THE WAY of LIFE REVEALED AND THE VVAY of DEATH DISCOVERED Wherein is declared Man's Happy Estate before the Fall his Miserable Estate in the Fall and the Way of Restauration out of the Fall into the Image of God again in which man was before the Fall Also the By-Pathes Crooked Wayes Wiles Snares and Temptations of the Enemy of man's Soul discover'd who has and doth go about as a Roaring Lyon seeking how he may ensnare and devour those who are in any measure escaping out of his Wayes of Death and Destruction The utter End and final Destruction of all false Professions Prophesied which have had their Rise in the Night of Apostacy through the Loss of the Ancient Eternal Power of the Mighty God by which the Gatherings to the Lord have been through Ages and Generations Also a Call in the tender Bowels of the Love of God shed abroad in this Day Age and Generation to all the scattered Sheep upon the barren Mountains of Profession to return to the true Shepherd Christ Jesus that so into the One Fold they may be gathered Charles Marshall Go through go through the Gates prepare ye the Way of the People cast up cast up the High Way gather out the Stones lift up a Standard for the People Behold the Lord has proclaimed unto the End of the World say ye to the Daughter of Sion Behold thy Salvation cometh behold his Reward is with him and his Work before him Isa 42.10 11. Printed in the Year 1674. To the READER BE serious when thou takest in hand to read this following Treatise and have a single Regard unto the inward Estate of thy Immortal Soul and let thy Spirit bow down to the Measure of the Spirit of God given thee to profit withal that by it the Eye of thy Understanding may be opened so wilt thou see the things herein contained which concern thy own Eternal Welfare and let not thy own Thoughts and Imaginations in the Wisdom from below which is sensual and earthly be Judge herein but stand still out of thy own Comprehendings Ascendings and Descendings and let a true and diligent Regard be had to the Word in thy Heart and Mouth there placed that thou mayst obey it and do it so will thy Heart be truly opened to read with Delight the Things herein opened by the Spirit of Truth which searches all things yea the deep things of God and the Travel in Spirit which is for the opening the Eyes of the Blind and unstopping of the Ears of the Deaf will be answered and the Lord God Almighty will have his Honour from his own Workmanship and thou the Benefit which is the Desire Travil and Breathings of him who is a Traveller for Sion's perfect Deliverance Bristol the 7th of the 2d Moneth in the Year 1673. C. M. THE Way of Life REVEALED AND THE WAY of DEATH DISCOVERED c. IN the beginning God created the Heaven and the Earth and after he had made all things on the Earth he made Man in his own Image formed him of the Dust of the Ground and breathed into him the Breath of Life and Man became a Living Soul and the Lord planted a Garden in Eden and there he placed the man whom he had formed and out of the Ground the Lord God made every Tree pleasant to the Sight good for Food to grow the Tree of Life also in the midst of the Garden and the Tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil And he that made man in this Estate gave him a Law to preserve him therein as the Scripture of Truth witnesseth saying And the Lord God commanded the man saying Of every Tree in the Garden thou mayst freely eat but of the Tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil thou mayst not eat for in the day thou eatest thereof thou shalt surely dye Now God saw every thing that he had made and behold it was very good the Tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil was good but not for Food And man was indued with that Divine Wisdom that when the Lord God brought of every Beast of the Field and Fowl of the Air to Adam he gave Names unto them and whatsoever Adam called every living Creature that was the Name thereof So here was man's Station in the Image of God a Living Soul a Noble Plant wholely a Right Seed filled with Divine Wisdom and Virtue cloathed with Innocency covered with Glory adorned with celestial Beauty in the continual Enjoyment of the Love and Favour of the Eternal Being of all Beings having his daily Conversation with him that made him no Death no Darkness no Sorrow no Occasion of Tears no Transgression no Knowledge of Evil dwelling in the Innocent Life it self placed in the Garden into which came the River out of Eden that watered it Oh blessed State Oh happy Condition Oh unexpressible Enjoyment undeclarable Beauty and Glory 'T is beyond the Tongue of Man to declare fully that blessed happy Estate of Joy Peace Virtue Purity Holiness Righteousness and Fruition of Life which man was in before he transgressed the Royal Law of God c. Man's Miserable Estate in the Fall BUt now he who kept not his first Habitation neither abode in the Truth envied man's Happiness in the Truth and therefore as a Serpent more subtil then any Beast of the Field which the Lord God had made came to the Woman who out of the Man was made and said Yea hath God said Ye shall not eat of every Tree of the Garden The Woman said We may eat of the Fruits of the Trees of the Garden but of the Fruit of the Tree which is in the midst of the Garden God hath said Ye shall not eat neither shall ye touch of it lest ye dye And the Serpent said to the Woman Ye shall not surely dye for God doth know that in the day ye eat thereof then your Eyes shall be opened and ye shall be as Gods knowing Good and Evil And here the Serpent got an Entrance And when the Woman mark saw that the Tree was good for Food and that it was pleasant to the Eyes and a Tree to be desired to make one Wise she took of the Fruit and did eat and gave also to her Husb and with her and he did eat and the Eyes mark of them both were opened Here the God of the World prevailed so as to open an Eye that saw Evil pleasant and to Blind the Eye in these Children of Disobedience that they should no longer behold the Glory of God c. And here they became naked having lost the Robe of Righteousness and Garment of Innocency and then made Aprons of Fig leaves to cover their Nakedness and they heard the Voice of the Lord God walking in the Cool of the Day and Adam and his Wise hid them elves from the Presence of the Lord God and the Lord God called unto Adam saying Where art thou And the Man said I heard thy Voice in the
