people! you remain in the dark; and to such Christ will say, 'I know you not;' and how should ye know him, who hate the light that gives the knowledge of him? for such they are that Christ knows, who believe in his light, and are grafted into him, the life, and become children of the light, and turn from darkness, and do the truth, and walk in the spirit, and neither grieve nor rebel against it, and in it is their fellowship and in the spirit of revelation, which reveals the things of God to them, and Christ to them, who is the spiritual man, through which they keep the testimony of Jesus, which is the spirit of prophecy, and so of Christ's, the heavenly man's sheep, who by his spirit know his spiritual and heavenly voice, and walking in the spirit, follow the spiritual and heavenly man Christ Jesus, who has purchased them with his heavenly blood, and feeds them with his heavenly flesh, the bread from heaven; and this I and they witness, who are within his heavenly fold, and have his heavenly seal and mark from the heavenly Father, and wish all you knew the

same.

Some queries to you that make a boast of your profession of Christ in the flesh, and yet deny him in his light, which is the life in the word; SEEING Christ that was crucified, the same is risen, and remains in the heavens, and is ascended far above all principalities, powers, thrones and dominions, &c. and since John saith in the Revelations, that the beast with his horns should make war with the Lamb, but the Lamb should overcome him; for he is King of kings, and Lord of lords,' &c. Rev. xvii. And again, in Rev. xix. the beast and the kings of the earth, and their armies shall gather together to make war against him that sat on the white horse,' &c.

Now I query this of you: how do those make war against Christ, the Lamb of God, seeing he is risen? did they make war against him in his flesh, as the Jews did, or against him in his light and life, and in his spirit, as he was in his people, seeing that he was ascended far above all principalities and powers, after he was risen? therefore, I would know of you, how the beast and his followers make war with the Lamb, if it be not against his light, and against his life, and against his spirit in his people, by calling him in his light, and life, and spirit, natural, and of the devil, and a false christ, &c? if they cannot war against Christ in the flesh, and if you confess that he is ascended far above all principalities and powers, &c. then do not such war against him in his life, and spirit, and light, which Christ commands all to believe in? and if they be not warriors against him in his flesh, then are not they warriors against him in his light, life and spirit? and then are not you the warriors against him, that hate his light, which is the life in the word, and call it of the devil, and a false christ, and an idol, &c? and do not you

think, that the heavenly warrior, the Lamb, will overcome you, who is King of kings, and Lord of lords, and will take the beast and false prophet, and cast him into the lake of fire and brimstone, &c?

Again it is said, the dragon was wroth with the woman, and made war with her seed, that kept the commands of God, that have the testimony of Jesus.' [mark, have it,] Rev. xii. And also, it is said, in Rev. xiii. 'the beast that opened his mouth in blasphemy against God, to blaspheme his name and his tabernacle, and them that dwell in heaven, and power was given unto him to make war with the saints,' &c. Now was not this war against them, the saints, the sanctified ones, that lived in the light, and believed in the light, and were children of the light, and were grafted into Christ by belief in the light, which was the life in the word, who have the testimony of Jesus, the spirit of prophecy, &c. Was not this war against them, because Christ was in them by his light and life, spirit and power? and so do not such war against him now, that have but the form and outward profession of Christ's and the apostles' words, against the believers in the light, which is the life in Christ the word, and blaspheme against it? and is not that from the spirit of the beast, and not from the spirit of Christ, to say they have not the same spirit and power Christ and the apostles had? but indeed, how should you, that will not believe in his light, with which he enlightens every man that cometh into the world? is not this the cause of so many heaps and heads amongst people in the whole world, because they do not believe in Christ the true light, that lighteth every man that cometh into the world, by which they might become the children of light, and grafted into Christ their life, and so see him, and hold to him their head, and keep the testimony of Jesus? and did not Christ say to that great professor Saul, and doth he not say to such,' why persecutest thou me? it is hard for thee to kick against the pricks :' and further, does not Christ say, I was in prison, and hungry, and sick, and naked, &c. Was this a persecuting Christ that died at Jerusalem in his flesh ? or was it a persecuting Christ as he was manifest in his members by his light, and life, and power, and spirit, which were the possessors of Christ? And if their persecution was against Christ in his light and life, which they persecuted the believers in, and such as were the possessors of Christ in his spirit; then I say again, are not you the same persecutors, that blaspheme against his light, and persecute his members that confess to it, and believe in it? so consider Christ's words to Saul, while he was persecuting him, he 'kicked against that which pricked him,' he was kicking against that which pricked him, whilst he persecuted Christ in his members: so see if you can tell, what it was he kicked against? and what that was that made Judas confess he had sinned in betraying the innocent blood? was it not that which condemned him, that will make every

tongue to confess? and do not all they crucify Christ to themselves afresh and put him to open shame, that live not in the life, and the same power and spirit that the apostles lived in, and believe not in the light, which is the life in Christ the word, and so not grafted into him, because of unbelief in Christ the light and life? and are not all the believers in the light, which is the life in Christ grafted into him, members of his body, and of his flesh, and of his bones, yea or nay? and so they that persecute Christ's members, do not they persecute him? and are not all such unbelievers, that persecute the believers in the light, which Christ commanded people to believe in? for, where did any believers in the light, that were children of the light, and grafted into Christ, persecute one another? or where did ever the prophets or apostles, or any christians in the apostles' days, call the light of Christ, which enlightens every one that comes into the world, (which is the life in the world,) and which Christ commands to believe in, of the devil, an idol, and natural, and a new christ, &c. Let us see where it is written in the scriptures, you that call and say, the scripture is your rule, for what you do, and preach, and speak? Are not all they that do not believe in the light of Christ condemned by the light of Christ, though they make a profession of him in the flesh? or are any saved but who believe in the light? And do not they come out of condemnation that believe in the light, and so become children of the light, and grafted into Christ, where there is no condemnation? Consider these things. G. F. Swarthmore, this 18th of the 8th month, 1675.

