is written The Invisible only Wise God whom no Eye of Flesh hath seen or can see and this moving invisible Spirit of God which is without limit or end is that which all People should be led unto by all its outward visible Appearances Ministrations and Dispensations and this Spirit was that which gave forth and ordained the Ministration of the the Law which was glorious in its time though to be done away but how much more glorious is the Ministration of that Spirit of Life it self from which the Ministration of the Law came which Spirit abideth forever And the second Adam is made a quickning Spirit and the Spirit which is the Word was with God and was God before the Body of Flesh was made and that Spirit abideth forever as it heard out of the Law He shall abide forever and this is that which ever liveth to intercede And this forever blessed invisible Spirit was before time and is to be when time shall be no more and is without limit an Eternal lively substance giving Life from it self and secretly covering it self from the carnal part of man not seen nor understood but by such as by its secret motions come to be led to see through that which shadows it forth and by the Image Form Shadow or Figure to discern the substance which is the Life where Immortality dwelleth for in the most innermost and secrets of all is the Life of all being covered over with that in which it lies through the which it breaking forth in any discovery of it self is that whereby the Beholders might be drawn through the discovery to it self which in the discovery broke forth for the discovery was still too short of that from whence it came and that which was discovered forth in any Shadow Form or Image was not to be idolized nor set up for the very thing or substance of Life from whence it proceeded and herein hath been much mistake by such who came not by that which opened in the Visibles to that from whence it came in that to have their Understandings opened and thereby to be made sensible of that which is Eternal by it to be brought in where its indwellings abide forever whose breakings forth in the visible which was to draw to that invisible refreshed the Soul invisibly in an unexpected time but being after sought for in the Visibles and not in the Eternal with-draws it self out of the Visibles and out of the sight and reach of that which seeks it there that thereby that which is to live forever with it may come through all that which it appeared in unto the very thing and invisible Substance it self which is the Life of all and the true center of the living Motion which moveth of it self and gave forth all things good as they proceeded from it by virtue of its gradual and various Motions and this being come openeth it self in them that find it and live therein and this maketh Darkness Light before the People whose dwelling is with God and the crooked comes to be made straight by the thing it self and dark Sayings of old come to be opened and secret things revealed But to write more plain for the sake of the weak of this glorious indwelling Spirit which in the fulness of time cometh forth in Flesh laying hold of the Seed of Abraham the most glorious appearance that ever was being thus appeared was the express Image of God who dwelleth in his People whose Bodies are Flesh and earthly Tabernacles but by the operation of the sanctifying cleansing Spirit which the Father sendeth are made fit Habitations of God and so Co-heirs with Christ and Members of his Body Flesh and Bones which Spirit quickneth to God and being thus received and obeyed is felt to live forever though the shadowings forth of it be done away and this is Eternal and never endeth but abideth with such forever and the Ministration of it is Life it self to the Soul and more to be valued and desired than all that ever was seen before it And as the Lord took off that Spirit which was upon Moses and put it upon his Brethren the Elders of Israel whereby they might rule and judge with him so saith Christ The Father shall take off mine and give unto you even of that Spirit of Love Life Power Valour and Virtue which was upon and in him that was like unto Moses is ministred into and put upon such as are truly his Brethren and Friends whereby him with they thus gifted sanctified and qualified judge the World for all Judgment is committed to the Son and of that which the Son hath and is committed to him doth the Father give unto his Members And so from Christ the Head they come to receive Power over the World and its Way Worship and Fashions and over Unclean Spirits And that is an Unclean Spirit which will lead into any Sin and it is an unclean Spirit in which sin standeth and which pleadeth for the continuance and upholding of that which is unclean and that is of the World which the Saints judge And as those Elders of Israel who were of the Church in the Wilderness were not made fit to judge nor rule in outward matters by all the writings and words of the Law though received by disposition of Angels until the Lord himself took off that Spirit which was upon Moses and put upon them So those that profess to be Elders in the Church now or any other Person whatsoever are much less made fit to rule or judge in spiritual matters by all the reading and professing Moses writings and Christs words and the rest of the holy Scriptures though they were given by the Inspiration of God until the Lord take off that Spirit which was upon and in Christ who is like unto Moses and give unto and pour it upon and minister it unto them And this is done in Gods way which is secret and time which is in his own hand to those whom he accounteth worthy thus to Honour and who truly wait for it as a Wayfaring man for a Resting place and as a Captive for Deliverance And though Christ after his Resurrection said All Power in Heaven and in Earth is given unto me go ye therefore and Teach yet they were to tarry until they had the Power in themselves and when that was come which they were to tarry and wait for then with that they went and taught the Nations from the sensible feeling of that which taught them how to teach and all things else when the same Spirit and Power was upon them which was before committed unto him and so the coming forth of it from him into them and filling them therewith was to them in that work of the Ministry most effectual like as the Virtue going forth of Christ healed the Woman so the Power and Virtue of the holy Spirit coming forth from Christ being sent of the Father and received by the Disciples who
with much desire waited for that impowered them to do that which before they were commanded to do after they were endued with Power or had the Power in them And so what they were commanded to do they were to wait to receive Power in themselves from God to perform and Christ did intend to give them Power to do that which he commanded And as he commanded them to go and teach he also required them to tarry and so not to go until they had received Power so to do and so it was the Power of the holy Ghost in them which made them Ministers and these were and such are truly Ordained Ministers And after they had received Power from on high even the Spirit or Life of Truth and were filled therewith and so had it in them then they went to do that which was commanded them then they went to teach the Nations and converted Thousands and turned Sinners and brought Souls to God and then they were called Christians and then were People brought to be of the true Church which Christ buildeth upon that which flesh and blood revealeth not And this is the entrance into the Church of God 2 Thes 1. 1. the receiving of the Spirit and in this God is worshipped and not else for this hath excluded all other Worship and those only are the true Worshippers who come in thus by the Door which is Christ the Light and Spirit of Truth sent into the Heart from God And if all the prudent learned Divines so called in Europe or all or any of the wisest Orthodox men in any other Quarter of the whole World can prove by the Scriptures of the Old and New Testament any other true Worship of God who is a Spirit now extant among men and to be performed especially among them called Christians with acceptance to God but only that which the Spirit of Truth leadeth such unto as receive it then let them bring it forth that we may see it and prove it by plain undeniable Truth of Scripture or otherwise I shall look upon their Proofs Words Ways Actions Practices Performances Duties and several Worships as things of no value Or if there be any other entrance into the true Worship of God than this Spirit that God sendeth or the Light which leadeth to it or if there be any other Worship which God doth or will accept to be after this spoken or prophesied of in the Scriptures of Truth whereby this shall ever be done away or ended from being the true only and alone Worship of God whilst men have a being upon Earth then let the wisest of the Sons of men bring it forth and produce there strong reasons therein that we may plead together and that the entrance into and the true Worship it self of the only true invisible God may be declared over all the World for the satisfaction of every tender Heart concerning this For this I am satisfied in that Christ Jesus who is the end of the Law and who finished his work when he was upon Earth is made a quickning Spirit and is the Way and Truth of Life which bringeth into the Worship of God and he is the begining and the end and he leadeth to the beginning of Gods Worship and he is the end and the Rest of all the faithful in whom all the Promises are Yea and Amen and without him all is as nothing and all that come before him are Thieves and Robbers and he it is that abideth a Priest forever and his Spirit of Truth is it which all People and Professors whatsoever should first wait to receive thereby to be led into that true Spiritual Worship which alone God accepteth lest they and their Worship and Building fall together in a day when there is none to deliver And then thus I will Query If Christ own dear Disciples who had forsook all and followed him not Priest or Baptists did not come to receive this Spirit by hearing all the words which he he spoke unto them but by waiting after the words were ended Then whether those that have not forsaken all nor so much as the Worlds fashions do now come to receive the Spirit by Reading Hearing or Professing the same words of Christ now written or any other part of Scriptures Or whether a Proud man hath received this Spirit or a Lyar or a Prophane person or any Wise or Prudent man whatsoever by any means or way of his And whether any such ever did have can or may by any industry or other way or means attain to this Spirit which leadeth in the true Worship of God but as it is freely given forth from God And then whether all people are not to be led by that Spirit which God freely giveth into the Worship of God because Christ said The Spirit should lead which indeed doth lead into all Truth and nothing else doth so And they that have not received this from God to lead them are not yet come to be led by that which the Sons and Children of God were and are led by And the Ministration of the Spirit which all are now to be taught by is inwardly to be known in the most nearest secret invisible manner and is more out of the sight Comprehension and reach of mans Wisdom than any other Ministration and it is given forth from the clear Fountain it self unto the Souls satisfaction of man when he is come to the end of words or having heard much or all the words that can be spoken of it remaineth unsatisfied in a restless longing desire to find receive feel and enjoy the thing it self which the words declared of and that which satisfieth the true thirsting Soul comes clearly from God to the refreshing of the inward parts of man and filling of the empty barren hungry Spirit which cannot be saâ—â—sâ—ed without Gods indewllings and thus the Disciples were led along and at last in a foolish way to the great Professors they waited among them in Jerusalem and the Lord had regard unto them and sent his own Spirit unto them and then they were filled with the Holy Ghost And the secret invisible hand of God whose Power was and is felt in my heart having out of the sight of flesh and blood in the hidden counsel of his secret Will led me by the vertue of the operation and drawings thereof through those things which thereby I come to leave behind and to receive and feel that which now goeth before and is my Leader in whose Covenant of Life Eternal my Soul is now satisfied and so by good experience of the Lords leading and from an experimental knowledge and sensible feeling and present enjoyment of the incomes of the Spirit of Truth and Life which filleth the inward parts with the holiness of it self and giveth power to do the things required before of God even from the right and good understanding thereof is this written That where it meets with the like condition in a weaâ—y Traveller
