evermore Amen even so Amen saith my Soul Written the 18th of the 11th Moneth 1667. William Gibson A Tender True and Faithfull Salutation unto all People who in VVords profess God and Christ in what Form soever Friends IN true unfained Love I have had you in Remembrance and a tender Pitty and Compassion hath risen in my heart unto you and tender desires are in my heart unto the Lord my God for you all 2 Cor. 4.6 7. that your minds might be brought down unto the Eternal true Light wherewith Christ Jesus the Son of God hath enlightened you all which shineth in your hearts Joh. 8.12 12.4 6. and there convinceth you of Sin and reproveth you when you commit sin that by it you might all come to be led out of sin which is the Devils work And this I say unto you all in dear Love unto all your Souls if you believe not in the Light wherewith Christ hath enlightened you Joh. 3.19 20 21. which checketh you and troubleth you when you do evil I say if you believe not that God hath placed that in you to lead you out of the evil it Condemneth you for then you will never be led out of it but you will dye in your sins and then it will be with you as it was with the unbelieving Jewes and Pharisees in their daies for said Christ the Light unto the Pharisees If ye believe not that I am he ye shall dye in your sins John 1.9 1 Joh 1.5 6 7. and whither I go ye cannot come Mark if they did not believe that he whom they despised and set at nought was the Son of God and the Light of the World and the Way and the Truth and the Life and the Door of the Sheepfold as he declared himself to be Joh. 14.6 then he said they should dye in their sins and if they dyed in their sins whither he went they could not come these sayings of his are true so because of their Unbelief they were shut out of the Kingdom of God and this I say unto all People Joh. 8.21 22 23 24 if you do not believe in that measure of the Spirit or Grace or Light of Christ which is but one in its nature Mat. 11.27 28 29 30. though the names are divers wherwith he hath enlightened every one that is come into the World then you will certainly dye in your sins and out of the Kingdom of God will you be shut because of your unbelief even as the Pharisees was because of their unbelief for God is no respecter of persons Joh. 10.7 8 9. For God so loved the World that he sent his only begotten Son a Light into the World that whosoever believeth in him should not perish but have Everlasting Life so all who believe in the Light of the Son of God wherewith he hath enlightned every one that is come into the World Joh. 1.4 and dwelleth and walketh in that Light in that Light they have Eternal Life as it is written In him was Life and that Life was the Light of men and it is written He that hath the Son hath Life but he that hath not the Son hath not Life but the Wrath of God abideth on him so he that believeth in the Light and Spirit of Christ and walketh in it it is his Life it is his Crown it is the true Living Way unto him Rev. 22.16 and it leads him up to God of his nature it is and it leads all people unto him who do beleeve in it and in faithfulness follow it it is the bright and morning Star unto all those that do believe in it and it doth arise in their hearts and as they abide in it it shineth in their hearts more and more until it hath led them out of the thick Night of Darkness and Blindness which remained over their hearts while they did not believe in the Light 2 Pet. 1.19 and so the Day-star which did arise in their hearts when they did believe in the Light and took heed unto the Light it did lead them out of the thick Night of Darkness and Blindness which had been over their hearts while they did not believe and the vail hath been taken away off the hearts of all those who have believed in the Light 2 Cor. 3.14 15 16. and doth walk in it and so the Light which hath enlightned every one that is come into the World it is of the Divine Nature of God Who is Light and in whom there is no darkness at all and so it being of the Divine Nature of God it leadeth all unto God who doth follow it but they that do not believe in it nor love nor obey it it is their Condemnation as it is written This is the Condemnation that Light is come into the World Joh 3.19 20 21. but men love Darkness rather then Light because their deeds are evil Mark that He that doth evil hateth the Light and will not bring his deeds unto the Light because he knoweth the Light will condemn him for his evil deeds which he hath done But he that doth Truth bringeth his deeds unto the Light that they may be made manifest that they are wrought in God But as it is written Pro. 4.19 Psal 82.5 The way of the wicked is darkness who hate the Light and because they hate the Light which would give them the knowledge of God if they did believe in it and love it therefore are they dark and blind and stumbles and knows not at what Friends these things are of great weight for you to consider while you have a little time and do not content your selves with a bare profession of God and Christ without you at a distance from you