And all inferiour creatures shall stand in awe of and reverence and love man And tâ—e wisdome and Love in man shall preserve all others in safety and peace CAAP. II. What the Tree of Knowledge of Good and evill is BVt when Imagination is fed upon and delighted in as it is at this day amongst most people This is he that puts all out of order he corrupts the five Senses and makes mankinde walke disorderly and to teare and devoure members of his owne kinde just like the Beast of the field and to differ nothing from them the Beasts they prey and devoure one another so does imaginary man fights makes wars kills robs destroyes and wasts one another This is the reigne of the Beast and yet he would be called a God though he be the murderer well thou art and still shalt be called a God But thou art the God of the world that runs round and when thou art brought to where thou beganst then thy dayes are done thou must dye And the voyce is pronounced it is done time shall be to thee no more And thou shalt be destroyed without hand that is without sword or weapons which is the rocke of dâ—fence for Christ will consume thee by the word of his mouth and by the brightnesse of his commiâ—g Well this Imaginary power is the darke side of the cloude This is the Sonne of the mother Earth mankinde which causes shame This is the curse the Serpent the Devill and his power hath filled the Creation and is the burden it grones under This is the power of darknes And he would be as God knowing good and evill therefore the Almighty power of Life affords him a time times and dividing of time to rule in mankinde And while he rules he fills all creatures with sorrow and slavery and so in the end of his appointed time he is proved a Devill and not the true God the destroyer and murderer and not the Saviour The curse and not the blessing of the Creation the power of darknesse and not the power of Light This is the darknesse that hath covered the Earth and the curse that destroyes all things this is he that calls light darknesse and darknesse light good evill and evill good and while this power rules in mankinde mankinde is in prison and bondage within himselfe and sees no Light And under this power of Imagination the whole government of the world amongst the sonnes of men is built all Nations are under this Kingdome of darknesse the frame of this worldly government is the Devills proper Kingdome And the power of the sword fighting and killing cannot throw downe his Kingdome but set it up in more power Bâ—t that power that must destroy the dark Kingdome is a power contrary to him And that is Love and patience Live in this life and thou killst the Devill and shakest his Kingdome about his eares This power of Love and patience acted with a cheerefull life kills Imagination Indeed Imagination is that God which generally every one worships and ownes and in the matter they worship a lye the Devill and meere nothing This is he that makes everie one wise in his owne conceit that makes men Envie censure and destâ—oy one another and to take pleasure in none but what pleases selfe This Imagination feares where no feare is he rises up to destroy others for feare least others destroy him he will oppresse others least others oppresse him and feares he shall be in want hereafter therefore he takes by violence that which others have laboured for And so he beates the even ground before him like a blinde man that imagines that hill or block lies in his way And though this dark power be a God or mighty ruler in mankinde yet assoone as he appeared to rule the true Light appeares to breake his peace assoone as Imagination began to sit upon the throne Mans heart The seed of Life began to cast him out and to take his Kingdome from him So that this is the great battaile of God Almâ—ghty Light fights against darknesse universall Love fights against selfish power Life against death True knowledge against imaginary thoughts These two powers are Michaell and the Dragon and this battaile is fought in Heaven that is in mankinde in the garden of Eden where God principally resolves to set up his throne of righteous governement it is not sought in the spirit of Beasts but in Heaven in the spirit of Mankinde who is the Lord And this battaile in our age of the world growes hotter and sharper then formerly for we are under the dividing of time which is the last period of the Beasts raigne And he will strive hardest now But it will be in vaine he must loose his Kingdome for the Lambe will cast the Dragon out and bring all into Peace then every thing shall appeâ—re naked and bare before the Lord of the whole Earth and all Imaginary coverings shall be taken off every where Now the end of all societies of Churches preaching praying Ordinances should be to finde out this darknesse and to cast it out And to worship the Father in Spirit and truth And so to advance the Blessing or the Sonne in whom the Father is well pleased That so mankinde might cease speaking and acting from thoughts and Imagination and may come to speake and act purely as the truth was in Jesus he being the supreame Lord of the Earth This you Preachers and Professors is or at least should be the end of your profession And if you come short of this you loose all your paines and will be ranked among imaginary Hypocrites that worship they know not what but as their fancie â—ells them And that is neither better nor worse but the Devill which you worship Therefore if man would live purely to the honour of that spirit in him which is called the Seed he is then to know what spirit is it that rules in him and to act from it for that spirit that rules is the God whether it be Imagination or whether it be the light of life which is vniversall Love This is the shame and misery of our age That every one professes Christ and the spirit and they will preach of and pray to the Spirit And yet they know not inwardly by what spirit or inward power they are ruled Every one lookes upon a God and a ruler without him as the Beast of the field does few sees their Ruler within These have lost their dominion and Lordship and they live under the curse and are blinde in their Imagination and are ignorant of the wayes of truth These are cast out of the Garden they live out of themselves upon the Earth they live upon riches honors-pleasures Ministeâ—s Lawyers Armies wife children Ordinances customes and all outward formes of worship or in that beastly community with women now adayes cryed up by the lust of the flesh yea upon any thing without them which they imagine good take away these
