midst and hath rent the Vail and from under Death is risen in his unlimited Power Dominion and Authority even him that Death nor the Grave cannot hold who through Death hath conquered Death forever and though Death had Power over him before the Way into the Holiest of all was made manifest yet now Death hath no more dominion over him but he is risen through Death who was made a Curse and hath born away the Curse and removed the cursed ground upon which fallen man stood and hath born away the sin of the World and was made sin for us that we might be made the Righteousness of God through in and by him who hath opened the Understanding whereby the unsearchable Riches of unspeakable love comes to be made manifest even unto us who were going astray and were Children of Wrath as well as others and Aliens and Strangers to the Covenant of Grace and long were without God and in the World tossed to and fro with every wind of Doctrine after the cunning Craftiness of men whereby we were long deceived even by such who still bewitcht the Minds of the simple out of which Witchcraft I can say the Lord hath delivered and obedience to the Truth that makes Free is yeilded and Love Mercy and Judgment is come and brought forth and Victory is witnessed the Messenger of the everlasting Covenant is come even he that we long waited for and we do not look for another but he that is the same yesterday to day and forever who was to come and is come and is to come he that readeth let him understand who is without beginning of time or end of dayes who is made under the Law and became as a Servant being obedient to the Death through which the Life is risen up into the understanding and hath born away that which the Law had power over and hath brought in that by which the Law is fulfilled and so he that is the end of the Law for Righteousness is felt and received who taketh away the Sin and reconcileth the World up unto the Father where the sin is taken away by him who though he was made sin yet knew no sin who appears now the second time without sin to the saving of that which was lost which is now brought again and plenteous Redemption is known for the desire of all Nations is come and the second Houses is filled with his Glory the Wine-press is full the Fat 's overflow for the VVinter is past and the Summer is come and the Lillics appear in the Field where the Pearl was hid the Fig-tree puts forth her buds and the Vine yeilds her encrease the Olive doth blossom and the Apple-Tree in the midst of the VVood doth flourish and the good ground yeilds her encrease and is fruitful in its season to the good Husbandman and there is seed to the sower and bread to the eater the Barns are filled with abundance and the Store-houses with plenty and Treasure is laid up for many years in the heavenly places which are purified with the lively sacrifices so that the earthen Vessels are fitted to keep the heavenly Manna that shall dure throughout many generations and so against the Famine comes upon the Earth and all them that feed at Jezabels Table Oyle is laid up in safety and the finest of the Flower in a place where it is sure where it will last and never fail until the Heathen are scorched with heat and they that have forsaken the Lord are become as a parched Heath and all the gods of the Heathen famished and the Tongue of the Aegyptian Sea dryed up and all the false Prophets overturned who belong to Jezabel whose Body the Dogs must tear though she yet sits as a Qeen in opposition to the true Prophet Christ the Light and until them who are drunk with the Wine of the Fornication of the Whore and are the Merchants of Mystery Babylon the great the Mother of all the painted Harlots be all condemned in one day with an utter overthrow and the Seat of the Whore removed and all them that commit Fornication with her made as the Valley of Hammon Gog and as the Dung upon face of the Earth and all the Brats of the VVhore dashed against the Stones until then I say shall that in store remain and a Hiding-place be found for the Prophet of the Lord who is also hid near thee in thy own Land though thou art seeking him afar off Wherefore hear O ye Kindreds of the Earth for as the Dew spread upon the Mountains so doth the Streams of my Beloved raise overspreading the Earth with the comliness of his Love and filling it with the Beauty of his Grace the Banner of his Love is spreading forth as a Curtain and under the shadow of his Wings is a certain Hiding-place both from the Storm and from the Heat and though the Sea rage and all Kindreds and Tongues swell up in Wrath Pride and Arrogancy yet he come known witnessed and received who commands both the VVirds and the Sea who is the former of all things by whom they all were made and at his Command all are subdued and the lightnings of his Light enlightens the VVorld Psal 97. 4. and the Glory of his Power is spreading over the Nations and the excellency of his Beauty is reaching to his Lambs and because of his Comliness the Virgins love him and to him the Daughters of Jerusalem bring their Gifts and before him the Princes of the People lay down their Crowns and because of him the VVilderness doth rejoyce and the Desolate is made glad for the fruitful Land was become a barren VVilderness and now the baren VVilderness is turned into a fruitful Field and the plant sprung out of a dry Ground and the Seed is born of the barren VVomb and there is a VVay made in the VVilderness and streams are given in the Desart and the Ear of the deaf is opened the Lame doth walk and the Leaper is cleansed and the stammering Tongues speak plainly the Gospel is received and the everlasting Power is come even the Immanuel God with us and in us and we confess Christ come in the Flesh and do not look for another but do know that this is the great Prophet who is come into the VVorld that is set in the Heart Ecclcs 3. 11. which is in the midst out of which Moses said the Lord would raise up a Prophet Deut. 18. 15. the which Prophet being come which all are to hear he saith I am come a Light into the World John 8. 12. ch 12. 35 36 46. The VVorld being set in the Heart there is the light of him who saith I am the Light and he that is the Light is the true Prophet and the true Prophet is in the midst who is the Light whose day Abraham saw unto whom the Gospel was preached which Gospel is Gods Power whereby Abraham rejoyced because he came to see the Day
and ignorance in his own wisdom may esteem that to be a Temptation which doth condemn and that out of Temptation all such who are tempted may be led and kept by that which doth condemn which is the pure Light of Christ which doth judge and condemn the Temptations and the Sin and the Transgressor who enters into it and every Evil motion which is apt to arise in the mind that is darkned and blinded by the God of the World which mind from the Darkness to the Light is to be turned in the Light to believe as he hath said I am the Light believe in the Light and it is a Temptation which hinders man from believing in the Light and all such keep not the Commands of Christ who do not believe and obey the Light and such profess his Words but deny that in which the power of his Life doth stand And it is a Temptation which causeth man to deny and refuse the Law which is Light and not come under nor receive the Ministration of Condemnation supposing he is under Grace and so not to come back to the Law because he hath gotten a Profession of Christ whose day Abraham saw whose seed came through the Law of whom Christ came who fulfills the Law and maketh an end of sin who was in the Church in the Wilderness and in his pity saved them and bare them all the dayes of old leading the humble seed that through the Wilderness of sin it might come and at last enjoy that by which the sin is done away forever And it is a Temptation which causeth man to call that a Temptation which in the Conscience doth sometimes arise and let men see that he by his sin is in the Fall the Death and the Curse and that the Judgments of God belong to him and that he cannot escape the fierce Wrath of the Almighty living in that by which sin is daily committed and the Righteous Law of God transgressed and himself out of the Covenant of Life wanting the power of God to bear him up out of Iniquity so that he labours and prays and crys sometimes with Tears like Esau to keep that alive in the Transgression which God hath appointed to destruction Consider this And strives against that which lettetâ— see the emptiness thereof and condemns afterwards if a false joy doth not arise secretly to glory in what was done whereby that was satisfied and got ease which the Judgment was to which of the Judgment was afraid and from under it led forth to perform a Will worship from the ground where Cain's nature bears rule who can bring a sacrifice but the deeds with the Light seen to be evil who at last murthers the just and the sin lying at the door which secret sin cannot be hid from the Light in any that commit it or in whom it is though never so secret And it is a Temptation which worketh in the dark corners of the heart in the time when Condemnation cometh to drive man to despair by reason of the fierceness of the Judgment and drives him from God and his Righteous Judgments into Unbelief and Hardness of Heart against God and herein the Tempter prevails over many some whereof then go to destroy themselves not keeping in patience under the Judgment which was to destroy the sin for Christ the Light comes to condemn and destroy the sin but the Life he comes to save Others through Unbelief have hardned their hearts in sin their minds being in that in which they cannot believe That ever they shall overcome sin nor be saved from it and such grow worse than before and use all means in vain lustful Delights to murther that in them which checks reproves and condemns them for sin and many here turn aside from under the Condemnation many and various ways some who are blind calling it Melancholly so that few endure to the end and enter through the strait Gate by the Death through it the Life to find not waiting with long forbearance out of that which hasteth in patience in the Light to see feel and know the seed of Abraham brought forth of the barren Womb which against hope in hope believe And these Temptations lead further into sin and is not that which condemns for sin for that would keep out of sin though its Judgments be never so heavy upon man for sin And being that God is known in the ways of his Judgments and that they who are to receive the Promise must keep Judgment and that with Judgment Sion's Redemption is to be witnessed and when Judgment begins to be set up in the heart to judge condemn confound overturn and cut down the Head Body and Root of all that which by the Light is seen to be in the Transgression having the form of Godliness but not the Power which keepeth out of and free from all sin which the Judgment is to pass upon Therefore is that a Temptation which then draweth forth the mind from under the Judgment to get ease by a supposed Peace with God from the Comprehension of something done without afar off or long ago and so climb up another way then by the Light within which I know is the door which condemns and bringeth to Judgment the hidden things of Darkness and brings fire and sword upon the Earth and sendeth not Peace to it but setteth two at variance within whereby there is much striving in the Womb and not rest day nor night because of the War between the two seeds out of which trouble being led by that which in the Judgment could not stand so that getteh ease again and then man preached peace unto himself having got out of some trouble he then striveth more strongly to keep out of it then he did before and labours much to comprehend a resting-place to abide in though that be not redeemed with Judgment out of Bondage which thereby should come to obtain rest and peace for evermore And being that the Law and the Prophets together are until John and that the Law is to judge and cut down that which is above the seed exalted and that the Prophecies and Openings from the Testimony of Witness is to uphold and preserve under the Judgment whereby some secret hopes or refreshings come unto that which at last out of Bondage shall be redeemed therefore it is a Temptation which leadeth forth on that hand in a Joy through the reason with great swelling Imaginations in the vain light Mind out of the fear of God not standing in his Counsel but like the rest of the false Prophets coming to true Openings from it run forth before that through judgment be brought forth which should go before and lead them in God's Wisdom and Counsel to stand and such speak great swelling words in a secret pride boasting of their Experiences but are become the untimely Children of the Mother of Harlots who with their Mother must be turned back into the Bed of Torments And
Life under the shadow of his Hand When he speaketh the word his Army goeth forth and at his Command they march on their way He lifteth up a Standard before them and proclaimeth open War against the Inhabitants of the Earth who now hear that the Lamb is come to reign in Righteousness and to stain the Pride of their Glory and confound the height of their Wisdom and lay their Honour in the Dust forever Therefore all Kindreds of the Earth even Gog Magog and all the Hosts of the Heathen are rising up in the bitterness of their Spirits in the height of the Power of the Man of Sin joyning all their Forces together as in one band of Darkness taking Counsel from Aegypt making a Covenant with Death and an Agreement with Hell and gathering up the utmost Powers of Darkness to be as a Refuge unto them And thus in the strength of the King of the Children of Pride they are rising up against the Lord even the God of Life and against his anointed Ones who have indeed and in truth received the Anointings and need not man to teach them but are all taught of the Lord God Almighty who also teacheth their hands to war and their fingers to fight And he utters his voice as the sound of many Waters before his Army who follow him in the might of his Power whose Presence is dreadful in the midst of his Host and there is none that is able to stand before him for he is a consuming Fire in the midst of his Camp and burneth up his Enemies round about and before him and his Army shall all faces gather paleness Everlasting Shame shall cover the Glory of all Flesh before him all People shall be much pained his Dread and Vengeance shall take hold on all his Adversaries His redeemed shall march with him in the travail of their Souls from strength to strength shall they continue on and none shall be feeble among them their Arrows shall reach into the Bowels of the Scornful and their words of Life pierce the Hearts of the Hypocrites They shall tread upon Kings as upon Monter and trample upon the Wicked as upon Ashes they fear not the greatest Goliahs neither yet the VVickedness of the Pride of Haman Unrighteous Decrees cannot stop their Mouthes nor the fear of a Furnace or a Dungeon with-hold them from their Way All Flesh is as Grass before them and at their Rebuke shall the Potsherds of the Earth be broken forever before them there is no Nation shall stand For One of them shall chase a Hundred and before Five shall the strength and wisdom of a Thousand be confounded And this the Lords Army shall never be confounded and his Glory in them shall never be defaced nor his Power with them shall never be overcome nor his strength in them shall never be vanquished therefore in vain do all the Potsherds of the Earth strive for they that rise up against them shall be as Flax before the Fire and the Mightiest among the Sons of Men shall he as the Grass that is cut down for the Lord of Hosts is very Terrible and in Meekness is the Lamb riding on to Judgment his Followers are enrobed with the Light of the Morning and adorned with the Beauty of the Sun Their Eyes are enlightned with the Light of the most High and they see through the dark parts of all their Enemies and discern the secret Plottings of all their Adversaries Their Wisdom comes in like a River and their Understanding shall never be darkned Their Strength is renewed as the Morning and they are valiant to do Exploits The Wisdom of the Wise before them shall be confounded forever and the Understanding of the Prudent be esteemed as a thing of nought They spy out the lurkings of their Enemies and see through the coverings of the Deceitful Of their strength they shall never be deprived neither shall their Weapons be taken from them Their Refuge shall never be shaken nor the place of their Rest removed The VVicked shall never enter upon their Dwellings nor all their Enemies invade the Land of their Rest for the desire of all Nations to them is come and him that they long waited for have they now received They tread upon the Cockatrice den and meet the devouring Lyons And in the Power of the Father's love there is no deadly thing that doth them hurt nor any VVeapon formed against them that ever shall prosper And this is Sion the Redeemed of the Lord the Glory of the God of Israel the Seed of Jacob whom the Lord hath chosen and set up on high over all the Kindreds of the Earth which stands against all the Enemies of the Lord and is his new threshing Instrument with which he will thresh the Heathen in his Anger and bathe his Sword in the Blood of the slain for behold his Sword shall devour much Flesh and the slain of the Lord shall be many VVith Sion the perfection of Beauty will the Lord break in pieces wound confound and overturn forever the Horse and his Rider the Captain and his Troops the Antient and Honourable the Prophet that telleth Lyes yea all the Host of the Unrighteous and the Strength of the Army of the man of Sin and the Beauty of the VVhore that rides upon the Beast and all them who set themselves in Battel against the Lord and all them who lead into Captivity and would captivate the Servants of the Lamb shall go into Captivity forever For behold the Lord is with us the Shout of a King is among us the Lord whose Name is holy is come he hath uttered his Voice from Heaven and now the Nations of the Earth are angry but the Lord will reign in Righteousness and all his Enemies shall be astonished at his Presence and his Adversaries shall be amazed forever their Hearts shall be turned as a Stone within them and men shall be at their VVits end for fear and for looking after those things which shall come upon the Earth and all them whose Names are written in it their VVisdom shall not preserve them their Understandings shall not defend them neither shall all their Subtilty cover them from the Light their Nakedness shall appear to their Everlasting Shame and the Prisoners of Hope shall rejoyce over them for evermore For behold I say your day is come wherein you shall bow down under the Prisoners and fall under the slain according to the words of the Spirit of Prophecy Isa 10. 4. and the slain over you shall rejoyce for evermore having the high Praises of God in their Mouthes and the Sword of the Spirit in their Hearts with which they shall cut in pieces and pierce in sunder the Bowels of all flesh and it shall be as Chaff before them and the strength thereof as the passing away of the Morning-cloud and in the strength of the most high shall the Army of the Lyon of the Tribe of Judah go on and
