GOSPEL LIBERTY, AND THE ROYAL LAW OF LOVE.

By George Fox

From Christ Jesus, who has all power in heaven and earth given unto him; set above Artaxerxes, and Nebuchadnezzar's law and commands; and above the Medes and Persians, and Darius's decrees; being a plain and full testimony against persecutions for tender consciences sake.

Christ Jesus said, “all power in heaven and earth is given unto me.” Mat 28:18. When Christ sent messengers into a village of the Samaritans, to make ready for him, and they did not receive him; and when his disciples James and John saw this, they said, “Lord, will you that we command fire to come down from heaven, and consume them, as Elias did?” Mark, how Christ uses his power to his disciples, who were deserving of rebuke; Christ turned himself about and rebuked them, and said, “you know not what manner of spirit you are of.” Here he lays and stops the revenge which was in his disciples against those that would not receive him, and told them, they did not know what spirit they were of: now, if his disciples did not know what spirit they were of, and were under the rebuke, that would have fire to come down from heaven to consume them that would not receive Christ; how does all Christendom know what manner of spirits they are of, which has imprisoned, banished, and put to death so many about religion? Are they not all under the rebuke of Christ, and not knowing their own spirits? For Christ, who has all power in heaven and earth, said, that the rebuke is to such, whose actions are done out of his power, “that the son of man has not come to destroy men's lives, but to save them.” Now, [mark,] then it follows, those who destroy men's lives (and not save them), about religion, do not have the mind of Christ, neither do they act as from his power, “who has all power in heaven and earth committed to him.”

Also, in Mat 13:24-30, where you may see Christ, who has all power in heaven and earth, uses his power upon the forward servants, that would be plucking up tares, which was not their places, but the angels.' Christ's own words are as follows, in his parable, “The kingdom of heaven is like unto a man that sowed good seed in his field; but while men slept, the enemy came and sowed tares among the wheat, and went his way: (mark, the tares are sowed while men sleep;) when the blade sprang up, and brought forth fruit, then appeared the tares also: so the servants of the householder came, and said unto him, sir, did not you sow good seed in your field? from whence then has it its tares? He said unto them, an enemy has done it; the servant said unto him, would you have us go and pluck them up? But he said, no; for fear that while you attempt to pluck up the tares, you root up the wheat with them.” Here Christ is a judge in matters of religion, who has all power in heaven given unto him; for you may see here that he does not give these forward servants a warrant to pluck up the tares, for fear that they should pluck up the wheat also; but stops them with these words, saying, “let both grow until the harvest; and in the time of harvest I will say to the reapers, gather you first the tares, and bundle them in bundles to burn them; and gather the wheat into my barn.”

Here Christ stops these forward servants. Christ foresaw the time that men would sleep, and then the enemy would come, and sow his tares; and he also saw that many would be plucking up, which was not their places, and had no commission, nor has any commission from him to this day; and these he stops.

And in Mat 13:26-42, where the disciples came unto Christ, saying, “declare unto us the parable of the tares of the field;” Jesus answered, and said unto them, “the son of man is he that sows the good seed; the field is the world, and the good seed is the children of the kingdom; but the tares are the children of the wicked one; the enemy that sows them is the devil; the harvest is the end of the world; and the reapers are the angels; and the tares are gathered to be burned in the fire. So shall it be in the end of this world, the son of man shall send forth his angels, and they shall gather out of all kingdoms all them that offend, and that do iniquity.” Now mark, may not Christ, (who has all power in heaven and earth), by the power of his word stop all forward persecutors in the world, (which is called the field), where the good and the bad seeds are sown. For, does not he say, “the tares and the wheat must grow until the harvest, and that is the end of the world.” Do not those that would be reaping and gathering before the end of the world, busy themselves, and oppose Christ in his command and power? For seeing Christ said, “He will send forth his angels;” and when, before the harvest? No; or before the end of the world? No; and his angels are his reapers, and so it is not men in the middle of the world, that must be the reapers, and the gatherers of the tares; but it is Christ's angels. When then is the time of reaping? The time of harvest, which is the end of the world; and who are the reapers? The angels. So then it is the angels' work, and not men's. So here it is plain that Christ is the judge in matters of religion, between tares and wheat, who sends forth his angels. For Christ commands men to “love one another,” and to “love enemies.” So those who do not love one another, nor enemies, do not obey the commands of Christ, who has all power in heaven and earth given unto him. For this is his royal command, “love one another;” by this you are known to be the disciples of Christ Jesus. This is the command that Christ Jesus gave unto men and women, who has all power in heaven and earth, that men should love one another, and enemies; and the angels should be reapers. Christ said, “love your enemies, do good to them that hate you, bless them that curse you, pray for them that despitefully use you, and persecute you,” for Christ saw that there would be haters of his seed, and cursers, and despiteful users of it, and persecutors of it, who would be plucking up the wheat believing them tares, and who had no such command from Christ.

