cometh and how it works in its power and efficacy that I may know the difference of a Believer and an Unbeliever and also whether I be in the Faith or no Answer Faith cometh by hearing and hearing by the word of God the Word and the Spirit is one but the Spirit and the Letter is two for the Letter killeth but the Spirit maketh alive the Spirit is a free gift the manifestation of the Spirit is given to every man to profit withal the nature of the Spirit is light and with this light are all men enlightned that all men through him might believe the manner of the Spirit working in the heart First a discovery of the sin and the want of life in the soul Secondly it begets a true desire after the Lord and a secret hunger and thirst after righteousness and draws the heart to be affected into the love of the Spirit as it is written He that loves the light brings his deeds to the light and through love the Spirit begets a belief in the heart to its self and as it is written He that believes in the light shall not abide in darkness all sin is darkness Mark the manifestation of the Spirit that searcheth the heart and maketh the sin known the same sorts the sins and evil deeds the light makes them manifest of what sort they are and as the sin is made known to be sin the manifestation of the Spirit that sheweth the sins and sorts them the same Spirit convinceth the Conscience of every sin and every evil deed and the same manifestation of the Spirit abides in the heart which is the onely means to work out mans salvation and the manner of its working in the heart as its nature is light and love even so it begets the heart into union with it self As it is written Of his own will begot he us by the word of truth and as the heart is drawn through love into union with the Spirit it is drawn from the sin and from the evil for the love of Christ constraineth and the same manifestation of the Spirit which is Gods free gift to work out mans salvation that begets the heart into unity with it self the same begets a belief in the heart to believe in Christ the Light who is the light of the world who hath enlightned every man that all men through him might believe and the honest heart receiveth the truth in the love of it the Spirit begets a belief in the heart and this is the Faith that comes by hearing and hearing by the word of God and this faith is that which works by love and this is the faith that purifieth the heart the strength of this faith removes the sin removes mountains and gives victory as it is written He that believes in the light shall not abide in darkness but shall have the light of life and this is the promise and the portion which the believer receives he shall have the light of life and the life gives assurance for every believer hath a seal in his soul of life eternal through the working of the Spirit by its power and efficacy in mortifying and destroying the works of the Devil that sinne and death may have no more dominion in the heart and so death comes to be swallowed up by victory and the promise of God accomplished in Christ who saith I am come that you might have life who is the life and brings life who cometh and his reward is with him Question Thou speakest that Christ hath enlightned every man that all men through him might believe what is the reason that all should be enlightned and yet some come short of Faith in Christ Answer The defect it not in the light but their rejecting it is the cause The mercy and justice of God through Christ by enlightning all that in the day of account all may be left without excuse mans misery will be found to be of himself here lieth the matter all are enlightned but all men have not faith many will not believe that the light is truth or that it is sufficient to save the soul and such hates the light every one that doth evil hateth the light and calleth the good evil and evil good and putteth light for darkness and darkness for light and such becomes reprobates concerning the Faith so that it is plain one sort loving the light believing and obeying it and another sort hating rejecting resisting and denying so that such as hates to be reformed and rejects the motions of the Spirit and resisteth the Holy Ghost and denyeth the Lord that bought them their destruction is of themselves and the Lord and his faithful people will be clear of their blood in the day of Judgement Question But is the light of Christ sufficient to save the Believer Answer Yea the light is the author of the faith and the faith standeth in the light and so it is saving faith and the light is the grace and it is written My grace is sufficient for thee This grace was and is the Saints teacher which taught and teacheth the believer to deny ungodliness and worldly lusts Question If the light be the authour of the true saith in the believer and so the authour of mans salvation what is the portion of the unbeliever seeing thou sayest that all are enlightned Answer The unbelievers that hate the light the light is their condemnation as it is written This is the condemnation that light is come and men love darkness because their deeds are evil as also the grace that was the Saints teacher the unbelievers denied the grace and turned to wantonness