have made shipwreck; and such may say, prophecy is ceased, and a good conscience too; and that faith is ceased that works by love, which purifies the heart, and gives victory over the body of sin, (which they plead for to the grave,) amongst them that were amongst the apostles: and then ye may say, 'revelation is ceased, and grace is ceased, that brings salvation, and the knowledge of God and Christ (which is by revelation,) is ceased.' But the revelation of the wrath and judgments of God such will feel, which is to be revealed from heaven against all that hold the truth in unrighteousness, and not in the spirit of revelation, that gave it forth.

And the prophets, apostles, and Christ himself did not suffer by their persecutors as true prophets, but were persecuted by them as false prophets: though the persecutors then might get the words of the true prophets, as they have done since the apostles' days, that persecuted them that kept the testimony of Jesus, the spirit of prophecy, and had the true revelation of Jesus, they persecuted them as false prophets, as their forefathers did the prophets, Christ and the apostles; and so they do now, who have not been in the life and spirit of the prophets, Christ nor the apostles, nor in their power; so they were not in the spirit that gave forth scriptures, that persecuted Christ and his apostles, neither are they now that do persecute.

And they that turned against Moses and the prophets were transgressors of the law of God. So here you may see, that birth that is born of the flesh, persecuted that birth that is born of the spirit, which had the revelation of the Son of God, and kept the testimony of Jesus. And are not you of the same birth, that say, 'you have not the same spirit as Christ and the apostles had;' then are not you, by your own judgment and rule, none of his ?

Now you that say, prophecy is ceased, the apostle tells you, 'that greater is he that prophesieth, than he that speaketh with tongues.' So then the greater is ceased among you.

And the apostle tells the church, but he that prophesieth, speaketh unto men to edification, and to exhortation, and to comfort.' Now, you that call yourselves apostles and teachers, and say, prophecy is ceased, then edification, exhortation and instruction is ceased amongst you.

And the apostle saith, that prophesying serveth not for them that believe not, but for them that believe.' So may not you as well say, believing is ceased, as the service of God is ceased.

And again, the apostle saith, 'ye may all prophesy one by one, that all may learn, and all may be comforted.' So if prophecy be ceased among you, then this learning is ceased, and this comforting is ceased. And again, the apostle saith, wherefore brethren, covet to prophesy.' Now you are of another mind, that say, it is ceased in your church, as

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you may see in 1 Cor. xiv. the chapter throughout; for if any man be ignorant let him be ignorant.

And also, the apostle bids the Thessalonians, quench not the spirit,' and you tell us, that you have not the same spirit as they had in the primitive times:' then you may say, how can you quench it, when you have it not?' then with what do you read the scriptures, but follow your own spirits, like the false prophets, and see nothing?

And the apostle bids the Thessalonians, despise not prophesying.' But you do not only despise it, but you deny it, for any such thing as prophecy to be in your church in your day; so you deny the true edification, and comfort, and learning, which was and is in the church of Christ, as you may see in 1 Thes. v. and in 1 Cor. xiv. &c.

And now concerning them which deny Inspiration nowadays.

G. F.

IN Job. xxxii. 8. 'surely there is a spirit in man, but the inspiration of the Almighty giveth understanding.' [Mark,] the inspiration of the Almighty giveth understanding.

Now all you that deny the inspiration of the Almighty, in these your days, to give you understanding; then pray you, what understanding have you? is it not that which must come to naught? for it is written, 'I will destroy the wisdom of the wise, and will cast away the understanding of the prudent.' 1 Cor. i. 19, &c.

And in 2 Tim. iii. 16. for all scriptures is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable,' &c. ' that the man of God may be made perfect in all good works;' not the men of the world, for they deny perfection.

Now if all holy scripture be given forth by inspiration of God, how can ye know the scriptures that say, 'inspiration is ceased?'

For the natural man perceiveth not the things of God; for they are foolishness to him.' And so was not the prophets' and apostles' words foolishness to the natural men in their natural profession?

And is it not so now to you christians, with all your tongues and languages, that say, inspiration has ceased, and yet, no man knows the things of God but by the spirit of God.' So as the scriptures were given forth by the inspiration of God, so they are known again by the same spirit. And therefore, Christ saith, 'I will send you the spirit of truth, he shall lead you into all truth, and he shall bring to your memory the things that I have spoken, and he shall shew you things to come,' and so make them prophets; and he shall take of mine, and give unto you.' So by this the apostles did know the scriptures, though they were unlearned men, many of them, outwardly: for the Holy Ghost led them into the truth of the prophets and holy men of God, which spake forth scriptures as they were moved by the Holy Ghost, and shewed the fulfilling

of them by Christ; and it brought to their memories what Christ had spoken to them, which after they did record it, as you may see in the four evangelists. So the scriptures, which were given forth by divine inspiration of God, is known again by divine inspiration of God. And they that deny divine inspiration of God nowadays, know not the scriptures, that were given forth by inspiration, and therefore they are all in heaps about them and are not like to know them but by that spirit that gave them forth, that key that will open them, and that tongue of the learned and without it they cannot read the book, though they have all the languages upon the earth, but have not the spirit of inspiration nowadays, as they confess; then they had better be still, and wait upon the Lord for it; else they will be found of the number of them that run, and the Lord never sent them, and speak when the Lord never spoke unto them, (and come under the reproof of God, and his prophets, and the scriptures,) but know none of God's inspiration; for they that have inspiration, have the power and spirit they had which gave forth the scriptures: and they that have the form of godliness, and deny the power and spirit as the apostles were in, are to be turned away from; for the apostle saith, turn away from such; for they keep people always learning, and never able to come to the knowledge of the truth. Seeing the scriptures were given forth by divine inspiration, and are the things of God, they are not known again but by inspiration of the Holy Ghost, which leads into all truth. And the inspiration of the Almighty gives the understanding; and you that deny inspiration, deny this heavenly understanding. And you that have all the scriptures, from Genesis to the Revelations, yet you know them not with your natural spirit of understanding, nor by all the tongues and languages since Babel; for none know them but by the spirit of inspiration that gave them forth.

