the Promise in the Seed before the World began even Life Eternal which in the Saints abides when the World shall be no more who through Faith have overcome the World and inherit Life Eternal and this is Jesus the only true God and the Saviour of the World who is from Generation to Generation By Faith I came to see that the Light which enlightneth every one which comes into the World answereth the Law and the Prophets and is the Life of them both condemning every Transgressor Transgression in which Light the Law being manifest condemneth the Jew that hath the Law and sinneth under it and condemneth the Gentile who having not the Law in the letter sins out of it and by the Light all the World will become guilty that every tongue may confess to God and every mouth may be stopped when by the Light which enlightens every one every ones deeds will be manifest for that records them all in the Book of Conscience and brings them all into remembrance before God and testifieth of them between God and man so that all come to be left without excuse By Faith in the Light it 's given me to see how all the World live in vanity transgressing the Light and the Law and the Prophets and those things that are noted in the Scriptures of Truth and it 's nothing they have more set at nought and less esteemed on and less regarded than these and less regarded than the Lord and his Truth and the Scriptures or writings of it though so highly cried up in words By Faith I see they prefer even those things which are as naught and worse than naught for they corrupt their minds before the Truth and Scriptures of it even in those things in which they transgress the Apostle's Doctrine in following the fashions of the World in wearing of Gold and Pearls and costly things and Rings on their hands and Jewels in their ears and Ribbonds Toys Baubles and costly Laces of Gold and Silver on all parts of their Bodies according as the lusts of Ignorance and the treachery of the proud earthly Nature and earthly sensual Wit invents Fashions to the great Dishonour of God and their own Bodies in which they should bear the Image of God and sanctifie their Vessels unto Honour but alas the Body which should be for the Lord that is given up to be fornicated after those unprofitable things before-mentioned and many more in the Fashions of the World in which many have given up themselves and in vain Bowings and vain Complements and vain Traditions and vain Flatteries and though they will say their hearts are not in those things yet by Faith in the Light I have seen long ago That all who live in such things and say their hearts are not in them deceive their own souls for by Faith I have seen long ago that none can live in such things but they do it to please that which is vain and of the Vanity and out of the Spirit of the Truth By Faith I have seen that it is hard for many to let the World go for many hang in it until they become ready to pass away and perish with it But blessed are they whose part is in the World to come who have denied themselves and this World and let the Kingdom of this World go whose part is in that which is Immortal By Faith I have seen that none can come highly to esteem of the Truth and the Scriptures of it but who believe in the Light that by Faith they may deny the World and all things thereof and their own selves also for that which loveth the World the Wrath of God is upon it the Love of the Pather is not in it this denies the Father and the Son and highly esteems of the Scriptures and never comes to Yea and Nay in all Communications neither fulfilleth the Royal Law and the Prophets for this is selfish and lightly esteems of the Law and the Prophets and will not fulfil them in doing to all men as men would be done unto By Faith I see this Principle which is earthly and hangs in the earthly Nature is a snare to thousands in this the Day of the Lord and earthly things are ready to ensnare many when they by Faith have overcome many other things which were snares unto them before but blessed are all they that dwell in the Faith in the Light in the Power which gives Victory over the World and over all that appertains unto it My Kingdom is not of this World saith Christ He that will enter into my Kingdom he must deny himself and take up his daily cross and follow me for none can enjoy two Kingdoms nor serve two Masters By Faith in God I received Power to deny my self and to cross my self in the love of all things and all delights beneath the Truth of God and to lay hold on the hope of Salvation though for its sake I suffered with the rest of the flock of God in the hatred of the World in Reproaches in Stonings in Tumultings in Scourgings in Stocks in Prisons in Fetters of Iron in Bruisings in Woundings in Travels in Rejection of all the World and yet by Faith have rejoyced over them all in hope accounting all things as nothing to be compared with the Glory which God hath revealed in his own Seed and the Power which by his own Son he hath revealed in me By Faith it was confirmed unto me that the Law and the Prophets and Christ's and the Apostles Writings the Scriptures are certainly Truth declared from the Lord and the Words of the most High God which I never doubted on from a Child but that they were to be believed by all By Faith I came to receive an understanding in those things noted in the Scriptures of Truth and to be satisfied concerning all things therein contained for in the day when I sought Knowledge and was ready to be incumbred in seeking out the mystery of things by Faith in the Light I received the Answer of God which I read in the word of Faith in my heart which spake on this wise faying That I needed not to seek Knowledge but to wait upon the Lord and to have my mind truly bowed before Him in the measure of his Life and whatsoever thing I stood in need of to know and that the Lord saw it expedient He would certainly give me the knowledge of it and to understand it in the Lord 's own appointed time VVhich Word hath been as a Stay to my Soul and I have seen God fulfilling it from day to day who hath made known Himself to me and given me His Truth who requireth nothing of any one under Heaven but that which He first giveth who condemneth none but for disobeying that which He giveth By Faith I see all the Professors of the World are aiming at the wrong Mark and seeking the wrong thing and in the wrong Way for they are seeking
