unto vain jangling 1 Tim. 1. 5 6. Again ver 18 19. he chargeth Timothy to hold Faith and a good Conscience which sâ—me having put away concerning Faith have made shipwrack Again Chap. 3. ver 9. The Mystery of Faith is held in a pure Conscience The Apostle Peter writes to the Believers thus viz. Having a good Conscience that whereas they speak evil of you as of Evil-doers they may be ashamed that falsly accuse your good Conversation in Christ 1 Pet. 3. 16. Concerning evil Conscience THE Apostle writes thus Now the Spirit speaketh expresly that in the latter times some shall depart from the Faith giving heed to the seducing Spirits and Doctrines of Devils speaking Lyes in Hypocrisie having their Consciences seared with an hot Iron 1 Tim. 4. 1 2. Now the Prince that begets and upholds this evil Conscience hardened and seared is the Devil who abode not in the truth in whom there is no truth he is that Prince of the power of the Air who works in the hearts of the Children of Disobedience as the Apostle saith This is he who leads into the fleshly Liberty from the Cross of Christ into the fleshly Lusts which war against the Soul and drowns such men in predition who become Enemies to the Cross of Christ This Liberty is not to be given way unto nor to be pleaded for by any true Christian this is not the Liberty of the Sons of God which he hath promised to restore them into who believe in Jesus Christ and take up their daily Cross and follow him giving and taking Liberty to this evil Conscience brings into corruptible Bondage yea it vassalizeth the Creature Soul and Body to Satan and if this Liberty be continued in it brings everlasting destruction both upon Man and Woman Paul writ to Titus saying Unto them that are defiled and unbelieving is nothing pure but even their Mind and Consciences defiled they profess that they know God but in Works they deny him See Tit. 1. 15 16. Again the Apostle writing to the Hebrews saith Let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of Faith having our hearts sprinkled from an evil Conscience c. Let us hold fast the Profession of our Faith without wavering for he is faithful that promised and let us consider one another to provoke unto Love and to good Works not forsaking the Assembling our selves together as the manner of some is but exhorting one another c. See Heb. 10. 22 23 24 25. Oh my dear Friends All tenderly consider that the great work of God in and through Christ is to put away this evil Conscience and to work in man a good one yea to redeem out of all corrupt sinful fleshly Liberty which Liberty embondageth the Creature under Satans power as I said before Now Christ the patient and innocent Lamb of God was sent by the Father to take away the Sins of the World which John Baptist in his Eternal Light saw and testified of and in the same Divine Spirit and Light of Christ Daniel the Prophet saw and testified of saying He shall finish Sin and Transgression and shall bring in everlasting Righteousness Blessed are all they who in Faith and Patience wait to see this great Work carried on and finished in the appointed season of the Father O my Friends Seriously consider how enclinabâ—e apt and prone Men and Women are after they are come to some degree of the knowledge of God and of Christ and of the daily Cross to hearken to the Serpents voice who deceived Eve who leads into this ungodly Liberty who by his Transformations hath deceived some in our Age after they knew God and Christ as aforesaid and he has promised them Liberty and great things as he did Eve and has brought them into misery as he did her and through this his accursed work a Root of Bitterness is sprung up in some which is in danger to defile many which God through his tender Mercy put a stop unto confound and drive backward This is the earnest desire of my Soul The Apostle Peter writes against the fleshly Libertines with which the Church was exercised in his day which became matter of much Travel and Grief to the faithful Apostles of them he thus writes viz. These are Wells without Water Clouds that are carried with a Tempest to whom the mist of Darkness is reserved for ever for when they speak great swelling words of vanity they allure through the Lusts of the Flesh through much Wantonness those that were clean escaped from them who live in errour While they promise them Liberty they themselves are the servants of Corruption for of whom a man is overcome of the same he is brought into Bondage c. See 2 Pet. 2. 