and here printed A TABLE OF THE CONTENTS Or Chief Heads contained in this VOLUMN THe Sufferings of the Saints at Evesham Or a short Description of the first Ground of the Persecution of the Servants of God Page A Warning to the Priests Magistrates Rulers and Inhabitants of Exon pag. 1. Some of the Effects of the Priests Ministry in Devonshire p. 6. The first and second Priesthood declared according to the Scriptures p. 10. An ALARUM sounding forth unto all the Inhabitants of the Earth as a Warning before the Vials of Everlasting Wrath be poured forth upon them p. 19. A sad and mournful Lamentation for the People of these Nations p. 28. Idolatry declared against p. 46. Man driven out of the Earth and Darkness by the Light Life and Mighty hand of God p. 52. I. Concerning my Call out of the World or my going out from my House Country and Imployment p. 55. II. Concerning my publick Preaching p. 62. The Wandering Star discovered or something in Answer to a Book called The Quakers Blazing-Star or The Worlds Wonder p. 68. A Word to all Professors p. 86. The just Complaint of the Afflicted against the Rulers who oppress the Innocent to be delivered to the Judge of the Sessions at Winchester after pag. 92. To them who have lately believed in the Light and are waiting to receive the Life p. 93. The Two striving within p. 98. The Love of God declared and Satans Wiles discovered p. 102. The Ground Foundation Beginning and Father and Children and Compass and End and the Effects of all the Harpers Musitioners Singers and Dancers p. 108. Divine Love spreading forth forth over all Nations Or the Glorious Day of Vnity Peace and Concord p. 116. To all Parents of Children upon the face of the whole Earth p. 123. The true and everlasting Rule from God discovered and that which proveth all things published from the Spirit of Truth p. 135. A Testimony of the true Prophet who was to come is come and there is not another p. 155. An Invitation from the Spirit of Christ p. 164. The sounding Voice of the dread of Gods mighty Power p. 167. To all that want Peace with God To the Sheep every where not brought home To the thirsty breathing Soul and to the Seed though in Captivity among and in the midst of all Professors p. 175. I. Concerning Mofes's Ministration p. 177. II. Concerning Christ and his Ministration p. 179. III. Concerning the Ministration of the Spirit p. 185. The Vision of Humphry Smith which he saw concerning London in the year 1660. p. 195. To the great Flock of the imprisoned Servants of God Almighty p. 201. A Warning to New-England's pretended Christians p. 207. The Lamb and his day proclaimed p. 211. Six Proposals stated for the Honour of the KING I. By his Subjects Vnity one with another p. 214. II. By his Subjects submission actively or passively unto all his Laws p. 216. III. By his Subjects faithfulness unto him p. 217. IV. By his Subjects Vprightness in their Traffick with other Nations p. 218. V. By his Subjects departing from that which dishonoureth both God the King and themselves p. 218. VI. By his Subjects being the peculiar chosen People of God p. 220. To the Lambs of Christ p. 223. To such in whose hearts the spirit of the Lord is beginning to move his Truth to declare p. 226. Sound things asserted 1. In the Kings own words 2. from late Experience 3. From Scripture-Truth 4. According to Reason and Equity p. 229. Forty four Queries propounded to all the Clergy-men of the Liturgy Also eleaven Reasons why these Queries are proposed p. 236. An Epistle to all the Meetings in Dorsetshire p. 258. To the despised rejected and persecuted Lambs of Christ in the County of Dorset p. 263. One Hundred and Forty four Lines of secret inward Melody and Praise to the Lord p. 269. Hidden things made manifest by the Light in a plain distinction between Condemnation and Temptation p. 272. Concerning Temptation p. 279. A Direction in the way to that within the Vail by which Temptations are overcome p. 285. The Meditations of an humble Heart p. 290. To the espoused Virgin p. 293. Something how the Marriage of the underfiled Lamb and Virgin came at first to be P. 295. To all dear Friends who keep faithful in their measures to the end P. 297. To the meek and open hearted Lambs and Flock of Heaven P. 301. The Cause of the long Afflicted and sore Oppressed sent forth from Winchester Prison P. 309. The Answer to the Mittimus P. 310. A Copy of a Paper sent to the Sessions P. 312. To the Sons of men P. 317. To Friends at Ailsbury Prison and in them parts P. 323. To the the Young and Tender and to the late Convinced People of God amongst the rest of the Elect and already Chosen P. 328. Concerning Tythes P. 335. To my nearly related Friend Elizabeth Smith P. 363. THE Sufferings Tryals Purgings Of the SAINTS at EVESHAM Who by their Obedience to the Lord in their Measures do overcome their Enemies by their daily suffering under them Or A short Description of the first Ground of the Persecution of the Servants of God occasioned by the Priests and the continual Proceedings of the Magistrates against them called Quakers AS the Priests were always Enemies unto Christ and his Disciples so do they continue persecuting the Saints laying Snares for the Innocent and smiting with the Tongue Jer. 18. 18. and stirring up the Rulers and the rude Multitude making Uproars and Insurrections against the Saints as they did against Christ and his Ministers for the chief Priests assembled with the Scribes and Elders of the People consulted how they might take Jesus by subtilty and kill him yet they would not do it on the Feast day lest there should be an Vproar among the People Mat. 26. 3 4 5 But the chief Priest and Rulers in Evesham after their Consultations how to ensnare the Innocent did come on the first day to ensnare us but standing in the counsel of God we were preserved from their first Snare which they laid for us I having notice of it before in bringing the whole multitude to provoke or entrap us the which when they could not do though hundreds of them gathered together about the Door where I and many of the Servants of the Lord were like those that gathered together about Lot's door Gen. 19. 4 5. yet none of them could provoke us to words nor had they any way to ensnare us then as afterwards will appear And after the chief Priests had hired Judas for thirty pieces of Silver to betray Christ Mat. 26. 15. and after Judas had brought again the thirty pieces of Silver then the chief Priests took the same Money for the which Judas had sold Christ and with it they bought a field of Blood Mat. 27. 6 7 8. So the chief Priests have purchased unto themselves and all their Generation with
Rom. 6. 18 22. and become the Servants of God So that the Blood of this Jesus who is the Son of the living God cleanseth us from all Sin 1 John 1. 7. ch 2. 12. because your Sins are forgiven for his Names-sake which Name is Jesus a Saviour from Sin and we know that he is manifested to take away our Sins and he that abideth in him sinneth not 1 John 3. 5 6. Rev. 1. 5. Now whosoever believeth that Jesus is the Christ is born of God 1 John 5. 1. Now Jesus is a Savior Christ is God manifest in Flesh and anointed the true Teacher 1 John 2. 17. Now he that can witness Jesus Christ to save him from Sin he is born of God and can witness Christ in him the hope of Glory which is Emanuel God with us and those dwell in God and God in them 1 John 4. 16. 2 Cor. 6. 16. Now Sin is the unfruitful Work of Darkness God is Light 1 John 1. 5. Now he that saith he can witness Jesus and is born of God and yet lives in Darkness to wit Sin he is a Lyar. Now Jesus is one with the Father and dwelleth in the Father Now he that dwelleth in the Father hath this Hope or Faith that purisieth himself even as he is pure 1 John 3. 3. and 5. 1. And he that abideth in him sinneth not This is Jesus the Son of the living God that saveth his People from their Sins whom Paul witnessed revealed in him Gal. 1. 16. by the which he preached Grace and Peace to the Corinthians 1 Cor. 1. 3 30. and 22. 16. Now there is no other Name given under Heaven by which men shall be saved Therefore all those that cannot witness this Jesus this Son of God they are false Apostles that speak of a Jesus that they know not like those that went to cast out Devils in the Name of Jesus whom Paul preached Acts 19. 13 14 15 16. Those were not Vagabond Jews only but chief of the Priests that did so Now all that cannot witness this Christ this Jesus revealed and brought forth in them as the true Apostles did that spoke from the Life of Christ in them even all others are false Apostles among whom thou art seen in the Light of Jesus Christ to be and in the World like a raging Sea whose Waves cast up Mire and Dirt continually unto whom there is no Peace Isa 57. 20 21. a Wandering Star never settled Jude 13. but tossed up and down with every Wind of Doctrine from such turn away II. How you may know them Pag. 36. 9. Abiding in the Light that comes from Christ in that Light you will see Light and so comprehend all the Children of Darkness for he that followeth Christ who is the Light of the World shall not walk in Darkness but shall have the Light of Life to judge all the false Apostles and all the Children of the Night who live in the dark Mind in Pride Covetousness Lying making a Trade of the Scriptures which were spoken forth from the Light by those that witnessed it but thou that takest up their Expressions and livest not in the same Life thou art the false Apostle that preachest another Gospel Now besides the foregoing Scriptures thou hast declared thy self to be a false Apostle by thy own Writings First in writing thy Thinkings and Conceivings page 50. yet my former Thoughts page 53. I am but in part convinced page 16. Methinks page 51. As I conceive such were the false Apostles 1 Tim. 1. 7. understanding not what they say nor whereof they affirm but speak and write the Imaginations of their own Hearts as thou hast done in page 18. The thoughts of my own Heart in the which are many Devices Prov. 19. 21. Secondly In being one of the world and calling thy fellow-Creatures of the World to judge what thou sayest and here thou hast manifested thy self to be a false Prophet entered into the World which the Saints of God never did page 23. And let all the World assure themselves that in page 45. Here thou dost write thy self as thou art calls thy own to witness the World one with the World therefore we being gathered out of the World are hated and written against by thee John 15. â—â— I shall forbear to write what I know of thy former and yet continued Practices this being sufficient to prove plainly that thou art a false Apostle whose many Lyes written against us I need not to mention in particular only some few in short that the simple may not be deceived by thee nor the Truth suffer altogether under thy Scandals Page 48. Thou biddest the feeble Creatures of the World To judge of Spiritual things though the World by Wisdom knows not God 1 Cor. 1. 21. page 46. thou sayest That we do Lying Wonders But hast thou in all those Lyes and Writings of thine proved that any of those which thou callest Wonders are Lying Wonders for it is not thy saying it is a Lying Wonder that makes it to be so for there were such as thee that said that Christ cast out Devils through Belzebub but they were Lyars and so art thou Thou sayest Our Works are Deceitful page 49. But thou hast no ground for it but the deceit of thy own heart page 18. the which thou callest the World to bear thee witness page 23. 50. Thou sayest We disown the Power and Spirit of Truth which is a Lye but thou hast a form of Godliness denying the power thereof 2 Tim. 3. 5. Page 53. Thou sayest Thou art in part convinced that per adventure the Lord would have his People walk in some way whereby they might be brought into a perfect Unity in Heart Oh! art thou not here ashamed O let even the World whom thou callest unto so often read thy Ignorance What! art thou but in part convinced what way leads to Unity Oh! for shame for shame give over thy Profession talk no longer of the Gospel thou hast made thy self manifest to all men Oh! hast thou been talking of the Gospel so long and art yet Ignorant of the way that leads to Unity Oh! let shame stop thy mouth and cover thy face forever but if thou wouldest shift from this and say Thou meanest an outward way or form I tell thee there is no way to have fellowship with the Father 1 John 1. 3. but in the Unity of the Faith and the Knowledge not a Thinking of the Son of God who is the true living and only way unto the Father John 14. 6. where is perfect unity even one Heart and one way Jer. 32. 39. which is a way of holiness The Wayfaring men though fools shall not err therein Isa 35. 8. Also in page 53. thou sayest That thou art very sensible that thou hast lost thy Comforts and therefore thou dost hope not to give over until thou hast found some way or means of having thy former Enjoyments refreshed Why hast thou lost that
thou never hadst thou saidst but now That thou wast but in part convinced of the way And hadst thou the Comforter long ago and lost him now the Way and the Comforter is but one the which is Jesus Christ John 14. 6. 17. 26. chap. 17. 23. I know that if Jesus Christ had been brought forth in thee without which there is no true comfort who is the substance of all Tythes Types Forms and Shadows that thou couldst not unto this day have remained a Parish Priest and so upheld an Antichristian Priesthood halting between many Opinions neither according to Aaron Levi nor Christ but living in thy own will and so living above Christ who lived not in his own Will for saith he Not my Will but thine be done John 6. 38. And now who will regard thy writings when thou acknowledgest That the Comforter which is the Spirit of Truth is departed from thee Now it appears thou art a Lyar indeed now thou hast no Truth born up in thy Understanding thy former Enjoyments as thou callest it which were indeed nothing but Comprehensions got up in the Wisdom of the Serpent Oh! art thou not ashamed that the World should now read thy Confusion which thou didst soon make up in thy Writings Art thou not ashamed in such a condition as this when thou confessest thy former Enjoyments and Comforts are departed from thee even now to writ against those that thou acknowledgest to have large Experiences and much of the Power of Truth through Christ page 50 Oh! take heed lest it had been better for thee that a Millstone had been hanged about thy neck and thou cast into the Sea Oh! canst thou not look back on him whom thou hast thus pierced to wit the Life of Christ in others Now thou mayst read with Shame and Tears that which thy own hand hath written from own sinful Heart look in page 5 8 and 18. which was then in the apostatized condition without the former Comforts as thou calledst it page 53. Now thou art found to be a false Apostle indeed Oh! remember from whence thou art fallen and do thy first Works yea Repente'er it be too late Rev. 2. 5. Oh though thou canst strive with man there is no striving with thy Maker who will come a swift Witness against all deceitful Workers who livewithin the power of what they speak or write much more against those that write filthy Abominable Lyes Oh! if thou lovest either Christ or thy own Soul return return unto the Light of Christ in thy own Conscience which will let thee see the Deceit of thy own sinful Heart out of the abundant Deceit thereof thy Pen hath run so largely in Confusion Now I charge thee in the presence of the living God in as much love to thy Soul as ever that thou return to the Light of Christ in thy own Conscience and mind that which cheks thee in secret I tell thee man in love there is something yet in thee which will witness me to be true See one more page 64. where for thy own defence not for the defence of the Truth thou sayst Thou wast necessitated to fly unto the Practices and Truths of other men to wit Baptists where it is plain thou hadst not the spirit of Christ to fly unto and speak from as the true Apostles had witness one Acts 6. 10. Therefore thou art both seen in the Light proved by Scripture and thy own Writings to be a false Apostle and a false Minister 2 Cor. 11. 13 14 15. Much more might be said and proved both from thy Writings and Actings but I desire the good of thy soul by this which is sufficient at present to prove thee to be one of the Wandering Star Jude 13. A Word to all Professors in the World BEing it was ordered of my Lord God and Father of Lights that something must go forth in Print as from me who am the least of all Saints I was even as freely engaged in my Spirit out of tender Love to your Souls to present a few Lines from that measure of the Spirit which is brought forth in me Oh! My Friends my Friends the hour is not only coming but now is witnessed in me that the dead shall hear the Voice of the Son of God and they that hear shall live John 5. 