life togather us unto God in the unity of the light and fellowship of the Gospel to the bringing forth of all vertue in Brotherly kindneâ—â— and unfeigned love so 〈◊〉 the same he passed out of thiâ— City but a few days before he laid down the body in perfect peace returning to the Father who sent him and in whose will he brought forth unto God and his works follow him This and several others that he penned have formerly been printed and some have given praise unto God for the benefit received thereby And now out of a sincere desire that God over all may be glorified from whom every good and perfect gift cometh and the souls that are yet afar off from the life of righteousness may be brought nigh is this again published And in the â—â—eling of the everlasting spirit the justifier of all that believe therein is it sent abroad by her that is a traveller for the breaking of the head of wickedness and the opening of the eyes of the ignorant and that the simple may not stumble at the Authors name but read this or any other of his Writings in Gods fear that thou may receive counsel instruction wisdom and comfort thereby as many who believe have done I have here set down his own words as they were written by him and sent unto the Parliament Concerning Christ Jesus that you may not be harmed or hindred by false reports but receive the truth in the love of it in which it is sent to you in the good will of God from her that is made willing to be a servant for Christs sake R. T. This following Testimony was written by his own hand and delivered to the then Parliament who persecuted him as a Blasphemer in the time of his imprisonment in Bridewel CHrist Jesus the Immanuel of whose sufferings the Scriptutes declares him alone I confess before men for whose fake I have denied what ever was dear to me in this world that I might win him and be found in him and not in my self whose life â—nd vertue I find daily manifest in my mortal body which is my eternal joy and hope of glory whom alone I seek to serve in spirit soul and body night and day according to the measure of grace working in me that in â—â—e he may be glorified whether by life or death and for his sake I suffer all things that he alone may have the glory of my change whose work alone it is in me Even to that eternal Spirit be glory and to the Lamb for ever But to ascribe this Name power and vertue to James Nailor or to that which had a beginning and must return to dust or for that to be exalted or worshiped to me is great Idolatry and with the Spirit of Christ Jesus in me it is condemned which Spirit leads to lowliness meekness and long-suffering So having an opportunity given with readiness I am willing in the fear of God the Father in honour to Christ Jesus and to take off all offences from every simple heart this to declare to all the world as the truth of Christ is in me without guile or deceit daily finding it to be my work to seek peace in truth with all men in that Spirit James Nailor The Heads of the particulars contained in this ensuing Treatise I. What the Possession of the living faith is pag. 1. II. Who they be that are under the Law and who they be that have made void the Law against themselves and who they be that are under grace p. 24. III. Of the way of life from the knowledge that devoures the life p. 26. IV. An opening of light to all sorts of Rulers and people that wait for the Kingdom of God p. 27. V. A Candle lighted to give the sight of the good old way of God at his coming from the wayes that now ensnares the simple p. 42. VI. The Living God glorified in his Temples the true worshippers that worship him in Spirit and in Truth p. 50. VII To the Ranters p. 57. VIII Deceipt discovered by its fruits p. 59. IX A Message from the Spirit of Truth unto the Holy seed p. 69. What the Profession of the Living Faith is c. FOrasmuch as a right Faith is the onely ground of mans Eternal happiness and the only thing which gains the Creature an entrance towards his Creator and without which it is impossible to please God though much hath been said of it already yet I having found by learning the true and living faith which hath the living power different from that faith which is dead and without that power And seeing that so many at this day are at ease in a dead faith and their souls in the grave In tender love thereto I am stirred up to declare something of the faith of Christ which I have found onely effectual to Salvation and Reconciliation with God And somewhat the rather in regard the Enemy hath spread so many false reports of me touching my faith in Christ Jesus which here I shall declare in plainness for the satisfying of simple minds who desire to know Truth rather then to Reproach it and for those who seek occasion I chuse rather to bear their reproach that are in that Nature then contend therewith for my work is not with Flesh and Bloud nor is it in my Spirit to strive with any about words that stir up strivings and contention and edefie not but with God I strive daily and to that of God in all I seek to be manifest which resists not evil but seek to overcome it with good waiting for the Kingdom of God in all and the Souls Redemption out of death and the Seed out of bondage and where that is not effected in measure I look not to be owned nor my witness received though it be not of my self but Christ Jesus in me And first a Faith or belief I have found in the World of which I shall say little in this place having found indeed little in it to the Salvation of Life It s a literal Faith grounded upon the History of the Scripture touching God and Christ and what Christ did in that Temple which the Jewes destroyed at Jerusalem c. But doth not know him in Spirit nor believe him as his Name is EMANUEL to all Generations and so doth not necessarily work the believer into a conformity to that head in his then walking by his coming again in the same Spirit and Power working in them the same Will Mind and Affections and Obedience to the Father in their measure which was in him the Example Author Worker and Finisher of the True and Living Faith And of this Faith being somewhat dressed by the several Opinions of men are all the unclean Spirits living in whatsoever abomination is to be mentioned in the world all Sects and Opinions or whatever may be found in all Colours in these Northern Parts of the World with this Faith they are covered and this
must needs have perished under them had he not spared And just I have found him also for as they were not committed all at once against the light of his Spirit so he hath at one time or other visited for them and laid them before me yet not all at once nor no way so heavy as those committed after I believed and gave up my self to follow the light and yet to an account he hath brought me for them and coming to feel the terrours of God I have learned to fear and love and have found the ground and rise and deceits of that Faith that believes Christ to have taken away the sins of believers past present and to come with which many at this day make merry over the witnesse of God and the just slain in them and that Scripture I have learned without a meaning if we sin wilfully after we have received the knowledge of the Truth there remains no more sacrifice for sin but a certain fearful looking for of judgement and fiery indignation to devour the adversary though none know how but he that comes to it in the fulfilling and then shall be seen he that 's born of God sins not and he that believes is born of God but he that sins turns his back both on the Faith and Birth that 's towards Christ and becomes adverse thereunto in his work whatever he sayes he believes and this I have found an everlasting truth whatever men believe or imagine that no longer then a man keeps his face towards the light of God no longer is his sins cast behindâ— his back whether they be sins past present or to come but if he turn from Gods righteousness his own iniquities will rise and mee him both new and old and in vain doth such believe they are then blotted out of Gods fight whose eye shews him his way in which he then walks and condemns him for it in his own heart Now was the ground and root of sin removed so soon as my minde was turned by the light from sin towards God but the motions thereof I found and the lust seeking to go forth to its objects to bring in to conceive sinne again afresh that ground was but removed as I grew in Christ and he in me and as I came to learn him that was in the beginning before sin was who was learned in faithful following serving of his Spirit in watching in fastings in prayers and in all spiritual wrestlings as I came to be led into with the light in which warfare I came to see the hardship of him that will be a souldier of Christ Jesus and the baptisms into his death the slothful servant and the faithful and their reward and the parables and figures of the Kingdom opened as that â—pirit grew in me which interprets the Scriptures in the life and opens the sealed mysteries thereof in their season as they come to be fulfilled and so I came to the gift of the Scriptures by inspiration which onely profits to the perfecting of the man of God which the man of this world not having learned wrests to his own destruction getting the words of them in the earthly part before they be fulfilled in his heart through the Spirit and such receive them not by inspiration nor the gift of the Holy Ghost And in this journey I have seen the slothful servant overtake with a 〈◊〉 which he had once cast behinde him and never intended to joyn to again of which the diligent servant is kept free and I have seen the wages of each servant according to his diligence in that which he hath of God betrusted in him and not by his own strivings in the thoughts of himself his worth or wisdom and in diligent hearkening and obeying of the Spirit have I found the right fâ—rthfulness towards God though getting knowledge be highly esteemed with men and I have found that as I have the Spirit manifest in me to profit withal so the times of my profiting is onely in his hand and my waitings upon him when he moves not is my reasonable service and a profiting time to me as if he moved though I see it not and this I found a great crosse to my hasty will which indeed is the true worship in Spirit which when I knew not this Spirit to hearken and bow to and obey and observe in all things as his will leads I worshipped I knew not what and my fear towards God then was taught by the precepts of men and I was not taught of the Lord not being born of that Spirit and so all the children of the Lord are taught of the Lord and as many as are led by the Spirit of God they are the Sons of God these Scriptures I then could read and understand without meanings not by that which my wisdom taught me but which the Holy Ghost taught me and the Scriptures thus learned and received was no more a notion to be lost but a possession and I came to have an inheritance therein amongst them that are sanctified in all ages and no subtle â—an could either steal them or change them or any way beguile me of the truth of them by wresting them nor take away my comfort I had in them my comfort and fellowship therein being in the same Spirit life that gave them forth and the word of God thus grew and endureth for ever and the Spirit of truth that leads into all truth endures for ever and the Seed of God is one therein to all generations and that is one which perfects the Spirits of all just men and God himself is Judge over all and leader of all by his own begettings in all that enter into this rest of the faithful which remains to all his Children out of which false Faiths and Disobedience shuts themselves And that which declares the righteousnesse of God for remission of sinnes past and for an inheritance against sin for time to come have I found to be Faith without falshood which righteousness though in the Faith and Hope beyond declaring yet inherited but as the vertues that are in Christ Jesus comes to be received in the life of them And that faith which hath not that righteousness for its ground and end and the vertues and several measures of the growth of Christ for its life and increase that I have found upon tryal to be a fained fancy after mans minde and not after Gods measures And he that saith he hath faith in God and is without the hope of this righteousness for his inheritance Or saith he hath Christ further then he hath his Vertues for his life and growth towards this inheritance when he comes to be weighed with Truth will be found too light to stand in judgement or abide the fire or to dwell with everlasting burnings the tryal of that Faith will leave him without faith then shall it be read as it is written When the Son of 〈◊〉 comes shall he finde