16. to the end Dear Friends Something more is upon me to write concerning Conscience The Apostle writing to the Church at Corinth speaketh of the Idolatry of the Gentiles viz. As concerning therefore the eating of those things that are offered in sacrifice unto Idols we know that an Idol is nothing in the World for though there be that are called Gods whether in Heaven or in Earth as there be gods many and lords many But to us there is but one God the Father of whom are all things and we in him and one Lord Jesus Christ by whom are all things and we by him howbeit there is not in every man that knowledge for some with Conscience of the Idol unto this hour eat it as a thing offered unto an Idol and their Consciences being weak are defiled But meat commendeth us not to God for neither if we eat are we the better neither if we eat not are we the worse But take heed lest by any means this Liberty of yours become a stumbling block to them that are weak for if any man see thee which hast knowledge sit at meat in the Idols Temple shall not the Conscience of him which is weak be emboldened to eat those things which are sacrificed to Idols c. Read 1 Cor. 8. 4. to the end of the chap. Observe here that some with Conscience of the Idol did eat things sacrificed unto it and their Consciences therein and thereby were defiled The Christians who knew there was no other God but one were warned by the Apostle that they should not sit in the Idols Temple at Meat with those who eat their meat unto the Idol lest their so doing should embolden those ignorant Idolaters to persist in their Ignorance and Idolatry for though some might say they did not eat it to the Idol as the Idolaters did but for strength and sustenance to the outward man yet this would not answer the Counsel of the Lord in the Apostle nor the Light of Christ in their own Souls but they were to abstain from eating with them at such Sacrifices thereby to prevent emboldening them therein And in chap. 10. ver 20. take his Testimony against this sort of Idolatry in these
Salvation with fear and trembling saying It is God that worketh in you to will and to do of his own good pleasure Now the Words which I have here brought out of Paul's Epistles with much more of the like nature that may be found in them which for brevity I here omit doth and will plainly shew that he did never intend in his writing against the shadowy works of the Law to exclude deny or make void the substantial good and living Works of God in Christ in his People under the Gospel dispensation so that he was of the same mind concerning Faith and Works with James Peter and John so here are four faithful and honourable Witnesses linked together in Testimony to the living Faith which God works in his People and the living Works and Fruits which accompany it Glory to the Lord God for the same and those Four faithful Witnesses to the living Faith its Fruits and Works as aforesaid are also faithful Witnesses against the dead Faith and dead Works of the Professors of Christianity in our Age who notwithstanding their high Notions and talk of Faith Election Redemption Salvation c. are yet dead in their Trespasses and in their Sins The Apostle John writ to the Saints saying This is the Victory over the World even your Faith And Christ saith If you have Faith as a grain of Mustard Seed if you shall say unto this Mountain be thou removed and to this Hill be thou cast into the Sea they shall obey you But they that are yet dead in their Trespasses and Sins pleading they must continue therein all their days upon Earth Their dead Faith hath not given them Victory over the World neither can it for as they are taught by the Serpent to believe that they must live in sin all their days according to this ungodly belief they submit themselves to him and he leads them into sin and they multiply their sin daily as they say and such are not in the strait and narrow way they talk of but in the broad way that leads to destruction Oh! that they would turn in their minds to the Light of Christ Jesus and believe in it and diligently seek a place of Repentance that they might find it and so return to God from Satan and their Sins which while they abide in subjection to holds them in a Separation from God from peace and rest with him and from Unity with his chosen whatsoever they do or may imagine or say to the contrary they will find this true at last Again these in their dead Faith and works of Sin have not known Gods wondrous and miraculous works yet wrought in them to throw down the Hills and Mountains of Sin and Wickedness which the Devil who abode not in the Truth in whom there is no Truth hath raised up in them to wit Pride self-Exaltation vain freshly earthly Glory c. for as the Apostle saith All that 's in the World the lust of the flesh and the lust of the eyes and the pride of life is not of the Father but is of this World and this World passeth away and the Lusts thereof but he that doth the Will of God abideth for ever except a man be regenerate and born again he cannot see the Kingdom of God and the blind who doth never see it is never like to inherit it Now all you who do not only profess Christ as the before-mentioned Professors do but also profess his Spirit and Light within to be your