with the Light you will see the Kingdom of Heaven within which never gave consent to Sin and Evil like to a grain of Mustard-seed and to a Leaven which leaveneth into a New Lump And with the Light you will see the Field which is the World placed in your hearts where the Pearl is hid and with what you must dig to find the Pearl the Power of God and what you must sell for its sake to purchase the Field And waiting in this Light you will receive the Spirit of Truth the Comforter to to lead you into all Truth and to bring the Words which Christ hath spoken to your remembrance and it will shew you things to come and it shall receive of those which are Christs and give it unto you So loving the Light you love Christ and receiving it you receive Christ the first and the last For in the Light Christ is seen and handled his Voyce is heard and he is followed So in the Light you will see Christ to be your Teacher who saith Learn of me I am the Way the Truth and the Life by whom Life Eternal is given And you are brought again to Christ the Shepherd who draws you out of the Fall to God into his Image where the Green Pastures of Life are known and fed upon And no man commeth to the Father saith Christ but by me who enlighteneth every man that cometh into the World that by the Light all may believe And saith Christ Believe in the Light whilst ye have the Light that you may be Children of the Light So you being enlightned with the Light which if you believe in it you come to be Children of the Light and Heirs of Promise and Mercy and of the Power of a Life that hath no End And believing in the Light you pass from Death to Life from Darkness to Light and you come to know a Translation from Darkness to Light and from Satans Power to the Power of God and to know the begotten of God into his own Image by his Power as you have been degenerated from God and have lost his Image by the Prince of Darkness and so translated from the Image of God into the Image of Satan from the Power of Christ into the Power of Darkness so you must come to the Light that ye may have another Conversion from Satans Power to God from Darkness to Light to be renewed into the Image of God and this is felt within and as you feel this within you will know the Word of God within in your hearts which is the Word of Faith which the Apostles preached to the Romans which they were to hear obey and do And that is the Word which seperates the pretious from the vile your pretious thoughts affections motions and words from your vile So the Word is in your Hearts and Mouthes to obey it and to do it And it is quick and powerful sharper than a two-edged Sword And you shall not need to say Who shall bring it from Heaven or who shall fetch it from beneath But it is in the Heart and Mouth and this is the Word of Faith which the Apostles preached And the same Word is called a Hammer a Sword and a Fire to beat down to cut down and to burn up whatsoever is contrary to it So it is the same Word which sanctifieth and purifieth and reconcileth to God as beats down and cuts down that which is contrary to God and which seperates betwixt you and God So you may hear obey and do the Word for it is with you in all places and in all your occasions dividing good thoughts from bad good words and motions from bad For if all Christendom would hear and obey the Word in their Hearts which is pure and lives and remaines and endures for ever by which they would come to be born again of the Immortal Seed this Word would keep them from evil Actions and Words which are spoken and acted by them And so by the Word every one should be taught and should know the engrafted Word which is able to save the Soul which beats down and cuts down and burns up that which wars against it and keeps the Soul from the enjoyment of God And so in this Word they should know the annointing in themselves to teach them so that they should not need any man to teach them but as the same annointing teacheth them which teacheth Truth in all things And in this Light and Word which is in the heart they should know the New Covenant of God the Law written in the heart and put in their mindes by which they should not have need to say one to another Know the Lord for all should know him from the least even to the greatest And those are true Christians who come to witness this as thousands in England do witness it in this his Day among whom the pretious Pearl is found and the Field is bought among whom the Law of the Spirit of Life sets free from the Law of Sin and Death Who witness the Ages to come of which the Apostle spoke In which the kindness and exceeding riches of the Grace of God should be manifested again which the Lord in the Primitive Times made manifest amongst the Apostles who sat together in heavenly places in Christ Jesus In which places thousands are now come to sit Glory be to him for ever I. Concerning WORSHIP The Promise of Redemption is from that State in which Adam and Eve their Sons and Daughters are in the Fall driven from God into a State in which they were before they were driven from God to the Church in God Now they that sit down in a State driven from God are People far off from the Church in God Our Worship is in Spirit and in Truth in which the Devil abode not but is out of it who is the Author of strife and unrighteousness amongst People which Truth maketh the Devil to bow and cringe yea and destroys him and it is the Spirit that mortifies sin which makes the Separation from God Now we say that if all Christendom had worshipped God in Spirit and in Truth they had all been in Him out of which the Devil is and had been in the holy Mountain and had felt the Spirit ruling them in their own particulars and had felt the Spirit of Truth guiding and teaching them in them in their own hearts II. Concerning the CHURCH Our Church is in God the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ which he Redeems with his own blood without spot or wrinkle or deformity or any such thing which blood we feel in our Hearts purging us from all sin with which blood we feel our Consciences cleansed from dead works to serve the Living God So this blood is witnessed in us and the excellency thereof by which we come to know the price of Redemption III. Concerning the WAY We say that Christ is Our Way which is Light which enlighteneth you and
for those that are of a contrite heart who were for Signes and Wonders to both the Houses of Israel when they shall be confounded ashamed and astonished And before you know sin rooted out and wasted out of your flesh and the Earth shaken and removed out of its place and ye brought into that state which Man was in before he Fell you must know the trembling and shaking of that which is to be shaken and the removing of that which is to be removed before Christ the Seed will appear who is the foundation of many Generations and the Rock of Ages who is the First and the Last Who cannot be shaken neither can be changed So that the whole unjust wicked World hath much to suffer before they come to this they must know the Devils to tremble the Heavens to be shaken and the Earth also before he who cannot be shaken will appear by whom the World was made XX. Concerning the BODY of DEATH It s evident that they who plead for a body of Death and Sin about which the world so earnestly jangle and which they plead for as long as they live upon the earth that they also plead for its Author viz the Divel and this is not to plead for Christ who destroyes him who is the Author of sin and the Body of it Object Now if you Object that John hath said If we say that we have no sin we deceive our selves and the truth is not in us Answ John saith If we say we have not sinned we make him a lyar mark but if we confess and forsake our sins the blood of Jesus Christ the son of God cleanseth us from all sin Further he saith He that is born of God sinneth not neither can he because the Seed of God remains in him Because of which Seed he cannot sin for that Seed keeps the Holy so that the Evill one cannot touch him In this the children of God and the children of the Divel are manifest Whose children of both kinds contends and pleads for his own so there is a time in which men may say that they have sinned and have sin and a time to confess and to forsake sin and then a time to know the blood which cleanseth from all sin and then the Birth born which doth not commit sin and the Seed which remaines in him so that he cannot sin for as I said before it keeps the Holy that the Evil cannot touch him And though Paul cryed out of a Body of Death and of a Warfare yet afterwards he gave thanks to God that he had gotten Victory through Jesus Christ over the Body of Death and that the Law of the Spirit of Life had freed him from the Law of Sin and Death And afterwards the Apostle never complained of a Body of Death but he thanked God that he had obtained Victory through Christ who destroyes the Devil the Author of it who destroys Death and its Body and said that he was freed and that there was no condemnation to them who were in Christ Jesus and that the Life that he now lived was by the Faith of the Son of God which Faith gives Victory over Sin Death and the Devil which sin separates from God by which man hath displeased him by which Faith man is purified and hath victory and pleaseth God and hath access to him and is justified and saved Amen XXI Concerning the word THOU to a Single Person It is the manner among us to use the word Thou to a single person and You to more than one as in the Primitive times among the Saints according to Scripture and the Principle of God placed in every man which distinguisheth many from one and hath the proper word