same came for a Witness to bear Witness of the Light that all through him might believe He was not that Light but was sent to bear Witness of that Light that was the true Light which lightneth every man that comes into the World c. And to this agrees the Testimony of Just Simeon who came by the Spirit into the Temple and took the Child Jesus into his Arms and said Lord now lettest thou thy Servant depart in Peace according to thy Word for my Eyes have seen thy Salvation which thou hast prepared before the Face of all People a Light to lighten the Gentiles and the Glory of thy People Israel This is He of whom we Testifie whose Light is the VVay to Life And this is the Condemnation that Light is come into the World and men love Darkness rather then Light because their Deeds are Evil For every one mark that doth Evil hateth the Light neither cometh to the Light lest his Deeds should be reproved but he that doth Truth cometh to the Light that his Deeds may be made manifest that they are wrought in God Now this Light which the Servants of the Most High testified of is that which hath been spoken of and denominated under several Names For this Manifestation of God in man is sometimes called the Word the Spirit the Law the Grace of God now the VVord Light Grace Law Spirit are all one in Nature although diversly named Moses called it the Word and directed to this Word in the Heart and in the Mouth which Paul that illuminated Man rehearsing saith Say not in thy Heart mark Who shall ascend into Heaven that is to bring Christ down from above or who shall descend into the Deep that is to bring Christ up again from the Dead But what saith it The Word is nigh thee even in thy Mouth and in thy Heart that is the Word of Faith that we preach This is the sure Word of Prophecy unto which Peter directs to take heed as unto a Light that shineth in a dark place until the Day dawn and the Day-star arise in the Heart c. This Light is the Law of the Spirit of Life where-with Paul was acquainted that warred in his Mind against the Law of Sin and Death which was in his Members This Light is the Law in the Heart and the Spirit in the inward parts the New Covenant of God Almighty This is that which converts the Soul which Law Paul delighted in according to the inward Man This Law is Light of which the Scriptures of Truth plentifully testifie This is that Grace that Paul declared brings Salvation which hath appeared to all men which Law Light Spirit Grace Gift hath in measures as God's Talents appeared unto all men which teacheth all that are lead taught and guided by it to deny all Vngodliness and Worldly Lusts and not only so but also to live Soberly Godly and Righteously in this present Evil World This is that Grace which the Lord the Giver thereof said to Paul was sufficient for him to deliver him from the Temptation the Thorn in the Flesh of which the same Apostle said unto the Ephesians By Grace ye are saved c. And this is the Manifestation of the Spirit spoken of by Paul which is given to every man to profit withal And this is that good Spirit of the Lord given to Israel who rebelled against it as the old World did unto whom the Lord said My Spirit shall not alwayes strive with Man of which â—ord Law Light Grace and Spirit given to be the Leader and Guider of Mankind out of Sin Death and Darkness into which Man fell through disobeying the Righteous Law of God as is afore declared the holy Scriptures give clear and full Testimony as hath been demonstrated But now that which is ready to arise is an Objection in some whose Understandings are not opened whose searchings to comprehend and Inquiries after the Way of man's Salvation stand in that Wisdom that is from below and in the Will and Reason of Man degenerated from the Life of God which is VVhether the preaching up this Word Light Law Spirit and Grace of God manifest within hath not a Tendency to make Christ Jesus his Appearance in the Flesh his Sufferings Death Resurrection and Ascension to be Invalid Unto which I answer Nay Forasmuch as no Persons ever did do or shall truly see discern know understand or enjoy the Benefit of Christ Jesus his Manifestation in the Flesh but as their Hearts were are or shall be opened and Understanding illuminated by the Light which is a Measure of the Divine Fulness that dwelt in him and is communicated to and placed in all Immortal Souls as the Universal Love of God extended in the Son of his Love to all the Families of the Earth as the Revealer and Discoverer of the VVill of him from whose Divine Fulness it comes and issueth forth it self universally for the Scripture thus witnesseth that No man knoweth the things of a man save the spirit of a man which is in him even so the things of God knows no man but the Spirit of God The Hearts of the Jews not being seasoned with this Grace of God and ignorant of the Gift of God which is Eternal Life they neither discerned loved