thou never hadst thou saidst but now That thou wast but in part convinced of the way And hadst thou the Comforter long ago and lost him now the Way and the Comforter is but one the which is Jesus Christ John 14. 6. 17. 26. chap. 17. 23. I know that if Jesus Christ had been brought forth in thee without which there is no true comfort who is the substance of all Tythes Types Forms and Shadows that thou couldst not unto this day have remained a Parish Priest and so upheld an Antichristian Priesthood halting between many Opinions neither according to Aaron Levi nor Christ but living in thy own will and so living above Christ who lived not in his own Will for saith he Not my Will but thine be done John 6. 38. And now who will regard thy writings when thou acknowledgest That the Comforter which is the Spirit of Truth is departed from thee Now it appears thou art a Lyar indeed now thou hast no Truth born up in thy Understanding thy former Enjoyments as thou callest it which were indeed nothing but Comprehensions got up in the Wisdom of the Serpent Oh! art thou not ashamed that the World should now read thy Confusion which thou didst soon make up in thy Writings Art thou not ashamed in such a condition as this when thou confessest thy former Enjoyments and Comforts are departed from thee even now to writ against those that thou acknowledgest to have large Experiences and much of the Power of Truth through Christ page 50 Oh! take heed lest it had been better for thee that a Millstone had been hanged about thy neck and thou cast into the Sea Oh! canst thou not look back on him whom thou hast thus pierced to wit the Life of Christ in others Now thou mayst read with Shame and Tears that which thy own hand hath written from own sinful Heart look in page 5 8 and 18. which was then in the apostatized condition without the former Comforts as thou calledst it page 53. Now thou art found to be a false Apostle indeed Oh! remember from whence thou art fallen and do thy first Works yea Repente'er it be too late Rev. 2. 5. Oh though thou canst strive with man there is no striving with thy Maker who will come a swift Witness against all deceitful Workers who livewithin the power of what they speak or write much more against those that write filthy Abominable Lyes Oh! if thou lovest either Christ or thy own Soul return return unto the Light of Christ in thy own Conscience which will let thee see the Deceit of thy own sinful Heart out of the abundant Deceit thereof thy Pen hath run so largely in Confusion Now I charge thee in the presence of the living God in as much love to thy Soul as ever that thou return to the Light of Christ in thy own Conscience and mind that which cheks thee in secret I tell thee man in love there is something yet in thee which will witness me to be true See one more page 64. where for thy own defence not for the defence of the Truth thou sayst Thou wast necessitated to fly unto the Practices and Truths of other men to wit Baptists where it is plain thou hadst not the spirit of Christ to fly unto and speak from as the true Apostles had witness one Acts 6. 10. Therefore thou art both seen in the Light proved by Scripture and thy own Writings to be a false Apostle and a false Minister 2 Cor. 11. 13 14 15. Much more might be said and proved both from thy Writings and Actings but I desire the good of thy soul by this which is sufficient at present to prove thee to be one of the Wandering Star Jude 13. A Word to all Professors in the World BEing it was ordered of my Lord God and Father of Lights that something must go forth in Print as from me who am the least of all Saints I was even as freely engaged in my Spirit out of tender Love to your Souls to present a few Lines from that measure of the Spirit which is brought forth in me Oh! My Friends my Friends the hour is not only coming but now is witnessed in me that the dead shall hear the Voice of the Son of God and they that hear shall live John 5. 25. and the Voice of the true Dove is heard in our Land to wit this Earthly Tabernacle that is made the Temple of the living God who is now fulfilling his Promises in us that walk not after Flesh but after the Spirit even in us is the Lord establishing his New and Everlasting Covenant even the sure and certain Mercies of David which is by the Life of Jesus Christ in us fulfilled and witnessed whereby we have fellowship with the Father and are in measure brought to live in him and he in us where we have Joy Rest and eternal Peace which passeth all Understanding and all the Worlds Comprehension where all the Children of the Light meet and see face to face for the Lord hath brought again Sion who is become the Perfection of Beauty out of which God now shineth Psal 50. 2. and is become our Glory and we his Isa 46. 13. O Praises Praises be unto him who hath redeemed us out of the Nations Kindreds and Tongues to serve the living God in Newness of Life and not in Oldness of Letter that so now we may offer up eternally living and eternal Sacrifice and Praise for evermore who hath in measure redeemed us from the World and out of all Darkness that is therein and hath translated us into the Kingdom of his dear Son and made us Partakers of the Inheritance of the Saints in Light which is the Eternal Light of Life for God is Light and in him is no Darkness at all and all those that live in him are the Children of the Day who walk in the Day even the pure Light in the which there is no occasion of stumbling our Feet being guided in the Path of Peace which is the true and living way in which the way faring man though a Fool shall not Err Isa 35. 8. which is the pure way of Holiness leading up into the full Enjoyment of the Father who hath long waited to be gracious unto us and now in the Day of his Love and Power hath gathered us in his Arms of Love and brought us home unto himself who were before the Out-casts of Israel wandering with you from Mountain to Hill but did not find Rest unto our Souls but now the great and mighty Power of the Lord hath raised up his own Seed in us to cry Halelujah unto him to whom alone be all Honour Glory and Obedience and Eternal Praises forever even forever and ever for he that was lost is found he that was dead is alive and behold he liveth for evermore Now my Friends the whole World lieth in Wickedness and all the World by Wisdom knows not God the
the day long and in this have I believed that the Lord will hear my Cry and pity the People that are destroyed for lack of Knowledge that the Witness of God in them may arise and that the Prisoner of Hope may come to Deliverance And in this have I not been hasty as to utter their Shame for I was my self a Preacher in the Pulpits but in a Mournful state oft times many Moneths or Years have I born this Burden neither have I now uttered or written this out of Prejudice towards the Persons of any men but in the Mournful state of my long burdened and grieved Spirit from the true sence of the Sad Shameful and Miserable state that is coming upon them and the Eternal Wo and Misery that is like to follow after for evermore The which I desire they may escape by speedy returning from the Way that they are in now it is so plainly made manifest to be so exceeding Evil. H. S. IDOLATRY Declared Against THe Great and Mighty God who made the Heavens and the Earth and the Sea and made all men of one Blood upon the face of the whole Earth and breathed into man that which is of his own Life that by it man might seek after him and find him who is Infinite Incomprehensible Eternal and Glorious even he dwelleth not in Temples made with Hands Acts 17. 24. neither is he worshipped in one high place or another by any of the Professing Jews who deny his Son of whom he gave Testimony That in him he is well pleased Neither is there any Worship or Service accepted with him but that which cometh from them who are led and guided by the Spirit of Truth and in it Worship the Father who is a Spirit and delighteth not in those Oblations that are Vain proceeding from the vain Minds of such who take his Name in Vain of whom he saith In vain do they Worship me And of all such I say their Faith is Vain who are yet in their Sins and found among the Gentiles who sacrifice unto Devils and not unto God being Children of Wrath and Strangers to the Covenant of Promise whose Prayers the Lord abhors whose vain Bablings cast an ill Savour in the Nostrils of the most High and their coming together is not for the better but for the worse even to feed and nourish the young Serpents and to encrease in that Knowledge which puffeth up and encreaseth sorrow the which knowledge the Hireling Priests Lips preserve which the Devil once taught saying Ye shall be as Gods knowing Good and Evil and all they who encrease in this Knowledge encrease in that in which the Knowledge of God doth not stand neither can be received and so the Wo from the Lord God will come unto all them that continue their seeking the Living among the Dead crying for their place of holy Worship which is to be laid Desolate and living in Unrighteousness and in all Ungodly Practices without the fear of God and talking of him with that Mouth which is full of Cursing and Bitterness the Heart being not turned to God nor the Mind unto the Light of his Son who are themselves in the Jaws of Satan and are sometimes made sensible of the Power of the Devil working in them stirring them up to Wrath and moving them up to Envy Pride and Unrighteousness and the Lusts of the Creatures and the Vanity of the Mind but feel not at all the Power of God to work in them the newness of Life and his pure Image who made man Holy and Upright neither are they willing to receive that Power in them by which they might come to overcome their Sins and be led up to him who is the God of the Spirits of all Flesh whom all the World not knowing is ignorant by Worshipping and denying his Son who maketh an end of sin and Contemning the Just One who is a man of Sorrows and denying him who is led as a Lamb dumb and slighting him who is the Light and refusing him who is the living Minister not made by a carnal Commandment but by the Power of an endless Life who teacheth all to profit who learn of him and none teacheth like him who saith Learn of Me then not of another not of a Hireling not of one that pleadeth for Sin but of him that maketh an End of Sin whom God the Father hath given a Light to the Gentiles a Covenant to the People that all men through him might be saved who hath spoiled Principalities and Powers and all Authorities and now all Dominions and Authorities are to be subject to Him who said The true Worshippers shall Worship the Father in Spirit and in Truth And Truth is that which maketh Free but the Worshipping the Unknown God in a Synagogue Idol Temple or Steeple-house doth not make Free neither makes an end of Sin but all them that are there are in their Sins and have not received Power to Overcome their Sins but are following such Teachers which Peter said should come in the latter dayes who cannot themselves cease from Sin And these Teachers Peter said and so say I that they are cursed Children beguiling such unstable Souls who are carried about with airy windy Doctrines after the cunning Crastiness of men who still lie in wait to deceive against whom we bear Testimony from the Spirit of Truth which guideth us not to handle the Word of God deceitfully nor to make Merchandize of the People neither come we with Flattering Titles but in the Power of the Lord and in the Demonstration of his Spirit of Truth do we declare against all Unrighteousness of Men whether Priests Rulers or People without Respect of Persons and we declare his Name in the World who is the Light of the World and publish him among the Sons of men who is Gods Power that saveth his People from their Sins who is the true Prophet whom all are to hear that all might come to learn of him and be guided by him in the Way of Everlasting Peace that so such as are Strangers to the Covenant of Grace being yet in their Sins and are the Outcasts of Israel might now come to be taught of the Lord and hear the powerful Voice of his Son and not follow Strangers any longer nor the dumb Idol Shepherds who are become Bruitish Jer. 10. 21. and cannot understand Isa 56. 11. that from them all such who fear the Lord might be gathered Ezek. 34. and may come to know the one Lord whose Name is one and the one Truth and the one Way and the Worship of the one true God and not follow them any longer who are Strangers to the Life of God nor such as cannot cease from Sin who are all in the Curse being not reconciled unto him who was made a Curse and so they come not to receive that by which the Curse is taken away and such are without God in the World and of such the Lord hath
For another time formerly the Light of Christ in me which then I knew not did so condemn me and judge and trouble me in secret that it brought Sickness upon me and thereby being Weak expecting I should dye I was then much troubled and it lay much upon my Conscience at that time that I had not in the time of my Health gone to the Steeple-house and in the fear of the Lord warned all People to Repent and I was then much grieved because I thought I should dye and not first in that thing discharge my Conscience And so though I might write much by what is written may appear to the Meek and Sober-minded that the Lord did not only call but also thrust me forth of the World into his Harvest and this was of God and the operation of his powerful Word which called me out of the World and Hundreds since by the Word of his Power through me have been gathered out of the Way of the World and received the Earnest of the Rest Eternal and many converted unto God and Wo be unto them who openly oppose me in this the Lords Work I now am in which he hath thus called me unto and let none think that I did wilfully neglect my outward Employment neither let any one think that I left my Family as not regarding them nor that I stay much out of that Country for any By-end for the words are true A Prophet is not without Honour save in his own Country and in his own House and those that did since seek to stop my Mouth did not well Concerning my publick Preaching and something of what followed THAT none may stumble thereat and say We called Quakers are such who change from one thing to another and so what we hold not to be regarded But I say Those that have to changes are not come into fear of God psal 55. 19. and the Fear of the Lord is to depart from Evil And they depart from Evil are become a Prey but such were cleansed and changed from Glory to Glory 2 Cor. 3. 18. and grew in Grace and Knowledge in the Lord Jesus Christ And what I did or said then was in a great Zeal and real Intent to do good neither did I covet mens Silver for it neither was it my end to make a Gain thereby though much was freely offered me more than I intend to make mention though I recceived it not so that therein I was not much found in Covetousiness But when Judgement came upon me as before-mentioned I gave up that Preaching and said at the last Meeting I had then which was at Stoke-bliss That my Mouth was stopt at that present but if ever the Lord should open my Mouth again I should Preach indeed and it is so Praises to the Lord forever who hath indeed opened my Mouth and since I was no longer Rebellious and the living Truth of Jusus Christ do I declare and bear Testimony to his Name where-ever I come as his Spirit moveth me And let none herby think that I now glory in what was then my shame for though I had a great Zeal then for God it being not according to the Knowledge of the Crofs of Christ which crucisies to the World and all its vain Customs the which Cross being then left behind which is the Power of God so the Love of the world which is Enmity to God remained in me and the Root Iniquity not them removed out of my Heart therefore Fruits of Disobedience in secret were still brought forth which the Would the World took little notice of but I had one near me who did let me see all that ever I did and reproved me for vain Glory and having the Praise of Men and the Love of the VVorld and so my Preaching did not bring Souls home to God though I informed their Minds of many things which many ignorant People knew not before and so though much Love was in many yet this brought not forth Fruits of Obedience unto God and so all came to little for the People remained in their Sins and received not Power to come out of them neither came they out of the Fashions and Customs of the World nor to the Faith of our Lord Jesus Christ which purrisies the Heart stands in the pure Conscience my self And so their Faith and mine was vain being then in our Sins Therefore let none think that I now justifie any Deceit Hy-pocrisie or secret Evil that then was in me or practsed by me for in the Presence of the Lord God I do openly declare against it all and that Spirit that acted me therein but I own that simple thing which then encourged me to do good out of an Honest Intent and that kept me out of Covetousness and from receiving of Gifts And I openly declare against all Cruel Unjull and Ungcdly Action and Words and all that Filth which I wallowed in before I was a zelous Professor as it is known to may Ungodly Persons how I was once as Wicked as many of them whom I Warn all to Repent otherwife they cannot escape the Dammantion of Hell And I utterly deny and declare against that Blindnese and Hypocrisie I was in when I followed the chief Priests from one Idols Temple to another who were chief in the Serpent's Wifdom deceiving me and many more and taught me that Knowledge which came from the Devil who said Te shall be a Gods knowing Gen. 3. 5. And in that Knowledge in which every man is Bruitish Jer. 10. 14. from them Hirelings Iencreased in that which pusseth up and encreased my â—orrow as before was mentioned for by that Serpent's subtilty which I learned from them without me I fought against and resisted that which was holy in me Therefore I declare in the Name of the Lord God that all the Hireling Priests do more harm than good and shall never bring People to receive the Power of God but lead them into Subtilty and further off from the Knowledge of that of God in them Rom. 1. 19. And as true as the Lord God liveth upon their Death-beds shall both Priests and People witness this to be true And it s also as true that I write this without any Prejudice to any of their Persons but in Love to all Peoples Souls do I warn all them Hireling Priests in Herefordshire and elsewhere to leave deceiving the People for absolutely the People are deceived by them and forced to maintain them too who may be warned of them by what I have learned by Experience from them having tried them and their ways to the utmost and have much experience of them more than many Country People whose Souls I truly love and therefore this I write And I declare against that which ruled in me in the time of Ignorance and Perverseness and acted me in Cruelty or Oppression towards any Person or to Wrong Defraud or Insult over any one in Tyranny either by Word or Action or wherein I
natural man perceiveth not the things of God which are hid from the Wise and Prudent even from the Readers of the Scripture from Scribes Pharisees Priests yea the Princes of this World for had they known they would not have crucified the Lord of Glory who is crucified daily by the same spirit that now ruleth in the Children of Disobedience even in the Scribes Priests and People that live in the same Nature where the learned Ones of the World are and all those that walk in Darkness to wit Pride Covetousness Love of the World Hatred Varience Strife Sedition Heresie Backbiting Heady High-minded Lovers of Pleasures more than Lovers of God Scoffers walking after their own Ungodly Lusts Raging Waves of the Sea foaming out their own Shame who account Gain Godliness whose Eyes are full of Adultery Feet swift to shed Blood Ears open to all deceit whose Mouthes are full of Cursing and Bitterness the Poyson of Asps is under their Lips their Throats are an open Sepulcher who imagin Mischief their Hearts being altogether Deceitful and desperately Wicked Such as these are the Fruits of the Flesh in the which all the World lies therefore I witness against the World that the Works thereof are Evil. Now in the world there are Sects Schismes Judgments and Opinions there they are heaping up Teachers to themselves having itching Ears and according to the number of their Fansies so are their wayes of Worship according to the number of their Imaginations so are their gods for there are many gods and many Lords but the living God is not known by the World for it by Wisdom knows not God No man knoweth the Father but the Son and he to whom the Son revealeth him Now he that hath the Son revealed in him is born of God and he that is born of God overcometh the World and sinneth not He that sinneth hath not seen him But this is a hard saying who can bear it the World cannot for the World hears its own they that are of God hear Gods Word ye hear them not therefore ye are not of God Now Friends all you that have looked after me and other men for teaching now I can write unto you what I know that it is the Lord alone that teacheth his people to profit none teacheth like he who is now my Teacher indeed and will be yours if you are made willing and obedient to be taught directed and guided by him who is gathering his out of all Nations Kindreds and Tongues Ezek. 31. 11. which is by Jesus Christ the one and only Priest who is the Light of the Gentiles and the light of the World by which he hath enlightened every one that cometh into the World John 1. 9. which light shineth into the Darkness and the Darkness comprehendeth it not verse 5. Now the World is set in the heart of man eccles 3. 11. Of the which World Christ is the Light and he that followeth him shall not walk in Darkness but shall have the Light of Life John 8. 12. This is that Grace of God that hath appeared unto all men teaching them to deny Ungodliness and Worldly Lusts and live Soberly Righteously and Godly in this present World Tit. 2. 11 12. This is the Light of Christ who is the Word of God in the Heart for his Word of the living God is not far off but it is nigh thee in thy Heart and in thy Mouth that thou mayest do it Deut. 30. 14. Now therefore Friends look not forth after them that say Christ is here or there for they are all Deceivers The Word is nigh the Light is within thee even in thy Dark Heart although thy Dankness cannot comprehend it because thou lovest Darkness rather then the Light of Jesus Christ which shineth in thy Consceince and lets thee see the evil of thy Wayes and calls thee to Repentance and to forsake the Wicked and live This is the Talent that thou art hiding in the Earth for the which thou must give an Account therefore say I unto thee mind that Teacher that teacheth to deny Ungodliness and this is the Light to Jesus Christ in thy Conscience the which Light proceedeth from Christ and leadeth all that love it John 8. 12. up to Christ who is the Way the Truth and the Life the only Way and no other way to the Father Now all of you owning this VVord and Teacher and Light in your own Consciences you will come to witness Jesus Christ in the Light of Life and know him to be the way unto the Father which leads out of the Darkness of all the VVorld's Ways VVorships Forms Fashions Customs VVords VVayes and Actions and come to be gathered in the Light unto Jesus Christ who is the Light and from the Light then to come to witness the Scriptures to be true yea even fulfilled in you by the same Spirit as it was in them that did write and speak forth the Scriptures and so witness with them against the same things that were witnessed against then by the Children of the Light who had fellowship with the Father by the which they saw that which in measure I witness that there is but one Way one Truth one Light one Faith one Baptism one Spirit one Head one High Priest whoever liveth to make intercession for us one Church of the first-born whose Names are written in Heaven one God over all who is Rich unto all that call upon him in Spirit and Truth the which Worshippers the Father seeketh to Worship him who is a Spirit and all his Worships are Spiritual but God hears not Sinners and he that regardeth Iniquity in his Heart the Lord will not hear him for there are none but the pure in heart that shall see God whose Presence is Terrible to all the Workers of Iniquity that continue in the unfruitful Works of Darkness Now all of you see that you keep unto the true Guide which is Jesus Christ and follow him and see that you do not turn again to the Vomit as the manner of some is who begin in the Spirit and end in the Flesh Oh! leave all for Christ you cannot serve two Masters you cannot be of the World and of God you must witness a Separation Therefore in Love to all your Souls that have been Professors with me in publick in these parts of the Nation and all others flatter not your selves in your Conditions promising your selves Liberty whilst you are the Servants of Corruption therefore forsake the Wicked and live Now my Friends and all Persecutors marvel not at my Change for the Wicked have no Changes therefore they fear not God Psal 55. 19. but I am made to witness the fear of the Lord to be the beginning of Wisdom the which Wisdom is pure which cometh down from above James 3. 17. which none of the Princes of this World know 1 Cor. 1. 21. therefore they call the Doctrines of Christ Madness Acts 26. 24. for the preaching of the
is written The Invisible only Wise God whom no Eye of Flesh hath seen or can see and this moving invisible Spirit of God which is without limit or end is that which all People should be led unto by all its outward visible Appearances Ministrations and Dispensations and this Spirit was that which gave forth and ordained the Ministration of the the Law which was glorious in its time though to be done away but how much more glorious is the Ministration of that Spirit of Life it self from which the Ministration of the Law came which Spirit abideth forever And the second Adam is made a quickning Spirit and the Spirit which is the Word was with God and was God before the Body of Flesh was made and that Spirit abideth forever as it heard out of the Law He shall abide forever and this is that which ever liveth to intercede And this forever blessed invisible Spirit was before time and is to be when time shall be no more and is without limit an Eternal lively substance giving Life from it self and secretly covering it self from the carnal part of man not seen nor understood but by such as by its secret motions come to be led to see through that which shadows it forth and by the Image Form Shadow or Figure to discern the substance which is the Life where Immortality dwelleth for in the most innermost and secrets of all is the Life of all being covered over with that in which it lies through the which it breaking forth in any discovery of it self is that whereby the Beholders might be drawn through the discovery to it self which in the discovery broke forth for the discovery was still too short of that from whence it came and that which was discovered forth in any Shadow Form or Image was not to be idolized nor set up for the very thing or substance of Life from whence it proceeded and herein hath been much mistake by such who came not by that which opened in the Visibles to that from whence it came in that to have their Understandings opened and thereby to be made sensible of that which is Eternal by it to be brought in where its indwellings abide forever whose breakings forth in the visible which was to draw to that invisible refreshed the Soul invisibly in an unexpected time but being after sought for in the Visibles and not in the Eternal with-draws it self out of the Visibles and out of the sight and reach of that which seeks it there that thereby that which is to live forever with it may come through all that which it appeared in unto the very thing and invisible Substance it self which is the Life of all and the true center of the living Motion which moveth of it self and gave forth all things good as they proceeded from it by virtue of its gradual and various Motions and this being come openeth it self in them that find it and live therein and this maketh Darkness Light before the People whose dwelling is with God and the crooked comes to be made straight by the thing it self and dark Sayings of old come to be opened and secret things revealed But to write more plain for the sake of the weak of this glorious indwelling Spirit which in the fulness of time cometh forth in Flesh laying hold of the Seed of Abraham the most glorious appearance that ever was being thus appeared was the express Image of God who dwelleth in his People whose Bodies are Flesh and earthly Tabernacles but by the operation of the sanctifying cleansing Spirit which the Father sendeth are made fit Habitations of God and so Co-heirs with Christ and Members of his Body Flesh and Bones which Spirit quickneth to God and being thus received and obeyed is felt to live forever though the shadowings forth of it be done away and this is Eternal and never endeth but abideth with such forever and the Ministration of it is Life it self to the Soul and more to be valued and desired than all that ever was seen before it And as the Lord took off that Spirit which was upon Moses and put it upon his Brethren the Elders of Israel whereby they might rule and judge with him so saith Christ The Father shall take off mine and give unto you even of that Spirit of Love Life Power Valour and Virtue which was upon and in him that was like unto Moses is ministred into and put upon such as are truly his Brethren and Friends whereby him with they thus gifted sanctified and qualified judge the World for all Judgment is committed to the Son and of that which the Son hath and is committed to him doth the Father give unto his Members And so from Christ the Head they come to receive Power over the World and its Way Worship and Fashions and over Unclean Spirits And that is an Unclean Spirit which will lead into any Sin and it is an unclean Spirit in which sin standeth and which pleadeth for the continuance and upholding of that which is unclean and that is of the World which the Saints judge And as those Elders of Israel who were of the Church in the Wilderness were not made fit to judge nor rule in outward matters by all the writings and words of the Law though received by disposition of Angels until the Lord himself took off that Spirit which was upon Moses and put upon them So those that profess to be Elders in the Church now or any other Person whatsoever are much less made fit to rule or judge in spiritual matters by all the reading and professing Moses writings and Christs words and the rest of the holy Scriptures though they were given by the Inspiration of God until the Lord take off that Spirit which was upon and in Christ who is like unto Moses and give unto and pour it upon and minister it unto them And this is done in Gods way which is secret and time which is in his own hand to those whom he accounteth worthy thus to Honour and who truly wait for it as a Wayfaring man for a Resting place and as a Captive for Deliverance And though Christ after his Resurrection said All Power in Heaven and in Earth is given unto me go ye therefore and Teach yet they were to tarry until they had the Power in themselves and when that was come which they were to tarry and wait for then with that they went and taught the Nations from the sensible feeling of that which taught them how to teach and all things else when the same Spirit and Power was upon them which was before committed unto him and so the coming forth of it from him into them and filling them therewith was to them in that work of the Ministry most effectual like as the Virtue going forth of Christ healed the Woman so the Power and Virtue of the holy Spirit coming forth from Christ being sent of the Father and received by the Disciples who
A COLLECTION Of the several Writings and Faithful Testimonies OF THAT Suffering Servant of God and Patient Follower of the Lamb Humphry Smith Who Dyed a Prisoner for the Testimony of Jesus in Winchester Common-Goal the 4th day of the 3d Moneth in the Year 1663. I have fought a good Fight I have finished my Course I have kept the Faith henceforth there is laid up for me a Crown of Righteousness which the Lord the Righteous Judge shall give me at that day and not only to me but to them also that love his appearing 2 Tim. 4. 7 8. LONDON Printed and Sold by Andrew Sowle at the Crooked-Billet in Holloway-Lane near Shoreditch 1683. George Fox HIS TESTIMONY CONCERNING Humphry Smith NOW concerning our dear Friend and Brother Humphry Smith who formerly had been a Preacher and a Man of Note but when it pleased the Lord to call him by his Grace and reveal his Son in him he came to be an able Minister of Jesus Christ and freely did preach the Gospel as he had received it freely and was cast in Prison for the Testimony of Jesus at Eversham in Worcestershire where he suffered very much in Oliver's days about the year 1655. and besides several other Goals that it may be party said of him as it was of Paul who had been zealous among the Letter-Professors and who had then esteem of him but when he came to possess Christ Jesus and to preach him then they hated him and persecuted him Yet through the Eternal Power of the Lord he was upholden through his Sufferings and travelled through many Hardships for the Lord Jesus Christ's sake and did convert and turn many to the Lord Jesus Christ that had been outward Professors as he himself had been to the Possession of Christ so that he did see and was comforted in the Fruits of his Labours in Christ and his Grace And at last he was cast into Winchester-Goal where he ended his days and finisht his Testimony in an hard Imprisonment who there dyed in the Lord and rests from his Labour whose Works follow him Whose Memorial is blest among the Righteous in the Lords Heritage for he was a worthy Souldier and Follower of the Lamb and kept his Habitation in Christ Jesus in whom he now sleeps G. F. London the 8th of the 11th Moneth 1682. A TESTIMONY Concerning the Servant of Christ Humphry Smith DECEASED With Respect to his Life Testimony and Service for the Lord in his day ALthough I have not read all the Books and Writings given forth in Truths behalf by our dear Friend and Brother Humphry Smith and therefore cannot knowingly give particular account thereof as to all his Writings though many sound and weighty Experimental things I am sure he has written yet from the knowledge which I had of him his Conversation and Testimony and the living Society I had with him for some time before his Course was finished I have this Testimony nakedly and in the sight of the Lord to bear That he was a man fearing God and hating Iniquity fervent and zealous against Deceit and Hypocrisie and endued with a heavenly Gift and Gospel Testimony which he faithfully bore in his day according to his Ability and the Lord was with him and he was well beloved among his People He endured the Cross and bore Afflictions patiently and he was a great Sufferer in divers Goals and Persecutions for the Name of the Lord Jesus Christ and his Testimony which he declin'd not And he was in the Name of the Lord instrumental and helpful with other faithful Brethren and Servants of Christ to break through rough Oppositions perverse Gain-sayings and Persecutions of many Adversaries to the Life of Christianity even in those days of great Hardships and deep Sufferings not long after the first breaking forth of the Gospel Day to many in this Age and in divers parts of our professing Nation the Exercises deep Sufferings and Tryals of that day and time many now have not known the sharpness of since which the Lord has been with his faithful Servants all along and prospered his Work among the sincere Receivers of his Truth in the love thereof and the Lord our God hath crowned the Labours of his faithful Witnesses whose Dayes are ended in Peace among whom this Honest and Upright hearted man Humphry Smith had his Share and Portion and hath his Crown that fades not and his Inheritance Everlasting in the Kingdom of his and our Heavenly Father among the Spirits of Just Men in Glory I am really satisfied as knowing the End of the Upright Man to be Peace and that in the sight of the Lord the Death of his Saints are Precious as their Life is Acceptible And I pray God that all Friends and all those that yet remain with a Testimony for him and his holy Truth may be preserved in and with tender Regard unto the same Footsteps of the faithful and blessed Flock to the end of their Dayes as those that truly have respect to the Recompence of Reward and Kingdom that 's set before which will remain and stand us in stead when our Dayes Times and Years here are expired and gone George Whitehead London the 4th of the 8th Moneth 1682. THE Faithfulness of the Upright MADE MANIFEST Being a Testimony concerning the Life Death and Sufferings of a precious Servant of the Lord called Humphry Smith Who dyed a Prisoner for witnessing unto the living Truth in Winchester Common-Goal the 4th day of the 3d Moneth 1663. ARE thy famous Works ever to be forgotten Are thy Noble and Valiant Acts to be blotted out of the Memory of the Righteous Is thy holy innocent pure Life to be buried in Oblivion as not to be remembred by us any more Are thy Sufferings with all thy valiant Engagements with the Enemies of thy God to be blotted out of the Record of the Children of the most High Oh! what saith my Soul Nay nay let it be had in living Remembrance among the Followers of the Lamb and let it be written upon the Tables of their Hearts even to all Generations And as concerning this man he from his Youth upwards had desires after the Lord and he was often check'd by his Father because of his Solidity he mourned mightily after the Lord while he was yet a Child yea and panted after the God that made him He followed the zealous Professors and encreased mightily in that Knowledge which stands in the Comprehension yea exceeded many of his equals but at last the Lord seperated him for his own glory and sent him forth in his own Power and Eternal Name so he led him by the hand through the Wilderness and bore up his head above the Waves which sought to destroy him he became a Talk and a By-word unto them with whom before he had his Conversation yea they sought to destroy him in a moment but yet the Lord led him in the way and gave him the threshing Instrument that belongs to
upon him insomuch that in five days time he was so weak that he could scarcely help himself then he also sent a Letter unto Judge Terril signifying his Illegal dealing with him and also gave him to know that he was very Ill but there was little done in the thing so he grew weaker and weaker so that two men did turn him in his Bed and in the time of his Sickness he spake several precious words to Friends signifying unto them That he was given up in the will of the Lord either in Life or Death and as he lay under a great sit of the Feaver he said My heart is filled with the Power of God and then said It is good for a man at such a time as this to have the Lord to be his Friend Another time he said Lord thou sentst me forth to do thy Will and I have been faithful unto thee in my small measure which thou hast committed unto me but if thou wilt yet try me further thy will be done Also he said I am the Lords let him do what he will And near the time of his departure he cryed earnestly unto the Lord and said O Lord hear the inward Sighs and Groans of thine Oppressed and deliver my poor Soul from the Oppressor O Lord hear me O Lord uphold and preserve me I know that my Redeemer liveth Thou art strong and mighty O Lord with several other precious words Also about the same time he prayed unto the Lord That he would deliver his People from their cruel Oppressors and that those that were convinced or brought forth by him that the Lord would be their Teacher He lay very quiet and still and not any unsavoury word proceeded out of his Mouth all the time of his Sickness but he behaved himself like a Lamb and he was very sensible unto the last Moment he was faithful unto the Lord in his day and a Crown Everlasting is upon his head which shall rest upon him when all his Oppressors shall gnash their Tongues for pain and vexation of Heart as some of them have felt already yea and the full Cup of the Lords Indignation is preparing for all them who delight in Cruelty He was very meek and of a quiet Spirit very loving to all that had the least appearance of the Light springing up in them yea if any knew not the Light which condemns the sin then in the Meekness of the Love everlasting he would open unto them the way thereunto and labour mightily to bring them to the knowledge of it Oh! how great was his love to the eternal Truth which abounded in his heart and how would he groan for the lost Sheep surely his Love was more than my Tongue can express and his Courage did abound in a great measure he delighted not in vain Janglings nor Disputings of men of Corrupt Minds but in the simplicity of the Gospel of Peace which is his Crown forever and ever What shall I say his Life is swallowed up in Immortality and is no more to be seen in the visible yet he reigns over all Whisperers Back-biters and Slanderers of his innocent Life forever Thou Renowned Judge in Israel thou Valiant Souldier of the Lambs Host Peace is thy Portion forever Blessings will fill thine House and Fruitfulness will attend thy Seed as they abide in the Counsel of him who was the Bishop of thy Soul N. C. BUt O you Rulers of England what shall I say unto you Must you needs be made a perpetual Reproach unto all that come after you And is your delight wholly in Persecuting of the Innocent O Cruel Men O Merciless Men Will nothing but the Lives of Gods dear Servants satisfie your bloody Wills Surely the Lord God will visit you in his Wrath and sweep you away in his sore Displeasure yea in the dreadful Flames of the Burnings of his Vengeance will he cast you Oh! you Unsatiable Vigorous Tyrannical Idolatrous Men What! is Cruelty your Delight And is it Blood that you thirst after as after Wine which will not satisfie your Lustful Desires And is it nothing but the eternal Truth which you would not have so much as come into your Coasts worse than Barbarians How do you evilly intreat those who come in the love of the Lord to preach Repentance in your Streets and you take away the Lives of such who come to publish Salvation unto poor Sinners Surely your Unjust Dealings are come up before the God whom you so much contemn in his Servants and your Unrighteous Actions against them whom he hath sent in his own Name are pierced into the Bowels of the God of the Humble hearted who will surely plead with you in his Indignation and utterly destroy you in his Wrath if you Repent not speedily and humble your selves under his Righteous Judgments Wherefore I say Repent Repent for the Consumation is at hand yea the swift Vengeance of the Eternal God is nigh to be revealed upon all the Disobedient and the utter Wo and Calamity of all the Merciless with the cruel hearted is coming yea nigh to come which shall make a final End of all the Rebellious and Stiff-necked Ones whose Hearts are hard as the Adament Wherefore Awake Awake sleep not in your Wickedness in this day which is coming as a Thief in the Night upon you but arise up from Cruelty and shake your selves of the Garments of the Pollution of Blood which hath stained you Cleanse your selves of your Idolatry and clear your selves if you can of the Lives of Gods Servants which have dyed in your Prisons but if you cannot then known be it unto you That God will not spare the best of those that have had a hand in these things and shall persist therein but will destroy them utterly and Curse them from his Presence for evermore and in this I shall be clear of all your Blood when it comes upon you Nicholas Complin Written the 21th of the 4th Moneth 1663. William Jenings's Testimony concerning Humphry Smith THis is my Testimony for that man of God viz. my dear antient Friend Humphry Smith who dyed a Prisoner for the blessed Truth in Winchester Prison I being with divers more Friends in Prison with him for the Truth 's sake a long time before and also at his departure have this to say of him viz. That he was a man whose deportment and behaviour amongst us in Prison was comely yea even as a Father that takes care for his Children even so was his care and oversight over us he was a faithful Overseer indeed and one that minded the Lords business and certainly it s well with him He was kept very sensible in his sickness whereof he dyed was not heard to speak one unsavoury word although his exercise was not small through much weakness and in the time of his weakness near his death his crys were to the Lord for the preservation of his People who were dear and near unto him so that