call this â—lasphemâ—e to sâ—â— Christ is in you thougâ— the Scriptures which they professe say the same Know you not that Christ is in you And the Kingdom of Heaven is in you And they that worship the Father must worship him in spirit within and in truth of action without and fulfilling the Law and the Prophets Love your enemies and doe as you would be done by in actions and not in words only CHAP. V. What the living Soule Man is that is called very gâ—â—d IN the body of mankinde and indeed in every single body there are three particulars necessary to be knowne without which no man can know himselfe let him say what he will The first is the Creature or the living Soule which before the curse defilâ—s it is very good and this was the Image of God or of the righteous spirit in flesh or first Adam And this living soule is the heaven in which the â—attell is fought between the curse and the blessing Micaell and the Dragon And this living soule is the wax fiâ—ted to receive either the impression of the curse and so prove disobedient to righteousnesse or the impression of the blessing and so prove obedient to righteousnesse Secondly there is the mysterie of iniquitie or the power of deceit and this is the God of the world or Prince of darknesse that deceives the livâ—ng â—oule fiâ—st and takes possession and this in one man is the Image or rather nature of that one power of darknesse or Devill that is spread abroad through the Creation to cover over or keep downe the blessing or Seed of Life from rising Thirdly the Life of God or of the righteous spirit rising up in the living soule and casting the curse or power of darknesse out and bringing Mankinde into peace and this is the second Adam or the Lord from Heaven Now this living soule Mankinde is a Beast and the King of Beasts for the life of the five Sences onely is the life of the Beast And this Beast in every one as well as in the whole is to raigne for a time times and dividing of time before mankinde caâ— bâ— united to the life of the righteous God and made one with that one spirit of universall Love As Jesus Christ prayd Father I pray that they may be one in us as thou oh Father art one in me and I in thee they were not united yet The Image of God in flesh dyed and was put out by darknesse But the Seed or spirit of true life rising up from under that darknesse dies no more but lives for ever This spirit is the tree of Life Therefore you that say you know but one power be not deceived for if this one power of righteousnesse which is the tree of Life rule in you then you are new creatures indeed you are one with the Father and the Sonne And thâ—n you shall know death no more that is you shall not live â—â— opposition to the spirit of righteousnesse no more neither in thought word nor deed And then all sorrow and teares shall flie away likewise and you shall be at rest which is the day of the Lord or the Light or day time of Mankinde Darknesse is now swallowed up and gone But if selfish actions and selfish Principles live in their strength in you still if Imagination be Ruler truly then that one power is but the power of darknesse to whom you are in bondage and you are not yet past the combate the Dragon is not yet cast out and you must know a fuller resurrection before you can sit downe in peace Some of you have gâ—t a speech That those that see two powers within themselves of darknesse and Light Love and Envy sorrow and comfort striving together sees with two eyes 〈◊〉 you may say you see every thing and power 〈◊〉 a single eye and nothing you see evill but 〈◊〉 â—â—â—gs and actions are good and as they must 〈◊〉 Surely this is well if you become all of you thaâ— spâ—â—kâ— these words to eat of that Tree of 〈◊〉 for my part I le not condemne you I can râ—joâ—ce to see the Resurrection of Christ in any but I must watch some of you to see if your conversations be so universally filled with Love as shall make the darke world startle and then I caâ— say of a truth Christ is risen indeed in you If your owne eye be darke that is if darknesse rule your whole body then all the actions of your body towards others are in darknesse and builders up of selfishnesse which is the one power you yet live in But if your eye be truly single and full of Light then the Light power wholly rules in you and the actions of your outward man will be full of Light and Life and Love towards every single branch of the whole Creation But some may say explaine these three particulars in mankinde that we may know them distinctly one from another I Answer I shall readily doe it The first particular is the living Soule or that estate of simple plaine heartednesse which hath the Life of the five Sences only only and by that Life preserves that single body or proprieties But the Life of the Spirit in sound reason lives not yet in the Sences for pure Reason lives llke a corne or wheate under the clods of Earth or Beast and is not yet risen up to rule as King This plaine hearted state is set in the midst of many objects tempting him like the Serpent and it is open â—o many crosses and teares like the tender grasse that is soone bruised by the foot of the oxe it hath not the true rest of Christ in it though there be much rest and peace in it for it is changeable This is such a state that though there be selfe-Love yet there is no hatred towards others in it but a quiet content to let others live too As a childe though he love himselfe the propriety of a Beast so to doe yet he envies not others for Envie Pride Covetousnesse Hypocrisie rash murdering anger hath not yet defiled the Earth The man is plaine honest hearted even Innocent Aam Like Nathanaell in whom there was no guile and yet Nathanaâ—ll knew not Christ that Anoynâ—ing spirit as yet ruled not as King in him for he was open to temptation and change and many teares Like Peter a man of the same plaine hearted temper full of Love to Christ and others yet selfish he was without guile and was loving without knowledge therefore open to temptation and chaâ—ge and teares Now though Christ Commended Nathanael and prayed for Peter that his faith or strength might not fayle him yet they were both strangers to the Spirit which was given them afterwards And as Christ told his Disciples I have chosen you twelve and one of you is a Devill that is eleven of you are plaine honest simplâ— hearts in whom there is no guile you have sincerely in love to me forsaken all your
