growth and prosperity in the Truth doth answer this parable Yea or Nay And observe what Isaiah Prophesied concerning Christs Kingdom and Government He saith Of the Increase of His Government and Peace there shal be no End Now they who under the profession of the Light within are against this pure Government of Christ and the increase of it in the particuler and in his Church in generall who are for bringing in and Practising a corrupt fleshly Liberty Contrary to Christ these are the Apostates and Innovaâ—ors with such the Faithful Christian Apostles and Elders c. were Exercised and greâ—ved in the Primitive times as the Epistles of Paul Peter John Jude c. do shew Hear what Peter saith Concerning this matter viz. The Lord knoweth how to deliver the Godly out of Temptations and to reserve the unjust unto the day of Judgment to be punisht but Chiefly them that walk after the flesh in the Last of Vncleanness and dispise Government presumtuous are they self-willed having Eyes full of Adultery and that cannot cease from Sin beguiling unstable Souls These are wells without Water Clouds that are Carryed with a Tempest to whom the mist of Darkness is reserved for ever for when they speake great swelling words of vanity they alure through the Lust of the flesh through much wantonness those that were Clean Escaped from them who live in Errour while they promise them Liberty they themselves are the Servants of Corruption for of whom a man is overcome of the same he is brought into bondage 2 Peter 2. 9 10 14 17 18. 19. read the Chapter through And as it was in their dayes so is it in ours some fell away then from the faith and Obedience to the Cross of Christ who had been Enlightened and tasted of the Heavenly Gift and of the power of the World to Come who while they therein abode were as Stars in the Firmament of the power of God and as the Clouds that are filled with rain and as the Trees of the Lords Planting which brought forth some fruit to him but when they fell away from Christ the root seed Light and fountain of life then their fruit withered and so they came to be without fruit as Jude writeth Trees twice dead pluckt up by the Roots c. and could not grow any more Now observe it is not with these as it was in the beginning when they were first turned to the Light of Christ by which they come to see their Sins and to be led to Repent of them and to forsake them the latter End of these is and will be worse than their beginning as the Apostle Peter writes concerning such for saith he It had been better for them not to have known the way of Righteousness than after they have known it to turn from the Holy Commandment delivered to them but it is come to pass according to the true Proverb the dog is returned to his own vomit again and the sow that was washed to her wallowing in the Mire 2 Peter 21. 22. such in former time became the Agents of Sathan to seduce and draw others from the Faith and Obedience of the Cross of Christ some such have been and are in our day All you that Love the Light of our Lord Jesus Christ which makes Manifest all things as they are and reproves that which is Evil wait dilligently in the Light that therein you may see all the Mysterious workings of Sathan and his Agents that therein waiting and a biding stedfast you may Escape all their Snares Something more Concerning the order of the works of God in Heaven and Earth and particularly in his People THE great God who made Heaven and Earth and the fountains of Water who made all things good in the beginning he is the great God of Order he works his works in Order In the begining God Created the Heaven and the Earth and the Earth was without form and void and Darkness was upon the face of the Deep and the spirit of God Moved upon the Face of the Waters and God said let there be * Note God Commanded the Light to be and appear the first day Light and there was Light and God saw the Light that it was Good and God divided the Light from the Darkness and God called the Light Day and the Darkness he called Night and the Evening and the morning were the first day and God said let there be a Firmament in the midst of the Waters and let it divide the Waters from the Waters and God made the Firmament and divided the Waters which were under the Firmament from the Waters which were above the Firmament and it was so and God called the Firmament Heaven and the Evening and the Morning were the second day and God said let the waters under the Heaven be gathered together unto one place and let the dry Land appear and it was so and God called the dry Land earth and the gathering together of the waters called he seas and God saw that it was good and God said Let the Earth bring forth grass the Herb yeilding seed and the fruit-tree yeilding fruit after his kind whose seed is in it self upon the Earth and it was so and the Earth brought forth grass and Herb yeilding seed after his kind and the tree yeilding fruit whose seed was in it self after his kind and God saw that it was good and the Evening and the morning were the Third day and God said let there be Lights in the Firmament of the Heaven to divide the Day from the Night and let them be for Signes and for Seaâ—ous and for Dayes and Years and let them be for Lights in the Firmament of Heaven to give Light upon the Earth and it was so and God made two great Lights the greater Light to Rule the day and the lesser Light to Rule the Night he made the Stars also and God set them in the Firmament of the Heaven to give Light upon the Earth and to Rule over the Day and over the Night and to divide the Light from the Darkness and God saw that it was good and the Evening and the Morning were the Fourth day and God said let the waters bring forth aboundantly the moving Creature that hath life and Foul that may fly above the Earth in the open Firmament of Heaven and God Created great Whales and every living Creature that moveth which the waters brought forth aboundantly after their kind and every winged Foul after his kind and God saw that it was good and God blessed them saying be fruitful and Multiply and fill the waters in the Seas and let Foul Multiply in the Earth and the Evening and the Morning were the Fifth day and God said let the Earth bring forth the Living Creature after his kind Cattle and Creeping thing and Beast of the Earth after his kind and it was so and God made the Beast of the Earth after his kind and Cattle after
Gideon and of Baruck and of Sampson of Jephtha and of David also and of Samuel and of the Prophets c. see Heb. 10. 38 39. Read the 11 Chapter through Habbakkuk 2. 4. Rom. 1. 17. Again the Apostle Peter writ to the Saints concerning Faith vâ—z Who are kept by the power of God through Faith unto Salvation see 1 Pet. 1. 5. Again the Author to the Hebrews saith Let us hold fast the Profession of our Faith without wavering Heb. 10. 23. Now the Apostle James who writ of this Faith writ also of the works and fruits of it which the rest also did hear what he saith in this matter viz. What doth it prâ—fit my Brethren though a Man say he hath Faith can Faith save him If a Brother or Sister be naked and destitute of dayly Food and one of you say unto them Depart in peace be you warmed and filled notwithstanding ye give them not thâ—se things which are needful to the Body what doth it profit Even so Faith if it hath not works is dead being alone yea a man may say Thou hast Faith and I have works shew me thy Faith without thy works and I will shew thee my Fath by my works Thou believest there is one God c. But wilt thou know oh vain man that Faith without works is dead Was not Abraham our Father justified by Works seest thou how Faith wrought with his Works and by works was Faith made perfect and the Scripture was fulfilled which saith Abraham believed God and was imputed to him for Righteousness and he was called the friend of God ye see then how that by works a Man is justified and not by Faith only for as the Body without the Spirit is dead so Faith without Works is dead also James 2. 