he left a good savour behind him for even such as were not Friends in the Prison where he dyed were made to speak well of him he was so innocent in his Conversation towards all People William Jenings South-hampton the 11th of the 12th Moneth 1682. The Testimony of Nicholas Gates concerning Humphry Smith DEar Friends Brethren and Sisters in Christ Jesus and all tender hearted People to whose hands thess Testimonies of our dear Friend Humphry Smith may come these few words arose in my heart to signifie concerning him I having had good experience of his Labours and Travails in the preaching of the Gospel of Christ Jesus with many more who were often comforted and refreshed in the sence of the Lords blessed Power which attended him in the living Testimonies he did bear concerning that Gift of God which is to be known in man he was a faithful Labourer in the work and service of the Lord and a patient Sufferer under the many Tryals that did befall him in his day he never murmured at the Exercises that he met withal through Wicked and Vnreasonable men he constantly testified of and unto the Light of Christ in the inward parts of men and women directing all to that of God in their own hearts affirming with the holy Apostle who said That which was to be known of God is manifest in man He was very powerful through the help of the Lord to the convincing of many and turning them to the Light of Christ in themselves his Testimonies yet live in the hearts of many though he be outwardly removed from us and many have cause to praise the Lord in that he raised him up with many more Brethren and Sisters to testifie of and concerning the Light of Christ within man by which we are made nigh unto the Lord who were afar off To whom be Praises and Thanks-giving forever Nicholas Gates senior Alton the 10th of the 12th Moneth 1682. James Potler's Testimony concâ—rning Humphry Smith GOd having raised up Humphry Smith with many other Brethren to publish and make known his Name in this the Land of our Nativity after a long and tedious Night of Apostacy and though the Name of the Wicked shall Rot yet the Righteous shall be had in Everlasting Remembrance and many are the seals of his Ministry that were begotten to a lively hope in Christ Jesus through the Word of Life in him besides the many Testimonies left upon Record by him which though he be taken away yet live in the hearts of many bearing Testimony that he was of God and that his Word dwelt plentifully in him yet I being a Sufferer with him for more than a years time in that streight noisom Prison at Winchester and in my measure sensible of his faithfulness to God in that work and service which God had called him to I say the Love of God in my Heart to his Truth and to my deceased Brother constraineth me to give in my Testimony in few words with others of my Brethren to the many Testimonies left by him That he was a man that loved the Lord with an upright heart and that it was as Meat and drink to him to do the will of God delighting more in it than in his daily Food being diligent and laborious in his day and time desiring to spend and be spent for the Gospels sake He was a man very bold and valiant for the Truth and for the Testimony thereof suffered many sharp and hard Imprisonments in several Prisons in this Nation besides very much cruel and inhumane Usage by Wicked and Unreasonable men He was released out of Prison that time which I was Prisoner with him but was afterwards taken from a Meeting at Alton where much of the Lords heavenly Presence was manifested through him by a company of rude Souldiers and had before some Magistrates and committed to the same Prison at Winchester again where after he had been continued some time it pleased the Lord to visit him with sickness which with much patience he passed through yet in all the Lord was good unto him and preserved him in Peace and Contentedness and Submission to his Will magnifying the Name of his God through all being kept sensible and in good and perfect Memory to his decease JAMES POTTER Winchester-Prison the 8th of the 12th Moneth 1682 Edward Waldren's Testimony concerning Humphry Smith I Hearing that the Work and Testimonies left upon Record of that true and faithful Servant of the Lord in whose work and service Humphry Smith was found unto the last are printed in one Volumn I found much stirring and freedom to write this Testimony concerning him that it might be inserted in the Book he being a man that I greatly loved having Acquaintance with him and by him first convinced of the unchangeable Truth and Way of the Lord through the powerful Operation of the Spirit and Word of God that dwelt plentifully in the heart of this faithful Servant of God who loved not his Life to the Death for his Testimonies sake by which he overcame and was found faithful to the end which he finished with joy as by his last words spoken to some Friends doth manifestly appear a little before his decease or laying down of the Body in this close strait nasty stinking Prison or County-Goal in Winchester to the which I this day and time belong and am a Prisoner under the sentence of Praemunire for nothing else but obeying the Doctrine and Command of Christ Jesus because for conscience sake only towards God I cannot Swear at all Humphry was the first in scorn called a Quaker that ever had a publick Testimony for God in the Town of Andever it being a great Meeting in which by his powerful clear Testimony several were convinced though he was then opposed by rude Souldiers Not long after he was cast into this Prison some of those that were convinced by his Testimony that had a love raised to the Lord and some knowledge of his Way and Truth some of these in Andever being thereby led forth to visit Humphry in Prison both Priests and Professors began to stir and be in a rage against and at the breaking forth of Truth in that Town I then being weary of Priests and seperate Professors seeing their Pride Avarice Evil Lives and Conversations though under a specious pretence of God and Godliness but void of the saving knowledge of both I being sensible that this was my Condition and finding and feeling the Judgments of the Lord and the weight and burden of Sin and Iniquity being in the bondage of Corruption like them I had been among under all groaned to be delivered from under the weight and burden thereof into the glorious Liberty and Freedom of the Sons and Daughters of God and being unacquainted with the Way of the Lord or how to do his Will or to have any entrance into the Kingdom that consists in Righteousness Joy and Peace in the holy Ghost which
already what need we have any further witness Therefore make him a Pass to go to Aegypt again and let him be whipt out of the Town for there is an Act of Parliament against such as wander up and down under the Name of Aegyptians Then some asked When I came from thence others mocked So I was a sport unto them as Sampson was unto the Philistians Judg. 16. 25. and I stood silent but at last the Lord moved me to speak saying Why People are you altogether blind in the things of God Of Aegypt and Sodom I was where our Lord was crucified Rev. 11. 8. and in Darkness and Bondage did I dwell being a Child of Wrath as well as others but the Lord by his living Power hath brought me from the Land of Darkness to the Light and from Bondage to the Land of Rest and into the Liberty of the Sons of God Then Theophilus Andrus said Speak on for I never heard the like of this before But I was not to be subject to their Wills but to stand in the counsel of God Question But you have had some outward Beeing or Family had you not Answer I had a Farme of 30 l. by the year at little Cowrne in the County of Hereford not thirty Miles off this place but I have now left part of it and my Wife and Children are in the rest and there I was a great Professor and a publick Preacher in many places thereabout daily and then I was owned by the Justices and great men of the Earth and many Hundreds did resort to hear me where I came and I was then beloved of many for the World loves his own But now I come to witness the Power of that which then I did but profess and now am I hated by the World And after other words from them called Justices and others and they could not entangle me in my words then the Priest with the subtilty of the Serpent seeing they could not ensnare me he then began like those that came to Christ and feigned themselves just men that they might take hold of his words and deliver him to the Power Luke 20. 20. And like as the Saduces came to entangle him concerning the Resurrection saying Moses saith thus but what sayest thou So the Priest George Hopkins among his many subtil Questions said Thus Solomon saith The just man falleth seven times What say you or the like And there is not a man upon Earth that doth good and sinneth not How do you expound that A. I am redeemed from the Earth Q. But do you not walk on the Earth A. I walk in the Light which leads out of the Earth Q. But are you not upon the Earth A. As for this outward Body being upon the Earth Enoch was for a time upon this outward Earth yet he walked with God Q. But do you walk with God A. They that are led by the Spirit of God are the Sons of God as God hath said I will walk in them Q. But Solomon saith There is not a just man upon Earth that doth good and sinneth not Now therefore answer to the Question do you sin yea or nay A. He that is born of God sinneth not Q. But are you free from sin yea or nay A. If I were not free from sin will it therefore follow that no man is Q. Do you believe that any man can be free from sin whilst he is here A. Yea I do believe it Then the Priest said it was a Popish Tenure and he could shew me a Book that the Papists do hold That men may be free from Sin in this Life Then I said the Papists do hold that there is a God and that Christ dyed for Sinners and so do I Therefore if the Papists do hold a Truth must I deny it because they hold it or must the Truth therefore be called a Popish Tenure because they hold it The Priest said Nay but in such things as these that are in dispute between the Papists and us which is That men may be free from Sin and that they are justified by Works wrought in them I answered It is God that worketh in us both the will and the deed who hath wrought all our works in us and for us And I have heard that the Papists do hold that there is a Purgatory which I deny to be purged in from Sin after Death but I seldom hear that they did hold that men might be free from sin here And if they are free from sin whilst they are here then they need not hold that there is a Purgatory to purge them after Then I asked the Priest if men should be free from sin whilst they are here The Priest said Nay Then I asked him if men should be purged from sin after Death The Priest said Nay Then I said if thou wilt not have men cleansed from sin neither before Death nor after Death then when wilt thou have them cleansed The Priest said What if God will forgive men and cleanse them from their sin at the very time of their Death as Christ did the Thief on the Cross Ans Thou art not to question what God will do or may do in that but canst thou prove by Scripture that God doth so And if thou wilt say the Thief was purged from sin when Christ spoke to him then that was before his death So when the Priest was almost taken in his own Snare then the Serpents Wisdom began to twind out of that and asked me How I was justified But I seeing his subtilty was not careful to answer him in that matter Dan. 3. 16. but stood silent as Christ did before the high Priest Mat. 26. 62 63. So then there was a stir among the People because I was not hasty to utter words before the Lord but after the Priest had urged very much then I said Thou dost wait to ensnare me and if I should say that I was justified by Faith in the Blood of Christ thou wouldst but seek to entangle me in it Then the Priest asked If I were justified by the Blood of Christ Ans Yea. Qu. Are you justified by that Blood of Christ that was shed at Jerusalem A. By the Blood of Jesus Christ the Son of the living God who was the express Image of his Fathers glory in whom dwelt the fullness of the Godhead really who suffered at Mount Calvery by Jerusalem for Sinners am I justified Q. But are you justified by the Blood of Christ without you or within you A. Though Jesus Christ has shed his Blood for Sinners yet I remained in my sin until I came to witness the Blood of Christ in me Q. Are you not justified by the Blood of Christ that was shed for you A. If the Blood of Christ was not shed then Sinners could not be justified by it Then the Priest said You do not answer me plainly whether you are justified meerly by that Blood which was shed upon the Cross
or meerly by something in you A. What! wouldst thou have me say that all Swearers Lyars and Drunkards that live and dye in their sins are justified because Christ shed his Blood upon the Cross The Priest said Nay Then I said The Blood of Christ that was shed upon the Cross I do not deny but though he hath shed his Blood there for Sinners yet none come to be justified or have benefit by it as to Salvation but those that the Blood and the Life of Christ is raised up in for they that have not the Spirit of Christ are none of his and such are not justified by him and though he hath shed his Blood upon the Cross yet the Unrighteous shall not inherit the Kingdom of God And wouldst thou have me say more but that thou waitest to ensnare me Then the Priest gave over that also and went to entrap me in another thing and said One of you that are called Quakers and is a Teacher among you did bid me give over deceiving the People in telling them That the Scripture is the Word of God Now do you own the Scripture to be the Word of God A. The Scriptures I own and witness to be a true Declaration Luke 1. 1. spoken forth by holy men of God as they were moved by the Spirit 2 Pet. 1. 21. and they are those that testifie of Christ John 5. 39. to be the Light of the World John 1. 9. and the Word of God Rev. 19. 13. Q. Are not the Scriptures the Word of God A. The Scripture saith God is the Word Q. Are not the Scriptures necessary to Salvation A. They are useful for Doctrine for Exhortation and Reproof Q. But are they necessary A. They are useful Q. Are they not necessary A. They are necessary to stop the Mouthes of Gain-sayers Q. But are the Scriptures a necessary means unto Salvation A. Jesus Christ is the only means of our Salvation and there is no other Name given under Heaven by which men shall be saved Q. But are men saved without Scriptures A. Now the Scriptures are written and what is written is written for our Learning therefore we are not without it but Enoch walked with God Noah obeyed and Abraham believed before Scripture was and they that are come unto Christ are come unto that which was before Scripture was Q. How did you come to know any thing but by the Scripture A. Although I had the Scripture yet I never knew Christ of whom the Scripture testifieth until he was revealed in me Q. Did not you come to your Knowledge at first by hearing some Minister A. I never profitted by any of them but lived in Wickedness so long as I followed them Q. But if ye own the Scriptures to be true and spoken from the Spirit of God why will you not own it to be the Word of God A. Bring me any one Scripture that saith the Scripture is the Word of God and I shall own it but the Letter killeth the Spirit giveth Life and the Word of God is quick and powerful sharper than a two edged Sword then I took my Bible and laid it down on the Table before them and said See this hath no Power in it neither can it stir Then the People laught at me again then I said to them Be silent for shame for I speak soberly and this Bible is not sharper than a two edged Sword and if this Bible be the powerful Word of God then the vilest Person in England may buy the powerful Word of God for Four Shillings Thus when the Priest had sought in these and the like Questions to ensnare me and found no better ground then he turned to them called Justices and said Sirs you see that though they deny Popery in the general yet you see they hold it in the particular as I have made it plain before you in that he holdeth a Man may be free from Sin and to be justified by Works wrought within and if this Popery be suffered to creep in then you may conceive the danger that may follow in this whole Nation therefore I shall leave it unto you and you know that I came not here until you sent for me therefore it is not of my procurement So after he had betrayed me as much as he could into their Hands like Judas then he would have washed his Hands like Pilate And after I was sent to Prison to the Goalers House for refusing to Swear that which afterwards they blotted out of my Mittimus and after two dayes being at the Goalers House where the mighty Power of God appeared to the silence and amazement of all the beholders as they were amazed at the Apostles Acts 2. 7. For several times after I had prayed the People were shaken and the Word of God was spoken with boldness Acts 4. 31. then I was sent to the main Goal where the People were exceeding mad against me as Saul once was against the Saints Acts 26. 11. And the Rulers stretched forth their Hands to vex us like Herod Acts 12. 1. And the Town was moved and the People ran together Acts 21. 30. And the Multitude with the Magistrates Acts 16. 22. Being cut to the Heart some gnashed on me with their Teeth Acts 7. 54. And the Multitude of the Town was divided and there was divers assaults made against us both of the Heathens and the Rulers who sought to vex us despightfully as they did Acts 14 4 5. Some threw Stones in the Prison the wait of five pound and threw Dirt and Water on my Lodging and spit on me and I hid not my Face from shame and spitting Isa 50. 6. And Pist at me several times and once they Pist on my Food and they made divers Assaults and Insurrections against our Meetings but Friends feared none of these things Rev. 2. 10. but in patience endured all their bitter Persecutions At last they were ashamed and so were the Rulers who were far worse then the rude People For though Friends met in the Street by the Prison daily yet the Meeting was not broken by the rude People but by the Magistrates who were at last more quiet and then Friends met as peaceably in the Street as if they had been in a private House so they met thrice every Week besides on the Market-dayes after the Market was over the People of the Country did come there in Peace and receive the Word with gladness and the Ignorant began to be convinced and the Gain-sayers Mouthes stopped and much People received the Truth in love whereby the Meetings were increased and the Work of the Lord began to prosper thus we continued for four Weeks together day by day in Peace and then there arose up a new Mayor which knew not the righteous Seed as there arose up a new King in Egypt Exod. 1. 8. And he saw the People of God increase was vexed at it as the world was alwayes vexed at the increase of the
righteous Seed so that Mayor Edmond Young said He would break our Meetings or else his Bones should lie in the Dirt. The which he did upon the 14th day of the 8th Moneth being the first day of the Week on the which in the Morning Friends met in private and not in the Street and as two Friends of the Town were going to that Meeting the Mayor laid Hands on them and put them in Prison and in the latter part of the day Friends met in the Street where they used to do where they were without any disturbance until the Mayor came with Officers and said It was an unlawful Assembly and said If there were above eight Persons met together it was an unlawful Assembly And presently laid Hands on Friends and pulled and thrust and kickt and put many in the Prison and in the Stocks and put me and two more in the Dungeon and when he saw that Friends were not afraid of him neither did any run away then he said He wanted another Prison for the Women for he had imprisoned Men in four several places that time when this was done he commanded his Sargeant to make proclamation and command in the Name of the Protector That every one should depart thence on pain of Imprisonment when he wanted more Prisons to put them in Thus he broke our Meetings who harmed not any nor resisted his Violence and then he said If we would meet in Houses or in the Fields he would not molest us Yet on the next First day he saw one of the Town going alone to a Meeting that we had then appointed in a House and him he put in Prison And so I being that Day put in the Dungeon where I now am as once before I was put in for Praying then he endeavoured to keep all People from me and for several Dayes and Nights we were denyed having Candles in this dark Dungeon at last he sent us each man a Penny-worth of Bread and a half Penny-worth of Beer a day the which the Goaler said was the Towns allowance but we still denyed it and sent him word That if we should not have Food for our Money or from our Friends then we should be without it So at last when we could have Bread from our Friends and Water then we did eat and drink and praise the Lord whose presence is with us Thus he much indeavoured to bring us into slavery unto his corrupt will which was according to the Words of Robert Atkins that sate Judge at the Sessions who then said to me thus You have been kept very high all this while but I shall take a course e'er I go hence that you shall be kept shorter And the Mayor Edmond Young caused a Trap-door to be made into the Dungeon locked down and all our Bedding and Bed-cloathes that Friends had sent us to be taken from us and will not let our Friends have it again Joshua Frensham a Prisoner having much pain with his Teeth did something earnestly desire that whilst he was a Prisoner he might have the use of a Pillow that was taken away which was his own but it was denyed On the second day after we were put in the Dungeon a Friend brought some Straw for us to lie on and the Goaler would not suffer it to be brought into us because he would not give him Money to unlock the Doors Once I sent to the Mayor to have Liberty for some man or Friend to fetch out our Dung from us and he denyed it and sent for a Constable to put that Friend in the Stocks that came to ask it And before I came in the Dungeon sometimes our Boxes and Writings were taken from us and sometimes our Stools that we had to sit or write upon and our Candles Besides eight Friends being Prisoners at the Goalers House were much abused by him the which I shall forbear to write only thus he said unto them If they would not pay four Pence a Night for each mans Lodging and eight Pence a Meal for each mans Diet then they should go all to the main Goal Which they refused to satisfie his Will in neither were they used to eat of his Diet being all Towns men But sometimes he would not suffer their Wives nor any other Friend to bring their Diet to them nor yet to come into them Then a man gained leave of him that dwelt next the Goaler and so went through his House and brought Food to the Prisoners which when the Goaler saw he threatned that man which had let him through and took the Beer from them intending by such Actions to force them to his will which they would not be subject to therefore he brought them all to the main Goal and then he said unto us That if he might have his will he would Hang us all And he had said before He might do what he would unto us for we should have no benefit of the Law neither durst any Lawyer plead for us Then were them eight kept in the Goal and we three in the Dungeon under them five dayes to our own Dung as I and some of us have been kept in this Prison and Dungeon with our own Dung in the same Room from time to time for this fourteen Weeks And as for the Prison it is not 12 Foot square but one Goal hole belonging to it four Inches wide where we took in our Food and Straw to lie upon and were forced to burn Candle every day when we have it by reason the Prison is so dark and so close and so many in so little room and so little Air with the stink of our own Dung all which might have occasioned the Death of some e'er this time and one they kept with me in the Dungeon until he had been sick after turned him once in the Night out and some others have not been well by reason of the exceeding closeness of the Prison whereby sometimes the stink of the Prison hath been so strong forth in the Street that People could not indure to stand by it sometimes when the dayes were hot the Breath of some Prisoners was almost stopt and lay for several dayes like men asleep and when dayes are at the coldest we have not room nor place either to make Fire or to walk to keep our Bodies warm Yet there is a large Prison over our Heads where they do sometimes imprison many of our Friends but that large Prison they will not let us be in neither could we nor Friends for us prevail to have Liberty to walk in that Prison sometimes by day and to come down into the other Prison by Night Therefore let all People whose Hearts are tender towards the Lord take notice how we are not only deprived of outward Liberty without the breach of any Law but are also kept in a most barbarous condition worse than Thieves or Murderers as the Goaler hath said That if we had been in for Theft or
and behold I have seen their Wo which is near at hand their Wives also shall be left as Widdows and their Children as Fatherless and from the pitiful Benovelence of the People must they be kept from Perishing in their Bodies but alas for their Souls who shall deliver them And herein moreover is their State and Condition the more Miserable because they will not regard this neither would they at all be warned by them whom the Lord hath sent amongst them and because they will not see when the hand of the Lord is lifted up neither regard the Word of his Power therefore for their Envy to the Lords People shall they be ashamed Isa 26. 11. that upon them it may be fulfilled which is written Behold I work a Work in your days ye Despisers which you shall in no wise believe though a man declare it unto you Acts 13. 41. Therefore have I considered in the very depth of my secret Meditations what shall be said or done in these things when the Priests have violated the Law and made void that which is Perfect and the Leaders of the People rebel against the Light Job 24. 31. and harden their Hearts against Reproof and will not be warned that they might escape the Dreadful day at hand therefore have I said Ah! surely the Lord will root them up Head and Tail Branch and Root in one day Ah! fruitless Trees said I have not you your selves yet brought forth the first Fruits of the Spirit which is Love And are not ye your selves yet come to that which fulfills the Law of God to wit Love And are not all without it as sounding Brass having the Tongues and the like making a Noise among the People like sounding Brass and pleasing their Fancies as tinkling Cimbals 1 Cor. 13. And have you been all this while sowing to the Flesh And are you the men who deny him that makes an end of Sin and his Blood which cleanseth from all Sin and the Faith which purisieth the Heart And are you the men who deny the true Light of him who said I am the Light which lighteth every man that cometh into the World Are you the men that deny the Son of God and will ye not that he should reign that is of the Seed of Abraham who wandered up and down And is it you that are saying one to another and to the Rulers of the Earth concerning him that is the Light This is the Heir come let us Kill him And would you not that he should Rule who condemns Sin and saveth his People from thir Sins and maketh an end of Sin Surely have I said even therefore will the Lord reward you according to the Fruit of your own Ways and as you have denyed him so must you be condemned by him that is the Light Job 3. 19. And as you have been and yet are with Pilate and others of Babel in the many Languages and Tongues upon which the Whore sits and as you have been and yet are of the Nations which are drunk with the Wine of the Fornication of the Whore the great Whore Mystery Babylon that sits upon many Waters and hath corrupted the Earth and as you have been drunk with the Blood of the Saints and made rich by the Robbing and Spoiling of the Houses and Goods of many even as Troops of Robbers Hos 6. 9. Forty in one Troop lately at Dorchester feeding their Belly their God And as you have devoured Widdows Houses and been drunk with the Wine of the Fornication of the Whore and the Blood of Saints even so shall you have Blood to drink and even so must you drink the Cup of Astonishment and fierce Indignation of the Lord God Almighty and he will plague you false Prophets with the Whore together and the Beast and you must be taken alive and cast into the Lake of Fire which burneth forever and ever And when I have waited to see the end of these things and pondered this in my Heart in the Uprightness of Innocency and pure Simplicity of God then hath it been said in me Where then will the Memorial of this Priesthood of these Nations who came up since the Apostles days and were descended from the Bishops that were commissionated by the Pope and established by the See of Rome And what a Howling and a bitter Lamentation will come upon many in that day when Mystery Babylon the Mother of all these painted Harlots comes to be overturned forever How then will the Great men and the Rich men and the Mighty Ones of the Earth Mourn and Lament because of the Desolation of the Whore with whom they have all along committed Fornication and to see these her Children the painted Harlots the Priests of England who are covered with Saints words even dashed to pieces with the Light which is the Stone that is falling upon them to grind them to Powder Alas alas say they how many were made Rich And how many of our Children were like to be made Rich by being bred up under the Skirts of this Woman who hath a Golden Cup in her Hand holding it forth to all that will come to her And how many young men began to love her Pov. 7. Alas say they were not many of our Children looking at the Golden Cup and and growing up under her Wing at Oxford and Cambridge and in divers other Schools and Nurseries where the Languages and Tongues are even Multitudes upon which the Whore sits Rev. 18. 1 15. who hath the Golden Cup at which the Kings and the Great Ones of the Earth have drunk abundantly And must this Woman be laid Desolate And must her Children be dashed to pieces against the Stone the Light therefore is the Cry great and the Lamentation will be grievous when the Iniquity is come to the full the Sin ripe unto Judgment the Beast fully fatted for the Day of Slaughter and that come to pass which is haâ—â—ning suddenly though few can receive these things unexpected by many revealed in me and the more are they and many other People hardened and blinded herein because the Priests are so high so great and so strong and upheld by the strength of such Laws even exceeding and doubling in their Power and Authority the Laws that were made for the upholding of their Predecessors the Jesuites and Popish Priests in the dayes of Queen Mary whose Law was but three Moneths Imprisonment and now it is six and then the Law was but for the Tythes and now it is three times as much and so they are more higher exalted than ever and our Task is doubled and trebled upon us and besides they cry out We are Idle and wander up and down But let me Reason a little Was it not suddenly after their Bondage in Aegypt was doubled that the Lord overturned the mighty strength of the Oppressors forever and was not the cry of the oppressed great because the Task was doubled upon them who were in
said You have we aried me with your Sacrifices And so say I to you now you have wearied the Lord with your Words and yet many are saying Wherein have we we aried him I say in this have you wearied the Lord in that you say such as do Evil are Good in the sight of God Mal. 2. 17. Therefore thus I declare unto you who are yet in your Sins meeting together in the Idol Temples Your Service is not the Service of the true God neither is your Worship that which the Lord accepteth for he accepteth none but the Worship in Spirit and in Truth not in one high Place or other but your Worship is in some High-Place Idol-Temple or Steeple-House where all manner of Viperous Beasts are round and unsanctified Persons meet together who commit all Abominations and live in all manner of Filthiness and yet lean upon the Lord and say Is not the Lord among us no Evil shall come unto us Whereas they are an evil and an adulterous Generation adulterated from the Spirit of Truth in which the true Worship stands and are ignorantly worshipping in a Temple made with Hands in which God dwellcth not neither is his Power there received to overcome the Sin and so the People are wearying themselves for very Vanity and travelling to bring forth Death and labouring for that which profits not neither do they come to meet the Lord in the way of his Judgments nor find the Path of Life where the Unclean can never come neither yet do they know the Bread of Life nor drink his Blood that cleanseth from all Sin nor come to be translated into the Kingdom of the Son of God but remain in that Ground which was eursed by reason of man's Rebellion Gen. 3. 17. Heb. 6. 8. which Ground being not removed with the mighty Power of God the Blessing cannot be received nor the Understanding opened to know and receive that which the Natural Man perceiveth not the Eyes of their Minds being darkened through the Ignorance that is in them the Vail being over the Heart when that is read every day of their Worship which discovers Sin but makes nothing Perfect which Worshippers did and do Crucifie him that comes to take away the Sin But now he is come who hath forever perfected those that are sanctified and he that sanctisieth and they who are sanctified are all of one But they that are not sanctified are not of the one but are in the many Opinions in the Lusts of Ignorance and Wayes of Unrighteousness being not come to the one Faith which purifieth the Heart nor to know the one Baptism one Church one Way one Truth one God the Father of him who is the one Light which lightneth every man that cometh into the Wâ—rld of the which Light which is but one there is given a measure to every one of you which Light shineth in Darkness though not by it comprehended which Light will let you see that you your selves are out of God's Covenant in the World's Worship not reconciled to God upholding Idol Temples and Heathenish Customs with Bells and such things which the People of God never used but did and do deny forever and exhort you and all others to leave worshipping the Beast or upholding that which is not the true Worship of the true God practised by men of Sin in Steeple-Houses every First-Day Wherefore all People every where leave your Idolatry which you have learned and received by Tradition from the former Papists and Heathen who worship the Work of their own Hands and bow down to their own Inventions as you long have done and for this many Hundred Years have been learning and yet are not come to the Truth neither to believe in it but remain in Unbelief and Ignorance and your long time of Ignorance God winked at Acts 17. 30. But now Light is come in which God is calling to you and all men every where to Repent and forsake your Idolatrous Worship which by you a sinful Generation is practised in a Steeple-house one day in seven and Catn's Nature remaining in the inward parts from the which Idolatry all that sear the Lord God of Abraham are now to come from the Uncleanness of that Worship which is upheld by the Heathen for verily the Hand of the Lord God Almighty is stretched sorth against it and them Wherefore all People turn your Minds to the Lord God of Life who dwelleth in his People and not in Temples made with Hands and hath given to every one of you a measure of the true Light of his Son which Light in you will let you see your secret Sins and will teach you and shew you plainly of the Father if you love it and come to be led by it to do God's will so may you come to worship the Lord God of Life in Spirit and in Truth with the Children of the Light and of the Day which hath dawned upon many who need not any man teach them but are all taught of the Lord Glory and Honour and Everlasting Praises to his blessed Name forever and ever Amen Given forth as a Testimony against all Idolatry and Heathenish-Worship from the true Love of God the Father in pity to the Souls of them who have Eyes and see not and Ears and hear not that they may come forth of Darkness to follow Christ Jesus the Light of the World who is bringing the Blind by a Way that they know not Isa 42. 16. Therefore is this to go abroad among all People and read in Steeple-Houses Streets Market-places private Meetings and Families that all may consider what they have been doing in the dark Ezek. 8. 12. By a Servant of the Living God a Sufferer for the Testimony of his Name in the Common Goal and House of Correction at Winchester Humphery Smith The 4th Moneth 1658. Man driven out of the Earth and Darkness By the Light Life and Mighty Hand of GOD Wherein plain and simple Truths are brought to light that so the cause of Stumbling may be taken from before the Eyes of both Rulers and all sorts of Professors in Herefordshire c. Also something related of the Wonderful Power of God in the Work of Redemption and Restroration With a plain Self-denyal by him that takes up the daily Cross Behold the Lord worketh wonderfully every Morning he bringeth his Judgments to light he hath brought me back from the Grave and saved my Soul from Hell and set my feet upon a Rock THE Living Truth of the Lord God which he hath revealed in me by the mighty Operation of his Word of Life which living eternal Truth being my Life and shall last for evermore and be as a Standard of the Most High lifted up to all the scattered weary Souls that they may flow unto it and have it to be unto them a place of Refuge and Defence to fly unto in the day of Distress and by it come to be made Free and in it
say He that is a Fisherman let him so abide neither did Christ say he that will be my Disciple must follow his outward Employment or Trade but he said He that will not hate Father and Mother Brethren and Sisters Wife and Children yea and his own Life too cannot be my Disciple Luke 1â— 20. and if not a Disciple much less a Minister of his But hereby neither Christ nor them Ministers of his neither I did or do intend to draw or perswade People to Idleness or open a Door for any such Evil neither is there many who are called out of the World's Worships and required to leave their Families and called to the Ministry but that hereby it may plainly appear that the Command and Call of Christ to his Work and Ministry is to be obeyed though it be to the forfaking of House Goods or Lands for a Minister of his said We have forsaken all And have not I done so and unto them who had forsaken all unto all such was promised a Hundred fold Matth. 19. 17 18 19. And Heaven and Earth shall pass away before one Jot or Tittle of his Word shall fail And truly I have found his Promise true for a Hundred times Hundred sold have I already received blessed be the Lord forever But how contrary it was to my own Will to fulfill the Will of the Lord. in leaving my Employment and outward Business in the World let all them judge with the Light who knew my Conversation therein and saw my Eagerness in the things of the World and Contrivances therein beyond many men my Heart being set in the Earthly things being very fierce in Labouring therein for the getting and encreasing of the Fruits of the Earth as though I would have laid up Treasure for many Years which might have been good in its place if my Mind had been redeemed out of it and my Heart from the Covetousness thereof but I say again it was much contrary to my strong Will to leave these things and the love of them and much more that might be named and be taken from it with a Hundred and Fifty Pound loss and be exposed to Want Hardships Revilings Imprisonments Whippings Stonings and all manner of cruel Torture that the Soris of men might have Power to inflict upon my Body and for me that ruled over many and was respected by many to become a Servant unto all and counted the Off-scouring of all and be abused by any Boy or the Vilest Person I meet and it was much contrary to my Will to refuse that Glory Honour and Preferment of the VVorld which was offered me by the Rulers thereof when I was beloved of them and Hundreds more and when I preached among them in the Pulpits daily and was then called of men Master like the Hirelings of England who being in the Curse cannot cease from Sin 2 Pet. 2. 14. yet I still refused their Unrighteous Gain and denyed all their Gifts and Rewards for the Lord in his Mercy kept me out of them Temptations though sometimes some that were then near Friends unto me would have perswaded me to have taken something of what was offered as to live upon but I durst not if I had wanted Food or Raiment but answered one Justice who was proposing me a free Gift toward Maintenance which might have been worth a Hundred Pound a Year or more seeing I left my Employment freely to preach daily but I say I answered I shall rather go in Sheep-Skins and Goat-Skins and eat Bread and drink Water and that little honest meek Principle in me which then kept me from that and such Temptations in due time led me to be Ruler over much which before I had not Power over therefore I say unto all it is good to be faithful to the little measure of God in the Conscience For when I was but young and void of the knowledge of God or his Way of Holiness my Mind ran much in the Earth with a covetous care how to gain the Riches thereof and even then did the Hand of the Lord follow me and his Witness in me did so judge and condemn me Night and Day for my Evil that at last I was scarce able to do any thing in the Earth or go upon it then waiting to see what the reason was after many Hours I saw clearly if I would leave the Wickedness of the world and follow the Lord and trust him I might have Peace and if not I was like to be cut off And then I left some Sins and resolved to live more Holy and began to Pray and Read and then I went to follow the Priests not knowing that in me which I was to hear and follow yet it secretly led me out of some Evil and so into some Peace and then my Heart was exalted in the Earth though I encreased in a Profession And when I was in the height of the World's Way and Worship and expecting Riches to increase even then in an unexpected time did the dread of the Lord fall upon me and his wonderful mighty Power wrought exceedingly in me to break me off from all my Wayes and seperate me from all the Worship of the VVorld and gave me to see the Abominations of all the Prayers of the Wicked and the Invalidity of all the Worships of all Mankind who are out of God's Covenant and the Operations then upon me by the terrible Hand of the Lord and the strivings that were in me can never be declared and then did the Lord command me to follow him in Obedience to his Will to declare against all Unrighteousness of men which I saw in the Light of Life to be in Priests Rulers and People and I then saw clearly in the eternal Light and foresight of God the Hardships Cruelties Whippings Imprisonments and Dungeon and many such things which since in part have been upon this Body fulfilled as may be read in several of my Books read the True Rule and at that time did the powerful Life of God so much break through me with such unspeakable Love that I was even willing to leave all walk with God But then contrary to Paul I reasoned with Flesh and Blood that I should be esteemed a Mad-man and that People would not believe me and that I was not fit and many such things Then the Word of the Lord was spoken in me saying Who is it that openeth the Mouth Is it not I the Lord Then was my Bowels even turned within me with the constraining Power of Gods Eternal Love and I began to be willing but when that was a little over the Tempter being near â— reasoned concerning my Wife and Children How they should be provided for and presently the Promise of the Lord was That they should be cared for and his Promise was to me That he who converteth Souls to God should shine as the Stars forever And when I had received them VVords into me I was overcome with
