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A27082 A seasonable warning to such who profess themselves members of reformed churches, into what forme soever gathered ... Bayley, Charles, 17th cent. 1663 (1663) Wing B1473B; ESTC R20749 60,761 76

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never able to come unto the knowledg of the truth which makes free all who come unto it as saith Christ Jesus if you know the truth the truth shall make you free And the Apostles were sent to turn people from darknesse to light and from Satans power to God which was the effect of the true and free Ministry of Christ even to open the blind eyes and make blind those which could see So they who come to be turned from Satans power unto God come to be turned from darknesse to light which is a turning from sinne to righteousnesse and here the people come to be profited but such hirelings who run and are not sent they neither bring the people to the light nor from sin to righteousness being Ministers of darkness themselves and Preach for filthy lucre sake and do in no wise profit the people as I have said if one come amongst them and their hearers and do but declare and speak of those things unto them wherewith Christ Jesus hath enlightned him then presently they fall upon him commonly by the command of their Priests and cry out he is a deceiver away with him though they have nothing to be deceived of but sin and uncleanness which sheweth plainly they are not of the number of the Elect of God for they need not to fear being deceived for it is impossible to deceive them For Christs sheep hear his voice and knoweth it and a stranger will they not follow But these like blind men instead of trying all things and holding fast that which is good stop their ears and furiously run themselves upon a poore simple innocent man who seeks not theirs but them And this their fruits manifests they are not in the nature of the true Christians but of the Jews who persecuted the Prophets and stoned them who were sent unto them and in this nature do they sing pray and the like which is no more accepted of the Lord Then if they cut off a Dogs neck or offer a sacrifice of blood for such was Cains sacrifice who was of the envious one who slew his brother And this is the fruits and effects of the hirelings Ministry which is a griefe unto the upright in heart to see And behold how poor people are kept in bondage and from the knowledge of God by them hearing and learning from their youth up untill they go to the grave and still in sin and pleading for it as long as they live O people it is high time to awake and consider these things and lay them to heart for the Ax of the Lord is a laying to the roote of every tree And every tree that bringeth not forth good fruit shall be cut down and cast into the fire for the Lord hath long born with you and men have conceived nought but vanity and brought forth lies and every one is striving either by deceit or policy to uphold his own way by the arm of flesh and he that can get the power into his hand oppresseth all who will not bow unto his manner or forme of worship as though God were served in mans will or could or would be limitted by the sons of men while every one is crying up his own way to be best while they are all in the way of sin pleading for it as long as they live The Lords soul abhorreth these things for it is only the sacrifice of clean hands and a pure heart which he accepteth even of such who are of an humble and contrite spirit and trembleth at his Word and such he will in no wise despise But how far men are from this spirit which is onely accepted of by the Lord let the pure Light of Christ Jesus judge in all your consciences doth not envy reign still in their hearts and where that reigneth there is strife and every evil work which seperateth man from God and in this state should they sacrifice thousands of Rams and ten thousand rivers of Oyle the fruit of their bodies for the sins of their souls it would availe them nothing But wash you make you clean saith the Lord and put away the evil of your doings relieve the fatherless and the widdow and I will accept you and though your sins are as red as scarlet yet will I make them as white as snow Saith Solomon he which confesseth and forsaketh his sin shall find mercy and it is certain that none else doth or ever shall for the sacrifices of the wicked are an abomination unto the pure God For when the Jews were in the observation of sacrifices Sabbaths New-moons and the like the Lord said they were an abomination and loathsomness unto him and his soul did abhor them and the reason was because of the evil of their doings for in such things the Lord delighteth not but a body which is prepared to do his will in is only accepted for there he only takes delight to dwell which is more then all sacrifices offerings and oblations which David knew right well But this thing Satan and his Ministers Preach not to the people that he may keep his seat whole within them profess what they will in words he matters it not for he knows if once the creature cometh to the Covenant of God that then he will come to witnesse his body to be his Temple as he hath promised I will dwell in them and walk in them therefore Satan strives every way to keep people from the light which is the Covenant whereby men would come to know the teachings of God and would not need that man should teach them But this makes not for the hireling nor his profit therefore would he be Master as much as in him lieth telling people they must not look for God to speak unto men in these days and that revelations are ceased and such like stuff he filleth up his hours time with which sheweth he and his hearers know not the Son of God as the true Christians did And saith Christ unto those that come unto me I give eternal life and none hath eternal life but those who know the Father and Jesus Christ whom he hath sent So all Priests and people this is to you and sheweth that you are from the true Faith and to every good work reprobate for he that doth not witness all his works done and wrought in him by the vertue and power of God all his works are but as filthy rags which is self righteousnesse for if the just do not work in the creature it is self which can never be accepted of the Father for the true children of God came to witnesse that God did all their works for them and in them and so did witnesse in deed and in truth the Lord to be their righteousness and were called by that name So come and try your works and by whom they are wrought in you if not by Christ then it is self and so it will availe you nothing For without me saith Christ ye
in the Light and stumbleth not Marke he who loveth and walketh in the Light stumbleth not because he walkes in that which maketh manifest all things even the hidden workes of darkness which by the Light is reproved and judged But he which hates his brother walkes in darkness and knoweth not whether he goeth because the darkness hath blinded his eyes so he which walketh in darkness knoweth not whether he goeth even because he is from the Covenant of God which is Light wherein he should walke as all the ransomed and redeemed of the Lord doth And this David did witness who said God is my Light and my Salvation and all which comes to the Light and lives in it witness the same thing and are not ashamed to bring their deeds unto the Light because they are wrought in God but he which doth evil Hateth the Light neither cometh he to the Light because his deeds are evil Therefore come and try if your deeds are wrought in God by bringing them to the Light and if by the Light they are Justified then none can condemne you but if the Light condemn you none can justifie you For all Judgement is committed unto the Son who is the Light and inlightneth every one whith cometh into the world which Light is a sure word of Prophecy whereunto if ye take heed ye do well as the true Christians did as unto a light that shineth in a darke place untill the day dawne and the day Star arise in your hearts for it is the light of the righteous which lightneth more and more untill the perfect day and gives a discovery of all things but the wicked