daughters of men after which his eye looks and his heart savours and would take pleasure in He that is not zealous for God he cannot be an Elder he cannot watch over Souls but suffers the lusts in his own flesh to lead him captive be that is not zealous for God is no Evangelist no setter forth of the Mystery of the Kingdom he that is not zealous for God and against all the World he cannot be a true Minister of God nor become worthy to receive the hidden Wisdom and the Riches of the Power which opens the eye and seals the Instructions in the heart He that is not zealous for God and for his Truth and his Righteousness he cannot get the Victory over the World and over the Transgression and the Error of his Life to crucifie his earthly nature and mind but his mind will be earthly and corrupted with the delighting in and loving that in which the seed of evil doers delights he will be taken in the captivity of the Enemy and in the Snare and in the Cloud of Errors and fall into Adversity which he cannot escape He that is not zealous for God cannot love God with all 〈◊〉 heart but will reason with flesh and â—â—â—d about earthly things and the sufferings of this life and will love something better than Christ and so be unworthy to do his Will and to enter into his Kingdom and cannot give up all things suffer all things endure all things for Christ's sake He that is not zealous for God cannot work the Works of Eternal Life nor do the Work of God uprightly only for the Lord's sake and in love to Him looking for no other reward but the Lord which work the Prophets Apostles and Ministers of God and Christ did through Faith though contrary to the World and its Teachers and Ways though for it they suffered many things yet by Faith in the Light they were upheld By Faith it 's seen how just and righteous Joseph was who though he was sold into Adversity and to be a Slave yet stood faithful unto the Lord even in the Land of his Captivity and would not hearken to the Entisememts of a Whorish woman though never so secretly but rather chose to give up his Life and his Body unto Sufferings and Prisons than to transgress the Law of his God who through Faith gave up to suffer rather than to enter into defilements and his Faith brought him through the Sufferings and to be faithful in Ten Temptations so that by his Faith he subdued the whole Land of Egypt under himself and became Lord of it all who was as a fruitful Vine upon the Wall and his Branches reached unto Heaven who for his faithfulness was greatly beloved of God and made a Ruler over the sons of men By Faith it 's seen how zealous Moses the Servant of the Lord was who as a Servant was faithful in all his House who did the work of God uprightly who when through Faith he had forsaken Pharoah's Court and refused to be called the son of Pharoah's daughter sought to set up Judgment and Justice in the Earth and to establish Truth and Righteousness amongst men who though he was rejected by wicked men yet God made him a Judge and a Leader of his People and to appear before Pharoah to bring his People out of bondage who refused to lead them out on Pharoah's terms but would have them go freely with all they had and he bowed not to the will of Phareah though Pharoah oppressed the People the more By Faith it 's seen when Pharoah and his Task-masters oppressed the Seed of Israel most they to wit Pharoah and his People were nearest Destruction for the Lord heard their Cry of Oppression and delivered them and overthrew King Pharoah and all his Host By Faith it 's seen and believed that it was just in Moses to sanctifie the People in the Wilderness after he had brought them to stand still to see their deliverance out of Egpt though wicked men withstood him and said he took too much upon him and Corah Dathan and Abiram gathered a Company against Moses and Aaron the Servants of the Lord who with their Company perished in their Gain-sayings for the Earth opened her mouth and swallowed them up quick and many feared because of their Cry This is a true Figure to all Earthly minds whose Cry will be great who are swallowing up in the mouth of the Earth and so goes down to their home quick because they withstand the Sanctification and do not believe they shall be cleansed and perfected in this life By Faith it 's seen that it was just with God to plague Israel in the Wilderness because they followed not the Lord fully though He was unto them a Cloud by day and a Pillar of Fire by nighty to preserve them from the Heat and the Cold and to guide them in the way wherein they should walk You may understand something by this if you read in the Light but went into Fornication and lusted after things that were not convenient and looked back into Egypt to lust after the Flesh-Pots of Egypt who ate and drank and rose up to Play every one neighing after his Neighbors Wife whose Carkasses fell in the Wilderness By Faith it is seen how just it was with God to destroy the Kings of the Amorites and to give to the Children of Israel the Amorites with their Country because they would not let them pass thorow their Dominions into the promised Land of Rest therefore was Og King of Bashan and Sihon King of Heshbon destroyed with their People and the Dominion of God came over them and their Dominion and their Earth which was taken from them though they would not let the Righteous Nation passe thorow it who were innocent and harmless and would have paid them for all And though Balak sought Inchantment and hired Balaam to curse the People yet God blessed them altogether and rejected Balaam who would have cursed for Promotion and Wages whom God reproved by the voice of the Asse for he was earthly and though the Lord blessed his People yet Balaam taught Balak to cast a stumbling-block before the Children of Israel namely To Allure them with the Daughters of his Land to commit Fornication with the People of the Land for which the Anger of God was against His People and by Faith Phineas stood on the Lord's part and thrust through Zimry and Cosby in their Fornication though they were Princes Children and turned away the Anger of God and received the Promise of an Everlasting Priesthood he was zealous for God and took away the evil-doers from the Land By Faith it is seen how just it was with God to have Achan destroyed because he disobeyed the Commandment of the Lord when by Faith the Walls of Jericho fell down and his mind run into the Earth he coveted the two hundred sheckles of Silver and the Wedge of Gold and the
