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A30510 The memorable works of a son of thunder and consolation namely that true prophet and faithful servant of God and sufferer for the testimony of Jesus, Edward Burroughs, who dyed a prisoner for the word of God in the city of London, the fourteenth of the twelfth moneth, 1662. Burrough, Edward, 1634-1662.; Howgill, Francis, 1618-1669. 1672 (1672) Wing B5980; ESTC R31282 1,280,745 962

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thy Law and defends by thy unrighteous power thy power is limited and it shall be taken from thee and thou shalt be overcome and the Lamb shall get the victory and into the pit and lake of fire shall you be turned to have your resting place And thou false Prophet which hath deceived the Nations and scattered the Inhabitants thereof and builded by fraud and daubed with untempered morter thy Judgment is past upon thy head already and the Decree of our God is sealed against thee thy smoke shall ascend for ever and ever and of thy sin there is no forgiveness nor of thy torment no remission Over you do we and shall for ever rejoyce and sing and over your god and your King the Dragon that old Serpent cursed be he and his memorial for ever Ye Lambs of the true Shepherds fold with whom my soul resteth whether ever I behold you outwardly yet my heart is with you and I am one of your fold and I lye down with you under the shadow of the rock upon the Mountain which the beast cannot touch where we are safe from all our enemies and am to you wel known to be read in your hearts in the Record of the Lambs Book of Life and known only to the world by the name of EDWARD BURROUGH Written at Dublin City in Ireland To the Camp of the Lord in England Several Epistles to Friends in LONDON Written in the Year 1655. by E. B. Some of which were subscribed by F. H. who was Fellow-Labourer with him in the Work of the Lord. FRiends of God in the Truth whom the Lord is gathering as desolate Stones to build unto himself a Habitation whom the Lord is bringing back out of Captivity wherein you have been held under the Chains of Darkness in the Land of the shadow of Death the Lord is calling you and chusing you to place his Name in you and to spread forth his glory among you Therefore all dear Friends whose hearts the Lord hath touched by his Love and by his Power be faithful unto God who hath called you and look not out at any thing that is mortal to draw you from the Obedience of the Eternal Light of Jesus Christ which shines clearly in Darkness Resist not the Drawing of the Father but take up the Cross and abide in it daily that your wills may be crucified in which the ground of enmity lodges So all in your own conditions wait in the Fear of the Lord in singleness of heart and in simplicity of mind for the powerful Appearance of the Son of God to be revealed in you to destroy the works of the Devil for where he is not witnessed the works of the Devil stands and the nature of the earthly man in the fall All of you whose minds are turned home to within where the Pearl and the Lost Money is to be found dwell and walk in the pure Fear and Obedience to that of God which is made manifest in you and made known unto you and there will Peace flow in from the Presence of the Lord unto you and refreshment and strength to the Seed and the Pure will live and the Corrupt will die daily Beware every one that have put their hands to the Plow that you look not back at any thing which you have left behind in the World but press on in the strait Way which is the Light which gives no liberty to the fleshly man but which judges and condemns all that hates it and turns from it the Light is the Way that leads to Life and by it as you wait in it the Life will be made manifest which is immortal and your Redemption will be witnessed dwell in the Judgment and in the Burning that the Dross may be consumed and the Pure may be refined and the earthly carnal minds may be confounded and judged The Lord is near unto you wait for his powerful Presence in his own Light to see him and in it to comprehend all the World with all its Profession which leads not to God but keeps in the separation from God your Way is near walking in the Light you will see it and in the Light you will see all the paths and all the wayes of the Harlot which leads into the Chambers of Death look not out at words for that which feeds there is for the Famine but dwell in the Light joyning with the immortal Principle which receives nourishment from the Eternal Fountain which the World knows not nor comprehends as you grow in the Pure and in the Life so you are unknown to the World and your growth will appear by your obedience in the Cross of Christ so take off stumbling at the Cross for such hath no part in the Eternal Inheritance but walk in the Cross which is life to the New-man and death to the Old and so through Death Life is made manifest and the pure Life of God arising in all the World will be trampled upon and denied by you but such amongst you that chuseth the World wrath from God I declare against you and you who knows the way and casts off the Truth and for the love of that which is visible turns from the Truth you cannot escape the Damnation of Hell So all dear and tender hearts abide in the Counsel of God and let not the World overcome your minds but wait for a daily victory over it that so you may with the Saints possess the Eternal Riches and that in you which is carnal and corrupt may be overcome by that which is Eternal and Holy as you abide and walk in the Truth and grow up in the knowledge of the eternal God so our joy will be fulfilled in you and our rejoycing will be encreased by you therefore walk and live in that which God hath made manifest in you which is of himself and the eternal God of Life and Power prosper you and lead you up unto himself to dwell and walk in his Love for evermore Be not troubled at the rage of the World nor at Temptations but stand in the Will of God which hath been declared amongst you that you may all be established and guided by that which is not of this World but by the Principle of Life which is Eternal which judges all the fruits and grounds of Darkness Our love salutes you all who walk in the Truth and our prayers are for you that Life may spring up in you to praise the Lord for ever We are Servants unto you and unto all the Elect Seed of God every where for whose sakes we give our selves to be spent E. B. F. H. To Friends in London ALl Friends whose minds are turned to the Lord by that which is Pure which comes from him who is the Light of the World all mind it that with it your minds may be turned to him from whence it comes out of all the perishing things and out of all the visible to the invisible that so
Heaven and Earth all Nations upon Earth are but as the drop of a Bucket before him and the hearts of all men are in his Hand and by him Kings rule and the Princes of the Earth are at his disposure and you are all weighed in the Ballance of Equity and found too light before the Lord for all flesh hath corrupted its way before him Be awakenened ye that have long slept in Darkness and been at ease in the flesh ye that have had peace in this World and pleasure in the vanity thereof the Lord is coming to make war against you his Trumpet hath sounded and his Sons and Daughters are gone forth to bear witness of his Majesty and Power and Dominion and the Lord hath spoken Who can but prophesie he hath given the Word and many are they that publish it Let your ears be open to Instruction and kick not against the Lord neither harden your hearts against him but make way for him and prepare his Path for he cometh to judge the World in Righteousness and the People with equity and the Testimony of the Light of Jesus in you all shall witness for him your princely Powers must become subject to the Power of the Kingdom of the Most High and your glory must be vailed and darkned before the Glory which ●he Lord is causing to shine forth and we the Servants of the Most High do give you warning of the day of your Visitation which is upon you and all the World for the Lord is now risen who hath long winked at the time of great ignorance but now ●e warns you all to repent therefore bow down ye Stiff-necked and tremble ye Stout-hearted and be abased ye Lofty-looks our King is above you all our dominion is over you all and the line of true Judgment are you all measured with and your wayes are not found perfect in the Sight of the Lord nor your hearts right before him his Kingdom hath not been known in your dominions neither hath his Laws and his Judgments born rule but you have every one been doing that which is right in the sight of your own eyes and the counsels of your hearts have been nought but vanity before the Lord Vain-glory hath abounded among you which the the Lord's Soul hath been burdened by the honours and pleasures of the flesh have been your delight and strife and enmity hath been among you and wars and quarreling and fighting one against another and you have rejoyced in the overthrow one of another and in destroying one another and you have taken pleasure in gaining one anothers dominions you have striven who should have been the greatest and greatly oppressed the Poor you have exalted your selves one against another and drawn up your Armies one in defiance of another and the blood of Thousands have been shed to satisfie the humours of your proud hearts all this hath been evil in the Sight of the Lord and his Spirit hath been grieved and his Soul vexed by all this and he hath forborn till he hath been weary for he hath been dishonoured by all this and his Law hath not born rule and his Judgments have had no place you have been cruel-hearted one towards another and merciless and without pitty and ouy have not done to others as you would be done unto but you have rendred evil for evil and sought occasions of evil one against another and vexed one another through the pride of your hearts therefore now is the Lord risen to make war against you all and to dash you to pieces the Feller comes up amongst you he that will not spare to slay and to devour who will not be afraid of your lofty looks he will spoil you of your Treasure and lay waste your strength all ye Kingdoms of the Earth and your gathering together against him is but as Briers and thorns for he will exalt his own Kingdom over you all and all ye Kings of the Earth shall know that the Kingdom of the most high must rule in your Kingdoms and your Laws shall be changed and the poor shall no more be oppressed for he is come th●t proclaims liberty unto the Captives who will remove oppression far away who will change Times and Worships and Ordinances and there shall be no Law but the Law of God nor no light but of the Lamb nor no worship but the Worship in the Spirit and in the Truth for all your Worships which the Nations are full of is nought but vanity and a lye immitations and superstitions brought forth in hypocrisie and not in an upright heart vanity of vanities have abounded both in civil and spiritual affairs The root in which you stand is wholly corrupted and no good fruit springs from it but cursed fruit which must be 〈◊〉 down and cast into the fire ye have been evil and could not bring forth any good you are corrupted and your fruit is of a bitter taste a day of sorrow of lamentation and misery is coming upon you all ye that have been high and lofty and stouthearted fearfulness shall surprise you and the terror of the Lord of Hosts shall compass you about I am moved to salute you all with this as a warning and when it comes to pass remember you have been told ye that know not the Kingdom of the most High ruling men but are saying in your hearts this hath my hand done in a moment shall you be smitten and know there is one above you which must rule for it is his right to rule over all Nations and there shall be no King but Jesus th● A●oin●e● o● God ●o●●o Government but the Government of the Lamb there shall be no more war but war against the Dragon who hath stood to devour the Man-child which is now bringing forth and he must rule with his Iron Rod and shall subdue all under his feet We whom God hath warned cannot but warn you of these things which 〈◊〉 come to pass he is coming to separate between the Just and the unjust he will gather from among you that the wicked may be consumed from off the face of the Earth All you Rulers in the World I warn you all take heed how you persecute such as comes to warn you who brings this Message to you lest you add sin to sin till there be no place found for repentance for ye shall all know our God is the true God that made Heaven and Earth before whose presence all ●●esh must come to Judgment By one who hath measured the Times who is come to the Day that hath made all Things m●…ifest EDWARD BURROUCH A General Epistle and Greeting OF THE Fathers Love t● all the SAINTS Called and chosen to faithfulness in Christ Jesus the Light of the World in which they believing and their faith standing in his Power many suffer for his Name sake And this is to all such as are found worthy to suffer and is an Exhortation to the strengthning of their