and People that wait for the Kingdom of God that you may not oppose him in his appearance nor set up another to reign upon earth in his stead DO you say you seek God you Rulers and People will you seek his face upon earth or would you see his appearance to reign in righteousness or can you rejoyce to see him manifest in flesh or do you love his image who is the Fathers of Lights from whom you look for the Son from Heaven then be not carnally minded in your expectation least you know him not in his appearance who is a Spirit and so oppose him as your Fathers in the flesh ever did except you be born of the Spirit you cannot see the Kingdom of God The Father dwells in the light and changes not and the Son is the light of the World in his own Image by whom he changes all things that are out of him and overturns shadows and customs and makes the world new and in Spirit and power is his Kingdom upon Earth and the flesh is the Vail with which he was ever hid from flesh and bloud but revealed in spirit to such as desired to know no man after the flesh to set up or to worship And no man could ever say that this Jesus was Lord but by the Holy Ghost So with the light of the Spirit alone which sees through the vail is Jesus known to be Lord and King for ever with which you may all see what you set up to be Lord and Ruler in your selves or over others You that chuse Rulers Judges and Justices Mayors and Constables c. Do you see through the Vail to chuse Jesus in Spirit to Rule over you or over others Is that eye open which knows the Holy Ghost what Vessel is filled therewith that you may chuse him to Rule in his Kingdom do you seek for that Spirit to chuse withall by which alone Jesus is known to be Lord Then it is plain yon seek Gods Kingdom in the face of Jesus Christ who is that spirit which turning to causes the vail to be taken away from all hearts and will change you also into his image by that Spirit as saith the Scriptures So there was none to be chosen for Judges Kings or Rulers in Israels Common-wealth but who had of this Spirit and Unction put upon them and then the Lord Reigned over them in his Anointed whether King Priest or Prophet man or woman but when they chused Rulers like other Nations then they rejected not Samuel but the Lord that he should not Reign over them Now you that say you seek the Lord to Rule over you and say thy Kingdom come mind what you chuse to rule in you or over you with what spirit lest your practise oppose your prayers and make void your daily expectation do you chuse after the â—â—esh as other nations do or do you chuse after the holy Ghost If you chuse after the flesh then you set the vail betwixt you and the Lord and Gods Kingdom and his image you cannot see and so you reject the Lord as other nations do but if you look through the Vail unto that which is within the Vail then shall the vail be taken away from all your hearts and you shall see him amongst you whom you wait for and him alone set up and worship and chuse him alone to reign over yon who is near you at hand to all that put not his day afar off So if you make Rulers like all the Nations then after the flesh they that are rich they that are proud they that are full of earthly glory c. Here is the earth set above then the Vail is before your eye and you see not the Lord that Spirit nor do you set up Jesus to be Lord by the Holy Ghost but iâ— that eye be open in you that can see through the vail of earth and all this deal of flesh and darkness to that which is within the vail even the holy One in his Temple him to chuse and set above in your mindes then your eye shall see the Lords anointed and the King in his glory and he shall rule whose right it is in every heart and your Governors shall be of your selves and all violence shall cease and shakings of Governments the Government being upon his shoulders who is the Prince of all your peace in the great and in the small who shall reign in righteousness and judge the people with equity for God and not for rewards to whose authority every knee shall bow and every tongue confess for conscience sake his name being written in every heart will then be read whose kingdom is everlasting and in spirit and power he reigns and in spirit is worshipped in heaven and in earth who fills all things with the presence of his Glory and his kingdom is near to all that can believe it s within you saith Christ and he rules where he is not known though not to salvation who is made of the seed of David after the flesh by the word of God to all Generations a King for ever according to promise whose Kingdom the eye which the god of this world hath blinded is putting afar off who sees not the light of his glorious Gospel though he be not afar off but him in whom all things have life and being either to salvation or condemnation and this is the condemnation that light is come already into the world which men who loves their evil deeds say is to come and so looks for that withouâ— who is a spirit within and therein hath ever reigned more or lesse but now is arising to his day over all the world whose sound is gone out to the ends of the earth and his light ariseth in every heart to life or condemnation and some it leads into rest and others it pricks to the heart and they kick against it and will not have it to rule therein and to this day he is rejected of the builders who is the first born unto God in Spirit blessed over all And now all sorts of people who in truth wait for the Kingdom of God upon earth with that which in you is of him you may all see if you keep that eye single when he draws near who is born of the Spirit and when he is put afar off in his Government here below when you behold in any manner of Authority such a spirit as is for God alone looking to that of God in every man without respect of person or riches and with a single eye seeks to find out where that measure of God is transgressâ—d in any or where it is oppressed by any and with that measure of God in himself seeks to set judgement upon the head of the transgressor and to set free the innocent principle of God in all which will not lead any to evil then is the judgement of God and for God and that of God is set above in
all that 's he that 's born of God here the kingdom of God is near and as this increases so God draws near and his Kingdome increases and that of God in you all will answer thereto and rejoyce thereat which waits for him and that which is upright in every heart shall say that is the judgement of God and in that Vessel is God on his Throne according to the measure of that Spirit set up in Judgement so is Jesus Lord by the Holy Ghost known and bowed to But on the contrary in what place of authority soever it be in which the Innocent comes for Judgement against the Oppressor who is too strong for him and so seeks to Justice to plead his Cause and to deliver the seed of God that is burthened and when he comes his Cause is not heard but is thrust away if not further ensnared because he cannot oppress that of God in him more either by bowing to something of vain Customs or Worships never set up by God nor owned by his witness for Conscience sake or else because he cannot hire his judgement by feeding a covetous Spirit which is for Rewards and not for God that he Judges and so the innocent soul is not relieved at this throne but sent away as an offender from that place where he should be eased and justified with the judgement of a free spirit for justice sake doth not that of God in you all testifie against this that judgement is here turned backward in that vessel and that Jesus is not Lord therein so the innocent heart is sadned but not saved and the Kingdom of God put afar off and the Scepter of Righteousness not seen Wherefore Rulers and People who set up flesh instead of the holy Spirit to rule over you the wills of men the pride and glory of this world or any visible thing here below born after the flesh see what you chuse and what you put afar off and with that spirit you now chuse you will never see the Kingdom of God nor be able to say in truth that Jesus is Lord it s by the spirit of holiness meekness and true judgement and works of righteousness that Jesus is known to reign and therein stands the sight of his Kingdom and Lordship in every heart in every Court and in every place of judgement to all generations which you deny in chusing the man of this world after the flesh to rule in you or over you therein and yet you say you look for him and thy Kingdom come daily but deny him in the simplicity of his lowly spirit to rule for his own in all as all your Rulers ever did as you have read in words and now may read in deeds the world by wisdom knows not God so that spirit chuses its own to rule but cannot receive him whom you say you look for And how should any one who sees the kingdom of God and where the simplicity of Christ is above own that kingdom or worship that Spirit and not betray the simplicity of Christ and give his honour to another And if in the meeknesse of mind you did but weigh this you could not think it so strange why so many at this day who have received the kingdom of God in his lowly just and righteous spirit chuse rather to suffer death under that spirit of this world then to bow to worship it or confess that due thereto which belongs onely to Jesus the Lord neither would you say it was obstinacy or contempt of Authority rather to suffer by the will of man then to rob the Lord of his glory and deny Christ in his kingly office set up another in his place And herein true wisdom may see that in so doing we resist not that power which is ordained of God nor the person but that spirit we testifie against by sufferings under which God never anointed for a Saviour holding forth the anointing as we have received for a witness against him in the spirit of meekness confessing our King in whom we receive power to suffer so to us he is come and by the gift of the Holy Ghost we can say he is Lord therefore to us there is but one Lord though there be many so called whether in heaven or in earth yet have we but one in all both in heaven and earth and him we know where ever he is by the gift of the Holy Ghost and to him in spirit we confesse and bow and the fruits of his spirit are manifest with the light of the world testifying against all the works of darkness in all the children of his kingdom And to us he is born who is from above the Holy Child wonderful in Councel and Strength whose heavenly power and vertue takes â—uâ— affections from all earthlyobjects and worship whose name is Immanuel and it is written in our hearts and shed abroad into the world in our lives and Christ Jesus is the end of our conversation him alone to put on above all to preach by walking in him as we have received of that lively image of holiness and truth the anointed of God and so we confess him before men who is the right heir in what vessel soever he appears and the praise we give to God where this treasure is found in the earthen vessel and the hope of all our glory is Christ within and the increase of his government is Christ within of which there is no end and with that spirit is all righteousness established the kingdom of God upon earth and eternal life And where this is not seen chosen and followed there men rule in their own wills and where mens persons and riches is respected in chusing such there the same is respected in judgement by such and the Law of God is perverted and the sword of Justice which should defend the cause of the innocent is laid by and the fist of wickednesse is lâ—ft up against that which is tender of God in every conscience and when this rules the righteous seed mourns in secret but wickedness reigns openly and this is and ever was the state of the Kingdom of God and the Kingdoms of the Gentiles the one rules in the Spirit of Holiness and the other exercise Lordship in their own wills chosen and set up not by the Holy Ghost as you may read in the Scriptures concerning Israels common wealth who when they wanted the ruling of this spirit they sold themselves under their enemies but when this was their Judge they had a Saviour chosen after the spirit not after the flesh what ever was the vessel the Spirit was their Saviour Moses was a poor wandring Shepheard yet in this Spirit a God to Pharaoh and Saviour of Israel Samuel a poor man who received no reward for judgment and when they went about to chuse another after the manner of other Nations they rejected God who then gave them a King in his wrath David a poor man not chosen by
