"First, I was sent out by the Lord God in his Eternal light and power to preach the word of life, which was before the word of death, and to turn people to the light which was before darkness, and the power of it. That all might be reconciled to God by the Word, and that all might believe in the Light; which is the life in Christ the Word; and so become children of the Light; and to know Christ the Author of their faith, and their faith to stand in him, who is the Author and finisher of it, and to turn people to the spirit, which they had quenched, vexed, grieved, and rebelled against, that in that holy spirit they might see [which was] before the spirit of error was; and that in the spirit they might know God and Christ, and the scriptures, which were given forth from it; and that in the same spirit they might all have fellowship one with another, and with the Father and the Son, --and so to preach the everlasting gospell, the power of God, (which was before the devill was,) that brings Life and immortality to Light, in all that do receive it, that they might see over him that had darkened them: which gospell I received not of man, nor by man, but by the Lord Jesus Christ, by his holy spirit sent from heaven. And so after I had received this and preached it, and many thousands were come into it, in several places of the nation, then by the same power and spirit and light, I was moved to set up the mens monthly and quarterly meetings, and the womens meetings.

"So that all, in the power of God, the gospell, which was before the devill was, and in the light before darkness was, and all in the holy spirit, before the unholy spirit was, that they might be all in their possessions of the light, spirit and power of God, and therein to keep this heavenly order of the gospell; being heirs of Christ, and of his government, of the increase whereof there is no end. Which gospell order is over all the orders of Adam in the fall, or amongst the Apostates from the gospell the Apostles were in; and will stand, the power of God, the gospell, when they are gone.

"So that all the heires of life and grace, and heires of the gospell, might be in their possession, and keep in it, in the power before the fall was: and in this no Apostacy can come. So here in this power of the gospell, has all their Liberty, and all has unity, and all has liberty in the spirit, and unity in the Light, and unity in the faith, that Jesus Christ is the Author of: so that we may see him and his government, which is over the government of Adam in the fall, for he was before old Adam was, and will be when he is gone.

"And so that all might be in the possession of Christ, and as they have received him, so to walk in him, the heavenly and spirituall man, of the increase of whose government there is no end: but there will be an end of old Adams. Now friends, whosoever shall come, under what pretence soever, to alter these meetings or to deny, or speak against the men and womens meetings, it is the spirit of confusion and opposition, which would be seeming to do something, yet its work is to disquiet the simple minds, and it is the very same spirit with John Perrot; and mark his end, and their end, and such as joynes with it. Ffor it is against the power of God, in which the order is, and the eternall spirit and light, in which the men and womens meetings were set up; in which all things should be fastned, and is fastned [bound and loosed, see Matt. xviii, 18] in the light [which was] before the darkness was, and in the power of God [which was] before the devill was, and in the holy spirit [which was] before the unclean spirit was, and will stand when he is gone. Therefore in it keep your possessions in the power of God, and in his light and spirit, that you may know the mountain of the Lord established above all mountains. And they are none but loose spirits, and such as tends to loosnes, that stand against the men and womens meetings; though it may come under pretence to set up a better way, or under pretence only to alter them to another day, and it may pretend their fear of the corruptions of observing a day. All this is but from a corrupt spirit of darkness, which God will blast; for we put no holines in the usual and constant dayes, of monthly and quarterly meetings.

"Ffor I would have them all to know, that they who be heires of the Gospell,

and of [God in] Christ Jesus, are redeemed out of dayes, and out of the Jewish, and Apostate Christians holy-dayes, to God by Christ, who made all dayes and every thing good; and their eyes are to the supernaturall day of Christ, and they are the children of his day. And that is a creeping spirit, that would go to alter the usuall and constant meeting dayes, under pretence to prevent people from the corruptions of observing a constant day, or under a pretence of keeping people out of a forme; and so would father their deceit upon God. Ffor them who be in the possession of the power, by which all true formes, and all things are upheld, (which word and power gives form and being to all things) and all they that are in it, are above all such things, and judges all such dark spirits. And they that be in the observation of dayes, they are not heires of the power, nor of Christ before dayes were; and such cannot sit in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus, to do his churches busines. So I say, that after people were turned to the light, power and spirit of God, and they all come into the Light, power and spirit of God, all such are to make up the men and womens meetings, and in it to feel the wisdom of God, by which all things were made and created, and with it to be ordered, and to order all things to Gods glory: so that wisdom may be justified of her children. Now concerning laying all marriages before the mens and womens meetings. Some have malitiously said this is not as was in the beginning, and so makes a jumble and troubles the minds of the simple: but you will see this spirit is that loose spirit, that opposes the power of God, and is to be reproved: for in 1653, severall friends came to me concerning marriages, and to know what they should do in that case.

