of the Truth learned by Faith which shall be witnessed by the Light in every one's Conscience to be true which whosoever believes in the true Light which enlightens every one shall see greater things than these and that by Faith it 's possible to know all things and to know God whom to know is Life Eternal Farewel Written in Virginia by a Lover of the Truth and a Believer in the true Light G. R. Concerning Waiting upon the Lord in stilness and in silence VVHen Israel was in distress they were commanded to hold their peace and stand still and see the salvation of the Lord and the Lord should fight for them Exod. 14.13 14. and when they stood still then the Lord revealed his Arm saved delivered them But when they distrusted the Lord and looked to Egypt for help the Lord said Egypt should help in vain to no purpose Therfore have I cryed concerning this their strength is to sit still Mark to sit still was their strength and in returning and rest shall ye be saved in quietness and in confidence shall be your strength Isa 30.7 15. But they would not but said no We will flee upon the swift Mark here 's a way of their own finding therefore the swift should pursue them and one thousand should flee at the rebuke of one and at the rebuke of five shall ye flee till ye be left as a Beacon on the top of a Mountain and as an Ensign on a Hill Now mark what became of them who would not stand still who would not Wait and Job being afflicted and his Friends came to visit him they sate silent waiting seven dayes Job 2.13 And all may see it was the way of the Saints to be in stilness and in silence and in waiting for blessed are all they that wait upon the Lord Isa 30.18 And David sayes I wait for the Lord my soul doth wait and in his VVord do I hope my soul waiteth for the Lord more than they that watch for the morning I say more than they that watch for the morning Psa 130.5 6. and rest in the Lord wait patiently for him Psa 37.7 And the Youths shall faint and be weary and the Young-men shall utterly fall but they that wait upon the Lord shall renew their strength they shall mount up with wings as Eagles they shall run and not be weary and they shall walk and not faint Isa 40.30 31. And the strong Lyon shall suffer want and the young Lyon shall suffer hunger but he that waiteth upon the Lord shall not want any good thing I will stand upon my watch and set me on the Tower and will watch to see what the Lord will say unto me or speak in me and what I shall answer when I am reproved and let all flesh keep silent before the Lord Hab. 2. for every man 's own words shal be his burden Jer. 23. Keep silent before me O Islands and let the People renew their strength for the Isles shall wait for his Law Isa 42.4 Yea in the way of thy Judgements O Lord have we waited for Thee the desire of our soul is to thy Name and to the remembrance of Thee with my soul have I desired Thee In the night yea with my spirit within me will I seek Thee early for when thy Judgements are in the Earth the Inhabitants of the World will learn Righteousness Isa 26.8 9. Note this well how they were to wait and how they waited and sought the Lord Hearken unto me my People and give ear unto me O my Nation for a Law shall proceed from me and I will make my Judgement to rest for a Light of the People my Righteousness is near my Salvation Is gone forth and mine Arms shall judge the People the Isles shall wait upon me and on mine Arm shall they trust Isa 51.4 5. For since the beginning of the World men have not heard nor perceived by the ear neither hath the eye seen O God besides thee what he hath prepared for him that waiteth for him Isa 64.4 The Lord is good unto them that wait for him to the soul that seeketh him It is good that a man should both hope and quietly wait for the salvation of the Lord it is good for a man that he bear the yoak in his youth he sitteth alone and keepeth silence because he hath borne it upon him he putteth his mouth in the dust if so be there may be hope c. Lam. 3.25 c. And they shall every man sit under his own Vine und under his own Figge-tree and none shall make them afraid Mica 4. Therefore turn thou to thy God keep Mercy and Judgement and wait on thy God continually Hos 12.6 Hence all may see the Practice of the Saints in the dayes of the Prophets and how all are commanded to wait and hope in the Lord and to be quiet and still hoping on the God of their Salvation And Christ sayes Wheresoever two or three are met together in my Name there am I in the midst of them Mat. 18.20 And can ye not watch one hour and what I say unto you I say unto all Watch for blessed shall he be that shall be found so doing when the Son of man cometh Mark 13. and the five foolish Virgins who waited not nor watcht to have their Lamps kept burning but gadded abroad were shut out of the Kingdom Mat. 25. and Simeon a just man waited for the consolation of Israel to him it was revealed that he should not see death until he had seen the Lord's Christ and when he saw the Salvation of God the Light to enlighten the Gentiles and Glory of Israel desired to depart in Peace Luk. 2. And when Christ was ready to ascend to the Father he commanded his Disciples not to depart from Jerusalem until they had received the Promise of the Father which said he ye have heard of me and ye shall receive Power from on High when the Holy Ghost is come upon you and ye shall be Witnesses unto me Mark when they had received the Power from on High through waiting then they should be Witnesses unto Him both at Jerusalem and in Judea Act. I. And the Apostle exhorted the Corinthians to watch and stand fast in the Faith Quit you like men be strong I Cor. 16.13 And he told the Saints that they were not of Darkness nor Children of the Night but Children of the Light and of the Day therefore let us not sleep saith he as others do but let us watch and be sober for they that sleep sleep in the Night and they that be drunken are drunken in the Night but let us who are of the Day be sober putting on the Breast-plate of Faith and Love and for an Helmet the Hope of Salvation I Thess 5. And he exhorted Timothy to watch in all things 2. Tim. 4.5 and they which should be found not watching the Lord would come upon them as a Thief