nor received Christ Jesus when manifested in that outward bodily Appearance but rejected him notwithstanding they professed Love Honour and Regard to the Prophets and were in Expectation of the Fulfilling their Prophecies of the Coming of the Messiah who in due time came and yet they did not receive him but instead thereof set themselves against him taking Counsel from time to time how they might slay him though in Words they profest an earnest waiting for him So in this Day Age and Generation there are many who by their words do profess they believe his Coming in the Flesh and his Sufferings Death Resurrection and Ascension but yet having their Faith consisting in outward Notions and having no inward Experience of the End of his Coming nor of the Virtue of his Sufferings Death Resurrection c. they are Enemies in their Minds to his second Appearance and coming without Sin unto Salvation So there is a Necessity for all the Sons and Daughters of men to come to and obey this Divine Spiritual Principle which is placed in their Consciences by the Living Eternal God that thereby the Eye which hath been blinded through Disobedience by the God of the VVorld may be opened for until this in some measure be effected the Mystery of Godliness which is great can neither be seen nor understood and therefore Christ said finding the Woman of Samaria ignorant of himself who was and is that great Mystery and the Gift of the Father's Love If thou knowest the Gift of God and who it is that saith unto thee Give me to drink thou wouldst have asked of him and he would have given thee Living Water The Travail in Spirit of
out of all its own Willings and Runnings Comprehendings Searchings into the Principle of Light therein to see a Death to his own Will and be comprehended into this Light and so man comes to have an Understanding to know him that is true and to be in him that is true Now as any are convinced of and converted by this Heavenly Principle which is placed in the Conscience there given to be a Guide and Leader unto Mankind they are led thereby out of Darkness wherein they have been while yet the Light shone in Darkness in which Darkness no man ever comprehended this Light or Heavenly Grace which sometimes moves through the Darkness on the Depth of man's Understanding reproving and discovering Darkness causing man to hear its small still Voice moving in man God-wards so daily continues without Change reproving man whilst he remains in Rebellion and Disobedience all the time of his Visitation and approving and giving Peace unto man when he is Obedient This Principle of Light remains intire in its own Purity and although man may change and alter and go from it and rebel against it and thereby become one of them of whom Job speaks that rebel against the Light and thereby knows not the Way of it but gives way to the Working of the God of the World to be drawn out into the fading perishing things yet this Principle remains immutable in it self being of and from the Immutable Unchangeable Being and remains with man until it be taken from him and he be cast into utter Darkness The first Operation of this heavenly Light amongst those who are convinced by and turned to it the Gift of the Father which Christ Jesus in his Parable to the Jews compared to a Grain of Mustard-seed and to a little Leaven which a Woman took hid in three Measures of Meal until the whole came to be leavened is to shew man his in ward State and Condition and the first Step in the Way of Life is to be turned to this holy Principle that teacheth the Obedient to know God savingly and when by this Principle man comes to have a true Sight and Sence of his fallen Estate and sees how he hath transgressed against that Eternal Being that gave him Life and Breath who notwithstanding in his Long-Suffering waiteth long to be Gracious and knocketh at the Door of the Heart and hath striven by his Divine Light the true Sight and Sence hereof will break the Heart and tender the Spirit before the Lord and under the weighty Sence of the great Burden of Sin and Iniquity there will be a crying out My Sins they are too heavy for me to bean and mine Iniquities are gone over my Head as Paul did saying Oh Wretched Man that I am who shall deliver me from the Body of this Death And here comes the Eye to be opened that seeth him whom man in his Disobedience hath pierced afresh and put to open Shame and then there will be Dayes of Mourning and Wailing because of him and this is truly the Day of Jacob's Trouble And in the Sence of this Deplorable Fallen Estate and the Long-suffering of the Lord and the Long-striving of his Spirit thou wilt see that in the Justice of God Eternal Death might be thy Portion but that which brings into this Sence begets a secret Cry in the Immortal Soul after a Deliverer and Saviour and will also give a true Sence and Sight that there is no way for thy Soul to be ransomed but in and