they with us might partake of the living Bread which comes down from Heaven I am that living Bread saith Christ that came down from Heaven My Flesh is Meat indeed and my Blood is Drink indeed whoever eats of the Bread and drinks of the Water that I give shall never hunger nor thirst any more Except ye eat my Flesh and drink my Blood ye have no Life in you This was an hard Saying to the professing Jews whose Eye was outward and carnal as it is with many this day who make a great talk of his Flesh and Blood But except you have Faith in his Name and by virtue of that Faith come to eat his Flesh and drink his Blood ye have no Life in you for sayes he who sais I am the Light Except ye believe that I am he ye shall dye in your Sins and whither I go ye cannot come so that it is Unbelief in his Light or Grace in people which disappoints them of the benefit of his Blood which cleanseth washes and sanctifies all those that believe in his Name and Power by which as they keep unto and abide in it they come to witness their Redeemer to live even Christ the Anointed of God the Everlasting Minister of the Sanctuary and of the true Tabernacle which God hath pitched and not Man he is become our High Priest and the Bishop of our Souls he is teaching his People himself and our Invitation unto all is that they may come and sit down under the Teachings of his Spirit and Grace in themselves For whatsoever may be known of God is manifest within and he hath shewn unto Man what is good that he should obey it and do it and the Apostle said Examine your selves prove your selves know ye not your own selves how that Jesus Christ is in you except ye be Reprobates Now thou who hast had thine Eye outward hast bin running abroad and spent thy Portion with the Prodigal and hast not obtained an Establishment in that which is durable and satisfying the Soul Return return to thy Father's House and turn thy Mind inward to that which thou hast run from and hast been seeking without thee and thou wilt find virtue in it and the Efficacy of it to satisfie thy breathing Soul for remember the Parable of the Woman who sought her piece of Silver without her House but turning within lighting a Candle and sweeping her House she found it and for the Joy that she had found this Treasure invited her Neighbours to come and rejoyce with her Now the Candle of the Lord which is the Spirit of a Man is lighted and the Houses of many are swept and that which they have been seeking without they have found within them to the exceeding great Joy Gladness of their Hearts so that they could not but invite and perswade others through the constraining Virtue and Soul-satisfaction they had receiv'd from it to turn in to that inward Word of Power which is nigh in the Heart and is a sure Word of Prophecy unto which sayes the Apostle Peter ye do well to take heed as unto a Light shining in a dark place until the Day dawn and the Day Star arise in your Hearts 2 Pet. 1.19 Now we having taken heed unto this divine and heavenly Word in our Hearts we are come to see the arising of the Star of Jacob and to the bright and morning Star by which the blessed Day of God's great Salvation is known and experimentally witnessed by a Remnant Oh! how glorious is the appearance breaking forth of this heavenly Day in which the rising of the Son of Righteousness who is risen with Healing under his Wings many are come to behold how excellent is the Power Wisdom and Majesty of him who is greater than Solomon whose marvellous Order Magnificency and Splendor the Queen of Sheba from the uttermost parts of the Earth came to see who when she had heard and seen all that she desired yea to her Astonishment made this acknowledgment I believed not this Report until I had seen it with mine Eyes but lo the one half was not told me for thou hast more Wisdom and Prosperity than I have heard by Report 1 Kings 10.7 And many can now say that a Greater than Solomon is now come whose infinite Wisdom and Power whose excellent Glory and Majesty the Tongues of Men and Angels are incapable and insufficient to set forth who is filling his latter House with the Splendor of his own Glory for transcending and surpassing the Glory of the Outward Temple which was typical figurative of that which is not built with Hands and many Sons are coming from far and Daughters from the ends of the Earth to behold the Beauty and Comliness and Holy Order of the House of the God of Jacob which he is establishing atop of all the exalted Mountains and Professions without Possession and above all swelling Notions and Hills and Nations are flowing unto it according as the Lord spake by the Mouth of the Prophet Isa 2.2 Beautiful foâ—â—â—tuation is Mount Sion the Hill of God and it is now fulfilled in these latter days that many are come to say Let us go up to the