14 to the end Again the Apostle John writ to the Children of Light concerning this Faith viz. For whatsoever is born of God overcometh the World and this is the Victory that overcometh the World even our Faith 1 John 5. 4. Again Peter Exhorts those who were come to some degree of this Faith saying Give all diligence add to your Faith Vertue and to Vertue Knowledg and to Knowledg Temperance and to Temperance Patience and to Patience Godliness and to Godliness Brotherly Kindness and to Brotherly Kindness Charity for if these things be in you and abound they make you that you shall neither be barren nor unfruitful in the Knowledg of our Lord Jesus Christ but he that laâ—keth these things is blind c. Wherefore the rather Brethren give diligence to make your Calling and Election sure for if you do these things you shall never fall 2 Pet. 1. 4 11. Again the Apostle Paul writing to the believing Thessalonians said unto them We are bound to thank God always for you Brethren as it is meet because that your Faith groweth exceedingly and the Charity of every one of you all towards each other aboundeth 2 Thess 1. 3. Again Paul writ to the Galatians viz. Knowing that a Man is not justified by the works of the Law but by the Faith of Jesus Christ even we have believed in Jesus Christ that we might be justified by the Faith of Christ and not by the works of the Law for by the works of the Law shall no flesh be justified but if while we seek to be justified by Christ we our selves are found sinners is Christ therefore the Minister of sin God forbid for if I build again the things which I destroyed I make my self a Transgressor for I through the Law am dead to the Law that I might live unto God I am Crucified with Christ nevertheless I live yet not I but Christ liveth in me and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the Faith of the â—on of God c. Gal. 2. 16 17 18 19 20. Again he writ thus to the believing Ephesians viz. We are Gods â—â—â—kmanship Created in Christ Jesus unto good Works which God hath before ordained we should walk in them Ephesians 2. 10. The same Apostle writing to the believing Philipians writ thus viz. For it is God which worketh in you â—â—th to will and to do of his own good pleasure do all things without murmuring and disputing that you may be blameless and harmless the Sons of God without rebuke in the midst of a crooked and perverse Nation among whom ye shine as Lights in the World Philip. 2. 13 14 15. Again he writ to the Ephesians thus viz. Unto him that is able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think according to the power that worketh in us unto him be Glory in the Church throughout all Ages world without end Amen Eph. 3. 20 21. Again the Author to the Hebrews writing to them saith viz. Now the God of Peace that brought again from the dead our Lord Jesus that great Shepherd of the Sheep through the Blood of the Everlasting Covenant make you perfect in every good work to do his will working in you that which is well-pleasing in his sight through Jesus Christ to whom be Glory for ever and ever Amen Heb. 13. 20 21. O all you who profess your selves to be Christians and to be led and guided by the Spirit and Light of Christ within seriously consider of the faithful sayings of these faithful Apostles and Servants of Christ concerning Faith in God and Christ and the Gospel and Christian works which God in Christ works in all those who comes to the Baptized by Christ with the Holy Ghost and Fire which burns up the works of Satan to with Sin who destroys the old man with his deeds which are corrupt and which renews and restores man again into the likness or image of God who created him All who come to drink into the one Spirit and be Baptized by it into the one Body come thereby to be made of one Heart and Soul and to Worship and Serve God with one consent these have not Faith without Works which is dead but they have the living Faith which God hath wrought in them which by the Apostle is called the Faith of the Operation or Work of God and with this living Faith they have the living Works and Fruits which Faith and Works prove them to be the generation and living off-spring of God Further observe How sweetly all the before-mentioned Apostles in their sayings are in Harmony and Unity concerning this living Faith and its living Works or Fruits Again observe Where many Professors of Faith and Christianity have been grosly mistaken concerning Faith and Works The Apostle Paul in some of his Epistles writing much against the upholding of the shadowy works of the Law after Christ had ended them by his one offering many Professors of Christianity of latter times have been willing to exclude all works as with respect to Salvation or Acceptance with God under the Gospel dispensation though the holy Apostle Exhorted the Believers in Christ to work out their
and the Salvation of your Souls are so very greatly concerned O Friends Be all as willing to follow and obey this Spiritual Divine Light as you are to profess it and talk of it for if there be not a Walking in it the Profession of it will be in vain For after the Light of Christ Within be known and Good and Evil made known by it if the Creature do not yield Obedience to it in forsaking the Evil and embracing following and doing that which is Good then his sin becomes more grievous to Almighty God than before for as 't is written In the time of Ignorance God winked but after the Gospel the Power of God is preached to and in the Creature which hath been subjected by Satan under sin in the Bondage of Corruption and by which the Creatures Heart and Soul is in some degree quickened and opened to know what God requireth of it If then it do not deny Self take up its Cross against the Devil and Self then its Opposition and Disobedience to the Divine Gospel-Light God accounts the Sin of stebellion which is as Witchcraft from which the Lord God of all our Mercies and Blessings deliver and preserve you Into this State of Misery were the foolish Galatians faln to whom the Apostle Paul wrote and after he had sharply reprehended them for their Backsliding and Unfaithfulness he travelled again on their behalf that Christ might be formed in them And as their Backsliding became matter of great Sorrow and deep Exercise to him the like hath befaln the ancient and faithful Labourers in the peaceable Gospel of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ in our age for some for as he was sent to turn the People from Darkness to the Divine Spiritual Light of God and Christ from the Power of Satan who had imbondaged them in sin to God whose Power is Almighty breaking the Power of Satan down and delivering the Creature by its powerful working out of the bondage of Corruption into the glorious Liberty of the Sons of God Even so hath the Lord God Almighty and Merciful sent his faithful Servants in this Age to turn People from Darkness unto Light from the Power oâ— Satan unto God that through the working of the glorious Power of God in their In ward Man they might receive true Faith and Repentance and so might receive the Forgiveness of their Sins past in the name of Jesus Christ through the forbearance of God and not only so but also by the same power to know Redemption out of Sin from the Power of Satan who led them into it and so come into the glorious Liberty of the Sons of God This glorious work of Restauration hath the Lord in his tender Mercy begun and effectually carried on in Thousands Glory be given unto him for the same and for all his tender Mercies for he is worthy But as it was in the Apostles days so is it in ours there were some then who after they had tasted of the Heavenly Gift and power of the World to come and thereby had known the beginning of the work of true Faith and Repentance and the Exercise of a good Conscience yet through their Slothtulness Negligence and multiplied Disobedience Rebellion they came to make Shipwrack of the Faith which God had given them and to put away a good Conscience which God by his powerful Spirit had wrought in them Of this sort the Apostle Peter writ saying It had been better they had never known the way of Truth than after they have known it to depart from the holy Commandment delivered to them But saith he it is come to pass according to the true Proverb The Dog is returned to his own Domit and the Sow that was washed to her wallowing in the Mire Jude Peter writ of these and such like salse Apostles deceitful Workers saying They are Wells without Water Clouds without Rain carried about of Tempests wandring Stars to whom is reserved the Mist of darkness for ever Trees whose Fruit is witherâ—d without Fruit twice dead plucked up by the sâ—oâ—ts Such were they whom the Apostle Paul writ of saying Acts 20. 