ground of truth sets up an Idol and prefers an Idol above the life and so are in the Idolatry But let none mistake that I say water is an Idol nay it is a good creature of God or that I say Iohns baptisme with water was an idol nay he was in the power and spirit of Eliah and his baptisme a figure of a good thing which was to come which afterward was received by the diseiples and Christs words made good unto them Iohn indeed baptized you with water unto repentance but ye shall be baptized with the Holy Ghost and with fire not many daies hence that was Christs baptisme I am not Ignorant of the many and great contests in this age that have been about these things and I know many scriptures that speaks of baptism all which I have searched narrowly with the measure of Gods spirit given unto me into the true ground of things the true state of each administration and in this thing I am satisfied fully that the baptisme with water was Iohns baptisme and not Christs and the baptisme of the spirit is Christs and not Iohns I have no desire to wrangle or Jangle about words or contest about shadowes but that all may come to know him in whom all ministrations ends in and there will be peace and satisfaction to wit in Christ But to say some thing to the main bassis and foundation which Priests and Separatists builds much of their arguments upon the last of Mat. and the last Goe teach and baptize all Nations in the Name of the Father Son and holy Ghost as for all the Priests about their baptising of Infants here is no ground at all for here is first teach and then baptize and here 's no infants neither and so I know what consequences hath been drawn from this by the unlearned in their imaginations but them that hath the least measure of true light will not take a consequence to build a foundation on for this is contrary to their own rule they say the scripture is the Rule then their consequence is not the Rule and if the scriptures be the Rule let all people of your parishes know if you can by the Scripture shew when John or any Disciple of his or Christs baptized infants and taught them Principles of Religion â—0 years after but they are willingly ignorant that sees not you to be idolaters and as to the Baptists separates who builds upon this for their water baptisme they are as groundles as the Priests and all their Arguments are as invalled as the rest for here is baptizing the Nations in the Name of the Father in the name of the Son and of the holy Ghost and any who are judicious or wise and are in any measure of Gods pure wisdom will not say that the Name of the Father is water or the Son or holy Ghost is water the name of God is I am and a strong tower and the Name of the Son is the word and the word is the power but this is not water but further they say the Disciples had received the holy Ghost and did baptize with water after and they were Baptized with water after they had received the holy Ghost they bring divers Scriptures to prove this I shall not deny but Peter Baptized with water and Paul two or three families and thanks God he baptized no more and said he had declared the whole counsel of God and he makes not mention in all his Epistles that baptisme was any part of his command neither in all his counsel to the Churches any where doth he exhort either Timothy or Titus or Apollo or any of the brethren to Baptize with water but as for Peters Baptizing with water I know no more command he had then Paul as for the commission which Matthew writes of Mat. 28. and 19. and that Mark mentions 16. 15. there is no water and so it s the Baptisme of John I grant and Christ bearing witness to John that he was a Prophet and did baptize many and therefore he or they in honour to Johns Ministry might baptize some as well as Paul did circumcise Titus and and then in 1 Cor. 7. 19. said it was nothing and again in another place neither circumcision nor uncircumcision did avail but a new creature and because it was a figure which people did not Idolize so much then as they did circumcision for the weakness of the people for a time and the wise in heart may understand that when any representation or figure outward was set up it was not easily denyed again nor an easie thing to be laid down when the thing signified was come for many of the Jews believed in Christ and were said to be brethren and yet they came from Jerusalem and troubled the Church of Galatia and would have brought them under the figure circumcision again and the Apostle in Gal. 4. asks them now when ye know God why turn ye again to the beggarly Elements Circumcision observing dayes moneths times and years I would ask the moderate a question whether water be not an Element and pertains only to the Elementary part in man which is to passe away and be dissolved when the seed is raised up whose nature is not elementary but Celestial I shall say no more to them at this present who are contentions who are so zealous for their water upon so weak a ground but take heed that while you are striving about your outward water you neglect not the washing of regeneration and the cleansing of the spirit many have been baptized but which of you hath received the holy Ghost there is not one among you dare own or witness an infallible spirit but rather counts it an error that any should speak or witness or look to enjoy any such thing in these dayes well I say unto you your day is a day of darkness and gloominess you live in and thick darkness covers your tabernacle for who ever have received the holy Ghost or spirit of truth in any measure are led by that which is infallible and not fallible and if you look not for this you are no sons notwithstanding all your washing the outside for as many as are the Sons of God are led by the Spirit of God and this is witnessed praises to the Lord for ever the Lord is unto his people an everlasting light and this is the sum that water is owned to be a figure of the one baptism and was an Element and pertained to that which is Elementary but the Elements shall melt with fervent heat and be dissolved in the day of the Lord and then the seed comes up which is heir of the promise which is nourished with the water of life which is not an Element nor Elementary but is Celestial and springs up in them that believe unto everlasting life and comes to be born of the water and the spirit and enters into Gods Kingdom dominion power life wisdom excellency
rest false and fained hope and faith and of his own ragged garment and let goe his selfe-righteousnesse and his dead works and come to Christ the life of men again that man hath run from that so he might have life and peace Ob. But some would say that thou wouldst have all upside down unchristian the Nations and unchurch Churches and throw down all our worship and then what should we doe all would be as heathens and turne into Athisme I say a time of fanning and â—ifting and trying is come when nothing shall stand but that hath the image stamp and character of the living God upon it and all that which hath been brought up and raised up since man hath been in the transgression must be turned down into the pit again and all that have got a name of Christian and wants his life to live among them and in them shall be scattered as clouds with the East wind and all imitated worships and will worshippers and the fained faith and the fained hope shall be confounded and all will worships and worshippers will be overturned who are not come yet to the true light that lightens every man that comes into the World and till man comes to the light and tries his deeds and works by it he never sees what he is doing nor what he is working nor what he works and so all that man doth here in the unbeliefe it is but sin or selfe-righteousnesse which is brought forth by him who abode not in the truth in the unbelief and so who be come to the power which was in the beginning before sin entred and death by sin hath and doth measure all deeds and all works man that is in the losse in the fall sees that a dead man cannot act a living work nor bring forth living fruits unto God nor living works of righteousnesse being in the unrighteousnesse neither the fruits of faith being in the unbeliefe neither the works of the day being in the night neither the works of charity being in the emnity in a word without Christ the power the light the life which was glorified with the Father before the world began I say he said it himself who is the beginning of the creation of God the first born of every creature he said and his testimony will be found true without me ye can do nothing nothing that is wel-pleasing to the Lord nothing that ever shall be acceptable and here is the true state of all the Earth discovered and all mankind drove out from God miserable naked hopelesse helplesse faithlesse and so can doe nothing as to the glorifying of God his maker or to the ordering of any thing in the creation to his glory having lost his dominion and Gods wisdome and this being considered seriously by all and brought to the light in all and their deeds tryed by it would make the lofty bow and the stout hearted fear and the conceited sit down in solitarinesse that they should so long deceive their own souls with a conceit of righteousnesse and redemption when as death yet reignes in them and over them and not life eternall So the Devil is a distinct being from God and his works are distinst and his deeds from the works of God and neither he nor his works shall ever be numbred among the works of God but he and they that obey him and follow him who is out of the truth they their works of what sort soever they may seem unto men to be whose eyes the devil hath