so that through the execution of such Laws out of their time and place do many times fall heavy upon some which was never intended by such as first instituted them so that every Geneneration is to be ordred and governed by such Laws as may answer the present temper of men and the present manifestation of Truth in that present Generation for to bind any mans Conscience now by such Laws as were made hundred years ago is to set bounds to the Spirit and to limit God if it were possible and then for such Laws to be put in execution by men who can search no further than the letter of the Law directs them this is a practise that stands onely by Tradition and not from any present manifestation of God through which true Judgment is ministred And this makes the yoke to be grievous upon the necks of innocent people where old Laws do stand in force touching the Conscience in any place and it is not reasonable that such Laws that were made in years past should in this day be executed upon any people in point of Conscience and that for this Reason Because there is no limitation of God but he manifests himself through Ages and Generations according to his pleasure and if Ages past did make Laws which might relate to things different amongst them in point of Conscience then yet that is not a sufficient ground to continue that Law in force and to put it in execution in relation to the Conscience now or in Ages that do succeed because the Lord may make known himself in a more fuller manifestation in this Age then in Ages past and every man is to be faithfull to the present manifestation of God in his own day and therefore not reasonable by any old Law to suppress him from the exercise of his Conscience towards God nor to bind him to any thing of which he is not convinced through the present manifestation of truth in himself and besides it is not reasonable that men should make Laws in their present Generation which may in any case relate to the Consciences of any People because in the same Generation there may be divers manifestations of Truth according to measure and for any Law to be made and executed upon such as differ in Judgment and practise from those that have the present power it is not reasonable because such as may come under the punishment of that Law may stand faithfull to God in that which he makes manifest to them in that day and therefore not reasonable to make a law to punish them for their obedience to God nor to put that law in Execution against such a people Therefore ye that Rule this day Consider it and all that practise in the Law weigh things coolly that you may come to know Christ Jesus the Law-giver whose light is manifest in all your Consciences which gives true Judgment in you upon all transgression and you must come to the light with the light to be guided before you can come to the true Judgment-seat for whilst the light is contemned by you you Judge and Judge amiss and so punishes the Innocent and lets transgressours go free and not understanding the things of God in your selves you call light darkness and truth error and good evil and not discerning you proceed in Judgment against the truth as if it were error and because you call it so you conclude it is so and from that ground give your Judgment against it And was not this the rash conclusion of the Jewes who said that Christ was a deceiver and a Prince of Devills now their saying so did not make Christ the wisdom of God to be so yet having said it and concluded it in their dark minds they made a law and then they said We have a law and by our law he ought to die and by that law they condemned and Crucified the holy and the Just one and spared a murtherer now whether was this law and the Execution of it Right on their parts who acted in it I tell you nay for Christ Jesus was the light and the truth and the life and the power and the wisdom of God amongst them though they closed their Eyes and stopt their Eares and hardened their hearts against him and so spake reproachfully of him and by wicked hands Crucified him And so it is needful for you to consider lest seeing you see not and lest by thinking you see you be blind and so stumble at the light which would do you good and turn against the truth it self under the name of error And this is for you to Consider in seriousness both high and low that are concerned in the Execution and practise of the Law that you may stay your Judgment in such cases as pertain to the Conscience and let that thing alone for it is peculiar unto God and it doth not at all belong unto you nor to your places for in this case every man must stand or fall to his own Master and you may condemn a man in this case by your law when the Lord Justifies him and cleares him in his own Conscience from all offences and doth not the Scripture say It is God that Justifieth Who shall condemn and who shall lay any thing to the charge of Gods Elect Now if you charge Gods Elect and condemen them by your law may not you be called in question for so doing and may it not be said who are you that doth thus it is God that Justifieth and surely he doth Justifie all his Elect and chosen ones who of his Seed are born But this is a mysterie to you and if you turn to the light of Christ it will shew you that the Conscience of another is without the compass of your Laws and all Judgment that you give in such cases is but from things that do appear and you are not to Judge according to the appearance but to Judge Righteous Judgment and that is the