faith on tho earth Who they be that are under the Law and who they be that have made void the Laâ— against themselves and who they be that are under Grace GRace reigns throvgh righteousness and the Law through Transgression and he that sayes he is from under the Law and the transgressor alive he makes void the Law against himself but is under it in the account of God For the Seed or Image of God being fallen the transgressor is above to whom there is no Grace nor-Life promised who hath no true obedience but for self-ends upon this is the Law added till the promised Seed arise And a School master the Law is till it bring to Christ who of the woman is made under the Law who takes upon him the Seed after the flesh the Soul to redeem from under the Transgressor that the natural Plant of God may grow so who can witness the Teachings and Chastizings of the Law to bring him so low till he come under the Seed so as the seed be set above the head of the Transgressor and have bruised it and have taken away the strength of sin there the strength of the Law is taken away also And as the Soul is raised up through the Law the Law being fulfilled by the seed through the Spirit so it arises above the Law into the Kingdom of Grace which reigns through Righteousness and not by making void the Law for the Grace is to the Seed and the Law to the Transgressour and as these reign in the Creature so is he under the law or under Grace for the Law hath power over the man of sin as long as he lives then is the Seed of the Promise in bondage but he being dead by which the seed is held captive the seed rises under Grace which as it rifes through the law fulfils it and being fulfilled it loses its strength as sin dies and so hath no more power the Law being the strength of sin till it be fulfilled by the seed through the Spirit so he that is dead to sin is free from sin and under Grace And he that casts off the Law while he is alive that sins makes void the Law against himself So he that 's under Grace is dead to sin and dead to the Law which is the strength of sin and sin hath no more dominion over the soul the power of it being subdued which was the Law unfulfilled but where the Law is made void the strength of sin yet remains and the Law will overtake them in the end And he that learns this in the Death and Resurrection and eternal life shall in this work learn what the Transgression is and how the law is added upon him and how it is the strength of sin in him but not in the seed and what it is that makes the entrance through the Law and how Grace comes to abound where sin hath abounded and to reign through Righteousness unto eternal life So where the Transgressor is slain there the Law is at an end and fulfilled and the natural Plant of God brings forth against which there is no law but the law is against the man of sin and the man of sin against the law as long as he lives and power it will have over him and one jot of it will not pass away till it be fulfilled And he that would cast off the Law and make it void is far from Grace but in him that fulfils the Law doth Grace and Truth abound Of the Way of Life from the Knowledge that devours the Life WOuldest thou know the way of Life from that Knowledge which devours the life then be no longer as the wild Asses Colt but take up the yoak of the Son in whom thou sayest thou believest that the life of Faith thou may feel and know for only in the obedience is the life made sure to thee of what thou believest and thereby is faith and knowledge made perfect But untill thou attain power for obedience of Faith thou art dead and knows but words in which thy Faith stands without life which accomplishes nothing but will arise to condemn thee when thy time is out Therefore in all thy seeking mind that which worketh in a lowly mind calling thee into the Obedience of what is there made manifest in the begettings of the Father and not in the conceivings of the Brain but in the Son For in the Brain-knowledge the Boaster Rules who glories in the wisdom of words but not in the words of life but in the Obedience of the Son is the Father known and glorified in such as walk in the Spirit and not in the mind whose praise is of God and their lives hid with him from all knowledge but what is Revealed in the Obedience of the Son So from man you may learn the knowledge of words but the knowledge of life is only begotten of God so he that hath the Son hath life not of the disobedient Nature for the only begotten of God is Conformable to him that begetteth him in all things through Obedience So feeling thy measure of the begettings of God in it be obedient and seek not to be above it in any thing lest the enemy thereby get power in thee to puffe up thy mind in thy Knowledge above thy life which devours the life Therefore as thou feels Faith Love Meeknesse Gentlenesse Patience or any Godlinesse move in the Spirit therein become obedient with all diligence and thereby shalt thou know the power thereof against all the contrary motions in thy flesh so shalt thou learn the salvation of Grace unto life eternal which thou canst never attain by talking or any other way but in the Obedience thereof so shalt thou not receive the grace of God in vain nor words without the working power of life whereby the living knowledge of the Mystery of godliness will daily increase For by Obedience of the Spirit is the soul purified from its darkness and pollution and made fit for the further manifestation of the hidden Mystery and the receiving the fulness thereof and walking therein And so by the holy Ghost thou shalt be able toconfess Jesus Lord over all powers in heaven and in earth the opener of all secrets and only revealer of the Father who begetteth by whom thou becomes wise in thy knowledge unto salvation not unto vain babling whose words shall rise and Condemn them who glory therein But thou if in Spirit thou hearken diligently and obey shalt know that he who sometimes spoke by the Prophets doth now speak by his Son the everlasting power of godliness only begotten of the Father and in all things like unto him in whom he is made manifest And the Prophets have Prophesied of glory to come but the Son declares the Father in the present life according to the measure of him formed and as he arises in fulness he opens the heavens and gives the inheritance thereinto An opening of Light to all sorts of Rulers
the outward appearance as man looks but by the heart by the direction of the Spirit he was the Shepherd of Israel and his seed of the same Election hath the everlasting Kingdom of promise to all generations Elisha a Plowman yet by that Spirit was he the Chariots of Israel and horsmen thereof Deborah a woman yet a Judge deliverer to Israel And too long would it be to instance in all ages how he hath set up his throne and saved his people in this Election not of wisdom riches or worldly glory but the poor of this world rich in faith heirs of the Kingdom of promise which you say you look for but cannot see nor receive while you chuse after the flesh as the world hath ever done who still have bent all their wisdom and Religion to keep the Heir out of his Kingdom whom they have been looking for after the flesh but not believing in the light to give them a sight through the vail to him that is born of the â—pirit have resisted the Holy One and chosen the murtherer as did your Fathers so do you alwayes resist the Holy Ghost and as it was so it is that which is born of the flesh is flesh chuses after the flesh and worships after the flesh for it can see no further it cannot see the Kingdom of God and that which is born of the Spirit is Spirit and chuses after the spirit and worships in spirit and these are contrary Kingdoms and he that 's born after the flesh persecutes him that 's born after the spirit ever did and ever will do for the Scripture cannot be broken which hath so said and is now fulfilled And now you that are called Christians you read and Preach of this King Christ Jesus and his Kingdom what a One he ever hath been in his appearance upon Earth by whom he hath been received and by whom rejected and after what manner he hath ever suffered and by what power he hath reigned in all ages and this you will confesse in words but will you now receive him to reign in you Or can you own his appearance where it is set up in others and not be offended therewith is that eye open that knows him or can you delight in him who was never like the world in his walkings was not he ever poor as to this world and therefore rejected of the rich and learned lowly and rejected of Princes and them that was high was not his work ever to change shadows and forms and Religious traditions set up in mens minds above the life of Truth and leadings of the spirit and to set up spiritual worship and obedience in its place And therefore by the builders ever rejected and condemned and his new work was ever foolishness to the wise wherefore he bare the reproach thereof with patience was he not ever meek and innocent and harmless in his conversation towards all men as a Lamb indeed separate from sinners in life yet seeking them to save out of sin with the daily giving up his life c So he was and so he hath ever appeared on earth now can you receive him King as he was you that wait for him Or do you think he is changed Is he now become proud and lofty in flesh after the world cruel coverous and hard-hearted subtle and crafty to deceive the simple strong and violent to trample on the helpless doth the glory of his Scepter now stand in meats and drinks and fine apparel or great earthly possessions doth he now come to take up his abode and delight in these things who ever hath come to take the minds of his people out of these things up into the heavenly treasure doth he now delight in earthly glory strife and exaltation Is the weapons of his warfare now become carnal wherewith he over comes his enemies doth he now come with haling and beating whips and prisons and cruel tortures to take the Kingdom of peace who hath suffered such things formerly from the world himself will he now turn oppressor of that which is tender in Conscience and grind the face of the poor or pervert the Judgment of the needy Should he now be seen in works of this nature were this to appear the second time without sin unto salvation as he is promised Sure the vail is thick over that heart who sees not that this is not his Kingdom Power nor Glory nor his image who is the same yesterday to day and for ever Yet is this nature above in many and chosen to Rule over many who say they wait for his Kingdom that eye being darkned with the love of the world which should give the true sight of his coming the carnal mind thinks God to be like himself But did you but honestly look into your own hearts with that eye which puts a difference between things that differ in your selves to know each motion of each Spirit and each power and the end and nature of its working the earthly and the heavenly you would soon be able to Judge of these two which so far differ in their fruits and are so contrary in all things and to own the right heir in his Kingdom But while you suffer the god of this world to keep his Throne in your hearts by letting him captivate your minds and affections into earthly delighrs it is not like he will suffer you to chuse aright nor receive another to reign in you or over you the eye of the mind being blinded therewith the light of the Gospel cannot shine into the heart by which you should chuse and which gives the knowledge of God in the face of Jesus nor that treasure be seen or received in the earthen vessel as King either in your selves or others but the wise in heart knows what they wait for and when they see him they rejoyce with the joy of his Kingdom which consists not in carnal things nor comes with outward observations but whose coming is within and whose Kingdom consists in Righteousness Peace and Joy in the Holy Ghost blessed be our King for ever and blessed are they who put not his Kingdom afar off .. And therefore you Rulers and People of all sorts high and low this word is to you and this day is to you the day of the Lord arise and receive your King into his Kingdom that he may receive you and establish you therein the Lord it at hand he is near to all that call up on him in truth and righteonsness To you Princes Judges Justices Mayors and Constables all sorts of Rulers who are in the place to Govern the Lord is at hand he is near you all the Kingdom of God is within you the Principle of God is within you with which if you mind it he will break the yoak of the oppressor within you and without you by the sword of Justice that 's his Kingdom upon earth put it not afar off let it arise
life togather us unto God in the unity of the light and fellowship of the Gospel to the bringing forth of all vertue in Brotherly kindneâ—â— and unfeigned love so 〈◊〉 the same he passed out of thiâ— City but a few days before he laid down the body in perfect peace returning to the Father who sent him and in whose will he brought forth unto God and his works follow him This and several others that he penned have formerly been printed and some have given praise unto God for the benefit received thereby And now out of a sincere desire that God over all may be glorified from whom every good and perfect gift cometh and the souls that are yet afar off from the life of righteousness may be brought nigh is this again published And in the â—â—eling of the everlasting spirit the justifier of all that believe therein is it sent abroad by her that is a traveller for the breaking of the head of wickedness and the opening of the eyes of the ignorant and that the simple may not stumble at the Authors name but read this or any other of his Writings in Gods fear that thou may receive counsel instruction wisdom and comfort thereby as many who believe have done I have here set down his own words as they were written by him and sent unto the Parliament Concerning Christ Jesus that you may not be harmed or hindred by false reports but receive the truth in the love of it in which it is sent to you in the good will of God from her that is made willing to be a servant for Christs sake R. T. This following Testimony was written by his own hand and delivered to the then Parliament who persecuted him as a Blasphemer in the time of his imprisonment in Bridewel CHrist Jesus the Immanuel of whose sufferings the Scriptutes declares him alone I confess before men for whose fake I have denied what ever was dear to me in this world that I might win him and be found in him and not in my self whose life â—nd vertue I find daily manifest in my mortal body which is my eternal joy and hope of glory whom alone I seek to serve in spirit soul and body night and day according to the measure of grace working in me that in â—â—e he may be glorified whether by life or death and for his sake I suffer all things that he alone may have the glory of my change whose work alone it is in me Even to that eternal Spirit be glory and to the Lamb for ever But to ascribe this Name power and vertue to James Nailor or to that which had a beginning and must return to dust or for that to be exalted or worshiped to me is great Idolatry and with the Spirit of Christ Jesus in me it is condemned which Spirit leads to lowliness meekness and long-suffering So having an opportunity given with readiness I am willing in the fear of God the Father in honour to Christ Jesus and to take off all offences from every simple heart this to declare to all the world as the truth of Christ is in me without guile or deceit daily finding it to be my work to seek peace in truth with all men in that Spirit James Nailor The Heads of the particulars contained in this ensuing Treatise I. What the Possession of the living faith is pag. 1. II. Who they be that are under the Law and who they be that have made void the Law against themselves and who they be that are under grace p. 24. III. Of the way of life from the knowledge that devoures the life p. 26. IV. An opening of light to all sorts of Rulers and people that wait for the Kingdom of God p. 27. V. A Candle lighted to give the sight of the good old way of God at his coming from the wayes that now ensnares the simple p. 42. VI. The Living God glorified in his Temples the true worshippers that worship him in Spirit and in Truth p. 50. VII To the Ranters p. 57. VIII Deceipt discovered by its fruits p. 59. IX A Message from the Spirit of Truth unto the Holy seed p. 69. What the Profession of the Living Faith is c. FOrasmuch as a right Faith is the onely ground of mans Eternal happiness and the only thing which gains the Creature an entrance towards his Creator and without which it is impossible to please God though much hath been said of it already yet I having found by learning the true and living faith which hath the living power different from that faith which is dead and without that power And seeing that so many at this day are at ease in a dead faith and their souls in the grave In tender love thereto I am stirred up to declare something of the faith of Christ which I have found onely effectual to Salvation and Reconciliation with God And somewhat the rather in regard the Enemy hath spread so many false reports of me touching my faith in Christ Jesus which here I shall declare in plainness for the satisfying of simple minds who desire to know Truth rather then to Reproach it and for those who seek occasion I chuse rather to bear their reproach that are in that Nature then contend therewith for my work is not with Flesh and Bloud nor is it in my Spirit to strive with any about words that stir up strivings and contention and edefie not but with God I strive daily and to that of God in all I seek to be manifest which resists not evil but seek to overcome it with good waiting for the Kingdom of God in all and the Souls Redemption out of death and the Seed out of bondage and where that is not effected in measure I look not to be owned nor my witness received though it be not of my self but Christ Jesus in me And first a Faith or belief I have found in the World of which I shall say little in this place having found indeed little in it to the Salvation of Life It s a literal Faith grounded upon the History of the Scripture touching God and Christ and what Christ did in that Temple which the Jewes destroyed at Jerusalem c. But doth not know him in Spirit nor believe him as his Name is EMANUEL to all Generations and so doth not necessarily work the believer into a conformity to that head in his then walking by his coming again in the same Spirit and Power working in them the same Will Mind and Affections and Obedience to the Father in their measure which was in him the Example Author Worker and Finisher of the True and Living Faith And of this Faith being somewhat dressed by the several Opinions of men are all the unclean Spirits living in whatsoever abomination is to be mentioned in the world all Sects and Opinions or whatever may be found in all Colours in these Northern Parts of the World with this Faith they are covered and this