"And I waited upon the Lord and saw in his eternall Light, that all that did marry they might lay [it] before some faithfull friends; in the wisdom of God that they might see into it. These were my words then, as in a paper of mine given forth that year may be seen; and after the faithfull did see into it, and the thing were clear and they found clear from all others, and all was satisfied, then they might declare it in the end of a meeting, and to the Justices or at market-cross if they would, or as they were moved, that was left to them; and if things were not found clear by the faithfull, that they might stay till the General county meeting; and when all things were clear that they might appoint a meeting on purpose for the accomplishing of their marriage, and their relations of the world might come to it, if they would. At which meeting not to be under 12 of the faithfull friends, which might be witnesses, and as many more as they pleased. And this continued for severall years; but few laid it before the faithfull friends, in the wisdom of God to see into the thing, that they were clear from all others, and that the relations were satisfied, or before the Justices or at market-cross either, but sometimes spoke of it at the end of a meeting, contrary to the approbation of the faithfull, and contrary to their relations; and sometimes bringing their marriage with one of the world into friends meetings, and sometimes they would say they could not tell where to go, to get some faithfull friends in the wisdom of God to have a meeting upon it. So that things grew to be so loose, and some so careless, that sometimes it bred disquietness, betwixt parents and children, and amongst friends; for many times some would mingle with the world, and stand up, and take one another in friends meetings. Nay, sometimes the loose ones of the world would stand up and take one another in friends meetings, friends not knowing who they were nor whence they came, of purpose to save their money, which the priest would ask for marrying of them: neither were there in many places, any registers, or certificates made of such things. And when I was moved round the nation, to set up the men and womens meetings, or to write to those places where I could not go, that all the faithfull might keep their meetings in the power of God, and in it to be setled and established; and that all marriages might be laid before the men and womens meetings, who was in the wisdom of God and in the possession of his gospell order, who had the care of the church of Christs busines, that they in the wisdom of God might look into it, and see, that

go

they were clear from all other persons, and that their relations were satisfied, and so that they might come together to the men and womens meetings. Ffirst to the women, that if the women might know any thing by the woman, that it might be stopt there, and never come so far as the men; and so that they might lay it before the mens and womens meetings and wait till the next monthly meeting, to see if any thing might be found betwixt the meetings; that so they might declare it before some particular persons and might have a meeting upon it, before the next men and womens monthly or quarterly meetings; and so to make all things clear, that Gods unspotted truth might not be blemished. And all things being found clear, at their second coming to the men and womens meetings, they might then appoint a meeting of faithfull friends, not under 12, but as many above that number as they would, with as many of the world and their relations as they would, where they might take one another before God and his people; and the faithfull friends then present to be witnesses thereof, and subscribe to a certificate with their names, and the day and year when it was accomplished: and if he or she came out of another county, they might bring a certificate of their clearnes, from that monthly or quarterly county meeting unto which they did belong. So that all things might be done in truth and righteousnes; for marriage is honourable in all, the bed being undefiled; for it is Gods joyning and not mans in the restoration, as it was before the fall; and we marry none but are witnesses of it. And if they be widows and have children, before their marriage be concluded the men and womens meetings are to see into it, and that which her former husband did order or leave for his children by will or deed, or otherwise was in his mind, is to be ordered for his children, according to equity and truth, before their marriage be concluded. Now a great deal of trouble about these things we had, before the men and womens meetings were established, and the marriages coming before them to be ordered in the wisdom of God, and things were done loosely as before is said, being not done as was at first ordered; not being laid before the faithfull friends, in the wisdom of God to see into it. And therefore now that excuse is generally taken away from all; they cannot say now that they cannot tell where to find a meeting of the faithfull, to lay their marriages before them, before they declare it in their common publick meetings. Now that the men and womens meetings are setled in the power of God, to look after the churches affairs, and all knows where they may be found, at certain days, times and places, to lay it before them as before is mentioned. And they that goes together in the truth and power of God, will lay their marriages before them that be in the same truth and power of God, So that all things may be done in truth love and unity, and purenes and cleanes and holynes, to the praise and glory of God. And all whosoever they be that opposes this gospell order, are loose spiritts out of the power of God, and their work tends to loosnes and to draw into a loose liberty, under a deceitfull pretence of keeping people out of forms. So the same power and spirit that directed all marriages to be laid before the faithfull at the first, when there was but few friends in many parts of the nation and no mens nor womens meetings-I say, the same power of God that did convince friends at the first, the same power and spirit set up the mens and womens meetings, that they might be in the possession of the gospell, the power of God, and its order. And the same power and spirit of God set up our order of our marriages in our men and womens meetings; and that all are to speak first to the parents and have their consent, before they draw out the affections of the daughter; and this order is setled by the power of God, in all the men and womens meetings; for many formerly did speak to neither father nor mother, till they had drawn out and entangled the affections of the daughter, and that brought great troubles and discontent upon the Parents and among friends. And therefore this is to be enquired into, in the men and womens meetings, where the marriages are to be spoken of. So as friends come to truth, which the Devill is out of, and the power of God before the Devil was, all being heirs of life and the gospell and heires of

