sent his disciples to go and preach the gospel in all the world, and after that the false prophets and antichrists went over the world, and preached their false doctrines and traditions, and heathenish and Jewish rudiments : so now again, the everlasting gospel must be preached to all nations, and to every creature, that they may come into the pure religion, to worship God in Spirit and in truth, that they may know Christ Jesus, their way to God, to be the author of their faith, and receive the gospel from heaven, and not from men; in which gospel, received from heaven, is the heavenly fellowship, which is a mystery to all the fellowships in the world." Now after these things had been largely opened, with many other things concerning Christ Jesus and his kingdom, and the people were turned to the divine light of Christ, and his Spirit, by which they might come both to know God and Christ, and the Scriptures, and to have fellowship with them, and one with another in the same Spirit, I was moved to declare and open many other things to those Friends who had received a part of the ministry, concerning the exercise of their spiritual gifts in the church; which, being taken in writing by one that was present, was after this manner :

Take heed of destroying that which ye have begotten; for that which destroys, goes out, and is the cast-away. And though that be true, yea, and may be the pure truth which such a one speaks, yet if he doth not remain in that, and live in that in his own particular, but goes out, the same which he is gone out from, cometh over him. So that which calms and cools the spirits, goes over the world, and brings to the Father, to inherit the life eternal: and reaches to the spirits in prison in all. Therefore in the living, immoveable word of the Lord God dwell, and in the renown thereof; and remain on the foundation that is pure, and that is sure: for whosoever goes out from the pure, and ministers not in and from that, comes to an end, and doth not remain; though he may have had a time, and may have been serviceable for a time, while he lived in the thing.

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"Take heed of many words; what reacheth to the life, settles in the life. That which cometh from the life, and is received from God, reaches to the life, and settles others in the life: for the work is not now as it was at first; the work now is, to settle and stay in the life. For as Friends have been led to minister in the power, and the power hath gone through, so that there hath grown an understanding among both people of the world and Friends; so Friends must be kept in the life which is pure, that with that they may answer the pure life of God in others. If Friends do not live in the pure life which they speak of, to answer the life in those they speak to, the other part steps in; and so there comes up an outward acquaintance, and such let that come over them. But as every one is kept living in the life of God, over all that which is contrary, they are in their places; then they do not lay hands on any suddenly, which is the danger now; for if any one do, he may lose his discerning, and may lay hands on the wrong part, and so let the deceit come too near him; and the deceit will steal over, so that it will be a hard thing for him to overcome it. There is no one who strikes his fellow-servants, but first he is gone from

the purc in his own particular; for when he goeth from the light he is enlightened withal, then he strikes; and then he hath his reward; the light which he is gone from, Christ, comes and gives him his reward. This is the state of the evil servants; the boisterous, the hasty, and rash, beget nothing to God; but the life, which doth reach the life, is that which begets to God. When all are settled in the life, they are in that which remains for ever: and what is received there, is received from the Lord; and what one receiveth from the Lord, he keepeth; and so he sitteth still, and cool, and quiet in his own spirit, and gives it forth as he is moved; but to the harlots, judgment.

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Friends, this is the word of the Lord to you all, be watchful and careful in all meetings ye come into; for where Friends are sitting together in silence, they are many times gathered into their own measures. When a man is come newly out of the world, from ministering to the world's people, he cometh out of the mire; and then he had need take heed that he be not rash. For now, when he comes into a silent meeting, that is another state; then he must come, and fecl his own spirit, how it is, when he comes to them that sit silent. If he be rash, they will judge him, that having been in the world, and amongst the world, the heat is not yet off him. For he may come in the heat of his spirit out of the world; whereas the others are still and cool; and his condition in that not being agreeable to theirs, he may rather do them hurt, by begetting them out of the cool state into the heating state, if he be not in that which commands his own spirit, and gives him to know it.

"There is a great danger too in travelling abroad in the world. The same power that moves any to go forth, is that which must keep them. For it is the greatest danger to go abroad, except a man be moved of the Lord, and go in the power of the Lord; for then, he keeping in the power, is kept by it in his journey, and in his work; and it will enable him to answer the transgressed, and keep above the transgressor. Every one feeling the danger to his own particular in travelling abroad, there the pure fear of the Lord will be placed, and kept in. Though they that travel may have openings when they are abroad, to minister to others, yet, for their own particular growth, they must dwell in the life which doth open; and that will keep down that which would boast. For the minister comes into the death to that which is in the death and in prison, and so returns up again into the life, and into the power, and into the wisdom, to preserve him clean.