both to singular and plural to wit the singular word to a single person and the plural word to more than one according to the true understanding and Spirit of God in every man and the Testimony of all the Prophets But they are degenerated from the Spirit of God they are degenerated from the Scriptures and from their own Translations calling this manner of speaking Thou to one and You to many nonsence and improper when they themselves are gone from the true understanding which whosoever are in it comprehends them who are degenerated from it XXII Concerning putting of the HAT and Bowing the KNEE and Cringings and Complements To put off Hatts bowing Knees Cringing and Complements are from below and Customes and Manners of the World which shall pass away and never came from God neither is that honour wherewith men ought to honour one another for if all men had honoured and esteemed one another they had been of an higher Spirit than the Spirit of the World and of a more noble and generous Spirit Then neither Man nor Woman throughout all Christendom had received wrong or injury if they had esteemed and honoured one another for he that honours men will in no wise hurt them in this consists Breeding and Civillity And every Knee shall bow to me saith the Lord. For this is the cry Worship God and Fear him and Reverence him And if you Object That some in times past bowed them-themselves to an Angel but in the time of the Gospel which is the Power of God which was before the Fall in the state of Reformation and Restauration John was forbidden to bow to the Angel and the Apostels reproved them that bowed to them And although Jacob bowed for a time to his Brother Esau yet it is not said that he bowed to him all his Life time For it is written The Elder shall serve the Younger So the Elder shall bow among the Cringers and Knee-bowers one to another who will kill and envy one another and to them this is a Mystery XXIII Concerning GOOD MANNERS Evil Words and Evil Communications corrupts Good Manners And if Christendom would learn good Manners they must all come to the Light of Christ Jesus to the Spirit of God in themselves and to the Word of God in their hearts and months which will teach them to leave off Evil Words and will lead them from them and to deny them and this is the way to come to Good Manners But they who live in high Expressions and Complements and full of Evil Words and Flatteries and Dissimulations and call such Good Manners their Words and Works testify and manifest that they are Evil and Corrupt and such whose Manners are evil and corrupt they quench grieve and vex the Spirit of God in themselves and hate the Light and will not come to it because it reproves them of their evil words Such do love envy wrath vanity pride rashness hastiness and yet they are found in flattering Expressions and bowings one to another and they call it Good Manners and Honour when all such things are altogether out of that Honour that comes from above and are those things which the Witness of God in themselves testifieth against and testified in the Name of
to man as he stands in the alienation from God It crosseth his spirit his thoughts his desires his knowledge his reason his understanding even all that is of himself He must therefore conâ—ult with none of these but prefer the little pure Demonstration of the Light of Christs Spirit above all these and stand in the parting with and loss of them all for ever O this is an hard saying who can bear it Surely none but those that are taught and learn of the Father can thus come to give up to and follow the Light of the Son The Law of the Lord is perfest converting or restoring the Soul Psal 19.7 What Law was this or what Law is this Was it the Law of workes in the hand of Moses or is it the Law of Faith in the hand of Christ Doth not Christ enlighten every man that cometh into the World Would not God have all men to be saved and doth he not give to all a proportion of the true Light whereby they may be saved And it is not the property of this Light to convert to God Can any man receive this and be united to this and it not change his nature so that he must needs have a new nature and from that new nature do that naturally which the Jews by all their endeavours with-out this could never do Can any thing convert fallen man to God but Christ hath any thing power to convert to God but his pure Law of Life Can Christ and his Light be seprated Can any man receive his Light and be united thereto and not receive him O that mens hearts and understandings were opened by the Spirit and Power of the Lord For this is a direct riddle to all men who have not Gods Heifer to Plow with to understand it by And so for want of a true understanding it is despised and rejected among the Builders but with us it is elect and precious chosen of God and precious in the eye of our Souls Now this doth not exclude or make void any thing that Christ did in his Body of Flesh here on Earth or that he doth in Heaven for his but this brings unto a Right and into a Possession and Enjoyment of his Purchase For all that are in the Darkness and walk in the Darkness have nothing to do with Christ in truth and reallity what ever they may profess and what hopes soever they may feed themselves with but all that are in any measure of his Light and walk therein they are so far of him and have a right to and share in all that he did in and from the same Light and Spirit And this I dare positively hold forth as a standing Truth which hath been sealed unto me by constant experience that no man can fall in with and obey the Light wherewith he is enlightened but he must deny himself and take up a Cross to his own wisdom and will which Cross is the Cross of Christ which is the Power of God to the Salvation of the Soul And he that takes it up daily and waits upon the Lord therein shall witness the power of the Lord Jesus Christ to the redemption of his Soul ye then he shall be able in true understanding to say This is Light indeed Life indeed Power indeed That powerfull Arm which hath saved me from Sin and breaks the Snares Devices and Strength of the Enemy before me delivering me daily when none else can and when my own strength and wisdom is as nothing I cannot but call Christ the living Power and Wisdom of God revealed in me who will not give his glory to another For he is the Lord God of pure Power and Life for evermore and beside him there is no such Saviour Yea blessed be the Name of the Lord for ever the dayes of mourning after Salvation are over with many and the dayes of reaping and enjoying Salvation are come which shall endure with the Israel of God for evermore Amen Isaac Penington An Incitation to Professors seriously to consider Whether they or we fail in the true acknowledgment and owning of the Christ which died at Jerusalem WE who are commonly called Quakers being a People whom the Lord hath gathered out of the wandrings out of the many Professions out of the several scattered estates and conditions wherein his Eye pittied us and his love found us out into a measure of the eternal rest where we have found that Life that Power that Manifestation of the Eternal Spirits and that redeeming Virtue which we never were before distinctly acquainted with I say having tasted of this haveing known this having felt this and come to a real enjoyment of it in some degree in our several measures we could not possibly conceal this Treasure but in bowels of love and in the movings of the Life and Power of the Spirit have been drawn to testifie of it to them who were left behind groveling under the burthen of corruption and crying out because of the sin and bondage from the powers of darkness who hath in a mist withheld their eyes from beholding that living Virtue which is able to save and doth save blessed be his Name therefrom Now this we have often found That this our Testimony hath not been received in the same Spirit and Love wherein it hath gone forth but the Enemy by his subtilty hath raised up jealosies concerning us and prejudices against us as if we denyed the Scriptures and Ordinances of God and that Christ that died at Jerusalem professing him only in words to win upon others by but denying him in reallity and substance To cleare this latter for my heart is only at this present drawn out concerning that we have solemnly professed in the sight of the Lord God who hath given us the knowledge of his â—on in Life and Power these two things First That we do really in our hearts own that Christ who came in the fulness of time in that prepared Body to do the Fathers Will his coming into the World Doctrine Miracles Sufferings Death Resurrection c. in plainness and simplicity of heart according as it is expressed in the Letter of the Scriptures Secondly That we own no other Christ then that nor hold forth no other-thing for Christ but him who then appeared and was made manifest in flesh Now it would be nakedly inquired into by Professors What is the reason that their jealousies still remain concerning us and why they are still so ready to cast this upon us Certainly if they did know and own the same thing with us in the Spirit and in the Power in the Life and in the Love which is of the Truth this prejudice and these hard thoughts could not remain But if they themselves do not know Christ in the Spirit but only according to a relation of the Letter no marvel though they miss both of the Spirit and of the true intent and meaning of the Letter and Likewise be liable to
