to see the Divine Power in ones self ruling dwelling and living within which if it doth that Body wherein it dwells shall be wholly subject in all its actions to the Law of Righteousness They that know what the power of Love and the Law of Righteousness is they know the truth of what is here verified they that live in the light they see the Lord abroad and at home they see him in other creatures and they see him in themselves patiently submitting to his will in all things that it may be done on earth as it is in heaven so that there is a sweet composed agreement between the disposing hand of God without and his power within He that thus seeth the Lord the Antient of dayes the one Almighty power doth mightily honour him when nothing can be done abroad either in adversity or in prosperity but the divine power that rules in the heart consents rejoyces and doth not grudge And now the Lord is one and his Name one and his power one every where The sight of the King of Glory within lies not in the strength of Memory calling to minde what a man hath read and heard being able by a humane capacity to joyn things together into a method and through the power of free utterance to hold it forth to others as the fashion of Students in their Sermon-work is which a plough-man that never was bred in the Universities may do as much nay they do more in some kind as experience teaches But the sight of the King of glory within lies in the beholding of light arising up from an inward power of feeling experience filling the soul with the glory of the Law of Righteousness which doth not vanish like the taking in of words and comfort from the mouth of a hear-say-Priest who doth speak by the strength of his memory but it doth continue like the Sun in the Firmament shining forth from that established power of the Divine within and the inlivened heart shall sooner be separated from glorying in the Law of Righteousness that dwells in him then the light and heat of the Sun can be separated from the Sun and truly let me tell you that as a man finds abundance of sweet peace in his heart when he is made to live in the Kingdom of Heaven so the words that this man speaks from this power within are very profitable to others and is good seed wheresoever it is sown that will spring up and bring forth fruit for vvords spoken from the light of experience have a two-fold operation upon the hearts of the hearers for first if I lie under straits and bondage in my spirit by reason of some inward and outward troubles by reason of the enthraldom to my ovvn lusts that overpowers me so that I cannot do what I would then the words of experience from anothers mouth that hath been in the same condition and is passed thorow it sounds liberty and life to my weary soul I speak what I have felt in this particular Secondly If I delight in any way of the flesh as to seek peace in Creatures abroad vvithout me or to seek satisfaction to my self-vvill and lust in the midst of this I do occasionally hear the vvords of experience from others declaring such actions and motions to be the powers of the flesh and devil and not of the spirit of Righteousness presently these vvords take peace from the earth that is from proud flesh and fills the vvhole soul vvith anger distemper gradging and torment and this is another operation that pure Language produceth vvhich is a launcing of the dead flesh that the disease may be cured for this wounding is not to the ruine of the creature but it is a Medicine sent from the Lord to heal him to take away the evil peace from the flesh that so the created part may lie down in rest and be at peace in Christ which cannot be moved for every comfort that is of the flesh shall be shaken and removed but Christ the one povver of Righteousness and Peace shall not be shaken nor moved but stand firm for ever Now by this may you see the Kingdom of the flesh and devil vvhich must be shaken to pieces and fall and the Kingdom of Heaven or of God that endures for ever and is that Rock that cannot be removed For every one that hath lain under the bondage of selfish power and is delivered he can from that experience declare vvhat the power of darkness is in vvhole mankind Now some may say What is it for a man to live in the Kingdom of Hell Devil or Darkness I answer When a man takes delight in nothing but satisfying of the lusts of his own heart vvhen the vvay of the flesh is pleasing and the vvay of the spirit of Righteousness is a burden to him vvhen he glories in himself and feeds vvith delight upon his Covetousness Pride Envie Lust Self-vvill and in all other Evil that doth satisfie his devillish appetite and if he can but overcome that power that checketh his will or crosseth his carnal delights then this man is in his Kingdom he rejoyceth and is well pleased But yet know thou vain Man that this is yet but the Kingdom of the flesh that must be shaken and this earth must be removed for this is glorying in a mans shame What is the Kingdom of Heaven or of Christ The Law of Righteousness and Peace ruling and dwelling in mankinde is the Kingdom of Heaven for this is the universal power bearing rule and therefore treadeth the selfish power under his feet for all his delight is in the Law of the Lord and in that Law he doth exercise himself both day and night Now vvhere the heart is thus established vvith grace there is perfect peace and that which is perfect peace is the Kingdom of Heaven within you yea it is the White stone with the new name written in it that none know it but them that have it What is it for a man to live in the Kingdom of Heaven within you When a man is come to that condition by believing in the light that he is brought over the works of darkness and is made subject in every thing to the King of Righteousness Jesus Christ and all his delight is to walk according to his Law in every thing his Crown and Glory being in that Law of Righteousness which he findes seated in his heart and findes content no where else and when the Spirit is honoured this man is in his Kingdom he hath vvhat he would have for vvhen a man is made to see and know the Law of Love and Righteousness within him and delights to act from that power of life and liberty which he seeth feeleth seated in him now this man is carried on with much joy sweet calmness meekness and moderation and is full of glory this is the excellencie of the work of Christ not onely to make flesh subject to