and from thence to draw a vain and dead hope that it will be well with you in the World to come for I say If ye die in your sins whither he goeth ye connot come and in dear love I say unto you those sayings of his will certainly be fulfilled upon you as they were fulfilled upon the unbelieving Jews if you do not believe in and obey the Light wherewith he hath enlightned you For I say consider the Jews they looked for the coming of the Messiah because they had the Writings of Moses and the other Prophets who prophesied of his coming yet when he was come they would not believe that it was he Christ but when he did the Works that no other could do then they said he had a Devil and by Belzebub the Prince of Devils he cast out Devils Now consider how came they to be thus deceived and thus to judge of him seeing they had the Prophets Writings which foretold of his coming Well Friends this I say they were expecting him to come in an other manner then he did come for they reading that he should be a King and Prince c. they looked for him to come in great
of Gods good Creatures and that is the cause that there is so much robbing and stealing Gods good Creatures one from another and that is the cause there is so much hanging and killing one another about Gods good Creatures and that is the cause that there is so much hanging and burning and killing one another about Religion even because people do not believe in and obey the Light wherewith Christ Jesus the Son of God hath enlightened them and until the inhabitants of England and all Nations come unto the Light wherewith Christ Jesus the Son of God hath enlightened every one that is come into the World and believe in and obey it they will never come to be established in Peace nor to have the Blessing of God nor to inherit the Kingdom of God but while they are Rebellious against the Light of Christ in them there will come Judgments and Plagues one after another and there shall be no peace to the Wicked who continue in Rebellion against the Light wherewith Christ hath enlightened them neither in this World nor in that which is to come and these are the words of Truth from the Lord God unto all people which shall stand a Witness for the Lord God against all who do continue in Rebellion against the Light and I do declare in the Name of the Lord God that it is the great Misery of all Nations both Jews and Gentiles Turk and Pope and all other Nations whatsoever that they do not believe in the Light wherewith Christ hath enlightened every one that is come into the World for if all people in all Nations would come to the Light wherewith Christ hath enlightened them which convinceth them of Sin then the Light would reconcile all differences amongst them yea it would reconcile them all together and it would make them of one heart and of one mind but they being out from the Light they are of many minds and they are striving one with another who shall be the greatest and they are warring one with another and killing one another for Earthly Crowns and Earthly Honour and Earthly Riches and also about their Idolatrous Worship and their many Babilonish Religions Now the Apostle said Jam. 4.1 c. to ver 11. From whence cometh Wars and Fightings come they not even from your Lusts so now if all Nations would come to the Light wherewith Christ hath enlightened them then they would feel power shed abroad in their hearts in the light to cut down the Lust in them all Jam. 5.1 2 3 4 5 6. from which all Wars doth arise For if we walk in the Light as he is in the Light then have we fellowship one with another and the Blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanseth us from all sin 1 John 1.7 And so if the Light were loved and followed it would cut down the Lust from which Wars doth arise and Pride doth arise and Covetousness and Envy doth arise for Pride in the heart and Covetousness in the heart and Envy in the heart is the causes which makes people break forth into Wars and Fightings one against another and so to kill and destroy one another now Christ Jesus the great Prophet whom Moses said all was to hear and obey he said Love your Enemies do good unto those that dispitefully use you and persecute you and he said Put up thy Sword into its sheath Mat. 26.51 52 53. Rev. 13.10 for he that smiteth with the Sword shall perish with the Sword you Carnal-weaponed men who are wrestling with Flesh and Blood and are killing of you Fellow Creatures either for their Religion or for their Earthly things though you may not be slain by a Carnal Sword as you have slain others yet if you do not come to the Light of Christ within you and repent and give over killing about Religion and about Earthly Honour and Earthly Crowns then the great Sword of the Lord God Almighty which proceeds out of his Mouth will cut you down and you will perish by it and be cast into the Lake that burns for ever Christ Jesus when he was manifest upon the Earth among the Sons of men he said unto them Think ye that I came to bring Peace upon the Earth I tell you nay but a Sword now you Carnal-weaponed men this Sword