goodly Babylonish Garment for which his Name became blotted out amongst the Tribes of Israel though he hid his deceit in the Earth By Faith it 's seen that it was just in Micaiah the Prophet of the Lord that he spake the VVord of the Lord faithfully though against the King and his Purposes and the Four hundred Prophets though he suffered for it By Faith it 's seen how just it was in Elijah to declare the VVord of the Lord though he was called a Troubler of Israel for it and his Life fought to be made a prey upon who was sent after into many Nations and amongst many People because he pleased not Jezebel and the King and their Priests and Prophets And it was just in Elijah when he witnessed against the Deceit of the Priests of Baal who were great in the Kingdom and fed at Jezebels Table Four hundred of them to bring the People off them whom he slew when he had faithfully manifested their Deceit to the People though Jezebel sought his life for it Now these were zealous for the Lord and feared not the face of Man nor to displease the Rulers and Powers of the Earth whom the false Prophets and Teachers ever sought to please and to be in favour withal By Faith in the Light it is seen that it was just in Samuel the Prophet to testifie against Saul and his People because they fulfilled not the Word of the Lord but let their minds run into the Earthly things in reserving the Fat and the Best in pretence of sacrificing to God but God would have Obedience and not Sacrifice and his Voice hearkened to before the fat of Rams So that Disobedience was as Witchcraft and Stubbornness as Inquity and Idolory And Saul saved Agag King of Amalek alive whom Samuel slew And the good Spirit of God departed from Saul because he had disobeyed By Faith it is seen that it was just in Nathan the Prophet to Reprove David King of Israel because he had transgressed By Faith it is seen that it was just with the Lord to rend the Kingdom out of the â—and of Solomon and his Son because Solomon transgressed the Commandments of he Lord and followed not the Lord fully â—o do his Will but took Wives of the Daughters of the Heathen who drew his â—eart into Idolatry By Faith it s seen that it was just and true Faithfulness in Mordecai the Jew who feared and worshiped the living God that he would not bow down before proud Haman though he was the second Ruler in the Kingdom and the King had commanded concerning him that all men should bow down before him and reverence him this faithfull Mordicai would not bow though it was the King's Commandment he was subject to the Higher Power the Power of Truth in which he gave up his Life and the Life of the whole Seed of the Jews in danger of being destroyed rather than he would bow contrary to his Conscience and God unto whom he bowed wrought deliverance for him and for his People and destroyed proud Haman his house who was in the lower power who was displeased that the Righteous bowed not before him Here all may reade their figure who are displeased that the Righteous will not bow unto them now nor reverence them with bowing Hat and Knee and giving flattering Titles of Honour to them which for Conscience sake and its Peace sake they cannot do but bow unto God worship God and honour God and obey every Just and Righteous Law of man By Faith in the Light it is seen and believed that the true Prophets of the Lord gave forth a just Testimony against the false Prophets and false Teachers and false Shepherds and false Pastors Isaiah the Lord's Prophet gave forth a faithful Testimony against the Priests the Shepherds of Israel and Watchmen and said they were all ignorant they were all blind they were all Shepherds that could not understand sleeping lying down and loving to slumber yea they were dumb dogs that could not bark greedy dogs that never had enough every one seeking for his gain from his quarter These had their minds run into earthly things and were justly testified against And Jeremiah justly testified against such Priests as bear Rule by their Means and said it was a filthy and horrible thing committed in the Land That the Priests should bear Rule by their Means and the Prophets should prophesie falsly and the People love to have it so but what will ye do in the end thereof saith he He likewise bore Testimony against such Priests and Prophets who were light and treacherous who with Lyes and lightness made the People light and vain from whom Wickedness and Prophaness was gone into all Nations They were to him Sodom and as the Inhabitants of Gomorrha and said the Lord was against them who prophesied and used their tongues and said The Lord saith when as they had no other word but what they stole from their Neighbours Therefore the Lord said he was against them they ran and he never sent them and they should not profit the People at all who were telling their false dreams and with their Lyes And Lightness made the People light and vain This Jeremiah was put into the Dungeon for his testifying faithfully of the Truth of God against both Rulers and Priests and People And they that trembled at the Word of the Lord in his dayes they were cast out unto whom he spake the Word of the Lord saying Hear ye the Word of the Lord ye that tremble at the Word of the Lord your Brethren that hated yon and cast ye out said Let the Lord be glorified He shall arise your glory and to their shame And through Faith Ezekiel testified against such Shepherds and Teachers as fed themselves and not the Flock who fed with the Fat and cloathed with the Wool and made a Prey upon the People who flattered the Ungodly and put Cushions under their Armholes speaking Peace to the Wicked and justifying the Ungodly for a thing of naught while they put into their mouthes and feed them with the fat These were in Confusion one building a Wall and another daubing it with untempered Mortar who healed up the hurt of the Daughters of the People slightly until they made the wound uncurable and the souls that should have lived became destroyed This Ezekiel was a Sign and a Reproach amongst them and they accounted of him to be but an enditer of Parables And Hosea testified justly against the Priests who went in Cains way in envy he said As a Company of Robbers wait for a man so do the Company of Priests murder in the way by consent they commit Lewdness c. By Faith it 's seen how just and faithful it was in Shadrach Meshach and Abednega the Servants of the most High God who would not bow at the King's Commandment not bow to the Image nor serve the god which Nebuchadnezzar the King had set up though it
