was assented unto by the People and the Image dedicated before the Rulers the Captains and Officers and People of the Land and Commandment That all Nations Kindreds Tongues and People when they heard all the sorts of Musick should fall down and worship if not to be cast into the Fiery Furnace But these faithful Servants of the Lord though in Captivity regarded not the Kings Commandment but served the living God who delivered them by their Faith out of the Fiery Furnace and out of the hands of Nebuchadnezzar who would have forced them contrary to their Faith who himself was forced from his Kingdom and driven from amongst Men c. because he was exalted in Pride against the Lord and in the delight of earthly things who said Is not this great Babel which I have built by the might of my Power for the glory of my Majesty By Faith it 's seen that it was just in Daniel who was come to pray in Faith and in the Spirit that he would not be restrained from serving his God in the way as he was wont to do though wicked Rulers and Princes betrayed the King to make a Law to ensnare him which was called a firm Decree and unalterable according to the Law of the Medes and Persians yet Daniel feared not but served his God according to his Conscience though it was against their Royal Law and firm Decree which the King and Princes had made and by his Faith was delivered out of the Den of Lions and God stopped their mouthes And these things are a faithful Testimony against all changable Priests who crouch and bow and dissemble with every Power of the Earth who can but give them a Reward and will change their Faith VVorship and Religion according to the Will of every Power that rules as Chief in the Nations so that People cannot have any Certainty of trusting in them nor in their Way Faith VVorship nor Doctrine And these things may serve as a Confirmation of all in the True Faith that they may continue in the exercise of their Conscience in the pure Religion and Worship of God believing that that way which the Wicked may hope to destroy them for their Faith and Obedience that way God is able to deliver and exalt them as may be seen of Mordecai the Three Children Daniel and many others who abode faithful to the death and being throughly proved were exalted and their Enemies who hoped to have destroyed them were destroyed and thus through Faith and Comfort of the Scriptures to have Hope and strong Confidence in God By Faith it 's seen that Micah the Prophet of the Lord justly and righteously declared against the Judges that judged for Reward and against that grievous Abomination of the Priests preaching for Hire and the Prophets divining for Money who spake Peace and cryed Peace peace while they put into their mouthes but if they put not into their mouthes then they prepareed war against them Mica 3. and yet they will lean upon the Lord and say No evil shall come upon them But for their sakes Sion shall be plowed as a field and Jerusalem shall become an heap and the Mountain of the House of the Lord as the high places of the Forrest Mark what desolation here was because of these things though they said No evil shall come upon them and cryed Peace while they put into their mouthes and gave them the hire the Wages of Unrighteousness the Money for which they preach'd and divined By Faith it 's seen how just it was in Amos to declare the Word of the Lord faithfully though against King Jeroboam and the Priests and though he was but an Herdsman and a gatherer of Sycamore fruits yet called thereunto of God against whom Amaziah Priest arose in Envy to have expelled him out of their Coasts who complained against him to the King and said the Land was not able to bear his words and bid him flee Into the Land of Benjamin and prophesie no more at Bethel for it was the King's Chappel and the Palace of the Kingdom And by Faith in the Light it is seen how just it was in Malachy to declare the Commandment of God against the Priests who had violated the Law and transgressed that which they should have brought people to the obedience of and to the fulfilling of that if they did not Repent God would curse their Blessings and spread the dung of their solemn Assemblies on their faces and men should carry them away yea I have cursed them already faith the Lord. Now these Priests Lips should have preserved Knowledge and the people should have sought the Law at their mouthes for the Covenant with Levi was Life and Peace for evermore for he turned many from Iniquity to Righteousness but these violated the Law and corrupted their doings and transgressed that Which they should have brought people to the obedience of for which cause God rejected their doings and cursed their Blessings and they should be no more Priests to Him But unto us the true Priest is manifest CHRIST who hath written his Law in our hearts and put it in our minds so