Presence may go along with them and his Arm may defend them and his Glory follow after them to be their Re-reward And the Spirits and Life of all the Children of the Promise the Heirs of Eternal Salvation He upholds who give themselves up unto Him and to the Appearing of his Glory and the Light of His glorious Gospel which shines in their hearts that they may be unto Him as the Tower of Sion and the Bulwarks of Jerusalem in them hath the Star arisen which hath shined from the North and is broken forth in the Darkness of the Night and is shining towards the South it rises in the East it looks towards the West and there is no place for its going down The Lord hath Multitudes of People He gathers them as the Bands of the Earth He suffers the Nations to afflict them for a season He chastizeth with the Rods of Men that He may prove them all for His Glory And yet a little while and the Rage of the Heathen shall sink He correcteth his People for their Good and chastizeth them for their Peace-sake that He may build up his Nation which He hath visited and establish his Seed which he hath gathered and multiply his People Thy Throne O God endures for ever and the Scepter of thy Righteousness who lettest not Sufferings and Tryals to come upon the Seed which thou hath chosen and the People which thou hast visited to destroy them but to establish them that when thou hast tryed them as Gold they may be established and fitted for thy use that they may be humbled and all fear before thee and wait upon thee that thou mayest renew us all from day to day and night after night in thy Life to do thy Service to fit all thine to Glory and Praise and Honour immortal for thy great Name thou art spreading over all the Earth By Faith it was given me to see wherein the Worship of the true God consisteth and how He must be worshipped in the Spirit and in the Truth which the Father seeks such to worship him as worship Him in the Spirit as worship Him in the Truth and in the true Light which enlighteneth every one in which none can see the VVorship but who come into the Faith and into the Humility and into the Fear and into the Waiting and into the Zeal for God which bows the heart before God and the heart being bowed then the Consideration is come into and the Inquirings into the Knowledge of Life and the sinking down to feel the Spirit which brings the Truth into Remembrance and also brings to be still and quiet and wait in stilness and quietness and silence then God is seen and felt and his Life which gives the Creature to feel after God who comes to be felt in his Life which enlighteneth the Creature and gives the Creature liveliness to wait for the renewing the strength and God reveals his Word his Power and his Requirings in the Creature which works in the heart and in the reins and runs through the mortal body and is weighty in operation to give Power and Dominion to the Creature to the end that it may have full power and strength to resist the Assaults of the Devil and to have its mind staid in stilness and quietness and silence and waiting for the Love and Vertue and Mercies of God which being felt then the Lord is admired and bowed unto this is VVorship to bow before the God of Heaven that all that 's in Man may be bowed down and submitted under the Life and Power then he worships he boweth down to the higher Power his soul abhors all defilements his thoughts are staid on God his heart is kept tender and open and he is refreshed in the Enjoyment of the Life and of the feeling of the Presence of the Lord and of his Power by which the Creature comes to admire the infinite Love and Mercies of God and the Riches of his Grace that after so long living in disobedience the Lord should reveal his Power and make known the Riches of his Grace to such a Creature that hath been as altogether unworthy but the Lord hath done it for his Seeds sake in Man which never consented to or took pleasure in sinning but hungred and thirsted after God and breathed after God and moved in the Creature towards the Lord even while the Creature was yet subject to vanity and for the Seeds sake the Lord is merciful full of compassion long-suffering and slow to Anger and blessed are all they that turn unto Him in the obedience of His Seed and in the Faith of His Son they shall see his Mercies know his Presence feel his Life Power and Spirit which bows and brings to worship God By Faith it 's seen that none are more sensible of the feeling of the Presence of the Lord than when they are still and quiet and wait in silence and stilness even when met together and when alone for by Faith many are come to see that the Lord is very near and that they feel his Presence when they wait upon Him and his Life breaks forth in his tender Love to the great refreshing of the soul and quickning of the Creature this takes away weariness and leanness from the soul and removes the multitude of vain Thoughts which have lodged in Man so that though they may often appear yet they become stilled as though they were not for when any thing appears contrary to the Will of God the Light is near and ready to administer Judgment upon it and to give the Creature to apply its mind to Judgment through which God redeems out of the Incumbrances and reveals his Noble Spirit of Life which stills the Thoughts and the Desires and Affections which would raise Lust and War in the flesh so that Man comes to wait out of himself and out of his own thoughts and imaginations in the Life the Promise it self where it feels the Riches of the Love and of the Mercies and of the Grace and of the Power which brings into the Glory and into the unspeakable Life and Love where the mortal body becomes filled with Immortality and Life which swallows up mortality in Victory and Conquest and Dominion and the delight of all mortal fading things and this hath made me bold and confident in the Lord of my Life to give up my whole strength for the witnessing forth the Truth through Faith which by Faith is received of God even through the Nations by Sea and by Land as the Lord requires which I account Eternal Salvation though for it I suffer many things but all is good and for good By Faith it 's seen how exceeding good it is to wait upon the Lord and to be still and silent before Him and in all things to eye Him and fear Him then the Incumbrances come to be taken away and the Darkness and Doubtings dissolved and Courage and Boldness for God received which
better Kingdom than that of this World counting all things as nothing that we may win Christ By Faith in the Light the Covenant of God is seen and the Spirit of Life received into the heart to be a Guide and a Ruler which writes its Law in the heart and puts it in the mind in which the Directions for the whole course of a Man's Life and Conversation comes to be read as Man comes to take heed unto the Grace which brings the Salvation and saves the Soul and the Creature daily from the snares of the Devil in teaching the Creature that denying ungodliness and worldly lusts they may live soberly righteously and godly in this present evil world and so come to know the Promise of the Covenant fulfilled in them which saith That all the People of God shall be taught of God and established in Righteousness far from Oppression which none comes to witness but who believes in the Light the Grace which changeth the heart for said God I will make them a new heart and give unto them a right Spirit that they may have all One heart and all One way and serve me all the dayes of their life without fear Which none comes to witness but such as believe in the Light and wait in the Light to feel the Fountain of Life and Power opened in them to wash them from Sin and from Transgression as the Lord said for if this be not witnessed the Iniquities will oppress the Soul and defile the Creature and the old treacherous 〈◊〉 â—ill abide which will make the nature treacherous and yield its members members of obedience unto Sin and so to transgress the Law