and the excellency of it is of him and not of us and to him we give the glory and honour for to him it is due for ever who by his Light which he hath caused to shine in our hearts hath given us to see them and their false Doctrines and false Worships and Wayes and now he hath given unto us Christ his Son his Covenant of Light to be our Teacher and this is that Way which once we did not know And God said unto man Thy Teacher shall no more be removed into a Corner but thine eye shall see thy Teacher thou shalt hear a voice behind thee saying This is the way walk in it And we can say Experimentally through Gods mercy that that which in times past came behind us to call us out of Evil when we were gone into Evil even than same hath led us out of Evil and so that which formerly we were turned from we are now turned to again so that which followed us and condemned us when we did Evil that is come before us and leads us into those things which is well-pleasing to the Lord our God and so Christ Jesus the Light in us is become our Shepherd and we do hear his Voice in us and we do follow him and he doth give us Peace in our inward parts which neither the Devil nor Wicked men can take from us if we abide faithful unto him And so we are set down under him who is the true Vine and we are Branches in him and so we know that the Son of God is come and hath given us an understanding to know him that is true and we are in him that is true even in the Son of God Christ Jesus and this is the true God and Life Eternal and he is our Teacher Bishop and High-priest and Lord and King and we do believe that he shall no more be removed out of our sight nor hearing but we shall for ever see him and he shall Live and Reign for evermore and he said Because I live ye shall live also and we know what he said is true and he said I am the Resurrection and the Life he that believeth in me though he were dead yet shall he live and he that liveth and believeth shall never die and these things we do stedfastly believe And as for those Priests and Professors who say Revelation is ceased and there is no immediate teaching to be received in this Age and those that say they have not an infallible Spirit as the Apostle had as for those that hate the Light wherewith Christ Jesus hath enlightned them and loveth darkness which is of the Devil that cannot reveal the things of God and his Kingdom unto them and we know that those who hate the Light and will not hearken to the Light nor obey the Light they can have no immediate testimony to bear for God unto others and we know that there is no infallible Spirit but the Spirit of God and Christ and so they who do not believe in that measure of the Spirit of God and Christ which he hath placed in them to instruct them they have no infallibility but they fail of their Duty toward God and one towards another and so they are unprofitable Servants and wholy useless in the worship of God For if any man have nor the Spirit of Christ he is none of his now it is certain that the Spirit of Christ is infallible it did never fail to fulfil the Will of his Father and the Apostle said God had sent the Spirit of his Son into our hearts whereby they called him Father and we do confess to the Glory of God that he hath sent the same Spirit of his Son into our hearts by which we can experimentally call him Father and in and by this we have the things of God and his Kingdom revealed unto us and are immediatly taught by this and this is infallible and doth not fail to lead us into all truth if we do in Faithfulness follow it and so it is our Comforter who love it and obey it but it is and will be the Torment and Condemnation of all those that hate it So the way of the Wicked is Darkness they know not at what they stumble Destruction and Misery is in their way and the way of Peace they know not The Priests and Professors who cry Revelation is Ceased and there is no immediate Teaching to be received in this Age and say that they have no Infallible Spirit These People say that the Scriptures of the Old and New Testament is the Revealed Will of God unto them I say the Scriptures was given forth by the Inspiration of God which gives understanding and they do not stand and remain Open and Revealed unto any man or woman but unto such who comes into the Spirit of God and Christ which is infallible for when the Son of God opened his mouth and spake unto the World he spoke in Parables and they could not understand his words because their minds was out from that of God in them for Christ told the unbelieving Jewes that they did neither know the Scriptures nor the Power of God And now all People whose minds are out from that of God in them they can no more know the Scriptures then the unbelieving Jewes could for it is that from which they were at first given forth which must give People the true understanding of them for Christ said unto his Disciples unto you it is given to know the Mysteries of the Kingdom but unto others who were in the unbelief he did speak in Parables even the same words which to unbelievers seemed Lyes and madness even those words was made plain unto them And their hearts did burn within them when he opened unto them the Scriptures after his Resurrection and I say the Scriptures is a book sealed from all People who hath the Light and will not own it to be their Teacher and they are jangling and quarrelling about the meaning of the Scriptures and so are fighting and striving one with another about the Shaddow and Outside of things and never comes to Christ the Substance for said Christ to the unbelieving Jewes Search the Scriptures for in them ye think you have Eternal Life But ye will not come unto me that you might have Life He did not say you cannot come unto me but he said you will not come unto me that you might have Life so Reader thou mayst see they had a Stubborn will who would not come unto Christ God said unto man in the daies of old I have set Life and Good before thee and Death and Evil and God did not nor doth not say unto man Choose Death that thou mayest dye but he did say and doth say choose Life that thou mayest live Paul said I will that Prayers and Supplications be put up for all men in as much as God would have all men to be saved and come to the knowledge
Evil will be daily weaker and weaker but that which will lead you into Good will grow daily stronger and stronger until it hath wholy overcome that nature which hath led you into Evil but mark as I said before it is no sin to be tempted to do Evil but the sin is to do the Evil that one is tempted unto so when Christ the Light shall give any one Dominion over the Tempter so that he cannot make them do any thing that is Evil yet he will tempt them to do Evil at sometimes so all who cometh to be preserved out of sin they must keep their minds unto the Light within them daily Luk 9.23 24 25. yea hourly For said Christ he that will be my Disciple must deny himself and take up his Cross daily and follow me mark he must deny himself and take up that which crosseth his own selfish will and selfish wisdom for it is Self in man and woman which leads unto the Tempter and so commits sin and this made Christ say unto his Disciples Without me ye can do nothing he said unto them Joh. 15. from verse 1 to 11. I am the Vine ye are the Branches as the Branches cannot bring forth Fruit except they abide in the Vine no more can ye except ye abide in me so