that we see the end of all the Priests and cannot seek the Law at their mouths who divines it out for Money and have no need to seek it of them for we are come to the Everlasting Law written in our hearts the Covenant of God wherein all know the Lord and witness Christ and his Spirit of Life at whose mouth we have received the Law and He is the Preserver of our Knowledge By Faith it is seen that it was just and righteous in Christ to bid the Jews do as the Pharisees said while they sat in Moses Seat and read the Law but not to follow after their works nor their traditions which were vain by which they made the Commandments of God of none effect and this was spoken to the Jews who were under the Law for under the Law Christ was made of a Woman to Redeem them that are under the Law and the Law was to be fulfilled which Christ is the End of which he then witnessed unto that it was to be heard from their mouths who when Christ was offered up the End of the Law the everlasting Offering the Apostles witnessed the contrary that such as had the Form of Godliness and denyed the Life and Power from such turn away for then they made but merchandize of Souls after Christ was come and offered up the everlasting Priest who writes his Law in their hearts and puts it in their minds that by it all may be taught of God and so come off from the Pharisees and Priests though they sate in Moses Seat whose Worship was vain teaching for Doctrines the Traditions of men drawing near with their mouths and lips while their hearts were far from God By Faith it 's seen that it was just and righteous in Christ to own the Tything of Mint Annis and Rhue amongst the
the Promise in the Seed before the World began even Life Eternal which in the Saints abides when the World shall be no more who through Faith have overcome the World and inherit Life Eternal and this is Jesus the only true God and the Saviour of the World who is from Generation to Generation By Faith I came to see that the Light which enlightneth every one which comes into the World answereth the Law and the Prophets and is the Life of them both condemning every Transgressor Transgression in which Light the Law being manifest condemneth the Jew that hath the Law and sinneth under it and condemneth the Gentile who having not the Law in the letter sins out of it and by the Light all the World will become guilty that every tongue may confess to God and every mouth may be stopped when by the Light which enlightens every one every ones deeds will be manifest for that records them all in the Book of Conscience and brings them all into remembrance before God and testifieth of them between God and man so that all come to be left without excuse By Faith in the Light it 's given me to see how all the World live in vanity transgressing the Light and the Law and the Prophets and those things that are noted in the Scriptures of Truth and it 's nothing they have more set at nought and less esteemed on and less regarded than these and less regarded than the Lord and his Truth and the Scriptures or writings of it though so highly cried up in words By Faith I see they prefer even those things which are as naught and worse than naught for they corrupt their minds before the Truth and Scriptures of it even in those things in which they transgress the Apostle's Doctrine in following the fashions of the World in wearing of Gold and Pearls and costly things and Rings on their hands and Jewels in their ears and Ribbonds Toys Baubles and costly Laces of Gold and Silver on all parts of their Bodies according as the lusts of Ignorance and the treachery of the proud earthly Nature and earthly sensual Wit invents Fashions to the great Dishonour of God and their own Bodies in which they should bear the Image of God and sanctifie their Vessels unto Honour but alas the Body which should be for the Lord that is given up to be fornicated after those unprofitable things before-mentioned and many more in the Fashions of the World in which many have given up themselves and in vain Bowings and vain Complements and vain Traditions and vain Flatteries and though they will say their hearts are not in those things yet by Faith in the Light I have seen long ago That all who live in such things and say their hearts are not in them deceive their own souls for by Faith I have seen long ago that none can live in such things but they do it to please that which is vain and of the Vanity and out of the Spirit of the Truth By Faith I have seen that it is hard for many to let the World go for many hang in it until they become ready to pass away and perish with it But blessed are they whose part is in the World to come who have denied themselves and this World and let the Kingdom of this World go whose part is in that which is Immortal By Faith I have seen that none can come highly to esteem of the Truth