respect of Gods Decree and Efficacy of his Death from the foundation of the world really and indeed suffer death or dissolution of Soul and Body as upon the Cross at Ierusalem more or oftner than once Answ. Here in this query thou Diviner art found adding to the Scripture thy divinations of thy own brain whereupon the plagues of God is to be added unto thee and poured upon thee for as thou sayst the Man Christ Jesus the Lamb of God slain in respect of Gods Decree and Efficacy of his Death from the Foundation of the World Oh thou Lyar let all people see where there is such a Scripture that speaks as thou speakst here but in the Light of Christ thou art seen and in the life comprehended and art for condemnation The man Christ Jesus we own and witness and the Lambs Book of Life which was slain from the Foundation of the world we witness the Lamb of God which takes away the sins of the world this we witness according to the Scripture praises praises eternal praises be to the Lord God for ever and thee to be the Beast that makes war with the Lamb we witness and thou Antichrist which looks at Christs death at Ierusalem alone and cannot confess him no otherwise but without thee here thou art but equal with the Pope of Rome for he confesseth Christ dyed at Ierusalem as well as thou so let all thy Congregation see what they hold up that follows thee 3. Quer. Whether did the man Christ ever really and indeed suffer in his own person for that end and after that manner which he did once upon the Cross at Ierusalem before the time or since the time Answ. Here thou full of all subtilty hast made manifest thy Poison and enmity but with the Light of Christ thou art seen and known and with it condemned for ever Christ Jesus in his own Person doth and ever did suffer by thee and such as thou art and by thy Generation he did suffer at Ierusalem and doth suffer where he is made manifest by you after the same manner and thou Blind-Pharisee and Blasphemer wouldst thou have Christ to have more ends in suffering then one 4 Quer. Whether was not that death which the man Christ suffered once and but once upon the Cross at Ierusalem so satisfactory for all the sins of the Elect as that the Iustice of God did not doth not since require any suffering or working upon that account either from Sinner or from Saint Answ. Here thou Jesuite art pleading again for a Christ far off thee according as thy Father doth at Rome That Christ that dyed at Ierusalem did not satisfie for thee who art an enemy to him and doth not abide in his Doctrine but acts contrary to his Commands and art under the wo which he cryed against them that were in the same steps where thou art and from that wo thou shalt never flee The death of the man Christ Jesus which suffered at Ierusalem we own and witness the same Christ that suffered at Ierusalem we witness made manifest and the one God and the one Mediator we witness and know betwixt God and man the Man Christ Jesus according to the Scripture And here thou Lyar art made manifest to all thy Congregation to be a Lyar who said amongst them that we denyed that Christ that died at Ierusalem so let them all be Witnesses of thy Lyes and let thy mouth be stopt thou Lyar who art for the Lake and whereas thou queries whether the justice of God be not satisfied for the sins of the Elect here let shame strike thee in the face that ever thou shouldst take upon thee to speak to any people and knowst not the Scripture where dost thou read in all the Scripture that God doth require satisfaction for the sins of the Elect or laid any thing to their charge let all people try thee here by the Scripture and see whether thou be not a blind ignorant Sot who doth not know what the Justice of God requires neither from Sinner nor from Saint Isa. 42. 1. Isa. 65. 9. 22. Luk. 18. 7. Rom. 8. 33. 5 Quer. Whether you are reconciled to God by any other obedience than that particular obedience which Christ performed in his own Person and is mentioned in the Scripture or by any other suffering or death than that which Christ once suffered upon the Cross at Ierusalem Answ. Silence flesh wouldst thou who art an Enemy to God and a child of disobedience in whom the Prince of the Air rules know how we are reconciled to God and by what obedience first own the Light in thy Conscience which condemns thee and be obedient to that and then thou shalt know by what obedience it is that we are reconciled to God for yet thou knowst no obedience nor the Death which Christ suffered upon the Cross thou dost not know but art an Enemy to the Cross of Christ and in the mystery of iniquity and in the dark power and man of sin what hast thou to do to talk of obedience who art reconciled to thy lust and sin reigns in thee and thou art blind in the broad way that leads to death as thy fruits makes it manifest who lives in strife and envy 6 Quer. Whether did not the Man Christ suffer as a publick Person in the Elects stead or in their behalf and for that end that none who believed in him might dye eternally Answ. There thou Blind-Guide makest many replys but still one and the same thing but thou makest it manifest that thou dost not know the man Christ at all nor his sufferings for that death reigns in thee yet that hath passed over all men that askes this query for a publick Person Christ is not to thee but a mystery which thou knowest nothing of and for the redeeming of the Elect from under such mouths as thine did and doth Christ suffer and those that are brought to believe deny such dumb Idol Shepherds as thee who as yet doth not believe and therefore shalt dye eternally except they repent 7 Quer. Whether the sufferings of Christ now in his Saints be all the satisfaction that is made to or which the justice of God looks for for sins past present and to come Answ. There thou Blasphemer askest thou knowest not what is not Christ the same now as ever and is not the sufferings of Christ satisfactory where ever What wilt thou have to satisfie if the sufferings of Christ do not satisfie let all people take notice what a Blasphemer thou art or what they can learn of such a one as thee who knowst neither the justice of God nor the sufferings of Christ in his Saints 8 Quer. Whether was not that Body of Iesus which consisted of Flesh Blood and Bone and which was offered upon the Cross at Ierusalem the one and onely sacrifice for sin God accepted and to which alone exclusively the Saints before under the Law and the Saints
all are not to be condemned that cannot swear or take an Oath for many of the Servants of the Lord who are Followers of Christ cannot swear for Conscience sake because Christ hath commanded Not to Swear at all though such do deny the Pope and all his Authority and Doctrines and whatsoever else is signified in that Oath who cannot justly be suspected to be any way adherent to the Pope in Doctrines or Practices except through wicked Envy you seek occasion against them thereby and you abuse your Power and subvert the Law if you judge such to be Popish Recusants because they will not Swear because they cannot for Conscience sake but walk in Christ's Doctrine who commanded not to Swear and follow the Apostle's Example who said Above all things my Brethren Swear not at all And such cannot justly be suspected or judged for Popish Recusants who are Followers of Christ and keep his Commands Therefore you must be considerate and search deep into those things that are thus weighty lest you cause the Guiltless to suffer and thereby vex the Lord against your selves And you must make a special difference betwixt such as will not Swear because they are guilty and such as cannot Swear for Conscience sake though they are not guilty but clear and free in the sight of the Lord of such things as may be falsly suspected and charged against them by envious men which may watch for Evil and give Information against the People of God unto you But let your Eye be single in all these things that you may save your selves from Wrath and Condemnation which will be a Reward of all such who subvert good Laws to a wrong End and seek to cover themselves in their Persecution of the Innocent by making the Law a Cloak but such Coverings will not hide in the Day of the Lord. And my Friends In the Execution of these and other Laws let the Fear of God guide you and true Judgment and sound Discerning that you may try into the Nature and Ground of every thing and may not judge only by outward Appearance but judge Righteous Judgment And this is a great Transgression in the Sight of the LORD at this Day even the false Execution of Good LAWS and the subversion of them to wrong Ends and Uses by some wicked men who are in Authority to whom the Law is committed And this we know by Experience Be the Law never so just and good yet if the Executioners of the Law be unjust and unrighteous true Justice and Judgment is turn'd backward and for want thereof the Harmless and Innocent daily suffer which kindleth and encreaseth the fierce Anger of the Lord against these Nations And likewise All you that are in Power and Authority you ought not to command any thing of any man which the Law gives you no power to Command for doing so you make your selves Transgressors as for instance You have no Power by any Law to command men to put off their Hats when they come before you neither by any Law can you justly punish them if they do it not neither can you justly punish such by any Law who deny to Swear because for Conscience sake they cannot But what hath been inflicted upon some in such cases hath been by Will and Malice and not by any Law and the Lord doth account such things against the Wicked who cause such Sufferings And of these things I have given you Warning and it is in perfect Love unto you all as to inform you truly lest you cause the Innocent to suffer I am a real Friend to the Common-wealth and a Lover of Iustice and true Iudgment and fully affected towards Iust Government and wish well to Magistrates E. B. The 9th Moneth 1657. AN EPISTLE To go abroad Among Friends IN WESTMORLAND and CUMBERLAND And elswhere among the Flock of God FRiends my love and life which is not of this World but which is in the living God doth reach unto and salute all you that are in the Light of Life and in the Truth it self which changeth not which endureth for ever which we receive of God the everlasting Father through the Gospel which came unto us in the demonstration of the Spirit and of Power to the changing of us from Death which reigned over us to Life in which we have power over Death and to the turning of us from the power of Satan wherein we were held unto the power of the living God wherein we became fruitful and a good savour unto him through Nations Dearly Beloved in the same Truth be faithful unto death in that which cannot sin nor be overcome of the Tempter which Satan hath nothing in wherein only our fellowship and union standeth one with another as we abide in the living Vine Christ Jesus the Light of the World in which you have believed unto Eternal Life and have entered into the Rest which is prepared as you continue therein you cannot be moved or shaken but are as Mount-Sion established in the Power and Life and Wisdom of the Everlasting God which condemns Darkness and all its works and gives dominion and rule over all the powers of Death and Hell which worketh in the Children of Disobedience who know not God nor receive the Truth much more in them who turns from the Light and Knowledge of the Truth into the Liberty of the Flesh to serve sin having made shipwrack of Fear and of Faith and a good Conscience who shall bear their own shame and condemnation in the Sight of God man and shall have no part with us in the Inheritance of Peace and Righteousness but the later end of such is worse then the beginning Wherefore you that are in the Covenant of Peace where sin is not remembred nor committed nor the unclean thing touched dwell and abide in the Life of God and in his Strength which reigns over all the World with its temptations and over all false Brethren and over all deceitful Workers whose Eye becometh darkned and heart hardned through the deceitfulness of sin turning the Grace of God into wantonness and giving liberty to the unclean thing which is accursed and joyned to the Harlot and become one Flesh but in the Counsel of the Lord God walk before him and keep your selves pure and undefiled and partake not of the deeds of the Wicked neither give place to the Devil to be perverted by him from the Truth of the living God which is Truth in it self for ever though the Backsliders despise the Way of it and every one abide in your own and know a measure of the Strength of Christ Jesus in you to defend you from the Enemy who seeks to beguile and to devour and to divert from the perfect Way of Life and Peace and dwell in your own measure of the Grace of God which is perfect which is sufficient to teach and lead and preserve in all the Wayes of God which the Unclean cannot walk
leading into all Truth and preserving out of all Transgression Wherefore I beseech you all let this be your whole desire and the full practice in your life and then shall the Countenance of the Lord shine upon you and his Face shall make you glad if in all things you look unto him for Counsel and wait upon the teaching of his Spirit which dwelleth in you which the Father hath given unto you because you are his Children and this he requireth from you that his own Spirit in you which hath begotten you may be the root and moving cause of all your works and words and herein will you receive acceptance with him and Peace from him and righteousness in him and everlasting joy by him continually and and this is the Inheritance unto which you were begotten Heirs to possess for ever wherefore let your love unity and felloship be in the Spirit and let your Knowledge Judgment Meeting and Waiting be in the Spirit and let your ministring and receiving be in the Power of God and in the Spirit and so shall you never suffer loss nor condemnation but all your works shall abide the Fire and shall not be consumed when the tryal of all things come and the Foundation of every work is discovered And I say again if the Spirit of Life even the Spirit which quickens to God the second Adam who is the quicking Spirit be your Guide your Leader and Teacher in all things then you shall have perfect Peace with God and your Fellowship will be encreased and his Presence shall go before you and his Righteousness shall be your Justification and Desence and his Covenant of Life and Peace shall be confirm'd unto you and there shall be no more going forth but the Tabernacle of God shall remain with you alwayes and his Habitation shall be in you forever and the Promise of the Father shall be sealed unto you and his Mark and express Image written in your Fore-heads and that quickning shall live in you and not you unto your selves and hereby shall all know that he is your God who liveth in you in Power and Dominion and that you are his People who liveth unto him in Truth and Righteousness and this is the Covenant and the Promise to be waited for by you all that you may be married to the Lord in Righteousness and Loving-kindness and your Maker may be your Husband and you subjected under his Power to rule over you and to govern you in the Way of Peace And now dearly Beloved mind that Word of God which hath begotten you from Death to Life and to be Heirs of his Inheritance of Life and feel the Word which is quick and powerfull dwell in your hearts alwayes dividing in you betwixt the precious and the vile and as a Hammer and a Fire alwayes beating down and burning up that ground and fruit which is in the disobedience from which the cause of Condemnation doth spring and so shall you be saved from every appearance of evil shall not be overcome thereby nor led captive at the will of the Enemy but shall be saved from Sin and the Wages thereof and no condemnation shall be unto you if your hearts be kept clean and undefiled by the Word of God which is pure and sanctifieth and is but one in all his Children and it begetteth unto one Life and to be of one Mind and Soul and by it only dwelling in the Heart is the encrease of God received though