For another time formerly the Light of Christ in me which then I knew not did so condemn me and judge and trouble me in secret that it brought Sickness upon me and thereby being Weak expecting I should dye I was then much troubled and it lay much upon my Conscience at that time that I had not in the time of my Health gone to the Steeple-house and in the fear of the Lord warned all People to Repent and I was then much grieved because I thought I should dye and not first in that thing discharge my Conscience And so though I might write much by what is written may appear to the Meek and Sober-minded that the Lord did not only call but also thrust me forth of the World into his Harvest and this was of God and the operation of his powerful Word which called me out of the World and Hundreds since by the Word of his Power through me have been gathered out of the Way of the World and received the Earnest of the Rest Eternal and many converted unto God and Wo be unto them who openly oppose me in this the Lords Work I now am in which he hath thus called me unto and let none think that I did wilfully neglect my outward Employment neither let any one think that I left my Family as not regarding them nor that I stay much out of that Country for any By-end for the words are true A Prophet is not without Honour save in his own Country and in his own House and those that did since seek to stop my Mouth did not well Concerning my publick Preaching and something of what followed THAT none may stumble thereat and say We called Quakers are such who change from one thing to another and so what we hold not to be regarded But I say Those that have to changes are not come into fear of God psal 55. 19. and the Fear of the Lord is to depart from Evil And they depart from Evil are become a Prey but such were cleansed and changed from Glory to Glory 2 Cor. 3. 18. and grew in Grace and Knowledge in the Lord Jesus Christ And what I did or said then was in a great Zeal and real Intent to do good neither did I covet mens Silver for it neither was it my end to make a Gain thereby though much was freely offered me more than I intend to make mention though I recceived it not so that therein I was not much found in Covetousiness But when Judgement came upon me as before-mentioned I gave up that Preaching and said at the last Meeting I had then which was at Stoke-bliss That my Mouth was stopt at that present but if ever the Lord should open my Mouth again I should Preach indeed and it is so Praises to the Lord forever who hath indeed opened my Mouth and since I was no longer Rebellious and the living Truth of Jusus Christ do I declare and bear Testimony to his Name where-ever I come as his Spirit moveth me And let none herby think that I now glory in what was then my shame for though I had a great Zeal then for God it being not according to the Knowledge of the Crofs of Christ which crucisies to the World and all its vain Customs the which Cross being then left behind which is the Power of God so the Love of the world which is Enmity to God remained in me and the Root Iniquity not them removed out of my Heart therefore Fruits of Disobedience in secret were still brought forth which the Would the World took little notice of but I had one near me who did let me see all that ever I did and reproved me for vain Glory and having the Praise of Men and the Love of the VVorld and so my Preaching did not bring Souls home to God though I informed their Minds of many things which many ignorant People knew not before and so though much Love was in many yet this brought not forth Fruits of Obedience unto God and so all came to little for the People remained in their Sins and received not Power to come out of them neither came they out of the Fashions and Customs of the World nor to the Faith of our Lord Jesus Christ which purrisies the Heart stands in the pure Conscience my self And so their Faith and mine was vain being then in our Sins Therefore let none think that I now justifie any Deceit Hy-pocrisie or secret Evil that then was in me or practsed by me for in the Presence of the Lord God I do openly declare against it all and that Spirit that acted me therein but I own that simple thing which then encourged me to do good out of an Honest Intent and that kept me out of Covetousness and from receiving of Gifts And I openly declare against all Cruel Unjull and Ungcdly Action and Words and all that Filth which I wallowed in before I was a zelous Professor as it is known to may Ungodly Persons how I was once as Wicked as many of them whom I Warn all to Repent otherwife they cannot escape the Dammantion of Hell And I utterly deny and declare against that Blindnese and Hypocrisie I was in when I followed the chief Priests from one Idols Temple to another who were chief in the Serpent's Wifdom deceiving me and many more and taught me that Knowledge which came from the Devil who said Te shall be a Gods knowing Gen. 3. 5. And in that Knowledge in which every man is Bruitish Jer. 10. 14. from them Hirelings Iencreased in that which pusseth up and encreased my â—orrow as before was mentioned for by that Serpent's subtilty which I learned from them without me I fought against and resisted that which was holy in me Therefore I declare in the Name of the Lord God that all the Hireling Priests do more harm than good and shall never bring People to receive the Power of God but lead them into Subtilty and further off from the Knowledge of that of God in them Rom. 1. 19. And as true as the Lord God liveth upon their Death-beds shall both Priests and People witness this to be true And it s also as true that I write this without any Prejudice to any of their Persons but in Love to all Peoples Souls do I warn all them Hireling Priests in Herefordshire and elsewhere to leave deceiving the People for absolutely the People are deceived by them and forced to maintain them too who may be warned of them by what I have learned by Experience from them having tried them and their ways to the utmost and have much experience of them more than many Country People whose Souls I truly love and therefore this I write And I declare against that which ruled in me in the time of Ignorance and Perverseness and acted me in Cruelty or Oppression towards any Person or to Wrong Defraud or Insult over any one in Tyranny either by Word or Action or wherein I
Canaan whom Noah cursed And the beginning of this mighty Hunter's Kingdom was Babel where the Lord whom he hunted before followed after and confounded the Language of all them that belonged to this mighty Hunter who was a mighty one in the Earth and out of this Land of Babel went forth them that built many Cities and afterwards there was a People whose gods were according to the number of their Cities And so see what followeth when man is not led by the Spirit of God as Noah was and so preserved but hunts mightily before him being mighty in that which is Earthly first he is mighty in the Earth then a mighty Hunter then builds a mighty Tower whereby he that is earthly would climb up to Heaven this a Figure and then God confounded the Language and after wards those that were in the many Languages professed God who confounded the Language before whom their Father Nimrod hunted and they being found in that which God confounded though they professed God yet in Works denyed him and crucified his Son the Lord of Glory and writ over his Head of the many Languages Latin Greek and Hebrew and this was written above him that was the Light and so them now who are of the stock of Babel are yet exalted above the Light and count the Light a weak and low contemptible thing not able to save it self much less to save them that believe in it and so therein manifest themselves to be of their Fathers who crucified him that said I am the Light and said unto him If thou be the Son of God save thy self and so despised him who came to save them And this is some of the effect of mans hurting mightily in the Earth before they came to receive the Spirit as Nimrod did Gen. 9. 18 25. ch 10. 8 9 10 11. ch 11. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8. John 19. 19 20. But Jacob followed obeyed and believed the Lord who is a Spirit and the Presence of God was with him and the Blessing of the Most High was upon him and the Lord promised To be with him who was a Worm in six Troubles and in seven and when he passed through the Fire and the Water and God gave him a new Name and afterwards promised To give his Seed a Name better than of Sons and Daughters and Jacob was a plain man and dwelt in Tents and him God loved and he prevailed with God Isa 41. 14. ch 43. 1 2 3 4 5. Gen. 22. 28. Isa 56. 5. And so Nimrod with his Followers who was mighty in the Earth came to be confounded and Jacob who was little in the Earth as a Worm and dwelt in Tents he and his Seed came to be blessed And Moses the Servant of the Lord whom God Almighty honoured in his everlasting Love and made him a Deliverer unto and a Judge and Ruler over the People Acts 7. 35. he being in Aegypt the Land of Darkness and Bondage and all the Seed and Israel of God in cruel Oppression and I do not read that he had any direction from Man or Scripture or any thing else without him to guide him at first to refuse to be called the Son of Pharoahs Daughter and the glory of Aegypt and to chuse to suffer Affliction with the People of God Neither do I read that he saw the Angel or Glory of the Lord until after he was and had been Obedient unto that which God had given into him for that which may be known of God is manifest within Rom. 1. 19. for it is said in the Scriptures of Truth That it was by Faith Heb. 11. 24. that he refused the evil and chose the good and Faith is that which is in the Heart Acts 15. 9. As it is written If thou believe in thy Heart Rom. 10. 9. Acts 18. 37. And of that Faith in the Heart God hath given to every man a Proportion Rom. 12. 6. And as that which is but little in man is loved and obeyed so man comes to know more of God and hear his Word of Faith which is in the Heart Rom. 10. 8. And by hearing and Obedience of Faith man receiveth the Spirit Gal. 3. 2. which is an undeniable Truth which I might prove by a cloud of Witnesses from the Scriptures which were given forth from the Inspiration of God by his holy Servants And so there being something of God in man whereby man may as Moses did first refuse the Evil and then chuse a suffering state and so learn to do well the Sin then comes to be done away Isa 16. 17 18. and afterwards more of God's enless Love and powerful Presence is made manifest and so being faithful in the little received from God in the Heart man comes to rule over much as Moses did who first learned the Obedience of Faith in the Heart though in Aegypt and in the time of great Persecution where he was also despised of his Brethren yet he obeyed the Word of Faith in the Heart and so afterwards to him God appeared and the Word of the Lord came unto him and he talked with God afterwards face to face as a man talketh with his Friend and the many Wonders that the mighty Power of God wrought in and by him are recorded at large in the holy Scriptures for a Testimony thereof to last throughout many Generations And by this Faith also afterwards the Members of Christ did walk 2 Cor. 5. 7. And Joshua who succeeded Moses was full of the Spirit of Wisdom consider that he was first full of the Spirit and so thereby he came to be a Leader and Ruler over others and the Dread of the Lord fell and his Judgments came upon them who rose up or stood against him and those whom he by the Power of the Spirit in him came to rule over and great many and mighty were the Victories that God gave unto this man who was bold and couragious by reason of the fullness of the Spirit that was in him and the People hearkned unto him as they did unto Moses and he left nothing undone of all that the Lord commanded Moses Deut. 34. 9. Josh 11. 15. But the Lords people in these dayes who are led by the Spirit of God in them are accounted both by Priests Rulers and People to be drunk or mad as it was before when the Son of God who is the Light was revealed in Paul Gal. 1. 15 16. he was accounted by the Ruler of the People to be mad Acts 26. 24. And when the Disciples of Christ had waited and afterwards received the Spirit of Truth within from the which they spake as with new Tongues as the Spirit gave them utterance at them then many were amazed others mocked supposing them to be drunk Acts 2. 12 13 14 15. And when Hunnah prayed in Heart being grieved in Spirit was esteemed to be drunk even by Ely the Priest yet she by her Prayers in her Heart obtained her desire of