which it appeareth that there is none but Christ the promised seed can redeem man from death nor offer unto God a ransom for him and as the tree falleth so it lieth and there is no repentance in the grave whither thou goest and every word and work must be brought to judgement with every secret thing and God is no respecter of persons for he cannot behold transgression in Jacob nor sin in Israel and if David a man after his own heart sinneth he must go with broken bones to his grave for it and seeing all have sinned and come short of the glory of God it is the one thing necessary for every man and woman seriously to consider and wait in seeking the Lord that he may be manifested unto every ones particular and this is to be sought for to know him that taketh away sin even the sins of the world for as in Adam all died so in Christ shall all be made alive and Christ hath lightned every man that cometh into the world and Christ the hope of glory is in every one and know ye not that Christ is in you unless you be reprobates now the man Christ Jesus the great Prophet declared in general terms what should be in latter times leaving it to every son and daughter to declare their particular experiences when the Spirit doth rise up in them and manisest himself unto them for they that believe saith he out of their bellies shall flow rivers or plentiful discoveries of the water of life Therefore as Moses gave way to Christ for when Christ appeared in flesh Moses Administration began to be silent and drew back and set Jesus Christ in the Chair to be the great Prophet that should be the Teacher in Types after him and the Ministration of these discoveries were to reign in the world their appointed times Even so the Lamb Christ Jesus or that single body gives way to the Holy Ghost or spreading Spirit Joh. 16. 7. Joh. 17. 21. If I go not away the Comforter cannot come to you for he that dwells bodily in me is to spread himself in you that as the Father in me and I in him are one even so I in you and you in me may become one with the Father And the Testimony of the Apostles declares as much 2 Cor. 5. 16. Col. 1. 27. Though we have know Christ after the flesh in one single body yet now henceforth know we him no more so but we look after that mystery which hath been kept secret from ages and generations past which is Christ in you the hope of glory therefore I must tell you that yet live in dipping in water and observation of Gospel-Ordinances as ye call them forms and types you live yet under the ministration of Jesus Christ after the flesh declaring the Lamb Christ to remain as yet in one single person but know you that as the ministration of Moses gave way to this so this ministration is to give way to the inward teachings of Christ and the spreading of the Spirit in sons and daughters which will more excellently declare the glory of the mystery The man Christ Jesus told the woman of Samaria Woman the time is coming and now is that neither in Jerusalem nor in this mountain shall men worship the Father but they that worship him shall worship him in spirit in truth for the Father seeks such to worship him by these words as also Luk. 17. 21. Joh. 4. 45. the son of man declares that both outward forms customs and types of Moses worship under that ministration at Jerusalem likewise all forms and customs and types of this ministration of himself as the Lamb held forth at a distance to be our Mediator should all cease and give way to the spiritual worship of the Father in the latter days or to the spreading of the Divine power in men the one Law of righteousness being the Teacher of all so that upon the rising up of Christ in sons and daughters which is his second coming the ministration of Christ in one single person is to be silent and draw back and set the spreading power of righteousness and wisdom in the chair of whose kingdom there shall be no end so as all things were gone out from the Spirit and were gone astray and corrupted the Spirit in this great mystery of truth being manifested in the flesh burns up that dross out of the Creation and draws in all things again back into himself and declares himself to be the alone wisdom and power of righteousness that rules dwells that governs and preserves both in and over the whole Creation 2 Cor. 5. 19. 1 Cor. 5. 24. and now the Son delivers up the Kingdom to God the Father and he that is the spreading power not one single person become all in all in every person that is the one King of righteousness in every one Here is plainly seen what the dividing of time is which is the last period in which the Beast is to reign for now every ministration pleads his priviledge till the Law of righteousness drown up all in himself Moses yet pleads priviledge in the practice of the Jewes after the flesh the Son of man Christ in one single person pleads a priviledg and not onely the true ministration of the Son of man according to the Apostles declaration but likewise many false forms customs and observations of worshipping are raised up through a wrong understanding of those Scriptures all pleads their priviledge and lastly the ministration of the Spirit forsaking all forms and types worshipping the Father in the substance of truth this now pleads his priviledge as his due right by course So that you see here is the dividing of time But this last ministration is the sufferer for the present as being denied his right by the former that ought to give way and as the worshippers in Moses ministration envied and killed those as worshipped the Son of man the Lamb and his worshippers so now those that worship Christ at a distance in their several Congregations and Forms and are most zealous therein are in these dayes the most bitterest enemies to the ministration of Christ in the spirit and in truth But when this ministration of the Spirit spreads himself he will make the greatest separation that ever was for though Israels separation out of Egypt amazed the World and the separation of gathered Congregations out of Parish Churches so called did trouble the earth though it is no more but going out of one form into another and none into the unity of the one Spirit yet this ministration of the Spirit now rising up by right of inheritance will take peace from the World much more for he hath begun and he will go on to gather the scattered of Israel together out of all Egyptian bondages and self-seeking oppressing Governments and out of all forms and customs of the Beast to worship the Father in spirit in and truth being
Therefore let me advise such to wait and repent if possible that this the sin of the thoughts of their hearts may be forgiven them for they are in the gall of bitterness and the bond of iniquity For I bear my testimony from the everlasting Spirit of the Lord Jesus that this which hath been declared is the truth of God and will become his povver unto Salvation unto every one that can lay hold upon him for they shall put on the nevv man vvhich after God is created in righteousness and true holiness vvhose conversation is in heaven from vvhence they look for the Saviour the Lord Jesus Christ vvho shall change their vile bodies that they may be fashioned like unto his glorious body according to the vvorking vvhereby he is able to subdue all things unto himself for Christ by his appearance vvith the Spirit of his mouth vvill burn up all the cursed seed of bondage under vvhich his redeemed ones groane and vvhen that vvhich is the Serpents seed is cast forth then the heart is a fit Temple for the Father himself to dvvel in a garden vvherein he vvill take delight for the Lord vvill be alone exalted in this the great day of his povver vvherein Judah shall be saved and Israel shall dvvell safely and this is his Name whereby he shall be called The Lord our Righteousness Now the Priests of this Generation delude the People just like those spoken of Jer. 23. 