and so to be in hatred of God and this keeps from knowing the holy Anointing of the Soul with the Power of the Highest which teacheth all things that the Saints need no man to teach them but the Anointing in them teacheth them all things which are Truth and of it is no Lye and this Anointing in them gives them to know the Father and the Son and to have an understanding to know all things both of the Law and of the Gospel that they need no man to bid them Know the Lord for the Seed of the Covenant is in them the Heir of Life by which they see the Lord teaching them all so that All know Him from the least to the greatest and are All taught of Him and have ceased from man whose breath is in his nostrils and love Him and keep His Commandments which to them are not grievous but joyous though for their Obedience they may suffer and have suffered by the Wicked in Bodies and Estates By Faith it is seen how Christ is a Saviour unto the utmost of all that come unto God by Him who in His first aâ—â—â—â—ring in the Creature manifests sin and condemns for sin who being believed in destroyes the sin and works that nature out of the Creature which hath sinned and taken pleasure in sinning and so gives the pardon of the sins past and gives the Creature to live in obedience in the time to come and so manifests Himself to be a Saviour to the Ends of the Earth and that He is mighty to save and to redeem his People out of all Pollutions of Flesh und Spirit that He may present them in himself without spot or wrinckle or any such thing an Holy Church a Spiritual House builded of living stones an Holy Nation a Peculiar People a Royal Priesthood separated from sinners and zealous of good works And thus through Faith Christ comes to be seen to be a whole Saviour and that the same Life in which He manifesteth Himself in the Creature which saves from Swearing Drunkenness Whoredom Theft and the like gross evils is as able to root out the very ground of the Transgression as it is believed in and to destroy the earthly nature which hath finned and to save from all sin and make man wholly a right Seed that he may be perfect as his Father in Heaven is perfect and holy because God is holy without which Holiness no man can see God neither can any out of the birth of the Holy Life see the Kingdom which the Children of the Covenant see and are Heirs of being born again not of corruptible seed but of the Word of God which lives and endures for ever by which Birth they keep themselves that the wicked one toucheth them not And this is the Victory over the World which tramples upon the World and all its Delights and Pleasures Faâ—hions and Vanities and hath put a cross and stop to that in them which was of the World and he that is born of God sinneth not neither can he because the Seed of God is in him which keeps him from sinning and gives him to deny the Temptations of the Devil which would draw to sin and in this are the Children of God and the children of the Devil manifest he that doth Righteousness is Righteous even as God is Righteous he that sins is of the Devil and hath neither seen God nor known Him By Faith in the Light it is seen that none can ever come to know the secrets of God but such as believe in the Light which hath enlightened every one that cometh into the World And there 's not any that can ever come to be true Prophets true Ministers true Teachers true Apostles true Elders true Pastors true Evangelists but such as believe in the true Light which enlightens every one that comes into the World for he that believes not in the Light he is not Zealous for God's Name and for his Truth and his Glory and against all the wicked World and its wayes And he that is not zealous for God he is dark the World is iâ— his heart he sinks under the wicked and wants the true discerning Spirit which should warm him with Power and Zeal and so wants the true Discerning and the Openings and the Revelations Visions and Prophesies and the true Knowledge of Life Eternal which the Nations are to be turned unto such cannot be Ministers of the Riches of God under any name nor do the work of God aright for he that doth Gods work aright must have it so wrought in him that he may do all things according to the Pattern that he sees of God And he that is not zealous for God he receives not the true Wisdom he cannot be a Prophet but must be prophesied against he that is not zealous for God he hath not the Vision of God nor the Revelations he cannot be a Teacher to open the Mysteries of God but must first have Judgement opened in himself He that is not zealous for God and against all the World and its Deceit he cannot be an Apostle or a Pastor he cannot feed the Sheep and Lambs but must first be fed with the Judgments of God himself to bring him off the Earthly-miâ—â—â—dness in which he feeds and off thâ—â—â—â—ghts of the sons and
the Promise in the Seed before the World began even Life Eternal which in the Saints abides when the World shall be no more who through Faith have overcome the World and inherit Life Eternal and this is Jesus the only true God and the Saviour of the World who is from Generation to Generation By Faith I came to see that the Light which enlightneth every one which comes into the World answereth the Law and the Prophets and is the Life of them both condemning every Transgressor Transgression in which Light the Law being manifest condemneth the Jew that hath the Law and sinneth under it and condemneth the Gentile who having not the Law in the letter sins out of it and by the Light all the World will become guilty that every tongue may confess to God and every mouth may be stopped when by the Light which enlightens every one every ones deeds will be manifest for that records them all in the Book of Conscience and brings them all into remembrance before God and testifieth of them between God and man so that all come to be left without excuse By Faith in the Light it 's given me to see how all the World live in vanity transgressing the Light and the Law and the Prophets and those things that are noted in the Scriptures of Truth and it 's nothing they have more set at nought and less esteemed on and less regarded than these and less regarded than the Lord and his Truth and the Scriptures or writings of it though so highly cried up in words By Faith I see they prefer even those things which are as naught and worse than naught for they corrupt their minds before the Truth and Scriptures of it even in those things in which they transgress the Apostle's Doctrine in following the fashions of the World in wearing of Gold and Pearls and costly things and Rings on their hands and Jewels in their ears and Ribbonds Toys Baubles and costly Laces of Gold and Silver on all parts of their Bodies according as the lusts of Ignorance and the treachery of the proud earthly Nature and earthly sensual Wit invents Fashions to the great Dishonour of God and their own Bodies in which they should bear the Image of God and sanctifie their Vessels unto Honour but alas the Body which should be for the Lord that is given up to be fornicated after those