of humiliation and your Lecture dayes as they are called it is all abomination to the Lord Though ye make many prayers the Lord will not hear you your hearts are polluted and your hands are full of blood Therefore fear the Lord and depart from the evil of your wayes cease to do evil and learn to do well and let every one that nameth the Name of Jesus Christ depart from iniquity Rev. 14.7 2 Tim. 2 19. Luke 17.20 Seek no longer the kingdom of God in observations without you neither spend your money for that which is not bread Isa 55.1 Luke 15.17 Mat. 11.28 29 but return home to your fathers house and there you shall find satisfaction the candle being lighted and the house being swept you will find the lost groat in your own house Hearken to the voice of Christ which cryes in your consciences for equity and reproves you for the evil of your doings that is a sure testimony it is the light of Christ Eph. 5.13 and you cannot be deceived in following the light Joh. 8.12 for saith Christ I am the light of the world and whosoever follows me shall not abide in darkness but shall have the light of life This light is alwayes present with you and from this nothing can be hid Heb. 4.12 Prov. 20.22 this light doth discover the evil thoughts and the evil intents that arises out of the evil heart and as sin is discovered in any one wait upon the Lord for his power that it may be destroyed and so the axe comes to be laid to the root of the tree and every tree that brings not forth good fruit Mat. 3.10 1 Thes 5.21 is hewn down and cast into the fire And none be hasty in believing false reports but try all things and hold fast that which is good And this is that which we labour to bring all unto even pure truth in the inward part that so they may offer up a sacrifice in righteousness Psal 51.6 Deut. 33.19 from the pure heart to the pure God and so have peace with God and dwell in safety sitting under their own Vine and eating their own bread being built upon the Rock 1 Pet. 2.5 Mat 7.25 where the stormy tempests and the raging persecutors cannot move their foundation but stand sure being built upon the foundations of the Prophets and Apostles Jesus Christ himself being the chief corner stone in whom all the building fitly framed together Eph. 2 20.21 groweth unto an holy Temple in the Lord. And so though we the servants of the Lord be counted deceivers and the truth a Sect 2 Cor. 6.8 and the way heresie as formerly it hath been I confess as Paul did Acts 28.22 That after the way which they call herefie so worship I the God of my fathers believing all things Acts 24.14 not only what is written in the Law and the Praphets but likewise what is written in the testimony of Christ the Apostles and it is not any breach of Christs commands in denying the shadows and rudiments of the world no more then it was in Paul Col. 22.20 21 Heb 9.10 11. Col. 1.27 2 Cor. 4.11 1 John 5.10 in denying the carnal commandments and shadows of the Law witnessing the substance which is Christ within the hope of glory which I bear testimony unto even the life of Christ manifest in mortal flesh and seal it with my spirit and sign it with my name Alexander Parker To all who are hungring after the liing bread and hath not wherewith to satisfie themselves in their own houses but are seeking without and begging from others and are spending their money for that which is not bread A word of love to invite them to come into my fathers house where they shall find full satifaction with a word of exhortation to all who are called to be Saints by way of remembrance to stir up their pure minds AWake dear friends the day of the Lord is dawned and the glorious day-light is breaking forth arise out of your deep sleep and stand up from the dead that Christ may give you light the night is far spent and the day is at hand put off therefore the deeds of darkness and put on the armour of light Wisdom cryes and calls unto you to come forth of darkness and all unrighteousness Oh give ear and be obedient and willing to give up all and to follow the voice of Wisdom this pure voice is near unto you even in your secret Closet secretly reproving you for your rebellion and hard-heartedness and calls unto you for purity and uprightness hearken diligently to this still voice hear and your souls shall live You have long been wandring astray and following the dead doctrines of men and have been feeding upon the dry husks and have spent your money for that which is not bread and your labour but are not satisfied and you have rejected the counsel of God and have rebelled against him and would not turn at his reproof though many times you had secret checks and reproofs by his light within you but you have not been obedient but have cast his Law behind your backs and turned from his free grace and love into wantonness and vain delights of this present world Oh return home to your Fathers house wander no longer in your dark imaginations but wait on the Lord in his