Judgment brought forth in the principle of God which principle finds out the heart and lays Judgment to the Line and Righteousness to the Plummet and so begins at the bottom and cleanses out the corrupt ground in the heart and this is true Judgment and Righteous But you are Judging things that do appear and so one sets up and another pulls down and one crys lo here and another cryes lo there and one is for one form and another for a contrary form and your difference lyes about forms onely and your Judgment goes forth against such as differ from your form and this is your own Judgment which the Lord Rebukes for the principle of God is a heart-searcher and doth not Judge according to the appearance only and this principle is within every one of you and with it you may see how you stand in practise every way and how your minds are disposed and what is the Intents of your own hearts for there is much wrong done to
Father and with the Son and with one another and so they meet together in the unity of the faith of the Son of God in which faith they have peace with God through Jesus Christ and in his peace they lie down together in safety and as Lambs of one fold they rejoyce under the Government of the good Shepherd So let none search to know beyond what is revealed in the Spirit for God is and is a rewarder of all that love him Mark God is and none can know him but as he reveals what he is in the Son through whom the brightness of his glory shines abroad and the express image of his person is made manifest and who are contended with that measure which is made manifest in the Son they receive their reward in it and all such are blessed whose hearts and minds are simply disposed in love to God A particular Place of Bondage Opened THe Principle of God in man is a true and faithfull witness for God in every place and it hath a sure Testimony against that spirit which worketh in darkness in which darkness the Mystery of iniquity is seated and hath a place of Government in man and sits exalted in strength and power over man in the fall and from that place doth all deceiveableness of unrighteousness proceed and the Witness of God doth stand in its place and is in it self a holy Principle which hath no communion with darkness nor with the deceiveableness of unrighteousness which from the darkness proceedeth but with its purity it maketh manifest the secret workings of the Mystery of iniquity and stands a witness against that part and principle and also the manifestation that is produced from it and unto which of these a man yields himself servant to obey he is a servant to it and becomes actually disposed by it and as man joyns to either and comes under the power of either so is his works brought forth his words are spoken and his deeds are done from the actual motion within him by one of those Principles and the words and deeds are made manifest either to be good or evil according to the nature of the Principle unto which man is joyned and there is a clear distinction both in the ground and in the manifestation for as that of God in man is true in it self and the nature of it is righteous holy and pure so it doth declare it self distinctly from every manifestation proceeding out of darkness and hath a sure Testimony in it self against it in every place for as it is certain that man is joyned to one of these Principles and is a servant to it so it is as certain that unto which he is joyned and serving the same doth actually dispose him in the motion of it self and he being a servant to it and actually disposed by it the fruits of its nature is manifest through him either in the good or in the evil So when the wicked one brings forth his works through man that work comes out of man and defiles him and it is plain that there is a root within him from which it receives nourishment and so is produced and brought forth and there is sometimes a war felt in man betwixt the two Natures and Principles touching the manifestation of their own natures either in good or evil and man in himself may know it both in words and deeds and he may also know that many times he is overcome of the evil and yields himself to its power and motion and the evil having got the dominion by mans yielding himself to obey it then doth its nature manifest it self in evil words and deeds then man may feel in himself that he hath transgressed the good and with the good is reproved and in himself is many times so judged that he saith in his heart I will never speak such words again nor do such deeds again yet he cannot thereby save himself but as he joynes to the motion of the good with the good to overcome evil in its conception and then coming to be actually disposed by the good that which goeth out of him doth not defile him for it is good both in thought word and deed I do not hereby set up Religion in a form or practise of any observation distinct from the Principle of God neither dare I disown that practise which is observed in obedience to the motion of the Principle for they that do so will save the worser part alive and if man do not answer the Principle of God and obey it in all things that it manifests in him either to be good or evil and if he do not chuse the good and deny the evil after it be so made manifest but that he love the evil more then the Principle that doth discover it that man must of necessity come under reproof of that Principle which is good which with its Light discovered the evil to him before he came to act it So consider how this