the one is the Word of God but the other is not and this all sober men confess to though thou dost jangle and twist about it with thy lame Arguments to no purpose at all except to shew thy Weakness and Folly And also No man is justified by Christ's Righteousness until he receives it and as he receives it and this thou shalt one day witness For though Righteousness be in him sufficient to justifie yet by it art thou nor any man justified but in the receiving of it and dwelling in it and this shalt thou confess to be truth in the Day of the Lord and in the mean time let me bear thy false censure in calling this Heresie And also a man may be tempted to sin and there may be evil motions to him yet he not being overcome of the Temptation not consenting to the motion of sin it is no sin unto him neither shall sin be imputed to him if he commits it not but he that commits sin though he profess never so much of Justification yet for his sin shall he be condemned and this shalt thou witness in the day of Iudgment Also That there is a Perfection attainable in this life even to be perfect and without sin in Christ Iesus and this I affirm to be the Truth of the Gospel and that wherein the Faith of God's People stands and though thou madest a twisting and a wrangling against it yet it is too strong for thee and in thy wisdom and thy arguments is thy folly and thy weakness seen and Truth stands over thee and thou canst not it nor me reprehend And also That some of the Scriptures were spoken to the World and not to the Saints this I also have sufficiently proved and thou art not able to detect it and all thy snarling in opposition to these things is confounded and thy Arguments made without effect and all whose eyes are open see thee to be of too short a measure and of too weak a capacity to understand the deep things of God which are hidden from thine Eye and them thou savourest not in that wisdom though thou hast the words yet thou art ignorant of the Life and the Life is in dominion over thee and to it must thou submit and lay down thy Crown And from thee am I hidden in that Life and Truth which I do profess And though I be as a Deceiver yet am I true and though I be slandered and reproached and back-bited by thee yet it is for Christ Iesus's sake and for his Truth 's sake and not as an Evil-doer But Friend learn more Wisdom then to judge a man before thou hearest him or to condemn the matter before thou hearest the Proof of it for by these things thou hast not gain'd a good Report but God condemns thee for it and men see thy shame in it and the burden of it one day shalt thou bear even thou and all that own thee in these things And now thy spirit is try'd and it is found too light and cannot stand in Judgement for it is unsavoury and though seperate from the World in appearance yet is thy spirit of the world and reacheth not the knowledge of the things that are eternal but art imagining in thy mind not being guided by that Spirit which gave forth the Scriptures and so thy knowledge is natural and cannot contain Spiritual Things Therefore Friend come down to God's Witness in thee the Light which shews thee sin and convinces thee of evil that Light is thy Teacher if thou lovest it and thy Condemnation if thou hatest it I have divers particulars against thee at a convenient season to manifest thy Folly and Weakness by them And whatever thou judgest me I am a Friend to thy Soul Edw. Burrough Richard Goodgroom held forth at the Dispute at Draton the 18th day of the 11th Moneth 1657. HE said The Letter was the Word and by the Letter he said he meant the thing contained in the Scriptures And when I said I had the Letter in my hand meaniug my Bible but not the thing signified he said But I had the Thing signified And he said People were justified by Christ excluding the New Birth and the Work of Sanctification and Christ justified Sinners as Sinners that is while Sinners remaining in sin At Justice Fortescue's house in the year 1656. he did deny That any was converted to God by a Light within And then I asked If it was not that same Light that converted which gave the Knowledge of God and they confessed Yea and yet did deny That the Light within converted to God though I shewed them that Scripture 2 Cor. 4. 6. which did confound the Deceit At Uxbridge one time he said Christ needed not to have come to have judged the World for there was sin enough in the World to judge it before he came Then I asked If Sin judged the World and he answered Yea and he said They were in the Covenant of God spoken of Nehem. 9. which turned the Law of God behind their backs E. B. A TESTIMONY Concerning the Estate of the True Church What she hath been and what she is Being given forth from the Motion of the Spirit of the Father COncerning the true State of the Church what she hath been and what she is at this day and concerning her Increase and Decrease through Ages and Generations past And her present State is this Returning again out of the Wilderness where she hath long been fed having a place prepared of God Now the Apostle saw her a Woman cloathed with the Sun covered with the Light of Heaven and with the Glory of God having the Moon under her Feet the Light which was ordain'd to rule the Night Thus she was and this was her state in the dayes of the Apostles when many were converted out of Darkness and renewed to be Members of this Church for her Glory shone through the World and she flourished through Nations and this was her state in the Apostles dayes And she travelled to bring forth the Man-Child Christ Jesus which is the Child and Husband of this Woman which was clothed with the Brightness of the Glory of God the elected Spouse of Christ the Lamb's Wife and his Body of his Flesh and of his Bones having Power and Dominion and treading under all contrary And thus was it with her in Generations past whose Seed spring forth as Branches fruitful and glorious But in process of time it came to pass That this Woman the Spouse of Christ his Body the Wife and Mother of this Man-Child she was bereaved of her Beauty and her Garments were taken away her Seed was made War against and was smitten and overcome and she fled into the Wilderness and there hath sate desolate as a Widdow lamenting the loss of her Children and being deprived of her Husband and the Man-Child which should have ruled the Nations For she hath been fled into the Wilderness and her former Beauty
Separation from GOD being in the State of Enmity against Him till the Lord Jesus Christ the good Shepherd of ISRAEL found you out in the Estate of Darkness and brought you Home from your strayed Condition even unto the Sense and Feeling of his Power and Spirit in you which called you out of the Wayes of Sin and Death and also changed you and regenerated you into the Inheritance of a better Kingdom and Glory than that which is of this World And ye now know Christ Jesus to be your Shepherd his Spirit to teach you his Wisdom and Righteousness and Sanctification to dwell in you being Partakers of the same through the Eternal LIGHT which once shined in Darkness and the Darkness could not comprehend it but now it is risen in much Glory and Power and Death and darkness is swallowed up of Life and Light and the Fruits thereof subdued These things are True and Faithful unto many let all such Rejoyce and be Glad in the Lord who have thus seen his Day and tasted of his Power and are Witnesses That the Kingdom is come which never fadeth away 2. Consider what the Tender Dealings of God towards you and his Gentle Leadings have been since he hath called you out of your forme● strayed Estate Hath not his Light shined upon your Tabernacles with much Clearness perswading your Hearts fully of his WAY and TRUTH Have not your Hearts often been Refreshed and Souls truly Comforted by the Refreshing Presence of the Lord Hath not the Way of Life been made so clear unto you and the way of your Peace so perfectly discovered that no Occasion hath been left of Unbelief or Stumbling unto the Upright in Heart Surely the Lord hath not been wanting to you in any of these things but he hath so reached Home by his Word and Spirit to your Hearts and Consciences with such full Convictions and perswasions in the Wayes of Salvation that no sincere Heart can doubt or waver concerning the Things pertaining to his Soul's Peace and Comfort 〈◊〉 For so Large and Evident hath God's Testimony been unto you even since he first called you by his Grace that no Man having Sense and Experience thereof but must bear witness That the Lord hath been Good Long Suffering full of Mercy and Righteousness towards all that feareth him I am perswaded ye know these things and that the Taste and Vertue of the Lord's Mercies and Power remaineth stedfest in your Remembrance and Enjoyment even his Mercies and Loving-kindness that have been made manifest to you since ye have known the Lord who hath ●●d you by the Hand as a Father doth his Children and carried you in his Arms of Preservation and born you on his shoulders in all your Afflictions insomuch that through his Power and Wisdom only we are yet alive and the Adversary hath not prevailed against us though his Attempts have often been great to Destroy us 3. Consider what i● now your present state and standing How is it with your inward Man In what Life and Strength and Dominion is he Is he ●●●ong over all the Corruptible or is he Weak under Corruption Is he in ●●e growth of a Perfect Man of the Stature of Christ Jesus Is he so begotten and born in you that Life hath swallowed up Death Hath he Victory over the Grave And doth he Raign in you even the New Man the Spiritual Man the Immortal Man Christ i● you Is he come in Power and Dominion to dwell with you De●rly ●●loved mind each particu●… in what state you are and what is your present standing to God 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ye had Faith in God and Love to God and Boldness for God And are ye fir●ly continued therein Or Is any such Weakened and Decreased in these things Is your Love grown cold and your Zeal lost and your Confidence decayed If it be thus with any their present state is not ●●ght before the Lord but they must Repent and return to their first Love and return again to the Witness of the Spirit of Christ 〈◊〉 in them that their Strength may be renewed for they only that dwell with the Lord in Faithfulness and abide in Covenant with him 〈◊〉 see his Glory and be fed daily with the Bread that comes down from Heaven and refre●… with the Fountain of endless Mercies if so be ye be perfect with the Lord after your inward Man Strong and Lively and Zealous Faithful and constant having a clean Heart and a pure Conscience guiltless and undefiled before God this is to be perfect with the Lord and if ye are thus blessed are you if ye be encreased daily in the Love and Life of the Father if your inward Man grow in the Wisdom and Power and Knowledge of the Creator if ye receive the assurance of Eternal Life in your selves if this be your present State Oh happy People Who is like unto you because ye are saved of the Lord 4. What is the present work of God in your own hearts Ye must alwayes feel the Word of God abiding in you even the Word in the heart hear that Word and do it alwayes and your souls shall live by the Word of God that Word beats down whatsoever tempts and draws from God which would defile you and load your Consciences and vex the Spirit for if any obey the Temptations they become darkned unbelief enters and the fruits of it grows and then there is a falling from the Lord and a departing from his way of Salvation therefore mind the Power and Spirit of Christ in you and be constant and faithful therein that you may be Preserved unto the finishing of the WORK of the Lord in you that at last ye may sit down in the Heavenly places in Christ Jesus in places of Peace and Comfort and Assurance for ever where the Lord is enjoyed all in all which you must wait for to be accomplished in you according to the promise and you must wit●●●s the work of Christ in you he must work in you by his Spirit Regeneration Recon●…on Sanctification Justification and all good things 〈◊〉 it is not sufficient to profess that Christ in his Person hath 〈◊〉 the works of God but every one in particular must witness at th●● day the work of the Spirit of Christ in his own heart even the Work of Reconciliation and Salvation that ye may in each mans particular receive the Knowledge and Experience of the Lords Work of his Love and Life and Salvation and Redemption in particular for though never so large Testimonies in general should be given to you or received by you concerning Christ Jesus and his Salvation yet the particular feeling of 〈◊〉 Love and Power of the Lord God in your own hearts must you sta●● by in the Day o● Tryal for that alone can uphold in the Day of Trou●… even the Testimony of the Spirit of Christ unto Salvation felt in each particular heart And seeing the Lord hath brought you to the knowledge
in but he that keepeth you reproveth and condemneth and casteth out the Devil and all his works and Workers who abide not in Christ Jesus nor in the Truth wherein we worship the Father who are called of him and faithful and chosen Followers of the Lamb who taketh away our Sin and giveth power over it and overthe Tempter who seeketh to betray the Just One. And from the Eternal God I warn you Every one know a Hiding-place in God the day of great shaking cometh upon the Garden of God the Beast that had a Wound by a Sword whose deadly Wound is healed may live and power may he given him for a Moment to make war against the Lamb and his Followers and Satan may prevail to winnow you and to try you for your Life therefore be armed with the whole Armour of Light which manifesteth the Mystery of Iniquity and the working of spiritual Wickednesses in high places and which defendeth you from his power out of the Snare of the Devil in the Simplicity as it is in Christ Jesus who is our Rock and our Strength by which we overcome the fiery Darts of the Enemy which come against us and dwell in the Truth that you may know the Life which standeth in God with whom there is no shaddow of turning but is the same forever and keepeth Covenant with his own Elect which cannot be overcome of the Devil nor deceived in whom you abiding you cannot sin but are kept from being touched with the Wicked One in the Way and in the Truth and in the Peace of God lively and precious in his sight to serve him in Fear and Faithfulness And if any go out from the Light the Living Way they become as withered Branches to be cut off from the Body no more to have Fellowship in the Body but is reprov'd and judg'd with that which keeps us in the Body And though some go from the Lord yet his Faithfulness endureth forever and his Promise is yea and amen to his own Seed which keep Covenant with him and fulfil his Law of Righteousness and Judgment and he that breaketh Covenant let him be condemned that the Creature may be saved in the Day of the Lord for who draws back such God's Soul hath no Pleasure in them but is oppressed with that and his Soul vexed Therefore all walk in God's Wisdom which is Pure and Peaceable and let not the Name of our God be spoken against through any of you who have been Partakers of the Word of Truth through any Disobedience or ungodly Walking but rather deny your own Liberty then make it an Occasion to the Flesh wherein Satan's strength stands and so God's Blessing you will receive and his Nurishment unto your Souls and will be preserved in Faithfulness not to end in the Flesh you that have begun in the Spirit And this in pure Love towards you all as a Testimony of my Love to the Seed of God in you all was I moved to write as seeing in the Light the Day that cometh upon you of which some may not be aware and I am clear thus far of the Charge committed to me of God towards you and am in the Truth it self which cannot change and am in it your Friend in the Service of the Lord God E. B. This is to go abroad among all Friends in Westmorland and Cumberland and