believe That all the Prophets gave Testimony of him and that he was made manifest in Judea and Jerusalem and did the Work of the Father and was persecuted of the Jews and was crucified by his Enemies and that he was buried and rose again according to the Scriptures And we believe He is now ascended on high exalted at the right hand of the Father for evâ—… and that he is gloâ—…ified with the same gloâ—…y that he had before the world was and that even the same that came down from Heaven is ascended up to Heaven and the same that descended is he that ascended And we believe Even he that was dead is alive and lives for evermore and that he cometh and shall come again to judge the whole world with righteousness and all people with equity and shall give to every man according to his deeds at the day of Judgment when all shall arise to condemnation or justification he that hath done good shall receive Life and he that hath done evil everlasting Condemnation And we believe He is to be waited for in Spirit to be known after the Spirit as he was before the World was and that is the knowledge unto Eternal Life which all that believe in him do receive he subdues death destroys him that hath the power of it restoreth from Death to Life and quickeneth by his Spirit all that the Father hath given him and we believe such he justifieth and sanctifiâ—…th and such are taught of him but he condemns all that believe not and continue in unbelief and are not taught of him And this we faithfully believe And we believe That unto all People upon the face of the whole Earth is a time and day of Visitation given that they may return and be saved by Jesus Christ who is given of the Father to call the worst of men to repentance and the most ungodly of sinners are convinced by him of their ungodly deeds that they may believe and be converted and saved And we believe Herein is the love of God manifested to all mankind and that none wert shut out by him before they were born into the world but unto all men is a visitation given and they that perish it is because they do not believe in Christ and Destruction is of a mans self but Salvation is of God through believing in his Son who takes away sin and reneweth into his ownImage that they may become Heirs with him And we believe That there is a Crown of eternal Glory and an Inheritance of eternal Life to be enjoy'd for evermore by all that believe are chosen of God and that there is an everlasting Misery and Destruction to be possessed by all that believe not but continue in the state of Reprobation and are not changed from the ways of sin and death but walk after the ways of their own hearts lusts fulfilling the will of the flesh in the evil of this world and follow not Christ the Light of the world that they may be saved and we believe upon all such the Wrath of God abides and that they have no part in the Inheritance of God And we believe That it is only he that is born again of the Spirit and that walks after the Spirit who is changed from Death unto Life and who is redeemed out of the world and all its ways such only must inherit the Kingdom of God and they only have right thereunto and none besides even they that are washed and cleans'd from all unrighteousness by the Blood of Jesus by which their sins are remitted for his Blood cleanseth them from all Unrighteousness and Sin yea all such that walk and abide in the Light which Jesus Christ hath enlightned the World withal And we believe That the Saints upon Earth may receive forgiveness of Sins and may be perfectly freed from the body of sin death and in Christ may be perfect and without Sin and may have Victory over all Temptations by Faith in Jesus Christ And we believe Every Saint that is call'd of God ought to press after Perfection and to overcome the Devil and all his Temptations upon Earth and we believe they that faithfully wait for it shall obtain it and shall be presented without sin in the Image of the Father and such walk not after the Flesh but after the Spirit and are in Covenant with God and their Sins are blotted out and remembred no more for they cease to commit sin being born of the Seed of God And we believe the Goâ—…pel of Christ is the Power of God unto Salvation and that it ought to be preached freely unto all People Christ to be held forth to all Mankind by the Ministry sent of him And we believe this Ministry is receiv'd by the gift of the holy Ghost and all they that receive it are lawfully called to the Ministry and they may preach the Gospel of Christ freely as they have received it freely and this Ministry is not of man but of God and is made powerful to the converting of sinners and to the bringing of People to God and to the knowledge of his ways And we do not believe that any man is a Minister of Christ without the gift of the holy Ghost or that the Gospel can be received by natural Larning or Education And we believe such as preach for hire and have hire for preaching are not the lawfully called Ministers of the Gospel of Christ such as are proud and high-minded and covetous men who do not profit the people at all such as have run and never were sent of Christ who calls by his Spirit into the Work of the Ministry and as every one hath received the Gift of that Spirit so he may administer to others Concerning Rulers and Governors we believe That there ought to be Rulers and Governors in every Nation City Country or Town and they ought to be such men as fear God and hate every evil way who will judge for God and not for man and will judge Righteously Equally and Justly and will give true and sound Judgment unto all men without bribery or respect of Persons not regarding the Rich above the Poor but being a Praise unto all that do well a terror to all evil doers having knowledge in the pure Law of God and themselves continually exercised therein And we believe That every Law of man ought to be grounded upon the Law of God pure Reason and Equity being the Foundation thereof that Gods witness in every man may answer to it and the Law ought to be known unto all People before Transgression be charged or punished in any man And we believe That every Transgression ought to be punished according to its nature that the punishment exceed not the greatness of the Transgression neither ought Transgressors to escape unpunished neither ought any upon false suspicion or jealousies be caused to suffer without the Testiâ—…ony of true men or the
