holy Hill so be it So now O all ye that love Righteousness and daily wait to see the heavenly Kingdom thereof set up in you and in all People I T.T. your Brother in the Joyes and Sufferings of the Gospel having had through the mercifulness of our God and Father perfect knowledge of his good Way from the beginning of this Day of his Love which hath dawned upon his beloved Seed in these Ilands and in all the World do declare and bear my Testimony for God amongst many Brethren that there is no way to God the Father of Light but by the Light Christ Jesus that true Light that lighteth every man that cometh into the World with a Light that is Pure Free Spiritual and Sufficient that all men through it may believe and so be led out of Darkness Sin and Death the wayes of sin into the marvellous Light and Life of Righteousness and true Holiness and so into fellowship with the Holy God without which Holiness none can see him nor enjoy him forever For this Gift of God the Light is Holy and in all that believe and receive it it brings forth it s own blessed Image which is Holiness And it is Free and works according to its own blessed Nature in all that joyn to it setting them free from all their spiritual Enemies whatsoever and so making them Free-born Children of the Heavenly Jerusalem which is free for evermore from all the false and imbondaging impositions of the Man of sin whatsoever And so also because this heavenly Gift of God Christ Jesus the Light who lighteth every man John 1.9 is perfect and shines in the heart therefore it doth of its own Nature make perfect every man that with their hearts receive it and so come to God by it It makes perfect to God as pertaining to the very Heart and Conscience all its Lovers for if you love the Light you love God from whence it comes for he that loves him that is sent loveth also him that sent him And therefore I say unto all People upon the face of the Earth that all that Faith Hope Worship Religion or whatever it may be called That stands not in and is not carried on in this Power of God the Light which lighteth every man is nothing worth Every good and every perfect Gift saith James cometh down from the Father of Light who is unchangeable and it shines out in the heart of every man though the Darkness which through the Fall hath gotten place there and comprehends it not yet the Light is there a sure Foundation a tryed Corner-Stone Elect and Precious blessed are all that fall upon it so as to be broken into godly Sorrow and Tenderness of heart and blessed are all that build upon it they shall be called the Elect of God Precious Sons and Daughters of Zion and their Building shall never fail them nay the Gates of Hell shall never prevail against their FAITH because it standing in the Power of God Christ Jesus the Light that ever liveth to keep them in a good and safe Condition that thus come to God by him The Day is dawned which makes all things manifest praised be God forever even the Spirit of Truth which leadeth into all Truth is come and the holy Anointing is witnessed in all that believe in the Name of the Living Unchangeable God which teacheth all things and it abideth in the faithful Hearts and is sufficient And he called the Light Day and so the joyful DAY which the Lord hath made being come we will Rejoyce and be Glad in it though the Children of Darkness be never so Angry For the Lord our Strength will maintain our Cause against all his Foes for evermore so be it And now though the Children of the Night be many and Professors of the Letter of Scripture that want the Life of it come forth as so many Armies to plead for and contend for their several formed Wayes and invented Worships against the Children of God this day who Worship God in Spirit and in Truth yet greater is he that is in us then he that is in the World and so though we are forced to Build in this our holy City New Jerusalem with our Spiritual Sword in our hand yet we are well content finding the Lord still with us in this Day of the Restauration of all things And so though Tobiah and Sanballat with all the Heathen mock and carry false Reports concerning us to the Rulers of the Earth yet through the Help of our God we are enabled to go on in our Holy Spiritual Work in the Lords Holy City and Temple and the Word of the Lord prospers in our Hand and in our Hearts And though they say we deny the Ordinances of God because we cannot plead for or put confidence in a Shadow or Figure yet holding the Head Christ Jesus the Light and Life eternal we are safe enough and have the Witness of God in our hearts justifying us and sealing in our hearts our Acceptance with his Majesty which is our Peace and assurance forever for praised be the Name of God for ever who hath given us an understanding to know him that is true the Son