Presence may go along with them and his Arm may defend them and his Glory follow after them to be their Re-reward And the Spirits and Life of all the Children of the Promise the Heirs of Eternal Salvation He upholds who give themselves up unto Him and to the Appearing of his Glory and the Light of His glorious Gospel which shines in their hearts that they may be unto Him as the Tower of Sion and the Bulwarks of Jerusalem in them hath the Star arisen which hath shined from the North and is broken forth in the Darkness of the Night and is shining towards the South it rises in the East it looks towards the West and there is no place for its going down The Lord hath Multitudes of People He gathers them as the Bands of the Earth He suffers the Nations to afflict them for a season He chastizeth with the Rods of Men that He may prove them all for His Glory And yet a little while and the Rage of the Heathen shall sink He correcteth his People for their Good and chastizeth them for their Peace-sake that He may build up his Nation which He hath visited and establish his Seed which he hath gathered and multiply his People Thy Throne O God endures for ever and the Scepter of thy Righteousness who lettest not Sufferings and Tryals to come upon the Seed which thou hath chosen and the People which thou hast visited to destroy them but to establish them that when thou hast tryed them as Gold they may be established and fitted for thy use that they may be humbled and all fear before thee and wait upon thee that thou mayest renew us all from day to day and night after night in thy Life to do thy Service to fit all thine to Glory and Praise and Honour immortal for thy great Name thou art spreading over all the Earth By Faith it was given me to see wherein the Worship of the true God consisteth and how He must be worshipped in the Spirit and in the Truth which the Father seeks such to worship him as worship Him in the Spirit as worship Him in the Truth and in the true Light which enlighteneth every one in which none can see the VVorship but who come into the Faith and into the Humility and into the Fear and into the Waiting and into the Zeal for God which bows the heart before God and the heart being bowed then the Consideration is come into and the Inquirings into the Knowledge of Life and the sinking down to feel the Spirit which brings the Truth into Remembrance and also brings to be still and quiet and wait in stilness and quietness and silence then God is seen and felt and his Life which gives the Creature to feel after God who comes to be felt in his Life which enlighteneth the Creature and gives the Creature liveliness to wait for the renewing the strength and God reveals his Word his Power and his Requirings in the Creature which works in the heart and in the reins and runs through the mortal body and is weighty in operation to give Power and Dominion to the Creature to the end that it may have full power and strength to resist the Assaults of the Devil and to have its mind staid in stilness and quietness and silence and waiting for the Love and Vertue and Mercies of God which being felt then the Lord is admired and bowed unto this is VVorship to bow before the God of Heaven that all that 's in Man may be bowed down and submitted under the Life and Power then he worships he boweth down to the higher Power his soul abhors all defilements his thoughts are staid on God his heart is kept tender and open and he is refreshed in the Enjoyment of the Life and of the feeling of the Presence of the Lord and of his Power by which the Creature comes to admire the infinite Love and Mercies of God and the Riches of his Grace that after so long living in disobedience the Lord should reveal his Power and make known the Riches of his Grace to such a Creature that hath been as altogether unworthy but the Lord hath done it for his Seeds sake in Man which never consented to or took pleasure in sinning but hungred and thirsted after God and breathed after God and moved in the Creature towards the Lord even while the Creature was yet subject to vanity and for the Seeds sake the Lord is merciful full of compassion long-suffering and slow to Anger and blessed are all they that turn unto Him in the obedience of His Seed and in the Faith of His Son they shall see his Mercies know his Presence feel his Life Power and Spirit which bows and brings to worship God By Faith it 's seen that none are more sensible of the feeling of the Presence of the Lord than when they are still and quiet and wait in silence and stilness even when met together and when alone for by Faith many are come to see that the Lord is very near and that they feel his Presence when they wait upon Him and his Life breaks forth in his tender Love to the great refreshing of the soul and quickning of the Creature this takes away weariness and leanness from the soul and