word in season in the needful time But now has the Lord appear'd to comfort the Mourners in Sion and to give Beauty for Ashes the Oyl of Joy for Mourning and the Garment of Praises for the spirit of Heaviness Isa 61.3 Therefore lift up your Heads ye mournful Travailers who have been weeping as Rachel for her Children and refused to be comforted because they were not Jer. 31.15 For the Comforter is now come even the Spirit of Truth which leads into all Truth all those that are willing to follow him who saith I am come that you might have Life and that you might have it more abundantly John 10.10 and he will lead you by a Way you know not where you shall not Err. Life from God the Fountain of Life and Glory is now come and is entered into the Witnesses the Graves are opened the Dead is raised and they that hear his heavenly Voice their Souls live unto him This is the new Birth which the Apostle speaks of on this wise My little Children of whom I travail in Birth again until Christ be formed in you Galat 4.19 Here the Apostle travailed for the bringing forth of that holy Birth which is conceived by the holy Ghost and is born of the Water and of the Spirit and is made a new Creature in Christ for sayes he If any man be in Christ he is a New Creature But Nichodemus a Ruler of the Jews who came unto Jesus by Night reasoned carnally on this manner How can a Man be born which is Old can he enter again into his Mother's Womb and be born How ignorant was this Teacher of Israel concerning the Work of Regeneration it was a sealed Book and a Mystery unto him as it is to many Wise Professors and Night walking Nichodemus's of this Age who though they pretend to high things yet stumble at that which should open their Understandings and give them a true Discerning betwixt that which is born of the Flesh and that which is born of the Spirit but are yet in the dark and their Understandings vailed by reason of Sin and Transgression which stands as a Partition Wall unremoved and the old man with his Deeds not put off nor the new man the second Adam put on which bears the heavenly Image and being gone astray and alienated from the Life of God in themselves they become not acquainted with that which should work a Change in their Hearts not withstanding all their Profession of God and Christ in Words whilst in their Works they deny him Now the birth of the flesh is known by its fruits which is Envy Wrath Murder and Persecution of that Birth that is born after the Spirit hath been so even from Righteous Abel to this very day for Cain who was the first that was born of a Woman envyed his Brother Abel and slew him because his Brother's Sacrifice was accepted and his rejected whose innocent Blood from the Ground on which it was spilt cryed in the Ears of the Lord for Vengence as doth the Blood of the Innocent People of God this day cry unto him who will render Judgment and Vegeance upon the Enemies of his Righteous Seed and People who have sacrificed unto and worshipped the Lord their God according to his Commands and the Requirings of his holy Spirit in their Hearts And Ishmael the Son of the Bond Woman who was born after the Flesh and is in Bondage with her Children he was a Mocker and Mocked Isaac who was the true Seed and Heir of the Promise so all those now who are of Abraham's Faith are of the true Seed and inherit the Blessing and Kingdom prepared for them before the Foundation of the World And again you may read how Esau the first birth who was a prophane man and sold his Birth-right for one Morsel of Meat he set himself against Jacob the second Birth who was of the true Seed and righteous Line unto which the Promise and Blessings did descend and appertain So here people may see how that after man had transgressed and forsaken the Lord he fell short of the Blessings of God and in that state the first birth which was of the Earth earthly and sensual was rejected with its Offerings and Sacrifice so it is the second birth which is after the Spirit that obtains the Blessing And Haman an Informer against Mordecai was of this corrupt seed birth of the flesh whose Off-spring as well as himself has been persecuting the Members of the true Church Seed of God for these many hundred years unto this very time and all about Religion Sacrifice and Worship so that our Persecutors who have been rending and tearing like Dogs and Bears and persecuting people for their Non-conformity and different Perswasions about Religion may see their Off spring and who was their Captain and General in this wicked Work whose Spirit is alive though his Body be dead and it will deceive them in the end And Wo and Misery will be the Portion of all such if not prevented by timely Repentance at unawares when 't will be too late to call unto the Hills and to the Mountains to fall upon them and cover them from the Presence