read the thing in the Spirit inwardly If a man believe in the Light of Christ within him and loveth and obeyeth it then he cometh to be ingrafted into Christ the true Vine then the Light in which he hath believed is a daily cross unto self in him which if it had its way in him and were not crossed and kept down by the Light then it would obey the Tempter and so commit sin but when the Light is believed in loved and obeyed self is judged and denied and kept under the yoke and cross and then it is no more Self that Reigneth in Man which while it Reigneth will answer the Tempter and so commit sin but then it is the Seed of the Woman which Reigneth and Remaineth in Male and Female which hath in them bruised the wise and cunning and crooked Gen. 3.15 and wilful Serpents head and so the Seed Christ the Light comes to Reign over Man and Woman in their own hearts and such are come to be born of God and so hath overcome the Wicked one and such doth not commit sin because the Seed Christ Reigneth and Remaineth in them and then though the Prince of the World come and tempt such to do evil they do not obey him because they have denied Self which did commit sin and now Christ the true Seed and in whom the Tempter the Prince of the World hath no part Reigneth and he is the Lamb of God who hath taken away the sins of as many as have believed in and in faithfulness followed the Light within them wherewith he hath enlightened them and in such he hath fulfilled in the Substance that which he did in the Figure in the outward Temple at Jerusalem For it is written That he made a Whip of small Cords Joh. 2.15 and whipped out of the outward Temple the Buyers and Sellers And he said My Fathers House hath been Called a House of Prayer but ye have made it a Den of Theeves this I say was but a Type or Figure of his coming inwardly in Spirit to cleanse the Temple of mans Heart and Body which was defiled with Idolatry Covetousness Pride Envy Lying Swearing Cheating Dissembling vain Talking foolish Jesting Whoredoms Murthers Roberies and divers other Abominations which men and women have been defiled withal And so Glory to the Lord God for evermore he hath sent his Son a Light into our hearts and since we have believed in the Light of Christ in our hearts he hath clensed our hearts from such of the beforementioned evils as we were in the practice of and so we have felt and known a sharp Spiritual Scourge inwardly in our own hearts scourging and afflicting our Souls inwardly for our sins and iniquities which we did commit in Rebellion against the Light in our own hearts and so we have born the indignation of God inwardly Micah 7.7 8 9. in our own hearts and consciences and he ha h sitten as Refiners Fire and as Fullers Sope in our inward parts purifying our hearts which was sull of uncleanness and we have known great pain inwardly and we have wept and mourned over the Right Heir the Seed Zech. 12.10 11. the Light which we had Rebelled against and done dispite unto but since we learned obedience unto the Light the Lord our God hath forgiven us our trespasses which we had trespassed against him and now he guides us by his Spirit and Light which dwelleth in us yea now are we become the workmanship of our God Created by him in Christ Jesus the Light within us unto good works Ephes 2.1 2 c. to the end I hil 2.13 which he before ordained that we should walk in them and so it is our God who worketh all our works for us and in us and so it is by the Grace Light and Spirit of our God in our own hearts which did convince us of our sins and did trouble and condemn us for our sins Isa 26.12 that we are saved from our sins I mean Tit. 2.11 12 13 14. we are led out of the Action and Practice of that which formerly we lived in the practice of for which the Light Spirit and Grace Isa 1.16 17 18 19. which is but one in its Nature though its Names be divers did condemn us And so as the Apostle Paul said unto the Saints in his time By Grace are ye saved through Faith and not of our selves for it is the Gift of God Mark by the Grace of God which bringeth Salvation which hath appeared unto all men were they taught to deny and forsake the practice of Evil doing and Evil speaking and to judge and deny the Tempter when he brought an evil thought into their hearts to do speak or give their consents unto any evil and thus did they resist the Devil in the Grace that let them see the Temptation and then when he could not get them to yeeld unto him then he fled from them as it is written Draw near unto the Lord and he will draw near unto you Jam. 4.7 8 9 10. Resist the Devil and he will flee from you So when they did believe in the Grace and Light wherewith Christ Jesus the Son of God had enlightened them and did joyn their minds unto it and loved it then it began to lead them out of Ungodliness Worldly Lusts and all wicked Words and Works which before they bad lived in and did commit with greediness as many do now in this our Age and Generation and then when they followed the Teachings of the Grace of God in their own hearts and was by it led out of their sins which made them unlike
sinned and died who have been ravined from the Spirit within them as he did from the Spirit within him and so have faln and sinned and died as he did but now all who cometh to witness Redemption from that Estate they must come into the Spirit and Light within them from which they have ravined and if they do not come to believe in and obey that they will never come to be made alive in and by Christ the Second Adam though they may talk of and profess never so much of God and Christ without them at a distance from them and though they may have a perswasion in their hearts and may really believe all that is written in the Holy Scriptures concerning the Birth of Christ and of his Death and of his Resurrection yet this believing will not bring them into acceptation with God if they do not come to believe in the Light and Spirit of Christ within them For I say in the fear of the Lord God consider Doth not all the prophane people in all those Nations ealled Christendom generally believe that he was the Son of God who was crucified without the Gates at Jerusalem and was born of the Virgin Mary and rose again the third day as they read the Scriptures of Truth which beareth witness of those things and yet though they have given credit unto those words which are written of him many of them are Proud and Covetous Drunkards and Swearers and Lyers Persecutors Murtherers and Theeves and Cheaters and Dissemblers Now I say in the Fear of the Lord God consider Is this true Saving Faith which they are in and though they have been taught by Tradition to believe as aforesaid yet their hearts are very corrupt and full of wickedness and so are far from the Lord God and they are far from being accepted with the pure God in that Estate now the Apostle saith Faith purifieth the heart and the Mystery of the Saints Faith in the Apostles dayes was held in their Pure Consciences which was Christ in them the Hope of Glory 1 Tim. 3.9 so they were in the True Saving and Living Faith their Faith stood in the Power Spirit and Light of Christ within them and the Power Light and Spirit of Christ within them did purifie their hearts and it made them of a Right Spirit and so that which purified their hearts dwelt in them for it is written The Tabernacle of God is with men Rev. 21.3 Ezek. 37.27 I will walk in them and