women’s meeting, 1699–1782

1Friends Fellowship must be in y^e Spirit and all

Friends must know one another in the Spirit & Power of God.

In all y^e Meetings of y^e County two or three being gathered from y^m to go to y^e

Generall Meetings for to give notice one to another if there be any that walk

not in the Truth, & have been convinced, & gone from the Truth, & so dishonour

=ed God: y^t some may be ordered from the Meetings to go & exhort such &

bring in to y^e next Generall Meetings what they Say.

If any y^t Profess y^e Truth follow pleasures, drunkenness, gamings, or is not

faithfull in their dealings, nor honest nor just but runs into debt, & so brings

a scandall upon the Truth, Friends may give notice to the Generall Meeting

if there be any Such; & Some may be ordered to go & exhort y^m & bring in their

Answer next Generall Meeting.

And if any goes disorderly to get her in Marriage, contrary to y^e Pract[ices]

of the Holy men of God, & Assemblies of the righteous in all ages; Who declares

it in y^e Assemblies of the righteous w[he]^n. they took one another (all things being

clear) & they booth being free from any other; & wⁿ they do go together, & take one

another, let there not less than a douzen Friends & Relations present, according

to yo^r former order, having first acquainted the Mens Meeting & they having

clearness & unity w^th y^m & it may be Recorded in a book; according to the Word

& Commandment of y^e Lord, & If any walk contrary to y^e order of Truth herein,

let some be ordered to speak to y^m & give notice thereof to y^e next Generall Meeting.

And all y^t be Widdows w^ch have Children, & do Intend to marry; Let Query be

made what she hath done for her Children: If there be no Will made, let such

part of her late Husbands Estate be set out for y^e Children as is equall, and

according to Truth: & what they can do more afterwards let y^m do also & where

there is a will made Let those Legacies, & Portions be improv’d, & secured before

Marriage for the Children of y^e deceased w^th what more they can do for them

& when these things are done let them be Recorded in a Book at y^e nex Generall

Meeting.

And also all Widdows in yo^r severall Meetings, let y^m be taken notice of & infor[m]

=ed & encouraged in their outward business, that there may be no hindrance

in their Inward growth; & so carefully looked after that there may be nourished

& cherished & so preserved in y^e Truth that love may be encreased; & If they

have many Children to put out Apprentices, or Servants that may be a

burden to y^m to bring up, let Friends take care to ease y^m by putting y^m forth as

may be meet: let all these things be looked into by every Meeting; & notice there

of given to the next Generall Meeting. & yⁿ [then] some ordered to see y^t all things

are done according to Truth & Righteousness.

And such as Marry by the Priests of Baal who are the rough hands of Esau,

& fists of Wickedness, & bloody hands; Who have had their hands in the blows

of our Brethren, & who is the cause of all this Banishment of our Brethren,

& have spoiled so many of our Goods; casting into Prison, & keeps many

hundreds at this day; all such as go _^^unto y^m for wives or Husbands must come to

Judgment, & Condemnation of y^t Spirit w^ch leds them to Baal, & of Baals

Priests also: Or else Friends that keep their Habitations must write against these

& Baal both; for from Genesis to the Revelations you do never read of any Priest

marryed People: But it is God’s Ordinance, & whom God joyns together let no m[an?]

put asunder, & they took one another in the Assemblies of the Righteous wⁿ

all things were clear: Therefore let all these things be enquired into, & broug[ht]

to the Generall Meeting; & from thence some ordered to go to them; & to return

what they say to the next Meeting: & all these before they, or any of them be left

as Heathens, or written against, let y^m be three or four times gone to, that they

may have Gospel Order so y^t if it be possible they may come to y^t which at

first did Convince y^m to condemn their unrighteous doings: so y^t they might

not leave a hoof in Egypt.

And also all such as wear their hats wⁿ Friends Pray; & are gotten into the old

rotten Principles of the Ranters; who set up the wearing thereof in opposition

to the Power of God, & y^m y^t uphold it is for Condemnation by it: & y^e Power

of God is gone over it; & y^m who ranted from the Truth, & have stopt many

who were coming into it, y^t y^e very world can say you are in confusion, &

divided & gone from your first Principle; who said you were of one Heart,

& one mind, & one Soul, And therefore y^t Spirit must be cut off by the Sword

of the Spirit of y^e Lord, y^t they may come to y^t w^ch at first did Convince y^m, &

notice must be given to y^e Generall Meeting of all these things; & from thence

some must be ordered to exhort y^m y^t be in such things to come to y^e first Prin=

ciple y^e did at first Convince y^m, y^t they may come out of such things; &

Friends must stand in y^e Noble Seed of God to Judge y^e World, & all y^e fallen

Angels.

And in all Your Meetings let notice be given to y^e Generall Meeting of all

y^e Poor: And wⁿ you have heard y^t there is many more Poor belonging to one

Meeting yⁿ [than] to another; & y^t Meeting is thereby burdened, & Oppressed let the rest

of the Meetings help & Assist y^m, so y^t they may ease one another, & help to

bear one anothers burdens, & so fulfill the Law of Christ, & so see y^t there be

nothing lacking according to the Apostles Words (mark nothing lacking)

yⁿ all is well: for y^e Jew Outward tho; they were as the stars of Heaven, & as

the Sand of the sea, Yet there was not to be a beggar among y^m according to y^e Law

of God; & Amongst the Christians in y^e first Age there was a Mans Meeting set up

at Jerusalem to see y^t nothing was lacking; w^ch was y^e Gospel Order according to

the Law of Jesus; & this continued so long as they lived in y^e Spirit, Life, & Power

of God, But when y^e Apostacy came in, & y^e true Church fled into y^e Wilderness,

who was to Continue there 1260 dayes, & the Witnesses Prophesyed in Sackcloth 1260

dayes; & y^e Beast was Worshipped just so long 1260 dayes; & yⁿ [then] all things went

out of order, & every thing was wanting in the time they worshipped y^e Dragon

& y^e Beast & w^th y^m y^e false Prophet, Who shall be cast into the lake of fire

And the true Church came up out of y^e Wilderness; & y^e Manchild w^ch was ~

caught up into Heaven came down again to Rule the Nations w^th a Rod of

Iron; & y^e Marriage of y^e Lamb is come; & the Lamb & y^e [s^ts?]^ts Shall have y^e

Victory; & the Everlasting Gospel shall be Preached again as was among y^e

Apostles, & y^e Gospel Order shall be set up as was among y^m; & a Mans

Meeting as was at the first Conversion to see y^t nothing be lacking in y^e

Church, yⁿ all is well, so there is not to be a beggar now among y^e Christians

according to y^e Law of Jesus as there was not to be any among the Jews

according to the Law of God.

And also all the men y^t hunt after Women, from Woman to Woman, & also

Women whose Affections run sometimes after one man, & sometimes after another,

& so hold one another in Affection, & so draw out the affections one of another, &

after a while leave one another, & go to others, & do y^e same thing; & this doing

makes more like Sodom yⁿ Saints, & is not of Gods _^^{[making?] or} joyning where they are not

to be parted, for marriage is Gods ordinance, & Gods command, one to another,

& in y^t they feel the Power of the Lord.

And notice to be taken of all evill Speakers, Backbiters, Slanderers, & foolish

talkers, & Idle Jesters, for these things corrupt good manners, & is not according

to y^e Saints, & Holy ones; whose words are season’d with salt, Ministring

Grace to y^e Hearers.

And all Such who are Tale-Carriers, & Railers, whose work is to Some Dissention,

are to be reproved, & admonished: for such do not bring People into the unity

of y^e Spirit, but by such doings they lose their own Contion [sic]. ~ ~ ~

And such as go up & down to cheat, by their borrowing & getting money of

Friends in by places, & have Cheated severall; all such are to be stopt & Judged

And If there happen any difference between Friend & Friend of any matters,

If it Cannot before the Generall Meeting Let half a dozen Friends from y^e Gene=

=rall Meeting be ordered to put a speedy end thereto, y^t Justice may Speedily

be done, y^t no difference may rest or remaine among any. And let all your

Generall Meetings be once _^ⁱⁿ everie quarter of a Year, & to be appointed at such

places as may be most Convenient for the most of Friends to Meet in: that y^e

house may be cleansed of all that is contrary to purity, virtue, light, life &

Spirit, so y^t Friends may not be one anothers sorrow; & troubles; but one

anothers Joy, & Crown in the Lord.

And all Friends, See that y^or Children be trained up in the fear of y^e Lord,

In Soberness, & Holiness, Righteousness, & Temperance, & meekness, & Gentleness,

& loveliness, & modesty in their Apparrel & Carriages, & so to exhort your

Children, & Families in y^e truth, y^t y^e Lord may be Glorified in y^or Families

& teach your Children wⁿ they are young, & they will Remember it wⁿ they

are old, according to Solomon, so y^t your Children May be a blessing to

you & not a Curse. ~

And y^t Friends to buy Convenient burying Places, as Abraham did who

bought a place to bury his dead, & would not bury among the Egyptians, and

Canaanites, & Jacob was brought out of Egypt & Joseph; & they were buryed

in their Grandfathers, & Great Grandfathers burying place; & so Friends

buy Burying Places for y^or Meetings; & to keep out of y^e Spirit of y^e Sodomites

& Egyptians & Canaanites, w^ch corrupt y^e Earth; & let them be decently &

well fenced, y^t you Condemn y^e World of all things.

And also y^t Friends buy a Convenient Book for y^e Registring of Births, Marri=

=ages, & Burials, as y^e Holy Men of God of Old did, as you may read, y^t every

one may be ready to give a Testimony, & Certificate If need Require, and any

be called thereunto. ~

And also all y^t all y^e Sufferings of Friends of all kind of Sufferings in all y^e

County be gathered up & put together, & Sent to the Generall Meeting, & so sent

to London, y^t nothing of y^e Memorial of y^e blood, & Cruel Sufferings of y^e Bre=

=thren be lost; w^ch shall stand as a Testimony against the Murdering Spirit of

this World, & be to y^e Praise of the Everlasting Power of the Lord in the

Ages to come, who supported & upheld y^m in such hardships, & Cruelties, who is

God over all blessed for evermore amen. ~

And Enquiry to be made concerning all such as do pay Tythes, w^ch makes void the

Testimony & Sufferings of all our Brethren who have Suffered many of y^m to

death; by which many Widdows & Fatherless have been made; & w^ch is contrary

to y^e Doctrine of y^e Apostles, & y^e Doctrine of y^e Martyrs; & likewise contrary to y^e

Doctrine of the Righteous in this present Age; All such are to be enquired into.

& exhorted. let Query be made concerning all Prisoners that are poor, y^t

they may be relieved, & so encouraged in their sufferings: & also y^t care be

taken for their wives, & Families, that they do not suffer for want of

supply of Outward things: & let enquiry be made how many Prisoners there

are in all your severall Counties; that diligent enquiry be made into all these

things at every Monthly Meeting, & at every Quarterly Meeting; & to take

diligent care accordingly.

Dear Friends be diligent, & let it be your business to serve y^e Lord & his

Truth, & to keep up your Mens Meetings Monthly two or three out of every

Meeting, to Meet together in Some co[n]venient place in y^e middle of y^or County

for to see how all your Meetings is, y^t there be nothing lacking among y^m:

So y^t all may be kept as a Family, & nothing be lacking. yⁿ all is well, For at

the first Conversion of the Christians at Jerusalem, there was a Mans Meeting

chosen out of y^e People. Men y^t were Faithfull, fearing God, & hating Covetouness

& full of y^e Holy Ghost; & these men were to see y^t y^e Widdows, the Fatherless,

the Poor, & any that was in necessity did not want; & If nothing was

wanting yⁿ all was well, as you may read in the Acts. And so the Chu[r]ch were

Ruled by Cou[n]sell six hundred years after Christ till y^e Pope got up, & y^e false

Church, & since the true order of y^e true Church hath been lost Whilst the true

Church hath been in y^e Wilderness, & the false Church hath gotten up, But

now y^e true Church is coming out of y^e Wilderness, & y^e Everlasting Gospel

is Preached again as it was in the Apostles dayes In y^e first Conversion,

So that People do now come to y^e first Conversion, & so to y^e same Order, so you

that know the Power of y^e Lord God keep up y^or Meetings in y^e Power of y^e Lord,

& in his wisdome, & see y^t nothing be lacking yⁿ all is well, & If all of you y^t

belong to the Meeting Should be Imprisoned yⁿ keep to y^or Meeting in y^e Prison.

If that y^ou should be kept So close in Prison as y^t y^ou should not know y^e Conditions

of all y^e Meetings, yⁿ whom you think fit you may speak to to keep up y^e

Meetings, & never let the deceit get advantage of you: for in these Meetings

you do come into y^e Practice of y^e pure Religion, w^ch is to visit, cherish &

preserve &c. And he that disobeys this pure Religion disobeys y^e Lord.

Dear Friends: If there be any difference amongst friends, or betwixt

Friend & Friend let them speak to one another, & If they will not hear

let y^m take two or three of the Meeting they belong to & they may end it

If they can, & If they cannot end it yⁿ it may be laid before the Monthly

Meeting; & If it cannot be ended there yⁿ it may be brought to y^e Quarterly

Meeting; & there let it be put to half a dozen Friends, & they may go out & End

it y^t they may keep their Meetings Civil, or y^m y^t be at difference may chuse

three Friends, & Friends may chuse three more to y^m, & let y^m stand to their

Judgment; for there is few that loves quietness & peace will have their Names

brought to a Monthly or Quarterly Meeting: to have their Names sounded

over the Country y^t there is strife, but will rather endeavour to end it

amongst y^m selves at their common Meetings, before y^t they come to y^e

monthly Meetings.

