was assented unto by the People and the Image dedicated before the Rulers the Captains and Officers and People of the Land and Commandment That all Nations Kindreds Tongues and People when they heard all the sorts of Musick should fall down and worship if not to be cast into the Fiery Furnace But these faithful Servants of the Lord though in Captivity regarded not the Kings Commandment but served the living God who delivered them by their Faith out of the Fiery Furnace and out of the hands of Nebuchadnezzar who would have forced them contrary to their Faith who himself was forced from his Kingdom and driven from amongst Men c. because he was exalted in Pride against the Lord and in the delight of earthly things who said Is not this great Babel which I have built by the might of my Power for the glory of my Majesty By Faith it 's seen that it was just in Daniel who was come to pray in Faith and in the Spirit that he would not be restrained from serving his God in the way as he was wont to do though wicked Rulers and Princes betrayed the King to make a Law to ensnare him which was called a firm Decree and unalterable according to the Law of the Medes and Persians yet Daniel feared not but served his God according to his Conscience though it was against their Royal Law and firm Decree which the King and Princes had made and by his Faith was delivered out of the Den of Lions and God stopped their mouthes And these things are a faithful Testimony against all changable Priests who crouch and bow and dissemble with every Power of the Earth who can but give them a Reward and will change their Faith VVorship and Religion according to the Will of every Power that rules as Chief in the Nations so that People cannot have any Certainty of trusting in them nor in their Way Faith VVorship nor Doctrine And these things may serve as a Confirmation of all in the True Faith that they may continue in the exercise of their Conscience in the pure Religion and Worship of God believing that that way which the Wicked may hope to destroy them for their Faith and Obedience that way God is able to deliver and exalt them as may be seen of Mordecai the Three Children Daniel and many others who abode faithful to the death and being throughly proved were exalted and their Enemies who hoped to have destroyed them were destroyed and thus through Faith and Comfort of the Scriptures to have Hope and strong Confidence in God By Faith it 's seen that Micah the Prophet of the Lord justly and righteously declared against the Judges that judged for Reward and against that grievous Abomination of the Priests preaching for Hire and the Prophets divining for Money who spake Peace and cryed Peace peace while they put into their mouthes but if they put not into their mouthes then they prepareed war against them Mica 3. and yet they will lean upon the Lord and say No evil shall come upon them But for their sakes Sion shall be plowed as a field and Jerusalem shall become an heap and the Mountain of the House of the Lord as the high places of the Forrest Mark what desolation here was because of these things though they said No evil shall come upon them and cryed Peace while they put into their mouthes and gave them the hire the Wages of Unrighteousness the Money for which they preach'd and divined By Faith it 's seen how just it was in Amos to declare the Word of the Lord faithfully though against King Jeroboam and the Priests and though he was but an Herdsman and a gatherer of Sycamore fruits yet called thereunto of God against whom Amaziah Priest arose in Envy to have expelled him out of their Coasts who complained against him to the King and said the Land was not able to bear his words and bid him flee Into the Land of Benjamin and prophesie no more at Bethel for it was the King's Chappel and the Palace of the Kingdom And by Faith in the Light it is seen how just it was in Malachy to declare the Commandment of God against the Priests who had violated the Law and transgressed that which they should have brought people to the obedience of and to the fulfilling of that if they did not Repent God would curse their Blessings and spread the dung of their solemn Assemblies on their faces and men should carry them away yea I have cursed them already faith the Lord. Now these Priests Lips should have preserved Knowledge and the people should have sought the Law at their mouthes for the Covenant with Levi was Life and Peace for evermore for he turned many from Iniquity to Righteousness but these violated the Law and corrupted their doings and transgressed that Which they should have brought people to the obedience of for which cause God rejected their doings and cursed their Blessings and they should be no more Priests to Him But unto us the true Priest is manifest CHRIST who hath written his Law in our hearts and put it in our minds so that we see the end of all the Priests and cannot seek the Law at their mouths who divines it out for Money and have no need to seek it of them for we are come to the Everlasting Law written in our hearts the Covenant of God wherein all know the Lord and witness Christ and his Spirit of Life at