dwell in them said God I will be their God and they shall be my people and Christ said unto the Saints I and my Father we will come and make our abode with you and Christ said unto his Disciples before he was offered up He that is with you shall be in you and he said Joh. 6.63 It is the Spirit that quickeneth the Flesh profiteth nothing and though the Apostle had known Christ once after the Flesh yet benceforth I know him so no more 2 Cor. 4.16 said he and he said I bear in my Body the Dyings of the Lord Jesus that the Life also of Jesus may be made manifest in my mortal Flesh Joh. 14.11 c. to 25. and he said I am crucified unto the World and the world unto me and the Life that I now live is by Faith in the Son of God I Live said he yet not I but Christ in me and so he witnessed Christ in him the Hope of Glory and the Apostle said unto the Saints Try your selves prove your selves know you not your own selves how that Jesus Christ is in you except you be Reprobates Now I say the people of God who are in scorn called Quakers do believe and certainly know that he who was born of the Virgin Mary was the Son of God who was hated by the Jews and sentenced to die by Pilate though he could find no fault in him we do believe that he was crucified without the Gate of Jerusalem and was raised again the third day by the mighty Power of his Father in whose will he suffered though there was no fault in him and we believe and are sure that God was greatly honoured in his Faithfulness Obedience and Humiliation who though he was without fault humbled himself unto the death upon the Cross and we do believe and are sure that all that did believe in him in that Age in which he suffered outwardly and did confess him boldly before his Enemies and suffered death for his Name sake or imprisonment they are everlastingly well who continued in faithfulness unto the end But consider O all ye professors in that called Christendom it was a hard and mighty thing in that Age in which he suffered to confess before his Enemies that he was the Messiah the Christ the Son of God for to confess before his Enemies that he was the Son of God was cause enough for his Enemies by their unjust Law by which they had put him to death to put those to death that should so confess him So that in that Age there durst none confess him before his Enemies to be the Son of God but those who were come to feel and know the Measure of the Spirit of God which he had given them to instruct them for that gave them to know that he was the Son of God and it filled their hearts with zeal and boldness to confess him to be the Son of God though they were put to death for their Confession for Christ said No man can come unto me except my Father draw him Joh. 6.44 45 46. so God drew them by the Measure of his Spirit in them to know that Jesus was the Son of God and by the same he drew them to confess him boldly before his Enemies And Christ said unto his Disciples Whom do men say that I am some said he was John Baptist and some Elias But he said unto his Disciples Mat. 16.13 14 15 16 17. whom do ye say I am Peter answered and said Thou art Christ the Son of the Living God Jesus answered and said unto him Flesh and Blood hath not revealed that unto thee but my Father only But oh you Professors in what Form soever consider It is many Ages past since Christ suffered without the Gate of Jerusalem and people have been ravened from the Life and Power and Spirit in which the ancient Christians lived for you may read that the Saints were called Christians fiest at Antioch Act. 11.26 and it is very like at that time the name Christian was as hatefull a name both with the unbelieving Jews and Gentiles as the name Heathen is hatefull here in England and other Nations who calls themselves Christians but Christ and his Apostles wrought many great and wondrous Works in and by the mighty Power of God Acts 20.29 30. while they were walking upon the Earth among the Sons and Daughters of men and they wrot in the Spirit and Power
hearts with sorrow and trouble for if you flee from that then you will never be cleansed from your Sins for by the Spirit that judgeth Sin in the heart and burneth against it as a Fire was and is the Sons and Daughters of Sion converted unto God yea brought out of their Sins unto God and whosoever flees from that of God in them which condemns them when they do evil they flee from that which God hath placed in them to lead them out of evil and so they cannot come to be redeemed out of evil until they come to love that which condemns them for evil so I say unto you in tender Love love the Light within you and when it bringeth trouble upon you for your Sins which you have committed then own its judgments for it will not judge you except you have done wrong and as you wait in it it will let you see that its judgments are very just and true and so if you keep your minds unto it it will work true repentance in your hearts and a godly sorrow and it will lead you into the House of Mourning and through the Valley of Tears and as David did you will come to water your Bed with your Tears and to weep until your flesh fail of fatness and so you will travel through a short Sorrow into an Everlasting Joy for the Sorrow lasts but for a Night but Joy cometh in the Morning For the Lord will give Beauty for Ashes and the Oyl of Joy instead of Mourning but he gives this only unto those that comes into obedience unto his Light within them so when condemnation cometh upon you for Sins which you have committed do not flee from it for it is the Rod of God and you will see it to be so as you wait with your minds stayed in the Light and you will see that it is not for your hurt but for your Everlasting good and then consider why should you flee from it Oh flee not from it For whom I love I rebuke and chasten said God and he restoreth every sinful man and woman whom he receiveth to be Sons and Daughters and through his Judgments in their hearts he redeemeth them from Sin and so receiveth them into his Everlasting Kingdom of Life and Glory So I say unto you in dear and tender love flee not from that of God in you which condemneth you for Sin and the Light it will be with you when you are in the Fields and when you lie in your Beds and where ever you go the Light is in you and if you love it and keep your minds unto it it will teach you when you are at your Labour and it will keep you out of all Evil if you keep your minds unto it and when wicked people would tempt you to that which is Evil it will not let you consent unto them but rather to reprove them and now people I say unto you if you love this same pure and holy and spotless thing in you which never consented unto any Sin that you have committed but hath alwayes stood in you a faithfull Witness against you when you did commit Sin I say if you love it and obey it though now it may but be little in you even as a Grain of Mustard-seed which is a small Seed yet when your affections are truly set upon it it will grow speedily and will become in you as a strong Tree and the Fruit of it will ravish and overcome your heart with heavenly Joy and then you will see the folly and madness of those who rejoyceth in doing of Evil and you will find that Holy thing in you to be as Christ said Mat. 13.31 32 33. Like a little Leaven that a woman took and hid in three Measures of Meal until the whole Lump was leavened so as you wait in this Light