Prophets and all you who bear his Mark must be cast into the Lake of Fire there to be tormented for ever and ever from the presence of the Lord and all his holy Angels and Saints this will be your Sentence from the righteous God Depart from me all ye workers of Iniquity Consider of this in your life time you that are so full of rage and malice scoffing and scorning and reproaching the Servants and Messengers of the Lord who are sent of God to give you warning and to open your blind eyes and to turn you from your sins and from darknesse unto Light and from the power of Satan unto God that you might receive forgivenesse of sins and an Inheritance amongst the Saints in Light and this freely as they are moved of the Lord from the bowels of tender love to your lost souls without any self-end not seeking for a gift or any reward from any of you not seeking yours but you yet notwithstanding all their care labour and travel see how you do reward them mocking and scoffing and envying of them haling them out of your Synagogues and beating them sending many to the Stocks and haling others before Magistrates and so to Prison and there the innocent suffers under the hands of cruel men many being beaten and cruelly used in the PRISONS by the cruel GOALERS Witnesse the GOALER at LANCESTON where many of the deare Servants of the LORD have been cast into PRISONS among THIEVES and MURDERERS and have been numbred amongst TRANSGRESSORS as our LORD and MASTER was and many of them have been cruelly beaten and most basely abused by the GOALER and his COMPANIONS And all this and much more is done against the innocent whom you cannot justly accuse of any evil nor wrong done to any man but freely declaring against sin in Markets Cities and Villages and in your Idols-temple where the Worship of the Beast is upheld to call you from your false wayes and false Worships into the true and living way and pure and Spiritual Worship to worship God in Spirit and in Truth and to call you from off all your hireling-Priests and Parish-Teachers who have long time led you in blindnesse and ignorance and have not profited you but made a prey upon your souls for dishonest gain that so you may all be taught of God in Spirit according to the Fathers Promise and all this is done unto you freely without seeking any gain or reward from you and yet notwithstanding all this love and tender care for your souls you envy and hate them and so manifest your selves to be of Cains Generation and your Sacrifices are abomination to God and not accepted of him for our God is pure and there is nothing accepted of him but that which is offered up from a pure heart for the pure in heart are blessed and shall see God as it is written in the Scripture but woe is the portion of the wicked they are of the cursed Generation and all your Sacrifices reading singing praying preaching and expounding and whatever you call a Worship and all your profession and talking of God Christ it is all abomination while sin and iniquity lodgeth and is regarded in your hearts it is no more but your own self-righteousnesse acted in your own wills which is as filthy rags and as menstruous clothes and it will not abide the fire nor stand in the day of trial you are but patching a piece of new cloth in the old Garment and the Rent will be worse your gilded outside and fair pretences your talking of the Scriptures and painting your selves over with the Saints words it is but sowing of fig-leafs together to cover your nakednesse and it will not hide you from the wrath of the Lamb neither will it stand you in any stead where the life and power of Christ is wanting you are stil out of the way of God for though you professe much in words and draw neer unto God with your lips and mouths yet it is not saying Lord Lord that will avail but he that doth the will of my Father shall enter into the Kingdom for it is the heart which he requires and as long as the devil and sin lodgeth in your hearts in vain is all your talking and going to hear Sermons It is not your going one day in seven or more to hear a man speak a company of words and then all the week after to follow your own lusts and pleasures without yoke and bridle no crosse nor limit to the carnal minde but all is at liberty you can speak your own words and think your own thoughts and do your own works and sport your selves in your vanities your tongues at liberty to speak vain words this is not the worship of God but a false worship and a vain Religion and wo is the end of it as it was to the Scribes and Phariseeâ— who were high in notion and professed much in words yet notwithstanding all their outside cleansing and Scripture knowledge they were strangers to the life of truth and crucified the Son of God and their profession was but hypocrisie and Christ cried wo unto them calling them Whited wall painted Sepulchres who mâ—â—e câ—eaâ— the outside of the Cup and Platter but the inside was not made clean So all you now that talk of the Scriptures and do not live in that pure life that they lived in that gave forth the Scriptures you are hypocrites and your profession outside cleansing is but Pharisaical and except your righteousness exceed the righteousness of the Scribes and Pharâ—sees you cannot enter into tâ—e Kingdom of God Now search and try your selves and see if your righteousnesse go any further then theirs did nay doth it go so far they made clean the outside but are not you unclean both within and without To that of God in all your Conferencâ— I speak and appeal that with it you may try and examine and see what you can witnesse of your return unto