they come to the Heavenly Teacher and the Tongue of the learned indeed and the Peace of all Earthly Bishops and Shepherds must be broken before they come unto Christ the Bishop of the Soul and heavenly Overseer and heavenly Shepherd who feeds with his heavenly Food and so the heavenly Priest made higher than the Heavens who is holy harmless separate from Sinners breaks the Peace of the Earthly Priests and of all them that are made lower than the Heavens mischieful that are not separate from Sinners nor from Sin but hold up Sinners and prop them up and plead for Sin tearm of Life this Prince of Peace made higher than the Heavens breaks all their Peace as he did above Sixteen Hundred Years since for he is the same now as then and his Power and Spirit will make them rage still and they that confess him before Men they will rage at them still and therefore as I said keep in Christ's Power in which the Kingdom stands and not in words that you may see the fulfilling of the Scriptures and stand still in the Power which will keep you all to the Day of Salvation that are not come to it And so the Lord preserve you in his Fear and give you Wisdom from above that you may be preserved in the Vnity of the Spirit which as I said before is the Bond of Peace which is your Duty to keep the Peace of the Prince of Princes And all you that have received the Power of Christ in your Hearts have you not seen what Wars and what Rumours and Nation against Nation as it was in the two Births in the Womb that came forth two Nations two Births Nation against Nation and much may be seen what Wars outwardly there has been and bringings down before the appearance and receiving the Lord and so here he being received here 's People against People and Nation against Nation and Earthquakes and Shakings within and without They that receive the Lord's Power must feel this and know this and see the fulfilling of it and not look out for his Kingdom without like a company of Pharisees lo here lo there but as Christ the Power of God is known within as Christ said The Kingdom of Heaven is within and as they come to feel it there they shall know the Shakings and Earthquakes and Wars and Rumours and that part that partains to Nations that must be shaken before they come to be of the holy Nation which is against the other and this is to be known and seen felt and fulfilled with the Power of Christ Jesus and by his Spirit as they that live in it may take a prospect of these wonderful things and workings of the Lord God and his Power in this Age. Therefore be still in the Power of God which is your Keeper as I said before for it 's your Keeper in the Night before you come to the Day and it keeps you to the Day of Salvation for the Virgins Lamps did burn in the Night and it was their Light and they that were wise that got Oil in their Lamps entred for the Voice of the Bridegroom was at Midnight and bid them atise And so as outward Midnight is a great while off the Day-Star's arising yet here is a Lamp burning Therefore every one see that you get Oil in your Lamps that you may not go forth that you may arise at the hearing of the heavenly Voice of the Bridegroom and enter with him though Satan's Messengers have told you there is no hearing his Voice now-a-days Sad Messengers they are and have been they see who have received the true Message of the Messiah in his Power through which they see over them and see their own Foundation Christ Jesus who was the Foundation of the Prophets and Apostles Let this be read in your Mens and Womens Meetings and Copies kept in their Books Worcester Prison the 2d of the 7th Month 1673 G. F. To all the Womens Meetings DEar Friends This is the Day for all to take your Possessions Epist 301. that knows the Gospel the Power of God which brings Life and Immortality to Light in them I say this is the Day for all to take their Possessions of this gospel-Gospel-Order which was the Apostles Doctrine to the Church in the Primitive Times that they should keep the Comely Order of the Gospel The words are general to Men and Women and now you being Heirs of the Gospel as was said before that hath brought Life and Immortality to Light in you by which you see over the Devil that has darkned you and before he was in whom is all Disorder Therefore keep this Comely Order of the Gospel the Power of God the Everlasting Order and Gospel it will out last all other Orders in old Adam in which Order of the Gospel you have Joy you have Peace and Comfort So every one take your Possessions of this holy everlasting joyful and peaceable Gospel and Order for the Peace is in the Power of God so it is called the Gospel of Peace that keeps all in the Peace which you have from the Prince of Peace that the World cannot take away from you and likewise that you may be Heirs and Possessors of Christ and of his Government which is pure holy righteous and heavenly of the Increase of this heavenly Man's Government there is no end but there will be an end of old Adam's and the Devil 's which began in time and will end in time but there will be no end of his that was set up from Everlasting to Everlasting So all be Possessors of this heavenly Government and of this heavenly glorious and comely Order And whereas it hath been said by them which are without you must come to hear the Gospel preach'd the answer is and will be from the Possessors of the Gospel I am an Heir of the Gospel and do â—â—her it it for it is my Portion and do know it and possess it and need not thee to tell me of it and of my Portion And whereas it hath been said by them without You must come and hear Christ preach'd The answer is from the Possessors of him I have examined my self and proved my self and have found Christ Jesus in me and he rules in my Heart by Faith and I am in him and he is in me And behold ye that is as much as to say take notice all things is become new And whereas the saying has been by them that are without Why do not you come to hear the Word preach'd The answer is and will be from the Possessors of him The Word is nigh me in my my Heart and Mouth to obey it and do it and need not say to any who shall ascend to bring it down from above or who shall descend to bring it up from the Grave for I am come to the Righteousness of Faith's speaking mark Faith's speaking that saith on this wise The Word is nigh thee in thy
causeth People to err but there is but one Spirit of Truth which leadeth into all Truth and this is the one Spirit that led the Prophets and Apostles to give forth the Scriptures and all the Instructers that are out of it causeth People to err from the Spirit that the Prophets and Apostles were in and so are in Confusion And there is one Leader One Leader Jesus Christ Christ Jesus that God hath given and all that are not led by him are led into the Ditch the corrupting place and they tell them there is no Perfection here and all the Learned in Babel's confused Tongues who have the Letter of the Scriptures yet following their own Spirits seeth not and the Divination of their own Brains and using their Tongues such buildeth up Babylon again who are not in the Spirit the Prophets and Apostles were in and know not the Tongue of the Learned nor the Scriptures of Christ and the Prophets and the Apostles but they are as a sealed up Book to them and therefore they are Raging and Contending about the meanings of them teaching their People by their Example to do the same G. F. MY Dear Friends Epist 307. who feels the precious Truth of God by which you are made God's Freemen and Women and have bought the Truth To be fruitful in good Works do not sell it for Dross or Dung but be valiant for the Truth upon the Earth you who have received God's Seed into the good Ground that in this Life some bring forth Fifty Sixty and a Hundred fold of Fruit from God's Seed to his Glory and that have received the Anointing Oil in your Lamps from the Holy One that they may burn and shine both Night and Day in your Tabernacles through which you may be lighted into the Bridegroom's Chamber and the Power of God has always been your Keeper and will be unto the Day of Salvation which Power of God is over all yea over the Power of the Devil the Waster and Destroyer who makes the World like a Wilderness and fills it with Vnrighteousness Death Darkness and Cruelty Therefore let your Faith stand in the Power of God which the Kingdom stands in which is a Cross to the World's Power that causes Persecution which Power of God is the Gospel which was before the Devil was that brought Death and Darkness into you this Power of God brings Life and Immortality to Light in you by which Power you see over him that has darkned you and before he was And you that are Heirs of this Gospel keep the holy and heavenly Order of it by which Power of God you come to digg and has found the Pearl in your own Field of great Price by which Power of God you come to sell all and to purchase the Field then you have Riches enough And have Salt in your selves that you may savour withal and that your Salt lose not its savour through which you may be kept from under the Feet of Men though they that will live Godly in Christ Jesus must suffer Persecution and it is not only given you to believe in Christ but to suffer for his Name whose Name is above every Name and there is no Salvation by no other Name under Heaven but by the Name of Jesus The Name of Jesus a strong Tower whose Name is a strong Tower and the Righteous flee unto it and are safe by whose Name and Power that is over all you have been upheld through all your Tribulations Sufferings Imprisonments spoiling of Goods And Christ Jesus and his Power is the same to day as he was yesterday and so for ever And therefore as I said before let your Faith stand in his Power for Christ's Kingdom stands not in Word but in Power and in Righteousness and in Joy in the Holy Ghost whose Kingdom is an Everlasting Kingdom and the Riches in it is Everlasting Blessed are all they that are Heirs and Possessors of this their Minds and Hearts are kept over all fading things and the Riches that has Wings that the Spoiler may spoil And therefore Consider all the Faithful before you The excellency of the knowledg of Christ how they Accounted all but as loss dross and dung to the excellency of the Knowledge that they had in Christ Jesus and Consider likewise the Faith of the Martyrs the Faith of the Apostles and Primitive Christians that kept the Faith and Testimony of Jesus their Patience was seen And likewise Consider all the Prophets of God to Enoch how their Faithfulness is made manifest and all the rest how they were tried by Persecutors by Prisons and by spoiling of their Earthly Goods and Riches but never of the Heavenly Goods and Riches for there the Thief and Spoiler could not come And therefore mind that Noble Seed that never bowed to Sin and Iniquity nor the Devil but bruises his Head and destroys him and his Works that ye may all be Flesh of his Flesh and Bone of his Bone who is your heavenly Food and Bread that comes down from Heaven through whom you may eat and live by him as he lives by the Father and so by eating this heavenly Bread that comes down from Heaven you may have Everlasting Life The Lord may try you by Persecution or spoiling your outward Goods which he has given you by permitting the Spoilers and Persecutors come to try you that you may come forth like Gold seven times tried in the Fire the Perfection of trial for many are the Troubles of the Righteous but the Lord will deliver out of them all and happy are they that are tried Above all Earthly Riches that they may come forth more purer than Gold And let none sell their Birth-right for a Mess of Pottage and a Piece of Bread Esau-like And let let none have their Eyes wander after their carrying away the Fleece nor look back at Sodom's Judgments for the Earth is the Lord's and the fulness thereof and he can make the Fleece grow again And therefore consider the Riches of Job and the Poverty of Job and how his Friends despised him in his Poverty and how they were reproved and God encreased his Prosperity and lenghthened his Tranquility And as Daniel's Windows were open towards outward Jerusalem in the time of the Informers when he pray'd to his God as he did before in the time when they were not And therefore should not all your Windows and Doors be open towards heavenly Jerusalem your Mother that God may come in and help you against the false Mother and her Children And therefore keep your Meetings in the time of Sufferings as you did before and preach the Word in season and out of season the Word I say that commands the Clouds and Storms and was before they were And therefore blessed are those Eyes that sees the Sun of Righteousness that never sets the Sun of Righteousness that changes not for the Prophet speaks of a Sun and
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
standing that by it they may be ordered and directed in his Holy Service and Business in his Holy Church which Christ is the Holy Head of as they are directed and ordered by the Lor's Power and Wisdom to praise and magnifie and glorifie him with Thanksgiving both in your mesn and Womens Meetings and all other Meetings in the Name of Jesus Christ for he is in the midst of them their Prophet Priest Teacber Shepherd Bishop and Counsellor opening with his heavenly Power feeding with his heavenly Food counselling with his heavenly Counsel sanctifying them to present them to the Holy God without Spot over-seeing them with his Holy Power and Spirit that God may have the Praise and the Glory through Jesus Christ in all and through all who is bleffed for ever So Friends are not to meet like a Company of People about Town or Parish-Business neither in their Mens nor Womens Meetings Frienas to feel the Pewt of God in their Meetings for the Affairs of Truth but to wait upon the Lord and feeling his Power and Spirit to lead them and order them to his Glory that so whatsoever they may do they may do it to the Praise and Glory of God and in Unity in the Faith and in the Spirit and in Fellowship in the Order fo the Gospel and the Devil and his Instruments cannot get into this Gospel which is the Power of God and that makes him rage and he would not have the Woman to have a share in it who first deceived the Woman and now would again nor the Men neither Nor he cannot get into the worship of God which is in Spirit and Truth which the Devil is out of and therefore keep your Possessions in the Power of God and your Habitations there within and in Christ Jesus who bruises the Head of the Serpent who is the Head of all false Orders and Disorders and has made the World like a Wilderness and he in his Instruments is against the Order of the Gospel and the Power of God that Men and Women should be in the Possession of and the Dignity thereof And this many spoke evil of in the Apostles Days and so they do now but the Power stands and the Order of it over his Head and his Instruments and Christ is the same to Day as Yesterday and so for ever and of the increase of his Government there is no End So all that be Heirs of Christ and of his Power and Righteousness are Heirs of his Government and they see there is no End of the increase of it And you may see how the Apostle after he had convinced People he brought them into Order of the Gospel and the Jews after they came out of Egypt they were brought into the Order of the Law of God And as the Christians come to believe in Christ then they are to come into the Order of the Gospel So as I was first moved of the Lord God G. F. moved first to preach the Gospel to go up and down the Nation to preach the Gospel then after the Lord moved me to go up and down to exhort and to write that all People might come into the Possession of the Gospel and the Order of it which is the Power of God which was before the Devil was which is not of Man nor by Man and his Word by which all things are upheld and ordered to the Glory of God And Christ is a Priest after the Order of Melchizedeck So you may see there was a Heavenly Order in the Power and Spirit of Christ's Priesthood as there was of Aaron's of whose Order Christ came not And the Apostle saith to the Church Let all things be done decently and in order And this Order was in the Power of God the Gospel 1 Cor. 14. Afterwards to exhort to the walking in the Order of the Gospel where all Decency is And the Apostle saith Though he was absent in the Flesh yet he was present with them in the Spirit rejoycing and beholding their order to wit the Churches Order and their stead fastness in Christ And as you have received Christ Jesus the Lord so walk in him So this was the Spiritual Order of the Gospel which the Apostle in Spirit beheld and does admonish them unto in whom their walking should be to wit in Christ the Spiritual heavenly Man and not to walk in Old Adam who was without this Spiritual heavenly Gospel-Order which is the Duty of all true Christians to walk in Christ and his Gospel-Order And it 's said in Psalm 37.23 The steps of a good Man is ordered by the Lord and that is by his Power and Spirit And in Psalm 50. To him that ordereth his Conversation aright will I shew forth the Salvation of God and whoso offereth Praises Glorifies me saith the Lord. So they that offers up Praises by the Spirit they glorifie God which all must keep to and not quench And all whose Conversation is ordered aright it is by the Power of God the Gospel for they are kept by the Power of God unto the Day of Salvation and this is the right Order and everlasting Order which all must keep and walk in by which all Conversations must be ordered aright that all may see their Salvation Christ Jesus who is the Head of the Church and who fees and receives him has Life Everlasting and through him they have Peace with God So all in him live and meet in whom you have Life and Peace that is Everlasting that none can take away which Peace is not this World's Peace And also the whole Church of Christ which are the Believers in the Light Children of the Light living Stones that makes up the Spiritual Houshold over which House Christ is the Head True Believers a Chosen Generation c. all such Believers Men and Women are a Chosen Generation a Royal Priesthood and Holy Nation a Peculiar People that they should shew forth the Vertue of Christ that hath called them out of Darkness into his Marvelous Light So into him the Life to wit Christ Jesus by whom the World was made here in him they know their Election before the World began So a Royal Priesthood Christ's Church is called offering up Spiritual Sacrifices to God who is a Spirit and this Royal Priesthood has a High Priest made higher than the Heavens to wit Christ Jesus and this Royal Priesthood is not after the order of Aaron whose Order was proved by his Rods bearing Fruit laid over Night in the Tabernacle and in the Morning brought forth Fruit but your Order is proved by your Rods budding and bringing forth Fruit in the Morning of God's Day which are the Fruits of the Spirit through which Spirit you come to offer according to your Order which is in the Power of God the Gospel the Spiritual Sacrifices To offer up Spiritual Sacrifices c. the first Fraies of the Spirit to God who is a Spirit according