should cry after us A Quaker A Quaker And whether such be willing to suner as much for their prophane Swearing as they would us and as we have done for not Swearing at all And whether such can be content to suffer as great Punishment for going to an Ale-House needlesly on the First-Dayes or any day as they would have us suffer for not going to the Steeple-house the First-dayes which to us is needless And whether they would have such Laws made against them for such things and such their practices as they would have made against us for our practices in Liberty of Conscience as pertaining to the service and Worship of God And if Liberty had been so much promised them in this their Wickedness as hath been to us in the matter of Conscience would they have had that promise broken And whether they would be haled out of their Ale-houses Tipling-houses and Whore-houses as oft as they meet there or could be found there by any Officer Souldiers Boyes or People as they would have other sober persons haled out of their own Houses and peaceable private and Publick-Meeting-houses wherein they meet to serve God And would they receive every such time the like usage or abuses by any Boyes or Persons that should find them there or take them in such things and that would stone them for their Whoredom and Drunkenness at the present or would they receive the like Punishment afterwards when they were brought before a Magistrate in Imprisonment or otherwise If not then whether all such men as these who would have the King break his Word be not absolutely of the Devil And would they not limit the Spirit of God and his Worship and Servants and tolerate the Spirit of the Devil and have liberty for his service and his Children therein And then whether it be good or safe at all for the King to hearken unto the Counsel of such men or in the least to incline thereunto in this matter And whether the Lord God will ever bless their Counsels herein which lead to Destruction And whether the King be in the least to receive or consent to the Counsel of such men herein or their Petitions in that matter and so become a Breaker of his Word and Promise This will I leave to Gods witness in themselves and in the King Council Parliament and all other Magistrates and other inferiour Officers and People whatsoever to answer yea or nay And further I might enquire in like manner concerning the matter and manner or form and place of Worship whether they would be deprived of theirs as they would have us of ours and be haled out as they have haled us and suffer so much therein as they have caused us and have Laws made against them for it as they have made against us and have another manner of Worship and Place and Teachers imposed upon them than what they are perswaded of to be Right And how do such come to be more certain that their way of Worship is right in things they have no Scripture nor example therein for than we do come to be certain that our way is right which we have Scripture and example therein for And how came they to know that their worship is better in a temple made with hands in which God dwelleth not and the Apostle declared against Acts 7. 44. than ours is in the Spirit of which God is John 4. 24. and in the Truth which is his Son in whom the fulness of God doth dwell Col. 2. 9. and in the Light where God doth dwell for Christ said I am the Light John 8. 12. And he that hath Immortallity dwelleth in the Light 1 Tim. 6. 16 And whether such as are compelled to a Worship which they are perswaded is not right and that God doth not accept are they not therein made Hypocrites And if they would compel us from such a Worship that we are perswaded is right and also compel us to such a Worship that we are perswaded is not right whether they themselves would be done so by And if not how do they love their Neighbour as themselves and do unto all men as they would be done unto according to the command of Christ Mat. 7. 12. And wherein are such like unto a Christian Spirit which the true Christians were in and them that by the Holy Ghost were made Overseers of the stock of God who said that it seemed good unto them and to the Holy Ghost to lay no greater burthen upon the Gentiles thâ—n to obstain from Meats offered to Idols and Blood and things strangled and Fornication which were necessary things Acts 15. 28. These things in brief at present are offered in plainness and love unto the consideration of all Rulers and People by one that truly desireth Peace amongst men being an Innocent sufferer for the cause of God in the place of my late long and sad Sufferings in a close unsavoury Prison at Winchester the 28th of the 9th Month 1661. being known amongst men by the name Humphry Smith If a Ruler hearken to Lyes all his Servants are Wicked Prov. 29. 12. Bewise now therefore O ye Kings be instructed ye Judges of the Earth Psal 2. 10. Judge righteously and plead the cause of the Poor and Needy Prov. 31. 9. The King that faithfully judgeth the Poor his Throne shall be established forever Prov. 26. 14. Thou shalt not wrest Judgment thou shalt not respect Persons neither take a Gife for a Gift doth blind the Eyes of the Wise and pervert the Words of the Righteous That which is altogether just shalt thou follow that thou mayest Live and Inherit the Land which the Lord thy God giveth thee Deut. 16. 19 20. The People that are gone out of the way it were them that knew not the way of peace Rom. 3. 12. vers 17. But Christ who is our Way and unto us the Prince of Peace hath taught us to give the Back to the Smiter and to turn the other Check Forty Four Queries propounded to all the Clergy-Men of the Liturgy by one whom they trained up in the best things set forth in the Book of Common-Prayer Eleaven Reasons why these Queries are proposed BEcause your manner and way of Worship and practice First in many things hath been these twenty years by many Zealous persons very much questioned who ought to be satisfied or stopt by sound Arguments and Doctrine and words of Scripture-Truth or else a true Reconciliation in the hearts and minds of both cannot easily be 2dly Because it is most agreeable to the Law of God and most according to the Commands of Christ and doth most suit with the Doctrine and Practice of the Apostles and is professed even by you in the Book of Common-Prayer To love thy Neighbour as thy self and not hurt the Body of any man by word or deed to Love Enemies to do good unto all and to convince Gain-sayers with sound Doctrine and words that cannot
and here printed A TABLE OF THE CONTENTS Or Chief Heads contained in this VOLUMN THe Sufferings of the Saints at Evesham Or a short Description of the first Ground of the Persecution of the Servants of God Page A Warning to the Priests Magistrates Rulers and Inhabitants of Exon pag. 1. Some of the Effects of the Priests Ministry in Devonshire p. 6. The first and second Priesthood declared according to the Scriptures p. 10. An ALARUM sounding forth unto all the Inhabitants of the Earth as a Warning before the Vials of Everlasting Wrath be poured forth upon them p. 19. A sad and mournful Lamentation for the People of these Nations p. 28. Idolatry declared against p. 46. Man driven out of the Earth and Darkness by the Light Life and Mighty hand of God p. 52. I. Concerning my Call out of the World or my going out from my House Country and Imployment p. 55. II. Concerning my publick Preaching p. 62. The Wandering Star discovered or something in Answer to a Book called The Quakers Blazing-Star or The Worlds Wonder p. 68. A Word to all Professors p. 86. The just Complaint of the Afflicted against the Rulers who oppress the Innocent to be delivered to the Judge of the Sessions at Winchester after pag. 92. To them who have lately believed in the Light and are waiting to receive the Life p. 93. The Two striving within p. 98. The Love of God declared and Satans Wiles discovered p. 102. The Ground Foundation Beginning and Father and Children and Compass and End and the Effects of all the Harpers Musitioners Singers and Dancers p. 108. Divine Love spreading forth forth over all Nations Or the Glorious Day of Vnity Peace and Concord p. 116. To all Parents of Children upon the face of the whole Earth p. 123. The true and everlasting Rule from God discovered and that which proveth all things published from the Spirit of Truth p. 135. A Testimony of the true Prophet who was to come is come and there is not another p. 155. An Invitation from the Spirit of Christ p. 164. The sounding Voice of the dread of Gods mighty Power p. 167. To all that want Peace with God To the Sheep every where not brought home To the thirsty breathing Soul and to the Seed though in Captivity among and in the midst of all Professors p. 175. I. Concerning Mofes's Ministration p. 177. II. Concerning Christ and his Ministration p. 179. III. Concerning the Ministration of the Spirit p. 185. The Vision of Humphry Smith which he saw concerning London in the year 1660. p. 195. To the great Flock of the imprisoned Servants of God Almighty p. 201. A Warning to New-England's pretended Christians p. 207. The Lamb and his day proclaimed p. 211. Six Proposals stated for the Honour of the KING I. By his Subjects Vnity one with another p. 214. II. By his Subjects submission actively or passively unto all his Laws p. 216. III. By his Subjects faithfulness unto him p. 217. IV. By his Subjects Vprightness in their Traffick with other Nations p. 218. V. By his Subjects departing from that which dishonoureth both God the King and themselves p. 218. VI. By his Subjects being the peculiar chosen People of God p. 220. To the Lambs of Christ p. 223. To such in whose hearts the spirit of the Lord is beginning to move his Truth to declare p. 226. Sound things asserted 1. In the Kings own words 2. from late Experience 3. From Scripture-Truth 4. According to Reason and Equity p. 229. Forty four Queries propounded to all the Clergy-men of the Liturgy Also eleaven Reasons why these Queries are proposed p. 236. An Epistle to all the Meetings in Dorsetshire p. 258. To the despised rejected and persecuted Lambs of Christ in the County of Dorset p. 263. One Hundred and Forty four Lines of secret inward Melody and Praise to the Lord p. 269. Hidden things made manifest by the Light in a plain distinction between Condemnation and Temptation p. 272. Concerning Temptation p. 279. A Direction in the way to that within the Vail by which Temptations are overcome p. 285. The Meditations of an humble Heart p. 290. To the espoused Virgin p. 293. Something how the Marriage of the underfiled Lamb and Virgin came at first to be P. 295. To all dear Friends who keep faithful in their measures to the end P. 297. To the meek and open hearted Lambs and Flock of Heaven P. 301. The Cause of the long Afflicted and sore Oppressed sent forth from Winchester Prison P. 309. The Answer to the Mittimus P. 310. A Copy of a Paper sent to the Sessions P. 312. To the Sons of men P. 317. To Friends at Ailsbury Prison and in them parts P. 323. To the the Young and Tender and to the late Convinced People of God amongst the rest of the Elect and already Chosen P. 328. Concerning Tythes P. 335. To my nearly related Friend Elizabeth Smith P. 363. THE Sufferings Tryals Purgings Of the SAINTS at EVESHAM Who by their Obedience to the Lord in their Measures do overcome their Enemies by their daily suffering under them Or A short Description of the first Ground of the Persecution of the Servants of God occasioned by the Priests and the continual Proceedings of the Magistrates against them called Quakers AS the Priests were always Enemies unto Christ and his Disciples so do they continue persecuting the Saints laying Snares for the Innocent and smiting with the Tongue Jer. 18. 18. and stirring up the Rulers and the rude Multitude making Uproars and Insurrections against the Saints as they did against Christ and his Ministers for the chief Priests assembled with the Scribes and Elders of the People consulted how they might take Jesus by subtilty and kill him yet they would not do it on the Feast day lest there should be an Vproar among the People Mat. 26. 3 4 5 But the chief Priest and Rulers in Evesham after their Consultations how to ensnare the Innocent did come on the first day to ensnare us but standing in the counsel of God we were preserved from their first Snare which they laid for us I having notice of it before in bringing the whole multitude to provoke or entrap us the which when they could not do though hundreds of them gathered together about the Door where I and many of the Servants of the Lord were like those that gathered together about Lot's door Gen. 19. 4 5. yet none of them could provoke us to words nor had they any way to ensnare us then as afterwards will appear And after the chief Priests had hired Judas for thirty pieces of Silver to betray Christ Mat. 26. 15. and after Judas had brought again the thirty pieces of Silver then the chief Priests took the same Money for the which Judas had sold Christ and with it they bought a field of Blood Mat. 27. 6 7 8. So the chief Priests have purchased unto themselves and all their Generation with
