was to be with Jesus Christ who was manifested in the flesh or when the body is exercised according to the life power and will of the supreame Lord in Communion with those that have the same spirit of the most high in knowing and understanding then the Saints must not feare them that can kill the body viz magistracy but they must walk as the divine supereminent Saviour Lord King Judge wil have them Suppose that a Magistrate commands my body to do one thing but the invisible God in the understanding he that is God of body and soule commands another thing whether is it lawfull to obey God or man Judge ye 6. Suppose there is such a Magistrate in the world that does truely and really conceive that there is one eternall God the judge the absolute God the Lawgiver in the conscience and he according to rationality doth endeavour to demonstrate it can he make another beleeve it if any conforme to what he saieth not knowing it is not he an ignorant doer of what he would have him to do or a dissembling person But Aug. one of Gangraena's Fathers saith Simulata sanctitas est duplex iniquitas But the Magistrates and Priests of the earth have led the world in a string and they are at the sensuall beck and will of every base lust and that rule is verified amongst them qui nescit dissimulare nescit vivere But Oh! how excellent will it be when Saints shall more and more live to the supreame absolute God! 7. Whether a man may not have a word of God to deliver to a Magistrate as well as a Magistrate to another man Formerly I know God called some to speake to Kings and Potentates of the earth But we are better then our Fathers Is not the spirit of forbearance as good in a Magistrate as it is in another man if the Magistrate hath had experience that no man can make him beleeve the truths of God that he can not make any one likewise why should he use violence bitterness and wrath But we call it not wrath we call it Justice But the absolute distinguisher sees what it is and he will call that wrath and anger in you which you call justice But we will contrive a great many fine words to waue it But there is nothing hath power but what is given to it nothing enjoyes it longer then he that gave it pleaseth neither shall any thing be waved but what he will wave even that absolute I am But oh Lord supereminent if thou callest me causest me to speak of thee to manifest thee though magistracy heape up words against me strengthen their mouthes according to the judgement of Causidicks Synods of the earth though they hale me teare me in their ire sharpen their eys at me yet let it be sufficient that thou lovest when soever I see man let me be drawn to God let me say with Iob in the spirit of understanding without respect of persons Iob 20.4 5 6 7. Knowest thou not this of old since man was placed upon the earth that the triumph of the wicked is short and the joy of the wicked is but for a moment Though his Excellencie mount up to the heavens and his head reach to the clouds yet he shall perish for ever like his owne dung they which have seen him shall say where is he 8. Those that the Magistrates endeavour to compell to the Laws wills Ordinances interpretations of Scriptures the Magistrates being and confessing themselves fallible may for ought the Magistrates know have an obligation and an absolute understanding ingagement upon their spirits as to God to live to Gods owne interpretation Law will and ordinance which may be contrary to the Magistrate For God is the absolute originall of all things that are and that are to be interpreted 9. The People shall not suffer for the Magistrates sins but their owne nor the Magistrates for the peoples sins but their owne But the soule that sinneth shall die But yet in a common calamity the one may suffer as well as the other though not for the sins of another 18 Eezekiel 1 2 3 4. c. There is a declaration as from the Lord. And the word of the Lord came to me saying What meane ye that ye Use this Proverb concerning the Land of Israel saying the Fathers have eaten sower Grapes and the childrens Teeth are set on edge As I live saith the Lord ye shall not have occasion any more to use this Proverb in Israel Behold all souls are mine as the soule of the Father so also the soule of the sonne is mine The soule that sinneth it shall die you may reade the whole Chapter This was a glorious Prophesie of the time that should be when God should peculiarly manifest himselfe when God would be no more vayled by a man when God would manifest himselfe to be the absolute Lord me thinks a Magistrate confessing himselfe fallible should feare to desire much more to command another to that which that other is not satisfied of God For the soule of the person that the Magistrate commands is Gods It was no argument for a poor soule when the absolute supreame entred into judgement to say that the Magistrate gave me and I did eate nor an argument for the Magistrate to say that a companie of people invested me with this and that authority as I thought or desired this or that thing and I did eate I had received a Petition from the people or from the Major part to release one Barabbas crucifie Jesus Christ I received a Petition to deprive such and such People of their liberties being such as they when they did petition confessed God had honoured in doing them good estates priviledges and benefits of living in the world unlesse they indeed were not perswaded of in their own consciences If it was an Argument inexcusable that Adam and Eve used to God this may also hardly be They had an infallible Ministration what should be death and life But the Magistracy of the world and Synods of the times confess themselves fallible It was an Argument in that most certain case for Satan to use to suggest to poor weak Eve as it was presented to deceive God doth know that in the day ye eat thereof your eys shall be opened and ye shall be as gods knowing good and evil But oh Lord I let me seek unto thee with thee and from thee though that Devil tempts me to unite and manifest my self to that and in that way of darkness and man-sinning in the world whatsoever specious and fallacious pretences I shall receive from the men of the world and from my own soul as considered in its way of operations contrary to the body of Jesus Christ Let me though I hear men in the world pretend to the glorious mysteries of the Eternall God and the honour and glory of him try things with thy self alone and therefore be
Testimony methought I saw the beast the powers of the world the Aire the Kings of the earth the great men the rich men and the chief Captaines and the mighty men that had the temporarie Crown given them endeavour by all waies and means possibly to destroy the Testifyers and the Testifyers Testimony Methought I saw the temporany and yet infernall Nobles of the earth that wear the momentany and yet perpetuall Crown of Hell and death in themselves according to the power that is committed unto them acting persecution in one form upon the Neck of another which is the manifestation of the varietie and yet unity of that state that body of Antichrist Hell and death sword hunger and beasts of the earth even Ephesian beasts after the manner of men and then I saw the doom of those that have the Testimony of the Lord Iesus and I brake out into Admiration in my self Oh eternity how do the Nations of the world the Nationall powers of the world hear and see and read and seem and would be supposed to understand yet they see not nor understand and yet they suspect not themselves but teach and declare of themselves and say that they are christians walk in the life supereminent But Nobles of the earth take this only if you can lovingly til I am more lovingly inflamed or untill the father will manifest himself more unto you or me even in the interiorest in the dividing