FIRE IN THE BUSH THE SPIRIT BVRNING NOT CONSuming but purging Mankinde OR The great Battell of God Almighty between Michaell the Seed of Life and the great red Dragon the Curse fought within the Spirit of Man With severall other Declarations and Testimonies of the Power of Life By JERRARD WINSTANLY The righteous Law a government will give to whole mankinde How he should governe all the Earth and therein true peace finde This government is Reason pure who will fill man with Love And wording Justice without deeds is judged by this Dove LONDON Printed for Giles Calvert and are to be sold at the Black-Spread-Eagle at the West end of Pauls 1650. TO All the severall Societies of people called Churches in the Presbyterian Independant or any other forme of Profession in the service of God BRethren and fellow-members of Mankinde This following declaration of the word of Life was a free gift to me from the Father himselfe And I received it not from men when I had writ it I was moved to send it to you immediately but I delayed it by almost a fortnight and thought not of it then one night as I waked out of sleep the voyce was in my very heart and mouth ready to come forth goe send it to the Churches Thereupon I was filled with great Love to you my heart panting with love towards you pittying your condition in that there is a great striving as it were for life among you and yet you lie under the power of death and bondage and knowes not or at least doth not actually hold forth that you know that spirit which in words you seeme to professe You speake and preach of the life of Love But you have not the power of it your verball profession without the pure righteous action shews you generally to be outlandish men of severall Nations under the government of darknesse and that you are not yet the true Inhabitants of the Land of Love Before you live you must die and before you be bound up into one universall body all your particular bodies and societies must be torne to pieces for the true Light is comming now once more not onely to shake the Earth that is Moses worship but Heaven also That which you call Gospell-worship and the Kingdome without shall fall that so the Kingdome within may be established for all your particular Churches are like the inclosures of Land which hedges in some to be heires of Life and hedges out others one saying Christ is here with them Another saying no but he is there with them but truly brethren you shall see and finde that Christ who is the universall power of Love is not confined to parties or private chambers but he is the power of Life Light and Truth now rising up to fill the Earth Mankinde with himselfe Well I have obeyed the voyce and I have sent this to you with a heart free and full of love towards you Some of you will receive this with gentlenesse others will be offended To some it will be refreshing but others will storme and prepare warre against it And the Ishmaelites they will scoffe but be it so yet my Armour is tryed I am sure it will keep off the blow You shall finde I speake of the Garden of Eden which is the spirit of man not the spirit of Beasts And in that Garden there are weeds and hearbs The weeds are these Selfe-Love Pride Envie Covetousnesse after riches honours pleasures Imagination thinking he cannot live in peace unlesse he enjoy this or that outward object And sometimes the joy of envie when he obtaines his end and sometime the sorrow of Covetousnesse when he is crost rules as King in the Garden And the stinking weeds over-spreads the sweet flowers and hearbs which are the lights of the spirit of truth There is likewise the most venemous weed called Hypocrisie attended with evill surmising grudgings speaking and promising nay swearing one thing yet doing another inventing much shew of holinesse to compasse his selfish ends and while he rules King as he doth rule at this day he is assisted with vain glory feare of being disthroned oppâ—essing others unmercifull carelesse of former promises and engagements persecuting those who doth such things as he promised and vowed to doe whilst he was a servant and such like And as you may call those by the name of weeds so likewise you may call them outlandish men for they are not the true native Inhabitants of the heart but strangers to the righreous spirit And all these with their fellowes make up but one power of darknesse Devill or Father of lies And this power is the night time of mankinde or the absence of the Sonne of righteousnesse from the heart This power is the reprobate which the word of life hath rejected this shall never enter into true rest this is the wicked man or Dragon in you which causes all warres and sortowes and the sonne that causes shame the sonne of bondage which must not abide in the heart for ever but must be cast out Therefore so long as you labour under this selfish darke imaginary power you are strangers to the Sonne of righteousnesse If this darke power bear sway in you it is he whom you professe and it is he whom you call God and Christ for that power that you hold forth in your actions is the spirit you professe If your actions be full of selfe love as you may know it by your hastie anger when your Religion is questioned and by your snappish bitternesse against those that differs from you then this darke power is he you worship There is likewise in the garden of Eden mans heart sweet flowers and hearbs As Joy Peace Love humility selfe-denyall patience sincerity truth or equitie These are the true inhabitants in the righteous Land and all these make up but one power or body which is the seed or Tree of Life in you And this power is the day-time of Mankinde or the presence of the Sonne of righteousnesse in the heart This power is the Elect the Sonne of the Father in whom he delights this Sonne shall live for ever in rest peace and in the power of eternall life This is the righteous man this is Michaell the Seed Christ or blessing Therefore consider what spirit you professe and live not in darknesse any longer Babes and sucklings doe see and can say that in your established formes you worship and professe you know not what you say one thing and doe another you make God and Christ a very cheat to the world as if he were all words and no deeds Indeed your king Hypocrisie is so But the King of righteousnesse which your established formes hath and doe dishonour before the Nations is not so and you all must and shall be torne in pieces and scattered and shamed for your excessive pride covetousnesse hardnesse of heart selfe-love and hypocrisie and your verball profession shall be loathed by all and be
