Christ as is before shewed who are in the life which are onely such that have the seed of God raised in their own particulars and alwayes obey it in the power thereof such are not under the power of the Law but under Grace and the Spirit of the Lord Jesus which dwelleth in them hath made them free from the Law of sin and of death and they and they onely are Christs because they are led by the Spirit of Christ and all others let their forms be Episcopal Presbytery Independents Anabaptists or whatever all their Worship is but will-Worship and their eatings and drinkings and washings and preachings and singings and hearings are all but the Sacrifice of Fools being all will Worship the inventions of mens hands out of the life and power of the truth as it is in Jesus and therefore is before the Lord but as the cutting off a dogs neck being a blind zeal without knowledge for I know upon what ground they all stand having run through all these Forms and could never finde rest for the sole of my feet in them neither can any find true peace until they come to lie down in the Father worshipping him in Spirit and in Truth being holy in all manner of conversation for unto such it is become natural to do the will of their Father on Earth as it is done in Heaven And therefore I do dearly exhort you all men and women to whom this shall come to keep close to the pure seed of God in you for that is your true Teacher and follow it and it will shew you the Father and the Son and if you obey this Doctrine you shall know that it is of God and lend not your ears at any time or place unto the Tempter but crush the Serpent in the first motions of sin and then they turn upon his own accompt and not upon thine for it is no sin to be tempted but the sin is to yeild for when lust hath conceived it bringeth forth sin and sin when it is finished bringeth forth death Therefore break the Cockatrice Egg before it be hatched that it may never come to be a Serpent and resist the devil and he will flee from you and turn in the minde to the pure light and wait in it that preserved you may all be out of that sin and evil that would defile you for this pure Principle of God in you will not consent at any time to sin but will check and reprove for it and if its motions be obeyed it will keep you all single and unspotted of the world and so you shall be found worthy to follow the Lamb in this the day of his power wherein he is risen to make War with the Beast and false Prophet And therefore it doth concern every one continually to watch and to have their loines girt about with the preparation of the Gospel of Truth that is with Jesus the Word by whom all things were made who is in all his Babes and Children that are born again and those that have his commandments and keepeth them dwelleth in him and he in them and this Lamb of God that taketh away the sins of the world shall have the Victory and blessed and thrice happy are all they that can come to witness sensibly in their own particular him rising in them that are truly fighting under his Bannâ—… against sin the world and the devil and feel a dayly conquering of sin that die dayly as Paul saith unto sin that they may be made alive unto God and as David saith that hateth the very appearance of evil And the onely way to this is to keep low in ones self and to wait in the cool of the day turning in to the light and in it wait and put on the whole Armour of God that you may be preserved at all times out of the snares of Satan for this will let you see sensibly the Tree that bringeth forth corrupt fruit to be cut down in you and a new plant raised which will bring forth its fruit in due season to the glory of the Lord who alone is worthy of all glory and honour and everlasting praises for ever and for ever And therefore all Friends keep in the pure fear and wisdom of the Lord that at all times you may be ordered by it to do all things to his glory at all times and in all places that you may be a good savour unto all men you have to do withal and let your souls truly pant and thirst after the living God as the hart panteth after the water-brooks for your Redeemer is neer you if you refuse him not the Word is nigh thee even in thy heart and in thy mouth and the kingdom of heaven is within you as is plainly shewed in this Treatise and if Satan be in his first motions resisted you shall plainly see him pass away as the shadows pass away and the dew when the Sun ariseth And therefore keep in the pure fear and wisdom of God that with it you may be ordered and guided in all things to do them to his glory and so you shall sensibly witness the seed of God in you all to reign that will trample Satan under feet and then shall the saints rejoyce and they shall witness pure and holy rejoycings with songs of Triumph and Praises with Glory Glory Glory and everlasting Praises to their Father which is in heaven who is worthy We have had great stirs in the Nation of late years by Souldiers and great Words and good Language have they spoken that they would do much for Christ and the setling of his Kingdom which they do not know and the protecting of his people whose Life is in it being in Righteousness Peace and Joy in the holy Ghost which is a hard thing for a Souldier that kills men for mony houses lands and goods ever to witness until with Zacheus he restore to him that he hath robbed by forged cavilation and to the debtor his pledge But the whole Nation is sensible if they be not wilfully blind of the backsliding and Apostatizing of the Army and how in all changes they have sought themselves and not the things of God it is like they have forgot that Text Joh. 18. 16. My kingdom saith Christ is not of this world and Paul saith Rom. 14. 17. The kingdom of God is not meat and drink nor yet Arms and Armies but righteousness and peace and joy in the holy Ghost which Souldiers and Armies usually destroy and confound and therefore Christs Souldiers must have onely the sword of the Spirit which is the Word of God which leadeth them into all the truth and peace and condemneth the very practices of this Army that hath so often changed and sworn and engaged with hands lifted up to heaven and yet broke all as fast as made them to the sadding of the hearts of all their faithful friends to the strengthning of the hands of their enemies and
is within you And therefore I must tell you the Priests of this generation Read all the Books in your Universities that tells you what hath been formerly and though by your natural parts with the help of such Studies you can make speeches of a day long yet you have no peace but your hearts still are as a barren wilderness and increase in sorrow till your eyes return into your selves and the Spirit come from on high to make you read in your own Book your heart wherein you shall find the Mystery of Iniquity the Man of Sin seated which is the fruits of the first Adam and till the Mystery of Godliness the second Adam Christ Jesus be revealed in you to destroy the works of the devil and make you righteous and restore you to life there is not neither can there be peace for there is no peace to the wicked saith my God and if I regard iniquity in my heart God will not hear me and he that liveth in sin the wrath of God abideth upon him So it is clear that the single-hearted ones who see the Mystery of Righteousness and are acquainted every one according to his measure with that Spirit of truth that is to be the Blessing of the whole earth and that enlightens all that come into the world although they are slightly regarded and trodden under foot of men of the world whom God filleth with his hid treasure that have every worldly thing their hearts can wish for that their eyes many times are ready to start out for fatness yet let them know for their sorrow and wo that out of this Sion which no man regards shall the Deliverer come for the light and life of Christ vvithin the heart discovers all Darkness and delivers Mankinde from Bondage and beside him there is no Saviour and what vvill become of those that are found fighters against God for they that persecute them persecute me saith Christ And therefore fear and tremble vvhoever rhou art for the wrath of the Lord smoaketh against thee and his jealousie burneth like fire if thou art found in a persecuting nature thy sin will bring destruction upon thee and there shall be no remedy Although judgement is not executed speedily against evil doers which causeth their hearts to be set in them to do evil yet the Lord will punish the hairy scalp of them that go on in their wickedness and when their sins are fully ripe then judgement shall come upon them to the utmost and there shall be no Remedy and therefore O Man who ever thou art great or small that fighteth or striveth against his little ones fear and tremble and cease from sinning any longer in that nature for fear the Lord may be a heaping up thy iniquities that he may bring wrath upon thee to the utmost and then there shall be no remedy for he repayeth them that hate him to their face to destroy them he will not be slack Deut. 7. 