in the form of servants before he makes them Lords of all The greatest favourites to the King of kings subject their inward man to him onely but their outward to every one that treads upon and bruises it by which suffering and no otherwise they come to reign in this manner by conviction taking them captive whose captives they were As their Captain leads so do they follow under his skirt and banner display'd the motto whereof as it was written in his blood so are they content it should be in their own viz. Love your Enemies Oh what pen can write or tongue expresse the transcendent joy the surpassing glory of such conquests that are begun in self-hatred conclude in universal love to the whole Creation of God! in which kind of ascent we gain as by descent into the lust we lost the true dominion and as the true knowledge failed in the one and the false or deceitful spread it self in stead thereof as a painted face or covering over all flesh so in the other will all false vails vanish or wear away and the true real knowledge of the glory of the Lord cover the earth as the waters cover the sea yea new Names will be given to all things when they become new and their natures intuitively known by this redemption after their long burial and obscurity in or by the bondage of corruption What strength power or wisdom is of value that springs not to a new Life or appearance by death of the old and that which does what can master it being too strong for death it prevailes against the very gates of hell and who would not love death for the resurrections sake to a new life wherein the clog of flesh and blood that can never enter much less inherit the kingdom that consists in righteousness peace and joy is wholly put off whereby the soul becomes clothed upon with a new spiritual house from above that is not too strait but large enough for entertainment and that not for a night as a wayfaring-man but even perpetual to the King of Glory Let us therefore bid farewel to the old house of clay and all its sensual supporters the fools Paradise of full barns and earthly plenty must never bend the mind to any longer lingrings or delays in this Sodomitical old world the bread of a Fathers house is now a loud call from husky vanities the continued diversion whereof cannot but be very burdensom to any soul that hath fed at wisdoms table and tasted her mingled wine of the kingdom that glads the heart both of God and man An End is now proclaimed of all perfection under the Sun and nothing is now of value but that Commandment and keeping it which is exceeding broad of no less breadth than between Heaven and Earth for 't is the seed of Jacob's Ladder that reaches both and not onely gives light but strength also in the angelical life to ascend by Faith and descend by Love even at pleasure This New Commandment of Love is the still voice of the great Shepherd whose sheep hear him and know it from the loud voice of a stranger and by following him that loves them they cannot only go in but out also and find pasture They know their time to retire as also to go forth and in both they desire to honour serve and please him not themselves for 't is their meat and drink to do his will but not their own O ye true self-denying crucified and in spirit already risen Christians bear with the fond expressions of a Brother whose bonds are grown easie with wearing who hath had his mid-night sighs and songs in some hope that the fear of death and hell are conquered by an acquaintance with that love which can visit both without danger even in that life which can abide devouring fire and dwell with everlasting burnings Where is it that he would not go to meet the true fraternity folded up together in the unity of the spirit even the bond of lasting peace and love married or joyned to Christ their head and husband who is Lord of all whether male or female bond or free yea thrice happy and worthy are all ye to be sought out who in pure chastity have kept the bed undefiled during the night of apostacy wherein the adulterers and adulteresses of this world either by frowns or flatteries have too much prevailed to seduce or affright the unstable What should hinder harmony of spirits where a fellowship in sufferings is freely own'd even with strong weak for his sake whose divine love makes us debtors to the wise and unwise and as ready to share the penny to him that comes in at the eleventh or last hour as that came at the first of the Lamb's warfare this not being the day of vain-glorying or self-arrogance to any that have led or born the brunt either in doing or suffering since the pride of the one is as much accursed as of the other nay if any glorying be at all let it be in the Cross whereby the world and all its honour or esteem is crucified to us and we to it but if any will be greatest let him be the minister or he that would be accounted chief for any hazard travel or hardship performed or undergone without fainting or reluctancy let him be the servant of all desire of Lordship or Dominion is as little comely in the Jewish as in the Gentile world and as its exercise is uneasie to be born by Saints from Sinners so no less by Sinners from Saints but least of all by Saints over each other unless it be in that abiding Love that refuses to rule but in form of a fervant and even hides it self with Christ in God from a worldly kingdom The true Nobility by heavenly birth and breeding in Christ's School of long-suffering and fiery tryals appears most by stooping low not climbing on high which is the property of the Thief that would be robbing both God and man of their due for as Love only that can bear subjection is most fit to reign so doth it shew it self by descending first yea below it self into that Life which must period and conclude before it ascends where it was or higher than at first But why need words to multiply though the Lord hath been forsaken and his holy Mountain where is no dividing or destroying forgotten by some that prepare a Table for this or that Troop and furnish the drink-offering to that number yet behold they are now new-born that could freely traverse the world to seek unity with Indians Barbarians Turks Jews so called and Papists as well as Protestants of all sorts and sizes Vnity I say in Spirit not of this world or the god thereof even the false deceiver that maintains his wicked Principality in the hearts of men by his engine of the selfish nature but of the true holy One that tasts death in every man as well as for him and yet