25. and the Voice of the true Dove is heard in our Land to wit this Earthly Tabernacle that is made the Temple of the living God who is now fulfilling his Promises in us that walk not after Flesh but after the Spirit even in us is the Lord establishing his New and Everlasting Covenant even the sure and certain Mercies of David which is by the Life of Jesus Christ in us fulfilled and witnessed whereby we have fellowship with the Father and are in measure brought to live in him and he in us where we have Joy Rest and eternal Peace which passeth all Understanding and all the Worlds Comprehension where all the Children of the Light meet and see face to face for the Lord hath brought again Sion who is become the Perfection of Beauty out of which God now shineth Psal 50. 2. and is become our Glory and we his Isa 46. 13. O Praises Praises be unto him who hath redeemed us out of the Nations Kindreds and Tongues to serve the living God in Newness of Life and not in Oldness of Letter that so now we may offer up eternally living and eternal Sacrifice and Praise for evermore who hath in measure redeemed us from the World and out of all Darkness that is therein and hath translated us into the Kingdom of his dear Son and made us Partakers of the Inheritance of the Saints in Light which is the Eternal Light of Life for God is Light and in him is no Darkness at all and all those that live in him are the Children of the Day who walk in the Day even the pure Light in the which there is no occasion of stumbling our Feet being guided in the Path of Peace which is the true and living way in which the way faring man though a Fool shall not Err Isa 35. 8. which is the pure way of Holiness leading up into the full Enjoyment of the Father who hath long waited to be gracious unto us and now in the Day of his Love and Power hath gathered us in his Arms of Love and brought us home unto himself who were before the Out-casts of Israel wandering with you from Mountain to Hill but did not find Rest unto our Souls but now the great and mighty Power of the Lord hath raised up his own Seed in us to cry Halelujah unto him to whom alone be all Honour Glory and Obedience and Eternal Praises forever even forever and ever for he that was lost is found he that was dead is alive and behold he liveth for evermore Now my Friends the whole World lieth in Wickedness and all the World by Wisdom knows not God the
natural man perceiveth not the things of God which are hid from the Wise and Prudent even from the Readers of the Scripture from Scribes Pharisees Priests yea the Princes of this World for had they known they would not have crucified the Lord of Glory who is crucified daily by the same spirit that now ruleth in the Children of Disobedience even in the Scribes Priests and People that live in the same Nature where the learned Ones of the World are and all those that walk in Darkness to wit Pride Covetousness Love of the World Hatred Varience Strife Sedition Heresie Backbiting Heady High-minded Lovers of Pleasures more than Lovers of God Scoffers walking after their own Ungodly Lusts Raging Waves of the Sea foaming out their own Shame who account Gain Godliness whose Eyes are full of Adultery Feet swift to shed Blood Ears open to all deceit whose Mouthes are full of Cursing and Bitterness the Poyson of Asps is under their Lips their Throats are an open Sepulcher who imagin Mischief their Hearts being altogether Deceitful and desperately Wicked Such as these are the Fruits of the Flesh in the which all the World lies therefore I witness against the World that the Works thereof are Evil. Now in the world there are Sects Schismes Judgments and Opinions there they are heaping up Teachers to themselves having itching Ears and according to the number of their Fansies so are their wayes of Worship according to the number of their Imaginations so are their gods for there are many gods and many Lords but the living God is not known by the World for it by Wisdom knows not God No man knoweth the Father but the Son and he to whom the Son revealeth him Now he that hath the Son revealed in him is born of God and he that is born of God overcometh the World and sinneth not He that sinneth hath not seen him But this is a hard saying who can bear it the World cannot for the World hears its own they that are of God hear Gods Word ye hear them not therefore ye are not of God Now Friends all you that have looked after me and other men for teaching now I can write unto you what I know that it is the Lord alone that teacheth his people to profit none teacheth like he who is now my Teacher indeed and will be yours if you are made willing and obedient to be taught directed and guided by him who is gathering his out of all Nations Kindreds and Tongues Ezek. 31. 11. which is by Jesus Christ the one and only Priest who is the Light of the Gentiles and the light of the World by which he hath enlightened every one that cometh into the World John 1. 9. which light shineth into the Darkness and the Darkness comprehendeth it not verse 5. Now the World is set in the heart of man eccles 3. 11. Of the which World Christ is the Light and he that followeth him shall not walk in Darkness but shall have the Light of Life John 8. 12. This is that Grace of God that hath appeared unto all men teaching them to deny Ungodliness and Worldly Lusts and live Soberly Righteously and Godly in this present World Tit. 2. 11 12. This is the Light of Christ who is the Word of God in the Heart for his Word of the living God is not far off but it is nigh thee in thy Heart and in thy Mouth that thou mayest do it Deut. 30. 14. Now therefore Friends look not forth after them that say Christ is here or there for they are all Deceivers The Word is nigh the Light is within thee even in thy Dark Heart although thy Dankness cannot comprehend it because thou lovest Darkness rather then the Light of Jesus Christ which shineth in thy Consceince and lets thee see the evil of thy Wayes and calls thee to Repentance and to forsake the Wicked and live This is the Talent that thou art hiding in the Earth for the which thou must give an Account therefore say I unto thee mind that Teacher that teacheth to deny Ungodliness and this is the Light to Jesus Christ in thy Conscience the which Light proceedeth from Christ and leadeth all that love it John 8. 12. up to Christ who is the Way the Truth and the Life the only Way and no other way to the Father Now all of you owning this VVord and Teacher and Light in your own Consciences you will come to witness Jesus Christ in the Light of Life and know him to be the way unto the Father which leads out of the Darkness of all the VVorld's Ways VVorships Forms Fashions Customs VVords VVayes and Actions and come to be gathered in the Light unto Jesus Christ who is the Light and from the Light then to come to witness the Scriptures to be true yea even fulfilled in you by the same Spirit as it was in them that did write and speak forth the Scriptures and so witness with them against the same things that were witnessed against then by the Children of the Light who had fellowship with the Father by the which they saw that which in measure I witness that there is but one Way one Truth one Light one Faith one Baptism one Spirit one Head one High Priest whoever liveth to make intercession for us one Church of the first-born whose Names are written in Heaven one God over all who is Rich unto all that call upon him in Spirit and Truth the which Worshippers the Father seeketh to Worship him who is a Spirit and all his Worships are Spiritual but God hears not Sinners and he that regardeth Iniquity in his Heart the Lord will not hear him for there are none but the pure in heart that shall see God whose Presence is Terrible to all the Workers of Iniquity that continue in the unfruitful Works of Darkness Now all of you see that you keep unto the true Guide which is Jesus Christ and follow him and see that you do not turn again to the Vomit as the manner of some is who begin in the Spirit and end in the Flesh Oh! leave all for Christ you cannot serve two Masters you cannot be of the World and of God you must witness a Separation Therefore in Love to all your Souls that have been Professors with me in publick in these parts of the Nation and all others flatter not your selves in your Conditions promising your selves Liberty whilst you are the Servants of Corruption therefore forsake the Wicked and live Now my Friends and all Persecutors marvel not at my Change for the Wicked have no Changes therefore they fear not God Psal 55. 19. but I am made to witness the fear of the Lord to be the beginning of Wisdom the which Wisdom is pure which cometh down from above James 3. 17. which none of the Princes of this World know 1 Cor. 1. 21. therefore they call the Doctrines of Christ Madness Acts 26. 24. for the preaching of the
Cross of Christ is to the Joros a Stumbling-block to the Greeks Foolishness for Christ is this day as he was ever a Stone of stumbling and a Rock of offence to both the Houses of Israel 2 Cor. 1. 13. therefore are they this day speaking Evil of that they know not for say they concerning these Sects call'd Quakers We know that it is every where spoken against Acts 28. 22. But in the Way that men call Heresie do I Worship the God of my Father Acts 24. 14. and am not ashamed to own the Power that shakes the Earth for if I should be ashamed to own the Power of Christ before men then he might justly be ashamed of me before my Father which is in Heaven but I own and witness the same Power which made Moses exceedingly fear and quake The which overpowered Daniel that he had no strength left in him Dan. 10. 8. Which Power made Habakkuk Tremble his Lips Quivered Rottenness entred into his Bones Hab. 3. 16. the which Power struck down Paul Acts 9. 3 4 5 6. which caused the Goaler to come in Trembling Acts 16. 26 27 28 29. Therefore I say unto all serve the Lord with Fear and Trembling Psal 2. 11. and work out your Salvation with fear and Treambling Phil. 2. 12. for now I know the Lord to be with them that Tremble at his Word Therefore O foolish People without Understanding which have Eyes and see not Ears and hear not Fear ye not me saith the Lord Will ye not Tremble at my Presence Jer. 5. 21 22. Are you worse than Devils that Fear and Tremble Isa 2. 19. And now the mighty Power of the living God hath shaken the Earth and the Heavens that now that which cannot be shaken may remain Heb. 12. 27. Now all you that will enter in with the Bride-groom wait to receive the same Power for the Lord Jesus Christ is come tendering himself unto his own John 1. 11. and I witness that as many as receive him receive Power to become the Sons of God John 1. 12. O be not Fools and slow with Heart to believe all that the Prophets and Apostles saith for the Lord is still a God with Power he is the same yesterday and to day and forever whose everlasting Love is shed abroad in our Hearts by which the Love of the World is cast out For if any man love the World the Love of the Father is not in him John 2. 15. But we are bought with a Price and after glorifie God in Body Soul and Spirit which is the Lord's 1 Cor. 6. 19 20. Being made Ministers nof of the Letter which killeth but of the Spirit which giveth Liâ—e 2 Cor. 3. 6. Giving no offence in any thing that the Ministry of Christ be not blamed but in all things approving our selves as the ministers of God in much Patience in Affliction in Necessities in Distresses in Stripes in Imprisonments in Tamults in Labours in Watchings in Fastings by Pureness by Knowledge by Long-suffering by Kindness by the Holy Ghost by Love unfeigned by the Word of Truth by the Power of God by the Armour of Righteousness on the Right hand and on the Left by Honour and by Dishonour by Evil Report and Good Report as Deceivers and yet True as unknown and yet well known as Dying and behold we Live as Chastened and not Killed as Sorrowful and yet always Rejoycing as Poor and yet making many Rich as having Nothing yet Possessing all things 2 Cor. 6. 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 and 10 Verses Now the Light of the glorious Gospel in the Face of Jesus Christ hath shined into our Hearts whereby the Grace that was to be brought in at the Revelation of Jesus Christ 1 Pet. 1. 13. is now in us witnessed even the Grace the Apostle exhorted to hope for and the Prophets searched after 2 Pet. 2. 20. the which Grace and Glory is now made manifest in the Sons and Daughters whereby the everlasting Gospel is sounded forth in the Ears of many Thousands in England blessed are they that hear the joyful sound thereof For verily verily as the four Hundred and Thirty years Bondage in Aegypt was at last accomplished and as the Captivity in Babylon had an end and the Lord brought again the Captivity of his People even so now the many Years of Apostacy is over and the Lord hath heard the Cry of his own Seed and is come down to deliver Israel out of all Distresses and to gather the Out-casts Psalm 147. 2. And to bring home that which is driven away and to bind up that which is broken and to strengthen that which is sick but he will destroy the Fat and the Strong and will feed them with Judgment Ezek. 34. 26. but his own shall be delivered from the many Shepherds which have destroyed the Flock of Christ and they shall feed no longer Verse 20. yea verily People the mighty Power of the Lord is risen in England to gather his from the Corners of the Earth and they that have been long in the High-ways to Destruction being â—lind and Lame shall now be compelled to come in to the Supper of the Lamb and eat of the hidden Manna But many of the Children of the Kingdom shall be cast out For for Judgment is Christ come into the World that they that see not may see and they that soe may now be made Blind Joh 939. And the Sword of the Lord is drawn against the man of Sin to cut it down Root and Branch and to set up the Kingdom of Christ in Rightcousness and true Holiness And this Work of the Lord shall certainly go on and Men Devils nor the Gates of Hell shall never prevail against it The just Complaint of the Afflicted against the Rulers who oppress the Innocent to be delivered to the Judge of the Sessions at Winchester the 8th Moneth 1658. YOu that are set to rule over others should not let secret Envy Ambition and Prejudice so rule over you as not at all to hearken to the Counsel of the Meek nor receive Instruction from the Simple whom the Lord preserveth but you should let Haughtiness and Arrogancy be done away for God resisteth the Proud And you should come to that which is meek low sober and humble with it to know a ruling over that which hath captivated you under the power of Sin and Satan who hath so blinded the Mind that the Meek of the Earth are become your Enemies for telling you the truth and the Day upon you is come in which you cannot endure sound Doctrine But this I tell you That they who hate Reproof are bruitish and every man is bruitish in his Knowledge yea O ye men your Pastors are become bruitish and have not known the Lord though this be a hard saying to you who are your selves in that which is to be ruled with the Sword of God's dreadful Power who will execute Judgment upon all and with his own eternal
