God which taught them all things and instructed them in the things of God and in the weighty Matters pertaining to Eternal Life Little Children saith he I write these things concerning those that seduce you but the Anointing that you have received of him abideth in you and you have no need that any man teach you 1 John 2.27 and this was at that time when the Devil went about to deceive the Churches for said Peter Your Adversary the Devil goes about like a Roaring Lyon seeking whom be may devour And again saith John It is the Last Time in which you have heard that Antichrist should come for even now there are many Antichrists 1 John 2.18 and Every spirit that confesseth not that Christ is come in the Flesh is not of God but is a Deceiver and this is that spirit of Antichrist which ye have heard of should come and even now is already come into the World 1 John 4.3 And this hath been and is to this day the loss of many in that they profess Christ Jesus only outwardly come and not try the spirits that they may know Christ also inwardly by his Spirit Power and Wisdom crucifying the fleshly Desires Affections and Lusts that he alone may reign and rule And this is the true Guide Leader and Teacher of all the Children of the Lord in every Age and Generation who is given for a Leader even Christ Jesus the Light of the World Isa 55.4 and such as are not taught of him they are not the Children of the Lord but Children of him that hath stoln their Hearts from God and leads them into Forgetfulness concerning the weighty things wherein consists their eternal Peace and so multitudes are deceived and are Wanderers in the Darkness of the palpable Night wherein the Thief hath robbed stoln and deprived Thousands of their Right for Man was not created for Destruction but to inherit Life Eternal and our God creates none to be destroyed but that all should be saved and come to the Knowledge of his Truth 1 Tim. 2.4 And therefore if any perish it s because they yield themselves to the Wicked One to work Unrighteousness which is the Cause of Man's Misery And I certainly know That no Man or Woman can have Peace with God but as they come to witness in themselves Reconciliation by Christ Jesus which can never be until they obey him for this I find by good Experience That Tribulation and Anguish is upon every Soul of man that doth Evil to the Jew first and also to the Gentile Rom. 2.9 both Professors and Prophane and notwithstanding the Height of Profession where Christ Jesus is not become the Head or where that which is contrary to his blessed will is not yet put under his Feet in every particular there is Condemnation and Terror within secret Fears and Doubtfulness which many Times causeth Torment 1 John 4 18. And so in the Bowels of tender Love to all the Sons and Daughters of Men is my Heart opened to declare the Truth as it is in Jesus who is the true Foundation and Rock of Ages 1 Cor. 10.4 And for lack of the true and saving Knowledge of him many have wandered in great Fear and many to this Day wander from the Knowledge of him and some whole Hearts by the Nearness of God unto them are tendered in Secret and mourn in Secret and are broken in Heart in the Consideration of their Conditions whose Sins are laid before them by the Lord Psal 50 8. and know no Way to escape the Indignaion of Almighty God but lye down in Fear and rise up in Sorrow those are they whose secret Cry is to the unknown God whom yet they are not come to know but here is a Travail inwardly to enjoy the Redeemer and here the invisible immortal God hath reached forth his spiritual Power and some have come to a Desire after the Lord from a real Sense of an inward Breathing after him and yet have come short of the thing they desired in the Day of the Tenderness of their Hearts for the Desire begotten inwardly it must inwardly be satisfied and all outward things as Ordinances and outward Observations cannot satisfie the Soul and herein many in this Day have come to a loss and have stumbled at the Foundation that God hath laid 1 Pet. 2.6 7 8. and so have over-run themselves and the tender Breathings of their Souls come to be stopt and so comes up Hardness of Heart again though the Pretence be never so fair and here many stand in their Imaginations fighting against the Appearance of God and so many that might have been serviceable for God's Cause in their Day and time and Witnesses in the Life of Jesus against the Works of Darkness are now become Enemies to the Lord that first begot them into Tenderness in Days that are gone and past and this is the very Way in which many Thousands in this Nation have lost themselves but a Remnant there are that have obeyed the Heavenly Voice of the Beloved that first touched their Hearts and opened their Understandings whose Souls have continually mourned after him Day and Night when Sorrow overtook us and