abounds and makest the coming of Christ who came to fulfill the Law to destroy it through the evil of thy heart that when the righteous Law cryes in thee for Purity and condemns thee for thy unrighteous walking then thou fleest to the free Grace in Christ to save thee from the power of the Law but thou shalt find the Law hath Power over the fleshly man as long as he lives and the fleshly man that now guides thee is under the Law until it be destroyed through Faith in Jesu Christ For he came not to destroy the Law but to fulfil it and the Saints witness it though thou wrest the words of Paul when he declared his condition before he came to the fulness of stature in Christ to thy own destruction I see a Law in my members warring against the Law of my mind bringing me into captivity to the Law of Sin which is in my members but he gave not up himself to be a Servant of â—…in as thou dost it was his Burthen that made him to cry O wretched man that I am who shall deliver me from this Body of Death And he waited in the Faith until he was freed Rom. 8. 2. For the Law of the Spirit of Life in Christ Jesus hath made me free from the Law of Sin and Death that the Righteousness of the Law might be fulfilled in us who walk not after the Flesh but after the Spirit He witnessed Christ come in him to fulfill the Law and so do all the Saints now according to their growth Some witness the Law fulfilled in them and others are waiting in the Faith patiently following the Lord daily through the Cross until the Law be fulfilled But thou art departed from the Counsel of the Lord thy God and causest his Name to be evil spoken of and hast made the Hearts of his people sad as they did that the Apostle speaks of For many walk of whom I have told you often and now tell you even weeping that they are Enemies to the Cross of Christ whose End is Destruction whose God is their Belly whose Glory is their Shame who mind Earthly things These Scriptures are fulfilled in thee which the Apostle mentions And while they promise them Liberty they themselves are the Servants of Corruption for of whom a man is overcome of the same is he brought into Bondage For if after they have escaped the Polution of the World through the Knowledge of the Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ they are again entangled therein and overcome the later End of them is worse with them than the Beginning For it had been better for them not to have known the way of Righteousness then after they have known it to turn from the Holy Commandment delivered unto them But it happened unto â—…hem according to the true Proverb the Dog is turned to his own vomit again the Sow that was washed to her wallowing in the Mire And thou mayest read what will be manifest to thee from the Lord For if we sin wilfully after we have received the Knowledge of the Truth there remains no more Sacrifice for Sin but a fearful looking for of Judgment and fâ—…erce Indignation which shall devour the Adversaries He that despised Moses Law dyed without Mercy how much sorer Punishment supposest thou shalt thou be thought worthy of who hast troden under foot the Son of God and hast counted the Blood of the Covenant wherewith thou wast Sanctified an unholy thing and hast done despight to the Spirit of Grace and we know him that hath said vengeance belongetâ—… unto me I will recoâ—…pence saith the Lord It is a feareful thing to fall into the hands of the Living God Remember from whence thou art fallen Repent and do thy first work in minding that Light of Jesus Christ in thee before whom thou once stoodst condemned for that thou now livest in Prize the time and give up to be guided by the Counsel of the Lord in thee the Light of thy Conscience that discovers every vain thought wait on the Power that is present with the Light and it will dash Babylons childern against the Stones which is Sin in its conception so will thy carnal mind be brought to the Cross daily and thy heart will be purged with the Spirit of Judgment and the Spirit of Burning Kiss the Son in obeying his Counsel the Light in thee lest thou perish in the way for if his Anger be kindled a little blessed are they that trust in him The Discovery of Mystery Babylon To all enslaved Captives in Babylons's Kingdom who are made drunk with the Wine of â—…he Wâ—…ath of her Fornications and bewitched through the multitude of her Inchantments FRiends Babylon is within you the Mother of Harlots is within you and she bewitcheth you through the abundance of her Sorceries and the Beast is within you that ariseth out of the bottomless Pit of the deceived heart which is deceitful and desperately wicked and the Beast which all the World wonders after is your wills that make war against the Lamb of God in you which is the Light that makes manifest the evil of your hearts and your wisdom is the great Whore that sits upon the Beast that ariseth out of the bottomless Pit of the deceitful heart and she finds out many deceitful inventions to preserve the beastly will alive having a golden Cup in her hand full of the abominations of the Earth and this Golden Cup is your outward professions glorious comprehensions and conceivements of God and Christ imitating what the Saints did in power according as they were moved by the operation of the Spirit of the Most High God and you imitate the Saints practice by your wisdom There is nothing but confusion in the Kingdom of Babylon So come you to be divided into so many particular Forms as Presbyterians Imdependants Anabaptists and divers others that are in outward worships painted over with glorious words and yet you whose wills guide you are painted Beasts bewitched with the Mother of Harlots notwithstanding all your outward professions and glorious observations they are but the golden Cup and within you are full of the Abominations of the Earth as Self-Love Covetousness â—…usts Uncleanness Frowardness Backbiting Slandering Hard-heartedness Cruelty and Oppression Grinding the Faces of the Poor Impatiency and Unbelief and the fear of the Lord is not before your eyes and thus you lie enslaved Captives in the Kingdom of Babylon refreshing your hearts in the Creature enjoyments which will perish some in Father and Mother some in Wife and Children some in House and Land some in Gold and Silver some in the Self Wisdom delighting in themselves some in Honour and Preferment in this World and when there is enjoyment of these visible creatures then there is content and when they are taken away there is trouble the mind alwayes Plotting Contriving and Acting every way to get of the creatures what the heart lusteth after and he that gets the