walk in the Light and continue in faithfulness in your Measures enduring the Cross unto your Wills that by it the Carnal may be crucified and that which is Earthly mortified and all the fleshly Lusts subdued and the ground of Unbelief removed that you as Obedient Children to the Light may walk not as do others in the Lusts of Ignorance and Wayes of Unrighteousness where all the Ungodly lie and are without his Fear not knowing that in which the Power of God doth stand and many of them are Murmurers and Complainers who dwell in all Unrighteousness from among whom Redemption you are to find that a true Separation you may come to know that the Unclean you may touch no more and that which defiles to be no more entangled with For the Lord our God is pure his living Truth is to be known in the inward parts and that which makes Free received in the Heart and pure is the Lord in his Ministration of Life and free in the Discoveries of his Love his unsearchable Riches are made known unto his Jewels and his Secrets revealed unto them that abide in his Fear whose Fear is a Fountain of Life whose Love is streaming forth as a River of Oyl unto the broken hearted and in him the Fatherless find Mercy and he giveth strength unto the Faint he cherished the Babes as a Nurse and feedeth the Young with Milk he gathereth the Lambs with his Arms and nourisheth the tender Plant he confoundeth the Proud in his Judgments and removeth the Ground of the Wicked Kings before him are as the Drop of a Bucket and Ungodly Rulers as the Smoke before a mighty Wind His Wonders are seen among the Living and his Judgments made known upon the Wicked they that come to him find Mercy but his Enemies he turns into the Land of Darkness the Ungodly are not able to come near his Presence when he is Angry the Wicked stand afar off but there 's no Darkness in which they may be hid nor shadow of Death in which they can be covered for his Hand will find out all the Rebellious and he will reward them all according to the Pride of their Heart then shall they be banished from the Lord as the Chaff before the Wind and none of their strength shall save them But all you that wait for Sion's Redemption and call that love his Appearance who are willing to take up the Yoke deny themselves and follow the Light thus I say unto all such The Lord God of Life is at hand he is hastning his Mercies to the simple and reaching forth his hand to the Helpless your Redeemer is near your Deliverer is at hand for the Lord God hath not cast off his People neither will he leave or forsake his Chosen Ones With the Brightness of his Power is he appearing to judge down that which kept his own in Bondage and lay low that which did the Just oppress that from under the Oppression it may now arise that the Hungry may be fed and the Naked come to be clothed with the Everlasting Righteousness of God who brings his Righteousness near unto the Humble and clothes them with the Armour of Light that so they may be able to stand where the Wicked cannot endure Wherefore all you my dear Lambs in whom there is honest Desires begotten after the living Truth of my Father who are in measure made willing to walk as Children of the Day and to undergo the Reproaches and Revilings of Wicked and Ungodly men and desire the Kingdom that is not of this World from the honest Simplicity of your Hearts that you may come to rest in the Kingdom of the Father forever Unto you I say my Heart's Desire and Prayer to God for you is That you may be enabled through the Power of him who is the Light to undergo all your Tryals within and without and that none of you may faint in your Way nor be weary of well doing but that you may come to shew forth the Works of Righteousness by a chaste Conversation in the midst of a crooked and perverse Generation by whose Filthiness the Just is grieved And my dear Lambs grieve ye not the Spirit of the Lord neither be you Envious against the Evil-Doers let not Wrath arise in any one of you but be Examples of Love and Meekness one unto another and all come to know what a true waiting upon the Lord is in the Sincerity of the Heart to receive that which the World never knew even the Spirit of Truth which comes from the God of Peace in which the Blessing is received and leads in the way of Righteousness and will joyn your Hearts together in the Everlasting Covenant of the Father which he is establishing with all his faithful Ones among whom you may now come to be gathered and find an eternal Inheritance with them that are sanctified who come to be made one with him that sanctifieth who now cometh to purge away the filth and cleanse that which hath not been cleansed that Sinners may be converted unto him and the Filthy redeemed from their filthiness before the day come wherein it shall be said He that is Filthy let him be Filthy still Wherefore let the Day of your Visitation be dearly prized knowing that God who is Light will not alwayes strive with man and it s his Everlasting Love in that he hath visited you and passed by the Wise and the Mighty and made your Hearts sometimes soft and tender by the powerful Drawings of his Everlasting Love which by your Obedience and Belief in the Truth comes to be more and more shed abroad in your Hearts which Love will constrain Obedience to the Light in which Light Gods Power is received which Power maketh Sons who cry Father unto him that begeteth after his own Image whose Image comes to be renewed in the Children of the Light which Light is now come and we are Witnesses of it and testisie what we have seen and declare unto you the Message that was from the beginning and so preach not another Gospel unto you but the same which is the Power of God which I neither receive of men nor learn of men but by Revelation in which the Father is known which to the World is a Mystery and sealed from all them who believe not in the Light whose Deeds are Evil but manifest through the Operation of the mighty Power of God which worketh mightily in me that I might reach forth unto you also and that you might feel the Operation of the Fathers Love that is manifest in my Bonds to you who through many Tribulations with the rest of the Lambs of Christ are to wait for Deliverance from the Bondage of Corruption in the which you have long continued but now Christ Jesus the Light of the World is come to redeem them who through fear of Death were all their life time subject to Bondage and the Bonds of Iniquity are now to be
Land of Confusion who at last were brought to confess unto and fear and tremble before the living God who is Light that revealeth secrets in the Hearts But that which delights in the Musick seeks to murder the just and unto that which seeks to murther and persecute all them who are yet great in the Earth are joyned being not out of the Earth redeemed and the Rulers of the Earth take counsel together against the anointed which need not man to teach which seed is preserved and anointed amongst the flames of their burning Enmity for the Princes the Governours the Captains the Judges the Rulers the Counsellors the Sheriffs and all the Rulers of the Provinces who were of Babylon that delighted in the Musick stood before the Image and were in the false Worship and joyned together in the Persecution as such do now against the Seed of God and to confirm the Decree made by the King of Babylon which Decree was made with such fierce Tyranny and height of Pride and Envy that nothing less but presently to cast into the burning fiery Furnace would satisfie that Nature which ruled in these great Rulers in the Earth that loved the Musick whose fire of Enmity burned within them and they caused their Decree to be Proclaimed with a loud Voice That at the hearing of their Musick all men should Worship their Image or presently be cast into the Fire without because of their Fire of Enmity within the which Decree being not obeyed nor their Image worshipped nor their Enmity within nor Furnace without regarded by the Servants of the living God presently the King of Babylon was so full of Fury as the Furnace was full of Fire so that the form of his Visage was changed and rose up in that Power of Enmity against the Righteous Seed like Cain the Murtherer who rose up against his Brother whose Countenance also was changed whereby it appears he and the rest were of Cains seed and the Musitioners of their Father Jubal the seed of Lamech who slew a man read Dan. 3. When the Harp and the Musick go they must Worship the Image And the Persecuting Rulers of England need not to put this far from them being Rich and Mighty in the Earth and Envious like Cain and delighting in the Musick like the rest of his seed for the great Whore and Mother of Harlots and Abominations of the Earth Mystery Babylon hath made all the Kings of the Earth Drunk with the Wine of her Fornication and the Great Men the Rich Men of the Earth and all Nations have committed Fornication with her who have corrupted the Earth and all Nations wonders after the Beast and in all Nations the Seed and Children of Mystery Babylon and of Cain and Lamech are sprung up and even in this Nation and other adjacent Kingdoms the Princes the Governours and Captains the Judges the Treasurers the Counsellors the Sheriffs and the Rulers of the Provinces delight in the Instruments of Musick and are Envious against the Righteous Seed who cannot bow to any Image nor Worship any Golden glorious Image or Likeness whatsoever but the living God who is able to deliver them and is a Spirit dwelling in his People and in Spirit is Worshipped by them who cannot bow unto or worship any Image or Likeness without set up by the will of man And therefore it is this day that the Governors and Captains the Judges the Treasurs the Counsellors the Sheriffs the Justices and all the Rulers in the Earth who are of Babels stock and of their Fathers Cain Lamech and Jubal are joyning together to persecute them that Worship God in Spirit who commanded not to bow down or worship any Image or Likeness and so their Likenesses are denyed the Substance being come and Christ revealed within who is a man of Sorrows who said The World should rejoyce John 16. 20. But their joy should be turned into sorrow and his Light in the Conscience is it which judgeth those vain Delights in carnal Musick which is to perish with the using For when the Spirit was departed from Saul he sought for one to play upon a Harp before him and for a time he was satisfied with that and when he heard the Musick he would be well but afterwards his delight in the Musick could not overcome that Murthering Spirit in him but at the very time that Saul heard the Musick he sought to slay him that was to be King and such as Saul who reject the Counsel of God slayes him that is the Light and would not that he should reign who is a man of Sorrows and he that loved the Musick had an evil Spirit or something that troubled him and that which moved in him while he heard the Musick to murther that which was to Reign the Lords Anointed the same thing led him to the Witch And so first he left the Spirit of God then sought â—ase by Musick then sought Counsel from the Witch he was shortly after destroyed They follow Witchcraft who obey not the truth which makes Free and he that is the Light is the Truth and the Lamb slain by that which takes delight in that which is out of the Truth invented by the Generation of Cain a Fugitive in the Earth of whom his deceived Mother said I have gotten a man from the Lord whose seed loves that which keeps from the Lord and leads into the Witchcraft like Saul not obeying the Lord nor the Truth of his Son who is the Light and Saul being required made use of the Harp to quiet him for a time from whom the Spirit of the Lord was departed and afterwards the seed of the Evil-Doers even the chief of the Nations did chaunt to the sound of the Viol and invent unto themselves Instruments of Musick like David putting far away the Evil day lying upon Beds of Ivory drinking wine in Bowls but not grieved for the Affliction of the Righteous seed and these were them that were at ease in Sion who were to go into Captivity with the first that go into Captivity whom the Wo is to as may be read Amos 6. And Solomons Wives his Men-Singers Women-Singers and Instruments of Musick drew away his Heart from the Lord and after he cryed against the Vanity of these things for it leads out from the Spirit and fear of the God of order within into the confused things without and such as follow that are of Babel the Mother of Harlots who hath made all Nations drunk in whom the time is come that the Voice of Harpers and Musitioners shall be heard no more at all for the Foundation and Skirts of that great Whore and her Craftsman are discovered with the Light which judgeth these things From a Prisoner of Christ in whom my Life is hid Humphery Smith DIVINE LOVE Spreading forth over all NATIONS OR The Glorious Day of Unity Teace and Concord Tendred unto all the Meek of the Earth Given forth from a tender Compassion to