assūder rending and tearing in pieces of all your fleshly deceitfull glories whereby you have for many hundred years past deceived the people of the earth I am no disputer of the world I desire to be Tomteltra and not Oedipus I desire not to insinuate with you but to live to my God the God and Lord absolute mercifull holy undefiled and eternall I desire only of the father that I unworthiness weakness may live to him and with him in the interiorest sublimest and truest and that thou worthiness gloriousness wouldest understandingly as to me comprehend my particular and do what thou wilt with me in my exterior or in this visible world if thou worthiness and truly eternall Lord wilt surrender me up into the hands of the Lords and powers of the earth that act in a constitution of persecution Let me in the interior say Amen But yet Sathan that Divell tempts me but yet me thinks I am surrounded and invironed in this my pilgrimage and methinks the exteriors of the world operate insinuate dispute and reason with me and tempts my exterior to conform me to its self and confound me in its self I heard a voyce in the world the other day saying very Schismatically erroneously and according to the witness of men and denying the absolute witness of the great Jehovah denying that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh denying that power is given to the Son loving to have the preheminence the uppermost Rooms at feasts and in Synagogues setting themselves in the place of God attributing that to their fallible deceiptfull devillish understandings actings and contrivings that is to be attributed to the alone supream not waiting when God the absolute changer will give repentance to those that beleeve not the truth but have pleasure in unrighteousness earnestly contending as they say for the faith that was once delivered to the Saints in such wayes of carnallity by such carnall weapons which were not used in the times of that excellent glorious Apostolicall ministrations of God and consequently denying the glorious and supream power of the spirit giving themselves to fornication and going after strange flesh to deceive the Nations desiling the flesh by their filthy dreaming by imposing such things for an exterior worship as if Commanders as are not consistent with the life and glory of the Spirit in us Whereas the flesh of Christ that visible manifestation of God at Jerusalem 1600 years ago was lead according to teachings of the Divine God despising the true and absolute Dominion and dignities of the most High speaking evill of those things they know not and what they do know as brute beasts in those things corrupt themselves running in the way of Cain killing their brethren in the flesh because they are not of the same judgement and understanding in the spirit envying them in the offering of their sacrifices because they offer not their sacrifices as they do pulling and halling them before Magistrates Counsells Powers and Authorities Imprisoning them Banishing them confining them depriving them of their liberties accounting the world not worthy of them acoūting them the off scouring of all things running greedily after the errour of Baalam for reward setting obstacles in the way of true reall and unblameable liberty of Saints in their true and glorious feastings of spirituall Charity and Love in the dispensation of the various gifts of the most High God feeding themselves without fear when others are living walking talking lovingly conversing eating and drinking in fear Clouds without water Clouds covering the clear Heavens and Firmaments as if they were full of water and as if showres would presently fall great Mountaines travelling in birth Clouds carried about of winds from Popery or Popish Episcopacy to Prelacy in another form and from that to Presbyterie and those that would have the same wind of Doctrine the same teachings of fallible men to blow others whethersoever it blows them whose fruits have often already withered from one age to another and more then twice dead and plucked up by the Roots raging waves of the sea foming out their own shame having not the spirit of meeknes gentlenes tender mercy compassion though Stars yet wandring Stars to whom is reserved blacknes of darknes for ever and therefore they would draw all men unto them Murmerers Complainers Informers Reformers according to their own lusts speaking swelling words having mens persons in admiration because of advantage not knowing the glorious minde infallible will of the eternall God as the Apostles of Iesus Christ Mockers walking after their own ungodly lusts seperating themselves by the power will minde fallibility of fallible sensuall men having not the spirit denying any one but themselves and those whom themselves approve of to build up any in the holy faith or to Minister the gifts they have had of the supereminent God Teaching by necessarie unavoidable consequences that their love sensuall carnall mutable affections are to be looked after before the love of God or as well as the love of God though God the absolute satisfyer informer and reformer satisfies not having no compassion but on themselves those that they thinke they can by flattery draw to themselves making no difference but from themselves making no difference according to the true nature of difference but only making a difference according to their Carnall Lawes ordinances Statutes decrees not endeavouring to save others according to the true absolute infallible holy just warrantable way of salvation Endeavouring to pull men that are as they say
thou pleased to condescend to be my Companion and teach me the way of thy Commandments in the Spirit Though honour pleasure and preferment is presented to me if I submit to that way that I am or am not perswaded is the way of God as considered in distinction in thy production in Jesus Christ Let me hate O strength all objects that are presented with pleasantness to my eyes and with affection to my understanding though it be presented unto me to be desired and to make me wise If thou dost contradict all those exterior presentations in the Interiorest And let me not value the favour credit respect and reputation of men of the world but be thou my God and then I shall have rejoycing though I shall be cast out of the Paradice of men and kept out every way with a flaming sword But in this my affliction let me have communion and power with thy self or else I shall prove a Devil to my self and present the glories of the world to my understanding and shall be deceived Tenthly Admit that the Laws Ordinances of man or the interpretations of Scriptures by man were plain must not God the absolute and infallible and Supream power accomplish in the hearts and spirits of all men a beleeving of plain things as well as mysterious things that have more palpable necessity to have the truth and pure minde of them declared The Spirit was promised to shew the Saints plainly of the Father If the Father intended we should have Lords of the earth to shew us plainly of the Father and to make us beleeve the plainness of the Supereminent teachings surely he would have told us that the Fathers shall teach us The LORDS shall instruct us The variable mutable fallible windy spirits shall teach us But if we are subject to such teachings The fallible mutable spiritual men or spirits of the world may cast out Devils in the name of Jesus Christ and sweep and garnish the house that seven other Devils far worse then the former may enter in Eleaventh Admit magistrates and natural high Priests were the servants of the most high God the beloved of the Father those that knew the mysteries of the Lord Jesus were infallible in all knowledge or if they were true and reall Fasters and praying persons have they any other way prescribed to cast out Devils out of those