happiness that have refused the heavenly though they have been called to the latter as well as have lost though possest of the former and likewise cause those few to inherit Incorruption who being chosen thereunto in him that saw no corruption have according to their good deeds done in the body desired their corruptible part to put it on and their mortality to be swallowed up of immortal Life rather than in doing evil of eternal Death An earthly I say or temporal happiness that 's real not that onely seems so by letting loose the selfish nature to feed upon any thing forbidden that perisheth but by bridling it and so preserving mankind in that abstinence and forbearance which may prepare them to sustain that fiery tryal which the Cherubims and flaming sword that is previous to the enduring supplies and substance that never fail from the Tree of Life which Christ is to every one that waits upon and believeth in him For the time is at hand when open iniquity shall stop her mouth and wickedness have no longer place upon the house top but be driven from corner to corner and from one Nation to another till at last it find no room in the world But justice equity righteousness and temperance shall spread it self among all people as that common salvation of all men which though now the great multitudes that live more like beasts than men seem to render as a thing impossible yet those redeemed ones from the earth and among men in whose mouthes is found no guile that witness a life of faith above though not contrary to that of reason and morality in the best of meer men do already see it more than probable The knowledge of the Lord's glory covering the earth as waters cover the sea leaves no room for ignorance on the one hand or for a false vain appearance of knowledge or glory on the other but when the fear of the Lord shall be acknowledged as the beginning of wisdom by all that desire it not for their own sake but of Christ in whom the treasure thereof is hidden as well as for the good of their neighbour then will men understand that Wisdom dwels with Prudence and finds out the knowledge of witty inventions which are to be subject and subservient to his ends onely that freely teaches the plow-man and instructs him to discretion both to sow and reap as well as to thresh and bruise the bread-corn yea the mysteries of both Kingdoms even of grace and nature shall disclose themselves that have hither to been lock't up and hidden from the self-seekers of both or either such mysteries as will in a manner astonish the world and make poor brain-sick mortals that have been long captive to vain traditions and false methods of knowledge of many kinds to be like them that dream when they shall after much wandring be returned to some clearer prospects of what they labour after than the wise and prudent could ever attain who for building of Babels Fabricks in the Antichristian world have hitherto had preheminence But time would fail to tell what is now in the Womb of Providence and of that Nation which shall be born in a day ready to come forth and be sown among the people in all parts of the world where they now ly scattered under various tryals which tend but to wash and whiten the garments of their outward conversation whereby they may be better known as well as by their inward principle of life in the blood of the Lamb to the end that by the honour of his livery and marks of dying or mortification in their bodies and Christ being risen in their spirits they may be also better trusted by those that have hitherto esteemed them deceivers of men while they have been true to him and walk'd as he walked who was in the world without guile and yet reported to have had a Devil Oh let not my Lord Esau be longer angry with the yonger brother that hath supplanted him both of birth-right and blessing since thereby he does but wrong his own soul For Saviours must now come upon mount Zion to judge the mount of Esau but the Kingdom shall be the Lord's Even the Kingdom that is everlasting to which all others must give place and that speedily for the Lord is nigh who hath his fan in his hand having determined to sift the nations with a seive of vanity and to skreen the People or separate the chaffe from his true seed yea it shall come to pass that in all the land saith the Lord two parts therein shall be cut off and dye but the third part shall be left therein And I will bring the third part thorow the fire and will refine them as silver is refined and will try them as gold is tried they shall call on my Name and I will hear them I will say it is my People and they shall say the Lord is my God This word of Prophecy is sure and will now be sooner understood than in former ages because its fulfilling and accomplishment in all Nations but especially in England as the first fruits of righteousness to God and pattern to others seems very near at hand All which is witnessed by a Prisoner of hope that is learning of his heavenly Master in every state to be content and therefore to lose his old acquaintance kindred country name and nature in suffering travels by seeking all new to the end he may be found no more in lustful anger but in love without dissimulation to the worst of enemies as well as the best of friends and so to blunt the Sword of wrathful Ministers not by shunning or resisting but in patient meekness quietly yeelding thereunto that either in life or death as the Lord shall choose he may by faith get victory over himself and the world Remaining still a Servant of Christ Jesus and a hearty well-willer to his whole Family new-named of him in the earthly as well as in the heavenly Nature THE END
