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Christ, but their own bellies, and by good words and fair speeches deceive the hearts of the simple,' Rom. vi. 8. all such follow not the apostles, and true church in their succession, but are reproved by them.

And in Numb. xxviii. you may see how God ordained his law in Mount Sinai, and that his people should walk in it, which law commanded their offerings and the priests to offer and attend upon their service.

But Christ Jesus, who ends the law and the offerings, and the priests, by offering up himself once for all, he ordained his disciples to preach, and commands them, freely as they had received of him, so freely to give. And therefore, they that follow the apostles in their ordination and in their succession, must give freely, as they have received freely.

And Christ commands his disciples not to swear at all, but keep to yea and nay in their communication, and to bless, and curse not.

And the apostle that kept in the ordination of Christ and his command, forbad swearing and cursing, and set up yea and nay, as Christ commanded.

Now all them that swear and curse, do not follow the apostles in their succession, nor ordination, nor qualification.

And Christ forbids his ministers from being called gracious lords, as the Gentiles were, or for being called of men master, as the pharisees

were.

And therefore, they that follow the apostles in Christ's ordination, and the succession of the apostles, must keep his commands; for such ministers that do plead for such titles, and to be called of men masters, and gracious lords, succeed the pharisees and the Gentiles, and not Christ nor the apostles.

And therefore none can succeed the apostles, but in the same power of God and Holy Ghost that they were in, who gave forth the scriptures, and they must receive Christ, and live in him, who is the rock of ages, and so to know him, to be with them and in them to the end of their age, and so to the end of the world, who is the rock and foundation of all the righteous in their ages; and they that do succeed the apostles, must succeed them in their work and foundation.

So in the light, in the life, and in the power of Christ Jesus, and in him, and he in them, who is the first and last; here is all the true succession and succeeders, who walk and live in Christ Jesus, and he in them, who is first and last.

Swarthmore, the 10th of the 9th month, 1675.

G. F.

POSSESSION ABOVE PROFESSION;

Being a Discourse, in which it may be clearly seen that many that make a Profession of Christ in the Flesh, and deny him in his Light, which he enlighteneth every man that cometh into the world withal, (which Light is the Life in the Word,) and speak evil against it, are such as possess him not, but persecute his Light and Life as the Jews, that persecuted him in the days of his Flesh.

And how that many Turks and Heathens will own his Divine Light more than many of them that make a Profession of Christ in the Flesh. And likewise, how that all such as profess Christ Jesus has bought them, are to be governed and ordered by him, their owner; for the worldling's reason will say, that which he hath bought and paid for, is his own to order and govern,' &c.-By G. F.

Now all christians that confess Christ come in the flesh, in words, and yet do not obey him, they have not the comfort of him.

For ye christians that do confess Christ to be come in the flesh, and yet will not own his light, that he doth enlighten every man that cometh into the world with, to be a heavenly, divine, and saving light for every one to believe in, it is but a fleshly profession of Christ come in the flesh, and not a spiritual. (For none can call him Lord, but by the Holy Ghost,') nor is it a knowing of him who is the mystery; for Christ is a mystery; and this mystery is known and seen only by his light; and such know Christ no more by the letter of the apostles, than the Jews knew him by the letter of the prophets, and Moses, or as Saul; for when he was Paul, he knew him by revelation; and Peter knew him by revelation; and so the heavenly spiritual man is known by the 'revelation of his light and spirit,' and the revelation of the faith (that is the gift of God,) which Christ is the author of; and Mary knew him by revelation, and Simeon knew him by revelation, and the shepherds knew Christ by revelation through the angel of the Lord, as in Luke ii. and Joseph knew him by revelation: and so, that which does reveal the Son of God, is the light and spirit of God: to know him to be the Christ, as he was man, and as he was God; I say, to know Christ, the spiritual and heavenly man, and his heavenly flesh and blood, that is meat indeed and drink indeed to the saints, which who eats of, lives for ever, and lives by the Son as he lives by the Father, who was promised and prophesied of to come, who came according to God's promise, and the prophets, 'who suffered, and was crucified and buried, and the third day rose again, and remains in the heavens, till all things be restored; who is ascended far above all principalities, powers, thrones, and dominions, that he might

fill all things, who is the head of his church,' that neither powers, thrones, principalities, nor dominions, can pluck out of his throne, and crucify him again, though they may crucify him to themselves afresh, and persecute him in his members.

So his heavenly flesh is the saints' daily food and bread from heaven; and they that deny the heavenly man, Christ Jesus, that died and suffered without the gates of Jerusalem, above sixteen hundred years since, his sufferings, death and resurrection, deny their own food, and their own heavenly bread, and him that offered up himself for their sin, and had power to lay down his life, and to take it up again.'

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For it was Christ that died, and is risen, and is at the right hand of God, the heavenly and spiritual man; and it is Christ Jesus, who makes intercession for the saints.

So there is one Mediator between God and man, the man Christ Jesus, the heavenly and spiritual man, the heavenly and spiritual bishop, the heavenly and spiritual counsellor, and the heavenly and spiritual shepherd, priest, teacher, and leader.'

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And now all you that do profess Christ in words, and have a profession of him in the flesh, and deny him in his light, in his divinity,' which enlighteneth every man that cometh into the world,' hear what Christ saith, believe in the light;' and John, speaking of Christ, saith, 'in him was life, and this life was the light of men; and the light shined in the darkness, and the darkness comprehended it not;' and 'that was the true light which lighteth every man that cometh into the world; and he was in the world, and the world was made by him, and the world knew him not; he came to his own, and his own received him not; but as many as received him, to them he gave power to become the sons of God, even to them that believed on his name.'