which he sent upon the Earth it was not like your Carnal Sword which kills the Creatures in their Sins but the Sword which Christ sent upon the Earth it was a Spiritual Sword which did enter into the hearts of the wicked and it did cut down the Sin and so redeemed the Creature out of the Bondage of Sin from under the Power of him who is the Author of Sin which is the Devil and so Christ's Sword which he brought upon the Earth it did not kill the Creature but it killed the Sin and so brought the Creature into a glorious Liberty out of Bondage to Sin and so into the glorious Liberty of the Sons of God So all you Carnal-weaponed men come to the Light wherewith Christ Jesus the Son of God hath enlightened you all that so in the Light you may all come to know and feel that Spiritual Sword to enter into your hearts and to take Peace from the Wicked One within you and so to kill the Sin in you and cast him out of you who is the Strong Man even the Man of Sin who is the Prince of the Power of the Air who rules in the hearts of you Children of Disobedience who disobeys the Light wherewith Christ hath enlightened you that so the Sword of the Spirit may have its way through all your unclean hearts that you may come to know Cains nature to perish in you by the Spiritual Sword even that nature in you which slew Righteous Abel that your Souls may be saved in the day of the Lord. Christ never owned Carnal-weaponed men to Fight for his Kingdom Isa 2.4 for though some offered to Fight for him that he might not have been delivered unto the Jews yet he judged and denied them in that thing and he said If my Kingdom were of this World then would my Servants Fight but his Kingdom was not nor is not of this World therefore his Servants in former Ages were forbidden to Fight for him with Carnal weapons and his Servants in this Age who are in scorn called Quakers they are bound by the Eternal Spirit of the Lord God Almighty never to Fight for Christs Kingdom with Carnal weapons for the Lord God Eternal he will Fight for it with and by the Breath of his Mouth by which he slew his Enemies heaps upon heaps in the Ages past Rev. 19.15 16. and vers 13 14. Acts 12.1 2 3 4 5 6 7 21 22. and in this Age the Everlasting God he hath made ready his great and strong Sword yea he hath made it sharp and he is laying it upon Leviathan that crooked Serpent and he will slay the Dragon
word in all the Bible called the Old and New Testament But in Proverbs 24. vers 15 and 16. thus it is written Lay not in wait O wicked Man against the Dwelling of the Righteous spoil not his Resting-place For a Just Man falleth seven times and riseth again but the Wicked fall into Mischief Now mark the Just man falleth seven times and riseth again now I say here is neither Sin nor Day spoken of but the Wicked fall into Mischief now consider to do Mischief is to do Evil and to do Evil is Sin but the Just man did not fall into Mischief and so he did not fall into Sin Now Hopkins and Sternhold who was men that did play upon Instruments of Musick in the same wisdom in which the Poets do make ungodly Ballads they made a Song which they called The Humble Complaint of a Sinner and in that Song of theirs there is some such like words as the Just man sinneth seven times a day but those words of theirs are not to be heeded for they had them not out of the Holy Scriptures but they are their own invented Lyes Many other places of the Holy Scriptures are wrested after this manner by those who have not believed in the Light who pleads for Sin for the Apostle Paul according unto the wisdom given unto him in all his Epistles he did write things hard to be understood which they that were unlearned and unstable did wrest as also they did the other Scriptures to their own destruction this is Peters Testimony who was a Fisherman and knew not Letters 2 Pet. 3.15 16. Acts 4.13 So all people take notice that it was not because they wanted Greek Hebrew and Latine that they wrested Pauls Epistles and the other Scriptures to their own destruction but it was because they were not come to believe in that measure of the Spirit wherewith Christ had enlightened them for from the Spirit of God was the holy Scriptures given forth and there is none can come to know them and understand them until they come to believe in and obey that measure of God in themselves which is one with that from which the holy Scriptures was given forth and when people come to believe in that and learn of that then God by that will open their understandings to know and rightly to understand the holy Scriptures and until then people can neither know nor understand them aright for while people are out from that of God in them they one imagine one thing from the Scriptures and another imagineth another thing from the same part of the Scripture and one saith it meaneth thus and another he saith nay but it meaneth thus and so they are bewildered in their imaginations about the holy Scriptures one saying this is the meaning and another saying that is the meaning and so every one builds his Religion according to his imagination