by the ministring of it one may Plant and another may Water yet it is my Father that gives the encrease who is greater then all unto whom the Ends of the Earth must look for Salvation and unto him must you all look for to pertake of encrease of his hidden Treasure daily that you may be refreshed as the Heritage which he hath chosen and may grow therein as Plants planted by his own right Hand growing from strength to strength in him and renewing your strength in him and may not fain nor be weary And forasmuch as mighty hath been the Power and Presence of the Lord amongst you and his Love great unto you and caused his voice to be heard when you were Dead to raise you unto Life and many of you have had the taste and feeling thereof who have seen the Way of Life before your face that you should walk therein and live I do warn you all in the Name and by the Spirit of the Lord therein to continue unto the end having your Faith established in the Power of God and your building standing on that true Foundation which can never be moved nor shaken but that perfect victory over Death and the Grave and the powers of Darkness may be trodden down through the obedience of the Cross whereby victory is obtained over all the World and the Affections and Lusts thereof condemned but such as goeth from the Cross perceiveth not the Power of God neither can overcome but are overcome of the Enemy and shipwrack is made of Faith Truth and a good Conscience and the latter end of such is worse then their beginning for the Lord is dishonoured and their condemnation will be great Wherefore my Friends be watchfull and be armed with the strength of Christ Jesus and feel his strength in you to resist the wicked One that he may not touch you to betray you of your Life and Peace and bring you into condemnation for I am not ignorant of the many temptations which are near unto you in that place Wherefore I say again feel the Strength and Arm of God reaching to you by which you may do all things and dwell in his Life and Power and that ye may overcome by the Word of God and by the Testimony of Jesus and then will your Peace be encreased and your Fellowship with God and Angels shall minister unto you as you overcome the Enemy which would subvert your minds from the obedience to the Truth and then your rest in God will be sweet unto you as you dwell where nothing can make afraid Sin and Transgression being removed far from you not having a place in you but the Life reigning which Satan hath nothing in and this is the freedom of the Sons of God who are redeemed unto him to live in him who being dead to sin cannot live any longer therein but are washed and separated from all the works of Death Death having lost his sting it cannot hurt nor wound you and the Grave having lost its victory it cannot overcome you who do witness this for Transgression is hid and Iniquity is put under and Life it self reigns through Righteousness over all and here the Seed is brought forth in which there is no Iniquity seen nor Transgression charged against it for it sins not but rules over the Sinner and fulfils the righteous Law of God and doth his Will in all things and for this you must all wait to feel God's Promise perfectly fulfill'd in
God who are thus made free whose Sins are remitted and Iniquity covered and the Life rules and reigns and hath overcome Death and Death is swallowed up of Life and this is the Promise of God which must be fulfilled in you that ye may possess the Treasure of God in your Hearts and be Feeling-Witnesses of Immortality your Hands must handle the Word and you must taste and feel and see the Word of Life within you and you must find the Pearl and your own Lamps must have Oyl in them for people have long been running without after men Lo here and Loe there and have been applying the Promises in the wrong nature but now people must turn to the Light of Christ within them for Christ is the true Light that lighteth every man that cometh into the World and this Light must men follow and then they shall not walk in Darkness but shall have the Light of Life and men must walk in the Light and then the Blood of Christ cleanseth from all sin and men must believe in the Light and then they shall be the Children of the Light and then Light shall shine out of Darkness and the Light that shines in their hearts shall give them the Light of the knowledge of the Glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ. So Friends love the Light and walk in the Light for it is the Light within that lets men see whether their Deeds are wrought in God or contrary to him the Light within will let you see of what nature your Works are whether of the corrupt nature or of the Divine Nature for all mens Works are of the one of these and all the Works that spring from the corrupt nature are but Abomination unto God though they appear never so Righteous and that Righteousness which is of Man cannot be justified before the Lord but man must be a Partaker of God's Righteousness of an uncreated Righteousness and that will cover all his Infirmities and in that only can man be presented Righteous unto God So Friends Wait to be Witnesses of this Righteousness that you may be cloathed with it and may be stripped off all your own which is but as filthy Rags and will not hide mans Nakedness but his Righteousness and his Sin must be condemned together and God must be known to work to will and to do in the Creature and this is God's Righteousness for which you must all wait that you may be Heirs of it and Possessors of it unto your Eternal Peace and live in the Fear of the Lord and be not immoderate nor excessive in any thing nor let your hearts be drawn away with the Creatures for then you commit Idolatry and are overcome of this World and you want the Authority of God and are in Bondage unto the Creatures and they defile you and burden you in that state while your Minds are captivated with them So Friends Mind God's Wisdom amongst you that it may lead you in all things and live in Love and Unity one with another and let no Strife be amongst you nor Contention for that will destroy you and eat out true Love and your Hearts will be hardened but bear one with another and be in Patience and Long-suffering one towards another and then the Presence of the Lord will fill your Hearts with Satisfaction and you will be comforted in God and one in another if Love and Unity be amongst you in the Spirit And meet together in the Name and Fear of the Lord and mind the Lord's Presence amongst you mind not words but mind the Presence of the Lord and feel his Power in your hearts and the words that come from the Power will refresh the Seed of God but if any speak words out of the Power the Seed of God will be burdened and will judge such words So every one feed upon the Bread of Life that comes from God and feel the Water of Life springing up in your Hearts that you may grow unto God as Plants of Righteousness and may make your Calling and Election sure So dwell in the Light and take up the daily Cross of Christ and walk not in the Flesh but in the Spirit and so shall the Blessings of the Lord be upon you My dear Love even the same Love wherewith I am loved of my Father doth salute you all and the Seed of God in you that I know and to that am I known who am a Brother and Companion unto all the Faithfull and Upright Edw. Burroughs Let this be coppied over and sent abroad and read in all your Meetings Good Counsel AND ADVICE Rejected by Disobedient Men And the Days of Cromwell's Visitation passed over And also Of Richard Cromwell his Son late Protectors of these Nations And the many Precious Warnings neglected by them and set 〈◊〉 nought which from time to time were given unto them as declared in these following Letters whereby all may see the Kindness of the Lord towards them by his Faithful Invitations to them and their own Apostacy and Carelesness who rejected Warning till the Time and Day of their Visitation is shut up with the Vail of Darkness and Reproach which lies over them and their precious Day of Love is spent and cannot be re-called To the READER FRiend Out of the same Love from whence these were written do I put them to publick view and it was not without much Doubtings and Questioning in my own spirit 〈◊〉 at last having found perfect Freedom and Strength from the Lord knâ—… that I am 〈◊〉 and frâ—â— altogether of other Ends saving then for the Honoâ—â— of the Truth and that all may see that the Dâ—â—nfalls of these â—en were not before sufficient Warnings which makes the Lord free 〈◊〉 his Servant free from what is coâ—â— to pass upon them and even their Fall lies upon their own heads that dispised the Lords Warnings and would none of his Counsel but suffered the Innocent to be oppressed under their Power and relieved not the Heritage of the Lord from her Cruel Enemies though they had Power to do it but 〈◊〉 their own glory and how to be established in greatness in the Earth till that â—he Lord 〈◊〉 cast them â—ut and made them as a Reproach And these things that have come to pass 〈◊〉 them may be as Warnings to all other Rulers that do succeed them and they may 〈◊〉 that the Lord is 〈◊〉 and his Iudgments Righteous and whosoever shall follow their 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 be Oppressâ—â—s of the Lord's Heritage as they were the Lord shall extend his Iudgments 〈◊〉 them also and their Destruction shall come even like as upon thâ—se before them Therefore let all the Earth be warned I am a Lover of Sion For the hands of the Protector FRIEND MAny Wâ—rnings hast thou had from the Mouth of the Lord his Love hath been towards thee and the glorious Day of his Visitation hath shined over thy head wherein he hath called unto thee to hear
in your own Consciences you are in a condemned condition and you cannot be justified of the Lord while you are accused by the Light within you of such and such sins and that you are guilty of them and sorsake them not for the God of Heaven condemneth and justifieth men according to the Witness of the Light in their own Consciences for it is Gods Evidence to bear witness for God and to accuse or excuse every man in his sight and according to its evidence God justifieth or condemneth all the Children of men III. Again Whosoever will be saved must be born again of the seed of God and must be changed and renewed in Mind and Heart and Spirit and old things must pass away and all things must be made new and a new Nature must live in you and the Image of God must be brought forth which is in Righteousness and true Holiness which is like unto God and this is the new Creation which every one must witness to be wrought in them that ever â—â—â—â—ers into Gods Kingdom For saith Christ Except a man be born again he canâ—â—â— enter into the Kingdom of God for it is not a profession of Religion made with the Lips nor the practises of Duties and Ordinances taken on and performed in the old nature and a holding of truth in unrighteousness this is not the way of Salvation but it is the regenerating and making like unto God being his Image of Justice Truth and Righteousness it is this in which men may be saved everlastingly IV. Again Whosoever will be saved must receive the Spirit of God and it must dwell in them even the Spirit of the Father and they must be taught by it and led into all Truth to do the Truth and speak the Truth in all things even the spirit of Truth must be received to teach and to lead in all the wayes of God it alone must teach and all the Hireling-Teachers of the World must be turned away from by whom peoples souls have been deceived all such as have run and God never sent them that have cryed up Tâ—â—ching and Ministry and through whom people have not received the Spirit of thâ— Father all such Teachers must be denyed their Church and Ministry and the Spirit of the Father must only teach and lead and you must walk in the Spirit and not after the Flesh for if you walk after the Flesh in the wayes and works of it you are in the state of Condemnation and not of Salvation and the Spirit of God doth not teach you but you are out of the New Covenant of God in which Covenant all are taught of the Lord and in Righteousness are they established the Spirit of God is put within them and the Law of God is written in their hearts and they need no man to teach them but as the Spirit teacheth and this is the New Covenant of Peace with God into which all must come to witness this or else they cannot be saved V. Again all that will be saved must be sanctified cleansed and purified from all Unrighteousness by the Spirit and Word of God whereby every Heart must be made clean and every Conscience sprinkled with the Blood of the Lamb and the body of sin and death must be put off and the bondage of Corruption must be broken and Iniquity must be forsaken and turned from and siâ— must be judged in the Flesh and Purity Holiness and Righteousness must live and reign in all that will be saved and Sin and Transgression and the guilt of it must be removed and you must shew forth the Image of God in Holiness and Righteousness and must be pure as he is pure in kind and quality and you must walk in Holiness and Righteousness being freed from Corruption and from the Wayes of Sin and Death being sanctified in Body Mind and Spirit by the Word of the Lord and Sin must be blotted out and Transgression must be covered and Iniquity must be remembred no more and in all things you must cease to do evil and learn to do well if ever you will be saved VI. Again whosoever will be saved must witness Christ revealed in yoâ— â—â—d â—e must live in you and you must be Followers of him wheresoever he goâ—s â—â—d your Bodies must be the Temples of the Living God and God must walk 〈◊〉 you and dwell in you according to his Promise and he must be your King your Judge and Law-giver your Teacher Father and Master and he must be 〈◊〉 in all unto you even God the Father who is blessed for ever you must â—â—ow him near you and feel his Presence in you to be your Joy Life and â—eace and you must have fellowship with him in spirit and must worship him 〈◊〉 Spirit and by the Spirit without respect of Dayes Times or Places every one that will be saved must come into this and witness it for this is the way of the Salvation of God VII Again whosoever will be saved must live in the Power of Godlinâ—ss and must deny all Forms of Religion without the Power all Profession of Scriptures Ordinances Church-member-ship Praying and Preaching which is not in the Power of God and by his Spirit must be denyed and that part that holds it that holds the Form of Godliness without the Power must be crucified and every one must come into the Power of the Spirit of God and must witness that to work in them to will and to do and no more professing the Things of God but as they are witnessed by the work of his Spirit in their hearts you must not hold Truth any longer in unrighteousness nor make a profession of it in your your unrighteous minds no more talking of Justification and Redemption nor of any of the matters of Gods Kingdom but according as they are witnessed by the working of the Spirit of God in the heart and every one must feel in himself the evidence and Testimony of the Spirit of God to witness the Truth in his heart or Conscience of what he professeth with his mouth VIII Again Whosoever will be saved must witness the Scriptures of Truth fulfilled in themselves the things that they have read of without them must be wrought within them wrought in their hearts by the same Spirit as gâ—ve forth the Scriptures they must pass through the same conditions as the holy men of God did and the same truth that the Scriptures declare of must be revealed in the heart by the same Spiâ—it that gave forth the Scriptures and none must profess more than they do enjoy from God and all flesh must be silent from speaking of the things of Gods Kingdom which they have not seen handled rasted and felt by the working of the Spirit of God in their Consciences and this is to witness the Scriptures fulfilled when you have experience of the same conditions and of the same operations and manifestations which the Servants of the Lord passed through