that ownes or tenders thee Well saith the soule this is an evill time and then saith Imaginary feare filling the soule with sorrow oh that this body had never been borne I would I had dyed in the wombe If this be the happinesse of a man I would I had been a Bird a Beast or some other creature While I had no care of doing rightly I could live I had friends I had peace But since I began to doe as I would be done by friends now stands a farre off every body hates me and I am open to all misrey does righteousnesse bring thee to this oh miserable wretch This now is a battell of another nature then the former was for in the first battell the Imaginary flesh was lofty and stout and full of presumption selfe-conceit scoffes jeeres Envie vaporing and secret subtilty laughing in his sleave as we say at the wayes of the Spirit of Life But now he is in another temper he is furnished with the weapons of slavish feare evill surmising sense of misery sometimes angry sometimes ready to dispaire and to curse the day of his birth his soule takes pleasure in nothing without and yet hath no peace within And in this battell likewise God and man flesh and spirit are separated there is no sweet agreement The selfish Imagination would be a God still and fight strongly to keep the tottering kingdome and will not leave off till the Spirit of burning â— who is consuming fire Even God himselfe come and fire Imagination out of all his strong holds and with a strong power redeeme the imprisoned Earth from his presumptuous and dispairing bondage Though there was a parley before between flesh and spirit the man and his righteous God In the coole of the day while the living Earth saw himselfe a little naked and was under a little sence of trouble and feare yet the Serpent Im 〈◊〉 is not conquered by a sleâ—ght parley but by a stronger contest for after this parley within himselfe man is cast out of himselfe that is out of the garden to seeke content in outward objects as in riches friends wife children and the like and then the battell grows hot againe For if our true peace and rest lie in objects and in a Law without as Imagination would have it then the Spirit is not within the Creation but without And if so then there may be places found where the Spirit is not and then God is not every where and so the words of Jesus Christ were not true when he said the Kingdome of Heaven is within you and the word is nigh you even in your mouth and in your heart and as the Apostle said God the Father is above all and through all and in you all Eph. 4.6 But the Spirit is within for the Creation is his clothing God was in Christ reconciling the world or falne Earth to himselfe he was not without him in objects offering peace but he was within drawing him from the deceitfulnesse of objects that fades away to looke for rest and peace only within therefore it is said Christ is our rest that is the Anointing within is our rest who teacheth us all things and leâ—ds us into all truth And by this Relation you see here is the living soule mankind then here is the fall of mankinde Then here is the rising or restoring of Mankinde And that which hath by Imagination or Judas Ministry been held sorth to us to be without us as Adam the Serpent the Garden the Tree of Knowledge of Good and evill and the Tree of Life and the fall of Man and promise of redemption all to be without yet all these are within the heart of man clearly And whether there was any such outward things or no it matters not much if thou seest all within this will be thy life Therefore in this which followes I shall write of these three particulars The Living Soule which is pure nature that was called very good Then the Serpent or curse which is the Imaginary power of darknesse or mans fall Then the Seed of life the blessing called the restoring power delivering mankinde from that bondage and setting him downe in rest and peace within himselfe CHAP. III. What the Tree of Life is ANd when Mankinde begins to enter into himselfe againe and to enjoy rest and peace and Life within which is the resurrection of Christ then woe woe woe to the imaginary power that rules the world he shall be shaken with terror and fall and burst a sunder for this is Iudas and the Pharisees that have killed Christ all along But now Christ or the Anoynting is arising up in sonnes and daughters they must dye Therefore whatsoever government is set up by Imagination shall be throwne downe For every plant which my heavenly Father hath not planted shall be rooted out Surely then there is a foure-fold power much Idolized and doted upon by covetous flesh which must be shaken to pieces And woe woe woe to the Inhabitants of the Earth to those that live in or are the upholders of those powers The first is the Imaginary teaching power called hear-say booke studying Vniversity Divinity which indeed is Iudas Ministry for this cries hayle Master to the Spirit and seemes to kisse him in Love in outward shew by preaching of him and by long prayers to him But betrayes him into the hand of the selfish power This power or ministrie must destroy himselfe as Iudas did and so he doth for the divisions within the publick Ministry makes him burst asunder and all his inward bowells of Covetousnesse Pride selfe-seeking evill surmisings gruding hypocrisie seeking to please men more then the righteous power and all their close envy is discovered Then secondly The Imaginary Kingly power who by the power of the sword and successive conâ—uests 〈…〉 one part of Mankinde to rule 〈…〉 pâ—eâ—ending to keep the Creation in 〈…〉 yet proves a selfe-upholder By murder and 〈…〉 others under fooâ— this power takes ease honour falnesse of the Earth to himselfe by the sword and rules over the labours and bodies of others at his will and prerogative Thus power mâ—st be shaken to pieces Therefore you Kâ—ngs and Monarchs and State rulers that upholds kingly Authority in your hands come in and kisse the Sonne betimes it is not long before he will more gloriously appeare to shake terribly the Nations not England only but all Nations for the dominion of Christ is to reach from East to West from North to South and of his Kingdome there shall be no end Thirdly the imaginary Judicature called the Law of Justice which indeed is but the declarative will of Conquerours how they will have their Subjects be ruled And this pretends to keep all in peace and yet it is the very support of Envie hardnesse of heart and unrighteous covetousnesse Therefore woe to you Lawyers that bindes heavie burdens upon mens shoulders which you your selves will not touch with the least of your fingers Fourthly
