But where did ever Christ or his disciples, whip, scourge, or imprison any, or the true church in the apostles' days, for not hearing of them, and not giving them maintenance, or spoil their goods?

But the true christians suffered the spoiling of their goods, as the apostle speaks of to the Hebrews, that were the hearers of Christ, who told them, that God had spoken to their fathers by the prophets,' but now in these last days, he had spoken unto us by his Son, &c.

So mark, God had spoken to us, that is, his church, by his Son, who is the head of it.

For God was in Christ reconciling the world unto himself, who was the first speaker to Adam and Eve in paradise, and was the speaker again to them that heard, and believed in his Son, and is now.

And now these christians that God was their speaker unto by his Son, which suffered the spoiling of their goods joyfully, and were gazingstocks: now they that gazed at them, and that had spoiled their goods, were the Jews, and the Gentiles, that followed their old professions, and

their ways.

Yet these true christians that heard the Son, we do not read that they spoiled either Jews' or Gentiles' goods, or made them gazing-stocks.

For John the divine, saith in his revelations, that the beast compelled all, both small and great to worship him, and to receive his mark.' So we do not read that Christ, or John, or the apostles compelled any, but the beast.

And he saith, that the beast that did compel, received his power from the dragon;' so did not receive it from God and Christ.

And he saith,' all worshipped the beast, but those who had their names written in the Lamb's book of life, before the foundation of the world.'

And therefore, let all that go under the name of christians and Jews, consider this; and others that make a profession of God and Christ, consider these things, and lay them to heart, and do unto all men, as you would have them do unto you; for you would not have another man compel you to that religion, which is contrary to yours, and therefore, do not you so unto them; but mind the royal law of liberty, which law is holy, just, pure, good, and righteous, and answers that of God in all, and gives liberty to the spirit of God in all.

And does not the apostle tell you, 'every man must stand and fall to his own master?' so the apostle gave liberty here, that every one must stand or fall to him that was their master; for he that was servant of sin committed it, and the wages of it was death, and he that was the servant of God unto righteousness, and the fruits unto holiness, and their end everlasting life.

And does not the apostle say, 'that Christ was the author and finisher of faith, and whatsoever was not of faith is sin? And therefore must not

all be left to their faith, which Christ is the author of? and the mystery of faith is held in a pure conscience, then must not their consciences be free for Christ, and at liberty for the mystery of faith which is held in it, which faith, Christ the spiritual and heavenly man is the author and finisher of, who was persecuted by the Jews, and they delivered him to the Gentiles.

So, see what liberty he had amongst them, who suffered the contradictions of sinners.

And Christ was buffetted, and spit upon, and struck, and smitten, and mocked, and a crown of thorns put on his head, and reviled and blasphemed, yet did he not revenge himself, who had all power in heaven and in earth given unto him; did he or his disciples whip, buffet, scourge or imprison, or crown any with thorns? but preached and proffered unto them the crown of life, and glory.

And so, follow ye Christ and the apostles' examples, both in life, practice and doctrine; which is every true christian's duty.

And doth not the apostle say, that they had not power over any man's faith, but Jesus Christ was the author and finisher of it, and in it they were to have their liberty, and what was not of faith was sin?'

So they did not say, they had power to make them believe this or that, or to force them to a faith; but they were to look unto Jesus the author and finisher of their faith; and God opened Lydia's heart, and she believed.

So the heart must be opened by the Lord, if they be true believers, by his light and spirit.

And the gospel which is preached to every creature, which is the power of God; are not all to have their liberty in this gospel, which gospel was sent from heaven by the Holy Ghost?

So in this gospel are not all to have their liberty in the power of God? And they were not compelled to receive it; for if they did not receive the gospel, nor obey it, the wrath of God was revealed upon them from heaven.

And if the world did not receive the gospel, which Christ sent his disciples into all nations to preach, then God would judge the world by the man Christ Jesus, according to the gospel the power of God, which had been preached to them; and God would render vengeance in flames of fire, unto all them that did not receive and obey the gospel? and that was punishment enough.

And you may read in the Revelations, what John the divine tells you, what became of the dragon, that gave power to the beast, that compelled to worship, and the whore that drank the blood of the saints, and made war with them,' doth not he tell you, that they shall be cast into

the lake of fire, that burns with brimstone, and that the whore's flesh shall be burnt? Rev. xiii. 4. xvii. 6.

And doth not Christ tell you, that he is the seedsman, and after the good seed was sown, the enemy sowed his tares, and they that had that sight as to discern the tares from the wheat, and saw both come up, went to the Lord, and would have had a license from him to go and pluck up the tares, but the Lord's answer was no, lest they plucked up the wheat also, but let them both grow together till the harvest and the harvest is the end of the world:' and then, saith Christ, I will send my angels, who shall gather the wheat into the garner, and the tares into bundles, and cast them into the fire to be burnt.'

So you may see Christ gave no commission to men, to gather the wheat or the tares, but it was the angels' work to gather the wheat into the garner, and the tares into bundles for the fire.