unprofitable things before-mentioned and many more in the Fashions of the World in which many have given up themselves and in vain Bowings and vain Complements and vain Traditions and vain Flatteries and though they will say their hearts are not in those things yet by Faith in the Light I have seen long ago That all who live in such things and say their hearts are not in them deceive their own souls for by Faith I have seen long ago that none can live in such things but they do it to please that which is vain and of the Vanity and out of the Spirit of the Truth By Faith I have seen that it is hard for many to let the World go for many hang in it until they become ready to pass away and perish with it But blessed are they whose part is in the World to come who have denied themselves and this World and let the Kingdom of this World go whose part is in that which is Immortal By Faith I have seen that none can come highly to esteem of the Truth and the Scriptures of it but who believe in the Light that by Faith they may deny the World and all things thereof and their own selves also for that which loveth the World the Wrath of God is upon it the Love of the Pather is not in it this denies the Father and the Son and highly esteems of the Scriptures and never comes to Yea and Nay in all Communications neither fulfilleth the Royal Law and the Prophets for this is selfish and lightly esteems of the Law and the Prophets and will not fulfil them in doing to all men as men would be done unto By Faith I see this Principle which is earthly and hangs in the earthly Nature is a snare to thousands in this the Day of the Lord and earthly things are ready to ensnare many when they by Faith have overcome many other things which were snares unto them before but blessed are all they that dwell in the Faith in the Light in the Power which gives Victory over the World and over all that appertains unto it My Kingdom is not of this World saith Christ He that will enter into my Kingdom he must deny himself and take up his daily cross and follow me for none can enjoy two Kingdoms nor serve two Masters By Faith in God I received Power to deny my self and to cross my self in the love of all things and all delights beneath the Truth of God and to lay hold on the hope of Salvation though for its sake I suffered with the rest of the flock of God in the hatred of the World in Reproaches in Stonings in Tumultings in Scourgings in Stocks in Prisons in Fetters of Iron in Bruisings in Woundings in Travels in Rejection of all the World and yet by Faith have rejoyced over them all in hope accounting all things as nothing to be compared with the Glory which God hath revealed in his own Seed and the Power which by his own Son he hath revealed in me By Faith it was confirmed unto me that the Law and the Prophets and Christ's and the Apostles Writings the Scriptures are certainly Truth declared from the Lord and the Words of the most High God which I never doubted on from a Child but that they were to be believed by all By Faith I came to receive an understanding in those things noted in the Scriptures of Truth and to be satisfied concerning all things therein contained for in the day when I sought Knowledge and was ready to be incumbred in seeking out the mystery of things by Faith in the Light I received the Answer of God which I read in the word of Faith in my heart which spake on this wise faying That I needed not to seek Knowledge but to wait upon the Lord and to have my mind truly bowed before Him in the measure of his Life and whatsoever thing I stood in need of to know and that the Lord saw it expedient He would certainly give me the knowledge of it and to understand it in the Lord 's own appointed time VVhich Word hath been as a Stay to my Soul and I have seen God fulfilling it from day to day who hath made known Himself to me and given me His Truth who requireth nothing of any one under Heaven but that which He first giveth who condemneth none but for disobeying that which He giveth By Faith I see all the Professors of the World are aiming at the wrong Mark and seeking the wrong thing and in the wrong Way for they are seeking
gives to fulfil his Will and to receive his Peace and to get Conquest over all the Enemies of the Soul in every partiticular and this gives Peace in all the World and satisfieth concerning outward things and enjoyments and gives to see the end of them all and that the losse of Estates Friends Relations and the destroying the outward body all is as nothing and but a parting with that which must be parted with be it sooner or later the Will of the Lord be done for we praise God we have found Christ and all things else is but as dung and drosse and must be parted withal By Faith in the Light man comes to see Him that is invisible and to the end of all visible things and delights and to be made willing to let all the Honours Preferments and Riches of the World and the Great Name and Reputation to passe away as that in which Life is not to be found and to be satisfied if he loses any thing for the Lord's sake and the Gospels sake he shall receive his Reward By Faith it comes to be seen that every one having Food and Rayment they are therewith to be content and that the labour of all in the works of the Creation is to be for the Glory of God and for the Praise of God and the Honour of God and every ones Labour is to be for the Lord and not to incumber themselves with taking care to lay up in store for Generations to come and for a Son or a Daughter which its not known whether they may glorifie God therewith or no so that every one in his present Generation is to preach Righteousness in all things that in all his works he may preach for God Noah a Preacher of Righteousness obtained mercy with the Lord in his Generation who obeyed God even God that hath created Heaven and Earth and all that lives therein who watereth the Earth with the dew of Heaven and causeth it to fall upon the tender Grass so that it buddeth and to mollifie the Clods of the Earth that the Seed yeeldeth encrease Seed for the Sower and Bread for the Eater who satisfieth every living thing that hath life and breath both in Heaven and in Earth and in the Waters under the Earth so that upon Him the care of every creature is to be set and the expectation of every Creature is to wait upon Him who is the Provider for all Generations from Generation to Generation unto a Thousand Generations that his Works might be seen unto all and the Wonders of his Mercies throughout all Generations to the setting forth of his Praise unto all Generations that the works of his Hands might all praise Him and He might be extolled by all his Creatures But certainly Generations have abused themselves and dishonoured the Lord Almighty and the Enemy of Mankind hath had his strong-holds in bewitching thousands and ten thousands to set their hearts on earthly things and earthly delights more than God so that they have forgotten God their Saviour rebelled against the Rock of the whole World who hath founded the Sea and the dry Land in Himself and every Creature in his Power who