14. I have seen in the Prophets of Jerusalem an horrible thing they commit adultery and walk in lies they strengthen the hands of evil doers that none doth return out of his wickedness for the Lord feedeth them with Wormwood and giveth them Gall to drink for the Lord expresly saith They shall not profit his people for they speak a Divination of their own heart and not out of the mouth of the Lord and they tell the people if they walk after the imaginations of their own hearts no evil shall come upon them I have not sent these Prophets saith the Lord yet they run I have not spoken to them yet they prophesied but if they had stood in my counsel and had caused my people to hear my words then they should have turned them from their evil way and from the evil of their doings Am I a God at hand saith the Lord and not a God afar off can any hide himself in secret places that I shall not see him saith the Lord do not I fill heaven and earth saith the Lord how long shall this be in the hearts of the Prophets that prophesie lies yea they are Prophets of the deceipt of their own hearts which think to cause my people to forget my Name by the dreams which they tell every man to his Neighbour as their fathers have forgotten my Name for Baal Therefore am I against the Prophets saith the Lord that steal my word every one from his Neighbour therefore they shall not profit this people at all saith the Lord. Now let the Priests be tried do they know the voice of the Lord do they not deny and say Revelation is ceased and teach men cannot be freed from sin while they live and teach people to die in their sin and what will become of them then for as the Tree falleth so it lyeth and there is no repentance in the grave Well look to it woes will be your portion Jer. 23. 40. The Lord will bring an everlasting reproach upon you and a perpetual shame which shall not be forgotten And therefore let me seriously desire every one to wait patiently upon the Lord and to turn in to the light of their mindes that checketh for sin and evil for this is the true Teacher for that which giveth power over one sin will give power over all sin if the watch be carefully kept and strength from on high will be manifested to give power against all sin if the minde be turned to the Lord who will seek that which was lost and bring again that which was driven away and will bind up that which was broken and they shall be safe And thus shall they know that I the Lord their God am with them and that they are my people saith the Lord God for they know the Word of the Lord for ever settled in heaven and they make my Law their delight and will never forget my Precepts but will meditate on my Law day and night for Christ saveth his from their sins He it is that cometh out of Sion to turn ungodliness from Jacob and the time shall come that the Kingdoms of this world shall become the Kingdoms of the Lord Christ and he will lead the captivity captive and let the Prisoners of hope go free now they that hunger and thirst after Righteousness shall be filled and the poor receive the Gospel dayly Christ is drawing all men after him he is calling in the Isles and Nations of the world to come to this great Battle and blessed for ever are all those that fighteth under him and are his souldiers I give thee thanks O Father Lord of heaven and earth because thou hast hidden these things from the wise and learned and hast revealed them unto Babes for such have the anointing from the Anointed as you may see in 1 Joh. 2. 27. But that anointing which you received of him dwelleth in you and you need not that any man teach you but as the same anointing teacheth you of all things and it is true and is not lying and as it taught you ye shall abide in him and now little children abide in him if ye know that he is righteous know ye that he that doth righteousness is born of him For he that findeth rest and peace in this precious wisdom and power of the Spirit findeth it not by looking upon it at a distance but by seeing and feeling that power ruling in the Body of his flesh for that which makes true love flow forth to every creature is Christ in you the hope of glory who indeed is the Blessing of all nations and the Joy of the whole earth Therefore fear not O Servant Jacob neither be affraid O Israel for I will save thee and thou shalt dwell safely and shalt not follow me in Types and Figures in a formal customary way of worship which is zeal without knowledge for he that hath the anointing within seeth the Father in every thing Now he that speaketh from imagination or tradition and not from experience of what he seeth cannot tell another of his evil but such a one is a false Prophet and runneth before he is sent put forward by some secret lust and he never can bring to that which procureth peace for he knoweth it not because that which a man seeks for whereby he might have peace is within the heart not without The Word of life Christ the restoring Spirit is to be found within you even in-your mouths and in your hearts the Kingdom of heaven
is within you And therefore I must tell you the Priests of this generation Read all the Books in your Universities that tells you what hath been formerly and though by your natural parts with the help of such Studies you can make speeches of a day long yet you have no peace but your hearts still are as a barren wilderness and increase in sorrow till your eyes return into your selves and the Spirit come from on high to make you read in your own Book your heart wherein you shall find the Mystery of Iniquity the Man of Sin seated which is the fruits of the first Adam and till the Mystery of Godliness the second Adam Christ Jesus be revealed in you to destroy the works of the devil and make you righteous and restore you to life there is not neither can there be peace for there is no peace to the wicked saith my God and if I regard iniquity in my heart God will not hear me and he that liveth in sin the wrath of God abideth upon him So it is clear that the single-hearted ones who see the Mystery of Righteousness and are acquainted every one according to his measure with that Spirit of truth that is to be the Blessing of the whole earth and that enlightens all that come into the world although they are slightly regarded and trodden under foot of men of the world whom God filleth with his hid treasure that have every worldly thing their hearts can wish for that their eyes many times are ready to start out for fatness yet let them know for their sorrow and wo that out of this Sion which no man regards shall the Deliverer come for the light and life of Christ vvithin the heart discovers all Darkness and delivers Mankinde from Bondage and beside him there is no Saviour and what vvill become of those that are found fighters against God for they that persecute them persecute me saith Christ And therefore fear and tremble vvhoever rhou art for the wrath of the Lord smoaketh against thee and his jealousie burneth like fire if thou art found in a persecuting nature thy sin will bring destruction upon thee and there shall be no remedy Although judgement is not executed speedily against evil doers which causeth their hearts to be set in them to do evil yet the Lord will punish the hairy scalp of them that go on in their wickedness and when their sins are fully ripe then judgement shall come upon them to the utmost and there shall be no Remedy and therefore O Man who ever thou art great or small that fighteth or striveth against his little ones fear and tremble and cease from sinning any longer in that nature for fear the Lord may be a heaping up thy iniquities that he may bring wrath upon thee to the utmost and then there shall be no remedy for he repayeth them that hate him to their face to destroy them he will not be slack Deut. 7. 