the Refreshings of God and at the present made willing to undergo all Tribulations if in my whole Life I did Convert but one Soul to God seeing and feeling the Redemption of one Soul to be so precious the which then grew so strong in me that I was scarce able to retain from present actual Obedience to God therein but when I looked at my outward things and how first to settle that in order then was I by Temptations made afraid That it was a Delusion or something of the Devil transformed as an Angel of Light and then between both I was in much Trouble and Distress not knowing what to do having not then known any called Quakers nor any such Operations in any man in those dayes yet that could hardly prevail to make me believe it was a Temptation But at last reasoning about outward things I then resolved not to leave them but to mind the things of the World and not obey that which called me out of the VVorld And to write in short at last I did strive and joyn with all the Powers of Darkness that I could and used all means possible to drive the Power of God from me and the Thoughts of him and his Works out of my Mind but Wo was me after for it and it had been just if his Spirit had never strived more with me but left me to be cut off forever and to remain in the horrible Pit of Darkness And surely it was for the good of others that the Lord did spare me some whereof may now with me rejoyce for evermore For when all was too little to overcome the mighty Power of God in me then did the love of the World prevail and even thirstings for the love of it to come into my Heart to drive out the Love of God at last I with it against God prevailed though the living Power of God was so great that the Devil the Flesh and the World was scarceable to overcome it for a time and so I have seen Children Wife Farms and Oxen to hinder from the Kingdom of God but that which hindred most was the love of outward Goods And so it was but just with God to take that at the last out of the way and if he had swept all away in his Anger as from Job he had done me no wrong But when I had thus in a cursed manner overcome the striving of the sweet and lovely Spirit of Truth yet was I not quiet but much troubled and in a sad Condition which I was not able to hide from the World who said I was going Mad seeing me so changed into Sadness but of all this and much more I durst not then spake a word to any Creature And now mark what for my Rebellion did justly follow My outward Goods which I then loved more than Christ became as a Prey and a Spoil to unreasonable men and most unjustly on their parts was I by them deprived of it and the Lord also dried up all my Springs within that such a time after I knew that I was left without hope being in the horrible Pit of Darkness from God that I could neither pray nor believe but concluded that I was accursed from God forever and that which disobeyed was accursed and being in a sad miserable Condition resolved to write a VVarning to all People that they might take Example by me and never resist the Spirit as I had done but before I could write sinking down into the Condemnation without Murmuring against God knowing him to be just if he cast me into the nethermost Hell forever the Lord had Compassion on me and listed my Soul out of the Horrible Pit and staid me with his hand for a time yet afterwards his Afflictions followed me in Judgments within and much trouble in things without which my Heart was so upon and yet for a long time I turned not unto the Lord that did smite that his hand might make whole though Checks I had by his Light in my Conscience but strong was my VVill about it until the fierce Judgment of the Lord did often break forth upon me with much Astonishment of Heart and Horrible Indignation not to be uttered with Tears as streams of VVater from mine Eyes night and day when it came upon me with Tremblings and Breakin gs which broke the hardness of my Heart and opened a way to something in me which then I dearly loved but going out again from that I reasoned about my Outwards and not waiting to receive Counsel from the Lord I went unto a Rich Understanding man in outward things whom I loved who may yet remember that I made my Complaint unto That I was not able any longer to abide in the Way of the World whose Counsel I then took and my own Will together and so sought to keep two Kingdoms some time longer and therefore much Trouble followed me within and VVasting Loss Shame and Destruction upon things without But however I durst do no less than follow the Lord and be Obedient unto him whatever Loss I suffered or whatever Shame or Reproach I might undergo though often times I was afraid that this Power of God in me would soon come to an end or fail from me and that then I might return to my outward Employment with great Shame and Loss and that then instead of doing Service for God I might bring a Reproach upon his blessed Name and my self thereby be a Hissing-stock to all men and they say I began to build and not able to finish and this also kept me back very much But such was the Everlasting Love of the Lord who is known in the Ways of his Judgments that his Hand was heavy upon me and his Judgments encreased in me that there was no way for me to escape but I must be Obedient and bow under it or be cut off forever by it so that my Bowels were often pained in me and it is like for many Weeks had little sleep or bodily rest and sometimes knew not my Wife and Children that I felt and heard in the Bed by me but thought they were People I should not be with And therefore one time after it was day I was rising and putting on my Clothes in a sober manner and in Meekness said Surely I should not be here and my Wife then laying hand on me easily perswaded me but I said I Know not who I am with neither did I know her Voice at that time And some time after having endured much I told she and my Family with Heaviness and Tears That I was not able to enduce it any longer and that I had abode with them in the way of the World so long as possible I could and that I must give up my Life to serve the Lord desiring them with Tears to be Content and in what I could I should be careful for their good as ever I was And this is true and but little of what might be written
Captive that a Gift may be received which Gift is Eternal Life and this Life is in the Son by which Gift all that are in the Son-like Obedience do witness being made Heirs with him in the eternal Covenant which is established upon better Promises then the first therefore he taketh away the first that he might establish the second which is witnessed in the Son-like Obedience by the which we are made the Righteousness of God through him the which is a Mystery to the dark World whose Mouthes are now open to speak Evil of that they know not calling the Great and Mighty Works of God The Delusions of Satan and the conditions now witnessed in the Sons and Daughters that the Prophets and Apostles both passed through to speak of those things they now call The Works of Antichrist But he is an Antichrist that denyeth the Father and the Son Now see who is an Antichrist No man knows the Father but the Son and he to whom the Son reveals him He that denies this Revelation denies both Father and Son that is an Antichrist Now to know the Father is Eternal Life and he that saith He knoweth and hath fellowship with the Father and walketh in Darkness is a Lyar and the Devil is the Father of Lyes And he that liveth not in the Truth which is Jesus Christ he must needs Lye because he is out of the Truth and therefore found an Enemy to the pure Truth as it is in Jesus who is the Truth and Life it self by whom the World is and shall be judged when the Lord shall come in flaming Fire rendering Vengeance on all that know him not This Day is even at hand yea even now the Lord is coming a swift Witness against all unrighteous Ones who hold the Truth of God in Unrighteousness living in their ungodly Practices sporting themselves now in the Day-time spending their time upon their Lusts living in their own Wills speaking forth the Saints Words but are Enemies to the Saints Conditions Oh! consider consider the Lord is Just in all his Wayes and he is come to judge the Earth with Righteousness he will plead with all Flesh before him all Faces shall gather Paleness and in him who is pure Light are all the Secrets of all Hearts laid open for nothing hideth from him who is a God of consuming Fire and of purer Eyes then to behold Iniquity Oh be ashamed and confounded all ye Inhabitants of the Earth and of the Sea for the Devil is come down unto you and rageth because his time is but short To thy first in page 6. where thou sayest It must needs be the Spirit of Antichrist and Delusion that doth mis-inform the Heart I Answer The Heart it self is deceitful and out of the abundance of thy Heart thy mouth speaketh page 8. or else thou wouldest not speak as though a Deceitful Heart might be misinformed by a delusion for Deceit and Delusion is but one which lodgeth in the Hearts of all the Children of Disobedience who are all in the Death the Curse and the Fall unless they come to witness Restoration the Stoney Heart taken away and a New Heart given which is by the putting off the Old Man with his Lusts and Corruptions and the New Man put on which after God is created in Righteousness and true Holiness without which no man shall see the Lord. But in the Light in thy own Conscience see when ever thou couldest witness thy Redemption and thy heart free from Delusions as thou speakest or from the power of Darkness when thou by thy own Relation to me went from one Parsonage to another and that not without thy Gown as thou callest it upon thy back that thou hast looked upon as it was indeed Antichristian and then after at Bodinham thou didst sue the poor People for Tythes to my knowledge witness one poor man thou didst sue for one Shilling and wouldst have constrained the poor man to have paid Charges for that one Shilling if I and some other had not spoke to thee after thou hadst often refused the one shilling without Charge though the Light let thee see Tythes to be contrary to Christ yet then lived contrary to the Light in thy own Conscience as thou wast made to confess in my hearing and hundreds more that thou hadst acted in it contrary to thy Conscience two years and before that time thou didst confess unto me and to others How thou wast going to take counsel of men how to sue for thy Tythes and the Lord met with thee yet the Devil had like to have taken thee off of the work of the Lord again divers times as thou confessedit Then thou layest groaning under the burden of thy Tythes yet thou resolvedst to keep them another year yet I had thoughts to the contrary and was made to tell thee at J. B's house in Hereford on the sixth day that thou wouldest e'er long roar against thy Tythes like a Lyon and on the next first day after it was so and thou wast made to acknowledge the Lord in it and sent thy Man with those few words to me Brother Smith the Lord hath done a strange Work in me this Morning and I shall alter strangely this day therefore pray earnestly for me and make what haste thou canst to come unto me Now this is that which thou now callest Delusion for this was the greatest Power that ever thou couldest witness but thou wast made to see by the Light the Emtiness of thy own words both in Speaking and Prayer before as thou callest it witness that in Margarets Grave-Yard where thou spokest words the which were a burden to thy Life after acknowledgedst That it was nothing but Flesh though thou didst strive much in thy own strength And at Len. thou toldest the whole Assembly That thou hadst long spoke after the manner of men but now they must expect no more such from thee and that thy Praying was as dead as Ditch-Water but now thou shouldst wait to Pray in the Spirit and speak by the Spirit and the like at Cliston And then thou wast convinced that thou must leave all even Glebe-land too and so live on thy own Land and build on thy own Land as thou callest it and thou then wast convinced of more Deceit in thy Heart therefore thou wast not at all freed from Deceit but always lived in the Antichristian state where thou art yet witness thy own hand in page 5 where thou confessest Thou hast got a sinful Heart which is a Heart in Sin and full of Sin and we know that none but the Pure in Heart shall see God but Sin is of the Devil and is the Work of Darkness and none that walk in Darkness have fellowship with God 1 John 1. 6. Here thou discoverest plainly that the Old Heart is not yet taken away therefore thou wast not at all nor yet is free from Delusions Therefore for shame leave off thy judging the Hearts
Cross of Christ is to the Joros a Stumbling-block to the Greeks Foolishness for Christ is this day as he was ever a Stone of stumbling and a Rock of offence to both the Houses of Israel 2 Cor. 1. 13. therefore are they this day speaking Evil of that they know not for say they concerning these Sects call'd Quakers We know that it is every where spoken against Acts 28. 22. But in the Way that men call Heresie do I Worship the God of my Father Acts 24. 14. and am not ashamed to own the Power that shakes the Earth for if I should be ashamed to own the Power of Christ before men then he might justly be ashamed of me before my Father which is in Heaven but I own and witness the same Power which made Moses exceedingly fear and quake The which overpowered Daniel that he had no strength left in him Dan. 10. 8. Which Power made Habakkuk Tremble his Lips Quivered Rottenness entred into his Bones Hab. 3. 16. the which Power struck down Paul Acts 9. 3 4 5 6. which caused the Goaler to come in Trembling Acts 16. 26 27 28 29. Therefore I say unto all serve the Lord with Fear and Trembling Psal 2. 11. and work out your Salvation with fear and Treambling Phil. 2. 12. for now I know the Lord to be with them that Tremble at his Word Therefore O foolish People without Understanding which have Eyes and see not Ears and hear not Fear ye not me saith the Lord Will ye not Tremble at my Presence Jer. 5. 21 22. Are you worse than Devils that Fear and Tremble Isa 2. 19. And now the mighty Power of the living God hath shaken the Earth and the Heavens that now that which cannot be shaken may remain Heb. 12. 27. Now all you that will enter in with the Bride-groom wait to receive the same Power for the Lord Jesus Christ is come tendering himself unto his own John 1. 11. and I witness that as many as receive him receive Power to become the Sons of God John 1. 12. O be not Fools and slow with Heart to believe all that the Prophets and Apostles saith for the Lord is still a God with Power he is the same yesterday and to day and forever whose everlasting Love is shed abroad in our Hearts by which the Love of the World is cast out For if any man love the World the Love of the Father is not in him John 2. 15. But we are bought with a Price and after glorifie God in Body Soul and Spirit which is the Lord's 1 Cor. 6. 19 20. Being made Ministers nof of the Letter which killeth but of the Spirit which giveth Liâ—e 2 Cor. 3. 6. Giving no offence in any thing that the Ministry of Christ be not blamed but in all things approving our selves as the ministers of God in much Patience in Affliction in Necessities in Distresses in Stripes in Imprisonments in Tamults in Labours in Watchings in Fastings by Pureness by Knowledge by Long-suffering by Kindness by the Holy Ghost by Love unfeigned by the Word of Truth by the Power of God by the Armour of Righteousness on the Right hand and on the Left by Honour and by Dishonour by Evil Report and Good Report as Deceivers and yet True as unknown and yet well known as Dying and behold we Live as Chastened and not Killed as Sorrowful and yet always Rejoycing as Poor and yet making many Rich as having Nothing yet Possessing all things 2 Cor. 6. 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 and 10 Verses Now the Light of the glorious Gospel in the Face of Jesus Christ hath shined into our Hearts whereby the Grace that was to be brought in at the Revelation of Jesus Christ 1 Pet. 1. 13. is now in us witnessed even the Grace the Apostle exhorted to hope for and the Prophets searched after 2 Pet. 2. 20. the which Grace and Glory is now made manifest in the Sons and Daughters whereby the everlasting Gospel is sounded forth in the Ears of many Thousands in England blessed are they that hear the joyful sound thereof For verily verily as the four Hundred and Thirty years Bondage in Aegypt was at last accomplished and as the Captivity in Babylon had an end and the Lord brought again the Captivity of his People even so now the many Years of Apostacy is over and the Lord hath heard the Cry of his own Seed and is come down to deliver Israel out of all Distresses and to gather the Out-casts Psalm 147. 2. And to bring home that which is driven away and to bind up that which is broken and to strengthen that which is sick but he will destroy the Fat and the Strong and will feed them with Judgment Ezek. 34. 26. but his own shall be delivered from the many Shepherds which have destroyed the Flock of Christ and they shall feed no longer Verse 20. yea verily People the mighty Power of the Lord is risen in England to gather his from the Corners of the Earth and they that have been long in the High-ways to Destruction being â—lind and Lame shall now be compelled to come in to the Supper of the Lamb and eat of the hidden Manna But many of the Children of the Kingdom shall be cast out For for Judgment is Christ come into the World that they that see not may see and they that soe may now be made Blind Joh 939. And the Sword of the Lord is drawn against the man of Sin to cut it down Root and Branch and to set up the Kingdom of Christ in Rightcousness and true Holiness And this Work of the Lord shall certainly go on and Men Devils nor the Gates of Hell shall never prevail against it The just Complaint of the Afflicted against the Rulers who oppress the Innocent to be delivered to the Judge of the Sessions at Winchester the 8th Moneth 1658. YOu that are set to rule over others should not let secret Envy Ambition and Prejudice so rule over you as not at all to hearken to the Counsel of the Meek nor receive Instruction from the Simple whom the Lord preserveth but you should let Haughtiness and Arrogancy be done away for God resisteth the Proud And you should come to that which is meek low sober and humble with it to know a ruling over that which hath captivated you under the power of Sin and Satan who hath so blinded the Mind that the Meek of the Earth are become your Enemies for telling you the truth and the Day upon you is come in which you cannot endure sound Doctrine But this I tell you That they who hate Reproof are bruitish and every man is bruitish in his Knowledge yea O ye men your Pastors are become bruitish and have not known the Lord though this be a hard saying to you who are your selves in that which is to be ruled with the Sword of God's dreadful Power who will execute Judgment upon all and with his own eternal
Power is he working Deliverance for his Jewels that are precious in his sight who suffer long and cruel Bondage under your strong corrupted Wills for which thing the Lord will visit and bring Darkness upon you even thick Darkness that may be felt and will fill you with Trouble in the Night season and overwhelm you with Obscurity in the day when you would have Rest Hearken ye Rulers and consider my Words and be ye warned of hatching Mischief in secret for behold a day of Trouble is coming upon you a day of Darkness and not Light yea the Lord God is coming near to Judgment and with Place this after pag. 92. what measure ye have meated it shall be measured to you again for of a truth the Lord is for us yea even with us and in us the mighty God of Jacob in whose dreadful Power and righteous Judgments we rejoyce forever whose Word of Power is our Life at which the Heathen rage whose Foolishness is our Wisdom in which we stand knowing him to be near who justifieth us who will not alwayes suffer the Rod of the Wicked to rest upon the back of the Righteous neither will his Spirit alwayes strive with you who rebel against the Light Job 24. 13. But those who hate Instruction and receive not the fear of the Lord neither yet cease afflicting the Members of his Son even such is the Lord of Life coming to viâ—â—t and he reacheth forth his hand and taketh away the Breath of the Wicked and putteth forth his Finger to the Life of the Princes of the Earth and most assuredly there is neither Pope King Prince Ruler Judge Justice or any other Nation or People whatsoever that shall be able to stand before the dreadful Power of the Lord of Hosts neither shall they ever prosper who combine together and rise up against him his poor despised Flock and the knowledge of his Ways but he will rain Snares upon all his Adversaries and pour Contempt upon Princes and stain the Pride of all their Glory and bring into Contempt all the Honourable of the Earth and with a foolish Nation will he anger the Judges of the Earth and with a People rejected forsaken and trodden under foot will the Lord bring down the strong Oaks of Bashan and Zion that no man cared for which hath been as a plowed Field will the Lord restore into its former Beuty and Jerusalem shall become a Praise over all the Earth and the Mountain of the Lords House of Holiness shall certainly be established above all your high dark Mountains of Wickedness and there is no Weapon formed against the Seed whom God hath blessed that ever shall prosper for we know in whom we have belived and we fear not the inchantings of Balaam neither are we discouraged because the mighty Rulers of the Earth would have the Israel of God defied for we know the Enterprizes of the Wicked will come to nothing and themselves shall fall into Destruction who are privately and openly seeking the Destruction of those whom God hath said shall prosper Therefore in vain do the Wicked bend their Bows and smite with the Tongue and imprison by their unjust and false Writings called Mittimusses for the Lord God seeth the Affliction of his People and will reprove Kings for their sakes and take the Wise in their own Craftiness and lead Judges away Fools and bring the Honour of the Princes of the Earth into Contempt for evermore and a perpetual Shame shall cover the faces of all Zion's Enemies and the Adversaries of Jerusalem which is free shall be as Chaff before the Wind and none of the Arm of Flesh shall be able to preserve you from the Wrath of the Almighty neither shall your Greatness in the World deliver you from the wrathful Presence of the Lamb who is the Light that condemns for the Sin neither shall any of your Unrighteous Laws Decrees and Ordinances Warrants or unjust Orders and Snares which you make for the Innocent hide cover or deliver you from the Terror of the Pit in this day of Darkness that is nigh at hand wherein yet more gross Darkness shall cover you until your feet stumble at the dark Mountains and you suddainly fall and never rise again and a perpetual Shame cover your Names for evermore who Repent not Wherefore Wo unto you Rulers of Hampshire who hath bewitched you that you should not obey the Truth which makes free Who hath blinded your Minds that you cannot see the Life of the suffering Seed which preacheth the Innocency of the Lamb in Meekness and Long-suffering among you What is it that hath hardened your hearts that Truth cannot have entrance in you How are you Bowels shut up that you have not affection to Nature How unreasonably have you caused the Members of Christ sick and in Prison to suffer How will you give an Account for these things when they must go to the left hand who visit not the Members of Christ sick and in Prison Oh blind and miserable men my Soul even mourns over you that which should be your Life is and will be your Condemnation it lieth in Prison in you Oh! who are more blind than you And how long have you hardened your hearts against the day of Slaughter and rebelled and strove with the Powers of Darkness against the Light of Christ in you who amongst you hath not whereon lay his head neither can he be received though he come unto his own How evilly have you entreated his Servants and Messengers Where is your entertaining of Strangers and when do you plead the Cause of the poor and needy Is it not apparent that the poor in Spirit you are strangers to And is it not seen that the Bonds of Iniquity which separate you from God are not broken Are not we in this filthy streight Prisor a true figure of the filthy streight place in you that the righteous seed is long in Prison And is not the cutting off of one of the chiefest Counsellors among you an apparent token that your Councils are not of the Lord And may not the suddain destruction of another of the chiefest of you be a warning to the rest Are you more hardened than they in the days of Corah And are you more blind and worse than them whom God plagued because they kept the Ark of the Testimony of the Lord in the place of the uncircumcised And is not his Testimony a witness in us And will ye not see when the hand of the Lord is lifted up Surely were the oppressed let free within you would soon let the oppressed go free without and because it is not so Wo be to you a hard hearted and unbelieving Generation who shall pity you in the day of Slaughter or bemoan you when your Calamity cometh as a Whirl-wind Even then shall you know that the Lord is become your Enemy who are Enemies to his Lambs Oh! my heart is enlarged and I am filled
with the Indignation of the Lord and overcome with the Power of his Might Many Woes could I from the Lord declare and much of his Judgment make known unto you yea many Lines might I write and unfold the Mysteries of his Power which from your Eyes are hid and long hath my Soul mourned in secret for you and because of the fierce Terrors of the Lord which you cannot escape mine Eyes have been filled with Tears and my Heart with Sorrow and that for you O ye blind scornful and rebellious Men that rule this County The Lord God will bring Shame upon you and your Names shall Rot and be left for an evil Savour for the Generations to come Better had it been for you if the Womb had been your Grave or that you had had a Milstone hanged about your Necks and cast into the depth of the Sea before you had writ an Line or made one Order or had a hand against one of the Friends of Christ who follow him that makes an end of sin whom one day you shall see to be of the Seed whom God hath chosen who being born of the Spirit are now unto you as the Wind of which you hear a sound but know not whence they come neither whither they go whom you keep in your filthy Prison to force them to bow to you like Haman but take heed how long you provoke the Lord therein and consider what it is in you which you would have us please bow or submit unto by speaking such words as may satisfie that Will in you which unjustly cast and keeps us in Prison And now behold the Lord God hath tryed you and you are found Enemies to his suffering Seed and Fighters against God and your Hypocrisie is made manifest and the Infamy of your Unrighteousness is spread over the Nation and Gods Witness in the hearts of Thousands will judge of your Actions to be Unjust and Unreasonable and to the Children of Light your insides are discovered and your end is seen and your secret intents neither can your Devices be hid nor any shelter cover you for the Light is come that makes all things manifest and the secrets of the Lord are with them that fear him Be ye now therefore awakened and instructed O ye Rulers of the Earth and let your Minds be turned to the Light in you and strive no longer with God who is Light for that which may be known of God is manifest in you And did you not first strive and fight against his Witness in you you would not fight with your carnal Weapons and carnal Prisons against his Messengers and Servants who fear before him and fear not them that kill or imprison the Body till death of whose Servants and Messengers you shall know that I am one in the day of your Calamity and Destruction the which that you might escape in Soberness and Meekness have I this many Moneths dealt with you writing reasonable and plain things unto you that you might in meekness come to hear the Cry of the Oppressed both within and without but if you hear not earthly things but in that be unreasonable and unfaithful in the unrighteous Mamoâ— who shall commit unto you the greater Riches or open unto you the Mysteries of the things of God who with things that are not is bringing to nought things that are and with the things that you despise is he overturning the Counsels of the Mighty and that which confounds the Wisdom of the VVise and brings to nothing the Understanding of the Prudent and overturns the Devices of the Wicked even in that is my Life and in that which terrifies troubles torments and condemns the World do I rest in Peace with God for evermore and remain A Friend to the whole Creation and to the Souls of all Mankind who of men am numbred amongst Transgressors in a filthy Prison and place unfit for men at Winchester this 24th of the 8th Moneth 1658. To the Enemies of Equity Truth and Peace I am only known by the Name Humphry Smith To them who have lately believed in the Light and are waiting to receive the Life THE Day of Gods Everlasting Love is come and with his Mighty Power is he risen to gather all them in the Light of his Son that long have sate in Darkness and in the Shadow of Death upon whom the Day is now Dawning wherein the Outcasts of Israel shall be gathered and the Captives that long have groaned may now come to know Deliverance for with plentious Redemption is the Lord visiting his People and he is coming near unto his own and seeking them that are afar off and lifting up a Standard for the Standard for the Strangers to flow unto and many shall return unto the Lord and People shall be gathered to the God of their Salvation and he will pour out his Spirit upon the Humble and fill the Meek with the Riches of his Love Multitudes of People shall come unto Sion and the Poor of the Flock to the City of the great King for Light is breaking forth as the Morning and Righteousness as the Sun at Noon therefore shall the Mourning Seed be comforted and that which groaned in Captivity lift up the Head that the Prisoner may spring forth of Bondage and the longing Soul be satisfied and Judgment come upon the Wicked and Terror upon the Loftiness of man the Rebellious brought down to the Dust and that which boweth not unto the Light with it is condemned forever that through the Condemnation the Seed may spring which long in Death hath lain and is now to be raised up by the Arm of God's Almighty Power which now comes to be revealed unto them who believe the Voice of the true Spirit which is in the midst whom all are to hear and obey his voice who comes out from God and leads them that believe in and obey him up unto God again and he is the only Way unto the Father by whom the Redemption comes who is arising in the Hearts of the Children of Light whereby they come to know Light shine out of Darkness giving them the Knowledge of God which Knowledge they never learned from all the Teachers of the World which Teachers are themselves in that Ground in which the Knowledge of God cannot be received and that which they have not received themselves they cannot teach others therefore you have not received the Knowledge of God from them after which Knowledge something in you hath long groaned which is now to be satisfied from him in whom the Fullness of God doth dwell who is the Light of which you have received in which you are to wait to receive the Promise of the Father that your Souls may be refreshed in the Bosom of his Love and feel God's Mercies showered down as the early Rain in the time of Drought that your tender Desires may not wither nor your breathing Spirits faint in the way but may with chearfulness
broken and the Oppressed are now to be set at liberty and the glorious Liberty of the Sons of God is and is to be made manifest Therefore Friends wait on the Lord that you may come to reap the peaceable Fruits of Righteousness which in due time comes to be brought forth in all them that faint not And take heed of seeming to be what you are not for all Proud Boasters are for the Lake Take not Counsel of the Serpent neither reason by the carnal Thoughts for the Morrow be watchful in all Diligence that you may know Gods Work wrought in you before the Night comes in which none can work Therefore be not Idle Sloathful nor Negligent for the Lord who is Love will not alwayes wait upon such to be gracious yet they that Honour him through Obedience he will Honour but they that despise him shall be lightly esteemed Those that obey him he honoureth in his Love and the Disobedient he leaves in a Bed of Torment You who are tender humble lowly in the bowels of my Father's Love I salute you all and Friends take heed of your Wills and learn of him who is the Light and leads into Lowliness and came not to do his own Will and him hath God the Father sealed And take heed of words and be not hasty any of you all to utter words before the Lord I charge you in his living Presence and speak not rashly unto men nor out of Gods fear one unto another for that which bridles the Tongue is able to rule the whole Body and keep it in Subjection to him who is the God of Order The Blessings of the Lord God Almighty be with the Suffering Seed and with you all to which only I desire to be manifest and to which my Love doth reach and by it am felt and received who am known to some only by the Name Winchester-Bridewell Humphery Smith The two striving within THat Mind and Spirit which went out from and disobeyed the Life of God professed the Name of God to cover itself with that without the Life the which Profession through the secret subtilty did more more encrease which led farther off from the sence of the feeling of the Life of God and when it stirred to judge that which went out from it then presently would that which out lead forth farther to seek after and comprehend in the Knowledge and Profession of his Name treasuring up that in that which went out from his Life therewith to cover that without the Life and then for a time that was quiet being got so far out from the sence of the feeling of the stirrings of the Life which stirrings being got out from ceased for a time to strive being resisted with that which abode not in it whereby it became vailed and covered with a thick Cloud by that which sinned against it the which thereby came to be Exalted above it even above all that is called God and is of his Nature increasing getting strength and covering it self in the Earthly Wisdom through the Carnal Coverings and Profession of God out of the Life and the Power which by that was grieved and under that oppressed which under the Oppression sometimes would stir again and in secret judge that which did oppress and wound that which grieved it even striking through it with the dreadful Darts of its Power making the other sensible that its Judgments was to pass over and cut down the Head of that which was above it exalted the which Judgment being loved turned to there is a coming again to the sence of the feeling of the operation of the Power which judgeth and stirreth against that which got up against the Power professing his Name who is the Power but not bearing his Image nor feeling his Nature who being with the Power judgeth and condemneth with the Light which cometh from the Power yet being not kept to the Cross and his Head always under the Sword of the Power through the Law in the Judgment his Head gets forth again the twining Head of that which got the Profession but abode not in the Power which Head being not bruised in its first motion the Body grows up even the man of Sin with Spiritual Wickedness in High-places shewing it self like the Power but exalted above the sence of the Power and there stands in opposition against the Power which being judged condemned confounded scattered and overturned with the powerful breakings forth of that which by it suffered so the true thing presents it self to be the Leader which being received and obeyed it driveth the mind in where is stillness and quietness out of that which labours for Vanity into that where the labour and striving ceaseth and the Rest is received and the Day come which God hath blessed for evermore where the Lamb is the Light and the small still Voice is heard and the Power of the Word is received the which some coming to see through the Openings in the Light and yet not in it waiting through the Openings in the Light and yet not in it waiting through the Judgment to be led into the thing it self so that that which stood in the Power soon leadeth out the Mind into a false Joy because of the sight to cover it self again therewith And so as that is still followed which leadeth forth from the Power in the sight conceiving and professing of the Light being out of it having not the Substance and the Power is more and more departed from in what Image or From soever it be and the bare Form is continued in the Power is denied but as the Power is minded and waited for standing out of dead Forms and Images so the other which abode not but leadeth out of the Power of the Truth cometh to be crost judged and denied and so not followed but kept out of in the Light to Watch and War against it by the Light out of it to be lead into that and it to receive Immortallity abideth forever And so as there is a continual watching with the Light that may be seen which abides not in it but is got up above it working in all Deceiveableness in the Mystery of Iniquity to cover it self with a Profession of Truth but still keeps out of it And also that may be seen which suffers under all this and lieth under it so that it cannot be come to nor come at by that which is out of it and stands above it and it is vailed and covered and the narrow entrance to it is hard to be found and being found is soon turned out of and hard to be kept in by reason of the many Twinings of the Deceiveableness of that which is and is rightly named the Mystery of Iniquity which worketh in them that obey not the Light which cometh from the Truth in which the Power standeth out of which that goeth forth which hath not the Power which is to be confounded with the Power that the
nor any man to teach them then hath the Enemy invited them to sit down at ease and so not minding the continual fear at last they loath the Manna and call it Dry whereas the driness and barrenness comes by reason of their Unfaithfulness in not improving what they had through their continual watchfulness under the daily Cross And the Enemy geteth forth the Mind of others to watch for Evil or at least to look at the Temptations Backslidings Backwardness and Failings of others more than their own Conditions who see their own Evil therein some whereof thereby at last draw back others question the Truth it self and by such things as these the Simplicity in many other tender Lambs is burdened grieved and the Life pressed down by which they should grow and be fruitful unto God And others being convinced with the pure Light of something that is Evil which seemeth little to the carnal Eye and so going out from the Obedience to the Light and consult and reason and take Counsel of the Serpent who then contrives a way to shun the Cross therein and so endeavour to dawb the thing over from a secret Deceit working in the Power of Darkness until the Light hath even ceased striving with that Person and then he goes on with the thing saying He hath liberty therein But let such mark and observe themselves for no more unto them is committed neither do they grow or come any further but there stand as dry Plants coming long to Meetings having the Form but not feeling the Power for such who knowingly deny their Obedience in any thing to the Light of Christ he will deny them his Power in all things And thus doth and will the Enemy of your Souls make havock of the Flock if in the pure humble fear he be not alwayes watched against and slain by the Power of the Cross in the Light and many other Wiles and Ways doth the Enemy of your Souls watch to devour ensnare and overcome you the time would even fail one to declare it the Lord God Almighty help you against it that so in the Light you may see all these and many more things which you are all to Watch and War against that Spiritual Wickedness in High-places may not overcome you and that you may not turn aside with the Error of the Wicked nor be overcome with the power of Temptations but that you may be all diligent and watchful against every appearance of your Enemy and be able to stand in the day of Tryal that the Enemy of your Souls prevail not Therefore all Friends every where keep upon your Watch let the Light search your Hearts and keep your Meetings together in the silent fear and dread of the Lord that his Power in you all may raise you all in the Dominion and Wisdom of God to stand and feel that which keeps your Hearts together in the unlimitted Love of God and so his presence you will be fruitful unto his Blessing come to receive whereby you will be fruitful unto him in every good Word and Work The living Power of my Father preserve you all from the Power of the Enemy and keep your Minds in that which crosseth your Wills that the Lord God of Life may watch over you all for good for evermore Written for the good of many from the true Love of him who is known to many of you by that which is nearer than the Name of Humphry Smith Winchester-Bridewell the 4th Mon. 1658. TO THE Musitioners Harpers Minstrels Singers Dancers and the Persecutors From one who loved Dancing and Musick as his Life which being parted with and the Light being come which was before these things in which they are all seen And from it is declared THE Ground Foundation Beginning and Father and Children and Compass and End and the Effects of all the Harpers Musitioners Singers and Dancers Who may read what I have learned who have tryed their wayes and also searched into the things of God and declare this according to Scripture and have found the Joy which Man cannot take away JUBAL was the Father of all such as handle the Harp and Organ and so the Father of all such Musitioners being himself of the Seed of Lemach who slew a man and so the Son of a Man-slayer was the Father of all such as handle the Harp and Organ And the Man Christ the Light is the Lamb slain from the Foundation of the World And Jubal was of the Generation of Cain who first slew a Man and then built a City he slew his Brother one that was near unto him and the Light of the Lamb slain is near unto every one even that which comes from the Man of Sorrows is in the Heart Cain's Seed slayes the man of Sorrows the Musitioners were of Cain's seed And that which slayes the man of Sorrows invents sets up and delights in the Instruments of Musick and the Father of all such was Jubal the seed of Cain who built a City and so was a Rich man and his seed delighted in Musick and so his seed who are gone from the Lords leading are building Cities Strong holds high and large Houses with painted Parlours and then set up the Instruments of Musick in the cieled Houses without and within themselves full of Rottenness or as a Cage of unclean Spirits whereby the just is murthered and the House laid wast and desolate as to the Life of God which should be the Temple of the holy Ghost and the Father of all these was Jubal the seed of Lemach a Man-slayer who also had another son Tubalcain the seed of Cain an Instructer of every Artificer in Brass and Iron and he that hath attained to never so much if not come to that which fulfills the perfect Law is as sounding Brass 1 Cor. 13. and there is many also of the Seed of this Instructer whose Instructions bring people to be but as sounding Brass And this first Instructor and Jubal were the Off-spring of Cain the Vagabond driven from God against whom the Blood of the Righteous doth Cry yet so rich in the Earth that he built a City being separated from God who confounds mans wisdom then comes that which makes merry over the Witness Gen. 4. And they who danced in the wilderness and sung and made a great noise and were in the Mirth and Vain Delights were a stiff-necked People and such as sate down to eat and drink and rose up to play like the same Generation now who are stiff-necked and bow not to him who is the Light low in the Heart to whom every knee shall bow but eat and drink and rise up to vain delights having Musick at their Feasts seeding themselves without fear Jude 12. like Jezabel at whose Table the false Prophets feed who made a Feast when she intended to murder the Righteous to gain his Possession read within and that which Murders the Just and such who forget God delight in
