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A80359 The memory of that faithful servant of the Lord Thomas Carleton, reviv'd. Being a collection of several of his vvritings in the ensuing volume as a testimony of his zeal for promoting the blessed truth and establishing of Friends therein. : Also some testimonies concerning his faithfulness and perseverance in the way of the Lord, unto the finishing of his course here with joy, which was the 18th day of the ninth month, 1684. Carleton, Thomas, 1636?-1684. 1694 (1694) Wing C589A; ESTC R170899 77,974 209

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the Minister said God was to be found and all to obtain Peace with my Maker but it as it were fled from me and was not to be found amongst them and and then this cry was great in me O that I knew the Truth Oh that I knew the True and Living Way to the Kingdom of God! O that I could feel that Testimony of Spirit which they so much spoke of bearing witness with my Spirit that I was in the Sonship though I felt and knew I was in the way according to their Judgment and had the signal tokens of a Christian as they produced from that spiritual progress and operation the Saints and Servants of God went through in Ages past which was as Way-marks set up by Patriarchs the Prophets and Children of Israel in their Travel to Canaan and by the Apostles and Servants of our Lord Jesus Christ in their Spiritual Travel to the Heavenly Canaan through the Regeneration and New Birth But being as I said before often deeply humbled before the Lord and tendred and broken in my Spirit distressed in my Soul afflicted in my Body day and night panting and breathing after the Lord as the Hart panteth after the water Brooks being many times deprived of my natural rest and sustenance mine eyes preventing the night Watches as David said watering my Bed with my Tears being almost overwhelmed in the Floods multitudes of Afflictions compassing me about Wars and Commotions on every side Famine and Pestilence and Earthquakes fearful Sights and great Signs appearing from Heaven these were the beginning of Sorrows and Days of great Tribulation then did the sign of the coming of the Son of Man appear in the Clouds of Heaven with Power and great Glory whose appearance was as the Lightning that appeared from the East and shined unto the West by which it pleased the Father to manifest the way of Life and to reveal his Son in me and by his Light that gives the Knowledge of the glory of God in the Face of Jesus Christ 2 Cor. 4.6 He was pleased to give me a glimpse of that heavenly Land and of the Way to the Kingdom of God which I saw to be in and through the Light of Christ Jesus which Lighteth every Man that cometh into the World as it was then Preached and testified by the Servants of the Lord a measure of which I felt in my self which told me all that ever I did secretly condemning every work in me with every word and action that was against or contrary to the mind and will of the Father and also justifying every good word and work that was according to his Will Thus the Lord having opened my understanding and given me in measure a feeling of himself I was forced to conclude as the woman of Samaria did that this was the Christ this was the Way this was the Truth as by daily experience I found by the operation of the Light in my own heart compared with the Testimony that the Saints and Servants of God had given in Ages past and thus in the mouths of two or three Witnesses this Testimony was established and confirmed in me but how to receive and give obedience I knew not the Enemy often raising Doubts and Fears in me often disswading me from embracing the Light with much questioning whether it were the Truth yea or nay Then as soon as the Seed the Man-child appeared the Dragon appeared also ready to Devour the Man-child then the Read-Sea was as it were before and Pharoh and his Host behind and fear fell on every side then appeared Father against Son and Son against Father one Nation against another and still the greatest Enemies were in mine own House and then was I in great distress then was the Dayes of great Tribulation perceiving the Way strait and narrow being to forsake Father or Mother House or Lands Friends and Relations and all old acquaintances and cast down all Crowns Dignities Wisdom Riches or what other Enjoyments whatsoever and deny my self and become a Fool and a Reproach a Scorn a By-word and a Hissing to the Men of the World and take up the Cross daily and follow the Lord through great Tribulation through the Red-Sea through the Wilderness yea even through Death it self then was I ready to faint and to say with them This was a hard saying who can bear it then the Dragon