outside The Favour of the World and Friendship thereof is Enmity to God Man may soon be stained with it O love the Stranger and be as Strangers in the World and to the World For they that followed Christ in his Cross they were Strangers in the World and VVonders to the World and condemned by the World and the World knew him not neither doth it them that follow him now So marvel not if the World hate you for the World lieth in hatred and wickedness Who love this World are Enemies to Christ and who love the Lord Jesus Christ and have him for their Lord over them they are Redeemed out of the World The World would have a Christ but not to rule over them the Nature of the World is above Christ in Man until Christ hath subdued that Nature in Man While the Nature of the World doth rule in Man Oh the deaf Ears and blind Eyes and the Understandings that are all shut up amongst them with which they Judge But who love the Lord Jesus Christ do not mind the World's Judgment nor are troubled at it but consider all our Brethren who have gone before us When ye think ye are past all Crosses when the Trial doth come ye will find a Cross to that Will which doth meddle with the things of God presumptuously that Man may live in Joy but the Spirit is in Bondage Fleshly Boastings Rejoyce not in the Flesh but in the Spirit which crucifieth all fleshly Boastings if that Will be fed then Carelesness cometh up and they fall into Flatness from the Spirit and are mindless of the Lord God such are soon up and down The Serpent tempted Eve to eat of the forbidden Fruit and she took and gave to her Husband and so they fell under the Serpent's Power and the Creatures out of the Power
Changable Priesthood which takes Tithes as the People of God did then But if we hire any Man and set him at Work we will give him his Wages and his Meat but such Dissemblers as say The Scripture is their Rule for it and we neither hired nor set them at Work all such Deceivers are denied who take the Scripture-Words and make a Cloak of them for their Covetous Practices Nevertheless if any Minister of Jesus Christ or Son or Daughter or Servant which Jesus Christ sends forth who said Freely ye have received freely give comes to our Houses and Minister unto us Spiritual Things we will set before him our Carnal things and he that soweth unto us Spiritual things it is the least that we minister unto him of our Carnal things But he that sueth us at the Law for Means Tithe-Suers and calleth me before Courts and Sessions and telleth me He is a Minister of Christ and Christ sent him all such Evil Beasts as the Apostle speaks of we deny who mind Earthly things whose God is their Belly who serve not the Lord Jesus Christ but their own Bellies But if any one come into our Houses as afore said to preach the Gospel to us we shall set before them and they shall eat freely as Christ saith Whatsoever they set before you that eat But to give Tithes to such as do not preach to us Spiritual things but deny Christ come in the Flesh and hold up things in the Figure all such we deny and for the Truth 's sake do we suffer by such Tithe-buyers And ye that have bought Tithes to get Gain thereby to you we cannot pay Tithes ye are as bad as the Priests to hold up such things as were acted in the Figure and deny Christ come in the Flesh And though ye may say Give Caesar his Due for a Cloak that Cloak we deny Nevertheless if we be owing any thing to Caesar or to any Ruler or Magistrate or Minister he shall have his Due So Caesar shall have his Due in his place and the Figure we own in its place and Christ in his place G. F. DEar John Epist 30. the Everlasting Arm of the Lord hold thee up and break all thy Bonds asunder and set thee upon the Rock on thy Feet To a suffering Friend in which thou may'st know his Presence and his Everlasting Supreme Power And so the God of Life be with thee And pray for thy Enemies for the Lord to open them and their Hearts and see themselves and thee G. F. DEar Friends Epist 31. Mind the stedfast Guide to the Lord where we do all meet in the Eternal Spirit in Oneness all being Baptised by it into one Body Baptism in one Spiritt having one Food the Eternal Bread of Life which the Immortal feed upon and all made to drink into one Spirit Perfection which is the Cup of the Communion of the Blood of our Lord Jesus Christ which makes Perfect and Redeems from all that is Vain Fleshly and Earthly up to God who is Holy Pure Spiritual and Eternal And let not any of you in your Desires wander from that which is Pure in you then your Conditions will be kept clear and pure to see all things as they are and a clear Separation will be made from that which is of Man and of your own and that which is of God and there will be a Growing up in that which is Pure And so be Low in your Minds waiting for the Coming of our Lord Jesus Christ in you all who is Lord over all to be Lord over all in you And so the Lord God of Power keep you all Farewell G. F. To Friends that their Minds go not out from the Spirit of God FRiends Epist 32. when your Minds go forth from the pure Spirit of God and are drawn out from it there the Image of God comes to be lost G. F.'s Epistle to Friends to live in the Cross About 1653. in those whose Minds goes out from the Pure to lust after that which is in the Fall which may appear like Truth in the Notion in that Nature out of the Truth lodgeth the Inchanter and Sorcerer To speak of Truth when ye are moved it is a Cross to the Will if ye live in the Truth The Inchanter and Sorcerer c. which ye speak ye live in the Cross to your own Wills For that which joyns with the Earthly Will goes out from God and that which is pure and so makes a place for the Inchanter and Sorcerer and the Airy Spirit to lodge in whereby a Grave is made for the Just and the Partition-wall between God and Man standing Death comes to reign and the Grave hath the Victory over such and in the Airy Spirit lodgeth the Inchanter which the Lord will rebuke Dwell in the Pure and Immortal and wait upon the Living God to have your Hope renewed and to be renewed again into the Image of God and the Image of the Devil defaced and the Prince of the Air cast out for he lodgeth in the Mind that doth despair and in that Mind that doth presume So dwell in the Light and wait upon God to have the Image of God renewed and all come to witness your selves to be restored by Christ Jesus into the Image of God The Image of God and to be made by him like to God pure holy perfect and righteous This was witnessed this is witnessed and this will be witnessed measurably with Thousands who are growing up out of the Fall and coming up out of the Grave Let not the Lust go out to any thing which is mortal to be Servant thereto but mind the Joyning to the Life Here ye are kept in the Image of God Not but that ye may use the Creatures lawfully but being kept in the Image of God The lawful Vse of the Creatures ye are kept as Kings over all the Creatures and over the Creation here ye will see all things and by whom they stand To the Pure all things are pure being in the Image of God above all the Creatures below not worshipping the Host of Heaven nor being in Bondage to the Creatures nor minding any thing in Comparison of that which is Immortal which joyns you unto the Lord and all that speak here in that which is Immortal are joyning unto the Lord. But that Nature keep out and that judge which is mortal which will joyn to the Harlot the fleshly from all that there is to be a Separation And here as ye are brought by the Power of God the Gate is seen that stands open which Gate is shut from all Mortal Eyes And all the Wonderers are here seen who inquire after new things and Novelties but the Wise Man satisfies not the Fool Novelties For that part is above the pure if it be not kept in the Cross which not being wrought out will joyn to the Flesh and so
become one with the Harlot And such Joyn together to put Christ to Death afresh So therefore dwell in that which is Pure and Eternal which guides the Mind to God here is perfect Peace to those whose Minds are stayed upon the Lord Which if the Mind goeth from there the Peace is lost and there getteth in the light airy Spirit in that Nature The light airy Spirit And if the Mind go back to fetch up things again and speak them forth there will lodge the Airy Spirit too the there may be true Experiences and if the Life speak them forth by which they were opened it keeps down the Airy Spirit Therefore Mind the Substance that keeps you in your present Conditions and that which doth disobey or rebel against the Word of the Lord in that Nature lodgeth the Airy Spirit and that which hearkens to things that are spoken out of the Life without that lets in the Devil And so ye come to be possessed with evil Thoughts and Doubts and Carnal Reasonings and Bondage and Troubles these things in you will rest until the Life be risen again within to cast all that forth which the Earthly Ear and Mind hath let in Now if ye hearken diligently ye will learn your Safe-Guard and Judge forth that which is not Pure which defiles that the Just may have the Dominion And here ye will see what stains and what defiles and the pure Eye and Ear will be opened to hear God and the Wizzard and the Inchanter and the Sorcerer and the Soothsayer all that will be kept out and Judged For none of that must live in Israel where there is to be no Transgression For where they live Truth doth not and where Truth doth live that doth not but is all judged out G. F. To Friends for all to wait and walk in the Truth ALL Friends and Brethren every where Epist 33. in the Life and Power of the Lord wait and from it none walk but that to the Light of Christ in every one ye may be made manifest that the Fear and Dread of the Lord may be in all your hearts that nothing may reign Keep your Meetings but Life it self And so all your Meetings in every place keep waiting in the Light which from Christ doth come the Saviour of your Souls that his Presence in the midst ye may all feel who are gathered together in his Name and Power in his Light which is his Name and from the World's Gatherings are turned And if any be moved who are turned to the Light with the Power which comes from him To be moved with the Power to the Service for the Lord. to any Service for the Lord to it be Obedient and ye will see Christ with you to the End of the World But if any go before they are moved and so from the Light walk he is a Stumbling-block and is to be Judged and Condemned by the Light and is out of the Wisdom and out of the Fear and soweth to the Flesh and reaps Corruption and by the Light is Condemned For that answereth not the Light in every Man's Conscience neither doth it reach to the Life the Spirit in Prison but it manifesteth Weakness and Foolishness and Nakedness which is from the Light and contrary to it And such are Stumbling-blocks and do not answer the Witness of God in the Conscience Therefore wait all in the Light for to receive the Power from him who is not of the World that ye may be preserved from Nakedness and Weakness For that which goes from the Light and is not guided with it The Slothful runs into the Lust and there is the Slothful which is to be Judged and that that will offend to which the Wo is for it answereth not that of God in the Conscience Neither is it Honourable nor of good Report for that which is Honourable and of good Report answereth that which is of God and answereth the Light of Christ in every Man in the World with Wisdom which from the Light doth come even from him by whom the World was made Therefore all Friends this is a Charge to you all and a Command to you all in the Presence of the Living God In the Light Life and Power and Wisdom of God walk that to that of God in every one ye may be manifested in the sight of God and it may be your Witness that ye are of God in every Man's Conscience which witnesseth against the World and for him who is not of the World And wait all in the Light for the Wisdom by which all things were made with it to use all the Lord's Creatures to his Glory and none to stumble one another about the Creatures for that is not from the Light for which End they were Created and with the Wisdom Wait for the Wisdom by which all things were Created by which they were made ye may be kept out of the Mis-use of them in the Image of God that ye may come to see that the Earth is the Lord's and the fulness thereof and the Earth may come to yield her Increase and to injoy her Sabbaths and all such that walk Contrary to the Light may be turned to the Light that with the Light they may see and condemn that which is contrary to it So that in the Wisdom of God ye may all be kept and in the Fear of the Lord and his Righteousness established which is far from Oppression where all Bonds of Iniquity are broken and the Prince of Darkness Judged out and the Prince of Peace reigns under whose Dominion keep and walk And all that cause Strife are to be Condemned and shut out which have their Eye without and are Condemned by the Light the God of the World having blinded the Eye of the Vnbeliever Therefore ye Believers in the Light wait in the Wisdom that with it and in it ye may be ordered to the Glory of God that among you nothing may reign but Light and Life and Wisdom and Power the Dread and Fear of the Lord be among you and Truth and Righteousness reign which will answer the Light of Christ in every Man And all that is Contrary let it be Condemned with the Light which comes from him by which the World was made who was before the World was who lighteth every Man that cometh into the World Though they believe not in it yet ye may answer the Light in every Man tho' it be their Condemnation So being kept in the Light which cometh from him by whom the World was made who was before it was made ye come to receive the Wisdom by which all things were made and with it to order and use them to the Glory of God For that which is not from the Light nor from the Wisdom is the Offender which is to be Condemned with the Light which comes from the Life and to it in you all take heed that your Hearts may be
your Food and know his Reign And quench not the Spirit and stop not the Power Quench not the Spirit but dwell in that which doth stop and quench the Deceit And to you this is the Word of the Lord God And all Friends mind and heed the Life and Power of the Lord God for all that are out of it are and will be confounded Therefore dwell in that which condemns it in which will be your Peace G. F. For Friends to dwell in Love and Unity THE Word of the Lord God to all Friends Epist 126. Dwell in Peace and Vnity with God and one with another that to the Lord ye may be a sweet Savour and to one another A sweet Savour and also in them that hate the Light that ye may all come to witness the Sonship and to be Heirs of God and in the Spirit have Unity The Bond of Peace which is the Bond of Peace And the Seed of God and the Life mind G. F. ALL Friends every where do not delight in Apparel Epist 127. do not delight in the Creature more than the Creator Apparel and Riches Trust not in uncertain Riches which fade and pass away but in the living God trust and love the Riches that endure and fade not away Delight not in the World that ends but in the World that hath no End that there ye may all come to have an Assurance of the Endless Life G. F. To all Friends to keep in the Power of God out of the Cares of the World ALL Friends to that which is pure take heed Epist 128. that with that all your Minds may be kept up to God who is pure Grow as the Lilly that as the Lilly ye all may grow and receive Wisdom from God how to use the Creatures in their places to the Glory of him that created them For Wo is unto you that Lay up for the latter Day with Covetousness ye act in that Nature contrary to the Light taking Thought for to morrow what ye shall eat and what ye shall drink and what ye shall put on Look at the Life which is more than Food and the Body which is more than Raiment and consider the Lillies and Ravens The Lillies Ravens and the Earth and who feedeth them and cloatheth the Earth That in the Faith ye may stand and with it ye may come to see him who is Invisible He who lays up for the Latter Day with Covetousness he goes from that which should keep him out of Days The Ancient of Days up to God the Beginning of Days here the Ancient of Days comes to be seen and the Life out of Death springs and a diligent Serving God is known and every one for his Family provides For he is worse than an Infidel that doth not That which was before Days were Mind which brings to be Diligent serving the Lord and that keeps down the Destroyer And that keeps down the Covetous and the fleshly Principle and that which would run out into the Observation of Days And that keeps the Life up out of the Earth and keeps from trusting in the Riches Trasting in Riches that be uncertain and brings to trust in God who is living who is the Condemner of all the Gods who have Eyes and see not who keep People under their Dominion from the Light But all who to the Light take heed see God who is Living who all things seeth G. F. MY Dear Friends and Brethren Epist 129. Keep in the Seed of Peace which was before the Enmity and Adversary was in which ye will all have Life and Peace and Vnity and Dominion and in that ye will know Christ Jesus to reign The Reign of Christ who was before the World began in whom ye may know your Election and a Sitting in the Heavenly Places in Christ Jesus above all the Earthly Places below and Mens evil Traditions and vain Customs sitting in Christ Jesus keepeth out of them for he was before they were And let all Friends every where pray to the Lord to exalt his Truth to his Glory and his Kingdom which hath no End but is from Everlasting to Everlasting G. F. ALL Friends Epist 130. Dwell in the Truth in my Father's House there are many Mansions said Christ And ye all that do know the Life To all Friends to dwell in the Truth the Life of God the 〈◊〉 c. go not from it Heed not Words without Life but heed that which lets you see and know the Father For Mountains will arise and may arise But this is the Word of the Lord God and a Charge to you all in the Presence of the Lord God Heed the Power and Life the Power which ye have formerly known and tasted of and that will keep you until the Day of Salvation and that brings you to know the Kingdom of God to stand in Righteousness c. and that will bring you to comprehend Deceit The Deceit of the World and to fathom it and bring you to be over the Deceit of the World So ye that know the Power of the Lord God heed it and it will remove Questionings out of your Minds it will remove that which causeth Trouble to come into your Minds The Power is the Gospel But if ye go from the Power the formal Part gets up in you and the Wonders you 'll run into But the Power of God it is the Gospel and ye that have received the Power of God ye have received the Gospel and he is cursed that preacheth any other yea if an Angel from Heaven For Christ is the Power of God to whom the Angels must bow And Christ Jesus who was born of a Virgin crucified and is ascended and there is no other all of you that are turned to the Light wait to have him born in you every one in particular I am the Light of the World saith Christ by whom the World was made who doth enlighten Every Man that cometh into the World Christ the Light the Bread of Life Who is the Bread of Life that came down from above and who eateth of this Bread lives for ever Now Every one of you having a Light from Christ the Bread of Life wait and with and from it you 'll see know and have your Food in due Season Now every one that comes into the World having a Light from Christ Jesus who is not of the World and being turned to this Light which he is lighted withal he is turned to Jesus Christ from whence it comes And here none shall say Lo here is Christ or Lo there is Christ but every one with the Light which comes from him Christ is seen with the Light shall see Christ and shall see the Father through the Spirit that proceeds from the Father and the Son and the Glory that he had with the Father before the World began and shall have Dominion