not thereby lifted up in Pride Ambition and Wrath so as thereby to keep your selves from the attaining unto a Pearl of far more greater Price and of a more durable Substance for great is the Riches Honour and Dignity that is coming near unto you if you let not your Hearts be hardened against it in the strength and perversness of your own Wills despising the Day of your Visitation of Love and rejecting the Message of Life to your Souls and contemning that by which you might come to live forever and have Dominion over Death and Hell and escape the Torment which all them fall into in the day of their Death who dye out of the Covenant of Life and Peace the which Covenant that you may attain unto and come to live in forever let Love Mercy be received in you and then brought forth by you and let Humility and Fear be placed in your Hearts with it in tenderness to rule over others and let the Light in you which lets you see the thing that is Evil lead and guide you to speak and do the thing that is good right and just and let your Words be few sound sober and meek and hate not them who from good will to your Souls bring the Reproof of Life unto you or publish the word of Repentance among you or proclaim this message of Love and Peace within your Borders let not such be harmed for a day and time of Visitation is coming near upon you all and happy may you be if you receive Instruction and love the Light By a lover of the Souls of all Mankind a Servant of the God of Life Prisoner at the City of Winchester known by the Name of Humphry Smith TO ALL Parents of Children Upon the face of the VVhole Earth That your Children you may the better train up in the right Way that they should go therein something of the True Way it self is discovered that Iniquity may not be received by Tradition from Parents to Children and so from one Generation to another but that your Children may come to Christ and be Children of God and so be a Comfort unto you Therefore is this sent among you every where in love to your Children and you FRom the Bowels of God's infinite Love unto a tender Seed of him not known nor brought forth in tender Babes am I moved to you to write That your Children you provoke not to Wrath nor draw forth their Minds into Unrighteousness neither be ye Examples of Rashness nor Frowardness neither teach ye them that when they are little to please your vain Minds which you must chastise them afterwards to leave again neither teach ye them to be Proud by drawing forth their Minds to look at foolish Toyes which you in the Transgression have put upon them in any manner of dressing which is needless for this know that in so doing you bring them from being such of whom the Kingdom of God doth consist to be Children of the Devil who is the Father of Pride which many harmeless Children would not come unto were they not trained into it by such as are in Pride already neither teach ye them to strike in the least nor provoke them to have any delight to see striking for thereby afterwards they come to strike one another and hurt one another and so you teach your own Children to be unnatural one to another and you unnatural to them in teaching them to strike one another and then when they are a little grown up to strike and beat them for striking one another the which you taught them Neither teach ye them to speak wicked Words nor many Words for in the Multitude of Words there wants not Sin Neither teach ye them to call Names in the least nor any such thing as you will answer it for their Souls in the great and terrible Day of the Lord for in these things is greater weight than many Thousands are aware of And for want of taking heed of these things in the true fear of God Children have grown up in these and the like things to be a great Grief unto their Parents of whom they learned it and some beat their Parents being taught thereunto when they were little and so trained up out of the fear of the Lord. And by this Wickedness received by Tradition and nursed up from one Generation to another Nations are overspread with Sin and Iniquity and Towns and Countries are filled with all Abominations whereby the Lord of Heaven and Earth is grieved Therefore of these things be ye all warned for this do I know that in many tender Babes and young Children there is a meek innocent harmless Principle from God who willeth not the Death of any and they have a Light from Christ that lighteth every man that cometh into the World which Light is in them And he said Suffer little Children to come unto me forbid them not for of such is the Kingdom of God who come unto him that is meek and low in Heart therefore you should suffer them to keep unto come unto that which is meek and low in the Heart for that which may be known of God is manifest in them And Christ the Light had a love to little Children and said He that will enter the Kingdom of God must become as a little Child Therefore Wo be to you if you teach and cause such to become the Children of the Devil by following your devised Fables evil Examples and wrong Guidance in your own rebellious Wills For behold and look upon young Children and see how innocent and lamb-like they look and consider if every thing were as good as God made it and how much more if they were brought forth in the Covenant of God And wherein have they delight in Pride or any Covetousness or any manner of Cruelty And is it not better for their Souls if you let them keep in that state and so to suffer them to come to Christ who saveth from Sin and his Power keepeth out of Sin and his Light in the Conscience condemneth for Sin where it is and he cometh to destroy the Works of the Devil Therefore you should consider that you are far from Christ if you teach such the works of the Devil that never knew it and teach Children to enter into Sin which separateth them and you from God and keep you forever from Salvation unless you come through Judgment out of it again which many come short of and most attain not unto for few there be that enter in at the strait Gate And that you may the more consider my words and come into Moderation and the Wisdom of God in these and other things to walk exemplary before your Children and to be to them Patterns of Gravity Meekness and Sobriety therefore shall I set before your Eyes some plain and simple Truths of my experience when I was a Child First as concerning Tenderness my Heart was much affected
of Christ in me did let me see the Abominations of the Priests practices and did speak against their way of sprinkling Infants and said I should never stand as a God-father for any nor never did whereat a man Swore at me and said It was pity any one did it for me but I said I mattered not if they had never done it for I was never the better though I had never heard any one speak against the things nor did not until many years after And so that which is now my Guide is the same which was in the beginning before the Sin and no other Foundation I never knew neither can another Foundation be laid in any than that which is already laid which is Christ within the hope of Glory and he saith I am the Light come unto me and suffer little Children to come unto me for the Kingdom of God is of such as come to him meek and low in Heart who saveth from Sin And certainly I never knew the Kingdom of Righteousness and Peace until I became again as I was when I was a little Child And how hard it is to come again into that simple innocent state when degenerated from it let Gods Witness in the Couscience answer Therefore is this written that you may not shut up the Kingdom of Heaven from your Children Secondly Take heed how you cause or suffer your Children to Babble many vain words with their Tongues with a delight to hear them prattle when there is no need for thereby afterward the Tongue becomes an unruly Member set on fire of Hell Jam. 3. 6. as I found and bore the fierce Indignation of the Lord for and many little Children would not come to speak so many vain and evil words which corrupt the good Manners if they were not much provoked thereunto and seeing People delight to hear them speak the most crasty words which are from the subtilty of the Serpent and many send their Children abroad among other wild People or Persons to have them learn subtilty and crast to speak their words from and how to be hardy or too hard for others by subtil Words and Lyes also in buying and selling and when they have learned it say They can live any where and that they can shift for themselves and live by their Wits and forecast which indeed oft-times to deceive others and yet there 〈◊〉 such a plain honest simple Principle in some that they can never be brought into such subtil words nor into so many words as others though they themselves have much endeavoured to attain it but they have been more plain and simple and the Lord preserveth the simple Psal 11. 6. and such sometimes could not defend their own cause but were pleaded down when their cause was just by others that had learned more of the Serpents subtilty which the Vengeance of God will one day come upon when the Lord avengeth the cause of the oppressed And in this I have had also much experience for when I was a Child I saw much into the vanity of needless words and was very backward a long time in speaking and in that and some other things much differing from other Children and many thought I would have been a fool 〈◊〉 they call it 〈…〉 the foolishness of God and therefore oft-times much means was used to cause me to speak and many Provocations long together and yet not at all scarce make me speak one word for I saw then it was needless and could not ask one how he did when I saw he was well nor answer that which was needless and when I was a little grown up and sent upon any small Errand I should deliver my Message in very few words that people thought I would be never like a man and about ten years of Age my Father in the flesh would sometimes send me to Market and it was long before he and all others could make me ask any more then the price he did allow me to sell at or if he did not set me a certain price then I should resolve of a price in the mind according as I saw the Market and so I often sold with the cheapest being loth to take too much and therefore was often esteemed and called a Fool and Dunce but it had been easier for me if I had never been drawn out of that state when I was taught of God to do unto others as I would be done unto and was fearful to strike any one but rather gave way to them that struck me and so was by many of my equals abused and it was hard for me to take away the life of any Creature and pleaded much against it with my Father and Mother when they commanded me to do it though it was but to kill a young Dog or Cat or the like my Life in me was grieved to do it and much was I forced to harden my Heart before I could do any such thing though commanded by my Parents which may be a warning to all Parents that they be not the cause of the hardning of their Childrens hearts and then say of them they are hardy Lads for that which har dens the heart seperates from God who is Love and from Christ who comes to save the Life and so the Sacrifice of God is not known which is in the broken Heart but the Lord is with the humble and the broken hearted And you should all take heed of provoking your Children to many words for all flesh should be silent before the Lord and their words and yours should be few seasoned with salt that they might minister grace to the Hearers for God sitteth in Heaven unto whom an account must be given for every Idle word and according to every word that a man shall speak shall he be judged Therefore let the fear and dread of the Lord God be before your Eyes that you bring not your Children into the Condemnation by speaking more then 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Of plain simple Truth in few Words left the Lord God of Heaven and Earth requite it of you in the day of his firce Wrath when you will not be able to answer him one of a Thousand and left you bring your tender simple Babes to be Children of the Devil and then it be not in your power to bring them back out of that state again but they dye in their sins upon whom the Wrath of God abideth Therefore as you love and tender their good both of Soul and Body see that you keep and in all things bring them to Gods Witness in them and that will judg and reprove them for any Evil they have done and will keep them more out of all Evil then you by any other Reproof can do and will answer your chastizing for any Evil to be just when done in the true Moderation not exceeding the Offence committed nor proceeding from the least motion of the wrathful nature in you mark that Thirdly take heed of provoking your
Children to unquietness neither disturbe them of being quiet for many are not content to see them sober and quiet but are provoking them to Lightness and vain Pleasure when they would be sober like Lambs for it is written In quietness and rest shall ye be saved Isa 30. 13. And study to be quiet I Thes 4. 11. And commune with your own Hears and be still Psal 4. 4. For when I was a Child I did often sit and stand quiet long together pondering many things in my Mind and as I grew up all along that thing remained with me that for an hour or some hours if I were not disturbed I should sit quiet either waiting on the Lord for Counsel or searching which motion in me to be guided by And when I have been riding along the way when I have sound the right thing in me did not lead me I have turned back and not rode that Journey And my silent siting like a Fool my Father hath often called studying and hath often sharply reproved me for it saying by way of Reproach I would sure study to be some great Preacher or another and my Mother hath come to me it s like hundreds of times both when I was a Child and a Man and in her pity hath laid hards on me and bid me should not sit studying so for surely I would make my self a fool not knowing what my condition was And being so usually disturbed and grieved sometimes on First-dayes or when I could I should get into some Wood or place so private that none should find me and there wait in quietness three or four hours and sometimes the Love of God would break through me and his Word would make my heart soft and I felt the same then which now is my Life and now I know that those that wait on the Lord renew their strength and though it is written The Lord was weary of the Peoples Sacrifices and with their Words Mal. 2. 17. Yet it was never written in Scripture that the Lord was weary of those that waited upon him Therefore you should suffer your Children to wait upon God or at leastwise to be quiet and that which may be known of God is manifest in them Rom. 1. 19. And the Lord hath not lest himself without a Witness in every Conscience and it is Christ that is given for a Witness Isa 55. 4. and his Light shineth in their hearts who saith Come to me and learn of me for he is the Shepherd and Bishop of the Soul who teacheth all to Prosit Isa 48. 17. And is that true Prophet which whoso hears not the Soul is cut off and certainly my Soul was cut off from the Life when I was forced from hearing his voice in me that is a man of Sorrows and as a Lamb dumb Therefore take heed of provoking your Children to hear ken to a stranger or another Teacher than he that is a living Mimster within the vail and the vail is over the Heart where I have found that Instructor that shall never be removed but all Teachers without may be removed and Priests and men may dye but this abides a Priest forever being made by the Power of an endless Life Heb. 7. And so now all such as come to know something of God in them they also come to sit in silence and quietness to receive Instructions from God which is no new thing invented by the will of man or learned one from another but is the same with that which guided the Prophets and was in my heart from God of a Child and I do affirm in the presence of the Lord God that I had never returned out of that degenerate state which I was hurried into from the measure of the breath of Life in me if I had not waited in and been obedient unto the Light of Christ which was in me so a Child And you may all mind that all along there hath been something in you which in secret did reprove you for sin and will let you see the sins of your Youth or Childhood and that is the Light of Christ the Son of God who so loved the World that he gave his Son a Light into the World and the World is sct in the Heart Eccles 3. 11. that all men through him might believe and be saved from Wrath to come and that is it that is given for a Witness and the Witness is alss in the Conscience of a Child which will testifie against it after it hath done Evil and the Countenance will fall like Cain but before they have done Evil they are not ashamed as Adam being innocent and if they be falsly accused of an Evil they have not done they will have Boldness therein and the Witness in them will justifie them and the Witness is given of God to be a Leader Isa 54. 4. and a Captain Heb. 2. 10. and a Saviour Mat. 1. 21. And the Lord in the midst is mighty to save Hos 11. 9. And this is freely given to every one without Money and without Price so that there is neither Jew nor Greek Barbarian nor Scythian Bond nor Free but Christ is all and in all and he is called a Witness and the Light of the Gentiles and he saith I am the Light believe in the Light And God is Light who is above all and through all and in all Ephes 4. 6. And he hath placed a sufficient measure in every one Psal 46. 5. Heb. 8. 10 11. which was my Teacher when I knew no other and before I knew what it was and is my Teacher now and is the same as ever it was and doth not Change and this is that which comes from God and is not put in them by Man nor humane Learning but men by their Eloqent Speeches and vain Deceit may lead them forth from that in them and so break the Command of Christ who said Go not forth Mat. 24. 25. And then when they are led forth after Lo here and Lo there from the Rock which Christ the Light within and from the sure Foundation which God hath laid and no man can lay another though they despise this and reject and refuse this precious Corner-stone which is the Light that shineth in the heart to give the knowledge of God from the which being led by the subtility of mans fallen Wisdom then are they liable to follow any devised Fables and Imaginations and Sects and Opinons and to be scattered upon every dry barran and dark Mountain as the Lord knoweth I was long not knowing where to find Rest having been hurried from and led out from my true Guide from and by the which at first I could pray with the Spirit as in measure the Spirit that was within helped my Infirmity with Sighs and Tears which being led out from and the tender Motions of it quenched then after I grew up was taught to say Prayers and some Prayers that others learned out of Books and this they
Peace with God and his Blessing to be with you alwayes and be a Comfort to your Parents and all that truly fear the Lord. Written by a Member of Christ whose love was to little Children and so is mine who am called Humphery Smith THE True and Everlasting Rule From God discover'd AND That which proveth all things Published from the Spirit of Truth To the which Rule the Scriptures also bear Testimony that the Simple and Honest-hearted may see what Rule they are to walk by to come to perfect Peace and Rest with God for evermore Also A Testimony of the true Prophet who was to come and is come and there is not another his Work witnessed and Truth declared from a feeling-sence and experience according to Scripture Wherein also is shewed That the Prophets of God and Ministers of Christ did preach the Light and so those who preach the Light now do therein preach the same Doctrine as the Prophets Christ and his Apostles did With an Invitation from the Spirit of Christ By a Servant of the Lord and a Sufferer for his Truth in the House of Correction at Winchester in Hampshire called Humphry Smith The Lord thy God will raise up unto thee a Prophet from the midst of thee of thy Brethren like unto me unto him shall ye hearken Deut. 18. 15. To the Flock of GOD whom he hath gathered in Glocestershire Herefordshire Worcestershire Wiltshire Oxfordshire Buckinghamshire Hampshire Dorcetshire and Devonshire TO you my dearly beloved Lambs and Babes in Christ Jesus chosen of God the Father before the Foundation of the Word called to be Saints sanctified with the living Truth in the inward parts justified by him that is near redeemed with the Blood of the new Covenant glorified as a royal Diadem in the hand of the Father preserved through believing and obedience by the mighty Arm of unlimited Power compassed about with Salvation anointed with Oyl of Joy and Gladness of Heart who are beloved of my Soul and the Joy of the whole Earth who are chosen and faithful and true who through great Tribubation the Kingdom do come to receive who have not loved your Lives unto the Death who did once walk in the Shadow of Death whose feet now come to be guided in the Way of Everlasting Peace to whom the hand of the Father's infinite Love hath been reached forth as unto tender Babes who come to be born and nursed up by the Womb and the Paps that are free which is the Mother of us all who know the first-born which is blessed for evermore who are become the first Fruits unto God and to the Lamb who have received the Testimony of Jesus who have washed your Robes in the Blood of the Lamb and have received the fine Linnen which is the Righteousness of God and the Righteousness of the Saints whose Sins are done away forever whose Nakedness is covered who have put on the pure Robes and are adorned as a Bride for her Husband who are clothed with Righteousness as with a Garment and are all Glorious within and are able to stand upon the Sea of Glass mingled with Fire and before the Throne out of which proceeds Lightnings and Thunders and Voices who have cast down all your Crowns at the fect of the Lamb and come to wait on him forever and ever who is King of Kings and Lord of Lords who is worthy of all Glory and Honour and Praise and Thanks and Obedience and Dominion from all his for evermore The Salutation of me the Prisoner of Jesus Christ with my own hand unto you my dear Ones unto whom at present my Bowels of Love from God the Father are poured forth with whom I am in the Spirit of Love and Meekness among whom I have passed through good Report and evil Report yea that which is not to be named who am as one of the least yet not the least in Love unto you who are unto me as the Children of my own Bowels bound up with me in the unspeakable Life of the Father which from all the World is hid for evermore where Life and Immortality dwelleth forever and is daily felt by all you that abide faithful in the Obedience and keep your Garments unspotted of the Flesh abiding in the pure Fear and godly Humility your Bread is continued and your Waters are sure and your Souls are made as a watered Gardâ—n and Peace and Life springs up in you and you may delight your selves in Fatness and find the replenishings from the Fountain of God's living Mercies and grow up in the holy Life as Trees of Righteousness the planting of the Lord that he may be glorified The Church of the first born are you come to be the Pillar and Ground of Truth made lively Stones elect and precious growing up a holy Building unto God the Father who will dwell in you his holy Temple forever and ever who are founded upon the elect precious and Corner-stone the sure Foundation the Rock of Ages the Light of the World whose light is your life which is shining forth unto the Sons of men that they may see your good Works which are wrought in and by you and hear your seasoned words which ministers Grace unto the Hearers and answers Gods Witness in all and makes for your Advantage who are as Plants of Renown a Habitation of Holiness Vessels of Honour Clusters of Grapes who receive nourishment from the Vine whose Fruit never fadeth whose Rivers are never dry whose Rayment never waxeth old whose Glory never fadeth whose strength is renewed as the Morning your Dread is upon the People and your Terror upon the Heathen your Enemies are all as stubble before you and your God in the midst of you is a consuming Fire Dreadful is his Presence in you unto all his and your Enemies the Workers of Iniquity who shall fall before you as the Grass that is cut down and wither as the Blossom that is cut off Paleness shall cover the faces of all your Enemies before you shall all People be much pained Sorrow shall take hold upon them in the Night-season then shall the Arrows of the Lord reach into their Bowels Astonishment of Heart shall be upon them and they shall fly when none pursues and be in Distress and none shall deliver Arise against them O ye my Lambs in the strength of the Lord who teacheth your hands to war and your fingers to fight let the Beast be overturned forever let the Whore have blood to drink let her Merchant be spoiled forever and all her Children dashed against the Stone and broken to pieces as a Potters Vessel with the Power of the Light let the Darts of your hands who handle the Word of Life strike through all the false Prophets and reach unto the secrets of all their Hearts to the renting open of their Chambers of Darkness and the cutting down of the Enemies of the Most High and fear not let not your hands be slack the Lord
of Hosts goeth before you the mighty God is in the midst of you the shout of a King is among you and your Weapons are not Carnal but Spiritual which will bring down their Holds though never so strong And you who suffer in outward Bonds and there in your place according to your measures bear your Testimony against the covetous Hirelings who are the Merchants that belong to the great Whore who have long fed at Jezables Table and have long deceived the simple Oh! faint not in your long-suffering the Lord God is with you as you continue in patience and long-suffering and you shall be crowned with Immortality forever if you endure to the end for the Cry of your Affliction is ascended up on high and the Lord hath heard the Sighing of the needy and a three-fold Reward will you at last receive who endure to the end For the Lord God of Life who seeth in secret is sccretly undermining the very Foundations of all Sions Enemies and bringing Deliverance unto the Captives in a Way that hath not been known that unto you O ye afflicted Ones may Deliverance come not by might nor by strength of man but by the mighty Arm of Gods Power which in due time will bring Deliverance unto all the dear Lambs of Christ who this day stand faithful in the Innocent sufferings And all you who are yet but young and tender abide you all in Meekness Lowliness Diligence and Faithfulness without murmuring at them that are growing up before you and let no Root of Bitterness spring up among any of you I beseech you in the Bowels of the Lord Jesus Christ And all you that are grown up into the Understanding of Holiness walk you all in the Life of God and let that guide you in God's Wisdom as Examples to the Flock among whom you are placed not as Lords to rule with any thing in the Will but in Tenderness to serve the least Member that it may be preserved that all may grow up a holy Building unto God the Father To whom be all Glory forever and ever The Blessing of the Lord be upon you and the Power of the Most High overshadow you that you may spring forth as the Rose in Summer and be fruitful as the Vine in its Season The true and ever lasting Rule discovered c. THe Lord God formed man of the Dust of the Ground and breathed into his Nostrils the Breath of Life and and man became a living Soul So man was formed of that which was earthly and into that which was earthly that which was living was breathed and that which is living comes from God which is to keep and lead man unto God but man going from that which is living into that which is Earthly is thereby led from God and being led from that which is living he is also pleading for another thing than that which is the Life to be his Rule and Guide and so comes not to be guided by that which is manifest of God in him Gen. 2. 7. Rom. 1. 19. Now the Letter is not living but the Breath of Life within is the which living Breath man not knowing goeth forth from it to be guided by the Letter which killeth 2 Cor. 3. 6. But the holy men of God who walked with God and were obedient to his Will and spake forth and writ Scriptures from that which was holy in them and were Perfect in their Generation they were such who came to be guided by that which was living in them and from that men in dayes of old called upon the Name of the Lord Gen. 6. 28. and they had not a Scripture without them to guide them thereunto And Enoch walked with God and so he walked with that which is living and not with that which is earthly neither had he a Scripture without him to be his Rule and so he walking with him who is the Life came to be translated that he should not see Death Gen. 5. 24. Heb. 11. 5. And Noah who was Perfect in his Generation found Grace in the sight of the Lord. Consider this he found that by which man comes to be saved for by Grace man is saved which Grace to all men hath appeared and so Noah found that which bringeth Salvation which is the Grace of God in the Heart and thereby he came to do God's Will and not by any thing that was earthly nor from a Scripture without Gen. 6. 8 9. Ephes 2. 5 8. Col. 3. 15 16. And Noah who found that by which man is saved him God blessed and his Seed and said The fear of you and the dread of you shall be upon every Beast of the field and they were to multiply and bring forth abundautly from the living that was within the Earth for by that comes the increase of God and with them God established his Covenant and so Gods Covenant came to be established with him who found that in the Heart by which man is saved Gen. 9. 1 2 7 8 9. And the Lord who is the one Spirit was Abraham's Leader from his Kindred and Father's House and so Abraham heard that which was living and obeyed that which was spiritual who had not a Scripture to be his Rule and unto him the Lord appeared and blessed and in the time of the grievous Famines he and his seed was fed Gen. 12. 1 2 7 8 9 10. And he that is led by the Spirit comes thereby to receive feedings when the Famine comes upon them who are led by another thing and Abraham who followed the Lord was called the Friend of God and he through believing became the Father of many Nations and he saw the day of Christ the Light and obeyed the Word which liveth and abideth forever 1 Pet. 1. 23. and being led by that which is living from his Father's House and out of his Country so by that which is living was he preserved and him God loved and to him afterward the Word of the Lord did come saying Fear not Abraham I am thy Shield and thy exceeding great Reward And Abraham answered the Lord and the seed which God blessed came forth of his Loins who are led by the Spirit Gen. 15. 1. Heb. 11. 8 9. And on the contrary Nimrod who began to be a mighty one in the Earth he went hunting before the Lord who is the one Spirit and now there is that first which is earthly and much earthly Wisdom whereby man goeth hunting before the Spirit comes the which should not be but man should stand still and not hunt and see the Salvation of God and so receive the Spirit to lead or go before him and not to run or hunt before the Spirit but let it lead man as it s written As many as are led by the Spirit of God are the Sons of God Rom. 8. 14. but Nimrod hunted before God who is a Spirit and he was one of the seed of Ham who was the Father of
Canaan whom Noah cursed And the beginning of this mighty Hunter's Kingdom was Babel where the Lord whom he hunted before followed after and confounded the Language of all them that belonged to this mighty Hunter who was a mighty one in the Earth and out of this Land of Babel went forth them that built many Cities and afterwards there was a People whose gods were according to the number of their Cities And so see what followeth when man is not led by the Spirit of God as Noah was and so preserved but hunts mightily before him being mighty in that which is Earthly first he is mighty in the Earth then a mighty Hunter then builds a mighty Tower whereby he that is earthly would climb up to Heaven this a Figure and then God confounded the Language and after wards those that were in the many Languages professed God who confounded the Language before whom their Father Nimrod hunted and they being found in that which God confounded though they professed God yet in Works denyed him and crucified his Son the Lord of Glory and writ over his Head of the many Languages Latin Greek and Hebrew and this was written above him that was the Light and so them now who are of the stock of Babel are yet exalted above the Light and count the Light a weak and low contemptible thing not able to save it self much less to save them that believe in it and so therein manifest themselves to be of their Fathers who crucified him that said I am the Light and said unto him If thou be the Son of God save thy self and so despised him who came to save them And this is some of the effect of mans hurting mightily in the Earth before they came to receive the Spirit as Nimrod did Gen. 9. 18 25. ch 10. 8 9 10 11. ch 11. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8. John 19. 19 20. But Jacob followed obeyed and believed the Lord who is a Spirit and the Presence of God was with him and the Blessing of the Most High was upon him and the Lord promised To be with him who was a Worm in six Troubles and in seven and when he passed through the Fire and the Water and God gave him a new Name and afterwards promised To give his Seed a Name better than of Sons and Daughters and Jacob was a plain man and dwelt in Tents and him God loved and he prevailed with God Isa 41. 14. ch 43. 1 2 3 4 5. Gen. 22. 28. Isa 56. 5. And so Nimrod with his Followers who was mighty in the Earth came to be confounded and Jacob who was little in the Earth as a Worm and dwelt in Tents he and his Seed came to be blessed And Moses the Servant of the Lord whom God Almighty honoured in his everlasting Love and made him a Deliverer unto and a Judge and Ruler over the People Acts 7. 35. he being in Aegypt the Land of Darkness and Bondage and all the Seed and Israel of God in cruel Oppression and I do not read that he had any direction from Man or Scripture or any thing else without him to guide him at first to refuse to be called the Son of Pharoahs Daughter and the glory of Aegypt and to chuse to suffer Affliction with the People of God Neither do I read that he saw the Angel or Glory of the Lord until after he was and had been Obedient unto that which God had given into him for that which may be known of God is manifest within Rom. 1. 19. for it is said in the Scriptures of Truth That it was by Faith Heb. 11. 24. that he refused the evil and chose the good and Faith is that which is in the Heart Acts 15. 9. As it is written If thou believe in thy Heart Rom. 10. 9. Acts 18. 37. And of that Faith in the Heart God hath given to every man a Proportion Rom. 12. 6. And as that which is but little in man is loved and obeyed so man comes to know more of God and hear his Word of Faith which is in the Heart Rom. 10. 8. And by hearing and Obedience of Faith man receiveth the Spirit Gal. 3. 2. which is an undeniable Truth which I might prove by a cloud of Witnesses from the Scriptures which were given forth from the Inspiration of God by his holy Servants And so there being something of God in man whereby man may as Moses did first refuse the Evil and then chuse a suffering state and so learn to do well the Sin then comes to be done away Isa 16. 17 18. and afterwards more of God's enless Love and powerful Presence is made manifest and so being faithful in the little received from God in the Heart man comes to rule over much as Moses did who first learned the Obedience of Faith in the Heart though in Aegypt and in the time of great Persecution where he was also despised of his Brethren yet he obeyed the Word of Faith in the Heart and so afterwards to him God appeared and the Word of the Lord came unto him and he talked with God afterwards face to face as a man talketh with his Friend and the many Wonders that the mighty Power of God wrought in and by him are recorded at large in the holy Scriptures for a Testimony thereof to last throughout many Generations And by this Faith also afterwards the Members of Christ did walk 2 Cor. 5. 7. And Joshua who succeeded Moses was full of the Spirit of Wisdom consider that he was first full of the Spirit and so thereby he came to be a Leader and Ruler over others and the Dread of the Lord fell and his Judgments came upon them who rose up or stood against him and those whom he by the Power of the Spirit in him came to rule over and great many and mighty were the Victories that God gave unto this man who was bold and couragious by reason of the fullness of the Spirit that was in him and the People hearkned unto him as they did unto Moses and he left nothing undone of all that the Lord commanded Moses Deut. 34. 9. Josh 11. 15. But the Lords people in these dayes who are led by the Spirit of God in them are accounted both by Priests Rulers and People to be drunk or mad as it was before when the Son of God who is the Light was revealed in Paul Gal. 1. 15 16. he was accounted by the Ruler of the People to be mad Acts 26. 24. And when the Disciples of Christ had waited and afterwards received the Spirit of Truth within from the which they spake as with new Tongues as the Spirit gave them utterance at them then many were amazed others mocked supposing them to be drunk Acts 2. 12 13 14 15. And when Hunnah prayed in Heart being grieved in Spirit was esteemed to be drunk even by Ely the Priest yet she by her Prayers in her Heart obtained her desire of
the Lord who gave her a Son that knew the Lord and ministered before him being yet a Child but the Sons of Ely the Priest were Sons of Belial and knew not God like the Priests of England 1 Sam. 14. and 2. 18. And David a man after Gods own Heart was a deaf man and heard not and as a dumb man that openeth not his Mouth being dumb with Silence and held his Peace even from good until his Heart was hot within him and the Fire burned then he spake with his Tongue Psal 38. 13 14. Psal 39. 1 2 3. 9. and afterwards he said Thy Word have I hid in my Heart which Word is as a Fire that I might not sin against thee and so that which keepeth from Sin is hid in the Heart and that Word David said was a Lamp to his Feet and a Light unto his Paths which Word he kept and loved the Law of the Lord which is written in the Heart and so was made wiser than his Enemies and had more understanding than the Ancients and all his Teachers Psal .. 119. 10 11. vers 42 43 50 67 81 97 98 99 100 101 102 103 104 105. And all the Prophets of the Lord were led guided and directed by the Spirit of Christ which was in them both in their Actions which sometimes were as Foolishness and Madness in the Eyes of the Professing Jews and also in their Words which sometimes were as Thunder against the ungodly though they were the Rulers of the People and their Words were so Terrible against them that professed Godliness and lived in unrighteousness that Amaziah the high Priest said of one of the Prophets who spake in the dread of the Lord That the whole Land was not able to bear his Words Amos 7. 10. And Amaziah the Priest of Bethuel being not able to bear the Word of the Lord therefore he falsly accused Amos of conspiring against the King Amos 7. And from the Spirit in them did the Prophets with boldness declare against the Wickedness of the Rulers of the People saying to the poluted City Thy Princes are Rebellious and Companions of Thieves they love Gifts and Rewards and judge not the Fatherless nor the cause of the Widdow and suh as these are the Adversaries and Enemies of the Lord upon whom he will be avenged and all them that trouble his Servants Isa 1. 23 24. 2 Thes 1. 6. And it is just and right for the Friends of Christ to declare against the Enemies of the Lord and those that decree unrighteous Decrees and write grievousness which they have prescribed and turn aside the Needy from Judgment and take away the Right of the People that they may Rob the Fatherless against these is the Hand of the Lord stretched out and they are to bow down under the Prisoners and fall under the slain Isa 10. 1 2 3 4. and saith the Prophet Wo to the filthy and poluted City her Princes are roaring Lyons her Judges are evening Wolves her Prophets are light and treacherous her Priests have poluted the Sanctuary Zeph. 3. 1 2 3 4. and many more such expressions they used which was not Railing but sound Words in the fear and dread of the Lord read Amos the first and second Chapters And from the Spirit of Truth in them did they also declare even against such as were the Teachers and Leaders of the People and were made Ministers by a Law of God which Law was then in force and those Ministers departing out of the way and corrupting the Covenant like the Priests of England therefore the Lord made them as he will these who deny the Way the Light base and contemptible in the Eyes of all the People because they also have been partial in the Law Mal. 2. 8 9. and against such did and do the Servants of the Lord declare they being such Shepherds that cannot understand but are blind ignorant dumb greedy Dogs these are the worst of Dogs Isa 56. 10 11. and by such is the horrible thing committed Jer. 5. 30 31. And the Pastors are become bruitish Jer. 10. 21. Therefore hearken not unto them Jer. 27. 13 15 16. verses also read Jer. 23. and Ezek. 34. For as Troops of Robbers wait for a man so the company of Priests murther in the way by consent Hos 6. 9. And one of the chief of that number is John Hodder Priest of the Parish called Haychurch in the County of Dorset and there was a People the Heads thereof judged for Reward and the Priests teached for Hire and the Prophets divined for Money is it not so in England Mich. 3. 11. and saith the Prophet O ye Priests this Commandment is for you I will send a Curse upon you and corrupt your Seed and spread Dung upon your Faces even the Dung of your solemn Feasts hearken ye Priests of England Mal. 2. 1 2 3. And this was and is sound Doctrine which the itching Ears of the false Teachers of our dayes cannot endure to hear being found themselves such cursed Children that cannot cease from Sin that were to come in the latter dayes 2 Pet. 2. 14. and those Words and many more to the same effect were they guided by the Spirit of Christ the Light in them to speak and from that Spirit they declared against the Rulers Priests and People who had the Law or Letter and Moses Writings without them yet were Enemies to the Spirit of Truth within But the Prophets searched diligently to see what and what manner of time the Spirit of Christ in them did signifie 1 Pet. 1. 11. So that the Spirit of Christ was in the Prophets which testisied unto them and was their Rule and Guide And when Christ came who is the end of the Prophets and the Law he also declared against the same generation as the Prophets did and we do and he said They were of their Father the Devil who did his Works notwithstanding they had the Scriptures and the Oracles of God and were of the place of holy Worship and were zealous and strict therein even against them did Christ proclaim many Woes Mat. 23. for the Word of God had no place in them neither could they hear it John 8. 37 43. but in Christ the Light did all the fullness of God dwell Col. 1. 19. 2. 9. And so he that had the fullness of God within him was counted a Deceiver a Blasphemer denyed and crucified by them that had the Oracles of God without them and read the Prophets every Sabbath-day yet knew not their Voices Acts 13. 27. which prophesied of him whom they knew not when he was come who is the Light And now we do bear witness that the Light is come as did Isaiah 60. 1 2 3. though Darkness covers the Earth and gross Darkness the People yet in him that is the Light doth the fulness of God abide and no man cometh to the Father or fulness of God but the Son who is Light And