Lamentation was heard within our Dwellings till we were sensible of the Way that leads to God's Kingdom and then it was the true Desire of our Souls to obey him and follow him in the Way of his Judgement Prov. 8.20 21. Isa 1.27 4.4 and now he is become our Leader who is the true Satisfier of the Soul even Jesus Christ unto whom every one must give an Account who is the first and the last Rev. 21.6 22.13 the Beginning of the Creation of God who hath all Power in Heaven and in Earth Mat. 28.18 and is near to all who is that Grace of God that bringeth Salvation unto mankind Tit. 2.11 13. and these that obey him and hear him who is the Beloved of the Father according to his Commandment Mat. 17.5 they are the true Church the true Body Christ Jesus being Head ruling by his blessed Power and Spirit in every Member and this Spirit and Power redeems the Church and raises it up from the Grave and such come to know the Resurrection of the Body and the Passage from Death to Life who obey Christ and know his Power in their Hearts to quicken and make alive and so tâ—is mortal puts on Immortality and this corruptible puts on Incorruption and so Death is swallowed up in Victory Isaâ—ah 25.8 And this is a holy Church redeemed to God whole Light is God's Glory Rev. 21.23 Isa 60.19 and those that are come to this Spirit and Power that overcomes the Devil are true Witnesses for the Lord in this Age and Day who are redeemed from Death and Darkness into Life and Light and this is the Lamb's Wife which is espoused unto him betrothed in Loving Kindness and confesseth him and is not ashamed of his Name before Men Mat. 10.32 and such as
reproving you in your hearts for your Prophaneness and Idolatry therefore while you have Time put into your Hands Repent and obey the Good Spirit of the Lord God lest God cease striving with you and so you be overthrown by his Almighty Power who is a terrible God against all Unrighteousness but all the holy People of God before the Flood were guided by his holy Spirit which was a true Guide and a sure Leader from the Beginning and the Spirit of Truth was the Guide of all the chosen People of God after the Flood even Abraham Isaac and Jacob and that sustained them in all their Travails and was with them as you may read at large in Gen. 12 48. And this was the Foundation of all the Holy Men in all Ages and Generations And when Israel at any time rebelled against the Spirit of God which he gave them to instruct them read Neh. 9. throughout then the Lord turned against them and afflicted them and caused them to be carryed away out of their own Land Therefore the Spirit was and is the true Guide and the true Fountain of Life of Living Refreshment and Heavenly Virtue which gives true Wisdom and a heavenly Mind which when people forsook and rebelled against it then Ignorance abounded And so you that rebel against God who is a Spirit are you not one with Israel in the Apostacy notwithstanding your Profession against whom the Prophet testified saying My People have committed two horrible Evils the one they have forsaken the Lord the Fountain of Living Waters and have hewen out to themselves broken Cisterns that will hold no Water Jer. 2.13 And is not this your State and Condition this day Are you not digging Wells of your own and hewing out to your selves Cisterns and when all is done it retains nothing pure nothing holy nothing clean no living Water nothing from Heaven but all is corruptible all filthy all sinful Oh that your Eyes were opened to see these things how ye are erred from the Life and Power from the Living Fountain with the old backsliding Jews and dark bewildered Christians who in old time lost the Light of the Sun of Righteousness but these things have happened through gross Mistakes as for instance The general Belief hath been and is amongst the outside Professors of Jesus Christ confessing only and believing that Christ dyed without the Gates of Jerusalem though it is true and so in a general sense saying We believe in God and in Christ Jesus and so come no farther to any inward Belief and Knowledge of him as did the true Christians Rom. 8. from Vers 1. to 17. now here lies the Mistake and here many comfort themselves because they confess to his Appearance in the World sixteen hundred Years since but this a man or woman may do and yet they may perish for to profess Christ and live in the Lust of Uncleanness is but to augment their Sorrow because there is a living Witness in them which they rebel against and pierce and so cause his Wounds to bleed afresh and put him to an open Shame Heb. 6.6 Rev. 11.8 And notwithstanding they may use Meats and Drinks and have respect to Days and Times Moneths and Years yet all will pass away and perish with the using and the ground of the Separation from God may remain and so you may eat and drink Damnation to your selves at