is their strength and here they take comfort to themselves against all Reproof witâ— in or from without though living openly in the greatest Whoredomes against the Spirit of Holiness Carnal or Spiritual that can be mentioned even at a distance from Christ in his whole life yet they believe Christ came to save sinners of which they are chief and they that are whole need not the Physician c. And so the greater their wickedness is the nearer to Christ they believe And by this Faith he that came to save People from sin and to lead out of sin both by Example and Spirit is made a cover for all filthiness of flesh and Spirit and to strengthen the heart of wickedness against the life of holiness some in one sin some in another but with this Faith do all sorts strengthen themselves and hardens their hearts against the light of Christ and that Spirit which reproves the World of sin and convinceth of it and would lead out of it and hence it is that the witness of God that is holy in all is trampled under foot in all and little regarded in any but by this Faith believed on in none to be the way to the Father though the world have no light but it nor is there a Promise of Life in any other And this to me appears to be that Faith of the Devil or dead Faith the Apostle speaks on James 2. Though more hardned in it against Gods fear for the Devils when they believe tremble at it So this Faith I leave being judged already by its fruits with the light of Christ in every honest heart that loves holiness And of that Faith I shall speak something in which I have found a measure of the Life of Christ made manifest in my mortal Body in which life alone is the True and Eternal union and atonement with the Holy God into whom no unclean thing can enter And this is not a notion of what was done in another generation past or to come hundreds or thousands of years distance but that which leads to the beginning of the work of a new Creature at this day and a new birth spiritually begotten and born and brought to light without which none can see the Kingdom of God nor enter therein And this Faith doth not work by the comprehensions of brain-knowledge that because I could here conceive or declare of Christ Jesus from the beginning to the age thereof in words or thoughts that therefore I have learned him or know him as I ought to do or am grown up in him to a perfect man and so to deceive others by declaring and boasting of what God hath not wrought in me as a man may easily do and deceive his own soul and bewitch others also by leading them out of their measures of Gods present work in them But of the living Father wâ—h now worketh powerfully in spirit by love thereto the mystery wherof is holden forth in a pure conscience working out the old leven purifying the heart making all things new judging and killing and crucifying with Christ in spirit the works of the flesh and casting out every thing in me that is not of God and renewing in me the things of God in their order by his mighty working in me in which the soul is raised out of the grave and the dead restored to life actually and not in conceit Of the Grounds and Workings of this Living Faith I shall speak something And though the foundation of this Faith or beginning of it was that I did really believe in that which Christ did and suffered at Jerusalem and that there in that vessel he bare the sins of the World and satisfied the wrath of God for sins past and overcame death hell and the grave and made way for the Seed to arise in all through the whole World who would believe in his light which then shined through him to all men wherein he might be seen to be the Way the Truth and the Life apparent openly triumphing over all that had passed above the Seed And much more might be said of him there finished all which I did believe according to â—cripture which was an opening of me to receive him from Heaven in the same spirit and power without which I could not have received the gift of that holy Spirit God having so purposed from the beginning that the Covenant of Eternall Life and power should be received no other way but by faith in him who in the fulness of â—ime was there manifest in flesh for the taking away sins past and making a way for the Resurrection of life over all to save from sins for time to come The effect of which Faith when in the 〈…〉 ight I first received it did turn my mind out of all my sins past and took my mind out of them and turned me towards God and holiness of life I then believed to attain in that faith and receive power therein to grow up in him to his fulness and stature which then I see no less faith could save me then the perfect Faith of the Son of God which before I had not received but then received with such gladness of heart that it set my face and delights out of all sin towards the perfection of Christ in which I then believed which was the Joy then set before me yet was not the work done and finished in me already though I having received the Faith and Hope of the Son of God and was turned from all my former sin and my own righteousness so that if I had departed this Body I had died in no less Faith then the Holy Faith of Christ Jesus and so being turned to his Spirit out of the works of the Flesh I was turned from my sin and so from condemnation yet was there a great work to do in me before I could witness freedom from the body of death and the root and ground of evil removed and the seed raised to reign and the soul brought into the holy City the resurrection of the dead and fellowship in the Father and the Son c. And that glorious liberty of the new Creature and all things to be of God in me as the Scriptures do witness so this faith did not work me into a conceit of my self glorying in knowledge and so to become a Teacher of others what I had conceived below the life but it led me down into the obedience of the Spirit of Light to wait therein for the Resurrection of Life and I came to see in that Light that the motions of sin did still work from the old ground and root and that must be removed by the power of Christ working in spirit and my obedience and watchfulâ—ess therein was required and that without obedience to this faith I could not come to perfect victory over the enmity nor the glorious liberty of the Sons of God for though this faith had turned my heart towards Christ
and lusts who are enemies to the faith of Christ which presents perfect to God by working out such evils All which I came to see not by man but in the revelation of Christ as in his Faith I learned him growing into his Faith into him and his life therein made manifest in my body So I see what is his in truth as the truth is in Jesus and what is the worlds and but called his to oppose him And I see that which loves the things of this world to be none of his love nor that his joy that takes pleasure in visible things nor that his liberty which is in the works of the flesh nor that his peace that is in sin nor that his patience that seeks its own revenge nor that his glory that 's in pride nor that his worship which stands in carnal things nor that his honour that 's sought of men nor that his knowledge that 's after the flesh nor that his fear that is taught by his precepts of men these are in the world and not in him but have onely got the name to be his but are enemies to his life and were never begat of his Father nor learned in the Son all which and much like stuff I came to see the deceit of by that truth and simplicity I found in Christ contrary to the will of man And so in the life of Christ I have learned to know the growth of the Faith of Christ and the riches of it and the end of it which is Christ Jesus in all its working and I also know the worlds faith its uncleanness whose end is not to attain the holiness of Christ in life but would live in the worlds delights and have Christ for a cover and be saved by the righteousness of another which they have no minde to walk in themselves and so that faith works not by love which loves not the life of Christ but are enemies to his Crosse minding earthly things and this is the earthly faith but the living Faith works by love to holiness of life and therefore purifies the heart and the mystery of it stands in a pure conscience within themselves that have it and not in telling and comprehending what was in another for the Devils believes the holinesse that was in Christ and can preach it but cannot inherit it because they love not to live the life of it and by this I know them both for ever and all that prove them in the life of Christ shall witnesse with me the end of the one is the life of Christ in which himself walked and the same obedience of the same Spirit to the same Father by the same power according to the proportion of Faith received from God which Faith is from above and so layes hold on heavenly things for its strength and so brings forth heavenly fruits The other professeth and promiseth great things but ends in the world and mindes earthly things and doth not purifie the heart nor believes ever to attain the life of Christ his stature or fulness but counts it an error in such as presse after such attainments and so the end of the conversation of one is Christ Jesus to hold forth in Life and Power the same yesterday and to day and for ever The end of the other is a liberty to sin here while they can take any pleasure in it and sanctification and salvation when they are dead and according to the end of each faith so it works for its impossible for him that cannot believe holiness to work holiness but according to each mans faith so must he inherit in this world and that which is to come And in the workings and attainments of this living powerful faith I have found several measures according to my growth therein from the Word of the beginning of Christ or the first Principle of Christ and the fulness age and stature of Christ as betwixt a Babe a man grown in strength much working in spirit I found betwixt faith received of Christ Jesus and Christ learned in me for though I received the faith of his fulness in what he was at Jerusalem in his flesh there at once yet had not I so learned him in Spirit life in my mortal flesh nor put him on at once but in the light of Faith I saw I was so to run as to win him before I could put him on wherein I came to see and know my self begotten again in him by faith towards God who is the way to God in which way I came to see the begotten of the Father manifeâ—â— in measure in me in the pure image of a Holy Child separate from the fleshly sinful seed or Christ formed in me as the Scriptures witness and when I did behold his pure image and his pure mind and nature so far contrary to my own yet then was not he in his Kingdom nor all things put under his feet nor could I say that Jesus was then Lord in me but by the Spirits working by this Faith I had received and in hope thereof was I made to endure the loss of all things and to deny all things that ever this holy Spirit did War against in me which might any way oppresse this holy plant or hinder its growth owning his judgment in the light upon what ever was in my heart or affections but him alone though never so much gain in my account in the world which judgment being owned consented to against my self and all my self lovers therein was I parted from them in judgment and so then was they subdued by the powerful workings of that Spirit and put under his feet and I set free from them to arise with him above them being brought from under them and this was not done all at once but in order as he appeared in the light to manifest every particular evil And as that Faith I had received wrought by love to him a consent in my spirit to his just judgement upon them and I made willing to give them up to the fire and to come out of them and joyn to him in the execution least he should consume me with them as it must have been had I stayed in them and here I found the benefit of the light which goes before his face to prepare his way and the salvation of Faith which saved me through hope of him that I was not destroyed in my sins which Faith and hope gave me an entrance within the vail or a hiding place in him while the indignation was over which was to pass upon the man of sin And so a voice was heard in the wilderness calling out of sin into a way I knew not but as the light of his Covenant led me in the spirit of Elias turning my heart towards him that he might not smite the earth with a curse at his coming in which wâ—y ere I came into the Kingdom of Christ my pure rest I met with many hardships
is the estate of many at this day though some there be whose Consciences are feared and feel not this witness living in them though their damnation slumbereth not though they have lost their Calling and Election also And this have I learned in Christ that there is a great difference both in effect and nature betwixt that Faith which is the gift of God and that faith which men make to themselves for that which is the gift of God is of his own nature clean pure and perfect are all his gifts and so it works naturally the work and will of God in all who receive it freely and mix nothing with it to darken it or stop his working and by this Faith I am saved from sin and condemnation and begotten to the Father thereof in Christ Jesus which faith is not of my self but is the gift of God to perfect holiness in the sight of God and whatever is done in this faith is not sin and whatsoever is against this Faith or not of this Faith is sin and brings Condemnation and this Faith approves not of it and if I act nothing doubtingly nor against this holy Faith in this Faith I am justified in my own heart and my own Conscience kept clean and I approved in Gods sight and I have boldness through the obedience of Faith in the day of Judgement that it is not my own work but the righteousness of Faith which is in Christ Jesus and this effect hath saving working Faith and this is its Nature and Grace But another Faith I have found which is not so in nature or effect being not freely received from above but is feigned and hath its ground here below and its ends also The earthly man in his wisdom from the letter or reason or comprehensions sets up an Opinion or Image in his minde touching God or Christ or Religion Worship Doctrine or Manners or any other thing and then looking upon the likeness of it in the reasoning part gathers strength to believe it must needs be so and so forms a faith in himself And though this faith be not perfect when he hath formed it and made it with all his strength but many things in Scriptures and the practise of the Saints but especially that of God in his own Conscience will not sure with it yet the strong man being above in the strength of his Comprehension forceth a Faith against all these and causes all to bow under it so this Faith brings not forth the Birth of Christ nor his pure Image and Life neither in Matter or Worship nor Manners but what he may imitate Christ and the Saints in worship and keep the world and escape the Cross and save his life and credit and glory there that he will conform to and glory in and for the rest he believes it concerns not him now in all things at this day so to walk as they did And as this Faith is not perfect in Worship so in Practise also for that evil he is not addicted to he condemns in all but that which is in his own heart and eye and brings him profit and pleasure that he will cover and believes it may stand with true belief at this day though formerly it could not And this is the Faith made after man and not after God and so serves in respect of Persons Times and Things but bows not all these for ever to worship in Spirit nor brings them under the foot of Jesus that Spirit but