And therefore, they that go to gather either, have no commission from Christ; for he gave them a caution, lest ye also gather the wheat with the tares, and lest their zeal should blind them.'

So men are to mind their duty, which is to love mercy and to do justly, and to walk humbly with God: and not to take the angels' work upon them, and go to reaping before the time, which is the end of the world.

And likewise when Christ sent forth some of his disciples to prepare for him, and some would not receive them; Lord, (said they,) shall we command fire to come down from heaven to consume them, as Elias the prophet did?'

'Christ turned about, and rebuked his disciples, and told them, they did not know of what spirit they were of: and told them, he did not come to destroy men's lives, but to save them.'

So ye may see here, the disciples of Christ had a zeal, and would have had fire to have come down from heaven, to have consumed them that would not receive Christ: these disciples would have been plucking up tares, but Christ rebuked them, and stopped them; and told them, 'they did not know of what spirit they were of, that would have commanded fire to come down from heaven, to have consumed them that would not receive him.'

And now do all you that have persecuted, imprisoned, and spoiled the goods of the people of God in Christendom, because they would not conform to your religion, know what spirit you are of yourselves? and they that do not know what spirit they are of themselves, must be in the blind zeal, and will be doing that which Christ rebukes; and they that do not know what spirit they are of themselves, are not like to watch for people's souls.

And people are not like to trust their bodies, much less their souls into the hand of such, that know not what spirit they are of themselves.

And therefore, consider what spirit ye and they have been of, that have persecuted, put to death, spoiled the goods, and imprisoned such as would not conform to your way and worship; and yet call yourselves christians, and ministers of Christ.

I say, Christ who rebuked his disciples, who would have had fire to come down from heaven, upon them that would not receive him, will rebuke you also.

And as Christ told his disciples, they did not know what spirit they were of;' neither do ye know what spirit ye have been of: and [mark,] there were more in the apostles' desire, to have fire come down from heaven to consume them that would not receive the substance, the Lord of glory, than for you to force, imprison, persecute, banish, or put to death, or spoil the goods of such as will not receive your way, and worship, and religion, that you have set up. So, how can you but expect a greater rebuke to come upon you, that persecute and destroy such as will not receive your forms of religion and worship, when they were rebuked that would have fire to come down to destroy them that would not receive Christ, the substance and the life?

·

For they were told by Christ, they did not know what spirit they were of,' and that he came not to destroy men's lives, but to save them.'

And therefore, consider how many men's lives have been destroyed since the apostles' days, by those that profess themselves christians in Christendom, because they would not receive their religions and ways; they that have done so, have not known of what spirit they are of, nor followed the mind of Christ, to save men's lives; and do not know what spirit they are of, that would destroy men's lives.

So weigh and consider this, all people in the whole world, that profess God and Christ, now in this the day of your visitation.

G. F.

THE PEOPLE OF GOD, IN SCORN CALLED QUAKERS,

THEIR LOVE TO ALL MANKIND ASSERTED.

For as God's love through Christ hath been shed abroad in our hearts, we cannot but in the same love desire the eternal good, and the Salvation of all mankind, and would have them repent, and turn to Jesus Christ, whom God hath given in his love to be their Way, Leader and Captain of their Salvation, and hath tasted death for every man, and hath bought them with a price, therefore, that they all might serve and live to him, and glorify God with their bodies, souls and spirits, which are the Lord's that he hath made, and Christ's, who hath redeemed and bought them.-By G. F.

IT hath often been said, that the people of God in scorn called Quakers, love none but themselves.'

To this I answer, such are mistaken in their judgment, and I fear it is their own conditions, for we love God that created all things, and his Son, by whom all things were made, who was conceived by the Holy Ghost, born of a virgin, who made a good confession before Pontius Pilate, who was crucified without the gates at Jerusalem, and rose the third day, and sits at the right hand of God; by whom God will judge the world according to the gospel, that is, according to the invisible power which is preached to every creature.

Secondly. We love all men and women, simply as they are men and women, and as they are God's workmanship, and so as brethren and children of Adam and Eve by generation.

Thirdly. We love them all as they come to be the sons of God by adoption, and can say, Abba Father, in the heavenly brotherly fellowship, and we are commanded to do good unto all, especially to the household of faith: for Christ commands us to love one another, and not so only, but to love enemies, and it is a mark by which his were known to be his disciples, viz. by their loving each other.

And we are to pray for enemies, and our persecutors, by the command of Christ and the apostles.

'For God hath made of one blood all mankind to dwell upon the face of the earth.' Acts xvii. 26.

'And the earth is the Lord's and the fulness thereof.'

And the Lord saith in Job xxxi. 'all under the heavens is mine,' who hath created all to his glory; and the Lord saith unto Ezekiel, 'say unto them, as I live saith the Lord God; I desire not the death of the wicked, but that the wicked turn from his and live; turn you, from your evil ways, for why will you die, oh, ye house of Israel,' VOL. V.-28

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