redeemed and therefore are not justified nor cleared from condemnation in the sight of the Lord but who lives in iniquity and sin and the waies and works of the world which are evill by Christ Jesus are condemned and not justified though in words they professe him yet of justification by him they have no part and sanctification is by the working of the eternall Spirit in the heart of the creature which purgeth out and taketh away all unrighteousness and all the works and fruits of darkness it witnesseth against and witnesseth unto Jesus who takes away all sin and destroies the works of the devill that man may be holy and pure in the sight of his Maker and every one that hath the witness of his justification hath the operation by the eternall spirit of sanctification and all that receives Christ Jesus who hath lighted every man that cometh into the world receiveth sanctification and justification by him and he unto us is made so of the Father he that can receive it let him CHAP. IX Concerning the Kingdom of Christ and how it is to be set up this testimony I give unto all the World THE Kingdom of God and of his Son is not of this world but is from above and stands in righteousnesse and in truth in mercy and in peace in true judgement and justice and this dominion is from everlasting to everlasting and it reacheth beyond all the world and its Government is love and unity and everlasting peace and is perfect liberty to the just and bindeth and chaineth the unjust in it there is no oppression but perfect freedom from all unrighteousnesse and it consists not in word but in power to the bringing down of the Kingdome of the devill and to the breaking off the bonds of all injustice and all ungodlinesse which is the Kingdom of satan which hath long ruled in the world that Kingdom whereof Christ is King which stands in righteousnesse no unclean thing can have any part therein and this we believe it shall be set up and advanced in the earth but not by might of man or arm of flesh not the multitude of an host neither by policy nor craft nor by revenge but by the arm of the Lord alone through the suffering and patience of his people and by faithfull witness bearing unto Jesus Christ by doing and by suffering by doing his will in all things in a pure life and conversation and upright walking in the sight of the Lord and by patient suffering under the injustice and oppression of men and of their unjust Government and Laws till they be overturned and confounded and further we give testimony that suffering in patience under the cruelty and oppression of the devils government and Kingdom more reaches to overthrow them than the rising to rebel in any way of outward offence toward them or defence from them and the Kingdom of Christ is near to come and the Kingdoms of this world shall be changed and none shall have any part therein but they that are redeemed out of kindreds tongues and people this we believe he that can receive it let him CHAP. X. Concerning Governours and Governments and Subjection to this testimony I give to the world GOvernours Rulers and Magistrates we own and do respect in the Lord and yet cannot respect any mans person whatsoever such as be a terrour to all evill in their government and that fears God and hates covetousnesse and delights in equity in justice and true judgement and gives diligent heed to try the cause of the poor and will judge justly without respect of men who justifies the good and gives praise to the well-doer such Government and Governours we reverence where sinne and iniquity is kept under drunkenness swearing Murther quarrelling and all the waies and works of the flesh are terrified and a well-doer praised and justified this Government of men reaches to the witnesse of God in every man and that answers to the justice and righteousnesse of all such Governours and Government and these witnesse that they are of God but the witnesse of God in every man beareth witness against all unjust men and Laws and Rulers and Governments which strengtheneth the hands of the wicked and oppresseth the just where the making and execution of Laws are in the power of proud men and covetous men who fears not God neither hates covetousnesse neither doth respect the cause of the poor but rules by their wills and tyranny and not by just Laws in righteousnesse but makes unrighteous decrees to oppresse the poor and innocent letting the wicked go free such who upholds unrighteous worships and teachers by oppression and cause the innocent to suffer and makes them offenders because the exercise of a pure conscience towards God and men such Rulers and Government we cannot be subject to for conscience sake but doth rather fulfill the law and will of God though we transgresse their wills and unrighteous Laws and yet doth not rebell against them nor seek defence from them but patiently suffers under them and bears their injustice and cruelty without seeking any revenge but leaves vengeance to the Lord to whom it belongs and this is our judgment in ful the Government and Laws which we cannot obey nor fulfil for conscience sake we chuse rather to suffer under them for disobedience to them than to transgresse the righteous Law of God written in our hearts by obeying them so that what we cannot obey for conscience sake for conscience sake we resist not but suffers under that the punishment of it patiently and herein