And y^t no one accuse any one either in Monthly or Quarterly Meetings

publickly, except they have spoken to y^m by themselves first, & by two or three before.

Now concerning Marriages, no man ought to speak to a young Woman concerning

marriage before y^t he hath spoken to her Father & Mother and have their consent

& If she have no Father or Mother, but Guardians, & Trustees, then they must

speak to y^m if she be under Age y^t they may have their consent, & so proceed

accordingly; as Abrahams Servant did concerning Isaacs Wife. And you are

to see y^t all Widdows make provision for their Children before they be Marryed

to another, according _^^to truth & Righteousness.

And you are to see that every Man & Woman be free from all Intanglements with

either Woman or Man before y^t they be Married & If they have been engaged

you must have a Certificate under the hands of y^e Person y^t they have been entangled

with; so y^t all things may be done in peace, & unity & Righteousness according to

y^e Truth that is in every Man, & Woman, & if y^e young Man or young Womans

Relations be of the World they must have their consent, & a Certificate from y^m.

And if y^e Man or Woman comes from beyond Sea. or out of another County,

Y^e must have a Certificate from the Men & Womens Meeting there. how they have

lived, & wheither they be free from all other Persons by any engagement,

Covenant of Contra^ct concerning Marriage, & if they are not clear they must

Answer y^t, & cleared by Certificate under their hands before they proceed any farther.

And if any man should defile a Woman he must Marry her If she be a beg

gar, & he have never so many hundreds. for he must fulfill the Law of God, so y^e

Law of God commands it that he must Marry her, & Condemn his Action.

& clear Gods Truth. But no such Marriage where the bed is defiled we bring

into our Men & Womens Meetings; but four or five Friends (If such a thing hap

=pens) draw up a Certificate, & they set their hands to it that they will live faith

fully together as Man & Wife & fulfill the Law of God. And this I write If

ever such a thing should happen, But I Hope y^t Friends will be careful, & keep

in the fear of y^e Lord, that they may have esteeme of y^e Lords Truth & their

own bodies, & y^e honourable Marriage where the bed is undefiled.

And all true Marriages must be layd first before the Womens Meetings; y^t If

there be any thing concerning y^e Woman they may deal with it, & never let it go so

far as the Men: & when things are clear, then three or four Women may go

along with y^e Man & y^e Woman to y^e Mens Meeting, & give in their Testimo=

=ny concerning y^m to y^e Mens Meeting, & so yⁿ you may enter into your books that

they have appeared such a day of y^e month; & year. And yⁿ two men Friends of the

Mens Meeting, & two Women Friends of y^e Womens Meeting may enquire

betwixt y^t & y^e next Monthly Meeting If any have ought to say concerning the

Couple y^t are not clear, & If there be any that hath any thing against them

they may come & speak to those two Men & Women concerning of them, & so they

may meet together and make an end of it before y^e next Monthly Meeting. & so

not to trouble the Meeting w^th any weakness that may appear, & if they have ended i[t]

and there be nothing against it, yⁿ the four Friends may give in their Tes

=timony of y^m to y^e Men & Womens Monthly Meeting, And so when they do

take ^one another they may appoint a Meeting on purpose, & they may let their

Relations, & as many of the World as they _^^will know of it. so if any thing be upon

any Friend to declare of the duty of Marriages they may do as they are moved

And yⁿ the Man & y^e Woman may stand up & declare how that they take one

another in the Presence of God, & in the presence of his People according to the

Law and Ordinance of God, & according to the Practise of the Holy Men &

Women of God as it is written in the scriptures of Truth to live faithfully together

as Husband & Wife so long as they live &c. And they must have a Certificate ready

drawn up, with y^e day of y^e Month & Year, & y^e place, & there subscribe to it at that

time; & as many Friends & as many of y^e World as will, may set their hands to it,

as at many Marriages they do: And the Certificate is to be read in the Present

Meeting when they take one another publickly among all y^e People, & this

is the way & order of our Marriages, for we do marry none, But it is Gods

Joyning, but we are witnesses; & then it is Recorded in a Book, & this is accord

ing to y^e Practise of y^e Holy Men of God.

Now concerning your Mont[h]ly Men & Womens Meetings, & your Quarterly Men &

Womens Meetings; First as concerning your Monthly Men & Womens Meetings

all y^e Fait[h]full Men & Women are to make up the Mens Meeting & y^e Womens

Meeting, & let y^m y^t are not faithfull let y^m be admonished in the Lords Power to

live in Truth, modesty, & soberness, & so as they walk they may come to your

Men & Womens Meetings, & y^e Men to Meet in one Room, & y^e Women in another,

& so to wait upon y^e Lord; for all things must be done in his Power & Name &

there is many things y^t _^^is propper for Women to look into both in their Families,

& concerning of Women w^ch is not so propper for y^e Men, which Modesty in Wo=

=men cannot so well speak of before Men as they can do among their Sex: & Wo=

=men are more in their Families, & have more of y^e tuition of their Children, &

Servants yⁿ y^e men; they being alwayes among y^m; either for the making of them,

or y^e marring of y^m: and they are to be trained up in y^e New Covent, as y^e Jews

trained up theirs in y^e Old. And many Women are of more capacity yⁿ others are,

& so they must Instruct, & inform y^e rest wⁿ they are met together concerning

Ordering of their Children & Families, & that they may prevent many things w^ch

their Children may run into; & they know what will do in a Family, & stir up all

to diligence, & serving the Lord: & what the Women cannot do they may three of four

of y^m go from their Meeting to y^e Mens, & lay it before y^m which is more propper

for them: And what is more propper for y^e Women yⁿ y^e men y^e men may three or

four of y^m go & lay it before the Women; so that they may be helps meet together

in the resturation, in Truth & Righteo_^^usness as man & Woman was before they fell.

And If poor Friends have many Children to set fort[h] to Apprentices or Servants,

If y^e Women cannot do it the Men may help y^m: & If they cannot find Masters

for them, & do it in their Monthly Meetings, they may do it at their Quarterly

Meetings, & place y^m amongst Friends y^t they may be preserved in y^e Truth; & so

they may come in time to teach their Brethren y^e same Trades, And help

their Father & their Mother in their Old Age. ~

Now concerning y^or Quarterly Meetings y^t is made up of your Monthly Meet

ings you should speak in your Monthly Meetings who goes to y^e Quarterly

Meetings, so that one or two of every particular Meeting may go to y^e Quarter=

=ly Meeting, for they that do go to y^e Quarterly Meeting must be substantiall

Friends that can give a Testimony of your sufferings, & how things is amongst

you in every particular Meeting; so y^t none y^t is raw or weak y^t is not able

to give a Testimony of y^e affairs of y^e Church, & Truth may go to y^e Quarterly

Meetings, But may be nursed up in you Montly Meetings fit for y^e Lords service,

So y^t two may go one time from every Particular Meeting, & two another time;

or as it is ordered in your Monthly Meetings; so y^t some may go from all y^or

meetings, that make up of your Montly Meetings, for y^e Quarterly Meetings

should be made up of weighty seasoned, & Substantiall Friends that understand

the business of y^e Church; for no unruly, unseasoned Persons, should come there,

nor Indeed in y^e Monthly Meetings, but who are Simple, seasoned & honest, for

such should be admonished. And If there be any difference come to y^e Quarterly

Meetings; either of Men or Women, or Monthly Meetings, after you have

heard y^m one by one (& let but one speak at a time never) & to know of them

whether they will stand to y^or Judgment, & If they will, let half a dozen Friends

go out of y^e Meeting & make a finall end of it, for If they will not stand to your

Judgment they are not fit to bring it theither. And if any one should speak or

tattle any thing out of your Monthly, or Quarterly Meetings to y^e blemishing or

defaming any Person, or y^e meeting, Such are to be brought to Judgment &

Condemnation, for it breaks y^e Priviledge, & order of your Heavenly societie in

y^or Meetings, so y^t all may be kept, & preserved in y^e Power of y^e Lord, & in his Spirit

in Love, & unity. And therefore keep your Meetings Solid & Sober & y^e Authority

of your Men & Womens Meetings be in y^e Power of God: for every heir of y^e Power

has right to y^e Authority: & in it keep y^e King of Kings, of Lord of Lords, peace in

his Church, & much more I could write of these things, but this at present. & so y^e Lord

give you Wisdome that by it you may be Ordered to his Glory. And y^t every one

may have a care of Gods Glory his name, & Truth, & y^t in his power they do see

y^t all do walk as becomes his Glorious Gospel, w^ch hath brought life and Immorta=

=lity to Light in you which will preserve you in Life & Immortality over the

Devil that hath darkend you, & before he was, so that nothing may get betwixt

your souls, & minds, & y^e Lord God, y^t he may be Gloryfied in you all, & throug[h]

you all, & over you all, Blessed for ever Amen.

G. F. [George Fox]

3My dear Friends

Live all in the Power of y^e Lord, & in his Truth, Light, & Life, y^t in it you may

all with one heart, Soul, & Mind keep Dominion, & in y^e Light Life, & Truth &

Power of God do true Judgment, Justice, & Truth, Righteousness, & Equity,

in all your Mens, & Womens Meetings, w^thout favour, & affections to Relations,

Kindr[e]d, or Acquaintance, or any respect of Persons; for y^t If you do not so, let

Judgment come upon you from God to put you down from your places, before

it will If you do not; for y^e Power, & Light, & Life, & y^e Truth respects not any, but

Justice, Truth, Righteousness, & Equity.

Let Mercy overshade the Judgment seat, and let mercy be mixt with

Judgment.

Take heed of a foolish pity. If you be not diligent against all Prophaneness

Sin, & Iniquity, & uncleanness, & loosness & debauchery, & y^t which dishonoureth

God, yⁿ let all those things come upon you w^ch you should be a stop of, & subdue, &

Keep down with Righteousness, & y^e Truth, & y^e Power of God, If not be sure

they will If you do not.

And in all your Men & Womens Meetings Let all things be done in Love w^ch

doth Edifie y^e body, & let nothing be done with strife & vain glory; but keep in

the unity of y^e Spirit which is the bond of peace, & let all things be done in the Wise=

dome of God which is pure & gentle from above, above the Eartly which is below,

sensuall, & Develish. And take heed of hurting any concerning Marriage If the

thing be right) through any Earthly reasoning, lest they do worse,

And so all be diligent for the Lord God, & his Truth upon the Earth, & y^e

Inheritance of a Life that hath no end; that you may Live in y^e Seed which is Bles=

=sed for ever.

And stop all reports & try y^m, for thou shalt not raise a false report upon my

People saith the Lord.

And be diligent in all your meetings to enquire to see to y^e setting forth Appren

=tices, all Fatherless, & poor Friends Children; & y^t all the Poor Widdows be careful=

=ly looked after y^t nothing may be lacking among, yⁿ all will be well.

And y^t all to see the Testimony of Jesus be kept up in all things concerning

his worship, his Way, his Religion, his Church his Testimony against the

World, their works are evil; & Against Oaths, & against the hireling Priests,

for his Doctrine is freely you have received, freely give: & Christs Church needs

not to be mended by men; for he doth mend it himself without Money: & keep

your Testimony against all y^e filthy rags of y^e World; & for your fine Linnen

the Righteousness of Christ Jesus, And keep y^or Testimony for your liberty in

Christ Jesus, & stand fast in it against all y^e false Liberties in Old Adam, &

your Libertie in the Spirit of God, and in y^e Gospel of Christ Jesus,

against all false and loose Liberties in the flesh: And train up all your Children

in the fear of the Lord, & in his New Covenant (and to keep the sabbath in Christ)

as the Jewes did their Children & Sevants; in the Old Covenant, & so do you

admonish y^or Children, & Servants, & let no man live to himself, but in y^e love

that seek no her own. ~

And have an Eye over them y^t comes to Spy out your Libertie in Christ, & will re=

port out of your Meetings things to make advantage and to the defameing of

Persons.

And let every one seek the good of another and their welfare in the Truth.

And let one make their Conditions every ones, & not their Conditions theirs,

& this keeps in a Father, or Mother to condiscend to a Child; & all live in the seed w^ch

hath y^e blessings, & y^e Wisdome by that you may Order all things to Gods glory over

the Evill seed that is out of y^e Truth.

   Friends keep to the Antient Principles of Truth.

First be at a word in all your callings & dealings without Oppression.

To the Sound Language thou to every one.

Your Testimony against the Worlds Fashions.

Your Testimony against the Priests, & Their Tythes, & maintenance.

Against the Old masshouses, & their repairing.

Against the worlds Joyning in Marriage, & y^e Priests, & to stand up for Gods Joyning.

Against Swearing, & the Worlds manners, & fashions.

And against all looseness, & pleasure, & Prophaneness whatsoever.

And against all the Worlds Wayes, & Worships, & Religions, & to stand up for Gods.

And to see that every one that hath done wrong to any one y^t they do restore.

And y^t all differences be made up speedily.

And that all bad things be Judged speedily, that they do not fly abroad to Corrupt Peoples minds.

And that all reports be stopped to y^e defaming of any one.

   This is to be read in Friends Meetings as often as they have occasion.

     that people may hear, & fear the Lord.

