sojourners in but there was a long bondage in Aegypt to be undergone by their seed ere they came to it whereunto answers our long captivity under Antichrist but the time draws near wee shall shortly heare that voyce Arise shine for thy light is come the glory of the Lord is risen upon thee and this second appearance this day starre will make the stars of the night to disappeare or the glory of the first appearance to goe down which is all that I shall say now to the second part of your inquiry As this increases the other will decrease no other period of it doe I know for we are all brought forth first under the law and so come to know Christ after the flesh and reape the fruit and comfort of his first appearance ere we know him in us as salvation and glory but whether the Lord will alwayes observe this method I cannot say rather I think he will not for 't is said we shall not all dye but shall be changed wee shall not all passe under forms be trained up under the law but shall immediately be changed Christs appearance to us is the rule of all walking and conversation His appearance being known to us onely in the flesh as a Reconciler a Minister of circumcision is the reason of our walking in forms when hee appeares to us nakedly in spirit as being all to us and in us himselfe immediately and alone then he delivers us into a glorious liberty above all outward forms In that place in Peter that speakes of the fuflerings of Christ and that glory that should follow I may seeme strange to you to understand that following glory of the body as I doe but beare with me therein I doe so understand it of the glorious appearances of Christ in his in spirit nor can I give you my reasons for it now What you write of the difficulty of getting out of the flesh of Christ and the letter of Scripture I wonder not at seeing we never have gotten in without a divine power and life and therefore to get through unto the holiest without the same Almighty power is impossible It is no little advance after we are brought in to look out further and higher till which time the witnesses lie dead in us in the streets and then that voyce hath been heard Come up hither and we are ascending or ascended whilest we are making up in the Lord There is the Lord in us ascending who came down and none else can ascend but hee As for that I wrote concerning the appearance of Christ and his comming spoken off in Scripture that I know no other comming of Christ to judgement but his spirituall appearance or appearance in spirit for as for the flesh that hath done its work and therefore is he said to come in the glory of his Father and of his holy Angels also in flaming fire with his mighty Angels which is spirituall That his comming is nothing but his appearing and that all flesh is a vaile upon him from under which he is comming and casting it off making his arme bare That the bodyes of all raised shall be spirituall like unto his which is also held forth in that expression of the Apostle 2 Thessâ—â— The Spirit of his mouth and the brightnesse of his comming which amounts to a spirituall appearance and manifestation That this comming and judgement is graduall and hath beenon foot from the beginning of the world and still goes on and will be compleated in due time That the judgement Day which we expect is nothing else but the perfect and universall Declaration of his righteousnes his generall and full manifestation unto all by his rising up in all who is the head and root of all and making all spirituall for the Kingdom of God is within you there riseth up this judgement suddenly upon the world by which you might understand how I take that place in the Corinths Till he come namely in spirit when as said I know no other appearance of his to be but in spirit That hee is entred into spirit and therefore we cannot think he will be perfected in the flesh for his Kingdome commeth not by observation So I think and speak and write still Though I have known Christ after the flesh yet hence forth know I him no more God hath manifested his love and power in that man Christ and in that flesh which he took and shewed what he will doe in all the Elect by a spirit of power and love Redeem Save Kill Quicken Raise Glorifie and this spirit and power of God appearing in the Elect is the appearing of Jesus Christ in them both in his weaknes and in his power in his Cradle Crosse Grave and in heavenly places at the right hand of the Father in his full glory This is the Kingdom of God that comes not by observation This is Christ is us the hops of glory who shall come by degrees appear to be the glory He is our life hid and he is dead in us and we in him who shall appear and bring us forth with him in glory being our Head Root the quickning Spirit and which doth not deny a personall appearance of Jesus Christ the Son of man consisting of soule and body to and with the Saints when he is perfectly formed in them and what can this appearance be but spirituall in the glory of the Father and of the holy Angels according as the hodyes the vile bodies of all the Saints shall be in the resurrection where it riseth a spirituall body though sown a naturall body and then an end of flesh and blood and corruption so farre the Scripture leads us and wee must not be intruders into these things whilest God openeth not the doore unto us Wee are the Sonnes of God but it doth not yet appear what we shall be In that appearance shall be seen the sutablenesse of the Saints unto him Loe I and the children whom God hath given me and then shall be eternall union betwixt God and Christ and Christ and the Saints yet with distinction and subordination The head the body the root and the branches the husband and the wife Christ in God and the Saints in Christ and so in the Father one in another and perfect in one Thus I have given you the brief yet full coppy of what is written in mee so farre as I can read in way of answer to your queries and if you shall put me to read it over again and shew me any mistakes you shall doe mee no displeasure As God openeth himself in us so we discover these things and I shall be ready to discover what is discovered though I discover my mistakes with all for we are very unlearned in reading what the spirit hath written in us till it come in a large letter as it will doe that we may read it running This is all I have liberty to say at prefent Salute from me all our
saith It s sown a naturall but raised a spirituall body and men not knowing what to make of this spirituall body conceive it to be so many distinct personall appearances as have deceased since the world first began but the Lord in his time will shew them what this spirituall body is and then they will better judge of it but I am sure we without them or they without us are not perfect for though I have seen all these things accomplished upon me in this particular body yet I see that it is but as in a figure which hath reference to the whole therefore am I weak with them that are weak and stong with those that are strong and my glory lyes still in the body Never do I look for perfection more in one particular appearance but to be perfect in the whole I am no more my own but every ones and every one is mine Dear Soul the Lord of all our mercy supply and keep you safe under all those storms which are now breaking in upon us I humbly and heartily thank you for your sweet counsell in looking for tryall it is that which my heavenly father hath warned me to look for I leave you to his bowels and bosome in whom I rest I am Your endeared friend to serve God in you 4. Letter Dear Soule MY heart salutes thee and every budding forth of God in the divine mystery Oh my spirit sits inthron'd and glories in the top of every being and though all the buildings in the world shake I shal not come down to save any of the furniture of this darke Fabrick All images are with me my dearest though set in a frame of weaknesse c. The eye of eternity hath enclos'd them all and though its twinklings fold them up in night and though the back-parts of God obscures this earth and is a