is come that the Bondwoman and her seed are to be cast out the true Heirs or Children of the Free must now inherit who have hitherto stood still in an obedient Child-like freedom to be offered up as Sacrifices yea slain all the day long for the Lamb's sake and led as sheep to the slaughter For although the Sons of Concubines have been sent away into the world with gifts whereby they have as rich and full publish't their own glory rather than in the Cross of Christ Jesus yet the more enduring Substance that fades not away or the Inheritance which can never be lost or alienated belongs to those Free-born Children of a greater than Abraham who like Princes have wrestled and prevailed because annointed with that spirit which suffers no foyle but by being in deaths often and willingly receiving the sentence thereof in themselves are grown too strong for the King of Terrors and much more for all petty Kings or Rulers on earth that must yeeld to him You are the regenerate Generation of just and upright ones who have dayes and nights in prisons holes or corners made it your work to become true learners of your gentle Lord and Master to be meek and lowly and by bearing his easie Yoke of self-denying love are become bound in Spirit not to avoid but freely embrace all others bending your minds to that holy stillness and silence wherein ye are instructed to commune with your own hearts and by doing so have escaped the flattering inticements of the strange woman whose wayes are moveable to hinder the simple in heart from pondering the path of Life and having countermin'd the subtil evil one in all his secret coverts of the self-loving nature and by renouncing all hidden leagues with the lustful bondage of corruption have let the immortal oppressed seed of God in you go free Behold even in that true freedom of the Son you are become free indeed Free from all creature-intanglements that would engage and anticipate your affections and hinder your minds from making those continual ascents and descents which only concern the will and work of your heavenly Father Free I say to follow the holy innocent patient Lamb of God wheresoever he goes even into those untrodden pathes of daily death to eternal Life which uncrucified flesh may boggle at and account uneasie and all this to no other end than that by straitning your selves by this fiery Baptism and contracting your selves within the narrow gate of self-denial your hearts and soules may become the more inlarg'd in universal love to God and good will to men in true bowels of pity mourning over the poor blind and their blind-leaders as also willing to direct them both in all humility to him that is ready to lead them as he hath you by a way unknown till it be tried and telling them with a brotherly kind of tenderness that this glorious liberty wherein you are new made and free-born Christ hath purchased and obtained for them also if they will but accept it in his obedience O ye Free-born Citizens of the New-Jerusalem your time is come to awake and come out of the dust where ye have lain long among the pots put on your beautiful garments of praise lay aside your sack-cloth O ye slain but now living Witnesses of Christ who is the Truth and Life and in this cloud that now arises of earthly trouble coming upon all Nations and Countries previous to the much longer calme and quiet which will follow ascend into the highest heavenly conversation while your enemies shall behold you yea ascend so as to descend no more but for his sake whose voice draws and calls you up thither even Christ who is your Life who as he appears in you so will you with him not in a vain but real glory even that glory upon which there is a defence both night and day a defence of Lambes from Wolves but offensive to none save onely such as in stead of yeelding or casting themselves into that gentle warming and nourishing heat of Divine Love which should cleanse and purify them from enmity and all other uncleanness do but kindle a fire of lustful wrath to devour their own soules whereby they intended to consume others It hath been the great joy of present and past ages to such as by Faith which is the evidence of things not seen by the carnal eye or darkened understanding could take a pleasing prospect of the New-creation-glory as well as the restitution of the old before it is to passe away the mystery whereof hath been alwaies hid from the wise and prudent in Christ who reveals himself to babe and sucklings These things were beautiful and lovely in their root but much more as they grow manifest in the branch of righteousness the very leaves of which shall heal the Nations and recover all that are not incurable by reason of their fixt and irreconcileable enmity against him that is unchangable in his love and goodness whereby a good time of refreshing shall come now no less to answer the longing expectance of the weary oppressed Creature which remaines as yet subject though not willingly to bondage then to raise and heighten the spiritual glory of such as are renewed in the spirit of their minds an earnest of which redemption both general and special all you have received who have willingly quit what is old and are contented it should pass away that you might be made new to all things and all things new to you both within and without you O you to whom this changable world yeelds no content in its most alluring smiles or flatteries nor terrour in its frowns but have still amidst all its variety sought for the one true unchangable being and an unchangable union with it behold now all vails and coverings will be worn away the shadows must fly apace and the true substance appear so as every eye shall see him though at present he comes in clouds even he whom the earthly kindreds and breed of but seeming Saints and sinners have pierced but they shall mourn because of him who shall be admired in all them that wait for and believe in him The force of Armes nor Armies nor yet the carnal Policy or Grandure of this world can any longer withstand that work which now is to be wrought in the fight of all nations not by might nor by power but by the spirit of the Lord which work is neither outward or inward singly but both even the one as well as the other and therefore room no further remains for craft or subtilty to practise and prosper no inchantments against Jacob nor divination against Israel shall hurt the remnant that is redeemed from the earth undefiled in the way but the wicked shall be insnared in the work of his own hands and the righteous whom they plot against even by standing still in pure obedience to the will of God abstracted from all self-motions or desires shall see
