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So here the saints hath both boldness and confidence, and access to God, through Jesus Christ.

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And the apostle speaks to the Colossians, that their hearts might be comforted, being knit together in love, and unto all riches of a full assurance,' (mark,) a full assurance of understanding, to the acknowledgement of the mystery of God the Father, and of Christ. Col. ii. 2.

And Christ, as a Son, is over his own house; whose house we are of; (to wit, the true church,) if we hold fast the confidence, and the rejoicing of the hope firm unto the end. Heb. iii. 6.

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So these had a confidence, and they were to hold it fast. And he desired, that every one of the church do shew forth the same diligence unto a full assurance of hope to the end.' Heb. iii. 6, 14.

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Therefore,' said he, let us draw nigh with a pure heart, in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled from an evil conscience, and our bodies washed with clean water: cast not therefore away your confidence, which hath great recompence of reward.' Heb. x. 22, 35.

So here the church was to be in full assurance and confidence, in the Lord Jesus Christ, through that faith they had from him.

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And John said to the church, these things I write unto you, that you believe in the name of the Son of God, that ye may know, that ye have eternal life: and this is the confidence, that we have in him, that if we ask any thing according to his will, he heareth us; and we know we are of God, and the whole world lieth in wickedness: and we know that the Son of God is come, and hath given us an understanding, that we may know him that is true; and we are in him that is true; and this is the true God and eternal life.' 1 John v.

So here was a confidence, and an assurance, and a knowledge that the church then had, and now have, in the same belief in the light, who are become children of light, and in the same belief, and same spirit. For, as the apostle said, 'with the heart man believeth unto righteousness, and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation.' Rom. x. So if there be but this belief in the heart, there will be confession with the mouth.

So you may see, the saints had assurance, and confidence in their faith, and in their salvation, Christ Jesus; and they were exhorted to an assurance, and confidence, and boldness in Christ Jesus, the life and their salvation, and to rejoice in him, their head, in whom they had victory, who made them more than conquerors.

Marshgrange, the 9th of the 3d month, 1676.

G. F.

To all the Kings, Princes, and Governors in the whole world: and all that profess themselves Christians, and others, to read and consider.

This was upon me from the Lord to write unto you.—By G. F.

AND the word of the Lord is to you, that God is come, and coming to teach his people himself, by his Son Christ Jesus.

For the Lord God that made all things in six days, and man and woman in his image, and placed them in paradise; God Almighty was their teacher, their guide, and their orderer, who did teach them what to do, and what to leave undone; and as long as they kept under God's teaching, they were happy, and kept in the image and likeness of God, and in his righteousness and holiness, and in the paradise of God.

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But when they forsook God's teaching, and disobeyed God's command, and hearkened unto the serpent's teaching, and obeyed his command, they lost the image, and righteousness, and holiness, and likeness of God, and were driven out of paradise, and so came into darkness, and the fall and fell into sin and misery, and into the imperfect and corrupt state.

And so death reigned from Adam to Moses, and so as by the offence of one, (to wit, Adam,) came judgment upon all men to condemnation. Even so by the righteousness of Christ, the free gift is come upon all men to justification of life.

And so death reigned from Adam till Moses, and the law and the prophets were until John.

And now Christ being come, the seed of the woman to bruise the serpent's head, he saith, 'learn of me, I am the way, the truth, and the life, and no man comes to the Father but by me.'

So here you may see Christ is the teacher again, who is the way to God, who bruises the head of the serpent, the false teacher, that led Adam and Eve from God, and is the head of all false teachers.

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And God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son into the world, that whosoever believeth in him, shall not perish, but have everlasting life.'

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And moreover, God saith, this is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased, hear ye him.'

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So here all people are to believe in, and hear the Son, and learn of him. And the apostle saith to the Hebrews, God, who at sundry times, and in divers manners, spoke in times past to the fathers by the prophets, hath in these last days spoken unto us by his Son, whom he hath appointed heir of all things, by whom also he hath made the worlds.' Heb. i. 2.

So here you may see that God, who was the first speaker in paradise to Adam and Eve, was the speaker again to the apostles, and the church VOL. V.-40

in the primitive times, by Christ Jesus, who 'renews man up into the image of God, and righteousness, and holiness,' as man was in, before he fell.

So the same God, I say, is the speaker now in these days, by Christ his Son, to his people, as he was in the apostles' days; and he renews us up in the image of God, and righteousness, and holiness, as they were in before they fell.

And this is my message to you all.

That God, who was the first teacher and speaker to Adam and Eve in paradise, and was the speaker and teacher to the apostles and church in the primitive times, is now come to teach his people himself by his Son, if ye will hear him, as in Heb. vii.

And as the apostle saith, refuse not him that speaketh from heaven, for if they escape not that refused him that spake on earth, much more shall not we escape if we turn away from him that speaks from heaven.' Heb. xii. 25.

Object. But now you may object, and say, how shall we hear him? and where, and when?

Answer. God poured out his spirit upon the house of Israel, to whom he gave his law, which was holy, just, and good; that by God's spirit that was poured upon them, they might understand his law, and hear his voice; as in Ezek. xxxix. 29.