Worship the God of the Spirits of all Flesh and feel it in the inward parts according as the Lord requireth by which Truth man comes to be sanctified for the Word that liveth and abideth forever is Truth which comes to be ingrafted into them who believe in the Light and in it wait for the Promise of the Father even that Spirit of Truth which the World cannot receive for they know it not it being in Gods Wisdom hid from the Wisdom of the World who know not him that may be felt after and found who is near unto every one of you whose measure of Light in you is it you are all to know by it to come to know the eternal Power and Godhead as they did who had not Scriptures Rom. 1. 19. for the Light of Christ in you is that which is to give the Knowledge of God 2 Cor. 4. 6. who hath assuredly revealed his Son in me and led me in the straight Way to Life Eternal and the enjoyment of the Truth which is Immortal the which being to me a Pearl of great Price and more precious than a thousand Rivers of Oyl And that none may be hindred from receiving of this which I have most assuredly found to be more excellent than the Royalty of Diadems or the Excellency of the most purest Gold or the most Renownedst Glory Beauty or Riches that the natural Eye can behold and that all who breathe after divine Refreshings and the Rest that never shall be shaken and the attaining to the Covenant of Life and Peace may come to be gathered into the One Fold of blessed Happiness and rest upon the Rock of Ages and never more be moved henceforth and forever And that if possible all Murmurings Reasonings concerning me or what I was may be taken out of the Minds of all People of all sorts and that all Jealousies Whisperings and Heart-burnings in the Wrathful Nature may be passified and cooled with the over-spreading Streams of God's free Love which truely is shed and groweth in my Heart and streameth forth as a Well-spring of Life toward the Seed that is yet oppressed in them among whom sometime I walked in Darkness wallowed in Unrighteousness and afterwards stood up as a tall Cedar in the height of Profession preaching great and high things daily unto others whereby then I was admired by many Hundreds who thereby came not to receive Power to overcome their Sins neither yet attain to that which the Souls of many of them thirsted after whom since I have often mourned over in Pity and in the Bowels of my Father's Love to the Soul in Bondage in them from whom I have been long and far absent in Body And that none of them by looking and wondering at me or any thing that hath befallen me may stumble thereby at the Light or Truth it self or be thereby kept from receiving the living Truth or from giving heed to that which all the Wise Master-builders refuse nor that they by looking at what I was before I received and lived in the Truth and at that which justly came upon me for my former Rebellion against the Light nor at the Judgments of God that came upon me within or without because of my unwillingness to follow him who said I am the Light follow me and said He that will not leave Father and Mother Wife and Children Goods or Lands for my sake is not worthy of me and he that will not deny himself and take up his Cross and follow me is not worthy of me And what a Cross it was for me to leave what I did let that of God in all that knew me judge But I say that none of them who are Colonels Captains Justices Professors nor People by looking out at any thing concerning me may not be with-held from receiving the Truth and so kept from that which is the way to the Father and the Door to the Rest for evermore Therefore hath it lay long of late years and often upon me and that from the hand of the Lord to lay something before your Eyes O ye Rulers Professors and People of Herefordshire and thereabout endeavouring thereby to remove any cause of stumbling by reason of what I was or of any false Reports raised upon me whereby the whole Truth of God might be Evil spoken of And this have I waited long to declare among you either in Words Writing or Print thought thereby Shame might come upon my former Course of Life when I lived in all manner of Sin and Iniquity except it were actual Adultery Fornication and Murder and though also hereby Contempt may come upon all that great Profession I was in when I preached daily in the Synagogue or upon all that I then spoke or preached out of the Innocent Life of God or if hereby at present suffer I Reproach as it is like I may by many yet the Reproach of Christ is greater Riches to me than the Treasure Glory and Preferment of England And first Concerning my Call out of the World or my going out from my House Country and outward Employment THe Light of Christ which condemns the Evil Deeds comes from him who calleth his out of the World and from their Employments to follow him who putteth forth his Sheep and thrultech forth Labourers into the Harvest and Abraham of whose Seed I now am went out of his Country and from his Fathers House Gen. 12. and him God blessed and encreased mightily and the Lord also called and thrust forth me who at last was obedient to the Command of the God of Abraham and ever since his Presence hath been with me and his Blessings have I found and the Encreasings of God have I received Praises to the Lord God of Life for evermore who hath called me by his Word of Power through his Grace which did teach me to deny Ungodliness and Worldly Lusts and to obey his blessed Will which was and is my Sanctification in Jesus Christ who did also call Matthew from the receit of Custom to follow him and Peter and John from their Employment of Fishing and made them fishers of men and Paul also being called left his Employment of Tent-making after a time and was Obedient to the heavenly Vision and those then became a Wonder and a Gazing-stock to many yet they continued on Travelling through many Countries as I since have done preaching the Word of God with boldness And one of these men who were called from their outward Employment said Every man wherein he is called there abide and whereunto they were called they did abide and so do l and when the Priests and Rulers would have stopt their Mouthes by their Commands they said Whether it be lawful to hearken unto God or Man judge ye But these Ministers of Christ did not say he that is a Husbandman there abide for Noah was a Husbandman yet a Preacher of Righteousness and Elisha a Plow-man and Amos a Herdsman neither did they
with the Indignation of the Lord and overcome with the Power of his Might Many Woes could I from the Lord declare and much of his Judgment make known unto you yea many Lines might I write and unfold the Mysteries of his Power which from your Eyes are hid and long hath my Soul mourned in secret for you and because of the fierce Terrors of the Lord which you cannot escape mine Eyes have been filled with Tears and my Heart with Sorrow and that for you O ye blind scornful and rebellious Men that rule this County The Lord God will bring Shame upon you and your Names shall Rot and be left for an evil Savour for the Generations to come Better had it been for you if the Womb had been your Grave or that you had had a Milstone hanged about your Necks and cast into the depth of the Sea before you had writ an Line or made one Order or had a hand against one of the Friends of Christ who follow him that makes an end of sin whom one day you shall see to be of the Seed whom God hath chosen who being born of the Spirit are now unto you as the Wind of which you hear a sound but know not whence they come neither whither they go whom you keep in your filthy Prison to force them to bow to you like Haman but take heed how long you provoke the Lord therein and consider what it is in you which you would have us please bow or submit unto by speaking such words as may satisfie that Will in you which unjustly cast and keeps us in Prison And now behold the Lord God hath tryed you and you are found Enemies to his suffering Seed and Fighters against God and your Hypocrisie is made manifest and the Infamy of your Unrighteousness is spread over the Nation and Gods Witness in the hearts of Thousands will judge of your Actions to be Unjust and Unreasonable and to the Children of Light your insides are discovered and your end is seen and your secret intents neither can your Devices be hid nor any shelter cover you for the Light is come that makes all things manifest and the secrets of the Lord are with them that fear him Be ye now therefore awakened and instructed O ye Rulers of the Earth and let your Minds be turned to the Light in you and strive no longer with God who is Light for that which may be known of God is manifest in you And did you not first strive and fight against his Witness in you you would not fight with your carnal Weapons and carnal Prisons against his Messengers and Servants who fear before him and fear not them that kill or imprison the Body till death of whose Servants and Messengers you shall know that I am one in the day of your Calamity and Destruction the which that you might escape in Soberness and Meekness have I this many Moneths dealt with you writing reasonable and plain things unto you that you might in meekness come to hear the Cry of the Oppressed both within and without but if you hear not earthly things but in that be unreasonable and unfaithful in the unrighteous Mamoâ— who shall commit unto you the greater Riches or open unto you the Mysteries of the things of God who with things that are not is bringing to nought things that are and with the things that you despise is he overturning the Counsels of the Mighty and that which confounds the Wisdom of the VVise and brings to nothing the Understanding of the Prudent and overturns the Devices of the Wicked even in that is my Life and in that which terrifies troubles torments and condemns the World do I rest in Peace with God for evermore and remain A Friend to the whole Creation and to the Souls of all Mankind who of men am numbred amongst Transgressors in a filthy Prison and place unfit for men at Winchester this 24th of the 8th Moneth 1658. To the Enemies of Equity Truth and Peace I am only known by the Name Humphry Smith To them who have lately believed in the Light and are waiting to receive the Life THE Day of Gods Everlasting Love is come and with his Mighty Power is he risen to gather all them in the Light of his Son that long have sate in Darkness and in the Shadow of Death upon whom the Day is now Dawning wherein the Outcasts of Israel shall be gathered and the Captives that long have groaned may now come to know Deliverance for with plentious Redemption is the Lord visiting his People and he is coming near unto his own and seeking them that are afar off and lifting up a Standard for the Standard for the Strangers to flow unto and many shall return unto the Lord and People shall be gathered to the God of their Salvation and he will pour out his Spirit upon the Humble and fill the Meek with the Riches of his Love Multitudes of People shall come unto Sion and the Poor of the Flock to the City of the great King for Light is breaking forth as the Morning and Righteousness as the Sun at Noon therefore shall the Mourning Seed be comforted and that which groaned in Captivity lift up the Head that the Prisoner may spring forth of Bondage and the longing Soul be satisfied and Judgment come upon the Wicked and Terror upon the Loftiness of man the Rebellious brought down to the Dust and that which boweth not unto the Light with it is condemned forever that through the Condemnation the Seed may spring which long in Death hath lain and is now to be raised up by the Arm of God's Almighty Power which now comes to be revealed unto them who believe the Voice of the true Spirit which is in the midst whom all are to hear and obey his voice who comes out from God and leads them that believe in and obey him up unto God again and he is the only Way unto the Father by whom the Redemption comes who is arising in the Hearts of the Children of Light whereby they come to know Light shine out of Darkness giving them the Knowledge of God which Knowledge they never learned from all the Teachers of the World which Teachers are themselves in that Ground in which the Knowledge of God cannot be received and that which they have not received themselves they cannot teach others therefore you have not received the Knowledge of God from them after which Knowledge something in you hath long groaned which is now to be satisfied from him in whom the Fullness of God doth dwell who is the Light of which you have received in which you are to wait to receive the Promise of the Father that your Souls may be refreshed in the Bosom of his Love and feel God's Mercies showered down as the early Rain in the time of Drought that your tender Desires may not wither nor your breathing Spirits faint in the way but may with chearfulness
