growth and prosperity in the Truth doth answer this parable Yea or Nay And observe what Isaiah Prophesied concerning Christs Kingdom and Government He saith Of the Increase of His Government and Peace there shal be no End Now they who under the profession of the Light within are against this pure Government of Christ and the increase of it in the particuler and in his Church in generall who are for bringing in and Practising a corrupt fleshly Liberty Contrary to Christ these are the Apostates and Innovaâ—ors with such the Faithful Christian Apostles and Elders c. were Exercised and greâ—ved in the Primitive times as the Epistles of Paul Peter John Jude c. do shew Hear what Peter saith Concerning this matter viz. The Lord knoweth how to deliver the Godly out of Temptations and to reserve the unjust unto the day of Judgment to be punisht but Chiefly them that walk after the flesh in the Last of Vncleanness and dispise Government presumtuous are they self-willed having Eyes full of Adultery and that cannot cease from Sin beguiling unstable Souls These are wells without Water Clouds that are Carryed with a Tempest to whom the mist of Darkness is reserved for ever for when they speake great swelling words of vanity they alure through the Lust of the flesh through much wantonness those that were Clean Escaped from them who live in Errour while they promise them Liberty they themselves are the Servants of Corruption for of whom a man is overcome of the same he is brought into bondage 2 Peter 2. 9 10 14 17 18. 19. read the Chapter through And as it was in their dayes so is it in ours some fell away then from the faith and Obedience to the Cross of Christ who had been Enlightened and tasted of the Heavenly Gift and of the power of the World to Come who while they therein abode were as Stars in the Firmament of the power of God and as the Clouds that are filled with rain and as the Trees of the Lords Planting which brought forth some fruit to him but when they fell away from Christ the root seed Light and fountain of life then their fruit withered and so they came to be without fruit as Jude writeth Trees twice dead pluckt up by the Roots c. and could not grow any more Now observe it is not with these as it was in the beginning when they were first turned to the Light of Christ by which they come to see their Sins and to be led to Repent of them and to forsake them the latter End of these is and will be worse than their beginning as the Apostle Peter writes concerning such for saith he It had been better for them not to have known the way of Righteousness than after they have known it to turn from the Holy Commandment delivered to them but it is come to pass according to the true Proverb the dog is returned to his own vomit again and the sow that was washed to her wallowing in the Mire 2 Peter 21. 22. such in former time became the Agents of Sathan to seduce and draw others from the Faith and Obedience of the Cross of Christ some such have been and are in our day All you that Love the Light of our Lord Jesus Christ which makes Manifest all things as they are and reproves that which is Evil wait dilligently in the Light that therein you may see all the Mysterious workings of Sathan and his Agents that therein waiting and a biding stedfast you may Escape all their Snares Something more Concerning the order of the works of God in Heaven and Earth and particularly in his People THE great God who made Heaven and Earth and the fountains of Water who made all things good in the beginning he is the great God of Order he works his works in Order In the begining God Created the Heaven and the Earth and the Earth was without form and void and Darkness was upon the face of the Deep and the spirit of God Moved upon the Face of the Waters and God said let there be * Note God Commanded the Light to be and appear the first day Light and there was Light and God saw the Light that it was Good and God divided the Light from the Darkness and God called the Light Day and the Darkness he called Night and the Evening and the morning were the first day and God said let there be a Firmament in the midst of the Waters and let it divide the Waters from the Waters and God made the Firmament and divided the Waters which were under the Firmament from the Waters which were above the Firmament and it was so and God called the Firmament Heaven and the Evening and the Morning were the second day and God said let the waters under the Heaven be gathered together unto one place and let the dry Land appear and it was so and God called the dry Land earth and the gathering together of the waters called he seas and God saw that it was good and God said Let the Earth bring forth grass the Herb yeilding seed and the fruit-tree yeilding fruit after his kind whose seed is in it self upon the Earth and it was so and the Earth brought forth grass and Herb yeilding seed after his kind and the tree yeilding fruit whose seed was in it self after his kind and God saw that it was good and the Evening and the morning were the Third day and God said let there be Lights in the Firmament of the Heaven to divide