Christ said, (John 15:12,17), who has all power in heaven and earth given to him; “this is my commandment, that you love one another, as I loved you.” So, has not Christendom cast this commandment of his behind their backs? Have they loved one another, or observed the commandment of him that has all power? Instead of this, they have persecuted one another; and so cast away the command of Jesus, as the Jews did the law of God, and not walk in it; for herein said Christ, “My Father is glorified, when you bear much fruit; as the Father loved me, so have I loved you; so continue in my love:” so christians not continuing in the love of Christ, with which he has loved them, they cannot bring forth fruits, so they cannot glorify Christ, nor the Father; “for if you keep my commandments you abide in my love, even as I have kept my Father's commandment, and abide in his love.” So here christians may see, those who abide not in the love, but in the enmity, they have not kept the commands of Christ: “and you are my friends if you do whatsoever I command you; and this is my commandment, that you love one another, as I loved you;” and so it is plain, that these called christians, that love not one another, are no friends to Christ Jesus, neither regard his power, nor doctrine.

Mark Christ's words further, where he said, “remember the words I said unto you, the servant is not greater than his lord, if they have persecuted me, they will also persecute you; if they have kept my sayings, they will keep yours also.” But now, christians, you that persecute, are out of Christ's mind, and power, and command, who said, “love enemies,” and “love one another;” and so, those who persecute have neither kept the sayings of Christ, nor the sayings of the apostles. So all you that profess yourselves to be christians, and claim Christ Jesus, and that God has sent him, you are not to persecute one another, nor enemies; but the command of Christ (to whom all power in heaven and earth is given), is to you, to “love one another,” for that edifies the body, and overcomes the evil. That is the law of love that is to be among christians. This is the royal law from he, who has all power, is King of kings, and Lord of lords. This love bears all things, endures all things, hopes all things, is not provoked; for that which is provoked will run into words and actions, enmity and persecution, malice and hatred, which are the works of the flesh, which are judged all down by the law of love. So by keeping the law of love, you keep down that which would be provoked. So love overcomes the enmity, and the light overcomes the darkness, and the righteousness overcomes the unrighteousness, as life overcomes death and the power of it, and so good overcomes evil. Where is this universal life, and universal love among you christians, whereby you might come out of your narrow angry spirit, into a loving and universal spirit?

And Christ taught his christian disciples to pray, who has all power in heaven and earth given to him, which is a common prayer to all Christendom, for all can say it, and said it in words; “forgive us our debts as we forgive our debtors; for if you forgive men their trespasses, your heavenly father will also forgive you; but if you do not forgive men their trespasses, neither will your father forgive you your trespasses:” and this prayer differed from the Pharisees, who stood praying in the synagogues, and did not forgive, as christians now, who say this common prayer of Christ, to God the Father, forgive us, as we do forgive them that trespass against us; and that is, they ask no forgiveness at all for themselves, if they do not forgive. Oh, that they would come to that by which they might see their blindness, and the chain that they are under. For if christians do transgress and trespass one against another in their religions and worships; the papists against the common prayer, and the common prayer against the papist, they must forgive one another; and the Presbyterian, Baptist, Independent, Lutherans, Calvinists, do not you all profess Christ, and God that sent him? do you not all say Christ's common prayer? and have you not trespassed one against another in matters of religion, and worship, and church? then must you not all forgive one another, according to Christ's prayer, who has all power in heaven, and if you ask the Lord to be forgiven, as you do forgive, and you do not forgive, then you ask for no forgiveness; for mark your words, you ask to forgive us, as we do forgive them that trespass against us; so, mark the word [as,] as you forgive, so you would be forgiven, and no otherwise: and so as you do persecute, and cast into prison, and banish one another called christians, and keep the debts in your books; think you not that your debts stand in God's book; and that he will banish you from the land of the living, and cast you into everlasting imprisonment, from the presence of God and his angels, as you may read the dreadful sentence in Matthew 25:31-46, wherein Christ said to them that are the goats, on the left hand; (they are on the left hand, and not on the right hand; for it is the sheep are on the right hand), “depart from me you cursed, into everlasting fire, prepared for the devil and his angels: for I was an hungry, and you gave me no meat; I was thirsty, and you gave me no drink;” [mark,] these were they on the left hand, whether they are called christians, or whatever. Those on the left hand are forwarder to take meat and drink from Christ, and his little ones, than to give it them; and to cast them into prison until death, for their bellies; but those are such as the apostle speaks of, “that serve not the Lord Jesus Christ, but their own bellies.” And Christ further said, “I was a stranger, and you took me not in; and naked and you clothed me not: sick, and in prison, and you visited me not.” And they on the left hand shall answer and say unto Christ, “when saw we you hungry, or thirsty, or a stranger, or naked, sick, or in prison, and did we not minister to you?” Listen to Christ's answer to them; “in-as-much as you did not do it to one of the least of these, you did not do it to me.” Therefore, hear the sentence by him, who has all power in heaven and earth, to them on the left hand which are the goats: “go away into everlasting punishment; but the righteous into life eternal.” Now they on the left hand, whether they are called christians, or whatever, they are more likely to make men strangers, than to take in strangers, who banish them from their wives and families, and native land; and more likely to make naked and make sick, than to clothe, and to visit; and to imprison, than to visit in prison; and those who do so, press the seed of God in themselves, from where the love of God flows. Such men do that which they should not do; for they should love one another; and it is the angels' work to reap at the harvest, which is the end of the world, and not men's. Only Christ is to judge in matters of religion. So he judges, as you may see by the parable of the talents, in which those that had improved their talent had their reward; but he that did not improve his talent was an unprofitable servant, “to be cast into utter darkness, where shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth.” And you that say, when shall this occur? The answer is: “when the son of man shall come in his glory, and all the holy angels with him; then shall he sit upon the throne of his glory, and before him shall be gathered all nations; and he shall separate one from the other, as a shepherd divides the sheep from the goats; and he shall set the sheep on his right hand, and the goats on the left hand.” So here it is plainly seen that Christ is the only judge in matters of religion, and in dividing sheep from goats. So it is not man, in his own dark reason, that cast the law of Christ Jesus behind his back, (which is, “to love one another,”) which ought to be his rule, for Christ is to be judge in matters of religion.