and the Scriptures of it but who believe in the Light that by Faith they may deny the World and all things thereof and their own selves also for that which loveth the World the Wrath of God is upon it the Love of the Pather is not in it this denies the Father and the Son and highly esteems of the Scriptures and never comes to Yea and Nay in all Communications neither fulfilleth the Royal Law and the Prophets for this is selfish and lightly esteems of the Law and the Prophets and will not fulfil them in doing to all men as men would be done unto By Faith I see this Principle which is earthly and hangs in the earthly Nature is a snare to thousands in this the Day of the Lord and earthly things are ready to ensnare many when they by Faith have overcome many other things which were snares unto them before but blessed are all they that dwell in the Faith in the Light in the Power which gives Victory over the World and over all that appertains unto it My Kingdom is not of this World saith Christ He that will enter into my Kingdom he must deny himself and take up his daily cross and follow me for none can enjoy two Kingdoms nor serve two Masters By Faith in God I received Power to deny my self and to cross my self in the love of all things and all delights beneath the Truth of God and to lay hold on the hope of Salvation though for its sake I suffered with the rest of the flock of God in the hatred of the World in Reproaches in Stonings in Tumultings in Scourgings in Stocks in Prisons in Fetters of Iron in Bruisings in Woundings in Travels in Rejection of all the World and yet by Faith have rejoyced over them all in hope accounting all things as nothing to be compared with the Glory which God hath revealed in his own Seed and the Power which by his own Son he hath revealed in me By Faith it was confirmed unto me that the Law and the Prophets and Christ's and the Apostles Writings the Scriptures are certainly Truth declared from the Lord and the Words of the most High God which I never doubted on from a Child but that they were to be believed by all By Faith I came to receive an understanding in those things noted in the Scriptures of Truth and to be satisfied concerning all things therein contained for in the day when I sought Knowledge and was ready to be incumbred in seeking out the mystery of things by Faith in the Light I received the Answer of God which I read in the word of Faith in my heart which spake on this wise faying That I needed not to seek Knowledge but to wait upon the Lord and to have my mind truly bowed before Him in the measure of his Life and whatsoever thing I stood in need of to know and that the Lord saw it expedient He would certainly give me the knowledge of it and to understand it in the Lord 's own appointed time VVhich Word hath been as a Stay to my Soul and I have seen God fulfilling it from day to day who hath made known Himself to me and given me His Truth who requireth nothing of any one under Heaven but that which He first giveth who condemneth none but for disobeying that which He giveth By Faith I see all the Professors of the World are aiming at the wrong Mark and seeking the wrong thing and in the wrong Way for they are seeking
Jews though he condemned the Priests and Pharisees and Jews for omitting the weighty matters of the Law Faith Mercy and Justice for that was in the time also of the Law and of the first Priesthood and before the everlasting Offering was offered up which is the end of the Law the sum of all Offerings who blotted out the hand writing of Ordinances and nailed them to his Cross which were against us and raised up another Priesthood which was free and sent forth Ministers to turn People to it who had freely received and were freely to give and the Apostles never spake of Tythes to Gentiles nor Christ neither but witnessed the contrary and that the first Priesthood which consisted in divers Washings and Meats and Drinks under which the Tythes were payed was changed and the Law also by which it was made and by which the Tythes were payed under it Hebr. 7. for the Law and the first Priesthood made nothing perfect as appertaining to the Conscience but the bringing in of a better Hope did by the which we draw nigh unto God which is Christ who is revealed in his People an Anchor to their Souls to keep them sure and steadfast and he is in us the Hope of Glory and he that hath this Hope in him purifies himself even as he is pure So that it 's clearly seen they that take Tythes now are Antichristian and they which pay them deny the Everlasting Offering by which them that are sanctified are perfected for ever who is the End of the Law and the changeable Priesthood who hath blotted out the hand writing of Ordinances nailing them to his Cross and brought in the everlasting Righteousness and the Spiritual Priesthood and the Hope which makes perfect