G. F.

4Friends, The Law of Love must be kept among all the Saints in Light, which law

of love is not provoked; & this Law of love slayes the enmity, & bars all things,

& endures all things, & hopes all things; & this Law of love must be kept among all

the Children of God, wherein the unity is preserved, & all is preserved by the Law of

love in the Love of God, & the Law of Faith must be kept by all the Faithful

ones, & amongst them, in the faith of Gods Elect is the Law of faith among the

Elect before the foundation of the World was; w^ch Law of Faith keeps y^m in

victory, w^th faith gaives Victory & Access to God, & purifies the heart, by w^ch faith

they are saved; w^ch faith gives victory over that which seperates from God, in

w^ch faith they all please God: And in this Law of faith they have all authority,

& victory & unity: and so the Law of Faith keeps ever y^t w^ch displeases God,

& makes People impure, & corrupts them, or brings y^m to destruction, and so by this

Faith they are saved & purified, & please God, w^ch is the Gift of God; & Christ the

author of it; & therefore keep this Law of Faith, the Just lives by his Faith,

for the Just has y^e Law of faith to pass Sentence on y^t w^ch would not have him

have the Victory. but keeps him bondage. all the spiritual have the Law of

the Spirit, by which Law of the Spirit they have Authority, & a power to Mortifie

sin, & evil, & Crucifie the Deeds of y^e body; and have authority by the Lords Spirit

to put off the Old man w^th his Deeds; & have Power & authority from the Lords spirit

to Crucifie y^e Affections, and the Lusts of y^e Flesh; & by the Law of the Spirit

they have authority & Power to judge all Chambering & wantonness, evil speak=

=ings, & evil words, & evil Communications, & all manner of evil words, & works

that proceeds from the evil Spirit out of the Truth, & together with the Works of

the flesh, as wrath, Malice, Envy, Theft, Murder, Fornication, By the Law of

the Spirit there is a power & authority given to pass sentence, & Judge all these

works together w^th the Spirit from whence they came. And so by the Law of the Spirit

of Life y^t is in Christ Jesus, y^e Saints have power, and authority to Jud[g]e the Law

of Sin, & the man of sin from whence it came; & to Judge the Law of death with

the Law of Life, & the Power of death the Devil from whence the Law of death

came, which Law of Life was before death & his Law was, & has power over him

and his Law, and the Saints sit on the head of him, freemen by the Law of Life &

Law of the Spirit that’s in Christ Jesus, that was before sin was & his Law death

was, & his Law So the Saints have the Law of Love, y^e Law of faith y^e Law of

the Spirit, y^e Law of Life. In Victory atop Enmity, In Life atop of Death,

in the Spirit atop of Sin, the Law of sin is in Old Adam, in transgression, &

disobedience, & amongst his sons, & daughters in disobedience, & transgression

of Gods Spirit. & such has the Law of sin from the man of Sin, & the Law

of death from the Prince of Death. y^e God of the World that lies in wickedness

& the Law of Sin & Death they plead for till they go to the grave, & so plead for y^e

prince of Death, & darkness, & the God of their world y^t lies in Wickedness as long as

they live, but the Law of Life, & the Law of the Spirit, y^e Law of Faith y^e Saints

have in Christ Jesus the 2^d Adam, Who is Author of the Law of Love, & y^e Law of

Faith which the Saints are to keep & walk in, w^ch they have from Christ, Who never

transgressed, neither was there any guile found in his mouth; & Christ, Who bruiseth

the head to the Serpent. Who is the head of the Law of Sin & death it self, & the Law

in the members. And so in Christ Live. Who bruiseth this; who was, & is the Saints

Life & will be to all Eternity, Who is first, & last, y^e Amen.

G. F.

5Dear Friends My love in the Lord to you all among whom I have Laboured,

and my desires are the God of all peace, & his Son of Peace may fill all y^or Hearts

with his Love, & Peace, & Wisdome, & Knowledge in all things to do his Heavenly

glorious Will, in that you will know his Sons doctrine, & as you know it obey it,

& my desires are in the Lord y^t you may all walk worth of your Vocation, and

of him that hath called you to holyness & Righteousness, & to peace; so y^t his peace

may flow as River, & Righteousness run down as a stream to the gladding of

the City of God, y^e walls of w^ch is power, & Salvation, & Light, & Life. And now

my Friends first all yo^r Meetings keep in the Name of Jesus, in whom you have

all Salvation, w^ch is above every name under y^e whole Heaven, in whom there is

no Salvation.

And also all yo^r Men & Womens Meetings every where keep in the Power of y^e Lord

Jesus Christ his Gospel, by which he hath brought Life & Immortality to Light in

you, y^t yo^u may see over him that hath darkned you, & before he was, w^ch Power will

preserve you in Life & in Immortality: So y^t now you may all Labor in the Gosp[el]

the Power of God, in his Glorious Power, & Comfortable Gospel; & Joyfully ser=

=ving the Lord in his Gospel of Peace, through which Gospel you have peace with

God: so that in this Gospel the Power of God there can nothing come betwixt you &

God: Here is your Everlasting Order, not of Man, nor by Man: so that all the faith[=]

=full Men & Women May in the Lords power be stirred up in their Inheritances

of the Same Gospel, & to labour in it, helps Meet in the resturation, as Man &

Woman before they fell. In the Garden of God all are to work in his righteousness,

in his Image, in his Power, in his Garden to subdue the Earth, & to keep the dominion

in his power in the resturation as Man & Woman did in the Image of God before

they fell; & whosoever would hinder you in this Work. it is the same serpents Spirit

that Led Adam & Eve into the fall from the work of God; which now would keep

you in the fall to do his work, & Command, & not the Lords, & therefore over y^t

keep your dominion, Authority, & Inheritance in the Resturation in the power

of God, in which every one of you must give an account to God, & therefore

be diligent in the Lords power, Light, Life, & Spirit in which you all see your services

to God; so y^t he may be glorifyed among you all, & in you all; & over you all his

glory may shine.

And all y^e Men & Women in yo^r Men & Womens Meetings be diligent, Labouring

in the Light, Life, & the power of God the Gospel in y^e Garden, & Church of

God; so y^t Righteousness may flow down amongst you, Truth, & Godliness,

Purity, Vertue & Holyness over all that is contrary; & that y^e weight, & care

of Gods Glory, and his honour, & his pure holy name, & his Truth, Religion, &

Worship you may all stand up for against that w^ch would in any wise cause it

to be evil spoken of by ill walkers. & talkers. & let all things you do be done in

love; & condescend one unto another in the Power of the Lord, & in his Truth;

and in it have es_^^teem one of another, And let all things be done among you

without any strife, for it’s love that edifies the body, & knits it together,

& unites it to Christ the Heavenly & holy head.

And Now you Women tho you have been under the reproach because

Eve was first in transgression, but the promise was that the seed of the

Woman should bruise the Serpents head y^t led her first in transgression,

and the Man also: & this promise of God is fulfilled: A Virgin should have a Child,

and they should call his name Emmanuel God w^th us again; for Man & Woman

was drove from God out of Paradise, & the Serpent became their head & God of y^e

World; but Christ is come according to the promise of God, & his Prophets who

was born of a Virgin, & therefore saith Mary my spirit hath rejoyced in God my

Saviour, my soul doth Magnifie the Lord for he hath regard to the Low estate of

his handmaid for behold from hence forth all Generations shall call me blessed,

Now here comes the reproach to be taken off from Women who were first in trans=

=gression, & w^ch are not suffered to speak in the Church: But here Mary did speak &

believe that w^ch was spoken to her: And also the reproach & transgression taken off

of men that believe in the Seed Christ Jesus; who bruiseth the head of y^e Serpent y^t has

brought Man & Woman into his Image, & his Works, w^ch Christ destroyes him & his

works, & renews Man & Woman up into the Image of God as they were in before

they fell, & into the Power to have dominion to work in his Garden to subdue

the Earth &c, so that all are now to Labour in the Garden of God y^t are in the

power & Image of God brought by Christ Jesus y^t bruises the serpents head, y^t has been

head in them all: so that Christ Jesus may be head in all Men & Women, & every Man

& Woman may act from him their holy head, Life & Salvation, & keep his heavenly

peace in his Church. And every Living member believing in the Light w^ch is the Life in

Christ, & so grafted into him y^e fountain of Life, water of Life, & do feel the Living springs,

& the Rivers Springing up in y^m To Eternal Life, w^ch are the Living Stones, y^e Spiritual

Household, of w^ch Christ is both head, Rock & Foundation & Christ is called y^e Green

tree, which green tree never withers, in whom they are Grafted by belief in y^e Light,

which is y^e Life in him, from whom they all receive their Heavenly Living nou=

=rishment, through w^ch every graft is nourished, yⁿ it comes to bud, & bring forth

fruit to y^e praise of the Eternal God, now every one of these living believers are

Members of y^e Living Church in God w^ch Christ is y^e head of, & every member in y^e

Church hath an Office; & so every member is serviceable in the body in his office.

w^thin the Light w^ch is over darkness, & was before it was; within the Life over

death, & before it was; & in the Power of God which was before the power of y^e

serpent was; & so they are in this Light. Life & power to execute their Office: I say

within this divine Light, Life, & Power, & Spirit of God for Gods glory. In Truth,

Purity, Virtue, Holyness, & Righteousness they are to stand up for Gods glory,

& the Honour of his Son, & receive him who hath all power in Heaven & Earth

given to him; & all that receive him he gives them power to become the Sons &

Daughters of God; yⁿ in his Power all are to act, & walk, & serve God in their

Generation, & in it to serve their generation, yea & in the New Creation in

Righteousness, & Holyness, & stand up in his power for his Glory, & in his Power

Righteousness, & Holyness y^t Christ brings unto them, & renues in y^m, & so into y^e

resturation, y^t they may Labour in y^e Church & Garden of God in his Power to

his Everlasting Praise & Glory Amen.

G. F.

And all Friends stand fast in the Libertie wherewith Christ hath made you

free, & in the Libertie in the faith which Christ Jesus is the Author, & finiser

of; which Faith purifieth your hearts, & is the Victory, in which you have access

to God; the mysterie of which is held in a pure conscience, in which Faith it hath

its true Ribertie [sic]. And keep in the Liberty of the Everlasting Glorious Gospel of

Peace which is not of Man nor by Man but from heaven; w^ch Gospel bringeth

& hath brought Life, & Immortality to Light & will preserve you in Life, and in

Immortality over him that hath darkened you: & in this Gospel you have an Ever=

=lasting Liberty, & Peace & in the Truth w^ch maketh you free from him y^t is out of

Truth, this free state all are to keep in, & also in y^e pure holy spirit of God, & Christ,

y^t doth mortifie all y^t is to be mortified, & Circumcised; & doth Baptize you into

one body: In this Holy Spirit you are to walk, which leadeth you into all Truth,

in which is your Unity, & Fellowship, & giveth liberty from y^t which hath grie[v=?]

=ed it & vexed, & quenched it, & so in the Liberty, & Fellowship, & Unity if y^e Holy,

Pure Peaceable Spirit; & in y^e Unity & Liberty of it you are all to dwell.

which is the Bond of the Prince of Princes Peace.

G. F.

Dear Friends It being Known to us y^t y^e antient of dayes is come to bring things

in y^e Antient Order y^t y^e searcher of all hearts is come to search throughly,

y^t y^e Rock of Ages is appeared for People to build thereon, that y^e comelyness,

& beauty of him is now seen whose face hath been _^^more marred yⁿ y^e face of any Man

whose glorious brightness hath enlightned our understanding; by which Candle

of y^e Lord we see y^e state of y^e Sons & Daughters of Men, & how y^e Enemy of

mankind goeth about seeking whom he may devour: & entangle again w^th y^e glory

and beauty of this world; & setting before Men & Women y^e comlyness & decency

of the severall fashions & Customes of y^e World, as also the delight & pleasures w^ch

may be had there in, by which we see many are ensnared by looking out at

those things & not keep constantly upon their watch Tower, whereby they might

see all the snares, & baits the Enemy of their Souls loads in the broad way, & Crooked

by pathes for their hurt & destruction, & therefore y^e Lord hath put it into our

Hearts to be Willing, & to beseech all to be willing to come out, & lay aside all

those dead things. which doth not become the Sons & Daughters Servants &

Handmaids of y^e Living God. after y^t so gloriously in life & Power he hath

appeared unto y^m & we desire y^t in all Men & Womens Meetings faithfull

Men & Women be Chosen as have not ent^ered into any of these things, but

are come out, & kept out of y^m all since they were Convinced of the Living Truth of

God: Or such as now w^th a ready & willing mind in y^e dread & fear of y^e Lord God

Almighty will come out of y^m all to y^e end y^t they w^thout delay in y^e meek &

melting Spirit of y^e Lord w^th much tenderness may visit all those y^t have -

entred, or keep in y^e Worlds fashions in their Apparrel, Household stuff, or

otherwise: or in selling those things w^ch y^e faithful People of God cannot Law=

fully use, or wear, & to exhort y^m to come out of y^m all, & If any are not willing,

& do not come out of those things after they be twice or thrice exhorted, yⁿ those

y^t exhorted y^m to acquaint the Men & Womens Meetings with it to whom they

do belong, to y^e end they may be had before the Meeting to answer for their so doing

y^t the glory & Honour of y^e Lord may be over all in us to our Comfort & Consolation–

This Paper was subscribed by sixty one Men & Women Friends.

7Concerning hasty Marriage.

In case the wife dye, now for y^e Husband to take another Wife, or y^e Widdow

another man w^thin five or six Months or more y^e sober part of y^e World would

cry out shame against y^m for such unclean Practices: & be ready to say with Chasti=

=ty, Temporance, or Moderation do they manifest more yⁿ some of us who Marry

in so short a time, for it is oft-times the Practice of y^e People y^e World so to do,

in so much as it is become a common Proverb among y^mselve by reason of y^e hasty

Marriage to say, such a Man Married such a Woman (it being within y^e year)

before his wife was scarse cold in her grave, If I say he or she Marry within y^e twelve

month; But such Kind of Marriages doth not shew forth your Chastity, & Prudence,

& Moderation; whereas we should shew it beyond the World, both Widdowers & Widdows

that we have power over our selves, & over our affections; & so y^t we are loose by y^e

Power of God to God; & so to keep every way a Dominion, whereby you will Judge y^e

World in these things Namely for their too much forwardness Intemperance & want

of Chastity: & therefore be not too hasty to marry, but shew forth yo^r moderation and

Chastity in your Orderly Marrying.