10 21. For the Lord thy God is amongst you a mighty God and terrible who is now rising in his might and power to destroy the man of sin and is rising like a mighty man refreshed after Wine and the seed of wickedness shall be destroyed by the brightness and glory of his coming for he alone that is the King of Righteousness will be exalted amongst you And therefore let all flesh stand still waiting in silence before him that they may see the Salvation of GOD. The second Epistle To all people whose souls panteth after God as the Hart panteth after the water-brooks NOW to him that ordereth his Conversation aright will I shew the salvation of God Hearken to the Word of the Lord and your souls shall live mind what power rules in you whether it be a particular confining selfish power which is of the devil or whether it be an universal spreading power that doth delight in the liberty of the Son for if the Son shall make you free then are you free indeed The selfish power vvhen it is crossed or shamed it grows distempered bitter spirited sometimes endeavouring to kill that bodie it dwels in and sometime some other that angers it but the power of Christ who is the giver forth of the Law of Righteousness ruling within is not moved to anger charity true love thinketh not evil but hopeth and endureth all things being meek and patient loving and acting righteously both to his own Body and to others though they be his Enemies following the Rule of Jesus Christ their King Do good to them that hate you and pray for them that despightfully use you that you may be children of your Father which is in heaven Let every man and woman know that there is but two Spirits a good and a bad there is but two wayes the straight and the narrow that leadeth to life eternal and few find it and the broad way that leadeth to destruction and many there be that go in that vvay there is but God and the devil Heaven and hell the way to happiness and the way to misery the way to life and the way to death even death eternal And the way to life is believing in the light that doth enlighten every man that cometh into the world And verily it doth concern every man to know in what state he is whether the spirit or the flesh beareth sway for the two powers before spoken of are the two Adams in mankinde they are Jacob and Esau son of the free-vvoman or son of bondage the first kills and crucifieth the Son of God but the second the Lord from heaven he maketh alive for Christ the Spirit of Truth doth arise above the power of evil and he takes the body and rules in it Isa 65. 17. he makes it a new heaven and a new earth vvhere in dwells righteousness Now that vvhich seeks after the enjoyment of Creatures to have peace in them doth but seek the living among the dead for all sin makes but one perfect body of the power of darkness the devil vvhich doth raign in every man till the man of righteousness Christ the stronger then he vvho is the Anointing comes and throws down his strong holds and divides the spoil and vvhen Christ this Word of life hath the possession that soul hath true peace in the salvation that cometh out of Sion for peace is not to be found in any other for he is the Prince of peace and the Captain of our salvation vvho hath perfected for ever all those that are sanctified by him and he ever liveth to make intercession for them for by his obedience many are made righteous Every one shall be called by my name for I created him for my glory formed him and made him I will bring forth the blinde people and they shall have eyes and the deaf and they shall have ears I even I am the Lord and besides me there is no Saviour Isai 43. 7 8 11. Because thou wast precious in my sight
and God is in them of a truth and they and the Father are one and they do abide in the Vine and in him they bring forth much Fruit to the glory of God the Father and these Fruits of the holy Ghost are to be found dwelling in them as Love Joy Meekness Patience Temperance Brotherly Kindness Bowels of Mercy Humbleness of Minde Holiness and Righteousness And the false Teachers appear plainly by their Fruits to be the Priests that do receive Tythes for they seek gain from their Quarters they fleece the Flock and do not feed them they speak a Divination of their own brain they are in the number of those that steal the word from their neighbour and cry The Lord saith when the Lord never spake unto them they do not at all profit the people for they that were unclean are unclean they that were filthy are filthy still and Drunkards are Drunkards still they are not sent of God for if they were they would have turned people from the evil of their doings and they should have learned to do well By their fruits Christ saith they shall be known for men do not gather figs of thorns nor grapes of thistles but every good tree bringeth forth good fruit and by their covetous filthy lives they destroy the hearty professions of their hearers who are much led by example and practice of their Teachers and herein they are partakers of other mens sins and so must partake with them of their plagues and the blind doth lead the blind and they must fall into the ditch for they that cannot witness in their own particulars that the Spirit of the Lord in them is raised and hath the whole seat of the soul in his dominion and power and the seed of God is raised in him and there is a continual watch kept to destroy sin in its first motion and so it is not yeilded to but is laid all upon the Tempter unless a man be brought to this he is not a fit person to teach others for Christ commandeth his Disciples to be perfect as their Father which is in heaven is perfect and to be holy in all manner of conversation for without holiness no man shall see the Lord and he that is in Christ ought so to walk as Christ hath walked who did no sin neither was there guile found in him I am sure the Priests dare not say they are in Christ or that he hath revealed himself in them or that the holy Ghost is come down upon them if these effects were wrought in them they durst not sue the just and righteous for treble Damages and make such spoil and havock of their Estates as they do throughout the Nation taking from some eight times as much as is the Due according to their own Demands O sad Generation of men that dare say the Lords Prayer as they say Forgive us our Trespasses as we forgive them that trespass against us and yet it is like the next day sueth for treble Damage for a pretended Trespass done before he saith the Petition Do they think the Lord God who hath an all-seeing eye doth not know their hypocrisie and will repay their deceit upon their own heads yea be assured all of you he will Do you follow the Rule that Christ commandeth To do unto all men as you would that all men should do unto you Do you expect a day wherein God shall judge the secrets of all men by Jesus Christ and when every man shall give an accompt for the things done in his bodie And do ye think that these actions before-rehearsed will stand and bear weight in that day O fear and tremble for whatsoever a man soweth that shall he assuredly reap he that soweth to his flesh shall of that reap corruption but he that soweth to the spirit shall of that reap life everlasting for they that are led by the Spirit of God they are the sons of God and they that are led by their wills and lusts whose servants are they the Apostle tells you That of whomsoever a man is overcome his servant he is whether it be of sin unto death or of obedience unto righteousness And therefore awake thou that sleepest and stand up from the dead and Christ shall give thee light and be not drunk with wine wherein is excess but be ye filled with the Spirit and look to see that Scripture fulfilled in you that ye are covetors of spiritual things and all other Scriptures also for they are written for our Instruction upon whom the ends of the world shall fall and leave off the woolvish nature the dogs nature the lyons nature and the destroying nature and put on the Lambs nature be tender hearted one to another and if any man have a quarrel against another forgive it even as God for Christs sake forgiveth thee if thou unfainedly repent and turn from the evil of thy doings then the Lord will blot out all thy transgressions and he will remember thy sins no more O turn ye turn ye for why will ye die ye house of Israel And therefore let all now take up the sore lamentation and teturn unto him that they may be saved for Jesus is able to save to the utmost all those that come unto God by him seeing he ever liveth to make intercession for them and they that do forsake lying vanities and cleave unto him blessed yea for ever blessed are they for they that have part in this first Resurrection from the death of sin unto the life of Grace over such the second death shall have no power but they shall reign as Lords and kings for ever and ever and the high praises of God shall be found in their mouthes and they shall be all cloathed with white the white Robes of his Righteousness and follow the Lamb whithersoever he goeth and he will lead them unto the lively Fountains and wipe away all tears from their eyes and they shall sing praises and hallelujahs unto him for ever and ever for he hath found them worthy and hath given them to be with his Father that they may behold his glory and see him as he is for none of Christs prayers shall fail He saith Father I will that those whom thou hast given me may be with me where I am that they may behold my glory that as thou O Father art in me and I in thee so that they may be made one in Vs Joh. 17. 