to the Confounding of that which kept that in Bondage under the Transgression which was given into man before the Transgression was out of which Transgression there is no coming but by and through the Ministration of Condemnation which doth it discover in the ground of it through which there is a coming to receive the Gospel of Peace which is the Power of God not to be preached to the Wicked things under which the just do suffer which the Law is to but by the Lord of glory through the Light preached to the Spirit in Prison that it through the Condemnation of the other may grow up to lead and guide the Creature in all things in obedience to Gods will from a true sense of his Love in the heart whereby his whole Law comes to be fulfilled and the Promise and the Blessing received in him who is the end of the Law who is the Light given into man to let him see and to condemn the sin the which man being dead in and in Trespasses doth not love but is afraid of that which in secret judgeth and reproveth him from the which man flying forsaketh that by which he should come to receive the Mercies of the Lord but Wo to them forever who strive with their Maker and call him Belzâ—bub who is the Light in the Heart and should be Master in the House Therefore let all take heed of despising the Law which is written with the singer of God in the heart whilst it is yet hard sor the Law of God is perfect making wise the simple and the Ministration thereof is to destroy that which did it Transgress and lead unto him by whom the Transgression is finished And this is not a Temptation but a Dispensation of Gods Justice Through his Righteous Law upon that which sinned over which the Law hath Power so long as that liveth which the Law is to kill that through the death of it that might come again to live which was before the Law and before the death and before the sin And now when the Law or Ministration of Condemnation cometh man is to stand still and wait quietly under it and not let any thing break through in a haste to rage or gaze and wonder at that which is so dreadful that man is not able to stand under it without unspeakable Astonishment because of that which then is over him who then is commanded not to break through lest he dye for the Law is to break through that which cannot keep it and make way to that which is to keep it and live forever but man is not to break through from under the Condemnation to that where the Law is ministred until that is received by which the Law may be kept for such who in the Condemnation do abide come at last to see and receive him that is made under the Law and is the end of it and taketh away the sin but such who come to the Law and break out from under the judgment before the Lord had broke through and cut down all that in them which could not keep it such have let in Death again to reign over that which with judgment should have been redeemed to bear away that which the Law had power over and arise up with that Power Love Life and Obedience to God as in all things to fulfill the whole Law of God which until then doth still stand in force over that and them in which sin remaineth which doth transgress the Law one tittle whereof shall not perish till all be fulfilled though some coming to the Law have broke forth and then healed the Wound slightly supposing it would serve their turns to talk of the fulfilling of it by and in another for them and without them seeing themselves not able to keep it in all things not waiting to the end of the Law by it to have all that destroyed which could not keep it and receive that which cannot break it Mark and in it keep by it to be led out of the Wilderness of sin in the promised Land to rest in it to have the dayes prolonged and the life preserved for Christ the Light cometh to save the Life And there are many that are now come to peace dominion and the land of Rest who did once come to know the judgments of God upon Cain's nature which then cryed out That his punishment was too heavy to bear and have also come to see the Beast whose head is full of the Names of Blasphemy and yet have they not started aside like a broken Bow from under the judgment neither suffered the Enemy to prevail over them by Temptations to curse God and dye nor to call him Belzebub who is the Light which condemns and should be Master in the house neither have they dispised Moses Law which is the Ministration of Condemnation and in its time is glorious but in patience and long-suffering under it have waited and that without murmuring or suffering that to break forth in rage which Gods judgments are to neither have they suffered Unbelief to prevail over them but in love to him who was made a Curse in patience have endured all these things and have been made as free to drink the Cup of Astonishment with the Dregs thereof as the Lord was to pour it forth unto them who now drink the Cup of Salvation even the Blood of the Lamb which cleanseth from all sin whose life saveth them from the Terror of the Pit who have come to feel the seed born and brought forth though with Pangs and Sorrow which the blessing is to Those may see hear and understand what I write who are come to know how the Law is handed forth by a Mediator who was before the Law and the Righteousness of God manifest without the law and sin discovered by the Law and Gods Righteousness revealed by that which was before the Law and that notwithstanding the Law must be received yet by the works thereof no flesh shall be justified but by obedience of Faith towards God in the Blood of his Son by which all that is done away which trangress'd the Law and so not of Works nor of Merits but of Faith and Love is the Law fulfilled Concerning Temptation And that those who were born blind and have been ever since covered with the blackness of Darkness through their own Wisdom being dead in Trespasses and Sins not feeling nor savouring the things of God but remain in that Religion and Profession which crucisied his Son who is a man of Sorrows and called him A Blasphemer who is the true Light which lighteth every man that cometh into the World and said he had a Devil who came to condemn sin in the flesh whose Light in every Conscience is the Condemnation so long as the Evil deeds remain the which Condemnation is not a Temptation for God who is Light tempteth no man to Evil. Therefore in love is this written that no man through blindness
A COLLECTION Of the several Writings and Faithful Testimonies OF THAT Suffering Servant of God and Patient Follower of the Lamb Humphry Smith Who Dyed a Prisoner for the Testimony of Jesus in Winchester Common-Goal the 4th day of the 3d Moneth in the Year 1663. I have fought a good Fight I have finished my Course I have kept the Faith henceforth there is laid up for me a Crown of Righteousness which the Lord the Righteous Judge shall give me at that day and not only to me but to them also that love his appearing 2 Tim. 4. 7 8. LONDON Printed and Sold by Andrew Sowle at the Crooked-Billet in Holloway-Lane near Shoreditch 1683. George Fox HIS TESTIMONY CONCERNING Humphry Smith NOW concerning our dear Friend and Brother Humphry Smith who formerly had been a Preacher and a Man of Note but when it pleased the Lord to call him by his Grace and reveal his Son in him he came to be an able Minister of Jesus Christ and freely did preach the Gospel as he had received it freely and was cast in Prison for the Testimony of Jesus at Eversham in Worcestershire where he suffered very much in Oliver's days about the year 1655. and besides several other Goals that it may be party said of him as it was of Paul who had been zealous among the Letter-Professors and who had then esteem of him but when he came to possess Christ Jesus and to preach him then they hated him and persecuted him Yet through the Eternal Power of the Lord he was upholden through his Sufferings and travelled through many Hardships for the Lord Jesus Christ's sake and did convert and turn many to the Lord Jesus Christ that had been outward Professors as he himself had been to the Possession of Christ so that he did see and was comforted in the Fruits of his Labours in Christ and his Grace And at last he was cast into Winchester-Goal where he ended his days and finisht his Testimony in an hard Imprisonment who there dyed in the Lord and rests from his Labour whose Works follow him Whose Memorial is blest among the Righteous in the Lords Heritage for he was a worthy Souldier and Follower of the Lamb and kept his Habitation in Christ Jesus in whom he now sleeps G. F. London the 8th of the 11th Moneth 1682. A TESTIMONY Concerning the Servant of Christ Humphry Smith DECEASED With Respect to his Life Testimony and Service for the Lord in his day ALthough I have not read all the Books and Writings given forth in Truths behalf by our dear Friend and Brother Humphry Smith and therefore cannot knowingly give particular account thereof as to all his Writings though many sound and weighty Experimental things I am sure he has written yet from the knowledge which I had of him his Conversation and Testimony and the living Society I had with him for some time before his Course was finished I have this Testimony nakedly and in the sight of the Lord to bear That he was a man fearing God and hating Iniquity fervent and zealous against Deceit and Hypocrisie and endued with a heavenly Gift and Gospel Testimony which he faithfully bore in his day according to his Ability and the Lord was with him and he was well beloved among his People He endured the Cross and bore Afflictions patiently and he was a great Sufferer in divers Goals and Persecutions for the Name of the Lord Jesus Christ and his Testimony which he declin'd not And he was in the Name of the Lord instrumental and helpful with other faithful Brethren and Servants of Christ to break through rough Oppositions perverse Gain-sayings and Persecutions of many Adversaries to the Life of Christianity even in those days of great Hardships and deep Sufferings not long after the first breaking forth of the Gospel Day to many in this Age and in divers parts of our professing Nation the Exercises deep Sufferings and Tryals of that day and time many now have not known the sharpness of since which the Lord has been with his faithful Servants all along and prospered his Work among the sincere Receivers of his Truth in the love thereof and the Lord our God hath crowned the Labours of his faithful Witnesses whose Dayes are ended in Peace among whom this Honest and Upright hearted man Humphry Smith had his Share and Portion and hath his Crown that fades not and his Inheritance Everlasting in the Kingdom of his and our Heavenly Father among the Spirits of Just Men in Glory I am really satisfied as knowing the End of the Upright Man to be Peace and that in the sight of the Lord the Death of his Saints are Precious as their Life is Acceptible And I pray God that all Friends and all those that yet remain with a Testimony for him and his holy Truth may be preserved in and with tender Regard unto the same Footsteps of the faithful and blessed Flock to the end of their Dayes as those that truly have respect to the Recompence of Reward and Kingdom that 's set before which will remain and stand us in stead when our Dayes Times and Years here are expired and gone George Whitehead London the 4th of the 8th Moneth 1682. THE Faithfulness of the Upright MADE MANIFEST Being a Testimony concerning the Life Death and Sufferings of a precious Servant of the Lord called Humphry Smith Who dyed a Prisoner for witnessing unto the living Truth in Winchester Common-Goal the 4th day of the 3d Moneth 1663. ARE thy famous Works ever to be forgotten Are thy Noble and Valiant Acts to be blotted out of the Memory of the Righteous Is thy holy innocent pure Life to be buried in Oblivion as not to be remembred by us any more Are thy Sufferings with all thy valiant Engagements with the Enemies of thy God to be blotted out of the Record of the Children of the most High Oh! what saith my Soul Nay nay let it be had in living Remembrance among the Followers of the Lamb and let it be written upon the Tables of their Hearts even to all Generations And as concerning this man he from his Youth upwards had desires after the Lord and he was often check'd by his Father because of his Solidity he mourned mightily after the Lord while he was yet a Child yea and panted after the God that made him He followed the zealous Professors and encreased mightily in that Knowledge which stands in the Comprehension yea exceeded many of his equals but at last the Lord seperated him for his own glory and sent him forth in his own Power and Eternal Name so he led him by the hand through the Wilderness and bore up his head above the Waves which sought to destroy him he became a Talk and a By-word unto them with whom before he had his Conversation yea they sought to destroy him in a moment but yet the Lord led him in the way and gave him the threshing Instrument that belongs to
Bondage before And were we not before in Bondage under Bishops and Priests and Kings and Tythe and is it now double and trebled And is the little finger of the Priests become heavier then the Bishops loyns And will not God visit for these things And doth not this shew that the day of Overturning is at hand But say people How can these things be they seeming to be established more then ever Yet I reason again with such Who would before-hand have believed that the Bishops who were far greater then they should have come tumbling down so soon with perpetual Shame and Reproach and their Common-Prayer-books taken away with the Priests Idolatrous Surplices and manv such things And hath the Lord began with them the Head And will he not go on to finish his Work in Confounding and utter Overturning the Tail and Dreggs of them which are yet left behind and are like unto unnatural children denying their Parents the Bishops and the Pope and yet creep into their Mass-houses and live upon the same Maintenance which their Parents provided for them and yet call the Pope Antichrist and he is so their great Father who set up the Bishops that established them in their Tythe ' Parsonages and old Mass-houses and so the Pope being an Antichrist and they come from the Bishops set up by the Pope then it follows that they are the Dreggs of Antichrist and if their own words Writings Way Maintenance and Practices be but as it is and doth appear then herein I do them no wrong And these things have I also thus considered and leave to the consideration of such who are not willing to remain in blindness that seeing the Bishops are overturned though they were above the Magistrates the Priests may also soon be turned down by the Magistrates seeing they are fallen under the Magistrates already and they set them up and put them in and turn them out at their pleasure and may soon turn them down when they are weary of being spurred by them And as I have considered these things in the meditations of my Mind so have I also considered the Words and Wayes of these Priests of England Ireland Scotland and other Nations and what ado and a stir they have kept against those Priests that caused Christ to be crucified and how he suffered by them And when I have weighed and considered the Actions of them Priests that did so and the Words and Actions of these Priests against them Priests and the Ways of one and the other I have then found that these in many things are worse then them though they were very bad and so both to be denyed as I have considered according to Scripture Thus The Priests the Readers of the Law which discovers Sin but makes nothing Perfect and the Scribes and Pharisees had the Scriptures and a large zealous Profession thereby but when Christ the living Minister came who was the thing or the Substance of which the Scripture declared from which they had the Profession he being come they knew him not and therefore for a time the Scribes Pharisees and Priests disputed reasoned and contended with him and sought to entangle him in his words and did seek occasion against him that they might deliver him to the Rulers and he disputed among the Doctors but when much People believed on him they cryed out The whole World is gone after him John 12. 19. Mat. 22. 15. But when he who is the Power of God had raised Lazarus from the dead and out of the Grave then the chifest of the Priests and Pharisees held a Council against him then they began to stir and the Beast began to rage and they said This man doth many Miracles and if we let him alone all men will believe on him and the Romans will come and take away both our Place and Nation John 11. 47 48. And so saith the Priests now If we let him alone who is the Light all men will believe on him and we shall loose both our Place and Nation for who will fight for us say they if all men come to believe in the Light which lets men see that Wars and Fighting comes from the Lust which Lust wars against the Soul James 4. But one of their own Generation even a chief Priest told the rest They knew nothing at all John 11. 49. the Priests who deny the Light know nothing at all and so these chief Priests and Pharisees who knew nothing at all sought the Life of the Lamb and to take him verse 57. And the chief Priests also consulted to put Lazarus to Death also John 12. 10. And so the Priests now seek to kill that which Christ the Light the Power of God hath raised from Death out of the Grave for now the very thing it self is come to Life out of Death and this Torments them exceedingly even more then all the Words Forms Disputing and Professions whatsoever that was before it And it was at the Passover the Worship and Feast of the Jews that the Priests sought to kill him that had raised the dead And when Jezabel whose blood the Dogs must lick at whose Table the false Prophets feed when she intended to murther the Just and take away the Life of the Innocent and give his Possession to another she made a Feast and that which feasteth the one thing Murthers the other And at the Jews Feast the one or the other was to be releast and at the time that they keep the Passover who are the Jews outwardly then he suffers who is the end of the Law and the Prophets and so at the Feast of their Passover the chief Priests sought to kill him that was led as a Lamb dumb and Satan entered in Judas and after that then Judas went out from Christ the Light and when he went out it was Night and then was the Son of man to be glorified but Judas who went out from him that is the Light went to the chief Priests and Captains and they were glad when Judas was come among them who was a Devil and the chief Priests made a Covenant with him that was a Devil and gave him Money to betray him who is the Light And he that took the Money had obtained part of the Ministry and he was a Devil and now such Ministers that take both the Money Body and Goods are worse then Judas whom the Priests say was a Bishop or a chief Priest because it is written His Bishop-rick let another take Acts 1. 20. And suddainly after the chief Priests had made a Covenant with him that was a Devil was the Jews Passover at which time he that comes to make an end of Sin was betrayed and then Judas who departed from him that is the Light and was become a Devil betrayed the Son of God and had him led away to Ciaphas the High-Priest and the chief Priests and Elders and all the Council sought false witness to put him to death Mat. 26. 59.