of the Lord and to hide them from his dreadful Majesty and fierce Indignation which is kindled against all the Enemies of his chosen People who are unto him as the Apple of his Eye and no Way will be found to escape his terrible Judgments For such as every one sows such must they reap and they that sow to the flesh shall of the flesh reap Corruption but they that sow to the spirit shall of the spirit reap Life Everlasting Gal. 6.8 And if they who are and persist in Cain's nature and Esau's spirit seek a place of Repentance with Tears as they did they shall not find it but shall be like Cain who was a Fugative and a Vagabond in the Earth being driven out from the Presence of the Lord and said My Punishment is greater than I can bear Oh! that people would but consider what they are a doing and to whom they yield their Members Servants to obey and follow that Exhortation of the Apostle Rom. 6.13 Yield not your Members as Instruments of Unright cousness unto sin but yield your selves unto God for the Wages of Sin is Death but the Gift of God is Eternal Life Now this Gift of God is freely extended unto all Mankind in and by which he calls and excites to Purity and Holiness and to turn to him and forsake Sin which makes the Separation and to come out of Ungodliness and all Uncleanness The Call of the Lord has reached unto all but the Apostle saith Have they not all heard yes verily their sound went into all the Earth and their words to the end of the World Rom. 10.18 but all have not obeyed the Voice of the Lord. Oh! why will ye stand idle in the Market-place pleading for and contending about outward
Messengers with Blindness so that they could not find the Door to go into the House Gen. 19.11 even so we have seen in our day when the Lord hath sent forth his Messengers and Servants from City to City and from one Country to another to perswade and exhort people to cease from the Evil of their Wayes and to fear and obey the Lord that created them How hath the Wicked even Gog and Magog mustered up their Forces against us the Dragon and his Angels against Michael and his Angels but Michael our Prince shall have the Victory And we have seen the Lord to smite the Aegyptians as he did Pharaoh and his Host when they pursued the Israelies and would not let them go free out of Aegypt according to the Mind and Will of the Lord that they might Worship him how wonderfully did the Lord God appear for their Deliverance to the dividing the Waters of the great Deep that his chosen People might pass through and escape the Hands of their Enemies The Sen obeyed his Command and fled and Jordan was driven back c. Exod. 14.22 Psalm 114.3 and Pharaoh and his Host overturned in the midst of the Sea so that they saw the Aegyptians dead upon the Shore Then they sung the Song of high Praises to the Lord and the Songs of Deliverance to the God of Israel whose mighty Wonders they had seen in the Deep And many in this day can sing a Melodious Song of High Praises to the God of their Salvation upon the Banks of Sion and upon the Walls of Jerusalem in the deep Sense of his many great Preservations and Miraculous Diliverances which we have known since we were a People by the saving Arm of his Power unto which we ascribe all the Honour and Glory of his own Works who is God over all worthy to be Magnified and in the highest Praised forever and evermore And as we have stood in his Counsel when with Tribulations and Temptations on every hand we have been surrounded and beset as the Israelites were whe nthe Sea was before them and the Aegyptians pursuing after them and Hills and Mountains on every hand yet standing still and in Patience waiting upon the Lord we have seen the great Salvation of God manifested in our greatest Straits and his Strength in our Weakness And although we be but poor and despicable Instruments as in the Eyes and Esteem of the Wise and Prudent of this World yet is the Wisdom of this World Foolishness with God and he is making choice of the Despised and Contemptible things of this World to Confound the Wisdom of the Wise and to bring to Naught the Understanding of the Prudent that no Flesh may glory in his Presence before whom every tall Cedar and sturdy Oak must how and all Shrubs must be rooted up not by Sword nor by Spear or any Carnal Weapon but by the Word of God's Power which is quick and powerful sharper than any two-edged Sword which Word also is as a Fire and an Hammer to cut down burn up and beat in pieces all the Ungodliness of Wicked men that stands in Opposition to Him whose right it is to Reign in the Kingdoms of Men. And we have seen the Uncircumcised Philistims to fall Heaps upon Heaps as they did by the hand of Sampson who had no better Instrument of War than the Jaw-bone of an Ass which in outward appearance was very Contemptible yet standing in that living Faith which