rebelled against it and therefore it was their condemnation though they talked of God and Christ with their mouthes and profess God and Christ in words yet in works they did deny both God and Christ and so doth all in this Age who rebel against the Grace of God in them Peter the Minister of Christ he told the Saints 2 Pet. 1.19 that they had a moro sure Word of Prophesie then that which was heard in the Mount whereunto they did well if they took heed us unto a Light that shineth in a dark place until the day dawn and the Day-star arise in your hearts Now People take notice that the dark place where the Light did shine which people was to take heed unto was within people for said he you do well that you take heed unto the Light which shineth in the dark place until the day dawn and the Day-star arise in your hearts so when they did believe in the Light and take heed unto the Light then the day did dawn in their hearts but when they did not believe in the Light nor take heed unto it then the thick night of darkness was in and over their hearts For God called the Light Day 1 Thess 5.7 vers 3 4 5 6 8. and the Darkness he called Night so all who do evil they do it in the Night in the Darkness when they are ravined from the Light the free Gift of God within them but Peter the Minister of Christ he brought people to the Light of the free Gift of God in them and so we the Servants and Ministers of Christ we do direct people to the Light and Grace of God in them which is Gods Gift unto them to profit withal and we the Servants of Christ do speak that freely unto people which we have freely and immediately received from the Lord God to speak unto them and it doth not cost us any Money for the Gift of God cannot be bought nor sold for Money for Simon Magus the Sorcerer when he perceived the Gift and Power of God which was with Peter and the rest of the Ministers of Christ he would have given them Money that he might have had the some Power but Peter said unto him Thy Money perish with thee thou hast neither part nor lot in this matter because thou hast thought that the Gift of God might be bought for Money so the Ministers of Christ in former Ages did not sell the Gift which God had given them for Money but judged and reproved Simon who would have given them Money for the Gift of God And the Servants or Ministers now at this day who have received a Gift from God and a Command from God to speak unto people they do not sell the Gift which God hath given unto them for Money nor any other Earthly thing nor their Words which they do speak from the Gift or Spirit of God within them they do not sell for Money nor for any Earthly thing and so in this they are like unto the Ministers of Christ in the Ages past and as the Ministers of Christ in the Ages past did direct people to the Light within the Grace within Joh. 1.1 2 c. to verse 13. the Spirit within the Word within and the Anointing within which was to guide them and lead them into all Truth so the Ministers of Christ in this Age doth direct people to the Light within Grace within Spirit within Anointing within and the Word within Deut. 30.14 which was in the Beginning that they may hear it in their own hearts and be obedient unto it And as the Ministers of Christ in former Ages lived a Godlike Sober and Holy life and lived in the good they exhorted others to come into and also lived out of the evil that they reproved others for so the Ministers of Christ at this day by the same Spirit of God within them are kept in a holy Godlike life and they are in the good they exhort others to come into and they live out of the evil that they reprove others for and in this they are like unto the Ministers of Christ in the former Age and the Ministers of Christ now in this Age are good examples unto those people unto whom they preach the Gospel and unto all people who sees them Glory yea glory to the Lord God for ever for it is his Work and it glorifies him and he is worthy for ever even so Amen for ever But the Hirelings whom God never sent nor commanded to preach who run and intrude themselves to be Teachers for Hire for their Belleys they say unto their Followers be not proud and they themselves are proud and they say unto their Followers be not covetous and they themselves are the most coveteous men that be upon the Earth their Fruits doth make them manifest for they do make it their frequent practice to force Wages from those they do no work for and I do not know any Tradesman in this Nation of any other Trade that will demand or force Wages from those they do no work for but only the Hireling Priests and the Officers of that bad Trade And the Hirelings saith be not Envious and they themselves are Envious and so they are out of the good they exhort others to come into and they are in the evil that they reprove others for and so their Doctrine is of no Authority and it is not worth heeding for it hath no power in it to kill Sin nor to cast him out of people who is the Power and Author and Root of Sin which is the Devil and so they are Hypocrites who judgeth their Followers for doing evil and they themselves are doing the same evil for Christ said that he was a Hypocrite who said unto his Brother Let me pull the Moat one of thine Eye and he had not first pulled the Beam out of his own Eye Mat. 7.3 4 5. and Christ said he was a Hypocrite who judged another Rom. 2.1 2 3. and acted the same things himself And this I say in the Name and Power of the Lord God that there is many thousands of those people who follows the Hireling Priests who are more naturally honest and are of a better understanding to receive the things of the the Spirit of God then the Hireling Priests who are their Teachers but God will gather them out from them and will teach them himself freely by his own Spirit in their own hearts Some of the Hireling Priests have been heard to say to their Followers do not as we do but do as we say now this is clearly contrary to the Doctrine of the Apostle who said unto them that followed him Walk as you have us for an Example and follow us 1 Cor. 11.1 Phil. 5.17 18 19. 1 Thess 1.6 7. 1 Pet. 5.1 2 3 4. as we follow Christ speaking of himsef and the rest of the Ministers of Christ he did not bid them