said You have we aried me with your Sacrifices And so say I to you now you have wearied the Lord with your Words and yet many are saying Wherein have we we aried him I say in this have you wearied the Lord in that you say such as do Evil are Good in the sight of God Mal. 2. 17. Therefore thus I declare unto you who are yet in your Sins meeting together in the Idol Temples Your Service is not the Service of the true God neither is your Worship that which the Lord accepteth for he accepteth none but the Worship in Spirit and in Truth not in one high Place or other but your Worship is in some High-Place Idol-Temple or Steeple-House where all manner of Viperous Beasts are round and unsanctified Persons meet together who commit all Abominations and live in all manner of Filthiness and yet lean upon the Lord and say Is not the Lord among us no Evil shall come unto us Whereas they are an evil and an adulterous Generation adulterated from the Spirit of Truth in which the true Worship stands and are ignorantly worshipping in a Temple made with Hands in which God dwellcth not neither is his Power there received to overcome the Sin and so the People are wearying themselves for very Vanity and travelling to bring forth Death and labouring for that which profits not neither do they come to meet the Lord in the way of his Judgments nor find the Path of Life where the Unclean can never come neither yet do they know the Bread of Life nor drink his Blood that cleanseth from all Sin nor come to be translated into the Kingdom of the Son of God but remain in that Ground which was eursed by reason of man's Rebellion Gen. 3. 17. Heb. 6. 8. which Ground being not removed with the mighty Power of God the Blessing cannot be received nor the Understanding opened to know and receive that which the Natural Man perceiveth not the Eyes of their Minds being darkened through the Ignorance that is in them the Vail being over the Heart when that is read every day of their Worship which discovers Sin but makes nothing Perfect which Worshippers did and do Crucifie him that comes to take away the Sin But now he is come who hath forever perfected those that are sanctified and he that sanctisieth and they who are sanctified are all of one But they that are not sanctified are not of the one but are in the many Opinions in the Lusts of Ignorance and Wayes of Unrighteousness being not come to the one Faith which purifieth the Heart nor to know the one Baptism one Church one Way one Truth one God the Father of him who is the one Light which lightneth every man that cometh into the Wâ—rld of the which Light which is but one there is given a measure to every one of you which Light shineth in Darkness though not by it comprehended which Light will let you see that you your selves are out of God's Covenant in the World's Worship not reconciled to God upholding Idol Temples and Heathenish Customs with Bells and such things which the People of God never used but did and do deny forever and exhort you and all others to leave worshipping the Beast or upholding that which is not the true Worship of the true God practised by men of Sin in Steeple-Houses every First-Day Wherefore all People every where leave your Idolatry which you have learned and received by Tradition from the former Papists and Heathen who worship the Work of their own Hands and bow down to their own Inventions as you long have done and for this many Hundred Years have been learning and yet are not come to the Truth neither to believe in it but remain in Unbelief and Ignorance and your long time of Ignorance God winked at Acts 17. 30. But now Light is come in which God is calling to you and all men every where to Repent and forsake your Idolatrous Worship which by you a sinful Generation is practised in a Steeple-house one day in seven and Catn's Nature remaining in the inward parts from the which Idolatry all that sear the Lord God of Abraham are now to come from the Uncleanness of that Worship which is upheld by the Heathen for verily the Hand of the Lord God Almighty is stretched sorth against it and them Wherefore all People turn your Minds to the Lord God of Life who dwelleth in his People and not in Temples made with Hands and hath given to every one of you a measure of the true Light of his Son which Light in you will let you see your secret Sins and will teach you and shew you plainly of the Father if you love it and come to be led by it to do God's will so may you come to worship the Lord God of Life in Spirit and in Truth with the Children of the Light and of the Day which hath dawned upon many who need not any man teach them but are all taught of the Lord Glory and Honour and Everlasting Praises to his blessed Name forever and ever Amen Given forth as a Testimony against all Idolatry and Heathenish-Worship from the true Love of God the Father in pity to the Souls of them who have Eyes and see not and Ears and hear not that they may come forth of Darkness to follow Christ Jesus the Light of the World who is bringing the Blind by a Way that they know not Isa 42. 16. Therefore is this to go abroad among all People and read in Steeple-Houses Streets Market-places private Meetings and Families that all may consider what they have been doing in the dark Ezek. 8. 12. By a Servant of the Living God a Sufferer for the Testimony of his Name in the Common Goal and House of Correction at Winchester Humphery Smith The 4th Moneth 1658. Man driven out of the Earth and Darkness By the Light Life and Mighty Hand of GOD Wherein plain and simple Truths are brought to light that so the cause of Stumbling may be taken from before the Eyes of both Rulers and all sorts of Professors in Herefordshire c. Also something related of the Wonderful Power of God in the Work of Redemption and Restroration With a plain Self-denyal by him that takes up the daily Cross Behold the Lord worketh wonderfully every Morning he bringeth his Judgments to light he hath brought me back from the Grave and saved my Soul from Hell and set my feet upon a Rock THE Living Truth of the Lord God which he hath revealed in me by the mighty Operation of his Word of Life which living eternal Truth being my Life and shall last for evermore and be as a Standard of the Most High lifted up to all the scattered weary Souls that they may flow unto it and have it to be unto them a place of Refuge and Defence to fly unto in the day of Distress and by it come to be made Free and in it
walk in the Light and continue in faithfulness in your Measures enduring the Cross unto your Wills that by it the Carnal may be crucified and that which is Earthly mortified and all the fleshly Lusts subdued and the ground of Unbelief removed that you as Obedient Children to the Light may walk not as do others in the Lusts of Ignorance and Wayes of Unrighteousness where all the Ungodly lie and are without his Fear not knowing that in which the Power of God doth stand and many of them are Murmurers and Complainers who dwell in all Unrighteousness from among whom Redemption you are to find that a true Separation you may come to know that the Unclean you may touch no more and that which defiles to be no more entangled with For the Lord our God is pure his living Truth is to be known in the inward parts and that which makes Free received in the Heart and pure is the Lord in his Ministration of Life and free in the Discoveries of his Love his unsearchable Riches are made known unto his Jewels and his Secrets revealed unto them that abide in his Fear whose Fear is a Fountain of Life whose Love is streaming forth as a River of Oyl unto the broken hearted and in him the Fatherless find Mercy and he giveth strength unto the Faint he cherished the Babes as a Nurse and feedeth the Young with Milk he gathereth the Lambs with his Arms and nourisheth the tender Plant he confoundeth the Proud in his Judgments and removeth the Ground of the Wicked Kings before him are as the Drop of a Bucket and Ungodly Rulers as the Smoke before a mighty Wind His Wonders are seen among the Living and his Judgments made known upon the Wicked they that come to him find Mercy but his Enemies he turns into the Land of Darkness the Ungodly are not able to come near his Presence when he is Angry the Wicked stand afar off but there 's no Darkness in which they may be hid nor shadow of Death in which they can be covered for his Hand will find out all the Rebellious and he will reward them all according to the Pride of their Heart then shall they be banished from the Lord as the Chaff before the Wind and none of their strength shall save them But all you that wait for Sion's Redemption and call that love his Appearance who are willing to take up the Yoke deny themselves and follow the Light thus I say unto all such The Lord God of Life is at hand he is hastning his Mercies to the simple and reaching forth his hand to the Helpless your Redeemer is near your Deliverer is at hand for the Lord God hath not cast off his People neither will he leave or forsake his Chosen Ones With the Brightness of his Power is he appearing to judge down that which kept his own in Bondage and lay low that which did the Just oppress that from under the Oppression it may now arise that the Hungry may be fed and the Naked come to be clothed with the Everlasting Righteousness of God who brings his Righteousness near unto the Humble and clothes them with the Armour of Light that so they may be able to stand where the Wicked cannot endure Wherefore all you my dear Lambs in whom there is honest Desires begotten after the living Truth of my Father who are in measure made willing to walk as Children of the Day and to undergo the Reproaches and Revilings of Wicked and Ungodly men and desire the Kingdom that is not of this World from the honest Simplicity of your Hearts that you may come to rest in the Kingdom of the Father forever Unto you I say my Heart's Desire and Prayer to God for you is That you may be enabled through the Power of him who is the Light to undergo all your Tryals within and without and that none of you may faint in your Way nor be weary of well doing but that you may come to shew forth the Works of Righteousness by a chaste Conversation in the midst of a crooked and perverse Generation by whose Filthiness the Just is grieved And my dear Lambs grieve ye not the Spirit of the Lord neither be you Envious against the Evil-Doers let not Wrath arise in any one of you but be Examples of Love and Meekness one unto another and all come to know what a true waiting upon the Lord is in the Sincerity of the Heart to receive that which the World never knew even the Spirit of Truth which comes from the God of Peace in which the Blessing is received and leads in the way of Righteousness and will joyn your Hearts together in the Everlasting Covenant of the Father which he is establishing with all his faithful Ones among whom you may now come to be gathered and find an eternal Inheritance with them that are sanctified who come to be made one with him that sanctifieth who now cometh to purge away the filth and cleanse that which hath not been cleansed that Sinners may be converted unto him and the Filthy redeemed from their filthiness before the day come wherein it shall be said He that is Filthy let him be Filthy still Wherefore let the Day of your Visitation be dearly prized knowing that God who is Light will not alwayes strive with man and it s his Everlasting Love in that he hath visited you and passed by the Wise and the Mighty and made your Hearts sometimes soft and tender by the powerful Drawings of his Everlasting Love which by your Obedience and Belief in the Truth comes to be more and more shed abroad in your Hearts which Love will constrain Obedience to the Light in which Light Gods Power is received which Power maketh Sons who cry Father unto him that begeteth after his own Image whose Image comes to be renewed in the Children of the Light which Light is now come and we are Witnesses of it and testisie what we have seen and declare unto you the Message that was from the beginning and so preach not another Gospel unto you but the same which is the Power of God which I neither receive of men nor learn of men but by Revelation in which the Father is known which to the World is a Mystery and sealed from all them who believe not in the Light whose Deeds are Evil but manifest through the Operation of the mighty Power of God which worketh mightily in me that I might reach forth unto you also and that you might feel the Operation of the Fathers Love that is manifest in my Bonds to you who through many Tribulations with the rest of the Lambs of Christ are to wait for Deliverance from the Bondage of Corruption in the which you have long continued but now Christ Jesus the Light of the World is come to redeem them who through fear of Death were all their life time subject to Bondage and the Bonds of Iniquity are now to be
of Israel Who can declare his Mercy to the Afflicted or utter his Bowels of Compassion to the Spirits in Prison What Tongue can declare the unsearchableness of his Way of Life or make known the Infiniteness of that which passeth Knowledge He hath been a Father to the Fatherless he hath given Light and Life to them that sate in Darkness and in the shadow of Death he is found of them that sought him not he spreadeth forth his Arms to gather them that asked not for him he giveth Gifts to the Rebellious and he is grieved with those that receive not the Tenders of his Love and complaineth from the grief of his Soul when Israel will have none of him He delighteth not in the Death of the Wicked but waiteth long for their Return If Israel backslide yet afterwards return with true Repentance forsaking the Evil he sheweth Mercy even to the Prodigal and he heals the Backslidings and loves them freely that none may say their Destruction is from him nor that he appointed them thereunto nor charge him with Injustice in the day of his Judgments when the Just shall arise to the Resurrection of Life and the Unjust to the Resurrection of Condemnation forever that every Moath may be stopped and every one stand Guilty before the Throne of his Judgment and every Tongue confess to God That he is Righteous in all his Wayes and that all his Judgments are Just and True And out of his Fatherly Pity from the freeness of his Love hath he visited many of you even with a Message of Life and Salvation by the Word of his Power making known that unto you which hath been hid from Ages and Generations and is yet hid from all Ishmaels Princes and Nimrods Builders yea even from all the Wise and Prudent of the Earth even that is he revealing to many of you who are willing to become Fools and suffer the loss of all for his sake who saves the Soul and that not for any Works of Righteousness which you have done but of his own free Love through the Power of his Immortal Word is he begetting Sons and Daughters to himself that he alone might be honoured who worketh all their Works in them that his Workmanship all such might be created a new in Christ Jesus unto good Works in them to walk in Newness of Life bringing forth Fruits unto God who with the Light of his Son in whom he is well pleased hath convinced many of you of the Evil of your Ways and the Blindness you were in when you were Children of Wrath even as others and his Light of Life hath shined in you to let you see the want of a Saviour and feel the burden of your Sins that the Word of Repentance you all might receive and come to be led by him whom God the Father hath sealed for a Covenant of his Eternal Love and sent for a Light to be a Leader to the House of Joseph and a Deliverer to the House of Israel and to inherit the Gentiles and possess the utmost parts of the Heathen that the Brightness of his Power might shine over all the World and the sound of his Voice be heard to the utmost parts of the Earth that the Outcasts of the Earth might be brought to the one Fold and the Seed of Abraham be gathered from the four Corners of the Earth that Redemption might be known from under the Shadow of Death and that the blind which have Eyes and the deaf which have Ears might come forth to the Light of the Son who looseth the Tongue of the Stammerer that it may speak plain that those who Err in Judgment might learn the Doctrine of the Son of the Father's Love who comes to lead the blind by a way they know not and lead them in Paths that they have not known and with Weeping and with Supplication doth he lead them that walk in the strait and narrow Path of Life where those that abide in the Fear shall not stumble but walk in the Uprightness of Innocency through the Power of the Father's Love continuing in the way of Holiness where only the Ransomed of the Lord do walk the which Way of Holiness the Lord God hath made known to many which reached unto your Hearts whereby it was at the present made soft and tender and you received the Truth with love rejoycing that you came to find the way to Eternal Peace and many began to say one to another This is the Way let us to walk in it and for a time many walked in Humility and pure dear and tender Love began to spring up in you one to another and the Enemies of your Souls began to be subject to you and the tenders of God's Love was over you to do you good at your latter end but behold before you came to the Land of Rest the Lord tryed you by suffering the Enemy to present Hardship Straits and many Difficulties to come on the other hand to present the Glory of the World and the Favour of great Men and some the Enemy draws forth their Minds from the Strait and narrow Way into carnal Liberty and Ease in the Flesh and so to contain an Easier way whereby the simplicity in many is betrayed into the Power of the man of Sin who worketh strongly to keep his hold in one Deceiveableness or another to keep in Bondage the Life of the JUST to keep his Head from being bruised by the Power of the Seed of the Promise which under the Subtilty in many hath cryed for Vengeance upon the Head of that which Murders the Just and when times of Tryal come by Judgment and Famine and Want have come upon others then have they started aside like a broken Bow and caused th Offence of the Cross to cease and then hath Unbelief come in and the Enemy caused Questionings of the living Truth and Consultations about the Way of Life and such grew weary of their Tryal like their Fore-fathers in the Wilderness even letting the Enemy draw back their Hearts to the Flesh Pots of Aegypt which God by his mighty Power had redeemed them from and was leading them by the right Hand and in the narrow Way that they should go And others the Enemy who still seeketh to devour the begotten of God hath drawn forth their Minds into a sottish careless Condition not regarding the stirrings of Gods Spirit with them by the Light of his Son in their Hearts and so not minding that his Spirit will not alwayes strive with them and having seen before the straitness of the Way the Enemy will work by all Subtilty to keep such from it and from the Meetings and Society of them that in the strait Way abide keeping them still from the Cross which would be his Death and the Life of that which would give Peace and Victory over him and all his Wiles And others coming to see that they are come so far so that they need not Words