As Christ said, who has all power in heaven and earth, “blessed are the meek, for they shall inherit the earth;” then those who are not meek do not inherit this blessing. “Blessed are those who hunger and thirst after righteousness, for they shall be filled;” then those who hunger and thirst after unrighteousness, and drink up iniquity, as an ox drinks up water, and persecute the righteous for his righteousness sake, they obtain not this blessing. “Blessed be the merciful, for they shall obtain mercy;” now the cruel, and the persecuting, unmerciful, obtain not this blessing. “Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God.” So the impure in heart, that love the evil, and hate the light, and love darkness better than light, do not come to be partakers of this blessing, nor see God. “Blessed are the peace-makers, for they shall be called the children of God.” those who are the strife-makers among the people, (in strife for their bellies, and outward things), are not the children of God, and have not this blessing; “blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness sake, for theirs is the kingdom of Heaven.” Then what blessing do the persecutors have? What kingdom is theirs? Judge you: “blessed are you when men shall revile and persecute you, and say all manner of evil against you for my sake, and the gospel;” then it follows, the revilers and persecutors do not have that blessing.

Query. What evil could any, both in their other powers, days, and now, find in the people called Quakers, other than concerning their beliefs of  Christ, and their God; for which they have been persecuted, banished, and imprisoned until death.

But here you may see Christ, who had all power in heaven and earth, saw that there would be persecutors, and speakers of all manner of evil against his people falsely, for his sake; but he encourages the persecuted, and tells them “rejoice, and be glad exceedingly, for great is your reward in heaven:” So here you may see that their reward is not from the earth: “for so,” said Christ, “they persecuted the prophets that went before you,” which was to let them know that persecution was no new thing. Nevertheless, Christ encourages them, that they are the salt of the earth, his children, and the salt makes the earth savory; and they were the light of the world, and a city set on a hill cannot be hidden; so that they could not be hidden from the persecutors, and such as did speak all manner of evil against them falsely, for his sake. Further, Christ said, to encourage them, “that the light should be put on a lamp stand, and not under a bushel to be hidden, but to give light to all the house; for they were the light of the world;” and tells them, “let their light shine before men, that they might behold and see their good works, and glorify their Father which is in heaven.” This was to keep their eyes above them that persecuted, and spoke all manner of evil of them. So here you may see that the prophets, and the children of the kingdom did not suffer as just men in the eyes of the persecutors; for Stephen did not suffer as a just man in the eyes of his persecutors, but as a blasphemer, Acts 7:51-59. Christ Jesus, in the eyes of the persecuting priests, scribes, and Pharisees, did not suffer by them as a just man, but was accounted a deceiver; and the chief priests mocked him, wagging their heads at him; and that is the way of the persecuting spirit now. But Christ said, “Father forgive them, for they know not what they do.” Now, you christians that persecute, are you not so blind that you do not know what you do? When the great persecuting professing Jews cried against Christ, “crucify him, crucify him,” nothing but death would serve them; did not Christ say to Pilate, “My kingdom is not of this world. If my kingdom were of this world, my servants would fight, so that I should not be delivered to the Jews; but now my kingdom is not from here;” which shows that the kingdom of the world is for the fighters. Christ, who had all power in heaven and earth given unto him, would not defend himself against all his persecutors, mocking priests, and professors. Just as you may see the greatest persecuting professors in Christendom will now mock those whom they persecute. Such persecuting believers have cast the law of Jesus behind their backs. As Christ prayed to his Father to forgive his persecutors, so now do the Quakers who have the mind of Christ, although he had all power given unto him, and could have prayed unto his Father for legions of angels, to defend him.