and Demonstration of Gods holy Spirit or is thy own understanding and will at work of it self in searching into the Scriptures If the wrong birth the wrong wisdom the wrong understanding be at work it can gather but that which will feed and strengthen it self and if thou beest not in Christ and dost not read in Christ the vail is not taken away from thee for the vail is only done away in him but thou readest and walkest in the oldness of thy apprehensions upon the Letter and not in the newness of the Spirit and so knowest neither the Scriptures nor the Power of God what ever thou professest to men or dreamest concernning thy self For it is no other indeed Thy knowledge thy apprehensions thy faith thy hope thy peace thy joy being out of the compass of the pure living Truth in which the Substance the vertue the kernel of all is comprised and comprehended for ever are but as so many dreams O that men that are any whit tender and have any sincere desires in them towards the Lord could read that one Scripture Psal 43.3 4. sensible and experimentally O send out thy Light and thy Truth let them lead me let them bring me unto thy holy Hill and to thy Tabernacles what did not David know how to go to the Hiâ—l and Tabernacles of God without a particular sending forth of Light and Truth from God to lead him thither Then may men go unto the Altar of God unto God their exceeding joy and witness his Hill and House their dwelling-place when God by his Light and Truth sent forth from him into them leads them thither The Scriptures are words whose chief end drift and service is to bring men to the Word from which the Scriptures came And when men are there then they are in the Life of the Scriptures and witness the fulfilling of the Scriptures even the executing of the righteous judgments of God upon that spirit mind and nature in them which is contrary to his image and the fulfilling of the Promises and sure Mercies which belong to Christ the Seed and to them who are gathered into and abide in Christ the Seed Here 's the Covenant the new Covenant That which is said or those things which are said concerning the Covenant in the Scriptures are but descriptions of the new Covenant but Christ within the Hope of glory the Spirit within the Fear within the Power of Life within breaking down and reigning over the power of sin and death so that the Lord is served in the dominion and power of his own Life in righteousness and holiness before him out of the fear of sin and death all the dayes of our lives so that captivity can lead captive nor break the Souls peace no more nay not so much as make afraid those that keep their Habitation on Gods holy Mountain here is the Covenant indeed the strength and vertue whereof is witnessed in the Soul as the Soul feels the power of Life revealed in it and is made subject by the power to Christ who reigns in righteousness love mercy and Peace in the hearts of those whom he redeems out of the earthly nature and spirit up to the Mind and Spirit of his Father And here the Psalms Hymns and spiritual Songs the pure Songs the Song of Moses the Song of the Lamb are sung to the Father of Spirits to the Redeemer of Israel which never were sung nor can be sung in any part of Babylon but all those Songs are but Dreames of the night which will be turned into howling and bitter lamentation when the whore that which hath whored from God and is not in the wisdom of his Spirit what ever she may pretend is stripped and the nakedness of her Profession and Religion with all her Duties and Ordinances as she calls them made manifest Concerning the GOSPEL MINISTRATION IF the Gospel be not a Ministration of Words or Letters but of the Spirit Life and Power and if it was the intent of God that men should not stick in Word or Testimonies concerning the things but come to the thing it self and live in the Sons Life and Power and feel the Son living in them Then they are greatly mistaken who think to gather a Rule to themselves out of the Testimonies and Declarations of things in the Scriptures and do not wait upon the Lord to receive the Spirit it self to become their Rule Guide and Way For these are all one The Truth is the Way The Truth which lives and abides in the heart where it is received and entertained is the Way the Rule is the Guide For God is one There are many names but the thing is one The Life the Power the Wisdom in the Father Son and Spirit is all one yea they themselves are one Perfectly one not at all devided or separated but where the Father is the Son is and where the Son is the Spirit is and where the Spirit is there is both the Father and the Son who tabernacle in man in the day of the Gospel And where these are there that is which is to be preferred before all words which was afore them and is in Nature Spirit and Glory above them He that hath the Son hath Life even the Life Eternal which the words testifie of He that hath the Son hath him which is true and he that is in the Son is in him that is true and abiding there cannot be deceived but he that is not there is deceived let him apprehend and gather out of the Scriptures what he can O how is God glorified and how is Redemption and real Salvation of the Soul witnessed in this dispised Dispensation of Truth which God hath held forth in these latter dayes Blessed be the Name of the Lord who hath hid this pure dispensation of Life from the eye of the prudent worldly wise part in every man revealing it only to the babish simplicity which is of his Son and which lives in him and by him Concerning Christs being manifested without and His being also manifested within and how both are owned by them that know the Truth IT is objected against us who are called Quakers That we deny Christ and look not to be saved by him as he was manifested without us but look only to be saved by Christ in us To which this is in my heart to answer to such as singly desire satisfaction therein We do indeed expect to be saved yea and not only so but do already in our several measures witness Salvation by the revelation and operation of the Life of Christ within us yet not without relation to what he did without us For all that he did in that Body of Flesh was of the Father and had its place and service in the Will and according to the Counsel of the Father But the knowledg and beliefe of that since the dayes of the Apostles hath been very much held in the unrighteousness and in the separation
from the inward work of the Power and Life of Christ in the heart which as so held cannot save any But whoever feels the Light and Life of Christ revealed in him and comes into union with God there-through he feels the work of Regeneration of Sanctification of Justification of Life and Redemption and so comes to reap benefit inwardly and to partake of the blessed fruits of all that Christ did outwardly Yea he that is thus one with Christ in the Spirit cannot exclude himself nor is excluded by God from the advantage of any thing nor every thing Christ did in that body of Flesh This indeed is the main thing to witness Salvation wrought out in the heart to witness the eternal Power and Arm of the Lord laying hold on the Soul to save it and not only laying hold on it to save it but to witness the working out and the effecting of the Salvation as really in the Substance as Israel of old did in the shadow For as they witnessed Moses and Joshua outwardly so the true Israelite the inward Israelite the spiritual Israelite is to witness that which is the Substance of these even the Son of God revealed inwardly Now they were not saved outwardly by a baâ—e outward believing that Moses and Joshua were sent of God to save them but by following them in faith and obedience to what from God they required So to the inward Israel Christ is given for a Leader and Commander who appears to the distressed embondaged Soul in Egypt brings out of Egypt and so leads on towards the good Land and into it Now as the Soul followes as the Soul believes in his Appearances and obeys his voice in the holy pure Covenant of Life so he works out the Redemption thereof But as unbelief and disobedience gets up and the heart is heardened at any time against his Voice and Counsel and the ear open to the temtaptions of the Enemy the Redemption thereby goes backward and the distress and captivity returns again This is witnessed known and experienced by ever true Traveller towards Sion Therefore the main thing requisite is to abide in the sence of the Redeemers Power as also in waiting for his motions and apperances and in the Faith and Obedince thereof For sin gathers strength and is brought forth by letting in and giving way to the motions thereof and so also Holiness and Righteousness is brought forth and getteth ground in the mind by harkening and giving up to the stirrings and movings of Gods holy Spirit Therefore it is of great necessity to every true Traveller to come to a right understanding and distinguishing of these and then that the heart be kept with all diligence because out of it are the issues both of life and and death And most happy is he who knows the issues of death stopped and the issues of Life opened and whose spirit is naked and open before the Lord for Life to spring up in him and issue forth through him at its pleasure O it is a precious state to witness Captivity led Captive by Life and the power of Life reigning over it And truly there is as real deliverance witnessed inwardly by those that wait upon the Lord and are faithfull to the leadings of his holy Spirit as ever there was by the Jews outwardly in their faithfull following Moses and Joshua and Christ is as truly an Healer of his People in this ministration of Life to them by his holy Spirit as ever he was an Healer of Persons out wardly in the dayes of his Fesh That with the other Miracles which he wrought then was but a shadow of what he would