could not be believed if it were spoken of the several and particular Operations and Manifestations of the everlasting Spirit that was given us and revealed in us but this is the sum Life and Immortality was brought to light Power from on High and Wisdom was made manifest the Day everlasting appeared unto us and the joyful Sun of Righteousness did arise and shine forth unto us and in us and the holy Anointing the everlasting Comforter we received and the Babe of Glory was born and the Heir of the Promise brought forth to Reign over the Earth and over Hell and Death whereby we entered into everlasting Union and Fellowship and Covenant with the Lord God whose Mercies are sure and infinite and his Promise never fails and much might be spoken but this is the sum we were raised from Death to Life and are changed from Satans power to God and gathered from all the dumb Shepherds and off all the barren Mountains into the Fold of eternal Peace and Rest and mighty and wonderful things hath the Lord wrought for us and by us by his own out-stretched Arm. And thus we became Followers of the Lamb whithersoever he goes and he hath called us to make war in righteousness for his Name sake against Hell and Death and all the Powers of Darkness and against the Beast and false Prophet which have deceived the Nations and we are of the Royal Seed Elect Chosen and Faithful and we war in Truth and just Judgment not with Weapons that are carnal but by the Sword that goes out of his Mouth which shall slay the Wicked and cut them to pieces and after this manner was our Birth and bringing forth and thus hath the Lord chosen us and made us an Army dreadful and terrible before whom the Wicked do fear and tremble and our Standard is Truth Justice Righteousness Equity and all that comes unto us must cleave thereunto and fight under that Banner without fear and without doubting and they shall never be ashamed nor put to flight neither shall ever they be conquer'd by Hell or Death or by the Powers of Darkness but the Lord shall be their Armour Weapon and Defence for evermore and they that follow the Lamb shall overcome and get the Victory over the Beast and over the Dragon and over the Gates of Hell for the Lord is with us and who shall be able to make us afraid Then having thus armed us with Power Strength and Wisdom and Dominion according to his Mind and we having learned of him and being taught of him in all things and he having chosen us into his Work and put his Sword into our hands and given us perfect Commission to go forth in his Name and Authority having the Word from his Mouth what to cut down and what to preserve and having the everlasting Gospel to preach to the Inhabitants of the Earth and being commanded in spirit to leave all and follow him and go forth in his Work yea an absolute necessity was laid upon us and wo unto us if we preacht not the Gospel for when we looked abroad and beheld the World behold it was altogether Darkness and even as a Wilderness and desolate and barren of good Fruit and Death reigned over men and no good Fruit was brought forth to God but Leaves we beheld upon every Soul and all men and people were made drunk with the Wine of Whoredoms and the Whores Cup they had drunk and was committing Fornication with the great Whore and she reigned over the Kings and peoples of the Earth and the Antichrist was set up in the Temple of God ruling over all and having brought Nations under his Power and set up his Government over all for many Ages even since the days of the Apostles and true Churches hath he reign'd while the Woman hath been fled into the Wilderness and the Man-Child caught up to God Christ said Antichrist should come and put on the Sheeps cloathing and be inwardly a ravening Woolf and Iohn saw that Antichrist was come in his dayes and he went forth then from the true Church and went into the World and deceived the World and ever since his Kingdom hath reigned over Nations for then he begun to exalt himself and it is sixteen hundred years since all which time Antichrist that hath had the Sheeps Cloathing but inwardly a Ravener and hath ruled and reigned and this we saw and perceived in the very time of our birth and bringing forth and we behold Nations as a Wilderness untilled and mens Hearts as the fallow Ground unbroken up and not plowed nor sown with the good Seed of Gods Kingdom so that we saw all states and orders of men corrupted and degenerated from what they ought to be and from what God had once ordained them As for the Ministry first we looking upon it with a single eye in the Light of the Spirit of God which had Anointed us we behold it clearly which formerly we had been stumbling at and much doubting of that it was not the perfect Ministry of Christ for many years before not to be of Christ nor sent of him nor having the Commission power Authority of Christ as his Ministry had in the days of the true Churches but in all things as in Call practice maintenance and in every thing else in fruits and effects we found it disagree and be wholly contrary to the true Ministry of Christ in the days of the Apostles and likewise we truely beheld it to be in Call practice and Maintenance and all things the very same in fruits and effects with the false Ministry and false Prophets and false Apostles and Deceivers of old and this I do testifie and am able to prove in the Spirit and Authority of the Lord that the publick Ministry as now it stands generally is wholy degenerated from what the true Ministry of Christ once was and differs and is contrary in all things to what Christ's Ministers were and agreeth and is equal in all things with what the false Prophets and Deceivers were thoughout all Ages and this I charge upon it in the face and view of all men to whom this may come for this we saw concerning it in the beginning and our first assurance And as for other Places and Orders of men and Callings we saw them also corrupted and degenerated and evil and iniquity abounding among all sorts of people and blindness and darkness covered the face of the Earth and of the World and all people were in their Transgressions and making void the Law of God and that it was time for the Lord to work and to arise to ease himself of his Adversaries and as for all Churches so called and Professions and Gatherings of people we beheld you as all in the Apostacy and degeneration from the true Church not being gathered by the Spirit of the Lord nor anointed thereby as the true Members of Christ ever were but to be in a
Weeping Wailing and Gnashing of Teeth But as for the Elect Wheat of Christ which thou sayest is the Children of Adam thou speakest thou knowest not what the first man is of the Earth earthly and he begat his Image and that which is earthly shall never inherit but are to have their portion with Cain where thou art that hast uncovered thy nakedness but the Elect and the Wheat shall be gathered into the Barn and they are not nor ever were they defiled but shall reign with the Lamb in the New Ierusalem for ever and ever where no unclean thing can enter nor nothing that destroys or defiles in that holy Mountain of the Lord if thou hast an ear thou mayst hear 6 Quer. What is that painful and shameful Death in utter darkness and where it is that is reserved for the Reprobate who are the seed of Cain and not of Adam or blessed Abraham Answ. Thou that queriest shall surely know it is Tophet prepared of old even for the King the burning of it is as Fire the Breath of the Lord doth kindle it it shall be destruction for ever and ever to that which hath given forth these queries and it is to be separated from God for ever among all Idolaters and Adulterers and Lyars the Unbelieving the Abominable and the Fearful in the Lake of Fire where the Worm dieth not nor the Fire goeth not out as for Adam in innocency thou knows nothing of him who art of Cain who slew his brother and must have thy portion with him and not with Abraham the promise was not to the Transgressor nor to Adam when he eat of the Tree of knowledg for the Lord said in the day thou eatest thou shalt dye he was driven from the Presence of the Lord into the Earth in the curse the Promise was to Abraham in Isaac is the Blessing not in Ishmael and here thou shewst thy ignorance but it is but like the former when thou joynest the Elect and Reprobate together Light and Darkness and in Babylon thou art but in that which was before Babylon was thou art seen and as for those dark spirits thou speaks of who minde nothing but their lusts condemning the glorious things of eternity because their carnal reason cannot comprehend them see at home for in the Light of Christ thou art seen that thou knowest nothing of Eternity by thy dark imaginations being naturally as a Bruit to the Light of Christ in thy Conscience I speak which will let thee see it is so 7 Quer. Are they not deceived Persons and utterly ignorant of the true God who judge men and women in darkness if they ask them Questions about the needfull things of Eternity is it not because they went before they were sent and so are of a bitter spirit for want of spiritual Light to satisfie the tender Christian Querier Answ. All who dwell not in this Light which is pure and eternal are ignorant of God and never knew God such judging shall be judged and by the Light which sees and comprehends all darkness thou art seen but the spiritual man judgeth all things and he is judged of none and all Judgement is committed to the Son and where he is made manifest he speaketh and judgeth righteously and those men and women who would be asking questions of Eternity and never came to the first principle to be guided by it the Light which leads to Eternity all such men and women are in darkness and that minde which is in the Earth and in the naturals shall never know and therefore they are judged to be in darkness and darkness cannot comprehend the Light Christ and his Disciples answered and judged that spirit which would have had a sign and called them Adulterers which Spirit we witness to the praise of God and to thee that put forth the queries I speak to thee in the presence of God whether thou putst them forth in simplicity and art ignorant or wouldst know or in the pride of thy heart and subtilty to tempt the Light of Christ will let thee see but thou art rich and full therefore thou must be sent empty away all who queries from that nature that would know but never come to obedience that is to be judged and judgment must thou witness and for a bitter spirit of envy that shall stand for thy self and that thou wantst spiritual Light is made manifest which curses that which God hath blessed as I have seen under thy own hand far remote from this City and that thou hast cursed them soul and body to all eternity which thou never heardst nor saw let shame strike thee in the face and stop thy mouth for thou canst not put a difference betwixt the precious and the vile but cursest thou knowst not what and speaks to that thou knowest not But as for them who have a desire to know the way to the Father we are ready to give an answer and to impart of the gift we have received and doth not break a bruised reed but the fat we feed with judgement and there thou art answered 8 Quer. It is not an infallible demonstration unto them who have a discerning Spirit that that man hath no commission from the true Spirit to preach or speak to a pâ—ople when for fear of his ignorance being discovered or for fear of losing his Heâ—â—ers â—e shall counsell them to stick close to the Word of God or to heâ—â—ken to the Light within thâ—â— in their Consciences without knowing what that is in the Conscience or what will be the issue of it if men be obedient to it or disobedient to it and to beware of false Prophets and not thinking in the least himself to be that false Prophet and thus borrowing Scripture language which we are the true Messengers of the Gospel doth he not in his pâ—…â—inder his Heâ—â—ers from reading the glorious things revealed unto the two last Witnesses and so thou sayst it is clear that the Spirit is not in them which was in Paul who gave theâ— leave to try all Answ. Here thy infallible demonstration is made manifest to be fallible and lying when thou layst that down to be a sign of them that have no Commission from the Spirit and not to have the Spirit because they exhort them to cleave close to the Word of God and to mind the Light which shines into the Conscience of every man which is the Light of Christ here thy Spirit is tryed that thou hast not the same commission as they had who spoke forth the Scripture and so thou preachest another Gospel for the Word of God endures for ever and by the Word which is eternall and which was in the beginning which tryes all things which searches all things comprehends all things and judges all things he that cleaves not close unto that builds upon another foundation and by the Word which endures for ever thou art seen not to have that Word neither knowest what nor where it
Love undefiled was your Conception begotten by the Word of immortal Life unto the Inheritance incorruptable whereof you are Heirs of the faithful Promise made free by the Son through the slaying of the enmity upon his Cross whereby you are nourished up into Immortallity to reign over Hell and Death and the Grave for evermore With thoughts of eternal Love are you remembred and read in the Lambs book of Life recorded by the eternal Spirit and of the Lord cannot be forgotten Your Mother is a Virgin unspotted and your City is new Ierusalem come down from Heaven and glorious and full of Pleasure is your Dwelling place there is no need of a candle for the Lamb is the Light thereof and the Temple therein Your God is no Image nor your Worship no Imgination nor to the great Image you do not joyn nor his power hath no dominion over you but the Yea and Amen is your Covenant and the I am whom there is none besides is your God and he that lives forever is your Rock and sure Defence and Salvation is appointed your VValls and Bulwarks Gladness is sown for you yea everlasting Mercies shall you reap and your long mourning shall be turned into everlasting Rejoycing and your present Heaviness into durable Joy your VVaters shall be sure and your Bread shall never fail your Fulness shall abound and your Plenty shall be enlarged never more to hunger nor thirst but your little Seed shall become a great Nation and the whole Earth shall be replenished thererewith and your despised Government shall rule over Kingdoms and your Laws shall all the Nations of the Earth become subject unto Ye are no part of the Image of Idolatry but your beginning is the little Stone cut out without a hand and it shall fill the Earth and become a great Mountain whereupon the Fowls of the Heaven shall be refreshed eating the flesh of Kings and Captains You are found faithful in your Tryals and the glory of the VVorld cannot steal away your Hearts you cannot be moved for your feet are set upon a Rock Satan you scorn and the glory of his Kingdom you utterly disdain upon his power you tread and your feet trample under foot his majesty and renown Your King reigns for ever and of his Government and Dominion there shall be no end but the uttermost parts of the Earth shall be given for a Possession to him his Scepter is Righteousness and his Law is Equity and his Statutes are full of Justice and Judgment And thus saith the Lord of Hosts your God and King Because you have been found faithful and have not loved your lives unto death for his Names sake and for his Glories sake but have continually abased your selves and laid down your Crowns that you might honour him therefore you will he honour and exalt and will establish your Kingdom in peace forever and all that riseth up in judgment against you shall be consounded and condemned and his Hand will be against all your Adversaries to their overthrow and dishonour everlastingly You have loved Righteousness and Judgment upon Earth and your Path hath been in Equity and you have born the Affliction and Storm with patience and have endured with joy the Burden of the Oppressor you have been tryed to the bottom and have been found Innocent and without Guile before the Throne of God clothed with the Garments of