elsewhere among the Flock of God carefully to be Copied over and read in your Meetings A Second General Epistle To all the SAINTS A Servant of the Lord and Minister of Jesus Christ thereunto ordain'd and call'd through the Powerful Operation and Gift of the Holy Ghost unto all his Brethren in the same Life who are born of God and Witnesses of his Power and unto all the Saints and Churches of Christ who have believ'd and receiv'd the sure and faithful Testimony and are call'd with the Heavenly Call to follow the Lamb whithersoever he goes who is given to you and received of you a Light a Guide and a Teacher in all the Wayes of God Unto you all that are scatter'd abroad in the World whether in Bonds or at Liberty whether strong Men or Children in Christ unto you all I send Greeting and above all things wish and desire and pray unto the Father for your increase in the Knowledge of him and Faithfulness in all his Wayes and that the Increase of his Government may abound among you and that Grace Mercy and Peace may plentifully be enlarged that nothing may be lacking to you in any thing of that which maketh perfect but that in Christ Jesus you may be compleat and that through him you may receive Power and thereby be strengthned to do all things My dearly Beloved and much longed for in the Fellowship of that Spirit which hath begotten you to be Sons and Daughters of one Father and Heirs and Fellow-members of that Inheritance of Life Peace and Rest which abideth forever Oh how I long to meet you all in this and to find you perfectly settled and established upon the sure Foundation which God hath laid amongst you beyond all Doubts and Fears and Stumblings above the World and all its Temptations and above Hell and Death and all the wayes thereof having all the powers of Darkness subjected under you serving the Lord in righteous and perfect Holiness walking in his Strength and Wisdom shewing forth his Light in the World as his only redeem'd People Oh how is my desire more and more kindled and enlarged towards you all that you may perfectly attain to the Knowledge of the great Mystery of Salvation to wit God dwelling in you I say my desire is That you may know even as you are known and that you may receive him as you are received of him and that you may be a perfect Body growing up together and springing forth in all good Fruits of Truth and Righteousness unto the Father who is glorify'd through bringing forth much Fruit And you very well know that for this End he hath call'd you and in this his appointed Day caused his Glory to shine forth and hath visited and brought us to the knowledge of the hidden Mystery of Eternal Salvation which Mystery hath been seal'd up for many Ages and is kept secret forever from the wisdom of this World but unto us that have believ'd in the Light of the World are they clearly discover'd as at Noon-day being reveal'd to us by the Spirit which worketh in us the Will and Mind of the Father and is powerful and mighty and subdueth and breaketh down the Hardness of Hearts and through the working thereof every high Thought is brought into subjection to Jesus And this same Spirit quickeneth and maketh alive to God and changeth and reneweth into his Image and Likeness and it raiseth up from under the Bondage of Corruption to live to God in all things in newness of Life old things being done away and all things being made new through the working
who are not and therefore may easily proceed in that way to punish such as Hereticks that are not truly so and except ye could affirm and Prove your possession of the infallible spirit ye can no way proceed justly reasonably to deny Liberty of Conscience in the exercise of Religion nor punish and persecute any in that case but if ye do ye do it in ignorance and know not what ye do and may as soon destroy true Christians and Saints as Hereticks for want of infallible judgment to discern who are and who are not and this is a danger ye ought to avoid by allowing the free exercise of Conscience as the Lord perswades every mans heart 15. And lastly also consider what a reproach you are under If such whom ye call Heretick and yet doth not infallibly know that they are such be punished and persecuted and destroyed for their Religion sake who are just and upright men in their Conversing between man and man and unreprovable in their dealings among men whether they err in judgment in spiritual knowledge or not err and such as are Drunkards propha●e persons go at liberty in their stage-playing and gaming and the like even tolerated and unpunished and not prohibited whom all do know and can distinguish who such are when they appear this will render your Government to evil reputation both in this present time and in ages to come and therefore consider it if Drunkards Gamesters and prophane persons have more toleration and liberty in their wayes of open vanity then sober temperate persons in the exercise of their Consciences in Religion which if any such do err in principle which is not infallibly known to you it is only to their own hurt in the sight of God and he onely and not you ought to punish them in that case but prophane persons as a fore-mentioned are easily judged by all to be such and their error inpractise is hurtful to the whole Kingdoms and pertains to you to punish as Dr. Taylor now a Bishop in Ireland hath said his words in this ●ase are worth observing why are we so zealous saith he against those we call Hereticks and yet great friends with D●unkards and Swearers and Fornicators and intemperate and idle persons I am certain a Drunkard is as contr●oy to God and lives as contrary to the Laws of Christianity as a Heretick and I am also sure that I Know what Drunkennesse is but I am not sure that such an opinion is heresie c. And these things I do in all meeknesse and due respect both to your places and persons present to your serious considerations that ye may prevent these evil effects that are so destructive unto you and these Kingdoms which absolutely must follow upon not allowing free Liberty of Conscience in the Exercise of Religion if any shall object That to tolerate and allow Liberty of Conscience in Religion is inconsistent with the safety and peace of the King and these Kingdoms I shall be desirous to hear from wise men what such objections are stated by them and wherein they say it is not Congruous with the Happiness and Peace of these Nations to grant and allow the Premises And on such Occasion I should make clearly to appea● the contrary and that it is only consistant with the Peace and Prosperity of these Kingdoms considering them in their present Estate To grant and allow Free Liberty of Conscience as aforesaid in the Exercise of Religion unto all Christian People O! Remember ye Mighty Men of the Kingdom That the Great and Mighty GOD takes notice of all your Doings and accordingly will he reward you in his Dreadful Day which is near to come upon all the World and Wo unto the Wicked in that Day O! Remember that ye your selves not long since were a Suffering People and now you are raised up again and therefore be not too zealous to afflict others especially for the Cases of their Consciences in reference to their Faith and Perswasions about Religion but be Gentle Meek and Long-suffering towards all for that is the way to make Peace and preserve it with all men that will gain the Affections of the Contrary-minded but Force and Rigour will exasperate the more and never truly reconcile differences among men And make no Laws contrary or different to the pure Law of God but let pure Consciences go free without Force or Restraint in the Exercises of Religion and let God have his Prerogative and Lordship in the Exercise of Conscience but let your Authority be extended over the outward man in the matters between man and man to preserve Peace and Right in all outward relation And be Wise and Learned ye Rulers of the Earth and kiss the Son lest he be Angry and ye perish and if his Wrath be kindled but a little blessed are they that trust in him This is your Time and Day happy are ye if it be given to you to do the Work that God requires of you only The 26th of the third Moneth 1661. By a Lover of Truth and Just Government E. B. A DISCOVERY OF Divine Mysteries VVherein is Unfolded Secret THINGS of the KINGDOM of GOD Being a TESTIMONY 1. Concerning Life and Death with their several Fruits and ●…cts Distinguished 2. Concerning the Mystery of God and Godliness and concerning the Mystery of the Devil and Iniquity 3. Concerning True Liberty of Conscience what it is in it self and how obtained And what the True Guide and Rule is of the Exercise of Conscience 4. Concerning the Diversity of Judgments in Religion the Cause and Effect thereof and the Means to bring to Unity All which are Published for the Edification of such as desire to know the TRUTH The PREFACE THE Light of the Day of GOD Almighty is arisen upon us in our Day and the Shinings-forth thereof is with great Clearness and Force even as the Sun at Noon-day and many are come to the Glorious Appearance thereof and to walk in its Light with much Ioyfulness for as the Wise-Man said The Light is Sweet and a Pleasant Thing it is for the Eye to behold the Son And so fully is our Morning-Son now appeared that the Upright in Heart may Walk and not stumble and the Poor in Spirit may Run in the Path of Life and not fall For indeed we may say The NIGHT is spent and the DAY is come therefore let us Walk in the Day and put on the Armour of Light as many as are made the Children thereof And where the Light of this Son is arisen and in whose Hearts it shineth it cannot but give some Testimony through such an one of its own Glory Vertues and Excellency to them that sit yet in Darkness and in the 〈◊〉 of Corruption that they also may 〈◊〉 the same Light and Glory arise on their Tabernacles For 't is the Property of this Spiritual Heavenly Light to shine forth out of Darkness and to give Light to such as have
our way to the promised Land which belongs to the Saints in Light we would eat our own Bread and Drink our Water and what we needed and keep our Consciences clear in our Generation we must to that which God hath promised and if we cannot have away God will make one for us and that you that set your selves against the Lord in the end shall be sure to know and feel though we shall never lift up carnal Weapon nor draw Sword neither use Bow nor Spear for God hath taught us to love our Enemies and out of these things we are come and to the end of Wars and to be for it yet God's purpose shall be fulfilled and he hath wayes enough to plead the cause of his people and he will do it and wo to all their Enemies And do you cry out of Popery because of cruelty and persecution And will you be found in the same Foot-steps and in the same nature Oh! let it never be said nor thought that ever the Church of God or true Christians did Drink the Blood of the Saints or cast them into prison for that is Babylon the Mother of Harlots that doth so Therefore be informed and warned set not Bryars and Thorns in Battel against the Lord neither stubble before devouring Fire for if you do a Consumption will come upon you and your Name and Memorial shall rot dye wither and melt away as Snailes and Glory shall rest with and upon the Heads of the Sufferers of Christ for ever Reading the 22. of the 12. Moneth 1662. By one who hath chosen rather to Suffer with the People of God called Quakers then to enjoy the Pleasures of Sin for a season or to be reckoned as a Prince amongst the Uncircumcised Francis Howgil GEORGE WHITEHEAD HIS TESTIMONY AND ACCOUNT Concerning Edward Burroughs ANd as for E. B. our dear Brother and Companion in Travel Suffering and Consolation for the Everlasting Gospel's sake in his day his Testimony lives with us He was a Preacher of Righteousness and one who travelled for the Redemption of the Creature from under the Bondage of Corruption and proclaimed Liberty to the Captives in the Power and Authority of God and therein was a true Witness against Oppression and all the Antichristian Yokes imposed in the Night of Apostacy upon the Persons and Consciences of People and truly and valiantly he held sorth the Liberty of Conscience and vindicated it to the great men of the Earth in things appertaining to God in matters of Religion and Worship against the persecution and compulsion which had its Original and Rise from the Power of the Beast which hath made War against the righteous Seed that men might be left free to the guidance of the infallible Spirit of God which is not to be limitted in these matters and not be compelled nor brought under the corrupt wills of men nor their failible judgements nor invented Forms in these cases And the Name of this Minister of Righteousness is written in the Lambs Book of Life and all the Enemies of his Life can never be able to blot it out nor extinguish his Memorial Oh! the remembrance of his integrity uprightness and sincerity hath deep impression upon my heart and that tender love and affection in God's Truth which he was filled with towards all the upright who are lovers of peace and unity in the Lord is never to be forgotten by us who are yet remaining in the Work of the Lord and the Everlasting Gospel for which he hath left a glorious Testimony the glory of which shall never be extinguished but thousands shall praise the Lord our God because thereof yea even the Seed that 's yet in the lower parts of the Earth where darkness covers it and the child that 's yet unborn in many that 's curiously framed in the Mothers Womb whose Members are written in the Book of God shall glorifie the Lord on his behalf And this Testimony many have already concerning him that though his Body is dead his Spirit liveth in the immortallity of that Life that is immutable and shall never die not wax old and is felt among the Righteous who walk in their integrety and constancy to the Lord. And this faithfull Servant of the Lord and valiant Souldier of the Lamb as in his day was evidently apparent as to live to him was Christ and to die was Gain And though in his time many were the S●fferings and Afflictions which his life went under and his upright spirit suffered by both from his open Enemies and Persecutors in the World because of the valour and courage for the Truth of God and from deceitfull and transforming exalted spirits which burthen the holy Seed but now his Life is caught up above them all and is out of their reach in the transcendent and unspeakable Glory in the Everlasting Habitation and Firmament of God's Power where he hath shined and doth shine among the Stars that have kept their Habitations as one that hath turned many to Righteousness and that hath overcome by the Blood of the Lamb and the Word of his Testimony with those holy Prophets and Martyrs who rejoyce over Babylon and her Abominations in whom their blood is found and against whom he was a faithfull Witness and valiant Warrier whose living and absolute Testimony therein God hath blessed made prosperous and will fulfil to the uttermost And though he be ceased from his Labours his Works do follow him which will be had in living remembrance and precious esteem among the Upright when his Persecutors shall be broken and laid low in the desolation and ruin of Babylon and all that continue in Enmity and Deceit and all the deceitfull spirits that have burdened his righteous Soul shall fall and their blossom wither and come to nought And if any of his Persecutors or Oppressors be yet so impenitent and obdurate as to triumph and be elevated in an exalted or prejudiced spirit because of his death and in their exaltation and pride of heart say He was taken away in Judgment or in Wrath. To such in Gods Fear I answer That thousands of the Servants of the Lord are of another perswasion not questioning but it was in God's tender Love as to his own particular that he was removed out of the Earthen Vessel in which he though a man as in the prime of his years endured great Travels in his time for the Truth 's sake and the gathering of many into the Way of the Lord and in which his Travel was the greater when the time of his dissolution drew near to be dissolved because of his Sufferings and the extremity of his Sickness occasioned thereby which many others were pertakers of who suffered Persecution and Imprisonment by unreasonable men in this City of London for the Cause of God and a good Conscience as chiefly for their meeting together singly in the Worship of God But this I testifie in the Lord as in him I have felt that