them that would have slopt him Did not he speak words in Amos against the Wickednesse of their King Priests and Worships that the Land was not able to bear Did not he lead Jonaâ— through the streets of Nineveh And in which of the Propheâ—s did not he thus walk in and some received him in his way and turned from their own wayes and found Mercy and the rest that rejected him were destroyed in their own wayes in which they blessed themselves as at this day Now read these and read what you now oppose in your Streets and Steâ—ple-houses and Markets and let that of God in you be judge if you be not of such as now say Depart from us we will have none of thy wayes Also search your Gospel if you can receive his way therein which changes not Did not he come in Christ and in his Apostles as a wandereâ— to and fro without a certain dwelling place to Preach Repentance and amendment of life and the light of the world from City to Village from place to place which way you now call Vagabonds And did not he enter their Temples and Synagogues Schools and Markets and all their places of Worship and concourse where sin or false Worship was acted and there Disputed and testified against their whole way and called them to the way of God and this was his manner of walking in them even in times of their Worships and in the greatest Assembly of Meetings and Markets which to you is become as gall and wormwood and you call it Disturbance and Peace-breaking Was not this his way in such as knew their bodies to be his Temples and in whom he walked and spoke the words of Life and Judgment and Truth his way by which he overturned the World leaving all without excuse against the day of wrath which was to follow where he was rejected his way by which he called many thousands out of false Worships in which they were setled as you are and their Souls deceived but this was his way to Salvation which was not their way as he hath said my wayes are not your wayes yet was there no other way fâ—r them to be saved which is the same at this day to all that receive his coming and to all that resist the Holy Spirit in his Temples as did your fathers so do you saith Stephen to such as worshipped God in outward observations but denied his way and worship in Temples made without hands these resisted the Holy Ghost resisted the way of God as do you Read and consider Steven was full of God the Spirit spake in him they resisted him they called him a Blasphemer they stoned him by a Law here was Gods way and their way now try your wayes whose work is to resist the Spirit and Light within which hath filled the hearts and mouths of his servants to cry against sin Mind what you râ—sist Had not God come in this his own Way to seek and to save by his appearance in such vessels as he had prepared of old for that end whom in time he filled with himself as they stood in need in all conditions to pass with him through all hardships and crooked wayes of the wicked world from place to place seeking a seed to himself what had become of the Saints of old which was covered with darknesse till he came thus to appear to them holding forth his light and his life and glory in vessels prepared to shew forth his vertues and the riches of his grace not only in declaring in words but also in power to suffer for his Name long and hard Tryals with much patience and meeknesse in all which they became signs to the world and lively witnesses of God to his own in every Conscience whereby the Seed of God in many gathered strength to arise out of darknesse and come to judgement and by their sufferings waxed confident in the Faith that it was the eternal God that they had seen preached and that was in them who thus suffered and did not receive their words as the words of men but of God who was with them and in them in all And this his way was not only to receive such as came to him but with danger of life went in to their Assemblies and publick places to bring them out of the claws of the Devil who beat some in their Synagogues haled some before Rulers cast some into Prison who suffered great afflictions to bring souls from under the dark power and in all this God was afflicted with them and by his own Spirit brought them out and this was his way of ransoming and redeeming and of bringing to Zion as you may read of old And thus by his Spirit and by his working in them did he work wonders and signs and was a witnessâ— against the whole body of sin overturning false wayes and worships by a way they knew not nor did the world know it was he until he had brought to passe his work upon them having thus gathered out his Seed from amongst them who then sought to stop his way as you do at this day And what was their end And in this way was the Churches of Christ gathered even blood and sufferings and tumults and beatings and mockings and whippings and all manner of cruel usage fighting with beasts after the manner of men and by the patient sufferings of Christ in them were many recovered out of the snares of the Devil which had he not sought them in this way they had lived and died in blindnesse And this was the way in which God gathered the Churches which you who oppose this way would imitate and in this way was the mistery of Godlinesse and the mistery of iniquity revealed and the Kingdome of Christ known upon earth and in this way came the Scriptures of the Apostles and Prophets of which you talk and would turn to oppose this way like them who read his coming in the Prophets and would have stopt his coming in Christ and the Apostles so do you ever resist the way of the Holy One and yet in words you pray for his coming but having erred in your hearts from that light which should give the knowledg of him you know not his wayes but have in your imaginations set a new way for his appearance every one in his own form but all think you are doing him service to stop his old way by force Ah foolish people and â—ull of wit will you call on him to come to judgment and stop his way with cruelty Is not the day of the Lord darknesse to you who deny the light Gods wayes are not yours nor his thoughts yours who are vain therein will you hedg up his way against him will you set Bâ—iars and Thorns before him and shall not the light of Israel kindle a fire amongst you shall not he go through and tread you down and with your own tear you as a Lion from whom none shall deliver Was it
not thus with Israel when they builded Temples and increased their Altars and multiplied their Sacrifices what was the end was it not all to sin for thereby they strengthened themselves against the way of the Loâ—d in his Prophets and blessed themselves in their worships said no evil should come upon them for they made many prayers but their hands were full of blood for the best of them was become as a Bryar in the way of the Innocent and â—he most upright as a Thorn-hedg in the way of his servants in whon he appeared against their back-sliding evils and false worships but they were not so to their own Teachers for them they fed fat and gave gifts rewards and hire to them so having got Prophets of their own in their way then they joyned together and one cryed peace to another and when God came to break that peace in his way and to tell them it was not his peace then they all joyned to hedge him out and made a wall against him of their own righteousnesse which they daubed up with their increase of Sacrifices and false worships so they said they were innocent people said so and Priest and Prophets and Rulers said so for they had trimed their own ways so they said they should have peace and he that told them truth then became their troubler So having covered themselves with this garment they could shed innocent blood boldly which was found in the Skirts thereof not by secret search and what became of all this did their own wayes save them in the end did not innocent blood out-cry the multitude of their Altars till there was no remedy So he became their enemy whom they called their Redeemer So now read your wayes at this day and measure them in Truth and see what it is you are hedging our who it is and what is his message against and what is his manner of coming and our manner of opposing that so if it were possible you might come to see a glimps of the old way and of your own works is it not he that comes to cry out against that which is wicked in your streets and false in your worships that 's become your enemy and breaks your peace whom your hedge cannot stop nor your wall keep out how many bryars and Thorns are set against him at this day to take hold of him if he do but open his mouth in your streets what Laws new and old theâ—e is to make him an offender for a word in your Temples how is he beat in your Synagogues haled before Rulers and cast into Prisons how is the Scriptures fulfilled upon you and his witness doubled against you manifold over above all your forefathers of whom you read and yet you say you are innocent you are no persecutors but for liberty of Conscience they were persecutors that so used him in the Prophets and in the Apostles and in Queen Maries dayes that so used Martyrs c. but cannot see your work of the same nature which Queen Maries Laws are far too short for you to accomplish but with many additions thereto are you in much fury driving on to destruction yet having trimed your own way say you we are Christians and have a Gospel Ministry of godly men c. But what Christians did ever Christians count it a breach of their Peace to reprove sin in the Gate or where ever it is committed did Christians ever cast into prison or count it disorder to dispute in their Synagogues in the time of their worship did they ever make a Law to whip strangers who asks them nought or to force people to swear against the conscience and many such things are now done which in the time of the Apostles the heathen came far short of which now is filling up all against him whose coming is ever as a stranger in the earth and what hedgings here is at this day to keep him out from his own is plainly to be seen and that he should not have liberty to seek up his lost ones in high-wayes and hedges Markets and Steeple-houses how have you heightned your walls higher then your fore-fathers and what daubing is at this day against the way of God from which your own wayes cannot save you for the way of God is perfect and will endure to aâ—l Generations wherein the upright walks and sinners falls in opposition thereto But how should you know his way who denies his light within seeing they that rebell against the light never knew the pathes thereof you aâ—e they who have erred in your hearts and therefore have not known his wayes and how should you have peace or enter into his rest for you that denies his light and resists his Spirit in your hearts must needs be offended at his coming in your streets so you have set your selves against him and he hath set himself against you as at this day and therefore it is not with you now as it was when you were in the work of making him way to walk in tender consciences and you will find him arise more to cross your wayes as you seek to stop his way you have begun to walk contrary to him and he is beginning to walk contrary to you and unto you is he become an enemy so take heed what you do for till you return will he watch over you for evil and not for good and the more you trim your own wayes to withstand his way the more will he discover the blood of the innocent in your skirts before the Sun till all may see you are no Christians nor what you Profess but open enemies to God and his people and your hands full of blood Wherefore be not rash you heady people you that are but looking for his coming iâ— outward observations are witnesses against your selves that his way you have not yet learned though you have read of it yet you know it not and will you appoint him a way and call it his way and will he own it who comes a way you have not known nor can believe if you be told it it would be your wisdom to stand still every one and cease from your own wayes and wait in the light which only gives the knowledge of him and his way which light shines in the heart as saith the Scriptures and the Kingdom of God is within you and he whom you oppose is a Spirit and comes a spiritual way to cut down spiritual wickedness so to the Spirit of light turn that you may see to prepare to meet him in his own way and not to set your way to oppose him that he should not break you to pieces The living God glorified in his Temple the true Worshippeâ—s that worship him in Spirit and in Truth NOw glory to God in Heaven and the thousands of his Saints doth confess him upon earth who bear his Name and testimony against the world who have still put his coming afar off who have
