in Communion with the Lord He will visit you with his fresh springs and cause the seed to grow and as it grows up to God it brings the Son down to you who is given into the world to redeem your souls from the power of sin and death and so as he purifies you with judgement so your Temples will be fitted for Christ to rule and reign in you and then comes his will to be done in the earth as it is in Heaven and as your hearts mindes and affections incline to the Lord you will see faith encrease and by patient waiting in hope you will see the Hills levelled and the mountains laid low of sin and corruption and when the Lord hath pluckt your feet out of the Snare and set you upon a plain then will you run the way of his commandments with great delight and this is the State of Virginity Oh you noble hearts it is you that are fit to entertaine Christ in his reign for in your obedience the precious springs of Life doth open in you and pure consolation you feele Songs of Joy and Triumph and the Father Son and Spirit meets in you then hath the soul Liberty from the devouring Enemy as the pure Spirit gets Victory over the evil Spirit so the Spirit of Christ comes to reign in your mortal bodies then comes the showers of Grace as the morning-due which bathes your souls in the blood of the Lamb and waters the tender Plant in you This is a wise Virgin that is ready to meet the Bridegroom in this his day I counsel you that have oyle to trim your Lamps and prepare to meet the Lamb for now it is full time for he that was to come is come and his time is short and then no more time make haste away you Virgins of the â—aie for time is short for now is the time of sealing come he that is filthie let him be filthie still and he that is holie must be received into the bodie Now blessed are you that are found ready for now we see there hath been terrible wars betwixt Michael and the Dragon to make room for the Babe not one step but thorow blood that we can get for entertainment amongst you but now I see the foundation is firmly deeply laid through sufferings and now set your Battel never so strong it will grow more firm but blessed be the peace-makers for they are fit to have the Mansion in my Fathers Kingdom Why should it seem a strange thing to you to see Christ reigne in his Saints and fit and prepare the Vessels and make our bodies fit for himself to dwell in seeing our hearts are ready to bow to his Will And is it not more for his glory though it be a greater cross to your wills to purifie these bodies and pour out the dregs thereof then to bring down that body which was crucified at Jerusalem seeing all are in his power and one Spirit rules in both by much tribulation anguish of Spirit and svfferings of the flesh hath he now fitted a bodie for himself who hath conquered death and hell so perfect is he that he can laydown his life for his enemies not opening his mouth to defend himself this Vessel is as precious to me as that which was tortured at Jerusalem seeing the Father hath prepared them both and the same Graces springs from both according to its time of working which now is finisht in sufferings Shall I not follow thee unto death O my beloved yea seeing thou art revealed in me by my Father to be the Son of Peace Now what though he was brought up with you despise him not as your fathers did but the Scriptures must be fulfilled A Prophet is not without honor but in his own Country surely if you knew the bowels of love that flows to you you would be more meek what shall we do to declare our love the Lord knows we love all men from the Magistrate to the meanest and delight to live in love and peace with all men and if any do lord it over you and judge you in their Wills they must be judged Now I beseech you is not this the manner of the reign of Christ to purifie the bodies of his Saints to make them Temples for himself and quicken them by his Spirit and he that leads the way is the Captain King or Prophet which in all ages the people loved and honoured Would you were worthy to receive the salvation of his love and peace which the shovvers of his rain hath brought his Reign is glorious Novv hearts are knit together in unity each to other and Praises springs freely up to the Father of all and here is none shut out who is real hearted Whether ever vve see your faces outvvardly yet I am sure if you love the Lord and be obedient to him vve shall meet in Spirit and that Spirit will reveal to you that Innocency must be King Therefore friends all use the World as if you used it not for the time is very short and every one shall be taken vvhere is he that is filthy shall be filthy still and he that is holy shall be holy still for no place of Repentance shall be left and many shall say Lord vve have preacht in thy Name and in thy Name vve have cast out Devils and done many vvonderful things but he shall say unto them Depart ye Workers of Iniquity I knovv you not and they shall flie into the Dens and Caves of the earth and shall call to the Mountains and Rocks to fall on them and cover them from the