enmity and all mans works are brought forth in that nature which is evil and out of that ground which is cursed his good works are not accepted and his evil deeds are condemned all which springs forth of one root of bitterness and enmity which is in the displeasure of the Creator Oh Earth be awakened and all ye Sons and Daughters of Adam call to mind your state and condition and repent and return before Destruction when no time of repentance can be found Hearken to Instruction and let your Ears be open to hear here you may all hear and understand the Way to Restoration to be restored and recovered out of this condition and out of this enmity and from under this curse of misery and destruction for a Way hath God prepared unto all mankind and is making it manifest unto the whole Earth that the Sons and Daughters of Adam may again know their Maker and have fellowship with him and this Way is but one which is ordained for all People upon the face of the Earth of what Tribe or Nation soever And all that come to the knowledge of the Creator must walk in this Way which is called Christ Jesus who is the Son of the Creator the second Adam the Lord from Heaven the Power and Wisdom of the Creator and by him all things were made and without him was not any thing formed that was brought forth he is the Restorer the Redeemer and the Deliverer for he cannot be overcome of the evil but overcometh and treadeth down all the Powers of Darkness and Death and the Devil which rise against him in all the World and the Creator hath so loved mankind though he hath transgressed against him and grieved him yet he hath given his Son into the World into all Nations without respect of Persons or People to be the Saviour of all that believe in him and receive him that they may come out of Death and Darkness from under the Devils power and may be translated and changed and renewed out of sin and death and ignorance and rebellion and out of the Kingdom of the Devil into Truth and Righteousness and into the Kingdom of God And this Restorer and Saviour the Power and Wisdom of the Creator hath lightened all mankind every one that cometh into the World is lightened by him that every one may follow him and be guided by his Power and Wisdom and every one that doth receive him sin and iniquity and transgression is condemned and the seed of the enmity is cast out by his Power which is revealed against all unrighteousness and he subdues it and works it forth of the hearts of all men and so reconciles man again to his Maker to have fellowship with him And this Restorer the second Adam comes to be revealed within every man who executes true Judgment upon the Transgressor and bindeth under the rebellious nature and death and condemnation passes upon the seed of enmity and all its fruits upon the Devil and all his works upon him that is born of the flesh and all his wayes his joy is turned into mourning his pleasures into sorrow his glory and rejoycing into sadness of heart and the life which he hath lived comes to be crucified and the wayes which he hath walked in comes to be hedged up and no more followed and his strength is turned into weakeness and all his wayes and pleasures fade and perish and the Birth which is Immortal comes to be brought forth which is not of this World but Heir of the Creators Inheritance who hath no glorying under the Sun nor no pleasure in the glory of this World which passeth away but lives unto God in all things and brings forth fruit unto the Father and is replanted into the living Vine and is leavened into a new lump and placed in the Garden of God all the old Garments are put off and old things are passed away the Devil is cast out the blind Eye is opened and the Vail is taken away which hath been spread over all and the deaf Ear is unstopped and man is again returned unto his Maker and hears and sees and understands the things which are eternal which belong to his peace the Fear of God is set up in his heart and Gods Secrets are revealed unto him he is become the Glory of his Maker to praise him to glorifie him and to magnifie him for evermore being restored again unto God's Image and guided with his Power and Wisdom and hath received dominion and authority from his Maker to reign and rule over all Creatures and to be exercised in all things to his Glory by whom they were made he is not in bondage to any Creature but in liberty over it and the Creatures are become his Servants and he servant to his Maker and the Earth yeilds its encrease unto man the Curse is removed and the Blessing restored in the Covenant of Peace and Righteousness where all Creatures come to be injoyed the covenant of Death and Hell being broken and disanulled where the curse stood and standeth in all the World where the restorer of the second Adam is not received who moveth by the measure of his Power against the evil in the hearts of all men and he knocketh at the door of the heart that he may be received and come in and dwell with the Children of men whose delight is with the Sons of men and every one that openeth to him and hearkeneth to his Cry who calls by the Light and moveth by his Power by him they receive Life and Peace and Fulness from the Father and are raised from Death to Life and redeemed from under the power of Satan to the Power of the Creator all evil in the ground and in the fruits judgment goes upon it all and condemnation And thus mankind comes to be restored again to God his Maker to be the Children of God and Heirs of his Inheritance and is no more of this World but redeemed by Jesus Christ out of Kindreds Tongues and People out of respect of Time Place Creatures or Things and sees through all Creatures to be before the World was beyond all the glory of this World to the Glory of the Lord and here is the praising and singing and rejoycing the living and walking in that Life which cannot change and in the World of which there is no end and here a greater Glory is known then the first mans glory a greater State then that which was overcome of the Devil a greater Dominion then that which was lost this Dominion never can have an end Death is swollowed up of Life all sorrow and anguish is swollowed up of rejoycing all tears are wiped here and there is no more sorrow the quickning Spirit is felt and witnessed which hath quickened again to God God's Tabernacle is with men and his Dwelling-place with the Children of men and that is felt and seen and tasted which was before the World was before
wouldst teach People to apply the Promises unto Salvation while they are in a condition of damnation condemned in the sight of God by the Light in their own Consciences nor will not own that which discovers sin and how then can they own him that takes it away and purges from it by his Blood which thou sayest is done but hast no more witness of it by the fruit of ceasing to commit sin then the Pope hath who lives in your sin then how is it taken away Then thou sayest with an impudent Tongue It s not of works least any man should boast as these fond Hypocrites called Quakers would do Answ. Thou Slanderer When didst thou hear any of the Quakers boast or see them live in Hypocrisie God shall judge thee thou deceitful heart but further I answer by a Query Will that faith which is without works justifie And must not every one receive according to their deeds he that doth good Life he that doth evil Condemnation but such is thy faigned fancy of Faith who seekest to be justified by it whilst thou bringest forth the fruits of unbelief Then thou speakest of living by Faith which as thou sayest Is to apply the Lord Iesus Christ his Benefits as Birth c. I say if to talk of him was Faith in him and to live by his Faith then few would want him for many have gotten the words which are without the Life of Righteousness through Faith and to live by Faith says not who shall ascend or descend to fetch Christ for Salvation neither doth it say When shall he come from afar ot save his People but Faith speaks thus What saith the word of the Gospel which is within the heart as thou mayst read in the Scripture of Truth hadst thou but an ear to hear but thou sayest Lo here and Lo there false Prophet like Then thou sayst further How are they deceived who own Christ no otherwise then as he was before the World began c Answ. Here thou hast discovered thy self more plainly Did not the Saints own Christ Jesus the same yesterday to day and for ever for Salvation and is there any other Christ then he who was before Abraham was and is he not now glorified with the same glory mind the same Glory which he had with the Father before the World was according as he prayed is this deceit or is it thy grievous ignorance to call it so to own him as he was before the World was for Salvation thou ignorant man that was the very Christ the Son of God who was equal with the Father which was in the beginning and in time was manifest in Bethelem and calls himself the Light of the World thou hadst better have said nothing then by multitude of words to lay open thy shame Friend that spiritual Rock whcih the Fathers did eat and drink of which followed them that Rock was Christ the Salvation The next thing that I take notice of is thy exposition upon that Scripture Iob. 4. 3. And thou sayest this is the meaning Every Spirit that doth not confess that th● Christ that was with the Father before the World was did in the appointed time of the Father come into the World took upon him a Body and was very Man as well as very God c. Answ. If every spirit be of God which doth in words confess this then is not the Pope himself antichrist seeing he confesses as much of this it may be more then thou dost neither canst thou justly condemn us for denying this for we do confess it with our hearts and not only with our mouthes as thou and the Pope doth But Friend Is every one saved that saith Lord Lord nay it is only he that doth the will of the Father and who in many Nations do not confess this to be true and yet there are but few in all Nations in the Way to Life that shall be saved by Christ Jesus and it is not much better nor more accepted to confess Christ in words to be come and yet in works to deny him then it is both in words and in works to deny him the one is wicked in Prophaness the other is wicked in Hypocrisie the one is a Lyar the other is a false Witness and whether of these are most vile let them who are spiritual judge Then thou exhortest To receive no Christ except God's Christ c. To this I say The Christ of God is a Mystery not known to the World and this is he which was in the beginning whom God gave into the World to be the Light and Saviour thereof even he is God's Salvation unto the ends of the Earth and unto him he is Light and shall be Salvation and Redmeption where his Person never came and yet it cannot be said Here is the Place where the Son of God is not Let him that reads understand Then thy next thing is proving many things concerning Christ which I pass by as not having any thing therein against the Quakers only in one particular where thou numbers again them with the Ranters so that I pass by also lest thou should say I justifie the Ranters and do rather choose to let the Innocent lie under the suffering of thy reproach whose innocency will appear when thy black vail of Lyes is taken away Then the next thing I mind is where thou seems to reprove the Quakers for wresting the Scripture Iohn 1. 9. whereby thou sayest They split themselves and endeavour to split others c. Answ. Wresting is thy own and not ours for we take the Scripture in plain words without adding or diminishing as our enemies shall witness for us Then how wickedly dost thou say we wrest it when we neither add nor diminish But thy folly must appear by thy much meddling And then thou takest in hand to speak to the thing and thus thou sayst Every man as he comes into the World receives a light from Christ as he is God c. Answ. What less hast thou said then we except thou wilt say he hath not lighted man as he is Christ and so divide the Father and the Son which is error for what the Father doth the Son doth also and they are equal in power and operation and cannot be divided Then thou sayst This Light is Conscience that some call Christ though falsly Answ. Them I leave for thee to reprove and do deny them and thee together if thou hast not falsly made a Lye of some Body and told thy own Lye through the wresting of their words let the Light in thy Conscience judge Then thou sayest This Light will shew a man there is a God and will discover the eternal God by his works and it will reprove of sin and make sin manifest and by it the unregenerate man is able to know the sins against the Law are sins against God c. Answ. Also this will the Light of Christ do wherewith he hath enlightened every man