the Lord your God whar is cut down in you or what change is wrought in your hearts for there must the work of God be known if ever you know the truth in its purity for with the whole heart will the Lord be served for he calls for it as it is written My Son give me thy heart and as long as sin lodgeth in the heart the devil lodgeth for all sin is of the devil as it is declared He that commits sin is of the devil and as long as the devils works are standing within you your profession of Christ without you will not avail until his life and power be witnessed within you to destroy the devils works for for this end purpose was the Son of God made manifest that he might destroy the works of the Devil and all sin is a work of the devil And sin is conceived in the heart which is deceitful and there lodgeth in the heart and defiles and pollutes the heart as Envy
Wrath Malice Pride Lust and Covetousnesse Murders Theft evil surmisings these and such like are works of the Devil Plants of his planting and these do defile a man and separates him from his Maker And as the Devils work is within in the heart and pollutes the heart so must the work of Christ be witnessed in the heart for the purifying and cleansing and destroying of the Devils works and so to make the body a fit Temple for himself to dwell in And this is the work of the Lord and it is marvellous in our eyes he is gathering his people into union and fellowship with himself breaking the bond of iniquity and letting the oppressed go free purifying and purging them with the Spirit of Judgment and of burning trying them as gold and silver is tryed that so his people may be a holy and a peculiar people a people in whom he will be glorified by a pure and a godly conversation who shall bring forth much fruit to his glory who hath redeemed them from the earth and from their vain and ungodly conversation We who were gone astray and wandring as Sheep without a Shepherd and were by nature the children of Wrath even as well as others hath the Lord wonderfully wrought his own work in us and called us out of death and darknesse into righteousnesse and peace to bring forth fruits of the Spirit love joy peace long-suffering gentlenesse goodnesse meeknesse temperance sobernesse and vertue and hath shed abroad his love in our hearts and hath committed unto us the word of reconciliation to Minister unto others who sit in the shadow of death that you all may turn and repent and come into the way of life that your souls may live in which way the ungodly cannotwalk though it be a plain way that fools shal not enter therein yet the unclean cannot passe over it and this is the new and living way that leads to life eternal even Jesus Christ the onely begotten of the Father who is given of the Father freely for a Covenant of Light to enlighten the Gentiles and to be the glory of his people who is the alone way unto the Father as it is testified of him I am the Way the Truth aâ—d the Life and there is no man can come to the Father but by me I am the door and he that enters not in by the door is a thief and a Robber Now people every where who professe your selves to be Christians and Christ to be your way see if your lives be answerable to your profession for this I do declare from the Lord that no ungodly one can walk in this way Come and let us reason together you will all confesse with me that Christ is pure holy and righteous and he is the way to the Father and no other way then what way are the ungodly in who live in pride and covetousnesse envy wrath and malice you that live in the lusts of the flesh and the pleasures and hope of the world are you in Christ the way surely no you do but deceive your selves to think that you are in the way to salvation when you are going on the broad way to condemnation for Christ speaks of another way which all who live in sin are walking in They enter not in by the door but are climbing up another way building up Babel a Tower to reach up to heaven but the foundation is sandy and will not stand who are sayers and not doers and are in their sins alive in their old cross and perverse nature and so are one of Christ the way for if any man be in Christ he is a new Creature old things are passed away and behold all thingt are become new Minde this well all things are become new it is not reforming of some things and departing with some of your sins but all the old lusts must be denied all your old wayes and your old vain heathenish customs the old man must be wholly put off and the new man Christ Jesus put on Therefore cease from the evil of your wayes and put away lying and speak truth one to another and leave off your prophane Swearing and let your yea be yea and your nay nay for whatsoever is more is evil and out of the Doctrine of Christ and lay aside all Envie and Malice and all vain and needlesse Discourse which tends not to the Glory of God nor to edification of one another and let your words be few and in the fear of the Lord and put off all your Pride and lay down your Crowns at the feet of Jesus and learn humility and the fear of the Lord that your feet may be guided out of the pathes of death and from all unrighteousnesse and disobedience where the Curse of God is that you may walk in the way of the Lord and in his pure fear to stand in awe of him that so your hearts may be purified and your consciences purged from dead works to serve the Lord in the new life with a pure and a perfect heart that into his Covenant of life and peace where the blessing is you may all be led and eat the Bread of Life at the Table of the Lord that your souls may live and