30. and 2 Pet. 2. 2. Men shall arise among your selves speaking perverse things and shall draw Disciples after them through whom the way of Truth shall be evil spoken of I say as it is was then so is it come to pass in our days diverse Persons who have come among us in a Profession of the Pure Unchangeable Divine Light of our Lord Jesus Christ who for some time did in some Measure know it and obeyed it they have turned into Rebellion against it and such have and do now make War against the Children of it who walk in it in whom the pure peaceable Fruits of it do appear And this some Men have done and do under the Profession of it and a specieus pretence of Love to it this is abominable Deceit yea the deceivableness of Unrighteousness which worketh in them which hath been wrought in them by Satan because they have not kept in true Love and Obedience unto the Spiritual Light of Christ the Son of God to which they were turned They have not kept in the Godly Fear not in true Humility therefore hath Satan the Prince of Darkness and King over all the Children of Pride darkned their Understandings adulterated their Affections and corrupted their Wills Thus by him they are prepared and used as Instruments for him against the Lord and his Divine Light Grace and Spirit under the Profession of the same Such by professing and using the words of Truth have and do deceive the Hearts of the Simple God Almighty hath Confounded the work of such in our Age we have seen it and do give Glory to him for the same We do believe that he will confound such Evil works and that the Instruments thereof will be eternally miserable if they do not find a place of Repentance which to see them find would be matter of great Comfort to us Several Persons have gone out of the Truth under specious Pretences of Greater Manifestations of God and Attainments and Growth in the way of Righteousness than they were come to whom they turned against And through those false Pretences they have drawn some tender-hearted well meaning Persons from the Divine Light and Fellowship in it into evil Imaginations and unrighteous Jealousies concerning the faithful Ministers of Christ and their Labour of Love for the Glory of God and the Peace Unity Preservation and Eternal Good of his People But the Lord God in Mercy hath given several who were thus hurt to see how the hurt came upon them and hath recovered them out of the Snare wherein they were subtilly taken blessed be his holy Name for the same and we hope that he will visit and restore such well-meaning Persons who are taken and yet held in such like Snares though some who are turned aside after Satan may grow worse and worse as others
have done before them until God cut them off in his Anger as he hath done such like already My dear Friends you who have anciently been turned to the Divine Light of Christ who have and do walk in it you know what I have here briefly touched at is true and you in this divine Light may see the Old Enemy of our Peace pure Christian Fellowship Unity at work against the same under a Profession of the Light to darken and draw persons from it into the works of Darkness And thus as in the Apostles days he hath and doth transform himself as like an Angel of Light as he can how should he appear like an Angel of Light if he should in words deny the Light of Christ Within Man and Woman The Apostle writing of false Apostles saith thus viz. For such False Apostles are deceitful Workers and fashion themselves like unto the Apostles of Christ and no marvel for Satan himself is changed into the fashion of an Angel of Light Therefore is it no great thing though his Ministers fashion themselves as though they were the Ministers of Righteousness whose end shall be according to their Deeds Thus 't is rendered in 2 Cor. 10. Old Translation Printed in 1566. O consider of it all such whom it concerns And how should the False Apostles in the True Apostles days have transformed themselves like unto them if they should have in Words denied the Light of Christ Within though in Works they did Seeing Christ's Command was and is to believe in the Light and walk in at that Men and Women might then may now and hereafter be Children of the Light as the faithful Followers of the Light then were and now are The great Message and Work of John Baptist and the Apostles Paul John Peter and the rest was to bear witness of the Light and to turn People to it that they might all believe in it and obey and walk therein that they might be saved Now for Satan to send his Apostles or Preachers amoâ—gst us to seek to deceive us if they should come blaspheming against the Light of Christ Within mocking and scoffing at it as many dark Preachers and Professors of this Age do who have been bred up in Darkness and Ignorance from their Youth who yet never understood what the Light of Christ Within is he were not like to prevail upon those who have been turned to it and have had their Hearts tendered and in some measure opened by it But if he come under a Profession of it and his Ministers confessing it and in words owning of it professing to be taught and led by it in their talking of it and in the rest of their Conversation especially if they do keep out of the common gross Debaucheries that are in the World then they are like to prevail upon such who do not faithfully watch in the Light which maketh all things manifest as they are Christ hath commanded us to Watch and pray lest we fall into the Temptation of the Devil He said to his Disciples What I say unto one I say unto all watch The holy Prophet said I will hear what God the Lord will speak for he will speak Peace to his People and to his Saints but let them not turn again to folly O blessed are all they who so do they are the Children of the Wisdom that comes down from above their Eye being kept single to God they are kept by his mighty Power through Faith so that they shall not stumble nor walk in the crooked ways of Satan which leads to the Chambers of Death even to take hold on Hell My Friends you who are anciently convinced of the blessed Truth as 't is in Christ Jesus our Lord and have kept your Habitations therein some of you may remember what great Evils some run into when they made a Profession of the Light of Christ Within and when they had so done and were reproved for it and admonished to repent and reform they would tell us We must leave them to their own Measures of the Light of Christ and what they did they were justified therein by it And such would say The Light Within is sufficient to teach us will not you leave us to it And when some had acted things which were evil and scandalous they would say That they were justified by the Light in them They would have persuaded us that the Light of Christ Within did lead them into those evil and confused disorderly Practices which they run into But the Lord Jesus Christ by his Light shewed us plainly that those things which they said the Light Within taught them led them into and justified them in were the Works and Fruits of Darkness proceeding through them from Satan who had betrayed and deceived them as he did Eve And as we then withstood those who blasphemed against the Divine Light of Christ Within by seeking to father their Works of Darkness upon it by rendering it the Author thereof so in the Light of Christ we do withstand those vain Talkers of the Light at this time whose Walking and Works are in Darkness and in the