the World by the things of the World endeavours to blind the mind not the Brain-Knowledge but the Heart Fâ—…eling Sence within in the mind lest the Light within should so shine as God should heal them all the Buslings of Satan with his Gifts are but to blind the Mind within lest God should heal the Soul that complains to him from the true Sight and Sence of his Misery as in himself By this Grace and Gift within we believe That to Us though in the World there be Lords many Gods many there is but ONE GOD the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ witnessed within man only by the Spirit of Truth that manifests both the Father and the Son and yet these Three are One and agree in One and he that honours the Father honours the Son that proceeds from him and he that denies the Spirit denies both the Father and the Son and is Antichrist but he that believes in the Spirit and is led by it is the Son of God Rom. 8. 14. As many as are the Sons of God are led by the Spirit of God We believe The Scriptures bear witness unto and testifie of Christ but they say The Witness of God is greater then them The Spirit it self bearing witness with our Spirits that we are the Sons of God For it is not the Scriptures without the Spirit nor the Spirit contrary to the Scriptures but the Spirit 's discovering the Will of God in the Heart oâ—… opening of the Scrlpâ—…ures in its own Time and Way and not in or by the Will of Man but as it self pleaseth who searcheth all even the deep things of God and manifests them unto the Soul which gives the Perfect Sound and Saving Knowledge for said Christ The Spirit shall take of mine shew them unto you And as Holy Men gave forth the Scriptures 2 Pet. 1. 21. so Holy Men and they only come truly to understand them and not proud and ungodly men because their Hearts and Lives do not answer the Hearts Lives of those that gave them forth as Face answers Face in a Glass And this we believe to be the Reason why so long Preaching by men of corrupt Minds who have and do handle the Word deceitfully for Selfish Ends and filthy Lucre sake hath brought forth so little Fruit and been to so little Purpose except to their Purses and Bellies for had they believed and therefore spoaken and stood in God's Counsel they should have profited their Hearers Jer. 23. 21 22 23 to the end Through this Gift we believe That Christ Jesus the Son of God was manifest in the Flesh in the Fulness of time And this we know by the same Spirit by which our Fathers believed he should come and Abraham saw his Day by the same we do believe he is come and do see his Day as also by the Prophet and Apostles Writing which two-fold Cord is not easily broken We believe also according to the Scriptures of Truth That this same Jesus hath God highly exalted and given him a Name above every Name that whosoever believes in him shall not perish but have Everlasting Life and that there is not another Name whereby any can be saved than this Name of Jesus Christ nor is Remission of Sins to be preached by any other Name But as we do not believe that the outward Letters and Syllables are that Name that is to be bowed to by the outward Knee no more then the Letters or Syllables in the words God or Spirit seeing the Scripture faith Unto God who is a Spirit every Knee shall bow Isa. 45. 93. But the Name which saves is the Power and Arm of God that brings Salvation from Sin and makes every Soul that names it to depart from Iniquity This is that Name which was preached and which is preached through Faith in which Name Remission of Sin is obtained Therefore was the outward word Jesus given him as his outward Name Thou shalt call his Name JESUS for he shall save his People from their Sins mark for he shall save c. So that which saves is the Name which is to be believed in which is that Arm of God that brings Salvation when no Eye pities neither is there any Help the Power of God that then saves is that Grace that comes from the Fulness of Christ the Saviour And without this Virtue Christ and Jesus are but empty Names 1 Cor. 12. 3. No man can say that Jesus is the LORD but by the Holy Ghost We believe also That this Jesus dyed for or because of Sin and rose again for the Justification of those that believe in him as well as to manifest to all the World that he was the Son of God and that he thereby spoiled Principalities and Power and triumphed over them openly and led Captivity captive in his own Person yet we believe and know by his Grace in our Hearts that as his Name Jesus without Virtue and Power is but an empty Word so his Dying without man's Conformity to his Death or being planted into the Likeness thereof or being crucified with Christ as saith the Scripture Rom. 6. 2 3 4 5 6. Gal. 2. 20. will not profit man as to the Salvation of his Soul no more then the naming of his outward Name Jesus doth at this day make People to depart from Iniquity For we believe and are â—…ure that man must dye inwardly as well as Christ dy'd outwardly and must be put to Death in his Flesh as Christ was in his for he that is in the Flesh cannot please God Rom. 8. 8. Neither ceaese froâ—… Sin but he that is dead is freed from Sin Rom. 6. 7. And yet man 's dying unto Sin and the Root and Principle of it in himself is so far from making void Christ's Death in his own Person that it establisheth it to all those Ends and Purposes for which it was intended of the Father As the Cures which the Physitian doth manifest and establish his Skill and Ability so doth man's dying unto Sin and Self and living unto God manifest and establish the Virtue and Power of Christ's Death for as man manifests his being risen with Christ by his seeking the things that are above Col. 3. 1 2. so doth he manifest his Knowledge of the Death of Christ by his being crucified with Christ and bearing about in his Body the Dying of the Lord Jesus For as it is not an outward Belief gather'd from the Letter that will change the Heart and Life though the Judgment and Opinion it may so it is not a Belief from the History or Letter only that can give man a saving Knowledge of the Death of Christ but he must have the same Glory and Power of the Father in measure working in him there to beget Faith in his Heart thaâ—… he may believe unto Salvation from his own Filthiness and Righteousâ—…ess as well as confess with his Mouth Rom. 10. and must have that
imposed on them until the time of Reformation but Christ the Substance being come the Shadows flee away And yet where-ever any are commanded now by the same Spirit that commanded the Believers to be Baptized in the days past either for the furtherance of the Gospel or tryal of their Faith we judge them not But this obedience is very rare to be found and we could heartily desire that all would consider seriously whether literal sayings observed only by outward reading hearing by the â—…ar or inward impluses upon the heart by the Divine Power are the motives unto Obedience in this kind And if honesty and uprightness of heart may be heard we believe and know the many dead souls every where notwithstanding their Baptisms will be as so many witnesses against them by their groveling upon the Earth as so many slain and killed men by the Letter while the Spirit's quicknings have not been known in the true Baptism into death For we find by daily experiences that most men and women live like Pharaoh's lean Kine only to eat up the fat and to envy those that are not so lean-soul'd as themselves We believe also That as there is one true saving Baptism so there is one Bread or Body of Christ which all the Saints do feed upon and though they be many as to persons yet their Bread is but one and they all in it but one Bread And this we believe is the flesh that came down from Heaven John 6. 