reserves the Wicked in his Wrath and places them in His Displeasure unto perpetual Generations And indeed this is the ground of the snares of all the world the Enemy having bewitched the minds of People to delight themselves in earthly things they have forgotten God their Saviour and defiled themselves with themselves and with the rest of the Creatures having their thoughts tempted to the creatures they give themselves up to be earthly and carnally minded and to have the burnings of the lusts to run into the greatness and height of glorying in the Creatures and this is that which separates the families of the Earth from God and which causes the enmity and the warrings and envyings and discord in all the World against which the Law it self was given for in that Nature which delights as before stands the sum of the Transgression of the Law from which a man must be born and redeemed before he can love the Lord with all his heart and mind and soul and serve Him with all his strength and to love his Neighbour as himself and to do unto every one as he would be done unto which fulfills all the Law but the Earth is the Snare and the parting with it the fear of many and the keeping many from the Covenant though man in giving all things up to the Will of the Lord and himself too gives but the Lord 's Own to Him which the Lord requires that in all things He may be served and honoured and who gives not up freely the fear with which they feared the Lord will bring upon them and the thing which they put far off He will bring near and make them suffer in Therefore ye Families of the Earth if you will come to the Covenant of God give up to the Lord in all things whose right it is and shake your selves come out of the love of the World and the delights of those things in which thousands have perished that Satan may not tempt you for when you are tempted and overcome and defiled you have first let your thoughts out to take pleasure or liking and to love that or those things at which the Temptation pointeth else you could never be so easily overcome as to make Sin the greatest pleasure in the World for if you believed in the Light and walked in the Light in the Fear of God and in Humility you would see the Thoughts and judge them and not suffer the Eye of the Mind to look on that at which the Temptation pointeth to take delight in that and to love that and to advantage thy self in that and then the Tempter should not overcome thee neither wouldst thou like the Glory of the World though tempted to it This is the great Temptation which blessed is he that overcometh and getteth the Victory through the Faith by which Faith Abraham forsook his Father's house and native Country and wandred a Pilgrim and a stranger in a strange Land seeking a habitation which was not an Earthly Tabernacle but Eternal in the Heavens whose Builder and Maker was God By which Faith Moses chose to suffer Affliction with the People of God rather than to enjoy the Pleasures of Sin for a season and would not dwell in the King's Court nor be called the Son of Pharoah's Daughter By which Faith the Saints chose to wander in Sheep-skins and Goat-skins and in Dens Caves of the Earth suffering the spoyling of their Goods with joy giving up their Bodies to suffer all manner of Torturâ—s these overcame the great Temptation and loved not their Lives unto Death Of whom the world was not worthy who through then faith suffered all things not accepting of deliverance By which Faith many in this Age give themselves up in the like Sufferings having the Evidence of a
Jews though he condemned the Priests and Pharisees and Jews for omitting the weighty matters of the Law Faith Mercy and Justice for that was in the time also of the Law and of the first Priesthood and before the everlasting Offering was offered up which is the end of the Law the sum of all Offerings who blotted out the hand writing of Ordinances and nailed them to his Cross which were against us and raised up another Priesthood which was free and sent forth Ministers to turn People to it who had freely received and were freely to give and the Apostles never spake of Tythes to Gentiles nor Christ neither but witnessed the contrary and that the first Priesthood which consisted in divers Washings and Meats and Drinks under which the Tythes were payed was changed and the Law also by which it was made and by which the Tythes were payed under it Hebr. 7. for the Law and the first Priesthood made nothing perfect as appertaining to the Conscience but the bringing in of a better Hope did by the which we draw nigh unto God which is Christ who is revealed in his People an Anchor to their Souls to keep them sure and steadfast and he is in us the Hope of Glory and he that hath this Hope in him purifies himself even as he is pure So that it 's clearly seen they that take Tythes now are Antichristian and they which pay them deny the Everlasting Offering by which them that are sanctified are perfected for ever who is the End of the Law and the changeable Priesthood who hath blotted out the hand writing of Ordinances nailing them to his Cross and brought in the everlasting Righteousness and the Spiritual Priesthood and the Hope which makes perfect pertaining to the Conscience By Faith it is clearly seen that God in his faithfulness hath revealed his Son to finish Sin and make an end of Transgression and to cause the daily Offerings to cease for which sake the Tythes were payed to the Priests and Levites of the first Priesthood and offered up himself upon the Cross to make peace between man and God that all strife might be ended so he blotting out the Ordinances of the first Covenant which were in old time and ordains obedience for all His that so as he makes peace with God they may have peace with all men and exercise a Conscience void of offence towards all and love their enemies and resist not evil do good against evil bless them that curse pray for them that dispitefully use them love their enemies feed them when they are hungry cloath them when they are naked if any one compels to go a mile go with him twain and if they smite thee on the right cheek turn the other and if they sue thee at the Law and take away thy coat let them have thy cloak also and do unto every one as thou wouldst be done unto love the Lord thy God with all thy heart and soul and thy Neighbour as thy self this is the Royal Law and the Prophets which the Gospel which is the Power of God to Salvation gives every one to fulfil who doth believe in it and obey it Now he that comes to this needs not swear at all but in all his Communication let his yea be yea his nay nay Here 's the end of Strife the end of Sinning the end of Fighting the end of Wrangling and Suing at Law and Swearing and false Witness-bearing the obedience to the Gospel which is received by Faith in the Light which gives to suffer all things bear all things forgive all things committing every thing unto God that judges righteously and he that comes to this will not stumble at Christ's Doctrine which saith Swear not at all nor at the Apostles Doctrine who saith My Brethren above all