Selected quad for the lemma: spirit_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
spirit_n	apostle_n	speak_v	word_n	9,283	5	4.1967	3	false

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A85176	The new non-conformist; who having obtained help of God, doth persist unto this very day; witnessing, both to small and great, some of those glorious things which the Apostles, the prophets, & Moses, did say should come to pass. Or, the voice of a careful shepherd, crying from his watch-tower at W.C. unto his little flock at W.L. with a loud voice.	Feake, Christopher, fl. 1645-1660.	1654 (1654)	Wing F571; Thomason E737_1; ESTC R202090	39,800	63

faithful remembrancer at the glorious Throne of Grace CHRISTOPH FEAKE Dear Brethren Beloved in the Lord FOr whose best good and greatest happiness I would be content to endure through the strength of Christ whatever the Lord should be pleased to permit man to do unto me It may be the Lord is but beginning to accustome me to the yoake having hotter service yet behinde for me to be engaged in I confess I suffer trouble as an evil doer even unto bonds 2 Tim. 2.9 but my comfort is as was Paul's the word of God is not bound and Oh that I could speak the Apostles following words in his Spirit therefore I endure all things for the Elects sake that they also may obtain the salvation which is in Christ Jesus with eternal glory As for my self I have no cause to complain but rather to magnifie the wisdom power and goodness of my God who in the riches of his Grace hath in some measure inabled me and counted me faithful putting me into the Ministery who naturally and from mine own inclination am very apt to slothfulness and negligence to dulness and luke-warmness insomuch that I wonder to consider how the Spirit of Christ hath from time to time over-powered my natural temper causing me with much effectualness of Grace to be in some degree laborious in his harvest-field the remembrance whereof is among other particulars a most sweet refreshment to my soul in this my banishment from his House and Temple for a time what his intent is in ordering me such a portion for the present will in time appear But in the mean season my care and sollicitousness for the Church is abundantly above the care of my self I am not sollicitous for mine own concernments being fully satisfied in the light of God that it is unspeakably for my good to be thus dealt withal by these men The great thoughtfulness of my heart is for you all who have in good earnest given your selves up to the Lord that you might in this curious juncture of time have your conversation as it becometh the Gospel And a true report of your holy loving stedfast walking with the Lord and one with another will be my great joy and rejoycing before the Lord Jesus both now and at his appearing Wherefore if it were the good will of God to give you all fresh and further discoveries of his minde how you ought to walk and to please him ●hile I am thus by force kept from among you what blessed occasions should I have to break forth here in blessing and praising the Lord abundantly in this behalf I desire exceedingly to rejoyce in the beholding your Order and the stedfastness of your faith in Christ for I much fear lest by some means the Tempter should tempt you or some of you and so my labour be so far in vain as the temptation doth prevail And some of you may remember I forewarned you of this hour of temptation long before which I told you would try the strongest Christians so reputed but now plainly see if Ancient Professors among you be not very circumspect you may see that Scripture further fulfilled every day ●he first shall be last and the last shall be first Now by way of faithful advice in reference to Order and orderly walking I take it for a truth granted as which cannot with any colour be denied That those Saints who are come out of Babylon and brought to Sion and are become a peculiar people to the Lord and a particular body or corporation to Christ I say they ought to continue together in prayer supplication with one accord so they did Act. 1.14 and it is said Peter stood up in the midst of the Disciples see Act. 2.42 And they continued stedfastly in the Apostles doctrine and fellowship and in breaking of bread and in prayers they that believed were together vers 44. and the Apostle Heb. 10.25 not forsaking the assembling of our selves together as the manner of some is but exhorting one another and so much the more as ye see the day approaching These things are n●t proved to you but you are put in minde of this foundation-Truth in reference to discipline and worship for those things are to be transacted in the assemblings of the Saints as being for the glory of God and the edifuing of the Body But the thing wherein I would be helpful at this point of time is to propound waies for the practising of this rule of continuing and walking together 1. First Let the Elders and Brethren agree with one accord that the whole Church be gathered together in the na●e of Christ to consider after earnest prayer to that purpose how they may be kept together for this Hour of temptation will endanger the sca●tering of many Against that day which is appointed I shall prepare somewhat for direction 2. Let those that are unacquainted with their duty judging it to be their liberty without further waiting to provide for their spiritual feeding elsewhere let them I say know that if all should be of their minde what would become of the Churches of Christ Let them not have more respect to their particular private benefit