and so every one that hath not believed in the Light they are wresting of the holy Scriptures and with their dark meanings are pleading Scripture and would fain prove by the holy Scriptures that theirs is the true Religion and as Christ said it should be so it is come to pass one saith Lo here is Christ and another saith Lo there is Christ but Christ said unto the Saints Go not forth now the Saints minds were gathered in unto the Light and that gave them to know the holy Scriptures and also to know the false Prophets who led peoples minds out from that of God in them for the Way of God is to be known within and he that leads people from that of God in them into outward observations he is a Deceiver and an Antichrist Pilate had Greek Hebrew and Latine and he could not open the Scriptures by it nor know the Son of God by it but he judged him to die and when he was to be Crucified he did write a Superscription in Greek Hebrew and Latine Letters and set it over Christs head and the persecuting Jews had Greek Hebrew and Latine for they came and did read the Superscription which Pilate had written but they could not open the Scriptures with their Greek Hebrew and Latine though they had all the Prophets Writings who prophesied of his coming and of the Place where he was to be born yet they could not understand the Prophets words with all their Greek Hebrew and Latine all their Earthly wisdom and Learning was to short and to shallow to understand those Heavenly things and so because they had not believed in the Light of Christ in them they were dark and blind Spiritually and could not know nor understand the Scriptures nor know Christ when he was come but they said he had a Devil and was Mad but had they come to that of God in them that would have given them the knowledge of the Scriptures and the knowledge that he was the Son of God for he told them that the Kingdom of God did not come with outward observation as Lo here or Lo there Luk. 1â— 20 21. but that the Kingdom of God was within them and he told them that it was like a Grain of Mustard-Seed and it was like Leaven and he did direct their minds unto that in them but they did not believe his Doctrine and so would not turn their minds inwardly to learn of the Father the Word and the Spirit and so they knew not the Son but Crucified him and the Son said unto the Father I thank thee O Father Lord God of Heaven and Earth that thou hast hid these things from the Wise and Prudent and thou hast revealed them unto Babes now Pilate and the Jews the wisest and most prudent men that was in all that Quarter of the Earth in natural Learning and natural Wisdom because they did not come to that of God in them therefore did God hide the Heavenly things from them and all their Greek Hebrew and Latine and all their natural Wisdom did not do them any good at all as to bring them to the knowledge of God but they were hurt by looking at it for because of their great Learning and Wisdom naturally their hearts were lifted up in Pride and they would not believe in Christ nor receive his Testimony they judged him an inferiour man unto them and the Pride of their hearts deceived them For the World by Earthly wisdom doth not know God and the Carnal mind is Enmity against God and the Natural man receives not the things of God for they are Spiritually discerned and they do appear Foolishness unto all Earthly minded men and women But Peter and John and the rest of the Fishermen who knew not Letters they were men of more humble and low Spirits then the Jews were who had Greek Hebrew and Latine for they were proud because of their Tongues and Natural Learning as our English Priests and Doctors are and ours can no more know Christ and the holy Scriptures by their Greek Hebrew and Latine and Earthly Wisdom then Pilate and the Jews could but Peter and John and the rest of the Fishermen they were low mean men as to the outward they did not dispise Christ because of his low Appearance outwardly but they did believe in him and loved him and did forsake their Nets and followed him and in them God did take delight and he did reveal Great and Mighty things unto them which was hid from Pilate and the Jews who had Greek Hebrew and Latine And now I say unto all people God is rising to confound the Wisdom of all the Earthly Wise men who are proud of Greek Hebrew and Latine and who dispise their Neighbours who have it not and all their Earthly Wisdom in which they have boasted and exalted themselves will the Lord God make to appear as it is Foolishness and he will abase proud Haman in this the day of his Mighty Power yea he will bring down the Mighty and he will exalt them of a low degree yea this is the Lord God doing that no flesh may glory And now unto all people in tender Love I say turn in your minds unto the Manifestation of the Spirit and Light of Christ which is given unto you to profit withal that it may give you the Knowledg of God whom to know is Eternal Life and that it may open the holy Scriptures unto your understandings For it is written No man knows the things of God but by the Spirit