through the tender Mercy of the Lord Jesus Christ which thou wilt see can no other way be effectually begun in thee but in the Way of the Judgments of the Lord For 't is through Judgment that Zion is redeemed and her Converts with Righteousness And here also thou wilt see that the Measure of the Sufferings of Christ yet behind must be filled up in thee for no other Way can any man pass unto Life Peace and Joy with the Father of Spirits but the Way the Captain of Salvation passed which was through Death and here thou wilt begin to arm thy self with the same Mind For none ceaseth any farther from Sin but as they suffer in the Flesh the crucisying of the Affections and Lusts thereof and here the End of the Gospel's Preaching comes to be known and witnessed which was and is that all man might be judged as men in the Flesh that so they might live according to God in the Spirit and in this spiritual inward Sence Exercise the Lord God Almighty will bow down his Ear Answer the Cryes of thy Awakened Soul and manifest his Word of Power which all in this State and Passage will know to be sharper then any Two-edged Sword piercing to the dividing asunder of thy Immortal Soul from the Spirit and Nature of Transgression and its Working daily as Subjection and Obedience is yielded unto it dividing and making a Separation between Joynts and Marrow giving thee daily a Discerning of the Thoughts and Intents of thy Heart And as the Soul Mind and Heart gives up in Love to God freely to follow him in the Way of his Judgments and gives up to the Sword of the Lord that which is for the Sword and that which is for Destruction to be destroyed thus will the pretious Work of the Lord prosper And although this be a Time of Sorrow and a Time of Trouble Travail and Anguish yet notwithstanding it is a Good Day therefore strive not to get from under it neither to make haste for the true godly Sorrow worketh the true Repentance which is never to be repented of and after the true Repentance follows the true Knowledge of Remission Forgiveness and so thy Inquities by the Judgments of the Lord God Almighty come to be blotted out and then the Times of Refreshment come from the Presence of the Lord and from the Glory of his Power c. And as there is a faithful abiding in inward Watchfulness and continual Obedience to this Heavenly Light in which the Beginning of the Work of God was known there will be a going on from Step to Step in the Foot steps of the Flock of Christ Jesus and a growing from Strength to Strength over Sin and the Nature thereof and from one Degree of Grace to another and as there is a faithful Perseverance in this Divine Principle the Eye of the Understanding will be single and here every thing which hath or doth let will be seen and the Soul never start aside from an inward Travil until that which hindereth be taken out of the Way and until thou seest all the Rule and Authority of the Enemy to be subdued under the Feet of the Lord 's Anointed and the Government in the Soul upon his Shoulders whose Right it is to Raign over all And here Salvation Redemption and Restoration is effectually injoyed through the Effectual Working and Operating of the Almighty Power and Arm of God Almighty
Garden and I was afraid because I was Naked and I hid my self And the Lord God said Who told thee that thou wast naked Hast thou eaten of the Tree whereof I commanded thee that thou shouldst not eat Who began to excuse himself saying The Woman thou gavest to be with me she gave me to eat and I did eat And the Lord God said to the Woman What is this that thou hast done And the Woman said The Serpent beguiled me and I did eat And the Lord God said unto the Serpent Because thou hast done this cursed art thou above all Cattel and above every Beast of the Field on thy Belly shalt thougo and Dust shalt thou eat c. And I will put Enmity between thee and the Woman and between thy Seed and her Seed it shall bruise thy Head and thou shalt bruise his Heel So the Lord sent him forth from the Garden to till the Ground c. and placed at the East of the Garden of Eden Cherubims and a Flaming Sword which turned every way to keep the Way of the Tree of Life Oh miserable Change Oh deplorable Alteration Oh lamentable State undeclarable undone Condition unexpressible Fall What! he that was in the Image of the Incorruptible Being a Living Soul inhabiting in the Garden of the Lord where the Tree of Life was and the Splendor of the Glory of the Divine Being was known and enjoyed drove from all into the Earth and not only so but the Cherubims and Flaming Sword that turneth every way placed to keep the Way of the Tree of Life Be astonished oh Heavens at this and be horribly afraid oh Earth The Lord God brought up Children and they Rebelled against him Now what was the Cause and Ground O ye Sons and Daughters of Adam that brought this horrible Change that brought man into this deplorable State and