unawares for he that eats and drinks unworthily is guilty of the Body and Blood of the Lord 1 Cor. 11.27 therefore be warned whilest you have time and consider these things whilest your Day lasteth that you may come to God out of Sin and Death by Christ Jesus who is come to destroy Sin in the Flesh mark that in the Flesh this is a nearer Knowledge of him then to confess him only as he dyed without the Gates of Jerusalem who is glorified with the Glory he had with the Father before the World was and fills Heaven and Earth neither is there any Creature that is not manifest in his Sight but all things are naked and open to the Eye of him with whom we have to do Heb. 4.13 Therefore take beed to your Way and mind that pure Eye even the heavenly Light within you which is a sure Word of Prophecy to which ye do well if ye take heed as unto a Light shining in a dark Place till the Day dawn and the Day Star arise in your Hearts 2 Pet. 1.19 And this is the true saving Faith and saving Knowledge to believe in your Hearts the Lord Jesus Acts 16.30 31. Rom. 10.8 And whatsoever Way or Worship there is or may be this Day or whatsoever Profession or Confession otherwise then that which the ancient Apostles declared of who were Eye-Witnesses of his Majesty is contrany to Truth and will not make the comers thereunto Perfect who preacht from a certain Divine yet Intelligible Principle revealed within them which was the Seed Immortal Incorruptible promised of God to destroy Sin bruise the Head of the Serpent and this Seed or Spirit of Life you must all come to know within you to destroy Sin in Flesh in your Mortal Bodies and to quicken you from dead Works to serve the Living God Rom. 8.11 And this is the plain Truth unto you from the Spirit of the Lord witnessed by the Scriptures as John well said when the spirit of Antichrist began to work and some were seduced by the Wicked One said he Beloved believe not every spirit but try the spirits whether they are of God every spirit that confesseth that Christ is come in the Flesh is of God mark every spirit that confesseth Christ come in the Flesh Rom. 8.3 who came to save his People from their Sin and to destroy the Works of the Devil 1 John 4.2 for the Devil had wrought in the Flesh of Mankind the Works of Darkness Corruption Uncleanness and all manner of Filthiness in which he rules and Reigns over the Children of Disobedience in that State and Nature which he hath begotten them into and such were those sometimes that the Scripture mentions who were by Nature Children of Wrath even as others but God who is rich in Mercy and abundant in Loving-kindness caused his Love to break forth in Christ Jesus the Brightness of his Glory Hebr. 1.1 2 3 and visited those that were dead in Sins and Trespasses and quickened them by the Spirit of his Son and so they were made Witnesses of the Life of Jesus who begat them again and Redeemed them from the Bonds of Death by his Blood So here is the Way of Life and Path of Eternal Rest Christ Jesus the Power of God which destroyes the Devil and his Works 1 John 3.8 Hebr. 2.14 and this is the true Spirit this day we know it to our Souls Satisfaction that confess Christ come in the Flesh and this was the Advice of the Apostle John to such as did retain Christ the Power Wisdom of
out of my Sins and from the Wayes and Worships of the VVorld who are not in the Spirit and in the Truth and therefore will come to an End and the true VVorship which is in the Spirit and in the Truth will be established for God who is strong in Judgment will raise up his own Tabernacle Amos 9.11 Acts 15.16 and the Time is come wherein the Lord will work and wo unto such as endeavour to hinder his VVork which is a righteous VVork and will stand when the Pleasure of Sin shall end with Everlasting Punishment for it is Righteousness that will remain when God shall judge the VVorld and search out every secret VVork that hath been wrought in Darkness yea when Inquisition shall be made for the Thoughts of the Vngodly And so all that read understand and turn unto the Lord for he is certainly risen in great Power yea he hath taken unto him his great Power and is come to reign 1 Cor. 15.25 for he hath seen the great Backslidings of the Sons of Men and the Darkness that hath vailed the Creation and the Death that hath reigned over Mankind and he is come to take away the Vail that the Enemy of Mankind hath spread over the Nations and to destroy the Face of the Covering cast over all People that Death may be swallowed up in Victory 1 Cor. 15.54 55 And the Holy Pure God whole Dominion is an Ancient Dominion and his Heavenly Glorious Kingdom is from Everlasting to Everlasting before the Devil and Death's Kingdom Rule and Government was he hath beheld the Sad Estate of the Sons of Men hath sent forth a Saviour who is mighty the same that in Dayes past was mighty in