of the power and spirit of Darkness that hath exalted himself sitting in the Temple of God as God and Ruler but blessed forever be the Name of the Almighty God the great Red Dragon and the Beast that arose out of the Sea the Beast that arose out of the Earth and Mystery Babylon are and shall be manifest The Wisdom that is pure peaceable numbers these Appearances and the Judgment of the great Whore is come coming who rides upon the first Beast for now the Angel of God's Presence is come down from Heaven having great Power who lightens the Earth with his Glory the mighty Cry is now going over the Earth utter'd with a strong Voice saying Babylon the great is fallen is fallen become the Habitation of Devils c. All Nations have drunk of the Wine of the Wrath of her Fornications the Kings of the Earth have committed Fornication with her the Merchants of the Earth are waxed rich through the abundance of her Delicacies and the Voice is now uttering from Heaven Come out of her my People that ye be not Partakers of her Sins and that ye partake not of her Plagues for her Sins have reached unto Heaven and God hath remembred her Iniquities and now is the one day dawning over the Earth wherein her Plagues Mourning and Famine come and she shall be utterly burn'd with the Fire of God's Jealousie for strong is the Lord God who judgeth her And now in the Name of the eternal everliving blessed God the Creator of all things I prophesie of the perpetual Destruction utter Desolation of the Religions Inventions Ways Worships Prescriptions Orders Decrees and Imitations that have been setting up this many hundreds of years and not by the eternal living Power of the living God nor Directions Leadings Guidings of his quickning Spirit of Life that led guided the Apostles in their Day Age and Generation Root and Branch Head Tail and the whole Fabrick of the Babylonish Building shall be utterly consumed razed down and confounded forever and all the Worshippers of the Beast and the Image shall drink of the VVine of the VVrath of God which is pour'd forth with out Mixture into the Cup of his Indignation and these VVorshippers shall be tormented and have no Rest Night nor Day who worship the Beast and his I age and whosoever receive the Mark of his Name c. A Call in the Tender Bowels of the Love of God shed abroad in this Day Age and eneration unto all the Scattered Sheep c. HEarken give ear all ye scattered Ones upon the barren Mountains of Profession who having lost the living Sence that was on many of your Spirits years ago are now seâ—king the living amongst the dead Professions your Bread in desolate Places Remember the days moneths and years past call to mind the days of your Tenderness when the Light of God so shined on your Tabernacle that by it you saw your selves in Darkness and in Separation from the Injoyment of your Creator which Sence brought a Day of Mourning bitter Lamentation on you which was the Cause of your Fasting Praying and earnest Seeking after the Lord with multitude of Sighs Groans and Tears which caused you to put many Days and Times apart to meet together to pour forth your Souls in seeking the living God for his Appearance Breaking forth by his eternal Power and for the Revealings of his ancient Arm and Horn of Salvation And in that Day how did many of you retire your selves into your Closets secret Places to mourn before the Lord And how did your Cries Breathings and Pantings after the Lord prevent the Morning Watches And in that Day was it not Substance it self that you sought after even the Revealings of the Son of God's Love in your Souls Let me now come near and expostulate with you in the Name of the Mighty God even with you amongst all Professions that have any Tenderness or Breathings after the Lord remaining in you What was it that stirr'd up your Hearts many years since thus to seek after the Lord What was it that gave you the sence of your own inward Conditions What was it that made Sin appear exceeding sinful What was it that you felt in your Minds that war'd against the Law of Sin Death in your Members What was it that in some meaâ—ure open'd the Eye of your Understanding to see Idolatry and Superstition VVhat was it that was drawing your Hearts out of the VVorld that even made those things of light esteem in comparison of that which your awakned Souls sought after VVhat was it that inwardly upheld you in Sufferings VVhat was it that you retired your Minds unto when the Wicked raged as the Waves of the Sea when you were mocked for the Plainness of your Apparel and for your Severity in your Families Remember your many signal Deliverances How did the Lord answer you in the Day of your Tenderness VVhat was it that exercis'd you inwardly moving on every one of your particular Souls and Spirits for a Reformation was it not the free Grace of God was it not that Light which shined on your Tabernacle Did not this shine in your Hearts and move on your Spirits God wards and began the inward VVork of the Lord in you VVhy did you start aside from following on toward the Lord in the Way of his Judgments when a little Prosperity attended you VVhy did you seek to get from under the Judgment before it was brought forth into Victory Be awaken'd and come back you Professors of all sorts that have thus turn'd aside for a thing of nought which has caus'd you to wander from one Mountain of Profession to another and from one exalted Hill of Imaginations and Conceivings to another until you have spent all your Portion and are in nature return'd to Babylon