removes the multitude of vain Thoughts which have lodged in Man so that though they may often appear yet they become stilled as though they were not for when any thing appears contrary to the Will of God the Light is near and ready to administer Judgment upon it and to give the Creature to apply its mind to Judgment through which God redeems out of the Incumbrances and reveals his Noble Spirit of Life which stills the Thoughts and the Desires and Affections which would raise Lust and War in the flesh so that Man comes to wait out of himself and out of his own thoughts and imaginations in the Life the Promise it self where it feels the Riches of the Love and of the Mercies and of the Grace and of the Power which brings into the Glory and into the unspeakable Life and Love where the mortal body becomes filled with Immortality and Life which swallows up mortality in Victory and Conquest and Dominion and the delight of all mortal fading things and this hath made me bold and confident in the Lord of my Life to give up my whole strength for the witnessing forth the Truth through Faith which by Faith is received of God even through the Nations by Sea and by Land as the Lord requires which I account Eternal Salvation though for it I suffer many things but all is good and for good By Faith it 's seen how exceeding good it is to wait upon the Lord and to be still and silent before Him and in all things to eye Him and fear Him then the Incumbrances come to be taken away and the Darkness and Doubtings dissolved and Courage and Boldness for God received which
better Kingdom than that of this World counting all things as nothing that we may win Christ By Faith in the Light the Covenant of God is seen and the Spirit of Life received into the heart to be a Guide and a Ruler which writes its Law in the heart and puts it in the mind in which the Directions for the whole course of a Man's Life and Conversation comes to be read as Man comes to take heed unto the Grace which brings the Salvation and saves the Soul and the Creature daily from the snares of the Devil in teaching the Creature that denying ungodliness and worldly lusts they may live soberly righteously and godly in this present evil world and so come to know the Promise of the Covenant fulfilled in them which saith That all the People of God shall be taught of God and established in Righteousness far from Oppression which none comes to witness but who believes in the Light the Grace which changeth the heart for said God I will make them a new heart and give unto them a right Spirit that they may have all One heart and all One way and serve me all the dayes of their life without fear Which none comes to witness but such as believe in the Light and wait in the Light to feel the Fountain of Life and Power opened in them to wash them from Sin and from Transgression as the Lord said for if this be not witnessed the Iniquities will oppress the Soul and defile the Creature and the old treacherous 〈◊〉 â—ill abide which will make the nature treacherous and yield its members members of obedience unto Sin and so to transgress the Law and so to be in hatred of God and this keeps from knowing the holy Anointing of the Soul with the Power of the Highest which teacheth all things that the Saints need no man to teach them but the Anointing in them teacheth them all things which are Truth and of it is no Lye and this Anointing in them gives them to know the Father and the Son and to have an understanding to know all things both of the Law and of the Gospel that they need no man to bid them Know the Lord for the Seed of the Covenant is in them the Heir of Life by which they see the Lord teaching them all so that All know Him from the least to the greatest and are All taught of Him and have ceased from man whose breath is in his nostrils and love Him and keep His Commandments which to them are not grievous but joyous though for their Obedience they may suffer and have suffered by the Wicked in Bodies and Estates By Faith it is seen how Christ is a Saviour unto the utmost of all that come unto God by Him who in His first aâ—â—â—â—ring in the Creature manifests sin and condemns for sin who being believed in destroyes the sin and works that nature out of the Creature which hath sinned and taken pleasure in sinning and so gives the pardon of the sins past and gives the Creature to live in obedience in the time to come and so manifests Himself to be a Saviour to the Ends of the Earth and that He is mighty to save and to redeem his People out of all Pollutions of Flesh und Spirit that He may present them in himself without spot or wrinckle or any such thing an Holy Church a Spiritual House builded of living stones an Holy Nation a Peculiar People a Royal Priesthood separated from sinners and zealous of good works And thus through Faith Christ comes to be seen to be a whole Saviour and that the same Life in which He manifesteth Himself in the Creature which saves from Swearing Drunkenness Whoredom Theft and the like gross evils is as able to root out the very ground of the Transgression as it is believed in and to destroy the earthly nature which hath finned and to save from all sin and make man wholly a right Seed that he may be perfect as his Father in Heaven is perfect and holy because God is holy without which Holiness no man can see God neither can any out of the birth of the Holy Life see the Kingdom which the Children of the Covenant see and are Heirs of being born again not of corruptible seed but of the Word of God which lives and endures for ever by which Birth they keep themselves that the wicked one toucheth them not And this is the Victory over the World which tramples