and apostles, and transformers of themselves like to the apostles of Christ, and would have the church to try such, and have the same judgment as he had. 2 Cor. xi.

'Peter judged Ananias and Sapphira, and the thoughts of Simon Magus, who would have been a worker of miracles for money. Was not all this judgment in divine matters? the apostle Paul judged the preachers of circumcision both in the Romans and Galatians. For it was the faith and liberty of those preachers to preach up circumcision, though it was a wrong faith. Did not the apostle here again judge in divine matters?

'James judged in matters of faith, and manifested the living faith from the dead one. He also judged in matters of religion, the vain religion from the pure religion, and distinguished them.

'Paul judged of the "false brethren that would spy out the liberty of the true, to whom he would give no place by subjection, no not for an hour, that the truth of the gospel might continue with the saints." Gal. ii. Did not the apostle here judge in divine matters? and he judged concerning the matters of the gospel, when some came to pervert them with another gospel, and said, "The gospel which I received is not of man neither was I taught it, but by the revelation of Jesus Christ." Gal. i. 12. So here was a judgment to distinguish the gospel of Christ from all other gospels which were accursed, which after man are received of man and taught of man, and not by the revelation of Jesus Christ. Gal. i. And he had judgment to know, "Who made the gospel chargeable, and who kept it without charge."

He set up a judgment in the church, that the believers should not be unequally yoked, and to see when men had a communion in the light, and when they had it in darkness, when with Christ and when with Baal, with the believer and unbeliever, with the temple of God, and with idols, as in 2 Cor. vi. Did he not set up a clear judgment here in divine matters in the church?

And the apostle judged such libertines through their knowledge that could sit at meat in the idol temple, which caused the weak brother to perish, through his knowledge and liberty, for whom Christ died. These, it is like, did profess it was their faith, and their liberty, yet did not keep in the unity of the true faith, but went astray to destroy it. 1 Cor. viii.

'Peter gives judgment upon the angels that sinned and were cast down into hell, of the state of the old world, and of Sodom, and the state of the false prophets then amongst them, that could speak great swelling words of vanity, and whilst they promised them liberty were themselves the servants of corruption. Had not Peter here a judgment in divine matters? These were such, whose work was to bring into bondage, being like the dog and sow that were washed; which shows

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that they had been washed, but were turned into the mire again. The apostle Paul had a judgment upon such with their fair words and men's wisdom, that deceived the hearts of the simple, and upon such as served not the Lord Jesus Christ, but their own bellies, and were enemies to the cross of Christ." He had a judgment and discerning who lived in the cross of Christ, and who did not, and exhorted all to live in the cross of Christ, the righteous power of God, that slew all deceit and the deeds of the old man; agreeable to Christ's words, "He that will be my disciple, must take up his cross, and follow me." Was not here a judgment again in divine matters, of such as walked in the divine power, and such as did not?

'Christ sets up a judgment in his seven churches, and commends them that did keep in his judgment, and had tried them which said, "They were apostles," who might pretend they were sent of God and Christ, and were not; but the church of Christ had found them liars. Christ commended this judgment of the church of Ephesus, because they had "not borne with them that were evil, but had tried those false apostles ;" and Christ commends this church, for that they had "hated the deeds of the Nicolaitans, which he also hated;" and had not these Nicolaitans sprung from Nicholas, one of the deacons? and were not those become a sect of christians? though they might talk and preach of Christ, yet Christ hated their doctrine.

'Christ saith to the church of Smyrna, "I know the blasphemy of them which say they are Jews, and are not; but are of the synagogue of satan." So the church is to have a judgment upon these blasphemers, and is to distinguish the Jews in the spirit from such as are not, but of the synagogue of satan.

'The church in Pergamos Christ had a "few things against, because, (said he,) thou hast there them that hold the doctrines of Balaam, &c. And also them that hold the doctrine of the Nicolaitans, which I hate." These that held the doctrine of Balaam, and the doctrine of the Nicolaitans, were got into the church, and might look upon themselves to be high christians, and take great liberty to go into Balaam's and Nicholas' doctrine, which was hated by Christ; but the church was to keep a spiritual and divine judgment upon the heads of all these.

'To the church of Thyatira, saith Christ, "I have a few things against thee, because thou sufferest the woman Jezebel to teach, which seduces my people," &c. Here was a suffering which should have been a judgment by Christ's spirit upon that Jezebel which was erred from his spirit, and so from Christ. Such as these were high preachers. Is not the church to beware of suffering such now, lest she should come under the reproof of Christ for not passing judgment against the false teacher and seducer?

The church of Sardis "had a name to live, but was dead, and her works were not found perfect before God." There is a judgment to be set up in the church, to judge all imperfect works, and such as would have a name, but not the nature; a name to live yet are dead. The living of every member of the true church must be in Christ their life. These living members live to his name. This church had a few names "who had not defiled their garments, that did walk in white;" but such as have a name to live but are dead, whilst they are in a dead state cannot walk in white, nor judge in divine matters. "Behold," said Christ, "I will make them of the synagogue of satan, which say they are Jews, but are not, but do lie; behold, I will make them to come and to worship before my feet."

'And to the church of Laodicea, that was "neither hot nor cold, but lukewarm; I would thou wert either hot or cold: I will spew thee out of my mouth, because thou saidst thou wast rich, and wanted nothing;" when they were "wretched, miserable, poor, blind, and naked." This was for want of living in the power and spirit of Christ. These could talk of high experiences and great enjoyments, but were naked, miserable, and blind; so lived not in the power, spirit, light, and righteousness of Christ, by which they might be clothed, and have the eternal riches. So the church of Christ had a spiritual judgment given to them that are faithful in his power and spirit and light, to judge of temporal things and the things of this life, and to judge of eternal and divine things and states, and of angels and wicked men, and such as go from truth, and of the states of election and reprobation, yea and of the devils who are out of truth; these being in Christ Jesus who is the first and last, from whom they have the eternal judgment, to judge eternal, spiritual, and divine things; and in this word of power and wisdom, by which all things were made and are upheld, to order all things to God's glory, and to judge of all things in righteousness.