10 21. For the Lord thy God is amongst you a mighty God and terrible who is now rising in his might and power to destroy the man of sin and is rising like a mighty man refreshed after Wine and the seed of wickedness shall be destroyed by the brightness and glory of his coming for he alone that is the King of Righteousness will be exalted amongst you And therefore let all flesh stand still waiting in silence before him that they may see the Salvation of GOD. The second Epistle To all people whose souls panteth after God as the Hart panteth after the water-brooks NOW to him that ordereth his Conversation aright will I shew the salvation of God Hearken to the Word of the Lord and your souls shall live mind what power rules in you whether it be a particular confining selfish power which is of the devil or whether it be an universal spreading power that doth delight in the liberty of the Son for if the Son shall make you free then are you free indeed The selfish power vvhen it is crossed or shamed it grows distempered bitter spirited sometimes endeavouring to kill that bodie it dwels in and sometime some other that angers it but the power of Christ who is the giver forth of the Law of Righteousness ruling within is not moved to anger charity true love thinketh not evil but hopeth and endureth all things being meek and patient loving and acting righteously both to his own Body and to others though they be his Enemies following the Rule of Jesus Christ their King Do good to them that hate you and pray for them that despightfully use you that you may be children of your Father which is in heaven Let every man and woman know that there is but two Spirits a good and a bad there is but two wayes the straight and the narrow that leadeth to life eternal and few find it and the broad way that leadeth to destruction and many there be that go in that vvay there is but God and the devil Heaven and hell the way to happiness and the way to misery the way to life and the way to death even death eternal And the way to life is believing in the light that doth enlighten every man that cometh into the world And verily it doth concern every man to know in what state he is whether the spirit or the flesh beareth sway for the two powers before spoken of are the two Adams in mankinde they are Jacob and Esau son of the free-vvoman or son of bondage the first kills and crucifieth the Son of God but the second the Lord from heaven he maketh alive for Christ the Spirit of Truth doth arise above the power of evil and he takes the body and rules in it Isa 65. 17. he makes it a new heaven and a new earth vvhere in dwells righteousness Now that vvhich seeks after the enjoyment of Creatures to have peace in them doth but seek the living among the dead for all sin makes but one perfect body of the power of darkness the devil vvhich doth raign in every man till the man of righteousness Christ the stronger then he vvho is the Anointing comes and throws down his strong holds and divides the spoil and vvhen Christ this Word of life hath the possession that soul hath true peace in the salvation that cometh out of Sion for peace is not to be found in any other for he is the Prince of peace and the Captain of our salvation vvho hath perfected for ever all those that are sanctified by him and he ever liveth to make intercession for them for by his obedience many are made righteous Every one shall be called by my name for I created him for my glory formed him and made him I will bring forth the blinde people and they shall have eyes and the deaf and they shall have ears I even I am the Lord and besides me there is no Saviour Isai 43. 7 8 11. Because thou wast precious in my sight
Righteousness but to know himself made subject and to rejoyce in the sweet enjoyment of that Prince of peace to make a man rejoyce and to know the ground of it that his joy is unmoveable What do you mean by Divine Power The Divine is the spreading power of righteousness which is Christ that filleth all in all with himself he is called a Tree or a Vine because he doth not lie in any single person but spreads himself in all mankind every single body in vvhom he breathes is but a bough or bud of the Vine so that look upon all together in whom Christ is spread and they make up but one Vine knit together by that one Spirit into one Body vvhether they be poor or rich learned or unlearned therefore those rich men that despise the poor and those learned that despise the unlearned as your University men and Priests of the Nation doth for there is some Priests now in the Nation that vvere not bred in the University but know all of you that are despisers of them that are good and have them in contempt for their poverty and because they are unlearned in your Logick and Tongues as men are vvhy I must tell you you are all but pricks of the Thorn-bush not Branches of the Vine and you are the curse that is now very neer unto burning And every single one alone in vvhom Christ breaths is but a parcel of the Vine in vvhom the Divine Power dwells and rests even as every Branch of an Appletree is filled vvith the sap vvhich is the life of the vvhole Tree Christ is the Divine because he grovvs and flourishes in the time of light he is the Son himself he is a Vine or Tree that grows by day in the heat of light and so brings forth abundance of fruit to the glory of the Father Trees that grow in the heat of the Sun they bring forth pleasant fruit so those that are Branches of this Vine that grows in the heat and life of the one Spirit the King of Righteousness they bring forth abundance of the fruits of Righteousness according to the nature of the Vine they grow from therefore the Saints are called Children of the day not of the night for they speak vvhat they know experimentally and vvhat they have received feelingly from the Lord As we have tasted as we have felt as we have handled so we deliver unto you and their actions and words are not spent at random for they act righteously in the creation among all they have to do vvithal and they do it from the Law of Reason and Righteousness which they feel seated vvithin them For every one that doth speak or act from the light or power of the Divine within himself can give an accompt of his Words and Actions but this is the glorying that the fleshly part hides himself from for the Law of Righteousness fleshly Israel could not behold the new Covenant which the men of the long Robe the Clergy-men so called are unacquainted with For opposite to this Divine Christ there is a night-Vine which is the power of selfishness which is a fruit of the bottomless pit and it is spread abroad in mankinde and every man and woman that is guided by this selfish power of darkness are but Branches of the night-Vine and this night-Vine which is fleshly man hath from the beginning of Adams fall filled the whole earth vvith darkness under pretence of Learning and fleshly