false Ways and Seducers and Deceivers and false Worshippers are out of And Jerusalem's Worshippers Jerusalem's Worshippers c. and Samaria's Worshippers and the Worship that is at the Mountain and the Idolatrous Worfhippers and the Worship of Devils all these are out of the Truth and out of the Spirit that changeth not But who are in the Truth and in the Spirit they are a-top of the World and a-top of him that abode not in the Truth their Feet are shod with it Therefore every one of you that are come into the World coming all to the Light ye come to your Armour ye come to that which lets you see Sin it is the Armour against it it is the Eye The Arment against Sia with which ye see that which must be cut down and judged to Death In which Truth which is the Light we have Fellowship one with another And this is the Counsel of the Lord God to you dwell all in the Power of God which is the Gospel of Peace And the Power of God is the Cross of Christ and ye that feel the Power of God ye feel Christ for Christ is the Power of God The Power of God is but one and the Light is but one and the Cross of Christ is but one which is the Power of God and the Gospel of Truth is but one which is the Power of God and there 's no other Ye that come to know these look for no other And Christ is that One in the Male and in the Female which is the Seed which the Promise of God is to and there all wait to find him and receive him Know ye not that Christ Jesus is in you except ye are Reprobates said the Apostle so now Reprobates if ye are Reprobates ye are Wonderers and Gazers in Adam in Transgression out of the Light out of the Life out of the Power out of the Truth out of the Way which is Christ But being in the Life ye are in the Way in the Truth in the Power of God in Christ out of Transgression in the Second Adam the Lord from Heaven out of the Transgression of the First Adam And if Christ Jesus be in you the Body of Sin is dead and ye are brought to God Emanuel and the Emanuel being known God with us is witnessed by every one of you that are redeemed by him out of the Transgression who are in the Second Adam So if Christ Jesus be in you and ye in him the Body is dead and ye are alive to Righteousness and Death is brought into Death Friends dwell all in the Light and then ye will dwell in Covenant with God and with God ye will have Peace And Friends all dwell in the Light that ye may receive the Wisdom of God of God The Wisdom of God by which all things were created with which Wisdom ye may come to order all the Creatures And be Low as Babes and Little Children for the Little Children receive the Kingdom And so all know the Promise which is to the Seed and know the Seed of God in one another that there be no Master but Christ who bruiseth the Serpent's Head where Debate and Enmity is No Master but Christ which is the cause of Strife So let the Seed be Master in the Male and in the Female that the Ground of Strife which would be Master may be kept under and the Seed which the Grave could not hold under be the Ruler so that ye may witness the Rock that the Gates of Hell cannot prevail against nor the Temptations of the Devil G. F. FRiends every where Epist 131. Dwell in the Power of the Lord God which is without End Striving about Earthly things in which ye may all have Unity And take heed of striving about Earthly things which is the unredeemed Part that is out of the Paradise and the Garden of God but that with the Wisdom of God ye may come to be ordered and order the Creatures by that by which they were made and created that by it ye may know your selves to be grverned And after that Riches do increase take heed of setting your Hearts upon them lest they become a Curse and a Plague to you For when ye were Faithful at the first the World would refrain from you and not have Commerce with you but after when they saw Trading and Dealing ye were Faithful and Just in things and Righteous and Honest in your Tradings and Dealings then they came to have Commerce and Trade with you the more because they know ye will not Cozen them nor Cheat them Then ye came to have greater Trading double than ever ye had and more than the World But there is the Danger and Temptation to you of drawing your Minds into your Business and clogging them with it so that ye can hardly do any thing to the Service of God but there will be crying My Business my Business and your Minds will go into the things and not over the things and so therein ye do not come into the Image of God in which is Dominion And so Riches when your Minds are got into the Riches and cumbred therewith ye go back into that ye were in before And then if the Lord God cross you and stop you by Sea and Land and take your Goods and Customers from you that your Minds should not be cumbred then that Mind that is cumbred it will fret being out of the Power of God And all Friends take heed of Jars and Strife for that is it which will Eat out the Seed in you Jars and Strife therefore let not that harbour in your Bosoms lest it eat out the Good in you and ye come to suffer in your own Particulars Therefore dwell in Love and Life and in the Power and Seed of God which is the Honourable Royal State And all that Speak or Preach abroad see that ye be in the Life and Power and Seed of God which will Edifie the Body and not in a brittle peevisb hasty fretful Mind but dwell in that which keeps down the contrary that that may speak which edifies the Body in Love And all take heed of vain Words Vain Words and Tatling idle Words but every where shop such that Love may continue in the Body and that the Seed may spread over all that Vnity may be kept And all Friends every where if Friends be Poor Poor Friends and Prisoners and in Want or in Prison that ye may in Wisdom relieve and cherish shch And all Friends every where Stop the Deceit that would devour and destroy which is out of the Truth and true Wisdom which must be limited that transgresseth the Spirit of God For since the Days of the Apostles the true Church hath been in the Wilderness and the Beast false Prophet Anti-Christ and false Church have ruled and reigned The false Church amongst whom have been the many
Names and Horns amongst the Apostate-Christians who have professed themselves to be Elders Amongst this Eldership have they had outward and earthly Rulers which have got up since the Days of the Apostles But who come to Christ who was and is the true Christians Hea he is their Ruler by whom all things were made And when the Apostate-Christians went from the APostles Doctrines into the World Many Ruiers and Heads they set up many Rulers amongst them and many Heads when they went from the Seed of God in themselves in the Male and in the Female then they forsook their Head Christ Jesus And so whosoever go from the Seed of God in themselves and set up other Heads they lose the One Head which is Christ Jesus and then come to be covered with Darkness and the Seed comes to be loaden as a Cart with Sheaves And then they forsook their Head Christ Jesus And so whosoever go from the they go from the Seed in the Male and in the Female which is the One Head And then come up the Fightings about earthly things Fightings and Warrings for Self Interest and Warrings with Carnal Weapons about Earthly things and Self-Interest and Man's Honour and Titles and about their Churches and Religions and Worships and Ministry which have been set up since the outward Sword the Heathen and one another but Christ Jesus the Prince of Life fulfils the Law and ends the outward Jews Types Figures and Shadows Ordinances and Carnal Weapons who is the King of the whole Earth who comes to save Mens Lives yet slays and kills with the Sword of the Spirit which is the Word of his Mouth And the Apostles who followed Christ they wrestled not with Flesh and Blood so all who come to witness Christ to reign and to rule who is the Prince of Life that Saves Mens Lives and follow him do not wrestle with Flesh and Blood nor seek to destroy Mens Lives And here comes the Wisdom to be known that is from above that is pure and gentle and easie to be intreated that is not sensual carnal and devilish So in the time of the Law among the Jews there was Fighting outwardly but in the time of the Gospel of Christ Jesus who came to end the Law they were to Love Enemies Love enemies and not to kill them and love them that hate them and not kill them But in the times since the Days of the Apostles in the Apostate-Christians time they are crying up the outward Sword again and this is the Dragon 's and the Beast's Power the Prince of Death which hath reigned since the Apostles Days But who come to follow Christ they come to reign in Spirit over all these Fighters with carnal Weapons that are got up since the Days of the Apostles Therefore who are come now into the Power of the Lord God and to the Seed that is Royal who was the Elected before the World began keep your Meetings and dwell in the Power of God in which ye may know his Image and come into it with which ye may Spiritually reign and have Dominion over all the World and rule in it over them and their Vanities and work them down without a Carnal Weapon in the Power of God So keep your Meetings both particular and in the general in the Power of the Lord God and dwell in the Life and Power and Wisdom of the Lord that all Vncleanness whatsoever may by the Power of the Lord be brought down and rooted out and that such have no Rule nor Authority amongst you Vncleanness though they be never so fair or excellent of Speech But let all such be brought under by the Power of the Lord God who is to reign over it that in the Sweetness and Unity ye all may be brought to be a sweet Savour to the Lord God and in the Hearts of one another and let no Vncleanness be amongst you ' And all Friends every where Printing Take heed of Printing any thing more than ye are required of the Lord God And all Friends every where Take heed of wandring up and down about needless Occasions Wandring for there is Danger of getting into the Careless Words out of Seriousness Weightiness and Savouriness And all Friends every where Take heed of Wronging the World or any one in Bargains Over-reaching or Over-reaching them but dwell in the Cool Sweet and Holy Power of the Lord God and in Righteousness that it may run down amongst you and that will keep you Low And all Friends every where Take heed of Slothfulness and Sleeping in your Meetings Sleeping in Meetings for in so doing ye will be bad Examples to others and hurt your selves and them And all take heed of going up and down to Minister but as ye are moved of the Lord God Ministry or to speak in Meetings or any other Places for Travelling to such is dangerous to lift them up going amongst sttled Meetings that are settled For there is Difference betwixt Friends going into the World and of coming among them that are come to Silent Meetings and to feed there for that which may be seasonable to the World may not be to them Therefore let all live in the Seed and Wisdom and Fear and consider before they utter that the Life be up whereby all may be settled and they themselves be washed ' And dwell in the Seed that ye all may know Christ come to reign in you so that all may be done and spoken by and in the Power of the Lord God that is done and spoken and not out of it And in that ye will all have Vnity in the Record of Life whereby the Power of God and the Seed of God may come up which is Heir of the Blessing and of the Promise that ye may come to know the Place where there is no Curse and the Lamb's Power Throne Life and Dominion And in the Wisdom of God all dwell that to him ye may be a sweet Savour and a Blessing in the Hearts of all People that nothing may rule nor reign amongst you but the Seed it self and the Life of God Let this be read in your Meetings G. F. An Epistle to Friends for all to keep in the Light and to watch over one another ALL Friends and Brethren every where Apist 132. Walk in the Truth and know one another in the Measure of Life that in it your Minds may be guided up to the Father of Life A Note concerning Life and stand in his Counsel that he alone may be loved with all your Strength with all your Minds and with all your Souls so that ye may all know one another in the Life and Light that ye may all be kept from Idols For if ye know one another in the Flesh only that Love which will rise out of that Knowledge The Knowledge in the Flesh is feigned and that will wither and under the Condemnation
if the Earthly and Sin and Evil have the Ear it will fill it with that which is bad and harden the Heart and choke the good Therefore the Lord must have the Ear who is the Ruler of Heaven and Earth And as your Ears are attentive to the Lords's Voice that is from Heaven Iniquity's Mouth is stopped in you Iniquity's Mouth stopped the Throne of Iniquity is thrown down in you that is the wicked Spirit and Power wherein Iniquity sits and the Chamber of Imagery is thrown down in you where Man's Thoughts and Imaginations are But as the Ear is Attentive to the Voice of him that speaks from Heaven ye will come to the Throne of the Lamb who hath the Victory and the Dominion that all may live in the Everlasting Power of God that goes over all Deceit which was before Deceit and Darkness was A Growth in the Power And always feel a Growing in the Power of the Lord God that is Universal and Everlasting that ye may be all Heirs of the Power of the Endless Life and come to inherit it and possess it and sit down in the Possession of the same that every one's Lot may fall in the Land of the Living where the Lord hath his Glory and his Honour for ever and ever Oh the Glory of the Lord spreads it self over all and here as ye abide ye have the Savour and can taste your Meat in the Power of the Lord God feeding upon every Word that proceeds out of the Mouth of God having your Ear open and attentive to his Voice in this ye grow up in the Life that is Eternal G. F. ALL Friends Epist 185. be Obedient to the Power of God which is the higher Power To Friends to know the Authority of the Seed and is above that which abode not in the Truth So ye that know the Power of God be obedient to it for ye have Authority from the Power of God which comprehends all the Powers of Darkness to answer the Witness of God in every one and to trample upon all the Power of Darkness and its Authority For ye that feel the Power that comprehends the World and all the Powers of Darkness keep in the Authority in the Power of God Mind not Words without the Power Mind not Words without the Power nor the pleasing of the Reason and Carnal Knowledge Wisdom and Understanding of Fancies and Thoughts of Men but dwell in the Authority the Power of God ye that know it That over all ye may reign in the Seed who fulfilled the Law and the Prophets who spake with Authority and speaks with Authority now more than the Scribes and Pharisees the Writers of the Law and of the Prophets and the Speakers of them who were Transgressors against the Life that gave forth the Words which were written And so the Authority of the Scriber and Pharisees who wrot Moses and the Prophets is as the Authority of the professing Christians who profess Christ and the Apostles Writings but are without the Life and from the Seed of God these are one with them who put Christ to Death and knew not the Authority of the Seed G. F. FRiends Epist 186. which have known and tasted of the Power of the Mighty God of Heaven and Earth and of his Light and Life be faithful in the Power Light Life and Truth To Friends in Barbadoes to wait to witness the Immanuel to the spreading of the Truth abroad with which ye may answer the Truth in the inward parts in every one And dwell in that which hind and chains and gives to see over the World that Life Wisdom and Power may reign among you that he turned to the Life and believe in it which come to receive the Light of Life Christ the Power of God Be saithful and spread the Truth abroad and walk in the Wisdom of God answering that of God in every one and write speak and send Books abroad into the Countries and Islands and Nations or main Land as ye are moved that the Sound of the Trumpet of the Lord's Host may be heard in the Nations and Islands Be valiant for the Truth And be faithful and valiant for the Truth of God upon the Earth that is the Truth that the Devil is out of and abode not in in that dwell and live in Vnity and Peace one with another So the God of Love Life and Power and Wisdom be with you And ye that are turned to the Light and gathered into it Meet together and keep your Meetings Keep your Meeting that ye may feel and see the Life of God among you and know that in one another for that keeps down and lays low all that which is out of the Kingdom So know the Power of God and keep your Peace therein that ye may all grow up in the Increase of God mark in the Increase of God and feel his Presence among you For where two or three are gathered together in my Name saith Christ that is in the Power I am there in the midst of them In this Meeting in this Gathering Christ is felt in the midst Who feels the Power of Christ feels Christ for he is the Power of God and the Immanuel with them but who go from God in the Transgression are in the first Adam where Death reigns and Darkness and this is the State that is Reprobated But who are turned to the Light Christ Jesus to the Immanuel they know the Interpretation thereof God with us who redeems out of Transgression and out of Death Immanuel God with us Darkness and Sin who being witnessed the State of fallen Man that was drove from God and the State of being brought to God again is witnessed by Jesus Christ the Covenant of Light In which Covenant which is Eight the Lord God Almighty preserve you all Ye may Write how things are with you in the Island G. F. This is to go among Friends MY Dear Frends Epist 187. Dwell in the Love of God together for that edifies you all Love edifies and by that ye are built up and who go from that puck down with Enmity and Discord and Wrangling and Quarreling and Disputing and are puffed up with high-lweling Words and are large in their Worldly Wisdom and Earthly Knowledge in a Shew to tread upon the simple and are of the great Comprehension Therefore keep over the Spirit for that will not stand to the End although it would be Lord it is scorched when the Heat of Persecution comes Disputes and Janglings And therefore stand Faithful For that which runs into Janglings and Disputes and Contentions and Questionings is the Disobedient That was the Devil's work in the Beginning which brought Eve out of her Habitation and that is the Work of his Servants in the Fall to bring the Innocent out of their Habitation to question reason and jangle with them to bring them out of their