things swear not by any Oath lest ye fall into Condemnation but let your yea be yea and your nay nay in all your Communications and then it will be seen that there is not a wise man amongst them that goes to Law with his Brother and doth not chuse rather to suffer wrong and that such have not the mind of Christ who cannot suffer though he suffered for all By Faith it 's seen that Christ made it one of his greatest Businesses and one of his chiefest Works to witness against the Priests Scribes and Pharisees and witnessed the most Woes against them than against any for they laid heavy burdens upon the People and devoured Widows Houses and under a pretence made long Prayers these should receive the greater damnation and he cryed Wo against them often and called them Fools and Blind and Serpents and Vipers and asked them how they could escape the Damnation of Hell who were blind leaders of the blind these were witnessed against for their standing praying in the Synagogues and being called of men Masters and having the chiefest places in the Assemblies and the greetings in the Markets and walking in long Robes and Christ commanded his Disciples not to be called of men Master for one was their Master evâ—n Christ and they were all Brethren and he bid them beware of the leaven of the Scribes and Pharisees to wit their Doctrine for it was Hypocrisie they say and do not here he brought them out from them and did not bid them hear them any more to do as they said for the Law was fulfilled which Christ is the End of and they were to Preach the Gospel and bring People off from the Temple Synagogues and Assemblies of the Priests and Pharisees to the Light and Power of God to worship God in the Spirit and in the Truth and for Christ's witnessing the Truth against these Priests Pharisees Scribes and Rulers and Jews they accused him to be mad and to have a Devil and to be a Blasphemer and so the Priests Pharisees and Scribes stirred up the Powers of the Earth against him to put him to death and to render him odious to the Rulers and said he was not Cesars friend and that he denyed to pay Tribute to Cesar and so through lyes and dissimulation stirred up both Rulers and People against the Lord of Life the Lord of Glory whom they took with wicked hands and slew and hanged on a Tree whom God raised up from the Dead against whom the Envy of the Priests was not satisfied but gave large moneys to raise lyes of him after his Resurrection which were believed among the Jews unto this day By Faith it 's seen how just and righteous the Judgement of Christ was against them who were once bidden to the Marriage Supper of the Kingdom who when all things on the Kings part were provided for them began to make excuses one by one the one hanging in the Farm the other in the Yoak of Oxen and the other taking a Wife and could not come to reject them all if the Jews who were first bidden could not taste of his Supper because of these things wherewith
can the Gentiles be found worthy but by coming out of them into the obedience of the Truth and to come out of the Earth out of the High-wayes and Hedges and Streets where there hath been lameness and blindness and hardness of heart which the Gentile if he comes in hath not the VVedding garment and to him it will be said Friend how camest thou hither not having a VVedding garment and he shall be taken and cast into utter darkness where there shall be weeping and wailing and gnashing of teeth Therefore all are to look about them and mind to obey that which is of God that you may have the VVeding garment the cloathing of Righteousness which whosoever feareth God and worketh Righteousness in all Nations both Jews and Gentiles shall be accepted but anguish pain and tribulation to the Soul of every one that doth Evil to the Jew first and likewise to the Gentile By Faith it is seen how just and righteous it was for the Apostles and Servants of Christ to meet togetter in the Faith and in the Fear of the Lord to wait together for the Promise of the Father which said Christ ye have heard of me and ye shall receive Power from on High when the Holy Ghost is come upon you and ye shall be witnesses unto me both at Jerusalem and in Judea and they through waiting received the Promise the Power from on High and the Holy Ghost came upon them and through the Power of the Highest were moved to go into the Nations and unto the People which dwelt upon the Earth Preaching the Gospel freely as they had received freely labouring in the Power of the Highest to turn People from the Darkness and Error of their Lives unto the Light and to the Knowledge of the Light of the Glorious Gospel which shined in their hearts to give them the Light of the Knowledge of the Glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ and Preached the Word of Faith in their hearts and in their mouths and that they had a more sure Word of Prophesie unto which they did well to take heed as unto a Light that shined in a dark place until the day dawned and the day Star arose in their hearts By Faith it is seen how just it was in the Apostles to go forth Preaching the Gospel to all Nations though commanded by the Rulers to speak no more in that Name yet they spoke the more boldly going into Markets Synagogues and Assemblies of the People though opposed by Priests Rulers People cast into prisons under sore Persecutions and Bonds and many Tryals yet they went on boldly not regarding the Commandment of men but obeyed God rather than man By Faith it 's seen how just it was in them to witness against false Worships false Teachers false Apostles false Prophets false Ministers laying them open by their Fruits as Christ had said when he prophesied that many false Christs and false Prophets should come and should deceive many by their fruits ye shall know them and by their fruits the Apostles laid them open who were false Ministers Messengers of Satan Ministers of unrighteousness transforming themselves into the likeness of the Ministers of Christ who went in Cain's way envying and persecuting the Just and in Balaam's way for Wages of unrighteousness and Promotion and Gifts and Rewards who minded earthly things whose God was their Belly and their glory in their shame whose end was to be destroyed who with good words and fair speeches deceived the hearts of the simple and through covetousness made merchandise of Souls bringing in damnable Heresies even denying the Lord that bought them and preach for Money and Price when as the Lord said Freely ye have received freely give the Work-man is worthy of his meat these had eyes full of Adultery and could not cease from sinning beguiling unstable Souls whose hearts are exercised with covetous Practices cursed Children which have forsaken the right Way and are gone astray after the error of Balaam who loved the Wages of unrighteousness but the dumb Ass speaking with man's Voice rebuked such madness in him who was greedying after earthly things And the Apostles witnessed against such Teachers that spoke things which they ought not for filthy lucre sake who were proud men who were covetous men heady high-minded