now those that have the Scripture and call that their Rule in the which they read of Christ the Light yet the Light they deny and so deny him of whom the Scriptures speak and him unto whom all Power in Heaven Earth is committed and so long as they deny him who is the Light unto whom all Power is committed they cannot receive Power from him to become the Sons of God but they who do receive and believe in him who is the Light unto them he gives Power to become the Sons of God John 1. 12. And now the zealous professing Jews Scribes and Pharisees have the Scriptures but they deny him that is the Light and so they are blind and all those must needs be blind who hate the Light and deny it and so the Jews had the Oracles of God without them and the Law without them and Christ the Son of God without them and among them preaching to them and yet they were deaf and blind and of the Devil for they did his Works And moreover the Disciples of Christ might read the Scriptures without them and they had him in whom was the fullness of God among them with them or without them and yet in many things they understood not John 12. 16. but were often asking Questions as in Mat. 23. 10 36. chap. 16. 22. ch 17. 10 13 19. ch 18. 1 21. ch 19. 10. ch 24. 3. John 13. 7. and some time they knew not what Spirit they were of Luke 9. 55. and though he had been a long time with them yet it was hard for them to know him John 14. 5 6 7 8 9. and though he had been so long time with them consider it was with them for With may be one thing and In another until he had finished the Work without them which the Father gave him to do John 17. 4. Consider the outward Work of Christ without or among the Disciples may be finished and he was at the Passover with them and at the Supper with them and gave his Life for them and they saw his Body broken and his Blood shed without them and yet not withstanding all this afterwards he that is the Light upbraided them of Unbelief and Hardness of Heart Mark 16. 14. who for a long time had the fulness of God amongst and with them who being with them said He that is with you shall be in you John 14. 17. And so they were to wait to receive him within and that within was to abide forever but that without departed away but that within was and is to lead into all Truth and be with his to the end of the World for that which is in man is alwayes with him but that which is with man and not in him may not alwayes be with him And now the Light is in man and so he that is with his to the end of the World is the Light of the World who is the Resurrection and the Life who was dead and is alive and I say he liveth for evermore who hath finished his Work in the outward things to wit Circumcision Baptism the Supper and Death on the Cross without the gate and is now revealed within and worketh all our Works in us and ever liveth to make Intercession for us Isa 26. 12. Heb. 7. 25. in whose Hearts he is now crying Abba Father and he that hath the Son hath also the Father to whom be Eternal Dominion Glory Honour and humble Obedience for evermore And so Christ Jesus being also guided by that of God or rather the fulness of God in him whereby he finished his Work and departed away from among them and bid them wait for that which should abide with them forever and said These things have I spoken unto you being yet present with you but the Comforter whom the Eather will send in my Name he shall teach you all things John 14. 16 25 26. and that which teacheth all things was to be revealed within and until that was come and revealed in them they did not know all things so that that which teacheth all things and sheweth plainly of the Father and abideth forever is to be received within and they in Obedience to his Command did wait and their waiting was not in vain for when the time was fully come they did receive the Promise of the Father which they had waited for and so were filled with the holy Ghost Acts 2. 1 2 3 4. as Joshua was full of the Spirit and in Christ was the fullness of God and Stephen was a man full of the holy Ghost and the Desires of such was That others might be filled with all the Fullness of God Ephes 3. 19. It s not filled with the Scriptures And so they being filled with that which was holy were by that led in the Way of Holiness and with that which was holy in them were they to build up one another Jude 20. and then they spoke the Word of God with Boldness and after the Son of God was revealed in Paul three years after he went up to Jerusalem to see Peter Gal. 1. 16 17 18. and fourteen years after he went up to Jerusalem by Revelation Gal 2. 1 2. And so he did not say he went by the Scriptures or any Command without him but by Revelation and a Revelation is within and that all the Ministers and Disciples of Christ did come to be led and guided by his Spirit that was in them might easily be proved by many undeniable Truths of plain Scripture wereby it might more largely appear that they were all led guided and directed by the one Spirit in them though the Gifts Leadings and Operations of that one Spirit in them was various as may be read 1 Cor. 12. And now most People will grant this before written to be true That all the People of God formerly were led by the Spirit that was in them but that men should now in these dayes be led by the Spirit of Christ in them is by many denyed the which thing chiefly is that which I would a little search into or rather open to thee from that which hath searched me Psal 139. 23. and that according to the Scriptures of Truth if that will be by thee regarded that so it might appear unto all that are not willfully Rebellious against the Light of Christ in their own Consciences and also deniers of plain Scripture by the which I am ready to prove That the People of the Lord and Ministers of Christ were not only led by the Spirit of God themselves but also in their Words and Writings did direct others thereunto saying Walk in the Spirit be filled with the Spirit and Worship God in the Spirit Gal 5. 16. Ephes 5. 18. Phil. 3. 3. John 4. 24. But say the People Though they did walk and direct others to walk by the Spirit yet are not we now to walk by the Scriptures And is not the Scriptures now to be our Rule And
are we not to be led by that To which I Answer That God changeth not And where doth the Scriptures say That the Scripture is to be a Rule to walk or be led by And the Ministers of Christ did not say As every man hath received the Scriptures so Walk But As every man hath received Christ and he is the Light so walk Col. 2. 6. Consider there is first something to be received and then there is to be a walking in the Power and Strength of that received for a Babe is not able to walk by all the words that may be spoken unto him until he receive power and strength within him and the new born Babes are to receive the sincere Milk of the Word and the Word is in the Heart and then to grow up by that received 1 Pet. 2. 2. and every man is to walk as he hath received of Christ the Light which comes from the Word which lighteth every man John 1. 9. but every man doth not receive that into the good Understanding which he is lighted with but rather strives against and hates it for every one that doth Evil hateth not the Scriptures but the Light John 3. 20. and so they hate that in which the Power standeth but as many as receive him who is the Light to them and none but them he that is the Light gives Power and he hath gifts for the Rebellious but they hating the Light and his own whom he lighteth receive not him that is the Light and to them he committeth no more and so they have not Power yet they may have the Scriptures And so man walks by the strength that is in him which strength comes from the Word by which all things were made and man receiving the ingrafted Word which is not the Scriptures it is able to save the Soul for Christ the Light whose Name is called the Word of God Rev. 19. 13. is able to save to the utmost all them that come to God through the Light of the World Christ Jesus and in him neither Circumcision nor Uncircumcision availeth any thing but a New Creature and as many as walk according to this Rule I do not say my Writings peace be unto them Gal. 6. 15 16. And so here was the Rule which whoso walked by the Peace belonged to but many call the Scriptures their Rule and have not Peace but they to whom the Spirit is a Rule from it to them Peace comes and man being led by the Spirit in him hath that to be his Rule from whence the Scripture was given forth And now that which man is to be directed guided and led by tryes measures or searches things that sometimes he calls Rule and it is not said the Scriptures searcheth all things but the Scripture is to be searched into John 5. 39. and it s said The Spirit searcheth all things yea the deep things of God 2 Cor. 2. 10. Prov. 20. 27. and that Spirit which searcheth all things comes from him Who hath measured the Waters in the Hollow of his Hand and meeted out Heaven with a Span and comprehended the Dust of the Earth in a Measure and weighed the Mountains in Scales and the Hills in a Ballance Isa 40. 12. and draws a Line through the midst of his People and layeth Judgment to the Line and Righteousness to the Plummet and sweepeth away the Refuge of Lyes Isa 28. 17. and telleth the number of the Stars and calleth them all by their Names Psal 147. 4. And they to whom this Spirit is a Rule and are led by it they are the Sons of God Rom. 8. 14. and it is not said as many as are led by the Scriptures are the Sons of God and man is to walk by the same Rule of that he hath attained Phil. 3. 16. and mark them that walk so and it is said If ye are led by the Spirit ye are not under the Law Gal. 5. 18. but many have the Scriptures and yet are under the Law but the Spirit which is the Word Ephes 6. 17. cometh and hath power to redeem from under the Law which the Scriptures doth not for through the Spirit the Deeds of the Flesh come to be mortified Rom. 8. 13. And while Paul profited much in that Religion which he learned from the Pharisees he was an Enemy to Christ the Light but when Christ was revealed in him and he obedient to the heavenly Vision then was he led by the Spirit in him to do God's Will and he did not say That the Mystery of Christ which in other Ages was not made known was then manifest to him by the Scriptures but he said That it was by Revelation made known unto him and revealed to the holy Apostles and Prophets by the Spirit Ephes 3. 4 5. and he did not say without Scriptures it was impossible to please God but it is said Without Faith it is impossible to please God Heb. 11. 6. and Faith is in the Heart and purifies the Heart and so without that in the Heart which purifies it men cannot please God and so man cannot please God without being guided by that in the heart which respects no mans Person Jam. 2. And so every one is to walk according to that which he himself in particular hath attained unto and to mind the same thing according to the measure of the Rule which God hath distributed 2 Cor. 10. 13. and that Rule which God hath distributed is the Rule and no man ought to go beyond it or boast of things without or beyond that measure or of other mens labours or things made ready to their hands but to give all Glory to the Lord 2 Cor. 10. 14 15 16 17. And this was the Rule received from God which his Ministers walked by and exhorted others unto and so I do not bid People walk by my Writings but by their measures in them received from God and that is living as God is and of his own Nature and enables man to do his Will and so fulfills that which is written without and was given forth from the measure of God within What then do I herein in the least make void contemn slight villifie or deny the Scriptures God forbid nay I had rather my Pen mightfall out of my Hand or my Arm from my Shoulder or my Tongue cleave to the roof of Mouth forever then I should go about to make void the Scriptures of Truth and is a true Declaration Luke 1. 1. Which was given forth from that which is my Life which is hid not in the Scriptures but with Christ in God Col. 3. 3. and the Word was God and that which was God is God John 1. 1. but if I should say the Scripture is God I should be a Blasphemer like unto others Do I herein deny the Scriptures Nay rather I establish the Scripture in its place and make use of it as a Cloud of Witnesses by me in directing all People unto that which
of him who is the Light of the World unto whom all the Prophets gave Testimony Isaiah who witnessed the Son born and the Child given Isa 9. 6. by whose stripes he came to be healed he preached the Light and said The Light was come and the Gentiles should come to his Light and Kings to the Brightness of his rising and he also prcached the Light to be everlasting Isa 60. 1 2 3 19 20. so that Kings and Gentiles shall come unto him that is the Light who is Gods Wisdom that is from Everlasting Prov. 8. 23. who is given for a Light to the Gentiles and in him they trust And Isaiah said Come ye let us walk in the Light of the Lord Isa 2. 5. And the Disciples called him Lord who is the Light And David's servants were careful that the Light of Israel might not be quenched by his going forth to War Mark That which leads forth to War quenches the Light 2 Sam. 21. 17. And Job did not deny but the Light was given to him that was in Misery and to the man whose Way was hid Job 3. 20 23. And David preached him who is given for a Light unto the Gentiles to be Salvation to the ends of the Earth and said The Lord is my Light and my Salvation Psal 27. 1. And in thy Light we shall see Light Psal 36. 9. And Light is sown for the Righteous Psal 97. 11. And he that came of David said Truly Light is sweet Eccles 11. 7. And when he came of whom the Prophets prophesied who is the only Prophet and High-priest and the end of the Prophets and the Law and that Priest hood which was made by a Law he being come preached himself to be the Light of the World and said While you have the Light believe in the Light John 8. ch 12. And John who was a Minister of Christ preached the Light and said it was the Life of man John 1. and Light is come into the World John 3. 16. And Peter preached the Light shining in a dark place And the Ministers of Christ who were Eye-witnesses of his Glory said The Light shined in Darkness and God commanded the Light to shine out of Darkness and some witnessed that they were made partakers of the Inheritance with the Saints in Light And many more Proofs might be brought from the Scriptures of Truth as a Cloud of Witnesses to prove that we who preach declare and bear witness to the Light do not therein preach a new Doctrine nor another Gospel but the same with all the holy men of God and that which we have heard and seen which was from the beginning which Message is this even the Light which Light in the World in the Heart is the Corner-stone which is the sure Foundation and other Foundation can no man lay than he that is the Light that is already laid And this is the true Prophet which all are to hear and the Children of the Light do hear know and obey his Voice and stranger they will not hear but him by whom God speaks for God in times Past spoke unto our Fathers at sundry times and in divers manners but in these last dayes he hath spoken unto us by his Son who is the Light whose Name is called the Word of God Rev. 19. 13. which Word was hid in Davids Heart of whom Christ came who is the Light and the Word which was a Light unto Davids feet and a Lanthorn to his steps and so David called him Lord who is the Light and the Word nigh who is in the midst and preacheth Peace to them that believe in follow and obey him that is the Light and the Light is the Condemnation of all them that hate it and every one that doth Evil hates the Light but the Light is the Condemnation of all whose Deeds are Evil and every one that loves the Light wherewith he is enlightned brings his deeds to it and by it the hidden things of Darkness are made manifest and waiting in that which it doth make manifest to be Evil so Christ the Light comes to destroy the Works of the Devil and make an end of Sin and reconciles up unto God who hath given him a Light of the Gentiles and a Covenant to be salvation to the Ends of the Earth and this is he that lighteth every man that comes into the World which World God so loved that he gave his Son a Light into it that all men through him might believe and be saved from Wrath to come and so it s the Will of him that sent him who is the Light that all men should be saved and come to the knowledge of the Truth which Truth brings Freedom to the Seed whereby it comes to have Peace with God being redeemed from the Bondage of Corruption and set at Liberty from under the shadow of Death wherein many long have walked whose feet now comes to be guided into the Way of Everlasting Peace where the Children of the Light do rest together And this is he who hath wrought Redemption with his own Power and redeemed out of the Captivity and opened the Prison Door and preached Peace to the Spirit that was in Prison in the dayes of Noah when the old World was destroyed and brought the Flood upon the Ungodly yet saved the Seed in the midst of the Storm and raging Waves and by him even he that is the Light is Captivity led captive and that which ruled over is brought to be a Servant under and when the Word of the Lord came to the Rock it opened and much of living Water issued forth abundantly whereby the Thirsty came to be satisfied and clothing from him who is the Light doth daily come and the Rayment that never waxeth old he clothes with the Armour of Light and is as a Sun and a Shield from him the Spiritual Weapons come and he teaches the Hands to War and the Fingers to Fight so that the strong Holds are broken down and every Thought comes to be subjected and when he leads through the sufferings like a Lamb so is he followed and when he arises up to speak with Authority and not as the Scribes then is he obeyed who then utters his Voice like a man of War and lifts up his Voice like a Trumpet crying aloud unto all them that are Thirsty and proclaming the Woes unto all them who wear the false Coverings and by him are his Enemies confounded and Judges led away fools and Princes laid in the dust And at him do the Kings of the Earth shut their Mouthes and before him shall they all bow for with the Sword of his Lips doth he slay the Wicked and his slain are many and shall be more for no Flesh shall stand before him who is now come to plead and make War in Righteousness and now are his Enemies flying unto their strong Holds and fenced Cities but his Salvation is stronger than Walls or Bulwarks and that all
Power To all the Judges and Rulers of the Earth who rise up against the Lamb And to Gog Magog and all their Armies and to the whole Host of the Power of Darkness and to all men who fight against God who or whatsoever they be or whatsoever they be called BEhold ye Rulers of the Earth and listen and hear all ye Earthly minded Men let the Blindness of your Minds be opened that your dark Hearts may be enlightned hear I say and stop not your Ears whose Minds are in the Earth whose Eyes are closed whose Hearts are covered with a thick Vail by your own Iniquity who see not the Wonders of the Lord wrought among the living neither perceive the mighty Power of the God of the whole Earth who are besotted through the sinfulness of your continual Transgressions and are groveling as Moles in the Earth and laden with thick Clay and covered with the Vail that is spread over all Flesh that you see not the glory of the God of Life neither perceive ye the comliness of the holy One of Jacob to whom the bright Morning Star is as a Cloud of Darkness and the Way of the living God as a fierce Whirlwind of Fire who see not him that dwelt in the Bush neither hear his Voice who hath made Darkness his Habitation and his Pavilion round about him thick Clouds of the Skey Hear I say and let my words have entrance in you and let the sound of my Voice take place in your Hearts let the opening of my Lips give Astonishment to the Wicked and the enlargement of my Heart the Confounding of the Heathen let the Dread of the Lord take hold upon the Hypocrites and Astonishment seaze upon the Double-minded let the Prudent keep silent and hear and let the Honourable be quiet and consider let the Understanding give audience to my words and let the Mouth of the Fool be stopt let the Sinner stand still and be quiet and let the Ungodly consider the words of Truth rebel not against the Word of the Lord neither harden your Hearts against the Dread of his Power let the tall Cedar bow and bend and that which is lifted up be brought down and stand ye all in Meekness For behold the Omnipotent Power is come the Rock of Ages is revealed the Everlasting strength is made manifest the God of Abraham hath reacht forth his hand and the Redeemer of Israel is come to dwell in the midst the great Jehova hath uttered his Voice and he whose Name is I Am is at hand he that moveth upon the Waters may be felt and he that formeth the Seed in the Womb may be known he that inhabiteth Eternity is come to dwell in his People and walk in the midst of the poor despised of his flock having cleansed them by the washing of Water and renewed them by the Spirit of Burning and refined them with his Righteous Judgments and cleansed them with the Blood of his Son that in his Zion redeemed with Judgment he may dwell for evenmore and take up his rest in the midst of his People having made the place of his feet Glorious and his residence as a Seat in the midst of a Fire which burneth against all them that are in the Night and giveth light to them that are in the Covenant whose Glory is hid from the dark Mind and his Counsel with-held from the Unbelieving in Heart he standeth near unto the Wicked who perceiveth him not and taketh Notice of his secret Intents he observeth the footsteps of the Kings of the Earth and marketh the Decrees of the Unrighteous and when they have filled up their measure he putteth forth his Finger to their Life and taketh away their Breath he suddainly cuts off the Wicked and regardeth not the Mightiness of Princes he searcheth the Hearts of Kings and ruleth over the Powers of men his Infiniteness can never be declared in his hand is the Breath of the Life of the Souls of all Mankind Hear I say and consider my words and ponder the Meditations of my Mind for behold the Lord God of Life is come Immanuel is revealed the Root and Off-spring of David is grown up as a Plant of Renown the Seed of the Shepherd sits upon the Throne and before him shall all the Kings of the Earth lay down their Crowns every Emperor shall bow and bend and the Potentates of the Earth before him shall wither as a green Herb their Glory shall perish as the untimely Birth of the Womb their Honour shall vanish as the Smoke before the Wind their Wisdom shall fade away as a Blossom cut off and their Understandings shall come to nothing the Wisdom of the most high shall be exalted over all and with his foolishness will he them all confound yea with a foolish Nation will he anger the Judges of the Earth and with a despised People will he provoke the Rulers of the World to jealousie by the foolishness of his Flock will he confound his Enemies and by his weakness in them will he subdue the strength of the Mighty and though all his Enemies strive in the Arrogancy of their Spirits and in the fierceness of their strength yet shall he be exalted who is led as a Lamb dumb and he shall reign whose right it is in whose Mouth there is found no Guile who maketh an end of Sin and bringeth in Ever lasting Righteousness and setteth up Judgment in the Heart and cometh to rule in the Kingdoms of men and overturneth the Host of his Enemies by whom Judges are led away Fools Diviners turned Mad before whose Presence the Mightiness of the mightiest Rulers of the Earth is as Wax before the fire and their Strength melteth away as the fat of Lambs Wherefore hear and see O ye Kindreds and Rulers of the Earth the Lord our God is come the might of his strength is revealed and the Power of his Presence made known he hath chosen his Army to himself and their Names are written in his Life he hath numbred up his Hosts together and armed his chosen with his Everlasting Strength the Captain of his Host goeth before them and the Camp of the Lord is very great they are Numberless as the Sand of the Sea and Infinite as the Stars of Heaven Even so is the Seed of Abraham the Remnant of the Flock of Jacob whom the Lord hath redeemed who are chosen and faithful and true yea behold its even so and that all the Nations of the Earth shall know for the Lord of Hosts rideth on in Meekness in the midst of his Host and maketh War in Righteousness with the Enemies of the Lamb who would not that he should reign who makes an end of Sin and he is clothing his Army with Zeal as with a Garment and covering them with the Armour of Light and preserveth their Head in the day of Battel and girds them up with strength and guideth their feet upon the Rock and preserveth their
forth my hand towards the weak and utter my voice to the Prisoner of Hope and shew unto the meek in the Earth how the invisible God hath led his seed and is leading his Remnant through and out of the Variety of things unto the one thing it self from whence the various Things Gifts and Ministrations do come Now that which is chiefly in my heart to write for the Seeds sake is First Something concerning the Ministration of Moses when he was upon Earth Secondly Concerning the Ministration of Christ whilst he was upon Earth Thirdly and chiefly Concerning the Ministration of the Spirit First Concerning Moses's Ministration when he was upon Earth which was to last till Shiloh came or until the time of Reformation AS concerning Moses Ministration to wit the Law Condemnation or Death with the Priests Offering and worldly Sanctuary and an outward Tabernacle and daily Offerings for Sin and Store-houses for the Levites Strangers Fatherless and Widdows having the Ark of the Testimony within the vail and the Mercy seat covered and the Golden-pot and the People to seek the Law at the Priests Mouth whereby their knowledge is preserved and many profit much thereby and come day by day and year by year unto that which they esteem a place of holy Worship and Ordinances of God And notwithstanding the Priests of Moses Law were made by the Law of God yet that Priesthood changeth and the Law changeth and the very glory of all this passeth away for this did once seem glorious unto me and many more which only discovered sin though it made nothing perfect and with much delight was the reading of the Law and the Prophets hearkened unto and the daily confession of sin but the vail is over the heart whilst Moses is Preached and Sacrifices Morning and Evening with the long Prayers which the comers thereunto were not at all thereby made Perfect as pertaining to the Conscience though it had a shaddow of good things to come yet the glory thereof comes to be done away then how much more will the very glory of the most glorious Appearance of that Ministry perish and be done away which cometh short of this and hath not so much as the Image of this which was as a shaddow O weak and beggarly things that are found among those Priests now and their followers who come short of Moses Ministry for he directed them to Christ the substance and so his Ministration comes to be done away as Christ comes to be received for Moses did not seek to uphold his Priests or Law or Tythes or any thing else when Christ should come who is the end of the Law but did write of him and not withstanding his Ministry and Priests he said He that would not hearken unto him should be cut off and said The Lord will raise up Mark the words raise up The Lord shall raise up a Prophet and when the Prophet was come he said I am the Light and I am meek and low in Heart and this is to be raised up which is meek for to them that sate in darkness Light hath sprung up and the Soul that hearkneth not to the Prophet which springs up shall be cut off for Truth springeth up out of the Earth and Christ is the Truth and he said I am the Light which is the Horn of Salvation that God raiseth up to be a Light to lighten the Gentiles and is the Salvation of Israel and so the soul is to hearken to that which God raiseth up and that is it which condemneth sin under it who is like unto Moses whose Ministry discovers sin and so Moses directed unto Christ who puts away the sin and Paul said of the glory of Moses Ministration That it was no Glory in respect of the Glory of the Ministration of the Spirit and the glorious Ministry of the Spirit was received after he who had a Body prepared had suffered the Crucifying of his body and the Prophets searched diligently to see the glory that was to be after the sufferings of Christ 1 Pet. 1. 10 11. But the thing intended That Moses when he was upon Earth directed unto Christ and gave commandment That they should hearken unto him who said I am the Light and this is one Tittle of the Law that the Light be hearkned unto who is the end of the Law and the substance and he that offendeth herein is guilty of all and this is that in which all the large Ministrations of Moses is included that Christ the Light the true Prophet be hearkned unto and obeyed that by hearing and obeying his Voice or the Word in the Heart they might come from under the Law and the Priests and that which waxeth old unto the Life and Obedience of him who abides a Priest forever even the Lord of that glory which lasteth for evemore Secondly Concerning Christ and his Ministration when he was upon Earth and his work which he finished ANd when he cometh which Moses commandeth to hearken unto even Christ the true Prophet the Light of the World the living Minister the end of the Law who had a Body prepared to do the will of the Father which was in him the Man Christ Jesus he saith follow me and he took up his Cross and passed through the Death and the Vail and so being made Perfect through sufferings attained that Glory which he had with the Father before he had a Body which Body was prepared to do the Fathers will whose will was That all men should be saved therefore Christ tasted death for every man and rose again for the Justification of those that believe in him who said I am the Light and is sate down at the right hand of God who is a Spirit eternally in the Heavens ascended up out of the sight of them which gazed after that Body which is gone out of their sight even he Christ the Ministry hid from Ages and Generations now made manifest to destroy the works of the Devil being meek and low in the Heart he saith Learn of me Then not the of Priests nor any longer of Moses for the Law is the Schoolmaster to Christ who being come calleth one from the Custom another from going to bury the Dead another from questoning and reasoning what this man or another should do that he might not stand looking out at others but himself to follow the Light saying follow thou me And those that followed him when he was upon Earth saw his Miracles and heard his Parables and eat of the outward Bread and were filled though many now eat and are not filled and they had his body among them and they came to the Baptism and the Supper but Christ himself Baptized not and when he was upon Earth he said I go to the Father and I go to prepare a place for you and he said whither I go ye know and he said before follow me and except a man deny himself and take up his Cross and follow
me he cannot be my Disciple and he said My sheep hear my Voice and they follow me and he entred within the Vail and the Vail is over the Heart and was made Perfect through suffering and is sate down in the Majesty on high glorified with God the Father and the Father was in him even the fulness of God and that which may be known of God is manifest in thee and he said He had finished the work that the Father gave him to do and so the Fathers will was accomplished and done for which the body was prepared he said Now glorifie me Father with the same glory which I had with thee from the beginning and he that spake in the body abideth forever who said A Body hast thou prepared me which Body being crucisied he took up his Life again and then those that did know him three dayes before knew him not and he ascended and a Cloud received him out of the sight of certain men who never found him unto this day for he remaineth out of the sight of most that profess him and as the lightning in the Clouds of Heaven doth he come again and every eye shall see him that condemneth sin and the Kingdom of Heaven is within you and yet the blind cannot see nor the deaf hear And this was he that Moses commanded to hear who said he that is with you shall be in you and he that was with or without was to go away and that which was to be received within he said should abide with them forever and the Spirit of Truth was to lead into all Truth for though the body was prepared to do Gods will yet they by it were not led into all Truth but sometimes understood it not though he speak Spirit and Life and moreover they went away and some fled from the Truth and Peter denyed him that was the Truth and so such as have got a Profession of the Truth without them and not the Spirit within to lead into all Truth such fly in the day of Tryal from that Truth they profess and some deny it rather than suffer with or for it and herein them called Baptists also have not come short and some of them have bowed to the Beast and so it is with many who profess Christ and Truth without them even as with those who understood not the Parables nor could not cast out the unclean Spirits so that Christ was and is grieved when he hath been so long with and professed and followed without and yet not come to that Faith which purifieth the Heart whereby to cast out the Unclean within as thou mayst read in thy self And therefore Christ when he was upon Earth did often speak unto them of what was yet to come and I do seldom read or take notice that he did so often preach and repeat any one thing unto them as that of the Spirit to come saying That it Mark the Spirit would lead into all Truth and seeing their Weakness and Unbelief Mark 16. 14. he by the often repetition thereof did as it were the more chiefly engage their Hearts to wait for and seek after the incomes of that which should comfort them and abide with them when his Body was gone from them whither they could not come and to this one thing doth he direct them in various expressions as of his going to the Father and coming again and saith he I will pray the Father and he shall give you another Comforter even the Spirit of Truth whom the World cannot receive John 12. 16. And many things Jesus did which if they should be all written the World might not contain the Books John 21. 25. And many things he spake unto them Acts 2. 40. and yet there was something to come to be waited for and after to be received which was more than all this for said he These things have I spoken unto you being yet present with you But the Comforter Mark the word BUT intimateth something greater or more than what was spoken to them whilst he was with them for he saith He that is with you shall be in you John 14. 17. and said But the Comforter which is the holy Spirit whom the Father will send in my Name he will teach you all things Mark what that is that teacheth all things and bringeth all things to your Remembrance what soever I have said and so that is within which bringeth the words of Spirit and Life to remembrance John 14. 25 26. And having spoken of other things he saith again But when the Comforter comes even the Spirit of Truth John 15. 26. And if I go not away the Comforter will not come but if I depart I will send him unto you John 16. 7. And I have many things to say unto you but you cannot bear them now howbeit when he the Spirit of Truth is come he will guide you into all Truth John 16. 12 13. Here it may be seen that they who followed Christ without and not received the Spirit within could not bear what he had to speak unto them and also it may be seen that when the Spirit was come it would be better with them And much more might be mentioned how Christ foretold what was to come and be received and revealed in that day John 16. 23. when the Spirit should be poured forth according to the Prophets all which plainly declare and most evidently set forth how Christ in his Ministry when he was upon Earth did most chiefly direct unto the Ministration of the Spirit of Truth which was then yet to come and that they might not run to teach others as many do now before they had received the Spirit of Truth in themselves by and with that to be led into all Truth but might receive the Power of Truth in themselves from the Life thereof to convert others into the same therefore said he further after he was risen again But tarry ye in the City of Jerusalem until you be enducd with Power from on high Mark 24. 4. so that though they had seen his Body before and had now seen him after his Resurrection yet that and all the rest was not enough without the Power and the Spirit which was to come which they were to wait for And so now men should tarry wait and stand still to see the Salvation of God and until they receive the Spirit for it is the Spirit not the Body which searcheth all things and sheweth plainly of the Father And by this before-written in short I have a little endeavoured to shew unto the meek and single-hearted That Moses when he was upon the Earth directed unto Christ As in these words The Lord thy God will raise up unto thee a Prophet from the midst of thee of thy Brethren like unto me unto him shall ye hearken Deut. 18. 15. And Christ when he was upon Earth directed unto the Spirit which was to come in the like words saying These things have I
Greatness of thy strength prevail against the Almighty If so then mayest thou stand in thy Wayes O City of London but if not thy Misery will be great and who shall bemoan thee in that day or pity thee in the time of thy Distress Forasmuch as thou hast refused the counsel of the Lord and rejected the voice of his Servants in the midst of thee and hearkened not to his Word in thy own Bowels but also slighted the many VVarnings of the Lord by his Servants who were sent of him in love to thee that thou mightest come to serve him and not thy own Pleasure proceeding on from Year to Year like a monstrous Woman who regardeth not the Voice nor Person of Husband nor Friend Oh! what shall be said unto thee Must thou needs be left for Desolation And must thou be left as a Woman forsaken Will thy Lovers help thee in the Day of Trouble or thy delightsom Pleasures preserve thy Heart from Judgment or thy glorious Riches hide thee from the burning Torments If thou lovest thy Wages of Vanity more than God and thy Hearts lust more than thy Maker and wilt not turn speedily from it to seek the Lord in thy Heart then mayst thou post on as thou art going hastily to the Pit and with much eagerness to the Gulf of Misery where none can help thee And then will thy Feasting be turned into Famine thy Beauty into Dust thy Glory into Shame and thy Honour into Contempt as thou hast seen it come to pass upon others whose Glory and Strength was as great as thine by whom thou hast not taken warning by a thorow and speedy returning unto the Lord with all thy Heart Therefore will God search thee and judge thee according to what is found in the midst of thee and thou shalt be awakened in the day of God's anger and be sensible of the Torment when it cometh For though God hath also tryed thee with giving thee thy Hearts desire yet hast thou not been thereby humbled and though the Lord hath visited thee in loving-kindness yet hast thou walked loftily nay moreover thou hast taken occasion thereby to be the more exalted and art going in the Steps of them that the Lord so lately for such things overturned before thee that it cannot yet be forgotten And dost thou or the Rules in thee think to establish your selves by acting such things for which God overtured many mightier then you Therefore O City think not to establish thy self by Blood nor to be setled by way of Revenge for though some men may have done some things unjust against some of you and others so that God may justly by you scourge them sore for it yet wherein you do it in the way of Revenge or to Avenge your own cause or to set up your selves in Self-ends like them before you therein God will also find out a Scourge for you And this I have seen that the Great men of the Earth stand in slippery places and their great strength before the Lord is as Smoke before the Wind. My counsel is therefore That thou fear the Lord and turn from the Way thou art in and let thy Judges know that the Lord will judge them and let thy Rulers understand that the Lord will rule over their Strength and Wisdom and let thy Teachers perceive that God is come to teach his own Children And let the Kings Heart be upright before the Lord in this the day of his Tryal and time of Visitation from God the shortness or length thereof being hid from him over whom God ruleth as it pleaseth him who is cutting his Work short in Righteousness Therefore let all thy Inhabitants O thou great City from the highest to the lowest take good heed unto their Wayes and the Intents which are in them for the Lord seeth the Secrets of all your Hearts H. S. ANd that thou mayst not altogether disesteem of this Vision concerning thee and that thy Wise men may not esteem it as a thing of nought which is published for thy good and brought forth for thy Warning and declared to set before thee thy state at hand that thou mightest be warned before-hand and come to find something in thy self whereby thou mightst stand in the day of Tryal and endure in the hour of Trouble or otherwise Gods Servants might seal up the Visions and Revelations of God in the Book of Secrets and treasure them in the enlightned Chambers of the Heart where God is revealing his Secrets to those that fear him Therefore shall I write what hath been formerly shewed most whereof being come to pass and the rest hasteneth In my former Vision in the dayes of the former Rulers I saw on a Hill many Trees together standing which were both great and tall but they were very old and of a long standing and many of their lofty Boughs were broken and battered and many hanged downward which pressed down the Trees and they were old withering and decaying and had not grown a long time and were but as a Wonder to the Beholders though they had been of great account and the chief Trees among or over the rest and it was so that I beheld them much even with admiration to see such Trees in such a state which was more to this purpose than is here exprest and I beheld until all these Trees were rooted up out of the Earth and so overturned every one and their dead Bodies lay in a confused manner and were fallen one upon another and the Ground upon which they stood was broken up and then there was some room and liberty and Light came in and I walked and looked every way both upon the Light and the great Desolation of these great Ones The Interpretation whereof may be read by such as can but see And though this great overturning befell those great tall and strong Trees and that light came into that Ground over which those fruitless Trees stood yet I beheld round about and near unto it much Briars Brambles and Thorns in abundance which covered the Earth and it was such Rubbish that it was never like to be fit for any thing but to have a Fire kindled among it and it was so thick and so strong that there was no passing in nor through it but only where the narrow Way was and there also those Briars would catch on every side and he that passed through must stoop very low And what those Briars and Thorns were let those Brambles read who covered the Earth with their Multitudes in Raging Swearing Cursing Shouting Roaring and Drinking the Health as they call it of their King at his coming And near unto the place of the Destruction of those great Trees was there a Child in great Desolation in a close place where it had been a long time and was not like yet to be released but remained in want and misery which mine Eye pitied and in Irons and my Heart was sadned for it and the
opposite to him who came not to destroy mens Lives but to save them And what is here written need not hinder the moving of God in any of my Bretheren his servants in giving forth a more large Answer according to the particulars written in your called Appendix or to any other of your writings the which you may also expect only this was in my heart in which I have discharged my Conscience and so herein give forth my Mite a-amongst the rest of my Brethren by way of Declaration and that from God And by this it is my Souls desire your hearts may be humbled and truly rent and broken for your own Iniquities and that with speed or otherwise Gods dreadful hand you cannot escape And this is in faithfulness to God and love to your souls from a Friend thereof called Humphry Smith The 14th of the first Moneth in the Year 1660. The Lamb his Day PROCLAIMED THe Kingdom of God is at hand which comes not with Observation Salvation is near unto all that will receive it Redemption is coming in a time unexpected and Deliverance in a way not known as a Thief in the dark is the Heir come whose Light out of Darkness is shining and that which shineth out of Darkness is it alone that giveth the knowledge of God whom to know is Life eternal and the brightness of the Day of God is springing forth of Darkness as the Morning-Sun after the Darkness of the Night and glorious is this Day of the Revelation of God to all them that have waited for his coming who in the Life of his Power through the Obedience in his Love come to rejoyce in his Dominion over all the Powers of Darkness forever and sound forth the dreadful Day of his Power unto all the Inhabitants of the Earth from the which Christ the Saviour comes to take Peace and to bring the Sword of Gods Judgments into the Bowels of all the Earthly Minded and in him that judgeth the secrets of all mens Hearts do his Followers rejoyce and proclaim him unto you all that makes an end of Sin who of the Father of Love and Mercy is tendered unto all that will receive him that in him who condemns the Evil deeds and sin in the flesh Salvation might be attained unto who now comes unto his own of whom many receive him not for he is come to judge the World whom God so loved that he gave his Son the Light of the World that whosoever believe in him by whom the secrets of all hearts are and shall be judged may be saved from Wrath to come and find a sure hiding place when the wicked shall be cut off the Earth And now who will receive the Lamb in whose Mouth there is no Guile Who among the Sons of men will receive him that hath been slain from the Foundation of the World Who will receive him that is the Gift of God which is Perfect Who will receive him that is a man of Sorrows whose beauty is hid from the prudent of the Earth Who will receive him that the Priests cry out against and the Rulers say Away with him from the Earth Who will come unto the waters of Life and return unto the Fountain of living Mercies that in his Belly the springs of Life may be felt Who can endure to follow him to end of World whose Kingdom is not of this World and who receiveth not honour of men Who can hear receive and keep the hard sayings and drink his Blood that cleanseth from all sin Who is willing to receive him that is the Resurrection and the Life whose Presence troubled and terrified his own Disciples so that their Hearts burned within them VVho will lay down their Crowns at the foot of him that is the Light and mourn over him that is slain whom they have pierced and through Patience Long-suffering and Obedience follow the one Shepherd in the Regeneration even unto them is the VVord of Consolation sent Therefore be ye awakned O all ye Rulers and People let not your Hearts be hardned against Gods VVitness in you neither stop your Ears nor close your Eyes for of a Truth the Lord is at hand and is come to try you with his Loving-kindness and with his Judgments His flock despised of men hath he sent in the meekness of his love to preach the innocent Life of his Son among you in Meekness Patience Sufferings and Tribulations who being reviled revileth not again but in patience enduring long Imprisonment yea VVant and Sickness there and Abuses cruel Mockings Stonings in the street daily and Revilings by ungodly Persons whose Cruelty is encreased and their Sins multiplied encreasing to the day of Judgment and Righteous Revelation of Gods wrath upon all Unrighteousness of men who hold his Truth in that which is not his Righteousness which is now brought near unto all that fear before him in Uprightness of Heart that Truth in the inward parts they might come to know and in it VVorship the God of the Spirits of all flesh And all you People that are meek and tender who have been taught by the Priests and not by the Lord whose Mercy to the humble abideth forever the Lord God Almighty hath so loved you that he hath provided a better Teacher for you which shall not be removed and a Priest that abideth forever and a Bishop for your Souls and behold he is no less then a King yea he ruleth over Kings and help is laid upon him who is mighty and he is able to save and he is so willing to do it that he hath laid down his Life for that end and he standeth at the Door and knocks and he that knocks is called the Word and the Word is as a hammer and the Word is in the Heart where Christ is to be received and where this knocks for entrance and it knocks against sin and in him is no sin and he cometh to save you from sin and to lead you the way to the Father and without Money doth he ever teach nay he giveth abundantly unto all that are taught by him and that more then mortal Riches and you may have him to be with you alwayes forever and he can resolve all your Doubts and satisfie every one and replenish the weary and nourish the faint and in him are all Gods Treasures of the which by him you may come to partake forever and he himself is as a Treasure in thy field but hid from thee which I have found in the Earthen Vessel and declare it unto thee that thy Fallow-ground may be ript up to find the Pearl for this is near unto thee and the motion of it is against thy sin the beauty whereof thou canst never see until to it thou comest to hearken H. S. FOR THE honour of the king AND And the great Advancing thereof amongst men over all Nations in the World In the ensuing Proposals tending thereunto stated in Six PARTICULARS Concerning the KING'S