the City of Confusion out of which the Lord God Almighty thus calls you Hasten hasten to come forth and partake no longer with her in her Sins lest ye partake with her of her Plagues which are now hastening to come upon her and upon all that shall be found within her Borders Open now your Eyes and behold where you miss'd turn'd aside through which your foolish Hearts have been and are darkned for the Enemy that goes about as a Roaring Lyon seeking whom he may devour wrought in you to turn you from this pure immortal Principle of the Divine Being that in the dayes moneths and years by past awakned you and began to work the Work of God in you into a Profession of the Words States Conditions whereof the Saints wrote left on record behind them who attain'd thereunto through passing from Death to Life in Obedience to the Grace of God that is given to every man to profit withal who knew the holy War and fought the good Fight and so obtain'd the Victory through the effectual Workings of
testified before he was stoned to Death This is He who is without Beginning of Days or End of Life who in the Fulness of Time was manifest taking on him not the Nature of Angels but the Seed of Abraham for whom there was a Body prepar'd to do the Will of his Father who after he had accomplish'd it ascended where he was before far above all Heavens that he might fill all This is the Emanuel God with us Jesus the Saviour Christ the Anointed who hath been called by several Names spoken of under several Denominations and Appellations through the Mouthes of his Servants the Prophets and Apostles in Ages and Generations by past This is the only Beloved of the Ransomed and this is our Friend And now he is arisen and arising who is the Ancient of Dayes in the Might of his Power and is revealing himself the Good Old Way and Path of Life whose Out-goings have been from Everlasting in which Way Abel Seth Enoch Noah Abraham Isaac Jacob and all the Servants Prophets Apostles and Saints of the Most High God walked through all Ages and Generations which Way was before all the invented Ways and Worships were which have been set up in the Will and Time of Man for all the holy Men of God and Saints of the Most High worshipped God in the Spirit of Holiness in which they were accepted of him who is the God of the Spirits of all Flesh And no outward Performance whatever performed by any through Ages and Generations was any farther acceptable unto the Lord but as performed in this Spirit The Way of Restoration out of the Fall into the Image of God again in which Man was before the Fall c. BUt how Salvation comes to be wrought by him and how Mankind may be brought again into him who is the Way the Truth and the Life and brought from under the Power and Dominion of the Seed of the Serpent in which by Nature all have been the Children of Wrath is indeed the thing that lieth on my Spirit weightily to demonstrate having obtained Mercy to see this Way of Life and Salvation revealed and opened and not only so but a Necessity hath been and is upon me to preach the Gospel of Christ Jesus and declare the Way of Life and Salvation to my Country-men through this Island of England and now a Necessity is also upon my Spirit to leave a Testimony of the same on Record This is generally confessed that in the first Adam all dyed and in the second Man Adam Christ the Lord all come to be made alive again But how Mankind comes out of this State of Death in the first Man Adam into this State of Life in the second Man Adam is that which the Wisdom of this World never knew never saw never understood nor comprehended truly or rightly Man by that Wisdom hath only imagined conceived something in the Carnal Mind concerning this great Mystery and therein hath set up many Inventions of the Way of Life and Salvation And into these many Wayes of man's Inventions and Imaginations set up in the fallen Wisdom of Man there have been the several Calls Lo here Lo there but the Day is dawned and appearing and now breaking forth more and more magnified and praised be the Name of the Infinite Almighty God wherein all invented Wayes set up in the Will and Wisdom of Man that is Earthly Sensual and Devilish shall come to an End And now in the Name of the Mighty God all the graven Images the Work of Men's Hands and Earthly Wisdoms shall be broken to pieces and ground to Powder the Mouth of the Lord of Hosts hath spoken it who will perform it by the Might of his Arm and by the Strength of his Power And therefore Tremble Tremble all ye Image-makers of all sorts who have been making and framing Likenesses of the Way of Life and Salvation in your fallen Wisdoms and corrupt Wills and have mad Gods thereof and have fallen bowed down to and worshipped them so that it may be said of Christendom so called as it was once said of Israel As are thy Cities so are thy Gods O Israel But now is the Fulness of Time come and coming wherein the ancient Way of Holiness in which the Righteous walked through all Ages and Generations is cast up manifest and manifesting which Way is Christ Jesus the Gift of the Father's Love unto the Sons and Daughters of men who hath as before-mentioned been preached up and declared of by his Servants Messengers Prophets and Apostles under several Denominations and Appellations according as he was pleased to manifest himself in to them and as his Spirit gave them Utterance Amongst many other Appellations he hath been declared a Priest forever after the Order of Melchizedeck the Rock that followed Israel who was in the Church in the Wilderness a King a Law-giver VVonderful Councellor Prince of Peace a Branch a Light to lighten the Gentiles the Arm of God's Salvation a Covenant Messiah a Leader a Commander a Captain the Horn of God's Anointed a Stone of Stumbling a Foundation laid in Ston the Corner-stone the VVord of God the VVord that was in the Beginnning the True Light that lighteth every man that cometh into the VVorld the Truth the VVay and the Life