of God And now Oh all ye Professors in all Forms I charge you in the Name and Power of the Lord God do not give your dark meanings unto the holy Scriptures for they are of no private interpretation and remember how you use to take Pauls words in his Epistles which are too hard for you to understand until you come unto the Light and learn of it I say remember how you use to take his words to plead for Sin for term of Life but come to the Light of Christ in you all and Learn of it and it will stop your Mouthes and not suffer you to open them to plead for Sin which is the work of the Devil I charge you in the Name of the Lord God do not wrest the holy Scriptures to plead for your Pride and Covetousness and Envy and other Abominations which you live in and delight in for Wo will come upon all that are covered and not with the Spirit of the Lord God and no other covering will stand you in stead in the day when you must all receive a Reward according to the Deeds done in the Body whether they be good or evil Read Isa 28. from Verse 1 to 23. And now I have cleared my Conscience in obedience unto the Lord God and I rest in peace and whether you will hear or forbear I am clear W. G. The End
of your Fathers ye Serpents ye Generation of Vipers how can ye escape the Damnation of Hell Wherefore behold I send unto you Prophets Wise men and Scribes and some of them you shall Kill and Crucifie and some of them you shall Scourge in your Synagogues and shall Persecute from City to City that upon you may come all the righteous Blood shed upon the Earth from the Blood of Righteous Abel unto the Blood of Zacharias whom ye slew between the Temple and the Altar And now Oh all ye Professors of all sorts who will not believe Christs words which he hath left upon record in the Holy Scriptures and yet say you do believe in him you are judging and condemning the Jews for slaying Christ and his Apostles and you imagine and say if you had lived in the dayes of the Jews who slew Christ and his Apostles you would not have been partakers with them in the Blood of Christ and of his Apostles Oh consider if Christ were now walking up and down in these Nations called Christendom in such a low and mean Appearance as he appeared among the Jews in that Age in which he suffered death among the Jews and should pronounce Woes against those who calls themselves Christians and say they do believe in him and love him would not they be angry at him and fret at him and cry away with him Oh consider it if he should tell the Proud and Covetous and Envious Priest and Professors who calls him Lord and calls God their Father that they were of their Father the Devil who was a Lyar and a Murtherer and if he should call them Serpents and a Generations of Vipers would they not chase and fret at him and would they not cry Away with him and would they not desire to have him shut out of their Countrey Oh consider of these things and lay them to heart ye persecuting Priests People and Professors of all sorts if you are Christians you are Christ-like now Christ is meek and he saith Learn of me I am meek and lowly in the heart and you shall find rest unto your Souls so all you persecuting Priests People and Professors of all sorts come to the Light wherewith Christ hath enlightened you all and believe in it and obey it and it will open your Hearts and Understandings to know and understand that Christ is the Light of the World and hath enlightened every one that is come into the World and that all that believeth in that Light wherewith he hath enlightened them shall not die and perish in their Sins but by Christ the Light within they will come to be led out of their Sins and so to have Everlasting Life in him the Light For it is written In him was Life and the Life was the Light of men and the Light will let you see that Christ spiritually within men and women is unto them the way to God the Father and the Truth and the Life and the Door of the Sheepfold and if you believe in the Light it will open your hearts to understand that no man or woman upon the Earth can come to get any entrance into Gods Everlasting Kingdom but by Christ spiritually within for he saith I am the Light I am the Way I am the Truth I am the Life I am the Door of the Sheepfold he that enters by me the Door shall go in and find Pasture but he that climeth up another way is a Thief and must be cast down and none can ever enter into Gods Kingdom but by Christ spiritually within even the same Christ which the Jews cried away withal who was Crucified without the Gate of Jerusalem yea I say the same Christ and not another I say if ye believe in this Light it will open your hearts to understand these things to your own everlasting comfort and satisfaction and it will give you an entrance into Gods Everlasting Kingdom and if you do not believe in the Light wherewith Christ hath enlightened you then you will continue in blindness of mind and hardness of heart and will grow worse and worse deceiving and being deceived and you will continue fighting against the Lord God who Created you and you will