though spiritual then to the glory work and business of Christ at least let them attend upon the Lord with the Church to obtain their desire with consent of the whole body and brotherly love requires this and let them give in their Ar●uments distinctly that they may be weighed by Scripture It is the opinion indeed and practice of some if the Officer be absent to wander hither and thither and so fall into suares ere they are aware and there have been woful instances of this 3. Let not any debate proceed so far as to hinder edifying and engender strife but let there be care taken to prevent strife as men are careful to prevent the breaking in of waters The Lord hath blessed my endeavours this way hitherto and I have much comfort herein at this day 4. In debating any thing or case that is stated according to Scripture let the Brethren speak first that so if there be any light among them it may be noted and this will be looked upon as the enjoyment of that liberty that Christ hath given But if any man speak let him speak as the Oracles of God and briefly and distinctly to the point 5. Covet the best gifts those Brethren in whom most of the power and glory of the Spirit of Christ doth appear who are mighty in the Scriptures who are most lively spiritual and warming are to be desired and called upon and if there were none to speak to you from the word yet it were worth while to come together to pray in the Holy Ghost which is one blessed means for the quickning of our dull and sluggish hearts 6. If there be a desire to joyne with any of the Churches in the Ordinance of the Lords-supper consider with whom and when c. let there be mutual consent in brotherly love Oh! that the Spirit might lead you into all truth My great desire is That you may so walk as to glorifie the Lord abundantly This 3 day of the 12 Moneth 1653. Yours to love you to serve you to suffer for you CHRISTOPHER FEAKE

World We had these honorable thoughts of them but alas where are they and what is become of these reputed Champions for the Lamb against the Beast are not most of them even revolted and gone 2 Tim. 2.4 are they not entangled in the affairs of this life yea are not some of them busie in building again the Things they have destroyed Answ Be not doubtful of minde Oh little Flock live not in careful suspence 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Luke 12.30 carried like Meteors betwixt Heaven and Earth The zeal of the Lord of Hosts shall perform this great Thing whereof we speak and if need be Jehovah will create a Spirit of judgement and a Spirit of burning for the accomplishing that honourable Enterprize for his Son which the hearts of the choicest Saints are so much upon Again It 's probable 1 Cor. 1.27 God will take some foolish Thing or other some weak some despised Thing to perfect his praise in the midst of all his enemies For oftentimes of old the Instruments have been too Many sometimes too Mighty sometimes too Wise for God to use Wherefore let us remember It 's thy part and mine to believe that notwithstanding the Retrograde motions both of persons and Things as we suppose yet certainly the Main Designe is carried on with an High hand but in paths so secret that the most sharp-sighted Politicians in the Kingdom of the Beast cannot well tell how and where to obviate or countermine And which is the most confounding Consideration of all the rest such is the nature of this great Contrivance which you through mercy are privie to that if there be at any time a Discovery made of its mighty Eruptions as now and then there is yet the Souldiers weapons with the Counsellors and States-mens wits in conjunction dare not suddenly grapple with it but if they at any juncture of time are found so hardy as to make this bold adventure it 's with utmost hazard of being ground to powder As for me a reproached Outcast an exile Captive it is upon my heart to desire Two Things of you my brethren and companions in tribulation and in the Kingdom and Patience of Jesus Christ Pour out prayer and then lift up prayer for the prisoner Eph. 6.18 Jude 20. verse Oh! let there be a Continuation of prayers and requests on my behalf in the Spirit I say in the holy Spirit for certainly the Lord hath heard your supplications for me as I shall I hope demonstrate in due season Oh pray and pray again ye close followers of the Lamb That if this Close prisoner be delivered up again to the Councils for Christs Name sake Mat. 10.17 and his Kingdoms sake he may be made Mighty in the Scriptures Acts 18.24 and eloquent with that eloquence and elocution onely which the Spirit of Christ was wont to administer to the suffering Saints in all ages And That I may be of a very high and of a mighty spirit for our dear Lord Jesus yea of a lofty and a daring spirit according to the glorious Ministration of the New Testament and not otherwise in the least which yet will never be unless He be dearer to me then my life whom my soul loves and unless I am kept under the constraining power of divine love 2 Cor. 5.14 Oh Brethren this Divine love will make bitter Things sweet and turn a strait Prison into a stately Palace Do I say Will do these things yea it hath performed greater works then I can possibly after much meditation compass to express Wherefore I intreat you to remember my bonds my strait bonds as you do and I am perswaded your brotherly love herein will turn to good account for each of you also when with diligent observation you ponder what improvements you have made in the industrious prosecutions of so good a trade And let men beware