the Captivated Seed of the Noble Plant of Renown which is hid in all Sober Humble Wise and Professed Religious Emperors Kings Princes and People in all Nations kindreds and Tongues over all the whole World and for all sorts of Poeple who know not the Power of Truth in the inward Parts that they may come to have the hidden Treasure opened in them and be gathered into the Glorious Life of Eternal Peace HEarken and hear ye Mighty Ones of the Earth that love Righteousness and all you Prudent Ones that can receive Instruction who have not yet hardened your Hearts as many have done against the day of Slaughter even all ye who are willing to come to Meekness and receive Understanding that your Souls may live who have an Ear ready to be opened to entertain Counsel that the Wisdom of the Most High you may attain unto and come to taste of the Virtue of the Substance of that which nourisheth all things living that the unsearchable Life of the unlimited Power you may attain unto and come to that which was in the beginning and partake of the Life which over Death is to reign that to the Immortal Beeing you may be led Be ye now therefore awakened and feel the operation of the Breath of Life in you and let the Virtue of the Word of Life break through you and the Power thereof break through the Earth that you may come to be overshadowed with the Influences of divine Love and filled with the sweet Content of the Riches of the Life Eternal that nothing may stop the River of Healing Oyl nor hinder the issuings forth of the pleasant Streams of Living Water but that in it your Souls may be refreshed and your Life grow up as a fruitful Vine that under the Wing of the most High you may be shadowed and rest in the shelter of a Rock For the Almighty Power of the Infinite Beeing is spreading forth it self and the Eternal Excellency is giving forth it self unto the Sons of men that they by Humility in it may come to rest forever and come to the fulness of that which only gives satisfaction without which there is no true Peace by which Immortallity may be enjoyed forever and the Life which only through Death is found and that Dominion which through Patience and Long-suffering is obtained which only belongs to Kings and Princes and such whom the King of Kings delighteth to Honour who hath eternal Crowns of unspeakable â—lory for all that come to him in the humble Simplicity and Innocency of Uprightness with that Love which thinketh no Evil which comes from that â—ife in which no Evil doth stand For he that inhabiteth Eternity hath roared from the highest Heaven and the Almighty Wonderful and Terrible God over all hath thundered with the might of his Power to the revealing of the hidden things of Darkness and discovering the Foundation of all Worships practised by all Mankind upon the face of the whole Earth and the ground of their Revolting from that which was and is to be their Life that by it they might have lived forever who from the holy Life and Virtue of all things being departed in their Transgression and Rebelion against the Light whereby thick Darkness bath covered all mankind and Bruitishness in knowledge hath happened unto many and inordinate Aflections have had Dominion and Sottishness hath blinded the Mind and the things that are made in the Earth hath filled the carthly Heart that in it the living Power that made all things cannot have entrance without which living Power received in the Heart there is not Eternal Peace by the enjoyment or possession of all the things that are created in or upon the Sea or Earth neither is there any manner of Worship that obtains life to the soal until therein man comes to be guided with that by which the soul at first had its life by which man was made which is Light for the Eternal Power who is Light is breaking forth of Darkness and shining forth as the Brightness of the clear Morning that all the dark Corners of the Earth may be enlightened with the beauty thereof which Light in the lowly and the meek may be felt who obeying it may know it shining more and more to the brightness of the Day of Glory whereby all Nations may come to taste of the Virtue of the Life and come to know the Covenant of Peace which will heal all the Breaches and restore the Unity of all Nations that one peaceable Covenant over all Nations may spread as the Morning Cloud and be all covered under that which shadows over all the Upright in Heart who love the Breathings forth of the holy Life and keep their Minds to the humble Seed continuing in the pure Fear thereby in them to have the Fountain opened that they all may drink at the Spring that shall never be dry whose Souls come to be as a watered Garden and their inward parts as a Vessel of Oyl their Hearts being enlarged with the abundance of Peace and because of Salvation rejoycing forever that all Nations may be at quiet and every one feed under his own Vine and none destroy nor devour one another henceforth forever more For by the Mighty Wonderful Operation of the Power of the one Light which shines in and over all were all things made and all Mankind upon the whole Earth from the Life of which one Light was breathed into man that by which man might be kept in the Unity and abide in the Oneness of Spirit the which though all Mankind are gone out from by Sin and Evil yet that which is but One in all which was before man and sin doth still in man remain even the Light proceeding from the Life which was the Life of man without which he is dead unto God which Light remaining in man a free gift from the God of Life Power and Love by it may all Mankind seek after the living God and find him who is not far from every one but is near unto all that seek him in the meek Lowliness in the Heart And that all Emperors Kings Princes Judges and all Nations Languages Kindreds Tongues and People upon the face of the whole Earth may come be restored into Unity Peace and Concord and be united together in one bond of Love and Peace and never learn War any more and that they may all come to the true Worship of the God of Life Power and Light in over all and never to have hatred one against another concerning professed Religious Worship nor differ and strive about that by which the Souls if all Mankind come to be saved nor about the Way of attaining thereunto And that all Nations and People may receive the Virtue of the Life it self by which man may come to live forever in that noble state of Prudence Innocency and Wisdom in the durable Dominion of divine Honour ruling in the excellency of the Omnipotent
Power of the most Infinite God of Life over all that which at first in divine Wisdom was subjected under man who then bore the Image of the Immortal God of Power and live in the Glorious state of Peace and Quietness out of Wrath Envy and Trouble and that man may be brought into that Noble state of Uprightness and come to be directed and guided with that by which the may be renowned forever and leave the Memorial of his Righteousness for a sweet favour unto many Generations to come Therefore all ye Wise and Prudent Ancient and Honourable Devout Zealous and Religious Ones let all your Minds be turned from the Varieties of Conceptions in the vain Imaginations and the vain Thoughts of the dark Mind which leadeth forth into the carnal Conceivings of things without the pure Substance of the one Immortal Life which in man lies hid from all that carnal Wisdom which naturally ruleth in man who is fallen from the Dominion and Life of the God of Wisdom whose delight is to dwell in his People and reveal in them his secrets and make known unto them by that which searcheth the Heart the unsearchable Riches of the Mysteries of his Will instructing them as a tender Father in the Perfect Way of Life that unto them who feel his Power an Eternal Inheritance he may give and at last receive them in the Arms of his Love with him to reign in the Light of endless Glory forever Wherefore let all Tongues be silent and let every Evil Motion be denyed and the passage of every Vain Thought be stopt and let Dread and Fear Possess him that hath done Evil and let the inward parts be searched with the Light of Life which is in the Heart of every one of you and let your Minds be wholly turned from all the visible carnal fading Glory to the Light of Truth in you which being by you loved will lead you into Meekness and into true Humility which leadeth to and goeth before Eternal Honour and bringeth to be Honourable in his Power who ruleth in the Hearts of Emperors and Kings who fear before him and he only who searcheth the Heart is to be sought after above all things and the operation of his mighty Power is to be felt in the inward parts judging that which hath kept man from the knowledge of his Life and condemning and overturning that which hath hindred man from the sense of the feeling thereof in him the which being turned unto and loved followed and obeyed will bring Judgment upon that in you all which hath long kept you from the Dominion of pure divine Glory and Love in the Slavery of sleshly worldly Glory which hath more and more begotten you into that which lusteth after the Beauty which is to perish with them that dye in it Now therefore awake ye all to Righteousness stand in awe and sin not commune with your own Hearts and be still and in the cool of the day and quietness of your Mind listen ye then to the voice of the Word in your Hearts and prize and tender that which moveth in you against that which is Evil and come to be guided by that in you which is Light which cometh from him who is the God of Love whose love is already shed abroad in the Hearts of many which constraineth them to wait in his Light to receive his Power and further Discoveries of his Will who willeth that all men should be saved from Eternal Death and Damnation and not dye under the horrible Terrors of his Fierce Wrath nor perish in the Darkness of Unbelief and Rebellion against that Power which made man at first Upright and now from a fatherly pity doth call after all Mankind that they may return from Evil and come unto him and be saved from Wrath to come and find plenteous Redemption in the Life of his Power and be gathered into the Comliness of his Love and translated into the Kingdom of his Immortality and reign with him who sitteth upon the Throne of unspeakable Glory ruling in and over all the Kingdoms of men For behold the Day-star of the Morning is risen and his Glitterings are enlightning the Dark parts of the World and unto all Nations is it arising to declare in the Hearts of many the springing forth of the day of Judgment upon the vail and night of Darkness which hath long covered that from man by which all Mankind might come to see the Fountain of endless Love which now through Judgment by the brightness of the Light is brought near unto all People whose Hearts are open to receive it and the Light of the Morning-Star which ariseth in the Hearts of the beloved chosen Seed is bringing to Judgment the hidden things of Dishonesty and in secret reproving the Double-mindedness of man that Deceit Defraud and Hypocrisie out of him may be cleansed and the ground of all Vanity Tyranny and Lust discovered and removed that Death upon Death with Judgment through the Light may come that by the Light Life and Immortality may come forth and arise in the strength of immortal Power breaking through that which separated man from Unity Peace and Truth that unto it all Nations may become subject and by the force of its Lowliness be drawn together to the Hill of Holiness and rest together in the heavenly Felicity upon the Mount of Refuge forever For the Son of Righteousness is risen with Healings in his Wings and an overshadowing Power is with him and they that come to the Fruit of his Love are filled with Peace to their Souls and so come to that which may be received in the Heart and which is given to heal all Nations and spring up in the midst of them as a Tree of Life whose Fruit shall never fail World without End And this glorious Light of Life and Power of Love is springing forth of Darkness in the Hearts of Thousands in the Northern parts of the World and is shining forth in the brightness of Righteousness towards the utmost parts of the South and unto all Kindreds upon the Face of the Earth reaching from the East to the West to declare and give the knowledge of Immortal Power which in the Hearts of the humble harmless and single-minded may be felt and received if they rebel not against the Light in the Conscience nor remain in the strength of their own carnal Knowledge but be willing to come out of all that which they must dye unto or perish with and leave all that which never brought them to the Enjoyment of everlasting Rest to their Souls Now therefore all ye tall Cedars of the Earth whose Heads are lifted up on high above others and whose Minds are exalted above the Principle of Meekness in your selves this are you all to know even that Power of Eternal Life which is to rule in and over you And see that by greatness of your Honour and and Glory in this present World your Hearts be
not thereby lifted up in Pride Ambition and Wrath so as thereby to keep your selves from the attaining unto a Pearl of far more greater Price and of a more durable Substance for great is the Riches Honour and Dignity that is coming near unto you if you let not your Hearts be hardened against it in the strength and perversness of your own Wills despising the Day of your Visitation of Love and rejecting the Message of Life to your Souls and contemning that by which you might come to live forever and have Dominion over Death and Hell and escape the Torment which all them fall into in the day of their Death who dye out of the Covenant of Life and Peace the which Covenant that you may attain unto and come to live in forever let Love Mercy be received in you and then brought forth by you and let Humility and Fear be placed in your Hearts with it in tenderness to rule over others and let the Light in you which lets you see the thing that is Evil lead and guide you to speak and do the thing that is good right and just and let your Words be few sound sober and meek and hate not them who from good will to your Souls bring the Reproof of Life unto you or publish the word of Repentance among you or proclaim this message of Love and Peace within your Borders let not such be harmed for a day and time of Visitation is coming near upon you all and happy may you be if you receive Instruction and love the Light By a lover of the Souls of all Mankind a Servant of the God of Life Prisoner at the City of Winchester known by the Name of Humphry Smith TO ALL Parents of Children Upon the face of the VVhole Earth That your Children you may the better train up in the right Way that they should go therein something of the True Way it self is discovered that Iniquity may not be received by Tradition from Parents to Children and so from one Generation to another but that your Children may come to Christ and be Children of God and so be a Comfort unto you Therefore is this sent among you every where in love to your Children and you FRom the Bowels of God's infinite Love unto a tender Seed of him not known nor brought forth in tender Babes am I moved to you to write That your Children you provoke not to Wrath nor draw forth their Minds into Unrighteousness neither be ye Examples of Rashness nor Frowardness neither teach ye them that when they are little to please your vain Minds which you must chastise them afterwards to leave again neither teach ye them to be Proud by drawing forth their Minds to look at foolish Toyes which you in the Transgression have put upon them in any manner of dressing which is needless for this know that in so doing you bring them from being such of whom the Kingdom of God doth consist to be Children of the Devil who is the Father of Pride which many harmeless Children would not come unto were they not trained into it by such as are in Pride already neither teach ye them to strike in the least nor provoke them to have any delight to see striking for thereby afterwards they come to strike one another and hurt one another and so you teach your own Children to be unnatural one to another and you unnatural to them in teaching them to strike one another and then when they are a little grown up to strike and beat them for striking one another the which you taught them Neither teach ye them to speak wicked Words nor many Words for in the Multitude of Words there wants not Sin Neither teach ye them to call Names in the least nor any such thing as you will answer it for their Souls in the great and terrible Day of the Lord for in these things is greater weight than many Thousands are aware of And for want of taking heed of these things in the true fear of God Children have grown up in these and the like things to be a great Grief unto their Parents of whom they learned it and some beat their Parents being taught thereunto when they were little and so trained up out of the fear of the Lord. And by this Wickedness received by Tradition and nursed up from one Generation to another Nations are overspread with Sin and Iniquity and Towns and Countries are filled with all Abominations whereby the Lord of Heaven and Earth is grieved Therefore of these things be ye all warned for this do I know that in many tender Babes and young Children there is a meek innocent harmless Principle from God who willeth not the Death of any and they have a Light from Christ that lighteth every man that cometh into the World which Light is in them And he said Suffer little Children to come unto me forbid them not for of such is the Kingdom of God who come unto him that is meek and low in Heart therefore you should suffer them to keep unto come unto that which is meek and low in the Heart for that which may be known of God is manifest in them And Christ the Light had a love to little Children and said He that will enter the Kingdom of God must become as a little Child Therefore Wo be to you if you teach and cause such to become the Children of the Devil by following your devised Fables evil Examples and wrong Guidance in your own rebellious Wills For behold and look upon young Children and see how innocent and lamb-like they look and consider if every thing were as good as God made it and how much more if they were brought forth in the Covenant of God And wherein have they delight in Pride or any Covetousness or any manner of Cruelty And is it not better for their Souls if you let them keep in that state and so to suffer them to come to Christ who saveth from Sin and his Power keepeth out of Sin and his Light in the Conscience condemneth for Sin where it is and he cometh to destroy the Works of the Devil Therefore you should consider that you are far from Christ if you teach such the works of the Devil that never knew it and teach Children to enter into Sin which separateth them and you from God and keep you forever from Salvation unless you come through Judgment out of it again which many come short of and most attain not unto for few there be that enter in at the strait Gate And that you may the more consider my words and come into Moderation and the Wisdom of God in these and other things to walk exemplary before your Children and to be to them Patterns of Gravity Meekness and Sobriety therefore shall I set before your Eyes some plain and simple Truths of my experience when I was a Child First as concerning Tenderness my Heart was much affected