the Day from the Night and let them be for Signes and for Seaâ—ous and for Dayes and Years and let them be for Lights in the Firmament of Heaven to give Light upon the Earth and it was so and God made two great Lights the greater Light to Rule the day and the lesser Light to Rule the Night he made the Stars also and God set them in the Firmament of the Heaven to give Light upon the Earth and to Rule over the Day and over the Night and to divide the Light from the Darkness and God saw that it was good and the Evening and the Morning were the Fourth day and God said let the waters bring forth aboundantly the moving Creature that hath life and Foul that may fly above the Earth in the open Firmament of Heaven and God Created great Whales and every living Creature that moveth which the waters brought forth aboundantly after their kind and every winged Foul after his kind and God saw that it was good and God blessed them saying be fruitful and Multiply and fill the waters in the Seas and let Foul Multiply in the Earth and the Evening and the Morning were the Fifth day and God said let the Earth bring forth the Living Creature after his kind Cattle and Creeping thing and Beast of the Earth after his kind and it was so and God made the Beast of the Earth after his kind and Cattle after
Ephesus viz. This I say therefore and testifie in the Lord That ye henceforth walk not as other Gentiles walk in the Vanity of their Minds having the Understanding darkened being alienated from the Life of God through the Ignorance that is in them because of the Blindness of their Heart who being past feeling have given themselves over to Lasciviousness to work all Uncleanness with greediness Ephes 4. 17 18 19. Observe here the woful and miserable Effects of Disobedience to God what Darkness Spiritual Blindness Benummedness and Insensibility it brings them into who are given up thereto alienating them from the Life Power and Spirit of God yet this Blindness and Insensibility Doth not render them excusable in the Sight of the Lord God who hath sent his Son a true Light who lights every Man that comes into the World who therefore saith Look unto Me all O ye Ends of the Earth and be ye saved for I am God and there is none else a mighty God and a Saviour Isa 45. 22. And again The Apostle in his Light Spirit and Power saw and therefore said God's Will is that all Men should know the Truth and he Saved 1 Tim. 2. 4. They therefore who believe in the Divine Light of Christ and walk in and obey the same are therein saved preserved and justified but they that know this Light profess and talk of it but do not obey and walk in it they are justly by the Lord God condemned and their Disobedience justly Witnessed against by his Faithful People who walk in his Light and bring forth the pure peaceable Fruits of it and if such disobedient unfaithful Professors of the Light do not unfeignedly repent of their Evil Sayings and Doings against God and his People and walk in Obedience to the Light they make Profession of then will the Wrath of God fall heavy upon them in the End Again Hear what the Apostle Peter saith to the Faithful Children of Light viz. But ye are a chosen Generation an holy Nation a peculiar People that ye should shew forth the Praise of him that hath called you Out of Darkness into his Marvellous Light Dearly Beloved I beseech you as Strangers and Pilgrims Abstain from Fleshly Lust which War against the Soul having your Conversations Honest amongst the Gentiles that whereas they speak against you as Evil Doers they may By your Good Works which they shall behold glorify God in the day of Visitation 1 Pet. 2. 9 to the 13. Observe This Doctrine of the Apostle is according to the Command of Christ to his Disciples He said Let your Light so shine before Men that they may see your good Works and Glorify your Father which is in Heaven Math. 5. 16. Again Christ saith The Light of the Body is the Eye If therefore thine Eye be single thy whole Body shall be full of Light but if thine Eye be Evil thy whole Body shall be full of Darkness If therefore the Light that is in thee be Darkness how great is that Darkness See Math. 6. 22 23. Again Christ saith Out of the Heart proceedeth an Evil Eye Mark 7. 22. Luke 11. 34. 1. Observe That the Children of Light are a Royal Priesthood a Holy Nation a Peculiar People called out of Darkness into Gods marvellous Light They walking therein are as Lights in the World their Light so shines before Men in the good Works or good Conversation in Christ this brings Glory to God the Father which is in Heaven they neither Need nor Do plead Ignorance of their duty to God or Man or of the Commands of Christ For they do both know obey and do their Duty to God and Man praised be the Lord God for the same 2. Observe That Christ saith The Light of the Body is the Eye wherefore if thine Eye be single thy whole Body is full of Light but when thine Eye is Evil thy whole body also is full of darkness Here are ' two Eyes spoken of the good one and the evil one he that hath the good Eye open in him with it Christ saith If the blind lead the blind both shall fall into the Ditch Mat. 15. 