let their Profession be what it will without Holiness of Life it is impossible to please God the Profession of the Truth it self will little avail any without the Possession thereof it will but increase their Condemnation but they that walk in the Light and mind the Appearance of Christ Jesus in their own Hearts these come to have Fellowship with the Lord And here I speak not of things at a Distance or because it is thus written but what I find in my own particular to be true And as a Holy Harmless Innocent Life comes again to increase and grow up So Favour with the Lord and Communion and Fellowship with the Light of Jesus and also with as many as walk therein again comes to be witnessed and so in a Holy Innocent Life stands the Communion of Saints and here the Forgiveness of Sins that are past is known and the Resurrection of the Body out of Sin witnessed even from Death unto Life from the Death of Sin unto the Life of Righteousness the which is lost by Sinning against the Lord and walking contrary to the Light for so I must call it for in it is no Darkness at all I never yet found any though many through the Darkness of their Minds and Hardness of their Hearts are ready to charge the Sins and Backslidings of them that profess the Truth and Light upon the Truth and Light it self and so many are saying We may see what your Light is And so are speaking Evil of a Thing they know not and so are Blaspheming God and his Tabernacle and them that dwell in Heaven But unto all such I testifie and declare and it is my Testimony for the Lord that the Light which condemns Sin in the Heart never yet did and it is my Belief never will lead into any Sin but when I was off my Watch and was not waiting upon the Lord to be ordered and ruled by him then I was sometimes eating and drinking with the Drunken and so was crucifying to my self afresh the Son of God and putting him unto open Shame even as Ages have done and are doing that are eating and drinking with the Drunken and living wantonly upon the Earth and are crucifying the Just in their own particulars And herein was I captivated by Sin and Peace with the Lord I knew not but Tribulation and Wrath from the Lord seized upon me because of Sin for I was disobeying the Lord and so in that State as I may say was shut out from the Lord's Presence and Favour and at every Entrance was placed a Flaming Sword which the Lord hath placed for the Destruction of the Man of Sin and for the cutting down the Disobedient Nature and none can enter or come to enjoy Peace with the Lord again but as that which hath separated and been as a Partition-Wall be taken out of the Way and so an Entrance is administred again as the Man of Sin comes to be slain by the Sword of the Spirit which is the Word of God which is Quick Powerful and Sharper then any two-edged Sword piercing even to the Dividing asunder of Soul and Spirit and is a Discerner of the Thoughts and Intents of the Heart And so at this Day Blessed be the Lord there is a Remnant that know the Word of the Lord to be as a Sword with two Edges that cuts every Way even to the dividing between their Souls and that Spirit of Darkness that would not have Christ to reign And also know the Word of the Lord to be as a Fire even as a Consuming-Fire in their own Particulars and so come to know the Briers and Thorns to be burnt and burning up that so Way may be made for the Seed to come forth to the Praise and Glory of the Lord that so his Name may be renowned and magnified above and over all the Powers of Darkness whole Majesty is most Excellent and his Glory to be exalted above and over all that is Mortal and over all spirits of Darkness and over the Prince of the Power of the Air that now rules in those that rebel against the Light of Christ Jesus And a Remnant that have believed in the Light and in some Measure are walking therein do know the Way of the Lord to burn as an Oven which burns up the Wood the Bryars and Thorns and so in some Measure are come to witness the Man of Sin to be destroyed even by the Appearance of Christ the Light in the Heart and by the Brightness of its shining forth whose Glory and Brightness shall yet shine forth even to the Abasement of all Worldly Glory and Greatness and to the Dazelling of the Eyes of the Heathen for the Lord hath determined to exalt his Truth and set his King upon his Holy Hill of Sion and as many as cleave unto the Lord shall live and reign with him but whoever denyes him shall be denyed Admittance into Heaven and the Joy and Peace which is Spiritual and that abides forever they shall never come to witness who vilifie the Light of Christ Jesus and whoever rebell against its Holy Command and Heavenly Operation all such forsake the Fountain of Living Waters and hew unto themselves broken Cesterns that can hold no Water