Scriptures of Truth and from the Saints life Where do you read that the Saints made Images and set them up and bowed unto them and worshipped before them Or did they pray unto Images or make an Image of Christ or of the Saints and fall down before it and pray unto it Or did they ever sprinâ—le Water one upon another and called it Holy Water And did they ever pray by their Beads and use Crosses and Crucifixes And had they a POPE to rule over them and to order them in the Worship of God Who first made Cardinals and Fryers and Nuns and erected Abbyes and Monasteries Who first set up Houses of Wood and Stone and called them Churches Are not you the Inventers of all these things which are come up since the dayes of the Apostles Who made Saint dayes and called them Holy Dayes And who set up Colledges to make men Ministers And who gave the Colledges their several Names And who brought up Tythes and gave them to the Ministers made at Colledges And who made a Law to compel the payment of them unto such a Ministry Who first brought up Bread and Wine and called it Sacrament And who first gave Power to the Colledge-Ministers to communicate it unto People at certain Times and Dayes And who first ordained that every Receiver of it from their hand should give them two pence for so doing Who first brought up those Easter Reclignings and Midsummer-Dues and Ten-shilling-Sermons Whether was this the Saints practice who lived in the Life and Power of God Or are not all these things come up in the Invention since the Spirit of Truth was lost and ravened from How will you clear your selves before the Lord when he calls you up to the Baâ— of his Justice to give account of your doings How wil you make these things with much more that might be mentioned warrantable or lawful seeing that the Scripture doth not declare of them nor the Saints who were by the Power of God Redeemed and Regenerated into newness of Life they did not live in them nor set them up From what Root then doth all these things spring Do they not come up from the Carnal mind that is at enmity with God And is it not the flesh that brings forth such a Birth as this Have you not committed shameful Whoredom and run into deep Fornication who are so far degenerated from the holy Spirit and from the Scriptures that your Birth is not at all shaped or formed like unto that which is true So that your Birth is conceived in the Adulteress Womb and is a Child of Whoredom and there is no Scripture to prove it lawful Your building Houses and calling them Churches your setting up Crosses in many Towns making Saints Dayes praying to Saints erecting Colledges calling them Christ's Colledge and John's Colledge and such like Names your making Ministers at them and your giving them the tenth part of Peoples Encrease to maintain them and making a Law to compel it with much more by you brought forth in the Mid-Night of Apostacy Have you not erred exceedingly from the Scriptures and from the Spirit that gave the Scriptures forth And so are neither found in the Saints Life nor Practice Therefore be stil and hearken to the Lords Counsel and reject it not it is near you to reprove you for your abominable Idolatries Turn to it for it is Truth and there is no deceit in it the Lord hath placed it in your Consciences to be a Witness for him from which none can hide their Counsel nor cover their secret Thoughts and Cease from your doings and give over making Likenesses and forming Images and turn to that of God in you which the Imagination cannot comprehend nor the Invention make any Likeness of Bow down and worship it and be subject unto it in all things it is CHRIST the Power of God the Heavenly Image who is jealous of his Glory and wil smite all other Images and Image-Makers For Babylon must fall before him and Antichrist he wil destroy with the brightness of his Appearance Oh ye people your Way is corrupted and is not found right before the Lord though you challenge the first place after the Apostles and set your selves on high with that you call your Mother Church yet the Lord hath found you out and all your deceitful workings and Whoredoms and Abominations whither your hearts have run out of God's fear that your Mother Church doth now appear and is made manifest in this Day of God to be MYSTERY BABYLON THE MOTHER OF HARLOTS which hath made all Nations drunk with the Wine of her Fornication and hath handed forth a Golden Cup full of Abominations by which she hath deceived the Nations But the Day hath declared you and your Work is seen of what sort it is and it is not like the Saints Work who drunk of the Cup of Salvation And thus have you spread your Skirt over the earth and have pollutted it with your abominable Idolatries and have caused many to drink of your Cup of Fornication and have bewitched them with your Sorceries and the abundance of your Delicacies But the Lord is rending your Skirt and taking away your Covering and your nakedness appears to your shame for you are seen to the bottom and your Root is the corrupted heart of the old Man in the degeneration and you lye in the Fall and in the Transgression where not one doth good and the Lord hath no pleasure in you neither doth he require your Worship nor your Offerings at your hands but is weary of them Therefore Arise out of yâ—â—r Idolaâ—ry and depart from it for it is polluted and the Lord will suddenly come upon it and destroy it with a sore destruction And cease from your Cruelty and Blood-thirstiness and lay by your Stocks and Whips and Prisâ—ns and do not use such Weapons to defend your Religion for that makes you manifest to be out of the Saints Life who never used such things to compel any to Conformity or to punish such as differed from them in Practice and Worship Therefore all turn to that by which they were guided and in which they walked and lived the Spirit of Truth by which they were led into all Truth and were kept from Idols and as it is made manifest in you wait to receive it and then fight against Spiritual Wickedness in High Places that sin and transgression may be cut down in your own particulars that you may live no longer in Pride and Haughtiness Envy and Malice Riotting and Drunkennesse and such like filthinesse which you like to retain and have a love to more then the Light that doth reprove you for them but all come to the Light that in the Light your Minds may be ordered and exercised and it wil gather you into a measure of the same Life the Saints enjoyed and raise your souls from Death and it wil destroy all your Images and Bastard-Births which in the
in the heart and reveals Truth in the inward parts and so becomes the Author of Faith and of eâ—ernal Salvation and the Mysterie of this Faith is held in a pure Conscience where his Arm hath been working and purging and purâ—fying And as you give up to that Measure of LIGHT in your own Conscienceâ— and wait to be guided and led by it and exercised in it you will know CHRIST revealed within you whom you are looking for without you and puts his Day far off from you And so you live in want of him and know not how to come to him nor the place where to find him but live in the Dreamings and the Nâ—ght-Visions and have a talke of him and what he hath done for you and so spend your precious time in slumbering and dreaming but do not behold the Light of his Countenance noâ— feel not the Joy of his Salvation nor drink not at the Wells thereof Now wait to feel him in the Light which makes all things manifest within you and when he draws near unto you reâ—ect hâ—m not if you feel an evil thought discovered that is his appearance that makes the â—â—iscovery then do thou sink down to that which makes manifest and be still and quiet in thy mâ—â—d and in the stayedness wait to receive him and though it 〈◊〉 but a little thing in its first appearance do not thou despise the Day of small things nor cast behind thee the Grain of Mustard-Seed because it is a little one but wait to know the glory of the Day and the branching forth of the Graâ—n of Mustard-Seed until it be grown up and spread it self over all The Lords Love freely opens unto all you that in tenderness and simplicity thirsts for his lâ—ving presence and for your sakes plainness of speech is used and God's pure Truth opened in the Life of his own Spirit that you may come and partake of the Riches of that GRACE and MERCY which from the FATHER is revealed and appears in you all that you may truly know the benefit that is in the Lord of Life and Power and feel his Eternal operation your Consciences to purge and your Hearts to purâ—fie that you may have fellowship with him in the everlasting Covenant of Peace and know the Blood of the Covenant to take away your sin and to pardon your Iniquity and so the Redemption through his blood you wil feel and the forgiveness of your sins according to the Riches of his Grace And this is unto you from the Lord God Eternally moved who breaths after Life that you may Arise and follow the Leadings of God into his own House and from his Hand receive your Daily-bread and drink of the Water of Life freely and this will satisfie and refresh you and daily renew strength unto you to follow the Lord God in the Light in all obedience and faithfulness without any weariness or faintness so will the Lord God receive you and be a Father unto you and make you Sons and Daughters and give you an Inheritance amongst the Saints in Light who are justified by Faith in Christ Jesus Be swift to hear and slow to speak A few Words of tender Counsel unto the BAPTISTS with all that walk in that WAY HEar you seperated ones who have set your selves in the Highest Seat and whose Branch puts out over all the Branches of the Tree you are beheld though you be climbed high and your Work is seen of what sort it is you must come to Tryal for your Work is not right before the Lord Once did the Morning open unto you and a Measure of Light out of Darkness shined and a sight you had of something which was out of the Truth and beheld Babylon without you in Practice and Worship and saw her Merchants that traded in her and could not for Conscience-sake Trade with them any longer nor buy their Merchandize any more but you separated from them in Practise and Worship And that which made these things manifest to your Understandings was Light and it was near unto you though you were but little acquainted with it you had Clearness in sight through Forms and Traditions then in practice amongst men and something opened before you that appeared more excellent and you did not onely depart out of that which was manifest to be out of the Truth but there was also a true waiting amongst you that you might come to enjoy living Bread that something in you hungred for and in that day a tender people you were whilest the true fear was in your hearts placed and in the fear you diligently waited and were kept low and little in your own eyes and you had fresh Visitations of God's Love and felt that which truly judged the Abomination and Vanity which you