Condition Was it not Disobedience to the Righteous Law of God Did not Sin enter into the World through Disobedience and Death by Sin And is not Sin continued in the World through Disobedience Is there any other Way by which Sin enters now then it did then and Death by Sin which has reigned over all and reigns over all who are in the fallen Estate from God even over them that have not sinned according to the Similitude of Adam's Transgression For all have not sinned according to his Similitude who was deceived with an Expectation of an higher Estate then that in which the Lord God had placed him But all Iniquity of what Similitude soever is one in the Ground and becomes a Separator of man from his God So the Ground of all Iniquity and Transgression that ever was is or shall be is man's Disobeying the Righteous Law of God Disobedience whereunto bringeth Death But what was that which in Adam dyed and what was the Death seeing that the Lord said In the Day thou eatest of the Tree before mentioned thou shalt surely Dye and yet though he did eat thereof he lived outwardly and had Children It was the Inward Man that dyed which was so made by the Living Breath of the Almighty for man going out of the Counsel of the Lord by his Disobedience came to be alienated from the Life of God and so became insensible of that primary Life in which he was wholely a right Seed and a noble Plant In his Degeneration he became inwardly dead the inward Senses of the inward Man were lost the inward Ear was stopped the inward Eye was blinded the inward Sence of tasting how good the Lord is the inward Feeling after the Divine Virtue who is all Power Life Love and Joy the inward Sence of Smelling his Garments that smell of Myrrh and of the Spikenard Spiritually were all lost and instead thereof an Ear opened that hearkened to the Voice of the Stranger and an Eye opened that saw the forbidden Fruit pleasant and desirable the Heavenly Cloathing of Innocency Meakness and Resignation lost and thus he came to be without God in the World and here in this Estate Man was altogether out of a Capacity of abiding in the Garden or partaking of the Heavenly Tree of Life that was in the midst thereof and in this Estate are all the unconverted Sons and Daughters of men notwithstanding all Fig-leaf-Coverings of Professions But as the Law of the Spirit of Life breaketh forth in its Manifestation and the Sons and Daughters of men come with it to be awakened they will have the Sight and true Sence of their inward Estate and Condition which will indeed cause a Cry to arise in the Soul Oh wretched Estate Oh miserable Condition And here the Entrance of Sin comes to be seen which hath brought Death for the Wages of Sin is Death which was the Death that came over Adam and over all since that have disobeyed the Righteous Spiritual Law of God which is just holy and good and was before Transgression which Law bringeth to Christ the Promised Seed the Gift of God which is Eternal Life Now man being thus departed out of that Nature Image and Seed in which man had his Being before Transgression is become the degenerate Plant of a strange Vine before the Lord God that made him And from the Sons and Daughters of men as they stand joyned to this Nature and Seed of the Serpent which hath defiled Man in Soul Body and Spirit proceed these Branches and Fruits of Iniquity to wit Pride Envy Emulation Strife Variance Debate Hatred Wrath Anger Murder Inordinate Affection Concupiscence Lasciviousness Wantonness Vanity Uncleanness Fornication Adulteries Love to this World Drunkenness Revelling Idleness Swearing Cursings Cheating Defrauding Double-dealing Evil-speaking Back-biting Covetousness Idolatry Witchcraft Man being thus fallen from God into this miserable deplorable State the infinite Being in his Endless Boundless Fathomless Loving-kindness hath opened a Way by which Mankind might be restored up to himself again which Way is the promised Seed concerning whom he said to the Serpent I will put Enmity between thee and the Woman and between thy Seed and her Seed it shall bruise thy Head and thou shalt bruise his Heel So herein was the tender Mercy of the everlasting God extended unto Mankind in leaving a Seed else all would have been as Sodom and like unto Gomorrah which God destroyed with Fire in his Wrath So this is that one Seed on which he hath laid Help who is mighty to save who is the Image of the Invisible God the First-born of every Creature in which Image Man was before the Transgression who was glorified with the Father before the World began This is He of whom in the Name of the great Jehovah I give Testimony That He is the Way of Life and Salvation and that there is no other Name by which any man can be saved then by him who was and is and is to come who was from Everlasting to Everlasting the Rock of Ages which followed Israel and was in the Church in the Wilderness as Stephen
