for his use and please the Creature himself rather than God that made him and by whom he lived which Nature respected himself beyond that pure Nature which is of God given in to him by which the Creation of God was to be preserved in its order according as it is written in the Church of God The head of the woman is the man the head of the man is Christ the head of Christ is God Which Church is in Man as it is written Ye are the Temples of the living God Now the woman being the silliest and weakest part also that which desireth most to be dallying with such things in which it might take delight lest she should defile her self and dishonour her head the man by alluring of him to commit Fornication with her she is to be kept in subjection by him as he is taught by the Word which Word Christ the Light of Life is given to declare what the will of God is but man having given way to the weaker being she is become the Head and Ruler of all it was pleasant and she desired and that caused the Man to taste for he willed and that caused the Sun to be darkned his light which was given to discover the will of God to be clouded by the begotten will of man yielding subjection to weakness Now the Sun being darkned could not answer the end for which it was given so the will of God became lost by and unknown to man he having created to himself an Image falls down and worships it by a continual slavery to the things of this world serving divers Gods and divers Lords by which he hath brought himself under the curse of God having slain the witnesses that were given in him from God Wherefore at the Resurrection the Book of Conscience should be opened out of which the witnesses should be raised to life and so man by whom they were slain should by them receive condemnation but such who bare testimony of the first Resurrection which is man being subjected unto that which shewed him any sin the true and faithful witnesses would be raised to life by which he might see the least sin and they ruling in him here should be the justifier of him hereafter the second death having no power Again it was further understood that man in his own will by his own wisdom his minde being driven out into the Earth forth of Paradise into slavery by the flaming Swords of those Spirits sent from God seeking after Knowledge begets in himself Children of Fornication from whence proceedeth divers Languages Babylon being built up in him by which confusion he is acted to do those Services required by the Whorish Woman that well-favoured and beautified Harlot whose Ornaments appeared glorious and bespangled with those Jewels that had the greatest Glister whose brightness was transcendent for Purity by which they appeared excellent to all the spectators All which being but as a gilded Picture without substance even as Wind carrying the minds of men to and fro by their airy imagination giving them to believe that it is the Spirit of God though abstracted from the diversity of Languages proceeding from those Beings or Children of Fornication begotten in him by himself through the Allurements of the Whorish woman So man being thus darkned in his understanding what is fancied or supposed to be true by that which desireth Knowledge in him because he hath lost his savory discerning he buildeth upon it as confident and so the weakness in him and his own imagination is judged by him to be the Spirit of God Now man being exalted into such a high degree by the pride of his own heart and not resting contented in that place which he was Created in by God he thereby brought Condemnation upon himself and this was done by every particular man being acted by and made subject to those things which he was made by right of Creation Lord of Here man being led forth in a subjection to vanity his Food is a vapour or dust not able to keep life therefore no remedy having corrupted himself with an incurable Disease he must die he must die except by a subjection to the teachings of that Law written in the heart Christ be raised from the dead there to live and reign in Righteousness and true Judgement as at the beginning and so having purchased an everlasting inheritance through a perfect Obedience there is no death of that possession I Shall now declare divers of those effects which this Change wrought in and upon me At my first entrance into this way before I came to a right understanding of what was true Said they Having owned the Truth ye need not that Man teach you any more if you never see our faces again there is that in you by which you may be taught Which was taken to be the Life the holy Seed of God raised out of Death by that which was spoken from the Life in them So immediately in the Observation of them though confidently supposed it was by a Command from the Life in me I became subjected to divers Ceremonies As not to Master any man Not to pull off the Hat to any man Not to speak the word You but instead thereof Thee and Thou Not to use any Complements or Greetings to any believing That Bowing to a man was a Worshipping of him Not to direct my Minde in Drinking to any as familiarly is used amongst Friends c. Also by the same perswasion was I wrought upon to pull off those Points I wore at my Knees my Bandstrings Hatband Buttons that I judged were unnecessary on my Coat some of which I brake to pieces and threw away others I made a speedy disposal of with many other things burned divers Books that were Divinity judging that they were what was spoken from the teachings of the Devil in those that write them some made away others brake in pieces and threw away Having a business in my Charge the