G. F.

8If a man find a Maid y^t is not betrothed, & take her, & lye with her, yⁿ y^e Man y^t

Lay with her shall give to y^e Maids Father fifty shekels of silver, & she shall be his

wife because he humbled her, he cannot put her away, all his Life: Deut: 22.18.19. &

this was y^e Command of God in his Law w^ch y^e Apostle saith in y^e 7^th of y^e Rom:

is Spiritual, Holy, just & Good: & we establish y^e Law Rom: 3:31. Now for any

to profess y^e Gospel whose works & actions be below y^e Law they are Judged both

by Law & Gospel: & so by y^e Law of God he must Marry her tho this Marriage is not hono=

=rable. ~

G. F.

An Epistle from Stephen Crisp To be read in y^e Womens Meetings of Friends9

Friends In that Love that springs from the Root of Life, which hath brought forth many

Living Branches, doth my Salutation reach unto you, In which we have our Refresh=

=ments, & Incouragements in the Work of God, in this our Generation: & the more

your Minds are gathered into y^t Living Root Christ Jesus, the Everlasting Head

of all Living Members, both Male & female, the more Incouragements you will feel

in your service to God. And therefore, Dear Friends, though you be weak in yourselves

yet in him is strength; & when ye Lack Wisdome, wait upon him, & he will Replenish you,

and fill you with his Heavenly Counsel, to your soul’s Refreshment. ~

And my Friends, above all things, live in y^e Fear of God, & in love & Tenderness one to=

=wards another; & Let not the Enemy that lies in wait to destroy, Break the Band

of your Peace; for while ye keep the peace of God unbroken, ye can communicate

one to another of the Gifts & Grace of God, & so will daily feel a being the better one

for another, which will beget a Dearness & Esteem in you towards one another. & in

y^t Dearness & Tenderness meet together about the Lords work Seeking with one Consent

to Exalt the Name of the Lord, & to honour it above your own Merits; & let none

seek Exaltation, but know this, that the Humblest & most self=denying, is highliest

honoured of God, & fittest to do him service; & they that are most long Suffering

& Patient, are most like to Christ the Head; & in such his Vertue will shine,

& so make it self known. ~

And. Friends, have a care in your Meetings, to give due honour unto every

Member in the Body, remembering none are useless, but stir up one another to

their Proper Service in y^e house of God, & let not the foot be troubled that it is not

a hand, nor the hand that is not an Eye, but every one give thanks, that by the

Grace of God you are what you are; & be Faithful in your place & Service y^t ye

may witness a Growth. & in your Meeting together, wait to feel the Rising if y^e Life,

& opening of y^e Wisdom of God in one another, & let that speak and propound

things needful & necessary for your Welfare, & y^e Welfare of y^e Church: And in th[e]

Wisdom chuse out two of you Meeting, to commit the trust & Charge of the Contributio[ns]

that are among you unto; & let them keep a Booke, in which your Charity and

good works may be Recorded, for the Comfort & Example of them y^t follow afte[r]

Also chuse out one of each particular Meeting, & Lay it upon y^m in y^e Lord, to

take care in their Respective Meeting on your behalf.

That no Woman Young nor old. in their Respective Meetings, walk disorderly or

Wantonly, but y^t they be Admonished & Counselled speedily.

That no Necessities that may fall upon any who are worthy, may be neglected

or disregarded, nor delayed, until a Meeting, but they may be forthwith Comforted.

that so the Enemy who lies in wait to tempt the Poor in the hour of their distress,

may be prevented.

That no Maids carry themselves unseemly toward their Mistresses, nor Mistresses

toward their Servants: but if such things should happen, let the Matter be take[n]

up & ended, & not to part asunder with evil in their Minds one toward another;

for y^t will spread & hurt others.

That all Women Professing Truth, & having Children, may bring y^m up in y^e fea[r]

of God; & y^t they use no Uncomely, Rash nor Passionate Words unto y^m, for y^t

sows an Evil seed in the Children, which may come up & dishonour God in y^e ne[xt?] Generation.

That no Women-Friends may speak evil of one another, nor fall out w^th one

another, nor carry evil in their Minds one against another; nor bear Tales ab[out?]

to beget others in Evil, & into partyship but y^t all such things may be speedily

suppress’d & borne down in the Power & Judgment of God.

And let that Woman-Friend give Account to y^e Meeting, of such as will not receive

admonition, y^t some other friends may take the care of such a Matter upon them, &

endeavour to break through the hardiness, In y^e Wisdome & Love of God.

And if y^t Woman-Friend have laid out Money, let y^e Meeting order y^e two friend[s]

who keep y^e Collection, to reimburse her; y^t so every one may be encouraged in y^t

work of y^e Lord & ye may, as w^th one shoulder, bear the Lord’s burden in this d[ay?]

of Travail, & also y^e burdens of y^e weak, Who sometimes are neither strong enough,[nor?]

wise enough to bear their own Burdens; & afterward, they may grow up to be sens[ible?]

of y^or Tenderness, & to bless you in the Name of y^e Lord.

So, my Dear Friends, feel my love, & live in y^t from whence it springs, & y^e God of

Love & Life, Bless, Prosper & keep you in his Fear to the End, to be Fellow-helpers

with the Lord in his Work, Comfort & Refreshment to your Brethren, and to lea[d?]

a Holy, Innocent, Upright, Testimony & Example to y^e Generations y^t shall [follow ?]

I rest your Friend in y^e Truth.

S. C.

10Concerning Marriage in the Kindred

We do grant it was there, & after the Law to keep up their Tribes, & their Lands by

Lott (if y^t y^e deceased had not Children, they were to Raise up seed to their dead B[ro]

ther) but Christ is come y^t raises up the Seed of his dead Brethren, Who redeems out of the

Tribes & Earth: For Jew & Gentile all are one without Christ & with in, & (by the Law [of]

God & Gospel) to Marry in the kindred was forbidden: for it was y^e Custome of y^e Heath[ens?]

y^e Canaanites, & Egyptians. as you may read in Levit:18. And therefore y^e Lord commands to

Keep his Statutes, & Judgments, & live in y^m, for he was their Lord who Orders, & Governs all

his People, & Commands y^t they shall not approach to any that _^^was near of kin to him: & y^t

he was not to Marry the Sister y^e daughter of y^e Father, Nor y^e Daughter of y^e Mother wheith[er]

she was born at home or abroad, nor the Sons Daughter, nor thy Daughters Daughter y^t is

the Cousen; nor were they to Marry w^th their Fathers Wives Daughter begotten by

their Father, for she was his Sister they were not to Marry with all, for she was a near

Kinswoman, Thou shalt not take to Wife thy Aunt; thou shalt not marry Daughter in Law

nor thy brothers wife, neither shalt thou Marry a Woman & her Daughter, neither shalt thou

Marry thy Sons Daughter, or her Daughters, or her Daughter. therefore we do utterly

deny all Marriages to any kindred, to any Cousen, we cannot give Liberty to admit it,

John Baptist who saw Christ Reproved Herod for Marrying his Kinswoman. Therefo^re

Friends live in y^e spirit that reproves these things.

And further if any Friend Intends to Marry a Young Woman or Maid let y^m speak to her

Father & Mother first if in case they go to their house upon Such an Account about

Marriage & not to draw out the Maids affections first, & yⁿ afterwards to speak to y^e

Father & Mother, that’s the Practice of the Worst of Men in the World, & not the Civil,

men in y^e World: for if they go upon such an Account to marry a Mans Daughter

they will go & speak w^th y^e Father & Mother first before they proceed in y^e thing w^th y^e

Daughter, For Abraham when he sent to take a wife for his Son Isaac, his Servant,

Eleazar did his Massage unto Bethuel (before he would eat or drink with them) concern

ing y^e Marriage & yⁿ they called the Maid, & speak to her about it, & she Consented, &

they said it was of y^e Lord, & they could not gain say it. So y^t If you should Meddle

with y^e young woman first, & draw her Affections, & after speak to her Father, &

Mother, this brings the Father & Mother into Sorrow & Trouble, & cannot tell many

times what to do fearing least their Daughter should be spoiled, and that brings con-

fusion, & is for Judgment as is the worst of Mens Practice, & so I say is for Condemnation

G. F.

11All Friends keep in the tender Life of the Lamb over y^t Unruly Puffed up, & swelling Spirit

whose work is for strife, contention & division; drawing into looseness & false Liberty

under a pretence of Conscience, & dangerous to y^e spoiling of youth, & they y^t do encou=

=rage y^m will be guilty of their destruction; & set up a sturdy will instead of Conscience

in their Rage, & Passion; which will both quench the Universal Spirit in themselves

& in every Man & Woman; & so y^t Spirit Shall not have the Libertie in y^mselves nor in others; &

so hath shut up the Kingdome of Heaven in y^m selves, & also in others: & so a loose Spirit

under a pretence of Libertie of Conscience, or a Stubborn Will Making a Profession

of the Words of Truth in a forme without Power; all loosness & Villany will be

sheltered & covered under this Pretence which is for Eternal Judgment for y^t doth

dishonour God: And therefore keep to y^e tender Spirit of God in all Humility, & in it

you may know y^t you are all Members of one another In the Spirit. & not in y^e Flesh; So

here is no man Ruling over the Woman as Adam did over Eve in the fall, but Christ y^e

Spiritul man among, & over his Spiritual Members which is Edified in y^e heavenly

Love y^t is shed in their Hearts from God where all strife ceases.

11^th 5 Month 1678

G. F.

12Dear Friends to whom is my Love in y^e Heavenly seed in whom all nations, is blessed: oh there

fore keep _^^all in this Seed in w^ch you are blessed; & in w^ch Abraham, & all y^e Faithfull was

blest with out y^e Deeds of y^e Law, & so y^e Promise was, & is with y^e Seed, & now w^th y^e

Law of y^e first Covenant, & in this Seed all Nations & ye are blessed which bruiseth y^e

head of y^e seed which broug[h]t the curse, & Seperated between Man & God; this is the Seed w^ch Reco[n]

=ciles you to God, & this is y^e Seed in which you are blessed both in Temporals, & Spirituals,

through w^ch you have an Inheritance y^t cannot be defiled among y^e Sanctified; neither

can any defiled thing enter into It’s possession; for all defilement is out of this Seed, this

is that w^ch leavens up into y^e New lump, & bruiseth the head of y^e Wicked Seed y^t Leavens into

y^e Old Lump, upon whom the sun of Righteoness goes down, & sets, but never goes down,

nor sets to y^m that walk in y^e Seed in which all nations are blessed, by w^ch seed they are

brought up to God, w^ch puts down y^t Seed w^ch Seperated betwixt y^m & God, so y^t there comes

to be nothing betwixt y^m & God, & so now all my dear Friends my desire is that you may all

be valiant in this Heavenly Seed for God & his Truth upon y^e Earth, & spread it abroad

answering y^t of God in all, y^t w^th it y^e Minds of People may be turned towards y^e Lord, y^t he

may come to be known & served, & Worshiped; & y^t ye may all be y^e Salt of y^e earth to make y^e unsea=

=soned Savoury. And in y^e Name of Jesus keep yo^r Meetings who are gathered into it in whose

name you have Salvation, & he in the Midst of you, Whose Name is above every Name under

the Whole Heaven; & so you have a Prophet, a Bishop, Shepherd, & Priest & Counsellor above all

Counsellors, & Priests, Bishops, Prophets, & Shepherds under y^e Whole Heaven to exercise his

Offices among you in your Meetings y^t is gathered in his Name; & so Christs Mee[t]=

=ing & gathering is above all y^e Meetings & gatherings under y^e Whole Heaven: & so his

Body his Church & he y^e Head of it is above all bodies, & Churches, & heads under y^e

Whole Heaven; & So y^e Faith w^ch Christ is y^e Author of, & y^e Worship w^ch he hath set

up, & his Fellowship in his Gospel is above all Historical Faiths, & y^e Faiths w^ch

Man hath made together w^th their Worships & Fellowships under y^e Whole Heaven.

And now dear Friends keep your Men & Womens Meetings in y^e Power of God y^e

Gospel the Authority of y^m w^ch brings Life, And Immortality to Lighten you. & this

Gospel y^e Power of God will preserve you in Life. & Immortality w^ch hath brough[t]

it to Light in you. y^t y^e may see over him y^t hath darkened you from Life & Immo[r-]

-tality (y^t would throw down your Men & Womens Meetings) in y^e power of God

y^e Gospel; & darken again from this Life & Immortality w^ch y^e Gospel hath brought to

Light, & Will preserve you in Life & Immortality, as your Faith stands in y^e Power of God

y^e Gospel: in w^ch every one sees your Work & service for God, & ever Heir of y^e Power

of God y^e Gospel hath right to this Authority w^ch is not of Man, nor by Man; w^ch Gospel

y^e Power of God is Everlasting an Everlasting Order & Everlasting Fellowship, & in

Gospel is Everlasting Joy, Comfort, & Peace, & will outlast all those Joyes, Comforts,

& Peace that will have an end, & also that Spirit y^t opposes its Order, & the Glorious

Fellowship. Peace & Comfort in it: And now my Dear Friends my desire is y^t you may

keep in y^e Unity of y^e Spirit. That Baptizes you all into _^^one Body. w^ch Christ is y^e Heavenly

Spiritual Head of. So y^t you may See, & Witness to your Spirituall, & Heavenly Head,

& so all drink into Spirit: w^ch all People upon the Earth is not Like to drink into one

Spirit while they grieve, quench, & Rebell against it nor to be Baptized into one Body, & to

keep the Unity of y^e Spirit w^ch is the Bond of y^e King of Kings, & Lord of Lords

Peace; w^ch is y^e duty of all true Christians to keep, w^ch are Inwardly united to Christ.