put into and kept long in a Dungeon sor Praying often abused in Prison sometimes near Death in Trials often in Perils often in Loss of Goods in daily Reproaches and in that which hath been greater then all these things and yet have I been preserved unto this day by the Power of him who is the Light and the only Son of God to whom be Eternal Glory from his own Seed in his Servant who is one of the least among many Brethren being a Prisoner at Winchester for the Truth of Christ by the will of men unto whom I am known by the Name of Humphry Smith An Invitation from the Spirit of Christ. COme unto me all ye that are weary and heavy laden come unto me and find Rest I even I am he that comforteth Ziâ—â— I am he that preacheth Liberty to the Captives Oh! come unto me stay not I am the Way the Truth and the Life I am he and there is none other I came out from the Father into the World that it might be reconciled up unto God thorow me I am the good Shepherd that am now come to gather the Outcasts of Israel and to bring home unto God the lost Sheep that the dispersed of Judah may now return and the seed of Abraham may be brought in to me in whom the Redemption is even plentious Redemption for all that will hear and turn in hither Oh all ye scattered of the Flock my Voice is to you that have not found rest to your Souls now hearken diligently to hear my Voice and feel my Words of Life for now the time is come that the Seed that hath long lain in the Death shall hear my voice and they that hear shall live and arise out of the Death and I will give them Life Oh! come unto me my own my beloved before the Foundation of the World come and stay not I have long waited for you my Locks are wet with the drops of the Night and you have wearied me with waiting for you long have I knocked at the Door of your Hearts calling to Repentance and no man regarded now the sloathful would not arise that I might come in and take up my abode with and in my own and refresh them with Waters of Life but now am I come who am the Bridegroom and the Bishop of the Soul with my alluring terms Come oh my Friends hearken my Beloved let me not be denyed open the door of thy hard Heart and let me not stand waiting any longer behold I have Honour for all them that follow me and Crowns of Life for all that will receive me Come unto me my Lambs I have prepared my Supper I have made in this Mountain a Feast of Wines of the Lees of fat things full of Marrow all things are now ready Come in unto me I am the Bread of Life I am the hidden Manna I come to save mens lives Come all ye that are weary with the burden of your Sins I am the Lamb slain from the Foundation of the World I come to take away the Sin of the World I am the Root of Jesse and the Off-spring of David I am he that opens and none can shut and shuts and none can open I have Power to forgive Sins on Earth Come cease from the Evil of your doings learn of me to do Well and then we will reason together and though thy Sins have been as Scarlet they shall then be as white as Snow for I come to finish Transgression and make an end of Sin and bring in the Everlasting Righteousness of God Therefore hear O ye scattered of the Flock that are yet in the miery Clay covered over with the thick Cloud of your Sins Oh! remain not in the filth now continue no longer with the Flesh-pots in the house of Bondage for I am come to condemn Sin in the Flesh and destroy the Works of the Devil that you may find Redemption in me and be washed from your filthiness and cleansed from your Sin Wherefore hear all ye that are far from Righteousness behold I have Gifts for the Rebellious my hand is stretched forth O ye simpels Ones come unto me and learn pure Wisdom and ye Fools be of an Understanding Heart Oh! why will ye dye O house of Israel have I any pleasure at all that the Wicked should dye turn you turn you now I do call O ye hard hearted wherefore do you hide your selves from me and dig deep to hide your Counsels from me Why do you run alwayes astray Oh! what shall I do unto you that I have not done and yet do you still go on in the Evil of your Wayes When will you once return O Jerusalem wilt thou not be made clean When shall it once be Oh! I have seen your Abominations and am wearied with your Sins and yet have you not regarded Oh! now it is high time to consider thy Ways and return from the Evil of thy Doings lest thou be shut out forever And all ye my dear Ones that have long waited for me behold I come quickly and my Reward is with me saith Christ the Son of God and I will open to you the hidden Treasures of my Father and make known his Will to you and I will remove off the burden and circumcise your Hearts Behold I come saith Christ and I will open the Prison-door and raise the Prisoner out of the Pit and bring Deliverance to the Captive and refresh the plant of my Fathers planting and nourish the tender Grape which the subtilty hath hurt and I will bind up the broken and restore unto the Mourners the years of Joy and Comfort and I will be unto you a sure Foundation a present Help in time of need and I will bring back the scattered and they shall not return and fear the Lord God of thir Fathers in my Mountain of Holiness and they shall walk in the Way of Peace and in the Paths of Righteousness where the Unclean shall not pass over nor the wild Beasts of the Field shall not come but the Ransomed of my Father saith Christ the Son of God Therefore hear all ye my Brethren and consider all ye my Friends for I am come who am the sure Foundation and the Corner-stone the Light the true Light of the World and the Life of Man and the Everlasting Covenant of the Father and the Power of God and the Wisdom of the Father by me Kings reign and the Princes of Israel shall now rule in Equity for behold I am come even he that you have long waited for and there is not another come learn of me I am meek I am lowly I am the Light low in the heart I am the living Minister saith Christ the Son of the Fathers love and the Light of the World I change not but remain a Priest forever a living Minister of Life within the vail ministring Life unto the Spirit in Prison The Sounding Voice Of the DREAD of Gods Mighty
prosper even as Kings whose Armies are swift to the Battel their faces are as an Adamant and their Countenances firce and terrible the found of their Voice is dreadful and the noise of their Appearance Astonish the Heathen the Earth before them is full of its Fruit behind them its a desolate Wilderness they spare not the Antient nor the Honourable neither have they respect to the Persons of men they even smile at Destruction when its coming and they are prepared for all your Oppressions VVherefore now gather your selves together O ye Potsherds of the Earth and stand up all you that thirst for blood assemble your selves together all ye Persecutors let your Counsels come up from Hell and let the depth of the Powers of darkness shew forth it self in the utmost of its strength and with it combine ye all together and stand up in the Power of your King which is the Angel of the Bottomless Pit who is head among in and over all you who thrist for the blood of the Innocent Now come and draw near in the very height of your Father's VVrath and behold we meet you in the Infiniteness of our Fathers Love and stand you together in the depth of your secret Subtilty and behold we abide in the pure VVisdom of the most High Stand ye up for the Glory and Honour of the World and we abide faithful for the Glory of the Lord our Maker And this I say plainly unto you that your long Tyranny will never weary out the patience we have received neither can you inflict more punishment than the Lord hath enabled us to bear and as your Wrath is incrased our Humility is increased much more and as you are filled and moved with Envy we are much more filled and overcome with the Power of the Fathers Life and though you contrive ways to ensnare the Innocent we take no thought aforehand to deliver our selves for Self we have denyed and we have given up our Bodies and Souls a living Sacrifice unto God to do or suffer his Will And him that kills the Body we fear not much less those that can but Whip or Imprison but for a few Moneths for our Life you cannot reach neither can you disturb their Rest whom the Lord hath crowned with Honour who out of the World are redeemed and bought with the price of Blood most precious but are become his to follow him whither-ever he leads them though it be through Tryals great Tribulations Bonds and long Imprisonments these things cannot move them who are brought to rest in the Defarts and sleep in the Woods yea and there is none can make them afraid with all their Threats unrighteous Laws Bonds Bridewels long unjust Imprisonments or Death it self And this Honour hath the Saints and herein do they rejoyce for evermore in that they are counted worthy to suffer for his Names sake who was made perfect through sufferings and and thereby overcame all the Powers of Darkness whereby Principalities and Powers are spoiled forever and through sufferings are we made more than Conquerers over all our Enemies whose Day will have an end whose Cruelty will cease whose Tyranny will be rewarded upon their own Heads and their Memorial will Rot forever but the faithfulness of the Faithful shall never be taken from him nor the innocency of the Harmless shall never be forgotten neither shall they ever want strength to stand in the day of Battel nor courage and boldness to endure when the Enemies of the Lord arise in Opposition against the brightness of the rising of the Power of the Lamb of God who is come to take away the Sin of the World even him who is the Light and the Heir against whom with one consent the Rulers of the Earth the Hireling Priests with all the Prophane and Unclean and all them of all Opinions in the World are joyning together in one Combination as with one Mind conspiring in their Enmity to slay and murder the Heir that is come to make an end of Sin Who saith I am the Light H. S. To all that want Peace with God To the Sheep every where not brought Home To the Thirsty Breathing Soul and to the Seed though in Captivity among and in the midst of all Professors Greetings of Love Mercy and Peace from God the Father of the Living VVHere the Bowels are not shut up nor the Heart darkned and where that doth not bear rule which stoppeth the Ear and closeth the Eye and where Prejudice and Rebellion against the Light with the Wisdom of the Flesh through that knowledge which puffeth up hath not wholly eaten up devoured got over and wholly overcome that tender Principle which once moved in the Heart towards that being of the living Substance There may my words take entrance and unto such who feel that which breathes to God and who are willing to be satisfied concerning the living Truth of his Son and who would receive the Truth if they knew it and do yet more desire after the Power of God than all the Temporal things that are seen and who are yet come no further than the reading of the Law the Priests the Tythes nor that Religion that makes nothing perfect and who are come no further than the outward Baptism Shadow or Figure or such things which are to be left behind Hâ—b 6. or who are come no further than the Supper or the Death and so not yet saved by his Life nor drunk of that which saveth and is to cleanse from all that which separateth from God after whom and the incomes of his Love Immortal whosoever truly desireth and is willing to receive the Power of his Life and come in Covenant with the Lord Such may lend me an Ear a little and you are them who may receive some benefit hereby for behold I write in plainness of the things of God my heart being enlarged with abundance of his Peace in which there is good will towards men that you might come to draw near to the Witness the Testimony whereof is within the vail which vail is over the heart 2 Cor. 3. 15 and is not done away but as you come to be in him who is given for a witness Isa 55. 4. by believing in the Light John 12. 36. and so to have the witness in you 1 John 5. 10. and you to be in it and that you may come to participate of Gods Indwellings and feel the Oyl which will last forever therefore I proceed thus How can I but look back a little with an Eye of Pity over those who yet are where once I was when the Darkness was over the Earth and the Cloud of Error compassed me as well as others surely I cannot now be so unmindful of them that are yet lost as not to have compassion upon the Out-casts of Israel or to conceal from them these things of so great concernment but rather as the Lord of my Life hath opened to me will I reach
spoken unto you being yet present with you but the Comforter which is the holy Spirit whom the Father will send in my Name he shall teach you all things John 14. 25 26. And then what if I did write after the manner of men and say If Moses were now upon the Earth and Christ in his own Body upon the Earth and Moses with all his Priests Tythes and Offerings and Religion which discovers sin but makes nothing perfect which Paul profited much in if he I say should command and exhort all People under his Ministry to go to Christ and hear him And if Christ were now upon Earth and notwithstanding his outward Miracles Circumcision Baptism Supper and Death yet he should command and exhort all that come through the Law or Ministration of Moses unto him to look and tarry and wait for another Comforter that they might receive the Spirit in them and say unto them that that should teach them all things and lead them into all Truth Then whether or no People were to continue following Moses Priests with their Tythes and long Prayers and still be seeking the Law at their Mouth or to come to Christ to seek the Gospel for Moses himself did not say that they should seek the Gospel at the Priests Mouth And then when did the Priests ever preach the Gospel And then whether those obey not Moses who leave the Priests and come to Christ the Light And whether such when they are come to Christ should alwayes be looking and following after Water Baptism and outward Supper or tarry and wait to receive the Spirit within them And then which of these now should all People that profess Christ be led by in these dayes either Moses or the Person of Christ or the Spirit of Truth And whether such as have received and are truly indeed led by his Spirit of Truth and know that to be their Teacher and follow it and are ruled governed and guided by it according to the command of Moses and Christ do not hereby obey the command of Moses and of Christ and fulfill their Doctrine And whether any other People or Professors whatsoever do obey the command of Moses and Christ but only such And whether this be not a thing of great Concernment to be known and learned by all that profess Christianity But why then do People follow these Priests of England any longer which are contrary to Moses and also to Christ who have no Store-houses but suffer the Poor to want within and without and the Widdow and Stranger ready to perish and moreover devour and can never have enough of the Spoil of other mens Goods And why do others dispute about and talk of the Body so much which they know not And is it not better to be silent and know the true God and Jesus Christ who dwells in his People and the Spirit of Truth which he requires in the inward parts and to feel after God even the Life in themselves because the Apostle said They were saved by his Life being before reconciled by his Death Rom. 5. 10. And until the Life came there were many things which they were not saved from and the Death which reconcileth was passed through and the Life was received again to save and justifie And why then are People so much busied about that which was before the Reconciliation and so therein much short of the Life and for outward Bread Wine and Water Are not these things which are seen And are not the things that are seen Temporal But Christ the true Prophet being come of whom Moses did write who is the end of the Law and so the end of that Ministry whereby that is done away for the weakness and unprofitableness thereof and Christ coming after John of whom John bare witness that he was before and greater and came after him and Christ having finished that which he himself came to do and likewise so largely and often exhorted to wait for another Comforter even the Spirit Then what Ministration is it that now standeth and remainâ—eth which is according both to Moses Christ and the holy Scriptures And what Ministration is to be expected or waited for but the Ministration of the Spirit And whether all they be not compassed about with a Cloud of Error who are upholding that Ministry of the Law or a worse which Christ is the end of and the Apostles said was done away and likewise such as are upholding and keeping up that which Christ said he had finished And whether the upholding of such things now be not quite opposite both to Moses Christ and Scriptures And being that Moses nor indeed his true Ministers of the Law are not upon Earth neither that Body of Christ which by the Professors was murthered at Jerusalem visibly to be seen upon Earth Then what was it that those have to follow who have not received the Spirit to be led by and if they will say They have the Writings of Moses and the Words of Christ I say if that be all then they that forsook and denyed Christ had more then them for they had the Words from his own Mouth which was Spirit and Life and yet they understood not and then what do those understand who have not so much as they had therefore after he had suffered and rose again he opened their Understandings And so what is all their Religion worth who are not come to the Spirit And whether Moses Ministration being ended by Christ and Christ also having finished his Work are not all People in the first place now to wait for the Spirit and to receive the Spirit by it then to be led into all Truth and so being first led into the Truth then in the same Truth to worship God in the Spirit who is a Spirit And whether there be now any true Worship standing which God accepteth but only this And whether this alone be not agreeable to Moses Christ and Scriptures And then whether all other Worship now upheld be not contrary to this true Worship of God and contrary to Moses Christ and Scriptures and indeed chiefly opposite to the Spirit of God whereby he is grieved And if so whether all such Worship Way Practice Performances Duties and Ordinances so called be not better left undone than performed until God's Spirit be received to guide therein Thirdly Concerning the Ministration of the Spirit which abideth forever Moses and his Ministry were visible and Christ in the form of a Servant and so like unto Moses was visible and so was his Miracles and that which is visible to the Natural Eye the Carnal Mind can come to profess and contend about but the blessed Eye which God openeth with the Light cometh to see the one done away and the other finished by Christ the Light and Life And this Spirit is that which first moved and yet moveth and moved unto and led through the visible Ministration and this Spirit is invisible as it
the King and God might bless and prosper him for their sakes as he did Pharaoh for the sake of that one faithful man Joseph after the King had released him out of Bonds But by this time many might say unto me as a Lord said unto the Prophet when he spake of things much unlike to come to pass How can these things be though God should make Windows in Heaven To which I answer That though I do not affirm that all those things shall come to pass concerning him yet I say that many are already and many more may come to the slate asoresaid And it would be his Happiness and more for his Honour than men can yet receive to be chief Magistrate among or over such a People and to have most of his Subjects so qualified and great would be his Peace thereby And thus further I say That the God of Heaven and Earth hath promised That a People shall be all Righteous and that Iniquity shall cease and the Nations shall learn War no more but every one shall rest under his own Vine and and none shall make them afraid and they shall be in League with the Stones of the Field and the Beasts of the Field shall be at peace with them And the Lord God hath brought many into the entrance of these things that with Christ in the Prophet they can give their Backs to the Smiter and their Cheeks to him that plucketh off the Hair And if it were well if that all the King's Subjects were come to the things aforesaid and to live in that upright state then it is not ill that some are come unto that state already And if the little that is begun towards this work were cherished might it not grow and encrease towards that state hinted at in the former brief Particulars touching the Honour of the King though there is an Honour which exceeds all this And certainly the Word of the Lord will stand forever though Men and their Powers and Heaven and Earth may pass away And assuredly the God of Righteousness hath begun his Work in this Nation and in the hearts of many of his little Ones And a Little One he hath said shall become a Thousand and a small One a strong Nation and the Kingdoms of this World shall become the Kingdom of our God and of his Christ And what if a Nation be born at once and Sion bring forth before her Travel and the Lord answer before his People call and hear while they are yet speaking and multiply the seed of Abraham as the Stars of Heaven and encrease the innocent flock of his Fold as the innumerable Plants upon the face of the Earth that Sin and Iniquity may have an end and Righteousness reign for evermore And if it be farther enquired How the King might have his Subjects truly principled and qualified as afore said or have such Subjects generally thus for his great Honour I Answer further to the everlasting Praise of God That there are many which may well be called some of his truest Subjects in his Dominions that are already truly principled and qualified as aforesaid and more are entering and growing up into the same Faithfulness Love Unity and Peace with all men and God will encrease them and it might be much for the Honour of God and the King to encourage them therein and much for the dishonour of God and dishonour and great disadvantage of the King divers ways if he seek or should be perswaded