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people to Christ, the head; who were to go into all nations,' to preach the gospel of Christ, that they might believe in Christ their head.

And when the apostle said to the Colossians, let no man judge you in meats or drinks, or in respect of an holy day, or new moons, or sabbath day; which were shadows of good things to come: but the body is of Christ, who is the substance of all the shadows.' And so you may see what sort they were, that did not hold Christ the head, and would beguile people of the reward they had from him their head. And therefore, saith he, if ye were dead with Christ from the rudiments of the world:' they were not to touch, taste nor handle the ordinances, doctrines or commandments of men, though they had never such a shew of will-worship; for these neglected the body, and did not hold Christ the head.

And therefore, they that do not hold Christ the head of the church, have lost their reward from him, and do neglect the body, and are in the doctrines, ordinances, and commands of men, and the rudiments of the world; and so in the rudiments of the world they are alive, and not dead with Christ from them; and such may make heads of their own for their bodies, when they have none upon them, as the papists do; and when one is dead, may make another, and may persecute, prison, and kill such as cannot own him to be the head of their church; and then set all their body on persecuting as long as (that) their head stands upon their body, as history and chronicles do testify. Yea, they evidence the bloody works of this head, (that the body hath made, and set upon it,) and the fruits of this bloody, persecuting body. It was never the works of the true head, nor true church to persecute any that owned Christ their heavenly and spiritual head; for Christ the true head of his church said, that he came not to destroy men's lives, but to save them; and he rebuked such as would have men's lives destroyed, and told them, they knew not what spirit they are of;' and likewise gave command to his church the true christians, (which he was head of,) that they should love one another, and love enemies; and his church confessed, that their weapons were spiritual, and their faith was their shield, which Christ was the author of. So he gave them this spiritual weapon, and the sword of the spirit, which was the word of God; and their armour was their light; and their helmet was salvation, and they were shod with the preparation of the gospel of peace, &c.

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So these were the weapons of the true christian church, that held Christ to be their head; but the apostate church, called christian, (that is without a head, till they have made one,) their weapons are carnal, and not spiritual.

And they must all come to the true light, which Christ doth enlighten every one that cometh into the world withal; which is the life in Christ;

and believe in it, if they come to the true head, and be grafted into him. For both he that sanctifieth, and they that are sanctified, are all of one;' for which cause he is not ashamed to call them brethren, saying, I will declare thy name unto my brethren, in the midst of the church will I sing praise to thee.' Heb. ii. 11, 12.

And likewise, they must come to the grace and truth, which comes by Jesus Christ, in their hearts and inward parts, if they will come to Christ the head.

And also, they must come to the spirit of God within, and the anointing within, and let Christ dwell in their hearts, and the word of God to hammer down, cut down, and burn up that which hath separated from God and Christ, which they are apostatized into, if they will come to Christ their head, who will reconcile them to God.

And give over making of faiths, and look unto Jesus the author and finisher of the true faith. And give over making of ways, and come to Christ the new and living way, which the true christians were in, in the apostles' days. And give over making of heads, and come to the light of Christ, which will turn people to Christ their head, and give them the knowledge of him their head. 2 Cor. iv. Ephes. i. 22.

And give over making of religions, and come to the religion which is pure and undefiled before God, which will keep them from the spots of the world; and then they will be ashamed of that imaginary doctrine of a purgatory, (to cleanse or purge them in, when they are dead,) and of all the heads and likenesses, and images they have made.

And give over making of worships, and come to the worship that Christ set up above sixteen hundred years ago, in the spirit and in the truth and so lay away their own worships with all their carnal weapons, by which they have persecuted in this night of apostacy, and come to take up Christ's spiritual weapons.

And give over making of ministers at schools and colleges, by natural arts, tongues, &c. and come to Christ, who is ascended on high, and gives gifts unto men for the work of the ministry, &c.

Now Concerning Mediators.

You in the apostacy, who look that Mary and other saints should be mediators for you to Christ or God; this is not catholic doctrine, neither is it from such as do hold Christ the head of the church; but from such as have apostatized from him.

For the apostle saith, Heb. viii. 6. speaking of Christ, he is the Mediator: and, Christ is the Mediator of the New Testament; and the saints were come to Jesus the Mediator of the new covenant: and this was the 'general assembly of the church of the first born written in heaven, who was come to God the judge of all, and to the spirit of just men made per

fect; and (as it was said before,) to Jesus the Mediator. Heb. xii. 24. For God would have all men to be saved, and to come to the knowledge of the truth: For there is one God, and one Mediator betwixt God and men, the man Christ Jesus, who gave himself a ransom for all, to be testified in due time.' 1 Tim. ii. to vi.

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Now it is clear, there is but one Mediator betwixt God and men, the man Christ Jesus, who is head of his church; and whosoever hath set up, or do set up other mediators betwixt God and man, than the man Christ Jesus, are in the apostacy from the apostles' doctrine, and follow their own doctrines, and not the apostolical doctrine; for he is the one Mediator betwixt God and man, the one eternal, living God, creator of all, and Christ Jesus, by whom were all things, who gave himself a ransom for all men; he is the alone one Mediator betwixt God and man, who is the only head of his church, and his church do testify him so to be, that are come to Jesus, their Mediator; who hath made their peace betwixt them and God, and so hath received him; who is come, and hath given them an understanding to know him; and they that have him, have life everlasting.

The 10th month, 1678.

G. F.

Postscript.

AND there is one faith, which Christ is the author and finisher of, which all must look unto Jesus for this saving, holy, precious, and divine faith, which purifieth the heart, and is the victory; in which they have access to God, in which faith they do please God. And this is the catholic faith, which we are of.

And Christ is the head of his church, that be gathered out of the whole world into his name; and he is in the midst of them a prophet, and a priest, and a shepherd, and a bishop, and a counsellor, and a king to rule in the hearts of his church, and to exercise those offices in his church.

And Christ set up one worship in the spirit and in the truth, for all the children in the new covenant, which be Jerusalem, (that is from above,) her children's worship. For outward Jerusalem was in Canaan, and at the temple, where the outward Jews did worship in the old covenant, which worship Christ abolished, when he set up the worship in his new covenant, in spirit and in the truth for Jerusalem, which is above, and her children.

And there is but one cross which crucifieth people to the world, which cross of Christ is the power of God.

And the apostles in their days, did exalt Christ in the church, the Interceder, to make intercession for the saints to God; who said, that Christ ever liveth to make intercession for his people, and he is able to save them to the utmost, that come to God by him.' So, none of the deceased

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saints did mediate, or intercede, or make intercession for the living saints; though the saints were to pray one for another, while they were living upon the earth. and the prayers of the saints availeth much while they are living; but when they are deceased, and fallen asleep, to pray to them, either to be mediators or interceders, or to make intercession to them, it is neither catholic.faith, nor catholic doctrine; but an invention, as praying for the dead to deliver them out of purgatory. For Christ is the foundation of God's holy house of living stones, and the rock which his house is built upon; which rock the gates of hell cannot prevail against: For the foundation of God standeth sure.'

END OF VOL. V.

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