behold and see with his Spirit, his and his Son's divine majesty among you. Amen.

Read this in your assembly, and in your meetings.

Who suffer for your testimony, and to all the rest in your county. I am glad to hear of your faithfulness, and of your standing for the church which Christ is the head of, which is in God, and are become his living members; and therefore wheresoever you are, in prison or out of prison, "where two or or three are gathered in His name," there is a church, and Christ the Living Head in the midst of them; a Prophet, to open to his church the things of his kingdom; and a Bishop, to oversee his living members, that they be preserved in his light, grace, truth, spirit, and gospel; and He is a Shepherd, to

feed them with heavenly food, who gives life eternal to his sheep, which He hath purchased with his own blood; and a Priest, who has offered Himself up a sacrifice for the sins of the whole world, who cleanses, and washes, and purifies his church, his people; "a High Priest, made higher than the heavens." Heb. vii. 26. And no priest made below the heavens will become Christ's church; and therefore feel and see Christ, exercising his prophetical, priestly, and kingly offices, and his ruling in your hearts. And all that will know the right way, or high way, or path to the church in God, (2 Thess. i.) "must walk in the light," which is the life in Christ; and that will guide them to Christ, the way to God, the Head of the church, the Rock and Foundation of God that stands sure.

And now, dear friends, my desires are, that you may all live in the love of God, and in the unity of his Spirit, which is the bond of peace, in which you will be all kind and courteous one to another; and so the God of all peace and power support you, and strengthen you, and uphold you, throughout all your trials and sufferings; that He may be glorified in you all, who is over all, from

everlasting to everlasting, blessed for ever; from whom ye have blessing and life.

G. F.

NUMBER

CCCLXIX.

To the flock of Christ Jesus every where, to be read in their Assemblies.

21st of the 9th Month, 1681.

Grace, mercy, and peace be multiplied among you all, from God the Father, and the Lord Jesus Christ, who is the Fountain of all; and God hath called you by his grace, and gathered you to be a people by his power and Spirit, to his Son Christ Jesus, your holy, heavenly, spiritual Head, Life, Rock and Foundation. Now all walk in Christ Jesus, and abide in Him, your Vine, and in Him you will all bring forth heavenly fruit, to the praise and glory of God.

Christ saith: "In me ye have peace; in the world ye have trouble:" and therefore keep out of the spirit of the world; let not the spirit of the world come into you; for if ye do, ye go into trouble both inwardly and outwardly but if ye keep in Christ, who is not

of the world, you keep in your heavenly place and region: for "he that hath the Son of God, hath life; and therefore keep in the life in Christ; and he that hath not the Son of God, is in old Adam, in death without life.

And "without me," says Christ, "ye can do nothing;" without his grace, his light, his truth, his gospel, his power, his Spirit, his faith, ye can do nothing; and if Christ be not in you, ye are reprobates; and if He be in you, and you in Him, you are in the election, and in the Seed, in which all nations are blessed.

And keep in the cross of Christ, the power of God, that keeps you crucified to the world; that is, dead to the world, and the world dead and crucified to you: for if you do not keep in this power of God, which would keep you crucified to the world, but let in the spirit of the world, you let in his god, which will crucify the good in you, and you will come to crucify to yourselves the Son of God afresh, and put Him to open shame. There fore keep that crucified with the power of God,

which did and would crucify the just; and then you will keep alive in the power of God, and live in Christ Jesus, and He will be alive in you, and you in Him.

And now, all friends and brethren, let your meekness, your temperance, and your gentleness and sobriety, and tenderness and moderation, appear to all men; that "your light may so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven."

And keep out of the restless, discontented, disquieted spirit of the world about the government: for you know it has been always our way to seek the good of all, and to live peaceably under the government, and to seek their eternal good, peace, and happiness in the Lord Jesus Christ; and to lay our innocent sufferings before them, who have suffered as lambs and sheep, and made no resistance, but have "prayed for them that persecuted us, and despitefully used us, and hated us," according to the command of Christ.

"For ye were as sheep gone astray, but are now returned unto the Shepherd and Bishop