Epistle 230

Friends,--Stand still and see [Exo 14:16], be still and hear, sit at Jesus' feet, and choose the better thing [Luke 10:38-42]; to do the work of God is to believe in his son Jesus Christ [John 6:29] the light; and your hope and faith are to stand in God, and in his son, walk by that faith which he is the author of [Heb 12:2], and walk in the light [1 Jn 1:7], and walk in the spirit [Gal 5:16]. As every one hath received Christ, so walk in him [Col 2:6], and so serve God in the spirit [Rom 7:6], and worship him in the spirit and in the truth [John 4:24]; for God is not worshipped out of the spirit and truth.

The babes' milk is from the word [2 Pet 2:2], and their bread is from above [John 6:47f], and there is no true religion but what is pure from above [James 1:27/3:17]; and <244> the stayed, patient people abide in their own house, but the whore is gadding abroad [Prov 7:11f]; and there is no true church but where Christ exercises his offices in and amongst them, and they are asking their husband at home [1 Cor 14:35], and he is their head [Eph 5:23], and the true marriage to Christ the heavenly man is witnessed by such as are flesh of his flesh, and bone of his bone [Gen 2:23]; none come to be children of the light but such as believe in the light [John 12:36]; no sons of God, but by receiving Christ [John 1:12], and by being led by his spirit [Rom 8:14]; no coming into all truth, but by being led by the spirit of truth [John 16:13]; no running the true race [Heb 12:1] in the straight way [Jer 31:9] to get to the glorious crown [1 Pet 5:4], but with patience [Heb 12:1]; no purifying, but by coming to Christ, the hope of glory, the purifier [Col 1:27/1 Jn 3:3]; and no overcoming, but by believing in Christ [1 Jn 5:5] the light, and he that doth so is born of God [1 Jn 5:1].

And there is no true witness within but the light, the life, and spirit of Christ, the true record [John 8:14]; no true faith but that which Christ is the author of [Heb 12:2], which giveth victory [1 Jn 5:4]; no true anchor to the immortal soul [Heb 6:19] but by Christ, the hope of glory [Col 1:27]. So by hope you are saved [Rom 8:24]; no true liberty but in Christ, and in his law of the spirit of life [Rom 8:2], and in his gospel; no true knowledge of God, but by his light and spirit in the heart [2 Cor 4:6]; no salvation, but by the name of Jesus [Acts 4:12]; no true praying, but in the spirit; no true singing, but in the spirit [1 Cor 14:15]; no true fast, but that which breaks the bond of iniquity [Isa 58:6/Acts 8:23]; no true fellowship, but in the pure faith, light, spirit, and gospel [Phil 1:5,2:1] of God and Christ; no true foundation, but Christ [1 Cor 3:11], to build upon; no true way, but Christ [John 14:6]; no true seed, but what Christ hath sown in the heart [Mat 13:19]; no true rest, but in Christ [Mat 11:28]; no true peace, but in Christ [Rom 5:1]; no true service to God and Christ, but in the newness of life [Rom 6:4/7:6]; no knowing the things of God, but by the spirit of God [1 Cor 2:11]; no knowing the son nor the Father, but by the revelation of the holy spirit; no knowing the scriptures, but by the same holy ghost that moved the holy men to give them forth [2 Pet 1:21]; no calling Jesus, Lord, but by the holy ghost [1 Cor 12:3], by which he was conceived [Mat 1:20]; no grafting into Christ, but by believing [Rom 11:23] in the light [John 12:36], which is called the light in men, and the life in him [John 1:4]; no true wisdom, but from above [James 3:17]; and no true receiving it, but in the fear of the Lord [Job 28:28]; and no true understanding of spiritual things, but what Christ gives [1 Jn 5:20]; no divine reason, but in the faith that Christ is the author of [Heb 12:2], which giveth victory over that which is unreasonable [2 Th 3:2], and separates from God; and no true love to God, but what he sheddeth abroad in the heart [Rom 5:5]; and to know a fellowship with Christ in his death and sufferings [Phil 3:10], is above the fellowship of bread and wine, which will have an end; but the fellowship in the gospel and holy spirit hath no end.

G. F.