fear and you shall find satisfaction take his yoke upon you and learn of Christ meekness and lowliness of spirit so shall you find rest unto your souls And all you my dearly beloved ones to whom the Gospel of peace hath been declared in the demonstration and power of the spirit who in love and tenderness have received the word of the Lord my love is enlarged and floweth forth freely unto you and my prayers to my heavenly Father for you is that you may all be preserved and kept by his mighty power through faith unto salvation All you whose understandings are opened with the light of the Lord and whose minds are turned from the darkness and false wayes and worships of the world to the living God him to worship in spirit and in truth As every one hath received of the Lord so every one wait and walk worthy of so high a calling whereunto the Lord hath called you that as you are separated from the world outwardly in a measure so the separation may be made inwardly that you may be in truth what you seem to be in shew outwardly otherwise in vain is all your profession and all your meetings together if you be not guided and led thereunto by the pure movings of the spirit of the Lord for except your righteousness do exceed that of the Scribes and Pharisees you cannot enter into the Kingdom of God Therefore all of you in the pure fear of the Lord try and examine your selves and search your own hearts and see what garments you have on and how you
wilde it tames and brings down and leavens the whole and brings it into the nature of Christ to meekness and gentleness and lowliness of mind and brokenness and tenderness of spirit and so the fountain comes to be opened and the pure streams flowes forth to water the City of the living God Therefore hide not the enemies of your peace in your own bosoms neither let any prejudice or evil thoughts lodge in your hearts if you do it will eat as a canker untill the pure love be grown cold and then comes a cloud of darkness and hides the glory of the Son of Righteousness that it doth not shine in its brightness and the earth will grow thick and stop the passage that the streams of love cannot run to water and refresh the plants of God therefore be faithful in following the light and yielding up to the pure obedience to what the light makes manifest though it be never so small or foolish to worldly wisdom for that which stumbles at little things will never obey greater and whilst you are disobedient to the light after convincement of any fin you not turning from that sin which the light of Christ makes manifest and reproves for it you are still in the same nature with the world under the same condemnation being condemned by the light in your own consciences Therefore every one be faithful according to your measures and so in love and joy you will be kept in the unity of the spirit and bond of peace and grow up in the vine as lively plants and encrease in grace until we all come into the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God unto a perfect man even to the measure and stature of the fulness of Christ Take heed of reasoning and consulting withflesh and blood for that betrayes the simplicity for many have been convinced of the Truth and tender and honest desires and a true love raised in them by hearing of the sound or declaration of Truth but not abiding in that love to wait in the Cross of Christ but reasoning with flesh and blood they have lost their tenderness and simplicity and those true desires are choaked and the iniquity got up and their love grown cold and such though they may come to your meetings Yet are dead barren empty and possessed with a dull and sluggish drowfie spirit when others are feeding and sitting in peace and rest under their own vine having oyl in their vessels these careless ones are ready to starve and are weary in waiting when words are not ministred I say unto all such repent and fear the living God and cause not the holy Name of our God to be blasphemed amongst the Heathen return to your first love and wait in patience until refreshment come into your souls from the presence of the Lord. And all you dearly beloved ones who keep your garments white and clean you are as my own life and dear unto me as the Apple of mine eye with you I am present in the spirit of pure love though in the body I be absent from you Dear hearts let my bowels be refreshed to hear of your faithfulness and growth in the truth that the labour and travel of the Messengers of the Lord may not be in vain but that we may rejoyce in our labours and see the fruits springing up to the glory of God this will be our joy and your comfort So all of you in patience wait until the work of the Lord be perfected in you turn not to the right hand nor to the left but keep in the plain way that leads to life eternal meet often together accordingly as you have been directed and when you are met together wait upon God in his pure fear with the loins of your minds