to continue in the faith; and that they must through much tribulation enter into the kingdom of God.

And as Paul and others with him went through the cities, they delivered them the decrees for to keep, that were ordained of the apostles and elders which were at Jerusalem; and so were the churches established in the faith, and increased in number daily. Acts xvi.

And the occasion of these decrees was, because some men that went from Judea, taught the brethren, saying, 'except ye be circumcised after the manner of Moses, ye cannot be saved.' Acts xv. And these decrees were to stop such preachers.

For the apostles and elders said, Forasmuch as we have heard, that certain which went out from us, have troubled you with words, subverting your souls, saying, ye must be circumcised, and keep the law; to whom we gave no such commandment.'

Now it is clear, the apostles and elders gave these teachers no such commandment, to preach such doctrine to trouble the churches.

And the apostle Paul, after he had spent some time at Cæsarea and Antioch, went over all the country of Asia and Phrygia in order, strengthening all the disciples. Acts xviii.

So you may see, how they were a comfort one to another.

And the apostle writes to Titus, chap. 1. For this cause I have left thee in Crete, that thou shouldst set in order the things that are wanting; and ordain elders in every city, as I have appointed thee.'

So here Titus in the spirit of God did observe that which Paul in the power of Christ did exhort him to.

But such as are against the order and practice in the light and gospel, cannot order their speeches by reason of darkness.

And the apostle saith, Col. ii. 5. Though I be absent in the flesh, yet am I with you in the spirit, joying and beholding your order, and steadfastness of your faith in Christ. As ye have therefore received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk ye in him.'

Here the apostle rejoiced in the order that kept them in the faith and steadfastness in Christ Jesus.

Therefore the apostle saith, Every man in his own order, Christ the first-fruits, &c. For as in Adam all died, even so in Christ shall all be made alive.'

And they that are alive in Christ Jesus, are in his order of life and light, and in his gospel the power of God.

And the apostle saith, 1 Cor. xiv. 'Let all things be done decently and in order.'

And the heavens and the earth, and all things therein, are governed and ordered by the Lord, in his power and wisdom; and all God's holy angels are governed and ordered by God; and all God's children and

people are governed and ordered by God and Christ in his light, and spirit, and grace, and truth, and power, gospel, and word of life.

And the Lord hath set apart him and them that are godly for himself. Psalm iv.

And God hath ordained his arrows against the persecutors. Psalm vii. 13.

And it ought to be the practice of all the true christians now, that are in the same power and spirit as the apostles were in, to let all things be done decently and in order, in the new covenant of light, life, and grace, to the glory of the great God, who is over all, and orders all things to his glory. Amen. G. F.

CCCLXII.-Concerning true liberty.

And now, friends, you who are called into this glorious liberty of the sons of God, stand fast in it. And as the apostle saith, Brethren, ye have been called unto liberty, only use it not for an occasion to the flesh; but in love serve one another.' Gal. v. 13.

'As free, not using your liberty for a cloak of maliciousness, but as the servants of God.' 1 Pet. ii.

For there were some, who while they promised themselves liberty, they themselves were servants of corruption. Such were like the dog and the sow, biting, and rending, and vomiting, and wallowing in the mire; and as bad as the synagogue of the libertines that turned against Stephen. 2 Pet. ii. and Acts vi. 9.

And therefore the apostle was careful of the churches' liberty in Christ, when he said, 'But take heed, lest this liberty of yours become a stumbling-block to them that are weak,' &c. 1 Cor. viii.

For the apostle was so careful and tender, that he would not have his true liberty judged of another man's conscience, &c. as you may see more at large in Cor. x.

And the apostle said, ‘False brethren came unawares privily, to spy out their liberty, which they had in Christ Jesus, that they might bring them into bondage; to whom we gave place by subjection, no not for an hour, that the truth of the gospel might continue with you,' to wit, the Galatians. Gal. ii. 4.

And therefore he exhorts them to stand fast in that liberty wherewith Christ Jesus hath made them free, &c. which is the duty of all true christians now, to stand fast in that heavenly glorious liberty, which Christ the heavenly and spiritual man, the second Adam, makes them free in; and in this they will have salt in themselves, to discern between the true liberty and freedom and the false, and know how to use their holy and spiritual liberty and freedom in Christ Jesus, to the praise and glory of God.

So, friends, the Lord God Almighty preserve you all, in the heavenly order of Christ Jesus, in his holy seed, life, power, and spirit, that all may live and walk in it, to the praise, and glory, and honour of God and Christ.

Amen.

The 3d of the 9th month, 1679.

G. F.

CCCLXIII.

Dear friends and brethren, in the Lord Jesus Christ! and blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who hath blessed us with all spiritual blessings in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus, and hath chosen us in him, before the foundation of the world.

And now, that all may walk in him in love, who hath seen the great deliverances of the Lord, and hath been acquainted with his great mercies, that endure for ever; deliverance after deliverance, multitude of deliverances, out of great trials and temptations; and hath seen how the Lord hath brought to confusion the enemies of his truth, both within and without, from the beginning; and therefore in the Lord's spirit and power, all that live in it, that know the Lord, are encouraged to trust in him. God hath raised you up together, and quickened you who were dead in Adam, and made you to sit together in heavenly places in Christ Jesus, that you might show forth the riches of his grace and glory, and his kindness towards you through Jesus Christ. For by one spirit we are all baptized into one body; whether we be Jews or Gentiles, bond or free; and have been all made to drink into one spirit. And therefore, endeavour all to keep the unity of the spirit in the bond of peace, and live and walk in the spirit: and the fruits of this spirit of God, is love, joy, and meekness, &c. And by this one spirit, you have access to the Father of spirits; and this one spirit, which baptizes you into one body, both male and female, knows your service to God: for the spirit of God divides severally to every one of you, as he wills your offices and places, yet all in unity in the spirit, with which you are baptized into one body, and drink into one spirit. And the apostle Paul, who wrote from Rome to the Colossians, told them, that they were complete in Christ Jesus ;' and said, 'Though I be absent in the flesh, yet am I with you in the spirit, joying and beholding your order, and the steadfastness of your faith in Christ.'