Uprightness your Light is the Candle of the Lord and your Life and Glory is the Possession of the Most High Babylon is given you for a Prey and the riches of Aegypt is given you for a Spoil and you are free-born Children of the Seed Elect the first Fruits unto God and unto the Lamb your Purchase is obtained through death and your Crown of honour is purchased through suffering and the glory of Babylon is no whit equal for thou excellest in Beauty and Vertue Whereunto shall thy Beauty be compared O thou fair and comly Virgin unto whom shall I liken thee O thou choice and free-born Daughter of Sions King thy long travel of sorrows in the womb of Anguish hath brought forth Children of a comly stature thy Babes are truly lovely upright and faithful-hearted thy Young-men are noble bold and valiant chosen of thy God and Victory is with them thy Virgins are perfect in Beauty pure and undefiled and no spot in their Garments thy Old men are lively and honourable and stedfast in the Path of Righteousness and their gravity shall be truly respected thy Body is perfect in the Lords Record and Remembrance and with an eternal Crown of infinite Glory shall the Righteous Judge honour thee because you have delighted to do his Will and have kept his Covenant undefiled which abides with you for ever sealed and signed unto you by the Spirit of Promise decreed before the World was All Nations shall call you blessed and of your fulness shall they partake Who is like unto you A People saved by the Lord elect and chosen and redeemed out of Kindreds Tongues and People and have a name better then of Sons and Daughters Praise ye the Lord and Glorifie him for evermore Young-men and Maidens Old-men and Children and all that breath Praise you the Lord for thereunto are you called and for this cause are you brought forth Clap your hands and sing for joy of heart your Redeemer is the holy One and your Maker is your Husband I know you and to you am I known and I read you within the Vail and do behold you the Train of the Most High filling his Temple Follow him forever and let his Name be testified of throughout the Earth Make War in Righteousness and prepare your selves to do his service Let not your hands be slack neither be you sloathful in our Lords Design but wound the Head of your Enemies and mannage War against Gog and Magog throughout all Generations Ride on and prosper tread down the fenced Cities and enlarge your dominion and let the Children of Strangers of the Seed of Esau be your Slaves and Bond-men and fill the Earth with your precious Seed and sow it in the morning and in the Evening with-hold not your hand though you are despised of men yet the Lord hath made you truly honorable in his Glory you appear and his Righteousness is your clothing which will never wither and though some of you for a moment suffer Bonds for his Names sake yet you are free everlasting and are not ashamed of your Testimony before the Princes and Nobles of the Earth O Sion thou art desirable because of thy Beauty and thy Dwelling-place is scituate in a very fruitful Hill and thou feedest in the Valleys of fat Pastures of eternal Pleasures where nothing that defiles can enter nor no Devourer treadeth on thy Mountain nor no Lyons Whelp treadeth in thy Path it is the Way of the Ransomed of the Lord who hath blotted out thy Transgressions never more to remember thy Sins thou Seed
Darkness rules in you all and the Law of sin and death and transgression are you all subject to and led captive in your minds affections and desires at the will of the power that leads into transgression called the Devil and in that state you are all strangers to God and are without him in the World and ignorant of the knowledge of his Wayes and are in the perishing state for want of Knowledge and subject to the curse of the power which you transgress and are Heirs of his Wrath having no part of the Inheritance of Blessing for a vail of Darkness through sin hath overspread you all and covered you all from the sight and hearing and feeling of the Creator and of the mystery of his Glory and Wisdom and every one in particular and none excepted of all the Children of Adam upon the face of the whole Earth but all have sinned and transgressed and death reigns over all and blindness of heart hath possessed all and all have fallen short of the glory of the Creator and all men are concluded by his Spirit to be under sin and Children of Wrath and Heirs of Corruption and in disobedience and rebellion to the Life that gives all men a Being The whole World and all People in it without exception of Tribes Generations or Nations this is the state and condition of all the Sons of men all flesh hath corrupted his way upon the Earth in his sight that made it and the wickedness of man is great in the Earth and the imaginations and thoughts of every mans heart are evil continually and grieve the Creator for the whole Earth is filled with violence through mans transgression And now not any Stock or People have priviledge one above another to Redemption and Salvation and to the Kingdom of Peace and Glory but Iew and Gentile Wise and Foolish Noble and Ignoble Male and Female all People without exception are in transgression and by the line and measure of true Judgment are shut out from the Knowledge of Life and Salvation and of the Inheritance of the Father in that state of enmity wherein every man in the World is fallen into and by one the Offence came and so death upon all men which reigneth in the hearts of all and opposeth the Life of the Creator and everyone is imperfect in the sight of the Lord blind deaf dumb lame and without the sence of the Power of him that made him and brought him forth his Eye sees not for it is covered with a vail of darkness neither doth the Ear hear for it is stopped nor the Tongue speak nor the Understanding perceive any thing of the Secrets of the Lord but all are separated and divided from the Tree of Life and are cast out from his Presence by whom the World was made into blindness of heart and to the loathing of your selves and are more ignorant of your Maker then the Ox is of his Owner or the Asse of his Masters Crib for you know not him that gives you life and all good things and that upholds you by the Word of his Power And this is his Word unto you all You are all under the power of Satan and subject to his will acting in iniquity and in evil bringing forth the fruits of death from that ground in which you now stand which is cursed and your Maker hath no pleasure in it for your fruits grieve his Spirit that made you and vex his Soul that brought you forth for man is degenerated into the plant of a strange Vine and brings forth wild Grapes and cursed Fruit which are of a bitter taste unto the Lord's Soul who planted all things for himself who is the good Husbandman but the whole Earth is corrupted and all Mankind in it and man is not now acted nor led nor ruled in his heart by the Power that made him which gives him all good things but the power of Satan the Serpent the old Dragon which deceived from the beginning who is in the enmity against the Life of the Creator he acts man and rules man to the abuse of all Creatures and to his own destruction and every particular man is liable to the wrath and to the curse and to everlasting wo and misery and torment from his Maker in that state of disobedience whereinto all mankind is fallen not one upon the face of the Earth excepted from transgression and so from misery nor none priviledged one above another unto happiness but as I have said Male and Female who were made in the Image of their Maker in the first Creation but now every man in the whole World is in the enmity against the Life of the Power that made him and is a Child of wrath and shut up in blindness and unbelief under the Devils power which power abode not in the Truth but is out of the Truth and all mankind is left in this condition without Help or Helper or Deliverance or Means or Way of Salvation from himself or any other Creature upon the face of the whole Earth but is a Sheep without a Shepherd straying and wandring in the thoughts of his own heart after vanity and that wherein there is no profit to the Lord nor to his own Soul but death and sorrow in all his wayes having forsaken the Fountain of living Waters and gone a whoring after other Lovers and defiled himself and so brought destruction upon himself by his own doings who abounds in all Evil Lying Theft Murder Envy Strife stealing and Whoredom and such like which are the fruits of the Ground that is cursed for mans sake But now unto all People the Sons and Daughters of Adam the first man that ever was made Though you be thus fallen into misery by transgression and helpless from your selves or from any other Creature yet hath the living God the Power which made you and which you have transgressed against ordained and prepared a Way to be restored and healed and to be brought to the injoyment and feeling of the Creator from the disobedience and from the curse and misery unto the blessing and happiness and unto all mankind in particular is prepared a Way out of Death unto Life out of the loss which every man hath received in Transgression to Salvation and Redemption and Deliverance out of the captivity and bondage which all are fallen into into liberty and freedom to serve his Maker and to glorifie him for he hath not been served nor glorified but grieved and vexed by all men on the Earth and so he hath brought misery and the curse upon all by forsaking them and leaving them under the Power which made them not to be led and guided by it in rebellion unto destruction And now this same Power by which man was made is mans Restorer and Deliverer and Redeemer and Saviour though he hath transgressed against it for when there was none to help noâ— to save of any creature upon the face of the
the Spirit and here we witness the Lord is our God and we are his People and he seeth no sin in us who are born of him nor remembers iniquity but his Covenant is with us and the Kingdom is become the Lords and his Dominion is set up where God is all in all where the Prince of Darkness is cast out and this is the End and Substance of all Ministrations which we bear witness of and I do exhort all you that are called of God every where patiently to wait in the way of the Lord and in his Judgements to receive this and to possess it within you that you may be Worshippers of God and Doers of his Will and may have the Witness that you are accepted of him and may know your Calling and Election sure where nothing that defileth can enter but that may be taken away and removed and him you may feel and witness whom Satan hath nothing in who is the Second Adam and cannot be overcome but is greater then the first Adam who was overcome though innocent and is lost from the Presence of God but he in whom there is no sin and who cannot transgress comes to seek and to save that which was lost in sin and to bring back that which was driven away by sin and he is greater then Innocency and overcometh the Devil and is called the Son of God and to him that overcometh who is the Light of the World is all Power given of the Father And know him in you all to be greatest who is not of the World nor cannot bow to the Devil to give you dominion and authority over all the World and the Powers of Hell and Death even he who sealeth up the old Dragon in Perdition never more to deceive And who witnesseth this knoweth the Election which it is not possible to deceive or be deceived and as every one of you have received him who is the Lord from Heaven so let your Faith stand in him and walk in him and let all your Conversations be ordered by him in all pure and blameless walking iâ— the sight of your Enemies that it may be manifest that you are Branches in him and that you have received power to become the Sons of God and that you are Heirs of the Inheritance which shall not fade away And all you that witness this your eye is open to see God and you are clensed from sin by the Word of God and you have received the peace with God and glad tidings from him in your own Souls and this is Salvation by the second Adâ—… herein be established and setled and look not for another for there is not any besides this Saviour and this Salvation but if any preach another believe hiâ— not and if any cry Lo here and lo there is Christ without you go not after them nor follow them but know him within you which is greater then all yea If we our selves or an Angel from Heaven preach any other Jesus then he that lighteth every man that cometh into the World or any other Salvation theâ— God with us let us be accursed for this is the Gospel of our Salvation Christ Jesâ—â— within us the hope of Glory the Power and Wisdom of God to rule and reign iâ— us by which we are changed from death to life and translated from the power of Darkness into the Kingdom of his dear Son And now all Friends and Elect of God who are called and faithfull you that have received this Testimony which God hath given of the Son and which thâ— Son hath given of the Father which in faithfulness hath been testified in this Generation I exhort you all in the fear and Counsel of the Lord take heed to thâ—â— which you have believed and heard and learned of the Father which is tâ—â— Truth as it is in Jesus and shall abide for ever and be not removed from yoâ—… hope nor given to change but mind the Life of God in you all which is immortal and is but one and it answereth to the Lord in Judgments and in Mercies and one to another in that which is righteous and just and witnesseth against all the works of the World which are evil and not wrought in God Ye that know this which is of the Father in you dwell in it and walk in it and be not shaken out of it nor removed from it for it is the Way of Peace unto everlasting Rest where there is no sorrow but Righteousness Peace and Joy in the Holy Ghost and every one in particular have Salt in your selves to savour withal that you may resist the Wicked One in all his Temptations and may not joyn to any thing which is out of union and contrary to the Life of God and to the Truth which you have received that you may never be betrayed of your Hope nor of the Simplicity which is in Christ Jesus in which the Father is well pleased and let the Light of the World guide you in all things that your works may be wrought in God never to be condemned nor you to suffer loss knowing this first That none are justified by him but them that are led and guided by him and to whom he is a Saviour he is also a Teacher and he is given to Teach in all the Wayes of Truth And now let your fellowship be in the Life and Power of God and know not one another in words only and in shews and in outward appearance but witness one another in the Spirit and in the Truth and have communion there in breaking the Bread of Life that Christ Jesus may be seen to be the Head in you and you Members to serve him and one another all receiving Wisdom from the Head and Vertue from the Vine Christ Jesus that you may abound in Love Mercy and Peace and all the fruits of Righteousness unto the Father and dwell in the Fear and Counsel of God and be subject to his Will not despising the Cross which is the Power of God which slayeth the Birth that is born of the flesh which is not Heir of the Promise but walk in the Cross daily that your Understandings may be kept open to try and discern all spirits whether they be of God and believe not every spirit for lying spirits may arise among your selves and go forth from the Light who are not in the Truth but in the Feignedness and Hypocrisie with false Visions and lying Imaginations handling the Word of God deceitfully and corrupting and perverting the pure Way of God having the Form but not the Power having left the Power and gone from the Light and such utter the Words of Truth without the Life and are but as the Chaff to the Wheat and they are to be denied and resisted and not joyned to lest innocency and simplicity be betrayed and your Faith made void and so you destroyed from the Life of God and Death surprise you and Darkness enter into your