23 24. And they have all this benefit here that if they abide in Christ and his Word abide in them let them ask what they will and it shall be done unto them And herein is my Father glorified saith Christ that you bear much fruit Joh. 15. 7 8. These things have I spoken unto you that my joy might remain in you and that your joy might be full saith Christ Now as for all others let them be in what form of Worship soever if they be out of the Life and Power of
AN ALARM To all Priests Judges Magistrates Souldiers and all People Inviting Them to Repentance and Amendment of Life For the great Day of the LORD is neer at Hand Blow ye the Trumpet in Sion and sound an Alarm in my holy Mountain let all the inhabitants of the land tremble for the day of the Lord cometh for it is nigh at hand Lift up thy voice like a Trumpet and shew Judah her transgressions and Israel her sins The substance of most of this Discourse was by several Revelations from the Spirit of the Lord given unto the Author to be proclaimed who is known unto many by the Name of Daniel Gotherson Wherein Tho. Danson a Priest in Sandwich is proved a Deceiver of SOULS LONDON Printed by James Cottrel dwelling on Addle-hill To the honest-hearted understanding READER who readeth without Prejudice READER LEt thy Heart be fixed upon the Lord and the Arm of his almighty strength in the supporting thee and teaching thee for it is Christ that openeth the Vnderstanding to understand the Scriptures and the great Mystery of Salvation lieth treasured up in Christ And if thou without prejudice in the cool of the day dost search and commune with thy own Heart and be still thou mayst find the true Bread that came down from Heaven that whosoever eateth thereof shall never dye and thou shalt plainly see all Deceivers unmasked and their Deceipt plainly and nakedly laid open with all Antichristian Practises used to this day and their Mystery of Iniquity unfolded unto all those that are not wilfully blind and desire to stupifie their sences But if thou wilt search in thy heart in meekness for the Light Christ thou shalt finde Eye-salve the Balm of Gilead the Blood of Christ that will cleanse thee from all sin for it will by thy Obedience bring thee to Mount Sion the City of the living God the Mount that cannot be touched for it is a spiritual Life that must be witnessed And Christ plainly sheweth that the Father seeketh such to worship him as worship him in the Spirit and in Truth And therefore lend thy Heart nay give it up into God that thou in thy own Vessel mayest have the Bread of Life for it must be the Oyl in a Man 's own Lamp that must convey him into the Bridegrooms Chamber to receive that Blessing Come you blessed of my Father saith Christ inherit the Kingdom prepared for you Enter thou good Servant into the joy of thy Lord He is that great Prophet that Moses spake of that whosoever would not hear should be cut off from amongst the people who is JESUS that saveth his people from their sins Whose great day of power hath appeared unto many and is appearing unto all and doth pull down their pride for The loftiness of men must be brought low and their haughtiness must be humbled for Christ teacheth all His to be meek and lowly that they may finde Rest unto their Souls for Blessed are the meek they shall inherit the earth And by hiding the Word Christ in thy heart thou shalt be kept as David was from sinning against God for those that hear the Voyce of Christ desire to be taught by Him as the truth is in Jesus they shall be guided by him to do the will of God in every thing and be led by the Spirit of God to do as they would be done unto and to walk in all things as Christ hath walked for they shall be filled with the Spirit of Righteousness that filleth all in all and they shall not need that any man shall teach them but as the Anointing which dwelleth in them teacheth them all things for they shall know their true Teacher Know you not that Christ is in you except you be Reprobates And so being taught by Christ they shall taste of his fulness and the Arm of his strength they shall all witness that will make them walk from strength to strength and Grace shall make them see God in Sion for Holiness becometh the House of the Lord for ever And by leading holy Lives they find their works to be wrought in God and themselves Branches springing from that Vine Christ and they come in by that true Door and they follow Christs Voice for he is their Shepherd and he leadeth them into pleasant Pastures where their Souls are refreshed with that which is sweeter then the Honey and the Honey-Comb and is better then thousands of Gold and Silver for it is the enjoyment of the Lord which is better then Life And therefore as thou tenderest thy salvation be like the wise man that fore-saw the evil and made his hiding place in his God for assure your selvs High and Low Rich and Poor Learned and Vnlearned Priests and People the great day of the Lords Wrath is near at Hand wherein the stout Ones of the earth shall tremble for all their words and works must come to judgment and none but those that have truth in the inward parts shall stand before him it is the unspotted Life the undefiled in their way the pure in heart will see him with comfort the clean heart is a fit Temple for the holy Ghost to dwell in and those that have part in the first Resurrection from the Death of Sin to the Life of Grace over such the second Death hath no power This Treatise is for your instruction to bring you to a sight of all that is past and present and to come And therefore seriously read without prejudice For it is the Advice of Him that thirsteth after the salvation of all men that they may come to the knowledge of the Truth that they may be saved For every one that shall finde a Benefit by Christ are such as have part in Him such as are baptized into Him and such are baptized into His Death and they are new creatures and old things are passed away all things are become new For in Christ Jesus neither Circumcision availeth any thing nor Uncircumcision but a new Creature And where the new Creature is there is the Vnity of the Spirit witnessed to be kept in the Bond of Peace The 22 of the 10. Month commonly called by the heathens December 1659. I am a true Lover of all whose Desires are after the living GOD who am called Daniel Gotherson A PREPARATIVE To the Ensuing Epistles 1. DEspise not Prophesie 1 Th 5 Trie all things firmly hold That that is sound and pure The rest thou may'st be bold As vanity and lewd Illusion for to hate But if thou judge too soon Thou wilt repent too late Be well assur'd 't is good Before thou do approve Be well assur'd 't is naught Before thou dare reprove Mean while I wish thee do As Abrams servant did As Paul in Macedon To preach when Christ him bid As the Beraeans whose Nobility is prais'd By Gods own holy pen These men their courage rais'd And utmost industrie To finde the certaintie When doubtful novelty They heard
