believed being also I deny not then baptized with water they prayed and laid their hands on them which was an outward sign of the blessing and they received the holy Spirit now if any one shall say how could the Apostles who were but men baptize with the Spirit I answer no otherwise then they could at first beget faith and repentance in those so baptized it was the Lords work but they ministerially did it that is they having felt the power in themselves the raised life in them Ministred to the life that lay low in others and so brought it up therefore that the Lord might shew he was not tied up to time or manner in the bestowing of his gift while Peter spake those words to Cornelius and the rest the holy Spirit fell on them that heard the word so that this was the Baptism here meant by Christ which was so Essential to the conversion of the world and building up of the Saints in so much that Paul joyns it with faith as a necessary companion saying there is One Lord one Faith and one Baptisme for by one Spirit are the Saints baptized into one body Christ the baptizer being the head who moreover told the Apostles that he would be with them all the dayes that is of their Ministry even to the finishing of the age mark there was an age or certain space of time wherein the truth of the Gospel should grow and the Baptism of the Spirit or the comforters presence be witnessed through Christs Power accompanying their Ministry and then should the Mystery of iniquity in false Apostles get such a head by stealing and bringing in false Doctrines Traditions and inventions that it should God so permitting it overtop the life and so the true Ministry should cease and his living presence not be felt and enjoyed as before which most certainly came to passe as we see whose eyes the Lord hath opened in the many hundred years Apostacy and reign of Antichrist now if Christ meant that He would be alway with them to the end of the world as it s falsely rendred in English Bibles how could his words be true since we see by experience that the Glory of God which shined in his Temple in the Apostles dayes departed over the threshold the Church went into the wilderness the Seed of God was captivated by the Whore of Babylon and the man-Child Christ in his strength taken up to God and his Throne wherefore in the second restauration of the spiritual Temple and re-edifying of the holy City new Jerusalem people must first come to the true faith by believing in Christ the true light and witness repentance from all false worships and and dead works of the world as those that are wearie of Babylons captivity and that set their faces towards Sion in truth and so must wait with the Lords people in silence and humility for the Fathers promise which is the Comforter even the Spirit of truth which in his due time baptizeth such with fire and so by degrees leads them into all truth and out of all sins and errour and so the Church cometh out of the wilderness leaning upon her beloved that is staying her mind upon the light within and being content with her portion be it much or little be it judgement or mercy be it in a day of blackness or gloominess or in a day wherein it is neither dark nor light or in the evening time wherein it shall be light as saith the Prophet or in the sun-shine of the day it self so not despising the day of small things or overlifted up with great things neither must they all this while set upon or practice any outward thing in the worship of God in their own wils or by imitation of others or meerly from a precept without but onely as Christ the light shall lay that precept upon them for if they do they are will-worshippers and so Idolaters for as the Son of God was once personally present in a body of flesh commanding the Apostles to teach the People at the first raising of the Gospel Church to observe all things whatsover he had before commanded them and said unto them while so present with them which the Comforter afterwards brought to their remembrance so in the reâ—toring thereof the second time none are to observe any thing or teach any thing to be observed but what Christ manifested in their bodies of flesh doth command them for saith he I go away to wit as to his Personal body and the world shall see me no more but ye shall see me that is in their own bodies manifested Now by this oh all ye Baptists may ye try your selves and present practice of water Baptism and all other Administrations and performances in your Congregations have ye witnessed this true faith or are ye yet disputing against it have ye repented of all dead works or are ye still wallowing in the pollutions of the world have ye waited or do ye wait in silence for the Fathers Promise or do ye set your selves on work in a formal Preaching and dead praying and hanging on the lips of such Preachers and Pray-ers Do ye or others keep an outward Sabbath whether on the seventh or first day from mens Precepts or a Mosaical Rule or from a Command of life within Do ye Baptize and are Baptized and break Bread from a particular Command in your selves or because the Saints formerly so practised Do ye exercise the power of the Keyes from the true spiritual discerning judgement and power or because the Churches before the Apostacy did so bind and loose Ye must know that there hath been a wide step between the Apostles and our dayes and that the gathering of the Church at first out of Egypt and the bringing it out of Babylon are two several things and are not brought to pass after one and the self-same manner as to the outward administration of things Also consider that Johns Revelation was a Prophesie of what things came and must come to pass after the Apostles and not a Relation of what was done in their dayes so that in the coming out of mystical Babylon the Lambs followers wait on him for the opening of that mystical Book as that which concerns their present condition Now when the Angel came down from Heaven and lightned the earth with his Glory whereby the everlasting Gospel came to be Preachâ—d saying Fear God and give G ory to him for the hour of his Judgement is come and come out oâ— Babylon my pâ—ople and partake not of her sins lest ye receive of her plagues Then as people came out of her by the guidance of the light the Temple of God or his holy Habitation in the Spirit was opened in Heaven they had a sight in themselves into what state they should be brought even to have a habitation in God and he in them but then was this Temple filled with smoak from the Glory of God and from