the Scriptures testifie of and was given forth from John 5. 39. that by it in them they might be enabled to do God's Will and witness the Scriptures fulfilled as it is written I will walk in them and dwell in them 2 Cor. 6. 16. and he is the God of them in whom he dwells and they are his People in whom he walks from whose Inspiration the Scripture came in which it is written Prove all things 1 Thes 5. 21. and try the Spirits and that which proveth all things and tryes the Spirits comes from the God of the Spirits of all flesh and from the Word of his Power by which all things were made which Word in the Heart is as Fire which proves tryes and refineth things and is 1 John 4. 1. Numb 16 22. John 1 3. Col. 3. 16. Psal 3â— 3 Jer. 5. 14. Mal. 3 3. Heb. 4. 12. Psal 139. 1 23 24 John 4. 1. Luke 10. 42. 1 Cor. 2. 12. ch 1. 21. Rom 8. 9 10 11. 1 Cor. 3. 16. ch 2. 10 John 15. 4 5. Jude 6. 2 Thes 1. 5 6 7 8 9 10. John 17. 17. Psal 51. 6. John 1 14. ch 8. 44. 2 Cor. 44. Ephes 2 2. John 8. 24. ch 17. 7. 1 Tim 4. 5. Job 8. 32 ch 15. 5. 1 Joh. 3. 5. Dan 9. 24. 2 Cor 3. 5. ch 4. 10. Rom. 4. 8 10 Eph. 3 17. Col. 1. 27. Joh 16 25. ch 15 5 quick and powerful dividing asunder Soul and Spirit and is a Discerner of the Thoughts and Intents of the Heart man feeling that and coming to be guided by that which searches the heart and tryes the reins with that may he try all things from the which one thing within the false Spirits are gone forth into the World and those Spirits of the world and all the world by its wisdom and that Spirit which is without knows not God nor the measure of his spirit within And so those are the false spirits that are gone forth which are to be tryed by that which is not gone forth but abides within and discerns the Heart and those that are gone forth from being guided by that within as the holy men were they are like unto the Angels who kept no their first eslate for man at first was and holy men were guided by that within which is the Word which Word is Truth and he that abode not in Truth which is in the inward parts was a Devil and a Murderer who is called the God of the World that blindeth the Minds and worketh in all the Children of Disobedience and so the Devils Works are in his Children and they are talking of the Works of God without them but they that are led by the Word of Truth that sanctifieth cleanseth and maketh free by it they come to know the Works of the Devil destroyed which was in them 1 John 3. 8. And so he that destroyeth the Works of the Devil and maketh an end of Sin and bringeth in Everlasting Righteousness is known in all them that are not Reprobates And so when sin is made an end of Everlasting Righteousness is brought in and so it s within and not without And so he being received within who brings that in which is Everlasting to that man he is within the hope of Glory and shews plainly of the Father and saith Without M E yo can do nothing It s not said Without Scripture ye can do nothing and they that are without him who teacheth all things are without God in the World but he that hath the Son hath the Father also he that hath the Father and the Son abiding in him need not to go out from that to be taught or led by any other thing or Rule without him as it is written of him that overcometh That he shall no more go out and upon him that goeth not out the New Name comes to be written and he comes to be a Pillar in the Temple of God who goeth not out Rev. 3. 12. And the Name which is better than of Sons and Daughters even the Everlasting Name that shall never be cut off is given to them within the House and within the Walls even to such who take hold of the Covenant Isa 56. 4 5. And the Sanctuary is set in the midst of them for evermore Ezek. 37. 26 27 28. And in the midst of them will the Lord spread forth his hands as one that swimmeth Isa 25. 11. And though Ephriam compassed the Lord about with Lyes and the House of Israel with Deceit yet saith the Lord unto Ephriam I am God and not man the holy One in the midst of thee Hos 11. 9 12. And so Ephriam compassed him about with Lyes who was in the midst and he that was in the midst was holy though compassed about with Lyes and the Just Lord was in the midst of the filthy poluted and oppressed City Zeph. 3. 1 to 5. Consider this all you poluted Ones who oppress the Just in the midst of you for the Just Lord in the mâ—â—st will arise as a Lyon out of a Thicket and a young Lyon out of the Forrest he shall roar like a Lyon and utter his Voice like a man of War Isa 42. 13 14 15. And then shall his Enemies be scattered Psal 68. 1. And he will sweep away the Refuge of Lyes therefore the Daughter of Zion and the Daughter of Jerusalem and Israel shall be glad for unto them it is said The Lord is in the midst of thee thou shalt not see Evil any more In that day shall it be said to Jerusalem Fear thou not and to Zion Let not thy hands be slack the Lord thy God in the midst of thee is mighty he will save Zeph. 3. 14 15 16 17. And he that is mighty to save is known in the midst and so he that justifieth is near Isa 50. 8. even he who hath said I will dwell in the midst of the Children of Israel forever and my holy Name shall the House of Israel no more defile Ezek. 34. 7. For the Lord hath chosen Zion he hath desired it for his Habitation this is my Rest forever here will I dwell for I have desired it I will abundantly bles her Provision I will satisfie her Poor with Bread I will also clothe her Priests not the Priests of England with Salvation and her Saints shall shout aloud for joy there will I make the Horn of David to bud I have ordained a Lamp for mine anointed his Enemies will I clothe with shame but upon himself shall his Crown flourish Psalm 132. 13 to 18. And every man that hath this hope in him purifieth himself even as he is pure 1 John 3. 3. The true Prophet who was to come is come and there is not another his Work witnessed and Truth declared from a feeling sence and experience according to Scripture THe true Prophet is come of whom Moses the Servant of the Lord did write who is raised up in the
put into and kept long in a Dungeon sor Praying often abused in Prison sometimes near Death in Trials often in Perils often in Loss of Goods in daily Reproaches and in that which hath been greater then all these things and yet have I been preserved unto this day by the Power of him who is the Light and the only Son of God to whom be Eternal Glory from his own Seed in his Servant who is one of the least among many Brethren being a Prisoner at Winchester for the Truth of Christ by the will of men unto whom I am known by the Name of Humphry Smith An Invitation from the Spirit of Christ. COme unto me all ye that are weary and heavy laden come unto me and find Rest I even I am he that comforteth Ziâ—â— I am he that preacheth Liberty to the Captives Oh! come unto me stay not I am the Way the Truth and the Life I am he and there is none other I came out from the Father into the World that it might be reconciled up unto God thorow me I am the good Shepherd that am now come to gather the Outcasts of Israel and to bring home unto God the lost Sheep that the dispersed of Judah may now return and the seed of Abraham may be brought in to me in whom the Redemption is even plentious Redemption for all that will hear and turn in hither Oh all ye scattered of the Flock my Voice is to you that have not found rest to your Souls now hearken diligently to hear my Voice and feel my Words of Life for now the time is come that the Seed that hath long lain in the Death shall hear my voice and they that hear shall live and arise out of the Death and I will give them Life Oh! come unto me my own my beloved before the Foundation of the World come and stay not I have long waited for you my Locks are wet with the drops of the Night and you have wearied me with waiting for you long have I knocked at the Door of your Hearts calling to Repentance and no man regarded now the sloathful would not arise that I might come in and take up my abode with and in my own and refresh them with Waters of Life but now am I come who am the Bridegroom and the Bishop of the Soul with my alluring terms Come oh my Friends hearken my Beloved let me not be denyed open the door of thy hard Heart and let me not stand waiting any longer behold I have Honour for all them that follow me and Crowns of Life for all that will receive me Come unto me my Lambs I have prepared my Supper I have made in this Mountain a Feast of Wines of the Lees of fat things full of Marrow all things are now ready Come in unto me I am the Bread of Life I am the hidden Manna I come to save mens lives Come all ye that are weary with the burden of your Sins I am the Lamb slain from the Foundation of the World I come to take away the Sin of the World I am the Root of Jesse and the Off-spring of David I am he that opens and none can shut and shuts and none can open I have Power to forgive Sins on Earth Come cease from the Evil of your doings learn of me to do Well and then we will reason together and though thy Sins have been as Scarlet they shall then be as white as Snow for I come to finish Transgression and make an end of Sin and bring in the Everlasting Righteousness of God Therefore hear O ye scattered of the Flock that are yet in the miery Clay covered over with the thick Cloud of your Sins Oh! remain not in the filth now continue no longer with the Flesh-pots in the house of Bondage for I am come to condemn Sin in the Flesh and destroy the Works of the Devil that you may find Redemption in me and be washed from your filthiness and cleansed from your Sin Wherefore hear all ye that are far from Righteousness behold I have Gifts for the Rebellious my hand is stretched forth O ye simpels Ones come unto me and learn pure Wisdom and ye Fools be of an Understanding Heart Oh! why will ye dye O house of Israel have I any pleasure at all that the Wicked should dye turn you turn you now I do call O ye hard hearted wherefore do you hide your selves from me and dig deep to hide your Counsels from me Why do you run alwayes astray Oh! what shall I do unto you that I have not done and yet do you still go on in the Evil of your Wayes When will you once return O Jerusalem wilt thou not be made clean When shall it once be Oh! I have seen your Abominations and am wearied with your Sins and yet have you not regarded Oh! now it is high time to consider thy Ways and return from the Evil of thy Doings lest thou be shut out forever And all ye my dear Ones that have long waited for me behold I come quickly and my Reward is with me saith Christ the Son of God and I will open to you the hidden Treasures of my Father and make known his Will to you and I will remove off the burden and circumcise your Hearts Behold I come saith Christ and I will open the Prison-door and raise the Prisoner out of the Pit and bring Deliverance to the Captive and refresh the plant of my Fathers planting and nourish the tender Grape which the subtilty hath hurt and I will bind up the broken and restore unto the Mourners the years of Joy and Comfort and I will be unto you a sure Foundation a present Help in time of need and I will bring back the scattered and they shall not return and fear the Lord God of thir Fathers in my Mountain of Holiness and they shall walk in the Way of Peace and in the Paths of Righteousness where the Unclean shall not pass over nor the wild Beasts of the Field shall not come but the Ransomed of my Father saith Christ the Son of God Therefore hear all ye my Brethren and consider all ye my Friends for I am come who am the sure Foundation and the Corner-stone the Light the true Light of the World and the Life of Man and the Everlasting Covenant of the Father and the Power of God and the Wisdom of the Father by me Kings reign and the Princes of Israel shall now rule in Equity for behold I am come even he that you have long waited for and there is not another come learn of me I am meek I am lowly I am the Light low in the heart I am the living Minister saith Christ the Son of the Fathers love and the Light of the World I change not but remain a Priest forever a living Minister of Life within the vail ministring Life unto the Spirit in Prison The Sounding Voice Of the DREAD of Gods Mighty
Power To all the Judges and Rulers of the Earth who rise up against the Lamb And to Gog Magog and all their Armies and to the whole Host of the Power of Darkness and to all men who fight against God who or whatsoever they be or whatsoever they be called BEhold ye Rulers of the Earth and listen and hear all ye Earthly minded Men let the Blindness of your Minds be opened that your dark Hearts may be enlightned hear I say and stop not your Ears whose Minds are in the Earth whose Eyes are closed whose Hearts are covered with a thick Vail by your own Iniquity who see not the Wonders of the Lord wrought among the living neither perceive the mighty Power of the God of the whole Earth who are besotted through the sinfulness of your continual Transgressions and are groveling as Moles in the Earth and laden with thick Clay and covered with the Vail that is spread over all Flesh that you see not the glory of the God of Life neither perceive ye the comliness of the holy One of Jacob to whom the bright Morning Star is as a Cloud of Darkness and the Way of the living God as a fierce Whirlwind of Fire who see not him that dwelt in the Bush neither hear his Voice who hath made Darkness his Habitation and his Pavilion round about him thick Clouds of the Skey Hear I say and let my words have entrance in you and let the sound of my Voice take place in your Hearts let the opening of my Lips give Astonishment to the Wicked and the enlargement of my Heart the Confounding of the Heathen let the Dread of the Lord take hold upon the Hypocrites and Astonishment seaze upon the Double-minded let the Prudent keep silent and hear and let the Honourable be quiet and consider let the Understanding give audience to my words and let the Mouth of the Fool be stopt let the Sinner stand still and be quiet and let the Ungodly consider the words of Truth rebel not against the Word of the Lord neither harden your Hearts against the Dread of his Power let the tall Cedar bow and bend and that which is lifted up be brought down and stand ye all in Meekness For behold the Omnipotent Power is come the Rock of Ages is revealed the Everlasting strength is made manifest the God of Abraham hath reacht forth his hand and the Redeemer of Israel is come to dwell in the midst the great Jehova hath uttered his Voice and he whose Name is I Am is at hand he that moveth upon the Waters may be felt and he that formeth the Seed in the Womb may be known he that inhabiteth Eternity is come to dwell in his People and walk in the midst of the poor despised of his flock having cleansed them by the washing of Water and renewed them by the Spirit of Burning and refined them with his Righteous Judgments and cleansed them with the Blood of his Son that in his Zion redeemed with Judgment he may dwell for evenmore and take up his rest in the midst of his People having made the place of his feet Glorious and his residence as a Seat in the midst of a Fire which burneth against all them that are in the Night and giveth light to them that are in the Covenant whose Glory is hid from the dark Mind and his Counsel with-held from the Unbelieving in Heart he standeth near unto the Wicked who perceiveth him not and taketh Notice of his secret Intents he observeth the footsteps of the Kings of the Earth and marketh the Decrees of the Unrighteous and when they have filled up their measure he putteth forth his Finger to their Life and taketh away their Breath he suddainly cuts off the Wicked and regardeth not the Mightiness of Princes he searcheth the Hearts of Kings and ruleth over the Powers of men his Infiniteness can never be declared in his hand is the Breath of the Life of the Souls of all Mankind Hear I say and consider my words and ponder the Meditations of my Mind for behold the Lord God of Life is come Immanuel is revealed the Root and Off-spring of David is grown up as a Plant of Renown the Seed of the Shepherd sits upon the Throne and before him shall all the Kings of the Earth lay down their Crowns every Emperor shall bow and bend and the Potentates of the Earth before him shall wither as a green Herb their Glory shall perish as the untimely Birth of the Womb their Honour shall vanish as the Smoke before the Wind their Wisdom shall fade away as a Blossom cut off and their Understandings shall come to nothing the Wisdom of the most high shall be exalted over all and with his foolishness will he them all confound yea with a foolish Nation will he anger the Judges of the Earth and with a despised People will he provoke the Rulers of the World to jealousie by the foolishness of his Flock will he confound his Enemies and by his weakness in them will he subdue the strength of the Mighty and though all his Enemies strive in the Arrogancy of their Spirits and in the fierceness of their strength yet shall he be exalted who is led as a Lamb dumb and he shall reign whose right it is in whose Mouth there is found no Guile who maketh an end of Sin and bringeth in Ever lasting Righteousness and setteth up Judgment in the Heart and cometh to rule in the Kingdoms of men and overturneth the Host of his Enemies by whom Judges are led away Fools Diviners turned Mad before whose Presence the Mightiness of the mightiest Rulers of the Earth is as Wax before the fire and their Strength melteth away as the fat of Lambs Wherefore hear and see O ye Kindreds and Rulers of the Earth the Lord our God is come the might of his strength is revealed and the Power of his Presence made known he hath chosen his Army to himself and their Names are written in his Life he hath numbred up his Hosts together and armed his chosen with his Everlasting Strength the Captain of his Host goeth before them and the Camp of the Lord is very great they are Numberless as the Sand of the Sea and Infinite as the Stars of Heaven Even so is the Seed of Abraham the Remnant of the Flock of Jacob whom the Lord hath redeemed who are chosen and faithful and true yea behold its even so and that all the Nations of the Earth shall know for the Lord of Hosts rideth on in Meekness in the midst of his Host and maketh War in Righteousness with the Enemies of the Lamb who would not that he should reign who makes an end of Sin and he is clothing his Army with Zeal as with a Garment and covering them with the Armour of Light and preserveth their Head in the day of Battel and girds them up with strength and guideth their feet upon the Rock and preserveth their