of the Earth are his Possession You are so far from that degenerous practice of Plotting either by fraud or force against the Life of Prince or Peasant that you follow his steps that saves the Life both of man and Beast yea abhorring the very Thoughts of any Contrivance to impose the most apparent Good against or without Consent of such for whom it is pretended and because you are already free in Christ's Freedom you choose to dye rather than be imposed upon by your own Consent to derogate from Him who hath made you free indeed In this Spirit you stand alwayes armed with the Armour of Light and Righteousness for all essayes whether to do what is lawful or suffer what the Captain of your Salvation determins to be expedient for your nearer Fellowship with him You are linked fast together in a holy Band of Union which is inward Brotherly-love rather than any outward Confederacies and by being continually in the pure Simplicity and keeping a good Conscience towards God and all men you cannot but carry all things of Satans Work down before you not so much by force as by conviction breaking in pieces all Leagues that are made with Death or Hell and such as would maintain them refusing Peace while and wheresoever the Whoredoms and Witchcrafts of the well or ill-favoured Harlot remain but seeking it with all men even of all degrees High and Low Rich and Poor for ye deny Leagues of Amity with no Person or Nation that will admit the King of Peace to reign in or over them although his Titles Authority and Power given him by the Father and his Name above other Names be not in that manner or Scripture-language known as to your selves You know who it is that hath made you to differ From other men and therefore for his sake only and never else you differ With them but because God in Christ is already reconciled to the world your great Work is to reconcile the world to God and as you find that Difference ended you let fall all others yea rather than you can strive or contend that are the Lord's Servants you serve them that call you Masters not desiring so much to rule with or over Princes as to sub-serve the meanest of their Subjects for you count it no honour to see heads bare or knees bowed to you but to go about doing good and yet obscuring your selves from them to whom you are as Benefactors treading his steps that did so and who long since rejoyced in the habitable Parts of God's Earth whose delights were with the sons of men And therefore while many that talk and pretend much of common good but do indeed seek their own more than the things of Jesus Christ you do even naturally care for the State of others and imploy your selves without hope of any Reward but in the Kingdom of God to heal the Sick relieve the Poor end Quarrels or Contentions make Enemies Friends and convert Souls to him that hath offered himself as a Ransom for and a Saviour unto all and yet came to call not the Righteous but Sinners to Repentance O ye living Witnesses of Christ's Kingdom and Instruments in his hand to reduce the Kingdoms of this World in quiet free Subjection to him not by the Battle or confused Noise of the Warriour and Garments roul'd in Blood but by such kind of burnings and fiery Tryals as will neither mix and confound or consume the precious with the vile but only separate each from other and leave both to him that iudgeth righteously What can hinder you from taking the Kingdom for unto you Saints of the Most High God is it given and greatness of the Dominion under the whole Heaven take it within and cover your selves and all without will quickly appear given unto you take it within by force against your selves and all without shall be given you by consent for when you are not your own all is yours because you are Christ's and Christ is God's Behold our King of kings comes lowly he that hath been long under must now reign over all and who will not meet Him with a Palm Branch and cry Hosanna to the Highest He that was dead does now begin to appear risen in his meek lamb-like holy Ones and shall die no more but be for ever admired in them because they have believed on Him whose Faith will now appear not Fancy or Notion but the clear Evidence of things not seen by such as say they see more than others the Mystery of God that hath been declared to his Servants and Prophets will be revealed suddenly because well nigh finished and the seventh Angel is about to sound his Trumpet yea the Vision that hath been long waited for will tarry no longer but appear plain upon the fleshly Tables of all pure hearts and they that run so as to obtain may read it The high way of the upright to depart from evil will now be free from the prevaling Power of the great Robber and the peculiar way of holiness so well known and clear'd from stumbling-Blocks of Babels Merchants laying therein that the poorest Traveller of Wayfaring-man though a Fool for Christ's sake yet shall not err therein because the Anointing that instructs him in all things is his inward Teacher which being the Truth and no lye and so understood as well as an obedience yielded thereunto his Bread is sure his Waters cannot faile though his outward Teachers be removed to corners The crooked Wayes also of all humane converse in general shall be made streight and the ruff Places of learning or teaching Knowledge of any kind in particular shall be made plain for the mear Hireling and Deceiver must be excluded from bearing rule in all Studies Arts or Sciences as well as vulgar Trades or Callings by the coming of Elias who is already born that will prepare the Way of the Lord in all things and persons so as Uprightness Honesty and that kind of Self-denying-Love or Charity that seeks not its own in any thing but the common Good of others must take place among the Sons of men whose Dealings each with other are to be regulated by the Lord's Standard and Ballance of the Sanctuary for out of Zion shall the Law go forth and the Word of the Lord which will call all Nations from Jerusalem The Pen or Tongue of Men and Angels cannot declare the Glory of the Restitution of all things to their first Innocence and Purity muchless of that new Creation which will follow it when the old is subjected by Fire to him that as he was the first Maker of all in the Beginning so is the New-maker of all in the End for He is the same yesterday to day and for ever but before that passes away which is not perpetual or abidiag his Soveraign Power will appear in saving it to the uttermost whereof 't is capable and thereby let the more numerous part of Mankind know something of an earthly