the Temple that God did create for himself to dwell in even above all that is truly called God and in a little Remnant the Lord God hath recovered his own Right and he now doth reign whose right it is and the Government is upon his shoulders and under his Government we do sit with great delight and his Fruit is sweet unto our taste and this is the Name which we can truly and experimentally call him The Lord our Righteousness for he is truly so who hath redeemed us out of unrighteousness and thus God the Father hath made his Son Christ Jesus unto us Wisdom Righteousness Sanctification and Redemption and thus we who sometimes were Forreigners and Strangers from God are now brought near unto him and we that were in dayes past darkness are now made light in the Lord and we who in times past was dead in trespasses and sins hath he now quickned and thus God hath made his Son Christ Jesus the Captain of our Salvation and the Bishop of our Souls and we that were once wandered and gone astray in our imaginations into divers and sundry Forms of worship he hath now gathered us out of those various Forms where we were scattered in our imaginations and we have now found that within us which we had long been looking for without us amongst the false Prophets which Christ said should come and that they should deceive many and he said They shall say Lo here is Christ but Christ said unto his Disciples Go ye not forth Now Reader consider that Christ said unto his Disciples before he was crucified at Jerusalem I am the Vine ye are the Branches as the Branches cannot bring forth fruit except they abide in the Vine no more can ye except ye abide in me and without me ye can do nothing they were in a measure in him and he in them while as he did walk with them in that visible appearance which he after did suffer in and so it was good wholsom Doctrine that he did preach unto them when he said They shall say Lo here is Christ and lo there is Christ believe them not go not forth for that of Christ which they were come to know and their minds was brought in unto that was it which was sufficient to give them the knowledge of those salfe Prophets which Christ foretold them of that they should come in his Name and therefore it was very necessary that he should exhort them to keep within with it and this measure which they were gathered into the belief of and feeling of before his departure in that only and in nothing else could they know him and receive him in his coming again unto them who said I will not leave you comfortless I and my Father we will come and make our abode with you and they waited at Jerusalem until this blessed promise was fulfilled in them who was endued with Christ Gods power from on high so they were Gods Temples and God and Christ did walk in them according to his promise But now we who have our being in this Age wherein the Whore the false Church hath sitten as a Queen and hath riden upon the scarlet coloured Beast who hath received his Power and Seat and great Authority from the Dragon darkness hath covered the Earth and thick darkness hath covered us the people and so we were darkness in the power of darkness and so was hurled up and down with the false Prophets Doctrine and was deceived by their fained words and fair speeches with which they did lye in wait for that purpose and so we were long learning of them but was never able to come to the knowledge of the true God nor of his true worship by all their teachings and so Physitians of no value we have found them to be But as the Apostle Paul was sent to open the eye of the mind which the God of the World had blinded by turning peoples minds from that dark power that led them into sin unto the Light and Power of Christ in them which did condemn for sin by which they did witness redemption from sin So the Lord God hath raised up some in this present Age in the same work to turn peoples minds in unto the Light that thereby they may receive the knowledge of God and of his pare worship which is in his own Spirit and Truth which the Devil and Sin is out of and the labours and travels of such as he doth send forth in his own Power and Wisdom is very effectual and prevalent in a Remnant to turn them unto God so that thousands that walked in darkness up and down amongst the false Prophets and knew not whether they went because the Prince of darkness had blinded their minds is now turned unto God who is Light and now they are Light in him as they were darkness in the power of darkness so now they are Light in the Power of God who is Light and in whom there is no darkness at all So as I said before that which we were seeking without us amongst the false Prophets who have cryed Lo here Lo there that we have found within us Glory yea glory to the Lord God for