are we subject to every ordinance of man for conscience sake in fulfilling of the good the just and righteous and in patience suffering under the cruelty and oppression of the unjust and unrighteous and this we do and teach every where subjection to every ordinance of man and are not destroyers of true Government not rebellious against just Governours but are exalters of true justice and judgement in the earth CHAP. XI Concerning the true Ministry of Christ and the false Ministry and the difference betwixt them this testimony I give unto all the world THe true Ministry is sent of God and is the gift of the Holy Ghost and it stands in the power of the Spirit of God and not in the words of mans wisdom of that wisdom which is from below and it brings people to the knowledge of God which is life eternall and it turns people from darknesse to light and from the power of Satan to the power of God it is freely received of God and freely given forth of us it proclaims peace on earth unto such as are of a broken and upright heart and it proclaims warre against all the wicked upon earth it is a good savour unto God in setting the way of life and the way of death before all people the Ministry of Christ is free and cannot be bought nor sold for money it is without hire and gifts and
rewards from any man which is given freely into the world and it ever was and is persecuted by the generation of the unjust and by the powers of the earth he that comes in the Fathers name cannot be received of the world but the world is at enmity against it in this generation as ever was it converts people unto the knowledge of God and many did and many doth receive the knowledge of God thereby though some thereby be hardened against God unto destruction and the word of the Lord and the Ministry returns not in vain unto God but all by it are left without excuse the witnesse of Christ in every creature being reached to which gives testimony to the power and to the truth of the Ministry of Christ but the false Ministers and Ministry are not such for their Ministry is received by naturall learning and arts and is not the gift of the Holy Ghost but stands in the wisdom of mans words and not in the power and life of God it profits not the people at all neither doth any come to the knowledge of God thereby neither is turned from darknesse to light but Teachers and people continues in the power of Satan and in the unconverted estate the witnesse of God not reached to to bring to the understanding of things which are eternall but people are ever learning by it and never coming to the knowledge of the truth but the blind leads the blind and like Teachers like People all out of the way given to iniquity and unrighteousness and such are they who preaches for hire and divines for money and seeks for their gain from their quarter and through covetousnesse by feigned words makes merchandize of souls going for gifts and rewards and reaching for filthy lucre having setled places and so much a year these are not the true Ministers of Christ but false Ministers of Antichrist and deceivers and was never sent of God and do never bring any to the knowledge of God and such we bear witnesse against to be of the Devil and that for many generations the world hath been deceived by them who hath had the form of godlinesse but not the power and Christs words and the Apostles words without the life and they have served themselves and not the Lord Jesus but now they are made manifest with the true Light which approveth the Ministry of God and disapprove such who are Ministers of Antichrist and all that are in the light and walks in the light can receive this testimony which is given by the Spirit of God to that Ministry which is sent of him which doth fulfill his will and against the false Ministry which is not of God which runs and was never sent of him CHAP. XII Concerning the Gospel of Christ this is my testimony unto all the world THe Gospell is the power of God and it is sent of him into the world to reconcile people unto him that have been in the enmity against him it is peace to the poor in spirit and judgement to the fat and to the high minded and it is to be preached to every creature male and female under Heaven without respect of Peoples Nations or generations it is the manifestation of the love of God to the whole world togather people out of all unrighteousnesse into the living way of life peace and truth to walk with God in purity and holinesse and to deny the world and all its waies and works and worships which are evill and by it some are brought to God and to salvation and life eternal and some through it are hardened against God that they may be destroyed and condemned who are reprobates and believes not in him from whom the Gospell comes and it cannot be received by any other way or means than by the revelation of Jesus Christ in the hearts of his people and many have the letter which knows not the Gospell nor hath received it and this Gospell which is everlasting have we received from God and this is the sound of it which we give in the world unto the world fear God and give glory to him for the hour of his judgements is come and this is the everlasting Gospell of salvation he that can receive it let him CHAP. XIII Concerning the word of God and concerning the Scriptures this testimony I give unto all the World THe word of God was in the