being earthly by nature hath earthly effects and God doth not own that with his Power nor goes forth with that which man makes but with his own Gift which is good and perfect in every measure thereof And this also I have learned in Christ Jesus and declare to all that seek Faith in him That I never received any measure of this Faith of Christ in vain but whatever I acted or suffered therein from the least measure till this day in it I prevailed against what ever the light of the Spirit led me out therein and a shield I have found it and a growth in it towards Christ Jesus in every work of it wherein I have stood single to the end however tempted or tryed before the end appeared yet in the end of that Faith I was ever a Conqueror through the Spirit and whoever proves it to the end in singlenesse of heart shall be witness with me herein with a Cloud of witnesses that have gone before who by this holy Faith have prevailed over the powers of sin and entred into the holy Rest who have not sought their own Kingdom but the Kingdom of Christ And only this pure Faith which works towards the appearance of Christ in all actions and sufferings is that which orders all things in their place and time and fits all Relations for his appearance therein to glorifie God for God is not glorified in any thing upon Earth but in which the Son appears who is the expresse Image and Glory of God and in whom alone he Reveals himself and the glory of his Judgements and Mercy the Grace and Truth of God is in his face in whom ever he appears And so every measure of the heavenly Faith works towards the heavenly appearance and the earthly faith to the earthly appearance And so Faith in God is that which works effectually by love to the Image and Life of God in this world which is seen onely in his spiritual begettings which being believed in and set above shines forth in every measure shewing the vertue and glory of the Spirit of God but the famed earthly faith admits of some earthly thing in the heart for its end in love to which it works disobedience to the Spirit and so comes short of the glory of God for it cannot hold forth the fruits of the Spirit to glorifie God with an earthly lover in the heart nor can one faith serve God and Mammon so he that loves the things of this world is Gods enemy whose faith withstands the appearance of Christ in his actions or sufferings and so withstands the glory of God which therein should be manifest to all men and this is that faith which ever of old hath put him afar off yet gets the form and words to withstand the life and vertue And of this sort they are of whom the Apostle speaks having a form of godliness but deny the power of godliness who ever was the greatest enemies to the coming of Christ being not of the Faith of Christ nor of the Spirit of Christ but being from below withstands his coming from above to be brought forth in his vertue or worshipped in his Spirit this is Antichrist And this spirit and this faith it is that wrests the Scriptures to seduce from Christ and destroy the way of his coming and to that end what Christ really Commands to be brought forth of his life and vertue in real appearance this spirit serves himself with a meaning instead of
must needs have perished under them had he not spared And just I have found him also for as they were not committed all at once against the light of his Spirit so he hath at one time or other visited for them and laid them before me yet not all at once nor no way so heavy as those committed after I believed and gave up my self to follow the light and yet to an account he hath brought me for them and coming to feel the terrours of God I have learned to fear and love and have found the ground and rise and deceits of that Faith that believes Christ to have taken away the sins of believers past present and to come with which many at this day make merry over the witnesse of God and the just slain in them and that Scripture I have learned without a meaning if we sin wilfully after we have received the knowledge of the Truth there remains no more sacrifice for sin but a certain fearful looking for of judgement and fiery indignation to devour the adversary though none know how but he that comes to it in the fulfilling and then shall be seen he that 's born of God sins not and he that believes is born of God but he that sins turns his back both on the Faith and Birth that 's towards Christ and becomes adverse thereunto in his work whatever he sayes he believes and this I have found an everlasting truth whatever men believe or imagine that no longer then a man keeps his face towards the light of God no longer is his sins cast behindâ— his back whether they be sins past present or to come but if he turn from Gods righteousness his own iniquities will rise and mee him both new and old and in vain doth such believe they are then blotted out of Gods fight whose eye shews him his way in which he then walks and condemns him for it in his own heart Now was the ground and root of sin removed so soon as my minde was turned by the light from sin towards God but the motions thereof I found and the lust seeking to go forth to its objects to bring in to conceive sinne again afresh that ground was but removed as I grew in Christ and he in me and as I came to learn him that was in the beginning before sin was who was learned in faithful following serving of his Spirit in watching in fastings in prayers and in all spiritual wrestlings as I came to be led into with the light in which warfare I came to see the hardship of him that will be a souldier of Christ Jesus and the baptisms into his death the slothful servant and the faithful and their reward and the parables and figures of the Kingdom opened as that â—pirit grew in me which interprets the Scriptures in the life and opens the sealed mysteries thereof in their season as they come to be fulfilled and so I came to the gift of the Scriptures by inspiration which onely profits to the perfecting of the man of God which the man of this world not having learned wrests to his own destruction getting the words of them in the earthly part before they be fulfilled in his heart through the Spirit and such receive them not by inspiration nor the gift of the Holy Ghost And in this journey I have seen the slothful servant overtake with a 〈◊〉 which he had once cast behinde him and never intended to joyn to again of which the diligent servant is kept free and I have seen the wages of each servant according to his diligence in that which he hath of God betrusted in him and not by his own strivings in the thoughts of himself his worth or wisdom and in diligent hearkening and obeying of the Spirit have I found the right fâ—rthfulness towards God though getting knowledge be highly esteemed with men and I have found that as I have the Spirit manifest in me to profit withal so the times of my profiting is onely in his hand and my waitings upon him when he moves not is my reasonable service and a profiting time to me as if he moved though I see it not and this I found a great crosse to my hasty will which indeed is the true worship in Spirit which when I knew not this Spirit to hearken and bow to and obey and observe in all things as his will leads I worshipped I knew not what and my fear towards God then was taught by the precepts of men and I was not taught of the Lord not being born of that Spirit and so all the children of the Lord are taught of the Lord and as many as are led by the Spirit of God they are the Sons of God these Scriptures I then could read and understand without meanings not by that which my wisdom taught me but which the Holy Ghost taught me and the Scriptures thus learned and received was no more a notion to be lost but a possession and I came to have an inheritance therein amongst them that are sanctified in all ages and no subtle â—an could either steal them or change them or any way beguile me of the truth of them by wresting them nor take away my comfort I had in them my comfort and fellowship therein being in the same Spirit life that gave them forth and the word of God thus grew and endureth for ever and the Spirit of truth that leads into all truth endures for ever and the Seed of God is one therein to all generations and that is one which perfects the Spirits of all just men and God himself is Judge over all and leader of all by his own begettings in all that enter into this rest of the faithful which remains to all his Children out of which false Faiths and Disobedience shuts themselves And that which declares the righteousnesse of God for remission of sinnes past and for an inheritance against sin for time to come have I found to be Faith without falshood which righteousness though in the Faith and Hope beyond declaring yet inherited but as the vertues that are in Christ Jesus comes to be received in the life of them And that faith which hath not that righteousness for its ground and end and the vertues and several measures of the growth of Christ for its life and increase that I have found upon tryal to be a fained fancy after mans minde and not after Gods measures And he that saith he hath faith in God and is without the hope of this righteousness for his inheritance Or saith he hath Christ further then he hath his Vertues for his life and growth towards this inheritance when he comes to be weighed with Truth will be found too light to stand in judgement or abide the fire or to dwell with everlasting burnings the tryal of that Faith will leave him without faith then shall it be read as it is written When the Son of 〈◊〉 comes shall he finde
and People that wait for the Kingdom of God that you may not oppose him in his appearance nor set up another to reign upon earth in his stead DO you say you seek God you Rulers and People will you seek his face upon earth or would you see his appearance to reign in righteousness or can you rejoyce to see him manifest in flesh or do you love his image who is the Fathers of Lights from whom you look for the Son from Heaven then be not carnally minded in your expectation least you know him not in his appearance who is a Spirit and so oppose him as your Fathers in the flesh ever did except you be born of the Spirit you cannot see the Kingdom of God The Father dwells in the light and changes not and the Son is the light of the World in his own Image by whom he changes all things that are out of him and overturns shadows and customs and makes the world new and in Spirit and power is his Kingdom upon Earth and the flesh is the Vail with which he was ever hid from flesh and bloud but revealed in spirit to such as desired to know no man after the flesh to set up or to worship And no man could ever say that this Jesus was Lord but by the Holy Ghost So with the light of the Spirit alone which sees through the vail is Jesus known to be Lord and King for ever with which you may all see what you set up to be Lord and Ruler in your selves or over others You that chuse Rulers Judges and Justices Mayors and Constables c. Do you see through the Vail to chuse Jesus in Spirit to Rule over you or over others Is that eye open which knows the Holy Ghost what Vessel is filled therewith that you may chuse him to Rule in his Kingdom do you seek for that Spirit to chuse withall by which alone Jesus is known to be Lord Then it is plain yon seek Gods Kingdom in the face of Jesus Christ who is that spirit which turning to causes the vail to be taken away from all hearts and will change you also into his image by that Spirit as saith the Scriptures So there was none to be chosen for Judges Kings or Rulers in Israels Common-wealth but who had of this Spirit and Unction put upon them and then the Lord Reigned over them in his Anointed whether King Priest or Prophet man or woman but when they chused Rulers like other Nations then they rejected not Samuel but the Lord that he should not Reign over them Now you that say you seek the Lord to Rule over you and say thy Kingdom come mind what you chuse to rule in you or over you with what spirit lest your practise oppose your prayers and make void your daily expectation do you chuse after the â—â—esh as other nations do or do you chuse after the holy Ghost If you chuse after the flesh then you set the vail betwixt you and the Lord and Gods Kingdom and his image you cannot see and so you reject the Lord as other nations do but if you look through the Vail unto that which is within the Vail then shall the vail be taken away from all your hearts and you shall see him amongst you whom you wait for and him alone set up and worship and chuse him alone to reign over yon who is near you at hand to all that put not his day afar off So if you make Rulers like all the Nations then after the flesh they that are rich they that are proud they that are full of earthly glory c. Here is the earth set above then the Vail is before your eye and you see not the Lord that Spirit nor do you set up Jesus to be Lord by the Holy Ghost but iâ— that eye be open in you that can see through the vail of earth and all this deal of flesh and darkness to that which is within the vail even the holy One in his Temple him to chuse and set above in your mindes then your eye shall see the Lords anointed and the King in his glory and he shall rule whose right it is in every heart and your Governors shall be of your selves and all violence shall cease and shakings of Governments the Government being upon his shoulders who is the Prince of all your peace in the great and in the small who shall reign in righteousness and judge the people with equity for God and not for rewards to whose authority every knee shall bow and every tongue confess for conscience sake his name being written in every heart will then be read whose kingdom is everlasting and in spirit and power he reigns and in spirit is worshipped in heaven and in earth who fills all things with the presence of his Glory and his kingdom is near to all that can believe it s within you saith Christ and he rules where he is not known though not to salvation who is made of the seed of David after the flesh by the word of God to all Generations a King for ever according to promise whose Kingdom the eye which the god of this world hath blinded is putting afar off who sees not the light of his glorious Gospel though he be not afar off but him in whom all things have life and being either to salvation or condemnation and this is the condemnation that light is come already into the world which men who loves their evil deeds say is to come and so looks for that withouâ— who is a spirit within and therein hath ever reigned more or lesse but now is arising to his day over all the world whose sound is gone out to the ends of the earth and his light ariseth in every heart to life or condemnation and some it leads into rest and others it pricks to the heart and they kick against it and will not have it to rule therein and to this day he is rejected of the builders who is the first born unto God in Spirit blessed over all And now all sorts of people who in truth wait for the Kingdom of God upon earth with that which in you is of him you may all see if you keep that eye single when he draws near who is born of the Spirit and when he is put afar off in his Government here below when you behold in any manner of Authority such a spirit as is for God alone looking to that of God in every man without respect of person or riches and with a single eye seeks to find out where that measure of God is transgressâ—d in any or where it is oppressed by any and with that measure of God in himself seeks to set judgement upon the head of the transgressor and to set free the innocent principle of God in all which will not lead any to evil then is the judgement of God and for God and that of God is set above in