upon whom the Wrath of God abideth and are subject to the Curse every moment and this is the state of all Mankind And the Light in every one shall answer this Measure and witness you and your Word to be the Word of the Lord which Light if they love it will bring every one to know the Power of the Creator to reconcile them and to bring them into Fellowship with him and to receive his Blessings and his Inheritance being changed by the Power of God into his Image But if they hate the Light and deny the Power of God and his Covenant and will not have Christ who hath lighted them to teach them and to rule them but do continue Enemies in their Minds to the Lord and will not receive your Message then they perish forever and you are clear seal your Testimony against them and the Lord shall be justified when he arises to Condemnation against them all who cannot own this Message and receive you in the Name of the Lord. Be bold and valiant and spare not to shew all people this Message and to Declare unto them in the Name of the Lord by whom you are sent And I warn you all Let the Fear and the Judgments of the Lord be in your Hearts and stand wholly in his Will and be obedient to the moving of his Power in all things that you may be armed against all the Swelling and Roaring of the Proud Waves of the Sea which will beat against you put on the whole Armour of God that you may withstand all the powers of Darkness and may overcome all the Temptations of the Devil Look beyond your life and your liberty and beyond all things of this World and the Life of God know and feel in you to give you Dominion over all and with his Word and Power to reach to his Witness in all that you may leave a Testimony behind you for him Thick Darkness you will find covering all people their Ears deaf and their Eyes blind and the Ground wholly barren and untilled you will find overgrown with Cursed Fruit and wild Branches which must be cut up and cast into the Fire and aboundance of Idolatry and vain Superstitions and great Hardness of Heart you will meet with and find all People in the Degeneration ignorant of God and without him in the World and abounding in all Unrighteousness and Unbelief worshipping their Idol godds which will grieve your spirits but be you Patient and Long-suffering and be not offended at any of these things but Plow in Hope and Sow in Hope and Thresh upon the Mountains and beat them to dust ye Children of Sion and bring all people to know the Fear and Judgments of the Lord in them You are sent forth to beget People unto him and to turn them to his Knowledge to till the Ground to pluck up the wild Branches which cumber the Ground and the tender Grape must be spared Therefore let the Word of the Lord dwell in you and divide the Word aright and cry not Peace to the Wicked neither cry Judgment to such as are of a Broken Heart feed the Hungry with Bread and feed the Fat with Judgment Be ye good Stewards of the Lord's Treasure cover the Naked but make bare the Harlot and discover her Abominable Whoredoms let all the World know how they have committed Whoredom with the great Whore who hath sate upon Nations Kindreds Tongues and Peoples And proclaim unto all Nations That the Lord God is risen for the Deliverance of his Chosen and he will make War in Righteousness against all his Enemies and they must lick the Dust of his Feet and bow under his Scepter And openly declare unto all the World That God is setting up an Everlasting Kingdom and the Dominion thereof shall reach over all the Earth and the Kings of the Earth must bring in their Glory to it In the Name and Power of the Lord God go ye into all the World with this Message and Testimony which shall be answer'd to be the Message of the Everlasting God with the Light which he lightened every man withal that you may bring Glory and Honour and Dominion unto him who hath called you to bear witness of his Name in all the World This I was moved of the Lord to give forth unto all that are moved to go into other Nations by a Companion unto all that follow the Lamb whithersoever he goes E. B. A General Epistle to the SAINTS To the Seed of God Elected and Chosen of him before the World began and now called by his Word and Power into the Kingdom of Peace and Righteousness to be Heirs of the Inheritance of Eternal Life that never fades away DEarly beloved Friends who are called and sanctified through the Grace of God that hath appeared unto you and in you be mindful of your Calling and make your Election sure that you may feel it the Seed of God and the Heir of Life born and brought forth in every one of you that the Promise may be fulfilled in you and you may sit down in the Kingdom feeling the immortal Crown of Life as the Reward of all your Sufferings and Tryals and Patience for the Inheritance of an endless Life is the Portion of the Righteous who have followed the Lamb through his Sufferings and laid down their Crowns at his Feet and now his Feet are treading down and will tread down all mortal Crowns and stain the glory of all Flesh and bring it into contempt and set up his Kingdom to have Dominion over all And so Friends you in whose hearts the Day-Star hath appeared of Light and Life feel the growth of the good Seed in your selves which must rise in you all over the contrary part and over that nature which is related to the Kingdoms of this World that must be kept down in you all and all must be subject to the Lambs Power and to his Dominion every Work Word and Motion must be brought in subjection unto him that he who is Light and Life and Righteousness and Truth and all Vertue and Goodness may alone reign in you and over yâ—â—avâ— and the contrary may be kept in the subjection and the Body of Siâ—â—â— and Death may be wholly put off and Immortallity brought forth in you all by the Gospel which hath been sounded forth amongst you in Power and Life and not in the words of man's wisdom and this Gospel which we have received and you have heard hath wrought its effect wherefore the Lord sent it and many are turned from darkness to Light and from Satan's power to God and the Lord hath gathered his Jewels and is gathering of them and he hath planted his Inheritance with a pleasant Plant of Righteousness and Renown and his Arm hath wrought great deliverances in the Earth and hath raised up the Poor and exalted the Meek and Lowly and he hath brought down the Mighty from his Seat and these things hath
poor man Must I be judged upon thy own meaning nay or must thy interpretation be the judge upon my words We have no such law my words stand true as I have laid them down to be received by such as are Spiritual and such as love to raise constructions falsly where there is no just ground their judgment I do deny and Charity will teach P. T. to judge upon the best sence and so let him own my words as truth and judge himself for his false construction of true and upright words onely this I take notice of saith P. T. A perfect Conformity to the Law of God in our own Persons though not wrought in our own strength but in the Strength and Power of Grace the Spirit working all in us and for us is no other then the Righteousness of the Law I need not much strive to confound this black Doctrine by many Arguments or multitude of words for the thing as laid down in his own words is vile and abominable to the understanding of any spiritual man for say I if it be the Spirit working in us and for us not in our own strength then is it God that worketh in us both to will and to do and the fulfilling of the Righteousness of the Law in us and not the Righteousness of the Law wrought by us and if it be in the strength and power of Grace and not in our own strength then it is the work of Christ in us and the Work of God's own Righteousness in us and any man that knows the least of God in Truth will witness to this and against his imagined Doctrine held forth by P. T. I might demand a Proof of him from Scripture where it is said or signified That the working of the Spirit all in us and for us and the working of the power of Grace in the Creature is reckoned to be our own righteousness the Righteousness of the Law and my words stand true from which he draws his false Consequences and layes down his dark Assertions and my own words I do own which are Such as are taught by Christ and guided by him in all the Wayes of Righteousness are justified by him and none else not in any word or work whatsoever but in what they are led to fulfil by him and in these words there is neither Contradiction nor unsoundness though he hath ignorantly charged them with both but the words shall stand for a Testimony against him and all his false deductions and he and all shall know That God justifies the Righteous and condemns the Wicked and that it is the New Man that is justified and not the Old And let Righteous Men judge what can be in such a mans heart who can draw so bad Consequences from such upright words But further he goes on and hath transcribed more of my words as Christ Iesus the Son of God is the Light and Life of the World and hath enlightned all mankind that cometh into the World with the true Light c. now saith he How do these agree with man's State in the first Adam In transgression is a State of perfect Enmity and Death reigns in every man and he is possessed with blindness and unbelief c. I say these do very well agree and they are both true for Death reigns in every man and he is in Unbelief and Ignorance and in a State of perfect Enmity against God as he is in the first Adam yet Christ hath lightned him and the Light of Christ shines in Darkness in him and the Darkness comprehends it not and he is enlightned that he may be changed from Death to Life and from Ignorance to Knowledge and though he walk in Darkness and is in Blindness and in a State of Enmity it is because he does not walk and believe in the Light which Christ hath lightned him withal and in my words there is no disagrement nor contradiction the Darkness is in his own Mind who cannot comprehend the Light nor the words that proceed from it Further he questions upon my words of having the Witness in themselves of being restored again First whether none are restored again but such as have the Witness in themselves I answer all that are restored again and do believe hath the Witness in themselves and none do believe nor are restored but they have the Witness of it Secondly he queries whether all are restored but some want the Witness in themselves I answer All are not restored nor do believe and such want the Witness in themselves that are not restored to God but them that are restored want it not And again he queries whether the Light which is in all is sufficient without any thing of further Grace superadded to bring up every Man to believe in Christ c I answer The Light which every man is lightned withal by Christ is sufficient to bring up every man to believe in Christ that loves the Light and walks in it and unto such is Grace added and increased daily for as every man improves the Measure of the Gift of God so it is increased the Light is increased Grace is increased Faith is increased but still the Light of Christ in it self is sufficient Again from my words to wit The Spirit is given to be the Guide and Rule of Life to the Children of God from whence he queries whether the Spirit is so given to be a Guide and Rule of Life to the Saints that they have no more need to attend upon the Scriptures I answer It is promised that the Spirit shall lead into all Truth and such do own the Scriptures but not as their Teacher for the Anointing dwells in them and they need no man to teach them but as that Anointing teacheth all things and they have no need of the the Scripture to teach them for all the Children of God are taught of God and need not any other Teacher nor need not to say one to another know the Lord and yet all such do own the Scriptures to be the Testimony of that which they believe and have received Again from my words to wit The Light of Christ in every one shall give testimony to the truth of what I speak unto which I do commend my self from this he queries can these be Witnesses to me and of the Truth in me who are ignorant of the Life and Power of the Creator c. who are following the counsel of their own hearts which are evil c I answer Yes the Light of Christ in such shall judge one day and to it I commend my self and by it one day shall be approved though now the Wicked hate the Light yet doth it witness against them and for us that we are of God though its true they cannot judge between Light and Darkness between Truth and Error yet the Light in them which shines in their darkness does judge and put a difference and when the Book of Conscience is opened it
〈◊〉 practice and also your keeping and setting apart the Saints dayes 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Holy-dayes and eating with respect to dayes denying of Flesh such 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 dayes and observing of Dayes and Meats and Drinks and Fasting 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 own wills and your Nunneries and keeping Men and Women one frâ—â—â—…ther in secret Houses whether are these things commanded and required 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Lord from you and we charge you to give us some Example that 〈◊〉 true Church practized such things otherwise if you do not not caâ—â—◠〈◊〉 these your practices from the Scriptures and Example of the Apoâ—… 〈◊〉 you we must deny you and condemn your practiâ—es forever and 〈◊〉 â—…lieve that your Church is the true Church nor you lawful Successors 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 â—…ly Apostles 9. What you believe concerning the Reign and Government of Câ—… and his coming is He his Reign and Government visible and of this World or invisible and from Heaven and whether Lyars Whoremongers â—…terers Drunkards Man-slayers and contentious Men or any that 〈◊〉 in any Sin or Transgression in the first Nature be of the Kingdâ—◠〈◊〉 Government of Jesus or have any part or portion therein in time to 〈◊〉 â—…ever and how may such ever have part therein and give us yoâ—…â—…ge in these things And also what you hold and profess concerning Eâ—… 〈◊〉 Reprobation that we may know whether your Knowledge and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 sound and perfect in these things and to be embraced or condemned and 〈◊〉 10. What is the Man-child that hath been caught up to God and 〈◊〉 the reason of his being caught up and what is the Woman that fled into the Wilderness and what is the reason of her so fleeing and when is the tâ—… is it come or to come that the Man-child hath been caught up aâ—◠〈◊〉 Woman fled and that the Man-child shall come down again and the Wâ—… again return and what is that Beast the first and the second and is â—…s kingdom come or yet to come who reigned over the Kings of the Earth and caused all both small and great to worship him and killed the Saints and overcame them that would not worship him and made war against the Lâ—… and persecuted the Woman's Seed and when is it that the World wondred â—â—ter the Beast is it come or to come Answer these things in plainness 〈◊〉 â—â—mand of you 11. What and who is that great Whore that sits upon many waters with 〈◊〉 the Kings of the Earth commits Fornications and who hath made Nations dâ—… with the Wine of her Fornications and who hath reigned over the 〈◊〉 and Dominions of the Earth and is that Whore come or yet to come 〈◊〉 whether is your Church every whit free from the Fornications of that Whâ—… and will you admit of lawfull trial by your fruits and works and suffer 〈◊〉 men accordingly and whether the whole Church of Rome or any part of 〈◊〉 Dominions be the Multitudes Peoples and Nations and Tongues the Wâ—… on which the Whore sits and whether your Church be wholly free from 〈◊〉 Woman which hath drunk the Blood of Saints and of the Martyrs of Iâ—… and shew us plainly who that Whore is if you can and what is her Flesh and the Fire that must burnt it 12. Whether are the false Prophets and Deceivers come or to come which 〈◊〉 said should come if you say they are come when did they come and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 they and how may they be known and what was their first