cast out Floods after the Manchild but God prepared a place in the Wilderness and the Child was preserved then was the warfare great between the Flesh and the Spirit the Law in my Members waring against the Law in my Mind doing that which I allowed not and leaving undone that which I allowed with my mind I served the Law of God but with my Flesh the Law of Sin the Spirit indeed was willing to Drink that bitter Cup but the Flesh was weak then when I would have done good Evil being present prevented me then I became as one destitude of all succour comfort and support not knowing whither to fly or how to escape from the dreadfull wrath of God that was then impending over me if I disobeyed then was I forced in the fulness of time not only to stand still and see the Salvation of God but also to resign my self into his Blessed Will and sweetly to Drink that bitter Cup that was given me to D●i●k allowing that the Will of the Lord and not my will should be done being willing to undergo any thing so the Lord be glorified and my Soul might rest in Peace being that for which I had long travelled in spirit having been often as it were at the P●ts brink and as it were at the mouth of the Furnace having Drunk deep of the Cup of Judgment and of Indignation and of the Wrath of the Lord for Sin and for Iniquity often travelling as with my Hands upon my loyns pained and crying outin my Soul as a Woman in Travel that longeth for the appointed hour of her Deliverance often in that state blessing the Lord for the Ministration of condemnation which at that Day was glorious to me often doubting and fearing in my self least the Lord should cease striving with me and have left me and given me up to a reprobate Mind and to heardness of Heart being often ready to Dispair of obtaining the promised Land that was before me considering the many lets impediments obstructions hazards dangers which like Mountains of opposition appeared as high as the top of Carmel And thus being assaulted by the Enemy reasoning in my self I was at a point what to do to turn back to Egypt the Land of Darkness or House of Bondage again I durst not knowing the Light in me the Piller of fire that appeared for my Guide and Lead●r led me Canaan ward and knowing the Terrors and Judgments of the Lord that had not only passed upon me but was still impending over me for sin disobedience because I offered not up freely nor sacrificed
must have Tythes paid them as they were then all that Law say they is abolished since Christ came in the Flesh save that sweet morsel of Tythes which is so pleasant to their pallat like Achan's wedge of Gold and Babylonish Garment Josh 7.21 which they covet as much as he did and would save alive as Saul did the King of the Amalekites and the best of the spoyl as Sheep Oxen and Fatlings c. 1. Sam. 15.9 even so they would have Tythes kept up above all the rest of the Ordinances Ceremonies and Services of the first Tabernacle and that shadowy Dispensation Tythes is the sweetest of all many of the rest would be trouble and cost to them and diminish their Revenue So these they confess to be abolished and why not Tythes say I Of what institution was Tythes Or for what term more then the rest that they must not be abolished with the rest I know no cause but the reasons aforesaid crept in amongst their Ancestor or Mother the Church of Rome in the Night of Apostacy Then again there is that in Luke 11.42 where Christ said Wo unto you Scribes and Pharisees c. from which they infer that Christ allowed the payment of Tythes under the Gospel indeed so say I that Christ there allowed the payment of Tythes the Scribes Pharisees being as under the Law but not under the Gospel its true he condems them for the neglect of weightier matters as Judgment c. may not I accordingly condem both Priest and People now he said they Strained at a Gnat and swallowed a Camel may not I say so now to them that makes so much ado about Tythes and neglects things of greater weight as departing from Iniquity as Swearing Lying Coveting Stealing Oppressing Defrauding Cozening Drinking Cheating Adultery Fornication and many more things of greater weight walking in disobedience to what God hath manifested by his Light in their Consciences doing that which they ought not and leaving undone what they ought they are at best but like the Pharisees Sticking at the outside things as Tythes Ordinances of the Church so called Conformity and the like Traditions required by Men but never shew so much zeal and diligence to keep their Consciences clear and to observe what is required of them by the Lord they 'll pretend a great zeal for the Church and Government c. but when appears so much zeal for God and the keeping of his Commandments and