either to kill that body it dwels in or some others that angers it But the Power of Christ the Law of Righteousnesse ruling within is not moved to any such rashnesse it is patient meek and loving and doth act righteously both to his own body and to others though they be his enemies CHAP. IV. ANd truly here lies the chiefest knowledge of a man to know these two powers which strives for government in him and to see and know them distinctly one from the other that he may be able to say This is the name and power of the flesh and this is the name and power of the Lord For these two powers are the two Adams in man-kind they are Iacob and Esau striving who shall rule in the Kingdom the flesh first Or these are the Son of the bond-woman viz. The powers of the flesh which is the serpent Devil or power of darknesse Or the Son of the free woman which is Christ the wisdom and power of Righteousnesse ruling in flesh and making it free from the others bondage And here I shall declare what I know the first Adam or son of bondage is And secondly What the second Adam or son of the free-woman is both which Powers I have seen and felt manifested in this body of my flesh First I shall shew how the first Adam in his time of rule hath suppressed and kept under the second man the anointing And then secondly how this second man in the time appointed of his rising doth kill and crucifie the first Adam daily with all his lusts and freeth me from that slavery The first Adam kils and crucifies Christ in me when I consent and make provision to satisfie my pride over humility covetousnesse over contentednesse envy over love lust before chasticy esteeming the power of an humble loving and righteous spirit towards the poorest creatute but a low and contemptible thing or the like Now Christ is crucified in me he rules not he acts not in a lively power but the first man of the flesh he governs the Kingdom my body in unrighteousnesse And Christ lies buried in this earthly tabernacle under those cursed powers in my enslaved body But then secondly When the fulnesse of time comes that it is the Fathers will that Christ the spirit of truth shal arise above the power of unrighteousnesse in me that is humility arises above pride love above envy a meek and quiet spirit above hasty rash anger chastity above unclean lusts and light above darknesse Now the second Adam Christ hath taken the Kingdom my body and rules in it He makes it a new heaven and a new earth wherein dwels Righteousnesse I shall explain these two Adams a little more First then The first Adam or man of the flesh branches himself forth into divers particulars to fetch peace into himself from objects without himself As for example covetousnesse is a branch of the flesh or first man that seeks after creature enjoyment or riches to have peace from them Pride looks abroad for honour Envy seeks the revenge of such as crosses his fleshy ends by reproch oppression or murder Unclean lusts seeks to embrace strange flesh Imagination flies abroad to devise wayes to satisfie the flesh in these desires Hypocrisie turns himself into divers shapes ye sometimes into an Angel of light a zealous Professour to compasse these ends And self-love which is ignorant of the universal power lies couching in the bottom sending those six several powers of darknesse abroad to fetch in peace to delight self that lies at home in the fleshy heart And all these powers make up but one perfect body of sin and death one Devil or one compleat power of darknesse or that whorish power called the Beast with seven heads And it is called the Beast because all those seven discoveries are of the flesh and flesh is no other but a beast and the wise flesh of man is said to be the beast the King of beasts that was to raign fourty two moâ—ths or for a time times and dividing of time and then he should be destroyed by the man of Righteousnesse Christ And truly upon every head there is ten horns that is there are many branchings forth of powers from every head to satisfie self which are Kings indeed And they are called ten horns every head encountering against the five senses of the left hand man and against the five senses of the right hand man of righteousnesse and so fights against every particular spreading forth of Christ So that these Kings are not to be restrained to the Kings of the Nations though that is true such powers are enemies to Christ and they must yield up their Kingdoms unto him and those that are angry against Christ are to be destroyed But these ten horns are Kingly powers of the flesh that rules within every man leading him captive under the body of the power of darknesse for there is not the branching forth of evil in any kind to delight self but it springs forth from one or other of those seven heads all joyning to honour and advance the Beast The man of Righteousnesse Christ he is the second Adam and he spreads himself as far as the other to undermine him and to take the Kingdom that is the created flesh or the living earth man-kind out of that Devils hand For Christ is the spreading power of Righteousnesse and therefore he is called The anointing which was poured upon that humane body called by the name Iesus the Son of man and dwelt bodily there for a time but afterward was to spread in sons and daughters many bodies As the oyl upon Aarons head ranne down to the skirts of his garments if any one find rest and peace in this precious Alabaster which is the wisdome and power of the spirit he finds it not by looking upon him at a distance from him but by seeing and feeling that power ruling within the body of his flesh As thus contentednesse in all straits or poverty to live upon providence is this second Adam in thee killing thy discontented covetousnesse Humility and meeknesse is the same anointing which kils pride and loftines Love to enemies yea the law of love flowing forth to every creature is Christ in you which kils envy and rash anger Chastitie in the flesh kils uncleannesse wisdom that is pure and plain down right kils a subtil over-reaching Imagination Sincerity and singlenesse of heart the same anointing kils hypocrisie and love to others doing as a man would be done unto and so respecting the publick preservation of all creatures doth kill self-love And all these seven branchings forth of the pure spirit makes but one body Christ or one Almighty power or Mercie and Justice the holy breathing or Emanuel God in us And every one of these seven eyes or seven attributes of the Divine branches themselves forth into several horns of power to destroy the man of the flesh and to
two-fold sense First He is the wisdome and power of the flesh in every man who indeed is the beast and he spreads himself within the Creation man into divers branches As into ignorance of the Creatour of all things into covetousnesse after objects into pride and envy lifting up himself above others and seeking revenge upon all that crosses his selfish honours and into hypocrisie subtilty lying imagination self-love from whence proceeds all unrighteous outward acting This is the first Adam lying ruling and dwelling within man-kinde And this is he within every man and woman which makes whole man-kinde being a prisoner to him to wonder after the beast which is no other but self or upon every thing whereupon self is sâ—amped Secondly The first Adam is the wisdome and power of flesh broke out and sate down in the chair of rule and dominion in one part of man-kind over another And this is the beginner of particular interest buying and selling the earth from one particular hand to another saying This is mine upholding this particular propriety by a law of government of his own making and thereby restraining other fellow creatures from seeking nourishment from their mother earth So that though a man was bred up in a Land yet he must not worke for himself where he would sit down But from Adam that is for such a one that had bought part of the Land or came to it by inheritance of his deceased parents and called it his own Land So that he that had no Land was to work for those for small wages that called the Land theirs and thereby some are lifted up into the chair of tyranny and others trod under the foot-stool of misery as if the earth were made for a few noâ— for all men For truly the common-people by their labours from the first rise of Adam this particular imterest upheld by the fleshes law to this day they have lifted up their Land-lords and others to rule in tyranny and oppression over them And let all men say what they will so long as such are Rulers as cals the Land theirs upholding this particular propriety of Mine and Thine the common-people shall never have their liberty nor the Land ever freed from troubles oppressions and complainings by reason whereof the Creatour of all things is continually provoked O thou proud selfish governing Adam in this Land called England Know that the cries of the poor whom thou laieth heavy oppressions upon is heaâ—d This is