not need alwayes to keep one Company of his Subjects to guard him for fear of any other of his Subjects but rather for fear of such as are not his Subjects And were all his Subjects brought in such Faithfulness and the King well and truly satisfied therein would it not ease him and his Council of much Care and sometimes Fear too and to be so well satisfied in himself concerning his Subjects Faithfulness to him herein that he could take their Word for it without Oath Bond or Surety Or if he had no Word or Promise at all from them yet could believe and trust them that they would never plot or rise against him nor do him harm but remain as firm steadfast and true to him as any other Princes Subjects in the whole World by any of their Oaths Bonds or other Engagements whatsoever if not more constant and steadfast which were all the King's Subjects brought unto would be such an Honour unto the King therein as would hardly be found belonging unto any Prince in the whole World again IV. Concerning the Honour that the King might have by the Uprightness of his Subjects in their Traffick with other Nations VVEre all the King's Subjects or most part of them brought into Truth Plainness and Righteousness so that their Yea was Yea and their Nay Nay that so all Merchants and Factors could take their Words and trust to their Words to be of more value than the Oaths of most Princes Subjects in the World and that in what Nation or Kingdom soever they come in the World as soon as it was heard they were such a Princes Subjects that then both the King of those Dominions with Princes Judges Merchants Factors and People might all conclude they were true men of their Words and that any man might deal with them and none be afraid to traffique with them because they abhor Deceit Defraud and Lying and all manner of Cozening or Dishonesty And would not this also promote trading and so enrich the Kingdom and be some means to relieve the Poor And is not the enriching of the Kingdom for the King's Honour And what Man or Nation is it but would desire to deal with Just Men And would not the Fame of such a Prince and such his Subjects as deal justly and truely where-ever they come soon sound over all the World And would it not be for his Honour that had such a People as did neither seek nor ask but a Just Price where-ever they come amongst all Nations in the World And if such Honour before mentioned be esteemed what part of it is beyond this which might cause a King's Name to be renowned over the whole World having such upright true just honest-hearted men in all things to his Subjects as not any other Eemperour or Prince could produce the like V. Concerning the King's Honour by his Subjects departing from that which disbonoureth both God and the King and themselves VVEre all the King's Subjects brought to leave and utterly to forsake the Devil and all his Works the Pomp and Vanities of this wicked World and all the sinful Lusts of the flesh and the carnal desires of the same and so to leave and utterly forsake all manner of Evil in word and deed and to bear no Malice nor Hatred in their Hearts to keep their Tongues from Lying and Evil-speaking seeing it is the evil words that Corrupt the good manners and so not to speak proudly nor contemptuously no not of the meanest Member in the Nation but to abhor and leave Arrogancy with all manner of Voluptuosness knowing that God resisteth the Proud and so not one such prophane person as Lord Esau to be found amongst them nor one Swearer nor Lyar nor Thief nor Murderer amongst them neither yet a Drunkard nor a Glutton nor a Whoremonger nor a Covetous Person which is Idolatry to be found amongst them nor any that spend their dayes in Vanity nor that abuse or waste the good Creatures of God in any of the King's Dominions whereby any of his Subjects may come to want to his dishonour And were they all brought to forsake the very Appearance of Evil and so never to transgress any of his good Laws to his dishonour herein also would this be for the Honour of the King And thus might his Fame ring over all the World and be of great Renown among all the Upright-hearted in all Nations for what is a King without his Subjects And when is a King more honoured by his Subjects than when his Subjects themselves are most honourable and act most noble and honourably And what is more honourable and more noble in the outward practice among the sons of men whereby a King might be honoured than the things aforesaid Nay do not the Principles Qualities and Practices aforesaid make men more noble and honourable than the Titles of For Esau was called Lord Edom had many Dukes and Ishmael had twelve Princes Lord Esau or Dukes of Edom or Princes of Ishmael seeing Abraham was a Wanderer and Jacob a Pilgrim and Israel dwelt in Tents who obtained a good Report through Faith and whom God hath renowned with an everlasting Honour VI. Concerning the Honour of the King and also his great Benefit by his Subjects being the Peculiar Chosen People of God and their having the Spirit of the Lord to counsel Him VVEre many of the King's Subjects the true Servants and Children of the invisible God of Heaven and Earth by true mortification sanctification and regeneration and truly led moved and guided by the Spirit of God and many of them so grown into the Power and Wisdom of God really and absolutely so having the Spirit of the Lord poured sorth upon them in these latter dayes according to the promise of God which must be and is already fulfilled so that at a needful time one of them having as it was said of Daniel ch 5. v. 11. the Spirit Light Understanding and Wisdom being found in him could shew unto the King such a thing or things or secret Determination of God which all others the King's Wise-men whomsoever could not and to discover the lurking of the King's Enemies unto him and their secret purposes against him though they were far remote as Elisha discovered unto the King of Israel that which the King of Syria in his Bed-chamber contrived against him whereby the King of Israel escaped his Plots not once or twice 2 King 6. 10. And that they could and did at any time and often times as moved of the Lord declare and shew unto the King the Counsel of God concering himself and his Kingdom and what would come to pass concerning both and how he might avoid the Evil and chuse the Good like as Samuel and other Prophets who had the Spirit were wont to do unto the Kings of Israel in the dayes of old that so his Throne might be established in Righteousness which would be more than an ordinary Honour for
the King and God might bless and prosper him for their sakes as he did Pharaoh for the sake of that one faithful man Joseph after the King had released him out of Bonds But by this time many might say unto me as a Lord said unto the Prophet when he spake of things much unlike to come to pass How can these things be though God should make Windows in Heaven To which I answer That though I do not affirm that all those things shall come to pass concerning him yet I say that many are already and many more may come to the slate asoresaid And it would be his Happiness and more for his Honour than men can yet receive to be chief Magistrate among or over such a People and to have most of his Subjects so qualified and great would be his Peace thereby And thus further I say That the God of Heaven and Earth hath promised That a People shall be all Righteous and that Iniquity shall cease and the Nations shall learn War no more but every one shall rest under his own Vine and and none shall make them afraid and they shall be in League with the Stones of the Field and the Beasts of the Field shall be at peace with them And the Lord God hath brought many into the entrance of these things that with Christ in the Prophet they can give their Backs to the Smiter and their Cheeks to him that plucketh off the Hair And if it were well if that all the King's Subjects were come to the things aforesaid and to live in that upright state then it is not ill that some are come unto that state already And if the little that is begun towards this work were cherished might it not grow and encrease towards that state hinted at in the former brief Particulars touching the Honour of the King though there is an Honour which exceeds all this And certainly the Word of the Lord will stand forever though Men and their Powers and Heaven and Earth may pass away And assuredly the God of Righteousness hath begun his Work in this Nation and in the hearts of many of his little Ones And a Little One he hath said shall become a Thousand and a small One a strong Nation and the Kingdoms of this World shall become the Kingdom of our God and of his Christ And what if a Nation be born at once and Sion bring forth before her Travel and the Lord answer before his People call and hear while they are yet speaking and multiply the seed of Abraham as the Stars of Heaven and encrease the innocent flock of his Fold as the innumerable Plants upon the face of the Earth that Sin and Iniquity may have an end and Righteousness reign for evermore And if it be farther enquired How the King might have his Subjects truly principled and qualified as afore said or have such Subjects generally thus for his great Honour I Answer further to the everlasting Praise of God That there are many which may well be called some of his truest Subjects in his Dominions that are already truly principled and qualified as aforesaid and more are entering and growing up into the same Faithfulness Love Unity and Peace with all men and God will encrease them and it might be much for the Honour of God and the King to encourage them therein and much for the dishonour of God and dishonour and great disadvantage of the King divers ways if he seek or should be perswaded to seek the hindrance of these things or of his Subjects who are thus already qualified or the encrease of their Number therein or their encreasing in the honest noble honourable upright things aforesaid which things might make for the Honour of the King and will certainly be for the Glory of God And this is written by one that desireth the Peace of all the Nation and Unity amongst all men and that many more may come into the Righteous things aforesaid which would be for the Glory of God the Honour of the chief Magistrate the great Benefit of the Nations and much Comfort to themselves And that desireth the encrease of love truth and virtue which brings into the true honourable Nobility for the which this is written that men may come into the true Noble and Honourable Estate in the sight of God and all just Men among whom I am a true Friend to them all in love called Humphry Smith The 10th of the 4th Moneth 1661. To the Lambs of Christ MY dear Brethren who are Children of my Father whom he hath visited with the Power of his Eternal Love and gathered into his covenant of Light where Life and Immortality abideth forever who come to feel the Life of the risings of the Son of Gods Power with his Immortal strength you all in his Power to keep as living Branches of the Root to himself single and pure in the uprightness of Innoceny in this the day of his infinite love wherein the Glory of the Most High is revealed to the humble Seed which receives the Gospel of Peace and the Ministration of Life to those who in the Death did lie and by Captivity was long in Bondage kept which now from the Lord God of Life Refreshings comes to receive and Oyl of everlasting Joy to the mourning Plant whereby the everlasting Covenant of the Father is known in which I am with you forever you standing in obedience to the Power of the Word which operates in the Heart by which all things were made in which they are all enjoyed as you all in his Wisdom stand by it to be guided in the dominion of the Word with it over all to find Life and guidance with that which is Immortal in the strength whereof to stand as Pillars of Life for the living Truth of God against all his Enemies with boldness and cheerfulness through the Power of his Son whose Life you are to feel exercising you therein to which you are to yield Obedience with all humble Submission to the Fathers will abiding low in his fear and there is both Safety and Strength that the Fountain of the Fathers love may be opened in you as a Well-spring of Life to overcome you with the Power of himself that thereby you may be refreshed one in another and be opened one to another in the bowels of the Fathers love that it may overshadow you as a Tree in Summer and be to you as the refuge of a Rock in it to be hid from all the high and raging Waves Winds and Storms and from all secret Discontent or Swellings in the mind which are apt to hurt that which is little and tender which is to be brought forth into Liberty Peace and Life with the pangs of Sorrow and as with the anguish of a travailing Woman so is the Seed brought forth which lives forever which is fed with the Milk and preserved from the Storm and the Heat and fed with Food convenient and clothed
with Humility forever the little Child is you to lead in the peaceable Path of the Fathers love that you all as Lambs may follow him whose Power saveth from Sin in him trust compassed about with the Walls of Salvation and feeling the everlasting strength you all to preserve in the Power of his Might his Blessing to receive unto the Seed that you in it and by it may be fruitful unto God forever For dear Friends the Father is well-pleased in him who is meek and lowly in the Heart and in obedience unto him through the leadings of his Spirit of Power in which the Father's Love is manifest which leadeth in the low Ground where the safe way of everlasting Peace is known where all things are quiet and still where the small still Voice is heard whereby the Dead come to live in the powerfull Life of the Fathers Love which compasseth about the Seed as a Wall of everlasting Strength which is made perfect in Weakness and to the Weak is only to be known that the Weak then may say I am strong feeling Strength ministered forth from that which is begotten of the Father which never was comprehended by the Earthly Wisdom which is all scattered as the Smoke before the Wind when he ariseth who hath long been as a Servant and is now to be served that he may be Lord over all who is as a Man of Sorrows and leadeth through the Suffering state that by the Obedience of Faith through the Power of the Cross which crucifies and brings to the Death that which is to dye that the Vail may be rent the way into the Holiest of all made manifest and that received into the new Ground which abideth forever even that which now Comforteth the weary Soul and Satisfieth the longing Spirit and Replenisheth the dry and barren Land with the Rivers of the Valley and the Springs of the Desart that the Meek in the Earth may Rejoyce forever and through the Earth may grow as a Lilly in Summer For plainly it s the Poor that receive the Gospel and the Meek of the Earth that shall inherit Substance and its the Lowly that will abide forever and the Seed of the Shepherd that shall be set on the Throne and he that is low shall never fall neither shall his Footsteps at all be moved he leads the Creature in the Fathers fear and guideth the Tongue in Wisdom and it s him alone that all are to wait for to receive and continue in even him that is acquainted with grief who never openeth his Mouth in Perverness but speaks Life in Wisdom through the Power of the Father's love which overpowereth the Soul as an overflowing River of Oyl which makes all well and heals the grieved Spirit which none ever comes to find but such as alone walk with him who humbled himself to the Death of the Cross and became as a Servant though he was Lord over all in him there is Safety for he is the Rock and the sure hiding Place even out of the sight of the World and from the Tempters power for the Devil hath nothing in him who is meek and low in whose Mouth there is found no Guils And this is he that hath been long set at nought whose Tenders of Love constrains Obedience to himself because of the Beauty that is in him which from them is hid over whom the Vail is through which they cannot see the Comliness of his Love Oh all ye Lovers and Followers of Truth and Righteousness come ye all and sink down in your Minds unto him whose love springeth forth of the low Ground as a Well-spring of Life issuing forth abundantly as through a Rock that is hid under the Earth thence cometh Life to the Humble and there may you drink with me of the Cup of Blessings for from the Root of Jesse and the Foundation the Branch which is low doth spring forth the Life to the satisfying of every Branch and truly in him there is Life indeed and with him there is no want Who can desire another than he or who can complain that dwells in him where the Unclean doth never come where all things are at Peace and Rest is enjoyed forever Oh let none turn aside from him nor climb up above the measure of his humble Life nor reach beyond the Power of his Breathings forth neither grieve ye him through the unkindness of your forward Wills but love him as the Life of your Souls and prise him above all that can be spoken and tender his Love as the Apple of thine Eye that he to thee may be forever the Prince of Eternal Peace and the Power of thy Strength and the Blessing of thy Life that thou never mayst want Food nor Rayment nor want a shelter in the hour of Temptation nor look for another to help in the time of need And so my dear Lambs in him keep for evermore for it s he that comes out from God and keepeth them in perfect Peace who in his lowly Spirit abide from thence to feel the Fathers Love arise with it to love and tender one another So to that which is of my Fathers Life in you all I desire to be known and in it with you to have Fellowship forever which is more than â—â— to be declared by a multitude of Words or written in many or long Epistles the bowels of my Fathers love from the measure of his own Life in me is to his Image and that which is begotten of him in you all So the Life of the Power of the Lamb of God be with you all and the Blessing of the God of Love and Peace preserve you in all Humility of mind that the begotten of the Father through the Power of his Love may increase and grow up unto him who is the Life of my Soul who is blessed for evermore Amen H. S. Winchester-Bridewell To such in whose Hearts the Spirit of the Lord is beginning to move his Truth to declare YOu whom the mighty God of Power hath found in a Desart Wilderness polluted in your Blood without help or strength of your own whose Nakedness did once â—ppear and you in it stood guilty before the Bar of Gods Justice receiving the Condemnation due from him who then said unto you Live and since in the measure of that Word upon the Lord have waited to receive that which was promised of him who is the Father of the faithful This I say unto you the thing is great that you are come unto and entering upon to speak in the Name of the mighty God and to publish the Message of the most High to declare the Word of the Lord among the Heathen and minister Life to the Spirits in Prison to stand Witnesses for God to the People and to be as Guides and Examples to the Tribes of Israel Oh! how can you but be overcome with the dread of the Lord and filled with the Power of his Love How can your
Hearts be restrained from breaking and your Bowels from an unexpressible yearning after the advancing of the living Truth of God which he hath so freely made you partakers of May you not fall down to the Dust before the presence of the Lord and become as the smallest thing in respect of him Who can but fear before him and be astonished at the Power of his Might and bow before him who is the God of the Spirits of all Flesh that he over all may be honoured who is blessed for evermore And as through Humility you come to receive that which maketh Honourable even that which is Holy like pure Oyl to comfort and nourish you in that keep treasuring it up for your selves until you receive Power from on High or feel the higher Power that stands over all opening the Mouth of that which is to speak giving you Power and Wisdom your Life forth to minister to the reaching of that in all which can receive the Gospel and to the chaining down of all the Powers of the Prince of Darkness that would arise up against it And such as feel something stirring to speak Words and a great War and trouble within being neither quiet one way nor the other and by reason of fearfulness Words begin to go forth as from under a load and trouble and then feel the Earth lie upon the Seed let such take heed of speaking too much with a strangled and strained Voice but sink down again and wait to feel that rent and broken which is as a hard thing between thee and that which should rise up to speak that thou mayest feel it opened in thee as a place of broad Rivers giving thee room or as the opening of a Rock and the powerful issuing forth of a mighty stream of living Water pure and clear not mixt with Earth and Dirt and when thou hast felt this take heed of spending all upon others and another time take heed of that which would imitate such a Power again And also let such who speak in Meetings take heed of speaking above the Vail with a forward Zeal leaving the Light behind him lest he do more hurt behind him than he doth good before him and when the Vail is rent and a few Words spoken and the measure being declared the Vail comes on again upon a sudden and then some there be that change the Voice and continue in a form of strange words an hour after like a Priest Now the measure in such is owned the which they keeping to might increase but going beyond it the other will increase and that decrease but stopping with the Light when it stops and so become a Fool the Light would arise again Life speak and it s that alone which doth Service for God and other long Declarations of Words do but thicken the Vail over them that have felt Life though Death in others who have not found Life will feed upon the many words And such as are moved to bear their Testimony against the false Prophets or the Wickedness of men in it be faithful keeping in the fear and dread of the Lord that in his strength you may stand as a Wall of Brass against the Ungodly and spare not to thresh the Heathen so long as you feel the Hammer of the Lord up over them and then take heed of Disputations after and go not out of that which is your strength lest you fall before your Enemies and dishonour the Lord. But let every one take heed of running too soon for some such there are who run to Priests and others in the light airy Spirit and pride of Heart who are vain Boasters out of the Truth whose service the Lord abhors and likewise some such speak in Meetings whose Mouthes should be stopped Thus Friends from the dear love of my Life to you all and the living Truth of God for which I suffer in Bonds have writ these things in plain and few words to be considered of by you whom it concerns and the Lord God of Life make it a blessing unto you Winchester-Bridewell H. S. Sound things Asserted I. In the King 's own Words II. From late Experience III. From Scripture-Truth IV. According to Reason and Equity And certain things opened or propounded by way of Enquiry thereupon Offered in meekness and good will unto the consideration of the King's Lords Counsellors and other his chief Officers under him in all places of Justice Trust both Civil Military and Ecclesiastical Being intended for the good of the KING and themselves and all Persons under him and for the preserving of Peace amongst men The first Assertion I. FOrasmuch as you are set in Authority under the KING and so are to observe and to be Ministers of his Laws for the punishment of Evil and not to go beyond his Will and Proclamations and so to do that which is just and reasonable toward all his Subjects thereby to preserve them in Peace towards him and one with another II. In that the King hath freely engaged himself by Promise in his Declaration from Breda That no man shall be disquieted nor called in question for differences of Opinions in matters of Religion c. And in that he hath since he came to England doubled the Confirmation thereof in repeating the self-same words twice over in his Declaration Of Ecclesiastical Affairs bearing date the 25th of the 8th Moneth called October 1660. page 5 and 18. And since all this he having again renewed the same in a late Speech of his to the Parliament bearing date the 8th day of the 5th Moneth called July 1661. saying It is to put My Self in mind as well as You that I so often I think as often as I come to you mention unto you my Declaration from Breda And he further saith My Lords and Gentlemen let it be in no mans Power to charge either Me or You with breach of Our Word or Promise which can never be a good Ingredient to our future Security Page 5 6. III. In that he hath confirmed the same to us in particular in a late Proclamation entituled The Enlargement of Prisoners called Quakers bearing date the 11th of the 3d Moneth called May 1661. wherein he writeth us his Subjects called Quakers whereby Friends were generaly released out of Prison and that without Fees IV. In that the King hath promised the same by word of Mouth and granted that we should have our Liberty of Conscience and that we should not suffer therein engaging Himself thereunto in the Word of a King and in that he hath manifested the same towards us several times The first Queries upon the first Assertions THese things above written being rightly considered and truly understood this then would I learn from you or enquire of you whom the King hath set in chief places of Authority under him and let just witness of God in all your hearts answer hereunto Query 1. Whether all or as many of you whom the King hath
a People who had not a King to whom the Lord gave a King and seeing he gave them a King in his anger Hos 13. 11. and after took him away in his wrath or greater anger Q. 1. Whether then these people of our days being without a King did purchase themselves a King with Gold Silver or mortal Strength or did the Lord give the King unto them And whether the King did come to them to rule over them in his own Power strength wisdom and force of Armed men or did the Lord give or bring him to the People and that beyond and above and much more easier than he or the wisest Polliticians he had could perceive expect or believe 2. Query upon the same And whether or no the Lord was pleased or displeased with these People before the King came or rather was given to them of the Lord And whether the Lord was angry or pleased with the Governours and Government as it then stood and with the Army and the Ministry as they and it then stood And whether most if not almost all or wholly all the Rulers were not then Breakers of their Promises and Engagements which they had often made unto the People and one with another and might not God be justly Angry with Promise and Covenant-breakers 3. Query upon the same And whether the total Overturning the whole Government as it then stood and the Destruction of the Governours with Shame Scorn Ignominy Reproach and Loss of Honour Dignity Fame and Renown together with Riches Goods fair Buildings Lands Liberties and Life it self were not and will not remain a sure Testimony of Gods anger against them in which Anger he gave the People a King thus to execute his just Judgments in his anger And whether those things be Signs of Anger or not 4. Query upon the same And whether God was angry or pleased with the Souldiery and Army as they then stood seeing that before they could have their pay they were fain to swear for that manner of Government which they had so long and so often protested and fought against And may not the sense of Gods anger therein remain to this day upon many of their Consciences 5. Query upon the same And whether the Lord was then angry or not angry with the Priests and Leaders of the People and with the Ministry as it then stood especially with the pretended and esteemed most refinedâ—t of them whom some in scorn call Quakers much warned before hand and much declared against seeing they are alloverturned as from what they then stood in and were or at least seemed to be And seeing that many of them are turned from Hundreds a year whereby some are in distress some in great care how to live some faint to travel from one Country to another some being ashamed to shew their faces among People some faint to turn Hypocrites in denying their own Principles some lose their dearest Friends some faint to bow and creep like 〈◊〉 unto such that before they had in little esteem or 〈◊〉 some turn against that which themselves were in and 〈◊〉 â—gainst themselves like the wind that turns every way 〈…〉 and preach down and contradict that which before theâ— themselves were and so write and preach down themselves and contradict themselves and one another And many more things I might Query concerning them and as to their standing then and their state now and leave them or any for them who do now either own them or disown them as to their former standing when the King was given to answer for them or in their be half whether such things as these and much more which I say is justly come upon them seeing they rejected warning be Testimony and Signs of Gods anger or not 6. Query upon the same And whether those Rulers who now under the King and in the Name of the King have Imposed the things aforesaid and much more upon the Priests Rulers Souldiers and People and have executed those just Judgments of God upon those Promise-breakers and People that had not a King and took away the Liberties of many and that which was moreover even the Lives of some did do those things in love and pity unto them as they then stood or else in anger against them And if God was not then angry with the people how came those things to pass And if he was angry was not their Promise-breaking a great cause of his Anger And if the People now break Promise again is it not just if the Lord be in his Wrath with them again And if the King though he hath given him to be King should likewise break his Word and Promises may not the Lord justly be sorely displeased therewith as he was angry with the same things before and spared not the cheifest of them that did it 7. Query upon the same And if the People generally be as Wicked now they have a King as they were before or worse how then shall the ensuing Wrath of God be stopt or hindred now any more than his anger was then And is not Gods Power as great now as it was then And doth not he hate Wickedness and Promise-breaking as much now as he did then Or if the King whom the Lord hath given and these Rulers Souldiers Priests and People now under him shall break Promises as the other did and be as cruel and as hard hearted and as great Oppressors as the other Rulers and as full of Envy as the Souldiers Priests and People were in the time of the other Government when they had not a King whether then the Lord will respect Persons or the Persons of the Mighty in judgment And unto all these things here stated in brief let the just witness of God in all Consciences answer yea or nay 2. Seeing that Mercy and Truth preserve the King and his Throne is upheld by Mercy Prov. 20 28. And so seeing a King may be given in Anger to the People and in Wrath may be taken from them yet Truth may preserve the King and Mercy may uphold his Throne which thing is worth the Kings observing and all that truly love him Qu. 1. Whether now is it best for the King to keep to the truth of his Word and Promise or not seeing Truth preserveth the King And if Truth be a Preservation to the King whether Untruth and denying of the Truth be not destructive And now who are the Kings best Friends they that would have him keep to the Truth and live in the Truth or them that would lead him from it to do quite contrary to Christ that said I am thâ— Truth who said That Heaven and Earth shall pass away but my Words shall not pass away Luke 21. 33 And is not his Throne established forever and should not a Christian King take him for an Ensample And is it not good for the King to keep the Truth and not to sell it Prov. 23. 23. seeing Truth preserveth the
King and to know and receive and abide in and be led by the Spirit of Truth which the World cannot receive John 14. 17. And to know that Truth which God desireth in the inward parts where Wisdom is to be known Psal 51. 6. And is not the Word the Truth John 17. 17. And is not Christs Name called the Word of God Rev. 19. 13. And did not Moses say The Word was in the Heart And is not the Word there as a Hammer and like Fire Jer. 23. 29. And doth not that Word sometimes pierce and divide in the Heart and is it not there quick and powerful Heb. 4. 12. And is not Christ the Power of God 1 Cor. 1. 24. And did not he say I am the Light John 8. 12. and I am come a Light into the World John 12. 46. And did not he that was sent of God bear witness of the Light and say That it was the true Light or indeed the Light and Truth which lighteth every man that cometh into the World that all men through him might believe who was in the World John 1. 6 7 8 9 10. And did not he himself say Believe in the Light John 12. 35. And is not this he which is the Truth whom God hath given for a Light unto the Gentiles Isa 49. 6. And is not this he whom the Princes of this World hath not known 1 Cor. 2. 8. who was from everlasting when there was no Deeps nor Fountains of Water neither yet Mountains nor Hills Prov. 8. 24. And is not this he that is given for a Leader and Commander to the People Isa 45. 4. who will break the Yoke of the Oppressor Isa 9. 4. even him that is the Light whom they that walked in Darkness have not seen Isa 9. 2. who endeth the Strife with burning being born unto such as know and preach the Light Shall not his Name be called the wonderful Counsellor the mighty God the everlasting Father the Prince of Peace the increase of whose Government and Peace shall have no end who shall sit upon the Throne and establish Judgment and Justice henceforth even forever Isa 9. 6 7. Is not this he at whose Name every Knee shall bow unto whom the gathering of the People shall be And are not the Kings to be brought unto his dwelling Isa 60. 11. And shall not the Kings of the Earth bring their Glory and Honour unto his beautiful Habitation Rev. 21. 24. and shall he not have a habitation in the Hearts of the Children of men in whom God doth come to dwell And may not this Truth and Power of God preserve the King Qu. 2. Again if the Kings Throne be upheld by Mercy and not by Cruelty nor Persecution whether then it be not good for the King to shew Mercy And how sadly even as it were without Mercy or Pity to Old or Young Widdows or Fatherless did several Thousands lately suffer by Imprisonment and divers wayes only concerning things which to them were matters of Conscience And should the King be perswaded moreover to break his Promise and restrain Liberty of Conscience and so thereby ruinate many Families impoverish many that now live well honest and comfortable and cause Children to starve in the Streets and Old People to perish with Hardships and Abuses and many more to lose their Lives in Prisons as some have done already who can lay down their Lives for Christs sake and that not for any Evil in the least done or intended by the said Sufferers but only truly and purely in matters of Conscience to God and whether this would not be unmerciful The third Query upon the same ANd is it not said in some of that part of the Book of Common-Prayer which is in it appointed to be read once a Year or upon that day called Ashwednesday Cursed are the unmerciful and should any man be first perswaded to be unmerciful and so brought liable to the Curse and then they themselves to curse him once a Year who cause him to be unmerciful and it may be much endeavour to make he himself say Amen to the Curse against himself and so curse one another And is it not dangerous for any man to come under the Curse and to be unmerciful lest God shut up his Mercy from him Therefore whether Mercy and Pity doth not become the King that therewith his Throne might be upheld And whether all the wise men he hath with all his Bishops and his armed men with all strength and Wisdom else whatsoever be able to uphold his Throne without Gods Mercy and if he would alwayes receive Mercy from God to have his Throne alwayes upheld thereby Whether it be not meet if not needful for him alwayes to shew mercy and to let all people but especially Gods Servants have Mercy from him or at least so much right as the Lord himself hath given them which is to Worship him in Spirit and serve him in that which purgeth the Conscience from dead works that they may serve the living God Heb. 9. 14. And seeing the King hath promised as aforesaid that such shall not be disquieted therein and whether these lines are not written for his good and in love unto the King 3. And seeing the same that said I am the Truth who was in the beginning with God Prov. 8. 30. said likewise By me Princes decree Justice Prov. 8. 15. Qu. 3. Then whether he be not the Power of God who said so And if so that he be the Power of God and that thereby Princes decree Justice or that which is just then what Power is that by which Princes decree Injustice And whether it be not Injustice for the King to be perswaded to break his Word and Promise and which Power are those men in that would have him do so seeing Christ is the Power of God by whom Justice is decreed And is it not just for the King to be as good as his word and may not all such as would have him break his promise remember That Lying Lips become not a Prince Prov. 17. 7. Moreover according to reason Whether many of them that do so much endeavour to have the King act contrary to his word or make void his promise by restraining sober honest Persons from the Liberty of their Consciences in spiritual matters and duties of prayer to the God of Heaven and waiting upon the Lord in his true service and fear of his holy Name whether such as these would be contented themselves to be restrained from the Wicked Liberty of their fleshly Lusts though that was never so openly promised them and so to be kept from all Whoredom Drunkenness and Swearing and such other works of Darkness wherewith they serve the Devil And can such be willing that all Boyes and all sorts of People as often as they see a Whoremonger or a Drunkard then all cry out presently A Whoremonger A Whoremonger or A Drunkard A Drunkard as they are that such
should cry after us A Quaker A Quaker And whether such be willing to suner as much for their prophane Swearing as they would us and as we have done for not Swearing at all And whether such can be content to suffer as great Punishment for going to an Ale-House needlesly on the First-Dayes or any day as they would have us suffer for not going to the Steeple-house the First-dayes which to us is needless And whether they would have such Laws made against them for such things and such their practices as they would have made against us for our practices in Liberty of Conscience as pertaining to the service and Worship of God And if Liberty had been so much promised them in this their Wickedness as hath been to us in the matter of Conscience would they have had that promise broken And whether they would be haled out of their Ale-houses Tipling-houses and Whore-houses as oft as they meet there or could be found there by any Officer Souldiers Boyes or People as they would have other sober persons haled out of their own Houses and peaceable private and Publick-Meeting-houses wherein they meet to serve God And would they receive every such time the like usage or abuses by any Boyes or Persons that should find them there or take them in such things and that would stone them for their Whoredom and Drunkenness at the present or would they receive the like Punishment afterwards when they were brought before a Magistrate in Imprisonment or otherwise If not then whether all such men as these who would have the King break his Word be not absolutely of the Devil And would they not limit the Spirit of God and his Worship and Servants and tolerate the Spirit of the Devil and have liberty for his service and his Children therein And then whether it be good or safe at all for the King to hearken unto the Counsel of such men or in the least to incline thereunto in this matter And whether the Lord God will ever bless their Counsels herein which lead to Destruction And whether the King be in the least to receive or consent to the Counsel of such men herein or their Petitions in that matter and so become a Breaker of his Word and Promise This will I leave to Gods witness in themselves and in the King Council Parliament and all other Magistrates and other inferiour Officers and People whatsoever to answer yea or nay And further I might enquire in like manner concerning the matter and manner or form and place of Worship whether they would be deprived of theirs as they would have us of ours and be haled out as they have haled us and suffer so much therein as they have caused us and have Laws made against them for it as they have made against us and have another manner of Worship and Place and Teachers imposed upon them than what they are perswaded of to be Right And how do such come to be more certain that their way of Worship is right in things they have no Scripture nor example therein for than we do come to be certain that our way is right which we have Scripture and example therein for And how came they to know that their worship is better in a temple made with hands in which God dwelleth not and the Apostle declared against Acts 7. 44. than ours is in the Spirit of which God is John 4. 24. and in the Truth which is his Son in whom the fulness of God doth dwell Col. 2. 9. and in the Light where God doth dwell for Christ said I am the Light John 8. 12. And he that hath Immortallity dwelleth in the Light 1 Tim. 6. 16 And whether such as are compelled to a Worship which they are perswaded is not right and that God doth not accept are they not therein made Hypocrites And if they would compel us from such a Worship that we are perswaded is right and also compel us to such a Worship that we are perswaded is not right whether they themselves would be done so by And if not how do they love their Neighbour as themselves and do unto all men as they would be done unto according to the command of Christ Mat. 7. 12. And wherein are such like unto a Christian Spirit which the true Christians were in and them that by the Holy Ghost were made Overseers of the stock of God who said that it seemed good unto them and to the Holy Ghost to lay no greater burthen upon the Gentiles thâ—n to obstain from Meats offered to Idols and Blood and things strangled and Fornication which were necessary things Acts 15. 28. These things in brief at present are offered in plainness and love unto the consideration of all Rulers and People by one that truly desireth Peace amongst men being an Innocent sufferer for the cause of God in the place of my late long and sad Sufferings in a close unsavoury Prison at Winchester the 28th of the 9th Month 1661. being known amongst men by the name Humphry Smith If a Ruler hearken to Lyes all his Servants are Wicked Prov. 29. 12. Bewise now therefore O ye Kings be instructed ye Judges of the Earth Psal 2. 10. Judge righteously and plead the cause of the Poor and Needy Prov. 31. 9. The King that faithfully judgeth the Poor his Throne shall be established forever Prov. 26. 14. Thou shalt not wrest Judgment thou shalt not respect Persons neither take a Gife for a Gift doth blind the Eyes of the Wise and pervert the Words of the Righteous That which is altogether just shalt thou follow that thou mayest Live and Inherit the Land which the Lord thy God giveth thee Deut. 16. 19 20. The People that are gone out of the way it were them that knew not the way of peace Rom. 3. 12. vers 17. But Christ who is our Way and unto us the Prince of Peace hath taught us to give the Back to the Smiter and to turn the other Check Forty Four Queries propounded to all the Clergy-Men of the Liturgy by one whom they trained up in the best things set forth in the Book of Common-Prayer Eleaven Reasons why these Queries are proposed BEcause your manner and way of Worship and practice First in many things hath been these twenty years by many Zealous persons very much questioned who ought to be satisfied or stopt by sound Arguments and Doctrine and words of Scripture-Truth or else a true Reconciliation in the hearts and minds of both cannot easily be 2dly Because it is most agreeable to the Law of God and most according to the Commands of Christ and doth most suit with the Doctrine and Practice of the Apostles and is professed even by you in the Book of Common-Prayer To love thy Neighbour as thy self and not hurt the Body of any man by word or deed to Love Enemies to do good unto all and to convince Gain-sayers with sound Doctrine and words that cannot