avenged on my Oppressors And Vengeance belong● to him and he will repay and will destroy the Vineyard with the Plants and Fr●… thereof and the Bryars and Thorns shall be consumed and he will lay waste an● devour and confound all his Enemies in a day when his Indignation goes sorth and his Sword is made bare and his Purpose cometh to pass in rooting out t●● oppressive seed of Evil-doers which have filled his Habitation wherein he shol● dwell with cursed Children and a brood of evil Births In the dayes of Christ and his Apostles was the Hand and Power of the 〈◊〉 felt and the Lord gat himself a Name and a Glory and he caused his m●…lous Light to spring forth and his Day to dawn and the Day was manifest tha● many Prophets and Wise-men had desired to see but was not in their time fee● by them and his Power was made known and his Arm was made bare in the sight of many Nations and in that day his Glory was spread abroad and ●is Truth and Way was exalted and his glorious Gospel was declared through 〈◊〉 Earth and the sound of his marvellous Works went forth into all the World Judgment and Mercy was known and Righteousness and Peace was witne●… among men and Life and Immortallity was brought to Light through the Gospel and the Word of Life by which all things were created and by which they stand was handled seen felt and tasted and the Lord God in that Age was known to dwell with his People and to walk in them and his Covenant was established with many and his Promises were fulfilled Redemption Deliverance and Salvation was revealed even Christ Jesus the Son God the Prince of Peace And Righteousness was made manifest in the Sons of men and revealed in many who saw God's Glory and were Witnesses of his Majesty and Dominion and were gathered unto him in the Bond of Peace and were his Sons and Daughters and were led by his Spirit in all his Wayes of Truth and Righteousness And many went forth into the World and declared through Nations the things of Gods Kingdom which was come to them and was discovered within them and the Lord God spake from Heaven by his Son unto them and they were filled with the Holy Ghost and with Power And the Lord was with them whom he called and made them Wise and their Word powerful and their Message effectual and their Weapons were mighty through God and strong Holds were subdued and the Powers of Death and Darkness were subjected and the Hearts of thousands were turned to God and the Gospel was preached in power through the World and many were brought to God out of Darkness into Light and from Satans Power unto God And the Earth was filled with Light and the mighty and the wise were confounded and the bonds of cruel oppressions were broken and they that set themselves against the Lord and his Way were confounded and scattered and brought to nought though they were many in that Generation How did all the chief Priests and Scribes and Pharisees Elders of the People and Rulers and Governours lift up themselves in the Pride of their hearts and took counsel together and persecuted the Innocent and put to Death and Imprisoned the Children of the Most High How did they in the dayes of Christ persecute and seek for his Life till they had taken it from the Earth by their subtilty and wickedness The Apostles and Ministers of Christ were persecuted some were put to death and others suffered grievous things for the Name of Christ and were made a Prey and a Spoil unto Destroyers whose wickedness encreased against the Way of God till it was fulfilled in its measure and the Wicked with their work were dashed to peices and the Lord gave his Way and Truth and Servants dominion and power over all his enemies and whole Nations were brought to the knowledge of God and his Wayes and his Name was glorious and his Kingdom was exalted in the Earth and many were his People who were gathered by him and his powerful Word through the mouth of his Ministers whom he ordained and called who were Fisher-men and such like who were chosen to fulfil his Will and to do his Work and not many Wise-men of the World were called but God chose the foolish things to confound the wise then as he doth now and such were honoured by the Lord and Bearers of his Name and of his Message and Glad-tidings though they were contemned of men yet unto such he gave the authority to overturn the wise and to out-reach the wisdom of this World for they were learned of the Father and had the knowledge of his Wayes though they were unlearned in the Arts and Crafts of men which stand more in pollicy and subtilty then in the Fear and Wisdom of God and in that day the Lord was with his People while his People were with him and he loved them while they stood in his Counsel and he gave them dominion over all their Enemies and they were a Terror to the whole World while the Churches stood in the dread and terror of the Lord of Hosts yea all bowed under them and their feet trod upon the high places of the Earth and they were blessed of the Lord above all People even till they waxed fat and were increased in treasures and thought they had need of nothing and then they forgat God and rebelled against him and became perverse in their wayes and grew into strange Idolatries and Errors and left the Way of Truth and cast God's Law behind them and the Power of Godliness ceased and the form grew and it was exalted more then Power and love waxed cold when iniquity abounded and men became Lovers of themselves more then of the Lord and the Lord and his marvellous Works which had been brought to pass were forgotten and hardness of heart and unbelief entred and then false Prophets and Antichrist came in which Christ had prophesied of and established the form of Godliness without the Power and subverted many even whole Houses and Countries from the simplicity of Christ Jesus so that many became insensible and grew past feeling of the Power and operation of God and their minds became blinded and their ears stopped and God was grieved who had brought up Children and they forgat him and rebelled against him for the Churches became corrupted and lost the Life and Power of God and the Holy Ghost and became Idolaters and Worshippers of Idols and as you may read Paul prophesied that many should depart from the Faith and give heed to seducing spirits and the doctrine of Devils and grievous Woves should enter not sparing the Flock but seeking to devour it and would make havock and merchandise of Souls through coveteousness and filthy Lucre and perillous times would come wherein there should be a Form of Godliness and not the Power and in that Generation before and soo● after his decease this
of the Plagues of the Beast and of the Whore and though the false Prophet gathers Gog and Magog together to fight against the Lamb and to compass the beloved City about yet he shall and them that he gathers be broken to pieces and driven as dust before the Wind and as Stubble before the Fire for the purpose of the Lord shall stand Great Babylon is come into remembrance before the Lord to reward her according to her deeds and the Lord will cause his Truth and his Salvation to be known in the Earth and his Name and Power is declared in the hearts of his People to the overturning of all unrighteousness and though every horn of the Beast push against this and every Head with his Members set it self against it yet the Counsel of the Lord shall not be disannulled nor made void for the Scepter and Dominion of his Son shall be exalted over all the Earth and the Princes of the World and the Kings of the Earth shall lay down their Crowns and become subject for the Kingdoms of this World shall be changed and shall become the Kingdoms of the Lord and of his Christ the Kingdom of the Beast must down and the princely power of Darkness must be overthrown and Laws and Times and Things and Powers of men shall be overturned and overturned till he come to reign in the Earth whose right it is to reign over Nations and People And because of this the rage of the Heathen hath been great and the counsels of the Wicked many and strong from the prophane Drunkards to the chiefest professed Teachers of this Age even all the whole Body of the Beast hath joyned it self against the purpose of the Lord men of all conditions from the highest to the lowest have armed themselves with Mischief to offend the Way of Truth This is written as moved of the Lord to go abroad through the Nations that all may understand concerning the times and the changing of times how that the Beast hath reigned in Dominion over Nations Tongues and People and all have worshipped the Beast and gone after the false Prophet here all may come to a good understanding what hath been and what is and what shall be how that when the Power and Government of Christ was lost through departing from the Faith which ruled in the Apostles dayes then the whole World was as unstable in Wayes and Judgments as a Sea then out of the Sea one Beast arose and another after him arose out of the Earth and all have been caused both small and great bond and free to worship the Beast and the Image of the Beast yea all the Dominions of the World have for many Ages been subject to the power of the Beast in all things and not known the Worship and Power of God and the pure subjection to him but the Kings of the Earth and all her Princes have given their power to the Beast and have received their authority from him and acted thereby many of them in great unrighteousness in injustice and oppression and cruelty in pride and rebellion and vain glory in quarrelling one with another to the murthering thousands of thousands and this hath all been brought forth under the power of the Beast and by it and his Heads and Horns have exalted themselves one against another and smitten one onother and the great Whore hath made them all drunk and all People upon the Earth with envy pride wontonness and all unrighteousness this hath been since the Apostles dayes in this Night of Apostacy wherein the whole World hath been subverted by false Prophets and Deceivers and the Kingdom of Christ hath not been known upon Earth for many Generations but the Beast hath been established in his Throne of Rebellion against Christ Jesus his Decrees have been Laws and Statutes and he hath made wa● against all the Saints and overcame them and reigned over them until this time and trodden down their City and defaced their Glory but the blood of the Just hath cried day and night under the Altar the Souls of such as have been slain for the Testimony of the Word of God have cried day and night How long Lord how long when wilt thou avenge our Blood upon the heads of our Enemies even the Beast the Where and the false Prophet and this hath been for many Ages even while the Kingdom of Antichrist hath been set up and advanced through the World and his Power and Authority hath reached over Nations bond and free from the Prince on his Throne to the Begger on the Dunghil even all have been subjected under the power of the Beast that nature having ruled within every particular hath given him the Authority without over all and admired him and said who is able to make war with him Antichrist hath ruled over all by injustice oppression and Tyranny in unrighteous Laws and through wicked decrees old Pharaoh-like he hath laid heavy yoaks and oppressive bonds upon the Just for who would not be subject to him he hath had power to kill them and none was able to gainsay such hath been the greatness of his power and the strength of his dominion over all that none have been able to make war against him he hath been admired in all the World not any Nation excepted where the government of Antichrist hath not born rule and there have been none left to bear witness against him or to stand up against him for the faithfull Witness●● have been slain in the Streets of the great City which spiritually is called S●… and Egypt and all them that have dwelt upon the Earth have made merry 〈◊〉 their dead Bodies and rejoyced in their Iniquities over the Slain and been without a Reprover and not tormented nor troubled but have sent gifts one to another because they have slain them who have tormented them that dwelt upon the Earth and the government of the Beast hath been enlarged and the whole World have wandred after him and been in subjection under him for many Generations even f●● forty and two months he that can read let him understand so long hath it be●… given him to make war against the Saints and to overcome them and it hath been given him to reign over all people in the Wrath of God and in his anger bec●●se of the Rebellion of all the Earth and all people in it but he shall be taken away i● Gods displeasure who reigns in his anger over the Nations who have forsake● the Lord and was given up to the Power of the Beast to be subjected in Slavery and Bondage in Pain Sorrow and Misery and through Deceit Craft and Pollicy and Oppression and by the Wisdom of this World and natural Ar●● and Knowledge his Government hath long been established and his Domini●… hath been upon Earth Times and Laws and Things and Powers of men have been in his hand to change and subvert and overturn into his own Ima●… and to transform