girt up that his voice you may hear and his counsel receive and stand in so shall your meetings be for the better and not for the worse and your strength renewed though there be no sound of words spoken to your outward ears yet coming once to taste of the sweetness of the love of God you will find the union more pure more dear and more neer then pen or tongue can declare for if there be a sweetness and a refreshment to hear words as I know there is when they are spoken from the pure life and spirit of the Lord then much more is there sweetness and more pure refreshment in the spirit of the Lord from whence the words do proceed and all words and writings given forth from the spirit are to bring to the spirits worship this is the sum and the end of all the shadows and carnal observances to know God and to worship him in Spirit and in truth according as it is written for there is no man knowes the things of God but the spirit of God so without the spirit guiding and teaching all words and writings will but little avail onely serve to add to the condemnation of all those that are hearers but are not doers of the Word of God Therefore every one retire your selves into your inward habitations and wait upon God in the manifestation of his spirit as you have received and as the pure spirit of the Lord doth move in any of you so be obedient either to act or speak for the Word of the Lord is not limited but if any one have the Word of the Lord let him speak it faithfully for you may all prophesie one by one and if any thing be revealed to another that stands by let the first hold his peace quench not the spirit for it is my desire that all the Lords people were Prophets but let all flesh be silent I charge you by the Lord and none to speak before the Lord for that is but as chaff and what is the chaff to the wheat saith the Lord is not my word as a fire and as a hammer that breaks the rocks in pieces So all dear friends wait that the Word of the Lord you may feel within you and tast of it which is quick and powerful and cuts down sin and removes the earth and breaks the hard heart and purifies it and purges the conscience from dead works and so the body is made a holy Temple for the Lord to dwell in as it is written I will dwell in them and walk in them I will be their God and they shall be my people Wherefore saith he come forth and be ye separate touch no unclean thing and I will receive you and will be a father unto you and ye shall be my Sons and daughters saith the Lord God Almighty All mind the call of a loving Father and be obedient to his voice that you may be heirs of the promise and have a right unto the tree of life and live and reign with the Lord God and the Lamb and sing the songs of deliverance praises and haleluja's for ever and ever The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you and teach you to live soberly and righteously and establish you in the truth that your words and actions may be gracious and savory proceeding from the grace of God that you may have salt in your selves to savour withal no more to be tossed to and fro with mens doctrines but be built upon the rock of ages even Jesus Christ the light of the World the same to day as yesterday and shall continue the same forever The peace of God which passeth understanding keep your hearts and minds up to God in love and unity all to grow that God may delight to do you good and to dwell amongst and his pure power to compass you about 〈◊〉 keep you upright and single-hearted This so large an Epistle with my own hand have I wriâ—ten unto you because my love is enlarged toward you The Lord God Almighty breath forth his spirit upon you and guide you in his pure wisdom that with chearfulness you may run the race set before you Faint not 〈◊〉 the way but be ye faithful unto death and you shall have 〈◊〉 Crown of life Read this with a meek and sober spirit in the fear of the Lord when in his name you are met together For friends in the Truth in the West parts of England or else where it may come Written from the movings of the Lord as I was directed by his spirit by your dear brother in the Lord who is a Labourer in his Vineyard Known to you by a nearer name then Alexander Parker THE END