beheld in the World and you were convinced of the evil thereof and could have no fellowship with them and you cannot say in truth but in that Day the Lord was near you to have wrought his Work in you had you enclined to his Counsel and as you were kept in lowliness to wait and met and assembled in God's fear he was not straitned towards you but did relieve you and succour you in your wants and had compassion upon you in all your needs What Hungerings and Thirstings Breathings and Pantings were raised in the earnest for Life and Salvation And what a tender love was raised in many of you after the best things And how did you delight to walk in that Way which then was made manifest to you Was it noâ— better with many of you in that Day then it is now Consider soberly in the fear of God and judge down the rash wrathful Spirit which hath a Seat in many of you Are you not gone from that in which the Lord did first visit you and in which his tender Love was made manifest in you Was it any thing without you that first let you see your Way to be corrupted and that brought you into a sensibleness of your want and of your miserable and undone state without the Salvation of Christ Was this made manifest unto you by Reading or Hearing or by the Gift of God's Spirit manifest in your own hearts How hath the old Enemy deceived you and drawn your minds into the Visibles to look after and behold the things that are seen and there tenders you Satisfaction and so draws your minds from the weightier matter and that which is of absolute necessity for all to know a part in And so you are cumbred about many things and are got into the many Words and there you are sucking your nourishment and labouring to receive strength and there have taken up your rest What have you to live upon besides the Letter And what do you know of GOD and CHRIST more then what they declared who enjoyed his Life And if you say that it is sufficient for you to mind the Declaration and to know GOD and CHRIST as the Saints
Testimony who spake the Things that he heard and received of the Father Mind this all you wise people of this present Age who are wise in your own eyes and hears and reads the Testimony of the Prophets Christ and the Apostles and is searching the Scriptures from one end to another and yet you come not to him nor cannot receive his Testimony of whom the Scriptures do declare in whom is life Now there was a poor people in that day that did own his Testimony and received him and believed in him and became followers of him though by the Wise and Mighty and Noble he was despised and rejected And those that followed him were made Witnesses of the Works and Miracles which he did whilest he was in that Body prepared and they beheld great and mighty things done by his Power the Dead raised the Lame restored blind Eyes opened deaf Ears unstopped the Tongue of the Dumb unloosed Lepers cleansed Devils cast out with many other Signs and Miracles which in the days of his Flesh was done by him And when the Work was near finished which the Father had given him to do and the time of his Departure drew nigh and that he was to leave them who believed in him and were Followers of him all things drawing near an End he said unto them It is expedient that I go away that I may send you another Comforter to abide with you for ever the Spirit of Truth which the world cannot receive And when he had finished he departed from them and left them and entered into the Glory that he had with the Father before the World began and sits at his Right Hand in the highest Heavens Principallities and Powers being subject to him This is he that doth redeem and save his People from their sin and there is not another Name given whereby any can be saved but the Name of Jesus And after he was taken up from them and was ascended then did they wait for his Promise to be fulfilled and they tarryed in Jerusalem and waited until they were endued with Power from on High and he did not leave them Comfortless but in his Faithfulness he came unto them fulfilled his Promise and poured forth his Spirit upon them they all spake the wonderful Works of God then they preacht his Name from City to City and published Salvation in his Life and so they Witnessed that which they received in the pourings forth of the Spirit and they were made able Ministers of the Spirit and in the Spirit the things of God were unto them revealed and they then laboured and travelled that others who were Strangers and Aliens unto that Life which in them was revealed might be gathered and brought to have union with it So their Ministry in the Spirit was to turn people from Darknesse to the Light and from the Power of Satan unto the Power of God that they might receive forgiveness of sins mark There must be a coming from Darknesse to the Light and from Satan's Power unto the Power of God before that sin be forgiven or transgression blotted out And this is that which so many vvants they want the Light and Power of God and lyes in Darknesse and under the Power of Satan so their sin â—emains and they live in it and sayes it must be so whilst they are in this World and they come not to that in which sin is forgiven and done away And so people preach and believe in another Doctrine and Gospel then they preached and believed in who vvere Witnesses of his Majesty and were true Labourers in the Gospel who converted and gathered many unto God who sometimes were afar off from hâ—m and many came out of Darknesse to the Light and from under Satan's Power unto the Power of God vvhich vvas the Gospel that they preached and laboured to gather people unto and all that believed and received their Testimony set to their Seals that God is true and Witnessed Salvation and plentious Redemption in the Light and Power of Christ and they knew the Gospel and Life and Immortality brought to light by it and then they stood in the sanctification of the Spirit and knew the Povver of it in their Inward parts and their hearts vvas by it purified and they were made Saints of the Most High and they all had their Life in one Spirit according to the Measure received and in the Spirit they served and Worshipped God Day and Night and their Worship and Service he accepted these were the faithfull in Christ Jesus vvho had crucified the Flesh with all the Affections and Lusts of it and vvere born of the Spirit into a new life vvhere they Witnessed the Work of Regeneration and Renewing in the Power of God And then there vvas Epistles written unto such to edifie and comfort them and to build up and strengthen them that they might stand in the Faith vvhich they had received and in the Faith resist the Devil and all his fiery Darts and so by Faith in the Power they Witnessed the World and Flesh and Devil overcome and Victory obtained over all the Povvers of Darkness and in the Povver they vvere kept that the Wicked one did not touch them So these vvere exhorted to stand fast in the Liberty vvhereâ—ith Christ had made them free and and not look back again to be entangled vvith a yoake of Bondage Gal. 5.1 Mark their Liberty was in Christ and he had made them free and they were come out of bondage and were not to look back again least they should be entangled these had the Mark before them in the Light and was to press forward and not look back again and the knowledge of the glory of God was given unto them in the Light which shone in their hearts 2. Cor. 4 6. Mark The Light was in their hearts by which they came to know God and his Glory and they that did not believe in the Light which was manifest in them they did abide in Darknesse and the God of this World blinded their minds and kept them from the Light of the glorious Gospel of Christ 2 Cor. 4.4 Mark The Light was there but they believed not So the God of this World ruled over them and kept them from it but unto those that did Believe it was the Mighty Power of God unto Salvation and by it were they gathered unto God and had fellowship with him one another So had they the true knowledg of God being in the Light gathered into fellowship with him then they testified That God is Light and in him is no Darknesse at all 1 Joh. 1.5 Mark This was John's Message which he had heard of him declared unto the Saints That God is Light in him â—s no darknesse at all and those that say they have fellowship with God and walk in darkness they lye do not the Truth but who walk in the Light as he is in the Light they have
fellowship one with another and the Blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanseth them from all sin And this is John's Testimony unto the Saints gathered in the Light and then he exhorted them to abide in it and walk in it and receive the Teachings of it For saith John You need not another Teacher but the Annointing which you have received of him and abideth in you Mark the Annointing which the Saints had received it did abide in them and they needed not that any man should teach them but as the same Annointing taught them all things and is truth and no lye 1 John 2.27 And in the Truth received they lived and it did abide in them and by the same Spirit of Truth were they led into all Truth and had Fellowship and perfect unity one with another in the Truth and they were dear and tender over one another and loved one another with an unfeigned Love and these were they that were born of God and were Children of the Light and of the Day and they were not of the Night nor of Darknesâ— but out of that state were redeemed and saved by the Power of Christ and in his Light they were led into the holy City which John in the Spirit saw descending out of Heaven from God having the glory of God and her Light was like a Stone most precious and the City had no need of the Sun neither of the Moon to shine in it for the Glory of God did lighten it and the Lamb is the Light thereof and the Nations of them that are saved shall walk in the Light thereof and the Kings of the Earth bring their Glory and Honor into it Rev. 21. Mark all that are saved must walk in the Lambs Light which shines in the Holy City and thither the Kings of the Earth must bring their Glory and Honour and all must be laid down at the feet of him who reigns for ever for unto the Lambs Power must all be subject he is greater than all there was none before him neither is there another after him the Alpha and Omega the Beginning and the Ending the First and Last Rev. 22. Mark I am Alpha and Omega the Beginning and the Ending the First and Last And here Moses and John meets in unity and their Testimony agrees in one and all the Dispensations and Administrations did hold forth this excellent Glory which unto John was revealed in the Spirit and from the beginning to the end of all that is declared and written in so many Words it is but a Testimony of him whose Name is called the Word of God Rev 19 Mark The WORD is his Name and it was in the beginning and by it was all things made that are made and all the Holy Men of God received it and had a part in it and by it they all