laid upon me to say every night but I found that was just as dry Heath instead of a Honey-comb before And so being led on in a Form and to look after Things and Teachers without the Light within became darkned and my understanding of the Son of God's Love shed abroad in my Heart which sometimes being sensible of I began very Young to look after Priests and Sermons and thought to have sound the true Thing again there but as true as the Lord God of Heaven and Earth liveth They did me more harm than all the rest and led me farther from my Teacher and from the sence of the feeling after God Acts 17. 27. to sind him near me then ever and withal begot in me abundance of the Serpents subtilty and the more because I being sensible of a want in me received their fair Speeches with much eagerness and earnest Desires believing them that that was the Way to Peace so that I grew much into that knowledge which puffâ—th up and did indeed encrease my Sorrow and so by them was I deceived the Lord God knoweth I Lye not but speak the Truth in Flainness having not Envy towards any of their Persons and this is the very Truth of my Heart in the Presence of the living God That it was more harder for me to leave and deny and know Redemption out of that which I learned from and among the Priests then to leave the Fruits of all the Sin that ever I by Temptations did run into and my Witness herein will abide in me forever Therefore let the Lord God be the Teacher of your Children who hath given them Life and Beeing and a better Teacher you cannot provide for them nor direct them unto and that which may be known of God is manifest in them and let that lead them and guide them in his fear and you are to let them understand that they should do and speak justly according to that Witness of God in them which will let them see when-ever they are tempted to speak a Lye or say they have done such a things as you commanded them and have not and will let them see they should be faithful and diligent unto you in all things that are just in the sight of God and other things you should not require of them left you grieve them but examples of Righteousness should you be in all your Words and Actions unto them and if you are not able to set them to School to learn to read yet they have the Light from christ in them already and that will shâ—w them plainly of the Father and he that is the Light is the good Old Way in which the way faring men though Fool cannot Err. And if you set them to school never so long to read and write and with their learning to search the Scriptures which is good yet they are to come to Christ the Light that they may have Life and they are to learn of him and follow him and so to learn of Christ as to know him to be in them the Hope of Glory and the Way out of Sin and unto the Father his will in all things made manifest to obey rather then man that so it may go well with them and that they may come to receive a Blessing from God and be a Comfort to their Parents who fear him and at last in Gods Everlasting Covenant lie down with Peace and Rest ANd all you young Children who are growing up into years of discretion this you are to understand that you have not made your selves but were created by the Lord God of Heaven and Earth who ruleth over all Mankind whose Presence is every where and filleth Heaven and Earch and Knoweth the secrets of all the Hearts of the Children of men and sheweth unto man both Old and Young what is his Thoughts from whom the least Evil cannot be hid who is dreadful in Holyness and just in his Judgments and Righteous in all his Wayes and his Presence is near unto every one and from his All-seeing-Eye can no one hide his deeds and before him should you fear forever and learn in his fear to walk which will keep you out of Evil and grieve ye not his Spirit left he refuse to help you in your great Distress neither provoke the Lord against you by learning Wickedness among the Sons of men who are all astray from the lowly Guidance of his Spirit and so their works are Evil and their words Unfavoury and Evil Words they use which doth corrupt the good Manners the which of them you should not learn but let your Yea ne Yea and your Nay be Nay and so learn of Christ that his Power he may minister unto you and you by him come to be saved that you may be Children of God and taught of God and drawn by his Spirit unto Christ his Son who said I am the Light of whom the Scriptures bear Testimony And in him the Scripture saith is Life and he is come who is the Light that you might have Life in your selves and come to be Heirs of the Promise of God by Regeneration through the working of the Power of God which worketh in the Hearts of the Children of men to sit them for himself a Habitation of Holiness that he may be glorified in his People And certainly you ought in the tenderness of your Years to have a true fear before that God of Life which made you who is an invisible Spirit as may be read in the Holy Scriptures of Truth And as you learn the fear of the Lord who cometh to dwell in his people he will by the Direction and Guidance of the Light of his Son in your Hearts who is the Mediator by whom the Law is handed forth will he teach you your Duty towards your Neighbour which is near unto you and to Honour your Father and Mother and what Honour is as also your Duty and Obedience in the first place towards God that his Love might be towards you and that your dayes might be prolonged as also saith the Law for whoso groweth Wicked and Rebellious against the Light the Lord suffereth not to live out half their dayes Job 24. vers 13. For Life comes from God and he withdraws it at his pleasure from them that obey him not and when he taketh way their Breath they dye and the Breath of God was the Life of the Soul of man and Christ said He was the Life who is meek and lowly in Heart who said Suffer little Children to come unto me and said he I am the Way and he cometh to condemn Sin and calleth to Repentance his Name is caled The Word of God Rev. 19. 13. and the Word is very nigh thee even in thy Heart Rom. 10. 8. And so that is the Way that you all which are Young should go and be trained up in that when you are old you might not depart from it Prov. 22. 6. so may you have
Peace with God and his Blessing to be with you alwayes and be a Comfort to your Parents and all that truly fear the Lord. Written by a Member of Christ whose love was to little Children and so is mine who am called Humphery Smith THE True and Everlasting Rule From God discover'd AND That which proveth all things Published from the Spirit of Truth To the which Rule the Scriptures also bear Testimony that the Simple and Honest-hearted may see what Rule they are to walk by to come to perfect Peace and Rest with God for evermore Also A Testimony of the true Prophet who was to come and is come and there is not another his Work witnessed and Truth declared from a feeling-sence and experience according to Scripture Wherein also is shewed That the Prophets of God and Ministers of Christ did preach the Light and so those who preach the Light now do therein preach the same Doctrine as the Prophets Christ and his Apostles did With an Invitation from the Spirit of Christ By a Servant of the Lord and a Sufferer for his Truth in the House of Correction at Winchester in Hampshire called Humphry Smith The Lord thy God will raise up unto thee a Prophet from the midst of thee of thy Brethren like unto me unto him shall ye hearken Deut. 18. 15. To the Flock of GOD whom he hath gathered in Glocestershire Herefordshire Worcestershire Wiltshire Oxfordshire Buckinghamshire Hampshire Dorcetshire and Devonshire TO you my dearly beloved Lambs and Babes in Christ Jesus chosen of God the Father before the Foundation of the Word called to be Saints sanctified with the living Truth in the inward parts justified by him that is near redeemed with the Blood of the new Covenant glorified as a royal Diadem in the hand of the Father preserved through believing and obedience by the mighty Arm of unlimited Power compassed about with Salvation anointed with Oyl of Joy and Gladness of Heart who are beloved of my Soul and the Joy of the whole Earth who are chosen and faithful and true who through great Tribubation the Kingdom do come to receive who have not loved your Lives unto the Death who did once walk in the Shadow of Death whose feet now come to be guided in the Way of Everlasting Peace to whom the hand of the Father's infinite Love hath been reached forth as unto tender Babes who come to be born and nursed up by the Womb and the Paps that are free which is the Mother of us all who know the first-born which is blessed for evermore who are become the first Fruits unto God and to the Lamb who have received the Testimony of Jesus who have washed your Robes in the Blood of the Lamb and have received the fine Linnen which is the Righteousness of God and the Righteousness of the Saints whose Sins are done away forever whose Nakedness is covered who have put on the pure Robes and are adorned as a Bride for her Husband who are clothed with Righteousness as with a Garment and are all Glorious within and are able to stand upon the Sea of Glass mingled with Fire and before the Throne out of which proceeds Lightnings and Thunders and Voices who have cast down all your Crowns at the fect of the Lamb and come to wait on him forever and ever who is King of Kings and Lord of Lords who is worthy of all Glory and Honour and Praise and Thanks and Obedience and Dominion from all his for evermore The Salutation of me the Prisoner of Jesus Christ with my own hand unto you my dear Ones unto whom at present my Bowels of Love from God the Father are poured forth with whom I am in the Spirit of Love and Meekness among whom I have passed through good Report and evil Report yea that which is not to be named who am as one of the least yet not the least in Love unto you who are unto me as the Children of my own Bowels bound up with me in the unspeakable Life of the Father which from all the World is hid for evermore where Life and Immortality dwelleth forever and is daily felt by all you that abide faithful in the Obedience and keep your Garments unspotted of the Flesh abiding in the pure Fear and godly Humility your Bread is continued and your Waters are sure and your Souls are made as a watered Gardâ—n and Peace and Life springs up in you and you may delight your selves in Fatness and find the replenishings from the Fountain of God's living Mercies and grow up in the holy Life as Trees of Righteousness the planting of the Lord that he may be glorified The Church of the first born are you come to be the Pillar and Ground of Truth made lively Stones elect and precious growing up a holy Building unto God the Father who will dwell in you his holy Temple forever and ever who are founded upon the elect precious and Corner-stone the sure Foundation the Rock of Ages the Light of the World whose light is your life which is shining forth unto the Sons of men that they may see your good Works which are wrought in and by you and hear your seasoned words which ministers Grace unto the Hearers and answers Gods Witness in all and makes for your Advantage who are as Plants of Renown a Habitation of Holiness Vessels of Honour Clusters of Grapes who receive nourishment from the Vine whose Fruit never fadeth whose Rivers are never dry whose Rayment never waxeth old whose Glory never fadeth whose strength is renewed as the Morning your Dread is upon the People and your Terror upon the Heathen your Enemies are all as stubble before you and your God in the midst of you is a consuming Fire Dreadful is his Presence in you unto all his and your Enemies the Workers of Iniquity who shall fall before you as the Grass that is cut down and wither as the Blossom that is cut off Paleness shall cover the faces of all your Enemies before you shall all People be much pained Sorrow shall take hold upon them in the Night-season then shall the Arrows of the Lord reach into their Bowels Astonishment of Heart shall be upon them and they shall fly when none pursues and be in Distress and none shall deliver Arise against them O ye my Lambs in the strength of the Lord who teacheth your hands to war and your fingers to fight let the Beast be overturned forever let the Whore have blood to drink let her Merchant be spoiled forever and all her Children dashed against the Stone and broken to pieces as a Potters Vessel with the Power of the Light let the Darts of your hands who handle the Word of Life strike through all the false Prophets and reach unto the secrets of all their Hearts to the renting open of their Chambers of Darkness and the cutting down of the Enemies of the Most High and fear not let not your hands be slack the Lord