blinded so I say all is to be condemned and shut out from Gods presence for ever and to be destroyed by him who is a consuming fire and all the righteousnesse of man burned as combustable stuff in unquenchable fire Pr. And by what hath been said the principle of that ranting crew who are become vaine in their imaginations and foolish their understandings being darkned are seen and their principle overthrown As that light and darknesse is one good evil one and sin and righteousnesse one and truth and a lye one and that God is all and doth all and what ever is done is of God and that there is no evil but to him that thinks it so and it is onely a false apprehention of things and that there is no such thing as sin that sin is nothing Unto all these things I might speak but the understanding Reader may by what is before written see each of these plainly declared and the true ground of things laid down as the spirit gave utterance and this shall at present suffice in this matter Ob. But some may object further and say will not reading the scriptures and conforming to the practise of the saints in the use of his ordinances will not this make us accepted and bring us out of the fall and make us good christians Answ. No while death hath dominion in man and over man and the vaile over the heart man doth not understand the mystery of Gods kingdome neither understands the scripture which was spoken from the spirit of truth or any thing of truth as it is in Christ for none understands the things of God but by the spirit of God so that every man that comes to have a good understanding must come to know the pure spirit of God in him to direct him informe him which spirit was the original of the scripture for the holy men of God spoke as they were moved by the holy Ghost and without the Holy Ghost in some measure be known â—nd that which is infallible the sayings the writings the scriptures cannot be understood because of the want of this all the Earth is run into heads sects opinions large treatises and volumes expositions have been written yet differing one from another and all from the spirit and in all these particular sects persecuting one another envying one another and hating one another and would compell others to believe what they believe in what they say if they had but power and for proof of this it is most evident in the scripture of truth and in latter ages since the Apostles it hath been and it is evidently seen both among the Papists and Protestants and among all them that are called the reformed Churches but all this is in the fall and in the transgression and in the Apostacy and is an evident token that they are all under the power of the beast who makes War against the Lamb so all compellation and they that do compell are not worshippers of the Lamb but of the beast which is to be destroyed and cast into the lake For the Jews under the first Covenant had the Scriptures the good and wholsome words of God and the Prophets and read the Law and the Prophets on the Sabbath dayes and yet the vail was over their hearts and and though they did perform many things commanded yet they being erred from the spirit did not understand
manifested his pure presence poured out his spirit plentifully upon sons and daughters fulfilled that which Joelâ—prophesied â—prophesied of Joel 2. 28. which came to be fulfilled after Christs ascention Acts. 2. 17. and they received the holy Ghost spoke the wonderfull things of God as they were revealed by the spirit which shed it selfe abroad among them that waited for it so also the mystery of iniquity began to work even in that time and as the Apostles laid the foundation of truth and declared the truth Christ to be the foundation even so the Mystery of iniquity did work and a beginning or a foundation of error was laid by them who were gone out of the truth the false Prophets deceivers Anti-christs who were professors and preachers but they were such as were covetous and greedy of filthy lucre and made merchandize of souls for dishonest gaine and denyed the power of God Christ and were enemies to the Crosse and gloried in the flesh and spake swelling words of vanity and did all live in the lust of the flesh and were proud boasters and denyed the Lord that bought them for denying the power of God they did deny Christ though in words they preached him as this generation who are their off-springs doe out of strife contention as the Apostle writs they held the form of godlinesse but denyed the power and they were they that once were convinced of the truth and came into the forme of truth but denyed the power of truth but were in craft and deceit and they subverted whole houses from the faith and led them back into the world into unbeliefe in the Apostles dayes and yet had a worship and did worship but not the power not the life and this began to worke and wrought more cunningly and subtilly in the latter times And the Apostle Paul in many of his Epistles Iohn and Peter and Jude declares against them and Paul prophesied of them before his departure of grievous Wolves which should spring up which should not spare to make havock of the flock of Christ so the fall Apostles deceivers Antichrists and deceitful workers they went out then and did what they could to lead disciples after them into the world inwardly they were ravened from the spirit and was gone from it into the earth into the world and served not the Lord Jesus Christ but their own bellies and the God of the world which is the Devil and they went into the world and the world received them and then they and their disciples turned against the saints and they held truth in words and the form for a while but it was in unrighteousness and here was the beginners and the beginning of the Apostats and of the Apostacy it was began in the Apostles dayes by them that went out of the truth out of the light and were ravened from the spirit and erred from the faith and were enemies to the power of God and these were the beginners and the layers of the foundation and then it grew that root of wickedness faster then the truth for the Jewes resisted and the heathen resisted and the Apostates and false prophets resisted and they that were Apostatized they resisted and they caused many to stumble to erre to make ship-wrack of their faith and so the world went after them the World the Nations the kindreds the tongues the people went after Kings Princes and potentates of the earth in processe of time they had over run-all killed the saints the woman fled into the wildernesse the man child was caught up unto God then all Nations who were gone from the Rock became as a sea reeled to fro unstable unsetled what were they like to settle in the Sea then a great beast arose with his seven heads and ten hornes and the whore which had defiled the bed and she sat upon the beast and she reached out her cup of fornication to the nations and all nations was drunk with her cup and then the beast made war and the nations were drunk and they loved the beast and received his marke became cruel and pushed at the saints and followed him and made war with them and the whore she drank the blood of the saints and the Dragon appeared and with his tayle drew the third part of the stars after him to the Earth the false Prophets they are the tayle of the Dragon who were gone from the testimony of Jesus the spirit of prophecy and drew after it the third part of the stars from the firmament of his power into the earth Rev. 12. 4. The man child was caught up unto God which was to rule all Nations with a rod of Iron and the woman fled into the wildernesse where God hath prepared a place for her and then the Dragon went out and made war with the remnant of her seed to wit the womans seed And so out of the Sea arose the beast out of Nations kindreds Tongues and peoples which are waters and the Dragon gave power to the beast and his seat and great authority Rev. 13. 2. And all the world wondred after the beast ver 3. and ver 4. They worshipped the Dragon which gave power to the beast and the beast likewise and now the worlâ— cryed which wondred after the beast who is able to make war with the beast and ver 6. he opened his mouth in blasphemy against God to blaspheme his name and Tabernacle and them that dwell in heaven and he made war with the saints and did overcome them and all that dwelt upon the Earth worshipped him whose names were not written in the Lambs book of life And the beastâ— deceived the Nations and them that did dwell on the earth and now kindreds Tongues and peoples and Nations and all the world which wondred after him they who had lost the image of God now became the image of the beast that blasphemed God and his Tabernacle and them that dwell in heaven and now the Kings of the earth that had drunk the Whores cup of fornication and the Nations Kindreds and Tongues and people who were become the beasts image now the image of the beast spoke and caused as many as would not worship the beast and the image should be killed take notice of that all who are called Christians it was not Gods image who compelled to worship or else be killed but it was the beasts image and wheresoever compultion and killing is exercised and practised they worship the beast Chap. 13. ver 16. And he causeth all both small and great rich and poor bond and free to receive a marke in their forehead or in their right hand and none might buy or sell but he which had the beasts marke or his name or the number of his name here was worship but it was the beasts worship and Idolatrous worship and the Dragons worship who sought to destroy the man-child which all the Angels is to worship all