all that 's he that 's born of God here the kingdom of God is near and as this increases so God draws near and his Kingdome increases and that of God in you all will answer thereto and rejoyce thereat which waits for him and that which is upright in every heart shall say that is the judgement of God and in that Vessel is God on his Throne according to the measure of that Spirit set up in Judgement so is Jesus Lord by the Holy Ghost known and bowed to But on the contrary in what place of authority soever it be in which the Innocent comes for Judgement against the Oppressor who is too strong for him and so seeks to Justice to plead his Cause and to deliver the seed of God that is burthened and when he comes his Cause is not heard but is thrust away if not further ensnared because he cannot oppress that of God in him more either by bowing to something of vain Customs or Worships never set up by God nor owned by his witness for Conscience sake or else because he cannot hire his judgement by feeding a covetous Spirit which is for Rewards and not for God that he Judges and so the innocent soul is not relieved at this throne but sent away as an offender from that place where he should be eased and justified with the judgement of a free spirit for justice sake doth not that of God in you all testifie against this that judgement is here turned backward in that vessel and that Jesus is not Lord therein so the innocent heart is sadned but not saved and the Kingdom of God put afar off and the Scepter of Righteousness not seen Wherefore Rulers and People who set up flesh instead of the holy Spirit to rule over you the wills of men the pride and glory of this world or any visible thing here below born after the flesh see what you chuse and what you put afar off and with that spirit you now chuse you will never see the Kingdom of God nor be able to say in truth that Jesus is Lord it s by the spirit of holiness meekness and true judgement and works of righteousness that Jesus is known to reign and therein stands the sight of his Kingdom and Lordship in every heart in every Court and in every place of judgement to all generations which you deny in chusing the man of this world after the flesh to rule in you or over you therein and yet you say you look for him and thy Kingdom come daily but deny him in the simplicity of his lowly spirit to rule for his own in all as all your Rulers ever did as you have read in words and now may read in deeds the world by wisdom knows not God so that spirit chuses its own to rule but cannot receive him whom you say you look for And how should any one who sees the kingdom of God and where the simplicity of Christ is above own that kingdom or worship that Spirit and not betray the simplicity of Christ and give his honour to another And if in the meeknesse of mind you did but weigh this you could not think it so strange why so many at this day who have received the kingdom of God in his lowly just and righteous spirit chuse rather to suffer death under that spirit of this world then to bow to worship it or confess that due thereto which belongs onely to Jesus the Lord neither would you say it was obstinacy or contempt of Authority rather to suffer by the will of man then to rob the Lord of his glory and deny Christ in his kingly office set up another in his place And herein true wisdom may see that in so doing we resist not that power which is ordained of God nor the person but that spirit we testifie against by sufferings under which God never anointed for a Saviour holding forth the anointing as we have received for a witness against him in the spirit of meekness confessing our King in whom we receive power to suffer so to us he is come and by the gift of the Holy Ghost we can say he is Lord therefore to us there is but one Lord though there be many so called whether in heaven or in earth yet have we but one in all both in heaven and earth and him we know where ever he is by the gift of the Holy Ghost and to him in spirit we confesse and bow and the fruits of his spirit are manifest with the light of the world testifying against all the works of darkness in all the children of his kingdom And to us he is born who is from above the Holy Child wonderful in Councel and Strength whose heavenly power and vertue takes â—uâ— affections from all earthlyobjects and worship whose name is Immanuel and it is written in our hearts and shed abroad into the world in our lives and Christ Jesus is the end of our conversation him alone to put on above all to preach by walking in him as we have received of that lively image of holiness and truth the anointed of God and so we confess him before men who is the right heir in what vessel soever he appears and the praise we give to God where this treasure is found in the earthen vessel and the hope of all our glory is Christ within and the increase of his government is Christ within of which there is no end and with that spirit is all righteousness established the kingdom of God upon earth and eternal life And where this is not seen chosen and followed there men rule in their own wills and where mens persons and riches is respected in chusing such there the same is respected in judgement by such and the Law of God is perverted and the sword of Justice which should defend the cause of the innocent is laid by and the fist of wickednesse is lâ—ft up against that which is tender of God in every conscience and when this rules the righteous seed mourns in secret but wickedness reigns openly and this is and ever was the state of the Kingdom of God and the Kingdoms of the Gentiles the one rules in the Spirit of Holiness and the other exercise Lordship in their own wills chosen and set up not by the Holy Ghost as you may read in the Scriptures concerning Israels common wealth who when they wanted the ruling of this spirit they sold themselves under their enemies but when this was their Judge they had a Saviour chosen after the spirit not after the flesh what ever was the vessel the Spirit was their Saviour Moses was a poor wandring Shepheard yet in this Spirit a God to Pharaoh and Saviour of Israel Samuel a poor man who received no reward for judgment and when they went about to chuse another after the manner of other Nations they rejected God who then gave them a King in his wrath David a poor man not chosen by
in your hearts set it up above the will of man let it shine in your hearts let it speak in your Courts that which is of God in you all which Judges justly and with equity lay by your will your pride your covetousness and all that 's above that Spirit of meekness in your minds and make room in your hearts for the Holy Ghost that thereby Jesus may be Lord in you and over others that you may know him to whom Judgment belongs to be in you you need not say who shall ascend into heaven to bring down Christ from above or who shall descend into the deep to bring up Christ again from the dead for he is nigh you and you may feel his witness in Spirit and his Word is in your hearts the Word of Faith the Word of Righteousness that therewith you may all know him who standeth in the Congregation of the mighty to Judge among the Gods who Judgeth not unjustly nor accepteth the person of the wicked but that with him you may deliver the Poor and Fatherless and Judge the cause of the stranger wherein they are oppressed that his Kingdom and that 's the Word of Faith and the Word of Righteousness that leads to it And if this be set up in your own hearts to love it more then gifts and rewards persons or earthly glory then is the Lord near you and his Kingdom is above the earth in you and your work will be to set it above the earth in others and so the Kingdom of your Father who begets this in your hearts his Kingdom comes as his Will is done upon earth as it is in Heaven where all obey him there is the Kingdom his the Power is his by which you Judge and the glory is his of your Righteous Judgment now and for ever if you therein abide And thus shall you be of the obedient Children to that of your Father in you begotten who say and do who pray and practise and not like the Scribes and Pharisees and Lawyers who said and did not who made long prayers but devoured the poor and needy and judged not the cause of the stranger but laid heavy burthens upon others and bowed not thereto themselves who could not believe in the light nor receive Christ within them though he told them the kingdom of God was within them and his word had no place in them who was filled with pride and wilfulness so they had lost the key of knowledge the key of David to open to them the way into the anointing whereby to know Davids Lord to reign in Spirit which hath the promise of Davids Throne for ever So when they lost this the kingdom departed from Israel and the Priesthood also and he set up his sign to the Gentiles preaching the kingdom of God to rhem that were afar off and they that were not a people â—ame to the kingdom of his anointing and that great mystery that had been hid from ages was opened thereby to the Gentiles which was Christ in them the hope of Glory and Kingdom of the Father And now you that are called Christians and are making great Declarations what a glorious Kingdom the Kingdom of Christ will be at his coming and what holiness and righteous Government and many high things and great glory you look for c. But above all the rest how are you estranged who are gone out again from the anointing to look for this without you while you reject it within you Was Christ within them that great mystery that had been hid from ages which by the hearing of faith was opened to the Gentiles and was the hope of Glory to them even Christ within them whom the Apostles preached warning every man and teaching every man that they might present every one perfect in Christ Jesus the hope of Glory within them which Faith the Jews not receiving lost their King and Kingdom And is your hopes without you as the Jews was Is that the Hope the Apostles preached to the Gentiles or that which enters within the vail Is there not a vail drawn over your hearts again whilst you read this in Scriptures And have not you lost the key of knowledge who are gone out from the anointing in your hopes Have you not lost the key of David which should let you see Davids Lord in which the kingdom of God is established for ever Did God swear this to David after the flesh or to Abraham after the flesh or to any after the flesh Then how is his kingdom everlasting Or why did he say the flesh profits nothing And why did the Apostle say they desired henceforth to know no man after the flesh no not Christ himself Flesh and blood passeth away but this kingdom is everlasting so him whom the Apostles preached in Spirit by the receiving of the Holy Ghost wherein they were to grow up to his age and stature and appearance him you reject in spirit to be the hope of your glory and kingdom and wait for a government after the flesh and fo shut up the great mystery of godliness which was opened and the kingdom against your selves which mystery is not after the flesh but God manifest in flesh Christ within the hope of Glory and this mystery was ever shut with carnal expectations but opened in the Spirit as it was so it is who denyes the Spirit to be Lord shuts up the kingdom Wherefore arise out of the flesh you Rulers and People and receive your King long hath he been rejected and thrust out of the Throne of Judgement for which you have no Peace nor Establishment why will you not turn to him who calls you in Spirit what a shame is this that you are called Christians and know not your anointing Christ in you What Christians and without Christ Christ not come What do you rule withal and discern with and judge with Is not all that reprobate who knows not Christ in you But if you know a just a holy a righteous principle of Spirit in you that is of Christ set it up and you set up Christ bow to the Holy Ghost and you worship in Spirit and thereby you shall say that Jesus is Lord set up his light in your hearts and his day will arise to you all for there must the day dawn and the day-star arise in your hearts which will give the knowledge of God near you and true judgement near you and that which rules over spiritual wickedness near you which all must bow to who receives the kingdom of God honour God in your hearts set him up in your hearts let him be Judge in your hearts and first receive his Light and Judgement there before you pass judgement upon others least you in judging others before men condemn your selves before God David had little thought he had done that when he said he that had taken his neighbours lamb should â—urely dye and you may soon do the like if you go out from
them that would have slopt him Did not he speak words in Amos against the Wickednesse of their King Priests and Worships that the Land was not able to bear Did not he lead Jonaâ— through the streets of Nineveh And in which of the Propheâ—s did not he thus walk in and some received him in his way and turned from their own wayes and found Mercy and the rest that rejected him were destroyed in their own wayes in which they blessed themselves as at this day Now read these and read what you now oppose in your Streets and Steâ—ple-houses and Markets and let that of God in you be judge if you be not of such as now say Depart from us we will have none of thy wayes Also search your Gospel if you can receive his way therein which changes not Did not he come in Christ and in his Apostles as a wandereâ— to and fro without a certain dwelling place to Preach Repentance and amendment of life and the light of the world from City to Village from place to place which way you now call Vagabonds And did not he enter their Temples and Synagogues Schools and Markets and all their places of Worship and concourse where sin or false Worship was acted and there Disputed and testified against their whole way and called them to the way of God and this was his manner of walking in them even in times of their Worships and in the greatest Assembly of Meetings and Markets which to you is become as gall and wormwood and you call it Disturbance and Peace-breaking Was not this his way in such as knew their bodies to be his Temples and in whom he walked and spoke the words of Life and Judgment and Truth his way by which he overturned the World leaving all without excuse against the day of wrath which was to follow where he was rejected his way by which he called many thousands out of false Worships in which they were setled as you are and their Souls deceived but this was his way to Salvation which was not their way as he hath said my wayes are not your wayes yet was there no other way fâ—r them to be saved which is the same at this day to all that receive his coming and to all that resist the Holy Spirit in his Temples as did your fathers so do you saith Stephen to such as worshipped God in outward observations but denied his way and worship in Temples made without hands these resisted the Holy Ghost resisted the way of God as do you Read and consider Steven was full of God the Spirit spake in him they resisted him they called him a Blasphemer they stoned him by a Law here was Gods way and their way now try your wayes whose work is to resist the Spirit and Light within which hath filled the hearts and mouths of his servants to cry against sin Mind what you râ—sist Had not God come in this his own Way to seek and to save by his appearance in such vessels as he had prepared of old for that end whom in time he filled with himself as they stood in need in all conditions to pass with him through all hardships and crooked wayes of the wicked world from place to place seeking a seed to himself what had become of the Saints of old which was covered with darknesse till he came thus to appear to them holding forth his light and his life and glory in vessels prepared to shew forth his vertues and the riches of his grace not only in declaring in words but also in power to suffer for his Name long and hard Tryals with much patience and meeknesse in all which they became signs to the world and lively witnesses of God to his own in every Conscience whereby the Seed of God in many gathered strength to arise out of darknesse and come to judgement and by their sufferings waxed confident in the Faith that it was the eternal God that they had seen preached and that was in them who thus suffered and did not receive their words as the words of men but of God who was with them and in them in all And this his way was not only to receive such as came to him but with danger of life went in to their Assemblies and publick places to bring them out of the claws of the Devil who beat some in their Synagogues haled some before Rulers cast some into Prison who suffered great afflictions to bring souls from under the dark power and in all this God was afflicted with them and by his own Spirit brought them out and this was his way of ransoming and redeeming and of bringing to Zion as you may read of old And thus by his Spirit and by his working in them did he work wonders and signs and was a witnessâ— against the whole body of sin overturning false wayes and worships by a way they knew not nor did the world know it was he until he had brought to passe his work upon them having thus gathered out his Seed from amongst them who then sought to stop his way as you do at this day And what was their end And in this way was the Churches of Christ gathered even blood and sufferings and tumults and beatings and mockings and whippings and all manner of cruel usage fighting with beasts after the manner of men and by the patient sufferings of Christ in them were many recovered out of the snares of the Devil which had he not sought them in this way they had lived and died in blindnesse And this was the way in which God gathered the Churches which you who oppose this way would imitate and in this way was the mistery of Godlinesse and the mistery of iniquity revealed and the Kingdome of Christ known upon earth and in this way came the Scriptures of the Apostles and Prophets of which you talk and would turn to oppose this way like them who read his coming in the Prophets and would have stopt his coming in Christ and the Apostles so do you ever resist the way of the Holy One and yet in words you pray for his coming but having erred in your hearts from that light which should give the knowledg of him you know not his wayes but have in your imaginations set a new way for his appearance every one in his own form but all think you are doing him service to stop his old way by force Ah foolish people and â—ull of wit will you call on him to come to judgment and stop his way with cruelty Is not the day of the Lord darknesse to you who deny the light Gods wayes are not yours nor his thoughts yours who are vain therein will you hedg up his way against him will you set Bâ—iars and Thorns before him and shall not the light of Israel kindle a fire amongst you shall not he go through and tread you down and with your own tear you as a Lion from whom none shall deliver Was it