And so with my Love in y^e Everlasting Seed.

G. F.

13Friends; There is a Summer Religion y^t is up, & Flourisheth while y^e Sun Shineth, & whil_e

they have y^e Club, y^e staff & y^e Bag; but wⁿ y^e Winter & y^e Storm & Tempest cometh

they fly under the hils, & Mountains, & Trees to cover & shelter y^mselves (but this is n[?]

Y^e Nature of y^e Sheep of Christ,) in their Bestiall Religion, whose flight is in y^e Wind

whom the Powers do Seperate from their Religion, Worship Church (as they call it) their D[?] _is

But y^e Nature of y^e Sheep is not so; the Sheep will get a top of y^e highest hill & mountain, & set

their backs & Tails against the Storm, Weather, & Tempest, & bleat for one another: &

the Dogs are abroad among y^e sheep they will run all together, but they y^t are not y^e Sheep _{in him}

Will scatter, & be scattered wⁿ any thing feareth y^m; But part the Sheep asunder, & they will _e[?]

all On heaps again; & will keep together. & neither Storm, Tempest, nor Winter, nor Pow[er?]

nor Principalities, can Seperate y^m from the Love of God w^ch they have in Christ Jesu[s]

their shepherd; & so Christs sheep beareth fruit in y^e winter, & Tempest. & hath neither

bag, staff, nor Club, but is in the Vine bearing fruit; sitting atop on y^e Highest

hill & Mountain, with their backs against y^e weather.

G. F.

Christ y^e Second Adam who is both Head & Husband of his Church, &

Redeemer, & Purchaser, & Saviour, & Sanctifier, & Reconciler of his Sons & Daughter

to God: I say his Presence (to wit) Christ, feel among you to exercise his Propheticall

Office in opening of you w^th his Light, Grace, Truth, Power & Spirit, & Exercise his

Office as he is a Bishop to oversee you with his Light, Grace, Power. & Spirit, tha[t]

you do not go astray from God.

And as Christ is a Shepherd, feel, see, & hear him Exercising y^t Office who

has laid down his life for his sheep, & feed y^m in his Living Pastures of Life, & makes y^m

to drink of his Living Eternal Springs, & Let him Rule & Govern in your Hearts as he is

a King, y^t his Heavenly & Spiritual Government all may live under true Subjec[t]

of his Righteous Peaceable Kingdome that stands in Righteousness, & Power &

Joy in the Holy Ghost, over Satan & his Power, & y^e Unclean Unholy Ghost,

& all unrighteousness.

So all you Subjects of Christs Kingdome of Peace & If y^t you want Wisdome,

or knowledge, or Life, or Salvation, Christ is the Treasure, feel him y^e Treasure

among you; And every one among you as he has Received Christ walk in him. in

whom you have all Peace, Who bruises y^e head of y^e Serpent that is y^e Author of a[?]

strife, destractions, & Confusion, yea you have Peace w^th God & one w^th another

tho the trouble be from y^e World, & y^e Worlds Spirit: & Therfore My dear Fri[ends]

& Brethren Love one another w^th y^e Love y^t is of God shed in your Hearts, y^t yo[u]

may bear the Marks of Christs Disciples; & y^t Christ be in you & you in him

so y^t God Almighty may be Glorified among you: And w^t ever ye do let it to be do[ne]

in y^e Name of Jesus; To y^e Praise of God y^e Father keeping the Holy Spirit of God

w^ch was before the Unholy Spirit was; w^ch holy spirit is your bond of Peace yea y^e

Holy King of Kings & Lord of Lords Peace, & In this Holy Pure spirit is your

Eternal Unity & Eternal Fellowship: In which Spirit of Truth you do serve &

Worship y^e God of y^e Truth. Who is God over all Blessed forever Amen. & so y^e Lord

Guide you all w^th his Word of Patience. Word of Life, Power, & Wisdome in all your

Actions, Lives & Conversations & Meetings to Gods Glory. So with my Love

to you all in y^e Lord Jesus Christ by whom all things were made, Who is God

over all first & last.

4^th Month 1681.

G. F.

To Friends; Blessed be y^e Name of the Lord who hath been y^e Preserver of his Peopl[e]

to this day, in w^ch the great Love of God to Mankind hath been made manifes[t]

For Christ said God so Loved the World that he gave his only begotten Son

Y^t [That] whosoever Believeth in him should not Perish, but have Everlasting

Life Joh. 3.16.

Now my Friends y^t this you may mind; Man was drove from God when

he had disobeyed him; & all are in y^e Corrupt state while man is drove from God:

But now God so Loved y^e World y^t he gave his only begotten Son; His Begotten;

not y^e Begotten of Adam in the Fall, Son, nor Daughter, but his Begotten;

For God did not take a Son, or Daughter of Adam, but his Own Son, his only

Begotten: Now wⁿ [when] his Son came who Received him? Who had Faith in him?

For it’s said wⁿ the Son of Man cometh shall he find Faith in y^e Eart[h].

For y^e Son of God y^e Beloved is y^e Author & Finisher of Faith to the

Sons & Daughters of Men; Men may make Faiths, & Creeds, but what are they

all good for? So now ever Man y^t hath y^e true Faith must have it from God;

& his Son Christ Jesus; & not from the Sons & Daughters of Adam in y^e fall.

& Transgression.

For God so Loved y^e World y^t he gave his Only Begotten Son into y^e World,

The first born of every Creature; he gave his Son, who by y^e Grace of God tasted

Death for every Man to be a Propitiation for our Sins, He did not take

a Son or Daughter of Adam in y^e Fall y^t they should be a Sacrif[i]ce for y^e Sins

of y^e World, but Gods Son; Here was a Promise y^e Seed of the Woman shall

bruise y^e Serpents Head. Here is another Promise w^[ht?] his Name should be:

Immanuel _^^God with us

So Now Friends Man being drove from God y^e Seed of y^e Woman bruises

the Head of y^e Serpent y^t so Man may come back again to God; And therefore

every Man & Woman must feel this Emmanuel (God w^th us) in y^m for it’s not Professing

y^e Saints Words, & Painting their Sepulchres as y^e Scribes, & Pharisees did. So now

Friends, Man & Woman being drove from God, every Man & every Woman must feel

this Emmanuel, if you feel God in you or with you; the Promises are yea & Amen in Christ

y^e Seed forever; y^e Prophets Prophesied of him, & y^e Tipes & Figures, & Shadows did

Tipify him forth who is y^e Substance that hath appeared y^e second time without Sin

unto Salvation.

The Pharisees & Priests could tell by y^e Scriptures where Christ should

be Born, but who did Receive him, this Emmanuel? Men all Confess y^t wee

have been drove from God, & all Dyed in Adam, they have put on Adam by

Death: Here Death & Destruction may talk of y^e Fame of God, & Christ Jesus; we

by Nature are y^e Children of Wrath as Well as others saith y^e Apostle; But before

People come to be grounded & Established in y^e Truth, & Light of Christ Jesus they

must be turned Inward, & Baptized by one Spirit into one Body.

But now being all dead in Adam, & Batized into his unclean Ghost, this

foul Spirit out of Truth, & Plunged into the Death of Adam in transgression

in Sin, & Unrighteousness, & all Ungodliness; Here was the Plunging into y^e foul

unclean Spirit; wⁿ Adam went from God, & his Holy spirit he dyed, & all dyed in him

Now come to y^e Second Adam y^e Lord of Glory who was not begotten by the

Will of Man, he is a Baptizer: w^th w^t: by the Holy Ghost; Now this foul unclean

Ghost hath brought all miserie & Darkness, Malice, Envy, & wrath into Man, & by it

they are plunged into it.

Now y^e second Adam is come; he shall Baptize you w^th Fire & y^e Holy Ghost

to burn up y^e Chaff, w^ch must be burned out of every Man & Woman if ever they come to

God; for all having been Baptized into Adam in y^e Fall, they must know a Renewing,

& a Baptizing again by Christ, before they come into y^e Paradise of God again where

this Chaff is cleansed out of y^e Heart.

Here is one Lord, one Faith. one Baptisme. All dead in Adam they must know

a Baptism again: Many may go into Outward Water, but they must come to this Bap=

=tism to be plunged w^th this Spirit, this Holy Ghost to have their Corruptions burned up,

& Plunged down by him y^t Gathers y^e wheat into y^e Garner, & burns up y^e Chaff w^th

unquenchable Fire. this must be plunged down, & burned up before Man comes to God.

So now my Friends, they that have been Baptized into y^e Death of Adam

in Transgression have put him on; they have not put on Christ: But they y^t are

Batized into y^e Death of Christ have put him on, & put off y^e Old Man, & are Renew=

=ed in their Minds to God again, so every Man & Woman must know this

Baptism of Christ, and as the Apostle did say to some ye are all Baptized into

one Body by one Spirit: So now this Holy pure Spirit of God y^t doth plunge

down Sin & Iniquity, this pure Spirit is y^t which was in Man before y^e foul Spirit

got into Man & Woman by Transgression, the Pure Spirit of God was before y^t was;

And this pure Spirit brings & Unites all into _^^one Spirituall Body w^ch the Spiritual

man is y^e Head of; Who is y^e first-born of every Creature; He is not that Son y^t was

Born by y^e Will of Man, but by y^e Will of God; So y^t No Son or Daughter of Adam

in y^e Fall can be Head of the true Church, but he that was y^e first begotten of

God, Who tasted Death for every Man, this must People know, & every man feel in

their own Particulars by his Grace & Truth If they will come to Life & Salvation

by Jesus Christ, who is y^e Head & Saviour of his Church.

So now Man being drove from God, y^e Emmanuel God w^th us Christ Jesus

is come into his Temple: There was Figures, Types, & Shaddows in y^e time of

the Law, & Severall things did Tipe forth, y^t y^e Substance was to come w^ch is now

come: Therefore Said y^e Apostle it pleased y^e Father to Reveal his Son; y^e Son of God;

not of Old Adam, Reveal his Son in me, yⁿ he did Preach Emmanuel _^^God with us:

& y^t y^e believers were y^e Temple of God: The Faith of Gods Elect was known

in Christ; & here is no Life out of this Faith in Christ, but in him is enjoyment of

Peace; Here is y^e Comfort of Christ Jesus, y^e Emmanuel God with us; here is the seed of

y^e Woman y^t bruises y^e Head of y^e Serpent: so as it was said y^e Gospel was preached

to Abraham, saying in thy Seed shall all nations of y^e Earth be blessed. So now y^e

Gospel was Preached to Adam, Abraham, Isaac, & Jacob; it is in y^e Seed Christ.

And so Friends all People must come into this Seed y^t are blessed, & standing

& Living in this seed here is Glory to God in y^e Highest, here is y^e standing Rock

y^e Rock of Ages, & standing foundation. He that bruises y^e Serpents Head is come,

who is y^e Foundation, & Rock of all true Believers in y^e Light, y^e Light in Christ

y^e seed to build on, so bruises the Head of all other false Foundations, all y^t w^ch must

have an end, y^t had a Beginning among men; all their Formallities must have an

end, y^e Substance is come; here is y^e Foundation, yea y^e Heavenly & Holy Foundation,

a Foundation not of Man, but of y^e Heavenly Man: not of y^e Sons & Daughters of

Old Adam, but y^e Son of God. In thy Seed shall all Nations be blessed; & no nation

can be in y^e Blessing except in the Seed, O y^e Everlasting Love of God to all Mankind:

Here the pure God hath his Glory, & Praise, & Honour over all in his Pure Seed Blessed for

ever: & here is y^e Emmanuel God w^th Man; here is stability & Settlement upon this Rock

this Seed y^t bruises y^e head of y^e Serpent (y^t leads from God) in which all Nations are blessed,

Thee out of this seed to talk of y^e Prophets, Talk of y^e Figures & Shaddows y^t Tipe forth

y^e Seed thou hast not y^e Blessing: So here in y^e Seed Christ Jesus in y^e Gospel shall all

Nations be blessed; So all Nations Must come into this Seed in w^ch y^e Living God hath his

Praise, his Living Praise, his Living Honour, who is over all in his Heavenly Power.

There is a setled established state, being built on him y^e Emmanuel God with us,

by whom Man is Reconciled to God: So every man know & feel him your Possession, in

whom all y^e Promised Figures, Tipes & Shaddows end, in him y^e Substance, here

is comfort of the Promises enjoying y^e Substance, & here Praises arise to y^e Everlasting

God thorow Christ, & to him y^t was, & is to come, y^e second Adam y^e Lord from

Heaven: So now my friends this Answers to that of y^e Apostles in their Dayes, w^t [what] they

saw & enjoyed: But now as People come again to this Light & Life, Grace & Truth,

& y^e Seed Christ Jesus from whence y^e same comes: So they come to enjoy him again

as y^e Apostle saith, E[x]amine your selves, prove your own selves. know you not your

own selves, how y^t Jesus Christ is in you except you be Reprobates; the Apostle here

would not have People to live in a Profession of God & Christ in Ungodliness.

but enjoy & Possess Christ; & to examine y^m selves wheither they are Reprobates,

or not, but w^t is a Reprobate? one y^t is Wandred & dr_^ⁱven from God & Christ

out of y^e Way of Truth, one y^t talks, & has not y^e Possession, a Reprobate: There

fore y^e Apostle would have all to be true Christians, & to have Christ in them

Christ in you the Hope of Glory, as Christ was in him.

