Selected quad for the lemma: truth_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
truth_n	according_a	heart_n	word_n	1,814	5	3.8480	3	false

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ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A78561	A tender salutation: or, loving epistle to such, who have a breathing in the innocent life of my friends with whom I walked in the outward observances. Also, for my relations (after the flesh) with all others professing God, and that have any breathings after the truth in the inward parts. Wherein something is declared in the power and light of God, concerning the sure foundation, and the house of God, with the inward glory, government, cloathing, feeding, non-superiority, and safety, that is in Gods habitation. With a word to the weak to establish them, that they faint not at the appearances of outward trouble for their consciences. - Whereunto is annexed a further discovery of God to my soul, concerning the spiritual temple, tabernacle and ark of Gods testimony, being the truth, life, and substance of the temple, tabernacle and ark of the testimony under the legal day. - To be read in the light, which discovers the things that be of God. -	Chandler, Jacob.	1664 (1664)	Wing C1927A; ESTC R227552	24,960	33

letter search the letter improve in the notions of the letter c. If you are for all this strangers to that Spirit that gave forth the letter at first and unto which the letter points and directs to that your life may not stand in a seeming outward conformity to the letter without but that your life may stand and abide in the Spirit within This is that Law of life that is in the habitation of God that is pure and perfect converting the soul inlightning the understanding whereby we may come to know him that is true even Christ Jesus the true God and eternal life Friends this Law that every particular soul that is become Gods house is guided by is not that Law from Mount Sinai but from Mount Sion Not from Mount Horeb on which Moses received the Law of the Ten Commandments and writ it on Tables of stone but the Law of the Spirit of the living God written upon the Tables of our hearts neither is it that Law written by pen and ink without but that written by the Spirit of the living God within and that must needs be a living Law that a living Spirit writes FRiends look in for this living Law of the Spirit of life for every one of ye have a measure thereof in your selves now see that you be guided by it and take not up in the outward thing but presse through and come to the Spirit and life that your standing in this day may be sure and unshaken by all the powers of the evil One that your joy may so abound springing from the true foundation as that persecution tribulation imprisonment banishment nor death it self may be able to take that Crown from you nor in the least may amaze amuse or distract you from pure joy of the Lord and from the obeying of the pure movings of the life in your souls My soul knows something of the inward feeling of this joy but its unspeakable yet glorious and as my soul comes to obey the inward teachings of the pure eternal God so I come to experience to feel the flowing in and shedding abroad of this blessed peace of God in my heart that Prisons Banishment Tribulation and Disiresse is even a light thing through the abundance of love that my soul has to God which is freely given unto me because then I can believe that my defence is the munition of Rocks and that my bread shall be given me and that my waters shall be sure Oh Friends do ye all with my soul stand in the counsel of the everlasting God and resign up freely to the Lord body soul spirit mind and all things else for he is faithful and able yea will keep that which is committed and resigned up freely unto himself who is El-shaddai the strong and mighty God and none shall be able to pull that out of his hands that is freely given and resigned to him according to his requiring You have been often a speaking after this manner but come to the life to the truth and stand in the power of it the which you will never be able to do unlesse every one in particular abide in the counsel of the Lord and hearken to his voyce and hear his living Word which is nigh viz. in the heart of every particular which teaches every one to deny himself viz. his self-will self-wisdom self-righteousnesse and understanding and all that is self to be debased laid low thrown to the dust and become nothing and what God would have him of a rich man rich in notions in gifts parts and outward services out of the life as Paul before be was converted to become poor in spirit of a strong man to be made weak of a proud man to become humble than a little child may lead him of a notional one to be made ignorant c. That now every particular may be made new again a living Temple and habitation of God to dwell in and to reach them out of his Law as they are able to receive it from him and as you come to be taught of the Lord and to obey his teachings which are pure so you shall come to be the blessed of the Lord and the Word of the Lord shall dwell richly in you and you shall become strong in the power and Spirit of the Lord the brother of low degree shall be exalted as he abides in the anointings and the ignorant that has let go his knowledge in the knowing comprehension shall be inlightned and as he waits upon the Lord and hearkens to his teachings within by the Law of the Spirit of life writ by the Spirit of the living God in his heart he I say shall come to a good understanding in the misteries of the Kingdom of God and shall know the