glory of his presence Watch Watch the time hasteth exceedingly vvhen time shall be no more for the Gate shall be shut and no place left for Repentance Martha Simmonds COnsider I beseech you hovv clearly the Scripture is fulfilled in our dayes are you not all talking of the Reign of Christ but knovvs it not And this is the cause of it My Ways saith the Lord are not yours nor my Thoughts yours for as the Heavens are higher then the earth so are my waies higher then yours none knoweth his will but those that are willing to be guided by an innocent spirit and that liveth out of their own thoughts and they onlie are the Virgins that will be found readie to reign with Christ Jesus in righteousness for they are diligent in the depth of the search of their own hearts and sees how the Lord breaketh them into tenderness and maketh them subject to his will as Christ was to his Father so are we in this evil world Now I would not have you ignorant of the mighty day of the Lord and of his glorious appearing amongst the sons of men but rather that you should consider how that it stands more for his glory to cross all mens wills then to fuifil them and what if he will be pleased to do as the Potter doth with his clay who having made one vessel as
O England thy time is come God hath not taken thee until thou be ful yea the fulness of thy time is come with speed prepare to meet the Lord in Judgment lest thou be cut off wo unto thee if he turn from thee before thou be refined Remember was not the Jewes cut off that thou might be grafted in Remember and take heed J.N. Ye men of Galilee why stand yee gazing up into heaven This same Jesus which is taken up from you into heaven shall so come in like manner as ye have seen him go into heaven Acts 1.11 The glorious Reign of Christ is come Ho! every one behold the Sonne This is the beautiful Morning-Star Who sends his Messengers through the air And calls up all to Judgement O hast and come away You Virgins that are ready this is the Marriage-Day YOu foolish Virgins how have you been sleeping away your precious time had it not been better you had watcht and prayed O foolish foolish Children will you sell your birthright for a moments pleasure and a little ease But what more can be said to you I see the Spirit is grieved with you and the Spirit is weary with striving with you O that I could weep tears of blood for the slackness of the desires of the people concerning their eternal salvation Is your souls of no more value then to make a sport of time O England thou hast not wanted for Warning my soul stands witness in the presence of the Lord against thee that in the Cities Towns and Market-Streets I have past with bitter cryes and streams of tears for a most two yeers time warning you of this day that is coming upon you as a Snare with this Lamentation O people of England repent O that thou wouldest consider the time of thy visitation O that thou wouldest prise thy time before the dore of Mercy is shut Now the Light is risen how art thou found slaying the Lamb of God in thee is found slain the blood of the Innocent O England the blood of the Innocent cries loud in the ears of the Lord God of Power O that thou wouldest consider and repent and prise thy time before thou be consumed and made a common deluge for ever Thou art fat and full thou art fitted for slaughter and great and terrible will thy day of calamity be the Sword of the Lord is drawn against thee and will be sheathed in thy bowels O repent repent and let the destruction of Sodom be a warning to thee O England fitted for slaughter thou art light and vain thou kicks against the Lord thou lifts up thy heel against him O England the time is come that nothing will satisfie but blood yea yea the time is come that nothing will satisfie but blood Thou art making thy self drunken with the blood of the Innocent he will be avenged of thee till blood come up to the Horses bridle thou art making thy self drunken with the blood of the innocent and now he will give thee blood to drink for thou art worthy for he will be avenged of thee till he is satisfied with thy blood Come down ye high and lofty ones and lie in the dust and repent in sackcloath and lie lovv before the Lord and come and see if by any means there may be a place for repentance found This mournful cry began at London so to Colchester and through the Nation Ah Lord what shall I yet say for them or how shall I enter into a Treaty for them Behold they have slighted thy tenders of Grace and they wipe their mouths and take their fills of mirth and they wipe their mouths and cry Tush the Lord is gone far off they cry Miracles are ceast and there is no Revelation tush the Lord seeth not When thy servants have shewed them thy minde they have said Let him do his worst O Lord arise in thy zeal and shew thy power for they blaspheme thy Name continually how have they slighted thy love now thou hast visited the earth with thy pure voice how cruelly have they beaten thy Prophets and now thy Son is come they conspire to kill him O Generation of unbelievers