And people are not like to trust their bodies, much less their souls into the hand of such, that know not what spirit they are of themselves.

And therefore, consider what spirit ye and they have been of, that have persecuted, put to death, spoiled the goods, and imprisoned such as would not conform to your way and worship; and yet call yourselves christians, and ministers of Christ.

I say, Christ who rebuked his disciples, who would have had fire to come down from heaven, upon them that would not receive him, will rebuke you also.

And as Christ told his disciples, they did not know what spirit they were of;' neither do ye know what spirit ye have been of: and [mark,] there were more in the apostles' desire, to have fire come down from heaven to consume them that would not receive the substance, the Lord of glory, than for you to force, imprison, persecute, banish, or put to death, or spoil the goods of such as will not receive your way, and worship, and religion, that you have set up. So, how can you but expect a greater rebuke to come upon you, that persecute and destroy such as will not receive your forms of religion and worship, when they were rebuked that would have fire to come down to destroy them that would not receive Christ, the substance and the life?

For they were told by Christ, they did not know what spirit they were of,' and that he came not to destroy men's lives, but to save them.'

And therefore, consider how many men's lives have been destroyed since the apostles' days, by those that profess themselves christians in Christendom, because they would not receive their religions and ways; they that have done so, have not known of what spirit they are of, nor followed the mind of Christ, to save men's lives; and do not know what spirit they are of, that would destroy men's lives.

So weigh and consider this, all people in the whole world, that profess God and Christ, now in this the day of your visitation.

G. F.

THE PEOPLE OF GOD, IN SCORN CALLED QUAKERS,

THEIR LOVE TO ALL MANKIND ASSERTED.

For as God's love through Christ hath been shed abroad in our hearts, we cannot but in the same love desire the eternal good, and the Salvation of all mankind, and would have them repent, and turn to Jesus Christ, whom God hath given in his love to be their Way, Leader and Captain of their Salvation, and hath tasted death for every man, and hath bought them with a price, therefore, that they all might serve and live to him, and glorify God with their bodies, souls and spirits, which are the Lord's that he hath made, and Christ's, who hath redeemed and bought them.-By G. F.

Ir hath often been said, that the people of God in scorn called Quakers, love none but themselves.'

To this I answer, such are mistaken in their judgment, and I fear it is their own conditions, for we love God that created all things, and his Son, by whom all things were made, who was conceived by the Holy Ghost, born of a virgin, who made a good confession before Pontius Pilate, who was crucified without the gates at Jerusalem, and rose the third day, and sits at the right hand of God; by whom God will judge the world according to the gospel, that is, according to the invisible power which is preached to every creature.

Secondly. We love all men and women, simply as they are men and women, and as they are God's workmanship, and so as brethren and children of Adam and Eve by generation.

Thirdly. We love them all as they come to be the sons of God by adoption, and can say, Abba Father, in the heavenly brotherly fellowship, and we are commanded to do good unto all, especially to the household of faith: for Christ commands us to love one another, and not so only, but to love enemies, and it is a mark by which his were known to be his disciples, viz. by their loving each other.

And we are to pray for enemies, and our persecutors, by the command of Christ and the apostles.

For God hath made of one blood all mankind to dwell upon the face of the earth.' Acts xvii. 26.

'And the earth is the Lord's and the fulness thereof.'

And the Lord saith in Job xxxi. 'all under the heavens is mine,' who hath created all to his glory; and the Lord saith unto Ezekiel, 'say unto them, as I live saith the Lord God; I desire not the death of the wicked, but that the wicked turn from his way and live; turn you, turn you, from your evil ways, for why will you die, oh, ye house of Israel,'

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saith the Lord; here ye may see God's mind, and his love to people, which all his people is to be in, who would have people turn from their wicked ways and live. Ezek. xxxiii. 11.

And further, the Lord saith, 'I desire not the death of him that dieth, cause therefore, one another to turn and live;' see here the love of God to mankind, who would have them to turn and live. Ezek. xviii. 23. And so he would have all that is called Christendom, to turn to the new covenant and live, which is our desire also.

And further he saith, have I any desire that the wicked should die, saith the Lord God? or shall he not live, if he turn from his ways?' here ye may see what the Lord's desire is, and his goodness to wicked mankind, in the same chapter. And in Isa. i. 18. ' come now and let us reason together, (saith the Lord,) though your sins were as crimson, they shall be made white as snow, though they were as red as scarlet, they shall be as wool, if you be willing and obedient, ye shall eat the good things of the land, but if you refuse and be rebellious, ye shall be devoured with the sword; for the mouth of the Lord hath spoken it:' here you may see the love of God to man and woman, who would reason with man, and have him to obey and consent, and shews him the good in obeying, and shews him the judgments in disobeying. Isa. xix. 20.

And in Isa. xlv. 22. look unto me, and ye shall be saved, saith the Lord, all ye ends of the earth, for I am God, and there is no other,' So all ye ends of the earth must look unto the Lord for salvation.

And Isaiah saith, 'cease you from man whose breath is in his nostrils, for wherein is he to be accounted of?' Isa. ii. 22. And therefore, all ye ends of the earth must look unto the Lord for salvation, these are the words of the Lord to the ends of the earth, and to all people upon it.

And thus saith the Lord, I will give thee for a light to the Gentiles, that thou mayest be my salvation unto the end of the world,' (speaking of Christ,) as in Isa. xlix. 6.