obtained Life and they testified that there was not another Name given whereby any could be saved And this is declared in Words and is called Scripture of Truth but is not the Word whereby Life and Salvation comes For that was in the Beginning and is the same this Day and abides for Ever CHRIST the Power of God the Salvation of God without any variableness or changing and what Moses saw him to be in his time John saw him to be the same in his time and as he was made manifest unto them so they testified of him and exalted him above every Name and laboured to gather people unto him and many believed in him and were united to him and by one Spirit were baptized into one Body and had fellowship and communion in one life and in the Spirit they worshipped God with one accord and served him with one consent And this was glorious in its time and a Service accepted of God for they were single and upright to God and worshipped him in his own Spirit and his living presence was amongst them and the Light of his Countenance did shine upon them and their hearts were made glad and rejoiced in him and they offered up a living Sacrifice of Praise unto his Name Then did Antichrist begin to work amongst them and with his subtilty entered and prevailed over some of them and through his deceivableness entangled them and drew them from their obedience unto the Power in which they were gathered then did those forsake the rest that in the Power were kept went out from them and turned the Grace of God into wantonness and made Shipwrack of Faith and a good Conscience then Night came upon the Disobedient and the Vail spread over them and darkness covered them and they lost the Life and Power of God and went out from the Spirit and from the Truth and so became false Apostles and Deceivers holding the Form but denyed the Power had the Sheeps Clothing kept the Words but inwardly ravened from the Spirit And these Apostates who were gone from the Life and Power of God and had lost the Leading of his Spirit they turned into the Flesh and joined to the Harlot and committed Whoredom and generated in the Flesh and conceived a false Birth and in their own strength brought it forth and it turned a Persecutor of the Birth born of the Spirit and exercised Dominion and Lordship over others and sought to pervert the Right Way of the Lord and to turn people from it and after the Saints decease who by the true Spirit were guided then the false Apostles and Deceivers prevailed and drew people unto their Way which stood in the Form out of the Power so that the people were covered with gross Darkness and their minds blinded that the things of God were not at all perceived then they sought out many Inventions and made many Likenesses and set up Forms and every man's Way seemed right in his own eyes and all became observers of their own Way so set up the Kingdom in their observations and all crying that Christ was in that Way which they had made and observed Now Christ beheld the coming of such and exhorted to beware of them and not believe them nor go forth after them for he declared that they were false who shall cry him up in any observation or set up the Kingdom of God in any such thing therefore saith Christ The Kingdom of God is within you Luk. 17. So in this dark Night of Apostacy that was entered people ran into Confusion and did not understand one another And when this glorious Day was lost that the Saints lived in who gave forth the Scriptures and that people were gone astray and erred from the leading of the Spirit and had no union with the Life and Power that the Saints enjoyed then they got their Words and in the strength of their Imaginations they set up a Way and formed a Likeness then centered in the Form and rested there for Life so was the Light and Day of God lost and no Morning in them appeared but gross Darkness was over them and
they did not like to retain God in their knowledge then they went into the Visibles and grew wise in the Letter and read of the Saints Practice and of their Worship and laboured to form up some thing like it and what they made and formed in that they worshipped and it seemed to be right in their own eyes So they kept the Words and with them stood cloathed but were from the Life and from the Spirit inwardly ravened And this is Babylon the Mother of Harlots where the Seed of God is in Captivity where people are distracted and confused all tossed like waves of the Sea and all unstable as VVaters and out of this the Beast rises and his Heads and Horns appeares and he opens his mouth in Blasphemy against God and blasphemes his Name and his Tabernacle and them that dwell in Heaven And this John in his time saw in the spirit and when the Beast had got up his Heads and his Horns he began to make war and to force and compel subjection to his Power that all might bow unto him and receive his Mark then did the world worship the Beast and wondered after him whose Names were not written in the Lambs Book of Life and they that would not worship the Image of the Beast was to be killed And none was to buy or sell but those that had the Mark or the Name of the Beast or the Number of his Name Rev. 13. so came People under the Beasts Power in the Darkness when they were ravened from the Spirit in which they should have worshipped the Father then they worshipped the Image of the Beast and received his Mark so turned against the Lamb and his Followers and made War with them that when any thing of God appeared which was made manifest in people then the Beast rose up and made War against that and reached unto it with his Horns and pushed it down so the true Church hath been driven into the Wilderness where she hath been through time and times and dividing of times and now is coming forth in the purity and glory of her Beloved upon whose Breast she leans and thus people have erred and gone astray from the Way of God and have not known their part in that Life into which the Saints were gathered who gave forth the Scriptures neither hath their Ears bin open to hear the teachings of God's spirit which is manifest within them so they have heapt up Teachers without them after their own ungodly lusts and their ears have been itching after them and they have built Houses for them and called them Churches and they have crept into them and there have they led the silly Women captive who have been laden with sins and divers lusts and have been ever learning but never able to come to the knowledge of the Truth so hath the false Church and false Teachers spread over the Earth in the Night of Apostacy and the people they have loved to have it so there was liberty for the flesh they could sit down in that Way and eat and drink and rise up to play and that pleased the carnal mâ—nd and satisfied the affection and lust of the Flesh and so hath all the vain Worships and Customs which people are this day worshipping in who yet abides in Forms and Traditioâ—s they are all come up since the dayes of the Apostles and are after mens Traditions and not after Christ and the Conception of all hath been in man's Imagination and hath been brought forth in his own Will and Wisdom and so is a fleshly Birth which hath ever persecuted the Birth of God for man's heart adulterating from that of God in him he goes into the Flesh and unto the Flesh he joins and commits VVhoredom and brings forth a Child of VVhoredom and so have all Conceptions and bringings forth since the Dayes of the Apostles been Bastards and not Sons then the Father that Begets and the Mother that Bears would have their Son to be set up and they clothe him and adorns him with fair coverings that he may appear beautiful and be beloved then would have all be subject to him bow down and worship him and though all these Bastards differ much in their Likenesse and cannot joyne nor own one another yet is their Conception all in one womb and they all partake of one Nature and that which makes the difference is the Garment which they are dressed withall in which they appear outwardly to the eyes of the beholders and when the true Birth appears they all take a part and joins together and conspires to kill him and to cast him out of their Countrey So doth all the Harlots Children stand this day every one for themselves and one against another but all against Christ the Son and Heir and not one of them by what Name soever known that would have him to reign but strives with him and makes War against him as hath been experienced in this present Age So every one likes and loves their own best and labours to cherish and to strengthen that and would have it to have a Name and Power in the Earth and this is the great Contention amongst all the Apostates who Wars and Fights and Destroys one another about their Religion they would all set up their own Birth and would have that Adored and Worshipped and if there be but a bowing unto the Appearance of it they are satisfied with it though the heart be in the Hypocrisie but if any deny to Worship that which they set up and cannot bow unto it for Conscience sake then they are offended and provoked and so Wars and Fights and Destroys one another because their Image is not adored nor their Birth worshipped and all runs to the Scriptures for shelter and from the Scriptures would prove their Birth to be lawfully begotten and from that ground would have their Son Worshipped or would have such as cannot to be persecuted And thus do all lye in Darkness and in Confusion in the Night of Apostacy and understands not one another nor knows not what they would have done for they being from the Life that gave forth Scriptures their understandings are darkened and they erre and knows not the Scriptures nor the Power of God the Light not shining out of Darkness nor the Morning having not appeared in them they be still in the Earth where Darkness covers and are all Wanderers and Vagabonds in the Earth and hath no part nor union with Moses's Life the Prophets Life and the Apostles Life who had unity together in the one Spirit and all walked in the manifestation of it and so declared the things they heard and saw and tasted and handled of the Word of Life and they knew the Son of God to be come the same that was in the beginning and their Understandings were opened by him and then they knew him that was true and was in him that is true even in his Son JESUS CHRIST