purity in him reproveth so he comes nearer and comes to join in some measure to the spirit of holines or the holy spirit and to receive it and to feel the power of God in some small measure though but weakly working in him to the purging out those things which the spirit lets him see is evil which hath been reproved in him and so in some measure feels in himself what to wait upon and where to wait and in what even in that which gives every one a feeling of their own condition within and opens their understandings How the spirit of truth worketh and operateth in them who are convinced and yet hath not obeyed it shewed THough God who is a spirit hath appeared by his manifestation unto all yet all have not received it he that hates the light hath not received it The eye-lids of the morning are unto him as the shadow of death that which manifesteth and bringeth to light all evil the evil doer likes it not heeds it not receives it not but still is without God in the world that lies in wickedness and without the spirit in death and dead in trespasses and sins a sepulchre in which the just lies slain in this state God is not remembred there is no remembrance in the grave nor no thanks in the pit yet night shines in darkness and a man unconverted yet convinced in that darkness and that which convinceth him is the light so light shines in darkness in man in the greatest darkness and this may convince all vain disputers who say every one is not inlightened neither that the spirit of God hath appeared to all good men have it bad men it s near them they that bring forth the fruits of darkness and bring forth the deeds of darkness they are lighted yea they that are in darkness and are darkness the light shines in them the Spirit of God shines there in darkness manifesteth their darkness here man is darkness the Ephesians were darkness in the unconverted estate yet had light shining in them Eph. 5. 8. the spirits manifestation they had but were not led by it once they were without God in the world but after were turned unto it â—it shewed them their darkness and it leading their minds they came to be made light in the Lord who is that spirit whose manifestation hath appeared to all so all are without excuse for he hath not left himself without witness and they that have not Gods witness to be theirs that is to say to possess it they have no faith nor assurance in God at all but that which should bring assurance of salvation unto them it assures their condemnation and also reveals sorrow Now as every one is turned to the measure of Gods holy spirit and keeps his mind into it he comes to feel and to see its reproof and so as the mind is kept still into it it arises in its purity and shines forth in the heart in more brightness still checking man for disobedience still judging and as it is listened unto it appears in strength and layes every mans heart open and lets him see how full of unrighteousness he is how full of imaginations he is how his heart is full of vain idle thoughts and how lust aboundeth in the heart this makes his trouble to increase and his sorrow to multiply and this is alwayes present none can run from it but it follows him and shall pursue every one to the pit who obey it not and kindle his torment and whatsoever the mind may run into to take pleasure for a moment and the heart be exercised in yet this measure of Gods Spirit is alwayes present to condemn it and judge a man for it so the strokes of the Almighty is still heavy upon his back being still in the disobedience of the spirit it never bears witness unto any man in that state but God through it still sounds the alarum of War and terror in his heart so that fear compasseth him about on every side and though for moment the cry may not be heard and through disobedience it may seem as dead as unto him yet if ever the mind be but still and a man sober and calm and ever mind what he is doing it appears again and though a man may take up something and perform something which is called religious and pray in words and read and talk of the Scriptures and may take up some carnal outward Ordinance and there content himself for a time yet still the witness of Gods holy Spirit for that shews him his hypocrisie and that he seeks a cover to shelter himself under that he may live in disobedience be at ease in the flesh but all in vain for there is no peace within but the measure of Gods Spirit still shewes him that he serves sin and follows his own will and in this will brings forth a worship and this is will-worship nay if a man practice all those things which others who were in the life performed and were accepted yet this will not satisfie God hath no pleasure in this no more then if one slew a man or blessed an Idol or kissed Baal all is abomination to the Lord and though a man may sin so far against the light of Christ in his own conscience that the light be to him as though there were no such thing yet all this well not do for the Lord will thunder from his holy plaâ—â—â—â—ough thou have stopped thy ear as to him and closed thy eyes yet he will cause his terror to strike into thy heart so that dread shall compass thee about as a wall and thou shalt be afraid for that which thou shalt see hear though the spirit strives long yet being still disobeyed the long-suffering of God comes to an end concerning him that hath been unfaithful and then his wrath is kindled as fire which shall burn to the lowest Hâ—ll into which all the rebellious and stif-necked shall be cast and have their portion for ever among all the children of darknesse therefore all who have been convinced long still are by Gods holy spirit of the way of truth and yet have not submitted to the leading of the spirit think on this for its the Lords truth which I declare to you or else eternal mysery will be your end And if thou still persist on after the imaginations of thine own heart and in thy rebellious will thou quencheth the spirit and the motions thereof though it be life in it self yet is as ded unto thee who art in the gainsaying resisting that through which Gods eternal power is manifest in them that believe thou wilt grow insensible past feeling and become as seared flesh and be senslesse as to the things of God and hardnesse of heart will come upon thee and thou wilt be as a stone that cannot be melted and woe will be unto such where the spirit of the Lord in them ceaseth
to strive with them having so long rebelled against and gain-sayd the pure drawings of it that so the Lord is grieved and wearied with their impenitency that he gives them up to their vile affections and to follow the imaginations of their own hearts who receiveth not the truth in the love of it but in the enmyty still remaines obstinate doing despite unto the spirit of grace his long-suffering comes to an end his fierce wrath comes to be kindled against such and that which would have led them out of the world in true pure and everlasting peace now becomes their tormentor and they banished from his presence and shut up in eternal misery where the fire is kindled by the breath of the the Lord that burns for ever the sentence of condemnation being past upon them because they had pleasure in unrighteousnesse and have sold themselves to do wickedly and crucifying the appearance of God in themselves which appearance though it live in the fountain of Life yet crucified by thee who art out of the Life yet lives still for ever in it self to be thy condemnation eternally How the spirit of the Father worketh in them who are turned to it and have taken heed unto its manifestation and are in some measure partakers of its power THere are differences of administrations But the same Lord and there are diversity of gifts but the same spirit and there are diversities of operations but the same God which worketh all in all Now the spirit of truth which is Life in it selfe putteth forth its own pure act not onely to convince and detect him that transgresseth its appearance and to manifest evil which hath been committed by man but also being turned unto and waited in it shews man when motions and temptations unto sin ariseth and as the creature is still and waiteth in that which manifesteth and singly keeps in his mind to it It sheds abroad its power and vanquisheth and subdueth those lusts which do arise and condemns the ground from whence they do arise and it purely draweth the mind after it and secretly worketh breatheth forth its pure life in him that waiteth in patience and in stilnesse not heeding the vayn thoughts and imaginations that riseth in his heart but rather heeds the manifestation of the spirit at whose bright appearance all the vain desires comes to be extinguished there comes to be a hunger begot within to be made partakers of its purity and of its nature For God through the operation of the eternal Spirit lets forth his power which turneth and changeth the heart and cuts a sunder and divides betwixt a man and those lovers that he hath joyned unto and makes a separation within and carries a man further from those things which the measure of the spirit reproves and this leads nearer to God And so they that do believe in the measure of Gods spirit comes to feel what repentance from dead works is and the works and the worker is seen and who it is that hath wrought is manifest in the Light and as there is a diligent waiting upon it there is nothing that passeth through the mind but it discerns and gives a discerning to every particular heart who singly and quietly waytes upon it But yet after the spirit of truth in some measure be felt and its living testymony in some thing yet it may be a long time before there be a clear distingushment