But unto as many as wait for his Appearance and obey his Holy Call they come to witness the Day of the Lord to burn as an Oven and all that is Unrighteous to be consumed or consuming and the Unclean Spirit to be driven or driving out of the Land and so come to know the Heavens to pass away with a great Noise and the Elements to melt with fervent Heat the Earth also and the Works that are therein to be burnt up in this Day of the Lord's Appearance in their own particulars and so are not like the Professors who are looking for a Day which consists of 12. Hours or so wherein all the Outward Fabrick of this visible World and things therein should be on Fire but are come to witness and in their Measures to testifie unto the World that the Day of God is come wherein he is setting Fire to the Earthly Part in Man and the Works that are therein wrought that so he may make Way for the Seed of the Everlasting Kingdom to take root downward in the Hearts and Consciences of Men and Women that so the Fruit of Holiness and Righteousness may be brought forth to the Praise and Honour of him who is carrying on this Blessed Work in this the Day of his Appearance and so know in Measure the New Heaven and the New Earth wherein dwells Righteousness and the Tabernacle of God is with Men as he hath said I will dwell in them and walk in them and they shall be my People and I will be their God But so long as I was captivated by Sin though professing the Truth yet Peace with the Lord I knew not neither was there any Stedfastness in my going but was hurried up
profit withal which Spirit of Life and Light is given to be a Light to lighten the Gentiles and to be God's Salvation to the Ends of the Earth and none need say in their Hearts who shall ascend or descend to bring him up again from the Dead or bring him down from above for the Word is nigh even in the Heart and Mouth that we may hear it and do it But not giving up in all things unto this divine Light which appears in the Heart against Sin which Light never consented unto Evil I say not waiting in this the Destroyer entred and took Possession and usurped Authority over both Soul and Body and so both were defiled while he whose right it was to reign and unto whom both Soul and Body should have yielded Subjection I say he stood without knocking at the Door of my Heart and this was his Love and this was his Kindness and this ingages me to love his Appearance for the Lord waits that he may be gracious notwithstanding the many repulses he meets withal yet his Patience is lengthened out and a hand of Love is stretched forth and extended even to those that rebell against him that he might have the Government of Man and Woman whose right it is to rule But I was resisting his Appearance and the Beast-like Nature was seeding over the Just the Innocent the Harmless Life which as I may say lay in the Manger the Inn being taken up with other Guests and so I was sleighting the Lord's Visitation of Love and grieving his Holy Spirit and crucifying to my self afresh the Son of God and putting him unto open shame and hereby was laying a stumbling-Block in the Way of others through the subtil Wiles of the Evil One who goes about seeking whom he may devour intangle and ansnare by his subtil Stratagems and Devices whereby he lies in wait to deceive and by being overcome of his Temptations have I provoked the Lord and laid a stumbling Block in the Way of others and been prejudiciall to the Salvation of others which causes me thus to write that I may ease my self and clear my Conscience in this matter for I have been regardless of my Words and Wayes and sometimes was eating and drinking with the Drunken and so have been a Partaker of her Sin and so partook of her Plagues which will first or last come upon all and seize upon all that sin against the Lord. And by sinning against the Lord I thereby exposed the blessed Truth of God to be Contemned and Vilified and the Professors thereof to be Reproached and hereby have given Advantage to the Enemies of God's Truth and Divine Light who do of late as formerly seek Occasion against this blessed Light and are risen up of late in great Rage against the Truth and the Professors thereof as if by their Dialogues as the Title thereof implyes they would Vnchristian the whole Body of Friends who have believed in the Light of Christ Jesus who is the Head of his Church over all God blessed forever and evermore and so they have Blasphemed God and his Tabernacle and them that dwell in Heaven And also I was Hardening others in Wickedness by sinning against the Lord so strengthening the Hands of the Wicked and rejoycing the Hearts of those that live wantonly upon the Earth and are Enemies to the Cross of Christ Jesus and are crucifying the just Principle in themselves which if they would let arise