how they impute it to proud presumption in me thus to hope Luke 21.28 to look up and to lift up my head with such boldness in this Cause even before the faces of the Highest and most Majestical Potentates in the World if call'd before them for hath not my God asked me many times Wilt thou in such a Cause as this though most perfidiously forsaken by very many be afraid of a man that shall die and of the son of man that shall be made as grass Did not Stephen Acts 7. that renowned Deacon of the Church of Christ carry it sweetly and yet stoutly for his Lord when he was brought before the High Priest and the Council His Highness did not affright him in the least Stephen was protected and incouraged by One who was infinitely higher then He and all the Lords of the Council before I had tasted of Stephen's Cordial I often wondred how he did dare to speak at so high a rate before and unto the High-Priest as you read Act. 7.51 52. Ye stiff-necked and uncircumcised in heart and ears ye do alwayes resist the holy Ghost as your fathers did so do ye Which of the Prophets have not your fathers persecuted and they have slain them which shewed before of the coming of the Just One of whom ye have been now the betrayers and murtherers c. Again was not Luther in the presence of Charles the fifth and the many illustrious Princes of Germany inab●ed by the most High to bear up with invincible courage so that they could not prevail to terrifie or affright him from his Faith and Doctrine which he had taught the people from the holy Oracles and then it 's easie to conjecture how improbable it was that all the Monks and Friers all the Prelates and Parish Priests should afterward be able to resist the Wisdom and the Spirit by which he sp●ke Oh! how sweet hath that word been made to my soul 1 Iohn 4 Ye are of God little children and have overcome Them because Greater is He that is in you then he that is in the world Offer up praise for the prisoner I beseech you also let there be m●intained a constant conjunction in praising the Name of our God and Father Le● us agree to meet every day many times in the day for the performing this Celestial this Angelical service O! Psal 34.3 magnifie the Lord with me and let us exalt his Name together in the Spirit 〈◊〉 and though our outward man be not capable during my restraint of local fellowship in this spiritual ●acrifice of praise yet it will refresh me much to recount the mercies which are our proper portion and inheritance in distinction from the world 1. Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ who hath blessed us with all spiritual blessings in heavenly things in Christ as That he hath chosen us in him and that b●fo●e the foundation of the world c. That he hath predestinated us unto the adoption of children by Jesus Christ to himself c. That he

bear up under that weight of glory which breaks in upon us when the most High condescends to visit any of our souls from the throne of his glory Oh! how are we even filled with wonderment at those enjoyments and attainments especially when we remember what we were in time past enemies in our mindes by wicked works full of unrighteousness or self-righteousness very vain foolish disobedient serving divers base lusts and pleasures Now for such wretches and vile base creatures as we were to be so graciously dealt withal to be admitted into the presence of the great Jehovah to partake of exceeding great precious promises of the divine nature of the holy Spirit to be sealed with it to the day of redemption and a thousand such priviledges what maner of love is this Oh! all ye Saints break forth in secret and open admirations wonder at these things as at the most rare and excellent objects that are in all the world What what are the pleasures and honours and pomp and powers of the children of men to that joy and peace which is in believing to those ravishing delights that are in the presence of the Lord and at his right hand for evermore Assuredly if the holy Spirit were fallen upon any of us in that spiritual glory that is expected we should indeed shine like lights in the world and hold forth the word of life most affectionately and effectually to the Saints and to the sinful sons of men we should be a blessing each of us in every place where we come Parents would adorn the Gospel Children would adorn the Gospel Pastors People would be Ornaments to the way of Christ and the want of that Spirit and the non-resting thereof upon us is the ground of all that unevenness in our walking of our unfruitfulness and barrenness in the Lords Orchard of our unusefulness in our generation As for my present condition I tell you again and I tell you rejoycing The Lord is good exceeding good I am filled with his company I am satisfied as with marrow and fatness I must praise him with joyful lips when I meditate in the night watches my meditations are very sweet It is best for me to be with God with his people and I shall be much with the Lord that I may again once more be with his hidden ones and his holy ones that rejoyce in his Highness I am departed for a season that I may return for a great space of time goodness and mercy shall follow me all the dayes of my life and I would gladly be a pillar in the house of my God and would go no more out And let me tell you I earnestly and I desire your help also beg and intreat that the Lord Jesus that the name of the city of my God which is the new Jerusalem which cometh down out of heaven from my God and Christs new name may be written upon me I am looking out for my right to enter into