veile between it and the high-noone of the God-head yet this is but a shadow wherein Divinity hides it selfe which shall fly away and disappeare with the outward dresse of this Creation When all deformed Shapes Vizards and Pictures shall suffer losse then the present blacknesse which is the habitation of Dogs and Devils shall bee chas'd into outward darknesse but the comlinesse which all this while hath lyen disguised under that beggerly appearance and loathsome outwardnesse shall spring forth in a glorious ray of that bright morning Starre which shall visit us from on high bringing glad tydings upon its Angel-wing of life and immortal lity That the sweet Emmanuel born in the village of our own natures I am commanded to speake thus much unto thee my Dear breathing though my spirit rejoyceth to finde-thee already reeling with new wine bathing in that brimfull unction which yet cannot runne over its boundlesse circle and shall overflow all the world besides They shall all know God and all be cloathed with the divine person of Christ The water of life shall spring up in you all and every Creature heald of its disease when righteousnesse shall spring forth of the earth and the heavens shall hear the voyce of the earth and drop down fatnesse upon them The Tree of Life shall have its root within us sprouting forth through its quiet Sap into its glorious figure and life a Branch a Leafe thereof reducing every parcell of Corruption and cloathing that upon with spirit and immortallity which before was muffled up in sinne and wrath in paine and darknesse My dearest I am taken off in haste and have onely leysure to blesse thee for thy last which administred so much glory to my spirit live still happily my dear selfe in the ripe Navell of Divinity and let me see thee every moment in the divine Principle of glory whither the Lord Jesus is risen before and hath call'd up himselfe out of the flesh of F. M. Salvation-Bulwarks in the eternall Sabbath with out the number of a man 5. Letter Mine in the Lord THE present disposings of God towards me are very sweet and precious my soule being subdued daily to the Lords will in all things I see daily that the Fathers designes is to sweeten all conditions to me by the beames of his owne presence Truly in the Lord their 's nothing comes amisse to me but I am able to welcome every dispose of providence death sorrow and misery in the Lord are so familiar to me that I know not how to bee without them my soule longs after affliction because now the sting of misery is gone and it is my delight to play with it I thinke I should starve with hunger but that my own wants daily supply me sweet soule God is teaching me to see light in darknesse good in evill to eat upon the eater and receive sweetnesse from the strong to behold a happy harmony in all contrarieties I shall shortly bee with you now I am not from you but rest in thy bosome The Lord that spirit in the flesh 6. Letter Sweet and pure Spirit IN divine progresse I continually meet thee with a heart drawn out I alwayes salute thee I can be no where doe nothing but thou art still with mee In thy life I live in thy light I see by thy power I stand I am nothing but in thee and thou the same without mee my fulnesse is thy treasure and thy treasure is my fulnesse all that I have I receive from thee and yet what thou givest me is nothing but my own and so was from eternity I was with thee from the beginning and thy beginning was in my eternity I was with thee when thou didst inhabite darknesse thy darknesse was my secret place my secret place was thy darknes when the curs enmity of the old creation lay upon me thy power upheld me this power was mine own for it was no robbery for me to be equall with thee my form vailed thy glory yet it was my glory and thy form Thus thou for me and I in thee have borne the sinne and curse of of the old world born it I say into a land of forgetfulnesse which have forgotten and forgiven all transgression and thus in a reconciled and sweet union thou remainest my fulnesse and I rest thy happinesse Though in the flesh I subscribe my selfe distant by the name of From the Head-quarters of Divine Majesty this last Lords-day in the year of Jubile 7. Letter Dear Friend SOme glimmerings presented to the children of love clothed with darknesse bewildernessed in their spirits passing through the fiery tryall or crucifyings of flesh or things of the first Creation unto the the Canaan of rest or to a more higher fuller and excellent glory First considering the severall dispensations of the eternall God how hee hath severall wayes and in divers manners made out himselfe to a creature as Genesis Chap. I. and 2. the law or righteousnesse of the first creation in which God had communion with man and man with God yet rather with a Creator then with a Father and
friends with you 2. Letter My dear friend IN whom I have rejoyced I hold my selfe bound to acquaint you with the wonderfull dealings of my God with me It is so that I am called into judgement and the Books are opened and the booke of life is opened and I am judged according to all things which are written in the books Yet neither of these books is that Bible-book which we have hug'd so long as our onely happinesse I would not hore now be mistaken for I doe not say this judgement is not spoken off in the Bible neither those boâ—ks out of which I am judged for that they are both of them and yet I say that the Bible in the letter of it as it is bound up there is not the book I would not for a world take away any thing from the Bible or any of the excellency of that which is therein written but I would have it set in the right place I would not have it taken for God himselfe and yet God is in it and the letter of it is a very sweet manifestation of God but it is not God though God I say be manifested in this flesh But though wee have knowne things after the flesh yet henceforth we will know them so no more for indeed except wee come through the flesh which is the vail we cannot enter into the holiest for the outward Court is given to the Gentiles and it shall not bee measured wee all desire and strive to enter into rest the Lord give us hearts therefore that we faile not because of unbeliefe But indeed our lives and also our spirits are so full of prejudicate opinions that wee are apt to think the worst of every thing whereas if we were the children of God and like our Father we then should live in God which is love yea we should then be made one with this love Certainly we may feare that those Children are basely begotten that doe not in any way resemble their Father Deare friend such a like generation have we begotten amongst us for if we were like our Father we then should hope all things beleeve all things think no evill not be lifted up in our selves but thinke of every one better then of our selves But though the seed of the Serpent be sowen amongst us yet I say againe I would not bee mistaken by you for I am not against the use of the Bible for I see a true sweet lovely spirit in the writings of it though yet I would have you know that I dare not justifie all things as they lye in the letter of it not because the truth is not in it but because of the abuse of that truth by the fals translation of it for every one when he translates a Coppy writes it as he thinks fit and so puts in and leaves out according to his conceptions and we all are not ignorant what hands these coppies have come thorow I beseech you therefore to wait upon that one spirit which is in you he it is that shall lead you into all truth and I am sure that when God hath written his own truth within you then you will be able as well as the Apostles to write a Bible or any book else without you I am very confident did the Apostles live in our dayes they would be exceedingly grieved to see us appropriate the spirit onely to them when indeed the spirit cannot be confined for it is God himself and this God is in you and with you though you know it not so well as I could wish you did Let us therefore leave off all our appropriations and