it may answer its own and be helpful to the weak and feeble that such may not give over pressing forwards nor faint in their long Travail though many Mountains on which they did nourish themselves for a time will not yield them Bread now yet that they may with me and the rest of the Followers and Friends of Christ past and present alwayes continue following the Spirit as it leads until the inward man be filled therewith and so power and strength from God come to be known and received in every particular For thus it is with Christs Followers now they are not satisfied until they are filled with that which they heard of and their Souls thirsted after and so it was with them then and they were filled with what they wanted before and then from that which they were filled with they spoke forth and so they did teach the Nations and brought People under the Power of God and baptized them into that and dipt them into the Name of the Father and brought them under that which saveth from Sin and plunged them into the holy Spirit and as they taught they did this baptizing as they did teach and plunging them as their Doctrine went forth into that which washeth and purifieth the Conscience from the Filth and Guilt of Sin of which the outward Baptism was a Figure of this which saveth and so their Doctrine was from an inward Life and proceeded from that which was invisible so reached to that which wanted Life in the Hearers and so brought up the Power of God over them and them under it and into it for the Word is into and they were to bring People Into the Name not Water and they were to bring or baptize them Into the Name as they did teach Go ye and Teach Baptizing Into Baptizing is in the Present Tense when they did teach And so here the Spiritual Inward Baptism goes aloâ—g with the preaching of the Word of Life which is inward and brings man to an inward enjoyment of God being baptized Into his Name which is a strong Tower which preserveth from the Power of the Devil And we all who are brought into this and are come in here are all by one Spirit baptized into one Body and so worship God in the Spirit having the Heart sprinkled from an evil Conscience by the washing of Regeneration in the Ministration of the Gospel of Peace whereby there is a drawing nigh to God being brought into his Name and a free access to the Throne of that Grace which saveth from and out of all filthiness of Flesh and Spirit H. S. THE VISION OF Humphry Smith Which he saw concerning LONDON In the 5th Moneth in the Year 1660. being not long after the King came in The Prophet speaking of the pouring forth of the Spirit in the latter days saith That then the Young Men shall see Visions Joel 2. 28. And the wise King said Where there is no Vision the People Perish Prov. 29. 18. And the true Minister of Christ said I will come to Visions and Revelations of the Lord 2 Cor. 12. 1. Concerning the great City of LONDON I Beheld all her Waters which belonged to her frozen up and that exceeding hard and the Vessels which went upon them so that I and others passed over her Waters without the least danger over the greatest Vessels which had carried her Merchandize for all was frozen with a mighty Freezing whereby all her goodly Merchandize were stopt and her mighty swift Waters were turned into a mighty think frozen Ice which stood still so that her pleasant Streams ran not And as for the City her self and her Suburbs and all that belonged to her a Fire was kindled therein but she knew not how even in her goodly places and the kindling of it was in the Foundations of her buildings and there was none could quench it neither was there any able and the burning thereof was exceeding great and it burned inward in a hidden manner which cannot be expressed and the Fire consumed Foundations which the City stood upon and the tall buildings fell and it consumed all the lofty things therein and the fire searched out all the hidden places and burned most in secret places but the Consumation was exceeding great where with it consumed And as I passed through her streets I beheld her state to be very miserable and very few were those that were left in her who were but here and there one and they feared not the Fire neither did the burnings hurt them but they were and walked as mournful dejected People and the fire burned every where so that there was no escaping of it And thus she became a Desolation and as an Astonishment for the burning was suffered of God for her chastizement and could never be â—â—enched nor overcome and in the midst of her Waters was the Vessel of her Merchandize frozen up that none could move it and there were none that could stop the burning and the Fire consumed all things both Stone and Timber and it burned under all things and under all Foundations and that which was lifted up above it fell down and the Fire consumed it and the burning continued for though the Foundation was burnt up and all the lofty part brought down by the fire yet there was much old stuff and part of broken desolate Walls and Buildings in the midst which the fire continued burning against and that which was taken as to make use of which yet escaped the fire became useless in mans hand as a thing of nought And the Vision hereof remained in me as a thing that was secretly shewed me of the Lord. And now let her Wise men find out the matter and her Prudent men read and her Divines so called interpret the Vision and let her know that her day is at hand and let every one of them look to their own ways And as for thee O City of London thy Sin hath been exceeding grievous and thy Iniquities beyond measure Who can number thy daily Transgressions or set before thee the multitude of thy Abominations Oh! thy wayes have grieved the Lord and thy works have oppressed the Just and the Lord will surely plead with thee whom thou hast long rebelled against and walked in thy Pride and nourished thy self in Voluptuousness as a Beast for the slaughter and in Arrogancy hath thy steps been found Oh! thy Heart hath been defiled and thy wayes are wayes of Grievousness and thy paths are polluted before the Lord and thou hast not done the thing that is just in his sight but hast chosen thy own Wayes and trusted in thy own Wisdom Take heed now therefore O City of London for God will be too strong for thee and thy strength shall fall before him and thou must come to an Account for thy Deeds and then where will be thy Refuge or what shall be thy Shelter Will thy Multitude of men deliver thee from God or the
not standing in the Cross to your wills in Obedience to the Light to receive the Judgment due to that ground from whence Transgression ariseth whereby the Enmity might be â—â—ain the love of the World rooted out and that ruled over with the perfect Law of God which was not subject to it that the Law of the Spirit of Life your minds might be alwayes exercised in thereby to be made free from the Law of sin and death that sin might not reign in your mortal Bodies but that through the power of the Cross of him who is the Light the sinful Lusts of the flesh might be mortified and you led by the Light through the Law by it to have the Transgression thereof to you in every Particular discovered that every one might deny and stand out of that which leads into the Transgression thereof seeing with the Light that not one jot nor tittle thereof shallpass till all be fulfiled and the Righteousness thereof is to be fulfilled in you by your humble and faithful following of him that worketh in us who cannot transgress the Law who being made as a Servant under the Law to him you are all to come and see the Law stand in force over every one that doth transgress which Law is addedbecause of sin and that which saveth the Soul doth not make it void nor mittigate the power thereof against any one that sins wilfully after the knowledge of the Truth received but upon such the Wrath of God abideth which is ministred forth through the Law with Tribulation Anguish and Wo upon every Soul that doth Evil so Trouble Torment and Vexation of Spirit cometh upon such who turn aside from the simplicity of the Gospel and let the spirit of the world reign over them not being faithful in the little which from God they had received by the powerful ministry of his living Truth that the smallest of all seeds in them might spring with obedience through the whole body of the Earth under which it lieth and by it in many is oppressed and such in whom it is so are in many Doubts and Reasonings from that ground out of which Unbelief doth arise And then the Mind being from the Light a hardness comes in and the Rebellious take entrance and so that which is worse than before gets strength which being joyned unto leads in a secret deformity farther from the Witness then ever so that then the good Savour comes to be lost and the Understanding darkned not knowing the true motion and often a carcless Spirit gets head and such are from the true Love and suffering Seed in themselves and so not joyned in the Covenant of Love and Peace with them that abide therein the which they sceing a discontent ariseth therein in the mind so did Cain he murmured at the other but the Fault was in himself for Sin lay at the Door and it is Sin to transgress against that which is Perfect and the Light is the perfect gift of God and his Gifts are Perfect and in the Light there is no Evil and the Light is to lead out of that which is Imperfect they that err from the Light are in the strife and fleshly will And the other Eye seeks for evil and then that kindles a Fire in the Bowels and eats as a Worm and so drowns that from whence true Love should arise as deep as the depth of the Sea and nothing but raging Waves over it sometimes ready to vent forth its own shame and discover the nakedness of it self and others which begets its Image in the minds of them that regard it so as to come under it or let it have entrance in them And where these things are there is little increase within or without but Truth suffers and the World takes advantage and the Weak stumble for whom Christ dyed and the Lambs hurt and their dear Life grieved And so these things are far from answering the dear and tender Call and Visitation of the Lord and then if not faithful in little when can such come to rule or how can they receive the blessing of God being joyned to that which he hath cursed What shall I say to such or with what Words shall I find entrance in them Surely if I had not a Word to write I would mourn in secret for them Oh fruitless Trees dry Branches foolish Virgins unprofitable Servants take heed lest the Lord spue you out of his Mouth What should the Lord do for you that he hath not done My Bowels within me are troubled for you and I even mourn under the burthen of your Iniquities How is it that you delight in other Lovers and what is it in you that keeps you from the power of Truth How long shall the Lord stretâ—h forth his Hand to them that rebel against the Light And how often have you grieved the Spirit of the Lord And why is it that he is provoked to Jealousie every day Will not the Lord visit for these things And can the Wicked go unpanished Turn ye now therefore O ye Rebellious and let the Double-minded fear and tremble before the God of Power for no Peace have I to preach for the Wicked nor Pearls for the Swine in which the Unclean is entred Let your Hearts now therefore be opened and let Judgment come upon that which is above the Seed and sink down into the House of Mourning that the Prisoner may hear my Voice And now you that are honest tender faithful willing and obedient dear is my Love unto you the Lord God eternal preserve you dear Babes and give you up your Lives and praise his endless rich love who hath called you to come out of the World My dear Friends let my Fathers love arise in you even the same which I now feel towards you and let me come near unto you in the power of my Fathers love that you may feel my Life and partake with me of the hidden Treasure that your Hearts may be open to me again from the feeling of the Power of the covenant of Life that in him I may salute you who is at the Fathers Right Hand For unto you O ye Children of the Light is my Heart enlarged and toward you doth the Power of my Life arise from the streams of unlimitted Love which from all the World is hid and reserved in the Bosom of the Father for the meek and tender Lambs for whom the Milk is prepared and to whom the Bread is to be given and the sure Waters that never shall fail Let the Light arise in you my dear Ones that with it your Hearts may be opened one to another that you may know that the Lord is a God of Power and near at hand unto the Humble that in his Love you may be kept and by his Power be defended and so from strength to strength in his fear to walk and to come at last to be a People saved from Death and redeemed from the