to seek the hindrance of these things or of his Subjects who are thus already qualified or the encrease of their Number therein or their encreasing in the honest noble honourable upright things aforesaid which things might make for the Honour of the King and will certainly be for the Glory of God And this is written by one that desireth the Peace of all the Nation and Unity amongst all men and that many more may come into the Righteous things aforesaid which would be for the Glory of God the Honour of the chief Magistrate the great Benefit of the Nations and much Comfort to themselves And that desireth the encrease of love truth and virtue which brings into the true honourable Nobility for the which this is written that men may come into the true Noble and Honourable Estate in the sight of God and all just Men among whom I am a true Friend to them all in love called Humphry Smith The 10th of the 4th Moneth 1661. To the Lambs of Christ MY dear Brethren who are Children of my Father whom he hath visited with the Power of his Eternal Love and gathered into his covenant of Light where Life and Immortality abideth forever who come to feel the Life of the risings of the Son of Gods Power with his Immortal strength you all in his Power to keep as living Branches of the Root to himself single and pure in the uprightness of Innoceny in this the day of his infinite love wherein the Glory of the Most High is revealed to the humble Seed which receives the Gospel of Peace and the Ministration of Life to those who in the Death did lie and by Captivity was long in Bondage kept which now from the Lord God of Life Refreshings comes to receive and Oyl of everlasting Joy to the mourning Plant whereby the everlasting Covenant of the Father is known in which I am with you forever you standing in obedience to the Power of the Word which operates in the Heart by which all things were made in which they are all enjoyed as you all in his Wisdom stand by it to be guided in the dominion of the Word with it over all to find Life and guidance with that which is Immortal in the strength whereof to stand as Pillars of Life for the living Truth of God against all his Enemies with boldness and cheerfulness through the Power of his Son whose Life you are to feel exercising you therein to which you are to yield Obedience with all humble Submission to the Fathers will abiding low in his fear and there is both Safety and Strength that the Fountain of the Fathers love may be opened in you as a Well-spring of Life to overcome you with the Power of himself that thereby you may be refreshed one in another and be opened one to another in the bowels of the Fathers love that it may overshadow you as a Tree in Summer and be to you as the refuge of a Rock in it to be hid from all the high and raging Waves Winds and Storms and from all secret Discontent or Swellings in the mind which are apt to hurt that which is little and tender which is to be brought forth into Liberty Peace and Life with the pangs of Sorrow and as with the anguish of a travailing Woman so is the Seed brought forth which lives forever which is fed with the Milk and preserved from the Storm and the Heat and fed with Food convenient and clothed
Hearts be restrained from breaking and your Bowels from an unexpressible yearning after the advancing of the living Truth of God which he hath so freely made you partakers of May you not fall down to the Dust before the presence of the Lord and become as the smallest thing in respect of him Who can but fear before him and be astonished at the Power of his Might and bow before him who is the God of the Spirits of all Flesh that he over all may be honoured who is blessed for evermore And as through Humility you come to receive that which maketh Honourable even that which is Holy like pure Oyl to comfort and nourish you in that keep treasuring it up for your selves until you receive Power from on High or feel the higher Power that stands over all opening the Mouth of that which is to speak giving you Power and Wisdom your Life forth to minister to the reaching of that in all which can receive the Gospel and to the chaining down of all the Powers of the Prince of Darkness that would arise up against it And such as feel something stirring to speak Words and a great War and trouble within being neither quiet one way nor the other and by reason of fearfulness Words begin to go forth as from under a load and trouble and then feel the Earth lie upon the Seed let such take heed of speaking too much with a strangled and strained Voice but sink down again and wait to feel that rent and broken which is as a hard thing between thee and that which should rise up to speak that thou mayest feel it opened in thee as a place of broad Rivers giving thee room or as the opening of a Rock and the powerful issuing forth of a mighty stream of living Water pure and clear not mixt with Earth and Dirt and when thou hast felt this take heed of spending all upon others and another time take heed of that which would imitate such a Power again And also let such who speak in Meetings take heed of speaking above the Vail with a forward Zeal leaving the Light behind him lest he do more hurt behind him than he doth good before him and when the Vail is rent and a few Words spoken and the measure being declared the Vail comes on again upon a sudden and then some there be that change the Voice and continue in a form of strange words an hour after like a Priest Now the measure in such is owned the which they keeping to might increase but going beyond it the other will increase and that decrease but stopping with the Light when it stops and so become a Fool the Light would arise again Life speak and it s that alone which doth Service for God and other long Declarations of Words do but thicken the Vail over them that have felt Life though Death in others who have not found Life will feed upon the many words And such as are moved to bear their Testimony against the false Prophets or the Wickedness of men in it be faithful keeping in the fear and dread of the Lord that in his strength you may stand as a Wall of Brass against the Ungodly and spare not to thresh the Heathen so long as you feel the Hammer of the Lord up over them and then take heed of Disputations after and go not out of that which is your strength lest you fall before your Enemies and dishonour the Lord. But let every one take heed of running too soon for some such there are who run to Priests and others in the light airy Spirit and pride of Heart who are vain Boasters out of the Truth whose service the Lord abhors and likewise some such speak in Meetings whose Mouthes should be stopped Thus Friends from the dear love of my Life to you all and the living Truth of God for which I suffer in Bonds have writ these things in plain and few words to be considered of by you whom it concerns and the Lord God of Life make it a blessing unto you Winchester-Bridewell H. S. Sound things Asserted I. In the King 's own Words II. From late Experience III. From Scripture-Truth IV. According to Reason and Equity And certain things opened or propounded by way of Enquiry thereupon Offered in meekness and good will unto the consideration of the King's Lords Counsellors and other his chief Officers under him in all places of Justice Trust both Civil Military and Ecclesiastical Being intended for the good of the KING and themselves and all Persons under him and for the preserving of Peace amongst men The first Assertion I. FOrasmuch as you are set in Authority under the KING and so are to observe and to be Ministers of his Laws for the punishment of Evil and not to go beyond his Will and Proclamations and so to do that which is just and reasonable toward all his Subjects thereby to preserve them in Peace towards him and one with another II. In that the King hath freely engaged himself by Promise in his Declaration from Breda That no man shall be disquieted nor called in question for differences of Opinions in matters of Religion c. And in that he hath since he came to England doubled the Confirmation thereof in repeating the self-same words twice over in his Declaration Of Ecclesiastical Affairs bearing date the 25th of the 8th Moneth called October 1660. page 5 and 18. And since all this he having again renewed the same in a late Speech of his to the Parliament bearing date the 8th day of the 5th Moneth called July 1661. saying It is to put My Self in mind as well as You that I so often I think as often as I come to you mention unto you my Declaration from Breda And he further saith My Lords and Gentlemen let it be in no mans Power to charge either Me or You with breach of Our Word or Promise which can never be a good Ingredient to our future Security Page 5 6. III. In that he hath confirmed the same to us in particular in a late Proclamation entituled The Enlargement of Prisoners called Quakers bearing date the 11th of the 3d Moneth called May 1661. wherein he writeth us his Subjects called Quakers whereby Friends were generaly released out of Prison and that without Fees IV. In that the King hath promised the same by word of Mouth and granted that we should have our Liberty of Conscience and that we should not suffer therein engaging Himself thereunto in the Word of a King and in that he hath manifested the same towards us several times The first Queries upon the first Assertions THese things above written being rightly considered and truly understood this then would I learn from you or enquire of you whom the King hath set in chief places of Authority under him and let just witness of God in all your hearts answer hereunto Query 1. Whether all or as many of you whom the King hath
of Salvation are come wherein God even our God is shining out of Zion the redeemed of the Lord the perfection of Beauty unto all the World and all Nations who have been high shall now be brought down into the Valley there will Christ the Lord of Hosts plead in the cool of the day with all Flesh and fallen man and the day is come that the Heathen shall be weakned and the strength of the Mighty shall fail and he that handleth the Bow and the Shield and the Spear shall not deliver himself but the mighty man shall fall in the Streets and the strong man shall utterly faint and Wisdom shall perish from the Wise and Understanding from the Prudent and Judges shall be led away Fools and the Honourable shall be laid in the Dust and no Weapon formed against the Righteous Seed shall prosper for of a truth the Lord is with us and in vain do all the Potsherds of the Earth strive against the Lamb and his meek Spirit in his Members for though they Fine one and Whip another and Imprison many yet the day is come that they shall fall down under the Prisoners and bow down under the Slain for the Lord our God is risen over them all and he even laughs them to scorn and will have them in derision Therefore by ye still and quiet O ye flock of the most high and let the Bountifulness of God's everlasting Love break the Earthly Pitchers and feel Gods unlimitted Power fighting for you who are now to be quiet for a little season and you shall see the destruction of the wicked and the overturning of the seats of the ungodly who are all but as Chaffbefore the wind as stubble ready dryed before the fire of God's Jealousie which will shortly smoke against his Enemies who shall vanish like smoke when our God ariseth to confound Babel and overturn the foundation of the Wicked for great Babel is come in remembrance before our God who is now giving her Blood to drink and the day is at hand that Vengeance shall be poured forth upon the head of the Wicked and Flames of everlasting Burning upon the Whore the Beast and the false Prophet and all they that commit Fornication with strange flesh and they shall now be taken and cast alive sensible of Gods Wrath into the Lake that burneth forever and ever yea the day is at hand and the Ungodly shall not escape Therefore ye Sons and Daughters of the most High lift up your Heads behold your Redemption draweth nigh therefore rejoyce in the Lord forever and again I say Rejoyce for your Redeemer cometh riding upon the Wings of the Wind a Fire devoureth before him and behind him a flame burneth behold his Reward is with him and his Work before him and long his Enemies shall not stand but the overflowing Scourge shall pass over them all and their Covenant with Hell shall be broken and their Agreement with Death shall be dissanulled and their Shame and Nakedness shall appear to the view of all Nations and their Whoredoms shall be made manifest in the sight of all People and the Nations afar off shall hiss at them and they shall become a By-word and a Hissing to them afar off Wherefore be ye still and quiet O ye Children of the Light commune with your own Hearts and be still in your own Closets and fret not your selves because of the Ungodly for his day is short and e'er long his place shall not be found and in the mean time your Patience comes to be exercised and by the Tyranny of the Wicked and the Oppression of the Merciless your Faith is tryed and blessed forever are they who love not their Lives nor Goods more than Christ the Light but follow him unto the end who is despised of men contemned of the Wise and consulted against by the Rulers of the Earth who are now lifting up their beastly Power unto Heaven and are laying Snares and setting Traps to catch the Innocent and are openly blaspheming the God of the Seed of Abraham whom they call Quakers who confess we are Strangers and Pilgrims on the Earth And all you who stand fast in the Faith that respects no man's Person and you that in patience endure the spoling of your Goods the Imprisoning or Whipping of your Persons and all you in whom there is honest desires begotten after the living Truth of the God of Life even to you all my Bowels of Love do reach and of your sufferings I do partake and my Prayer and Hearts desire to God for you Night and Day with Tears is That you may be preserved unto the end and this I write from a true sence and feeling of you your Sufferings and Conditions who are tryed divers wayes both within and without but faint not my dear Lambs the Lord God will never break Covenant neither can he leave or forsake the faithful Therefore only trust in the Lord and be still for the Lord of Hosts is fighting for you yea it is so and all your Enemies shall be but as the dust of the Earth and as the mire in the streets so shall the Lamb in Meekness Trample upon them all And my dear Friends now the Everlasting Love of God unto you hath appeared with the same Love come to love one another and be watchful one over another and in the Light meet often together and be not soon shaken in mind and so turn from the true Guide as some have done and that which is out of the Light with it judge in wisdom and meekness that you may answer that of God in all who contrary to the Light do act but of rash Judgment see that you all beware but rather in love wait to restore and build up one another and none of you depart out of Gods fear but be low single-hearted plain and honest without any By-covering or Double-mindedness but as Doves and Lambs in the godly simplicity all walk not as Strangers unto or High-mindedâ—ess one over another but in Love to serve and let your Minds be kept on the Eternal Invisible things and let Faith Love Meekness and Vertue abound in you so shall the work of God prosper in and by you Truly Friends the Love of the Lord is towards you and he will make you a blessing and a praise over the Earth and if you stand in his Counsel your Enemies shall be confounded and overturned Believe it it must be so And you the Jewels of the Lord shall be Crowned with Eternal Dominion and the Lord of Glory will be your God and Peace Righteousness and Plenty shall you enjoy forever Wherefore faint not O ye seed of Abraham who are Strangers and Pilgrims on the Earth but let the meek be encouraged and the tender nursed up in the everlasting Arms of Gods endless Love and let none turn back because of the Enemy that standeth up before but all joyn battel with the Lamb and Gog and
Whose Soul is lost from bliss Oh praise him all ye Saints Who feel his vertue near Vnto him still give thanks Who is our Father dear Let wicked men lament Let all Vngodly howl Too late shall some repent When down his Judgments rowle When Babel's turn'd in t ' Lake When the Beast is thither thrown When Drunkards reel and shake When Wrath is poured down When Vengeance much w th might Is pour'd on the Whore And all secret Deceit Destroy'd forever more Then Sion shall be glad Then God shall honoured be Then Praises shall be had Then Worship shall be free Then Comfort shall abound In all true mourning Lambs And Gospel free shall sound Throughout all Nation Lands The time hereof's at hand The Captives shall be free Gods Seed in every Land By him shall gathered be Let Friends rejoyce in fear Let fear in love abound Let Thousands more draw near For we the Pearl have found Let all in Patience dwell And in the Lord still trust That we in Love excell In which with you I rest As I walking alone in my close Prison at Winchester upon the 24th of the 5th Moneth 1662. in much Quietness Meekness and inward Refreshings by the rising vertue of Gods refreshing Love these Lines began to run gently through me with Melody in my Heart to the Lord and when I was free in my self to write it departed not from me but came so easie and so fast as I could well write whereby in a very little part of the said day this was begun and finished with my own Hand Yet would I not have it looked upon to be a great thing nor a pattern or example for others to run into the like For since I came into the Life and Obedience of Truth I durst not write any thing thus in Verse until this day and time neither was there the least thought in me thus to write until the very instant For writing in Meeter is apt to beget a lightness in some Readers and make way for too much or a wrong Liberty in others to do the like but not in the true fear which is the continual Refuge of Humphry Smith Hidden things made manifest by the Light In a plain Distinction between Condemnation Temptation Wherein is shewed How the Righteous Law of God is ministred upon the Transgressor and how it is to be by all received as a Schoolmaster to come to Christ by him to have the sin done away forever Also of Temptation what it is and how it may be known discerned from Condemnation With a Direction to them who profess the knowledge of Truth and live not in the power of God Concerning the Ministration of Condemnation THe World being set in man's Heart and Sin being in the World before the Promise was made which Promise was before the Law by which the Sin is discovered which Sin was in the World before the Promise yet the Promise was before the Law and yet until the Law comes Death reigns over that to which the Promise is and Sin separateth man from God the which is not clearly seen until the Commandment which is Light is come the Ministration whereof is Condemnation unto Man being found in the Transgression the which Ministration of Condemnation is to pass over all having sinned and when this cometh it finds man in the Death and by it is sin revived whereby man comes to see a Body of Sin which stands between him and God so that he is afraid of the dreadful Power of God ministred forth through the Law to slay him that hath transgressed the which some coming to see or in the least measure to feel call it a Temptation because it maketh him sensible that Condemnation belongeth to him and that all his Profession and building upon the Promise in that which the Promise was not unto and seeing that if he lie down to receive this Ministration that then all his Profession and Knowledge Zeal Wisdom and Prayers which did arise out of that ground which was cursed by reason of the sin that was in the World before either the Promise the Profession or the Law will be all ript up from him as filthy Rags and that his shame and nakedness must appear as it s written Every mouth shall be stopped and every one shall stand guilty before God and no Darkness no shadow of Death shall hide the workers of Iniquity from the mighty hand of God who brings to judgment the hidden things of Darkness and rips open the secrets of the Heart so that the most secret Sinâ— that ever were committed are clearly made manifest and justly charged upon the head of the Transgressor who stands in Enmity to God who will wound the head of the Transgressor and plead in Righteousness with him in whom the sin is found though not made manifest until the time that the Law is come by which it is discovered And this Ministration of Condemnation is not a Temptation though many call it so who being blind put Darkness for Light and Light for Darkness for that which sheweth man his sin doth not tempt man to sin but rather brings man in fear that he may not sin for because of sin was the Law added and the Law was given after much of the Love Preservation Power Deliverances and the Wonders of the Lord had been seen and it was given in the Wilderness where sometime there was want of Bread and Water where was Serpents Scorpions and many Tryals where the figure of him who was to heal the wounded and take away the sting of death and save the Life of man was lifted up on high without them the which figure or outward bodily Appearance was prepared by Moses And Christ had a body prepared him both which the carnal Eye might see and the carnal Mind contend about even as the Devil about the body of Moses but the Substance of the Figure Christ the Light Gods power being not received within in the heart and so fin the transgression of the Law remains within and the figure or that which the natural Eye did or may see was and is looked upon without and that without doth not take away the sin within and these knew not the Ways of God who sinned and at last loathed the Manna calling it light bread in the Wilderness even there was the Law Ministred they whose eyes are open may read and understand And where the Law was given forth there was a Mount or a high place of the Earth which then trembled by reason of the dreadful Power of the Lord of Hosts and beneath or under the Mount was the Seed and Israel of God which was to keep the Law and Life Read within and understand and yet by reason of that which was hard upon the heart there was a crying out with Dread and Horror and Fear That the Lord might speak no more lest they dye and so that which is hard upon the heart in the which by the