and glory eternal life But to them that are contentious and doth not obey the truth but obey unrighteousness indignation and wrath tribulation and anguish upon every soul of man that doth evil remember this in your life time all you disobedient ones take your portion along with you and do not flatter your selves with vain hopes to enjoy the promises of life which belongs onely to them who obey the truth and followes the Lamb in the strait way of his suffering and death and are dead and crucified with him and so shall live and raign with him in the kingdom of glory But all the proud and ungodly who have lived in pleasures in their life time shall be as the stubble and the day oâ— the Lord shall burn them up and leave them neither root nor branch for the wicked cannot stand in the judgement nor the sinners in the congregation of the righteous Therefore all and every one who love your own souls and desires to be saved turn from your sins and mind that of God in you which reproves you for sin secretly though never so closely acted that with it you may be led out of sin and from all deceit and deceivers this of God in you will not deceive you but teach you in truth the things that belongs unto your peace and is alwayes present with you hearken diligently unto it and your souls shall live but if you slight this the tender profers of the Lords love and will none of his reproof but go on in the vain and ungodly ways of the world this will be your condemnation and shall be an evidence against you at the bar of righteous judgement at the great general day of account when the secrets of all hearts shall be made manifest and the books opened and the judgement set and the charge is given and read against the wicked and the evidence is brought in Gods faithful and true witness which cannot lie which hath been privy to all your evil deeds even that of God in your own conscience this shall be brought in against you and then wo will be your portion no excuse will serve your turn but you shall stand dumb and speechless before the righteous judge and be made to confess that his judgement is just and your condemnation just Remember these things in your life time and take warning from one who hath known the terrors of the Lord against sin and so in love unto your souls do declare unto you that you may come into repentance you are left without excuse hast hast come away trim your lamps prepare and make ready least you be shut out of the Kingdome of light and glory and cast out into utter darkness among the dogs and swine and unclean beasts where there shall be weeping and wailing and gnashing of teeth where the worm dieth not and the fire is not quenched A TESTIMONY OF TRVTH Against the deceit and subtilty OF THE SERPENT JEsus Christ the same to day as yesterday Heb. 13.8 and his appearance in Power in the despised people who in derision by the scorners are called Quakers is opposed and cryed against by the formal Professours as error and herefie Acts 28.22 2 Tim. 3.5 and many false accusations are cast upon them as that generation eâ—â—â— did who had the form of godlinesse but did ever oppose the Power wherever it was made manifest Truth cleered and some accusations answered Whereas we are accused by the people of the world who know â—ot God nor his pure worship especially by the chiefe Priâ—â—â—â—nd Parish Masters 1 Cor. 1.21 Luke 23.2 to the 6. and the Carnal form lists and self-s 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that we are a people that deny the Ministers of 〈◊〉 the Church of Christ and the commands and ordinances 〈◊〉 Christ and with these and such lowd cries they fill the eareâ— of people in such sort that many simple and honest hearâ— who are breathing and hungring after Righteousnes Joh. 12.42.43 and knowes not where to find satisfaction and rest to their souls Joh. 12.42 43 are even afraid to own plaine and pure truth and dare not joyne themselves in fellowship with the Lords despised ones for feare of being deceived But for the truths sake which ever was opposed by the formal Professours and for their sakes who love the truth and desire to be satisfied I shall declare the truth as it is manifested in mee and answer their false accusations that so they may not rest nor lie upon the truth but be turned back into the pit from whence they proceded that so truth which is pure may be kept pure and all who love the truth may be encouraged to confesse the truth and not to be afraid of man whose breath is in his nostrills but with patience beare the Crosse of Christ 2 Tim. 3.12 knowing this that all that will live godly in Christ Jesus shall suffer persecution First Eph. 4. Concerning Ministery it is an Ordinance of Christ which we dearly own Gall. 1.1.12 and honour all those who are sent forth by Christ and do abide in his Doctrine such as are made by the will of God Joh. 15.29 called and chosen out of the world and are sanctified by the living word of truth and are fitted and prepared of God Jo. 15.3 and endued with perfect guifts and so are sent forth into the world to gather people out of the world up to God 1 Pet. 4.10 and to present them pefect in Christ Jesus according to the Scriptures Eph. 4.10 11 12 13. Col. 1.27 28. Such as speake and Minister from the Spirit of the Lord according as they are moved and directed 2 Cor. 3.6 and are never unprovided but speakes the Word of God in season and out of season 2 Tim. 4.2 at all times and in all places as the Spirit gives them utterance such Ministers as are thus fitted and prepared Acts 2.4 and by the Power of the Lord are sent forth into the world and do abide in the Doctrine of Christ we own and honour But all such as are made Ministers or rather Masters in and by the will of man 2 Joh. 9. brought up at schooles and so sent to Oxford or Cambridge to learn the art of preaching Mat. 23.8.10 and afterward are approved of by man and sent into the world but are not sanctified but the root of all evil is alive and fresh in them for they love money and strive to get great sums of money by the yeare 1 Tim. 6.10 and instead of enquiring who is worthy they enquire what will ye give and they are not fitted and prepared of God and endued with perfect gifts but of and by man with much labour and pains and so theirs is of works and not free-gift from God and it is all imperfect neither do they present any perfect in Christ Jesus but denies perfection in this world 2 Tim. ch â— and so