praise the Lord for evermore Written in love to all Souls that out of sin they may come and worship God in Spirit By a Servant of Chrict Alex. Parker To all the Beloved Ones who are of the Royal Seed whose faces be turned tovvards Sion Greeting DEarly beloved Friends you whom the Lord hath Visited in his Love and hath called you out of darknesse and your former vain Conversation into his marvelous Light and glorious Liberty of the Sons of God when many thousands are left in blindnesse and hardnesse of heart ful of envie and rage shut up in darknesse being alienated from the life of God and strangers from the Covenant of Promise Oh prize his love unto you a Remnant of despised ones yet beloved of God who hath called you with an holy Calling and separated you from the world of ungodly men that you may be a holy and a peculiar people without spot or wrinckle that you may be presented pure and perfect unto God Now my dear friends be valiant for your Freedom and stand in that Liberty wherein Christ hath set you free and be not again entangled with the yoke of bondage and the weak and beggarly Elements of the world give not away your strength unto the Harlot though Sinners entice you consent not to them but stand in the counsel of God and keep your habitations dwelling in that which is pure which ye have received from God waiting in patience for power from the Lord to give you a full deliverance over the world and the pollutions and lusts of it that over it you may raign and all its fading Treasures laying up to your selves Treasures which never sades away durable riches where the Rust and Moth cannot come
A CALL OUT OF EGYPT Where Death and darkness is INTO THE Glorious Light and Liberty of the Sons OF GOD Where Life and Peace is The Lord fulfilling his PROMISES Declared by his Holy PROPHETS and APOSTLES In these later Days LONDON Printed for Giles Calvert at the Black Spread Eagle neer the West end of Pauls 1656. A CALL OUT OF EGYPT Where Death and darkness is into the glorious Light and Liberty of the Sons of God where life and peace is c. GIve eare O ye heavens and I will speak and hear O earth the words of my mouth I will declare unto you the wonders of God I will publish the name of the Lord and the mighty operation of his power he is the Rock and the sure Foundation his work is perfect all his ways are judgment and righteousness he is a God of Truth and without iniquity just and righteous is he and all his wayes are just and equal he is of purer eyes then to behold iniquity his way is pure and his Worship is likewise pure and spiritual and he sits in his Throne of Righteousness Justice and Judgment and the wicked cannot stand before him they are and shall be like the chaffe which the winde driveth away and cannot stand in the Judgement nor the Sinners in the Congregation of the Righteous Holy and Righteous is the Lord God of Hosts and delights in purity Holinesse becomes his house for ever The Temple of God is holy where he dwells and inhabits and where he is worshipped and he dwells not in Temples made with hands as it is written in the Prophets The heaven is my Throne and the earth is my Footstool where is the house that ye build unto me and where is the place of my rest for all those things hath mine hand made and all those things have been saith the Lord But to this man will I look even to him that is of a meek and a contrite Spirit and trembleth at my word This is God the living God which the Prophets and Apostles and all the Holy Men did bear witness unto and declared of even what they had seen and heard and tasted of the Word of Life which was in the beginning with God and the Word was God and shall endure for ever The same God who at sundry times and in divers manners spake in times past unto the Fathers by the Prophets hath in these last dayes spoken unto us by his Son whom he hath given for a Covenant of Light to lead his people out of death and darkness into righteousness and peace to have fellowship with the Son and to be Heirs Joint-Heirs with the Son whom he hath appointed Heir of all things by whom also he made the world all that is therein the Sun the Moon the Stars and the Fowls of the air the Earth and all the Beasts of the Field and the creeping things upon the Earth the Sea and all that is therein who being the brightness of his Glory and the expresse Image of his substance upholding all things by the Word of his Power which power is now manifested which makes the earth to shake and the Inhabitants thereof to tremble at the wonderful work of our God which is began in this Nation of England The dreadful God of Host is risen in his majesty great power is bringing to passe his strange work which makes the heathen rage bite and gnaw their tongues and stand astonished at the strange work of the Lord Behold ye despisers and wonder and perish for I work a work in your daies which you shall in no wise believe though a man declare it unto you and this is fulfilled upon this Generation who will not believe the work of the Lord though it be declared unto them but do set themselves in opposition against the work of God both Rulers and Magistrates Priests and People all join themselves together in battel against the Lamb but they shall not prevail all is vain the Lamb shall get the Victory and hath gotten the victory our eyes have seen and beheld it praises to his Name for evermore who hath fulfilled and is daily fulfilling his promise more and more gathering his scattered sheep together where they have been scattered abroad in this cloudy dark day many yeers the Lords people have been made a prey upon but the