"This is the word of the Lord God to you all; feel that ye stand in the presence of the Lord: for every man's word shall be his burden; but the Word of the Lord is pure, and answers the pure in every one, The Word of the Lord is that which was in the beginning, and brings to the beginning. It is a hammer, to beat down the transgressor (not the transgressed), and as a fire to burn up that which is contrary to it. Friends, come into that which is over all the spirits of the world, fathoms all the spirits of the world, and stands in the patience; with that, ye may see where others stand, and reach that which is of God in every one. Here is no strife, no contention, out of transgression; for he that goeth into strife,

and into contention, is from the pure Spirit. For where any goeth into contention, if anything hath been begotten by him before, then that contentious nature doth get a-head, spoileth that which was begotten, and quencheth his own prophesying. So if that which would arise into strife, be not subjected by the power in the particular, that is dangerous.

"If any have a moving to any place, and have spoken what they were moved of the Lord, let them return unto their habitation again, and live in the pure life of God, and in the fear of the Lord; so will ye be kept in the life in the solid and seasoned spirit, and preach as well in life, as with words (for none must be light or wild). For the Seed of God is weighty, brings to be solid, and leads into the wisdom of God, by which the wisdom of the creation is known. But if that part be up, which runs into imaginations, and that part be standing, in which the imaginations come up, and the pure spirit be not thoroughly come up to rule and reign, then that will run out, that will glory, boast, and vapour; and so will such a one spoil that which opened to him: this is for condemnation. Let every one mind that, which feels through and commands his spirit, whereby every one may know what spirit he is of; for he should first try his own spirit, and then he may try others; he should first know his own spirit, and then he may know others. Therefore that which doth command all these spirits, where the heats and burnings come in and get up, in that wait, which chains them down and cools: that is the elect, the heir of the promise of God. For no hasty, rash, brittle spirits (though they have prophecies) have held out, and gone through, they not being subjected in the prophecy. The earthly will not abide, for it is brittle; and in that state the ministry was another's, not the Son's; for the Son hath life in himself, and the Son hath the power, which man being obedient to, he may be serviceable; but if he go from the pure power, he falls, and abuses it. Therefore let your faith stand in the pure power of the Lord God, and do not abuse it; but let that search through, and work through; and let every one stand in the power of the Lord, which reacheth the Seed of God; which is the heir of the promise of life without end. Let none be hasty to speak; for ye have time enough, and with an eye ye may reach the witness: neither let any be backward when ye are moved; for that brings destruction.

Now, truth hath an honour in the hearts of those who are not Friends; so that all Friends being kept in the truth, they are kept in the honour, they are honourable, for that will honour them; but if any lose the power, they lose the life, they lose their crown, they lose their honour, they lose the cross, which should crucify them, and they crucify the just; and by losing the power, the Lamb comes to be slain. And as it is here, so will it be in other nations; for all Friends, here and there, are as one family; the seed, the plants, they are as a family. Now all being kept in that which subjects all, and keeps all under, to wit, the Seed itself, the life itself, that is the heir of the promise; that is the bond of peace; for there is the unity in the Spirit with God, and with one another. For he that is kept in the life, hears God, and sees man's condition; and with that he answers the life in others, that hear God also; thus one Friend that is come into that, comprehends the world. But that which Friends speak,

they must live in; so may they expect, that others may come into that which they speak, to live in the same. For the power of the Lord God hath been abused by some, and the worth of truth hath not been minded; there hath been a trampling on, and marring with the feet, and that abuseth the power. But now every Friend is to keep in the power, and to take heed to it; for that must be kept down, which would trample and mar with the feet, and the pure life and power of God is to be lived in over that, that none with the feet may foul or mar, but every one may be kept in the pure power and life of the Lord. Then the water of life cometh in; then he that ministereth, drinketh himself, and giveth others to drink.

