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Now Cain and Balaam had heard the voice of God, and Corah and his company the Lord had brought out of Egypt by his mighty arm and power; and therefore these might speak great swelling words of vanity, but were out of the way of light and life, and troublers of the children of the Lord in all ages, that walked in the way of Cain, Corah, and Balaam. And these are the wells without water, and clouds that are carried about with a tempest, to whom the mist of darkness is reserved for ever. And these are trees whose fruit withers, and without fruit; twice dead, and to be plucked up by the roots. They were dead in Adam, and quickened and made alive, and dead again, and plucked up by the roots. Then they were not like to grow any more in the true ground; but it happeneth to them according to the true proverb, The dog is turned to his own vomit again;' that which he once vomited up, he takes it again, and the sow that washed, to her wallowing in the mire.' And so it seems she was once washed. And these are they that promise themselves liberty, and are the servants of corruption, and whosoever is overcome by them, is brought into bondage. So the latter end of all such as walk in those paths is worse than the beginning.

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And these are the raging waves of the sea, foaming out their own shame, showing that they are gone into the world, the sea; wandering stars, to whom is reserved the blackness of darkness for ever. And these were false teachers, and many should follow their pernicious ways, by reason of whom the way of truth shall be, and is, evil spoken of. These be they who separate themselves, sensual, having not the spirit. This is a separation from the spirit of God, and so from the fellowship of God's sons and daughters in the spirit; so they cannot be the fixed stars in the firmament of God's power. And therefore all God's children are to be built up themselves in the holy faith which Jesus Christ is the author and finisher of, and dwell in the love of God, which edifies the body of Christ. And you have heard how the Lord saved his people out of the land of Egypt, and afterwards destroyed them that did not believe, neither received the truth in the love of it, nor walked in his law, but rebelled against his spirit, which he gave them to instruct them; and so rebelling against that which would have kept them in fellowship, and in unity in the spirit, the bond of peace; for which cause God destroyed many thousands of them in the wilderness. And now take heed, all you that God hath brought out with his mighty power out of spiritual Sodom, Egypt, and Babylon, lest you forsake his power, and Christ the right way of life, and go in the way of Cain, Corah, Dathan, and Abiram, and Balaam; and like Sodom and Gomorrah, and the old world; and become like raging waves of the sea, and the sow to the mire, and the dog to the old vomit again; and so wells without water, clouds without rain, trees without fruit, and wandering

stars; carried about with a tempest; such must expect to be cast down into hell, and the chain of darkness to come over them, and to be reserved unto the judgment and condemnation of the great day.

The apostle saith, There must come a falling way first before the man of sin be revealed, the son of perdition, who opposes and exalts himself above all that is called God, &c. So he that sits in the temple of God, &c. but that wicked one shall be revealed, whom the Lord shall consume with the spirit of his mouth, and destroy with the brightness of his coming.' And the son of perdition, his coming is after the working of satan, in the enmity, with all power, &c. and with all deceivableness of unrighteousness in them that perish, because they receive not the love of the truth that they might be saved; for this cause God shall send them strong delusions that they should believe a lie, that they all might be damned, who believe not the truth, but had pleasure in unrighteousness.'

Therefore, brethren, stand fast in the Lord Jesus Christ, and be established in him in every good word and work.

And now, my friends, here you may see this mystery of iniquity did begin to work in the apostles' days, after Christ was ascended, and after the gospel was preached in the nations; and you may see how the apostles, and the church of Christ were troubled with such as went in Cain's, Corah's and Balaam's way, and Jezabel's and the Nicolaitans, and such as said that they were Jews, and were not, but did lie, as many say they are christians and inward Jews now, but do not walk in Christ.

Now there hath been a night of apostacy since the apostles' days, and now the everlasting gospel is preached again, which was preached to Adam, saying, 'The seed of the woman shall bruise the serpent's head;' and to Abraham, saying, 'In thy seed shall all the nations, and all the families of the earth be blessed;' so that many are gathered into Christ the seed, both males and females; into his government, of the increase of it, and his peace there is no end. And now this mystery of iniquity, you know how it hath wrought, and that there hath been a falling away, and many have run into Cain's, Corah's, and Balaam's way, and Jezabel's, and the Nicolaitans, and have been, and are the troublers of the church of Christ; and the son of perdition, that man of sin is revealed, who opposes and exalts himself above all that is called God, &c. and sits in the temple of God; and they that receive not the truth in the love of it, but believe a lie, are deceived by him to their destruction.

Now you read how the outward Judas or son of perdition betrayed Christ without, but this was and is an inward son of perdition that betrayed Christ within, who sits in the temple of God, and opposes and

exalts himself above all that is called God, as before; for that which may be known of God is manifest within, and God hath showed it unto them. So the son of perdition, the man of sin, the wicked one, and mystery of iniquity, whose working is after satan with all deceivableness in them that perish; he gets into the temple of God and sits there, where light, grace, and truth and the word of God should be, and the holy ghost; for the saints' bodies are the temples of the holy ghost, and God and Christ, who dwells in them, and walks in them. But there is a falling away from the truth first, before the man of sin and son of perdition be revealed, and then his opposition is seen, and then he deceives, after the working of satan, such as receive not the truth in the love of it; for Judas the son of perdition which betrayed Christ, he was numbered with the apostles, and obtained part of their ministry, from which by transgression he fell; and therefore saith the apostle, As it is written in the book of Psalms, let his habitation be made desolate, and his bishopric let another take,' as in Acts i. 17. 20.