led by the Witness of God up to God And such as go from it upon them the Law of God is to be added and they by it to be stopped and limited The Law of God which Law is a Praise to them that do well who come from under the Occasion of the Law And in this that Eye is opened which beholds God and his Law which answers that of God in every one which when Men go from that of God in themselves the Law takes hold upon them Which when Adam went from he transgressed the Law of God when he went from the Life and Image of God within him and then the Law came upon him which was not made for the Righteous but for Sinners and Transgressors And in this stands the Covenant of Works the Law of Works that brings under and yokes the Man down which Christ the Covenant of God and of Life and of Peace redeems Men from under this Law and the Law of the Spirit of Life makes free from the Law of Sin and Death The Law of Life So Christ the Covenant of God being felt the Law of Life is come and witneffed within Man again and to such they that are in the Wisdom of God will be a Praise and your Moderation will increase your Temperance will increase your Knowledge of God and his Son Jesus Christ will increase whom to know is Eternal Life and this will not be lacking And so as ye are kept in the Wisdom of God and in his Life and Power ye will see the Law that goes over all Transgressors which was added because of Transgression Which Life lets you see to the Higher Power The Higher Power which was before any Transgression was because of which the Law was added upon Man when he went from that of God in himself Which as I said before every true Christian which is a Christian indeed witnesseth the Law of Life in Christ which sets free from the Law of Sin and Death and such come to see and feel him who was before any Transgression was And so as to the Lord God ye are kept faithful in your Generation and in his Fear are preserved in Humility and Mercy doing good and justly the Jaws of the Wicked will be broken and ye will feel the Lord's Blessing upon you and come to know the Seed in your selves which inherits which is the Heir of the Promise of the World without End And the Power of an endless Life you 'll feel in Christ the Seed in whom the Words of the Prophets and Apostles are fulfilled and therein is Vnity and Love Righteousness and Peace even in him who bruifeth the Serpent's Head that feeds upon Dust Here there is nothing fed upon but Life yea the Life which was with the Father before the World began which is Christ Jesus And who are in this are in the thing the Scripture testifies of Christendom on heaps And this hath been wanting in Christendom They have had the Words of the Prophets Christ and the Apostles and been on Heaps about them not being in the Seed Christ who is the End and Substance of them who is the Light and Life Righteousness Wisdom and Truth which makes free from the Adversary who is the Cause of Strife From a Lover of your Souls Eternal Good and of your Establishment in Righteousness and Peace in this Day of the Lamb's Power Glory to the Highest for ever G. F. DEar William Thou hast a fine Compassin Holland and Germany Epist 193. and under the Prince of Palatin's Government To William Ames And there is a Seed in Poland that desires Friends So in the Seed be faithful which is Immortal and is the Heir of the World where there is no End And so in that be faithful and spread the Truth over that part of the World For the Lord hath a Vine and a Mountain to be set up that a-ways and a Standard and Ensign held out to other Nations So in the Power of the Lord God and his Wisdom and Seed the Lord God Almighty preserve thee G. F. DEar Friends who have found the better part Epist 194. and chosen the better thing the one thing which lasteth for ever which is the Ground of all true Rejoycing and Joy in whom ye have all Riches and Life and the Blessings and the Immortal Power to be your Crown and Covering A time of Shearing And it may be there will be a Time of Shearing and Clipping but the Earth is the Lord's and the Fulness thereof So mind him to be your Portion and the Seed Christ your All and your Life and fear not loosing the Fleece for it will grow again And keep your Meetings in the Name of him that never fell which is above all the Meetings of Adam's Sons and Daughters in the Fall The Fellowship in the Gospet And keep in the Fellowship in the Gospel which is the Power of God which was before the Devil was and this Fellowship is above all the National Fellowships in the Fall of Adam And keep in the Worship of the Father in the Spirit and in the Truth which the Devil is out of and in that ye will live in the Truth and Spirit in your selves and walk in Vnity in the same and then ye are over all the Will-worships in the Fall of Adam where they are in the Strife about them And who are come to the Church in God do see above all the Churches of Adam in the Fall drove from God Egyptians and Babylonians And as the outward Jew suffered by the outward Egyptians and Babylonians and they persecuted them and killed their Children so the spiritual Egyptians and Mystery Babylon persecute and would kill the Jews in Spirit that worship God in the Spirit whose Praise is of God and not of Man and such have none from fallen Men but by them are persecuted But all such go as dumb before their Shearers for he that gave his Back and his Cheek to the Smiters overcame and reigns and hath the Victory and the Honour who is Christ the Amen the first and last the Top-and Corner-stone in him sit down in Life and Peace and Rest So no more but my Love in the Everlasting Seed the second Adam that never fell nor changed whose Love is above all the Love in Adam's House in the Fall G. F. FRiends Epist 195. all that are moved of the Lord by his Power Light and Life to go into other Nations as Messengers of his Covenant of Light to preach the Gospel according to that which shews the Secrets of every Man's heart wherein Nations are brought into Covenant with God and redeemed out of Tongues and People and Kindreds Keep your Feet upon the Top of the Mountains and sound deep to the Witness of God in every Man then will your Feet be Beautiful that publish Peace Liberty to Captives and to the Captives proclaim Liberty with your Feet
Royal Seed and Heirs of the Promise what are they to you who are Married to the Lamb who was Slain from the Foundation of the World against whom they warred and banded themselves and took Counsel together against the Lord and his Anointed who breaks their Bonds asunder whom neither Death Grave nor all the Powers of the World were able to hold nor contain but over all he rose the Seed and reigns till he hath made all his Enemies his Footstoole Honour and Praise be to the Lord the living God that lives for ever So all ye which are gathered in the Name of our Lord Jesus Christ whose Name is called that Power of God the Word which was in the beginning over the Powers of Darkness before it was and compelling Worships Ministry Maintenance and Churches were this Gathering Meeting in the Name this Meeting in the Name the Power the unrighteous World cannot separate you from it for it is over it and was before it was In that Power have ye the Kingdom and Dominion in the Power reigning over all that which hath been out of the Power And ye that partake of the Power have Power with God in that we need not bid you keep your Meetings for ye are met and gathered into the Fold of Christ Jesus and are put forth by him and are brought from under that that leads from God by the Power of God In this Gathering by the Power into the Name of Christ which is the Power with the Power he is felt in the midst who is King of Kings and Lord of Lords and Prince of Life and Peace and Prophet to open by his Power and Light in you all and a Priest for ever that lives to offer up the Spiritual Sacrifice and Praise to God and he being among you felt and in you all ye will have every one of you in your own particular Joy Peace Comfort Consolation Assurance Confidence and Satisfaction when all Gatherings Meetings Heaven and Earth Types and Figures and Shadows and Prophets and the Prophecies are ended And Swearing before the Law and in the Law and all invented Oaths since the Law and amongst the Heathen when these are gone past away and fulfilled the Election and the Seed and the Gathering in the Name of Jesus Christ the Lord of Life remains and stands and his Throne and Dominion in which there is no Curse but a Blessing So happy are ye who are partakers of this heirs of this Blessing and heirs of the Promise and of the Life and of the World that hath no End who have your Confidence and Assurance in him So all ye that have felt the Light and have been turned to it The Light in that Light ye feel the Covenant with God who is Light which brings to be acquainted with the Life of God and gives the Knowledge of Christ your Saviour and Redeemer which is the Salvation to the Ends of the Earth By which Light and Covenant ye are turned from Darkness and the Power of Satan that separated you from God who was the Enemy through whom ye had not Peace with God But now being turned from him into the Light and Power in this Covenant of Light and Power ye have Peace with God that destroys the Enmity and are come to receive it and so Heirs of the Kingdom that is Everlasting Be at Peace one with another and in Love and Tenderness and in the Wisdom of God order and preserve and nourish and cherish all things to his glory in which ye will feel his blessing and treasure and riches and Julness in you with you and amongst you So put on the Armour of Light that with it ye may be able to defend and see and walk and stand against all the Arrows and Darts that are in the unrighteous World The Armour of Light and before they were as Children of the Light and Children of the Day where the Darkness is past Put on your Breast-plate of Righteousness to save and preserve your Hearts and Minds and to keep you from all that which would defile and surfeit it or cause you to be weary or think the War or Time long For the Power is Everlasting and the Righteousness is Everlasting that destroys the Works of the Devil and him both whereby the Seed of God comes to be set on the head of it all The Shield of Faith Glory and Praise be to him for ever Put on therefore the Shield of Faith by which Faith your Shield ye have the Victory For Faith is a Mystery held in a pure Conscience by which ye have Access to God in which Faith ye please God in which Faith ye have Vnity which gives you the Victory over that which separates from God the Enmity In that Faith be Joyful which is the Faith of God's Elect that brings them over the World and to that which was before the Foundation of it And this is the Faith the Just lives by by which he is saved and justified by which he lives and conquers anmd hath the Victory over the Vnjust Glory to the Highest PVT on the Helmet of Salvation and take the Sword of the Spirit the Word of God your Helmet being on The Helmet of Salvation nothing can destroy nor hurt your Salvation Christ Jesus being your Helmet and your Head who destroys the Devil and his Works the Sword of the Spirit that mortifies that crucifies baptizes cuts off plunges under all Corruptions that have gotten up since the Transgression then in the Spirit ye will worship God and have Fellowship and Spiritual Weapons and come to be Spiritual Men and not as the Carnal World that rules and wrestles with Carnal Weapons and with Flesh and Blood The Stone cut out of the Mountain without hands will dash and break into pieces all the Cutters with Hands and Carnal-weaponed Men about Religion Church and Worship and his Kingdom is an Everlasting Kingdom and his Dominion hath no End This Stone is that which laid Nebuchadnezzar's head low and brought him to eat Grass like a Beast who knew not the Kingdom of the Most-high ruling in Men. So ye that know this Stone cut out of the Mountain without hands ye all know the Kingdom of the Most-high God ruling in you and his Dominion which s Everlasting and come to be his Temple For there was but One Temple in the whole World commanded of God One Temple as a Figure of Christ who would dwell in Man in Male and Female who should be the Temples of God in whom should be his Name and Power Blessings Honour and Glory and Praises be given to the Lord God for evermore by all them who witness this So all Dear Lambs and Babes and Brethren Happy and blessed are ye who the Seed do know which is Heir of the Blessings and the Power and Life and the Kingdom and the World that is Everlasting and without End Be shod all with the Gospel The Gospel
turned by that of God from the Evil and emptied of that then there will be some Room in them for fomething of God to be revealed and inspired into them And there in that they will have Prophecy seeing things to come being turned from the Evil that hath darkened them and separated them from God in which they will see the Covenant through which they will come to have Peace with God And all Friends your Sufferings ye may gently send to them Sufferings which make you to suffer whether it be Sheriffs Deputy-Lieutenants or Justices and let them see Christ's Mind nor the Aposthes were not to Imprison any nor did they Imprison any whereby ye may clear your Innocency to the Consciences and the Witnesses of God in all Men. G. F. MY Dear Friends Epist 209 In the Power of God and his Immortal Seed dwell in which ye all will have Life Eternal and inherit the Substance and Dominion To Friends in and about Nortolk and Lyn c. and a Kingdom of Life which never fadeth nor shall have an end And so dwell all in the Power of the Lord God in which ye may all feel and know your Strength renewed in that which is Immortal and be of one Mind in the Power of God and live in Love and Peace knowing the Kingdom of the same which stands in the Power of God which was before the Power of Satan And your Fellowship being in the same Power of God The Fellowship in the Power your Fellowship is in that which is Everlasting and that never hath an End And the Church-Fellowship is in God and the Worship is in the Spirit and in the Truth which Truth was before the Vntruth was and stands when all the Vntruth is gone in the World In this live and dwell in which ye will all have Vnity and Fellowship in which ye will feel Life Eternal amongst you In that Meet and keep your Meetings and wait together upon the Lord Meet in the Name who are gathered together in the Name of Jesus whose Name is above every Name So is his Gathering above all other Gatherings which Gathering stands when all other Gatherings are ended And not in any other Name under Heaven is Salvation brought but in the Name of Jesus in which Name are yur Gatherings in which Name ye all know your Salvation and shall all know it as ye abide all in the Power of God that keeps unto the Day of Salvation And so be Faithful unto the Lord God minding the Seed and feeling it and knowing of it in your selves which destroys the Devil the Destroyer and the Oppressor Murderer and Liar the Father of all Vnrighteousness and Vngodliness and all that is bad which the Seed destroys which Seed is Christ Therefore know that reign and the Top-stone over all laid in which ye will all feel Life Heirs of the Power and have Life Eternal coming to be heirs of the Power of God knowing every one that to be your Portion and Heirs of the Gospel and Inheriting it Then ye possess Fellowshp the Gospel Felloship which is Everlasting which is the power of God And so Farewell And the Lord God Almighty preserve you and keep you So my Love in the the Everlasting Seed of God is to you all From Mendlesham this 11th Day of the 1st Month. G. F. FRiends Epist 210. Trust not in Man nor in the Arm of Flesh neither put Confidence in them but in the Lord. Judge your selves and keep down the Boaster Keep down the Beaster and that which would be high under Judgment keep that down by the Power of God in your selves lest the Lord God bring upon you something without you to bring you down who do not keep that down in your selves And therefore keep all that down with the Power of the Lord God in your selves and then ye will have Dominion over it all in the Power of the Lord God And live all in the Power of God which was before the Fall in which ye will have Fellowship over all the Fellowships in the Fall The Fellowship in the Power and above all outward things that have an End which Fellowship soeth over all that which is in the Strife For in the Power of God your Fellowship there hath no End which was before the Fall and Strife was in which is peace which Fellowship will remain when all that which is in the Fall is gone and in which is the perfect Vnity which keeps over all such Spirits which run into outward things from which arise Quarrels and Strife and Imperfections And therefore keep in the Power of the Lord God that is Everlasting in which is the Fellowship that hath no End in that live and dwell And feel the Seed of God over all that whlch makes to suffer and it will remain when all that is gone in that ye will feel Life over Death and Light over Darkness And so in that the Lord God Almighty preserve you and keekp you in the Dominon This Day I came into the Isle of Ely where I hear nothing Isle of Ely but things are peaceable and Friends Minds kept over all the Bustlings in the World and take little notice thereof but minds the Power of God which was before the Fall was in which Fall are Bustlings And so to the Lord God be faithful G. F. FRiends All ye that have known the Way of Truth and tafted of the Power of the same and now turn back into the World's Fashions and Customs ye stop them that are coming out of the World The World's Fashions and Customs ye make them to stumble at the Truth ye make them to question the say of the lord which is out of the Way of the World and its Ways and ye grieve the Righteous and sadden the Hearts of the Upright and Simple ye had better ye had never known the Way of Light Life and Power ye are the Cause of many keeping in Darkness you are the Cause of the Boasting of the Wicked and make the sicked to take you for an Example and their Object against Truth and them that live in it to plead against its Ways Ye had better never have been born your Days will be Sad Trouble and Vengeance will be your Garment and Cloathing in that State and a hard thing it will be for any of you to Repent for you will find a more subtle thing in you Repentance than was before you knew the Way fo Truth who have neglected hearing the Voice of God through which your Hearts are hardened Ye are the Cause of many Husbands and many Wives to boast themselves against the Truth and Servants and Children thereof for in some Families ther are Servants Convinced and Children Convinced and in others there are Husband Convinced and not Wife and Wife and not Husband and Servants and not Master and Children and not Parents So ye that turn from Truth ye