in the understanding so that one cannot clearly discerne its moving from all other false motions and high Imaginations which are above And hence it is that the hasty and froward mindes followes their own motions which leads them into deceit and then the Questioner gets up and then they question all that ever the spirit hath made manifest unto them before a vail then is drawn over and the enemy lodges in the vail and in the darknesse which is entred then as soon as any hearkens within to that which is the uppermost and doth abound the enemy that lodgeth in that presents motions as to obey this and that and all is deceit So therefore all is to keep back that they may sensibly feel between the pure motions and the drawing of the spirit and the vaine thoughts that arise out of the earthly heart and when any thing doth arise which the Light doth not bear witnesse to it 's not to be followed nor heeded but a quiet still waiting that things may be cleared to the understanding and for want of this many have run out and have brought forth Satans work and acted things forwardly in their wils and so have clean lost the true sense of that which would guide their minds and have followed the spirit of error and have caused the pure spirit of the Lord to be evil spoken of But as there is a keeping back and a quiet waiting out of willing or running and haste it arises purely and stilly in the heart and shineth forth in brightnesse in the heart so that it giveth perfect evidence and full Testimony of it selfe that there will be no doubting nor questioning of its motion for it will apparently shew forth it selfe in its own transparent brightnesse with full assurance of its own will and then after it be clearly seen and its motion then keep under all reasoning and keep out all questioning and give not way to temptation and that which moves of the Lord of life will carry thee through in its own operation and power to accomplish the will of God and so thou wilt have peace being obedient and thy strength will be renewed for as any are brought to submit unto the will of God when it is known and comes to obey by vertue of its own power that which is contrary unto Gods spirit in thee comes to loose its strength and to decay and be weakned but as any disobeyes the pure motions of Gods holy Spirit after it be known the enemy is strengthened and that which is of the flesh nourished and the spirit comes to be quenched that which would give thee power if thou submitedst unto it But yet know this the spirit in it self never loses its purity neither can be quenched in its selfe but will bear its pure witnesse against thee and none shall be able to stop its reproof Thus the diversity of its operation comes to be known as it s hearkned unto obeyed loved and believed in it puts forth its pure power and gives strength and seals peace to the obedient but disobeyed and resisted it condemns judges reproves and seales condemnation to the disobedient and yet there is no variation in it selfe for it is alwayes one and the same But as it operateth upon different natures or objects unto which it joyns to or stands at adistance from that is to say the good ground it causeth to bring forth fruit unto God and the cursed ground out of which bryers Thornes do arise it kindles a fire in that shall not
sounds although there be many languages and each have interpretation and a signification they are all short to declare the life the immeasurable being of eternal Life you with all these are on heaps disjoynted one from another Your Rhetorick Phylosophy your framed and devised disputations your Tongues and the significations of all Tongues cannot know the mind of the spirit neither knows the original of eternal salvation by all these and so not knowing the signification of the living eternal spirit in your selves you invent study devise forms and frames up things in your carnal minds by the strength of your learned studied devised parts and framed speeches and hath filled the whole world with your dark muddy conceptions and hath led all out from seeking after the living wisdom of God which is from above which was before your Tongues and Languages was and they have sucked in your conceptions and distinctions and your devised fables and your imagined worship that many have lost the sence of any thing of God in themselves to guid them and when you have come as far as you can in those things and have divised in your minds by the strength of those parts natural you are farther from the knowledge then before and all that hear you and sucketh in your conceptions and Imaginations into their hearts they are further off Gods true knowledge then they were the day in which they came out of their mothers womb it is a lamentation to see how people are gone out of the pure simplicity which is in Christ into subtilty and deceit stuffed up full brimful of that which must be all poured out as water before they and you all come to the least measure of Gods true and saving knowledge Oh! a dreadful day is coming upon many it lingers not but will come swiftly as a theef upon you who have taken away the key of knowledge and gives people that which will not open and tels them of a litteral carnal thing that must give them enterance you and all they will be shut out together among the uncircumcised as fools though you count your selves wise men your wisdom will perish and your honour will be laid in the dust the time hastens it is the word of truth to you all And you literal professors who have got the Scripture into your head and into the carnal mind to talk on and are run into so many heads you are almost past numbring and hath exalted so many horns yet the number is read the number of the heads of the beast and the number of his name you have taken up things and are exalting a visible shadowish practice and neglecteth the life and are making Idols of those things which were but a figure and representation in their purest time now you like the Pharisees are limiting the Lord that if he will not appear unto you in those things that you have prescribed unto your selves and fetched in from the letter and goâ—ten it into the fleshly part which is heâ—ped up as a mountain in many of you so high above Gods pure witness in you and so high above the appearance of God in you that you have quite lost the sight of that in your selves which should give you the knowledge of the living God and make you sensible of his pure presence I say if he appear not in the way you would limit him to in those things you would confine him in you cannot receive him the Lord open your understandings that you may see your selves and how frothy vain light and wanton you are one with the world in all things in the very ground pretending liberty in Christ and priviledge in him when you may see you are servants to corruptions and to many noisome lusts that makes war Again what are all outward appearances any more but as a Curtain or as a vail and as a shadow in respect of Christ Gods righteousness within but you are filled too full of your apprehensions of his righteousness at a distance that you have forgotten all at home and your own conditions for his righteousness will not be a cloak for your self-righteousness and unrighteousnes and if Christ be not formed in you Gods righteousness and live in you and act in you and work his work in you you are in the self-righteousness and a talk of imputation will not save you while you are not in that capacity and nature and faith unto whom his righteousness is imputed Are you not weary with tumbling up and down among the earthly Hills among which you have situated your selves Do you not see your land grows barren and your possessions dry and your worship dead heaven rains not on you the bottles are stopped the dew falls not on you you wither dayly as a stick without sap what have you found that which will last unto perpetuity oh nay it s rusted already it 's canckered already its moth-eaten already it 's fading the glory is staining the renown of all earthly things is fading and all terrestrial appearances though never so glorious they are all to cease a consumption is coming blasting is near there will be no more glory in these things they will flie away as a shadow when the Sun arises your riches are wasting when will ye seek after that which endures for ever I pity you who have had breathings after God and hath sate down at ease in that which is not eternal Be warned return home consider see what corruption thou hast power over now which had once power over thee Dost thou rest in that faith that thou shalt never be cleansed here that faith is curst it 's reprobate it s rather properly unbelief It 's not the faith of Gods elect by which they were sanctified and overcame the wicked one in themselves by the power of Christ who is able to save and manifests his ability in all them that believe in the light which they are enlightned withall through which he manifests himself to the creature and makes known his power in the creature to redeem the soul out of death and to redeem the creature from under the bondage of corruption to serve him in the free spirit of God in which the sons are made free from sin from the act and guilt they become the Temples of the holy Ghost How far you are from this consider who are yet temples of uncleanness and a habitation for many noisome lusts repent and minde that which empties you of your thoughts and conceitedness that you may know poverty of spirit that the kingdom may come unto you and be yours in possession else you are everlastingly miserable this is the true state of many of you own it repent that if it be possible you may finde a door of mercy yet opened unto you that you may enter in thereat for it is not setting up and conforming to a visible practice without that will justifie you while that which is in the transgression and