themselves be in the true Faith or find power and ability to bring forth any good and acceptable fruit unto God I cannot behold for which way should ye feel his living Power to enable you thereunto or which way should the Spirit of the Lord come Do you look for him by way of local motion and so to enter from without to within you can such a thought be without setting the phansie on work and so making an Image of the Godhead within your selves but if ye will not be accounted Idolaters then must you needs come to the light within which must reveal unto you the Image of the Invisible God in the still silence and that which can reveal the Fathers Glory must most certainly discover sin and evil which vails the same while undiscovered and unjudged down and destroyed from the mind of man but this also ye Baptized Persons that say ye deny mans Free Will cannot believe for ye think and say though sin do remain in you as it must as long as ye live here yet ye have an Advocate with the Father and so are justified by Christs Merits and Righteousness the which for any one to deny ye account a denial of Free Grace yea and of Christ himself So ye think ye may behold the Fathers Presence even while sin is standing Alas alas Friends ye are much deceived as are the common multitude herein for in this day of Christ the true light another kind of Free Grace and another manner of Saviour is discovered and revealed than hath been formerly imagined for know ye that Gods Free Grace is his Free Gift in giving his Son a light into the world whereby as men come to see confess and forsake all evil in thought word and deed Justification Reconciliation and Peace with the Lord God they may come to witnesse and no otherwise for whosoever hath at any time seen his pure shape with a spiritual eye cannot imâ—gine or desire to have these any other way his pure eyes beholding no Iniquity in any one without reproof where ever he finds it neither can his all-seeing eye but see it where ever it is and this is also the Saviour that we believe in and Preach and no other to wit a Christ to be known within manifested in our â—â—esh to destroy the works of the Devil so saving us from the wrath to come for he was not at all sent to justifie or save his People in their sins but from their sins so is judgement laid to the line and equity to the plummet look how far judgement hath passed upon the transgressour in any one so far is mercy witnessed by the transgressour and no farther and it is equity that it should be so yet is it most free grace in that the Lord God Almighty freely saves in this righteous way by his own Almighty Arm but so as that the creature may remember and take notice that if the righteous scarcely be saved where shall the wicked and ungodly appear neither would this Doctrine oh ye Baptists seem a hard saying unto you if ye were not double-minded loving the Lords Salvation and your sins also to wit pride covetousness deceit self-seeking respecting of Persons having mens Persons in admiration for advantage sake and such like for if your eye were single to the Lord alone ye would desire no peace at his hands but in the way of all righteousness fulfilled in your selves yea even to the silencing every idle and needless word and the removing of every vain Aiery thought in you as knowing that holiness becomes his house for ever but while ye cannot bear these true and faithful sayings know ye that ye are alinated in your minds by wicked works which ye are in love with what ever ye shall professe to the contrary and so are also out of the faith which gives victory over the world and all sin And as for your being baptized with water which is but an outward sign at the most of your being dead and buried and risen with Christ know ye that the thing signified must be witnessed before the sign can be truely applyed which cannot be till ye come to the true faith and so out of the pollutions of the world for otherwise ye set a seal to a blank as well as those who sprinkle infants neither is Baptism with water Christs proper Baptism but was begun by John who came but to prepare the way of the Lord Christ who was to baptize with the Holy Spirit and fire who was to increase in this his proper work and John to decrease in his work Now I grant that Johns Baptism was not suddenly left off but decreased by degrees as the Saints came to eye and witness perfection so as to behold and hold forth Gods purity and righteousness without a sign so that it was practiced by the Apostles and Saints after Christs departure and that sometimes by way of command there being for the present a good use â—hereof yet Paul expresly declareth who was a Minister to the Gâ—ntilâ—s that he was not sent to baptize but to Prâ—ach glad tidâ—â—gs neither was that Commission of Christ to the Apostles in Mat. 28. a Commission to baptize with water as I shall evidenâ—ly demonstrate for thus are the words truely to be read ouâ— of the Greek Therefore ys going forth or forward Disciple all Nations dipping or baptizing them into the Name of the Father Son and Holy Spirit teaching them to keep all things whaâ—soever I have commanded you and behold I am with you alâ— the dayes even to the finishing of the age Hear we see they were to proceed in their work having first waited for power to do it which was to enter people into the School of Châ—ist and then to baptize them into the Name of the God-head Now the Name of the Lord is his strength and power whereby he is known wonderful in the hearts of his people so is the Name of the Lord a strong Tower Now into this name nothing could bring them but the same power from on high which the Apostles and Saints that had first waited for the same in themselves received which power was the Baptism of the Spirit whose effect was like unto fire filling them with a holy jealousie and burning up the drosse and bringing them into unitie with the Father and the Son in the Spirit soÌ„ filling their hearts with joy and gladness and putting words into their mouths and utterance to declare the wondrous Works of God several wayes according to its various workings in them and sometimes even shaking the earthly Tabernacle makiâ—g them to appear unto the blinde world like drunken men this Baptism which was truely Christs own was and is altogether necessary in the Church of Christ without whâ—ch the work of the Lord in his day could not nor cannot go on and therefore was it an Essential part of their Commission which they most carefully and faithfully regarded so that when Persons
with the whole heart and saith David in another place Let all those that seek thee rejoyce and be glad in thee and it is Prophesied by the Prophet Jeremy that when the Jews had been in the captivity of Babylon they should go and seek the Lord their God asking their way to Sion from which they had been captivated with their faces thitherward saying Come and let us joyn our selves to the Lord in a perpetual Covenant that shall not be forgotten Mark when they were weary of their captivity they should go and seek not stand still and enquire onely but aske with their faces thitherward saying Come let us joyn to the Lord c. actually to set about the work Therefore saith the Lord by the Prophet in the 8th vers of the 50th Chapter Remove out of the midst of Babylon and go forth out of the Land of the Chaldeans c. which the Prophet Zachary also secondeth saying Deliver thy self oh Sion that dwelleth with the Daughter of Babylon So here is a lively representation of the Lords bringing his spiritual Seed out of spiritual captivity after the long night of Apostacy Babylon or Confusion was the state they were to depart from Sion or the Mountain of Holiness was the State they were to come to and in order hereunto they were to move and set forward neither was there any station by the way where they were to set down or continue This I speak for your sakes who for divers years have seemed to turn your backs upon the Whore of Babylon as seeing and disliking the false doctrines wayes and worships of Antichrist whereby you have been deceived and