peace and order's sake; and that the spirits of the world be not moved against you. But when the meeting is done, then if any be moved to speak to them, between you and them, one or two of you, that feel it in the life, do it in the love and wisdom that is pure and gentle from above: for the love is that which doth edify, and bears all things, and suffers long, and doth fulfill the law. So in this ye have order and edification, ye have wisdom to preserve you all wise and in patience; which takes away the occasion of stumbling the weak, and the occasion of the spirits of the world to get up: but in the royal seed, the heavy stone, ye keep down all that is wrong; and by it answer that of God in all, and keep down the bad. For ye will hear, see and feel the power of God preaching, as your faith is all in it, (when ye do not hear words,) to bind, to chain, to limit, to frustrate; that nothing shall rise, nor come forth, but what is in the power: for with that ye will hold back, and with that ye will let up, and open every spring, plant and spark; in which will be your joy and refreshment (as I said before) in the power of God. For now ye that know the power of God, and are come to it, which is the cross of Christ, that crucifies you to the state that Adam and Eve were in in the fall, and so to the world; by this power of God ye come to see the state that Adam and Eve were in before they fell; which power of God is the cross, in which stands the everlasting glory; which brings up into the righteousness, holiness and image of God, and crucifies to the unrighteousness, unholiness and image of Satan, that Adam and Eve, and their sons and daughters be in in the fall. Through this power of God ye come to see the state they were in before they fell; yea, I say, and to an higher state, to the seed Christ, the second Adam, by whom all things were made. For man hath been driven from God: all Adam's and Eve's sons and daughters, being in the state of the fall, in the earth, are driven from God. But it is said, The church is in God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ: so who come to the church, which is in God the Father of Christ, they must come to God again; and so out of the state that Adam and Eve, and his children be in, in the fall, out of the image of God, out of the righteousness and holiness: and they must come into the righteousness, into the true holiness, and into the image of God; and so out of the earth, whither man hath been driven; when they come to the church, which is in God. And the way to this is Christ, the light, the life, the truth, the Saviour, the Redeemer, the sanctifier and the justifier; in and through whose power, light and life, who is the

way to God, conversion, regeneration and translation is known from death to life, from darkness to light, and from the power of Satan to God again. These are members of the true church, who know the work of regeneration in the operation and feeling of it; and being come to be members of the church in God, they are indeed members one of another in the power of God, which was before the power of darkness was. So they that come to the church, that is in God and Christ, they must come out of the state that Adam was in in the fall, driven from God; to know the state that he was in before he fell. But they that live in the state that Adam was in in the fall, and cannot believe a possibility of coming into the state he was in before he fell, come not to the church, which is in God; but are far off from that, and are not passed from death to life; but are enemies to the cross of Christ (which is the power of God.) For they mind earthly things, and serve not Christ, nor love the power, which should bring them up to the state that Adam was in before he fell; and crucify them to the state that man is in in the fall; that through this power they might see to the beginning, the power that man was in before the heavenly image, and holiness and righteousness was lost: by which power they might come up to know the seed, Christ, which brings out of the old things, and makes all things new, in which life eternal is felt. For all the poorness, emptiness and barrenness is in the state that man is in in the fall, out of God's power; by which power he is made rich again, and in which power he hath strength again; which power is the cross, in which the mystery of the fellowship stands: and in which is the true glorying, which crucifies to all other gloryings. And friends, though ye may have been convinced, and have tasted of the power, and felt the light; yet afterwards ye may feel a winter storm, tempest and hail, frost and cold, and temptation in the wilderness. Be patient and still in the power, and in the light, that doth convince you, to keep your minds to God; in that be quiet, that ye may come to the summer; that your flight be not in the winter. For if ye sit still in the patience, which overcomes in the power of God, there will be no flying. The husbandman, after he hath sowed his seed, is patient. And ye by the power being kept in the patience, will come by the light to see through, and feel over winter storms and tempests, and all the coldness, barrenness and emptiness and the same light and power will go over the tempter's head; which power and light was before he was. So in the light standing still, ye will see your salvation, ye will see the

Lord's strength, ye will feel the small rain, ye will feel the fresh springs, your minds being kept low in the power and light for that which is out of the power, lifts up. But in the power and light ye will feel God, revealing his secrets, inspiring your minds, and his gifts coming in unto you through which your hearts will be filled with God's love, and praises to him that lives for evermore: for in his light and power his blessing is received. So in that, the eternal power of the Lord Jesus Christ preserve and keep you! And live every one in the power of God, that ye may all come to be heirs of that, and know that to be your portion; even the kingdom, that hath no end, and the endless life, which the seed is heir of. So feel that over all set, which hath the promise and blessing of God for ever.'

G. F.

About this time I received some lines from a high-flown professor, concerning the way of Christ; to which I returned the following answer.