doctrine that is of God for who teaches to profit like him Though others that feeds upon the Tree of knowledge and comprehends much in the knowing part shall slight it and call it strange doctrine delusion heresie c. But why is it because they feed not on the Tree of life but on the Tree of knowledge which apart and separate from the Tree of life is death destruction and poyson to the soul No Lordly and Majestical Superiority in Gods house AGain There is no Superiority in the Family of God the children of God are all equal there is none allowed by the Father to be one above the other to rule it and Lord it over his Brothers Conscience as we see in the world by men that would fain be reputed something as to the matters of holiness and fear of the Lord when it s not the fear of the Lord that puts them on to assume and arrogate to themselves a power over their Brothers Conscience but it s the flesh the Devil and carnal wisdom that puts them upon it Too much of this spirit was in the Disciples of old but Christ rebuked them for it The true children in the Family of God they serve one another not usurp over one another its true God may and does discover his secrets and mysteries of the Kingdom more to some than to others of his children not that they should lift up themselves above their Fellow-brethren but that they should submit to the Brother of low degree and strengthen the weak hands and feeble knees and consolate the discomforted with the overflowings of that Cup of blessing that God hath filled to him But ah how does proud man that has got into the form of godlinesse Lord it over them that he dreams are under him and so demonstrate they have an Antichristian spirit Oh Friends there is a quiet peaceable loving carriage in the children of God one towards the other according to the anointing received there 's love not only in word but in deed there 's a sweet condescending according to the requirings of God one to the other a holy bearing and forbearing in this Family there 's not a shoving with the shoulder

brightnesse that is shining in them Mat 17.5 6 7 8. that is seen and felt in the light and life of God Oh what a covering hiding and vailing of the flesh is there as not being able to look upon or behold such brightnesse of his glory Friends these things are true and faithful VII The everlasting God did promise to meet with his people in the Legal day and to commune with them upon the Mercy-seat c. Oh Friends God in old times did speak Heb. 1.1 2. commune and meet with his people in divers manners and at sundry times but now in these last dayes he has and does speak meet and commune with his people in and by his Son Mark 9.7 who sayes This is my Son hear him And it s he that has the mind and message of the Father and shews it his true Disciples He speaks not of himself but what he hears and receives of the Father that he declares John 3.32 John 10.30 1 John 2.23 and here it is that the soul meets and communes with the Father because he hath the Son for the Father and the Son are one and he that hath the Son hath the Father also and he that hath the Father hath the Son also Now as any soul comes to hear the voyce of the Son of God in themselves particularly and comes to obey the voyce of the Son of God in themselves which obedience is life comes to meet with the Father in the tender imbraces of divine love seated in his tender mercies but if the soul rebells and disobeyes his heavenly voyce Isa 63.10 and vexes his holy Spirit then the soul comes not to partake of this heavenly blessing to wit of this heavenly communication and glorious making forth of the eternal presence of the everlasting God but I say if the soul hears and obeyes the voyce of the Son of God as he obeys so he comes to have life and because he lives whose voyce it is they obey they shall live also for said Christ Because I live ye shall live also John 14 19. whose voyce is in the soul calling to be pure as God is pure holy as God is holy and so to live in all manner of holy conversation in the streamings forth of the life within 1 Pet. 1.15 whose voyce calls for a love to all righteousnesse and to a hatred and forsaking of all iniquity though never so secret whose voyce is for inward cleansing inward purifying As be ye pure and clean that bear the Vessels of the Lord. Now if we would be Vessels holding the treasures of heaven in us 2 Cor. 4.7 if we would be Temples of the Holy Ghost houses and habitations of God through the Spirit we must be pure clean and holy for Friends Holinesse becomes the house of the Lord for ever Now this the voyce of Christ the Son of God calls for in us Isal 93.5 and as every soul comes to obey the voyce of the Son in the Spirit of power he comes to meet and commune with the eternal God in his everlasting mercies Thus Friends ye have a brief description of what God has shew'd unto me though more sometimes by the light of God I see in a great deep for the which there is a desire in me to be found waiting on the everlasting light till he is pleased to bring it forth and duly manifest it Now how by Temple Tabernacle Ark can be meant or understood outward Ordinances as at the beginning was spoke of and for such that are come to this state herein mentioned and have no freedom to subscribe to and walk in I know not but I have a testimony in my soul that the substance comprehends and includes all the shadows and signs and signs are not for them that believe but for them that believe not so that if my soul enjoyes the substance and lives in the possession according to the measure the which I have an inward testimony of let who will question