within you though it lie low in you because of the sinfull nature which lieth atop of it in you yet it will work in you as the Leaven doth work in the Meal for the sinfull nature which lieth atop is of the Devil and that which lieth under is of God and as you joyn in true love and affection to that suffering Seed of God you shall come to know and bear witness that God is able to bring it out of the Grave in you and from under all those Powers of Darkness that hath oppressed it for God is stronger then the Devil that you will confess and so wait in the Light of Christ to feel more of the strength of God and Christ in your own hearts then of the strength of the Devil and when this you are come to witness then you will have ceased from Sin which is the Devils work for God who is the stronger in you he will rule you by his Light and Spirit which dwells in you and then the Devil who was the stronger in you he will be cast out and then the Lamb the Light he will have the Victory in you and will lead you into all Truth and so the Light if you follow it it will lead you to be Children of the Lord God who is Light and in whom there is no Darkness at all and so the Children of the Lord are taught of the Lord by the Light of the Lord and they are in Righteousness established So put not the day afar off linger not away your time but prize it thou that is young in years say not in thine heart I have time enough I may take pleasure in Earthly things yet for many dayes and have time enough to repent and seek God afterwards I say unto thee say not so in thy heart for the Lord God can cut thee down as in a moment Psal 9.17 though thou be in the Flower of thy Youth but Remember thy Creator in the dayes of thy Youth and seek him while he may be found for the Spirit of the Lord will not alwayes strive with man and as the Tree falleth so it lieth there is no Repentance in the Grave and there is no unclean thing can enter into Gods Kingdom for the wicked must be turned into Hell and all that forget God So remember you are warned by a Lover of Truth and Righteousness and a true Lover of the Souls and Bodies of all men and desireth not the Destruction of any but desireth that all people might come to Repent while they have time and so obtain Mercy from the Lord God I am known by the Name of William Gibson Written in the Year 1664. and was sent then to be published in Print but the Person to whom it was sent being at that time cast into Prison and Calamities coming on in the City it was not gotten done Postscript IT is said by many ignorant people who use to plead for Sin That the Righteousest man that is upon the Earth doth Sin seven times a day now I say they do abuse and wrest the Scriptures for there is no such
word in all the Bible called the Old and New Testament But in Proverbs 24. vers 15 and 16. thus it is written Lay not in wait O wicked Man against the Dwelling of the Righteous spoil not his Resting-place For a Just Man falleth seven times and riseth again but the Wicked fall into Mischief Now mark the Just man falleth seven times and riseth again now I say here is neither Sin nor Day spoken of but the Wicked fall into Mischief now consider to do Mischief is to do Evil and to do Evil is Sin but the Just man did not fall into Mischief and so he did not fall into Sin Now Hopkins and Sternhold who was men that did play upon Instruments of Musick in the same wisdom in which the Poets do make ungodly Ballads they made a Song which they called The Humble Complaint of a Sinner and in that Song of theirs there is some such like words as the Just man sinneth seven times a day but those words of theirs are not to be heeded for they had them not out of the Holy Scriptures but they are their own invented Lyes Many other places of the Holy Scriptures are wrested after this manner by those who have not believed in the Light who pleads for Sin for the Apostle Paul according unto the wisdom given unto him in all his Epistles he did write things hard to be understood which they that were unlearned and unstable did wrest as also they did the other Scriptures to their own destruction this is Peters Testimony who was a Fisherman and knew not Letters 2 Pet. 3.15 16. Acts 4.13 So all people take notice that it was not because they wanted Greek Hebrew and Latine that they wrested Pauls Epistles and the other Scriptures to their own destruction but it was because they were not come to believe in that measure of the Spirit wherewith Christ had enlightened them for from the Spirit of God was the holy Scriptures given forth and there is none can come to know them and understand them until they come to believe in and obey that measure of God in themselves which is one with that from which the holy Scriptures was given forth and when people come to believe in that and learn of that then God by that will open their understandings to know and rightly to understand the holy Scriptures and until then people can neither know nor understand them aright for while people are out from that of God in them they one imagine one thing from the Scriptures and another imagineth another thing from the same part of the Scripture and one saith it meaneth thus and another he saith nay but it meaneth thus and so they are bewildered in their imaginations about the holy Scriptures one saying this is the meaning and another saying that is the meaning and so every one builds his Religion according to his imagination and so every one that hath not believed in the Light they are wresting of the holy Scriptures and with their dark meanings are pleading Scripture and would fain prove by the holy Scriptures that theirs is the true Religion and as Christ said it should be so it is come to pass one saith Lo here is Christ and another saith Lo there is Christ but Christ said unto the Saints Go not forth now the Saints minds were gathered in unto the Light and that gave them to know the holy Scriptures and also to know the false Prophets who led peoples minds out from that of God in them for the Way of God is to be known within and he that leads people from that of God in them into outward observations he is a Deceiver and an Antichrist Pilate had Greek Hebrew and Latine and he could not open the Scriptures by it nor know the Son of God by it but he judged him to die and when he was to be Crucified he did write a Superscription in Greek Hebrew and Latine Letters and set it over Christs head and the persecuting Jews had Greek Hebrew and Latine for they came and did read the Superscription which Pilate had written but they could not open the Scriptures with their Greek Hebrew and Latine though they had all the Prophets Writings who prophesied of his coming and of the Place where he was to be born yet they could not understand the Prophets words with all their Greek Hebrew and Latine all their Earthly wisdom and Learning was to short and to shallow to understand those Heavenly things and so because they had not believed in the Light of Christ in them they were dark and blind Spiritually and could not know nor understand the Scriptures nor know Christ when he was come but they said he had a Devil and was Mad but had they come to that of God in them that would have given them the knowledge of the Scriptures and the knowledge that he was the Son of God for he told them that the Kingdom of God did not come with outward observation as Lo here or Lo there Luk. 1â— 20 21. but that