14. sees right sees good things and is affected therewith embraceth and holdeth fast the same he sees his duty to God and Man and by Gods help doth the same and therein is blessed but he that hath the Evil Eye open in him which Eye proceeds out of the Heart as Christ saith with this his Evil Eye he seeketh and watcheth for Evil and therewith sees Evil things and hath pleasure in them and therefore embraces them practiseth them pleads for them and holds them fast This is the Man whose Good Eye is blinded and his evil one open therefore he calls Good Evil and Evil Good Here Darkness and its fruits are put for Light and its fruits and Light and its fruits are put for Darkness and its fruits The Person that doth this hath changed the Truth of God for a Lie Oh this is a miserable State which some fell into in Ages past and some are fallen into in our Age Out of which God Almighty preserve all who to his Light are turned who believe in and love the same And the Lord be merciful unto all who though they be Darkned and Intangled in the Snares of their Souls Enemy through want of Watchfulness in the pure Light of Christ and holy fear of God yet have not sinned out the day of his tender Visitation to them Oh that they may seek and find a place of unfeigned Repentance and so return unto the Lord God before the Harvest or Gathering or Restoring time to them be ended Concerning the Honour which God gives unto his People c. THe fear of the Lord is the Instruction of Wisdom and before Honour is Humility Proverbs 15. 33. And Christ saith If any man honour me him will my Father honour John 12. 26. And the Apostle Peter Exhorted the Saints saying Honour all men love the Brotherhood fear God c. 1. Pet. 2. 17. The Apostle Paul Exhorted the believing Romans to be kindly Affectionated one towards another with brotherly Love in Honour preferring one another Rom. 12. 10. Again he writ to them viz. But Glory Honour and Peace to every man that worketh good c. Rom. 2. 10. Again hear what the Lord saith by the mouth of Samuel the Prophet viz. Them that honour me I will honour and they that despise me shall be lightly esteem'd 1 Sam. 2. 30. And again Paul writing to Timothy saith Let the Elders that Rule well be counted worthy of double honour especially they who labour in the Word and Doctrine 1 Tim 5. 17. Observe All the Children of God who are taught by his gracious Spirit of Life Light Love and Peace who walk therein they Glorifie and Honour him with their Spirits and Bodies which are his and with his good Creatures which he hath made them Stewards over which is their reasonable Service and
A General Epistle Given forth in OBEDIENCE TO THE God of Peace For the Preservation and Increase of CHARITY and UNITY amongst the Professors of Christ Jesus and the Teachings of his Divine Light within By a Servant of Christ a True Lover of Christian-Charity Peace and Unity WILLIAM GIBSON Blessed are the Peace-makers for they shall be called the Children of God Mat. 5. 9. Put on Charity which is the boâ—d of perfectness Col. 3. 14. He that saith he abideth in Christ ought himself even to walk so as he walked 1 John 2. 6. Let your Conversation be as it becometh the Gospel of Christ Phil. 1. 27. LONDON Printed and sold by John Bringhurst at the Sign of the Book in Gracâ—-Church street near Cornhil 1682. REader notwithstanding the Authors great care to prevent Errors in the following matter yet several Errors have escaped the Press which thou art desired to take notice of as the mistake of the Printers Those which are most material to hurt the Sense I have collected in this Errata some other small literal Faults and Errors in pointing and transposing or misplacing of words there are all which may be discerned in reading by such who are skilful and diligent therein and by such corrected so far as may be for the help of those who are less skilful in reading and correcting the two greatest Errors take particular notice of the first is in the Introduction page the 5. line the 16. where speaking of the Spirit of the Creature Man or Woman it is there rendred the Spirit of the Creator the second great error is in p. 107. l. 15. where the word sensually is put instead of the word sensibly ERRATA INtroduction page 3. line 10. for Light read Spirit p. 5. l. 16. f. Creator r. Creature p. 6. l. 17. f. were read was p. 12. l. 14. f. word r. words p. 10. l. 3. blot out some of First PART IN Margin p. 52. r. God commanded the Light to be and appear and separated it from the Darkness in the First days work p. 59. l. the 8. add the word one p. 76. l. 18. add the word same p. 78. l. 12. f. nember r. member p. 95. l. 21. add the word the p. 102. l. 23. f. Chrisi r. Christ p. 105. l. 7. f. Justifying r. Justifie p. 107. l. 15 f. sensually r. sensibly p. 109. l. 10. next after the word you make a full stop p. 126. l. 22 and 23. read O all ye ends of the Earth p. 160. l 19. dele and fear l. 14. dele or Second PART PAge the 2. l. 5. blot out and p. the 6. l. 13 14. r. thinketh he standeth take heed lest he fall p. 19. l. 5. r. the verse 9 and 10 c. l. 23. blot out him l. 29 f. careful r. careful