Redeeming part of an Estate for my Mother lately lost by the death of my Father which thing was very fairly proceeded in and very possibly in a short to have been effected amongst other of those seduced perswasions which subtilly under a pretence of self-denial accomplished its ends upon me I was engaged effectually prevailed upon utterly to withdraw from this business by which now my Mother and many little ones lieth much under the sufferings of my deserted obedience but the workings of this power was so predominant upon my Spirit that I refused the least acknowledgement much less performance of duty to any Now In my former prosecuting of this business having disposed of what Moneys I was provided with for the charges of my proceedings and being necessarily enforced I adventured though unwarrantably for my present supply without consent to take the sum of 40 s. about me in case I should have had occasion to make use thereof before I received any return from my Relations being
that it required I could not be redeemed and since that the Truth was made manifest if disobeyed no remedy I should be eternally damned Wherefore as I respected my Salvation this Redeemer was to work me and to dispose of me according to his will and whatever I willed was not to be done but to be crossed by my being subject to this Redeemer Upon which there arose a great Controversie in my Spirit of what stood in the will of man and what did not said one Spirit This is in the will when it was not on the contrary said another Spirit as to the same thing this is not in the will and so through fear I should always yield a subjection unto that Spirit by which I was limited and brought under bondage to do many things in my will against my will whereupon I became a destroyer of the will of God as touching that Liberty which was allowed me in the use of my Members either to speak or to act also in the use of those Creatures made for the service of Man and so as those former weaknesses which reigned in me through the darkness of my understanding came to be destroyed my understanding being not then well enlighened greater weaknesses as to the not enjoyment of my self did arise also as one imaginary being in me came to be overthrown there was begotten the like Being in another shape and by it was I wrought upon to believe many things by me undeniable and also led forth and acted from one thing unto another according to what followeth So believing that what was manifested of God in man was the Light of Life which was one with himself as it is written I and my Father are one by which was given unto Man a savory discerning of what was Good and what was Evil what was darknesse which darknesse was to be expelled by this light there remained therefore nothing for the Man to do but to stand in the Will of that which was pure in him and so by it he became a Judge of what impurity or the Law of Sin would act him in which sin the occasion of Death was to be swallowed up in victory that so only the light of life which is innocent might live there being nothing in Man for Death even as a King over-ruling all in subjection unto himself Whereupon was concluded that Man was the Cause of all this distraction and confusion in himself and so abstracted from this confusion was that being which made an appearance of holinesse in the minds of all professed religious People subjected under divers Forms Ordinances and Ceremonies which is a vapour it self and must die as the Ordinances were shaddows and are ceased but Man having lost the kernel the substance which giveth nourishment and satisfies he feedeth upon the dry husk and being not refreshed with the true Bread and Water of Life he remaineth alwaies seeking and never comes to know what is true alwaies feeding and never satisfied until he comes to understand where the Bread of Life is to be found which is in himself according as it is written I in them and thou in me that they may be made perfect in one and so eternal life living in us there needs no more thirst there needs no more hunger after Knowledge this is eternal life to know God and Jesus Christ whom thou hast sent But since there is much Mysterie recorded in Scripture it is concluded that the knowledge of those Mysteries is to know the Will of Christ and so the way to salvation yea it is believed that the knowledge of the Scriptures is to know God and Christ though it is spoken concerning Christ I am the Way the Truth and the Life And again it is written the Word is nigh you in the mouth and in the heart so that the Way the Truth and the Life is in us that which giveth Salvation But saith * Judas 's love being removed from Christ by the seducements of the Deceiver his understanding became lost and so his minde was driven out from God into the Earth Judas How is it that thou wilt manifest thy self unto us and not unto the World But this Conclusion also proceeds from the evil one transformed in Man he being scattered very confused and darkned in his understanding covered as with a vail and so Satan as an Angel of Light moveth and leadeth forth to divers Duties which are his own for the upholding of his Reign in Man Also feeds Man with Wisdom and variety of pleasant Language called Gifts in performances for the upholding of his Duties by which sin being shaded over he is justified many being called failings but perfection is not to be attained in this life but in another life hereafter though it is written Except Christ be in you ye are Reprobates having rent the garments of righteousness ye are acursed being hipped up above the Truth and trampling the Blood of the Covenant