this is all the Lord thy God requireth of thee To do justly love mercy and to walk humbly with thy God for Holiness becometh the House of the Lord for ever And Christ saith He that hath my commandments and keepeth them dwelleth in me and I in him And therefore do not think the Name or the Profession of a thing will serve the turn it is coming into the Life and Power of the thing that is expected from the Lord they that cry in that day We have eat and drunk in thy presence and thou hast taught in our streets all that will not do Depart from me saith Christ the reason why is shewed by him because they were Workers of iniquity So there is no priviledge for a people be they never so high in Gods favour yet if they sin against him they must know the wrath of God is against them for if a righteous man turn from his righteousness and do that which is evil he shall die for the evil and I will remember his righteousness saith the Lord no more The people of Israel were a peculiar people the Lord had manifested his love in abundance to them he fed them with Angels food and led them in the Wilderness that their cloaths waxed not old and he made the rock gush out waters and gave them Quails the lusts of their own hearts But they died in judgement whilst the meat was in their mouthes the wrath of God came down upon them and Gods Soul came to be angry with them even so much that the Lord said My soul shall be avenged on this Generation David a man after Gods own heart yet for sinning was forc'd to go with broken bones and his Ioines were filled with a sore Disease and he went groaning all the day long Moses for striking the Rock twice did not enter the Land of Canaan And therefore do not thou think whoever thou art and let thy profession be what it will for if thou sinnest against God thou must be punished by him And know this That the end of all teaching and speaking and writing is to be brought to doing The end of all saith Solomon is to fear God and keep his Commandments This is the whole Duty of Man And therefore be as thou seemest to be or seem to be as thou art For it is onely the pure in heart shall see God and the meek shall inherit the earth and dwell therein for ever The fifth Epistle To Roger Crabb and Francis Jennings John Porter Elizabeth Porter Stephen Powel Sarah Aldridge Anne Bunion To all those that are in the deceipt with him who stile themselves the Servants of the Lord onely with Judeth Edds and some few Others whose Names I cannot finde that they may see their durty Dregs and repent of their Abominations For the Wrath of God is revealed against all Deceipt and all Deceivers LAmentations Mourning and Wo is pronounced against all evil and he that soweth or she that soweth Dissention amongst Brethren is such a one as the Soul of the Lord abhorreth Now let not their looks dismay thee thou tender-hearted child or children of the most High for the Duty of Obedience which the Lord thy God requireth of thee is not in any other thing but in being obedient to the Commands of God as sin is made known unto thee by the light of the everlasting Spirit of Righteousness which is in thee and there is placed to make known sin and evil unto thee and is there placed in thy heart to raise thy immortal soul by the immortal seed of the word which is Christ in thee that thou mayst live unto him that hath called thee out of Darkness into his marvelous light that we might not henceforth live unto our selves but unto him and therefore living unto him is to be holy as he was holy and pure as he was pure and so the Life of the Saints is to be a Life of purity and it is the pure in heart that see him and so it is not as Roger Crabb surmiseth and William Smith and John Dunck and others in wearing hair or not hair for if they will believe the History of Josephus they may finde that Christ wore his Hair very long waving about his Shoulders and the Scriptures of Truth maketh mention that he wore it according to the manner of the Nazarites who had no Razor come upon their heads neither is it in dirty hands faces as they fondly do surmise but it lieth in the hidden man of the heart in a meek and quiet spirit which is a thing of God much set by neither is it in straw Hats or such fond conceits for they cannot be made without hands no more then woollen ones But the Reader may take notice that this people being departed from the living presence of the Lord God where Life and Peace and Rest is to be dwelt in they wander up and down seeking Rest and finde none for the Peace is not in eating or drinking but in Righteousness Peace and Joy in the Holy Ghost It is not then in denying the lawful use of the creatures for the Apostle saith Whatsoever is sold in the shambles that eat making no scruple for conscience-sake So then it is clear that men may lawfully eat all creatures as well as herbs or what groweth naturally And every creature of God is good saith Paul and nothing ought to be refused if it be received with praise and thanks giving and it is not that saith Christ that goeth into the man that doth defile the man but that which cometh out For out of the heart saith Christ proceedeth adultery fornication murder and the like So it is the evil heart being corrupted that is the cause of the man being defiled and it is not the denying of meats wherein Religion stands for they may see that Christ fed five thousand men with five Loaves and two Fishes and commanded the Fragments to be taken up that nothing might be left and he turned water into wine if he had not allowed the use of it he would not have made it but it was to be drunk And Christ saith If any of you have a son shall ask bread will he give him a stone or if he shall ask a fish will he give him a serpent so he clearly owneth the eating of those creatures And if they or any led by their fond deceitful spirit that deny the Resurrection of the Body of Christ out of the grave let them read Luk. 26. vers 37. and so forward But they were terrified and affrighted and supposed that they had seen a spirit and he said unto them Why are you troubled and why do thoughts arise in your hearts Behold my hands and my feet that it is I my self handle me and see for a Spirit hath not flesh and bones as you see me have And when he had thus spoken he shewed them his hands and his feet And while they yet believed not for joy and
Chron. 34. And Josiah did that which was right in the sight of the Lord and walked in all the wayes of David his father and declined neither to the right hand nor to the left Ezra 7. 10. For Ezra had prepared his heart to seek the Law of the Lord and to do it Vers 25 26. And thou Ezra after the wisdom of thy God that is in thy hand set Magistrates and Judges which may judge all the people all such as know the Laws of thy God beyond the river and teach ye them that know them not and whosoever will not do the Law of thy God and the law of the king let judgement be executed speedily upon him whether it be unto death or to banishment or to confiscation of goods or to imprisonment Neh. 1. 5. O Lord God of heaven the great and terrible God that keepeth covenant and mercy for them that love him keep his commandments Neh. 10. 29 They came to their Brethren their Nobles and entered into a curse and into an oath to walk in Gods Law which was given by Moses the servant of the Lord and to observe and do all the commandments of the Lord our God and his judgements and his statutes Job 1. 1. There was a man in the land of Uz whose name was Job and that man was perfect and upright and one that feared God and eschewed evil Isa 2. 3. Let us go up to the house of the God of Jacob and he will teach us of his ways and we will walk in his pathes for out of Sion shall go forth the Law and the word of the Lord from Jerusalem Sanctifie the Lord of hosts himself and let him be your fear and your dread Thou wilt keep him in perfect peace whose minde is stayed on thee because he trusteth in thee Trust ye in the Lord for ever for in the Lord Jehovah is everlasting strength The wayes of the just is uprightness Thou most Upright dost weigh the pathes of the just yea in the ways of thy judgements O Lord have we waited for thee the desire of our soul is to thy Name and to the remembrance of thee Thus saith the Lord of hosts the God of Israel Amend your wayes and your doings Trust not in lying words saying The Temple of the Lord the Temple of the Lord the Temple of the Lord for if you throughly amend your wayes and your doings if you throughly execute judgement between a man and his neighbour if ye oppress not the stranger the fatherless and the widow and shed not innocent blood in this place neither walk after other gods to your hurt then will I cause you to dwell in this place in the land that I gave to your fathers for ever and for ever Behold ye trust in lying words that cannot profit will ye steal murder and commit adultery and swear falsly and burn incense to Baal and walk after other gods whom ye know not and come and stand before me in this house which is called by my Name and say We are delivered to do all these abominations But this thing commanded I them saying Obey my voice and I will be your God and you shall be my people and walk ye in all the wayes that I have commanded you that it may be well unto you Behold the dayes come saith the Lord that I will raise unto David a righteous Branch and a king shall reign and prosper and shall execute judgement and justice on the earth in his days Judah shall be saved and Israel shall dwell safely and this is his Name whereby he shall be called The Lord our Righteousness Nevertheless if thou warn the righteous man that the righteous