true shepherd Christ Jesus is risen is bringing deliverance to his people gathering them from the mouths of the false Shepherds and bringing them into the fold of rest and peace where they shall eat and be satisfied with living Refreshments in the bosome of the Fathers love and there shall be one sheepfold and one Shepherd Praises to the Lord the day is come the happy day the day of glad tydings which we long looked and waited for the day of our God which is a day of glad tydings to weary and imprisoned Souls and a day of vengeance and recompence of the Adversaries of God as it is declared in the Prophets The Spirit of the Lord God is upon me because the Lord hath annoynted me to preach good tydings unto the meek he hath sent me to bind up the broken hearted to proclaim liberty to the CAPTIVES and the opening of the PRISON to them that are bound to proclaim the acceptable YEER of the LORD and the DAY of VENGEANCE of our God to comfort all that mourn to appoint unto them that mourn in ZION to give unto them Beauty for Ashes the oyl of joy for mourning the Garment of Praise for the Spirit of Heavinesse that they might bee called Trees of Righteousness the Planting of the LORD And this is the Lord fulfilling in our days he is planting a garden of pleasant Plants and watering and dressing them that they may be fruitful and is plucking up all the wild and fruitlesse plants and casting them into the fire of his wrath there to be burned that so his people may bee a holy and a peculiar people that he may bee glorified for hee is come who is pure to look for FRUITS and all fruitlesse TREES must bee cut downe and cast into the fire For the LORD hath looked downe from Heaven and behold the Land is corrupted The Garden of the Lord is overspread with weeds briars thorns doth the earth bring forth and the faithfull City is become an harlot as faith the Prophet It was full of judgment righteousness lodged in it but now murderers thy silver is become dross thy wine mixt with water thy Princes are rebellious and companions of thieves every one loveth gifts and followeth after rewards See if it be not so now They judge not the fatherless neither doth the Cause of the Widdow come before them therefore saith the Lord the God of hosts the mighty One of Israel Ah! I will ease me of mine adversaries and avenge me of mine ehimies and I will turn my hand upon thee and purely purge away thy dross and take away
Dwell low in the pure fear of the Lord for there is safety that keeps the heart clean and so the pure wisdom from above is received into the pure heart and bring all your deeds to the Light that so they may be proved and tried whether or no they be wrought in God Weigh your words and your Actions in the ballance of equity and be upright and just in all your dealings amongst men in your buyings and sellings and whatsoever things you take in hand let the Light of Jesus be your guide that so your consciences may be exercised towards God and man that you may be kept blamelesse and harmlesse as children of God amongst this wicked and untoward Generation of men who daily watch with an evil eye for your halting thereby to take occasion to blaspheme God and his pure Truth which ye in a measure are growing up in and in a good measure redeemed from the vile and filthie conversation of the world Dear Friends keep nothing back but freely give up into the Will of God that which is for the Sword to the Sword and that which is for the Famine to the Famine and what is for the Fire to the Fire that you may be thorowly cleansed and purified and tried as Gold and Silver is tried Whatsoever the Light of Christ doth discover unto you to be evil and an enemy to your souls cast it off hide not the enemies of your peace in your own bosoms for whatsoever you keep back will be as thorns in your sides and as pricks in your eyes Therefore cast off every weight and burden that you may run with cheerfulnesse the Race set before you that through the trials and tribulations you may come and so enjoy the promised Land for through many tribulations and fiery trials doth the children of God passe for the children of Israel after they were come forth of Egypt had many Enemies to war withall before they came to the promised Land and many fainted in the way and through unbelief fell in the Wildernesse which things are written and left upon Record that those that should come after might take warning and not give way to the Tempter least they fall as they did and so come short of the eternal rest Therefore every one of you take warning and take heed least there be in any of you an evil heart of unbelief in departing from the living God but abide in the measure of God which is pure and perfect though but as a grain of Mustard-Seed yet wait and you will finde the growth of it When trials come be content murmure not but endure with patience the chastning of the Lord for every child whom he loves he rebukes and chastens for he that is not corrected and chastised of the Lord is a Bastard and no Son And now is the time come that Judgement is begun at the house of God and if it first begin at us what will become of the wicked and them that obey not the Gospel of God Surely wo will be their portion and condemnation and misery will be the end of ungodly men but blessed are they that suffer tribulation and persecution for righteousnesse sake they shall inherit the Kingdom of Glory he that overcomes and endures to the end shall be crowned with Victorie and shall eat of the hidden Manna and have right unto the Tree of Life and shall have Vnion and Fellowship with the Father and the Son