being from that which makes manifest walketh in darkness and knoweth not at what they stumble which is a wofull state for they are from the light of the glorious Gospel and you to cover your selves say the letter is calling Matthew Mark Luke and John the Gospel when you are ignorant of the Gospel of Peace which is Christ the true light and Saviour of the Soul Therefore give care and harden not your hearts ye Protestants in this Nation least God smite you with a curse and leave you to perish in your sins for ever therefore come all to the light that a true regenerate state ye may witness as the true Christians did who witnessed the state of a child a young man and old man and the Apostle writing unto such said I write unto you little children because ye have known the Father I write unto you fathers because ye have known him which if from the beginning I have written unto you young men because ye are strong and the word of God abideth in you and ye have overcome the wicked one Read and consider the least in this state knew God and as they did grow up in the knowledge of God they came to overcome the Devil who is the father of all sin which is a true Christians warfare therefore come away And put on the whole Armour of Light and take unto you the Shield of Faith and the fiery darts of the Devil will come to be quenched by you and as good Souldiers you will overcome and witness the evil one overcome in you which is the strong man which keeps the house but coming to Christ and witnessing him you will know the stronger come which will take the possession in you and spoyle the strong mans goods who had first the Dominion and whole possession in you And this is counsel of life and truth unto you all that ye may come to be true children of Gods everlasting Covenant and witness the anointing in you which is the light which will teach you all things and is truth and is no lie and as the same teacheth you if ye obey and follow it ye shall abide in it which will be your portion for ever and is the true portion of all the redeemed of God who come to witness the birth which is of God Which sinneth not neither can they because the seed of God abideth in them which seed is Christ the hope of their glory And this is the mystery which the Apostle speaketh of which was hid from Ages and Generations which was then made manifest unto the true Christians and except ye come to witness this ye are reprobates for Christ Jesus is that seed which was promised should Bruise the Serpents head which became head in man after transgression and his head being bruised by the seed of the woman came to be perfectly restored into the Image and glory he was first created in even into the Image of his Creator who is God blessed for ever more of all his redeemed ones who witnesseth this fulfilled in them as many do at this day Immortal endless praise be rendred to his holy name for ever for they come to know that the power of the tempter is not of more force then the Redeemer but the redeemed even by Christ the Light comes to know his head bruised in them who seperated them from God and this is the true and faithful Christians state and life even to live and walke in the power of his Creator and Redeemer all the dayes of his sojourning in the mid'st of a crooked and perverse generation in which pure righteous and holy life they cannot plead for sin but stands as living witnesses against all unrighteousness whatsoever and for this cause are they hated and reviled because they are as a City which is set on a hill that cannot be hid and that torments the wicked and they are the Salt of the earth and have Salt in themselves to savour and try all things withall and are not afraid of being deceived but Tryeth all things and holdeth fast that which is good for they onely are the elect of God and cannot for it is impossible for them to be deceived but on the contrary stands witnesses against the deceiver and all his works therefore are hated by his children even as they hated Christ for saith Christ The world cannot hate you but me it hateth because I testifie of it that the works are evill but the world loves its own And the whole world lyeth in wickedness as saith the Scripture And who comes to be redeemed out of the world comes to be hated by the children of the world even as they did their Lord and Master the servant is not greater then his Lord who suffered the contradiction of sinners and laid down his life for his enemies and prayed for them which is the true Christians life So as you would prize your eternal happiness slight not this day your day of visitation but prize it and you will find mercy for God of a truth hath much mercy in store for you if ye reject it not but if you do then tribulation and anguish shall possess your souls for evermore Therefore while you have a day and time prize it before it be too late and remember Esau who had a birthright and despised
without respect of persons judgeth according to every mans work passe the time of your sojourning here in feare and redeem the time for the days are evil and work out your salvation with fear and trembling which if ye doe ye shall be everlastingly blessed in the end which is the word of the Lord God of Heaven and Earth unto you all Therefore while you have time prize it this word doth the Lord often put into my heart unto you for the dreadful day of his fierce unresistable wrath is nigh at hand in which he wil destroy all workers of iniquity from off the earth root and branch for ever and to that man will he look who is of a humble and contrite heart trembleth at his word and only such shall obtain favour of him in that his dreadful day and controversie with all Nations therefore is he sending and hath sent his dear and precious Lambs and Servants forth to warn them that they may repent and find mercy least his vengeance overtake them and that they may be lest without excuse and for this cause is this warning sent unto you O ye Protestants and inhabitants in France that ye may also be warned to fly the wrath which is even at the door for your measure of iniquity is even full and hastneth apace the finishing Therefore be awakened and warned that ye may find favour with him who will not judge according to your persons but in righteous judgement will he judge you even from the King that sitteth upon the Throne unto the slave that grindeth at the mill and neither money nor favour shall be able to deliver any therefore that ye may repent and find mercy is the true and faithfull desire of my soul to the Lord for you my Countrey-men whom the Lord hath warned to warn you and hath shewed me his silly worm the evil and the good which shall surely come upon you who in love and faithfulnesse to God and your Souls hath not concealed it from you whether you doe embrace or reject his love and counsell which is freely tendred unto you that so in the day of account with my Maker I may be found clear of your blood and the blood of all men which if I had it would be too heavy for me to bear for the Lord would require it at my hands who hath called me from a far countrey where I was an inhabitant about fourteen yeares untill this work was laid on me to visit you Protestants in and about Paris but ye rejected me and despised me and would not permit me to declare my message of love unto you which was from the Lord and not my own in testimony of which I was ready to seal it with my blood but seeing ye would not receive it from the Lord who called me from the Indians in America to minister and serve the Indians elswhere in his truth and gospel I shall be clear of your blood for ever and at my return from Paris the Lord laid it upon me to write this testimony unto you before he would suffer me to go out of your Nation and happy will ye be if ye receive it but if ye wilfully reject it as ye did me and contemned my person then wo will come upon you from the Lord God of Heaven and Earth for evermore Therefore Countrey-men I beseech you in the bowels of endlesse and unfeigned love for ever in and with the same the Lord hath loved me to lay it to heart for my God is a consuming fire who will not in any wise condemn the innocent nor acquit the guilty for with him alone dwelleth