from all sin in this life and so leads them on to Perpetual misery misery will be your end and in the day of the Lord you shall witnesse this to be true But to return to the beginning again where there was no sorrow but pure joy and peace both in heaven and earth but I goe hither and thither as the spirit leads and shall speak as it gives utterance though but here a little and there a little yet shall it be in truth and righteousnesse How peace joy and delight possessed every thing that God had made every thing which he had formed glorified God their maker with one consent in the beginning before the world was framed that lay in wickednesse NOw the Lord rejoyced in all the works of his hands which he had made and rested and all that he had made rested in the power whether Celestial or Terrestrial and rejoyced in him walked in him in the motion of the power of the life they were happy and partaked of the life that indures for ever and happinesse immortal and knew no evil for there was none there was no hell yet prepared Tophet yet was not ordained neither the Devil had yet any being at all there was no wrath no sorrow no condemnation no death vexation grief or perplexity no pit of darkenesse no Angel of the bottomlesse pit no shame no tribulation no anguish nor paine no misery and in a word there was nothing that did destroy but all in quietnesse in peace in life in power in wisdome glorifying him which sat upon the Throne the Lamb who was living and the life of the male and the female and of every thing that God had made by the power subsisted in the power and in the motion thereof was good purely good and here was the goodnesse of him who was eternally good manifest in all above all and over all God blessed for ever even then the heavens rejoyced and the innumerable company of Angels was hearty glad and all the holy host sang for joy with a living voice which none that stands in time ever yet heard or can learn then the earth and all things therein that moved had life were in pure solace and mirth and pleasant joy unspeakable all knit together in unity and harmony in one consent as one family and were one body and there was health in the body and it was pure and comly and perfect and pleasant to behold crowned with Dignity covered with righteousnesse beautified with the comlinesse of the Lamb who was the life of all and now man had right to the tree of Life while he moved in the power and went not our Oh happy state oh beautiful state oh admirable state eternal felicity oh glorious state life it self the life of all and all in the life moving in the power and man right to the tree of Lifâ— while he lived in the lambs power had unity with his maker with all the Creatures that God had made was in Gods pure dominion and authority and ruled all over all things that God had made in Gods wisdome thus in short was the state of all things in the beginning as they were created and brought forth and these be the generation of the heaven and of the earth and of all things that therein are in the day when God created them when the Father was glorified when the Son was glorified and when man was in glory and honour and in dominion created in the Image of God and yet there was no evil Time would fail to speak of the state of all things in the beginning as it was and as it is revealed by the spirit of truth but in that which I have declared they who have a good understanding may take a glimps of the happy state of all things as God hath revealed them by his spirit which I never received of nor from man but by the holy spirit of God which was in the begining with God which saw all this and was an eye witnesse of this before the world that lies in wickednesse began and he that hath an eare to hear let him hear and blessed is his ear How man lost his state and dominion and unity with God and all the creatures and how the Lambe came to be slain and the world that lies in wickedness came to be formed and founded and how the curse came and the wo upon the Serpent which was blessed before and upon man and woman and the ground that received the temptation which was blessed before in the motion of the Power came to be cursed and how endles misery came in upon all in the transgression declared to them who have a good understanding NOw the Serpent was more subtle then all the Beasts of the field for that was his nature in which he was created and it was good in the motion of the Power and therefore Christ said be wise as Serpents yet as harmless as Doves and though the Serpent was wise and subtle more then all the beasts of the field till he acted and moved without commandment and out of the motion of the Power he was not cursed he that can receive it let him But he moved in the subtilty and wisdom out of the light out of the Power and went out of the truth out of his place without commandment or authority from the Power and acted and spoke of himself out of the Power and out of the truth as it it written John 8. 44. when he speaketh a lie he speaketh of his own for he is a liar and the father of it now he knew there was a law and command not to eat of the tree of knowledge of good and evil for God had forbidden it now he went out of the Power without commandment of his own accord without motion now he went and talked with the woman and she was good before being in the motion of the life and Power she also looked out and not in the Power and reasoned with him out of Power contrary to Commandment beyond the command or before the Power and said unto the Serpent we may eat of all but the tree of knowledge of good and evil we may not eats least we die this she knew and the Serpent knew now the tree of knowledge was good in the Powers motion though not to live upon or for food for it was not good for food therefore God the truth the life the Power did forbid to taste of it or to eat of that tree but the Serpent out of the Power and the woman out of the Power hearkened to him that was out of the truth who turned the truth that God had spoken into a lie she joyned to the tempter and hearkned unto him and eat of the tree of knowledge without the Power and she looking out and the eye ran out from the life from the Power and was deceived and did eat of the knowledge without the Power without the life and she also
I refer the Reader to intituled the principles of the Priests of Scotland their Reformation and discipline is nearly related to the Spanish Inqnisition for their Doctrine they say grace is not free and faith is not without sin and the Letter is the word of God and that they are cursed that say there is a light within which will lead up to God and as one said although it meant Christ and if any will not submit to their words and conform to their practice and traditions then they call a counsel together as their forefathers at Trent and pronounces him a heretick and within this few years banished them or else took their whole substance outward from them and if any out of conscience could not submit unto their invented tradition then if he ever came to have any converse with them again be must have a penance before he could get an indulgence from them like the Pope and furthermore if any deny them because they are out of the doctrine of Christ and are contrary to the Scripture then as I said they excommunicate them and charges all people neither to buy nor sell nor eat nor drink with them nor work for them and so the beasts power is exercised compelling to come to their Mass-houses and as for the denying the Bishops then you have denyed your fathers that begat you and ordained you then you have no Ordination but may be you have cryâ—d so for setling your Gospel you have got a Commitee to ordain you or one company to lay hands on another but when receive ye the holy Ghost Oh that is an error in your Church but are you not got into the old Cathedrals so called and into the Steeple-houses and the old Masse-houses and where you had may be 20 pounds or fourty in the year now you have gotten a hundred it may be two here 's reformation indeed well we must needs remember you of your race and stock the apostates since the Apostle dayes and the former practices which is found among the old Protestants and Papists is among you and you are still drunk with the whores cup and are crying for Cains weapons to guard you well I say you art part of the dragons tail that draws to the earth and to the pit which will be the end of all idolaters and Apostates except they come to repent And as for the Independants Churches so called you are a branch of the same root you have declared against the Bishops and court Prelates and said they were in error and many of you declared against them for pluralists because they had too great benefits and declared against Tythes as to be Antichristian and whoso received Tithes denyed Christ come in the flesh who are wheeled about and now takes them your selves and creeps into the old Mass-houses and hath taken that up which you condemned in others and so have made your former testimony void and all sober people sees your hypocrisie and deceit who have gathered a company together which you call select people or members of your Church and you exclude the rest who have as good right to your Ordinance as you for they professe Christ in words as you do And yet you will receive their means whom you judge not capable of your Ordinance and your Church will no more maintain you then it would maintain them that you have denied in words if