This is to all the PRISONERS And SUFFERERS, For the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and his Worship. And ye know that the word of God is not bound.  
Dear Friends,  
IN the seed of Life that's over all, whom the Lord work support and hath supported by his Eternal Arm and Power, to stand for his Glory, and be valiant for his Truth and his name upon the Earth, who is God all sufficient and Almighty, who is God over all to support you all, and to supply you with all things needful. Now dear Friends, it is not only given you to believe in the name of Christ, but also to suffer for his name sake; so you see and know 'tis a gift given you to believe, and a gift to suffer for Christ's sake and his Righteousness, but however, as Christ saith, be ye wise as Serpents, and harmless as Doves, for Christ's believers are as Sheep or Lambs among Wolves, and he hath declared how they shall be brought before Counsels, and before Rulers for his name sake: but Christ bids his Sheep, take no thought what they shall speak, for it shall be given you in that same hour what ye ought to speak, for it's not you that speak, but the Spirit of your Father that speaketh in you, and this Spirit of the Father is sufficient to trust to, for it shall answer all if they have Ears to hear, and comfort his People, his Lambs and Sheep. And Christ further said, speaking to his Sheep, ye shall be hated of all men for my name sake, but he that endureth to the end, the same shall be saved, and he that heareth Christ's Sheep heareth me, (saith Christ,) and he that despiseth you despiseth me, namely Christ, and he that despiseth me despiseth him that sent me, (to wit) the Father, Mat. 10. Luke 10. And the Disciple is not above his Master, nor the Servant above his Lord, for Christ the Lord and Master of the Sheep was despised, so it is enough for the Disciple that he be as his Master, and the Servant as his Lord, for if they call the Master of the House, namely Christ, Belzebub, how much more shall they call them of his Household, but the very Hairs of your head are all numbered, fear ye not therefore ye are of more value than many Sparrows, and not of them shall fall to the ground without the Heavenly Father, see here how Christ encourages his Lambs and Sheep, therefore stand in his will; and if the Lord suffer you who are his Lambs and Sheep and Doves and Chickens, that Christ hath gathered under his Wings, none are able to pluck you out of his hands, his power who hath all power in Heaven and Earth given to him, and now if it be the will of the Lord to try you his Lambs and Sheep, by spoiling of the outward goods, as he did his Servant Job and others of his Servants and Children, in the days of the Apostles, who took joyfully the spoiling of their goods, and Moses by Faith chose rather to suffer affliction with the People of God, then to enjoy the pleasures of sin, which are but for a season, esteeming the reproaches of Christ greater riches than the treasures of Egypt, for he had an Eye to the recompense of reward, as in Heb. Chap. 11.  
And therefore consider how Noah, Lot, Abraham, Isaac and Jacob by Faith served the Lord and went through sufferings and Trials, and Jeremiah and the rest of the Prophets through Faith, went through great sufferings and imprisonments, and Daniel and the 3 Children passed through great sufferings and Trials by Faith, so Faith was their Victory which was the gift of God, which Christ is the Author and finisher of, and you read in the days of the Apostles, what sufferings and Imprisonments they were carried through by Faith, and since the Apostles days how all the Martyrs were carried through great sufferings and Imprisonments by their Faith, which was their Victory, in which Faith they pleased God, and had Victory over the Devil, and in which Faith they were all in Unity. Now dear Friends and Brethren, if it doth please the Lord to try you, who are the believers in the Light, and Children of the Light and the day of Christ: I say again if it please the Lord, and be his will to try you in stinking Prisons and Dungeons, Bride-wells, Houses of Correction, and suffer you to be put in such places, who are his Sheep and Lambs, Doves and Chickens, Lyllies and Roses, Plants and Branches, I say the Lord can Sanctify all such places for his People, his Children, his Sons and Daughters, and make all pleasant to them, for his Sheep and People cannot go any where from the Lord, for the Lord and his presence is with them, and the Angel of his presence Suffers with them, and therefore such Goals and Dungeons, Bride-wells, Houses of Correction, which are for evil Doers, and if the Lord do try or suffer his People to be put in such places, his Lambs and Sheep, Lyllies and Roses, Doves and Chickens, yet they are all in the Hand and under the Wing of Christ, and he can Sanctify all such places to them; and you in that state are to pray for the Enemies that put you there, and if they curse and hate you, you are to bless them, and do good unto them, and you are to pray for them, that despitefully use you and persecute you, and love your Enemies, that you