now is not the Scripture fulfilled that saith When the Son of man come shall he finde faith upon the earth Is it not seen that you love the world too well you look for the reign of Christ I know you do for there is that in your consciences which sheweth you that your soul is in death and waits for redemption but how have you slighted the Messenger of reconciliation that hath told you in secret that you should come away and leave your vanities it had been well if you had minded the check and reproof if you had done so your hearts had been purified then now you had been ready to meet him when he fulfilled all Righteousness and ascended unto his Father he gave down his spirit among you which hath visited your Fathers and you unto this day which was to minister unto you untill his second coming But how hath your ears been stopt against it did it he ever appear in such an age before But now the Heavens is loaded with a Blessing and there is not room in the earth to receive it make room make room enlarge your hearts for it is there that he will reign I see and as your hearts is enlarged you will come down as Zicheus did for he is made a little lower then the Angels that so he may raise up the innocent Seed which lies scattered in your dark hearts As far as you are obedient to the spirit that preaches to your souls in prison so far you make room for his reigne so far you become Members of the body for now he hath prepared you a Leader and a Captain doth not your eyes see the Lord hath prepared him a body fitted for sufferings in patience which he hath crown'd with love and meekness so that the more you torture him the more he loves yet you cannot see but to you that live in hope my heart is enlarged yet to see the redemption of Zion and to enjoy the glorious Reign of Christ the Lord give you the desire of your souls for now is your time to receive Wherefore I beseech you sit you under your own vine feed in peace go not forth after them that crye Lo here and Lo there for they are false Watch-men they will smite you and bereave you of your fresh springs which you should enjoy in the spirit but watch low and still in your mindes and with that which is just judge that which is unjust and when your wills would have Liberty let it be crost with the Light then you will see that in your obedience you will have peace and the peace that your obedience will bring will so knit your hearts to the Lord that nothing will be too hard for you then comes your hearts to be opened to receive the Blessing and your mindes stedfast
Beloved come into his Garden and eat his pleasant fruits Let him that readeth understand And let not the South-winde say to the North-winde There hath been no need of thee Neither let the North-winde withstand the South-winde and say There is no need of thee Or let not the Garden say to the Windes There is no need of you or either of you for both are needful for causing the Spices to flow out that the Beloved may enter into his Garden to eat his pleasant fruits Let him that readeth understand what the windes are W.T. THis is a day of shaking and staggering to them whose mindes are without busying themselves to comprehend the measures of others The only way to be at rest quiet is to mind our own measure committed to us and to be faithful therein to keep pace with our own guide who leads the Lambs as they are able to bear Let the weak not judge that which they comprehend not and let the strong not despise the weak being found faithful in their measure and so unity is preserved in the body from the youngest babe to the highest grown and there 's bredth enough in our Fathers Kingdom for both And this preserved unity between Paul and his weaklings John and his little children Christ and his babes The day is appearing which I have waited for in which all that have their faces towards God in truth shall own one another in their several measures and love shall be encreased The children of the Kingdom shall feel the love of God in one another and shall embrace that and not trouble themselves with the several work of others or narrowness or largenesâ— of understandding Mysteries but love shall embrace that which is of it self and so the Flock of God shall walk in peace without pushings judgings whisperings back-bitings censurings every one growing up in his own measure This day is appearing if it go not in again W.T. O How wonderful are thy Works O God! the depths of thy counsels are past finding out Who knoweth thy waies and to whom dost thou give account of thy actions how thou dost order the works of thy hands Oh! how vain a thing is man when thou turnest thy hand upon him How often hast thou broken me to pieces How often hast thou led me through deaths How hath thy terror many a time seizd upon me and thy dread made me afraid Thou hast bruised me from morning till night Oh! who may stand before thee thou Judge of all men In the days of my affliction how have I roared from morning till night Then did I seek death but could not finde it and thirst to be covered in darkness but could