Teacher which they do not who profess according to John Baptists Testimony and the Testimony of Daniel the Prophet that Christ the Lamb of God is the sent One of the Father and is come to take away the sins of the World to put an end to sin to finish transgression to bring in everlasting Righteousness all be retired in the spirit of your Minds to the Divine Light of Christ Jesus wherewith you are lighted and therein wait to receive and keep a right sense of your Conditions see how you have taken up your Cross and how you bear it and what the fruits and effects of your bearing of it are see that the hills and mountains of sin be overturned in you and the rough places made smooth in you and the Valley exalted in you for who have not known these wonderful works of God wrought in them they are yet short of the possession or sitting down in the Inheritance of the Kingdom of God and of his Christ which consists or stands in Righteousness Peace and Joy in the Holy Ghost for through the Righteous and Fiery Judgments of God inwardly must sinful Man come before he can draw neer to God see his Kingdom or have a place in it this fiery Baptism they must come through wherewith Christ Jesus the power and wisdom of God Baptizeth all who believe in him and in his Divine Light patiently and constantly wait to be made new Creatures by him It is true what the Apostle hath writ If any Man be in Christ he is a new Creature old things are done away and all things are become new and all things are of God for as he also saith They that are Christs have Crucified the flesh with the Affections and Lusts Again observe That if any person professing to be led and guided by the Divine Light of Christ within and that he or she believes the before-mentioned Testimonies concerning Christ viz. That he is come to put an end to sin and bring in everlasting Righteousness to enable his People to perfect Holiness in his Fear according to what God hath promised and his Servants have writ and spoken if such person or persons so professing continue in a loose and sinful Conversation whether they be called Quakers or by what other name soever their Sin is not less but much more grievous to Almighty God than the sins of the before-mentioned who have not yet come to be opened so far as to understand what the Light of Christ within is Therefore do not make profession to be taught and guided by it but those loose and sinful Professors of the Light of Christ within if they did ever really come to the Light they make profession of and in any measure obey it then were their hearts opened thereby to understand and know sin and the displeasure of God against it more than the before-mentioned and so the Judgment of God will fall more heavy on them if they repent not and come not to walk orderly as becomes the Gospel than upon others who have not known so much as they have known and therefore are not guilty of the sin of Rebellion so much as they are for Rebellion is as the sin of Witcheraft as 't is written And he that knows his Masters will and doth it not he shall be beaten with many stripes as 't is also written Again observe such loose Professors of the Light of Christ within may boast and talk of their Faith in God
and Light and therein waits upon him in it he will not be Limited by thee but will rebuke and Judge thee for thy presumptuous attempt behold the beautiful Creation the works of God in Heaven and Earth and the Order thereof and these will Teach thee better it is true what the Apostle hath writ The wrath of God is revealed from Heaven against all unrighteousness and ungodliness of men because that which may be known of God is manifest in them for God hath shewed it unto them for the Invisible things of the Creation are clearly soon by the things that are made even his Eternal power and Godhead so that they are with out excuse Rom. 1. 18 19 20 see the 21 22 23 24 25 26 to the end of the Chapter Observe here Gods Creation Heaven and Earth and the things therein are as a book wherein man and woman may read the wonderful works of God and the Glorious Order and Beauty of them all People being enlightened by Christ the divine word by whom God the Father made them all they believing in the Light of him in it they may see his wonderful power and wisdom in the bringing forth upholding and beautiful Order thereof God having enlightened all by his Word and Spirit which are one Calls all the Ends of the Earth to Look unto him he saith Look unto me O all ye ends of the Earth and be ye saved for I am God and there is None Else â— Mighty God and a Saviour they who believe in his Light and therein wait they come therein to see and have Unity with his glorious works in Heaven and in Earth and in their own Hearts and Souls and therein come to be made sensible of his bounty and kindness unto mankind in the Creating of them and setting them in their