All Friends every where, in the living spirit, and living power, and in the heavenly light dwell, and quench not the motions of it in yourselves, nor the movings of it in others; though many have run out, and gone beyond their measures [2 Cor 10:14], yet many more have quenched the measure of the spirit of God, and after became dead and dull, and questioned through a false fear: and so there hath been hurt both ways. And therefore be obedient to the power of the Lord, and his spirit, and his spiritual weapons; war with that Philistine that would stop up your wells and springs [5" class="scriptRef">Gen 26:15,18]. Jacob's well was in the mountain [John 4:6,20], (read that within,) he was the second birth. And the belief in the power keeps the spring open. And none to despise prophecy, neither to quench the spirit [1 Th 5:20,19]; so that all may be kept open to the spring, that every one's cup may run over [Psa 23:5]. For you may all prophesy one by one, and the spirit of the prophets is subject to the prophets [1 Cor 14:31f]. ‘Would all the Lord's people were prophets [Num 11:29],’ said Moses in his time, when some found fault; but the last time is the christian's time, who enjoys the substance, Christ Jesus ; and his church is called a royal priesthood, offering up spiritual sacrifices [1 Pet 2:9,2:5]; and his church are his believers in his light. And so in the light every one should have something to offer; and to offer an offering in righteousness [Mal 3:3] to the living God, else they are not priests; and such as quench the spirit cannot offer, but become dull. ‘I will pour out of my spirit upon all flesh, in the last time,’ saith the Lord, which is the true christian's time, God's sons and daughters shall prophesy, and your young men shall see visions, and old men shall dream dreams; ‘and on my servants and handmaids I will pour out of my spirit in those days, and they shall prophesy [Joel 2:28f].’ Now friends, if this be fulfilled, servants, handmaids, sons, daughters, old men, young men, every one to feel the spirit of God, by which you may see the things of God, and declare them to his praise; for with the heart man doth believe, and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation [Rom 10:10]; first, he has it in his heart, before it comes out of his mouth: and this is beyond that brain-beaten-heady stuff, which man has long studied, about the saints' words, which the holy men of God spake forth as they were moved by the holy ghost [2 Pet 1:21]: so the holy ghost moved them, before they came forth and spake them. And therefore, as I said before, do <20> not resist the holy ghost, for they that did so, grew stiff-necked, and their hearts were uncircumcised [Acts 7:51]; but feel this holy ghost, this spirit of truth, that leads you into all truth [John 16:13]. So with the holy ghost, and with the light and power of God, do you build upon Christ the foundation, and life; and by the same heavenly light, and power, and spirit, do you labour in the vineyard, and do you minister and speak forth the things of God, and do you dig for your pearls [Mat 13:44-46] therefore bring them forth, and let them be seen how they glister the glistering pearls. And all come into the vineyard of God to labour [Mat 20:1-7], in the light which was before darkness was, and with the life which was before death and his power was; and in the truth and power of God, which the devil is out of [John 8;44], that every one of you may have your penny [Mat 20:9], that precious penny, and heavenly treasure from God Almighty, the great Lord, who is the orderer, and disposer, and governor, and ruler in the vineyard, among his servants, who pays them their wages, and gives them their heavenly penny of life. Mark, it is the labourers in the life, truth, and power of God, that labours in God's vineyard, that have their heavenly penny, that everlasting treasure. So see that you have it; if you be in the labour of life, you will have it. Friends, you see how men and women can speak enough for the world, for merchandise, for husbandry, the ploughman for his plough; but when they should come to speak for God, they quench the spirit, and say, and do not obey God's will. But come, let us see what the wise merchants can say; have they found the pearl and field, and purchased the field, which yields those glorious glistering pearls [Mat 13:44-46]? Let us see what can you say for God, and that heavenly merchandise. What can the ploughman say for God with his spiritual plough? Is the fallow ground ploughed up [Hos 10:12]? Has he abundance of the heavenly seed of life? . . . So none are to quench the spirit, nor to despise prophecy [1 Th 5:19f], lest ye limit the Holy One [Psa 78:41]; and every one is to minister as he hath received the grace, which hath <21> appeared to all men, which brings salvation [Tit 2:11]; so that the Lord's grace, his light, and truth, and spirit and power may have the passage, and the rule in all men and women, that by it he may have the glory, and from it in all, who is blessed for ever and for ever. The Lord hath said, ‘From the rising of the sun to the going down of the same, my name shall be great among the Gentiles [Mal 1:11].’ Now mark, friends, this is a large space, wherein God's name shall be great; and the Lord further saith, ‘In every place, incense shall be offered unto my name, and a pure offering; for my name shall be great among the heathen, saith the Lord of hosts. [ibid]’ Now mark, friends, this heavenly incense, and pure offering, is a spiritual offering, which is to be offered by the spirit to God, who is a spirit; then here none quench the spirit of God in their own hearts, and all such come under the title of the royal priesthood, offering up spiritual sacrifices [1 Pet 2:9,5]; which royal priesthood has a priest that lives for ever [Heb 6:20], Christ Jesus. And, friends, do not quench the spirit, nor abuse the power [1 Cor 9:18]; when it moves and stirs in you, be obedient, but do not go beyond, nor do not add to it, nor take from it [Deut 4:2]; for if you do you are reproved, either for going beyond, or taking from it. . . . <22> . . . . G. F.