work and perform inwardly in the day of his Spirit and holy Power and shall he or can he to those that faithfully wait upon him fall short in the one of what he shadowed out in the other Nay surely it was the intent of his heart and he will not fail to perform it to save to the very utmost all that come to God by him and abide in his holy pure righteous living Covenant Here is the skill of Christianity to abide in him and here the living Virtue and pure Power is felt which overcometh all but nothing can overcome it but Victory Dominion Glory Majesty and Power is sung unto him who is King of Saints who reigns in righteousness and who establisheth Peace and Truth within his Borders A few words concerning the the Principle of Truth What it is How it may be discerned and how it may be purchased and possessed QUest 1. What is the Principle of Truth Answ It is the Light which reproves and makes sin manifest Whatsoever doth make manifest is Light Wherefore he saith Awake thou that sleepest arise from the dead c. Eph. 5.13.14 There is no other way of awaking out of sleep and arising from the the dead but by the Light which makes sin manifest And O how pretious is that Light Quest 2. How may the Principle of Truth be discerned Answ By its piercing quickning nature which discovereth it self in its appearances and operations For it appears and works not like mans reason or like motions of his mind which he takes into his understanding part but it appears and works livingly powerfully and effectually in the heart Mans reason is corrupt dark impure since the fall and in the hand and under the power of the wicked one It s nature is to hide and cover sin not to discover it Now the Light of the Law which discovers sin ariseth not hence Who can bring the clean pure light of the Law out of the unclean impure Reason of man The Light indeed may shine in the Darkness but it is no part of it but of another nature and descent It is from Gods Spirit and given to man in his love unto him to lead him out of his dark wayes and spirit into the pure Spirit and way of Holiness For the Light which discovers sin is all holy and pure like the Fountain from whence it comes Now a man that is acquainted both with Reason and with this Light he can distenguish the Nature and operations of both For there is a great difference between TRUTH held in the Reasoning part and TRUTH held in its own Principle It is very powerful in the one it effecteth little in the other In the pure quickenings of Life this distinction is perceived and also held Therefore our advice is to all men to retire from all mortality that they may come to feel the Spring of Life in themselves and something springing therefrom into them to quicken them and to wait to have their understandings opened and kept open by that that so they may receive retain and not again lose the capacity of understanding the things of Gods Kingdom Quest 3 How may this Principle Seed or Pearl be purchased and possessed Answ By dying to a mans own wisdom and will There is not another way For the Light is wholly contrary
exceedingly and Paul a Minister of Christ trembled but they make a scorn of trembling and quaking and shew themselves ignorant and strangers to the Life and Power of God as their Generation ever was who still made a scorn and reproach of the holy men of God that trembled and quaked but the Seed of God and the Prophets and the Servants of the Lord we own and their conditions we witness and therefore all the Priests and them that deny the holy men of God we utterly deny Heb. 12.21 Ezek. 12.18 Dan. 10.10 Jer. 23.9 Psalm 119.120 Hos 13. â— Habbak 3.16 Acts 9.6 Gen. 27.23 They are such Teachers as tell the people that Christ hath not enlightened every one that comes into the world when as Christ saith He doth enlighten every one that comes into the World and hear they go about to make Christ a lyer and John Baptist a false Prophet and deny the Scriptures and they say God hath not given every one a measure according to his ability when at Christ saith He hath done it Christ is the light of the World and by him the World was made and he came into the World and the World received him not it is so now Light shines in darkness and the darkness comprehends it not and this is the condemnation That Light is come into the world the one he loves the Light and brings his deeds to it that they may be made manifest and walk in it there is no occasion of stumbling in him the other he hates the Light because his deeds are evil and this is his condemnation and we witness the Light wherewith Christ hath enlightened every one that comes into the world and by obedience to the Light he is become our Master our Teacher and all who stumble at the Light and deny it are ignorant of the Foundation Stone and know not the first Principle but are shut out from knowing any thing of God and therefore the Priests and all their followers we deny Joh. 1.9 and 3.19 20. Mat. 25.15 They are such Teachers as walk out of the Doctrine of the Apostles and practise of all the Churches Paul saith If any thing be revealed to him that sits by let the first hold his peace for all may prophesie one by one that God in all things may be glorified and you edified and the spirits of the Prophets are subject to the Prophets and God is the Author of Peace and not of confusion and this was in all the Churches of the Saints But now if any man come among them while they are speaking or when they haue done and be moved to speak any thing them of their Church the rude multitude fall upon him with Staves Fists and Punches and Knocks him down with Stones shewing themselves to be of that generation that stoned Stephen to death and the Priests call to the Officers to take him to the Stocks and to carry him before the Magistrate and from thence he is sent to Prison and called a disturber of the Peace here they shew themselves to be no Ministers of Christ and their Assembly to be no Church but in confusion for that which was order among the Saints is disorder amongst them the Church of Christ was never Fighters nor Quarrellers nor Scorners such Churches are the fruits of the Ministry of ENGLAND who were made by the will of man and never sent of Christ and therefore they do not profit the people at all but are Persecutors of the Messengers of Christ and therefore we deny them 1 Cor. 14 32.33 Acts 7. Ver. 23.32 They are such Teachers as have told us we should never be made free from Sin while we are upon earth when as the Apostle saith They were made free from Sin he thanks God and had put of thâ— body of Sin so we find they had told us lyes contrary to the Scripture and the Apostle saith While we were servants of sin we were free from righteousness so in that state we find them and therefore we deny them And they have told us none shall ever be Sanctified nor the body of Sin destroyed nor cleansed from Sin while they are upon earth when as the Apostle said They were sanctified and the blood of Jesus Christ cleanseth from all Sin and the Ministers of God said they reigned as Kings and here they deny the Scriptures and therefore we deny them And they deny the begotten Son of God which Sinneth not and calleth it blasphemy for any to witness that born which Sins not when the Scripture saith He that is born of God Sinneth not neither can he Sin because he is born of God and the seed of God remaines in him and he that commits Sin is of the Devil and hereby are the Children of God made manifest and the Children of the Devil and as he is so are we in this present world and a good tree cannot bring forth evil fruit if the root be holy so are the branches and one Fountain cannot send forth sweet water and bitter he that can receive it let him but the cheif Priests and Elders and Pharisees and Sadduces and Rulers at this stumbled then and so they stumble now at the Light from whence these words were given forth which doth enlighten every one that comes into the world and therefore we deny them Rom. 6.18 and 6.6 Rom. 8.10 1 Cor. 6.11 1 Joh. 1.7 1 Joh. 3.6 9 10. 1 Joh. 4.17 And they aâ—e such Teachers that have told us none shall ever be perfect while they are upon the earth when as Christ saith be ye perfect as your Father which is in heaven is perfect and the Apostle saith By one offering he hath perfected for ever them that are sanctified And the Ministry of Christ is for the perfecting of the Saints till they all come to the measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ to a perfect man Here we find them to deny the Scriptures and the everlasting offering and all such we cannot but deny and we witness the everlasting offering which perfects for ever them that are sanctified Praises to the Lord for ever who hath sent forth his Son in the likeness of Sinful flesh to condemn Sin in the flesh that in him we might be made the righteousness of God and all that deny perfection and sanctification deny this offering and the gift of God which is perfect and the Ministry of God which is for perfecting the Body and such Ministers are not Members of the Body nor can present any man perfect in Christ Jesus and therefore we deny them Mar. 5.10 Heb. 10.14 Eph. 4.12 13. 2 Cor. 5.21 James 1.17 They are such Teachers as deny the everlasting Covenant and the anointing for if any come to witness that they are taught of God and that he hath written his Law in their hearts and put his Spirit within them and that none need say to them know the Lord then they cry out to the Magistrates and ignorant people
