call this â—lasphemâ—e to sâ—â— Christ is in you thougâ— the Scriptures which they professe say the same Know you not that Christ is in you And the Kingdom of Heaven is in you And they that worship the Father must worship him in spirit within and in truth of action without and fulfilling the Law and the Prophets Love your enemies and doe as you would be done by in actions and not in words only CHAP. V. What the living Soule Man is that is called very gâ—â—d IN the body of mankinde and indeed in every single body there are three particulars necessary to be knowne without which no man can know himselfe let him say what he will The first is the Creature or the living Soule which before the curse defilâ—s it is very good and this was the Image of God or of the righteous spirit in flesh or first Adam And this living soule is the heaven in which the â—attell is fought between the curse and the blessing Micaell and the Dragon And this living soule is the wax fiâ—ted to receive either the impression of the curse and so prove disobedient to righteousnesse or the impression of the blessing and so prove obedient to righteousnesse Secondly there is the mysterie of iniquitie or the power of deceit and this is the God of the world or Prince of darknesse that deceives the livâ—ng â—oule fiâ—st and takes possession and this in one man is the Image or rather nature of that one power of darknesse or Devill that is spread abroad through the Creation to cover over or keep downe the blessing or Seed of Life from rising Thirdly the Life of God or of the righteous spirit rising up in the living soule and casting the curse or power of darknesse out and bringing Mankinde into peace and this is the second Adam or the Lord from Heaven Now this living soule Mankinde is a Beast and the King of Beasts for the life of the five Sences onely is the life of the Beast And this Beast in every one as well as in the whole is to raigne for a time times and dividing of time before mankinde caâ— bâ— united to the life of the righteous God and made one with that one spirit of universall Love As Jesus Christ prayd Father I pray that they may be one in us as thou oh Father art one in me and I in thee they were not united yet The Image of God in flesh dyed and was put out by darknesse But the Seed or spirit of true life rising up from under that darknesse dies no more but lives for ever This spirit is the tree of Life Therefore you that say you know but one power be not deceived for if this one power of righteousnesse which is the tree of Life rule in you then you are new creatures indeed you are one with the Father and the Sonne And thâ—n you shall know death no more that is you shall not live â—â— opposition to the spirit of righteousnesse no more neither in thought word nor deed And then all sorrow and teares shall flie away likewise and you shall be at rest which is the day of the Lord or the Light or day time of Mankinde Darknesse is now swallowed up and gone But if selfish actions and selfish Principles live in their strength in you still if Imagination be Ruler truly then that one power is but the power of darknesse to whom you are in bondage and you are not yet past the combate the Dragon is not yet cast out and you must know a fuller resurrection before you can sit downe in peace Some of you have gâ—t a speech That those that see two powers within themselves of darknesse and Light Love and Envy sorrow and comfort striving together sees with two eyes 〈◊〉 you may say you see every thing and power 〈◊〉 a single eye and nothing you see evill but 〈◊〉 â—â—â—gs and actions are good and as they must 〈◊〉 Surely this is well if you become all of you thaâ— spâ—â—kâ— these words to eat of that Tree of 〈◊〉 for my part I le not condemne you I can râ—joâ—ce to see the Resurrection of Christ in any but I must watch some of you to see if your conversations be so universally filled with Love as shall make the darke world startle and then I caâ— say of a truth Christ is risen indeed in you If your owne eye be darke that is if darknesse rule your whole body then all the actions of your body towards others are in darknesse and builders up of selfishnesse which is the one power you yet live in But if your eye be truly single and full of Light then the Light power wholly rules in you and the actions of your outward man will be full of Light and Life and Love towards every single branch of the whole Creation But some may say explaine these three particulars in mankinde that we may know them distinctly one from another I Answer I shall readily doe it The first particular is the living Soule or that estate of simple plaine heartednesse which hath the Life of the five Sences only only and by that Life preserves that single body or proprieties But the Life of the Spirit in sound reason lives not yet in the Sences for pure Reason lives llke a corne or wheate under the clods of Earth or Beast and is not yet risen up to rule as King This plaine hearted state is set in the midst of many objects tempting him like the Serpent and it is open â—o many crosses and teares like the tender grasse that is soone bruised by the foot of the oxe it hath not the true rest of Christ in it though there be much rest and peace in it for it is changeable This is such a state that though there be selfe-Love yet there is no hatred towards others in it but a quiet content to let others live too As a childe though he love himselfe the propriety of a Beast so to doe yet he envies not others for Envie Pride Covetousnesse Hypocrisie rash murdering anger hath not yet defiled the Earth The man is plaine honest hearted even Innocent Aam Like Nathanaell in whom there was no guile and yet Nathanaâ—ll knew not Christ that Anoynâ—ing spirit as yet ruled not as King in him for he was open to temptation and change and many teares Like Peter a man of the same plaine hearted temper full of Love to Christ and others yet selfish he was without guile and was loving without knowledge therefore open to temptation and chaâ—ge and teares Now though Christ Commended Nathanael and prayed for Peter that his faith or strength might not fayle him yet they were both strangers to the Spirit which was given them afterwards And as Christ told his Disciples I have chosen you twelve and one of you is a Devill that is eleven of you are plaine honest simplâ— hearts in whom there is no guile you have sincerely in love to me forsaken all your
FIRE IN THE BUSH THE SPIRIT BVRNING NOT CONSuming but purging Mankinde OR The great Battell of God Almighty between Michaell the Seed of Life and the great red Dragon the Curse fought within the Spirit of Man With severall other Declarations and Testimonies of the Power of Life By JERRARD WINSTANLY The righteous Law a government will give to whole mankinde How he should governe all the Earth and therein true peace finde This government is Reason pure who will fill man with Love And wording Justice without deeds is judged by this Dove LONDON Printed for Giles Calvert and are to be sold at the Black-Spread-Eagle at the West end of Pauls 1650. TO All the severall Societies of people called Churches in the Presbyterian Independant or any other forme of Profession in the service of God BRethren and fellow-members of Mankinde This following declaration of the word of Life was a free gift to me from the Father himselfe And I received it not from men when I had writ it I was moved to send it to you immediately but I delayed it by almost a fortnight and thought not of it then one night as I waked out of sleep the voyce was in my very heart and mouth ready to come forth goe send it to the Churches Thereupon I was filled with great Love to you my heart panting with love towards you pittying your condition in that there is a great striving as it were for life among you and yet you lie under the power of death and bondage and knowes not or at least doth not actually hold forth that you know that spirit which in words you seeme to professe You speake and preach of the life of Love But you have not the power of it your verball profession without the pure righteous action shews you generally to be outlandish men of severall Nations under the government of darknesse and that you are not yet the true Inhabitants of the Land of Love Before you live you must die and before you be bound up into one universall body all your particular bodies and societies must be torne to pieces for the true Light is comming now once more not onely to shake the Earth that is Moses worship but Heaven also That which you call Gospell-worship and the Kingdome without shall fall that so the Kingdome within may be established for all your particular Churches are like the inclosures of Land which hedges in some to be heires of Life and hedges out others one saying Christ is here with them Another saying no but he is there with them but truly brethren you shall see and finde that Christ who is the universall power of Love is not confined to parties or private chambers but he is the power of Life Light and Truth now rising up to fill the Earth Mankinde with himselfe Well I have obeyed the voyce and I have sent this to you with a heart free and full of love towards