the life of the Innocent in the dust so that if the Author and Finisher of our Faith be living in us there is perfection but if not perfection is not faithfulness being ceased Now the World was understood to be the Garden of Eden in which Man was placed at the first and still is and the Trees of this Garden all living beings proceeding out of the Earth living in and upon the Earth all which having their being of God the life of all things by somwhat of himself that proceedeth forth of the Earth God the Life who created all the Life from whence is received the increase of all It was also understood that Paradise was in Man where his delight should be where his minde should be stayed at unity with God who made choice to take up his Habitation and abode there himself with his increase the Family of Love and beloved Ones who were to be kept nourished and refreshed by Man 's living obedient unto the will of God in the same simplicity of Love and so at unity with this Family of Love the Seed of Israel Then was this understood to be the state in which all men were created and is now also the cause of his fall All men were made of nothing and still are as one Generation passeth away another Generation succeedeth by God the Author of all and so as one increase by him was brought to their end another increase was produced forth of himself according as it is written I kill and I make alive Therefore in the first Creation of Men they were made pure and holy without sin in the likeness of that God who was their Maker perfect for where no sin was there was perfection But Man when he came into a growth in the World he saw the excellency of that Provision of that Fruit prepared of God to be a nourishment or refreshment for him he began of himself by hearkening to the weaker being in him the fleshly minde to be discontented with that allowance which was sufficient
far distant from London But a short instant following being perswaded in this way as I was restrained from proceeding in this business so also I was engaged to make known what I had done otherwise than I intended which was privily to restore it as I had taken it forth which I did restoring the same which I had received not having made any use thereof Now amongst other things which this change of minde wrought in and upon me and by which first I became famous in the general discourse of men especially amongst those of whom I was known this business was a chief by which through the not understanding of the thing divers conclusions have been conceived otherwise than the Truth by which many abusive reproaches have been unjustly cast upon me but what I speak cannot in the least be gain-said known unto those whom it did concern A short time after my compliance with that Spirit which entred in me by the observation of their practice declared to be from the teachings of the Spirit Christ in them My Master having been at the Wells came home so out of that respect I had to what was good in him and also that love I bare towards his eternal rest with God I was moved to go to him presently and inform him of my Restoration from the depth of those delusions which I was serviceable in by the ministery of those Teachers who were blinded in their understanding not knowing the mystery of godliness upon which I really supposed that he would have been prevailed upon by me to frequent our Meetings that if may be the same Ministery spoken from the Life by which the Life was raised in me might effect the same end in him unto his Salvation so coming to him I wrote a Scroll took him by the Arm or Cloak and bade him Sit down William Web not bowing not pulling off the hat not Master for then I denied that title to him though related to him a Servant as afterwards I denied all relations from the words of one He that liveth in the Light will see no difference after which I spake these words How does thy body do for as may be observed we made a separation between the Body and the Spirit Now the observation of my carriage with the strangeness of that expression Body moved him to speak these words John what is the matter where is the Servant's Obedience where is the Master's honour The answer as I remember was thus ' My Master was the faithful Spirit in me So I gave him to understand That I had heard the Ministers of the everlasting Gospel by whom I was converted to the faithful obedience by which I should finde Life desiring of him as he respected his eternal happiness to come amongst us that so what is true might be made manifest to and in him For said I from the Lord do I declare that all the Ministers of these times or that were not of us are the Ministers of the Devil and in particular Feak that Minister whom he heard was of the Devil whose Ministery was Death So being stopped by much dislike in him of what was spoken I was dismissed by him at that time A while after this when he and his Company were at Dinner I was moved by that Spirit in me to go and Dine w th them now because it was against my will I concluded that this moving was indeed from the Lord which service was intended by the Lord to make known unto him that he willed there should be no Difference between Man and Man So I went into the Room where he was took me a Stool and sate down at the Head of the Table which being done I applied my Minde to my Business Then was asked me some Questions forth of the Scripture concerning the Duty of the Servant which was Answered in the justifying of my self as to that Deed giving him to know That I was the Servant of the living God and he was not therefore I had more right unto the Greatures than he had So