evermore for it is his own work and let it glorifie him And so Gods Promise we do witness fulfilled unto us Thus saith the Lord God I will bring the Blind by a way they know not and certainly God hath fulfilled this Promise unto thousands and will fulfil it in many thousands more that yet walks in darkness in the ignorance of God and his pure worship in his own pure Spirit for when we were wandering up and down in our imaginations amongst the false Prophets in their various invented Forms which they have variously invented in their fallen earthly wisdom then we did not look to be brought to the knowledge of God by a Light or Spirit of God and Christ within us for the Hireling Priests and other high Professors whom we did follow for teaching they did generally agree in telling of us that Revelation was ceased and that there was no immediate teaching to be looked for nor received in this Age and they have said and published it in print unto the Nation that they have not an infallible Spirit as the Apostles and Ministers that Christ sent forth had And while we did believe these their sleepy Dreams and lying Divinations thereby we were kept in Error and so by these their Lyes they caused us to err and they did labour what they could to keep us from believing in the Light but Gods love was such unto our poor distressed Souls which was thus tossed up and down by their false Doctrines That he coused his Light to shine out of darkness in our hearts and to give us the Light of the knowledge of the Glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ and this Treasure have we in our hearts and inward parts even in the earthen vessels and so the power
and the excellency of it is of him and not of us and to him we give the glory and honour for to him it is due for ever who by his Light which he hath caused to shine in our hearts hath given us to see them and their false Doctrines and false Worships and Wayes and now he hath given unto us Christ his Son his Covenant of Light to be our Teacher and this is that Way which once we did not know And God said unto man Thy Teacher shall no more be removed into a Corner but thine eye shall see thy Teacher thou shalt hear a voice behind thee saying This is the way walk in it And we can say Experimentally through Gods mercy that that which in times past came behind us to call us out of Evil when we were gone into Evil even than same hath led us out of Evil and so that which formerly we were turned from we are now turned to again so that which followed us and condemned us when we did Evil that is come before us and leads us into those things which is well-pleasing to the Lord our God and so Christ Jesus the Light in us is become our Shepherd and we do hear his Voice in us and we do follow him and he doth give us Peace in our inward parts which neither the Devil nor Wicked men can take from us if we abide faithful unto him And so we are set down under him who is the true Vine and we are Branches in him and so we know that the Son of God is come and hath given us an understanding to know him that is true and we are in him that is true even in the Son of God Christ Jesus and this is the true God and Life Eternal and he is our Teacher Bishop and High-priest and Lord and King and we do believe that he shall no more be removed out of our sight nor hearing but we shall for ever see him and he shall Live and Reign for evermore and he said Because I live ye shall live also and we know what he said is true and he said I am the Resurrection and the Life he that believeth in me though he were dead yet shall he live and he that liveth and believeth shall never die and these things we do stedfastly believe And as for those Priests and Professors who say Revelation is ceased and there is no immediate teaching to be received in this Age and those that say they have not an infallible Spirit as the Apostle had as for those that hate the Light wherewith Christ Jesus hath enlightned them and loveth darkness which is of the Devil that cannot reveal the things of God and his Kingdom unto them and we know that those who hate the Light and will not hearken to the Light nor obey the Light they can have no immediate testimony to bear for God unto others and we know that there is no infallible Spirit but the Spirit of God and Christ and so they who do not believe in that measure of the Spirit of God and Christ which he hath placed in them to instruct them they have no infallibility but they fail of their Duty toward God and one towards another and so they are unprofitable Servants and wholy useless in the worship of God For if any man have nor the Spirit of Christ he is none of his now it is certain that the Spirit of Christ is infallible it did never fail to fulfil the Will of his Father and the Apostle said God had sent the Spirit of his Son into our hearts whereby they called him Father and we do confess to the Glory of God that he hath sent the same Spirit of his Son into our hearts by which we can experimentally call him Father and in and by this we have the things of God and his Kingdom revealed unto us and are immediatly taught by this and this is infallible and doth not fail to lead us into all truth if we do in Faithfulness follow it and so it is our Comforter who love it and obey it but it is and will be the Torment and Condemnation of all those that hate it So the way of the Wicked is Darkness they know not at what they stumble Destruction and Misery is in their way and the way of Peace they know not