but knew not Christ the Heavenly Man, that received not honour of the earthly man. And such as said He was a Prophet—when He said, they must eat his flesh, the heavenly bread that came down from heaven, they forsook Him; for their minds turned downward, to feed upon that which was below.

And the same spirit is risen now, that rose against the apostles, as you may see in their Epistles. Some got the form of godliness, and denied the power; and some were enemies to the cross of Christ, the power of God; others were getting another Gospel than the power of God, which brought them under the curse; others were speaking the things of God, in the words that man's wisdom taught them; others, their faith was standing in words, and not in the power of God; others, their faith which should have stood in Christ, was standing in Paul, and Apollos: which grieved the Apostles: others with good words and fair speeches deceived the hearts of the simple.

And therefore, all they which preached faith, and made shipwreck of faith, were, and are still denied: and all such as preach God

and Christ, and crucify Christ to themselves afresh, and deny God in their works, were then, and are denied. All such as preach the Light, and walk in darkness, and preach the Spirit, (the fruits of which are love and peace,) and are in strife and enmity, were never owned by God, nor Christ, nor good men, though they may be called Christians. And all such as preach liberty, and themselves were servants of corruption, were, and are still denied. And all such as cry, Lord, Lord, and preach Christ, Christ, and do not bis will, enter not into his kingdom themselves and into it they can bring none, that do not go into it themselves: which kingdom stands in power, and in joy, and peace in the holy Ghost.

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And all such as preach the word of God, and are not doers of the word, they are deceivers of their own souls, and they may deceive others with their good words: but such cannot be reconciled to God, neither can they bring others to reconciliation with God.

So this spirit is but one; which spirit all along has wrought against the true Spirit of

God in all his people: and was in strife, and contention, and disquietness against the righteous in all ages; but it wrought its own destruction, and the fall of them that followed it; as you may see through all the Scrip

tures.

And therefore all are to keep the unity of the Spirit, the bond of the Heavenly Man Christ Jesus's peace; He being the head above all principalities, powers, thrones, and dominions; who is ascended above all, that He might fill all things; who is over all, the beginning and ending, and lives and reigns from everlasting to everlasting, the Amen.

NUMBER

CCCXLVII.

G. F.

Concerning subjection of the spirits of the Apostles one to another, in the unity of the Spirit of Christ.

1677.

The apostles heard at Jerusalem, that the Samaritans had received the word of God, and they sent unto them Peter and John.

Now Peter and John did not in opposition say, We will stay till we have a motion: but, as "the spirits of the prophets were subject to the prophets," so the spirits of the apostles were subject to the apostles. And when tidings came to the church at Jerusalem, that the Grecians had believed, they sent forth Barnabas to them; and when he came he exhorted them; and when Barnabas had found Paul, he brought him to Antioch, where the disciples were first called Christians, and the Church sent the collection by the hands of Paul and Barnabas unto the elders. Acts, xi. 22, 23, 30, and ix. 27. Paul and Barnabas took with them John, whose surname was Mark; and Mark did not gainsay, and tell them, I must wait for a motion. Acts, xii. 25. It pleased the apostles and elders, with the church, to send chosen men to Antioch, with Paul and Barnabas, and Judas surnamed Barsabas, and Silas, chief men among the brethren; and they wrote letters by them unto the gentiles, Acts, xv. 22, saying: "Forasmuch as we have heard, that certain that went out from us have troubled you with words, subverting your souls, saying, Ye must be circumcised and keep the law; unto whom we gave no such commandment : it seemed good unto us, being

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assembled with one accord, to send chosen men unto you; men that have hazarded their lives for the Name of our Lord Jesus Christ."

Paul said unto Barnabas: "Let us go again unto every city, where we have preached the word of the Lord, and see how they do;" and Barnabas determined to take Mark with them; and Paul chose Silas, being recommended by the brethren unto the grace of God; and they went through Syria and Cilicia ;" and as they went through the cities, they delivered them the decrees for to keep, that were ordained of the apostles and elders which were at Jerusalem; and so were the churches confirmed and established in the faith, and increased in number daily." Acts, xvi. 4. The brethren exhorted the disciples to receive Appllos. Acts, xviii. 27. And Paul sent unto the Ephesians, and called the elders of the church, and exhorted them. Acts, xx. 17. Paul commends Paul commends Phebe, a servant of the church which is at Cenchrea, and bids them receive her in the Lord, and assist her in whatsoever business she hath need of. Rom. xvi. 1, 2. "Now if Timothy come, see that ye receive him without fear. Let no man despise him, but conduct him forth