when the false Hope of the Hypocrite sinks therein which are the Waters and it goes over them and in it they are swallowed up The Vnity in the Spirit is the Bond of the Prince of Princes Peace and the Fellowship in the Gospel and the Liberty in it is a perfect one above the imperfect where is Bondage G. F. FRiends Stand still and see be still and hear sit at Jesus Feet Epist 230. and chuse the better thing to do the Work of God A Greneral Epistle to Friends is to believe in his Son Jesus Christ the Light and your Hope and Faith is to stand in God and in his Son walk by that Faith which he is the Author of and walk in the Light and walk in the Spirit As every one hath received Christ so walk in him and so serve God in the Spirit and worship him in the Spirit and in the Truth for God is not worshipped out of the Spirit and Truth The Babes Milk is from the Word and their Bread is from above and there is no true Religion but what is pure from above and the stay'd patient People abide in their own House but the Whore is gadding abroad and there is no true Church but where Christ exercises his Offices in and amongst them and they are asking their Husband at home and he is their Head and the true Marriage to Christ the Heavenly Man is witnessed by such as are Flesh of his Flesh and Bone of his Bone none comes to be Children of the Light but such as believe in the Light no Sons of God but by receiving Christ and by being led by his Spirit no coming into all Truth but by being led by the Spirit of Truth no running the true Race in the straight way to get to the Glorious Crown but with Patience no Purifying but by coming to Christ the Hope of Glory the Purifier and no overcoming but by Believing in Christ the Light and he that doth so is Born of God And there is no true Witness within but the Light the Life and Spirit of Christ the true Record no true Faith but that which Christ is the Author of which giveth Victory no true Anchor to the Immortal Soul but by Christ the Hope of Glory So by Hope you are saved no true Liberty but in Christ and in his Law of the Spirit of Life and in his Gospel no true Knowledge of God but by his Light and Spirit in the Heart no Salvation but by the Name of Jesus no true Praying but in the Spirit no true Singing but in the Spirit Wherein true Rest Peace Joy c. stand and are injoyed no true Fast but that which breaks the Bond of Iniquity no true Fellowship but in the pure Faith Light Spirit and Gospel of God and Christ no true Foundation but Christ to build upon no true Way but Christ no true Seed but what Christ hath sown in the Heart no true Rest but in Christ no true Peace but in Christ no true Service to God and Christ but in the Newness of Life no knowing the things of God but by the Spirit of God no knowing the Son nor the Father but by the Revelation of the Holy Spirit no knowing the Scriptures but by the same Holy Ghost that moved the Holy Men to give them forth no calling Jesus Lord but by the Holy Ghost by which he was Conceived no Grafting into Christ but by Believing in the Light which is called the Light in Men and the Life in him no true Wisdom but from above and no true receiving it but in the Fear of the Lord and no true Understanding of Spiritual Things but what Christ gives no Divine Reason but in the Faith that Christ is the Author of which giveth Victory over that which is unreasonably and separates from God and no true Love to God but what he sheddeth abroad in the Heart and to know a Fellowship with Christ in his Death and Sufferings is above the Fellowship of Bread and Wine which will have an end but the Fellowship in the Gospel and Holy Spirit hath no end G. F. MY Dear Friends Epist 231. be faithful to the Lord God every one in the Truth and Power of God and his Righteousness that it may flow over all and walk and live in it that to the Lord God you may be a good Savour and a Blessing in your Generation Look over all Sufferings and that which makes you to Suffer Dwell in the Rock which is above all Storms and Tempests for now is the Trial of your Faith now is the Trial of your Meetings who are gathered in the Name of Jesus by them that are gathered in the name of Adam in the Fall Time of Trial. now is the Trial of your Worship which is in the Spirit and Truth by such as Worship out of the Spirit and Truth And now is the Trial of your Fellowship in the Gospel the Power of God by such whose Fellowship lies in outward things now is the Trial of your Church which is in God by those that have their Church in the Fall unsanctified and now is the Trial of your Faith and your Gospel-Fellowship in it which is a Mystery and Christ the second Adam is a Mystery to fallen Adam and Truth is a Mystery to all them that are out of it and the Light is a Mystery to all the Builders and Stumblers at it and haters of it and Godliness is a Mystery to all the Ungodly Therefore may you Praise the Lord and Bless his Name who hath reveaied these Mysteries to you in the Day of Trial by which you may withstand the Day of Darkness and the Hour of it For those that have Oil in their Lamps enter in with the Bridegroom who have heard his Voice at midnight And so happy and blessed are all you that have laid up in store against this Day and the time that is now come whose Bread fails not nor Water and have found the Land-mark of your Everlasting Portion and Inheritance in the Kingdom where nothing that defiles can enter And therefore be valiant for the Truth upon the Earth and fear no Amazement but fear the Lord who upholds all things by his Word and Power in whom is all your fresh Springs of Life Live and walk in the second Adam the Lord from Heaven and all keep out of Adam in the Fall that is Earthly that you may sit down in the heavenly Places in Christ Jesus that never fell God's care over his Heritage who is your Life who is your Peace and Salvavation who redeems you from the Earth that you may reign upon the Earth who makes you Kings and Priests to God and blessed be the Lord for ever who reigns and lives and rules amongst his Flocks and Assemblies Gardens Plants Vineyards Babes Children Sons and Daughters Servants and Prophets watering them with the Water of Life giving the increase of Life to them Glory
Burying Places and that thereby a Testimony may stand against the Superstitious Idolizing of those places called holy Ground For Abraham bought a place to bury his Dead in and would not Bury them amongst the Egyptians and Canaanites And Jacob was brought out of Egypt and Joseph and they were buryed in their Grand-Father and Father's Burying-places And so Friends get decent Burying-places for your Dead and let them be decently and well fenced that you may shew a good Example to the World in all things And Dear Friends do all that you do in Peace and Love Do all in Peace and Love and in the Fear of God condescending one unto another in the Simplicity and Innocency of Life and Truth and in the Wisdom of God that that may be every ones Crown that nothing may be done in Strife to occasion Words for you are called to Peace and Holiness in which the Kingdom stands and to serve one another in Love And my Love is to all Friends in the Everlasting Seed of God in which is Life Purity Cleanness and Righteousness that shines over all And all Friends do that which ye do in the Power of God And in the Power of God and then you are the Lord's Free-men in Love and not Captives For all which is done out of the Power of God is in the Captivity So wait all in the Power of the Lord and in the Light in which you will feel Life and Peace and the Lord's Blessing So in that the Lord God Almighty preserve you and keep you over all that which is contrary and give you Victory and Dominion And in Peace and Love live in the Spirit and Power of God in which is the Vnity and the Fellowship in the Bond of Peace that Truth and Life may reign amongst you that in all things you may adorn and grace the Truth that never hath an end And the Lord God Almighty preserve you in his Seed His Prayer for the same Life and Wisdom and give you Discerning Victory and Dominion over all that which is contrary that you may feel Christ's Reign and Authority in which you may all act in his Power and Authority So in that God Almighty preserve you And draw up an Account of all that have died in Prison Of Prisoners in every County for Truth 's Testimony and lay them before the Magistrates and so to keep Friends clear from the Blood of all Men. And preserve a Lift of their Sufferings together with the Number that have died in Prison that their Blood may come upon them that have thirsted after it And Sufferings and that their Testimony may not be lost who have sealed it with their Blood but that it may be preserved And so keep a Record of them in your Quarterly Meeting Books So that the Memorial of the Innocent Sufferers for the Truth and the Name of Jesus may not be lost nor forgotten that his Name and Power that hath supported them may be exalted that hath carried them over Death and their Persecutors and the spoiling of their Goods So in the heavenly Seed Christ Jesus that reigns who is the Living Rock and Foundation and stands sure for all his Elect to build upon stand above all the Rocks and Foundations that are below and will have an end and in him the Lord God Almighty preserve you and keep you all Amen And all my Dear Friends every where Speaking in Steeple-houses who have been moved of the Lord God to speak in Steeple-Houses to the Priests or in Markets to the People or in Courts or Fairs or Assizes or Towns let an Account thereof be drawn up together in one Book with the substance of their Words that they spake in the Power of God This would be a Book that may stand to Generations that they may see their faithful Testimony and what Strength God did ordain out of the the Mouths of Babes and Sucklings And Friends that have been moved to go to the Professors Meetings that their Testimony there may not be lost together with all the Examples that have fallen upon the Persecutors And such Testimonies of Friends as are deceased Of Deceased Friends Testimonies let them be Recorded that so the Testimony of the Lord through his Servants may not be lost that he raised up in his People for the same they were carried on thro' great Tribulations and Sufferings and many laid down their Lives and had their Goods spoiled and they persecuted to Death to keep up their Testimony which the Lord moved them to speak by his Spirit to future Generations So that those Words that they were moved to speak forth by the Power may not be lost that the Power and Spirit of the Lord may be exalted So that an account may be taken of that which hath been spoken and done by the Motions of the Spirit of God from the first as above-mentioned And so be Diligent and those that can write help them that cannot This may be easily done And all they that be Publick Ministers if unknown that pass up and down the Countries What Ministers to have Certificates and to other Nations for them to have a Certificate from their Meeting where such Persons are known and all their Practices are looked into that will prevent any bad Spirits that may scandalize honest Men. For they that do minister to others must have a double Diligence in Vertue and Chastity and Patience and Carefulness and Watchfulness more than their Hearers lest they Judge them For Christ the heavenly Man is our Example and the Apostle saith Follow us as we do follow Christ For who esteems the beggarly Lusts before Vertue is not worthy of it and who preferreth his Ungodliness and his Unholiness and his Earthliness before that which is Heavenly is not worthy of the Heavenly nor of Godliness nor Righteousness c. And Dear Friends be Faithful you that know the Light the Truth and the Power of God and his Life in the Wisdom of God be Faithful by which Wisdom all things was made and created In Wisdom and by which Wisdom all things that are created must be ordered again to the Glory of the Creator And you that are come to know the Truth and the Power of it all come to know the Order of Life so that all things may be kept in that sweet Order and Government to the Glory of God and the Refreshment of all Order and a sweet Savour to God and in the Hearts of all People that through the Wisdom of God ye may adorn the Truth in all things for the preserving of Love Peace and Vnity amongst all And live in the peaceable Truth and keep in the heavenly Order of the Gospel and in the Government of the heavenly Man And Government of Christ the Increase of which there is no end and walk in the pure and underfiled Religion that keeps you from the spots of the
before the Word of Death and to turn People to the Light which was before Darkness and the Power of it that all might be reconciled to God by the Word and that all might believe in the Light which is the Life in Christ the Word and so become Children of the Light and to know Christ the Author of their Faith and their Faith to stand in him who is the Author and Finisher of it and to turn People to the Spirit which they had quenched vexed grieved and rebelled against that in that Holy Spirit they might see before the Spirit of Error was and that in the Spirit they may know God and Christ and the Scriptures which were given forth from it and that in the same Spirit they might all have Fellowship one with another and with the Father and Son and so to preach the Everlasting Gospel the Power of God which was before the Devil was that brings Life and Immortality to Light in all that do receive it that they might see over him that had darkned them Which Gospel I received not of Man nor by Man but of the Lord Jesus Christ by his Holy Spirit sent down from Heaven And so after I had received this and preached it and many Thousands were come into it G. F. advised to Gospel Order in several Places of the Nation then by the same Power and Spirit and Light I was moved to advise to the setting up the Mens Monthly and Quarterly Meetings and the Womens Meetings So that all in the Power of God the Gospel which was before the Devil was and in the Light which was before Darkness was and all in the Holy Spirit before the unholy Spirit was That they might be all in their Possessions of the Light Spirit and Power of God and therein to keep this heavenly Order of the Gospel being Heirs of Christ and of his Government of the increase of which there is no End Which Gospel-Order is over all the Orders of Adam in the Fall or amongst the Apostates from that Gospel the Apostles was in and will stand the Power of God the Gospel when they are gone So that all the Heirs of Life and Grace and Heirs of the Gospel might be in their Possession and keep in the Power which was before the Fall was and into this no Apostacy can come So here in this Power of the Gospel all have their Liberty and all have Vnity and all have Liberty in the Spirit and Vnity in the Light and Vnity in the Faith that Jesus Christ is the Author of So that all may see Him and his Government which is over the Government of Adam in the Fall for he was before Old Adam was and will be when he is gone And so that all might be in the Possession of Christ and as they have received him so to walk in him the Heavenly and Spiritual Man of the increase of whose Government there is no End but there will be an End of Old Adam's Now A Caution to such who oppose God's Discipline in the Church Friends whosoever shall come under what Pretence soever to alter these Meetings or to deny or speak against the Men and Womens Meetings it is the Spirit of Confusion and Opposition which would be seeming to do something yet it 's Work is to disquiet the simple Minds and it is the very same Spirit with John Parrot's and mark his End and their End and such as joins with it For it is against the Power of God in which the Order is establish'd and the Eternal Spirit and Light in which the Men and Womens Meetings were set up in which all things should be establish'd and are fastned in the Light which was before Darkness was and in the Power of God before the Devil was and in the Holy Spirit before the unclean Spirit was and will stand when he is gone Therefore in it keep your Possessions in the Power of God and in his Light and Spirit that you may know the Mountain of the Lord established above all Mountains And they are none but loose Spirits and such as tends to Loosness that stand against the Men and Womens Meetings though it may come under pretence to set up a better Way or under pretence only to alter them to another Day and it may be pretend their Fear of the Corruption of observing a Day All this is but from a corrupt Spirit of Darkness which God will blast for we put no Holinss in the usual and constant Days of Monthly and Quarterly Meetings For I would have them all to know that they who be Heirs of the Gospel and of Christ Jesus are redeemed out of the vain observation of Days and out of the Jewish and Apostate Christians Holy-Days to God by Christ who made all Days and every thing Good and their Eyes are to the Super-natural Day of Christ and they are the Children of this Day And that is a creeping Spirit To keep the appointed Days for Meetings that would go to alter the usual and constant Meeting-Days under pretence to prevent People from the Corruptions of observing a constant Day or under a pretence of keeping People out of a Form and so would father their Deceit upon God For them who be in the Possession of the Power by which all true Forms and all things are upheld which Word and Power gives Form and Being to all Things and all they that are in it are above all such Things and Judges all such dark Spirits And they that be in the Observation of Days they are not Heirs of the Power nor of Christ who was before Days was and such cannot sit in the heavenly Places in Christ Jesus to do his Churches Business So I say that after People were turned to the Light Power and Spirit of God and they all come into the Light Power and Spirit of God all such are to make up the Men and Womens Meetings and in it to feel the Wisdom of God by which all things were made and created and with it to be ordered and to order all things to God's Glory So that Wisdom may be justified of her Children Now concerning laying all Marriages before the Men and Womens Meetings Some have darkly objected This is not as was in the Beginning Whereas in the Beginning we were but few in Number and could not presently be so sensible of the service of them as when grown more numerous and a Body of People but in the Beginning there was a Care things might be kept clear For in 1653 several Friends came to me concerning Marriage and to know what they should do in that Case And I waited upon the Lord and saw in his Eternal Light that all that did Marry they should lay it before some faithful Friends in the Wisdom of God that they might see into it These were my Words then as in a Paper of mine given forth that Year may be seen And afterwards I was moved to go