whose mouth we have received the Law and He is the Preserver of our Knowledge By Faith it is seen that it was just and righteous in Christ to bid the Jews do as the Pharisees said while they sat in Moses Seat and read the Law but not to follow after their works nor their traditions which were vain by which they made the Commandments of God of none effect and this was spoken to the Jews who were under the Law for under the Law Christ was made of a Woman to Redeem them that are under the Law and the Law was to be fulfilled which Christ is the End of which he then witnessed unto that it was to be heard from their mouths who when Christ was offered up the End of the Law the everlasting Offering the Apostles witnessed the contrary that such as had the Form of Godliness and denyed the Life and Power from such turn away for then they made but merchandize of Souls after Christ was come and offered up the everlasting Priest who writes his Law in their hearts and puts it in their minds that by it all may be taught of God and so come off from the Pharisees and Priests though they sate in Moses Seat whose Worship was vain teaching for Doctrines the Traditions of men drawing near with their mouths and lips while their hearts were far from God By Faith it 's seen that it was just and righteous in Christ to own the Tything of Mint Annis and Rhue amongst the
better Kingdom than that of this World counting all things as nothing that we may win Christ By Faith in the Light the Covenant of God is seen and the Spirit of Life received into the heart to be a Guide and a Ruler which writes its Law in the heart and puts it in the mind in which the Directions for the whole course of a Man's Life and Conversation comes to be read as Man comes to take heed unto the Grace which brings the Salvation and saves the Soul and the Creature daily from the snares of the Devil in teaching the Creature that denying ungodliness and worldly lusts they may live soberly righteously and godly in this present evil world and so come to know the Promise of the Covenant fulfilled in them which saith That all the People of God shall be taught of God and established in Righteousness far from Oppression which none comes to witness but who believes in the Light the Grace which changeth the heart for said God I will make them a new heart and give unto them a right Spirit that they may have all One heart and all One way and serve me all the dayes of their life without fear Which none comes to witness but such as believe in the Light and wait in the Light to feel the Fountain of Life and Power opened in them to wash them from Sin and from Transgression as the Lord said for if this be not witnessed the Iniquities will oppress the Soul and defile the Creature and the old treacherous 〈◊〉 â—ill abide which will make the nature treacherous and yield its members members of obedience unto Sin and so to transgress the Law and so to be in hatred of God and this keeps from knowing the holy Anointing of the Soul with the Power of the Highest which teacheth all things that the Saints need no man to teach them but the Anointing in them teacheth them all things which are Truth and of it is no Lye and this Anointing in them gives them to know the Father and the Son and to have an understanding to know all things both of the Law and of the Gospel that they need no man to bid them Know the Lord for the Seed of the Covenant is in them the Heir of Life by which they see the Lord teaching them all so that All know Him from the least to the greatest and are All taught of Him and have ceased from man whose breath is in his nostrils and love Him and keep His Commandments which to them are not grievous but joyous though for their Obedience they may suffer and have suffered by the Wicked in Bodies and Estates By Faith it is seen how Christ is a Saviour unto the utmost of all that come unto God by Him who in His first aâ—â—â—â—ring in the Creature manifests sin and condemns for sin who being believed in destroyes the sin and works that nature out of the Creature which hath sinned and taken pleasure in sinning and so gives the pardon of the sins past and gives the Creature to live in obedience in the time to come and so manifests Himself to be a Saviour to the Ends of the Earth and that He is mighty to save and to redeem his People out of all Pollutions of Flesh und Spirit that He may present them in himself without spot or wrinckle or any such thing an Holy Church a Spiritual House builded of living stones an Holy Nation a Peculiar People a Royal Priesthood separated from sinners and zealous of good works And thus through Faith Christ comes to be seen to be a whole Saviour and that the same Life in which He manifesteth Himself in the Creature which saves from Swearing Drunkenness Whoredom Theft and the like gross evils is as able to root out the very ground of the Transgression as it is believed in and to destroy the earthly nature which hath finned and to save from all sin and make man wholly a right Seed that he may be perfect as his Father in Heaven is perfect and holy because God is holy without which Holiness no man can see God neither can any out of