1687.' baptized with the Holy Ghost and with Fire, that ~they may be falted with Fire, and every Sacrifice Gooses. ' falted with Salt, with the Spirit of Grace, that is 'poured upon all: so that they may offer up this spi'ritual Sacrifice, acceptable to God by Jesus Chrift.

1

Samuel faid to King Saul; Hath the Lord as great 'delight in Burnt-offerings and Sacrifices, as in obeying 'the Voice of the Lord? behold, to obey is better than 'Sacrifice, and to hearken, than the fat of Rams, 'I Sam. 15. 22. So ye may fee, All Offerings and Sa'crifices are nothing, if there be not an hearkening ' to the Lord in his Spirit, and an obeying of his 'Voice. And Christ told the Jews, that were out'ward Sacrificers, that he would have Mercy, and 'not Sacrifice: and bid them Go and learn, what that

'meaneth, Matth. 9. 13.

Gooses, the 28th of the

2d Month, 1687.

G. F.

London. The Beginning of the Third Month I returned to Tearly London, and continued there, till after the Yearly

Meeting.

Meeting, which began on the Sixteenth of the same, and was very large; Friends having more freedom to come up out of the Countries to it, by reason of the general Toleration and Liberty now granted. The Meeting lasted several days; and at the Close thereof it was upon me to write the following Lines, to be dispersed among Friends every were, as - A Word of Counsel and Caution to them to walk circumspectly in this time of Liberty.

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Dear Friends and Brethren in the Lord Jesus Christ;

The Lord by his Eternal Arm and Power having supported you in all your Sufferings, and great Spoil'ing of Goods, and tedious Imprisonments, only for Serving and Worshipping the living God, that made you; who gave up Wife and Children, and Goods, * and fuffered the Spoil of them, and Imprisonment for his Truth and Name's fake: And now the Lord, by his Infinite Power and Mercy, having been pleafed to open the King's Heart towards you, by which you are fet at Liberty from the Gaols, and the Spoilers

،

'of

:

Yearly

' of your Goods are stopt, whereby ye may follow your 1687. 'Callings and Husbandry, and confess Chrift Jefus, ' and call him Lord by the Holy Ghost, in your Af- London. 'semblies and Meetings, without being caft into Meeting 'Gaols, or having your Goods spoiled. And now, ' dear Brethren, a great Concern lies upon me from the 'Lord to write unto you, That none may abuse this Li'berty, nor the Mercies of the Lord, but prise them: for ' there is great Danger in time of Liberty, of getting ' up, and getting into Ease, and Looseness, and false 'Liberty. And now feeing, that ye have not the ' outward Perfecutors to War withal in Sufferings ; 'with the Spiritual Weapons keep down that, which 'would not be subject to Chrift: that he, the holy 'One, may reign in your Hearts. So that your Lives, 'Conversations and Words may preach Righteousness 'and Truth: That ye may all shew forth good En' samples of true Believers in Christ, in Vertue and 'Holiness, answering that which may be known of • God in all People, that ye are the Sons and Daugh'ters of God; Standing fast in that righteous, holy 'Liberty in Christ, that just and holy One, that has 'made you free, over the loose or false, shunning the 'Occafions of vain Disputes, and foolish Questions of 'Men of corrupt Minds:. For the Serpent was the first Questioner of Eve, who drew her and Adam out of 'the Truth. Therefore as ye have received Chrift, all 'live and walk in him, who bruises the Serpent's 'Head, who is your safe Sanctuary; in whom ye have 'Election, Reconciliation and Peace with God. And 'therefore live in the Peace, which ye have from 'Chrift, which is not of this World; and be at Peace one with another, and seek the Peace of all Men in 'Christ Jesus: for blessed are the Peace-makers. And labour to exercise a good Confcience towards God, ' in obedience to him, in what he requires; and in 'doing to all Men the thing, that is just and honeft ' in your Conversations and Words; giving no Of' fence to Jew or Gentile, nor to the Church of God. So that ye may be as a City set on God's Sion-Hill, Hh 3 which

1687. 'which cannot be hid; and may be Lights to the dark World, that they may fee your good Fruits London. and Works righteous and holy, and glorifie your Meeting Father, which is in Heaven: for he is glorified in

Tearly

ton.

4

Winch

more

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your bringing forth good Fruits, as ye abide in Christ, 'the Vine, in this his day of Life, Power and Light, 'that shines over all. And therefore all you, that believe in the Light, walk in the Light, as Children ' of the Light and of Christ's everlasting Day; that ' in the Light ye may have Fellowship with the Fa'ther and the Son, and one with another: keeping in the Unity of his Holy Spirit, in the Bond of his holy 'Peace, in his Church, that he is Head of. And my 'defire is, that God's Wisdom every where may be 'juftified of her Children, and that it may be shewed 'forth in Meekness, and in the Fear of the Lord in this 'his Day, Amen. G. F.

