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seed, by the word of God, who feed upon the milk of the word, which liveth and abideth for ever.

And Christ said to his disciples, I am the true vine, my Father is the husbandman: abide in me, and I in you; as the branch cannot bring forth fruit of itself, except it abide in the vine, no more can ye except ye abide in me. I am the vine, ye are the branches, he that abideth in me, and I in him, the same bringeth forth much fruit; for without me ye can do nothing. If any man abideth not in me, he is cast forth as a branch, and is withered, and men gather them, and cast them into the fire, and they are burned.' John xv. 1 to 6. Here you may see, that none can bring forth fruit, except they abide in Christ the vine; for from him every branch receives its sap and nourishment, viz. from Christ, the vine tree, as they abide in him. And Micah saith, They shall sit every man under his vine, and under his fig tree, and none shall make them afraid, for the mouth of the Lord hath spoken it.' Mic. iv. 4.

And in Zech. iii. 10. In that day, saith the Lord of hosts, shall ye call every man his neighbour under the vine, and under the fig tree.' And is not this the day of Christ and his gospel of salvation, preached to every creature under heaven, to bring them into and under Christ the vine, so that they might bring forth fruit in him; for without him they cannot bring forth fruit? Now Christ is the great vine tree, who with his grace, truth, and light enlighteneth all that come into the world: so all that do abide in his light, grace, and truth, they are branches of Christ Jesus, and abide in Christ the great and flourishing vine, and in him they bring forth fruit; but if they do not abide in the light, spirit of grace and truth, that cometh from the vine, they cannot abide in Christ the vine, and then they are withered branches to be cast into the fire. So here you may see, Christ is the great vine that spreads over all the earth, and all are the true christians and the living branches that abide in him, and bring forth righteous holy fruit to the praise and glory of God.

And David saith, 'Thou hast brought forth a vine out of Egypt, and thou hast cast out the heathen, and planted it with thy right hand.' Psalm lxxx. 8. 15. And were not they the children of Israel, that God had planted with his right hand, (after he had thrown out the heathen, the rubbish,) whom he called the vine; and in Isa. v. he called the Jews' his vineyard, and he planted them a choice vine, and fenced it, and built a tower in the midst of it, and he looked for grapes, but it brought forth wild grapes ;' and the Lord said, 'this vine and vineyard was the house of Israel, and the men of Judah, that he had planted, that went into wickedness,' as you may see Isa. v. from ver. 1 to 10. And again, the Lord said, 'I had planted thee, (namely, the Jews,) a

noble vine, wholly of a right seed, how art thou returned into a degenerate plant of a strange vine unto me? Jer. ii. 21. Psalm xliv. 2. Ezek. xvii. 5. Here while the Jews kept to the good spirit of God, and to the Lord and his law, they kept within the hedge that fenced the vine, and 'sat every one under his vine, and under his fig tree' in safety. 1 King. iv. 25. And then their vines gave a good smell to the Lord, as in Cant. ii. 13. And when the vines do flourish, which are compared to the church, and the tender grapes appear, such come to bring forth fruit to the Lord, as in Cant. vii. 11.

And Solomon saith, 'They made me keeper of the vineyard, but my own vineyard I have not kept.' Cant. xvi. And they that do not keep their own vineyard, they are not like to keep others. And Christ 'speaketh a parable to the Jews, of a certain householder which planted a vineyard, and hedged it round about, and digged a wine press in it, and built a tower, and let it out to husbandmen, &c. And when the time of fruit drew near, he sent his servants to the husbandmen, that they might receive the fruits of it; and the husbandmen took the servants and beat one, and killed another, and stoned another. And again, he sent other servants, more than the first, and they did unto them likewise; and at last he sent his son, saying, surely they will reverence my son; but when the husbandmen saw the son, they said among themselves, come let us kill him, and let us seize of the inheritance, and it shall be ours; and they caught the son, and cast him out of the vineyard, and slew him. And Christ asked the Jews, when the Lord therefore of the vineyard cometh, what will he do with the husbandmen? And the Jews answered Christ, and said unto him, he will miserably destroy these husbandmen, and let the vineyard unto other husbandmen, which will render him the fruits in due season.' Matt. xxi. 33, to the end. Mark xii. 1. Luke xx. 9. Jer. ii. 21. Isa. v. 1. For the chief priests, Pharisees, and the Jews perceived that Christ spake this parable of them, and they had given judgment against themselves, and were so angry, they sought to lay hands on Christ, but they feared the multitude, which took him for a prophet.