the Spirit and here we witness the Lord is our God and we are his People and he seeth no sin in us who are born of him nor remembers iniquity but his Covenant is with us and the Kingdom is become the Lords and his Dominion is set up where God is all in all where the Prince of Darkness is cast out and this is the End and Substance of all Ministrations which we bear witness of and I do exhort all you that are called of God every where patiently to wait in the way of the Lord and in his Judgements to receive this and to possess it within you that you may be Worshippers of God and Doers of his Will and may have the Witness that you are accepted of him and may know your Calling and Election sure where nothing that defileth can enter but that may be taken away and removed and him you may feel and witness whom Satan hath nothing in who is the Second Adam and cannot be overcome but is greater then the first Adam who was overcome though innocent and is lost from the Presence of God but he in whom there is no sin and who cannot transgress comes to seek and to save that which was lost in sin and to bring back that which was driven away by sin and he is greater then Innocency and overcometh the Devil and is called the Son of God and to him that overcometh who is the Light of the World is all Power given of the Father And know him in you all to be greatest who is not of the World nor cannot bow to the Devil to give you dominion and authority over all the World and the Powers of Hell and Death even he who sealeth up the old Dragon in Perdition never more to deceive And who witnesseth this knoweth the Election which it is not possible to deceive or be deceived and as every one of you have received him who is the Lord from Heaven so let your Faith stand in him and walk in him and let all your Conversations be ordered by him in all pure and blameless walking i● the sight of your Enemies that it may be manifest that you are Branches in him and that you have received power to become the Sons of God and that you are Heirs of the Inheritance which shall not fade away And all you that witness this your eye is open to see God and you are clensed from sin by the Word of God and you have received the peace with God and glad tidings from him in your own Souls and this is Salvation by the second Ad●… herein be established and setled and look not for another for there is not any besides this Saviour and this Salvation but if any preach another believe hi● not and if any cry Lo here and lo there is Christ without you go not after them nor follow them but know him within you which is greater then all yea If we our selves or an Angel from Heaven preach any other Jesus then he that lighteth every man that cometh into the World or any other Salvation the● God with us let us be accursed for this is the Gospel of our Salvation Christ Jes●● within us the hope of Glory the Power and Wisdom of God to rule and reign i● us by which we are changed from death to life and translated from the power of Darkness into the Kingdom of his dear Son And now all Friends and Elect of God who are called and faithfull you that have received this Testimony which God hath given of the Son and which th● Son hath given of the Father which in faithfulness hath been testified in this Generation I exhort you all in the fear and Counsel of the Lord take heed to th●● which you have believed and heard and learned of the Father which is t●● Truth as it is in Jesus and shall abide for ever and be not removed from yo●… hope nor given to change but mind the Life of God in you all which is immortal and is but one and it answereth to the Lord in Judgments and in Mercies and one to another in that which is righteous and just and witnesseth against all the works of the World which are evil and not wrought in God Ye that know this which is of the Father in you dwell in it and walk in it and be not shaken out of it nor removed from it for it is the Way of Peace unto everlasting Rest where there is no sorrow but Righteousness Peace and Joy in the Holy Ghost and every one in particular have Salt in your selves to savour withal that you may resist the Wicked One in all his Temptations and may not joyn to any thing which is out of union and contrary to the Life of God and to the Truth which you have received that you may never be betrayed of your Hope nor of the Simplicity which is in Christ Jesus in which the Father is well pleased and let the Light of the World guide you in all things that your works may be wrought in God never to be condemned nor you to suffer loss knowing this first That none are justified by him but them that are led and guided by him and to whom he is a Saviour he is also a Teacher and he is given to Teach in all the Wayes of Truth And now let your fellowship be in the Life and Power of God and know not one another in words only and in shews and in outward appearance but witness one another in the Spirit and in the Truth and have communion there in breaking the Bread of Life that Christ Jesus may be seen to be the Head in you and you Members to serve him and one another all receiving Wisdom from the Head and Vertue from the Vine Christ Jesus that you may abound in Love Mercy and Peace and all the fruits of Righteousness unto the Father and dwell in the Fear and Counsel of God and be subject to his Will not despising the Cross which is the Power of God which slayeth the Birth that is born of the flesh which is not Heir of the Promise but walk in the Cross daily that your Understandings may be kept open to try and discern all spirits whether they be of God and believe not every spirit for lying spirits may arise among your selves and go forth from the Light who are not in the Truth but in the Feignedness and Hypocrisie with false Visions and lying Imaginations handling the Word of God deceitfully and corrupting and perverting the pure Way of God having the Form but not the Power having left the Power and gone from the Light and such utter the Words of Truth without the Life and are but as the Chaff to the Wheat and they are to be denied and resisted and not joyned to lest innocency and simplicity be betrayed and your Faith made void and so you destroyed from the Life of God and Death surprise you and Darkness enter into your
who have done evil against the Lords People as a gift unto them from a Friend OF a truth the Lord is arisen and he hath caused the Light of his countenance to shine forth upon his people his day is dawned and the brightness of his glory is shining forth as the Sun at noon day h●… everlasting Arm is stretched forth to lead out of Captivity his o●… chosen the days of perfect freedom is approaching he that brings Health Peace and Liberty to all Nations is come and coming who will restore the breaches and subdue all things under himself that he may raign for ever and ever who alone is worthy for he hath all Power in his hand and he bring● to pass whatsoever he will that all Men and Nations may fear before him and tremble at his dreadfull Presence who hath power in his hand to change Tim●… and Laws Orders Decrees and Governments the hearts of all men he c●… turn what way he listeth and he pulleth down one and setteth up another and whatsoever is in his heart to do his power can bring it to pass who would not fear before him and reverence his Name Who would not be afraid to offend him who giveth unto man Breath and takes it away in a moment all Nations are as the drop of a bucket before his eternal Eye he dwells in the high and holy place and his habitation is high above the World be inhabits eternity forevermore and yet abideth and walketh and dwelleth with the children of men that fear his Name and tremble at his Word he hath been as a stranger as one not known for men have been seperated from him by transgression and have been ignorant of his ways he hath been as one hidden for many ages and hath been worshipped ignorantly and hath winked in the time of ignorance but now he calleth all to repentance every where Blessed are they that wait upon him that they may know him and their souls may live and now the purpose of his heart is to bring in his scattered people into the fold of peace where Christ Jesus is the shepherd and his people shall dwell in safety and shall be a free people to worship him in the Spirit and in the Truth and every yoke of bondage shall be broken and the oppressed shall be set free and Christ shall feign and his Government above shall be established over all the World mans honour shall be laid in the dust the pride of all flesh shall be stained and the Glory thereof shall wither as a flower the loftiness of all flesh shall be laid low and the Lord alone shall be exalted and his people which now are oppressed shall replenish and fill the Earth All corrupt men and Rulers their strength and might shall utterly fail them and men that fear God and love righteousness shall take their place and all things shall be changed and the World shall be turned up-side down But because of this is all the World troubled and the Heathen is on a rage and the people do imagine vain things and men of high degree and low degree and of all sorts have set themselves against the Lord that they might stop the purpose of the most high and their hearts within them burn because of envy and the Devil hath stirred up all sorts of people to work for him and to uphold his kingdom and his power he is come down in great rage knowing that his time is but short and hath filled the hearts of all his servants with despite and ravening envy against the Seed of God The heads of the people they have conspired together against the Lord and against his Truth and have decreed unrighteous decrees that they might pervent the purpose of the most High Many of the Rulers and Judges as members of the beastly power rather than of Jesus Christ have unjustly judged and falsly imprisoned and trodden under foot the meek and upright who fear the Lord and walk in his way even such who have come from under the subjection of the worship and power of the Beast which all the World had wondered after ●ath the Beast raised his force against How many hundreds in this Nation have been imprisoned falsly and suffered grievous abuses unjustly for righteousness sake and not for evil doing as a testimony against this Generation of Judges and people and for a testimony that they are of God who have in pa●ience born the sufferings and the cruelties of the wicked many have suffered ●he loss of Liberty and riches and some the loss of life for the exercise of a ●ure conscience towards God and for the Kingdom of Jesus many have ●uffered under the power of wicked men for declaring against sin and iniquity 〈◊〉 Townes Steeple-houses or high wayes and for crying against pride and ●anity and idolatry and coveteousness and the wickedness of Rulers Priests ●nd People whose deceits and transgressions hath abounded in this Generation ●nd others have deeply suffered grievous cruelties because they could not swear ●nd respect persons with hat or knee and so were witnesses for the Lord and his Kingdom which stands in righteousness and against the power and kingdom ●f the Beast which stands in iniquity in fainedness and flattering titles and ●isobedience to the Son of God and many hundreds are woful unjust and op●ressed sufferers at this day by false imprisonment and spoiling of goods because they cannot pay Tythes that abominable and crying oppression by which the Beast chiefly maintains his false Prophets and because the unchangable Priesthood is witnessed and the changable denied and Christ the Light of the World followed therefore is this suffering laid upon the just and many are sufferers under hard tasks because they cannot maintain the Idol temples and Idol worships and Idol Priests which the power of Antichrist upholds against the Power of the Son of God and against the new Covenant of life where God in Spirit and in Truth is worshipped without respect of places days or men or things and the True Worshippers they Worship God in the Spirit and in the Truth and cannot be subject to days places or things appointed and ordained by the power of men and false prophets and how many unjust fines and false indictments have been most illegally charged upon the Innocent in many Courts and Judicatories through this Nation and all in the defence of the kingdom of the man of sin lest his authority should be abated and the Authority of Christ Jesus exalted many cruelties have been done and injustice acted both by Rulers and People against such which no evil could justly be charged against nor yet the transgression of any just law by any one of them O! horrid grievances and cruel oppressions hath been brought forth in this Nation by such who should have eased the oppressed and set at liberty the captives such who should have judged justly the cause of the Poor and heard the call o● the oppressed have turned
Truth and turned from it and were unfaithfull to the Lord. FOrasmuch as in these our dayes the God of Truth hath made manifest his Name and Truth in the hearts of his people and hath gathered the minds of thousands into it to worship him in the Spirit and in the Truth in which he is accepted and of this Truth which is but one and there is not another are we made Witnesses and Ministers of and hath the Testimony in our selves that we are of God and are a good savour unto him in them that believe and in them that perish and we have the Testimony that he that is of God heareth us and we know the whole World lies in wickedness and who are in the Truth in the Light and in the Life have followship one with another in Holiness and Righteousness in that which comprehends the World and condemns all the works thereof which are evil and this Truth and Worship and Fellowship stands in Christ Jesus the second Adam whose Kingdom and Rule is not of this World but from Heaven who according to his Promise in his Counsel hath made known his Power to the raising up a righteous Branch a royal Priesthood a peculiar People zealous of his Name to shew forth his Praise and Glory in Justness and Righteousness in Love Mercy and Peace and works of Purity having our Conversation in Heaven and since that Day of the Manifestation of this Truth of the Gospel of Peace and Salvation which is the same now as was in the beginning which is in Christ Jesus the Light of the World who is the same to day yesterday and forever and changeth not I say since that very day hath the Lord prospered his Truth to the renewing of many into his Image and Likeness and to the turning of many from Darkness to Light and from Satans power to God by the Mouthes of his Ministers and through great Sufferings and Tribulations and Afflictions and Labours hath the Lord honoured his Name and his Truth in Nations and given it a praise among all that fear him and hath honoured it and exalted it in the sight of the Heathen to the confounding of the Wise and Mighty and to the bringing out of the Captivity of Darkness Sin and Death wherein in times past all have walked while Strangers from the Life of God so that thousands who have received the Truth are established in it and cannot be moved nor shaken but are built upon the sure Foundation their Faith standing in the Power of God with whom the Arm and Presence of the Lord God is defending and preserving continually and unto such the Truth is precious and the Way of the Lord and his Name and Honour is dear yea more then life or liberty or any other thing which passeth away who for the Truth 's sake as is it in Christ Jesus do daily give up themselves to suffering and to reproach for well-doing and not for evil and loves not life unto death that the Lord God and his Name and Truth may be honoured so that in the Truth which is received and learned of the Father daily do we walk in all Purity and Holiness of Life answering the Mercy and Love of the Lord in the exercise of a good Conscience both towards God and man in Patience and Long suffering and