treacherous disobedient to Parents unthankful unholy blasphemers truce-breakers incontinent fierce dispisers of those that are good lovers of Pleasures more than lovers of God having a Form of Godliness but denying the Life and Power thereof from such turn away for of this sort are they which creep into Houses leading silly Women captive laden with sin and led away with divers lusts ever learning but never able to come to the Knowledge of the Truth and as Jannes and Jambres withstood Moses so do these withstand the Truth men of corrupt minds reprobate concerning the Faith being Evil men and Seducers waxing worse and worse deceiving and being deceived but they shall proceed no further their folly shall be manifest to all men And Jude witnesseth against such as were ungodly men turning the Grace of our Lord Jesus into lasciviousness denying the only Lord and Saviour and called them Wells without water spots in their Feasts feeding without Fear Clouds carried about with Wind filthy Dreamers that defile the Flesh who went in Cain's way and Balaam's way having mens persons in admiration because of advantage being separated sensual having not the Spirit And the Apostle witnessed against them who were given to Wine and that were Strikers Lovers of Money of filthy Lucre bid the Saints take heed of such that were desirous of filthy Lucre that were self-willed who despised Dominion and spoke evil of Dignities natural bruit Beasts made to be taken and destroyed as all the Priests of the World despise that any can come into that Dignity or Dominion as to overcome Sin and to be throughly cleansed in this Life and perfected By Faith it 's seen that all these that testified against such as lived in these Practices before mentioned were just and faithful unto God and it 's likewise seen to be just and faithfulness in us to declare against all such that live in such Practices that they were in which the Prophets Christ and his Apostles and all the Saints testified against though the world could not bear it then to have their Teachers and Prophets declared against neither can they now yet it 's just with God and in faithfulness to the Lord to declare against them who are manifest by their Fruits to be in the steps of the false Prophets by their Fruits ye shall know them saith Christ for an evil Tree cannot bring forth good Fruit nor a good Tree cannot bring forth evil Fruit. By Faith it 's seen that it was just with God to smite Herod the King who had stretched forth his hand to vex certain of the Church and persecuted the Saints when he had made
Rocks were rent and the Clouds vanquished away and the Glory of the Lord filled his Sanctuary and he threw out the Buyers and Sellers out of his Temple and the Money-changers and overthrew their Seat then cloathed he himself with Zeal as with a Cloak for the day of Vengeance was in his heart and he sent forth his Sons and Daughters with his Word to run to and fro in the Earth and gave them hearts as the heart of a Lion and strength that turned away from none so that his day of Vengeance became proclaimed for he ordained strength in the mouths of Babes and Sucklings when he shut out the Wise and Prudent of the World This was the day in which God opened the door of Confusion unto the Diviners of the Earth and turned the Prophets and their Seers into madness so that to them all is become as the Vision of the night night is upon them they cannot divine fearfulness surprizes them they have changed their work and blesse themselves in their Railings and Envyings and Blasphemies against the chosen Heir because he is too strong for them and holds them bound in the bottomless Pit where they have now neither beginning nor end nor place to rest but have stirred up the smoak thereof to darken the Earth and to corrupt the Powers of it that they may lift up their last weapon for them and exercise their utmost and last Power and Strength and Victory for them but alas hath not the Lord our God in whom we believe and upon whom we wait and serve day and night broken their strength often times as it were but a burnt thread or Flax which had been burned in the fire hath he not rebuked the Powers of the Earth because of them and overturned the mighty from their Seats because of their hearkening to their deceits who have been as Catter-pillers of the Earth destroying both good and bad as far as they can reach and hath not the Lord taken us out of their Prisons and Bonds and Persecution of murder from time to time what valiant thing hath not the Lord done for his Chosen who believe in his Light that according as he hath purposed they may be ordered to bear the Image of his Son hath he suffered any thing to be done but that which makes for his own purpose have not sufferings confirmed and builded up many in the Faith when as they have been exercised in them for a moment as it were to prove them for good and then hath he not delivered out of them in Glory and great Dominion and hath he not done a double service this way in suffering these things have not thousands been convinced thereby and way made in many places and Towns for the Truth to enter hath he not manifested the deceit of this Generation of Priests there-through so that thousands never thought in their hearts to have seen nor that it had been in their hearts to have done so as they have done and if they have drank of our blood is it not that they may be overcome thereby and by Faith and Patience and have not they and their Rulers persecuted and imprisoned us to make us grow and encrease and be strong and established and multilied hath not the Lord done valiantly through all these things though the Evil-doers weaken their selves and destroy their own Souls daily thereby yea and valiant things will he yet do until he hath fully compleated his purpose for his Son shall Reign and he shall certainly overturn all that oppose his Work and every one that riseth against him in it it will be his own breaking in pieces for the Lord is making a short work who will finish it in Righteousness and wil make all serve for his own purpose either to save or to be destroyed Now seeing these things are so and that all hath wrought for good who should not Fear who should not Love the Lord who should not hold fast the beginning of their Considence unto the end and their Faith which God gave unto them when they first received the Light which brought into the Work and into the Power and Zeal for God and into the Worship to be bowed in all things unto the Lord and into the Silence and into the Meetings and Fellowship and Waiting upon the Lord Now when I consider the infinite Love and unsearchable Wisdom of God in all things that he suffereth and doth and how he turns all to his own end my heart is even broken within me and my bowels yearn after many that many might come to believe in the Light where they might see the unspeakable Love and Wisdom of God and for many doth my soul travel and seeks unto God with earnest desires and fervent Love which I have seen the Lord answering but for many who were once partakers in the Works that God began to work in the