sin not and he doth not sin he shall surely live the soul that sinneth shall die but if a man be just and do that which is lawful and right and hath not eaten upon the mountains neither hath lift up his eyes to the idols of the house of Israel neither hath defiled his neighbours wife neither hath come neer to menstruous women and hath not oppressed any but hath restored to the debtor his pledge hath spoiled none by violence hath given his bread to the hungry and hath covered the naked with a garment he that hath not given forth upon usury neither hath taken any increase that hath with-drawn his hand from iniquity hath executed true judgement between man and man hath walked in my statutes and kept my judgements to deal truly he is just he shall surely live saith the Lord God And they that be wise shall shine as the stars in the firmament for ever and ever and they that turn many to righteousness as the brightness of the firmament And in that day will I make a Covenant for them with the beasts of the field with the fowls of heaven and with the creeping things of the ground and I will break the bow and the sword and the battel out of the earth and will make them dwell safely and I will betroth thee unto my self in righteousness for ever yea I will betroth thee unto my self in righteousness and in judgement and in loving kindness and in mercy I will betroth thee unto my self in faithfulness and thou shalt know the Lord. The Lord also shall roar out of Sion and utter his voice from Jerusalem and the heavens and the earth shall shake but the Lord will be the hope of his people the strength of the children of Israel Then shall Jerusalem be holy and there shall no stranger pass through her any more For thus saith the Lord unto the house of Israel Seek ye me and ye shall live But upon mount Sion shall be deliverance and there shall be holiness and the house of Jacob shall possess their possessions They that observe lying vanities forsake their own mercy But I will sacrifice to thee with the voice of thanksgiving I will pay that that I have vowed salvation is of the Lord. Thus saith the Lord concerning the prophets that make my people err that bite with their teeth and cry peace and he that putteth not into their mouths they ever prepare war against him But truly I am full of power by the Spirit of the Lord and of judgement and of might to declare unto Jacob his transgressions and to Israel his sin Hear this ye heads of the house of Jacob and princes of the house of Israel that abhor all judgement and pervert all equity they build up Sion with blood and Jerusalem with iniquity the heads thereof judge for reward and the priests thereof teach for hire and the prophets thereof divine for money yet will they lean upon the Lord and say Is not the Lord amongst us no evil can come upon us Therefore shall Zion for your sakes be plowed as a Field and Jerusalem shall become heaps and the Mountains of the house as the high places of the Forests The Lord is of purer eyes then to behold evil and cannot behold
if they do not speedily repent they must expect that the great God will pay their hypocrisie and deceitful dealings with indignation and wrath upon the heads of every one of them that doth or hath done evil and when the measure of their iniquities are full they must expect wrath from heaven to be poured down upon them and there shall be no Remedy For they may read that David although a man after Gods own heart yet because his hands were dipt in bloud the Lord would not let him build an house unto his Name Zach. 4. 6. Not by power but by my Spirit saith the Lord of hosts is this work to be done We read that Souldiers have been great enemies to Christ and his Kingdom Joh. 19. 23 24 32 34. the Souldiers armed with swords staves and spears were imployed to take Christ and apprehend him to bring him to Pilate they stripped him of his Garments and Robes and crowned him with Thorns they spit in his Face they buffeted him they gave him vinegar to drink they crucified him and cast lots for his garments they thrust a spear through his side they watched the Sepulcher for fear he should be taken away and after he was risen the chief Priests gave large money to the Souldiers to broach their lies that his Disciples came by night and stole him away while they slept The Souldiers stretched forth their hands to vex certain of the Church they killed James the Apostle with the sword they apprehended Peter and put him in prison where he was guarded day and night with four Quaternions of Souldiers to prevent an escape The Lord hath resolved that men of blood as is before shewed shall not build his house Christ is the King and Prince of Peace and his Subjects are the Subjects of Peace Christs Gospel is the Gospel of Peace his Apostles and Ministers the Embassadors of Peace and his Kingdom consists in Righteousness and Peace Now nothing is more directly opposite inconsistent and destructive to this Peace to the King Prince Gospel Embassadors and Kingdom of Peace then Armies Wars Souldiers and Arms are and therefore you may read that when Christ sent forth his Disciples to preach his Gospel and set up his Kingdom he did not chuse Captains of thousands and hundreds nor yet Souldiers and armed men but Fisher-men and others altogether averse from war and commanded them in express terms not to take gold silver nor brass in their purses nor scrip nor two coats nor yet staves much less Pistols Musquets Pikes Carbines Swords for Christ expresly meaneth that his Ministers must be no fighters no strikers strivers much less professed Warriers and their weapons must be the Spirit and their mouth the Word of God and they must fight onely against mens lusts and sins not against their persons It is prophesied by the holy men of old That men shall learn war no more but his people shall break their spears into pruning books and their swords into plough-shares for Nation shall not rise against Nation nor lift up the sword any more neither shall they learn war any more but live in peace And these things shall be fulfilled when Christs Kingdom cometh to be set up and they shall keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace And therefore let me admonish you all to leave off your dissembling tell people in plain terms you fight to get great Estates and kill men for mony and sad and miserable will be the end of you unless you repent and perform all those Ingagements Vows and Promises made at Triplo-Heath New-Market and other places where by your large Declarations Remonstrances professed by you that you aimed at nothing but the publick good you caused many honest hearts to joyn with you to the shedding of Blood And therefore speedily repent and turn to the Lord with fasting weeping and mourning and set your selves to do Justice in the earth for fear it speedily open her mouth and swallow you up as it did Corah Dathan and Abiram for assure your selves the Lord is coming against you in Judgement and he will be avenged on every one of you great and small And therefore if you expect to reign with Christ I say unto you once more Speedily repent and put away the evil of your doings and go way and sin no more by your deceitful wicked practices lest a worse thing come unto you And consider how often you have declared to put your helping hand and utmost endeavours to regulate the Laws that are so exceeding chargeable and burdensome to the people of this Nation that I have heard it credibly reported That according to calculation cast up by good Arithmeticians that say There is neer seven millions of mony spent yearly by the people of the Nation in Law and Equity and above one hundred thousand a year it cannot be less amongst Serjeants Bayliffs and such kind of needless Officers besides many persons murdered every year in and about Arrests and escaping from Serjeants that no Nation but England can parallel the like practices which is a shame to all that profess the knowledge of the Lord and makes the very Turks say in their common speech as I have been credibly informed when any doth them some great injury I think you will use me like a Christian O abominable shame that Turks must rise in Judgement and condemn the great Talkers of Religion in England and this heightens the spirits of Judges and makes them proud and not like their Predecessors that rode to Westminster upon Asses to shew their humility from Serjeants Inne and back again to Westminster and did not vaunt and lord it over the people as some have done of late years and gained great riches for themselves and their Favourites and Creatures it is to be feared not justly but evilly just like the Papist Priests in former times when most of those Laws now in being were made who gained in their times most part of the great situations and best Lands in this Nation by Combination Craft and Subtilty by lulling the people asleep in ignorance and blindness in their vain superstition pronouncing hell and damnation with bell book and candle to all that did not observe the same and thereby brought the people into a fond belief of them for since that fall those that is to say the Judges and their favorites have far out-run those Priests in gaining riches in an excessive manner by griping very many men And it is to be observed that many of them have come of poor and indigent Parentage yet have they climed up and leaped into most of the Lordly Titles and gainful places and Offices in the Nation and therein and thereby have domineered and tyrannized over and oppressed the honest people and gained the favour of fawning flattering and lascivious Courtiers by Rewards which they have usually given at their enterance which they have made up again out of others to their sorrows contrary to the
