My dear friends,—Be faithful to the Lord God every one, in the truth and power of God, and his righteousness, that it may flow over all [Amos 5:24], and walk and live in it, that to the Lord God you may be a good savour [2 Cor 2:15], and a blessing in your generation. Look over all sufferings, and that which makes you to suffer. Dwell in the rock, which is above all storms and tempests [Jer 48:28/Mat 7:24f]; for now is the trial of your faith [1 Pet 1:7], now is the trial of your meetings, (who are gathered in the name of Jesus, [Mat 18:20]) by them that are gathered in the name of Adam in the fall; now is the trial of your worship, which is in the spirit and truth [John 4:24], by such as worship out of the spirit and truth. And now is the trial of your fellowship in the gospel [Phil 1:5], the power of God [Rom 1:16], by such whose fellowship lies in outward things; now is the trial of your church, which is in God [1 Th 1:1], by those that have their church in the fall, unsanctified; and now is the trial of your faith, and your gospel fellowship in it, which is a mystery [Eph 3:9], and Christ the second Adam [1 Cor 15:45,47] is a mystery to fallen Adam, and truth is a mystery to all them that are out of it, and the light is a mystery to all the builders and stumblers at it [10" class="scriptRef">John 11:10], and haters of it [John 3:20]; and godliness is a mystery [1 Tim 3:16] to all the ungodly. Therefore may you praise the Lord, and bless his name, who hath revealed these mysteries to you in the day of trial, by which you may withstand the day of darkness, and the hour of it. For those that have oil in their lamps enter in with the bridegroom, who have heard his voice at midnight [Mat 25:6,10]. And so happy and blessed are all you that have laid up in store against this day [1 Tim 6:19], and the time that is now come, whose bread fails not [Isa 51:14], nor water [Isa 58:11], and have found the landmark of your everlasting portion and inheritance in the kingdom, where nothing that defiles can enter [Rev 21:17]. And therefore be valiant for the truth upon the earth [Jer 9:3], and fear no amazement [1 Pet 3:6], but fear the Lord, who upholds all things by his word and power [Heb 1:3], in whom is all your fresh springs of life [John 4:14]. Live and walk in the second Adam, the Lord from heaven [1 Cor 15:47]; and all keep out of Adam in the fall, that is earthly, that you may sit down in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus [Eph 2:6], that never fell [1 Pet 2:22], who is your life, who is your peace and salvation, who redeems you from the earth [Rev 14:3], that you may reign upon the earth, who makes you kings and priests to God [Rev 5:10]; and blessed be the Lord for ever, who reigns, and lives, and rules amongst his flocks and assemblies, gardens, plants, vineyards, babes, children, sons and daughters, servants and prophets, watering them with the water of life [Rev 21:6], giving the increase [1 Cor 3:7] of life to them; glory and praise be to his name for ever. And God accepts you in his son, the second Adam, the seed Christ [Gal 3:16] Jesus, who reigns. But God is displeased with people as they are in Adam in the fall, as they are out of <246> Christ. And so in him be faithful, who is your crown, let no man take your crown [Rev 3:11] from you. Yea, I say, be faithful to him who was the ‘Lamb slain from the foundation of the world [Rev 13:8],’ who reigns and sits down at the right hand of God, till all his enemies be made his footstool [Psa 110:1]; he who was glorified with the Father before the world began [John 17:3], sit down in him, the amen and faithful witness [Rev 3:14]. G. F.