captivated but as though the Passage to Sion or Jerusalem was stopped up ye have sit down by the way saying The Church is yet in the Wilderness where she must abide till God makes way for her coming forth which is by raising up his witnesses who must appear with Miracles and such signs as the Apostles did to confirm their Ministry by till which time there is no true Gospel Ministry nor Administration of Baptism or any Ordinances of a visible Church This seems indeed to carry a face of truth with it and hath stumbled many but consider first whether ye are not some of those false prophets which Christ said should come and say Lo here and lo there whether ye are not those that say Christ is in the Desart as yet retired as to his visible appearance in the world whom to go forth after the Saints must not but must keep their own Habitations in the light to which they have been turned for saith he As the lightning riseth in the East and shineth even unto the West so shall the coming of the Son of man be and Luke addeth in his day So then here is a plain token of the Day of the Son of man or the sign of the Son of man in Heaven to wit in the true Church visible at his coming when he cometh as a Universal light that hath enlightned every man that cometh into the world by whose guidance and direction they believing in it all may come out of the false wayes and worships and deceits of the Whore of Babylon or of the whole world and out of all sin into the way of Truth Purity Peace and true Worship to serve the Lord in Spirit and Truth with one consent and those who have believed in this true light themselves which makes manifest all sin and deceit and having waited therein have felt it to be the light of life unto them quickning their Souls up to God and Baptizing them with its Holy Fire so making his living Word to be as fire in their bones and putting words into their mouths to testifie and declare against the Beast and false prophet and against the world that their deeds are evil and to call them to Repentance by believing in the same light in themselves which is Christ the true Prophet Gods faithful witness and are true and living witnesses for his Name and such as preach the Everlasting Gospel or glad Tidings although they speak in no Language but their Mother Tongue do no outward Miracles as to heal the sick cleanse the Lepers or the like nor do at all practise Baptizing with water laying on of hands or breaking of bread And thus I plainly demonstrate it to any that are not wilfully blind The Jewish state of old was the true figure of the Gospel Church after the Son of God his being manifested in the flesh who was the end of all figures and shadows look then in what manner the Lord brought forth and led the Jew outward then so doth he bring forth and lead the Jew inward afterwards Now when the Children of Israel came first out of Aegypt they were brought out of that house of bondage with a high hand and stretched-out arm as to the outward Moses was loath to go as thinking they would not believe him therefore the Lord gave him a signe of turning the Rod into a Serpent which he did also before hard-hearted Pharaoh upon whom were ten visible Plagues also sent the Sea was divided the Aegyptians drowned the Rock gushed out water Jericho fell by the blowing of Rams Horns and the like in this high manner came they to Canaan but when they for their iniquity were led into captivity by the King of Babylon at their coming out the second time there was no such outward sign shewen or any such visible work wrought in order to their deliverance but as those who had a right to a restauration of that which once they gained by such hardships and mighty works this was Gods way of proceeding towards them he raised up Cyrus to make a Proclamation of liberty and to restore the treasure and vessels of the Temple which was a lively figure of Christ the spiritual King Proclaming in the hearts of his People by the true light which is his word that they should now leave all false and wicked and deceitful wayes of the Whore of Babylon and bring back the vessels of the spiritual Temple to serve and worship God in his holy mountain Jerusalem that they be no longer defiled and profaned by Idol wayes and worships then upon this Proclamation of Cyrus those whose hearts were touched and whose spirits were stirred up as Zerubbabel Joshuah and others stood not still but set about the work leading many Jewes to Jerusalem without any more ado as Nehemiah did also afterwards by the permission of Artaxerxes and when they came thither they went to build the Temple although the enemies made them cease a while by force then the Prophets Haggai and Zechariah prophesied but did no miracle unto the Jews that were in Judah and Jerusalem in the Name of the Lord God of Israel Ezra 5. vers 1. whereupon Zerubbabel and Joshua arose up and began to build the house of God for it is said Hag. 1. the Lord stirred up their spirits so to do and
your selves Jewes yet ye are not but do lye Yea your Conversation in the world most plainly sheweth that your spot is not the spot of his Children for we see you so mingled and interwoven in the Pride Covetousness Policie and Folly of the world that we could not by any holy walking know you or cull you out as the clean from the unclean or as Sheep from the midst of the Goats if we did not now and then hear some of you called Independants Lord how emptie a thing it is to have a Name to live and to be dead Wherefore come to him who is the Resurrection and the life which life is the light of men and becometh the light of life to all that believe and wait in it that they may bring forth fruit unto God and so become living stones built up a spiritual House for this is the Church of the First-born whose Names are written in Heaven For what is it for people to cry The Temple of the Lord the Temple of the Lord The Church of Christ the Church of Christ and to be polluted and unclean both in Worship and Practice or to call themselves the Children of Abraham and not to do the Works of Abraham for he forsook the Idolatry of his Fathers House and in obedience to the Lords call came into a Land that he shewed him so comming to the Cross to his own will he also saw Christs day and was glad and walked before the Lord and was upright but ye do neither of these as being still in the abominations of the Whore who have made the Nations drunk as kicking against the prick the True Light and Reprover for sin and evil and living in the Detestable Waies Customs and Fashions of the World so the Sun-shine of the Light in this the day of the Lords Power hath put and is putting out your Candle in obscuritie hath removed your Candlestick because ye repented not for he hath raised up a People at last in this Nation wherein he hath placed his Name that it might not fall in the streets who as they are faithful to the first Principle of God in them to wit the Light shall out-live out-shine and eat out the Heart and Soul of all Professors and professions in the World that are found in the Idolatry Pride and Vanity thereof though under great and fair pretences of Christian Religion which stands not in high words but in loving Mercy doing Justice and walking humbly with the Lord God so every way and in every thing keeping themselves unspotted of the