Something by way of Query to, and Expostulation with you that love and expect Earthly Honour.

DOTH not Christ say, 'I receive not honour from men?'

Now, if the King of kings, and Lord of lords, the great Prophet, and the great and heavenly bishop and shepherd, that sent out all his ambassadors and disciples, and bid them, 'go into all nations and preach the King of king's and Lord of lord's glorious gospel ;' if he did not receive honour from men, then whether his ambassadors or apostles receive honour from men in all, or any of those nations that they went into with his message ? For does not Christ say to the great professing Jews, and scribes, pharisees, and chief priests, and the like, 'How can ye believe, which seek honour one of another, and seek not the honour which comes from God only?' Mark Christ's question, and see how you can answer him in it ; for Jesus Christ saith to the Jews, which were great professors of Moses and the prophets, 'I honour my Father, and ye do dishonour me.' Jöhn

viii. 49.

And now, do not all that speak evil of his light, which is the life in

him, dishonour him in his light and life, as the Jews did dishonour him in the days of his flesh, though they may be as high-professors in the letter, that Christ is come, as the scribes, (the writers,) and the pharisees, and chief priests (the readers and expounders of the law and prophets,) were, that he was to come?

And had not the Jews the scriptures of Moses and the prophets, the scribes, (the writers,) pharisees, and chief priests and other priests, (these readers and expounders of the law and prophets,) had not these the scriptures that testified that Christ was to come, and yet they knew not Christ, the word of God, when he was come?'

Did not Christ say to the Jews, he that is of God heareth God's words; ye therefore, hear them not, because you are not of God?' John viii. 47. Now, might not the Jews say to Christ, as the professors will now say to us, do not we read the law and the prophets every sabbath-day in our synagogues and temple? and are not they the words of God? But may not Christ answer you again, and say unto you, that you have not the same spiritual ear as his prophets and apostles had, to hear God's words; but those ears of yours are stopped like the pharisees' scribes', and high priests', and Jews', who had outward ears and eyes, but heard not, nor saw they Christ wanting the spiritual? and is it not said, he that hath an ear, let him hear what the spirit saith unto the churches?"

And did not Christ say to Pilate in his examination, for this cause I came into the world, to bear witness unto the truth; every one that is of the truth, heareth my voice? So then, it is not every one that speaks the words of truth, of Moses and the prophets, Christ and the apostles; but every one that is of the truth; he must be of the truth if he hears Christ's voice; for, does he not tell you plainly, it is not every one that says Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom; but he that doth his will shall know his doctrine?' Likewise, doth not Christ say, 'every one that doth truth cometh to the light that with its deeds may be manifest that they are wrought in God? And therefore they that do not the truth, though they may talk of it from Genesis to the Revelations, if they come not to the light, their works cannot be manifest to them that they are wrought in God, neither can they see how their works are wrought. For doth not the apostle say, that which makes manifest is light?' And doth not Christ say, 'every one that doth evil hates the light, neither cometh to the light, least his deeds should be reproved? And if every one that doth evil hates the light, do not such hate Christ, the life and the salvation, the covenant of light? And are not these the haters of light, and the doers of evil, that say, 'the light which is the life in Christ, is natural, and of the devil, and the Quakers' idol, and a new christ,' &c.? And so, neither come to the light themselves, nor suffer others to come to the light, least their deeds should be reproved: wherefore it was the Jews, VOL. V.-27

scribes, pharisees, sadducees, and high-priests, that did the evil, and hated the light, and would not come to the light, least their deeds should be reproved? And may not this be also truly said of many in Christendom, of the great professors of the letter of Christ and the apostles, that he is come,' as of the great professors of the letter, the Jews, that he was to come?'

6

Now, such as hate the light, and will not come to the light, who do evil, because it will reprove them, and let them see their evil deeds; how should such do the truth, and be of the truth, and hear Christ's voice, as he saith, My sheep hear my voice?'

Swarthmore, this 20th of the 8th month, 1675.

G. F.

TO ALL MAGISTRATES AND PEOPLE IN CHRISTENDOM,

And elsewhere. to turn from the Persecuting Mind, that destroys people's bodies and estates for not conforming to your religion and worship. And that you may receive the Mind of Christ, as the Apostles did, who came to save Men's Lives, and not to destroy them; and to rebuke them that would destroy Men's Lives and estates.-By G. F.

You do not read in the old world that either Adam, Seth, Enoch, or any of those famous fathers, that did succeed each other unto Noah, did force or compel any to their religion or way of worshipping God; though it is said, 'Noah was grieved with the unrighteous conversation of the old world, who grieved God and his spirit which strove with them;' but it doth not say, it strove with them, with carnal weapons, or gaols, or imprisonments.'

And though Noah was a preacher of righteousness, we do not read he forced or compelled any, or had any such command from God.

And after the Lord God had destroyed the old ungodly world, for their ungodliness; who grieved him and his spirit.

So their destruction came by resisting the spirit of the Lord, and going from it into ungodliness; and God was just in overthrowing of them, whose spirit had striven with them long, yet he saved just Noah.

And after that he had destroyed the old world, and saved Noah and his family; we do not read that ever either Noah, or any of them that succeeded him, unto Abraham, did force or compel any to their religion, or the worshipping of their God.

Also, Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, that did succeed each other; we never read that they did compel or force any to serve or worship God, or compel them to their ways.