unrighteous Adam that dammed up the water springs of universall liberty and brought the Creation under the curse of bondage sorrow and tears But when the earth becomes a common treasury as it was in the beginning and the King of Righteousnesse comes to rule in every ones heart then he kils the first Adam for covetousnesse thereby is killed A man shall have meat and drinke and clothes by his labour in freedome and what can be desired more in earth Pride and envy likewise is killed thereby for every one shall look upon each other as equall in the Creation every man indeed being a parfect Creation of himself And so this second Adam Christ the restorer stops or dammes up the runnings of those stinking waters of self-interest and causes the waters of life and liberty to run plentifully in and through the Creation making the earth one store-house and every man and woman to live in the law of Righteousnesse and peace as members of one houshold And in the next place I shall declare the mystery of the Spirit in a two-fold way First he makes the Creation man-kinde to see loaâ—h and forsake this Adam this fleshly man This devil or power of darknesse that rules in the creatures and leads them into waies that brings misery pain and death which is hell a condition of uncomfortable darknesse of the curse Secondly He makes man-kinde to see to love and delight in the Spirit Reason which is the law of Righteousnesse that made them and sâ—tles them in peace when in the light and power thereof they are made to forsake the flesh with all his wayes of bondage for truly when the flesh is made subject to Reason that light that inlightens every thing then it hath peace and liberty and is freed from those heart-aking pressures and sorrows which the flesh puls upon himself by his violent rash unrighteous and unreasonable actings The Almighty hath declared three methods in discovering this mystery in the compasse of six dayes or 6000 years near hand expired in every one of which he draws man-kind higher and higher into himself out of the power of the Serpent or bondage And when he alone is advanced he draws all men after him which is the finishing up of the mystery The first Method is this He was pleased to call forth Moses to be his servant and in by and through him he reveals himself to lie under types shadows sacrifices that man-kind by them might be led to see his Maker And this was the Covenant of an outward testimony which Moses a man that was mixed with flesh and spirit was Mediatour of And this Secondly did point out the Apostolical testimony which was to be manifested in aftertimes and that was to acknowledge honour and bear witnesse of the Lamb Jesus Christ that was the substance of Moses For the Apostles declare themselves to be witnesses of Christ the great Prophet that Moses said should come after him to whom every man should hearken and then leave the teachings of shadows which they receive from him Therefore say they We eat and drank in his presence we heard him speak and saw his miracles and bear testimony to the world that the Rulers of the Jews slew him and that he was raised from the dead by the Almighty power And this single appearance of the man Christ Jesus for herein the righteous Law dwelt bodily was a more spirituall declaration then the former And this types out The third Method of Divine discovery which indeed doth finish the mystery and herein the Lord takes up all into himself even into the Spirit that governs the Creation for he is in all and acts through all And all power of righteousnesse that appears in any subject is still but the Lord in such or such a discovery for as the man Christ Jesus swallowed up Moses and so the Spirit dwelt bodily in that Lamb which was spread abroad in the types And man-kind is to behold the Law of Righteousnesse in none but in that his wel-beloved Son Even so that single body is a type That the same Spirit that filled every member of that one body should in these last dayes be sent into whole man-kind and every branch shall be a joint or member of the mysticall body or severall spreadings forth of the vine being all filled with the one Spirit Christ the anointing who fils all with himself and so he becomes the alone King of Righteousnesse and peace that rules
and tyrant-ruling flesh seek to imprison you and kill you so they dealt with him and it is still the righteous man in you that is opposed If you be made to joy in the Father the Spirit of truth it is he within you that rejoyces in himself if you feel a waiting meek spirit in you it is still Christ in you who is meek and lowly If you feel the power of love dwell within you leading you to love enimies and to do as you would be done unto it is Christ in you who is the law of love and Righteousnesse And in every condition you are in this law of the Spirit meets with the powers of your own flesh fâ—etting and fighting against him For envy frowardnesse self-love covetousnesse are the power of darknesse in you that fights against the Spirit that sweetly seeks the preservation and peace of all But that opposing power in you is the devil serpent and power of darknesse which Christ the power of light rising up in you will destroy and so mortality shall be swallowed up of life And Christ will not sit down in peace rejoycing in you till he hath subdued all these inward and outward enemies under his feet and himself become the alone King of Righteousnesse in you for he is that mighty King that shall be established upon the holy hill of Sion that is He shall be only King unto whom every man woman shal be made a subject This King shall raigne for ever and ever And this is he you would call God but indeed the power of darknesse is the god that rules in most men and women both professours and others and they will subject to this their god of darknesse till the power of light Christ take him away So that whatsoever estate a son or daughter is in it is still but Christ combating with his enemies in that estate drawing all into himself and destroying all oppsing powers that himself may remain to be the one alone Almighty power spread forth every where and so doing the will of the Father brusing the Sarpents head in you and that he himself who is the divine may grow up flourish remaine and bring â—orth aboundance of fruit in you when your created flesh is purged from bondage and made subject to him But if Christ and the Father be all one power and wisdome why do you make a distinction as if they were two I answer The Father is the universall power that hath spread himself in the whole globe The Sonne is the same power drawn into and appearing in one single person making that person subject to the one Spirit and to know him that dwels every where There is not a person or creature within the compasse of the globe but he is a sonne of the of the Father or the breakings forth of that power in one body now every small creature is the light of the Faâ—her though it be a dark one but man living in the light of the Father is called The wel-beloved Sonne because that one power of Rigteousnesse dwels bodily in him and the whole Creation is drawn up into that one centre man And now the Lord a lone is exalted in this day of his power for now the Serpent is cast out of heaven aâ—l powers of darknesse are subdued and the Spirit remaines conquerour in man yet in single man and so filling the living earth man-kinde in all his branches with himself the one Spirit This spreading power is the Fathers house in which there are many mansions or dwelling places every crerture lives herein for in and by him every one lives and moves and hath his being This is to speak truth as it is in Jesus This is Sion that is above where the Father dwels in his glory Sinai is the mountaine of flesh that is to be burned with fire that is the Spirit of Righteousnesse is the fire that will burn-up all unrighteous powers in the flesh And to see this power of Righteousnesse spreading himself every where destroying death and preserving the Creation is to see him you would call God with open face and you can never see him plainly and nakedly till you come thus to see him therefore you Priests and zealous ptofessors learne hereafter ro know what power it is you call God for the word God signifies a Governour and it may as well be attributed to the devil as to the law of Righteousnesse for assure your selves if covetousnesse pride and bitter envy doe rule you as it is apparent this dark power rules most of you then the devil is that god you worship and you are strangers and enemies to the Spirit of Truth that dwels every where which you seem to call your God or Ruler CHAP. III. ANd this is no new Gospel but the old one It is the same report that the Pen-men of Scriptures gave for the everlasting Gospel God with us or God manifest in flesh The Father exalted above all and in all for the Prophets and Apostles declare these two things First the Spirit spreads himself abroad in sacrifices and types as in Moses time