You read in the scriptures that the great professors of scriptures, the Jews, said that Christ was a deceiver, and he was mad, and had a devil, and by the prince of devils cast out devils. Christ knew this was for religion sake, and for his virtue and Sonship; and although he had all power in heaven and earth given unto him; yet he did not give forth any law against them to have them punished, though they would have stoned him, and took up stones to stone him, who is the King of kings, and Lord of lords. He did not give forth any command or warrant to force any to their good behavior; for he suffered for his good profession and testimony. Oh, people, who call yourselves christians, lift up your eyes, that Christ may be your example, and follow him. Don’t follow the man of sin, who was a persecutor, a caster in prison, and a murderer from the beginning; for the proof you may see in the Revelation, it is said, “the devil shall cast some of you in prison ten days.”

Peter said to Christ, “Lord, how often shall my brother sin against me, and I forgive him? Up to seven times?” Jesus said unto him, “I do not say to you, up to seven times, but up to seventy times seven.

Oh, you people that call yourselves christians, how unlike minded are you unto Christ in this? how short, narrow, and impatient-spirited are you that persecute one another, and cannot bear one another, and forgive one another, and be patient one towards another, and love one another? and so Christ after he had spoken to Peter, he spoke a parable, how that “the kingdom of heaven is likened to a certain king which would take account of his servants: and when he began to reckon, one was brought unto him which owed him ten thousand talents; but for-as-much as he had not to pay, his lord commanded him to be sold, and his wife and children, and all that he had, and payment to be made; the servant fell down, and said, lord have pity upon me, and I will pay you all: and the lord of that servant was moved with compassion, loosed him, and forgave him the debt:” [mark,] here is the mercy, and the compassion, and the loosing, and the forgiveness in the acknowledgment, from the Lord the King of heaven; “But the same servant went out and found one of his fellow-servants, which owed him one hundred pence; he laid hands of him, and took him by the throat, saying, pay me that you owe me; and though his fellow-servant said he would pay him, and besought him to have patience, and he would pay him all, he cast him into prison until he paid the debt.”

Is not this like unto the envious, unmerciful, impatient professing Jews and christians, that are so passionate and mad, and casting into prison for every small matter; yes, and some that owes them nothing, neither sets them on work, as instance the priests and bishops.

When the other servants saw what had happened, they were greatly distressed and went and told their master everything that had happened. Then the master called the servant in. 'You wicked servant,' he said, 'I canceled all that debt of yours because you begged me to. Shouldn't you have had mercy on your fellow servant just as I had on you?' In anger his master turned him over to the jailers to be tortured, until he should pay back all he owed.” “So,” says Christ, “This is how my heavenly Father will treat each of you unless you forgive your brother from your heart.” Oh, you that are called christians, and go by that name, that are so subject, and so forward, to take your brother by the throat, and hauling them into prison until your will is satisfied, and make your brethren trespassers, when they are none, and cast them into prison, when you have neither law nor ground, but to satisfy your wills; consider the sentence of Christ, how that he said his Heavenly Father will deliver you up to the tormentors, until that you have paid him his due, if you do not forgive from your hearts your brethren, who trespass against you. No, many of you cannot forgive what is no really not a trespass, but with anger and envy will take revenge; for this, would you take vengeance out of the hand of God, who said, “Vengeance is mine, and I will repay it?” Everyone who does wrong, shall incur a penalty for the wrong that he does; God respects no man's person, and so this might convince you: let the tares and the wheat grow together until the harvest; for God would give them their reward according to their deeds, whether they are good or evil. Let all Christendom lay away this law of persecuting one another, and cease it; but mind that law, which Christ Jesus commanded, who has all power in heaven and earth, which is the law of love, and the great commandment, “to love one another, and enemies,” and this is what must unite all Christendom in a uniformity and conformity to their head Christ Jesus, their law-maker, and commandment-giver.

In Mat 22:36-40, Christ said, “you shall love your neighbor as yourself, you shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind. On these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets.” This spoke Christ to the lawyers when they came to ensnare him by their questions, as many do now the children of his kingdom. So now how short of the mark are you, you called christians, of the law and the prophets, in the practice of Christ's doctrine; for if you loved your neighbors as yourselves, then how can you imprison? How can you banish? How can you spoil goods? How can you burn? How can you hang your neighbors? How can you love and serve God with all your hearts and your souls, and destroy your fellow-creatures, the works of his hands, and for matter of religion and worship of God, whom you profess to love? Although you all profess God and Christ, and yet destroy one another about your religion and worship, this is contrary to his command, who has all power in heaven and earth. This is contrary to his command, which is to love one another, and enemies, and contrary to his law of love, and contrary to his doctrine and example, “who came not to destroy men's lives, but to save them.” Christ severely rebuked those who would have had men's lives destroyed; and told all “to do unto all men, as you would have them do unto you.” Mark this royal law and command, and do not cast it out from among you; for you would not have any man to persecute you, or imprison you? Would you have any to banish you, and put you to death for your religion and worship? Would you have any man to spoil your goods, and to have you from your families, and to keep you in prison until death, and while your wives are made widows, and children fatherless, for your religion? So what you would not have men do unto you, do not you unto others, for the royal law of liberty respects no man's person. So do unto others, as you would have others do unto you, and this keeps all to an even balance, and just weight; and so observe the royal law of liberty.