of loving him with all their Heart But to come more positively to the point of his allowing of Tythes in this place I say I grant it for they were then under the Law and the Law was but a fulfilling For he came not to destroy the Law but to fulfill it which he did observe in the dayes of his Flesh untill he had offered up himself a perfect and everlasting Sacrifice then he said It is finished then came in the Second Covenant and took place of the First it being disanulled the Second was Established when his Blood was shed by which Salvation was obtained For without shedding of Blood there is no Remission So may not we as justly Condemn then the Tything Priests and other fiery Zelots in our Age who is so Exact for their Tythes as if Salvation depended in that particular and is very negligent in seeking after Righteousness Piety and Reformation of Life but contrarily if any seek after God or the knowledge of his Way and Truth then they cry out of such with open mouth as Fanatick Schismaticks Seducers Erroneous persons who seek to be Wiser then their Forefathers What is become of them say they that the Way and Worship that served them cannot serve you but you must have a new Way of your own contrary to Church and State I now remember some of the same Spirit said to the Apostles They were setters up of strange Gods bringers in of new Doctrine turners of the World upside down away with them they Taught the People against the Law and the Customs of the Place and People they were not worthy to live so that I see by experience They that live after the Flesh persecute those that live after the Spirit in every Age but I shall not here insist but as I have said before to that of Luke he spoke to them that was yet under the Judaical Laws but so am not I and was a fulfilling them as appears elsewhere by his saying to John about Baptism Suffer it to be so now for so it becomes us to fulfil all Righteousness so he was but a compleating that Dispensation but when he came to suffer and was lifted up upon the Cross he said It s finished then he put an end to all the Ordinances of the First Tabernacle and brought in the Second the unchangeable Priesthood which stands for ever after the Order of Melchisedeck Thus much for Tythes as they were due under the Law and no where else and as they were an Ordinance amongst the Jews only in the Land of Canaan and no People else for it s said He gave his Statutes and his Judgments to Israel to every Nation he did not so but I am no Jew therefore not under that Law but rather of the Stock of the Gentiles as is believed and Tything among the Gentiles I never yet read of and Christ the end of the Law for Righteousness sake and the Heart and Life of what the Law figured out being come neither Jews nor Gentiles ought to be any longer under Shadows and Figures c. But again when their claiming of Tythes by vertue of the Mosaical Laws is overturned and will not hold plea Jure Divino as they say then they betake them to another that is Jure humano or The Civil Laws of this Nation by which Laws say they Tythes is established and setled to them say the Priests by vertue of their Place and Office as a most competent Livelyhood for them and their Families In answer whereunto I say that the radix and grand Original property of this Title and Claim did and doth still arise from the Mosaical or Levitical Law which is disanulled and done away in Christ as is before proved and hence they are accounted a Spiritual propriety and therefore a pretended Spiritual or Ecclesiastical Law and Court is kept and appointed by Episcopal Authority within their several jurisdictions distinct from their Civil Laws only for the tryal and recovery of Tythes and such other matters as they account Spiritual and this Levitical Institution is the sole Basis and Foundation upon which their Civil Law depends and the Foundation being taken away the Structure or Building falls so that being disanull'd in Christ the Civil Law hath no more power so that the Title of Tythes is lost Now again every Law is or ought to be grounded upon Equity and sound Reason and Righteousness and for some conscientious and pious honest end and purpose as the Preamble to all Laws do