cast out as stinking imaginary â—ung of false-hearted ones who professes Love in words and in actions deny Love but lifts up the Devill and covetousnesse and bondage If you truly owne Christ you will cheerefully hold forth the restoring spirit in your actions Christ the Anoynting spirit doth not enslave any but comes to set all free he comes not to destroy but to save he comes not to put sackcloath and mourning weeds upon mankinde but to pull them off and to wipe away all teares So long as the Earth is intangled and appropriated into particular hands and kept there by the power of the sword as it is and your profession holds it up so long the Creation lies under bondage And the Devill who is the power of covetousnesse or murderer doth rule and is the God whom you generally professe for you acknowledge Christ in words and the Dragon in your actions and so hypocrisie reignes King in the Earth at this very day But if any of you will truly acknowledge Christ now in the end of your dayes come joyne hands and hearts together and set the Earth free nothing now stands in the way of Englishmen but inward covetousnesse Be not like the Rats and Mise that drawes the treasures of the Earth into your holes to looke upon whil'st your fellow-members to whom it belongs as well as to you by the Law of Creation doe starve for want But you have no warrant from the Law of Righteousnesse so to doe whensoever you lock up the treasure of the Earth and desires more then food and rayment you doe evill When you know the Sonne within as you can talke much of him without then the Sonne will set you free and truly he is comming on a maine to breake downe all your pinfoulds and to lay all open to the Common the rough wayes he will make smooth and crooked wayes strait and levell mountaines and valleys And covetous proud selfe-Love and ruling and teaching hypocrisie shall tye up or restraine his spirit no longer for the voyce is gone out freedome freedome freedome he that hath eares to heare let him heare he that is filthie let him be filthy still till he be cast out as dung and unsavory salt And so I leave this with you as I was commanded and bid you farewell Being a friend to Love wading through the bondage of the world JERRARD WINSTANLY The Matters contained in the following DISCOURSE VVHat the Garden of Eden is Chap. 1. VVhat the tree of Knowledge of good and evill is 2. VVhat the Tree of Life is 3. What the Serpent is 4. What the living Soule Man is that is called very good 5. VVhat the Curse is that doth defile the man 6. What the blessing is that restores him againe 7. What these foure Beasts are whose burdning powers as that bondage which the Creation grones under waiting to be delivered from 8. What are the Time Times and dividing of time in the spirit of Mankinde which man posses through before he sits downe in true rest 9. How man is tempted and when he is said to fall by temptation 10. How Christ was tempted and by whom and how he overcame the tempter 11. What the Kingdome without is which is called the Devills 12. What the Kingdome of Heaven is within which is called Christs Kingdome 13. With divers other testimonies of like Nature FIRE IN THE BUSH The Spirit burning not consuming but purging Mankinde CHAP. I. What the Garden of Eden is THE whole Creation of fire water Earth and Aire and all the varieties of bodies made up thereof is the cloathing of God so that all things that is A substantiall being looked upon in the lump is the fullnesse of him that fills all with himselfe he is in all things and by him all things consist And this God or almighty Ruler is universall Love strength and life And as he begets and brings forth every thing in their degree and kinde so he is the Restorer of all things from that defilement death and sorrow which they fall into and the alone deliverer from the oppressing power preserving every one in peace Therefore he is called the Lord God Almighty for he is the onely and alone living spirit which dwells every where and can doe what he will And of all those bodies that are called Creatures or the clothing of God Mankinde is the chief And because the Father or spirit of all things manifests himselfe in mankinde in life strength and wisdome more then in any other creature therefore mankinde is made the Lord of all And the whole Earth is this The Lords For when all things were produced and appeared very good in the liking and content of the creating spirit The word of Command was to whole mankinde not â—o one or a few single branches of mankinde doe thou take possession over the fish fowle Beast and doe thou till the Earth and doe thou multiplie and fill the Earth And no part or branch of mankind is shut out by him from this imployment For as the great Earth and the inferiour creatures therein are as the Commons Forrests and delights of God in the out Coasts of the Creation Even so Mankind The living Earth is the very Garden of Eden wherein that spirit of Love did walke and delight himselfe principally as being the Head and Lord of all the rest In this Garden are five Rivers Hearing Seeing Tasting Smelling Feeling which we in our age of the world call five Senses And these five water springs doe refresh and preserve the whole Creation both of the out coasts and of the Garden In this Garden Mankind and in every branch of him there is a Tree of knowledge of good and evill called Imagination and the Tree of Life called universall Love or pure knowledge in the power When Mankinde or the living soule feeds upon or delights himselfe in the fruit of that tree of good and evill which is selfish unwarranted and unexperienced Imagination which is his weaknesse and disease then he looses his honour and strength and falls from his dominion Lordship and becomes like the Beasts of the field void of understanding For the Lord of so great and vast a body as the Creation is must know all things cleerely as they be and not by blinde Imagination that leads mankind sometimes astray as well as sometimes in the right way When mankind is guided by Imagination he runs a great hazard upon life and death This power is he that calls good evill and evill good This knowes not the creaâ—â—rg Spirit in inward feeling but does fancie him to be sometimes one thing sometimes another and still dwells in the dark Chamber of uncertainty And while Mankinde eates of this Tree and delights himselfe here he is driven out of the Gaâ—den that is out of himselfe he enjoyes not himselfe he knowes not himselfe he lives without the true God or ruler and is like the Beasts of the field who live upon objects without