p. 20. l. 11. f. fevere r. severe p. 24. l. 7. add spoken of p. 28. l. 20. f. understanding r. understand p. 29. l. 12. r. 1 Cor. 13. p. 45. l. 24. next after and add have p. 56. l. 12. f. soberly r. sober p. 65. l. 31. f. â—oâ— r. to p. 80. l. 25. blot out to p. 93. l. 22. f. sowed r. soweth p. 96. l. 6. f. sealed r. seal p. 99. l. 8. f. comended r. commended Several Scriptures which should have been in the Italick Letter are omitted particularly the First Chapter of Genesis c. in p. 52 53 54 55. Note this Book being printed by several Men occasioneth it to be in two Parts only becaâ—â— of the beginning anew of the Figures upon the top of the pages and that which is called the Second Part begins with the figure 1 at the top of the page or leaf There is also some part of the Book put in Black Letter which had been most properly in the Roman these improprieties of the different form of Letters doth no way hurt the matter as to the sense thereof THE CONTENTS AN Exhortation to the Professors of the Light within to live and walk in the same and the Walker in the Light distâ—nguished from the Talker of it who walk in Darkness Page 1 Concerning good Conscience 21. Concerning evil Conscience 23. Concerning them that are weak in the Faith 28. Concerning days 30. Something concerning Christian Order or Order in the Church of Christ 42. Something more concerning the Order of the Works of God in Heaven and Earth and particularly in his People 52. Something more particularly concerning the Order of Christ in his Church 72. Concerning the Form of the true Apostles Doctrine 95. Concerning the Commands of the Apostles of Christ which they gave not of themselves or by their own power but by and in his Power VVisdom Strength and Authority for they were his Ambassadors over them he reigned in them he spake and gave commands who is the Head of his Church and one in the Male and Female 97 Concerning the Honour that God gives unto his People 130. Concerning Rule and Government in the Church of Christ 133. Concerning the Living Faith with its Fruits and Works 142. Something concerning Self-Separation 155. The Second PART COncerning falling from God 1. Concerning just Judgment amongst Gods People given or committed to them or spoken by or through them in whom God dwells â—ccording to his promise against the Devil and his works sin and wickedness 9. Concerning the Just and Righteous Judgment of God in and by his People under the Dispensation of the Gospel 13. Concerning the Mercy of God and of his People 17. Something concerning true Love or Charity 28. Something concerning the Vnity and Fellowsâ—ip of true Christians 53. Something concerning the Seven â—hurches in Asia who were gathered into the Profession of Christ Jesus 57. Something concerning Marâ—iâ—gâ— 78. Concerning pure Religion 83. A General Epistle TO FRIENDS c. An Exhortation to the Professors of the Light Within to LIVE and WALK in the same and the WALKER in the Light distinguished from the TALKER of it who walks in Darkness ALL you who profess Christ Jesus the Prince of Life and Peace to be your Prince Captain of your Salvation and Bishop of your Souls who profess to be Taught Led and Governed by his Spiritual Light within you See that you all Live and Walk in the same that you may all possess that which you do profess and it is most certain if we walk in the light wherewith God in Christ hath enlightened us then have we fellowship one with another and the Blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanseth us from all Sin But if there be not a Walking in this precious Divine Light which shines from God the Fountain of it then there can be no Fellowship with God the Father nor with his beloved Son nor true Fellowship one with another No cleansing from Sin then but the sin of all such who only Talk of the Light Walking contrary to it remaineth and encreaseth Therefore all be very careful in this great weighty Concern wherein the Glory of the great God
their kind and every thing that Creepeth upon the Earth after his kind and God saw that it was good and God said let us make Man in our own Image after our Likeness and let them have Dominion over the Fish of the Sea and over the Foul of the Air and over the Cattle and over all the Earth and over every Creeping thing that Creepeth upon the Earth so God Created Man in his own Image in the Image of God Created he him Male and Female Created he them and God blessed them and God said unto them be fruitful and multiply and replenish the Earth and subdue it and have Dominion over the Fish of the Sea and over the Foul of the Air and over every Living thing that moveth upon the Earth and God said behold I have Given you every Herb bearing seed which is upon the face of all the Earth and every Tree in the which is the fruit of a tree yeilding seed to you it shall be for ever and to every beast of the Earth and to every Foul of the Air and to every thing that Creepeth upon the Earth wherein there is life I have given every green herb for meat and it was so and God saw every thing that he had made and behold it was very good the Evening and the Morning were the