And here all the persecutors in Christendom may see in this parable the persecuting Jews, which beat, and stoned, and killed the servants of God, and at last killed the heir that came to look for heavenly fruits amongst them, and at last God sent his son, and they killed him. And this parable may serve for all the persecuting Jews and Christians in the world, who make an outward profession of the new and old testament, and beat, persecute, and kill God's servants, that he sends to seek for spiritual heavenly fruits amongst them.

And will not the Jews' judgment that they gave against themselves, come upon such Christians, that the Lord will miserably destroy these

wicked husbandmen, and let out the vineyard to other husbandmen, that will render him the fruits in their season. This was the Jews' judgment upon themselves, who had beat, killed, and stoned God's servants, and at last killed the heir which came to look for heavenly spiritual fruits amongst them. And therefore let all the beaters, killers, and persecutors of God's servants concerning religion, see which way they can escape the judgment and sentence upon themselves, or get off that judgment before mentioned, as in Matt. xxi. 41.

Again it is said in Deut. xxxiii. Moses commanded us a law for an inheritance of the congregation of Jacob.' So the law which Moses received from God in Mount Sinai, was an inheritance for the congregation of Jacob in the old covenant and old testament, which had served till Christ the seed came, who is the end of the law, and the end of that inheritance. For the apostle saith, Christ is the end of the law for righteousness' sake, to every one that believeth.' So he is the end of that inheritance. And as the apostle saith, Christ hath redeemed us from under the law.' And so Christ redeems from under and out of that inheritance, namely, the law that came by Moses, and is the end of that inheritance. For the apostle saith, While Moses is read, the vail is over the heart.' But that vail is done away in Christ; for Moses had a vail over his face, &c. when he brought the law to the children of Jacob for an inheritance, in the old testament.

And so, while Moses was read, and the old testament vail was over the Jews' hearts, yet when it is turned to the Lord, the vail shall be done away by Christ, who is the end of the law for righteousness' sake to every one that believeth; and he that believeth is entered into Christ, his eternal rest.

So now, if the law was given for an inheritance of the children of Jacob in the old testament and old covenant, which served till Christ the seed came in his new covenant and new testament; then is the law of the spirit of life, which is in Christ Jesus, that which makes people free from the law of sin and death, and to all the children of the new covenant and new testament, the inheritance, in which inheritance they serve God in the newness of life, and in the new and living way. And so, is not the law of life, love, and faith an inheritance for all the children of light in the new covenant and new testament, for them to inherit, possess, enjoy, and walk in? For all God's saints are in his hand, and he loveth them, and they are humbled at his feet, to receive his words.' Deut. xxxiii. 23. 4.

The ministration of death or condemnation, written and engraven in stones, was glorious, so that the children of Israel could not steadfastly behold the face of Moses, for the glory of his countenance, which glory was done away by Christ.' So that outward glory which Moses with a

vail covered and hid, in the old covenant and testament, was done away by Christ; for we all, (in the new covenant and testament,) with open face beholding, as in a glass, the glory of the Lord, are changed into the same image, from glory to glory, by the spirit of the Lord.' So in the new covenant and new testament this is a spiritual image and glory, and an inward glory, which is not to be done away, but remains, and all who profess christianity are to mind that, that they may enjoy it. G. F.