into such things And therefore they are to have an Esteem of Truth and Virtue above all such things and not to indulge any such things as will draw out their Minds from Vertue to Vice Now when the Women are met together in the Light Women when met to be helpful to one another and in the Gospel the Power of God some are of a more large Capacity and Understanding than other Women and are able to inform and instruct and stir up others into Diligence Vertue and Righteousness and Godliness and in the Love and Wisdom of God to Inform and Reform their Families and to help them that be of weaker Capacities and Understandings in the Wisdom of God that they may be fruitful in every good Work and Word So that they may see that all their Families are ordered to God's Glory and that which tends to Loosness or Evil either in words ways or actions that would corrupt them either in their Lives or Manners may be kept down and reproved So that all their Children and Servants may be trained up in the Fear of God in the New Covenant for among the Jews in the Old Covenant them that sojourned amongst them were to keep the Sabbath and if they did eat of their Sacrifice they were bo be circumcised And the Women had their Assemblies in the Days of the Judges and the Kings and old Ely's Sons abused them and old Ely did admonish his Sons but he did not resTrain them from their Wickedness and therefore God cut off his Sons and he lost the Ark of God and the Priesthood and his own Life also So many of you may admonish your Children but if ye do not restrain them by the holp of the Spirit of God which God hath given to you you will quench the Spirit of God in you by indulging them so by that you will lose your spiritual Offering and your Priesthood therein Ely an example to all Parents and take heed if you do not lose your own Lives and your Childrens also therefore mind old Ely for your Example Now old Ely was not against the Assemblies of the Women who assembled by Troops as in the Margent of the Bible you may see 1 Sam. 2.21 22. though some Men now a days may be against Womens Meetings or Assemblies in the Gospel-times and against Woments Speaking or Prophecying but they are ignorant of the universal Spirit and of their Service and Labour to God in his Grace and Gospel and are of a narrow Spirit and are not the true Servers of God themselves for if they were they would have all People to serve God in his Power and to keep the true Religion which is to visit the Fatherless and the Widows and to keep themselves from the Spots of the World And some there have been that would not have the Women to meet without the Men and some of them say the Women must not speak in the Church and if they must not speak what should they meet with them for But what Spirit is this that would exercise Lordship over the Faith of any And what a Spirit is this that will neither suffer the Women to speak amongst the Men nor to meet amongst themselves to speak But all this is for Judgment with that Spirit that gives Liberty unto all that Labour in the Gospel in the Light and in the Grace And some Men and Women there are that suggest if Women should meet by themselves in the Order of the Gospel the Power of God they would be too high but such Men and Women as so suggest are too high already and would be ruling over Men and Women's Possessions and waste their own for if they were in the Power and Spirit of God they need not fear any one's getting over them For the Power and Spirit of God gives Liberty to all for Women are Heirs of Life as well as the Men and so Stewards of the manifold Grace of God And they must all give an account of their Stewardship All must give account of their Stewardship and are to be Possessors of Life and Light and Grace and the Gospel of Christ and to Labour in it and to keep their Liberty and Freedom in it as well as the Men. And they are Believers in the Light as well as the Men and so Children of the Light and of the Day as well as the Men. And so the Assemblies of the Women Assemblies of Women to be in the Gospel as was in the time of the Law whom God hath poured out his Spirit upon are to be in the time of the Gospel as well as in the time of the Law that they may be helps meet to the Men in the time of the Gospel in the Restoration as they were in the Beginning and time of the Law So all the Women in all their Assemblies in the time of the Gospel and of the New Covenant of Light Life and Grace are to be incouraged as they were in the time of the Law and to be stirred up in the Wisdom of God to their Diligence and Service of God and Christ in his New Covenant in his Gospel-time Concerning the Substance to do the Lord's Business about the Heavenly Tabernacle and Heavenly Garnients as the Women were about the Figure in the time of the Law And now you that stumble at Womens Meetings had not your Women many vain Meetings before they were convinced and you were not then offended at them when they met to satisfie the Flesh and had Junketing Meetings to themselves did you reprove them for such Meetings And why should they not now meet in their Conversion in the Lord's Power and Spirit to do his Business and to visit the Fatherless and Widows and to keep themselves from the Spots of the World which is the Practice of the pure Religion wherein the Men and Women may be helps meet in the Religion that is not of the World that keeps from the Spots of the World But some have said That such Meetings must not be That they may be helpful with the Men to prevent Evil c. but as Business requires or occasions them As much as to say you must not make up the Hedges till the Beasts have devoured your Corn and then the Parish Overseers must meet together to compute the Damage And here their Wisdom is seen as if it were not more their Duty to meet to prevent bad Actions that may fall out and with the Power of God to stop up Gaps to prevent Evil or weak Places for when the Evil is entred into it is of the latest to meet then which rather brings Scandal that Remedy and therefore the Labourers in the Gospel Men and Women being helps meet are to see that all walk and live in the Order of the Gospel and to see that nothing be lacking then all is well For the Women in their Assemblies may inform one another of the poor Widows and Fatherless
the Lord to deal with them For that which they get by spoiling you they will never be the richer for and when they have done spoiling the Lord can spoil them and theirs And all the Goods they take from Friends for serving God will torment them at last and be a greater Plague to them more than keeping on your Hats and saying Thou to them was And you have had Experience how the other Powers spoiled your Goods The Spoil of the Righteous not durable Riches to their Persecutors but were they either the richer or the fatter Nay the more thery did eat destroy and devour the more they look like Pharaoh's lean Cattel And did not the Christians of old suffer joyfully the spoiling of their Goods by Professors and Prophane So they that are born of the Flesh will persecute them that are born of the Spirit and they that will live Godly in Christ Jesus must suffer Persecution and blessed are they that do suffer Persecution for Christ and his Righteousness sake And so never fear the loss of the Fleece for God can make it grow again as he did poor Job's And it is the way of the Enemy and Adversary to set upon the young convinced to think by that means to make them to yield For have you not read it was the way how that the Enemies of Israel of old fell upon the weak and feeble of their Camp and the hindermost of the Flock but they had their Reward at the End And so wait upon the Lord and he will support you though he may try you a while as he doth all his Saints that the Trial of your Faith may come forth more pure than Gold And so never fear Man nor what they are permitted to do unto you but the Lord Though the hungry Lions may lack yet they that wait upon the Lord shall not want any good thing for his Promise is he will never leave them nor forsake them And so the Lord God Almighty give you Power and Courage to stand against all the Wiles of the Enemy and to be Valiant for his Truth upon the Earth And so with my Love in the Everlasting Seed Christ Jesus who is over him that makes to suffer and will be when he is gone Marshgrange the 6th of the 4th Month. 1676. G. F. To Friends in Barbadoes MY Dear Friends in the heavenly Relation and Zion's Children Epist 333 amongst whom the Stone that the Builders rejected is elect and precious and in him Christ you are Elect Christ the Head of God's Church who is the Head of the Corner of God's Building And therefore in the Name of Jesus keep your Meetings in whom you all have Salvation and not by any other Name under Heaven and though the Lord may try you where your Minds are and in what by the outward Powers yet be valiant for God's Truth upon the Earth and if some of you be cast into Prison and your Goods be spoiled the Seed is upon the Head of him that maketh to suffer and will remain when he is gone And the Lord God who giveth the increase of all both Invisible and Visible can make the Fleece to grow again And therefore let your Faith be in the Power and Word of Life And the Authority of your Men and Womens Meetings is the Power of God and all the Heirs of the Gospel are Heirs of Christ the heavenly Man and of his Government the increase of which there is no end And so all walk in Christ So walk in Christ who bruiseth the Serpent's Head that hath gotten between you and God so as you all are in him then nothing can get between you and the Lord God and so in the glorious Order of the Gospel the Power of God dwell which is over the Devil and the World and before he and it was and the Power of God will be when he and it is gone This is the everlafting Gospel which bringeth Life and Immortality to Light and that you all may see over him that hath darkned you to him who was before he was and the Power of God will be when he is gone And therefore walk in the glorious blessed peaceable and comfortable Order of the everlasting Gospel for the Gospel the Power of God is the Gospel of Peace and the Truth is Peaceable The Devil the Destroyer and Adversary abode not in the Peaceable Truth and the Kingdom of God stands in Peace and Joy in the Holy Ghost and the Vnity of the Spirit is a Bond of Peace yea the Bond of the heavenly Man the Prince of Princes Peace that Bond must be kept by all Zion's Children the Heirs of Life And all seek the Peace and Good one of another To seek Peace and dwell is Love and dwell in the Love of God thet does edifie the Body of Christ and bears all things and endures all things and build up one another in the most holy Faith which you have from Christ the holy One for Holiness becomes the House of God And therefore all mind that which becomes his House and now is the time for every one to put on the Armour of God and to take his Weapons and Arms that you may stand by God's Ensign in the Truth against him that is out of Truth keeping on your Helmet of Salvation as a token of your Victory and your Breast-Plate of Righteousness which preserves both Mind Heart and Soul and your Loins girded with Truth Keep on the Armor of Righteousness that you may be Valiant for it and your Feet shod with the Preparation of the Gospel the Power of God that your Feet may stand fast over all slippery Places in the Power of God the Gospel that is sure and everlasting Here is your Armor and your Weapon is the Sword of the Spirit the Word of God the Word of Life and Salvation and Wisdom and Reconciliation that is as a Sword and a Hammer to cut down and hammer down that which hath made a separation betwixt you and God and is as Fire to burn it up And the Shield of Faith that is your Shield by which you have victory and access to God by which Faith all the Just lives and are saved and contend for it which is declared to the Saints by Christ who is the Author and Finisher of it And by this Faith you come to Christ the Author and as many as receive him walk in him that you may be always fresh and green in him who bruises the Head of the Serpent that hath made People lean and barren and hath made so many barren Mountains which Christ is gathering and calling his People from that they might walk in the Light of the Lord and come to the Mountain of the House of the Lord that is established above all the Mountains where God teaches all his the Way of Life Truth and Salvation And the Mountain of the House of the Lord is always green with fresh
Living and the Leaves thereof heal the Nations And this Tree stands in the midst of God's Garden who saith In the midst of thy Church will I sing Praise The Eyes of People are upen it which are living Stones a spiritual Houshold of Faith Elect and Precious the Church of the living God written in Heaven so Holiness becomes the House of the Lord. And therefore the Lord doth require more from Friends than all other People because he hath given more to them and so all People do expect more from Friends than all other People in answering that of God in them all in truth and in Righteousness Holiness and Godliness for ye are the Lights of the World and the Salt of the Earth to season it So all must glorifie the Lord God in their Lives and Conversations with their Bodies Spirits and Souls which are Christ's who has bought them and cleansed them with his Blood and the pure Water of his Word who makes them sanctified Vessels of his Mercy for his Glory therefore none must dishonour the Lord. And therefore my Desires are that you may all be valiant for the Truth upon the Earth and keep up all your Men and Womens Meetings in the Lord's Power the Gospel which hath brought Life and Immortality to Light and it will preserve you in Life and Immortality over hom that hath darkned you and in this all will see their Works and Services for the Lord God and his Son Christ Jesus in that which hath brought Life and Immortality to Light in which Gospel is an Everlasting Perfect Fellowship and Order which will stand when all others are gone all the Saints that do enjoy this cannot but Praise the Lord and sing Praises to him for ever and ever Amen The Apostle saith If any Man be in Christ he is a new Creature old things are passed away behold all things are become new 2 Cor. 5.17 So they that are in Christ are new Creatures and they that are in old Adam are old Creatures and are in their old Things old Ways old Worships Old things done away and old Religions and have the old Garments and the old Bottles that hold the old Wine and cannot endure the new and have the old rusty moth-eaten Treasure And they that are in Christ the heavenly and spiritnal Second Adam who maketh all things new are new Creatures and spiritual Men and are heavenly-minded and are new Bottles that hold the new Wine and the new heavenly Treasure and have the new Cloathing the fine Linnen the Righteousness of Christ and are in the New and Living Way over all the dead Ways and they are in the New Worship which Christ set up above Sixteen hundred Years ago which is in the Spirit and in the Truth in which Holy Spirit and Holy Truth the Holy God is worshipped And this was new to both Jews and Gentiles and is new to all the Apostate Christians who are not in the Holy Spirit and Truth that the Apostles were in And this new Creature in Christ hath a new Religion which is pure and undefiled The new Creature bath the pure Religion and keepeth from the spots of the World And this Religion is new to the Jews and Gentiles and all the apostatized Christians that plead for a Body of Death and Sin to the Grave and a Purgatory when they are dead And they that be in Christ are new Creatures and they have a new Head who is the Head of all things