of War those were only Tythes of the Spoil and not by a Command And Christ was according to the Order of Melchisedeck who puts an end to War and destroyes the Devil its Author and redeems out of the Earth And although we are many thousands yet there is not a Beggar among us neither do we read there were any Beggars in the Primitive-Times which Church denyed Tythes and said The Priesthood was changed that took them together with the Law by which they were set up and also the Commandment which gave them So they who take Tythes and they who pay them are both Anti-christs and deny Christ to be come in the Flesh XII Of the HIGHER POWER Moses who had the Law saw over all Transgression and before it was he saw the state which Adam had in the Garden before he Fell he saw his state in the Fall and how Death reigned from Adam to Moses who received the Law which Law passed over all Transgression which Law did answer to the Witness of God in all which was a Command to people that they might not sin and that they might be kept from sin and so from Death which raigns from Adam to Moses which Law passeth over both sin and Death And this was the Higher Power higher than the Transgression which answereth to the Witness of God against the Rebellions which Witness is true holy righteous and equal which Law is just holy and good a true Measure and just Weight this is called the Higher Power this was added untill the Seed came which is Christ and this Law they were to hear even Moses To whom Wisdom was given to make the Pattern and to set forth Figures and Shaddows under the Law till Christ should come Of which Moses said The Lord will raise up a Prophet like unto me him shall ye hear in all things And when Christ himself came he put an end to all those Types Figures and Shaddows and changable things for in him there is no Shaddow who is called Gods Righteousness So the Law was in use untill the Seed came and Moses who had it said God shall raise up a Prophet like unto him and now he is come which we hear to wit the Seed who is the end of all the Prophets who Prophesied of him and so He is the end of the Law for Righteousness to every one that believe So Believers are Members of the true Church of which Christ is the Head So Christ is the end of the Law for Righteousness to every one that believeth Which Christ purgeth his Floor and burneth up the Chaffe commeth with his Fan Baptizeth with his holy Spirit and Fire and bringeth his Wheat into his Garner And Christ is the end of all Oaths which were under the Law and which was before the Law viz. of Oaths which put an end to strife among Men. XIII Of the KINGDOM of CHRIST how it is held up and how not The Kingdom of Christ is not held up by Carnal Weapons for saith Christ My Kingdom is not of this World therefore his Servants fight not Now all you that profess your selves to be Christians and bringers of glad Tydings yet ye are Fighthers with Clubs and Swords about Religion you are not the Servants of Christ who are fighting for an Earthly Kingdom for in Christs Kingdom we must fight with Spiritual Weapons in Patience and Long-suffering And Christ said to his Disciples who would have had fire to come down from Heaven to consume those that were contrary to them as it was in the dayes of the Prophet Elias That they knew not what spirit they were of So they who destroy Mens Lives and doth not save them they are not according to the mind of Christ nor the way of Christ but are under the Condemnation of it neither do they know what Spirit they are of And so they who are Spiritually wise cannot commit their Souls Bodies nor Spirits into the hands of such XIV Concerning Teachers Prophets Pastors Bishops Presbyters c. Teachers Prophets Pastors Presbyters and Bishops ought not to be such as are given to filthy lucre nor covetous nor given to wine nor strikers nor brawlers nor covetous of earthly things nor to teach for filthy lucre nor to contend about words and fables and vain Phylosophy and beggarly Rudiments and Traditions and Doctrines of men nor their Commandements neither ought they to compel People to observe Dayes Meats and Drinks nor such like things nor to bear Rule by their Means nor they ought not to be such who seek their gain from their quarter such were forbidden and such as teach for money and handfulls of Barly and pieces of Bread and such as teach for lucre were forbidden and opposed by the true Prophets Teachers and Apostles and such as wore long Robes and were called of Men Master and followed and loved Salutations in Markâ—ts and the uppermost Roomes at Feasts and such like all such are out of Christ and against such Christ himself cryed Woe woe who said Ye have one Master even Christ and ye are all Brethren And that it should not be so among them as it was among the Gentiles And so all they who have the Scriptures of Christ of the Apostles and Prophets and not in the Power and Spirit that gave them forth and do not obey it which reproves them that they may come into it but stop their Ears and shut their Eyes against it such are like the Pharisees these cannot worship God in the Spirit neither can they pray in the Spirit nor sing in the Spirit but quench it and burthen it and vex it These are out of the Fellowship of the Spirit and out of the Fellowship of God the Father of Spirits Those erre not knowing the Scriptures nor the Power of God And such go hither and thither to change their Way and go from the Spirit of God in their hearts which would lead them to Christ the Way the Truth and the Life So all such who have the Form of Godliness and are not in the Power and Spirit in which they were in who gave forth the words such are to be denyed And the true Praying is in the Spirit and the true Worship true Praysing and true Singing must be in the Spirit So they who grieve and vex the Spirit and quench it they cannot Worship God in the Spirit XV. An Exhortation to all Christendom to mind the Grace of God to wit the Light All ye People in that part of the World which is called Christendom come to the Light wherewith Christ hath enlightned you that with it you may see your Salvation and may know Christ you Teacher the Captain of your Salvation and the Grace which comes by him which brings your Salvation which Grace teacheth us which Grace is sufficient in weakness and temptations which brings the Salvation and by it we are saved And this Grace teacheth us to deny ungodliness and worldly Lusts and to live soberly and
righteously and this is our Teacher that brings Salvation So you may have all the loynes of your mind girded up to wait for the Grace which is to be brought to you at the Revelation of Jesus Christ according to Peters Exhortation Now they who turn from the Grace and walkes despightfully against the Spirit of God they set up Teachers according to their own hearts lusts and such makes Merchandize of them alwayes learning of them but never able to come to the knowledge of the Truth but still remains in earthly mindedness covetousness and temptations and weaknesses where is mournings and complaints and where there are very many mourners and complainers among such as turn from the Grace of God into wantonness and set up Teachers as aforementioned according to their own hearts lusts c. Therefore come ye to the Grace of God and it will give you to see your ungodliness your unrighteousness and your worldly lusts and intemperance This Grace is your Teacher continually who brings Salvation if you take heed and have regard to it and love it but if you turn it into wantonness the sudden judgement of God will come upon you So take heed to the Grace of God your constant Teacher which brings Salvation by which Grace you will see your Salvation brought in For The mighty Day of the Lord is coming upon all unrighteousness of men The Son of the Lord God will appear against you he who hath all Power in Heaven and in Earth given to him who is King of kings and Lord of lords So take heed to the Light and receive it wherewith he hath enlightned so you receive the Lord himself Open ye your Gates that the King of Glory may enter in who stands at the door and knocketh turn ye to the Light and then you open the door where the coming in of the King of Glory is discerned And come from all the barren Mountains who are in the Fall alienated from the Image of God Life and Power Come from all those Wells without Water and Clouds without Rain who are as Vagabonds tossed up and down like a Tempest Come to the Light and receive the Light that in the Light ye may receive Christ and be his Children that by the same you may see the Day-Star appearing where the Sons of God sing together For Woe is to the World that lyeth in iniquity for the Lord is coming to judge it and to render to every one according to their works whether they be good or evil And with the Light every one of you knows whether your works are good or evil for what is to be known of God is manifest in you for God hath manifested it to you when you do any thing that is naught or unjust or worthy of Death by that which is of God in you you know it And when you go from this which is of God in you you do not glorify God as God but are alienated from his Life and Strangers from the Covenant of Life and Peace which is in Christ and so your foolish hearts are darkned and filled with unrighteousness and upon such comes the judgments and displeasure of God Now they who are delivered from the wrath to come they come to that which is of God in themselves viz. to the Light and so they see Christ the Covenant of God so Man is brought into peace with God and saved from the wrath to come and from all false Wayes false Doctrines false Worships and false Churches Commandments Traditions Rudimenus Will-worships Inventions and from Hand-Worship and Lip-Service So come to the Light and Spirit of God in your selves that by it you may be converted to God and