not that which they profess in them but tell of great things which they have not who are without God in spirit and his worship in Spirit such as Christ said worshipped they knew not what and such now worship they know not what who worship that they have not and profess him they possess not without God in the world in whose heart there is not God who are not the Temples of the living God but to this day worship in Temples made with hands as those who resisted the Holy Ghost ever did and how should such be holy vessels holy men and women what should sanctifie where God is not and what should lead where the spirit is not but the blind eye that leads into the ditch and what is like to govern where God is not in his throne in the heart how can such but be filled with unrighteousness who retain not God in their knowledge so it is not strange to the children of light who with the eye of God are guided to see the whole world lie in wickedness and to see such thingâ— acted againsâ— God in his Temples now by such as are without God as ever was so the Scriptures are fulfilled as you may read And ye holy iâ— heart rejoyce and lift up your heads towards the day of Redemption and own your generation here on earth that you may be gatâ—ered to the Fathers with that which comes from above and that spirit which perfects the just and casts out the unjust where are the dogs and Adulterers and such as know not God and where the hearts are gathered to the Fathers in God there the earth is blessed whose God is the Lord who have received the spirit from on high and are filled with the Holy Ghost as Stephen was who saw heaven open who was full of God whom the great Professors stoned who was full of wrath and yet said they looked for his coming from Scriptures yet like mad men run upon him destroyed his Temple so he destroyed their temple which they thought to uphold who resisted God the Holy Ghost because he had no place in them who could not receive the light of the world nor his word could find place in them but in such as they â—â—st out it found place whose bodies were the Temple of the livâ—â—g God as he hath said I will dwell in them and walk in them and 〈…〉 och walked within with God in spirit and was not Isaiah God â—ad wrought all his works in him Jeremy waâ— full of the fury of the Lord Ezekiel was the son of man And Daniel had the spirit of them mâ—st High God the spirit of light understanding Aâ—d Paul had the Son of God revealed in him the same that he Preached and said they that knew not Christ in them were reprobates and he that is joyned to the Lord is one Spirit And to David the Lord said Thou art my Son this day have I begotten thee and David declared it and the Saints were begotten of God and partakers of the Divine nature and confessed the Father and the Son in them and that the Son of God was come and had given them an understanding which they that looked for him to come without understood not who beat him in their Synagogues and shamefully intreated him because they knew not the Father nor the Son but said he was to come And they that had the Son had Life and the rest was children of wrath filled with wrath and so the Father and the Son supt with such as had them and the Lord was at their Table and they fed with him in his sufferings and blood and the rest made a large Profession of him but fed at the table of Devils and these grew great in violence and strong to devour and shed blood and the other excelled in meekness and patient in suffering and here were they separated into life and death never like to meet more And here now may all read the worship in spirit in such as know God in spirit and the worship in Letter in them that have not God and know not what they worship and these know not what they do who know not what they worship and the Son of God saith Father forgive them they know not what they do who saith they worship they know not what who worship not in spirit who worship in their thoughts of God but not the Spirit of God in possession and knowledge who think they do God service to kill and destroy the Temple of God because they know not him in themselves that is worshipped therein as Christ hath foretold and must be fulfilled at the coming of the Holy Ghost And when God descends from heaven to walk on Earth in his Temples and to require his worship to himself out of all Sects and traditions this is his entertainment from all that look for him in observations whose coming is within and his Kingdom is within you And now to you he is come of whom you have been long talking and in that way he appears among you of which you are Preaching The Jews had but the prophesies and shadows to know him by reading without them but you read and Preach in words of the lively pattern in spirit and have heard of the same Life and Testimony which now he bears against you in his Temples and when he comes you cannot receive him who suffers the same things among you Oh England how wilt thou stand in judgement what wilt thou plead for thy self when he arises to judgement whose Testimony against thee is drawing to an end what will be thy excuse and who wilt thou say thou took him to be who now endures such contradiction against himself such haling beatings scourgings and mockings and banishings imprisonings and death without resistings hast not thou heard of him before he came that thou might have known in this thy day the things of thy peace hast thou not read of him that is sent to seek his lost in Temples and Synagogues in Markets and where the greatest of the people be in which manner he now appears and being refused of the rich gathers the poor in the high wayes and hedges and yet hath no where to lay his own head hast thou not heard of the everlasting way of his walkings in Prophets and Apostles and his pilgrimage in their bodies upon eaâ—th who was ever a stranger in the world at his coming from Heaven what spirit wilt thou say this is which hath conformed so many at this day who was amongst you like wolves to devour others now to suffer the spoiling of their goods and torturings of their bodies and taking away their lives without seeking the least revenge wilt thou at that day say thou had thought it had been the spirit of the Devil as many of you now doth though in your consciences otherwise convinced Alas for thee how art thou wept over at this day And what a lamentable sorrow
WHAT THE POSSESSION OF THE Living Faith IS And the fruits thereof And wherein it hath been found to differ from the dead Faith of the World in the learning and following of Christ in the Regeneration With an opening of Light to all sorts of People that waits for the Kingdom of God And a Candle Lighted to give the sight of the good Old Way of God from the wayes that now ensnares the simple Also a Message from the Spirit of Truth unto the Holy Seed who are chosen out of the World and are lovers and followers of the Light Written by J. N. in the time of his Imprisonment and now the second time published by a Friend LONDON Printed in the Year 1664. DEAR Friends and People to whom this following Treatise may come I saw and felt it meet that something might be declared of the Author thereof who was Censured Judged Condemned and cruelly persecuted by them that knew him not yet they that had the knowledge of him and were conversant with him for some years before in the time of his sufferings can with me bear witness and that not a few that he came amongst us in the spirit and power of Elias and mighty works were wrought by him and an effectual dore was opened and many were turned unto God and gathered into the feeling of that power in which he was and of which he testified and it abides for ever the fountain and giver of every good and perfect gift of whom he had received liberally grace for grace and of his fulness did he manifest not onely in words and writings in and of the truth but in his conversation which was holy harmless and undefiled as one Redeemed out of the earth in the heavenly was his dwelling and no other Inheritance did he seek And though spirits of all sorts did beset him and temptations and snares of all were laid for him yet the Covetous and Wanton found nothing in him for over the world he kept in the holy faith which gained the victory and a Conqueror he died and lives for ever in that life which is everlasting of which he testified and called many to and those that received his testimony and abide therein are come to the Church of the first-born where we have fellowship with him in that spirit that quickens the dead and brought to life our Lord Jesus Christ in whose suffering and Resurrection he had fellowship and in him was he found therefore the world hated him and that they might fill up their measure of unrighteousness by him were they tried who being tempted out of the body become a sign unto them that had and did resist the substance and in the dark they acted and brought forth a cruel Decree without Law Reason or Witness that he had said or done any thing contrary to Justice Law Scripture or Decree of God or Men But those that had rejected the Light brought forth this dark Conclusion that because he did not condemn what some others whom they supposed had spoke blasphemy therefore he was a Blasphemer Truly I never could in my own disposition rejoyce to trample on any fallen though an enemy but being come to see the fulfilling of the many Prophesies spoke by the Servants of the Lord of the woes wrath and just overturnings that would unavoidably come on such who resisted the Light I cannot but confess to his righteous judgments that hath given them of their own doings and covered them with darkness who loved darkness better than light though my soul desireth that those of them that yet have abiding in the Earth might come to repentance now the just punishment of their doings being brought upon them who were themselves in the Blasphemy who said they were Christians and were not said they would give liberty of conscience but did not cried out against persecution and yet persecuted It is the Hypocrite that did and doth blaspheme that seems to be and is not For these was and is reserved the blackness of darkness and it encreased upon them who loved it better than light and over-turned and over-whelmed are they by it and shallnever come from under it nor have dominion over it but by the rising of that light to which and in which he testified whom they thought not worthy to live and therefore found out and invented punishment much worse then an outward death But Light springs for the righteous And in those years of his cruel and close confinement as he saw felt and learned he gave forth for the raising and strengthning of the immortal Seed that many do and Nations to come shall bless God for and by the everlasting Power which his Persecutors resisted he overcame and was gathered into the communion of the body which the unworthy neither did nor do discern and so drank into the one Cup of new Wine in the Kingdom of the Father though in those years of his cruel close imprisonment as he hath declared he combaâ—â—d with all spirits and was under the waters and beheld the foundations of the Earth and passed by the gates of Hell and spirits of darkness in the night-season surrounded him and under the earth he passed and deaths he knew many and when the weight of the Mountains was upon him his Friends and Acquaintance stood afar of him and it was to be so and he declared wâ—â— felt the weight thereof whaâ— it was to be sepaâ—â—â—ed from his Brethren and that if any one who 〈◊〉 life in God retain sin on Earth it is retained in Heaven So that Power that led him through â—he many temptations and trials made him a living example of lowliness and subjection not onely confessing wherein he had grieved any in the day he was tempted but in the spirit of forgiveness he sought to be forgiven even of those that had been bgotten by him so he were a father To Babes he did and could stoop that the Spirit of love and forgiveness might rise over all for he loved Justice and Righteousness and bore testimony thereunto that that was and would be the strength of those that abode therein being delivered from that which had pressed him down in the liberty and power of the free Spirit he often spake of the subtilty and wickedness of that spirit that works in the Air with which he had been beset ond what it led to and the end thereof to be perdition So he visited after his enlargement many of that sort and often prophesied as of many things which we have seen come to pass that they would turn into the earth or to liberty and ranting which his Soul abhorred and therefare often spoke and writ against the workings of those spirits in what appearance soever and to holiness in soul body and spirit called he and for the removal of that which hindred was his travel to the last day of his visible being among men And as at first he appeared in this great City in the power of an endless
