ness and persecution; but they hate it, and therefore, they are condemned with it, and go into the fire with the devil and his angels, that are out of the truth. And the light of the candle shall shine no more in Babylon, which has enlightened their spirits, that they might see their deeds and repent; but they repent not of their evil deeds; so they turned not to the light, which would have lighted their candle, and made it shine; but they hating it, and turning from it, this light of the candle, shall shine no more in Babylon, but be her condemnation, and then is the candle of the wicked put out.

And then how can they hear the voice of the bridegroom, or the bride, the wife of Christ, his church, that is married to him, when they will not hear the voice of his light, that would let them see their evil deeds and repent.

But the saints in light that walk in that light, have fellowship in it, and with the Son, and with the Father, and they shall sing hallelujah, Rev. xix. and they shall say, true and righteous are the judgments of the great God, that hath judged the great whore, that hath corrupted the earth for Christ has died for all men, and all men have been and are enlightened by Christ, but they will not believe in it and repent: and the gospel of peace has been preached to all nations, but they will not receive it; and therefore, the light is their condemnation that hate it, which should enlighten their spirits, and so they grow dark; so the light of a candle shall shine no more in Babylon, but be her condemnation, though it be the just man's path, which is as a 'shining light, which shines more and more to the perfect day.'

And you may see, when that the plagues and woes were poured upon the wicked, in Rev. ix. 20, 21. ‘yet repented not they of the works of their hands, that they should not worship devils, and idols of gold, and silver, and brass, and stone, and wood, which neither could see, nor hear, nor speak, nor walk.'

And is there not too many of these found among christians, besides what is found in the world, that worship such things, that do not repent and turn from them. Neither repented they of their murders, nor of their sorceries, nor of their fornications, nor of their thefts, as too many of those called christians do not now.

So these were enlightened by Christ to see their evil deeds, or else how could they be admonished to repent, or change, or turn from them; and therefore are they warned not to worship such things, nor follow such evils, but to believe in the light, and become children of the light, and so to worship God in the spirit and truth, which the devil is out of, and the beast and the whore that is a-top of him. And therefore, if they do not repent, God is just in bringing all his woes, judgments, and plagues upon them, and judging them by the man Christ Jesus, according to the

gospel, the power of God, which is preached to every creature under heaven; and according to the light which Christ hath enlightened them, and every man withal; and according to the grace of God which appeared unto all men, to teach them, and to bring their salvation; but they walked despitefully against the spirit of grace, and turned it into lasciviousness.

So the righteous God, king over all the earth, is just in his judgments upon all such rebels. And in Rev. ii. 20. there you may see how God and Christ gave Jezebel, who called herself a prophetess, who was a teacher, and seduced his servants to eat things sacrificed to idols; God gave this Jezebel a space to repent of her fornications, and she repented

not.

Now, this Jezebel might preach the prophets', Christ's, and the apostles' words, from Genesis to the Revelations, and Christ's death and resurrection, but in the unrepentant state.

Now she was enlightened to see what she was to repent of, and turn from, so she had her space, her time, her visitation, as all men have before God brings his judgments upon them; and their candle is lighted by the light of Christ, that they may see what they should do, and what they should not do: and therefore, God does reward every one according to their works; and they that hate the light, their candle is put out, by joining to the evil, and doing evil, and not coming to the light to light their candle with, but hating it, and erring from God's spirit, which would keep it lighted, which light would manifest their evil deeds, and reprove them for it; therefore, the light is their condemnation, which light they should have believed in, and become children of.

And therefore, saith God, concerning Jezebel, who does not repent, 'behold,' that is, take notice, 'I will cast her into a bed, and them that commit adultery with her into great tribulation, except they repent; and I will kill her children with death, and all the churches shall know that I am he, who searcheth the reins and hearts; and I will give to every one of you according to your works.'

So there is a light in all people, which Christ enlightens them withal, that will let them see whether their works be good, or whether they be evil; so that Christ who is the righteousness of God,. and will judge the world in righteousness, he will judge them according to the light which lets them see whatsoever they have done or spoken; so that every tongue shall confess, that he is true and just in his judgments, and will judge with equity, and not condemn man for that which he hath not, but for that which he hath, and hath not obeyed, nor been faithful to it. And they that believe in the light, as Christ commands, their spirits, their candle is enlightened, and they become children of the light, and are grafted into Christ, who is the first and last, and see him walk in the

midst of his churches, who is the head of them, which the unrepentant and haters of the light, and errers and strayers from the spirit are not like; for the true church is come to Mount Zion, the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem, and to an innumerable company of angels, to the general assembly, the church of the first born, and to God, the judge of all, and the spirits of just men made perfect, and to Jesus, the Mediator of the new covenant, and to the blood of sprinkling, that speaks better things than that of Abel:' for the blood of Abel cried for vengeance against Cain, but the blood of Christ cleanses from all sin, and justifies.

And so the saints, the church that are in this new covenant, and come to Jesus, the Mediator of it, betwixt them and God, they see him walk in the midst of his churches, his general assembly, exercising his offices, as a shepherd to feed them, and a counsellor to counsel them, and a bishop to oversee them, and as a prophet to open to them, whom they do hear, and as a priest that offered up himself for them; and offers them up to God without spot or wrinkle, and as a king to rule them in their hearts by faith.

And all they that quench, vex and grieve the spirit of God, and rebel against it, and resist the Holy Ghost, that are erred from the spirit of God; and likewise all they that turn the grace of God, which has appeared unto all men to teach them, and bring their salvation into wanton-ness, and walk despitefully against it.