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And now the Lord hath gathered his people, by his power, into the same spirit that the apostles and churches were in, in the primitive times and though they be absent in the body, or flesh, men in one room, and the women in another; yea, as far as the east is from the west, or the north is from the south, yet they are present in the spirit, rejoicing and beholding with the spirit, the spiritual order that the churches and

apostles were in, and the steadfastness of their precious, holy, and divine faith, which Christ (the second Adam) is the author and finisher of; and this is no separation, but they are the household of his holy, divine, and precious faith; and live and walk in this holy faith, and spirit of God, by which they are baptized into one holy body, of which Christ Jesus, the holy and spiritual man, is the head. And this, I say again, is no separation, though they be absent in the body or flesh, yet they are present in the spirit, and with the spirit behold the spiritual order. And this is not an imposed outward form, order or prescription, as some ignorantly think. But they that do say, and prescribe, that men and women must meet all together outwardly, in a bodily presence in one room, or else it is a separation, I say, it is an outward form, an outward order, and imposition, and prescription, and they that fiercely press it, know not the spiritual order; yea, I say, if all men and women in the world could meet outwardly together, and are not in the power and spirit the apostles were in, they are in a separation. But God Almighty is bringing his people, by his son Christ Jesus, and by the same power the apostles were in, out of this separation, and apostacy from the apostles' spirit, that began in the apostles' days, into the same spirit that the church and the apostles were in, in the primitive times; and though they be absent in the body, or flesh, yet they are present in the spirit, seeing and beholding, in the spirit, the spiritual order, and the steadfastness of their divine faith, which Christ (the second Adam, the spiritual man) hath been the author and finisher of. And therefore, let no man beguile you by enticing words, from this spiritual order, fellowship, and unity. And again, the apostle saith, For I verily, as absent in the body, but present in the spirit, have judged already, as though I were present, concerning him that hath so done this deed.' So here was a spiritual sight, and a spiritual judgment; yea, a judgment, though absent in the body, by a spiritual sight of such as walk not in the spirit, but walk out of the order of it. 1 Cor. v. 3.

And this is to the spiritual-minded, who can judge of these things, for as many as are led by the spirit of God, they are the sons of God;' and the Lord now, by his spirit, is separating his sons and daughters from the apostacy and sin, which hath separated from the spirit that the apostles were in, that they may behold one another with joy and comfort with the spirit, in the spiritual order, fellowship, and unity; though they be absent in the body and in the flesh, yet they are present in the spirit, and know one another in the spirit of God. And also, the apostle saith, As many as are baptized into Christ, have put on Christ: there is neither Jew nor Greek, bond nor free; and here is neither male nor female, but ye are all one in Christ Jesus.' So, though these be absent in the body, one from another, Jews, Greeks, bond, or free,

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males or females, yet they are all one in Christ Jesus, the spiritual and heavenly man, and with the spirit joying and beholding one another's spiritual order; so the joying, unity, and fellowship stand in the spirit of God, and not in the outward fleshly bodily presence, and carnal and natural sight. And therefore keep your spiritual order, joying in the spirit, beholding your spiritual order, and steadfastness of your faith in Christ Jesus. And in this you will be all steadfast men and steadfast women, and not tossed up and down with every windy doctrine, and the cunning crafts and slights of men, but steadfast men and steadfast women in the faith of Christ, as trees of righteousness, the planting of the Lord, whose fruit is unto holiness, and whose end is everlasting life.' And such have fruit on their own trees, and water in their own wells, and are not shaken with winds, storms, nor tempests, that may rise up within or without, but are steadfast and immoveable, built upon the rock and foundation of life, Christ Jesus. So that as every one hath received the gift, even so minister one to another, as good stewards of the manifold grace of God.' And this is the grace of God wherein ye stand, that will teach you to live godly, righteously, and soberly, and brings salvation; so not only to talk godly, but to live godly, keeping yourselves in the love of God, and building up yourselves in the most holy faith, which you have from Christ Jesus, which makes you steadfast and immoveable, from him who is the author and finisher of it; and with the spirit of God, in which you (spiritually) behold your substantial and steadfast spiritual order, over all outward and carnal orders, and will out-last them all; with which spirit you all see your work and service for the eternal immortal God of truth; to whom be all glory, honour, thanks, and praises in the church of Jesus Christ, throughout all ages, world without end. Amen.

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From your friend and brother in the kingdom and patience of Jesus. Worplesdom, the 22nd of the 5th month, 1680.

CCCLXIV.-To Friends in America.

G. F.

Dear friends, My love to you all in the holy peaceable truth; and my

desires are, that whatsoever ye do may be done in the name of Jesus,

to the glory of God the Father. And all be subject one to another in the fear of the Lord God, so that ye may all come to dwell in the love of God, which edifies the body of Christ, who is the heavenly man. And let all strifes, and divisions, and backbitings, or whisperings, or prejudices, cease and be buried; and so whatsoever is amiss, or hath been amiss, let it be put down by the truth and spirit of God, that it may be uppermost, which is a strong bond to unite your hearts, and minds, and souls together, and to the Lord. And be kind and courteous one towards