Light of Christ we testifie to the sufficiency of it against all Priests and Professors whatsoever who blaspheme against it calling it a Natural Insufficient Light c. Take notice Oh my Friends That Satan the Prince of Darkness and his dark wicked prophane Generation or Offspring long have and at this day do profess the great true and living God Christ Jesus whom he hath sent in Words but in Works they do deny both the Father and the Son And although Satan the Prince of Darkness may in some of his confused dark Instruments confess to and profess the Light of Christ Within yet he is still Satan the Adversary the Prince of Darkness and his Professing and Talking of the Light is only with design the more readily to prevail upon and destroy those who through Love to the Light delight to hear it spoken of and commended And Satan and his dark Instruments have done more harm to some such in their false feigned Profession Commendation of the Light than ever they did or could do by their direct opposition to it and blasphemous words against it My dear Friends Consider what our Lord Jesus Christ and his Apostles have testified concerning the only true God and left the same upon Record in the Scriptures of Truth Christs Testimony is That God is a Spirit and they that worship him must worship him in the Spirit and in the Truth The Apostle John's Testimony is That God is Light and in him there is no darkness at all If we say we have fellowship with him and walk in darkness we lye and do not the Truth but if we walk in the Light as he is in the Light then have we Fellowship one with another c. Observe that this living true God who is a Spirit and Light is one God his Light
and Spirit in his People is one in its kind or Nature with himself he being the Fountain of it and it of himself it cannot contradict him or itself in the several Measures Manifestations Dispensations of it in those who receive it believe and obey it For if it should or could do so then God by it would be rendered the Author of Confusion and not of Peace in all the Churches of the Saints which to believe or suppose is very highly blasphemous against him and directly contrary to the holy Apostles Doctrine who saith God is not the Author of Confusion but of Peace in all the Churches of the Saints The same Apostle saith The Fruit of the Spirit is in all goodness Righteousness und Truth proving what is acceptable unto the Lâ—rd And he exhorted the Saints saying Have no Fellowship with the unfruitful works of Darkness but rather reprove them To those who walked in the Spirit and Light of God he said Walk in Love as Christ also hath loved us To these also he said Ye were sometimes Darkness but now are ye Lighi in the Lord walk as Children of the Light See Eph. 5. Again he saith The Fruits of the Spirit is Love Joy and Peace Long suffering Gentleness Goodness Faith Meekness Temperance against such there is no Law and they that are Christs have crucified the Flesh with its Affections and Lusts If we live in the Spirit let us also walk in the Spirit let us not be desirous of vain Glory provoking one another envying one another Again he saith The Works of the Flesh are manifest which are Adultery Fornication Uncleanness Lasciviousness Idolatry Witchcraft Darâ—ance Emulations Wrath Strife Seditions Heresies Envyings Murders Drunkenness Revellings and such like of the which I tell you before as I have also told you in times past that they that do such things shall not inherit the Kingdom of God Gal. 5. Again the holy Apostle John in the Holy Ghost saith He that saith he is in the Light and hates his Brother is in Darkness even until now he that loveth his Brother abideth in the Light and there is none occasion of Stumbling in him But he that hateth his Brother is in Darkness and walketh in Darkness and knoweth not whither he goeth because that Darkness hath blinded his Eyes If a man say I love God and hateth his Brother he is a Lyar this Commandment have we from him that he who loveth God loveth his Brother also See 1 John 4. My dear Friends Observe That where the Fruits of the Spirit and Light of God and Christ are wanting in those who profess the same to be their Teacher Ruler and Orderer and contrariwise the Fruits or Works of the Flesh do appear this is a plain proof that their saying they are taught lâ—d and governed by the Spirit and Light of God and Christ is very notoriously false yea blasphemous against God Christ and his Divine Light and Spirit For when Christ told his Disciples that false Prophets Anti-Christs Deceivers c. should come saying Beware of false Prophets which come to you in Sheeps Cloathing but inwardly they are ravening Wolves he said Ye shall know them by their Fruits Do men gather Grapes of Thorns or Figs of Thistles Even so every good Tree bringeth forth good Fruit but a corrupt Tree bringeth forth evil Fruit. A good Tree cannot bring forth evil Fruit neither can a corrupt Tree bring forth good Fruit Every Tree that bringeth not forth good Fruit is hewn down and cast into the Fire Wherefore by their Fruits ye shall know them Not every one that saith unto me Lord Lord shall enter into the Kingdom of Heaven but he that doth the Will of my Father which is in Heaven See Math. 7. 15. and 24. Again he saith Many false Prophets shall arise and shall deceive many And because Iniquity shall abound the Love of many shall wax cold But he that shall endure unto the end the same shall be saved There shall arise false Christs and false Prophets and shall shew great signs and Wonders insomuch that if it were possible they shall deceive the very Elect. See Matth. 24. 11 12 13 24. see Mark 13. 22. he repeating the same words of Christ and there he saith Take heed I have told you before Observe Christ's Promise to the faithful chosen Elect notwithstanding all the deceiveableness of unrighteousness which then did now doth or hereafter may work in the Instruments of Satan by feigned Words or fair or flattering Speeches false signs or lying wonders whereby he lieth in wait to betray and deceive by which he hath prevailed upon some unstable unwatchful unfaithful and therefore unskilful Souls who are not acquainted with the depths of Satan speaking in his Agents yet can he not in his Agents deceive the Elect the chosen of God Observe all that are convinced of the truth and come to some degree of Obedience to it are not come to the settled State of Election although they are come to a sight and feeling of the Spirit of Christ in whom the Election stands in which State it is impossible to be deceived Let not the weakest amongst the Believers in and Obeyers of the Light of Christ Within be discouraged at these sayings for as they keep to the Light God the Fountain of it will keep them from falling God set Adam in a State of Innocency in which it was possible for him to stand yet it was not impossible for him to fall for we both read and believe he did fall he could not stand in his own strength but in the strength of the Lord his Maker through want of his diligent attendance and waiting upon God his Maker for preservation he fell under the power of the Deceiver But Christ who never fell spake of a State brings those who continue diligent watchful into it which is beyond that as his forecited words do plainly imply The Apostles writ unto the Believers in the Light of Christ thus viz. Wherefore Brethren give all diligence to make your Calling and Election sure for if ye do these things ye shall never fall 2 Pet. 1. 10. Read the Chapter through c. Again he saith Beware lest ye being led away with the Errour of the wicked fall from your own Stedfastness But grow in Grace and in the Knowledge of our Lord and Savior Christ to him be Glory now and for ever Amen Chap. 3. 17 18. Again Juâ—e writes thus Now to him that is able to keep you from falling and to present you faultless before the presence of his Glory with exceeding joy to the only wise God our Saviour be Glory and Majesty Dominion and Power now and ever Amen Jude 24 25. read the Epistle throughout Observe further that the Settled State of Election where deceit cannot enter is not a State above or beyond Watchfulness and the holy Fear of God the Son of God himself in the daies of his Flesh watched and