that are in their eyes damnable Hereticks such as are really possessed with the spirit of blasphemy then by Fasting and Prayer Have they any such rule as this by scourgings by whippings by imprisonments by banishments Howbeit saith Christ this kinde cometh not out but by fasting and Prayer and no more There is no other way spoken of by Christ but by fasting from self from strife and from debate and from striking with the fist of wickedness living to and seeing the will of the Supereminent in fasting in willing in desiring according to the effluxes and descendings of it to capacity so that then fasting is good and praying is exceeding good when the wil of the Supereminent everlasting is become mans wil or mans will become the wil of the supereminent substantial eternal undefiled God which shal certainly be accomplished But if even their very Fasting and praying according to the true and real nature of Fasting and praying be questionable whither will they flie for their actions of Persecution and Tyrannie Twelfth Admit the generallity or major part of Civill magistracy were truly godly and heavenly-minded though I must confess I know no such matter it is well for themselves if they truly know themselves so and did walk in the Spirit would they not say as Paul did concerning his brethren after the flesh who was so taken up with love to them that he would be accursed from Christ Jesus for his brethren after the flesh who no doubt had errours yet not persecuted by him would they not say surely these are men as well as our selves and we cannot choose but confess our selves fallible we have not the Supereminent light and perfection of infallibility discovered to us as we confess the Apostles had we have not the infallible minde of God discovered to us without the Scriptures we have not the infallibility of interpretation of the minde of God in the Scriptures these men that we now Persecute though as now after the flesh to us may be in relation to God the seed of Abraham according to Faith unto these may belong the Promises the adoption the giving of the Law of the most high God and LORD in Tables of the heart as well within as without as well within in love as within in terrour We have had experience in this particular already that those that have been extream vitious are become Religious we our selves have been debauched most desperate swearers and blasphemers of that Eternall being and are so still and we saw or many of us that nothing did us good truly but the light and love of the absolute Divine Supereminent Truly all are dry-vines there is but one Supereminent power Why should any the Dry-vines of the world urge such a thing on us as to lift us up and instigate us to Persecute a company of poor may be afflicted tormented tempted creatures of God as well as our selves if they have received the Spirit of the Lord So said their fathers before them and yet Persecuted the members of Christ they may boast beyond their line as well as others have If they have the Spirit they have received it why should they boast Why should they insult domineer and Tyrannize over others Suppose Lords of the Earth that some of you should give a gift to some one man and not to another or a better gift to one man then to another as a badge of your mutable honour and love should another now that meets with one that hath not this badge rend him and tear him for it if that he did also meet one that had not so excellent a badge of honour as another should he also imprison him and wound him or strip him naked Surely I should think its because he is so covetous as to desire the garment The Priest and the Levite that came by the poor Samaritane might be the Theeves Apply it Potentates Besides admit you should give a man an excellent badge or cognizance of love in your families you should array him in glorious apparell and set a crown of gold on his head would you take it well that he should beat his fellow servants and wound them Reflect my Lords that he should kill all other poor creatures that came in his way because they had not the like garbe truly you would say this with your self I may give my own to whom I will so long as I have I may give what I have he hath abused my love and favour towards him It may be you may judge your selves for your liberality but Gods ways are past finding out and God may
But when he will inflame me to speak in the understanding I desire not to value the powers of the world whether within me with me or without me For I desire to be a servant to the most high God though bonds and afflictions shall waite for me And so with my respects to you as to men men subject to infirmities and passions fallible men And also desiring the father alone if it be the fathers pleasure that I may whilest I live under the appointed power and Authority of the World be more and more drawn up into the life Supereminent in a way of peaceableness though I live in unpeaceable unquiet unholy ungodly Authority and Power and quietness in all godliness and honesty I rest Hoping I am and so shall be A Servant to the absolute Lord though I shall be persecuted for the same W. Bray To the Impartiall and Partiall READERS Reader WHosoever thou art under what name soever thou wouldest be accounted and esteemed amongst men if thou art free to reade let it be as if there were no distinction of names by man which tend to division fleshly contention but if thou I are distinguished in the true nature of distinction as of and in two bodies in opposition designed and brought forth by the eternall God I know we shall be contraries though in some measure I can say I have the spirit of testimonie the spirit of understanding yet I can say I am nothing at all neither do I desire to be any thing but what God will and whatsoever I am or am made to be that God may be all in all Perhaps I shall lead thee through varietie of objects which thou wilt like and dislike but whosoever thou art I hope I shall not be offended with thee being in it kept through the power of God if thou dislikest nor the more affected if thou likest for thy liking or disliking commends me not neither discommends me unto God But his Testimony unto me with me for me in me is free and true even higher if possible then perfection can style it Non ab homine testimonium accipio I receive not mans record I care not for mans testimony I have directed this ensuing treatise to the nationall Ministers so called perhaps you will expect they should confirme the words they have spoken and preached unto you If that ministeriall Assembly and those godly divines so called and esteemed will not vouchsafe or condescend to give me an answer I should be unwilling to be a Proselite to such men But my comfort is that he that inhabits eternity will discourse with me in the inner man within my owne vail when I shall not be admitted or accounted worthy to come within a thousand foot of a Synod I have read that Mahomet when he had published his Alcaron no man must comment dare to dispute or call in question any part of it be it never so absurd incredible fabulous and ridiculous it must be beleived implicite no man must contradict it upon paine of death threats terrours affrights tyranny are their means to keep men in obedience Preists and polititions do delude the whole world now at this day Such men as have and do read Machiavell and Tacitus are the men that act to the bene esse of a Common-wealth and must also as they suppose act in dominion and authority over the Church of God The Priests talke much of the spirit in their prayings and preachings yet none other must upon paine of damnation or heresie at least others if they preach it or declare it must be termed by them Enthusiasts and what not Can we exclaime thus O Festus dies hominis If that the light of reason only were not stifled and choaked in the world