NUMBER CCCVIII.

1674.

My dear friends in England, and all parts of the world; the Gospel, which is the power of God, which you have received from the beginning, keep in it, and the fellowship of it; in which there is neither sect, nor schism, but an everlasting fellowship, and an everlasting order.

And at your general assemblies of the ministry at London or elsewhere, examine, as it was at the first, whether all the ministers that go forth into the countries, do walk as becomes the Gospel: for that you know was one end of that meeting, to prevent and take away scandal; and to examine, whether all who preach Christ Jesus, do keep in his government, and in the in the order of the Gospel, and to exhort them that do not: for the foundation is already laid, which is Christ, and his government is set up; of the increase of which there is no end. Had those called Christians kept in his order and government, they had not troubled themselves and others with so many disorders; so if you keep in the gospel order, and government of Christ Jesus, you will keep out of

the apostasy, which they have been in, and the many false orders and governments, that they went into, and made one against another, when they went from the true; as you may see in the Scriptures of Truth, that it was some high Cain and Corah-like spirits that did so; for Cain was able to build a city and Corah, that opposed the chief leader Moses, was of the princes of the people: and so these opposed, with their many orders, the true order: and Balaam, that was able to teach a nation, and prophesy before a king, made the children of Israel to stumble by his bad counsel. These were men of esteem—these are they the world went after—these came to ride upon the people; and such as these opposed Abel, Moses, and Christ, the Leader and Governor, and his apostles, and set up the many orders and goverments in their churches, and broke all into sects. And therefore it concerns all that profess themselves to be ministers, to be humble, else they are no learners of Christ ; not to be harsh nor high minded, but walk as examples amongst God's flock, and not to be lord's over God's inheritance; but let Him be Lord whose right it is, &c.

And you have known the manner of my life, the best part of thirty years, since I went forth, and forsook all things; I sought not myself, I sought you and his glory that sent me; and when I turned you to Him, that is able to save you, I left you to Him. And my travails have been great, in hungers and colds, when there were few, for the first six or seven years; that I often lay in woods and on commons in the night; that many times it was as a by-word, that I would not come into houses, and lie in their beds; and the prisons have been made my home a great part of my time, and I have been in danger of my life, and in jeopardy daily. And amongst you I have made myself of no reputation, to keep the Truth up in reputation, as you all very well know, that are in the fear of God. With the low, I made myself low; and with the weak and feeble, I was as one with them, and condescended to all conditions; for the Lord had fitted me so to do before He sent me forth; and so 1 passed through great sufferings in my body, as you have been sensible.

And few at the first took care for the establishing of men and women's meetings, though they were generally owned when they under

stood them; but the everlasting God, who sent me forth by his everlasting power first to declare his everlasting Gospel; and when people had received the Gospel, moved me to go through the nation, to advise them to set up the men's meetings, and the women's; many of which were set up; and I was moved to write to other places, for them to do the like. So that all now, in the restoration by Christ Jesus into the image of God, may be helps meet in holiness and righteousness; for in the church of Christ, where He is head, there is his Gospel, and his order, and his government; there his power is felt in every one's heart, and there are the offices of admonishing, rebuking, exhorting, reproving, amongst them that are convinced and converted, by them that are in the power; for there are several states. So they that would not have people to be admonished, who go under the name of Truth, and yet go into sin and wickedness—those are out of the gospel order, and government of Christ Jesus, and of loose mind themselves, and would set up themselves, and be lords: but that spirit is for judg ment, for it is out of the power of God, and out of the Spirit in which is the fellowship.

G. F.

Friends,

NUMBER сссх.

1674.

In every thing give thanks to the Lord; for from Him you do receive every good thing; the Apostle saith, 1 Thess. v. 18: "In every thing give thanks :" for this is the will of God in Jesus Christ concerning you; and they that do not obey this doctrine, do not do the will of God in Christ Jesus. And the Apostle saith: "Every creature of God is good, and nothing to be refused, if it be received with thanksgiving," &c. 1 Tim. iv. 4. And David saith: " At midnight I will rise to give thee thanks, because of thy righteous judgments." Psalm cxix. 62. And David saith, "O give thanks unto the Lord, for He is good, because his mercy endureth for ever!" Psalm cxviii. 1. So the Lord is worthy of all thanks and praises, through Jesus Christ, who created all by Jesus Christ, to his glory and honour for evermore.

G. F.