having finished my work I departed Now I was with exceeding love out of respect unto my eternal Salvation formerly fixed with a resolution to be taught by the Light in me and so never to sin any more upon which I became very punctual in every word and every Deed Also having received a strict Charge with the rest That nothing should be Spoken or Acted but what might be eternally witnessed whereupon when any Customers came to deal with me I durst not ask them What they wanted believing that those Words could not be eternally witnessed for they knew what they came for Then when that was required which they came for I durst not make in the price of it but one word and if by them tempted to more because of what was expected of advantage to themselves by a cheaper Rate I should be provoked to look sternly with wrath and envie out of the extream hatred I bare towards that Spirit which moved them to speak more than was needful and so by this and that Spirit by which I was limited to those words Thee and Thou and not pulling off my Hat without any civil respect in my Carriage I was made unfit for that Service by which was intended a way for my livelihood Also divers of those Commodities we dealt in having honourable Names and other having such Names which I judged were not meet I was commanded and enjoyned by this Spirit in me to give unto them fresh Names believing that those Names did proceed from the invention of Man and they stood in the Fall as did every thing that was invented and made by Man and so used by Man that was not absolute necessary Also it was believed that all those things before spoken of which I was limited from stood in the will of Man and they came in the Fall I was farther perswaded not to eate any thing that I loved believing that what did set a Difference of any Creature stood in the Will for he looked upon all things and behold it was good therefore it was of Man that gave a respect to any thing above other so by degrees at the last I was wrought upon to eat nothing but Crums pickings of Bones when finished by others with such Food that was destructive to my health it being contrary to pure Nature Also I was limited from eating of the Creature what was needful to the satisfying of Nature so that I was made extream poor so changed as though I were not the same man fasting some weeks from eating little more than Nature would have required to eat in one day Going along Cheap-side I saw Cabbage-stocks with broken leaves of Colworts which were thrown away by the Market-women at which sight I was enjoyned by a command of this Spirit in me to gather them all up and carry them home which being done I was commanded in the like nature to dress them and the next food I
a Fire should be kindled now being confident I should effect the vvork yea had I been Master of the vvhole world I should have ventured all vvith a value of no vvorth upon the performance of this Deed having laid all things in their order as directed by that Spirit which moved me to the work I was moved to blow with my mouth but in short blow I did try one way then another way and blowed as strong that possible I could expecting still that from my Life the Lord there should heat proceed with my breath to the lightning of the fire but in the end not being able to effect the thing I was extreamly troubled that I the Christ of God should fail in the performance of the first miracle since so many miracles were wrought by him that was a figure of me Then went I private into the Cellar and there hearkned to within my self for a command from the Spirit in me to desire the apparitions which being given they were desired and so came Then was made known unto them how imperfect my performance was in that Service required of me Upon which was answered That I was not yet perfect but however it was the purpose of God that I should be serviceable in the healing of the lame the sick the blinde c. souls as Christ did heal the imperfect parts of the visible body and that all the visible miracles wrought by him did signifie what was to be effected miraculous in the invisible part of every man that should be saved by my Doctrine and so they departed Seldom a night after this for about a week but I staid up most part of all the night and divers strange things effected by me or those apparitions every night so that having destroyed the course of nature so much in not taking of rest that for a time following when I came to have liberty to rest I could not though never so desired Once when striving strugling mounting flinging and throwing in a contest against sleep I was immediately taken by the power of that Spirit in me and cast up against the wall and when setled upright and closed to the wall there was infused in me such a fresh supply of life like unto a mighty startle that all drowziness was destroyed and I was a fresh as could be The day following this night was the first day of the week so betimes in the morning I was moved to go to the place of our Meeting and there wait until the time of meeting and as it was usual not purposing to come home till the evening and also much necessitated I was moved to eat before I went so having cut a piece of Bread about a fourth part of a peny-loaf I began to eat but when having eaten about half I was commanded to eat no more but lay the rest by till the next day so it being undeniable by me I did obey and it was my food the following day Then did I make to the Meeting where I spent my time while the people were gathered together in which time as I was walking in the Garden a Fly flew in my face which thing being observed I was moved