of the flesh and they that are risen with Christ seek the things that are above where Christ sitteth at the right hand of the Throne of God and they do not mind earthly things And therefore all dear Friends mind the pure love of the eternal God the loving Father unto you all to manifest his living pure way of Truth Life and Salvation unto you which is treasured up in Christ who is in you that believe the hope of glory and therefore lay hold upon him and highly prize this the day of your visitation which the Father hath given you all in tender love to your souls which the Lord desires the salvation of for the Lord saith As I live saith the Lord I desire not the death of a sinner but that he may turn from his wickedness and live and God would have none to perish but that all might come to the knowledge of the truth that they might be saved And what is the Reason when men have the measure of the manifestation of the true light of Christ in them which is given them to profit withal that they are not saved The Reason is Because they will not part with their Lusts their darling sins for they love Darkness more then Light because their Deeds are evil and they will not come unto the light that they may have their deeds made manifest and Thy condemnation is of thy self O Israel and Christ saith I stand at the door and knock if any man will open I will come in and sup with him and he with me O Jerusalem Jerusalem that killest the Prophets and stonest those that are sent unto thee how often would I have gathered thee together as a hen gathereth her chickens under her wings and ye would not So thy rebellious sinful nature leadeth thee to thy everlasting destruction because thou takest pleasure in unrighteousness and sin and thou slightest the pure wayes of the living God and countest the blood of the Covenant an unholy thing and thou dost despite unto the Spirit of Grace And therefore now search and try your wayes and turn to the Lord and put away the evil of your doings and learn to do well and the Lord will heal all your back-slidings and will love you freely and remember your sins past no more if you from this day go away and sin no more But if you go on in sin know That although judgement is not speedily executed against evil doers yet the Lord will punish assuredly the hairy scalp of him that goeth on in his sins and wickednesses and when the measure of thy iniquities are fully ripe then Judgement shall come upon thee to the utmost and there shall be no Remedy and none shall be able to deliver thee in the day of the Lords wrath And therefore stand in aw and sin not lest a worse thing come upon thee then yet hath done And therefore confess thy sins unto the Lord and he is faithful and just to forgive thee thy sins But woe be unto him that covereth his sin and hideth his Transgressions for he shall not prosper Therefore high and low rich and poor learned and unlearned turn unto the Lord and harden not your hearts and let the great ones know That the Almighty God is coming against them and he will plead with them by fire and by the sword and the ungodly shall be as chaff before the wind as stubble before the fire for the day of the Lord shall burn as an Oven and the day shall burn up all that do wickedly for the Lord God will not be mocked but he will be avenged on his enemies and all the unbelieving and unrighteous generation of men both Priests and People shall feel the stroke of his almighty Arm of Power if they do not speedily repent and turn unto him and leave off their wicked deceitful wayes and their doings that are not good for they are wallowing in their own wayes and their hearts are running a whoring after their own inventions And therefore return unto the Lord and learn Righteousness now at the last before you die for as the Tree falleth so it lieth and there is no Repentance in the grave whither thou goest and as death leaveth Judgement findeth for this I say as Paul doth That according to the way that most men call heresie so worship I the God of my Fathers believing all things which are written in the Law and the Prophets and that there shall be a resurrection both of the just and the unjust a resurrection of the dead and herein do I exercise my self to have alwayes a conscience void of offence towards God and towards man Act. 1. 10 11. And while they looked stedfastly towards heaven as he went up behold two men stood by them in white apparel which also said Ye men of Galilee why stand yee gazing up into heaven this same Jesus which is taken up from you into heaven shall so come in like manner as ye have seen him go into heaven Act. 2. 20. The Sun shall be turned into darkness and the Moon into blood before that great and notable day of the Lord come 1 Thes 4. 15 16 17. For this we say unto you by the word of the Lord That we which are alive and remain unto the coming of the Lord shall not prevent them that are asleep for the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout with the voice of the Arch-Angel and with the trump of God and the dead in Christ shall rise first then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air and so shall we ever be with the Lord. 1 Thes 5. But ye brethren are not in darkness that that day should overtake you as a thief 2 Thes 7 8. And to you which are troubled rest with us when the Lord Jesus shall be revealed from heaven with his mighty Angels in flaming fire taking vengeance on them that know not God and that obey not the Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ who shall be punished with everlasting destruction from the presence of the Lord and from the glory of his power when he shall come to be glorified in his Saints and to be admired in all them that believe As Paul reasoned with Felix Act. 24. 25. of Judgement Felix trembled and said Go thy way I will call for thee when I have a convenient season 1 Cor. 15. If after the manner of men saith Paul I have fought with beasts at Ephesus what advantageth it me if the dead rise not 1 Cor. 15. 43. It is raised in power by the mighty power of him that is Almighty that said Let there be light and it was so and laid the Foundations of the earth by the word of his power can destroy it in the very twinkling of an eye by the word of his power 1 Cor. 15. 52. In a moment in the twinkling of an eye at the
them already they are compleat in Christ and renewed into his image they are in Covenant with him they are his Children they are born of him and he that is born of him sinneth not neither can he sin because he is born of God The Reason because he is born of him that is the pure seed of God in him being always obeyed and waited in the watch being continually kept by this he overcometh the world and this is our victory even our Faith that hath given us victory over the world and this Faith standeth in Christ who removeth those Mountains of Sin and Uncleanness that hath possest them in the time of their ignorance even like so many Devils for every sin is a Devil as you may read that Mary Magdalen had seven Devils cast out of her that is seven reigning unclean spirits being devils and the devils besought Christ when they saw they must go forth of the man possest that they might enter into the herd of Swine So by this Faith in Christ the corrupt fruitless tree that cumbreth the ground is removed and a Plant of Righteousness of the Lords own planting is placed in the room of it that is planted by the Rivers of waters that flourisheth and bringeth Fruit in season and whatsoever it doth doth prosper and his leaf shall never wither but it shall bring forth his Fruit in due season to the glory of the Father and so by abiding in Christ the Vine the creature doth bring forth much Fruit to the glory of the Father the pure is known from that which is impure the holy from that which is unholy that of God from that which is not of God for that which is holy is to abide in the house of