comes to pass and how the distinction lies both in ground and manifestation seeing that there is a manfestation lies outward according to the natures of the Principles within and by such manfestation it may be discerned which Principle hath Government in man and unto which he is joyned and this Judgement doth prove the Principle and not the manifestation or practise distinct from the Principle and this Judgement is not concluded upon suppositions but upon good and sure ground and doth give a certain sound with distinction both to principle and practise I say this judgement doth not conclude supposedly as such or such a thing may be practised in a true form distinct from the true principle but it gives true Judgement infallibly in the ground And who judges according to appearance onely and from thence conclude supposedly that a true practise may be distinct from the true principle and from that ground judge the true practise in general which stands in the principle they err in judgement for though in some things there may be a practise manifest and that practise may be distinct from the true principle and yet in practise be the same outwardly as that practise is which stands in the true principle yet this is not a sufficient ground to judge the practise in general as if no such practise should be manifested from the principle nor observed in obedience to the principle because such a practise may stand only in appearance for the love of God is not so bounded though some in their own bowels be so straitned and thereby keep the Seed from the universality of its own manifestation and such conclusions do add bondage to the pure in every place And I do not hereby justifie any practise whatsoever though it may stand in a true observation outwardly which doth not come to pass through the motion of the true principle inwardly neither do I condemn but do own and stand by that practise which in the true principle is
which God is setting up and with his Arm defends it and so in the Wisdom of God you will stand in your right places to Rule for the Counsel of the Lord is amongst such as receive his Wisdom and he gives his Counsel in his Wisdom but such as are out of the fear of God they are far off from Wisdom's path and so cannot walk in the way of true Judgment and such as do not hate the evil and the evil way but loves the evil and the evil way and the evil-doer they are far off from Wisdom's path and have more need to be Ruled than to be Rulers for they can never Decree Judgement in Righteousness nor Minister it in Truth then the Sword goes backward every way and turns against such as it should protect and protects such as it should fall upon and so both the Decreers and Administrators are out of Wisdom's path and can never keep good order under their Government and though some Decrees might formerly stand right in their places as they were Decreed in relation to an outward Government and at that time might be justly executed upon such as were principally intended yet the execution of such Laws now may be perverted and by those that are to Minister them may be wrested out of their proper place and when the Ministers of such Lawes do put them in Execution touching any matter which may relate to the Consciences of people though that Law may stand right in its place as it was Decreed yet the Execution of that Law otherwise ministred than by that Law was intended that Execution and Judgement doth not run in Wisdom's stream and in this place there be many Lawes diverted and in the Execution is wrested out of their place and in the practise of the Law there are many false streams crept in which by the Law it self was never intended and so in many cases honest people are wronged who are made the only objects of the eyes of the Administrators of the Law against whom the Law it self doth not appear Intentionally and here justice is turned backward and the Righteous is made a prey and both the Execution of some Lawes and also the practise in them are perverted and poor men they are wronged and know not which way to do themselves right by the Law though they be free to use the Law for first being imbodyed in an unknown tongue to most men they are not in a capacity to understand them secondly the head of them being onely at one place poor men cannot attend their own business but are forced to employ and entrust Strangers with it who many times prove negligent and for want of care on their part many poor men suffer loss Thirdly the many curiosities that stand in the practise of the Law which by poor men cannot be attained and so are constrained if they make use of it to buy it at an unreasonable dear rate which if the Fountain and the Stream did spring and issue forth in the Wisdom of God it might be otherwise and might every way be reduced into better order But touching the practise there is something opened more fully in divers cases in a Book entituled The Standing Truth So let every man in his place be diligent that you may Redeem the time that is past and from high to low who have a hand in any place to Rule Take Counsel of the Lord in all you do whether it be in Decreeing or Executing and let not any Law be decreed or stand in force that is decreed which in any place may bind the Conscience but break them down and lay them waste for they bring distress and sorrow every way for many innocent people come under hard usage in outward sufferings by them and such as makes them and Executes them they come under the hand of God and his