you had not the beasts power to compel your vineyard would starve you your Gospel and your Preaching is one with the former and the people is the same in nature they were before you have got Bishops Lands agmentations and Stypends more large then your forefathers had for the most part and sue men at the Law and hales them before Judgement seats and takes away their goods whom you look upon to be in error yet this stands as good with you as any Article of your faith to force to compell to sue to hale into prison to take away their goods and get a Scripture for your cover and say he that Preacheth the Gospel must live of the Gospel and them that neither hear you nor receives you neither believes your Gospel yet you conclude its lawful to take their goods and if you cannot get them hale the party into prison are not you drinking still the whores cup and do not you follow the Beast and do not you own that Law to be just that compels people to pay mony to you who denyes your Ministry and are none of your sheep and are not your Ordinances and worship imitated things from the Scripture the Saints words and yet out of their life and practice are not you in the Apostacy have you not your profession and confession of faith to make year after year as the Magistrate changes doth not this evidence that you are unstable and are yet in the waters upon which the whore sits and scituated in Babylon the Mother of Harlots who yet makes you drunk and that makes all the filth and vomit appear in the earth that stains the earth and your idols corrupts the earth and all seperates under what name soever who have not denyed the ground of apostacy but are in the apostacy for all sects since the apostles days have taken up some part and left another since the life hath been lost and the power lost all hath been in idolatry and the Protestants who have denied the Papists yet they have not denyed them in the ground of their worship but hath retained some part and hath kept some part of their worship and all Sects sprung out of the Protestants in them all there is some part remaining for they have not denyed the ground of the worship set up in the apostacy the whores cup iâ— drunk of and the Dragon hath power which sought to destroy the man-childe and made war with the remnant of the seed of the woman who was clothed with the Sun you all stick yet in Babylon and the best of you all are but yet in the suburbs thereof For since the Apostles dayes their foundation hath been either traditions Imitations inventions of their own or borrowed things from the Jewes in the first covenant or at the best the letter hath been the ground of their faith and their foundation which they have twined and translated this way and that according to the wit and reason of every particular sect and opinion and according to the understanding of their private spirits now all these buildings and towers that men have builded up in the Apostacy they would fasten upon the writings of the holy men of God and so hath raised an imagination of their own and so would have the scripture prove what they say and the writings of the Apostles they all cal the Gospel the word of faith the light of the Gospel the foundation the tryer of spirits the touchstone and say its the foundation of their faith and Religion and so are all in the
joy gladnesse peace of conscience assurance of Gods Love sealed in their hearts by the pure Spirit of the Lord the streams of life flowing forth continually from the great deep which refreshes and keeps cool in the greatest extremity and heat of temptation and this is enjoyed by them that have waited and doe waite for it even in the body they bear witnesse of him and of his coming the disciples what was their witnesse The Son of God is come and hath given us an understanding Of what of God of his day of his appearance of his power of his wisdome of his Kingdome of hope of faith of assurance of peace of joy of comfort and consolation what in this Life yea a cloud of witnesses I might bring in former ages and a cloud of witnesses I might bring in this age blessed be the Lord But my witnesse is nearer me that giveth me assurance and is surer to me then all their witnesses although they be all true Abraham the Father of the faithful and of the righteous who believed God and was accepted he saw Christs day and was glad Say literal professors that 's by faith yea what else He and all that ever saw Christ and his day or the Father they saw him by faith By faith they saw him who was invisible Isa. 12. 2. Behold God is my salvation he also is become my salvation what dost thou enjoy it already yea he is become And Simon who waited for the consolation of Israel Luke 2. 30 Now let thy servant depart in peace for mine eyes have seen thy salvation And this he said who knew Gods comfort and consolation as our sufferings for Christ doth abound even our consolation in Christ doth much more abound and they were made partakers of his Divine nature and sat together in heavenly places in Christ Jesus For heaven is his throne and they that are in him and injoyeth him who is the power of God and the wisdome of God knowes peace and rest and salvation both from guilt and act of sin And the Apostle wrote to the Hebrews After he had purged away our sins speaking of the atonement the everlasting high Priest he sate down on the right hand on the Majesty on high He saw beyond sin even him who had purged away sin and this comes to be made manifest unto them and in them that believe by the Spirit of Jesus who is Christ the Lord the arm that brings salvation and is the Author of eternal salvation unto all them that believe who begins it in his day and perfecteth it in his day for he works in the day as he himself said Hitherto my father worketh and I work but the night cometh when none can work So that he destroys the work of the Devil which is his work in man which they that are come to his day feels and sees the handy-work of God in themselves and his own works praise him for they onely can and they that are not come to the day knows not Gods work in themselves and they who have not yet heeded that in themselves which manifesteth all things reproveable neither that which doth reprove they are not come to know the appearance or the glimmering of light or of the day yet in themselves which the Saints witness in them even all they that are sanctified Where the day of the Lord doth appearâ— and how it cometh and how it is to be looked for declared THey that gaze abroad whose eyes are abroad cannot see his appearance nor his day which appears He that knoweth not wherein it consists knows not how to look for it no more then the Jews who were Scripture Professors and learned men knew wherein the kingdom of God did consist Even no more do the litteral professors whose faith is founded on the Letter and upon that which is visible know what I say First all must know wherein it doth consist It is eternal brightnes shed abroad through all things which pierceth through and searcheth the secretest place even that which is invisible and maketh manifest all things and the nature of every thing by the day of the Lord comes to be seen and it appears in the heart they were to wait for the day to dawn and to break forth in their hearts and to wait for its appearance there and that 's it which is to be waited for and upon that which maketh evil manifest and brings it to light and declares against that which is contrary to its nature and so the day cometh to dawn Christ the covenant of light Gods gift who is sent and annointed of God to Preach and to proclaim the acceptable year of the Lord also the day of vengeance he proclaims in the heart for he comes not to bring peace on earth but a sword and his sword is the sword of the Spirit it 's that which divides and discerns the intent of the heart and his day discovers the desperate wickedness of the heart And where he finds no faith in the heart he kindles a fire in the earthly heart and executeth his vengeance And his day unto such is a day of great perplexity their spirits comes to be wounded the heart comes to be made faint and sorrow comes to fill their hearts and trouble to be felt and in this state are all in who are unconverted he findes no faith no hope in the heart therefore he comes and takes away peace Many hath talked of the day of the Lord but when it comes to draw neer them they will not abide it Whatsoever makes manifest is light Now the day makes all things in every one manifest and when deceit is seen and wickedness brought to light then they that have done evil cannot abide but would run to any thing rather then abide the day or to see the Lord of life appear in his day to execute vengeance upon his enemies and to destroy his adversaries and to kindle an unquenchable fire to consume all his enemies And who hath not seen this yet in themselves never hath seen the day of salvation nor of gladness and this made the Prophet cry out Who may abide the day of his coming And many have been eye-witnesses of the dreadful day of the Lord which hath appeared wherein all peace hath been hid from their eyes and all that ever came to see the day of joy and gladness first did know the terrour and terrible day of the Lord in themselves Therefore said the Apostle We knowing the terrour of the Lord do perswade men Now it cometh not with outward observation lo here or there So the Pharisees looked the Kingdom should come when Christ told them it was within them So say I if ever any do behold the bright shining forth of eternal life they must wait in that which isâ— pure of God through which he will manifest his day and his power in his day in them is thou keepest in thy minde to that which manifests unto