Forms of Government and so is become a spread Tree but he is called by the Spirit of Righteousness the Thorn the Fruit he brings forth is sower and bitter and good for nothing but the dunghil for Trees that grow alwayes in the shade or place of darkness where the light and heat of the Sun doth not co-operate brings forth unpleasant fruit Now this night-Vine or rather Thorn-bush is the branchings forth of the wisdom and power of selfish flesh every bud from it is a sharp prickle Treacherous and covetous Judas was one Branch from that Root and he hath risen sin up to a mighty great Tree for every treacherous and covetous heart is but the buddings forth of Judas so the envious Scribes and Pharisees are other Branches from the same Root and these have risen up into mighty spreading Trees for every one that is zealous without knowledge making a profession of the spirit of Righteousness and yet grudging and hating the vvay of the spirit are but the buddings forth of the Scribes and Pharisees that killed the just One the Lord of life and glory and wrote Hebrew Greek and Latin over his head to blind the world that their learning taught them to do that act of murder and although they have now killed Christ after the flesh and by that have spread in every Land and Family to hinder Christ from rising or else to suppress and kill him again after he is risen if they could in Sons and Daughters whom he hath by the manifestation of his light made himself known unto them So covetous Demas proud Simon Magus froward and churlish Nabal unrighteous Elymas and such like are all the budoings forth of the Thorn-bush and have covered the earth with their Branches to keep it in darkness and to hide the Son of Righteousness from it and all these are centred in the Clergy of this nation or the Priests which is most suitable to their taking of Tythes which is the great sin of Oppression that many people for conscience sake and nothing else are undone in their outward Estates and some through hard imprisonment have lost their bodily lives and this great and sad grievance is upheld by these mens pride covetousness idleness bitterness of spirit despising and treading all under foot in whom the spirit of the Lamb appears which all those that are born again do see and know this to be true and that these are the standing Enemies against Christ their Churches as they call them are the Successors of the Jews Synagogues and are houses of bon-dage And though they have prevailed with the Magistrates for their Tythes to settle them yet they shall finde the last end of them will be sad for they are but hear-say Preachers of the Gospel they cannot say any thing from any Testimony of light they have within themselves but from the Writings they have from the Apostles which they profess great love to keep charily for their Tythes sake and by the one they deceive the people of their Souls for they preach the letter for the spirit and by the other they pick their Purses And this is very manifest by their carriage for though those Writings which they live by were not Writings that proceeded from any Scholars according unto humane Art but from Fisher-men Shepherds Husbandmen who spake and writ as the Spirit gave them utterance from an inward Testimony of life Yet now these learned Scholars having got the Writings of these inferiour men of the
saith the Lord and remember their sins no more Thus saith the Lord which giveth the Sun for a light by day and the ordinances of the Moon and Stars for a light by night which divideth the sea when the waves thereof roar the Lord of Hosts is his name Now is it fit to hearken to your preaching as you call it by Arguments and expositions putting a meaning upon other mens words as you Priests do telling stories by hear-say of what you have read out of the works of those it is like as much out of the power and life of God as your selves whereas none of you know by experience for if you did you durst not sue for treble damages but with Zacheus make restitution to those ye have robbed it is plain you are merchandizers of the Scriptures and drive a Trade with your Traditions and imaginations of your own brains and woes will be your portion if you proceed for you plainly preach to others to get a living by it and this makes you all children of the curse for it is plainly seen that Money covetousness is your God Well you must all be slighted your preaching stinks before the Father and he will draw his people out of your confusion and leave you naked and bare and your shame shall be made manifest to all men For indeed I bear my Testimony from the Lord That you are a most wicked Generation of men for you are teaching people busying their heads what hath been done in the time of Moses and the Prophets and Apostles times and in the Son of Mans time in the flesh Jesus the Anointed but you do not nor cannot teach them because you are strangers to it to wait upon the Lord to find light from the spirit of Righteousness which is to arise from the measure of the light of Christ in every one and his power in and upon the heart Now all the Learning and Arts in the world is but to speak methodically of what hath been what is and conjecture what shall be all which is uncertain Now he that speaks within as we have felt as we have tasted as we have handled so we deliver unto you I say these must know what they say and know who they worship and whereas some of you call silent meetings a dumb Idol when the people of the Lord are waiting on him for the fulfilling of those Prophecies promised unto them You shew your blindness for it is and shall be the portion of the sons and daughters of the Lord to wait in silence with their eyes looking upwards waiting to be taught onely by Christ the great Prophet before whom all flesh shall be made silent And therefore cease your teachings and your prayers as you call them for they are an abomination to the Lord until you finde this true Teacher Christ in you opening your hearts to hear his voice for whoever doth speak and not declare the Lord in a pure Language that is from himself shall bear his shame whoever he be For the time is come that none shall need anything to teach him the way to Sion but an humble quiet heart to wait on the Lord till he manifest himself unto them for the Lord is a great King and worthy to be waited upon and his Testimony within fills the soul with joy and singing such joy as the world knoweth not of and such joy as men and devils cannot take from them by which his holy Ones have experience of his goodness that he is the Rose of Sharon the choicest among the sons altogether lovely whose love is better then wine his fruits are sweet unto the taste whose voyce is sweet and his countenance altogether comely and the souls of his beloved ones delighteth in him and by this experience of him he gives power unto them to speak forth those experiences unto others and then they speak to the rejoycing of one another and to the praise of Him that declares Himself in them And therefore thou whoever thou art that speakest thy imaginations studies of thy own brain thoughts and makes thy self a Teacher of others and the voice of the Lord hath not appeared to thee and the anointing from the holy Spirit hath not come down upon thee thou shalt be judged for thy unrighteousness because thou seekest to honor flesh for thou dost not honour the Lord for the anointing that cometh to teach all things creates new heaven and new earth wherein dwelleth Righteousness for they shall be filled with the fulness of Christ who is the spreading power that filleth all in all every Member of his Body being a star shining forth of him or rather a body in and out of whom he shines for he is the power that fills all Rom. 8. 