not that which they profess in them but tell of great things which they have not who are without God in spirit and his worship in Spirit such as Christ said worshipped they knew not what and such now worship they know not what who worship that they have not and profess him they possess not without God in the world in whose heart there is not God who are not the Temples of the living God but to this day worship in Temples made with hands as those who resisted the Holy Ghost ever did and how should such be holy vessels holy men and women what should sanctifie where God is not and what should lead where the spirit is not but the blind eye that leads into the ditch and what is like to govern where God is not in his throne in the heart how can such but be filled with unrighteousness who retain not God in their knowledge so it is not strange to the children of light who with the eye of God are guided to see the whole world lie in wickedness and to see such thingâ— acted againsâ— God in his Temples now by such as are without God as ever was so the Scriptures are fulfilled as you may read And ye holy iâ— heart rejoyce and lift up your heads towards the day of Redemption and own your generation here on earth that you may be gatâ—ered to the Fathers with that which comes from above and that spirit which perfects the just and casts out the unjust where are the dogs and Adulterers and such as know not God and where the hearts are gathered to the Fathers in God there the earth is blessed whose God is the Lord who have received the spirit from on high and are filled with the Holy Ghost as Stephen was who saw heaven open who was full of God whom the great Professors stoned who was full of wrath and yet said they looked for his coming from Scriptures yet like mad men run upon him destroyed his Temple so he destroyed their temple which they thought to uphold who resisted God the Holy Ghost because he had no place in them who could not receive the light of the world nor his word could find place in them but in such as they â—â—st out it found place whose bodies were the Temple of the livâ—â—g God as he hath said I will dwell in them and walk in them and 〈…〉 och walked within with God in spirit and was not Isaiah God â—ad wrought all his works in him Jeremy waâ— full of the fury of the Lord Ezekiel was the son of man And Daniel had the spirit of them mâ—st High God the spirit of light understanding Aâ—d Paul had the Son of God revealed in him the same that he Preached and said they that knew not Christ in them were reprobates and he that is joyned to the Lord is one Spirit And to David the Lord said Thou art my Son this day have I begotten thee and David declared it and the Saints were begotten of God and partakers of the Divine nature and confessed the Father and the Son in them and that the Son of God was come and had given them an understanding which they that looked for him to come without understood not who beat him in their Synagogues and shamefully intreated him because they knew not the Father nor the Son but said he was to come And they that had the Son had Life and the rest was children of wrath filled with wrath and so the Father and the Son supt with such as had them and the Lord was at their Table and they fed with him in his sufferings and blood and the rest made a large Profession of him but fed at the table of Devils and these grew great in violence and strong to devour and shed blood and the other excelled in meekness and patient in suffering and here were they separated into life and death never like to meet more And here now may all read the worship in spirit in such as know God in spirit and the worship in Letter in them that have not God and know not what they worship and these know not what they do who know not what they worship and the Son of God saith Father forgive them they know not what they do who saith they worship they know not what who worship not in spirit who worship in their thoughts of God but not the Spirit of God in possession and knowledge who think they do God service to kill and destroy the Temple of God because they know not him in themselves that is worshipped therein as Christ hath foretold and must be fulfilled at the coming of the Holy Ghost And when God descends from heaven to walk on Earth in his Temples and to require his worship to himself out of all Sects and traditions this is his entertainment from all that look for him in observations whose coming is within and his Kingdom is within you And now to you he is come of whom you have been long talking and in that way he appears among you of which you are Preaching The Jews had but the prophesies and shadows to know him by reading without them but you read and Preach in words of the lively pattern in spirit and have heard of the same Life and Testimony which now he bears against you in his Temples and when he comes you cannot receive him who suffers the same things among you Oh England how wilt thou stand in judgement what wilt thou plead for thy self when he arises to judgement whose Testimony against thee is drawing to an end what will be thy excuse and who wilt thou say thou took him to be who now endures such contradiction against himself such haling beatings scourgings and mockings and banishings imprisonings and death without resistings hast not thou heard of him before he came that thou might have known in this thy day the things of thy peace hast thou not read of him that is sent to seek his lost in Temples and Synagogues in Markets and where the greatest of the people be in which manner he now appears and being refused of the rich gathers the poor in the high wayes and hedges and yet hath no where to lay his own head hast thou not heard of the everlasting way of his walkings in Prophets and Apostles and his pilgrimage in their bodies upon eaâ—th who was ever a stranger in the world at his coming from Heaven what spirit wilt thou say this is which hath conformed so many at this day who was amongst you like wolves to devour others now to suffer the spoiling of their goods and torturings of their bodies and taking away their lives without seeking the least revenge wilt thou at that day say thou had thought it had been the spirit of the Devil as many of you now doth though in your consciences otherwise convinced Alas for thee how art thou wept over at this day And what a lamentable sorrow
the vine in a contrary nature Wherefore all who aime to hold forth in life to his appearance and to attain his coming in purity and glory must be diligent in the heavenly light ever minding the way and moving of the holy Spirit him that is from above that his form you may see who hath the heavenly image and the holy power that so beholding him with open face as in a glass you may be changed into the same image and formed thereafter from glory to glory by the powerful working of the same Spirit until the Tabernacle be built conformable to the heavenly exâ—mple and holy pattern in body and Spirit that as he is so may you be in this world that God may appear in his Temple that as the image of the earthly appeares in the world so the image of the heavenly you may bear a witnesse against them And by drinking in the communion of that holy Spirit and power from above you may become as able zealous and willing to hold forth the heavenly in holiness meekness purity patience love long-suffering faith and obedience to God and all the fruits of the Spirit as the Sonnes of the world are to hold forth the earthly in lusts and pleasures strife and envy cruelty and oppression and all manner the works of the flesh that you may as truly and really give up your bodies minds and strength to suffer with Christ that he may be manifest and magnified therein in your mortal bodies as others who are without God in the world do give themselves to act according to the principles and power of the God of this world his unrighteous wayes worships and fashions and all his cursed courses and the whole body of sin and mystery of iniquity born in them And where the Tabernacle is thus edified and the Temple thus cleansed there is a vessel of honour fit for the Masters use that being filled with the holy Ghost God may dwell on the earth and take up his rest therein his Tabernacle being with men the appearance of the blessed day so many souls hunger for and Abrahams Seed longs to see which the God of this world strongly opposes in all whose minds he hath blinded and whole spirits he possesseth in disobedience to the heavenly light for which the wrath of God remains upon that generation till this day and for ever Wherefore all you who wait for the Kingdom of God and love his appearance whose coming again is without sin abide within and wait in that Temple where the witnesse ariseth against the world that in faith and patience you may be counted worthy to receive that witnesse that it may arise and cover you and that in bearing it you may come out of the world being conformable to him who suffered without the gates bear his reproach and you bear his name touch not the unclean thing and he will receive you for himself in you to appear and be glorified lifted up against the powers of darknesse You that have received the earnest of this Spirit hath he not said I will dwell in you and walk in you wherefore come out from among them and be you separate This is the joy that is set before you to wit his appearance and that glory for the attaining whereof we endure the present sufferings and reproach not to be compared therewith for glory immortality eternal life O friends who shall be found worthy at his coming and in whom may he appear and not consume them for our God is a consuming fire even in his holy Temple is he known and with clean hands will he take up his rest and in the pure heart shall he be seen else who may dwell with everlasting burnings and who may abide that baptisme wherein every one shall be salted with fire at his coming THere is a Spirit that I feel that delights to do no Evil nor to revenge any Wrong but delights to endure all things in Hope to enjoy its own in the End Its hope is to outlive all Wrath and Contention and to weary out all exaltation and Cruelty or whatsoever is of Nature contrary to its self it sees to the end of all temptations as it bears no evil in it selfe so is conceives none in thoughts to any other For its ground and Spring is the Mercies and Forgivenesse of God its Crown is Meekness its Life is Everlasting Love unfeigned and takes its Kingdom with Intreaty and not with Contention and keeps it by Lowlinesse of mind in God alone it can rejoyce though none else regard it or can own its Life It s conceived in Sorrow and brought forth without any to pitty it nor doth it murmur at Grief and Oppression it never rejoyceth but through Sufferings for with the Worlds joy it is murthered I found it alone being forsaken I have fellowship therein with them who lived in Dens and Desolate places in the Earth who through Death Obtained this Resurrection and Eternal Holy Life J. N. Through the negligence of the Printer and the diligence of that spirit that would not have truth and righteousness to Reign some faults have escaped which the friendly Reader is desired to correct and not impute the blame to the Author for herein he was blameless In pag 1. line 1. for profession r. possession p. 11. l. 21. for wherein r. where p. 13. and last line for the bodies r. his bodies p. 15. l. 10. for here r. there l. 38. for Estate r. state p. 17 l. 1. for or r. of p. 19. l. 21. for him r. them p. 20. l. 27. for towards righteousness r. towards Gods righteousness p. 26 l 20. for mind r. wind p. l. 32. for oorn r. born p. 42. l. 3. for innocent pass r. innocent cannot passe p. 46. l. 7. this sentence is left out these resisted the spirit that spake in him p. 48. l. 35. for our r. your p. 49. l. 22. for the r. their p. 53 last l. for measure r. in measure p. 57. l. 6. r. to come and l. 25. for rooted r. blotted p. 65. l. 9. for she r. the. p. 72. l. 7. for you souls r. your souls THE END
WHAT THE POSSESSION OF THE Living Faith IS And the fruits thereof And wherein it hath been found to differ from the dead Faith of the World in the learning and following of Christ in the Regeneration With an opening of Light to all sorts of People that waits for the Kingdom of God And a Candle Lighted to give the sight of the good Old Way of God from the wayes that now ensnares the simple Also a Message from the Spirit of Truth unto the Holy Seed who are chosen out of the World and are lovers and followers of the Light Written by J. N. in the time of his Imprisonment and now the second time published by a Friend LONDON Printed in the Year 1664. DEAR Friends and People to whom this following Treatise may come I saw and felt it meet that something might be declared of the Author thereof who was Censured Judged Condemned and cruelly persecuted by them that knew him not yet they that had the knowledge of him and were conversant with him for some years before in the time of his sufferings can with me bear witness and that not a few that he came amongst us in the spirit and power of Elias and mighty works were wrought by him and an effectual dore was opened and many were turned unto God and gathered into the feeling of that power in which he was and of which he testified and it abides for ever the fountain and giver of every good and perfect gift of whom he had received liberally grace for grace and of his fulness did he manifest not onely in words and writings in and of the truth but in his conversation which was holy harmless and undefiled as one Redeemed out of the earth in the heavenly was his dwelling and no other Inheritance did he seek And though spirits of all sorts did beset him and temptations and snares of all were laid for him yet the Covetous and Wanton found nothing in him for over the world he kept in the holy faith which gained the victory and a Conqueror he died and lives for ever in that life which is everlasting of which he testified and called many to and those that received his testimony and abide therein are come to the Church of the first-born where we have fellowship with him in that spirit that quickens the dead and brought to life our Lord Jesus Christ in whose suffering and Resurrection he had fellowship and in him was he found therefore the world hated him and that they might fill up their measure of unrighteousness by him were they tried who being tempted out of the body become a sign unto them that had and did resist the substance and in the dark they acted and brought forth a cruel Decree without Law Reason or Witness that he had said or done any thing contrary to Justice Law Scripture or Decree of God or Men But those that had rejected the Light brought forth this dark Conclusion that because he did not condemn what some others whom they supposed had spoke blasphemy therefore he was a Blasphemer Truly I never could in my own disposition rejoyce to trample on any fallen though an enemy but being come to see the fulfilling of the many Prophesies spoke by the Servants of the Lord of the woes wrath and just overturnings that would unavoidably come on such who resisted the Light I cannot but confess to his righteous judgments that hath given them of their own doings and covered them with darkness who loved darkness better than light though my soul desireth that those of them that yet have abiding in the Earth might come to repentance now the just punishment of their doings being brought upon them who were themselves in the Blasphemy who said they were Christians and were not said they would give liberty of conscience but did not cried out against persecution and yet persecuted It is the Hypocrite that did and doth blaspheme that seems to be and is not For these was and is reserved the blackness of darkness and it encreased upon them who loved it better than light and over-turned and over-whelmed are they by it and shallnever come from under it nor have dominion over it but by the rising of that light to which and in which he testified whom they thought not worthy to live and therefore found out and invented punishment much worse then an outward death But Light springs for the righteous And in those years of his cruel and close confinement as he saw felt and learned he gave forth for the raising and strengthning of the immortal Seed that many do and Nations to come shall bless God for and by the everlasting Power which his Persecutors resisted he overcame and was gathered into the communion of the body which the unworthy neither did nor do discern and so drank into the one Cup of new Wine in the Kingdom of the Father though in those years of his cruel close imprisonment as he hath declared he combaâ—â—d with all spirits and was under the waters and beheld the foundations of the Earth and passed by the gates of Hell and spirits of darkness in the night-season surrounded him and under the earth he passed and deaths he knew many and when the weight of the Mountains was upon him his Friends and Acquaintance stood afar of him and it was to be so and he declared wâ—â— felt the weight thereof whaâ— it was to be sepaâ—â—â—ed from his Brethren and that if any one who 〈◊〉 life in God retain sin on Earth it is retained in Heaven So that Power that led him through â—he many temptations and trials made him a living example of lowliness and subjection not onely confessing wherein he had grieved any in the day he was tempted but in the spirit of forgiveness he sought to be forgiven even of those that had been bgotten by him so he were a father To Babes he did and could stoop that the Spirit of love and forgiveness might rise over all for he loved Justice and Righteousness and bore testimony thereunto that that was and would be the strength of those that abode therein being delivered from that which had pressed him down in the liberty and power of the free Spirit he often spake of the subtilty and wickedness of that spirit that works in the Air with which he had been beset ond what it led to and the end thereof to be perdition So he visited after his enlargement many of that sort and often prophesied as of many things which we have seen come to pass that they would turn into the earth or to liberty and ranting which his Soul abhorred and therefare often spoke and writ against the workings of those spirits in what appearance soever and to holiness in soul body and spirit called he and for the removal of that which hindred was his travel to the last day of his visible being among men And as at first he appeared in this great City in the power of an endless