the First born of every Creature and the Frist-begotten from the dead who is alive and liveth for evermore who bruiseth the Serpent's Head who hath made things old but Christ maketh all things new and they tht be in him are new Creatures and they that be out of Christ are the old Creatures in Old Adam and these old Creatures are doting about their old things and their old Bottles old Wine old Garments and are doting about their old Ways old Religions and old worships and persecuting one another with their old Carnal Weapons these old Creatures which dote about their old Worships Religions and Ways so that one old Creature falleth out with another old Creature so that these old doting Creatures in Old Adam out of Christ the Second Adam do wrestle with Flesh and Blood about their old Ways Religions and Worships And these old doting Creatures which be out of Christ the Saviour do destroy one another about their old Ways Worships Religions and Churches And these old Creatures that be out of Christ the Head are monstrous Bodies without a Head till that they have made one and then the old Creatures set it upon their Body which Head as they do think doth pardon their Sins and when this their Head is fallen off their Body then they do make another and set it on their old Creature 's Body But they that are in Christ are new Creatures And Christ is their Redeemer c. and Christ is their Head who is their Redeemer Sanctisier and Saviour who is alive and liveth for evermore and walk in Christ the Second Adam who is Heavenly and spiritual And the old Creatures out of Christ their Walk is in old Adam who are Natural and Carnal and so are their Weapons and Armour that they defend their old Ways Church Religion and worship with they are Carnal and not Spiritual by which they kill one another and the old Creatures do study or dote which way they may destroy or imprison persecute or banish spoil or torture the Righteous or new Creatures in Christ And they that be in Christ are new Creatures their Weapons and Armour are Spiritual and they do not wrestle with Flesh and Blood but Spiritual Wickedness and Rulers of Darkness in high Places and bring down Imaginations and high Thoughts as Christ whom those new Creatures are in teacheth them who saith that He came not to destroy Mens lives but to save them and rebuked such as would have had Mens Lives destroyed and told them that they did not know what Spirit they were of So it is clear that the old Creatures that be out of Christ which destroy Mens Lives about their old Ways Churches Religions and their old Worships do not know what Spirit they are of and although they do not know what Spirit they are of whether it be a good spirit or a bad one yet People must conform to that Way Religion Worship and Church that this old Creature that is out of Christ hath set up or else he will persecute them or destroy their Lives They that do Persecute for Rcligion are ignorant what Spirit they are of though Christ saith They do not know what Spirit they are of And is not this hard to conform to that which the old Creatures have made and set up which do not know their own Spirits nor what Spirit they bd of And therefore were not those Doctrines Ordinances Traditions and Rudiments of the World the old Creatures who
be not blasphemed And likewise Titus was to exhort the young Men to be sober-minded and here you may see the Apostle which did forbid one sort of Women to be teachers which were Usurpers of Authority which both the Law and the Gospel forbids yet the Law and Christ and the Apostles in the Gospel incouraged the Honourable Women to Preach and to Teach For Christ sent the faithful Woman to declare and preach his aged And to be teachers of good things and honourable and faithful Women to Prophesied and Teach and to be teachers of good things as before That is his Charge to them in general Then he comes to Particulars charging them that they should teach the young Women to be sober and discreet chast and good and to love their Husbands and their Children that the Word of God be not blasphemed So these to be were as Mothers to the younger Women and were publick Women in their publick Services and Charge that was committed to them And a Bishop and an Elder or a Deacon was to order and rule well his own House and to have his Children in subjection with all Gravity For if a Man know not how to rule his own House And to rule well their own House how shall he take care of the Church of God So every Man and Woman is to teach instruct and order their own Children and Families as the Jews did in the old Covenant then much more they should Train them up in the new Covenant which exceeds the old so that in all things they might give thanks and praises to God that in all things the Lord might be glorified in all their Families So all Christian Families are concerned in these Particular Services before they come to the General Service to wit to be Overseers and Ministers faithful Men as Fathers and faithful Women as Mothers and Teachers of good things and the young Men and Women as Brethren and Sisters in purity And so let none spoile their Families with bad Lives And to keep their Tongue under the Bridle and unruly Tongues with letting the Poison of Asps be under their Tongue by which they spoile and corrupt their Families which begets into a loose and bad Language but that is to be bridled by the Word of God for a soft Tongue breaketh the Bone the Tongue of the Just is as choice Silver and the Tongue of the Just is Health and useth Knowledge aright and a wholsome Tongue is a Tree of Life and who keepeth his Mouth and his Tougue keepeth his Soul from Trouble And after that Solomon had spoken of a Vertuous Woman he saith And the Law of Kindness to rest in their Tongne In her Tongue is the Law of Kindness and her Children riseth up and calls her Blessed and her Husband also praises her He that hath an Ear to hear let him hear And therefore all is to keep in this Law of Kindness and there your Candle doth not go out by Night and your Virtue will flow for the Hoary Head is a Crown of Glory if it be found in the way of Righteousness and Better is he that rules over his own Spirit than he that takes a City for he that hath no rule over his own Spirit is like a City that is broken down without Walls then the security and strength is gone And to rule over their own Spirit And therefore let every one keep his own little City with the Spirit and Power of God by which you have Power over your own Spirit and then the Power of God is your strength and keeps you safe in it that be led by the Spirit of God And so that all Men and Women may exercise their Talent their Gift that God hath given them in the true Light which lighteth every Man that cometh into the World that is the Light in Christ that they may become Children of the Light and grafted into Christ and walk as Children of the Light and of the Day And that all may profit in the Manifestation of the Spirit that God hath given them and be led by the Spirit that you all may be the Sons and Daughters of God in this day of his New Covenant and New Testament wherein God poureth forth of his Spirit upon all Flesh which none is to grieve vex nor quench nor rebel against but obey it And the Grace of God that brings Salvation hath appeared unto all Men to teach them to live Godly Righteously and Soberly All to be faithful Stewards of the Grace of God and to deny Ungodliness and Unrighteousness And therefore all are to be Faithful Stewards of this Grace of God which teaches them and brings them their Salvation For the Apostle saith As every one hath received the Gift even so minister the same one to another as good Stewards of the manifold Grace of God that the God of all Grace and Christ by whom it comes may be glorified in all his People who gives unto them freely the spiritual and heavenly Gifts And the Gospel of Peace and glad Tidings God and Chrift hath sent to be preached to every Creature under Heaven And all you that have received it by which Life and Immortality is brought to Light in you by which you see over him that hath darkned you by the Everlasting Gospel the Power of God and are come to be Heirs of this Everlasting Gospel the Power of God so you are Heirs of the Everlasting Order of the Gospel for the Power of God is the Order and Authority of all your Meetings This Everlasting Gospel the Power of God is an unlimitted Order and this Glorious Order of the Gospel the Power of God is beyond the Order fo Aaron God's Order is beyond the Or-of Aaron and beyond all the Orders of the Heathen And the Power of God cannot be limitted though it may limit that which is contrary to it and out of the Truth So our Order and Government is of Christ and his Gospel and in his Light and Holy Spirit and we are Heirs of it Being Heirs of Christ and grafted into him by Belief and all his Sons and Daughters do know his Glorious Liberty and their rest in him The Liherty in Christ is a glorious Liberey For we have received the Spirit of Adoption whereby we can cry Abba Father for the Spirit it self beareth witness with our Spirits that we are the Children of God and if Children then Heirs of God and joint Heirs with Christ And now Friends as I said before Train up all your Children in the Fear of God in his New Covenant of Light and Grace Friends to train up thier Children in the Fear of God that they may know Christ who is their Baptizer and Circumciser and he sprikles your Consciences and Hearts with his Blood to cleanse you from all Sin and the Lord writes his heavenly Law in their Hearts that they may obey it and do it For doth
do receive Christ in his Grace and Truth which comes from him they know his Government in the Truth They who receive Christ in his Grace know his Government in the Truth and in the Covenant of Grace yea in their Hearts and knows their gracious and true Liberty in the Grace and Truth and in Christ from whence it comes and his holy and heavenly Order in his Grace and his Reign in their Hearts And all such that walks despitefully against the Spirit of Grace and turns the Grace into Wantonness though such may profess God and Christ their Profession will come to nothing and all their Liberty is false and in the Flesh in Old Adam in Transgression For true Liberty is in the Grace and Truth that is come by Jesus which leads up unto Jesus from whence it comes in whom the everlasting true Liberty is For Christ who is the Truth Holy and Pure he reigns in the Truth and in his Grace And therefore every Man and Woman must with this Grace and Truth in their Hearts which they have from Christ feel and see Christ's Reign and Rule in their Hearts and him in his heavenly Eternal everlasting Government The Lord spoke by his Prophet Joel That it shall come to pass in the last Days tht God will pour out of his Spirit upon all Flesh c. Joel 2.28 And Peter said This is that which was spoken by the Prophet Joel It shall come to pass in the last Days saith God that I will pour out of my Spirit upon all Flesh and your Sons and your Daughters shall Prophesie Your young Men shall see Visions and your old Men shall dream Dreams and on my Servants and on my Hand-maids I will pour out in those days of my Spirit and they shall Prophesie Acts 2.17 18. Now it is God that pours out of his Spirit upon all Flesh by which Sons God pours out his Spirit upon all Flesh Daughters young Men old Men Servants and Handmaids have their Visions and Prophesies and Dreams And these last Days are the Days of Christ in his Gospel and New Covenant It is said in the Old Covenant That God did pour out of his Spirit upon the House of Israel and the House of Judah But in the Days of the New Covenant of Light and Grace God poured out of hes Spirit upon all Flesh both Jews and Gentiles Now all Flesh must come to the Spirit of God and be led and guided by it if they will see Christ's heavenly spiritual Government and Order and with this Spirit to know Christ the spiritual Man to rule and govern in their Hearts And all that by this Spirit are circumcised they eat of the heavenly Passover or their Bread from Heaven And all that are baptized with the Spirit are baptized into one Body and do all drink into one Spirit So here they are one in this spiritual Fellowship which is the true Church-Fellowship even that Church which is in God the Pillar and Ground of Truth which Church Christ is the heavenly and spiritual Head of and well he may for he is the Author of their Faith and the Author of their Light and Life Grace and Truth and Spirit and Gospel of Peace and Salvation by which he Rules in the Hearts of his living Members the Church And all they that grieve vex quench and rebel against the Spirit comes to be blind as the Jews and will not see with their Eyes nor hear with their Ears nor perceive with their Hearts and such may profess Christ in the New Testament and the Apostles Words and the Government and Order of Christ as the Jews did profess the Old Testament and Christ to come but they would not receive him then when he was come No more do they now that profess he is come who vexes and quenches his Spirit and grieves it and rebels against it and errs from it And such are not like to receive Christ into their Hearts nor come into his heavenly Order and established peaceable Government as those that are led by the Spirit of God which are the Sons of God and keeps the Vnity of the Spirit which Holy Spirit is the Bond of Peace amongst all Christ's Subjects Lambs and Sheep thet feed together in his Pasture of Life For it is God that gives the heavenly Understanding of Christ's established Government and Order And they that quench and vex and rebel against the Spirit of God will rebel against Christ's established Government and Order and his People that are in it that are led by the Spirit of Wisdom and Understanding and a sound Mind And such as will not hear the Spirit of God in themselves will neither hear God nor Christ nor his Sheep nor such as he sends but rebel against them Now the Gospel being preached to or in every Creature under Heaven which Gospel is the power of God to Salvation to every one that Believes So that all that receives this Gospel the Power of God unto Salvation in their Hearts receives Christ the Power of God and his Government and Order in the Power And Christ reigns in their Hearts in his Power and such comes into the Gospel-Order and they that come to be Heirs of the Gospel the Power of God to Salvation are Heirs of Christ's peaceable established Government and are true Subjects to Christ's Power and established peaceable Government and so this Gospel the Power of God to Salvation is peaceable joyful and comfortable which is the Gospel of Christ the Second Adam Christ the Second Adam the Lord from Heaven the Lord from Heaven and is not called the Gospel of old Adam in Transgression and this Gospel which is the Power of God unto Saluation it keeps all that believes in it in the Everlasting Joy Peace and Comfort and in Order for it is the Everlasting Gospel which brings Life and Immortality to Light by which they see over the Devil and before he was that hath blinded them and darkned them from Life and Immortality So in this Gospel that hath brought Life and Immortality to Light in God's People both Men and Women they are established in the Order of it in which they do serve the Eternal Everlasting God of Truth Now all they that do not receive the Gospel of Christ the Power of God to Salvation which is preached to every or in every Creature under Heaven Life and Immortality is not brought to Light in them and such the God of the World hath blinded and so they remain Blind under the God of the World and such are Blind concerning the Order of the Gospel and are ignorant of their Salvation and of that Joy and Comfort and Peace of the Gospel neither can they serve God in the Gospel though they may profess Christ and his Gospel in words yet such hath no Comfort of it And therefore such as disobeys the Gospel of Christ the Power of God to Salvation and will not receive it nor
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