you Some of you will receive this with gentlenesse others will be offended To some it will be refreshing but others will storme and prepare warre against it And the Ishmaelites they will scoffe but be it so yet my Armour is tryed I am sure it will keep off the blow You shall finde I speake of the Garden of Eden which is the spirit of man not the spirit of Beasts And in that Garden there are weeds and hearbs The weeds are these Selfe-Love Pride Envie Covetousnesse after riches honours pleasures Imagination thinking he cannot live in peace unlesse he enjoy this or that outward object And sometimes the joy of envie when he obtaines his end and sometime the sorrow of Covetousnesse when he is crost rules as King in the Garden And the stinking weeds over-spreads the sweet flowers and hearbs which are the lights of the spirit of truth There is likewise the most venemous weed called Hypocrisie attended with evill surmising grudgings speaking and promising nay swearing one thing yet doing another inventing much shew of holinesse to compasse his selfish ends and while he rules King as he doth rule at this day he is assisted with vain glory feare of being disthroned oppâ—essing others unmercifull carelesse of former promises and engagements persecuting those who doth such things as he promised and vowed to doe whilst he was a servant and such like And as you may call those by the name of weeds so likewise you may call them outlandish men for they are not the true native Inhabitants of the heart but strangers to the righreous spirit And all these with their fellowes make up but one power of darknesse Devill or Father of lies And this power is the night time of mankinde or the absence of the Sonne of righteousnesse from the heart This power is the reprobate which the word of life hath rejected this shall never enter into true rest this is the wicked man or Dragon in you which causes all warres and sortowes and the sonne that causes shame the sonne of bondage which must not abide in the heart for ever but must be cast out Therefore so long as you labour under this selfish darke imaginary power you are strangers to the Sonne of righteousnesse If this darke power bear sway in you it is he whom you professe and it is he whom you call God and Christ for that power that you hold forth in your actions is the spirit you professe If your actions be full of selfe love as you may know it by your hastie anger when your Religion is questioned and by your snappish bitternesse against those that differs from you then this darke power is he you worship There is likewise in the garden of Eden mans heart sweet flowers and hearbs As Joy Peace Love humility selfe-denyall patience sincerity truth or equitie These are the true inhabitants in the righteous Land and all these make up but one power or body which is the seed or Tree of Life in you And this power is the day-time of Mankinde or the presence of the Sonne of righteousnesse in the heart This power is the Elect the Sonne of the Father in whom he delights this Sonne shall live for ever in rest peace and in the power of eternall life This is the righteous man this is Michaell the Seed Christ or blessing Therefore consider what spirit you professe and live not in darknesse any longer Babes and sucklings doe see and can say that in your established formes you worship and professe you know not what you say one thing and doe another you make God and Christ a very cheat to the world as if he were all words and no deeds Indeed your king Hypocrisie is so But the King of righteousnesse which your established formes hath and doe dishonour before the Nations is not so and you all must and shall be torne in pieces and scattered and shamed for your excessive pride covetousnesse hardnesse of heart selfe-love and hypocrisie and your verball profession shall be loathed by all and be
And all inferiour creatures shall stand in awe of and reverence and love man And tâ—e wisdome and Love in man shall preserve all others in safety and peace CAAP. II. What the Tree of Knowledge of Good and evill is BVt when Imagination is fed upon and delighted in as it is at this day amongst most people This is he that puts all out of order he corrupts the five Senses and makes mankinde walke disorderly and to teare and devoure members of his owne kinde just like the Beast of the field and to differ nothing from them the Beasts they prey and devoure one another so does imaginary man fights makes wars kills robs destroyes and wasts one another This is the reigne of the Beast and yet he would be called a God though he be the murderer well thou art and still shalt be called a God But thou art the God of the world that runs round and when thou art brought to where thou beganst then thy dayes are done thou must dye And the voyce is pronounced it is done time shall be to thee no more And thou shalt be destroyed without hand that is without sword or weapons which is the rocke of dâ—fence for Christ will consume thee by the word of his mouth and by the brightnesse of his commiâ—g Well this Imaginary power is the darke side of the cloude This is the Sonne of the mother Earth mankinde which causes shame This is the curse the Serpent the Devill and his power hath filled the Creation and is the burden it grones under This is the power of darknes And he would be as God knowing good and evill therefore the Almighty power of Life affords him a time times and dividing of time to rule in mankinde And while he rules he fills all creatures with sorrow and slavery and so in the end of his appointed time he is proved a Devill and not the true God the destroyer and murderer and not the Saviour The curse and not the blessing of the Creation the power of darknesse and not the power of Light This is the darknesse that hath covered the Earth and the curse that destroyes all things this is he that calls light darknesse and darknesse light good evill and evill good and while this power rules in mankinde mankinde is in prison and bondage within himselfe and sees no Light And under this power of Imagination the whole government of the world amongst the sonnes of men is built all Nations are under this Kingdome of darknesse the frame of this worldly government is the Devills proper Kingdome And the power of the sword fighting and killing cannot throw downe his Kingdome but set it up in more power Bâ—t that power that must destroy the dark Kingdome is a power contrary to him And that is Love and patience Live in this life and thou killst the Devill and shakest his Kingdome about his eares This power of Love and patience acted with a cheerefull life kills Imagination Indeed Imagination is that God which generally every one worships and ownes and in the matter they worship a lye the Devill and meere nothing This is he that makes everie one wise in his owne conceit that makes men Envie censure and destâ—oy one another and to take pleasure in none but what pleases selfe This Imagination feares where no feare is he rises up to destroy others for feare least others destroy him he will oppresse others least others oppresse him and feares he shall be in want hereafter therefore he takes by violence that which others have laboured for And so he beates the even ground before him like a blinde man that imagines that hill or block lies in his way And though this dark power be a God or mighty ruler in mankinde yet assoone as he appeared to rule the true Light appeares to breake his peace assoone as Imagination began to sit upon the throne Mans heart The seed of Life began to cast him out and to take his Kingdome from him So that this is the great battaile of God Almâ—ghty Light fights against darknesse universall Love fights against selfish power Life against death True knowledge against imaginary thoughts These two powers are Michaell and the Dragon and this battaile is fought in Heaven that is in mankinde in the garden of Eden where God principally resolves to set up his throne of righteous governement it is not sought in the spirit of Beasts but in Heaven in the spirit of Mankinde who is the Lord And this battaile in our age of the world growes hotter and sharper then formerly for we are under the dividing of time which is the last period of the Beasts raigne And he will strive hardest now But it will be in vaine he must loose his Kingdome for the Lambe will cast the Dragon out and bring all into Peace then every thing shall appeâ—re naked and bare before the Lord of the whole Earth and all Imaginary coverings shall be taken off every where Now the end of all societies of Churches preaching praying Ordinances should be to finde out this darknesse and to cast it out And to worship the Father in Spirit and truth And so to advance the Blessing or the Sonne in whom the Father is well pleased That so mankinde might cease speaking and acting from thoughts and Imagination and may come to speake and act purely as the truth was in Jesus he being the supreame Lord of the Earth This you Preachers and Professors is or at least should be the end of your profession And if you come short of this you loose all your paines and will be ranked among imaginary Hypocrites that worship they know not what but as their fancie â—ells them And that is neither better nor worse but the Devill which you worship Therefore if man would live purely to the honour of that spirit in him which is called the Seed he is then to know what spirit is it that rules in him and to act from it for that spirit that rules is the God whether it be Imagination or whether it be the light of life which is vniversall Love This is the shame and misery of our age That every one professes Christ and the spirit and they will preach of and pray to the Spirit And yet they know not inwardly by what spirit or inward power they are ruled Every one lookes upon a God and a ruler without him as the Beast of the field does few sees their Ruler within These have lost their dominion and Lordship and they live under the curse and are blinde in their Imagination and are ignorant of the wayes of truth These are cast out of the Garden they live out of themselves upon the Earth they live upon riches honors-pleasures Ministeâ—s Lawyers Armies wife children Ordinances customes and all outward formes of worship or in that beastly community with women now adayes cryed up by the lust of the flesh yea upon any thing without them which they imagine good take away these
