Epistle 175

My dear friends,--In the order and wisdom of life order all things to God's glory [Wis 8:1, 1 Cor 10:31], and dwell in the love of God [1 Jn 4:16] together, all serving one another <167> in love [Gala 5:13], and in the life of the truth; and ye that 'give to the poor, lend to the Lord ' and he will give you again [Prov 19:17] with advantage. And so be fruitful in every good work [Col 1:10], and be subject to one another [1 Pet 5:5] in the fear of the Lord, and do that which ye do in love and peace; and in that keep in the authority and power of God, in kindness. And keep down and be master over all passion, and the hasty and cross spirits, and silence that which is sudden; and let love have the pre-eminence in all and over all.

And provoke one another to love and to good works [Heb 10:24], and be diligent in all your places; that ye may be a good savour [2 Cor 2:15] in the hearts of all, and that the truth may flow over all. And let nothing be wanting amongst you, and then all is and will be well. And encourage one another to seek out the poor, and sick, and fatherless, and widow, and imprisoned, and make up their necessities and wants [Mat 25:35f, James 1:27]; then there will be nothing lacking [1 Th 4:12]. And keep in discerning, that ye may not be ensnared, nor made a prey upon; but that in the power and wisdom of God ye may be kept over all such, and to feel through all states and conditions. That the Lord God may be honoured in and by you all, and ye all may be preserved in his power and life to his glory.

For your bestowing of outward things to such as stand in need, is the least love, and things of little value in comparison to the things that are above and immortal. And so keep over all in that in which ye have the blessing poured upon you from the Lord God, to clothe and cover you.

G. F.