And then there was a Time that the Apostles preached Christ in them to them that did believe and had received him Know ye not that Christ is in you except ye be Reprobates And Christ in you the Hope of Glory Christ in you the Hope of Glory And If Christ be in you the Body is dead And They that are Christ's have crucified the Affections and Lusts and all things are become new But this was spoken to them that believed who were the Saints to them Christ in them was preached the Substance of what the Prophets prophesied of and to believe in him who was risen the Resurrection Repentance and Faith But to the World the Apostles preached Repentance and to believe in Jesus Christ and taught Faith towards God But to them who were Redeemed out of the World in and to whom the Son of God was made manifest who were brought to God the Judge of all and to the Church in God and to the innumerable Company of Angels and to the Spirits of Just Men who were made perfect in him through Faith towards God preaching Repentance and the Doctrine of Baptism was needless Baptism in whom it was fulfilled to and in such as were brought to God He that can receive this may for to it there is no private Meaning There is a Time of preaching Faith towards God and there is a Time to be brought to God But such as are here deny the first Priesthood and witness the second with the Eternal Spirit of God who witness him without Father or Mother a Priest for ever after the Order of Melchisedech G. F. THis is the Word of the Lord God to you all Epist 152. In all Openings and Speakings let not the Man be lifted up for that will not be the Servant but the Master which is to be thrown down with that To Friends in their Openings from whence the Openings come Therefore that keep down which would be lifted up in the sight of the World Not to be lifted up for that doth often fall in the sight of the World but that being lifted up which answereth that of God in every Man this is of the Son of God who is exalted above the World and was before it was made and created And Every one dwell in the Seed and Life of God and in that know one another And Meet together and keep your Meetings that ye may see the Lord Jesus Christ in the midst of you G. F. To Friends beyond Sea that have Blacks and Indian Slaves DEar Friends Epist 153. I was moved to write these things to you in all those Plantations God that made the World and all things therein and giveth Life and Breath to all and they all have their Life and Moving and their Being in him he is the God of the Spirits of all Flesh and is no Respecter of Persons but Whosoever feareth him God is no Respector of Persons and worketh Righteousness is accepted of him And he hath made all Nations of one Blood to dwell upon the Face of the Earth and his Eyes are over all the Works of his Hands and seeth every thing that is done under the whole Heavens and the Earth is the Lord's and the Fulness thereof And he causeth the Rain to fall upon the Just and upon the Vnjust and also he causeth the Sun to shine upon the Just and the Vnjust and he commands to love all Men for Christ loved all so that he died for Sinners And this is God's Love to the World Christ died for Sinners in giving his Son into the World that whosoever believeth in him should not perish And he doth Enlighten every Man that cometh into the World that they might believe in the Son And the Gospel is preached to every creature under Heaven which is the Power that giveth Liberty and Freedom and is Glad Tidings to every Captivated Creature under the whole Heavens And the Word of God is in the Heart and Mouth to obey and do it and not for them to ascend or descend for it and this is the Word of Faith which was and is preached For Christ is given for a Covenant to the People and a Light to the Gentiles A Light to the Gentiles and to enlighten them who is the Glory of Israel and God's Salvation to the Ends of the Earth And so ye are to have the Mind of Christ and to be Merciful as your Heavenly Father is Merciful G. F. OH Friends keep out of that State Epist 154. which is out of and below the Chast Nature for all Vnchastness by the Power of the Lord The Chast Nature and his Truth and Light is to be judged Therefore live in the Truth and in the Light of God that keeps you all Chast for in that is the Vnity and out of that is the War For from the Lusts are the Wars and Strife Oh keep over that Nature that Purity may flow and Righteousness spread and Truth flourish and Love and Peace abound in and amongst all the Family of God! Keep down the Vnchast keep down the Adulterous Eye The Adulterous Eye and keep down the Lust of the Flesh which is not of the Father but of the World and Lust is against the Spiritual Fellowship and Spiritual Union and Spiritual Dominion for that would be as a Lord to Lord above the Spirit which the Spirit of God is Lord over and Judges it Keep down the Lustful Heart and Eye for that leads from God and joins with the Adulterate in any thing or with any thing that is Evil keep Truth and a pure Conscience and there ye have an unspotted Life in which ye may see over the spotted Life where no Chastity nor Purity is Therefore live in that which keeps you Chast Follow the Lamb. then ye follow Christ the Lamb for there is the holy Joy and Peace and Comfort and Unity known in the Life and Fellowship with the God of Life For what is the Cause of all the Lusting Spirits to Envy and of the Wisdom that is Sensual Earthly and Devilish but a Living and a Going out from the Truth and the Life Which Truth and Life is the Mark of the high Calling of God in Christ where the Peace is And so the Spirit of this World lusts to Envy it lusts to Strife it lusts to Contention it lusts against the Spirit of God the Lusts of the Eye and the Pride of Life and the Lusts of the Flesh cloathed with Flesh covered with Flesh not with the Spirit such are unchast and follow the Lust not the Lamb and so live in that which the War proceeds from and in Strife and Contention And therefore Mark that Spirit with the Eternal Power of God Evil Thoughts for it Judges with evil Thoughts being in the Earth and thinks all to be like it self being in the Bad and in the Lust and in the Adultery it judges all to be
Habitation They will say They must not Meet together such as are gathered in the Name of Christ Jesus that never fell who is above Adam that sell And thus the Devil would lay all wast and make the World like a Wilderness and break down the Bounds of the righteous Gardens and Plantations and would break them down into his Wilderness and lay them barren and wast And so when they are gone fromt he Truth themselves the Devil is got into them and would keep them from Meetings Meetings to draw others into the same who are gathered into the Name of Jesnes and are come to sit down in the heavenly Plate in Christ Jesus and are found with the Flock that lie down at Noon-day And so that fallen Spirit would bring the Saints to for sake their Assemblies and wouldmake them like a Wilderness if he cannot he will throw Dirt upon them and back-bite them and prejudice them and slander them and speak Evil of them and strive to sow discord amongst them and preach up some outward things amongst them to bring them into an outward Fellowship from the Immotal Power and Gospel-Fellowship and fill them with Earthly Wisdom and Knowledge Carnal Policy and Vnderstanding and carnal Policy with Quirks Tricks Turnings and Windings to over-word and ensnare the simple and to bring them into Questioning And so this Spirit is to destroy ruin and lay wast and to rob and beguile and would destroy if it were in its Power the Saints Fellowship and Worship and if it were possible to deceive the Elect. For sometimes it will come in the shew of Worship and fained Humility and other times with Esau's Tears but all the strength of it is set to lead the Innocent out of his Habitation and to destroy and devour him And so being adulterated from the true Spirit the true Light and the Fellowship in it Secret Evills it runs into all the secret Evils inward Adultery and outward Adultery Vncleanness and Fornication and being in the Evil Darkness and Vncleanness judges all like unto it self with its evil Thoughts and casts out its Flood of Evil-Speaking and Wickedness upon the righteous and just the Saints of the Most-High whose Garments are clean and pure And so this Spirit will cry down the Saints Fellowship in Spirit and Worship in Spirit and Truth and their Fellowship in the Power which was before their Forms were or the Devil either and when it cannot get them down and break their Fellowship to forsake their Assembling together which is contrary to the Apostles Doctrine and the Churches in the Primitive Times before the Apostasy and when they see they can neither break their Fellowship nor Worship Forms of Worship then they say Away with your Forms and cry down Forms to such as be in the Power of Godliness and that Spirit 's Work that doth so is to bring into such Forms in Time which are out of the Spirit and Truth and Power of God in which the Saints have Fellowship and Refreshment in which God is worshipped in that which is above and was before Time And that contrary Spirit its Work is to bring into the many Invented Forms in the Fall and sometimes runs out of all right Form into Confusion and out of all Orde of Life in which the Saints of the Most-high that walk in the Spirit are in the Fellowship and Power of Life having the Order of Life amongst them Keep your Habitation And therefore all Friends Keep your Habitation every where in the Truth of God and let your Lights be shining and your Lamps burning and have Oil in your Lamps and Salt in your selves to savour withal that ye may grow up into Christ Jesus by whom all things were made that wer made that through him ye may know all things And so Live in him that destroys the Enmity and in him sit in Christ Jesus in whom ye have Vnity Life Peace and Salvation The Honour was given to him that never changed nor never fell True Honour who is Christ Jesus and ye in him are partakers of this Honour and they that change and fall do not know this Honour but are a Dishonour to him G. F. FRiends live in the Seed of God that destroys the Devil Epist 188. who is the Author and Cause of Wars and Strife and brining of Men and People into the Earth where the War Strife and Pride is The Author of Wars here the outward Sword-men have not learned yet to beat their Swords and Spears into Plough-shares and Pruning-hooks Yet ye that are in that Seed see that ye Accuse no Man falsly that hath the Sword of Justice The Sword of Justice which is to keep the Peace and is a Terror to the Evil-doers and to keep down the Transgressors and for the praise of them that do well this is owned in its place But he that killeth with the Sword must perish with the Sword So there was a Time the Jews were to fight with outward Weapons with Sword and Spear Outward Weapons but there is a Time when Nations shall not learn War any more but shall come to that which shall take away the Occasion of Wars which was in the beginning before Wars were And Friends take heed of blending your selves with the outward Powers of the Earth ALL Friends dwell in the Life and Power and Seed of God 2. To Friends to dwell in the seed in which is their Safery in which ye may be kept in the Son of God's Kingdom and preserved in his Dominion out of all changable things in that God's Blessing will be with you In the Seed of God is the stayed State and in that is the Life and Peace with God and the Offering that satisfieth God and that perfecteth for ever them that are sanctified The stayed State And the Seed bruises and destroys the Serpent's head who is the Prince of the Air the Prince of Darkness the Tempter and the Troubler in which Seed is Peace and Life enjoyed and by the Wisdom of it to be ordered to God's Glory And there the Reign of Christ is known who is come to reign and to rule G. F. To Friends in New-England and Virginia MY Dear Friends Robert Hodson William Robinson Marmaduke Stevenson Peter Pearson William Brend William Leara and the rest of Friends in New-England and Virginia Epist 189. Concerning Judging Be faithful to the Lord in the Truth of the Lord God 8. Month 15. nd in his Power and Wisdom be valiant for it upon the Earth and spread it abroad and confound Deceit And dwell in the Power of God and stand in it which comprehends the whole World that through it ye may answer the Witness of God in every one and be a Dread to Nations And go on in Peace and Love and Vnity one with another and keep in the Wisdom of the Lord God that ye may be answerable to the
to be Help-meets together as long as they live And if any Man or Woman come out of another Country they must bring a Certificate from the Men and Womens Meeting to them where they take their Wife and Husband And no Man or Woman is to be permitted to proceed in Marriage if they be engaged or entangled with any other till they be cleared Dear Friends All Differences amongst Friends to be ended by some appointed out of the Meetings if there happen any Difference betwixt Friend and Friend let them speak to one anothe and if they will not hear let them take Two or Three of the Meeting they belong to that they may End it if they can And if they cannot End it then it may be laid before the Monthly Meeting And if it cannot be ended there then it may be brought to the Quarterly Meeting and there let it be put to half a Dozen Friends that they may End it that they may keep their Meetings quiet Or Friends to stand to the End made by Six or more they that are at Difference may chuse Three Friends and Friends may chuse Three more to them and let them stand to their Judgment For there is few that love Quietness and Peace will have their Names brought to a Monthly or Quarterly Meeting to have their Names sounded over the Country That they are in Strife but will rather endeavour to End it amongst themselves or at their own Meeting before that they come to the Monthly Meeting And if there be any Difference brought to the Monthly or Quarterly Meeting either Mens or Womens Friends to speak but one at a time after you have heard them one by one and let but one speak at a time know of them whether they will stand to your Judgment And if they will let half a Dozen Friends make a final End of it But if they will not stand to your Judgment they are not fit to bring it thither And if any Brother or Sister hear any Report of any Brother or Sister Reports to be stopp'd let him or her go to the Party and know the Truth of the Report and if true let the thing be Judged If false go then to the Reporter and let him or her be Judged And if any should report it at a second or third hand without going to the Party of whom the Report goes let such be brought to Judgment For thou shalt neither raise nor suffer a false Report to lie upon my People saith the Lord for they are to be Holy as he is Holy and Just as he is Just Now concerning gospel-Gospel-Order though the Doctrine of Jesus Christ requireth his People to admonish a Brother or Sister twice before they tell the Church yet that limiteth none so as that they shall use no longer forbearance before they tell the Church but that they shall not less than twice admonish their Brother or Sister before they tell the Church All disorderly Persons to be admonished And it is desired of all That before they publickly Complain they wait in the Power of God to feel if there is no more required of them to their Brother or Sister before they expose him or her to the Church Let this be weightily considered And further when the Church is told and the Party admonished by the Church again and again and he or they remain still unsensible and unreconciled let not final Judgment go forth against him or her till every one of the Meeting have cleared his or her Conscience that if any thing be upon any further to visit such a Transgressor they may clear themselves that if possibly the Party may be reached and saved And after all are clear of the Blood of such an one let the Judgment of Friends in the Power of God go forth against him or her as moved for the Lord's Honour and Glory's sake that no Reproach may come or rest upon God's Holy Name Truth and People And all such as behold their Brother or Sister in a Transgression Such as admonish others to do it in a Spirit of Meekness go not in a rough light or upbraiding Spirit to reprove or admonish him or her but in the Power of the Lord and Spirit of the Lamb and in the Wisdom and Love of the Truth which suffers thereby to admonish such an Offender So may the Soul of such a Brother or Sister be seasonably and effectually reached unto and overcome and they may have Cause to bless the Name of the Lord on their behalf and so a Blessing may be rewarded into the Bosom of that faithful and tender Brother or Sister that so admonished them And be it known unto all Friends casts out none but such as go from Truth casts out themselves we cast out none from among us for if they go from the Light and Spirit and Power in which our Vnity is they cast out themselves And it has been our Way to admonish them that they may come to that Spirit and Light of God which they are gone from and so come into the Vnity again For our Fellowship stands in the Light that the World hates and in the Spirit which the World grieves vexes and quenches and if they will not hear our Admonitions as before the Light condemns them and then goes the Testimony of Truth out against them And no Condemnation ought to go further than the Transgression is known No Condemnation to go further than the Transgression and if he or she returns and gives forth a Paper of Condemnation against him or her self which is more desirable than that we should do it this is a Testimony of his or her Repentance and Resurrection before God his People and the whole World as David Psal 57. when Nathan came to admonish him And that no Testimony by way of Condemnation Admonition to be before Condemnation be given forth against any Man or Woman whatever Crime they commit before Admonition and till such time as they have had Gospel-Order according to Christ's Doctrine And so keep the Church-Order of the Gospel Admonition to be in the gentle Wisdom of God according as the Lord Jesus Christ hath commanded that is If thy Brother offend thee speak to him betwixt thee and him and if he will not hear take two or three If he will not hear two or three then tell it to the Church c. And if any one do miscarry admonish them gently in the Wisdom of God so that you may preserve him and bring him to Condemnation and preserve him from farther Evils which it is well if such do not run into and it will be well for all to use the gentle Wisdom of God towards them in their Temptations and condemnable Actions and with using gentleness to bring them to condemn their Evil and to let their Condemnation go as far as the bad Action has gone and no farther to defile the Minds of Friends or others