his company As there are time times and dividing of times alloted to the reigne of the Beast in outward Government which is first the power of Magistracie medling with matters of Conscience in restraining or punishing before the universall Bishop was raised this is the first time Then the time of universall Bishop till reformed Episcopacy came in this is the second time Then the time of reformed Episcopacie till the variety of Independant and Presbyterian Churches or State-Government came in is the third time and these two latter are called times And now England is under the dividing of time and it is a fore-runner to the rest of the Nations and this is the Image of the Beast and this is the variety of Churches and differences in Relâ—gion that is amongst men every one pleading his priviledge or else it is called the dividing of time in regard the Government of the Land is taken out of the hands of one man and put into the hands of many this is the dividing of time or the halfe day of the Beast in respect of outward government Even so there are time times and dividing of time within the heart of man which is the occasion of that outward division of times The first time is the state of simple plaine heartednesse or Innocencie when the five Sences acts in their owne light which is the pure light of a Beast but knowes not the power of the Seed or of the creating spirit but is a stranger to the spirit and yet this state is the Image of the spirit for this is wise and loving and just but not Wisdome Love and Justice it selfe and being tempted it breaks out into folly envie and unjustice and this is the first time of the Beasts reigne within a man Then the pleasure of sinne enters or a league is made betweene that living Earth and outward objects and the man being deceived lookes altogether without him for good for pleasure and for content and followes all the pleasures of his five Sences with greedinesse and here he would be a ruler and some body over others and in this estate man doth what he will and his heart never smites him for it he can lie and cheat and whore and oppresse others and thinks all is good for nothing troubles him this is the state of prodigality or presumption And this is Esau the hairy mans Kingdome And this is the first step of his fall eating the Aple Then there followes a time of trouble of minde arising for that pleasure of selfe-seeking delight and this is called trouble for mispent time whereby he meets with many rubs in his good name in his health of body and in his outward livelihood amongst fellow-creatures and now he begins to rebate of his wildnesse and follow and the Beast or sensitive power begins to be a little tamer and more moderate yet Covetousnesse that Beast reignes still and that with more force within yet this is a cooler time of the day then the former was for he begins to consider what he doth yet here is no rest and this is the third time and so these two latter degrees makes times this is the second step of his fall Then comes in the dividing of time within a man and this is when the Law in the members fights against the Law of the minde when a man sees his folly and the bondage of his nature he sees himselfe a prisoner to his Lusts and this light in him strives against darknesse in him he sees Pride striveing against Humility Envy against Love contentednesse against anger uncleannesse of flesh against chastity sorrow against comfort and so cries out Oh wretched man that I am who shall deliver me from this body of death or bondage to which I am â— slave this is the third step of mans darknesse Well this is the dividing of time within thee this 〈◊〉 the time of the battell within thee between Michaell the Prince of Peace and the red Dragon the selfish imaginary covetous murdering power there is no quiet rest in this estate neither nay this dividing of time is the sharpest and hottest time And now one step further in the first degree of time and then the man enters into rest And this is when the Seed or blessing in thee kills that Serpent and casts him out and takes possession of thee and rules in righteousnesse in thee for now all enemies are subdued under the Anoyntings feet and he now delivers up the Kingdome to his Father who is the one spirit of righteousnesse and peace in whom there is no sorrow And this God or Almighty ruler becomes all in all the alone King in that living Soule or Earth or the five living Sences Now this spirit of freedome being rising up in some already in part assures the Creation and gives those bodies as pledges that he will rise up in the whole and restore all mankinde to himselfe And thus those three particulars in mankinde is considered first the pure creation of the Living soule the single life of the five Sences which is called the Earth Oh Earth Earth Earth c. Secondly the curse that hath taken mankinde or this living Earth prisoner and this is the power of darknesse called sinne or bondage and this is called likewise flesh or carnall man If you by the Spirit mortisie the deeds of the flesh you shall live Now the created flesh is not to be mortified or killed by us but preserved therefore the curse therein is called flesh and deeds of the flesh because it is a meere selfish power that would have ease and honour and would be counted a God and would rule over all to the enslaving of all to himselfe this is the reprobate that shall have no peace for all peace shall be taken from this flesh Thirdly the blessing who is the seed of Life or Christ the righteous and rationall spirit arising up to rule and treading unreasonablenesse under his feet this is the restorer or Saviour of the captived or the imprisoned Earth which sets mankinde free from bondage within himselfe And when this power riseth up to rule he doth not rule to enslave others to him by the murthering sword but he drawes all men in Love to him and the union and communion of Love by him is established in and among the Creation And thus you see there are time times and dividing of time within the heart and though you become to the dividing of time yet you are not come to the Mount of God to true rest till dividing of time run his course likewise But yet here is great comfort to burdened soules that lies groning under the darknesse of this divideing of time within them and that are mightily opprest by men that rules in darknesse and oppression over them To you I say rejoyce your Redeemer is come he rides upon the clouds and he will speedily appeare for your deliverance as he hath done for some of your brethren already who
