and so calling upon the Name of the Lord whom they serve and obey he answereth them and gives them more Grace more Strength more Power to rule over much because they are faithful in a little and this is the profiting by the Gift the Manifestation of the Spirit that is given to every Man to profit withal without which there is no profiting nor pleasing God And this Ministry that comes in the Name of the Lord but few will hear because he comes with the Sword of the Spirit to slay that Life that lives in the fleshly Lusts that wars against the Soul but they that do hear him that comes in the Name of the Lord they do hear the Lord who saith Hear and your Souls shall live that is who do obey the Voice of the Lord they receive Power to become the Sons of God but he that is not sent of God may have the Words but not having received the Word hath but his Dream and the Words to tell who comes in his own Name that is his own Power and Wisdom and the People being in the same hear him and receive his Doctrine because he spares their Life of Pleasure in the Flesh and makes them believe they shall receive a Life of Glory after Death and that is his Dream he tells for Money and so deceives the Soul and keeps it in Death serving the Lust and so the Sin yet perswading themselves by the Help of the Hireling that they serve the Lord But no Man saith Chrst can serve two Masters especially whose Wayes are so contrary one to the other and so being taught to confess him in Words but deny him in Deeds drawing nigh with their Mouthes but the Heart is after other Lovers these having at most but a Form of Godliness but denying the Power thereof These the Children of Truth deny and turn from therefore are hated and persecuted by them whose false Religion they deny who themselves shew it to be false by their persecuting Spirit that is of Cain for Cain's Spirit can bring forth no other but Cain's Religion that ist a Worship and Sacrifice that is out of the Truth that can never please God nor ever will but it ever pleased most Men and so it doth now but we can say The Lord forgive them they know not what they do and so we must drink of our Master's Cup and be baptized with his Sufferings and so suffering with him shall reign with him World without End Amen The MARKS of the FALSE CHVRCH or Whore that brings forth by an Evil Seed the cursed Birth that never could please God I. SHE is made up of such Members who walk in Darkness and love Darkness rather then Light because their Deeds are Evil For every one that doth Evil hateth the Light neither cometh to the Light Joh. 3.20 Therefore it is clear they that walk in Darkness are Evil-doers and Evil-doers are the Members of the false Church or Whore For if any that walk in Darkness say they are Members of the Church of Christ and have not Fellowship with him they lye and do not the Truth 1 John 1.6 And so all that cannot witness in Measure Darkness to be past are still in it and Children of it II. Such who have not received the Word grafted in them yet are professing the Words but will not come to the Word of Eternal Life that gave forth the Words and being astray from that Err not knowing the Scripture nor the Power of God being out of the Faith of God's Elect that overcomes the Word which Christ the Word is the Author and Finisher of and is a Mystery held in a pure Conscience and whosoever hath not this Faith the Gates of Hell will prevail against him and his House not being built upon this Rock Christ the Word of Life in the Day of Tryal will be overturned and great will be the Fall thereof but the Foundation of God for Salvation standeth sure that is the Ingrafted Word that is able to save the Soul that dwelt richly in the Children of God in all Ages and also in this Age who were the Houshould of Faith Members of the Church in God III. To be of a Faith or Belief that is not in the Unity of the Spirit of Life but of that which Man is Author and Finisher of which he hath made and formed in the House of his Imaginary of the Words and Confessions of the Saints in Light and Children of God that were in the Faith of that they confessed and witnessed and so in the Mystery that they which have only the Words of the History cannot see nor doth that reveal it to them IV. Professing Obedience to God and Christ in Words but living in the Disobedience of his Spirit and so in Works deny him doing the Things they ought not to do and leaving the Things undone that they ought to do these love not our Lord Jesus Christ but are in the World's Love which is selfish and Enmity to God from whence proceed the Lusts that war in the Members the Fruits of the Flesh and being in the Flesh cannot please God V. Are such whose Head is a visible Man without them who takes in and puts out in his own Will and Pleasure these chuse rather to obey Man then God and cannot suffer for Righteousness sake because their Head is not Christ the Righteousness of God VI. Such in whom the Unregenerate Nature bears Rule and the Seed of the Serpent is Head and the Government of Christ is not set up within but Death through the Lusts reigns and captivates the Soul under it that it lives not to God nor brings forth Fruit of Righteousness but is the Tree that cumbreth the Ground that will be hewn down and cast into the Fire VII Are such whose Weapons of their Warfare are not Spiritual but Carnal therefore the strong Holds of Satan are standing in them who are Aliens and Strangers from the New Covenant in which is no Fighter Killer Murtherer nor Envious Wicked Person but the New Creation is