out of the Covenant And this know assuredly That many may see that which is afar off and not feel the Life of what they see and so are many high Professors in the World who change from one Opinion to another and are all yet but fruitless Trees which are to be cut down and rooted up And many there are who call him that is the Light Lord and Master but to the Light are not obedient in Self-denial nor taking up the daily Cross which is the Power of God and crucifies unto the World and so the first Man of the World being not crucified nor put off the new Man is not received and so little more is witnessed by many who profess Truth without the Life than was in the time of other Forms for if the Death be not known the Resurrection of the Just received and the Dead raised then is all in vain And this is not known by any but such who know the Judgments of the Lord set up in the Heart and the Cup of Astonishment to the Adulterous Seed which comes of the will of the Flesh and cannot lay down the Life for the Friend Wherefore I say wait to know the Birth that is Immortal and feel that born up which never yet was raised in them over whom the Vail yet is that the free Birth may be known and the Seed whom God hath appointed the blessing unto from under death redeemed that by the powerful risings thereof the understanding may be opened with that which was before Forms were that to it you may come which giveth Life unto the Soul and know a Saviour born of the barren Womb and a Deliverer brought forth in the place where he hath not been known and the Plant to spring out of that ground which is yet dry that it may be overshadowed with the loveliness of its spreading forth that a way may be opened in the Wilderness and the humble exalted in the Valley and so come to learn of that which is yet little and low and take heed of taking counsel of the Serpent whose subtilty will soon lead forth from the Simplicity neither cover your selves with any thing before the Righteousness of God which is perfect be received but love that which comes from the man of Sorrows who comes to break the peace of all them who walk not in the Everlasting Way of Life Let all them who are out of it search their Hearts with the Light And take heed of that which is high froward or strong in the Will for we are weak which is not brought to the Cross for there is the first Birth from the wrong grounds which will speak and act that which it lives not in neither is able to confirm it in Faithfulness to the Death and Loss of all for things may be true in themselves and that which is out of the Truth may speak of it yet such vain Talkers cannot suffer to Death for what they speak For that which cometh forth first is strong in the Earthly and would live forever and have the Blessing and would rule over the meek thing in the particular and in others having a secret desire to be admired being far unwilling to take a Servants place but certainly it is the meek humble suffering Seed which in many is yet oppress'd that is to last forever who through Death comes into the Dominion Therefore sink down out of the airy Comprehension and Subtilty above the Life and first come to suffer with that which is meek and low if ever you intend with it to reign in that Peace and Life which from all that without the Vail is hid and in silence watch and be sober to see him come which saves the Soul and clothes it with his own Righteousness that you be not found without a Covering of the Spirit Power and Life among the foolish Virgins for few there be that find the Way of Life and abide therein And I knowing the Terror of the Lord that will certainly come upon all them who dye out of his Covenant therefore I Warn all People every where as the Lord enlargeth me to wait to feel the powerful Word of Repentance and with the Light to make diligent search into the ground and foundation of all Professions Words and Actions For the Lord will make inquisition for the Blood of the Just and reward the Double-minded according to the intents of their hearts the Gaul whereof will be rent with the Power of his Might which will sweep away the refuge of Lyes and confound your Divinations in the head of that knowledge above the seed and a day of Desolation must come Sword and Famine must you know and the Earth to be removed and your Heavens shaken that the poor may come to receive the glad Tidings of the Gospel which is the Power of God for the fat and the strong are for judgment both within and without and they are still sent away empty but the poor are they which are to be satisfied not the rich high wise strong mighty prudent Diviners and Orthodox men and zealous Professors and liscentious Libertines as they are called who profess a Saviour to come and some would have a King to reign hereafter but they are not agreed how nor when nor where their King shall reign whom they imagine shall come but are found Despisers not Lovers nor Faithful Followers of him that is come the Glory of whose KINGDOM is already shining over the World and is established in Righteousness who is King of Kings and Lord of Lords who is our Head our Law-giver and our King and we do not look for another as the Drunkards of Ephriam do who are drunk but not with Wine and stagger at Noon-day and must be dashed one against another and broken to pieces as the Potsherds of the Earth who are looking for a King to come and know not the King who is already come who is the Light to which they will not bow though it in secret doth them reprove and shew us plainly of the Father and lets them see their Disobedience To it now therefore bow and bend for plainly the Lord God who is Light will not alwayes strive by the Light of his Son in your hearts And this know That as I tender the least honest desires that are begotten in any after the living Truth of God yet I am to deal plainly with all and clear my Conscience of all who are covered with their own Conceivings and in Words and Writing to warn all in the Spirit of Truth and Meekness as the Lord moveth me in faithfulness to declare against that which yet in any bears rule over the Seed which by Judgment must be overturned and all the Judgments of the Lord are true Wherefore ye that are willing to come out of Temptations into that where the foolish Virgins cannot enter wait in the fear of the Lord to feel his Work within whilst the day of Salvation lasteth lest thick
hidden place and Life to grow up in the midst of Death and to break through the Powers of Darkness and the Lord in his Power gave utterance to his Servants and Messengers and then were the words of his Truth as Food to the Hungry and with much gladness of Heart was the sound of the Way of Life by many received then did Love begin to arise in the Heart and a tenderness in the Bowels and a willingness in the Mind and then was a Joy like the Joy of Harvest among the People and many began to invite one another saying Come and we will return to the Lord and we will resolve to walk in his Paths forever then was the Voice of Thanksgiving among the People and the wayes of the Lord became more delightsom than Gold and the footsteps of Righteousness more pleasant than all the Treasure in the world O! it even melts the heart to remember the dayes that are past and to consider the infinite Goodness of him that is the God of the Poor and Needy Then were many made willing to run and to leave their filthy Garments behind them even before they well knew how to do it O! how loathsom was Sin in that day and how wearisom was the Land of Darkness and how desirable even beyond expression was the unsatisfied thirsting Soul after the Presence of God Could the Treasure of the Earth then have given Peace or could Silver have satisfied the hungry heart Or could the choisest Love of the most nearest Relations have quenched the thirst of the parched ground Surely none but the Lord was then desired yea other Lovers became as loathsom and other Delights became burthensom to the weary Travellers and all Vanities began to vanish as a Vapour of Smoke and the Wind of Heaven was daily a scattering the chaff and the barren Womb mourned for the quickning Life of God who had put it into the hearts of his long afflicted scattered Ones to follow him in the Ways of Truth Equity and then did the Lord visit such again and again in his Loving-kindness by his Servants whose Living Words of Truth through them did yet more open the Understandings Hearts satisfie the judgments of the humble People in the knowledge of the way to Rest and Peace in leaving the evil chusing the good to walk come to live therein forever And then came the time of Trial and Exercise when the Cross must be taken up to the Worlds wayes and all foolish Vanities left behind and the needless words no longer used nor that Religion continued any longer in which made nothing perfect Then did the People gaze and wonder and the Relations and the Acquaintance stood like as from David afar off and then was every ones greatest Enemy with the Light found in his own House then did the Tribes of the Earth mourn then did the Dragon stretch forth his Power then did the Doubtings and Fears and Thoughts and Unbelief come roling in like Floods O the straights that many then were in even seeming greater than any before and none but the Lord could deliver so that then the Cryes were doubled and the secret Groans came on afresh again and the greater the Cryes of such were the more they prevailed with him that was to help but with his Rod he forced them to submit unto his Will by departing out of that which had caused him to frown upon them and by leaving that which had polluted their Dwelling and as they began to obey him therein so he began to let forth the smiles of his Favour towards them and when they offended again he chastized them fore and scourged them for their Negligence and corrected them because they forgot their Obedience to his will and as thereby they drew near unto him he eased the stroke of his Justice and let them taste of his Mercy and sometimes invited them with love as a Father draweth the Child And thus he left not working with them and in them by his own secret Wisdom and Power until he had brought them to be after the desire of his Heart that he might delight in them forever and that they might never more be scattered upon the barren Hills nor yet the dark Mountains And as Obedience in Truth and Innocency was willingly yeilded to the Lord Peace began to take hold and Satisfaction got some entrance and a little secret hope there was which became as an Anchor to the Soul against the Stormy time and also in the midst thereof and as Inniquity was departed from so there came into the humble Heart some satisfaction from God and some stability in his way of Righteousness and then refreshings of Life attended the heart in the Morning and the Water which reneweth the Thirsty began to open it self in the midst of a barren Land and then nothing was more desired than the living upon that Food with which the God of Heaven doth nourish only his Children which he freely gave and brought down even near to the Tents of Israel and he caused them to know his Statutes and his Judgments and he put his perfect Law in the midst of them and his Mercy seat within the Vail that they might ask Counsel at the living Oracle and he gave them his Spirit which all the circumcised of Heart do rightly know to be the chiefest good and to this end did he bestow that most precious Gift upon them and gave that Spirit of Life into them even to guide counsel and direct inform instruct reprove defend and succour them and nourish their Souls for evermore And so he set before them the way in which they should walk with him wherein he would be their Father and the Rock of their strength and made known unto them the secret Mysteries of his heavenly blessed Will which had been long concealed and doth yet so remain from the Disobedient and covered from the Children of men And when even the God of Abraham Isaac and Jacob had done all this and much more for you O ye now well beloved Friends then did he begin to try your patience and to exercise yoâ— yet further to prove you and to make known unto you even more of that which had long been in the heart and then he suffered a calm to come over you and much quietness there was with many and then did the Enemy begin to assay again to bring into Carelesness and present a spirit of slumber with dulness and negligence attending and then the Seed was again burthened therewith and the Upright hearted durst not give way thereunto before whose Eyes the pure heavenly fear still remaineth surely it were almost endless to relate the sundry Tryals and States which have been known among the flock of Jacob Who could have believed that the strong should have been so tempted as they were and the mighty so assaulted divers wayes as they have been and yet that the weakest who continued in the Grace
this in you you may overcome the World which is let in the heart And was not he that is the Light and the Lamb slain from the Foundation of the World And hath not the World such a Foundation in you and such a growth and stature over you that you cannot see to the end of it nor believe to the overcoming of it And is it not therefore that you are joyned to that by which the Lamb is slain so that his Grave is with the Rich and his Burial with the Wicked read and understand And doth not the Blood of the slain Cry from the ground against you Did you never hear the the oppressed Cry Did you never feel a seed in you cry aloud for Life though it lies in the Death Did you never know the house of Mourning nor feel him near who is a man of Sorrows Are you quite dead and past feeling Nay nay there is many of you are not so far hardened nor yet so much given up however the time hath been that you all might have known this thing I declare of which belongs to your peace you that have the Scriptures and are talking of the place of holy Worship take heed hearken and hear a little He that makes an end of sin is come near unto you he who remains a Priest forever Mourneth over you and your day of visitation is come yea behold the Lamb the meek harmless unspotted beloved of God comes meekly though esteemed not able to save himself yet behold it s the King of Glory crowned with Immortality forever who rides meekly in Righteousness and gentle in the Father's Wisdom yea the Heir is come resist him not lest the thing which belongs to your Everlasting peace be hid from your Eyes for evermore and you left desolate only having the Scriptures of Truth but not the Truth in the inward parts where the knowledge of it makes free For behold the Prince of Everlasting Peace I proclaim unto you even the Word by which the World was made by which Word all things are upheld and the Word of Reconciliation reconcileth the heart Mark it s the Heart of the parents to the Children and the Children to the parents that the Earth may not be smitten with a Curse and who so have received that Word so as it comes to be ingrafted into them thereby their hearts come to be reconciled one to another and have Love Unity and Peace with all those Things Persons and Creatures which were at first made and are upheld by the Power of that Word to which he that is come of him it s written In Famine he shall redeem thee from Death and in War from the Power of the Sword and thou shalt be hid from the Scourge of the Tongue neither shalt thou be afraid of Destruction when it cometh at destruction and famine thou shalt laugh neither shalt thou be afraid of the beast of the Earth for thou shalt be at league with the stones of the field and the beasts of the field shall be in league with thee and thou shalt know that thy Tabernacle shall be in peace and thou shalt visit thy habitation and shalt not sin And you that are far off from coming to read this within may search the Scriptures and read it there of a seed that shall be great as the off-spring that shall be as the Grass of the Earth for Number so shall they be multiplied in whose Mouthes there is found no guile are Children that will not Lye that are come to him who is the Prince of Peace that makes an end of sin and is the Word before the sin and the Covenant of God the Everlasting Father who proclaims Liberty to the captive and is the one thing needful in the which all things are reconciled to God and in him to one another whether things in Heaven or in Earth or under the Earth whereby comes Peace in the receiving and submission unto that Word of Power by which all things were made and are upheld and the Light of that word is that which is become unto us both Rest and Joy and Life and Peace And this is that which is ministred into every Creature and this we have heard in secret and proclaim on the House tops and this is to be preached unto all Nations that by it he that is above all through all and in all may come to be known which is the Gospel of the Kingdom and this I proclaim unto you and publish within your borders and make mention of his Name within your Gates that the Life of Immortal Peace there you might feel and this is it which you have long resisted as your Fathers did and when you have rebelled against this like them before that also rebelled against the Light Job 24. 13. And having resisted it in your selves then you rise up against us who believe in the Light John 12. 39. and when you have even murthered the witness in your selves then you seek to destroy us who bear witness that he is come who reproves the World of sin and the World is set in the Heart and the Light is come into the World and that which reproveth for sin is in you though by reason of sin it is wounded and often overcome and with that which is wounded in you we mourn and with that which sometimes troubles you we have Peace and that in you is our Friend and pleads for us against you whom you refuse to hear and that which you are most afraid of we love and embrace and that which would break your hearts hath broke ours and that in you which is to kill the Life you live is that which hath brought us from Death to Life by which we now live for that which was alive is dead and that which was dead is alive and the first born is slain and the seed is come forth from under Deaths Bond but you that are Rich and think you need nothing in whom Wickedness is found are the grave Isaiah in which that is buried as a dead thing which should save from Death and give power over the Grave and bring peace for evermore And if that in you arise not to give you Life and Peace and so fellowship with us whose Life is in it yet do we with it rejoyce in its Righteous Judgments and have fellowship with it as it ariseth to judge and condemn you for your disobeying and contemning of it for absolutely if you will not let it now arise to mortifie the Lust and bring down the Life which is in the strength of your wills and so to give you peace then will it arise hereafter to judge and condemn you when you shall not be able any longer to resist nor overcome the strength of its dreadful power in executing Judgment upon the Transgressor To Friends at Ailsbury Prison and in them parts DEar and well-beloved Friends who continue true Followers of the Lamb of God in faithful Sufferings for