equity and justice which is the habitation of his Throne for ever which you shall be made partakers of who turn to him and peace shall never depart out of your habitation Let this thing be considered by all who love their souls for what will it avail you to win the whole world and lose your own souls is there any thing below the Sun but what is vanity and vexation of Spirit and must come to an end nay verily there is not therefore spend not your precious time any longer in taking care what you shall eat or what you shall drink or what you shall put on for all these things such seek after who know not God but cast your care upon God who will care for you if ye come to walk and live in his holy fear and seek not honor one of another but only that honour which comes from him so will ye honour him and he will make you truly honourable in the midst of a rebellious and stiff-necked people and seek not to lay up treasures on earth but first seek ye the Kingdome of Heaven and all things which are needfull for you shall be added unto you for if the Lord taketh care for the birds of the aire how much more will he take care for those who put their trust and confidence in him therefore spend not your time in chambering and wantonnesse neither make provision for the flesh to fulfil the lusts thereof for the lust warreth against the soul but be ye sober and watch for the day of the Lord will come upon you as a thief in the night and he will call you to an account of your stewardship and how you have spent his money for every one hath a manifestation of the spirit given him to profit withall which he must give an account to his Lord of for that 's the talent and wo be to him that hath not been faithful to improve it but the diligent hand maketh rich and he which hath been faithful to a little shall be made ruler over much so consider seriously how you spend your time and whose money you are improving and to what use you put it to for accordingly shall your reward be Therefore Friends as in the sight of the living God in whom I live and serve with my Spirit I am very plain with you recommending my self to every mans conscience in the sight of God that I have not hid the counsel of God from you so far as he hath made it manifest to me concerning you neither have I gone to heal your hurt deceitfully nor sowed pillars under your arm-holes nor daubed you with untempered morter as the false prophets do crying peace peace to the wicked but as the Lord hath shewed me the sword of his wrath which is ready to be sheathed in the bowels of the wicked I have in faithfulnesse warned you of it that ye might escape it by turning from the evil of your wayes for by no other way or meanes can you possibly escape it therefore let not me be counted your enemy for telling you the truth knowing that the reproof of a friend is better than the kisse of an enemy and an open reproof is better than secret love therefore saith David Let the righteous smite me and it shall be as an ointment upon my head and you will
to be holy just in all their conversation for of a truth all the true Christians came to witness this even all old things to passe away and all things to become new without which the new creature cannot be witnessed Which is renewed after the Image of him who hath created him Therefore as an Ambassador from God I beseech you in Christ lay these things to heart and count it not as a vaine thing or as an idle tale but remember that because of sin and iniquity God did ever send Plagues and Judgements unto the sons of men and when they would not be warned thereby he swept them away in his wrath for so hath he appointed in his determined counsell That the wicked shall not go unpunished but they shall be cast into Hell and all who forget God for he is no respecter of persons for of all Nations he who feareth him and worketh righteousnesse is accepted of him but Tribulation and anguish upon every soul of man which doth evil for his wrath is revealed from Heaven against all ungodlynesse and unrighteousnesse of men and he is not partiall in judgement as some would make him that he will punish one man for sin and not another nay it is not so with him for Such as every man soweth such shall he reap and every one shall receive a just and due reward for the deeds done in the body whether they be good or whether they be evil The unfaithfull servant had a Talent given him to improve as well as the rest but his unfaithfulnesse was the cause that it was taken from him and he cast into utter darknesse for ever but the faithful entered into the joy of his Lord and this will assuredly be the portion and sentence of all the sons of men the workers of iniquity shall be tormented with the Devil and his Angels for ever And it will not suffice to say Lord Lord in thy name we have done many things yea they came so far as to cast out Devils and prophesied in the name of Christ and so far as this none of you at this day hardly ever came yet and notwithstanding Christ said he know them not depart from me ye cursed workers of iniquity Read and consider and lay it to heart that ye may be an holy people and come to answer Gods Everlasting love which is tendered unto you least the grace of God bestowed upon you be in vain and loose the entering into the Land of promise through unbelief which was the cause why so many fell in the Wildernesse and dyed though they were come forth out of the Land of darknesse and had seen the wonders of the Lord which are set forth as examples for those who should come after for the Gospel was preached unto them as well as unto you And truely from a good understanding doe I declare it unto you that if ye be willing and obedient a larger possession never had any people then the Lord will possesse you with and ye shalt eat the good thereof in peace for if ye accept and embrace his love and reject not his counsell which is freely tendered unto you he will rebuke Princes and Kings for your sakes but if ye harden your necks ye shall be of many people most miserable And these are words of truth and of a good understanding unto you all which will stand a witnesse for God either with you or against you for ever against you if ye reject it and for you if ye receive it for of a truth Gods Eternall and Everlasting love is tendered unto you in and through which if ye receive it and be faithfull to what the Lord will yet further manifest unto you ye shall be blessed with faithful Abraham for ever who forsaked his Fathers house to follow the Lord he knew not whether and stumbled not at the promise of the Lord but was faithful therefore was he called the friend of God and the Father of the faithful I say take him for an example and God Almighty will give you Dominion and honour you before many if you honour him but if you despise him he will despise you and if ye refuse to hear him now when he calls unto you the day is nigh when ye shall call and he will not hear which is a word of eternall truth unto you Therefore arise in the Spirit of meekness and stand a witnesse against all superstitions and Idolatry not onely in word but in life and practise and turn to the light of Christ Jesus which condemns sin and evill in you so will ye become children of the light and become a living testimony against all sin so will ye be a sweet savour unto the Lord in your generation and happy will the man be who joynes to the Lord in deed and in truth in this work his name shall be had in everlasting remembrance for evermore so let the fear and dread of God Allmighty possesse your hearts and the wicked shall be dreaded by you and brought into subjection within you and without you for ever And this is the word of the Lord unto you and blessed will ye be if ye hear and obey it for the youth shall faint and the young Lyon shall suffer hunger but they which feare the Lord shall never want any good thing for the fear of the Lord is clean and the beginning of a true Christian therefore blessed is the man which feareth always he shall be blessed in his deed and shall prosper and flourish like a green Bay tree which is planted by the rivers of water bringing forth fruit in due season to the praise and glory of his Creator and the Lord will spread his table in the sight of his enemies while they suffer hunger And this will the Lord doe for the upright in heart whose hands are not polluted with blood nor deceit harboured between his lips even he shall see the travail of his soul and be satisfied and his dayes shall be prosperous in the land of promise and the sons of the aliens shall be his servants this shall surely be the heritage of those who confesse and forsake their sins but he which hideth it shall not prosper even his prayers shall be loathsome unto the Lord and all his sacrifices an abominable abomination but he which purifieth his way by taking heed unto the Law of the Lord though he be simple yet shall he be made wise and his soul shall be converted for the Lord will perfect his glorious praise in the mouths of babes and sucklings and this thing shall be marvelous in the eyes of many These are prophesies of things which shall shortly come to passe therefore blessed is he which watcheth that he may not be found naked for the day of the Lord is coming on like a theif in the night upon all the inhabitants of the Earth wherein the hearts of all shall be made manifest and made bare and naked of what Nation or