it the which some has done then I have the end of all the shadows and signs Col. 2.16 17. for they all end in Christ who is the truth substance of all light life power Gospel Covenant Word Supper Baptisme Rest c. so that in him my soul reposes and finds rest and in his light can dilcern betwixt the shadow and the substance the form and the power the letter and the Spirit not slighting that without yet esteeming more of that within and walk in that without as I find freedom within and so my soul enjoyes peace Isa 32.17 for its peace God calls unto and the effect of righteousnesse is peace and that is righteous that God works so unto what the righteous God works freedom to therein let 's obey herein none shall be oppressed and his Conscience Lorded over but walk in the freedom and liberty wherewith Christ does make free only Brethren use not your liberty for an occasion to the flesh the which if you do pretend to liberty in Christ and walk carnally you demonstrate that you know not this liberty and freedom by Christ but are in bondage to this day Judge not rashly least you be judged for with what rash judgment ye judge of the same shall you be judged withall Wherefore holy Brethren partakers of the heavenly calling consider the Apostle and High Priest of our profession Christ Jesus Who was faithful to him that appointed him as also Moses was faithful in all his house For this man was counted worthy of more glory than Moses and Moses was faithful in all his house as a servant for a testimony of those things which were to be spoken after But Christ as a Son over his own house whose house are we if we hold fast the considence and the rejoycing of the hope firm unto the end Wherefore as the Holy Ghost saith To day if you will hear his voyce harden not your hearts c. So I sware in my wrath that they shall not enter into my rest Because I was grieved with that generation and said They do alway erre in their hearts and they have not known my wayes Wherefore Brethren Take heed least there be in any of you an evil heart of unbelief in departing from the living God Hebr. 3.1 2 3 5 6 7 10 11 12. Now unto 〈◊〉 him who is able to keep you from falling I commit you and the peace of God that passeth all understanding fill you and God everlasting make you perfect strengthen establish settle you working in you that-which-is-well-pleasing in his sight through Jesus Christ to whom be glory for ever and for ever Amen Near the end of the 4th Month in the Year 1664. Your Brother That waits to see the redemption of the pure seed of God in you all and its enlargement over all the Earth J. C. THE END

A Tender Salutation OR LOVING EPISTLE To such who have a breathing in the innocent life of my Friends with whom I walked in the outward observances ALSO For my Relations after the flesh with all others professing God and that have any breathings after the Truth in the inward parts WHEREIN Something is declared in the power and light of God concerning the sure Foundation and the House of God with the inward Glory Government Cloathing Feeding Non-superiority and Safety that is in Gods habitation WITH A word to the Weak to establish them that they faint not at the appearances of outward Trouble for their Consciences Whereunto is Annexed A Further discovery of God to my Soul concerning the spiritual Temple Tabernacle and Ark of Gods Testimony being the Truth Life and Substance of the Temple Tabernacle and Ark of the Testimony under the Legal day To be read in the light which discovers the things that be of God By Jacob Chandler That which we have seen and heard and felt declare we unto you that you might have fellowship with us and truly our fellowship is with the Father and with the Son Jesus Christ 1 Joh. 1.3 If our earthly house of this Tabernacle were dissolved we have a house not made with hands eternal in the heavens 2 Cor. 5.1 Printed in the Year M.DC.LXIV To all those that love the Lord Jesus in Power and Spirit of my Friends with whom I walked in the outward form As well my professing Relations after the flesh with all else unto whom these presents shall come that have any breathings after the precious Truth and life of God Grace Mercy and Peace be multiplied the everlasting love life and truth of God dwell richly in you c. DEar Friends it has been oft upon me to write unto you of the things appertaining to the Kingdom of God in Spirit and Truth But my flesh with the reasoning part withstood upon some considerations that now I 'le forbear But now after much striving of the Lord God of Power by his Spirit in my Soul I am overcome with the overcomings of the love of God to write unto you And this I find springing up in me to exhort you in tender bowels of love to look at the power light life and truth of God within in every one of ye in particular for Friends it s not the outward profession that will stand you in stead in the day of Tryal and in the day when all Secrets shall be made manifest nor approve you to God without the power and truth of God within And therefore Friends in the bowels of tender compassions let the evil minded think never so otherwise I am moved as before said to exhort you to look to your standing that you turn inward and see what foundation you are built on for Friends that which is not built on a good foundation will come to nothing if the foundation be rotten and corrupt you know whatsoever is built thereon suffers losse Therefore let every soul take heed how he build thereon for every mans works must be try'd Now if you build on the truth and power of God you build on a sure foundation but if you build on some other foundation