1 coming, the wicked one, and son of perdition, that is against the righteous, and is the opposer and betrayer of them. Therefore all the church of Christ are to stand steadfast and be established in him, in every good word and work, who are from the beginning chosen for salvation through Jesus Christ, through the sanctification of the spirit, and the belief of the truth, and are called by the gospel, the power of God, to the obtaining of the glory of the Lord Jesus Christ, in whom the glorious rest and peace is. And you may see how the church of Christ was troubled by such as went out from them, and fell away from truth, and inwardly ravened. Some went like unto the swine into the mire; and some like the dogs to the vomit; and some like wolves that inwardly ravened, and yet kept the sheep's clothing. Some went into the nature of Cain, sacrificers, and yet were destroyers of the righteous; and some went in the nature (or spirit) of Jannes and Jambres, that withstood Moses; and others in the nature of Judas to betray; and others in the nature of Corah, Dathan and Abiram, to gainsay and resist the truth; and others in the nature of Jezabel. And this spirit and nature troubled the church in the old testament, and troubled the church in the new testament, and are troubling the church of Christ in this gospel day, that is come and coming out of the apostacy. But God's trumpet, spirit, and power, was and is always sounded against it, that all people may beware of this evil spirit and nature, and keep in the seed Christ Jesus, that bruises the head of it, in whom you have love, rest, salvation, quietness and peace. Hallelujah. And all dwell in love, then you dwell in God, who is love; let that be all your habitations, which love edifies the body of Christ, and builds. you up in him, and all strive to excel one another in virtue, in patience, courteousness, kindness, tenderness, meekness, and humility, in temperance, modesty, and chastity; and whatsoever things are decent and comely, and of good report, honest, and lovely, those follow: for these are the good fruits of the spirit of God, and his heavenly seed; which fruits are acceptable to God, and will make you all lovely and comely to him, and unto one another in his heavenly seed; in which (as I said before) you are blessed, and all nations are blessed; which seed (Christ) is your sanctuary, who destroys the devil the destroyer, and so is over him, and was before he was, in whom the true believers live, and have peace, who clothes them with salvation, and with his righteousness, the sanctified one's fine linen. So all walk worthy of the mercies of God and his blessings from above, and from below, to the glory and praise of God. And they that dwell not in love and charity, are like the sounding brass, and tinkling cymbals; as you may read, 1 Cor. xiii. 1. 8. This you may read amongst the children of the light, and of the day. G. F. Dolston, the 13th of the 10th month, 1683. CCCXCI.-To the meeting of friends in truth, that are captives in Algiers. Now, dear friends, the Lord having drawn you by his spirit to his son Christ Jesus, in whose name ye come to be gathered, in whose name ye have salvation, and not in any other name under the whole heaven: so that now you come to know Christ your saviour, who destroys the destroyer, the devil and his works; and it is he, that brings forth everlasting righteousness, that makes an end of sin, and finishes transgression. So that now, you may live and walk in the everlasting righteousness of Christ Jesus, who is your priest that is made higher than the heaven, Heb. vii. and who is your prophet, that God has raised up, and not man, whom ye must hear in all things, Acts iii. 22. and vii. 37. who were as lost sheep gone astray; but are now returned to the chief priest and bishop of your souls; namely, Christ Jesus. 1 Pet. ii. 25. And Christ saith, he is the true shepherd, that hath laid down his life for his sheep; and his sheep know his voice and follow him: who is the holy and just one, and never guile was found in his mouth. And Christ says, no man comes to the Father but by me. So he is the new and living way; and God has given him for a leader and counsellor, to counsel his people; who is the holy living rock and foundation, which is above all the rocks and foundations below: for he the rock and foundation is from above, whom all the children of the light, that believe in his light, which is the life in him, and are grafted into him, do build upon. And so, the Lord God Almighty with his eternal power support you all, in all your afflictions and sufferings, trials and temptations, that you may be built and settled upon this rock and foundation, that cannot be shaken. And now, dear friends, my desires are, and the desires of Friends here that you may all walk soberly, honestly, modestly, and civilly, and lovingly, and gently, and tenderly, to all your patrons, and to all people. And, that ye may walk righteously, justly, and holily in all your words, dealings, and doings; that his name you do profess now, may be honoured, and you may reach, by your righteous godly lives and conversations, the good in all your patrons, and in all others; so that you may show forth the fruits of the spirit, and the fruits of christianity; and that you are the possessors of Christ Jesus your mediator, who has made peace betwixt you and your God. And as you have received Christ, so walk in him, and know him to rule in your hearts by faith. For herein (as Christ said) is my Father glorified; that you bring forth much heavenly fruit, and that your spiritual and heavenly light may shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven. And now, friends, we understand, that some that have come lately among you, have been under great sufferings and abuses by their patrons, because they cannot honour them with that honour as other slaves do, or as they have done before. Now, if you wait in patience upon the Lord in his truth, (for you are to buy the truth, and not to sell it; and truth is that that is stronger than all,) the Lord in his time, (though he may try you,) can mollify that nature in them there, as he hath done in other places, where he hath tried his people with such things. And when they have seen, it is for conscience' sake towards God, and it is from the principle of truth and the spirit; in which spirit and truth they worship the Most High God, who is an eternal, incomprehensible spirit, who is God in heaven and God in the earth, and dwells by his spirit in his humble people, they have been overcome. And now, friends, consider, they are blessed that suffer for Christ's sake; and it is not only given you to believe, but to suffer for his name. And they that will live godly in Christ Jesus must suffer persecution.' But the apostle says of the true christians, Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation, or distresses, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword? As it is written, for thy sake are we killed all the day long: we are counted as sheep for the slaughter; in all these things we are more than conquerors through him that loved us. I am persuaded that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come, nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.' Rom. viii. 36. 