gives Victory the Conquest is known And this is that Word of Faith which the Apostles preached by which the Just live to God and is much more pretious than Gold that perisheth One Grain of it if no bigger than a Grain of Mustard-Seed is sufficient to enable for an Encounter against the potent Enemy of the Soul Although he come like a roaring Lyon seeking his prey in this Faith there is safety for the Righteous by which the holy men of God stood and were upheld when they fought the good Fight of Faith and by which the Noble Warriors and Antients of Israel obtained a Good Report and did many Valient Acts and got Victory by and through it by the stopping the Mouthes of Lyons quenching the Violence of Fire escaping the Edge of the Sword out of Weakness were made Strong And by this Faith Women received their Dead raised to Life again c. Heb. 11.34 35. And others were Tortured not accepting Deliverance that they might obtain a better Resurrection And it was by Virtue of this Living Faith that David whilst a Stripling and a Keeper of his Father's Sheep went forth against and Encountred with Goliah of Gath that Great Gyant and Uncircumcised Philistim who had defied the Armies of the Living God and insulted over them because of his Greatness and Strength at which Saul was Discouraged But says little David Let no mans Heart fail because of him Thy Servant will go and fight with this Philistim Now when Saul seemed to Discourage him David answered and said unto Saul Thy Servant kept his Father's Sheep and there came a Lyon and likewise a Bear and took a Sheep out of the Flock and I went out and rescued the Lamb and slew the Lyon and the Bear And this Vncircumcised Philistim shall be as one of them because he railed on the Host of the Living God Moreover he said The Lord that delivered me out of the Paw of the Lyon and out of the Paw of the Bear he will deliver me out of the Hand of this Philistin So David went out against him not with Saul's Armour For sayes he I cannot go with these for I am not accustomed with his Staff and his Sling and Five SMOOTH Stones taken out of a Brook and when the Philistim saw David come he Disdained him being but a Boy and for the Meanness of his Instrument of War and said Am I a Dog that thou comest to me with a Staff with other Disdainful and Approbious Language But David answered Thou comest to me with a Sword and with a Spear and a Shield But I come unto thee in the Name of the Lord of Hosts the God of the Armies of Israel whom thou hast defied This Day will the Lord deliver thee in to mine Hands c. 1 Sam. Chapter 17. Read throughout So David slew this great Gyant with a Sling and a smooth Stone out of his Pag which was but a mean Instrument yet being handled in the Faith and Power of God prevailed and gave Israel Victory over their Enemies Oh! how precious is this Faith whereby the Righteous obtain Victory over both Inward and Outward Enemies from Generation to Generation This is that Faith which cometh by Hearing and Hearing by the Word of God which Word is nigh thee even in thy Heart and in thy Mouth Rom. 10.8 And is the same Word unto which Moses recommended and directed the Children of Israel and earnestly pressed them to the keeping of the Commandment and the Word in the
Nation if they would be of the Samaritans Mind and believe in that inward Testimony and Power which lets them see and tells them all that they do and reproves them for Sin and Evil. Now God is a Spirit and they that worship him aright must worship him in by the divine Assistance of his Spirit but those who deride and make a Mock at the Spirit and the Guidings and Leadings of it are known to be out of the Spirit neither know the Truth bat are Enemies to it and all their Worships Duties Self-Performances Offerings Sacrifices out of the Truth are an Abomination unto the Lord let their Pretence be never so specious Now God in his Love hath given a Measure of his Spirit unto All people whereby through Obedience thereto they may be enabled to perform that acceptable Service he requires of them and they that come to feel such a good Desire and holy Thirst begotten in them as did the Woman of Samaria after the Water of Life such by pursuance after the same in the Faith come to receive Satisfaction and Refreshment from the Fountain Christ Jesus who said unto the Woman If thou knew'st the Gift of God and who it is that saith unto thee Give we to drink thou wouldst have asked of him who would have given thee living Water those said he that drink of this Water speaking of the Water in Jacob's Well shall thirst again but whosoever shall drink of the Water that I shall give him shall never thirst but the Water that I shall give him shall be in him a Well of Water springing up unto Everlasting Life The Woman said unto him Sir give me of this Water that I thirst not again c. So it appears