THE WAY of LIFE REVEALED AND THE VVAY of DEATH DISCOVERED Wherein is declared Man's Happy Estate before the Fall his Miserable Estate in the Fall and the Way of Restauration out of the Fall into the Image of God again in which man was before the Fall Also the By-Pathes Crooked Wayes Wiles Snares and Temptations of the Enemy of man's Soul discover'd who has and doth go about as a Roaring Lyon seeking how he may ensnare and devour those who are in any measure escaping out of his Wayes of Death and Destruction The utter End and final Destruction of all false Professions Prophesied which have had their Rise in the Night of Apostacy through the Loss of the Ancient Eternal Power of the Mighty God by which the Gatherings to the Lord have been through Ages and Generations Also a Call in the tender Bowels of the Love of God shed abroad in this Day Age and Generation to all the scattered Sheep upon the barren Mountains of Profession to return to the true Shepherd Christ Jesus that so into the One Fold they may be gathered Charles Marshall Go through go through the Gates prepare ye the Way of the People cast up cast up the High Way gather out the Stones lift up a Standard for the People Behold the Lord has proclaimed unto the End of the World say ye to the Daughter of Sion Behold thy Salvation cometh behold his Reward is with him and his Work before him Isa 42.10 11. Printed in the Year 1674. To the READER BE serious when thou takest in hand to read this following Treatise and have a single Regard unto the inward Estate of thy Immortal Soul and let thy Spirit bow down to the Measure of the Spirit of God given thee to profit withal that by it the Eye of thy Understanding may be opened so wilt thou see the things herein contained which concern thy own Eternal Welfare and let not thy own Thoughts and Imaginations in the Wisdom from below which is sensual and earthly be Judge herein but stand still out of thy own Comprehendings Ascendings and Descendings and let a true and diligent Regard be had to the Word in thy Heart and Mouth there placed that thou mayst obey it and do it so will thy Heart be truly opened to read with Delight the Things herein opened by the Spirit of Truth which searches all things yea the deep things of God and the Travel in Spirit which is for the opening the Eyes of the Blind and unstopping of the Ears of the Deaf will be answered and the Lord God Almighty will have his Honour from his own Workmanship and thou the Benefit which is the Desire Travil and Breathings of him who is a Traveller for Sion's perfect Deliverance Bristol the 7th of the 2d Moneth in the Year 1673. C. M. THE Way of Life REVEALED AND THE WAY of DEATH DISCOVERED c. IN the beginning God created the Heaven and the Earth and after he had made all things on the Earth he made Man in his own Image formed him of the Dust of the Ground and breathed into him the Breath of Life and Man became a Living Soul and the Lord planted a Garden in Eden and there he placed the man whom he had formed and out of the Ground the Lord God made every Tree pleasant to the Sight good for Food to grow the Tree of Life also in the midst of the Garden and the Tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil And he that made man in this Estate gave him a Law to preserve him therein as the Scripture of Truth witnesseth saying And the Lord God commanded the man saying Of every Tree in the Garden thou mayst freely eat but of the Tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil thou mayst not eat for in the day thou eatest thereof thou shalt surely dye Now God saw every thing that he had made and behold it was very good the Tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil was good but not for Food And man was indued with that Divine Wisdom that when the Lord God brought of every Beast of the Field and Fowl of the Air to Adam he gave Names unto them and whatsoever Adam called every living Creature that was the Name thereof So here was man's Station in the Image of God a Living Soul a Noble Plant wholely a Right Seed filled with Divine Wisdom and Virtue cloathed with Innocency covered with Glory adorned with celestial Beauty in the continual Enjoyment of the Love and Favour of the Eternal Being of all Beings having his daily Conversation with him that made him no Death no Darkness no Sorrow no Occasion of Tears no Transgression no Knowledge of Evil dwelling in the Innocent Life it self placed in the Garden into which came the River out of Eden that watered it Oh blessed State Oh happy Condition Oh unexpressible Enjoyment undeclarable Beauty and Glory 'T is beyond the Tongue of Man to declare fully that blessed happy Estate of Joy Peace Virtue Purity Holiness Righteousness and Fruition of Life which man was in before he transgressed the Royal Law of God c. Man's Miserable Estate in the Fall BUt now he who kept not his first Habitation neither abode in the Truth envied man's Happiness