original 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of what doth all false Prophets and false Prophecies come is the Church 〈…〉 clear of all the false Prophets and whether is your Ministry in the very 〈◊〉 Power Spirit and Authority which the Apostles were in is its Call and â—…tion the very same is its Maintenance and Practice the very same and is iâ—â— Fruits Effects and End the very same or some other let us know from you 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 may â—ay you to the Line of true Judgment for all People and Nations â—… â—…ome Friends let us reason a little with you further We are not satisâ—… 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Bishop of Râ—…e is true and lawful Successor of the Apostle Peter 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a Tripple Crown and did Kings Bow and Kneel to him and had 〈…〉 â—â—â—enues and Money out of the Nations as the Pope hath 〈…〉 Pardon 's for Money 〈◊〉 or did any buy Religion of him and did 〈…〉 over mens Consciences and was Peter named Holiness We 〈…〉 you to prove rightly and truly That the Pope doth succeed Peter 〈…〉 Spirit in the same Power and in the same Conversation and that 〈…〉 â—…er-see the Church be justly the same as Peter's was and that he exeâ—…â—…ctly as Peter did 〈…〉 â—…wer us plainly What is the Seed of the Woman and what is the 〈◊〉 the Serpent and is his Head bruised yea or nay And what is the 〈…〉 what is his beginning and what is the kingdom that he is Ruler 〈◊〉 and how is his kingdom to be destroy'd And what is the Flesh of Christ 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Blood which was before Abraham and how is Christ made under the 〈◊〉 answer me these things 〈◊〉 what is the Death that hath reigned over all and what is the power 〈◊〉 and what is the fruits of that death and when must that death be 〈◊〉 and is it destroyed among you and what was man in his Creation 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of the ground and what was he that was the very Image of God 〈◊〉 and Female before Adâ—… was formed of the Dust of the Ground or â—…en out of him declare these things plainly if you can and what is 〈◊〉 Transgression and the Curse and whether any can be made free from 〈◊〉 Curse upon the Earth yea or nay and what is the Kingdom of Heaven 〈◊〉 is like a little Leaven and that is like a Net cast into the Sea and what 〈◊〉 which must be leavened and what is that good Fish that must be gatherâ—… into the Vessels and that bad that must be cast away and how doth the 〈◊〉 of Heaven bring the bad out of the Waters to the Shore and why is 〈◊〉 and wherefore and what is the reason that none can enter the Kingdom 〈◊〉 Goâ— nor see it but such as are born again and how is a man born again 〈◊〉 what is that Mothers womb that Iob and all mankind came out of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 must return thither again naked and what are the Fig-leaves that â—…vered in Transgression and what is the Covering of the Spirit and 〈◊〉 must be covered and what not and why is it and how comes it to pass 〈◊〉 one and the same thing is sin and wickedness acted by one and the same 〈◊〉 good and just acted by another These things answer to us plainly and 〈◊〉 â—…ve all your Practises and Profession by plain Scripture and give us Exâ—… from Peter and the true Churches that he and they practiced the same 〈◊〉 which the Pope and you do if you would have any to own you otherâ—… 〈◊〉
hearts and it was that Light that gave them the Light of the knowledge of the Glory of God but thou hast discovered thy self to be a Stumbler at the stumbling-stone and hath taken offence at the Light like the Pharisees who professed the Scriptures as the Priests of England do but were ignorant of the Life the end of the words and knew not Christ the Substance but the Stone at which you stumble will break you to pieces and grind you to powder even Christ the Light of the World that lighteth every man that cometh into the World That the Soul is a part or measure of God as they speak and not a part of man but uncreated and so is that Light which is in every one Answ. The Soul is immortal and God is immortal for God breathed into man the Breath of Life and he became a Living Soul as saith the Scripture and the Soul is related to God for what a man works against God it is against his own Soul for all Sin is against God and against a man's own Soul And God who hath all Souls in his hand who is the Creator and gave Life into the Soul that is immortal and can never die though Death hath passed over it and hath reigned over all from Adam till Moses and Christ is the Light of the World that gives Life unto the Soul and he raiseth up the Soul out of Death and Misery and brings the Soul to rejoyce in God its Saviour and Christ is the Souls Bishop its Pastor and Feeder and who knows Christ knows him that was before the World was made and sees to the beginning and to the ending and his Soul rests in God that is over all That the Light in the Heathen who never heard that Iesus Christ died at Jerusalem is the same for the quality of it with that which is in the most godly Person onely there is a difference in the quantity And men are reconciled to God by following of it This Light they say is the sure Word of Prophesie and that it is sufficient to lead out of all Sin unto God Answ. The Testimony of Iohn is that Christ is the Light that lighteth every mâ—n that cometh into the World and if every man then the Heathen who hath not the relation of Christ's Life and his Death at Ierusalem yea and it is the same Light that is in the Heathen the same in nature and kind as it is in the Saints for the Comforter the Spirit of Truth is one in it self and the same though it comforteth the Saints and reproveth the World and the Wicked for their sins And men are reconciled to God by Christ for he was in God reconciling to himself and none are reconciled but who walk in the Light and follows it for who walks in the Light the Blood of Christ cleanseth them 〈◊〉 all Siâ— and they are reconciled and none else And the Word of God is in the Heart as the Scripture saith Deut. 30. Rom. 10. and that is the Word of Prophesie and that Word is sufficient to lead out of all Sin unto God if men believe in Jesus and receiveth him and the Spirit of Truth leadeth into all Truth all that follow it That Christ as man is not in Heaven yea that he hath ceased to be man and conseqâ—…ly to be Mediator and when I told them he should come in the Clouds in like 〈◊〉 as he ascended and that at his coming the Elements melteth one of their 〈◊〉 told me that the Clouds were scattered and the Elements melted in him Answ. Christ Jesus is ascended into Heaven and sits at the right Hand of the Father yea he is ascended far above all Heavens as saith the Scripture But that is utterly false whereas thou sayest we say he ceased to be man that is â—y Lye and so I pass it And we believe according to the Scriptures that 〈◊〉 shall come in like manner as he ascended and at his coming the Elements shall melt And it is not error for a man to say the Clouds are scattered and â—â—e Elements melted in him for Clouds are Darkness and covers the face of the Sun many times as thou mayest behold in the Firmament But Darkness is yet over thy Heart and the Elements are not melted away and therefore thou art in thy Imaginations putting Light for Darkness and Darkness for Light and calling Evil Good and Good Evil. That the Bodies of Men shall never rise again after death and that the day of Iudgement is come already and that now the Saints do judge the World Answ. We do believe the Resurrection according to the Scriptures For if onely in this Life we have Hope we were of all men most miserable And we believe that the Dead shall arise again after death and every one shall receive according to the Deeds done in the Body they that have done Evil shall arise to Eternal Condemnation and they that have done Good to Eternal Salvation in the day of Judgement And the Lord cometh with and in ten thousand of his Saints to judge the World and the Saints upon Earth do receive the Spirit of Judgement and do judge the World even all things for the spiritual Man judgeth all things even in this present Age if thou canst receive it thou mayest They are utterly against Water-Baptism and administring of the Lord's Supper with Bread and Wine because they say they have the Substance of all within Answ. As for Baptism and the Supper of the Lord we do own it and it is practiced of us in the Life and Power of God but as for your Baptism that is to say sprinkling of Infants calling it the Baptism into the Faith and that they are made Members of the Church thereby and that it is a Seal of Regeneration as you say in your Common-Prayer-Book and Directory that we do utterly deny and do say it is no Ordinance of God neither was it ever commanded by him or practiced by his Saints but is an Institution of the Whore of Rome and England received it by a Popish Institution and your practice of it is Idolatry and not any part of the true Worship of God And as for your breaking Bread and drinking Wine in that manner and form as it is practiced in the Church of England among the Unconverted and Unregenerated that we utterly deny also to be of God or to be ever commanded of him or practiced by his Saints and this is neither Heresie nor Error in us but true bearing witness against your Idolatrous Wayes and Practices with which the Nations are deceived whom the Whore causeth to drink her Cup even all people have drunk her Cup and she hath drunk the Blood of them that would not and she hath long sate upon Nations Peoples and Multitudes but now she is made bare and discovered and all you her false Ministers And whereas the Author doth say These are some of the
Heaven is weary of you and the time is at hand he will pluck you up by the Roots and visit you with great Destruction and your name shall be a Reproach amongst men for ye have not sought the Lord's Honour but your own and ye have been changable in your Ways for your own advantages ye have preached for filthy Lucre and through Covetousness made Merchandize of People and ye have traded with the Scriptures and made a Trade of the preaching the Gospel and ye have made Traffick of the Souls of Men and these things have you done and the Lord hath kept silence and he hath forborn to smite you and therefore have you been hardened the more in your Transgressions as though the Lord took no notice and you have filled your Hands with dishonest Gain in your unrighteous Wayes and your sins are increased every day against the God of Heaven you repent not when you are warned but reject reproof and go on without fear ye are a company of proud men heady and high-minded Men ambitious and self-seeking Persons even such as the Prophets Christ and the Apostles marked forth for Deceivers and your Fruits and Works do preach it ye have been covered with Sheep's cloathing in your unrighteous natures and your Iniquities are almost full and the Lord wiâ—â— bring unresistable Destruction upon you in a Day when you cry Peace Peace then sudden Destruction will come Wo unto you because of your Iniquities the Earth is weary of you which ye have corrupted through your false wayes and the Kingdoms groan under your Oppressions and the Earth will spue you out and the People whom you have deceived shall rise up in judgment against you the dreadful Day of the Lord is at hand upon you the Apostates from the Life and Faith of Jesus Christ foâ— of that Race you are even of them Apostates that went out in the Apostles dayes that went in Balaam's way and Cain's way for ye are of the spirit that kills and persecutes People about Worship and Sacrifices and Religion as Cain did and you go for Gifts and Rewards even as Balaam did these things are so the Witness of God in your Consciences shall answer and all People shall acknowledge the truth hereof in the day when God pleads with all the Wicked All People return and repent of your Iniquities the dreadful day of the Lord is at hand ye Sinners and Transgressors ye hypocritical Professors and profain Persons the day of Vengeance is at hand whither will you fly and where will you leave your glory where will you seek a defence or where can you be hid the Mountains will not cover you nor the Rocks will not fall upon you the Wrath of the Lamb you cannot escape even the long-suffering of God will be turned into a flame of Anger and Patience will be turned into sharp Rebuke the Wrath of the Lamb will utterly smite you and the Cup of God's Indignation you must drink all the Earth must taste of it and the Wicked shall drink the dreggs wherefore all ye Inhabitants of the Earth forsake your Transgressions that the Lord may not cut you off for ever but let God arise to deâ—â—â—oy your Iniquities and to save your Souls let him take Vengeance upon your Inventions that he may forgive you Oh! why will you dye why will you perish the Lord would have you to return that he might save you And this is the day of your Visitation the door of Mercy is yet open for a little season and the Lord yet calls unto you for a moment but the time is at hand that he who is filthy shall be filthy still and that determination shall be passed Come ye Blessed and Go ye Cursed the doleful sentence shall be pronounced to all workers of Iniquity Into everlasting Burning must they depart prepared for the Devil and his Angels and shall not see the Countenance of the Lord to refresh their soul but in the presence of the Lord and of the Lamb shall the Wicked be tormented Wherefore hear and tremble all ye Transgressors that live and act contrary to your knowledge and against the Witness of God in your own Consciences and this is your great sin for which the wrath of God cometh not because you have acted in Ignorance and without knowledge but because you have acted against the Light in your Consciences and sinned against your knowledge and done the things which you know were evil before you did them and because hereof you are not to be excused but the burden of your own sins and the guilt of them will fall heavy upon you in the Day of the Lord For this is the Condemnation of the World that Light is come into it but you have loved Darkness rather than Light and followed evil deeds and loved them and this is contrary to the Light that is come into the World and which hath enlightned your own Consciences Certain Propositions of Faith laid down which every one must believe or else they cannot be saved I. NOw none can be saved from the Wrath of the Lord but they who are saved from their Sins for Sin bring the Wrath of God upon the Conssciences of men and Anguish upon Soul and Body and who are not saved from Sin canot be saved from Wrath for Wrath pursues the Guilty and he that doth evil sin lies at his door and continual anguish upon his spirit because of sin and the load and burden of the Body of Death oppresseth his soul and anger from God kindleth in his Breast because he hath sinned and he knows he is guilty of Transgression and the Lord wounds him in his Conscience and no man in that state can speak peace unto him nor can any save him from the Wrath of God because he is not saved from his Sin nor from the guilt of it but his grief and burden is because he hath sinned against the Light in his own Conscience And therefore whosoever will be saved from Wrath must be saved from Sin and Christ must purifie his heart and the Blood of the Lamb must sanctifie him and his Conscience must be cleansed from the guilt of Transgression and Christ must live in him and he must live the Life of Faith which gives victory over all Sin or else he cannot be saved with the Salvation of God eternally II. Again whosoever will be saved with the salvation of God must own the Light of Christ Jesus in his own Conscience and he must believe in this Light and walk in it even the Light in his Conscience that convinces him and checks him for his evil deâ—ds and that lets him see what sin he is guilty of you must believe in this Light and follow it and depart from that and forsake that Iniquity which it convinces you of and do that Good which it moves your hearts unto or else you can never be saved for if you continue in evil-doing contrary to the Light of Christ