continue fighting against the Lord Jesus Christ in his Members persecuting his tender and dear Servants who are as dear unto him as the Aple of his Eye and if you do it had been better for you that you had not been born for said he Whosoever shall offend one of these my little ones that believe in me Mat 18.5 6 7. it were better for him that a Misstone were hanged about his Neck and he were cast into the Sea 2 Tim. 3.1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 12 13. and if you continue in so doing then these are the words of Truth unto you all you are of the same Seed and Spirit that they were of who slew the Prophets and Christ and the Apostles and if you be found in the same work the Holy and Just God will give you the same Reward So remember you are warned now in your life time Mat. 25. from vers 32 c. to the end so prize your time and all of you labour to amend your doings which are evil in the sight of the Lord God And believe in the Light that you may be the Children of God who is Light and in whom is no Darkness at all And now unto all people in all Forms who profess the Scriptures of Truth to be your Rule to walk by and denieth the Light Grace and Spirit of God which is but one wherewith he hath enlightened you to be a sufficient Rule or Guide for you to walk by and calleth it a new Way and calleth it False Doctrine to direct people to the Light within them I say in Coolness and true Moderation in the Fear of the Lord God consider and take diligent notice of Peter's Doctrine to the Saints Know this said he that the Scriptures came not in old time by the will of man but holy men of God gave them forth as they were moved by the Holy Spirit or Ghost So I say in the Fear of the Lord God take notice there were Holy men before there were Holy Scriptures and it was the Holy Spirit or Light of God and Christ in men that made men holy and was their Guide and their Rule by which they were led and guided to do those things which did please the Lord God before there was any outward Writing or Printing Abel was a Righteous man and was beloved of God and was Guided and Ruled by the Spirit of God within him before any part of the Bible was written and Abel offered unto the Lord and the Lord accepted of his Offering but Cain was a wicked man and a Vagabond for he was wandered and ravened from the Spirit of God within him and when he was ravened and wandered from the Spirit of God within him and his Soul had
no habitation in God but was a Vagabond and his Soul delighted in Evil Gen. 4. from vers 5 to 17. then in that state he offered unto the Lord God but the Lord God did not accept of his Offering no God took no pleasure at all in it because he was ravened from the Spirit or Light of God within him and was wicked and then when Cain and his Offering was rejected then Cain was wroth and his countenance fell and the Lord said unto Cain Why art thou Wroth and why is thy Countenance faln if thou doest well shalt thou not be accepted but if thou doest evil sin lieth at thy door But Cain who was full of wrath because he was reproved and his Offering not accepted he in his wrath rose up against his righteous Brother whom God loved and whose Offering God accepted and he slew his righteous Brother because his Brothers works were righteous and his own were wicked and the Lord God cursed Cain for shedding innocent blood and Cain when he was ravined from the Spirit of God within him and had shed innocent blood he became great in the Earth and builded a City and although he had a City upon Earth yet he was a Vagabond because he was wandered and ravened from the Spirit of God within him for his Soul had no habitation in God but the Wrath of God did abide upon him And now all ye Priests and People and Professors of all sorts who have been or are or desire to be Persecutors of those whom the Lord God loveth and taketh pleasure in take notice of Cain's Reward that great and first Persecutor about Religion and all of you repent and give over persecuting people for the exercise of their Consciences towards God Or else you will undo your selves The Mouth of the Lord hath spoken it for whosoever persecutes any man for the exercise of his Conscience towards God they are of the same Spirit with Cain and their Reward will be the same with his if they do not give over persecuting and speedily repent for there ought none to exercise Authority over the Consciences of men and women but the Lord God and his Son Jesus Christ who are one for it is Gods Right only to Rule in and over the Consciences of people and what man or men soever upon the Face of the whole Earth who doth take upon him or them to lay a yoke upon the Consciences of people to limit people from a Worship into which they are already led by the Spirit of the Lord God such who so doth they do and will provoke the Lord God of Heaven and Earth against them and he will bring his Wrath upon them and it will fall heavy upon them 1 Cor. 12.7 and he will bring them down For God is a Spirit and he hath given the manifestation of his Spirit to every one to profit withal and