rebuke and in that place they do themselves most wrong for they go heavily in themselves whilst Judgement is their Cup to drink and it doth assuredly fall and will remain for ever without speedy Repentance So to be in the Wisdom of God is a High state such are in a capacity to Rule for they Fear the Lord and hate both the evil and the evil way and in the Wisdom of God they are worthy of Honour and the hearts of the Innocent can give it them and they will not expect any thing more and in the Wisdom good order is brought forth amongst all people and love and peace and unity will grow and spring under that Government and universal peace will spread over all the Earth in the universal love of God then Kings will Reign and Princes Decree Justice and the Vine will over spread and there will be a sitting down under it without fear And now O ye Rulers be wise in your places for the concernment is great unto you there is one above you whose Judgment is true for ever he is King of Kings and Lord of Lords strong and powerful is his Arm who dwells in the Heavens that is higher than all and in his hand you are but as Potters clay Therefore fear before him and wait for his Wisdom that you may bring all things into right order in such places and matters as you have power to order that quietness and peace may be setled and the issue of blood stopped that so you may get your selves a name which unto Generations to come may be a good savour but if you seek not the Lord in your day and set not his Fear before your eyes then will your names fall and the Remembrance of them will cease in your Generation therefore again I say unto you all who are in Government this day prize time while it is present To Ministers of Parishes so called TO be an able Minister of the Spirit is a place to be honoured and esteemed for such doth labour truly in the Word and Doctrine and what is made manifest in the Spirit and from the Spirit declared such a one is a true Minister not of the Letter but of the Spirit and such doth not speak words which mans wisdom teacheth but in the Demonstration of the Spirit and in Power and here stood their preaching who were endued with Power and Wisdom from on High and in that went forth to gather the scattered and the dispersed both of Jews and Gentiles and to bring them into one Spirit and they did not go forth until they had received Power and were endued with Wisdom from on High but they were to tarry at Jerusalem and wait for it and in waiting for it the gift came upon them and they received it and were able Ministers in it then they having received the Power and Wisdom from on High in the Power and Wisdom they received their Message and there was a necessity layed upon them to preach that unto others which they had received of God and they were the good Stewards of the manifold grace of God and these were
your time in deceit then in sorrow you will lye down and your latter end will be bitterness Therefore remember your end To such as buy and sell in Markets or in any other places MAn was created upright but he hath sought out many inventions And through inventions disorder is come amongst men and by defrauding and cozening and cheating one another they run into confusion and distraction and so are gone from the created uprightness into subtilty and inventions and with that subtil part they invent their wicked practises and studies how to gain their own advantage in their dealing And from this ground arises all deceit amongst men in buying and selling and trading and they will commend their Cattel and their Commodities above what they are and above what they know them to be to gain advantage and though they know that their Commodity be not at all worthy of commendations yet the subtil part inventeth how to commend it and how to set a great price upon it and by subtilty thinks to over-reach another and it may be will ask much more for such a Commodity then he intends to take for it and from thence many vain words arises amongst men in their dealing and in their bargaining and not onely so but also many oathes and cursings proceeds out of their mouthes and all to set forth that thing which they know is not to be so commended and here men stands in swearing and cursing and multitude of words before they can come to close if they do close at all and this practise is not in the created uprightness but from the subtil inventions through which man is carried out of Gods fear and order for the created uprightness is a pure just and holy state a state that stands upright to God and unto all men it is not a subtil Inventer but a simple Dealer in all things it cannot lye for gain nor swear for profit nor curse for wealth it cannot deceive nor defraud any man in dealing though much outward profit might be seen in the end it cannot commend a thing above what it really knows it to be it cannot make many words in bargaining for it is an upright state and speaks things uprightly and justly and speaks no more than it knows to be true and not that neither at all times for many words is a burden to it and it is weary of them it prizes the worth of things according to discerning and according to discerning it speaks a standing word it hath no reservedness in it to take or ensnare another by deceit for it is upright in all things But how is man degenated from the Created uprightness and how hath he sought out the subtil Inventions and how doth every generation grow more cunning in their dealing and more deceit and guile breaks in upon