away How did you Reform that which you call Baptising Infants you layed by the sign of the Cross which was made by a man called Minister in the Childes Fore-head and you layed by those called GOD-FATHERS and GOD-MOTHERS and yet you continued sprinkling water in the Childrens Faces and call it Baptisme and say You baptize them into the Name of the Father Son and Holy Ghost What Scripture have you for this practice Did not the Sign of the Cross and sprinkling water in the Childes face both spring from one Root and neither of them can be proved Warrantable from the Scriptures of Truth and you have layed by the One as unlawful and continues the Other as lawful and this you call REFORMATâ—ON Are you not in the Midnight of Apostacy who upholds such things in your Profession of God which the Saints never practised nor any Scriptures declare of such things being used by them Who taught you to sing Davids Words in Meeter and to call upon your Congregations to sing to the Praâ—se and Glory of God and to have a Clerk to publish them and give them forth Is this to sing with the Spirit and Understanding and to make melody in your hearts to the Lord who have not a Psalm before the Clerk give it forth and then for all people of all Conditions to sing the Words though they know nothing of the state of David who Published the words from the sensibleness of his Condition as then he was in when he did declare them so they were true in him but such as cannot witness David's state you make them to sing Lyes in Hypocrisie And who taught you to take a portion of Scripture and call it a TEXT and tell people It is the Word of the Lord and that they may finde it written in in such a Book Chapter and Verse and then raise Doctrines from it Uses Motives Helps Arguments and make Applications Is not this the Colledge Work And have you not learned it there And is not this the Philosophy and vain Deceit which peopâ—e is to beware of Do you know the Scriptures and the Power of God you that are so wise in your own Eyes Where is you Scripture for these things Or did ever the LORD of LIFE and GLORY teach his Ministers so to Do as you are Doing at this day You are from the Saints life and in the old Root and your Birth is begotten in Whoredome and formed in the Inventions and Imaginations of the Old Man and brought forth in the strength of that Nature and the Lord's Controversie is sore against You because you do in Words profess him but in your Works deny him Therefore Repent speedily and turn to the Light of Christ in your own Consciences and be not so wise in your own Eyes but become Fools to you own wisdome that you may be wise in the Wisdome of God that your understandings may be opened to know the Scriptures and the Power of God For the Lord is visiting the Nations in this day of his Mercy and his love reaches unto you and with a measure of his Spirit he doth Reprove you and secretly discovers unto you the intents and thoughts of your hearts Turn when Reproof comes and hate it not for the Lords Love is tendred to you in that which doth Reprove you Hearken to it that you may be Converted and Healed before the Door of Mercy be shut and no place of Repentance can be found for the Lord hath a Seed to gather from amongst you that cannot live long with you such is the earnest desire after life in many this day whilest it is called to day let none behard but all wait to Receive from the Lord in tenderness that his Spirit may guide and lead you which is manifest in you and that the fruits thereof may be brought forth by you that LOVE and PEACE and GENTLENES may abound amongst you that WARRING and FIGHTING and DESTROYING one another may all cease that the Sound of the TRUMPET and the Al-arm of WAR may not be heard in the Land but that you may be gathered and united in the Spirit of Life where no Confusion nor Distraction is but perfect love and peace for ever Turn to the Lord and walk in the way of Understanding A few Words of tender Counsel unto those called INDEPENDENTS with all that walk in that way HEar ye Wandring ones who upon the Mountains are scattered You are tossed up and down and driven to and fro in the Cloudy and dark day something of the Morning did once appear unto you though you knew it not and in the Dawnings of the light which in you did begin to shine your understandings were opened and you beheld the Formes and Practises and abominable Idolatries which were come up in the Darkness and a true tenderness was raised in you towards the Lord and a breathing there was in you to enjoy his presence and you departed out of the Idolatrous wayes and worship could not joyn with them nor own their Customs and Tradâ—tions which were set up but seperated from them and gathered into a more particular and private Fellowship to wait upon the Lord and in this tenderness abiding and you kept in the fear to wait and the Visitations of God did break upon you and his Love did open to that which breathed in you and this was a good Day unto you and you were sweetly refreshed in it But behold how you have erred and from the Lord are gone astray and betrayed the Innocent Life you were not faithful unto God nor did not sink into his Counsel that his Arm of Power might have wounded the Head of the Transgressor smitten him down into the Death buryed him under the Judgement for ever you fled from Him when you should have joined unto Him and so never came through the Gaâ—e of Death to obtain Life in the Resurrection But you reached forth with that Mind which should have come to Judgement and with that Mind comprehended those things which in the Day of Tenderness were opened to you in the Light then did you enrich your selves and grew Wise and Mighty in Skill and Knowledge and you decked the false Birth with that which God opened to you in the Day when you breathed after him in the unsatisfiedness of your Minds were in the true hunger and in the sensibleness that you wanted Bread so you betrayed the simplicity delivered it up into the hands of the subtilty under which it lyes in Captivity and sorely oppressed and afflicted and so you erred from the LIFE which was near to be revealed in many of you and lost the WORD and drew back again and ran into the words and have got the words and with them stands filled in the earthly mind that fled the Judgement and there you are lifted up and exalted above the Witness of God and the false Birth hath beautified it self with the Saints words and sits
which was Moses life whose understanding was opened to see to the beginning and beheld God's Eternal Power in the Creation and the movings of his Spirit upon the face of the Waters and his bringing Light out of darkness and when this was opened to his understanding and he had seen it then he declared it and it was written and that which was written was called Scriptures but that which Moses declared as the Word of oâ— Life which was in the beginning and this Word was with God and was God who said Let there be Light Gen 1.3 mark God said it this was the Word the thing was done and came to pass Then God saw the Light that it was good and he called the Lâ—ght Day and the Darkness he called Night and the Evening and the Morning were the first day Gen. 1.4 Mark this The Word said Let there be Light and the Light was brought out of Darkness so the Morning was come and the first Day was created in the Eternal Word and â—nto this Life was Moses gathered and had his Understanding opened that he could see to the Beginning and behold the Works of God in the Creation which was wrought and brought to pass before his time upon the Earth there was no Traditâ—on to give him the knowledge of it but the Light which shone out of darkness in his heart in which he was gathered unto God and had union with his Life and in the Lâ—fe revealed Moses had clearness in his Understanding to the Beginning and beheld the six dayes Work and the Creation finished and also the seventh Day in which God rested He â—eheld man in his Innocency and Vprightness and saw the Image in which he was created and the purity and glory in which he was formed he beheld the Habitation in vvhich he vvas placed and he saw the covering with which he was clothed and in which he stood before the Creator and was not ashamed he beheld Paradise and all the Trees of the Garden and saw what was allowed unto man for Food and what was forbidden He beheld the Serpents subtilty and his deceitful working and saw how he entered and how he prevailed over man he beheld how he drew enticed man's mind from his obedience unto God and he saw how man fell and degenerated from the Power that had made him and he beheld the entrance of sin and transgression and saw the Curse and Death that came over all men in the Fall he beheld and saw the Love of God open and the Seed of the Woman promised to break the Serpents Head This was â—oses understanding opened in the Light that shone out of darkness which was manifest within himself in which the Morning appeared and the First Day did break unto him then in the Light he read thorow the generations that were before him and declared of their states and conditions and of their wayes and doings and then it was written and became Scriptures Mark It was not Scripture before Moses had declared it and what he hath declared and what is written is true and given forth by him in the Power that made all things manifest to him So he declared of Adam and of hâ—s Innocent state and of his Fall and of his driven-out-state he declared of Cain and of his Sacrifice and of Abel and of his Sacrifice he declared of the Flood that came upon the World of the ungodly and of Noah a just person who with his Sons and Daughters were preserved in the Ark He declared of Abraham the Father of the faithful and of the Covenant that God made with him and his Seed for ever he declared of Ishmael and Isaac of Esau and Jacob and through all the generations that had gone before him and he did not receive these things by Tradition or by any knowledge that came without him but as they were opened and made manifest within him where he beheld and read them in the Light and Life by which all things were made and created and into which he was gathered and united This is that Moses whom God sent into Aegypt to bring up Israel his chosen who with mighty Signs and Wonders delivered them from under Pharoah's Power and was a Leader unto them out of Aegyptian Darkness and from under the heavy Tasks that they weâ—e oppressed withall He received the Law at Mount Horeb and he writ it in Tables of Stone that Israel might know the Statutes and Ordinances which the Lord required that they should observe and keep and that they might obey the Lord their God this was the Covenant which God made with Israel in those dayes when he brought them out of the Land of Aegypt and it was committed unto Moses who was made a Minister of it and taught the people to observe and do it that they might possess the Land which the Lord their God had given unto them and that they might not forget the Lord and his Benefits And this was Moses Ministration for the Law came by him howbeit this Ministration was not the Thing it self neither could make the comers thereunto perfect yet in its time was glorious and was a true Figure and Shadow of him that was to come which afterwards was to be more fully revealed whose glory exceeded and Moses Ministration was but a Type of him and a School-Master to bring unto him who was before the World was and it held forth though more darkly as in a Glass the glorious appearance of CHRIST the Word of God and Power of God who was yet to come and to be made manifest and revealed of whom Moses truly prophesied when he said A Prophet shall the Lord your God raise up unto you like unto me him shall you hear in all things and who will not hear the voice of that Prophet shall be cut off from amongst the People Mark They were to be cut off that would not hear the voice of him of whom Moses prophesied who was yet to come and to be the end of the Lâ—w for Righteousness and to be the fulfiller of it and to save and redeem from under it seeing that no flesh could be â—ustified by it because of the weakness and unprofitableness of it and because it was a Ministration of Condeâ—nation unto such as did not continue in all things written therein therefore Moses testified of him who was to be raised up and directed all to hear his Voice whose Ministration was to bring in Everlasting Righteousnesse and to redeem from under the Bondage of the Law and this was Moses Testimony unto CHRIST the Power of God and he did not direct People to look at any thing or hear any thing that was written before his time but to look to Christ and to hear his Voice that they might come to that which made the World and was in the beginning with whom Moses had then true union and felt his life and beheld the Excellenâ—y of his glory which was still to be