Who is the salvation to the end of the world? Christ Jesus, the covenant of light, which prophecy of Isaiah was fulfilled in Christ, of whom it is said in John i. 'in him was life, and the life was the light of men, and the light shined in the darkness, and the darkness comprehended it not, and John said he was not that light, but was sent to bear witness of the light, and that was the true light which lighteth every man that cometh into the world, he was in the world, and the world was made by him, and the world knew him not,' (to wit,) Christ the light, that lighteth every man that cometh into the world, and 'grace and truth cometh by Jesus Christ, as the law came by Moses, for the grace of God which bringeth salvation unto all men hath appeared,' [mark,] unto all men hath appeared this grace of God which bringeth

salvation.

Here is the general love of God to mankind, which teacheth us to live soberly, &c. saith the apostle to the true christians, and that we should deny ungodliness and worldly lusts, and live soberly and righteously, and godly in this present world.

So this grace of God, which hath appeared unto all men, was their teacher, how to live, and walk to God and man, and what to deny; I say, how to live and walk to God, which brought their salvation, and to look for the blessed hope and the appearing of the glory of the mighty God, and our Saviour Jesus Christ, who gave himself for us that he might redeem us from all iniquity, and purify unto himself a peculiar people, zealous of good works.' So here is the love of God in Christ unto all mankind, Titus ii. 14, to the end, which we are witnesses of, and we desire all might obey it, and not turn from it into wantonness.

And John saith of Christ, behold the Lamb of God, that takes away the sins of the world.' So all the world is to look unto the Lamb of God, which takes away their sins, as you may see in John ii. and not to plead for sin to the grave, but for the Lamb that takes it away.

'For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life :' so here God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son into the world, that he that believeth in the Son hath everlasting life, and he that believeth not in the Son of God, shall not have life, but the wrath of God abideth on him: now here is God's love to be seen whether men believe and obey, or not, and the wrath of God abideth upon him that doth not believe, as in John iii.

And Jesus Christ saith, while ye have the light, believe in the light, for I am come a light into the world, that whosoever believes in me should not abide in darkness, but have the light of life:' now here Christ teacheth how men should believe, and what to believe in, to wit, the light, as in John xii. which we do, and would have all people to believe in, Christ the light.'

And again, Jesus saith, I am the light of the world, he that followeth me shall not walk in darkness, but shall have the light of life.' So he who is the heavenly man, the Son of God, is the light of the world, and enlighteneth every man that comes into the world, and bids them believe in the light, whom God hath given for a light, and to be his salvation to the ends of the earth. And when Christ said, he was the light of the world, the pharisees were offended at him; as many fair sayers, and bad doers are now offended at the believers in the light, and such as are become the children of it, that bear witness to it. John viii. 12.

And in Luke ii. 28, to 31. when Simeon took Jesus in his arms, and said, now, Lord, let thy servant depart in peace, for mine eyes have seen thy salvation, which thou preparest before the face of all people,

(mark, all people; here is no sect,) a light to be revealed to the Gentiles, and the glory of thy people, Israel,' (mark,) a light to be revealed to the Gentiles.

Christ is revealed to the Gentiles, who is their light to enlighten them. Luke ii. By which light people see their sins, and by which light people see their Saviour, Christ, that saves them from their sins, and died for their sins, and rose again for their justification.

And see Christ's own words in John vi. 51. I am the living bread which came down from heaven, if any man eat this bread, he shall live forever; and the bread that I will give, is my flesh, which I will give for the life of the world.' Mark, his flesh for the life of the world; and they must eat it, if they will live forever; and here is the love of God in Christ Jesus to the world; who gives his flesh for the life of the world, and they must eat him who is the bread of life that came down from heaven, if they live: so it is not only talking, but it is feeding and eating, (John vi.) that is required, if you will have life.

Now, Christ doth not say, he would give his flesh for the life of some of the world; but in Luke iii. 6. saith, all flesh shall see the salvation of God;' and they that see their salvation, Christ Jesus, they must come to the light that comes from him, which gives the knowledge; but if they hate this light, it does condemn them, as in John iii.

And in Rom. v. 6. 'for (when we were yet without strength,) in due time Christ died for the ungodly; for when we were enemies we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son,' Rom. v. 10. And therefore people should die with Christ to sin, and have their old man crucified with him, that their old man might be destroyed; that henceforth they should not serve sin, and remain enemies. Here you may see Christ died for the ungodly, and for enemies, and not that they should live in ungodliness, but live to him that died for them: ' for Christ died, and rose again, and ascended that he might be Lord both of the dead and of the living :' therefore, none are to live to themselves, but unto the Lord; and this should be all true christian's living and dying in the Lord. Rom. xiv.

For as in Adam all died, even so in Christ all be made alive.' Cor. i. 15. Here is God's love to all mankind, who are made alive by Christ Jesus; for as it is written, 'the first Adam was made a living soul, the second Adam a quickening spirit; the first Adam was of the earth earthly, the second Adam the Lord from heaven.'

And the apostle saith, in 2 Cor. v. 14, 15. for the love of Christ constrains us because we thus judge, that if one died for all, then were all dead, and he died for all, (to wit, Christ, saith the apostle,) that they which live should not henceforth live unto themselves, [mark, not live unto themselves,] but live unto him (to wit, Christ,) who died for them, and rose again:' here is the love of God to mankind in Christ Jesus, which