beginning before any creatures were made and by it all things stand and remain unto this day and the world endures for ever and by it all things in Heaven and in Earth are brought to pass which God doth and it is from everlasting to everlasting without beginning and without end and the word is powerfull dividing and discerning all things even the secret thoughts of every mans heart it is a two-edged sword and as a fire and like a hammer to cut up to burn and to beat down the word of the Lord reconciles man again to him and this word is in the mouth in the heart and the servants of the Lord handled tasted saw and felt the word of life and from it spoke sorth the Scriptures as they were moved by the Holy Ghost through the eternall Spirit and it is a declaration of the word of life which was in the beginning and endures for ever and it declares what the Saints received believed and enjoyed and none can understand it without the same Spirit that gave it forth and to such who have the same Spirit the Scripture is profitable the Word of God which was in the beginning and which endures for ever is not the Scripture which was not in the beginning neither can it endure for ever but the Scripture testifies of that word and that word witnesseth to the Scripture and they are not contrary one to the other but gives witnesse each of other but many hath the Scripture that hath not the Word neither knows it but they that have the Word cannot but own the Scriptures and this the truth as it is in Jesus testified to all the world by us who doth deny them that hereof gives any other testimony CHAP. XIV Concerning the Devill and Damnation this testimony I give to all people THere is a Devill which is out of the truth who abode not in the truth but is a lyar from the beginning and the Father of all evill and evill doing and the author of all unrighteousness and whatsoever is contrary to God in thought word and action he is the enmity against God and against all good and by his power subverts creatures and things to another end than wherefore they were created even to the dishonour of the Creator he is the god of this world the Prince of darknesse and he rules King in all the children of the first Adam who are in evill he was the cause of the first transgression and is the cause of disobedience to God to this day in all people who are led by him moving
sake and because of being guided or not of being guided with the measure of Gods pure Spirit Therefore is man and his works good and accepted or evill and not regarded but condemned of God CHAP. XIX Concerning mans state in the first Adam before conversion and his state after conversion and what conversion is MAns state in the first Adam in transgression is a state of perfect enmity against God and death reigns in every man and he is possessed with blindnesse and ignorance and unbelief and is wholly imperfect to receive the things of Gods Kingdom or to act any thing for God acceptable to him man in that state is wholly dead to God and insensible of the presence and power and life of his Creator for he is drove from God and is not led by him he hath no power to perform any good in the sight of God but is possessed with evill and led into all evill continually hee is free from righteousnesse and free to all evill being the servant of the Devil and subject to him and overcome of him every moment and is led by him to transgresse against the Lord his heart is unclean and out of it proceeds continually uncleannesse in all manner of words thoughts and actions which floweth out of the corrupt fountain which grieveth and vexeth the Lord and his Spirit who is dishonoured daily by man through his abuse of Gods creatures who is a devourer and destroyer of them and not a preserver as he ought to be who abuseth them upon his lust and not to the glory of the Lord he loves the creature and worships the creature and is gone a whoring after the creatures and hath forgotten God that made him and all things and hath lost his own dominion wherein hee was set in his Creation and his state in his transgression is cursed of God and without the peace of God it being in the enmity against him and in all things he is wholly unprofitable to his Maker and onely profitable to himself and to the Devill and this in short is the state of every man in transgression before conversion but his state after conversion is a state more blessed for man is changed and renewed and translated by the power of the Lord through the working of the eternall Spirit through conversion his mind is changed and his heart is renewed the old is done away and a new heart is given and all things are become new even every word and work and every intent and purpose of his mind is converted into another end and guided by another spirit than before his conversion and man is again returned to God into the sense and feeling of his Maker and into covenant with him where he is blessed and all things to him for the reconciliation is made with God and the evill is judged and condemned and sin is taken away and blotted out and not remembred for man is become servant unto God and onely serves him in all things and not himself or any other creature in any thing for he hath received power to become Sonne to God and hath received power over the Devill and his temptations and death is destroyed and the effects of it are ceased and the sting of it is