thee evil and shewes thee good thou wilt see how it appears Even as the light shineth from the East unto the West so is the coming of the day of the Lord. And the eye which is spiritual sees it and the power and the glory of the Lord comes to be seen in the day which is pure and spiritual in the heart and the eye which is pure doth behold when it comes where it comes and how it comes and it 's hid from Vulterous eyes and from their eyes which are full of adultery and cannot cease from sin Now the day of the Lord cometh not where the carnal mind may imagine nor when Man will neither according to the carnal desire of the carnal heart neither according to the evil eye that looks out can see it but it is seen in Gods own light and by the measure of Gods holy spirit And the day of the Lord is a mystery the spirit of the Lord is the onely discoverer of it None knows the things of God but by the Spirit of God and the day of the Lord and his bright shining forth in the heart of man is one of the glorious things of God which onely the Spirit of God doth give the knowledge of to man and in man and not the letter nor the Scripture for the Jews had the letter and they had neither heard Gods voice at any time neither ever did see his shape neither did they see the day of the Lord nor the power neither in a word did see or perceive God or any of the mysteries of Gods Kingdom at all but dreamed imagined thought and conceived of things in their minds their foolish hearts being darkned for the further a man drawes from the Light his heart comes to be more dark and their understandings closed up and shut up that they cannot behold the Lord neither his glory which is revealed only by Gods holy spirit which spirit is near man though he sees it not What the spirit of the Lord is and how it comes to be received which discovers the things of God THe spirit of the Lord is pure holy equal purity it selfe holinesse it selfe equity it selfe and is one with the Father and the Son The Father the word and the Spirit are one its Life its pure power pure strength purity it self which mixeth not neither joyneth to any thing but what is of its own nature it s an immeasurable pure substance its Life issued forth an active living power and is everlasting alters not changes not keeps its holinesse its purity for ever it is unsearchable unfathomable undeclarable words are all too short too narrow to declare its excellency and glory but onely as it makes it selfe out to them that believe and opens it self and sheds it self abroad in them that wait upon it it is revealed in its own purity manifest in its own power and received in its own Light felt in its own vertue the living Father of Life himselfe is manifested by it and appeares in his power majesty and excellency through it to man and to the sons of men to the righteous and unrighteous to godly and ungodly to the upright and to the deceitful to the children of darknesse and to the children of Light that which searcheth the heart of man and sees through all things and maketh manifest all things even the hidden things of God and the secret works of darknesse and reproveth for all evil all iniquity that is the pure act of the spirit which convinceth every man and as the creature comes to join to it it arises and shines forth more clearly and maketh it self known in its power and operation its power comes to be felt it checks and reproveth judgeth and condemneth all actions which is done and past and brings them to the creatures remembrance and as it is waited upon and hearkned unto it sheds its selfe abroad in its own pure brightnesse and bringeth all things to Light even all the deeds of darknesse and maketh manifest the intents of the mind and manifesteth all things reproveable Now as there is a waiting upon the pure appearance of it and the minde be still quiet and calm the creature comes to feel and sensibly to know his own condition and sees his minde is alive to other things and other lovers and not to God and so he sees himselfe dead to the things of Gods kingdome and in the losse and in the fall and in the transgression now this which shewes the vain motions and the vain thoughts and checketh them is an operation of the spirit and purity comes to be felt working in the heart and as it is loved obeyed it leadeth converteth the heart to the Lord and draweth towards it self out of unholinesse and from under the dark power and brings that under and so it arises in its strength as it is believed in and waited upon and judges and condemns for all evils for it is the discoverer of the mind of the Lord to the sons of men or the Father by it makes known his mind to and in the creature and doth discover the things that be eternal in their true property and nature which onely they that have the spirit and have received it and are brought out of the sensuality comes to discerne him who is invisible and the things that belongs to everlasting happinesse which is not seen by a natural eye neither received by the spirit of the world who never received the things of God neither the testimony of them who were in the Life Now all that comes to receive it that is to say the spirit of truth must wait in that which is pure unto which it joines it joines not to the corrupt man neither to the sensual heart neither to the vile affections neither to them whose eyes are full of adultery which cannot cease from sin neither to the seed of falsehood neither to the corruptible birth neither unto that which is born of the flesh nor unto the will of the creature yet notwithstanding though it join not to these yet it is near man even the natural man its manifestation or the shining forth of its brightnesse maketh all these things manifest before mentioned to be evil and thus far the spirit of God hath appeared to the world and all mankind to convince the world of sin yet still it remaines in its own purity and while the heart of any man is taken up with that and joined unto that which the light reproves that is to say the worker of iniquity that man hath not received the spirit neither is made possessor of it nor injoyes it but it stands off man and from man at a distance shewing the worker of iniquity and the works of darknesse and manifesting to the creature in its light and letting him see to whom he is joyned for so far as a man denies himselfe in acting or joyning to that which the manifestation of Gods spirit shining forth in its own
quenched but as there is a submission unto its pure operation it burnes up and destroyes that which hinders the growth of the seed it purgeth the heart of them that have confidence in it from all filthinesse both of flesh and spirit and worketh up the creature into its own frame and nature and fashions and makes and moulds all that are in the Faith into the Image of the Father and so the Fathers love comes to be shed abroad in the heart and as the wrath was revealed through the spirit and condemnation so now the peace of God comes to be enjoyed and his consolation shed abroad largly in which there is pure rejoicing for ever Vnto whom the Spirit of the Father bears witness and seals assurance of the Fathers love and of justification with God declared NOne hath the witness of Gods Spirit bearing witness to them nor in them who have not believed in the true light that lighteth every man that cometh into the world by whom alone life is begotten by the powerful operation of Christ in them that believe in him who is eternal light it self whose word is spirit and life by which the new Creature is framed formed in them that believe unto whom he maketh manifest his power for unto him who is the life of men is all power committed both in heaven and earth for nothing was made or created but by him neither is any turned from sin but by him and by his mighty power without him is death in him is life and the life is the light of men So that none but they that are born of the light and are begotten by him who is light can have the spirit of Christ who is light to bear witness unto them neither the assurance of the Fathers love for onely they that are born of the spirit and walk after the spirit are justified by the spirit of the Lord for the assurance of his love is not made manifest to his enemies but unto them that are born brought forth in his own image in his own likeness and nature which is pure and incorruptible without stain or defilement the holy seed which is heir of the promise who knows the living hope which purifies the heart and bringeth the answer of a good conscience unto them that feel and witness the washing of regeneration and have known in themselves the clean water poured forth upon them which hath taken away the stains and spots and blemishes and the defilements for where these are no washed out the heart cleansed from them that believed in wherein Gods all-sufficiency is felt and his power made manifest there cannot be assurance of the Fathers love in the heart nor in the soul neither doth the spirit of the Father bear witness unto such nor assure their justification but on the contrary where sin remains unsubdued and taken away the spirit of the Father condemneth the sin and the creature now is joyned to it and is become one with it for no sin is brought forth but there is a consent and an assenting to the instigation of the Devil although when a temptation ariseth either within or without there may be a resisting and a striving against it for a little but the heart not being kept close to the spirit the enemy often enters and so captivates the understanding then there is an agreement and a joyning to the adversary and so the