not standing in the Cross to your wills in Obedience to the Light to receive the Judgment due to that ground from whence Transgression ariseth whereby the Enmity might be â—â—ain the love of the World rooted out and that ruled over with the perfect Law of God which was not subject to it that the Law of the Spirit of Life your minds might be alwayes exercised in thereby to be made free from the Law of sin and death that sin might not reign in your mortal Bodies but that through the power of the Cross of him who is the Light the sinful Lusts of the flesh might be mortified and you led by the Light through the Law by it to have the Transgression thereof to you in every Particular discovered that every one might deny and stand out of that which leads into the Transgression thereof seeing with the Light that not one jot nor tittle thereof shallpass till all be fulfiled and the Righteousness thereof is to be fulfilled in you by your humble and faithful following of him that worketh in us who cannot transgress the Law who being made as a Servant under the Law to him you are all to come and see the Law stand in force over every one that doth transgress which Law is addedbecause of sin and that which saveth the Soul doth not make it void nor mittigate the power thereof against any one that sins wilfully after the knowledge of the Truth received but upon such the Wrath of God abideth which is ministred forth through the Law with Tribulation Anguish and Wo upon every Soul that doth Evil so Trouble Torment and Vexation of Spirit cometh upon such who turn aside from the simplicity of the Gospel and let the spirit of the world reign over them not being faithful in the little which from God they had received by the powerful ministry of his living Truth that the smallest of all seeds in them might spring with obedience through the whole body of the Earth under which it lieth and by it in many is oppressed and such in whom it is so are in many Doubts and Reasonings from that ground out of which Unbelief doth arise And then the Mind being from the Light a hardness comes in and the Rebellious take entrance and so that which is worse than before gets strength which being joyned unto leads in a secret deformity farther from the Witness then ever so that then the good Savour comes to be lost and the Understanding darkned not knowing the true motion and often a carcless Spirit gets head and such are from the true Love and suffering Seed in themselves and so not joyned in the Covenant of Love and Peace with them that abide therein the which they sceing a discontent ariseth therein in the mind so did Cain he murmured at the other but the Fault was in himself for Sin lay at the Door and it is Sin to transgress against that which is Perfect and the Light is the perfect gift of God and his Gifts are Perfect and in the Light there is no Evil and the Light is to lead out of that which is Imperfect they that err from the Light are in the strife and fleshly will And the other Eye seeks for evil and then that kindles a Fire in the Bowels and eats as a Worm and so drowns that from whence true Love should arise as deep as the depth of the Sea and nothing but raging Waves over it sometimes ready to vent forth its own shame and discover the nakedness of it self and others which begets its Image in the minds of them that regard it so as to come under it or let it have entrance in them And where these things are there is little increase within or without but Truth suffers and the World takes advantage and the Weak stumble for whom Christ dyed and the Lambs hurt and their dear Life grieved And so these things are far from answering the dear and tender Call and Visitation of the Lord and then if not faithful in little when can such come to rule or how can they receive the blessing of God being joyned to that which he hath cursed What shall I say to such or with what Words shall I find entrance in them Surely if I had not a Word to write I would mourn in secret for them Oh fruitless Trees dry Branches foolish Virgins unprofitable Servants take heed lest the Lord spue you out of his Mouth What should the Lord do for you that he hath not done My Bowels within me are troubled for you and I even mourn under the burthen of your Iniquities How is it that you delight in other Lovers and what is it in you that keeps you from the power of Truth How long shall the Lord stretâ—h forth his Hand to them that rebel against the Light And how often have you grieved the Spirit of the Lord And why is it that he is provoked to Jealousie every day Will not the Lord visit for these things And can the Wicked go unpanished Turn ye now therefore O ye Rebellious and let the Double-minded fear and tremble before the God of Power for no Peace have I to preach for the Wicked nor Pearls for the Swine in which the Unclean is entred Let your Hearts now therefore be opened and let Judgment come upon that which is above the Seed and sink down into the House of Mourning that the Prisoner may hear my Voice And now you that are honest tender faithful willing and obedient dear is my Love unto you the Lord God eternal preserve you dear Babes and give you up your Lives and praise his endless rich love who hath called you to come out of the World My dear Friends let my Fathers love arise in you even the same which I now feel towards you and let me come near unto you in the power of my Fathers love that you may feel my Life and partake with me of the hidden Treasure that your Hearts may be open to me again from the feeling of the Power of the covenant of Life that in him I may salute you who is at the Fathers Right Hand For unto you O ye Children of the Light is my Heart enlarged and toward you doth the Power of my Life arise from the streams of unlimitted Love which from all the World is hid and reserved in the Bosom of the Father for the meek and tender Lambs for whom the Milk is prepared and to whom the Bread is to be given and the sure Waters that never shall fail Let the Light arise in you my dear Ones that with it your Hearts may be opened one to another that you may know that the Lord is a God of Power and near at hand unto the Humble that in his Love you may be kept and by his Power be defended and so from strength to strength in his fear to walk and to come at last to be a People saved from Death and redeemed from the
Corruptions of the Flesh And walk in the Life of Righteousness to preach forth the Innocency of the Lamb in uprightness through a suffering state and therein to glorifie him whom in Spirit and Truth you are to serve forever more so your Life may be renowned with him forever and your Souls replenished in the bountifulness of his Love whereby Fruits in you may abound to the glory of his Grace and you become rich in every good Word and Work And all you that are weak who meet with many Hardships and Tryals and Temptations within and without be ye not therefore discouraged nor moved but still mind that the Lord is able to deliver and still on him in much Patience wait that in the due time you may come to reap And truly Friends in faithfulness you will come to know the Lord to minister strength to the weak and give power to the faint that the small thing in you may become great and the barren become fruitful for in him who is the Light the plentious Redemption is and he it is that succours and saves in the time of need and helps and delivers in the time of distress and he will not leave the Humble Comfortless nor forsake the Meek of the Earth neither can the Lord forget his Covenant of Peace with the Seed of Jacob though it be but as a Worm in the Earth And you who suffer Bonds Imprisonments or loss of Goods for his sake who hath called you out of the World dear is my love unto you and precious is the faithful suffering Seed in you to me who also with you suffer both within and in outward Bonds seeing the Crown of rejoycing that through a suffering state is manifest to the Seed which through suffering comes to live forever and the Life is that which will uphold in the measure whereof manifest in you The power of the Lord preserve you that you may feel Truth kept clear in you and preserved blameless by you that the Prisoner of hope in you may Reign over its Adversaries and you feel the Power of the Lord strengthning the spoiled against the strong that under it the other may bow that to the humble Life of the Lamb slain all Nations may become subject And all consider that he that is the Wonderful Counsellor who saith I am the Light In it therefore wait the counsel of the Lord to receive And all take heed of going out from that to set up a form of barren Words without neither build ye the things which began to be destroyed but all take heed of vain Talkers high Boasters and such who by a multitude of Words darken that in you which is to give the knowledge of him whose Kingdom consisteth not of Words for many see things afar off and speak too soon and too much and out of the true fear whose Words feed that above the Seed in many who live thereby and it burthens the Seed in some tender Lambs so that it which should live in them is kept in Death And so such Talkers with their many Words do scatter the Flock and cause Strife being separated from the suffering Seed within and so cannot suffer one with another and things are out of God's Wisdom and out of Unity and true Brotherly Love and then the Mouthes of the Heathen are opened against you all and the precious Truth of God suffers Therefore it s better all such were silent and that in the true fear you come to wait on the Lord that the power of his Life might be opened in every particular and then if that speak a Word or two it will hurt none but be received by all that fear the Lord and that my Soul loveth but this I know and feel that many Words are spoken which murder the Life in the Meek Therefore where these things are let it be searched into with the Light in every particular that the true thing in all may arise and act and lead and guide in Meekness and true Fear that the Power of God in you all you may come unto And let all your Meetings be kept as in the dreadful Awe and Presence of God and meet together often that the Seed through Death may come to which my Love is dear in which Love which comes from God his Arm of Power preserve you all which is both my Desire and Prayers to God whom in the measure of his living Truth I serve in my Spirit and for which now I suffer Bonds who to some of you may be felt in that which is more near unto many of you than the Name Humphry Smith To the despised rejected and persecuted Lambs of Christ in the County of Dorset YOu whom the Lord God of Life hath visited with his Everlasting Loving-kindness in a day of Salvation and in an acceptable year hath the Lord â—ought after you who from him were going astray in the frowardness of your Wills and haughtiness of your vain Minds whereby your Souls were kept in Death out of which the Lord is now come to redeem and gather you his long lost sheep in his everlasting Arms of unlimited Love home unto the rest eternal where Peace and Plenty is within the Walls that are Salvation and the Gate of everlasting Peace within which the redeemed of the Lord do dwell and their rest is gloriously glorified with the presence of the most High who comes to rule in the Kingdoms of men and set his Righteousness and Judgment in the Earth whereby the meek of the Earth shall rejoyce and the Mourning seed shall be comforted because of him that executeth true Judgment upon the head of the Wicked which ruled over the growing seed which cryeth unto the Lord in the hour of distress and mourned for him who is the bright Morning Star whose lightnings begin now to enlighten the Earth and shine out of Darkness to give the knowledge of God in the sensible feeling part of the heart which comes to be made soft and tender thereby so that its wrought into Gods love which melts the Hills and shakes the Mountains and divides asunder that an open way fair clear may be made for the longing breathing seed to spring out of Bondage and feel Gods Mercy showered down as the latter Rain upon a dry and thirsty Land whereâ—y the Lillies grow and the Vine yields her Increase and the Olive flowrishes and Clothing from the God of Righteousness comes to cover the mourning naked Birth who hath no strength nor help but from the Lord God of Mercy who is the Father of the Fatherless and the Helper of the Helpless who also hears the Cry of the Needy and knows the mind of the Spirit and hath pity on all Sion's Mourners and Compassion of all the faint and he is helping the Prisoner out of the Pit whereby the Captive comes to be set at liberty and the opening of the Prison Door is felt by the Lambs and Children of the Day who unto the day
out of the Covenant And this know assuredly That many may see that which is afar off and not feel the Life of what they see and so are many high Professors in the World who change from one Opinion to another and are all yet but fruitless Trees which are to be cut down and rooted up And many there are who call him that is the Light Lord and Master but to the Light are not obedient in Self-denial nor taking up the daily Cross which is the Power of God and crucifies unto the World and so the first Man of the World being not crucified nor put off the new Man is not received and so little more is witnessed by many who profess Truth without the Life than was in the time of other Forms for if the Death be not known the Resurrection of the Just received and the Dead raised then is all in vain And this is not known by any but such who know the Judgments of the Lord set up in the Heart and the Cup of Astonishment to the Adulterous Seed which comes of the will of the Flesh and cannot lay down the Life for the Friend Wherefore I say wait to know the Birth that is Immortal and feel that born up which never yet was raised in them over whom the Vail yet is that the free Birth may be known and the Seed whom God hath appointed the blessing unto from under death redeemed that by the powerful risings thereof the understanding may be opened with that which was before Forms were that to it you may come which giveth Life unto the Soul and know a Saviour born of the barren Womb and a Deliverer brought forth in the place where he hath not been known and the Plant to spring out of that ground which is yet dry that it may be overshadowed with the loveliness of its spreading forth that a way may be opened in the Wilderness and the humble exalted in the Valley and so come to learn of that which is yet little and low and take heed of taking counsel of the Serpent whose subtilty will soon lead forth from the Simplicity neither cover your selves with any thing before the Righteousness of God which is perfect be received but love that which comes from the man of Sorrows who comes to break the peace of all them who walk not in the Everlasting Way of Life Let all them who are out of it search their Hearts with the Light And take heed of that which is high froward or strong in the Will for we are weak which is not brought to the Cross for there is the first Birth from the wrong grounds which will speak and act that which it lives not in neither is able to confirm it in Faithfulness to the Death and Loss of all for things may be true in themselves and that which is out of the Truth may speak of it yet such vain Talkers cannot suffer to Death for what they speak For that which cometh forth first is strong in the Earthly and would live forever and have the Blessing and would rule over the meek thing in the particular and in others having a secret desire to be admired being far unwilling to take a Servants place but certainly it is the meek humble suffering Seed which in many is yet oppress'd that is to last forever who through Death comes into the Dominion Therefore sink down out of the airy Comprehension and Subtilty above the Life and first come to suffer with that which is meek and low if ever you intend with it to reign in that Peace and Life which from all that without the Vail is hid and in silence watch and be sober to see him come which saves the Soul and clothes it with his own Righteousness that you be not found without a Covering of the Spirit Power and Life among the foolish Virgins for few there be that find the Way of Life and abide therein And I knowing the Terror of the Lord that will certainly come upon all them who dye out of his Covenant therefore I Warn all People every where as the Lord enlargeth me to wait to feel the powerful Word of Repentance and with the Light to make diligent search into the ground and foundation of all Professions Words and Actions For the Lord will make inquisition for the Blood of the Just and reward the Double-minded according to the intents of their hearts the Gaul whereof will be rent with the Power of his Might which will sweep away the refuge of Lyes and confound your Divinations in the head of that knowledge above the seed and a day of Desolation must come Sword and Famine must you know and the Earth to be removed and your Heavens shaken that the poor may come to receive the glad Tidings of the Gospel which is the Power of God for the fat and the strong are for judgment both within and without and they are still sent away empty but the poor are they which are to be satisfied not the rich high wise strong mighty prudent Diviners and Orthodox men and zealous Professors and liscentious Libertines as they are called who profess a Saviour to come and some would have a King to reign hereafter but they are not agreed how nor when nor where their King shall reign whom they imagine shall come but are found Despisers not Lovers nor Faithful Followers of him that is come the Glory of whose KINGDOM is already shining over the World and is established in Righteousness who is King of Kings and Lord of Lords who is our Head our Law-giver and our King and we do not look for another as the Drunkards of Ephriam do who are drunk but not with Wine and stagger at Noon-day and must be dashed one against another and broken to pieces as the Potsherds of the Earth who are looking for a King to come and know not the King who is already come who is the Light to which they will not bow though it in secret doth them reprove and shew us plainly of the Father and lets them see their Disobedience To it now therefore bow and bend for plainly the Lord God who is Light will not alwayes strive by the Light of his Son in your hearts And this know That as I tender the least honest desires that are begotten in any after the living Truth of God yet I am to deal plainly with all and clear my Conscience of all who are covered with their own Conceivings and in Words and Writing to warn all in the Spirit of Truth and Meekness as the Lord moveth me in faithfulness to declare against that which yet in any bears rule over the Seed which by Judgment must be overturned and all the Judgments of the Lord are true Wherefore ye that are willing to come out of Temptations into that where the foolish Virgins cannot enter wait in the fear of the Lord to feel his Work within whilst the day of Salvation lasteth lest thick
done it away with the same Power whereby before he came so to serve man under the Sin as to help him from under it and so to bring man with himself in his Power as it suffered by the Sin out of the Sin and out of that Power which captivated under or into the committing of Sin so to the end of it with Christ over it to live and reign forever as it is received in that way manner and operation which at first it doth come and shew forth it self in the Power of its sufferings whose Power and Virtue therein at first is known And so such who know Him in his suffering-state He permitteth chuseth and electeth to live and reign with him in his Ruling-state And so he that hath power to Reign hath power to Suffer and so to Suffer that he may Reign the exercise of whose power in his Suffering is in order to his Reigning and such as feel know and receive his Power first enabling them with him to suffer they with the same are brought to the end of sin and sinning by which the suffering came upon the Just for the Unjust and as man to this is joyned in his sufferings its Power worketh man's Redemption and so not of man or brings man back from under that power which held in the Transgression and Separation from the Bridegroom of the Soul and takes away that which captivates it and so breaks the Wall which stood between the desired Liberty and the present Bondage and so brings the true and lasting Peace and so both receive each other and are made one in each other and not otherwise It is certainly so And that man which truly suffered with it reigns with it who was joyned to it in its suffering till it came to reign and then to submit unto it and serve it in its Motions Leadings Rulings and Governings in the power of its Love which winneth the heart so to do as the chaste Wife to the Husband so with it in the Power of it man comes to reign over that which was both contrary to it and to the upright hearted man until all its Enemies are put under it and so under the man that is one with it and whose Life is in it being truly joyned to it of the Lord then not to be put asunder and so loving of it and in all things submitting to it more than the true chaste Virgin to the Husband living in the Power and the Power living in man and so both becoming one in Sufferings one in Tryals one in Tribulations one in Afflictions one in Joy one in Peace one in Liberty one in Captivity one in Riches one in Poverty And so truly one partaking with each other in all states unseparable may well in some measure be termed The Marriage of the Lamb which is come and more of it may be known and the Virgin being thus and more fully espoused to the undefiled unspotted of God they are thus far made one and she becomes the Daughter of the Husbands Father the King of Kings or the Adopted Child of God And thus the undefiled One of God and the Virgin of Sion becomes one in the unspeakable Unity which Unity being felt both as one preceive me and my Lines are understood and my Words received in Love And this is written and sent forth among all Friends who desire to hear of me and who have known me in the invisible Truth and such to whom the Lord hath made me serviceable in the precious things of the Kingdom of God which is of Peace and Righteousness where my Rest is that hereby they may hear from me and know that I remain in the labour of the Gospel which is very great and in the Fellowship of the Saints Your Brother in the unexpressible Love of the Lord Jesus Christ our Saviour Humphery Smith From Cogshall in Essex in which parts very many of late have received the precious Truth the 12th of the 5th Moneth 1661. This is to all dear Friends who keep faithful in their measures to the end My dear Friends THe Father is well pleased in him who is meek and lowly in the heart and in Obedience unto him through the leadings of his Spirit of Power in which the Father's love is manifest which leads in the low Ground where the safe Way of everlasting Peace is known where all things are quiet and still where the small still Voice is heard whereby the dead come to live in the Powerful Life of the Fathers Love which compasseth about the seed as a Wall of everlasting Defence whereby there is boldness and courage comes in to Jacob the worm that it s then able to stand in that everlasting strength which is made perfect in weakness and to the weak â—â— only to be known that the weak then may say I am strong feeling strength ministred forth from that which is begotten of the Father wâ—ich never was comprehended by the earthly Wisdom which is all scattered as the smoke before the Wind when he ariseth that was laid in the Earth who hath long been as a Servant and is now to be served that he may be Lord over all who is a Man of Sorrows and leads through the suffering state that by the Obedience of Faith through the Power of the Cross which crucifies and brings to the death that which is to dye that the Vail may be rent and the way into the holiest of all made manisest and that received in the new ground which abideth forever even that which comforteth the weary Soul and satisfieth the longing Spirit and replenishâ—th the dry and barren Land with the Rivers of the Valley and the springs of the Desart that the meek in the Earth may rejoyce forever and through the Earth may grow as a Lilly in Summer For painly its the poor that receive the Gospel and the meek of the Earth that shall in her it Substance and it is the thing that is low that will last forever and that shall be set on the Throne and he that is low shall never fall neither shall his Footsteps at all be moved he leads the creature in the Father's fear and guideth the Tongue in Wisdom and its him alone that all are to wait for to receive and continue in even him that is acquainted with Grief who never openeth his Mouth in perversness but speaks Life in Wisdom through the Power of the Fathers Love which overpowers the Soul as an overflowing River of Oyl which makes all well and heals the grieved Spirit which none ever comes to find but such who alone walk with him who humbled himself to the Death of the Cross and became as a Servant though he was Lord over all in him there is safety for he is the Rock and the sure hiding-place even out of the sight of the World and from the Tempters power for the Devil hath nothing in him who is meek and low in whose mouth there is found no
guile this is he that hath been long set at naught whose tenders of Love constrain Obedience to himself because of the beauty that is in him which from them is hid over whom the Vail is through which they cannot see the Comliness of his Love I rest in the Fathers will your Souls Friend H. S. FRiends the Lord is with us and the God of Heaven is on our side and the Lord is our Defence who hath spoken Life and Peace to my Soul behold he will be with us forever and the holy Arm of his precious dreadful strength shall no Nation under Heaven prevail against dwell all in the Power of God and the blessing of the God of Heaven will be upon you all forever THe Spirit of the Lord came upon Saul and he then Prophesied but after for his disobedience he lost the Kingdom and was afraid of the shame before the People and the Kingdom is rent from such who disobey the Lord though they were among the Prophets like Saul who afterwards went to the Witch And the Witchcraft is near to all such as stand not in the Counsel of God to cause the People to hear his Word and not their own whose Word feeds not the flesh above the seed but is as a Hammer to break the Rocks in pieces and it kills and makes alive and opens a way through the Earth for the Prisoner of Hope to come forth And the Spirit came upon Balaam who was reproved by the dumb Ass that he was exalted above and resisted and he durst not go beyond the Word of the Lord he durst not go beyond that which was quick and powerful in the heart nor over-reach it to do more or less for the gaining of half a Kingdom in the Earthly And such as exceed Balaam therein may expect to be cut down also by the true seed as he was and so to fall among the rest of the Enemies of the Israel of God who is dreadful in Power And the Spirit came upon Jephthah who after offered his own Daughter for a Sacrifice and the Spirit came upon Sampson and yet he not standing in wisdom was bettrayed of his strength by a Daughter of the Philistines who also afterwards put out his eyes And so the Spirit may come up in some and yet afterwards they lose that with which they should see and some there are that use their tongues as in the Name of the Lord upon whom the Spirit never came mark that And Caiphas the High Priest prophesied and he spake not of himself and yet he was an enemy to Christ the Power of God and such as are got up high like high Priests above the measure of the Man of sorrows speak from self or flesh and are in that by which he that is the Light doth suffer and the power is resisted and the seed in others oppressed and they not brought to the Living Minister within the vail that abides a Priest forever but are in that which will dye And many might be named upon whom the Spirit came And Judas also had obtained part of the Ministry â—ut now consider the Spirit resteth upon the branch of the Root even the seed it self for the Spirit came upon many but it rested and relieth upon the se ed only even the Spirit of Wisdom and Understanâ—ing and counsel and might and knowledge and of the sear of the Lord in the fear of the Lord which is a fountain of Life which Life all are to feel and not be kept from by words without it but to feel that which comes from it and favour that that Jacobs Tent all may know which who so dwell in are blessed against whom there is no enchantment and where the Witch-craft cannot enter which leads from the strait and narrow way to the Spirit and Life into a liberty to that which is fleshly where that is kept alive which the word in the heart as a hammer and a sword should have broken and cut down for Paul was grieved with such who at first could almost have pluckt out their own eyes for him and after sought occasion against him and themselves to be made perfect in the flesh and all flesh as grass is to be cut down with the Sword of the Lamb and where the flesh is above the Spirit suffers by it and the vail is thickned which keeps from the Unity and out of the Life and Power of God H. S. THe Lord God of Heaven preserve all every where in the Love Long-suffering Forbearance Meekness and Gentelness out of the Strife or Self-seeking for suerly Wo will come upon that Spirit where-ever the Lord finds it and even the Lord knoweth the desires of my heart in true Simplicity hath been That his Righteous Judgments might pass betimes upon every appear ance thereof in my self and all others and I believe that God will never prosper it in any therefore my Exhortation in the Everlasting Love of the God of Heaven is That you all every where live in true Brotherly Love remember Joseph's Advice to his Brethren That they fall not out by the way The heavenly God of Power and Life and Virtue keep ye out of all this in the Life of Wisdom and Meekness where Strife shall never inhabit nor Death enter within the walls of Zion in which their dwellings are who keep themselves undefiled and remain in the fear of God to whom I commit you all and to the Power of the Word of his saving Grace praying to the Lord for you that evermore you may continue in the Love of Christ Your Freind and Brother Humphry Smith To the meek and open hearted Lambs and Flock of Heaven in meekness of Love with Greetings of Peace from the Seat of Infinite Mercy â—endred unto and sent to be read among them all who live in the humble State THere was a time of Blackness and Darkness which covered all flesh and the Guilt of Sin was upon all Consciences and Hardness of Heart possessed every Vessel and the Minds of all was astray from God and their Souls in the bonds of Iniquity in the day when none was able to deliver his brother O! who can utter the distress and the Languishing state which the Sheep then scattered were in O! the secret Groans of the Out-casts of Israel which God hath now gathered Why should it be forgotten Who could pluck their Feet then out of the Snare or deliver their Souls from Death had not the Lord in mercy looked down from Heaven surely many had sunk in the Pit of Misery and never come to see the Light of the Morning for the which the Bowels of the humble yearned in secret and the Sights were deep in the Solitary Place And then did the Lord in the Bowels of his Mercy let open his Ear and for his own Names-sake had regard unto the Complaint of the poor and needy and he caused Light to break out of Darkness and Truth to spring from its secret
which teacheth to deny Ungodliness should stand and remain And how wonderfully hath the Lord preserved his whole flock unto this day even so that with true gladness of Heart in living Praises it might truly be said That no Weapon formed against Gods Israel hath to this day yet ever prospered though no man hath appeared either in Field or Court on their behalf nor visible hand appeared for the defence of the flock of Heaven O! where is that Lamb of the fold who now stands in the Covenant of Redemption that cannot breath forth the Praises of God in the heart-breaking Power of his Love and the sensible feeling of his tender unspeakable Mercies Behold O friends the goodness of God is unutterable yea I have not words to express it and such that feel it may taste of it and drink of the fulness thereof beyond the narrowness of my broken speech and let such draw near unto me and let lose that which bindeth and closeth up in the Bowels that we may meet at the entrance of Wiâ—dom's Gate and live one with another and one in another so as the World did never â—now neither in their nature shall eveâ— understand for my heart is filled with Love and my dweling is enlarged with bouâ—dless Borders of Peace and my Life streams forth in meekness Behold there is none can stop it where the seed springs up as a Lilly and where the dawning of the day is witnessed where undefiled Love which cannot think Evil hath its resting-place and where the true simplicity of meekness remains Even there my Lines are read my Words are heard my Mind is Known my Language understood my Love received and even my Life takes entrance What shall I say I am with near or in the midst of aâ— the Innocent Lambs by the virtue of that Power and inviâ—â—ble Spirit which filleth all in all and in silence with you could â— long rest where the World should neither know nor yet perceive me the same Bread which I receive in the invisible Power break unto or disperce among the Lambs of God who can feed upon no other Even so the same is it which my Soul at present doth live yea behold I live who once was dead and my Life is hid among the rest with Christ in him from whence the heavenly Food and the Souls-saving and hearts-satisfying Power doth come And this is to stir up your Minds and to put you in remembrance of the Lords dealing with you and his large Loving-kindness towards you and his effectual work of Love in you that you may never forget him nor be unmindful of his fatherly Pity towards us all when we were all in our low estate and that you may feel the Revivings of his virtue and the Inlivenings of his power and the quicknings of his Spirit That you may grow therein and wax fruitful to God and come to be seated and established in the Land of Life blessed from Heaven with much more fruitful increase than the Land of Goshan That the fruit of Lebanon may be known and the Rose of Sharon and your selves as the Cedars that are full of Sap and your Life as the Vine that never wanteth Nourishment whose Fruit aboundeth to the glading of the Vine-Dresser that the Lord may rejoyce over his Heritage and delight himself in the midst of Zion and be glorified in his People and admired of all them that believe THe Lord God of Heaven preserve all every where in the Love Long-suffering Forbearance Meekness Gentleness out of the Strife or Self-seeking for surely Wo will come upon that Spirit wherever the Lord finds it and even the Lord knoweth the desires of my Heart in true simplicity hath been That his righteous Judgments might pass betimes upon every appearance thereof in my self Neither do I believe that God will ever prosper it in any nor any with it Therefore my Exhortation in the Everlasting Love of the God of Heaven is That you all every where live in true Brotherly Love and remember Joseph's advice to his Brethren That they fall not out by the way The Heavenly God of Power and Life and Virtue keep you out of all this in the Life of Wisdom and Meekness where Strife shall never inhabit nor Death enter within the Walls of Zion in which their dwelling is who keep themselves undefill'd and remain in the fear of God to whom I commit you all and to the Power of the Word of his saving Grace praying to the Lord for you That evermore you may continue in the Love of Christ From the feeling and refreshing whereof in the heart this is written unto you by him that in the Truth can serve the least of you being your Friend Humphry Smith ANd Friends this is a time of quietness and stillness or a time for you so to be and there hath been a large time of gathering and for convincing and now the Lord is proving and trying them that are gathered And after this time blessed and thrice happy shall they be that are found faithful in it and worthy to be Crowned with Heavenly Honour and to be further employed in Gods service and to remain as Pillars among the Flock of Heaven and as Lights to invite others home to the dwelling of God And now should all Friends be kept in Wisdom and take heed what words they use among men or concerning any men though they do contrive against us Had the Lord left us where they are and set them where he hath placed us then might we have been this day as ignorant of the Way of Peace towards Enemies and of the Path of Innocency and Righteousness as they now are but the Lord hath shewed us Mercy And I say the God of Heaven forgive them and defend us And all that dwell in this may come at last to see a time of greater Gathering than ever yet was Oh! my Pen cannot write it And if all were quiet in their own measures and little at all were moved in that measure either to write print or speak at this time waiting singly upon God Oh! he would plead for us and he alone would help us and keep us as in his Arms until the Indignation were over-past And this I write that you might know of my continual confidence in the Lord if he had or did not at this time raise up or make use of any of us to help him or to be workers together with him But a Remnant he hath whose hearts he enlargeth with prayer and some of them with strong inward desires and groans and some with utterance to declare the good will of God unto others in your Assemblies and some steadfastly to believe in God that he will never leave us and all this ascends up before the Lord even as one sacrifice And he that hath heard and had mercy on us when we were not his People and turned not back our complaints in that day O! how shall he now forget
together contrary to Law deprived me of the benefit of all their Law and Liberty other such Rulers who accused and Imprison Gods people formerly who pretended a Law then as these do now And so here is still much Law spoken of but little Mercy and less Justice or Equity either among them or these And thus we are daily brought before Magistrates and cast into Prison where the Members of Christ have been sick and some have dyed too whom these called Christian Magistrates never visited And thus in pretence of a Law doth Christs Members suffer by these now as he himself did by those then who said We have a Law and by our Law he ought to dye And hereby all People may plainly perceive who are not wilfully blind that here is not one thing charged against H. Smith but what hath been Charged against Gods Servants in the days of old And all persons may easily see that Humphry Smith is not any otherwise accused than the Members of Christ have already been And all the Rulers themselves may hereby know that in all this there is not one word or particular thing by which Humphry Smith doth now suffer but what the Lords dear people have already suffered by and under and that by the Magistrates or the Rulers of the People by whom likewise now Humphry Smith doth Suffer and so he is hereby and therein the more declared to be one of Gods Servants and they by whom he thus suffers are manifested the more to be of the same Generation who still accuse and Imprison and by cruel hands cause Gods Servants to suffer but Christ hath promised whose word shall stand forever That these things should turn to us for a Testimony Luke 21. 17. And this may and doth this day testifie to the World and for us against the World that we are of God and that Humphry Smith is his Servant and that he doth this day suffer by the Rulers under the same accusation and no other and for the same Truth and so in the same cause as Gods People of old did and not for any thing else nor any other thing pretended against him nor in the least laid to his charge And if this will in no wise convince these Rulers of their Evil herein nor other People of the Innocency of my present sufferings Then let them all take heed lest the God of this World hath wholly blinded them and hardned their hearts therein and chained them up in obscurity and bound them under the Powers of Darkness and so far Seduced them already that they are become past Sense Sight or Feeling and then no more bâ—t a most fearful looking for the Righteous Judgments and Indignation of the Almighty which will one day devour and none shall deliver And then shall they all know both Rulers and People that I am Gods Servant this day in Bonds for the Testimony of Jesus against the Cruelty of men in close Prison at Winchester being known to the wicked World by the name Humphry Smith This was in short time sent back to them that committed me A Coppy of a Paper sent to the lâ—te intended but Adjourned Sâ—ssions .. WE are men that do fear the Lord and do also truly desire peace with and amongst all men among whom we have likewise behaved our selves in peace and quiâ—tness labouring with our hands in the things that are honest whereby to provide for our selves and Families continuing also in carefulâ—ess therein that though we suffer in body and estate that neither we nor them might be chargeable to any neither have we wilfully provoked the Officers and Rulers against us but in Humility in that we dare not but obey the Lord that made us in waiting upon him for the which only and for no other cause on our parts we have already suffered before this Imprisonment so much cruelty and Inhumane Usage that several sheets of Paper might be filled there with though it would not be easie to be believed that English-men should so unmercifully be abused by Souldiers and other men of their own Nation as hath been daily inflicted upon us in the Town of Portsmouth the place of our aboad and habitation where for the space of one year and half few First-dayes therein but we were by the rudest Souldiers that they could chuse for the purpose and such like Officers either haled out of our Meetings before the Law was made as against us or beat forth with much Voilence or thrust or beat with Muskets along the streets or punched or knocked with the great ends of Muskets and so with Voilence drove forth at the Gates from our own Habitations and then were hindered from coming in again to our Employments and most if not all these things were daily inflicted upon us â— with many more crueler Beatings and Bruisings of our Bodies than is herein written and our Goods have been spoiled and some carried away and our Windows battered down even after we were beat and turned out as aforesaid and such First-dayes as we escaped these things we were shut up together in our own Houses and Armed men set on every side to keep us in both Men and Women in a most evil and unseemly manner and food denyâ—d to be brought in to us and sometimes our food that was sent us taken away by the Souldiers and other times we were some of us kept in several nasty Holes which are so bad that most people do esteem it a hard thing for the worst Fellon or Offender to be kept a few dayes where we were constrained to be several weeks having also both Friends and our own Wives and Relations yea and Food it self and other needful things then kept also from us and in Feltons-Hole the Waves of the Sea have so beat in on one of us in Winter-season that he hath stood in water up to the Ancles for the which things the Lord God hath and will visit them that were the Actors thereof And when we had for the space of one year and half in much patience suffered many such things as aforesaid then Affliction was added by the severe Execution of a Law against five or above meeting from their habitations and assembling together under pretence of Worship the which though our Meetings were not in pretence but really intended and absolutely for the Worship of God yea notwithstanding though we were not this time for the which we yet suffer the Number of Five that departed from our habitations and so not Transgressors of that Law as we made it appear unto the Mayor and Rulers that committed us Neither could they themselves affirm and prove that we had therein transgressed that Law yet notwithstang they imposed the utter most penalty upon us which in the said Law is mentioned against them that transgress it and so kept us full three Moneths in Prison in that Town and three Weeks moreover then the three Moneths And then in our Mittimus they did not so much