witnessed in which dwelleth Righteousness the Sword turned into a Plow-share and the Spear into a pruning Hook where War is learn'd no more VIII Such who despise and neglect the Gift of God the Light that shines in their Hearts the Manifestation of the Spirit that is given to every Man to profit withal without which none can please God nor worship him as I have said but are unprofitable Servants out of the Way of God in their own Way the Way of Sinners out of the Counsel of God's Spirit in the Counsel of the Ungodly Spirit out of the Way of Light Life in the Way of Death and Darkness dead to God but alive to the World and in the Wickedness thereof IX Such who are not turned to the Spirit of Truth in which God is worshipped cannot worship him but as Christ said Ye worship ye know not what such Worshippers are all that are astray
construed for the Purpose that is to spoil the Goods of those that cannot forsake the assembling of themselves together in the true Worship of God And some of you have procured Warrants to spoil the Goods of your Neighbours and some have spoiled them over and over and prosecuted those that would not spoil them Is this the Way to teach the People to Love their Neighbours as themselves and to do to all People as they would be done unto this is the Way indeed to manifest what Spirit you are of and so People may read your Father's Name in your Forehead 's whose Works do you do what Spirit leads you whether the Spirit of Cain that wicked One or the Spirit of Abel the Righteous One by your Fruits you are known Doth the Work of this Spirit confess that Christ is come in your Flesh that Righteous One or Anti-christ that Wicked One whom Christ is Consuming with Breath of his Mouth and the Brightness of his â—oming Was it ever known that a Minister of Christ was an Informer against Christian Meetings no it never was nor ever will be for such are not in the Doctrine of Christ but in the Practice of those the Scripture calls Wolves in Sheeps Cloathing but in this Work of Informing the Wolf only appears that comes to devour so that Spirit that preacheth for Hire is the same that spoils Men's Goods for Hire and he that takes Wages of Unrighteousness doth the Work of Unrighteousness Did not those that devoured Wiâ—dows Houses do the Work of Unrighteousness though for a Pretence made long Prayers and those were Enemies to Christ then and can they be Friends now no such are an ill Savour to God and a Stink in his Nostrils what have such to do to take his Name into their Mouthes who hate to be reformed by his Spirit and persecute those that are How many Souls are you guilty of the Blood of And how many Bodies have you cast into Prison till Death How many Widdows and Fatherless Children have you made in this Nation because they could not put into your Mouthes knowing what Spirit you were of and that the Lord never sent you as by your Fruits you have manifested to the View of the Nation and Thousands see you and will buy your Merchandize no more and if you cannot compel them by your Law then you make Merchandize and Spoil of their Goods But Wo is unto you that ever you were born because of the terrible Day that is coming upon you which you can no wayes escape but by coming out of her in whom is found all the Blood of the Saints and Martyrs and all that have been slain for the Testimony of Jesus upon the Earth For now the Everlasting Gospel is preaching that shall be preached to all Nations Tongues and Languages for the gathering of the Gentiles to their Light and Israel to the Hope of their Glory For to him shall the Gathering of the People be and the Gentiles shall walk in thy Light and Kings in the Brightness of thy Rising then thou shall see and shine thy Heart shall be astonished and enlarged because the Multitude of the Sea shall be converted unto thee and the Riches of the Gentiles shall come unto thee Isa 60.3.5 For the Lord shall be thy Everlasting Light and thy God thy Glory Ver. 19. Thy People also shall be all Righteous they shall possess the Land forever the Graft of my planting shall be the Work of mine Hands that I may be glorified a little One shall become a Thousand and a small One as a strong Nation I the Lord will hasten it in due Time And this is that Jerusalem prophesied of that should be a Burthensom Stone unto all Nations which is become a burthensome Stone in this Nation but all that burthen themselves with it shall be broken in Pieces by it and how many have been broken in Pieces by it that opposed it in this Nation and all that yet shall oppose it in this or any other Nation shall be broken in Pieces and confounded by it except they repent and be gathered into it for God is making his little One to become a Thousand and his small One a strong Nation and these are his holy Nation and peculiar People and spiritual Priesthood that are gathered out of the Flesh where none can please God into the Spirit of his Son where all walking do please him and these cannot please Men for the Gift that God hath given that Man is to receive if he please God the VVisdom of the Flesh did alwayes reject in all Ages and so it doth in this and it was a stumbling Stone and a Rock of Offence to the VVise and Prudent of this World among the Jews in that Age disallowed of Men but chosen of God elect and precious to those that believe both Jews and Gentiles in all Ages a tryed Corner-Stone the Power of God to all those that receive it who through Obedience of it become the Sons and Daughters of God And now I warn all in this Nation that profess Christianity