taken away and life and immortality is brought to light and man is made capable to act in all things for the glory of his Maker and God hath made Christ wisdome to him to rule him and guide him in all things and righteousnesse to cover him and justification to him to clear him in his sight and the new man is brought forth and the creating in Christ Jesus unto good works is known and the birth which is heir of Gods Kingdome is witnessed and unto this man is the Lord become an everlasting light and a sure hiding place for he is not the servant of sin but of righteousnesse nor an offence to God in any of his works but for his names sake is well pleased with him he is his teacher in all the waies of peace he is his helmet and his shield and his hope of salvation and his shepheard to feed him and preserve him at all times though he may be tempted yet he is not overcome for God is his strength though he may be tryed ye the is not forsaken of the Lord though he may be cast into the fire it is not to consume him for the Lord is with him all things he receives as from the hand of God all creatures he enjoyes in the Covenant with God and peace is in all his waies for it is the Lord that works in him both to will and to do of his own good pleasure and this is the state of the new man brought forth in conversion which is a turning of the creature from the power of Satan which rules in every man before conversion to the power of God which is the ruler of every man that is truly converted and this is the truth as it is in Jesus which I have received from God he that can receive it let him and if any have an ear let him hear what the Spirit saith this conversion of the creature is wrought by the Spirit of God through the Ministry sent of him and even for this cause have we received the Ministry of God through the holy Ghost that we might publish these things abroad that all people may come to the knowledge of them and may tast and handle and feel of the same word of life in themselves which will reveal the knowledge of these things to them that they may have fellowship with us and truly our fellowship is with the Father and with the Son And now be it known to all the world and to all people in it that the Lord hath raised up a people and brought forth a seed to bear witnesse of his Name and of his dominion and power in all the earth and of these truths with many more which are but one in Christ Jesus hath God given us the perfect knowledge of even wrought them in us and revealed them to us by the eternall Spirit and as that same Spirit doth and shall move us do we and shall wee bear witnesse of these truths unto all people upon earth whatsoever both by doctrine and conversation holding forth the testimony unto others which we have received of God that Christ may be exalted and his Kingdome set up in the world and in comparison of this that we may serve God in our generation by bearing witnesse of these things which we have heard and seen nothing of this world our liberty our life nor any other thing whatsoever is not dear unto us yea even for this cause that the Name of the Lord may be testified of do we give up our selves continually to suffer all manner of evil in words or works and we love not our lives unto death that truth and righteousness may be exalted and this is the cause wherefore we passe through many
dangers on every hand and are in perills often and we are not nor cannot be afraid of the face of any man even that the Lord alone may be exalted whose Name and Honour and Truth is more dear unto us than any other thing and for it have we forsaken all and counted it as nothing in comparison of the knowledge of Christ and his truth herein declared and witnessed to the whole world to whom it shall come and the light of Christ in every one shall give testimony to it unto which I do only commend my self and these truths to be witnessed And know ye assuredly that God who is just and righteous in all his wayes it is he that setteth the way of life and the way of death before every man and he hath appeared in this generation and he hath caused his voice to be heard in the earth and he hath set the way of death and the way of life before you and all that perish it is through unbeliefe and because they do despise the way which God hath prepared who hath prepared a way for life and salvation unto all people that all may come to life and salvation and may not perish and he hath not shut out any creature before he was brought forth into the world but giveth to every one that cometh into the world a day of visitation and a time of repentance and returning that healing may be received from the Lord who is the restorer of lost man and there is not another so that if man perish it is of himself and not of God who hath so loved mankind that he hath given his Son his own wisdome and his power into the world that all that doth receive him Christ Jesus may have everlasting life and they that receive him not they perish because of unbelief whereby they are hardened for destruction and unto such our Gospell the Gospell of God is hid whose eye is blinded by the God of this world that they cannot see the things which be eternall nor believe in him from whence life comes and such are stumbling at Christ the foundation and therefore shall be broken and must not inherit the kingdome of God and unto such though they be wise in the kingdome