after Knowledge and to grow high in Wisdom and in Profession of words when as they should seek after the Life and wait for the Power of God which should lead them in pure Obedience to the Lord and to his Truth which Life and Power if they miss on they will be but as if they had precious Ointment of the Apothecary but alas Flies have corrupted it that it cannot cure Even so if all the knowledge of the World whilst mixt with earthliness and enmity neither doth it stand in the Power of the Lord which redeemeth out of the World and giveth to seek after God and feel after Him in his Life to walk in his pure living way which who come into shall not want Wisdom nor Knowledge but shall have it in the gift of God By Faith it 's given me to see that the same Life which God hath in these last dayes made manifest and declared to be the Light of the World and doth enlighten every one that cometh into the VVorld was in the dayes of Old which is the Heart of God by which he purposeth and upholdeth all things which Life in due time was declared to be his Son and made known in the Church while in the Wilderness and was the Rock which followed Israel of which they drank when they were joyned unto the Law and baptized into Moses in the Cloud and in the Sea by which Moses He was seen that God would raise Him up in the midst of the People for all the People to hear that he that would not hear Him might be cut off So that certain it is the Law did prophesie that the Son of God should come and not only so for he was manifest in the dayes of Noah preaching to the Spirits in Prison whose day Abraham saw and was glad by which Life the Prophets wrote of his Sufferings which they saw and witnessed should certainly be fulfilled before the Seed was raised up through the Virgin which Seed is Christ who is come and hath taken the Seed of Abraham and David and suffered in the body which Sufferings by Faith in the Light which He hath enlightened every one withal are clearly seen and believed to be done and fulfilled according to the Scriptures So that by Faith in the Light it 's seen and certainly believed that the Lord 's Christ is come in the flesh hath suffered and is arisen in Glory in the Kingdom of his Father having suffered and fulfilled all things that was written of Him being declared by signs and wonders and mighty deeds to be the only begotten Son of the Father the Prince of all his Saints the Kings of the Earth and Priests unto God and all these things hath he done and suffered as it was written of Him in the Prophets That He being the first-born among many Brethren and the first begotten from the dead might have the preheminence being in all things a Captain and Example in all Godliness and Humility humbling Himself unto death even the death of His Cross that in all things He being our Example we may follow Him in His Sufferings and Death who in that He dyed once dyed unto Sin in that He liveth He liveth unto God Death hath no more dominion over Him So likewise is every one dying unto Sin to live unto God that the residue of the dayes may be spent in the Service of God and the death which hath reigned in the mortal body and subjected the Creature unto Vanity may have no more dominion but may be swallowed up and consumed unto the end in the Victory of the Judgments of the Life And by Faith it is seen that it is a greater Mystery to know Christ to be the first-born who must be witnessed born first in Man before Man can be born again and be begotten from the dead before Man can be begotten from the dead He that reads let him understand he that reads must read by Faith in the Light and blessed is he that readeth and heareth and seeth and hath part in these things he shall give Glory to the Lord and to his Christ who is translating many Sons and Daughters out of the Kingdoms of this VVorld into Himself and into His Kingdom to praise and glorifie and magnifie Him for ever By Faith it is seen that Christ is certainly manifested to be that which was written of Him namely to be a Covenant of the People and Light of the Gentiles and Salvation of the Ends of the Earth who is able to save to the utmost all that come unto God by Him who hath freely offered up himself once for all and by the one offering hath perfected for ever them that are sanctified and not only so but being an Atonement for Sin hath appeased the Wrath of God towards all so that He is become a Propitiation for the Sins of the whole World having obtained Favour with God so that time and space is given and a day of Visitation unto all that the Long-sufferings of God waiteth towards all And this is the Liberty and Advantage which Christ through his Death and Sufferings hath purchased for All that all Men having a Visitation and time they might Repent and turn to the Lord by doing Righteousness