Therefore all Christians are to come to Try & Examine wheither Christ be

in y^m yea or Nay: w^t they Dye unto, & w^t they Live unto, Who it is y^t makes y^m

alive again; So he being in y^m y^e Emmanuel God with us, here is no Repro=

=bation; Examine your selves: If Christ be not in you. yⁿ [then] you are Reprobates,

the Apostle would have y^m sound Christians, Possessors of Life & not Professors

only: & therefore he bid y^m Examine y^m selves, this is y^e day Wherein all must

come to Examination, or how can they Preach Christ If he be not Revaled

in y^m: for saith y^e Apostle wⁿ it pleased y^e Father to Reve_^^al his Son in me

consulted not &c. And so he that had y^e Son of God, & knoweth him to be Revealed

in him hath Life Everlasting; this must all know & feel in their own particulars

He y^t doth Inherit him hath Peace, So now my Friends as People come out of y^e

Apostacie into y^e Possession of this Heavenly Seed. Christ Jesus; If you have him

you have Life Eternal, you have Peace with God, y^e Emmanuel who Reconciles you

to God again; & here you all come to Eat of y^e Living bread y^t comes down from Hea=

=ven & drink of y^e Living Waters, here is a Living Well comes to be Opened. O Blessing

& Praises to y^e King of Sion, him y^t Lives & Reigns forever; So now Friends here

is a Rock known; & we can say w^t Rock is like our Rock who bruises y^e Head of y^e

Serpent; All must come to him y^t is over all false Foundations to him y^t brings

Man again _^ⁱⁿto y^e Image of God to build on Christ y^e sure Foundation; So here

People come all to Witness to be Baptized into him & put him on; & to know y^e

true Baptism y^t plunges down y^e false Spirit, & his works as y^e Apostle saith

we are all Baptized by one Spirit into one body, & here we all drink into one

pure Spirit; y^e Holy Spirit of God; drink in it here is unity.

To drink in this one pure Spirit w^ch is over y^e foul Spirit, or else how

can it Baptize Man, or Plunge down Corruption if it be not above y^e foul

Spirit? So drink in this Pure Holy Spirit, here is y^e Pure standing Fellow=

ship; meet here, Feed here, drink here; many may come to sights, & Talk of these

things, but Few come to be possessors of this Pure Spirituall standing. Baptism [?]

y^t Baptizeth into one Body, & to know Christ who was not Begotten by y^e Will

of Man but of God; Who came from y^e bosome of y^e Father to be the Head of y^e

Church: Now y^m y^t drink here will not drink of y^e Whores Cup will not

drink of any Profession of Leligion [sic] set up without y^e pure Spirit of God,

Because their drinking is in y^e Spirit: Now here is a Fello_^^wship & perfect

Unity in y^e Heart & Spirit w^ch is y^e Bond of Peace unites to God & one unto

another in an intire Fellowship w^ch will stand wⁿ all y^e Fellowships in y^e

world are gone, this unites & makes us known one unto another in y^t w^ch

is Everlasting; not only in this World but in y^t w^ch is to come; so this

pure Spirit Baptizes into one Body this Spirit brings in Life, & Love, &

Peace, & strength, & fills all w^th good things; Y^e foul Spirit hath No room

in Man here drinking in this Holy pure Spirit.

So now Friends here in this one pure Spirit is y^e Unity of y^e

Church in God y^t Christ is y^e Head of, O blessed be God for ever: You Read of the

Circumcision in y^e Old Covenaⁿt to be Outward; & y^e Men were to be Circum

=cised before they did eat of y^e Sacrifices: for the Uncircumcised were to go

down into the Pit; this was in y^e Old Testament; But Now in the New-

=Testament y^e Circumcision is in y^e Spirit y^t cuts off y^e Body of Death & Sin in

the Flesh w^ch hath got up into Man & Woman by Transgression; This all must come

to Witness y^e Circumcision in y^e Spirit before they come to feed on y^e Sacrifice

Christ Jesus y^e Bread y^t comes down from Heaven.

You must consider y^t Father Adam & Mother Eve had not a Body

of sin & Death before they went from God, But when they hearkened to y^e Serpent

they fell from y^e Image of God; Therefore there must be a Circumcision in [?]

y^e Spirit to put off y^e Body of Sin & Death w^ch hath got into Man & Woman

by Transgression before they come to Feed on y^e Heavenly Sacrifice Christ the

Heavenly Spiritual Offering; for If they do not come to this Circumcision

with y^e pure Spirit they cannot come to feed on y^e Heavenly Bread; for he y^t

is heavenly must be fed on by this Holy Heavenly Spirit; So every Man &

Woman must know this Heavenly Circumcision, who is y^e Circumciser &

Baptizer: y^e second Adam y^e Heavenly Man, he Will baptize & Circumcise you

he is y^e Substance, this Heavenly Man; Every Mans Eye must be to him in y^e light

& Life, Grace, & Truth y^t comes from him.

The Light w^ch is y^e Life in Christ hath been often talked of, & called

Naturall, but this is a Mistake; for it is said in y^e beginning was y^e Word, & in

y^e Word was Life; so it was Life in y^e Word before any Naturall Created Lights

were, & before man was made, or Conscience either, y^e Life in y^e Word was

before Old Adam; So they y^t call it Naturall Created Light, or Conscience,

are mistaken, Now this Light in Christ w^ch is y^e Light in Man we have not

from any of y^e Sons, & Daughters of Old Adam; from whom yⁿ [?] from y^e

second Adam whose name is called y^e Word of God, by whom all things

was made; So now every Man y^t comes to be a Believer in y^e Light, y^e Life,

in y^e Word Christ; comes to be Grafted into Christ Jesus; here y^e Root bears y^e

branches; these be living Members, & make up a Spiritual Household, So this

Light, & Life comes not from Old Adam, or any of his Sons & Daughters,

but from y^e Second Adam y^e Lord from Heaven, therefore they y^t say to y^e

Contrary, & give y^e Light other Names know not what they say; But they

who are come into this Light y^e Life in y^e Word they are established upon

Christ who is y^e first & Last, & will be to all Eternity, Glory to God for ever:

This Light was before all Naturall Lights were (& this Word was before all false

words were) This was y^t w^ch Christ taught to believe in, and they y^t did Believe

were setled & Established in Christ; For Gods Love was so great to Mankind y^t

he sent his Son a Light into y^e World y^t whosoever believes in him should not

perish but have Everlasting Life; He y^t believeth not is Condemned already:

By one Mans Disobedience Condemnation came upon all. He y^t comes out must

believe; He y^t believeth cometh out of Condemnation: Therefore now I say this

Light y^e Life in Christ keeps every Mans Eye to him from whom they Receive Power,

& from whom they Receive his Law, they come to be a Subject under, his Government;

here comes every one in their own Hearts to have a Testimony to y^e Light, y^e Second

Adam y^e Lord From Heaven, he y^t never transgressed nor Sinned, nor never fell,

So yⁿ he in you, & you in him; here is y^e Generall, Universal Love of God to all man=

kind; therefore the Gospel hath & must be Preached to all Nations; for they y^t have

Received this Gospel of y^e Son of God have received him, but you may say y^e Apostle

calls it his Gospel, yes, he Received it, & was Heir of y^e Everlasting Gospel by y^t w^ch

came from God, & Christ came by none of Adams Sons: So this Order of y^e Gospel y^e

Power of God is not from Old Adam, for this brings under y^e Government of Christ,

& this Power of God keeps Man clean, & Preserves him, being stronger yⁿ y^e Power

of y^e Devil: So all Mankind hath a Visitation of y^e Gospel of Life & Salvation

sounded to their Souls; but it is only y^m y^t Receive it & Obey it y^t have y^e Comfort

of it for they that are established in y^e Gospel are established in y^e Power of God,

Then this Gospel is their stability; So Glory to God for ever, this Gospel is from

Heaven & not from Man, the Enemy cannot come into it every Man & Woman

w^th this Gospel w^ch hath brought Life & Immortality to Light they will see Christ,

& come under his Government. Power & Wing y^t will preserve, & he will gather y^m as

a hen gathers her Chickens under wings to keep y^m from y^e Vermin: Now Christ

preserves from under y^e Power of Darkness y^e Devil y^t is y^e great devourer of Mankind;

& so here under his Power & wing we can say thy Kingdome is an Everlasting Kingdom,

it is established in his Power, So stability is in y^e Gospel the Power of God.

So now Friends two things are in my mind: first God poured out of his

spirit upon all Flesh in y^e New Covenant. But in y^e Old Covenant God poured

forth his Spirit on y^e House of Israel & Judah; & they that were in y^e Spirit of

God yⁿ saw this day of y^e New Covenant: & y^t God would poure of his Spirit upon all Flesh.

So now all Flesh must come to this Spirit of God, & know this Spirit to be poured upon y^m;

this was general & y^e other particular, he will pour of his Spirit upon all Flesh, so all

Flesh must come to this Spirit if they will worship God. this Spirit doth not come from

Adam, nor none of his Sons & Daughters, but from God. God Almighty must have y^e eye, or

Ear in his Spirit, so all come to this Spirit here is y^e Comfort & Joy; this is that w^ch is

not of Man; So this Holy Spirit makes all Subject, & settles y^m upon Christ & God,

let Waves & Persecutions, & w^t ever come, here in this stand to be Preachers, & Possessors

of this, they know in it their End even Everlasting Life

So now here you may see the Love of God to Mankind y^t he would not have y^m to

Perish, but to have Everlasting Life in Christ Jesus, but some will say how shall I come to

know & have this good Spirit? you must leave y^e bad Spirit y^t leads into all badness,

Wickedness, & all manner of Evill, but this Pure, Holy Spirit leads into all manner

of Vertue, & all y^t is good, there is a distinction one from y^e other; as y^e Apostle saith

y^e Fruit of y^e good Spirit is love &c.

So now Friends none to vex & quench, or give y^e Spirit of God; for the Apos=

tle saw some in his day going from y^e Light Spirit & Gospel, y^e Power of God, &

went into y^e Apostasie; therefore come again to y^e Spirit & Truth y^t leads out

of the Apostasie, & so come to Christ; for as y^e Law was given by Moses in y^e

Old Testament, so Grace & Truth came by Jesus Christ in y^e New; In y^e Old

Testament they had their Offerings of y^e Blood of Bulls, Goats, Rams, & Tythes,

Swearing Temple, & all those Outward things: : But in y^e New Testament y^e

Lamb Christ Jesus Offered up himself for all; & Said freely you have received freely

give: Swear not at all; & hath abolished those Outward things; so there is a distinction

between y^e Old Covenant & y^e New.

Now as there was a going into y^e Apostasie from y^e Light, & Grace, & Truth,

& Spirit of God in y^e Inward parts, So there must be a coming again to y^e Grace &

Truth y^t is come by Jesus y^e Second Adam, & not by y^e first Adam if they come

out of y^e Apostasie; so every Man & Woman must come to this Grace which must be

their Teacher; every man come to Jesus from whom they have it; look to him y^t

keeps your Eyes, Ears, & Hearts up to himself: But some will say this a Common

Grace, a natural Grace, & such Talk.

How can this be a Com^mon or Natural Grace? The Grace of God y^t brings

Salvation hath appeared unto all Mankind: The Grace & favour of God to all

Mankind; If all men do not Receive this Grace how can they come into y^e Favour of

God? If this be a Naturall & Common Grace yⁿ they are in y^e Naturall Estats, & y^e

Naturall Man perceives not the things of God; Nay y^t is a Speciall Grace y^t brings

Salvation, this is y^t w^ch turns every Man & Womans eye to Jesus y^t Receives it y^e

Second Adam y^e Lord from Heaven to his Light, Grace, & Truth from Death, &

Darkness, y^t thereby in him all may be setled, & grow in Grace, yea from Grace to

Grace, & may encrease; So here in this & by this all is kept in y^e sence & feeling of

y^e Love of God w^ch y^e Grace, Truth, Spirit, & Power y^t comes from Jesus Christ, & so

comes from God; This keeps every Mans Eye out of old Adam: keeps out of all Carnall

Worships, Religions, & Fellowships & keeps up to him y^t is Worshipped in y^e Spirit

& Truth; & in y^e true Worship y^t y^e Devil is out of; This is y^e standing pure

path; here doth every Man & Woman by y^e Grace, Truth, & Spirit, keep their Eye

to Jesus, so to God through him; by this comes every Man & Woman to know

Christ Jesus their Rock & Foundation, & come to be established, & setled on him y^e

Rock over all other Foundations in y^e World: So now Friends y^e Love of God,

his blessing is come for every Man & Woman y^t Receives it comes to know him

to Reigne in his Grace & Truth, Light, & Life, & Gospel w^ch is y^e Power of God;

every Man & Woman in it Eye him, & he in you dwelling in you, & you in him, such

are sound Christians in Substance & in deed; & therefore prove your selves as y^e

Apostle saith know you not your own selves how y^t Jesus Christ is in you except

you be Reprobates; & If he be in you here is y^e substance of y^e Tipes, Figures, &

Shadows: Here is a setled Rest, & Sabbath in Christ Jesus for all his Believers in

his Light: O Glory to God for ever.

For saith y^e Apostle look unto Jesus y^e Author & Finisher of your Faith,

So now Friends he being y^e Author & Finisher of your Faith every Man & Woman

must Receive it from him, & not from Old Adam nor none of his Sons, & Daughters

O let him come into your Hearts y^t came from y^e bosome of y^e Father let him have

Room: w^t Room had he formerly but in y^e Manger among y^e Outward Professing

Jews; let him have Room in your Hearts; For he has but a little Room in y^e Profes=

=sors without Possession, who will not receive his Light, for he hath no Room in y^t

Proud Lifty mind, therefore let him have y^e Reign in you; If he be not in you w^t

is all talk of Religion good for? for If Christ be not w^th in, Man is Seperate

from God, from y^e Emmanuel God w^th us; & in y^t Estate Man doth not Witness

Peace w^th God; but If Christ be known w^th in here will be no Reprobate, but

stability; he being w^th in, y^t bruises y^e Head of y^e Serpent.