several years by reason of the hard-hearted cruelty of the Priest that sought for his Goods more then for the good of his Soul as plainly appears by those his unchristian-like Actions even like those of old that would cry Peace Peace while People put into their Mouths but when for Conscience-sake they could not do it then those false Teachers prepar'd War against them and thus he that is born after the flesh persecutes him that is born after the spirit from one Generation to another But after this his so long Imprisonment it pleased God to make way for his deliverance out of those Bonds by the Death of the said Priest his persecuter who on a journey broke his Legg whereof he Died without ever Returning home but his Wise fulfilling her Husband's Cruelty would not condescend to his Enlargement which was in her power to do but constrained him to go to London being above Two hundred Miles which he Travelled on Foot and so obtained his full Liberty by a Habias Corpus the Lord having endued him with Christian patience all this time to undergo what he permitted his persecutor to Inflict upon him And after this it was some time my lot to travel with him in the service of Truth in whose Company I had great satisfaction for he did not only Preach in Word Doctrine but in Life and Conversation also and so was A rightly qualifi'd Minister of the Gospel and was a serviceable Member in the Church of Christ both for the Propagating of Truth and a Support to Friends where he Lived and Travelled the Lord having endued him with a good Understanding which did so sanctifie his Natural acquirements that he was thereby qualified to answer his Call into the Ministry which he delivered in Meekness according to his Deportment in his Conversation which which was Mild Courteous little in his own Eye or in outward shew or appearance Yet would not turn his back off an Enemy to Truth in Truth 's defence and he was qualfi'd for Truth 's service in his open and plain Testimony which was both sweet and lively to the Comforting the Faithful stirring up the Careless and reaching the Witness in those who were unacquainted with the Way of Righteousness For indeed his Labour in the Work of the Gospel was refreshing to the honest-hearted who as a faithful Steward over the manifold Grace's of God a measure of which was committed to his Charge did ●ruly Labour in the Service thereof not by constraint but willingly not for filthy Lucre but with a ready Mind neither as being Lord over God's Heretage but being an Ensample unto the Flock for which I doubt not he hath his Reward at the Hand of the great Shepheard even a Crown of Glory that fadeth not away And now I shall speak a little of his manner of Life towards his latter End for as he had been an Innocent carriag'd Man and a lover of Truth and Righteousness from a Child so it pleased God to preserve him all along even to his Lifes end although attended many times with great Weakness of Body by reason of some Distempers occasioned partly by the aforesaid Imprisonment which he underwent for his Testimony 's sake which God had given him to bear against the Anti-christian Ministry of the Age Yet that saying was fulfilled in him as in the Apostles time although the Outward Man perished and grew weaker and weaker the Inward Man was renewed day by day for these light afflictions which last but for a moment work in us a far more Exceeding and Eternal weight of Glory while we look not at those things that are seen but at the things that are not seen for the things that are seen are Temporal but the things that are not seen are Eternal So we need not fear any of these things that we may suffer for a good Cause if the Devil be permitted to cast some into Prison and we may have Tribulation for a time yet the promise is to those that are Faithful unto Death they shall receive a Crown of Life So although many be the Tryals and Exercises of the Righteous yet the Lord in his own appointed time can and will deliver out of them all and although for a time the Back be given to the smiter yet the Rod of the Wicked shall not always be upon the Backs of the Righteous but God will Rescue them out of their hands that they shall not be a prey to them any longer But too few Consider when Righteous and Good Men are taken away that it's God's Pleasure and Goodness to them to take them from the Evil to come as he hath done our dear Friend of whom I am writing And though he be removed from us yet the remembrance of his innocent Life doth remain with us and although it be our loss yet it is his gain In that Eternal Joy Rest Where his Soul 's for ever blest And when he was upon his Death-bead he was sweetly preserved in a sense of that Life that flowed from the Fountain of pure Refreshment which made him to utter many savoury Expressions even to the Edifying of those that stood by him some of which that could be remembred are here inserted For when I with some other Friends went to see him we had a Meeting at his House at Ballany Carrick in the County of Wicklow on the first day of the Week before he departed this Life being the 16th day of the Ninth Month 1684. where he sat up in the Meeting all the time and we had a Heavenly season and the Lord's refreshing Presence was with us which he having a