Mountain of the Lord and to the House of the God of Jacob and he will teach us of his Wayes and we will walk in his Pathes These are the true Jews in Spirit the Circumcised in Heart Ear whose Praise is of God and not of men such are the true Worshippers who worship the Father in the Spirit and in the Truth which is that living true and standing Worship set up and established above sixteen hundred years ago by our Lord and Saviour in that blessed Conference held with the woman of Samaria at Jacob's Well who hearing of the Disputes various Opinions about the Place where men ought to worship said Woman believe me The Hour cometh when ye shall neither in this Mountain nor at Jerusalem worship the Father for the Hour cometh and now is that the true Worshippers shall worship the Father in Spirit and Truth and such is the Father seeking to worship him John 4.21 23. This Woman by this Converse with Christ being converted to the Faith in him went her way into the City and gave this Testimony of him Come see a Man says she that has told me all that ever I have done is not this the Christ And many of the Samaritans believ'd on him not only because of the saying of the Woman who told them That he had told her all that ever she had done but because of his own Word And we know say they that this is indeed the Christ Now these men were directed unto Christ by the Declaration or Preaching of a Woman who was not despised by them because of her Sex but they received her Invitation came to be made Believers in him who had told the Woman all that she had done and well were it for the People of this
lies slain in the Streets of the Ungodly World spiritually called Sodom and Aegypt that his got a place in man's Heart since the Fall The Foundation of this wicked World that is in Sin Polution that has so corrupted the Earth and filled it with Violence was laid by Transgression whereby Death came over all men But as by the Disobedience of one Man All have sinned and fallen short of the Glory of God so by the Obedience of one Man the Man Christ Jesus we come to be made alive again And as the Creature comes to joyn with the Manifestation of the Light of Christ Jesus the free Gift of the Father's Love who is full of Grace and Truth they come to know and feel his quickening Spirit which sets free from the Law of Sin and Death And keeping to the Light which discovers all the Deeds of Darkness they come to see their Way out of the old Adam to Christ the second Adam and how to refuse the Evil and chuse the Good according as in the Light it is made manifest for as saith the Apostle All things that are reproved are made manifest by the Light for whatsoever doth make manifest is Light Ephes 5.13 Now mind that in your own Hearts which reproveth in secret when no mortal Eye sees nor Ear hears the small still Voice which calls unto you when you are running to do Evil which grieves the Spirit of the Lord in you Return return hearken unto the Voice of Wisdom for she uttereth her Voice in the Streets of the World and in the midst of the Concourse of the People How long ye simple ones will ye love Simplicity and Scorners delight in their Scorning and Fools hate Knowledge Turn ye at my Reproofs c. Because I have called and ye have refused I have stretched forth my Hand and none regarded but ye have despised all my Counsel and would none of my Reproof I will also laugh at your Calamity when your Fear cometh like a Desolation and when Affliction and Anguish shall come upon you Then shall they call upon me but I will not answer they shall seek me early but shall not find me because they hated Knowledge and did not chuse the Fear of the Lord But whoso hearkeneth unto me shall dwell safely Prov. 1.22 23 24. Here the Wise Man in the Wisdom of God shews what is to be turned from and the Safety Peace and Consolation of those that turn at the Reproofs and hearken to the Voice of this pure Wisdom as also the Calamity and Distress of such as will not give ear to the Reproofs of Instruction which as one said is the Way to Life nor be obedient to the Measure of Light and Life in their Hearts such must reap the Fruit of their own Devices Job speaking excellently and experimentally of this Wisdom saith on this wise Where is Wisdom to be found and where is the place of Understanding Man knoweth not the Price thereof The Depth saith It is not in me and the Sea saith It is not in me It cannot be gotten for Gold neither shall Silver be weighed for the Price thereof But THE FEAR OF THE LORD that is Wisdom and TO DEPART FROM INIQUITY that is a good Understanding Death and Destruction have heard of the Fame of Wisdom and many can talk of it but they are Aliens to it and their Hearts remote from it Oh! the pure holy Fear of the Lord God it keeps the Heart clean it preserveth out of all Evil and