of God and we are in him that is true who is the Everlasting Ordinance of God and in him are we baptized with a Baptism made without hands and our Supper is with the Lord in Spirit and Truth where we are daily given to feed feeely at his Table whose Body is Meat indeed who said I am the Living Bread that gives life for ever John 6. And he that believeth in me and feedeth on me shall never die chap. 6.50 51. God gave the Children of Israel Manna in the Wilderness and they died notwithstanding but my Father giveth you the true Bread For God so loved the World that he gave his Son to be the Light and Life of man and so to as many as received him then and do receive him now to dwell in their hearts by Faith to them he gave and daily doth give Power to become the Sons of God whose Birth is not of the mortal seed of Flesh and Blood nor the mind or will or words thereof but of the incorruptible Seed of the Word of God eternal real and essential which lives and endures for ever which perishes not with the using as mortal things do but it lâ—ves and triumphs in its own creating saving sustaining upholding comforting and satisfying vertue and power forevermore well witnessed in the hearts of the spiritual Believers this day For in the beginning was the Word and the Word was with God and the Word was God and by it was all things made and it was and is the Light and Life of man and he delighted and doth also this day greatly rejoyce and delight in the habitable parts of his creation For I will dwell in them and walk in them who open unto me saith the Lord that Spirit who by his Servant said
the Joys and Sufferings of the Gospel In the 12 th of the 6 th Moneth 1669 T. T. A Message of Truth to Professors WO to the Teachers of the People that daub with untempored Morter and cry Peace Peace when the Lord hath not spoken Peace For the Lord speaks Peace to none in their Sins but they Teach for Doctrine That none can live out of Sin whilst on this side the Grave and so they Minister for Antichrist the Man of Sin and not for Christ who is without Sin in Gods Righteousness And he that keepeth Christs Commandments dwelleth in him and he in him and his Commandments are not grievous saith John And again He that is Born of Christ sinneth not for the everlasting Father of the Vnspotted Generation is he And herein saith the same John and all the living Members of Christ is our Love made perfect that we may have Boldness in the day of Judgment because as he is so are we in this World But the Masterly Teachers of this World cry out O the Commands of Christ who is God are hard none can keep them we must live in Sin whilst on Earth no Perfection here no Victory over all while on this side the outward Grave These have their Eyes abroad and judge after the Flesh and the things of Gods Spirit are Foolishness to them The Grave of Sin they lie dead in and know not the Resurrection from it and so are ignorant of Christ who is the Resurrection and the Life And the Eye in such is shut as yet that should hear the Sons Voice whose Voice raiseth the Dead O foolish and flow of Heart to beâ—ieve all that Christ and his Prophets have spoken Doth not Christ say The hour is coming and now is when the Dead shall hear the Voice of the Son of God and they that hear shall live For as the Father hath Life in himself so hath he given to the Son to have life in himself John 5.25 And in another place He that Liveth and Believeth in me shall never die for God is not the God of the Dead but of the Living for thâ— Dead cannot Praise him And I will Ransom them from the Power of the Grave I will Redeem thee from Death O Death I will be thy Plagues O Grave I will be thy Destruction Hos. 13.14 And again Ezek. 37.12 c. Thus saith the Lord God Behold O my People I will open your Graves and cause you to come up out of your Graves and ye shall know that I am the Lord and I will place my Sanctuary in the midst of you for evermore These words are faithful and true and the Israel of God who are risen with Christ know them and in the Birth Immortal being passed from Death to Life do set to their Seal That God is a Faithful Performer of his Promises this Day For Life and Immortality is brought to Light through the Gospel which is the Power of God to Salvation in all that believe in God and know his Christ in them who is the D E A T H of Death and Destruction of Sin and Life Eternal to enjoy Glory to his Name forever And against this Living Faith and Quickning Power the Gates of Hell shall never be able to prevail But as was said before Wo to the Teachers of the People who Daub with Untempered Morter who look outward and judge of things according to the Flesh and outward appearance of things and plead for the Life of Sin during the whole time of mans being upon Earth and look at the Grave