King of Kings Lord of Lords Christ Emanuel Jesus the Beginning of the Creation of God the First-born of every Creature the First-begotten from the Dead the Faithful VVitness Alpha and Omega Bright and Morning Star the Image of the Invisible God the Off-spring of David Under these I say and other Names and Denominations hath he been spoken and declared of and by who still hath a Name that no man knoweth but himself who is that One Eternal Fountain of Blessedness and the One Pretious Saviour and there is no other besides him although diversly denominated according as his Spirit gave Utterance to demonstrate him to those unto whom his Servants spake prophesied and wrote And now by the Ancient Power of the Holy Everlasting God is he preached up under the Denomination of LIGHT in this Island of the Gentiles according as was prophesied of old Isaiah chap. 49. vers 6. who said Is it a light thing that thou shouldst be my Servant to raise up the Tribes of Jacob and to preserve the Restored of Israel I will also give thee for a Light to the Gentiles that thou mayst be my Salvation unto the Ends of the Earth which is one with the Testimony of John chap. 1. saying In the Beginning was the Word and the Word was with God and the Word was God the same was in the Beginning with God all things were made by him and without him was not any thing made that was made In him was Life and the Life mark was the Light of men and the Light shineth in the Darkness and the Darkness comprehendeth it not There was a Man sent from God whose Name was John the
out of all its own Willings and Runnings Comprehendings Searchings into the Principle of Light therein to see a Death to his own Will and be comprehended into this Light and so man comes to have an Understanding to know him that is true and to be in him that is true Now as any are convinced of and converted by this Heavenly Principle which is placed in the Conscience there given to be a Guide and Leader unto Mankind they are led thereby out of Darkness wherein they have been while yet the Light shone in Darkness in which Darkness no man ever comprehended this Light or Heavenly Grace which sometimes moves through the Darkness on the Depth of man's Understanding reproving and discovering Darkness causing man to hear its small still Voice moving in man God-wards so daily continues without Change reproving man whilst he remains in Rebellion and Disobedience all the time of his Visitation and approving and giving Peace unto man when he is Obedient This Principle of Light remains intire in its own Purity and although man may change and alter and go from it and rebel against it and thereby become one of them of whom Job speaks that rebel against the Light and thereby knows not the Way of it but gives way to the Working of the God of the World to be drawn out into the fading perishing things yet this Principle remains immutable in it self being of and from the Immutable Unchangeable Being and remains with man until it be taken from him and he be cast into utter Darkness The first Operation of this heavenly Light amongst those who are convinced by and turned to it the Gift of the Father which Christ Jesus in his Parable to the Jews compared to a Grain of Mustard-seed and to a little Leaven which a Woman took hid in three Measures of Meal until the whole came to be leavened is to shew man his in ward State and Condition and the first Step in the Way of Life is to be turned to this holy Principle that teacheth the Obedient to know God savingly and when by this Principle man comes to have a true Sight and Sence of his fallen Estate and sees how he hath transgressed against that Eternal Being that gave him Life and Breath who notwithstanding in his Long-Suffering waiteth long to be Gracious and knocketh at the Door of the Heart and hath striven by his Divine Light the true Sight and Sence hereof will break the Heart and tender the Spirit before the Lord and under the weighty Sence of the great Burden of Sin and Iniquity there will be a crying out My Sins they are too heavy for me to bean and mine Iniquities are gone over my Head as Paul did saying Oh Wretched Man that I am who shall deliver me from the Body of this Death And here comes the Eye to be opened that seeth him whom man in his Disobedience hath pierced afresh and put to open Shame and then there will be Dayes of Mourning and Wailing because of him and this is truly the Day of Jacob's Trouble And in the Sence of this Deplorable Fallen Estate and the Long-suffering of the Lord and the Long-striving of his Spirit thou wilt see that in the Justice of God Eternal Death might be thy Portion but that which brings into this Sence begets a secret Cry in the Immortal Soul after a Deliverer and Saviour and will also give a true Sence and Sight that there is no way for thy Soul to be ransomed but in and through the tender Mercy of the Lord Jesus Christ which thou wilt see can no other way be effectually begun in thee but in the Way of the Judgments of the Lord For 't is through Judgment that Zion is redeemed and her Converts with Righteousness And here also thou wilt see that the Measure of the Sufferings of Christ yet behind must be filled up in thee for no other Way can any man pass unto Life Peace and Joy with the Father of Spirits but the Way the Captain of Salvation passed which was through Death and here thou wilt begin to arm thy self with the same Mind For none ceaseth any farther from Sin but as they suffer in the Flesh the crucisying of the Affections and Lusts thereof and here the End of the Gospel's Preaching comes to be known and witnessed which was and is that all man might be judged as men in the Flesh that so they might live according to God in the Spirit and in this spiritual inward Sence Exercise the Lord God Almighty will bow down his Ear Answer the Cryes of thy Awakened Soul and manifest his Word of Power which all in this State and Passage will know to be sharper then any Two-edged Sword piercing to