CHAPTER X (4)

“So here are many states and conditions to be gone through, before people come to see and partake of that, which ‘cometh down from above.’ For first, there was a taking of the outward bread and wine in remembrance of Christ’s death: this was temporary, and not of necessity, but at their liberty; as oft as ye do it, &c. Secondly, there must be a coming into his death, a suffering with Christ; and this is of necessity to salvation, and not temporary, but continual: there must be a dying daily. Thirdly, a being buried with Christ. Fourthly, a rising with Christ. Fifthly, after they are risen with Christ, then a seeking those things which are above; a seeking the bread that comes down from heaven, a feeding on and having fellowship in that. For outward bread, wine, and water, are from below, visible and temporal: but saith the apostle, ‘We look not at things that are seen; for the things that are seen are temporal, but the things that are not seen are eternal.’ So the fellowship that stands in the use of bread, wine, water, circumcision, outward temple, and things seen, will have an end: but the fellowship which stands in the gospel, the power of God, which was before the Devil was, and which brings life and immortality to light, by which people may see over the Devil, that has darkened them; this fellowship is eternal, and will stand. And all that are in it seek that which is heavenly and eternal, which comes down from above, and are settled in the eternal mystery of the fellowship of the gospel, which is hid from all eyes, that look only at visible things. The apostle told the Corinthians, who were in disorder about water, bread and wine, that he desired to know nothing amongst them but Jesus Christ, and him crucified.”

Thus were the objections, which the priests and professors had raised against Friends, answered and cleared; and the stumbling-blocks, which they had laid in the way of the weak, removed. And as things were thus opened, people came to see over them and through them, and to have their minds settled upon the Lord Jesus Christ, their free teacher: which was the service for which I was moved to travel over the nation after my imprisonment in Launceston jail. In this year the Lord’s truth was finely planted over the nation, and many thousands were turned to the Lord; insomuch that there were seldom fewer than one thousand in prison in this nation for truth’s testimony; some for tithes, some for going to the steeple-houses, some for contempts (as they called them), some for not swearing, and others for not putting off their hats, &c.

Now after I had visited most parts of the nation, and was come to London again, finding that evil spirit at work, which had drawn J. N. and his followers out from truth, to run Friends into heats about him, I wrote a short epistle to Friends, as follows:—

“To all the elect seed of God called Quakers, where the death is brought into the death, and the elder is servant to the younger, and the elect is known, which cannot be deceived, but obtains victory. This is the word of the Lord God to you all: Go not forth to the aggravating part, to strive with it out of the power of God; lest ye hurt yourselves, and run into the same nature, out of the life. For patience must get the victory; and to answer that of God in every one, it must bring every one to it, to bring them from the contrary. Let your moderation, and temperance, and patience be known unto all men in the Seed of God. For that which reacheth to the aggravating part without life, sets up the aggravating part, and breeds confusion; and hath a life in outward strife, but reacheth not to the witness of God in every one, through which they might come into peace and covenant with God, and fellowship one with another. Therefore that which reacheth this witness of God in yourselves, and in others, is the life and light; which will out-last all, is over all, and will overcome all. And therefore in the Seed of life live, which bruiseth the Seed of death.”

I also wrote another short epistle to Friends, to encourage them to keep up their meetings in the Lord’s power; of which epistle a copy here follows:—

“Dear Friends,

“Keep your meetings in the power of the Lord, which is over all that is in the fall and must have an end. Therefore be wise in the wisdom of God, which is from above, by which all things were made and created; that that may be justified among you, and you all kept in the solid life, which was before death was; and in the light, which was before the darkness was with all its works. In which light and life ye all may feel, and have the heavenly unity and peace, possessing the gospel fellowship, that is everlasting: which was before that, which doth not last for ever; and will remain when that is gone. For the gospel being the power of God, is pure and everlasting. Know it to be your portion: in which is stability, and life, and immortality, shining over that which darkens the mortal. So be faithful every one to God, in your measures of his power and life, that ye may answer God’s love and mercy to you, as obedient children of the Most High; dwelling in love, unity, and peace, and in innocency of heart towards one another; that God may be glorified in you, and you kept faithful witnesses for him, and valiant for the truth on earth. God Almighty preserve you all to his glory, that ye may feel his blessing among you, and be possessors thereof.”