World yea hating even the garment spotted with the flesh So that neither can ye Brownists or Separatists in this the Lords day escape his Righteous Judgement and censure though ye seem to stand at a greater distance from false Worship then the Independents do but being weighed in the equal ballance are found too light to be accounted by us for the True Church of Christ yet I Know that because it is said in the Scripture come out from among them and be ye separate saith the Lord and touch no unclean thing and I will receive you c. ye are very confident of your standing for ye say ye are separated from the National Antichristian Worship abhorring their Idol Temples and will not hear any of their Baals Priests or break any Bread with them c. But consider impaâ—â—â—â—lly whether ye touch no unclean thing yea whether ye came not from them with their grand abomination in your bosoms which ye have ever since fostered and practised and that with a seeming no little zeal I mean the Sprinkling or Baptizing of your Infants upon the account of their being the Seed of the Covenant as they are your Children who say ye are believers a most bewiching Sorcerie this is and an exceeding betrayer of the Pure Life of God and that which bears death in the very face of it and if ye are true to your own Principles ye must needs be soon un-churched hereby and brought back to Babylon do what you can for your Children being hereby made Visible Members of your Body they must needs be accounted Brethren as they grow up in years amongst you though Regeneration be not witnessed by them for by your own Approbation and Act ye received them in before they knew their very right Hand from their left and so they must have all the priveledges of Brethren though not discerning the Lords Body or able to separate between the Precious and the Vile or not savouring the things of the Spirit of God as the Natural man doth not whereby a confused medly and mixt multitude must needs appear yea and the tares soon overspread and overgrow and overtop the Wheat if there be any and so that which ye counted the Churches of Christ plainly be come and be seen to be by those in the Light but the Field which is the World is not this to mock God and to throw down with one hand what ye would set up with the other Come to the Light of Christ in your Consciences which makes manifest all things and let True Judgement proceed But alas ye are as great Enemies to that Pure Principle of God which should reprove you for all deceitful and confused actings and give you a right discerning and purge you from all sin as any other whatsoever and are so rivited on the letter without that ye will not endure to hear of the True Light within which enlighteneth every man that cometh into the World without which no mans heart could be searched or ever any man converted to God For I would know of you Separatists how any of you at first came to be troubled for sin or to have any good desires begotten in you towards the Lord or his Truth which ye desired to know and wâ—â—â— willing to suffer for was not this done by the Spirit of the Lord which moved and stirred in you and whence came this convincing and illuminating Spirit came it from above the clouds or pierced it into you from without or was the thing alwayes within you striving and strugling at several times though ye took little notice of it before ye began to be humbled by it can any man even while unregenerate flee any more from Gods presence and Spirit that his hand should not find him out then after Regeneration or could David have done so before conversion more then afterwards can the wicked hide themselves that the Lord should not see them any more then the godly I believe ye will all answer Nay and if so is the Spirit of the Lord God who filleth all places and things with its presence out of a wicked man or at a greater distance as to place from him then from a Righteous Man though in the manner of its operation in them I know it is different judging and reproving the one and comforting and encouraging the other So then the Spirit or Life being in and nigh every one
holdeth forth so ye may if ye are not wilful see your mistake in separating Nature from the God of Nature and that that which naturally sheweth man what is good and what is evil is the pure principle of God or the word by which all things were made which is Christ the light for saith the Apostle whatsoever may be known of God is made manifest in them to wit by nature or from their birth for God hath shewen it unto them which he hath not shewen unto a beast because of the lower Region he was created in so that men are not in this sence by nature Children of Wrath but Children of the Day to wit as man was at first brought forth into that which shewed him what was good and what was evil for so he was in the Image of God but as going from the good and chusing the evil so acting in self in distinction from the power or pure Principle of God which inclination is since become natural or is in him from his birth and so by nature is a Child of Wrath as the inclination to evil acts it self forth and whereas Jude speaketh of some who in whatsoever things they know naturally as living Creatures void of reason for so it is in the Greek in those things they corrupt themselves that is not in those things which they know onely from the Eternal light manifested in them which is Gods faithful Witnesse which none but a Creature that hath reason is capable of but in things pertaining to the five Senses of Seeing Feeling Tasteing Smelling and Hearing for the Sensitive Beast knows by the instinct of Nature or from his birth which is also the Principle of his Creator in him in his kind that he is to eat and drink to satisfie himself as feeling when he hath enough meat and drink to give off and chew the cud or lie down to sleep c. whereas these men as many do now feasted and fed without fear inordinately or drunk inordinately and so corrupted themselves in such things wherein the Beast was more moderate and this is the Natural man that perceiveth not the things of the Spirit of God the light being obstructed by sense and sensuality in him and in this sense whatsoever a man doth by nature or in his own sensual will distinct from the feeling of the Life and Power of God all that he doth is rejected and accursed though the works may be good in themselves and shewen by the Eternal Light yet he that is charitable to the poor which the light sheweth to be good if he give his Alms from a wrong ground or to a wrong end though he cannot witnesse acceptation in his Work with the Lord yet he shall judge another who is Rich and yet so covetous that he shutteth up his bowels from the Poor and Needy and so might the Gentiles also condemn the Jews though themselves sensually performing some good actions were not accepted because not reconciled to the light in themselves which shewed the action to be good But notwithstanding this is a real and infalible Truth that it is no other than the pure Principle of God or his Word in the heart which is the true light that sheweth man by nature or from his birth what what is good and evil which Principle it self was never born or had a beginning any other-wise than was in manifestation in man whose Soul came out from the breath of the Almighty