and they dye they know not how to governe themselves nor others these have lost their Dominion and Lordship their Kingdome is without and their peace is placed upon perishing things and as they vanish so doth their peace and their Kingdome For they have no peace nor Kingdome within God and they have no sweet Communion together the living soule and the creating Spirit are not one but divided the one looking after a Kingdome without him the other drawing him to looke and waite for a Kingdome within him which moth and rust doth not corrupt and theeves cannot breake through and steale this is a Kingdome that will abide the outward Kingdome must be taken from you They that live upon outward objectâ— are filled with inward trouble and pierced through with many sorrowes slauish feare within them keepes the way of the tree of life they dare not live in the life of free community or universall Love least others jeare hate and trouble them or least they come to want food and rayment for Imagination thinks if they love and succour others yeâ— others will not love them againe These know not the Spirit they live without upon the Earth upon objects under that darke power called unbeliefe But when man lives in the life of universall Love then God walkes and delights himselfe in his garden mankinde and man who is the living soule consisting of heâ—ring seeing tâ—sting smelling feeling hath sweet content and communion with that ruling spirit of love righteousnesse and peace within and this is Christs Kingdome or the day of the Lord within While mâ—nkinde lives out of himselfe feeding his imaginary fancie upon outward perishing objects then the creating Spirit and the living soule are at variance and opposition the Spirit would have man live within himselfe and take delight in Love humility patience chastity wisdome Justice and all such sweet smelling spices that rules in the heart leading forth the body to act accordingly for this is the Anoynting in him that teaches man all things and leads him into all truth But imaginary man he cannot live within himselfe this is madnesse and foolishnesse to him he must run abroad for delight and content his seness altogether in outward objects and strives with greedinesse after outward contents And jeeres laughes hates and persecutes the Spirit calling him madnesse blasphemys confusion and that will destroy all government and order which Imagination hath set up in the world And this now is the hot time of the day God or the creating Spirit takes no delight to walke in his garden while it is so hot an opposition betweene him and darke flesh But when Mankinde begins to look within himself and sees his pride Envie Couetousnesse Lust of the flesh anger hypocrisie and nothing but darknesse and discontent and begins to say with himselfe oh what have I done how am I falne all outward content in objects flies away and I am left naked and wants Light life and rest within Oh that I could see and feele Love humility chastity sincerity truth wisdome contentednesse and peace live and rule in power in me Then I should rejoyce abundantly in the enjoyment of my my selfe within my selfe though all other outward contentments in objects were taken away though I were poore without yet if I were rich within I could rejoyce if I were in prison without If I were in freedome within I could rejoyce if all my outward friends and objects forsooke me yet if I had familiar friendship with that sweet Spirit within I should have peace enough No life like to the life within This Kingdome wiâ—hin is excellent and full of glory the outward Kingdome and peace is a deceiver it forsakes a man in his misery but the inward Kingdome never failes a man in life nor death Oh that I did enjoy this Kingdome within This now is the coole of the day And the heate of opposition betweene flesh and Spirit begins to decline flâ—sh sees his folly and growes very weary thereof the patience of the spirit is honoured by the flesh And that righteous Ruler God The Seed and tree of Life begins to walke in this coole of the day with delight in tâ—e middle of tâ—e garden Mans heart the sweet breathings of that pure spirit is now entertained and falne Earth begins to see himselfe naked and to acknowledge his nakednesse before the spirit and is ashamed And declares how he came by his nakednesse Euen by embracing objects and seeking a Kingdome without himselfe his covetous heart closing with that imaginary conceit promised him much delight but like a subtill Serpent he hath deceived him And now the Seed begins to worke to bruise the Serpents head and man begins to looke upward towards the life of the Spirit within which he sees now is a life above the life of Earthly objects Well saith the Spirit to this shattered Earth Thou seest thy selfe naked and thou seest the Serpent that deceived thee and thou art now separated from me thou lockdest for peace and rest without and thou art deceived Thou art afraid to look within because thy conscience the Light that is within thee which is my selfe condemns thee And this feare is the fruit of thy Imagination thou fearst where there is no cause of feare Thou lookedst for good to come from objects without but behold sorrow thou thoughtst Oh that if thou hadst lost outward objects thou couldst have had no inward joy But thou seest now how Imagination that Serpent hath deceived thee oh thou living foule how art thou falne But the seed of all things which is my selfe will bruise that Serpents head and I will restore thee againe I am thy Redeemer and besides me there is none But yet the Battell between Michaell that Seed and the Dragon that Imaginary power is not ended it begins againe to be fought in heaven that is within the garden mankinde and the day growes hot againe flesh and spirit does begin a fresh to oppose each other sharply For Imagination begins to tell the soule If thou enjoyst not fulnes of all objects thou wilt want and starve for food and so presently feare of poverty takes the throne and reignes and feare bids thee goe get what thou canst by hooke or by crooke least thou want and perish and die miserably Thou seest how full of hardnesse of heart and deceit every man is each one seeking to save himselfe And if thou want food and rayment Love and Life within will not preserve thy body from misery Then thou seest the treachery of men beset thee poverty threatning thee thy body weake thy mind distempered with feare and care what to doe and how to live Some laughs at thee others cheats thee yea such as seeme to professe the same spirit thou strivest for are most bitter against thee and they looke after objects more then the inward life for who more covetous and hard then they And wilt thou be alone yea thou art alone where is any one