"When any shall be moved to go and speak in a steeple-house or market, turn in to that which moves, and be obedient to it, that that which would not go, may be kept down; for that which would not go, will be apt to get up. And take heed on the other hand, that the lavishing part do not get up, for it is a bad savour; therefore that must be kept down, and be kept subject. Wait in the light of the Lord, that ye may be all kept in the wisdom of God. For when the Seed is up in every particular, there is no danger; but when there is an opening and prophecy, and the power stirs before the seed comes up, then there is something that will be apt to run out rashly; there is the danger, and there must be the patience in the fear. For it is a weighty thing to be in the work of the ministry of the Lord God, and to go forth in that. It is not as a customary preaching; but it is to bring people to the end of all outward preaching. For when ye have declared the truth to the people, and they have received it, and are come into that which ye speak of, the uttering of many words, and long declarations out of the life, may beget them into a form. And if any should run on rashly into words again, without the savour of life, then they that are come into the thing that he spoke of, will judge him; whereby he may hurt again that which he had raised up before. So Friends, ye must all come into the thing that is spoken in the openings of the heavenly life among you, and walk in the love of God, that ye may answer the thing spoken to.

'And take heed all of running into inordinate affections; for when people come to own you, there is danger of the wrong part getting up. There was a strife among the disciples of Christ, who should be the greatest; Christ told them, 'The heathen exercise lordship, and have dominion over one another; but it shall not be so among you.' For Christ the Seed was to come up in every one of them; so then, where is the greatest? for that part in the disciples which looked to be the greatest, was the same that was in the Gentiles. But as any one comes here, to live in the word that sanctified him, having the heart sanctified, the tongue and lips sanctified, living in the word of wisdom that makes clean the heart, and reconciles to God, all things being upheld by the Word and power;—as there is an abiding in the Word of God, that upholds times and seasons, and gives all things increase, and a dwelling in the Word of wisdom; if there be but two or three agreed in this on earth, it shall be done for them in heaven. So in this must all things be ordered by the Word of wisdom and power, that upholds all things, the times and the seasons, that are in

the Father's hand, to the glory of God, whereby his blessing may be felt among you; and this brings to the beginning. So this is the word of the Lord God to you all, Keep down, keep low, that nothing may rule or reign you, but life itself.

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'Now, the power being lived in, the cross is lived in; and wherever Friends come in this, they draw the power and the life over; they leave a witness behind them, answering the witness of God in others. And where this is lived in, there is no want of wisdom, of power, of knowledge; but he that ministereth in this, seeth with the eye which the Lord openeth in him, what is for the fire, and what for the sword, what must be fed with judgment, and what be nourished. This brings all down, and to be low, every one keeping to the power; for let a man get up ever so high, yet he must come down again to the power, where he left; what he went from, he must come down again to that. Before all these wicked spirits be got down, which are rambling abroad, Friends must have patience, must wait in patience, in the cool life; and he who is in this, doing the work of the Lord, hath the tasting and the feeling of the Lamb's power and authority. Therefore all Friends, keep cool and quiet in the power of the Lord God; and all that is contrary will be subjected; the Lamb hath the victory, in the Seed, through the patience.

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If any have been moved to speak, and have quenched that which moved them, let none such go forth afterwards into words, until they feel the power arise and move them thereto again; for after the first motion is quenched, the other part will be apt to get up; and if any go forth in that, he goeth forth in his own, and the betrayer will come into that. And all Friends, be careful not to meddle with the powers of the earth; but keep out of all such things; and as ye keep in the Lamb's authority, ye will answer that of God in them, and bring them to do justice, which is the end of the law. Keep out of all jangling; for all that are in the transgression, are out from the law of love, but all that are in the law of love, come to the Lamb's power, in the Lamb's authority, who is the end of the law outward. For the law being added because of transgression, Christ, who was glorified with the Father, before the world began, is the end of the law, bringing them that live in the law of life, to live over all transgression; which every one must feel in himself."

More was then spoken to many of these particulars, which was not taken at large as delivered.

After this meeting was over, and most of the Friends were gone away, as I was walking in John Crook's garden, there came a party of horse, with a constable, to seize me. I heard them ask "who was in the house,” and somebody answered, "I was there." They said, "I was the man they looked for;" and went forthwith into the house, where they had many words with John Crook, and some few Friends that were with him. But the Lord's power so confounded them, that they never came into the garden to look for me, but went their way in a rage. When I came into the house, Friends were very glad to see them so confounded, and that I had escaped them. Next day I passed thence, and after I had visited Friends