The Priests and Professors who cry Revelation is Ceased and there is no immediate Teaching to be received in this Age and say that they have no Infallible Spirit These People say that the Scriptures of the Old and New Testament is the Revealed Will of God unto them I say the Scriptures was given forth by the Inspiration of God which gives understanding and they do not stand and remain Open and Revealed unto any man or woman but unto such who comes into the Spirit of God and Christ which is infallible for when the Son of God opened his mouth and spake unto the World he spoke in Parables and they could not understand his words because their minds was out from that of God in them for Christ told the unbelieving Jewes that they did neither know the Scriptures nor the Power of God And now all People whose minds are out from that of God in them they can no more know the Scriptures then the unbelieving Jewes could for it is that from which they were at first given forth which must give People the true understanding of them for Christ said unto his Disciples unto you it is given to know the Mysteries of the Kingdom but unto others who were in the unbelief he did speak in Parables even the same words which to unbelievers seemed Lyes and madness even those words was made plain unto them And their hearts did burn within them when he opened unto them the Scriptures after his Resurrection and I say the Scriptures is a book sealed from all People who hath the Light and will not own it to be their Teacher and they are jangling and quarrelling about the meaning of the Scriptures and so are fighting and striving one with another about the Shaddow and Outside of things and never comes to Christ the Substance for said Christ to the unbelieving Jewes Search the Scriptures for in them ye think you have Eternal Life But ye will not come unto me that you might have Life He did not say you cannot come unto me but he said you will not come unto me that you might have Life so Reader thou mayst see they had a Stubborn will who would not come unto Christ God said unto man in the daies of old I have set Life and Good before thee and Death and Evil and God did not nor doth not say unto man Choose Death that thou mayest dye but he did say and doth say choose Life that thou mayest live Paul said I will that Prayers and Supplications be put up for all men in as much as God would have all men to be saved and come to the knowledge
sinned and died who have been ravined from the Spirit within them as he did from the Spirit within him and so have faln and sinned and died as he did but now all who cometh to witness Redemption from that Estate they must come into the Spirit and Light within them from which they have ravined and if they do not come to believe in and obey that they will never come to be made alive in and by Christ the Second Adam though they may talk of and profess never so much of God and Christ without them at a distance from them and though they may have a perswasion in their hearts and may really believe all that is written in the Holy Scriptures concerning the Birth of Christ and of his Death and of his Resurrection yet this believing will not bring them into acceptation with God if they do not come to believe in the Light and Spirit of Christ within them For I say in the fear of the Lord God consider Doth not all the prophane people in all those Nations ealled Christendom generally believe that he was the Son of God who was crucified without the Gates at Jerusalem and was born of the Virgin Mary and rose again the third day as they read the Scriptures of Truth which beareth witness of those things and yet though they have given credit unto those words which are written of him many of them are Proud and Covetous Drunkards and Swearers and Lyers Persecutors Murtherers and Theeves and Cheaters and Dissemblers Now I say in the Fear of the Lord God consider Is this true Saving Faith which they are in and though they have been taught by Tradition to believe as aforesaid yet their hearts are very corrupt and full of wickedness and so are far from the Lord God and they are far from being accepted with the pure God in that Estate now the Apostle saith Faith purifieth the heart and the Mystery of the Saints Faith in the Apostles dayes was held in their Pure Consciences which was Christ in them the Hope of Glory 1 Tim. 3.9 so they were in the True Saving and Living Faith their Faith stood in the Power Spirit and Light of Christ within them and the Power Light and Spirit of Christ within them did purifie their hearts and it made them of a Right Spirit and so that which purified their hearts dwelt in them for it is written The Tabernacle of God is with men Rev. 21.3 Ezek. 37.27 I will walk in them and dwell in them said God I will be their God and they shall be my people and Christ said unto the Saints I and my Father we will come and make our abode with you and Christ said unto his Disciples before he was offered up He that is with you shall be in you and he said Joh. 6.63 It is the Spirit that quickeneth the Flesh profiteth nothing and though the Apostle had known Christ once after the Flesh yet benceforth I know him so no more 2 Cor. 4.16 said he and he said I bear in my Body the Dyings of the Lord Jesus that the Life also of Jesus may be made manifest in my mortal Flesh Joh. 14.11 c. to 25. and he said I am crucified unto the World and the world unto me and the Life that I now live is by Faith in the Son of God I Live said he yet not I