distinctions and then doe you tell me what you finde but God we have been apt indeed to say Lo hear he is and there he is but this is a lye for he is every where and he is not any where as confin'd or distinct from himself I beseech you therefore in the bowels of mercy that you be carefull what you doe I have one thing to acquaint you with which indeed was the cause of my present writing and its this That seeing as I have told you the great day of the Lord is come upon me and every thing is brought into judgement I cannot but minde you of one thing which past betwixt us and it was this you told me once of your visiting a maid which said that she lived in heaven and above the Bible even in God and by the Revelations of his own spirit which much stumbled both you and me Now I am come to tell you that this maid is risen in me and that I know now what she meant being by the wonderful goodnes of my God taken in to the same life my self and it is but lately accomplished upon my soule Shee meant therefore above the letter of that word in the Bible that indeed was dead too her but she lived in the spirit and life of it which was and is in God himself and this is the life which we all have groaned after and yet when God comes to take us out of those graves of sin and self apropriations and to loose those Chains and Bonds which we have in our darknesse and ignorance been brought into by distinctions we are afraid of him and not onely like Mary take him for the Gardner but wee are even afraid that it is Satan himself transformed as we call it into an Angel of light when indeed that is the very Satan that tels us so though he sets before us a seeming good but we are not ignorant of his wiles This was the Apple which he deceived our Mother Eve withall even this seeming good and hath ever since caused us to surfeit with it even to take things that are not for what they are in truth therefore take notice by the way that those things are not that seem to be or visibly doe appear to our sight but the things that are invisible and cannot appear to our fleshly sight those are the things in truth and therefore take notice of this that all this outward frame of things which doth appeare to our fleshly sight is but a resemblance or a figure of him which is invisible and cannot be seen but with a pure spirituall sight I speak all this for your and others sakes which yet stick in the flesh of Christ For I blesse my God I am got through it even within the vaile and I see him who is invisible with the eyes of my spirit and certainly I had these visible eys given me as a signe or a shadow of the substance Blessed therefore be the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ which hath not suffered me to stick in any thing below himself but hath brought me through all the wiles and cunning deceits of Satan and hath at length centured me in himself and hath caused me to sit down and rest in his own bosome Let therefore our heavenly Father bee glorified for this his great goodnes towards the Sonnes of
that in the outward court or first creation not in the inmost or holiest and Paradice it selfe being but an image of the excellency of this first Creation Man being fallen or deprived of this perfection which was accomplished through the temptation of the Serpent or fleshly wisdome or the espousals of the woman or weaknesse of this creation there was the first law of righteousnesse presented in a new ministration of letter by Moses in tables of stone from God in which the first glory or perfection and excellency was ministred to man in his fallen and apostated condition and because the law or first righteousnesse was weake through the flesh after the departing of the power supporting or unanswerablenesse of the apostatised state to the first uprightnesse there was given or God appearing to the refreshing and comforting of the creature an administratiou of Angels by visions and dreams as also a Priest-hood with Vrim and Thummim Sacrifices Ceremonies Tabernacle Temple and Prophets speaking forth immediate revelations c. by which man might have accesse to God and speake with him but in the outward court or through the flesh or of this creation though he filled these with another glory a higher and more excellenter discovery of his love in the promised seed the substance and excellency of that with all the former were but shadowes There was another ministration added of war and peace and tryals crucifyings or baptismes in the flesh as flying before Pharaoh and following a cloud of fire and blacknesse through or betwixt the wales of bâ—llowing waves in terror and feare the long marching through a wildernesse by the waters of Meriba and rock of strife skirmishing with Amalekites by the terrour of Mount Sinai cutting their way through Ogg King of Bashan and passing through the dividings of Jordan into Canaan another ministration was given of Canaanites in the land warre with the Nations captivity destruction of the Temple Gods departing the apostacy overspreading or God gathering up that glory which appeared in the Tabernacle and Temple and that of Priest and Prophet ceasing there then followed a night of darknesse or an apostasie upon all that administration and when God no longer filled the Tabernacle with a cloud and the Temple with glory they became a place of solitarynesse or desolation as all other ministrations 〈◊〉 and places for the Satire and the Scrich-Owle to dwell and sing in that is for the Spirit of Apostasie or Antichrist or of Iniquity to possesse and act in Another ministration somewhat clearer and briter then that of the Law and that was of John as in Matthew A greater had not rissen he was a burning and shining light as Luke 1. the Law and Prophets were till John he was the Prophet of the highest in respect of what went before and was sent to make Christ manifest to Saints by word and water and this was a ministration in order to one more spirituall the one ministration was to decrease the other to increase and that of fire or of spirit was to burne up that of water or of flesh or that which consisted of things of this Creation Another and more glorious ministration was that appearance of Christ or the Gospel in flesh or glad tydings manifested to sinners or the apostatised creation Heb. 1. or God appearing in the 〈◊〉 and familiarest relation of this creation to man even in flesh in which hee taught and did miracles and was circumcised and baptized and acted to fulfill all righteousnesse in which there was a cleare draught of that ministration of gifts and ordinances which was as perfect as the first creation in its glory and 〈◊〉 higher and nearer to God comming forth in nearer relation of an Emmanuel or God with us Another Administration also of Christ in the flesh of Saints Col. 1. 27. Christ in you the hope of glory and that by graces and operations and fruits of spirit as of faith repentance love selfe-denyall humiliation meeknesse also infallible gifts of spirit viz. to speake with tongues workmiracles and act infallibly administration even the height of the glorious Gospel or God shining in the face of Jesus Christ Now the spirit of God foreseeing Gods purpose to leave this ministration of Gospel glory to the world or flesh or Antichrist and to bring a night of darknesse upon all the day and brightnesse of his Sunne prophesied of a departing first before the man of sinne fleshly wisdome or Antichrist could be revealed or Gods departing from that Administration as hee did from the Tabernacle and Temple and whilst Antichrist or the power of the flesh or the spirt of iniquity reigns in the christian world or amongst such as professe a Christ all this while the Lord of glory or Jesus Christ in spirit is crucified in spirituall Sodom Aegypt or Babylon or the Kingdomes of the flesh and the powers of darknesse so that there is no mention of any restoration of the first ministry of gifts and ordinances which was in the Apostles dayes but is the state and persecution of the Lord Jesus in spirit and all those appearances of the Lord Jesus in many glorious Saints in