the holy men and women are to mind that, which is more precious than gold; who are "redeemed not with corruptible things, as silver and gold, from your vain conversation; but with the precious blood of Christ, as of a Lamb without blemish and without spot. Therefore as obedient children to God, not fashioning yourselves according to your former lusts in your ignorance; but as he which hath called you, is holy, so be ye holy in all manner of conversation." 1 Pet. i. 14, 15.

"Christ saith, "The life is more than meat, and the body is more than raiment." Luke xii. 23.

I read of a moral-wise philosopher, who, meeting a woman with her neck and breast bare, laid his hand upon her, and said, Woman, wilt thou sell this flesh? and she replying, no: Then pray, said he, shut up your shop; (meaning her bare breasts and neck). So they were looked upon as harlots, that went with their necks, breasts, and backs bare, and not civil people, even among the moral heathens. Therefore they that profess the knowledge of true Christianity, should be ashamed of such things. You may see a book written by the very papists, and another by Baxter the presbyterian, against bare breasts and bare backs, and them that shewed their flesh uncovered: they that were but in an outward profession, did declare against such things; and therefore they which are in the possession of truth and true Christianity, should be ashamed of such things. Read, I pray you, the third of Isaiah, and there you may see how that holy prophet was grieved with the foolish women's vain attire, and how he was sent by the Lord to reprove them. And envious, persecuting Jezebel, her attired head and bravery, like a painted harlot out of the truth, did not keep her from the judgments of God, when the Lord stirred up Jehu against her. Doth not pride go before a fall, and a haughty mind before destruction? And God resisteth the proud, and giveth grace to the humble. And Solomon saith, "The Lord will destroy the house of the proud." Prov. xv. 25. "For the day of the Lord shall be upon every one that is proud and lofty, &c. and he shall be brought low." Isa. ii. 12. and Mal. iv. Therefore take heed of calling the proud happy for the Lord will scatter the proud in the imaginations of their own hearts, and exalt them of low degree. And you may read in the Revelations (chap. xvii. 4. and xviii. 16.) of the false church, how she was outwardly decked, but full of abomination, and came to a downfall at last. And therefore it is good for all that profess the truth, to use this world as not ahusing it for the fashion of this world passeth away; VOL. II.

Y

but the word of the Lord endureth for ever.

"The Lord

taketh pleasure in his people, he will beautify the meek with salvation." Psal. cxlix. 4. Therefore all that know the truth as it is in Jesus, are to be beautified and clothed with this salvation, which salvation is a strong wall or a bulwark against that spirit that would lead you down into the fall from God, or into those things which the fallen man and woman delight in, and beautify or adorn themselves with. And therefore all that profess the truth, be circumspect, sincere, and fervent, following the Lord Jesus Christ, who is not of this world; in whom ye have life and peace with God."

South-street, the 24th of the
Fourth Month, 1685.

G. F.

After I had been some weeks in the country at Southstreet, and at and about Enfield (in which time I had several meetings with friends) I returned to London. And amongst other services that I found there, one was, to assist friends in drawing up testimony, to clear our friends from being concerned in the late rebellion in the west, and from all plots against the government: which accordingly we did; and delivered them to the chief justice, who was then to go down into the west, with commission to try prisoners.

I tarried some time in London, visiting meetings, and labouring among friends in the service of truth. But finding my health much impaired for want of fresh air, I went a little way out of town to Charles Bathurst's country house at Epping Forest, where I staid a few days; and while I was there it came upon me to write the following epistle to friends:

• Dear friends,

'Who are called, chosen, and faithful in this day of trial, and temptations, and sufferings, whom the Lord by his right hand hath upholden in all your sufferings (and some to death) for the Lord and his truth's sake; Christ saith, "Be of good cheer, I have overcome the world; in me ye have peace; but in the world ye have trouble." The children of the Seed, which be heirs of the kingdom, know this is true. And though ye have trials by false brethren, Judases and sons of perdition, that are gone into the temple of God, and exalted above all that is called God, whom the Lord will destroy with the breath of his mouth, and the brightness of his coming: and though ye be tried by powers or principalities, yet there is nothing able to separate you