this Woman was ignorant of the Gift of God though it was in her yet by believing in and receiving his gracious Words she became acquainted with the true Knowledge of the Gift of God in her self as are all true Believers and spiritual Worshippers at this day and thereby to receive the ingrafted Word with Meekness which is able to save the Soul in and through which the true Worshippers offer up an acceptable Sacrifice within the Gates of the New and Heavenly Jerusalem which John saw coming down from God out of Heaven as a Bride adorned for her Husband Salvation is the Walls of this holy City and her Gates Praises neither in her is there need of the Light of the Sun or of the Moon or Stars but the Lord God and the Lamb is the Light thereof and the Nations of them that are saved must walk in the Light of it rev 21.23 24. Now we who are come to witness this defirable and glorious Habitation of Reft and Peace which through many deep Sufferings Cryes and Travails of our anxious Spirits we have mourned for sought after and obtained we cannot but declare unto others in the Love of God with tender Pity and Compassion unto their Souls who are tossed about with every Wind of Dectrine as a Ship in a storm and even labour to perswade such who are thus distressed to lay hold on the great Salvation of God which he in and by his Son Christ Jesus has freely tendred unto all People to be his Salvation to the Ends of the Earth a Light to lighten the Gentiles and to be the Glory of his People Israel this is he whom good old Simeon saw in his day when he was waiting for the Consolation of Israel Luke 2.25 And you who are looking for Christ without you in the outward Forms and Traditions my Advice unto you is To turn to that Principle in your own hearts that is meek and lowly for sayes Christ Learn of me I am meek and low in heart and ye shall find Rest unto your Souls Mat. 11.29 The Humble he teacheth his Way and the Meek will he guide in Judgment This is the good Physician of Value who hath brought Balm from Gilead and gives Health to the wounded Soul he washes and thoroughly cleanses the Wound when all that has poluted and defiled the Heart and Conscience is purged and done away then he pours in of his precious Oyntment which gives a fragrant smell to those who have been poluted and defiled by reason of Sin of which the Oyntment was a Figure that was poured upon Aaron's Head and run down to the Skirts of his Garment and was precious and if that was precious which was outward and typical how much more is this which is an inward and spiritual Unction which only can reach the Soul as that did the Body and which comes from Christ who is anointed with the heavenly Oyl above his Fellows by vertue of which inward Anointing Health Soundness of heart and mind comes to be known again by those who through this Universal Grace receive it a measure of which Grace is committed to every one to profit withal if they would prove it and try it it is one and the same in Nature and Quality though not in Quantity For unto one he gave five Talents to another two and to another one and to every man according to their several Abilities in the least of which is sufficientcy if obey'd and improv'd and where much is given much is required But the wicked and sloathful Servant who had but one Talent counted the Lord an hard Master because he was negligent and careless to improve it and hid his Talent in the Earth but read his Portion was he not cast into utter Darkness where is weeping and gnashing of Teeth and the same Reward to this day remains for all the Negligent Unfaithful and disobedient Servants who will not improve their Gift and Talent committed unto them Now to speak a little after the manner of men and to compare Spiritual Things with Temporal That as no Malady or Distemper of the Body can be healed without the Application of some suitable Medicine and that only such as can reach unto the grieved part even so no visible Preparatory or outward Existence can reach unto or effectually heal a Wounded Soul but the alone saving Health and Power of Jesus and whoso makes a right Application of it comes livingly experimentally to witness the blessed Effects thereof which are the same as in the dayes past that is to give Sight to the Blind to cause the Deaf to hear the Lame to walk the Leper to be cleansed and the Tongue of the Dumb to be unloosed to praise the Name of the Lord and to magnifie his great Power in the Land of the Living and the Poor in Spirit have received the Everlasting Gospel of Peace which is freely preached and Life and Immortality is brought to Light thereby Oh! the Day of Glad Tidings is come and the Year of Jubile to the Prisoner of Hope and to the Captives and Disconsolate Souls is known who had no Comforter in the Earth nor any to be found that had the Tongue of the Learned to speak a