39. Psalm xliv. 22. Now, dear Friends, you may see here was a godly sincerity, fervency, steadfastness, and resolution in the true christians, which ought to be in all such now, without boasting. And the apostle says, 'Rejoice, forasmuch as ye are partakers of Christ's sufferings, that when his glory shall be revealed, ye may be glad also with exceeding joy: for if ye be reproached for the name of Christ, happy are ye: for the spirit of glory and of God rests upon you. On their part he is evil spoken of, but on your part he is glorified. 1 Pet. iv. 13, 14, 15. And so, dear friends, be wise, that you may give no just occasion: and keep low in the humility; for such learn of Christ, and the meek follow him. And so my desire is, that you may all be preserved to the glory of God, and that you may be valiant for the truth upon the earth, and spread it abroad, that all may come to the spirit of God, that God poureth upon all flesh, and to serve and worship him. And so that all flesh may see the glory of God, by his spirit; and that all might come to the light, which is the life in Christ the word, by whom all things were made and created, with which light he enlighteneth every man that comes into the world, to believe in, and to love it, and to try their works, whether they be wrought in God, yea or nay.' 1 John iii. 19, 20, 21. And that all might come to the grace of God, which hath appeared to all men, and brings salvation, which will teach to live godly, righteously, and soberly, and deny unrighteousness. This is the true christian's teacher, which brings salvation, and teacheth to deny that which would lead them into destruction, into ungodly, ungracious ways and words; but this grace teacheth the saints to walk in gracious ways, and their words come to be seasoned with grace, which teaches them, and brings their salvation. So that which is the true christian's teacher, brings their salvation. And so every one sit under this teacher, as the true church of Christ did; as you may see, Tit. ii. 11, 12. And so, dear friends, I do commend you to him that has all power to support, who is God all-sufficient to supply you, and is near unto all that call upon him in truth and righteousness. Therefore cast your care upon him; for he cares for you: and so, as you walk in the truth, to answer the truth in your patrons and others, you will see in time, you will reach the good in them, that they will give more credit to you, and trust you more than them that disobey the spirit of God in their hearts. So the Lord preserve you faithful to himself. Let us hear as often as you can how things are with you. G. F. CCCXCII. To the Quarterly and Monthly Meetings in England, &c. Dear friends and brethren in the Lord Jesus Christ, who reigns over all, and has all power in heaven and earth given unto him, by whose eternal power our meetings this year have been preserved unto his great glory and honour; and his living refreshing presence has livingly been amongst us, for which his people do give him the honour, glory, thanks, and praise, who is Lord over all, and worthy of all, blessed for ever and ever. And therefore we desire and entreat all our friends and brethren every where, who are of the seed of the promise, and the children of the kingdom of God, and of the new covenant of light and life, to walk in the same, and worthy of the same, to the glory of God. VOL. VIII. 32 And you that do profess the primitive, pure, and undefiled religion, which is above all the religions in the world, show it forth in life and practice. And you that profess the worship of God in the spirit and truth, which Christ hath set up, which is above the Jews' worship, and all the worships that the men of the world have set up, be steadfast in the same; for all worships out of God's spirit and his truth, are idolatry. And now, dear friends and brethren, who profess and possess that which is above all religions, ways, and worships in the world; our desire is, that you may always outstrip and exceed the world in virtue, in purity, in chastity, in godliness, and in holiness, and in modesty, civility, and in righteousness, and in love, with that you may overcome the evil, and with the good overcome the bad: so that your moderation and sober life may appear unto all men, and answer that of God in all, that so the fruits of the spirit of God may show themselves forth in meekness, and kindness, and humility, from the holy understanding, and the pure heavenly wisdom, and the word of life and patience, by which all things were made, in that you will be able to bear all things and endure all things through him that strengthens you. And whatsoever things are lovely, decent, or comely, and honest, and of a good report, that answers the truth in all, that mind and practice, that God Almighty may be glorified through you in the seed, in which all nations are blest, which bruiseth the head of the serpent, that brought the curse; in which seed no enmity nor strife can come; in which seed, Christ Jesus, your heavenly unity and fellowship is preserved. And whatsoever storms or tempests should arise in the world, keep in the seed Christ Jesus, your sanctuary, who was before the world was, who is your saviour, that destroys the destroyer, in whom you have all life, peace, rest, safety, and salvation; in him, who is the Amen, the first and last, in him farewell, and from him the blessings of the Lord rest upon you. G. F. CCCXCIII-To Friends in Holland. Dear friends in the peaceable truth,-The glory of God all mind, in all your lives and conversations, and that the heavenly fruits of the holy spirit of God you may all bring forth to his praise, living in righteousness, godliness, and meekness, lowliness, and humility, learning of Christ Jesus your saviour, who is meek. For the humble God doth teach, and they grow up in his grace and favour. And therefore all take heed of going back again into the world's ways, spirit, and words, but keep to the holy spirit of God, that doth lead you in the narrow way, that is to life eternal. And in the Lord's light, power, and spirit meet together, and keep your meetings in the name of Jesus Christ, |