from the love of God, which ye have in Christ Jesus. In that love dwell, which bears all things and fulfils the law, in which edify one another, and be courteous, and kind, and humble for to such God giveth his grace plentifully, and such he teacheth. And pray in the Holy Ghost, which proceeds from the Father and the Son; and in it keep your holy communion, and unity in the spirit, the bond of peace, which is the King of kings' heavenly peace. In that you are all bound to good behaviour, and keeping peace among yourselves, and seeking the peace of all men; and shewing forth the heavenly, gentle, and peaceable wisdom to all men, in righteousness and truth, answering the good in all people in all your lives and conversations (for the Lord is glorified in your bringing forth spiritual fruit,) that ye may eye and behold the Lord in all your actions; that the blessings of the Lord ye may all feel to rest upon you. Whether ye be the Lord's prisoners for his name and truth's sake, or at liberty, in all things labour to be content (for that is a continual feast), and let no trouble move you; then ye will be as mount Sion, that cannot be removed. And in all things exercise the word of patience, which word will sanctify all things to you. And study to be quiet, and do the Lord's business that he requires of you; and your own, in truth and righteousness and whatsoever ye do, let it be done to the praise and glory of God in the name of Jesus Christ. All they that do make God's people to suffer, they make the seed to suffer in their own particulars, and imprison the just there and such will not visit the seed in themselves, but cast it into prison in others, and not visit it in prison. You may read that Christ saith such must go into everlasting punishment. That is a sad punishment and prison. And all such as are become apostates and backsliders, that do crucify to themselves Christ afresh, and put him to open shame, and trample under feet the blood of the Son of God, by which they were cleansed, and then come to be unclean; such grieve, vex, and quench, and rebel against, the Spirit of God in themselves: and then such rebel against them that walk in the Spirit of God. Such are unfaithful to God and man, and are enemies to every good work and service of God: but their end will be according to their works; who are like unto the earth, that hath often received rain, but brings forth briars and thorns, which are to be rejected, and are for the fire. Therefore, dear friends, in all your sufferings, feel the Lord's eternal arm and power, which hath upheld you, and supported you to this day, and will to the end, as your faith stands in it, and as you are settled upon the rock and foun

dation Christ Jesus, that cannot be removed: in whom ye have life and peace with God. And so the Lord God Almighty in him give you dominion, and preserve and keep you all to his glory; that in all your sufferings ye may feel his presence: and that, when ye have finished your testimony, ye may receive the crown of glory, which God hath laid up for them that fear and serve him. Amen.' G. F.

The 15th of the Seventh month, 1685.

Having spent about a week at this time among friends in the country, I returned to London, where I continued about two months, visiting friends' meetings, and labouring to get relief for friends from their sufferings, which yet lay heavy upon them in many parts of the nation. Several papers also I writ relating to the service of truth, one of which was concerning order in the church of God, which some that were gone out of the unity of friends, did much oppose. And that was as followeth :

'Among all societies, or families, or nations of people in the world, they have among them some sort of order. There was the order of Aaron in the old testament; and there was the order of Melchizedeck before that: after whose order Christ Jesus came; and he did not despise that order. So God is a God of order in his whole creation, and in his church: and all the believers in the light, the life in Christ, that do pass from death to life, they are in the order of the Holy Spirit, power, light, life, and government of Christ Jesus, of the increase whereof there is no end. And this is a mystery to all those disorderly people, who have written and printed so much against orders, which the Lord's power and spirit hath_brought forth among his people. And you that cry so much against orders, is it not manifest that you are gone into a land of darkness (thick as darkness itself) and of the shadow of death, into disorder, and where the light is as darkness ? And is not this your condition seen by all them that live and walk in the truth, and whose conversations are according to the gospel of life and salvation?

The devil, satan, dragon, and the first and second beast, and the whore and false prophets, and their worshippers and followers, all these are out of the truth, and abode not in it, nor in the order of it; and the truth is over them all. In Salem is God's tabernacle, a peaceable tabernacle, and his tabernacle is in Shiloh; and these are far beyond the tabernacles of Ham. (Psal. lxxvi. and 1xxviii.)

All the figures and shadows were and are in time; but Christ the substance is the beginning and the ending. And all trials, troubles, persecutions and temptations came up in time; but the Lord's power, which is everlasting, is over all such things; in which is safety.

The black world of darkness lieth in wickedness, and by their wisdom knoweth not God, that made the world and all things therein; for the god of the world and prince of the air ruleth in the hearts of all them that disobey the living God that made them. And so the god of this wicked world hath blinded all the eyes of the infidels or heathen; so that this wicked world by their wisdom doth not know the living God.

In the old testament the Lord said, "With all thy offer ings thou shalt offer salt." Lev. ii. 13. And Christ saith in his new covenant, "Every one shall be salted with fire, and every sacrifice shall be salted with salt. Salt is good; but if the salt have lost its saltness, wherewith will you season it? Have salt in yourselves, and have peace one with another." Mark ix. 49, 50.

'We have received the earnest of the Spirit, which is the earnest of the inheritance, that fadeth not away. For God poureth out of his Spirit upon all flesh; so it is God's Spirit, which is above our natural spirit (by which alone we do not know God,) for it is with the Spirit of God, that we do know the things of God. And the Spirit of God doth witness to our souls and spirits, that this Spirit of God is the earnest of an eternal inheritance. "God opens his people's ears to discipline, and commands, that they turn from iniquity. If they obey and serve him, they shall spend their days in prosperity, and their years in pleasure; but if they obey him not, they shall perish_by the sword, and they shall die without knowledge." Job xxxvi. 10, 11, 12. So the disobedient, that do not turn from their iniquity, have not this prosperity and pleasure, but die without the knowledge of God; and such, their ears are shut to this discipline, which God opens to his people.' G. F.

When I had been about two months in London, I was sent for to my son Rouse's at Kingston, to visit a daughter of his, which at that time lay very sick; but recovered, Whilst I staid there I had several meetings with friends; and returning by Hammersmith, staid the first-day meeting there, which was large and peaceable. And having visited friends thereabouts, I came back to London again, being very intent upon the business of getting redress for