and reign with the Lord God and the Lamb in the holy City for ever and ever Therefore though you now be afflicted be not cast down through unbelief though you now weep and mourn and be reproached and reyiled yet your sorrow shall be turned into joy it is but for a little moment of time until the night and the stormy day be over and then will come a calm though sorrow and trouble may endure for a night yet joy will come in the morning when the Day-star doth arise and the glorious day of the Lord doth dawn in your hearts then shall darknesse be expelled and sorrow and sighing flie away and the presence of the Lord in the Light shall be seen in whose presence there is gladnesse and great joy and you all his faithful ones who have passed through many tribulations and have not loved your lives unto death shall worship him in his holy Temple and thereshall be no need of light of Sun Moon or Candle but the glory of the Lord shall fill the Temple and shall be a Light continually for all his dear children to walk in So all my dearlie beloved ones who are in the time of trouble and trial with you I do partake and bear part of your burthen as being a Member of the same body and if one Member suffer all the Members suffers with it and though you come to such a condition trouble within and trouble without on every side Enemies yet do not distrust God neither look back into the world of darknesse again there is no help for you there but as the Children of Israel in former time were incompassed about Pharoah behinde and the Red Sea before and on either side Mountains they were even ready to faint and murmure but Moses the Servant of the Lord who was chosen to be their Leader out of Egypt he exhorted them to stand still and see the salvation of God they were not to stand still in Egypt but being come forth of Egypt the Lord shewed his wonderful hand in preservin g of them So I say unto you dear friends who are come forth of the Egyptian darknesse and are delivered from those grosse evils that the world lives in and have a light born up in your understandings to lead you but yet do finde many enemies warring against you even they of your own house so that you know not what to do nor which way to go to finde peace I say unto you will nothing neither do you run before your guide but stand still in the Light that discovers your Enemies and there wait in the will of God and you will see salvation from the Lord by his living Power binding and chaining and subduing the strong Enemies which wars against your souls and so a secret hope will be begotten in you by the powerful Word of the Lord which is night in your hearts which doth purifie your hearts and that which formerlie you committed imposlible by Faith in the Light which comes from the Son of God you see to be possible and the Lords perfect work being begun in you you have a strong hope and knows assuredlie that he who hath begun a good work in you he will perfect it to his own glorie And he that hath this hope purifies himself even as Christ is pure And here is the patience and the Faith of Saints which though never so little if it be but as a grain of Mustard Seed it removes the strong and high Mountains of Sin and gives victorie over the the
all thy tinne and I will restore thy Judges as at the first and thy Counsellors as at the beginning afterwards thou shalt be called The City of righteousness the faithfull City Sion shall be redeemed with judgment and her Converts with righteousness And now is this day come that the righteous God is pleading his Cause with his Enemies and purging them with the spirit of judgment and of burning And Judgment is begun according as the Apostle foretold for the time is that Judgment must begin at the house of God and if it first begin at us what shall be the end of them that obey not the Gospel of God Woe and misery will be their portion and the destruction of the Transgressors and of the Sinners shall be together and they that forsake the Lord shall be consumed for he will be glorified in this his day of Righteousnesse and just Judgement which is now set up in the earth which makes the Inhabitants thereof to learn righteousnesse according to the saying of the Prophet Isaiah The way of the just is uprightnesse thou most upright dost weigh the path of the just yea in the way of thy judgements O Lord have we waited for thee the desire of our soul is to to thy Name and to the remembrance of thee With my Soul have I I desired thee in he might 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 Let favour be shewed to the wicked yet will he not learn righteousness in the Land of Uprightness will he deal unjustly and will not behold the Majesty of the Lord though he stretcheth forth his Hand and calls to come forth of the Land of Darkness and waiteth to be gracious yet all this will not move him nor break his heart but goes on carelesly to destruction and because sentence against an evill work is not executed speedily therefore the heart of the Sons of Men is fully set in them to do evill But now the day of just Judgement is come and woe unto the wicked it shall go ill with them they shall not prolong their Days because they fear not before the Lord the righteous God of Heaven and Earth who loves Righteousnesse and no unrighteous one can have union and fellowship with him And this is he the living pure holy righteous God which the holy men of God did bear Testimony of and the same pure holy God do I bear Testimony of which is Light and in him is no darknesse at all who created man and made him in his own Image and gave him Dominion over all other creatures