sense of did often express his great Joy and Satisfaction therein and in the enjoyment of Friends company and said he could wish if it were the Will of God that he might be taken away when we were there So I with some other Friends stay'd all Night and lodged in the Chamber where he lay and he was very quiet and patiently bore his Affliction The next Morning one of his servants coming to him ask'd him how he did his answer was to her naming her by her Name thou hast had much trouble in attending of me but now the time is short that I have to stay for he was not unsensible that the time of his Dissolution drew near his servant being reached with his words began to weep he said I know there will be Mourning for me but blessed be God it is not as those that have no hope for he knew that hope which was grounded upon the Foundation of the Prophets and Apostles Jesus Christ being the Chief Corner-stone the same that all the Faithful did bear Witness too in former Ages And so that day was chiefly spent in preparing for the time of his Change in setting his House in Order and setling his outward Concerns and when he came to Sign his Will his Hand shoke by reason of weakness of Body He looking up with a chearful
if Sons then Heirs and Joynt-heirs with Christ now Heirs doth inherit but no unclean thing doth inherit therefore Sons and Heirs must needs be sanctified throughout and must needs be born again of the Holy clean Seed that inherits and the Apostle said Ye are the Off-spring of God and the Off-spring of God must needs be Holy for as the Root is so are the Branches and as the Tree is so is the Fruit. But I shall return to my former Subject again viz. the Second Covenant the Light or Law written in the Heart which we have received and therefore are not looking up to the Mount that might not be touched and that burned with Fire nor at Blackness and Darkness and Tempests nor at Figurative and Shadowy things Hebr. 10.1 and 12.18 22. c. but we are come to Mount-Sion the City of the Living God to the New and Heavenly Jerusalem c. and to Jesus the Mediator of the New Covenant and to the unchangeable Priesthood that endureth for ever for the Law maketh Men High-Priests that have infirmities that continueth not by reason of Death but the word of the Oath which was since the Law maketh the Son High-Priest who is Consecrated for ever and therefore he is the surety of a better Testament and such a High-Priest becomes us and such a one have we need of who is holy harmless undefiled separate from Sinners Yea this was his Work I say still and the end of his coming to separate and sav● his People from their sins and this is Christ Jesus an High-Priest of our Profession a Priest for ever after the Order of Melchisedeck who is worthy of more Glory then Moses inasmuch as he that buildeth the House is worthy of more Glory then the House now Christ is a Son over his own House which House are we if we hold fast our confidence and hope to the end wherefore he is able to save to the uttermost those that come unto God by him seeing he ever liveth to make intercession for them but this they still doubt of and cannot believe who are yet wading in the frothy unstable Waters and stumbling in the dark being tossed with every windy vanishing Doctrine and is not come to the breakings of the Day to the Light the Son I mean for its the Sun and Light that makes Day and makes all things manifest Ephes 5.13 John 12.36 I say they cannot believe that Doctrine that any should be saved to the uttermost and no marvel for they are Strangers to the Covenant of Promise the Light and to the vertues and effects of the Light which until I received and obeyed I was as doubtful as they and did object against it as incredible but I was of them the Apostle foresaw that spoke evil of things they knew not for I had not then known nor tryed the Light though it was in me yet I loved darkness rather even so do they now who spakes against Light and the sufficiency of it they speak evil of that they know not c. in that thing they corrupt themselves But to proceed I say Christ Jesus is come the New and Living Way who is King Priest and Prophet so the Covenant is changed the Priest-hood is changed so there must of necessity be a change of the Law also and then Tythes and Oblations must needs cease Hebr. 7.12 For verily they that were of the Sons of Levi who received the Office of the Priesthood had a Commandment to take Tythes of the People but it is evident that after the similitude of Melchisedeck there ariseth another Priesthood who is made not by the Law of a carnal Commandment as the Sons of Levi and Aaron was nor Consecrated by a carnal nominal Bishop as Priests are now but he was made and ordained by the Power