33. Though the outward Jews now as then murmur at him because he said I am the Bread which came down from Heaven ver. 41 42. But Christ ver. 45. to stop their murmuring tells them that the knowledge of this Mystery was only revealed unto them whom God and not man teacheth and no more then are taught of God can set seal and subscribe unto this Truth in Jesus though we believe also that Jesus took outward bread and break it and gave it to the Dâ—…sciples as the Scripture saith and this was a figure of his Body that was to be pierced and broken upon the Tree and a shew to shew forth his Death until he came And we believe he did arise again and appear unto his Disciples and all that believed were together and had All things Common c. And they continued daily with one accord in the Temple breaking bread from house to house did eat their meat with gladness and singleness of heart praising God and having favour with all the People Acts 2. 44 45 46 47. And we believe that the Apostle in 1 Cor. 11. 20. said true where he said When ye come together therefore in one place this is not to eat the Lords Supper And all that he speaks in that chapâ—…er is not to perpetuate that outward breaking of Bread otherwise then as the Belivers did that were filled with the holy Ghost in singleness of heart as before is said and yet we judge not those who break outward Bread and drink outward Wine being commanded so to do and put in remembrance thereby of the Body and Blood of Jesus Christ by the Remember ancer the Spirit of Truth which is appointed by the Father to lead into all Truth But to do it by imitation or tradition only as most do it if not all at this day we know it is not an Offering unto God in Righteousness neither do we believe this to be the Communion of the Body and Blood of Christ and yet the eating of the Flesh and drinking of the Blood of Christ we believe man must know and witness or he hath no life in him Joh. 6. 53 54 55. And we believe that many are striving now in their Spirits as the Jews did verse 52. saying How can this man give us his Flesh to eat And not only the Jews but many of his Disciples said This is a hard saying who can hear it Vers. 60. And in vers. 63. he tells them It is the Spirit that quickeneth the Flesh profiteth nothing Thâ—… words that I speak unto you they are Spirit and they are Life And he that hears and understands these words that are Spirit and Life will not be offended at what I have spoken of the Flesh and Blood of Christ By the same Spirit and Grace we believe That Prayer is an Ordinance of God when performed by his Spirit in its words and not those which man's wisdom teacheth or without words by sighs and groans which cannot bâ—… uttered and these so often as the Spirit it self pleaseth But the Form without the Spirit whether it be by words of other mens framing or words of man's own Spirit according to his will time and manner this is not the Prayer that prevails with God And we believe that there is none so weak and infirm but this spirit proffers his help at some time or other though man regardeth it not And the more man's mind is gathered within from all visibles the more he comes to be sensible of the Movings and Stirring of this Spirit in its secret cryes unto God answerable to the wants of that man or woman in whom it moves and cryes And by the due watching thereunto we believe and know the Spirit of Prayer and of Adoption that cries unto God comes to be discerned and distinguished from a man 's own spirit and will We believe by the same gift of Grace that there are several Minstrations and several Operations according to 1 Câ—…r 12. and all by the same Spirit as before and after the Law by Moses and after by John the Baptist and Christ and his Apostles and in all these the ministration had acceptance with God through the mannagment of the Spirit and its rejection and dislike of God for the want thereof And by this Spirit were the Scriptures given forth and the Holy men of God did speak prophesie preach and pray as they were moved and for want of it the letter did and doth kill And for the further appearance and pouring out of this Spirit answerable unto the work service that God had for them to do they weâ—…e to wait as Christ commanded his 〈◊〉 to do at Jerusalem to receive the Promise of the Father For by this spirit he that speaks speaks as the Oracle of God And therefore as it was the practice of the People of God in old time to wait for the moving and stirring of this Spirit that they might speak 〈◊〉 it gave them utterance in the evidence and demonstration thereof so do this People called Quakers now and according to its moving in their hearts they minister according to the signification of the Spirit whereby they understand both what and when to speak and when to be silent as also who are they that minister and speak in their own wills above the Cross of Christ which the Apostle was careful always to be in subjection to lest he should make it void by speaking the words which man's wisdom teacheth and therefore as the Saints did
finished his work are not all People in the first place now to wait for the Spirit and to receive the Spirit by it then to be led into all Truth and so being first led into the Truth then in the same Truth to worship God in Spirit who is a Spirit And whether there be now any true Worship standing which God accepteth but only this And whether this alone be not agreeable to Moses Christ and Scriptures And whether all other Worships now upheld be not contrary to this true Worship of God and contrary to Moses Christ and Scriptures and indeed chiefly opposite to the Spirit of God whereby he is grieved And if so whether all such Worship Way Practice Performances Duties and Ordinances so called be not better left undone then Performed until Gods Spirit be received to guid therein Thirdly Concerning the Ministration of the Spirit which abideth for ever Moses and his Ministry were visible and Christ in the form of a Servant and so like unto Moses was visible and so were his Miracles and that which is visible to the natural eye the carnal mind can come to profess and contend about but the blessed eye which God openeth with the Light cometh to see the one done away and the other finished by Christ the Light and Life And the Spirit is that which first moved and yet moveth and moved unto and led through the visible Ministration and this Spirit is invisible as it is wirtten the invisible only wise God whom no eye of flesh hath seen or can see and this moving invisible Spirit of God which is without limit or end is that which all people should be led unto by all its outward visible appearances ministration and dispensations and this Spirit was that which gave forth and ordained the Ministration of the Law which was glorious in its time though to be done away but how much more glorious is the Ministration of that Spirit of Life it self from which the Ministration of the Law came which Spirit abideth for ever And the second Adam is made a quickning