Night long and they Watch to preserve the Ship and to prevent any Enemy or Hurts that might come to the Ship by Passengers or otherwise And Christ came in the Fourth Watch of the Night walking on the Sea c. And Peter was in the Ship and his Disciples as you may see in Matth. 14. and in Mark 6. and 48. And Simon Peter had part of the Ship as you may see in Luke 5. And so it was that James and John Sons of Zebedee were Partners with Simon And Christ saith Luke 12.38 39. speaking of his Coming We are to keep our Watch both outwardly and inwardly and Exhorting to watch If he to wit the Master should come in the second or third Watch and find them Watching blessed are those Servants So this Watching was for Christ and against Sin and Evil in their own Hearts And then he brings a Comparison And this know that if the good Man of the House said he had known what Hour the Thief would come he would have watched and not suffered his House to be broken up c. And so here is the good Man's watching against Sin and Evil without and the Spoiler and Thief without whom the Magistrate is to Revenge and to lay his Sword upon And here is also a watching against Sin and Evil within and a waiting to receive Christ the Lord at his Coming And as there is a shutting the outward Doors to keep out the Murderers and the Thieves and a Bolting and Locking of them out So there is a shutting up and locking the Door of the Heart to keep out the Adulterer and Murderer and all that is Deceitful from coming within into the Heart And Friends the Priests and Professors used to bring this Scripture You must be subject to every Ordinance of Man for the Lords sake to the end that we should pay them their Maintenance and hold up their Worship And when the Magistrates brought that Scripture for these ends we could not obey them in these things nor touch nor taste their Ordinances Doctrines nor Commandments But to be subject to every Ordinance of Man for the Lord's sake which was for the Punishment of Evil Doers as Drunkards Thieves Murderers Adulterers and such like and to keep down such Evil Doers and that we might live a Godly and Peaceable Life under them which was for the Praise of them that do well this we always owned and were subject to and watched against and declared against in our own way and laid such Actors and Actions before the Magistrates for them to punish and keep down with their Power If a Magistrate compel against our Conscience we patiently Suffer which is their Sword of Justice but if they would compel us to things that we could not do contrary to our Conscience for the Lords sake we suffered for it So where Friends has the Government as in Rhode Island and that Province Friends was willing to watch in their own way and they made a Law that none should be compelled to take Arms. So Friends have always profered the Magistrates though they could not joyn with then in carrying Arms Swords and Pistols yet to watch in their own way against the Evil Doer And this they have profered in Barbadoes as I have heard to discover if Negroes should rise up to Burn Plantations or Steal or do any hurt or other Indians invading their Land And so if the foreign Indians should come to Steal your Goods or to Kill for you to be left to your freedom to watch in your own way and to discover to the Magistrate such as would destroy your Lives or Plantations or Steal let them come from at home or come from abroad such Evil Doers the Magistrate is to punish who is for the Praise of them that do well So that you may live and lead a Godly and Peaceable Life under them And you that are Righteous you watching discovering and declaring against such Evil doers and things you clear your selves and demonstrate that your testimony is against such things And if the Magistrates should be evily inclined and God should bring the Evil Doers as a Rod upon them yet you are clear in your testimony that knows Truth and are in your Duty and in your Obedience And for this cause he has his Tributs To give to the Magistrate Tribute Custom and Due and double Honour and his Custome and his Due and double Honour if he Rules well and God has his Praise and his Honour and in that Power and Truth of God which is against Vntruth and the Power of Darkness and in the Light which is against Evil and in the Life which is against Death you discover the Bad to him for him to Punish them upon true Evidence and if he does not do it it will lie upon him And if he be a Praise to the Evil and a Discouragement to the Good then the Lord will deal with him and tho' to such for Conscience and for the Lord's sake we cannot be subject to the Evil but rather suffer thereby and are subject to that which punishes and keeps down the Evil and are glad of it And we desire that Justice were uppermost in all Magistrates that they would hear Friends at their Yea or Nay that do come to them and discover to them the Evil and that they might see what they should do and what they should not do So Friends may discover all that which is Evil which comes to devour and destroy both within and without both within the Island and without to them that should keep it down And so in the Lord 's Everlasting Power in which Freedom is and Dominion the Lord God Almighty keep you in his Power and Life in the Gospel which brings Life and Immortality to Light in you that you may see over the Devil that had darkned you and kept you in a separation from God So that by his Gospel the Power of God which was before the Devil was and will be when he is gone who was the Author of Strife That in that Power you may all freely approach to God and in it feel nothing betwixt you and the Lord of hindring your Passage unto him So that in this Gospel the Power of God in which Life and Immortality is brought to Light you may keep and feel your Everlasting Fellowship and Order of the Gospel which is not of Man nor by Man So with my Love to all Friends in all those Parts as though I named them and be at Peace one with another neither Judge one another about such things but live in Love which doth edifie And in the Power of God that your Hearts and Souls and Minds may unite together in it and all to walk as becomes the Gospel That our Lives and Conversations may preach c. And let your Lives and Conversations Preach that with a Measure of the Spirit of God you may reach to that of God in all
Altar And other Places might be shewed of the Womens Offerings and Sacrifices And you may see Hannah's fervent Zeal to God and what a large Speech she made in magnifying and exalting the Lord in 1 Sam. 1st and 2d Chap. And so you may see the Offerings and Sacrifices of the Women were accepted upon God's Altar as well as the Mens But the hire of a Whore was not to be brought into the House of God for any Vow for it was an abomination to the Lord Deut. 23.10 Now Hannah's Husband and the other Womens Husbands Hannah's Offering that offered up their Offerings upon God's Altar were not offended at them nor did they say their Offerings were enough for them both but every one was to offer up their Peace-Offerings and Thanksgiving-Offerings themselves and other Offerings So here youmay see the Service and Work of the Women and how serviceable the Women were in their Assemblies in the time of the Law about the Tabernacle and Holy Things and how the Women offered upon God's Altar as well as the Men they had their Liberty But the hire of the Whore was to be kept out of God's House and not to be offered up upon God's Altar So ye may see man and Woman were meet helps in Paradise before the Fall and Death reigned from Adam till Moses and after Moses received the Law from God which went over Death and Sin that brought it who saw the State of Man and Woman in Paradise Men and Women in the time of the Law were meet helps again to one another in the Work and Service of the holy Things about the Tabernacle and Sanctuary and the Women had their Assemblies And it 's said in Joel 2. and in Acts 2. That the Lord would pur cut of his Spirit upon all Flesh in the last Days or Times So this Spirit being poured upon all Flesh in the Christian Times God poureth his Spirit upon all Flesh under the Gospel Sons and Daughters Hand-maids and Servants old Men and young Men that by the Spirit of God all these might have his Visions Prophesies and Dreams and this is his Spirit by which all should profit in the things that be Eternal and to serve God in the Spirit both Men and Women Sons and Daughters old Men and young Men Hand-maids and Servants and all offer up to God his Spiritual Sacrifices For all being dead in old earthly Adam Christ the heavenly Adam has tasted Death for them all and is a Propitiation for the Sins of the whole World and he enlightens all and his Grace hath appeared unto all and his Spirit is poured upon all Flesh and his Gospel which is the Power of God is preached to every Creature under Heaven And now must not all receive the Grace and believe in the Light and receive this Gospel and walk and labour in it both Men and Women Sons and Daughters old Men and young Servants and Handmaids Yea I say the Gospel being preached to all Nations and to every Creature under Heaven old Men and young Servants and Handmaids Sons and Daughters I say then must not all these receive this Gospel and the Light and Grace And are they not all to walk in it and to offer up their Spiritual Sacrifices upon the heavenly Altar in the New Covenant and to walk in the New and Living Way and all to receive the Light of Christ which enlightens all and to become Children of Light and to feel the Blood of Christ to cleanse them from all Sin which they have in old Adam So as the Women were to offer in the old Covenant and in the time of the Law upon the outward Altar their Offerings and God poured out his Spirit upon the House of Israel that they might understand and do what he commanded them At which time they had the Assemblies of the Women which were not forbidden So now in the time of the Gospel and the Day of Christ which enlightens all and in the time of his Grace which hath appeared unto all Men to teach them and to bring their Salvation and in the time of his Gospel preached to every Creature and in the time of his pouring out of his Spirit upon all Flesh that they might understand and walk and live in his Gospel and by his Spirit offer up their Spiritual Sacrifices So in this the Time and Day of Christ the captain of our Salvation must not all these Labour in the Gospel and in the Word and in the Grace and in the Light and know and do God and Christ's Work and Service about his heavenly Tabernacle and Sanctuary Assemblies of the Women in the time of the Cospol c. Hath not every one their Service that are enlightened And his Grace that hath appeared unto them are they not Stewards of it And must not they have their Assemblies of the Women in the time of the Gospel and of the New Covenant and in the time of Grace and Light and Life as well as in the time of the Law and of the old Covenant And are not all to albour in that which tends to God'd Glory and Praise and Honour For which End he hath made them all and for which End he hath redeemed them and converted them and translated and sanctified them to make them VessEls of his Honour and of his Grace and Mercies And so now the End of all our Men and Womens Meetings in the time of the Gospel the Power of Christ being the Authority of them is That they might all labour in his Power and in his Grace and in his Spirit and in his Light to his Service and his Business in Truth and Righteousness So the Women in the time of the Gospel Light and Grace are to look into their own selves and Families and to look to the Training up of their Children for they are oft-times more amongst them than the Men and may prevent many things that may fall out and many times they may make or marr their Children in their Education So now they come to be exercised in the Grace of God and to admonish and exhort reprove and rebuke and to keep all their Families modest honest vertuous sober and civil and not to gibe Liberty nor indulge that which tends to Vice or Lasiviousness or any Evil or Idleness or Sloathfulness or the Fashions of the World which pass away and to stop all vain Words and idle Talking and Stories and Tales which are unproffitable but rather to turn their Ears to Godliness which they should be trained up and exercised in and not to fulfil the Lust of the Eye for that being satisfied brings the Pride of Life and then comes the Lust of the Flesh and this is not of the Father but of the World And if either Men or Women suffer such things they suffer that which defiles their Children and Families And therefore such things are to be reproved in Families and their Children to be stop'd from going
this Adversary to Man and Woman and God's Order and Government and Teaching and Christ that does bruise his Head is the Head of all his People that fits under his Teaching and under his Order and Government which they are to walk in So the same Spirit is risen that rose against Noah in the Old World yea it is seen what the Sons of God run into then even that which grieved God by following that Spirit which led from God which led Adam and Eve also from God But Noah was preserved in the Ark over the Floods when the Old World was drowned but all God's People are preserved in Christ Jesus over the Floods of the World and that Spirit that led Adam and Eve into the Fall and to feed upon that which made them think they should be wiser than God had taught them I say they are preserved in Christ Jesus the Ark over all the Floods of the Adversary and from the Judgments that God brings upon him and them that follows him And as Noah was preserved in the Ark over the outward Floods that drowned the Old World so will God's People be preserved from the Fire and Brimstone that is prepared for the Wicked and the Devil and his Angels And the same Spirit is risen now that led Nimrod to build Babel a City to preserve him and them after the Flood but God did confound Them and their Work And so he will do all such Builders For you see how God did confound all the Jewish Builders yea the Wise Master Builders who rejected Christ the Corner-Stone and his Order and his Government and his Counsel And the great City Babylon which this Spirit and its Followers has built since the Apostles is come into remembrance with God which the same destroying Spirit has built that led Adam and Eve from God and from the Order he placed them in So this same Spirit which hath led Man and Woman from the Order the Apostles were in strives to lead People from it now where it is risen And the same Spirit that led Cain to kill Abel who afterwards built a City and the same Spirit that led Adam and Eve from the Command of God in Paradise leads from it now but God will lay Cain's City waste and there is no Lodging in it for the Saints who seek another City whose Builder and Maker is God And the same Spirit is risen now that arose in Pharaoh and in Corah Dathan and Abiram in Pharaoh to oppose the People and stop them from going out of Egypt and walking in the Law of God in which they might worship God which Law of God was Good Just and Holy and went over all Transgression and Sin which led into Death that it might reign and not the Lord and his Law And that Spirit that led Corah Dathan and Abiram who thought Moses took too much upon him and busied himself too much pretending that the People were Holy so would not have them go further but there to have made a stop and set down according to its Will But see how they were stopp'd and what became of Pharaoh how he was sunk in the Sea and the other into the Earth And what became of them that opposed Aaron in his Priesthood The Spirit of Coran risen now to oppose the Servants of the Lord. their Rods did not bud yet they would have been Teachers and Ministers but had not the Fruit in the Tabernacle in the Morning that they might see how to deal their Bread to the hungry and therefore they whose Rods did not bud God's Fire consumed them for they have nothing to offer to God but manifest Presumption and Rebellion And see the end of such And the same Spirit that rose against the Prophets in the Jews who resisted the Holy Ghost and rebelled against the Spirit is risen now and is the same Spirit that deceived Adam and Eve in Paradise which led the People from God and his Law and his Prophets But what became of these Jews and what was their end Some to the Fire some to the Sword and some to Captivity as you may read And those that rebelled against Moses and Joshua and Caleb wandred in the Wilderness till they perished and came not to the good Land And therefore keep under Christ Jesus's Teaching To keep under the Teaching of Christ who is the Prophet God has raised up like Moses whom all should hear and obey And the same Spirit is risen now that rose against Christ and the Apostles And Christ called them Serpents and of their Father the Devil the Destroyer the Adversary who had deceived Adam and Eve by his false Teaching and envied their Happiness and led them from God So you may see how these Jews high and low were gone from God and his Law and his Command by hearkning to and obeying this Spirit which had led Adam and Eve to disobey God's Command and therefore they would not receive his Son nor his Order nor Doctrine And what became of all these Jews was not their City laid waste and they scattered over all Nations and they destroyed of the Destroyer who had denied Christ their Saviour that wept over them and would have saved them from Destruction And such as came to John and was baptized by him and rejoyced in his Light for a season and many that followed Christ and said he was a Prophet yet at last these turned from him that descended and ascended and he told them that rejoyced in John's burning Light for a season God's Mind was not abiding in them and that they had not seen his Shape nor heard his Voice at any time and that they received Honour of Man but knew not Christ the heavenly Man that received not Honour of the earthly Man who received their Favour one of another And such as said he was a Prophet when he said They must eat his Flesh the heavenly Bread that came down from Heaven they forsook him for their Minds turned downward to feed upon that which was below And the same Spirit is risen now The same Spirit that rose against the Apostles is risen now that rose against the Apostles as you may see in their Epistles in the Romans Corinthians and in Peter Timothy Titus Jude and John Some got the Form of Godliness and denied the Power and some were Enemies to the Cross of Christ the Power of God others were getting another Gospel than the Power of God which brought them under the Curse others were speaking the things of God in the Words that Man's Wisdom taught them others their Faith was standing in Words and not in the Power of God others their Faith was standing in Paul and Apollo's which should have stood in Christ Which grieved the Apostles for their Faith should have stood in Christ whom they preached Others with good Words and fair Speeches deceived the Hearts of the Simple And therefore all they which preach'd Faith and made shipwrack of