Sixth day Thus the Heaven and the Earth were finished and all the host of them and on the Seventh day God ended his work which he had made and he rested on the Seventh day from all his work which he had made c. These are the generations of the Heavens and of the Earth when they were Created Read the whole first Chapter of Genesis and the beginning of the second c. Observe here the Beautiful and Lowly order of the work of the great God of Order in bringing forth his Beautiâ—ul Creation of Heaven and Earth and all things in them behold he did not make Heaven and Earth and all things that are in them at once or in one day you may here Read what he made the First day and what he made the Second day and what he made the Third day and what he made the Fourth day and what he made the Fifth day and what he made the Sixth day and that he finished and ended his work on the Seventh day Reader here thou mayest see how the works of God were Carried on by degrees to their Compleatness Likewise thou mayest observe the Ignorance of some in our day who say Things among us who profess to be Taught and led by the Light of Christ within are not as they were in the beginning when we were first turned to the Light but here is new Order or Orders set up amongst us several Meetings and Practices which we are afraid will bring in Apostacy Such Ignorant Dark talk as this have I heard from some who account themselves Children of Light Ancient in Truth Grown Wise c. Observe from what God has spoken by the Mouth of Moses as aforesaid that from the First day to the Seventh day in which God ended his work he brought forth New things every day This glorious work he Carried on by degrees till he had Compleated it according to the Counsell of his own will Again observe Man who was at the first made in the likeness of his Maker holy Just and good being seduced deceived by the Serpent who abode not in the Truth in whom there is no Truth he is become a degenerate plant of a strange Vine unto God by taking eating and doing that which the great God from the first hath forbidden he died the Death according to the word of the Lord and in this degenerate fallen State is dead in trespasses and sins his Spirit mind will and affections dead from God from Purity from Holyness Righteousness and Innocency in this State of Death he doth not Rightly seek after the Living God in this State he is not rightly affected towards him he doth not behold his goodness his glory and Mighty power he doth not Reverence and fear him as he ought neither doth he hunger and thirst after him and his Righteousness Purity Justice Love c. but on the Contrary his dead mind will and affections all dead from God are Imployed and Eâ—ercâ—sed by Satan in that which is Evil and that continually as the Lord hath spoken by the mouth of Moses viz. And God saw that the wickedness of man was great in the Earth and that every Imagination of the thoughts of his heart was only Evil continually and it repented the Lord that he had made man on the Earth and it grieved him c. Genesis 6. 5 6. Observe the great and merciful Creator and God of the whole Earth hath promised the Redemption of his Creature Man yea both the Male and Female out of the Bondage of Corruption into the glorious Liberty of the Sons and Daughters of God this he hath spoken by the mouths of his Servants as it is written in the Scriptures of Truth when God gave his just and righteous Sentence of Judgment upon the Serpent for his Cursed work of deceiving the Man and the Woman he said unto the Serpent Because thou hast done this thou art Cursed above all Cattle and above every Beast of the Field upon thy Belly shalt thou go and Dust shalt thou eat all the days of thy Life and I will put Enmity between thee and the Woman and between thy Seed and her Seed and it shall bruise thy Head c. Genesis 3. 14 15. The Apostle writing concerning this Seed saith Now to Abraham and his Seed were the promises made he saith not and to Seeds as of many but as of one and to thy Seed which is Christ Gala. 3. 16. This Seed Christ was Glorified with the Father before the World began as he said Glorifie thou me with thine own self with the Glory that I had with thee before the World began Joh. 17. he is that Eternal Divine Word by whom all things were made who lighteth every that cometh into the World who in the days of his Flesh commanded man saying Believe in the Light walk in the Light c. The Apostle writing of him to the Saints said He was Ordained from of old but manifest for you in the last time c. made of the Seed of David and Abraham according to the Flesh â—ut declared to be the Son of God with Power by the Resurrection from the Dead he was made in due time of a Woman under the Law to Redeem them that were under the Law he went up and down doing good healing all manner of Diseases Maladies and Sicknesses yea he raised the Dead unto life after which he offered up himself through the Eternal Spirit as a Lamb without spot and blemish an acceptable Sacrifice to God for the remission of the sins of the Transgressors who believe in him and come to the obedience of the Faith he rose from