G. F.

Now concerning the Measure of the Spirit, as God hath dealt to every man.

IN Rom. xvii. 3. it is written, for I say, through the grace that is given unto me, to every one that is among you, that no man presume to understand above that which is meet to understand, that he understand according to sobriety, as God hath dealt to every man the measure of faith.' So you may see here, that the apostle himself, and he would have the church, not to presume to understand any further, but as God hath dealt to every man the measure of faith; if they did, they did presume above their measure: so, to understand as God hath dealt to every man the measure of faith, this keeps every man in the faith and in the grace, in their measure. But you that have not the same faith, which works by love, which Christ is the author and finisher of, and walk despitefully against the spirit of grace, and turn from it into wantonness,

are in the presumption, that would understand without the faith, and the grace and light. You go beside the apostle's doctrine, and the measure of faith, the measure of which God hath dealt to every man. So every man must look at the grace and faith which God hath dealt to him through Christ Jesus, who is the author of it and finisher, and understand and walk by it, which was the practice of the true church, and exhortation of the true ministers.

And the apostle saith, in 2 Cor. x. how the weapons of their warfare were not carnal, but mighty through God to cast down strong holds, casting down the imaginations, and every high thing that is exalted against the knowledge of God, and bringing into captivity every high thought, to the obedience of Christ,' &c. Now, here was the spiritual warfare, and the spiritual weapons; for,' saith he,' we dare not make ourselves of the number, nor compare ourselves to them who praise themselves; but they understand not that they measure themselves with themselves:' this was a wrong measure and understanding, which the apostle durst not make himself of the number of such as did so, who kept to his own measure, neither can they who keep to the measure which God hath distributed to them. But do not you now measure yourselves by yourselves, and praise yourselves, who own not the measure, and do not come to the measure that God hath distributed? and do not you say, that God doth not distribute immediately now, as he did in the apostles' days?'

And further, the apostle saith, but we will not rejoice in things without our measure, but according to the measure of the rule, wherewith God had distributed unto us a measure to reach even unto you.' So here the apostles kept their joy within the measure of the rule that God had distributed to them: for he saith, for we stretch not ourselves beyond our measure.' So here again he kept within the measure God had distributed to them; and likewise, would have the church to do the same.

And further, the apostle saith, not boasting of things which are without our measure, that is, of other men's labours; and we hope when your faith shall increase, to be magnified by you, according to our rule, abundantly.' Now, see here what was the apostle's rule, which they stretched not beyond, and did not boast out of it, nor did boast of other men's labours; but this measure and this rule was that which God had distributed unto them: and you that have gone from this rule and measure, are not you boasting of other men's labours; (to wit,) of the prophets and apostles, and call that your rule, and praising yourselves and measuring yourselves, and stretching yourselves besides that measure and rule which God hath distributed to them, and which the apostle was in, and exhorted others unto; and also are boasting of things besides this

measure and rule which God doth distribute to his church and to the apostles: so by this measure and rule they were to walk, which God had distributed to them, then and now, by which measure and rule they knew the scriptures and the things of God, which rule and measure God had distributed to them.

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And further, the apostle saith, that they did not rejoice or boast in other men's lines, or in things made ready to our hand,' or prepared already. So here you may see, the apostles kept to the rule and line that God had distributed to them. Now, do not you rejoice and boast in other men's lines nowadays; that is, in things made ready to your hands, and prepared already, and say, 'that is your rule,' (to wit,) the prophets', Christ's and the apostles' words, which are other men's labours and lines, which they suffered for, for speaking forth the apostles', prophets' and holy men's labours, which you rejoice and boast in, which are other men's lines, prepared already to your hands.

And are not you against the measure of the light, of the grace, of the spirit of the faith now, which we witness, with the apostles? and you persecute such a measure of the rule which God hath distributed, which we rejoice in and walk by, with which we know you are boasting in other men's labours, that are made ready to your hands: but let him that rejoiceth, rejoice in the Lord, who distributes this measure; for, not he that praises himself, and looks on things after the outward appearance, is allowed; but he whom the Lord praises, that walks according to the measure of the rule, as God hath distributed to him; in this God hath the glory out of all hearts: and the vain rejoicer, and boaster, and comparers of themselves with themselves, which are not wise, and will boast of other men's labours and lines, and works made ready to their hands, that is kept down; for that boast and joy is not of the Lord, neither he that praises himself; I say, that is kept down by the measure of the rule which God distributes; in which measure and rule God hath his praise.

And the apostle saith 2 Cor. xii. 6, 7. 'lest any man should think of me above that he seeth in me, or heareth of me, lest I should be exalted above measure,' &c.

Now here you see the humility the apostle was in; he would have people, or the church, not to think of him above what they see in him, (to wit,) his measure, though he saw things not fit to be uttered; and when the messenger of Satan was sent to buffet him, and he besought the Lord thrice, the Lord's answer was to him, 'my grace is sufficient for thee, and my power and strength is made perfect in weakness:' and in this strength, power and grace did the apostle rejoice, and in his infirmities.

And the apostle saith in Ephes. iv. 7. but to every one of us is given