are in old Adam which they did and do dote after which the new Creatures in Christ Jesus the second Adam were not to taste touch nor handle for they did perish with the using And are not all the Will-worships and the Beasts and the Dragon's Worships of the old Creatures that be out of Christ bearing the Mark of the Beast in their Hand or Forehead And they that be in Christ which be new Creatures have their Father's Mark or Name in their Fore heads and worship the Holy Pure and Living God in Spirit and in Truth And it was the old Creatures that made Images and Idols and such make them now and worship them But they that are in Christ are new Creatures and are renewed up into the Image of God and worship him in his Holy Spirit and Truth that liveth for ever Amen And these cannot touch taste nor handle the old Creatures Images Idols Not to touch with the Rudiments of the World Doctrines Ordinances Traditions or Rudiments of the World which are the old Creatures in Old Adam which doth touth taste and handle them But the new Creature cannot who is in Christ the express Image of the Father and he maketh his new Creatures like himself Moses appointed Servants for God in the Law or Old Testament but Christ made Sons in the New Testament for as many as received Christ he gave them Power to become the Sons of God Swarthmore in Lancashire the 30th of the 11th Month 1678. G. F. To Friends in America concerning their Negroes and Indians ALL Friends Epist 335. every where that have Indians or Blacks You are to preach the Gospel to them The Gespel to be preacked to the Blacks Indians c. and other Servants if you be true Christians for the Gospel of Salvation was to be preached to every Creature under Heaven Christ commands it to his Disciples Go and teach all Nations baptizing them into the Name of the Father Son and Holy Ghost And this is the one Baptism with the Spirit into one Body which plunges down Sin and Corruption which hath gotten up by Disobedience and Transgression For all hath been plunged into Sin and Death from the Life for all died in Adam then they have been all subjected by the Evil Spirit which hath led them out of the Truth into the Evil and therefore they must all be baptized into the Death of Christ and put on Christ if they have Life And also you must preach the Grace of God to all Blacks and Indians which Grace brings Salvation that hath appeared unto all Men to teach and instruct them to live Godly Righteously and Soberly Which Grace of God is sufficient to teach and establish all true Christians that they may appear before the Throne of Grace And also you must teach and instruct Blacks and Indians and other Indians and Negroes directed to God's Spirit how that God doth pour out of his Spirit upon all Flesh in these days of the New Covenant and New Testament and that none of them must quench the Motions of his Spirit nor grieve it nor vex it nor rebel against it nor err from it nor resist it but be led by his good Spirit to instruct them and with which they may profit in the things of God neither must they turn from his Grace into Wantonness nor walk despitefully against the Spirit of Grace for it will teach them to live Soberly Godly and Righteously and season their Words And also you must instruct and teach your Indians and Negroes and all others how that Christ by the Grace of God Christ tasted Death for every Man and is the Propitiation for the Sins of the whole World tasted Death for every Man and gave himself a Ransom for all Men to be testified in due time and is the Propitiation not for the Sins of Christians only but for the Sins of the whole World And how that he doth enlighten every Man that cometh into the World with his true Light which is the Life in Christ by whom the World was made And Christ who is the Light of the World saith Believe in the Light that ye may become Children of the Light And they that do Evil and hate the Light which is the Life in Christ will not come to the Light because it will reprove them and love the Darkness more than the Light this Light is their Condemnation And so all must be turned from Darkness to Light to believe in the Light and from the Power of Satan to God and if they do not believe they will be reproved condemned and judged by Christ who hath all Power in Heaven and in Earth given unto him who will judge both the Quick and the Dead and reward every Man according to his Works whether they be good or evil And therefore you are to open the Promises of God to the Ignorant and how God would give Christ a Covenant a Light to the Gentiles Christ a Light to the Gentiles the Heathen and a New Covenant to the House of Israel and the House of Judah and that he is God's Salvation to the ends of the Earth and how that the Earth shall be covered with the Knowledge of the Lord as the Waters covers the Sea so that the glorious Knowledge of the Lord should cover the Earth And the Lord said The Example of Abraham for the Instruction of Families He knew that Abraham would teach and instruct his Family that they should learn to keep his Laws and Statutes after he was gone and Abraham did Circumcise all his Males yea them that he had bought with his Money of any Stranger Now who are of Faith and walks in the steps of faithful Abraham doth preach up and instruct all their Families in the Circumcision of the Spirit that they might be Circumcised with the Spirit which puts off the Body of Death and the Sins of the Flesh that is come up in Man and Woman by Transgression so that in the Spirit they may serve and worship the true and living God and so that ye all may come to enjoy the Presence of the Lord in your Families and improve your Talents that Christ hath given unto you for David saith that saw Christ in his New Covenant Let all Nations Praise the Lord and again All that have Breath Praise the Lord again Let the Poor and Needy praise thy Name And let all People praise thee O God And O ye Servants of the Lord praise the Lord for the Lord is good to all and his tender Mercies is over all his Works And all thy Works shall praise thee O Lord and thy Saints shall bless thee they shall speak of thy Glory and of thy Kingdom and talk of thy Power For the Lord saith From the rising of the Sun to the going down of the same my Name shall be great among the Gentiles And in every place Incense shall be offered unto my Name and a pure Offering
Captivity that led you Captive into his Prison of Death Darkness and Corruption If Christ I say has led you out of that Prison and Captivity into the glorious Liberty of the Sons of God stand fast in the Liberty wherewith Christ hath made you free and be not entangled with any Yoke of Bondange to bring you out of that heavenly spiritual Liberty For in this you are free notwithstanding the Prisons and Captivity of Men and they are but small matters to it And therefore trust in the Arm of the Lord's Power who can lay the Mountains low and remove the Hills out of their Places and make his Lambs to skip over all And therefore mind the Lord and his Power Good effects may come out of Afflictions that is over all that that makes you to suffer Now your Sorrows and Afflictions may bring many to call upon the Name of the Lord when he has brought you low for God is Merciful and Gracious to the Righteous and his Mercies endure for ever And tho' Hunger and Thirst and Cold many times you are in and many Distresses yet the Lord is able to support you And now that you may mind the Lord in your Poverty and prize his Mercies and consider how that did not enough prize his Mercies and Liberty and Plenty And ye may read 107th Psalm throughout there ye may see how the Lord brought down such as contemned his Counsel and rebelled against his Words Well what can you tell but that this may be the Day of the Lord with you in your Captivity to bring down your Hearts and Spirits that with the Spirit of the Lord you may turn to him who is a God at Hand and that you may call upon the Lord in Truth and Righteousness that all your Sufferings Afflictions and Captivity may be sanctified to you So that you may say All things shall work together for good to them that love God And so with Job you may bless God who giveth and taketh away and that you may glorifie God in whatsoever Condition you may be that no Trouble may move you and that you may rejoyce in Afflictions Persecutions and Tribulations in the Lord through his Spirit that doth uphold you And as you do walk in the Light Grace Spirit and Gospel you may turn others to it That you may have Vnity with them in it and that they may come out of the spiritual Prison of Death Darkness and Corruption and Captivity into the Liberty of the Sons of God in Christ Jesus Amen So with my Love to you all in the Holy Seed Christ Jesus that Reigns over all from Everlasting to Everlasting The Lord preserve you all tender Vines in him Amen London the 17th of the 1st Month 1682. G. F. To Friends in Burlington West-Jersey DEar Friends Epist 367. The Lord by his mighty Hand and Power having brought you to that Place and now you are setled there my desire is That your Lives and Conversations may preach Righteousness and Holiness for without Holiness none shall see God And going into Unholiness that 's the Cause that none sees God and the Cause why there is not Peace among a Nation or People is because they do not live and walk in Righteousness but walk and follow the unrighteous Spirit which is out of the Truth And again Christ says Blessed are the pure in Heart for they shall see God For it is the defiled and impure Hearts that do not see God And therefore keep in the pure Spirit of God that does mortifie all Impurity and Unholiness which doth blind People from the Sight of the pure God And now my Friends Friends to be Circumspect The Eyes of other Nations will be upon you and now you professing Truth beyond them all but if that you don't exceed them in Truth in Righteousness in Holiness Justice and Equity and in the Wisdom of God that 's Pure Peaceable c. by which you may answer the Good in your Government and all Governments about you likewise which is my desire that you may that they may not see any Nakedness among you if you do not you will bring both the Judgment of God upon you and the Judgment of Truth that you and we profess For you know how that Friends in England and other Places have admonish'd the Governors and Rulers to do that which is Just and Right and therefore now you are come into Place Rulers must be Just have a Care that you do that which is Just and Right lest you come under the same Reproof by others And therefore have an Eye to the Lord in all your Actions For David saith 2 Sam. 23.3 The God of Israel said the Rock of Israel spake to me He that ruleth over Men must be just ruling in the fear of God and he shall be as the light of the morning that doth so when the Sun riseth even as a morning without Clouds as the tender Grass springing out of the Earth by clear shining after Rain Here you may see it must not be unjust Men and Men that do not fear God that must be Rulers for they do not receive his Wisdom to rule withal and such will be as Clouds without Water as in Jude and then they are not like to refresh the tender Grass but hurt it And Solomon saith As the roaring Lion and the ranging Bear Majestrates a Terror to evil doers c. so is a wicked Ruler over the poor People And therefore with the Spirit of God keep down the wicked Spirit in you and then you will keep down the roaring Lion and the ranging Bear with the Spirit of Meekness and Patience and Wisdom and Vnderstanding Prov 28.15 And the Apostle says Rulers are not a terror to good Works but to the evil Therefore both Rulers and ruled must be out of the evil Works And the Rulers cannot be a Terror to evil Works if they live in them themselves Therefore all ought to live in the Power of God which brings them out of the Evil to do that which is Good and then they will be an Honour to God and a Praise one to another both Ruler and Ruled Now the Lord said unto Moses Judges and Officers shalt thou make in all thy Gates so they was not to be made in Corners which the Lord giveth thee in all the Tribes and they shall judge the People with just Judgment Mark just Judgment Thou shalt not wrest judgment Not to wrest Judgment c. thou shalt not respect Persons thou shalt take no Gift For the Gift blindeth the Eyes of the wise and perverteth the Words of the righteous Thou shalt not wrest the judgment of the Poor in any Case Keep the far from a false matter The innocent and righteous slay thou not for I will not justifie the wicked That which is altogether just shalt thou follow that thou maist live and inherit the Land which the Lord thy God hath given thee
God that hath brought you Salvation that you may edifie the Hearers and your Conversation may be in Heaven And keep in the Cross of Christ The Cross of Christ the Power of God the Power of God that keeps you crucified to the World that is Dead to the World and the World Dead and Crucified to you For if you do not keep in this Power of God which was before the World and its God was to keep you crucified to the World but let in the Spirit of the World you let in his God which will crucifie the Good in you and you will come to crucifie to your selves the Son of God afresh and put him to open shame Therefore keep that crucified with the Power of God the Cross of Christ which did and would crucifie the Just and then you will keep alive in the Power of God and live in Christ Jesus and he is alive in you and you in him And now all Friends and Brethren let your Meekness your Temperance and your Gentleness and Sobriety and Tenderness and Moderation appear to all Men That your Light may so shine that they may see your good Works and glorifie your Father which is in Heaven And ye being the Salt of the Earth you will make all Savoury therefore take heed of losing your Salt lest you be trodden under the Feet of Men. And keep out of the restless discontented disquieted Spirit of the World about the Government To be peaceable under Government For you know it has been always our way to seek the Good of all and to live Peaceably under the Government and to seek their Eternal Good Peace and Hapiness in the Lord Jesus Christ and to lay our Innocent Sufferings before them who have suffered as Lambs and Sheep and made no Resistance but have prayed for them that persecuted us and despitefully used us and hated us according to the Command of Christ For ye were as Sheep gone astray but are now returned unto the Shepherd and Bishop of your Souls For hitherto ye are called because Christ hath suffered for us leaving us an Example that ye should follow his steps who did no sin neither was guile found in his Mouth Who when he was reviled reviled not again when he suffered he threatned not but committed himself to him that judgeth Righteously And he that will love Life and see good Days let him refrain his Tongue from speaking Evil and his Lips that he speak no Guile 2 Pet. 2. The 21st of the 9th Month 1681. G. F. To Suffering Friends in Leicester DEar Friends Epist 370. that are in Prison and all Friends and Sufferers that are in the County to whom is my Love in the Lord 's Eternal Power and Seed of Life that reigns over all in whom you have Peace with God and Riches that is Everlasting Now Dear Friends your Sufferings has been long in that County and great have been your Trials and spoiling of your Goods through your Adversaries and Persecutors Rage against you but the Lord 's secret Hand and Power is that which hath upheld you through all to himself and therefore we may say What shall separate us from the Love of God that we have in Christ Jesus Shall Tribulations Pesecutions Powers or Principalities Thrones or Dominions Nay there is not any thing able to separate us from the Love of God in Christ Jesus whom you have chosen a Priest that is from above not from below who has offered up himself to God for you who is not like the Jews Priests that had the Tithes of the People for offering up their outward Offerings and such like Services So you have a Priest from Heaven Christ a Priest made higher than the Heavens and is made higher than the Heavens and is the Prophet that God has raised up like Moses whom ye are to hear in his Light Grace and Truth And he is your Shepherd from Heaven who has laid down his Life for his Sheep who is above all the Earthly Shepherds below and this Shepherd will feed you with that which is Heavenly And he is your Bishop from Heaven to oversee you that you may be kept from sitting down in any Earthly Place with your Minds Spirits and Souls but only to sit down in the heavenly Places in Christ Jesus who is the heavenly and spiritual Bishop who lives for evermore the First and Last the Beginning and Ending who is the First Born of every Creature and the First Begotten from the Dead who does quicken and makes alive and begets from the Death and makes them to sit together whom he has made alive in the Heavenly Places in himself And now Dear Friends I do feel the Lord's Eternal Power present with you in all your Sufferings Faith to stand in the Power of God how it hath and doth support you and therefore let your Faith be stedfast in the Power of God which will keep you all unto the Day of Salvation And that you may all be Valiant and Faithful for God's Truth upon the Earth in this Day of Trial and Persecution from both Teachers Professors and Profane which are below whose Persecuting Spirit will have but a time and therefore be of good Faith for a Sparrow shall not fall to the Ground without the Will of the Father and ye are of more value than many Sparrows And Blessed are they which suffer Persecution for Righteousness sake for theirs is the Kingdom of Heaven And blessed are ye when Men shall revile you and persecute you and say all manner of Evil against you falsly for my sake Rejoyce and be exceeding glad for great is your Reward in Heaven For so the old Persecutors persecuted the Prophets and Apostles before you But Rejoyce in as much as ye are partakers of Christ's Sufferings for the Spirit of Glory and of God rests upon you who are railed upon and suffer for his Name sake And though he is evil spoken of by your Persecutors but on your part he is glorified that suffer for his Name And therefore let none be ashamed to suffer as a Christian but let him glorifie God in his Sufferings who doth support him And so Dear Friends live in Love and Unity and be Kind To live in Love and Vnity and Courteous and Tender-hearted one towards another yea and to all your Persecutors that you may heap Coals of Fire upon their Heads and so overcome Evil with Good And so the God of all Peace establish you all upon his heavenly Rock and Foundation of Life Christ Jesus which standeth sure and cannot be moved And so with my Love to you all in the holy Seed in which all Nations are blest And in this Seed the Lord God Almighty keep and preserve you which bruises the Head of the evil Seed that makes you to suffer And the Lord God Almighty arm you with his Armour and strengthen you that you may be able to stand to his Glory and that