viz. some outward observation of external performances outward gifts parts humane wisdom or the sayings of men though they may be good men c. Be it known unto you that its a false foundation its deceivable and the whole building will fall great and lamentable will be the fall thereof There is but one foundation for every poor soul that would be saved to build on and another foundation can no man lay than that which is already laid and that is Jesus Christ the power of God the wisdom and truth of God This is that ground and pillar of truth that saves to the utmost all that come unto it and build on it Therefore Friends mind whether you have built on this foundation whether the truth power and Spirit of God be the thing that you mind the foundation that you build on How to come to the foundation and build thereon and how to know in the light of God when the soul has built on the sure foundation THere must be a digging deep to build on this foundation it s not so easie as many Professors think of thou must dig down into thy innermost parts into the secrets of thy soul deep yea very deep into humility must thou sink and resign up freely and must be content to be nothing in thy will wisdom understanding c. Oh soul before thou canst find the foundation the Rock to build on and in the deep thou maist find it for 't is hid from the carnal wise man by all his wisdom he cannot search it out and all his notional knowledge though he may speak much of the foundation is too short to fathom it And now Friends if you are built on this foundation this Rock then you are immovable and cannot be shaken away from the confidence that you have springing up from hence and you are sure and stedfast and you walk in the pure fear of the Lord and you are of tender bowels and full of compassion to all the Lords little ones and you are of a meek spirit and lowly in heart and you are of tender compassion to all the Creation of God you are weak with the weak and bear a dear sympathy with the afflicted precious sons and daughters of Sion let them be under what name and notion soever if thou seest they are built on the power life and truth of God by which they breath after the everlasting well-springs of life the fountain of eternal love thou hast a principle in thee if thou art upon the sure foundation that is stirred up with an endearednesse to such a breathing soul after the pure life of God for my Friends if we have built on a good foundation then 't is certain we have a good building if we have a good Root we have a good Tree and if a good Tree there must be good fruit Now Friends by this you may come to know whether you are built upon the power life and truth of God or what foundation you are built on Let me lay it farther before you NOW if we have a good foundation we have a good building a good house and there is good order and government in this house and good dyet good meat and drink and choice cloathing and blessed safety and no Lordly or Majestick superiority over one another in this house or family that is built on the power and life of God with other good things Now that soul that hath built upon Christ the truth and power of God hath a good building a good house and it s none other but the house of God the Temple of God and God hath said I 'le dwell with you and walk in you and be your God c. And this every Saint is in particular the habitation

Now Friends I am not a judging of any of you neither a disswading you though the evil mind in some may think I do insinuate to draw from the use of the Elements but do as the Lord shall direct you and as you see him going before you in all you do and moving you after and leave nothing undone that you are really perswaded in your Consciences to be your duty lest you get a wound to your soul and the Lord should say Who hath required this of you c. But know from the Lord God your life lies not here viz. in these outward observations though never so strictly observed but in God and the communion of Saints lies not here but in Spirit truth and power and therefore be not fierce against your Brethren that are not of your mind or perswasion in the outward observation Friends turn in and stand still from your own wayes and commune with your hearts and make enquiry Do I eat of this bread of life and drink of those pure springs of refreshment Does the Lord lead me into his green and fresh pastures and make me to lie down and repose my soul in eternal kindnesse And do I receive my refreshing from the pure and clear chrystal fountain of living waters Or do I take up in the outward observances and lesse mind this inward feeding this inward drinking of the bread and waters of life Oh Friends this thing is to be well minded and weighed in the truth and equity of God Now there be many a poor soul more a minding the outward observances than the inward vertue and power of the living God as it was in dayes of old so 't is now one cryes in this observation Lo here is Christ and others in that observation Lo there is Christ c. Every perswasion cryes up their own and sayes Come amongst us Christ is here in the observing of this order and others in that order and so are divided amongst themselves and are in confusion in Babylon and knows not where Christ is but what saith the Scripture Believe them not go not forth after them Now Friends Christ is nigh thee in thy heart as Paul did witnesse The righteousnesse that is of fatth saith on this wise Who shall ascond to heaven to fetch Christ down or who shall descend to fetch Christ up but what saith it Christ is nigh then in thy heart Rom. 10.6 7 8. Therefore Friends look not so much at