perticular ages was but the appearance of him who is that faithfull and true witnesse or the prophesings of spirit in sack-cloath against the power of the man of sinne and were but drops of the Vials sounding of the Trumpet opening of the Seales before the battell of the great day when God shall appeare in flames of spirit and glory against and to confound Antichrist or fleshly powers or things of this creation So that there is not as I know of at present any word in all the Scriptures that the first ministry by gifts and ordinances shall in any measure be continued or restored in whole or in part As if that were the great worke the Lord intended viz. to set up the former ministry or the restoring some legall ordinances c. as if all the glory of the last times should be the bringing these or recovering them out of the hands of Antichrist that is not my present apprehensions but that the next ministration wil be the fiery tryal or a state and power of God put forth upon the severall administrations that Christians are under in order to higher discoveries of God which will produce torment in the flesh with blacknesse and darknesse and tempest or upon fleshly wisdome and powers or things of this creation viz. in some in passing from legall ministrations to a more evangelicall of grace and love there will bee torment and tempest upon that administration or selfe righteousnesse in the consumption thereof In that more Gospel state of a Christian whereby he injoyes God in graces gifts and contemplations with sweet tastes and imbraces of divine glory there will bee a fiery tryall or the clouds of fire and darknesse or crucifyings in the flesh and upon that ministration of gifts and graces insomuch that there will bee a scorching up of the
and others Some search deeper and throw into this composition some graines of spirit and quintessences of a higher extract purified and sublimd into a nobler essence But tell mee is this mixture like to restore life to a dying and languishing Nation to a darke and formall Church Could wee get the rarest drugs the world affords Could we search the earth to its center and discover the occult qualities of all its minerals and wonders Can this reach the some and spirit of one man much lesse a whole kingdome What though some grains of spirit are in one composition is it not loaded with thick clay overcome by the predominancy of contrary qualities The distemper of this Nation springs from our living in another world then our own in a corrupted aire a contagious climate in vassalage and slavery to these bodies of flesh to this lower element of the world to the Prince of darknesse Men created in the Image of God have uncloath'd themselves of that glory and now wander in the shapes of Wolves and Beasts of prey having their soules and spirits sprung from Heaven they transforme themselves into the similitude of the elementary-creatures What are warres confusions and disorders but the actings forth this brutish spirit in tearing and devouring our fellow creatures Fightings and divisions spring from the jarring discordant qualities in the mindes of men who have lost the spirit of sweetness union and peace which breaths forth nothing but love joy and keeps the whole body in an harmonious unity Is this unity to be recovered by divisions T is true by such a division as this it is by seperating truth from errour light from darkness the purer from the grosser parts This is by a spirit of burning and by a power above the strength of man Who must be the reformers of the world who must build the Lord a Temple a glorious Temple both in Church and State Not those who are staind with bloud and act by a spirit of wrath and violence The Lord tels David 1 Chron. 22. 8. Thou hast shed blood aboundantly and hast made great wars thou shalt not build an house to my name because thou hast shed much blood upon the earth in my sight Is there no spirit and life in these words Was not David permitted to build the materiall Temple a darke shadow and type of the spirituall Was not he suffered in that age under those darke fleshly administrations which held forth no greater light and put no greater glory upon their spirits to subdue the world but by Sword and Bow by force and violence and is it probable that the sweet mild and gentle spirit of the Gospel should need the force and strength of men These doe well that it is in their hearts to reforme the world but they mistake the way they act in the strength of the wrath of God in the spirit of this world their poor earth will not conquer Hell and Devils their Sword and Gunnes will never change the natures of men No Solomon must build this Temple the Lord Jesus it must bee another spirit another generation another way These with David may fell the Cedars and hew the Stones of this earthly building Those ordain'd for this glorious worke their Swords must bee of another mettall to wound and heale againe to destroy the flesh and transforme it into spirit their spirits shall breath forth nothing but love and sweetnesse their Language shall be glory to God on high on earth peace good-will towards men they call not for fire from Heaven they cast not into Prisons and Dungeons they Plunder not nor destroy they are of other spirits more sweet more amiable forcing the world by a divine power of love to confesse they are overcome and vanquish'd All the Kingdomes of the Earth all the Glory of the Creatures all the Splendour Magnificence and Pompe of the world shall vanish as Smoake and acknowledge it selfe a poore shadow an empty nothing All that act in this spirit of violence and fury are a rod in the hand of God the Executioners of vengeance These are the Hornes of the Beasts that shall hate the Whore and make her desolate and naked and shall eat her flesh and burne her with fire in the cup shee hath filled these shall fill to her double these powre out the Vials of wrath upon the seat of the Beasts they are the Fowles of Heaven to eat the flesh of Kings and the flesh of Captaines and Great-ones of the earth they are to rend and teare the outward garment of the worlds glory they are an administration wherein God cloaths himself with fury indignation By this spirit of vengeance and wrath al the worlds tormeÌ„tors have bin acted this hath bin a work of Assirâ—ans and Babylonians Romans Turks and Sarazens they have overcoÌ„e the whole face of the earth with their Armies they have trampled the Nations under their feet and trod their God in the mire of the streets How doe many in this age glory in these triumphs set up their poor trophees their triumphant Pillars as if the strength were their owne and the glory their owne Had they the spirits of Christians they needed not the swords of men they are weake in the Spirit of the Gospell therefore they cloath themselves with the power of flesh and will enter into Canaan in the wrath of the Lord destroying and devouring not converting They glory in fleshly Conquests and Victoâ—ies having not power in the Spirit to conquer in the way of love union and peace with these Weapons the Apostles bid defiance to the whole world to Hell and Devils they advanced their Standards upon the proud wals of Rome it selfe This fleshly strength will prove weaknesse in this worke it will dye and vanish into ayre when it hath done the work the Lord hath appointed God makes one spirit and property of darknesse afflict and torment another the Nations of the world will destroy themselves every one by the Sword of his Brother The flesh of the Saints engag'd in these contests and worldly quarrels shall rend it selfe and helpe to rend the world But how are they Saints Such who have some glimmerings of the bright and morning-Starre who by throwing of the externall vaile of Antichristian darknesse fleshly forms servile dependency on the darke spirits of blind men I say having throwne of these fetters they have some liberty and having removâ—d these mists they see a light the faint reflections of a rising Sunne being let out of their cage of darknesse they fly and flutter and catch at every thing but apprehend little as it is in God but in the light of their own spirits mov'd by the call and drawing of the spirit of God and the concurrence of those beams of light scattered themselves every where these receive but glances and flashes and cover it with much darknesse confusion and ignorance yet being rais'd above their former state they think God speaks in them and