A TRUE BELIEVER'S Testimony Of the WORK of True Faith Who hath believed in CHRIST JESUS the True LIGHT Who Enlighteneth every One that cometh into the World that all men through Him might believe Wherein are many Excellent things held forth which through Faith in the Light are seen learned and certainly believed c. and are profitable for all to reade With a Visitation to the Called of God every-where By a Servant of the Lord Geo. Rofe London Printed for Rob. Wilson in Martins le Grand near Aldersgate 1661. To the READER Reader VVHosoever thou art that shalt reade this little Book Be it known unto thee that I have not given it forth in any desire to appear unto men to be a setter forth of Books but in the Innocency and simplicity of my heart as it was upon me from the Lord who moved me thereunto by his own Spirit and Power else I should not have set my Pen to Paper to appear in Print So if thou readest in Innocency and simplicity of heart thou mayest see that my End is to manifest the living Truth of God and to establish many in the Faith which if thou truly desirest after then have regard to the Light which Christ hath enlightned thee withal that thou mayest reade with a sound Mind and a good Understanding weighing and considering seriously as thou readest and not making light of it and then thou mayest come to understand those things which thou never understoodst and to see the Faith in Jesus Christ who is the true Light and Truth by which we are carried through Nations and upheld in all Conditions both by Sea and by Land having the Promise of an Everlasting Kingdom after which we earnestly press and labour to bring People to for which sake all the Kingdoms of the World are against us But we do assuredly believe That the Truth shall overcome them And though we have nothing on our parts but the Truth of our God to uphold us against all our Enemies who are as the stars of Heaven in multitude yet they shall fall and dye away and waste as the Dew and every Mouth shall be stop'd and every Power confounded which riseth up against us and the Truth of our God in which we live and in which we have believed which if thou desirest to believe in fear not though thou maist meet with Difficulties but believe in the Truth and true Light and thy Faith shall give the Victory Farewel G. R. A True Believer's TESTIMONY of the Work of True FAITH c. AFter that from my Childhood I had often both desired and sought after the Lord in sighs and groanings and many tears and strong cryings the Lord in his own time manifested Himself to me by the Light which enlightens every one that comes into the World that all through it might believe in which Light I came to see my self when I first believed in it and when I first came to hear it speak in my heart and to own it I came to hear the Word by which Faith comes for it preached Faith unto me and by Faith in it I came to see all that ever I did and to have all my sins brought into my remembrance and set in order before me by the Light which comes from Christ the Author of Faith who enlighteneth every one that cometh into the World that all through Him might believe By Faith in the Light I came to see Judgement kindled in my heart and the thoughts and intents and purposes of my heart revealed and to own the Judgments of God upon all that ever I did and that God was Just Holy and True in all His Wayes and in all his Judgments By Faith in the Light I came to see if I forsook not the vain course of life in which I lived the Wrath and Judgments of God abode upon me By Faith I came to see how all the world live in wickedness and ignorant of the true God not knowing the way of Eternal Life By Faith I came to see all the World With its Ways and Worships are to be denied they acting all they do in that nature and with that spirit and mind which transgresseth and is without the Faith and out of the Light and that which is out of the Faith out of the Light cannot please God for out of the Faith none can please God By Faith I came to see where the Enemie of Man's soul lodgeth and how he dwells in the hearts of all Transgressors to turn the purposes of every heart unto Evil and to corrupt the thoughts of every mind By Faith in the Light I came to see the Judgment of the World and the Prince of the World judged and cast out By Faith I came to see the Seed which is immortal which through Faith it hath pleased the Father to reveal in me and Thousands of his Sons Daughters which by Faith he raised from the dead through his own Spirit which makes us to differ from all the World By Faith I came to see the Image of God renewed in his Seed which Seed is Christ one in the male and one in the female who is the Lamb of God which was slain from the Foundation of the World which God is raising in many Sons and Daughters to work out that nature which hath transgressed that the Sins may be taken away and the Transgressions blotted out By Faith I came to see that no one is in the Covenant nor in the Promise which is Life Eternal who are not come to believe in the Light and to witness the Word of Faith in the heart and in the mouth to give them Victory over every evil Temptation every evil Lust every evil Desire every evil Thought and Word which the Light checks and reproves for By Faith I came to see that it is the true Light which enlightens every one that comes into the World which manifests every ones evil and reproves the evil of every heart and checks for every evil word work thought and deed and that this Light is spiritual and eternal and never changeth but is the same though when man or woman changes their Obedience it changeth its Administration it preacheth the Gospel truly in them even the Day of the Vengeance of God to that which transgresses and Peace Love and Good-will to every one that obeyeth and worketh Righteousness both to the Jew and likewise to the Gentile without respecting or accepting any person but witnesseth the Truth in all as in the sight of God By Faith I came to see that the Light which enlightneth every one that all men through it might believe is the very ground of the knowledge of all Good and is indeed the very Life of God it self in which his Seed is known in which God hath placed the Promise not only to live ever but that all that believe in it might live by it Because I live therefore I will that ye live also And this is