the outward observation for Christ if that be it thou art in good earnest desirous to have as to a looking in for Christ for Christ as before said is within he is nigh in thy heart Christ is the pearl of price that great treasure that is hid in the field of every mans heart and therefore Friends stand still from thy own words works thoughts and carnal reasonings of the fleshly wise part and hearken to the voyce of Christ in thy own particular which cannot be heard but in a still quiet state of the soul freely resigned up to God to be no more any thing in it self but that God might be all in all and above all to its soul And as to the outward which man flesh and carnal wisdom make such a stir about they walk in as they have freedom and seeing the Lord going before them in it and if any thing outward be done otherwise it s but fleshly labour which profits not Oh but how many poor hearts is there that thinks God cannot be enjoyed truly and have communion with truly but it must be injoyed and had in such a way in such a form which I know is the language of men in different forms wayes or perswasions every one binding as it were and limiting the holy God to their perswasion but Friends the Lord is free to work where he please and when he please and on whom he please and this I have heard some say but will not stand unto it but bind up the Lord in his workings as much as they can and calls all into question that the soul injoyes of God if it come not in at their door though it do come in at the door of the sheepfold as I have had experience of and do know of what I speak and much more than this also But Friends the Kingdom of heaven manifests its self not in this or that observation but in righteousnesse in power Spirit and truth and this will be owned by many in words but denied in works and so manifest that they are in Babilon in confusion it s he in what Narion soever whether Jew or Gentile bond or free one or tother that feareth the Lord and worketh righteousness and that has all his works within wrought in and by God within is excepted of him it s not he that observes observations without but he that stands in the power Spirit and truth of God within that is accepted it s not thus much outward observance but this inward obedience That soul that is convinced of this is near the Kingdom near the possession now stand but still from acting in thy will and sink down into God and settle upon the foundation and resign up all to the Lord and stand to his order and cleave to truth with a purpose of heart and a little while viz. the Lords time he that shall come will come and bring thee into the Kingdom into the possession wherein thou shale enjoy all as before said and much more abundantly than I can speak of for I have but a stammering tongue in these matters yet what the eternal God has freely given to me to experience and to spring up in me freely declare I unto you my dear Friends all unto whom this is writ that you might all eat hereof and drink hereof i. e. of that which this points unto and so come to a higher growth in the birth of God though I may be traduced calumniated and persecuted one way or other either in secret smilings or open reproaches by some or other for I see in the light of God and through the revelation of the Spirit that the evil thing in some cannot bear that the power life and truth of God should clearly shine though in words they may speak otherwise that they might go undiscovered but may seek to destroy this holy Child Jesus the birth of God the shinings forth of the light of God by putting upon it some false glosse as delusion false light heresie blasphemie c. as they did by Christ himself and the servants of God in dayes past and so opposing of the seed of God and so as Pharaoh will labour to deal subtilly that it spread no further but I shall leave it and my self to the Lord and wait on him as being given up to his will not fearing what man can do or say knowing that I am a discharging my duty and conscience herein Of the inward adorning and beautifying of Gods House FUrther Friends the Lord my God

will cloath you all with rich and soft cloathing for all his Family is arrayed with soft Rayment Oh every one that will be a Daughter of this King Jehovah Tzebaot the Lord of Hoast shall be all glorious within and shall be brought into the Palace of the King and the King shall greatly delight in her beauty for he is the Lord her God and she must worship him and that in Spirit and in truth I say my Friends God shall cloath and has in a measure cloathed all his children with soft and fine Rayment Are not they that wear soft Rayment in Kings houses yea my Friends they are Now this soft Rayment I declare of is the inward righteousnesse of the Lord Jesus which is the righteousnesse of all Gods Saints this is the cloathing of our house from heaven that every Saint groans for according to the measure of working here 's the putting on the Lord Jesus in Spirit power and truth and this is that righteousnesse that justifies the soul to God and is made acceptable to God and to the Lamb. Friends this Rayment I say is soft Rayment its meek still and quiet 't is all in the Spirit which Rayment in the sight of God is of great price of great value of great esteem Oh Friends There be many that have a covering but not of my Spirit saith the Lord. They have I say a covering something in imitation of this I declare of but it s too narrow then that the soul can wrap its self in it so that its nakednesse is seen by a spiritual discerning And therefore Friends all take heed lest you cover with such a covering insomuch that your shame