more Aâ—ust I alwayes be tormented among shadows longing and wandring after the substance and never meet with it All this while it is pretty well in comparison of what it is when fury 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 my spirit boils within me and rages 〈◊〉 is that maketh my spirit so violent and 〈◊〉 ous I can in no wise imagine nor vent 〈◊〉 cannot it is too big to come forth therâ— no object without capacious enough to râ—ceive it but within it lyes and feeds and 〈◊〉 presses so vehemently that my spirit is 〈◊〉 forced to cry out day and night there is 〈◊〉 subsisting no there is no subsisting undâ—â— it June 10. NOw to return if it may be to the thoughts and workings of my minde concerning your letter To what end should he write to me in this manner unless he could withall have sent me light to read by I understand not one line not one tittle of all his letter This day whilest my father and I was together this letter became yours What 〈◊〉 the meaning of this which way shall I go 〈◊〉 bout to finde out the meaning of this 〈◊〉 he present how many questions might I 〈◊〉 him before I could receive in any imagination 〈◊〉 concerning the sense of these words 〈◊〉 I must ask him who is his father what 〈◊〉 father I cannot so much as fancy what 〈◊〉 should be A father is he that begets his 〈◊〉 is he that begat him But who is that 〈◊〉 begat him what is he I am at a losse at 〈◊〉 dash But what meanes this Whilest my 〈◊〉 and I was together what is it to bee 〈◊〉 the father to have the father with one here is a puzling phrase indeed here my fancy is quite puzled I know not how to frame any imagination about this what it is to be with the father And whilest I was with the father what is the meaning of this whilest is hee sometimes with the father and sometimes not with the father Whilest I know not what to make of this whilest Whilest I was with the father this letter became yours how mine I know not how it is mine how became it mine Did his father while he was with him bid him write this to me Here may be more in this then I am aware of I remember my mind did much muse on this and my desire was great to have satisfied my spirit concerning the sence of it but it was and still is too hard for mee Then I thought on the next passage That there is but one to remain on the earth that is the Lord. But one What is one For my paâ—â— I know neither unity nor distinction and thaâ— is the Lord. The Lord Oh what is the Lord â— who is the Lord I am forced to speake likâ— Pharaoh I know not the Lord. I cannot say know any thing nay certainly if any thing bâ— certaine to mee I doe not know any thing But of all things I have no knowledge at all oâ— the Lord that is the thing indeed that is hiâ— from mee with perfect darknesse The vaile â— so thicke and my eye so weake if I have anâ— eye that I have no manner of discerning â—â— him But one to remaine on the earth Whâ—â— is this remaining when all things passe awaâ— shall the earth it selfe abide any otherwiâ—â— then other things abide also how shall thâ—â— Lord remaine on the earth Then I thought on that passage Be not troâ—bled What voyce is this whence came this Did his father bid him wâ—ite thus to mee Who is it troubles me To this let me sâ— two things I cannot resist alas what a vaiâ— thing is it for a poore weake creature to thiâ— to withstand such mighty powerfull troublâ— as comes rushing in upon mee I have â— strength to resist any thing there is nothiâ—â— so weake as I the strongest Engine is weaâ— in my hand but trouble hath growne strength as fast as I have decayed How should I now resist it how should I now avoid beâ—ng troubled Besides when at at any time â— thinke to keepe trouble of it presently over-beares me I never finde any mitigation of â—rouble so farre as I have observed but when â— lye downe at its feet opening my bosome â—nd letting it enter as deepe as it will What means this phrase whence came this speech Be not troubled Then that passage came into my minde If â—ou will but stand still you shall see the salvaâ—ion of the Lord breaking forth upon the whole earth I did not finde my spirit so enquiring into the particular sence of this Phrase â—s working thus How spake hee this Upon â— generall notion that the Lord will appeare â—re long and so I among others shall see him â—ea perhaps he may meane though the body be laid in the dust first yet I shall see him or by a particular present light from the father concerning me whom he said was now with him and that while he was with him this Letâ—er became mine Afterwards I remembred another passage Shall I come to you or will you come to mee What was his intent in this that the body â—hould move to him to Westminster or send to him to move to the place where my body then was Alas that were a poore comming on either hand or to what end were any such comming and for any other comming either of mee to any or of any to mee I am not acquainted with it At last I remembred that When he appeared unto mee my flesh died and was crucified Oh then I felt my spirit burne within mee to know this appearing of him and the rather that it might kill me that I might once enteâ— into this crucified state oh this is a sweet way of dying to dye by the appearing of the Lord this is the very way I have desired to dye alâ— this while My torments have been partly welcome through hope of death from them and I reasoned within my selfe though thâ— Lord might slay me by his appearing yet if â—â— were his pleasure to kill me by his absence anâ— severall kindes of tormenting fires which hâ— should pick out to that purpose yet at lengâ—â— death would bee sweet and an entrance intâ— my desired life But this was it still perplexâ—â— me I could not dye the flames wereliving fed mee with life as well as with tormenâ— Then my Spirit would Sigh Surely this wiâ— never do it after this rate may I be tormentâ— for ever and yet still live unto that to whiâ—â— I have still desired to dye But to be killed by the appearing of the Lord oh how sweet would this way be and this would be a certaine way too mee thinkes I could easily bee perswaded to beleeve that the creature cannot live any longer when God once appeares To these let me add one more which came into my minde this morning Come let us be gone why stay we here our bed is greene Oh how faine would I be gone How doe I loath staying here
can betide us in our way to it are not worthy to bee compared in the very expectation whereof I am seised with more joy then my poore heart can hold Yours in all conditions Letter 21. Sir I Purposed the last week to have saluted my friends and see now the reason why providence disappointed me which I shall keep secret to my self For your Letter I should have been troubled at it had not I learned to see God in every thing and been acquainted with those traverses of carnall reason and unbelief in my own Spirit you have done no more then what I have done my self concluding both with my self and in the company of my friends the same things to be no better then delusions and under that temptation of blasphemy against the Spirit have rested till a brighter appearance of God hath broke through all and swallowed up that veile of death and darknes in so much victory as I must needs confesse my self to have been more then a conquerer though it hath cost me dear first For the present I shall advise nothing you are where providence hath disposed you and 't will be best for you to follow the tract of God in your own Spirit and stay here till an act of confidence and assurance shall release you for if you struggle or make hast you intend your bondage be you assured that the substance of what I said to you will bear down heaven and earth before it and truly till then this old administration which God hath worn so long he is now uncloathing himself of be removed the presence of Saints and that glorious manifestation of the Sons of God which hath entertained the expectation of the creature so long cannot bee as wee have plainly in Esay 13. 