Womb to bring forth many Children vvhich are as Oliv-branches round about his Table Glory unto him that Liveth and Raigneth for Evermore in the Highest Amen Therefore come out of Babylon come out of Babylon confusion saith the Lord come avvay and stay not but come into Zion the Holy Hill and declare in it the Vengeance of the Lord against her For the Arrovves are ready and the Bovv is bent by the arms of the Almighty that shall sink Babylon therefore haste run and deliver every man his soul out of her for God hath set her on fire at both ends he that can read let him and thou shalt be burnt O City of confusion the smoke of whose torment begins to ascend up which shal ascend for ever and ever for strong art thou O Lord God Almighty who wilt judge and avenge thy own cause and of thy righteous seed and the blood of the Martyrs of Jesus upon her and thou hast said the time is at hand that she shal sink like a Milstone in the depth of the Sea and rise no more at all therefore unto thee be the glory and praises songs and halelujahs in the highest for evermore for thou art worthy Postscript ABel worshipped God in the Spirit and in the Truth but Cain was a false worshipper and knew not God who arose up against Abel his brother and killed him about Worship Enoch walkt with God and was translated he worshipped God in the Spirit and in the truth and God took him and he had a witness in him that he pleased God Abraham obeyed God who rejoiced to see Christ's day the Light and was led out of his own Country thereby he was a true Worshipper of God in the Spirit and in the Truth These and many more obeyed God and vvorshipped God and knevv God and his day in vvhich he is vvorshipped before the Bible vvas vvritten vvhich declares of these things Esau the first Birth the cunning Hunter abroad lost the Birth-right and Blessing he was a profane person but Jacob the plain man the second birth which carried at home was blessed And saith the Scripture Blessed is the man whose mind is staied on thee thou wilt keep him in perfect peace But the foolish woman her feet abides not in her house but pulls it down with her own hands being without loud stubborn and clamorous These things were written for your learning and may be read near they are an Allegory but let him that readeth understand for the time hastens in which they shal clearly be understood to the ends of the earth The Second Part c. Concerning Christ Jesus and his Names c. AS concerning Christ Jesus what he is and what he was and where he is none knows or can rightly or truly know but such as have received the Spirit of Truth which leads into all Truth and shews the things that are and are to come which reproves the world for sin for righteousness and for judgment which is the Comforter of all them who forsake their sins their own righteousness and all false judgment and puts on his righteousness and righteous judgment which exceeds that of the Scribes and Pharisees who in all ages did and do shut the Kingdom of Heaven against men not entring themselves nor suffer but persecute them that would And the Kingdom of Heaven is within c. 1. Christ is a Name given to some thing which was before that Name was and Jesus is a Name given to the same thing and Emanuel and many other Names are given to the one self-same thing according to the discoveries operations and manifestations unto them and in them in several seasons who declared of him according as they witnessed and knew his appearances and effectuall workings in their inward parts even the holy men of God who spake as they were moved by the holy Spirit which Spirit revealed the Mysteries of Godliness unto them according to his will and their several measures and abilities of his gift 2. This Christ of whom they speak was in the world before the Law and in the time of the Law was that mystery hid under all the vails and types figures and shadows carnal ordinances and ceremonies in which time he was as a seed or that good part or substance of truth and righteousness hid in the consciences of the Children of Israel which answered the outward Law written in tables of stone This Moses saw in his day who received the Laws ordinances statutes judgements and ceremonies which were to keep them in a sence and in a fear towards God against whom they had transgressed and to keep them near the feeling of his tender seed and witness in them that they might not be wholly hardened against his appearance when the time came that he should be manifest to Israell which was the end substance of all these outward things Which once being rightly known and obeyed in the inward parts keeps the heart and conscience tender and upright pure and undefiled in God's sight and fear without the precepts of men shadows or ceremonies for I have seen that wisdom of God that gives the interpretation of things and to understand the dark sayings of old and what was hid in all those Ceremonies in the time of Moses's Laws and he that makes known the Parable I am sure is the end and substance of them all in whose Light let me speak of two or three which in simplicity hath been hid from the wisdom of man who cannot answer them but as that understanding is brought to nought but let that answer in which they are given forth and you shal understand them with satisfaction and my questions are these 1. Why did the Lord command that when any one found a birds nest that the Dam was not to be taken with the Young 2. And thou shalt not seeth a Kid in his mothers milk 3. Nor fow thy field with diverse sorts of seeds 4. Nor wear a garment of linnen and wollen together 5. And thou shalt not muzle the mouth of the Ox that treadeth out the corn c. Now if thou canst see with that eye which Paul saw who was a fool for Christ when he said Doth God take care for Oxen or Speaks he not this for our sakes For our sakes no doubt c. Then thou wilt answer Doth God take care for birds nests or the sowing of fields or garments of linnen and wollen or Kids or their mothers milk or was there not something in all this for our sakes Well but however these things served to keep them in a sence of the unknown seed which suffered because of the hardness of heart and corrupt will of man which had lost the knowledge and guidance of God's good Spirit and these things served for a time even till the fulness of time came in which the seed came to be manifest which was Christ who had been hid from ages and generations and till the same spirit that