the salvation of the Lord. Yea the Nations shall see it and a meer man shall say there is a reward for the righteous verily he is a God that judgeth in the earth But the Eagle-eyed Saints of the most High God that do already see beyond all vails and coverings that are not of the Spirit can now say that Babylon is fallen yea the Towers thereof are now faln she is sunk as a milstone in the Sea she shall rise no more even that Scarlet-coloured Whore that hath for so many ages together intoxicated the Kings of the Earth with her filthy Cup of Fornication and as well her Supporters as her Merchants that were supported by her are both ready to cry Alas alas and stand aloof off from her not daring if desiring to give her any help or shew her any kindness or pity 'T is blood of Saints she hath long had and blood she shall have now to drink her self for she is worthy and that doubly filled unto her by such as are taught of God to shake their hands from holding her bribes whether Gold or Silver or any of her carnal delicacies pleasures or preferments but shall execute the Vengeance written in that holy zeal for Gods House against her false Temple-worships that it shall even eat them up that do it and cause them to cease from a desire of being but in the Will of him that calls to work and gathers his sanctified ones together from all quarters and corners whither the winds of strife and dissention of Sects and Parties hath carried them for whose sake the many Waters or multitudes of People and Nations shall quickly divide and stand upon heaps for the Ransomed to pass thorow the tumult and noise thereof into that holy stilness and rest both inward and outward wherein they may lie down quietly none shall be able to make them afraid Nor shall the single work of Vengeance upon the seed of Enmity be all that Christ hath now to do in the world but his holy meek ones that have been his faithful servants in giving the word of their Testimony crying aloud and not sparing great or small and therein have walked with God not before him in the hasty wrath of man nor staid behind him or tarried longer in a severe ministration than to see Justice and Mercy kiss each other such I say shall be taken on and translated to the more higher or more excellent way of love to Righteousness Truth and Peace that passes understanding and being enabled to sing the song of Moses and of the Lamb shall cease to strive any longer with men in an outward warfare as having obtained the victory over the Accuser or evil-one within them but in stead of maintaining Feuds and marks of distinction or enmity shall imitate the good Samaritan in pouring Wine and Oyl into the wounds of any that refuse not to be healed being big with desire to see all as intire by love as they themselves are by patience that the very whole race of mankind if it were possible might joyn with them in singing the new Gospel-Song of praise Glory to God in the highest peace on earth and good will towards men For as all flesh is grass and the glory of man consisting in the wisdom of words or thoughts but as the flower of grass the one withers and the other fades so the living word of God that lies deeper in the heart than both the other abides for ever and they whose union is perfect therewith cannot but desire it for all else even in his will and love that is the Saviour of the world and will have all men to be saved and come to the knowledge of the truth so are they the true publishers or preachers in good works as well as words of the everlasting Gospel to all Nations who ere long shall bring all their honour to the Lamb and the very wealth or forces of the Gentiles must come freely to Christ's Church and followers O ye followers of the Lamb whithersoever he goes who have girded up the loines of your mind in true sobriety and hope to the end of all things which is at hand hasten to come forth of all Sects and Parties wherein the cunning adversary hath beguiled and detained you tempting to retain unbrotherly distinctions between members of the same Body which is but one whose hope also calling Lord faith baptism is but one Live therefore as if ye were all of him and he all to you as well as in all else beside you though some indeed are worthy but of single as others are of double honour Joyn ye hands and hearts to countermine the Seducer and at once convince the world whose disciples you are by loving one another Come ye off with one consent out of all particular by-wayes or forms to the power and life even the true end of the Commandment which is charity out of a pure heart and of a good conscience and of faith unfained ye have too long sown the changeable wind of strife and contention among your selves and reapt the whirlwind of fierceness and cruelty one upon another learn ye at last to sowe besides all waters or people and so send forth your affections like the feet of the Oxe for labour and the Asse for bearing burdens learn oh diligently learn to preach the everlasting Gospel to all Nations in fewer words and better works of universal love and brotherly kindness then the meer hireling could ever practise 'T is but a little yea very little while and he that shall come will come and will not tarry who hath already broken down the partition wall between God and man between man and man between Jew and Gentile and hath by his own pretious blood made of one blood all Nations who are his off-spring before the whotish spirit of this world claimes them and a division of them as the false Mother did of the child unto Solomon behold a greater than Solomon hath bounded all habitations to the end that none might invade or violate others or cover the inlargement of their own dominion The earth is the Lord 's not ours but as we are his and being so all things are ours and become subject to us without force or striving When we dwell in love we dwell in God for God is love that 's his white Name and pure Nature whereby we are to know him as also to be known of him and each to other whether among brethren or strangers for this being in the heart strife of tongues and division of language will abate quickly This is that which makes most desireable not the upper but the lower seat whether at the feast of fat things which Christ makes or in the Synagogue which consists not of Satan's followers who are the outward Jewes onely but inward ones circumcised in heart seeking their praise not of men but God who sees in secret but rewards openly but does first train up his sons and daughters