in the Temple as God for you sought out an easier Way then that which God hath prepared and drew aside for self-safety and denyed the Cross which the Light leads all unto that obeys it So you never entered in at the strait Gate to know the enmity slain which would not have the Life to reign but you got up in the Knowledge and grew wise in the Comprehension and branched forth in a shew of Godliness and in your own Wisdom brought forth what you conceived might be the nearest to the Saints Practise So a Birth you formed in the deceitful heart that is corrupted and lyes degenerated from God and though you be in some things seperated and more particularly gathered in appearance yet do you lye mixed and confused with the rest of Babylons Inhabitants you can go to their named Churches and hear their Colledge-Ministers which are made by man contrary to the Scriptures of Truth so you are in the luke-warm state neither hot nor cold and your Garment is party-coloured and it is neither Night nor Day amongst you for you are run into the many inventions and drinking of the Cup of Fornication and are joined to the Harlot and commits VVhoredom with her and brings forth a Birth that is after the Flesh which cannot please God so hath the old Enemy deceived you and betrayed the innocent Life which once breathed in you and you are seated and centered in your Form and there have your dependance for satisfaction and you flye to the Scriptures to prove your Birth to be lawful and you have got Saints Words and in something appear as they did in Practise and you can say That so you find it written and so did the Saints practise and so do you but you want the life which they were born into thorough the working of God's Mighty Power and in which they declared the Scriptures and if you could perform all that ever you read concerning their practise and be not come into their life it will not be owned of God to be a true Worship and Service though they in what they did were accepted and rewarded And none upon the Earth can understand the Scripture without a measure of that life from which it was ministred And so have you erred for want of knowledge because that darkness hath blinded your minds and though much you profess and boast of high things yet your Deeds testifies against you even as others do from amongst whom you are gathered in your Worship you are vain and light minded foolish jesting and idle talking abounds amongst you you are high-minded and lifted up with a perfect Tincture of Pride many of your hearts are after Covetousness which doth not become a people professing the Knowledge of God These things are not charged upon you to upbraid you or to boast over you but that you may come into stayedness and soberness and humblenesse of mind that when God's Witnesse smites upon you and reproves you for those things that be evil you may be sensible of its reproof for the Light of Christ which is pure it doth not consent to or allow of any such things but reproves them without respect of persons but you are so lifted up in your vain minds that you are not sensible of it neither have any regard unto it so you delight in the thing as if it were a Priviledge purchased for you by Christ whose Name you profess and you can plead for your Lightness and say it is your Liberty to rejoice and be merry and your Covetousnesse you can call it Carefulness and Providence and your Pride you can put it upon your Quality and Ability So hath the Enemy vailed you and drawn you from the Spirit of Life which doth certainly reprove you in your own Consciences for these things and thus the Enemy doth lead you out of God's fear and into vanity and then seeks a fair excuse to cover it but you are found to walk after the flesh and satisfies that part with all the affections and lusts of it and the Witness of God is not regarded by you though it be alwayes near you and in your secret Chambers with you and often smiting you and reproving you yet you are so high over it that you do not heed it nor when it calls you hearken not to it but run in your own Way and follow your own Wills and the imaginations of your own hearts and slights the Day of your Visitation and the sweet tenders of God's Love unto you in the Light for he waits to be Gracious though you be Careless and his hands are stretched forth still that he might gather you and do you good You are a People whom the Lord strives with though you have rejected and slighted and grieved his Spirit yet is his tender Mercy open towards you and the Arm of Salvation he reaches to you that into his own House he may bring you and there deal forth Daily-Bread and give you Water of Life freely I travel in Spirit for you and the Love of the Father reaches to you and I know from the Lord that there is an unsatisfied Cry in many of you who want the Bread of Life and Water of Life to refresh your Souls And when you have received that which you call your Ordinance and have eaten and drunken of the Temporals you want that Meat which endures to everlasting life and something in you that hungers and thirsts after the enjoyment of that Oh! there is a Seed amongst you that must not dye in Aegypt nor alwayes groan under Pharoah's Power but must be redeemed by the out stretched Arm of the Almighty His Love draws near you the Morning springs fast upon you AWAKE and behold what God is tendering to you hasten to it and lay hold upon it look not abroad but come within and feel it near you that you may know the Power to save you and the Arm that is stretched forth to redeem you and the Manifestation of God's Spirit within you will be strength and safety for you and as you turn unto it obey and believ in it it wil not leave you nor forsake you but will be a present help unto you in the needful time and in the patience waiting the DAY will break and the SUN of RIGHTEOUSNESS will Arise and the thick Clouds and Foggy Mysts that darkens your understandings will vanish away like the Morning-Dew and the brightness of his Rising will destroy ANTICHRIST which so long hath been exalted in you and all the loftiness and haughtiness will fall before him whose appearance is glorious And thus doth he manifest himself and makes known his Eternal Power in the hearts of all that wait upon him in the Measure of his Light and carries on his Work prosperously in his own hand cutting down and sparing not whatsoever stands in the heart contrary to him and would not have him to Reign and his Works declares that it is he for he works Faith
have declared of them then examine and try your selves whether you be in the Faith in which they were made partakers of the Divine Nature for the words which from the Life are Ministred will not give unto any a Possession of the Life neither are they the WAY unto Life but they are a true DECLARATION of Him who is the WAY TRUTH and LIFE and the Light being believed in which from the Life is made manifest it leads to the enjoyment of the Life from whence it comes and then is the knowledge of the Lâ—ght of the Glory of God revealed and known in the face of Christ and the Understanding is then opened and the Scriptures known and set in their right place so that you have neglected the needful thing which is but ONE and have chosen the wrong part and cumber your selves with many things having got the Saints words and want their Life You are dayly cumbred in your minds about their Meanings and know not what they meant when the Truth is spoken by them in plainness So being from the WORD you are from the Saints Life the WORD that was in the Beginning was their LIFE and they witnessed that LIFE to be the Light of men and in the measure of that Life received they gave forth the Scriptures which none upon the earth can understand without Union with a measure of the Word of Life from which the words were Ministred forth So that you are found to be amiss and wandering in a way that doth not lead to life and all that you have formed and brought forth is but the Work of your own hands conceived and generated in the Earthly Corruptible part which fled the Hour of his Judgement and could not abide his coming in Judgement So you never came to the Judgment-Seat where the MIGHTY falls and the LOFTY bows where the EARTH trembles and the HILLS melt and all Flesh is put to silence You did not wait in the Way that in the Victory over the Corruptible you might have come to life in the Incorruptible but you started aside when Judgement came to be laid to the line and could not abide such a Tryal so you fled it and retained the Corruptible and saved your life in it and the Birth after the Flesh is seated over God's Witness and that is the Birth you set up and strive to make it fair and beautiful and to enrich it with the choicest things that it may appear beautiful unto men and if you have but Scripture to speak you are perswaded the thing is right and so you carry on your practise in words and set up your Kingdom in words but you want the Power and the Flesh never came into subjection to learn silence but speak though it be not permitted And thus do you run in the many things and cumber your selves with them and labours to set them where they ought not to be you would set the Words above the WORD and give them the Name of the WORD and call them the Word of God and in this you erre and knows not the Scripture nor the Power of God for CHRIST is the WORD of God and his Name is called so Rev. 19. And the Words are nor CHRIST but a true Testimony of him So amongst the Words you find how the Saints in some things walked and what they practised and then you strive to make that thing to your selves and to observe it and do it as near as you can And here you are found transgressors of the just Law of God who saith Thou shalt not make to thy self any Graven Image nor