Page images
PDF
EPUB

God's holy pure truth, and spread it abroad, among both professors and profane, and the Indians. And you should write over once a year, from all your yearly-meetings to the yearly-meeting here, concerning your diligence in the truth, and of its spreading, and of people's receiving it, both professors and profane, and the Indians; and concerning the peace of the church of Christ amongst yourselves. For, blessed be the Lord, truth doth get ground in these parts, and many are made very loving to friends, and the Lord's power and seed is over all; in which God Almighty keep all his people to his glory. Amen.'

Gooses, the 28th of the 11th month, 1689.

G. F.

While I was in the city, I had a concern upon my spirit with respect to a twofold danger, that attended some who professed truth: one was of young people's going into the fashions of the world; and the other was of old people's going into the earth. And that concern coming now again weightily upon me, I was moved to give forth the following paper, as a reproof to such, and an exhortation and warning to all friends to beware of, and keep out of those

snares:

To all that do profess the Truth of God.

'My desires are, that you may walk in humility in it. For when the Lord first called me forth, he let me see, that young people grew up together in vanity and the fashions of the world; and old people went downwards into the earth, raking it together: and to both these I was to be a stranger. And now, friends, I do see too many young people that do profess the truth, do grow up into the fashions of the world, and too many parents indulge them; and amongst the elder, some are growing downwards, and raking after the earth. Therefore take heed, that you are not making your graves, while you are alive outwardly, and loading yourselves with thick clay (Hab. ii. 6.) For if you have not power over the earthly spirit, and that which leadeth into a vain mind, and the fashions of the world, and into the earth, though you have often had the rain fall upon your fields, you will but bring forth thistles, briars and thorns, which are for the fire. And such will become brittle, peevish, fretful spirits, that will not abide the heavenly doctrine, and the admonitions, exhortations and reproofs of the Holy Ghost, or heavenly Spirit of God; which would bring you to be conformable to the VOL. II. 2 D

418

Ideath of Christ and to his image, that ye might ha fellowship with him in his resurrection. And therefore is good for all to bow to the name of Jesus, their Savion and that all may confess him to the glory of God the Father. For I have had a concern upon me, in a sense the danger of young people's going into the fashions of the world, and old people's going into the earth, and man going into a loose and false liberty, till at last they quite out into the spirit of the world, as some have dose Such their house hath been built upon the sand on the sea shore, not upon Christ the rock, that they are so soon is the world again, under a pretence of liberty of conscience. But it is not a pure conscience, nor in the Spirit of God. nor in Christ Jesus; for in the liberty in the Spirit there is the unity, which is the bond of peace; and all are one in Christ Jesus, in whom is the true liberty. And this is not of the world; for He is not of the world. And there fore all are to stand fast in him, as they have received him; for in him there is peace, who is the Prince of peace; but in the world there is trouble. For the spirit of the world is a troublesome spirit; but the Spirit of Christ is a peaceable Spirit; and in it God Almighty pre serve all the faithful. Amen.'

Gooses, the 1st of the 2nd month, 1690.

G. F.

Another paper that I writ while I was here, was concerning the ensign, which Isaiah prophesied the Lord should set up for the Gentiles, which I shewed was Christ. Of that paper this which follows is a copy:

"The Lord saith, "They shall not hurt nor destroy in all my holy mountain; for the earth shall be full of the knowledge of the Lord, as the waters cover the sea." Isa. xi. 9. And in that day there shall be a root of Jesse, which shall stand for an ensign of the people; to it shall the Gentiles seek, and his rest shall be glorious. ver. 10. "And he shall reign over the Gentiles, and in him shall the Gentiles trust." Rom. xv. 12. This ensign is Christ, which was prophesied of by the prophet, which prophecy the apostle, who was a minister to the Gentiles, sheweth was fulfilled in the New Testament. And in this day of Christ, Isaiah saith," The Lord shall set his hand again the second time, to recover the remnant of his people, which shall be left, from Assyria and from Egypt, &c. And he shall set up an ensign for the nations, and shall assemble the outcasts of Israel, and gather together the dispersed of Judah

[graphic]

uilt upon te

ck, that the

nce of le

690]

419

his image, his resure rom the four corners of the earth." ver. 11, 12. This is the name n the day of Christ, and his gospel of life and salvation, s him to which is preached to every creature under heaven, who a concen enlighteneth every man that cometh into the world, both e's going Jews and Gentiles; that by his heavenly divine light they ing into may see Christ, their Ensign, and Captain of their salvaliberty,tion; so Christ is one ensign both to the Jews and Genthe work tiles. And Isaiah saith, "The Redeemer shall come to world. Sion, &c." Isa. lix. 20. And, "This is my covenant with them, saith the Lord, my Spirit, that is upon thee (to wit, Christ) and my words, which I have put in thy mouth, shall not depart out of thy mouth, nor out of the mouth of thy seed, nor out of the mouth of thy seed's seed, saith the Lord, from henceforth and for ever." ver. 21. “Arise, of pear shine, for thy light is come, and the glory of the Lord is risen upon thee." chap. Ix. 1." And the Gentiles shall come to thy light." ver. 3. "And the abundance of the sea shall be converted unto thee." ver. 5. (the sea is the world.) The Lord shall be thy everlasting light." ver. 20. And, Thou shalt call thy walls, Salvation, and thy gates, Praise." ver. 18. And the Lord saith, "I will make the place of my feet glorious." ver. 13. "Heaven is his throne, and earth is his footstool." chap. lxvi. 1. "And he that

nor in the

liberty2

Frue liber

the wor

as the

uble

t:

-God

[ocr errors]
[ocr errors]

puts his trust in me, saith the Lord, shall possess the land, and shall inherit my holy mountain." chap. lvii. 13. Which mountain is established above all the mountains and hills. Isa. ii. 2. The Lord saith (speaking of Christ) "I have put my Spirit upon him, he shall bring forth judgment to the Gentiles." Isa. xlii. 1. And he saith of him, "I will give thee for a covenant of the people, for a light of the Gentiles; to open the blind eyes, to bring out the prisoners from the prison, and them that sit in darkness, out of the prison-house. I am the Lord, that is my name, and my glory will I not give to another, neither my praise to graven images." ver. 6, 7, 8. So Christ the light is come, and the glory of the Lord is risen; and the Gentiles are come to the light of Christ: and this prophecy of Isaiah concerning Christ, many of the Gentiles witness fulfilled, that "Salvation is come to the Gentiles." Rom. xi. 11. And God gave his glory to his Son; and Christ saith, "The glory, which thou gavest me, I have given them, (namely, his believers and followers) that they may be one, even as we are one." John xvii. 22. Now here you may see, how the promises and prophecies are fulfilled in Christ Jesus, whom God hath given for an ensign both to the Jews and Gentiles, and the Captain of their salvation; and he doth enlighten every one that cometh into the

world; that with his see Christ, the Lord f sign, and trust in him the serpent's head, an and Christ and his fo and false prophet. A Christians, that come their Ensign, Christ salvation, who is al For he is from above. for he is certain and a the same Ensign and and so for ever, the I Ending, and Lord of the earth; and there below Christ Jesus, v scriptures there were heathen, as there wer Christ came; and now among the Christians that he is come, as the they that close their ex Christ, they are not li them, to be their Ensi that see not with the h ly ear, to see and he of their salvation, t they might follow h his heavenly soldier armour, the helmet ousness, the armou will quench all th and the sword of cut and hammer Satan. Also he and clean, his everlasting g clothes and shod with t

[merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][ocr errors]
[ocr errors][merged small][ocr errors][ocr errors][ocr errors][ocr errors][ocr errors][ocr errors][ocr errors][ocr errors][merged small][merged small][ocr errors][merged small][ocr errors][merged small][merged small][ocr errors][merged small][merged small][merged small][ocr errors][merged small][merged small]
[graphic]
[ocr errors]

their Ensign an
And as there
of blind and
ward armour
are closed
Christ, he w
and are
nor are ther

ciplined, a
ing camp, re
and ate his d

Ensign and Ca
that shinin
glory of God
Ensign and C

brought, honour and f

for ever. I

Testament, who is holy and harmless, and n sinners, and is made higher than the heavens; ade a priest after the order of Aaron, with his ings, &c. but he makes an end of all those hath abolished them; and is made an highthe power of an endless life, who ever liveth to cession for his people; and is able to save to the all that come to God through him. Who is the ediator betwixt God and man; and who sanceople, his church, that he is head of, and preto God without spot, or wrinkle, or blemish, h thing; and makes them an holy, royal priestoffer up spiritual, holy sacrifices, acceptable to esus Christ, who is King of all kings, and Lord of n the earth. So an holy heavenly King, who power in heaven and earth given to him; and 1 the hearts of his sheep and lambs by his holy, cious faith, that is held in all the pure conhis people: which holy faith, Christ, the holy author and finisher of. By which holy faith live; and in which holy, divine, and precious e just and holy ones have unity; and by it they all the fiery darts of Satan: and by this holy, precious faith, they have access to the pure hich they do please him. And Christ, who is right hand of the throne of the Majesty in the in his New Testament and New Covenant, is a of the sanctuary and true tabernacle, which the h pitched, and not man. And therefore all the d sheep of Christ must feel this holy Minister in mple and sanctuary, who ministers spiritual, holy venly things to them in their sanctuary and taberFor all the tabernacles and sanctuaries, that are

Goun or pitched by man, men make ministers for them, such ministers are of men and by men, with their Adly sanctuaries and tabernacles of men's pitching, by little stays hands.

And now, all dear friends and brethren every where, at are the flock of Christ: Christ, our passover, is sacriced for us. Therefore let us all keep this heavenly feast f our passover in his New Testament and Covenant, not with old leaven, neither of malice nor wickedness; but let all that be purged out, with the sour old leavened bread, that all may become a new lump; and so keep this heavenly feast of Christ, our heavenly Passover, with the unleavened bread (mark, with the unleavened bread) of sincerity and truth. My desires are, that all the flock of

« EelmineJätka »