after Knowledge and to grow high in Wisdom and in Profession of words when as they should seek after the Life and wait for the Power of God which should lead them in pure Obedience to the Lord and to his Truth which Life and Power if they miss on they will be but as if they had precious Ointment of the Apothecary but alas Flies have corrupted it that it cannot cure Even so if all the knowledge of the World whilst mixt with earthliness and enmity neither doth it stand in the Power of the Lord which redeemeth out of the World and giveth to seek after God and feel after Him in his Life to walk in his pure living way which who come into shall not want Wisdom nor Knowledge but shall have it in the gift of God By Faith it 's given me to see that the same Life which God hath in these last dayes made manifest and declared to be the Light of the World and doth enlighten every one that cometh into the VVorld was in the dayes of Old which is the Heart of God by which he purposeth and upholdeth all things which Life in due time was declared to be his Son and made known in the Church while in the Wilderness and was the Rock which followed Israel of which they drank when they were joyned unto the Law and baptized into Moses in the Cloud and in the Sea by which Moses He was seen that God would raise Him up in the midst of the People for all the People to hear that he that would not hear Him might be cut off So that certain it is the Law did prophesie that the Son of God should come and not only so for he was manifest in the dayes of Noah preaching to the Spirits in Prison whose day Abraham saw and was glad by which Life the Prophets wrote of his Sufferings which they saw and witnessed should certainly be fulfilled before the Seed was raised up through the Virgin which Seed is Christ who is come and hath taken the Seed of Abraham and David and suffered in the body which Sufferings by Faith in the Light which He hath enlightened every one withal are clearly seen and believed to be done and fulfilled according to the Scriptures So that by Faith in the Light it 's seen and certainly believed that the Lord 's Christ is come in the flesh hath suffered and is arisen in Glory in the Kingdom of his Father having suffered and fulfilled all things that was written of Him being declared by signs and wonders and mighty deeds to be the only begotten Son of the Father the Prince of all his Saints the Kings of the Earth and Priests unto God and all these things hath he done and suffered as it was written of Him in the Prophets That He being the first-born among many Brethren and the first begotten from the dead might have the preheminence being in all things a Captain and Example in all Godliness and Humility humbling Himself unto death even the death of His Cross that in all things He being our Example we may follow Him in His Sufferings and Death who in that He dyed once dyed unto Sin in that He liveth He liveth unto God Death hath no more dominion over Him So likewise is every one dying unto Sin to live unto God that the residue of the dayes may be spent in the Service of God and the death which hath reigned in the mortal body and subjected the Creature unto Vanity may have no more dominion but may be swallowed up and consumed unto the end in the Victory of the Judgments of the Life And by Faith it is seen that it is a greater Mystery to know Christ to be the first-born who must be witnessed born first in Man before Man can be born again and be begotten from the dead before Man can be begotten from the dead He that reads let him understand he that reads must read by Faith in the Light and blessed is he that readeth and heareth and seeth and hath part in these things he shall give Glory to the Lord and to his Christ who is translating many Sons and Daughters out of the Kingdoms of this VVorld into Himself and into His Kingdom to praise and glorifie and magnifie Him for ever By Faith it is seen that Christ is certainly manifested to be that which was written of Him namely to be a Covenant of the People and Light of the Gentiles and Salvation of the Ends of the Earth who is able to save to the utmost all that come unto God by Him who hath freely offered up himself once for all and by the one offering hath perfected for ever them that are sanctified and not only so but being an Atonement for Sin hath appeased the Wrath of God towards all so that He is become a Propitiation for the Sins of the whole World having obtained Favour with God so that time and space is given and a day of Visitation unto all that the Long-sufferings of God waiteth towards all And this is the Liberty and Advantage which Christ through his Death and Sufferings hath purchased for All that all Men having a Visitation and time they might Repent and turn to the Lord by doing Righteousness which if they neglect their time and through impudence and impenitence and hardness of heart continue in their sins and unbelief and so treasures up Wrath against the day of Wrath and the revelation of the Righteous Judgments of God such shall certainly perish and receive the greater Condemnation when the measure of their Iniquities are full and all the Sufferings of Christ will be laid to their charge who have pierced the Just by resisting the Grace and the Light which from the Just is come to witness against all Transgression and doth testifie against it in every ones Conscience and this all shall see to be true that the Sufferings of Christ will be but to the greater Condemnation of them that continue in Wickedness though by His stripes are they made whole who turn unto Him but the Just when He appears the Families and Kindreds of the Earth shall weep and waile over Him when every Eye shall see Him and them that pierced Him shall behold him for He shall come in the Glory of his Kingdom and in the Power of his Father to sit as Judge upon all the Families and Kindreds of the Earth pleading with them by Sword and Fire and righteous Judgements taking Vengeance on all who have not wrought Righteousness on the Earth nor walked prudently amongst Men to shew forth his Praise and the glory of his Grace in obeying unto an Holy Life and Pure Conversation and as he comes rises and appears He destroyes the spirits of Belial and consumes the Transgressor that His Covenant of Peace and Life for evermore may be established with and in His Seed in which He comes and in which he reveals himself in the Children of the Covenant in Mighty Power that his