and given me hope to attain him yet I had not thâ—n learned him nor was he yet formed in me so was I led in the Light of Christ to see what I had of this treasure in the earthen vessel which I found to be in me very little and that Seed the least of all Seeds so I became little in that eye which told me the truth though I had been high in my own thoughts formerly And so to the Word of the beginning of Christ I was led or the first Principle of the Doctrine of Christ that with that which teacheth Christ I might learn Christ in every measure of him as I grew therein so was I brought to know him that was made under the Law and to the foundation of repentance from dead works and to doctrines of Baptisms and to Eternal Judgement then came I in Truth and Life to see what they were doing whom the Apostles exhorted to work out their own Salvation with fear and trembling after they had fully believed what Christ had done for them at Jerusalem in that Vessel and many other Scriptures did he open to me as I learned him which before to me was a Mystery while I learned them in meanings without the Life of Christ which then was opened by the Revelation of Jesus Christ as they came to be fulfilled in me being led by the same Spirit in that work of Faith then came I to see that I through the Law must be redeemed from the Law and that my redemption from it must not be by making it void but by fulfilling of it and till then it had power over me and sin took occasion by it to strengthen it self in me but as I came to grow in the Spirit and Power of Christ I was in him brought through it it in him fulfilled and I dead to it as it came to be fulfilled and the words of Christ I found true I came not to break the Law but to fulfil it and it is easier for Heaven and Earth to pass away then one jot of the Law to pasâ— away till it be fulfilled and I needed not a meaning to that Scripture but a fulfilling thereof in Christ Jesus and the Schoolmaster that brings to Christ I learned and Christ formed the heir under tutors before I knew the liberty of the Son of God or perfect freedom and then I saw the Scriptures could not be broken nor wrested but it must be learned in the life of it to Salvation which the unlearned wrest to their own destruction by meanings without life and that it was of no private interpretation but this one Spirit must open it all in the fulfilling thereof and this Faith in Christ Jesus onely was able to make wise unto Salvation of Eternall Life And then came I clearly to see Christ Jesus set before me in all things that I was to go through in that faith which I had first received and that the attaining of him was the hope of glory and no hope without him and this hope was as an Anchor in all hardships and temptations which was not a few I was led through but all was counted little while I stood in this Faith for the hope that was in me to win Christ and I clearly saw that notwithstanding my first faith in what he had done at Jerusalem yet if I did not continue therein to follow the same spirit in obedience thereto believing therein in all its leadings hoping to attain to Christ Jesus the end of that Faith in daily growing towards his Stature and fulness but had turned aside or set down short of the leadings of that Spirit in the way I had made void my hope of Glory the work of my redemption and that which Christ did at Jeruâ—alem as to me and had denyed my first Faith and could not have been saved from wrath to come That being the end of that Faith committed to me that therein I might faithfully without doubting follow him in Spirit through all Tryals and Temptations of which way he was a perfect example in his walking in that Flesh at Jerusalem that through the Scriptures I might have hope seeing he went the same way before me there in which he now leads and thaâ— therein I might see him to be the same to all generations as he was there and in his Saints that followed him And as they exhorted one another to look unto him in their Travel who was the Authour and Finisher of their Faith and to consider him as an example who endured such contradictions of sinners against himself least they should be weary of suffering and faint in their mindes and â—o their Faith and Hope was strengthened So also I looking to the same in him and also in them after him my Faith and Patience might be doubled and my obedience made without doubting and my hope firme unto the end which end was the winning Christ in me the Hope of Glory the great Mystery of Faith which is hid from all till the Revelation of Christ Jesus and so when the Saints and Apostles had Christ revealed in them they were able Ministers of him and had the mystery opened and preached it without doubt that mystery of godlinesse which was great yet hid from the world but to them without all controversie God manifest in flesh not God flesh but manifest in flesh which mystery of Faith they held in a pure conscience and so I knew my Faith to be the same Faith once delivered to the Saints and the good fight of that faith I came to know and that Faith which overcomes the world which hath the promise and inheritance of Eternal Life which all that go back from denyes the Faith of Christ and sets up a Faith without Christ which is not the faith of Christ and so in the learning of Christ I came to see the faith of Christ from faith to faith and the faith of Devils the living working faith and the dead faith without works and I finde that Christ never believed that he could never be perfect nor overcome the Devil nor overcome sin it was never the Faith of Christ to make void the Law of his Father unfulfilled in him it was never his faith to revenge evil but to overcome it with good it was never his faith to respect persons or that he could commit sin and not be the servant of sin it was never his faith to sue contend or fight or persecute any to judge for rewards or Preach for hire or any way to serve the Mammon of this world it was not his Faith to observe his own will his own times or the worlds customes but to observe his Father in all things and onely what he received from him that he did and could do nothing of himself he never believed them to be children of God who said and did not And much such like things as these were never by him believed but is the worlds faith to uphold them in sin
and great travels and many temptations and tryals within and without but the greatest enemies was yet within me which would upon every hardship be tempring with unbelief to destroy this Faith and hope which was all that I had set before me to encourage me to endure such hardships and to follow the light in a way I had not known and to walk in the Cloudâ— to meet the Lord and to leave my former knowledge and wisdom and glory and riches to go in a way I had not wâ—llâ—ed and to abide such assaults on every hand every foot the world which I was called out of ready to overtake me and compasse me about and to turn me back again into what I had seen and enjoyed behind me ever seeking to perswade me that I should never attain to him that was set before me in the Faith and hope Then come I clearly to see that though I had received the Faith of Christ as a shield in this War by which I was saved that the wrath of God took me not away in these temptings and murmurings and reasonings and doubting which did arise in the fleshly part yet the purchased possession was not yet redeemed for me to enjoy at present though I had heard and believed the Gospel of salvation and was sealed with the holy Spirit of promise till I came to be boilded up with Christ for an habitation of God through the Spirit And I found by daily experience that my salvation was not compleat so long as my soul was subjected under any earthly lust or passion nor the War over but as by the mighty working of God in me by that Spirit this came to be subdued under the feet of Christ and the Soul set above it with him to reign in the heavenly place so was my Salvation nearer then when I believed for the Soul is not safe while sin lives or the flesh lusts for that wars against the Soul and every sin wounds it and this shall all know who are not past feeling what ever their Faith be touching Christ Jesus or what was wrought in another whilst sin defiles the Soul it is not safe nor the honest heart hath peace and rest for the rest and peace is placed in the Holy City where comes no unclean thing into which the Soul enters not till that all righteouâ—ness be fulfilled upon earth the Soul singled from all corruption and have put on immortality death swallowed up in victory when the sting is taken away which is sin the strength of sin which is the Law which is not taken away but where it is fulfilled there onely grace reigns through righteousness and this I found to be truth as the truth is found in Jesus as I came to learn him and put him on by Faith which I had believed and I see the folly of such as would make void the Law by talking of Faith and Grace wherein sin is yet standing and the Soul taken captive therewith which I had often sought peace therein to my self but could not inherit liberty to my Soul any other way but as it came to be purified in obedience through the Spirit And this work was not wrought in me by the knowledge of Christ after the flesh but as I came to learn him in Spirit for spiritual wickedness had taken my Soul captive and by the Spirit it must be sanctified and set free And I came to see that if I had been in his company here on earth as long as his Disciples were in the flesh and seen as much as they did and heard from his own mouth I should have been short of this work as they were in whom the Child was unborn when he went away in the flesh and they knew not what Spirits they were of untill he came again to them in Spirit and was revealed in them then could they preach the Resurrection of the dead and the Souls Redemption and desired to know him no more after the flesh when once they had received him in Spirit but Preached Christ within the Hope of Glory who till then looked for an outward kingdom and glory untill they had received his promise He that dwelleth with you shall be in you I will not leave you comfortless I will come unto you the world seeth mâ— no more but ye see me and because I live ye shall live also at that day ye shall know that I am in my Father and yâ—u in me and I in you And this was his promise whom they received whom the world seeth no more whose expectations are carnal neither can any see the Kingdom of Heaven but who are born of this Spirit and Heirs of this Life and he that hath the Son hath life and he that hath not the Son hath not life but the wrath of God abides upon him whatever he may say he believes and none hath the Son but as they receive this Spirit and are led by this Spirit and born thereof And this I found also that this Son of God doth not appear in any within or without but as he conforms them to his own Image which he hath alwayes born in this world as saith the Scripture when he shall appear we shall be like him who shall change our vile bodies and make them like his glorious body from glory to glory by the same Spirit And herein we have boldness in the day of Judgment because as he is so are we in this present world and this is not obtained with thoughts of believing without but by a lively working Power which works out the earthly image and nature and conforms to the heavenly in that spiritual birth which is not of flesh and blood nor could flesh and blood ever discern it in whom it was but ever hared it in whom it hath appeared in all Ages Which is of a shining nature where it is begotten of the Father and cannot be hid where it is formed but by his fruits gives light to the world contrary to the worlds wayes showing of his coming to Judgment against the deeds of darkness And this heavenly begetting of the Father is to be holden forth in that clear â—mage of the Father according to every several measure as he grows therein without mixture that all may see that he is not of this world who also takes them out of this world as he grows in any or they in him forth of the world they must go bearing his reproach that the Scriptures may be fulfilled they are not of this world even as I am not of this world and this is the worlds light and condemnation even his coming And so I find that Faith which joyns to the world where it is and doth not overcome the world is not the faith of Christ nor layes hold on the power of Christ though Faith may believe the History of the Scriptures concerning Christ which faith sets not up the Kingdom of God in the heart and casts out the world there
that faith saves not the soul from the pollution of the world through lust and so is but a conceit of salvation and not the power of salvation as saith the Scriptures Whosoever is born of God overcometh the world and this is the victory that overcometh the world even your faith and the faith which works not thus is like a body without a spirit which is dead but the living faith that stands in Christ Jesus that spirit purifies the heart and conscience and makes toward God in Christ the example in all good things overcoming whatever would lett the appearance of Christ in his temple or hinder the bringing forth his vertues which is believed to be in him to the utmost of whatever he hath received of the Father for such believers who believes not in a lye but in the truth and power of God as it is in Christ Jesus and hath been declared in Scriptures not for a discourse but for an inheritance of life of whose fulness we all â—eceive according to our Faith till his coming and we be compleat in him and he in us and so not come short of the glory of God the end of our Faith and Conversation that to the world he may be manifest in life and power to be the same that ever he hath been though he have appeared in several forms in the flesh yet one in Spirit to make a compleat body And therefore we finde those who were of this Faith witnessed Christ present which the worlds faith could never receive under any form or profession but counted it blasphemy and that spirit the spirit of the Devil And so Isaiah witnessed this Childe born to them that so believed in his time who was the mighty God the everlasting Father c. Whose Name they knew to be Immanuel and this was before he appeared in that Temple at Jerusalem and Ezekiel was called the Son of man before that time also and Paul said he was revealed in him and spoke in him and wrought in him and in his flesh that which was behinde of the afflictions of Christ was to be filled up for the bodies sake which is the Church and to whom he forgive any thing in his time he forgive it in the person of Christ and many more might be noted who confessed the same Christ in them present both before and after his time at Jâ—â—â—salem which testimony could never be received by the wisdom of the world in his Temples before nor then nor since to this day for the god of this world being king in the heart and having blinded the eye of the minde that should see his spiritual glory through the light of the Gospel he perswades the world that he is either past or to come but never present and as many as are brought to confess him before men finde it so at this day who are hated of all men for his Names sake that the Scriptures may be fulfilled and his testimony finished And this faith which confesseth him present is that which the world cannot bear nor receive who will preach him themselves at a distance what he was and will be but this faith cannot reach his coming at present in any measure to grow to his appearance now nor will this faith ever give an entrance into his kingdom upon earth nor the holy rest nor is this the Faith of Christ that puts him thus afar off which fills with all the fulness of God And by what I have learned this is clear to me for ever without any more Controversie That the faith that admits of sin is not Christs Frith nor hath any share or possession in him that faith which is not holy came not from God and so cannot build up to God that is not saving Faith that doth not save from sins but is deceiving faith which deceives the Soul and suffers lust to defile it and destroy it and so brings it under condemnation by believing lyes and so letting in sin