may Worship him in Spirit and walk in the Spirit in Christ Jesus who was before sin was For since Man fell from God from his Power and Image all the false Wayes false Worships false Churches have been set up and by that Spirit and Power and Wisdom which is out of Truth from below which leads men to kill one another about them So the Light is the Way by which Life is to be found and this is the Light which enlighteneth you So come to the Light and you come to the Way which was before the power of Death was And Christ is called the Way and he is called the Light and who are out of the Light they are out of Him the Way in the wayes of Death and Darkness and Bondage For as the Jews outward were in Bondage and Captivity under Pharaoh in Egypt so the Jews inward in the Spirit are captivated in Spiritual Sodom and Egypt They who do not take to the directions of the Spirit and heareth what it saith for every man ought to hearken and hear what the Spirit saith to the Churches and not to mind nor hear any visible thing And in it viz. the Spirit they Edifie build and gather together and meet together in Vnity and Fellowship XVI Of PERFECTION He who leads man into Imperfection is the Devil and his work who leads from God for Man was Perfect before he fell for all his works were perfect So Christ who dâ—stroyeth the Devil and his works makes Man perfect again destroying him who made him imperfect which the Law could not do so by his blood he cleanseth from all sin and by the One Offering he perfecteth for ever them that are sanctified And they who do not believe in the Light which cometh from Christ by which they see the Offering and receive the Blood they are in unbeliefs concernig it And the Apostles who were in the Light Christ Jesus who destroyes the Devil and his works they spoke wisdom among them that were perfect although they could not do it among them that were carnal And their work was to perfect the Saints and for this end they had their Ministry given them until they all came to the knowledge of the Son of God who destroyeth the Devil and all his works and who put an end to the Prophets and to the first Covenant Types Figures and Saddows And the Apostles work was to bring people to the Vnity of the Faith which purified their hearts which gave them Victory over that which seperates them from God in which they have access to God by which Faith they please him by which they are justified and so at last they come to a PERFECT MAN to the measure of the Statrue of the fulness of CHRIST And so the Apostle saith We preach Christ in you the hope of Glory Warning every man that we may present Every Man Perfect in CHRIST JESUS XVII Of the RESURRECTION We say that Christ is the Resurrection and the Life to raise up that which Adam lost who hath all Power in Heaven and in Earth given to him and to destroy him who deceived him viz. Adam So Christ is the Resurrestion unto Life of Body Soul and Spirit and so renews Man into the Image of God and brings Man into an higher condition
than that in which Adam stood before the Fall even to himself who never changed and never fell nor never will fall And so they who forget God and do wickedly they are to be turned into Hell For they who forget God and do wickedly they go from the Life and Power of God into the Seperation from him and out of his acceptance for in the Life is the acceptance and so the Power Light and Life goeth over them who go into sin and iniquity which leades from God who was before Transgression was XVIII Concerning ELECTION and REPROBATION Reprobation is an Alienation from the Life and from that which is of God within and from his Voice and Command as Adam and the Jews did and such who despise that which is of God within they despise their Birth-right Such are concluded to be out of true Vnderstanding and true Knowledge and the Witness of God within is grieved and such are dead in their sences from the Life and Covenant of Peace with God and from the Seed which is called the Elect in which the Elect and the Election is known in the Seed Christ before the Foundation of the World which World slew him and they who slew him and now slayes him they were and are Reprobated from the Life who go from the Command of God and they have lost his Image they have lost his Power which keeps over and above and out of the Reprobation And so they who come into the Election the Seed they come out of the State in which Adam was in the Fall into the state in which he was in before he Fell and into an higher state than that into Christ the Seed the Elect. And so they in the Seed in the Elect in Christ the Wisdom of God they comprehend and see the state of Election before the World was laid and the State of Adam before the Fall and the State of Adam in the Fall in the Reprobation and the state of Adam restored again out of the Fall and a State which is higher than that in which Adam was in before he Fell into the Election which is a thing beyond that and the state of the beloved of God is seen in the Seed the Wisdom of God Cain was the first Birth Esau was the first Birth Ishmael was the first Birth Cain killed his Brother about Religion Ishmael was a Scoffer Esau bore the Sword he despised his Birth-right he fought against his Brother Jacob. So Christendom read your Reprobation the first Birth which is born of the Elesh for the first Birth will persecute him who is born of the Spirit So the most part of Christians are seen to be of the first Birth and to remain in the Reprobation from God Cain departed from the Voyce of God and Esau from his Birth-right and Ishmael in his scoffing nature they went from the Good and so from faithful Abraham who was in the Election And so they who are in Cains Ishmaels and Esaus nature are in the first Birth which is not Elected Now as to the Love of God towards one and his Hatred to another before either had done good or evil all this consists in the first Birth who despised his Birth-right which God foresaw which was not the Seed unto which the Love of God is to for ever Therefore know thy self O Christendom and thy Birth that that which hates the Principle of God and his Voice is reprobated he that rebells against Gods command and his Voyce God turneth against such neither doth he hear such who hates the Election and are in the Reprobation from the Seed yea even from the Law it self for the Law keeps a man from sin But the Law it self doth not say that it destroys the Devil but the Seed viz. Christ who is higher than the Law who is the Election and destroys the Devil So who knows the Election they must know the Seed they must know the Birth born of the Spirit Now if all Christendom know the Election they must know the Birth born of the Spirit which will not Persecute For the nature of Cain Ishmael and Esau is one of which the Apostle spoke in the Primitive times which we now also say is one and the Election is one which standeth in the Seed which was before the Foundation of the wicked world was And the Reprobation is one which standeth in the unjust world out of the Truth and the Life in disobedience to the Command of God Therefore know the one Reprobation and the one Election then ye shall know the Seed in which is the Wisdom of God and ye shall know that which goes from his Voyce Power and Command out of the Wisdom of God so whom God loves he loves for ever Know Jacob and know Esau Esau Cain and Ishmael were the first-born and is not Christendom of the first-birth who Persecutes who departs from the good and despises the pure and persecutes the Birth born of the Spirit which God hates And such act out of his Life in the Reprobation out of his Power and Wisdom and out of the Election Christ the Seed the second Birth who was before the Carnal Birth was and remains when he will be gone unto which the Love of God is for ever and unto whom is the Promise which goeth over the outward Birth and destroyes the Devil and his works who went from Truth and led man from God by which the Curse Wrath and Woe came upon Man which Christ the Seed brings the Blessing and gives man to see the blessed state of all things how they were in the beginning and how they were blessed in the beginning and through Christ Man comes up into the power which is his Throne where there 's Blessing and no Curse at all XIX Concerning FEAR and TREMBLING The strong Man hath kept the House long and his Goods have been at Peace but now He is come who is stronger than he Christ Jesus the Stronger who doth dis-inherit and cast him out and spoil his Goods and makes Man the Temple of God that â—e himself may dwell in him an holy Temple and an Habitation for himself to dwell in who maketh the Keepers of the House to Tremble by which power of Christ the Salvation is wrought out with fear and Trembling And so we can say That it is God that workeâ—h in us both to will and to do according to his will and good pleasure In the dayes of the Prophets the Prophet he trembled and staggered like a Drunkard for the Iniquity of the Times and because of the holiness of the Word of the Lord He trembled when he heard his Voyce and when the Lord spake to him he feared greaâ—ly This is the Man whom God regards saith the Prophet Isayas who is of a broken and contrâ—ie spirit and trembleth at his word Who have been cast out by their Brethren who said let the Lord be glorified Who will appear for those that tremble at his Word and