in man that causes divisions and war is called by some men the state of nature which every man brings into the world with him But this Law of darknesse in the members is not the state of Nature for nature or the living soule is in bondage to it and grones under it waiting to be delivered from it and is glad to heare of a Saviour Looke upon a childe that is new borne or till he growes up to some few yeares he is innocent harmelesse humble patient gentle easie to be entreated not envious And this is Adam or mankinde in his Innocency and this continues till outward objects intice him to pleasure or seeke content without him And when he consents or suffers the imaginary Covetousnesse within to close with the objects Thâ—n he falls and is taken captive and falls lower and lower First into the slavery of that power of lusts within leading him forth to act all manner of selfishnesse with greedinesse to the destruction of others And then falls from this delight into trouble of minde and touch of Conscience and inward torment and so falls deeper and deeper into Hell till the Seed or blessing rise up in him to worke deliverance and then carrie him back againe and lead him into the wayes of truth And thus we see how mankinde came to fall from his innocencie and that was by closing to outward objects for content with inward imaginary Covetousnesse to finde life in those objects without him And mans recovery will be to reject outward objects and to close with the spirit of truth life and peace within preferring this Kingdome within before the outward Kingdome It is said that Christ was tempted in all things like as we are tempted Now how are we tempted but by presentment of outward objects before us and when the life of the five Sences closes therewith thinking to finde content therefrom we are deceived and so fall from innocencie As for example if objects of riches be laid before me and my inward covetousnesse close therewith I fall or if the beauty of the female sex be set before me If my inward lust close therewith excessively running after variety of strange flesh I fall But if covetousnesse and lust be killed or doth not breath in me then though those objects be tendered to me I reject them and so I fall not And now Satan or the tempter which are the outward objects finds nothing in me And thus it was said of Jesus Christ that when the Tempter came to him he found nothing in him that is Jesus Christ had not an imaginary covetous power in him to seeke a Kingdome or happinesse without himselfe in those objects of pleasure riches and honours of the world but preferred the Kingdome within him before that without him And so he was said to have no sinne because there was nothing in him that consented to the temptation without he made use of outward objects in moderation for the safety and peace of his body but desired nothing in excesse or immoderately The power of darknesse which is Covetousnesse and Imagination which is the devouring Dragon had no place in Heaven that is in him for the Dragon was cast out and the Godhead did dwell bodily in him in the fulnesse of righteousnesse and peace Now I desire any man to shew by experience any other Devill or darke power then these two that is The objects without and the powers of the curse within joyning in consent together to enslave the Earth or the living Soule which is the innocencie of the five Sences While these two joyne together and meet in consent Mankinde enters into sorrow and hath true rest But when the power of Lust is killed within by the blessing or the seed rising up then outward objects troubles not nor enslaves the man For then a man is content with his present condition and seeks for a Kingdome within which moth and rust cannot corrupt nor theeves breake through and steale If he have riches he dotes not upon them he knowes not how to use them If he be poore he is quiet and content If he be at liberty he is content if in prison he is content So then kill Covetousnesse or that imaginary darknesse within And the Devill is kill'd when the Tempter comes he shall finde nothing in you he that is free within is moved to excesse or unrationall action by no outward object but he that is nor free within is moved by every object And this is the Reason why many people are so angry and bitter and flies upon their neighbours with reviling and reproachfull words or envious actions because they are slaves to their flesh they are in bondage within they know not liberty It is the night time with them the sonne of Love righteousnesse and peace is not yet risen up in them Therefore they that are at liberty within in whom the Seed is risen ro rule doe conquer all enemies by Love and patience and make use of any outward object with moderation and knows no excesse The powers of the curse he subdues others by the murdering sword and thereby enslaves others to him as we see the government of all Nations is this and the darke power in every mans heart is this which indeed is the Devills Kingdome that yet rules But now the blessing he subdues his enemies by Love and saves and gives life and freedome to his enemies he first brings mankinde back to pure creation and then rises up and rules King of righteousnesse within and so keeps the man that the curse never enslaves him againe and so he puts the man into a better condition then he was in before This Seed or Christ then is to be seen within to save you from the curse within to free you from bondage within he is no Saviour that stands at a distance therefore your publick Ministers bewitches you by telling you of a Saviour at a distance The enmity which buâ—dens you is within Even the Law of your members that wars against the law of your minde so that the members are the creature And that curse wars within them and so troubles and enslaves the members Therefore your Saviour must be a power within you to deliver you from that bondage within the outward Christ or the outward God are but men Saviours such as Moses Ioshua and Judges were and such as Kings are and these Gods sometimes proves Devills Surely such Preachers as tells you your God and Saviour is without they know not the spirit they are servants to the curse their Kingdome is all without and therefore would have you to seeke for a Kingdome without that lies in objects for that Kingdome of Christ within they know not And here I shall end with this question What are the greatest sinnes in the world I answer These two First for a man to lock up the treasuries of the Earth in Chests and houses and suffer it to rust or moulder while others starve for want to whom it belongs and it belongs to all This is the greatest sinne against universall Love this is the destroying sinne this is Achans sinne this is the action of Covetousnesse The second sinne is like to this and is the same in nature with the other And this is for any man or men first to take the Earth by the power of the murdering sword from others and then by the Lawes of their owne making doe hang or put to death any who takes the fruits of the Earth to supply his necessaries from places or persons where there is more then can be made use of by that particular family where it is hoorded up And he said sonne of man seest thou what they doe Thou shalt see greater abominations Ezekiel 8.6 FINIS
cast out as stinking imaginary â—ung of false-hearted ones who professes Love in words and in actions deny Love but lifts up the Devill and covetousnesse and bondage If you truly owne Christ you will cheerefully hold forth the restoring spirit in your actions Christ the Anoynting spirit doth not enslave any but comes to set all free he comes not to destroy but to save he comes not to put sackcloath and mourning weeds upon mankinde but to pull them off and to wipe away all teares So long as the Earth is intangled and appropriated into particular hands and kept there by the power of the sword as it is and your profession holds it up so long the Creation lies under bondage And the Devill who is the power of covetousnesse or murderer doth rule and is the God whom you generally professe for you acknowledge Christ in words and the Dragon in your actions and so hypocrisie reignes King in the Earth at this very day But if any of you will truly acknowledge Christ now in the end of your dayes come joyne hands and hearts together and set the Earth free nothing now stands in the way of Englishmen but inward covetousnesse Be not like the Rats and Mise that drawes the treasures of the Earth into your holes to looke upon whil'st your fellow-members to whom it belongs as well as to you by the Law of Creation doe starve for want But you have no warrant from the Law of Righteousnesse so to doe whensoever you lock up the treasure of the Earth and desires more then food and rayment you doe evill When you know the Sonne within as you can talke much of him without then the Sonne will set you free and truly he is comming on a maine to breake downe all your pinfoulds and to lay all open to the Common the rough wayes he will make smooth and crooked wayes strait and levell mountaines and valleys And covetous proud selfe-Love and ruling and teaching hypocrisie shall tye up or restraine his spirit no longer for the voyce is gone out freedome freedome freedome he that hath eares to heare let him heare he that is filthie let him be filthy still till he be cast out as dung and unsavory salt And so I leave this with you as I was commanded and bid you farewell Being a friend to Love wading through the bondage of the world JERRARD WINSTANLY The Matters contained in the following DISCOURSE VVHat the Garden of Eden is Chap. 1. VVhat the tree of Knowledge of good and evill is 2. VVhat the Tree of Life is 3. What the Serpent is 4. What the living Soule Man is that is called very good 5. VVhat the Curse is that doth defile the man 6. What the blessing is that restores him againe 7. What these foure Beasts are whose burdning powers as that bondage which the Creation grones under waiting to be delivered from 8. What are the Time Times and dividing of time in the spirit of Mankinde which man posses through before he sits downe in true rest 9. How man is tempted and when he is said to fall by temptation 10. How Christ was tempted and by whom and how he overcame the tempter 11. What the Kingdome without is which is called the Devills 12. What the Kingdome of Heaven is within which is called Christs