Wisdom towards all to the putting to silence of Gainsayers rendring love and mercy toward our Persecutors and are set in our hearts to fulfil the will of God in all things And now whereas that the Scriptures may be fulfilled some may and have denied the Truth which once was received and loved to the making shipwrack of Faith and of a good Conscience abusing the Mercy and Grace of God which to them appeared and follow the counsel of their own hearts and not the Lord having lost the feeling of the Spirit of the Father and are and may be separated from us in the self-separation through an evil heart of unbelief that it may be made manifest they are not of us though they arise from among us and may by disorderly walking contrary to the Truth cause the Truth to be evil spoken of giving occasion thereby to the Enemies of God to blaspheme his Name and Truth in the Earth and may be a stumbling to the weak and an offence to the Way of the Lord before the Simple through their Disorders and Confusions raising the rage of the wicked against the Lambs of Christ being not led in the Wisdom of God but in the Confusions taking liberty to their own hearts desire ful filling the will thereof without the Fear of God above the Cross of Christ in the nature uncrucified and speaking high Words in the presumption and not in the Light and Power of God and acting in the vanity of the Mind in the pretence of Truth and moving of the Spirit such things as Truth and the Children of it who are guided with the Spirit cannot justifie but is judged and denied and cast out from among the Children of Light who walk in the Truth and do try the Spirits whether they be of God Therefore in the Fear of the Lord God this is written to go abroad among Friends and others to inform and shew unto all that the Truth and we that are in it and Ministers of it do stand clear from all such who act and speak out of the Truth and contrary to it in the Disorder and Confusion and not in the Fear and Counsel of God and with the Truth such are judged and denied and fellowship with them we have not nor of their works do approve though such once owned us and were convinced of the Truth and received the Seed of the Kingdom into the unprofitable Ground yet being separated from us and gone out from the Truth and are not subject to it and its Government but are unruly and disorderly we and the Truth do such deny and the spirit that rules them being not the Spirit of Christ Jesus and such have done evil against their own Souls and against God and are Troublers of the Righteous Seed and have and do dishonour the Lord and his Truth in the sight of the Heathen causing the right way to be reviled and reproached and evil spoken of through the offence by them to the making sad the hearts of some whom God hath not made sad and even more especially in that they pretend to the Truth in their words but in works deny it and profess to be in it yet secretly condemning and openly reviling the Ministers of Righteousness which God hath blessed and doth daily bless with his eternal Power to the turning many unto God and to the strengthning of the weak and feeble which we with many others do witness to be the Ministers of Life and Reconciliation and there is no other and are established in it and cannot be moved by the temptations of the Devil though the wicked one may revile for a moment to
upon me many dayes I passed to Dunkirk And that which I found upon me chiefly was to visit and warn the Papists the Iesuits and Fryars and that Company of Idolaters and to sound the Mighty Day of the Lord among them and to proclaim it in the Pope's Borders and to warn them of the Day that is at hand upon them by the Word of the Lord and to sound forth among them the Everlasting Gospel of Truth and against all their Idolatrous Wayes Worships and Practices which I have often felt the weight and burden of before ever I saw outwardly what their Wayes or Practices are which when I saw their Idolatrous Practices and Worships and heard their Doctrines and what they profess I found it to be according to what I had seen and felt in the Light that trieth all things And about the sixth day of the third Moneth 1659. I with Samuel Fisher who was moved to go with me shipped from Dover and came into Dunkirk the next day and being Strangers upon Earth as the Generation of the Righteous Seed ever was we waited in the Will of the Lord to be guided by his Wisdom what to do and how to be guided to act and speak to his Glory So the next Morning the Town Mayor came to us in the Street and required an account of our coming and our Names and from whence we came to which we gave him sober Answers and a reasonable Account And that day it much spread over the Town of our being come thither which wrought no small Cogitations in the Hearts of many as what our Business was and wherefore we were come so that the Deputy Governour Colonel Alsop with the Council of Officers sent for us that Night the chief Governour not being in Town so we went to them who did kindly intreat us and examine us concerning our coming thither and what our Business was there and such like to which we gave them Answers and staid with them in Discourse some Hours and the Deputy Governour much pleaded to us the Danger of our staying in the Town and feared the Division that might grow amongst them through us and withal much desired us to depart the Town supposing as he said the great Danger that might incur unto the Garrison through our stay But our Answer was in much plainness If he desired us we could not receive any such Desire and if he commanded us we could not obey his Command in that case neither could we depart the Town but in the Will of God according to which Will we came thither and having many words and much reasoning with them that Night we parted from them And the next Morning I was moved to write this Letter following and to give them all a sober Account of our coming and what our Work is in this World wheresoever we come which Letter was delivered to them and read by many of them but to it we received no Answer according as the latter part did require as may be seen Dunkirk the eleaventh of the third moneth English account 1659. To the Deputy Governor and the Officers of the English Army in Dunkirk these FRiends we the Servants of the Lord are Lovers of all your Souls and wisheth well unto you in the Lord that Truth and Peace and Righteousness may be among you and in your Hearts and we are Travellers in the Labour of the Gospel of Christ Jesus for the Elect Seed ●ake having received the glad Tydings of Life and Eternal Salvation into our Hearts through the Revelation of Christ in us who is our Hope of Glory and the Lord hath manifested greatly his Power amongst us and revealed the Riches of his Grace in our Souls to our own everlasting satisfaction and peace with God and also he hath made us Ministers of his Grace and of his Word to many others to the turning of many from Darkness to Light and from Satan's Power to God and of him we are called and ordained by his Spirit into this his Work to preach the everlasting Gospel to the Nations and to war against Antichrist the Whore and false Prophets who came up since the dayes of the Apostles and have reigned over all the World for many Generations and this is our work in the World to fight the Lamb's Battel with his Spiritual Weapons and Armour and to follow him whithersoever he goeth and to give up our ●elves in his Service to do or suffer for him whatsoever he calleth us unto and in this hitherto hath the Power and mighty Presence of the Lord God been with us and is with us unto this day and great is his Name amongst us his People and to be praised for evermore And of this hath God given us the sure Witness in our selves even the Testimony of his good Spirit which bears us witness in our own Consciences that these things are true whether men believe or reject our Testimony for we are not Ministers of Man nor by man's will neither do we stand to man's Judgement to be approved or disapproved thereby but to the Witness and Testimony of God's Spirit in every Conscience we do commend our selves where ever any of us do come in the simplicity of Truth in the demonstration of the Spirit and not by words of Man's Wisdom and in the Day of the Lord shall we be justified herein by him and by his Witness in all mens Consciences and in the mean time we do suffer all things patiently and in the meek and quiet Spirit of the Lord And as for us two in particular who are now come into the Town of Dunkirk as we have in some part declared unto you already and so here I again say unto you not being ashamed nor unwilling to give you an account of our coming for we came to be made manifest openly in the sight of all men in our Doctrines Principles and Practises which are of and from the Lord and fully agreeing in all things with the Scriptures of Truth which were given forth by the Spirit of Truth as the holy Men of God were moved and as we have said to you we still testifie we were moved of God and by his Spirit to come unto this Place in love to the Souls of People and it is the Lord God that hath sent us and not Man and whether you believe us herein or do reject us the Testimony of God is sure and remains with us and for the Truth hereof we are not afraid to do and suffer but can do and suffer in the strength of Christ whatsoever is put upon us though chiefly our coming was so far as the Lord shewed us in relation to these Popish Idolaters to discourse with their Iesuites Friars and Priests and to discover to them the Errors óf their Wayes and the falsness of their Worships and to testifie unto them in the Fear and Power of the Lord concerning their Church that it is not a true Church of Christ but a false
of Worship and Practices upon people And what do you mean by Godly Ministry Will you admit of just Tryal according to the Scriptures whether yours be that Godly Ministry or no for all sorts of Christians Papists and Protestants and all others they will say That they are in the right Way and their Ministry is the Godly Ministry but the fruits of many prove the contrary and we cannot believe that yours is the Godly Ministry except you will prove it to us by and according to the Scriptures Now it is certain That the Ministry of the Apostles was the true Godly Ministry and if yours agree with theirs then we will confess That yours is the true Godly Ministry Therefore tell us plainly do you agree with them in your Call and in your Maintenance and in your Practices and in your Fruits and Effects in your lives and Conversations and in your Doctrines Are you justly according to and do you agree with the Apostles in all these things shall we lay you to the Line that you may be judged This is but as a hint at things whereby you might justly be tryed for if you agree not with the Apostles in these cases mentioned then it is evident that your Ministry is not the true Godly Ministry but hereafter we may have a better occasion to try you And thus the principal part of your Exhortation is answered and if you can receive it in Love TO all you Sixty One Teachers in London under whose hands your Exhortation passeth this I say to you in the Fear of the Lord God Oh ye Men consider and let it enter into your hearts the Day of the Lord is at hand upon you and an Account of your Stewardship must you give and his Reward must you have whom you have served and you must reap the Fruit of what you have sown Oh look upon your Flocks and see what a condition they are in Oh what Pride and Vain-glory is abounding amongst them Oh how doth Wickedness spring forth from them Are they like unto Sheep of Christ's Fold or Are not they appearing outwardly Christians when as the evil nature is uncut down in them Oh what Wickedness abounds in this City What Double-dealing and Dissimulation What Lying and Swearing and Drunkenness Oh high are all the Fruits of the Flesh grown amongst your Flocks Your Vineyards are not dressed as they ought to be there are aboundance of corrupt Trees and fruitless Branches which cumber the Ground Oh! it makes the Heart of the Righteous sad to walk in the Streets and to view the Abominations that are daily brought forth by a people professing Scriptures Church Ministry and Christ. Oh! it burdens the Just and grieves the Righteous Soul to consider how high Iniquity is grown among the Sheep of your Pastures whom ye should have fed with Knowledge and converted unto the Fear of the Lord had you been Messengers sent of God the very Iews and Heathens they blaspheme against Christ through the Abominations brought forth among Christians that have the Name to live but are dead Oh! let it enter into your Hearts and smite you that your many years Ministry should have so little effect for your Vineyard is like untilled Ground unploughed and unbroken up Oh! there is much Hard-heartedness amongst your People and their Hearts go after Covetousness even while they profess God with their Lips Oh! the Righteous mourn in secret to see the Prophanness the Scornings and Reproaches that are brought forth in your City And Oh the Idolatry that aboundeth let it repent you that you have been so sloathful and never more seek the Fleece but seek the Flock that 's gone astray from the Lord who is the true Shepherd whose Voice hath not been obeyed and many Pastors have destroyed the Vineyard and many Shepherds have fed themselves and not the Flock Oh consider the Day of the Lord is at hand and he will visit with his Rod You and your Flocks prepare to meet the Lord for his Kingdom is nigh to come which will be a terrible Day to all the Workers of Iniquity And as for this your Exhortation I say As for Exhortation in it self Ministers ought to exhort their Flocks so such a thing in it self I do commend and not oppose but when I had read and seriously considered the Aim and Intent of your spirits in your Exhortation I found it secretly and in a measure openly opposing and striking at and secretly smiting the People of the Lord whom you have Reproached by the name of Quakers who are dear to the Lord and he careth for them though you see no Beauty in them but account them altogether vile and in as much as you lifted up your hands against them upon that account was it upon my spirit to return something in Answer for the Information of many that they might be Undeceived and not in Envy towards any but in Love to all to both you and your People and you have occasioned this upon your selves though you are reproved And not as a man of Strife or Contention have I proceeded but as one that desireth the further Manifestation of Truth and that no false Accusation may rest upon it which you have secretly brought forth with which the Lord is not well-pleased that you should set your selves in Opposition against his People and if any of you shall receive a just Reproof and repent it may prove to you an Advantage or much Good and be not so Proud as to say in your hearts What a●t thou weak man that reprovest us or Wherefore art thou so bold thus to deal with us but rather fall under just Reproof for in Uprightness of Heart have I proceeded towards you and not in mine own but in the Will of the Father And oh that your Flocks would also consider among whom there are many that are zealous in their way Oh that their Zeal and Judgments were guided by the Spirit of the Lord then should it be well with them Oh that they would be meek and humble and learn the Fear of the Lord Oh that every one of them would consider and turn from their Iniquities and become Followers of Jesus Christ then should the Glory of the Lord be revealed unto them and Peace and Truth and Righteousness should be unto them and their Families and their City if they would come into Covenant with God and be taught of him and be exercised by his Law in their Hearts then should the Countenance of the Lord be upon them and then should they discern between Truth and Error between the Ministers of Christ and Deceivers Oh! there is a Pitty for many poor souls which are zealous in their way of Religion without Knowledge and they think they do God good service while yet their Consciences are not exercised by the Spirit of the Lord but a false spirit that rules and leads and may hold the Truth in unrighteousness and they know not but that they do