But all have gone astray and turned aside from the holy Command of God and so have falne from the pure living God and lost his Image and are become aliens and strangers to Him their Maker the God of the world having blinded their minds and stolne away their hearts from the love of the Creator into the Creature and so their love is in the Creature and worships and serves that more then the Creator and their Bodies which was the Temples of God and in which was his image and likeness the same is become a habitation for the Devil and all unclean lusts and so the image and likeness of the Devil who hath gotten possession and sits as ruler and king in the heart and leads the Creature captive at his will to do his work which is unrighteousness And here is the first mans state which is from below of the Earth earthly and mindes Earthly things careing for the things of this life what to eat what to drink and what to put on labouring and striving by all ways and means to get great possessions and to become great in the Earth and to have the honour of the World which is below and lies in wickedness and in this state men and women are striving to come again unto the Tree of life and by their Earthly wisdom which is sensual and divelish goes about to comprehend the things of God but never can it is a mysterie hid and sealed from this wisdom and never can be known there for the World by wisdom knows not God But good and full of love is the Lord the righteous God and by his wisdom hath found out a way contrary to the wit will and wisdom of man and that is of himself for he hath given his son his only begotten son who is the son of his love him hath he freely given for a Covenant of light to bring back again fallen man which is driven from God into the Earth and to reconcile him to his Maker and renew that Image of God again which by his disobedience he hath lost and there is no way but by the Son none knoweth the Father but the Son and he to whom the Son will reveal him And this is he which the Prophets prophesied of and which the Apostles witnessed to be the Light of the world as John testifies who came for a Witness to bear witness of the Light and saith he that was the true Light which lightneth every man that cometh into the world and the same do I bear testimony unto he who is the life and light of men which lightneth every one that cometh into the world and this light is true and pure and stands a witness for the true and pure God against all sin and unrighteousness and all the deeds done in the body though never so closely acted or intended this true light doth not consent but reproves in secret for the secret evils that are conceived in the evil heart against God And when this witness doth arise in the conscience and trouble man for his sin and brings him to some sense and feeling of his miserable condition that he lies under the Curse and wrath of Almighty God and gives him some wound for his sin and and so man comes to see his nakedness with the light of the Sun then fearing the wrath of God doth fly from his presence to actsomething to pacify the wrath of God and so Adam-like makes garments of fig-leavs to cover his nakedness And here is the ground of all the forms and professions of godliness that stands not in the Light but are turned from the Light and fled the judgment and run to the Scriptures without them and so reads and gets a notion of words decking and painting themselves with the sheeps cloathing and so read and pray and sing and goe to hear Sermons and cover themselves with a Covering like the Spirit but is not the Spirit and so Wo is their Portion who are covered and not with the Spirit of the Lord All this will not hide them nor cover their nakedness in the day of the Lord all this doth not cleanse the heart nor reform the inside all this which the world calls Worship and Service of God as Reading Praying Singing and Preaching as it is called or whatever
is done in that state it is no more but a Garment of Fig-Leafs or patching a piece of new cloth in an old Garment it is a false cover which wil not stand in the Fiery day and this was the state of the Scribes and Pharisees who had the Scriptures Moses and the Prophets words and were painted over with good words but had not the Word of God abiding in them so they were strangers to the Life and Power of God and they did not believe in the Light Jesus Christ who was the sum of all that which they upheld which were but types and shadows and figures of him who was the Substance and therefore Christ the Light cryed wo unto them calling them Hypocrites whited Walls painted Sepulchres Serpents Generation of Vipers who shut up the kingdom of heaven against men neither going in themselvs nor suffers others And these were of the great men of the world and learned men Doctors and chief Priests and the learned Rabbies yet for all this their learning they knew not Christ but called him a blasphemer and those that did believe on him were called a cursed people that knew not the Law Thus in all Ages profession was blind who were not guided by the Light of Christ as it was then it is now all the world Professors Priests and People who deny the Light of Christ and are not guided by it all their Prayers and Sacrifices is abomination and stincks in the Nostrils of the pure God iniquity being found within and regarded in their hearts this will be the Sentence from the Righteous God Go ye Cursed Workers of Iniquity depart from me into everlasting Fore preâ—aâ—ed for the Devil and his Angels And here lies the world in wickednesse and though many have long been seeking after God