Beautiful Order and upholding them in the same and in the deep sence of these things Mans Heart becomes tender broken and humble within him and in this tender subjected humble frame of heart and mind he returns the Praise Honour Glory Dominion and Thanks unto him the great God and Creator of all things who is worthy of Glory Honour Obedience and Praise over all Heaven and Earth now and forever more Amen Something more particularly concerning the Order of Christ in his Church THE Apostle writing to the Church at Corinth writes thus viz. ye are the body of Christ and Members in particular and God hath set some in the Church first Apostles secondly Prophets thirdly Teachers c. Are all Apostles are all Prophets are all Teachers c. see 1 Cor. 12. 27 28 29. Again he writes to the Church at Ephesus thus viz. And he gave some Apostles and some Prophets and some Evangelists and some Pastors and Teachers for the perfecting of the Saints for the work of the Ministry for the Edifying of the body of Christ till we all come in the Unity of the Faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God unto a perfect man unto the Measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ Ephess 4. 10 11 12. Observe here the Apostle shews the order particularly of the several gifts of God to the several Members of his Church which he gave them by the one Spirit in which gifts the several Members were appointed to serve him and eâ—ch other and as they all kept in their proper Gifts they did therein serve him and each other and the weakest Members of the Church also for whose service they received their Gifts The weak had and have the most need of the help and service of these gifts and as they all kept in the Exercise of their several gifts in the motion leading and guidance of Gods holy Spirit the root and fountain of them all they had all Unity therein one with another although their gifts did differ both in the manner of their working and in the measure or greatness of them so that there was an Harmony and Unity amongst them though they were many Members yet were but one body all in Subjection unto Christ the one head Secondly Observe the Apostles question are all Apostles are all Prophets are all Teachers c. He doth not say they are the contrary is manifest neither are all the Members in the Church of Christ in this Age called appointed or ordained In their presant State to be Prophets Apostles or Teachers for these are peculiar or proper gifts given by the Lord God as and when he pleaseth according to the Counsel of his own will Thirdly Observe that by what I have said in this matter I only intend all the Members of the Church of Christ in their present State are not sent forth publickly with a message of Salvation to Preach to the Nations nor to Prophesie or Preach publickly in words the Doctrine of the Truth or Gospel of Christ nor are they all appointed of God to Prophesie and foretel things to come nor are they all made Teachers in a publick Ministry in Doctrine or Exhortation for these are peculiar or proper gifts given according to the Heavenly will and Counsell of God in his own time and season as I said before Fourthly Observe that though all the Members of the Body of Christ have not all or some of the aforesaid places in the body yet evâ—ry Member hath a place in the body and it is a precious and blessed thing for every Member to know its place and keep in it in its proper service whereto it s called of God but when any Member goes out of the Counsel of God and looks at anothers gift and goes out of his own proper place from his gift and service in the body striving in a wrong mind or zeal after others gifts Immitating them in words voice or sound or other visible or â—udabâ—e Motion or Action of the Creature or through a zeal without knowledge or by any other means whatsoever then such a Member hurts it self and grieves or offends the other more discerning Members of the body who sees and feels the out-going of the said Member Fifthly Observe it is the place and duty of the discerning Members of the body who see such out-goings tenderly in the Love and wisdom of God to speak to such in order to bring them to a sence of their out-going and to restore them into their place again if possible and to watch over them in Love for their preservation in it Sixthly Observe it is the duty of such who have been mistaken and gone out of their place as aforesaid to hear and receive Counsell of those who freely tender it to them in the Love of God several such in our day have had Counsell so given to them who have received it in the same Love which have tended greatly to their profit even to their settlement and Establishment with God and Unity with his People praised be the Lord God for the same Seventhly Observe that some who have had a place in the Church of