Spirit and the Spirit which is the Word was with God and was God before the body of flesh was made and that Spirit abideth forever as iâ—… heard out of the Law He shall abide forever And this is that which ever liveth to interceed And this forever blessed invisible Spirit was before time and is to be when time shall be no more and is without limit an eternal lively Substance giving Life from it self and secretly covering it self from the carnal part of man not seen nor understood but by such as by its secret motions come to be led to see through that which shadows it forth and by the Image form shadow or figure to discern the Substance which is the Life where Immortality dwelleth for in the most innermost and secret of all is the Life of all being covered over with that in which it lies through which it breaking forth in any discovery of it self is that whereby the beholders might be drawn through the discovry unto it self which in the discovery broke forth for the discovery was still too short of that from whence it came that which was discovered forth in any Shadow Form or Image was not to be idolized nor set up for the very things or Substance of Life from whence it proceeded and herein hath been much mistaken by such who came not by that which opened in the Visibles to that from whence it came in that to have their understandings opened and thereby to be made sensible of that which is Eternal by it to be brought in where its Indwellings abide forever whose breaking forth in the Visible which was to draw to that invisible refreshed the Soul invisibly in an unexpected manner and time but being after sought for in the visibles and not in the Eternal withdraws it self out of the visibles and out of the sight and reach of that which seeks it there that thereby that which is to live forever with it may come through all that which it appeared in unto the very thing and invisible Substance it self which is the Life of all and the true Center of the living motion which moveth of itself and gave forth all things good as they proceed from it by vertue of its gradual and various motions and this being come opens it self in them that find it and live therein and this maketh Darkness Light before the People whose dwellings is with God and the crooked comes to be made streight by the things it self and dark sayings of old come to be opened and secret things revealed But to write more plain for the sake of the weak of this glorious indwelling Spirit which in the fulness of time cometh forth in flefh laying hold of the Seed of Abraham the most glorious Appearance that ever was being thus appeared was the express Image of God who dwelleth in his People whose bodies are flesh and earthly Tabernacles but by the operations of the Sanctifying cleansing Siprit which the Father sendeth are made fit habitations of God and Co-heirs with Christ and Members of his Body Flesh and Bones which Spirit quickneth to God and being thus received and obeyed is felt to live forever though the shadowings forth of it be done away and this is Eternal and never endeth but a bideth with such forever and the Ministration of it iâ—… Life it self to the Soul and more to be valued and desired then all that ever was seen before it And as the Lord took of that Spirit which was upon Moses and put it upon his Brethren the Elders of Israel whereby they might rule and judge with him so saith Christ The Father shall take of mine and give it unto you even of that Spirit of Love Life Power Valour and Virtue which was upon and in him that was like unto Moses is ministred into and put upon such as are truly his Brethren and Friends whereby with him they thus gifted sanctified and qualified judge the World for all Judgment is committed to the Son and of that which the Son hath and is committed to him doth the Father give unto his Members and so from Christ the Head they come to receive Power over the World and its Way Worship and Fashions and over unclean spirits And that is an unclean spirit which will lead into any sin and it is an unclean spirit in which sin standeth and which pleadeth for the continuance and upholding of that which is unclean and that is of the World which the Saints Judge And as those Elders of Israel who were of the Church in the Wilderness were not made fit to Judge or Rule in outward matters by all the writings and words of the Law though received by disposition of Angels until the Lord himself took of that Spirit which was upon Moses and put upon them So those that profess to be Elders in the Church now or any other person whatsoever are much less
made fit to Rule or Judge in Spiritual matters by all the reading and professing Moses Writings and Christs Words and the rest of the Holy Scriptures though they were given by the Inspiration of God until the Lord take of that Spirit which was upon and in Christ who is like unto Moses and give unto and pour it upon and minister it in unâ—…o them And this is done in Gods way which is secret and time which is in his own hand to those whom he accounteth wrothy thus to honour and who truly wait for it as a wayfering man for a resting place and as a Captive for deliverance And though Christ after his Resurrection said All Power in Heaven and in Earth is given unto me Go ye therefore and teach yet they were to tarry until they had the power in themselves and when that was come which they were to tarry and wait for then with that they went and so taught the Nations from the sensible feeling of that which taught them how to teach and all things else when the same Spirit and Power was upon them which was before committed unto him and so the coming forth of it from him into them and filling them therewith was to them in that work of the Ministry most effectual like as the Vertue going forth of Christ healed the Woman so the Power and Vertue of the Holy Spirit coming forth from Christ being sent of the Father and received by the Disciples who with much desire waited for that impowered them to do that which before they were commanded to do after they were endued with Power or had the Power in them and so what they were commanded to do they were to wait to receive Power in themselves from God to perform and Christ did intend to give them Power to do that which he commanded And as he commanded them to go and teach he also required them to tarry and so not to go until they had received so to do and so it was the Power of the holy Ghost in them which made them Ministers and these were and such are truly Ordained Ministers And after they had received Power from on High even the Spirit or Life of Truth and were filled therewith and so had it in them then they went to do that which was commanded them then they went to teach Nations and converted thousands and turned sinners and brought Souls to God and then they were called Christians and then were People brought to be of the True Church which Christ buildeth upon that which Flesh and Blood revealeth not And this is the Enterance into the Church in God 2 Thes. 1. 