The two sons of Zebedee, when their mother came with them to Christ, and desired of him that her two sons should sit one on his right hand, and the other on the left hand in his kingdom. When the ten other disciples heard it, they were moved with indignation against the two brethren. Here you may see what caused indignation; that is, one disciple to be above another; but Jesus, who has all power in heaven and earth, to take away this offence, and clear all, and stop all, he called the disciples to him, and said, “you know that the princes of the Gentiles exercise dominion over them, and they are called gracious lords; but it shall not be so among you;” and this was to keep the ministers of the gospel equal brethren, and not to exercise lordship and authority one over another in matters of religion and faith; for it was the Gentiles that exercised lordship. To confirm this, he said, “whosoever will be chief among you, let him be a servant; and the Son of man came not to be ministered unto, but to minister, and to give his life a ransom for all: and be not you called of men rabbi, for one is your master, even Christ, and you all are brethren,” and so not to be called lords like the Gentiles. Christ said, by way of prophesy, how that the Jews, and others, “should kill, and crucify, and scourge you in the synagogue, and from city to city, that upon you may come all the righteous blood shed upon the earth, from the blood of righteous Abel, to the blood of Zechariah, son of Barachias, whom you slew between the temple and the altar.” And so upon whom must all the righteous blood come that has been shed in all Christendom about religion, since Christ's and the apostles' days, who have manifested the spirit of the Jews in scourging in your synagogues, and from place to place, such as Christ has sent among you?

Did not Christ say, “how can you,” that follow such practices, whom he called a generation of vipers, “escape the damnation of hell?” and therefore, he said, “be you witnesses, that you are the children of them that killed the prophets.” So is not the same to be said to you that persecute now? Witness that you are the children of those who killed Christ and the apostles, and his witnesses, and saints, and martyrs, that kept the testimony of Jesus since the apostles' days, and that fill up the measure of your forefathers. Did not Christ say, “Oh, Jerusalem, Jerusalem, you that kill the prophets, and stone them that are sent unto you; how often would I have gathered you, as a hen gathers her chickens under her wings, but you would not? Behold, your houses are left desolate unto you.”

Was not Jerusalem the highest place of profession, where those persecutors, murderers, and killers of the Lord's prophets lived? What may be said of Christendom, and her highest place of worship; look both among papists and protestants? How many have they killed and persecuted that were sent among them by Christ? Do you think that Christ does not weep over you, whom you thereby daily pierce; and if the persecutors' houses at Jerusalem were to be left desolate, then what will become of your houses, who call yourselves christians, and yet are found persecutors? Do you think that all persecutors' houses will not be left desolate, though they are ever so high professors of the scriptures; will not their houses be left desolate of God and Christ? Read Mat 23. And does not Christ say, “If you have anything against your brother, leave your gift at the altar, and go and be reconciled to your brother, and then offer it;” and so should not all the christians in the whole world be reconciled to one another before they offer their gift to God and Christ, whose law is, “They should love one another.”

And whereas it is said, in 1 Pet 2:17. “Honor all men: love the brotherhood: fear God, and honor the king.” [Mark,] To fear God, is not to grieve nor offend him, but to be subject to him, and reverence him. To honor all men, and to honor the king, is to have the king, and all men in esteem; and to esteem the king, is not to hurt the king, nor any man; and this lays waste all persecution, and persecutors; for how can they say they esteem the king, or esteem any man, if they persecute him? So as all true christians are brethren in Christ Jesus, they are to love the brotherhood, and so to keep the law and command of Christ; and one christian persecuting another about religion and worship, is not to love the brotherhood.

At the council of the great professing Jews, when the apostles were brought before the council and high priests, and they charged them “they should not preach anymore in the name of Jesus.” The apostles replied, “whether they ought to obey God rather than man, judge you.” The apostle said further to them, “the God of our forefathers has raised up Jesus, whom you slew and hung on a tree, and God has exalted him at his right hand to be a Prince, and a Saviour, and to give repentance to Israel, and forgiveness of sins;” and the apostle said, “we are witnesses of these things.” When the council heard these things, they, who had before slain the Son, took counsel together how they might slay the apostles. Here all may see this persecuting, murdering spirit, that persecuted in all ages. You may say now, had we been in the days of Christ and the apostles, we would not have killed them; so those who persecute, may see they are in the same spirit as the persecutors were, in the apostles' days, and not in the spirit of Christ and the apostles. But then one stood up in the council, when they took counsel to kill the apostles, who was a Pharisee, named Gamaliel, a doctor of the law, held in repute among all the people, and commanded to put the apostles forth a little space; and said unto them, “you men of Israel, take heed to yourselves what you do touching these men,” when he had convinced them by arguments, as Acts 5:33-41. “Let them alone,” said he, “for if this counsel or this work is of men, it will come to nothing; but if it is of God, you cannot overthrow it; for fear that perhaps you are found even to fight against God.” So, to Gamaliel the council and high priest agreed, and called the apostles, whom they had beaten, and commanded them to speak no more in the name of Jesus. Yet the apostles departed, rejoicing that they were counted worthy to suffer for his name; and the apostles went and taught daily afterwards in the temple, and every house Christ Jesus.

