Jesus, and then how can you come into the covenant of grace, and to have assurance of your salvation, which this grace brings, which was the teacher of the church in the primitive times, and is the teacher of the church now, which is coming out of the wilderness, and from under the worship of the beast and dragon, and are coming out of Babylon and confusion? they know this grace of God is sufficient to teach them, and to bring their salvation, who are the spouse of Christ the bride, from whence this grace and truth comes, as it did in the apostles' days.

So God pouring out his spirit upon all flesh, if all flesh err from this spirit, they err from God and his way, and his church, and Christ the head of it; and then how can they see Christ their salvation, when they err from his spirit?

And you that say, you have not the same spirit of Christ, as the apostles had, the apostle tells you, that they that have not the spirit of Christ, are none of his ;' and so manifest yourselves to be none of Christ's, and to be but christians in words, but not in the spirit.

For the Jews in the letter and outward circumcision were looked upon to be no Jews; therefore, how can you be looked upon to be true christians, that are not in the same spirit of Christ, as the apostles were in, seeing he tells you, that he that hath not the spirit of Christ is none of his?' for these may have the praise of men, but what praise of God have they? for God hath his praise of all them that walk in his spirit.

And so now it is clear, you being erred from the grace, and from the spirit, and from the gospel, and from the living, pure, divine faith, which Christ is the author of; therefore, you make faiths.

And being erred from the spirit, as I said before, you are erred from the body of Christ; for by one spirit are all the church baptized into one body, and so are all made to drink into one spirit;' and this is their spiritual unity.

But now you being erred from this spirit, and from this baptism that. plungeth down sin and corruption, and imperfection, you do plead for sin, and its body, and imperfection to the grave; but the church of Christ is to be perfect, and never pleaded for any such thing; but what can you plead for else, that are unbaptized with the spirit, and not circumcised in your hearts therewith?

And so being erred from this faith that gives the victory, and from the spirit that doth baptize, and from the light which Christ commands to believe in; and from the grace which brings salvation; and from the gospel, which brings life and immortality to light: and from the faith, which is the victory, which brings to build upon Christ the sure foundation; and likewise erred from the Holy Ghost, which led the true church into all truth, and reproves the world of sin, &c. so in this you are erred from the body of Christ, his church, and from him the living head, and

from God and his way; though without this light, faith, grace, spirit, gospel, and Holy Ghost, you may make a profession of the scriptures, and of the prophets' and apostles' words, and have many churches amongst you in the world, and in Christendom.

And so there you have many heads and many bodies which you call churches, both in Christendom and in the world, being erred and rent from that which leads into the true church, which Christ is the head of. And now, as it sometimes happens and falls out, that when some of your church members forsake you, and go to other churches, then you cry error, and heresy, and schism; when alas! you are all in the error, and schismatics, teaching the insufficiency of the light, and of the grace and of the spirit to lead into all truth: and confess that you yourselves are not in the same spirit or Holy Ghost the apostles were in; and then are you not all in schisms and rents from the spiritual body and head: and therefore, when one plucks members from one church to another, you do but pluck from one schism to another, and from one error to another.

For all, both Turks, papists, and all other sects in the world, until they do turn at the reproofs of the Holy Ghost, and at the reproofs of the light, and believe in it, there is no coming to be grafted into Christ the head, but by belief: and no coming into all the truth of the prophets', Christ's, and the apostles' words, but by being led by the same Holy Ghost, that gave them forth.

But if any turn to the grace and Holy Ghost that doth reprove them of their sin, righteousness and judgment, and come to believe in the light, and so to be children of the light, and leave those churches that be erred from the light and spirit, then all the sects will rise against them, though they do differ one amongst another in their error and schism, being rent from the body of Christ, and from him the head; and erred from the spirit, grace and truth, which came from him and by him; for John truly said, and called the false church, the mother of harlots :' now these harlots doth harlot from the light, from the grace, from the faith and true church, and Christ the head and husband of his church.

And John, said this mother of harlots sits upon the beast, and the beast rose out of the earth, and the dragon that is out of the truth gave his power to the beast.'

So the beast is from the earth, and the devil is out of the truth, and the mother of harlots is harlotted from the power as the apostles were in; so she has corrupted the earth, and is the abomination of the earth, and so would plead for corruptions, she and her harlots to the grave; for how can they plead for pureness, and perfection, being erred from the spirit that mortifies?

But Christ Jesus's everlasting gospel is preached again, that was

preached in the apostles' days, which bringeth life and immortality to light in people, who have been darkened by the whore, beast and dragon, that are out of the truth.

So they come from under the beast's worship, and the dragon's, and cannot touch the whore's unclean cup, that are whored from the spirit, light, grace, and truth, and faith the apostles and the true church were in.

And that is the faith, that is the victory, and the belief in the light, by which they are children of light, and overcome the world, and are passed from death to life, and so are grafted into Christ the heavenly head, and so are members of the body, as the church in the primitive times were, and have the same head, and the same Holy Ghost, and the same spirit of truth that leads into all truth, of the prophets', Christ's, and the apostles' words, which were given forth by the Holy Ghost and so such have the comfort of Christ, and of the Holy Ghost, and the comfort of all the scriptures given forth from the Holy Ghost, and the comfort of the Father and the Son; and sing praises and glory and honour, over all unto him, that lives and reigns forever and

ever.

And much might be written, of the state of the true church, and of the state of the false, which is gotten up since the apostles' days.