Kingdome 13. With divers other testimonies of like Nature FIRE IN THE BUSH The Spirit burning not consuming but purging Mankinde CHAP. I. What the Garden of Eden is THE whole Creation of fire water Earth and Aire and all the varieties of bodies made up thereof is the cloathing of God so that all things that is A substantiall being looked upon in the lump is the fullnesse of him that fills all with himselfe he is in all things and by him all things consist And this God or almighty Ruler is universall Love strength and life And as he begets and brings forth every thing in their degree and kinde so he is the Restorer of all things from that defilement death and sorrow which they fall into and the alone deliverer from the oppressing power preserving every one in peace Therefore he is called the Lord God Almighty for he is the onely and alone living spirit which dwells every where and can doe what he will And of all those bodies that are called Creatures or the clothing of God Mankinde is the chief And because the Father or spirit of all things manifests himselfe in mankinde in life strength and wisdome more then in any other creature therefore mankinde is made the Lord of all And the whole Earth is this The Lords For when all things were produced and appeared very good in the liking and content of the creating spirit The word of Command was to whole mankinde not â—o one or a few single branches of mankinde doe thou take possession over the fish fowle Beast and doe thou till the Earth and doe thou multiplie and fill the Earth And no part or branch of mankind is shut out by him from this imployment For as the great Earth and the inferiour creatures therein are as the Commons Forrests and delights of God in the out Coasts of the Creation Even so Mankind The living Earth is the very Garden of Eden wherein that spirit of Love did walke and delight himselfe principally as being the Head and Lord of all the rest In this Garden are five Rivers Hearing Seeing Tasting Smelling Feeling which we in our age of the world call five Senses And these five water springs doe refresh and preserve the whole Creation both of the out coasts and of the Garden In this Garden Mankind and in every branch of him there is a Tree of knowledge of good and evill called Imagination and the Tree of Life called universall Love or pure knowledge in the power When Mankinde or the living soule feeds upon or delights himselfe in the fruit of that tree of good and evill which is selfish unwarranted and unexperienced Imagination which is his weaknesse and disease then he looses his honour and strength and falls from his dominion Lordship and becomes like the Beasts of the field void of understanding For the Lord of so great and vast a body as the Creation is must know all things cleerely as they be and not by blinde Imagination that leads mankind sometimes astray as well as sometimes in the right way When mankind is guided by Imagination he runs a great hazard upon life and death This power is he that calls good evill and evill good This knowes not the creaâ—â—rg Spirit in inward feeling but does fancie him to be sometimes one thing sometimes another and still dwells in the dark Chamber of uncertainty And while Mankinde eates of this Tree and delights himselfe here he is driven out of the Gaâ—den that is out of himselfe he enjoyes not himselfe he knowes not himselfe he lives without the true God or ruler and is like the Beasts of the field who live upon objects without
them And does not enjoy the Kingdome within himselfe but seekes after a Kingdome and peace without him as the Beasts doe This Imagination is he that fills you with feares doubts troubles evill surmisings and grudges he it is that stirs up warres and divisions he makes you lust after every thing you see or heare of and promises delight to you in the enjoyment as in riches places of Government pleasures societie of strange women and when you have all these which you thinke or imagine to have content in presently troubles follow the heeles thereof and you see your selfe naked and are ashamed So that the selfish imaginary power within you is the power of darknesse The father of lies the deceiver the destroyer and the Serpent that twists about every thing within your selfe and so leads you astray from the right way of life and peace And the whole world of mankinde generally at this day through all the nations of the world is eating of this Tree of knowledge of good and evill and are cast out of themselves and knowe not the poweâ— that rules in them and so are ignorant of their God This is the fulnesse of the Beasts time it is his last period all places persons and things stinke with his imaginary power of darknesse in teaching and ruling therefore it is that fulnesse of time in which the Restorer of all things will come to deliver the Creation from that bondage and curse and draw up all things to live in him who is the true life rest and Light of all things For in the midst of this Garden likewise there is the Tree of Life who is this blessing or restoring power called universall Love or pure knowledge which when mankinde by experience begins to eat thereof or to delight himselfe herein preferring this Kingdome and Law within which is Christ before the Kingdome and Law that lies in objects without which is the devill Then man is drawne up into himselfe againe or new Ierusalem which is the spirit of truth comes downe to Earth to fetch Earth up to live in that life that is a life above objects even to live in the enjoyment of Christ the righteous spirit within himselfe and to tread the earthly life that lies in objects without under foot This is the life that will bring in true community and destroy murdering propriety Now mankinde enters into the garden of Gods rest and lives for ever he enjoyes his Kingdome and the word within himselfe he knowes sinne and sorrow no more for all teares now which blind Imagination brought upon him are wiped away And man is in peace This Tree of Life I say is universall Love which our age calls righteous Conscience or pure Reason or the Seed of life that lies under the clods of Earth which in his time is now rising up to bruise the Serpents head and to cast that imaginary murderer out of the Creation This Seed is he that leads mankinde into Truth making every one to seeke the preservation and peace of others as of themselves This teaches man inwardly to know the nature and necessity of every body and to administer to every body accordingly This was the Father in Jesus Christ who let him see what was in man This was that God-head that dwelt bodily in Christ reconciling the world to himselfe and so making peace when this almighty power of Life rules King of righteousnesse within then Satan or outward objects shall finde nothing in you to close with him when he tempâ—s This is the Kingdome of Heaven within and the white stone with the new name written therein which no man knowes the glory beauty life peace and largenesse of but they which have it This power is not a selfe-Lover But the universall Lover This will have all saved that is will have all live in peace and rest This Tree of life is full of humility sincerity patience tendernesse moderation Reason Wisdome Truth Righteousnesse Chastitâ—e Joy Peace Liberty yea full of the well springs of sweet life This is the blessing of Abraham the promised Seed that remaines within as a servant for a time times and dividing of time then he is to arise and cast out the Dragon and to purge out that drossie imaginary power that is crept in to defile the Creation And so properly he is called the restorer Saviour Redeemer yea and the true and faithfull Leveller And when this tree of Life is fed upon and delighted in by the five Sences which is the Creation Mankind or the living Soule Then these five Rivers are called pure Rivers of the waters of life for the life of truth and peace is in them and they are the sweet conveyers of the waters or breathings of life from one to another through the whole body and so bringing all into a onenes to be of one heart and one minde And there is but one God and King in all and among all who is Michael our Prince of peace And the whole Creation now will laugh in righteousnesse for there will be no murmuring or complaining heard in all the mountaine of the Lord For this I can say when this tree of Life begins to rule within a particular heart he casts out sorrow feares inward presssures he subdues muttering surmising heart rising he kills Envie pride vaine-glory uncleane lust in one word he casts the wicked man out and takes possession of his owne house and Temple himselfe The heart and sets it downe in peace so that the hâ—art shall sit singing where are all my enemies become they are sunk they are gone as if I never had any All bondage within is gone sighing and sorrowing is done away my heart now indeed is a Land of Righteousnesse full of life light and fruit of peace and truth Hallelujah praise honour and glory to him that sâ—ts upon the throne and to the Lambe for evermore And as there is this change and alteration wrought within a particular body and all the power Authority and government of Imagination is plucked up and cast out and a New Kingdome wherein dwels righteousnesse is set up Even so as this restoring spirit spreads himselfe in variety of bodies and he will spread for he is the vine teachâ—ng and ruling every one till at leâ—g â—â—â—e whole creation is brought into the unity of himâ—â—â—fâ— so that That saying is fulfilled you shâ—ll be aâ—l taught of God and I will be your God I tâ—e one spirit of Love and you the whole body of mankinde shall be my people Then that great reformation and restauration spoken of shall be made manifest in the Nations of the world then those pluckings up shakings downe tearing to pieces of all rule power and Authority shal be known what it is that so Christ alone may be exalted in that day of his power For now Mankinde every where shall be made to speake and act purely according to the life and necessity of every body and every businesse and keep his dominion and Lordship