not obtain it I said I will go down into forgetfulness but thou would not suffer me But in thy will thou raised me and sent me to the Nations A signe and a wonder thou hast made me and a stranger to them who had well known me Yea how often hast thou changed me so that I have not been known to my self And thou hast hid me from such as have followed me Thou hast lifted me up I have been exalted thou hast cast me down and I have been despised I have been a scorn to fools that knows not thy wayes and as a prey to the devourer Then I said Thou hast cast me off else why am I covered with blackness But this was my impatience my haste and my folly Thou smilest upon me in the midst thereof and I was judged yea I loathed my self before thee Oh how hast thou turned me in a moment Thou liftedst my head out of Prison and set me above such as sought to destroy me Yea how often hast thou redeemed me from death how often have I been beset about yea the eyes of evil men have been daylie upon me to see my fall Yea many a time had I been driven from my steadfastness but thy Promises have been my refuge Yea had it not been for thy Word I had dispaired of hope therefore do I love it more then gold Oh that men knew thy faithfulness Out of the pit have I cryed to thee and thou heardest me and didst answer out of thy Holy Place Then I said I will fear thee for ever and obey thee till death because thy Word hath strengthned me Thouturned away thy face and I became darkness Then I said I am forsaken for thou hast found iniquity in me Thus have I been as clay in thy hands and durst not ask thee an account of thy doings Oh thou faithful one how dreadful art thou how powerful is thy presence with thy breath dost thou change the world and makest all things new So dost thou make man forget his travel and turns his sorrow into a Song Praise the Lord O my soul while I have a being among the sons of men J.N. A Morning-Song when I being in Prison at Westminster SInce thou hast drawn me to thee how doth my soul love thee my God! Since thou hast begotten me to thee how doth my heart bow before thee my Father How doth my soul worship thee How do I delight to live with thee It is life to abide continually in thy presence to receive thy commands and do them Oh how hast thou made me with thy hand and formed me anew with thy free spirit so that the tedious wayes of wearisomness is forgotter and I love to run the way after thee and to tread thy pathes Surely all the time of my life is too little to serve thee in thy holy wayes my Redeemer and my King Oh! let my soul for ever live in thy bosom that I may continually taste the breathings of thy pure life which fillss my soul with fatness my heart with pleasure With tears I have found thee with joy I live with thee Oh how am I afraid to lose thee O how strong is love I cannot live without thee Blessed be the day in which thou called me out from my Kindred and set a Hedge betwixt me and mine acquaintance that thou might turn me to thy self Thou set my familiars afaâ— from me that thou might bring me to thee alone Oh my joy Thou hast set all the world against me that I might seek thee to take my part Then did I cry unto thee and thou wast near for this was thy purpose concerning me That I might know thee In secret didst thou support me least my faith should fail yet not in my way least I should be exalted and so forget thy fear yet would never suffer me to want thy goodness How often hast thou stript me of all yea my dearest friends who were as my life were set against me in Judgement this was done that thou might prove me in the fire to melt me and try me that thou might bend me for thy self alone Then did I see how vain a thing is man how soon is he changed into a lye I said To thee alone I commit my cause Then didst thou
seemed him good and seeth that there is yet an oppertunity for him to break it make it more for his honor then it was seeing it is yet clay in his hand and so is man in the hands of the Almighty Oh my Friends consider how much more shall the Lord be glorified in purifying a Vessel fit for himself to dwell in all righteousness meekness and long-suffering And thus we see his reign and rejoice in sufferings as Deceivers and yet true So friends consider that if it had pleased him he could have prayed to his Father and he would have sent him Legions of Angels but he chose rather to suffer and thereby to cross his own will and also all mens wills for surely he is the same now as he was in former ages who alwaies appeared contrary to the expectacions of all the world but if he should appear in the way you have long lookt for him then man would have something to boast in but now boasting is excluded for it hath pleased the Father of Spirits to appear in a spirit a little lower then Angels and so is hid in the Clouds from all mens eyes of corrupt hearts and self-conceited ones who thought they had an eye to have pierc't through the Clouds are now found the blindest of all sorts for as he suffered at his going away so doth he at his coming again for so saith