understanding, the spirit of wisdom and knowledge, which is to know God, and Jesus Christ whom he hath sent, which is life eternal. 2dly. They come to know the water, which is a witness in the earth; by which water they are washed, their minds, their souls, their spirits, and in their bodies, with this pure water. And this is a witness in the earth with the light; they that believe in it, it manifesteth these two witnesses in the earth, and with the light they see the pope's counterfeit holy water, which he hath set up since the apostles' days, who with the light bear witness against it, not to be God's witness, nor God's setting up. And so the children of the light, that believe in the light, their bodies, their souls, their spirits, and their minds are washed clean in this pure, clean, holy water, that comes from above, from the pure holy God, which is one of these witnesses in the earth. The third witness is his blood, with which the hearts of people are sprinkled, and their consciences are sprinkled with the blood of Jesus. As Moses sprinkled the outside of the posts, &c. with the blood of bulls and goats; which blood of bulls and goats, Christ's blood ends, which sprinkles the heart and conscience of people. So this blood of Jesus Christ, the heavenly man, is felt in the hearts and consciences of people; by which blood they are sanctified, they are cleansed from all their dead works, to serve the living God, and to serve their dead works no longer. So by this blood they are cleased from all sin. They that walk in the light, and believe in the light, they are children of the light, and children of the day; and the blood of Jesus Christ, the son of God, cleanseth them from all sin; and their garments are made white in the blood of the Lamb; by which they come to testify of Jesus, they overcome the beast, the whore, the false church. And so every true believer, believes as Christ hath taught them, to believe in the light, that so they may become children of the light. They have these three witnesses that bear witness in the earth, to bear witness in themselves; and they can set to their seal, that God is true in all his works, in prophets and apostles, and his son; and they shall come to know, and do come to know, the three that bear record in heaven, and the three that bear record in the earth. G. F.

CCLXVI.

And all ye believers in the heavenly light, as Christ hath taught, you seek that which is lost and driven away; but the false prophets, false ministers, and teachers, they did not seek that which was lost, and driven away from God; they put no difference between the precious and the vile, but mash all together, like the priests and prophets of our times. Therefore, seek that which was lost and driven away. Some may

be driven away by the storms, some may be driven away by the great winds of the wicked, and storms of the ungodly; some may be driven away by tempests and foul weather, and some may be lost in the foul weather, and lost in the sea of the world; for it is this wicked one that raiseth all this foul weather and these storms. Therefore seek that which is lost, ye that believe in the light, by which you see, then you are distinguished from the false prophets and teachers, and by the light you put a difference between the precious and the vile; for Jacob was found in a desert land, and you see all the prophets, how they sought that which was lost, and the apostles, and how Christ encouraged to seek that which was lost. And when the lost sheep was found, what joy there was, more than of the ninety and nine. And who are they that make the land desolate, but the rough Esaus, and wild Ishmaels, and Cores? And who makes the world as a wilderness but the devil? and who brings the whole world to lie in wickedness, but the devil, that wicked one? And if you should not find that which is lost and driven away, at the first, nor second, nor third time of seeking, if you should not find him that is lost, go again, that you may have your joy, and rejoice others; for Christ in the parable saith, the prodigal son was lost, yea, was dead, and is alive again;' when he had been feeding among swine, and upon husks, and could never fill his belly. When any such come back again, they will tell you how hungry they were, they could never fill their bellies among the husks, while they went astray, and tell you long declarations of the citizen that they were joined to: and therefore when the lost is found, and brought back again to the Father's house, where there is bread enough, there is joy, and the heavenly instruments of music, and the heavenly feast of the heavenly fat things, and the heavenly robes of righteousness are enjoyed. And so all be diligent, ye believers in the light, as Christ hath taught you; look up and down, in the light you will see where the lost sheep are, and such as have been driven away, you will spy them out, out of the woods, or brambles, or pits, where there is no water, where they are ready to be famished, where they are tied with thorns and briars; and so with the light you will see, and put a difference between the precious and the vile. For whatsoever makes manifest is light;' for by that you see, and you will see with it, how the false prophets, and ministers, and teachers drive people away; they drive them away from God, and his way, from Christ, and the covenant of light. How angry they are with them that believe in it! With their clubs, how have they beaten many, and wounded many, and imprisoned many, because they would not be driven by them into the devil's pit-fold, or prison! But do you never give over seeking, for the light shines over all, which believe in, and walk in the path of the just, which is as a shining light; for it hath been the work of all

the false teachers and ministers to drive away from God, and his truth, and light, and those have been the devil's servants, and the wages he gives them is death. This hath been the way of all true ministers, 'to seek that which was lost, and that which was driven away;' as you may see Christ and the apostles, and all the true prophets did, and to bring them to feed in the pastures of life, and gently to lead them, whose wages is life; and he gives them their heavenly penny of life eternal. G. F.