that is faithful in a little I will make him Ruler over much The Path of the Just is as the shining light which shines more and more unto the perfect day as 't is written And again The light of the Moon shall be as the light of the Sun and the light of the Sun shall be sevenfold as the light of seven days c. Now if those weak ones with whom the Primitive Christians bore in these things should have called them Aâ—â—states and Innovaâ—ors and have called their Epistles rotten Orders Mâ—ns Prescriptions and Edicts and have judged them in their Christian freedom because they did not continue with them in Bondage in Eating Herbs Observation of Days Years and Times and should have cryed up their Jewish bondage to have been Christian Liberty and themselves to be strong Christians and the others to be weak or darkned and Apostatized Would the Apostles and Primitive Christians have owned them as Brethren in Vnity and have had Fellowship with them in their so doing Yea or Nay Let Gods faithful Witness in all that know it answer this Question Oh! my Friends I am grieved in Spirit because of the hardness wilfulness and self-conceitedness of some whose work at this day is to unsettle the minds of Gods people by drawing them from their diligent attendance unto the Spirit Light and Voice of God in their own hearts and souls and in the mouths of his faithful Servants which Spirit Light and Voice in their hearts and in the mouths of his Servants is not contradictory to it self in the one or the other after them into ungodly jealousies evil surmises thoughts and imaginations words and actions by which evil work several persons whom the Lord in mercy had gathered near to himself have been drawn out from the simplicity which is in Christ into prejudice evil jealousies and also into some practices which are inconsistent with the Truth as it is in Christ Jesus divers of whom the Lord hath in mercy given the sense thereof and through his righteous Judgments upon the evil hath restored them into Unity with himself and with his tender people who in his tender bowels have travelled for their restauration who now greatly rejoyce in their return Glory yea Glory to his Eternal Name for the same and that for evermore 'T is my Faith that God will disintangle some who are yet held by the aforesaid Snares for whose return my Soul travels in Prayers and Supplications to God Faithful is that saying of the Apostle Rom. 14. 22. Happy is he that condemneth not himself in the thing which he alloweth Again he saith Now I beseech you Brethren by our Lord Jesus Christ that ye all speak the same thing and that there be no division among you but that you be perfectly joyned together in the same mind and in the same judgment For it hath been declared unto me of you my Brethren by them which are of the House of Cloe that there are Contentions among you Now this I say that every one of you saith that I am of Paul and I of Apollo and I of Cephas and I of Christ Is Christ divided Was Paul Crucified for you Or were you Baptized in the name of Paul Christ sent me not to Baptize but to Preach the Gospel not with wisdom of Words lest the Cross of Christ should be made of none effect For the Preaching of the Cross is to them that perish foolishness but unto us which are saved it is the power of God For it is written I wâ—â—◠〈◊〉 â—he wisdom of the wise c. We preach Christ crucified unto the Jews a Stumbling Block and unto the Greeks foolishness but unto them which are called both Jews and Greeks Christ the power of God and the wisdom of God c. 1 Cor. 1. 10 to 19. Oh! my dear Friends and all you who profess the Divine Light of Christ to be your Teacher seriously consider of these things My earnest desire for you all is that you may all diligently wait in the Light of Christ therein to receive a right understanding thereof for if you therein diligently wait you will see that it was not the Apostles desire or pleasure that they should contend or be in strife for Apollo or Cephas or Him or for them one against another but that they should all exalt and magnifie Christ who died for them and rose again to govern and lead them in righteousness and to uphold and justifie them in the same And also consider that he Preached not the Gospel with the wisdom of words or the words which mans wisdom teacheth lest the Cross of Christ should be made of none effect but he Preached the Gospel with the Holy Ghost sent down from Heaven in the words which it taught him that their Faith who heard him might not stand in the wisdom of those words which mans wisdom teacheth but in the power of God for as he saith in 1 Cor. 4. 19 20. I will come to you shortly if the Lord will and will know not the â—peeâ—h or words of them which are puffed up but the Power for the Kingdom of God is not in 〈◊〉 but in poâ—â—r neither doth it stand in meats or drinks but in righteousness and peace and â—â—y in the Holy Ghost into which Kingdom God hath gathered and is gathering them that have or yet do or hereafter may in sincerity Hunger and Thurst after it Again consider the Apostle took great Care in his Preaching that the Cross of Christ might Not be made of none Effect that those who were come to bear it might Not be weary of it and Cast it off because of the offence taken by the wicked at them for their Obedience thereunto nor for any other cause for it is true as he writ the Preaching of the Cross is to them that perish foolishness but unto us it is the power of God and as it was then so it is now he that was born after the flesh persecuted him that was born after the spirit and they that live godlike on in the likeness of God in Christ Jesus shall suffer persecution but evil men and seducers shall wax worse and worse deceiving and being deceived Again Consider oh my friends and all you who profess the Light of Christ within to be your Teacher Ruler and Guide what is the cause that some professing the Light within make such a Noyse against that wholsome Method or Order which the God of Order hath brought forth amongst us in taking Care of his Glory and the good one of another that the professors of the Gospel and its Light may walk Orderly in the Light as becomes the same that their Light might so shine before men that they might see their good works and glorifie their Father which is in Heaven according to Christs Command Is it not obvious and plain that their Noise and Clamour is because they seek a Liberty which Christ and the bearing of the Cross Admits not
do not pay Tythes maâ—ry by a â—â—â—est or turn back into the sinful customs and vain glory of the world but they stand in the liberty wherewith Christ hath made them free and hold fast the Truth which is their Crown that no man take it from them or them from it Now all you that are young in Truth and all others whom it concerns take notice that those whom God first turned from darkness to light in this our Age who became lovers and followers of it they thereby were led in the very morning or Infancy of their knowledge of the Light and the teachings of it to deny being Married by a Hriest and to deny paying of Tythes and to deny Swâ—aring to deny Envyings and Strife Wars and Fighting which are the fruits of the Flesh proceeding from the Lusts thereof and to deny the vain customs sinful Luâ—â—s and glory of the world to continue in the denyal of these is well pleasing to God And as it was with the faithful in the beginning or breaking out of the Gospel day amongst us so it is with the faithful now as with respect to their testimony in the denial of these things and God hath given great Increaâ—â— of his spiritual Treasures Riches and Blessings to those that have continued faithful since that time so that they are now nearer to the Lord than they were in the morning of the day and Infancy of their knowledge of him Glory to his Name for the same And thus it was with the Primitive Believers and Walkers in the Light as the