Israel in this day and though Rahab and the Dragon stand up in the way of Israel God will cut Rahab and wound the great Dragon and whatsoever would stand up in his way to hinder his Work snall be confounded and fall before him for strong iâ— the Lord that judgeth the great Whore and divideth the Waters thereon she sits and who will give her Blood to drink who hath long drunk the Blood of the Saints and still thirsts after more Blood to drink about Conformity in matters of Religion and the worship of God but the hour of her Judgments is come her Paint is seen through and her golden Cup full of Abomination is clearly discovered 't is in vain for the Kings of the Earth to think to support or heal her nay she is not willing to be healed but thinks she hath no need of any healing Medicine and truly I know none for her that is to be destroyed and must certainly be destroyed even that false Church mystery Babylon the Mother of Harlots which hath called her self Christ's Spouse but hath the marks and attire of an Harlot My dear Friends as God hath called you out of her not to partake of her Sins Abominations any more keep out of her and stand clear of her Devices and and subtil Strategems she doth now or hereafter may make use of to draw ye from Christ Jesus and the Church that is in God to a House of Wood and Stone which they that are in Babylon call a Church and call to the Sons and Daughters of Sion to come to their Church and receive the Sacrament who are come to the true Church which is in the only true God and are living Members thereof united to Christ Jesus our Head and Husband and we need no other Head or Husband nor need not come to any Church but that which Christ is the Head and Husband of from whom we receive of his living Bread and Wine of his Kingdom and his holy things are given to us by the Spirit that comes from the Father and the Son and you know Friends that whereas Christ said a little before he went away as to his appearance in the Flesh he would send the Comforter to his Disciples which was the Spirit of Truth to lead and guide them into all Truth promising them that the Spirit should take off his and shew it unto them which as they then did receive it we are made now certain Witnesses of it So need not go to a House of Wood and Stone called Church and there sit amongst the corrupt putrified company of diseased misorable Sinners that are so much out of Health that they have no whole part in them what comfort can a healed Soul or a sound mind have in coming or sitting amongst them where one may sooner come by an evil Disease than ever be soundly cured of any inward Distemper or Sickness and you partaking of God's goodness and his holy things at his Table and having spiritual Fellowship and Communion with him that is abundantly better than all the Bread and Wine which is outward and will decay given by impure Hands to such as communicate with them as many times it is administred without any Commission from God and yet that we must by these Church-men be forced to come amongst them and eat and drink unworthily with these unworthy Administrators and Receivers of that which they call the Sacrament is certainly both Unchristian and Unreasonable and very Unchristian-like as the Administrators and Receivers of it who would now compel us to eat and drink with them will one day know to their Wo if they Repent not in time and we may justly deny such as for their Bellies sake without any authority from God presume to take upon them in a rude unchristian manner three times with the same Mouth that they bless God and curse Men to admonish us You that are taught of the Lord and have received his Counsel and spiritual Admonition from him have learned of him to admonish one another and know them that watch for the Soul from them that watch and lay in wait for their Prey and dishonest Gain whose God is their Belly and who glory in their shame who hunt you into their Courts to sleece you and seed themselves with the Fat and cloath themselves with the Wool which they obtain by making you and yours their Prey in spoiling of your Goods But dear Friends let none of these things that are at present or things to come be able to move you from the peaceable Habitation in the Life and Power of God to which you are come and have been kept living Witnesses of fear not neither be at all dismayed consider whose the Earth is and who hath Power to give it when and to whom he pleaseth for it is not the Devil 's nor his Servants Man is but as a Tenant of it at the will of the Lord God who hath given us that great gift his Son shall he not with him freely give us all things And be patient and rest quiet and contented although you should be fed with the Bread of Affliction and Water of Affliction for a season and that shall not be unless God see it convenient for us let this still comfort you the beholding of your Teacher near you that cannot be removed into a Corner and feel God's covenant which is everlasting that he made with David in all things well ordered and sure said David although then God made it not to grow he had a sure Hope and doubted not of the growth of it in God's time and appointed season And the Vision was for an appointed time and at the end it shall speak the Prophet said wait for it it will surely come and will not tarry You tribulated Followers of the Lamb that are come to stand with the lamb upon Mount Sion never regard the high looks nor threats of them of Babylon Sodom or Egypt although they may hate you and cast you out for his Name sake in whom you have believed God will make them blush for shame for their high looks for God will smite them that threaten your Ruin and Destruction and their designs God will discover and confound them before they be put in execution as the Wicked desire whom the Moth shall eat as doth a Canker and the Wind shall drive them away like Stubble the Righteous shall see it and rejoyce over Babylon when her Merchants and them that traded with her shall howl and lament for Widdowhood Sorrow and Destruction shall come upon her in one Hour and 't is greatly dangerous to buy any of the Merchandize of this great Whore and false Church that would force to their Church Religion and Worship such that believe it cannot make them better or do their Souls any good What Church but the false will by Prisons and great Penalties endeavour to make them come to their Church that are not of their Church nor