appears I know there are some such abroad but they must stand or fall to their own Master for every mans works must be tryed and that by fire viz. the fire of the pure living God and if his works have not been wrought in God and sprung up from the foundation of the Apostles and Prophets whose foundation was Christ Jesus the chief Corner stone that bore up all their building and from which they restified that their works was wrought in God and had it not it must suffer losse Some think to shrow'd themselves under such a form and such a form and such an observation outwardly but it s not the form or observation outwardly that can hide any poor soul from the wrath of God and of the Lamb the which every soul is exposed to let them be shrowded where they will it s nothing but this covering to wit the inward righteousnesse of God and Christ investing the soul that hides from the wrath of the Lamb. This soft Rayment I declare unto you is that Rayment with which the Bride the Lambs wife makes her self ready withall and is so dressed therewith as a Bride is for her husband in the choice embraces of everlasting kindness and this Rayment every foul must have on to come to the Marriage-supper withall else it s an unwelcome guest though such as have it not on them may present themselves amongst the sons and daughters of God yet when the searcher of hearts the everlasting God shall make inquisition then they shall be discovered to be but intruders and though they held the form they did not hold the head by which all the members by joints and bands are knit together c. And though they had the semblance the vizard the shew of holinesse yet they denied the power the inward life of purity and righteousnesse and built on their form The Lord sayes to such what hast thou to do to take my Name into thy mouth seeing thou hatest to be reformed for he that nameth the Name of the Lord must depart from iniquity in vain is it that thou namest the Name of the Lord in vain is the multitude of thy services the Lord will say and does now say Who hath required this at your hands in vain is your solemn Assemblies your Sabbaths your Fastings Thanksgivings Preaching Praying Supper Baptisme Alms Conference with a multitude more they are all an abomination to the Lord in the outward observation because thou hast not on this wedding garment this inward pure righteousnesse of the Lamb and therefore they are an abomination oh soul because performed and externally carried on out of the life acted and carry'd on by the same spirit that thou sinnest with sure this is a loathing to the pure holy God of life who rejoyces in truth in the inward parts from whence all without must spring and not to take up an imitation from the Apostles practice and to do such works as thou gatherest from the Scriptures the writings of those holy men out of that life that moved them to it and many things else which oh soul thou art ready to despise but do thou wait upon the Lord for the more clearer breaking in of his light and movings of his life in thy own soul and abide in his counsel and abide his reproof in thy soul and be still look not forth but mind thy watch within least the enemy of thy soul get an advantage against thee and cleave to his power which thou shalt feel spring up whereby thou shalt be able to overcome sin hell death wrath self condemnation the world and all evil and thou shalt mount up in the life of God and here shalt thou be cleathed with his righte ousnesse and hear his voyce and obey his Commandments in thy own particular whose Commands are not grievous to the Spirit but joyous so thou shalt have the light of life in thy own heart as the Apostles and servants of God had before the Apostasie which was by them spoke of 2 Thess 2. the which came upon the world in some few years after the Apostles but now in these latter dayes the light is dawned and the Lord has visited some with his tender mercies the day-spring from on high hath visited some and God is a renewing of that defaced image that Adam had in innocercy and that the Apostles had by which they acted and was led and guided into the wayes of purity and righteousnesse doing what they did without as they had a command from this innocent life in themselves with singlenesse of heart and great joy blessing praysing magnifying the Lord God of power and purity and this is that life that my soul in a measure feels and has communion with And my soul breaths to the everlasting pure life that thou maist have the same holy pure and innocent life that the Apostles and Servants of God had and now some in a measure have in which life thou shalt learn what is the living sense of the Scriptures and Writings of holy men and of those Ordinances that the Apostles in their days was by the life commanded to do the which thou maist also do or forbear as the same life commands thee though this the carnal and fleshly reason cannot bear but I may not speak to please