the Kingdom of God was within them and he told them that it was like a Grain of Mustard-Seed and it was like Leaven and he did direct their minds unto that in them but they did not believe his Doctrine and so would not turn their minds inwardly to learn of the Father the Word and the Spirit and so they knew not the Son but Crucified him and the Son said unto the Father I thank thee O Father Lord God of Heaven and Earth that thou hast hid these things from the Wise and Prudent and thou hast revealed them unto Babes now Pilate and the Jews the wisest and most prudent men that was in all that Quarter of the Earth in natural Learning and natural Wisdom because they did not come to that of God in them therefore did God hide the Heavenly things from them and all their Greek Hebrew and Latine and all their natural Wisdom did not do them any good at all as to bring them to the knowledge of God but they were hurt by looking at it for because of their great Learning and Wisdom naturally their hearts were lifted up in Pride and they would not believe in Christ nor receive his Testimony they judged him an inferiour man unto them and the Pride of their hearts deceived them For the World by Earthly wisdom doth not know God and the Carnal mind is Enmity against God and the Natural man receives not the things of God for they are Spiritually discerned and they do appear Foolishness unto all Earthly minded men and women But Peter and John and the rest of the Fishermen who knew not Letters they were men of more humble and low Spirits then the Jews were who had Greek Hebrew and Latine for they were proud because of their Tongues and Natural Learning as our English Priests and Doctors are and ours can no more know Christ and the holy Scriptures by their Greek Hebrew and Latine and Earthly Wisdom then Pilate and the Jews could but Peter and John and the rest of the Fishermen they were low mean men as to the outward they did not dispise Christ because of his low Appearance outwardly but they did believe in him and loved him and did forsake their Nets and followed him and in them God did take delight and he did reveal Great and Mighty things unto them which was hid from Pilate and the Jews who had Greek Hebrew and Latine And now I say unto all people God is rising to confound the Wisdom of all the Earthly Wise men who are proud of Greek Hebrew and Latine and who dispise their Neighbours who have it not and all their Earthly Wisdom in which they have boasted and exalted themselves will the Lord God make to appear as it is Foolishness and he will abase proud Haman in this the day of his Mighty Power yea he will bring down the Mighty and he will exalt them of a low degree yea this is the Lord God doing that no flesh may glory And now unto all people in tender Love I say turn in your minds unto the Manifestation of the Spirit and Light of Christ which is given unto you to profit withal that it may give you the Knowledg of God whom to know is Eternal Life and that it may open the holy Scriptures unto your understandings For it is written No man knows the things of God but by the Spirit of God And now Oh all ye Professors in all Forms I charge you in the Name and Power of the Lord God do not give your dark meanings unto the holy Scriptures for they are of no private interpretation and remember how you use to take Pauls words in his Epistles which are too hard for you to understand until you come unto the Light and learn of it I say remember how you use to take his words to plead for Sin for term of Life but come to the Light of Christ in you all and Learn of it and it will stop your Mouthes and not suffer you to open them to plead for Sin which is the work of the Devil I charge you in the Name of the Lord God do not wrest the holy Scriptures to plead for your Pride and Covetousness and Envy and other Abominations which you live in and delight in for Wo will come upon all that are covered and not with the Spirit of the Lord God and no other covering will stand you in stead in the day when you must all receive a Reward according to the Deeds done in the Body whether they be good or evil Read Isa 28. from Verse 1 to 23. And now I have cleared my Conscience in obedience unto the Lord God and I rest in peace and whether you will hear or forbear I am clear W. G. The End
of the Truth and Christ said How often would I have gathered thy Children together as a Hen gathereth her Chicken under her wings but ye would not and God said O Jerusalem thy destruction is of thy selfe but thy Salvation is of me I delight not in the death of him that dyeth but rather that every one would turn from his wickedness and Live turn you turn you O house of Israel why will you die The Priests and the Professors call the Scriptures the Word of God and the Gospel now the Scriptures is words and they were not in the beginning but was given forth by holy men many generations after God had created the Earth and all things in it and upon it and God spake words unto Moses Read Exodus the 20 and the Apostles spake words in the Word and Power of the Lord which was in the beginning before man was or words either and whosoever shall add unto the words of this Prophesic said John in his Revelations c. So the Scriptures is words and not the Word In the beginning was the Word and the Word was with God and the Word was God By him was all things made in him was Life and that Life was the Light of men And this is that Eternal and Ingraffted Word which is able to save the souls of all that do believe in it The Prophet hid it in his heart lest he should sin against God and it was as a Fire shut up in the Prophets bones and it was and is as a Fire Hammer and Sword and Ax to cut down the Devil and his Works in the heart of man where it is received and no man or woman need say who shall ascend into Heaven to fetch Christ down from above or who shall descend into the deep to fetch Christ up from vexeath or who shall go beyond the Sea to fetch Christ unto us for behold the Word is nigh thee in thy heart and in thy mouth that thou may hear it and do it and the four Books of Matthew Mark Luke and John which the Priests and Professors calls the Gospel is not the Gospel for it is but about Sixteen hundred years ago since those Books were written But the Gospel was Preached unto Abraham many Generations before those Books were written and the Gospel is Everlasting an Angel did flee thorough the midst of Heaven having the Everlasting Gospel to Preach That which is Everlasting is without beginning and without end now the Apostle said that the Gospel which he did Preach it was the Power of God now the Power of God is Everlasting without beginning and without end but books and words and writings had a beginning and may have an end so is not the Everlasting Gospel and there is no Gospel of God but one and that one Gospel Paul Preached and he received it not from man neither was he taught it by man but by the Revelation of Jesus Christ and he said If any man Preach unto you any other Gospel let him be accursed So Reader that Gospel which we Preach we have not received it from man nor from books nor from writings but by the Revelation of Jesus Christ in us and what we have felt and seen and tasted and handled of the Word of Life Spiritually Inwardly these things declare we unto People that they might believe in God the Father who is Light and in Christ his Son who is Light and that they in