the Testimony of his Name and remain Prisoners for the same Truth and Testimony of Jesus for which also this Body of mine doth and hath long suffered Restraint and Bonds and my Soul grieved with the Sodomitish Wickedness and Heathenish Prophainness of Hard-hearted Rebellious to God and disobedient Ungodly People whose Judgment slumbereth not and whose Damnation will certainly come and be just from God upon them who have made a Covenant with Death and shew forth themselves as a people at an Agreement with all the Powers of Hell in which is the Reward of all the Wicked that have forgotten God and wholely rejected the manifold Manifestation of his Mercies which unto you O ye dear and tender-hearted is as precious Oyl and as desirable Treasure Who can but prize the Mercies of the God of Heaven How refreshingly hath it often flowed in upon the thirsty Habitations of many to the abundant refreshing and comforting of the weary Land Oh! how sweetly and with what pleasantness hath mine Eyes beheld the springing up and the growth and spreadings of the tender Plants after the distiling streams of the Heavenly Dews upon them and every one standing in his place flourishing with their Branches over the Earth not one offending the other and all casting forth a sweet favour being daily replenished with the springings up of the Sap of Life and comforted with the Sun Beams of Righteousness How harmoniously then doth the Garden flourish And how beautiful is every Plant whom God hath planted And is it possible for any other plants to bring forth Fruits unto holiness but only such whom the God of Heaven causeth to grow And how sad is it for any one Plant to hurt kill or destroy another And who can without some Remorse or pity behold the withering and fading of any such Plants whose flourishing was once so delightsom that all who passed by and took notice thereof commended them for their virtue or at least took some special notice of their prudence and the wisdom of him by whom they flourished in that they grew multiplied and prospered though they could not perceive nor understand by what invisible virtue they thus were nourished nor whence it came I say again when I have beheld the Trees of the Lord the Plants of the Garden of God in their fresh green growing flourishing united State in the Life of Liberty my heart hath often been refreshed my Soul quickned my Spirit revived and my mind and desires abundantly satisfied Then hath my life founded forth the precious praises of the Almighty in the Assemblies of the upright and my Heart broken therewith in the delightsom Love hath poured forth Thanksgiving with tenderness and tears in secret O! how then hath the overflowing of Mercy reached over the uttermost borders of my dwelling and how sweetly have we then been comforted and revived one in another How lovely then hath the face of the Righteous been when Righteousness it self in the Meekness of Love looked forth at the Windows How were the Bowels of each other then enflamed within them How sweet was the Beauty of Meekness to the Beholders Who then could but receive the love of the loveliness it self Dear Lambs of the fold of Heaven whose hearts are still opened by the feeling of the virtue of life who only know me and can hear the words of my Life and understand the Voice of my Love My Heart and Soul salutes you my Love is dear unto you my Life hath long reached forth it self towards you in my Remembrance your Life is written I am your Servant in the Love of God a Member of the Body with you a Brother in Tribulations a Companion with you in your Warfare a Feeder with you at your Table and one that rejoyceth with you in the Joy unspeakable being made with you a partaker of that precious Inheritance that fadeth not away where Life and Love and fellowship with Praises and Thanksgiving aboundeth forever Wherewith should I greet you in the Greetings of that Love which cannot be uttered And how should I Salute you in that which cannot be declared What words might I use to speak forth the Life of Wisdom or reach forth the true love of a broken Heart Behold I may become as a Babe herein and be silent as a Child yet learning utterance lest in reaching forth of my strength I should signifie my weakness to unfold the undeclareable Infinitness of the fulness of Virtue Wisdom Meekness Life and Love from the measure whereof my simple words most certainly do at present proceed as some few amongst many will surely perceive hereby who remain in the single-heartedness of undefiled Unity whose desires are still afresh enflamed and whose Bowels yet daily yearn after a more fuller enjoyment of God and the encrease and preservation of his Precious Truth and who for the same can still deny themselves to serve others in the true sense and feeling of the undefiled brotherly Love and who can lay down their Crowns that the Lamb may be honoured and suffer in the inward man that the Brother may be preserved for whom Christ dyed and towards whom Gods Love was even when he was an Enemy the which love of God being continued towards thee in the same Love shouldest thou continue towards thy Brother and there-with mayst thou do him good and perform some service towards the Lord whose love was towards you both and then from him shalt thou receive a Reward into thy own Bosom and in the needful time God will deliver thee and at the hour of Tryal he will Succour thee and thou the dear Plant of the Lord thereby mayst stand though some that were stronger then thee be overcome and fall into the Snare of the Enemy in that hour of Tryal and be then entangled with many Incumbrances and that of divers kinds The Lord God of Heaven and Earth preserve my dear tender hearted Lambs and Brethren out of such things that a Vail may not come over you and so the Life be stopt from springing up in you for then may such again go Mourning all the day long when none doth pity Friends the often Incomes of Gods Love and the forth flowings of the same towards you and the precious seed of God in them parts hath constrained me at present to visit you in the true love of my Soul with these Lines that so you might not only hear from me but also in some measure be comforted in me and likewise some of you a little refreshed hereby For Behold the God of Heaven is my Refuge and strength and the Lord of Host is my Upholder and the holy One of Israel is my Everlasting Support and the daily Incomes of that which doth truly comfort is as Marrow to my Bones yea the Lord hath prolonged my dayes inlarged my Borders and beautifyed the Place of my Dwelling My heart is overcome with his Love my Soul is filled with his Virtue and my Tongue doth declare of
not standing in the Cross to your wills in Obedience to the Light to receive the Judgment due to that ground from whence Transgression ariseth whereby the Enmity might be â—â—ain the love of the World rooted out and that ruled over with the perfect Law of God which was not subject to it that the Law of the Spirit of Life your minds might be alwayes exercised in thereby to be made free from the Law of sin and death that sin might not reign in your mortal Bodies but that through the power of the Cross of him who is the Light the sinful Lusts of the flesh might be mortified and you led by the Light through the Law by it to have the Transgression thereof to you in every Particular discovered that every one might deny and stand out of that which leads into the Transgression thereof seeing with the Light that not one jot nor tittle thereof shallpass till all be fulfiled and the Righteousness thereof is to be fulfilled in you by your humble and faithful following of him that worketh in us who cannot transgress the Law who being made as a Servant under the Law to him you are all to come and see the Law stand in force over every one that doth transgress which Law is addedbecause of sin and that which saveth the Soul doth not make it void nor mittigate the power thereof against any one that sins wilfully after the knowledge of the Truth received but upon such the Wrath of God abideth which is ministred forth through the Law with Tribulation Anguish and Wo upon every Soul that doth Evil so Trouble Torment and Vexation of Spirit cometh upon such who turn aside from the simplicity of the Gospel and let the spirit of the world reign over them not being faithful in the little which from God they had received by the powerful ministry of his living Truth that the smallest of all seeds in them might spring with obedience through the whole body of the Earth under which it lieth and by it in many is oppressed and such in whom it is so are in many Doubts and Reasonings from that ground out of which Unbelief doth arise And then the Mind being from the Light a hardness comes in and the Rebellious take entrance and so that which is worse than before gets strength which being joyned unto leads in a secret deformity farther from the Witness then ever so that then the good Savour comes to be lost and the Understanding darkned not knowing the true motion and often a carcless Spirit gets head and such are from the true Love and suffering Seed in themselves and so not joyned in the Covenant of Love and Peace with them that abide therein the which they sceing a discontent ariseth therein in the mind so did Cain he murmured at the other but the Fault was in himself for Sin lay at the Door and it is Sin to transgress against that which is Perfect and the Light is the perfect gift of God and his Gifts are Perfect and in the Light there is no Evil and the Light is to lead out of that which is Imperfect they that err from the Light are in the strife and fleshly will And the other Eye seeks for evil and then that kindles a Fire in the Bowels and eats as a Worm and so drowns that from whence true Love should arise as deep as the depth of the Sea and nothing but raging Waves over it sometimes ready to vent forth its own shame and discover the nakedness of it self and others which begets its Image in the minds of them that regard it so as to come under it or let it have entrance in them And where these things are there is little increase within or without but Truth suffers and the World takes advantage and the Weak stumble for whom Christ dyed and the Lambs hurt and their dear Life grieved And so these things are far from answering the dear and tender Call and Visitation of the Lord and then if not faithful in little when can such come to rule or how can they receive the blessing of God being joyned to that which he hath cursed What shall I say to such or with what Words shall I find entrance in them Surely if I had not a Word to write I would mourn in secret for them Oh fruitless Trees dry Branches foolish Virgins unprofitable Servants take heed lest the Lord spue you out of his Mouth What should the Lord do for you that he hath not done My Bowels within me are troubled for you and I even mourn under the burthen of your Iniquities How is it that you delight in other Lovers and what is it in you that keeps you from the power of Truth How long shall the Lord stretâ—h forth his Hand to them that rebel against the Light And how often have you grieved the Spirit of the Lord And why is it that he is provoked to Jealousie every day Will not the Lord visit for these things And can the Wicked go unpanished Turn ye now therefore O ye Rebellious and let the Double-minded fear and tremble before the God of Power for no Peace have I to preach for the Wicked nor Pearls for the Swine in which the Unclean is entred Let your Hearts now therefore be opened and let Judgment come upon that which is above the Seed and sink down into the House of Mourning that the Prisoner may hear my Voice And now you that are honest tender faithful willing and obedient dear is my Love unto you the Lord God eternal preserve you dear Babes and give you up your Lives and praise his endless rich love who hath called you to come out of the World My dear Friends let my Fathers love arise in you even the same which I now feel towards you and let me come near unto you in the power of my Fathers love that you may feel my Life and partake with me of the hidden Treasure that your Hearts may be open to me again from the feeling of the Power of the covenant of Life that in him I may salute you who is at the Fathers Right Hand For unto you O ye Children of the Light is my Heart enlarged and toward you doth the Power of my Life arise from the streams of unlimitted Love which from all the World is hid and reserved in the Bosom of the Father for the meek and tender Lambs for whom the Milk is prepared and to whom the Bread is to be given and the sure Waters that never shall fail Let the Light arise in you my dear Ones that with it your Hearts may be opened one to another that you may know that the Lord is a God of Power and near at hand unto the Humble that in his Love you may be kept and by his Power be defended and so from strength to strength in his fear to walk and to come at last to be a People saved from Death and redeemed from the
Corruptions of the Flesh And walk in the Life of Righteousness to preach forth the Innocency of the Lamb in uprightness through a suffering state and therein to glorifie him whom in Spirit and Truth you are to serve forever more so your Life may be renowned with him forever and your Souls replenished in the bountifulness of his Love whereby Fruits in you may abound to the glory of his Grace and you become rich in every good Word and Work And all you that are weak who meet with many Hardships and Tryals and Temptations within and without be ye not therefore discouraged nor moved but still mind that the Lord is able to deliver and still on him in much Patience wait that in the due time you may come to reap And truly Friends in faithfulness you will come to know the Lord to minister strength to the weak and give power to the faint that the small thing in you may become great and the barren become fruitful for in him who is the Light the plentious Redemption is and he it is that succours and saves in the time of need and helps and delivers in the time of distress and he will not leave the Humble Comfortless nor forsake the Meek of the Earth neither can the Lord forget his Covenant of Peace with the Seed of Jacob though it be but as a Worm in the Earth And you who suffer Bonds Imprisonments or loss of Goods for his sake who hath called you out of the World dear is my love unto you and precious is the faithful suffering Seed in you to me who also with you suffer both within and in outward Bonds seeing the Crown of rejoycing that through a suffering state is manifest to the Seed which through suffering comes to live forever and the Life is that which will uphold in the measure whereof manifest in you The power of the Lord preserve you that you may feel Truth kept clear in you and preserved blameless by you that the Prisoner of hope in you may Reign over its Adversaries and you feel the Power of the Lord strengthning the spoiled against the strong that under it the other may bow that to the humble Life of the Lamb slain all Nations may become subject And all consider that he that is the Wonderful Counsellor who saith I am the Light In it therefore wait the counsel of the Lord to receive And all take heed of going out from that to set up a form of barren Words without neither build ye the things which began to be destroyed but all take heed of vain Talkers high Boasters and such who by a multitude of Words darken that in you which is to give the knowledge of him whose Kingdom consisteth not of Words for many see things afar off and speak too soon and too much and out of the true fear whose Words feed that above the Seed in many who live thereby and it burthens the Seed in some tender Lambs so that it which should live in them is kept in Death And so such Talkers with their many Words do scatter the Flock and cause Strife being separated from the suffering Seed within and so cannot suffer one with another and things are out of God's Wisdom and out of Unity and true Brotherly Love and then the Mouthes of the Heathen are opened against you all and the precious Truth of God suffers Therefore it s better all such were silent and that in the true fear you come to wait on the Lord that the power of his Life might be opened in every particular and then if that speak a Word or two it will hurt none but be received by all that fear the Lord and that my Soul loveth but this I know and feel that many Words are spoken which murder the Life in the Meek Therefore where these things are let it be searched into with the Light in every particular that the true thing in all may arise and act and lead and guide in Meekness and true Fear that the Power of God in you all you may come unto And let all your Meetings be kept as in the dreadful Awe and Presence of God and meet together often that the Seed through Death may come to which my Love is dear in which Love which comes from God his Arm of Power preserve you all which is both my Desire and Prayers to God whom in the measure of his living Truth I serve in my Spirit and for which now I suffer Bonds who to some of you may be felt in that which is more near unto many of you than the Name Humphry Smith To the despised rejected and persecuted Lambs of Christ in the County of Dorset YOu whom the Lord God of Life hath visited with his Everlasting Loving-kindness in a day of Salvation and in an acceptable year hath the Lord â—ought after you who from him were going astray in the frowardness of your Wills and haughtiness of your vain Minds whereby your Souls were kept in Death out of which the Lord is now come to redeem and gather you his long lost sheep in his everlasting Arms of unlimited Love home unto the rest eternal where Peace and Plenty is within the Walls that are Salvation and the Gate of everlasting Peace within which the redeemed of the Lord do dwell and their rest is gloriously glorified with the presence of the most High who comes to rule in the Kingdoms of men and set his Righteousness and Judgment in the Earth whereby the meek of the Earth shall rejoyce and the Mourning seed shall be comforted because of him that executeth true Judgment upon the head of the Wicked which ruled over the growing seed which cryeth unto the Lord in the hour of distress and mourned for him who is the bright Morning Star whose lightnings begin now to enlighten the Earth and shine out of Darkness to give the knowledge of God in the sensible feeling part of the heart which comes to be made soft and tender thereby so that its wrought into Gods love which melts the Hills and shakes the Mountains and divides asunder that an open way fair clear may be made for the longing breathing seed to spring out of Bondage and feel Gods Mercy showered down as the latter Rain upon a dry and thirsty Land whereâ—y the Lillies grow and the Vine yields her Increase and the Olive flowrishes and Clothing from the God of Righteousness comes to cover the mourning naked Birth who hath no strength nor help but from the Lord God of Mercy who is the Father of the Fatherless and the Helper of the Helpless who also hears the Cry of the Needy and knows the mind of the Spirit and hath pity on all Sion's Mourners and Compassion of all the faint and he is helping the Prisoner out of the Pit whereby the Captive comes to be set at liberty and the opening of the Prison Door is felt by the Lambs and Children of the Day who unto the day