12. 13. I will make a man more precious then fine gold yea a man then the golden wedge of Ophir therefore I will shake the heavens and the earth c. And in the 14. It shall be as a chased Roe and as a Sheep that no man takes up c. one thing I will add more because I see your temptation grows with some confidence upon yon since you seem to have extinguished the smoaking flax by powering water upon it and repenting of what you have done let me thus farre advise poure on more water doe it the second time doe it the third time and observe if the smoaking flax prevaile not upon it and that spark lick it up and the God that answereth by fire let him bee God I could attempt such satisfaction in a carnall way but truth is a more immediate and naked thing and works best without the activity and contribution of the creature neither will I humble God so far as to prostitute truths of that nature it s the patience of God they may yet be proposed to the world I doubt there will a quick providence passe upon it and the word is like to be He that hath ears to hear let him hear and he that is unjust let him be unjust still and he that c. Revel 22. 11 12. For behold I come quickly and my reward is with me to give c. Every mans work shall be manifested by fire for the day shall declare it because it shall be revealed by fire and as Paul hath it 1 Cor. 3. in a settled expectation of which I possesse my own Spirit and your present temptation in a great deale of patience and rest Yours Letter 22. Sir MY good friend I wish my occasions had been such as would have given me leave to have seen you suddenly and to have come over as I promised I desire you would dispence with me till Michaelmass and then I hope to have a prosperous journey by the will of God to come to you both to refresh and be refreshed by you I hope the Lord is a working that in England which will e're long give his people solid cause of refreshment we have already the experience of that which a few dayes ago we did but expect and scarce expected I hope as the Lord removes impediments from without and paves the way of out peace with the pride and projects of our enemies so he will take away all impediments within our enemies being not onely those of our own kingdome but of our own hearts there being the same principles of fleshly wisdome and carnall reasoning against the kingdome of Christ within us as there is in the world without us Doubtlesse the day of the Lord will be upon every thing that exalts it self against the government of Jesus Christ in Spirit shaddows of all sorts begin to flye and day already discloses and the openings of heaven upon the Soule are very glorious and that spirituall prediction of the Prophet begins to receive its accomplishment Esa 25. 7. The Lord will destroy in this mountain the face of the covering cast over al people It concerns us quietly to expect the out-goings of the Spirit in us and the leadings forth from faith to faith from glory to glory from flesh and form and letter to spirit and so to more spirit at last into all spirit till we have our selves in Jesus Christ and our God be all in all I am sorry Sir I am cast into such a strieght of time as I must necessarily break off otherwise I could with some delight have entertained my selfe with this argument I mean Gods administring of us immediately in himself but of this more when I see you Yours in the Lord Jesus Letter 23. Dear friend THe Fathers love hath of late been much manifested toward me exceeding hath that glory been in which I have dwelt since last I saw you my joy unspeakable my rest unutterable my peace unconceiveable Having therefore received such large and plenteous fillings flowing from the heart of the most High I can do no lesse than acquaint you with some few tastes and relishes of my late enjoyments as in manner followeth On Munday the 24th of this instant I was in the Evening at a friends house in Cambridge-shire where being in a familiar conference with some of my acquaintance it pleased the Father so freely to unbosome himself in me by such clear demonstrations of his presence as I never before beheld insomuch that I appeared to my selfe as one out of my selfe translated into the substantiall and pure enjoyment of that love and peace which I have usually before either but onely heard or at least darkly seen and beheld through the vails of outward administrations That which was spoken by me under these workings was faced with such an eivdent appearance of spirit and power as that it struck astonishment in the hearts of those present some thereat gushing out into teares others possessed with shaking and trembling and one there was who was so filled with joy as that he could not refrain singing and leaping my heart was so overcharged with the presence of the most High that I desired a more retyred being and to
Saints I leave you and goe to my Father surely whether I goe you know and the way you know think it not strange cone rning this my fiery tryall by death and sepâ—â—ation from you for loe the time commeth in which we shall be no more seperated but as we are one so shall we ever be inseperable from our own beloved Holy holy holy is the Lord God of Sabbath a holy rest a Sabbath of eternall rest am I gone to celebrate Oh yee holy Saints the voyce of my Beloved behold he comes leaping upon the Hils and skipping upon the Mountaines Loe he comes and that quickly he comes and now quickly am I gone of all Beloveds none is like to mine the melodious voyce sings sweetly in mine eare even of Angels themselves but that new Song of love the sweet lovely Song of Saints gloriously glorified with their Beloved is harmonious indeed What shall I now say of these things I cannot now fully apprehend them as it is but am now comprehended of them therefore lye I downe and rest with this perswasion and full conclusion sealed by the witnesse of the Spirit unto my Soule that what my Beloved is so shall I be and where bee is thither am I gone Then deare Sisters and precious Saints make haste and tarry not that are here on earth in imperfection so that now in heaven in perfection we may live and for ever enjoy Joyes unspeakable and full of glory Farewell deare Saints farewell farewell though I now leave you and goe away from you yet I shall see you againe and when I see you so I rejoyce eternally together with you in this life I have beene yours and here together with you and surely death disjoynts not our Spirits though our Bodies therefore in another life shall we be as members so Saints glorified in our glorious Jesus and with him who is our delight in whom you are to whom you are to whom I goe and with whom wee shall remaine Priests and Kings to our God Deare Saints I rest and the God of rest be with your spirits for ever and when you see this think on him who was here your fellow Disciple but now Your glorified Brother WILLIAM LANGHAM 25. Letter The Coppy of a Letter as it was sent from Mrs. T. P. in behalfe of Mrs. E. P. To a Congregation of Saints in London under the forme of Baptisme DEAR brethren in the bowels of love and meeknesse I kindly salute you wishing you an encrease of all faithfulnesse and true knowledge in the mystery of Christ The cause of my present writing is to acquaint you that providence hath lately brought a letter to my hand directed to my husband concerning one Mrs. P. once a member with you which woman say you for scandalous evils was cast out Now it being some yeares since it was done I humbly desire a little to reason with you about the grounds why this still remains upon your spirits seeing Christ saith forgive yee one another as I forgive you and God is said to remember our sinnes no more this therefore is a note of forgivenesse not to remember and sure we should shew our selves children of our heavenly