1. The receiving of the Spirit and in this God is Worshipped and not else for this hath excluded all other Worship and these only are the true Worshippers who come in thus by the door which is Christ the Light and Spirit of Truth sent into the heart from God And if all the prudent learned Divines so called in Europe or all or any of the wisest Orthodox men so called in any other quarter of the whole World can prove by the Scriptures of the Old and New Testament any other true Worship of God who is a Spirit now extant among men and to be performed especially among them called Christians with acceptance to God but only that which the Spirit of Truth leadeth such unto as receive it then let them bring it forth that we may see it and prove it by plain undeniable truth of Scripture or otherwise I shall look upon their proofs words ways actions practices performances duties and several Worships as things of no value Or if there be any other enterance into the true Worship of God then this Spirit that God sendeth for the Light which leadeth to it or if there be any other Worship which God doth or will accept to be after this spoken or prophesied of in the Scriptures of Truth whereby this shall ever be done away or ended from being the true only and alone Worship of God whilst men have a being upon Earth then let the wisest of the sons of men bring it forth and produce their strong Reasons therein that we may plead together and that the enterance into and the true Worship it self of the only true invisible God may be declared all over the World for the satisfaction of every tender heart concerning this For this I am satisfied in that Christ Jesus who is the End of the Law and who finished his work when he was upon the Earth is made a Quickning Spirit and is the Way and Truth of life which bringeth into the Worship of God and he is the Beginning and the End and he leadeth to the beginning of Gods Worship and he is the end and the Rest of all the Faithful in whom all the promises are Yea and Amen and without him all is as nothing and all that comes before him are Theives and Robbers and he it is that abideth a Priest forever and his Spirit of Truth is it which all â—…cople and Professors whatsoever should first wait to receive thereby to be led into the true spiritual Worship which alone God accepteth llâ—…st they have their worship and building fall together in a day when there is none to deliver And then thus I query If Christ's own dear Disciples who had forsook all and followed him not Priests or Papists did not come to receive this Spirit by hearing all the words which he spoke unto them but by waiting after the words were ended Then whether those that have not forsaken all nor so much as the Worlds fashions do now come to receive the Spirit by reading hearing or professing the same words of Christ now written or any other part of the Scriptures Or whether a Proud man hath received this Spirit or a Lyar or Profane Person or any Wise or Prudent Man whatsoever by any means or way of his And whether any such ever did have or can or may by any industry or other way or means attain to this Spirit which leadeth in the true Worship of God but as it is freely given forth from God and then whether all people are not to be led by that Spirit which God freely giveth into the Worship of God because Christ said the Spirit shall lead which indeed doth lead into all Truth and nothing else doth so And they that have not received this from God to lead them are not yet come to be led by that which the Sons and Children of God were and are led by And the Ministration of the Spirit which all are now to be taught by is inwardly to be known in the nearest secret invisible maner and is more out of the sight comprehension and reach of mans Wisdom then any other Ministration and it is given forth from the clear Foundation it self unto the soul satisfaction of man when he is come to the end of words or having heard much or all the words that can he spoken
of it remaineth unsatisfied in a restless longing desire to find receive feel and enjoy the thing it self which the words declare of and that which satâ—…fieth the true thirsting Soul comes clearly from God to the refreshing of the inward parts of man and filling of the empty barren hungrv Spirit which cannot be satisfied without God's indwellings and thus the Disciples were led along and at last in a foolish way to the great Professors they waited among them in Jerusalem and the Lord had regard unto them and sent his own Spirit unto them and then they were filled with the Holy Ghost And the secret invisible Hand of God whose Power was and is felt in my heart having out of the sight of Flesh and Blood in the hidden counsel of his secret Will led me by the vertue of the opreations and drawings thereof through those things which thereby I come to leave behind and to receive and feel that which now goeth before and is my Leader in whose Covenant of Life Eternal my Soul is now satisfied and so by good experience of the Lords Leadings and from an experimental knowledge sensible Feeling and present enjoyment of the incomes of the Spirit of Truth and Life which filleth the inward parts with the Holiness of it self and giveth Power to do the things required before of God even from the right and good understanding thereof is this written That where it meets with the like condition in a weary Travailer it may answer its own and be helpful to the weak and feeble that such may not give over pressing forwards nor faint in their long travel though many Mountains on which they did nourish themselves at formerly will not yield them Bread now yet that they may with me and the rest of the Followers and Friends of Câ—…ist past and present always continue following the Spirit as it leads until the inward man be filled therewith and so Power and Strength from God comes to be known and received in every particular For thus it is with Chirsts Followers now they are not satisfied until they are filled with that which they have heard of and their Souls thirsted after and so it was with them then and they were filled with what they wanted before and then from that which they were filled with they spoak forth and so they did teach the Nations and brought People under the Power of God and baptized them into that and dipt them into the Name of the Father and brought them under that which saveth from Sin and plunged them into the holy Spirit and as they teach'd they did this baptizing as they did teach and plunging them as their doctrine went forth into that which washeth and purifieth the Conscience from the filth and guilt of Sin of which the outward Baptism was a figure of this which saveth And so their Doctrine was from an inward Life and proceeded from that which was invisible and so reached to that which wanted life in the Hearers and so brought up the Power of God over them and them