beginning of the day and of the love and mercies which God began to bestow I could even bewail my self and take up a lamentation over them and could pour down with mine eyes as a flood and make my place solitary because of the leanness of many souls and the faintness of many hearts How soon was the Lilly torn among the Daughters how faded their Beauty away and how was the singing of Birds amongst them so soon silenced how came their Spring to be turned into Winter and their Sun to set in the East their Morning turned into darkness their Sun was drawn over with darkness in the East their Morning came not forth in their haste they stumbled and while they were aspiring they fell their strength stood not in the Virgin therefore they fell and mingled with the earthly and that are them out their Beauty became as a fading flower because they trusted not in God their Saviour but forsook their first Love The young men liked the Lord well while they stood in his Innocency but when the Earth arose the eye looked not towards God Oh! that that liberty had been stopped and the sanctification come into then should the Scepter have been established and the Cross have been kept down that earing worm and the desire of the heart should have stood in the Lord who therein fulfilleth every desire in his own appointed time but hastiness destroyes many Oh the sorrow of the Just and the burdens which have come upon the upright because many have stumbled by the way and pierced their own souls through and turned the day of God into blackness to themselves whose Authority and Dominion is fallen in the Earth and their strength fallen by the way who have weakened their own hands and the Praise of the Work is given to another but all this hath the Lord suffered for the establishing his Chosen and the building up his Elect on whom his Spirit resteth so that things which appear strange the Lord turns them all to good and maketh the evil to be as an example that all may fear and be humble
before him and assuredly every one that hath tasted of the day and hath not kept the Faith nor walked unspotted of the World even hating the Garment spotted with the flesh they shall bear their own burdens and the Truth is clear and in it there is no insufficiency though some have forsaken their first Faith and not kept to their first Love But unto all ye precious Sons and Daughters who have kept the Faith and grown up since the begining of your first Love in the abundance of the Power and Vertue of the Lord unto you doth the Salutation of my Love reach and my Life springs forth and streams towards you which nothing can hinder for the Lord hath enlarged me in his Life and Power so that my Soul flows forth in the abundance of his Love towards you to be felt and known of all the Faithful for my life and strength is given up for the Service of the Lord and cannot be separated from you but must be known and felt though to the outward separated to the Work of the Lord yet in that which is alwayes near wherein the Lord doth bless his Work and prosper his Truth wherein I lye down in the Faith and Love giving up and being given up in all things to the Work of the Lord having the earnest desire of my Soul that we may all give up with one consent in Faith and Love to do the Will of the Lord and not to stagger or be dismayed at any thing whatsoever shall come to pass in the Earth we may witness forth the Truth boldly as we have already done bearing all things suffering all things and enduring all things joyfully for the Lord is merciful and will suffer nothing to come upon any but what will make for good and to fit them unto glory as all abide-faithful unto him and in this I bid you all farewel for my Love is with you and my life reaches you in the Salutation of Peace and Love having you often in my Remembrance And all ye who have tasted of the beginnings of the Work of the Lord unto whom the Light in some measure hath appeared yet the coming forward hath been but slowly unto you I say let the Light search that you may see wherein your hinderance stands and what it is that lets for in the true Light and Love and Faith of it there is no insufficiency no weakness no straitness for the straitness is in your selves and of your selves and stands in that which opens the eye to look into the pleasure of the delights of the Sons and Daughters of men and of earthly things which when they are looked into something likes them takes delight and seeks to advantage it self in them and this is the snare and hinderance which being given place unto then the Just suffers and so that which should strengthen and build up in the Power that ministers Judgment yea through Judgment must the Just be raised therefore arise be awakened shake your selves of the Encumbrances and of the Earth that the Virgin-Seed may be raised which will keep your minds staid on God and bring ye into the one Life where ye may feel true satisfaction in the enjoyment of the Lord and the Temptations ye may be redeemed out of and may see the Ground from whence they do arise namely the mind nature which hath not God to be its full delight but would delight it self in something else and when this mind is up then it 's easie for the Enemy to come and enter in with his Enticements and Allurements to entangle the mind and lead the Creature into the Cloud of Error and in that thing to which the Creature hath been most addicted will the Enemy most appear to bring it into remembrance which when it rises if it be savoured or liked the Enemy hath his advantage to ensnare But the Virgin-Seed delights in God alone and is throughly satisfied in the enjoyment of the presence of God the Lord and this is that in which the Judgment stands and the Power which wil keep out of the snare of the wicked unto which all must come before ye can grow into the plenteous Redemption be made Heirs of Eternal Salvation the Blessings of his Peace which establishes man in his growth and liveliness to grow up as the Corn in the night season and to be like the Trees bringing forth their pleasant fruits which who brings them forth becomes encouraged and receives confidence in God but such as bring not forth the pleasant fruits that which should be their encouragement becomes their Judge and rejects them in their purposes and so the growth in the Life they fall short of And all ye sons and daughters ye young men and women in whom the Virgin-Seed is arisen which delighteth in God and hath its full delight in God in which the Power Life stands to keep unspotted of the world it 's safe for us to keep in Union with the Virgin for she is the Lambs Wife and maketh her self ready for the appearing of the Lamb unto whom we have joyned in our youth and she is become the Wife of our youth therefore let none deal treacherously with the Wife of his youth but let the Virgin-Seed have the flower of her dayes in delighting her self in God and in doing his Will I say let none do violence to his Virgin but dwell in Unity with her and to be delighted in God with her and to make ready with her that all may be prepared against the Lamb comes for he that rejecteth