God of which you have tasted in a good Measure and in the Meek and Peaceable Spirit of the Lamb be at Peace and in Unity with him and one with another even as Members of one spiritual Body that the Head may be honoured through you and that each Member serve one another in Love and Respect not any exalted above what ought to be nor striving for prehemenence above one another but that each Member may know his Service into which the Lord hath called you for that is a blessed Thing to dwell in Love and Unity and to know and to be known to one another in the Lord and the contrary bringeth the Curse where Strife and Enmity lodgeth that is excluded out of the Body and is of the Kingdom of Death and not of the Lamb but is of the Body of Antichrist and not of his Body who is exalted at God's right Hand And see that you walk in all Wisdom wait that you may be wise and that Wisdom it self may be justified of you by walking therein and then you will answer the divine Principle of Equity in your Enemies and you will cut off that which seeks ' occasion against you and turn backward the slanderous Tongue and confound the Destroyer which seeks occasion every moment Oh how pretious is Wisdom it s a Pearl it s better then Strength or Riches Wisdom is the chief of the Gifts of God it comes from the Fountain and it leads answerable unto him who is the Giver thereof Oh wait for Wisdom that she may possess your Hearts that she may go in and out before you and may be the beginning and end of all your works and so shall your Enemies have no occasion against you but you shall be preserved in perfect Peace for Wisdom is a preserver of Soul and Body even that Wisdom that is from above which is pure and peaceable and leadeth into all the Ways of Peace Truth and Righteousness and take heed that none be led aside into Snares and Temptations of the Wicked and thereby make shipwrack of Faith and a good Conscience and the whole Work of God and so lose your Joy and Peace in God and come short of an Immortal Crown to which you are begotten but be faithful to God in all things and deny not your Principle nor the perswasion of God's Spirit in your Consciences in any thing neither for the Love nor Terror of this World for that is honourable to be faithful to a heavenly Principle even whether in death or life to be found walking answerable unto the Will and Mind of God as you have received the knowledge thereof but if any turn aside in the day of Tryal the Lord will have no pleasure in them but his displeasure will be against them unto their Destruction and such shall not be reckoned among the Righteous but they are blotted out of the Book of Life even such who are Hearers and not Doers of the Will of God whose Hypocrisie the Lord will judge in the justness of his Judgments And live in Patience in all Tribulations and in a still and quiet Spirit for the Lord is there his Presence is enjoyed in a still and patient spirit and such receive of his Mercies even of his hidden Manna and heed not the Tribulations that are in this World but mind your Peace that is in Christ that is everlasting and be settled in your minds and fully perswaded to follow the Lamb wheresoever he goes whether in Death or Life and let nothing separate you from that Love of God which you have received not Powers of Darkness neither Love nor Terror of this World but keep in the Dominion of God that his Spirit may be lifted up in you as the Standard even when floods of Temptations and Persecutions ariseth against you which are but for a moment and they will pass away but Truth and Righteousness will remain and cannot be shaked and the Purpose of the Lord is Good unto us and not Evil not to destroy us nor suffer us to perish for we are his and he hath chosen us and he hath placed his Name with us and for his Name sake which we bear he will do great things for us he will visit his Heritage and defend it with his mighty Power and therefore be in Patience concerning all things whatsoever that cometh to pass And the Lord having brought us out of Egypt and often appeared unto us in great Love and Favour and his Eye is over us at this day and he hath not thus far delivered us now to destroy us if we live and walk in the Power of the Lord God and feel his Life and Vertue and heavenly Authority in our own Hearts the Lord will not suffer our Enemies to prevail against us so as utterly to extinguish us from off the Earth though some of us may be tryed far if not to seal our Testmony with Blood but if so it shall hasten the Glory of the Lord and cause it to shine forth abundantly and it will fill up the Measure of Iniquity to the utter destruction of Antichrist and for this cause our Lives are not pretious unto us nor do I desire further to give Testimony by words if the Testimony of our Blood be required for I know though power may be given them over the outward Man yet we have a Life which they cannot touch and a Peace and Victory in the spiritual Kingdom which no man can spoil us of and we are given up already whether to glorifie God in the Body or out of the Body so he is glorified we have our reward for what is our reward but this That we may see the Name of the Lord exalted and but that our Confidence is sure and our Faith and Patience stedfast that we shall behold the Glory of the Lord and his Kingdom and the overthrow of Sathan and Antichrist the Beast and the false Prophet our dayes would be sorrowful and our Life a Death and our Labour and Travels a Vexation and a Grief but our Faith is confirmed by many Witnesses that the Kingdoms of the World must become the Kingdoms of Christ and Mystery Babylon must fall in whom the Soul of the Righteous hath been slain and the Purpose of the Lord must certainly be effected and no man upon the Earth shall prevent it and this is our Faith and therefore our Travels Labours and Affliction are not grievous to us even because the Presence of the Lord is with us And as for me the Salutation of my dearest love is to all the Saints every-where even with that love wherewith I am beloved of the Father do I love all them that are begotten of him but unto you more especially my love is abounding amongst whom I am known in faithful Labour of the Gospel of Christ who never sought yours but you and I hope you have the Witness of me in your own hearts even as I have of you and that in the
found or whensoever you see him or meet with him or if such a one be amongst you or pass by you let him be suspected taken deemed and judged for a false Prophet and Deceiver without respect of his Name and Title in his Profession of Religion Again Christ Jesus prophesied and said That Deceivers and false Prophets should come who should have the Sheep's-Clothing but inwardly Ravening Wolves And John said The false Prophets were already come into the World in his dayes even the false Prophets and Antichrist whom Christ said should come and the False Prophets and Deceivers that Christ said should come John saw were come into the World in his dayes Now who is it and where are they that are Wolves in Sheeps cloathing that are those Antichrists that Christ said should come and Iohn said were come Even such are they that have the Outside viz. Christ's words and the Apostles words and the Saints practices they have the Sheep's clothing but inwardly are the Wolves in the evil nature and their evil nature is covered with the Saints words and practices and such are the Wolves in Sheep's clothing that have the outside of the Sheep but want the Nature of Christ and are in the contrary nature And to all people that are upon the Earth I do appeal and ask where are they that are such now and who are they whether they be Papists or Protestants or whomsoever else that are such that have the outside the sheeps cloathing but inwardly are wolves of a devouring nature such are they that Christ said should come and Iohn saw was come And such are Ministers of Antichrist whosoever they are and such are in the World and have over-spread it since the Apostles dayes and whole Christendom hath been deceived by such Wolves in Sheeps clothing even by such as have got the Outside the Saints words and Practices but wanted the Life and have been in the Evil Nature and not in the Nature of CHRIST JESUS And such now in this Age are to be taken judged and deemed false Prophets and Deceivers Wolves in Sheeps cloathing and Ministers of Antichrist E. B. TO THE Friends of Truth In and about LONDON DEarly and well-beloved in Christ our Life and Glory The Spirit of the Lord is upon me and at this time quickeneth my heart into the lively remembrance of you all herewith sending the hearty and fervent Salutation of my dear and perfect Love unto all the Faithfull amongst you for the Fathers Love filleth my heart and hath raised up my spirit into an holy frame and temper of gladness and rejoycing of great joy and comfort in the remembrance and feeling sence of what the Lord hath wrought and made manifest among his People and the fulness of his Love and rejoycing floweth out in praising and magnifying the Lord our God for evermore Oh what hath the Lord wrought for us in our day How hath his out-stretched Arm been made bare again and again for our Salvation and Deliverance How many have his Mercies been and how numberless have his Lovingkindnesses been shewed to us How hath his power and wisdom been discovered amongst his People by which we are quickned and revived into the Life of Righteousness and Peace to be Servants and Heirs of the Everlasting Father the Lord of Heaven and Earth being called by him out of Darkness into his marvellous Light And how glorious is the Light that hath appeared upon our Tabernacle and shined in our hearts and that hath led us in the Way of Peace and taught us in the Path of Righteousness Thus and much more hath the hand of the Lord wrought for us having raised us up to be a Poeple that in times past were not a people but now he hath formed us for himself and created us for his praise having gathered us as a Shepherd doth his Flock from our strayed estate in which we were strangers and afar off inhabiting in death and darkness but now raised up to sit together in heavenly places and to feed in the fat pastures of his fulness that filleth all in all This hath been effected by the Hand and Power of the most High who hath also preserved us unto this day through many tryals and tribulations and again and again when our enemies have risen up against us to destroy us even then hath the Lord been our defence and confounded our Persecutors so that we yet live blessed be the Name of the Lord the remembrance of which infinite tender Mercies from the Father that we have received have a Heavenly influence upon my heart at this time which causeth me to say What manner of Love is this Oh the hight and depth and infiniteness of the same the Beauty thereof hath ravished my heart the Strength thereof hath overcome me and the Vertue thereof hath overcome me and the Vertue thereof hath filled my Soul And this is the present frame of my spirit full of Love and Good-will to the Lord God and to all his Saints and particularly unto you unto whom my spirit desireth in the Lord the increase of Peace and Mercies and Blessings and all Heavenly Vertue unto you all for I am under particular Engagements unto you more then unto many 1. Because my labour and service in the work of the Gospel hath been more amongst you then amongst others even for divers years have I been conversant among you in the administration of the gift of the Gospel by dispensing the Word of Life to the Converting of some and to the Strengthning and Confirming of others in the way of the Lord. And let the Just God bear witness of that faithfulness and integrity and sincerity of heart in which he hath carried me amongst you while many precious dayes I have passed away with you and have not sought yours but you nor do I desire ought concerning you but your Faithfulness to the Lord and your growth and establishment in the Wisdom of Christ Jesus and that blessings and Peace may ever rest with you And seeing it is thus that some of my precious years in the service of God have been spent amongst you therefore is my heart and spirit engaged to you-wards even while I live to advise you and exhort you and to pray for you that you may be sound in the Faith and established in the Truth and Confirmed in the Possession that never fades away 2. In respect of that place of your outward Residence that great City I mean where Satans Seat is and where wickedness abounds and many temptations and provocations which may attempt to draw you from the Lord I do know the dangers are many which may easily be met withall in that place There is both the love glory and excellency of this World near unto you and also the terrours threats losses and persecutions of this evil World even dwelling with you all which may work upon some many fears and doubts and begat temptations to the denying of the Lord and