without and Death without and so lie dead in Sin and buried in the Grave of their spiritual Wickedness themselves and so lead about a People silly as Women in Matters Spiritual laden like themselves with divers Sins and Lusts alwayes learning but never able to come to the Knowledge of the Truth For who know the Truth as it is in Jesus are set free by it For if you be set-free by the Truth then are ye free indeed saith Christ. This is more then all outward Knowledge and Profession to be so free as not to be under the Power of any Sin Lust Temptation Will of Man nor any of the Powers of Darkness whatsoever but Free as Christ is Free who is over all God blessed forever But now that Christ is come to set up this his holy Glorious Kingdom in the Hearts of the Children of Men Where is this Faith to be found on Earth But all the Multitudes of Earthly Professors cry The Kingdom of Heaven hereafter The Kindom of Glory hereafter no Perfection on this side the outward Grave none câ—n overcome or put off the Body of Sin whilst here and the like Not knowing what they say nor whereof they affirm when they speak of such things because to the Kingdom of Heaven within in man they are wilful Strangers Eyes they have but see not and Ears but hear not for the inward Eye which should see have they fast closed and the Ear which should hear have they shut lest they should see and hear and be converted and be saved But Blessed is the Eye that sees the Kingdom of God which he hath set up and is setting up in his Trembling People and the Ear that hears the unutterable Word of the living Father which raiseth the Dead they shall never be Praising of him in the Congregation of the Righteous where none can come to make afraid for these Love and Fear the Lord and that frees them from the Fear of Vain Man whose Breath is in his Nostrils But all whose Religion stands upon the Sandy Foundation of mans Wisdom and Thoughts and Doings which perfects not to God these will be like the Chaff which the Wind scatters to and fro the Regenerating Power of Gods eternal Spirit they being ignorant of in themselves all their shew of Religion is meer Hypocrisie and the Religion of Hypocrites shall never be established for all who gather not with Christ shall scatter and every Plant that his Heavenly Spiritual Hand hath not planâ—ed shall be rooted up O! What Darkness have you rapt your Selves in and how is the Understanding Part clouded in you that you will neither see nor learn to know the things that pertain to Everlasting Life Can you say the Branches of the faln Tree the first Adam are Unholy and Corrupt because of the Unholiness of the Root And will you not see that the Members of the Heavenly Man Christ Jesus who never fell are Holy because of the Holiness of the Root For if the Root be Holy so are the Branches Anoint your Eyes with Eye-Salve that if possible you may see and know a better Root in you then the faln mans nature to grow on that the Kingdom of Holiness you may feel come near you For they that are in the Flesh cannot please God whatever they may Profess And this adds to their misery that when they have brought forth the deadly Works of the
Flesh they would charge them upon Gods Elect and make their Works like their own These Fleshly ones are great Enemies to Christ his Righteousness and his Members for they that are in Christ are New Creatures and to Abel and his Offering God hath still Respect though Cain and his Offering was alwayes rejected because polluted with Sin as the Prayers and Performances of all Hypocrites are at this day Therefore for this purpose was the Son of God manifested and is at this Day received of the Faithful even to destroy Sin which is the Devils Work And in him to wit Christ Jesus the Ligh◠is there no Sin nor sinful Nature So they who love Christ and Walk in his Life and Light please God For he is that Way undefiled wherein no Unclean can walk but the Redeemed are here And what if I should set down the words of Jesus to wit Whosoever abideth in Christ Sinneth not whosoever Sinneth hath not seen him nor known him 1 John 3.6 Can you believe it I know you cannot whilst you stand reasoning with Flesh and Blood not believing in the Light that lightneth every man that cometh into the World but call the Light of Christ in man Natural and then put the Letter which only witnesses to the Light instead of it And then the Enemy works in your natural Earthly wisdom causing you to wrest Scriptures to establish your empty Forms which makes nothing perfect and this was the sin of the old Jews who though they talked of the Messiah yet when he appeared they would not come to him that they might be saved and so under the dead Profession of the Letter they lay slain And though they had a Zeal for God as you have now yet it was not according to