Darkness come upon you and you be found in the Night in which none can work and take heed of a secret High-mindedness and prize your day of Visitation more then Life or Liberty and take heed of that which would contrive a way to shun the Cross or stop the mouth of the Witness but let the honest Simplicity come to rule in the measure of it and take heed of entring in and yielding to Temptations for many ways hath the Serpent which is near to beguile and destroy the Life from man which is not overcome but in the continual fear through the Cross to the Will with the Power of the Light which is given to lead through all these things into the rest which is prepared only for them who are faithful to the Light For this have I not learned nor received from men the Lord God knoweth I Lye not but through the operation of the mighty Power of God whose Indignation I have born in whose Judgments I rejoyce forever and glorifie and praise his blessed Name who by it my Wisdom confounded and suffered me to be sifted and tempted by the Enemy divers wayes yet preserved my Life under the shadow of his Wing that I might praise and serve him in the Land of the living and declare his Wonders among the Sons of men and let them also see with the Light the narrow way that they are to come which in some measure hath been declared though in that Language which the Wisdom of the World may not understand and call it legal to whom as foolishness it may appear but my voice may be known to the Spirit in Prison whom my Soul travels for in the bowels of my Father's love Given forth for such who say they see and yet their Sin remaineth and may be serviceable to such who can hear and understand the things of God that those who are yet blind may no longer put Darkness for Light and Light for Darkness H. S. The Meditations of an humble Heart Written only for Friends who can read it To the Vndefiled of God Elect Chosen and Precious ELect Chosen and Precious whom God hath loved and doth love and cannot but love from Everlasting to Everlasting with an Everlasting Infinit Love who art the most delightsom Plant of most Honourable Renown renowned with honourable Dignity forever the Delight of all the Upright the Life of all the Virtuous the Spouse of all the Undefiled Virgins the Staff of Abraham's Strength the Bread of Jacob's Soul the Succour of Joseph in time of need the Mouth of Moses's Wisdom the Rock of Israel's Srength the certain Hiding-place of all the Troubled the House of all the former scattered the Bed of Repose wherein the beautified Damsels fill themselves with the solace of most heavenly divine Delights whose Beauty surpasseth Expressions of words whose tender Offers have invited many whose Love hath allured the hearts of Thousands whose Pleasant Countenance hath prevailed with a numberless Number to love thee forever whose pleasant Smiles have gathered unto thee innumerable Doves of the Wilderness and thy Virtue hath caused the barren desolate to bring forth both Bud Blossom and Fruit in abundance the Breath of thy Nostrils hath enlivened the Dead the sound of thy Voice hath quickned the Weary by thy Power hath the barren brought forth in abundance whereby the Earth hath been covered with thy fruitful Riches Thou art clothed with Innocency forever thy dwelling is hid from all the disobedient Children of men Thou hast bound thy self to live out of their sight with thy Darlings in a stronger Covenant than all outward Marriages Thou deckest thy Beloved for thy self and then thou delightest in her Thou preparest thy Spouse for the joy of thy heart and then lovest her because of her Beauty Thou deckest her with Ornaments of well-refined Gold and causest her face to shine Thou fillest her with Glory within and causest her to dwell among the Honourable and walk with the choicest Virgins in the Paths of great delight and she is become the Daughter of the King of Kings Thy Goodness doth much overcome the hearts of many thy Wisdom pleaseth the Prudent thy Meekness delighteth Hundreds thy Strength upholdeth an infinit Number and thy Life nourisheth Thousands thou renewest the strength of the Faint thou turnest the shadow of Death into a Morning thou keepest thy Flock under the shadow of thy Wing and nourishest them with the choicest Food thou guidest them with the hand of thy Power and succourest them at every needful time and thou relievest their greatest wants The Consideration of thee which brings thy Goodness into remembrance even filleth the hearts of the Flock of thy Fold and thou art He who only satisfieth them forever Oh! where wast thou in the day of Adversity and where was thy dwelling in the time of the Night Where didst thou hide thy self in the day of Transgression and to what place didst thou confine thy self when Iniquity ruled and what was thy state in the time of man's Sin Ah! how wast thou then as a slain Lamb and as a meek Prince deprived of his Kingdom and Government How wast thou as a true Heir deprived of his Right and as an only Son from the Father's House and found not wherein to rest thy head How wast thou grieved in that day and how wast thou wounded by thy pretended Friends How was thy Glory defamed and thy Honour laid aside How was thy Beauty marred and thy Wisdom bound up as in an obscure place How did Darkness compass about thy dwelling How was thy Strength put by and thy Comliness as if it had not been Wast thou not as in a Grave in the midst of all the Wicked And wast not thou taken in their Pits and lay long slain in the streets of the Sodomites and exiled as the greatest Captives Oh! where didst thou hide thy self when the Dragon cast forth his flood when the Waves swelled and when the Land was fruitless when the Birth failed in the Womb when the Seed came not to Maturity when the blade was killed in the Spring when the sharp nipping Frost cut down the head of the tender Herb when the Winter nights were long when the boistrous Storms were many when the whole Earth was covered with thick Darkness when the Heavens were as Brass when the Rain descended not when the distilling Dews came not down when the Blossom withered in the time of Drough when the Path to dwell in was not known when the Stars shone not when all the Lights of Heaven were eclipsed when the Voice of the Shepherd was not known when the Eye of the Traveller was dim when none could direct him in his Way nor supply him with Food for his Journey nor Water in his greatest thirst nor succour him in the time of the Storm when he knew not the end of his Journey neither perceived the way to go nor ever could have rest till he came there when the feet of
way works worships and nature of such to serve the living God in the newness of the spirit through Faith and Patience and to walk in Innocency before the Lord for evermore Such shall come to rejoyce in the Truth and the Arm of the Lord shall bring them more nearer to himself that they may come to see the Lord in his Glory and to praise him in the Land of the living and to behold Sion in her perfect Beauty and to feel their Unity with Gods Elect and to enjoy the Covenant of Everlasting Peace that shall never be broken to be bound up together in the life of Immortality Wisdom and Righteousness to shine forth as the Morning like the Jewels of the Lamb and to be beautified with Meekness as the Members of the unspotted of God Oh! the Crown of Rejoycing and Everlasting Felicity that is set before you to whom I am not able to express the infinite bounty and goodness of the Almighty Oh! who can hold when the Lord hath spoken or conceal his loving-kindness when the Almighty giveth utterance The Lord hath enlarged my Heart let me not therefore enquire among you where there is room to receive it Oh! let there be an inward search whether that the door be open and the straitness taken away that he which was with you may find entrance in you and you truly come to feel the receiving of his life to the glad Tidings of your Hearts From such an outward Prison cannot keep me nor from them the vast distance of Miles cannot with-hold me Behold I say in the Name of God I am near unto you And when you are assembled together with one accord in the place where the Light is a Ministry to the work this read among you in the fear of the God of Heaven then shall many of you know it so to be that the Lord hath given me of his unlimited Spirit which I freely let forth unto you And the breathings of my life are that you might receive benefit thereby and be comforted together And be strengthened in the inward man that the Devil may not prevail nor the love of the World overcome the innocent desires which God hath begotten let no unbelief nor slavish fear hinder you in your spiritual progress toward the attainment of the Crown of Life in the Kingdom of blessedness which God hath certainly prepared for the upright and innocent And now behold I turn unto my Brethren the called and chosen of God whom my Soul hereby saluteth unto whom I cannot by words sufficiently express my Love neither have I room to publish the enlargedness thereof in writing neither will usual phrases of Speech satisfie my broken Heart Oh! blessed be the day that ever you were called and the hour of your Visitation and the time of the Conception of the Seed in the Womb and the season of the forth-coming thereof into the liberty of Peace Blessed be the Lord forever on your behalf who hath chosen you to the riches of life and brought you to the Well-springs of Mercy and caused you to drink of the Rivers of his strength which hath daily been renewed unto you Oh! blessed be the God whose love hath not been with-held from your Souls and who hath not with-held counsel from your Eyes Friends God hath opened my Heart unto you receive me therefore as in the Bowels of Mercy that now we may praise the Lord forever Oh! that your Souls may with me forever magnifie the unutterable Power of the God of Heaven and that you may this day with me drink freely of the Cup of Eternal Salvation that then we may rest together as in a Bed of Repose in the delightsom Arms of our Father's love that forever we may sing the Song of the Lamb and sound forth the Praises of the Almighty together that you may know the Lord is with me and that the holy One of Israel is indeed become my everlasting Support And unto you all Friends Erethren and fellow Members of the heavenly Body these are the pourings forth of Gods infinite Love free for all that can receive it And thus in few words as unto you my Brethren even desiring to be felt and received in that which comprehendeth all words and is more than words can express in which the words end which was before the words were where my dwelling is and you that truly know me know it so to be where-with you in the eternal Beeing and Substance of all living I rest in the Fountain of Mercy desiring daily in my pourings forth of my Soul unto God that you all may walk blamelesly and be preserved in the Truth of your Hearts to stand stedfast in the day of Tryal at hand And so in the power of Wisdom which is the Refuge of the Innocent the Lord God Almighty of Heaven and Earth preserve you all and keep you all for evermore Amen And hereby you may likewise know that I am in health and strength of Body and Soul and that my Heart is sometimes enlarged with the Power of Gods Love and my Spirit at Liberty which is out of their power to imprison by whom my Body is shut up in the close unsavoury Prison of my late and long sad Sufferings in the common Goal at Winchester where this is written by him that God hath called herein to be your Servant in obedience to his blessed Will known to the World but unto you in that which is nearer than this Name Humphry Smith Concerning TYTHES TYthes at first were not required but given only of the Spoils of the War only once by Abraham unto him that was made like unto the Son but the Substance being come even Christ who was before the Wars and before Abraham he redeems out of the Lust from whence the Wars arise and so bringeth to an end of that from whence Wars come and so to an End of that from whence Tythes were first given and so to give nor pay Tythes any longer being redeemed out of Lust and Wars and Fightings by the Blood of Jesus who said I am the Light that abideth a Priest forever and his day Abraham rejoyced to see who brings to the End of the Tythes and makes War with that and slayes that which caused men to Slay one another in the Wars who comes to save the Life who is Greater than Abraham who being now come denyeth fighting and saith He that taketh the Sword shall perish with the Sword And so that was to perish whereby Tythes were first given then must there needs be an end of Tythes which also perisheth with the using and the Law for the Tythes which had a shadow of good things to come decayes and waxes old and vanisheth away the good things themselves being come and good will towards man and the Covenant of Light to joyn the hearts together For Tythes were never given nor paid until after men had killed and slain and done violence and wrong one to another