by the nationall Preists and their Proselites pretended divinity men would not be so much deceived Do not take notice of names as Episcopall Presbiter and Independent for a man may use either of them without wrath or malice a man may say unto you all do as you would be done by Let God alone if you can to destroy all unrighteousness and to add Cubits to our statures whosoever thou art if thou art righteous thou canst not hinder anothers wickedness and fals untill God wills it so if thou art wicked thou canst not hinder anothers righteousness unless God wills it God hath brought forth varietie in the world and one thing shall not hinder another till the Supream cause of all will hinder as to man and further as to man Methinks it would be more suitable to the Scriptures of an Apostle if in any thing any one be otherwise minded God shall even reveale it unto him and that would be the cessation of contention in Episcopalls Presbiters and Independents so called I desire onely to manifest a striking at the roote of any evill as I am striken lovingly of God the supreame cause I desire him alone to perfect the work in righteousness and to bring forth judgement and truth unto victory when he will both to thee and me I write this unto man not for libertie but to declare what grounds I have in my owne conscience for the same of him and from him who gives and continues libertie and holy complacency in a divine will in prison and out I have beene under an extraordinary temptation of from the Devill Satan that for the present hath Crowns in the world that I might not manifest my self in this particular way but God hath answered all Arguments that I can and paradventure also that thou canst make If I shall be againe striken friendly of the Saints I desire I may see it as a precious balme and imbrace it and in some of all see the active God in it If I am striken of others I desire to see only power will and authority from the Father of consolation So accept this from him who is Thine in the service of the everlasting God as in the generation of Jesus Christ W. Bray TEmporarie Potentates that now are you must go to the great Grave of your Fathers even you Mutable living and dying Potentates you must be inclosed in the Concave of the earth You Principle Counsels the best of you not much better then your fathers nay if some of your fathers were extant in the Visible life you would hardly counterpoise them in a ballance if you would suffer your selves to be weighed you would be found too light Oh! you spirituall Sensitive Synods or other Assemblies in the whole World VVhat though you break out without an absolute holy zeal of the eternall God but yet with zeal with a zeal to set up your selves or to honour eternity with the thoughts of your selves with the directories of your own hearts Interrogemus Prophetas Interrogemus Apostolos Interrogemus Scripturas Interrogemus Christum Have not many of your Nationall fathers erred not knowing the true and reall minde of the minifestations of that incomprehensible God Have not
the Aire that are the princes Lords Counsellors and Synods of the World hath not errour been affected from them if under glorious names and curious expressions let the Generation that is now be Judge Oh you Lords you Consellors of the earth Oh! you Cedars in the world your Kingdome you have interwoven your selves into the language of the Almighty and mixt your dross with the precious and scarce-known truths in the VVorld But your mixture destroys not the substance but the substance in the fulness of time shall destroy your mixture but how many or whether all you shall be saved in that day I determine not he alone knows before whom all things are naked and not vailed Truly Potentates I see when I behold him or when I am rather made to behold him who is the cause of all and of me that am in particular and of what I am whom I desire to live unto mans highness to be lowness mans strength to be weakness mans promises to be perfideousness mans liberty to be bondage mans Communion to be far different from the Communion with the Father and the Son in the active substantiall immutable eternall spirit I see mans truths to be vanity and a lye mans love to be wrath mans goodness and constancie to be all to himself and man with God in his heart as by his understandings contraction and man with God in his mouth to carry on the designe of his worldly Kingdome and glory Truly earthly scourgers and Tormentors in your own Kingdomes and glories your intentions to scourge and afflict do make me to looke to the interiorest to see if possible I can by that measure of glory ministred to me how I am as to the great Iehovah and how I must be to him and for him and not to you for you nor to him for you but that I might be all for him and all from him if possibly to you to him that so I might see what I have been and am unto my selfe But in the consummation of my thoughts I considered this with my selfe I shall not be truely able to endure the brunt of violence if my contrarietie be to you only with the flesh it is but Sathans Kingdom divided against it self whose Kingdom and glory must cease and must be demonstrated to be vile and contemptible for these two which are but one contraries in this seeming division shall at length finde and feele the absolute contrary the supream and the supereminent the head the Judge In my alone seriousness I considered that I had been a professor of and out of the Church of England so called but my profession made me no Saint for it is the alone absolute and reall sanctification in the Spirit that must make me a Saint a professor I did finde according to the substance of examination scrutiny that my profession now must surely be more then formerly that it must have an absolute life or else a fire would quench it the looks of Lords would abash it a prison would imprison it when I should be in and out if I shal be out after I am in it would cause a cessation and honour and credit and preferment amongst men would ensnare me and with it's smiles would intrap me But Lord let not the Lords excellencies mutabilities glories in fine Vanities intrap me let not my profession be meerly a profession of the eternall and everlasting beeing and name according to things without me in the similitude of the profession of the world generally cofusedly and from an exterior extrajudiciall affection that eternitie would comprehend me as knowingly to me as well as knowingly to himselfe who comprehends all things knowingly in the true serious and reall nature of sanctification and that my profession may be the true and reall effluxs of such a glorious comprehension But Princes Nobles and Counsels not worthy to be named so in relation to the absolute supreame I desire to behold a distance when I am truly acted in contemplation of the Prince the absolute the true the infallible unspeakable though I speak of the false though I speak of the fallible and mutable I desire not to center there I desire only to speake of the fading and dying glories as being United to him who comprehends the mutables the exteriors and the interiors and speaks of them and to them and give them their names and places But Satan that Divell tempted me and endeavoured to have Dominion over me and it presented it self to my exterior and approached violently with curious attire fine expressions the language of the most High to have admittance but the interior I thank the Lord had present recourse to the Interiorest to the comprehending the mysticall God the comprehending incomprehensible Me thought I had these things presented me if you will not walk according to the Law of Nobles Lords and Potentates you will be crushed they will binde you in chains will not let you live in the world Imprison your poor body make you to be despised of all men if thy