is their strength and here they take comfort to themselves against all Reproof witâ— in or from without though living openly in the greatest Whoredomes against the Spirit of Holiness Carnal or Spiritual that can be mentioned even at a distance from Christ in his whole life yet they believe Christ came to save sinners of which they are chief and they that are whole need not the Physician c. And so the greater their wickedness is the nearer to Christ they believe And by this Faith he that came to save People from sin and to lead out of sin both by Example and Spirit is made a cover for all filthiness of flesh and Spirit and to strengthen the heart of wickedness against the life of holiness some in one sin some in another but with this Faith do all sorts strengthen themselves and hardens their hearts against the light of Christ and that Spirit which reproves the World of sin and convinceth of it and would lead out of it and hence it is that the witness of God that is holy in all is trampled under foot in all and little regarded in any but by this Faith believed on in none to be the way to the Father though the world have no light but it nor is there a Promise of Life in any other And this to me appears to be that Faith of the Devil or dead Faith the Apostle speaks on James 2. Though more hardned in it against Gods fear for the Devils when they believe tremble at it So this Faith I leave being judged already by its fruits with the light of Christ in every honest heart that loves holiness And of that Faith I shall speak something in which I have found a measure of the Life of Christ made manifest in my mortal Body in which life alone is the True and Eternal union and atonement with the Holy God into whom no unclean thing can enter And this is not a notion of what was done in another generation past or to come hundreds or thousands of years distance but that which leads to the beginning of the work of a new Creature at this day and a new birth spiritually begotten and born and brought to light without which none can see the Kingdom of God nor enter therein And this Faith doth not work by the comprehensions of brain-knowledge that because I could here conceive or declare of Christ Jesus from the beginning to the age thereof in words or thoughts that therefore I have learned him or know him as I ought to do or am grown up in him to a perfect man and so to deceive others by declaring and boasting of what God hath not wrought in me as a man may easily do and deceive his own soul and bewitch others also by leading them out of their measures of Gods present work in them But of the living Father wâ—h now worketh powerfully in spirit by love thereto the mystery wherof is holden forth in a pure conscience working out the old leven purifying the heart making all things new judging and killing and crucifying with Christ in spirit the works of the flesh and casting out every thing in me that is not of God and renewing in me the things of God in their order by his mighty working in me in which the soul is raised out of the grave and the dead restored to life actually and not in conceit Of the Grounds and Workings of this Living Faith I shall speak something And though the foundation of this Faith or beginning of it was that I did really believe in that which Christ did and suffered at Jerusalem and that there in that vessel he bare the sins of the World and satisfied the wrath of God for sins past and overcame death hell and the grave and made way for the Seed to arise in all through the whole World who would believe in his light which then shined through him to all men wherein he might be seen to be the Way the Truth and the Life apparent openly triumphing over all that had passed above the Seed And much more might be said of him there finished all which I did believe according to â—cripture which was an opening of me to receive him from Heaven in the same spirit and power without which I could not have received the gift of that holy Spirit God having so purposed from the beginning that the Covenant of Eternall Life and power should be received no other way but by faith in him who in the fulness of â—ime was there manifest in flesh for the taking away sins past and making a way for the Resurrection of life over all to save from sins for time to come The effect of which Faith when in the 〈…〉 ight I first received it did turn my mind out of all my sins past and took my mind out of them and turned me towards God and holiness of life I then believed to attain in that faith and receive power therein to grow up in him to his fulness and stature which then I see no less faith could save me then the perfect Faith of the Son of God which before I had not received but then received with such gladness of heart that it set my face and delights out of all sin towards the perfection of Christ in which I then believed which was the Joy then set before me yet was not the work done and finished in me already though I having received the Faith and Hope of the Son of God and was turned from all my former sin and my own righteousness so that if I had departed this Body I had died in no less Faith then the Holy Faith of Christ Jesus and so being turned to his Spirit out of the works of the Flesh I was turned from my sin and so from condemnation yet was there a great work to do in me before I could witness freedom from the body of death and the root and ground of evil removed and the seed raised to reign and the soul brought into the holy City the resurrection of the dead and fellowship in the Father and the Son c. And that glorious liberty of the new Creature and all things to be of God in me as the Scriptures do witness so this faith did not work me into a conceit of my self glorying in knowledge and so to become a Teacher of others what I had conceived below the life but it led me down into the obedience of the Spirit of Light to wait therein for the Resurrection of Life and I came to see in that Light that the motions of sin did still work from the old ground and root and that must be removed by the power of Christ working in spirit and my obedience and watchfulâ—ess therein was required and that without obedience to this faith I could not come to perfect victory over the enmity nor the glorious liberty of the Sons of God for though this faith had turned my heart towards Christ
is the estate of many at this day though some there be whose Consciences are feared and feel not this witness living in them though their damnation slumbereth not though they have lost their Calling and Election also And this have I learned in Christ that there is a great difference both in effect and nature betwixt that Faith which is the gift of God and that faith which men make to themselves for that which is the gift of God is of his own nature clean pure and perfect are all his gifts and so it works naturally the work and will of God in all who receive it freely and mix nothing with it to darken it or stop his working and by this Faith I am saved from sin and condemnation and begotten to the Father thereof in Christ Jesus which faith is not of my self but is the gift of God to perfect holiness in the sight of God and whatever is done in this faith is not sin and whatsoever is against this Faith or not of this Faith is sin and brings Condemnation and this Faith approves not of it and if I act nothing doubtingly nor against this holy Faith in this Faith I am justified in my own heart and my own Conscience kept clean and I approved in Gods sight and I have boldness through the obedience of Faith in the day of Judgement that it is not my own work but the righteousness of Faith which is in Christ Jesus and this effect hath saving working Faith and this is its Nature and Grace But another Faith I have found which is not so in nature or effect being not freely received from above but is feigned and hath its ground here below and its ends also The earthly man in his wisdom from the letter or reason or comprehensions sets up an Opinion or Image in his minde touching God or Christ or Religion Worship Doctrine or Manners or any other thing and then looking upon the likeness of it in the reasoning part gathers strength to believe it must needs be so and so forms a faith in himself And though this faith be not perfect when he hath formed it and made it with all his strength but many things in Scriptures and the practise of the Saints but especially that of God in his own Conscience will not sure with it yet the strong man being above in the strength of his Comprehension forceth a Faith against all these and causes all to bow under it so this Faith brings not forth the Birth of Christ nor his pure Image and Life neither in Matter or Worship nor Manners but what he may imitate Christ and the Saints in worship and keep the world and escape the Cross and save his life and credit and glory there that he will conform to and glory in and for the rest he believes it concerns not him now in all things at this day so to walk as they did And as this Faith is not perfect in Worship so in Practise also for that evil he is not addicted to he condemns in all but that which is in his own heart and eye and brings him profit and pleasure that he will cover and believes it may stand with true belief at this day though formerly it could not And this is the Faith made after man and not after God and so serves in respect of Persons Times and Things but bows not all these for ever to worship in Spirit nor brings them under the foot of Jesus that Spirit but being earthly by nature hath earthly effects and God doth not own that with his Power nor goes forth with that which man makes but with his own Gift which is good and perfect in every measure thereof And this also I have learned in Christ Jesus and declare to all that seek Faith in him That I never received any measure of this Faith of Christ in vain but whatever I acted or suffered therein from the least measure till this day in it I prevailed against what ever the light of the Spirit led me out therein and a shield I have found it and a growth in it towards Christ Jesus in every work of it wherein I have stood single to the end however tempted or tryed before the end appeared yet in the end of that Faith I was ever a Conqueror through the Spirit and whoever proves it to the end in singlenesse of heart shall be witness with me herein with a Cloud of witnesses that have gone before who by this holy Faith have prevailed over the powers of sin and entred into the holy Rest who have not sought their own Kingdom but the Kingdom of Christ And only this pure Faith which works towards the appearance of Christ in all actions and sufferings is that which orders all things in their place and time and fits all Relations for his appearance therein to glorifie God for God is not glorified in any thing upon Earth but in which the Son appears who is the expresse Image and Glory of God and in whom alone he Reveals himself and the glory of his Judgements and Mercy the Grace and Truth of God is in his face in whom ever he appears And so every measure of the heavenly Faith works towards the heavenly appearance and the earthly faith to the earthly appearance And so Faith in God is that which works effectually by love to the Image and Life of God in this world which is seen onely in his spiritual begettings which being believed in and set above shines forth in every measure shewing the vertue and glory of the Spirit of God but the famed earthly faith admits of some earthly thing in the heart for its end in love to which it works disobedience to the Spirit and so comes short of the glory of God for it cannot hold forth the fruits of the Spirit to glorifie God with an earthly lover in the heart nor can one faith serve God and Mammon so he that loves the things of this world is Gods enemy whose faith withstands the appearance of Christ in his actions or sufferings and so withstands the glory of God which therein should be manifest to all men and this is that faith which ever of old hath put him afar off yet gets the form and words to withstand the life and vertue And of this sort they are of whom the Apostle speaks having a form of godliness but deny the power of godliness who ever was the greatest enemies to the coming of Christ being not of the Faith of Christ nor of the Spirit of Christ but being from below withstands his coming from above to be brought forth in his vertue or worshipped in his Spirit this is Antichrist And this spirit and this faith it is that wrests the Scriptures to seduce from Christ and destroy the way of his coming and to that end what Christ really Commands to be brought forth of his life and vertue in real appearance this spirit serves himself with a meaning instead of