pertaining to the Conscience By Faith it is clearly seen that God in his faithfulness hath revealed his Son to finish Sin and make an end of Transgression and to cause the daily Offerings to cease for which sake the Tythes were payed to the Priests and Levites of the first Priesthood and offered up himself upon the Cross to make peace between man and God that all strife might be ended so he blotting out the Ordinances of the first Covenant which were in old time and ordains obedience for all His that so as he makes peace with God they may have peace with all men and exercise a Conscience void of offence towards all and love their enemies and resist not evil do good against evil bless them that curse pray for them that dispitefully use them love their enemies feed them when they are hungry cloath them when they are naked if any one compels to go a mile go with him twain and if they smite thee on the right cheek turn the other and if they sue thee at the Law and take away thy coat let them have thy cloak also and do unto every one as thou wouldst be done unto love the Lord thy God with all thy heart and soul and thy Neighbour as thy self this is the Royal Law and the Prophets which the Gospel which is the Power of God to Salvation gives every one to fulfil who doth believe in it and obey it Now he that comes to this needs not swear at all but in all his Communication let his yea be yea his nay nay Here 's the end of Strife the end of Sinning the end of Fighting the end of Wrangling and Suing at Law and Swearing and false Witness-bearing the obedience to the Gospel which is received by Faith in the Light which gives to suffer all things bear all things forgive all things committing every thing unto God that judges righteously and he that comes to this will not stumble at Christ's Doctrine which saith Swear not at all nor at the Apostles Doctrine who saith My Brethren above all things swear not by any Oath lest ye fall into Condemnation but let your yea be yea and your nay nay in all your Communications and then it will be seen that there is not a wise man amongst them that goes to Law with his Brother and doth not chuse rather to suffer wrong and that such have not the mind of Christ who cannot suffer though he suffered for all By Faith it 's seen that Christ made it one of his greatest Businesses and one of his chiefest Works to witness against the Priests Scribes and Pharisees and witnessed the most Woes against them than against any for they laid heavy burdens upon the People and devoured Widows Houses and under a pretence made long Prayers these should receive the greater damnation and he cryed Wo against them often and called them Fools and Blind and Serpents and Vipers and asked them how they could escape the Damnation of Hell who were blind leaders of the blind these were witnessed against for their standing praying in the Synagogues and being called of men Masters and having the chiefest places in the Assemblies and the greetings in the Markets and walking in long Robes and Christ commanded his Disciples not to be called of men Master for one was their Master evâ—n Christ and they were all Brethren and he bid them beware of the leaven of the Scribes and Pharisees to wit their Doctrine for it was Hypocrisie they say and do not here he brought them out from them and did not bid them hear them any more to do as they said for the Law was fulfilled which Christ is the End of and they were to Preach the Gospel and bring People off from the Temple Synagogues and Assemblies of the Priests and Pharisees to the Light and Power of God to worship God in the Spirit and in the Truth and for Christ's witnessing the Truth against these Priests Pharisees Scribes and Rulers and Jews they accused him to be mad and to have a Devil and to be a Blasphemer and so the Priests Pharisees and Scribes stirred up the Powers of the Earth against him to put him to death and to render him odious to the Rulers and said he was not Cesars friend and that he denyed to pay Tribute to Cesar and so through lyes and dissimulation stirred up both Rulers and People against the Lord of Life the Lord of Glory whom they took with wicked hands and slew and hanged on a Tree whom God raised up from the Dead against whom the Envy of the Priests was not satisfied but gave large moneys to raise lyes of him after his Resurrection which were believed among the Jews unto this day By Faith it 's seen how just and righteous the Judgement of Christ was against them who were once bidden to the Marriage Supper of the Kingdom who when all things on the Kings part were provided for them began to make excuses one by one the one hanging in the Farm the other in the Yoak of Oxen and the other taking a Wife and could not come to reject them all if the Jews who were first bidden could not taste of his Supper because of these things wherewith