that City which shall be called The Lord is There Brethren beloved of the Lord how is it with you and the daughters of Sion are you like the chariots of Aminadab a living lively people a zealous active people Tell me at this local distance how is it with you do you fear the Lord above many do you thrive and prosper as the primitive Saints used to prosper that were Saints indeed do you wrestle for me in good earnest for I trust this imprisonment shall turn to a good account through your prayer and the supply of the Spirit of Jesus Christ to that dear Saviour of yours and mine be excellent glory for ever His glorious grace be with every faithful heart Amen From my Quarters at Windsor-Castle this 15 of the 12 Moneth 1653. Your Shepherd in bonds Christoph Feake My dear friends and companions in the fellowship of the Gospel SEeing the good pleasure of the Lords goodness and the work of Faith is fulfilling in me the Lords unworthy prisoner the time appointed of the Father is not yet come I do not finde my spirit willing to accept of deliverance before the one and the other be fulfilled with power that the Name of the Lord Jesus Christ may be glorified in me and I in him according to the grace of God and of the Lord Jesus Christ Oh dear hearts it is given to me a poor silly worm despised of the people through the wonderful free grace of my God Not onely to believe which is no small token of the favour of God in Christ but also to suffer for his sake which seems to be an addition of his favour to those that have first believed Oh! who knows what it is to be sealed with the holy Spirit of promise but those that have a spiritual feeling of the mighty power thereof how good is it to draw nigh to God! I have often spoken of it and felt it but now it is glorious indeed to keep company with the Lord himself in his own holy place even the Holy of Holies My hearts desire for you all and every one is That you might be filled with all wisdom and spiritual understanding and by degrees come to all riches of full assurance of understanding to the acknowledgement of the mystery of God even the Father and of Christ for verily that is such a condition as makes a heaven on this side heaven Oh! the excellent glory sweetness and fulness of that estate but never I am perswaded did any of the Saints enjoy themselves and their God so richly and abundantly as the sincere Martyrs and sufferers for the Name of Christ and the Gospel because none have occasion so much as they all the world hate them and their persecutors especially therefore if the Lord also hid himself from them poor wretches they would be of all men most miserable Therefore further Christ is bound by the duty of his Office to look after Them to stand by Them to cherish and to nourish Them to countenance and incourage Them to fill them with his own fulness when the world hath emptied them and scorned them and imprisoned them and buffeted them and put them into the forms of traitors of hereticks of seditious ones c. If the Lord should not reveal his love yea if he should not crown them with loving kindness and tender mercies then That Temptation would rationally prevail It is in vain to serve God it is better to serve the lusts of men and our own It will urge further What profit is it that we have kept his Ordinances Is it not better to observe the Ordinances of the Kings of the earth of the Princes of the States and Protectors of the earth then otherwise and do as the most do as those do who are lovers of pleasures more then lovers of God But blessed be the Lord Jehovah my rock for ever I have no ground to be dissatisfied with my condition in this respect as if the Lord did keep at a

distance as well as man yea on the other side I am full I am rich I abound the Lord is with me most graciously most gloriously Friends if you knew what it is to lose all or to be willing to lose all for Christ in the light and power of the Spirit of Christ you would be more couragious forward and zealous in this noble Cause in danger to be starved but it shall not miscarry by the policy and private interest of men of corrupt minds and destitute of the Truth and of the Spirit Brethren I must break off I am as much imployed as when I was in London for the most part and am put to it to write my Letters to you while company is in my chamber and so swiftly write what the Lord dictates without study for I want opportunity and the messenger now staies Therefore remember what I have taught you publickly and privately from house to house it is for the substance of it such Doctrine as I dare through Grace and the assistance thereof seal with my blood I can boldly say The Lord is my helper I will not fear what man can do unto me be ye strong quit your selves like men fear not the power pride lusts threatnings of man walk as becometh the Saints let brotherly love continue be not ashamed of my bonds nor of my keeper Expect glorious revolutions to make way for the desire of all Nations Blessed are they even all those that wait for him and love his appearing My heart is inlarged surely prayer is made for me I finde so much incoms from heaven The Lord be your exceeding great reward who wrestle for me Salute every Saint especially those who are most full of the Spirit and most useful for Christ and his people Eternal grace and glory be every ones portion henceforth and for ever Amen The 18 of the 12 Moneth 1653. From my strong Tower and place of sure defence Your faithful Shepherd although absent and in bonds Christopher Feake My dearly beloved Brethen in the Lord ACcording to that