the likeness of any thing Now what difference is there in the Ground betwixt You the Pope though in the appearance there seem to be such a great space And though you read of such things which the Saints performed and in which they were accepted if you want their Life and make the thing to your selves you are found Transgressors of the Law and comes under Reproof for doing that in your Corruptible Wills which they had peace in as they performed it in the Incorruptible Life and yet in the appearance no difference found in what is done So you read that after they received the Word and believed they went into the Water and were baptized and you come to observe and do the same because you read that some of them walked in such a practise and you say you believe in Christ and you receive his Word and you go into the water and are washed and call it Baptism And here is no difference found in the Likeness of the thing but yours appears the same as theirs did in the outward practise But come up to tryal the Light makes all things manifest as they are and doth not judge according to the appearance but judges righteous Judgemment they did receive the Word and they did believe and some of them went into the water and were baptized unto John's Baptism and after that were baptized in the Name of the Lord Jesus Acts 19. And then the Holy Ghost came on them and they spake and prophesied Can you read this Scripture not see your selves where you are Who would be alwayes swimming in the Water would not come to the Holy Ghost and Fire that his Name you may know in which Salvation is and his Fan you may feel which in his own hand is placed which purgeth the Floore from all filthinesse and prepares the Temple to exalt his own Name in This is the Baptism which they witnessed who in his Life believed and in which they were baptized into his Death and there were buried with him and so came to the Resurrection through the operation of his Eternal Power you are not come to know this Practise but are satisfied with your going into the Water and coming out again when neither filthinesse of Flesh nor Spirit is cleansed from you but the pollution still abides and the Old Man lives And so you are short of the Saints Condition whose practise you pretend to follow and that Spirit by which they were baptized into one Body you are not found subject to and this was not water that baptized them into one Body neither was it water that baptized them into Christ and by which they put him on but it was the Eternal Power of Life in which they were baptized and in which Baptism Self was buryed and all the Affections and Lusts of the Flesh were destroyed and here was not Self standing in them neither did they make any likeness for that part to glory in but judged it down in the Power and in the Power were truly baptized into the death of the Corruptible Earthly part and could no longer live to themselves and then was the entrance Ministred into the Fathers House where Daily-Bread they received which did refresh the Immortal Soul Now because they were made Witnesses of such a state who believed followed the Light and denyed themselvs took
his out-stretched arm he appears for his Chosen this day and of his manifold Mercies we have largely tasted And when BABYLON hath made her Cup Ready and begins to hand it forth unto the Lambs and to compel them to receive it and drink it then will the Lord Appear and strike with astonishment the hearts of the furious and make them confess to his Everlasting power and to his People for whose sake he will Arise to save Therefore unto him look from whence help comes and feel his power to compass you all about and his strength to gird you up that none of you may be surprized with fear or doubting but in the Immortal stand over all and be Bold and of a good Courage that BABYLON may know we cannot fall down and Worship their IMAGE what ever they can do unto us and GOD even the God of our fathers he will remember his holy Covenant and Israel his Chosen and though he may try us yet will he never forsake us but will stand by us to deliver us that all may know we are a people saved by the Lord Oh! feel the purpose of your hearts drawn in the Light to cleave unto the Lord and do not depart from his Counsel so will he make you able to stand unto the end and will plentifully reward you in the Riches of his Love and Life which is without End And the God of Jacob keep you all and the holy One of Israel be Strength and Wisdome to you all that he may have the glory over all who alone is Worthy Infinite Endless Powerfull Father of life Blessed for evermore Be not Fearful but Beleeving A few Words concerning true Discerning and Judgement NOw is Salvation come from the most High and the God of Israel is over all he is confounding the Wise men in their Wisdome and destroying the strong men in their strength he is breaking the Idols of silver and the Idols of gold and every carved work he is throwing down and his eye beholds the way of every man and he sees their work of what sort it is he is the searcher of the heart and he passeth by beholds the Intents thereof hidden things he brings to light and by the gift of his own Spirit he shews to every man his thoughts this is his perfect gift to every man a manifestation thereof all men have that they thereby might profit and though a measure of this Spirit have a being in all and makes it self manifest in all and is the true Light that doth enlighten all that comes into the world yet all do not receive it nor come to be guided by it so walk in the flesh and cannot please God neither can perceive the things of God and what is performed by such as a Service or VVorship to God he doth not require it at their hands and though they make many prayers he will not hear for they have no union with his Spirit and this tryes all people and their works in a true Discerning and gives true Judgement upon all according to their doings and who have not this Spirit of Christ they are none of his but all that receive it and have union with it they walk not in the flesh but in the Spirit in which they see the Shapes and Forms of every Image and Likeness and the ground from whence they do arise and no false birth can have a hiding place but from the least to the greatest they are discovered and the fairest â—overing that any have cloathed themselves withall is seen through and all the â—ormed likenesses which appears this day amongst the Sons of men in what they do profess of God they are all seen to be of the flesh and their Root and Principle is of that part and nature that is earâ—hly from which no good thing can arise and it brings forth a Birth in its own likeness and of its own nature which by the Spirit is truly discerned and every work of the flesh is manifest to the Spirit for the Spirit searcheth alâ— things and truly judges all things for the Spirit is truth And though this may seem in many of your eyes to be rash judgement and you may call it so yet it will stand a witness against all that are satifying the flesh For there is not any thing so hardly received as that Testimony that strikes at the life of another and That which deals plainly and simply with all and desires the good of all That meets with the least entertainment in the hearts of people but that which flatters and cryes peace when the bonds of iniquity stands that is a pleasing thing unto the mindes of all who walk in the flesh and that which comes to rip them up and discover their nakedness to their shame that they kick against and will not own nor receive it for truth for there is not any people would come to shame for what they do and that which opens secrets and brings any thing to light by which shame may come upon them they turn against that and reject it though the thing be really true which is witnessed against and so there is no work of the flesh that would come under the Spirit's Judgement though it be truly discerned and judged as it is and the Discerning and Judgement stand in the truth but those concerned in it will not own it but cry out Who made you a Judge and why are you so rash to judge as if all were to be condemned but your selves how do you know the hearts oâ— people and why may not others be as râ—gâ—t as you for what you know So every Form and Likeness would save its own life by putting off the Judgement as if none could Dâ—scern it and no false Birth that would have its nakedneâ—s to appear lest it should come to shame thereby And thus people harden themselves against the Spirit's Testimony which in it self is the searcher and trier of hearts and Reins and none can hide their counsel from it Mark Is not this the Judge that stands at the door and knocks Doth not he discern when evil rises in your hearts And doth he not there Reprove you What is it that you can hide that he findes not out what can you do in your secret chambers that he doth not know And what thought can you think amongst all your thoughts that he doth not discern And doth he not judge you in your own consciences if you have thought any evil or uttered vain words or done any thing wickedly Will you deny this to be a true Discerneâ— and a Righteous Judge Be sober and there is a witness which you may feel in your own selves to answer to the Truth declared and all that have received the Spirit and are born of the Spirit they have an understanding given them by which they are able to Discern the flesh and all the works of it and give true Judgement upon it without respect of persons not