the outward appearance as man looks but by the heart by the direction of the Spirit he was the Shepherd of Israel and his seed of the same Election hath the everlasting Kingdom of promise to all generations Elisha a Plowman yet by that Spirit was he the Chariots of Israel and horsmen thereof Deborah a woman yet a Judge deliverer to Israel And too long would it be to instance in all ages how he hath set up his throne and saved his people in this Election not of wisdom riches or worldly glory but the poor of this world rich in faith heirs of the Kingdom of promise which you say you look for but cannot see nor receive while you chuse after the flesh as the world hath ever done who still have bent all their wisdom and Religion to keep the Heir out of his Kingdom whom they have been looking for after the flesh but not believing in the light to give them a sight through the vail to him that is born of the â—pirit have resisted the Holy One and chosen the murtherer as did your Fathers so do you alwayes resist the Holy Ghost and as it was so it is that which is born of the flesh is flesh chuses after the flesh and worships after the flesh for it can see no further it cannot see the Kingdom of God and that which is born of the Spirit is Spirit and chuses after the spirit and worships in spirit and these are contrary Kingdoms and he that 's born after the flesh persecutes him that 's born after the spirit ever did and ever will do for the Scripture cannot be broken which hath so said and is now fulfilled And now you that are called Christians you read and Preach of this King Christ Jesus and his Kingdom what a One he ever hath been in his appearance upon Earth by whom he hath been received and by whom rejected and after what manner he hath ever suffered and by what power he hath reigned in all ages and this you will confesse in words but will you now receive him to reign in you Or can you own his appearance where it is set up in others and not be offended therewith is that eye open that knows him or can you delight in him who was never like the world in his walkings was not he ever poor as to this world and therefore rejected of the rich and learned lowly and rejected of Princes and them that was high was not his work ever to change shadows and forms and Religious traditions set up in mens minds above the life of Truth and leadings of the spirit and to set up spiritual worship and obedience in its place And therefore by the builders ever rejected and condemned and his new work was ever foolishness to the wise wherefore he bare the reproach thereof with patience was he not ever meek and innocent and harmless in his conversation towards all men as a Lamb indeed separate from sinners in life yet seeking them to save out of sin with the daily giving up his life c So he was and so he hath ever appeared on earth now can you receive him King as he was you that wait for him Or do you think he is changed Is he now become proud and lofty in flesh after the world cruel coverous and hard-hearted subtle and crafty to deceive the simple strong and violent to trample on the helpless doth the glory of his Scepter now stand in meats and drinks and fine apparel or great earthly possessions doth he now come to take up his abode and delight in these things who ever hath come to take the minds of his people out of these things up into the heavenly treasure doth he now delight in earthly glory strife and exaltation Is the weapons of his warfare now become carnal wherewith he over comes his enemies doth he now come with haling and beating whips and prisons and cruel tortures to take the Kingdom of peace who hath suffered such things formerly from the world himself will he now turn oppressor of that which is tender in Conscience and grind the face of the poor or pervert the Judgment of the needy Should he now be seen in works of this nature were this to appear the second time without sin unto salvation as he is promised Sure the vail is thick over that heart who sees not that this is not his Kingdom Power nor Glory nor his image who is the same yesterday to day and for ever Yet is this nature above in many and chosen to Rule over many who say they wait for his Kingdom that eye being darkned with the love of the world which should give the true sight of his coming the carnal mind thinks God to be like himself But did you but honestly look into your own hearts with that eye which puts a difference between things that differ in your selves to know each motion of each Spirit and each power and the end and nature of its working the earthly and the heavenly you would soon be able to Judge of these two which so far differ in their fruits and are so contrary in all things and to own the right heir in his Kingdom But while you suffer the god of this world to keep his Throne in your hearts by letting him captivate your minds and affections into earthly delighrs it is not like he will suffer you to chuse aright nor receive another to reign in you or over you the eye of the mind being blinded therewith the light of the Gospel cannot shine into the heart by which you should chuse and which gives the knowledge of God in the face of Jesus nor that treasure be seen or received in the earthen vessel as King either in your selves or others but the wise in heart knows what they wait for and when they see him they rejoyce with the joy of his Kingdom which consists not in carnal things nor comes with outward observations but whose coming is within and whose Kingdom consists in Righteousness Peace and Joy in the Holy Ghost blessed be our King for ever and blessed are they who put not his Kingdom afar off .. And therefore you Rulers and People of all sorts high and low this word is to you and this day is to you the day of the Lord arise and receive your King into his Kingdom that he may receive you and establish you therein the Lord it at hand he is near to all that call up on him in truth and righteonsness To you Princes Judges Justices Mayors and Constables all sorts of Rulers who are in the place to Govern the Lord is at hand he is near you all the Kingdom of God is within you the Principle of God is within you with which if you mind it he will break the yoak of the oppressor within you and without you by the sword of Justice that 's his Kingdom upon earth put it not afar off let it arise
the Spirit and judge before you receive judgement in your own hearts and see all be clean there first then is your Scepter established in righteousness and your judgement in truth which is the Scepter of the Throne of David in Spirit which condemned David in flesh and will condemn you in the flesh if you sin against it and that is his kingdom and he is King for ever who in Spirit condemns sin in the flesh and for this end is he manifest that the righteousuess of the Law may be fulfilled in all who walk not after the flesh but after the Spirit which comes in his Name who went away after the flesh that the kingdom might come And if you receive your authority and judgement in this right principle of God it will judge for God in all yoor selves and others and it will fit you to be mediators betwixt the Offender and Sufferer in all and you will see what it is which transgresseth and what is transgressed and the nature of every offence to pass an equal judgement accordingly and this is of God and he loves it and where that of God is pressed not to clear the oppressor but to judge the oppressor and set that of God which is innocent free and here with that of God in your selves you judge for that of God in all and set that of God above the oppressor in all which oppressor is not of God in you nor in oâ—hers but is to be judged and for the Law and for the Sword but against that of God the Law is not and here is Gods kingdom already near and not afar off where God is all in all and the righteous reigns and the power that is ordained of God the soul is subject to for conscience sake towards God in heaven and eaeth and that of God in every conscience shall answer to your Judgement and Authority and God shall set you up therewith as a terrour in every heart above the evil doer the murtherer and traytor and the Arrows of the Almighty shall stick in the heaâ—â—s of all that seek to undermine this Government for the kingdom of God it is in which he Rules who cannot forget himself nor hath this kingdome been taken from any who once received it thus till they go out of it themselves by suffering or setting up another to rule above that measure of this just and innocent principle of God And if you receive this kingdom from heaven in love of it then shall you receive your judgement from heaven also and your Law-to judge by and God shall make you rich towards him in righteous judgement and towards his People and a discerning spirit will he give you in this anointing to know hard matters that are hid from flesh and blood which you shall receive in secret and bring forth openly and all shall hear and fear and praise the Lord for you and you shall no more go to the Heathen to learn judgment whom the Lord hath removed far from him nor shall you uphold those Laws by which the servants of God hath suffered formerly in the times of Popery nor shall the Statutes of Omri be kept and observed nor follow the wayes of the house of Jeroboam for you have seen what God hath done concerning them that you may fear to follow them But you shall have your Laws from the Law-giver Christ Jesus and your judgement from the Father of lights whose Ministers then you are to whose sword that of God in every Conscience shall answer which is written in every heart and which every heart shall fear to offend when they hear that the Lord hath raised him up Judges as at the first and Counsellours as at the beginning and the Heathen shall hear and fear and come to you to learn Judgement and righteousness shall arise from amongst you to the ends of the earth the break of Gods day shall be with you first as to you it is first tendred if you be not found unworthy to receive him and he shall make you as a head in Counsel and the first â—orn of all Nations unto God shall you be if you receive him wherein the blessing of God is bound up by an oath and his strength upon earth to all generations And this is the love of God to you all once more The Rulers of these Nations from the highest to the lowest that love might open your hearts that the earth hath shut and sealed that you might come to a feeling of your everlasting establishment and that your fears may cease in an endlesse â—nion betwixt Christ your King and your own souls to the dâ—ead of all your enemies and eternal praises lift up to him indeed who hath scattered your enemies many a time for you and all their dark plots brought to light that you may love the light wherein is your salvation and not plot in darknesse against his innocent ones as your enemies do but with hearts open and naked receive the truth which condemns all the deeds of darknesse in you and in them least he bring your Plots and secret Counsels against the innocent upon your heads as he hath often done to your enemies for he will avenge the poor though long he suffer with them and in them and this is now seen concerning you as was formerly seen concerning them of which they were warned in words and witnessed against in sufferings long before it came who are now broken as a Potters vessel and cannot be made whole but what ever they do breaks them more And now are you warned and invited in love who sees before you this day what God hath done concerning them and suffered concerning you And I am bold in the love of God to send this to you all wherein there is a Seed of God and I know there is that of God in you which will answer to the truth of this and the Scriptures witnesse with me also so I am not alone but by two infalible witnesses every word is established either to life or condemnation and my prayers to God is and shall be as long as this of God in me hath breathings That you may receive the Kingdom of God which is near you through that spiritual Light and Key that opens the door of your entrance thereinto that you may come to be established in the Covenant of God and not of man and that you may not resist the Holy Ghost as hitherto you have many of you done nor kick against that which pricks you at your hearts when you are told hereof least you be broken in the end so as you can never be healed which is near at hand to be broken or established as you receive God or refuse him who hath long waited upon you that now are and with much patience is he finishing as large a Testimony of his suffering and forbearance among you as ever was since the world began though it be little seen where the light is rejected which the