but Christ in me and so he witnessed Christ in him the Hope of Glory and the Apostle said unto the Saints Try your selves prove your selves know you not your own selves how that Jesus Christ is in you except you be Reprobates Now I say the people of God who are in scorn called Quakers do believe and certainly know that he who was born of the Virgin Mary was the Son of God who was hated by the Jews and sentenced to die by Pilate though he could find no fault in him we do believe that he was crucified without the Gate of Jerusalem and was raised again the third day by the mighty Power of his Father in whose will he suffered though there was no fault in him and we believe and are sure that God was greatly honoured in his Faithfulness Obedience and Humiliation who though he was without fault humbled himself unto the death upon the Cross and we do believe and are sure that all that did believe in him in that Age in which he suffered outwardly and did confess him boldly before his Enemies and suffered death for his Name sake or imprisonment they are everlastingly well who continued in faithfulness unto the end But consider O all ye professors in that called Christendom it was a hard and mighty thing in that Age in which he suffered to confess before his Enemies that he was the Messiah the Christ the Son of God for to confess before his Enemies that he was the Son of God was cause enough for his Enemies by their unjust Law by which they had put him to death to put those to death that should so confess him So that in that Age there durst none confess him before his Enemies to be the Son of God but those who were come to feel and know the Measure of the Spirit of God which he had given them to instruct them for that gave them to know that he was the Son of God and it filled their hearts with zeal and boldness to confess him to be the Son of God though they were put to death for their Confession for Christ said No man can come unto me except my Father draw him Joh. 6.44 45 46. so God drew them by the Measure of his Spirit in them to know that Jesus was the Son of God and by the same he drew them to confess him boldly before his Enemies And Christ said unto his Disciples Whom do men say that I am some said he was John Baptist and some Elias But he said unto his Disciples Mat. 16.13 14 15 16 17. whom do ye say I am Peter answered and said Thou art Christ the Son of the Living God Jesus answered and said unto him Flesh and Blood hath not revealed that unto thee but my Father only But oh you Professors in what Form soever consider It is many Ages past since Christ suffered without the Gate of Jerusalem and people have been ravened from the Life and Power and Spirit in which the ancient Christians lived for you may read that the Saints were called Christians fiest at Antioch Act. 11.26 and it is very like at that time the name Christian was as hatefull a name both with the unbelieving Jews and Gentiles as the name Heathen is hatefull here in England and other Nations who calls themselves Christians but Christ and his Apostles wrought many great and wondrous Works in and by the mighty Power of God Acts 20.29 30. while they were walking upon the Earth among the Sons and Daughters of men and they wrot in the Spirit and Power
hath opened our understandings and we do clearly see that they have not the Living Bread to seed upon themselves and so hath it not to deal unto others for we do see and know them to be proud covetous envious men and we do see know that the Lord God never made use of such to feed his Sheep for the greedy earthly and envious man is of the Wolvish nature and he is is not a fit man to be made a keeper of Gods Lambs for he is more like to devour them then feed them with the Bread of Life but now Glory to the Lord God for ever he hath opened an Eye within us by which we are come to see them and to know them and they cannot do any good to our Souls with their Preaching and Praying that we do certainly know and so we have no need of them for we have no need of that which will do us no good but hurt for we are able to prove that they do not stand in the Counsel of God Jer. 23. from verse 21 to 32. and therefore the people that follow them are not turned from the evil of their wayes and they have not been sent of the Lord therefore he hath not blessed them and their Labours for they have been Preaching and Praying for many years and it hath been a frequent practice of theirs to sell their Sermons Hosea 6.5 and their Prayers to those that would give the most Money for them and when they had been preaching unto and praying for a People several years and hath had from those people it may be One hundred pounds by the year yet when they have heard of it may be an hundred and fifty pounds to be had by the year at another place then they have left their Flocks which had paid them an hundred pounds by the year for their hire and hath gone unto those that would pay them an hundred and fifty pounds by the year for their hire Micah 3.9 10 11. and so they have shifted from one place to another to sell their preaching and their prayers at a dear rate and those covetous Hirelings have striven one with another Isa 9.13 14 15 16. who should have that place where there was most Money to be had for their preaching and praying Isa 56.10 11. and they have gone to Law one with another to get great places where there is much hire one from another they have been bad Examples to their Flocks they have lived in Pride and in Covetousness Jer. 