brought us forth and the eminent Hand of the Lord that appeared in our deliverance and freedom from Egypt's hard Task masters and the Lord did redeem us from the Heathen and their Heathenish Words Fashions Wayes and Worships never to learn their Words Wayes Fashions or Customs any more And God called us out of Sodom spiritually and to leave the filthy Communication and Conversation of the Sodomites which we were never to look back upon any more truly 't is very dangerous being in Sodom and Egypt spiritually where our Lord was crucified who can expect any thing but Ruin and Destruction to be found amongst them that now declare their Sin as Sodom Therefore let none of you go into Egypt again for any help or think to have relief there go not down thither nor look back towards Sodom lest you perish or be found worthy of the Wrath and Displeasure of Almighty God by reason of going back into Egypt again and then any of you should be found in Sodom or Egypt spiritually for if there be a desire in any to go back and they draw back God's Soul shall have no pleasure in them and God will be displeased with you that lust after Egypt or the Flesh-Pots there or any thing you were called of God to leave and forsake when you came out of Egypt notwithstanding a Sea of Troubles and many Hardships may appear yet still resolve in the Power of the Lord to go forward and with heavenly delight follow the Lord fully and look still to the Lord and not at any Hardships or Difficulties that may appear in your Journey nor at the length of it neither O! let none of you say that Food which God hath given you from Heaven is light Meat for that evidently bespeaks murmuring at the Food which God gives whereof you have eaten with us If any shall be filled so with unbelief to slight that and desire Egyptian Flesh-Pots and begin to value that again which you vomited up as unsavoury and not good Soul's Food and return to it again sad will the latter end of such be whatever their beginning was And if any of you should forsake the Lord his Fountain of living Waters and dig to your selves broken Sisterns that will not hold the living Water then a terrible day of Wrath and the great Displeasure of the Lord will come upon you and so you may become Monuments of his Displeasure which to avoid wait upon the Lord low in his fear when you come into the Assemblies of the Righteous and earnestly desire that this Heart of Unbelief whereby some in all Ages departed from God and went backward and not forward may not be found in you resolving for the future in the fear awe and dread of the Lord God to cleave to the Lord and follow the Lord in the doing of that which is good and to keep out of Disobedience Sin and Evil while you abide in this world Come not to the Meetings of the Saints as if it were a thing indifferent whether you came or did stay at home such luke-warm Hearers and Professors of the Truth amongst us God will spue out that are neither cold nor hot and yet cold enough towards that which is good the day is at hand that will manifest every Birth every Tree and every Spirit really as it is unto all who witness the â—aâ—â— measure of the heavenly Birth or are Trees of Righteousness and who are of a right Spirit Dear Friends give not way to that to please your selves or to gratifie the Devil or any corrupt Men or Women in the Spirit of this World which would intice you or draw you thereunto that you might be ensnared and then such will but sport themselves to see any of you speak act and walk after the course of this World as such as would draw you into evil do but be not you like unto them nor learn any of their wayes for the wayes of evil men lead from God and from his pure and precious Life which he hath made manifest and brought you into in measure so be the more circumspect diligent and watchful watch you in all things that you may please the Lord and endure Hardship and Affliction with God's called chosen and faithful when we are called thereunto that as true and faithful Warriors in the Spirit and Power of God we may all be kept together in one Spirit to the end Oh! be circumspect every Son and Daughter Servant and Hand-Maid have your Eye in your Head and if thy Eye be single the whole Body will be full of Light which tends much to the safety and preservation of the whole Body and the faithful are the Body of Christ and Members one of another and must needs be sensible of each others suffering can one Member suffer and not the whole Body suffer with it Dear Friends keep to Christ Jesus who is the Head of his Body the Church which he hath purchased with his own Blood still mind the Head and hold the Head that you all may be kept living Members of his Body purely knit together and firmly united unto him that you may be compleat in him wanting nothing of that state which you ought to be in as to a growing into him who is the fulness that filleth all in all In your Assemblies diligently wait to feel his presence more and more purely to refresh and comfort you whereby more and more you will have living experience how good and safe a thing it is for them that fear the Lord to meet often together to wait upon and serve the Lord and answer his will and requiring therein whatsoever men may require contrary of us herein we are to obey God rather then man or man's Edicts to the contrary whereby many times Storms arise and the Sea comes to be troubled Friends forget not how the Lord hath covered us and sheltred us when former Storms and Tempests have been and the Rain hath fallen yea when the Enemy hath come as a Flood and the Floods of the Ungodly broke forth upon us in the Dragon's rage to destroy the heavenly Birth and that which was of God in us how the Lord by his mighty Power which is an unlimitted Power brought Help Salvation and great Deliverance even when all other Helps failed and stood afar off I hope many yet living do remember with Joy of Heart how the Lord caused the Winds and Sea to obey him and divided the troubled Waters where the Whore then did sit and now sitteth which was Nations Kindreds Tongues and People all which the Whore sits upon for Nations Kindreds Tongues and People are all like Waters rouling tumbling upon Heaps and are troubled there is no settlement upon them few knowing what they all nor why they are tumbled so upon Heaps but notwithstanding the Saints who are the Lamb's followers must pass through these waters and through the fire also the Lord will divide the waters to make way for his