upon the Soul by consent perswading that it cannot be otherwise and so gives the Devil victory and the world victory and the flesh victory and sin victory over the Soul which should give the Soul victory over all And what greater deceit can there be to the Soul then this is And therefore for ever that which I have seen and learned do I declare openly that this is the deceiving faith and indeed rather unbelief then the Faith of Christ which makes way for the god of this world to reign and act in things contrary to the life of Christ in the Creature and the life of the Soul and that faith which gives way to the least sin is not the Faith of Christ whose work and coming is to destroy the works of the Devil and redeem the Soul from sin and the least measure of that Faith that stands in his life overcomes the world and sin in that measure and he that commits sin goes out of that Faith and acts against it and a lying faith I have found that to be which perswades the soul of freedome from condemnation but gives it not freedom from sin which is the cause of Condemnation and all shall witness this with me now or hereafter that where sin hath power here death hath power and the Grave and Hell and Condemnation hath power also for these are the wages of sin then shall yon say you were deceived who believed the contrary And may not such truly be said to be past feeling indeed who can commit sinne and feel no Condemnation for it already And this is the effect of their false Faith to harden themselves against the faithful witness of God in their own Conscience and the seared Conscience hath made shipwrack of the Faith of Christ and the doctrine of devils preaches the faith of devils to give way to the works of the Devil which all sin is from the least to the greatest and he that pleads for it is a Father to it and he that commits it a servant and may look for the wages thereof if he repent not notwithstanding he believe the contrary And many may feel this truth at this day who have a long time believed with this faith deceiving their own souls day uâ—ter day believing they shall not be condemned when they are condemned already iâ— their own hearts and feel the weight of sinne daily pressing their Souls and burthening the pure Conscience and the fear of death and sinne keeps their Souls still in bondage and lies upon them all their lives and yet they will force themselves to believe contrary to Holy Faith and a good Conscience that they are saved and redeemed and thus make shipwrack of saving Faith and a good Conscience by believing a lye contrary to their own daily feeling no other thing to encourage them therein but this perswasion which suits well with such as take pleasure in unrighteousnesse which perswasion comes not of God but condemned by that of God in themselves and this
serving Christ with real actual obedience And so his birth is a meaning instead of the life of Christ and this he sets to oppose that life least it should be born into the world as for instance when Christ saith in Scriptures Him that smiteth thee on the one cheek offer him the other and him that sues thee and takes thy coat forbid him not thy cloak also and him that takes away thy goods ask them not again resist not evil but overcome evil with good and love them that hate you and many such like Commands which Christ means really and indeed and led an example in himself and who ever receives the same Spirit it moves to the same things as it grows in any and being obeyed will bring forth the same fruits to glorifie the Father thereof to all Generations which Spirit waxeth not old nor in its fruits barren where it is really received in the Faith thereof and obeyed But saith this other faith in the earthly spirit Christ did not mean as he spoke you must not take him litterally those words must have a spiritual meaning and this spiritual meaning of his is to devour the life of this obedience both in Letter of Christ and Spirit of Christ and to set up a subtle meaning without the life of Christ and contrary to his example and this he will have to take place in all both against the plain words of Christ â—iâ— example in his walking and the working of his Spirit in others if he cannot destroy this faith and fruit before it be brought forth then his work is to render him a high Blasphemer in whom this Child is born and brought forth to light and counts it high presumption for any to witness the life of Christ in him by bringing it forth into the world yet himself will preach Christ in him and the Life of Christ in him and the Spirit of Christ in him and his body the Temple of God c. Because he finds these words in Scripture but if any worship in that Temple so as to believe and obey unto life openly that he cannot own without a meaning instead thereof and so he sets the form to deny the Power and Christs Words he wrests to deny his coming And how long this faith hath professed him to come and his Life and Glory at his coming in its own carnal Comprehensions many may witness but is never like to receive him in the same Life and Spirit and Power in which he ever appeared and so to that generation is he ever to come but never present further then to make a cover for sins past and present and an encouragement for sin to come and thus the devouâ—er 〈…〉 s the best of things into a lye in all that believes him that he may keep Christ and the Soul from their present union which he could not long do but by consent of the Creature there being that of God in every one which daily draws towards him where it is not quenched by believing lies whereby such as receive not the Truth in the love of it comes to be damned as it was in the dayes of old and a strait passage I have found into the way of Truth and life which misseth all his subtile pretences and I have seen his words true who saith Few there be that find it the enemy being every way ready to meet them that seek with a shadow meaning or some deceit to believe in stead of the substance handling the Words of God deceitfully using the gifts of God to withstand the life of the giver and turning grace into lacivious liberty And thus have I learned in the light of the world that in my turning towards him at his reproof when I knew him not and believing in his light whom I had not seen I found that Faith given which did declare the righteousnesse of God in him wherein he perfectly walked upon earth both in doing and suffering which being turned towards I found the propitiation that God had sent forth through faith in his blood to declare his righteousness for the remitting of my sins past that God might be just who could not have past by my sins past had he not accepted his sufferings nor I have had liberty from sin past to have followed him nor could I have been accepted therein but in the faith and hope of the same righteousnesse so God was full in justifying and his forbearance magnified towards me therein and in turning to this righteousness of his declared in the light of faith and hope my face was set towards righteousnesse in Christ Jesus to be attained for life and salvation for time to come to walk in and so being turned towards God all my sins past was behind me and Gods righteousness before me and so from henceforth was I to be found in Gods righteousness walking in a measure of it and in the faith and hope of the fulnesse of Christ and attainment of God for mine inheritance And this great Redemption I found in Christ Jesus at that day was in such things as these following As first his calling of me with his light his holding forth to me his life and suffering which was so holy that I could not but confesse to them his turning me towards the same in hope thereof by believing his begetting a mind in me towards that same life and the increase of his light that way to lead me and the setting of me free from the wrath of God for all my sins of ignorance past which else had laid upon me as a weight or chain binding me that I could not have walked the way of his light c. But I do not say that if I turned to commit sinne again that that sin was cast behinde my back also I learned otherwise I found that sinne then before my face greater then the rest and stood in my way to God and stopt me from following his light or growing in his life that I could no way escape it but by repenting of it and receiving the just sentence of condemnation in my self and bearing his indignation till he that wounded me for it healed me again which I never found but as I turned from the evil with my whole heart and accepted the punishment till the advocate did arise to intercede whose blood I had trampled on and whose precious life I had pierced and his holy Spirit grieved by turning away from his leadings Nor do I say that all my sinnes which formerly I had committed of which I had been convinced by the light of the ☜ world when I was in the world before I believed it to be sufficient that they was wholly taken away as my sins of ignorance was for this I found that God in this was just and merciful merciful in that he did not lay them all at once before me lest they should have prest me down that I could not have followed the light nor gotten any strength but
will stand in your way as thick Darknesse which you cannot remove nor passe then shall you curse your God who hath set you on Preaching Words above Life and lies by which the Spirit of truth in you and others have suffered and been denied and Gods Witnesse lie waste and been resisted in its gentle Calls Motions and Reproofs All which a just hand and unresistable will bring upon you in that day when Chains of Darknesse hath compassed you in the Horrible Pit Deceipt Discovered by its Fruits YOu that call the Children of the Light blasphemers and Seducers and many evil Names you give out to People against them because they Preach Christ the light of the world and Christ for Righteousnesse and Perfection c. Hear what Blasphemy and Seducing and Deceiving is and who are the Deceivers They were blaspemers who said they were Jews and were not and this was Blasphemy in Gods account To professe in words what they were not in works Rev. 2. 9. And they were blasphemers who said He that wrought the works of righteousnesse was of the Devil Mark 3. 22 28 29 30. And James said They Blasphemed that Holy Naâ—e by which the Saints were called who drew them before Judgment Sâ—ats and Oppressed them Jam. 2 6 7. And Saul blasphemed in persecuting for Conscience towards Christ Now this God callâ— blasphemy Falsly to take upon them the Name of a Jew seeing the Jewes were to be a Holy People to the Lord and to beâ—r his Holy Name before all the world in Righteousnesse and Truth and the fruits of his Spirit which Name they who had not the Life did blaspheme by taking the Name of a Jew And Christ callâ— it blasphemy to condemn the fruits of that Spirit â—o be of the Devil And the Apostle calls it blasphemy To hale before the Judgment Seats and persecute the poor that God had chosen out of the world These were the old blasphemers in Gods account and their children be in the same steps till this day and therein the truth finds them and uncovers them So come to your Rule and be tryed as you are in Deed and not in Words in Gods account and not in your Own This is the blasphemy to say You are Christians and are not To say You are in Christ and are not To say You are of God and do the Works of the Devil that old Murtherer and Persecuter To say Such as do the works of God are blasphemers and to Oppresse your brethren for conscience sake And this blasphemy exceeds your Fathers by how much the Name of Christ excels the Name of a Jew Will you bring forth the abominable fruits that God hates and cover them with the Name of Christ and father them upon the Spirit of Christ and say you are in Christ and Redeemed and Baptized into him and have Communion in him and get up Likenesses and Imitations from the Letter to cover you with in a nature contrary to Christ And is not this the Height of Deceit and Blasphemy What is the Name of Christ and the Redemption of Christ the Death of Christ the Baptism of Christ the Resurrection of Christ the Communion oâ— Christ and the Words of Christ become a Cloak for the Works of Wickednesse And doth not this blaspheme his Name his Words his Spirit his Ordinances and his People and all his Holy things and cause them to be blasphemed amongst the Heathen and throughout the World But to preach Christ the Light of the world and to confesse him in us so far as we feel the power of his Spirit taking us out of the power of Sin and Conforming us to himself and to bring forth the fruits of his Spirit in Truth and Righteouseâ—sse this doth not blasphemâ— but in such he is Honoured who shew forth his vertues and walk in his Spirit such exalt his Name This was Pauls work when he had left off to blaspheme Now come to your Rule and be tryed it tells you who are Christs and who are Antichrists Deceivers and Blasphemers and they are known by their Works and not by their Words It saith They that are Christs have crucified the flesh with the affections and lusts And if Christ be in you the body is dead because of sin And as many as have been baptized into Christ have put on Christ And as you have received Christ Jesus so walk in him And he that saith he abideth in him ought himself so to walk even as he walked and ye are all one in Christ Jesus And if any man be in Christ he is a new Creature and all things are of God And he that saith he know Christ and keeps not his Commandements is a Liar And this is the blasphemer who covers himself with the words of truth but is an enemy to the life Now here is the testimony of Truth lay it to the testimony of your lives and measure your selves therewith and we will measure our selves therewith also and let Truth judge the Deceiver and Liar and Blasphemer by his Fruits and where he hath his Seat What will Truth say where Covetousnesse is found Have such Crucified the Affections Have Proud men Crucified their Lusts Have Wanâ—ons Crucified the Flesh Have Swearers Lyars and cursed Speakers put off the body of Sin Oâ— iâ— it dâ—â—d where these workâ— are alive where there is Envie Strife Suits and Contentions Is this to put on Christ or to be all one in him Where Flâ—ttering Scorning Back-biting and Slandering is and the Vessels filled with such Wickednesse are all things of God And are such baptized into his death or planted into his Resurrection And are not they blasphemers who persecute others for Conscience towards God But to preach Christ to be the Light of the World and the Hope of Glory in the Saints our Life our Righteousnesse and Perfection and to suffer for it is no blasphemy Now here is your Measure and with Truth are you measured weighed and tryed Your Baptismes your Communion your Redemption your Death and Resurrection and your life Eternal And in the light you and we are seen and with the life thereof you are found who bring forth thesâ— fruits to be under the power of sin unredeemed and out of Christ the life deceiving your own souls and others of the righteous Inheritance amongst them that are Sanctified and blaspheming the holy Name of Christ and grieving his holy Spirit by professing that in his Name which you have not and by your evil deeds acted under his Name whereby it is polluted which was not given for a cover to such Works In this holy Name of Christ hath God placed his Covenant and Life and in these Holy things did Holy men and women meet with God worship him and dwell with him in Spirit as his house in which he was seen and walked And are these now become a cover for a Den of thieves a habitation and hiding for all the abominations now acted in the world Is