in the Truth that the Lord may be glorified in all your Families And teach your Children when they are young then will they remember it when they are old according to Solomon's Counsel So that your Children may be a Blessing to you and not a Curse And all Men and Women are to order their Children and Servants in the Order of the Gospel and in the New Covenant And to order them in the Order of the Gospel that they may all come to know the Lord. For the outward Jews were to train up their Children in the Old Law in the Old Covenant And so you that are called Christians are to train up your Children in the Fear of the Lord and in Christ Jesus that they may walk in Him in Modesty and Holiness and Virtue And so all to govern their Families And they that are to Govern are to be governed and ordered themselves by the Spirit and Power of God to God's Glory and as Examples in their Families for all Loosness is out of the Power of God either in Word or Life And so by the Power of God and his Righteousness and Truth and Light and Life all that is to be judged and kept under and down and the Truth and the Light and Spirit of God must be walk'd in which all Loosness is out of And so whatsoever things are of good Report or whatsoever things are Lovely or whatsoever things are Pure and Decent and Vertuous and Godly and Righteous and Holy and Just that follow after and do the Works of Charity and not your own but the good Works of Hospitality which are accepted of God And keep the Order of the Gospel the Power of God which Power of God was before the Devil was and is over him which brings Life and Immortality to Light in Men and Women and Men and Women they are to walk in this Power of God and to keep in it Men and Women to walk in the Power of God being Heirs of the same and under the Goverment of Christ Jesus who bruiseth the Serpent's Head and destroys him and his Government Men and Women being Heirs of Grace and Life together and of the Power of God and of the Gospel of Christ Jesus the Amen And so as they come to possess and inherit him and his Gospel-Order they come to possess him and his Government and Order the increase of which there is no End And that Notice be taken of all evil Speakers Backbiters Slanderers and foolish Talkers and idle Jesters for all these corrupt good Manners and are not according to the Saints and Holy Men's Practise Against Backbiters whose Words were seasoned with Salt ministering Grace to the Hearers And all such as go up and down to Cheat Against Cheats by borrowing and getting Money of Friends and have cheated several all such are to be stopped and judged and Notice of them is to be given to Friends and to other Persons And Dear Friends in the Everlasting Seed of Life Wisdom and Salvation my Desire is that you all may be preserved in it to the Glory of God For heavenly Vnity and in his Power and Light and Life over Death and Darkness in the heavenly Vnity in all your Meetings Now concerning them that do go to the Quarterly Meeting they must be substantial Friends Quarterly Meetings Members that can give a Testimony of your Sufferings and how things are amongst you in every particular Meeting So that none that are raw or weak that are not able to give a Testimony of the Affairs of the Church and Truth may go on behalf of the particular Meetings to the Quarterly Meetings but may be nursed up in your Monthly Meetings and there fitted for the Lord's Service So that two may go one time from every particular Meeting and two another time or as it is ordered in your Monthly Meetings So that some may go from all your Meetings that make up your Monthly Meetings for the Quarterly Meeting should be made up of weighty seasoned and substantial Friends that understands the Business of the Church for no unruly and unseasoned Peasons should come there nor indeed into the Monthly Meetings but who are single-hearted seasoned and honest And if any one should speak or tattle any thing out of your Monthly or Quarterly Meetings Against Partling to the blemishing or defaming any Person or the Meetings such are to be brought to Judgment and Condemnation for it breaks the Priviledge and Order of your Christian Society in your Meetings so that all may be kept and preserved in the Power of the Lord and in his Spirit in Love and Vnity And therefore keep your Meetings solid and sober and let the Authority of your Men and Womens Meetings be in the Power of God Authority of Meetings for every Heir of the Power has Right to that Authority and in it keep the King of Kings and Lord of Lord's Peace in his Church And so the Lord give you Wisdom that by it you may be ordered to his Glory Care of God's Glory and Truth and that every one may have a care of God's Glory and of his Name and Truth and that in his Power you may see that all do walk as becomes his glorious Gospel which hath brought Life and Immortality to Light in you which will preserve you in Life and in Immortality over the Devil that has darkned you So that nothing may get betwixt your Souls and Minds and the Lord God that he may be glorified in you all and through you all and over you all blessed for ever Amen And the least Member in the Church hath an Office and is serviceable and every Member hath need one of another And now Friends so many Monthly Mens Meetings as you have in your County you may have so many Monthly Womens Meetings and if once a Year at least you had a General Womens Meeting it would be well for in some Counties they have as many Quarterly Womens Meetings as Mens and in others they have only two in the Summer-time Womens Meetings because the Ways are foul and Days short in Winter And that one or two Friends in every Meeting do take an Account of all the Marriages Births and Burials Births Burials and carry them to the Monthly Meetings and let one or two there be ordered to receive them and record them there in a Book which is to be kept at the Monthly Meetings And from thence a Copy of what is recorded there to be brought to the Quarterly Meeting and let one or two Friends be appointed there to receive them and to record them all in one Book which is to be kept for the whole County And this will be most safe that if one Book should happen to be lost the other may be preserved for the Use of such as may have occasion And that all Friends who are not already provided may speedily procure convenient Burying-places
this Possession and go into the Assemblies of the People of God that be gathered into his Name where Salvation is and in no other Name under Heaven but in the Name of Jesus Christ Is it not more Reputable for you to take your Servants And bring them to Meetings Apprentices Children and Maidens along with you to the Meetings to be partakers of the Eternal Truth that they may have a Possession with you of the same that you do possess For if you should leave them behind and be careless of them they are many of them apt to run into Liberty and to Loosness and to Plays and to Tippling-Houses and so into loose Company Such Liberty hath been a great hurt to Youth and the Truth hath been much dishonoured thereby And such do not only lose the Wisdom of God and the true Vnderstanding given to them by his Son but the Reason of Men in these Practices And then after you may come to find fault with your Servants Children c. and for a small matter put some of them away when the Fault is in your selves that you did not take them along with you to the Meetings and govern them in the Wisdom of God and true Vnderstanding and Knowledge which is to know the true God and his Son Jesus Christ who he hath sent whom to know is Life Eternal By which Liberty such do not keep Authority over them for you should bring them to the Meetings with you to wait upon the Lord. For truly my Life hath been often burdened through the want of restraining them of that Liberty they run into wherein you should be more Prudent Wise and Careful and should keep more in your Dominion and Authority in the Life Power and Seed in which you have the true Wisdom Knowledge and Vnderstanding Therefore consider of these things in all your Families and remember the time of your former Professions wherein you exercised the Reason of Men as to bring your Servants c. to an outward Profession Now you being come to a Possession of Life take heed lest you lose the right Reason Wisdom Vnderstanding and Knowledge Therefore rouze up your selves that you may exercise the right Wisdom and Vnderstanding in that which lives for ever and is and will remain when all the contrary is gone Masters to be good Patterns to their Children and Servvants into which all must be brought that in that you may be good Patterns and Examples in all your Families and bring them forth with you to your Meetings that they may find the Substance of that which you did formerly profess in Words And now you enjoying the Substance be more careful be more diligent and circumspect that God may be glorified throughout all your Families and his Name may be called upon and honoured and exalted who is God over all blessed for ever And Friends some among you breed up your Children not as when you were in a Profession only in such a rude heady Way that when they grow up they do not matter you nor care for you so they are not a Blessing and a Comfort to you but in many Things they are worse than many of the World's more loose stubborn and disobedient Which Truth teaches no such things but brings more into Humility and Meekness and Gentleness and Tenderness so that when they come to be set to Prentice many times they run quite out into the World And therefore by the Power and Life and Wisdom of God these things you must take notice of that all such may be brought into and kept in subjection by the Power of God that God may be honoured and glorified through the breaking of the stubborn Will in them and subjecting them to Truth and let them all know their Places and not to give way to that which may get over you so then you will not know how to rule them at last but bring a Grief and Sorrow and Trouble upon you as too many Examples may be seen Therefore while they are young restrain them from such things and every one in the Life and Power and Seed of Truth And to restrain Youth from evil Practices keep your Authority and lose not the true Wisdom and Vnderstanding given you by Christ nor the true Knowledge nor true Reason which gives to distinguish good from bad but in all things keep your Authority which is given to you of God and your Places in it for they that fear and worship the Lord shall have a Place with him And in the Power and Life and Wisdom of God you will breed up and govern your Sons and Daughters Servants and Prentices and cause them to keep in their Places and in the Power of God answer the Good in them all For an outward Father or Mother over their Families Apprentices and Maidens are to keep all things that are outward civil and subject in their Places with Reason and true Wisdom And such as come to be Fathers in Truth are to train them up in the Truth and to exercise that Wisdom and that Knowledge and Vnderstanding which is beyond the outward Therefore in it they should train them up in the Truth through which all should bee free not in the Eye-service of Men but serving the Lord in Righteousness and Diligence in their Services That they may be Partakers of the heavenly Life and come to be Heirs of Salvation and Children of the Promise and Sons and Daughters of Sion to whom Christ is elect and precious and through him their Conversations may be brought up into heavenly Things and their Minds and Affections to be set on Things above So Friends all these Things consider of in the Life which was before Death was in the Truth which the Devil is out of in the Wisdom of God which is Pure from above and in the Righteousness which was before Vnrighteousness was that God may be glorified throughout all your Families who is blessed for ever G. F. AND Friends Epist 278. See that all Apprentices that are bound amongst you may serve out their times faithfully according to Covenant that all may know their Places Apprentices faithfully to serve out their Times for Youth if they be let loose are like wild Asses and wild Heisers and such many times bring a great dishonour to God by running into Loosness which are more fit to be under Rule and Order than to Rule and thro' a foolish Pity of some they let up a great deal of Airiness and Wildness in them All which should be kept under by the Power of God wherein the Honour of the Lord may be preserved and so that Liberty may not be given to Youth in those Cases for the true Liberty is in Christ Jesus which gives Authority over that which will dishonour God for many such things hath spoiled several in letting unbridled Youth at Liberty in taking the Reins to themselves and brought Trouble upon their Parents Masters and Mistresses and
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
Spirit you may be led into all Truth up to God and Christ from him who is out of the Truth Amen saith my Soul G. F. DEar Friends every where Epist 289. be faithful to God who hath been faithful and true to you therefore be you true to God and faithful Witnesses to him To be faithful Witnesses of Christ in time of Persecution and to Christ Jesus that now ye may all have Riches and Treasure laid up in store against a time of want storms and tempests that you amy stand for if you do not stand now you are as bad as such Professors who stood only when the Sun shined and crept out when it was fine and fair Weather but when a Storm or Tempest came then they ran creeping into their Holes and Corners and sculked into by-corners and fled by bace-doors who were ashamed or their Religion and what they Professed but when the Sun did shine then they showed their Enmity to the Righteous And therefore be you of the Faith of Dvid and of his Spirit who said I was Young and now am old I never saw the Righteous for saken nor his Seed begging Bread and the Lord to encourage his People saith In all their Af-flicions he was Afflicted and the Angel of his Presence saved them and Christ tells you It 's he that Suffers and is Persecuted when his Children are persecuted And so it 's for the Lord's sake that the JusT suffer by the Unjust and you read how such as suffer the spoiling of their Goods and Scoffing and Mocking yet they were not to forsake the Assembling themselves together as the manner of some was for they that suffer with Christ shall reign with him for the Lord may try you who hath blessed you with outward things whether your minds do stand with him or in the outward things G. F. DEar Friends Epist 290. Live in Love for that is of God and doth edifie the Body of Christ and keep in the Truth of God which the Devil is out of To live in Love and Peace with God and one with another and walk in Righteousness and then you will walk in Peace with God and one with another and walk in Holiness for that becomes the House of God and in Holiness you will see the Holy God among you And so that you may keep the Vnity in the Spirit which is the Bond of Peace and dwell in Love one with another for all Eyes in upon you and some watches for Evil but do you answer the Good in all in your Words and Lives This is the Counsel of the Lord God to you all and that you may be the Salt of the Earth and the Light of the World and as a City set on a Hill that cannot be hid so that all that do profess Christ and God may shew forth Christ and Godliness in Life and Word G. F. To all the Womens Meetings that are Belivers in the Truth FRiends Keep your Womens Meetings in the Power of God EpisT 291. which the Devil in out of and take your Possession of that which your are Heirs of and keep the Gospel-Order Man and Woman helps meet in the Image of God For Man and Woman were helps meet in the Image of God and in Righteousness and Holiness in the Dominion before they fell but after the Fall in the Transgression the Man was to rule over his Wife but in the Restauration by Christ into the Image of God and his Righteousness and Holiness again in that they are helps meet Man and Woman as they were in before the Fall Sarah obeyed Abraham and called him Lord. Abraham did also obey the Voice of his Wife Sarah in casting out the Bond-Woman and her Son Dorcas a Woman was a Disciple So there was a Woman Disciple as well as Men Disciples and mind the Women that accompanied her And Wo-men are to take up the Cross daily and follow Christ daily as well as the Men and so to be taught of him their Prophet and fed of him their Shepherd and councelled of him their Councellor and sanctified by him who offered up himself once for all And there were Elder Women in the Truth as well as Elder Men in the Truth and these Women are to be teachers of good thins so they have an Office as well as the Men for they have a Stewardship and must give an Account of their Stewardship to the Lord as well as the Men. Deborah was a Judge Examples of amny good Women Miriam and Huldah were Prophetesses old Annah was a Prophetess and a Preacher of Christ to all them that looked for Redemption in Jerusalem Mary Magdalen and the other Mary were the first Preachers of Christ's Resurrection to the Disciples and the Disciples could not believe their Message and Testimony that they had from Jesus as some now adays cannot but they received the Command and being sent preach'd it So is every Woman and Man to do that sees him risen and have the Command and Message Daughters shall Prophesie as well as Sons So they are to be obedient that has the Spirit poured upon them Women are to Prophesie and Prophesie is not to be quenched Them that has the Testimony of Jesus are commanded to keep it whether Men or Women Priscilla and Aquilla were both Exhorters and Expounders or Instructers to Apollos So in the Church there were Women Instructers and Prophetesses and Daughters Prophetesses in the Church for Philip had four Virgins that were Prophetesses and there were Women Disciples in the Church and Women Elders in the Church as well as Men. So Women are to keep in the FGovernment of Christ and to be Obeyers of Christ and Women are to keep the ComelyOrder of the Gospel as well as Men and to see that all that have received Christ Jesus that they walk in Christ Jesus and to see that all that has received the Gospel do walk in the Gospel the Power of God which they are Heirs of for this is a Day for all to keep their Possession in the Gospel-Order who be Heirs with Christ of the increase of whose Government there is no end So the Foundation of our Womens Meetings is Christ to all them that be Heirs of him and of his Government And the ground of our Order of the Womens Meetings is the Gospel the Power of God which was before the Devil was and all that be Heirs of the Gospel which hath brought Life and Immortality to Light in them which shines over him that hath darkned them and was before he was I say they are Heirs of the Comely Order of the Gospel and therefore I say take your Possessions of it and walk as becomes the Gospel and keep the Comely Order of it and in it keep your Meetings And here is the Ground and Foundation of our Womens Meetings Now Mothers of Families that has the ordering of Children Maids and Servants may do a great deal of Good