judging according to the flesh but according to the Spirit and sees to the Root and Principle from which all things springs up and grows and they do not judge according to the outward appearance but judge Righteous Judgement for such as Discern no further then what outwardly appears and then judge according to that others from the same ground may draw as true a Judgement against them and here people are not to Judge lest they be Judged which is a place much alleadged against true Judgement but who so Judges one of another it is not in the Spirit of Truth which doth Dâ—scern through all Appearances but it is in the flesh which cannot perceive beyond what doth appear And so all the false Births give Judgement one against another and cannot bear the Judgement of one another then they are provoked and angry one with another and run into Confusion and Distraction Warring and Fighting and Destroying one another about their formed Religion none being come to the Spirit that gives a discerning through what appears and gives true Judgement in the ground but all born of the Spirit hath true union with it and the flesh and the deeds of it is subdued under it and they are no more in the flesh but in the Spirit and have received Christ Jesus the Lord and walk in him and are spiritual and the spiritual man Judgeth all things and he himself is judged of no man And whether you can receive it or no you are all truly tried and judged not in the flesh but in the Spirit and your ROOT and FOUNDATION is seen and Discerned and is not found to be that which was in the beginning but that which the Subtilty generated since the beginning and so doth he rule over you and blind your mindes that you cannot see nor discern further then what appears and the mystery of the Kingdome is hid from your eyes and you run into the Words with your carnal mindes and earthly Wisdome and from what is written draw something to your selves and form up a Likeness in your conceivings and bring that forth in the strength of your own wills and this is your Foundation and the first Principle of your Religion and so the HARLOT hath brought forth many Children which in her Womb hath all been conceived and yet are not formed one like another but all differ in their Shape and Likeness and then strive one with another and yet are all Children of one House and all of one Kingdome but no Love nor Unity found amongst them but Envy Hatred and Malice and all one against another and divided into Heads and Parties which is an evident Testimony of the Ruine and Fall of your House and Kingdome For a House divided against it self cannot stand Therefore come out of it lest it fall upon you and utterly destroy you and all come to that where peace and safety is for God hath prepared a sure Refuge and Resting place for all that will come and he hath gathered many into Unity and perfect Peace therein and they rest in his love and are preserved in his power and he alone is their Strengâ—h and sure Defence so hath the Lord made his Power known in this his day and hath gathered a Remnant to that which was in the beginning which was the Saints Life and from which the Scriptures were declared of which they all testified that is now made manifest which the false Apostles ravened from and many Sons and Daughters are come to glory in it and this is the Spirit of Truth which leads into all Truth that cuts down Transgression and Reigns over the head of the Transgressor and doth discover clearly all the deeds of Darkness which is come up since the dayes of the Apostles and are practised by such as are in the Apostasie and this comprehends all but cannot be comprehended of any it is Pure Everlasting Unchangeable and no Variableness there is in it all that in it do beleeve have found the Author of Eternal Salvation and are come to the Wisdome and Righteousness of God and to the enjoyment of Eternal Life which is in CHRIST JESUS the Lord whose Glory and Majesty is spreading over the Earth and who is gathering a holy people to Himself that in them his Praise may be shewed forth who alone is Worthy God of Gods and King of Saints who by all his Reâ—eemed Ones is over all Exalted Magnified and Praised for Ever and Ever THE END
THE Morning-Watch OR A Spiritual Glass Opened WHEREIN A Clear DISCOVERY is made of That which lies in Darknesse from whence WARS CONTENTIONS and DESTRUCTIONS do arise concerning a professed RELIGION With a few words of tender Counsel Unto the Pope Prelate Presbyter Independent Baptist c. That they may all watch to the Morning and in the Glass behold themselves and try their Principle and Practise and see whose Image it bears and vvhether it be the same Principle that the Saints vvere guided by and the same Practice that they walked in that none may lye any longer in darkness and be deceived but all may come in one spirit to be gathered and into one body baptized where Love and Life Peace and Eternal Unity is truly enjoyed and possessed By one vvho travels for Israel's Freedom William Smith LONDON Printed and are to be sold by Robert Wilson at the sign of the Black-spread-Eagle and Wind-Mill in Martins near Aldersgate 1660. To the READER READER THe Way of Life or the Way of Death is the Choice that all people make and are found walking in The Way of Life is strait and there be not many finds it the Way of Death is broad and many walk therein Theâ—efore it is of concernment for thee to examine thy present state and to be careful in what way thou walkest least suddenly thou fall into danger for God would not have thee peâ—ish nor to go on in the Way of Death but would have thee turn and depart out of it and for that end hath he freely made manifest in thee a measure of his Spirit to discover it that thou mayst see the danger and escape it and that thou mayst not run into it and destroy thy self and that is in thy Conscience placed which truly tryes thy wayes and doings and doth not let an evil thought word or deed go unreproved thaâ— is the Light of Christ which thou art enlightened withall and lets thee see that when thou art at liberty in the flesh and satisfying the lusts of it thou art in the broad way that leads to destruction it reproves thee for it calls thee to turn and depart out of it if thou walk in pride drunkennesse covetousnesse envy or malâ—ce in scorn or disdain of others the Light of Christ doth reprove thee in thy own Conscience for such things and calls thee to abstaâ—n from them and this is the broad way that leads to destruction all that walk in it and will not turn from it when reproof comes they destroy themselves and will perish in their gain-saying Therefore whilest the Lord is visiting thee in his tender mercies harden not thy heart against him nor reâ—ect his counsel but be diligent and ready to receâ—ve and in the quietnesâ— of thy mind attend to the Word near thee which is in thy heart and in thy mouth that thou mayst obey it and do it for it is Gods gift unto thee and stands a witness for God in thy Conscâ—ence it is Life and the Life is the Light and the Light breaks forth in thee and makes manifest unto thee the secrets of thy own heart and lets thee see all thy thoughts whether they be good or evil and thou canst not hide thy Counsel from it nor cover any intent so close but it will find it out This is God's Love unto thee who hath given his Son for thee that thou in him might believe and have everlasting life Wait in his fear his counsel to know and his leading to follow and he will bring thee to the strait Way and open it for thee to walk in and he will judge and condemn all that in thee which must not enter and he will bring thee down into the Death where God's Wonders thou wilt behold in the deep And this is the straitness of the Way and the Ground why so few findes it and walks in it Because that flesh and blood must not enter but be judged down to death Therefore Reader be diligent to find out thy present state and to know the Way wherein thou art walking and do not deceâ—ve thy self by crying Peace when sudden destruction is near at hand and be not secure with a talk of God and Christ but wait to know them and speak not of Faith and Grace until thou have them for thereâ—n thou deceives thy self and the Enemy blinds thy mâ—nd in a secure state So unto that of God in thee which is pure I direct thee that thou mayst know the Leadings and Teachingâ— of it and believe in it and joyn to it and it wâ—ll bring thee to know those things that concerns thy own Peace And in the measure of God manifest in thee read this following Treatise and it will keep dâ—â—n that mind thaâ— covets Knowledg and would be feeding upon Knowledge which the Lord forbids or if any thing arise in thee which would be angry oâ— envious the Light of Chrâ—st will judge that down and â—â—ll keep thee low in the meekness and patience to read and understand and if any thing seem hard unto thee whiâ—h at present thou mayst not have clearness â—n let it aloâ—e until the day declare it And be not hasty to know nor rash to juâ—ge in that which cannot dâ—scern it but be stiâ—l coâ—l and sink down and wait in patâ—ence until the appointed time And this is published in the servâ—ce of Love for thy sake who erres for want of knowledge and is not come to walk in the Way of Understanding that thou mayst be informed of the subtil workings of the Enemy of thy Peace and to know a part in that which gives Dominion over him which is CHRIST JESUS the LIGHT in thy Conscience unto which I am made manifest who â—ravels to relâ—eve the weary and to ease the oppressed ones that the feeble may be strengthened and all that breath after God may be saved â—n this day of his Mercy My Friendship is to thee and all people in the Truth of God W. S. THE MORNING-WATCH Or A Spiritual GLASS Opened c AWAKE Awake all people Arise lift up your eyes watch to the Morning the Day is come and the glory of Israel is risen all things is manifest as they are Darkness is dangerous and the Ways thereof leads unto Death Why will ye walk therein And why will ye dye O ye yeople Everlasting Mercy from the Lord God is held forth that none might be lost but all might be saved Bow down your ear and hear be diligent and encline for that is come which was before the Subtilty and that is manifest which in the beginning made all things and was before the Serpent prevailed or before that sin or death entered and this hâ—th God revealed in his tender mercy and hath visited many therein whose Understandings are opened and their eyes enlightened to behold the way of life and they are come to that which was before the World was made and knows a part in that
and Preaching of serving and worshipping God and in words they deny the Pope and his practises and cannot joyn nor own his Birth to be lawfully begotten yet there is none nearer in the brotherhood nor none more like in their form and appearance but are all in darkness and neither knows nor understands one another though children of one house so they live in strife and contention warring and fighting about their likenesses because different in form and neither of them a true birth but lye in darkness and under the shadow of death where peace they know not 3 And then another branch puts out something above either of these and is called PRESBYTERY and they make a great noise with the Scriptures and Form a great Likeness and bears forth a higher part of the Image and they contend more earnestly by how much they have a fairer shew and they would have their Son to rule over all and would have all compelled to fall down and worship their likeness which they set up and presses to a conformity under penalties and punishments and they have Scripture to turn unto by which they would prove their Birth to be the onely childe so they plead their call to the Ministry lawful because they read some were ordained by the gift of the Holy Ghost and by the laying on of the hands of the Presbytery and they ordain Elders and Deacons and Officers in their order and practise having read of such names in the Scripture and they contend against Pope and Bishops and those Names and cannot own nor joyn with them but wars and fights and destroyes them and so Babylon lyeth in darkness and confusion and yet in the ground one for the Presbyter's Branch is from the same Root and his birth conceived in the same womb with the Popes and Prelates and no difference but in the likeness made to themselves for they be all in darkness and from that which was in the beginning and doth not know a part in the life which