are we not to be led by that To which I Answer That God changeth not And where doth the Scriptures say That the Scripture is to be a Rule to walk or be led by And the Ministers of Christ did not say As every man hath received the Scriptures so Walk But As every man hath received Christ and he is the Light so walk Col. 2. 6. Consider there is first something to be received and then there is to be a walking in the Power and Strength of that received for a Babe is not able to walk by all the words that may be spoken unto him until he receive power and strength within him and the new born Babes are to receive the sincere Milk of the Word and the Word is in the Heart and then to grow up by that received 1 Pet. 2. 2. and every man is to walk as he hath received of Christ the Light which comes from the Word which lighteth every man John 1. 9. but every man doth not receive that into the good Understanding which he is lighted with but rather strives against and hates it for every one that doth Evil hateth not the Scriptures but the Light John 3. 20. and so they hate that in which the Power standeth but as many as receive him who is the Light to them and none but them he that is the Light gives Power and he hath gifts for the Rebellious but they hating the Light and his own whom he lighteth receive not him that is the Light and to them he committeth no more and so they have not Power yet they may have the Scriptures And so man walks by the strength that is in him which strength comes from the Word by which all things were made and man receiving the ingrafted Word which is not the Scriptures it is able to save the Soul for Christ the Light whose Name is called the Word of God Rev. 19. 13. is able to save to the utmost all them that come to God through the Light of the World Christ Jesus and in him neither Circumcision nor Uncircumcision availeth any thing but a New Creature and as many as walk according to this Rule I do not say my Writings peace be unto them Gal. 6. 15 16. And so here was the Rule which whoso walked by the Peace belonged to but many call the Scriptures their Rule and have not Peace but they to whom the Spirit is a Rule from it to them Peace comes and man being led by the Spirit in him hath that to be his Rule from whence the Scripture was given forth And now that which man is to be directed guided and led by tryes measures or searches things that sometimes he calls Rule and it is not said the Scriptures searcheth all things but the Scripture is to be searched into John 5. 39. and it s said The Spirit searcheth all things yea the deep things of God 2 Cor. 2. 10. Prov. 20. 27. and that Spirit which searcheth all things comes from him Who hath measured the Waters in the Hollow of his Hand and meeted out Heaven with a Span and comprehended the Dust of the Earth in a Measure and weighed the Mountains in Scales and the Hills in a Ballance Isa 40. 12. and draws a Line through the midst of his People and layeth Judgment to the Line and Righteousness to the Plummet and sweepeth away the Refuge of Lyes Isa 28. 17. and telleth the number of the Stars and calleth them all by their Names Psal 147. 4. And they to whom this Spirit is a Rule and are led by it they are the Sons of God Rom. 8. 14. and it is not said as many as are led by the Scriptures are the Sons of God and man is to walk by the same Rule of that he hath attained Phil. 3. 16. and mark them that walk so and it is said If ye are led by the Spirit ye are not under the Law Gal. 5. 18. but many have the Scriptures and yet are under the Law but the Spirit which is the Word Ephes 6. 17. cometh and hath power to redeem from under the Law which the Scriptures doth not for through the Spirit the Deeds of the Flesh come to be mortified Rom. 8. 13. And while Paul profited much in that Religion which he learned from the Pharisees he was an Enemy to Christ the Light but when Christ was revealed in him and he obedient to the heavenly Vision then was he led by the Spirit in him to do God's Will and he did not say That the Mystery of Christ which in other Ages was not made known was then manifest to him by the Scriptures but he said That it was by Revelation made known unto him and revealed to the holy Apostles and Prophets by the Spirit Ephes 3. 4 5. and he did not say without Scriptures it was impossible to please God but it is said Without Faith it is impossible to please God Heb. 11. 6. and Faith is in the Heart and purifies the Heart and so without that in the Heart which purifies it men cannot please God and so man cannot please God without being guided by that in the heart which respects no mans Person Jam. 2. And so every one is to walk according to that which he himself in particular hath attained unto and to mind the same thing according to the measure of the Rule which God hath distributed 2 Cor. 10. 13. and that Rule which God hath distributed is the Rule and no man ought to go beyond it or boast of things without or beyond that measure or of other mens labours or things made ready to their hands but to give all Glory to the Lord 2 Cor. 10. 14 15 16 17. And this was the Rule received from God which his Ministers walked by and exhorted others unto and so I do not bid People walk by my Writings but by their measures in them received from God and that is living as God is and of his own Nature and enables man to do his Will and so fulfills that which is written without and was given forth from the measure of God within What then do I herein in the least make void contemn slight villifie or deny the Scriptures God forbid nay I had rather my Pen mightfall out of my Hand or my Arm from my Shoulder or my Tongue cleave to the roof of Mouth forever then I should go about to make void the Scriptures of Truth and is a true Declaration Luke 1. 1. Which was given forth from that which is my Life which is hid not in the Scriptures but with Christ in God Col. 3. 3. and the Word was God and that which was God is God John 1. 1. but if I should say the Scripture is God I should be a Blasphemer like unto others Do I herein deny the Scriptures Nay rather I establish the Scripture in its place and make use of it as a Cloud of Witnesses by me in directing all People unto that which
them that follow him their Captain know right well and before him all the mighty of the Earth are as a tottering Wall and as a broken Hedge and he it is that rideth upon the Wings of the Wind whose Power is unlimitted whose Wayes are past finding out who descended into the Lower parts of the Earth from whence the wicked never knew him to arise But I with the rest do witness he is risen through the Earth and his Feet stand upon it and is become the first Fruits of them that slept and is ascended up on High and hath Dominion over all and is crowned with Glory and Honour eternally in the Heavens and hath given Gifts unto men and from him the Gift of Eternal Life is come And this is my Beloved O ye Daughters of Jerusalem and this is my Friend and Redeemer O ye Sons of men even he who hath redeemed my Soul from Hell and brought me back From the Power of the Grave this is the Prophet of whom Moses did write should come and is come and there is not another than he that is raised up in the midst which is Christ the Light of the World in the Heart this is he that hath done wonderous works for in and by me and many more who are thereby made living Witnesses unto his Name whose Name is a strong Tower and a Rock of Defence he is a sure Dwelling-Place he is the Rest of the Soul and the â—oy of the Living And since he hath put the Sword of his Spirit into my hand and his Word of Life into my Mouth and Wicked thereby have been cut down like the Grass and the Mighty have been trampled upon as the dust in the Streets the tall Cedars have been as the Brambles and the strong Oaks have been rooted up the Prophet became a Fool the Pastors became Bruitish and the Spiritual Man was as Mad but the Seed hath been refreshed and the weak nursed up the tender Plant preserved and the Hungery fed And for his Names sake will I not keep silent until my Testimony be finished and until Jerusalem be made a Praise over all the Earth and her Righteousness break forth as the Morning and her Comliness as the Brightness of the Sun and till I see the Destruction of her Enemies and her Adversaries overturned forever for Powerful is our King who is come to reign Oh! who can with-hold the Pen from writing and the Tongue from declaring VVhen the Lyon hath roared who will not hear VVhen the Lord hath spoken who can but prophesie How can I but declare his Wonderous Works and proclaim his Name where-ever I come and confess him before men though I should suffer much more Prisoning Dungeon and VVhipping than I have done surely his Name I will declare in the World who is the Light and give my Testimony of him that saves from Sin whose Name is called Jesus the Light of the World which is the elect precious and Corner but stumbling stone even to both the Houses of Israel but it is he that is come to rule the Nations with his Iron Rod and dash his Enemies in pices like a Potters Vessel and judge the Earth in Righteousness and the people with his living Truth and now the Sinner shall not stand in Judgment nor the Wicked in the Congregation of the Righteous for he utters his Voice like Thunder against the Wicked and is dreadful against all the Double-minded he condemns the Unjust with an utter overthrow and pulls down the Unrighteous from their Seats Oh! who of the Wicked can stand when he thunders from Heaven and pierceth through the secret parts of the Heart And though I do speak an Allegory yet I do not speak contrary to the Scriptures but according thereunto from the Spirit of Truth and though I speak of the Operation of Christ in his Members yet I do not deny the Works which were wrought by him in his own Person and though I preach Christ within the Hope of Glory yet I do not preach another and though Paul travelled in birth again until Christ was formed in the Galathians yet he did not desire another Christ should be formed in them And though Paul said God had revealed his Son in him yet it was not another Son and though I say the Son of God is come and hath given me an understanding yet it is not another Son but the same that ever was who worketh all our Works in us And though I preach him The Makeâ—â—â—â— End of Sin yet I do not preach another but they who preach a Christ that doth not make an end of Sin nor save them who preach him from their Sirs do preach another Christ seeing the true Christ maketh an end of Sin And though I say the Prophet is come who is mighty in Word and Work and raised up in the midst or in the Heart yet it is not another but the same whose Wonders appeared outwardly whilst he was in the form of a Servant upon the Earth And though I preach him to the World the Light of the World yet it is not another but the same who said I am come a Light into the World and I am the Light of the World Joh. 8. 12. And so he being come a Light into the World he is to be preached as he is the Light that all men through him might belive and mens minds turned from Darkness to him who is the Light in the Darkness and it is most right and proper to preach him the Light who is now come and is the end of the Law to all them that believe in the Light and the end of the Prophets who preached him that is the Light under various Names or Terms as King Priest Prophet a Son a Child the Mighty God and David called him Lord and he is called a Saviour a Redeemer a Mediator c. who being come saith I am the Light and so its right and sound Doctrine to preach him as he is The Light of the World and lighteth every man that cometh into the World which is the true Light and we that preach this do not preach another but him who said I am the Light By me who refused the Glory Treasure and Preferment of the World and did chuse rather to suffer Affliction with the People of God and though I profitted much in that Religion where the carnal Ordinances are yet that profiting came to be accounted as Dross Dung that he might be received who makes an end of Sin who being now come his Love constraineth me his Name to publish who is the true Prophet whose Name is called Jesus who hath and doth save from Sin for whose Name sake I have been often brought before Rulers haled and beat out of the Synagogues numbred among Transgressors tryed at Assizes as an Offendor yet there denyed the Liberty of a Murderer being six times imprisoned twice stript naked and whipt with Rods and since put into Bridewell once