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So here you may see no man is to dwell in Judas' habitation who fell from the truth, and that part of the ministry which he had: so there is a falling away first, before that the man of sin the son of perdition be revealed, and many may come so far as outward Judas the son of dition, to be partakers of the true ministry, and then fall away from the life and power of it, and become sons of perdition, opposers, betrayers, and deceivers of them that believe a lie, and receive not the truth in the love of it. But let all men beware of his habitation, for the Lord will consume him with the spirit of his mouth, and destroy him with the brightness of his coming.

And you that have stood steadfast in the Lord Jesus Christ and his government, have been sensible what work this man of sin, the son of perdition, hath made in his opposition and opposing, yea, with all its power to betray them who walk and live in Christ, with their words, and books, and carriages, and actions; but he shall not prosper, for the Lord will consume him with the spirit of his mouth, and destroy him with the brightness of his coming. Hallelujah.

And therefore, all every where that have received the gospel, and the seed in which all nations are blessed, dwell in this seed, males and females, who are all one in him, and live in the peaceable holy government of Christ, of the increase of which, and its peace, there is no end. And in this government, neither Cain, Corah, Dathan, nor Abiram, with their false fire, nor Balaam, nor the son of perdition can come. These are all without; though they trouble the church of Christ for awhile, yet Christ will trouble them in the day of their consuming and destruction. And so all walk in Christ Jesus, who was before they were, and will be when they are gone; and in Christ there is no division, but VOL. VI.

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peace, for he is not divided; and in him God Almighty preserve all his people. Amen.

A POSTSCRIPT CONCERNING PRAYER.

Here you may see is a scripture testimony of the apostle of Christ to the Christians and church of Christ, how and what they were to pray by, and in; and that the apostles did not make them prayers, and give them books and other things to pray by.

THE apostle writes to the church of Christ, the Ephesians, (Eph. v. 18, 19.) and exhorts them, and saith, Praying always with all prayer and supplications in the spirit, and watching thereunto with all perseverance and supplication for all the saints, and for me, that utterance may be given unto me, that I may open my mouth boldly to make known the mystery of the gospel.' Mark, their prayers, and supplications, and watchings, were to be in the spirit, both for themselves, and the saints, and for the apostles.

And the apostle doth not give them a book to pray by, and say, pray by the book, but by the spirit, yea, the apostle saith, they were always to pray in the spirit.'

And the apostle saith to the church of Christ, the Corinthians, (1 Cor. xiv. 15.) 'I will pray with the spirit, and will pray with understanding also. I will sing with the spirit, and I will sing with understanding also.' And again the apostle said to the Colossians, that he prayed always for them.'

So you may see the apostle doth not say that he prayed by the book; but he prayed by the spirit, and the people cannot have always the book to pray by, but the spirit they may have in them, by which they may pray always.

And the apostle saith to the Romans of the church of Christ, The spirit helpeth our infirmities, for we know not what we should pray for as we ought; but the spirit itself maketh intercession for us with groans that cannot be uttered; and he that searcheth the heart, knows what is the mind of the spirit, because he makes intercession for the saints according to the will of God.' Rom. viii. 26, 27.

Now here you may see the apostle doth not say it was outward forms, or prayer books, that did help their infirmities, nor turn them to the prayer books to help their infirmities, or make intercession for them; but he plainly tells them the spirit did help their infirmities, and makes intercession for them according to the will of God, who knows the mind

of the spirit; for the spirit which he pours upon them, people have always with them, but the book they may not always have with them, but the spirit they have always with them by sea and land, and night and day, to help their infirmities, and make intercession for them, if they do not err from it, and rebel against it.

And the apostle Jude in his General Epistle to the church of Christ, exhorts them, saying, 'But ye beloved, build up yourselves in the most holy faith, praying in the holy ghost.' Jude xx.

Now here you may see what the church of Christ were to build themselves up in, and what to pray in. Namely, in the holy faith, and to pray in the holy ghost. He doth not say they were to pray in books, neither do we read that he made books for them to pray by or in; but the apostle told the church of Christ, in the last time there should be mockers who should walk after their ungodly lusts;' and these were they who separate themselves, sensual, having not the spirit, who were wandered and erred from it: then such were not like to pray in the spirit, and in the holy ghost, as the true christians were and are. Christ saith, 'Watch ye therefore, and pray always.' Luke xxi. 36.

And in Luke xviii. 1. it is said, that men ought always to pray, and not to faint;' and this must needs be by the spirit that makes intercession.

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And the apostle saith, Be careful for nothing, but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known unto God.' Phil. iv. 6. And I will therefore that men pray every where, lifting up holy hands without wrath and doubting, and that prayers, supplications, intercessions, and giving of thanks be made for all men.' Is not this in the holy spirit, with lifting up holy hands. 1 Tim. ii. 1. 8.

And the angels offered up the prayers of the saints upon the golden altar which was before the throne of God, and the prayers of the saints ascended up before God out of the angels' hand. Rev. viii. 3, 4.

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And do you think that these prayers of all the saints were outward prayer books that were made for them, or were they prayers by and in the spirit, which they offered up to God?

G. F.

Several treatises worthy of every true Christian's serious consideration. By G. F.

I. A distinction betwixt the prophets of God, Christ, and his ministers, and the messengers of satan; for the one preaches up Christ's works and things, and the other preaches up sutan's works

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