spirit pronounceth the sentence of condemnation upon him who is joyned to the harlot and becomes one flesh and joyned unto strange flesh which is not the flesh of Christ the seed and that which hath joyned and consented to drink of the cup of fornication must drink of the cup of indignation and terrour and bear the stroke of Divine Justice and lie in patience under it till that be cut down which hath joyned to deceit before there can be the remission of the transgression or the Creature justified in the fight of God For sin is not blotted out of the book of Gods remembrance till it be turned from and repented of neither doth the creature stand clear in the sight of God when God judges in righteous judgement which the light in every ones conscience shall answer Now he that is born of God sins not for the seed of God remains in him which is life And as the creature joyns to that seed which is heir of the Kingdom and of the Crown immortal he comes to be made partaker of its vertue and operation which seed is Christ and by his power by which he limiteth the seed of the Serpent and weakens his strength in the creature as man cometh to believe in his strength unto whom all power is committed the covenant with Death is broken and that agreement that the creature hath made with death comes to be disannulled by the arm and power of the Lord and so the creature comes to be delivered from the bondage of corruption and the new man comes to live or the new creature which is born of God which sins not comes to be framed and fashioned in the image of the Father and the Fathers love is manifest unto him and in him and he hath the assurance in himself The Babe that is born from above of the Spirit which is from above of which he is born and brought forth of the just by the just he is justified by the just God and the just witness of the spirit sealeth this in him And he hath the record of his justification For there is three that bear record in the earth the water the blood and the spirit and he that is born of that which is pure in it self hath the witness of all these three in himself for they agree in one That which one beareth wit-witness to and for the other doth the same and the record and testimony and witness of all these three hath he that is born from above Moreover there are three that bear record in heaven the Father the Word and the spirit and these three are one So he that is born of the Father and begotten of the Father in Christ the seed through the Spirit he and he alone comes to feel the Fathers love made manifest in him and is justified in the sight of the Father and hath the record of all these witnesses before mentioned in himself so that he hath his assurance and evidence near him and in him the seal of the Father the seal of the Spirit And so when the adversary comes to tempt and to assault and would raise up doubts in the mind the evidence is near which puts him out of all doubt that he is in the love of God blessed for ever and happy are all they who have waited for these things have felt these things and are witnesses of these things for flesh and blood hath not revealed these things Now let every man who reads this prove himself and try himself whether he be in the faith or
hath transgressed the life and hath disobeyed the light in your consciences is head in you and above the pure that will not recommend you unto God neither can you have any access or acceptation with God in that state till you come out of the waters upon which the Whore sits which is unstable and boisterous and reels too and fro and unsetled which is all to be dried up and all the springs cut off that nourishes and you must come to the Rock before you know any thing that will endure to build upon which rock is Christ who abides for ever but you are all gone from that which should give the knowledge of him in your selves and doth not retain him in your knowledg neither that which gives the knowledge of him the light of his Spirit which shines in your hearts making manifest in your hearts the intention of your hearts when motions unto evil do arise This must you all come to before Gods salvation or redemption you come to know in your selves or have the witness of Gods holy Spirit without which there is neither seal nor evidence nor assurance enjoyed or felt of the love of God The time of restoring is come and many are restored again into Gods Covenant and are delivered out of the jaws of death and feels him who is the healer of the Nations and the restorer of the desolate places to dwell in but first you must come to see those places made desolate wherein the wilde nature lodges before you come to have a share in the restoration Come off these barren mountains where you are feeding to Christ the life of men who hath lightned you and wait in it that you may feel his mind in your selves and the signification of the Spirit of truth from your own spirits or else you will still erre for lack of knowledge and perish for want of understanding and so lay down your heads in sorrow The Kingdom of God and of his Christ declared in some measure as it is revealed what it is and where it is to to be waited for and how it cometh to be revealed to them and in them that believe that all who are waiting for it may know wherein it consists and so receive the end of their hope and the end of their expectation and know the Dominion which hath no end THe Lord hath prepared his throne in the Heavens and his Kingdom ruleth over all his dominion is an everlasting dominion and without end God is a Spirit his Kingdom is spiritual his habitation is suitable to his own nature he is immortal his Kingdom is so he is light his dwelling place is so a pure scituation in which there is no uncleanness nor ever shall be It 's eternal dignity it is an immutable being that remaineth always in it's purity and pleasantness Eternally glorious it consists in power in righteousness in purity in joy in hope in peace in life in vertue eternal in quietness it s a quiet habitation it is incomprehensible unsearchable and indeclareable words are too short they are but as sounds as vails It is unexpressible in it is the treasure-house of wisdom out of which all that believe in him who is the King of eternal and immortal glory comes to receive of his wisdom of his life of his power vertue righteousness and comes to enjoy him who is the fulness that filleth all things whether visible or invisible whether terrestrial or coelestial his power is over all his dominion is over all who is eternally blessedness it self and felicity it self who makes all that believe in him to partake of his kingdom of his grace of his power of his dignity of his dominion and of his glory coelestial but these things are hid from the world who are not redeemed from the earth neither never looks to be while they are in the body Unto such I say Gods kingdom you shall never see nor enjoy while you are in that faith which is reprobate but may be truly called unbelief although you imagine a glory and a kingdom in your earthly minds and dream of a thing to come suitable unto that wherein your glory now standeth but that will all fail and those imaginations will be confounded and dissolved into nothing because they are centred in that which is out of the truth Christ and so are without ground or bottom and are out of that which should give you the sight and knowledge of God in your selves and his kingdom Christ when he taught them that followed him exhorted them that first of all they might seek the kingdome of God even while they were in the body Mat. 6. 36. The Pharisees were gazing abroad in their earthly knowledge although they had the Scripture that declared of Gods kingdome yet they knew it not and this generation is the same who are in the same nature and in the same wisdome which is earthly and litteral and they are imagining as the Jewes were and are loe here and loe there in this observation and the other and look to see it there Nay Christ said The Kingdome of God is within you to the Pharisees He bad them and others seek it first what strange doctrine was this might the Pharisees say he saith the kingdome of God is within us and yet bids us seek it Need we seek that which is in us may professors say Yea it 's like a pearl hid in the field it s like a grain of mustard-seed among many great seeds which is not easily found it 's like a piece of silver lost in the house among much rubbish till that be swept away thou wilt not find it thou must dig deep sweep clean search narrowly before thou find it although he did say to the Pharisees The kingdom of God is within you he did not say they were possessors of it or that it was theirs but to the Disciples whom he taught to pray in faith thy kingdome come and they came to find it that which they prayed for that pearl that groat that grain of mustard-seed which it was like and having found it and believed in it he saith unto them Mat. 5. 3. Blessed are the poor in spirit for theirs is the kingdom of God And in Luke 6. 20. And he lift up his eyes on his disciples and said blessed be ye poor for yours is the kingdom of God They had seen it and were possessors of it it was theirs And Christ said unto his disciples There are some of you standing here that shal not taste of death till ye see the kingdom of God come in power And his words were fulfilled they declared what they had felt and seen and some of them said The Kingdome of God is not in word but in power And Paul to the Romans writes Rom. 4. 17. who was also made partakers of the same power and the same kingdome he spoke his knowledge of it and sayd It 's not meat nor drink but righteousnesse and peace and joy