talent which I have received from the Lord I desire to be found fruitful and faithful to the Lord Jesus and his people for it would be a most sad thing for my Master to finde his servants either idle or ill-employed And seeing dear Brethren that ye look for such things as the Apostle Peter doth speak of in 2 Epist 3 chap. Be diligent that ye also may be found of him in peace without spot and blameless Questionless when he comes that shall come he will finde but little faith on the earth and if he finde it so you and I may readily conjecture how all other graces will be wanting insomuch that the righteous will scarcely be saved and the wise Virgins will do no more then enter in I fear there will not be an entrance administred unto them abundantly into that everlasting kingdom of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ because but even then they will be slumbering and sleeping and so cannot have their sences exercised and in a meet posture to keep him company as those who have watched with the Bridegroom and come along with him You see I am careful to stir up your pure mindes by way of remembrance at this distance it is altogether from love and for your edifying It may be some of you may be willing I should receive advertisements of your best things of your faith and hope and love and humility c. but not of your weaknesses of any omissions or neglects of any whisperings or evil surmisings or such-like unseemliness but let such remember that the whole Scripture being given by divine inspiration it is not onely profitable for doctrine but for reproof and for correction and instruction in righteousness Therefore if any of you finde any discontents or swellings in your own Spirits which you indeavour to hide but yet they are clearly discerned by experienced Saints for one word is enough to the wise let such an one know and remember that it is not a Gospel-frame of heart the Corinthians indeed were puffed up for one against another but the Apostle reckons it a great uncomliness in that body of Christ I write not these things to shame you but as those who are dear to me I admonish you lest Satan should get an advantage of you and so occasion your adversaries and his instruments to blaspheme the people and waies of God Oh! Brethren make it each of you for the Lord Jesus Christs sake your business that your love your holiness your meekness moderation or evenness of Spirit be known unto one another and unto all men that you may rejoyce exceedingly and I may rejoyce exceedingly when we shall meet together again not on●ly in this world but in that which is to come when all the faithful shepherds with their flocks shall be gathered together before the great Shepherd of the sheep and receive from him a crown of glory that fadeth not away reserved in heaven for us who are kept by the power of God through faith unto salvation Finally Oh ye dwellers upon mount Sion take heed to your steps to your goings out and your comings in let your words be seasoned with salt which may minister grace to the hearers and not grief The bridling of the tongue is an heavenly art and faculty we count him a perfect man who is very skilful this way Be swift to hear and slow to speak and be sure to remember That our adversary the devil goes up and down like a roaring lion seeking whom he may devour like as the Lord said of Behemoth He trusteth that he can draw up Jordan into his mouth so this crooked and piercing serpent hopes to swallow up whole Churches into the gulph of his belly which is this present evil world Oh therefore let your eyes be in your forehead to foresee the dangers of the present juncture of time The Lord fill your souls with Himself and Son and Spirit that there may be no room nor place in your hearts for any sublunary interest whatsoever The time is short the path is untroden snares are multiplied the service is hot the victory is impossible to flesh and blood but easie to faith Wherefore my beloved in the Lord be ye stedfast and unmoveable alwaies abounding in the work of the Lord forasmuch as you know that your labour is not in vain in the Lord in whom I salute every Saint in Christ Jesus throughout the whole Congregation both those that were in Christ before me and those whom the Lord hath revealed himself to of later yeers the weak and the strong the rich and the poor great and small who are beloved of Christ to him be glory and dominion in this and in the world to come Amen From my pleasant prison-house this 24 of the 12 Moneth 1653. Your careful shepherd in bonds for the testimony of the kingdom of the Lord Jesus Christopher Feake Dearly beloved in the Lord HOw

and to prove you and to see what is in each of you and what the workings of your Spirits are and to let you know by experience that the wisdom of God in appointing guides and leaders to your use and edifying is that which cannot but be acceptable to the sober serious and stedfast Saints As for mine own condition I desire to deal plainly with you Blessed be my God and my gracious Father my lot is falsen to me in a pleasant place and I have a goodly heritage as for personal contentment it is very great I am doing my Fathers work and will I am suffering for the Gospel of the Kingdom I am learning to be more conformable to Christ my Head in learning obedience by the things that I suffer It is absolutely the best estate for the present that my heavenly Father can put me into The words of Manoah's wife to him are sweet unto me If the Lord were pleased to kill us he would not have received a burnt-offering and a meat-offering