they did eat together in singleness of heart as it is declared and testified in the Scriptures 1 Cor. 10.16 The cup of blessing which we bless is it not the communion of the blood of Christ the bread which we break is it not the Communion of the body of Christ for we being many are one bread and one body for we are all partakers of that one bread This bread and this cup are not carnal and visible but spiritual in invisible This bread is Christ for saith he I am the bread of life I am the living bread that came down from above John 6.35 John 6.51 he that eats of this bread shall live for ever and he shall never hunger and he that drinks of this cup shall never-thirst but it shall be in him a well of living water springing up unto eternal life John 4.14 Christ Jesus is called by several names in the Scriptures and they who have the names but not the substance are in confusion and devision and falls out about the names and so runs into the outward which are but the shadowes but knows not the life and substance 1 Cor. 2.14 John 6.35 John 8.12 He who is called the bread of life the same is called the Light of the World who doth enlighten every one that cometh into the World John 1.9 and every one loving and walking in the light so they come to walk in love and unity 1 John 1.7 and are all made partakers of that one light and so of that one bread which is the Saints life 1 Tim. 3.16 which is spiritual and a mistery hidden from the world and from all worldly wisdom Psal 25.15 but revealed to them that fear the Lord and is to them a living Ordinance ordained of God for the Salvation of their souls And as for the outward water it is but a figure of the living water within which washeth and cleanseth the heart which the outward water doth not Heb. 10.22 Ephes 4.5 Mat. 3.11 As for the one Baptism I own which is the Baptism of Christ with the holy Ghost and with fire which the water Baptism was but a figure of and in denying the outward water Baptism it is no breach of Christs Commands 1 Cor. 1.17 for I was not sent to Baptize but to preach the Gospel And all you who take upon you that power I demand of you who gave you commission to go and Baptize with outward water if you take your commission from the letter without a lively commission from Christ I deny your ground and your commission 1 Cor. 3.11 for it is not the letter of the Law of God that doth impower any one to execute the Law of God neither doth the letter of the Gospel impower any one to go and preach the Gospel though they be never so skilful and expert in the knowledge of the Scripture without power from on high to commission and impower them no more then the letter of the Law of England doth impower any one to be a justice of peace to execute the Law though many may buy the letter of the Law and may be expert and skilful Yet if the earthly powers do not give them commission they cannot act as a justice nor execute the Law if they should take upon them such a thing the powers of the earth would call them into question Even so all you who have taken upon you that power to baptize without commission from the Lord assure your selves you will be called into question and in the Name of my Lord and Master I do charge you to give an account who it was that gave you commission and cease speaking against others who keep the commands of God whom you cannot accuse justly for breach of the holy and pure substantial commands And likewise all other the Ordinances of Christ as praying and singing according as the spirit of God doth move to sing with understanding 1 Cor. 14 15. and to pray with understanding for as the Apostle saith Rom 8.26.27 1 Cor. 2.10 we know not what to pray for as we ought but the spirit helpeth our infirmities and makes intercession for us with sighs and groans that cannot be uttered for it is the spirit that makes manifest and searcheth out the deep and hidden things of God John 4.24 for as God is a spirit and will be worshipped in spirit so there is none knowes him nor worships him in spirit John 3.5 but those who are born of the spirit And so whatsoever the world or the enemies of Truth do say or speak of us Rom. 13.8 yet we can truly say in the presence of the Lord that we ow no man any thing but love 2 