delivers from the Snares of Death it is a precious Pearl indeed a matchless Jewel Where is the Man that is furnished with Eloquence to unfold the Excellency of this Wisdom or who knows the Worth of it but those who have digged and searched the Deep for it and when they have found it sold all their Treasure that they have been heaping up in their Notional and Artificial Wisdom which is from below and made a Purchase of this precious Treasure and Riches which endures forever such have made a blessed exchange never to be repented of the Thief cannot break through and steal nor Moth corrupt neither can Canker rust or eat this Treasure But this is not to be found or attained unto in the Path where the Lyons Whelp hath trodden the fierce angry Nature or the fierce Lyon has passed by no Vultures Eye nor Beast of Prey can walk therein And though the Lyons may suffer Hunger yet those that fearthe Lord shall want no good thing a blessed Priviledge indeed It was the Fear of the Lord that preserved Joseph in his tender Years when he was in Egypt and when the Egyptian Woman his Mistress tempted him How can I said he do this great Wickedness and sin against God Gen. 39.9 The Dread and Fear of offending the Lord was before his Eyes whereby he was preserved out of that Snare Oh that people would lay these things to heart and consider what they are a doing and search their Hearts in the Light and Fear of the Lord and humble themselves before him to whom they must give a just and final Account of the Deeds done in the Body that they may receive Mercy at his Hand before the Door be shut and there be none to open For saith the Lord by the Mouth of his holy Prophet I saith wash you make you clean put away the Evil of your Doings from before mine Eyes cease to do Evil learn to do well then come and let us reason together though your Sins were as Crimson they shall be made white as Snow though they were red as Scarlet they shall be as Wool If ye be willing and obedient ye shall eat the good of the Land but if ye refuse and be rebellious ye shall be devoured with the Sword c. And the Son of God saith Come unto me all you that are weary and heavy laden with your Sins and Iniquities and know not whither to go and I will give you Rest This is Glad Tidings of an Acceptable Rest indeed unto all who are weary with travelling in the By Wayes and Crooked Pathes which lead to the Chambers of Death And this Rest remains for all the People of God who have been willing to come unto Christ by his Light in their own Hearts and to bow to his Appearance And all you who are in want of this Rest and desire the attainment of it but are ignorant of the Way that leads to it my Exhortation and Advice unto you is to come unto him who said Come unto me all you that are weary c. of whom it was testified That when he should come he should reprove the world of Sin of Righteousness and of Judgment and cease from seeking and striving in your own Wills which is not according to the Will of God and rest from your own Labours as God did from his mind that which discovers Sin and reproves in secret for it and turn at the Reproofs of it
himself saying I am the Resurrection and the Life he that believes in me though he were dead yet shall he live this is he to whom all the ends of the Earth are to look for Salvation he is the Shiloh the peaceable Saviour who is now come according to Jacob's Prophecy upon his dying Bed saying The Scepter shall not depart from Judah nor a Law-giver from between his Feet until Shiloh come and unto him shall the gathering of the People be Gen 49.10 which Scepter of Government is long since departed from Judah therefore Shiloh is come Now the spiritual Scepter is deliver'd unto him who without Respect of Persons is holding it forth unto all Nations Kindreds Tongues and People that his Government may be set up and his Scepter sway in their Hearts whose Kingdom is an Everlasting Kingdom and of his Dominion there shall be no End upon whose Shoulders the Government is set and the Nations of them that are saved must walk in the Light of the Lamb who is come to take away the sins of the world has brought a Remnant through their Belief in and Obedience unto the Light of Christ to the knowledge of his saving Power which brings out of the dead Forms to the living Substance which gives true Satisfaction to the Soul And such cannot but say unto and invite all who hunger and thirst after Righteousness To come and taste with us and see how good the Lord is for it is that which was from the Beginning which we have seen with our Eyes which we have looked upon and our Hands have handled of the Word of Life that we declare unto you that you also might have fellowship with us and truly our fellowship is with the Father and with his Son Jesus Christ John 1.3 And the Spirit and