Therefore to him y^t is y^e God of all Power I shall commit & commend you,

& to y^e Word of his Grace to establish you upon Christ Jesus & Therefore every Man

& Woman come to know y^t you have Received his Faith, his Spirit, his Grace his Life,

his Light, & Truth growing up in Christ from whence this comes y^t bruises y^e Head

of y^e Serpent & Destroys him & his Works; who is above all, Glory to God for ever;

He was & he is & will be to all Eternity: He is a Prophet to open to his People; A.

Bishop to Oversee you: a Priest to sanctifie; a King to Rule & Reign in your heart

by Faith, exercising his Offices among you; so y^t you may all come to sit down in

him in the Heavenly Places in Christ Jesus: If you want Life, Salvation, Wisdome,

Righteousness, Peace, he is y^e Treasure, So come to y^e Treasure; he was a Priest,

& Prophet, & he is, & will be forevermore to all his believers in his Light; And as

every one has Received Christ Jesus so to Walk in him; tis not talking only but

walking in Christ Jesus; not only to talk of the Light but walk in it, many may

talk of Grace & Truth, but walk in unrighteousness, & unholyness. God is Righteous,

& Holy, who will Judge such; to whom I leave you, & y^t People may Live to God

& Receive y^e good things, & blessings that come from God through Jesus Christ, Let

your eye be to him from whom you Receive Life, from whom you Receive Grace,

& Faith, Who is your Redeemer, by which Grace, & Faith your Hearts come to be

purified from dead Works to serve y^e Living God; This is he w^ch Destroyes y^e Devil

& his Works; In this Faith y^e Holy men of God did believe in w^ch they pleased God,

Whereas tis said Heb.11. They all Dyed in y^e Faith, not Receiving y^e Promises;

So they all Dyed in y^t w^ch came from God; they Dyed in y^t w^ch Pleased God; & in

y^t w^ch they had access to him, & in which is y^e Unity in y^e Faith of Gods Elect,

w^ch leads out of all y^e bad wayes of old Adam; This is y^e Faith y^t Jesus Christ

is y^e Author, & Finisher of y^e Second Adam: this brings People to an Inward

Intire Life, out of all y^t w^ch will fade away to a Holy Faith, a Holy Life, into

a pure, divine, precious Unity, & so to have access to y^e Pure Holy God: in w^ch you

have life, & salvation, & in w^ch Faith you Please God.

So God hath y^e Glory who is over all from Everlasting to Everlasting

   blessed for evermore

G. F.

16G F^s Prayer

Dear Friends & Brethren: as I was at Prayer in my Chamber upon y^e 23:12^th Month

1678. & making Interecssion [sic] to y^e Lord for Friends his People, y^t y^e Lord would be

pleased to preserve them from this Rough, & Foul Spirit y^t was risen up: & y^e Lord did

Answer me in my Prayer y^t this Spirit was Risen up for y^e Tryall of his People In y^e Life,

& Light, & Power, & Grace, & Truth, & I saw more yⁿ can be Expressed in Words: for it was

Risen to try y^m, & y^t they might keep in y^e Power of y^e Lord, as in their Habitations:

And so wⁿ y^e Lord hath tried his People, & their Singleness to him, & When this Spirit

hath spent its strength, & gone y^e Way of all y^t has Risen before it yⁿ they may see

how all things work together for good to y^m y^t Love God: And therefore stand fast in y^e

Liberty wherewith Christ hath made you free in his Light, Grace, & Truth, & Power, &

Spirit, & Faith, to Christ, from whence it comes: Christ yo^r Rock, & Foundation y^t

cannot be shaken, & in whom is this Election, Life, & Salvation so y^t all may stand

to Christ their Lord & Master to be Ordered by him with his Glorious Gospel w^ch is

not of Man but from Heaven.

For I saw all Friends as If they were bedewed from Heaven, & they

sate as in a Valley, & wet w^th y^e dew of Life, & y^e other hard dead Spirit was

floating atop w^th Words of Truth; w^ch Spirit is for y^e Triall of his People, of their

standing singly in y^e Life to god upon their own Foundation. And so as I was at Prayer y^e Lord

Answered me that this Spirit of J S & J W, & their company was Raised up for y^e Triall of

Friends their standing to God for it was High, & Friends was low in y^e Power &

Spirit of God & wet with his dew, & sate in y^e Valley, & will Rise wⁿ their High

will Fall, & therefore Friends are to stand to God.

G. F.

The Truth is above all, & Will stand over all y^m y^t hate it, who Labour in

vain against it, & will bring their Old house on their own Head in great

Trouble, & in their Winter, & cold Weather, when that their house is down,

& their Religion is Frozen, & their Rivers dried up, & their husks gone, &

y^e Swine begin to cry about their Plantations, & y^e Vermine run up & down

their Old Rubbish, & their sparks & Candles _^^are gone out, & hail, & storm lighteth

upon y^e head of y^e Wicked, yⁿ Woe be to Gog & Magog who hath no covering.

In christ you have Peace, In y^e world you have trouble, In Christ you have Peace,

In y^e World you have trouble, No Peace w^th God but in y^e Light, No Peace w^th God but

in y^e Covenant of Light, w^th out is Trouble Amen.

G. F.

Dear Friends be faithfull in y^e Service of God, & mind y^e Lords business; be diligent,

& bring y^e Power of y^e Lord over all those y^t have gain said it; and all you y^t be

faithful go to visit y^m all y^t have been Convinced from house to house, that if it

be possible you may not leave a hoof in Egypt: And so every one go seek y^e Lost

sheep: & bring him home on your back to y^e fold, & there will be more Joy of y^t

one sheep yⁿ of y^e ninety nine in y^e fold.

G. F.

17You may Read this in your Monthly, Quarterly, & Yearly Meetings.

from our Womens County Meeting in Lancashire to be

dispersed abroad among y^e Womens Meetings every where

Dear Sisters. In y^e blessed unity in y^e Spirit of Grace, our Souls salute you

who are Sanctified in Christ Jesus, & called to be Saints, who are of y^e true &

Royal Offspring of Christ Jesus, who is y^e Root & Offspring of David, & who

is y^e Resurrection & y^e Life of all y^e Saints in Light.

To you y^t [that] are of y^e true seed of y^e Promise of God in y^e beginning y^t was to

bruise y^e Serpents Head, & w^ch is fulfilled in Christ Jesus, of w^ch we are made pertakers,

w^ch is y^e Seed y^e Promise is to, w^ch y^e Apostle spoke of & said God sent forth his

Son made of a Woman, made under y^e Law to Redeem y^m y^t were under the Law

y^t we might Receive y^e Adoption &c. Gal. 4.4.

To you all every where, where this may come is this written y^t in this

blessed Seed w^ch hath y^e Promise of y^e Eternal God annexed y^t he should bruise

y^e Serpents Head, & y^t in this Seed you all Live & dwell in y^e sensible feeling

thereof; in w^ch Seed all Nations of y^e Earth is blessed.

That so we may be all Helps Meet for God in y^e Restoration, & Co=heirs

w^th Christ Jesus, who hath purchased us w^th his precious blood, & hath washed us,

& Loved us, who is no Respecter of Persons: but hath a care, & regard unto all; y^e

weak as well as the strong. y^t he may have y^e Glory of his own Work, who treadeth

y^e Wine-press alone.

And y^t every particular of us may be ready & willing to answer w^t [what] y^e Lord

Requires of us in our several places, & Conditions.

For as many of us as are Baptized into Christ have put on Christ; for we

are all y^e Children of God by Faith in Christ Jesus; where there is neither Male nor

Female &c, but we are all one in Christ Jesus.

And so being in Christ Jesus we are all Abrahams Seed & Heirs according

to y^e Promise: not of y^e Bond-woman but of the free Jerusalem from above, w^ch is y^e

Mother if us all.

And so here is our Possession, & Inheritance; y^t every Faithful Mem=

=ber of us may claim a Right unto, & an Interest in: y^t all the Powers of Darkness,

nor all the Enmity of y^e Old Serpent (whose Head is coming to be bruised) can

never Seperate us from, tho he may twine, & twist, & Rage, & Storm y^t his Power shuld

be taken from him, but all to no purpose: for y^e Word of y^e Eternal God y^t endureth

for ever stands upon his Head that the Seed of the Woman should bruise the

Serpents Head.

And this is fulfilled, & fulfilling in this y^e Day of y^e Lords Power, & of the

Restoration, & Redemption of his Seed, & Body w^ch is his Church; w^ch is coming out

of the Wilderness leaning on her beloved; w^ch is coming in his Power & Great

Glory, tho in the Clouds; and every Eye y^t is open sees him; & every Ear y^t is unstopped

hears him, & every understanding, & Heart y^t is Enlightened & opened, is Converted, &

healed in this Glorious Day, Praise to y^e Highest.

So here is the Blessed Image of y^e Living God Restored again, in w^ch he

made y^m Male, & Female in the beginning; & in this his own Image. God Blessed

y^m both, & said unto y^m Increase & Multiply, & Replenish y^e Earth & subdue it,

& have dominion over y^e Fish of y^e Sea, & have dominion over y^e Fowls of y^e Air,

And have dominion over y^e Beasts, & over y^e Cattell, & over y^e Earth: & over ever creep=

=ing thing upon y^e Face of y^e Earth. & in this Dominion & Power y^e Lord God is esta=

blishing his own seed in y^e Male, & in y^e Female over y^e Head of y^e Serpent, & over

his Seed, & Power.

And he makes no difference in the Seed between the Male & y^e Female, as

Christ saith Matth. 19.4.6. y^t he y^t made y^m in y^e beginning made y^m Male & Female;

they were both in y^e work of God in y^e Beginning; & so in y^e Restoration.

But it is y^e Work of y^e Old Serpent to put y^m out of y^e Work of God as he did,

in y^e Beginning, Tempt y^m to Sin & transgression, & Disobedience; so he would still keep

y^m there, & make a difference, & keep a Superiority, one over another, y^t Christ y^e

Head should not Rule in Male & Female, & so keep y^m in Bondage, & in slavery,

& in difference, & dissension one w^th another, & yⁿ they are fit for his Tentations.

But y^e Lord God is coming to destroy this Tongue of y^e Egyptian Sea, & to

smite it in y^e Seven Strams thereof; as in Isai. 11.15. And to make all as a Plain

before him: & he will level down, & lay low all the loftiness of Man, & y^e Harctiness of

Men shall be made low, So y^t y^e Lord alone will be exalted in his own Seed & Power

in Male & Female in this his day. Isai. 2.17.

And therefore all dearly beloved Friends & Sisters, let us every one be bold,

& Valiant, & Faithful, & diligent for y^e Lords everlasting Truth upon y^e Earth in our

Day, & Generation: y^t as good stewards we may give a good account unto God of his mani=

fold Graces, y^t we have Received, & do receive of him & from him daily.

And y^t as we have a Cloud of Witnesses y^t is gone before us w^ch y^e Scriptures

of Truth Testifie of that hath Born Witness to his Eternall Truth, & hath been

made partakers of the Divine. Blessings, favours, & Graces of Almighty God.

And so God is the same to us in our age & Generation as he was to y^m

in their day & Age; we being Taught & led, & Guided by y^e same Eternal Spirit as

they were w^ch proceeds from y^e Father & y^e Son.

So let none be weary, nor faint in their minds, but let all be given up faith-

fully to y^e Leading & Guiding of y^e good Spirit of y^e Living God: y^t by it every one

may know freedome & Rede^mption from y^e Bondage of Corruption: w^ch Spirit y^e

Lord is Powring forth in these last dayes upon Sons & Daughters, Servants &

Handmaidens, so y^t y^e General Universal Love of Almighty God is descending, &

pouring upon all Flesh in this his Day of Grace, even as he did wⁿ [when] he bid y^m wait at

Jerusalem to Receive Power from on high wⁿ they were all gather together in an

upper Room: & continued w^th one Accord, Praying & Making Supplication w^th y^e

Women, & Mary y^e Mother of Jesus, & w^th his Brethren. Act.1.14.

And y^e Holy Ghost was poured upon y^m so plentifully y^t y^e Multitude

were all amazed, but Peter stood up to witness y^e fulfulling of w^t was spoken by y^e

Prophet Joel, y^t God would pour out of his Spirit upon all Flesh: & your Sons &

Daughters shall Prophesie, & on my Servants, & on my Handmaids will I pour out of

my Spirit in those dayes, & they shall Prophesie Acts 2.17.19. Here Peter bears witness

to y^e same Truth & pouring forth _^^of y^e same Spirit in y^t day w^ch we are Living Witnesses

of in this our Day Praises to y^e Lord for ever.

So all Dear Friends, & Sisters, make full proof of y^e Gift of God y^t is in you

& neglect it not in this your day & Generation, but y^t you may be helps meet in the

Restoration, & Resurrection of y^e body of Christ w^ch is his Church, & y^t every one

may know their place, & calling therein as y^e Godly Women under y^e Law did.

For all y^t were wise in Heart put their hand to y^e work about y^e Taber=

=nacle & all the Women whose Hearts stirred y^m up in wisdome had their several place

to work in about y^e Tabernacle as well as y^e Men; for all y^e Congregation of y^e

Children of Israel, every one both Men & Women, whose Spirit was made

willing they brought y^e Lords Offering to y^e Work of y^e Tabernacle as yo may Read in

Exodus [35.?] 25.26.