the Father and the Son might have Fellowship with us and so Reader we have Revelation among us and immediate Teaching by the infallible Spirit of Christ Jesus in us and as many as walk according to this Rule Peace be unto them for those are the Children of God even those who are led by the Spirit of God which never did fail to bring forth Righteousness in those that did Obey it And so Reader the Priests and Professors who deny Revelation and immediate Teaching and an infallible Spirit they can speak nothing of certainty concerning God and his Kingdom and things pertaining to the Salvation of Mankind but what they do speak is their imaginations and dreams so it is not for People to trust unto them for Teaching for their mouths must be stopped which was never yet opened by the Revelation of Jesus Christ the Power of God from Heaven and they are to come and learn in Silence of the Light in their own Consciences untill it hath taught them the Knowledg of God and until they come to know the Light to be infallible and the onely true Teacher And now Reader I say keep low in thy mind in the Reading of this following Testimony and if thou do find something spoken that thou cannot yet wholy joyn withall labour to keep in the Patience and keep out of Fretting and be not Rash for thou wilt find things that are evil sharply reproved in Persons of all sorts without respect of persons and it was the manner of the true Prophets and Ministers and Apostles of Christ and of Christ himself to reprove the false Prophets sharply and also to Reprove Wicked Prophane Ungodly Men and Women sharply to the end that they might Repent and forsake the evil of their waies But it hath been the manner of the false Prophets whom God never sent to Daub and flatter and Prophesie Lyes unto People and to speak Peace unto People in their sins and Wo from the Lord God is coming upon those Teachers who is making it their Business to Preach up sin for term of life and to Promise unto People Peace in their sins Your Sins hath seperated between you and me saith the Lord Your sins hath withholden good things from you and no man or woman can be joyned to God in their sins and no unclean thing can enter the Kingdom of God and as the Tree falleth so it lyeth there is no Repentance in the Grave So People must either witness Clensing and Freedom from sin before they go out of the Body or else they will never be made clean God did give the Apostles Gifts for the Work of the Ministry for the Edifying of the Church which was Christs Body until all come unto the measure of the Stature of Christ unto a Perfect man in Christ Jesus and the Apostle did bid People cast off every weight and burden and the sin that did so easily beset them that so they might run the Race that was set before them and they laboured that they might present every man Perfect in Christ Jesus and the Ministers which Christ doth send forth in this Age their Labour is to bring People into Christ Gods Power that they may sit down in Him in the heavenly Peace in him to Reign over sin and him that is the Author of sin which is the Devil and this the Lord hath already done for a little Remnant and he will certainly do it for many Thousands more To him be all Honour Glory Dominion and Praises both now and for
pomp and dignity outwardly but when he came Mark 6.3 he came much contrary to their thoughts and expectations and imaginations for he was supposed by them to be Joseph the Carpenters son a man of low esteem amongst them and so they dispised him because of his low Appearance which was so far contrary to what they had imagined concerning his coming and so they would not have him to rule over them but they slew him so they lost the benefit of his coming and so died in their sins and so was shut out of the Kingdom of God because of their unbelief so here was their Misery they would not receive him because he came not according as they had imagined he should come Now Friends to come nearer to your condition I shall write as the Spirit of the Lord shall move me which dwelleth in my heart Friends consider What is the reason that you will not own the Light wherewith Christ hath enlightened you and all people to be a sufficient Teacher and Ordinance for Salvation unto you and all people and to bring you and all people unto God out of sin if you and they did believe in it and obey it I say consider Is it not because you have read the Prophets Christ and the Apostles Writings with the same dark minds in unbelief that the Jews did read the Prophets Writings and in the Darkness which you have loved a great deal more then the Light you have imagined that Christ would shew himself unto you some other way then by his Light in your Consciences It hath been a very hatefull thing unto many of you Professors to hear us exhort you to turn unto the Light within and because we told you that was the Ordinance of God for Salvation unto the Ends of the Earth according to the words of the Prophet who prophesied in the Power of his coming Isa 49.5.6 7 8 22. who said I will give him for a Light unto the Gentiles and Leader to his People to be his Salvation unto the Ends of the Earth and when we have born our Testimony amongst you concerning this Light according to the plain words of the Prophets Christ and the Apostles laid down in the holy Scriptures and in the brokenness of our hearts have in much love unto you declared our own experience of the vertuous opperation of this Light wherewith Christ hath enlightned us and what Christ the Light had done for our Souls since we in his Light believed and when we thus laboured in the Love of God to do you good in perswading you to believe in the Light wherewith he hath enlightened you that so you might have come to have felt the vertue and power of it in your own hearts for your own everlasting good then many of you have rejected our Testimony and hath shamefully entreated us and hath rewarded us evil for good and you have hated this Light and cried Away with this Light and also with those that have been moved of the Lord God to bear witness unto this Light Which is the Trve Light which hath Enlightened every one that is come into the World as the Jews cried away with Christ when they imagined he had been Joseph the Carpenters son 1 Cor. 2.4 5 c. to 16. and so the Light is judged by your Carnal Wisdom and Reason to be too low a thing to stoop unto and the Jews in their Carnal Wisdom and Reason judged Christ when he was come not to be worthy or fit to be a King over them because they looked upon him to be a Carpenters son a man inferiour unto many of them as they imagined and so they hated him and slew him And so now all you Professors who have been and yet are haters of the Light and cryeth away with it and accounts it too low a thing for you to stoop unto you are deceived Christ will not shew himself unto you any other way but by the measure of his Spirit wherewith he hath Enlightened you it is written No man knows the things of God but the Spirit of God but many of you Professors will not believe that the Light wherewith Christ hath Enlightened you is of power and sufficiency to bring you to God out of sin and so to this day you have not the Benefit of Christs coming but you are still in your sins committing them and pleading that you must do so while you are in the Earthly Tabernacle And so are you not Rebellious Children who Rebel against the Light Grace and Spirit