as deal justly with us but writ therein That we were lately taken at a Meeting as though it had been very lately indeed and thereby have sought to conceal the long Imprisonment we had then suffered for the same Meeting therein signified and concerning which we have also suffered nine weeks more in this Prison of Winchester this 13th of the 11th Moneth 1662. And these our heard and unreasonable Sufferings and grievous Abuses doth even cause a Cry for Mercy and may claim Compassion in Equity as well as Justice from you who in Justice ought to shew Mercy in relieving the oppressed who having suffered all these things only upon the account of some difference in Opinion in matters of Religion or matter in us of Conscience to God wherein also the King 's late Declaration offereth us Relief the benefit thereof we shall gladly receive but if otherwise then we say The will of the Lord be done whom we dare not but follow though it should be to the loss of all John Austin Jonas Goff William Bucklan Thomas Cozens Nichlos Cumplin William Jennings Solomon Nun also a Prisoner eleven Weeks for not paying four Shillings for being absent four First-dayes from their Church at Fareham which in Conscience he could not pay and so he is kept from his Masters business being a young Apprentice-lad John Bishop also a Prisoner nine Weeks being taken out of his own House from the which he was not departed neither were there then found with him any more men but two Humphry Smith a Prisoner one year and three Moneths and never called at Assize or Sessions nor suffered to come to any of the Rulers in the County to lay before them the true state of his Case And now seeing the hardness of the hearts of the Rulers is such that though a Copy of this fore-going Paper was sent unto them at the time of their late appointed Sessions and they not release the said sufferers nor commiserate their long and fore suffering Cause being some of them but poor men and seeing the said Paper was turned again and so the cause of the long oppressed turned aside Therefore is this published with the other that both Rulers and People may hear and see the long and many Afflictions of the harmless And now as touching four Coats that in cold Winter weather were stript off us since we came to this Prison and openly carried forth by one whose name we forbear to write and the Money for them drunk presently in strong Beer concerning the which although we mentioned not a word amongst the rest of our sufferings in the fore-going Paper And yet seeing it is so that just thereupon we were curbed and checked and Friends kept out from us and bitter words used at them that were let in though the Goaler had profit by them and that even by the Goaler's Wife she having slighted Gods love and so now hath little Pity for us and this being also done at the same time when the King's Declaration was come forth which is so largely tending to our Liberty And that the said Goalers Wife and himself if they own that action may know that it was out of forbearance of love and not of slavish fear of any that we mentioned not these our Coats in the said Paper Therefore are these few lines pertaining to this matter now added to the rest of the sufferings of us J. A. T. C. J. G. N. C. This 14th day of the 11th Moneth 1662. And the cause or the Reasons wherefore the Copy of the Mittimus with the answer of me H. S. is herein made publick are these First Because John Norton and Humphry Bennit have not only thus committed me upon no other account but for being such a man as Gods servants were in the days of old and for doing no other thing but what was though sometimes unjustly charged against them and also before this late Law was made intentionally against Meeting Secondly Because they have kept me close Prisoner one Year three Moneths and upward and that only upon this account Thirdly Because I have been all this time deprived even of that benefit of the Law in this Land which Thieves and Murderers have being not all this time called at Assize or Sessions Fourthly Because the said John Norton refused to let me have any liberty for a little season when a Friend came to seek it of him after I had lain here almost a Year Fifthly Because nothing of evil is proved or brought in against me nor any Law known by which they thus keep me in long Bondage though wrongfully in the Mittimus they have pretended a Law Sixthly Because I am more hardly dealt with in my imprisonment then the High-way-men that break out of Prison or any other Ossendor here by their order for the keeping of Friends from coming in to visit him that is one of the Members of Christ in Prison Seventhly Because that by no means all this time I can be permitted once to pass forth to any House in the Town and several Reasons more wherein I am unreasonably dealt with all which having so long and with much silence and patience undergone Eightly Because all this and much more of their hard dealing and my sufferings are so little regarded by the said John Norton and Humphry Bennit and other Rulers who some of them said I might Rot here Therefore I say thus much is at present published and that other tender hearted people and the meekest among the Rulers may both read and consider the cause of the Oppressed and also the long sufferings of Humphry Smith The time cometh that whosoever killeth you will think that he doth God service John 16. 2. If the World hate you ye know that it hated me before it hated you John 15. 81. But in the great day when it shall be said Come ye Blessed and Go ye Cursed the things then laid to their charge will be these I was Hungry Thirsty a Stranger Naked Sick and in Prison and ye visited me not Answer When saw we thee so Reply In as much as ye did it not unto one of the least of these ye did it not to me according to Mat. 25. 41 42 43 44 45 46. The the Sons of Men. YOu Sons of men whom God hath made to shew forth the works of his hands listen a little be quiet and hear and let your Minds be still Why should Envy arise in your heaâ—ts let my words be received in Love for behold I speak in Righteousness and in Peace from him that hath good-will towards man let your vain thoughts be denied and in coolness of Spirit in true Moderation give ear a little Why should the true fear of the Lord be dispised by you And why should you not receive instruction that your Souls might live in Peace forever Or why should I be esteemed by you as an Enemy for bringing the Message of Everlasting Peace to you which long did want it
Be quiet now therefore and hear all ye Judges Rulers Governours Justices and all other Officers and People whatsoevr upon the face of the whole Earth who ignorantly from your Zeal in that knowledge which puffeth up have had a hand against a dispised rejected forsaken People that are accounted the Off-scouring of all things and are accounted as sheep for the slaughter and are killed all the day long who follow him in the Travail of their Souls and brokenness of Heart whose face is marred more then the Sons of men to whom from him no Beauty nor Comeliness doth appear nor any thing wherefore he should be desired who indeed and in truth is not of this World Behold I say unto you who have persecuted the Innocent and smote the harmless with the Tongue and the Fist of Wickedness if you will let the humble seed arise in you and read with fear and consider in Meekness with a true desire to receive the Power of God's Love unto you is this Word of Visitation sent therefore O ye men feel ye that which opens the heart for behold I was made of one flesh with you and the Lord God and Father of my Life made all men of one Blood that they might feel after him and find him and surely from the true sence and feeling of Gods infinite Love unto Mankind that he might be saved from Wrath to come Therefore am I moved with my Father's Pity to visit you to whom Gods Love is and in whom the Seed lieth in Bondage and is not brought to the birth nor deliverance but the Earth is over it and you that should be gathered into God's Everlasting Covenant of Peace who lie yet in the Bondage why will you not believe my words which are the Truth of the Lord in the Power of his Love which will stand forever And so all your Hating Reviling and Imprisoning the Servents and Seed of God without you in the Nation and your ruling over the Innocent Honest Plain and Harmless is unto you a true figure of your hating resisting and imprisoning the Seed of God which is in you and your ruling over the honest meek thing in you with Tyranny and Cruelty in the strength of your wills and this hath long been so and by this figure hath the Lord been pleased to preach unto you of late years that you might hear and see and understand and this is plainly so you being not reconciled unto that of God in Bondage in you Therefore is your hatred against them without you who are reconciled to God and have no Confidence in the flesh and because you are not reconciled to him that made you therefore hath his witness in you often times disturbed and broke your Peace in the Earth and the hand of the Lord hath so followed you that many times you could not cause his Spirit to cease striving with you for some time but even trouble from it hath come upon you even in the Night-season when you would have Peace and when the Power of the Enemy of your souls hath risen up in you with Wrath and Envy in hastiness and passion against the Servants of the Lord and thereby have been moved with Envy to act that which was Evil against them intending thereby to make the true Jews bow down unto Haman's spirit in you then afterwards and some at the very time hath the witness of God in you arose and brought Judgment and Trouble and Torment upon you when some of you have been alone in quietness then hath the Lord been secretly Dealing with you by his measure of Light in you the which you have strove against some not knowing what it was and sought Peace and ease another way and so have not loved that which came to confound your Wisdom nor received that which is to bring the understanding of the prudent to nothing for that prudent understanding is in man and that which is to confound it is to be received in man I speak what I know and the Truth of which will stand forever but you have not received that which in the heart began to judge you nay rather are you not afraid of being judged and of that which judgeth in you And is it not a hard saying unto you that have talkt of God to preach him unto you who confounds the Wisdom of the Wise and brings the Vnderstanding of the prudent to nothing and to tell you how that which may be known of God is manifest in you Is it not therefore plain that you are yet joyned to that which is to be confounded and so have not received that which is to confound though it be in you for the Kingdom of God was in the Pharisees but they not knowing it did neither know the Lord of Glory but crucified him without them and resisted that which was holy in them yet professed the Scriptures without them as you do whose minds are out from the measure of the Inspiration of that Spirit in you which gave forth the Scriptures which are without you which Scriptures also testifie of the Light of Christ which is in you and of that which may be known of God in you to which you are to come for unto them who had the Scriptures without them Christ Jesus said Come unto me I am meek and low in heart and his Name is called the Word of God which is nigh even in your hearts though from you there it be hid as a Treasure hid in the Field but though it be hid from you yet it is there and though you have been unprofitable yet have you had a Talent yea the Lord God hath given Gifts to the Rebellious though they receive it not that he might dwell in them ye hard-hearted stiff-necked and uncircumcised why will you not believe my words Why will you not receive the Truth When will you bend and bow before the Lord God of Life Can you say in your hearts like the fool That there is no God Would you shut him out from having an entrance in you When was it that you did come to this thing which is hid in the heart And when did you try this thing which sometimes judgeth condemneth troubleth or confoundeth whether this thing would give you the knowledge of God And is not the Light to give the knowledge of God And doth not he that is the Light enlighten every man And is not the Light that which doth make manifest And is not there something in you that doth at sometimes make manifest And is there not something in you which doth judge and condemn you for Evil which is made manifest by it You that talk of trying all things Is not there one thing and have you not yet need of one thing even that which gives Power over sin and cleanseth from all sin And have you tryed this one thing the Light or that of God in you Whether this will bring you to Peace with God and man And whether by
his Goodness the praises of the Lord ascend up to Heaven whose Mercies refresh the Earth Oh that you might partake with me of the unspeakable Blessings of God and feel and receive in your selves the true Tenders and Offers of the tenderness of my Love hereby presented unto you that you might feel your Hearts begin to open therewith to receive the same that in the Life of the Spirit of Truth you may truly perceive me to be present praising the Lord with you and likewise pertaking with you of your sufferings having also Acquaintance of your Grief and being truly sensible of your manifold Tryals and Tribulations The Lord preserve you to the end thereof And Friends let not your hearts be sad neither be ye overmuch cast down with any thing whatsoever of which I forbare to mention neither be ye discouraged by reason of any thing that the Lord bringeth or suffereth to come to pass either amongst us or concerning us neither let the multitude of Tryals nor the length of dayes therein cause you in the least to distrust the Lord who in his secret Wisdom in the end of all things bringeth forth good unto such who in all conditions and under all Tryals do truly love and cleave unto the Lord their strength But why should I multiply words The intent of my heart is that you might have benefit by the increase of the same love of God and the Springings forth thereof of the which we have all received For you know the Truth which teacheth all things and a measure of that Life from whence all these words do come which do service for the Lord and are helpful to his Servants and comfortable to his Chosen people and for the refreshing of the tender Lambs and the building up of the members in the holy Unity to grow up in the holy Life for the honour of his Glorious Name forever in whose blessed Name Life Strength and Virtue is found the which indeed is become a true Refuge unto the Chosen Israel of God where they are succoured when none can help and where they are preserved when none other can uphold unto whom they can pour forth their Complaints in secret and Address themselves at every needful time whose complaints are never by him rejected nor turned back upon the Upright hearted as sometimes it hath been when help or comfort hath been expected from some of the Children of men who may also be tempted and in danger of being overcome but the Lord can never be overcome neither can he ever Err in his Understanding or mistake in his Judgments nor reject that which is truly simple and tender neither yet receive that which is deceitful though appearing or seeming never so Glorious Let all Friends whose hearts are tender in the tenderness thereof still return unto him from that which causeth a hardness and out of that which bringeth distrust to leave that which bringeth darkness into the mind and so to get from the barren places into the fruitful Habitation of the living Then shall Peace flow as a River and Unity shall flourish as the varieties of the various Flowers in the Field and Righteousness shall spread over all as the Morning dew and then the Beauty of the Righteous shall shine and the Glory of the Lord shall yet more abundantly appear and fruit shall encrease as in the Summer season and the Vineyard of the Lord shall yet again flourish in Righteousness and the Lord shall be glorified in his Saints who is greatly admired by all them that truely believe Oh! that the seed might lift up the head Oh! that the Plants of Righteousness might spring that the true Mourner might be comforted That fruit might abound in abundance That the weak might receive strength That the Seed of the Lamb may know the Boldness of the Lyon That all might be refreshed together and that you all might live and grow and encrease with the Encreases of God The Lord God of Heaven and Earth grant these things unto you and fulfill them in you that you may be filled with Virtue and wax bold and Valiant to the end in the noble Life of the honourable Power of God whose Name is blessed for evermore Amen From Winchester Prison is this sent forth towards you and the true Love and Simplicity of Heart by your Brother in the fellowship and Testimony of Jesus and the Bonds of the Gospel Humphry Smith To the Young and Tender and to the late Convinced People of God amongst the rest of the Elect and already Chosen whose outward Habitations are in and near the County of Essex To be read amongst them in much Wisdom Meekness Deliberation and most chiefly in the true fear of the Lord God THe sound of the everlasting Truth of the Lord God of Heaven and Earth hath passed through and amongst you and the Word of his Power in the dread of his holy Name hath been published within your borders and the way of everlasting Life and Righteousness hath plainly been declared to the understanding and the Covenant of everlasting Peace and Truth hath been tendred unto your Hearts and the Day of Visitation from God hath been freely offered unto your Souls and the things which belong to your everlasting happiness hath been set before your Eyes and those things of the Kingdom of God which pertain to the Sons of men to know in the power of his Wisdom and in the strength of his Might hath been demonstrated among you and the tender Call of God in the day of his love hath been unto you Oh that your Hearts might retain it forever and that your Eyes might be abundantly opened to see into the unsearchable things of God! Oh that your understandings might yet be more opened to receive the Riches of the invisible Truth of God! Oh that your Hearts might come to be more enlarged therewith and that you who have known the Call of God and felt the working of his Grace in your hearts unto a true Convincement might all come to live the Life of Righteousness end forever hereafter to walk from that more and more which you are truly convinced of to be evil either in Word or Deed or any manner of Practice whatsoever and to walk with more Circumspection and Integrity and Faithfulness to the Lord in obedience unto all things truly made known unto you to be right and justifiable in the sight of the God of Heaven This certainly is the breathings of my Soul unto the God of Heaven for your everlasting Well-fare And the true desire of my present enlarged Heart for your Eternal Happiness is That as the Lord of Heaven and Earth hath counted you worthy of his Call in the power of his Grace which bringeth Salvation unto all you may not judge your selves unworthy of the Kingdom of God but may cleave unto his Truth in the inward parts leaving all that which hath kept you from it whatsoever it be and all that which hath
hindred you and doth hinder from the Life and Virtue of it in your own Hearts this all to leave behind you forever and to give it away freely and as freely willing as a man would part with Dross for Gold and present mortal Honour for immortal Renown forever for behold the Glory of the World passeth away and all the Beauty thereof shall be as a fading Flower when it is fully ripe the strength thereof shall melt away like Wax before the Jealousie of our God and Aegypt shall be judged and Babylon confounded and the strength of the Oppressor brought down and the Lord will weaken the power of the Heathen and all the Earth shall know that he is the same God of Power and righteous Judgments as ever in the day when he cometh in the dread of his Power to assemble the Heathen to Judgment and to pour forth Floods of Indignation upon the Wicked when Anguish shall enter the dwellings of the Ungodly and intolerable perplexity seize upon the Consciences of the Unfaithful when the Hypocrite shall no longer cover himself nor the Adversaries of Sion rejoyce against her when the Lord shall reach forth his Hand and scatter his open Enemies as in the day of slaughter and consume the Bryars of the Earth as with endless Burnings and unquenchable Flames in the strength of his Fury when he pleadeth by the Fire of his Jealousie and the Sword of his Mouth with all the Wicked Ungodly and Unfaithful ones who make Flesh their Arm and depart from the Word of the living God in their Hearts which then they shall know to be Powerful against all Unrighteousness and quick in executing Judgments accordingly Oh! happy is the Man that then shall know a Refuge and blessed shall the People be whose God is then the Lord and full well will it be for them who then know a hiding place Then shall Sion alone rejoyce and Jerusalem be glad forever and only the redeemed of the Lord shall walk in the Paths of his Judgments and in the midst of devouring and consuming Fire which to them shall be as a Wall for everlasting defence round about them and as precious healing Oyl of Joy and Gladness in the midst and as pure Oyntment poured out into the Wounds of the broken-hearted Light shall shine forever in their Habitations and Wisdom shall be found in them like as in Daniel the Servant of God in the dayes of Old and only the Faithful shall stand and the Upright-hearted shall endure and God will keep his little Ones and the Weak shall be strengthened by him and the Poor of the Flock shall be comforted and the Feeble among men shall receive strength from God as the Morning and renewing of virtue as the dawning of the day and the Lambs of the Fold shall be kept and only Gods People shall stand yea they shall stand and the Gates of Hell with all the powers of darkness shall never prevail against them the Lord hath spoken it whose Words shall stand forever which shall seal it unto the Heritage of God and the Dross must be purged away and the Unbelieving must stand behind and the Careless will stagger at the Promises and they that seek themselves shall have Self enough but Self shall never help them in that day neither shall their own Wisdom stand them instead neither yet their Righteousness in the Day of God's Controversie when the great Oaks shall fall and the lofty Cedars shall bow to the Dirt when no covering at all shall hide but that which is put upon men by the Power of God's dwelling Spirit in the Heart of every individual by the virtue thereof and not otherwise And this moreover I say to every particularly unto you who were late astray from God and lately were convinced of the precious Truth of his Son that in the Name and Power of the Lord God of Heaven and Earth from him to you was I sent and that more chiefly to gather the Out-casts than to feed the Lambs who were already gathered and rather to call home the lost Sheep than to nourish them that were already brought home and to call Sinners to Repentance and for the opening the Hearts Understanding and Eyes of those who though they truly desired had not clearly understood the secret things of the hidden Wisdom of the Almighty And truly my Love was to Sinners and the true affections and breathing of my Soul for the Prodigals in them parts which were most chiefly my Message from God at that time and my Service of Love unto the Souls of such in them parts and to publish the Name of the Almighty in the great Congregations and surely my own Brethren even the gathered Flock of God attended in much patience whilst I thus performed my Service of love to you neither did I turn my Face from you to them nor with-held from you the Counsel of God in truth neither was I negligent in the Service to do you good neither yet sparing of my strength nor with-holding my Speech when God gave utterance but rather can truly say I could even have been spent for you in the discharge of my Conscience to the Lord my strength And now this is that which my Heart desireth of you and my Soul desireth for you That you all and every of whose Hearts then God touched with the feeling of his Love by the power of his Immortal Word through me his weak Earthen Vessel that you all may obey the Call and Visitation of God in the requiring of his Light in your own Hearts thereby willingly to depart from the wayes of the Wicked the professions of the Hypocrites and the paths of Ungodly men and to stand no long in the way of Sinners nor regard the counsel of them who hate the Light and Truth in the inward parts and to come out from amongst them that are unclean who live still more and more in that which pollutes them who live in their Sins professing God and serving the Devil until they have finished their Sins which then bringeth forth Death and he that dyeth in his Sins not believing in the Light which makes an end of sin cannot come where Christ is And so the Tree falling there it lieth and as Death leaveth Judgment findeth and as Judgment findeth so shall the Reward according to the deeds be And then shall every man stand or fall to his own Master the Servants of the Devil to their Master and the Servants of God to their Master and there is no more Masters but them two and no man can serve both though Thousands profess the one and serve the other who in that day must give an account whom they have served and not whom they have professed for they who professed God and served the Devil were Hypocrites and so are unto this day of whom the World is full And blessed are they who by the living Power of the Soul-saving Grace of God are truly redeemed out of the
with the rest of his servants of old to live with him in the delightsom Ocean of the Infinite Fullness of his most desirable Power and precious Presence the streams whereof already are as the free Issuings forth of Life Eternal and as the streams of Mercy and the dews of the Morning Refreshing even the outmost borders of my dwelling and Comforting the mournful places of my Habitation Who can express his Goodness What man can utter his Bounty or how can man either in words or with Pen sufficiently signifie forth the Fullness and Virtue of that which passeth Knowledge Behold my Dwelling is in it and my Life is bound up with the inocent Lambs who live in the feeling Virtue of that which much super-aboundeth the most pleasantest and delightsom'st Words that ever my Tongue can utter and yet those that hear them hear the Truth in the which the Life doth stand and they that hear the Truth hear him from whence the Life doth come which Life it self in the power and virtue of it is the center of the Upright the Refuge of the Innocent and the thing it self unto which it self is drawing and gathering that it may be known within even to those who have been astray there-from that the one Fold the one Succour the one Food the one Shepherd the one Refuge the one Spirit the one Heart and the one Mind may be known and so the One God in the one only Vnity worshipped served and praised from the Power Life and Virtue of the one Spirit which comes from the only One God of Heaven and Earth before whom let the Heathen be Astonished and the ungodly fear and Tremble and the Brambles of the Earth prepare for the day of his Righteous Judgments and Fiery Indignation which as the breadth of his Nostrils being mixed with Flames of Endless Burnings he will plead with his own open Adversaries which shall be more fully manifest in the great Day of the Lord when all Mankind must give an account to him both of idle and wicked words and likewise of their deeds done in the body The Lord God hasten that day and let him come even him who cometh as a Thief in the Night even the Lord Jesus Christ who said I am the Truth the Spirit whereof the World cannot receive but we have known him and received him and know that he is true and have believed on him and have often drunk of the Living Water that springeth up unto life Eternal in those that truly believe And this I say forever blessed are they that believe and endure to the End for whom Gods Crown of Life is prepared and for all who give up their Lives and suffer faithfully for the Honour of him who hath so far honoured them as to account them worthy to bear their Testimony and to suffer for him In the which I say The Lord preserve my Friends and Brethren every where who have tasted of Gods loving kindness and remain sensible at present of the meekness of his love And let all Friends so dwell in the faith which is the gift of God over the World as to live thereby and not to lose the Crown of Glory and Immortality which was desired from the breathings of the seed in the day of Jacob's Captivity and the Lord God of my Life preserve and defend the plants of Righteousness even by his own Power and his own Spirit in that day and at that time when all other helps may not be available that then the sufficiency of the Greatness of his own Wisdom and strength may be apparent and then most happy shall those be who are found worthy to suffer and endure all manner of Tryals Cruelties and Hardships for him and his Names sake and to live and reign and enjoy his unutterable Peace and Rest which is in himself treasured up as a full Reward and much more then could have been expected for the Vpright in Heart who end their dayes in Truth and finish their Course in Righteousness and lay down their Lives for his sake to live with him for evermore And this is that thee and others may hear from me and know that I remain in the service of God and in faithful Long sufferings for the Gospel of his Son as at this day being the 6th of the 7th Moneth 1662. In the straight Prison at Winchester where I am known by this name Humphry Smith THE END
and ignorance in his own wisdom may esteem that to be a Temptation which doth condemn and that out of Temptation all such who are tempted may be led and kept by that which doth condemn which is the pure Light of Christ which doth judge and condemn the Temptations and the Sin and the Transgressor who enters into it and every Evil motion which is apt to arise in the mind that is darkned and blinded by the God of the World which mind from the Darkness to the Light is to be turned in the Light to believe as he hath said I am the Light believe in the Light and it is a Temptation which hinders man from believing in the Light and all such keep not the Commands of Christ who do not believe and obey the Light and such profess his Words but deny that in which the power of his Life doth stand And it is a Temptation which causeth man to deny and refuse the Law which is Light and not come under nor receive the Ministration of Condemnation supposing he is under Grace and so not to come back to the Law because he hath gotten a Profession of Christ whose day Abraham saw whose seed came through the Law of whom Christ came who fulfills the Law and maketh an end of sin who was in the Church in the Wilderness and in his pity saved them and bare them all the dayes of old leading the humble seed that through the Wilderness of sin it might come and at last enjoy that by which the sin is done away forever And it is a Temptation which causeth man to call that a Temptation which in the Conscience doth sometimes arise and let men see that he by his sin is in the Fall the Death and the Curse and that the Judgments of God belong to him and that he cannot escape the fierce Wrath of the Almighty living in that by which sin is daily committed and the Righteous Law of God transgressed and himself out of the Covenant of Life wanting the power of God to bear him up out of Iniquity so that he labours and prays and crys sometimes with Tears like Esau to keep that alive in the Transgression which God hath appointed to destruction Consider this And strives against that which lettetâ— see the emptiness thereof and condemns afterwards if a false joy doth not arise secretly to glory in what was done whereby that was satisfied and got ease which the Judgment was to which of the Judgment was afraid and from under it led forth to perform a Will worship from the ground where Cain's nature bears rule who can bring a sacrifice but the deeds with the Light seen to be evil who at last murthers the just and the sin lying at the door which secret sin cannot be hid from the Light in any that commit it or in whom it is though never so secret And it is a Temptation which worketh in the dark corners of the heart in the time when Condemnation cometh to drive man to despair by reason of the fierceness of the Judgment and drives him from God and his Righteous Judgments into Unbelief and Hardness of Heart against God and herein the Tempter prevails over many some whereof then go to destroy themselves not keeping in patience under the Judgment which was to destroy the sin for Christ the Light comes to condemn and destroy the sin but the Life he comes to save Others through Unbelief have hardned their hearts in sin their minds being in that in which they cannot believe That ever they shall overcome sin nor be saved from it and such grow worse than before and use all means in vain lustful Delights to murther that in them which checks reproves and condemns them for sin and many here turn aside from under the Condemnation many and various ways some who are blind calling it Melancholly so that few endure to the end and enter through the strait Gate by the Death through it the Life to find not waiting with long forbearance out of that which hasteth in patience in the Light to see feel and know the seed of Abraham brought forth of the barren Womb which against hope in hope believe And these Temptations lead further into sin and is not that which condemns for sin for that would keep out of sin though its Judgments be never so heavy upon man for sin And being that God is known in the ways of his Judgments and that they who are to receive the Promise must keep Judgment and that with Judgment Sion's Redemption is to be witnessed and when Judgment begins to be set up in the heart to judge condemn confound overturn and cut down the Head Body and Root of all that which by the Light is seen to be in the Transgression having the form of Godliness but not the Power which keepeth out of and free from all sin which the Judgment is to pass upon Therefore is that a Temptation which then draweth forth the mind from under the Judgment to get ease by a supposed Peace with God from the Comprehension of something done without afar off or long ago and so climb up another way then by the Light within which I know is the door which condemns and bringeth to Judgment the hidden things of Darkness and brings fire and sword upon the Earth and sendeth not Peace to it but setteth two at variance within whereby there is much striving in the Womb and not rest day nor night because of the War between the two seeds out of which trouble being led by that which in the Judgment could not stand so that getteh ease again and then man preached peace unto himself having got out of some trouble he then striveth more strongly to keep out of it then he did before and labours much to comprehend a resting-place to abide in though that be not redeemed with Judgment out of Bondage which thereby should come to obtain rest and peace for evermore And being that the Law and the Prophets together are until John and that the Law is to judge and cut down that which is above the seed exalted and that the Prophecies and Openings from the Testimony of Witness is to uphold and preserve under the Judgment whereby some secret hopes or refreshings come unto that which at last out of Bondage shall be redeemed therefore it is a Temptation which leadeth forth on that hand in a Joy through the reason with great swelling Imaginations in the vain light Mind out of the fear of God not standing in his Counsel but like the rest of the false Prophets coming to true Openings from it run forth before that through judgment be brought forth which should go before and lead them in God's Wisdom and Counsel to stand and such speak great swelling words in a secret pride boasting of their Experiences but are become the untimely Children of the Mother of Harlots who with their Mother must be turned back into the Bed of Torments And
being the Lord God of Life hath given his Son a Light in the Heart that man might be led taught and guided by him out of sin and giveth power to all them that love follow and obey him to overcome their sin whose light being in Man a free gift from God and that by no other Name Way or Means man can ever be saved Therefore that is a Temptation which leads out from that in the Heart Which in it is given there to make an end of Sin to follow that which doth not make an end of Sin nor minister Power to them that follow it to overcome their sin so that they cannot receive that which cleanseth from all sin such have the root and ground in them from whence sin cometh but the Root of Jesse in whom there is no sin they are only professing and talking of without them And that is a Temptation that leadeth man to commit any manner of sin whatsoever and keeps man from believing in him that maketh an end of Sin and keeps man in sin and from Repentance and turning from sin whilst that of God in the Conscience is striving with him against sin perswading him that he cannot be free from sin and to put off the time of true Repentance until Gods Spirit by the Light in the Heart hath ceased striving and then such think all is well because that which judged and condemned them for the least appearance of Evil hath ceased striving with them that so they are now quiet and not judged as formerly for what they do though they do the same things for which formerly they were judged but let such assuredly know That that which was sin is sin still though they instead of coming through the Law are gone back from the Law which did discover it and come to that state again which was before the Law or a worse where Death reigns and Sin is in the World though not discovered by the Law to them who have despised the Law and so become dead to that which should fulfill the Law and also dead in that which doth transgress the Law even so dead in sin that now feeling the weight and burthen thereof neither yet feeling any thing of God in them striving in them against it and is not their latter end like to be worse than their beginning And are not such as these who have got a Profession more hardned in their Sin and pleading more strongly for their continuance therein than the Publicans Harlots and Prophane And that is a Temptation which draws forth the mind to fear love serve obey or respect any man or created thing glory honour or whatsoever may be named more than God or to deny obedience to God for the attaining or retaining thereof or to let any of the most glorious Creatures of God fill and take plnce in the heart that in it room may not be found for the Power of God to enter so that the life virtue and substance of all things in which there is full satisfaction cannot be received And that is a Temptation that leadeth forth to seek or love the praise of men for if that was out of the Faith which received Honour from men then that must needs be of the Devil which would compel Honour to be given to it that is it in man of the Devil which would have the begotten of God honour and worship it which would take the due honour and praise from God to whom alone belongeth all Dominion Glory Honour and Obedience and Praises forever and ever And that is a Temptation which draweth forth the Mind to worship any other God but he that made all Men of one Blood and is above all and through all and in you all who dwelleth in his People and what of him may be known is manifest within whom all may feel after and find whom the World by Wisdom doth not know who abhorreth the Sacrifices of them whose Hearts are Uncircumcised and is wearied with the Peoples Words Mat. 2. 17. and grieved with their Iniquity who heareth not the Prayers of men of Sin but waiteth to be gracious unto such who wait for him in the Light of his Son who was led as a Lamb dumb and is of the Seed of David who was dumb with silence and opened not his Mouth while the Wicked was in place But when the wicked thing is removed out of his place and the humble Seed of the Shepherd raised up in his Throne upon his Hill of Holiness having his Enemies under his Feet then he speaketh with Authority and not as the Scribes Thus man coming into the fear of the Lord and waiting in the Light of his Son in the Heart with it may he see and discern between that which discovereth and condemneth Sin and that which tempteth to Sin out of which that man may be redeemed and kept out of Temptations is this written in love to the Seed over which the Beast the Dog and the Swine do vaunt themselves who have nothing to do with this but only to receive the Cup of Astonishment which to the Serpents is to be poured forth who are not to feed upon this which is written A Direction in the way to that within the Vail by which Temptations are overcome TRuth is that in which the Power of God doth stand and in the Truth there is no Lye and all them who receive Truth from God in it they receive his power whereby they are made his Sons in his power to stand in obedience to his will which is that by which they are sanctified and by obedience of Faith thereunto are preserved keeping in stedfastness by the mighty Power of God out of that which doth defile are preserved in that Dominion and place of Holiness into which the Harlots out of the Truth and Power and all proud Boasters and such who are intruding into things they have not seen and all Murmurers who complain for want of Power do not enter Therefore all People who profess the knowledge of the Truth and yet have not received the Power of God in which no Sin doth stand wait ye all in the Light to know the Vail rent and the ground to be removed from whence the Words come which darkens that in which the counsel of God should be received and wait to feel Judgment and Condemnation upon the Earthly that over the Seed doth rule and keep Judgment that through the Condemnation that may spring which never yet was found For certainly till there be a coming through the Ministration of Condemnation the Pearl is hid under the Earth and the Earthly bears rule over it whereby it still in Bondage lies and the Creature sometimes led by a fight of that which it doth not possess holding the Truth of God in that which is not his Righteousness for his Righteousness is revealed by Faith through the power of him that takes away the Sin and so it s not comprehended in by that mind which is