23. We that have the first fruits of the Spirit even we groan within our selves waiting for the adoption to wit the redemption of our bodies and the Spirit it self maketh intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered and he that searcheth the heart knoweth what the minde of the Spirit is because he maketh intercession for the Saints according to the will of God For he makes all new by himself and for himself and this is called the holy breathing which Christ said the Comforter shall come who shall abide with you for ever Know ye not that ye are the Temple of God and that the Spirit of God dwelleth in you 1 Cor. 3. 16. Now the fleshly part first Adam seeks peace life and glory to himself from creatures and things that are without him as first he seeks content and peace from wife children friends riches places of dominion over others but that peace that is built upon such hay or stubble shall come to nothing and the Foundations shall fall 1 Cor. 3. 12 13. Secondly the fleshly first Adam that is from the earth earthly seeks content and peace from sermons prayers studies books Church-fellowship and from outward forms and customs in their forms of worship but that peace that is built upon this foundation will fall and come to nothing likewise Rom. 9. 31. But Israel which followed after the Law of Righteousness hath not attained to the Law of Righteousness for they sought it not by faith but as it were by the works of the Law the reason they stumbled at that stumbling Stone which the Builders refused but now is become the corner-Stone the Rock of Ages as it is written Behold I lay in Sion a stumbling stone and a Rock of offence and whosoever believeth on him shall not be ashamed The Word is nigh thee even in thy heart and in thy mouth that is the word of faith which we preach Rom. 10. 8. Isa 28. 9. those that are weaned from the milk and drawn from the brest he teacheth knowledge and maketh to understand doctrine Now wo unto those that have made lies their refuge and under falshood have hid themselves every one wondring after the Beast and worshipping the golden Image
this is all the Lord thy God requireth of thee To do justly love mercy and to walk humbly with thy God for Holiness becometh the House of the Lord for ever And Christ saith He that hath my commandments and keepeth them dwelleth in me and I in him And therefore do not think the Name or the Profession of a thing will serve the turn it is coming into the Life and Power of the thing that is expected from the Lord they that cry in that day We have eat and drunk in thy presence and thou hast taught in our streets all that will not do Depart from me saith Christ the reason why is shewed by him because they were Workers of iniquity So there is no priviledge for a people be they never so high in Gods favour yet if they sin against him they must know the wrath of God is against them for if a righteous man turn from his righteousness and do that which is evil he shall die for the evil and I will remember his righteousness saith the Lord no more The people of Israel were a peculiar people the Lord had manifested his love in abundance to them he fed them with Angels food and led them in the Wilderness that their cloaths waxed not old and he made the rock gush out waters and gave them Quails the lusts of their own hearts But they died in judgement whilst the meat was in their mouthes the wrath of God came down upon them and Gods Soul came to be angry with them even so much that the Lord said My soul shall be avenged on this Generation David a man after Gods own heart yet for sinning was forc'd to go with broken bones and his Ioines were filled with a sore Disease and he went groaning all the day long Moses for striking the Rock twice did not enter the Land of Canaan And therefore do not thou think whoever thou art and let thy profession be what it will for if thou sinnest against God thou must be punished by him And know this That the end of all teaching and speaking and writing is to be brought to doing The end of all saith Solomon is to fear God and keep his Commandments This is the whole Duty of Man And therefore be as thou seemest to be or seem to be as thou art For it is onely the pure in heart shall see God and the meek shall inherit the earth and dwell therein for ever The fifth Epistle To Roger Crabb and Francis Jennings John Porter Elizabeth Porter Stephen Powel Sarah Aldridge Anne Bunion To all those that are in the deceipt with him who stile themselves the Servants of the Lord onely with Judeth Edds and some few Others whose Names I cannot finde that they may see their durty Dregs and repent of their Abominations For the Wrath of God is revealed against all Deceipt and all Deceivers LAmentations Mourning and Wo is pronounced against all evil and he that soweth or she that soweth Dissention amongst Brethren is such a one as the Soul of the Lord abhorreth Now let not their looks dismay thee thou tender-hearted child or children of the most High for the Duty of Obedience which the Lord thy God requireth of thee is not in any other thing but in being obedient to the Commands of God as sin is made known unto thee by the light of the everlasting Spirit of Righteousness which is in thee and there is placed to make known sin and evil unto thee and is there placed in thy heart to raise thy immortal soul by the immortal seed of the word which is Christ in thee that thou mayst live unto him that hath called thee out of Darkness into his marvelous light that we might not henceforth live unto our selves but unto him and therefore living unto him is to be holy as he was holy and pure as he was pure and so the Life of the Saints is to be a Life of purity and it is the pure in heart that see him and so it is not as Roger Crabb surmiseth and William Smith and John Dunck and others in wearing hair or not hair for if they will believe the History of Josephus they may finde that Christ wore his Hair very long waving about his Shoulders and the Scriptures of Truth maketh mention that he wore it according to the manner of the Nazarites who had no Razor come upon their heads neither is it in dirty hands faces as they fondly do surmise but it lieth in the hidden man of the heart in a meek and quiet spirit which is a thing of God much set by neither is it in straw Hats or such fond conceits for they cannot be made without hands no more then woollen ones But the Reader may take notice that this people being departed from the living presence of the Lord God where Life and Peace and Rest is to be dwelt in they wander up and down seeking Rest and finde none for the Peace is not in eating or drinking but in Righteousness Peace and Joy in the Holy Ghost It is not then in denying the lawful use of the creatures for the Apostle