account to God for any evil in this respect done by you and you ought to do in all matters belonging to your place as what you did and were concerned in were your own and you ought to perform business in your Masters absence as if present and shun all Cousining and Defrands and seek your Masters profit and be obedient unto them and subject to them in all their lawful and just Commands that the blessing of God and the good pleasure of your Masters you may obtain do not despise or slight the commands of them because they are Godly or may bear more with you allow you more just Liberty than the wicked will do for that would prove Wickedness in you and incur their displeasure which you may avoid if you be wise and rightly consider your place and station and do not strive unlawfully to get out of it And take you heed what Words you use and what Actions you do amongst your Masters Children for your evil example doubtless may do much hurt to Children who many times are more inclinable to the bad than that which is good you being frequent with them by your bad Words and Actions may give great strength unto incourage no corrupt Communication nor provoke them to Laughter foolish Jesting nor any unseemly behaviour to stir up the wrong part that you and your Masters Children ought to check and keep down in each other by the Grace of God which you all being taught by will make them good Children and you good Servants and then the blessing of the Lord will rest upon you whether Servants or made free and whether single or in a married condition wherein are the greatest Snares Troubles and Incumbrances And you that are single be not over hasty to force your selves from that state to change your conditions I speak this both to Friends Children and Servants wait the Lord 's due time and wait low in his fear in it that you may be taught of the Lord what to do and not Sin against God in changing your conditions and take heed of being unequally yoked or marrying with the World although they may be civiliz'd and have established to themselves a Righteousness which is not the Righteousness of God which if you be not aware of may beguile your Simplicity and anger the Lord God and grieve your Parents that waited for and expected better things from you so your Marriage will not be honourable nor you and them you make thus choice of be joyned together in Marriage by the Lord Therefore take heed of the World and the World's Spirit which leads from God for that will lead you to love the world and to have an Eye out to the Riches of it in your choice and the Beauty of their Daughters that have not believed nor received the Truth You Young Men will look out after and may be you see some elder than you drawn by the spirit of this world into the same Practices and you may strengthen your selves in that which God never justified you nor them in but you are both condemned for when you come to the witness of God and hearken to the witness of God in your own Consciences that never consents to any unequal yoking nor any thing else that is done contrary to God by any amongst us whether they be Young or Old Rich or Poor Married or Unmarried God doth not justifie but he condemns all bad Marriages and other things now as much nay more then in the times of Ignorance although he disallowed them ever since the beginning of this World and forewarned the Holy Seed not to mingle themselves in Marriage with the Heathen and commanded them to keep themselves Pure and to be Holy with this caution I the Lord your God am a Holy God but they not regarding the command of the Lord and taking to themselves Wives of all sorts thereat God was grieved And it repented the Lord that he had made Man when he saw the provoking of his Sons and Daughters and he said I will cut off Man and Beast from the Earth So all you Unmarried whether Young or Elder that are convinced of God's Truth and come amongst us look to the Lord in your proceedings in Marriage wait low and enquire of the Lord first whether it will stand with his honourable Truth and be an honourable Marriage that you have a mind to effect and bring to pass yea or nay and if in answer from God after patient waiting upon the Lord in it you find that it will be to the honour of the Lord and with the consent of your Parents go on and the Lord will be with you and will direct guide and bless you in your undertaking which is of very great weight but if after a deliberate waiting upon God you find not the Lord with you in your purpose and design but that his Hand is against you and your purpose then stay and give it up and be not discontented and hastily carry on the matter in your own wills nor let not your fond foolish Affections sway you so that you may become Captives to them or the Will and Lusts of the Flesh for then God's safe counsel will be hid from you and you will run on in your own Wills averse and opposite to the will of the Lord in that weighty concern whereby some dishonour the Lord defile their Bed grieve and make sad their Parents or them concerned as left in trust with them and endanger their own Ruin both as to Soul and Body So dear Friends whether Young Men or Maidens or more Aged that may be concerned in this weighty matter of Marriage consider these things do nothing against the Truth but look to the God of Truth give up your selves to be at the Lord's dispose and ordering and he by his heavenly Wisdom will preserve you out of the Spirit of this world and out of all the Wayes Works and Snares of it And you Parents of Children give no encouragement or strength to your Sons or Daughters that are owned by us or in the profession of Truth with us to Marry with the worlds People Sons or Daughters keep your selves clear of such mingling and Marriages that are out of the Truth which you cannot nor your Children expect comfort or Gods blessing in let no Earthly end whatsoever prevail with any of you to connive at or encourage such things in your Children for if so thereby will the worlds Spirit creep into you as well as it hath done your Children that so proceed and may darken God's counsel from both you and your Children and hinder Gods blessings from your Familes and let in the curse amongst you and bring his displeasure upon you and yours and that is a woful thing God Almighty lead direct and guide you all in the things that concern your everlasting Peace which you are come to know and understanding but the Wicked of the World know them not and so in the day