and heaped up teachers to themselves having itching ears as many do at this day so the grace that taught and justified and justifieth the believers living in it the same grace condemneth the unbelievers denying to be taught and guided by it who have it in their hearts but hateth to be reformed by it Question I am much satisfied that the word of God in the heart is the Spirit of God and that it is Gods free gift and the onely means to work out mans salvation and also that by this free gift which is the manifestation of the Spirit every unbeliever in the day of Judgement shall be left without excuse Answer Thus the questioner is answered in the truth concerning the word of God in the heart and the power and efficacy of its working by deviding betwixt the joynt and marrow and by giving a discerning of the thoughts and intents of the heart the discerning is the eye by which eye the power of the word in the heart is discerned A separation being made in the heart by the word whereby good and evil is divided and the word in the heart giveth a discerning of the evil in the heart and so the light of the body is the eye this is that eye that the god of this world had blinded which the power of the word hath opened and
and the danger yet the lustful mind rusheth into the sin as the horse to the battel and many times when man is overcome with strong drink then the word that forewarned of the evil when the creature is overcome with evil then the word in the heart afflicts the heart and soul and conscience What torment is there in body and soul and spirit who through the wilful mind in vexing God How doth the Lord vex such even in the very time and after such evil actions are brought forth yet the word that warned of the evil from it remains in the heart and condemns the creature many times for the misdeeds so as it is written Tribulation and Anguish upon every one that doth evil and to be short there may be felt in the heart good and evil the gift of God is the word of God every good gift and every perfect gift comes from above and God is the Author of it and there is an evil principle in the heart and that the Devil is the Author of and both these will move upon the heart the good moveth unto that which is good and the evil moveth unto that which is evil and as their is a yielding to either of these his servant thou art whom thou dost obey whether of sin unto death or obedience to righteousness but that which moveth to good if it be not obeyed it remaineth in the heart and changeth not its property but stands a witnesse in the heart against all wickedness and uncleanness and such as regard iniquity in their hearts the Lord will not hear their Prayer but he will make such to fear his wrath because of disobedience Question I perceive that man of himself hath not power to chuse the good and shun the evil but no want of strength to run into evil Answer Nay mans heart being overcome by the Serpents subtilty to redeem the heart again to God Christ the Way is to be made known in the heart who openeth the understanding and enlighteneth the heart and causeth man and woman to see into their own hearts what the hearts delight is in and whether they do to all men as they would be done by in outward dealing or no for he that is not faithful in the unrighteous Mammon who will commit to him the trust of the true riches Question It is true to deal justly and to love mercy is required and many men I hope who are in several forms of worship are indeavouring thereafter if that sacrifice be acceptable with the Lord. Answer The acceptable sacrifice is from a Believing heart who believes that God is and that he is a rewarder which is beyond a self righteousness which doth to be seen of men or to be so and so accounted for the just Spirit of God in the heart believed in constrains the creature to deal justly in all his dealings as in the sight of God for Gods fear stands in the heart which awes the man or woman who believe in Christ to deal justly and the same spirit constraineth to love mercy and also to walk humbly with God and this humility that I write of goes before honour Question How may I know a believer and an unbelieliever assunder seeing that the believers saerifice is accepted and the unbelievers rejected Answer By their fruits for a good tree cannot bring forth evil fruit neither can an evil tree bring forth good fruit for such as the tree is such is the fruit a good man out of the treasure of his heart brings forth good fruit and an evil man out of the treasure of his heart brings forth evil fruit even as Cain and Abel for Abels sacrifice was accepted and Cains sacrifice was rejected Question What is the fruit that a good man brings forth out of his heart that I may take notice of it Answer The fruits of the Spirit is Love joy peace long-suffering gentleness patience and the like according to the Scripture Question What are the fruits that an evil man bringeth forth out of his heart Answer Murders adultery fornication uncleanness idolatry witchcraft mallice hatred variance strife and the like Question Why doest thou tell me of Abel and Cain that were so many years ago what doth their sacrifice resemble unto me Answer Abel and Cain they resemble two generations