vail that is upon you that you might come forth from darknesse and walk more in the light of life A word to the Weak to establish and direct them that they faint nat at the sight of the outward Adversary in their Meetings AND Friends There is a desire risen in me that every one of you in particular may come so to be established on that sure foundation the everlasting Rock of Ages that you may not be so soon shaken away many of you from the confidence that you seem to have for God and Truth as you are perswaded I speak not this to reproach you but in the power of God to establish you Friends your 〈◊〉 going forth out of the power of God into the flesh is it that makes you faint in the day of adversity and in the face of your enemy Therefore Friends if you would be valiant for the truth mind the life of God in your souls reside and dwell in it and give up all unto it fix your mind steddy upon it and stay thereon and as thou comes to this O soul thou shalt be kept in peace and quiet off from the trouble and disquiet that the flesh raises up for God will keep him in perfect peace whose mind is staid upon him Friends it ill becomes those that fears the Lord to be of such a fearful frightful spirit as I have observed there is sometimes in your Meetings though it be but of suspition of an invasion by the enemy without Friends the desire in my soul is that you would mind the life the spirit in you and be still and quiet in the patience of the life and Lamb of God according to the measure in you and as you mind this and dwell in this your fears and terrors of the flesh will abate and your courage advance for the life of the pure God crucifies the flesh which leads to death The Spirit of God is a Spirit of love and of a sound mind it casts out such fear and it is not a Spirit of slavish fear so that my Friends if you be the sons and daughters of God why then you are led by the Spirit and not by the flesh which is fearful sinful c. And if you have the Spirit and live in the Spirit why then it has mortified the deeds of the flesh which are evil c. See Rom. 8.5 to the 17. verse They which are after the flesh do mind the things of the flesh and they that are after the Spirit the things of the Spirit Slavish fear and cowardise for truth is of the flesh and to be fleshly and carnally minded is death to the soul but to be spiritually minded is life Oh Friends it has been a trouble to my spirit sometimes to see the distraction perturbation and trouble that many have entered into in their Meetings at a shallow c. Oh Friends labor to crucifie this old man with his fleshly meanbers and branches that springs forth into the visible life and what you have in the invisible life watch to have it strengthned and live in the measure you have attained of this invisible or inward life in your own particulars And if any further of the coming in of the visible enemy be into your Meetings in the discharging what you are perswaded to be your duty which is too probable and likely be still and quiet in your selves sweetly composed with your mind fixed upon God enjoying communion in the life and Spirit of God according to your particular measure keeping steddy in the beholdings of the life and be in the serious pursuit of it and do not suffer your thoughts and your minds to straggle in the least no not for a moment though the enemy provoke you be diligent in the watch that the enemy of your soul the invisible enemy break not in to overthrow your peace and communion with God and destroy your pursuit in the life and so your peace being lost your watch down and the enemy broke in then you enter into the flesh in the troubles fears tempests and disquiets which the life is freed from c. and so will be ready to say any thing do any thing so that you might be acquitted of the enemy without and released of a Prison and banishment for thy body which affrights many poor hearts who considers not the Prison the banishment and darknesse and trouble that their souls is in in the want of the light life Spirit peace and communion with God Oh Friends I say unto you all watch watch the life and go not from upon any terms be surely built on the sure foundation and you shall be able to say in the same life according to thy measure as David I am fixed I am fixed O God I am fixed O happy state here is the only safety And now unto the Lord once more I commit you that every one of you may so come to be established on that sure foundation the everlasting Rock of Ages and build so upon the power and life of God that Prisons Fines Persecutions the gates of hell even death it self may not prevail against you non affright you Amen Some further discovery of Gods house or habitation through the Spirit And according to my measure declaring of the spiritual Temple or Tabernacle and Ark of the Testimony the Truth Life and Substance of the Temple or Tabernacle and Ark of the Testimony under the Legal dispensation to be read in the light which manifesls the things that are of God FRiends The house and habitation of God is called the Temple or Tabernacle of God where God dwells walks moves c. and this was shewed by the Temple under the Law in which Temple or Tabernacle God was graciously present with his people in that day but now dwells no longer in Temples made with hands but in his people and children who are the Temple and hat itation of God through the Spirit Though my Friends some do imagine that the Legal Temple or Tabernacle is a figure holding forth to us the outward Ordinances viz. Preaching Praying Supper Water Baptism c. And some calls this a new Iemple state and 't is to be feared there do abide and look no further or very little higher than just to draw from it the outward observation but God hath revealed it otherwise to me and a necessity is laid upon me being called to it not to deny it In order to your understanding of this Consider I. That in the Legal Temple was the Ark of the Testament and this was the Ark of his presence Now this Ark figured forth the Lord Jesus in the Spirit which dwells in his people or particularly in a Saint this is the Ark of the New Testament Isa 42.6 Mal. 3.1 which also is called the New Covenant That Ark was Legal this is a Gospel-Ark that was an outward Ark this an inward Ark that was an Ark in a form this an Ark in the power that