long sate in Darkness that their Souls may live and be refreshed with the Light of the Living And for this Cause do we Labour and Spend and â—re Spent accounting nothing too dear for us that the Light of Truth may shine abroad and guide the Upright in the perfect Way till the Elect be gathered into the Pasture of Eternal Life and the Son so elivated on the Firmament of Joy and Praises never to go down but the Saying fulfilled There shall be no Night but the Light of the Son shall be as the Light of seven dayes These following Testimonies were written at divers Times as the Lord drew forth my Spirit through the Motions of his Life in me some of them some years since and being cast by among Bundles of Manuscripts and now lately coming to my sight and looking them over I have thought good to send them abroad as being of service to many And this is the Occasion and End of my present publishing these things And to the Iudgment of the Spirit of God in all the Saints do I commend my Labours and myself to be approved Westmoreland the 25th of the 7th Moneth 1661. Who am a Friend to all Men E. B. A DISCOVERY of DIVINE MYSTERIES c. CHAP. I. A Testimony concerning Life and Death and their several Fruits and Effects Distinguished THere is only Life and Death and there is but only Life and Death in the whole Creation that Ruleth and Raigneth in and among and over all the Children of Men and all the Children of Men upon the Face of the Earth are under the Government and Dominion of LIFE or of DEATH in whatsoever they are and in whatsoever they do and Life or Death hath the Rule and Government in every Creature in every Exercise whether of Works or Words and all people upon the Earth are subject to the Government of one or the other and bring forth the Fruits and Works in obedience to Life or to Death and shews them forth in visible appearance Now these two to wit Life and Death are contrary one to the other in Beeing in Nature in Works and Fruits and each of these are known and distinguished the one from the other in Beeing in Nature in Fruits and Effects which diversly they bring forth in this World and each of them hath a Kingdom and Government in himself distinct from and contrary each to other and each of them have their several Subjects which also are contrary in Birth and Generation in quality and kind over which they Rule and Govern and to whom they give distinct Portions and Heirships in this World and hereafter and where Life Rules and reigns Death is held in Captivity and Bondage and where Death lives the Life dies and where one of these brings forth Fruit the other is Barren for they agree not in one but are in all things contrary and the Subjects of the one are alwayes opposing and striving against the Subjects of the other And between Life and Death there is continual War and Strife among the Creatures who are the Subject of the one of them in whatsoever man is and in what he doth First Concerning Life I will speak Life was in the Beginning with God and is without descent and God is Life in himself without beginning or ending of Time Place or Matter and Life put forth it self out of its invisible Beeing into Work and Action in the beginning of the World and appeared in visible Operations and Works and brought forth all Creatures and all things into visible Appearances and Life was the Author of all the Beginning and Foundation of all and Life was and is that Beeing and Vertue of all things that are and it was the Ioy and Delight of all things that it self brought forth for all Things and Creatures subsisted through it and it gave Breath and Life to all Creatures and Life blessed them all and in it were all Creatures at Unity being framed and brought into Visibility and for the Pleasure of Life which was all in all in the Beginning and there was a sweet Concurrance and Harmony in the whole Creation through the Power and Beeing of Life in the midst of all Creatures through which the whole Creation was made and framed by the Eternal Word of Life and through which they stood and did remain 〈◊〉 â—â—â—â—sedness and Life ruled and raigned in every Creature that was brought forth and was the Glory and Substance thereof For Life was and is that only begotten of the Father the Son and Heir of the Everlasting Father his express Image and Brightness being one with the Father not separated or divided from him And as for Death it was not yet known nor had it any place in the Creation it had yet received no Power nor Kingdom nor Government neither was it in beeing But Life was all over all through all and in all in the Beginning before Disobedience and Transgression entred to war against Life But Life was Prince Ruler and Governour in and over all the Works of the Creator And Life in its beeing is God and God is Life and in its Government and Fruits and Effects is Purity Righteousness Truth Holiness Meekness and all the Works that are Just and Equal according to God and like him and which shews him forth in the Creation and this was and it was thus in the Beginning before Death entred into the World or had a kingdom But it is written The Devil abode not in the Truth but went out of the Truth and he is the King of Death and hath the Power of it he went out of the Power of God and out of the Life by which all things was made and created and abode not in the Truth nor in the Life to live and act and speak in that but desired to be and became to be something of himself without God and he spoke of himself and acted of himself without the Power and Life and also contrary to the Power and Life of the Creator being separated from it and become a distinct Beeing of himself and then having lost his State and first Condition thus became an Enemy to Life and Truth and became the King of Death and he was the first of Death's Race and he holds the Power of it unto this Day he being gone out of the Truth and out of the Power and Life of God and become a distinct Beeing of himself having a kingdom of his own to promote in Opposition to the Kingdom of God Then he drew Mankind out of the Power and Truth and Life and beguiled Eve and Adam as you may read in the Scriptures and they lost the Life and Power even all Feeling of it and Comfort in it by which they were Created and made and they also transgressed and acted contrary to the Life and Power and acted of themselves and spake of themselves without the Power and Life of their Creator being separated from it and were and did something
of themselves without God the Creator and then the Power and Life cast them out of all Peace Joy and Happiness into the Earth and into Death and Death became the King and Prince over Mankind and they had no more possession of Life nor Blessedness by it in their separated Estate neither did it any longer raign in them but they having transgressed against the Life and acted of themselves and spoken of themselves without the Leadings and Movings of the Life this was their Transgression They went out of the Power and Life in all Motions and Actions and then Life drove them forth of its good Pleasure into the Earth separate from its Vertues and Peace and into Death which is contrary to it self to live in Anguish and Sorrow And so when the Devil was gone out of the Truth and had led Mankind out of the Truth and out of Life and thereby they were all separated from Life and drove out from God out of his Pleasure into his Wrath Then became Death to have a Beeing in Mankind and great Authority and not before and then Death began his Kingdom in the World and over it and he set up his Rule and Government in and among and over all the Children of Men. And so from Transgression came Death that was its Beginning Man having Transgressed against the Life that brought him forth and being separated from Life then Death took place and its kingdom was established over the World and in all the Children of Men in opposition to Life and its Government and Kingdom and Death reigns from Adam so saith the Scripture and the Life was transgressed against and so provoked into an absence and to withdraw it self into invisibility from the enjoyment of Mankind that it should not be felt nor perceived of Him to comfort him and then the whole body of Death came upon Man to load his Conscience and vex his Soul and Death and only Death hath a preheminence over all in Transgression and is established into a Kingdom over sinful Subjects who are under its Command and hath its Rule and Goverment and brings forth its Works and Fruits in Mankind contrary to Life and in opposition to it and to its Kingdom and Power and opposeth the Kingdom and Power of Life the Creature and in its Nature and all its Fruits and Works it is contrary and opposite to Life and its Works and Fruits and through Death is the whole Creation in its exercise by man perverted from the right use and end ordained of God and out of Death proceedeth all evil as Lying Swearing Drunkenness and Whoredom Pride Strife and every evil work and word These things are the Fruits and Works of Death and Death governs the Children of men in the practice of all these things and in transgression Death lives and acts and speaks through Men and Women and Death rules in them and hath perverted them in all their wayes for they have given their Power to it and it wholly Captivates them and is established over them and hath the dominion in them and Life is swallowed up of it And this Kingdom of Death opposeth God and the Kingdom of Life and exalts it self against Life and hath its operation in the Creature in all manner of unrighteousness bringing forth daily such words works fruits and effects as doth oppress and is a burden unto the Life and unto the God of Life and Death and its Kingdom doth continually war and strive against Life and its Kingdom and the one opposeth the other through all Generation since the beginning for the Devil is the King of Death and hath the Power of iâ— and he is King in its Goverment and Ruler in its Dominion and this is the state of all the Children of men in Transgression Death rules and the Kingdom of Death reigns in them and it brings forth cursed fruits through them and they are subjects thereof and in obedience thereunto in all things And through Death which hath Power over them are they separated from Life and have no part nor portion therein because of Death that hath separated them and vailed and clouded them and loads their Consciences But now the Promise of the God of Life is to restore Mankind out of Death and Darkness and that Life shall reign again and subdue Death and destroy it and its Kingdom and swallow it up and this is the Promise of the Father For in Transgression Death hath subdued Life and overcome it in Mankind But in the Restoration Life shall swallow up Death and subdue it and overcome it and this comes to pass through the rising again of Life from under Death which hath held it in bondage and Life that made the World in the beginning and gave to all things Life and substance as I have said which Life in its measure in Mankind hath been overcome and swallowed up in Transgression That Life shall appear though in another manner of appearance than it did in the beginning for then it appeared freely of it self without opposition and brought forth the first Creation But now it doth appear through great opposition and through all that doth oppose it in this second Creation when Life comes again to reign over Death and swallow up and overcome and subdue it and who comes to witness this the new Creation they know Life appearing through opposition and through the destroying of Death and all its works and fruits for CHRIST is the Life and he is the Seed of the Wâ—… which bruiseth the Serpents head who hath the Power of Death Life bruiseth his Head breaketh his Government and destroyes his Works as it appeareth and riseth in the Creature and Death and its Works opposeth Life and its manifestation and appearance and gainsayes it and often quencheth it iâ— its appâ—… Now the first Appearance of Life in the Creature it convinceth and reproveth the works of Death and the words that proceed from Death which are unrighteous words and unrighteous works and Life when it rises it reproves them and condemns them and though Death doth oppose and gainsay the Operation of Life yet Life works through and overcometh subdueth and swalloweth up Death and destroys all its works in the second Creation and Life again comes to take possession of the Creature which it made in the beginning and Life comes to reign again whose Right it is to raign for by it the Creature Mankind and all Creatures were in the beginning formed and brought forth and therefore it is its Right to reign and to have the dominion over the works of its own hands whom since the beginning in Transgression the Devil and Death and his seat of Government has had the possession of and CHRIST the Power of God and the Life hath been as it were dispossessed and thus the first Creation hath been defaced and lost its Glory and it hath been corrupted and degenerated quite from the perfect state as it was created in and Mankind hath
been servant to another Power and led captive by another Power than the Power that made him and another Government hath been established over him and another Law hath exercised him than the Government and Law of the Creator to wit the Power and Government and Law of Death have had the Rule Government and Exercise of Man and of the old Creation and hereby all things have been diverted from their proper and perfect place and service to which they were ordained in the beginning by reason of Transgression and the reigning of Death and Man hath been held in Captivity and in sore bondage and subject to all misery and distress deprived of unity with his Maker and deprived of the comfortable use and benefit of the Creation so that of all Creatures he hath been the most miserable being held in Bondage and Captivity under the power of Death which hath ruled and reigned over him and in him being always subject to Death and subject to the Curse and Anger of the LORD and subject to doubtings and fears and subject to continual misery and sorrow and all this is because Death hath reigned and had dominion even that which at first in the beginning of Transgression betrayed him of the Life and Fellowship with God that got possession it self to reign and to have the Power which ever since hath reigned and alwayes doth till the appearance of the Life again which doth appear in the Creature for this end to overcome and subdue Death and destroy his works that it self may reign and free the Creation from its degeneration and corruption and free Mankind from his bondage and captivity and from his misery and all his trouble which is come upon him by reason of Death And this came to pass in the New Creation when Life is born again to rule and reign again and to swallow up Death and to subdue it wholly and its Kingdom and Government And then Man again is become a Son of GOD an Heir of Salvation and no more Death reigns in him nor hath Power over him when he is restored out of Transgression then as Death hath reigned and had power in Transgression Life shall so reign in and over the Creature in the New Creation when that is brought forth as Death hath reigned in the Old Creation in Transgression and Disobedience And Life will arise to reign and rule over all and in all though it be through great opposition the Body of Death shall be put off and the Government of Death shall be subdued and all the Works Fruits and Effects of Death shall be destroyed and done away and its place shall no more be found so as to bring forth Fruit for its sting shall be taken away and shall no more wound nor pierce nor hurt the Creature For the sting of Death is Sin and that hath wounded and hurt the Creature and when this comes to pass then there is glory and rejoycing over all for Life hath swallowed up Death and overcome it and the cause of Sorrow is removed and taken away and the Kingdom of Life is established in the Creature and is set upon the top of Death's Kingdom and keeps it under and if there be but a Motion of Death that would spring up or appear in the Creature Life