honourable So forsake and come out of all vain Words and all vain Customs and all unprofitable and idle Communications and Talkings for which you are judged and condemned with the Light viz. the Light in your Consciences which reproves you and come into the the new Life in which God is served that your words may be seasoned with grace that by it your hearts may be established that no corrupt communication may proceed out of your mouthes for whatsoever is corrupt is contrary to the Witness of God in your Consciences to Christ the Light which reproves you Therefore away with all the Customes and Fashions of the World which grieve and quench the Spirit of God and repent while ye have time and spend not your time like a Tale come to the Light and sleep not in sin in darkness in seperation from God but prize the time while you have it lest in the end ye come to say we have had time but now it is past but so mind the Power of God the Light of Christ Jesus by which you may redeem it XXXII Concerning False Prophets and Antichrists False Prophets and Antichrists are much condemned in this part of the World called Christendom and they bring the 7th Chapter and the 24th Chapter of Matthew and say that they are but now come To which I Answer that Christ said They should come viz. Antichrists and False Apostles he said to his Disciples that they shall come i. e. to his Disciples and he gave them markes how they should know them A corrupt tree cannot bring forth good fruit nor a good tree cannot bring forth evil fruit And if it were possible they should deceive the very Elect for they have the Sheeps-cloathing And he commanded his Disciples that they should not follow them for they were inwardly ravening Wolves having the Sheeps cloathing And those were Antichrists and False Prophets false Christs and Deceivers who were inwardly ravend from the Light and so from the Seed viz. the true Christ And Christ told his Disciples those should come and before the decease of his Disciples they came as we may read in the first Epistle of John the second Chapter and fourth Chapters he saith Little Children ye have heard that Antichrist should come and even now there are many Antichrists and false Prophets come into the World So Christ had spoken before that they should come and his Disciples said that they were already come who went out from them inwardly ravend from the Spirit and this was above sixteen hundred years since And John who saw them already come he directed the Saints to this annointing in themselves and said to them that they had not need that any one should teach them but as this annointing taught them they should abide in the Father and in the Son And so those Anti-christs false Prophets Wolves false Christs inwardly ravend they bear Pryars Thornes and Thistles which Christ said shall come and his Disciples said they were come and who went out from them into the World And in the Revelations it is said The whole World went after them So they went out from the Church Fellowship Gospel they went out from the Fellowship of the Spirit within being ravend from it they went from the annointing within which should teach them they went from the Law in the heart to wit from the New Covenant and they went from the Kingdom within and they went from the Word which is in the the heart to obey it and to do it they went out from the Light in the heart which gives the knowledge of God in the face of Jesus Christ and so they lost the Pearl hid in the Field viz. the World in their hearts And so the false Prophets went out from the Disciples and as was said before in the Revelations it s said the whole World went after them So John wrote to the seven Churches which erred by permitting Jezabel to teach and to set up Idols and such who said they were Jews and were not but were the Synagogues of Satan So he goes on in the Revelation till he comes to the eleventh Chapter where the Witnesses are slain the two Olives which carried the oyl to the annointing of the Nations the two Candlesticks which holds the Light And in the 12th Chapter the Woman viz. the true Church fled into the Wilderness prepared for her of God that there she should be nourished for a time times and half a time And in the 13th Chapter The Dragon gives his Power to the Beast and the Beast with the Dragons power makes war against the Saints and killed them who were lâ—ft of that Seed who kept the Testimony of Jesus the Spirit of Prophesie who were in him from whom the ravening Wolves had departed Then all that dwelt upon the Earth worshipped the Beast and worshipped the Dragon and both caused and compelled all both small and great to fall down and worship And from hence arose this compelling power to Worship Then the false Prophet and the Whore through the Dragons Power got upon the Beast and caused all Nations to drink of her Cup. So thus the whore arose which went from the Apostles and from their Life Power and Spirit and committed Fornication before the Nations were married to Christ they took the Cup of Fornication of this Whore And she drank the blood of the Saints and Martyrs who were not inwardly ravend and who could not drink of her Cup. Yea she drank the blood of the Saints and Prophets who kept the Testimony of Jesus who were not inwardly ravend And so such doings and works they have set up for the space of fifteen hundred years viz. Killing and murdering and they have dispersed themselves into all Nations as the Apostles they were to go into all Nations And such works the Wolves have wrought in the Sheeps cloathing yea those who are inwardly ravend from the Spirit of God whose fruits are Brambles Bryars and Thorns and such like works those Raveners have done since the dayes of the Apostles being ravend from their Life and Power having the Words of the Sheep the Scriptures but not in the Power and Life which gave them forth therefore Bryars and Thorns appear who devour and kill the Lambs and compels them to worship and use violence upon them and their outward things about Religion which was not the work of the Apostles And so John saith Again the Beast and the Dragon and the False Prophets which hath deceived the Nations which Christ said should come and John said was come who went out from them from which time the World hath gone after them for the space of fifteen hundred years is to be taken Which Beast and false Prophet shall be taken and cast into the Lake of fire and the Nations shall be deceived no more and the Whore the great Whore which hath compelled the Nations to drink the Blood of the Saints is to be taken and her flesh burnt with fire and
Babylon shall be confounded and all Merchants which have Merchandized with her shall howle and lament and cry Alas alas How is this great City fallen For there hath been a merchandizing in this great City which must be thrown down and all the Merchants of this great City have been those that inwardly ravend from the Spirit of God who have built up and plucked down So unto this from which they have Apostatized you must all come before the Sheeps Life be known and so the Witnesses are raised and shall be raised who hold the Light and carries the Oyl to enlighten the Nations and to annoint them yea the Spirit and Power and Fellowship and Worship in which the Apostles were formerly in And the Cry is begun Fear God and give glory to him Come out of her my People lest you be pertaker of her Plagues And the Mourners shall go forth and the Prophets prophesie Who witness the Spirit of God fallen upon them as formerly among the Apostles And the Everlasting Gospel shall be preached to all Nations Kindreds and People XXXIII Concerning an OBJECTION of PEOPLE Objection But many people speak after this manner Have not we had the Gospel all this time till now Answer We say No You have had the Sheeps-cloathing while you are alienated from the Spirit and so not living in the Power which is the Gospel And the Bride the Lambs Wife is coming out of the Wilderness which hath been nourished of God for a time and times and dividing of times preparing for her Husband and the Man-Child is risen to rule all Nations with a Rod of Iron And the Lamb and the Saints shall have the Victory Glory to the Highest and people shall come into Gospel-Fellowship and to the Church of God and Church-Fellowship in the Gospel the Power of God which was before the Power of Satan was which Gospel was among the Apostles in which their Fellowship was and this is Gospel-Fellowship and in the Power of God they are over all false Prophets false Worshippers over the Dragon over the false Church and his Worship which are begotten betwixt us and the Apostles and are gotten beyond them and see their rise who are inwardly ravend from the Spirit and are gone from the Truth as the Devil and the Whore heretofore who set themselves against them who are in the Truth But here is the Faith and Patience of the Saints who seeth the destruction of the Whore the Beast the Dragon and the false Prophet by the hand and power of God who know the Seed of God to raign over all viz. he who is the First and the Last XXXIV Of the JEW Inward and Outward and of a CHRISTIAN in the Power and out of the Power The Uncircumcised Gentiles which have not the Law and yet do those things contained in the Law are better than the Circumcised Jews which have the Law and are more Sober and Moderate and so the Jew within in the Spirit is more Excellent than the Jew without in the Flesh And so a Christan in the Light and Power and Seed of God is more excellent than a Christan in the Form of Godliness and yet out of the Power and more Moderate and Patient XXXV Concerning CHRIST the COVENANT of GOD. Christ the Covenant of God was foretold by the Prophet who said I will give him for a Light and for a Covenant to the Gentiles and he shall be my Salvation to the ends of the Earth yea the New Covenant to the House of Israel and to the house of Judah So this Covenant is made to all People to them who were called the People of God and