By that time the Yearly Meeting was over, I was very much wearied and spent: wherefore about a

Week after the Meeting I got out of Town to a Friend's Edmun- House a little beyond Edmunton, where, and at SouthSouth- ftreet, I abode some time, and had Meetings amongst ftreet. Friends there; and at Winchmore-Hill and Berry-ftreet. And having my Mind continually exercised in the hill. Things of God, the Sense of his Infinite Goodness and street. Mercy to Mankind, in visiting them, after they had transgressed and rebelled against him, and providing a Way and Means for their Return to him again, was very much upon me; And in the Opening of the Spirit of Truth, I writ the following Paper on that Subject:

Berry

'God, who made all Men and Women, though they have transgressed his Commands and Laws, and rebelled against him, and hated his Light, and grieved his Spirit, and walked despitefully against his *Spirit of Grace, yet God, who is merciful, would * have all to be saved, and come to the knowledge of 'the Truth. And all that come to the knowledge of the Truth, must know it in their inward Parts; I fay,

treet.

'say, the Grace and Truth, which comes by Jesus, 1687. 'all that do know and find, do know and find it in 'their Hearts and inward Parts. And such do find Berry' the hidden Man of the Heart, and the Pearl, and the 'Leaven, and the loft Piece of Silver, and the Kingdom of Heaven within. For until all come to the 'Light and Truth in their Hearts, they have been 'Strangers to these things, in Adam in the Fall, from ' the Image of God, and his Light, Power and Spirit, ' and Kingdom. But Christ, that never fell, brings < Man and Woman again, that follow him, to know 'these things, and to know the Truth, him the Saviour, and brings them into his Image, and his ever'lasting Kingdom.

'The Devil, who is out of the Truth, tempted Man ' and Woman to disobey God; and so drew them into ' the Fall from the Truth. So it is the Devil, that *hath stopped Mens Eyes, and Ears and Hearts from 'the Truth, who is called The God of the World; who * hath blinded the Eyes of Infidels, or Heathen. But 'Christ, who bruises the Serpent's Head, and destroys ' the Devil and his Works, doth open Men's Hearts, * and Eyes and Ears, who is their Saviour and Re'deeuner, and giveth Life Eternal to his People, that ' obey him and his Truth. Blessed be the Lord for ever through Jesus Christ, who hath tasted Death for all Men, to bring them out of the Death of Adam; and ' is a Propitiation for the Sins of the whole World, ' and gave himself a Ransom for all, to be testified of ' in due time. For as by Adam's Transgression and Dif'obedience, Death and Condemnation came upon.all 'Men; so by Christ's Obedience unto Death, Juftifi'cation of Life is come upon all Men: and be that * believeth in Christ, bath eternal Life; but he that doth 'not, is condemned already. But God would have all 'Men to be saved, and come unto the Knowledge of 'the Truth, as it is in Jesus, who is their Saviour; and ' in him there is no Condemnation.

Hh 4

G. F.

After

1687.

Hartford

After I had been a while here, I went to a Monthly Meeting at Enfield, and from thence with some Friends Enfield. to Hartford; where I stay'd three or four Days, vifiting Friends both at their Publick Meetings on the First-day of the Week, and at their Quarterly Meetings both of Men and Women: and good Service for

the Lord I had amongst them. Then passing from Walth. thence to Waltham-Abby, I had a very good Meeting Abbey with Friends there; and the next Day went from thence

to another place, to compose a Difference, which, for want of a right Understanding of each other, had Walth. happened between some Friends. I returned to Waltham that Night; and the next Day went with fome Efex. Friends to Gooses, which is William Mead's House in Effex.

Gooses.

Here I stay'd some Weeks, yet was not idle, but ofwanst. ten visited the Meetings thereabouts: as at Wanstead, Barking. Barking, and at John Harding's. And betwixt MeetGooles. ing and Meeting I writ many things for spreading of

Truth, and for the opening Peoples Understandings to receive it. One was a Paper, proving from the Scriptures, That People must repent, before they can receive the Gospel, and the Holy Spirit, and the Kingdom of God, or be Baptized. And this was it.

John the Baptift came Preaching in the Wilder'ness of Judea, saying; Repent ye: for the Kingdom. ' of Heaven is at hand, Matth. 3. 12. And when Jobn ' the Baptist was cast into Prison, Mark says; That Fe'fus came into Galilee, preaching the Gospel of the Kingdom of God, and saying, The time is fulfilled, and the • Kingdom of God is at hand: Repent ye, and believe the 'Gospel, Mark 1. 14, 15.. Matthew also says; From that time Jesus began to preach, and to say, Repent, 'for the Kingdom of Heaven is at hand, Matth. 4. 17. And when Chrift fent forth his twelve Disciples, two ' and two, they went out, and preached, that Men Should repent, Mark 6.12. Christ said to the Jews, Except ye repent, ye shall all likewise perish, Luke 13.35. And ' when the Publicans and Sinners came to hear Christ, * and the Pharifees and Scribes murmured, saying,

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