the birth of the Holy Life see the Kingdom which the Children of the Covenant see and are Heirs of being born again not of corruptible seed but of the Word of God which lives and endures for ever by which Birth they keep themselves that the wicked one toucheth them not And this is the Victory over the World which tramples upon the World and all its Delights and Pleasures Faâ—hions and Vanities and hath put a cross and stop to that in them which was of the World and he that is born of God sinneth not neither can he because the Seed of God is in him which keeps him from sinning and gives him to deny the Temptations of the Devil which would draw to sin and in this are the Children of God and the children of the Devil manifest he that doth Righteousness is Righteous even as God is Righteous he that sins is of the Devil and hath neither seen God nor known Him By Faith in the Light it is seen that none can ever come to know the secrets of God but such as believe in the Light which hath enlightened every one that cometh into the World And there 's not any that can ever come to be true Prophets true Ministers true Teachers true Apostles true Elders true Pastors true Evangelists but such as believe in the true Light which enlightens every one that comes into the World for he that believes not in the Light he is not Zealous for God's Name and for his Truth and his Glory and against all the wicked World and its wayes And he that is not zealous for God he is dark the World is iâ— his heart he sinks under the wicked and wants the true discerning Spirit which should warm him with Power and Zeal and so wants the true Discerning and the Openings and the Revelations Visions and Prophesies and the true Knowledge of Life Eternal which the Nations are to be turned unto such cannot be Ministers of the Riches of God under any name nor do the work of God aright for he that doth Gods work aright must have it so wrought in him that he may do all things according to the Pattern that he sees of God And he that is not zealous for God he receives not the true Wisdom he cannot be a Prophet but must be prophesied against he that is not zealous for God he hath not the Vision of God nor the Revelations he cannot be a Teacher to open the Mysteries of God but must first have Judgement opened in himself He that is not zealous for God and against all the World and its Deceit he cannot be an Apostle or a Pastor he cannot feed the Sheep and Lambs but must first be fed with the Judgments of God himself to bring him off the Earthly-miâ—â—â—dness in which he feeds and off thâ—â—â—â—ghts of the sons and
Jews though he condemned the Priests and Pharisees and Jews for omitting the weighty matters of the Law Faith Mercy and Justice for that was in the time also of the Law and of the first Priesthood and before the everlasting Offering was offered up which is the end of the Law the sum of all Offerings who blotted out the hand writing of Ordinances and nailed them to his Cross which were against us and raised up another Priesthood which was free and sent forth Ministers to turn People to it who had freely received and were freely to give and the Apostles never spake of Tythes to Gentiles nor Christ neither but witnessed the contrary and that the first Priesthood which consisted in divers Washings and Meats and Drinks under which the Tythes were payed was changed and the Law also by which it was made and by which the Tythes were payed under it Hebr. 7. for the Law and the first Priesthood made nothing perfect as appertaining to the Conscience but the bringing in of a better Hope did by the which we draw nigh unto God which is Christ who is revealed in his People an Anchor to their Souls to keep them sure and steadfast and he is in us the Hope of Glory and he that hath this Hope in him purifies himself even as he is pure So that it 's clearly seen they that take Tythes now are Antichristian and they which pay them deny the Everlasting Offering by which them that are sanctified are perfected for ever who is the End of the Law and the changeable Priesthood who hath blotted out the hand writing of Ordinances nailing them to his Cross and brought in the everlasting Righteousness and the Spiritual Priesthood and the Hope which makes perfect pertaining to the Conscience By Faith it is clearly seen that God in his faithfulness hath revealed his Son to finish Sin and make an end of Transgression and to cause the daily Offerings to cease for which sake the Tythes were payed to the Priests and Levites of the first Priesthood and offered up himself upon the Cross to make peace between man and God that all strife might be ended so he blotting out the Ordinances of the first Covenant which were in old time and ordains obedience for all His that so as he makes peace with God they may have peace with all men and exercise a Conscience void of offence towards all and love their enemies and resist not evil do good against evil bless them that curse pray for them that dispitefully use them love their enemies feed them when they are hungry cloath them when they are naked if any one compels to go a mile go with him twain and if they smite thee