word and Deed before God and all the People Luke 24.19 and the same Saviour even Jesus which is Christ the Lord hath redeemed and saved a People from their Sins Mat. 1.21 who is able to bring forth all the distressed amongst the People whose inward Cry is to the unknown God as mine was who hath delivered my Soul from Death who is my Shepherd Bishop and Teacher in whom dwelleth all Fullness who laid down his Life for his Sheep whose precious Blood hath redeemed us whom my Soul hath Cause to extol and praise Night and Day who is my Strength and Defence against all the Assaults of my Soul's Enemy to whom saith my Soul be Glory Everlasting and Praises for ever rendered who is over all Blessed forever Amen After this Work was begun in my Soul and my Understanding opened to see the sad and woful State of Mankind being fallen into the State of the first Adam in the Separation from God and Christ Jesus my Heart was filled with Sorrow and a Zeal for the Name of the Lord God did livingly spring in my Heart and a Necessity was laid upon me to warn my Neighbours to turn unto the Lord and the Lord shewed me the sad and woful State of many whose Iniquities are even come to the full and I warned them in the Name of the Lord in their publick Assembliâ—s to turn from the Evil of their wayes and now it lives in my Heart afresh to warn them by writing also in the Holy Fear and Awe of the God of Heaven and Earth in the deep Consideration of their sad Estate And now my Neighbours this is unto you in Bowels of tender Love whose oâ—l desireth your Everlasting Good that you may consider your Wayes and turn unto the Lord for he is merciful slow to anger and of great Kindness that Inwardly you may be sensible of the Power of Jesus Christ whose Heavenly Light shews you your Sins for great are your Abominations which grieves the Lord God and the abounding thereof from Day to Day How doth Drunkenness abound amongst you and Pride and Vain Glory and Swearing and Lying from Day to Day abound within the Borders of the Place of my Nativity for whose Sakes my Heart hath often been bowed down before the Lord that the Dayes of Sin and Iniquity may come to an End Now Friends and Neighbours there is no Way for you to escape the Indigration of the Lord but by Repentance and therefore repent speedily and forsake your Sins in this Day wherein the Lord hath visited you with his Day Spring from on high and that is the true Light that sheweth unto you your Thoughts and reproves you in Secret for Lying Swearing and Drunkenness and all manner of Uncleanness and that is the Day Spring from on high revealed from God to lead out of Sin and to save from Transgression and this is the Grace of God which the Apostle spake of which hath appeared unto all men which is the true Teacher and Leader out of Sin Tit. 2.11 into Holines and this will search your Hearts as you wait for it for how have you been saying from Time to Time At what Time soever a Sinner doth repent him from the Bottom of his Heart God will blot out all his Transgressions out of his Remembrance and do not many take Liberty to sin because of this but as the Promise of Forgiveness upon Repentance Ezek. 18.21 22. commends the Mercy of God that none might despair yet the Lord will surely plead with all that are presumptuous and Continuers in Sin read your Portion Ezek. 18.20 therefore all both old and young remember Repentance from the Bottom of the Heart for that you must all come to witness if you be made clean so that God may receive you And indeed that is a Thing of great Concernment but that is the Thing most wanting amongst men for there are Professions enough but I see but few that are come to the Cleansing of the inside or inward Washing but as the Pharisees who made clean the outside of the Cup or Platter but the inside was unclean Luke 11.39 So there are many outside Professors of God and Christ that â—râ— confessing their Sins and Repentance as they say from the Bottom of the Heart but the Cause remains the Bottom is still corrupt and therefore that you may come to the Bottom that is the Desire of my Soul and the End of writing unto you for you can never come to the Bottom till you come to the Spirit of Truth the Heavenly Light that lets you see the Bottom of your Hearts and searcheth out the most hidden Things for the Heart of Man is deceitful and none can search it but the Lord Jer. 17.10 and the Lord knows it and tries the Heart aâ—d searcheth the innermost Parts And this is the Substance that is come that searcheth the Heart and declares unto man his Thoughts Ames 4.13 and as you obey him who is near you even the Spirit of Truth â—o you will come to witness the Work you are a talking of a Death to Sin and a New Birth unto Righteousness for Christ Jesus is manifest to take away Sin renew Man and Woman again to God And such as come to witness Repentance from