and then takes all into himself againe the Spirit manifest in one person as in the son of man For all the writings of old and new Testament are all centered in Christ and are swallowed up into him And this Christ is not only confined to the Lamb Jesus anointed but is the enlarging of the same anointing in the particular persons of sonnes and daughters in whom the same spirit of truth the comforter is to be manifest in after times And this power shall not only fill man-kinde and be all in all therein but all other creatures of all kinde according to their severall degrees shall be filled with this one spirit anointing As Pauls testimony reports that the whole Creation of all kindes of creatures in whom the curse is spread through mans unrighteousnesse doth all groan and travell waiting for the manifestation of the sonnes of God When man-kinde shall be restored and delivered from the curse and all spirited with this one power then other creatures shall be restored likewise and freed from their burdens as the Earth from thorns and briars and barrennesse the Air and winds from unseasonable storms and distempers the Cattle from bitternesse and rage one against another And the law of righteousnesse and love shall be seated in the whole Creatton from the lowest to the highest creature And this is the work of restoration So that all the glory and content that man takes in other creatures of the earth it is but a rejoycing in himself or that spirit that is within him being more and more filled with peace to see feel taste smell and hear the power of the whole Creation to have a sweet complyancy of love in him and with him For now all jarring rashnesse violent storms barrennesse of the earth corruption in fire and water enmity in cattles oppressing principles in one man over
Almighty power and wisdome that first put forth his arm of strength in making man-kind but the powers of the flesh which is Esau or the rejected one the reprobate steps before by permission and gets the government of the Kingdom man-kind first and he is suffered to raign till Christ supplant him and takes both birth-right and blessing from him Or rather takes possession of his own Right and Kingdom man-kind for he appeared first and so by the law of equity and reason he is the elder brother though Esau or the powers of the flesh got the dominion to rule in the Creation by a violence which the wisdom and power of the spirit suffered and ordained to be This second man is the spirituall man that judges all things according to the law of equity and reason in moderation and love to all he is not a talker but an actour of Righteousnesse But the man of the flesh which would be counted an Angel of light cannot judge any thing in righteousnesse for all his judgement and justice is selfish and confined to particular ends not to the publick safety and preservation he is a great Preacher and talker of righteous things but no actour of righteousnesse or if he do it is very slowly it is when Iacob over-powers him his judgement is hasty unadvised rashnesse at randome hap hazard right or wrong he knows not And sometime he is moderate for by ends to himself and sometimes full of bitter censures to hurt others CHAP. VI THe man of the flesh judges it a righteous thing That some men that are cloathed with the objects of the earth and so called rich men whether it be got by right or wrong should be Magistrates to rule over the poor and that the poor should be servants nay rather slaves to the rich But the spiritual man which is Christ doth judge according to the light of equity and reason That al man-kinde ought to have a quiet substance and freedome to live upon earth and that there shal be no bond-man nor begger in all his holy mountaine Man-kinde was made to live in the freedome of the spirit not under the bondage of the flesh though the lordly flesh hath got a power for a time as I said before for every one was made to be a Lord over the Creation of the Earth Cattle Fish Fowl Grasse Trees not any one to be a bond-slave and a beggar under the Creation of his own kinde That so every one living in freedome and love in the strength of the Law of Righteousnesse in him not under straits of poverty nor bondage of tyranny one to another might al rejoyce together in Righteousnesse and so glorifiie their Maker for suerly this much dishnoured the Maker of all men that some men should be oppressing tyrants imprisoning whipping hanging thier fellow creatures men for those very things which those very men themselves are giulty of let mens eyes be opened and it appears clear enough That the punishers have and doe break the law of equity and reason more or as much as those that are punished by them None will be offended at this but the children of Lord Esau the first man flesh which must perish for his unrighteous government for thereby he hath lost himself sold or passed over his birth-right and blessing unto Iacob the King of Righteousnesse that is now rising up to urle according to the pure law of equity and reason And when this King raigns the city that is the heart of every one in whom truth dwels wil rejoyce but while the man of unrighteosunesse raigns in and over man-kinde truly every body wee see is filled with sorrow and complainings and it is not without cause As the powers and wisdome of the flesh hath filled the earth with injustice oppression and complainings by mowing the earth into the hands of a few covetous unrighteous men who assumes a lordship over others declaring themselves thereby to be men of the basest spirits Even so when the spreading power of wisdome and truth fils the earth man-kinde hee wil take off that bondage and gives a universall liberty and there shal be no more complainings against oppression poverty or injustice When every son and daughter shall be made comfortable to that one body of Jesus the anointed and the same power rules in them as in him every one according to their measure the oppression shall cease and the rising up of this universal power shal destroy and subdue the selfish power But this is not done by the hands of a few or by unrighteous men that would pul the tyrannical government out of other mens hands and keep it in their own heart as we feel this to be a burden of our age But it is done by the universall spreading of the divine power which is Christ in mankind making them all to act in one spirit and in and after one law of reason and equity And when this universall power of Righteousnesse is spread in the earth it shall destroy Babylon the great City of fleshy confusion in one hour that is he will pull the Kingdome and Government of the world out of the hands of tyrannicall unseasonable acting flesh and give the lands and riches that covetous unrighteous men hath hoarded up within their own selfish power into the hands of spirituall Israel that so there may be no complainings no burdens nor no poor in Canaan but that it may be a Land flowing with milke and honey plenty of all things every one walking righteously in the Creation one to another according to the law of equity and reason as it was in the beginning And as Babylon measured out to others so that it shall be measured to him again And suerly as the Scriptures threaten misery to rich men bidding them Howl and weep for their gold and silver is cankered and the rust thereof cries unto heaven for vengeance against them and the like Suerly all those threatnings shal be materially fullfiled for they shall be turned out of all and their riches given to a people that wil bring forth better fâ—uit and such as they have oppressed shall inherit the Land The rich man tels the poor that they ofend Reasons law if they take forth the rich I am sure it is a breach in that Law in the rich to have plenty by them and yet wil see their fellow creatures men and women to starve for want Reason requires that every man should live upon the increase of the earth comfortably though covetousnesse â—ights against Reasons law The rich doth lock up the treasures of the earth and hardens their hearts against the poor The poor are those in whom the blessing lies for they first receive the Gospel and their gifts of love and tendernesse one to preserve another shall be the condemnation of the rich And secondly the inheritances of the rich shall be given to those poor and there shall be no beggar in Israel And