Service that they may be serviceable in their Generation and in the Creation and come into the Practice of the pure Religion which you have received from God from above that every one may know their Duty in it and their Service in the Power and Wisdom of God for now the Practick Part is called for People must not be alwayes talking and hearing but they must come into Obedience to the Great Power of the Great God of Heaven and Earth And so that none may stand out of the Vineyard idle and out of Service None to be idle in the Vineyard and out their Duty for such will talk and talle and judge with evil Thoughts of what they in the Vineyard say and do And therefore the Power of God must call all into their Duty into their Service into their Places into Vertue and Righteousness and into the Wisdom of God For all that be out of their Duty in their Service though they have the knowledge of it yet are not so serviceable in the Creation nor in their Generation for the Power of God must go over and is over all such by which Power all must be acted in which true Obedience is known And therefore train up your young Women to know their Duty in this thing the Elder women train up the Tounger Women c. that they may be in their Services and Places which they are to do in the Power and Wisdom of God by which you are kept open to the Lord to receive of his Gifts and Graces and of his Life through which you are to minister one to another And all keeping in it then there is none to lett or stop its flowing but through it you all are to be watered as a Garden of Plants by which they are nourished and so all be faithful and diligent in the Lord's Business and make all the sober Women professing Truth in the Country about you acquainted with this thing and when you have them together at the Monthly Meeting read this among them So no more but my Love G. F. DEar Friends Epist 297. Keep in the Power of the Lord for if you do lose that To keep in the Power of the Lord. you lose the Kingdom which stands in Power and Peace and Righteousness and Joy in the Holy Ghost for out of the Kingdom is Strife and no Peace and therefore keep in the Power and Life and Love which you did first receive that you all may be Heirs of the Kingdom and fit under your Teacher the Grace of God which will bring your Salvation that you may witness that you have a Teacher from God that doth bring your Salvation which Salvation is your Walls and Bulwarks that he may be glorified and ye may have your Comfort in your Salvation And keep your Mens and Womens Meetings both being Heirs of Life and of the gospel-Gospel-Order and of Christ and his Government though you may have some Opposers but this is a Day of possessing of Christ and his Government and of the Gospel-Order and therefore do not lose your Authority Men nor Women in the Gospel nor in Christ though some may slight it For the Foundation of our Mens and Womens-Meetings is Christ Jesus who bruiseth the Serpent's Head who is the Head of all false Orders and Foundations and the Gospel which is the Power of God which bringeth Life and Immortality to Light shines over him that did darken you which Power of God he is out of And therefore all in the Power and Spirit encourage both Men and Women in their Duty in the Order of the Gospel of Christ in whom you have Dominion and in him who changeth not My Love is to you all G. F. DEar Friends to whom is my Love in that which changeth not Epist 298. the Royal Seed that bruiseth the Serpent's Head in whom you have Life and Peace in that live and walk that you may bear Fruit to the Glory of God and answer that of God in every one And live in the Peace that passeth Knowledge and Understanding and in this troublesome time of Wars and Strife mind the Power or God and his Kingdom that standeth in Righteousness and Joy in the Holy Ghost that is over all and never will have an end and that will keep you over all these times of Trouble fresh in the Life and Power My Troubles have been great in the Service of the Lord and the Convincement of People is great in America and the Islands in those parts Blessed be the Lord God over all for ever Amen whose Power and Life and Truth is over all and he in his Power gave Dominion over all by Sea and by Land And People and Friends are well setled beyond the Sea and Meetings are precious beyond words So in haste my Love to all Friends in all those parts as tho' I named them and live in Love for that doth edifie you Bristol the 1st of the 6th Month 1673. G. F. To Friends at Jamaica FRiends We do hear that some professing Truth amongst you Epist 299. do not keep to your Meetings so diligently as they ought to do nor yet meet but few of you together on the First Days And the reason is That upon the First Days some of you write and make up your Accompts so as you cannot have time to go to and frequent the Meetings Truly Friends this is an ill Savour to come over here into England and shews that you mind your own Business more than the Lord's and the things of this Life more than the things that appertain to the Life that is without End which should be sought for first if you desire to be bless'd and to presper And if you do not you will grow loose and wither and not have the Blessing of God with you you cannot expect it And therefore you that go under the Name of the Friends of God and of Truth keep diligently your Meetings on the First Day together that the Lord's Power may stir among you for if you do not keep your Meetings upon the First Day of each Week you are worse than the World that meet in their Steeple-Houses or Places of Worship who prefer your own Business before the Lords The Lord I say will not in so doing prosper you in it And therefore I say once more in the Name of Christ Jesus keep your Meetings who are gathered in it And let there be Meetings on the Week Days and also Mens Meetings to see that nothing be lacking among you once in a Fornight and likewise a Womens Meeting though there be but a few For you that have seen the Order of Truth in England and other Places how can you go out of the Practice of it without growing wild and withering That so Men and Women in their distinct Places may be Helps meet in Government in the Seed of Life and in the Widom of God by which all things was made and in the
Power first to declare his Everlasting Gospel and then after People had received the Gospel I was moved to go through the Nation to advise them to set up the Mens Meetings and the Womens many of which were set up G. F. Advice effectual for the establishing good Order in the Church and I was moved to write to other Places for them to do the like that kept the Power And this was the End that all that had received the Gospel might be Possessors of it and of the Gospel-Order which is Heavenly and that all that had received Christ Jesus might so walk in him and possess his Government in the Church who are Members of him the heavenly Head and so Men and Women being Heirs of Christ they are Heirs of him and of his Government So that Men and Women may be both Possessors of this Government and Men and Women being Heirs of this Gospel might inherit it Then Men and Women are Heirs of the Order of the Gospel which is from Heaven and not by Man nor of Man which is an Everlasting Order which is from the Power of God for the Gospel is called the Everlasting Gospel So that all now in the Restoration by Christ Jesus into the Image of God may be helps meet in Holiness and Righteousness as Adam and Eve were in before they fell for in the Church of Christ where he is Head there is his Gospel and his Order and his Government there is his Power felt in every ones Heart and there is these Offices of Admonishing Rebuking Exhorting Reproving amongst them that are convinced and converted by them that are in the Power for there are several States So they that would not have People to be Admonished that goes under the Name of Truth and yet goes into Sin and Wickedness those are out of the Gospel-Order and Goverment of Christ Jesus and of a loose Mind themselves and would be up themselves and Lords But that Spirit is for Judgment for it is out of the Power of God and out of the Spirit in which is the Fellowship G. F. FRiends Epist 309. Seek the Peace of all Men which Peace is in Christ which is a Peace that the World cannot take away and blessed are the Peace-Makers To seek Peace that makes Peace among the Brethren and People these shall have a Blessing from the Lord the King of Peace but Wo be unto them that cause Strise and Offence And all walk in the Righteousness of Christ the Lord over your own Righteousness and do and act and speak in his Righteousness then you act and do and speak and walk in that in which you have Peace and then God will delight in you and you will be loved of him for he loveth the Righteous And let it be below any of God's People to raise an evil Report on his People Nat to receive false Reports or any others or to give both their Ears to any one's Report of his People or Matter till they have heard both Parties so that Righteousness and Truth and Judgment may be kept up and not fall And in your Men and Womens Meetings you are in and about the Lord's Business and not your own and therefore let the Lord be in your Eyes that all of you his Presence and Power and Wisdom and Judgment may receive to do and act and speak in And this keeps all in his Fear to be careful of their Words and Doings and keeps all Solid and Vertuous and Sober and then whatsoever is of a good Report and is Decent and Comely and whatsoever is Vertuous and tends to Vertue and is Lovely that to follow after and cherish And here your Eyes are kept open to see that nothing be lacking and that you stand in that which shall never fall in the Power and Spirit and Seed Christ who is the sure Foundation and the Rock of Ages G. F. FRiends In every thing give Thanks to the Lord Epist 310. for from him every good thing you do receive for the Apostle saith 1 Thess 5.18 In every thing give thanks To be Thankful for every good thing For this is the Will of God in Jesus Christ concerning you and they that do not obey this Doctrine do not do the Will of God in Christ Jesus And the Apostle saith Every Creature of God is good and nothing to be refased if it be received with thanksgiving c. 1 Tim. 4.4 And David saith At midnight I will rise to give thee thanks because of thy righteous Judgments Psalm 119.62 And David saith O give thanks unto the Lord for it is good because his Mercies endureth for ever Psal 118.1 So the Lord is worthy of all the Thanks and Praises through Jesus Christ who created all by Jesus Christ to his Glory and Honour for evermore G. F. For the Men and Womens Meetings in Barbadoes DEar Friends Let all things be done in Love Epist 311. and in the Spirit of Christ which is the Spirt of the Lamb that must have the Victory To keep in Love for Patience runneth the Race and hath the Crown And keep down rough Esau's Spirit for that will not let the Jew inward pass the King's High-way And therefore quench nothing that is good but keep in the Love of God that is shed in your Hearts and every one keep to your own Springs and at your own Breast and feel your own Bread in your own House from Heaven And strive not for Mastery but let Christ be the Master who is the Wisdom of God and your Wisdom and Righteousness and Sanctification and Justification And dwell in Humility and you to dwell in Humility and Love that will bear all things and that is not easily provoked and envieth not If your Love is not in this Love it is not the Love of God Though you may be convinced of the Truth but they are happy that do obey the Truth of what they are convinced and if they do not they will lose the Days of their Innocency and Simplicity And know the Birth that is Free-born which can give the Cheek to the Smiter for there is a Birth of the Mortal Seed and there is a Birth of the Immortal Seed by the Word of God that liveth and abideth for ever which latter hath a Habitation that is for ever And take heed Friends in laying open one anothers Weakness Not to expose the Weaknesses of one another but if any one has any thing to say let them speak to the Person concern'd and if they will not hear take two or three more before they are brought into Publick This is the Order of the Head Christ to his Body his Church And if any Report be upon any let them speak to the Parties that are concerned for the Report may be false And the Lord saith Thou shalt not raise a false Report upon my People So in this you will have a Care one of another for
round the Nation to advise to the setting up the Men and Womens Meetings and to write to those Places where I could not go That all the Faithful might keep their Meetings in the Power of God and in it be settled and established And that all Marriages might be laid before the Men and Womens Meetings who were in the Wisdom of God and in the Possession of his Gospel Order who had the Care of the Church of Christ's Business that they in the Wisdom of God might look into it and see that they were clear from all other Persons c. And therefore now that Pretence is generally taken away from all they cannot say now That they cannot tell where to find a Meeting of the Faithful to lay their Marriages before them before they declare it in the common Publick Meetings Now that the Men and Womens Meetings are settled in the Power of God to look after the Churches Affairs for all knows where they may be found at certain Days Times and Places to lay it before them And they that go together in the Truth and Power of God will be willing to lay their Marriages before them that be in the same Truth and Power of God So that all things may be done in Truth Love and Vnity and Pureness Clearness and Holiness to the Praise and Glory of God And all whosoever they be that oppose this good Order are loose Spirits out of the Power of God and their Work tends to Loosness and to draw into a loose Liberty under a deceitful Pretence of keeping People out of Forms So the same Power and Spirit that directed all Marriages to be laid before the Faithful at the first when there were but few Friends in many parts of the Nations and no Mens nor Womens Meetings I say the same Power of God that did convince Friends at the first the same Power and Spirit directed to the setting up the Mens and Womens Meetings that they might be in the Possession of the Gospel and its Order And the same Power and Spirit of God set up our Order for Marriages in our Mens and Womens Meetings All to seeck first to the Parents before they engage the Affection of the Child And that all are to speak first to their Parents and have their Consent before they engage the Affections of the Children and this Order is settled by the Power of God in the Men and Womens Meetings for some formerly did speak to neither Father nor Mother till they had drawn out and entangled the Affections of the Daughter and that brought great troubles and discontent upon the Parents and among Friends And therefore this is to be enquired into in the Men and Womens Meetings where their Marriages are to be spoken of So as Friends come to Truth which the Devil is out of and to the Power of God which was before the Devil was all being Heirs of Life and the Gospel and Heirs of Christ I say take your Possession of Life and come into the Order of Life and into the Order of the Gospel and then you will have a Witness in your selves and will say with me our Order is not of Man nor by Man but by Jesus Christ and his Gospel and of his Government the increase of which there is no end And so all be faithful keeping in your Possessions and in your Inheritance