the wicked and the righteous Cain in envy persecuted the just as it is written He that envies is a murtherer and no murtherer hath eternal life abiding in him and such as live in envy this day perfecuting the just are of Cains spirit and of Cains generation and their sacrifice is rejected by the Lord. Question Why or to what purpose doth the wicked offer sacrifice if it be rejected by the Lord Answer Nay to no purpose the very prayers of the wicked are abomination with the Lord. Question But in case I be a sinner and in Cains nature finding in my heart much envy and wickedness wrath and malice and the like is there no way to finde mercy and forgiveness and redemption from sin Answer Yea by true repentance and godly sorrow which worketh true desires in the heart after the Lord and a true hunger and thirst after righteousness and also a hatred of evil feeling Gods fear placed in the heart for in the true fear standing that is the godly awe that keeps from sin the fear restraineth from evil and whosoever is restrained from evil it is by an invisible arme of God that rebukes the sinner by a secret reproof in the heart and conscience and this secret reproof being owned and loved and the sin forsaken the same arme that reproves the sin begets life in the soul so that the same arme that brings destruction to the sin in the heart the same arme which is the Spirit of God doth bring salvation to the soul for for this purpose is the Son of God come to destroy the works of the Devil and to work out mans salvation by placing the fear of God in the heart and so the fear of the Lord is to depart from iniquity and iniquity departing from a love and belief is raised up in the heart by the Spirit of God and this is the Faith that God is the Authour of And such as come hither findes the minde changed and turned from darkness to light from the sin and vanity to be guided by the Spirit and such come to see that to be spiritually minded is life and peace such feeleth the true Faith that removes mountains and reconcileth the heart to God and there is no other name under heaven whereby salvation cometh but by the Spirit of Jesus in the heart believed in that brings down pride that brings down envy and strife and every evil work and breaks down the partition wall and reconciles the heart to God and bringeth life to the soul who comes and his reward is with him Question It appears that true Faith God is the Author of But I would learn how this Faith
anointed with eye salve that it can see and discern the thoughts and intents of the heart And also to discern words and actions oathes and lyes and the intent of the heart in all carriages towards God and man now to discern the intent of all words and to discern the intents of the thoughts and the intent of a lye and the like as in this manner how the devil worketh who abode not in the truth who was a lyar and murtherer from the beginning who is the authour of all evil that is to say to draw the minde and heart of man from God to believe lyes Aud thus the Serpent did to Eve by alluring her to eat of the forbidden fruit saying it is good and Adam in like manner by eating therof lost his blessed estate Thus the authour of sin the authour of evil deceived and deceiveth mankinde by drawing the mind from the good to the evil and in presenting the evil delightsome to the eye of the minde and alluring the heart thereafter to be affected therewith as into one lust after another and also divers lying vanities divers lyes to get ungodly gain and so into pride of heart and oathes and the like as covetousness oppression envy and malice and persecution Thus the author of sin hath allured the heart of man from God and inticed it to sin and sinners that such and the like above mentioned lusts which war against the soul Man in the fall is overcome with evil and where the Devil sits as king in the heart who is called the prince of the aire that ruleth in the children of disobedience It is his work to blinde the eye that such should not see the light of the gorious Gospel shining in their hearts and such are carried captive by Satan at his will into such strong holds and hurtful lusts as is before mentioned And being blinde they cannot see nor discern the thoughts and intents of their hearts their eyes being shut up in unbelief in departing from the living God and lending an ear an eye and an heart unto the author of sin and so into the fleshly lusts that war against the soul And such whose eyes are blinded whose ears are stopped and hearts hardned by the deceitfulness of sin in that state such cannot believe that the truth is the truth but as the unbelieving Jews that rose up against the Lord of life even so now do such unreasonable men who have not faith persecute those who bear testimony to the truth as it is made manifest in them so that as it was it is they that are born after the flesh persecute them that are born after the spirit in such a manner that many have thought they have done God service as Saul did Thus man in the fall being drove from God in the state of degeneration his eye is blinded and heart hardened through the deceitfulness of sin committing wickedness with greediness until the Lord opens his eyes by the manifestation