the dividing asunder of thy Immortal Soul from the Spirit and Nature of Transgression and its Working daily as Subjection and Obedience is yielded unto it dividing and making a Separation between Joynts and Marrow giving thee daily a Discerning of the Thoughts and Intents of thy Heart And as the Soul Mind and Heart gives up in Love to God freely to follow him in the Way of his Judgments and gives up to the Sword of the Lord that which is for the Sword and that which is for Destruction to be destroyed thus will the pretious Work of the Lord prosper And although this be a Time of Sorrow and a Time of Trouble Travail and Anguish yet notwithstanding it is a Good Day therefore strive not to get from under it neither to make haste for the true godly Sorrow worketh the true Repentance which is never to be repented of and after the true Repentance follows the true Knowledge of Remission Forgiveness and so thy Inquities by the Judgments of the Lord God Almighty come to be blotted out and then the Times of Refreshment come from the Presence of the Lord and from the Glory of his Power c. And as there is a faithful abiding in inward Watchfulness and continual Obedience to this Heavenly Light in which the Beginning of the Work of God was known there will be a going on from Step to Step in the Foot steps of the Flock of Christ Jesus and a growing from Strength to Strength over Sin and the Nature thereof and from one Degree of Grace to another and as there is a faithful Perseverance in this Divine Principle the Eye of the Understanding will be single and here every thing which hath or doth let will be seen and the Soul never start aside from an inward Travil until that which hindereth be taken out of the Way and until thou seest all the Rule and Authority of the Enemy to be subdued under the Feet of the Lord 's Anointed and the Government in the Soul upon his Shoulders whose Right it is to Raign over all And here Salvation Redemption and Restoration is effectually injoyed through the Effectual Working and Operating of the Almighty Power and Arm of God Almighty
unto whom be the Glory of his own Work forever and so here will be a growing and increasing until there is a coming into that pretious State and Image in which man was before he fell The By Pathes Crooked Wayes Wiles and Snares of the Enemy Discovered NOw when the Mind is turned to this Divine Heavenly Principle and that therein the Work of the Lord is begun which before is said is the bringing man into a Real Sensible Knowledge of his State and Condition then will the same Destroyer that brought man into Bondage at first and hath kept him in Bondage begin to work cunningly and every way endeavour to destroy the Work of God begun in the Soul and that he may accomplish his End he will go about every way seeking an Entrance and will lay his Temptations suitable to the Propensity or Inclinations of the Creature If the Heart and Mind be bowed down under the weighty Sence of Iniquity the Sins committed coming in order and the many Transgressions in sight through which the Sorrow and Bitterness is great here the Enemy will work in his Transformings and although in Appearance like the Light yet in Nature contrary thereto For albeit the Light and Appearance of God gives the certain Vnderstanding of the inward State and brings Sorrow because of Sir and shews the Mountain of Iniquity and the exalted Hills of Transgression yet its Workings inwardly beget a secret Hope of Overcoming by the Lord's Strength but then the Enemy when he seeth the Soul bewed down as aforesaid oftentimes afflicteth and brings down the Mind into Vnbelief of ever Overcoming thereby endeavouring to sink the Soul down into Despair knowing if he overcomes he still keeps under his Power although in another Appearance but all that are exercised on this kind waiting on the Lord singly with the Mind stayed in the Light this Snare will be discovered for as I said although the true Appearance of God's Heavenly Light and Grace brings a Day of Trouble Sorrow and Anguish yet that Sorrow it not a Sorrow without Hope but the Enemy's Working is to bring into a Sorrow Trouble and Anguish without Hope and to draw down the Spirit into the Chambers of Darkness where there is no order But now when the Enemy of the Soul's Peace is discovered in this his Working and the Heart and Soul through the Love and Power of God is comforted incouraged and refreshed and raised up into a Measure of the Living Hope Satisfaction and Content then the old crooked subtil Serpent endeavours to lead from off the inward daily Travail that so Judgment may not be brought forth into Victory and so draw up the Mind into a False Perswasion of Obedience and Diligeuce whenas there is not an Abiding in that which gives a true Sight and Sence of the State and Condition And as before he would have destroyed the Hope that is an Anchor sure and stedfast so now on the other hand he would beget a Fasle Hope and Confidence and so bring out of the Daily Cross through which the Nature which hath alienated from God should be destroyed And if the Workings of the Enemy be seen and overcome in both these Wiles and Snares on the Right Hand and on the Lest and that the Work prospereth even until much be subjected and that through the daily Obedience to the Heavenly Power much is slain and that the Heart and Mind comes in a good measure to be cleansed and that in pure Obedience and constant Faithfulness in this Light of Righteousness a good Progress is made through the Administration of Condemnation that is Glorious in its time and that something of pure Peace and heavenly Joy springs and arises in the Heart and Soul here again the Enemy will be subtilly at work to betray and lead aside in perswading to sit down now as if all were done and so lead out from the feeding on the Tree of Life to feed on the Tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil and so lead out into a Liberty to break the Commandment of the Lord and here at first