yet have not found him because they have been seeking the living among the dead and though many have long been talking of the name of God and of Christ yet few there be that walk in the living way and live the pure life of Christ but Iniquity doth daily abound in the Nation amongst those that professe God and that Pride and Envie and Wrath Strife and Debate Covetousnesse Cruelty Tyranny and Oppression Drunkennesse Lying foolish Jesting vain Sporting and Pleasures that the Lands mourns and the whole Creation groans with the Bondage of Corruption and the Name of the Lord is daily dishonored by this wicked and untoward Generation of Professors both Priests and People all are out of the pure Path in the hypocrisie making a shew of Godlinesse and drawing neer to God with their lips and with their mouths but their hearts are far from him and their Sacrifices and Prayers are as Cains Sacrifice who murdered his Brother So these who live in Envy and Wrath and false Accusing Back-biting Slandering and Persecuting and Reproaching the Innocent harmlesse Lambs of Christ and so are found in the same nature with Cain for saith the Apostle He that hateth his Brother is a Murderer and no Murderer hath Eternal Life abiding in him And here all who are not wilfully blind may see the National and Parish-Teachers in the nature of Cain in envy and so not accepted of God and all that uphold them they are seen in the Light of the Lord Jesus to be blind and are led by the blind and both are going into the Ditch who have turned from the measure of God the Light that did and doth convince and reprove for sin and evil and are soared up in the air climbing up another way But if ever you know God or true peace to your souls back you must come to that which doth reprove and trouble for sin that must speak peace if ever you know peace and that will not speak peace to any who lives in sin but he that fears God and departs from Iniquity and waiteth upon God shall finde Peace and Rest to his Soul Therefore all people whatsoever who read these Lines seriously consider your wayes and no longer follow the Parish-Priests who preach for hire and seek gain from their quarter and through feigned words and covetousnesse make merchandise of your souls they were never sent of God and therefore they shall not profit you Cease from them all and wait on the Lord in the Light of his Son Jesus and learn of him who is meek and low in Spirit and you shall finde rest to your souls But while you live in your sins there is no rest as saith the Prophet There is no peace to the wicked but they that wait upon the Lord shall renew their strength for the Lord is come in power and great glory and is fulfilling his promise made of old pouring forth his spirit upon his Sons and Daughters and they shall be all taught of God aâ—d in righteousness shall they be established and shall be far from Opprrssion and no worker of Iniquity nor any unclean thing can enter into the Covenant of God for this is the Covenant of the Lord I will write my Law in their hearts and put my spirit in their inward parts and they shall no more teach every man his Neighbor nor every man his Brother saying Know the Lord for all shall know me from the least to the greatest and I will be merciful to their unrighteousness and their sins and their iniquities will I remember no more saith the Lord And this is our God fulfilling in these our dayes his own Glory to whom be everlasting Honor and Dominion for evermore Witnessed by a Servant of the Lord who is come out of Egypt and through the Red-Sea and the Wildernesse and arrived at the Land of Rest whose Name is after the flesh called ALEX. PARKER The Minister of Christ his plea for PURITY against the Ministers of Antichrist and all their Train who plead for sin ALL you that plead for sin whether Priests or People of what sort soever who make a profession of the name of God and of Christ and yet live in sin and plead for sin and sayes none can be free from sin or perfect from sin while they live upon the earth all your talking and outside customary worship is in vain and is no more but your own self-righteousnesse which is filthy and abominable and it will never bring peace to your souls nor you can never be reconciled to God as long as you live in sin that 's the cause of seperation from God your sins your sins have separated between you and me saith the Lord and as long as sin stands the Partition wall stands for it stands betwixt you and the Lord and there is no Union nor Fellowship with God nor with his Son as long as you live in sin but aliens you are and strangers from the pure God and the life of his Son Jâ—sus And you that plead so strongly for sin you plead for the Devil whose servants you are as long you live in sin and you are the Antichrists that are against Christ
