watch over the flock of Christ with all dili gence: ye which are strong, watch over the weak, and stir up that which is pure one in another; see that all your meetings be kept in order be faithful unto the Lord, where He hath set you, and you shall not lose your reward. Servants, be faithful unto your masters, not with eye-service, serving them as men-pleasers, but in singleness of heart, as unto the Lord; that ye may come to undo the heavy burdens; being faithful in your places, where the Lord hath set you; there is your right service. And take heed of forward minds, and of running out before your guide, for that leads out into looseness; and such plead for liberty, and run out in their wills, and bring dishonour to the Lord; and the unbridled will gets at liberty, and an exalted spirit gets up, and pride and haughtiness, and high words. And such are they, who add to the burden, and do nor take it off. Therefore all wait low in the fear of the Lord, and be not hasty not rash, but see the way be made clear; and as the Lord doth move you, so do, and return with speed (when ye have done) to the place where ye were abiding, and be faithful there; that the truth of God be not evil spoken of through you, as

they speak of vagabonds and wanderers; that it may not be so amongst you for such are vagabonds and wanderers, which run before their guide. And, masters, rule over your servants in love, with all diligence and meekness, knowing that ye have one master in heaven. And friends, in all places where any do go abroad, as they do pass by, examine them, whither they are going, and what about? And if they cannot give a good account, exhort them to return back, and abide faithful in their places, until they see their way made clear. So farewell in the Lord. The eternal God of power and wisdomn direct and guide you to his eternal praise, that his Name may be honoured and glorified in you and through you all! Be diligent every one in your places, where the Lord hath set you, for the work of the Lord is great; and God Almighty keep you to be faithful labourers in his work.

From one who is a lover of your souls, and whose care is over the Church of God, that it may be kept in order, and that all that are guided by his Spirit, may be led into all good order.

G. F

NUMBER XCII.

1655.

All friends and brethren every where, that are imprisoned for the Truth, give yourselves up in it, and it will make you free, and the power of the Lord will carry you over all the persecutors. For since the beginning hath this persecution got up; therefore live and reign in that power, which remains when the other is gone; and in that ye who are suffering for reproving sin in the gate, will have peace and unity with God, and one with another. Be faithful in the life and power of the Lord God, and be valiant for the Truth on the earth; and look not at your sufferings, but at the power of God; and that will bring some good out of all your sufferings; and your imprisonments will reach to the prisoned, that the persecutor prisons in himself. So be faithful in your sufferings in the power of the Lord, who suffer now by a false priesthood for his tithes, oaths, temples, which have got up since the apostles' days. For as the apostles and true Christians suffered for deny

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ing the Jewish temple, priesthood, tithes, and oaths, so ye do by the false, and amongst the apostatized Christians, who are got up since the apostles' days. So the power, and life, and wisdom of the Lord God Almighty keep you, and preserve you, to finish your testimony to the end, that you may witness every one of you a crown of life eternal, in which ye may sing praises to the Lord, and in that triumph! and so, be faithful in that which overcomes, and gives victory.

G. F.

NUMBER

XCVII.

To a Friend.

1655.

In the will of God stand, with thy own will offered up, as His was, who said: Not my will, but thine, be done. And beware of striv◄ ing in thy own will against the eternal Providence and Power, which is now working invisibly, cross and contrary to all the powers of darkness. And wait in the fear of the Lord, that thou mayst know thy duty to the Lord, whose everlasting love is to thee; whose blessing reacheth unto thee, if thou be

faithful with faithful Abraham, who received the blessing, and to his seed after him. So beware, lest through thy forwardness and rashness thou bring the curse upon thee, and so break thy peace and covenant with the Lord God. The everlasting God give thee faith in Christ Jesus, in whom the promise is yea and amen.

Friends,

NUMBER CII.

G. F

1655.

Encourage not your wives nor children in the world's honour; for that in you which would do so is carnal; and the carnal mind is not subject to the law of God. If ye do mind that which is of God in you, it will draw you up to God, out of the world's honour, and friendship, and words, and ways, and fellowships, and preferments, customs and fashions, up to God's everlasting kingdom, where is everlasting joy for evermore.

G. F.