libertie When slaverie began to creep in upon the Creation the Spirit might wel cry out in Lamentation Ah-dam A-dam which draws together a head of corrupted waters of covetous proud and imaginary flesh to stop the streams of the waters of life and libertie But saith the Spirit our Maker The seed from whence the Creation sprang shall bruise that Serpents head and open the dam againe and cause the waters of the Spirit which is Life and Libertie to run free againe without any stoppage This A-dam stops up the waters or Life and Libertie in a two-fold way Firâ—â— he ties up the Creation man in chains of darknesse within it self For there is not a man and womon â—ound since Adam's rise but the man Christ Jesus in whom the seed ruled in power but they were bound up in bondage to coveteousnesse pride imagination and to all the powers of the flesh So that the free running streams of the Spirit of life were stopped that they could not run which hath made every one cry O wretched man that I am who shal deliver me from this body of sin or death Here you see that knowledge libertie and comfort hath been stopped or dammed up within the Câ—eation maâ— Secondly this A-dam being the power of coveâ—ous proud flesh he sets up one part of the Creation man to rule over another and makes Laws to kil and hang thal part of the Creation that wil not submit to the ruling part And so he is become a God ruling in the spirits own house not preserving the Creation but does set the Creation together by the ears to kâ—l it self to the mighty dishonour of our Maker Therefore when the people would have Saul to rule them the Spirit declared that that outward ruling power was the curse and he set him up in his wrath to be a scourge not a blessing Now whereas the Creation man should live in equalitie one towards another this A-dam hath lifted up mountaines and hils of oppressing powers and there by that dammed and stopped up that universal communitie Therefore at the first rising up of this serpentine power to enslave the Creation he might wel be declared by way of Lamenattion A-dam Adam Covetousnesse or self-love is the dam the letter A before declares that he is a preparer to miserie and is delivered by way of Lamentation Ah or A-dam Dovetousnesse or self-love is the man of sin that appears first The imagination arising from that couetous power is the woman or Eve which like the Ivie clings about the tree and so covetousnesse and imagination does beget between them a supposed joy pleasure and delight but it proves a lie These two Covetousnesse and Imagination the man and the woman of sin or A-dam and his Eve or Ivie does beget fruit or children like both Father and Mother as pride and envy hypocrisie crueltie and all unclean lusts pleasing the flesh And now the dam-head is made up strong to stop the streams of waters of life and universal libertie But in the fulnesse of time the Spirit wil break down this dam-head againe and cause the waters of the Spirit of life to flow again plentifully And herein you may see how the publique Preachers have cheated the whole world by telling us of a single man called Adam that kiled us al by eating a single fruit called an Apple Alas this Adam is the dam that hath stopped up the freedome of the Spirit within and without so that while he rules a man can have no community with the spirit within himself nor community of love with fellow creatures he does so puff them up with covetousnesse and pride and desire of Lordly rule one over another Do but look into every mean and woman and into al the actions of the world and tel me whether that first Adam be one single man as the publique Preachers tel you or is not more truly that covetous proud and imginary power in flesh that hath dammed and stopped up the way of the spirit of life and universal libertie and so he is that Father of lies and Satan that holds the Creation under bondage til the Son which is the light in the Creation shine forth and sets us at libertie And if the Son set you free you are free indeed This Son is the second Adam which is A-dam indeed that stops the streams of bondage from runing and sets the Creation at libertie again CHAP. IX WHat I have spoken I have not received from books nor study but freely I have received and freely I have declared what I have received And the Declarations of the Lord through his servant shal not be in vain The beholding and feeling of the Law of righteousnesse within me fils my whole soul with precious peace the favour of the sweet ointment and I know as this power of love spreads in al mens hearts as it wil spread for Jacob must rise Then there shall be no begger no tears no complaining no oppression but the blessing of the Lord shal fil the earth Then our swords shall be beaten into plow irons add our spears into pruning hooks and then shall the Lord be known to be the salvation of Israel and the restoration of the whole Creation Iâ— any man be offended here let him know I have obeyed my Maker herein and I have peace in him When the Man Jesus Christ was one earth there was a sweet communitie of love between all the members of that humane body For the spirit that was within made every member a servant to the other and so preserved the whole body in peace one member did not raign over another in tyraâ—nie Even so when the humane body was laid in the earth the Spirit which indeed is Christ came again the second time upon the Apostles and Brethren while they were waiting for that promise at Jerusalem And as Christ then began to spread himself in sons and daughters which are members of his mystical body they did not rule in slavery one over another neither did the rich suffer the poor to beg and starve and imprison them as now they do But the rich sold their possessions and gave equality to the poor and no man said that any thing that he possessed was his own for they had all things common But this community was a vexation to Esau the covetous proud flesh and he strove to suppresse this commnuity And the Lord he gives this Beast a toleration to rule 42 months or a time times and dividing of time and in that time to kil the two Witnesses that is Christ in one body and Christ in many bodies or Christ in his first and second comming in flesh which is Justice and Jugement ruling in man I but now the 42 months are expiring we are under the half day of the Beast or the dividing of time and Christ or the two Witnesses are arising and spreading himself again in the earth And when he hath spread
revenge of the pride lust envy covetousnesse which ruled within the flesh and casts that Serpent and Dragon out of Heaven That is out of that part of the Creation and makes a man to cry out upon himself and to hate and abhor his cursed lusts which lead him captive He makes a man to look abroad with the eie of pitty and compassion to fellow-Creatures but to look with the eie of hatred and loathing upon the Serpent his unclean lusts desiring nothing so much as the death of the body of sin within So that the law of righteousnesse may reigne in peace in his soul O thou cursed envy cursed rash anger cursed uncleannesse O cursed Devil cursed Father of lies that will not suffer Christ to rise up and reign O thou enemy of all rightousnesse thou wicked one thou curse thou power of darknesse thou fleshly power thou shalt be destroyed and subdued under Christ's feet whom thou fightest against The greatest combate is within a man when the King sits upon the Throne judging unrighteous flesh and bruising that Serpents head And though this be trouble and torment for a time to the Creature yet Christ at last will sit down in him who is Prince of peace and King of righteousnesse The created flesh of man is the Beast the King of Beasts the same principles as are in other Creatures are in humane flesh The difference between man and other beasts is this The flesh of man is made an understanding Soul capable to know Reason and to walk in his light Other beasts cannot Now the wise flesh is meerly selfish he seeks himself in every thing he doth and would be a Lord and Ruler not only over the Beasts of the field but over creatures of his own kind whom his Maker made equall to himself and so strives to fetch in all other Creatures to advance his content though it be to the losse and misery of other men This is the Beast Lord Esau the wise and covetous self-seeking flesh that hath sold his birth-right and blessing to Jacob for the pleasure of unrighteousnesse a small time And now he must be turned out and deliver all up to Jacob and he is extreamly vext and will not yield quier possession but stand out stifly till he be cast out by the universall power of Reasons law Now the rule and dominion of Jacob doth not bring losse and misery to any his law is so established in love that the whole Creation finds peace under it sorrow and tears beggary and oppression shall be done away and the blessing of the Lord Jacob shall fill the earth So then we see that the great battell of God Almighty is between thi selfish power the Beast and fleshy man and the universall power Christ the man of righteousnesse for the flesh would be wiser then its Maker for though his Maker would have the whole Creation and every creature to enjoy the benefit of their Creation and no live free from straits comfortably Yet the wise and converous flesh seeks to live free in honour and quiet in himself makes laws to imprison kill and waste every one that will not conforme to his selfish Government Now the Father wil destroy the Beast in the open field by fair play and hath given him all advantages as may be for he hath given the Beast