profession soever and it shall prove you who say you are Jews and are not and every mans works shall be tryed of what sort they are and all coverings besides the pure Holy Spirit of the Lord shall be as Adams fig-Leaves were and when the Lord shall call them to an account they shall fear to appear before him because of their transgressions and Gods witnesse in all shall answer unto his just judgments which shall come upon them the hypocrites shall weep and howle and many shall call to the Hills and Mountains to hide them from the wrath of the Lamb whom they have willfully despised and rejected Therefore be ye warned in time and see and search diligently what you are built upon for no other foundation shall be able to abide the dreadful day of Gods controversie with the sons and daughters of men but the Rock of ages and he which is not built upon this let him be never so secure in his own conceit or in the eye of flesh his building shall utterly perish and come to nought and great shall be his ruine Therefore come all to the Light and make no other foundation but that if ye desire to abide the day of tryal which is neer even at the dore therefore this warning is sent unto you in an acceptable time that ye may take warning before it be too late for a consummate decree is determined of the Lord which shall consume and destroy all the workers of iniquity for ever therefore blessed will the man be who hath not walked in their way nor sitteth in the seat of the scornfull after he is warned but shall cleave to the Law of God and meditate therein his off-spring shall be prosperous in the Earth and his name shall be written in the book of life for ever he shall wash his garments white in the blood of the Lamb and follow him who hath a Bow and a Sword and maketh war in righteousness against the Dragon and his Followers even the Man of Sin who hath long sitten in the Temple of God and said He is God but by the Lamb shall he be overcome and his followers and all that are found in resistance of Gods power shall be cast into the pit of endlesse torments for ever and the day is already dawned wherein this glorious work shall be accomplished Therefore beware with whom ye joyn in battel for the Lamb makes war in righteousness against all sin and the appearance thereof but the Dragon and his followers shal be to uphold it and plead for it and imprison such as bear testimony against it so each will be known by their weapons their fruits and their colours the one's weapons are spiritual the others carnal the one is in unrighteousnesse the other in righteousnesse the one is in blood and revenge the other in suffering and patience so you may easily distinguish between them and will not be able to plead ignorance in the day of account for it was ever so from the beginning the just suffering by the unjust the seed of the Bond-woman persecuting the seed of the Free-woman which never persecuted any therefore be ye warned of joyning with the persecuting spirit of Antichrist for if you doe you shall assuredly as the Lord God of Heaven and Earth lives partake of his plagues but rather cast out the Bond-woman and her son that ye may be heirs with the seed of the Free-woman which keep the Commandements of God so will ye be heirs of the promise and of the mercy of God which is freely tendered unto you through his simple servant who is at present a sufferer in the patience and tribulation of the Lamb on whom the Lord hath laid a necessity to warn thee O nation of France that thou mayst find mercy in this the day of Gods free love which is tendered unto thee and though this reacheth unto the whole Nation yet in particular it is sent to you who are called by the name of the Reformed Religion to the end that ye may not only be so in name but also in life and practise without which your name will but adde unto your condemnation as hath already been told you God is purposed to try you and your foundation and a name will not serve the turn and except ye partake of the nature of the sufferance of Gods seed and spirit of truth in you and turn to the Lord by putting away the evil of your doings ye shall surely partake of her plagues which is the word of the Lord God of Heaven and Earth unto you all for her sins have exceeded the sins of Sodom and the measure of her iniquity is even up and judgment is already prepared for her therefore be ye seperated from your iniquities in time for the word is gone out of the mouth of the Lord and can never be recalled but shall surely accomplish the thing which he hath purposed therefore my bowels are drawn forth in love towards you that ye may not perish with the uncircumcised and unclean but that rather ye may come to repentance and amendment of life and live for ever which is the true desire of his soul Friends the Lord is about to do a wonderful work in the Earth which many cannot believe though it were told them but the upright in heart shall see it and praise him yea the youth shall rejoyce and the virgins shall be glad and the Saints shall admire and smite upon their breasts in beholding the wonderful works of the Allmighty which he purposeth to doe in this generation And therefore give ear unto me and be not hard of heart nor unbelieving and I will through the spirit of the Lord which is upon me shew unto you the certainty of things which shall shortly come to passe The Lord will cast down the haughty and the proud from his throne and will exalt the humble and the meek yea he will rebuke the proud and give grace unto the humble He will exalt his horn over all that shall rise up against him he will break the bond of oppression and set the Nations at liberty that his name may be glorified from one end of the Earth unto the other though at present his name is not known amongst the sons of men and he be more a stranger and less known amongst them then the Ox to his owner or the Ass to his masters crib yet shall the knowledge of him cover the whole earth even as the waters cover the Seas He will overturn all Idolaters and all Idols for ever and all who shall set a hand to uphold them all Idol Priests shall be turned into confusion for ever the haughty seat shall be laid low and the humble and the meek shal be exalted yea he will by his own arm and Allmighty power arise and plead the cause of the innocent and set the oppressed free and enlarg the borders of the innocent and the meek shall take the possession and the glorious