of his Spirit whereby the understanding comes to be enlightned and a discerning given into his heart to discern his own estate that he is fallen into by the temptations of Satan and his instruments And also that which gives a discerning of the heart sheweth how the heart is run with delight into several fleshly lusts strong holds and wicked practices and lying vanities which the Devil is the authour of and by so doing is overcome with evil and as the Serpent told Eve that the forbidden fruit was good she might eat so hath the Devil taught many to call evil good and to eat thereof and so by eating thereof the sin is committed and so death entered as it was to Adam and Eve and so it is with all the sons and daughters of Adam in the fall as it is written As in Adam all dye so in Christ shall all be made alive But to know how all in Christ are made alive is a mystery for the wages of sin is death but the gift of God is eternal life which gift of God is the Son of God and he that hath the Sonne hath Life but he that hath not the Son hath no life for the Son is the way the truth and life to the believer which way is described how it may be obtained by the answers of several questions in this Book which may be useful to the honest hearted for their recovery out of the state of Adam in the fall unto Christ the second Adam that never fell HEre followeth a declaration of an opening in my heart as by vision in me as I lay in bed in the night season in the twelfth Moneth 1663. in which Vision there appeared unto my view a sumptuous building in form like to a spacious Lords Pallace standing on a hill and I beholding of it delighted in it and as I looked upon it it appeared to me that there were several pipes of lead laid round about the walls of that building ordered in mine eye to serve the whole house with water And I stood considering from whence this water should come to serve such a spacious place being it stood upon a hill And it further appeared to me that the water that served the whole house came from a Fountain and the Lord of that building had ordered conveyance from the Fountain to serve the whole house And it being such an excellent work I greatly desired to see the Fountain and how the water was conveyed from the Fountain And then I was shewed an excellent place called a Porters Lodge where the Porter abode continually and it was shewed me that that Porter was highly esteemed of the Lord of the building and commission were given to him to serve the whole house with water and that both the Fountain and the conveyance of the water were to be ordered at his pleasure Then I greatly desired to see into the house how the house was supplied with water and withal way was made for me to enter into the house and as I walked into several rooms there were several servants and every servant had his office and I looked for the water and in some of the rooms the water came in abundantly and those servants of those rooms kept all things under their charge in good order very pleasant to behold to the great honour of the Lord of that house and then I walked further in the house into other rooms and I looked for the water and the water came into those rooms very slowly and the servants of those rooms were not industerous in their places for their Lord but were part for their Lord and part for themselves and their rooms were not clean and it was shewed me that there were many of those unfaithful servants and unclean rooms Then I desired to see further into the house and going further along into other rooms I looked for water seeing the rooms exceeding foul and the servants of those rooms wholly at ease and it was shewed me that there was
pipes to convey water unto them as the other rooms had but the water was stopped which caused the uncleanness Then I were something troubled in minde and desired to know the reason why some of the rooms should have such abundance of water and some but a small quantity and some none but it were shewed me that the Porter that were in high esteem had power to serve the whole house with water and according to desert he supplied the rooms thereof and all those servants that were faithful to their Lord had water in abundance and those servants that had had an eye to themselves their water abated and if they did not stand up and shew themselves faithfull whilst they had water their rooms would grow unclean as well as those that had their water course stopped already then I enquired in my minde what might become of those servants that were at ease or sloathful and it was shewed me that the Lord of the building would come and the unfaithful servants he would cast forth of his house and place others in their rooms for he could not endure unfaithful servants and it seemed to me that it would be much shame trouble and terrour for them that were cast out of such a Lords service for their unfaithfulness to their master And so I awaked and it were opened to my understanding how my spirit hath been in this exercise as aforesaid and it being cleared to my understanding afresh I am constrained to write the substance of the matter that the learned may read and in reading every one may read themselves lest they lose their learning and can