of this world are we become fools for Christ sake and our testimony cannot be received by them nor approved of them even them that seek after a signe and them that seek after wisdome to such we are not known nor can our testimony be acceptable to them which is not with enticing words of mans wisdome but in the demonstration of God Spirit and in simplicity of truth which is of great price with the Lord even above knowledge and all wisdome which is of this world which comes to nothing but the Lord will confound that and bring it to nothing for the world by its wisdome doth not know God neither can it receive the things of God but is foolishnesse in the sight of God and the wisdome of the world must be offended in him and in the testimony which is given of him and the Princes of this world and the wise men must stumble and fall the powers of the earth must be offended at him that they may be confounded and brought to nought all the heathen shall rage and the people shall imagine a vain thing but what of all this the testimony of the Lord is true which he hath given us to bear of his Name and of it we are not ashamed before the face of the whole world and we are armed to suffer for it and not only to subscribe to the truth of it with our hand or to declare of it with our tongue and pen but also if we be called to it may seal it with our blood Wherefore this is sent among you all Rulers Teachers and people in all the world this is sent among you as to give you the certain knowledge of what we hold and bear witnesse to which is received of us from God and born witnesse of to you by his Spirit even those things with many others which we have not received from man but from God are we purposed in the Lord to declare abroad and he hath put it into our hearts to fulfill his will herein for he hath spoken who can but prophesie and he hath given the word and many are they that publish it in faithfulnesse against the kingdome of the man of sin which hath long been exalted in the earth over the seed of God which the Lord is now a gathering and establishing his Covenant with an Ierusalem that hath long lain wast shall be made the praise of the whole earth and the Gentiles which hath polluted her shall be cast out and the Saints shall rejoyce over all their enemies And know you assuredly from us who know the Lord that God is doing great things in the earth he is begun to work and his arm shall bring it to passe he will overturn and overturn till he come to reign whose right it is who will change times and things even that which cannot be believed though a man declare it unto you is the Lord bringing to passe the eye shall blesse that sees it and the heart shall praise that can understand and behold the Lord comes quickly and they are blessed that waits for him whose reward is with him and his glorious work is before him to be wrought by his own hand without the help of any other who needs not the help of man and yet that man that doth oppose him shall be overthrown confounded and destroyed And again all the Kings Princes Rulers and People whatsoever know ye assuredly that we are not enemies against but friends unto all Civill Government and to all just and righteous orders and decrees and wholsome Law and Customs of any Common-wealth and no way are we destructive to or destroyers of the Peace and welfare and wholsome Laws which is according to God of any Nation whatsoever But are preservers of the peace of all people and waits in patience for the establishment of justice and true judgement and that righteousnesse may spring forth and the Government of all Nations may be according to the Law of God Neither are we such who makes void the just Government of any Nation or City neither are we such who through evill purposes plotteth or conspireth or contriveth evill in our hearts against any Governours or Government whatsoever but wisheth peace and truth and the fear of the Lord unto all men and Nations and desireth not the overthrow or evill to any people or their Government but is subject to just Government every where by obedience to it and subject to evill Government by suffering in patience under it so that righteousnesse alone we wait to see set up through the world and for that cause suffereth patiently under our enemies not seeking revenge against them nor envying the persons of any but pitties our enemies and desireth their repentance
all them to envy wrath pride whoredom drunkenness theft and murther and all the works of darkness sin and death he is the fountain and root of all these and the leader and ruler in the exercise of them and of every evill word and work whatsoever which are contrary to God he abode not in the truth and he hath led all mankind out of truth into all deceit and unrighteousnesse and into every evill way and he dwells in darkness and inhabits in thick darkness and is out of the light and is separate from the presence of God for ever bound in chains of darkness and ignorance and unbelief and he hath power in the earthly part of man and a law in the members and he possesses him that is born of the flesh his covenant is with him who is not born of the seed of God who cannot sin such are in covenant with God and renewed into his image but such as are not hath the Devill power in to captivate and lead their minds into vanity and their affections and desires into all that which is evill by