thedominion and himself is a Servant under his dominion and will undermine the wise and covetous Beast by righteous sufferings and action as a Servant And the Father encounters with the Beast or Dragon in a three-fold posture of war As First by the Sacrifices under the Law the Spirit thereby declared the destruction of the Beast and the Spirit lay hid under those types and shadows fighting against the Beast and the wise flesh in those daies sought against his Maker This is a distance of Cannon shot Secondly In the prison of Jesus Christ the Lamb the Father fought against the Beast and killed him for the Dragon was cast out of that Heaven or Creation in whom the Father dwelt bodily for that flesh was wholly made subject to the Spitit this was at a closer distance closing in the Front But the wise flesh hath many strong holds even the multitudes of men and women which he fortifies against the Spirit And therefore in the third posture which is now begun the Father encounters and wil encounter with the Beast every where that is with the wise but covetous unrighteous flesh in every son and daughter and so bruise that Serpents head in the whole body of his Army And before he hath done he wil fire all the strong-holds of this murder so that he shall not have a place to keep garrison in for the Father will subdue the whole bulk of man-kind and make all that living earth subject to him self and all with holy breathing This is the spreading of the Anointing This is the glory of the Elect One glorious things are spoken of thee O though City of God This holy breathing is the Kingdom of Heaven within you when he rules within you and the Kingdom of Heaven without you likewise when you see the same glory rule in others in which you rejoyce And this is the last encounter the Father wil have with the Dragon This is the great day of Judgment judging and condemning and putting the Serpent to death every where This is the day of Christ power in which he wil subdue all his enemies under his feet deliver up the Kingdom to his Father Therefore marvel not to see the people turn from one way of worship to another for the Father is driving this people through al the waies and forms and customs and reformation and governments of the Beast to weary them out in all that so they may find rest for the soles of their feet no where in no outward form of worship til they come to lye down in him forsaking all forms to worship the Father in spirit and trurh that is to walk righteously in the Creation And this restlesnesse of people running from one form and custome to another meeting with confusion and curse every where is no other but the dividing of time the half day or image of the Beast which is the last period of his time Then faith the Angel It is done time to the Beast shal be no more And while it is thus poor Creatures they are in bondage within for they know not what to do the way to Sion is not yet cleare and they are filled with sighings and secret mournings to see themselves in confussion and losses to stick in the mire but cannot come out This is inward slaverie under which they lie Then poor Creatures they are under an outward bondage under the hand of Tyrant flesh that rules the Kingdom and that divises the several fleshy forms and waies of government to which if any refuse to conform then they must be imprisoned reproached or tortured by punishments in what kind
in man And the powers of the flesh which is the Serpent or curse shall be subdued under him and man-kind shall be made onely subject to this one Spirit which shall dwell bodily in every one as he dwelt bodily in the man Christ Jesus who was the Son of man Now as Moses declared That the Lamb Jesus Christ should be that great Prophet to whom every one should give ear delivered it in general termes leaving the particular discoveries of his new doctrine to the Lamb himself when he came and so did not go about to imagine matters that was above his circle and we see the Doctrine of Jesus Christ when he came far exceeded the Doctrine of Moses the one being the substance of the other and so moâ—â— spiritual makings forth then the other Even so the man Christ Jesus the great Prophet declared in general termes what should be in later times leaving it to every son and daughter to declare their particular experiences when the Spirit doth rise up in them and manifests himself to them For they that believe saith he out of their bellies shall flow rivers or plentifull discoveries of the water of life Therefore as Moses gave way to Christ for when Christ appeared in flesh Moses administration began to be silent and drew back and set Jesus Christ in the chair to be the great Prophet that should be the teacher in types after him And the ministration of these discoveries were to raign in the world their appointed times Even so the Lamb Christ Jesus or that single body gives way to the holy Ghost or spreading Spirit If I go not away the Comforter cannot come to you for he that dwels bodily in me is to spread himself in you that as the Father in me and I in him are one even so I in you and you in me may become one witâ— the Father And the testimony of the Apostles declares as much Though we have known Christ after the flesh in one single body yet now henceforth know we him no more so but we look after that mystery which hath been kept secret from ages and generations past which is Christ in you the hope of glory And therefore I must tell you that yet live in dipping in water and observation of Gospel-forms and types you live yet under the ministration of Jesus Christ after the flesh declaring the Lamb Christ to remain as yet in one single person But know you that as the ministration of Moses gave way to this so this ministration is to give way to the inward teachings of Christ and the spreading of the Spirit in sons and daughters which will more excellently declare the glory of the mystery The man Christ Jesus himself told the woman of Samaria Woman the time is coming that neither in Jerusalem nor in this mountain shall men worship the Father but they that worship him shall worship him in Spirit and in Truth for the Father seeks such to worship him By these words The Son of man declares that both outward forms customs and types of Moses worship under that ministration at Jerusalem likewise all forms and customs and types of this ministration of himself as the Lamb held forth at a distance to be our Mediatour should all cease and give way to the spirituall worship of the Father in the latter dayes or to the spreading of the Divine power in men the one Law of Righteousnesse being the teacher of all So that upon the rising up of Christ in sons and daughters which is his second comming the ministration of Christ in one single person is to be silent and draw back and set the spreading power of Righteousnesse and wisdom in the chair of whose Kingdom there shall be no end So as all things were gone out from the Spirit and were gone astray and corrupted The Spirit in this great mystery of truth being manifested in flesh burns up that drosse out of the Creation and draws in all things back again into himself and declares himself to be the alone wisdom and power of Righteousnesse that rules dwels that governs and preserves both in and over the whole Creation And now the Son delivers up the Kingdom unto the Father And he that is the spreading power not one single person become all in all in every person that is the one King of Righteousnesse in every one Here we may see what the dividing of time is which is the last period in which the Beast is to reignâ— for now every ministration pleads his priviledge till the Law of Righteousnesse drown up all in himself Moses yet pleads a priviledge in the practice of the Jews after the flesh The Son of man or Christ in one single person pleâ—ds a priviledge and not onely the true ministration of the Son of man according to the Apostles declaration But likewise many false forms customs and observations of Divine worship are raised up through a wrong understanding of those Scriptures all plead a priviledge And lastly the ministration of the Spirit forsaking all types and â—ormes worshipping the Father in the substance of truth This now pleads his priviledge as his due right by course So that you see here is the dividing of time But this last ministration is the sufferer for the present as being denied his right by the former that ought to give way And as the worshippers in Moses ministration envied and killed such as worshipped the Son of man the Lamb So now those that worship Christ at a distance in their severall Congregations and forms and are most zealous therein are in these dayes the most bitterest enemies to the ministration of Christ in Spirit and in truth But when this ministration of the Spirit spreads himself he will make the greatest separation that ever was For though Israels separation out of Egypt amazed the world and the separation of gathered Congregations out of Parish Churches so called did trouble the earth though it is no more but going out of one form into another not into the unitie of the one Spirit Yet this ministration of the Spirit now rising up by right of inheritance will take peace from the world much more for he hath begun and he will and shall go on to gather the scattered of Isreal together out of all Aegytian bondages and self-seeking oppressing government and out of all forms and customes of the Beast to worship the Father in spirit and truth being made to be all of one heart and one minde And this shall more and more appear as the earth grows up to be a common treasury for all Therefore let me tell you That all your enmity will not uphold your â—orms your imprisoning and reviving and making law to suppresse such as â—â—e contrary to you will never work your will but pull miseries and shame upon your selves as the zealous Scribes and Pharisees did in killing of Christ the Sonne of