5.30 31. and in these things they do greatly abound at this time and they are haters and persecuters of those that fears God Jer. 6.13 14. and verse 10. and are taught of God who cannot buy their Merchandise any more and although such who are taught of God do deny them and their preaching and their praying Jer. 14.14 15. and doth not come to hear them preach and pray yet they do demand wages of them for whom they do not work and because such who are taught of God cannot not dare not give them any thing because they know they are not sent of God and therefore doth no good unto peoples Souls with their praying and preaching but hurt yet when such who are taught of God will not give them hire Ezek. 13. read it through then they Sue them at the Law and take from them it may be three or four or five times as much as they demanded to be their due and thus they are more unreasonably wicked and unlike God then any other Tradesmen so these covetous Tradesmen of Great Mystery Babylon the Mother of all Harlots they are altogether unlike the true Ministers of Christ which he sent forth who said unto them Freely you have received freely give Mat. 10.8 9. c. to the end of the Chapter and they did as Christ commanded them and they went into the Towns and Cities and Countries and Nations to enquire who had a desire after the Knowledg of God and who was willing to receive the Kingdom of God and they preached the Gospel freely without Money and without Price yea without the price of One hundred pounds by the year yea the Ministers of Christ in former Ages and the Ministers of Christ in this Age fulfilled and doth fulfil that which the Spirit of God in Isaiah the Prophet called for when he said O come ye to the Waters Isa 55. from verse 1 to 10. come buy Milk and Wine without Money and without Price why will ye spend your Money for that which is not Bread and your labour for that which satisfieth not I say the Apostles Ministers of Christ in their dayes preached freely without money and without price and they brought people to the Free Gift of God in themselves to the anointing which was in them which was sufficient to teach them Rev. 22.17 1 Joh. 22.27 28 29. vers 26. and they needed no man to teach them but as the same anointing did teach them and this Testimony which John the Minister of Christ did bear was truth and no lye and Paul who was a Minister of Christ he brought people to the Free Gift of God in them he turned their minds from the darkness which was in them unto the Light of Christ in them which was the free gift of God unto them given unto them to teach them and Paul the Minister of Christ he said The Grace of God that bringeth Salvation hath appeared unto all men Tit. 2.11 12. and it taught him and the rest of the Saints who had believed in it to deny and forsake that which was unlike God and when they lived in it made them unlike God worldly Lusts and this free Grace of God taught them to live in the likeness of God in which likeness man was created and Paul when he writ unto the Saints he did commit them to God Act. 26 18. and the Word of his Grace which was in their hearts which he said was able to build them up and give them an inheritance and Paul said Ephes 2. read it through By Grace ye are saved and not of your selves for it is the Gift of God and we say the same if people believe in the Grace and obey it then it saves them from their Sins and so they are saved not by their own works but by the free Grace of God which bringeth Salvation which hath appeared unto all men but if they do not believe in the Grace then they are not saved by it but it is their condemnation and Jude in his Epistle saith the Wicked turn the Grace of God into Laciviousness and so denied the only true God Jude 4. and our Lord Jesus Christ Now Professors of all sorts consider they could not have turned the Grace of God into Laciviousness if it had not been manifest in them and unto them but it was manifest in them and they
of Gods good Creatures and that is the cause that there is so much robbing and stealing Gods good Creatures one from another and that is the cause there is so much hanging and killing one another about Gods good Creatures and that is the cause that there is so much hanging and burning and killing one another about Religion even because people do not believe in and obey the Light wherewith Christ Jesus the Son of God hath enlightened them and until the inhabitants of England and all Nations come unto the Light wherewith Christ Jesus the Son of God hath enlightened every one that is come into the World and believe in and obey it they will never come to be established in Peace nor to have the Blessing of God nor to inherit the Kingdom of God but while they are Rebellious against the Light of Christ in them there will come Judgments and Plagues one after another and there shall be no peace to the Wicked who continue in Rebellion against the Light wherewith Christ hath enlightened them neither in this World nor in that which is to come and these are the words of Truth from the Lord God unto all people which shall stand a Witness for the Lord God against all who do continue in Rebellion against the Light and I do declare in the Name of the Lord God that it is the great Misery of all Nations both Jews and Gentiles Turk and Pope and all other Nations whatsoever that they do not believe in the Light wherewith Christ hath enlightened every one that is come into the World for if all people in all Nations would come to the Light