This Man receiveth Sinners, and eateth with them, 1687Luke 15. 1, 2. Chrift reproved them by a Parable, and then told them; Foy fhall be in Heaven over one Goofer. 'Sinner that repenteth, more than over ninety and nine juft Perfons, which need no Repentance, ver. 7. And adds, There is Joy in the prefence of the Angels of God over one Sinner that repenteth, ver. 10. And Chrift, after he was rifen, faid unto his Difciples, That Repentance and Remiffion of Sins should be preached in his Name among all Nations, beginning at Jerufalem, Luke 24.47. Peter faid unto the Jews, Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the Name of Jesus "Chrift, for the Remiffion of Sins; and ye shall receive the Gift of the Holy Ghoft, Acts 2. 38. And Paul faid, "The times of this Ignorance God winked at; but now 'commandeth all Men every where to repent, Acts 17.30. • Simon Magus was called to Repentance, if he had regarded it, Als 8. 22. And the Apoftle Paul did preach at Damafcus, and at Jerufalem, and throughout all the Coafts of Judea, and then to the Gentiles (turn⚫ing them from Darkness to the Light of Chrift, and from the Power of Satan to God) that they fhould • repent and turn to God, and do Works meet for Repentance, Acts 26. 20.

6

Now here ye may fee, that People muft repent, be- · fore they do believe, and are baptized, and before they receive the Holy Ghoft, and the Kingdom of God; And they muft repent of their vain Life and Converfation, before they do receive the Gofpel; and 'must be turned from Darkness to the Light of Chrift, and from the Power of Satan unto God, before they ⚫ do receive his Holy Spirit, and his Gofpel of Life and Salvation. The Lord doth command all Men every where to repent, and do Works meet for Repentance: So they muft fhew forth, that their Lives and Converfations, and Tongues are changed; and that they 'do ferve God in the New nefs of Life,with new Tongues C and new Hearts.

6

Goofes the 6th Month,

1687.

G. F.

!

Another

1687.

Another short Paper I writ about the fame time, fhewing, Wherein God's People should be like unto him. Goofes. It was thus:

"God is Righteous: and he would have his People to be righteous, and to do righteously. And God is Holy and he would have his People holy, and to 'do holily. And God is Juft: and he would have his People to be juft, and to do juftly to all. God is Light and his Children muft walk in his Light. And God is an eternal, infinite Spirit: and his Chil'dren must walk in the Spirit. God is Merciful : and he would have his People to be Merciful. God's Sun fhines upon the Good and the Bad, and he cau'fes the Rain to fall upon the Evil and the Good: fo 'fhould his People do Good unto all. God is Love : and they that dwell in Love, dwell in God. Love 'worketh no Ill to his Neighbour: therefore Love is the fulfilling of the Law, Rom. 13. 10. And the Apoftle faith, All the Law is fulfilled in one word, even in this, Thou shalt love thy Neighbour as thy felf, Gal. 5. 14. As the Father bath loved me, fo I have loved you: continue ye in my love, John 15. 9. This fhould be the practice of all God's People.

Goofes the 6th Month,

1687..

G. F.

And because moft People would own and confefs, That God's People fhould be thus; but few know, how to come to this ftate: Therefore in the Openings of the Spirit of Truth I writ another fhort Paper, directing to, The right Way and Means, whereby People might come unto Chrift, and fo be made like unto God. That was thus:

'Chrift faith, I am the Way, the Truth and the Life; no Man cometh unto the Father, but by me, Joh. 14.6. And again, No Man can come to me, except the Father, which hath fent me, draw him, Joh. 6.44. Now, what is the Means by which God doth draw People to his Son, but by his Holy Spirit, who poureth out of his Spirit upon all Flesh, (that is, all Men and Women.) And by this Holy Spirit the holy and righteous God

doth

'doth draw People from their Unrighteoufnefs and 1687. "Unholiness to Chrift, the righteous and holy One, the great Prophet in his New Covenant and New Gooles. "Teftament, whom Mofes in the Old Covenant and Teftament faid, God would raise up, like unto him, ' and whom People fhould hear in all things: and they that would not hear him, fhould be cut off. Now they, ' that do not hear the Son of God, the great Prophet, 'do not mind the Drawing of the Father by his Holy Spirit to his Son: But they, that do mind the Drawings of the good Spirit of the Father to his Son, the Spirit doth give them Understanding to know God, ' and Jefus Chrift, which is Eternal Life. And then they do know, that Jefus Chrift is the Way, the Truth and the Life, and that none can come unto God, but by and through his Son Jefus Chrift; who is their Shepherd to feed them at his Paftures and Springs of Life; and his Sheep do know his holy • Voice, in whom there was no Sin, and in whofe Mouth 'there was no guile; and an Hireling they will not hear, for he careth not for the Sheep: for they are 'not the Hireling's, but Chrift's; who hath laid down his Life for his Sheep. And he that robs and steals his Neighbour's Words, and climbeth up another way, • and entereth not by the Door, he is a Thief and a Robber: But Chrift is the Door into his Sheepfold, for his Sheep to enter in by. And fo they know, that Chrift is the Bishop of their Souls, to fee, that they do not go aftray from God, nor out of his Paftures of Life: And they do know, that Chrift is their Mediator, and makes their Peace with God: And they do know that Chrift is their High-Prieft, made higher than the Heavens, and hath died for their Sins, and doth cleanfe them with his Blood, and is rifen for their Juftification, and is able to the utmost to fave all that come to God by him.