Cor. 6.4 to the 11. desiring the good of all people that all might come to the knowledge of the truth and for this end do we labour and travel under many heavy burthens through much reproaches and cruel mockings Mat. 5.11 12. stocks bonds and imprisonments every one giving their sensures of us and so we pass thorow many tryals but in all these things we can rejoyce knowing that it is and hath been the portion of the Lords chosen ones to be reviled and persecuted by the wicked generation they went through evil report and good report as deceivers and yet true and so in the Name and Power of the Lord do we go abroad as we are led by his spirit freely declaring unto others in tenderness of love unto their fouls what the Lord hath done for our souls and we do not go about to deceive any Acts 26.18 nor to draw any to our opinions but to turn them from deceit and deceivers and to gather them to the Lord that so the Lord may teach them according as he hath promised and according as it is written Isa 56.13 all the Children of the Lord shall be taught of the Lord. And though for our love we be envied and hated John 15.20 yet for Christ our Masters sake we can willingly bear it for the servant is not greater then his Masters for saith Christ as they have done unto me so will they do unto you and so it is no new thing but that which hath formerly been for the appearance of Christ was ever opposed especially by the professing people who had a form of godliness but were ignorant of the power as the Scriptures do bear testimony with me For in the time of the Law under that administration divers Statutes and Ordinances were given forth by Moses and while those things were practised and done in the integrity and simplicity of heart it was accepted of the Lord But when they turned from their integrity and uprightness of heart though they drew near to God with their lips and with their mouthes and multipled their offerings and sacrifices Yet it was abomination in the eyes of the Lord and the Lord sent his servants the Prophets to testifie
do appear in the presence of the living God in whose presence you now are and nothing can be hid from the all-seeing eye nor any thing cover you but purity for the wo is to all them that are covered and not with the spirit of the Lord for now all coverings must be ripped open and the Lord the heart-searcher will search all as with candles and an outward shew or covering with the Saints words will not hide nor cover any of you if the pure life of Christ be wanting let none be therefore deceived with a vain hope neither do you set up a false rest short of the true rest for verily I say unto you you had need to be watchful and to walk circumspectly not as fools but as wise men in the Lord for your adversary the devil goes about like a roaring Lion seeking whom he may devour going about by all wayes and means to deceive the hearts of the simple and honest minded ones his work is to oppose the work of Christ and he works in a mistery in the hearts of the children of disobedience working them into his Image and liknesse to do his lusts and the creature is captivated and the members thereof and becomes servant to the Devil who rules as a Prince in the heart and when he cannot keep people in the common filth of the world he will get into a form of godliness and there keep people feeding upon the empty and dry husks drawing near to God with their lips and mouths when he keeps possession in their hearts and draws away their affections after the lusts of the world and glory of it which fades away and comes to an end And when by his wiles he cannot hide himself nor keep people in the empty form then he will transform himself as an Angel of light and whatever the Saints of the most high do speak or practice as they are moved by the power and spirit of the Lord dwelling in them the subtil Serpent will get into the outward form likeness gesture and words or whatsoever is used or practiced outwardly by the Saints and servants of the Lord The devil will lead his servants into the likness and so get the words as many do get the words of truth into their unrighteous minds and so contend for the truth with that mind that is out of the truth and so glory in the words and outward appearance and the boaster gets up to boast in other mens lines and things above their measures being enemies to the Cross of Christ and servants of sin and in the bondage of corruption but into the light and life the devil cannot come nor enter so in the light which is pure all wait for the power and pure life of the Son of God to be manifest in you that so from the light and life fruits abundantly may be brought forth to the glory of God Stand upon your watch and bring your deeds to the light that so they may be proved and tryed whether or no they be wrought in God for he that walks in the light is kept from stumbling But all careless and slothful negligent ones who run head-long rashly without consideration