of an endless Life and this is no other then the Son of God who is Consecrated for evermore and saith the Apostle with this assertion There is verily a disanulling of the Commandment going before because of the weakness and unprofitableness thereof mark here is a disanulling of the Commandment what Commandment The Law of the carnal Commandment by which the Priests the offspring of Levi received their Office and the Commandment by which they took Tythes of the People read Hebr. 7. throughout so the Priesthood being no more of Levi nor the Sons of Aaron then there is no more Law nor no more Tythes after the First Covenant for the New Covenant is established the New and Living Way is made known and the unchangeable Priesthood being brought in the First Covenant and Priesthood must needs give place the Law must needs be abrogated and the Commandment disanulled and the first Tabernacle and Sanctuary must needs be turned out and then all the Rites and Ceremonies and all the Appurtenances and Ordinances of that Priesthood Tabernacle and Sanctuary must needs be turned out also then no more room for Tythes being an Appurtenance or Ordinance of that Covenant when Christ the Spiritual Eternal and Unchangeable High Priest is come and we say he is a greater and more perfect Tabernacle for the First that stood in meats and drinks and divers washings and carnal Ordinances was but imposed untill the time of Reformation being Figures for the time then present mark and but shadows of good things to come Hebr 9.10 and 10.1 and 8.5 Now when doth the time of Reformation enter that you may shake off the first Priesthood Tabernacle and Ordinances Is it not now high time for People to amend repent and reform Is it not time for Men to work out their Salvation Is it not time to make their calling and election sure Is it not time to turn from Darkness to Light and from Satans power to God Is it not time to seek the Kingdom of God and the Righteosness thereof If so then is not the time of Reformation come Is not the Spiritual appearance of the Son of God come Is not the Comforter that leads into all Truth come Is not the sound of the Everlasting Gospel come Is not the time in which the true Worshippers shall Worship the Father in Spirit and Truth come Is not the Light that was given for Salvation to the ends of the Earth come Is not the Light that gives the knowledge of the Glory of God come Is not he that convinces the World of Sin of Righteousness and of Judgment come Is not he that is the Way Truth and Life come Is not he that saves his People from their Sins come And is it not now a time of Reformation Is it not now time to die unto Sin and awake unto Righteousness Is it not time to put on the New Man which renews into the Image of God and brings into Righteousness and Holiness else in vain hath the many and large Professions of England been and to what purpose hath it carried the name so long of a holy and reformed Nation if the time of Reformation
World and all that nature that in it we may live and by it all may be preserved unto the end That so the Lord God Almighty his Living Holy Name and Eternal Truth may be Feared Served Honoured and Obeyed over all by and through all for He alone is worthy yea Everlasting worthy God blessed for ever and evermore Saith the Soul and Spirit of him who is the Lords and yours in the Unity of the Gospel of Christ Jesus T. C. A General EPISTLE CONTAINING Wholsom Admonition and Advice to Friends in IRELAND and else-where By Thomas Carleton DEar and well beloved Friends Brethren and Sisters who are in some Measure gathered by the Arm of God's Power and have known the blessed Appearance of Life and Salvation to you is the Salutation of my unfeigned Love and in the Fellowship of God's Everlasting Light do I tenderly greet you all and for the clearing of my Spirit of that which for some time hath been upon me do I communicate these Lines in the true Simplicity of my Heart dearly desiring all that love the Lord Jesus Christ To keep low and near the Lord and wait to feel God's living Power in your Hearts unto which we were turned or exhorted from the Beginning for in the Light of the Lord I see there is a Necessity for it For unless the Sense of God's living Power be felt Profession is vain and Meetings are not made profitable for the Mysteries of Life and Salvation and of true Christianity consist not only in any Profession Name or Notion of this or that Principle Article or Creed formed or received in the Minds of Men or Women but in a living Enjoyment and Possession of the Power and Spirit of Christ Jesus the Author and Finisher of the living saving Faith So my dear Friends all wait to feel the Operation of that Power in every Heart and Soul to subdue