upon the World and all its Delights and Pleasures Faâ—hions and Vanities and hath put a cross and stop to that in them which was of the World and he that is born of God sinneth not neither can he because the Seed of God is in him which keeps him from sinning and gives him to deny the Temptations of the Devil which would draw to sin and in this are the Children of God and the children of the Devil manifest he that doth Righteousness is Righteous even as God is Righteous he that sins is of the Devil and hath neither seen God nor known Him By Faith in the Light it is seen that none can ever come to know the secrets of God but such as believe in the Light which hath enlightened every one that cometh into the World And there 's not any that can ever come to be true Prophets true Ministers true Teachers true Apostles true Elders true Pastors true Evangelists but such as believe in the true Light which enlightens every one that comes into the World for he that believes not in the Light he is not Zealous for God's Name and for his Truth and his Glory and against all the wicked World and its wayes And he that is not zealous for God he is dark the World is iâ— his heart he sinks under the wicked and wants the true discerning Spirit which should warm him with Power and Zeal and so wants the true Discerning and the Openings and the Revelations Visions and Prophesies and the true Knowledge of Life Eternal which the Nations are to be turned unto such cannot be Ministers of the Riches of God under any name nor do the work of God aright for he that doth Gods work aright must have it so wrought in him that he may do all things according to the Pattern that he sees of God And he that is not zealous for God he receives not the true Wisdom he cannot be a Prophet but must be prophesied against he that is not zealous for God he hath not the Vision of God nor the Revelations he cannot be a Teacher to open the Mysteries of God but must first have Judgement opened in himself He that is not zealous for God and against all the World and its Deceit he cannot be an Apostle or a Pastor he cannot feed the Sheep and Lambs but must first be fed with the Judgments of God himself to bring him off the Earthly-miâ—â—â—dness in which he feeds and off thâ—â—â—â—ghts of the sons and
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
of the Truth learned by Faith which shall be witnessed by the Light in every one's Conscience to be true which whosoever believes in the true Light which enlightens every one shall see greater things than these and that by Faith it 's possible to know all things and to know God whom to know is Life Eternal Farewel Written in Virginia by a Lover of the Truth and a Believer in the true Light G. R. Concerning Waiting upon the Lord in stilness and in silence VVHen Israel was in distress they were commanded to hold their peace and stand still and see the salvation of the Lord and the Lord should fight for them Exod. 14.13 14. and when they stood still then the Lord revealed his Arm saved delivered them But when they distrusted the Lord and looked to Egypt for help the Lord said Egypt should help in vain to no purpose Therfore have I cryed concerning this their strength is to sit still Mark to sit still was their strength and in returning and rest shall ye be saved in quietness and in confidence shall be your strength Isa 30.7 15. But they would not but said no We will flee upon the swift Mark here 's a way of their own finding therefore the swift should pursue them and one thousand should flee at the rebuke of one and at the rebuke of five shall ye flee till ye be left as a Beacon on the top of a Mountain and as an Ensign on a Hill Now mark what became of them who would not stand still who would not Wait and Job being afflicted and his Friends came to visit him they sate silent waiting seven dayes Job 2.13 And all may see it was the way of the Saints to be in stilness and in silence and in waiting for blessed are all they that wait upon the Lord Isa 30.18 And David sayes I wait for the Lord my soul doth wait and in his VVord do I hope my soul waiteth for the Lord more than they that watch for the morning I say more than they that watch for the morning Psa 130.5 6. and rest in the Lord wait patiently for him Psa 37.7 And the Youths shall faint and be weary and the Young-men shall utterly fall but they that wait upon the Lord shall renew their strength they shall mount up with wings as Eagles they shall run and not be weary and they shall walk and not faint Isa 40.30 31. And the strong Lyon shall suffer want and the young Lyon shall suffer hunger but he that waiteth upon the Lord shall not want any good thing I will stand upon my watch and set me on the Tower and will watch to see what the Lord will say unto me or speak in me and what I shall answer when I am reproved and let all flesh keep silent before the Lord Hab. 2. for every man 's own words shal be his burden Jer. 23. Keep silent before me O Islands and let the People renew their strength for the Isles shall wait for his Law Isa 42.4 Yea in the way of thy Judgements O Lord have we waited for Thee the desire of our soul is to thy Name and to the remembrance of Thee with my soul have I desired Thee In the night yea with my spirit within me will I seek Thee early for when thy Judgements are in the Earth the Inhabitants of the World will learn Righteousness Isa 26.8 9. Note this well how they were to wait and how they waited and sought the Lord Hearken unto me my People and give ear unto me O my Nation for a Law shall proceed from me and I will make my Judgement to rest for a Light of the People my Righteousness is near my Salvation Is gone forth and mine