Now would some in our days say, the apostles brought sufferings upon their own heads, and that they did it to provoke the magistrates, as some in our days have said. You may see this persecuting council, though they had agreed to Gamaliel, yet they persecuted the apostles.

Have not they, called christians in Christendom, lacked a Gamaliel among them, to moderate and to stop them from banishing, killing, burning, imprisoning, and spoiling of goods? For this Gamaliel was a Jew, and christians think themselves above a Jew; but where is the Gamaliel's spirit among you, that say, “if it is of God it will stand;” showing that they knew not whether it was of God or not? Where is Gamaliel's caution in Christendom: “let them alone, restrain yourselves, if it is of God it will stand; if it is  the work of men, it will come to nothing. If it is of God you cannot overthrow it; therefore, take heed for fear that you be found fighters against God.” Therefore, what became of all the Jews that were found fighters against God and Christ? What is become of the pope, and all those persecuting powers before you? So see if there is not a Gamaliel's spirit and council lacking among you, to moderate the persecuting spirit; mind Gamaliel's counsel in Acts 5. For indeed the true christians are above Gamaliel, for they know that which they preach to be of God, though the moderate Gamaliel, (whose spirit is beyond the spirit that is in Christendom), cried, “if it is of God, you cannot overthrow it,” and so stopped them from violent persecution. So have not the christian priests and bishops need of such a Gamaliel to moderate and regulate them, and hold their reins from proceeding on to persecution? Does not the apostle say, “that christians should not bite one another, for fear that they should devour and consume one another, but love one another?” Love fulfills the law of Christ Jesus, which is the law of love, for the law of love preserves; and if they keep the law of love, they will not bite one another, nor consume one another, nor persecute one another, nor spoil one another, as they have done.

The apostle said, to the christians in the primitive times, before the apostasy came in, “For though we walk in the flesh, we do not war after the flesh, for the weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but spiritual, mighty through God, to the pulling down of strong holds, casting down of every imagination, and every high thought that exalts itself against the knowledge of God, bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ.” 2 Cor 10:4-5.

Now, [mark,] “the strong holds,” the high imaginations, and high thoughts, were not brought down by carnal weapons, nor that which exalts itself against the knowledge of God, but by spiritual weapons. Here it is clear that one christian did not persecute another with carnal weapons; for their war was not after the flesh, nor was their wrestling  with flesh and blood. That which gives the knowledge of God, is the light which shines in the heart. Since the apostles' days, instead of plucking down the imaginations and high thoughts, and bringing that down to the obedience of Christ, which exalts itself, which is the spirit's work, persecutors have wrestled with flesh and blood, and warred after the flesh, not having the power as the apostles had. So they have lost the apostles' warfare and weapons, which were spiritual, and have gotten carnal weapons in the place of them. The apostle also spoke to the Ephesians, who were the christians in the primitive times, he said, “my brethren, be strong in the Lord, and in the power of his might, and put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil.” This was God's armor, and not man's, “having their loins girded with truth, and the breastplate of salvation, and their feet shod with the preparation of the gospel of peace, and taking the shield of faith, wherewith you shall be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked, and take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the spirit, which is the word of God.”

[Mark.] These were the weapons of the christians in the primitive times, with which they warred and wrestled against principalities and powers, rulers of darkness of this world, and spiritual wickedness in high places. “For,” said he, “we do not wrestle against flesh and blood.” So here it is plain that the primitive christians did not use carnal weapons, clubs and staves, like Judas's company, to persecute and haul one another, or those that were of a different opinion to theirs, to prison, or banish them. For if they had, they must have used carnal weapons, and wrestled with flesh and blood. So with spiritual wickedness they wrestled with spiritual weapons, which weapons the apostate christians have degenerated from, and therefore have taken up carnal weapons. We know, and you should know, that the shield of faith, and the breastplate of righteousness, and the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the spirit, and the word of God, and the feet shod with the gospel, and truth to be the belt; these are the spiritual weapons, and this is the armor of God, which the christians in the primitive times used, by which they did not wrestle with flesh and blood, nor war after the flesh with carnal weapons. Those who have warred after the flesh with carnal weapons since the apostles' days about religion and church, are in that spirit and power that the apostles and primitive christians warred against. They, who war in the flesh, have the scriptures in their carnal minds, warring and wrestling with flesh and blood, which are judged and reproved by the apostles' and primitive christians' words.