at our hands neither would he have shewed us all these things nor would as at this time have told us such things as these so I say If the Lord were not pleased with our sufferings in this Cause if this service for Christ-were not acceptable but unacceptable unto him he would never have revealed himself so graciously and so gloriously unto us as he hath done he would never have filled us with so sweet peace and joy in believing but our hearts would have condemned us if he had left us so that through rich mercy I am not careful what men think of us what their opinions are how they carry ●hemselves in speaking evil of things they know not It is sufficient and abundantly sufficient to us that our comforts abound and increase they diminish not I tell you Brethren the very confidence that God hath put into us by his Word and Spirit hath great recompence of reward There are two things that do I am perswaded work for our good 1. The malice of our enemies that scorn us and backbite us and judge us busie-bodies and evil doers and disturbers of the peace c. saith the Lord to us Your enemies speak falsly and the more they curse the more I bless and will bless Verily this is sweeter then honey And then secondly There are a company of faithful souls who in the light of God do understand the present Cause of Christ and that we are sufferers upon that acount and so they wrestle and will not let the Lord go unless he bless us poor prisoners with special and sutable blessings Verily I bless the Lord night and day in remembrance of the prayers of the Saints who understand the times next unto my blessing his name for the glorious intercession of our faithful and merciful High-Priest Finally Brethren farewel live in love follow those things that make for peace and whereby one may edifie another do not grieve one anothers Spirits by any uncomly expressions in words or behaviour Grieve not the Spirit of Christ but study the happiness of the whole body and glorifie the Lord by an holy sweet meek and gentle profitable conversation I salute you every one once more in our dear Redeemer Imitate those who walk most like Jesus Christ and we shall meet again with joy and our joy shall no man take from us Amen From my Prison-lodging the last day of the 3 week of the 1 moneth -- 54. Yours next unto my being Christs desirous of your best good Christoph Feake Dear Brethren THe superabounding satisfaction wherewith the Lord hath condescended to inrich a poor empty creature calls aloud upon me to magnifie his Goodness toward me If I should tell you a feigned story of That which I have not seen nor felt nor experienced in my self the Lord would finde me out and make me an example to those that should come after of his severity and strict dealing with me but in very deed I do plainly perceive that the Lord hath purposed to shew me more of his glory Indeed a great part of my care will be concerning You to whom I am as neerly related in the fellowship and service of the Gospel as ever notwitstanding this distance and therefore shall not cease praying for you as I have begun that you may every one adorn the glorious Gospel of the blessed God and walk worthy of the Lord who hath called you unto his Kingdom and Glory And I would that you should understand Brethren and believe that the things which have befallen me have come to pass rather for the furtherance of the Gospel then otherwise and I hope some if not many of the Brethren in the Lord Jesus will grow confident by my bonds and will be much more bold to speak the word without fear considering especially that the Lord hath made a most sweet addition to my former joy and comfort in the Holy Spirit so that I may say boldly The Lord is my Helper I will not fear what man can do unto me I know I shall ere long come again and continue with you all for your furtherance and the joy of your faith that your rejoycing in Christ Jesus may be more abundant for me by my coming to you again Dear Brethren Innocency and Independency make the highest and the mightiest Spirits and let the Princes the Priests the Captains who are so busie in bolstring up the cursed whore of Babylon know it for a Truth that the Lords Hidden Holy Ones will in the might of the Spirit of Jehovah shout down the walls of the Babylonish Jericho though they are as high as Heaven they shall come tumbling down Amen Hallelujah Oh! that I might be one of the teeth of that sharp threshing instrument which the worm Jacob shall ere long be transformed into and so help to thresh the High and Mighty Mountains of the Earth and to beat them small and to make the Hills as chaff I do very much hope when I come again I shall come in the fulness of the blessing of the Gospel more then ever Wherefore I beseech you to be at peace among your selves to admonish the disorderly in abundance of tenderness in love to comfort the feeble-minded to support the weak to visit the fatherless and widows that are widows indeed I thought to have spoken with some concerning whom it was needful to look into their condition but the wise God prevents me for the present that I may hereafter have more light from his word to guide me in difficult affairs Pray forme that in this retirement I may attain better to understand then ever hitherto how to behave my self in the Church of God in the house of the living God Oh! it 's sweet to be sensible of a growth in grace and in the knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ to whom be glory and dominion now and for ever Amen From my pleasant country-house this 31 of the 11 Moneth 1653. Your