all to God and to work all into submission and real obedience to the heavenly Will and Mind of Christ Jesus who is come a Light into the World that all men through him might believe hear is the unchangeable standing Rule which every one is to measure themselves by and he or she that is measured or squared by this are as polished Stones for God's spiritual House and he or she that is not squared by this are not fit to be Members of God's Building so all having the Measuring line in your hearts let Judgment be laid to it and so try all things words works behaviours and the Intent of all and from what ground and spirit it doth proceed and this unchangeable everlasting Rule all keep to it and Build by it so shall you be justified with it in the Day of Tryal so all things done by this unchangeable unerring Rule the Law of the Spirit of Life this keeps clean and pure and sets free of all Mud and Confusion Sin and Iniquity and things that bring death and darkness over the Soul and understanding and so cloud the Testimony So let every man and woman by this standing Rule examine themselves and so let them eat speak or act as the Lord shall perswade them and wherein any one doubteth and is not clear in what he or she undertaketh let such forbare and wait in quietness till the Lord clear their way So all take heed and keep to the Rule for in the Lord's Light we see Light and have Clearness and Freedom and Peace but going from the Light without Rule without Guide the Vail comes over Darkness gathers in Confusion and Trouble then Peace comes to be lost So you that have known in any measure the work of Regeneration and of the New Birth through the working of God's Spirit and power in your Hearts by which some unclean spirits have been cast out keep to the Power still and beware of letting in the unclean spirit again for if you do the latter-end will be worse then the beginning And lean not to the World's Wisdom beware of that spirit I advise all for by that wisdom God is not known and if once the Sense and enjoyment of God be lost then man and woman is in a woful state without God in the World so keep out of the world's spirit I intreat you all and live as Fools to it and all its wayes fashions customs for in the light of the Lord I see a great Snare there at this day and too many that make Profession of Truth are like to be split upon that Rock So dear Friends live loose to the world and all the glories of it and seek to be wise in that which is not of this world that you may be loved of God and so dwell in that which can bear the revilings and reproaches of this world and the contradiction of sinners as our Lord Jesus Christ hath left us an Example So beware of looking back to Egypt's Glory again to see any heauty or comliness in that dark Land for from the Lord I see a Temptation attending God's spiritual Israel in this day as surely as ever it attended Israel after the Flesh and many are too prone to desire the pleasures of Egypt again though the best of them be bondage as many to their Sorrow have found yea too many there be that cannot bear tryals and reproaches and the way of the Cross and self-denyal but think it long and wearisom and hard as they did in the dayes of old and so are too ready to murmur and repine and lust in their hearts after this World 's glory again and joyn to its fashions and customs again and so set up Idols again as they did whose Carcases fell in tho wilderness with whom the Lord was displeased So beware of letting in that spirit of destrust unbelief and rebellion against God and his pure Witness in your Consciences and beware of building that which was once destroyed or licking up that which was once vomited or entertaining of that which was once cast out or owning that which was once denyed either in words in works in behaviour in apparel in doctrine or faith hath Truth in you condemned for all idle vain prophane wicked unfound and unfavoury words and brought you into a Form of needful true and sound words keep to it still hath Truth condemned all idle proud prophane wicked and ungodly Actions and all empty airy foolish wanton lustful proud self-willed and Men-pleasing behaviours and brought you into moderation gravity plainness reallity and Truth in Life and Conversation keep to it still hath Truth condemned for decking and adorning the Body with vain superfluous proud needless worldly eye-taking Toyes in Apparel and led you into plain profitable decent needful things keep to it still and fashion not your selves like unto the World nor learn any of their manners nor of the breeding of that Egyptian-Spirit which keeps the Seed in bondage and oppressed the just in the particular and in the general so from the Lord I advise you all and