sees no corruption whose light shines in the very darkest of mankind though they comprehend it not but when that Light which is the same also of them that love and live in it shines by good works as it ought before meer men that as yet remain in darkness then they may be induc'd to glorifie the heavenly Father of Spirits and Lights of all degrees or measures as well that rule by night as by day or of seven dayes together gathered into the glory of one 'T is love even love universal that hath imbreathed and its beauty inamoured the soules of some that are but few of many whereby they do as it were burn with holy desires to live in union with all mankind yea with the whole Creation and not an Oxe or an Asse or any other Creature that groanes and travels together in pain till now but as it waits for so it rejoyces in this glorious liberty of the sons of God who will ere long be better known among the sons of men than heretofore even by going forth and growing up as Calves of the stall not to be markt out for slaughter as they have been but by treading down the wicked things and persons like ashes under the soales of their feet when the Lord shall by fire and his spiritual sword plead with all flesh and the slain of the Lord rather then of his People in whom he shall be admired will be very many because now the weapons of the Saints warfare will appear daily not carnal but more and more spiritual inabling them to single out and encounter those spiritual wickednesses in the high places of their own hearts and others thereby bringing down the mighty from their seats and exalting them that are of low degree and all this without any destroying in that holy mountain of God where they converse which in this respect is lifted up above all others and will suddenly fill the whole earth O ye Victorious Army of the Lamb who on white horses as Emblems of Peace and Love and in linnen white and clean which betokens the innocence and righteousnesses of Saints have followed him that is now gone forth conquering and to conquer glorious is and will be the triumph by the death of the Cross over all created excellencies as well as impure defilements by abandoning the adultrous spirit of this world O ye that witness the conquest of desire to any carnal pleasure which tends but to stupifie the immortal soul of man and bring it into the sleeps or slumbers of eternal death great is your wisdom in determining to know nothing but Christ and him crucified and in standing alwayes delivered up to death for Jesus sake that the life of Christ might the more be manifest in your mortal flesh great is your power and authority in the world as you appear already risen with Christ by seeking those things that are above as ye are living witnesses of the first Resurrection mystical so you tell the world that the literal is not far off and therefore what Prisons or Inquisitions can longer hold you what outward Chains can bind you that are inwardly free who is it that will harm you that are followers of good but eschew the evil in every appearance O ye that have chosen the most solitary paths that an earthly pilgrimage could yeeld therein to meet your Beloved whose love is better than wine that does but refresh and exhilerate for a season and then the natural man that is served becomes as heavy as before 't was tasted but the pleasure of your love and espousals with the Lamb knows no end it grows in you and you in it with such divine increases till it swallowes up words and thoughts as those narrow medium's which are far below and too strait for the expression of that loving life which is incapeable of any confinement but enlarges it self freely in and unto all that entertain it You that have conquered the great and last enemy and that by yeelding daily to it what other enemies but either are or will be at peace with you because you fear not them but love and fear him that commands all hearts and hands yea the very stones of the street and beasts of the field will be in league with you not to offend but defend you though because your munition of rocks and wall of fire is never wanting all other help from without is wholly needless and such as offer it do rather express their own love than your desire of any guard or regard but what alwayes comes from heaven before you call or ask it Your Wisdom is from above What Serpent can beguile you you are redeemed from the Power of all things below What Scorpion or deadly Poyson can hurt you ye are past the Fear of Pain no Tyrant can torment you yea you have past thorow Sorrows Sighs and Tears beyond them you are neither to be exalted or abased by any thing which Flesh can give or take your Life Peace and Joy is endless because your Love is stronger than Death Who will not bend or yield to you and take hold of your skirts O ye inward Jews circumcised in heart and be called by your New-name for all your Names are given by Him whose Name is One that no man knows but he that hath it Your Language one and not divided Your Church but one and not rent in Schisms Sects or Divisions And therefore not Carnal but Spiritual unknown invisible to the World but well known to Christ your Head and one another O ye that admit no Buyers or Sellers in your inner Man the Lord's Temple but are freed from Cares and Cumbers of this World having sold all your Possessions personal to gain the real and therefore have not spent your Money for that which is not Bread and does not satisfie but laid it all down at the great Apostles feet with a free willing mind to quit all single selfish property that is from beneath for that universal equal Liberty that is from above and as well to distribute or communicate your Wealth of good Works to an Enemy or poor Stranger as unto a Friend or Brother What man or sort of men under the Sun when they see you walk by this Principle but will desire your ruling with if not over them You are the Governours of Judah that rule with God because God rules in you and alwayes checks the entrance of any other that is strange or forreign to his All-pure impartial Spirit you that have learn'd of Shiloh the prosperer to heal Breaches and restore Paths to dwell in What People Nation or Language will not ask your Help to new lay their Foundations renew their Land-marks to re-build the wast Places and Desolations of many Generations All Government in things spiritual you yield to Christ onely in things temporal to Him and the Nations whereof he is as well King as of Saints yea the Heathen are his Inheritance and the utmost parts