man Therefore be patient look up for teaching in this dividing of time when the Law of Righteousnesse arises up and makes himself more manifest he will reconcile all make every one to be of one heart and one minde and no other power must be the restorer but this King of Righteousnesse and Peace for this is he that makes men doe as they would be done unto And then envie and bitternes dies Now search the Scriptnres you that stand up to be Teachers that say I deny the Scriptures and let them judge me whether I deny them or no but one thing you shall finde to your shame that those Scriptures of the Prophets and Apostles which you seeme to preserve with such love and zealous tendernesse shall cast the first stone at you to stone you out of your Pulpits for you doe not professe those Scriptures in love to them but in zealous covetousnesse to uphold your trade For now when Christ begins to arise up in sons and daughters whereby the Scriptures are honoured and proved true Prophecies Promises Visions and Revelations you deny their testimony and cry out Visions and Revelations are ceased and so you will ever have people to be hearing you speak the declaration because you live by it but if any receive the power from on high you cry out upon it It is self-conceit errour and blasphemy Well he is at worke that will discover your shame Wickednes shall slay the wicked though no mans hand be upon him CHAP. II. THere are three more discoveries of Christ to make the mystery of the Spirit shine in its excellency As Frst The great world wherein are variety of creatures as Sunne Moon Stars Earth Grasse Plants Cattle Fish Fowl and Man the Lord over the lower Creatures all sweetly conjoyned to preserve each other is no other but Christ spread forth in the Creation and so upholding the Creation by hiâ— own wisdome and power for he is the maker the preserver and restoring Spirit Therefore his name is called I and I am The Lord and besides me there is no Saviour But this is Christ very remote for though he rule in the whole Creation yet no single creature could discern oâ— spie him out he is in every one and yet that single one knew him not And therefore this one Almighty power began to make forth himself in visible descriptions before the creatureâ— causing every creature to hold forth the light and power that is in them that so the mighty Creatour may at length be known in the clear sighted experience of one single creature man by seeing hearing tasting smelling feeling This one power of Righteousnesse as he rests in the Creation that man may be the mouth that shall make a clear discovery of Christ to others from the testimony that is in himself for hee is to see Christ within himself before hee can see him in other creatures And therefore Secondly The Sripture in their severall declaration types prophecies visions voyces revelations actings of men in patient doing and suffering in righteousnesse is no other but Christ in the letter lying under the experimentall words of those Pen-men setting forth the one Almighty in his severall actings and his severall conditions wherein he hath appeared to the view of the whole Creation but seen and known only by the one creature man in whom hee is purposed to dwell bodily But still here is a large distance between Christ and the bulk of man kinde for though some few particular ones have seen him and could declare him yet others are ignorant of him So that the universalitie of man-kinde may see these two discriptions of Christ that is in the Creation and in the Scriptures both without themselves And when any attains to see Christ in these outward discoveries it is full of sweet delight but this settles no true peace for that delight that is fetching in from things at a distance from us may be lost againe and return into its proper seat againe As the pleasant beames is of the Sun which refreshes the outward man may be lost for when the Clouds come between the beames returne into the Sun again which is their proper seat and men loseth the refreshing warmth and hear And therefore Thirdly Christ or the spreading power of light is drawing the knowledge of himself as he lies in all things into the clear experience of man into whole man yea into every brench of man-kinde and he the Sonne of Righteousnesse will not only shine into but fix hinself in every one So that perfect man shall be no other but God manifest in flesh for every manifestation of this power in any creature shall be seen known rejoyced in and be declared of by man The light and heat and Spirit of the Sunne shall be declared by the Sonne of Righteousnesse in man The sweet compliance of love in one creature towards another as the clouds to waâ—er the earth the earth to send forth the fruits to preserve the living creatures that feeds thereupon shall be declared by that living power Love and Righteousnesse that is seated in man towards any creature So that though this one Almighty power be spread in the whole Creation yet it will appear to have his chief residence in man that in by and through man that one spirit may rule and govern the works of his own hands in Righteousnesse Every declaration of Christ in the Scriptures shal be seen and known in the clear experience of every sonne and daughter when this mystery is finished for Christ who indeed is the anointing shall fill all and all shall be the fulnesse of the anointing So that whatsoever a condition a man is in it is one or other condition that the childe Jesus was in growing upwards towards man-hood there is child hood youth and oldâ—age in the anointing For the wisdome and power of truth that was poured upon the head of the Son of man grows upwards towards perfection in sons and daughters Even as wee see any tree corn or cattell grows up in the eye of man by degrees for as these creatures doe not attaine to perfectson on a sudden neither doth the spirit of Righteousnesse rise up on a sudden perfection but by degrees And therefore He that beleeves makes not hast The hastie flesh would have all content on a sudden but the spirit is moderate and rises up patiently its powerfull and quick and yet slow its slow but yet sure it will sit down in peace in a man though it run thorow many thorns and briars first Yea I say whatsoever condition you are in Christ or the anointing being in you appears in that condition in you If you be in a condition of poverty so was Christ the Son of man he had not whereon to lay his head If you be hated for Rigteousnesse sake so was he nay it is the anointing in you that is hated If angry proud
peace and secret joy And since that time those words have been like very fruitfull seed that have brough forth increase in my heart which I am much prest in spirit in declare all abroad The poor people by their labours in this time of the first Adams government have made the buyers and sellers of land or rich men to become tytants and oppressours over them But in the time of Israels restoration now begining when the King of Righteousnesse himself shall be Governor in every man none then shall work for hire neither shal any give hire but every one 〈◊〉 work in love one with and for another and eat bread together as being members of one houshold the Creation in whom Reason rules King in perfect glory He that cals any part of the Creation his own in particular in this time of Israels return from the mistery of Aegyptian bondage is a destroyer of the Creation a lifter up of the proud covetous flesh againe a bringer in of the curse againe and a mortal enemy to the Spirit For upon Israels returne from captivity the Lord himself wil burn up the curse and restore the Creation fire water earth and air from that slavery and make the earth to be a common treasury to them all for they are but one house of Israel still though twelve Tribes And they have but one King one Law-giver one teacher amongst them all even the Lord himself who is Reason The King of Righteousnesse they are all filled with one spirit and they shall all live comfortably upon one earth and so the whole earth is the