his own right hand hath planted and none shall be able to pluck you up for he will keep you in the hollow of his hand and they which shall touch you to harm you shall be as though they touched the apple of his eye and though for a time some of you may be suffered to be tryed for the tryal of others yet assuredly it shall be but for a short season a book of remembrance thereof will be written before the Lord and you will delight to meet often together to speak of his goodness and he will assuredly be in the mid'st of you and ye shall be his Temple Sanctified and made meet for his Use and he will delight to take up his habitation with you for ever and remember Satan may have power given to kill some of you and put some of you in prison ten days Read and understand and be not dismayed at these things when they shall come upon you For so did they persecute of old the holy Prophets of God before you and if any of you shall go in this cause to save your lives ye shall assuredly lose it but they which shall lay it downe for this testimony shall surely save it And whosoever shall forsake Father or Mother for my sake saith Christ shall receive in this life an hundred fold and in the world to come life everlasting And as I have said a day and a time of tryal may come over you But a short worke will the Lord make in the earth for his Seeds sake And the Rod of the wicked shall not alwayes rest upon the back of the righteous saith the Lord God Allmighty But I have said in and through the good Spirit of the Lord and by the strength of his own Arm which is made bare he will burst the bonds of your oppressors asunder that his oppressed seed may go free even to the ends of the uttermost habitations of the earth Therefore I say again to the holy Seed in you even the Seed of the Kingdome Which is as a grain of mustard seed yea the least of all things in you which if ye diligently need prize and follow it will become a great plant and cover the whole earth in you which if ye do the good which I have shewed you in faithfulnesse to God and which is to all your immortal souls will come upon you but if ye refuse and reject the good councel of the Lord unto you and joyne to the power of the oppressor to keep the Seed in bondage then know as sure as the Lord liveth the just shall be taken from you and all the evil I have been made to Prophecy of shall come upon your heads in a day when ye looked not for it even when ye may be eating and drinking and Marrying and giving in marriage Remember the old world and take ye warning before it be too late For the Spirit of the Lord will not alwayes strive with man which is the Word of the Lord God unto you all and wo be unto that man or Nation as the Spirit of the Lord shall cease striving with better were it that they had never been born for a manifestation of his holy Spirit hath been given to every one to profit withall which is the Lords money and your talent and misery will be the portion of those that hide their Masters money in the earth for such have grieved his righteous Spirit which will be too heavy for them to bear in the end Read the parable and againe I say be ye warned and while ye have time prize it before it be too late Remember Esau who after he had despised his Birthright sought it carefully with teares but there was no place found for his repentance And do not think it will be sufficient for you to deny bowing unto the Images and Idols of the Nation while ye live openly in the same abominations of those which went before for the voice saith Be ye separated and touch no unclean thing and I will accept you saith the Lord which the Light of Christ Jesus in you search whether it be not so as I say and have said in every particular and let Judgement pass upon the head of the transgressor in you that the oppressed Seed of God may go free to Reigne and Rule over you and in you for ever for Sion is to be redeemed by Judgement and her Converts with righteousnesse and the Prophet said He would bear the indignation of the Lord because he had sinned against him Therefore give up freely to the judgement that ye may reape righteousnesse for God hath said that judgement shall be given for a Light to the people and truly the judgements of the Lord are true and righteous altogether for by them is thy servant forewarned I call Heaven and earth to record this day That you are truly and faithfully warned to fly and escape the evil to come and life and death is set before you and if ye chuse the Light ye shall live for the Light is the life of men but if ye refuse to be guided by it then darkness shall be your habitation for ever for a true Jubilee and release is tendred unto you of the Lord freedome from bondage and corruption within and and without and if ye reject this glorious freedome even freedome from your old master which is sin and Satan then hear ye the word of the Lord ye shall be boared through the eare and be made to serve your old Master for ever not one jot or tittle of this which is here written shall pass away unfulfilled be it with you or against you I shall be cleare of your bloud before the Lord for ever God will be Justified and glorified in all Even in them which believe and in them which perish Think not that going unto the Temple once or twice a week and there to hear what a man hath studied in his own will and time will serve turn nay nor yet the taking of Davids words and singing of them who was a man of a true penitent heart before the Lord who fasted cryed and mourned because of his transgressions and watered his Couch with his teares yea and so abhorred all workers of iniquity that he said He would not keep a lyar in his house which is far wide from your state who take his words and say you are not puft in mind you have no scornfull eye and you have fasted untill one may number your bones and you have roared for the disquietnesse of your hearts and are you not a company of liars and offer a sacrifice of lies unto the Lord And do you not think the Lord will Judge you for these things Yea verily do you not read That all liars shall be cast into the lake of fire and brimstone and no liars can enter into the holy habitation and rest of God Consider these things and lay them to heart and put away lying out of your
mouths as you desire to be accepted of God and no longer say you Sing to the praise and glory of God and the comfort of your own souls when your Singing is to the dishonour of God such sacrifices are an abomination unto the Lord But whoso cometh before him though never so simple Yet if he have clean hands and a pure heart even he who speaks the truth from his heart shall and will be accepted of him for it is truth in the inward part God onely delights in without which there is no acceptance Were not they condemned of the Lord by the Prophet Who came before him as his people did and heard his word and it was unto them as a very lovely song yet their hearts being after their covetousness availed them nothing and you never yet came so far as this to wit to delight to hear the word of the Lord which is like a fire and a Hammer as hath been said but instead of it ye call the letter the Word whereas the letter saith Christ is the Word yet if you were come to hear the word of God and do it not all would availe you nothing And you to take Bread and give it one to another and call it a Sacrament which word you have no where in the Scripture neither was such a thing ever commanded to Drunkards Swearers Liars and the like but to those who in faithfulness of heart had forsaken all to follow Christ he brake bread amongst them and gave it them as a signe of his true Body and bad them do it in remembrance of him untill he came and when the substance came againe amongst them there was no more need of any outward shadow or figure which thing they did really witnesse shortly after but you are breaking bread all the dayes of your lives and never witness him come as they did Even the second time without sin unto Salvation who are pleading for sin as long as you live and Paul in his first Epistle to the Corinthians speaketh unto them of it who did also abuse it and therefore in his next Epistle he tels them and bids them Try and prove themselves if Christ were not in them they were reprobates So read with moderation and consider If all were reprobates who did not witness Christ in them little will it availe you to take bread and wine and eat it in imitation of what Christ did to his Disciples which thing was neither commanded them nor any who live in sin but the true followers of the lamb did and do shew forth the Lords death in eating and drinking and in all their actions and their moderation appeareth unto all men which sheweth forth both his death and life in them So they brake their bread from house to house with singlenesse