generations and they degenerate more and more from the Created uprightness so that it is a grief to behold how one man deals with another in trading and how Markets are filled with multitude of words which stands wholly in deceit and guile and what a noise doth people make in Markets and runs in the pursuit of gain with such Eagerness as the whole Course of nature is set on fire and the anger and the passion and the unruly nature will sometimes be so let up as one man will strive with another about their dealings and how will one man deceive another and defraud another with buying things one from another and many times forestalling things before they come into a Market and many times by Ingrossing things into their hands which they have no need of but to lay them by and keep them for advantage and this wrongs the poor and the needy that when things are at a reasonable price then the Rich Ingrosses them and by that means keeps it at a dearer price in plenty than otherwise it would be and then in scarcity the poor must either buy it at their dear prices or be in want and this grinds the poor every way and is a disorderly practise and is filled with Covetousness which the subtil Inventer finds out to get wealth and Riches and thus men run and knows no stay for their minds they would be dealers in every thing and counted great dealers in all things and would have a name and so are alwayes in the thronged part and in the cumber about many things in which they all offend But who Remembers the Lord or who chuses the better part or who seeks the Kingdom of God first and trusts the Lord to add all things else unto him and who serves the Lord with fear not the subtil Inventer but the Created uprightness which under all such practises and wicked devices lies grieved and pained for though man be gone into the Inventions through the temptations of the subtilty yet there is something upright remains in him which did preserve its own beeing though man degenerated and this is a pure principle in man which doth not allow of deceit for that which is upright and that which is deceitfull hath no agreement together in any place so that when deceit is practised uprightness reproveth for it bears the burden of it Therefore all people who are concerned in these things take heed to your wayes and to your doings for they are very bad you cannot but know your selves that there is much amiss in you and that you do run many times after dishonest gain and that which lets you see is it the light of Christ and that you must come unto if ever you come to be upright men for though some may be qualified in some things and in their natural temper do manifest more moderation than others and that there be more reservedness in their wayes and that they do not appear so passionate nor angry openly so deceitfull yet there is a self-end lyes in the bottom of such a man and he will reach forth himself to make his end secretly for if the mind of man do not come to the light with the light to be guided he doth not come into the upright state but lyes amongst the many inventions where none can please God And now your day is with you who are buying and selling and trading and the Light of Christ is manifest in you to shew you wherein you err and if you do not turn when it repoves you at any time and come to repentance you will wrong your selves for ever Therfore make haste out of your way and turn to the Lord and receive his wisdom in the light that his wisdom may order you in all your places and services then you dare not use many words in your bargaining but speak a standing word according to your judgment in that which you have to sell or buy and you dare not speak in the praise of any thing for any end to your selves and this practise would stand in uprightness and would answer Gods witness in every man and then you would be out of
knew it to be the Word of Faith and the Word of Eternal Life and the Word is the same this day and the glory of it is seen and the vertue of it is felt and fed upon for as in the beginning it generated and generation was brought forth by it so now it doth regenerate and the new born babe desires the sincere milk of it and the Word feeds it and nourishes it with its own goodness so the babe feeds upon the Word and receives the milk of the Word as its natural food and it doth not live by any other thing and whilest it is a new born babe the Word gives it milk but when through nourishment it grows into strength then it eats the flesh for the Word is made flesh and the flesh is meat indeed and this must people eat if they have life in Christ for Christ is the Word and Christ is the Life and they that do not eat him have no Life in him And this is a hard saying to all unbelievers for such said in times past how can this man give us his flesh to Eat and this is the bread that comes down from Heaven which if a man eat he shall never dye they are blessed that believes in this for Christ is the Bread of Life and all that hungers after him in truth he feeds them according to his own pleasure and here is living water felt from Christ the fountain and here is meat known that endures to Everlasting life and with his vertue and goodness the soul is replenished and comforted and this is the Word which is near every man who shall ascend to fetch it down from above or who shall descend to fetch it from below but what faith it the Word is night thee even in thy heart and in thy mouth to obey it and do it and there must man know it and obey it if