Midianites did they sheathed their swords one in anothers bowells while Israell looked on and at last tooke the spoyle So shall kingly power doe in his severall governments by the sword they shall dash one against another Time shall dash against times and times shall dash against the dividing of time and the divisions in the dividing of time shall destroy him till the Creation be cleansed of these plagues and that curse which hath destroyed the Earth shall now in the period of time destroy himselfe And this makes way for Christ the universal Love to take the Kingdome and the dominion of the whole Earth Therefore you souldiers you may see the end oâ— your trade it is a destroyer and shall be destroyeâ— by it selfe and surely you shall finde no true peace herein No no there is no peace and rest but iâ— Christ the Saviour your trade upholds the murderer or the Devill Now the other three Beasts who are Clergy Law and Buying and Selling these rise up by craft supported by the kingly power And the chiefe Beast is the Clergy he bred all the other He is a King understanding darke sayings and he shall by craft deceive many the other Beasts are this Beasts sons he bred them For this teaching Art first bids mankinde to looke abroad for a teacher and a ruler and to look abroad for Justice and content and when he had deceived them so to doe then he put mankinde upon buying and selling of the Earth and her fruits and so by that meanes the Creation is divided and Mankinde is put upon an Art to cheat and burden himselfe for the Earth ought to remaine a standing portion to them and their children successively by the righteous Law of Creation Then this teaching Art found out the Law calling it the Law of Justice a very good name to cover his knavery for he is a mighty Beast with great teeth and is a mighty devourer of men he eates up all that comes within his power for this Proverb is true goe to Law and none shall get but the Lawyer The Law is the Fox poore men are the geesse he pulls of their feathers and feeds upon them These foure Beasts are the Fountaines of Tyranny to the Creation they are of a fruitfull generation one begetting divers Beasts that are of mighty devouring natures But the most dreadfull and terrible Beast is the Clergy Power for though the other three raised him up by action yet this Imaginary learned Beast raised them up by policie for selfe ends For this stamped the other under foot saith Daniell And is not this true hath not the Clergy ruled over kingly Power Law and buying and selling and brought all under his Command for at the first he was onely a teaching Power and then it was a Beast differing from the rest yet he stamped them under foot and all the other had their strength and succour from him by his teaching and imaginary instruction Out of this teaching Beast rise up ten hornes or the branching forth of his strength in ten particulars Five fighting against the powers of the Creation Hearing Seeing Tasting Smelling Feeling which is called the body of the living soule that is very good And five fighting against the powers of righteousnesse which is Vnderstanding Will Affection Joy and Peace which is called the Seed and making war against him and so darking Heaven and Earth This is he that restraines the liberty of the outward man not suffering him to have a free enjoyment of his portion in the Earth making such actions to be sinne which the righteous creating Spirit made not a sinne And he restraines thereby the liberty of the Inward man not suffering him to act in the liberty of himselfe for he makes a man a sinner for a word and so he sweeps the Stars of Heaven downe with his tayle he darkens Heaven and Earth and defiles body and mind For so long as I must not act according to the freedome of my owne spirit and power within me but must be guided by others without me and punished for such actions which others in the ruling Chare doe in a higher nature then I doe I am then in bondage and my eyes are put out And this is the Covenant that the outward teaching power makes with the branches of Mankinde to put out their owne eyes to see by others telling them none can see but schollars so that this fourth Beast is more dreadfull then the other three for it stamps the other three under foot and rules over all And out of the ten hornes of this Beast rise up another little horne and this is the dominion and rule which the teaching power takes up called Ecclesiasticall power and this little horne was raised by a power that was not his owne for the kingly power puts that dominion and rule into his hands While he remained onely a teaching power he stamped the other under him and overawed others by his deceitfull words But now he hath got a power to rule called Ecclesiasticall power which is the extract of selfish righteousnesse from the seeming righteousnesse of the foure Beasts into one ruling power and by this which was little in the beginning There were three of the first hornes plucked up that is Kingly Power Law and buying and selling for the Little horne or ruling Clergie lifted up himselfe above all these and made these uncover and fall to him he had dominion and power over all these and these were in subjection and afraid and bowed to him He by his teaching lifted up these and these by their acting lifted up him to rule and he by his ruling treads these under his proud covetous feet And this is he who is said to be a King of a fierce countenance understanding darke saying that is mighty but not by his owne power and he shall by craft and power destroy many his rising was in the latter dayes when transgressions were come to the full when people were most blinde by his outward teaching then they easily receive him to be the outward ruler over their soules for now the Sea being bemuddied that is mankinde being mightily deceived he by his learned policy riseth up out of that deceived Sea for all the peeple wandered after him though he sore oppressed them Dan. 8.23 Rev. 13.3 And as the sword which is not his power lifted him up and supports him by forcing the people to pay him tithes for the Law of the Magistrate forces the people to pay them And he being lifted up he made war with the Saints and overcame them for a time times and dividing of time But as he was lifted up by others power through his owne craft Even so he shall be destroyed againe without hand the Sword shall not destroy him he shall be discovered in all his oppressing hypocriticall bewitching knavery by the light and wisdome of the Spirit of Truth that shall rise up out of the Sea of mankinde likewise appearing
in sonnes and daughters of righteousnesse in the latter dayes As Paul said Christ shall destroy him by the word of his mouth and by the brightnesse of his comming Dan. 7.26 c. 2. Thess. 2.8 When Christ the Anoynting spirit rises up and inlightens mankind then in his light they shall see the deceit and falshood of this Beast that hath deceived all the world and shall fall off from him and leave him naked and bare and if he will teach and rule let him shew his power over the Beasts for the people will all looke up to God to be taught and governed by him The discovery of the fulnesse and foulnesse of this Beast throwes downe all the rest likewise for when mankinde begins to fall off from one part of the beastly power he will fall from all for they all depend one upon another Kingly power depends upon the Law and upon buying and selling and these three depend upon the Clergy to bewitch the people to conforme and all of them depend upon Kingly power by his force to compell subjection from those that will not be bewitched But when mankinde once sees that his teacher and ruler is within him then what need is there of a teacher and ruler without they will easily cast off their burden Therefore woe woe woe to the Inhabitants of the Earth when Christ rises in power and bâ—gins to come in glory with his aints This discovery is coming on apace Therefore you Souldiers and you great Powâ—rs of the Earth you need not feare that the Levellers will conquer you by the sword I doe not meane the fighting Levellers for they be your selves but I meane Christ levelling who fights agaâ—nst you by the sword of Love patience and truth for whosoever takes the Iron sword to