Christ through want of watchfulness in the holy fear of God have been drawn out of it by the subtill Adversary of their Souls and when some of the Members of the body who kept their habitation in the Light in which they have a right sence sight savour and discerning of Spirits words and Actions have spoken to them in the Wisdom and Love of God in Order to have Restored them into their places that they might therein have been preserved in Unity with God and his People they have not received in Love that which in Love was spoken to them for the good End aforesaid but on the Contrary have rejected the same and have let up prejudice hard thoughts and evil will against their friends who sought their good and so these evils given way to by them have eaten out the Love gantiness tenderness Meakness and patience that once in some Measure appeared in them and a raging scornful bitter reviling Spirit hath entered some as also from the same root faigned Humiliy faigned words and flattery hath appeared in some these latter mentioned fruits proceeding from the Evil root is more Dangerous to deceive than the former therefore all you who Love your own Souls be warned to fly from the Spirit of dissimulation and flattery as also from the rude railing boysterous quarelsome perverse Crooked self-revengful and scornful Stubborne selfwillful and self-Exalting Spirit Eightly Observe that the same God who by his Spirit and in his own Order set some in the Church First Apostles Secondly Prophets Thirdly Teachers c. by the same Spirit he gives proper or peculiar gifts to some that are not Apostles Prophets or publick Teachers according to the aforesaid difinition of them viz. he sets some in the Church helpers in Government which last mentioned Members are of great service in their places in the body of Christ they being kept by him in true Humility O friends all keep low in your Minds let nothing be done amongst you in highmindedness or vain glory for that God Accepts not but the Meek he Guides in Judgment but the Proud are an abomination to him This is the Testamony of the Lord Jesus Christ to you viz. The more Persons grow in Christ the Root Foundation and Head of his Church the more Meek Humble and Patient they grow Ninthly Observe that though all the Members of the body have not all or any of the before mentioned services in the body yet have they all a place in the Body as I said before and they are blessed who know their place and keep in it though it be the place of one of the least of the Members of the Body for that is to be desired which the good man made choyce of in his days who said I had rather be a door-keeper in the house of the Lord than to dwell in the Tents of wickedness for the Lord God is a Sun and a Shield the Lord will give grace no good thing will he withhold from them that walk uprightly Psalm 84. 10 11. Tenthly Observe that as every Member hath a place in the Body so it hath a service therein though not the place of an Apostle or Propher or helper in Government yet all they who are properly and truly of the body do Preach witness and testitie of God and Christ his Kingdom and Glory and against the Kingdom of Satan Sin Wickedness and the vain Glory and Lusts that are in the World In their Christian Lives and Conversations and every Nember that abides in its place and service in the fear of the Lord and true Humility hath Peace and Comfort with the Lord and Unity with all their fellow-Members who keep in their places and services and all who keep their places and services as aforesaid therein are in a preparedness for whatsoever the Lord God pleaseth to call them further unto and when any is called to further or other service than what God hath already called them unto their Peace with God and Unity with his People will be continued in their obedience to God that calls them Again the Apostle writeth thus of Christ viz. he that descended is the same also that ascended up far above all Heavens that he might fill all things and he gave some Apostles and some Prophets and some Evangelists and some Pastors and Teachers for the perfecting of the Saints for the work of the Ministry for the Edifying of the body of Christ till we all come in the Unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God unto a perfect man unto the measure of the Stature of the fulness of Christ that we henceforth be no more Children tossed to and fro and Carried about with every wind of Doctrine by the slight of men and cunning Craftyness whereby they lye in waite to deceive but speaking the Truth in Love may grow up into him in all things which is the head even Christ from whom the whole body fiâ—â—ly Joyned together and compacted by that which every Joynt supplieth according to the Effectual working in the measure of every part maketh Increase of the body unto the Edifying of it self in Love Ephess 4. 