may be Children of your Father which is in Heaven, for he maketh the Sun to rise on the evil and on the good, and causeth his Rain to fall on the just and on the unjust. And the Apostle saith to the Believers, try all things, hold fast that which is good, so you holding fast that which is good, with that you can try all things, whether they be good or bad; and be not overcome with evil, but overcome evil with good: this is the command, so it is the good that must overcome the evil, and what hath the Children of God to overcome the evil withal, but the good; therefore than all must hold fast that which is good if that with the good they over come the evil, and can try all things; but when any do go from the good in themselves, than they are not like with it to overcome the evil, nor with it try all things, without holding fast that which is good, for without it you cannot try all things nor overcome the evil except you hold fast that which is good, which was before the bad was or evil either, for by the good evil is overcome, and with it you can try all things whether they be good or bad, and a good man David saith, he hath dispersed, he hath given to the poor, his Righteousness endureth forever, his Horn shall be exalted with Honour. They that choose the things that please the Lord, and keep his Covenant, even them will I give a name in my House and within my Walls, a place and a name better than of Sons and Daughters, saith the Lord, and I will give them an everlasting name which shall not be cut off, Isai. 56. So you may see how the Lord doth encourage his People to walk in the Truth, in Faithfulness to him, for the Lord hath loved his People with an everlasting love, therefore with lovingkindness hath he, and doth he draw them unto himself, to serve and worship him, Jer. 31. And Christ saith, he that believeth on him hath everlasting life, Mark, hath it, as in John 3. and again Christ saith, he that drinketh of the Water that I give, shall never thirst; but the Water that I shall give, shall be in him a well springing up to Eternal life, so every one mind this well in you who have drunk of the Water which Christ hath given you.  
And the Apostle saith, God will punish them that disobey his Gospel with an everlasting destruction from the presence of the Lord, and from the Glory of his power, 2 Thess. 1.9. Here you may see everlasting destruction to the wicked that disobey the Gospel of Christ, and everlasting life, to them that believe & obey the Gospel of Christ. Now they that disobey the Gospel of Christ, disobey their own comfort and ●oy o● life and Salvation, which Gospel is the power of God, which is preached to every Creature under Heaven to believe and obey, therefore happy are you who have received it, and obeyed it, which brings Life and immortality to Light in you; that you see over the Enemy which darkened you, and are now become Heirs of this comfortable and joyful Gospel of life and everlasting Salvation, in which everlasting Gospel you have an everlasting glorious fellowship, and in this everlasting Gospel, you can praise the everlasting God, that Reigns over all from everlasting to everlasting; and all that are of the seed and Faith of David can say as David said, blessed be God from everlasting to everlasting, and let all the People say, Amen. Praise ye the Lord, Psalm 108.48. And further can say, That the Mercy of the Lord is from Everlasting to Everlasting, upon all them that fear him and his Righteousness unto the Children of Men, Psal. 103, 17. For the Lord God he changeth not, he is the same that he was who Inhabits Eternity and dwells in the humble heart, and therefore you Humble fear, and Serve and Worship him. And keep under the wing of Christ, and in him your Sanctuary and Saviour, who destroys the Destroyer, and is over all the first and last, Amen.  
Dolston, the 3 of the first Mo. 1684. G. F.   


Concerning Christ's meetings and gatherings to Salvation, and the Devils meetings and his gatherings to Destruction.  
JOhn said, that he saw three unclean Spirits like Frogs that came out of the Mouth of the Dragon, Devil and Satan, and out of the mouth of the Beast, and out of the mouth of the false Prophet, mark they do go out of their mouths, for they are the Spirits of Devils working Miracles that goeth out of there mouths, the foul unclean Spirits which goeth forth unto the Kings of the Earth, and of the whole World, mark, the whole World to gather together them, mark, to gather them, so here they are to be gathered to the Battle of the great day of God Almighty, Rev. 16: 13, 14. And Satan the old Serpent shall go out to deceive the Nations, which are in the four Quarters of the Earth, Gog and Magog to gather them together to Battle, the number of whom is as the sand of the Sea, so here is a gathering together by the Devil, and they went up on the breadth of the Earth, and compassed the Camp of the Saints about, and the beloved City, and Fire came down from God out of Heaven and devoured them, so these that were gathered together by the Devil, the destroyer was destroyed by God the Saviour of his People, Rev. 20: 8.  