the Bride saith Come and let him that heareth say Come and he that is athirst let him come and take of the Waters of Life freely Rev. 22.17 Oh! why will you spend your Money for that which is not Bread and your Labour for that which doth not satisfie your Souls who with the Prodigal have spent your Portion and are feeding upon the Husks in your Notional Self Performances and Imitations of true Religion Sacrifice and Worship But alas it is not the Profession Shew or Likeness of these things without the Possession of that Life and Power in which they are accepted of the Lord that will stand in stead in the needful time for 't is not a sight or shew of Food that will satisfie an hungry or travelling Man but Give me Bread sayes the hungry Soul or else I dye Oh! how doth my Spirit mourn for those who are seeking living Bread among the Husks where it s not to be found and are inquiring after their Souls Beloved and are running from one Watchman to another seeking the Footsteps of the Flock of his Companions and where he feeds them and causes them to lie down at noon day Come you that have been enquiring of the blind Watchmen of the Night I will tell you where we have found the Beloved of our Souls where you also must find him The Spouse of old sought him amongst the Watchmen yet found him not But sayes she when I had past a little from them then I found him whom my Soul loved Such was our inquiring Condition amongst the blind Watchmen of the Night who cryed Lo here and Lo there whose Trumpet gave an uncertain sound unto us and instead of Relief caused our Wounds to bleed afresh telling us Revelation was ceased and we must not expect God Christ in that inward and spiritual Appearance wherein he made known himself to his People in dayes past but we must apply our selves to this outward Ceremony and the other Ordinance c. and thus they smote us and wounded us But blessed be our God forever who turned us from them to the Light of Christ Jesus which gave us the knowledge of our Beloved and directed our Feet into the right Way even the Just Man's Path which is a shining Light and shines more and more unto the perfect day the Wayfaring Man though a Fool shall not err therein So it was by the inshinings of his Light Grace in our Hearts that we received the Discovery and Knowledge of our Beloved who is become the chiefest of ten thousand unto a Remnant as he was to the Spouse of old He is the Door into the Sheepfold and the true Shepherd who laid down his Life for his Sheep and whoever enters into this heavenly Fold of Rest and Peace must enter in by his Light who is the Door for whoever climb up any other way are Thieves and Robbers and his Sheep hear his Voice and the Voice of a Stranger they will not follow because they can clearly distinguish between the true Shepherd and the false Shepherds who whilst people put into their Mouthes cry Peace Peace and when not fed prepare War against them witness the many grievous Sufferings of Innocent People in Body Estate how many nasty Goals have been crouded full by their Cruelty how many Wives have been made Widows and Children Fatherless whose Cryes have pierced the Heavens and whose Complaint has entred the Ears of the Lord by their unrighteousness inhuman dealings with God's people And how have these Idol Shepherds who have sought the Fleece and not regarded the Sheep like Wolves and Bears rended the Goods of such as could not put into their Mouthes the impartial Reader and every unbyass'd Mind can well inform But the great and powerful Shepherd the mighty God hath taken Cognizance of these things and will surely call them to account and reckon with them in a Day that is come coming upon them wherein they shall be more and more made manifest that they are not sent of God nor true Ministers of Christ because they abide not in his Doctrine who said Freely ye have received freely give and if any shall ask How we know them we need go no further then the words of Christ who said By their Fruits ye shall know them for they are such who seek their Gain from their Quarter who feed with the fat and clothe with the Wool and love the uppermost Rooms at Feasts and Greetings in the Market-place with divers other Marks whereby we know them to be such as ran and God never sent them and their Doctrine to be erroneous and unprofitable But the Sheep of Christ's Pasture are clothed with the Lamb-like Meek Quiet and Suffering Spirit of Jesus who makes his Followers conformable unto himself that in all things we may be found followers of him in his Light and Grace who hath other Sheep which are not of this Fold whom also he said should be brought in that they may hear his Voice and there shall be one Sheepfold and one Shepherd John 10.16 And for those Sheep who are not yet gathered into this Fold doth my Soul travail that