And Moses said, 'like unto me will God raise up a prophet, him shall ye hear in all things.'

And it shall come to pass that every soul that will not hear that prophet shall be destroyed from amongst the people.'

And this prophet is Christ Jesus, as you may see, in Acts iii. 24. to the end, whom God hath raised up.

And in Joel ii. and Acts ii. they said, ' how that God would pour out of his spirit in the last days, upon all flesh.'

So that now this spirit God hath poured out, and is pouring out upon all flesh, (so God doth not here respect some flesh, and leave out others, or make a sect,) but pours out his spirit upon all flesh, to wit, Jews and Gentiles; for he had poured out his spirit upon the house of Israel in the former times; but now in the last days, or day of Christ, the christian days, he has poured out his spirit upon all flesh.'

That with, and by this spirit, all flesh might see the salvation of God, and by this spirit they might all hear God and Christ, his Son, by whom God speaks, who is the alone first and last true teacher and speaker.

And as John saith, in the beginning was the word, and the word was with God, and all things were made by him, and without him was there not any thing made that was made, and in him was life, (to wit, the word,) and the life was the light of men,' and that was the true light

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which lighteth every man that cometh into the world,' to wit, the life that is in the word, which was before any thing was made.

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So this light which is the life in the word, is not natural nor created. And Christ saith, believe in the light, that ye may become children of the light.' John xii. 36.

And so by belief in the spiritual, heavenly and divine light, which is the life in Christ the word, which was in the beginning, by which all things were made: they came and come to be grafted into Christ, the heavenly root that bears them, and so become children of the light.

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So here you may see Christ Jesus, the second Adam, the Lord from heaven, who is the light of the world, and lightens every man that cometh into the world, saith, believe in the light, that you may become children of the light;' and this is the heavenly, divine light that doth let you see all your sins that you have acted or committed, and all your evil words or thoughts that you have ungodlily thought or spoken; and so the same light which lets you see all your sins, will also let you see your Saviour Christ Jesus, from whence the light doth come to save you from your sins.

And if you do evil, and hate this light, and will not come to it, because it doth reprove you, this light will be your condemnation. John iii. For the apostle saith, 'whatsoever doth reprove and make manifest, is light.'

And Christ was an offering for the sins of the whole world, therefore all are to look unto him.

And he is a propitiation for the sins of the whole world, and hath tasted death for every man ;' as in Heb. ii. 9. and 1 John ii. 2.

And the grace of God that brings salvation, hath appeared to all men, teaching us (to wit, the true christians,) that denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly and godly in this present world.' Tit. ii. 11, 12.

Now this was and is all the true christians' teacher, the grace of God which brings their salvation, which hath appeared unto all men.

So if all men have and know salvation, it is brought to them by this grace of God, their teacher; which grace brought salvation to the church in the primitive times, and which grace brings the salvation to the true church now in our times.

Object. Now if you should enquire, or ask from whence comes this grace?

Answer. The law came by Moses to the Jews, the house of Israel, upon whom God poured out of his spirit that they might understand his law.

But this grace of God and truth comes by Jesus Christ, which hath appeared unto all men, to teach them and bring their salvation.

Now such as turn it into wantonness, and walk despitefully against the grace their teacher, unto such it does not bring their salvation, but woe is pronounced against such, as you may read in Jude.

For such as turn the grace of God into wantonness, deny the Lord that bought them, and deny the grace of God their teacher, which should bring their salvation.

And Christ, who has tasted death for every man, and was an offering for the sins of the whole world, has enlightened every man that cometh into the world; so his light hath appeared unto all, that they might come to it, and believe in the light; and his grace hath appeared unto all men, to teach them, and bring their salvation.

Now whilst Christ was with his disciples, he sent them first to preach salvation to the lost sheep of the house of Israel, and not to go into the way of the Gentiles; and when he gave them his commission, he said unto them, 'freely you have received, freely give.'

And after Christ was risen from the dead, he gave his disciples a larger commission, and bid them then go into all nations, and preach the gospel to every creature under heaven.'

So God having poured out his spirit upon all flesh, that by the spirit they might understand his gospel, and by his light which enlightens all men, they might see it; and by his grace which hath appeared unto all men, they might receive his gospel which was sent down from heaven, as Peter says, and so not from men.

And the apostle said, 'God would judge the world according to his gospel, by the man Christ Jesus;' that is according to the invisible power, the everlasting gospel which is preached to every creature under heaven, according as they receive it and obey it; or do not receive it, but disobey it.

And so this everlasting gospel being preached again, and received again, as it was in the apostles' days, which brings life and immortality to light, by which we see over the devil that has darkened us from this life and immortality, who led Adam and Eve into the fall from the image of God.

And so the glorious fellowship of the gospel, and salvation is known again, and received and obeyed by us, the people of God, called Quakers, who know his voice that shakes the heavens and the earth, that that may appear, and that has appeared that cannot be shaken.

And so all people upon the face of the earth, must come to the spirit, that God has poured upon all flesh, and know the spirit in their hearts, and the truth there, that by this spirit they may be baptized and circumcised; which circumcision of the spirit will cut off sin and death, and imperfection, which has gotten into them by disobedience and transgression; and that they may worship and serve God in the spirit and in

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