daughters of men after which his eye looks and his heart savours and would take pleasure in He that is not zealous for God he cannot be an Elder he cannot watch over Souls but suffers the lusts in his own flesh to lead him captive be that is not zealous for God is no Evangelist no setter forth of the Mystery of the Kingdom he that is not zealous for God and against all the World he cannot be a true Minister of God nor become worthy to receive the hidden Wisdom and the Riches of the Power which opens the eye and seals the Instructions in the heart He that is not zealous for God and for his Truth and his Righteousness he cannot get the Victory over the World and over the Transgression and the Error of his Life to crucifie his earthly nature and mind but his mind will be earthly and corrupted with the delighting in and loving that in which the seed of evil doers delights he will be taken in the captivity of the Enemy and in the Snare and in the Cloud of Errors and fall into Adversity which he cannot escape He that is not zealous for God cannot love God with all 〈◊〉 heart but will reason with flesh and â—â—â—d about earthly things and the sufferings of this life and will love something better than Christ and so be unworthy to do his Will and to enter into his Kingdom and cannot give up all things suffer all things endure all things for Christ's sake He that is not zealous for God cannot work the Works of Eternal Life nor do the Work of God uprightly only for the Lord's sake and in love to Him looking for no other reward but the Lord which work the Prophets Apostles and Ministers of God and Christ did through Faith though contrary to the World and its Teachers and Ways though for it they suffered many things yet by Faith in the Light they were upheld By Faith it 's seen how just and righteous Joseph was who though he was sold into Adversity and to be a Slave yet stood faithful unto the Lord even in the Land of his Captivity and would not hearken to the Entisememts of a Whorish woman though never so secretly but rather chose to give up his Life and his Body unto Sufferings and Prisons than to transgress the Law of his God who through Faith gave up to suffer rather than to enter into defilements and his Faith brought him through the Sufferings and to be faithful in Ten Temptations so that by his Faith he subdued the whole Land of Egypt under himself and became Lord of it all who was as a fruitful Vine upon the Wall and his Branches reached unto Heaven who for his faithfulness was greatly beloved of God and made a Ruler over the sons of men By Faith it 's seen how zealous Moses the Servant of the Lord was who as a Servant was faithful in all his House who did the work of God uprightly who when through Faith he had forsaken Pharoah's Court and refused to be called the son of Pharoah's daughter sought to set up Judgment and Justice in the Earth and to establish Truth and Righteousness amongst men who though he was rejected by wicked men yet God made him a Judge and a Leader of his People and to appear before Pharoah to bring his People out of bondage who refused to lead them out on Pharoah's terms but would have them go freely with all they had and he bowed not to the will of Phareah though Pharoah oppressed the People the more By Faith it 's seen when Pharoah and his Task-masters oppressed the Seed of Israel most they to wit Pharoah and his People were nearest Destruction for the Lord heard their Cry of Oppression and delivered them and overthrew King Pharoah and all his Host By Faith it 's seen and believed that it was just in Moses to sanctifie the People in the Wilderness after he had brought them to stand still to see their deliverance out of Egpt though wicked men withstood him and said he took too much upon him and Corah Dathan and Abiram gathered a Company against Moses and Aaron the Servants of the Lord who with their Company perished in their Gain-sayings for the Earth opened her mouth and swallowed them up quick and many feared because of their Cry This is a true Figure to all Earthly minds whose Cry will be great who are swallowing up in the mouth of the Earth and so goes down to their home quick because they withstand the Sanctification and do not believe they shall be cleansed and perfected in this life By Faith it 's seen that it was just with God to plague Israel in the Wilderness because they followed not the Lord fully though He was unto them a Cloud by day and a Pillar of Fire by nighty to preserve them from the Heat and the Cold and to guide them in the way wherein they should walk You may understand something by this if you read in the Light but went into Fornication and lusted after things that were not convenient and looked back into Egypt to lust after the Flesh-Pots of Egypt who ate and drank and rose up to Play every one neighing after his Neighbors Wife whose Carkasses fell in the Wilderness By Faith it is seen how just it was with God to destroy the Kings of the Amorites and to give to the Children of Israel the Amorites with their Country because they would not let them pass thorow their Dominions into the promised Land of Rest therefore was Og King of Bashan and Sihon King of Heshbon destroyed with their People and the Dominion of God came over them and their Dominion and their Earth which was taken from them though they would not let the Righteous Nation passe thorow it who were innocent and harmless and would have paid them for all And though Balak sought Inchantment and hired Balaam to curse the People yet God blessed them altogether and rejected Balaam who would have cursed for Promotion and Wages whom God reproved by the voice of the Asse for he was earthly and though the Lord blessed his People yet Balaam taught Balak to cast a stumbling-block before the Children of Israel namely To Allure them with the Daughters of his Land to commit Fornication with the People of the Land for which the Anger of God was against His People and by Faith Phineas stood on the Lord's part and thrust through Zimry and Cosby in their Fornication though they were Princes Children and turned away the Anger of God and received the Promise of an Everlasting Priesthood he was zealous for God and took away the evil-doers from the Land By Faith it is seen how just it was with God to have Achan destroyed because he disobeyed the Commandment of the Lord when by Faith the Walls of Jericho fell down and his mind run into the Earth he coveted the two hundred sheckles of Silver and the Wedge of Gold and the