the holy men of God enjoyed and from which the Scriptures were declared 4 Then springs up another branch over all these and is called INDEPENDENCY and these have something like a form of godliness and their Birth appears more glorious than any of the other but is not the true Son and though in many things they be separated and differs from them yet in others they joyn and consent unto them and these bear but a higher part of the Image by how much they have more of the form of godliness and are more zealous in their practise and professed worship and these do not so much strive after Compulsion as some others do though they would set up their Son as Chief and would have him adored and worshipped above all and they cannot own neither Pope Prelate nor Presbyter in their practise but seperates from them and gathers into more particular union and fellowship together and they run to the Scriptures to prove their Birth lawful and their practise warrantable but are with the rest in darkness and in confusion degenerated from the Power of God by which all things were made and knows not the life of Moses the Prophets and the Apostles but stands â—loathed and decked with their words and there seem to be something and to stand above others in their shew of godliness and Will-worship but knows not the life revealed so their strength lyes in the letter and what the Saints have declared who were in the power of God redeemed That they build upon as their foundation and in their imaginations practices in some things as they read the Saints did and there they rest satisfied and contented with their present states and conclude to themselves a belief in Christ and applie his promises and what he did for them in that body that suffered without the gates of Jerusalem and by his death and offering all things is accomplished for them and no sin shall be ever imputed unto them though they live in it and through his Mediation and Intercession for them as he is at the right hand of God at a distance from them they believe that they have access to God and to the Throne of his grace and are accepted of him and yet they neither know God nor Christ nor the place where they say he sits at the right hand of God and upon confession made of this belief and if there be something of soberness in people that they do not appear openly prophane such they receive into fellowship and brotherhood when the birth of God lyes oppressed under the pride of their hearts and no fellowship with God nor one with another in the life of God then they break bread together and calls it an Ordinance of Christ and meet together and speak and pray in words which is a branch of the old Root and a higher part of the IMAGE seemingly more glorious and this is the faith which all people in words wil confess as they do and doth not at all differ from the faith of the POPE the PRELATE PRESBYTER all confessing faith in Christ and a hope to be saved in Christ and that he hath satisfied for all sin past present and to come and in the life to come they shall obtain eternal salvation by Christ and this is but the same which all will acknowledge in words and differs nothing in the ground from the faith of those they are separated from but branches forth of the same Root and all their practise springeth out of the same ground and is the Harlots Childe though dressed with a fairer Covering Another branch there is which makes up the form of the Image and branches forth from the old root and is called BAPTISTS who have formed a birth fair in shew and is seemingly more glorious than any of the other and they are also in strife and contention about it and they flye to the Scriptures to defend it and to prove it to be the lawful Childe and because they read of some that went into the water and were baptized they observe and do the same and reading in the Scriptures that there were some who met together and exhorted one another and were edified and comforted one in another they observe and do as near as they can what they read of the Saints practise and so conceives a birth in the same womb and brings it forth in the same strength as others do and in the ground it differs not and concerning Christ and salvation they are of the general faith with the other parts of the Image and many of them hath the strongest confidence in it and contends most earnestly for it being in their mindes perswaded that Christ hath satisfied for all their sin and hath reconciled them unto God though they be sinners and by him they hope to be saved after this life is ended and so are set down in a carnal security and rest at ease in the formality and are strangers to the
quickning Spirit and the faith that they have made is not held in a pure conscience but is conceived in the heart that is degenerated and corrupted So people being from that of God in them which he makes manifest unto them 〈◊〉 god of this world rules over them and blindes their mindes that those things which are eternal they cannot perceive then doth he lead forth their mindes into the temporals and they make haste thither and opens their eyes to look at the things which are seen and this is pleasing to the carnal minde which is willing to turn any way that it may escape judgement And what was by the Saints given forth and appears in writings without them that their life is in and that they contend about and all strives to set up their own Conceivings and teach for Doctrine mens traditions and minde not the measure of God in themselves but stretch beyond it in the comprehension and run into other mens lines and labours and are all upon the earthly root and in darkness and confusion in their practise and worship that from the crown of the head to the sole of the feet the Image hath no whole part in it but is full of putrifaction and corruption and every branch rotten and deceitful and no good fruit is found for the bringing forth of all is from the heart that is deceitful and corrupted which lyes fallen and degenerated from God and cannot bring forth any thing that is pleasing to him or accepted by him for as is the root so is every branch in its nature from high to low and through all these appearances there is not a sound part found but some of them abominable filthy others have healed the sore sleightily and are all out of the life power of God and are all found wanderers in the night of Apostasie and in the darkness have taken the Whores Cup and do drink it and received the mark of the beastâ— and do bear it and this is Babylon the Mother of Harlots and the abomination of all uncleanness who hath held forth a Golden Cup in the night of Apostasie and hath through her Sorceries and Inchantments bewitched many to receive it and drink it untill they have been drunk with the Wine of her Fornication and have committed Whoredome with her that many children have been begotten and many Bastards brought forth of flesh and blood and of the will of man which is the birth that persecutes the Son and Heir And unto all those is the Cup of Gods indignation poured forth and they must all come under the severity of his Judgement because they are Bastards and not Sons for these adulterous births have provoked the Lord and grieved his Spirit and he hath long forborn and spared But on Babylon he will be avenged and all her Brats and Children he will dash in peeces in the fierceness of his anger and not one of them must stand though never so seemingly glorious for the day is come and the true Birth is born whose right it is to Reign and his glory he will not give to another nor his praise to graven Images he is the Son and in him is life and his life is the light of men all must bow before him and all that is contrary to him must under his feet be troden down for unto him alone belongs the issue from death the same that was and is and is to come Everlasting Powerful God over all for ever and ever Hear ye wise and consider ye prudent of the world Is not this your Way and Is not this the fruit of your doings Do you not walk in darkness and are you not building in your Imaginations and setting up your own inventions and brings forth likenesses and Are you not from that which was in the beginning and from the Saints life and Do you not want rest and peace to your souls Be stayed and feel Gods witness in your own selves which will return a true answer in your own bosomes And now a few words of â—ender Counsel from the Lord God unto you all that you may see the form of the Image and how uncomely every part of it is that you may not love nor delight in it any longer for the Lord will destroy it together and the little Stone cut out of the Mountains without hands will dash it all in peeces and there will not be a man upon the earth found to save or uphold any part of it So all watch to the Morning that the day may break upon you and the Light shine out of darkness in you that your eye may look into the Glass of Righteousness the pure Light of Christ in your own consciences and there you may behold both the Ill-favoured and Well-favoured Harlot and what Image you all bear and what Cup you all drink of and what Mark is in your foreheads and if you be diligent and incline to the Lords Counsel and hearken to his witnes in you your understandings wil open and you will see to the beginning and know that which was before imaginations or any inventions was found out and you will come into unity with the Saints life and know every word you utter forth to be spoken in the life and all flesh silent before God and so will your gatherings be unto Christ who is set up for an Ensign that all may come unto him and be saved and you will feel his life in you revealed and in his face behold the express Image of the Faâ—hers glory and his Power he will make known in you and baptize in the death and every formed fleshly birth that exalts it self against him and he will save you as you in him beleeve and redeem you from your vain conversations which you have in the world and give you life and peace for ever A few Words of tender Counsel unto the POPE with all that walk in that way who are called PAPISTS HEar and consider you that set your selves on high and boast in the Works of your own hands you are weighed and tried and your Way and Work is proved and you are found to be out of the Saints Life and from the Scriptures of Truth for the Lord spake by Moses saying Thou shalt have no other Gods but me thou shalt not make to thy self any Graven Image nor the Lâ—keness of any thing in Heaven above or Earth beneath or Water under the Earth thou shalt not bow down to them nor worship them For I the Lord thy God am a Jealous God Exod. 20. Are you not found Transgressors of the Holy and just Law of God making to your selves Likenesses and bow down to them and Worship them and forget the Lord who saith Thou shalt have no other Gods but me And are not these your Gods which you make to your selves and sets them up to Worship And do you not adore them and bow and cringe to them and doth not this practise erre from the