body was the Christ which had a body prepared to do his will that prepared it Now was it the body or an invisible power Spirit or Soul that sayd A body hast thou prepared me He that hath an ear and understanding let him hear and judge But yet here this question may rise concerning the body of Christ is it not written The heavens must contain him untill the restitution of all things And was he not taken up into heaven when the cloud received him out of the sight of the Gallileans that guned outwardly after him To this also I may answer unto thee who lookest dayly for his personall appearance and coming if the heavens must contain him until the restitution of all things why doest thou thus so much expect his coming before that time of the restitution of all things or canst thou say that that time is come if not let it come first before thou so earnestly expect his coming but indeed it is but a cloud that hath received him out of the fight of the gazers but saith the Lord to his children I have blotted out your iniquities like a thick cloud and to the people your sins have separated between me and you and have with held good things from you And indeed this hath hid both his body and face from you for the kingdom of heaven and the Lord from he aven comes not with outward observation but the kingdom is within and the Lord from heaven is that quickning spirit which quickens them that have been dead in the sins the trespasses the clouds of separation that they might live unto God and behold the beauty of the Lord in his temple which temple they are in whom he dwells and in whom he walks and he is their God and they are his people and the day being come and the Sun risen the clouds and the shadows are fled away but they who live in iniquity are dead unto God whose God he is not the cloud is stil between that they can neither see darkly as in a glass nor face to face but are in darkness clouds blindness even until now But if the inquisitive mind be not yet answered but art still saying as they did in the Apostles days concerning the Resurrection How doth the dead rise and with what body do they come I must answer unto thee as he did Thou fool that which thou sowest it not that body that shall be c. But the Lord giveth every seed it 's own body as it pleased him It is sown A naturall body but it is raised a Spirituall body It is sown in weakness but it is raised in power a Spirituall body raised in power now canst thou tell what body this is But if thou understand it not thou hast little or no knowledge of the mysteries of God I speak to the shame of that inquisitive mind that would know these things which are hid in Gods treasury and yet will not come to the door nor the keys that gives the understanding of them without which no man can enter this Kingdom which is prepared for that birth to which only it be longs for no man knoweth the things of God but by the Spirit of God which searcheth all things yea the deep things of God which are spiritually discerned So that unless you come to the Light and Spirit of God the door that reproves the World for sin and lets you see the evil of your wayes and obey it enduring the cross and bear the condemnation and in dignation because you have sinned against the Lord and turn at his reproofs that he might powr forth his Spirit upon you and make his words and secreta known unto you I say unless you enter in this way at Gods Light and Spirit that shines in your hearts you shal never rightly know understand or enjoy any of these things of Gods Kingdom before mentioned it 's an infallible word of Truth from God unto you all For they are hid perpetually from the out-birth of the wisdom of this World and revealed onely to the Babes in the inward spiritual ground in Christ Jesus who is still a mystery hid to the professors Scribes and Pharisees rulers elders and hypocrites as wel in this age as in the ages past who then were saying among themselves notwithstanding his mighty works which were done among them Is not this the Carpenters Son whose Father and Mother we knew and are not his brethren and sisters among us c. Undervaluing and contemning his low and mean appearance who was in the forme of a servant and these did love to be called of men Master and greetings in the market and upermost Rooms at Feasts and to go in long robes and stand praying in the chief or highest places in the Synagogues and were the blind Pharisces to whom the woe belonged as at this day it doth to them who in the same spirit are contemning the low appearance and manifestation of the Son of God saying Is not this you preach or declare of which people must believe in natural Light even this which checks and reproves us for sin Have we not had this alwayes with us from our child-hood and do not we know its father and moher Is it not some of the remainder that was left in Adam after he fell to restrain him and his children from gross evil c. And is it at best any other then restraining grace and not saving or but natural conscience and the like this hath been the reasonings amongst many though mighty works hath been done and are yet a doing and must yet be done by him who is the Light the Power the Grace the Truth and the Wisdom of God in these last days thorowout the earth But O ye Children of men and high in the tree of Knowledg which is forbidden as to seed upon let me answer these your reasonings with a few questions in Gods Wisdom which is hid from the eyes of the prudent of this World c. 1. What was that seed and where was it after man fell which was promised that it should bruise the Serpents head And what is that Serpent and where is he whose head must be bruised 2. What was that which let Adam see his Nakedness when he had transgressed What are the Eyes of the Lord that are in every place beholding the evil and good and where are they if not in every conscience seeing the Lord saith to his faithful I will guide thee with mine eye 3. And what is the true Light that Lighteth every man that commeth into the World and what is that Light of men that shineth in the darkness which the darkness comprehendeth not and where is it if not in the conscience of every man 4. What grace is that and where is it which hath appeared unto all men which bringeth salvation which is the Saints teacher is it onely restraining and not saving seeing the Scripture saith it bringeth Salvation 5. What Light