who is out of time in time But some may say what great hurt or inconvenience can come unto us though we do not own or believe that which is nigh every man to shew him sin and evil and which convinceth in his Conscience to be Christ the true light since we believe Christ to be the true light in himself and to be tbe Judge Saviour Teacher and Comforter of his People according to the Scriptures I Answer as Paul in another case much every way for first thou shalt never come aright to know what is good and what is evil what is sin and what is righteousness but wilt be ready to call good evil and evil good and wilt be still in an uncertainty concerning what the good and perfect will of God is and how then shouldest thou do it for thy mind being abroad thou art in the wandring state and although thou searchest the Scriptures never so narrowly and diligently yet therein will appear thwarting 's and contradictions scruples not through default of the scriptures but by reason that thou art not staid in that which should reconcile them Hence have arose for many years past those which they call Casuites who have under-took to Answer Cases of Conscience for people from the Scriptures when as those very Resolvers being themselves from that which should Resolve all doubts and difficulties have like unskilâ—â—d Physitians left tender Consciences half quieted yea and oftentimes made the scruple and trouble greater than before and so the leaders of the people have this way caused them to err Neither wilt thou so see the odiousnesse of sin as it is in it self and as thou oughtest to see it for that which searcheth and pricketh to the heart makes men cry out What shall they do they seeing sin staring them in the face with a dismal Countenance and how it hath separated them from God the fountain of all good they are even at their wits end and so their stony and stubborn heart comes to be broken and they are willing to deny their wills lusts and pleasures for the enjoyment of his favour whom they have transgressed against but men may and do hear the plagues and judgements of God declared against sin and sinners in the Scriptures a long time as God shall wound the hairie scalp of him that goes on in his wickedness the wicked shall be turned into hell and all that forget God how that their worm shall never die nor fire never be quenched that they shall have their part in the lake which burns with fire and brimstone which is the second death and such like and yet they never be moved at it but either are apt not to believe it or to put the day of evil far from them for all outward Declarations or threatnings without that which rips man open and set him naked and bare before the Lord are but as shot that flies over the head but never toucheth the body and so do no execution upon the transgressour So neither can man if at any time he be wounded for sin be truely healed and comforted because that which smites must heal and that onely Now if any one see his sickness as Ephraim did and go not to the true Physitian but go to Egypt how should he have a true and thorow cure Now at such a time one may fetch and gather in all the promises in the Scriptures and endeavour to apply them or have them applied to himself and strive to believe that they do belong to
thee saith he to Timothy in the sight of God who quickeneth all things and before Christ Jesus who before Pontius Pilate witnessed a good confession that thou keep this Commandment which was to fight the good fight of Faith and follow after righteousness godliness patience meekness love c. without spot unrebukeable till the appearing of our Lord Jesus Christ which in his times he shall shew who is the blessed and onely Potentate the King of Kings and Lord of Lords who onely hath immortalitie dwelling in the light which no man can approach unto to wit in his own wisdom or with his bodily eye whom no man hath seen nor can see to wit with those to whom be honour and Power everlasting Amen Oh that ye sword-men had your eyes opened to behold this King as he is here witnessed how would you then be ashamed and amazed at your own folly in gazing upwards as expecting to see him in a bodily shape and with a corporal eye to Reign on Earth Here you see Paul witnesseth he shall be shewn in his times and that as the onely Potentate or Monarch and yet he saith no man can see him what a contradiction may this seem to be to your grosse understandings but it is really so I averre for his appearance in the world in his times must be agreeable to his nature he onely hath immortality therefore must be seen onely by that which is immortal he dwelleth in the light and therefore must be beheld onely in the light and by an eye internally enlightned So that now stop your mouths for ever and cease from your carnal interpretations of those Scriptures which speaks of Christs coming to reign on earth but turn to within even to his light wherewith every one of you are enlightned that in that light ye may see him who is invisible dwelling in the light whom no man hath nor can see nor approach unto for assure your selves that the world shall see his bodily Shape and Person no more but the Saints do and shall see him for because he liveth they shall live also And as for the manner of this spiritual Kings Government it must be spiritually not by an outward visible shining body quelling and over-awing the enemies of his Kindomg but by his inward and invisible Power in the hearts of his People making the people to fall under him or chaining them up yea making all his enemies within and without to go backward and flee before him and although ye may look upon this as a weak inconsiderable thing because it seems not pompous to your carnal eye yet know that it is of the greatest force that can be imagined For is not Conscience more to a man than a thousand witnesses Which if it once condemn God is greater and knoweth all things and so the comment of the wicked increaseth Now that of Christ in the Saints arising in Power and transforming them into its own Image of Righteousness and true Holiness his Name is seen in their foreheads by living fruits which reaching to the witness of God in wicked men they cannot stand before it for the wicked cannot stand in Judgement nor sinners in the Congregation of the Righteous because by the Righteous Principle of God in themselves they are Judged which worketh in their guilty Consciences the fear and flashes of Eternal vengeance which fierce indignation of the Almighty that they may avoid they also are oft times brought to lay hold of eternal Life bringing forth fruits meet for Repentance and so the work of the Lord prospereth in this his King immortal his hand in his Majesty riding prosperously because of Truth and Meekness and Righteousness and his right hand teaching him terrible things and brings to pass greater things hereby than all outward force fear and violence were able to do Now the reason why ye savour not such things as these is because ye with many other Professours are out from that which should give you salt in your selves to savour withal and so being buried in the Letter of the Scriptures do interpret them according to a mind that is under the ministration of the Letter and not of the Spirit So look what truths of God are to be spiritually understood