Midianites did they sheathed their swords one in anothers bowells while Israell looked on and at last tooke the spoyle So shall kingly power doe in his severall governments by the sword they shall dash one against another Time shall dash against times and times shall dash against the dividing of time and the divisions in the dividing of time shall destroy him till the Creation be cleansed of these plagues and that curse which hath destroyed the Earth shall now in the period of time destroy himselfe And this makes way for Christ the universal Love to take the Kingdome and the dominion of the whole Earth Therefore you souldiers you may see the end oâ— your trade it is a destroyer and shall be destroyeâ— by it selfe and surely you shall finde no true peace herein No no there is no peace and rest but iâ— Christ the Saviour your trade upholds the murderer or the Devill Now the other three Beasts who are Clergy Law and Buying and Selling these rise up by craft supported by the kingly power And the chiefe Beast is the Clergy he bred all the other He is a King understanding darke sayings and he shall by craft deceive many the other Beasts are this Beasts sons he bred them For this teaching Art first bids mankinde to looke abroad for a teacher and a ruler and to look abroad for Justice and content and when he had deceived them so to doe then he put mankinde upon buying and selling of the Earth and her fruits and so by that meanes the Creation is divided and Mankinde is put upon an Art to cheat and burden himselfe for the Earth ought to remaine a standing portion to them and their children successively by the righteous Law of Creation Then this teaching Art found out the Law calling it the Law of Justice a very good name to cover his knavery for he is a mighty Beast with great teeth and is a mighty devourer of men he eates up all that comes within his power for this Proverb is true goe to Law and none shall get but the Lawyer The Law is the Fox poore men are the geesse he pulls of their feathers and feeds upon them These foure Beasts are the Fountaines of Tyranny to the Creation they are of a fruitfull generation one begetting divers Beasts that are of mighty devouring natures But the most dreadfull and terrible Beast is the Clergy Power for though the other three raised him up by action yet this Imaginary learned Beast raised them up by policie for selfe ends For this stamped the other under foot saith Daniell And is not this true hath not the Clergy ruled over kingly Power Law and buying and selling and brought all under his Command for at the first he was onely a teaching Power and then it was a Beast differing from the rest yet he stamped them under foot and all the other had their strength and succour from him by his teaching and imaginary instruction Out of this teaching Beast rise up ten hornes or the branching forth of his strength in ten particulars Five fighting against the powers of the Creation Hearing Seeing Tasting Smelling Feeling which is called the body of the living soule that is very good And five fighting against the powers of righteousnesse which is Vnderstanding Will Affection Joy and Peace which is called the Seed and making war against him and so darking Heaven and Earth This is he that restraines the liberty of the outward man not suffering him to have a free enjoyment of his portion in the Earth making such actions to be sinne which the righteous creating Spirit made not a sinne And he restraines thereby the liberty of the Inward man not suffering him to act in the liberty of himselfe for he makes a man a sinner for a word and so he sweeps the Stars of Heaven downe with his tayle he darkens Heaven and Earth and defiles body and mind For so long as I must not act according to the freedome of my owne spirit and power within me but must be guided by others without me and punished for such actions which others in the ruling Chare doe in a higher nature then I doe I am then in bondage and my eyes are put out And this is the Covenant that the outward teaching power makes with the branches of Mankinde to put out their owne eyes to see by others telling them none can see but schollars so that this fourth Beast is more dreadfull then the other three for it stamps the other three under foot and rules over all And out of the ten hornes of this Beast rise up another little horne and this is the dominion and rule which the teaching power takes up called Ecclesiasticall power and this little horne was raised by a power that was not his owne for the kingly power puts that dominion and rule into his hands While he remained onely a teaching power he stamped the other under him and overawed others by his deceitfull words But now he hath got a power to rule called Ecclesiasticall power which is the extract of selfish righteousnesse from the seeming righteousnesse of the foure Beasts into one ruling power and by this which was little in the beginning There were three of the first hornes plucked up that is Kingly Power Law and buying and selling for the Little horne or ruling Clergie lifted up himselfe above all these and made these uncover and fall to him he had dominion and power over all these and these were in subjection and afraid and bowed to him He by his teaching lifted up these and these by their acting lifted up him to rule and he by his ruling treads these under his proud covetous feet And this is he who is said to be a King of a fierce countenance understanding darke saying that is mighty but not by his owne power and he shall by craft and power destroy many his rising was in the latter dayes when transgressions were come to the full when people were most blinde by his outward teaching then they easily receive him to be the outward ruler over their soules for now the Sea being bemuddied that is mankinde being mightily deceived he by his learned policy riseth up out of that deceived Sea for all the peeple wandered after him though he sore oppressed them Dan. 8.23 Rev. 13.3 And as the sword which is not his power lifted him up and supports him by forcing the people to pay him tithes for the Law of the Magistrate forces the people to pay them And he being lifted up he made war with the Saints and overcame them for a time times and dividing of time But as he was lifted up by others power through his owne craft Even so he shall be destroyed againe without hand the Sword shall not destroy him he shall be discovered in all his oppressing hypocriticall bewitching knavery by the light and wisdome of the Spirit of Truth that shall rise up out of the Sea of mankinde likewise appearing