which if they neglect their time and through impudence and impenitence and hardness of heart continue in their sins and unbelief and so treasures up Wrath against the day of Wrath and the revelation of the Righteous Judgments of God such shall certainly perish and receive the greater Condemnation when the measure of their Iniquities are full and all the Sufferings of Christ will be laid to their charge who have pierced the Just by resisting the Grace and the Light which from the Just is come to witness against all Transgression and doth testifie against it in every ones Conscience and this all shall see to be true that the Sufferings of Christ will be but to the greater Condemnation of them that continue in Wickedness though by His stripes are they made whole who turn unto Him but the Just when He appears the Families and Kindreds of the Earth shall weep and waile over Him when every Eye shall see Him and them that pierced Him shall behold him for He shall come in the Glory of his Kingdom and in the Power of his Father to sit as Judge upon all the Families and Kindreds of the Earth pleading with them by Sword and Fire and righteous Judgements taking Vengeance on all who have not wrought Righteousness on the Earth nor walked prudently amongst Men to shew forth his Praise and the glory of his Grace in obeying unto an Holy Life and Pure Conversation and as he comes rises and appears He destroyes the spirits of Belial and consumes the Transgressor that His Covenant of Peace and Life for evermore may be established with and in His Seed in which He comes and in which he reveals himself in the Children of the Covenant in Mighty Power that his
was assented unto by the People and the Image dedicated before the Rulers the Captains and Officers and People of the Land and Commandment That all Nations Kindreds Tongues and People when they heard all the sorts of Musick should fall down and worship if not to be cast into the Fiery Furnace But these faithful Servants of the Lord though in Captivity regarded not the Kings Commandment but served the living God who delivered them by their Faith out of the Fiery Furnace and out of the hands of Nebuchadnezzar who would have forced them contrary to their Faith who himself was forced from his Kingdom and driven from amongst Men c. because he was exalted in Pride against the Lord and in the delight of earthly things who said Is not this great Babel which I have built by the might of my Power for the glory of my Majesty By Faith it 's seen that it was just in Daniel who was come to pray in Faith and in the Spirit that he would not be restrained from serving his God in the way as he was wont to do though wicked Rulers and Princes betrayed the King to make a Law to ensnare him which was called a firm Decree and unalterable according to the Law of the Medes and Persians yet Daniel feared not but served his God according to his Conscience though it was against their Royal Law and firm Decree which the King and Princes had made and by his Faith was delivered out of the Den of Lions and God stopped their mouthes And these things are a faithful Testimony against all changable Priests who crouch and bow and dissemble with every Power of the Earth who can but give them a Reward and will change their Faith VVorship and Religion according to the Will of every Power that rules as Chief in the Nations so that People cannot have any Certainty of trusting in them nor in their Way Faith VVorship nor Doctrine And these things may serve as a Confirmation of all in the True Faith that they may continue in the exercise of their Conscience in the pure Religion and Worship of God believing that that way which the Wicked may hope to destroy them for their Faith and Obedience that way God is able to deliver and exalt them as may be seen of Mordecai the Three Children Daniel and many others who abode faithful to the death and being throughly proved were exalted and their Enemies who hoped to have destroyed them were destroyed and thus through Faith and Comfort of the Scriptures to have Hope and strong Confidence in God By Faith it 's seen that Micah the Prophet of the Lord justly and righteously declared against the Judges that judged for Reward and against that grievous Abomination of the Priests preaching for Hire and the Prophets divining for Money who spake Peace and cryed Peace peace while they put into their mouthes but if they put not into their mouthes then they prepareed war against them Mica 3. and yet they will lean upon the Lord and say No evil shall come upon them But for their sakes Sion shall be plowed as a field and Jerusalem shall become an heap and the Mountain of the House of the Lord as the high places of the Forrest Mark what desolation here was because of these things though they said No evil shall come