and Christ saith Love your Enemies and if he smite thee on the one Cheek turn the other And such as are come to that and obey his command are come out of the Wars and the Strife unto the Prince of Peace who was before the Wars and so know the peaceable Covenant which will not wax old but last forever in which there is no Wars nor killing one another and so comes to the End of that Covenant which commanded the Tythes and to the change of the Law the Priest whereof and they that receive the Tythes murder and slay him that is to bring to the End of Tythes so that by him to the End of Tythes they are not come nor from under the first Covenant where the Tythes are paid whilst the vail is over the Heart and that Ministry standing which makes nothing Perfect and will dye and change and perish but he that Redeems out of and from among them and that which perisheth abides a Priest forever and of him it is said he liveth And so him we bear Testimony of who is entred within the Vail in whom the Vail is done away and so that is seen and departed from and made an end of which stood whilst the Vail was not rent and the way into a more Holy known than the first Covenant wherein the Tythes were paid the Vail being over the Heart and is yet over the Hearts of all them who pay or receive Tythes and all that uphold it who may take notice that the first Priests that ever took by force Offerings were Sons of Belial and knew not God whom the Lord destroy'd and they perished in the Wars with the Sword 1 Sam. 2. 12. ver 16. Therefore we cannot but deny Tythes and the upholding of it and all such as take it especially ly force which Actions are the fruits of such Priests as know not God and such he will overturn For the Seed of God in many Thousands Cryes unto him by reason of the Cruel Oppression of Tythes from under which the Lord will deliver us Humphry Smith This for my nearly related Friend Elizabeth Smith at Little Cawerne THe God of Heaven that made me and the Lord God of Power that called me to obey and follow him even in that day when I was not acquainted with his Voice and who hath been my Guide Defence Succour and Comfort unto this day and moment and who hath ever upheld me as a Father the Child by the Arm of his Power whom the world neither did nor can by its Wisdom ever know who is the only wise Invisible Spirit that upholdeth all things by the Word of his Power who is dreadful to the Heathen that know him not and more precious than ever can be expressed with Tongue or Pen unto them who have felt and received and live in the true sence of the Enlarging incomes of the virtue of his Power the Life whereof to them is most desirable My Strength Life and Refuge alone is he whose service I have no cause to decline and whose precious powerfull call he never gave me cause to repent for with himself he hath and doth dayly gratify me with a full Reward for all and all manner of my manifold Tryals and daily Sufferings and Exercises which I meet with in the way but really and Absolutely I can truly say that none of these things move me in the least from that foundation upon which the God of Heaven and Earth hath long since established me that I might stand for him and the Glory of his Name who hath both set and appointed me thereunto and given me Courage as a fortified Tower to stand as a mark for the Adversaries of Sion to vent forth the utmost of their limited Fury And in the Lord my strength is my Considence neither have I believed that ever I should distrust him though since the day that I have known him he hath even suffered the Sorrows of Death and the pangs of Hell and the Powers of Unutterable Darkness at sometimes to compass me in on every side and to lift up themselves in the vaunting Arrogancy of the swelling Pride thereof as Mountains never to be removed But behold he who hath his way in the Whirl-wind and his path through the midst of the deepest Ocan him alone it was that my broken Heart was by the power of his constraining Love resolved to follow forever even through the greatest difficulties and the most hardest Straits Tryals and Hardships with all manner of outward and inward Sufferings that might be permitted to happen unto or fall upon any one of the Children of men Oh! that I could now sufficiently declare his Goodness and so fully and effectually make mention of his Power as it deserveth or as the Lord hath given into my Heart to desire of him to be made use of in the Declaration or Manifestation thereof in this my day unto the Sons and Children of men Surely when I am waiting of him and of his unutterable Goodness and Power my Words and Lines are also short of setting forth the Virtue and Fullness of the most unexpressible divine excellency thereof that sometimes I am rather ready to dwell in silence with and in the fullness thereof which overcomes with unutterable Virtue than to be writing of that which in its self can never be written though what is written may be by and with and from the overflowings of the same and so be as drops or little streams of heavenly Water to refresh the dry and thirsty Land which therein doth its service and then the praise thereof is to return unto him who is the alone fountain of all Virtue and the Life which giveth Life even unto the dead that hear his Voice whereby he comes to be known to be Infinite in Wisdom Power and Virtue whom my soul doth Honour my heart doth Praise and my spirit adoreth forever for none is like to him neither doth my soul desire any other but he whilst in this body or for evermore in the Life which yet doth come Let all that know him bow before him and let all that hear his voice be humble and meek and let every one that truly desires after him wait with diligence and in patience upon him and let all that are faithful to him rejoyce in his Love and prize him for much more then the liberty of their bodies or the Enjoyment of Thousands and Thousands of Thousands of Temporal Visible Earthly thing All which are his and he is ours yea he is certainly mine and I am his and my soul doth magnifie him and my spirit doth yet breath farther to sound forth his Praises not only all the dayes of my life whilst in this Earthly Tabernacle but likewise in the hearts of Thousands of them yet unborn and among the Generations that are yet to come by my faithful upright Testimony and the Record thereof which may remain when the God and Father of my life hath gathered me
with the rest of his servants of old to live with him in the delightsom Ocean of the Infinite Fullness of his most desirable Power and precious Presence the streams whereof already are as the free Issuings forth of Life Eternal and as the streams of Mercy and the dews of the Morning Refreshing even the outmost borders of my dwelling and Comforting the mournful places of my Habitation Who can express his Goodness What man can utter his Bounty or how can man either in words or with Pen sufficiently signifie forth the Fullness and Virtue of that which passeth Knowledge Behold my Dwelling is in it and my Life is bound up with the inocent Lambs who live in the feeling Virtue of that which much super-aboundeth the most pleasantest and delightsom'st Words that ever my Tongue can utter and yet those that hear them hear the Truth in the which the Life doth stand and they that hear the Truth hear him from whence the Life doth come which Life it self in the power and virtue of it is the center of the Upright the Refuge of the Innocent and the thing it self unto which it self is drawing and gathering that it may be known within even to those who have been astray there-from that the one Fold the one Succour the one Food the one Shepherd the one Refuge the one Spirit the one Heart and the one Mind may be known and so the One God in the one only Vnity worshipped served and praised from the Power Life and Virtue of the one Spirit which comes from the only One God of Heaven and Earth before whom let the Heathen be Astonished and the ungodly fear and Tremble and the Brambles of the Earth prepare for the day of his Righteous Judgments and Fiery Indignation which as the breadth of his Nostrils being mixed with Flames of Endless Burnings he will plead with his own open Adversaries which shall be more fully manifest in the great Day of the Lord when all Mankind must give an account to him both of idle and wicked words and likewise of their deeds done in the body The Lord God hasten that day and let him come even him who cometh as a Thief in the Night even the Lord Jesus Christ who said I am the Truth the Spirit whereof the World cannot receive but we have known him and received him and know that he is true and have believed on him and have often drunk of the Living Water that springeth up unto life Eternal in those that truly believe And this I say forever blessed are they that believe and endure to the End for whom Gods Crown of Life is prepared and for all who give up their Lives and suffer faithfully for the Honour of him who hath so far honoured them as to account them worthy to bear their Testimony and to suffer for him In the which I say The Lord preserve my Friends and Brethren every where who have tasted of Gods loving kindness and remain sensible at present of the meekness of his love And let all Friends so dwell in the faith which is the gift of God over the World as to live thereby and not to lose the Crown of Glory and Immortality which was desired from the breathings of the seed in the day of Jacob's Captivity and the Lord God of my Life preserve and defend the plants of Righteousness even by his own Power and his own Spirit in that day and at that time when all other helps may not be available that then the sufficiency of the Greatness of his own Wisdom and strength may be apparent and then most happy shall those be who are found worthy to suffer and endure all manner of Tryals Cruelties and Hardships for him and his Names sake and to live and reign and enjoy his unutterable Peace and Rest which is in himself treasured up as a full Reward and much more then could have been expected for the Vpright in Heart who end their dayes in Truth and finish their Course in Righteousness and lay down their Lives for his sake to live with him for evermore And this is that thee and others may hear from me and know that I remain in the service of God and in faithful Long sufferings for the Gospel of his Son as at this day being the 6th of the 7th Moneth 1662. In the straight Prison at Winchester where I am known by this name Humphry Smith THE END
hindred you and doth hinder from the Life and Virtue of it in your own Hearts this all to leave behind you forever and to give it away freely and as freely willing as a man would part with Dross for Gold and present mortal Honour for immortal Renown forever for behold the Glory of the World passeth away and all the Beauty thereof shall be as a fading Flower when it is fully ripe the strength thereof shall melt away like Wax before the Jealousie of our God and Aegypt shall be judged and Babylon confounded and the strength of the Oppressor brought down and the Lord will weaken the power of the Heathen and all the Earth shall know that he is the same God of Power and righteous Judgments as ever in the day when he cometh in the dread of his Power to assemble the Heathen to Judgment and to pour forth Floods of Indignation upon the Wicked when Anguish shall enter the dwellings of the Ungodly and intolerable perplexity seize upon the Consciences of the Unfaithful when the Hypocrite shall no longer cover himself nor the Adversaries of Sion rejoyce against her when the Lord shall reach forth his Hand and scatter his open Enemies as in the day of slaughter and consume the Bryars of the Earth as with endless Burnings and unquenchable Flames in the strength of his Fury when he pleadeth by the Fire of his Jealousie and the Sword of his Mouth with all the Wicked Ungodly and Unfaithful ones who make Flesh their Arm and depart from the Word of the living God in their Hearts which then they shall know to be Powerful against all Unrighteousness and quick in executing Judgments accordingly Oh! happy is the Man that then shall know a Refuge and blessed shall the People be whose God is then the Lord and full well will it be for them who then know a hiding place Then shall Sion alone rejoyce and Jerusalem be glad forever and only the redeemed of the Lord shall walk in the Paths of his Judgments and in the midst of devouring and consuming Fire which to them shall be as a Wall for everlasting defence round about them and as precious healing Oyl of Joy and Gladness in the midst and as pure Oyntment poured out into the Wounds of the broken-hearted Light shall shine forever in their Habitations and Wisdom shall be found in them like as in Daniel the Servant of God in the dayes of Old and only the Faithful shall stand and the Upright-hearted shall endure and God will keep his little Ones and the Weak shall be strengthened by him and the Poor of the Flock shall be comforted and the Feeble among men shall receive strength from God as the Morning and renewing of virtue as the dawning of the day and the Lambs of the Fold shall be kept and only Gods People shall stand yea they shall stand and the Gates of Hell with all the powers of darkness shall never prevail against them the Lord hath spoken it whose Words shall stand forever which shall seal it unto the Heritage of God and the Dross must be purged away and the Unbelieving must stand behind and the Careless will stagger at the Promises and they that seek themselves shall have Self enough but Self shall never help them in that day neither shall their own Wisdom stand them instead neither yet their Righteousness in the Day of God's Controversie when the great Oaks shall fall and the lofty Cedars shall bow to the Dirt when no covering at all shall hide but that which is put upon men by the Power of God's dwelling Spirit in the Heart of every individual by the virtue thereof and not otherwise And this moreover I say to every particularly unto you who were late astray from God and lately were convinced of the precious Truth of his Son that in the Name and Power of the Lord God of Heaven and Earth from him to you was I sent and that more chiefly to gather the Out-casts than to feed the Lambs who were already gathered and rather to call home the lost Sheep than to nourish them that were already brought home and to call Sinners to Repentance and for the opening the Hearts Understanding and Eyes of those who though they truly desired had not clearly understood the secret things of the hidden Wisdom of the Almighty And truly my Love was to Sinners and the true affections and breathing of my Soul for the Prodigals in them parts which were most chiefly my Message from God at that time and my Service of Love unto the Souls of such in them parts and to publish the Name of the Almighty in the great Congregations and surely my own Brethren even the gathered Flock of God attended in much patience whilst I thus performed my Service of love to you neither did I turn my Face from you to them nor with-held from you the Counsel of God in truth neither was I negligent in the Service to do you good neither yet sparing of my strength nor with-holding my Speech when God gave utterance but rather can truly say I could even have been spent for you in the discharge of my Conscience to the Lord my strength And now this is that which my Heart desireth of you and my Soul desireth for you That you all and every of whose Hearts then God touched with the feeling of his Love by the power of his Immortal Word through me his weak Earthen Vessel that you all may obey the Call and Visitation of God in the requiring of his Light in your own Hearts thereby willingly to depart from the wayes of the Wicked the professions of the Hypocrites and the paths of Ungodly men and to stand no long in the way of Sinners nor regard the counsel of them who hate the Light and Truth in the inward parts and to come out from amongst them that are unclean who live still more and more in that which pollutes them who live in their Sins professing God and serving the Devil until they have finished their Sins which then bringeth forth Death and he that dyeth in his Sins not believing in the Light which makes an end of sin cannot come where Christ is And so the Tree falling there it lieth and as Death leaveth Judgment findeth and as Judgment findeth so shall the Reward according to the deeds be And then shall every man stand or fall to his own Master the Servants of the Devil to their Master and the Servants of God to their Master and there is no more Masters but them two and no man can serve both though Thousands profess the one and serve the other who in that day must give an account whom they have served and not whom they have professed for they who professed God and served the Devil were Hypocrites and so are unto this day of whom the World is full And blessed are they who by the living Power of the Soul-saving Grace of God are truly redeemed out of the