or tryal of their deeds are captivated and ensnared by the temptation of the devil and so the light follows them and is their condemnation and so trouble and misery comes upon the wicked and it is just for he is the fool whose eyes be abroad and whose tongue is at liberty and so the rod is prepared for the back of the sool Therefore weigh your words in the just ballance and be well advised before you act any thing first try the motion before you go on to action for in all words and actions whatsoever any one doth either act or speak there is some thing within that moves before the action bee acted or words be spoken and whether it be good or evil it comes from within out of the heart and as is the heart so will the words and actions be if the heart be evil the words and actions will be evil and if the heart be good and pure the words and actions will be likewise good and pure Now come all to the touch-stone and to the ground of all things that you may know the ground of good things and the ground of evil things for as God is the Author of all good so the Devil is the Author of all evil and as God is a pure Spirit and works in a mistery in the hearts of the children of obedience working them into his Image and likenesse to do his works which are works of righteousnesse so the devil is an unclean and a dark spirit and works in a mistery in the hearts of the children of disobedience working them into his Image and likenesse to do his works which are works of unrighteousnesse And as the Author of good and the Author of evil are contrary one to the other and no fellowship betwixt them so the workers and servants of each of these are contrary one to the other and no agreement amongst them but a strong and an irreconcileable enmity and so a great and strong battel and this battel is begun in this Nation and other parts the great and mighty battel between the Prince of light and the Prince of darkness between the raging Beast and the meek and harmless Lamb. Now there is none can serve those two Masters neither can any be heirs of these two kingdoms but every one becomes his servant to whom he yields himself servant to obey whether of sin unto death or of obedience unto righteousness according as the Scripture declares All who obey the motion of the Lord in light and spirit as he moves in the pure heart become servants to the Lord and so his work is brought forth into the world which are works of righteousness as love gentleness patience long-suffering meekness temperance brotherly-kindness humility soberness godliness doing unto all as they would be done unto and such like fruits of righteousness which are a witnesse against the unrighteousnesse of the world and so are justified by God in spirit and created in Christ Jesus unto good works But all who yeeld to and obey the motion of the Devil in the dark as he moves in the dark heart by the spirit of darkness become servants to the Devil and so his work is brought forth into the world and fills the world with darkness and unrighteousness as pride and vain glory covetousness hatred malice strife and debate drunkenness whoredomes murders theft lying and swearing vain and profain talking tiranny cruelty and oppression persecution and such like ungodly wicked practises as the Land abounds with notwithstanding all their profession of God and Christ and high notions and large and fair pretences yet the fruits of wickedness in a high measure are daily growing and encreasing and all those evils and all other the abominations that are acted and done in the world they all proceed
out of the deceitful and wicked heart and the Devil he is the father and the Author of it and of all sin and whosoever commits sin is of the Devil and so out of the heart from the cursed ground it springs and arises for lust after it hath conceived it bringeth forth sin and sin when it is finished brings forth death for the wages of sin is death Therefore every one in particular mind the leadings and movings of the pure spirit of Light for there is your strength near you and if ye thorow the spirit do mortifie the deeds of the body then shall ye live and be made sensible of the workings of God destroying the Devils works and defacing his image and renewing in you a pure image like unto himself and so the pure Truth ye will really be possessed of that which the Lord doth love and desire even Truth in the inward parts and offer up a sacrifice in righteousness to the Lord which is a broken heart and a contrite spirit which ever was and is acceptable in the eyes of the pure God for God is pure and loves righteousness and to know him and Jesus Christ whom he hath sent is life eternal Now to have a literal knowledge of him and so to speak of him from the Scripture letter and not from the spirit and power of God within this is not a saving knowledge but puss up into pride and soto reject and despise the cross of Christ Such a knowledge had they who crucified the Son of God and such