10 11. to the 17. First Observe that the gifts of the Apostles Prophets Teachers Evangelists c. were not given only to convince People of the Truth and way of Righteousness but also to build them up in it gradually from strength to strength to a Râ—pe Age in Christ Secondly Observe that those who were turned to the Light and Spirit of Truth by those whom God sent to turn them to it could not in the Light and Spirit gainsay or oppose them who therein Laboured in their writing and speaking to them to build them up in it from strength to strength for the Light is not Contradictory to it self in the Preacher or the Nearer or in any of the Children of it for that which the Light or Spirit of Truth speaks or dictates to write in one of its Children it doth nor reject oppose or gainsay in any other of its Children for if it could do so then should it be the Author of Confusion amongst â—'s Children which is most false and blasphemous to say for God by this Spirit and Light is not the Author of Confusion but of good profitable and Comfortable order and peace in all the Churches of the Saints The Apostle in this divine Light saw and by Experience knew that which he writ concerning it viz. God is Light in him is no Darkness at all if we say we have fellowship with him and walk in Darkness we lie and do not the Truth but if we walk in the Light as he is in the Light then have we fellowship one with another and the blood of Jesus Christ his son Cleanseth us from all sin 1 John 1. 5 6 7. Thirdly Observe that they who profess the Light of Christ within whether they be old or young professors of it that gainsay oppose reject slight and
Ephesus viz. This I say therefore and testifie in the Lord That ye henceforth walk not as other Gentiles walk in the Vanity of their Minds having the Understanding darkened being alienated from the Life of God through the Ignorance that is in them because of the Blindness of their Heart who being past feeling have given themselves over to Lasciviousness to work all Uncleanness with greediness Ephes 4. 17 18 19. Observe here the woful and miserable Effects of Disobedience to God what Darkness Spiritual Blindness Benummedness and Insensibility it brings them into who are given up thereto alienating them from the Life Power and Spirit of God yet this Blindness and Insensibility Doth not render them excusable in the Sight of the Lord God who hath sent his Son a true Light who lights every Man that comes into the World who therefore saith Look unto Me all O ye Ends of the Earth and be ye saved for I am God and there is none else a mighty God and a Saviour Isa 45. 22. And again The Apostle in his Light Spirit and Power saw and therefore said God's Will is that all Men should know the Truth and he Saved 1 Tim. 2. 4. They therefore who believe in the Divine Light of Christ and walk in and obey the same are therein saved preserved and justified but they that know this Light profess and talk of it but do not obey and walk in it they are justly by the Lord God condemned and their Disobedience justly Witnessed against by his Faithful People who walk in his Light and bring forth the pure peaceable Fruits of it and if such disobedient unfaithful Professors of the Light do not unfeignedly repent of their Evil Sayings and Doings against God and his People and walk in Obedience to the Light they make Profession of then will the Wrath of God fall heavy upon them in the End Again Hear what the Apostle Peter saith to the Faithful Children of Light viz. But ye are a chosen Generation an holy Nation a peculiar People that ye should shew forth the Praise of him that hath called you Out of Darkness into his Marvellous Light Dearly Beloved I beseech you as Strangers and Pilgrims Abstain from Fleshly Lust which War against the Soul having your Conversations Honest amongst the Gentiles that whereas they speak against you as Evil Doers they may By your Good Works which they shall behold glorify God in the day of Visitation 1 Pet. 2. 9 to the 13. Observe This Doctrine of the Apostle is according to the Command of Christ to his Disciples He said Let your Light so shine before Men that they may see your good Works and Glorify your Father which is in Heaven Math. 5. 16. Again Christ saith The Light of the Body is the Eye If therefore thine Eye be single thy whole Body shall be full of Light but if thine Eye be Evil thy whole Body shall be full of Darkness If therefore the Light that is in thee be Darkness how great is that Darkness See Math. 6. 22 23. Again Christ saith Out of the Heart proceedeth an Evil Eye Mark 7. 22. Luke 11. 34. 