About this time many mouths were opened in our meetings, to declare the goodness of the Lord, and some that were young and tender in the truth would sometimes utter a few words in thanksgiving and praises to God. That no disorder might arise from this in our meetings, I was moved to write an epistle to Friends, by way of advice in that matter. And thus it was:—

“All my dear friends in the noble Seed of God, who have known his power, life, and presence among you, let it be your joy to hear or see the springs of life break forth in any; through which ye may have all unity in the same, feeling life and power. And above all things, take heed of judging any one openly in your meetings, except they be openly profane or rebellious, such as be out of the truth; that by the power, life, and wisdom ye may stand over them, and by it answer the witness of God in the world, that such, whom ye bear your testimony against, are none of you: that therein the truth may stand clear and single. But such as are tender, if they should be moved to bubble forth a few words, and speak in the Seed and Lamb’s power, suffer and bear that; that is, the tender. And if they should go beyond their measure, bear it in the meeting for peace and order’s sake, and that the spirits of the world be not moved against you. But when the meeting is done, if any be moved to speak to them, between you and them, one or two of you, that feel it in the life, do it in the love and wisdom that is pure and gentle from above: for love is that which edifies, bears all things, suffers long, and fulfils the law. In this ye have order and edification, ye have wisdom to preserve you all wise and in patience; which takes away the occasion of stumbling the weak, and the occasion of the spirits of the world to get up: but in the royal Seed, the heavy stone, ye keep down all that is wrong; and by it answer that of God in all. For ye will hear, see, and feel the power of God preaching, as your faith is all in it (when ye do not hear words,) to bind, to chain, to limit, to frustrate; that nothing shall rise, nor come forth but what is in the power: with that ye will hold back, and with that ye will let up, and open every spring, plant, and spark; in which will be your joy and refreshment in the power of God.

“Now that ye know the power of God, and are come to it, which is the cross of Christ, that crucifies you to the state that Adam and Eve were in, in the fall, and so to the world, by this power of God ye come to see the state they were in before they fell; which power of God is the cross, in which stands the everlasting glory; which brings up into the righteousness, holiness, and image of God, and crucifies to the unrighteousness, unholiness, and image of Satan, that Adam and Eve, and their sons and daughters, are in, in the fall. Through this power of God, ye come to see the state they were in before they fell; yea, I say, and to a higher state, to the Seed Christ, the second Adam, by whom all things were made. For man hath been driven from God: all Adam and Eve’s sons and daughters, being in the state of the fall in the earth, are driven from God. But it is said, the Church is in God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ: so they who come to the church, which is in God the Father of Christ, must come to God again: and so out of the state that Adam and his children are in, in the fall, out of the image of God, of righteousness and holiness, and they must come into the righteousness, true holiness, and image of God; and so out of the earth whither man hath been driven, when they come to the church which is in God. The way to this, is Christ, the Light, the Life, the Truth, the Saviour, the Redeemer, the Sanctifier, and the Justifier; in and through whose power, light and life, conversion, regeneration, and translation are known from death to life, from darkness to light, and from the power of Satan to God again. These are members of the true church, who know the work of regeneration in the operation and feeling of it; and being come to be members of the church in God, they are indeed members one of another in the power of God, which was before the power of darkness was. So they that come to the church that is in God and Christ, must come out of the state that Adam was in, in the fall, driven from God, to know the state that he was in before he fell. But they that live in the state that Adam was in, in the fall, and cannot believe a possibility of coming into the state he was in before he fell, come not to the church which is in God; but are far from that, and are not passed from death to life; but are enemies to the cross of Christ, which is the power of God. For they mind earthly things, and serve not Christ, nor love the power, which should bring them up to the state that Adam was in before he fell, and crucify them to the state that man is in in the fall; that through this power they might see to the beginning, the power that man was in before the heavenly image, and holiness, and righteousness was lost; by which power they might come to know the Seed, Christ, which brings out of the old things, and makes all things new; in which life eternal is felt. For all the poorness, emptiness, and barrenness is in the state that man is in, in the fall, out of God’s power; by which power he is made rich, and hath strength again; which power is the cross, in which the mystery of the fellowship stands: and in which is the true glorying, which crucifies to all other gloryings.

“And, Friends, though ye may have been convinced, and tasted of the power, and felt the light; yet afterwards ye may feel a winter storm, tempest and hail, frost and cold, and temptation in the wilderness. Be patient and still in the power, and in the light, that doth convince you, to keep your minds to God; in that be quiet, that ye may come to the summer, that your flight be not in the winter. For if ye sit still in the patience, which overcomes in the power of God, there will be no flying. The husbandman after he hath sowed his seed, is patient. And by the power, being kept in the patience, ye will come by the light to see through, and feel over winter storms and tempests, and all the coldness, barrenness, and emptiness: and the same light and power will go over the tempter’s head; which power and light was before he was. So standing still in the light, ye will see your salvation, ye will see the Lord’s strength, feel the small rain, and the fresh springs, your minds being kept low in the power and light; for that which is out of the power lifts up. But in the power and light ye will feel God, revealing his secrets, inspiring your minds, and his gifts coming in unto you: through which your hearts will be filled with God’s love, and praises to him that lives for evermore: for in his light and power his blessing is received. So in that, the eternal power of the Lord Jesus Christ preserve and keep you! Live every one in the power of God, that ye may all come to be heirs of that, and know it to be your portion; even the Kingdom, that hath no end, and the endless life, which the Seed is heir of. Feel that set over all, which hath the promise and blessing of God for ever.”