Arms shall judge the People the Isles shall wait upon me and on mine Arm shall they trust Isa 51.4 5. For since the beginning of the World men have not heard nor perceived by the ear neither hath the eye seen O God besides thee what he hath prepared for him that waiteth for him Isa 64.4 The Lord is good unto them that wait for him to the soul that seeketh him It is good that a man should both hope and quietly wait for the salvation of the Lord it is good for a man that he bear the yoak in his youth he sitteth alone and keepeth silence because he hath borne it upon him he putteth his mouth in the dust if so be there may be hope c. Lam. 3.25 c. And they shall every man sit under his own Vine und under his own Figge-tree and none shall make them afraid Mica 4. Therefore turn thou to thy God keep Mercy and Judgement and wait on thy God continually Hos 12.6 Hence all may see the Practice of the Saints in the dayes of the Prophets and how all are commanded to wait and hope in the Lord and to be quiet and still hoping on the God of their Salvation And Christ sayes Wheresoever two or three are met together in my Name there am I in the midst of them Mat. 18.20 And can ye not watch one hour and what I say unto you I say unto all Watch for blessed shall he be that shall be found so doing when the Son of man cometh Mark 13. and the five foolish Virgins who waited not nor watcht to have their Lamps kept burning but gadded abroad were shut out of the Kingdom Mat. 25. and Simeon a just man waited for the consolation of Israel to him it was revealed that he should not see death until he had seen the Lord's Christ and when he saw the Salvation of God the Light to enlighten the Gentiles and Glory of Israel desired to depart in Peace Luk. 2. And when Christ was ready to ascend to the Father he commanded his Disciples not to depart from Jerusalem until they had received the Promise of the Father which said he ye have heard of me and ye shall receive Power from on High when the Holy Ghost is come upon you and ye shall be Witnesses unto me Mark when they had received the Power from on High through waiting then they should be Witnesses unto Him both at Jerusalem and in Judea Act. I. And the Apostle exhorted the Corinthians to watch and stand fast in the Faith Quit you like men be strong I Cor. 16.13 And he told the Saints that they were not of Darkness nor Children of the Night but Children of the Light and of the Day therefore let us not sleep saith he as others do but let us watch and be sober for they that sleep sleep in the Night and they that be drunken are drunken in the Night but let us who are of the Day be sober putting on the Breast-plate of Faith and Love and for an Helmet the Hope of Salvation I Thess 5. And he exhorted Timothy to watch in all things 2. Tim. 4.5 and they which should be found not watching the Lord would come upon them as a Thief
goodly Babylonish Garment for which his Name became blotted out amongst the Tribes of Israel though he hid his deceit in the Earth By Faith it 's seen that it was just in Micaiah the Prophet of the Lord that he spake the VVord of the Lord faithfully though against the King and his Purposes and the Four hundred Prophets though he suffered for it By Faith it 's seen how just it was in Elijah to declare the VVord of the Lord though he was called a Troubler of Israel for it and his Life fought to be made a prey upon who was sent after into many Nations and amongst many People because he pleased not Jezebel and the King and their Priests and Prophets And it was just in Elijah when he witnessed against the Deceit of the Priests of Baal who were great in the Kingdom and fed at Jezebels Table Four hundred of them to bring the People off them whom he slew when he had faithfully manifested their Deceit to the People though Jezebel sought his life for it Now these were zealous for the Lord and feared not the face of Man nor to displease the Rulers and Powers of the Earth whom the false Prophets and Teachers ever sought to please and to be in favour withal By Faith in the Light it is seen that it was just in Samuel the Prophet to testifie against Saul and his People because they fulfilled not the Word of the Lord but let their minds run into the Earthly things in reserving the Fat and the Best in pretence of sacrificing to God but God would have Obedience and not Sacrifice and his Voice hearkened to before the fat of Rams So that Disobedience was as Witchcraft and Stubbornness as Inquity and Idolory And Saul saved Agag King of Amalek alive whom Samuel slew And the good Spirit of God departed from Saul because he had disobeyed By Faith it is seen that it was just in Nathan the Prophet to Reprove David King of Israel because he had transgressed By Faith it is seen that it was just with the Lord to rend the Kingdom out of the â—and of Solomon and his Son because Solomon transgressed the Commandments of he Lord and followed not the Lord fully â—o do his Will but took Wives of the Daughters of the Heathen who drew his â—eart into Idolatry By Faith it s seen that it was just and true Faithfulness in Mordecai the Jew who feared and worshiped the living God that he would not bow down before proud Haman though he was the second Ruler in the Kingdom and the King had commanded concerning him that all men should bow down before him and reverence him this faithfull Mordicai would not bow though it was the King's Commandment he was subject to the Higher Power the Power of Truth in which he gave up his Life and the Life of the whole Seed of the Jews in danger of being destroyed rather than he would bow contrary to his Conscience and God unto whom he bowed wrought deliverance for him and for