fight against you are your owne sonnes that fights against you â—oâ— Christ came not to destroy but to save But Antichrist whose power you are came not to save but to destroy Therefore if there be any amongst you that count truth and peace precious take the Spirits advice and come out of Babylon dwell no longer in the Courts and wayes of Imaginarie confusion come into truth Light and Liberty and be at pâ—ace When Christ comes and is glorified with thousand thousands attending upon him they shall not be cloathed with devouring instruments like Dragons bâ—t be cloathed with Love Righteousnesse and Peace like Lambs And at his appearing said Daniell the Beast was slaine and his body given to the burning flame that is all the Imaginary selfish Power that made people run abroad for a Teacher and a Ruler was all cast into the fire of pure Light and was consumed in that unquenchable flame Even destroyed by the brightnesse of Christs comming as darknesse vanisheth when Light comes in Dan. 7.11 He that hath Eares to heare Let him heare what the Spirit speaks CHAP. IV. What the Serpent is IF this be true It will destroy all government and all our Ministry and religion I answer it is very true for all government and Ministry that is lifted up by Imagination is to be throwne downe and plucked up That Christ alone may be exalted in the day of his power And you have Scripture for it Then cometh the end when he shall have delivered up the Kingdome to God even the Father when he shall have put downe all rule and all Authoritie and all power for he must reigne till he hath put all enemies under his feet 1 Cor. 15.24 Looke back into Ages past and see what overturnings and pluckings up there hath been of the Authority power and government of Nations Every government standing his period for when it was universally proved a Devill a destroyer and waster then it was throne downe And this casting downe plucking up and wars in the Nations shall be till Christ The Law of universall Love comes to reigne and then he shall settle all in peace and be the true restorer You oppressing powers of the world who think God hath blessed you because you sit downe in that Chaire of Govâ—rnment out of which the former Tyrants are gone Doe you remember this your overturning overturning overturning is come on to you as well as to your fellow break-promises that are gone before You that pretend to be saviours of the people and to seeke the peace of the whole Nation and yet serve your selves upon the peoples ruines not regarding the crie of the poore surâ—ly you must have your overturnings too For such a Government as preserves part and destroyes another part of the Creation is not the power of Christ but of Antichrist That Government that gives liberty to the Gentry to have all the Earth and shuts out the poore Commoners from enjoying any part ruling by the tyrannicall Law of Conquest over brethren this is the Government of imaginarie selfe-seeking Antichrist And every plant which my heavenly Fathâ—r hath not planted shall be rooted out This man will have nâ— government some will say I answer you run too fast True Government is that I long for to see I waite till the power Authority and government of the King of righteousnesse rule over all for as yet the power and dominion of the Prince of darknesse rules every where and that is the government which must be throwne down But government is called Magistracy and all Magistracie is of God I Answer Magistracie is a good name and the mystery of iniquity hath not only got this name but many other excellent names to be set upon the head of his blacknes of darknesse that under a good name he may goe undiscovered and he puts bad names upon things that are excellent Therefore let us see whether Imaginary government that divides part of mankinde to enjoy the Earth and the other part not to enjoy the Earth is worthy of the name Magistracie No no such a dividing selfe loving power is an enemie to Magistracie For Magistracie hath two excellent principles in his nature which the darke selfish government is an enemy to First Magistracie signifies a great Light as much as to say greater Light of Love greater Light of Humility greater Light of Reason greater Light of Truth keeping promise and covenant greater Light of Peace and tendernesse of heart greater Light of boldnesse in a cause that is universally righteous And where this power Authority and government rules this is pure Magistracie and it is the Life and power of Christ Secondly Magistracie signifies the greatest Band â—hat ties the Creation together in pâ—ace and this band is universall Love for this Love streames out to preserve all and deâ—pisâ—s none This is the unitie of the Spirit and the band of pâ—acâ— this is purâ— Majâ—stie indeed that â—ies peoplâ— tâ—gether in Love And this is the power Authoritie and government of Christ The love of Christ in us constraines all men to doe his will Now lâ—oke and see is the Magistracie of the Nations likâ— this Is it a light of pure excellency
and universall Love above others doth it tie the Creation together in the unity of sâ—iâ—it and band of peace we cannot say it doth or if any say it doth then I 'le answer What meanes then the lowing of the Oxen and bleating of the Sheep what meanes such complaints that those that sit in the Chaire of Magistracie are covenant promise and oathes-breakers and are selfâ—-Lovers Lovers of honour moâ—eys and ease and regard not the câ—ies of the oppressed Tâ—ey favour the rich for reward and despise and sleight the poore They give the Earth to some and denie the Earth others by reason whereof murmurings and divisions multiplie and so uphold the slavish Law of conquests Now judge Is such a Magistracie as this the greatest Light doth this tye the Creation together in the unity of spirit and band of peace surely as yet the mysterie of iniquitie sports himselfe uncontrouled under this excellent name or covering called Magistracie but the babes and sucklings will draw off his vaile and shew all his nakednesse and shame him If you would finde true Majestie indeed goe among the poore despised ones of the Earth for there Christ dwells and there you shall see Light and Love shine in Majestie indeed rising up to unite the Creation indeed into the unitie of spirit and band of peace the blessing of the Lord is amâ—ngst the poore and the covetous scoffing covenant-bâ—eaking thieves and murderers that croud themselves under the name Magistracie shall be sent emptie away These great ones are too stately houses for Christ to dwell in he takes up his abode in a manger Inne and amongst the poore in spirit and despised ones of the Earth Secondly Imaginarie Ministrie and Religion is to be plucked up as unsavorie salt and this is the learned publick Ministrie of the world for this Ministrie is set up by craft and covetousnesse how to draw the Earth and the labours of men into the Clergies hands These men make themselves ministers as a man teaches birds to speake But they doe not stay till Christ make them for that will be too long for them to wait the rich Benefices will be all taken up This Ministrie having learned other mens words by their long education in their Vniversitie Schooles takes upon them to interpret other mens words and writings and this imaginary studie of theirs they call pure Doctrine and tells the people it is pure Religion to come and heare their Sermon and to give them Tithes or a laâ—ge maintenance for so doing But this is a false Prophet he runs before he be sent Study and Imagination was never appointed and sent of Christ to be a Minister for him this is Antichrists Ministrie For when Christ sent out his Disciples to preach he saith that which you have heard and seen goe preach and saith Paul we cannot but speake the things which we have heard and seen from the Father But the Vniversitie publick Ministrie runs before he be sent they take up another mans message and carries abroad other mens words or studies or imagines a meaning and this is their ministrie This is not to preach the truth as it was in Jesus purely and experimentally as they received it of the Father but as they receive it from man and by man The Scriptures of the Bible were written by the experimentall hand of Shepherds Husbandmen Fishermen and such inferiour men of the world And the Vniversitie learned ones have got these mens writings and flourishâ—s their plaine language over with their darke interpretation and glosses as if it were too hard for ordinary men now to understand them and thereby thâ—y deceive the simple and makes a prey of the poore and cosens them of the Earth and of the tenth of their labors And because those mens writings are taking with the world therefore thesâ— learned ones shuts out the true Penmen in whom the Spirit dwells and saith now such Mecanicks must not meddle with spirituall things And so by covetous policie in opposition to the â—igâ—teous spirit they engrosse other mens exâ—erimentall spirituall teachings to themselves as if it were their owâ—e by Vniversity or Schoole learning succession Pope lâ—ke Nay just the Pope And by their â—lacknesse of darknesse in their Schoole-learning they have dâ—awne a