obtain it no more Wisbitch Goale Tho. Richardson The fruits of the Priests of Ely in the County of Cambridge published wherein Priest Brunsel and Priest Holder called Justices and Priest Langhorn their Brother by Trade the fruits of their Ministrey and their practice also described as folâ—oweth That people may judge whether such as these be able Ministers of the Gospel or whether such are fit to be judges of the Law yea or nay if not whether people ought not to beware of them and such like as Jude hath exhorted us much more because the Spirit of the Lord hath made them manifest both in doctrine and practice Daniel Langhorn Priest of Ely THis is to thee who were at Ely Goale door speaking to a friend of God and I being a Prisoner told thee the Tree was known by its fruit and that both thou and thy fruits was manifest and thou went away and bid me look in the Epistle of Jude as if Jude described such as we are to be out of the truth therefore to satisfie thee and others I have read Judes Epistle and do herein write a testimony of Judes testimony that thou and all other who shall see this Letter may be perswaded or however left without excuse what sort of people Judâ— wrote against or exhorted the Saints to beware of as may be seen being upon record Jude a servant of Jesus to them that are sanctified saying when I gave diligence to write unto you of the common salvation it was needful for me to write unto you and to exhort you that you earnestly contend for the Faiâ—h that was once delivered to the Saints for there were certain men crept in unawares who were ordained of old for condemnation ungodly men turning the grace of God into lasciviousness and denying the Lord Jesus How canst thou clear thy self here Daniel art thou not one of those that are crept in or art thou entered in by the door if not what are they that climbe up another way or such as are crept in at unawares into a Steeple-house for so much a year though some of the world are not aware of you yet the children of Light can see you And Judâ—s exhortation we dearly own as to beware of such as Jude describes who were ordained of old for condemnation Likewise Judes exhortation is to the Saints to beware of the filthy dreamers that defile the flesh despise dominion and speak evil of dignities Now Daniel wouldst thou turn these words upon us or they stand a witness against thee and thy brethren for I testifie as before the Lord that we whom thou in scorn callest Quakers do not deny dominion but are real in heart for the establishing thereof therefore own thy own Scriptures which is for thee and thy Brethren who are the filthy dreamers for filthy lucre and upon thy head I leave it he that hath a dream let him tell a dream saith the Lord and he that hath my word let him speak it faithfully If thou canst not believe that thou and thy beethren are of that number before mentioned whom Jude hath sentenced filthy dreamers like the Sodomites who were ordained of old for condemnation For a further description mark the 11th ver for the proof and confirmation and also thy portion thou art used to divide the Scriptures for money divide this verse amongst thee and thy brethren Woe unto them saith Jude for they have gone in the way of Cain and runned greedily after the errour of Balaam for reward and perished in the gain-saying of Core Did not Cain persecute about Religion and did not Balaam love the wages of unrighteousness doth not thou and thy brethren run greedily after the errour of Balaam for reward therefore in Cains way and Balaams way own your own Scriptures and Judes sentence which is perishing in the gainsaying of Core Did not Cain in envy persecute about Religion doth not the Doctor Priests in Ely and thou also persecute about Religion in Goales and Pulpits your tongues and actions make you manifest to go in the way of Cain and further for the clearing of your practise Iude in the 12. verse describes such out how they may be known speaking of the spots in your Feasts of Charity feeding without fear clouds without water carried about with windes trees without fruit twice dead plucked up by the roots how canst thou clear thy self here Daniel doest thou not use to feast I heard thou wert at a Feast in Ely and called for the other Song is not this one of thy spots that thou art known by what could a drunkard have done more is this the practice of a Minister of Christ or of such an one as Iude hath sentenced which is crept in at unawares who were of old for condemnation Again carried about with windes is not thy Doctrine windy how hath it wrought effect so in any of thy hearers as to change their hearts from evil or what fruits are brought forth to God in thee and thy brethren or in your assemblies Thou may read what the fruit of the Spirit is it is love joy peace and the like how little of these fruits doth appear either in you that are called teachers or in those whom you etach but instead of love and peace we finde pride envy strife and persecution abounds and these fruits shews that