of heart which is the thing the Lord delighteth in above all sacrifice whatsoever and such came to witness Christ in them to be their life and all in all and this witnessing in deed and in truth is a true regenerate state and Christians life which is more then to talke or taking a little water and sprinkling it upon the face of a child say it is a seal of the Covenant and an entrance into the Church which is but a Popish trick and invention to deceive the hearts of the simple feeding them with a name but not of the nature which thing hath been sufficiently spoken of already Neither is there any one example in the Scripture for such practise Search and so read and consider what you are a doing for it is high time for of a truth the mighty and terrible day of the Lord is at hand Wherein all shall be judged according to the deeds done in the body whether good or evil Therefore be ye awakened and repent and think not that a man or Minister made in the will of men that can preach unto you about an hours space by the houre glasse once or twice a week will serve your turn which thing is a stink and a shame to all who are true Christians and sheweth plainly that such have not the unlimited Spirit of God which cannot be limitted to a glasse time or place but speaketh in whom he will where he will and as long as he will And this was the true order amongst the Saints in their assemblies not to quench the Spirit of God but the Spirit of the Prophets were subject unto the Prophets so that if any thing was revealed to one that sat by the first was to hold his peace and they might all Prophecy one by one and were not forbidden that all might be edified and did not maintaine an hireling to speak unto them about an hour and if any were moved to speak in that time to call it a disturbance and insolence nay nay in these your fruits and practices you have not so much as a forme of godlinesse much lesse the power as you your selves confesse you have not the Spirit of God which is the power in all the true Christians and was the fruits and effects of the true living Faith without which they could not please God even the Faith which layeth hold on the promise of the Father which is that the holy Spirit even the comforter should come unto them which should lead them into all truth and shew them things to come And this doth all come to witnesse who come to know the onely one and true Baptisme which is by one Spirit baptized into one body which doth not only serve to the washing away of the filth of the flesh but the answer of a good conscience towards God even purified from dead works whereby they come to serve and worship the living God in Spirit and in truth and such onely doth he seek to worship him So come away out of all the beggarly Elements which are to perish in the using to serve the Lord in newness of mind without which all your profession and Religion is but in vaine for then and not till then will ye come to witness a bridle to your tongue which bridle ye must come to witness in you even the light which condemneth you for every idle word and action and all the works of the flesh which are these envy pride malice covetousnesse whoredom railing back-biting evil speaking drunkenness gluttony uncleannesse and all uncharitableness and they who do such things shall not inherit the Kingdome of God Gal. 5.19 Therefore go ye not forth for the Kingdome of Heaven is in you saith Christ and as you come to give up to his pure Light you will be levened into its own nature and so be made partakers of it which consisteth not in word but in power holinesse peace and joy in the Holy Ghost which is the desire of my soul that you even my Countreymen may be made partakers of that ye may witness your conversation to be in Heaven and be no longer sayers but doers of the pure holy will of God that ye
what end they were created even for them to serve his body and his body to serve his soul and his soul to serve his Creator in the body and as he thus stood in the fear dominion and wisdome of his Lord all things were blessed unto him and all things were clean and pure and being guided by the pure holy Spirit of his maker is counselled as in the beginning and hath a law-giver as at the first but when once he gave ear unto the voyce of the Serpent who was more subtile than any beast of the field consented to eat of that which was forbidden him that he should not touch to eat even of the tree of knowledge of good and evil let him which readeth understand he had liberty to eat of every tree but that all being good and that also for all that which God made was good and blessed but for food it was not to be eaten of nor touched And as I said when man once had transgressed the righteous Law of his Creator he lost his glorious Dominion he had and the pure Spirit of the Lord by which he was covered departed from him so that he was naked without a covering then shame entred in upon him and so he went to make unto himself other coverings then those which he had in the beginning to hide himself but all in vain So all the professors in the world who are not covered with the holy Spirit of the Lord may read and see what they are doing for this is truely your state and condition feeding upon your own knowledge which is forbidden and feeding thereon are thereby set on work to make unto your selves other coverings then that of the holy Spirit of truth and righteousnesse So read and consider when Adam had once done so the Lord cast him out of his Garden and he lost his dominion which he had and God placed Cherubins at Eden gate which turned every way to keep the way of the tree of life so that men could never enter again that way but through death even the death of that nature and wisdom which he fed on which was of the earth and is earthly sensuall and devilish So read and consider whether you witnesse this yea or nay And so man being drove out of the earth the curse entred and the Serpent became head in him and he that was the sonne of God before and was guided by him in all his actions became the son and servant of the Devil and a bondslave unto corruption and thus was the Lamb slain even the just seed of God became oppressed in him even as a Cart that is loaded with sheaves which before bore rule in him wholly yet the Lord having regard to the works of his hands and his bowels being moved with pity towards them his mercy being over all the works of his hands took not his holy seed from him but made a Covenant with man that the seed of the woman should bruise the Serpents head which was become head in man then which promise was witnessed and fulfilled in Abel who was righteous and was accepted the seed of God bearing rule in him and the seed of the envious one was brused which reign'd in his brother Cain and so being one with the holy seed became a sufferer and suffered by the seed of the evil one in his brother and here was the first persecution and from that day unto this hath the just suffered by the unjust the seed of the Bond-woman persecuting the seed of the free-woman which kept the Commandements of God So here all men may read and see what stock and generation they are of and what seed is head in them for one of the two beareth rule in every individual man upon the face of the whole earth where the seed of the woman is head there is peace humility meeknesse long-suffering patience temperance love to all bearing and forbearing praying for enemies and suffering and enduring all things not having confidence in the arm of flesh nor yet a helper in the earth not seeking revenge but committeth its innocent cause to God knowing that vengeance belongs only to him praying for enemies doing good to those that despitefully use them and this this only is the life of the true christian for in him alone this holy seed of God beareth rule and hath dominion for they are the peace-makers but where the seed of the Serpent beareth rule there lust reigneth from whence cometh all warre strife contention and debate and this was Cains nature even to kill and murder who was a Vagabond drove from God yet he built him a City and called it by the name of his son and so from this stock hath risen oppression and murder and getting of possession