the Lord came to the Prophets at several times and upon severall occasions saying Thus saith the Lord c So then they spake and writ vvhat they were commanded by the Word of the Lord so that it is plain to them that have a right understanding that the words vvere given forth from the word vvhich word was hid in their hearts as David saith vvhich vvas there before the words vvere given forth Holy men of God vvere moved first by that vvhich is Holy to speak and vvrite before they did speak or vvrite forth the Scriptures vvhich are a true declaration of those things vvhich were done and spoken by the word which was in the beginning and Iet none say that the report is the arm of the Lord seeing Isaiah a true Prophet of God did make a true distinction between the report and the thing reported of for saith Christ the Scriptures are they that testify of me c but in him was the life and Salvation and not in the Scriptures though they are an outward testimony and true declaration And yet how ignorant have people been since the Apostles dayes in the Apostacy of these things calling the Scripture the Word of God when the Scriptures themselves saith Christ is the Word and in the beginning was the Word and the World was made by the Word but the Scriptures were not in the beginning neither was the World made by them for they are many words spoken at sundry times since the beginning and so are many words which declares of the Word and of those things which are certainly believed among us Luk. 1.1 Concerning the Gospel AND so in the time of ignorance and darkness which hath been for ages both teachers and people who have been and yet are in the Apostacy from the Apostles Life and Spirit have frequently called the writings of Matthew Mark Luke John the Gospel and so have called the Scriptures the Gospell when as the Scriptures the true declaration saith the Gopsel is the power of God and the Gospel is everlasting and the Gospel was preached to Abraham long before Marthew Mark Luke John were born which Gospel is the power of God and Christ is called the power of God and the wisdom of God who sayd Abraham rejoyced to see my day and he saw it and was glad so Abraham knew the glad tidings who was before Moses for God saith to Moses I am the God of thy Fathers Abraham Isaac and Jacob this was before the Scriptures this was the power of God and the wisdom of God by which the soul immortal comes to be redeemed the captive delivered the chaines of darkness death and hel broken and all its enemies scattered this is glad tidings indeed and this is rightly called the Gospel of salvation of which Paul nor we are not ashamed for it is the power of God and many have the Scriptures and yet have not salvation or redemption by them but are in the errour ignorance and darkness not knowing the Scriptures nor the power of God of which the Scriptures declares And in this state people have been in great contentions and debates striving in their dark imaginations about these things and can never be satisfied nor never shall till they come to the Light in themselves which only can give them the knowledge thereof for that is the Key of David that opens to them who do not exercise themselves in things too high for them but are become as weaned children for saith Solomon wisdom is to high for a fool and she dwelleth not with consuming envy neither wil she enter into a froward heart for wisdom is a loving Spirit she is the beginning of all the works of God and the fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom unto which if a man comes not he shal never know Gods secrets nor the mysteries of his kingdom which are hid to that part nature or Spirit in man that would always be knowing and climing up into the tree of knowledg and would know the mysteries but not obey his call and come down as Zachens did but the Cross is to obey according to what is already known though it be never so little of stature and without this daily Cross which crosseth the hasty mind the wil and wisdome of man there can be no true knowledg of the Mysteries and will of God and without it thou can never know true peace and satisfaction though thou compass sea and Land in thy comprehension the Lord hath spoken it Concerning the body of Christ AND now having mentioned somthing concerning Christ and concerning the Word and the Scriptures and the Gospel c. There is somwhat in my heart remaining concerning the body of Christ about which great contentions opinions and debates have been amongst them whose eyes are not in their head but at the ends of the earth First I beleive and we beleive that Christ had a body and came and preached and suffered and dyed and rose and ascended and sitteth at Gods right hand c. According to the Scriptures but yet some are saying to us with a lying Spirit You deny the Resurrection and the body of Christ c. To which for the simple-sake according to the Scriptures of truth I shall answer As for Christ I do beleive in my heart infallibly that he had a body prepared him to do the will of God and that he suffered the contradictions of sinners in the days of his flesh and was crucified by wicked men great professors chief priests rulers Souldiers and elders and was laid in the grave and rose again according to the Scriptures and did ascend over all the principalities and powers of the darkness of this world and now sitteth at the right hand of God c. And I do also beleive that he hath yet a body which was prepared and is yet preparing to do Gods will in earth as it is in heaven c. But me thinks I hear some say in their reasonings and imaginations What body hath he and where is it seeing it is sayd he is at the right hand of God this I shall answer with his own words which he spake here on earth viz. No man ascended up into heaven but he that came down from heaven the Son of man which is in heaven he that hath an ear to hear let him hear and take notice what body that was which come down from heaven when Mary sayd unto the Angell How can this be seeing I know not a man when he told her the Saviour should be born and that holy thing that should be born of her should be called the Son of God c. Now mark the answer The power of the most high shall overshadow thee by which power the body was prepared here on earth and saith Christ the Saviour the wisdom of God and the power of God a body hast thou prepared me mark the distinction thou me and a body this me that spake in the