ever he come to feed upon it and he must first know it as a reprover and then as a hammer and a fire to break down and burn up all that drossie nature that is in him and the rebellious part that stands in opposition against the Lord. And this is the Word which is nigh unto every man alwayes taking hold upon the transgressor in Judgment and as a swift witness overtakes the transgressor in all his wayes and in that place it is quick and powerful and sharper than a two Edged sword if a man commit Evil the Word hath a quick motion to find him and is powerful to judge him and sharp to wound him and the hairy scalp of the wicked is wounded by the sword of the Spirit which is the Word of God and so it manifests it self in man according to the present disposition of a man if darkness dispose him and that he be in the Evil either in thought word or deed then the Word stands against him and is quick and powerful and sharp and a hammer and a fire and man may feel it to be so in its operation for it is to be understood that the Word in it self is an unchangeable being and one pure perfect intire body of love yet the manifestations of it appears diversly as man stands before it and it hath its operation in man according to mans present disposition for if he sin he is quickly overtaken with Judgement and that which overtakes him and Judges him is the Word and there he may feel it powerful and sharper then a two Edged sword and through his obedience to it in that manifestation then it becomes a hammer and a fire in its operation and it is as a fire in his bones to consume the fleshly part in every place And by this a young man may cleanse his wayes for if a man take heed to the Word when it manifests it self with Reproof and when it shews him the out-goings of his mind and his wandering thoughts and vain imaginations and the body of sin and death that is in him and doth defile him and separate him from God if he take heed to the Word when it manifests secret Evils which is its nature to do then it will become a light to his feet and a lanthorn to his paths and he will find it to be a true guide unto him yea in his lowest state it will be a light to his feet and guide his feet and then man doth not err when he comes to the Word in himself and takes heed unto it then the Word becomes a light to his feet for the Word is light and man following the light and walking in the light he doth not stumble but walks safely and with the light of the Word he sees his way and sees all dangers as they lye And he that thus takes heed to the Word and answers the Word and comes to obey it when it reproves him then the Word lifts him up and sets his feet in the way and so becomes a light to his feet to guide him that he may not err and the Word gives man strength to follow it and then he begins to travel out of the dark Corners of the Earth and out of the Earthly habitations and follows the Word and believes in the promise of the Word and this is an Express Word in every man it speaks Expressly in his Conscience according to the state it finds him in and so it may be known manifesting it self as mans present state and condition is and as man takes heed unto it he takes heed to the light and the light guides his feet out of all perverse wayes and crooked wayes and froward wayes and guides him and leads him in the way of peace and so it is a cleansing Word who takes heed unto it are cleansed by it for a young man may clense his ways by taking heed to the Word and by obeying the word and man that takes heed unto it and obeys it the cleansing water of the word goes through him and it cleanses out of him all the corrupt and bad nature that hath defiled him and made him unclean then man may feel the water of the word to wash him and the water of Regeneration to renew him and here the word plunges man in its own pure water and washes him and makes his in-side clean and so his heart is washed and made clean and his mind is made clean and his body clean and here is the Baptiser and the baptising which doth not lye outward for the taking away the filth of the flesh but makes a man clean within and renews him in the spirit of his mind unto God and so washes away the filth of the old nature which hath loadned and burdened the tender Seed And this is the water of the word which flows in man as man takes heed unto it and obeys it and then man is sanctified by the word and the word is truth and being thus cleansed and washed and sanctified by the word then it becomes the word of reconciliation and the
in peace one amongst another and to preserve every man every way in his proper state wherein he outwardly is placed And in this place Moses was appointed and set to govern Israel in the Wisdom of God and it is said that Moses was the meekest man upon the earth and he governed Israel in meekness and in wisdom and was a Magistrate for good unto them and the Law that was given him of God he was faithfull in the execution of it and the transgressor came under his power and the righteous was set free for the Law was not made for them neither did Moses execute it upon them And in those dayes true Justice had a free course from the wisdom of God in Moses and he was a praise to them that did well and a terror to the evil-doers And here he had the Sword placed in his right hand and it went over the head of the transgressor and brought the transgressor into subjection And this was true Judgment and righteous and the execution of the righteous Law stood in the righteous