his People and destroyed proud Haman his house who was in the lower power who was displeased that the Righteous bowed not before him Here all may reade their figure who are displeased that the Righteous will not bow unto them now nor reverence them with bowing Hat and Knee and giving flattering Titles of Honour to them which for Conscience sake and its Peace sake they cannot do but bow unto God worship God and honour God and obey every Just and Righteous Law of man By Faith in the Light it is seen and believed that the true Prophets of the Lord gave forth a just Testimony against the false Prophets and false Teachers and false Shepherds and false Pastors Isaiah the Lord's Prophet gave forth a faithful Testimony against the Priests the Shepherds of Israel and Watchmen and said they were all ignorant they were all blind they were all Shepherds that could not understand sleeping lying down and loving to slumber yea they were dumb dogs that could not bark greedy dogs that never had enough every one seeking for his gain from his quarter These had their minds run into earthly things and were justly testified against And Jeremiah justly testified against such Priests as bear Rule by their Means and said it was a filthy and horrible thing committed in the Land That the Priests should bear Rule by their Means and the Prophets should prophesie falsly and the People love to have it so but what will ye do in the end thereof saith he He likewise bore Testimony against such Priests and Prophets who were light and treacherous who with Lyes and lightness made the People light and vain from whom Wickedness and Prophaness was gone into all Nations They were to him Sodom and as the Inhabitants of Gomorrha and said the Lord was against them who prophesied and used their tongues and said The Lord saith when as they had no other word but what they stole from their Neighbours Therefore the Lord said he was against them they ran and he never sent them and they should not profit the People at all who were telling their false dreams and with their Lyes And Lightness made the People light and vain This Jeremiah was put into the Dungeon for his testifying faithfully of the Truth of God against both Rulers and Priests and People And they that trembled at the Word of the Lord in his dayes they were cast out unto whom he spake the Word of the Lord saying Hear ye the Word of the Lord ye that tremble at the Word of the Lord your Brethren that hated yon and cast ye out said Let the Lord be glorified He shall arise your glory and to their shame And through Faith Ezekiel testified against such Shepherds and Teachers as fed themselves and not the Flock who fed with the Fat and cloathed with the Wool and made a Prey upon the People who flattered the Ungodly and put Cushions under their Armholes speaking Peace to the Wicked and justifying the Ungodly for a thing of naught while they put into their mouthes and feed them with the fat These were in Confusion one building a Wall and another daubing it with untempered Mortar who healed up the hurt of the Daughters of the People slightly until they made the wound uncurable and the souls that should have lived became destroyed This Ezekiel was a Sign and a Reproach amongst them and they accounted of him to be but an enditer of Parables And Hosea testified justly against the Priests who went in Cains way in envy he said As a Company of Robbers wait for a man so do the Company of Priests murder in the way by consent they commit Lewdness c. By Faith it 's seen how just and faithful it was in Shadrach Meshach and Abednega the Servants of the most High God who would not bow at the King's Commandment not bow to the Image nor serve the god which Nebuchadnezzar the King had set up though it
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
can the Gentiles be found worthy but by coming out of them into the obedience of the Truth and to come out of the Earth out of the High-wayes and Hedges and Streets where there hath been lameness and blindness and hardness of heart which the Gentile if he comes in hath not the VVedding garment and to him it will be said Friend how camest thou hither not having a VVedding garment and he shall be taken and cast into utter darkness where there shall be weeping and wailing and gnashing of teeth Therefore all are to look about them and mind to obey that which is of God that you may have the VVeding garment the cloathing of Righteousness which whosoever feareth God and worketh Righteousness in all Nations both Jews and Gentiles shall be accepted but anguish pain and tribulation to the Soul of every one that doth Evil to the Jew first and likewise to the Gentile By Faith it is seen how just and righteous it was for the Apostles and Servants of Christ to meet togetter in the Faith and in the Fear of the Lord to wait together for the Promise of the Father which said Christ ye have heard of me and ye shall receive Power from on High when the Holy Ghost is come upon you and ye shall be witnesses unto me both at Jerusalem and in Judea and they through waiting received the Promise the Power from on High and the Holy Ghost came upon them and through the Power of the Highest were moved to go into the Nations and unto the People which dwelt upon the Earth Preaching the Gospel freely as they had received freely labouring in the Power of the Highest to turn People from the Darkness and Error of their Lives unto the Light and to the Knowledge of the Light of the Glorious Gospel which shined in their hearts to give them the Light of the Knowledge of the Glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ and Preached the Word of Faith in their hearts and in their mouths and that