in the Truth and therefore as a Serpent more subtil then any Beast of the Field which the Lord God had made came to the Woman who out of the Man was made and said Yea hath God said Ye shall not eat of every Tree of the Garden The Woman said We may eat of the Fruits of the Trees of the Garden but of the Fruit of the Tree which is in the midst of the Garden God hath said Ye shall not eat neither shall ye touch of it lest ye dye And the Serpent said to the Woman Ye shall not surely dye for God doth know that in the day ye eat thereof then your Eyes shall be opened and ye shall be as Gods knowing Good and Evil And here the Serpent got an Entrance And when the Woman mark saw that the Tree was good for Food and that it was pleasant to the Eyes and a Tree to be desired to make one Wise she took of the Fruit and did eat and gave also to her Husb and with her and he did eat and the Eyes mark of them both were opened Here the God of the World prevailed so as to open an Eye that saw Evil pleasant and to Blind the Eye in these Children of Disobedience that they should no longer behold the Glory of God c. And here they became naked having lost the Robe of Righteousness and Garment of Innocency and then made Aprons of Fig leaves to cover their Nakedness and they heard the Voice of the Lord God walking in the Cool of the Day and Adam and his Wise hid them elves from the Presence of the Lord God and the Lord God called unto Adam saying Where art thou And the Man said I heard thy Voice in the
unto whom be the Glory of his own Work forever and so here will be a growing and increasing until there is a coming into that pretious State and Image in which man was before he fell The By Pathes Crooked Wayes Wiles and Snares of the Enemy Discovered NOw when the Mind is turned to this Divine Heavenly Principle and that therein the Work of the Lord is begun which before is said is the bringing man into a Real Sensible Knowledge of his State and Condition then will the same Destroyer that brought man into Bondage at first and hath kept him in Bondage begin to work cunningly and every way endeavour to destroy the Work of God begun in the Soul and that he may accomplish his End he will go about every way seeking an Entrance and will lay his Temptations suitable to the Propensity or Inclinations of the Creature If the Heart and Mind be bowed down under the weighty Sence of Iniquity the Sins committed coming in order and the many Transgressions in sight through which the Sorrow and Bitterness is great here the Enemy will work in his Transformings and although in Appearance like the Light yet in Nature contrary thereto For albeit the Light and Appearance of God gives the certain Vnderstanding of the inward State and brings Sorrow because of Sir and shews the Mountain of Iniquity and the exalted Hills of Transgression yet its Workings inwardly beget a secret Hope of Overcoming by the Lord's Strength but then the Enemy when he seeth the Soul bewed down as aforesaid oftentimes afflicteth and brings down the Mind into Vnbelief of ever Overcoming thereby endeavouring to sink the Soul down into Despair knowing if he overcomes he still keeps under his Power although in another Appearance but all that are exercised on this kind waiting on the Lord singly with the Mind stayed in the Light this Snare will be discovered for as I said although the true Appearance of God's Heavenly Light and Grace brings a Day of Trouble Sorrow and Anguish yet that Sorrow it not a Sorrow without Hope but the Enemy's Working is to bring into a Sorrow Trouble and Anguish without Hope and to draw down the Spirit into the Chambers of Darkness where there is no order But now when the Enemy of the Soul's Peace is discovered in this his Working and the Heart and Soul through the Love and Power of God is comforted incouraged and refreshed and raised up into a Measure of the Living Hope Satisfaction and Content then the old crooked subtil Serpent endeavours to lead from off the inward daily Travail that so Judgment may not be brought forth into Victory and so draw up the Mind into a False Perswasion of Obedience and Diligeuce whenas there is not an Abiding in that which gives a true Sight and Sence of the State and Condition And as before he would have destroyed the Hope that is an Anchor sure and stedfast so now on the other hand he would beget a Fasle Hope and Confidence and so bring out of the Daily Cross through which the Nature which hath alienated from God should be destroyed And if the Workings of the Enemy be seen and overcome in both these Wiles and Snares on the Right Hand and on the Lest and that the Work prospereth even until much be subjected and that through the daily Obedience to the Heavenly Power much is slain and that the Heart and Mind comes in a good measure to be cleansed and that in pure Obedience and constant Faithfulness in this Light of Righteousness a good Progress is made