profession or the things thou livest in knowest were more generall then thou mightest have honour credit and reputation in the profession thereof thou wouldest have friends in the unrighteous Mammon the High-Priests the Scribes Pharisees the Doctors of the Law are thy Antagonists but then was the time for the absolute Lord to appear and his appearance caused contrarietie to the Lords Agent or Agents then I despised contemned inconsiderable person did desire that I might behold the absolute Lord and might now contend in the spirit and speak by the power of the highest the cause of all causes the God of all natures the father of all spirits and might now be made unwilling to stand before him as being any thing and that I might be what he will'd and might not be what he nil'd Absolute supream one Absolute Counsellour yet more wise then Counsellours let me be abased so as in my abasement thou aboundest in me to me though thou art incapable of abounding in thy self thou who comprehendest the heavens the earth the constellations glories and powers of both let the particular producted visible form and shape even me in particular see thee who art alone praise-worthy If the world have a prison for me tell me that the prison is thine both before and when I am there and let me know that nothing divides thee and me for thou art indivisible and mayest when thou wilt be seen in all the natures of things Oh thou eternall triumphant God! let me live in the wondering and admiring of thy holy unsported fulness let me not look upon spots any more upon emptinesses any more but with the communication of thy fulness incommunicable that is let me not look upon things by the wisdome of self by the sensuall wisdom the wisdome of the flesh let me not look upon a lye any more to be deceived by it to live upon it to live to it
the judgement of the great Day but the alone absolute Judge knowes and I am alone satisfied that he knows and that he manifests and mysteriously containes in his invisible self what he pleaseth In my Soliloquies in my withdrawings in secret before my God of whom I desire not to be ashamed and unto whom all things are naked and bare the contrarietie of the powers of the world made me more now then ever in all my life to look up to God the incomprehensible glory to see if possible I might attain or had attained to it as apprehended of him how I was as to him which would be the greatest comfort to me that could bee if the Lord should lay some heavy affliction upon me if I should be brought before the powers of the world for I saw in the world and methinks I see and hear the Crowned Beasts as well as the Saints of the most High the fellowship of the body of the son of God that are round about the Throne cry Holy Holy Holy Lord God Almighty which was and is and is to come I saw the whole World in confusion and yet walking in their place the beasts in their place of adoration acknowledge the most high God under the same forms of expression or Ministration of holiness and glory that the Saints of the most High did But I see understand a variety of manifestation of the great God of Heaven and earth in distinction But I seeing and beholding the Beasts of the earth to have a Crown power and authority given them to kill with the sword under the name of the worship service glory and excellency of the most High God and it made me that have lived in the time of my ignorance of God or life to God with God after the flesh deceit formall man teachings and fallible apprehensions to look and see if I could behold or attain to see the eternal absolute infallible to comprehend me in the body of the Lord Iesus to see if I lived to the life supereminēt to the life sustaining feeding even to the absolute true and not fading principle of glory and to see if I lived to the true beams life and Communion of true understanding But Lords Counsels Synods or Honourable men of good admired literature you that desire to be reformers of men for the salvation of souls you that conceive your selves to be the men absolutely infallible in your selves undeniable to others called of God more then the generation of preists or Synods before you you that so well conceive of your selves that you act not from Preistly Marian principles as the Preists your predecessors did you also that hold foorth your doctrine as they did theirs from your owne or your Fathers interpretation of Scriptures you that endeavour to limit and binde in Chaynes of darkenesse and selfe you that would have none teach but your selves or rather to minister what they apprehend of God but your selves as your Fathers before you I desire you and earnestly intreate you as you tender the Scriptures of God which you as if convincedly truly and knowingly maintaine and preach from And because it may not be said if you if it be not true of you according to that Rule of imperiousness earthliness sensuality and Devilishness wisdom and yet folly Sic volo sic jubeo stat pro ratione Voluntas And furthermore because it is said in the 5 Iames 20. let him know that he which converteth a sinner from the errour of his way shall save a soule from death and shall hide a multitude of sinnes if you infallibly know as many of you seeme constantly to averr that this Scripture belongs unto you to make use of Consider you are men and not God You are many men and you have many minds See and behold if you can whether you may not be condemned by the Eternall God though you condemne not your selves or judge your selves if you are now of one minde in your Assembly you are not to be considered eternaly so for yesterday you were of one mind to day you are of another before many daies or yeares come to be consummated by that eternall God who is uncapable of change you may be of another minde contrary to them both you have hissed at the generations that have been past at the generation that is but the generations that are to come may hiss at you and may be ashamed of their fathers pretended infallibilities you or your fathers have Clipt the wings whipt scourged imprisoned the bodies in fine abused those that have been contrary to you what did you do as you would be done by Did not many of you that pretend to have a holy respect to the Sabbath read your selves or countenance the reading in others the book of sports And will you now make it your sport to persecute Did you not live farr below the heavenly glory of knowing and understanding How will it be with you when God shall say to your Consciences you that thought you knew so much of me did not know your selves you that were ready and violently ready to scourge had need be scourged even at the same time of God It is true I gave you understanding power and Crownes on your heads and I will judge you according to what you are and with what you have as I have your fathers before you Time was when you would take notice of none crowned but your selves none honoured of God but your selves as if you comprehended all the incommunicable and communicable varieties of my selfe as if you had the infallible discerning of spirits but now I will shew thee those whom thou persecutedst those whom thou esteemedst the off-scouring of all things the filth of the whole world to weare Crowns of gold and white Rayment though you had Crowns though powers kingdomes glories though you are disputing intellectuall persons and have rationall capacities though governours of multitudes Nations Kindreds and tongues yet you have not white Garments before the All-seeing Supereminent eternall Iehovah When you Lords of earth shall see one that you Lorded over crowned with transparent gold Crowned with the transparent power life wisdome and love of the eternall invisible God and in the body of Jesus Christ if you shall behold it in time Oh then my Lords Tempora mutantur if when time shall be no more what shall my Lords be I shall expatiate my selfe according to the Scriptures of God 10 Luke Christ gave power to and manifested the fathers glory in a few poore disciples a few tormented hated persecuted Saints to cast out Devills to tread upon Scorpions and all the power of the Enemy But surely they became not a Magistraticall power to accomplish such a Victory and though he gave them such power he told them there was no cause of triumph in this or joy in this that the spirits were subject unto them but rather that their names were written in heaven