in sonnes and daughters of righteousnesse in the latter dayes As Paul said Christ shall destroy him by the word of his mouth and by the brightnesse of his comming Dan. 7.26 c. 2. Thess. 2.8 When Christ the Anoynting spirit rises up and inlightens mankind then in his light they shall see the deceit and falshood of this Beast that hath deceived all the world and shall fall off from him and leave him naked and bare and if he will teach and rule let him shew his power over the Beasts for the people will all looke up to God to be taught and governed by him The discovery of the fulnesse and foulnesse of this Beast throwes downe all the rest likewise for when mankinde begins to fall off from one part of the beastly power he will fall from all for they all depend one upon another Kingly power depends upon the Law and upon buying and selling and these three depend upon the Clergy to bewitch the people to conforme and all of them depend upon Kingly power by his force to compell subjection from those that will not be bewitched But when mankinde once sees that his teacher and ruler is within him then what need is there of a teacher and ruler without they will easily cast off their burden Therefore woe woe woe to the Inhabitants of the Earth when Christ rises in power and bâ—gins to come in glory with his aints This discovery is coming on apace Therefore you Souldiers and you great Powâ—rs of the Earth you need not feare that the Levellers will conquer you by the sword I doe not meane the fighting Levellers for they be your selves but I meane Christ levelling who fights agaâ—nst you by the sword of Love patience and truth for whosoever takes the Iron sword to fight against you are your owne sonnes that fights against you â—oâ— Christ came not to destroy but to save But Antichrist whose power you are came not to save but to destroy Therefore if there be any amongst you that count truth and peace precious take the Spirits advice and come out of Babylon dwell no longer in the Courts and wayes of Imaginarie confusion come into truth Light and Liberty and be at pâ—ace When Christ comes and is glorified with thousand thousands attending upon him they shall not be cloathed with devouring instruments like Dragons bâ—t be cloathed with Love Righteousnesse and Peace like Lambs And at his appearing said Daniell the Beast was slaine and his body given to the burning flame that is all the Imaginary selfish Power that made people run abroad for a Teacher and a Ruler was all cast into the fire of pure Light and was consumed in that unquenchable flame Even destroyed by the brightnesse of Christs comming as darknesse vanisheth when Light comes in Dan. 7.11 He that hath Eares to heare Let him heare what the Spirit speaks CHAP. IV. What the Serpent is IF this be true It will destroy all government and all our Ministry and religion I answer it is very true for all government and Ministry that is lifted up by Imagination is to be throwne downe and plucked up That Christ alone may be exalted in the day of his power And you have Scripture for it Then cometh the end when he shall have delivered up the Kingdome to God even the Father when he shall have put downe all rule and all Authoritie and all power for he must reigne till he hath put all enemies under his feet 1 Cor. 15.24 Looke back into Ages past and see what overturnings and pluckings up there hath been of the Authority power and government of Nations Every government standing his period for when it was universally proved a Devill a destroyer and waster then it was throne downe And this casting downe plucking up and wars in the Nations shall be till Christ The Law of universall Love comes to reigne and then he shall settle all in peace and be the true restorer You oppressing powers of the world who think God hath blessed you because you sit downe in that Chaire of Govâ—rnment out of which the former Tyrants are gone Doe you remember this your overturning overturning overturning is come on to you as well as to your fellow break-promises that are gone before You that pretend to be saviours of the people and to seeke the peace of the whole Nation and yet serve your selves upon the peoples ruines not regarding the crie of the poore surâ—ly you must have your overturnings too For such a Government as preserves part and destroyes another part of the Creation is not the power of Christ but of Antichrist That Government that gives liberty to the Gentry to have all the Earth and shuts out the poore Commoners from enjoying any part ruling by the tyrannicall Law of Conquest over brethren this is the Government of imaginarie selfe-seeking Antichrist And every plant which my heavenly Fathâ—r hath not planted shall be rooted out This man will have nâ— government some will say I answer you run too fast True Government is that I long for to see I waite till the power Authority and government of the King of righteousnesse rule over all for as yet the power and dominion of the Prince of darknesse rules every where and that is the government which must be throwne down But government is called Magistracy and all Magistracie is of God I Answer Magistracie is a good name and the mystery of iniquity hath not only got this name but many other excellent names to be set upon the head of his blacknes of darknesse that under a good name he may goe undiscovered and he puts bad names upon things that are excellent Therefore let us see whether Imaginary government that divides part of mankinde to enjoy the Earth and the other part not to enjoy the Earth is worthy of the name Magistracie No no such a dividing selfe loving power is an enemie to Magistracie For Magistracie hath two excellent principles in his nature which the darke selfish government is an enemy to First Magistracie signifies a great Light as much as to say greater Light of Love greater Light of Humility greater Light of Reason greater Light of Truth keeping promise and covenant greater Light of Peace and tendernesse of heart greater Light of boldnesse in a cause that is universally righteous And where this power Authority and government rules this is pure Magistracie and it is the Life and power of Christ Secondly Magistracie signifies the greatest Band â—hat ties the Creation together in pâ—ace and this band is universall Love for this Love streames out to preserve all and deâ—pisâ—s none This is the unitie of the Spirit and the band of pâ—acâ— this is purâ— Majâ—stie indeed that â—ies peoplâ— tâ—gether in Love And this is the power Authoritie and government of Christ The love of Christ in us constraines all men to doe his will Now lâ—oke and see is the Magistracie of the Nations likâ— this Is it a light of pure excellency