Life under the shadow of his Hand When he speaketh the word his Army goeth forth and at his Command they march on their way He lifteth up a Standard before them and proclaimeth open War against the Inhabitants of the Earth who now hear that the Lamb is come to reign in Righteousness and to stain the Pride of their Glory and confound the height of their Wisdom and lay their Honour in the Dust forever Therefore all Kindreds of the Earth even Gog Magog and all the Hosts of the Heathen are rising up in the bitterness of their Spirits in the height of the Power of the Man of Sin joyning all their Forces together as in one band of Darkness taking Counsel from Aegypt making a Covenant with Death and an Agreement with Hell and gathering up the utmost Powers of Darkness to be as a Refuge unto them And thus in the strength of the King of the Children of Pride they are rising up against the Lord even the God of Life and against his anointed Ones who have indeed and in truth received the Anointings and need not man to teach them but are all taught of the Lord God Almighty who also teacheth their hands to war and their fingers to fight And he utters his voice as the sound of many Waters before his Army who follow him in the might of his Power whose Presence is dreadful in the midst of his Host and there is none that is able to stand before him for he is a consuming Fire in the midst of his Camp and burneth up his Enemies round about and before him and his Army shall all faces gather paleness Everlasting Shame shall cover the Glory of all Flesh before him all People shall be much pained his Dread and Vengeance shall take hold on all his Adversaries His redeemed shall march with him in the travail of their Souls from strength to strength shall they continue on and none shall be feeble among them their Arrows shall reach into the Bowels of the Scornful and their words of Life pierce the Hearts of the Hypocrites They shall tread upon Kings as upon Monter and trample upon the Wicked as upon Ashes they fear not the greatest Goliahs neither yet the VVickedness of the Pride of Haman Unrighteous Decrees cannot stop their Mouthes nor the fear of a Furnace or a Dungeon with-hold them from their Way All Flesh is as Grass before them and at their Rebuke shall the Potsherds of the Earth be broken forever before them there is no Nation shall stand For One of them shall chase a Hundred and before Five shall the strength and wisdom of a Thousand be confounded And this the Lords Army shall never be confounded and his Glory in them shall never be defaced nor his Power with them shall never be overcome nor his strength in them shall never be vanquished therefore in vain do all the Potsherds of the Earth strive for they that rise up against them shall be as Flax before the Fire and the Mightiest among the Sons of Men shall he as the Grass that is cut down for the Lord of Hosts is very Terrible and in Meekness is the Lamb riding on to Judgment his Followers are enrobed with the Light of the Morning and adorned with the Beauty of the Sun Their Eyes are enlightned with the Light of the most High and they see through the dark parts of all their Enemies and discern the secret Plottings of all their Adversaries Their Wisdom comes in like a River and their Understanding shall never be darkned Their Strength is renewed as the Morning and they are valiant to do Exploits The Wisdom of the Wise before them shall be confounded forever and the Understanding of the Prudent be esteemed as a thing of nought They spy out the lurkings of their Enemies and see through the coverings of the Deceitful Of their strength they shall never be deprived neither shall their Weapons be taken from them Their Refuge shall never be shaken nor the place of their Rest removed The VVicked shall never enter upon their Dwellings nor all their Enemies invade the Land of their Rest for the desire of all Nations to them is come and him that they long waited for have they now received They tread upon the Cockatrice den and meet the devouring Lyons And in the Power of the Father's love there is no deadly thing that doth them hurt nor any VVeapon formed against them that ever shall prosper And this is Sion the Redeemed of the Lord the Glory of the God of Israel the Seed of Jacob whom the Lord hath chosen and set up on high over all the Kindreds of the Earth which stands against all the Enemies of the Lord and is his new threshing Instrument with which he will thresh the Heathen in his Anger and bathe his Sword in the Blood of the slain for behold his Sword shall devour much Flesh and the slain of the Lord shall be many VVith Sion the perfection of Beauty will the Lord break in pieces wound confound and overturn forever the Horse and his Rider the Captain and his Troops the Antient and Honourable the Prophet that telleth Lyes yea all the Host of the Unrighteous and the Strength of the Army of the man of Sin and the Beauty of the VVhore that rides upon the Beast and all them who set themselves in Battel against the Lord and all them who lead into Captivity and would captivate the Servants of the Lamb shall go into Captivity forever For behold the Lord is with us the Shout of a King is among us the Lord whose Name is holy is come he hath uttered his Voice from Heaven and now the Nations of the Earth are angry but the Lord will reign in Righteousness and all his Enemies shall be astonished at his Presence and his Adversaries shall be amazed forever their Hearts shall be turned as a Stone within them and men shall be at their VVits end for fear and for looking after those things which shall come upon the Earth and all them whose Names are written in it their VVisdom shall not preserve them their Understandings shall not defend them neither shall all their Subtilty cover them from the Light their Nakedness shall appear to their Everlasting Shame and the Prisoners of Hope shall rejoyce over them for evermore For behold I say your day is come wherein you shall bow down under the Prisoners and fall under the slain according to the words of the Spirit of Prophecy Isa 10. 4. and the slain over you shall rejoyce for evermore having the high Praises of God in their Mouthes and the Sword of the Spirit in their Hearts with which they shall cut in pieces and pierce in sunder the Bowels of all flesh and it shall be as Chaff before them and the strength thereof as the passing away of the Morning-cloud and in the strength of the most high shall the Army of the Lyon of the Tribe of Judah go on and
me he cannot be my Disciple and he said My sheep hear my Voice and they follow me and he entred within the Vail and the Vail is over the Heart and was made Perfect through suffering and is sate down in the Majesty on high glorified with God the Father and the Father was in him even the fulness of God and that which may be known of God is manifest in thee and he said He had finished the work that the Father gave him to do and so the Fathers will was accomplished and done for which the body was prepared he said Now glorifie me Father with the same glory which I had with thee from the beginning and he that spake in the body abideth forever who said A Body hast thou prepared me which Body being crucisied he took up his Life again and then those that did know him three dayes before knew him not and he ascended and a Cloud received him out of the sight of certain men who never found him unto this day for he remaineth out of the sight of most that profess him and as the lightning in the Clouds of Heaven doth he come again and every eye shall see him that condemneth sin and the Kingdom of Heaven is within you and yet the blind cannot see nor the deaf hear And this was he that Moses commanded to hear who said he that is with you shall be in you and he that was with or without was to go away and that which was to be received within he said should abide with them forever and the Spirit of Truth was to lead into all Truth for though the body was prepared to do Gods will yet they by it were not led into all Truth but sometimes understood it not though he speak Spirit and Life and moreover they went away and some fled from the Truth and Peter denyed him that was the Truth and so such as have got a Profession of the Truth without them and not the Spirit within to lead into all Truth such fly in the day of Tryal from that Truth they profess and some deny it rather than suffer with or for it and herein them called Baptists also have not come short and some of them have bowed to the Beast and so it is with many who profess Christ and Truth without them even as with those who understood not the Parables nor could not cast out the unclean Spirits so that Christ was and is grieved when he hath been so long with and professed and followed without and yet not come to that Faith which purifieth the Heart whereby to cast out the Unclean within as thou mayst read in thy self And therefore Christ when he was upon Earth did often speak unto them of what was yet to come and I do seldom read or take notice that he did so often preach and repeat any one thing unto them as that of the Spirit to come saying That it Mark the Spirit would lead into all Truth and seeing their Weakness and Unbelief Mark 16. 14. he by the often repetition thereof did as it were the more chiefly engage their Hearts to wait for and seek after the incomes of that which should comfort them and abide with them when his Body was gone from them whither they could not come and to this one thing doth he direct them in various expressions as of his going to the Father and coming again and saith he I will pray the Father and he shall give you another Comforter even the Spirit of Truth whom the World cannot receive John 12. 16. And many things Jesus did which if they should be all written the World might not contain the Books John 21. 25. And many things he spake unto them Acts 2. 40. and yet there was something to come to be waited for and after to be received which was more than all this for said he These things have I spoken unto you being yet present with you But the Comforter Mark the word BUT intimateth something greater or more than what was spoken to them whilst he was with them for he saith He that is with you shall be in you John 14. 17. and said But the Comforter which is the holy Spirit whom the Father will send in my Name he will teach you all things Mark what that is that teacheth all things and bringeth all things to your Remembrance what soever I have said and so that is within which bringeth the words of Spirit and Life to remembrance John 14. 25 26. And having spoken of other things he saith again But when the Comforter comes even the Spirit of Truth John 15. 26. And if I go not away the Comforter will not come but if I depart I will send him unto you John 16. 7. And I have many things to say unto you but you cannot bear them now howbeit when he the Spirit of Truth is come he will guide you into all Truth John 16. 12 13. Here it may be seen that they who followed Christ without and not received the Spirit within could not bear what he had to speak unto them and also it may be seen that when the Spirit was come it would be better with them And much more might be mentioned how Christ foretold what was to come and be received and revealed in that day John 16. 23. when the Spirit should be poured forth according to the Prophets all which plainly declare and most evidently set forth how Christ in his Ministry when he was upon Earth did most chiefly direct unto the Ministration of the Spirit of Truth which was then yet to come and that they might not run to teach others as many do now before they had received the Spirit of Truth in themselves by and with that to be led into all Truth but might receive the Power of Truth in themselves from the Life thereof to convert others into the same therefore said he further after he was risen again But tarry ye in the City of Jerusalem until you be enducd with Power from on high Mark 24. 4. so that though they had seen his Body before and had now seen him after his Resurrection yet that and all the rest was not enough without the Power and the Spirit which was to come which they were to wait for And so now men should tarry wait and stand still to see the Salvation of God and until they receive the Spirit for it is the Spirit not the Body which searcheth all things and sheweth plainly of the Father And by this before-written in short I have a little endeavoured to shew unto the meek and single-hearted That Moses when he was upon the Earth directed unto Christ As in these words The Lord thy God will raise up unto thee a Prophet from the midst of thee of thy Brethren like unto me unto him shall ye hearken Deut. 18. 15. And Christ when he was upon Earth directed unto the Spirit which was to come in the like words saying These things have I