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
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
an Oration before the People who gave a shout and said it was the Voice of a God and not of a man and that the worms should eat him because he gave not the Glory to God By Faith it 's seen that it was great faithfulness and obedience unto the Lord in the Apostles that they gave up themselves to do the Work of God and laboured in the Truth to turn both Jews and Gentiles to Christ the true Light which enlightneth every one that cometh into the World and to the Grace which hath appeared to all men which taught the Saints that denying ungodliness and worldly lusts they might live Soberly Righteously and Godly in this present World and come to know the saving of their Souls by the Grace through Faith and when the People did once believe they came to receive Grace for Grace and had Faith revealed in them from Faith to Faith which gave them Victory over the whole World and over the Transgression of it to be cleansed from all filthiness of Flesh and Spirit perfecting Holiness in the Fear of God and unto such the Apostles wrote Epistles exhorting them to continue in the Faith and to persevere in the Hope Watching and being Sober having the loynes of their minds girt about with the Truth unto these Salvation was come nearer than when they first Believed therefore they were to awake from sleep and rise from dead Works and to put off the deeds of the Night for the Darkness was past and the true Light shined and they were to put on the whole Armour of God to Arm themselves with the Armour of Light that they might withstand the evil Day and might be able to quench the fiery Darts of the Devil that they might offer their Bodies unto God a Living Holy Sacrifice acceptable unto God which was but their reasonable Service not fashioning themselves according to the Fashions of the World but to be renewed in their Mindes to prove what is that good and acceptable and perfed Will of God And they were not to adorn themselves with Gold or Silver or Pearls or Plaiting of Hair nor costly Array but with modest Apparel to adorn the Doctrine of the Gospel of Christ Let not your adorning be with the putting on of Apparel nor wearing of Gold or Pearls ar broidered Hair but let it be in the hidden man of the Heart with a meek and quiet Spirit which with the Lord is of great price and their words were to be few and seasoned with salt that they might administer Grace to the Hearers that all things might be done in Order and decently for the setting forth the Glory of God and the Praise of his Grace by which they were called to be Saints By Faith it 's likewise seen that after the Apostles had once turned the People to the true Light and to know God shining in their Hearts to cause the Light to shine out of Darkness to give them the Light of the Knowledge of his Glory in the face of Jesus Christ in which they received the Anointing which gave them an understanding to know all things so that they needed no man to teach them then they committed them to the Word of his Grace which was able to keep them from falling and left them to assemble themselves together in the Spirit to worship God in the Spirit and in the Truth and not to forsake the assembling themselves together as the manner of some was but to wait for the Promises and persevere in the Hope unto the end waiting for the appearing of the great God and his Christ then they left them committing them to the Grace which was able to keep them from falling and to the Spirit of Jesus which was able to build them up and â—o keep them from the world unspotted â—nd to hate even the garment spotted with the Flesh and to present them Holy unto God without spot or blemish or any such like thing which brought them 〈…〉 one another and to have Union one wâ—â—h another and not with the world for a Believer and an Infidel cannot concord then I say they left them and did not continue with them as the manner of Hirelings ever was to stay as long as they lived for great sums of Money with one People except they could get a greater Benefice with another whose day is as the cutting off Life from the Earth and going down to the Grave but the Apostles day was to do the joyful Work of God and to call many into the Light the way of everlasting Rest and Peace and Joy who when they had turned one People to the Light left them and wrote to them from another People unto whom they were gone to turn them to the same Truth and out of other Lands So they saluted the Saints and their Assemblies which they had gathered with the saluâ—ations of Peace and Love exhorting all to press forward to the Mark of the price of the High Calling in Christ Jesus namely to the full attainment of the fulness of an Holy and perfect Life that they might all be presented perfect in Christ and sanctified throughout in Soul Body and Spirit and being partakers of the Divine Nature and escaping the Corruption which is in the world through lust and being partakers of the Faith they might give all diligence to make their Calling and Election sure adding unto Faith Vertue and unto Vertue Knowledge and to Knowledge Temperance and to Temperance Patience and to Patience Godliness and to Godliness brotherly Love and to brotherly Love Charity which is the band that keepeth perfect for if these things be in you and abound they make you that you shall neither be barren nor unfruitful in the Knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ but he that lacketh these things is blind and cannot see afar off and hath forgotten that he was purged from his old sins Wherefore the rather Brethren give all diligence to make your Calling and Election sure for if ye do these things ye shall never fall and so an entrance shall be ministred unto you abundantly into the everlasting Kingdom of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ This I have given forth from the Innocency and uprightness of my Heart as moved of the Lord which I send abroad as a Testimony of the true Work of the true Faith and of its Effect it being a few of those excellent Truths which through Faith in the Light is given me to see and to believe and to witness forth the true Testimony of the Saints which justly and truly they through Faith witnessed forth to the Glory of God and it is to be Printed and sent abroad unto all People but most especially to all the English in America and the West-Indies and the Islands thereunto belonging which if in this I should finish my Testimony of Writing or Declaring the Truth of God yet this shall stand unto Generations to come and to this present Generation as a Testimony