subtilly and cunningly draws the Mind out so far as to take a little Liberty and draws the Mind somewhat from that diligent Watchfulness Dread Fear and Awe it was in before in the inward Travail of Spirit And here if the destroying subtil Enemy can but prevail a little he will lead out of the Innocent Harmleis Life and so gradually lead a little forth and so by degrees openeth an Eye that may see something in the outward visible things that may somewhat affect the Mind and as here he prevails and causeth his Work to prosper which he doth subtilly gradually and hiddenly the Eye that was opened comes again through Disobedience to be in some meature blinded and here Loss is sustained even before the Unwatchful is aware And so the Working of the Enemy first is to cause such to make Shipwrack of Faith in a little measure that is not to have the daily Belief to stand in the Power the daily Injoyment of which coming to be left by degrees there will then be a Turning from the Power of Godliness into the Form thereof And although at sometimes the Eternal Power of the Lord God may be felt in this Estate yet there being not a daily feeling after it the Injoyment thereof as to true Refreshment Consolation comes to be lost an Image comes up in its place and the Enemy provides and presents some Object or Objects so to take up the Mind as that by degrees he may enter in and defile the Mind and draw it out from its true Guide so as also to make Shipwrack of a good Conscience And now if the Enemy be discovered in these his Workings before he can so effect his Work as to bring Death and Darkness over again and that the Power of the Lord breaks his Snares and gives a true weighty Sence thereof through which Trouble and Anguish of Spirit comes here he will again transform and begin to work as in the beginning of the Work like the Condemning Power of the Lord endeavouring to lead the Mind down into Despair of ever recovering again into the Former Condition and hereby endeavour to draw the Mind to look at him that hath stung that so the Remedy the Soul-Ransoming Power of the Lord may not be felt after nor looked at but here as there is a true Regard to the Lord and a waiting upon him in the Way of his Judgments having the Faith and Confidence to stand in his Power the Backsliding will be heaâ—ed and returning and diligently keeping in the Light the Power of the Lord God Almighty will work over that which hath Hurt and endeavoured like a Rearing Lyon to destroy c. and so leads on the Way again But when Deliverance is known again from this deadly Snare and the Work again goes on prosperously until the House be swept and garnished and there is a Passage
known and witnessed from Death unto Life and the Administration of Condemnation being passed through and the Spirit that ruled in the disobedient Estate cast out and the Openings of that which doth exceed in Glory the Administration of the Spirit being known here the Enemy will again Transform and with all his Power and Strength in the Transformation as an Angel of Light work by his Temptation on the Right Hand and on the Left For when there are Openings to the Understanding and Prophecies and through the Working of the Eternal Power Joy springs in the Heart then will the Enemy work secretly and cunningly to draw the Mind out of the Valley of Humility and if he prevaileth here to draw out of this Habitation of Safety then he will transform to lead the Mind out eitchr through the Motions of his transforming Spirit and Power into Extreams thereby endeavouring to destroy the true Birth which is bringing forth and so bewilder the Mind and hurry it forth through imaginary Motions to Dishonour the Name of the Living Eternal God and to destroy his work which through Sorrow and Travil hath been brought forth And if he cannot prevail here but the Light of the Lord discovereth him and the Power of the Lord works over his Appearance herein then will he be at work to draw the Mind out of the Watchfulness out of the daily Awe and Fear and out of the Liberty of the Sons of God which Libeity is only to serve the Lord for Dominion being selt in some measure the Morning of Comfort Consolation injoyed and Praises spring in the Heart to him that vifited and redeemed the Enemy will be ready here also to draw the Mind out of the Valley of Humility out of the stay'd Estate of Meek and Constant Watchfulness in the Light thereby causing the Creature prodigally to spend the Portion and to lavish out the Injoyment by running and climing up to sacrifice upon the Mountains and run before the Leadings Guidings and Movings of the Power of the Lord into the speaking forth of the Injoyment the Prophecyings and Openings not being led thereunto by that Eternal Power that first opened the Heart and here is the Ground of the Untimely Birth that hath been brought forth that hath and will wicher and come to nothing But now where the Enemy is seen and discovered in all the aforesaid Workings and cannot prevail by these Snares Trapps Gins and Ternptations aforesaid he will not cease who goes about on a Roaring Lyon seeking whom he may devour and how he may again get an Entrance so that he layes his Temptations according to the Spirit Growth Capacities and Inclinations of every one Now after the good Work of God has been begun prosperously and that the Right Arm of God's Salvation hath been wonderfully revealed and signally manifest to bring out of Egypt's Land of Darkness spiritually and that the Lord hath magnified his Arm spiritually in giving many signal Deliverances from the Destroying Enemy and has often fed with the Heavenly Food and caused the Rock to yield Water for the Thirsty and that the many Turnings aside in the Passage through the Wilderness have been seen and the Back-slidings and Going out from a Sence of the Eternal Power have been discovered that there is a coming through the River of Judgment and the Mighty Power and Arm of the Everlasting God drives out the Enemy that hath