had them for their examples: the apostle indeed was very tender to people, while he saw them walk in simplicity; as in the case of them that were scrupulous about meats and days; but when the apostle saw that some drew them into the observation of days, and to settle in such things, he then reproves them sharply, and asks them, who had bewitched them. So in the case of marrying he was tender, lest their minds should be drawn from the Lord's joining; but when they came to forbid marriage, and to set up rules for meats and drinks, he called it a doctrine of devils, and an erring from the true faith. So also he was tender concerning circumcision, and in tenderness suffered some to be circumcised: but when he saw they went to make a sect of it, and to set up circumcision as a standing practice, he told them plainly, if they were circumcised, Christ would profit them nothing. In like manner he was tender concerning the baptizing with water: but when he saw they began to make sects about it, some crying up Paul, others Apollos, he judged them, and called them carnal, and thanks God he had baptized no more, but such and such, declaring plainly, that he was sent to preach the gospel, and not to baptize; and brought them to the one baptism by the one spirit, into the one body, which Christ, the spiritual man, is the head of; and exhorted the church all to drink into that one spirit. For he set up in the church one faith, which Christ was the author of; and one baptism, which was that of the spirit into the one body; and one Lord Jesus Christ, who was the spiritual baptizer, who John said should come after him. And further the apostle declared, that they who worshipped and served God in the spirit, were of the circumcision of the spirit, which was not made with hands; by which the body of the sins of the flesh was put off; which circumcision Christ is the minister

of.

Another great objection they had, that the Quakers denied the sacrament (as they called it) of bread and wine, which, they said, they were to take, and do in remembrance of Christ to the end of the world. A great deal of work we had with the priests and professors about this, and about the several sorts of ways that it is taken in Christendom, so called; for some take it kneeling, and some sitting; but none of them all, that ever I could find, take it according as the disciples took it: for they took it in a chamber, after supper; but these generally take it before a dinner and some say, after the priest hath blessed it, it is Christ's body. But as to the matter, Christ said, 'Do this in remembrance of me.' He did not tell them how often they should do it, VOL. I.

or how long; neither did he enjoin them to do it always, as long as they lived, or that all believers in him should do it to the world's end. The apostle Paul, who was not converted till after Christ's death, tells the Corinthians, that he had received of the Lord that which he delivered unto them concerning this matter: and he relates Christ's words concerning the cup thus; "This do ye, as oft as ye drink it, in remembrance of me:" and himself adds, For [as often as] ye do eat this bread, and drink this cup, ye do shew the Lord's death till he come.' So according to what the apostle here delivers, neither Christ nor he did enjoin people to do this always; but leaves it to their liberty, [as oft as ye drink it, &c.] Now the Jews did use to take a cup, and to break bread, and divide it among them in their feasts; as may be seen in the Jewish antiquities so that the breaking of bread, and drinking of wine, were Jewish rites, which were not to last always. They did also baptize with water; which made it not seem a strange thing to them when John the baptist came with his decreasing ministration of water-baptism. But as to the bread and wine, after the disciples had taken it, some of them questioned whether Jesus was the Christ; for some of them said, after he was crucified, We trusted that it had been he which should have redeemed Israel, &c.' And though the Corinthians had the bread and wine, and were baptized in water, the apostle told them they were reprobates if Christ was not in them; and bid them examine themselves. And as the apostle said, 'As oft as ye do eat this bread, and drink this cup, ye do shew forth the Lord's death, [till he come :] so Christ had said before, that he was the bread of life, which came down from heaven; and that he would come and dwell in them; which the apostles did witness fulfilled; and exhorted others to seek for that which comes down from above: but the outward bread and wine and water are not from above, but from below. Now ye that eat and drink this outward bread and wine in remembrance of Christ's death, and have your fellowships in that, will ye come no nearer to Christ's death than to take bread and wine in remembrance of his death? After ye have eaten in remembrance of his death, ye must come into his death, and die with him, as the apostles did, if ye will live with him. And this is a nearer and further state, to be with him in the fellowship of his death, than only to take bread and wine in remembrance of his death. You must have a fellowship with Christ in his sufferings: if ye will reign with him, ye must suffer with him if ye will live with him, ye must die with him; and if ye die with