Scriptures of Truth declare Now to such as say Things amongst us who profess the Light of Christ to be our Teacher are not as they were in the beginning I say â—ay as with respect to aâ—â— Persons professing the Light as aforesaid they are not nor yet with respect to divers things practised by the professors of the Light for the Faithful have grown from one degree of Grace to another and so from the practice of some good thingâ— to the practice of more good things having walked in the Light they have held what they had and gained more according to Christs promise who said He that is faithful in a little I will make him Ruler over much And there is to be a growing from strength to strength and from Glory to Glory from one degree of Grace to another till there be an appearing in Sion in perfect beauty till there be a coming to the measure of the Stature of the fulness of Christ to a perfect man in Christ Jesus This is accordiog to the Apostles Doctrine Who thus goes on gradually towards perfection are no Aâ—â—sâ—ates Backsliders or Drawers back to perdition but pressers forward for the complete Redemption of their Souls So these are in a better condition than they were in the beginning of their profession of the Spirit Truth and Light of Christ within As he saith â—very Scribe that is taught or instructed unto the Kingdom of God is like unto a Man that is an Housholder which bringeth out of his Treasure things new and old All that come to this State walking in the light as aforesaid they increase in good Order in the Power of God And again Christ saith Take heed what you hear c. And he said Whereunto shall we liken the Kingdom of God Or with what comparison shall we compare it It is like a Grain of Mustard-seed which when it is sown in the Earth is less than all the seeds that be in the Earth but when it is sown it groweth up and becometh greater than all Herbs and shooteth out great Branches see Mark 4. v. 24. to 32. Oserve here the Parables that Christ spoke concerning the Kingdom of God and the Increase of it Now as the Grain of Mustardseed is small but being sown in the Earth groweth gradually and in due season brings forth great increase of its own Nature and Kind even so the Heavenly spark or seed of life being believed in by man it takes root in his heart and grows gradually and in the Appointed season of the Father brings forth fruit first a little and afterwards more for Christ the living Vine said In this is my Father gloryfied that you bring forth much fruit I am the true vine my father is the husbandman Every branch that bringeth not forth fruit in me he taketh away and every branch that beareth fruit he purgeth that it may bring forth more fruit Joh. 15. And again he said So is the Kingdom of God as if a man should cast seed into the ground and the seed should spring and grow up c. for the earth bringeth forth fruit of her self first the blade then the ear then the full corn in the ear Mark 4. v. 26. to 32. Again the Prophet Isaiah Prophesying of Christs Government and Kingdom writes thus For unto us a Child is born unto us a Son is given the Government shall be on his shoulder and his name shall be called wonderful Counsellor the mighty God the everlasting Father the Prince of Peace of the increase of his Government and Peace there shall be no end upon the Throne of David and upon his Kingdom to Order it and to Establish it with Judgment and with Iustice from henceforth even for ever The zeal of the Lord of Hosts will perform this see Isa 9. 6 7. Observe here the Parable of the Grain of Wheat cast into the Earth it first springs to the Blade secondly to the Ear thirdly to the full or ripe Corn in the Ear. Now it may be truly said that when the Grain of Wheat is sprung up to the Ear it is not as it was in the beginning of its growth into the Blade as with respect to the stature and growth of it for the second is greater than the first Again it may be said when it is grown to full ripe Corn in the Ear it is not as it was in the beginning of its growth into the Blade nor as it was when it was grown to the Ear but not ripe full or perfect Corn for the third degree of its growth was greater than the first or second though they proceeded of one seed and were of one kind and all good and beautiful in the order of their growth Now this Grain of Wheat and the fruit and product of it in the several degrees of the growth thereof to its perfection being made by Christ a Parable of the Heavenly Seed of God in the Hearts of his People and of the several degrees of its work and appearance in them and of thâ—ir several degrees of growth in it from their Infancy therein to their compleatness or ripe Age in Christ All you that profess to be the Generation or Off-spring of this Heavenly Seed Try and prove your selves in this matter be retired in the Spirit of your minds and with the Light you make profession of take a view of your States and Conditions and see whether your
sons and daughters of God is a work that is carried on by Degrees as Christ hath shewed and set it forth in many Parables shewing the smalness of its beginning as to the sence and apprehension of the Creature in whom it is begun The Kingdom of God in the unregenerate is Compared to a grain of Wheat cast into the Earth which first suffers or dyes but in its suffering or dying brings forth the fruit of its own kind first the blade then the ear then the full or â—ipe Corn in the Ear It is also Compared to a grain of Musâ—ard Seed cast into the Earth which being small yet in the Appointed season of him that gives the increase brings forth fruit plentifully Again it is Compared to Leaven put in three measures of Meal till the whole was Levened Again it is Compared to a Net cast into the Sea which gather good and bad to the shore and gathers the good into Vessels but casts the bad away Observe still here is a glorious Order in the work of mans Regeneration and Restoration to God Man who is turned from Darkness to Light from Sathans power to God with the Light he is come to see his sin Now he is to wait to know God who is a Consuming fire to sin and wickedness to appear in him to burn up and Consume his Sins to Slay that Dragon or Serpent in him who has led him into Sin and hath kept him in it and caused him to take pleasure in the same Now he is to wait to know the Mighty Liveing Dreadful God to appear in him as a refiners fire and as Fullers soap Now he is patiently to bear the Indignation of the Lord because he hath sinned untill he hath Mercy on him for he will not Contend forever with the Repenting believing Penitent ones because he delights in Mercy Now he that thus believes waits and submits to the Chastising hand of the Lord doth not always Continue under his rebukes Chastisement or Judgment in the midest of Judgment he remembers Mercy to such under Judgment he supports the Spirits of these Contrite ones he strengthens them in this Winter season and he Leads them through it as a man of God hath written Behold the Winter is over and gone the time of Rejoycing is come and the voice of the Turtle is heard in our Land Thus they that have set their faces Sion-wards and are travelling with their faces thither-wards go on and grow from glory to glory from strength to strength from one degree in the grace of Christ Jesus unto another untill they appear in Sion in perfect beauty so these are not like a Dwarff that doth not grow for a Dwarff was by the Law of God forbiden to be a Priest and so was a Lepor but such who believe wait and grow as aforesaid are not as the Dwarff or Lepor and Diseased who are all Corrupt from the Crown of the Head to the Sole of the Foot and who hath no Health in them as they say but these are come to Christ the Physician of Value yea the saving Health of all Nations as it s written of him though these can do nothing of themselves yet they can do all things through Christ that strengthens them which the Apostle knew and writ of These have put on the Lord Jesus Christ These make no provision for the flesh to fulfill the Lust thereof these are strengthened by Christ who is Gods glorious power and wisdom in their Inward man as it s written these grow strong in the Lord by degrees these put on the whole Armor of God by which they are defended from all the fiery Darts of the Devil these are made Conquerors in Christ who Destroys the Devil and his works in them To these is given the Spirit of Praise instead of that of heaviness these are returned to Sion with songs of diliverance and Everlasting joy amongst these God reigns in and through them he shines to enlighten the dark World which lyes in wickedness Thus it s written Out of Sion the perfection of beauty God hath shined Again the Apostle writing of the Beautiful Order of the work of God in Heaven Earth saith There is one Glory of the Sun and another Glory of the Moon and another Glory of the Stars for one Star differeth from another Star in Glory so also is the Resurrection of the dead 1 Cor. 15. 