on the right cheek turn the other and if they sue thee at the Law and take away thy coat let them have thy cloak also and do unto every one as thou wouldst be done unto love the Lord thy God with all thy heart and soul and thy Neighbour as thy self this is the Royal Law and the Prophets which the Gospel which is the Power of God to Salvation gives every one to fulfil who doth believe in it and obey it Now he that comes to this needs not swear at all but in all his Communication let his yea be yea his nay nay Here 's the end of Strife the end of Sinning the end of Fighting the end of Wrangling and Suing at Law and Swearing and false Witness-bearing the obedience to the Gospel which is received by Faith in the Light which gives to suffer all things bear all things forgive all things committing every thing unto God that judges righteously and he that comes to this will not stumble at Christ's Doctrine which saith Swear not at all nor at the Apostles Doctrine who saith My Brethren above all things swear not by any Oath lest ye fall into Condemnation but let your yea be yea and your nay nay in all your Communications and then it will be seen that there is not a wise man amongst them that goes to Law with his Brother and doth not chuse rather to suffer wrong and that such have not the mind of Christ who cannot suffer though he suffered for all By Faith it 's seen that Christ made it one of his greatest Businesses and one of his chiefest Works to witness against the Priests Scribes and Pharisees and witnessed the most Woes against them than against any for they laid heavy burdens upon the People and devoured Widows Houses and under a pretence made long Prayers these should receive the greater damnation and he cryed Wo against them often and called them Fools and Blind and Serpents and Vipers and asked them how they could escape the Damnation of Hell who were blind leaders of the blind these were witnessed against for their standing praying in the Synagogues and being called of men Masters and having the chiefest places in the Assemblies and the greetings in the Markets and walking in long Robes and Christ commanded his Disciples not to be called of men Master for one was their Master evâ—n Christ and they were all Brethren and he bid them beware of the leaven of the Scribes and Pharisees to wit their Doctrine for it was Hypocrisie they say and do not here he brought them out from them and did not bid them hear them any more to do as they said for the Law was fulfilled which Christ is the End of and they were to Preach the Gospel and bring People off from the Temple Synagogues and Assemblies of the Priests and Pharisees to the Light and Power of God to worship God in the Spirit and in the Truth and for Christ's witnessing the Truth against these Priests Pharisees Scribes and Rulers and Jews they accused him to be mad and to have a Devil and to be a Blasphemer and so the Priests Pharisees and Scribes stirred up the Powers of the Earth against him to put him to death and to render him odious to the Rulers and said he was not Cesars friend and that he denyed to pay Tribute to Cesar and so through lyes and dissimulation stirred up both Rulers and People against the Lord of Life the Lord of Glory whom they took with wicked hands and slew and hanged on a Tree whom God raised up from the Dead against whom the Envy of the Priests was not satisfied but gave large moneys to raise lyes of him after his Resurrection which were believed among the Jews unto this day By Faith it 's seen how just and righteous the Judgement of Christ was against them who were once bidden to the Marriage Supper of the Kingdom who when all things on the Kings part were provided for them began to make excuses one by one the one hanging in the Farm the other in the Yoak of Oxen and the other taking a Wife and could not come to reject them all if the Jews who were first bidden could not taste of his Supper because of these things wherewith
in the Night Rev. 3.3 Behold I come as a Thief blessed is he that watcheth and keepeth his garments lest he walk naked and they see his shame Rev. 16.15 So now all may see that there must be a waiting and there must be a watching that ye may stand in the Evil Day that you may resist the Enemy of your Souls therefore put on the whole Armour of God that you may withstand the Evil put on the Armour of Light that you may be able to quench the fiery Darts of the Devil Rom. 13.12 So now all that come to know the Covenant of God and to walk in obedience to his Law that he writes in the heart and puts in the mind that every man need not say to his Neighbour and Brother Know the Lord for they shall all know him Jer. 31. Heb. 8. These I say must come to the waiting and watching in the Light which Arms against the Devil and his fiery Darts that you may come to be established in Righteousness for all the People of God shall be taught of God and established in Righteousness and far from Oppression Isa 54.14 15. Joh. 6.45 Now who comes to know this Promise fulfilled must come to know the waiting in the Light the Armour of God that ye may know an VNCTION from the Holy One by which ye may know all