in that where no Apostacy can come For I must tell you here is the same Spirit stirring if it could prevail that would lay waste God's Heritage and bring you out of your Possessions that it might rule over you But if you keep your Possessions of the gospel-Gospel-Order the Power of God in Christ Jesus you will rule over it being in and upon the Foundation of God that stands sure thought some earthly loose Spirits it may draw after them But mark the end of it for the Power remains and will remain and the Seed reigns over the Head of all such false Spirits A Warning to Oppose rs and Orders and Governments that is not set up by Jesus Christ and it will grind them to pieces That is the Word of the Lord God to you let whoever will oppose it for the Power was before they were and will stand when they are gone For all our Men and Womens Meetings which are set up by the Power and Spirit of God these Meetings are for the Practise of Religion and to see that all that do profess Truth do practise it and walk in it And all such as are against them are begetters of People into talking and not walking and of Saying but not Doing and such always were Judged by all them that walk in the Truth and in the pure Religion that is undefiled before God that kept and keeps from the Spots of the World And all such are never like to prosper that are against the Practice of the pure Religion And therefore as I said before live in the Possession of the Gospel and its Order the Power of God which was before the Devil was or the Apostacy either and know his Government of the increase of which there is no End who is set up from Everlasting to Everlasting the Amen And live in Love and Vnity one with another for that edifies the Body of Christ and that is it which will bear all things and in the Patience run the Race and have the Crown and keep in the Meekness of the Lamb that will have the Victory And such Opposers as crys against Forms and Prescriptions and Edicts of Men they are the most in it themselves this Day and gathers into a Separation by Prescriptions and Subscriptions and under a Pretence of crying against such things oppose the Power and them that be in the Possession of it But the Power will blast them and make them to wither like the Grass and Corn on the House-top as it did John Parrot and his Company to whom it was the Word of the Lord then and so it is to these now and the Word lives and abides and endures for ever So with my Love in the Lord Jesus Christ to you all in whom is my Labour and Travel for your Eternal Good and Settlement upon the Eternal Rock Amen Farewell Let this be read in the Men and Womens Meetings when Friends are assembled together Swarthmore the 12th of the 12th Month 1675. G. F. ALL Dear Friends and Brethren Keep up your Testimony Epist 318. in the Light Power and Spirit of God for the Worship Friends to keep their Testimony against the Anti-Christian Ministry that Christ set up above Sixteen hundred Years since in the Spirit and Truth which Truth the Devil is out of who is an unclean Spirit which is a Worship that cannot be shaken And keep up your Testimony against the Anti-Christian Ministry that is inwardly ravened from the Spirit of God and the Light of Christ and his Anti-Christian Tythes and Maintenance which he hath set up by that
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
Wisdom and their Vertue and Zeal and their Faith as you may see in the 2d of Samuel and the 20th And what think you of Esther read her Book Faster a Nursing Mother and by her Interecssion saved the Nation of the Jews and see the Behaviour of this vertuous honourable Woman who by her Wisdom Faith and Vertue preserved her People Israel she was a Nursing-Mother to them as you may read in the Book of Esther who kept a Fast with her Maidens to the Lord and also desired Mordecai to keep a Fast in Shushan Esther 4.16 Now Awarning to Careless Women all you careless Women that are out of God's Service and think ye have no need to be in the Service and Work of the Lord hear the Word of the Lord what Isaiah says to such Arise up ye Women that are at ease hear my Voice ye careless Danghters give ear to my Speech Many days and years shall ye be troubled ye careless Women for the Vintage shall fall and the Gathering shall noit come Nor you cannot expect it in your Ease and Carelesness that neglect God's Voice and Speech and are not Diligent your heavenly Vintage will fall and of it ye will have little gathering Tremble ye Women that are at ease be troubled ye careless Ones strip ye make ye bare gird Sackcloth upon your Loins c. Isaiah 32. Therefore put off that careless Garment and shake off Sloath and put on diligence in the Service of God Now the Jews had their Assemblies of Mourning-women and therefore the Prophet calls for the Mourning-women and let them bewail says he when the Jews went into Transgression And this was because the Men and Women were not Diligent in his Service in the Power and Spirit of God which he had poured upon them And Jeremiah says Hear the Word of the Lord O ye Women and let your Ears receive the Word of his Mouth and teach your Daughters wailing and every one their Neighbours Lamentation Jer. 9.20 So here the Prophet exhorts the Women to hear the Word of God first and then to teach and exhort their Daughters and Neighbours yea Wailing and Lamentation And were they not and are they not to teach their Families and their Neighbours from the Word of the Lord both in the time of the Law and the Gospel to prevent Wailign and Lamentation And see in Ezekiel how he exhorted and what the Lord says there I will cause Leadness to cease out of the Land that all Women may be taught not to do after their Lewdness And then as they are obedient to this Teaching they will shun the Judgments that came upon the Jews which were compared to Women as in Ezek. 23. And the Assemblies of the Women did continue amongst the Jews till they went into Captivity And when Saul and David had made a great slaughter upon the Philistines A General Asembly of Women the Women came out of all the Cities of Israel mark out of all the Cities of Israel and surely this was a great Assembly of Women singing and dancing c. with Joy and with Instruments of Musick and the Women answered one another as they played and sung Praises unto God And Saul the King was not angry with the Women but at David because they ascribed so much Honour to him for they were Partakers of the Salvation of the Lord and of the Deliverance as well as the Men 1 Sam. 18.6 And so they are Partakers in the Gospel of the Deliverance over the Devil the grand Enemy of Mankind and are exhorted to praise the Lord and to make Melody in their Hearts to the Lord for their Salvation and Deliverance by Christ in the time of the Gospel as well as the Men 1 Sam. 18. And in 2 Chron. 25. there Jeremiah lamented for Josiah and all the Singing Men and Singing-Women spoke of Josiah in their Lamentation So here was not only Singing-Men but Singing-Women which did not only Sing but Lament for this good Man Josiah And in the days of Ezra after the Jews returned from their Captivity to their Land there were Two Hundred Singing-Men and Singign-Women uEzra 2. And in Neh. 7. Women assistants to the Men in the Worship of God under the Law where the Priest stood up with Vrim and Thummim that is Light and Perfection they had Two Hundred and Forty Five Singing-Men and Singing-Women So these were incouraged by the Priests according to David and Solomon's Order and these were besides the Assemblies of the Women about Works and Services in the Holy Things for these sung Praises to God And in Zeph. 3. he saith Sing ye Daughters of Zion shout and rejoyce with all thy Heart ye Daughters of Jerusalem the Lord hath taken away thy Judgment c. the Lord is in the midst of thee thou shalt see Evil no more And in Zach. 2. he encourageth them to Sing and Rejoyce Oh Daughter of Zion for lo I come and I will dwell in the migst of thee saith the Lord. So here is great cause for the Daghter of Zion to rejoyce and who shall stop her Mouth And in Luke 1. you may see how the Angel of the Lord appeared unto Mary the Mother of Jesus and what he said to her and what a Noble Veruous Mind was in her and she said unto the Angel Behold the Handmaid of the Lord be it unto me according to thy Word so her Belief was beyond Zachariah's the Priest And when Mary came unto Elizabeth what a Meeting and Salu. Mary the Mother of our Lord and her Cousin Elizabeth's Meeting c. tation wat there and how she was filled with the Holy Ghost and the Babe leaped in her Womb and she praised the Lord God and called her the Mother of her Lord. Read from the 40th to the 57th verse and see how she extols the Lord and magnifies Christ Jesus for here was a Heavenly Meeting of these two which is chronicled to Ages So you may see her Belief was above Zachariah's the Priest So Mary and Elizabeth were notable Preachers of Christ Jesus And you may see in Luk. 2.7 how Mary wrapped Christ in Swadling-Cloaths and how tender she was of the Heavenly Birth conceived by the Holy Ghost And so must all true and tender Christians that receive him in the Spirit and how she kept all the Sayings that were spoken of Christ and pondered them in her Heart ver 19. And so should every true Christian And there was Anna a Prophetess Annah spoke of Christ in the Temple which was Eighty Four Years old who departed not from the Temple but served God with Fasting and Prayer Night and Day and she gave thanks unto the Lord and spoke of Christ unto all that looked for Redemption in Israel she spoke of Christ Here was a notable old Woman of Eighty Four Years of Age a Preacher and Declarer of Christ And you do not read that ever any despised her or said it
Springs and Fruitful and all that lives under God's Teaching knows it So serve God in the Spirit and in the newness of Life which is over the old that the Lord God's Presence may be felt amongst you and his Son a Prophet to open to you and a Priest to sanctifie you a Bishop to oversee you and a Shepherd to feed you the Rock of your Age and Ages the Foundation of your Generation and many Generations and who are in him who was elected before the Foundation of the World they build upon him who is the First and the Last the Beginning and Ending in him you have all Life and Salvation who is the Amen And my desire is To Incourage the Faithful Women in the Service of God that you may in the Power of God encourage all the Faithful Women in your Island in the Work and Service of God and now you have Six Mens Meetings if you had as many Womens Meetings it would include all the faithful Women in all the Corners of your Island and some of your ancient faithful Women to go from Meeting to Meeting till they are settled in the Power of God and that will keep all alive in the Lord's working Power and living Life And all that are not Faithful let them be admonished to Faithfulness that so they may come into the Light and Life and Service of God and Christ for all the Wise-hearted and Faithful Women in the time of the Law were to work about the Tabernacle of God and the Holy Things And they were called the Assemblies of the Women And all the Women in the time of the Law was to offer Sacrifices upon God's Altar as well as the Men. And now in the time of the Gospel which hath brought Life and Immortality to Light God doth pour out of his Spirit upon all Flesh and therefore live in the Gospel and its Order and all true Christians Men and Women doth offer their Spiritual Sacrifices to God who is a Spirit And therefore my Friends be valiant for God's Truth upon the Earth dwell in Love that will bear all things and let there be an Order entered in your Books To avoid provoking Words that there be no provoking Words spoken in your Meetings but if any have any thing to say let them speak to them in love privately And when ye have settled your Six Womens Meetings then you may have a Six Weeks or a Monthly as well as a Quarterly Meeting as you may see meet And so that all your Wells of Life may be kept open and every one have a fresh Spring springing up in you so that in every one of you the living Water of Life may flow so that ye all may be refreshed with the Fountain of Life and feel Christ a Bishop to oversee and a Counsellor to counsel and a King to rule in your Hearts and a Prophet to open and a Shepherd to feed you with his heavenly Food And so see that nothing be lacking among you To follow whatsoever is of good Report both inward and outward and whatsoever is decent comely modest vertuous righteous and of good report follow after and be stedfast upon Christ the Rock and Foundation And whatever you do let it be done in the Name of Jesus that is in his Power and mind the Gospel of Peace and its Ordr which hath brought Life and Immortality to Light that you may be preserved in Life and in Immortality by the Immortal Power And all to be Children of the Wisdom that is from above which is pure and peaceable and easie to be entreated keeping the Vnity in God's Holy Spirit in which is the Bond of the Prince of Princes Peace in whom you have all Peace Life and Salvation I received your Letter from your Quarterly Meeting and I am glad taht you are in the Lord's Work and Service And my desire is That ye all may stand up for the Glory and Honour of the Lord God and that his Blessings may abound among you And so if you do Write to New-England and Jamaica where I hear they have precious Men and Womens Meetings it might do well to encourage one another in the Work and Service of God So that the Women may all be helps meet to the Men in the Restoration in the Image of God as Man and Woman was in before they fell So with my Love in the Seed of Life to all Friends in the Island Swarthmore in Lancashire the 25th of the 8th Month 1676. G. F. To Friends in the Isle of Man MY Dear Friends be valiant for God's Truth upon the Earth Epist 334. and and live in the Light and Power and Spirit of God that you answer that of God in all by which their Minds may be turned to God And keep your Meetings in the Name of Jesus To keep your Meetings in the Name of Jesus in whom you have Salvation whose Name is above every Name under the whole Heaven that the Lord's Glory you may see to shine in and about your Tabernacles and his Presence among you to teach and order you and be you obedient to it So with my Love to you all in the Everlasting Seed that bruiseth the Head of the Serpent which Seed liveth and reigneth over all from Everlasting to Everlasting in his Glory in whom the Saints do sit down in their Peace and Rest and Joy for evermore Amen Swarthmore the 5th Month 1676. G. F. To Friends in Virginia and Maryland MY Dear Friends Epist 335. all dwell in the Love of God and in his Power and Truth that the Presence of the Lord God you all may injoy who is the Life of you all and the length of your Days who hath the Breath of all Mankind and the Spirits of all Flesh in his Hand and in him you do all live and move and have your being who is your Rock and Salvation and Fountain of Life and of all your Mercies and of your Water of Life And therefore serve and honour and fear and worship him in his Spirit and Truth and that you all may abide in the holy heavenly and spiritual Vine and in him bring forth heavenly and spiritual Fruits to the Glory of God who sent his Son to be a Leader Christ the Leader and Way to God and the Way to God who draweth all Men up to himself where he is ascended to sit together in Heavenly Places in Christ Jesus out of all Sin and Transgression by which Man was droven from God that made him barren and unfruitful And therefore be ye separated from the World to the Lord by the Word which was in the Beginning which divideth the Precious from the Vile that by that Word ye may be reconciled to God which Word reconcileth all things in Heaven and in the Earth in one which Word hammereth down that which made twain and so by the glorious Everlasting Word of Life you are born again of the Immortal