spoken unto you being yet present with you but the Comforter which is the holy Spirit whom the Father will send in my Name he shall teach you all things John 14. 25 26. And then what if I did write after the manner of men and say If Moses were now upon the Earth and Christ in his own Body upon the Earth and Moses with all his Priests Tythes and Offerings and Religion which discovers sin but makes nothing perfect which Paul profited much in if he I say should command and exhort all People under his Ministry to go to Christ and hear him And if Christ were now upon Earth and notwithstanding his outward Miracles Circumcision Baptism Supper and Death yet he should command and exhort all that come through the Law or Ministration of Moses unto him to look and tarry and wait for another Comforter that they might receive the Spirit in them and say unto them that that should teach them all things and lead them into all Truth Then whether or no People were to continue following Moses Priests with their Tythes and long Prayers and still be seeking the Law at their Mouth or to come to Christ to seek the Gospel for Moses himself did not say that they should seek the Gospel at the Priests Mouth And then when did the Priests ever preach the Gospel And then whether those obey not Moses who leave the Priests and come to Christ the Light And whether such when they are come to Christ should alwayes be looking and following after Water Baptism and outward Supper or tarry and wait to receive the Spirit within them And then which of these now should all People that profess Christ be led by in these dayes either Moses or the Person of Christ or the Spirit of Truth And whether such as have received and are truly indeed led by his Spirit of Truth and know that to be their Teacher and follow it and are ruled governed and guided by it according to the command of Moses and Christ do not hereby obey the command of Moses and of Christ and fulfill their Doctrine And whether any other People or Professors whatsoever do obey the command of Moses and Christ but only such And whether this be not a thing of great Concernment to be known and learned by all that profess Christianity But why then do People follow these Priests of England any longer which are contrary to Moses and also to Christ who have no Store-houses but suffer the Poor to want within and without and the Widdow and Stranger ready to perish and moreover devour and can never have enough of the Spoil of other mens Goods And why do others dispute about and talk of the Body so much which they know not And is it not better to be silent and know the true God and Jesus Christ who dwells in his People and the Spirit of Truth which he requires in the inward parts and to feel after God even the Life in themselves because the Apostle said They were saved by his Life being before reconciled by his Death Rom. 5. 10. And until the Life came there were many things which they were not saved from and the Death which reconcileth was passed through and the Life was received again to save and justifie And why then are People so much busied about that which was before the Reconciliation and so therein much short of the Life and for outward Bread Wine and Water Are not these things which are seen And are not the things that are seen Temporal But Christ the true Prophet being come of whom Moses did write who is the end of the Law and so the end of that Ministry whereby that is done away for the weakness and unprofitableness thereof and Christ coming after John of whom John bare witness that he was before and greater and came after him and Christ having finished that which he himself came to do and likewise so largely and often exhorted to wait for another Comforter even the Spirit Then what Ministration is it that now standeth and remainâ—eth which is according both to Moses Christ and the holy Scriptures And what Ministration is to be expected or waited for but the Ministration of the Spirit And whether all they be not compassed about with a Cloud of Error who are upholding that Ministry of the Law or a worse which Christ is the end of and the Apostles said was done away and likewise such as are upholding and keeping up that which Christ said he had finished And whether the upholding of such things now be not quite opposite both to Moses Christ and Scriptures And being that Moses nor indeed his true Ministers of the Law are not upon Earth neither that Body of Christ which by the Professors was murthered at Jerusalem visibly to be seen upon Earth Then what was it that those have to follow who have not received the Spirit to be led by and if they will say They have the Writings of Moses and the Words of Christ I say if that be all then they that forsook and denyed Christ had more then them for they had the Words from his own Mouth which was Spirit and Life and yet they understood not and then what do those understand who have not so much as they had therefore after he had suffered and rose again he opened their Understandings And so what is all their Religion worth who are not come to the Spirit And whether Moses Ministration being ended by Christ and Christ also having finished his Work are not all People in the first place now to wait for the Spirit and to receive the Spirit by it then to be led into all Truth and so being first led into the Truth then in the same Truth to worship God in the Spirit who is a Spirit And whether there be now any true Worship standing which God accepteth but only this And whether this alone be not agreeable to Moses Christ and Scriptures And then whether all other Worship now upheld be not contrary to this true Worship of God and contrary to Moses Christ and Scriptures and indeed chiefly opposite to the Spirit of God whereby he is grieved And if so whether all such Worship Way Practice Performances Duties and Ordinances so called be not better left undone than performed until God's Spirit be received to guide therein Thirdly Concerning the Ministration of the Spirit which abideth forever Moses and his Ministry were visible and Christ in the form of a Servant and so like unto Moses was visible and so was his Miracles and that which is visible to the Natural Eye the Carnal Mind can come to profess and contend about but the blessed Eye which God openeth with the Light cometh to see the one done away and the other finished by Christ the Light and Life And this Spirit is that which first moved and yet moveth and moved unto and led through the visible Ministration and this Spirit is invisible as it
with much desire waited for that impowered them to do that which before they were commanded to do after they were endued with Power or had the Power in them And so what they were commanded to do they were to wait to receive Power in themselves from God to perform and Christ did intend to give them Power to do that which he commanded And as he commanded them to go and teach he also required them to tarry and so not to go until they had received Power so to do and so it was the Power of the holy Ghost in them which made them Ministers and these were and such are truly Ordained Ministers And after they had received Power from on high even the Spirit or Life of Truth and were filled therewith and so had it in them then they went to do that which was commanded them then they went to teach the Nations and converted Thousands and turned Sinners and brought Souls to God and then they were called Christians and then were People brought to be of the true Church which Christ buildeth upon that which flesh and blood revealeth not And this is the entrance into the Church of God 2 Thes 1. 1. the receiving of the Spirit and in this God is worshipped and not else for this hath excluded all other Worship and those only are the true Worshippers who come in thus by the Door which is Christ the Light and Spirit of Truth sent into the Heart from God And if all the prudent learned Divines so called in Europe or all or any of the wisest Orthodox men in any other Quarter of the whole World can prove by the Scriptures of the Old and New Testament any other true Worship of God who is a Spirit now extant among men and to be performed especially among them called Christians with acceptance to God but only that which the Spirit of Truth leadeth such unto as receive it then let them bring it forth that we may see it and prove it by plain undeniable Truth of Scripture or otherwise I shall look upon their Proofs Words Ways Actions Practices Performances Duties and several Worships as things of no value Or if there be any other entrance into the true Worship of God than this Spirit that God sendeth or the Light which leadeth to it or if there be any other Worship which God doth or will accept to be after this spoken or prophesied of in the Scriptures of Truth whereby this shall ever be done away or ended from being the true only and alone Worship of God whilst men have a being upon Earth then let the wisest of the Sons of men bring it forth and produce there strong reasons therein that we may plead together and that the entrance into and the true Worship it self of the only true invisible God may be declared over all the World for the satisfaction of every tender Heart concerning this For this I am satisfied in that Christ Jesus who is the end of the Law and who finished his work when he was upon Earth is made a quickning Spirit and is the Way and Truth of Life which bringeth into the Worship of God and he is the begining and the end and he leadeth to the beginning of Gods Worship and he is the end and the Rest of all the faithful in whom all the Promises are Yea and Amen and without him all is as nothing and all that come before him are Thieves and Robbers and he it is that abideth a Priest forever and his Spirit of Truth is it which all People and Professors whatsoever should first wait to receive thereby to be led into that true Spiritual Worship which alone God accepteth lest they and their Worship and Building fall together in a day when there is none to deliver And then thus I will Query If Christ own dear Disciples who had forsook all and followed him not Priest or Baptists did not come to receive this Spirit by hearing all the words which he he spoke unto them but by waiting after the words were ended Then whether those that have not forsaken all nor so much as the Worlds fashions do now come to receive the Spirit by Reading Hearing or Professing the same words of Christ now written or any other part of Scriptures Or whether a Proud man hath received this Spirit or a Lyar or a Prophane person or any Wise or Prudent man whatsoever by any means or way of his And whether any such ever did have can or may by any industry or other way or means attain to this Spirit which leadeth in the true Worship of God but as it is freely given forth from God And then whether all people are not to be led by that Spirit which God freely giveth into the Worship of God because Christ said The Spirit should lead which indeed doth lead into all Truth and nothing else doth so And they that have not received this from God to lead them are not yet come to be led by that which the Sons and Children of God were and are led by And the Ministration of the Spirit which all are now to be taught by is inwardly to be known in the most nearest secret invisible manner and is more out of the sight Comprehension and reach of mans Wisdom than any other Ministration and it is given forth from the clear Fountain it self unto the Souls satisfaction of man when he is come to the end of words or having heard much or all the words that can be spoken of it remaineth unsatisfied in a restless longing desire to find receive feel and enjoy the thing it self which the words declared of and that which satisfieth the true thirsting Soul comes clearly from God to the refreshing of the inward parts of man and filling of the empty barren hungry Spirit which cannot be saâ—â—sâ—ed without Gods indewllings and thus the Disciples were led along and at last in a foolish way to the great Professors they waited among them in Jerusalem and the Lord had regard unto them and sent his own Spirit unto them and then they were filled with the Holy Ghost And the secret invisible hand of God whose Power was and is felt in my heart having out of the sight of flesh and blood in the hidden counsel of his secret Will led me by the vertue of the operation and drawings thereof through those things which thereby I come to leave behind and to receive and feel that which now goeth before and is my Leader in whose Covenant of Life Eternal my Soul is now satisfied and so by good experience of the Lords leading and from an experimental knowledge and sensible feeling and present enjoyment of the incomes of the Spirit of Truth and Life which filleth the inward parts with the holiness of it self and giveth power to do the things required before of God even from the right and good understanding thereof is this written That where it meets with the like condition in a weaâ—y Traveller
