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CCCLIV.

And, dear friends, my love to you all in the seed of life and peace, which floweth as a river, and bruiseth the head of the serpent, that hath brought death and darkness, wo, misery, and imperfection upon and in man; and in this seed Christ is all nations blessed and elected; and out of it is the curse and reprobation. And out of this seed are all the false religions, false ways, false worships, and false churches, or bodies without heads, like so many monsters, which the seed of the serpent hath brought forth since the apostles' days, and then they have made them heads, out of their bodies, or churches, and when one head is fallen off, then another they make, and set it upon their body or church, having lost and gone from the true head, Christ.

And sometimes the members do fall out about making a head for their body, so that the members do destroy one another about it. Now this monstrous body is brought in by this evil seed in such as are gone from the light, grace, truth, power, and spirit, that cometh from Christ, the heavenly head, in whom dwelleth the fulness of divinity. And they are never like to come to the true head, Christ, but by coming to the light, grace, truth, power, faith, and spirit of Jesus, which cometh from him, and turneth to him again, (the head,) and so to hold him their head, by which all the members are coupled together by joints and bands, which do receive their nourishment from him their head, who doth supply every member with life everlasting from him that is alive, and liveth for evermore.

And since such have gone from the light, grace, truth, spirit, and power of Jesus in this night of apostacy, they have gone from that which cometh from the head, Christ, which should join to him. And therefore in this night of apostacy there have been many bodies without the true head, which have made so many heads, and set them upon their bodies, and when they are gone, they do make more; and the beast, dragon, wolves, and false worships or bodies of people, without the true head, Christ, being out of the grace, truth, light, power, faith, and spirit which the apostles were in, they have brought forth so many monstrous bodies without heads, till they have made heads for them; and when one is gone, they do make another. And therefore all must come to the grace, truth, power, spirit, and faith that cometh from Jesus, if that they do come to him from whence it cometh, and so hold him their head, Christ, which head all things were made by, who is first and last, the beginning and ending. Hallelujah.

And my desires are, that all may be in their services for Christ, men and women, in his grace, truth, light, power, and spirit, that from him

they may all have their penny, who doth reward every man and woman according to their works, and not stand idle chaffering in the marketplace.

So with my love in the Lord, the Creator of all, and in the Lord Jesus Christ, by whom was all, who is over all, the first and last, a living rock and foundation for all the living to build upon, that are quickened by him, and do believe in his light, which is the life in Christ, the word, by whom all things were made; and so are grafted into Christ, the living tree, that never withereth; and so from him the green tree every graft doth receive its nourishment, that is grafted into him; and so the living root doth bear every living branch, (and nourishes it, that it may bring forth fruit to the praise of God over all, blessed for

ever.

And this is the tree whose leaf never fadeth, nor fruit faileth; but its fruit feedeth all the living, and the leaves thereof heal the nations. And this tree stands in the midst of God's garden, who saith, in the midst of thy church will I sing praise, which are living stones, a spiritual household of faith, elect and precious, the church of the living God, written in heaven; so holiness becomes the house of the Lord. And therefore the Lord doth require more from Friends than all other people, because he hath given more to them; and so all people do expect more from Friends than all other people, in answering that of God in them all in truth and in righteousness, and holiness and godliness; for ye are the lights of the world, and the salt of the earth to season it. So all must glorify the Lord God in their lives and conversations, with their bodies, spirits, and souls, which are Christ's, who has bought them and cleansed them with his blood and the pure water of his word, who makes them sanctified vessels of his mercy for his glory; therefore none must dishonour the Lord.

And therefore my desires are, that you may all be valiant for the truth upon the earth; and keep up all your men and women's meetings in the Lord's power, the gospel, which hath brought life and immortality to light, and it will preserve you in life and immortality over him that hath darkened you; and in this all will see their works and services for the Lord God, and his son Christ Jesus, in that which hath brought life and immortality to light; in which gospel is an everlasting perfect fellowship and order, which will stand when all others are gone; all the saints that do enjoy this, cannot but praise the Lord, and sing praises to him for ever and ever. Amen.

The apostle saith, 'If any man be in Christ he is a new creature; old things are passed away, behold all things are become new.' 2 Cor. v. 17. So they that are in Christ are new creatures; and they that are in old Adam are old creatures; and are in their old things, old ways,

old worships, and old religions, and have the old garments, and the old bottles, that hold the old wine, and cannot endure the new; and have the old, rusty, moth-eaten treasure. And they that are in Christ, the heavenly and spiritual second Adam, who maketh all things new, are new creatures, and spiritual men, and are heavenlyminded, and are new bottles, that hold the new wine and the new heavenly treasure, and have the new clothing, the fine linen, the righteousness of Christ, and are the new and living way, over all the dead ways. And they are in the new worship, which Christ set up above six hundred years ago, which is in the spirit and in the truth; in which holy spirit and holy truth the holy God is worshipped: and this was new to both Jews and Gentiles, and is new to all the apostate christians, who are not in the holy spirit and truth that the apostles were in. And this new creature in Christ hath a new religion, which is pure and undefiled, and keepeth from the spots of the world: and this religion is new to the Jews and Gentiles, and all the apostatized christians that plead for a body of death and sin to the grave, and a purgatory when they are dead. And they that be in Christ are new creatures, and they have a new head, who is the head of all things, the first-born of every creature, and the first-begotten from the dead, who is alive, and liveth for evermore, who bruiseth the serpent's head, who hath made things old, but Christ maketh all things new; and they that be in him, are new creatures; and they that be out of Christ, are the old creatures in old Adam; and these old creatures are doting about their old things, and their old bottles, old wine, old garments, and are doting about their old ways, old religions, and old worships, and persecuting one another with their old carnal weapons, these old creatures, which dote about their old worships, religions, and ways; so that one old creature falleth out with another old creature, so that these old doting creatures in old Adam, out of Christ the second Adam, do wrestle with flesh and blood about their old ways, religions, and worships: and these old doting creatures (which be out of Christ the saviour) do destroy one another about their old ways, worships, religions, and churches. And these old creatures, that be out of Christ the head, are monstrous bodies without a head, till that they have made one, and then the old creatures set it upon their body; which head (as they do think) doth pardon their sins; and when this their head is fallen off their body, then they do make another, and set it on their old creature's body. But they that are in Christ, are new creatures, and Christ is their head, who is their redeemer, sanctifier, and saviour, who is alive, and liveth for evermore; and walk in Christ, the second Adam, who is heavenly and spiritual. And the old creatures, out of Christ, their walk is in old Adam, who are natural and carnal, and so are their weapons and