through the Administration of Condemnation that is Glorious in its time and that something of pure Peace and heavenly Joy springs and arises in the Heart and Soul here again the Enemy will be subtilly at work to betray and lead aside in perswading to sit down now as if all were done and so lead out from the feeding on the Tree of Life to feed on the Tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil and so lead out into a Liberty to break the Commandment of the Lord and here at first subtilly and cunningly draws the Mind out so far as to take a little Liberty and draws the Mind somewhat from that diligent Watchfulness Dread Fear and Awe it was in before in the inward Travail of Spirit And here if the destroying subtil Enemy can but prevail a little he will lead out of the Innocent Harmleis Life and so gradually lead a little forth and so by degrees openeth an Eye that may see something in the outward visible things that may somewhat affect the Mind and as here he prevails and causeth his Work to prosper which he doth subtilly gradually and hiddenly the Eye that was opened comes again through Disobedience to be in some meature blinded and here Loss is sustained even before the Unwatchful is aware And so the Working of the Enemy first is to cause such to make Shipwrack of Faith in a little measure that is not to have the daily Belief to stand in the Power the daily Injoyment of which coming to be left by degrees there will then be a Turning from the Power of Godliness into the Form thereof And although at sometimes the Eternal Power of the Lord God may be felt in this Estate yet there being not a daily feeling after it the Injoyment thereof as to true Refreshment Consolation comes to be lost an Image comes up in its place and the Enemy provides and presents some Object or Objects so to take up the Mind as that by degrees he may enter in and defile the Mind and draw it out from its true Guide so as also to make Shipwrack of a good Conscience And now if the Enemy be discovered in these his Workings before he can so effect his Work as to bring Death and Darkness over again and that the Power of the Lord breaks his Snares and gives a true weighty Sence thereof through which Trouble and Anguish of Spirit comes here he will again transform and begin to work as in the beginning of the Work like the Condemning Power of the Lord endeavouring to lead the Mind down into Despair of ever recovering again into the Former Condition and hereby endeavour to draw the Mind to look at him that hath stung that so the Remedy the Soul-Ransoming Power of the Lord may not be felt after nor looked at but here as there is a true Regard to the Lord and a waiting upon him in the Way of his Judgments having the Faith and Confidence to stand in his Power the Backsliding will be heaâ—ed and returning and diligently keeping in the Light the Power of the Lord God Almighty will work over that which hath Hurt and endeavoured like a Rearing Lyon to destroy c. and so leads on the Way again But when Deliverance is known again from this deadly Snare and the Work again goes on prosperously until the House be swept and garnished and there is a Passage
known and witnessed from Death unto Life and the Administration of Condemnation being passed through and the Spirit that ruled in the disobedient Estate cast out and the Openings of that which doth exceed in Glory the Administration of the Spirit being known here the Enemy will again Transform and with all his Power and Strength in the Transformation as an Angel of Light work by his Temptation on the Right Hand and on the Left For when there are Openings to the Understanding and Prophecies and through the Working of the Eternal Power Joy springs in the Heart then will the Enemy work secretly and cunningly to draw the Mind out of the Valley of Humility and if he prevaileth here to draw out of this Habitation of Safety then he will transform to lead the Mind out eitchr through the Motions of his transforming Spirit and Power into Extreams thereby endeavouring to destroy the true Birth which is bringing forth and so bewilder the Mind and hurry it forth through imaginary Motions to Dishonour the Name of the Living Eternal God and to destroy his work which through Sorrow and Travil hath been brought forth And if he cannot prevail here but the Light of the Lord discovereth him and the Power of the Lord works over his Appearance herein then will he be at work to draw the Mind out of the Watchfulness out of the daily Awe and Fear and out of the Liberty of the Sons of God which Libeity is only to serve the Lord for Dominion being selt in some measure the Morning of Comfort Consolation injoyed and Praises spring in the Heart to him that vifited and redeemed the Enemy will be ready here also to draw the Mind out of the Valley of Humility out of the stay'd Estate of Meek and Constant Watchfulness in the Light thereby causing the Creature