it would disperse and scatter all those thick Mists and that Darkness which has spread over Nations and People in this Night of Apostacy as it was said Let God arise and his Enemies shall be scattered and he shall consume them with the Spirit of his Mouth shall destroy with the Brightness of his Coming and blessed be the Lord forever a Remnant whom the Lord hath drawn unto himself in some measure with the Cords of Love are come to witness his Light to shine out of Darkness whereby the Man of Sin comes to be weakened and worsted and so the Lord comes to reign in Sion and to turn away Ungodliness from Jacob and so Peace with the Lord comes again to be witnessed And also I was Sadning the Hearts of the Righteous by Disobeying the Lord wherefore the Indignation of the Lord was against me and his Righteous Judgments followed me and his Wrath begun to burn very hot against me and the Terrors of the Lord as I may say even distracted me that I was even at my Wits End because I had sinned against the Lord and was bound even Hand and Foot as I may say and cast into Darkness and my Understanding was darkned Wisdom was withheld from me even Wisdom as a Man because I was gone from the Presence of the Lord and was not waiting upon him for Counsel and Instruction insomuch that at last I was even an Astonishment to my self and when I begun to consider my Wayes and Doings I saw that the Hand of the Lord was lifted up against me because I was not watchful over my Words and Wayes but was running out into Loosness and Vanity and was sometimes eating and Drinking with the Drunken and I became even as a Prey to the Devourer and Wasting and Destruction was in my Pathes and Peace with the Lord I knew not for I was sinning against him and grieving his holy Spirit and so the Lord took no Pleasure in me as he hath said in dayes past by his Servants If any man draw back my Soul shall have no Pleasure in him and so I became a Reproach among the Heathen a Scorn unto Fools and was Unfaithful to the Lord and was not a Faithful Steward in what was committed to my Charge was not Honouring the Lord as I ought nor answering his Requirings but was doing that which was Dishonourable unto him and to the Truth which I did profess and was not waiting in the Light whereby I might have witnessed a profitting in the Fear Wisdom of the Lord For the Fear of the Lord that is Wisdom and a good Vnderstanding have all they that wait in the Light of Christ Jesus in their ownhearts that so they may depart from that which is Evil that will both discover sin and give Dominion over it as it is believed in and obeyed and then the Willing and the Obedient will eat the Good of the Land and this is the Portion of them that obey the Voice of the Lord And thus so far as I have been obedient have I witnessed Peace in the Lord's Presence is Life but out of his Presence is Death and Darkness Distress and Anguish but at his Right-hand are Rivers of Pleasures for evermore But now the Rebe Ilious and Disobedient which will not how to the Appearance of Christ Jesus in their own hearts but live in Pride and pleasure upon the Earth and so are rejoycing in a thing of naught the Glory whereof shall soon fade and vanish away
and are crucifying and piercing the Just and disobeying the Lord they must dwell in a dry Land and Torment and Wo must unavoidably be the Portion of all they that will not come unto the Lord and submit to his Government whose Government is a Righteous Government and his Law is the Truth And so let not any sleight the Day of God's Visitation for this is the Day of God's Love wherein he is stretching forth the Arm of his Love and Mercy to gather people out of the crocked Wayes and by-Pathes unto himself to which end the Lord appears and shews unto man his Sin and Iniquity which keeps the Soul in Bondage and Slavery for so I have found it to be I say That that reproves man for sin in the inward parts must be minded obey'd by all that desire to have Peace with the Lord for this same Light which many are vilifying and reproaching is Christ Jesus the Light of the World and is that Great Prophet which Moses spake of in dayes past saying A Prophet shall the Lord your God raise up unto you like unto me him shall you hear in all things and whoever will not hear him shall be cut off from among my People And so let every one come to hear this Great Prophet and obey his Voice that so the Land may be cleansed of Evil-doers For when the Righteous bears Rule the Land rejoyces but when the Wicked bears Rule the Land mourns just so And here I speak not of things at a distance or because it is thus written but what I find in my own particular to be true blessed be the Name of our God who is Light and let him be exalted and magnified above over all forever evermore And so knowing the Terrors of the