And the Lord scattered Nimrod that mighty Hunters gathering, who gathered up People together to build Babel and confounded them, Gen. 10: 11. And Isaiah said, All thy Children shall be taught of the Lord, and great shall be the Peace of thy Children, and in Righteousness shall they be established: Behold they shall surely gather together, but not by me saith the Lord, and whosoever shall gather together against thee, shall fall for thy sake; no Weapon that is form against thee shall prosper, and every Tongue that shall rise against thee in judgement thou shalt condemn, this is the heritage of the Servants of the Lord and their Righteousness is of me saith the Lord, Isai. 54. And Christ Jesus saith, where two or three are gathered together in my Name, there am I in the midst of them; and the Apostle said to the Jews, speaking of Christ, that there is no Salvation in any other: for there is no other name under Heaven given among men whereby we must be saved Acts 4: 12. but by Christ Jesus, so here is the Saints true gathering in the name of Christ Jesus the second Adam, and none is able to pluck them out of his hand, John 10.  
Christ the seed of the Woman bruises the Serpent's head, and Christ through death destroys death, and the Devil the power of death, and so doth reconcile all things, both in Heaven and in the Earth in one.   

Concerning the Devil not abiding in the truth, became a Devil, a Destroyer, a Serpent, and such as followed him out of the truth.  
THe Devil abode not in the truth and so he became a Devil, a Destroyer, and a Serpent, an Enemy, and a Satan, and Adversary to the truth, and to Righteousness, and Holiness, and to Man, and Woman, that God made in his image, in Righteousness and Holiness, so he became an Enemy, and Adversary, and a Destroyer, who is out of the truth, and abode not in it in whom there is no truth, and so is called the old Serpent, and Satan, and Devil, tempter and False Accuser; and Christ through death destroys death the Devil the power of death.  
And when the Jews went from the truth they became Enemies, and Adversaries to it, and Destroyer's of the Righteous, and the Just; yea they were Adversaries and Accusers and Enemies to the Prophets and Christ jesus, and Apostles, and Christ called the Jews, Vipers and Serpents, and said to them that made a Profession of the Scriptures of the Old Testament, but were gone from the truth of them, that they were of their Father the Devil, and his works and lusts they would do.  
And here the jews that went out of the truth, did not they become Serpents, Enemies, Satan's, Adversaries, and Judass, Betrayers, and of the Devil, Destroyer's of the Just?  
And when they which are called Christians became haters of the Light, and Walkers despitefully against the Spirit of Grace, Despisers of the word in their heart, and erred from the truth and the true faith, and professed the form of Godliness, but denied the power thereof, and so denied the Spirit of true Christianity, these became Serpents, Enemies, Satan's, Adversaries to true Christianity, and of the Devil, that seek to Destroy it, and Judas', Betrayers of it, and of the Righteous and the Just, where ever it appeared to the unjust, and this hath been the work of that Spirit, that did not abide in the truth in all ages to be Enemies, Adversaries and Judas', Betrayers, who seek to Destroy the truth, but Christ the truth doth destroy that destroying Spirit, who is the Saviour.  
And Christ said to the Jews, and to the Scribes and Pharisees which were the greatest outward Professors and applyers of the Prophets and promises of the old Testament to themselves upon the Earth, and yet the greatest persecutors of the Holy Men and Women, and the Lords Prophets upon the Earth.  
I say that Christ said to them, O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, thou that killest the Prophets and Stonest them which are sent unto thee, how often would I have gathered thy Children together, even as a Hen gathereth her Chickens under her Wings and ye would not! behold your Houses are left unto you desolate, etc. Mat. 23.37, 38.  
Jerusalem was the chiefest place of worship, and the chiefest City among the Jews, and the greatest place of persecution, and yet the Lord Jesus Christ wept over this City, and would have gathered these persecuting Professors, without possessing of the life of what they did profess, but they would not come to him that they might have life.  
And these persecuting Jews, Scribes and Pharisees, Christ said unto them, ye Compass Sea and Land to make one proselyte, and when he is made ye make him two fold more the Child of Hell, Mat. 23.  
Here you may see these Scribes, Pharisees and Jews, the great Professors and Temple Worshippers without life, what they gathered People into, and what Disciples they made in their Compass●●● Sea and Land, they made them like themselves, and the Devil, and Satan, and the Serpent, who abode not in the Truth, did seek to draw all out of the Truth, and to make them Serpents and Satan's, adversaries, and of the Devil, destroyers, and so he rules in the Hearts of the disobedient, and blindeth the Eyes of the Heathen or infidels, and the Apostated Christians from the Spirit of Christ, and the life of Christianity they do seek to draw all from the Truth and Spirit of Christ, and the life of Christianity into death, Enmity, and into persecution and destroying, like the Devil, Jews and Judas, all in one Spirit, according to their measures that they have from the Devil, but all that live and walk in the Truth and the Spirit of Jesus, labour to bring and draw and gather all into the Truth, and to Christ their Saviour, who destroyeth the destroyer.    

London, Printed by J. B. 1684.