and discerned ye being out of the light do literally understand and so are for an external or personal appearance of Christ in his Kingdom even as a fifth visible Monarch in the world and for a Holy City outward just so long and broad and every way composed as that description of it in the Revelation seemeth outwardly to describe So ye will talk and be even very zealous for a New Heaven and a New Earth wherein dwelleth Righteousness but what fruit doth the expectation of such things in your way expected bring forth in you Doth it make you diligent to be found of him in Peace without spot and blameless as Peter exhorted the Saints to be who looked for such things Or are you in the vanities and folly of the multitude who are without Hope or God in the world How proud rough rugged earthly-minded bitter dead dry and unsavoury do many of you appear Oh People it is not a discourse of or expectation of great and outward changes or happiness though for ever to endure that will bring to the Cross of Christ and slay the enmity of your minds by wicked works but it is the knowing the Cross of Christ in your selves which is his living and quickning Power felt by waiting in his light that must bring you to take up your own cross and follow him else while you think to be the men that shall Reign with Christ and Judge the world ye your selves will be Judged by Christ in this his day which cometh and is come as a snare upon all the earth Your good intentions towards the executing of Justice and Righteousness in the earth in opposition to Tyranny and Oppression I confess is to be owned but ye take not the right course how to bring it forth for it is not the shaking a Weapon or sore threatning or the like at the Beast that will change his nature but it is the Life that is the light of men which will do it for that which alone searcheth the heart can and doth alone turn the same so that if as the Lambs true followers ye knew how to make War in Righteousness with the Whore Beast false Prophet through Faith Patience ye might should do good but if out of a rash and blind zeal ye will steer an indirect course no wonder if you arrive not at your desired Harbour for if ye will needs give blows ye must expect blows again because this exasperates the proud and wilful nature whose Element it is even to live in the fire also an outward force to an outward is like to like but a spiritual Power against a carnal is altogether different and what shall alway stand against Gods living Power in Spirit
the spirits of all the remnant of the People for they were in the unbelief before as ye are concerning the time saying Hag. 2. ver 2. the time is not come the time that the Lords house should be built then the Lords Word in Haggai was this to convince them of the contrary Is it time for you oh ye to dwell in your sieled houses and this house lay wast now therefore thus saith the Lord consider your wayes c. And afterwards when the second Temple was built they were apt to have low thoughts of it who is left among you saith the same Prophet that saw this house in the first glory and how do ye see it now is it not in your eyes in comparison of it as nothing mark as nothing yet saith he now be strong oh Zerubbabel saith the Lord and be strong oh Joshuah the high Priest and be strong all ye people of the Land saith the Lord and work for I am with you saith the Lord of hosts according to the word that I covenanted with you when ye came out of Egypt so my spirit remaineth among you fear ye not for thus saith the Lord of hosts yet once it is a little while and I will shake the Heavens and the Earth and the Sea and the dry Land and I will shake all Nations and the desire of all Nations shall come and I will fill this house with Glory saith the Lord of hosts the silver is mine and the gold is mine saith the Lord of hosts the Glory of this latter house shall be greater then of the former saith the Lord of hosts and I will give peace in this place saith the Lord of hosts are not these plain words to him that desires to understand the people were discouraged because their second Temple was not so Stately and pompous outwardly as the first built by Solomon yet were they bid to be strong or of a good courage for the Lord of hosts strong and mighty was with them and the same spirit remained among them according to his Covenant with them when they came out of Egypt though there were not miracles and such visible signes shewed amongst them now as then for the right of building the second Temple stood in the Covenant which was still the same to the Seed of Israel outward he to be their God and they to be to him a People whereof Circumcision in the flesh was a sign as the Circumcision of the heart is a signe of the spiritual and everlasting Covenant to the spiritual Seed saying they should not fear for he would shortly shake all and all Nations by his powerful witness which should make way for Christ to come and fill his second house with his Glory for all spiritual riches and treasures are His and in Him so that the Glory of the latter house should be greater then of the former to wit in the invisible Glory yet visible by fruits of all righteousness which to bring forth was the sum and end of all figures shadowes miracles tongues and prophesies So that they should have peace in God which passeth all Humane understanding and outward rest also when their sufferings were fulfilled Now consider whether it were not just so in the first raising up of the Gospel Church in the Apostles dayes they had the gift of tongues they did many miracles c. for it was meet and needful at the first bringing in of the first born into an unbelieving and Heathenish world that it should be so as it was at the Jews coming out of Egypt to be a visible Nation and People unto God but at the coming out of mystical Babylon the Spirit of Life from God entred saith John into the witnesses and they stood upon their feet and they prophesied no miracle or in what Language it was being mentioned and the way that the Saints overcame was by the blood of the Covenant mark the same Life of Christ which is the blood of the everlasting Covenant which the Apostles and Saints formerly stood in was in them whereby they got victory every way also they overcame by the Word of their Testimony declaring what they had seen and handled of the Word of Life and by suffering for the same even unto death as the Jew outward adventured their lives in the going on with their work against Sanballat Tobiah and the other their cruel enemies neither is this second work of God to be sleighted or little esteemed for it is done by the pure power of the Almighty in the Spirit as the Prophet Zacharie testified saying not by might nor by power that is so visibly appearing in strange gifts but by my Spirit saith the Lord of hosts even that by whom all things were made and so is very great and shall bring forth the pâ—rest State of the Church that ever was as in the description of the new Jerusalem the Holy City doth most evidently appear wherein shall be a new Heaven and new Earth wherein dwelleth righteousness which Peter and the Saints in his dayes waited for and desired to see where shall be no more sorrow nor crying nor pain nor night and this is the State after the captivity not wrought out by outward signes