world and the lusts of it and so purifies the heart And this is the true and the living Faith which the Saints of God were in who were of one heart and one soul and it is the same now as it was then and all who are in this Faith by it their hearts are purified and so are led into purity and one-ness of minde and heart to serve and worship one living and true God in one living and pure way which is in spirit and in truth where there is no rent nor division but pure love and union written in one anothers hearts with the Spirit of the living God So in the light which from the Lord Jesus Christ doth come who is the true Light which lighteth every one that cometh into the world which Light is but one in all though thousand times ten thousands this Light is pure and but one and all who love it and believe in it are led into onenesse and Unity of Spirit In it every one wait and walk that you may he led out of death and darknesse and all the untoward wayes of the world into the pure way of Righteousnesse and Peace to follow Christ in the narrow Path which whosoever follows shall not walk in darknesse but shall have the Light of Life And dwell in love and union watching over one another with a pure 〈…〉 and be tender over one another as Members all of one 〈◊〉 and if any be overtaken with a fault you that are spiritual restore such a one in the Spirit of meeknesse that shame and condemnation may come upon the transgressor and the innocent may be set free and let not the cursed thing lodge among you but be ye holy in all manner of conversation because the Lord our God is holy and no unclean thing can dwell with him nor enter into his righteous Kingdom Therefore be ye separate from the ungodly world and touch no unclean thing and the Lord will receive you and will be to you as a Father and you shall be his Sons and Daughters Cast away all filthinesse from amongst you and let no prejudice lodge nor rest within any of you but forgive one another as God in Christ hath forgiven you for if you do not forgive men their trespasses no more will your heavenly Father forgive your trespasses therefore whatsoever ye would that men should do unto you do you likewise unto them for this is the Doctrine of Christ and it is not the sayer but he that both his Will shall know his Doctrine So the Lord in pure Wisdom keep you and preserve you out of all strife and contention that a daylie growth there may be amongst you that you all may be established in the living truth no more to be tossed to and fro with mens Doctrines which be changeable but all wait upon God in the Light which never changes that you may be all taught of God and every particular may feed upon your own food and have sufficient bread in your own houses to feed upon that there be not a beggar in Israel nor no Vagabond but that all of you may have a habitation in God and grow up in him that the Springs of life may be opened and your souls may be fullie refreshed with the bread of life in my Fathers house And all my beloved Friends keep your habitations and stand upon your Watch that you may hear the voice of your beloved when he calls and be obedient to his voice and do his will and after you have done his will take heed of exaltation but wait in patience that you may receive the Promise for the same that is unwilling to obey the will of God when the will of God is obeyed will get up into presumption and that which doth presume in the time of trial will despair Therefore every one be watchful and keep the door of the house of the Lord that the Enemie enter not to defile and pollute his holie Temple Turn not to the right hand nor to the left but keep in the even and plain way When joy and refreshment comes take heed of exaltation And again when trouble and crosses and afflictions comes do not fall into desparation but wait at Wisdoms Gate that you may be seasoned with Grace having salt in your selves to savor withal that you be not drawn away with the errors of the wicked but that all of you may be daylie refreshed and grow up in strength until you come to a perfect man in Christ Jesus the Grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you and establish you in the Truth Written in love to your souls by way of remembrance to stir up your pure mindes by your dear Brother who is a laborer in the Lords vineyard ALEX. PAREER For Friends in the Truth to be read at their meettings when they are met together in the fear of the Lord. Corrnwaâ—l 31. day of the 5th Month 1656. The Night is far spent and the Day is at hand awake arise from the dead that Christ may give you Light Cease from all the blinde Guides they deceive you try them and by their fruits ye shall know them BEware of false Prophets which come to you in Sheeps clothing but inwardlie they are ravening Wolves ye shall know them by their fruits Mat. 7.15 to the 21. c. Do men gather Grapes of Thorns or Figs of Thistles even so everie good Tree bringeth forth good fruit but a corrupt Tree bringeth forth evil Fruit A good Tree cannot bring forth evil Fruit neither can a corrupt Tree bring forth good Fruit Everie Tree that bringeth not forth good fruit is hewn down and cast into the fire wherefore by their fruits ye shall know them Now all people everie where who have long been led by blind guides and have been deceived by the false Prophets who have got the Sheeps clothing and decked and painted themselves with the Saints words but where is the fruit that is brought forth it is their fruits that makes them manifest the Lord looks for fruit but here is nothing but leafs here is fine Trees with flourishing leafs but no fruit appears much talk and profession of God and of Christ there hath been in this Nation of England fair outsides glorious words but the life is wanting there is no fruits but all manner of unrighteousnesse doth abound in the Nation Doth not pride abound and covetousnesse drunkennesse swearing lying and all manner of unrighteousnesse the Land is full of fruitlesse Trees the boughs even sway and are readie to break down they are so full of the evil fruit pride is come to such a height that thepeople do scarce know how to walk nor what to put on it would even grieve a sober Spirit to see the vanitie of the times both men and women painting themselves in their gorgeous attire fashioning themselves according to the custom and course of this wicked vain world the inventing mind which is estranged from God