the Scripture he shall come in like manner as he went Hannah Stranger There 's none can reigne with Christ but he That is a Virgin pure in innocency No evil thoughts nor words must be For that will stain Virginity O How excellent is thy waies thou God of Mercy and Truth surely they that go out of thy pathes are not worthy to walk therein they that forget thy love have not found the sweetness of it why should it be that any that have known thy Word should cast it behinde their backs But let my soul cleave to thy Statutes let obedience be my life continuallie so shall I be acquainted with thy will O Lord thou knowest I love thy counsel and in it my heart pondereth and if thou wilt open thy bosom and let me come neerer to thee that is all I desire but let me remember thy former mercies for they are life how hast thou led me through the Desarts and refreshed me with thy Christal Streams gave me Manna for food How gentlie didst thou guide me when all comforts failed me and removed the mountains out of my way and hath set me upon a plane that I run the way of thy Commandments with great delight Why hath thy Rod been so light upon me seeing my sins have been multiplied How have I scaped the Rod of thine anger nay thou didst put a Rod into my hand to smite the backslider and hard-hearted O Lord thou knowest it was thy will I did not resist thee Oh that they might know it the rod and who it was that did appoint it and now thou hast taken it out of my hand and bowed me to thy will and hath opened a door of Mercie to all sorts of people Oh let thy Mercie shower down abundantlie and fill the earth with thy Blessing that thy Works may praise thee for now praises readie for thee and many hearts panteth after thee that have long lain amongst the pots all the upright love thee for they have been as a chased Roe upon the Mountains which have wanted a Shepherd wherefore arise O Lord and visit the Nations with thy appearance that they may know thy salvation Martha Simmonds OH my beloved Where hast thou been hidden in the clefts of the Rocks and I could by no means finde thee though I have sought thee day night with a mournful and bleeding heart but when I was still and patient then thou didst appear to me with pure consolation and then we did sup together but then thou wouldest withdraw again and then my soul would mourn for I saw thy presence was my life and preservation Thou didst command me forth into thy Work to invite those in which knew thee not and I was obedient to thee when I returned and gave thee an account thou didst accept my service though men denied it and thou gavest into my bosom a double Blessing Oh! how thou hast drawn me unto thee inclin'd my heart to thy will how hast thou indeared my soul within thy bosom Thou hast tried me and in thy trial thou hast found me steadfast it all that I desired of thee was and is That thou wouldest wholly take me into thy Counsel I ever loved thy Reproof and dreaded thy Anger for I finde correction is as balm to me and I have not murmured at them Oh pure eternal perfect Lord God! when I came neer to know thee it was life for evermore for thy presence overcame me but how have I been tossed to and fro in this dark world surely thou hadst a purpose to make use of me in thy will and time for the devil hath set very fore against me for before ever I saw the Light of the Sun or received a natural birth in this visible World I was rejected of men for my Patents denied me a birth and as concerning self it had been good I had not been born for I have not had pleasure in this world but have stood as one alone and since I knew the way to thee I have exceedingly hasted out of it and before I knew the way I sought for the way to all that pretended to direct the way but they hadstoln thy words had not thy life so they wearied me and profited me not but now thou hast revealed thy son in me Oh! how am I overcome with thy presence and now I shall live with thee for ever M.S. IS it become a crime not to judge another in his Work but to let him stand and fall to his own Master Christ Jesus who alone hath power over the conscience Doth not the Apostle Paul say Wherefore dost thou judge thy Brother Wherefore dost thou set at nought thy Brother Did not he say this to those that judged one another And did not he plead the cause of both for one against the other that judged when they could neither of them bear the other yet did not he then vindicate both in their contrary perswasions and judged onely their judgings of one another Rom. 14. Did Christ judge John Baptist because he came neither eating nor drinking or did John judge him because he came both eating and drinking though the world judged both saying of the one He hath a Devil of the other He is a glutton and a win-bibber a friend of Publicans and Sinners Did Barnabas judge Boanerges because he was a Son of Thunder or Boanerges judg Barnabas because he was a Son of Consolation It is said Cant. 4. last Awake O North-winde and come thou South and blow upon my Garden that the Spices thereof may flow out Let my