his Father and his angels in the world to

come.

Now to all you who are convinced, and have your enderstandings enlightened. Beware, ye enter not into the temptation to lust after the creature, and give not way to the lazy, dreaming mind, for it enters into temptations. So there thou wilt be polluted with the pollutions of the world; then thou wilt be tempted to despair, and the devil there gets power upon thee, if thou enter into temptations, and follow thy imaginations in going from the light of Christ within thee. And then thou judgest with evil thoughts; and he will come with his instruments, his evil angels, to tempt thee from God's worship to the false worship, suggesting that thou wilt lose thy credit or good name, or thy place, or thy authority, where thou art, except thou wilt bow to him and every one will stare at thee, and thou wilt be gazed at, and wondered at. So if thy mind go from the light, and out of the fear of the Lord, then thou wilt consult with flesh and blood, which must never enter into the kingdom of God. And so the eye of thy mind will be turned out from God, and thou wilt come under the power of the prince of

:

the air, which rules and reigns in the children of disobedience, and so under the dominion of Satan.

And then, though thou mayst have the praise of the world, and the glory of the world; yet, disobeying that which should have led thee into the kingdom of God, and from under the dominion of Satan, thy latter end will be worse than thy beginning. And in the world thou mayest have thy honour; and the fleshly man may be nourished, and thy glory and renown may grow again among the fleshly ones, who are gone out from God, and have disobeyed the light in them, which should have led them from under the dominion of Satan, up to God, where there is joy eternal, where there are riches and glory eternal, and where there is comfort eternal; whose kingdom is for ever, whose dominion is an everlasting dominion. But thou, who forsakest the right way, goest into eternal destruction. Wo, wo is to thee! for the love of the world is an enemy to God; and he that loveth the world, the love of the Father is not in him : and thou who settest thy hand to the plough, and lookest back, art not fit for the kingdom of God.

NUMBER

XLVII.

To Friends in Cumberland, Bishoprick and

Northumberland.

1653.

Take heed of judging the measures of others, but every one mind your own; and there ye famish the busy minds and high conceits, and so peace springs up among you, and division is judged. And this know, that there are diversities of gifts, but one spirit and unity therein to all, who with it are guided. And though the way seems to thee diverse; yet judge not the way, lest thou judge the Lord, and knowest not, that several ways (seeming so to reason) hath God to bring his people out by, yet are all but one in the end: that He may be looked to from all the ends of the earth, to be a Guide and Law-giver; and that none should judge before Him. Deep is the mystery of Godliness! therefore silence all flesh, and see that your own ways be clean; and as ye grow therein, the way of peace will be more prized by you, and the perfect bond ye will come to know and all who are here established, shall stand in strength, when others fall, on the right hand and on the left.

Dear Friends, ye have long been convinced, and owned the Lord in word and form; and look for it, ye must be proved and tried, not only your faith and patience in persecution by the enemy without, (for that many of you have escaped) but proved ye must all be with that which is nearer, even a falling away amongst yourselves: and it is good, that the steadfastness of all should be known herein. For many are crept in unawares, who are self-ended, slow-bellies, who love this world more than the cross of Christ, who are got high in the form, and have great swelling words, which they can utter for their advantage in earthly things, deceiving the simple therewith, who are not yet got above the pollution of the world.

And thus is the Scripture fulfilled: My little children, this have I written to you, that when ye see this come to pass, ye might not be amazed, as though some strange thing had befallen the church of God; but even the same that was of old, to prove you, and to perfect you against the devil: herein is he made manifest, that ye may know his wiles. And great steadfastness shall it produce to all, who mind their standing upon Christ the

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Rock, and have salt in themselves to savour withal. But that which will not come to the everlasting foundation, is apt to be tossed to and fro with airy spirits, who are now gone out into the world, to deceive such, whose hearts look back after worldly things. There fore stand with your minds girded up to God above the world, lest ye run in vain, and lose your crown; which no one receives, but he that continues to the end.

G F.

Friends,

NUMBER XLVIII.

To Friends concerning judging.

1653.

To you all this is the word of the Lord: take heed of judging one another; judge not one another (I charge you in the presence of the Lord) with that which must be judged; neither lay open one another's weakness behind one another's backs; for thou that dost so, art one of Ham's family, which is under the curse. But every one of you in particular with the light of Christ (which He hath enlightened you withal) see yourselves, that self may be judged out with the Light in every one. Now, all loving the Light, here no self