things as the Saints did I Joh. 2.20 27. who were anointed in their Souls by the Eternal Spirit and the Anointing which they had received of God abode in them which taught them all things so that they needed not that any man should teach them but as the same Anointing taught them all things which were true and of it is no lye and as it taught them they were to abide in Him And now all that come to wait and receive the Knowledge of these things need not any to teach them but all shall be taught of God and established in Righteousness so that they will not need any man to teach them Glory in the Highest A Visitation to the Called of God every where FRiends I consider the former dayes when God first made known unto us his Son to be a Light unto us to enlighten us and every one that cometh into the World which manifested unto us all that ever we had done and judged Transgression in us in all its appearances then we believed in it and had Grace for Grace manifested and Faith revealed from Faith to Faith so that the Light being believed in in which the Hope of Eternal Life came to be seen and laid hold on then was the Love strong which ran forth towards die Lord and his Truth and the breakings into true Tenderness and into the true Fear and Humility and the real-heartedness for God came to be seen and felt in which the bringing out of the World came to be seen and the true Zeal for God so that through obedience in the Faith to the Light nothing was too dear to be forsaken and parted withal and a true enquiring into the state and condition there was to see how it was between God and every Soul and then in the Light both Words and Actions came to be weighed and an enquiring into the Worlds wayes of Deceit and Words to deny them their Wayes and Words and their corrupt Language Oh! the heart-breakings that were in that day and the revealings of Secrets and the manifesting God's Power which begat into the true Cross and truly to cross that mind and nature which had transgressed both in thought word and deed So that the Lord arose in the Glory of his Majesty to shake terribly the Earth and to abase the flesh and lay low the glory of man as thousands can witness then earthly Enjoyments and Riches and Preferments came to be lightly esteemed on and cast off yea all of them that did let or hinder Then strong was the Love of God and mightily did his Power work to bring out of all things which were contrary to the Lord and to the rooting out every Plant which the Heavenly Father had not planted In this day Friends could ye wrong any Was not every one's care to be found innocent just upright and harmless having your Consciences exercised pure and void of offence towards God and man could ye then at all bow to the World or to their Wayes Worships Manners Words or Performances could ye then partake with them almost in any thing at all was not this a precious day and a day of Love could ye not endure all thing in this day and suffer all things and bear all things and was any thing too hard then to do or perform did not your Souls even hate all the corrupt delights of the Sons and Daughters of men in that day when the Zeal and Power of God broke forth could any temptation of the wicked ensnare you was not the Light present to judge and condemn every temptation and through its Judgement to deliver you Oh! the Beauty and the Glory of that day when God shook the Heavens and made the Earth to tremble and brake stony hearts at his pleasure and overturned Babylon as a thing of naught and brought forth many Sons and Daughters unto Glory my heart is broken within me when I call to mind this day wherein God did valiantly and wrought excellent things How were the hearts of many drawn after him how did their Love flow forth how were they gathered by God how quick was the Lord to execute Judgement and Justice and to set up his Truth in the hearts and to confound the wisdom of all flesh He gathered thousands in his Love to deny themselves and all their own Wisdom and Knowledge and to become as little Children yea as new Born Babes to wait at the breasts of Consolation that they might learn both what to do and what to speak yea in that day the Lord made of a little one a thousand and of a small People a strong Nation so that nothing was too hard for him to do When I saw it I was glad and trusted in the Lord who in that day fitted many to his Service and for his Honour and Glory for then he was swift in executing Judgement upon the World and in casting out the Prince of this World so that he setled many to wait upon him and it was their delight to do his Will for his Love constrained them and he was with them in their Assemblies and blessed them when they waited in stilness and silence then were their tears as a Fountain and the dropping down of their eye-lids as the dew of Heaven Oh! how precious it is to dwell in the tender Love of the Lord then they thought the time long until they were come together and they waited in silence until the Heavens dropped down dew and their Consolation came from God so that none waited in vain who waited in the Lord for the Mountains melted at his presence the Earth trembled the