inhabited where only Abraham's Seed is to inhabit and that the War in great measure ceaseth and part of the good Land is possessed and enjoyed even the Land that floweth with Spiritual Milk and Honey and the Fruit of the Vine drunk of here also as in the Travils afore-mention'd will the old crooked subtil Enemy be working as he did with outward Israel causing Jesurun to wax fat and then kick against the Ancient Power leading the Mind out through the Injoyment of that which in its place is good into ease and so to forget the Lord that made formed man and brought him into the Land of Rest and lightly to esteem of the very Rock of Salvation and so leadeth into an easeful State in a Profession and draws away the Mind from the inward Enjoyment of Virtue to set up Idols in the Heart and to serve other Gods even Gods of Gold and Silver and an Idol a Profession without Life and Possession And into this State and Condition did the old Enemy prevail to lead a People who in many Ages had seen the Great and Mighty Works of the Lord who saw from time to time the Arm of God Almighty out-stretched and magnified in the Sight of their Enemies for them howbeit as aforesaid they departed from the Lord and from the inward Sence of his eternal Power Now here the Spirit that was cast out and wandred in dry Places takes to it Seven worse Spirits and returns tempts prevails enters and here indeed the Latter-end sâ— worse then the Beginning for in the Beginning although the Enemy had his Power and Rule yet there was a Sence thereof and the Heart and Mind was humbled tender and brought into the true Poverty and there was a Mourning before the Lord for want of the Dominion and this State of Humiliation Brokenness of Heart and Tenderness of Spirit in which the Lord took and taketh Delight and therefore in his endless boundless Loving-kindness visited caus'd his red â—ming saving Power Arm to be reveal'd But now in this other Estate the Mind is high the Heart fat full and at ease and gotten forth into the Love of the World and the things there 〈◊〉 through which there is an Vamindfulness of the Lord who in the beginning was every day sought after and diligently waited for and here the Rock the Power is lightly esteemed of for the Escimation is of another thing and here two great Evils are committed even at once viz. The Fountain of the former living Mercies forsaken a hewing out broken Cisterns a Profession that will hold no Water no durable Refreshment no durable Joy no durable Peage nor Consolation And the Enemy hath thus prevailed through many Ages to bring Thousands from their Enjoyment of God in the pure tender broken contrite upright-spirited Estate which he hath doth effect through his Workings and Subtilty and that gradually his first Foot-step hereunto is to bring out of the constant daily sure Watchfulness and causing a little Liberty to be taken to the carnal Mind and to the Flesh and that gradually and as it were unperceivably causing such to take down as it were a Taste a certain Enjoyment of Sweetness therein and thereby a little darkning the Sight alluring a little into a little more Liberty sometimes his Beginnings are to draw out of the Obedience in those things that were required in the Day of Small things sometimes into many Words out of Watchfulness no more to be as a Door-keeper in the House of the Lord and so
God they obtain'd it and not through meer Notions upon the Words of their Brethren the Prophets of which Victory through Faith and Obedience unto and in the eternal Spirit of Holiness they were made Partakers and thus was it that they came to put off the old Man which indeed is a Work and to put on the new Man which is a real Change Translation out of Satan's kingdom from under his power into the Kingdom of the dear Son of the living God and so to be under his Power But the Enemy of your Souls turn'd you from this free Grace of God which was that which stirred in you and wrought in you in your day of Tenderness by drawing your Minds up into an airy notional Profession of this Grace and that by it you were saved not considering that the immortal Souls of such lie in Bondage whose Faith stands in Notions and not in the Power of God or whose Faith is no other then a Belief of what is done for them without not coming experimentally to know the Work of God in themselves and the Obedience of Faith which purifies the Conscience and makes alive unto God And such was the soaring up into Imaginations of some called Gifted Men for the Ministry that they presumed to teach and hold forth the free Grace of God after such a manner as that the Understandings of many were confounded and thereby many were defiled and corrupted by admitting a Liberty unto the fleshly Nature and avoiding the Cross of Christ contrary to that holy Liberty which through the Operation of the Grace of God is known For though it is true that as the Apostle saith By Grace we are saved yet whosoever holds forth this Grace so as to creat a Belief in any that they are thereby saved from Condemnation whilst they are found Transgressors against that Righteous Law of God of which not one jot nor title passes away unfulfil'd in them that walk not after the Flesh but after the Spirit such I say divide not the Word of God aright but teach for Doctrine the Conceptions of their own Brains for it s not a bare Belief or Assent of the Mind to the Power of the Grace which can give Satisfaction to the immortal Soul or true Assurance of eternal Peace with God but there must be also a Conformity in the inward Man unto the Power thereof and so man comes to be created in Christ Jesus unto good works to be sanctified throughout both in Body Soul Spirit And indeed I have found that instead of preaching up Conformity to the Power of the Grace they have not only preached up free Grace which indeed is an Expression in it self proper enough to be held forth for that the Grace of God is freely extended unto all but also therewith they have preached