will stand in your way as thick Darknesse which you cannot remove nor passe then shall you curse your God who hath set you on Preaching Words above Life and lies by which the Spirit of truth in you and others have suffered and been denied and Gods Witnesse lie waste and been resisted in its gentle Calls Motions and Reproofs All which a just hand and unresistable will bring upon you in that day when Chains of Darknesse hath compassed you in the Horrible Pit Deceipt Discovered by its Fruits YOu that call the Children of the Light blasphemers and Seducers and many evil Names you give out to People against them because they Preach Christ the light of the world and Christ for Righteousnesse and Perfection c. Hear what Blasphemy and Seducing and Deceiving is and who are the Deceivers They were blaspemers who said they were Jews and were not and this was Blasphemy in Gods account To professe in words what they were not in works Rev. 2. 9. And they were blasphemers who said He that wrought the works of righteousnesse was of the Devil Mark 3. 22 28 29 30. And James said They Blasphemed that Holy Naâ—e by which the Saints were called who drew them before Judgment Sâ—ats and Oppressed them Jam. 2 6 7. And Saul blasphemed in persecuting for Conscience towards Christ Now this God callâ— blasphemy Falsly to take upon them the Name of a Jew seeing the Jewes were to be a Holy People to the Lord and to beâ—r his Holy Name before all the world in Righteousnesse and Truth and the fruits of his Spirit which Name they who had not the Life did blaspheme by taking the Name of a Jew And Christ callâ— it blasphemy to condemn the fruits of that Spirit â—o be of the Devil And the Apostle calls it blasphemy To hale before the Judgment Seats and persecute the poor that God had chosen out of the world These were the old blasphemers in Gods account and their children be in the same steps till this day and therein the truth finds them and uncovers them So come to your Rule and be tryed as you are in Deed and not in Words in Gods account and not in your Own This is the blasphemy to say You are Christians and are not To say You are in Christ and are not To say You are of God and do the Works of the Devil that old Murtherer and Persecuter To say Such as do the works of God are blasphemers and to Oppresse your brethren for conscience sake And this blasphemy exceeds your Fathers by how much the Name of Christ excels the Name of a Jew Will you bring forth the abominable fruits that God hates and cover them with the Name of Christ and father them upon the Spirit of Christ and say you are in Christ and Redeemed and Baptized into him and have Communion in him and get up Likenesses and Imitations from the Letter to cover you with in a nature contrary to Christ And is not this the Height of Deceit and Blasphemy What is the Name of Christ and the Redemption of Christ the Death of Christ the Baptism of Christ the Resurrection of Christ the Communion oâ— Christ and the Words of Christ become a Cloak for the Works of Wickednesse And doth not this blaspheme his Name his Words his Spirit his Ordinances and his People and all his Holy things and cause them to be blasphemed amongst the Heathen and throughout the World But to preach Christ the Light of the world and to confesse him in us so far as we feel the power of his Spirit taking us out of the power of Sin and Conforming us to himself and to bring forth the fruits of his Spirit in Truth and Righteouseâ—sse this doth not blasphemâ— but in such he is Honoured who shew forth his vertues and walk in his Spirit such exalt his Name This was Pauls work when he had left off to blaspheme Now come to your Rule and be tryed it tells you who are Christs and who are Antichrists Deceivers and Blasphemers and they are known by their Works and not by their Words It saith They that are Christs have crucified the flesh with the affections and lusts And if Christ be in you the body is dead because of sin And as many as have been baptized into Christ have put on Christ And as you have received Christ Jesus so walk in him And he that saith he abideth in him ought himself so to walk even as he walked and ye are all one in Christ Jesus And if any man be in Christ he is a new Creature and all things are of God And he that saith he know Christ and keeps not his Commandements is a Liar And this is the blasphemer who covers himself with the words of truth but is an enemy to the life Now here is the testimony of Truth lay it to the testimony of your lives and measure your selves therewith and we will measure our selves therewith also and let Truth judge the Deceiver and Liar and Blasphemer by his Fruits and where he hath his Seat What will Truth say where Covetousnesse is found Have such Crucified the Affections Have Proud men Crucified their Lusts Have Wanâ—ons Crucified the Flesh Have Swearers Lyars and cursed Speakers put off the body of Sin Oâ— iâ— it dâ—â—d where these workâ— are alive where there is Envie Strife Suits and Contentions Is this to put on Christ or to be all one in him Where Flâ—ttering Scorning Back-biting and Slandering is and the Vessels filled with such Wickednesse are all things of God And are such baptized into his death or planted into his Resurrection And are not they blasphemers who persecute others for Conscience towards God But to preach Christ to be the Light of the World and the Hope of Glory in the Saints our Life our Righteousnesse and Perfection and to suffer for it is no blasphemy Now here is your Measure and with Truth are you measured weighed and tryed Your Baptismes your Communion your Redemption your Death and Resurrection and your life Eternal And in the light you and we are seen and with the life thereof you are found who bring forth thesâ— fruits to be under the power of sin unredeemed and out of Christ the life deceiving your own souls and others of the righteous Inheritance amongst them that are Sanctified and blaspheming the holy Name of Christ and grieving his holy Spirit by professing that in his Name which you have not and by your evil deeds acted under his Name whereby it is polluted which was not given for a cover to such Works In this holy Name of Christ hath God placed his Covenant and Life and in these Holy things did Holy men and women meet with God worship him and dwell with him in Spirit as his house in which he was seen and walked And are these now become a cover for a Den of thieves a habitation and hiding for all the abominations now acted in the world Is
righteousnesse meekness and peace Ah blind people that have eyes and see not What is become of your profession of Names your Forms and Ordinances and how is God departed out of all as to you and your house is become desolate and where light truth and peace should dwell it s become a habitation of devourers a place of Owls and Dragons and Night-birds and beasts of prey such spirits rule in all your holy things in which you trust You cry the name of Christ but see not nor is your eye anointed You cry the name of Jesus but are not saved from your sins You cry Christ is your King but have not peace You cry great is the Lord with your lips but the Devil prevails in your hearts and carries you captive at his will contrary to the will of the Lord. So you have got the words of Saints but the life you have lost Sheep in words but Wolves in nature and so are in the gall of bitterness against such as retain the power of what you profess Now are not these vain words you trust in which doth not save This is the deceiver you tell on who makes people believe in a lie and now he is found in your own bosom blessed be the day which hath brought his works to light glory to God for evermore Wherefore let not your own thoughts deceive you and lead you to cast upon others that which in your selves sound but leave your vain and evil thoughts of others and judge your own selves with the light of life and measure your works with truth and not with thoughts Did not they that persecuted the Prophets think they did God service And they that persecuted Christ thought the same and they that persecuted the Apostles and Saints of old knew not that they persecuted Christ Jesus but thought they did well to punish Hereticks and Blasphemers and they that flew the Martyrs were of the same spirit and so of the same mind And now come to your selves and your thoughts in this your work which is the same at this day and many of you have the same thoughts though some of you act clearly against what you sâ—e and so exceed all your fore-fathers and now see who are Deceivers and Blasphemers and where the Lamb is led to the slaughter Ah you teachers of these Nations should you thus have used your liberty you had given of God from under the dark power that ruled in part in the Bishops under which some of you suffered Was it not then in your hearts that if you had but liberty you would go on to the rooting our of the reliques of Popeâ—y and Idol-worships and Perfecution Should you not have gon on with singleness of heart as you had liberty to the end Then had you been faithful to God and the Nations then had you been as openers of the holy paths for men to walk in and breakers of oppression and men should have called you the blessed of God then had you not inherited this cursed thing set up by your fathers the old persecusors and oppressors whose children you are now found to appear then had you uot been at this day found fighting for their fat Benefits which spued them out suing your people for Tithes Pigs Geese Smoke and such like trash haling poor people to prison and spoiling their Houses and lands for your bellies you had been at this day in a more honourable work than raking in these Dung-hils The Lord should not have needed to have called your own hearers from under your elbows and sent them against you into your Meetings to declare your shame openly and to cast this dung in your â—aces laying open your deceitful works and worships which falls so heavie upon you that you have not strength left to stand before the guilt thereof nor have any defence but either to flie or cry out to the earthly Powers to help you against him who is now become your Adversary It was not thus with you while you were sufferers for standing faithful to what you then knew of Gods new work I appeal to that of God in your own Consciences if then a silly boy or girl or man or woman had asked you a question concerning your Doctrine or Manners if you would have used either your feet to flie or your hand to â—mite oâ— cried Away with him Officer take him to prison Magistrate make a Law against him Queen Maries Acts were then abomination to you you had then another weapon even a measure of the Spirit to inform the weak with meeknesse and to convince gain-sayers But then you were sufferers your selves for your Conscience and so the case is changed with you and the Spirit also as far as the sufferer is from the persecuter onely here the Deceiver keeps you blind in that you keep the old form you then had but prossessed with another spirit So your sticking in the form hath deceived you of the suffering Spirit and the power of meeknesse which had you been led by the Spirit of the Lamb you had been at this day in the fellowship of his sufferings not tormentors of those that are Have not I heard some of you in publick declare That if a Church had persecution in it for Conscience sake upon any account whatsoever it needed no further Trial to prove it to be of the Devil and not of the Church of Christ But since the same person though no mean one of account amongst the finest sort of Teachers have commanded them to prison who came but into the Synagogue and spoke not one word Alas for your Souls how are you fallen under the cursed thing that you should be they who are left to fill up the measure of what the Bishops came short of Ah! how are you to be pitied Will not your cutting them off rise against you And will not God avenge their bloud upon you who have condemned their persons but justifie the things for which they were cut off by adding manifold thereto in the same nature God is Judge this day and his light in your hearts how you have dealt with him and his inheritance by which you should have been led out of these things going before you into the Kingdom of God but are now found in the work of gain-saying such as are coming out of darknesse into light neither entring your selves nor suffering them that would So let truth for ever stand upon the head of the deceiver and blasphemer and let such as are seduced by them be therewithall delivered And blessed be the Lamb for ever whose Life is this day become a light to divide the Sheep from the Wolves that he may come to Judgment A MESSAGE FROM THE SPIRIT of TRUTH Unto the Holy Seed To the Reader YOu lovers and followers of the Light to you is this message sent in it abide that the glory of the only begotten of the Father you may behold and be changed from glory to glory fill