Lord because of sin I would perswade all to wait upon the Lord then the Wicked shall not bear rule but be judged and condemned by the Light and withstood in the Power and Strength of the Lord and so all to wait upon the Lord in the way of his Judgments though the Flaming Sword turn so that the Transgressor cannot enter yet wait upon God and flee not his Righteous Judgments for the Sword of the Lord is only drawn against the Transgressor in man and as that comes to be cut down and burnt up so an Entrance comes to be witnessed again and Peace with the Lord â—o be known and this is the Way of Sions Redemption as it is said Sion must be redeemed through Judgment and her Converts through Righteousness and so Peace with the Lord will be known for the Lord will speak Peace to his People but let not any turn again unto Folly and Peace will be witnessed by all they that lay hold of God's Everlasting Strength as the Lord hath said by the Prophet Isaiah if any one will take hold of my Strength and make Peace with me he shall make Peace with me Now Christ Jesus the Light of the World is the Wisdom of God the Power and Strength of God and whoever takes hold of this divine Light which shines in the Heart appears against Sin they take hold of Gods ' Strength and will witness Peace with the Lord as they keep unto it and saith my Soul Return thou never again unto Folly but abide in the Light and walk therein and wait upon the Lord in the Way of his Judgments For Sion must be redeemed through Judgment and her Converts through Righteousness And so here is not a putting the Day of Judgment afar off as the Professors of our Age do till after Death or they know not when but behold the Judge stands at the Door that which reproves that which convinces of Sin in the Heart is that which must judge both Quick and Dead for the Father judgeth no Man but hath committed all Judgment unto the Son and that which appears in the Hearts of Men and Women against Sin and all manner of Evil is the Son of Righteousness which doth appear in the Hearts of Men and Women and doth give a Discovery of every one's State and Condition as really as the Natural and Created Light and Sun appears in the Outward World and gives a Discovery of Persons and Things So really doth the Increated Light and Spiritual Appearance of Christ Jesus shine in the Hearts of all whereby all as they come to receive of his Life and partake of his Virtue do as really grow and flourish in Holiness and are fresh and lively to the Lord as any Outward Tree or Plant grows that receives Influence from the Outward Sun And so this Son of Righteousness will arise with Healing under his Wings to them that fear him and love his Appearance For he Rejoyces in the Habitable Parts of the Earth and his Delight is with the Sons of Men But now here is the Reason why People and Nations are not healed but Pride hath over-spread the Land and Oppression bears rule and Drunkenness and Swearing and War and Blood-shed and here is the Abomination that maketh Desolate and this is the Cause why Iniquity abounds For though most are in a Profession of Religion some in one Way and some in another yet they have not God's Fear before their Eyes and so are not mindful of the Lord nor obedient to his Holy Commands nor doing unto others as they would others should do to them but their minds are run out into the Earth and are gone a whoring from the Lord and so are not following the Lord nor obeying his Voice but provoaking the Lord to pour out his Vials of Wrath and Vengeance and behold the many Vials of God's Fury and Displeasure which have of late been poured forth And hath not the Lord even overthrown and destroyed some even as he overthrew Sodom and Gomorrah and hath the Remnant that escaped Repented and given Giory to the Lord And at this very day is the Lord pleading with the Inhabitants of the Earth by Fire and by Sword and his Hand is stretched forth still and the Lord hath sent forth his Angels one after another with Vials of his Wrath and Indignation and hath poured and is pouring them out upon the Inhabitants of the Earth yet where is that Repentance and for saking of sin the Lord requires And though many have been spared with their Lives though they have been burnt out of their Houses yet as Proud as before as Vain and Wicked as before and so are abusing God's Mercies and provoaking him to his very Face and for these things the Lord hath a Controversie with the Inhabitants of the Earth because they Repent not of their Deeds therefore the Vials of God's Wrath are yet preparing to be poured out because men are not preparing to meet the Lord by Repentance And the Lord has determined to make a short Work in the Earth and to cut his Work short in Righteousness and will yet plead with the Inhabitants of the Earth by Fire and by