to examine what it should mean so by the counsel of this Spirit in me I was confidently perswaded that it was a Messenger from God the Life in him being believed to be of God and from that life was he moved to flie in my face by which was meant a giving me to understand something that was required of me by God From that time was I guided by Flyes in many things being very certain that they were moved by God in them to make known what was his will to me Then vvhen the Company came I vvas commanded to shevv a humility in me beyond any of theirs as Christ did shevv a humility in him beyond any of his Apostles Whereupon I vvas commanded to pull off my Band and then vvas I moved to make knovvn unto the people the order that God required in the Creation vvhich vvas to gatheir up the small sticks that vvere scattered in the Garden and lay them by themselves and the dry leaves that vvere under the Trees by themselves and the small stones that vvere scattered in the Walks by themselves and the pieces of Brick as I remember if not some such-like by themselves Now in the time of this service I gave over sometimes by the perswasion of divers Friends but when given over I should be commanded by the first Fly that I saw to the service again Afterwards being observed by one who was a Chief of us he came to me and took me by the hand perswading me to give over and go along with him and hear what was spoken by him that was speaking to the people so I gave over Then when the time of our being there was ended it was also required by him that I should go with him where he intended to spend his time till the Afternoon which I did but in the way as we were going I was mov'd to gather up stones as before and as I was gathering I saw two white round stones lie one by the other at which sight I was possessed with a confident belief by the information of this Spirit in me that those stones came from Heaven and it was given unto me to finde them then was my minde informed by that in me that the one signified Esau and the other Jacob so I was moved to throw the greatest of them away and onely preserve the lesser it was also given me to understand that this lesser did not onely signifie Iacob but the white Stone spoken of in the Revelations which was sent as a token from Christ in Heaven to me and so long as I kept that stone I had unity with God but if lost I should be dis-united So when we came to that place we intended to go which was a Garden-house we sate down in the Garden but after a time I was moved to do the former work again where I gathered up stones and coles sticks and broken corkes or what I saw scattered on the ground So by and by comes into the Garden one whom I much loved that was of us and looking him in the face I was confident in my self I saw death in him upon which as I remember I told him that he was accursed from God seeing of him much changed I was really perswaded by this Spirit in me that he had slain the Witness and there was no remedy he must die eternally the plagues of God would be poured forth upon him in this life and in the life to come A short time after this as I was at rest about mid-night in a slumber between sleep and wake I saw a vision of Spirits in the room by which I was startled exceedingly and sate up being strongly moved to rise but being much drowsie and desirous of more sleep I lay down again and fell asleep presently and then into a
dream that the Chamber-floor sunk under me and that I was loosed down upon those boards that sunk under me through the boards of every Chamber till I came into the Cellar which is five stories high upon which I waked and sate still a little instant then was I taken with a strange fancy that the bed was sinking under me upon which I moved my body and in moving I was possessed with a fierce command by the Being in me to rise and make all the speed that possible I could into the Kitchin which being done I was guided by the power of that in me to turn round and in turning round I saw a light playing upon the wall at which sight I was moved to stand still and look stedfastly upon it so as I stood looking upon it it ceased then was I possessed with a great fear not knowing what that signified but since I conceived the occasion was the brightness of the fire and in the time of this fear going to sit down I was moved to stand immediately upon which I was taken with the sight of Linens that lay a soaking in water intended by the Maids as a preparative in order to the cleansing of them so I was moved to look as stedfast upon them that possible I could upon which there came a speedy command from this Being in me that I should lay them in a better order than they were with this information that God is the God of order and remembring that Christ denied not the least service willed of his Father I was the more speedier subjected to the obedience of this moving so the readiness of my will to that service required was accepted of as though the deed had been effected and I was set free immediate upon which I was guided to look stedfast upon another object which was not in that order as I judged it should have been then the like command as before injoyned me that I should effect that service which related to the order of those things though far more different from that business properly doth respect a man than the former but in regard of my speedy condescention to the business I was freed from the performance as before then was I moved to fit down and look stedfastly in the blaze of the Candle in expectation to be directed in some service by the moving of the blaze to and fro or by the sparkles