under it and into it for the Word is â—…nto and they were to bring people into the Name not Water and they were to bring or Baptize them into the Name as they did Teach Go ye and teach Baptizing into Baptizing is in the Present Tense when they did Teach and here the spiritual and Inward Baptism goes along with the Preaching of the Word of Life which is inward and brings Man into an inward enjoyment of God being baptized into his Name which is a Strong Tower which preserveth from the power of the Devil and we all who are brought into this and are come in here 〈◊〉 all by one Spirit baptized into one Body and so worship God in the Spirit having the heart sprinkled from an evil Conscience by the washing of Regeneration in the Ministration of the Gospel of Peace whereby there is a Drawing nigh to God being brought into his Name and a free access to the Throne of that Grace which saveth from and out of all filthiness of flesh and spirit Humphrey Smith The Discovery of mans Return to his first Estate by the Operation of the Power of God in the great work of Regeneration ALL Men and Women behold and see 〈◊〉 what estate you were created And God said Let us make Man in our Image God created Man in his own Image and in the Image of God created he him male and female created he them And the Lord took Man and put him in the Garden of Eden to dress and to keep it And the Lord God commanded the Man saying Of every Tree in the Garden thou mayest freely eat but of the Tree of knowledge of good and evil thou shalt not eat of it for in the day thou 〈◊〉 thereof thou shalt surely dye the death The Serpenâ—… was more subtil then any Bestâ—… of the Field which the Lord God had made he said unto the Woman Ye shall not surely dye for God doth know that in the day you eat thereof your eyes shall be opened and ye shall be as God knowing good and evil And when the Woman saw the Tree was good for food and that it was pleasant unto the eyes and a Tree to be desired to make one wise she took the fruit thereof and did eat and gave also to her husband with her and he did eat And the eyes of them both were opened and they knew that they were naked and they sewed Fig-leaves together and made them Aprons And they heard the Voice of the Lord God walking in the Garden in the cool of the day and Adam and his Wife hid themselves from the Presence of the Lord among the Trees of the Garden and the Lord God called unto Adam and said unto him Where art thou And he said I heard thy Voice in the Garden and was afraid and because I was naked I hid my self and he said Who told thee that thou wast naked hast thou eaten of the Tree whereof that I commanded thee that thou shouldest not eat And the Man said The Woman whom thou gavest to be with me she gave me of the Tree and I did eat And the Lord God said unto the Woman What is this that thou hast done The Woman said The Serpent beguiled me and I did eat And the Lord God said unto the Serpent Because thou hast done this thou art cursed above all Cattel and above every Beast of the Field and upon thy belly shalt thou go and dust shalt thou eat all the days of thy life And I will put enmity betwixt thee and the Woman and betwixt thy seed and her Seed it shall bruise thy head and thou shalt bruise his heel And the Lord God said Behold this Man is become as one of us to know good and evil and now left he put forth his hand and take also of the Tree of Life and eat live forever Therefore the Lord God sent him forth from the Garden
thee to follow him whither soever he goes no more to obey him for life as thou didst when thou wast without seeking him in Forms and Observations but now the love and life thou enjoyst in Christ Jesus constrains thee to deny thy self and take up thâ—… Corss daily and follow him Now art thou come into the beginning to live in the Lord guided by the powerful word of Faith the Light that shines in thy heart which is the Light of the City New Jerusalem to whom thou art come to worship the Father in Spirit and Truth and all that are come to walk in the Light of the City New Jerusalem are the true Israel of God that are taught of God to whom the New and Everlasting Covenant is made according to the Promise of the Lord This is the Covenant I will make with the House of Israel and with the House of Judah after those days saith the Lord I will put my Law in their inward Parts and write it in their hearts and I will be to them a God and they shall be to me a People And they shall teach no more every man his Neighbour nor every man his Brother saying Know the Lord for they shall all know me from the least of them to the greatest of them I will be merciful unto their unrighteousness and their Sins and their Iniquities will I remember no more And in this City there is no need of the Sun neither of the Moon to shine in it which are borrowed lights outward dispensations and teachings of men for the glory of the Lord God doth lighten it and the Lamb is the Light thereof And the Nations of them that are saved shall walk in the Light of it and the Kings of the Earth bring their glory and honour unto it and there shall in no wise enter into it any thing that defileth neither what soever worketh abomination or maketh a lye but they ever which are written in the Lamb's Book of Life And the gates of it shall not be shut at all by day for there shall be no night there for the Lord God giveth them Light and they shall reign for ever and ever Hallelujah to the Highest To all revolted Souls who have departed from the Counsel of the Lord and are made drunk with the Wine of the wrath of the Fornication of the Whore bewitched with the Mother of Witch-craft to return unto spiritual Sodom and Egypt where our Lord is Crucified VVHoever thou art in whom the righteous Law of God Jesus Christ the Light in thee hath cryed through thy Earthly heart for Righteousness Judgment there thou didst stand arraigned before the Throne of the Lamb where the Book was opened in thee written therein all the deeds thou hast done in the body and the Sentence of Wrath and Judgment passed out of the mouth of the Lamb on thee for every idle word and all that thou hast done and in this thy condemned estate thou rannest to and fro to hide thee from the Wrath of the Lamb in reforming thy wayes and strictly observinâ—… that thou wast convinced of to be the will of God but what way soever thou turnedst in thine obedience towards God to get Life thither the flaming Sword turned that proceeded out of the mouth of the Lamb cut thee down and cast thee into Hell where thou layst weeping and wailing under the Wrath of God sealed down under his eternal Judgment for evermore for any help or power thou hadst in thy self until Jesus Christ manifested eternal Love and Mercy freely to thy poor lost condemned Soul and raised thee up to a lively hope and sealed thee up in the Covenant of Life with his own blood Now after the Witnesses have sealed up their Testimony the Beast which is thy will