armour, that they defend their old ways, church, religion, and worship with, they are carnal (and not spiritual) by which they kill one another; and the old creatures do study or dote which way they may destroy or imprison, persecute or banish, spoil or torture the righteous or new creatures in Christ. And they that are in Christ are new creatures, their weapons and armour are spiritual, and they do not wrestle with flesh and blood, but spiritual wickedness and rulers of darkness in high places, and bring down imaginations and high thoughts, as Christ (whom those new creatures are in) teacheth them, who saith, that 'he came not to destroy men's lives, but to save them;' and rebuked such as would have had men's lives destroyed, and told them, that 'they did not know what spirit they were of.' So it is clear, that the old creatures, that are out of Christ, (who destroy men's lives about their old ways, churches, religions, and their old worships,) do not know what spirit they are of; and although they do not know what spirit they are of, whether it be a good spirit or a bad one, yet people must conform to that way, religion, worship, and church that this old creature, that is out of Christ, hath set up, or else he will persecute them or destroy their lives, though Christ saith, they do not know what spirit they are of.' And is not this hard, to conform to that which the old creatures have made and set up, which do not know their own spirits, nor what spirit they are of? And therefore, were not those doctrines, ordinances, traditions, and rudiments of the world the old creatures (who are in old Adam) which they did and do dote after, which the new creatures in Christ Jesus, the second Adam, were not to taste, touch, nor handle, for they did perish with the using? And are not all the will-worships, and the beast's and the dragon's worships, of the old creatures, that are out of Christ, bearing the mark of the beast in their hand or forehead? And they that are in Christ, who are new creatures, have their Father's mark or name in their foreheads, and worship the holy, pure and living God in spirit and in truth. And it was the old creatures that made images and idols; and such make them now, and worship them: but they that are in Christ, are new creatures, and are renewed up into the image of God, and worship him in his holy spirit and truth, that liveth for ever. Amen.

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And these cannot touch, taste, nor handle the old creature's images, idols, doctrines, ordinances, traditions or rudiments of the world, which are the old creature's, in old Adam, which doth touch, taste, and handle them: but the new creature cannot, who is in Christ, the express image of the Father; and he maketh his new creatures like himself. Moses appointed servants for God in the law or Old Testament; but Christ made sons in the New Testament; for as many as received Christ, he gave them power to become the sons of God.' G. F.

Swarthmore in Lancashire, the 30th of the 11th month, 1678.

CCCLV.-To Friends in America, concerning their Negroes, and Indians.

All Friends, every where, that have Indians or blacks, you are to preach the gospel to them, and other servants, if you be true christians; for the gospel of salvation was to be preached to every creature under heaven; Christ commands it to his disciples, Go and teach all nations, baptizing them into the name of the Father, son, and holy ghost.' And this is the one baptism with the spirit into one body, which plunges down sin and corruption, which hath gotten up by disobedience and transgression. For all have been plunged into sin and death from the life, for all died in Adam, then they have been all subjected by the evil spirit, which hath led them out of the truth into the evil; and therefore they must all be baptized into the death of Christ, and put on Christ, if they have life.

And also, you must preach the grace of God to all blacks and Indians, which grace brings salvation, that hath appeared unto all men, to teach and instruct them to live godly, righteously, and soberly: which grace of God is sufficient to teach and establish all true christians, that they may appear before the throne of grace.

And also, you must teach and instruct blacks and Indians, and others, how that God doth pour out his spirit upon all flesh in these days of the new covenant, and new testament; and that none of them must quench the motions of his spirit, nor grieve it, nor vex it; nor rebel against it, nor err from it, nor resist it; but be led by his good spirit to instruct them; and with which they may profit in the things of God; neither must. they turn from his grace into wantonness, nor walk despitefully against the spirit of grace, for it will teach them to live soberly, godly, and righteously, and season their words.

man,

And also, you must instruct and teach your Indians and negroes, and all others, how that Christ, by the grace of God, tasted death for every and gave himself a ransom for all men, to be testified in due time, and is the propitiation not for the sins of christians only, but for the. sins of the whole world: and how, that he doth enlighten every man that cometh into the world, with his true light, which is the life in Christ, by whom the world was made.

And Christ, who is the light of the world, saith, Believe in the light, that ye may become children of the light.' And they that do evil, and hate the light (which is the life in Christ) and will not come to the light, because it will reprove them, and love the darkness more than the light; this light is their condemnation. And so, all must be turned from darkness to light, to believe in the light; and from the power of

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