To all Kings, Princes, Rulers, Governors, Bishops, and Clergy, that profess christianity in Christendom.

Being a distinction between the laws, commandments, and ordinances of the higher powers, for the punishment of evil doers, and for the praise of them that do well.

And the ordinances, doctrines and commands of men, concerning religion and worship, which are not to be touched, tasted nor handled. And the hand writing of ordinances among the Jews, which Christ hath blotted out. By G. F.

You all owning one God, the Father, the creator of all, and one Lord Jesus Christ, by whom all things were created; and you all do profess that you own one God, and Christ Jesus, and believe in him. And Christ said to them that believe in him, ' A new commandment I give unto you, that YOU LOVE ONE ANOTHER, AS I HAVE LOVED YOU; by this shall all men know that ye are my disciples, if you have love one to another.' John xiii. 34, 35.

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Now let all that profess christianity in christendom, and that say, they believe in Christ, see how they have obeyed this command of Christ; for Christ saith, If any man loves me, he will keep my word and sayings; and it is he that loveth me that hath my commandments, and keepeth them.' John xiv. 11. 21. 23. Here you may see how Christ's disciples are known to be true christians, by loving one another. And again, Christ saith, 'LOVE YOUR ENEMIES, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you and persecute you.' Matt. v. 44. Luke vi. 27. So here you may see that christians which are the disciples of Christ, and learners, and followers of him: First, they are to love one another, by which they are known to be the disciples of Christ. Secondly, they are to love their enemies; yea them that be enemies of Christ, and enemies of christianity; and if such enemies of Christ and christianity should

curse the christians, yet they are to bless and not curse them again. But bless them that curse you, and pray for them that persecute you; bless and curse not.' Rom. xii. 14. Matt. v. 44. So christians are not to curse one another; no, they are forbidden to curse their persecutors, or to curse them again that curse them, but bless and curse not. These are the commands of Christ and the apostles, to be obeyed by them that profess Christ, and believe in him; and they that love Christ, will keep his commandments.

And Christ saith, that Christians should do good to them that hate them, and pray for them which despitefully use them, and persecute them.' So it is clear that all christians that believe in Christ Jesus, should not persecute one another, nor curse one another, nor despitefully use one another, but love one another; for they should not curse, hate, despitefully use nor persecute their enemies, but love them, bless them that do curse them, and do good to them that hate them, and pray for them that persecute them. And these are the commands of Christ; and they that love Christ, will keep his commands; and he that loveth him not, keepeth not his commands nor sayings.' John xiv. 24.

Now here you may see that christians are to love one another, and to love enemies; so they are not to curse, hate, and despitefully use one another, no, not their enemies; but to love them, do good to them, and pray for them, and bless them, though they do curse, hate, despitefully use, and persecute christians. So here is the spirit of persecution quite shut out (which is got up since the apostles' days) from among christians, by the power and spirit of Christ Jesus; that christians should neither curse, hate, despitefully use nor persecute one another; for they are not to persecute enemies, but to do good to them, and love them. And christians are to bless them that curse them, and are not to curse again; and they are not to hate, despitefully use or persecute enemies, but to love them and pray for them. Here you may see the virtue and nobility of true christianity is clear of the spirit of persecution, both from among themselves, and to enemies; and all will confess to this that have the spirit of Christ; and they 'that have not are none of his.' Rom. viii. 9. And then you may see, how hath this persecuting spirit risen in that which is called Christendom since the apostles' days. Now every sect in Christendom when they have gotten the magistrates' power to maintain their sect with outward laws and carnal weapons, then they will say, Let every soul be subject to the higher powers,' &c. Rom. xiii. and submit yourselves to every ordinance of man for the Lord's sake, whether it be to the king, as supreme, or unto governors, as unto them that are sent by him for the punishment of evil doers, and for the praise of them that do well.' 1 Pet. ii. 13, 14. And

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