5. Now all Women may here consider what is to be the Practice of such Women that profess Godliness and trust in God their Adorning is the hidden Man of the Heart which is Incorruptible and their Ornament is to of a meek and quiet Spirit which is in the sight of God of great Price but those Women whose outward Adorning is with broidered and plaited Heir and Gold and Pearls and Costly Array these have not the modest Apparrel which become Modest Sober Shamefaced Women that profess Godliness with good Works but such as are Unsober and Immodest such as look upon such things to become them are cloathed with corruptible and unquiet Spirits that do not possest Godliness with good Works and these outward Ornaments as plaiting and broidering the Hair and wearing of Gold and Pearls and Costly Array the Apostle saith Do not become Women professing Godliness with good Works but them that do not profess Godliness that are Shameless and Unsober they may become such Women that do not trust in God their proud Spirit may lead them to adorn themselves with such things as is said before which the Apostle forbids but the holy Women of God which professed Godliness with good Works and trusted in God adorned themselves not with plaiting the Hair or wearing of Gold or Pearls or Costly Array but with the hidden Man of the Heart in that which is not corruptible even the Ornament of a meek and quiet Spirit which is in the sight of God of great price And now consider also you Women that profess Godliness and go under the name of Holy Women who trust in God see that your selves and your Children and all your young Women are Adorned and Arrayed and have on this Ornament as the Apostle wills the Church of Christ to put on as the holy Women did of old and be not of an unmeek and unquiet Spirit and unsober and immodest when you are admonished and exhorted nor act contrary to the holy Women of old that trusted in God and such as professed Godliness according to the Apostles Doctrine And here you may see what care the Apostles had to keep the Saints the Church of Christ their Eyes Minds and Spirits above the wearing of Gold plaiting their Hair and Pearls and Costly Apparrel which is the Glory of this World which the holy Women that trusted in God and professed Godliness with good Works these things were not to be their Adorning nor Ornaments but as is said before the hidden Man of the Heart which was not Corrupt even the meek and quiet Spirit which is with the Lord of great price And this ought to be and is the Adorning and Ornament of all the holy Women that profess Godliness with good Works and trust in God And all you that have been Convinced of the Lord's Truth by his Spirit To refuse the Glory of the World take heed of Satan taking you up into a Mountain and of his shewing you the Glory of the World and of your Minds and Eyes going after it and receiving of it and so in that you fall from the Spirit and Truth of God that did Convince you and then to worship the Devil the King of Pride the God of the World that abode not in the Truth in whom there is no Truth and he to lead your Minds and Eyes after every new vain Fashion of the World that passeth away and that lieth in wickedness and so draweth you to the Love of the World which is Enmity to God and into the Wisdom of the World by which ye do not know God and then to such the Gospel of Life and Salvation is hid in whom the God of this World hath blinded their Minds and in such disobedient Ones the Prince of the Air rules and gets into them by disobeying the Truth and in such Christ doth not rule in their Hearts by Faith And it is not like when they make Shipwreck of it and a good Conscience And therefore walk in the Light of Christ and grow in his Grace and the Knowledge of the Lord Jesus Christ that bruises the Serpent's Head and destroys the Devil and his Works that you may all be established upon Christ the Rock and Foundation And if ye do believe in the Covenant of Light Life and Grace then why do not you all train up your Children in the same To Train up our Children n the Coveant of Grace Did not the Lord command the Jews to train up their Children in the Old Covenant and teach them to walk in it And were not all the Males to be Circumcised And they that were not Circumcised were to be cut off from the Congregation of the Lord So are not all you that profess the New Covenant of Grace Light and Life and the Gospel of Salvation preached to every Creature and the Grace of God which brings Salvation that hath appeared unto all Men to teach them to live Godly and to deny Ungodliness c. I say are not you all to train up your Children and Families in this Light of the Gospel and Grace of Christ which brings Salvation and brings them into favour with God that you may have the Comfort of your Children in this World and in that which is Everlasting And that they may be Circumcised with the Spirit of God which he poureth out upon all Flesh that with his Spiritual Circumcision the Body of Death and Sins of the Flesh may be cut off which are come into Man and Woman by Transgression that neither you nor they might dye in the Body of Death and in the Sins of the Flesh and such do not dye in the Lord for they that are not Circumcised with the Spiritual Circumcision are cut off from the heavenly Jerusalem and the Kingdom of God and Christ and from the Church of the Living God written in Heaven And therefore if you will have the Comfort of your Children in this World and that which is to come train them up in the Fear of God and in his Covenant of Light and Grace which Grace brings their Salvation and brings them into Favour with God and into the Spiritual Baptism and Circumcision so that they may serve and worship the Living God in his Spirit and Truth Amen And if Children and young People must be left and let alone to themselves and not be Admonished Exhorted and Restrained from the Evil and Vanities of the World then why did Moses and the Prophets and the Apostles which were sent of God exhort the People to train up their Children in the Fear of the Lord and to teach them his Law while they were young that they might not depart from it when they were old And if that they did the Lord did judge them as ye may read in the Scriptures of Truth and if that they must be left to themselves and not restrained from Evil then how came it to pass that old Ely lost his Life and his Priesthood Ely
an Example to Parents and the Arke of God for not restraining his Children from Evil And again if that they must be left to themselves why did the Prophets and the Apostles say That they must not quench nor vex nor grieve nor rebel against the Spirit of God nor turn the Grace of God into Wantonness nor walk despitefully against the Spirit of Grace but walk in the Spirit and in the Truth and in the Light and to love it and not to hate it for they that do not love the Light but hate it are condemned by it and so grow in the Condemnation and are not in the Justification of Life The Lord God commanded Abraham to Circumcise himself and his Children and Servants that were bought with Money and were born in his House He was to bring all his Males into this Covenant of outward Circumcision and the Lord said That Soul shall be cut off that is not Circumcised he hath broken my Covenant of outward Circumcision as you may see Gen. 17. Here you may see Abraham was to teach and instruct his Family and Servants and he was not to keep any Man or Servant that was Uncircumcised in his Family Now you that profess the New Covenant True Circumcision are not you and all your Children and Servants to be Circumcised with the Spirit of Circumcision And do not they that have not the Body of Death and the Sins of the Flesh cut off by Circumcision go down into the Pit and not into Paradise and the kingdom of God And therefore may not such Uncircumcised by the Spirit hurt the Families of true Christians in the Light Therefore consider Abraham was not to suffer and of his Children and Servants that were bought with his Money or born in his House to be Uncircumcised in the Old Covenant This care the Lord laid upon him in his Family in the Old Covenant Therefore consider you that profess the New Covenant of the Spirit of Circumcision what Care lies upon you in your Families of Teaching and Instructing your Servants and Children and to bring them to the Spirit of Circumcision And now do not say but you are all warned in your Life-time and therefore prise your time while you have it that you spend it to the Honour and Glory of God The 9th of the 5th Month 1686. G. F. An Epistle for them that are learned in Christ to read and understand THe Lord saith Epist 410. In this Mountain shall the Lord of Host make unto all People a feast of fat things c. And he will destroy in this Mountain the Face of the Covering cast over all People and the Veil that is spread over all Nations And he will swallow up Death into Victory and the Lord God will wipe away Tears from off all Faces Isai 5.26 27. 1 Cor. 15.54 Rev. 21.4 Is not this Mountain Christ Christ filleth the whole Earth that filleth the whole Earth where this Feast of fat things is And doth not Christ through Death destroy Death and the Devil the Power of Death and so takes away the Veil and Covering that is spread over all Nations that they may be covered with the Spirit that he pours upon all Flesh And the Apostle saith Moses put a Veil over his Face that the Children of Israel could not steadfastly look to the end of that which is to be abolished for their Minds were blinded For until this Day remains the same Veil untaken away in the reading of Moses and the Old Testament the Veil is upon their Hearts which Veil is done away in Christ and when they shall turn to the Lord the Veil shall be done away as in 2 Cor. 3. So here you may see the Veil that was spread over the Hearts of People The Veil over Peoples Hearts done away by Christ is done away by Christ and all they that are turned to the Lord with open Face behold as in a Glass the Glory of the Lord and are changed into the same Image from Glory to Glory even by the Spirit of the Lord. And the Lamb which is in the midst of the Throne shall feed his People and dwell amongst them who hath made their Robes white in the Blood of the Lamb And this is the Days of Christ whom God gives for a Covenant of the People to establish the Earth Sing O Heavens and rejoyce O Earth and break forth into Singing O Mountains for God hath comforted his People and hath Mercy upon his afflicted And Christ saith to the Prisoners Go forth unto them that are in Darkness shew your selves and they shall feed in Pastures For he that hath Mercy on them shall lead them and by the Springs of Water shall he guide them Isai 49. For God gave Christ for a Covenant to the People for a Light to the Gentiles to open the blind Eyes to bring out the Prisioners out of Prison and them that sit in darkness out of the Prison-Houses Isai 42.2 6 7. Rev. 7.15 16 17. So we that do witness this do praise the Lord God through Jesus Christ Behold the Tabernacle of God is with Men and he will dwell with them and they shall be his People Rev. 21.3 This is the Day of the New Covenant which People enjoy in Christ Jesus The Lord saith I will ransom them from the Power of the Grave I will redeem them from Death O Death I will be thy Plague O Grave I will be thy Destruction Hos 13.14 And the Apostle saith O Death where is thy Sting O Grave where is thy Victory The Sting of Death is Sin and the Strength of Sin is the Law But thanks be to God which gives us the Victory through Jesus Christ our Lord 1 Cor. 15.55 56 57. So here you may see the Grave had its Victory Christ gives Victory over Death and the Grave and Death hath its Sting which is Sin But the Strength of Sin is the Law But Christ gives us the Victory who makes an end of Sin the Sting of Death as in Dan. 9.24 And who through Death destroys Death and the Power of Death and is the End of the Law for Righteousness sake to every one that believes and so are dead to the Law by the Body of Christ Rom. 7.4 And Christ saith unto the Jews Verily verily he that hears my Word and believeth on him that sent me hath everlasting Life Mark Everlasting Life and shall not come into Condemnation but hath past from Death unto Life Then they have past from the Sting of Death which is Sin And as John saith we know that we are past from Death unto Life because we love the Brethren for he that loveth not his Brother abideth in Death John 5.24 1 John 2.44 So if they were past from Death to Life then they were past from Death and his Sting which is Sin through Jesus Christ who destroys Death and makes and End of Sin And again Christ saith to the Jews Verily verily
Meetings as I said before with the Indian Kings and Peopie so that all the Earth may come to look unto the Lord for Salvation For if ye should seetle down in the Earth and have plenty and be full Not to set our Hearts on the Earth and at ease for a time and not keep in the Power and Service and Spirit of God you would quickly come to lose your Condition as some did in Road-Island when settled down in the Earth after a while and then turned to Jangling about it and some ran out one way and some another And therefore I desire that the Lord may grant that you may be all kept and preserved by his holy Power on his holy Mountain that ye may be of the holy Camp of God that with his Power Light Spirit Grace and Truth all that is contrary may be kept out from among you so that the Lord God Almighty and his Son may walk in the midst of you and may delight to do you good So with my Love to all faithful Friends My Desire is that you all may keep in the Power and Spirit of the Lord in the heavenly Unity that you may all shine forth to his Glory and Praise to whom all belongs God over all blessed for over Amen Edmunton the 27th of the 11th Month 1687. G. F. DEar Friends Epist 413. my Desire is that all Friends may prize the Mercies of the Lord and live in Humility in his Power that is over all To prize God's Mercies that you may answer God's Witness in all People in his Spirit and Truth in a Righteous Godly Life and Conversation and let not Liberty lift them up nor Sufferings cast them down but live in the Seed of Life that no Man can make higher nor lower for that is the Heir of God's Everlasting Kingdom So in this Seed which is your Sanctuary God Almighty keep you in whom you have Life and Wisdom that it may be justified of all her Children and they exercised in it in this Day of Christ Amen G. F. ALL my dear Friends and Brethren in the Lord Jesus Christ who by his Eternal Arm and Power Epist 414. hath supported upheld and preserved you stedfast to himself so that neither Reproaches Imprisonments nor spoiling of your Goods to the almost Ruining you outwardly and besides long and tedious Imprisoning of you and many to Death Persecutors could not drive the Faithful From Christ And yet all these Persecutors could not make you turn from Christ your Life Priest Bishop and Shepherd and through him you have been made more than Conquerers And so live and walk in him who is the same to day yesterday and for ever who doth overcome and will have the Victory in whom you have Life and Salvation and Peace with God So no more but my Love Goosey in Essex the 18th of the 12th Month. 1688. G. F. DEar Friends Epist 415. my Love is to all Friends in the Truth in the Eternal Life and my Desires is that in the Everlasting Life you and I may live To live in Christ even in the Lord Jesus Christ that is over all from Everlasting to Everlasting Amen G. F. To the Quarterly Men and Womens Meetings in London All Friends Strive to keep in Unity in the holy Spirit of Christ which is the Bond of the heavenly Peace Epist 416. and that you Elders may be Examples in the heavenly Wisdom To keep in the Vnity of the Spirit and Word of Life and of Power and Patience to all the younger that hardly know the right Hand from the left so that they may be trained up both by the Word and Law in their Hearts and good Example from their Elders in Grace Truth Virtue Modesty and Sobriety as becoming Men and Women professing and possessing Godliness being adorned with a meek and a quiet Spirit which is with the Lord of a great Price and keep that Eye blind and that Spirit under that would go into the Fashions of the World for that will blind and burden and will not bear sound Doctrine and therefore that must be kept down with the Spirit of God by which all may have Power over their own Spirits and they that have not are like unto a City whose Walls are broken down that any thing that is evil or had may come in And therefore the Power and Spirit of God is as the Wall that preserveth Therefore be Wise for when Lust is conceived it brings forth Sin and Sin when it is finished it brings forth Death Now here you may see what brings forth Sin and Death in Man and Woman which by the Spirit of God is to be mortified The Spirit of God mortifies Sin and by it their Affections to be changed and set on things above where Christ sits at the Right Hand of God so that you may come to fit in the heavenly Places in Christ Jesus which is a holy pure and safe Sitting in which all may keep that heavenly Feast of Christ our Passover not with the old Leaven of Malice and Wickedness but with the heavenly unleavened Bread of Sincerity and Truth for Christ our Passover hath been sacrificed for us and therefore he is the heavenly Bread which the Feast of him our Passover must be kept withal by the clean and circumcised in Spirit in the New Testament and Covenant For the Jews in the Old Testament and Covenant they were to be clean and circumcised outwardly before they eat of the outward Sacrifices which Sacrifice and Circumcision Christ our Sacrifice hath ended and therefore keep to him our Circumcisor and the Feast of our Passover and let all the old Leaven of Malice and Wickedness be purged out that you may become a new Lump in Christ Jesus Amen Goosey the 29th of the 10th Month 1689. G. F. DEar Friends and Brethren in Christ Jesus Epist 417. whom the Lord by his Eternal Arm and Power hath preserved to this Day all walk in the Power and Spirit of God that is over all in Love and Unity For Love overcomes and builds up and unites all the Members of Christ to him the Head for Love keeps out of all Strife Love keeps out of all Strife and is of God and Love and Charity never fails but keeps the Mind above all outward Things or strife about outward Thins and is that which overcomes Evil and casts out all false Fears and it is of God and unites all the Hearts of his People together in the heavenly Joy Concord and Unity And the God of Love preserve you all and settle and establish you in Christ Jesus your Life and Salvation in whom you have all Peace with God And so walk in him that you may be ordered in his peaceable heavenly Wisdom to the Glory of God and the Comfort one of another Amen London the 27th of the 3d Month 1689. G. F. To the Six Weeks Meeting in London 1690 THe