God who dwelleth not in unclean Temples made with hands but his Temples are his Saints and their Bodies are the Temples of the holy Ghost and this is the living sacrifice that God accepteth for it is the living that praise the Lord the dead cannot they that are dead in trespasses and sins they praise not God their sacrifice is as the cutting off a dogs neck it is the redeemed of the Lord that sings the songs of Sion the songs of Holiness they are they that follow the Lamb in the Regeneration and they are regenerated and these follow the Lamb Jesus through great Tribulations and they have washed their garments in his blood and they shall sit on his right hand for evermore for he hath found them worthy for he hath redeemed them from all iniquity that they may serve him in Righteousness and true Holiness all the dayes of their lives and so they are come to the perfect liberty of the sons of God they are led by his Spirit which leads them into all truth out of all sin and all unrighteousness and so they are kept without spot or wrinkle in the midst of a perverse and crooked Generation and the Comforter which is the Spirit of Truth leads them into all Truth and sets up true Judgement and Justice and Equity that that rules the whole man and governs the souls of his that all unjust Rulers and Governours that hath had possession formerly is destroyed and the LORD GOD alone doth reign in this the day of his power and he alone doth plead the cause of his redeemed Ones by that of his pure Self which he hath placed in every one of them and hath made it to get the victory And therefore wo wo unto them that lay heavy burdens upon his despised Ones for a Day of terrible Wrath and Vengeance is coming upon you all and the sword of the Lord is drawn and will be avenged on all his Enemies in this the great day of his terrible appearance and the Enemies of his power shall know that he alone will reign and be exalted in this great day of his appearance for the Lord alone will reign and be King over all the Kingdoms of the world and all the Kingdoms of the world shall become the Kingdoms of the Lord and of his Christ and unto him shall all bend and bow and all the powers of the earth be made subject for he is the Light and in him is the Light of the world and he is the beloved of God Therefore every one lend their ear unto him and hear him for in him is to be found the white stone with the new name written in it that no man knoweth but he that hath it for all that are led by the Spirit of God are led into Holiness for Holiness becometh the House of God for ever it is none but the pure in heart shall see God for God is Righteousness and he leadeth his people into righteousness they that are led by his Grace are led out of Ungodliness and out of the pathes of the wicked for the wicked walk in darkness they stumble at noon-day the fool saith in his heart There is no God and his actions plainly declare it for he liveth as though there were no God to punish him nor Devil to torment him nor Hell-fire to burn him which is the portion of the wicked storm and tempest fire and brimstone is their portion for ever from the presence of the Lord Rev. 19. 3. And her smoak rose up for evermore And therefore you stout-hearted of the world that bend your brows against the Just fear and tremble for the righteous God is coming in Judgement to avenge the blood of his servants at your hands and which of you will be able to dwell in everlasting burnings for Judgement is already begun at the house of God And if the Righteous scarcely be saved where shall the sinner and the ungodly appear And therefore repent repent go away and sin no more before repentance be hid from your eyes and you be cut off from the Land of the Living and meet the Lord speedily in the wayes of his Judgements O it is good to live in judgement at all times that is to judge sin down in the first motion as hath been already shewn And therefore all you that would be counted Christians and be Co-heirs with Christ Jesus the Son of the living God who is the onely Saviour of Man-kind depart from iniquity sin and all ungodliness and return to him who is come to judge all flesh raising up his true and faithful VVitness in all Concernments which sheweth to all men upon the face of the earth what sin iniquity and all ungodliness is to the end they may unto their Father return and repent of their former evil ways that their sins may be taken away and their iniquities may be blotted out and his perfect life brought forth which doth his will on earth as it is in heaven and such who do obey this holy Voyce of Christ in them do witness his Kingdome come in great power and glory which is not of this vvorld therefore the vvorld knovveth it not for they vvill not come unto Christ that they
sayest That Believers sold their possessions and laid them dovvn at the Apostles feet But they did distribute them as every man had need they did not purchase Lands and let the money to Usury and Extortion as the Priests of this Generation do Thou sayest that Paul informs of the qualities of a good Bishop to be a man blameless not given to filthy lucre and Christ saith Go not to Law with any man Now learn thou these Lessons and follow Righteousness Faith Love Peace with them that call on the Lord out of a pure heart Thou directest me to that Text in Heb. 7. 8. And here men that die receive Tythes read the 11 verse of that Chapter If therefore perfection were by the Levitical Priesthood for under it the people received the Law what further need was there that another Priest should arise after the Order of Melchisedec for Christ came of another Tribe he sprang out of Judah who was not made after the law of a carnal commandment but after the power of an endlesslife and vers 25. Wherefore he is able also to save to the utmost them that come unto God by him seeing he ever liveth to make intercession for them And it shall come to passin the last dayes saith God I will pour out of my Spirit upon all flesh and your sons and daughters shall prophesie and your young men shall see visions and your old men shall dream dreams and on my servants and on my hand-maids I will pour out of my Spirit in those dayes and they shall prophesie And verily I do bear my Testimony that I do witness such a people now upon the earth whom the Lord hath revealed his secrets unto and doth powerfully work upon the hearts of thousands to the turning them from darkness unto light and from the power of Satan unto God that they do receive remission of sins and this I do witness in my own particular in great measure blessed yea for ever blessed be his holy and dreadful Name for he alone is worthy of everlasting Praises from his Own both now henceforth and for ever And woes everlasting woes will be the portion of all those that oppress his righteous Ones Now I finde that all men that will attain unto salvation must hear the Son of GOD for A Prophet saith Moses will the Lord your God raise up unto you in all things like unto me and him shall you hear and it shall come to pass that whosoever shall not hear him shall be cut off from amongst the people Now neither the Son of God nor none of his Disciples nor Apostles did ever take Tythes or ever command the paying of them and they were not persons ordained by the will of man but were anointed with the holy anointing and were by that Spirit that did anoint them commanded to feed the Flock of Christ over which the holy Ghost had made them Overseers And Christ himself saith That unless a man be born again he cannot enter into the Kingdom of heaven And this new Birth is a Death unto all sin and a Life unto all Righteousness and this every man must feel That it is as natural for him to serve the Law of God as it was formerly to serve the Law of sin And he is the true Teacher that is able by his own Experience to tell another how he hath passed from Death to Life for no unclean thing can enter the Kingdom for without are Covetous Lyers Adulterers Drunkards Extortioners and all evil Doers Now a true Teacher must hate the very appearance of evil he must hate vain thoughts and every false way We shall finde in Scripture that all the Teachers of Righteousness were such as were filled with the Spirit of the Lord and did not preach for filthy lucre or gain but of a ready minde and were not as the Priests of these times are that lie as Thieves and Robbers to murder in the way and sue for treble Damages and persecute the Son of God in all those that desire to live godly in him which they will feel one day that those that persecute them they persecute him and it were better that a milstone were hanged about his neck and he thrown into the sea then that he should offend one of those little Ones that put their trust in me saith Christ Now I finde that in the year 600. or soon after Gregory