of the Truth learned by Faith which shall be witnessed by the Light in every one's Conscience to be true which whosoever believes in the true Light which enlightens every one shall see greater things than these and that by Faith it 's possible to know all things and to know God whom to know is Life Eternal Farewel Written in Virginia by a Lover of the Truth and a Believer in the true Light G. R. Concerning Waiting upon the Lord in stilness and in silence VVHen Israel was in distress they were commanded to hold their peace and stand still and see the salvation of the Lord and the Lord should fight for them Exod. 14.13 14. and when they stood still then the Lord revealed his Arm saved delivered them But when they distrusted the Lord and looked to Egypt for help the Lord said Egypt should help in vain to no purpose Therfore have I cryed concerning this their strength is to sit still Mark to sit still was their strength and in returning and rest shall ye be saved in quietness and in confidence shall be your strength Isa 30.7 15. But they would not but said no We will flee upon the swift Mark here 's a way of their own finding therefore the swift should pursue them and one thousand should flee at the rebuke of one and at the rebuke of five shall ye flee till ye be left as a Beacon on the top of a Mountain and as an Ensign on a Hill Now mark what became of them who would not stand still who would not Wait and Job being afflicted and his Friends came to visit him they sate silent waiting seven dayes Job 2.13 And all may see it was the way of the Saints to be in stilness and in silence and in waiting for blessed are all they that wait upon the Lord Isa 30.18 And David sayes I wait for the Lord my soul doth wait and in his VVord do I hope my soul waiteth for the Lord more than they that watch for the morning I say more than they that watch for the morning Psa 130.5 6. and rest in the Lord wait patiently for him Psa 37.7 And the Youths shall faint and be weary and the Young-men shall utterly fall but they that wait upon the Lord shall renew their strength they shall mount up with wings as Eagles they shall run and not be weary and they shall walk and not faint Isa 40.30 31. And the strong Lyon shall suffer want and the young Lyon shall suffer hunger but he that waiteth upon the Lord shall not want any good thing I will stand upon my watch and set me on the Tower and will watch to see what the Lord will say unto me or speak in me and what I shall answer when I am reproved and let all flesh keep silent before the Lord Hab. 2. for every man 's own words shal be his burden Jer. 23. Keep silent before me O Islands and let the People renew their strength for the Isles shall wait for his Law Isa 42.4 Yea in the way of thy Judgements O Lord have we waited for Thee the desire of our soul is to thy Name and to the remembrance of Thee with my soul have I desired Thee In the night yea with my spirit within me will I seek Thee early for when thy Judgements are in the Earth the Inhabitants of the World will learn Righteousness Isa 26.8 9. Note this well how they were to wait and how they waited and sought the Lord Hearken unto me my People and give ear unto me O my Nation for a Law shall proceed from me and I will make my Judgement to rest for a Light of the People my Righteousness is near my Salvation Is gone forth and mine Arms shall judge the People the Isles shall wait upon me and on mine Arm shall they trust Isa 51.4 5. For since the beginning of the World men have not heard nor perceived by the ear neither hath the eye seen O God besides thee what he hath prepared for him that waiteth for him Isa 64.4 The Lord is good unto them that wait for him to the soul that seeketh him It is good that a man should both hope and quietly wait for the salvation of the Lord it is good for a man that he bear the yoak in his youth he sitteth alone and keepeth silence because he hath borne it upon him he putteth his mouth in the dust if so be there may be hope c. Lam. 3.25 c. And they shall every man sit under his own Vine und under his own Figge-tree and none shall make them afraid Mica 4. Therefore turn thou to thy God keep Mercy and Judgement and wait on thy God continually Hos 12.6 Hence all may see the Practice of the Saints in the dayes of the Prophets and how all are commanded to wait and hope in the Lord and to be quiet and still hoping on the God of their Salvation And Christ sayes Wheresoever two or three are met together in my Name there am I in the midst of them Mat. 18.20 And can ye not watch one hour and what I say unto you I say unto all Watch for blessed shall he be that shall be found so doing when the Son of man cometh Mark 13. and the five foolish Virgins who waited not nor watcht to have their Lamps kept burning but gadded abroad were shut out of the Kingdom Mat. 25. and Simeon a just man waited for the consolation of Israel to him it was revealed that he should not see death until he had seen the Lord's Christ and when he saw the Salvation of God the Light to enlighten the Gentiles and Glory of Israel desired to depart in Peace Luk. 2. And when Christ was ready to ascend to the Father he commanded his Disciples not to depart from Jerusalem until they had received the Promise of the Father which said he ye have heard of me and ye shall receive Power from on High when the Holy Ghost is come upon you and ye shall be Witnesses unto me Mark when they had received the Power from on High through waiting then they should be Witnesses unto Him both at Jerusalem and in Judea Act. I. And the Apostle exhorted the Corinthians to watch and stand fast in the Faith Quit you like men be strong I Cor. 16.13 And he told the Saints that they were not of Darkness nor Children of the Night but Children of the Light and of the Day therefore let us not sleep saith he as others do but let us watch and be sober for they that sleep sleep in the Night and they that be drunken are drunken in the Night but let us who are of the Day be sober putting on the Breast-plate of Faith and Love and for an Helmet the Hope of Salvation I Thess 5. And he exhorted Timothy to watch in all things 2. Tim. 4.5 and they which should be found not watching the Lord would come upon them as a Thief