that proceeded forth of it so the blaze of the Candle moved to and fro and the sparks were many but being not able to apprehend what the meaning of the Life should be by which it was moved to and fro and occasioned to sparkle I was tormented in my self and stamped and flew up and down the room like a mad man By and by when a little quieted I came to the fire-side and was moved to look in the fire in expectation to receive some directions to service by the flame or sparks of the fire so after a time being tired by looking in the fire I cast my eyes upwards and seeing something swim upon a great Kettle of water over the fire I was taken at the fight thereof to see what it was and as I stood looking upon the water I was possessed with a command from that Spirit in me upon the account of Salvation that I should put my right hand in the pan of hot water giving me to know that the heat thereof should not seise upon me but through fear standing a little instant before I performed the command as in the twinkling of an eye I cast my sight off the water and seeing something as I conceived falling towards the ground I looked back again to see what it was and found it to be a black thing like unto a great Fly which then I took to be a Fly whereupon I was taken from the former Service and Commanded by that in me to look as fierce as possible I could upon that Fly then was Lenjoyned by the same being in me to hold my right Leg to the Fire and observe strictly the direction of that Fly to the burning of it so the Fly moved from the same place it was and stood upon the Harth above a quarter of a yard off the Fire Now this perswasion being firmly wrought in me That did I not Obey this Command I should be eternally damned I went speedily close to the Fire and there held my Right Leg with both my Hands the same distance off the Fire as it stood so the Fly began its work thus moving somtimes neerer the Fire somtimes farther off somtimes turning the one side somtimes the other somtimes round and so to the same place again c. So by the strength of that Command in me was I made plyable to guide my Leg in the imitation of every moving by the Fly And having spent about a third part of an hour in this Service all which time very sensible of the heat that proceeded from the Fire burning in my Leg in turning round by the direction of the Fly I lost the sight of him and then was I freed to go from the Fire Afterward it was made known unto me by that in me That this was the other of the two Plagues Then going to see what work was made by the Fire in my Leg I was taken with a strong perswasion That the same Spirit in me by whom I was moved to burn it would by the power of himself heal it so that for several dayes I durst not make it known to any man though it was burned from the Knee to the Foot and then was the time come of my Perfection as was made known to me by the Apparitions so about noon of the same day being about my imployment I was moved to give over but not obeying the motion present there came divers Flyes and rested upon that Business I had in hand by which I was perswaded I had offended in not readily Obeying so having left my employment I was moved by the power of that in me to Wrastle and War with my self three times which I did like a mad distracted man and when it was done it was given me to understand that this was a preparation against my Suffering and it had a respect to that Agony which Christ was in before his Death Then was I moved to stand still and having stood a little instant I was directed by this Spirit To look about me and as I was looking I saw a Needle stuck in my Sleeve which Needle I was moved to take in my Hand and thrust both Ends through my two Thumbs which I did with what speed possibly I could first the one End to the Bone of the one Thumb and afterwards the other End to the Bone of the other Thumb and there being no passage for the Needle through the Bones the Needle was bent in the closing of my Thumbs together Then was I commanded speedily that I should stand upon a Box by the Wall about half
a yard off the Ground which being done I was directed to turn my Back to the Wall and spread my Hands one upon the other with the Needle remaining in my Thumbs so wide that I could and so lift my Arms over my Head and then to strain my Arms and Body as high as possible I could with the Backs of my Hands joyned to the Wall All which being done I was to liken a Death upon the Cross so I gave way to a Drouziness as though I was a dying and by and by I fell down upon the Ground as though dead But before I lay as in the Grave I was moved to spread over me Shavings of white Paper that lay by on the Floor by which was meant the Covering of me with white Sheets then to tye a Handkerchief about my Head so in regard of my speed and not heeding but making as though I were dead in the tying of my Handkerchief I tore much of my Hair off This being done I lay upon my Back minding nothing like as in a sleep and having lain there about three quarters of an hour in imitation of three dayes the time of Christs being in the Grave I was immediately by the power of that Spirit in me raised on my Feet and Commanded with all the speed that possibly I could to make to that place where the Ministers that were of us with divers more were and give them knowledge of what was done and then to make choice of some of them to be my Apostles and so speedily to go abroad into all the world and Preach the Gospel So I took my Cloak and ran forth in expectation to flie by the power of Michael the Archangel which was believed to be then in me according as