of the Lord Jesus Christ which he hath placed in you to Instruct you And do not you as plainly Crucifie and do Dispite unto the Opperation of the Spirit Light and Grace of Christ in your Inwards Parts as the Jews did unto the Vessel which they imagined to be Joseph the Carpenters son So consider of these things soberly in meekness in the fear of the Lord God and be not angry at me for writing thus in plainness unto you for know you all assuredly that it is the Love of God in my heart unto you that constrains me to write thus in plainness unto you so while you have a little time prize it and while you have a sence and feeling of the Light Grace and Spirit of Christ in your inward parts checking and condemning you when you do Evil believe you all in it and in obedience unto it give up and when it condemns you for Evil which you have already done then own its Judgments for its Judgments are just and true and when it letteth you see Temptations unto Sin before you have consented unto the Tempter or done the Evil he tempteth you unto then love it and let your minds be closely joyned unto it and then it will preserve you from doing the Evil that you are tempted unto and then it will be no sin for you to be tempted unto Evil if you do it not nor give your consent at all unto the Tempter Mat. 4.1 2 to 13. but love the Light which lets you see his Temptation and in it you will have Dominion over the Tempter and you will be kept out of his Snare for Christ was tempted but sinned not and Christ the Light will not condemn you for being tempted unto Evil if you do it not and if you believe in and love and obey the Light of the Son of God wherewith he hath Enlightened you Though you may have done much Evil God will forgive you for Christ the Light his sake in whom you do believe and though you may feel great and strong workings in you to do Evil yet if you love the Light within you that gives you the sence thereof it will work mightily in you against that nature which would lead you to do Evil and if you keep your minds unto the Light then you will feel that nature to die daily in you which hath led you into Evil and so that which hath led you into
God but like the Devil then they came into the likeness of God again which Adam and Eve lost when they went from the Measure of the Spirit of God wherewith he had enlightened them and which he commanded them to obey Gen. 1.26 27. And though Adam's Sons and Daughters be ravined from the Spirit of God within them and so are committing Sin with greediness Gen 3 1 2. c. to the end and draw-Iniquity with Cords of Vanity and pulling Sin upon them as it were with a Cart Rope yet this is no argument to any good purpose to perswade people that all people must do as they do neither is it an argument to any good purpose to perswade people that there is no better a State or Condition to be attained unto while men and women beareth the Earthly Body or Tabernacle about seeing the Apostle Paul said unto the Saints who had been in the fall ravined from the Spirit or Grace or Light in their hearts but was then when he writ unto them returned to it again Ye were sometimes Darkness Ephes 5.8 9 13 14 15. but now are ye Light in the Lord mark his words Ye were sometimes Darkness that was before they had believed in Christs Light within them which is the true Light that hath Enlightened every one that is come into the World that was before they had believed Pauls Testimony who was sent of God Who is Light Acts 26.18 23. 16 17 ver and in whom there is no Darkness at all to turn people from Darkness to Light and so from Sathans power unto the Power of God but when they had believed in the Light wherewith Christ had enlightened them and had received Pauls Testimony who was sent to turn them from the Darkness which was in them in which they had committed sin unto the Light which was in them which had condemned and troubled them when they did commit sin then were they Light in the Lord 2 Pet. 1.19 Mark that in the Lord and so they were in him who is Light in God and Christ and so they knew God and Christ in them to save them from their sins Rom. 6.17 18 20 21 22. For said Paul When ye were the Servants of Sin ye were free from Righteousness Mark that is they were not in Righteousness but out of Righteousness and so were in unrighteousness which is sin for all unrighteousness is sin and all sin is of the Devil But now said Paul 1 Cor. 3.10 11. being free from Sin you are become the Servants of Righteousness and hath your Fruits unto Holiness and the End Everlasting Life Mark then the Fruit which they brought forth was Holy and the End Everlasting Life so here was a blessed change witnessed while they were in the Earthly Tabernacle the same Paul said to some of the Saints Some of you were Whoremongers and Adulterers but said be you are washed you are ceansed ye are sanctified he did not say unto them when they were Saints that they were Whoremongers and Adulterers as many now adayes call themselves Saints and Christians and yet liveth in much Wickedness and Uncleanness both of Flesh and Spirit But when they were washed and cleansed from their Filthiness and so was brought into the Likeness and Image of God again which is Purity and Holiness and so they came to see and know the Lord and it is written Without holiness no man can see the Lord and it is written Blessed are the Pure in heart for they shall see God 2 John 3.4 5 6 7 9 10 24. and the Apostle John said He that is born of God sinneth not he that sinneth is of the Devil we are of God said he and the whole World lieth in Wickedness Wickedness is Sin but we are of God said he he that is of God sinneth not said he he that sinneth is of the Devil we know said he that the Son of God is come 1 Joh. 5.18 19 20 21. and hath given us an understanding to know him that is true and we are in him that is true Mark they were in him that is true Even in his Son Jesus Christ and this is the true God and Life Eternal and these are true Saints and true Christians which is come to witness Christ in them and hath witnessed him in them to destroy the Works of the Devil in them which is Sin and so to make them new Creatures as he had made those Saints in Paul and John's dayes 2 Cor. 5.17 18. For if any man be in Christ said the Apostles be is a new Creature old things are passed away said he all things are become new they that are Christs said he have crucified the Flesh with its Affections and Lusts and they bad put off concerning their former conversation the old man with his deeds which is corrupt and they had put on the new man Christ Jesus the true Light Col. 1.26 27 28. who is the Lamb of God who hath enlightened every one that is come into the World that all men in his Light wherewith he hath enlightened them might believe and the Saints and true Christians in the Apostles daye did believe in the true Light wherewith Christ Jesus had enlightened them and God by it did lead them out of Sin and so out of the Fall for before Sin entred there was no Fall for Sin was the Fall from God so who is come unto the Eternal true Light within them and by it is led out of Sin which was mans I all from God they are come out of the state of the first Adam in whose state men are dead in Trespasses and Sins and they are come into the Second Adam the Lord from Heaven the quickning Spirit 1 Cor 15.20 19. and though they did once bear the Image of the First Adam in whom all are dead in Trespasses and Sins yet now they are come to bear the Image of the Second Adam the Lord from Heaven the Light which hath redeemed them from their Sins and though they were once dead in Adam who fell yet now are they made alive by the Second Adam who never fell and though they did commit sin daily while they were in the First Adams state faln and ravined from the Spirit of the Second Adam in their hearts yet now being come unto the Spirit of the Second Adam which they had ravined from and now having learned obedience unto it it being the Spirit of Truth or the True Spirit it leadeth them into all Truth and so out of all untruth and so all who hath in faithfulness followed and obeyed the Light wherewith Christ the Second Adam hath enlightened them they and none but they are made alive in and by Christ the Second Adam so as it is written it is come to be witnessed by such As in the First Adam all die so in the Second Adam all shall be made alive Mark in Adam all have