principle of God which principle did endue Moses with wisdom and with meekness to govern And the Scriptures mention divers Governments which in Ages past have been set over the people and some of them ruled in righteousness and under them the people had peace and some that ruled in cruelty and in their dayes the people had trouble and such Rulers turned against the righteous whom they should have protected and then there was a complaint that justice was turned backward and equity could not enter and that justice was fallen in the streets and that the righteous was become a prey Mark the righteous was become a prey and such were wicked that made a prey upon the righteous And these things came to pass either as the Rulers received the wisdom of God or contemned it for without the wisdom of God it is not possible that any should rule for God or should decree judgment in righteousness or minister it with a good understanding for Solomon who was endued with wisdom and ruled in wisdom whose Memory doth not perish but is a good savour this day he saith The fear of the Lord is to hate evil pride and arrogancy and the evil way and the froward mouth do I hate Counsel is mine and sound wisdom I am understanding I have strength By me Kings reign and Princes decree Justice by me Princes Rule and Nobles even all the Judges of the earth I love them that love me and all that seek me early shall find me Prov. 8. Now mark the fear of the Lord is the first step into true Government and the fear of the Lord is to hate evil pride and arrogancy and the evil way so both the evil and the evil way must be hated But where such are in Government as do practise evil and delights in evil and walks in the evil way and in pride and arrogancy then they do not walk in the fear of the Lord and so are not come into the first step of true Government for such cannot have the counsel nor found wisdom nor understanding nor strength and such can never be a terrour to the evil-doers who love the evil way themselves neither can they be a praise to them that do will until they hate the evil and the evil way in themselves So it is the weighty matter to get wisdom and wisdom proffers her self in kindness to all that seek her early and makes a promise that she will be found of such They that seek me early shall find me I love them that love me This is Wisdom's voyce but the evil-doers regard it not neither do they seek her or love her for The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom and the fear of the Lord is to depart from evil Then where the evil is loved and practised where pride and arrogancy is advanced wisdom is not sought nor regarded and such cannot decree and establish their Laws in righteousness for in wisdom alone is the true Order and Government it is by Wisdom that Kings Reign and Princes Decree Justice So all ye Rulers by what name soever distinguished Let it be your care and diligence to get Wisdom seeing that without Wisdom no Decree can stand approved unto God and therefore it s of the greatest concernment to get Wisdom for Riches and Honour are with Wisdom yea durable Riches and Righteousness her fruit is better than Gold and her revenues than choice Silver she leads in the way of Righteousness Mark Wisdom leads in the way of Righteousness and in the midst of the paths of Judgment that she may cause those that love her to inherit substance and fill their treasures And here is Wisdom and her portion to her children a portion that is durable and Everlasting and this is a flourishing state and a standing Government but without Wisdom every Throne stands unstedfast and all Nations are like the waves of many waters Therefore ye Rulers Consider and lay it to heart both all that are present and all that are to come for this is to Generations and you that are present mind your day time is precious and but a little remains unto you therefore turn to that of God in you for you cannot be free from its Reproof it is a Principle that doth not respect your persons for it is in it self the most Worthy Noble and Honourable and no man is truly Honourable but in it though outwardly he may be set on high it doth not regard any man for his greatness but Reproves him for his sin how Mighty soever he be amongst men this Principle which is of God in man hath a sure Testimony against that man which doth evil and faithfully reproves him in his Conscience without regarding his greatness And this is the Light of Jesus Christ with which you are enlightned the Light that is present with you every where and in every place beholds your thoughts when you are upon your Thrones and when you are together in Counsels and upon your Seats of Judgment the Light is with you and amongst you and is in your Consciences a Witness for God and if you err from it your Decrees can never be established for there is nothing can stand but that which is of God and from hence proceeds the works of mens own Wisdom who Decrees Statutes and executes Judgment and not in the Counsel of God their power and strength hath been overturned and their Decrees hath come to nought and so shall it be henceforth and for ever saith the Lord who doth all these things Therefore if you desire that your work may stand and that it may not be rooted out and come to nought then mind the Light of Christ in your Consciences in which Light the Wisdom of God is received and you minding the Light with the Light to be guided it will lead you in the way of sound Judgment and bring forth Truth and Righteousness