"Friend,

It is not circumstances we contend about, but the way of Christ and his light, which are but one; though the world hath imagined many ways, and all out of the light; which by the light are condemned. He who preached this light, said, "He that knoweth God, heareth us; he that is not of God, heareth not us: hereby know we the spirit of truth, and the spirit of error." And it is the same now, with them that know the truth; though the whole world lies in wickedness. And all the dispensations and differences, that are not one in the light, we deny; and by the light, that was before separation, do we see them to be self-separations in the sensual, having not the spirit. Their fruits and end is weighed in the even balance, and found to be in the dark, the lo-here, and lo-there thou tellest of: and the presence of Christ is not with them, though the blind see it not; who see not with the pure eye, which is single; but with the many eyes, which lead into the many ways. Nor are any the people of God, but who are bap tized into this principle of light; which all the faithful servants of the Lord were ever guided by in all ages, since the apostacy, and before. For the apostacy was from the light, and is from the light; and all that oppose the light are the apostates: who contest against the truth, are enemies to it, and are not acted by the spirit; but have another way than the light. All such are in the world, and its

words, fashions and customs, though of several forms, as to their worship; yet all under the god of this world, opposing the light and appearance of Christ, which should lead out from under his power, of what form soever they are: yet are they all joined against the light. And all these are of the world; and fighting against them who are not of the world, but are gathered and gathering out of the world and so it ever was against the people of God, under what name soever. They only are saints by calling, who are called into the light; and sons of Sion, which vary not from the light, to which the spirit is promised, which is not tied to any forms out of the light; wherein all inherit who are co-heirs with Christ; which many talk of, who inherit the earthly instead of the heavenly. And whereas thou speakest of Christ and his apostles cloathing themselves with the sayings and words of the prophets; and of their being your example in so doing; I say, wolves will take the sheeps' cloathing; but the light and life finds them out, and judges (not by their stolen words, but) by their works. Nor did Christ cover himself with any words, but what were fulfilled in him; neither do any of Christ's boast in other men's lines made ready without them: to which rule if ye be obedient, fewer words and more life will be seen among you. Then ye will not count it straitness to silence the flesh, and hear what he saith, who speaks peace, that his people turn no more to folly. And if ye once know that what is stolen must be restored fourfold, the mouth of the false prophet will be stopped, which builds up in deceit, but not in righteousness. And whereas thou sayest, The spirit of truth affords nothing but endless varieties; I say, the spirit of truth thou knowest not for the spirit of truth said, there is but one thing needful; and to speak the same thing again, is safe for the hearers. But that spirit, which affords nothing but endless varieties, is not the spirit of truth; but is gone out into curious notions and the number of his names and colours is read no where, but in the unity of the spirit of truth. All others call truth deceit, and deceit truth, as the blind, that opposed the light, ever did; who are ever learning endless varieties, but never able to come to the knowledge of the truth, nor to an end of their labours: but when they are out in one form, get into another; so long as they can find a green tree without. And thus ye are kept at work all your life, and to the grave in sorrow, as the dumb priests (thou tellest of) have been before you: only ye have got a finer image, but less life. And thou, whose teaching hath no end, art in the horse-mill thou speakest of. I have read

if

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the epistles to Timothy, and to the Hebrews; and there I find the duty of all believers is, to see to the law of the new covenant written in the heart, whereby all may know God, from the least to the greatest. I know the holy scriptures are profitable for the man of God; but what is that to the man of sin, to the first-born, who is out of the light, and being unstable and unlearned, wrest them to their own destruction; but to the life cannot come? And for your two ordinances thou speakest of, I say, upon the same account ye deny the priests of the world therein, upon the same we deny you; being both of you not only out of the life, but out of the form too. That command, Matth. xxviii. 19, ye never had, nor its power; which was, to baptize into the name of the Father, Son, and Holy Ghost. And what Paul received of the Lord, that body, and that bread, ye know as little, but what ye have found in the chapter; nor the coming of Christ neither, who cannot believe his light. And whereas thou speakest of preaching Christ of envy, and pleadest for it; I say, such preachers we have enough in these days. And what else art thou doing, who sayest, Paul was sent to baptize; though Paul says he was not and so thou wouldest prove him a liar, any would believe thee before him. Thou sayest also, For ought thou knowest, he might baptize thousands. say, thou mightest as easily have said millions (when thou wast saying) and as soon have proved it; and thou mayest say the same of circumcision also, and on the same ground. As for the signs that followed those that believed, which thou sayest are ceased, I say, they who cannot receive the light cannot see the signs, nor could believe them if they should see them to carp at; no more than formerly they could do, who opposed the light in former ages: they cannot properly be said to cease to such, who never had them; but have only heard or read, that others long ago had them. But that the power, and signs, and presence of God is not the same that ever it was, in the measure, wherein he is received in the light, that I deny; and declare it to be false, and from a spirit that knows not God, nor his power. And as for the gospel foundation thou speakest of, I say, it is to be laid again in all the world: ye never were on it, since the man of sin set up his forms without power. And till ye can own the light of Christ, which the saints preached, and their life and practice, for shame cease to talk of their foundation, or glorious work, or quakings and tremblings, which are the saints' experiences, which the world knows not, nor can own : though ye cannot read that ever any came aright to declare