they had a more sure Word of Prophesie unto which they did well to take heed as unto a Light that shined in a dark place until the day dawned and the day Star arose in their hearts By Faith it is seen how just it was in the Apostles to go forth Preaching the Gospel to all Nations though commanded by the Rulers to speak no more in that Name yet they spoke the more boldly going into Markets Synagogues and Assemblies of the People though opposed by Priests Rulers People cast into prisons under sore Persecutions and Bonds and many Tryals yet they went on boldly not regarding the Commandment of men but obeyed God rather than man By Faith it 's seen how just it was in them to witness against false Worships false Teachers false Apostles false Prophets false Ministers laying them open by their Fruits as Christ had said when he prophesied that many false Christs and false Prophets should come and should deceive many by their fruits ye shall know them and by their fruits the Apostles laid them open who were false Ministers Messengers of Satan Ministers of unrighteousness transforming themselves into the likeness of the Ministers of Christ who went in Cain's way envying and persecuting the Just and in Balaam's way for Wages of unrighteousness and Promotion and Gifts and Rewards who minded earthly things whose God was their Belly and their glory in their shame whose end was to be destroyed who with good words and fair speeches deceived the hearts of the simple and through covetousness made merchandise of Souls bringing in damnable Heresies even denying the Lord that bought them and preach for Money and Price when as the Lord said Freely ye have received freely give the Work-man is worthy of his meat these had eyes full of Adultery and could not cease from sinning beguiling unstable Souls whose hearts are exercised with covetous Practices cursed Children which have forsaken the right Way and are gone astray after the error of Balaam who loved the Wages of unrighteousness but the dumb Ass speaking with man's Voice rebuked such madness in him who was greedying after earthly things And the Apostles witnessed against such Teachers that spoke things which they ought not for filthy lucre sake who were proud men who were covetous men heady high-minded treacherous disobedient to Parents unthankful unholy blasphemers truce-breakers incontinent fierce dispisers of those that are good lovers of Pleasures more than lovers of God having a Form of Godliness but denying the Life and Power thereof from such turn away for of this sort are they which creep into Houses leading silly Women captive laden with sin and led away with divers lusts ever learning but never able to come to the Knowledge of the Truth and as Jannes and Jambres withstood Moses so do these withstand the Truth men of corrupt minds reprobate concerning the Faith being Evil men and Seducers waxing worse and worse deceiving and being deceived but they shall proceed no further their folly shall be manifest to all men And Jude witnesseth against such as were ungodly men turning the Grace of our Lord Jesus into lasciviousness denying the only Lord and Saviour and called them Wells without water spots in their Feasts feeding without Fear Clouds carried about with Wind filthy Dreamers that defile the Flesh who went in Cain's way and Balaam's way having mens persons in admiration because of advantage being separated sensual having not the Spirit And the Apostle witnessed against them who were given to Wine and that were Strikers Lovers of Money of filthy Lucre bid the Saints take heed of such that were desirous of filthy Lucre that were self-willed who despised Dominion and spoke evil of Dignities natural bruit Beasts made to be taken and destroyed as all the Priests of the World despise that any can come into that Dignity or Dominion as to overcome Sin and to be throughly cleansed in this Life and perfected By Faith it 's seen that all these that testified against such as lived in these Practices before mentioned were just and faithful unto God and it 's likewise seen to be just and faithfulness in us to declare against all such that live in such Practices that they were in which the Prophets Christ and his Apostles and all the Saints testified against though the world could not bear it then to have their Teachers and Prophets declared against neither can they now yet it 's just with God and in faithfulness to the Lord to declare against them who are manifest by their Fruits to be in the steps of the false Prophets by their Fruits ye shall know them saith Christ for an evil Tree cannot bring forth good Fruit nor a good Tree cannot bring forth evil Fruit. By Faith it 's seen that it was just with God to smite Herod the King who had stretched forth his hand to vex certain of the Church and persecuted the Saints when he had made