1. Observe That the Children of Light are a Royal Priesthood a Holy Nation a Peculiar People called out of Darkness into Gods marvellous Light They walking therein are as Lights in the World their Light so shines before Men in the good Works or good Conversation in Christ this brings Glory to God the Father which is in Heaven they neither Need nor Do plead Ignorance of their duty to God or Man or of the Commands of Christ For they do both know obey and do their Duty to God and Man praised be the Lord God for the same 2. Observe That Christ saith The Light of the Body is the Eye wherefore if thine Eye be single thy whole Body is full of Light but when thine Eye is Evil thy whole body also is full of darkness Here are ' two Eyes spoken of the good one and the evil one he that hath the good Eye open in him with it Christ saith If the blind lead the blind both shall fall into the Ditch Mat. 15. 14. sees right sees good things and is affected therewith embraceth and holdeth fast the same he sees his duty to God and Man and by Gods help doth the same and therein is blessed but he that hath the Evil Eye open in him which Eye proceeds out of the Heart as Christ saith with this his Evil Eye he seeketh and watcheth for Evil and therewith sees Evil things and hath pleasure in them and therefore embraces them practiseth them pleads for them and holds them fast This is the Man whose Good Eye is blinded and his evil one open therefore he calls Good Evil and Evil Good Here Darkness and its fruits are put for Light and its fruits and Light and its fruits are put for Darkness and its fruits The Person that doth this hath changed the Truth of God for a Lie Oh this is a miserable State which some fell into in Ages past and some are fallen into in our Age Out of which God Almighty preserve all who to his Light are turned who believe in and love the same And the Lord be merciful unto all who though they be Darkned and Intangled in the Snares of their Souls Enemy through want of Watchfulness in the pure Light of Christ and holy fear of God yet have not sinned out the day of his tender Visitation to them Oh that they may seek and find a place of unfeigned Repentance and so return unto the Lord God before the Harvest or Gathering or Restoring time to them be ended Concerning the Honour which God gives unto his People c. THe fear of the Lord is the Instruction of Wisdom and before Honour is Humility Proverbs 15. 33. And Christ saith If any man honour me him will my Father honour John 12. 26. And the Apostle Peter Exhorted the Saints saying Honour all men love the Brotherhood fear God c. 1. Pet. 2. 17. The Apostle Paul Exhorted the believing Romans to be kindly Affectionated one towards another with brotherly Love in Honour preferring one another Rom. 12. 10. Again he writ to them viz. But Glory Honour and Peace to every man that worketh good c. Rom. 2. 10. Again hear what the Lord saith by the mouth of Samuel the Prophet viz. Them that honour me I will honour and they that despise me shall be lightly esteem'd 1 Sam. 2. 30. And again Paul writing to Timothy saith Let the Elders that Rule well be counted worthy of double honour especially they who labour in the Word and Doctrine 1 Tim 5. 17. Observe All the Children of God who are taught by his gracious Spirit of Life Light Love and Peace who walk therein they Glorifie and Honour him with their Spirits and Bodies which are his and with his good Creatures which he hath made them Stewards over which is their reasonable Service and
and Christ and the Divine Light within of living without Sin of Perfection or of perfecting Holiness in Gods Fear yet being out of the Light and Life of Christ in Death and Darkness and the Works and Fruits thereof It is but Death and Darkness in them which talks of Light and Life and Faith Holiness Perfection c. Their talk of these good things with their Mouths is an Abomination to God Almighty while their hearts are far away from him while they are not in the Love and Obedience to God and Christ and his Divine Light they make profession of such profession without Subjection and Obedience God doth reject it is loathsome to him neither can his tender people whom he hath sanctified by his Spirit of Judgment and Burning have unity with these dead talkers nor their dead words and works for Light hath no communion with Darkness though Darkness talk of Light Something concerning Self Separation JVDE the Servant of Christ writ concerning the Self-Separated ones thus viz. they are the RAging Waves of the Sea foaming out their own shame to whom is reserved the mist of Darkness for ever and Enoch also the seventh from Adam prophesied of those saying Behold the Lord câ—meth in Ten thousands of his Saints mark so it is rendred from the Greek and is so in some English Translations to execute Judgment upon all and to convince all that are ungodly amongst them of all their ungodly deeds which they have ungodlily committed and of all their hard speeches which ungodlily they have spoken against him c. these be they who separate themselves sensual having not the Spirit But ye Beloved building up your selves in your most holy Faith praying in the Holy Ghost keep your selves in the Love of God looking for the Mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ unto Eternal Life and of some have compassion making a difference and others save with fear hating even the Garment spotted by the Flesh Now unto him that is able to keep you from falling before the presence of his Glory with exceeding Joy to the only wise God our Saviour be Glory and Majesty Dominion and Power now and ever Amen Jude 13 and 19 to the end see also 1 Tim. 4. 