up a Justification of sinful unsanctified Persons by Imputed Righteousness even in such a manner as many have from thence concluded themselves in a State of Salvation while Sin hath had its reign in their mortal Bodies which I cannot but testifie is as great an Error and as contrary to the Gospel-Ministration and the End for which Christ was manifest in the Flesh which was to save people from their Sins so as to live no longer therein as the Error of the Scribes and Pharisees was when they were seeking and believing Justification by the Works of the Law without the Righteousness of Faith And thus hath it been that many have turned the Grace of God into Wantonness or turned from the Grace of God into Wantonness so that in a little time how did many Professors grow light and vain and ran with the very Prophane into the same excess of Riot lifted up in the Flesh and so came to be much in Shew but little and light in the Ballance And here you Professors of all sorts that have gone from the spiritual Appearance of Christ Jesus within into a Profession of the Saints Conditions and Performances without the Leadings and Guidings of the same Spirit Power lost your Way and went out from your Guide which would have lead you up to the Substance Christ Jesus and thousands of ignorant people have been lead here through the cunning Sleights of men into an empty Profession and when the Manifestation of the Spirit of God which is given unto every man to profit withal hath stirred in the Heart and Soul to draw the Mind out of the Ways Spirit and Nature of the World then the transforming Enemy of Mankind has lain near to betray deceive by pointing directing people to run into this Profession or the other or take up this outward Performance or the other Shadow under the specious Pretences of the Ordinances of God and Christ And hereby the subtil Enemy that will admit of the peoples being in the outward Practice of outward things whilst that he can have his Place Seat and Throne in the Heart of mankind has lead thousands aside out of the straight Way of Salvation through his drawing them from the true inward Guide the Grace of God that brings Saivation that hath appeared unto all men into the outward Observation and here the Fear of thousands towards God is taught by the Precept of men who know not the Leadings and Guidings of the Spirit Power of God and so have heal'd the Hurt of the Daughter of Zion deceitfully and have daubed with the untemper'd Morter And now all you scatter'd Ones upon the barren Mountains of Professions give ear hear the Counsel and Call of the Lord Turn you Prodigals who have spent your Portions and lost much of your Sincerity and Tenderness and that secret Injoyment you had of the Lord inwardly years ago and who for a long season have endeavour'd to fill your Bellies with Husks and the Profession of the Saints Injoyments my Heart earns on you and for you are my Bowels turned my Soul is often bow'd down in the Sence of your Estates yea often my Heart is pained within me when I behold your Wanderings up and down from Mountain to Mountain seeking Rest and finding none but what is polluted and your Souls are lean for want of the Fatness of God's House and you have not the Injoyment of it my Soul is even many times distressed for you God that made Heaven Earth bears me record whom my Soul cryes unto even Night and Day to visit you with an Out stretched Arm Return return unto that which will shew you all that ever you have done and that will hasten you to the Father's House where Bread of Life is and no longer spend your Money protious Time Labour for that which is not Bread of Life but a Profession a Talk of Bread which cannot truly satisfie your Souls And now in the Name Authority and by the Motion of the Spirit of the Eternal God Behold I sound the Trumpet of the Lord God Almighty in your Ears Prepare prepare to meet the Lord Jehovah in the Valley of Decision and all you who have any Tenderness in your Hearts and Breathings inwardly after the Lord amongst all Professions of what Name or Denomination soever Come out come out of Babylon and be you separated touch not any longer the unclean that the Lord may receive you who stands ready to receive all that come in Truth and Righteousness unto him who now will mark all that mourn because of the Sins of the people which are great and the measure thereof filling up apace and the day time is hastening of the pouring out of the Vials of the unmixt Fury and Indignation of God who lives forever and ever And therefore stee flee for your Lives out of Sodom 's Nature and stick not in the Profession of things neither the one nor the other whilst the Ground of thy Profession did not or doth not spring from the immediate Work of God and daily Operation of his eternal Power in thy Heart but come down into pure Obedience to the pure still Voice of the Spirit and Gift of God in thy own Heart and Soul which will as thy inward Ear is attentive direct thee in the narrow Way of Life eternal in which thou shouldst walk So coming here you come to that which moved in the Hearts of many years since God-wards which was that which wrought many into the Tenderness before spoken of herein walk and be faithful and it will â—â—ad to the Fountain of Blessedness from which it came and unto the Horn of God's Anointed and to Shiloh shall be the Gathering of Thensands through the Nations Tongues Languages and People and the Mountain of the Lord's House shall be exalted through this great Day of Tryal Tribulation and Anguish upon the top of all the Mountains So the Lord God Almighty by the Arm of Strength reach all Hearts that have any breathing panting Desires after him amongst all Professions and pull many as Brands out of the Fire So breathes my Soul who am a Travailer for the universal Visitation and Deliveraence of the Seed of Jacob and raised up to Prophesie of the things which come to pass and shall be fulfilled in their Time and Season Charles Marshall THE END