you are carried about with windes without fruit as to God And further in the 13th verse Iude describes such more at large as raging wayes of the Sea foaming out your own shame wandering stars and your portion he hath described saying To whom is reserved the blackness of darkness for ever And further Iude brings Enochs prophesie of the Lords coming with ten thousand of his Saints to execute judgement upon all the ungodly for their ungodly deeds and hard speeches And Iude further describes them that the Lord would execute judgement upon stiling them that they might be known in the 16. ver These are they which are murmurers complainers walking after their own lusts speaking great swelling words having mens persons in admiration because of advantage Do not you Priests believe that you are of this number whom Iude hath described in matter of practise yet further Iude openeth such more in the 18. and 19. verses saying how the Apostle spoke of such before how there should be mockers in the last time who should walk after their own ungodly lusts saying These be they who separate themselves sensual having not the Spirit Mark Iude saith these who walk after their own ungodly lusts such as are sensual separated from the Spirit Consider therefore if Iude have not given a clear description who they are that the Saints are to be aware of and how such as thou may be discerned from them that fear the Lord both by doctrine and conversation Now consider if thou can contrary this and bring a proof of any of the Ministers of Christ that persecuted any about Religion for an example for thee and thy brethren who profess your selves Ministers but prove your selves persecutors Then shew me who they are that Jude wrote to the Saints to be aware of that goes in Cains way and Balaams way or who they are that turned the grace of God into lasciviousness who are crept in at unawares and who are the filthy dreamers as bruit beasts separated from the spirit and know nothing but what they know naturally that walks in Cains way and Balaams way and loves to feast and the upper rooms also raging waves foaming out their own shame fruitless trees who liveth in their own ungodly lusts â—aving mens persons in admiration because of advantage Now Daniel if thou and the Doctor Priests of Ely called Justices can clear your selves to be none of this number abovesaid whom Jude hath described how such might be known both by doctrine and practise and also set forth their portion then let us whom you cast into Ely Goale hear from you who they are that walk in Cains and Balaams way for it will lie upon you to clear your selves by doctrine and example according to Scripture Rule or else own your own Scriptures and Iudes sentence your portion For Daniel according to thy words I have read Iudes Epistle and do bear my testimony against all such as walk in Cains way persecuting the just and also against all such as run greedily after the errour of Balaam for reward and against such filthy dreamers which are crept in at unawares who were ordained of old for condemnation and against such as are sensual having not the Spirit who live in their own ungodly lusts And for a farther testimony that you are of that number that Iude hath sentenced who walk in Cains way persecutig the just remember Ely Goale and all that take notice of your actions stand witness against you have you not cast fourteen men into prison and kept us twenty weeks from Sessions to Sessions when no evil can he proved against us done either to God or man and you Priests have set on the Bench both to be our Accusers and Judges how much false imprisonment have we received by you must not a record of this be kept think you with the Lord who assuredly takes notice of all your proceeding against the Innocent And thou Daniel cryed keep them up Goaler who came by the Goale door and smote a prisoner on the face where is there any such persecuters in England as you Priests shew your selves to be Well might Jude say Woe unto such as go in the way of Cain and run greedily after the error of Balaam for reward such murmurers and complainers do you not murmur and grudge that we whom you persecute should live amongst you and do you not complain to the Magistrates against us have you not informed the Judge of the Assize to keep such and such in prison whom your envy is against let the witness in you speak for whatsoever is committed in darkness is made manifest in the light do you not believe that the Lord will avenge for these things Now Daniel its like thou wilt call this a railing accusation but Jude did not rail when he said such and such were to perish and that such as were crept in at unaware were ordained of old for condemnation and that such as walked in Cains way aâ— Balaams way dreamers murmurers complainers and the like that walked afteâ— their own ungodly lusts that to such was reserved the blackness of darkness for ever this was and is no railing accusation buâ— the words of truth which is and must bâ— fulfilled Be warned therefore O ye Priests anâ— take heed of fighting against the Lord 〈◊〉 persecuting his people for what is done unto his is done unto him for the Lord is on our side In vain it is for man to strive against him who will by no means acquâ—â— the wicked and if you have any regard unto your own souls take heed what you do the day of account hastens and I never knew any fight against God and prosper Tho. Richardson The End