that ascends out of the bottomless pit of thy deceived heart which is deceitful and desperately wicked hath made war against the Witnesses Christ in thee and â—…ain them and they lie dead in the spiritual City of Sodom and Egypt where our Lord is crucified and thou art made drunk with the wine of the wrath of the Fornication of the Whore and bewitched with her witchcrafts who now tells thee whom he loves he loves to the end and to the pure all things are pure thou art no more under the Law but under Grace and all things are alike that when thou disobeyest the pure Law which once had power over thee and yet witnesseth against thee secretly crying in thy heart Use thy Liberty but not as an occasion to the Flesh that regardest not the Counsel of the Lord but hearkenest to the Mother of Harlots in thee and causeth thee to wrest the Scriptures to thy own Destruction and tells thee the Law hath no power over thee that thou art under Grace it is but the Law in thy Members that wars against thâ—… Law in thy mind the acting of the Humanity which acts in its place that the Grace of God may appear more gloriously God sees no sin in thee for it is no more thou but Sin that dwells in thee and the former misery thou wast in under the Wrath of God for the disobeying of the Righteous Law thou now treadst under thy feet and lies slain in spiritual Sodom and Egypt in thy heart yet not put in the grave but lies in thy sight and lets thee see the evil of thy doings and vexes and torments thy earthly and carnal heart in the midst of all thy joy but the Whore in thee tells thee that the former trouble thou wast in was through the ignorance of God but now thou are grown up to a higher stature in Christ to see nothing but Love in whatsoever thou dost now thou knowest nothing but to eat and to drink and to be merry for the Children of the Bride-Chamber cannot mourn while the Bridgroom is with them time was thou didst mourn but it was when the Bridegroom was not with thee but now the Winner is past and Summer come and singing of Birds is heard in thy Land and now wash thy face and anoint thy head with Oyl that thou appear no more before men as thou 〈◊〉 when thou wast a Pharisee Now to be a Friend to Publicans and Sinners and become all to all that thou mayest win some and whatever thou dost it is God that acts thee for thou art not stronger then he to resist him and if he would have it otherways how couldâ—… thou hinder it so it is as it must be and it cannot be other ways Thus the subtil Serpent windâ—… into the mind of man and causes him to wrest the Scriptures to his own destruction to draw back into Perdition Wo wo unto thee thou backslider in heart who chargest God who iâ—… Purity it self to be the Author of Sin and the Actor of thee in all thy silthy and unrighteous walking and hast turned the Grace of God into Wantonness takest liberty to sin because Grace
the light Countenance of God fear thou not neither be thou discouraged because of the violent Assaults of the Enemy who seeks to draw thee into the carnal Reasonings of thy Spirit and in it to kindle a Fire to thy self and cause thee to walk in the Light of the Sparks that thou hast kindled and this hast thou at the Hand of the Lord in thy going from his Counsel lyest down in Sorrow few know thy great Distress but to the Lord it is known and to them that had and walked in the same Paths O thou beloved Babe who lyest in the deep Sence of the working of the Evil One in thy Mind and many times art ready to say Never was any like unto me neither any Sorrow like unto my Sorrow and in this languishing despairing Mournings of thy soul all things made bitter unto thee as the Waters of Marah thus art thou driven from all Comfort as a Child without a Father and a desolate Widdow without a Husband and as a Stranger that no Eye pitieth in thy Apprehension sometimes saying in thy Heart in the Heat of the Temptation and the Fire that thou hast kindled Oh that I had been any Creature but what I am or if it were the Will of the Lord that he would shorten my dayes that I might not be any longer on Earth to sin against him For in thy own Sence and Feeling thou walking in the Sparks thou hast kindled in carnal Reasonings thou deservest not any Thing but Wrath Horror Misery Distress on every side and great Languishings that thy days were shortned secretly crying out in thine Heart O'th at I were alone in the Wilderness or in any Cave or Den in the Earth that I might never ses nor hear any of the Sons of men any more but in the secret Retiredness even roar mourn out my days until 〈◊〉 dye O thou Royal Child of the Birth of the Morning of the pure eternal Day of the God of Israel hearken no longer to the Enemy who saith There hath none travelled where thou art nor none drunk of the Cup that thou art drinking he is a Lyar who goes about to destroy thy precious Soul In the Word of the Lord God I declare unto thee I drank the same Cup with my faithful Friends who are born of the Royal Seed every one in their Measures travelled in the same Path and have endur'd the same Temptations and walk'd in the Light of the same Sparks and laid down in Sorrow in the Sence of the same Misery as thou mournest under this Day no longer lend an Ear to the Enemy the Thoughts of thy Heart Arise arise in the Light of the Covenant stay thy Heart and the Lord will throw down the enemy of thy Peace destroy the carnal Reasonings of thy Mind put out the Fire that thou hast kindled and he will deliver thee out of the horrible Pit and set thy Feet upon the Rock of Ages and thou shalt tread down the Enemies of thy Soul in the sensible Feeling of the Love of the Father who will manifest himself to be a Father to the Fatherless in thee and an Husband to the Mournful Widow and a Comforter to the Immortal Babe that mourns in thee in the Uprightness of thy Heart to do the Will of the Living God So in the Power of his Might stay thine Heart and tread upon all Doubts Fears dispairing Thoughts Questionings Reasonings Musings Imaginations Consultings arise over them all in the Light of Christ he will lead thee into the Banqueting house of the Pleasure of our God where thou shalt sit down with me and all the redeemed of my Father who are born of the Immortal Seed and have pass'd through great Tribulations have wash'd our Garments and made them white in the Blood of the Lamb Therefore do we now stand before the Throne of God praising him Day and Night in his Holy Temple And this shall be the Portion of thy Cup if thou diligently hearken to the Counsel of the Lord which calleth thee to trust in him he will embrace thee in the Arms of his Love and thou shalt praise his Name forever God Almighty in his Light Life raise up thy Soul and establish thy Heart in his Counsel stedfastly to wait in his Power to lead thee in the Cross out of all Unbelief and cause thee to lie down at rest in Obedience to his Will where thou shalt drink the Cup of Salvation forever Farewel William Dewsbury