of my spirit upon all flesh, and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy; your young men shall see visions, and your old men shall dream dreams; and on my servants, and on my handmaids, I will pour out in those days of my spirit, and they shall prophesy.' Acts ii. 17, 18.

Now it is God that pours out of his spirit upon all flesh, by which sons, daughters, young men, old men, servants, and handmaids, have their visions, and prophecies, and dreams. And these last days are the days of Christ, in his gospel and new covenant.

It is said in the old covenant, that God did pour out of his spirit upon the house of Israel, and the house of Judah. But in the days of the new covenant of light and grace, God poured out of his spirit upon all flesh, both Jews and Gentiles. Now all flesh must come to the spirit of God, and be led and guided by it, if they will see Christ's heavenly spiritual government and order; and with this spirit, to know Christ the spiritual man, to rule and govern in their hearts. And all that by this spirit are circumcised, they eat of the heavenly passover, or their bread from heaven. And all that are baptized with the spirit, are baptized into one body, and do all drink into one spirit. So here they are one, in this spiritual fellowship, which is the true church-fellowship; even that church which is in God, the pillar and ground of truth, which church Christ is the heavenly and spiritual head of; and well he may, for he is the author of their faith, and the author of their light, and life, grace, and truth, and spirit, and gospel of peace and salvation; by which he rules in the hearts of his living members, the church. And all they that grieve, vex, quench, and rebel against the spirit, come to be blind, as the Jews, and will not see with their eyes, nor hear with their ears, nor perceive with their hearts; and such may profess Christ in the new testament, and the apostles' words, and the government, and order of Christ; as the Jews did profess the old testament, and Christ to come; but they would not receive him then, when he was come. No more do they now, that profess he is come, who vex and quench his spirit, and grieve it, and rebel against it, and err from it. And such are not like to receive Christ into their hearts, nor come into his heavenly order, and establish peaceable government, as those that are led by the spirit of God, which are the sons of God, and keep the unity of the spirit; which holy spirit is the bond of peace amongst all Christ's subjects, lambs, and sheep, that feed together in the pasture of life. For it is God that gives the heavenly understanding of Christ's established government and order. And they that quench, and vex, and rebel against the spirit of God, will rebel against Christ's established government and order, and his people that are in it, that are led by the spirit of wisdom and understanding, and a sound mind. And such as will not hear the spirit of God in themselves, will neither hear God nor Christ, nor his sheep, nor such as he sends, but rebel against them.

Now the gospel being preached to, or in, every creature under heaven; which gospel is the power of God to salvation, to every one that believes; so all that receive this gospel, the power of God unto salvation, in their hearts, receive Christ, (the power of God,) and his government and order in the power. And Christ reigns in their hearts in his power; and such come into the gospel order; and they that come to be heirs of the gospel, the power of God to salvation, are heirs of Christ's peaceable established government, and are true subjects to Christ's power, and established peaceable government; and so this gospel, the power of God to salvation, is peaceable, joyful, and comfortable, which is the gospel of Christ, the second Adam, the Lord from heaven; and is not called the gospel of old Adam in transgression. And this gospel, which is the power of God unto salvation, keeps all that believe in it, in the everlasting joy, peace, and comfort, and in order; for it is the everlasting gospel, which brings life and immortality to light, by which they see over the devil, and before he was, that hath blinded them, and darkened them from life and immortality. So in this gospel that hath brought life and immortality to light in God's people, both men and women, they are established in the order of it, in which they do serve the eternal everlasting God of truth.

Now all they that do not receive the gospel of Christ, the power of God to salvation, which is preached to every, or in every creature under heaven, life and immortality are not brought to light in them; and such the God of the world hath blinded, (and so they remain blind under the God of the world,) and such are blind concerning the order of the gospel, and are ignorant of their salvation, and of the joy, and comfort, and peace of the gospel; neither can they serve God in the gospel, though they may profess Christ, and his gospel in words, yet such have no comfort of it. And therefore such as disobey the gospel of Christ, the power of God to salvation, and will not receive it, nor believe in it, how can they receive the order of the gospel of Christ, the heavenly man, from whence the gospel comes; or to receive him to reign in their hearts, when they will not receive his gospel, the power of God to salvation, in their hearts? And again, how can they receive his people, or believe his people, that are in the order of the gospel of Christ, and have received it, and him in their hearts, who disobey it, and will not receive it in their own hearts? Such are not like to come into the order of the gospel, that disobey it. Such will disobey Christ, and will not regard his people, in whom he reigns, who walk in the order of his gospel, the power of God unto salvation.

Now it is Christ the second Adam, that lighteth every man that cometh into the world, with the light, (which is the life in himself,) and all that believe in the light, and become children of the light,

and walk in it, walk in unity and fellowship, and in the order of the light and government of Christ; in such Christ doth reign. And all those that hate this light, and will not come to it, nor believe in it, are condemned by it.

Now, the grace of God that brings salvation hath appeared unto all men;' and all men that receive this grace and truth, that is come by Jesus, they receive Christ from whence it comes, in their hearts, to be their teacher and their salvation; and so come into Christ's government and order, in the truth, and into the covenant of grace. And they that hate the truth, and turn from the grace into wantonness, and walk despitefully against the spirit of grace, they turn against Christ, his order and government, and his power also.

And God pouring out of his spirit upon all flesh: all that are led by the spirit of God, and Christ, are the sons of God; and such are obeyers of Christ's spiritual order and government. And they that quench the spirit of God, and rebel against it, rebel against Christ's order and government, and him in his people; and their spiritual fellowship, and the gospel of salvation, being preached to every creature under heaven; which gospel is the power of God, every creature under heaven must receive this gospel in their hearts, if they receive Christ and his government, and his order of the gospel, and him to rule in their hearts.