before was promised but being then disappointed of Ability to flie I was much troubled upon which there came a special command that I should pull off my Shoes which I did instantly and turning my Cloak under my Arm I threw my Shoes in my Cloak and so made away with all the might I could and verily I am perswaded were I now to run for a Kingdom I could not make two thirds of that speed I did then Now the House being in Moor-fields and the path-way to the House being of a little compass I was caused to leap over the Railes and also run over much Linen that lay Whiting upon the Grass because of the fierceness of my speed So When I came to the place I gave them to understand That Christ meaning my self was Risen from the Dead c. shewing the Holes that were made in my Thumbs with the Needle upon which I was looked upon with a strange hasty look and charged to be silent for I was in Darkness the Witnesses of God were slain in me So there being many there and all of them judging me with one Consent I was silenced Upon which they spake lovingly to me and bad me to sit down and put on my Shoes which being done I made known unto them that my Leg was burned and the way by which it came to be burned then was there care taken by them for the healing of my leg but in regard it had been kept unknown before it was much corrupted and as I remember about a quarter of a year before it was cured much of which time I was constrained to keep my Bed and so not having the Liberty of my Body my Spirit was kept the stiller and the means of my Recovery out of that sad Condition which I was in was the more effectual Now being incensed by what was spoken from them and the strangeness of their Spirits towards what moved in me to speak or to act that I was in darkness the light by which I was enlightned being put out so that I had not a savory discerning of what was good and what was evil and also when seriously considering of divers actions which I was subjected to by the teachings of this Spirit that they were destructive to my being I was the more concerned in what was given me to understand by them Then was I in a sad condition not knowing what I should do that I might be redeemed from this body of sin and death So I was directed by them to wait a time and keep in my minde not giving heed unto any thing but what had a respect unto my necessary imployment which I endeavoured to do but could not for a time being so full of this Spirit by which I was tormented day and night through the strength of imagination upon things without me and also by the power of it self in me and many times with extream fiery burnings in my Spirit So in labouring to keep in my minde this Spirit in me came to be silenced in his motions and weakned of his strength by which his union with those Spirits without me was separated and so I was freed from their Company being resisted they flew away Now for a time this body of sin remained living in me by which I was tormented as before spoken and then being not fed with my service the strength of that Substance which is my Life having raised a war against him utterly destroyed burned up and confumed his whole Beings as is declared following About two months after it was given me to understand that I was in a delusion as I was going along the street I met one that was of us who told me That he had recieved a Letter forth of the Country from a Friend that was a Teacher so he asked me the Question Whether he were best to open it the next meeting which was on a private day or forbear until the first day so it was answered in the close of our discourse Do as thou wilt But when parted there was a voice spake in me saying Do as thou art moved which strongly tempted me to go back again and unspeak that word Wilt and place in the stead thereof Moved being perswaded that I had offended in speaking that word because the will of man was to be destroyed The next day being called to Dinner I refused in regard I had eat something that day before whereupon there arose in me an exceeding joy which I was not able to subdue the cause was conceived because of my obedience to the Pure in me The same day in the Afternoon going to a Meeting I was moved to eat two small Apples that I had in my pocket but first I waited a time that a patient gentle and pure Spirit might guide me in the eating of them then when going to eat them I was perswaded that two was too much at once believing that that Spirit which moved me to eat so much was a Devourer of the Creation so I resolved to eat but one and retain the other to dispose of to a Friend at the Meeting upon which there arose the like joy in me as before then did I conclude that surely the Lord was well pleased with me
understand That he did not witness a Command for the using of those Ceremonies though formerly in his own Will out of imitation they were practised by him but when he witnessed a Command then he should Obey Now being disquieted in regard of his perfect Separation from the Unity of Spirit which formerly he owned with us we parted at variance but after his departure being dissetled as touching them by what was spoken from him I went privately and examined with my self how I came to take them up and what it was that upheld their reign in me so finding that my will was the first cause I went to divers that were of us and contrary to my mind I held an Argument as though I owned those things which formerly with them I denied that I might learn from them what Reason or Ground they could declare to the destroying of my pretended Judgement so after examining the Scriptures much discourse I found not only some