So it is clear the world was made by him, and yet the world knew him not, neither can the world know, but by revelation in the light. And his own, the Jews, that he came to, they received him not; for they stopped their ears and eyes to the light; but as many as received him, 'to them he gave power;' so that here is a distinction betwixt the world, and his own, and them that received him;' for he gave them such power as to become the sons of God, 'them which believed in his name:' and what is his name? the Light, the word Jesus, the Saviour, Christ, the anointed of God, conceived by the Holy Ghost,' &c.

And now, all you that do make a profession of Christ in the flesh, and do not believe in him as the heavenly light, that enlighteneth man that cometh into the world; how can you believe in the man Christ Jesus, who is a mystery, except (as I said,) you do believe in the light (as Christ commands,) that doth enlighten, &c. (which light manifests him,) and so

become children of the light: and it is clear by Christ's words, there are none children of the light, but by believing in the light.

So the rest are children of darkness, though they may make a profession of Christ in the flesh, and after the flesh.

And not to believe in the light (which is the life in Christ, the word, which was in the beginning) what does this differ from the devil's believing and trembling?' I say, those who do not believe in the divine light of Christ, as he is God, which light is the life in the word, which is God, (that is called life in him, and the light as it is in people that be in darkness.)

And you say, this divine, spiritual, heavenly light of Christ is not saving: then why does Christ say, 'believe in the light, that ye may become children of the light; and he that believes, is saved, and he that does not, is condemned already; and I will give him for a covenant of light, and he shall be my salvation to the ends of the earth, said God?' so this covenant of light is saving then.

Now the Jews, and the Turk, and heathen, and Indians, that do not nor will not profess and own Christ in the flesh, to be the Saviour; if one come to speak to them of their evil deeds and words, and ask them, if there is not something in them that tells them, they should not speak and do so, or so wickedly? (for the light of Christ troubles and condemns them if they do evil,) here they will confess to the light of Christ, though they know not what it is which is the life in the word, and light in them, that shines in their darkness, and their darkness comprehends it not, and so do not obey it, nor believe in it, but hate it (many of them,) because it will reprove them, and because their deeds are evil; and this is according to Christ's words, this is the condemnation, that light is come into the world, and men love darkness rather than light, because their deeds are evil.'

For, every one that doth evil, [mark,] it is not some, but every one that doth, (that is,) acteth evil, hateth the light, neither cometh to the light, least his deeds should be reproved: now he cannot say, 'it is not there, nor within him, nor that he hath it not,' when he will not come to it; but men will not come to this divine and spiritual light, least that they should be reproved by it.

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Now, Christ makes a distinction betwixt him that loves, and him that hates it; for he that doth truth,' saith he, 'cometh to the light, that his deeds may be manifest that they are wrought in God.'

Now, they that hate the light, and will not come to it, they are such as do not the truth, then they do the evil, yet make a profession of Christ in the flesh, that he is come, as the Jews did he was to come; and so with your darkness, you cannot comprehend the light, though it shines there, yea, in your darkness.

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But the darkness (you say) is within you: yet you will not have this divine, heavenly light of Christ to be within you: Oh! can such gross darkness comprehend this divine, heavenly light, which is the life in the word, and the true light, that enlighteneth every man that cometh into the world;' and the prophet saith, whom God hath given for a covenant of light, and to be his salvation to the ends of the earth;' believe in the light.

And now, the children of darkness, that cannot comprehend the light, (which is the life, in Christ the word,) but hate the light, whose deeds be evil, and will not come to the light, because it will reprove them; this is their condemnation, (Turks, Jews, heathen and apostate christians,) that believe not in the light (which is the life in the word,) as Christ commands.

And now mind this, you professors that be in darkness, and therein cannot comprehend this divine, spiritual, saving, heavenly light, which is the life in the spiritual word, but with your darkness are wrangling and jangling, and are raging like the waves of the sea, foaming out your shame against it; consider that some of you call this divine, spiritual light, (which is the life in the word,) natural, carnal, and of the devil, the light of nature, the Quakers' idol, a 'will o' the wisp,' and a new Christ; and many such blasphemous speeches you have published against the true light, 'which enlighteneth every man that cometh into the world,' which light is the life in the word Christ; for in him was life,' speaking of the word which was in the beginning, and the life was the light of

men.'

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Now, by this true light, all false lights, false christs, and you, are comprehended, and seen, and judged, even by this divine, heavenly light, which is the life in the word, which Christ, the Saviour, and heavenly, spiritual man, enlightens every man that cometh into the world withal, and says, 'believe in the light.' And so now, you that cannot comprehend this light, which is the life, and make a profession of Christ in the flesh, and yet deny his divine light, and blaspheme against it, and will not own it, but hate it, and spit at it, and call it the light of the devil ;' you are like the pharisees and chief priests, and the Jews, that cried out, 'the temple of the Lord,' and yet persecuted Christ's spiritual worship: you make a profession of Christ in his flesh, and will not own his light, which enlightens every man, which is the life in him, you are as bad or worse than the Jews, Turks, or Indians; for they will confess to that light which does condemn evil in them, but you make a profession of Christ in the flesh, yet deny his light, which is life in him; and the Jews, Turks, and Indians, will confess to the light that does reprove them, though they will not obey it; yet this divine, heavenly light will make every tongue to confess, though you that do make a profession of

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