The apostle judged, and set up a judgment in the church, of gifts, of prophecies, of mysteries, of faith, and of giving the body to be burned, and of giving goods to the poor, and of speaking with tongues of men and angels; that yet, if they had not love, all this was nothing, but as a sounding brass and tinkling cymbal. Therefore they are to be tried by the fruits of the good spirit, which is love. The apostle not only judged himself in divine matters, but set up a judgment in the church in those spiritual and divine matters.

'The apostle James judges of fountains and of fig-trees, of the wisdom below, and of the wisdom from above and the fruits of both. James iii. And Paul judged in divine matters, when he said, "The spirit spoke expressly, that in the latter times some should depart from the faith." 1 Tim. iv. He judged in divine matters, when he judged all those teachers

that were high-minded, and had got the form of godliness, but denied the power, and termed them like Jannes and Jambres, which withstood Moses coming out of outward Egypt, as these with their form of godliness oppose Christ and his power that brings them out of spiritual Egypt now. Was not he a judge here in divine matters, who judged such as had gotten the form of godliness but denied the divine power? 2 Tim. iii.

When the apostle Paul said, "The priesthood of Aaron was changed, and the law was changed, and the commandment disannulled, that gave them their tithes," did not he judge in divine and spiritual matters ? and was not the law spiritual, which served till the seed came ?

'Did not the apostle judge in divine and spiritual matters in the sixth of the Hebrews, where he saith, “Let us go on to perfection, not laying again the foundation of repentance from dead works, and of faith towards God, and of the doctrines of baptisms, and of laying on of hands, and of the resurrection of the dead, and of eternal judgment: and this will we do, if God permit," &c. and does not the apostle judge here, "That it was impossible for those who were once enlightened, and tasted of the heavenly gift, and were partakers of the holy ghost, and had tasted of the good word of God, and of the power of the world to come, if they shall fall away, to renew them again unto repentance, seeing they crucify to themselves the Son of God afresh, and put him to open shame?" Heb. vi. Were not these spiritual, eternal, and divine matters and states that the apostle judged of? and have not the saints the same judgment given unto them in the same spirit? Have not the apostles and the church a spiritual judgment to judge of prophets, mysteries, faith, apostles, angels, world, and the devil? And is not this judgment given them of God in divine matters, besides the judgment given them in matters pertaining unto this life?

'And had not they judgment to discern the true gospel from the false? and all such as had a profession of the form, and did not live in the power? and such as spoke of the things of God, in the words that man's wisdom did teach? which things of God were not to be spoken in the wisdom which man's words taught; but in the word which the holy ghost taught. Therefore did not the apostle exhort to know the power, and that their faith might stand in the power of God? that the kingdom of God stands not in word, but in power?

Had not all the prophets a judgment to judge in divine matters? as Jeremiah, when he judged the prophets; and Ezekiel judged all such as came with a pretence of the word of the Lord, using their tongues, and saying, "thus saith the Lord; when the Lord never spoke unto them." Jer. xxiii. Ezek. xiii. and many other places might be instanced. Did he not judge Hananiah, who prophesied falsely? and did not this Hananiah pretend to speak the word of the Lord to the priests and people? Jer. xxviii.

'Did not Isaiah judge in divine matters, when he judged the watchmen and the shepherds? Isa. lvi. Did not Micah judge in divine and spiritual matters, when he said, he" was full of the power by the spirit of the Lord, and of judgment?" Did not he judge of priests, prophets, and judges, though they would lean upon the Lord, and say, is not the Lord amongst us, and no evil can come unto us; yet did not he let them see their states and conditions, and "divided the precious from the vile?" Mich. iii. And so the rest of the prophets. You may see they judged for God in his divine matters, "who served him, and who served him not; who lived in truth, and who not ;" and likewise the apostles. And this divine, spiritual, heavenly judgment was given of God to his holy men and women.

They that judge in God's divine matters, must live in his divine spirit, power, and light now, as they did then; which spiritual and divine judgment Christ has given to his church, the living stones, and living members, that make up his spiritual household; to try Jews, apostles, and prophets; to try faiths and religions, trees and fruits, shepherds and teachers, and to try spirits. So the living members have a living divine judgment in the church of Christ, which he is the head of, the judge of all.

'Nay, the church has a power given them, which is farther than a judgment: for what they "bind on earth, is bound in heaven by the power of God;" and what they "loose on earth is loosed in heaven by the power of God." This power has Christ given to his living members, G. F. to Friends.

the church.

The 20th of the 12th month, 1685-6.'

I returned to London in the first month 1686, and set myself with all diligence to look after Friends' sufferings, which we had now some hopes of getting relief from. The sessions came on in the second month at Hicks' Hall, where many Friends had appeals to be tried; with whom I was from day to day to advise, and see that no opportunity was slipped, nor advantage lost and they generally succeeded well. Soon after, the king was pleased, upon our often laying our sufferings before him, ' to give order for the releasing all that were imprisoned for conscience sake; which were in his power to discharge.' Whereby the prison doors were opened, and many hundreds of Friends, some of whom had been long in prison, were set at liberty. Some of them, who had many years been restrained in bonds, came up to the Yearly Meeting, which was in the third month this year. This caused great joy to Friends, to see our ancient, faithful brethren again at liberty in the Lord's work, after their long confinement. And indeed a precious meeting we had; the refreshing presence of the Lord appearing plentifully with us and amongst us. After the VOL. II.

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