knowledge and so stumble at the Stumbling-Stone and so in their dark minds would needs keep up the Forms and Shaddows of things in opposition to the Substance the thing it self Christ Jesus when he appeared as you do now O that you could be perswaded of this how well would it be for your poor Souls in time to come Therefore now that the True Heavenly Everlasting Al-sufficient Light is broken forth again from under the Clouds after the long dark Night of Apostacy turn your Minds in to know a measure of it in you and wait therein to be led out of all the dark Paths of Sin and Error by it For I am the Way saith Christ the Light that true Light which lighteth every man that cometh into the World and I will send my holy Spirit of Truth to lead into all Truth He i◠come and his Promise fulfilled Glory to his Name forever And do you not know how that Christ is in you except you be Reprobates saith the Apostle And if we walk in the Light as he is in the Light then have we fellowship one with another and the Blood of this Innocent Lamb cleanseth from all Sin and washeth from all Unrighteousness all real Commers thereunto saith the same Spirit Therefore go not sorth for without are Doggs and all Lyars but Truth and the Kingdom of it is to be found within nigh in the Heart or never O how Beautiful is the Way of the Just Holiness is the Girdle of their Reins continually their hearts ponder deep things in Holiness they do no Iniquity who walk in this Everlasting Undefiled WAY Christ Jesus the Light for by the Light are they led out of all Defilements and to such there is no occasion of Stumbling O stoop down low with your minds to the Light of Christ in you that convinceth you of sin and evil that through the Light the true Door and Daily-Cross to the Carnal Mind you may come into the Sheep-fold for all who clime up another Way are but as Thieves and Robbers and must be judged as Goats and set on the left hand because they would not hear Christ Voice the Light in the Conscience to be led by it Great Wo to the Climers over the Door such neither receive Christ nor his Servants whom he sends but chose rather to follow such as love to be called of men Master and live in the respect of Persons and persecuting Nature and daub over an old heart with fair Promises of Life as it is amongst you this day for what though some in the outward-stand against you for your Form and Worlds sake as the Heathen of old did the outward Jews yet both those outward Jews then as you outward Professors do now stood and do stand against Christ and us for his Truth 's sake For we find it true from you all That whosoever walketh in Christ and holdeth forth his Life and so Worship God in Spirit and Truth shall be hated of all men whether Professors or Prophane who are out of that Life and holy Worship even for Christs very Name and Life's sake because it is a Cross and Offence to all the World who are in their own Wills under what Form or Profession soever who are gotten into a Profession of Christ without Christ and the daily Cross which his Followers bear Therefore all who are climed up into the Tree of an outward Profession without the true real feeling and spiritual acquaintance with the daily Cross and fiery Law of the Lord and flaming Sword which Guards the Tree of Life which is in the Hand of the Angel of the Covenant for the cutting down of the Man of Sin that the Birth Immortal which is Holy may enter in and possess the Inheritance must come down again I say they must come to the beginning from which in their faln Wisdom they are wandred to learn of him in Silence who speaks from Heaven whose Word is nigh in the heart before ever they be established for except you become as little Children not in Talk but in Truth ye cannot enter Gods Kingdom O ye People hearken a while whether Teachers or Hearers You who have been feeding upon the Tree of Knowledge and never came through Gods judgments the Flaming Sword to the Tree of Life Your Food 〈◊〉 Death your Works will Burn and your Fig-leaf-Covers will fall off you and you be left Naked and Bare to the shame of your Nakedness as in the day that you were Born For what is any Covering unless it be that of the Spirit of Christ. The Lord God who is of purer Eyes then to behold Iniquity will bring your Deeds to the Light of his Judgments within you from which you cannot flee and before him will nothing stand but that which is Pure Your defiled Preachings Prayings Singings Hearings Readings will be rejected and cast out as Dung from the Presence of the Pure Holy God that is a consuming Fire You have multiplied words without Knowledge Ye have not been neither yet are ye Doers of Gods Will to the Witness of God in your Consciences I speak therefore in vain do you say Lord Lord and he will not hold them guiltless that take