every one that believeth in the measure of the Spirit of God which he hath given them to profit withal they come by that to be led into a pure Spiritual Worship in which the Lord God takes pleasure and whosoever striveth against them the Lord God will visit them with Judgment and he will deliver his oppressed people out of their hands And so all Persecutors come to the Light wherewith Christ Jesus the Son of God hath enlightened you and that will let you see that all this while you have been perfecting a people whom God hath made harmless for the exercise of their Conscitnces unto him in a pure Spiritual Worship you have been fighting against God who oreased you as Soul was who was as zealous for his Form of Religion as you are for yours and in his blind zeal he persecuted the Church of God and he thought he had been doing God service as many of you zealous Professors have done in your bitter angry zeal but both his thoughts and yours have been vain in this particular and so you have fulfilled the words of Christ who said unto the Saints The time will come that they will think they do God service that shall kill you Joh. 16.2 3. but Saul was an Enemy of God and a Fighter against God and a Voice came unto him from the Lord God and the Voice said Saul Saul why persecutest thou me Acts 9.5 and Saul being strucken down answered the Voice which spake unto him and said Who art thou Lord Acts 22.8 19 20. and the Voice answered unto his question and said I am Jesus of Nazareth whom thou persecutest it is hard for thee to kick against the pricks take notice that Saul who after his Conversion was called Paul his Conversion to the Christian Faith was after Christ had suffered without the Gate of Jerusalem for Saul was going to Damascus with Letters from the high Priests to bring the Saints which was at Damascus to Jerusalem to be persecuted for Jesus Christ the Light and Life of men he had suffered without the Gate of Jerusalem in that Body which his Enemies called Joseph the Carpenters Son before the Voice told him I am Jesus of Nazareth whom thou persecutest So all Persecutors take notice that it was Jesus in those Saints which was at Damascus and in other Saints that Saul persecuted I say it was Jesus the Spirit Life and Power in those and other Saints that Saul persecuted for as for the Vessel which was supposed by his Enemies to be Joseph the Carpenters Son that was offered up before so Jesus Christ was in the Saints and he was their Comforter the Spirit of Truth and he did lead them into all Truth and the Saints were hated and persecuted both by Jews and Gentiles who did not believe in the Spirit and Light of Christ within them and as it was in their dayes so it is in our dayes Joh. 14.16 17 18 26. He that is born of the Flesh persecutes him that is born of the Spirit and they that will live Godlike in Christ Jesus must suffer persecution Mark they that will live in the likeness of God in which state man was created they must suffer persecution but if they will continue in the likeness or Image of the Devil in Pride Drunkenness and Hypocrisie and only profess God and Christ without them and winde and turn about unto every new Invention which is invented in the thick and dark Night of Apostacy which yet remains in and over the hearts of many thousands of those that calls themselves Christians then they may not be persecuted but if they be Proud men then they may find some friendship amongst the Proud Joh. 15 18 89 20 21. and if they be Drunkards they may find some friendship amongst the Drunkards and if they be Hypocrites Time-servers and Men-pleasers and Dissemblers then they may find some friendship amongst the children of the same nature for the World loves its own but if a man be redeemed from these things by Christ the Light within him
do as he said and not as he did for he had no need to say so for his Conversation and Doctrine was agreeable The Apostle Peter when he writ unto the Elders he said unto them Feed the Flock of God which are amongst you not taking the Oversight thereof by Constraint but willingly let all people that reads take notice of those words the Elders were not to take the Oversight of the Flock by constraint but willingly now the reason why Peter did write these words unto them was because there was not any outward Gift or Reward to be given unto them for their Feeding and taking Care for the Flock of God for it was a Spiritual Work and it was to have a Spiritual Reward so lest any through the temptation of the Enemy of their Souls should have striven to put that from them that God required of them Peter warned them then the next following words are these Not for filthy lucre but of a ready mind now filthy lucre is much Earthly gain ill gotten but the Elders were not to take the oversight of the Flock of God for outward gain but as being of a ready mind and a willing mind to serve God in what he required of them yea to feed his Sheep with the Bread of Life which God gave unto them and the Elders were not to be Lords over Gods Flock which he had made them Overseers of but they were to