the First then Pope of Rome sent over Augustine the Monk into England by vvhom Ethelbert King of Kent was converted This Augustine vvas a Câ—…n Regular and after he had obtained his own Design he then preached up Tythes in England by the Popes appointment and at the same time taught the people that the pardon of sin might be merited by good Works In the year 786. two Legats were sent over from Pope Hadrian the First to Offa King of Mercland Alwolf King of Northumberland vvho made a Decree That the people of those two Kingdoms should pay Tythes King Athelstone about the year 930. King Edmond about the year 940. King Edgar about the year 970. King Etheldred 1010. King Knute about the year 1020. Edward the Confessor and others of the Saxon Kings by Order from the Pope made Laws for Tythes The Normans afterwards entering this Kingdome William the Conquerour Henry the First Henry the Second King Stephen and other Kings by the like Order from the Pope confirmed the said Laws for Tythes and yet notvvithstanding all these Laws yet vvas it left to the Ovvner to confer it vvhere he pleased vvhich vvas the cause of making so many rich Abbies and Monasteries in England and until the year 1200. or thereabouts every one gave their Tythes as they pleased vvhich made Pope Innocent the Third send his Decretal Epistle the Bishop of Canterbury commanding him to injoyn every man to pay his Tythes to those that ministred spiritual things to them which vvas inforced by Sentence of the Ecclesiastical Courts And this vvas the first beginning of Parochial Tythes in England and this after by the Parliament was thought reasonable and then established by a Law the King and People being all Papists Now all this will I prove and let any man that hath any fear of the Lord judge whether that the Rules and Practice of those Back-sliders who were in the dark night of Apostacy be fit to guide us who have again received the pure light as the Apostles of our Lord and Saviour and have received the Lord Jesus Christ and know how to walk in him for know ye not that Christ is in you unless you be reprobates and put you on the Lord Jesus Christ and make no provision for the flesh to fulfil the lusts â—…eof The ninth Epistle To all Priests that teach for Hire and divine for Money that call themselves Ministers of Christ and are not but are of the Synagogue of Satan that they may repent For the day of the Lord is at hand THe Arm and strength of the
Prov. 22. 7 16 22 52. the 22. 8. Jer. 15. 10. Ezek. 18. 13. and 22. 12. Mat. 5. 42. 7. 12. Luk. 6. 30 34 35. and this lay upon me to acquaint all people with from the Lord that they do injury to no man for gain to themselves but every one do as they would be done unto as they would that men should do unto them for the great day of the Lords wrath is at hand and all shall be judged according to the things done in their Bodies whether they be good or evil and all evil doers sin lyeth at their doors and the flaming sword of the Lord of hosts doth hang over their heads And therefore my desire yea my souls desire unto all is That they would keep their mindes out of fading visible perishing things for none but such have their hearts upon the invisible God who is a Spirit and none but spiritual worshippers do serve him or honour him even such the Father seeketh to worship him that worship him in the Spirit and in Truth and such feel their lives to be in God and they live by Faith which Faith is the Faith of Gods Elect for they that so come to live dayly do they feel the flowings in of comfort from the well-spring of Life and they grow like Trees that are planted by the Rivers of VVaters that do bring forth Fruit in due season whose Leaf shall not fade and whatsoever they do it shall prosper and the Lord refresheth their souls with fatness and giveth them the bread of life that they eat and live for ever and they drink of that water that they never thirst and they taste of that heavenly Rock which is Christ and they are the tender Lambs of Christ and the Lord God doth esteem of them as his Jewels and they that touch them touch the Apple of Gods Eye For they are they that do overcome the world and they shall be cloathed in white and they shall follow the Lamb whithersoever he goeth and sing songs of Triumph Glory Glory everlasting Glory and Hallelujahs be given to him that is Lord of lords and King of kings that is the God that giveth his people light and in his light they see the everlasting Light which maketh them live for evermore in his presence where there is the fulness of joy and at whose right hand are pleasures for evermore The eleventh Epistle To all Those whose souls panteth after the living God as the Hart panteth after the Water-Brooks DEar Hearts my dearly beloved in the light and love of God for whom my soul travelleth in birth that I might see Christ formed in you that you might walk worthy of the Lord unto all well-pleasing being fruitful in every good work and increasing in the knowledge of God strengthned with all might according to his glorious power unto all patience and long-suffering with joyfulness giving thanks to the Father who hath made us meet to be partakers of the inheritance of the Saints in light who hath delivered us from the power of darkness and hath translated us into the Kingdom of his dear Son in whom we have redemption through his blood even the forgiveness of sins who is the image of the invisible God the first born of every creature for it pleased the Father that in him should all fulness dwell And so dear Hearts as you wait in him out of all visible things wherein your life hath formerly been nourished and upheld you shall by Christ witness a new birth and a new nature and the life of God will be felt and witnessed which doth redeem the soul out of sin and of inquity and doth reach the seed of God which is pure and of his fulness of whom we receive grace for grace and so the pure innocent seed of the Lord springeth up in you that you become fruitful Branches and bring forth much fruit unto the Lord and so every one in their several measure answer the Lords expectation who is this day seeking for fruits amongst his people and all dead fruitless Trees must have the Ax laid to the root of them that they may be hewed down and cast into the fire for the Lord hath chosen forth of the world unto himself a people to wait in his counsel and light that they may serve him in Righteousness and obey him in Truth And therefore dear Hearts be diligent and watchful that in the strength of God you may be continually armed against the old devouring Enemy Satan who goeth about like a roaring Lyon and all his War is against the tender Lambs of Christs fold that he may make Rents and Divisions amongst them but you are commanded to resist him being stedfast in the Faith always to let your works and labour to abound in the Lord for as much as you knovv your labour is not in vain in the Lord and this know that Satan will do what he may or possibly can against you he had sought to winnow Peter as Wheat was winnowed in a sieve he tempted Christ but there was no ground for him to enter in him And those that are renewed in the spirit of their mindes in Christ they pluck up and plow up the fallow ground of their hearts they pluck up sin by the roots they remove the ground that there is no room to receive the devils temptations although he strives to the utmost of his power to keep the seed of God in bondage which seed is Gods Elect and Precious and he will redeem it out of captivity and thraldome for it is the Resurrection and the holy Birth the Beloved the incorruptible that destroyes Satans kingdom and therefore love it and nourish it and cherish it and let it have the whole dominion in you and it will totally put out Satan and you shall tread him under your feet for where the seed of God doth reign there Satan is subjected and so in the light of God you will finde strength and power and dominion over the Enemie and over all his sleights and deceits As you stand in the light which is the power of God the Enemy will find no place to enter and his strength will be abated and decreased and then you will by degrees find your bodies fit Temples for the holy Ghost to dwell in and the strength of the Lord God of Life and Glory will dayly be renewed unto you and in his strength you shall walk until you appear before him in Sion and you shall obtain victory over the Enemy of your souls and know the glorious liberty of the Sons of God and so come to have a portion and an inheritance with the Babes of Christ even an everlasting inheritance reserved in heaven for you in that Kingdom which hath no end and even such glory as no eye hath seen nor ear hath heard nor tongue is able to express which God hath laid up for them that love him What hath not eye seen what hath not ear