give forth some way or other to discover the thoughts of all hearts Oh Lord Supereminent Thou hast made all men almost to differ one from another and thou hast set the world in their hearts to some thou didst give the gift of prophesie it may be in some measure to some Tongues to some discerning of spirits to some working of miracles to some wisdom to some knowledge to some Faith if thou givest me but the glimmerings of love in the least of these or in any one let me not despise him that hath more or judge him that hath more nor yet despise him that hath less or judge him that hath less if any have less then my self in relation to capacity or understanding for thou art the same let me not pretēd to know above what I really know though the powers of the world would have me do that I am not convinced of or leave undone that which I cannot because I am thine not their servant Oh then the absolute Lord over-rule the lords in me and let me see thee and walk before thee in the understanding yet if thou wilt have a Nero a Domitian a Caligula or any power of the visible world to scourge me Give my back to the smiters and let me know and see thou givest it and then let me take pleasure in it For oh Lord me thinks I see that a man may have a vision of God and may see a star to arise out of Jacob and may be convinced in his conscience that the earth is the Lords and the fulness thereof and that God is the alone Lawgiver Judge and absolute supream as many or most of the Nationall Priests and Lords confess yet at the request of a base sensitive lust and divilish desire will endeavour to have Altars built yea Altar upon Altar to see whether they can curse the Israel of God Let us proclaim a Fast that so God may hear our Prayers and grant our desires the longing of our souls But Lord how far is this from the true life of Saintship and love in the World But O Lord refine me and then let me walk as refined Thirteenth The mandates of the Scripture even the Scriptures from which the Potentates and powers of the earth have and do maintain persecution and violence to others do all of them extend to the Magistrate and if he were in a Christian constitution as he pretends he ought not in that relation to use carnall weapons neither will he unless he supposes himself wiser then ever Christ or an Apostle was or hath received the Spirit more then an Apostle had or hath received the Spirit to maintain and defend such a practise as the Apostle could not neither did 2 Cor. 10.4 Christ saith when they were persecuted should pray when cursed bless Christ could have had twelve Legions of Angels to defend him in this visible world but he would not take any invisible glory or visible excellency of God to defend him And if the Magistrates will tell us plainly that they have that power given them as considered in a constitution of holiness and truth which the Father would not give Jesus the Son or which he would not assume or exercise nor give his Apostles power to assume or exercise Let them prove that they or this or that particular Magistrate had or have that which neither of them had neither Jesus Christ nor Apostles And let those whom they are pleased to call Hereticks and to banish imprison and afflict see their Arguments that they have in themselves as in the presence though they think it not nor perceive it or know it or though knowing it will not acknowledge it of the Eternall incomprehensible Judge non-respecter of persons the interiorest discerner that can describe that which man describes with a fuller description and judge with a fuller judgement then man or any visible glory or rationall intellect in the world who is without the exteriorest and within the interiorest and indivisible in himself who judges with a more absolute judgement then all the Councels Potentates Lords Synods or Parliaments of the earth And when he enters into judgement the flesh of a Lord is no more then the flesh of another man nor shall more be justified by him or be able to justifie it self But I beleeve if things were demonstrated in the world according to the spirit of truth reallity and non-confusion the Lords Potentates and Counsels of the earth would appear to be the greatest Anti-scripturists though in words they would not have it so expressed or so express it themselves Fourteenth Is it not a case of conscience or is there not necessity that every particular man should be perswaded in his own minde for what he doth or for what he is commanded to do least he call good evil and evil good least he call oppressing persecuting Lords Magistrates Counsels Synods followers of the God of heaven in love light and truth Citizens of the New Ierusalem Saints of the most high God livers in the Spirit those that walk with God when indeed they are not so but grinders of the faces of the poor Idolaters carnall sensuall and divilish having not the spirit having mens persons in admiration because of advantage making a prey of the poor and needy having wisdom yet are not wise unto God but to themselves oppressours though not of their friends or themselves of the Saints of the most High or those that are not perswaded in their consciences by the Divine Supream God It is not strange to say know and think that magistrates and ministers so called have been so are and may be so The Scriptures of the most High God testifie it the saints have witnessed it and still do witness it with their blood and bodies Are there not men magistrates and ministers of such mindes as Caesar Caligula was of that wished that all the people of Rome had but one neck that he might destroy many at once Many can apply this But Hell must inlarge her self Gods design must be accomplished in Hell as well as in Heaven Saints give your backs to the smiters In this my last Demonstration and apprehension I was in the conclusion desiring in my own spirit of that eternall Jehovah and everlasting God that I might be so swallowed up into that eternall glory wisdom power will that I might not manifest my self with my self but that my self or rather himself might be manifested in me by me and from me then though the mutable Lords of the Aire oppose me yet my alone substantiall ever-remaining supereminent Lord remaines If I live he is if I die those that live after me shall not truly say he is not but he is the same I also desired that I might be so swallowed up to the life of the Lord that in seeing of that Lord in the things of that Lord I might not respect persons that it might be all one to me to be hated and to be loved to