and wonders but by the Internal light leading out of all that is unclean into that wherein there is no defilement which is a glorious and all powerful work so that the Saints feeling of it shall yea and do already say now is come Salvation and strength and the Kingdom of our God and the Power of his Christ for the accuser of our brethren is cast down which accused them before our God day and night and this purely spiritual way of proceeding is most suitable to destroy the mystery of iniquity for hereby spiritual Wisdom is set in opposition and doth discover spiritual deceit by which the Nations have been made drunk yet we deny not or limit the Power of the Holy One in this his day to come forth in what gifts he pleaseth as sometimes he hath done by healing and extraordinary fastings amongst us but this we say it is not so much a seal to the Ministry as the Lords free working how he pleaseth and how he will please to come forth hereafter when the Truth shall actually prevail over other Nations that do not professe Christianity we are not much careful as knowing that whatsoever is needful for the managing of the Lords own Work himself will freely bestow whether it be the gift of tongues miracles or any other Neither is it necessary that the true Ministry should be the Administratours of baptism with water laying on of hands or breaking of bread at their rising so constituting a Church called visible by those outward signs and shadows nay it is not convenient that they should do so for the reasons forementioned to the Baptists also for as much as Antichrist under pretence of setting up of outward false Administrations called by him Ordinances and crying
acknowledge Christ and the Scriptures in words but oppose and betray his pure Life wherefore he commandeth his wiâ—nesses now to fight with her with the sword of his mouth in the Power of Wisdom which is better then outward strength and so they act and speak as he moveth and enableth them keeping to their own gift measure and work as the Apostles and Saints formerly did to theirs and not regarding how they acted or spake so as to be moved or troubled at it as to question their call to the work of the Ministry for they know if they receive the witness of man the witness of God is greater which witness is his light within them which plainly sheweth them and sealeth in them though the whole world gain-say it that they have felt in themselves the Baptism of the spirit and fire whose effects I before declared and so the operation of his living Word which hath brought thousands of others to believe in the same light and many to feel also the same living Word and spiritual Baptism which hath shaken the Earthly part within like a cottage and also the outward body of some putting words in their mouths to declare his righteousness in the great Assembly and magnifie his Holy Name in the Congregations of his Saints this was that greater work that Christ said his Disciples should do then he had done because he went to his Father for the Spirit was not yet given because Jesus was not yet glorified this is really witnessed among us the Spirit sealing it in our hearts so that we witnesing the one Lord one Faith and one Baptism we are thereby baptized into the one body and being many are one bread and so the true Church that is come and coming out of Babylon and out of the wilderness Glory be to the Lord for ever who hath thus visited and Redeemed his People for this living Power is the gift it self tongues miracles prophesie c. are but the gifts flowing as streams from this fountain now if the Lord do keep back some streams and give us more of the fountain in this his day we are not loosers but gainers by that and so the more to be owned as the Church of Christ But ye will say when the Church was brought out of mystical Babylon John declareth there was an Angel who flow thorow the midst of heaven with an everlasting Gospel to Preach to them that dwell on the Earth and to all Nations kindreds tongues and People which since we see not how that could be without the gift of tongues sheweth us that the true Ministry must have the very same visible gifts now as the Apostles had before they undertake to go forth That People were never truely called out of Babylon before the Preaching of this everlasting Gospel is certainly true and that it is to be Preached to all sorts of People upon the Earth is as cerâ—â—in but that this Gospel must not be Preached to some till the gift of tongues be given where by it might be declared to all is false for the Wisdom of God teacheth his People in what manner and order he will proceed in the publishing his truth throughout the world it must begin first in Sodom and Egypt where our Lord Christ the light and life hath been crucified I mean the Anti-christian State which under pretence of professing Christ opposeth him this Beast indeed is many headed and consists of divers Nations but they must not all be cut off at once but by degrees we know by experience what ever ye believe that he hath begun his work in this Isle of the North wherein we live and that there have been wayes made somewhat to awaken other Nations also the pure Language being known a tongue hath not been wanting to speak to them in and in this one thing do I behold Gods great Wisdom that he hath taken the wise in their own craftiness that whereas the Antichristian Priests have as the Hebrew and Greek so especially idolized the Latine or Romane tongue all over Europe whereby it s become a general Language hereby a good occasion is given to spread the truth throughout all these Nations of Christendome so called also so much hath been the mutuall commerce betwixt these Antichristian People for many years as counting each other to be Christians that in any of these Nations it may be either spoken in their own Language or by an Interpreter which last way is not to be despised for the mighty God brings and will bring to pass great things in these last times by weak beginnings and none is to despise the Day of small things yea the voice hath been hard in Turkie already and if any of you shall say But what had they to do to go thither without the gift of the Tongue I answer you must ask him that moved them thereto even by turning in to Gods witness which is his true light within every one of you and waiting there for Counsel ye shall know the Lords secrets and feel his Power to arise which shall bring you into Unity with their Spirits who knew their Call which ye will not then dispute but in the mean time him that is ignorant let him be ignorant but however know that your unbelief cannot make the truth of God of none effect But is it not Prophesied by Isaiah concerning the Church that he will turn his hand upon her and pâ—rely purge away her dross and take away all her tin and will restore all her Judges as at the first and her Counsellors as at the beginning afterwards she shall be called the City of Righteousness the faithful City Zion shall be Redeemed with Judgement and her converts with Righteousness whereby it appeareth that at the Restauration of the Church the second time which is a very refining time and of Redemption through Judgement and Righteousness which ye talk so much of the Ministry of the Church shall be as they were at the first gathering of it by the Apostles and so gifted just as they were The endowing of the witnesses at their Resurrection shall be with the Spirit of life from God entring into them and so they shall be as at the first for that is the gift it self which brings into Unity of Spirit all the Prophets Apostles and Saints in all ages and into Unity in Ministry as declaring one Everlasting Truth for substance and from one Eternal Root but in respect of the gifts and operations of that one Spirit or Gift it may be different at sundry times and seasons according to the work that is to be done and the various workings of the Spirit it self So God who at sundry times and divers manners spake to the Jews by the Prophets spake in the last times by his Son by whom also he speaketh sundry wayes at sundry times though not a sundry truth for the Apostles bare witness to the true light that lightneth every man and to the Word nigh in the