To the christians in the primitive times, the apostles' doctrine was they were not to avenge themselves, but rather to give place to wrath, “for vengeance is mine, said the Lord, and I will repay it.” So they were to follow peace with all men, and holiness, without which no man should see the Lord; “not to render evil for evil, nor railing for railing; but contrariwise blessing, knowing that they are thereunto called, that they should inherit the blessing.” 1 Pet 3:9. They were to overcome evil with good, and “you shall heap coals of fire on his head in so doing. Therefore, if possible, as much as in you lies, live peaceably with all men, repay to no one evil for evil.”

Now people, you may see how this doctrine and practice of the primitive christians is laid aside in Christendom, by such as have a form of godliness, but deny the power, who are to be turned away from, who have rendered evil for evil, and takes revenge, as 2 Tim 3:5. The apostle said, “every soul must be subject to the higher power:” [mark,] the soul is immortal, and the power is so. For he says, “there is no power but it is of God, and the powers that be are ordained of God, and he that resists the power, resists the ordinance of God.” So the power is not to be spoken against, nor resisted; for it being ordained of God, the soul must be subject to it, “for rulers are not a terror to good works, but to evil. Will you then not be afraid of the power? Do that which is good, and you shall have praise of the same.”

[Mark.] This power is not against the good, but against the evil; it is not a terror to the good, but to the evil. The good has its praise by the power, and is not afraid of it, but the evil is afraid, and it is a terror to it; “so he is a minister of God to you for good; but he that does evil is afraid of the power, for he bears not the sword in vain. For he is the minister of God to revenge the wrath upon him that does evil;” but not upon the good. So here he makes a distinction, the good from the evil, the higher power is a praise to the good. Therefore we must be subject not only for fear of wrath, but also for conscience sake, that is, to be subject to the power that is a praise to the good, and a terror to the evil. Now when magistrates acted contrary to the power, (as you may read in the scripture), ordained of God, then he sent his prophets and servants, to cry against the corruptions of the magistrates, (not against the power, which God had ordained); and such magistrates if they did not return to the power, you may read how often God overturned them. You may see often such magistrates in the scriptures, who have turned the sword backwards against the righteous and let the guilty go free; making no difference between the precious and the vile. For this reason have we paid our taxes and dues; so custom to whom custom, honor to whom honor, fear to whom fear. We have not been behind on our part; they have had their tribute, and the magistrates their customs and their dues, though they have turned their sword against us, against the good, while drunkards, swearers and evildoers were set at liberty. We have not been behind on our duties, though they have been on theirs, but we leave them all to the Lord, to plead with them all.

The apostle said to the christians, “owe nothing to any man, but love one another, for love fulfils the law.” So they who do not love one another, and are out of love; and it is clear they do not fulfill the law, but break it. Are not christians great debtors in this? The apostle said, “you shall not commit adultery, nor kill, nor steal, nor bear false witness, nor covet.” If there is any other commandment, it is briefly comprehended in this saying: “you shall love your neighbor as yourself.” Here it is clear, this higher power, which God's ministers attend upon continually, is not against the liberty of true christians, nor does it take hold upon people in matters of religion and worship; but such as kill, commit adultery, steal, and covet; here is nothing of this higher power's meddling with difference in religion, or to be any terror to them, but to the evildoers; but this higher power is a praise to all that own God, and profess Christ Jesus, and live in his life; and all christians are “to stand fast in the liberty wherewith Christ has made them free.”

Now the apostle, who said, “tribute to whom tribute, and custom to whom custom,” this was to the magistrates, and that they should have their dues. This does not concern the priests' tithes, for the apostle plainly declared against tithes, and said, “the law was changed by which the priesthood was made, and the commandment disannulled which gave tithes,” Heb 7, and he preached up another priesthood: “Christ Jesus made higher than the heavens.” Now as the apostle said, “love works no evil to its neighbor, and love is the fulfilling of the law,” and this keeps him out of killing, stealing, committing adultery, and bearing false witness, and this keeps him from under the magistrates' sword, who is subject to the power, which is a praise to him that does well. He that loves his neighbor as himself, will not kill his neighbor, nor bear false witness against him, nor steal from him, nor commit adultery, for those are the actions of the evildoer the law is a terror against. Rom 13:1-10.

The apostle said to the Galatians, the law is fulfilled in one word, “you shall love your neighbor as yourself.” So if the law is fulfilled, then it does not take hold upon such that love their neighbor as themselves. You, who are led by the spirit of God, are not under the law. Those who are led by the evil spirit into drunkenness, envy, and murder, and strife, and hatred; such fruits come under the law, and the higher power is a terror to them. Gal 5:18-21. Those who love their neighbor as themselves, do not bite, nor devour, nor consume one another; but those who hate their neighbors, and bite and consume one another, these do not fulfill the law, but break it; cast your eye over Christendom, and you may see these fruits. The persecution came for the sake of the cross of Christ, which cross was the power, before the wood and stone was; and therefore those who persecute, are out of the higher power, and cross, and life of Christ Jesus.