And likewise Miriam y^e Prophetess y^e Sister of Aaron took a Timbrel in her

hand & all the Women went out after her in Triumph, & singing Praises to y^e Lord

who by his mighty Power had overthrown Pharaoh and his host in the Red Sea.

Exod. 15.20.21.

And there was an assembly of Women w^ch Assembled at y^e door of y^e Taber=

-nacle of y^e Congregation. Exod. 38.8.

And likewise Hannah wⁿ she had weaned her Son Samuel took him & went

up to y^e House of y^e Lord, & took w^th her three Bullocks, one Ephah, & a Bottle of wine

& slew one Bullock, & brought the Child to Eli & offered him up to y^e Lord, & sayd, for

this Child, I have prayed, & y^e Lord hath given me my portion which I asked of him.

as you may see 1Samu. 24.25.26.27. And this Child Samuel did Minister unto y^e

Lord before Eli y^e Priest.

And Hannah Prayed: & O y^e Gracious words, & Prayer that proceeded out

of her mouth by y^e Powerful demonstration of y^e Eternal Spirit, & y^e Power of Al-

mighty God, in her! 1 Sam 2.1 to 11. w^ch all y^e Adversaries & Gain sayers against Womens

Meetings is not able to gain say. nor resist.

Therefore let all mouths be stopped w^ch would limit the Spirit of y^e Lord

God in Male, or Female w^ch he hath not limitted. But y^e Lord hath regard unto & takes

notice of y^e Women, & despises y^m not.

And you may Read in Isaiah 32. Where y^e Kingdome of Christ Jesus is

Prophesied of, Behold a King shall Reign in Righteousness, & Princes shall Rule in

Judgment; & y^e Eyes of y^m y^t see shall not be dimm, & y^e Ears of y^m y^t Hear shall hear=

ken, & the Heart also of the Rash shall understand knowledge, and y^e Tongue of the

Stammerer shall be ready to speak plainly.

Here is y^e Glorious Work of y^e Lord Prophesied of; & here y^e Lord calls.

Rise up y^e Women y^t are at ease, hear my voice ye careless Daughters, give ear to my

Speech, many dayes & years shall ye be troubled, ye careless Women, for y^e Vintage

shall fail, y^e gathering shall not come: Tremble ye Women y^t are at ease; be troubled

ye careless ones: strip ye & make ye bare; gird sackcloth upon your Loyns; they shall

lament for y^e teats, for y^e Pleasant Fields, & for y^e Fruitful Vines (see here what a

Requiring, or Ariel charge y^e Lord layes upon y^e Women) until y^e Spirit be poured

upon us from on high; & y^e Wilderness be a fruit field; & y^e work of Righteousness

shall be peace, & y^e effect of Righteousness quietness, & assurance for ever. Here y^e Lord

had a care & regard to y^e Women as well as y^e Men and have a Blessing, & a Mer=

-cie in store for y^m.

And also in Jeremiah 9^th Chapt. throughout where y^e Lord brought destruc-

-tion, & wo & misery upon y^e Jews, & y^e destruction of Jerusalem, because they had for=

=saken y^e Law of y^e Lord. w^ch he had set before y^m, & disobeyed his Voice, & walked

not therein, I will scatter y^m among y^e Heathen saith y^e Lord; & I will send a sword

amongst y^m till I have consumed y^m.

More over thus saith y^e Lord call for y^e mourning Womon y^t they

may come; for a Voice of Mourning is heard out of Zion; yet hear y^e Word of y^e

Lord O Ye Women, & let your Ear Receive the Word of his Month; & Teach your

Daughter. Waiting, & every one her Neig[h]bour Lamentation for Death is come up

into our Windows, & is entred into our Palaces, to cut off y^e Children from w^th out, & y^e

young from y^e Streets; speak thus saith y^e Lord y^e Carcases of Men shall fall as Dung

upon y^e Open field, & as y^e handful after the Harvest Man, & none shall gather y^m.

Here y^e Women had y^e Word of y^e Lord to speak to y^e Men; & here y^e Lord

makes use, & had a Service for y^e Women y^t they should Speak his Word from his mouth

in this dreadful & terrible day.

And also thus saith y^e Lord, let not y^e Wise Men Glory in his Wisdome,

neither let y^e mighty Man Glory in his Might, nor let y^e Rich man Glory in his

Riches; but let him y^t glorieth Glory in this y^t he understandeth & knoweth me y^t I am

y^e Lord w^ch exerciseth Loving Kindness, Judgment & Righteousness in y^e Earth, for in these

things I do delight saith y^e Lord.

Here y^e Lord clearly manifesteth y^t he delights in y^e knowledge of himself,

& of his Righteousness, & Judgment, & Loving kindness, & this he hath a Regard unto both in

Man & in Woman, & not in Wise, nor mighty, nor Rich Men.

And In Micah 2.9.10. The Lord saith y^e Women of my People have y^e cast

out from their Pleasant Houses, & from their Children have y^e taken away my Glory;

rise y^e and depart, for this is not your Rest because it is polluted; it shall destroy you

even w^th a sore destruction. &c.

And Christ Jesus in y^e days of his Flesh had a dear & tender care, & Re

-gard unto Woman, who Received many Gracious blessings, & favours from him; he de-

spised not y^e Woman of Canaan wⁿ she came unto him for her Daughter y^t was vexed w^th

a Devil wⁿ she Worshipped him; & said Lord help me – And wⁿ he saw her Faith he

said Woman great is thy Faith, as in Mat.15.

And also y^e Woman of Samaria in John 4. Christ Jesus directed her to y^e

gift of God, & told her whosoever drinketh of y^e Water y^t he giveth should never thirst

but y^e water y^t he did give should be in her a Well springing up to Eternal Life. So he

Reasoned & spoke w^th her so long till he opened her understanding so y^t she perceived

y^t he was a Prophet.

But Jesus saith unto her Woman believe me (so here you may see

y^e mind of Christ was y^t y^e Woman should Believe his Doctrine y^t he yⁿ spoke unto

her) y^e Hour cometh wⁿ y^e shall neither in this mountain, nor yet at Jerusalem

Worship y^e Father; but y^e Hour cometh & now is wⁿ y^e true worshipers shall wor-

ship y^e Father in Spirit & in Truth; God is a Spirit, & they y^t worship him must

Worship him in Spirit & in Truth. &c.

The Woman said unto him, I know y^t Messias commeth y^t is called

Christ; Wⁿ he cometh he will tell us all things – Jesus saith unto her I y^t speak

unto thee am hee.

See w^t Love, & plainness he manifested unto this Woman not despising

her weakness, nor under valueing her, but he spoke y^e plain Everlasting Truth unto

her; & set up y^t Worship in his own Spirit unto her there; w^ch Remains, & will remain

for ever: glorious Praises to his Holy Name for evermore.

And all those Women y^t he healed. As Peters Wifes Mother w^ch

he healed of a fever; & y^e Woman y^t had an Issue of Blood; & certain Women y^t

had been healed of Evil Spirits: & Infirmities; Mary Called Magdalene; out of whom

he had cast out Seven Devils; & Joanna y^e Wife of Chusa Herods Steward; and

Susannah, & many others w^ch ministered unto him of their Substance.

And y^e Woman y^t had y^e Alablaster Box. of Precious Oyntment wash-

ed his feet & wiped y^m w^th y^e hair of her Head; all these w^th many more Lament him

(as y^e Scriptures mention) y^t had received precious favours, & blessings from him

they all Lamented him as they led him away to be Crucified, & all y^e People, &

Women Followed him, & bewailed him as they led him away; But Jesus turned

unto y^m & said, Daughters of Jerusalem weep not for me, but weep for your selves, &

your Children. And y^e Women y^t followed him from Galilee followed after, &

beheld y^e Sepulc^hre, & how his body was layd; & they Returned, & prepared spices,

& Oyntments; & they Rested y^e Sabbaoth, as you may see in Luke 23 Chap.

And upon y^e first day of y^e Week very early in y^e Morning they came

unto y^e Sepulchre (to wit y^e Women) bringing their Spices w^ch they had Prepared, &

certain others w^th y^m, & they found y^e stone rolled away from y^e Sepulchre; &

they entred in & found not y^e body of y^e Lord Jesus.

And it came to pass as they were much perplexed, behold Two

Men stood by y^m in shining Garments: & as they were afraid, & bowed down

their faces to y^e Earth they said unto y^m, why seek ye y^t Living among y^e Dead ?

He is not here, but is Risen — Remember how he spake unto you wⁿ he was

yet in Galilee saying y^e Son of Man must be delivered into y^e Hands of Sin

=ful Men, & be Crucified, & y^e third day Rise again, & they Remembred his Words;

& Returned from y^e Sepulchre, & told all these things unto y^e Eleven, & to all

y^e Rest; It was Mary Magdalene, & Joanna, & Mary y^e Mother of James, & other

Women y^t were w^th y^m w^ch told these things unto y^e Apostles, & their words seemed unto y^m

as [?]ole Tales, & they believed y^m not as you may see in Luke 2.4. & Mark 15.40.41. &

Matth. 27.35. & Matth. 28.5 So these Women were y^e first Preachers of y^e Resurrecti=

=on of Jesus.

And Jesus himself spoke w^th Mary before he was ascended unto his Father

& said unto her go unto my Brethren; & say unto y^m I ascend to my Father & your

Father, & to my God, & your God.

And Mary Magdalene came & told y^e disciples y^t she had seen y^e Lord,

& y^t he had spoken these things unto her.

So here y^e Lord Jesus Christ sends his first Message of his Resurrec=

=tion by Women unto his own Disciples, & they were faithful unto him, & did his

Message, & yet they could hardly be Believed.

And Paul & Silas w^ch was sent forth by y^e Apostles, & Elders, &

Brethren of y^e Church w^th y^e Decrees y^t were Ordained of y^e Apostles & Elders at

Jerusalem for y^e Churches to keep; & so were y^e Churches established in y^e Faith,

& Increased in Number daily. &c

And this same Paul & Silas who had y^e Decrees went to y^e place

where Prayer was wont to be made, & sate down & spoke to y^e Women which

Resorted as in Acts. 16.

So these y^t were chosen Men of y^e Apostles & Elders, & y^e Whole Church

wⁿ they were assembled together, who had their Letters & Decrees for y^e Churches to

Keep; & as they went through the Cities they deliverd y^e Decrees, so established y^e

Churches in y^e Faith: And tho y^e Holy Ghost Suffered y^m not to Preach at Asia

nor Bithinia, yet they went among y^e Women as well as y^e Men

So we having a Cloud of Witnesses of y^e Order of y^e Gospel, & of y^e

good Works, & Charitable practises w^ch is Multiplyed in the Scriptures, & y^e Practise

of y^e Saints in Light in y^e Primitives times, Women as well as Men y^t is gone before

us, we may be encouraged in y^e Lords name, Power & Spirit to follow their Example,

& Practises.

And having y^e same Rule w^ch is in Christ Jesus where neither Circum

cision, nor uncircumcision availeth but a New Creature; & as many as walk according

to & in this Rule, Peace be unto y^m, & Mercy upon y^e Israel of God.

And as y^t Apostle saith let us Press forward towards y^e mark for y^e price of y^e

high calling of God in Christ Jesus.

And let us therefore as many as be perfect be thus minded, & if in any

thing we be otherwise minded, God shall Revoal even this unto us; Nevertheless

where unto we have already attained let us walk by y^e same Rule, & mind y^e same thing.

And let us come into our practise, & into our possession of our portions,

& Inheritances y^t we have Received from y^e Lord.

And let us Stand Faithfull & True witnesses for him in our day again^st

all deceit & Wickedness.

And let us meet together & kept our Womens Meeting in y^e Name &

Power, & Fear of y^e Lord Jesus whose Servants, & Handmaids we are, & in y^e good

Order of y^e Gospel Meet.

And first for y^e Women of every Monthly Meeting where y^e Mens

Monthly Meeting is established; Let y^e Women likewise of every Monthly Meeting

Meet together to wait upon y^e Lord, & hearken w^t y^e Lord will say unto y^m, & to know

his mind & Will, & be ready to obey & Answer him in every Motion of his Eternal Spirit,

and Power.

And also to make enquiry into all your several Particular Meetings

that belongs to your Monthly Meeting if they be any y^t walks disorderly (as doth

not to become y^e Gospel) or lightly, or wantonly, or y^t is not of a good Report, yⁿ to

send to y^m as you are Ordered by y^e Power of God in y^e Meeting w^ch is y^e Authority

of it, to Admonish & exhort y^m, & to bring y^m to Judge & Condemn w^t hath been

by y^m done or Acted contrary to y^e Truth.

And If any transgression or action y^t hath been done among Wo=

men, or Maids y^t hath done any thing y^t hath been more Publick, & y^t hath got into

y^e Word; or y^t hath been a Publick offence amongst Friends; yⁿ let y^m bring in a Paper

of Condemnation to be Published as far as y^e offence hath gone, & yⁿ to be Recorded in a

Booke.

And if there be any that goes out to Marry w^th y^e Priests, or Joyneth in

Marriage w^th y^e World, & doth not obey y^e Order of y^e Gospel as it is established among

Friends; Then for y^e Womens Monthly Meeting to send to y^m to Reprove y^m, & to bear

their Testimony against their acting contrary to y^e Truth, & If they come to

Repentance, & sorrow for their offence, & have a desire to come amongst Friends

again, before they can be Received they must bring in a Paper of Condemnation, &

Repentance, and Judgment of their action, w^ch must be Recorded in Friends Book.

And also carry a coppy of y^t Paper to y^e Priest y^t Marryed y^m, & Judge, & Condemn, & deny