a knowledge have many in our age but are persecuting the appearance of Christ in his Saints But this I say none knows the Lord in Truth and Righteousness but as he is revealed and manifested by his spirit within for the spirit searcheth all things yea the deep and hidden things of God So all turn in your minds and wait upon the Lord in the Light of his spirit that into his house you may be led there to feed upon the living bread soul-satisfying food upon the hidden Manna that which the world knowes not but it is hid from them who be without feeding amongst the swine upon the husks and empty shadowes but through love and mercy is revealed unto us by the spirit of our God and freely imparted unto you to invite you to come in to our Fathers house that you may eat with us and be satisfied and praise the Lord with us in the Land of the living for ever and ever Oh my dearly beloved whom my soul longs and breaths after whom in the truth I dearly love you are as a lively Epistle written in my heart and I cannot forget you go on in the Name and Power of the Lord look not back there is nothing behind you but death and darkness for if any one draw back my soul shall have no pleasure in them therefore press on towards the mark for the price of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus let not the rage of the heathen daunt you knowing that it is our portion from that wicked and untoward generation to be reproached and reviled But blessed are ye when men revile you and reproach you and persecute you and speak all manuer of evil against you falsely for the Name of Christ rejoyce and be exceeding glad for great is your reward in heaven for so persecuted they the Prophets and the holy Apostles which which were before you for if you were of the world then would the world love you but because Christ Jesus hath chosen you out of the world to be unto him a holy People therefore do they of the world who know not God hate and revile you but herein they are discovered and made manifest of what generation they are of even of cursed Cains who slew his brother and where envy and rage is they bear the mark of Cain and so in this day of the Lord they are made manifest for wherever persecution is it is a mark of the beast that makes war against the Lamb and it is not the mark or token of a Christian for the Nature of a Christian is to suffer and not to persecute therefore though ye suffer and be reproached yet be not discouraged but put on the strength of God the armour of righteousness whereby ye may all be kept safe and the fiery darts of the wicked cannot pierce you Dwell in meekness and love and pure innocency these are the Garments of the Lamb which the world cannot stain though they may cast dirt and filth upon you by their lies and false slanders yet your innocency and uprightness shall stand a witness against them and so their mouths shall be stopped and the witness of God in their own consciences shall testifie against them and answer for you and for the Lords Truth which you profess and make them to acknowledge though against their wills that God is in you of a Truth I do by the power of the Lord charge you all in the presence of the Lord who profess the light that you walk in the light that every one may be in life and substance what you seem and profess your selves to be in words that no hypocricy may be amongst you nor deceit nor feigned love nor seeming shew of feigned humility for that is gross and wicked abomination in the eyes of the pure God but that indeed and in truth your love may flow forth one towards another without dissimulation for this is a true mark and token that you are the Lords chosen ones for hereby shall all men know that you are followers of the Lord if ye love one another for love is of God and all who dwell in love they dwell in God for God is love Oh let this love constrain you to deney your selves freely and follow him who by his love invites you to come and eat and drink freely at his Table Let not the love of the world nor any other earthly enjoyment draw away your hearts and affections from the pure love of God into the love of the visible and creaturely enjoyments and so for a messe of pottage Esau like sell your birth-right for want of a small thing of self-denyal chusing the pleasures of the World as many do rather then to suffer with the people of God despising and counting the Cross of Christ foolishness and so lose the Crown of glory Oh let it not be so with any of you but take up the Cross willingly and despise not the day of small things but whatsoever the light of Christ doth shew you to be evil or vain cast off and deny that evil and vanity otherwise you cannot have true peace for whilst the wild nature is at liberty and the unruly affections and lusts they war against the soul therefore saith Christ take my yoke upon you and learn of me I am meek and lowly in spirit and you shall find rest unto your souls So the yoke of Christ being laid upon the