Lords And this is the inward and outward liberty which the Lord wil give to Sion And this work is begun the foundation of this spiritual building is laid and the spreading of this one spirit in every sonne and daughter and the lifting up the earth to be a common treasury wil make Jerusalem a praise in the whole earth and the glory of the earth indeed and so the Father of all things shall be honoured in the works of his own hands No man shal have any more land then he can labour himself or have others to labour with him in love working together and eating bread together as one of the Tribes of families of Israel neither giving hire not taking hire He that is now a possessour of lands and riches and cannot labour if he say to others you are may fellow creatures and the Lord is now making the earth common amongst us therefore take my land only let me eat bread with you that man shall be preserved by the lobours of others But it any man have Land and neither can work nor wil work but wil strive to rule as a tyrant burdening the Creation the hand of the Lord shall fal upon him either to destruction or torment and if his life be given for a prey he shall be made to work and eat his bread with the sweat of his own brows not of others til he know himself to be a member not a lord over the Creation and thus he shall be dealt with that hath lost the benefit of Sonship All the punishment that any one shall receive for any unrighteous act whereby he begins to bring the cause againe upon the Creation he sahll only be made a Gibeonite to work in the earth not in a prison and the eyes of all shall be upon him and the greatset offence will be this for any to endeavour to raise up some few to rule over others so to set up particular interest againe and to bring in buying and selling of land againe the sore displeasure of the Lord shall be such a peoples portion Israel is not to imprison or torment and by death or smaller punishments but only to cause them to work and eat their own bread for he or they that inflicts any other punishment upon fellow creatures is an unrighteous actour in the Creation and shall himself be made a servant to all till he by the spirit in him is made to know himself to be equal to every man not a Lord over any for all men looked upon in the bulk are but the Creation the living earth This imprisoning punishing and killing which is the practice of the first Adam ye visible to the world is the curse And it is a mighty dishonour to our maker that one part of the Creation should destroy another it was not so from the beginning but it is an honour to our maker that every part of the Creation should lend a mutual help of love in action to preserve the whole But is not this the old rule He that sheds man◠bloud by man shall his bloud be shed I answer It is true but not as usually it is observed for first know That the Spirit is the man who hath determined to suffer himself to be killed and lie dead in the streets or under the several forms of Babylon government three daies or times and a half The serpent is he or the wicked man that kils the man of Righteousnesse or sheds his bloud for that space of time which is indeed the wisdome and power of the flesh killing the wisdom and power of the Spirit and ruling in the Spirits own house the heart for a time Therefore now it is declared that the Serpent or beastly power of flesh that kils the Spirit shall himself be killed by the Spirit when the Spirit begins to rise and I can tell you that the resurrection is begun for all the great fightings is between flesh and Spirit The seed of the woman shall bruise the Serpents head It is not for one creature called man to kill another for this is abominable to the Spirit and it is the curse which hath made the Creation to groan under bondage for if I kill you I am a murderrer if a third come and hang or kill me for murdering you he is a murderer of me and so by the government of the first Adam murder hath been called Justice when it is but the curse Besides none can call himself a man till the man Christ or Spirit rule in him for til then the greatest Lord of all is but a Beast and one Beast kils another for a man wil never kill a man therefore said the man Christ Jesus I came not to destroy but to save therefore such as kill are farr from being Saints or children of Christ for they are the children of the Serpent whose delight and work is to kill the man-child but he that sheds this mans blouds by the same man shall his bloud be shed in the resurrection Therefore O thou proud flesh that dares hang and kil thy fellow creatures that is equall to thee in the Creation Know this that none hath the power of life and death but the Spirit and al punishmens that are to be inflicted amongst creatures called men are only such as to make
himself abroad amongst his Sons and daughters the members of his mystical body then this community of love and righteousnesse making all to use the blessings of the earth as a common Treasurie amongst them shal break forth again in his glory and fil the earth and shal be no more supprest And none shal say this is mine but every one shal preserve each other in love As Christ does thus rise and spread those that have riches gold and silver and the like and are taken into the onenesse of this Spirit they shall come and offer up their treasures willingly not daring to keep it That those that have nothing may have part and enjoy the blessing of the earth with themselves being all members of that one body unto whom the Kings of the East called the Wise men offered gifts gold frankinsense and myrrhe while he was the Child Jesus But those that do not come in and offer what they have willingly to the work of the Lord they shal be stripped naked of all and shal either be destroyed by the blagues that shal come upon the earth or at best if their lives be given them they shal be servants and not enjoy the benefit of Sonship til the Spirit of the Son rise up in them and make them free So that this work is not done by wars councels or hands of men for I abhor it though by those the government of Esau shal be beaten down and the enemy shal destroy one another But the Lord alone wil be the healer the restorer the giver of the new law of righteousnes by spreading himself every where and so drawing al things up into himself And the declaration of this law of righteousnesse shal rise out of the dust out of the poor people that are trod under foot For as the declaration of the Son of man was first declared by Fisher-men men that the learned covetous Scholars despised so the declaration of the righteous law shal spring up from the poor the base and despised ones and fools of the world and humane learning and such as love the oppression of exacting Tyths shal not be honoured in his businesse For they that stand up to be publique Teachers are Iudas that come to the Magistrates and covenants with them for the tenths of every mans encrease and they wil hinder Christ from rising and betray him into their hands that so the covetous and proud flesh may rule in oppression over their fellow Creature quietly And assure your selves it wil appear that the publique Preachers that stand up customarily to make a living by their teaching others as they cal it these are the curse and the spreaders of that cuâ—se and the hinderers of Christ from rising and the bitter Scribes and Pharisees to suppresse Christ where he rises calling him a Blasphemer For the Father wil have all men to look up to him for teaching and to acknowledge no other teacher and ruler but himself but these men wil have al people to look for knowledge to come through them and that none can have knowledge but such as are taught by such Preachers as they But covetousnesse after a temporal living and secret pride sets them to work and they shal be ashamed for the Lord alone now shal be exalted and he himself wil darw up al things into himself And al this great chang or seting up of this new law of righteousnesse ruling in every one and making every one to consent and act thus in love is but the â—â—lfilling of Prophesies and Visions and Reports of the Scriptures Let the Record be searched and let the publique Preachers deny it if they can Wel this wil be a great day of Judgment the Righteous Judge wil sit upon the Throne in every man and woman And that saying of the prophet that he saw every man with his hands upon his loyns like a woman in travel is now fulfilling every cevetous unrighteous heart shal smart with sorrow and shal be ready to fail them to see the miserie that is comming upon the earth This day of Judgment wil be sharp and short shortned for the Elects sake The man of the flesh or King Esau wil struggle hard before he give up the body of his Army he wil put forth all the subtil wit and opprssâ—ing unrighteousnesse that he hath before he deliver up the Kingdom to Iacob But truly Gaffer Dragon you had better yeild at first for the longer thou stand it out the sorer shal thy torment be