prodigally to spend the Portion and to lavish out the Injoyment by running and climing up to sacrifice upon the Mountains and run before the Leadings Guidings and Movings of the Power of the Lord into the speaking forth of the Injoyment the Prophecyings and Openings not being led thereunto by that Eternal Power that first opened the Heart and here is the Ground of the Untimely Birth that hath been brought forth that hath and will wicher and come to nothing But now where the Enemy is seen and discovered in all the aforesaid Workings and cannot prevail by these Snares Trapps Gins and Ternptations aforesaid he will not cease who goes about on a Roaring Lyon seeking whom he may devour and how he may again get an Entrance so that he layes his Temptations according to the Spirit Growth Capacities and Inclinations of every one Now after the good Work of God has been begun prosperously and that the Right Arm of God's Salvation hath been wonderfully revealed and signally manifest to bring out of Egypt's Land of Darkness spiritually and that the Lord hath magnified his Arm spiritually in giving many signal Deliverances from the Destroying Enemy and has often fed with the Heavenly Food and caused the Rock to yield Water for the Thirsty and that the many Turnings aside in the Passage through the Wilderness have been seen and the Back-slidings and Going out from a Sence of the Eternal Power have been discovered that there is a coming through the River of Judgment and the Mighty Power and Arm of the Everlasting God drives out the Enemy that hath inhabited where only Abraham's Seed is to inhabit and that the War in great measure ceaseth and part of the good Land is possessed and enjoyed even the Land that floweth with Spiritual Milk and Honey and the Fruit of the Vine drunk of here also as in the Travils afore-mention'd will the old crooked subtil Enemy be working as he did with outward Israel causing Jesurun to wax fat and then kick against the Ancient Power leading the Mind out through the Injoyment of that which in its place is good into ease and so to forget the Lord that made formed man and brought him into the Land of Rest and lightly to esteem of the very Rock of Salvation and so leadeth into an easeful State in a Profession and draws away the Mind from the inward Enjoyment of Virtue to set up Idols in the Heart and to serve other Gods even Gods of Gold and Silver and an Idol a Profession without Life and Possession And into this State and Condition did the old Enemy prevail to lead a People who in many Ages had seen the Great and Mighty Works of the Lord who saw from time to time the Arm of God Almighty out-stretched and magnified in the Sight of their Enemies for them howbeit as aforesaid they departed from the Lord and from the inward Sence of his eternal Power Now here the Spirit that was cast out and wandred in dry Places takes to it Seven worse Spirits and returns tempts prevails enters and here indeed the Latter-end sâ— worse then the Beginning for in the Beginning although the Enemy had his Power and Rule yet there was a Sence thereof and the Heart and Mind was humbled tender and brought into the true Poverty and there was a Mourning before the Lord for want of the Dominion and this State of Humiliation Brokenness of Heart and Tenderness of Spirit in which the Lord took and taketh Delight and therefore in his endless boundless Loving-kindness visited caus'd his red â—ming saving Power Arm to be reveal'd But now in this other Estate the Mind is high the Heart fat full and at ease and gotten forth into the Love of the World and the things there 〈◊〉 through which there is an Vamindfulness of the Lord who in the beginning was every day sought after and diligently waited for and here the Rock the Power is lightly esteemed of for the Escimation is of another thing and here two great Evils are committed even at once viz. The Fountain of the former living Mercies forsaken a hewing out broken Cisterns a Profession that will hold no Water no durable Refreshment no durable Joy no durable Peage nor Consolation And the Enemy hath thus prevailed through many Ages to bring Thousands from their Enjoyment of God in the pure tender broken contrite upright-spirited Estate which he hath doth effect through his Workings and Subtilty and that gradually his first Foot-step hereunto is to bring out of the constant daily sure Watchfulness and causing a little Liberty to be taken to the carnal Mind and to the Flesh and that gradually and as it were unperceivably causing such to take down as it were a Taste a certain Enjoyment of Sweetness therein and thereby a little darkning the Sight alluring a little into a little more Liberty sometimes his Beginnings are to draw out of the Obedience in those things that were required in the Day of Small things sometimes into many Words out of Watchfulness no more to be as a Door-keeper in the House of the Lord and so