Rocks were rent and the Clouds vanquished away and the Glory of the Lord filled his Sanctuary and he threw out the Buyers and Sellers out of his Temple and the Money-changers and overthrew their Seat then cloathed he himself with Zeal as with a Cloak for the day of Vengeance was in his heart and he sent forth his Sons and Daughters with his Word to run to and fro in the Earth and gave them hearts as the heart of a Lion and strength that turned away from none so that his day of Vengeance became proclaimed for he ordained strength in the mouths of Babes and Sucklings when he shut out the Wise and Prudent of the World This was the day in which God opened the door of Confusion unto the Diviners of the Earth and turned the Prophets and their Seers into madness so that to them all is become as the Vision of the night night is upon them they cannot divine fearfulness surprizes them they have changed their work and blesse themselves in their Railings and Envyings and Blasphemies against the chosen Heir because he is too strong for them and holds them bound in the bottomless Pit where they have now neither beginning nor end nor place to rest but have stirred up the smoak thereof to darken the Earth and to corrupt the Powers of it that they may lift up their last weapon for them and exercise their utmost and last Power and Strength and Victory for them but alas hath not the Lord our God in whom we believe and upon whom we wait and serve day and night broken their strength often times as it were but a burnt thread or Flax which had been burned in the fire hath he not rebuked the Powers of the Earth because of them and overturned the mighty from their Seats because of their hearkening to their deceits who have been as Catter-pillers of the Earth destroying both good and bad as far as they can reach and hath not the Lord taken us out of their Prisons and Bonds and Persecution of murder from time to time what valiant thing hath not the Lord done for his Chosen who believe in his Light that according as he hath purposed they may be ordered to bear the Image of his Son hath he suffered any thing to be done but that which makes for his own purpose have not sufferings confirmed and builded up many in the Faith when as they have been exercised in them for a moment as it were to prove them for good and then hath he not delivered out of them in Glory and great Dominion and hath he not done a double service this way in suffering these things have not thousands been convinced thereby and way made in many places and Towns for the Truth to enter hath he not manifested the deceit of this Generation of Priests there-through so that thousands never thought in their hearts to have seen nor that it had been in their hearts to have done so as they have done and if they have drank of our blood is it not that they may be overcome thereby and by Faith and Patience and have not they and their Rulers persecuted and imprisoned us to make us grow and encrease and be strong and established and multilied hath not the Lord done valiantly through all these things though the Evil-doers weaken their selves and destroy their own Souls daily thereby yea and valiant things will he yet do until he hath fully compleated his purpose for his Son shall Reign and he shall certainly overturn all that oppose his Work and every one that riseth against him in it it will be his own breaking in pieces for the Lord is making a short work who will finish it in Righteousness and wil make all serve for his own purpose either to save or to be destroyed Now seeing these things are so and that all hath wrought for good who should not Fear who should not Love the Lord who should not hold fast the beginning of their Considence unto the end and their Faith which God gave unto them when they first received the Light which brought into the Work and into the Power and Zeal for God and into the Worship to be bowed in all things unto the Lord and into the Silence and into the Meetings and Fellowship and Waiting upon the Lord Now when I consider the infinite Love and unsearchable Wisdom of God in all things that he suffereth and doth and how he turns all to his own end my heart is even broken within me and my bowels yearn after many that many might come to believe in the Light where they might see the unspeakable Love and Wisdom of God and for many doth my soul travel and seeks unto God with earnest desires and fervent Love which I have seen the Lord answering but for many who were once partakers in the Works that God began to work in the beginning of the day and of the love and mercies which God began to bestow I could even bewail my self and take up a lamentation over them and could pour down with mine eyes as a flood and make my place solitary because of the leanness of many souls and the faintness of many hearts How soon was the Lilly torn among the Daughters how faded their Beauty away and how was the singing of Birds amongst them so soon silenced how came their Spring to be turned into Winter and their Sun to set in the East their Morning turned into darkness their Sun was drawn over with darkness in the East their Morning came not forth in their haste they stumbled and while they were aspiring they fell their strength stood not in the Virgin therefore they fell and mingled with the earthly and that are them out their Beauty became as a fading flower because they trusted not in God their Saviour but forsook their first Love The young men liked the Lord well while they stood in his Innocency but when the Earth arose the eye looked not towards God Oh! that that liberty had been stopped and the sanctification come into then should the Scepter have been established and the Cross have been kept down that earing worm and the desire of the heart should have stood in the Lord who therein fulfilleth every desire in his own appointed time but hastiness destroyes many Oh the sorrow of the Just and the burdens which have come upon the upright because many have stumbled by the way and pierced their own souls through and turned the day of God into blackness to themselves whose Authority and Dominion is fallen in the Earth and their strength fallen by the way who have weakened their own hands and the Praise of the Work is given to another but all this hath the Lord suffered for the establishing his Chosen and the building up his Elect on whom his Spirit resteth so that things which appear strange the Lord turns them all to good and maketh the evil to be as an example that all may fear and be humble