vayle over the truth And Light by them is hid from the world for the plaine tâ—uâ—h is this Imaginary ministrie is neither better nor worse but plaine unmasked Iudas And the snappish bitter profession that cries it up is the unmasked murdering Scribes and Pharisees The one betrayes Christ the spirit of righteousnesse with a kisse pretending a great deale of Love to the Spirit by preaching and praying to a God without they know not where nor what he is The other kills him and will not suffer him to appeare in the world for these snappish professors calls every thing blasphemie unlesse they approve of it still tying the Spirâ—t to themselves saying Loe here is Christ in this man and loe there is Christ in that man But Christ is the Light of Life spread abroad and he is now rising in Husbandmen Shepherds Fishermen And by these he first takes off the black interpretation hat the imaginary learned Scholars by their studies have defiled the Scriptures of old with and restores them to their owne genuine and pure Light And then to discover his appearance in sonnes and daughters in a fuller measure the poore despised ones shall be honoured first in the worke and from this â—ust the blessing shall arise to cover the whole Earth with peace and with the knowledge of the Lord For this is the vine that shall overspread the Earth and shall be confiâ—â—d no longer within a Colledge or private Vniversity Chaâ—ber or under a covetous proud black gowne that would alwayes be speaking words but fall off when people begins to act their words When Jesus Christ the Sonne of man was upon Earth in that one pâ—rson he could very seldome speake but the hypocriticall snappish Pharisees were either siâ—â—nâ— and watched to trap him in his speech â—obâ—iâ—g him into bondage or else with open mouth they cryed out he is a blasphemer a Devill and a friend of Publicans and sinners condemning him bâ—cause he was no scholar How knowes this man lâ—ters seeing he never learned And have not the Pharisees of our age who are the imaginary biâ—tâ—r professors the same subtlety aâ—d language And as they of old sought to kill Christ so these endâ—avour to suppresse him and will not suffer him to arise in sonnes and daughters though the Scripture declare it wâ—ich they make such a strict professioâ— of as if they would not loose one letter These professors will stâ—ll â—onfiâ—e Christ to a private chamber and to pâ—â—â—icular â—odies â—nd restraine him who is the â—â—iversall power of Love and peace They owne aâ—m in wâ—rds but they denie him in power they worship God at a distance not knowing where he is nor what they worship And they
his company As there are time times and dividing of times alloted to the reigne of the Beast in outward Government which is first the power of Magistracie medling with matters of Conscience in restraining or punishing before the universall Bishop was raised this is the first time Then the time of universall Bishop till reformed Episcopacy came in this is the second time Then the time of reformed Episcopacie till the variety of Independant and Presbyterian Churches or State-Government came in is the third time and these two latter are called times And now England is under the dividing of time and it is a fore-runner to the rest of the Nations and this is the Image of the Beast and this is the variety of Churches and differences in Relâ—gion that is amongst men every one pleading his priviledge or else it is called the dividing of time in regard the Government of the Land is taken out of the hands of one man and put into the hands of many this is the dividing of time or the halfe day of the Beast in respect of outward government Even so there are time times and dividing of time within the heart of man which is the occasion of that outward division of times The first time is the state of simple plaine heartednesse or Innocencie when the five Sences acts in their owne light which is the pure light of a Beast but knowes not the power of the Seed or of the creating spirit but is a stranger to the spirit and yet this state is the Image of the spirit for this is wise and loving and just but not Wisdome Love and Justice it selfe and being tempted it breaks out into folly envie and unjustice and this is the first time of the Beasts reigne within a man Then the pleasure of sinne enters or a league is made betweene that living Earth and outward objects and the man being deceived lookes altogether without him for good for pleasure and for content and followes all the pleasures of his five Sences with greedinesse and here he would be a ruler and some body over others and in this estate man doth what he will and his heart never smites him for it he can lie and cheat and whore and oppresse others and thinks all is good for nothing troubles him this is the state of prodigality or presumption And this is Esau the hairy mans Kingdome And this is the first step of his fall eating the Aple Then there followes a time of trouble of minde arising for that pleasure of selfe-seeking delight and this is called trouble for mispent time whereby he meets with many rubs in his good name in his health of body and in his outward livelihood amongst fellow-creatures and now he begins to rebate of his wildnesse and follow and the Beast or sensitive power begins to be a little tamer and more moderate yet Covetousnesse that Beast reignes still and that with more force within yet this is a cooler time of the day then the former was for he begins to consider what he doth yet here is no rest and this is the third time and so these two latter degrees makes times this is the second step of his fall Then comes in the dividing of time within a man and this is when the Law in the members fights against the Law of the minde when a man sees his folly and the bondage of his nature he sees himselfe a prisoner to his Lusts and this light in him strives against darknesse in him he sees Pride striveing against Humility Envy against Love contentednesse against anger uncleannesse of flesh against chastity sorrow against comfort and so cries out Oh wretched man that I am who shall deliver me from this body of death or bondage to which I am â— slave this is the third step of mans darknesse Well this is the dividing of time within thee this 〈◊〉 the time of the battell within thee between Michaell the Prince of Peace and the red Dragon the selfish imaginary covetous murdering power there is no quiet rest in this estate neither nay this dividing of time is the sharpest and hottest time And now one step further in the first degree of time and then the man enters into rest And this is when the Seed or blessing in thee kills that Serpent and casts him out and takes possession of thee and rules in righteousnesse in thee for now all enemies are subdued under the Anoyntings feet and he now delivers up the Kingdome to his Father who is the one spirit of righteousnesse and peace in whom there is no sorrow And this God or Almighty ruler becomes all in all the alone King in that living Soule or Earth or the five living Sences Now this spirit of freedome being rising up in some already in part assures the Creation and gives those bodies as pledges that he will rise up in the whole and restore all mankinde to himselfe And thus those three particulars in mankinde is considered first the pure creation of the Living soule the single life of the five Sences which is called the Earth Oh Earth Earth Earth c. Secondly the curse that hath taken mankinde or this living Earth prisoner and this is the power of darknesse called sinne or bondage and this is called likewise flesh or carnall man If you by the Spirit mortisie the deeds of the flesh you shall live Now the created flesh is not to be mortified or killed by us but preserved therefore the curse therein is called flesh and deeds of the flesh because it is a meere selfish power that would have ease and honour and would be counted a God and would rule over all to the enslaving of all to himselfe this is the reprobate that shall have no peace for all peace shall be taken from this flesh Thirdly the blessing who is the seed of Life or Christ the righteous and rationall spirit arising up to rule and treading unreasonablenesse under his feet this is the restorer or Saviour of the captived or the imprisoned Earth which sets mankinde free from bondage within himselfe And when this power riseth up to rule he doth not rule to enslave others to him by the murthering sword but he drawes all men in Love to him and the union and communion of Love by him is established in and among the Creation And thus you see there are time times and dividing of time within the heart and though you become to the dividing of time yet you are not come to the Mount of God to true rest till dividing of time run his course likewise But yet here is great comfort to burdened soules that lies groning under the darknesse of this divideing of time within them and that are mightily opprest by men that rules in darknesse and oppression over them To you I say rejoyce your Redeemer is come he rides upon the clouds and he will speedily appeare for your deliverance as he hath done for some of your brethren already who