41 42. Observe here what the Apostle hath written concerning the Different Order of the Sun Moon and Stars in Heaven saith so is the Resurrection of the dead shewing that the several States and Conditions of those whom Christ hath Quickened or raised in some degree from death to life do also differ in their several degrees of growth in Life Stature and Strength and accordingly do differ in their gifts and places and glory and beauty in the Resurrection from Death to Life Christ said to them whom he had Quickened I am come that you might have life and that you may have it more abundantly Againe The Psalmist who was Anointed by God and his appointment both Prophet and King writ thus Praise ye the Lord Praise the Lord from the Heavens Praise him in the heights Praise ye him all ye his Angels Praise ye him all ye his hosts Praise ye him Sun and Moon Praise ye him all ye Stars of Light Praise him ye Heavens of Heavens and ye Waters that be above the Heavens Let them praise the Name of Lord for he commanded and they were Created he hath also Established them forever and ever he hath made a decree which shall not pass Praise the Lord from the Earth ye Dragons and all deeps Fire and Haile Snow and Vapour Stormy Wind fulfilling his word Mountains and all Hills fruitfull trees and all Cedars Beasts and all Cattle Creeping things and flying Fouls Kings of the Earth and all People Princes and all Judges of the Earth both young Men and Maidens old Men and Children let them Praise the Name of the Lord for his name alone is Excellent his Glory is above the Earth and Heaven c. Pâ—al 148. read it through Here again Observe the great God of Order who in the beginning Created all things in Order and placed them in their Order in Heaven and Earth all which was very good he calls of them in Order by the mouth of his Prophet to praise Magnifie and Glorifie him for whose glory and honour they all were Created good in the beginning Oh vain Man who under the Dark power of Satan has been bred up in thy Transgression as a Wild Asses Colt or as a Wild Bullock unaccustomed to the yoke or thou that hast known the yoke of Christ and cast it off wouldest thou in thy folly limit the Holy one of Israel in the beginning Carrying on and Compleating of his Creating anew in Christ Jesus the fallen degenerated and dead Sons and Daughters of Adam who have believed in his divine Spirit
in their own eyes Isai 5. 20 21. Christ said If the light that is in thee be darkness how great is that darkness See Mat. 6. 22 23. See Luke 11. 34 35 36. See Joh. 12. 35. Observe it is No Proof that these good things are not their duty because they do not see them to be so for it is undeniable that it is the duty of all Men Women to believe in the one Eternal God but some were of old and now are so blinded by the God of this world their minds so darkned and they so hardened in the practice and love of sin that they did not nor do see or believe that there is a God as it 's written The Fool hath said in his heart there is no God And again Christ said to the great professing Jews High Priests Scribes Pharisees Hypocrites who were as the whited Walls Graves and painted Sepulchres but within were full of rottenness hypocrisie and deceit Ye neither know Me nor my Father ye neither know the Scriptures nor the Power of God Again it is the duty of every man and woman to believe in the true Light of Christ that lighteneth every man that cometh into the World but it 's known by lamentable Experience that even many of the Professors of Christianity are far from believing in it who on the contrary are Blaspheming against it Mocking and Scoffing at it persecuting and oppressing the Children of it and opposing the Testimony of it Now if these do say We do Not see or believe it to be our Duty to believe in and obey the Light it doth Not therefore follow that it is not their Duty and if they say We see believe it is our Duty to speak and write against the Light and to punish you who profess and obey it Their so saying will Not prove that these their Evil Works are their Duty to God and Christ no not at all but the Contrary But to come closer to the Professors of the Light within hear what Christ and the Prophet saith viz. This Peoples Heart is waxed gross and their Ears are dull of hearing and their Eyes they have closed lest at any Time they should see with their Eyes and hear with their Ears and should understand with their Heart and should be converted and I should heal them See Math. 13. 14 15. Acts 28. 26 27. The Author to the Hebrews writ thus concerning Christ viz. And he became the Author of Eternal Salvation to all them that obey him called of God an high Priest after the Order of Melchisedeck of whom we have many things to say and hard to be uttered seeing Ye are Dull of hearing or as it is rendered in the Margin out of the Greek Hath no Experience for when for the Time ye ought to be Teachers Ye have Need that one teach you again which be the first Principles of the Word or Oracles of God See Heb. 5. 9 10 11 12. Again Christ speaking a Parable concerning the Kingdom of God saith For unto every one that hath shall be given and he shall have abundance but from him that hath not shall be taken away even that which he hath and cast ye the unprofitable Servant into utter darkness c. See Math. 25. 29 30. Observe the sloathful Servant who had not improved his Lords Talent was and is to be cast into utter darkness his Talent being taken from him Such an one in Darkness may talk of Light as Job saith Death and Destruction saith We have heard of the fame of Wisdom such an one may talk of the Light who in his dark Works Denies it and opposeth it and contends against the Children of it in their pure Obedience to it and Such an one may say to the Children of the Light I do not see that to be my Duty which you practise I say how should he see who is shut up in utter darkness whose wilful disobedience has brought him to be like the deaf Adder which stoppeth his Ears which will not hear as it 's written Again Jesus said unto them Yet a little while is the Light with you walk while ye have the Light lest Darkness come upon you for he that walketh in darkness knoweth not whither he goeth while ye have the Light believe in the Light that you may be the Children of Light John 12. 