And also, all they that are haters of the light, which is the life in Christ the word, which is the true light, that lighteth every man that comes into the world; and all they that err from the faith, and make shipwreck of it and a good conscience, are in the unrepented state, unconverted, untranslated, and unregenerated; and Christ stands at the doors of such and knocks, and saith unto them, 'behold (that is to say, take notice,) if any man will open unto me, (to wit, any man of you all,) and hear my voice, I will come in to him, and sup with him, and he shall sup with

me.'

Now, there is no man opens to Christ and hears his voice, but he joins to the spirit, grace, faith, and light, and truth in the inward parts; and turns at the reproof of the Holy Ghost, which Christ hath sent; and with the grace, light, truth, and spirit, they let in Christ into their hearts: for Christ is in his saints, and dwells in his saints, and they are reprobates, that Christ is not in: therefore, examine yourselves, though you may make a profession from Genesis to the Revelations, of Christ's, and his prophets', and apostles' words; yet, if Christ be not in you, you are reprobates.

So he stands at your doors and knocks; so you cannot say, but that Christ does visit you, when he stands at your doors and knocks, and

tells, if any man hear his voice, and open the door, he will come in to you, and sup with you; so you are all left without excuse in the day that he judges you, and none can plead ignorance, but they have been warned; yea, none of the house of Adam in the fall, for Christ hath enlightened them all, and his grace has appeared unto them all, and he has poured out of his spirit upon all flesh. For the first man Adam was made of the earth, earthly, the second man is the Lord from heaven: the first man was made a living soul, the second man is a quickening spirit.

Now all being in the fall of Adam, and Adam and his whole house being fallen from the image of God into sin and darkness, Christ the second Adam died for them all, and enlightens them all, and the grace of God which bringeth salvation, hath appeared to them all; and God hath poured out his spirit upon all flesh, and Christ is a quickening spirit.

All they that believe in the light, their spirits, their candle is enlightened, and they know Christ a quickening spirit, this spiritual heavenly man: and they that do not believe in the light, but hate it, and grieve. the spirit, and turn his grace into wantonness, and walk despitefully against it, the candles of those wicked are put out.

And here Christ is just and true in his judgments upon the world, who judges them in equity, according to the spirit that is poured upon all, and the grace which hath appeared unto all, and the light of Christ which has enlightened all; and Christ died for all, and what could God have done more, (for the ungodly world,) who is just and righteous, and true in all his judgments? all that walk in the spirit, and believe in the light, and in his grace, it teacheth them, and brings their salvation, and they that follow Christ, from whence the grace comes, in the belief in his light, have everlasting life; and here is God's love to the world; that whosoever believes on him shall not perish, but have everlasting life; for they that perish, perish for not believing in the Son, whom God has sent in his love, who enlightens them all with a true and saving light, which is the life in him the word; and bids them believe in the light, that they may be grafted into him the root.

And so they that are not grafted into Christ, it is because of unbelief; and though christians may say, they believe in Christ, and the Jews may say, they believe in God, and the Messiah to come, yet if they do not believe in the light, as Christ has commanded, which is the life in the word by which all things were made and created, they are not grafted into Christ the life.

The 2d of the 4th Month, 1677.

G. F.

VOL. V.-46

A Testimony concerning the Blood of the Old Covenant, and the Blood of the New Covenant, &c.-By G. F.

MOSES took the blood of the oxen and calves that were offered for sacrifices, burnt-offerings and peace-offerings, and sprinkled it upon the altar, and upon the people, and said unto them, behold the blood of the covenant which the Lord hath made with you:' so the life of the beasts and other creatures (which is blood,) was the blood of the old covenant. And after Moses had sprinkled the people, he sprinkled the tabernacle, and the vessels of the ministry, he sprinkled Aaron and his sons, and he sprinkled the books of the Old Testament; so the first testament and covenant was dedicated with the blood of beasts and other creatures, which was the life of beasts and other creatures; and almost all things were by the law of Moses, purged with blood, which was the life of beasts. And without shedding of blood there was no remission of sin. And, (as I said before,) when Moses had sprinkled the books of the Old Testament, and the people with the blood, (which was the life of beasts,) he said, this is the blood of the covenant and testament which God hath enjoined to you.' So the blood of the old covenant and the Old Testament, was the life of the clean beasts without blemish, (as I said before,) for is not the blood the life? and it is not posssble that the blood, the life of bulls, goats, or other creatures in the old covenant should take away sin. But in the new covenant it is written, 'forasmuch as we are not redeemed with corruptible things, nor with silver, nor gold, from our vain conversations, or tradition of our forefathers, but with the precious blood of Christ, a Lamb without blemish or spot, which Lamb was foreordained, before the foundation of the world,' and was manifested in the apostles' time and days, which he calls the last times. Silver and gold are corruptible things, which cannot redeem from corruption, nor the blood of bulls, goats, or other creatures, which will corrupt, but the blood of the Lamb, which was ordained before the foundation of the world, and manifested in the last times, in the new covenant; this precious blood of the Lamb, without spot or blemish, Christ Jesus, doth not corrupt, for it doth redeem from the traditions of our forefathers, the Jews in the old covenant, and the corruptible blood of bulls, goats, and other creatures, that could not take away sin. And so, by the blood of the Lamb Christ Jesus, the saints are redeemed from their vain conversation and corruptible life, to a conversation in heaven, and incorruptible life.

And as Moses in the old covenant sprinkled the people with the blood, the life of beasts; so Christ our high priest sprinkles the hearts and consciences of his people in the new covenant with his blood, his life, from