father But further I desire before the Lord that you examine your owne hearts in this thing what your end is in it if it be that you thinke she is not worthy to have a livelihood amongst men then why doe you not either by the Civill Law if that will take hold of the offence or by some other way if nothing will satisfie you but her blood take some present course that may put an end to this great difference but if you thinke this bee too grosse or more then the offence requires then I beseech you for the Lords sake to consider your owne actings in this thing whether you doe not as much as in you lies carry on the same designe though more closly from the eyes of the world which sure before the Lord can appear no other but the hunting after her life nay is it not more then to take off one single life at once for which is greater cruelty for a Tyrant to take a mans life at once or by degrees and then your selves be judges whether your proceedings towards her be not a killing all the day long for you cannot bee ignorant that she hath no livelihood amongst men but what she earnes by her hands and your defaming her in this manner cannot in an ordinary way but deprive her of that and so at last bring her blood upon you If you say you acquaint none but the Saints with it it is evident to the contrary for your open publishing it in the Counsell of Warre caused the world to take notice of it and yet your spirits rest not here truly deare friends as the evill spirit wrought in her one way when she was with you so consider whether the fame spirit doe not highly worke in you at this time another way the Lord give you understanding in all things But if her life be not that which you aim at then is it those divine discoveries of life and light which God makes out to the world by her if it be so then you are to know that hee is too strong you strive withall but about this I would a little quere first whether doe you think that because such evils were manifest in her when with you therefore it is impossible now that any good should bee brought forth by her doe you not hope to grow better and better But secondly is it not Gods usuall way to manifest himselfe there highest where in time past he was by the evill spirit kept lowest yea doth hee not suffer himselfe for this very end many times thus to die in appearance and to leave a soule to it selfe that it may see what it is in it selfe and learne to die to it selfe that so hee may have the more glorious resurrection in that soule I beseech you for the Lords sake to consider these things As for her outward person I conceive she cares as little for it as you can therefore you may take your fill of trampling on it but I beseech you bee carefull how you medle with the spirit that breaths in her for surely brethren I know not what spirit manifested it selfe in her while with you I am sure and I speake nothing but the truth that I have found a most divine spirit in her as farre as I could discerne and that which comes to the spirit and life of things and in this me thinks you should rejoyce for truly I have heard many professors and seene many professions but to my knowledge I never heard one come so neare the power as shee does I doe not speake this as being affected with any person party or opinion I blesse my God I am now in his strength delivered from that though some have falsly affirmed my being deluded by her but I am confident I can say with Paul
and that not onely repeating the letter but in truth that those things which I have received have not beene from man nor woman nor any other thing but by the meere revelation of Jesus Christ in mee God manifesting himselfe in my owne flesh and therefore they much wrong both her and me that affirme it but especially they wrong or speake a lye of that God that did it for me and because I heare it so reported amongst you I thought good to write one word to cleare it that so whether you will heare or whether you will forbeare the word of truth might judge you give not eare therefore to all you heare though from brethren least you be brought into a snare for since the defection of the Churches men yea good men have been such lovers of themselves and their own opinions that they will speake largely upon little ground to keepe up their owne glory God having not yet undone them for were they once undone men they would willingly be what God would have them however the world accounts of them There is another thing which came to my care that it should be given into the Counsell by your two witnesses that the said Mrs P. should say that you cast her out for difference in judgement and when Collonell Rich and Collonell Harison asked to whom shee spake it they said to some of Abington Now indeed my husband said to you that he thought such a thing but when hee came home and saw so little ground for his thoughts I thinke he had but little comfort in telling you so and then brethren if you upon such slender grounds should act in this strange manner against her affirming this thing so publikely I thinke you have cause to bee humbled for it and justly to repent of your evill I desire you to beare a little with mee for truly it appeares to mee rather to bee your rage of spirit then your true love either to her or truth for mee thinkes it would savour more of a true Christian spirit if you had first spoken with her and have seene what change the Lord hath wrought in her as knowing that Mary out of whom seuen Divels had beene formerly cast was made the first messenger of Christs Resurrection yea and she must bring it to the Apostles and not the Apostles to her You say in your letter that you left her to the judgement of the great day and I beseech you brethren doe you not againe take her into your owne daie for truly I beleeve that daie in a measure hath come upon her and the Lord himselfe is at worke with her therefore doe not feare but the worke will be well done onely we as well as shee must have patience in it and surely this is the confidence that I have concerning her that she hath seen evill in that estate she walked in with you and certainly God is good to her in this shewing her what an abominable spirit of wickednesse may bee hid under the greatest practises and professions of externals not that these are the cause of it no the gold and the silver is mine saith the Lord but wee bestowing it upon our lovers and making our selves great with his ornaments he is fain in love to us to take us from them or they from us and so finde out a more sprirituall administration to perfect us in Oh the infinite riches of our God! where doth his bounty â—nd sure his waies of love are unsearchable eâ—d his paths of mercy in which he followes anore fallen man and poor backsliding soules are past finding out how narrow are our capacities we judge as men We may think as some did of David that there is no help for such things in God but all things in truth will be found possible with him even where they are altogether past our thoughts and conceptions and become to us impossible I beseech you therefore be perswaded to bow down to him I know you are conscious that all judgement is not committed unto you and therefore it is possible you may not judge right in this thing for truly brethren we may conceive many things even by the letter it self yet not living in that spirit that writ the letter we may erre I pray do not mistake me as if I would any way speak slightly of the letter farther than it speaks of it self no I blesse the Father for it and by sweet experience can say that I was never so confirmed in it now the Lord hath drawn me to him out of it even in that spirit that wrote it I am for the conscionable use of it but I would not abuse it I am sure those men that would set it above the spirit can hardly free themselves from that thing I hope therefore you will not count it your excellency to walk in the letter but rather desire the Lord to perfect you in that spirit that writes the letter for then and never till then shall we be able to walk by it aright and speak of the letter truly I have not yet