judgeth it down and condemns it And this Kingdâ—â— is Righteousness Ioy and Peace full of Iustice Righteousness and Equity and there is nothing in it that doth defile or destroy or bring Sorrow or Misery but Life rules over all that and subdues the Cause thereof and removes every thing that would imbondage or captivate the Creature in Evil. And this Kingdom is not of this World but from Heaven and Heavenly and the Birth Immortal is Heir thereof which receives the Crown and the Kingdom of Eternal Life Now the Kingdom of Death is of this World which is defiled and degenerated Gain was a Subject of this kingdom and Esau that was a Reprobate and Iudas that betrayed the Life and all the Ungodly and Generation of the Wicked since the beginning they were all of the kingdom of Death and the kingdom of Death ruled in them and brought forth its works through them and its exercise in their hearts and in their lives and through its power they opposed and gainsay'd the Life and they fought against the Kingdom of Life and Righteousness and such were the Pharisees who put Christ to death who is the Life Death raigned over all these and they were of the stock of Death and they were of this World and had their Conversation below in the earthly things and knew not the Life nor its Government but were Strangers to it and Enemies to it as all are at this day who are Transgressors against the Life and all such are subject to the Curse to Sorrow and Misery and the Anger of the Lord but who come to feel the Life and the Obedience to it again Death is destroyed through Death for through the death of Death Death comes to be destroyed and no other way which the Life works and the Life works through Death and overcomes it and swallows it up and this is the second Creation and the new Creation where Life raigns over all and doth possess the Creature as it did before transgression The Life is the Light and the Life is the Law and Life lives moves and acts the Creature and Christ who is the Life becomes all in all and Blessed are they who wait for this and do witness it to such am I known in these things where the kingdom of Death is overcome and swallowed up of Life CHAP. II. A Testimony concerning the Mystery of God and Godliness and concerning the Mystery of the Devil and Iniquity THere are two great Mysteries in their invisible Beeing and in manifestation to us in the world that is to say The Mystery of God and Godliness and The Mystery of the Devil and Iniquity These are two great Mysteries which do discover and act themselves forth in and among and through the Children of men in this Creation and these two Mysteries are contrary one to the other in Beeing in Nature in Works in Fruits and effects and they are in strife one against the other the one continually opposing the other and striving for the Creature Mankind to be the Instrument to display themselves through in visible Appearance for the Creature Man and Woman is a Vessel wherein these Mysteries are contained and whereby these Mysteries do shew themselves forth in the world and all the Sons of Adam upon the Face of the Earth are possessed with and of one of these that is to say The Mystory of God or the Mystery of the Devil do manifest themselves forth through every Man and Woman and through all the Sons of Adam upon the Face of the Earth the Works Fruits and Effects of one of these are brought forth And as for the Mystery of God it is Infinite and Eternal in Beeing and
restored again to serve and worship and glorifie the living God who made Heaven and Earth and all things therein THis is chiefly to go abroad into the dark parts of the World among those called Heathens most especially but its service reacheth to all men and people upon the face of the Earth And out of love unto the Creation and to all People in the World was it written and is it brought forth in publick that all that have ears to hear may hear and it is to be translated into several Languages by any who are moved of the Lord thereunto for of a truth the Lord is risen among us and God hath given the Word from his Mouth and many are they that publish it abroad through the World TO all the Sons and Daughters of Adam in the whole World this is the Word of the Lord God the Power that made you and that made Heaven and Earth and all things therein your State and Condition consider How that you are all drove from God your Maker and from the knowledge of him and of his Wayes which are Life and Peace and are in Darkness Blindness and Ignorance separated from that Power that made you and in the enmity against it and are Enemies to it in all your wayes and words where the sorrow anguish wo and trouble is But the second Adam the Lord from Heaven the Power by whom all things were made who is called Christ Jesus hath lightened every one of you with the true Light which shines in your hearts in darkness to give you the understanding of the knowledge of him that made you and of his Salvation and Redemption and of eternal Life if you love the Light with which you are all lightened And first The Light measureth every mans state in true Judgment and with it you may all see your selves in the state wherein you now stand which is a state separated from God and the state wherein man was created which was blessed Therefore search and consider your State and Condition in him that is the Light of the World of the dust of the Ground were you made and into man was breathed the Breath of Life from the living Power which formed all things and man was made a living Soul and brought forth into the World in the Image and Likeness of the Power that made him every one in particular that be come into the World for Male and Female in the Image of the Creator created he them without sin or evil And man was a noble Plant wholly a right Seed planted with the choicest Vine and placed in Paradise the Garden of the Creator and there was set to bring forth Fruit and to glorifie and honour him by whom man and all Creatures were made for man was made perfect and upright set in the Counsel of his Maker without sin or spot or evil in his sight and was the glory of the Creator and was made for his glory and Power and Wisdom was given unto man to rule and govern in Dominion in Righteousness and in Wisdom over all living Creatures and was Lord over all things and had rule and authority over all the Creation and was Steward over all things which the Creator had made who made all things for man and made them subject unto him to be ordered and governed by him and used to his Glory by whom they were made and in that day when man was in the Counsel of him that made him and was subject to his Will he was blessed above all Creatures and unto him were 〈◊〉 Creatures blessed and not any thing was evil that was made but good in hiâ— Sight that made it and good unto man that was to use it he being brought forâ—â— in the Image of the Creator and had a measure of his Wisdom and his Poweâ— to teach him and to lead him in the exercise of all Creatures and was in perfeâ—â— freedom over all things to rule in the Wisdom of God And this was the staâ—… of man before transgession which state was blessed and not subject to the cuâ—… of misery or sorrow nor trouble nor torment but man disobeyed the Power that made him and went from its Counsel and contrary to its Will and grievâ—… it and vexed it till it became his Enemy to fight against him and to curse him for he had transgressed against it by feeding on that part which he should not with the knowledg of things and so became wise and lost Uprightness and touched that which the Power that made him had forbidden and so his mind and heart adulterated from the Creator into the visible glories pleasures and things which were less then himself and so he became unprofitable to his Maker by transgressing against him and only profitable to himself to feed and nourish and delight and please himself in the outward Creation and forgot the Power that made him and thus being with his mind turned into the Earth there the evil entred and the Devil overcame him with his temptation and the power of the earthly darkness gained dominion over him to sway his affections desires and lusts into vanities of the Earth and he lost his dominion over the Creatures and they gained dominion over him to serve and worship them and to please himself with them who became captive with his mind to be ruled by them in vanity and in evil And thus man became unprofitable to his Maker and unfruitful in the Garden and kept it not undefiled and being turned from the Covenant wherein he was set into his own willing and desiring in the outward Creation the evil defiled him and he became evil and a fruitless Tree that cumbred the Ground and an enmity was placed in him by disobedience and all things became evil to him and the door of all misery and sorrow was opened and let in the curse upon him inwardly and outwardly for he became dead in transgression to the Life and Power and Wisdom of the Creator and every moment was subject to die in this World also And through transgression of the Power that made him he was cast out of the Creator's Garden and out of his Love to labour under the curse in unprofitable Ground and also out of his own dignity and honour and dominion was he cast and became Heir of death and Child of wrath and an Enemy in his mind unto the Creator and an enmity was placed in him against the Power that made him and rebellion in his mind from which all the works of unrighteousness proceed and innocency was lost and man became hurtful to himself and to all Creatures and grieved continually the Power that made him and was drove from the presence and feeling of his Creator into insensableness And in this state unto this day are all ye the Sons and Daughters of the first Adam in the enmity against the Power that made you every moment transgressing it and death reigns over you all and the power of
and I have not spared my own Life to serve you but have given out plentifully of the Lord's Treasure that you might be made rich and I have given out from my Life of the Lord's Substance that you might be fed and nourished and I have kept nothing back of the whole Counsel of God which was needful for you to know and for all this the Lord is unto me at this day a sufficient Reward and of you I desire nothing to my self but do sincerely desire of the Father for you all That Love and Faith and Purity and all the Works of the Spirit may plentifully abound in you all that 〈◊〉 Father may be glorified through your bringing forth much Fruit. Wherefore my dear and beloved Friends Look unto the Lord who hath begotten you to himself let his Fear be before your Eyes and his Judgments in your Hearts Oh! keep near the Lord at all times for it s he that preserves his People it s he that leads them and goes before them it s he that feeds them and refreshes them at all times for its be alone and there is not another that gives you Peace and Strength Wisdom and Knowledge and all good things he is â—ot streightened to any of his that sincerely wait upon him he is the Portion of his People and the Inhaeritance of their Souls and he causeth all them 〈◊〉 trust in him to lie down in Safety and none can make them afraid Therefore oh my Friends I say again and again Love the Lord and his Way and be Faithful in the Truth unto the End love not your Life nor â—â—y other thing for his Service sake but give up all things of this World that you may receive all in the Lord be watchful against all your Enemies that you be not overcome of the Devil but resist him in all his Apâ—… that you may not be defiled nor lose your Peace with the Lord 〈◊〉 is to me and I hope to you of greater price then all other things whatsoever and this I have said among you in Faithfulness and at this present do charge yoâ— all To dwell in Love and Unity one with another and to â—ear one with another and to walk in Wisdom one towards another and to be Examples of Righteousness one before another that it may be known that God is amongst you of a Truth and he is my Witness nothing without me can more add to my Joy then to know of your Welfare in the Lord and of your Stedfastness in the Faith of Christ Jesus and for this my Heart wisheth as much as for any other thing besides And though I be outwardly separated from you according to my Father's Will who gave his Enemies power over my outward man to cast it into Bonds for a moment yet am I present in Spirit amongst you and my Love and Life salutes you all in the Fear of the Lord and though the outward man may suffer yet am I in perfect freedom and in perfect Peace and in every respect perfectly well in the Lord who is my Strength my Armour and my Crown and in his Authority I yet once more beseech you all even for the Lord's sake That ye take heed to the true Light Christ Jesus who lighteth every one of you which Light leads to Christ who saveth and redeemeth from Sin and Death and from all the Wayes and Works thereof and this ye know who are God's Witnesses of his Love and tender Mercies and of the Faithfulness of his Servant Moreover my dear Friends All disorderly Spirits who are out of the pure Fear and Wisdom of God my Life doth judge and with the Power such I do deny who are not Simply in the Power of God and them that seek themselves in any thing amongst you my God shall judge and who are rash in Judgment and forward to utter words and bring forth Fruit and not in due season such are a Burden to the Lord's Soul Therefore take heed I charge you all to the guiding and moving of the pure Spirit of God alone for that will stand and its Fruits will never wither and whatsoever is otherwise brought forth among you the Lord will confound and it shall not profit the people This is to be read amongst you in the Fear of the Lord. E. B. To Friends in Barbadoes Virginia and New-England c. TO the Seed of God and to all that are begotten of him by the Immortal Word in Barbadoes Virginia New-England and that wayes even to all that have felt and tasted of the Word of Life Grace Mercy and Truth be multiplyed amongst you Dear Friends dwell in the Truth and walk in it that ye may be a sweet Savour unto God and may have Unity with him and one with another in his Life and Spirit and wait that you may have Victory over the World and the Spirit of it in you which hath captivated your minds in the Luâ—ts of this Creation and which hath led you in By-pathes of Iniquity while you were Strangers unto God and without his Knowledge But now having received Grace and Mercy from God and his Word hath entred into your hearts whereby you are begotten into the Hope of Eternal Life and are changed now the Lord requires of you to be Faithful in his Work and Valiant for his Truth that you may obtain the Promise and be made free from Sin and become the Servants of Righteousness and feel the Word and Power of God in your Hearts which will crucifie you daily to the World and make you alive unto God that he may live in you and walk in you and work all your Works for you and this is the Everlasting Covenant where God works in the Creature both to will and to do and man lives not but Christ lives in him and speaks in him and this you must wait for to be Witnesses of in your own Consciences For what is the Profession of God with the Lips and the Profession of the Scriptures while men do not walk by the Spirit aâ— gave forth the Scriptures and enjoy God in their Hearts so you must all wait to be Possessors of the Substance Christ the First and the Last the Beginning and Ending him must you feel in you to destroy the Devil and his works and to change you into the divine Nature which is like unto God and this is Salvation God with us destroying the Enmity and reconciling man unto himself by overcoming Sin and Transgression and your hearts must be cleansed by the Word of God and that which is contrary purged out and this is the New Covenant where the Heart is circumcised and the Body of sin put off and the Creature freed from the burden of Iniquity and then there is clearness and freeness where sin is remitted and washed away and no burden lying upon the Conscience but the Heir of God born the Redeemer which maketh free from the Devil and Sin and they are the Sons of