175. To Friends to serve one another in Love Page 136 176. Friends that Minister c. Ibid. 177. All Friends every where who are dead to all Carnal Weapons Page 137 178. To Friends in Barbadoes Virginia New-England and all the Islands about Page 138 180. My dear Friends in the Love and Life c. Page 139 181. Friends live in the unchangeable Power of God Ibid. 182. My dear Hearts do your Business faithfully Page 140 183. Friends dwell in Patience c. Ibid. 184. Oh my dear Friends and Brethren Page 141 185. All Friends be obedient to the Power of God Page 142 186. Friends which have known and tasted of the Power of the Mighty God Page 143 187. This to go among Friends Page 144 188. Friends live in the Seed of God Page 145 189. To Friends in New-England and Virginia Page 146 190. Oh Friends have an esteem of Truth and God's Glory Page 147 1660. 191. All Friends every where that are Convinced with Truth Page 148 192. Friends in the fear of the Lord God live Page 150 193. Dear William thou hast c. Page 151 194. Dear Friends who have found the better Part Ibid. 195. Friends all that are moved of the Lord c. Page 152 196. Dear Friends in Jamaica and elsewhere Page 153 197. Dear Friends in the Power of the Lord dwell Ibid. 198. Dear Friends keep over all that which tends to Strife Page 154 1661. 199. Friends the Matter concerning not putting off the Hat in Prayer Ibid. 200. The Line of Righteousness and Justice stretched forth over all Merchants c. Page 156 201. Dear Friends in the Stilness and Silence of the Power of the Almighty dwell Page 162 202. An Answer to a letter sent to G. F. Page 163 203. What Friends do ye Reign as Kings c. Ibid. 204. To all Friends Prisoners Page 164 205. All Friends live in God's Dominion Ibid. 206. In the Power of God that is Everlasting Page 165 207. Dear Friends look over all Sufferings Page 170 208. All ye Prisoners of the Lord for his Truth Ibid. 209. My Dear Friends in the Power of God c. Page 172 210. Friends trust not in Man c. Ibid. 211. Friends all ye that know the way of Truth Page 173 212. To a Friend under an exercise of Spirit Page 174 213. Dear Friends in the Life and Power of God dwell Ibid. 214. Friends the Power of the Lord God is over all Page 175 1662. 215. To Friends to Labour in the Ministry that their Lives may Preach Page 177 216. To Friends in New-England and the Islands beyond Sea Page 178 217. All my Dear Friends and Brethren c. Page 180 218. Dear Friends and Brethren let Patience possess your Souls Page 181 219. All my Dear Friends dwell in the Life Page 182 220. Friends Truth is that which is pure Ibid. 221. All my Dear Friends every where the Power of the Lord God c. Page 183 222. A General Epistle to be read in all the Christian Meetings c. Page 186 223. All Dear Friends and Brethren stand fast in the Power of the Lord God Page 196 224. Dear Friends whom Death Bonds nor the Outward Creature can separate Page 197 225. Friends keep in the Power of the Lord Ibid. 1663. 226. My Dear Friends in the Everlasting Seed c. Page 198 227. Sing and Rejoyce ye Children of the Day Page 199 228. Dear Friends who have tasted of that which is precious Ibid. 229. Friends let not your knowledge be after the Flesh Page 200 230. Friends stand still and see be still and hear Page 201 1664. 231. My Dear Friends be faithful to the Lord God Page 202 Two General Epistles to be read c. 232. 1. All Friends every where who are gathered in the name of Jesus Page 203 233. 2. Friends this is the day of the tryal of your Faith Page 209 234. All you Prisoners of the Lord c. Page 211 235. Friends you who now come to suffer by a Land-Flood keep on the Rock Page 212 236. All my Dear Friends in the Everlasting Power c. Page 213 237. My Dear Friends and Brethren the Lord is with you all c. Page 214 238. My dear Friends and Brethren all every where keep your Habitations Ibid. 239. A General Epistle to all Friends Ibid. 240. Friends all Outward Things Figures Types Shadows and Inventions c. Page 220 241. Dear Friends keep your Meetings in the Name of the Lord Jesus Page 225 1665. 242. The Saints Weapons are Spiritual Page 226 1666. 243. All my Dear Friends this is your day to stand Ibid. 244. To Friends in Barbadoes Virginia Maryland New-England c. Ibid. 245. An Epistle to be read in all the Assemblies of the Righteous Page 228 246. Oh Dear Friends mind every one your Habitation c. Page 234 247. Dear Friends dwell in the gentle Wisdom of the Lord God Page 235 248. Friends keep your Meetings in the Power of the Lord God Ibid. 1667. 249. A General Epistle to Friends and to all People c. Page 236 1st Concerning the Worship of God and the Jew Outward c. Page 242. 2d Concerning who drink the New Wine and who drink the Old Page 246 3d Concerning Gathering in the Name of Jesus Page 248 250. A Warning to all to keep out of the Vain Fashions of the World Page 249 251. My Dear Friends in the Truth and Seed of God c. Page 251 252. For Friends in the Ministry scattered abroad in Virginia c. Page 253 253. To Friends in Holland Page 255 1668. 254. Friends let your affections be set on things which are above Page 256 255. Dear Friends all who from the beginning have been Convinced Ibid. 256. My Dear Friends live in the Wisdom of God Ibid. 257. Dear Friends be faithful in the service of God Page 257 258. Dear Friends in the Truth of God Ibid. 259. Dear Friends be faithful in the Truth which the Devil is out of Page 258 260. Dear Friends if the Truth make you free then are you free indeed Page 259 261. Friends to call Men Masters or Gracious Lord c. Page 266 262. All Friends and People this is to be condemned c. Page 267 263. An Exhortation to keep in the Ancient Principles of Truth Page 274 1669. 264. An Additional Extract from other of G. F's Epistles Page 276 265. All you that are believers in the Light which manifesteth Darkness Page 293 266. And all you believers in the heavenly Light c. Page 299 267. To Ministring Friends Page 300 268. Not to be over-thoughtfull of the things of this World Page 301 269. Concerning the single Language Page 302 270. For all that be gathered in the Name of Jesus Ibid. 271. Concerning those who go out of Unity and deny Forms Page 303 272. To Friends in Ireland Page 304 273. Not to trust in uncertain Riches Ibid. 274. My Dear Friends in the pure
Just and Even and Equal that you may answer that which is Equal and Just and True in your selves and in every Man and Woman that you may be preserved in the Sence and Favour of God and so may answer the good and righteous Principle in all by which they may be brought to Truth the equal Principle and just Measure and true Weight and Ballance by which they may know the just and true God in all his Works and Out-goings G. F. Not to trust in uncertain Riches ALL Friends Epist 273. Be ye as Strangers to all Things visible and created but be acquainted with the Creator your Maker the Lord God Almighty Outward things not durable for outward Things are not durable Riches nor durable Substance nor durable Habitations nor durable Possessions for they have Wings and will fly away and so therefore be as Pilgrims and Strangers to the World and all worldly created and visible things and witness Redemption from the Earth that you may reign upon the Earth as Kings and Priests to God The Righteous are as Kings and Priests to God that you may know a Habitation in God and the Riches of his Grace and Life that is everlasting and a Substance that fadeth not away the Riches which hath not wings and the Riches that is not deceitful that is durable and true For Men trusting in outward Riches and outward Things they will deceive and fail them and have Wings and flees away from them And so Man in that State is deceived and Riches are deceitful to him Therefore as I said before be as Strangers and Pilgrims to the World and all things therein possess as though you did not possess them and what you injoy as though you did not be above all such things and loose to them in the Invisible Life and Power which is over all things for the Birth that is born again of the Immortal Seed by the Word of God that lives and abides and endures for ever and is above all things for all things are upheld by his Word and Power And so be acquainted with the heavenly and certain Riches the durable Substance and the everlasting Possession and Inheritance of Life through which you may be acquainted with your Maker and Creator the Lord God Almighty G. F. MY Dear Friends in the pure and undefiled Life Epist 274. All live in the Holy Seed that changes not that will wear out all in the Transgression and was before Transgresion was and this Seed was never a Transgressor and it will be when Transgression is gone and is over that Spirit which is in Transgression and is a burdensome Stone to the Transgressor and him that is out of Truth and it will out-last all and so in that live in which ye may reign in the Life and Truth and in its time it will break all their Bonds For that Spirit that doth transgress doth Persecute in the particular the Just and Persecution makes the Just to suffer in the general and so they that will live Godly in Christ Jesus must suffer Persecution by them that Persecute those that are Godly it is no wonder for them to persecute the Godly in Christ the heavenly Man so the Just Suffereth within and without by the Vnjust And so be Valiant for the Lord's Truth upon the Earth and dwell in Love and in Humility and Meekness and Patience and Righteousness in which the Love of the Lord is manifested So no more but my Love G. F. ALL Friends every where in the living Spirit and living Power Epist 275. and in the heavenly Light dwell and quench not the Motions of of it in your selves nor the Movings of it in others Not to quench the Motions of the Spirit though many has run out and gone beyond their Measures yet many more has quench'd the Measure of the Spirit of God and after became dead and dull and questioned through a false Fear and so there hath been hurt doth ways And therefore be obedient to the Power of the Lord and his Spirit and his Spiritual Weapons War with that Philistian that would stop up your Wells and Springs Jacob's Well was in the Mountain read that within he was the second Birth And the Belief in the Power keeps the Spring open and none to despise Prophecy neither to quench the Spirit so that all may be kept open to the Spring that every one's Cup may run over For you may all Prophesie one by one All may Prophecy one by one and the Spirit of the Prophets is subject to the Prophets Would all the Lord's People were Prophets said Moses in his time when some found fault but the last time is the Christians time which injoys the Substance Christ Jesus and his Church is called a Royal Priesthood offering up Spiritual Sacrifices and his Church are his Believers in the Light And so in the Light every one should have something to Offer and to Offer an Offering in Righteousness to the living God else they are not Priests and such as quenches the Spirit cannot Offer In the time of God's pouring out of his Spirit upon all Flesh but becomes dull I will pour out of my Spirit upon all Flesh in the last time saith the Lord which is the true Christians time God's Sons and Daughters shall prophesie and your young Men shall see Visions and old Men shall dream Dreams and on my Servants and Hand-maids I will pour out of my Spirit in those Days and they shall Prophesie Now Friends if this be fulfilled Servants Handmaids Sons Daughters old Men young Men every one to feel the Spirit of God by which you may see the things of God and declare them to his Praise for with the Heart Man doth believe and with the Mouth Confession is made unto Salvation first he has it in his Heart before it comes out of his Mouth and this is beyond that Brain-beaten-heady stuff which Man has long studied about the Saints words which the holy Men of God spake forth as they were moved by the Holy Ghost So the Holy Ghost moved them before they came forth and spake them And therefore as I said before do not resist the Holy Ghost for they that did so grew stiff-necked and their Hearts were uncircumcised but feel this Holy Ghost this Spirit of Truth that leads you into all Truth So with the Holy Ghost and with the Light Build upon Christ the true Foundation and Power of God do you build upon Christ the Foundation and Life and by the same heavenly Light and Power and Spirit do you Labour in the Vineyard and do you minister and speak forth the things of God and do you digg for your Pearls therefore bring them forth and let them be seen how they glister the glistering Pearls And all come into the Vineyard of God to labour in the Light which was before Darkness was and with the Life which was before Death and his Power
was and in the Truth and Power of God which the Devil is out of that every one of you may have your Penny that precious Penny and heavenly Treasure from God Almighty the great Lord who is the orderer and disposer and governour and ruler in the Vineyard among his Servants who pays them their Wages and gives them their heavenly Penny of Life Mark it is the Labourers in the Life And the Lord will give us the beavenly Penny Truth and Power of God that labours in God's Vineyard that have their heavenly Penny that Everlasting Treasure So see that you have it if you be in the Labour of Life you will have it Friends you see how Men and Women can speak enough for the World for Merchandize for Husbandry the Plow-man for his Plow but when they should come to speak for God they quench the Spirit and say and do not obey God's Will but come let us see what the Wife Merchants can say have they found the Pearl and Field and purchased the Field which yields those glorious glistering Pearls let us see what can you say for God and that heavenly Merchandise 1670 What can the Plow-man say for God with his Spiritual Plow Is the Fallow-Ground Plowed up Has he abundance of the heavenly Seed of Life So what can the heavenly Husband-Man say has he abundance of Spiritual Fruit in store What can the Thresher say his he gotten the Wheat out of the Sheaf the heavenly Wheat with his heavenly Flaile and let us see what can the Spiritual Plowman Husband-man and Thresher say for God And how they have laboured in the Vineyard that they may have their Penny some are breakers of Clods in the Vineyard some are Weeders some are cutting off the Brambles and Bushes and fitting the Ground and cutting up the Roots with the heavenly Ax for the Seed some are Harrowing in some are gathering and laying up the Riches so you may see here are Merchants Plow-men Harrowers Weeders Reapers Many sorts of Labourers in Gods Vineyard Threshers in God's Vineyard yet none are to find fault one with another but every one labouring in their places praising the Lord looking to him for their Wages their heavenly Penny of Life from the Lord of Life So none are to quench the Spirit nor to despise Prophesie lest ye limit the Holy One and every one is to minister as he hath received the Grace which hath appeared to all Men which brings Salvation so that the Lord's Grace his Light and Truth and Spirit and Power may have the passage and the rule in all Men and Women that by it he may have the Glory and from it in all who is blessed for ever and for ever The Lord hath said From the rising of the Sun to the going down of the same my Name shall be great among the Gentiles Now mark Friends this is a large Space wherein God's Name shall be great and the Lord further saith Holy and pure Incense is to be offered to God In every place Incense shall be offered unto my Name and a pure Offering for my Name shall be great among the Heathen saith the Lord of Hosts Now mark Friends this heavenly Incense and pure Offering is a spiritual Offering which is to be offered by the Spirit to God who is a Spirit then here none quenches the Spirit of God in their own Hearts and all such comes under the Title of the Royal Priesthood offering up Spiritual Sacrifices which Royal Priesthood has a Priest that lives for ever Christ Jesus And Friends do not quench the Spirit nor abuse the Power when it moves and stirs in you be obedient but do not go beyond nor do not add to it nor take from it for if you do you are reproved either for going beyond or taking from it And when any has spoken forth the things of the Lord by his Power and Spirit let them keep in the Power and Spirit and that keeps them in the Humility that when they have spoken forth the things of God they are neither higher nor lower but still keeps in the Power before and after and being obedient to the Spirit and Power of God it keeps them from deadness and alive to God and keeps them in a Sense that they do not go beyond and run out as some you know have done and all that hath come for want of living in the Power of God and in his Spirit which keeps all things in Subjection and in Order and in the true Fear of the Lord always to feel the Presence of the Lord with you Come Fisher-men what have you catched with your Nets What can you say for God Your Brethren Peter and John Fisher-men could say much for God Read in the Acts and you may see it I would not have you degenerate from their Spirit Shepherds and Herds-men where are you What can you say now for God whose abiding is much in the Fields David Jacob and Amos your fellow Shepherds and Heards-men do not you see they could say much for God I would have you to be like them and not to degenerate from their Spirit Come Trades-men Tent-Makers Physitians and Custom-Men what can you say for God Do not you read that your fellow Trades-men in Ages past could say much for God Do not degenerate from their Spirit Do not you remember the Accusations of the wise and learned Grecians when the Apostles preached Christ among them that they were called Poor Trades-men and Fisher-men Therefore be Faithful The Preachers of Jesus Christ now are the same to the Wise of the World as then G. F. DEar Friends Epist 276. live in Peace and Love and Patience one with another for that doth edifie the Body and Strife doth not but doth eat out the Good To live in Peace and Love for the Body doth edifie it self in Love in which there is Nourishment and Vertue and Life from the Head so in that meet and build up one another Dear Hearts be faithful and live in the Life and Power and Seed of God and in Love and Peace one with another And so the God of Peace in it preserve you Peace be among you and live in that which keeps Peace for the Peace-makers are blessed And all strive for that which makes for Peace and they that are Lowest and so keeps receives the most from God G. F. MY Dear Friends Epist 277. when you were formerly in a Profession you took your Servants your Apprentices your Children along with you to your Places of Worship Care in training up Friends Children and Servants And now that you are come to Truth and are convinced that the same is the Truth of God through which you come to have a Portion and Inheritance of Life and Salvation and of a Kingdom and World which hath no end and into a Possession of that which formerly you did profess in Words Now therefore Friends you that are come to