Letter as he pleaseth would you not esteem it an indignity when the supream Judge shall come to judge the world as the Apostle saith according to his Gospel when the supream God shall averr in the interiorest and say that indeed he sent his Son and anointed him with the Oyl of gladness above his fellows and gave him the spirit not by measure so that unmeasurableness and mysticalness was manifested in him and by him and he spake to a few Saints and gathered by the power of the Spirit a few poor men to teach the mysteries of Christ but there was one William Pryn Esquire a Lawyer I will not say Saint Pryn and the Lords of the earth and the Synods of the world proved interpreters with their own lusts according to their formall artificiall terms of distinction and so they said this must be the meaning to day this must be the meaning to morrow Procul dubio Lords is this not indignity But Christ will not be for ever crucified in his body the Church crucifying will be over may be in time but surely will when time shall be no more 19. If the Scriptures were so plain that he that runs may reade he that barely reads may understand to what purpose is the spirit promised to lead into all truth since the Ascention If I may absolutely knowingly understandingly infallibly Aopstolically Christ like know and understand all that I see and heare concerning my self and others But truly Lords and mutable Potentates though you reade hear see as you say you do you may say as the Eunuch how shall I understand without a guide But remember this the guides say and confess they are not infallible 20. If you do confess the spirit was promised to be given after the Ascention if it be given to ye it is a greater glory for you to tell us of it then laugh at it to tell of it how it came to you and when then to tell us what you have done for us if any thing in relation to civils Paul was not ashamed of it 21. If you confess that the spirit was promised to be given after the Ascension you had need to averr justifie and prove that it was promised to be given to Magistrats Lords and Synods not poore men not Fisher-men that the spirit went from the poore to the rich from those that the honourable count base to the honourable And though it were so it is no good Argument to convince a man even to strike him to imprison him and defame him as the false prophet did the true when he said when went the spirit of the Lord from me to thee 22. If you prove that the spirit was to be given to Magistracy Lords Nationall preists both you and the people had need know whether you in this age that now is more then any other are the Magistrates and the Preists For it was not promised to Magistracy in all Ages if it had it would have been performed for he promiseth nothing but what he performeth And that precedent Magistracy have been enemies and persecutors of the Saints of God under the notion of Heretiques or those that have been contrarie minded it is playnly apparent Historie declare it and you your selves confess it are convinced of it in your own hearts as you say therefore let that Magistracy as well as other men let that Synod that thinks he stands take heed least he falls or is already fallen or that he takes falling for standing in himselfe and standing for falling in others and so judges condemnes and persecutes 23. Me thinks I heare in my eares a urge saying and a voyce to my understanding declaring that there was a Nation or multitude of people met together as Episcopalls Presbyters and Independents so called and did convene from remote parts the East West North and South and these chose some to consult and debate what should be for the good of that Nation and kingdome and gave them power and honour and externall glory so much as they could or was in their power but the prevayling party tooke upon them the things of God and the place of God as much as in them lay and beat and wounded those that were contrary minded in their minds as to God though they still continued loving and affectionate to them Is this good Oh! sad requitall may not you say woe to your owne soul for you have rewarded evill to your selves Isa 3.12 Oh! my people they which leade thee cause thee to erre and destroy the way of thy paths 24. Suppose that a multitude of faire complexioned men of straite deportment should choose and elect a companie and place them in honour and dignity above themselves but these poore creatures or some of them may be Iob in the paralell should have an affliction upon them their faces should be changed their bodyes should grow crooked and this should be inflicted by the God of all natures mutable glories and excellencies or suppose God should send Sathan to tempt them or some of them that they may consent to the temptation and whereas Iob had boyles and sores even from the Crowne of the head to the sole of the feet would it not be sad now that one should come and lay Iobs affliction more heavie on him whipp the man sting him with scorpions But would it not be as sad also to see two that were full of boyles and sores wounds of Sathan temptations of the Devill that contrarie that roaring Lion in the shape of man to whip one another and lash one another for I have heard many of the nationall preists confess themselves publiquely that they have been full of wounds and sores and putrifactions even from the crown of the head to the sole of the foot Oh! Preist it is better for thee to tell who healed thee then to wound another that is in thy former condition if thou art out of it and truly translated But would not this make a man to breake out after this manner and say O inhumanitie had I knowne this should I have been so inhumane to my selfe I am scourged because I am sore wounded because I have boyles because I am in temptation because I am in errours because Sathan that politique Devill that contrarie hath deceived me and I am deceived though I have boyles and sores from the sole of the foot to the crowne of the head sent me of the God of Gods and Lord of Lords the Ruler of Princes yet after the manner of men I might have spared the rending and tearing my owne bowells I cannot comprehend the heavens and the earth much less him that is greater then both I cannot change my selfe nor make him change me till he will But the will of eternitie be done why should I contend with the God of all changes when I did choose them I was weakness it selfe I was the weaker vessell and I am despised for being so yet I made not my selfe so neither can I add one Cubit to my stature reade 1. Isa 29.30.31 25. Admit that those that are generally called and doe call themselves Ministers of the Gospel and prophets of the most high God in an eminent and a supereminent manner have communion with God and should be told of God as the Prophet was what they should do 13 Kings reade the whole Chapter must we goe forward and backward because the Prophets do so But surely I hope there is the Lyon of the Tribe of Judah in the way I who am weakness desire of thee O Immortall strength that I may more and more walke as comprehended of thy divine will that I may neither goe backward and forward and forward and backward to the right hand and to the left hand because the Nationall preists and Prophets do so but that I may walke as became a child to thee the Father of spirits and the God of all consolation and therefore let me live to the willing life and living will of thee O supersupereminent God 26. Magistrates and ministers of God so called you are but men subject to like passions that other men are as well as an Apostle was as he confesseth if not much more and you were not long since under Episcopacy and owned it as of God many of you if not all did did you satisfie your selves or were you satisfied of God if you were can you or we that are contrary minded draw God to us to satisfie us when you or we will our selves your selves 27. You Magistrates and ministers so called are but at the most or the most you can say of your selves in your own applause is that you are but wise and prudent men But saith Christ Father I thank thee thou hast hid these things from the wise and prudent Scribes Pharises Lawyers chief Priests and revealed them to babes but may be you will say now as Lloyden said the case is altered but many Scriptures will prove this 28. Magistrates and ministers so called you shall die as well as other men the King and the Beggar the Fool and the Achitophel the master and the servant ye shall go to one Tomb that contains all generations mystically in it self But I will not say you think you shall have a Pardon or a Purgatory or both 29. Magistrates and minsters so called the Kings the Priests and the people the beggar and the rich the wise and the foolish the abased and the abounding person the Lawyer with his terms fallacies and term-pleadings and the Divines so called with their formall Sophistical Criticisms shall appear if there be any judgement as indubitably there is and shall before the absolute perfect Tribunal all the restitution of all things when all things shall be brought forth according to the will powerfull Excellencie and minde of the supream Cause when the things that are mystically unsearchably brought forth and are again mystically hid in its proper center in a way of mutability shall be brought forth in everlastingness but this is a mystery of eternity at which time and in which appearance you Lords of the earth shall be judged in those things that ye judge questioned in those things that ye question others and be your selves examined whether you are in the faith in a supersuperlaive manner And so farewell mutable dying vain unholy unnaturall temporarie judging inconsiderable man FJNJS