for down thou must and Christ must rise Do what thou wilt speak what then wilt against Christ the Anointing thou shalt come off a loser threaten reproach imprison whip work hypocritically oppresse kil and stay fawn and frown do things out of fear or do things out of heavy rashnesse or out of a watchful moderation as thou thinks stil thou shalt lose ground for all thou doest is to advance self and thou must perish the Judgment is sealed the things that are determined against thee are comming upon thee Thou shalt find it shal not be as it hath been while the forty two months where in being thou prospered and encrease in strength But now it is done it is done it is done time shal be no more to thee for now the man of righteousnesse shal take the Kingdom and rule for ever and ever and of his dominion shal be no end he hath made himself manifest he is in the head of his Army already gathering in the Isles and Nations of the earth to himself Justice and Judgment are his witnesses and that Standard which he wil maintain and wil tread al proud flesh under his feet For the poor receives the Gospel He hath opened the salt-mines already the streams thereof runs apace and begins to over-run the banks of rotten stinking oppressing injustice they wil purge out corruption and bring the earth mankind into a pleasant savour The windows of heaven are opening and the light of the Son of Sighteousnes sends forth of him self delightful beams and sweet discoveries of truth that wil quite put out the covetous traditional blear-eyes but wil mightily refresh the single eyed Nathaneels Light must put out darknesse the warm Sun wil thaw the frost and make the sap â—o bud out of every tender plant that hath been hid within and lain like dead trees all the dark cold cloudy daies of the Beast that are past and silence every imaginary speaker and declare their hypocrisie and deceit openly Now the tender grasse wil cover the earth the Spirit wil cover al places with the abundance of fruit that flows from himself young and old shal al honour the Lord and be taught of no other but him the wheat fields which is the best grain the Fathers own people shal flourish abundantly the beanâ—ge of beastly Ceremonies forms customs abominable actings in unrighteousnesse shal cease there shal be lesse talking preaching and prating
is the spreadinq power of righteousnesse which is Christ that filleth the whole Creation with himself And he is called a tree or a vine because he doth not lie in one single person but spreads himself in mankind and every single body in whom he breaths is but a bough or bud of the vine So that look upon all together in whom Christ is spread and they make up but one vine knit together by that one spirit into one body whether they be poor or rich learned or unlearned and therefore those rich men that despise the poor and those learned University men that despise the unlearned are pricks of the thorn-bush not branches of the vine they be the curse that is now near to burning And every single one alone in whom Christ breaths is but a parcel of the vine in whom the divine power dwels and rests Even as every branch of an Apple-tree is filled with the sap which is the life of the whole tree Christ is said to be the divine because he grows and flourishes in the time of light he is the Sonne himself he is a vine or tree that grows by day in the heat of light and so brings forth abundance of fruit to the glory of the Father Trees that grow in the heat of the Sun bring sorth pleasant fruit So those that are branches of this vine that grows in the heat and life of one spirit the King of Righteousnesse bring forth abundance of the fruit of Righteousnesse according to the nature of the vine they grow from Therefore the Saints are called Children of the day not of the night for they speak what they know in experience and what they have received feelingly from the Lord and their actions and words are not at random for they act Righteousness within the Creation from the law of Reason and Righteousnesse which they feel seated within Every one that doth act or speak from the light and power of the day-vine within himself can give an account of his words and actions But this is the glory that Adam the man of the flesh hides himself from This is the Law of Righteousnesse which fleshly Israel could not behold This is the new Covenant which our Clergie is unacquainted with Now opposite to this Divine which is Christ there is a night-vine which is the power of selfishnesse or the bottom esse pit spread abroad in mankind And every man and woman that is guided by this selfish power of darknesse are but branches of the night-vine And this nigt-vine which I called Lord Esau or fleshly man hath filled the whole earth with darknesse under pretence of his learning and fleshly Government so that he is a spread tree But he is called by the Spirit the Thorn-bush The fruit that he brings forth is sour and bitter and good for nothing but the dunghill for trees that grow alwayes in the shade or place of darknesse where the heat and light of the Sun doth not cooperate brings forth unpleasant fruit Now this night-vine but rather Thorn-bush is the branching forth of the wisdom and power of selfish flesh every bud from it is a sharp prickle treacherous covetous Judas is one branch from that root and he hath risen up to a mighty great tree for every treacherous and covetous heart is but the buddings forth of Judas So envious Scribes Pharisees are other branches from the same root these have risen up into mighty spreading trees for every one that is zealous without knowledge making a profession of the spirit of righteousnesse yet grudging and â—aring the way of the spirit are but the buddings forth of the Scribes Pharisees that killed Christ after the flesh and now is spread in every Land and Family to hinder Christ from rising or else to suppresse and kill him againe if they could after he is risen up in sons and daughters So covetous Demas proud Simon Mugus froward Nabal unrighteous Elimas and such like are all the buddings forth of the thorn-bush and have covered the earth with their branches to keep it in darknesse and to hide the Sun of Righteousnesse from it And all these are centred in the Clergy the Universities are the standing ponds of stinking waters that make those trees grow the curse of ignorance confusion and bondage spreads from hence all the Nations over The paying of tythes the greatest sin of oppression is upheld by them pride covetousnesse idlenesse bitternesse of spirit despising and treading all under-foot in whom the spirit of the Lamb appears is upheld by them these are the standing enemies against Christ Their Churches are the successours of the Jews Synagogues and are houses of bondage their Universiâ—ies are successours of the Scribes and Pharisees houses of learning And though they persecuted Christ and the Apostles and would own none of their Doctrines yet when they found that Christs Doctrines began to fill the earth and to make the way of the Law odious and their trade began to fail Then did those houses of learning begin to take in and own the writings of the Apostles and to own that doctrine prevailing with the Magistracy through the deceit of their subtilety to establish tythes in their hands still for their maintainance though Christs doctrine threw down that oppression And then from legall Sacrificers they became hearsay-Preachers of the Gospel not from any testimony of light within themselves but from the writings of the Apostles which they professe great love to and keep charily for their tythes sake and by the one they deceive the souls of people for they preach the letter for the Spirit and by the other they pick their purses And this is very manifest by their carriage for though those writings which they live by were not writings that proceeded from any Schollars according to humane art but from Fishermen Shepherds Husband men and the Carpenters son who spake and writ as the Spirit gave them utterance from an inward testimony Yet now these learned schollars have got the writings of these inferior men of the world so called do now slight despise and trample them under feet pressing upon the powers of the earth to make laws to hold them under bondage and that lay-people trades-men and such as are not bred in schools may have no liberty to speak or write of the Spirit And why so Because out of these despised ones doth the spirit rise up more and more to clearer light making them to speak from experience and every fresh discovery of the Father shines more glorious then the old till at last the creature is made to see the Father face to face in his own light But now the learned schollars having no inward testimony of their own to uphold their trade by a customary practice they hold fast the old letter getting their living by telling the people the meanings of those trades-mens words and writings but alas they mightily corrupt their meaning by their multitude of