saith Whatsoever is sold in the shambles that eat making no scruple for conscience-sake So then it is clear that men may lawfully eat all creatures as well as herbs or what groweth naturally And every creature of God is good saith Paul and nothing ought to be refused if it be received with praise and thanks giving and it is not that saith Christ that goeth into the man that doth defile the man but that which cometh out For out of the heart saith Christ proceedeth adultery fornication murder and the like So it is the evil heart being corrupted that is the cause of the man being defiled and it is not the denying of meats wherein Religion stands for they may see that Christ fed five thousand men with five Loaves and two Fishes and commanded the Fragments to be taken up that nothing might be left and he turned water into wine if he had not allowed the use of it he would not have made it but it was to be drunk And Christ saith If any of you have a son shall ask bread will he give him a stone or if he shall ask a fish will he give him a serpent so he clearly owneth the eating of those creatures And if they or any led by their fond deceitful spirit that deny the Resurrection of the Body of Christ out of the grave let them read Luk. 26. vers 37. and so forward But they were terrified and affrighted and supposed that they had seen a spirit and he said unto them Why are you troubled and why do thoughts arise in your hearts Behold my hands and my feet that it is I my self handle me and see for a Spirit hath not flesh and bones as you see me have And when he had thus spoken he shewed them his hands and his feet And while they yet believed not for joy and
Chron. 34. And Josiah did that which was right in the sight of the Lord and walked in all the wayes of David his father and declined neither to the right hand nor to the left Ezra 7. 10. For Ezra had prepared his heart to seek the Law of the Lord and to do it Vers 25 26. And thou Ezra after the wisdom of thy God that is in thy hand set Magistrates and Judges which may judge all the people all such as know the Laws of thy God beyond the river and teach ye them that know them not and whosoever will not do the Law of thy God and the law of the king let judgement be executed speedily upon him whether it be unto death or to banishment or to confiscation of goods or to imprisonment Neh. 1. 5. O Lord God of heaven the great and terrible God that keepeth covenant and mercy for them that love him keep his commandments Neh. 10. 29 They came to their Brethren their Nobles and entered into a curse and into an oath to walk in Gods Law which was given by Moses the servant of the Lord and to observe and do all the commandments of the Lord our God and his judgements and his statutes Job 1. 1. There was a man in the land of Uz whose name was Job and that man was perfect and upright and one that feared God and eschewed evil Isa 2. 3. Let us go up to the house of the God of Jacob and he will teach us of his ways and we will walk in his pathes for out of Sion shall go forth the Law and the word of the Lord from Jerusalem Sanctifie the Lord of hosts himself and let him be your fear and your dread Thou wilt keep him in perfect peace whose minde is stayed on thee because he trusteth in thee Trust ye in the Lord for ever for in the Lord Jehovah is everlasting strength The wayes of the just is uprightness Thou most Upright dost weigh the pathes of the just yea in the ways of thy judgements O Lord have we waited for thee the desire of our soul is to thy Name and to the remembrance of thee Thus saith the Lord of hosts the God of Israel Amend your wayes and your doings Trust not in lying words saying The Temple of the Lord the Temple of the Lord the Temple of the Lord for if you throughly amend your wayes and your doings if you throughly execute judgement between a man and his neighbour if ye oppress not the stranger the fatherless and the widow and shed not innocent blood in this place neither walk after other gods to your hurt then will I cause you to dwell in this place in the land that I gave to your fathers for ever and for ever Behold ye trust in lying words that cannot profit will ye steal murder and commit adultery and swear falsly and burn incense to Baal and walk after other gods whom ye know not and come and stand before me in this house which is called by my Name and say We are delivered to do all these abominations But this thing commanded I them saying Obey my voice and I will be your God and you shall be my people and walk ye in all the wayes that I have commanded you that it may be well unto you Behold the dayes come saith the Lord that I will raise unto David a righteous Branch and a king shall reign and prosper and shall execute judgement and justice on the earth in his days Judah shall be saved and Israel shall dwell safely and this is his Name whereby he shall be called The Lord our Righteousness Nevertheless if thou warn the righteous man that the righteous sin not and he doth not sin he shall surely live the soul that sinneth shall die but if a man be just and do that which is lawful and right and hath not eaten upon the mountains neither hath lift up his eyes to the idols of the house of Israel neither hath defiled his neighbours wife neither hath come neer to menstruous women and hath not oppressed any but hath restored to the debtor his pledge hath spoiled none by violence hath given his bread to the hungry and hath covered the naked with a garment he that hath not given forth upon usury neither hath taken any increase that hath with-drawn his hand from iniquity hath executed true judgement between man and man hath walked in my statutes and kept my judgements to deal truly he is just he shall surely live saith the Lord God And they that be wise shall shine as the stars in the firmament for ever and ever and they that turn many to righteousness as the brightness of the firmament And in that day will I make a Covenant for them with the beasts of the field with the fowls of heaven and with the creeping things of the ground and I will break the bow and the sword and the battel out of the earth and will make them dwell safely and I will betroth thee unto my self in righteousness for ever yea I will betroth thee unto my self in righteousness and in judgement and in loving kindness and in mercy I will betroth thee unto my self in faithfulness and thou shalt know the Lord. The Lord also shall roar out of Sion and utter his voice from Jerusalem and the heavens and the earth shall shake but the Lord will be the hope of his people the strength of the children of Israel Then shall Jerusalem be holy and there shall no stranger pass through her any more For thus saith the Lord unto the house of Israel Seek ye me and ye shall live But upon mount Sion shall be deliverance and there shall be holiness and the house of Jacob shall possess their possessions They that observe lying vanities forsake their own mercy But I will sacrifice to thee with the voice of thanksgiving I will pay that that I have vowed salvation is of the Lord. Thus saith the Lord concerning the prophets that make my people err that bite with their teeth and cry peace and he that putteth not into their mouths they ever prepare war against him But truly I am full of power by the Spirit of the Lord and of judgement and of might to declare unto Jacob his transgressions and to Israel his sin Hear this ye heads of the house of Jacob and princes of the house of Israel that abhor all judgement and pervert all equity they build up Sion with blood and Jerusalem with iniquity the heads thereof judge for reward and the priests thereof teach for hire and the prophets thereof divine for money yet will they lean upon the Lord and say Is not the Lord amongst us no evil can come upon us Therefore shall Zion for your sakes be plowed as a Field and Jerusalem shall become heaps and the Mountains of the house as the high places of the Forests The Lord is of purer eyes then to behold evil and cannot behold