upon them and cryed Peace while they put into their mouthes and gave them the hire the Wages of Unrighteousness the Money for which they preach'd and divined By Faith it 's seen how just it was in Amos to declare the Word of the Lord faithfully though against King Jeroboam and the Priests and though he was but an Herdsman and a gatherer of Sycamore fruits yet called thereunto of God against whom Amaziah Priest arose in Envy to have expelled him out of their Coasts who complained against him to the King and said the Land was not able to bear his words and bid him flee Into the Land of Benjamin and prophesie no more at Bethel for it was the King's Chappel and the Palace of the Kingdom And by Faith in the Light it is seen how just it was in Malachy to declare the Commandment of God against the Priests who had violated the Law and transgressed that which they should have brought people to the obedience of and to the fulfilling of that if they did not Repent God would curse their Blessings and spread the dung of their solemn Assemblies on their faces and men should carry them away yea I have cursed them already faith the Lord. Now these Priests Lips should have preserved Knowledge and the people should have sought the Law at their mouthes for the Covenant with Levi was Life and Peace for evermore for he turned many from Iniquity to Righteousness but these violated the Law and corrupted their doings and transgressed that Which they should have brought people to the obedience of for which cause God rejected their doings and cursed their Blessings and they should be no more Priests to Him But unto us the true Priest is manifest CHRIST who hath written his Law in our hearts and put it in our minds so that we see the end of all the Priests and cannot seek the Law at their mouths who divines it out for Money and have no need to seek it of them for we are come to the Everlasting Law written in our hearts the Covenant of God wherein all know the Lord and witness Christ and his Spirit of Life at whose mouth we have received the Law and He is the Preserver of our Knowledge By Faith it is seen that it was just and righteous in Christ to bid the Jews do as the Pharisees said while they sat in Moses Seat and read the Law but not to follow after their works nor their traditions which were vain by which they made the Commandments of God of none effect and this was spoken to the Jews who were under the Law for under the Law Christ was made of a Woman to Redeem them that are under the Law and the Law was to be fulfilled which Christ is the End of which he then witnessed unto that it was to be heard from their mouths who when Christ was offered up the End of the Law the everlasting Offering the Apostles witnessed the contrary that such as had the Form of Godliness and denyed the Life and Power from such turn away for then they made but merchandize of Souls after Christ was come and offered up the everlasting Priest who writes his Law in their hearts and puts it in their minds that by it all may be taught of God and so come off from the Pharisees and Priests though they sate in Moses Seat whose Worship was vain teaching for Doctrines the Traditions of men drawing near with their mouths and lips while their hearts were far from God By Faith it 's seen that it was just and righteous in Christ to own the Tything of Mint Annis and Rhue amongst the
of the Truth learned by Faith which shall be witnessed by the Light in every one's Conscience to be true which whosoever believes in the true Light which enlightens every one shall see greater things than these and that by Faith it 's possible to know all things and to know God whom to know is Life Eternal Farewel Written in Virginia by a Lover of the Truth and a Believer in the true Light G. R. Concerning Waiting upon the Lord in stilness and in silence VVHen Israel was in distress they were commanded to hold their peace and stand still and see the salvation of the Lord and the Lord should fight for them Exod. 14.13 14. and when they stood still then the Lord revealed his Arm saved delivered them But when they distrusted the Lord and looked to Egypt for help the Lord said Egypt should help in vain to no purpose Therfore have I cryed concerning this their strength is to sit still Mark to sit still was their strength and in returning and rest shall ye be saved in quietness and in confidence shall be your strength Isa 30.7 15. But they would not but said no We will flee upon the swift Mark here 's a way of their own finding therefore the swift should pursue them and one thousand should flee at the rebuke of one and at the rebuke of five shall ye flee till ye be left as a Beacon on the top of a Mountain and as an Ensign on a Hill Now mark what became of them who would not stand still who would not Wait and Job