this Immortal Word and so are of an Incorruptible Generation which is above the Corruptible and here is the hidden Man of the Heart that is Incorruptible known that hath an Everlasting Fellowship and hath an Incorruptible Crown and is an Heir of an Incorruptible Kingdom And now the God of this World and his Followers that abode not in the Truth in whom there is no Truth cannot endure to hear talk of the Order of Truth which is in the Light and Life and in the Gospel and in the Wisdom of the God of Truth For the World is full of Disorder and Confusion but the Living Eternal Immortal God of Truth is a God of Order and not of Confusion who hath sent his Son to destroy the Devil and his Works Blessings and Praises with all Glory and Thanks be unto him who hath all Power Might Majesty and Dominion now henceforth and for ever Amen G. F. DEar Friends Epist 357. All live the Life of the true Christians and not the Life of old Adam that went from God's Command and Voice nor like the Jews To live the Life of Christianity and such as have got the Name of Christians that say There is no hearing of God and Christ's Voice now which are out of the Life Power and Spirit Grace and Truth and Image of God that the true Christians were in and Adam and Eve before they fell so that none can live the Life of the true Christians and the holy Prophets and Apostles except they are in the same Power and Spirit Grace and Truth and Faith and Image that they were in which is a Life above the World and its God in whom there is no Truth no Life Light nor Power of the Living God abiding in them And therefore before any can live the Life of the Saints they must bow to the Name of Jesus their Saviour in his Light Grace and Truth and Power and Spirit which cometh from him who submitted himself to the shamesul Death of the Cross and destroyed Death and his Power who had no Sin nor Guile in his Mouth and is risen again for our Justification and so hath tasted Death for every Man and given himself a Ransom for all that all should now bow at his Name Jesus a Saviour and so to his Power and Authority bow who hath all Power in Heaven and Earth given to him So all Men have bowed under Death and Sin by Transgression Christ submitted to the Cross and Death for us And Christ hath submitted to the Cross and Death for them and hath born their Stripes for Sin and Iniquity who had no Sin neither knew any to bring us out of Death and Sin Therefore every one must bow at the Name of Jesus as before whatsoever they do in Word or Deed it must be done in the Name of Jesus and before that they can confess to Jesus Christ to the Glory of God the Father they must all bow at the Name of Jesus and bow to his Grace and Truth Light Spirit and Power that cometh by Jesus which they know Him the Fountain the Rock and Foundation to build upon who brings out of Death and Darkness into Light and Life and a Kingdom and a World that is Everlasting and there to have Food and Cloathing that is Everlasting G. F. DEar Friends With my Love to you in the holy Peaceable Truth that never changes nor admits of no Evil Epist 358. but makes all free that receive it and tht walk in it To live in Truth which admits of no Evil. and is over all the Clouds without Rain and Wells without Water and Trees without Fruit And from the Truth floweth Justice Equity Righteousness and Godliness Mercy and Tenderness that brings a Man's Heart Mind Soul and Spirit to the Infinite and Incomprehensible God and from it a Love flows to all the Univerfal Creation and would have all to come to the Knowledge of the Truth and it bends every one to their utmost Ability to serve God and his Truth and to spread it abroad and it brings their Minds out of the Earth which makes them brittle and changeable and uncertain for it doth not change neither doth it touch with that which does change As to Vnity It makes all like it self that do obey it Vniversal to live out of narrowness and self and deny it So it brings all into Oneness and answereth the good Principle of God in all People and brings into Humility and the Fear of the Lord which is the beginning of his Wisdom and it brings all to have a care of God's Glory and his Honour and watches over all the Professors of it for their good to keep within its bounds and walk within its order which he that is out of Truth leads into all disorder in whom there is no Truth and the Truth makes all its Children free from him and in it to reign over him Thanks Glory and Honour to the Lord God of Truth over all for ever Amen The Lord who is the God of all Peace and Order The Lord is the Protect or of his People alone Protects and Preserves his People with his Eternal Power for the Devil's Power is not Eternal it had a beginning and must have an ending for the Eternal Power limits that Devourer and Destroyer And therefore Friends Patience must be exercised in the Truth and keep to the Word of Patience which Word was before the World was and abides and endures for ever and it will keep Friends over and out of all the Snares of the World and its Temptations So with my Love in the Seed of Life that reigns over all and in it the Lord God Almighty preserve and keep you all to his Glory Amen G. F. An Epistle to be read amongst Friends FRiends You that are Believers in the Light Epist 359. which is the Life in Christ To Gather in the Name of Jesus and are grasted into him who is ascended far above all Principalities Power Thrones and Dominions by whom all things were made and created all the Children in the New Covenant do Gather together in the Name of Christ Jesus whose Name is above every Name under the whole Heaven and in whose Name they have Salvation and not by any other Name under the whole Heaven And at this Name must every Knee bow and every Tongue confess Christ Jesus to the Glory of God the Father and they that have bowed their knee to the Name of Jesus and do confess him to the Glory of God the Father cannot Gather in any other Name under Heaven below the Name of Jesus but Gather in the Name of Jesus which is above every Name under Heaven in whom they have Salvation and so cannot not Gather in any Name below Christ for they do know that they have not any Salvation in whatsoever Name that they do Gather together in below the Name of Jesus And being gathered in the Name of Jesus he
Stripes we are healed Did not he suffer the Contradictio of Sinners who died for Sinners and went into the Grave for Sinners and died for the Ungodly yea tasted Death for every Man who through Death destroyed Death and the Devil the Power of Death and is risen For Death and the Grave could not hold him nor the Powers and Principalities Death could not hold Christ in the Grave with all their Guards and Watches could not hold him within the Grave but he is risen and is ascended far above all Principalities Powers Thrones and Dominions and is set down at the Right Hand of God and remaineth in the Heavens till all things be restored And he is restorign with his Light Grace Truth Power Spirit Faith Gospel and Word of Life so that you read of some that came to sit together in Heavenly Places in Christ Jesus And therefore all must bow at the Name of Jesus their Saviou in his Light Grace Truth Power Spirit and Gospel for he hath bowed for you if you rise with him and you must suffer with him if you will reign with him and die with him if you will live with him And all that are dead and buried with Christ and are risen with him they will seek those things that come down from above where Christ sits at the Right Hand of God and there you will seek those things which come down from above and not things which are below For those which seek those things that are below are the Talkers of God and Christ and the Prophets and Apostles words but they are not dead with Christ nor risen with him and therefore they do not seek those things that come down from Heaven where Christ sits at the Right Hand of God But they are them that seek the things that are above To seck those things which are above that are dead with Christ and risen with him they I say do seek those things which come down from Heaven where Christ sits at the Right Hand of God and they have not only sought them but have found them and received them and come to sit together in Heavenly Places in Christ Jesus a safe established and heavenly sitting in the heavenly Rest and Habitation in Christ Jesus who is the First and Last and over all from Everlasting to Everlasting Blessings and Praises over all be to the Lord God through him for ever Amen God is a God of Order The Eternal Living God of Truth he is a God of Order and is not the Author of Confusion but of Peace in all the Chruches of the Saints Now the Author of Confusion and not of Peace is the God of the World who abode not in the Truth because there is no Truth in him and when he speaks a Lie he speaks of his own for he is a Liar and the Father of it Now the Jews which did the God of the World's Lusts and them called Christians that do were in Strife Confusion and Disorder For the Jews they went out of the Order of Aaron and oses going from the Spirit of God poured out upon the House of Israel and so went from the Lord and his Law into Confusion and Disorder which the living God of Truth was not the Author of Also the Christians who go from te Light Grace Truth Power Spirit Gospel and Faith which Christ Jesus is the Author of they go from Christ and his Order who was not madee a Priest after the Order of Aaron but after the Order of Melchizedeck who was without beginning of Days or end of Life an Everlasting Order And such go into Strife and Confusion that go from Christ which Christ and God is not the Author of but the World's God who got into Man and Woman by Transgression and Disobedience of the Command of God who is the Author of Confusion Strife and Disorder in whom there is no Truth For what Order can there be in the World's God and amongst his Subjects in whom there is no Truth For in whom there is no Truth there is no true Order and they that abide not in the Truth Grace Light Spirit Gospel Faith and Word of Life they abide not in the Order of God and Christ And such will cry against the Order of the Truth Light Grace Spirit Gospel Faith and Word of Life which bring into the Order of Christ and the Order of the Living Eternal God of Truth who is a God of Order and delights in Order having Pleasure in them that live in his Sprit and Law of Life and the Gospel and its Order For Blessed is the Man that delights in the Law or Order of God it was so under the Old Covenant Much more Blessed is the Man or Woman that delights in the Law and Order of Love and the Law and Order of Faith and the Law and Order of Life and of the Gospel the Power of God And none keep the Law of Faith but who keep in the Faith which Christ is the Author of which wourks by Love And none keep the Law of Life but who keep in the Law of the Spirit and walk in it which is in Christ Jesus the heavenly and spiritual Second Andam who was before old Adam who under the World's God out of Truth in whom there is no Truth nor true Order but Confusion and Disorder And therefore all who come to God who is a God of Order must come bythe Grace Truth Light Power Gospel Faith and Anoitnting the Word of Life within and such come to love the Lord Jesus Christ and to delight in God and Christ's Order So you may see that God is a God of Order who called Aaron and Moses and they had an Order from God And Melchizedeck had an Order and Christ is after his Everlasting Order Christ'r Kingdom is Everlasting And Christ the Truth hath an Everlasting Kingdom that stands in Everlasing Righteousness and Power and Joy in the Holy Ghost yea an estableshed Kingdom that will never have an end and cannot be broken and no imperfect defiled nor corruptible thind enters into is And all Christ Jesus's Subjects of his Everlasting Kingdom that see it and enter into it are born again not of the Will of Man but of an Incorruptible Seed by the Word of God and have the Incorruptible Milk of the Word of God by which the grow from Babes to Men of God and have the Fine Linnen the Incorruptible Cloathing the Righteousness of Christ which is the Linnen which they do wear in Christs Kingdom So all Christ's Subjects of his Kingdom are known by their Birth and Cloathing and live in the Order of hiw Gospel of Love Lifew Light Grace and Truth and no Man comes into his Kingdom and Order but by the Light Grace Truth Faith Power and Spirit and Anointing and Word of Life within through which they know Christ and his Everlasting Kingdom that stands in Power and Righteousness and Joy in the Holy Ghost
believe in it How can they receive the Order of the Gospel of Christ the hevenly Man from whence the Gospel comes or to receive him to reign in their Hearts when they will not receive his Gospel the Power of God to Salvation in their Hearts And again How can they receive his People or believe his People that are in the Order of the Gospel of Christ and hath received it and him in their Hearts who disobeys it and will not receive it in their own Hearts Such are not like to come into the Order of the Gospel that disobey it Such will disobey Christ and will not regard his People in whom he reigns who walk in the Order of his Gospel the Power of God unto Salvation Now it 's Christ the Second Adam that lighteth every Man that cometh into the World with the Light which is the Life in himself and every one that believeth in the Light and becomes Children of the Light and walks in it they walk in Unity and Fellowship and in the Order of the Light and Government of Christ in such Christ doth reign And all them that hate this Light and will not come to it nor believe in it they are condemned by it Now The Grace of God hath appeared unto all Men. The Grace of God that brings Salvation hath appeared unto all Men and all Men that receives this Grace and Truth that is come by Jesus they receive Christ from whence it comes in their Hearts to be their Teacher and their Salvation and so comes into Christ's Government and Order in the Truth and into the Covenant of Grace And they that hate the Truth and turn from the Grace mto Wantonness and walk despitefully against the Spirit of Grace they turn against Christ his Order and Government and his Power also And God pouring out if his Spirit upon all Flesh All that are led by the Spirit of God and Christ are the Sons of God and such are obeyers of Christ's Spiritual Order and Government And they that quench the Spirit of God and rebels against it rebels against Christ's Order and Government and Him in his People and their Spiritual Fellowship and the Gospel of Salvation being preached to every Creature under Heaven which Gospel is the Power of God Every Creature under Heaven must receive this Gospel in their Hearts if they receive Christ and his Government and his Order of the Gospel and him to rule in their Hearts And all you that have received it have received the Comfort of it and those that disobey and rebel against the Gospel the Power of God such disobeys and rebels against God and Christ and his Government and his People which are in the Order of the Gospel the Power of God And as it is said Christ is in you except you be Reprobates and all that receives Christ in them it is by his Light which is the Life in him and the Grace and Truth that comes by Jesus and the Faith that he is the Author of and his Spirit and Gospel This they must receive in their Hearts if they receive Christ in them And Christ said to his Disciples and Followers That He would send them the Spirit of Truth the Comforter which should proceed from the Father and the Son which should lead them into all Truth and be should reprove the World of Sin Righteousness and Judgment So that which leads the Believers and Diseiples of Christ into all Truth and is their Comforter is the Reprover of the World of their Sin Righteousness and Judgment So here is that which is the World's Reprover is the Saints Comforter and Leader into all Truth and so into all true Fellowship and true Liberty And this Holy Spirit and Comforter does not proceed from old Adam nor any of his Followers but from the Father and the Son And so every one is to have Oil in your own Lamps from the heavenly Olive-Tree To have Oil in our own Lamp from Christ the Olive-Tree that your Lamps may burn always both Night and Day in your Tabernacles looking to your High-Priest who will feed your Lamps with heavenly Oil. And every one have heavenly Salt in your selves to favour withal what is Earthly and what is Heavenly and what is from Below and what is from Above and what is out of the Truth and what is in the Truth And that every one may keep their own Vine in their own Garden Vine and their own Lilly in their own Field or Orchard which Lilly doth exceed Solomon in all his Glory And every one have the Word of Faith in their Hearts and Mouths to obey and do which will Sanctifie and make you Holy and Reconcile you to God And every one have the Anointing or Vnction within you Anointing which you have from the Father or Holy One so that in it you may continue in the Father and in the Son And every one continue in the Grace of God Grace which will teach you how to live and what to deny adn will bring your Salvation and establish you upon Christ the Rock and Foundation from whence the Grace does come And every one abide in the holy divine and precious Faith Precious Faith which you do hold in a pure Conscience by which Faith you do live and have Victory over that which displeaseth God And in this Faith you do please God which Jesus Christ the Lord from Heaven is the Author and Finisher of And every one that hath digged deep Pearl and found the Pearl of great Price and hath sold all and purchased the Field then the Field and Pearl is your own Such do know a thorow Redemption And all you Believers in the Light which is the Life in Christ that are become the Children of Light walk in the Light and in Christ as you have received him And every one mind the heavenly Leaven Leaven that will leaven you into a new Lump And every one keep the Feast of Christ our Passover Passover with his heavenly unleavened Bread in Sincerity and Truth And every one mind the Light that God hath commanded to shine out of Darkness and hath shined into your Hearts to give you the Light of the Knowledge of the Glory of God in the Face of Jesus Christ your Saviour that the excellency of the Power may be of God and not of your selves In this you are sensible of his heavenly Treasure in your earthly Vessels and every one have Water in your own Wells and Cisterns and heavenly Fruit on your Trees which God hath planted Nebuchadnezzar though his Greatness reached to Heaven Nebuchaadnezzar bumbled as a Tree yet he was to be hewn down until he knew that the Most High ruleth in the Kingdoms of Men And the God of Heaven shall set up a Kingdom which shall never be destroyed and the Kingdom shall not be left to other People Dan. 2.44 And the Stone that smote the Image