which the Spirit of God the Creator of all things is grieved and his soul vexed and all murther and deceitfull works of the world and all whatsoever is contrary to God in words thoughts or actions is of the Devill that wicked one and from him and all that follow his movings and worketh evill thereby they serve him and obey him he is their God and their King and they are his people and his subjects he is their Father and they are his children he is their root and they are his off-sprign and brings forth fruit unto him and serves and worships him and not the true God that made all things and all such must be cast into utter darknesse with him and shall have their portion with him in the bottemlesse pit of darknesse for ever and ever where there is no end of woe and sorrow and misery for in the anger of God there the worm dies nor nor the fire is not quenched and out of that there is no redemption for the unclean and all such who are led of him who is out of the truth and in evill are judged and condemned and damned by him who is the truth who judgeth righteously and as he hath not ceased to work evill and to draw the children of men into evill for he continually tempteth to lead from God into rebellion against him And they that are led by him are destroyed and he shall not cease to sorrow woe and misery for ever as he hath not ceased to work evill he liveth and moveth in the anger of God his beginning was in it and all his works are in it and it shall be the reward of him and all that obey him in the separation from Gods everlasting presence for ever and ever CHAP. XV Concerning all creatures that God made this testimony I give unto all the World ALL creatures that God made in their creation and beginning was very good in his sight that made them and unto man that was to use them and no creature was evill or defiled in its creation but mankind transgressing against his Maker he became evill and did evill in the sight of the Lord and he being possessed with evill and corrupted he makes all creatures evill in his exercise of them and he corrupts them and perverts them to another end than wherefore they were created and by the creatures dishonours the Creator who should have honoured him by them and they are become a curse unto man and not a blessing though in themselves are neither cursed nor evill nor defiled but is become so unto man because of his transgression and disobedience for he being in the curse and defiled all things are so unto him and in his exercise of them he is wicked abusing them upon the lust to satisfie his devillish mind and ruling over them in oppression and cruelty and hard heartedness and not in the wisdom of God as he ought and he subverts them out from their pure vertue feeding his lust in pride and voluptuousness with that which should keep him from hunger and nakednesse and so pleasing the lust in all things more than satisfying pure nature and this ought not to be for it is out of the covenant of God in which all creatures was made and in which they stand except the creature man who is degenerated out of Gods covenant and subverts all things to his own end and not unto the glory of God while he continues in that state unreconciled to God but man being restored and redeemed and renewed again into covenant with God through the condemning of the evill then all creatures to him are restored and made blessed the curse being removed out of his own heart the creatures are no longer cursed to him but good and decent and enjoyed and received in the covenant of God in the life and vertue by which they were created and by the wisdom which they were made man comes to order them and exercise himself in them and no more are they spent upon the lust nor on the vain mind nor ruled over in oppression but all that is condemned and all creatures are seen to be the Lords and the whole earth is his and the fulnesse thereof and the abuse of all creatures is ceased and they are enjoyed in their pure vertue to feed and to cloth the creature and not to be destroyed upon the lust but for the healths-sake are they used to the glory of the Creator and unto the end wherefore he created them and are pure as they were in the beginning and the blessing is felt which is more than all creatures CHAP. XVI Concerning the new Covenant and how man comes to the knowledge of God this testimony I give THe Covenant of God is unity betwixt God and man and a binding each to other to serve each other the one is bound to obey and submit and worship and the other to blesse and keep and lead and preserve this Covenant is established with his own seed for ever and there is no teacher but God all is taught of him from the least to the greatest who are in this Covenant his just Law is written in their heart to condemn all transgression and his pure Spirit is put into the inward parts to be the rule and guide of life in all things and none need to say know the Lord but all knows him in the Spirit and worships him and obeys him and follows him in spirit and in truth and such are come into peace and reconciliation and God and the Covenant with Hell and death is broken and in this Covenant there is no Priest nor offering but Christ Jesus the high Priest of God the one offering for sinne he takes away sin and makes intercession and in it is no temple but our bodies are the temple of God and he dwells in us and walks in us and there is