being afflicted and his Friends came to visit him they sate silent waiting seven dayes Job 2.13 And all may see it was the way of the Saints to be in stilness and in silence and in waiting for blessed are all they that wait upon the Lord Isa 30.18 And David sayes I wait for the Lord my soul doth wait and in his VVord do I hope my soul waiteth for the Lord more than they that watch for the morning I say more than they that watch for the morning Psa 130.5 6. and rest in the Lord wait patiently for him Psa 37.7 And the Youths shall faint and be weary and the Young-men shall utterly fall but they that wait upon the Lord shall renew their strength they shall mount up with wings as Eagles they shall run and not be weary and they shall walk and not faint Isa 40.30 31. And the strong Lyon shall suffer want and the young Lyon shall suffer hunger but he that waiteth upon the Lord shall not want any good thing I will stand upon my watch and set me on the Tower and will watch to see what the Lord will say unto me or speak in me and what I shall answer when I am reproved and let all flesh keep silent before the Lord Hab. 2. for every man 's own words shal be his burden Jer. 23. Keep silent before me O Islands and let the People renew their strength for the Isles shall wait for his Law Isa 42.4 Yea in the way of thy Judgements O Lord have we waited for Thee the desire of our soul is to thy Name and to the remembrance of Thee with my soul have I desired Thee In the night yea with my spirit within me will I seek Thee early for when thy Judgements are in the Earth the Inhabitants of the World will learn Righteousness Isa 26.8 9. Note this well how they were to wait and how they waited and sought the Lord Hearken unto me my People and give ear unto me O my Nation for a Law shall proceed from me and I will make my Judgement to rest for a Light of the People my Righteousness is near my Salvation Is gone forth and mine Arms shall judge the People the Isles shall wait upon me and on mine Arm shall they trust Isa 51.4 5. For since the beginning of the World men have not heard nor perceived by the ear neither hath the eye seen O God besides thee what he hath prepared for him that waiteth for him Isa 64.4 The Lord is good unto them that wait for him to the soul that seeketh him It is good that a man should both hope and quietly wait for the salvation of the Lord it is good for a man that he bear the yoak in his youth he sitteth alone and keepeth silence because he hath borne it upon him he putteth his mouth in the dust if so be there may be hope c. Lam. 3.25 c. And they shall every man sit under his own Vine und under his own Figge-tree and none shall make them afraid Mica 4. Therefore turn thou to thy God keep Mercy and Judgement and wait on thy God continually Hos 12.6 Hence all may see the Practice of the Saints in the dayes of the Prophets and how all are commanded to wait and hope in the Lord and to be quiet and still hoping on the God of their Salvation And Christ sayes Wheresoever two or three are met together in my Name there am I in the midst of them Mat. 18.20 And can ye not watch one hour and what I say unto you I say unto all Watch for blessed shall he be that shall be found so doing when the Son of man cometh Mark 13. and the five foolish Virgins who waited not nor watcht to have their Lamps kept burning but gadded abroad were shut out of the Kingdom Mat. 25. and Simeon a just man waited for the consolation of Israel to him it was revealed that he should not see death until he had seen the Lord's Christ and when he saw the Salvation of God the Light to enlighten the Gentiles and Glory of Israel desired to depart in Peace Luk. 2. And when Christ was ready to ascend to the Father he commanded his Disciples not to depart from Jerusalem until they had received the Promise of the Father which said he ye have heard of me and ye shall receive Power from on High when the Holy Ghost is come upon you and ye shall be Witnesses unto me Mark when they had received the Power from on High through waiting then they should be Witnesses unto Him both at Jerusalem and in Judea Act. I. And the Apostle exhorted the Corinthians to watch and stand fast in the Faith Quit you like men be strong I Cor. 16.13 And he told the Saints that they were not of Darkness nor Children of the Night but Children of the Light and of the Day therefore let us not sleep saith he as others do but let us watch and be sober for they that sleep sleep in the Night and they that be drunken are drunken in the Night but let us who are of the Day be sober putting on the Breast-plate of Faith and Love and for an Helmet the Hope of Salvation I Thess 5. And he exhorted Timothy to watch in all things 2. Tim. 4.5 and they which should be found not watching the Lord would come upon them as a Thief