CCLXVII. To ministering Friends.

Friends,-All ye that believe in the light, as Christ hath commanded, that are become children of the light, and of the day, and of the promise, and do minister therein, do not judge one another in public meetings, you that do minister, as you have received the grace, and have the word of the Lord God committed to you, that minister abroad, or go abroad in cities, towns, countries, or nations, do not judge one another, nor reflect one upon another in public meetings; for that hurts the hearers, and you do more hurt than you do good, and that makes confusion. If you have any thing to say, have patience, let that gift be exercised, and speak to one another by yourselves alone; for that was the way before any thing was spoken against any of the church, and that will show the spirit of order and government, and the spirit of love, and of patience and humility. And keep down passion, and that part in yourselves that cannot bear all things, nor endure all things, whereby the love comes up that will endure all things, and bear all things, which edifies the body, and by which the body is edified; for 'the spirit of the prophets is subject to the prophets.' This shows the true spirit, for that which cannot bear all things, many times, is forward in judging, that cannot bear all things, nor endure all things, and so goeth out of the true love and edification; which breeds confusion and distraction, and destroys more than ever it will beget to God. And also goes out of the church order, 'first speak to him alone;' for by that he may win his brother. Speaking publicly makes strife, some owning and some disowning, and that spirit must be shut out by the true spirit, that keeps order, and unity, and fellowship, and the true love which edifies the body. And so all who feel the power stirring in them to minister, when they have done, let them live in the power, and in the truth, and in the grace, that keeps in the seasoned words, and that keeps in a stablished and seasoned life: and so all minister as they have received the grace; so every one is a steward of the grace of God, if he do not turn the grace of God into wantonness; and so to minister in that love, and grace, and power, that keeps all things in

may

subjection and order, and in unity in the life and in the power, and light, by which you may see that of God in every man, and answer to that which God hath showed unto people: for the true labourers in the vineyard do answer that of God, the true ministers bring people to that which is to instruct them, viz. the spirit of God, and so are ministers of the spirit, and ministers of the grace; they answer the spirit, and the grace, and truth in all, in which all that do minister have unity, and through which they have fellowship with God and Christ. G. F.

CCLXVIII.-Not to be over thoughtful of the things of this world.

Friends, Did not God provide for man and woman before he made them? Did he not make all things in six days? And the sixth day he made man in the image of God, in righteousness and holiness. And therefore Christ, who is the son of God, who comes to restore man up again into the image of God, and leads man up into his image in righte ousness and holiness, as he was in before he fell: doth he not reprove such as take thought, and told them of their little faith, and that they could not add one cubit to the stature that God had made; and it was the practice of the heathens and of the Gentiles to take thought? So it is clear, before God made man, he took care for him; but after man was fallen from the image of God, and his righteousness, he took care and toiled, though he cannot add one cubit to his stature in the Lord's work. For thou mayst sow thy seed in the ground or garden, thou mayst have much cattle, and other things, but yet there is no increase but by the Lord, neither of thy seed, nor of thy cattle; for is not the earth the Lord's and the fulness thereof? Mark! and doth he not give the increase, who upholds all things by his word and power, who is the Creator of all, and provided for man before he made him, and set him in dominion over all the works of his hands; which dominion man lost. Man lost righteousness and holiness, in his disobeying the command of God, which Christ comes to restore man to, and sets man above all again, as he was in the beginning, and up to his own state beyond Adam before he fell, to him that never fell. And so all that believe in the light, as Christ commanded, in the light they see they cannot add one cubit to the stature, and so they come to grow in the faith, in Christ and in God. And so herein hath the Lord the praise of his works; and all things praise him, who hath created them all to his honour, and to his glory, and to his praise; and man to glorify him in righteousness and holiness, in the image of God and of Christ Jesus, above all other creatures in the covenant of God, in the covenant of light and life in Christ Jesus, him by whom the world was made; by him they praise and please God, and in their pleasing God, they honour God and Christ. G. F.

CCLXIX.-Concerning the single language.

All Friends that do believe in the light, as Christ hath commanded you, and are become children of light, keep to the proper speech; that is, thee and thou to a singular, and you to many; as you may see throughout the scriptures, it was the language of God and Christ, his prophets and apostles, and all good men; though it is the practice of the first birth, and of the flesh, to say you, when they should say thou. Therefore take you heed of flattery to please men, and of letting the world's spirit over you. Though they have learned in their grammar and accidence, and other teaching books, the plural and singular language, yet they speak plural when they should speak singular, to one. G. F.

CCLXX.

All that are gathered in the name of Jesus, and are made alive by him and quickened by him, come to the flock of Christ; and know where they feed at noon-day, they are gathered into the name of Jesus Christ, whose name is above every name; and know that there is no salvation under the whole heaven, but in the name of Jesus, in the testimony that they have of Jesus, which is the spirit, by which they see Jesus, and see his pastures of life, see his springs of life, and his rivers of life, and his bread of life; and see the footsteps of the flock, the testimony of Jesus, the spirit, by which they see him and his flock; and they see the barren mountains they have been upon and come off from. And therefore all you that be gathered into the name of Jesus, and walk in the path of the just, where the footsteps of the flock are, quench not the spirit in any, and if any will not have of your bread of life, and water of life, let them fast, that will neither receive, nor give; for the bread of life and water of life, are not only given to feed yourselves, but by them you may feed others, and refresh others: therefore have bread in your houses, and water in your own well, and fruit of your own tree, and salt in yourselves, to savour withal, that you may try all things; and have oil in your own lamps, that they may burn in your own temple; and odour and frankincense, that it may burn continually upon your own altar, that it may ascend as a sweet savour, holy and pure, up to God who is holy and pure. Be not removed off your ground, wherein you may grow and increase. And so quench not the spirit, despise not prophecy, hate not the light, but improve your talent; hide it not but improve it. Mind the kingdom within, and the heavenly penny, and the spirit of God, which is given to instruct you; and