not need alwayes to keep one Company of his Subjects to guard him for fear of any other of his Subjects but rather for fear of such as are not his Subjects And were all his Subjects brought in such Faithfulness and the King well and truly satisfied therein would it not ease him and his Council of much Care and sometimes Fear too and to be so well satisfied in himself concerning his Subjects Faithfulness to him herein that he could take their Word for it without Oath Bond or Surety Or if he had no Word or Promise at all from them yet could believe and trust them that they would never plot or rise against him nor do him harm but remain as firm steadfast and true to him as any other Princes Subjects in the whole World by any of their Oaths Bonds or other Engagements whatsoever if not more constant and steadfast which were all the King's Subjects brought unto would be such an Honour unto the King therein as would hardly be found belonging unto any Prince in the whole World again IV. Concerning the Honour that the King might have by the Uprightness of his Subjects in their Traffick with other Nations VVEre all the King's Subjects or most part of them brought into Truth Plainness and Righteousness so that their Yea was Yea and their Nay Nay that so all Merchants and Factors could take their Words and trust to their Words to be of more value than the Oaths of most Princes Subjects in the World and that in what Nation or Kingdom soever they come in the World as soon as it was heard they were such a Princes Subjects that then both the King of those Dominions with Princes Judges Merchants Factors and People might all conclude they were true men of their Words and that any man might deal with them and none be afraid to traffique with them because they abhor Deceit Defraud and Lying and all manner of Cozening or Dishonesty And would not this also promote trading and so enrich the Kingdom and be some means to relieve the Poor And is not the enriching of the Kingdom for the King's Honour And what Man or Nation is it but would desire to deal with Just Men And would not the Fame of such a Prince and such his Subjects as deal justly and truely where-ever they come soon sound over all the World And would it not be for his Honour that had such a People as did neither seek nor ask but a Just Price where-ever they come amongst all Nations in the World And if such Honour before mentioned be esteemed what part of it is beyond this which might cause a King's Name to be renowned over the whole World having such upright true just honest-hearted men in all things to his Subjects as not any other Eemperour or Prince could produce the like V. Concerning the King's Honour by his Subjects departing from that which disbonoureth both God and the King and themselves VVEre all the King's Subjects brought to leave and utterly to forsake the Devil and all his Works the Pomp and Vanities of this wicked World and all the sinful Lusts of the flesh and the carnal desires of the same and so to leave and utterly forsake all manner of Evil in word and deed and to bear no Malice nor Hatred in their Hearts to keep their Tongues from Lying and Evil-speaking seeing it is the evil words that Corrupt the good manners and so not to speak proudly nor contemptuously no not of the meanest Member in the Nation but to abhor and leave Arrogancy with all manner of Voluptuosness knowing that God resisteth the Proud and so not one such prophane person as Lord Esau to be found amongst them nor one Swearer nor Lyar nor Thief nor Murderer amongst them neither yet a Drunkard nor a Glutton nor a Whoremonger nor a Covetous Person which is Idolatry to be found amongst them nor any that spend their dayes in Vanity nor that abuse or waste the good Creatures of God in any of the King's Dominions whereby any of his Subjects may come to want to his dishonour And were they all brought to forsake the very Appearance of Evil and so never to transgress any of his good Laws to his dishonour herein also would this be for the Honour of the King And thus might his Fame ring over all the World and be of great Renown among all the Upright-hearted in all Nations for what is a King without his Subjects And when is a King more honoured by his Subjects than when his Subjects themselves are most honourable and act most noble and honourably And what is more honourable and more noble in the outward practice among the sons of men whereby a King might be honoured than the things aforesaid Nay do not the Principles Qualities and Practices aforesaid make men more noble and honourable than the Titles of For Esau was called Lord Edom had many Dukes and Ishmael had twelve Princes Lord Esau or Dukes of Edom or Princes of Ishmael seeing Abraham was a Wanderer and Jacob a Pilgrim and Israel dwelt in Tents who obtained a good Report through Faith and whom God hath renowned with an everlasting Honour VI. Concerning the Honour of the King and also his great Benefit by his Subjects being the Peculiar Chosen People of God and their having the Spirit of the Lord to counsel Him VVEre many of the King's Subjects the true Servants and Children of the invisible God of Heaven and Earth by true mortification sanctification and regeneration and truly led moved and guided by the Spirit of God and many of them so grown into the Power and Wisdom of God really and absolutely so having the Spirit of the Lord poured sorth upon them in these latter dayes according to the promise of God which must be and is already fulfilled so that at a needful time one of them having as it was said of Daniel ch 5. v. 11. the Spirit Light Understanding and Wisdom being found in him could shew unto the King such a thing or things or secret Determination of God which all others the King's Wise-men whomsoever could not and to discover the lurking of the King's Enemies unto him and their secret purposes against him though they were far remote as Elisha discovered unto the King of Israel that which the King of Syria in his Bed-chamber contrived against him whereby the King of Israel escaped his Plots not once or twice 2 King 6. 10. And that they could and did at any time and often times as moved of the Lord declare and shew unto the King the Counsel of God concering himself and his Kingdom and what would come to pass concerning both and how he might avoid the Evil and chuse the Good like as Samuel and other Prophets who had the Spirit were wont to do unto the Kings of Israel in the dayes of old that so his Throne might be established in Righteousness which would be more than an ordinary Honour for
Pomp and Glory of the World with all Covetous Desires of the same and carnal Desires of the Flesh so as not to follow nor be led by them and afterwards keep God's holy Will and Commandments and walk in the same all the dayes of their lives If they may why should they not profess the same and not be counted boasters by such as taught them so And why may they not live in the same without being persecuted for it by such as bound them to it If they cannot why is it that they are forced to promise and vow so to do XVI Again whether they that minister this Promise and Vow unto others have in all things performed the same viz. Whether they themselves who impose this upon others do forsake the Devil and all his Works the vain Pomp and Glory of the World with all Covetous Desires of the same and the Carnal Desires of the Flesh so that they themselves do not follow neither are led thereby but do keep God's holy Will and Commandments and walk in the same every day of their own Lives If they do how is it that their Fruits appear otherwise not only in vain Pomp and covetous Desires like Balaam but also in Covetous Practices worse than Balaam If they do not then whether therein they are not just like the Scribes Pharisees and Hypocrites of Old who laid heavy Burdens upon the People but themselves would not move them with one of their Fingers XVII Again if any men in Youth Infancy or full Age do attain so far in their own particulars to forsake all tho things aforesaid which indeed includes all Sin whether they can safely and with a good Conscience Promise and Vow for another that he shall do the like seeing also it is but an Infant And whether all Infants in England be elected and are of the faithful Seed and whether any but Gods Elect can perform the Promises and Vows aforesaid If not why should the People be forced to make such Vows which cannot be kept and be constrained and taught to tell Lyes in the presence of God by saying We forsake them all if they nor the Child do not so If they do let God's Witness in their Consciences answer which will shew the truth of the matter XVIII Again whether it is good or evil for People To forsake the Devil all his Works the vain Pomp Glory of the World with all covetous desires of the same and carnal desires of the Flâ—sh so as not to follow nor be led by them and then to keep God's holy Will and Commandments and walk in the same all the dayes of his Life If Evil why are they bound and taught so to do If Good why are many this day Persecuted and Imprisoned only for so doing XIX Whether the old Man in People or Children may be See further in publick Baptism so buried that the new Man may be raised up in them If not why have the Priests prayed so many Years together If it may be so why may not such then profess the new Man raised up in them without being called Hereticks for so professing XX. Again if the new Man be to be raised up in People when they are in Infancy then whether it be not to be raised up any other time or some other time of their Life if it be not raised up in their Infancy And then whether they be not true Labourers who labour to raise this up in People And whether they be not effectual Preachers who do thereby raise it up in People And whether this new Man be not Christ And if he be not raised up whether the Preaching be not vain the Faith vain and the People continue in their Sins that being not raised up in them which is to save from Sin And whether this new Man is not in People and Children before it be raised up And is not the new Man the second Adam And is not that the Seed which if we had been left without we had been as Sodom And is not the Seed sown in all sorts of Ground And is not the Seed Christ which is still in the World though not known by the World and who lighteth every man that cometh into the World And is not this the Truth Christ which God desireth in the inward parts Psal 51. 6. And is not this the Truth which is promised to spring out of the Earth Psal 85. 11. And was not the first man made of the Earth and are not all People descended from him and so of the Earth And whether it be not unreasonable that many Hundreds should be Persecuted chiefly for professing this and that by such who taught them so to profess and for witnessing speaking and writing of the new man raised up in them and for living uprightly according thereunto XXI Whether Children or People who have the new man raised up in them may have all carnal Affections dye in them and come to know all things belonging to the Spirit not only to live but also to grow in them If not why are they deceived with those fair Speeches If they may then who are most agreeable thereunto and the best Christians they that only talk of and profess these things effected inwardly and yet deny that any live in it or them that are come unto and do truly know and live in the possession of these things within them XXII Whether the New Man be not the second Adam the quickning Spirit And if it be whether as many as are truly led thereby it being within them be not the Sons or Children of God And whether there be any other that be the Children and Sons of God but only such as have this New Man raised up in them and are truly led thereby See further in publick Baptism XXIII Whether all the Children these late hundred Years that were baptized were regenerated when a little Water was sprinkled upon their faces though it were done by such a Priest who himself was Unregenerate and either a Proud Covetous or Drunken Man If they were or the most part of them how then did they come afterwards to be Unregenerate seeing that after their Infant-Baptism most are looked upon to be and by their Fruits do indeed appear in an Unregenerate estate And whether in any Age it can be proved by Scripture that there were so many either Young or Old first regenerated and then unregenerated again If they were not how then are the Priests words true when he saith after he hath sprinkled them Seeing now dearly beloved Brethren that these Children be regenerate XXIV Whether all or any of those Infants these many See privaâ—e Baptism hundred late years whom the Priests say were born in Original Sin and in the Wrath of God did come to Regeneration in their Infant-Baptism and were then receiv'd into the number of the Children of God and Heirs of Everlasting Life Was all this done for them and did they