many of your fore-fathers even you your selves varied from Apostolicall knowings and livings in the Spirit If I did think Antichrist would not lye or if you were competent Judges of your own hearts in this great time of your contention for Masteries for power and authority for the sitting in the uppermost Rooms of feasts for Judging according to your selves you would tell me that you have all gone out of the way and that you are altogether become abominable even in the eyes of the divine invisible presence as it is in the Son of the Fathers love and also in your own eyes Have not many of you endeavoured to finde out the profound unsearchable riches of the incomprehensible God who is every where in all the natures of things and yet can hide himself in relation to any thing beside himself so that they shall not perceive him May not God work upon the Left hand and upon the Right hand you see him not surely it 's recorded that Job was in such a condition Job 23.9 Have you not endeavoured to finde out that one indivisible mind that one unalterable God as if you contained him in the hollow of your hands in one associated assembled company Oh! then truly those that you are pleased to call Sectaries of all men are most miserable Have not you thought you might finde truth's glory by the knowledge of the Etymologie of words by your artificiall learning and parts by finding out the fallible derivations and nationall changings of Termes Have not your Sermons been cunningly and artificially composed like Menander his two Comoedies Andria and Perinthia which were very unlike in composition And hath not this deceived the hearts of the people though your subject matter as you will say differ little Do not you in your great contentions endeavour to make a Uniformity in worship which you are pleased to call circumstantials or to give some other slight name to it and also an Uniformity in your substantialls so that the Magistrates have been as the Priests or the Priests as the Magistrates and so Priests Magistrates and people have been almost all one But you must likewise go to the Sepulchre of your fathers to be intoombed or hidden mystically in the conteyning Bowels of the earth the grave of the eternall God for all Yesterday it was to a persecuting Papist afterwards to a persecuting Protestant power and to day is to a domineering Presbyter Hinc illae Lachrymae here is unstedfastness in all our wayes here is persecution under 3. adulterated formes though I mention only these formes I complicate other formes whatsoever they are in the world that are not of God even the Father as considered in the body of the Lord Jesus Christ Give me leave to reason with you and take all in good part for I freely give in a loving consideration but let me tell you in this little Tract that which I apprehend will in the time of the invisible omnipotent Father peirce you to the very heart even some of you in this Generation before it passeth away by that word which endures for ever Oh thou Papist hast thou Iesus Iesus so much in thy mouth Oh thou Protestant hast thou Christ as much in thine and thou Presbyter hast thou the Lord Jesus as much in thy mouth as either of the former to throw both down and others also that are in a form of contrariety to thee and to make thy self an absolute Lord an absolute lover of thy self an absolute pleaser of thy self an absolute liver to thy self I only give these names because you are capable of those names you own your selves by and distinguish your selves and indeed are distinguished in the world therefore be not offended at it You speak much of Christ and your own ordinary and frequent expressions to maintain your own Jus Divinum are frequently in your mouths nay I think in your hearts You say indeed Interrogemus Christum but you do take councell with your selves and if you or any of you shall be subject to the sweet teachings of God of the most holy true and absolute you will tell me hereafter or others if not me or your selves if not others or be told of God that you did proclaim a Fast but you intēded to cut of Naboaths head before hand to stone poor Naboath all because he will live in the inheritance of his Father You will say that you had self-contrivings and Law-makings to destroy those that would walk and live and speak as being the inheritance and in the inheritance of the Father of freeness love and excellencie You will say that you with the will of your selves and the minde of your selves though unseeingly to you the minde of the incomprehensible did make way for Stigmatizing and Stigmatizing Informers if you fasted from your selves if you did not ask councell of your selves in the forms of truth make interrogatories to your selves and answer your own questions it would be a great question whether you obeyed the voyce of God or walked after your own premeditated Ordinances Laws and Designes What though your Counsels as it is recorded of Herod in the peoples apprehensions do speak as the Oracles of God what though you make your selves strong by arguments drawn from your vast Humane Intellects according to the formall denomination of wisdom and understanding in the world it is all but your selves it is but the high glory of an exterior and mysticall Antichrist it is but ad res inanes studia convertere It is that that hath deceived all the Nations of the world and doth deceive the people multitudes of the earth and make them to wonder at you and indeed it hath not only drawn the earthly and beguiled the simple ignorant of God through deceipt but also the heavenly the Saints of the most high those that are in the fathers bosome glorious teachings even to make a Disciple for a season to deny his Master till the substance the invisible incomprehensible God hath given them to see himself more and also themselves and others and to see and live to themselves and others less and to see him inmost of all within every vail within whom nothing is and without whom nothing is or is not is it not evident in the world that Synods and Assemblies have more looked upon and judged truth to be according to mens various argumentative varieties according to the seeing of the eye and the hearing of the ear rather then the true and reall discendings of God in their own understandings by the absolute spirit witness Testimonie or manifestation of the sole supream How many thousands of adulterous voyces have the world heard and worshiped with even with the Supereminentest names of Glory how many false and uncertain sounds have the Plebeians so called by many in scorn affected from a Causidick or a Terrestriall Polititian or an affected self-affecting Priest when the sound have been given by those that have the power of