an Oration before the People who gave a shout and said it was the Voice of a God and not of a man and that the worms should eat him because he gave not the Glory to God By Faith it 's seen that it was great faithfulness and obedience unto the Lord in the Apostles that they gave up themselves to do the Work of God and laboured in the Truth to turn both Jews and Gentiles to Christ the true Light which enlightneth every one that cometh into the World and to the Grace which hath appeared to all men which taught the Saints that denying ungodliness and worldly lusts they might live Soberly Righteously and Godly in this present World and come to know the saving of their Souls by the Grace through Faith and when the People did once believe they came to receive Grace for Grace and had Faith revealed in them from Faith to Faith which gave them Victory over the whole World and over the Transgression of it to be cleansed from all filthiness of Flesh and Spirit perfecting Holiness in the Fear of God and unto such the Apostles wrote Epistles exhorting them to continue in the Faith and to persevere in the Hope Watching and being Sober having the loynes of their minds girt about with the Truth unto these Salvation was come nearer than when they first Believed therefore they were to awake from sleep and rise from dead Works and to put off the deeds of the Night for the Darkness was past and the true Light shined and they were to put on the whole Armour of God to Arm themselves with the Armour of Light that they might withstand the evil Day and might be able to quench the fiery Darts of the Devil that they might offer their Bodies unto God a Living Holy Sacrifice acceptable unto God which was but their reasonable Service not fashioning themselves according to the Fashions of the World but to be renewed in their Mindes to prove what is that good and acceptable and perfed Will of God And they were not to adorn themselves with Gold or Silver or Pearls or Plaiting of Hair nor costly Array but with modest Apparel to adorn the Doctrine of the Gospel of Christ Let not your adorning be with the putting on of Apparel nor wearing of Gold or Pearls ar broidered Hair but let it be in the hidden man of the Heart with a meek and quiet Spirit which with the Lord is of great price and their words were to be few and seasoned with salt that they might administer Grace to the Hearers that all things might be done in Order and decently for the setting forth the Glory of God and the Praise of his Grace by which they were called to be Saints By Faith it 's likewise seen that after the Apostles had once turned the People to the true Light and to know God shining in their Hearts to cause the Light to shine out of Darkness to give them the Light of the Knowledge of his Glory in the face of Jesus Christ in which they received the Anointing which gave them an understanding to know all things so that they needed no man to teach them then they committed them to the Word of his Grace which was able to keep them from falling and left them to assemble themselves together in the Spirit to worship God in the Spirit and in the Truth and not to forsake the assembling themselves together as the manner of some was but to wait for the Promises and persevere in the Hope unto the end waiting for the appearing of the great God and his Christ then they left them committing them to the Grace which was able to keep them from falling and to the Spirit of Jesus which was able to build them up and â—o keep them from the world unspotted â—nd to hate even the garment spotted with the Flesh and to present them Holy unto God without spot or blemish or any such like thing which brought them 〈…〉 one another and to have Union one wâ—â—h another and not with the world for a Believer and an Infidel cannot concord then I say they left them and did not continue with them as the manner of Hirelings ever was to stay as long as they lived for great sums of Money with one People except they could get a greater Benefice with another whose day is as the cutting off Life from the Earth and going down to the Grave but the Apostles day was to do the joyful Work of God and to call many into the Light the way of everlasting Rest and Peace and Joy who when they had turned one People to the Light left them and wrote to them from another People unto whom they were gone to turn them to the same Truth and out of other Lands So they saluted the Saints and their Assemblies which they had gathered with the saluâ—ations of Peace and Love exhorting all to press forward to the Mark of the price of the High Calling in Christ Jesus namely to the full attainment of the fulness of an Holy and perfect Life that they might all be presented perfect in Christ and sanctified throughout in Soul Body and Spirit and being partakers of the Divine Nature and escaping the Corruption which is in the world through lust and being partakers of the Faith they might give all diligence to make their Calling and Election sure adding unto Faith Vertue and unto Vertue Knowledge and to Knowledge Temperance and to Temperance Patience and to Patience Godliness and to Godliness brotherly Love and to brotherly Love Charity which is the band that keepeth perfect for if these things be in you and abound they make you that you shall neither be barren nor unfruitful in the Knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ but he that lacketh these things is blind and cannot see afar off and hath forgotten that he was purged from his old sins Wherefore the rather Brethren give all diligence to make your Calling and Election sure for if ye do these things ye shall never fall and so an entrance shall be ministred unto you abundantly into the everlasting Kingdom of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ This I have given forth from the Innocency and uprightness of my Heart as moved of the Lord which I send abroad as a Testimony of the true Work of the true Faith and of its Effect it being a few of those excellent Truths which through Faith in the Light is given me to see and to believe and to witness forth the true Testimony of the Saints which justly and truly they through Faith witnessed forth to the Glory of God and it is to be Printed and sent abroad unto all People but most especially to all the English in America and the West-Indies and the Islands thereunto belonging which if in this I should finish my Testimony of Writing or Declaring the Truth of God yet this shall stand unto Generations to come and to this present Generation as a Testimony