But the church that was and is, is in the head that was and is, in the power, and grace, and spirit, and faith, and belief, which was, and is, by which the church is united together in one, with Christ the one holy, and heavenly, and spiritual head, (and over the heads of the beast, and dragon, and whore,) to whom alone belongs all holy praises, glory and honour over all, from everlasting to everlasting. Amen.

And the saints had, and have, both assurance and confidence; for David saith, 'O, thou God of our salvation, who art the confidence of all the ends of the earth, and of them that are afar off upon the sea.' Psalm lxv. 5.

And Solomon said, 'in the fear of the Lord is strong confidence, and his children have a place of refuge.' Prov. xiv. 26.

Now they that be out of the fear of God, and in the evil, undeparted from it, are not like to enjoy this confidence.

And the Lord said, 'the work of righteousness shall be peace, and the effect of righteousness, quietness and assurance forever.' Isa. xxxii. 17. Now they that have this peace, and quietness, and assurance, forever, must be in this work.

And Paul preached the kingdom of God, and teaching those things which concern the Lord Jesus Christ, with all confidence. Acts xxviii. 31. And the apostle said, 'that in Christ Jesus our Lord we have boldness and access with confidence, by the faith of him,' (to wit, Christ.) Ephes. iii. 11, 12.

So here the saints hath both boldness and confidence, and access to God, through Jesus Christ.

And the apostle speaks to the Colossians, that their hearts might be comforted, being knit together in love, and unto all riches of a full assurance,' (mark,) a full assurance of understanding, to the acknowledgement of the mystery of God the Father, and of Christ. Col. ii. 2.

And Christ, as a Son, is over his own house; whose house we are of; (to, wit, the true church,) if we hold fast the confidence, and the rejoicing of the hope firm unto the end. Heb. iii. 6.

So these had a confidence, and they were to hold it fast. And he desired, that every one of the church do shew forth the same diligence unto a full assurance of hope to the end.' Heb. iii. 6, 14.

'Therefore,' said he, 'let us draw nigh with a pure heart, in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled from an evil conscience, and our bodies washed with clean water: cast not therefore away your confidence, which hath great recompence of reward.' Heb. x. 22, 35.

So here the church was to be in full assurance and confidence, in the Lord Jesus Christ, through that faith they had from him.

And John said to the church, these things I write unto you, that you believe in the name of the Son of God, that ye may know, that ye have eternal life and this is the confidence, that we have in him, that if we ask any thing according to his will, he heareth us; and we know we are of God, and the whole world lieth in wickedness: and we know that the Son of God is come, and hath given us an understanding, that we may know him that is true; and we are in him that is true; and this is the true God and eternal life.' 1 John v.

So here was a confidence, and an assurance, and a knowledge that the church then had, and now have, in the same belief in the light, who are become children of light, and in the same belief, and same spirit. For, as the apostle said, with the heart man believeth unto righteousness, and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation.' Rom. x. So if there be but this belief in the heart, there will be confession with the mouth.

So you may see, the saints had assurance, and confidence in their faith, and in their salvation, Christ Jesus; and they were exhorted to an assurance, and confidence, and boldness in Christ Jesus, the life and their salvation, and to rejoice in him, their head, in whom they had victory, who made them more than conquerors.

Marshgrange, the 9th of the 3d month, 1676.

G. F.

To all the Kings, Princes, and Governors in the whole world: and all that profess themselves Christians, and others, to read and consider.

This was upon me from the Lord to write unto you.—By G. F.

AND the word of the Lord is to you, that God is come, and coming to teach his people himself, by his Son Christ Jesus.

For the Lord God that made all things in six days, and man and woman in his image, and placed them in paradise; God Almighty was their teacher, their guide, and their orderer, who did teach them what to do, and what to leave undone; and as long as they kept under God's teaching, they were happy, and kept in the image and likeness of God, and in his righteousness and holiness, and in the paradise of God.

But when they forsook God's teaching, and disobeyed God's command, and hearkened unto the serpent's teaching, and obeyed his command, they lost the image, and righteousness, and holiness, and likeness of God, and were driven out of paradise, and so came into darkness, and the fall and fell into sin and misery, and into the imperfect and corrupt state. And so death reigned from Adam to Moses, and so as by the offence of one, (to wit, Adam,) came judgment upon all men to condemnation. Even so by the righteousness of Christ, the free gift is come upon men to justification of life.

all

And so death reigned from Adam till Moses, and the law and the prophets were until John.

And now Christ being come, the seed of the woman to bruise the serpent's head, he saith, learn of me, I am the way, the truth, and the life, and no man comes to the Father but by me.'

So here you may see Christ is the teacher again, who is the way to God, who bruises the head of the serpent, the false teacher, that led Adam and Eve from God, and is the head of all false teachers.

And God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son into the world, that whosoever believeth in him, shall not perish, but have everlasting life.'

And moreover, God saith, this is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased, hear ye him.'

So here all people are to believe in, and hear the Son, and learn of him. And the apostle saith to the Hebrews, 'God, who at sundry times, and in divers manners, spoke in times past to the fathers by the prophets, hath in these last days spoken unto us by his Son, whom he hath appointed heir of all things, by whom also he hath made the worlds.' Heb. i. 2. So here you may see that God, who was the first speaker in paradise to Adam and Eve, was the speaker again to the apostles, and the church VOL. V.-40