inclination of their Belief in respect of them but a real convincement in my self And so after a short time through the Mercy of God I came to see not onely a death of that extraordinary imaginary and devilish Spirit by which I was so extreamly deluded but also the weakness of that in me which through a Cloak of Righteousness debarred me of my living and conversing with men as I had done formerly in the way of my livelihood and now I affirm from the Truth of God manifested in me that through a slavish Fear that I was in bondage unto I was as others are kept in those Delusions and that there is no more sin in the not using of these Ceremonies than in the using of them provided that wisdom guides MUch time hath bin spent seriously in the Examination of every particular herein declared but the strangeness thereof might occasion many serious Minds to question the Truth of it but I solemnly affirm in the presence of the Eternal God before whom all things are manifest that with a clear Understanding in the sence of my Distress while under those Temptations and powers of Deceit I have endeavoured to make known the Truth in sincerity of Minde And the God of Truth beareth me witness That to my knowledge I lye not in any thing spoken also much of this might be justified by many Eye-Witnesses True it is matter of Admiration and also greatly might it be admired that the goodness of God should so far exceed the depths of Satan and the powers of Darkness as that the deceitful workings of this evil One should be made manifest and that by the discovery of his Grace through his abundant Love which alwayes rejoyceth in Mercy after so great an Apostacie from himself he should restore his own Heritage to the place of their abode and settle the Understanding the Minde and Affections of his lost Creature upon the Foundation-Rock which will abide when all things else must perish Praises to his Name for ever and all whose Mindes are united to the upright and faithful Obedience and staid therein let them say with me Amen Now since the Lord hath appeared so mightily towards me in restoring from the Death and in raising out from the Grave the Light of himself by which my Understanding is better established than before it may be judged acceptable and desirous to know what the Foundation of my Faith is now I say The Scriptures they do discover the Minde and Will of God and they are profitable to the edifying of all under what estare or condition soever but the Will of God is in part made manifest in all not only by what hath been learned from that Discovery of Truth in the Scriptures but where the Scriptures is not And by this invisible Law written in the Hearts of all Men are Men convinced of every secret Temptation which lusteth in them to evil if giving heed unto it and as this Law-giver in us is spiritual so that Ministration of Righteousness in us is spiritual and that Obedience which it requireth is in Spirit and in Truth by which those that give heed unto it are and may be guided out of all the Works of the Flesh above the Law into a possession of that Covenant which giveth Life and so witness a new Birth born of the Spirit without which there is no entrance into the Kingdom as saith the Scripture Except a Man be born again of Water and of the Spirit he cannot see the Kingdom of God and then will those Covenants be made manifest and fulfilled which saith Unto such who fear my Name shall the son of righteousness arise with healing in his wings and he shall turn the heart of the children to their fathers and the heart of the fathers to their children And ye shall be all taught of God from the greatest unto the least so that you need not say one to another Know the Lord. And I will write my law in their hearts and place my fear in their inward parts that they shall not depart from me c. Now where the righteousness of the Law is fulfilled there is God made manifest and so far as that Obedience which it requireth rules in man so far have they Unity with God But yet I do not say That the Scriptures are in the least to be disesteemed but great is the advantage of these who have them to assist in the wayes of God which guide to God For much was the profit of the Jews before the Gentiles in that the Oracles of God were committed unto them the Law the Prophets being made known to and amongst them which the Gentiles had not but now far greater is the benefit or if disobeyed the just Condemnation of those who have the Scriptures more plain to the edifying of them in the Way in the Truth in the Life which is of Christ and leads to himself than ever the Jews had before Christ was manifested in the world But surely greater deceit was never made manifest than is now the unclean thing having bewitched and darkned the Understandings of Men so mightily True it hath been his business alwayes to remove the Obedience required by God of Man and so disquiet their peaceable enjoyment that he might ingraft a rebellious Nature in or upon that Tree which God hath made on purpose to bring forth the Fruits of himself to make known his name in but now the subtilty of his workings are far more admired by them in whom he hath taken place than ever before for when before the will of God was so plainly discovered in the Scriptures to the view of the world as it hath been since Christ and the Apostles dayes much of that hold for his deceit which he hath now was not Those who lived by the Faith of the Son of God whose Habitation was with Christ in God who were exalted in heavenly places in Christ Jesus who witnessed Revelations in whom was established the Life of Righteousness that