be Examples to the Flock and they were good Examples to the Flock and they did not say as some of the Hirelings have said Do as we say and not as we do for they had no need to say so for their Conversation and Doctrine was agreeable and so is the Doctrine and Conversation of the Elders and Ministers of Christ in this Age Glory to the Lord God for ever Now if there were a young Priest that had learned his Trade at Oxford or Cambridge who wanted a place to set up his Trade in if one should come unto him and tell him of three or four places one of One hundred pounds by the year and another of Two another of Three and another of Four and bid him chuse which of those he would go unto one may easily know which he would chuse for he would be where he could get most with his Trade and he need not be constrained to go unto a Parish where he might have Four hundred pounds in the year for his Hire 1 Thess 2.9 but he would make great hast to get unto it lest another of his own Trade should get it before him and this is contrary to those Ministers which Christ sent forth Paul who was a Tentmaker when he was a Minister of the Gospel laboured with his own hands and administred unto his own necessities that he might make the Gospel without charge and Peter and John and the rest of the Ministers of the Gospel some were Fisher-men and some of other callings and they Laboured with their hands yet they had power to eat and to drink for the refreshment of their Bodies when they did travel up and down among the Saints who were gathered by their Ministry but they were often in Hunger and Cold and Fastings and Peril by Sea and Land and were often whipped stocked and imprisoned and they had not a Parish and a hundred pound in the year and an outward Law to guard them as the Hireling Priests have And now all ye Magistrates both high and low and all people in what Form of Religion soever think it not strange that we cannot come unto the Steeple-house and hear your Priest Preach and Pray seeing that they are so far different from the Ministers of Christ every way so that they are no more like the Ministers which Christ sent forth in nature then a Wolf is like a Lamb. And now all Magistrates and People of what form of Religion soever who profess the Scriptures to be your Rule and denieth the Light Spirit and Grace of God within you which convinceth you of Sin to be a sufficient Guide of it self to lead you out of Sin whether you be such as own those Priests and their Practice which I have written something in short against or whether you be such as do deny them and are gathered into some other Form differing from them if you set the Scriptures in the Place of the Spirit of God which made men holy before any Scriptures were written and from which the holy men spake forth the holy Scriptures then with you is my controversie on the behalf of the Lord my God So come to your Tryal and be you tryed by that which you call your own Rule the Holy Scriptures which was given forth from and by the Holy Spirit so the Holy Spirit of God is the Original of the Holy Scriptures therefore I and all my faithfull Brethren and Sisters do know them and love them and believe them Abel was a Righteous man before the Scriptures were written and he in the Spirit of God had his Habitation and by it he was kept pure before God and in the Purity of his heart and Innocency of his Soul he offered unto God and God had respect unto his Offering And Enoch walked with God in the Spirit in Innocency before the Scriptures were written And Abraham knew God who is a Spirit and believed in him before Scriptures were written Isaac and Jacob had acquaintance with God before the Scriptures were written for these men were before Moses was born and Moses knew God before he did write Scriptures No man knows the things of God but the Spirit of God and the Spirit searcheth all things even the deep things of God and these men did know the things that God did require of them in their Generation by the Spirit of God and in the same they did perform that which was required of them in which they were accepted of God in their Generation And all the Prophets and Apostles who did write the holy Scriptures they did know God before they did write Scriptures and it is the same that ever it was that doth give unto man the knowledge of God and of his things even the Spirit of God But in the Bible which you call your Rule there is an express Command of God Thou shalt Love the Lord thy God with all thy heart Mat. 19.19 and thy Neighbour as thy self these words are written in the Bible which you call your Rule now to the Witness of God Mark 12.29 30 31. the Light of Christ in all your Consciences do I appeal Whether do you love the Lord God with all your hearts and your Neighbours as your selves yea or nay You that persecutes your Neighbours because they will not be of your Religion and come to your Steeple-houses and hear your Hireling Priests and pay them Tythes which was never demanded by any of Christ's Ministers no the Ministers and Apostles of Christ did never demand nor receive any Tythes