in the earth and this was the fruit and effect of that seed which from him sprung for which cause the holy Spirit of God was grieved from day to day until it had repented him at the heart that he had made man which caused Noah to preach unto them righteousnesse but they rejected his counsel and would not be warned but they continued eating and drinking marrying and giving in marriage all in the lust and unclean nature which crucified the just and so continued until the day of wrathful unresistable vengeance and flood of Gods indignation brake out upon them And thus in all ages have those in whom this seed of enmity hath borne rule provoked the holy God to wrath against them yet he forbore with them until they had filled up their measure of iniquity in which time he sent his holy servants the Prophets to warn and forewarn them of the wrath which was due unto the transgressors and still as they did reject the councel of the Lord and his tender reproofs they felt his heavy hand in the end for he hath said his Spirit shall not always strive with man though men may as they did then seek by their own strength policy and wisdome to build them a Tower to reach up unto Heaven but God confounded their design for neither by that way nor by that meanes could they ever bring their purpose to passe and from that stock came and sprung all the divisions upon the face of the earth one building this thing and the other that thing and all in the confusion being confounded and dispersed in their understandings by the wise God though vain man may think by such meanes to build him a Tower to reach up to Heaven but such are the thieves and the robbers which climb up another way then Christ spake of who came not in by the door which is the light the onely and alone true way to God and there is not another but men are so hardened and their understandings so darkned through the deceitfulnesse of sin that though these things are plainly written and spoken of in the Scriptures yet they cannot perceive them the book being become to them a book that is sealed which one
be not Ministers of Satan And whether they in effect do not prefer the power of Satan to be greater to keep people in sin than the power of Christ is to redeem and set at liberty from sin yea or nay Whether the Cross of Christ be not the power of God unto Salvation to every one who believes through which all who live in it come to be crucified to the world and the world to them And whether any be true Disciples of of Christ but those who witnesse it and bear it dayly about with them and follow Christ taking him for their perfect example in all things yea or nay Whether do not they who are true Ministers of Christ turn people from darknesse to light and from Satans power to God And whether are not they who are so turned come to witnesse that which was before Satans power was or sin either yea or nay Whether doth not all true Ministers of Christ Jesus bring people off from mans teaching and wisdom unto Christ the wisdome of God and his teaching And whether he doth not bring them to the Anointing in them which is the gift of God so that they need not mans teaching yea or nay And whether all they are not Ministers of Satan who Preach and teach otherwise whose eyes are full of Adultery and cannot cease from sin while they promise to others liberty they themselves are not servants unto corruption yea or nay And whether they be not such of whom the Apostle speaketh Ever learning and never able to come to the knowledge of the truth teaching things they ought not for filthy lucre sake who have not the word they speak from the Lord but seek it every one of his neighbour and against whom the Lord is yea or nay These things being truly of absolute concernment for every one who sincerely desireth salvation to their immortal souls to know and be rightly informed therein therefore I propound them unto you to be answered by the heads and wise amongst you who seem to be pillars to the rest that thereby your Priests and Teachers may manifest themselves whether they are true Ministers of Christ yea or nay which will appear by their answer if they are the spiritual weaponed men Who wrestle not with flesh and blood but with principalities and spiritual wickednesses in high places which captivates the creature and keeps him in bondage and corruption for to no other end are these propounded unto them but that truth may appear and the simple come to be instructed and that they may come to be redeemed from the power of their adversary the Devil Who goeth about like a roaring Lyon seeking whom he may devoure and that righteousness and truth may be set up amongst the sons of men for God of a truth will be known to be greater in power to deliver his creature from sin then the Devil is to keep them in sin and this work hath the Lord already begun in the earth and will hasten to finish it for his own glory sake for the glory of his renown shall go over all and his name shall be dreadfull among the heathen and greatly feared and honoured of all them who put their trust in him who are and shall be the onely blessed for evermore But the wicked shall be turned into hell and all who forget God Therefore O ye Protestants in France to whom these things are sent I charge you all in the power and vertue of the living God who hath created the Heavens and the earth as you shall answer it in the dreadful day of account not to slight these things but receive them as they are given forth to you and if your Priests shall withstand it let them answer those plain demands which are propounded in it that so Gods eternal truth may stand over all for ever and let their answer be sent to any of the people of the Lord called Quakers in England And they your Teachers who say they have the charge of your souls and receive wages of you under that pretence I shall yet adde this Query unto them for to answer What the soul of man is And as you prize the salvation of your souls mind these things and cease from man in time whose breath is in his nostrills for whereof is he to be accounted and come all to God alone for teaching who hath promised to teach his people himself which is his true living and everlasting Covenant with his people for ever which the people in England called Quakers do witnesse glory and immortal praise be unto him for ever who hath manifested his name power and glory amongst them as in the days of old by which he hath struck dread unto their enemies and set them as a Signet on the Crown of his head and hath put a new Song in their mouths even the Song of Moses and of the Lamb for he hath manifestly overthrown their enemies in their sight and will do the like for you O ye Protestants and inhabitants of this Nation if ye hear and obey his voice in this the day of his Almighty power which if ye do happy happy happy will ye be and your posterity for evermore but if ye refuse then cursed cursed cursed will ye be from his holy pure presence for evermore which is his eternal word unto you all and thus far I shall be clear of your blood if ye perish Remember Korah Dathan and Abiram who perished in their gain-saying and in love and bowels of pity I say be ye warned betimes Truly friends I was a man as ye are subject unto all manner of vanity which was under the Sun passing my time in Singing and Musick foolish talking and idle jesting and so was a captive to sin and Satan untill the Lord out of the boundlesse riches of grace and mercy towards me and many more in those remote parts of the earth where I dwelt who had as large a talk of Christ and what he did and suffered at Jerusalem sixteen hundred years since as any people as ever yet I came nigh and could talk of Faith in Christ and being saved by grace and the like while his pure grace was turned from by us and we in wantonnesse and the grace of God which was freely bestowed upon us was our condemnation and in this lost and undone state the Lord sent one of his messengers who declared the way and path of holinesse unto us whose message was light and that Christ Jesus had enlightned every one of us with his true light which condemned us for sin and evil in our consciences from our youth up and if we heeded this light it would lead us up to God and we should know him alone to be our teacher This was the message of glad tidings unto us and their feet were beautifull upon the mountains who brought it and I may truly say blessed be the day of their going out with the message of peace in their mouth for