wherewith Christ hath enlightened them which convinceth them of Sin then the Light would reconcile all differences amongst them yea it would reconcile them all together and it would make them of one heart and of one mind but they being out from the Light they are of many minds and they are striving one with another who shall be the greatest and they are warring one with another and killing one another for Earthly Crowns and Earthly Honour and Earthly Riches and also about their Idolatrous Worship and their many Babilonish Religions Now the Apostle said Jam. 4.1 c. to ver 11. From whence cometh Wars and Fightings come they not even from your Lusts so now if all Nations would come to the Light wherewith Christ hath enlightened them then they would feel power shed abroad in their hearts in the light to cut down the Lust in them all Jam. 5.1 2 3 4 5 6. from which all Wars doth arise For if we walk in the Light as he is in the Light then have we fellowship one with another and the Blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanseth us from all sin 1 John 1.7 And so if the Light were loved and followed it would cut down the Lust from which Wars doth arise and Pride doth arise and Covetousness and Envy doth arise for Pride in the heart and Covetousness in the heart and Envy in the heart is the causes which makes people break forth into Wars and Fightings one against another and so to kill and destroy one another now Christ Jesus the great Prophet whom Moses said all was to hear and obey he said Love your Enemies do good unto those that dispitefully use you and persecute you and he said Put up thy Sword into its sheath Mat. 26.51 52 53. Rev. 13.10 for he that smiteth with the Sword shall perish with the Sword you Carnal-weaponed men who are wrestling with Flesh and Blood and are killing of you Fellow Creatures either for their Religion or for their Earthly things though you may not be slain by a Carnal Sword as you have slain others yet if you do not come to the Light of Christ within you and repent and give over killing about Religion and about Earthly Honour and Earthly Crowns then the great Sword of the Lord God Almighty which proceeds out of his Mouth will cut you down and you will perish by it and be cast into the Lake that burns for ever Christ Jesus when he was manifest upon the Earth among the Sons of men he said unto them Think ye that I came to bring Peace upon the Earth I tell you nay but a Sword now you Carnal-weaponed men this Sword which he sent upon the Earth it was not like your Carnal Sword which kills the Creatures in their Sins but the Sword which Christ sent upon the Earth it was a Spiritual Sword which did enter into the hearts of the wicked and it did cut down the Sin and so redeemed the Creature out of the Bondage of Sin from under the Power of him who is the Author of Sin which is the Devil and so Christ's Sword which he brought upon the Earth it did not kill the Creature but it killed the Sin and so brought the Creature into a glorious Liberty out of Bondage to Sin and so into the glorious Liberty of the Sons of God So all you Carnal-weaponed men come to the Light wherewith Christ Jesus the Son of God hath enlightened you all that so in the Light you may all come to know and feel that Spiritual Sword to enter into your hearts and to take Peace from the Wicked One within you and so to kill the Sin in you and cast him out of you who is the Strong Man even the Man of Sin who is the Prince of the Power of the Air who rules in the hearts of you Children of Disobedience who disobeys the Light wherewith Christ hath enlightened you that so the Sword of the Spirit may have its way through all your unclean hearts that you may come to know Cains nature to perish in you by the Spiritual Sword even that nature in you which slew Righteous Abel that your Souls may be saved in the day of the Lord. Christ never owned Carnal-weaponed men to Fight for his Kingdom Isa 2.4 for though some offered to Fight for him that he might not have been delivered unto the Jews yet he judged and denied them in that thing and he said If my Kingdom were of this World then would my Servants Fight but his Kingdom was not nor is not of this World therefore his Servants in former Ages were forbidden to Fight for him with Carnal weapons and his Servants in this Age who are in scorn called Quakers they are bound by the Eternal Spirit of the Lord God Almighty never to Fight for Christs Kingdom with Carnal weapons for the Lord God Eternal he will Fight for it with and by the Breath of his Mouth by which he slew his Enemies heaps upon heaps in the Ages past Rev. 19.15 16. and vers 13 14. Acts 12.1 2 3 4 5 6 7 21 22. and in this Age the Everlasting God he hath made ready his great and strong Sword yea he hath made it sharp and he is laying it upon Leviathan that crooked Serpent and he will slay the Dragon