Lord God is found and felt in the hearts of all his chosen ones and they feel themselves branches springing forth of the Tree of Life and in him that is in Christ by abiding in him and his living Word abiding in them they bring forth much fruit and they walk from strength to strength and from faith to faith until they appear before God in Sion and they do turn people from darkness unto light and from the power of Satan unto God that they do receive remission of sins and an inheritance amongst those that are sanctified and as they have felt and handled and tasted of the good Word of Eternal Life so they do deliver it unto others freely they have received and freely do they give according to the command of Christ their Law-giver and they have received the Unction the anoynting from the Holy One which doth abide in them and teacheth them all things and they have the first fruits of the Spirit which doth make them alive unto God And they do go into the dark corners of the world as they are moved by the Holy Ghost to preach freely the everlasting Gospel of Salvation glad tydings to all people whose feet are beautiful and they do it upon this account that a necessity doth lie upon them and woes will be upon them if they do it not if they do the work of the Lord negligently and they are ready to sacrifice their lives and to seal the truth of their Ministry with their blood that they may finish their work with Joy and inward Consolation which is full of power and great glory and their Conversations are without Covetousness they seek not their ovvn but the things of Jesus the salvation of all men that they may live the life of holiness as they have been servants unto sin so that they may novv come to be made free from sin and have their lives in holiness and righteousness the end whereof is everlasting life for the gift of grace is free and so many as receive him to them he gives power to become the Sons of God even to all those that do believe in his name and their conversations are in heaven and they do not minde earthly things and they do the works of the Spirit vvhich doth make them alive unto God for as many as are led by the Spirit of God they are the Sons of God and they are as Lights in the midst of a perverse and crooked Generation and they are holy harmless vvithout spot and blemish vvaiting vvith Oyl in their own Lamps for the coming of the Lord that they may enter into his Joy and receive the end of their faith which is the salvation of their souls The true Ministers of Christ they were filled with the Holy Ghost before they went forth as Paul saith when Christ had revealed himself in him then he spake the word with boldness and many of the Priests say That Judas had a Commission as well as the rest of the Apostles because Christ sent them forth and said As you go preach and say The Kingdom of God is at hand vvhich Kingdom was the pouring down of the Spirit of Righteousness vvhich he promised that the holy Ghost should come down and abide with them for ever and lead them into all truth But there is not one Text that ever I could find that they did go forth until the lot fell upon Matthias in the room of Judas and he was numbered amongst the twelve It is said That the seventy returned and said Behold Lord the devils are subject unto us So at the best those Priests that pleads for Judas doth but derive their Office from him for he was a Deceiver at the best and so are all they that have not received the holy Ghost for the Apostles were to feed the Flock of Christ over which the holy Ghost hath made them Overseers and the Priests of this Generation are they not proud covetous arrogant ambitious self-lovers lovers of pleasures more then lovers of God having a form of Godliness but denying the power thereof Where is the man or the woman that hath been at any time snatcht out of the paws of Satan and out of the snares of hell by their Ministry as it is called Where is the fruits of the holy Ghost to be found amongst their hearers which is Love Joy Meekness Temperance Brothetly kindeness Bowels of Compassion enduring all things Temperance Righteousness and holy in all manner of conversation Is not the fruits of their hearers clean contrary are they not wrath anger malice murder robbery plunder a neater word for Thieves Swearing Adultery Fornication and all uncharitableness scoffing despising those that are good heady high-minded disobedient to parents unnatural truce-breakers Covenant-breakers And by this it appears that they neither have the call of Christs Ministers for if the Lord had sent them they should have turned people from the evil of their doings and they should have learned to do well neither have they the maintenance of Christs Ministers nor the fruits of Christs Ministers for Christs Ministers they were commanded to take nothing with them neither money nor staff nor scrip and they were to enquire who was worthy and there enter and there eat such things as was set before them and that was their maintenance not to force people and take away their Goods three times as much as was or could be demanded And the fruits of Christs Ministers Peter converted three thousand at once and many thousands now blessed be the holy Name of the ever-living GOD are escaped out of the snare of the hunter by the sounding forth of the everlasting Gospel of salvation from his true Ministers who are despised and scornfully called by the seed of evil doers Quakers whose Doctrine is To turn people to the light within them which doth bring them out of Rebellion and the disobedient nature which the light doth reprove and condemn and they that do draw from the teachings of Christ within such the Light Christ doth shew to be seducers 1 Joh. 2. 26 27. and this light doth bring into the holy life and into the pure worship of God in the Spirit And therefore I do dearly exhort you from the Lord to come out of all your false Churches your false ways and from your proud deceitful Priests and come to Christ the true Pastor and Bishop of your souls and so you shall come to the Church that is in God 1 Thes 1. 1. Heb. 12. 22 23. whose Overseers are made by the holy Ghost And so dear Friends I do dearly exhort you to take heed to that which is pure of God in your consciences and obey it and make that your Teacher for that calls for a pure conversation 1 Pet. 1. 13 14 15 16. and let your light so shine before men that they may see your good works and so you shall all come to be baptized into Christ and so put him on by one Spirit and come