Goofes the 6th Month,

1687.

G. F.

Before I left this Place, I writ another Paper, the Scope whereof was to fhew, by many Inftances taken

· out i

Goofes.

1687. out of the holy Scriptures, That the Kingdom of God, which moft People talk of at a diftance, and refer altogether to another Life, is in fome measure to be known and entred into in this Life; but that none can know an Entrance thereinto, but fuch as are regenerated and born again. Of that Paper the following is a Copy:

Chrift faith, Except a Man be born again, he cannot fee the Kingdom of God, John 3. 3. That which is born of the Flesh, is Flesh; and that which is born of the Spirit, is Spirit, ver. 6. (So, Except a Man be born of Water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the Kingdom of God, ver. 5. And John, writing to the feven Churches in Afia, calls himself their Brother, and Companion in Tribulation, and in the Kingdom and Patience of Jefus Chrift, Rev. 1. 9. Chrift, Rev. 1. 9. Here you may fee, that John was in the Kingdom, fo, he was born again: for he did not only fee the Kingdom, but was in it.

1

And John faith; Behold, what manner of Love the Father hath beftowed upon us, that we should be called "the Sons of God: therefore the World knoweth us not, because it knew bim not, 1 John 3. 1. And, Beloved, now are we the Sons of God, ver. 2. And, If ye know, that he is righteous, ye know that every one that doth Righteoufnefs, is born of him, Chap. 2. 29. And, Whofoever is born of God, doth not commit Sin; for bis 'Seed remaineth in him, and he cannot fin, because he is born of God, Chap: 3.9. Again John faith, Let us love one another: for Love is of God: and every one that loveth, is born of God, and knoweth God. He that loveth not, knoweth not God; for God is Love, Chap. 4.7, 8. Again, Whosoever believeth that Jefus is the Chrift, is born of God, Chap. 5. 1. And, What foever is born of God, overcometh the World: and this is the Vidory, that overcometh the World, even our Faith, ver. 4. Were not these, that were born of God, in the Kingdom of God? And feeing John fays, Every one that doth Righteoufnefs, is born of God; do not fuch fee the Kingdom of God, that stands in Righteousness, and enter into it? Peter,

4

6

Peter, in his first general Epiftle to the Church of 1687. Chrift, faith; As new-born Babes defire the fincere Milk of the Word, that ye may grow thereby, 1 Pet.2.2. Gooses, And he tells them, they were a Chofen Generation, a Royal Priesthood, an holy Nation, a peculiar People, that they fhould fhew forth the praises of him, who bad called them out of darkness into his marvellous light, ver. 9. And that, as lively ftones, they were "built up a Spiritual boufe, an holy Priesthood to offer up Spiritual Sacrifices, acceptable to God by Fefus "Chrift, ver. 5. Did not thefe New-born Babes, these 'lively Stones, fpiritual Houfhold, Royal Priesthood, 'holy Nation and chofen Generation, who were call'ed out of Darkness into Chrift's marvellous Light, fee, and enter into his holy Kingdom, being Heirs of the fame? who were Born again, not of corruptible Seed, but of incorruptible, by the Word of God, "which liveth and abideth for ever, 1 Pet. 1. 23. And 'had not fuch an Entrance miniftred to them into the everlafting Kingdom of our Lord and Saviour 'Jefus Chrift?

Fames, in his general Epiftle to the Church of Chrift faith; Hath not God chofen the poor of this World, rich in Faith, and Heirs of the Kingdom, which he hath promifed to them that love him? James 2. 5. The Apostle Paul faith; God fent forth his Son, made of a Woman, &c. to redeem them that were under the Law; that we might receive the Adoption of Sons: And because ye are Sons, God hath fent forth the Spirit of his Son into your hearts, crying, Abba, Father. Wherefore thou art no more a Servant, but a Son; and if a Son, then an Heir of God through Chrift, Gal. 4. 4, 5, 6, 7. The fame Apoftle faith; As many as are led by the Spirit of God, they are the Sons of God: And tells the Saints at Rome, Te have received the Spirit of Adoption, whereby we cry, Abba, Father. The Spirit it jelf beareth witness with our Spirit, that we are the Children of God: And if Children, then Heirs; Heirs of God, and Joint-heirs with Chrift: if fo be we fuffer with him, that we may

be

alfa