:

him, ye must be buried with him and being buried with him in the true baptism, ye also rise with him. Then having suffered with him, died with him, and been buried with him, if ye are risen with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ sitteth on the right hand of God: eat the bread which comes down from above, which is not outward bread; and drink the cup of salvation which he gives in his kingdom, which is not outward wine. And then there will be not a looking at the things that are seen (as outward bread and wine, and water are :) for, as says the apostle, The things that are seen are temporal, but the things that are not seen are eternal.' So here are many states and conditions to be gone through before people come to see that, and partake of that, which cometh down from above. For first, there was a taking of the outward bread and wine in remembrance of Christ's death: this was temporary, and not of necessity, but at their liberty, as oft as ye do it, &c. Secondly, there must be a coming into his death, a suffering with Christ; and this is of necessity to salvation, and not temporary, but continual: there must be a dying daily. Thirdly, a being buried with Christ. Fourthly, a rising with Christ. Fifthly, after they are risen with Christ, then a seeking those things which are above; a seeking the bread that comes down from heaven, and a feeding on that, and having fellowship in that. For outward bread, wine, and water, are from below, and are visible and temporal: but saith the apostle, 'We look not at things that are seen; for the things that are seen are temporal, but the things that are not seen are eternal.' So the fellowship that stands in the use of bread, wine, water, circumcision, outward temple, and things seen, will have an end: but the fellowship which stands in the gospel, the power of God, which was before the devil was, and which brings life and immortality to light, by which people may see over the devil, that has darkened them; this fellowship is eternal, and will stand. And all that are in it do seek that which is heavenly and eternal, which comes down from above, and are settled in the eternal mystery of the fellowship of the gospel, which is hid from all eyes, that look only at visible things. And the apostle told the Corinthians, who were in disorder about water, bread and wine, that he desired to know nothing amongst them but Jesus Christ, and him crucified.

Thus were the objections, which the priests and professors had raised against friends, answered and cleared; and the stumbling blocks, which they had laid in the way of the weak, removed. And as things were thus opened,

people came to see over them and through them, and to have their minds settled upon the Lord Jesus Christ, their free teacher which was the service, for which I was moved to travel over the nation after my imprisonment in Launceston jail. For in this year the Lord's truth was finely planted over the nation, and many thousands were turned to the Lord; insomuch that there were seldom fewer than one thousand in prison in this nation for truth's testimony; some for tithes, some for going to the steeple-houses, some for contempts (as they call them), some for not swearing, and others for not pulling off their hats, &c.

Now after I had visited most parts of the nation, and was come back to London again, finding that evil spirit at work which had drawn J. N. and his followers out from truth, to run friends into heats upon him, I writ a short epistle to friends, as followeth :

'To all the elect seed of God called Quakers, where the death is brought into the death, and the elder is servant to the younger, and the elect is known, which cannot be deceived, but obtains victory. This is the word of the Lord God to you all: Go not forth to the aggravating part, to strive with it out of the power of God; lest ye hurt yourselves, and run into the same nature, out of the life. For patience must get the victory, and to answer that of God in every one; which must bring every one to it, to bring them from the contrary. So let your moderation, and temperance, and patience be known unto all men in the seed of God. For that which reacheth to the aggravating part without life, sets up the aggravating part, and breeds confusion; and hath a life in outward strife, but reacheth not to the witness of God in every one, through which they might come into peace and covenant with God, and fellowship one with another. Therefore that which reacheth this witness of God in yourselves, and in others, is the life and light; which will out-last all, and is over all, and will overcome all. And therefore in the seed of life live, which bruiseth the seed of death.'

G. F.

I also writ another short epistle to friends to encourage them to keep up their meetings in the Lord's power; of which epistle a copy here followeth :

'Dear friends,

Keep your meetings in the power of the Lord; which power is over all that which is in the fall and must have an

end. Therefore be wise in the wisdom of God, which is from above, by which all things were made and created; that that may be justified among you, and you all kept in the solid life, which was before death was; and in the light, which was before the darkness was with all its works. In which light and life ye all may feel, and have the heavenly unity and peace, possessing the gospel fellowship, that is everlasting: that was before that, which doth not last for ever; and will remain when that is gone. For the gospel being the power of God, that is pure and everlasting; know it to be your portion in which is stability and life, and immortality, shining over that which darkens the mortal. And so be faithful every one to God, in your measures of his power and life, that ye may answer God's love and mercy to you, as the obedient children of the Most High; dwelling in the love, unity and peace, and in innocency of heart towards one another; that God may be glorified in you, and you kept faithful witnesses for him, and valiant for the truth on the earth. And so God Almighty preserve you all to his glory, that ye may all feel his blessing among you, and that ye may be possessors thereof.'

G. F.

And inasmuch as about this time many mouths were opened in our meetings, to declare the goodness of the Lord, and some that were young and tender in the truth would sometimes utter a few words in thanksgiving and praises to God; that no disorder might arise from thence in our meetings, I was moved to write an epistle to friends, by way of advice in that matter. And thus it was:

All my dear friends in the noble seed of God, and who have known his power, life and presence among you, let it be your joy to hear or see the springs of life break forth in any; through which ye have all unity in the same, feeling life and power. And above all things take heed of judg ing any one openly in your meetings, except they be openly prophane or rebellious, such as be out of the truth; that by the power, life and wisdom ye may stand over them, and by it answer the witness of God in the world, that such, whom ye bear your testimony against, is none of you: so that therein the truth may stand clear and single. But such as are tender, if they should be moved to bubble forth a few words, and speak in the seed and Lamb's power, suffer and bear that, that is, the tender. And if they should go beyond their measure, bear it in the meeting for