hearts with sorrow and trouble for if you flee from that then you will never be cleansed from your Sins for by the Spirit that judgeth Sin in the heart and burneth against it as a Fire was and is the Sons and Daughters of Sion converted unto God yea brought out of their Sins unto God and whosoever flees from that of God in them which condemns them when they do evil they flee from that which God hath placed in them to lead them out of evil and so they cannot come to be redeemed out of evil until they come to love that which condemns them for evil so I say unto you in tender Love love the Light within you and when it bringeth trouble upon you for your Sins which you have committed then own its judgments for it will not judge you except you have done wrong and as you wait in it it will let you see that its judgments are very just and true and so if you keep your minds unto it it will work true repentance in your hearts and a godly sorrow and it will lead you into the House of Mourning and through the Valley of Tears and as David did you will come to water your Bed with your Tears and to weep until your flesh fail of fatness and so you will travel through a short Sorrow into an Everlasting Joy for the Sorrow lasts but for a Night but Joy cometh in the Morning For the Lord will give Beauty for Ashes and the Oyl of Joy instead of Mourning but he gives this only unto those that comes into obedience unto his Light within them so when condemnation cometh upon you for Sins which you have committed do not flee from it for it is the Rod of God and you will see it to be so as you wait with your minds stayed in the Light and you will see that it is not for your hurt but for your Everlasting good and then consider why should you flee from it Oh flee not from it For whom I love I rebuke and chasten said God and he restoreth every sinful man and woman whom he receiveth to be Sons and Daughters and through his Judgments in their hearts he redeemeth them from Sin and so receiveth them into his Everlasting Kingdom of Life and Glory So I say unto you in dear and tender love flee not from that of God in you which condemneth you for Sin and the Light it will be with you when you are in the Fields and when you lie in your Beds and where ever you go the Light is in you and if you love it and keep your minds unto it it will teach you when you are at your Labour and it will keep you out of all Evil if you keep your minds unto it and when wicked people would tempt you to that which is Evil it will not let you consent unto them but rather to reprove them and now people I say unto you if you love this same pure and holy and spotless thing in you which never consented unto any Sin that you have committed but hath alwayes stood in you a faithfull Witness against you when you did commit Sin I say if you love it and obey it though now it may but be little in you even as a Grain of Mustard-seed which is a small Seed yet when your affections are truly set upon it it will grow speedily and will become in you as a strong Tree and the Fruit of it will ravish and overcome your heart with heavenly Joy and then you will see the folly and madness of those who rejoyceth in doing of Evil and you will find that Holy thing in you to be as Christ said Mat. 13.31 32 33. Like a little Leaven that a woman took and hid in three Measures of Meal until the whole Lump was leavened so as you wait in this Light within you though it lie low in you because of the sinfull nature which lieth atop of it in you yet it will work in you as the Leaven doth work in the Meal for the sinfull nature which lieth atop is of the Devil and that which lieth under is of God and as you joyn in true love and affection to that suffering Seed of God you shall come to know and bear witness that God is able to bring it out of the Grave in you and from under all those Powers of Darkness that hath oppressed it for God is stronger then the Devil that you will confess and so wait in the Light of Christ to feel more of the strength of God and Christ in your own hearts then of the strength of the Devil and when this you are come to witness then you will have ceased from Sin which is the Devils work for God who is the stronger in you he will rule you by his Light and Spirit which dwells in you and then the Devil who was the stronger in you he will be cast out and then the Lamb the Light he will have the Victory in you and will lead you into all Truth and so the Light if you follow it it will lead you to be Children of the Lord God who is Light and in whom there is no Darkness at all and so the Children of the Lord are taught of the Lord by the Light of the Lord and they are in Righteousness established So put not the day afar off linger not away your time but prize it thou that is young in years say not in thine heart I have time enough I may take pleasure in Earthly things yet for many dayes and have time enough to repent and seek God afterwards I say unto thee say not so in thy heart for the Lord God can cut thee down as in a moment Psal 9.17 though thou be in the Flower of thy Youth but Remember thy Creator in the dayes of thy Youth and seek him while he may be found for the Spirit of the Lord will not alwayes strive with man and as the Tree falleth so it lieth there is no Repentance in the Grave and there is no unclean thing can enter into Gods Kingdom for the wicked must be turned into Hell and all that forget God So remember you are warned by a Lover of Truth and Righteousness and a true Lover of the Souls and Bodies of all men and desireth not the Destruction of any but desireth that all people might come to Repent while they have time and so obtain Mercy from the Lord God I am known by the Name of William Gibson Written in the Year 1664. and was sent then to be published in Print but the Person to whom it was sent being at that time cast into Prison and Calamities coming on in the City it was not gotten done Postscript IT is said by many ignorant people who use to plead for Sin That the Righteousest man that is upon the Earth doth Sin seven times a day now I say they do abuse and wrest the Scriptures for there is no such