35 36. Observe They who believe in the Light as Christ commands and obey it in its first and smallest Manifestations they in that Light Cannot oppose what the Light brings forth In others for though Some who are turned to the Light and have believed in it and in some measure obeyed it Do not see so Much or so Far into the things of God as some others who are more grown and Established and have received a greater Measure of Divine Wisdom yet Cannot these Weak or Young ones by the motion or teaching of the Light contradict oppose or contend against what the same Light brings forth in others of the Children of it foâ— if this Could be then God whose gift to Man and Woman the Light is would thereby be the Author of Confusion and not of Peace in the Churches of the Saints as is observed before in this Epistle but God Is not the Author of Confusion but of Peace in all the Churches of the Saints as the Apostle hath writ which is observed before It is true as the Prophet writ O Lord in thy Light we shall see more Light c. The Path of the Just is as the shining Light which shines more more unto the perfect day It is certainly true that we find it harder in this Age to perswade some people to keep and walk in the Light than it was to turn them to it and some like Balaam having been opened by it to see the blessed end of the Righteous do still retain a Profession of it though they rebel against it and desire to die the death of the Righteous as Balaam did but refuseth to live that Self-denying Christian life which leads to that good End Christ saith Loe I come and my reward is with me to give unto every one according as his works shall be And the Apostle saith Such as every one sows such shall he reap he that sows to the flesh shall of the flesh reap Corruption but he that sows to the Spirit shall of the Spirit reap Life everlasting If ye live after the flesh ye shall die but if ye through the spirit mortifie the deeds of the body or flesh then shall ye live The Apostle Paul writ thus to the Children of the Light Let us therefore as many as be perfect be thus minded and if in any thing ye be otherwise minded God shall reveal even this unto you Nevertheless whereto we have already attained let us walk by the same rule let us mind the same thing Brethren be followers together of me and mark them which walk so as ye have us for an ensample See
and Christ and the Divine Light within of living without Sin of Perfection or of perfecting Holiness in Gods Fear yet being out of the Light and Life of Christ in Death and Darkness and the Works and Fruits thereof It is but Death and Darkness in them which talks of Light and Life and Faith Holiness Perfection c. Their talk of these good things with their Mouths is an Abomination to God Almighty while their hearts are far away from him while they are not in the Love and Obedience to God and Christ and his Divine Light they make profession of such profession without Subjection and Obedience God doth reject it is loathsome to him neither can his tender people whom he hath sanctified by his Spirit of Judgment and Burning have unity with these dead talkers nor their dead words and works for Light hath no communion with Darkness though Darkness talk of Light Something concerning Self Separation JVDE the Servant of Christ writ concerning the Self-Separated ones thus viz. they are the RAging Waves of the Sea foaming out their own shame to whom is reserved the mist of Darkness for ever and Enoch also the seventh from Adam prophesied of those saying Behold the Lord câ—meth in Ten thousands of his Saints mark so it is rendred from the Greek and is so in some English Translations to execute Judgment upon all and to convince all that are ungodly amongst them of all their ungodly deeds which they have ungodlily committed and of all their hard speeches which ungodlily they have spoken against him c. these be they who separate themselves sensual having not the Spirit But ye Beloved building up your selves in your most holy Faith praying in the Holy Ghost keep your selves in the Love of God looking for the Mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ unto Eternal Life and of some have compassion making a difference and others save with fear hating even the Garment spotted by the Flesh Now unto him that is able to keep you from falling before the presence of his Glory with exceeding Joy to the only wise God our Saviour be Glory and Majesty Dominion and Power now and ever Amen Jude 13 and 19 to the end see also 1 Tim. 4. 1. 2 Tim. 3. 1. 2 Pet 3. 3. Oh my dear Friends seriously consider that as in the Primitive Gospel days there were such Self-separated ones makers of Sects or Parties which caused great grief and deep Exercise to the Faithful in Christ Jesus some such like have been in our Age and some such like yet are who having been convinced of the Truth have come amongst us under the Christian Profession of the Spirit and Light of Christ within who for some time did in some measure follow and obey the Teachings of it but have since turned from it yet keep in a Profession of it these are they who separate themselves without it in opposition to it and the Children of it blessed be God that their number is but small but alas they are too many for we have received the mind of God and Christ and his Apostles whose will was and is that all Men might know the Truth and not only know it but obey it that so they might be saved but alas a few restless spirited Instruments of Satan who under the pretence of the Spirit and Light of Christ make War against the God of Peace against Christ the Prince of Peace and against the Subjects of his Peaceable Kingdom these are in danger to deceive others and bring them to be restless like themselves the Lord in Mercy stop these evil Works and Workers Oh that there might be a place of Repentance yet found by them Oh that they could yet see from whence they are fallen and Repent and come into that simplicity and loving and peaceable frame of mind into which the Truth had once in some measure drawn them Oh! this would be matter of great joy to those whom they in their darkness account their Enemies as some â—loting dark Notionists did the faithful Apostle Paul for his faithful and stedfast Testimony against their Looseness Confusion and Disorder It is my stedfast belief in God that he will not long suffer this Evil Work to go on to the grief of his People and the indangering the loss of Souls but he will plead with these Evil Workers these Serpentine wise and self-conceited he will stop and drive them backward and woe will be to them if they cannot find a place of Repentance which will be hard for some of them to find they have so highly magnified themselves against God his Tabernacle and them that dwell in Heaven but as Jude the Servant of Christ well observed in his Epistle that there was a difference to be put betwixt them who were so gone out into disorder loosness or confusion in his time some no doubt of those were unwarily through the subtilty of Satans Agents drawn from the simplicity honest mindedness and good intention which the Spirit of Truth had wrought in them into ungodly Jealousies and a wrong liberty from their obedience to the Cross of Christ Jude saw there was a Compassion to such and therefore wisely in the Wisdom of God put the Churches in mind of it and we are sensible such there hath been in our day who hath been betrayed and prevailed upon by Satan and his Agents as aforesaid these have been sought in the Love of God and Bowels of Jesus Christ their Advocate with the Father travelling for them in his Faithful ones who hath kept their Habitation in God and we have seen the travels and desires of our Souls answered in their returning into Unity with God and his People through their unfeigned Repentance and Condemnation upon the Spirit of Darkness which led them from God and upon the evil Words and Works it led them into and we believe that there are divers that yet remain in the same Snare for whose return to God we travelin Spir it and Hope that we shall see the Fruit of the Travel of our Souls in the Love and Power of God for their good and shall have cause to rejoyce and praise God for the same Wherefore oh my dear and well beloved Friends who are exercised by these sorts of Evil Agents and their Evil Works under a spacious profession of the Light Grace and Spirit of Christ and the Teachings of it All keep in the love of God and in the patience of Jesus Christ let Patience have its perfect work in those your deep Tribulations and sorrowful Exercises fret not because of evil Men nor their evil Works for behold the Judg of Heaven and Earth he sees them and you he will not suffer you to be tryed by them above what he will give you Ability to travel through without hurt and fear without loss or disadvantage to your Eternal Estates if you diligently wait upon him and move speak and act in his Council It is true which was anciently written