ever for the witnesse of God in me answered thereto and that their message was true and faithfull for I had that in me which had never consented to the evil of my wayes from my youth up untill that day but was a witnesse against me when I did sin against God and after had brought sorrow upon me for my vaine and wicked conversation and after I had believed their report concerning the holy pure light of Christ as they told me it came from him and would lead to him I witnessed their words to be true and at this time am ready to seale to the truth thereof with my blood if called thereunto of the Lord for through it I came to have accesse to God and no other way yet so as through judgement which laid hold of the transgressor in me and all that ever I had done came to be judged by him who sitteth upon the throne and liveth for evermore So I came to witnesse the promise of God in me that judgement should rest for a light to the people for it was so in me and I heard a voice saying This is the way walk in it turn neither to the right hand nor to the left so my teacher came to be near me even in me and will never be removed into a corner any more if diligently heeded and followed which teacher is the light of Christ in the conscience which shined in the darknesse in me though the darknesse could not comprehend it but as I came to heed it diligently it did comprehend all the darkness in me and for me and hath given me a clear discovery of all things pertaining to the Mysterie of the Kingdom of God which are needful unto salvation and I came to see Pharaoh and his host overturned which kept the seed of God in bondage in me and I passed the Red Sea into the wilderness where I came to know a sacrifice offered up which he did accept and not before and then I came to mount Sinai to the giving forth of the Law which was terrible to the flesh but it was and is glorious unto me and will be for ever for it laid hold on nothing but on that part which is estranged from God wherein I had seen many wonders and overturning of enemies yet many temptations and provocations I had to returne into Egypt again and that I should never be able to enter the promised Land the enemies were so great which I know all will come to be tempted in like manner who come truly to travail towards the Land of rest but to such an one I say be of good cheer and courage for if thy heart be given to God he will of a truth be with thee in all thy travails even to the end thereof and thy work will be only to keep in the Faith and so thou wilt find thy strength will be to stand still and see the Salvation of God For this testimony I faithfully give and bear for the Lord that it is he only who doth and will subdue all their enemies in and for them be they never so many or mighty who truly put their whole trust and confidence in his name alone who is a strong tower in time of need I say such shall possess the gates of their enemies and shall come to witness with me as I do at this day the elder to serve the younger which is the true work and promise of God and the true travail of the seed into the Lord of rest and there is no other salvation to be looked for even the subduing casting out of the seed of the bond woman that the Seed of the free woman which is Christ the Son of the most high God over all blessed for evermore may have the preheminency in the creature and thus coming out of Egypts darknesse I came to see that all the teachers in the world made by the will of man were but soul-deceivers for they had not the word from the Lord neither were they sent by him therefore did not they profit the people at all and were but Babels builders one building and another destroying and all in the confusion and the most refined of them were but Ministers of the letter and not of the Spirit boasting of other mens lines made ready unto their hands serving and worshipping the works of their own hands according to the oldnesse of the letter and not according to the newness of the Spirit and teaching them for Doctrine the traditions of men And thus are poor people in an expectation of deliverance and salvation through their teachings but all in vain for when they have heard them all their life time they tell them they can never be freed from sin and yet tell them they are good Christians though they be Drunkards Swearers Liars and wicked persons and this is the fruits of their Ministry which all shall witness with me who come to the one teacher and Shepherd of the soul who saveth all to the uttermost that come unto him who is the light of the world and enlightneth every one which cometh into the world who saith Learn of me for I am meek and lowly in heart who is the way the truth and the life and he is the door even the light for the way is but one the truth is but one which is the light the onely way to God and there is not another And no man cometh to the Father but by me saith Christ the light the door the way the life so none can ever come to God nor the way to God nor the truth but who comes to the light wherewith they are inlightned which comes from Christ and condemneth all the evil that is in the creature and sheweth a man all that ever he hath done for saith the woman of Samaria Is not this the Christ who hath told me all that ever I have done So all likewise who come unto the light they witnesse with her and with me the same thing and all who come into subjection unto it shall come to witnesse the wild Colt tamed upon which never man sat and then and not till then is Hosannah sung nor blessed can he ever be who comes in the name of the Lord by any untill this be fulfilled and witnessed by them and in them and this onely is the state of a true convert and true Christian and is my testimony for the Lord which shall stand for ever whether ye will hear or forbear And thus far have I cleared my conscience towards you in obedience towards God and love to your immortal souls therefore prize it while ye have time least the things which belong to your peace be hid from your eyes and a lamentation be taken up by the just for you as was over Jerusalem saying O Jerusalem Jerusalem how often would I have gathered thee as a Hen gathereth her chickins under her wings and thou wouldest not Therefore I say again and again lay it to heart and prize Gods everlasting love unto you all which is freely tendred unto you notwithstanding that your sins have surpassed the measure of many Nations and remember Nineveh who repented at Jonahs preaching in Sackcloath and ashes whose sins and abominations never surpassed yours which is a word of truth unto you all therefore take her for an example and repent in time least Gods judgements overtake you for Gods anger is kindled against the workers of iniquity he will destroy them from off the face of the earth that nothing but holiness may reign for evermore And the meek alone shall inherit the earth for ever and ever And this is the infallible Decree and purpose of my God which can never be recalled but will stand for ever and it hastneth to be fulfilled and he will overthrow Powers Princes Kings and Dominions even all such as shall oppose or withstand him in this his glorious work whom he will destroy in his fury will break them in pieces Therefore O ye powers of the earth down with your Crowns at the feet of the Lamb and ye shall find mercy but if ye resist him he will grind you to powder And this is the word of the Lord God unto you all and I shall be innocent before the Lord God of my life for ever therefore be awakned and beware what you do now ye are warned for you will be left without excuse if you perish and you shall know that you have been warned in time by one whom the Lord hath truly required so to do which if I should not wo wo would be unto me for ever so I shall lay down my life here in Peace and Rest and shall rejoyce if ye take warning more then in the treasures of Egypt who am called by the name of Charles Baily THE END