1. 2 Tim. 3. 1. 2 Pet 3. 3. Oh my dear Friends seriously consider that as in the Primitive Gospel days there were such Self-separated ones makers of Sects or Parties which caused great grief and deep Exercise to the Faithful in Christ Jesus some such like have been in our Age and some such like yet are who having been convinced of the Truth have come amongst us under the Christian Profession of the Spirit and Light of Christ within who for some time did in some measure follow and obey the Teachings of it but have since turned from it yet keep in a Profession of it these are they who separate themselves without it in opposition to it and the Children of it blessed be God that their number is but small but alas they are too many for we have received the mind of God and Christ and his Apostles whose will was and is that all Men might know the Truth and not only know it but obey it that so they might be saved but alas a few restless spirited Instruments of Satan who under the pretence of the Spirit and Light of Christ make War against the God of Peace against Christ the Prince of Peace and against the Subjects of his Peaceable Kingdom these are in danger to deceive others and bring them to be restless like themselves the Lord in Mercy stop these evil Works and Workers Oh that there might be a place of Repentance yet found by them Oh that they could yet see from whence they are fallen and Repent and come into that simplicity and loving and peaceable frame of mind into which the Truth had once in some measure drawn them Oh! this would be matter of great joy to those whom they in their darkness account their Enemies as some â—loting dark Notionists did the faithful Apostle Paul for his faithful and stedfast Testimony against their Looseness Confusion and Disorder It is my stedfast belief in God that he will not long suffer this Evil Work to go on to the grief of his People and the indangering the loss of Souls but he will plead with these Evil Workers these Serpentine wise and self-conceited he will stop and drive them backward and woe will be to them if they cannot find a place of Repentance which will be hard for some of them to find they have so highly magnified themselves against God his Tabernacle and them that dwell in Heaven but as Jude the Servant of Christ well observed in his Epistle that there was a difference to be put betwixt them who were so gone out into disorder loosness or confusion in his time some no doubt of those were unwarily through the subtilty of Satans Agents drawn from the simplicity honest mindedness and good intention which the Spirit of Truth had wrought in them into ungodly Jealousies and a wrong liberty from their obedience to the Cross of Christ Jude saw there was a Compassion to such and therefore wisely in the Wisdom of God put the Churches in mind of it and we are sensible such there hath been in our day who hath been betrayed and prevailed upon by Satan and his Agents as aforesaid these have been sought in the Love of God and Bowels of Jesus Christ their Advocate with the Father travelling for them in his Faithful ones who hath kept their Habitation in God and we have seen the travels and desires of our Souls answered in their returning into Unity with God and his People through their unfeigned Repentance and Condemnation upon the Spirit of Darkness which led them from God and upon the evil Words and Works it led them into and we believe that there are divers that yet remain in the same Snare for whose return to God we travelin Spir it and Hope that we shall see the Fruit of the Travel of our Souls in the Love and Power of God for their good and shall have cause to rejoyce and praise God for the same Wherefore oh my dear and well beloved Friends who are exercised by these sorts of Evil Agents and their Evil Works under a spacious profession of the Light Grace and Spirit of Christ and the Teachings of it All keep in the love of God and in the patience of Jesus Christ let Patience have its perfect work in those your deep Tribulations and sorrowful Exercises fret not because of evil Men nor their evil Works for behold the Judg of Heaven and Earth he sees them and you he will not suffer you to be tryed by them above what he will give you Ability to travel through without hurt and fear without loss or disadvantage to your Eternal Estates if you diligently wait upon him and move speak and act in his Council It is true which was anciently written