To Friends In American, Concerning Their Negroes, and Indians (1679)
All Friends, everywhere, that have Indians or blacks, you are to preach the gospel to them, and other servants, if you be true Christians; for the gospel of salvation was to be preached to every creature under heaven; Christ commands it to his disciples, "Go and teach all nations, baptizing them into the name of the Father, son, and holy ghost." And this is the one baptism with the spirit into one body, which plunges down sin and corruption, which hath gotten up by disobedience and transgression. For all have been plunged into sin and death from the life, for all died in Adam, then they have been all subjected by the evil sprit, which led them out of the truth into the evil; and therefore they must all be baptized into the death of Christ, and put on Christ, if they have life.
And also, you must preach the grace of God all blacks and Indians, which grace brings salvation, that hath appeared unto all men, to teach and instruct them to live godly, righteously, and soberly: which grace of God is sufficient to teach and establish all true christians, that they may appear before the throne of grace.
And also, you must teach and instruct blacks and indians, and others, how that God doth pour out his spirit upon all flesh in these days of the new covenant, and new testament; and that none of them must quench the motions of his spirit nor grieve it nor vex it; nor rebel against it, nor err from it, nor resist it; but be led by his good spirit to instruct them; and with which they may profit in the things of God; neither must they turn from his grace into wantonness, nor walk despitefully against the spirit of grace, for it will teach them to live soberly, godly, and righteously, and season their words.
And also, you must instruct and teach your Indians and negroes, and all others, how that Christ, by the grace of God, tasted death for every man, and gave himself a ransom for all men, to be testified in due time, and is the propitiation not for the sins of christians only, but for the sins of the whole world: and how, that he doth enlighten every man that cometh into the world, with his true light, which is the life in Christ, by whom the world was made.
And Christ, who is the light of the world, saith, "Believe in the light, that you may become children of the light." And they that do evil, and hate the light (which is the life in Christ) and will not come to the light, because it will reprove them, and love the darkness more than the light; this light is their condemnation. And so, all must be turned from darkness to light, to believe in the light; and from the power of satan to God; and if they do not believe, they will be reproved, condemned, and judged ny Christ, who hath all power in heaven and in earth, given unto him, who will judge both the quick and the dead, and reward every man according to his works, whether they be good or evil.
And therefore you are to open the promises of God to the ignorant, and how God would give Christ a covenant, a light to the Gentiles, the heathen, and a new covenant to the house of Israel,and the house of Judah, and the he is God's salvation to the ends of the earth; and how that the earth shall be covered with the knowledge of the Lord, as the waters cover the sea; so that the glorious knowledge of the Lord shall cover the earth.
And the Lord said, "He knew that Abraham would teach and instruct his family, that they should learn to keep his laws and statutes after he was gone;" and Abraham did circumcise all his males, yea, them that he had bought with his money of any stranger. Now who are of faith, and walks in the steps of faithful Abraham, do preach up and instruct all their families in the circumcision of the sprit, that they may be circumcised with the sprit, which puts off the body of death, and the sins of the flesh, that is come up in man and woman by transgression; so that in the sprit they many serve and worship the true and living God; and so that ye all may come to enjoy the presence of the Lord in your families, and improve your talents that Christ hath given unto you; for David saith, that saw Christ in his new covenant, "Let all nations praise the Lord;" again, "Let the poor and needy praise thy name, And let all people praise thee, O God. And O ye servants of the Lord, praise the Lord; for the Lord is good to all, and his tender mercies are over all his works. And all thy works shall praise thee, O Lord; and and thy saints shall bless thee, they shall speak of thy glory and of thy kingdom, and talk of thy power." For the Lord saith, "From the rising of the sun to the going down of the same, my name shall be great among the Gentiles. And 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." And this heavenly incense, and offering in every place, is the spiritual offering in the new covenant; for the Jews were to offer but in one place, in the temple, in the old covenant, but in the new covenant their offering is in the holy temple of their hearts, in the sprit, with which they offer the pure, and holy, and acceptable sacrifice to God; with that sprit which God hath given them, they have a living sense of God their creator, and Father of all their mercies, who hath made them, and hath made all things for them , and redeems by his son Christ Jesus, to whom be praise, and hour, and thanks for evermore.
So let all bow at the name of Jesus, to his power and light, and sprit, for they have bowed to the power of darkness, that foul and unclean spirit, who is out of truth, and in whom there is no truth. And therefore now all are to bow at the name of Jesus; for there is no salvation in any other name under heaven, but in the name of Jesus, whose name is above every name under heaven, who is the first born of every creature, and the first begotten from the dead, whom God now speaks to his people by, his son; and all are to hear him, the great prophet; and every tongue is to confess to christ Jesus, to the glory of God the Father, who is the first and the last, who bruises the serpent's head. And so through Christ Jesus man and woman comes again to God. All blessings and praises be the Lord God, through Jesus Christ, for ever and evermore. Amen.