not your heads but feel the life of what in this followings paper is declared For though the Thief the Boaster the proud and exalted ones have or may cover themselves with like words yet this birth never was is or shall be brought forth but by the espoused Virgin pure chaste and spotlesse true and abiding innocency far distant from all feigned purity which many being puffed up in their vain minds have or may intrude into things they know not and so deceive the simple by a voluntary humility and worshipping of Angels these hold not fast the head which gives the life to every member he that is without beginning of days or end of life by whom and for whom all things were made to him shall every knee bow who filleth all in all of whose fulness he hath received grace for grace who in these following lines salutes the whole elect of God every where plentifully giving forth of the great Mystery of godliness hidden from ages and generations now made manifest to the meek and upright in heart who in the unfeigned love abide which endures for ever R. T. DEar friends Brethren and Sisters of the Seed of Abraham partakers with him in the holy call and who in his faith wait for that glory and inheritance immortal which every one of you shall receive at the appearance of the great God and his Son Jesus Christ to you all be peace truth and love increased wherein you may be established to the end of your calling That which is set before me in the Spirit of truth and for which my soul travels and breaths after in the whole Creation but especially in you who are already called thereunto I am moved to impart unto you thereby to stir you up earnestly to press on towards the appearance of that to which you are called in one which is no other then what hath been holden forth from the beginning even the only begotten of the Father filled with grace and truth for the obtaining whereof you that are faithful have denied the delights of this present world and do daily undergo the enmity thereof Of whose appearance many of you have received a certain hope which cannot be shaken and a measure of him some are come to in the same Spirit who have seen felt and handled of his appearance and have received of his fulness wherein alone you excell and are able to hold forth that life iâ— the power of obedience meeknesse and fear which no form nor knowledge without is able to bear or bring forth which is that alone wherein I rejoyce in you and not onely so but find cause in heart to magnifie that goodnesse and glorious power of God already manifested in you and through you to the world whose praises will daily increase as his vertues appear in you which that you and all the number of called ones may increase and grow to the age stature and full appearance of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ is the full desire of my soul and that which will give us an assured joy and perfect peace in one when knowledg will vanish and that which is in part shall be done away Wherefore you that have received the Spirit of Prophecy and that light out of darknesse which lets you see what manner of one the Son of God must be at his appearing in Spirit and power holiness and great glory I beseech you that none of you sit down at rest in this sight nor be you puffed up therewith as though you had already attained lest thereby the Enemy prevail to assault you above what is meet and so others lesse in wisdome who are more lowly in spirit step in before you and obtain that Crown and glory to which you were called and so while you feed on the knowledge you loose the life but that every one waite in the light to feel the power and life of the Son of God manifest in your bodies giving you victory over your own spirits and raising you up out of death into the life of the Prophecies that you may all know the true worship in Spirit and what you bow unto that henceforth you may be servants of righteousnesse begotten and not made which only hath food able to satisfie your thiâ—sting souls that you may all feel the onely begotten of God in vertue and power working mightily the work of the Father and destroying the work of the devil in every particular for hereunto were you first called that you should inherit eternal life and power the true riches of grace in righteousness and to receive a Kingdome that cannot be moved but that is able to keep you against all assaults of the enemy which â—iches is Gods onely begotten in whom is received of the perfect fulnesse of God which is only able to satisfie all fears and supply all wants in all who attain to his appearance And further I beseech you that you satiâ—fie not your selves onely with a feeling of this working in you but that you diligently attend an entrance thereinto that you may put him on whom the Father begetteth and formeth in you that you souls may be bathed and anointed therein And not only so but that you bring him forth before all men even him the only begotten Son of God in meekness long-suffering in patience in righteousness in godly holinesse and all his vertues the living image of him by whom he is begotten that it may appear to all men whose you are and who possesseth the vessâ—l and what he is that appears therein that it may be seen and confessed that God is in you of a truth revealed in his only begotten For this is he to whom at his appearance every tongue shall confesse and every heart be struck with fear though the form of his beauty and visage of his glory hath amongst false Births and fained professions been more marred then any mans who instead of bringing forth into the world the only begotten of God to convince and condemn the world of all ungodliness and save them from it have brought forth the conceivings of their own brains and the child born to them is no Saviour but their birth hath left them in the world and one with it who are now turning the words of Christ against his works and their power to withstand his appearance in others who is the same which was and is and is to come to all generations So that instead of holding forth that spiritual power of perfect Redemption from above to save his people from their sins and set them at liberty from the bondage of corruption to serve God in the new man the Son of Righteousnesse of peace and holinesse Gods image there appears the Son of wickednesse in every form at liberty and pleaded for the Image and power of all unrighteousnesse and ungodlinesse preached and set up so that the very faith and hope of Gods appearance in this generation is destroyed So these not waiting in faith single
but keep the Lord in your eye and the evils shall dye and vanish away from amongst you and the appearance shall be the Lords and to him shall the gathering of the Nations be hungry souls shall see and be satisfied with his likenesse and all that behold his beauty shall confesse unto him and in him shall the upright heart delight for at his coming shall he establish the Throne of Righteousnesse and measure every appearance and correct every false judgement and that which ensnares the simple will he cast out for by the power of his appearance shall every thing be tryed and peace proclaimed in the name of righteousnesse alone for that which is not like him will not be able to stand before his appearance But we know that when he appeares we shall be like him he that hath this hope purifies himself even as he is pure that he may be seen in him at his coming Now dear friends is your sound gone to the ends of the earth and God hath made you famous amongst your enemies in that you have begun to confess his name and nature and that he is in you whom many are looking for here and there and now the eyes of people and Nations are upon you to see your end and now your glory is in putting him on and covering you with him a Lamb without blemish before God and man that in him you may obtain good report unreproveable and holy so shall you stop the way of the destroyer and put an end to all false conceptions and revive the hope of Israel Let his innocency be your armour and put your trust in his truth for your Salvation The time is full come for you to declare what he is to you ' with boldness with a confession beyond words for this appearance of him in love is that which shall judge all likenesses and try all spirits actions judgments and appearances and by this shall you all be measured what spirits you are of and all spirits in the world for he shall bring every hidden formed fained thing to light at his coming and what ever hath not this love in it is not his nor begotten of God but he that hath this love is begotten of God and hath him the Father and the Son the end of the Law and the Prophets the substance and life of all knowledge faith and works the root and ground of every good gift for herein are we made perfect in love that we may have boldness in the day of judgment because we have put him on dwell in him who is love and as he is so are we in this world But he that loveth not is not made perfect in faith in knowledge in judgment having not learned Christ herein therefore by this he must be judged himself So blessed is he that judges nothing before the time who condemns not himself wherein he judges another all judgment being committed to him that can lay down his life for his enemies Therefore happy are you if you have him on first for when he appears his judgment is true and shall stand when all that hath come before him shall pass away for him alone hath the Father sealed So dearly beloved ones my soul breaths towards you herein that in all your several gifts and administrations this Son of God be your eye and end the beauty and Glory of the Father that the hope thereof to attain may stay you in all tryals and temptations knowing that in him alone is your lasting peace and that which doth now befall you in all your afflictions is to shake all other appearances that way may be made for him alone whose Image and life none can judge nor condemn And the day is come that happy is that man who hath nothing else to glory in and this know that the appearance of God in his own begotten is your glory and if any man boast himself and not herein when he is weighed therewith he will be found wanting the sound thereof will not save him As the same spirit from whence this comes moves in any one so let them send it abroad amongst the called of God to be read and known COme forth you children of light come forth depart out of the world touch not the unclean thing that the holy one may make his appearance amongst you make hast to the day of your God If he shine forth Salvation is with you but he cannot appear in that heart where the world is retained If you be like the world it will own you but that image which it receives not is your everlasting glory and beauty So mind what works in the vessel for now must every Child appear like his Father and must bring to light of what spirit he is begotten and only blessed is he that comes in the name of the Lord with power and great glory that which the world is ashamed of is that with which the Son of God is glorified and again must be glorified he that bears the iniquities of men and is fill'd with reproach and yet appears without sin is our Saviour And a Lamb without spot must take away the sin of the world his manifestation destroyes the work of the Devil in a body prepared he delights to perform the councill of God and to bring hidden things to light that he may speak mysteries to the wise therein and hold forth a way to the simple leading out of the snares of subtilty Wherefore all that love his appearance and seek the face of redemption love that which prepares his way to his appearance in his Temple that which breaks down the will of man and as a fire goes before him which is that baptisme with which all that will receive him must be baptised into death So when sorrow anguish and tribulation comes upon you rejoyce and fly not This comes to destroy nothing but destruction and to kill that which keeps you from eternal life and to prepare a way for your peace and a place for everlasting righteousness to dwell in you For truly friends in the threshing floor must the Altar be set up and where God answers by fire there must his house be built and as many as look to the end of this may not despise correction nor faint under the hand of reproof That is good which brings down into the depth where the wonders of God are learned for he that will labour in Gods Vineyard must know every seed and its root what feeds it and what famisheth it and the ground of every weed and cause of every curse This many may see when it 's come to a Tree brancheth and brings forth fruit but then its strong and powerful and not easily pluckt up seldom got down without fire and much sorrow therefore blessed is that eye that 's lowly and diligent which sees every several appearance that he may slay the seed of wickedness ere it bud and not suffer the enmity to take root for he