to the Gentiles also And this is that Covenant of Light unto which John came to bear Witnesse which enlighteneth every one that cometh into the World which giveth Power to all who receive it to become the Sons of God from him who hath all power in Heaven and Earth given to him And this is the Light in which people must believe by which they become Children of God and this is the Light which shineth in Darkness and out of the Darkness which is in the heart which giveth the Knowledge of the Glory of God in the Face of Christ Jesus from whence it comes and this is that Light which they who love darkness hate and will not come to it because it reproves them And by this Covenant of Light to the Gentiles which is Salvation to the ends of the Earth Now we who are Gentiles are become Christians and we obtain Salvation and by Faith in this Covenant we become Children of the Light and by receiving it we receive Power to become the Sons of God But they who hate this Light and love Darkness rather than the Light and do not come to it because it condemns them even this Light is their Condemnation XXXVI Concerning Plots and Conspiracies Plots Conspiracies Insurrections Tumultuous Meetings we utterly abhorre who live peaceably and seek the peace and good of all People upon earth There were about thirty of the fifth Monarchy men who made an Insurrection in England which Insurrection was wickedly laid to the charge of the People of God called Quakers from which Insurrection the Monarchy men themselves declared when they were to dye That we were Innocent yet nevertheless the Diurnals and News-Books have joyned us together with the Monarchy men in that Plot and Insurrection and have published us to the Nations as Plotters though we are Innocent And we say The Lord forgive them for wronging of us The lying Priests and Professors say That we deny the Scriptures and that we deny the Resurrestion and Christ and his Body and that we foame at the mouth and that we bewitch men and bind Ribband about their Armos which are altogether false and lies and from their Father the Devil the Author of them who is out of the Truth in which Truth we are however scandalized by them who are of the Father of Lyes And what evil soever they may bring against us yet we are in the Truth and can rejoyce Praised be the Lord who lives for ever XXXVII Concerning Original Sin The Devil is the Original of Sin which Christ destroyes God is the Original of Righteousness and Christ is Gods Righteousness which endures for ever but the Worlds Original is the many Languages whose Original is Babel which makes Divines as they call them with many Languages set a top of Christ And the Whore sits upon the Waters as it s spoken in the Revelation And John saith The Waters are Nations Multitudes People and Tongues which Tongues they call their Original To which Waters the Gospel must be preached before they can be established And ye are to be redeemed from Tongues and Tongues shall cease saith the Apostle and so from this Worlds Original the beginning of which is Babel and which keeps in Babylon the Saints are redeemed And this hath been set up as an Original among them who are
certain place but travels from place to place and hath no certain dwelling place and such are the true Ministers of Jesus Christ who make the Gospel free and without charge and this we own and witness and for the testimony of this true Ministry some of us are imprisoned some stoned some stocked whipped and shamefully entreated as Vagabonds and Deluders and Wanderers and raisers of Sedition and pestilent Fellows and esteemed not worthy to live in the Nation both by Priest and People and Rulers who are out of the Commands of God and are Vagabonds and Fugitives from God who go in the way of Cain to envy and murder the Innocent and because we declare against all who come not in by the door but seeâ—s to climb up another way by their study inventions and Serpentine Wisdom and Knowledge and so are Thieves and Robbers and those are they which are now so set up and extoll'd in England with great Augmentations and Benefices by the arm and will of flesh now heads of England and such Ministers and their Ministry we deny for the hand of the Lord is against such John 10.1 But this which we own is no new Call nor new Ministry but the same which was with the Prophets and Apostles And all who God sent witnessed and here is the difference of the Ministers of the World and the Ministers of Christ the one comes by the will of Man the other by the will of God and the one is upheld by the will of Man the other by the will of God contrary to the will of Man and the one of the Letter the other of the Spirit the one hath the Form and Shadow and the other the Life and Substance and the effects and fruits of their Ministry makes them manifest but from such turn away 2 Tim. 3.5 who have the Form but not the Life and Power for they are meer deceivers and witches bewitch people from the Truth holding forth the Shadow instead of the Substance and what is the Shadow to the Substance or what is the Chaffe to the Wheat He that hath an ear to hear let him hear and understand Concerning MAGISTRACY and GOVERNMENT Magistracy and Government we own in its Place for while there is Transgression there must be a Law 1 John 3.4 and while the Devil hath power over man there will be Transgression so the Law was added because of Transgression Gal. 3.29 and the Devil was the cause of it so there must be a Law without to keep those who are without the Fear of God in subjection else they would destroy one another and Cain would destroy Abel for this is the Devils work and so for this end was the Law given forth to curb evil doers and to preserve and encourage them that do well 1 Pet. 2.14 And it was according to that in the Conscience just holy and good according to the Will of God and serviceable in its place And true Government according to the Law of God is serviceable in its place And all Magistrates who fear God and hate covetousness and are guided by the Light of God in the Conscience and executes the Law in its place place without partiallity or respect of persons and such are serviceable in their place and this we own and honour and are subject to for Conscience sake but the righteous are from under the outward Law for they are a Law unto themselves neither is there need of any Law amongst them who walk not after the flesh but after the Spirit for against such there is no Law but he that walkes after the flesh cannot please God neither know how to Rule nor Govern who cannot witness his own Will subjected by the Law of God in the heart but is guided by his own will and stands in his own will and such wink at deceit and rule with partiality and respect of persons and so transgresseth the Law of God which respects no mans person and also gives forth Lawes in his own will which takes hold of the righteous persecutes the righteous and countenances and encourages the Heathen who know not God so Cain slayes Abel within them and they suffer Cain to slay Abel without them and the wicked and ungodly have more Liberty in the Nation than the righteous and so the Land abounds with iniquity oppression and treachery because such corrupt Magistrates wink at deceits for carnal ends and upholds iniquity and oppression and tread Truth under foot and this is the cause why the Land so abounds with all manner of ungodliness and deceit falshood tyranny oppression and persecution and yet full of Magistrates and Officers and corrupt Magistrates put corrupt Magistrates in Office and so they bear with and wink at one another and feeds and nourishes up deceit amongst them unless they cross one anothers will and then they are as much in deceit on the other side seeking and perverting the Law for revenge and such as these upholds these corrupt Ministers and false Prophets which the Nation swarmes of and they can have a Law to maintain their deceit and uphold them in oppression and so the Beast upholds the false Prophet and they combine together against the simple and so the Law is made a stalking-horse to deceive the simple and they will pervert and wrest the Law out of its place and act contrary to their own Law against the righteous and such Magistrates and such Government we honour not but deny and testifie against it as the prophet of God alwayes did for by such Magistrates and Government did the Righteous ever suffer and for the same testimony of a pure Conscience I have and do suffer by such corrupt Magistrates and hundreds more in the Nation who are redeemed out of Transgression who walk not after the flesh but after the Spirit And Haman who stood in the corrupt will would have destroyed Mordecay because he crossed his will and could not bow to him and also Pharaoh and Nebuchadonozer and Herod who headed John who stood in their own wills but the hands of the Lord they did not escape And so corrupt Magistrates say we deny all Magistracy and Government as Haman did but Christ comes to fulfill and end all outward Lawes and Government of Man and he himself will Reign for as Truth and Righteousness growes the Law is fulfilled and passeth away and the Lyon and the Lamb lye down together and this is the cause why corrupt Magistrates beat down the Truth as much as they can and so to uphold themselves but God will deliver his own and Pharaoh will he plague and confound but such Magistrates as are guided by the Light of God in the Conscience and Rules and Governs by it without partiality or respect of persons in singleness of heart discharging their Consciences before the Lord and executing the Law in its place and such Magistrates and such Government we own and honour in our hearts for