Christ, I say, take your possession of life, and come into the order of life, and into the order of the gospell; and then you will all have a witnes in yourselves, and will say with me, your order is not of man nor by man, but it is by Jesus Christ and his gospell order, and of his government, of the increase whereof there is no end. And so all be faithfull, keeping in your possessions, and in your inheritances, in that where no Apostacy can come. Ffor I must tell you there is the same spirit stirring, if it could prevaile, that would lay waste Gods heritage, and bring you out of your possessions, that it might rule over you But if you keep your possessions of the gospell order, the power of God in Christ Jesus, you will rule over it; being in and upon the foundation of God that stands sure, though some earthly loose spiritts it may draw after it. But mark the end of it, and what was the end of John Perrot and his spirit, who was so much against mens meetings, and cried they were forms, and so turned against the power of God, till he and it ran out of all forms. But the power remains and will remain, and the seed reigns upon [over] the head of all such false spiritts, and orders and governments, that is not set up by Jesus Christ; and it will grinde them to pieces, that is the word of the Lord God to you. Let whoever will oppose it. Ffor the power was before they were, and will stand when they are gone. Ffor all our men and womens meetings which are set up by the power and spirit of God, these meetings are for the practise of religion, and to see, that all that does profess truth, do practise it, and walk in it; and all such as are against them, are begetters but of talkers, and not walkers; and of sayers, but not doers; and such alwayes were judged by all them that walkt in truth, and in the pure religion, that is undefiled before God; that kept and keeps from the spots of the world; and all such are never like to prosper, that are against the practisers of religion. And therefore as I said before, live in the possession of the gospell, and its order before the devill was or the Apostacy either, and know his government, of the increase whereof there is no end, who is set up from everlasting to everlasting, the Amen. And live in love and unity one with another; for that edifyes the body of Christ, and that is it, which will bear all things, and the patience will run the race, and have the crown; and keep in the lowly Lamb, that will have the victory. And such as cry against formes, and prescriptions and edicts of men, they are the most in them this day, and gather into a separation by prescriptions and subscriptions; and under a pretence of crying against such things, cry against the power, and them that be in the possession of it. But the power will blast them, and make them to wither like the grass and corn on the house-tops, as it did John Perrot and his company; to whom it was the word of the Lord then, and so it is to these now; and the word lives and abides, and endures for ever. So with my love in the Lord Jesus Christ to you all, in whom is my labour and travells for your eternall good, and your eternall settlement upon the eternall rock, Amen, Farewell. Swarthmore the 12th of the 12th month 1675."

G. F.

ART. IV.-Fate of Sabbath Observance Legislation.

See Vol. 1, p. 289–296, and Vol. 2, p. 177-184.

From the GLOBE paper: July 19th, 1834. ،، The last of the [three or four] Sunday Bills was ultimately lost last night, by a majority of four [against it] in a very thin house. Nothing can be more evident than the indisposition of the House of Commons to legislate upon this subject, which has been evinced both negatively and positively, in the most significant manner. Indeed, the negative display has been upon the whole more indicative of the temper of the House than the positive: for this reason, that few members like to shock the honest convictions of any respectable portion of their constituents, however firmly they

may be convinced of the visionary and futile nature of the enactment and restrictions for which these are contending. In fact, there is no mode of altering confirmed habits and practices by rigid legislation; or of rendering people moral and devout by Act of Parliament !"

A reference to the passages in my two former volumes here pointed out will, I hope, secure me from the imputation of indifference to this point of Christian duty; or of a desire to see the laxity of the Continent introduced among us. It is clearly the province of those who administer the instruction of the day to persuade the careless and profane to listen. The gathered-church professor, who proposes to himself both duty and comfort in the observance, can scarcely need an Act of Parliament to move him to it. Ed.

ART. V.-POETRY: The Times of Alfred: a Fragment.

Ah! why should reigns despotic give the lie,
So oft to Freedom's vaunted theory?
Why is that virtue, all agree to praise,
Referr'd by all to past or future days?
Are laws when healthiest, ever, sound asleep,
Or do they but Exchequer vigils keep?
When Alfred had his lawful kingdom won,
Throughout he saw impartial justice done:
Yet not by terror, for the gibbet show'd
Not oft, as now, the foul opprobrious load.
Yet, then, Historians vouch, a man might lay
Untouch'd his purse upon the public way,
And virgin unmolested, tread the wild,

Where, erst no rose, unfenc'd by thorns, had smiled.
Then, all being bound good order to preserve,

No part, thus by the whole restrained, might swerve.
Be it, that partial records cheat our view:

In many points the picture must be true.-
And what was sound and practicable then,
E'er we had filled our populous hives of men
(Where vice may safely spawn, and hide it's head,
Nor blast of wholesome air, nor daylight dread)
May now to warmest hearts, a mere day-dream
The vision of some good Enthusiast, seem.
Yet why? "Tis plain the vigour of good health
Then only can pervade the commonwealth,
When, branching still thro' each minuter vein,
Flows power th' abuse of freedom to restrain;

NOTE: The reflections which appear in the latter part of this piece were suggested (now many years since) by the well known historical fact, of the distribution of the people under this monarch into TYTHINGS, a small municipal body, of ten neighbouring families, being made responsible, each freeman for the acts of himself and his nine neighbours severally, and the whole being obliged to deliver up an offender within a limited time, or suffer by a fine out of his (or their collective) property.