their guide and would also see that most words that are spoken are for their sakes as taking compassion on the multitude who are wandring like sheep without a shepherd and the Lord God will have all this so to be for Jerusalems sake which he will make the praise of the whole earth therefore shall not his Watch-men keep silence night nor day till her brightness go forth as the light and her Righteousness as the Lamp that burneth Wherefore if ye knew what this meaneth ye would not condemn the guiltless yea the faithful for doing their duty for which they so suffer by the hands of wicked men but it is no wonder that ye do so for ye being in a too loose liberty under pretence of Christian Liberty despise and shun the Cross as foolishness which to us is the Power of God But perhaps ye will further say Although words may be useful to the world as also to build up those who are weak or that are not come to perfection yet to those who have attained they are useless according to thy own Doctrine who hast said before that the Holy City had no need of the Sun Moon or light of a Candle c. 'T is one thing to hear words that come from the life out of necessity and another thing to hear them in the Unity now the Saints who walk in the Lambs immediate light alone may hear the Bride-grooms voice in others and have great joy therein though they are not spoken to their particular conditions or have no need at all of any outward Declaration to build them up so John his joy was fulfilled in hearing what Christ preached to others Therefore the Assembly of all Saints is still needful both to rejoyce together in the Truth and to witness the same in the sight of others But some of you may say Though we are not of the number of any of those Sects thou hast mentioned nor walk with you yet we do meet together at certain times and pray and preach yea and sing also and are therefore called the singing People and professing the Virgin life as those who live in the highest Region of Light and Truth Friends consider seriously with your selves what you do least ye deceive your own Souls for it is not in words no nor the highest words that can be uttered nor those in the highest manner that Gods Kingdom doth consist therefore examine your selves whether ye are yet come to the first Principle of God in your selves which is the true light within that searcheth the heart judgeth the deceit thereof makes humble and meek pulls down pride within and without roots out the covetousness denies respect of or from persons brings to the Cross every way into the true silence before the mouth is opened by the Power for who shall take his Word or Covenant into his mouth that is not Reformed Or how can the dead praise the living Now those marks of Non-reformation by the light are too visible upon you Wherefore stop your mouths ye Preaching Praying lumenaries that are found in the pollutions of the world that flee the Cross and love not to come to the light that ye may be Judged but will be ready to be angry or touchy at such words as these saying We are too censorious or the like when as they are but the words of truth and soberness for truth and sobriety consists in plain dealing which ye all will confess is a Jewel and yet do not desire to be plainly dealt withal ye are they that cause divisions rents professing to be taught of God yet stand at a distance from those who by his true Teachings take up the Cross and stand in it Wherefore sink down I charge you all such and come to the light believing and waiting in it with us and let not the glory of this world or any other interest pleasure or lust hinder you from so doing so shall ye be called the Repairers of the breaches and those that follow Love and Peace aright which is shewen in nothing more than by having one heart and one way with Gods People who ye will not deny many of us to be to serve him with them with one consent for we know that ye ought to return to us and that we must not return to you And as for you Singers consider whether ye have not rather cause to mourn and lament since those things which are the proper causes of sorrow are found in and among you Will ye be covetous proud and lofty self-seeking dissemble for advantage sake respect and court persons and the like and come before the Lord with a Song Can such sing the New Song as Redeemed from the earth Nay they that live in pleasure are dead while they live and so are in the grave of sin in which there is no true remembrance of the Lord God of Life and Power and far from the undefiled Virginity of the Lambs Wife Wherefore be not deceived God is not mocked for this is but a mockery and except ye come first to the house of mourning and bid Adieu to all your lovers and pass under the Rod ye cannot be brought into the bond of the Covenant of Light Life and Peace but your Harps must needs be ere long hanged upon the Willowes For how should ye sing the Song of the Lord in a strange Land But I hear some of you retorting and saying Thou hast judged all but your selves as living in sin and divers lusts and idolatry c. but we see the same things among you that thou chargest us with and deniest us for Is not covetousness idolatry and unmercifulness a fruit of unrighteousness are not some of you also in the pride in your house and in the fulnesse of bread when some are pinched are ye not too partial in looking upon one more than another doth not anger and emulation and judging one another wrongfully and rash speaking appear among you do we not see these things and why then should ye be accounted more the Church of Christ than any other People for the Kingdom of God stands not in yea and nay pulling or not pulling off a hat saying thou to any one or wearing of apparel or taking by the hand but in Righteousnesse and all the fruits thereof as thou thy self hast said If I speak of my self my witness is not true I judge you not out of that light which judgeth all things which ye either call natural and insufficient or sleight as a little low and weak thing and so are out of that which should make all works acceptable to the Lord and which should discover and destroy all unriâ—â—â—â—ousness so that ye are not only denied because of your bâ—â—â— fruits but as being out from that which would make you bring forth good fruits for make the tree good and the fruit shall be good saith Christ the light in whom the tree is made good as acting from a living