acquainted my husband with your letter I shall wait upon God what answer to receive from you for truly dear brethren upon serious deliberation I know not how to approve my self faithfull in the eyes of God to my brethren here if I should deliver it for God having put it into my hand I must also see clearnes from him before I part with it for though blessed be the father we have a sweet hopefull people amongst us that wait upon God and have fellowship one with another yet whether they may digest such things as you write of I really question therefore it would be unfaithfulnes in me if I apprehending an evill to them or any other should not as much as in me lies prevent it and this I shall doe by detaining the Letter till further manifestation from God what to do with it Doe not judge me in this thing I beseech you I have one Judge even the Lord and he that put it into my hand will aâ— length clear my integrity in it I have nothing to doe for my self in it the Lord knows only to find out if it may be how I may approve my self â—aithfull to men in the Lord and for the Lords â—ake Your desire I exceedingly like that we may be kept from errours and the Lord keep us all from errours but who must shew us what errour is but the God of truth himself we have lived in errour and have suckt them in from our cradles and yet who will speak so much against error as we stating our selves still in the truth My sweet friends the day of truth is but now dawning upon us and how is it opposed even by those that are children of truth in their measure yet wee have all looked for it and prayed together for it a long time but truly now we will not own our prayers but turn away our face from our Saviour because he comes
it was unexpected by me onely the Lord would have it so and therfore all your care must serve the Lords designes to bring it to my hand when my husband was not in town doe not therefore look upon me but look to the Lord use me as kindly as Job did his servant reject not my cause for surely it is not mine I leave you to the Lord whom I desire rightly to guide you in this thing and am Your sincere loving Sister and servant from the greatest to the meanest of you T. P. Abington 26. March 1649. 26. Letter Deare Friend ENgagements from a true principle are not easily dislolved and while we hold the head we cannot let goe the members I have considered you in the union of life and truth from whence flow my unfeigned respects to you and wherein consists the true enjoyment of your self Vanity of vanity interposeth between God and us while we are below and vexeth our unquiet spirits seeking contentment in earthly relations we wander too and fro and return empty but when we close with the divine will our distractions are composed the commotions of our distempred hearts are all sweetly silenced Friend when you have in the spirit ascended farre above all heavens when you are above all even that God hath made and for a time also ordained you to use then may you and then will you be able to descend into the lowest parts of the earth and from thence again rise to the highest glory Then will you have a true sweet and comfortable use of the meanest condition in the world out of which you shall mount to the clearest enjoyment of the greatest happinesse and by a continuall intercourse between heaven and earth you will at last come to inherit the utmost large and full extent of the Lords dominions If you were confined to that heaven onely as it hath been received in the generall notion you would be streightned in your borders and be deprived of part of your portion and possession for the earth as well as the heaven is filled with the glory of God from which if you were excluded you must necessarily want that peice of your right whereof you were made an heiresse When the ladder of our eternall union is set between Heaven and Earth between the divine and humane nature then may we both ascend and descend one as freely as the other our heavenly state will not disdain our earthly nor our earthly hinder our heavenly the true Angelicall life hath sweet communion with God in both Trouble afflictions and crosses in the world will administer consolation and be all your servants helpers of your joy God will be all Union unto him cannot be divided the wings of the morning are not swift enough to outflie him the utmost parts of the earth the farthest distance of sense the broad Sea the greatest confusion of minde the wide wildernesse the most solitary sadnesse of heart cannot hide from his presence Nay if you goe downe into the Hell of horrour your Ioule shall not be left there his right hand of power and spirit of holinesse will raise you up againe I have endeavoured to discharge my respects to you in these short and sudden lines being now hindred from enlarging by the courtesie and visites of my friends My respects of love presented I am Your servant in Truth Aug. 20. 1649. Copiâ— haec mut at â—â— mutandis typis mandetur 27. Letter To I. I. DEARE and loving Friend whom I desire to own and to be one with in the fellowship of the Father and the Son in one eternall invisible and ever-ruling Spirit in and with which Spirit we are to walk live abide in after we are made one with it which is and must bee an inward true and invisible walking and according to an inward true and invisible rule and not after an outward and worldly manner as the worldlings doe For my Kingdome is not of this world saith Christ my Kingdome is not of observation and worldly rudiments for it is within you that consists not in any outward rule or practise all the true rules and directions of the Spirit is within it is visible the truth of all things is within the outward is not the truth but an Image of the truth therefore to walke in outward forms or ordinances is but to walke in an Image and not in the truth it selfe but to walke in the truth is to walke in the spirit and if in the spirit then in God for God is a spirit and hee is the truth of the spirit and he that will be one with God must bee one with him in the spirit and in truth as it is essentiall in God or else there can be no perfection and then no true walking with God to be one with God is to be nothing ones selfe and to walk with God is to walke out of ones selfe Enoch walked with God and was not for God tooke him he was not that is hee was not himselfe No man can walke with God while he is himselfe a man as man cannot be said to walke with God he may walke with man but not with God nothing can be said to walke with God but what is one in and with God and therefore must bee as God for none can walke with God but God No man hath seen the Father but the Sonne hee that ascended is the same that descended no man hath nor never shall see the Father but the Sonne Then none can be said to walke with God but Jesus Christ who is God And this walking is invisible that is a communion of spirit in man one man may have communion with another as man but none can have communion with God but God light cannot have communion with darknesse nor darknesse with light but light hath communion with it selfe Therefore that we are in the light let us walk as Children of the light and not as the Children of darknesse But you will say Doe wee not walke with God in Ordinances I answer that ordinances are not light truth nor spirit and therefore wee cannot walke with God in them wee cannot walke with God in any thing but in the light in the truth and in the spirit nor none can walke with God in these things but the divine spirit or inward man which is of God and one with God to walke with and in God is to walke in the truth and ordinances you cannot say are the truth no more then you can say the scripture is the truth but if you will make it truth you must make it God for there is but one truth and that is God One God and Father of all one Lord one Faith and one Baptisme and all but one God and one truth God as he is in the word Christ Jesus is the truth and if we have heard of him and been taught by him as the truth is in Jesus then shall wee say that the scripture is not truth but