And all you that have received it, have received the comfort of it; and those that disobey and rebel against the gospel, the power of God, such disobey and rebel against God and Christ, and his government, and his people who are in the order of the gospel, the power of God. And as it is said, 'Christ is in you, except you be reprobates;' and all that receives Christ in them, it is by his light, (which is the life in him,) and the grace and truth that comes by Jesus, and the faith that he is the author of, and his spirit and gospel. This they must receive in their hearts, if they receive Christ in them.

And Christ said to his disciples and followers, that he would send them the spirit of truth, (the comforter,) which should proceed from the Father and the son, which should lead them into all truth; and he should reprove the world of sin, righteousness, and judgment. So that which leads the believers and disciples of Christ into all truth, and is their comforter, is the reprover of the world of their sin, righteousness, and judgment. So here that which is the world's reprover, is the saints' comforter, and leader into all truth, and so into all true fellowship, and true liberty. And this holy spirit, and comforter, does not proceed from old Adam, nor any of his followers, but from the Father and the son. And so every one is to have oil in your own lamps, from the heavenly olive tree, that your lamps may burn always, both night and day,

in your tabernacles, looking to your high priest, who will feed your lamps with heavenly oil.

And every one have heavenly salt in yourselves to savour withal, what is earthly, and what is heavenly; and what is from below, and what is from above; and what is out of the truth, and what is in the truth.

And that every one may keep their own vine in their own garden, and their own lily in their own field, or orchard; which lily doth exceed Solomon in all his glory. And every one have the word of faith in their hearts and mouths, to obey and do, which will sanctify, and make you holy, and reconcile you to God.

And every one have the anointing, or unction, within you, which you have from the Father, or Holy One; so that in it you may continue in the Father, and in the son.

And every one continue in the grace of God, which will teach you how to live, and what to deny, and will bring your salvation, and establish you upon Christ, the rock and foundation, from whence the grace does come.

And every one abide in the holy, divine, and precious faith, which you do hold in a pure conscience, by which faith you do live, and have victory over that which displeaseth God: and in this faith you do please God, which Jesus Christ, the Lord from heaven, is the author and finisher of.

And every one that hath digged deep, and found the pearl of great price; and hath sold all, and purchased the field, then the field and pearl is your own: such do know a thorough redemption.

And all you believers in the light, (which is the life in Christ,) that are become the children of light, walk in the light, and in Christ, as you have received him.

And every one mind the heavenly leaven, that will leaven you into a new lump.

And every one keep the feast of Christ our passover, with his heavenly unleavened bread, in sincerity and truth,

And every one mind the light, that God hath commanded to shine out of darkness, and hath shined into your hearts, 'to give you the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ, (your saviour,) that the excellency of the power may be of God, and not of yourselves;' in this you are sensible of his heavenly treasure in your earthly vessels; and every one have water in your own wells and cisterns, and heavenly fruit on your trees, which God hath planted.

Nebuchadnezzar, though his greatness reached to heaven, as a tree, yet he was to be hewn down, until he knew that the Most High ruleth in the kingdoms of men: and the God of heaven shall set up a kingdom VOL. VIII.

27

which shall never be destroyed; and the kingdom shall not be left to other people.' Dan. ii. 44. And the stone that smote the image became a great mountain, and filled the whole earth.' Ver. 35.

"They shall not hurt nor destroy in my holy mountain: for the earth shall be full of the knowledge of the Lord, as the waters cover the sea.' Isa. xi. 9. G. F.

The 27th of the 8th month, 1681.

CCCLXXIII.-To Friends in Jamaica

Dear friends, with my love in the Lord to you all: it hath been often in my mind, from a sense of the spirit of the Lord; which thing I shall lay before you, and commend it to the witness of God in all your consciences.

The thing is this: that if you had (once in a year) a Yearly Meeting, as they have in Holland, Germany, and Friesland, and at Rhode Island, and in England, and elsewhere, which is, and hath been, of great service; for Friends to see one another, and know how the affairs of truth prosper, and how Friends do grow in the truth of God, to the comfort and joy of one another in it; in which the Lord Jesus Christ is exalted. And if there should be any difference among Friends, it may be ended at the Yearly Meeting, by some Friends out of the meeting, which could not be ended at other meetings. So that all things (by the truth and power of God) may be kept in peace and love, all dwelling in the wisdom of God, that is from above, which is pure, and peaceable, and gentle, and easy to be entreated. And so for you once in a year to meet together in the Lord's power, and to wait upon him in his spirit and truth one day, and then another day you may have a Yearly men and women's meeting in the Lord's power; which in time you may find and feel a great service in the Lord's spirit and power; in which you may feel his presence and blessing flow among you. And as for place and time, I shall leave it to your best convenience; and the Lord direct you, that you may do all things, whatever you do, to his glory. For you know that in other countries, or provinces, they have either Half-Year Meetings or Yearly Meetings, except it be in Jamaica, which several times hath been in my mind for you to have one there; for where they are settled, they see a great service in them; and the Lord hath owned them, and honoured them with his presence, and that keeps all in a sense of a care of his glory, and a care of one another, that they may be kept and preserved in God's eternal truth, in meekness, in gentleness, and in tenderness, and in love, that edifies the body of Christ, the second Adam, the Lord from heaven. And so that all of you, in godliness, holiness, and righteousness, may spend your days to the glory of

1