no habitation in God but was a Vagabond and his Soul delighted in Evil Gen. 4. from vers 5 to 17. then in that state he offered unto the Lord God but the Lord God did not accept of his Offering no God took no pleasure at all in it because he was ravened from the Spirit or Light of God within him and was wicked and then when Cain and his Offering was rejected then Cain was wroth and his countenance fell and the Lord said unto Cain Why art thou Wroth and why is thy Countenance faln if thou doest well shalt thou not be accepted but if thou doest evil sin lieth at thy door But Cain who was full of wrath because he was reproved and his Offering not accepted he in his wrath rose up against his righteous Brother whom God loved and whose Offering God accepted and he slew his righteous Brother because his Brothers works were righteous and his own were wicked and the Lord God cursed Cain for shedding innocent blood and Cain when he was ravined from the Spirit of God within him and had shed innocent blood he became great in the Earth and builded a City and although he had a City upon Earth yet he was a Vagabond because he was wandered and ravened from the Spirit of God within him for his Soul had no habitation in God but the Wrath of God did abide upon him And now all ye Priests and People and Professors of all sorts who have been or are or desire to be Persecutors of those whom the Lord God loveth and taketh pleasure in take notice of Cain's Reward that great and first Persecutor about Religion and all of you repent and give over persecuting people for the exercise of their Consciences towards God Or else you will undo your selves The Mouth of the Lord hath spoken it for whosoever persecutes any man for the exercise of his Conscience towards God they are of the same Spirit with Cain and their Reward will be the same with his if they do not give over persecuting and speedily repent for there ought none to exercise Authority over the Consciences of men and women but the Lord God and his Son Jesus Christ who are one for it is Gods Right only to Rule in and over the Consciences of people and what man or men soever upon the Face of the whole Earth who doth take upon him or them to lay a yoke upon the Consciences of people to limit people from a Worship into which they are already led by the Spirit of the Lord God such who so doth they do and will provoke the Lord God of Heaven and Earth against them and he will bring his Wrath upon them and it will fall heavy upon them 1 Cor. 12.7 and he will bring them down For God is a Spirit and he hath given the manifestation of his Spirit to every one to profit withal and every one that believeth in the measure of the Spirit of God which he hath given them to profit withal they come by that to be led into a pure Spiritual Worship in which the Lord God takes pleasure and whosoever striveth against them the Lord God will visit them with Judgment and he will deliver his oppressed people out of their hands And so all Persecutors come to the Light wherewith Christ Jesus the Son of God hath enlightened you and that will let you see that all this while you have been perfecting a people whom God hath made harmless for the exercise of their Conscitnces unto him in a pure Spiritual Worship you have been fighting against God who oreased you as Soul was who was as zealous for his Form of Religion as you are for yours and in his blind zeal he persecuted the Church of God and he thought he had been doing God service as many of you zealous Professors have done in your bitter angry zeal but both his thoughts and yours have been vain in this particular and so you have fulfilled the words of Christ who said unto the Saints The time will come that they will think they do God service that shall kill you Joh. 16.2 3. but Saul was an Enemy of God and a Fighter against God and a Voice came unto him from the Lord God and the Voice said Saul Saul why persecutest thou me Acts 9.5 and Saul being strucken down answered the Voice which spake unto him and said Who art thou Lord Acts 22.8 19 20. and the Voice answered unto his question and said I am Jesus of Nazareth whom thou persecutest it is hard for thee to kick against the pricks take notice that Saul who after his Conversion was called Paul his Conversion to the Christian Faith was after Christ had suffered without the Gate of Jerusalem for Saul was going to Damascus with Letters from the high Priests to bring the Saints which was at Damascus to Jerusalem to be persecuted for Jesus Christ the Light and Life of men he had suffered without the Gate of Jerusalem in that Body which his Enemies called Joseph the Carpenters Son before the Voice told him I am Jesus of Nazareth whom thou persecutest So all Persecutors take notice that it was Jesus in those Saints which was at Damascus and in other Saints that Saul persecuted I say it was Jesus the Spirit Life and Power in those and other Saints that Saul persecuted for as for the Vessel which was supposed by his Enemies to be Joseph the Carpenters Son that was offered up before so Jesus Christ was in the Saints and he was their Comforter the Spirit of Truth and he did lead them into all Truth and the Saints were hated and persecuted both by Jews and Gentiles who did not believe in the Spirit and Light of Christ within them and as it was in their dayes so it is in our dayes Joh. 14.16 17 18 26. He that is born of the Flesh persecutes him that is born of the Spirit and they that will live Godlike in Christ Jesus must suffer persecution Mark they that will live in the likeness of God in which state man was created they must suffer persecution but if they will continue in the likeness or Image of the Devil in Pride Drunkenness and Hypocrisie and only profess God and Christ without them and winde and turn about unto every new Invention which is invented in the thick and dark Night of Apostacy which yet remains in and over the hearts of many thousands of those that calls themselves Christians then they may not be persecuted but if they be Proud men then they may find some friendship amongst the Proud Joh. 15 18 89 20 21. and if they be Drunkards they may find some friendship amongst the Drunkards and if they be Hypocrites Time-servers and Men-pleasers and Dissemblers then they may find some friendship amongst the children of the same nature for the World loves its own but if a man be redeemed from these things by Christ the Light within him