righteousnesse meekness and peace Ah blind people that have eyes and see not What is become of your profession of Names your Forms and Ordinances and how is God departed out of all as to you and your house is become desolate and where light truth and peace should dwell it s become a habitation of devourers a place of Owls and Dragons and Night-birds and beasts of prey such spirits rule in all your holy things in which you trust You cry the name of Christ but see not nor is your eye anointed You cry the name of Jesus but are not saved from your sins You cry Christ is your King but have not peace You cry great is the Lord with your lips but the Devil prevails in your hearts and carries you captive at his will contrary to the will of the Lord. So you have got the words of Saints but the life you have lost Sheep in words but Wolves in nature and so are in the gall of bitterness against such as retain the power of what you profess Now are not these vain words you trust in which doth not save This is the deceiver you tell on who makes people believe in a lie and now he is found in your own bosom blessed be the day which hath brought his works to light glory to God for evermore Wherefore let not your own thoughts deceive you and lead you to cast upon others that which in your selves sound but leave your vain and evil thoughts of others and judge your own selves with the light of life and measure your works with truth and not with thoughts Did not they that persecuted the Prophets think they did God service And they that persecuted Christ thought the same and they that persecuted the Apostles and Saints of old knew not that they persecuted Christ Jesus but thought they did well to punish Hereticks and Blasphemers and they that flew the Martyrs were of the same spirit and so of the same mind And now come to your selves and your thoughts in this your work which is the same at this day and many of you have the same thoughts though some of you act clearly against what you sâ—e and so exceed all your fore-fathers and now see who are Deceivers and Blasphemers and where the Lamb is led to the slaughter Ah you teachers of these Nations should you thus have used your liberty you had given of God from under the dark power that ruled in part in the Bishops under which some of you suffered Was it not then in your hearts that if you had but liberty you would go on to the rooting our of the reliques of Popeâ—y and Idol-worships and Perfecution Should you not have gon on with singleness of heart as you had liberty to the end Then had you been faithful to God and the Nations then had you been as openers of the holy paths for men to walk in and breakers of oppression and men should have called you the blessed of God then had you not inherited this cursed thing set up by your fathers the old persecusors and oppressors whose children you are now found to appear then had you uot been at this day found fighting for their fat Benefits which spued them out suing your people for Tithes Pigs Geese Smoke and such like trash haling poor people to prison and spoiling their Houses and lands for your bellies you had been at this day in a more honourable work than raking in these Dung-hils The Lord should not have needed to have called your own hearers from under your elbows and sent them against you into your Meetings to declare your shame openly and to cast this dung in your â—aces laying open your deceitful works and worships which falls so heavie upon you that you have not strength left to stand before the guilt thereof nor have any defence but either to flie or cry out to the earthly Powers to help you against him who is now become your Adversary It was not thus with you while you were sufferers for standing faithful to what you then knew of Gods new work I appeal to that of God in your own Consciences if then a silly boy or girl or man or woman had asked you a question concerning your Doctrine or Manners if you would have used either your feet to flie or your hand to â—mite oâ— cried Away with him Officer take him to prison Magistrate make a Law against him Queen Maries Acts were then abomination to you you had then another weapon even a measure of the Spirit to inform the weak with meeknesse and to convince gain-sayers But then you were sufferers your selves for your Conscience and so the case is changed with you and the Spirit also as far as the sufferer is from the persecuter onely here the Deceiver keeps you blind in that you keep the old form you then had but prossessed with another spirit So your sticking in the form hath deceived you of the suffering Spirit and the power of meeknesse which had you been led by the Spirit of the Lamb you had been at this day in the fellowship of his sufferings not tormentors of those that are Have not I heard some of you in publick declare That if a Church had persecution in it for Conscience sake upon any account whatsoever it needed no further Trial to prove it to be of the Devil and not of the Church of Christ But since the same person though no mean one of account amongst the finest sort of Teachers have commanded them to prison who came but into the Synagogue and spoke not one word Alas for your Souls how are you fallen under the cursed thing that you should be they who are left to fill up the measure of what the Bishops came short of Ah! how are you to be pitied Will not your cutting them off rise against you And will not God avenge their bloud upon you who have condemned their persons but justifie the things for which they were cut off by adding manifold thereto in the same nature God is Judge this day and his light in your hearts how you have dealt with him and his inheritance by which you should have been led out of these things going before you into the Kingdom of God but are now found in the work of gain-saying such as are coming out of darknesse into light neither entring your selves nor suffering them that would So let truth for ever stand upon the head of the deceiver and blasphemer and let such as are seduced by them be therewithall delivered And blessed be the Lamb for ever whose Life is this day become a light to divide the Sheep from the Wolves that he may come to Judgment A MESSAGE FROM THE SPIRIT of TRUTH Unto the Holy Seed To the Reader YOu lovers and followers of the Light to you is this message sent in it abide that the glory of the only begotten of the Father you may behold and be changed from glory to glory fill
but keep the Lord in your eye and the evils shall dye and vanish away from amongst you and the appearance shall be the Lords and to him shall the gathering of the Nations be hungry souls shall see and be satisfied with his likenesse and all that behold his beauty shall confesse unto him and in him shall the upright heart delight for at his coming shall he establish the Throne of Righteousnesse and measure every appearance and correct every false judgement and that which ensnares the simple will he cast out for by the power of his appearance shall every thing be tryed and peace proclaimed in the name of righteousnesse alone for that which is not like him will not be able to stand before his appearance But we know that when he appeares we shall be like him he that hath this hope purifies himself even as he is pure that he may be seen in him at his coming Now dear friends is your sound gone to the ends of the earth and God hath made you famous amongst your enemies in that you have begun to confess his name and nature and that he is in you whom many are looking for here and there and now the eyes of people and Nations are upon you to see your end and now your glory is in putting him on and covering you with him a Lamb without blemish before God and man that in him you may obtain good report unreproveable and holy so shall you stop the way of the destroyer and put an end to all false conceptions and revive the hope of Israel Let his innocency be your armour and put your trust in his truth for your Salvation The time is full come for you to declare what he is to you ' with boldness with a confession beyond words for this appearance of him in love is that which shall judge all likenesses and try all spirits actions judgments and appearances and by this shall you all be measured what spirits you are of and all spirits in the world for he shall bring every hidden formed fained thing to light at his coming and what ever hath not this love in it is not his nor begotten of God but he that hath this love is begotten of God and hath him the Father and the Son the end of the Law and the Prophets the substance and life of all knowledge faith and works the root and ground of every good gift for herein are we made perfect in love that we may have boldness in the day of judgment because we have put him on dwell in him who is love and as he is so are we in this world But he that loveth not is not made perfect in faith in knowledge in judgment having not learned Christ herein therefore by this he must be judged himself So blessed is he that judges nothing before the time who condemns not himself wherein he judges another all judgment being committed to him that can lay down his life for his enemies Therefore happy are you if you have him on first for when he appears his judgment is true and shall stand when all that hath come before him shall pass away for him alone hath the Father sealed So dearly beloved ones my soul breaths towards you herein that in all your several gifts and administrations this Son of God be your eye and end the beauty and Glory of the Father that the hope thereof to attain may stay you in all tryals and temptations knowing that in him alone is your lasting peace and that which doth now befall you in all your afflictions is to shake all other appearances that way may be made for him alone whose Image and life none can judge nor condemn And the day is come that happy is that man who hath nothing else to glory in and this know that the appearance of God in his own begotten is your glory and if any man boast himself and not herein when he is weighed therewith he will be found wanting the sound thereof will not save him As the same spirit from whence this comes moves in any one so let them send it abroad amongst the called of God to be read and known COme forth you children of light come forth depart out of the world touch not the unclean thing that the holy one may make his appearance amongst you make hast to the day of your God If he shine forth Salvation is with you but he cannot appear in that heart where the world is retained If you be like the world it will own you but that image which it receives not is your everlasting glory and beauty So mind what works in the vessel for now must every Child appear like his Father and must bring to light of what spirit he is begotten and only blessed is he that comes in the name of the Lord with power and great glory that which the world is ashamed of is that with which the Son of God is glorified and again must be glorified he that bears the iniquities of men and is fill'd with reproach and yet appears without sin is our Saviour And a Lamb without spot must take away the sin of the world his manifestation destroyes the work of the Devil in a body prepared he delights to perform the councill of God and to bring hidden things to light that he may speak mysteries to the wise therein and hold forth a way to the simple leading out of the snares of subtilty Wherefore all that love his appearance and seek the face of redemption love that which prepares his way to his appearance in his Temple that which breaks down the will of man and as a fire goes before him which is that baptisme with which all that will receive him must be baptised into death So when sorrow anguish and tribulation comes upon you rejoyce and fly not This comes to destroy nothing but destruction and to kill that which keeps you from eternal life and to prepare a way for your peace and a place for everlasting righteousness to dwell in you For truly friends in the threshing floor must the Altar be set up and where God answers by fire there must his house be built and as many as look to the end of this may not despise correction nor faint under the hand of reproof That is good which brings down into the depth where the wonders of God are learned for he that will labour in Gods Vineyard must know every seed and its root what feeds it and what famisheth it and the ground of every weed and cause of every curse This many may see when it 's come to a Tree brancheth and brings forth fruit but then its strong and powerful and not easily pluckt up seldom got down without fire and much sorrow therefore blessed is that eye that 's lowly and diligent which sees every several appearance that he may slay the seed of wickedness ere it bud and not suffer the enmity to take root for he
not this the height of Blasphemy and Deceit thus to prophane his holy Name and turn it into a lie as though all these abominable things were therein or that he owned such as live in them Now lay your words and your works in the true Ballance and weigh them with the Words of Life and Power of his Name and measure of Truth and Honesty and lye not against the Truth But you that are under the power of these wickednesses and in bondage thereto who see and are not ashamed to say you cannot but commit these abominations while you live do not lie against the work of Christ in saying he hath Redeemed you when you are yet in this bondage neither count his blood an unholy thing in saying you are washed nor his Work imperfect nor mix it with the work of the Devil but give to each his own that thereby they may be known and in what Name every thing is wrought for now is Truth come to try you and he is appearing who will have his own and nothing but his own under what pretence soever Now is the Heir of Righteousnesse come to seek the fruit of his own stand still you that use those high words against o hers and see how the Lord is dealt with amongst you at this day Did not he plant a Holy Vine to bring forth to himself of his own Nature and Image and have you let this be overâ—run with weeds while you have been asleep in your sloth and idlenesse cares and pleasures of the world till all be filled with bryars and thorns and corrupt plants that now are spread and bring forth And now the Lord is come who is the light of the world to seek fruits of his own and will you hold him forth these cursed fruits an◠〈…〉 ver them with his Name as though they were his and seek to force them upon him whether he will or no and fall violently upon him if he deny them Now if this be not so what means this That when any one in his Name is sent to reprove sin in the Streets or Markets where it abounds and in the Name of Christ to declare against false worships never set up by him which hath been his manner in all his appearances and to call for what is his own and to deny the works of the Devil that presently all is in an uproar and a tumult raised pulling and beating and haling to Prison beaten in Markets beaten in your Synagogues shamefully intreated in your Streets and all for no other offence but because he calls for his own and denies what is not of him Doth not this Blaspheme that Holy Name by which they are called and which your selves professe Teacher cryes away with him and tumult cryes away with him it s not fit he should live And what usage he receives from you in his members is openly seen and God is daily bringing your works to light Now let the wise â—n heart who can discern the signs of the times read if the Parable be not fulfilled upon you Husbandmen And will you guild this Cup over with fine words forms and professions and call them Deceivers and Blasphemers who in love to your souls and obedience to Christ tells you of it and testifies against it in all long suffering and patience Who will be found the deceivers and the deceived when your guildâ—d covers comes to be pulled off and you must drink of the Cup your selves as you have filled and this is certainly near at hand to come upon you and you are hasting towards it a pace your Cup is almost full and with the light are you seen Hath not the Lamb set up his Testimony against you almost in every place of the Nation How many Towns have you in which the Innocent have not suffered violence for crying agâ—inst sin in the Name of Christ calling for the fruits of Righteousness How many Prisons have you that do not speak your cruelty How many Counties have you in which Innocent blood hath not been shed which daily speaks How many of your Synagogues have the Children of light born witness in against your evil wayes wherein they have been beaten haled pulled and punished And all this you drink up as a thing of nought and are yet thirstier then at first Are these the works of Christ or of the old Murtherer Wherefore cease to Blaspheme for you are measured by that which will not lie and with your own Rule are you found in the works of the old deceiver and the old persecuors and in their Opposition and Blasphemy against the Holy Spirit where it testifies against your evil deeds So seeing you are found in the works of the old Persecutors and in their nature take to you their name for that is truth and will be your Inheritance amongst them and cease to Blaspheme the Name of Christ by taking it upon you to cover these abominations and hide your sin from your own eyes and so deceive your own Souls and others that are blind but who comes in the Name of Christ comes in the light to prove you openly and sees you and gives light in the life of Christ for all to discern betwixt the Lamb and the Wols by their nature and not by their cloathing Christ is the Holy annointing wherewith all that are in him sees out of these things to be led and every appearance of his from Cain the first murtherer till this day declares these to be the works of the Devil and by works of a contrary nature doth witness against them In which life he is the light of the world who though he be in the midst of Gods Throne seen so to his own yet as a Lamb slain among these unclean beasts shining forth in the life of Meeknesse Holinesse Patience and Long-suffering enduring all things from his enemies which Light and Life though to she wisdom of the wise world it appears poor base and contemptible and therefore by the builders rejected yet it is full of Grace and Truth and hath power with God over the Devil and all these his works and by Faith in his Name and by the vertue of his Nature all that are in him bear his Testimony against the worlds works and nature for in that Name is Gods Covenant of Life and Peace and the Ark of his strength and safety in the great destruction that is to come upon the world for these things and he is ever at the Arm of Gods strength and sits at his right hand in heavenly places and with him to gather and save his Elect from the ends of the earth and by his sufferings to redeem them from under those ungodly powers and to break the bonds of iniquity and therefore they who are gathered into this Name holds it as a Holy Power and dare not blaspheme it but say Let every one that nameth the Name of Christ depart from iniquity Which Name to such is salvation and strength and