The apostle says to Timothy, “we know the law is good, if a man uses it lawfully.” Now, [mark,] a man must use it lawfully, and then it is good. “Knowing this,” said the great apostle of Christ Jesus, “that the law is not made for a righteous man.” Therefore those who are righteous men, and the Quakers, whom no evil can be charged against in their lives and conducts, the law is not to be laid upon them, if is administered lawfully. “For,” said the great apostle, “the law was made for the lawless, disobedient, for sinners, unholy, profane, murderers of fathers and mothers, man-slayers, whoremongers, such as defile themselves with mankind, men-stealers, liars, perjured persons,” to such the law is a terror, for these are the evildoers, which law is a praise to them that are good. So the law here was not made to limit people from worshipping God, those owning God and Christ; but for such as the above-mentioned. This is according to sound doctrine, and also according to the blessed gospel of God, which was committed to the apostles' trust, which he taught and laid down to be observed among the primitive christians, which others, apostatized from his life, have degenerated from, and have not observed his sound doctrine; but many have turned the sword backward, and the laws upon righteous men, which it was not made for, and that has not been according to the glorious gospel of the blessed God, nor according to the higher power, but the devil, from where persecution has arisen.

When the Pharisees took counsel how they might entangle Christ in his talk, they sent from their councils their disciples with the Herodians, saying, “we know, master, that you are true, neither care you for any man, for you regard not the person of men, tell us, therefore, what do you think you, is it lawful to give tribute to Caesar, or not?” Jesus perceiving their wickedness, said, “why do you tempt me, you hypocrites? show me the tribute-money, and they brought unto him a penny, he said unto them, “whose is this image, and superscription? They said unto him, Caesar's: then said he unto them, “render therefore unto Caesar the things that are Caesar's, and to God the things that are God's.”

[Mark,] Those that came to tempt Christ were of the Jews, the great professors, and Caesar was a heathen. The Jews were under the power of the heathen, having lost the life of that which they did profess, and that spirit in them would have brought Christ under Caesar, by the temptations; these he calls hypocrites, who professed the scriptures, and were not in the life of them, as all others are as this day, who are found in the same nature that would ensnare. But Christ, who is the wisdom of God, confounded them. Caesar must have his things; and what are his things, but his tribute, his custom, and that which his superscription is upon? So other kings, whose image is set upon their money, must have their dues; but as well as people, God must have his things of Caesar, and the council of the great professing Jews. What are God's things? Where his image and superscription is written in the heart, God must have his things; so see each superscription and image. So let Caesar have his due where his superscription and image is; so the superscription and image of Caesar to Caesar, and God's writing and image to himself; for the holy one must have his liberty, and not be limited, and so here everything is in its place. Mat 22:17-21.

The apostle said, “whatever is not of faith is sin.” Rom 14:23, showing, that the true faith is not sin, for it is that which gives the victory over sin, and access to God, and purifies the heart. Therefore to bring people to that which is not of faith, is to bring them into sin, and to make them to make shipwreck of their faith, and of a good conscience, seeing that the mystery of faith is held in the good and pure conscience. Therefore the true faith must have its liberty, which gives the victory, in which God is pleased, and who are of faith are of Abraham.

The great apostle Paul, said to the Corinthians, “that we do not have dominion or power over your faith, but we are helpers of your joy, for by faith you stand.” Now, [mark,] all you that are in Christendom, who call yourselves christians, who persecute about religion; have you not degenerated from the apostles, because you attempt to have dominion and power over men's faith? Is not the case plain, that you would not allow the faith, which is the gift of God, to have its liberty? So you are out of the true faith, the gift of God, which the apostles were in; and so are not helpers of the joy of those who are in the true faith, because you yourselves are not standing by it. Why did the apostle tell them to stand fast in the faith? Because they knew there were some who would oppose their faith. 1 Cor 16:13, 2 Cor 1:24.

Did the apostles not council among themselves, for does he not say, “we have not dominion or power over your faith.” If they had said that they had power over their faith, they might have said they had power over the gift of God, for “faith was the gift of God;” and that they had power over Christ, “who was the author of faith, and finisher of it;” but the apostle said, “they were helpers of one another's joy, in the faith they were to build up one another in:” so it is clear that God must have his liberty, who is the author and finisher of faith, which men must not have power over, no not the apostles, for by one faith they all stand.

The gospel that the apostles preached “had not been received from man, nor by man, but by the revelation of Jesus Christ, which was the power of God unto salvation to everyone that believes.” This gospel, the power of God, which is liberty, is to have its liberty, and men must have their liberty in it; for if men turn against the power, they turn against the gospel, and bring destruction upon themselves, in persecuting.