to consider your Wayes whether you are entered in at the straight Gate and whether you walk in the narrow VVay that only leads to Life for out of it there is no Salvation And God is risen to overturn every false VVay in this the Day of his Power in which the VVay of the VVicked shall be turned upside down but the VVay of the Lord shall be exalted which as the Apostle saith Is the New and Living Way the New Covenant of Light to the Gentiles that is Israel's Hope of Glory which is Christ the Spirit of Truth and VVord of Life in Man that whosoever receives and walks in is of God and come out of the VVorld but he that receives it not is not past from Darkness but is under the Power of it in the VVorld that lyeth in VVickedness where God is not pleased but as many as have received the VVord in their Hearts and in it believe are grafted by Faith into Christ the Root the Vine and Power of Life the incorruptible Seed the Word of God that liveth and abideth for ever and because he liveth all in him are made alive to God again and these walk in him that is his Spirit that God the Father hath given to lead them into all Truth and out of him none can please God nor walk in his Truth and these be his Disciples in this Age that have received him the VVord and for the Obedience of him the World hates them as it doth him and now persecutes him in his Members as he said they would and we witness his Word fulfilled in us but in his Spirit we have Victory over the World and their Spirit because he that we have received the Word the Spirit of Truth in us is greater then he that is in in the World and that Spirit that is in the World is now making â—ar against the Spirit which
THE MARKS OF THE True Church THE Virgin Spouse of Christ that brings forth by a Holy Seed the Birth that pleaseth GOD. And the MARKS of the False Church or Whore that brings forth by an Evil Seed the Cursed Birth that never could please God Signified by a Voice from the Word of Life or a Certain Sound of the Trumpet that hath awakened Thousands that were asleep in the Night of thick Darkness and Apostacy who are come to the Judgment of the Truth that redeems out of BABYLON and brings to SION By which all are Summoned that are yet afar off to appear before and stand to the Judgment of the Ingrafted Word in their Hearts that by it they may know What they are joyned to By Morgan Watkins What know ye not that he which is joyned to an Harlot is one Body for two saith he shall be one Flesh But he that is joyned unto the Lord is one Spirit 1 Cor. 6.16 17. Printed in the Year 1675. The MARKS of the TRVE CHVRCH the Virgin and Spouse of Christ that brings forth by a Holy Seed the Birth that pleaseth God I. THey are such who are turned from Darkness unto Christ the true Light that shines in their Hearts who believe and walk in it and are turned from the Power of Satan unto the Power of God that they receive in Christ the Light to become his Sons having Redemption through his Blood the Forgiveness of Sin and Sanctification in and by that Life that is the Light of Men and made Partakers of the Inheritance of the Saints in Light II. Such who have received the Word in a Measure that spake in the Prophets by which they prophesied and was their Foundation which the Apostles were Ministers and Preachers of and was their Foundation which they turned the People to and they that believed it was their Foundation and they that believe and have received the Truth now it is their Foundation and the Rock in all Ages For other Foundation can no Man lay then that is laid which is Jesus Christ 1 Cor. 3.11 God's Foundation that he hath laid for the Salvation of every Man which is the Word grafted in them that is able to save the Souls of all that receive it Jam. 1.21 But they that reject it perish and are but the Chaff that the Wind blows to and fro III. Such who are in the Unity of the Spirit of Truth and the Righteousness which is of Faith that saith The Word is nigh thee in thy Mouth and in thy Heart that is the Word of Faith that Faith comes by the Hearing of and the Word which the Apostles preached Rom. 10.6 8. IV. Unfeigned Love to God and to the Brethren By this shall all Men know saith Christ that ye are my Disciples if ye have Love one to another John 13 35. V. Such who are born again of Incorruptible Seed by the Word of God which liveth and abideth forever 1 Pet. 1.23 And are renewed in the Spirit of their Minds being by one Spirit all baptized into one Body and have been all made to drink into one Spirit by which they are quickned into one Life which is the Flesh and Blood of Christ that comes down from Heaven the Children's Bread as Christ saith He that eateth me even he shall live by me John 6.57 And this is the Life that brings forth Fruit of Righteousness and Birth of God that overcomes the World and is made manifest to that of God in every Man's Conscience VI. Such who make a good Confession by giving up themselves to suffer for the Righteousness sake of the Kingdom of God and do not deny him before Men by a subjecting to their Wills against the Requirings of the Spirit of God but are made willing to drink of the Cup and be baptized with the Baptism their Lord and Master was baptized with patiently taking up his Cross contentedly bearing his Reproach and continuing faithful to the Death VII Humility and self Denyal hating Covetousness Pricle and the Pomp vain Glory and Honour of this World having the Faith of our Lord Jesus Christ without Respect of Persons Not having Mens Persons in Admiration because of Advantage but doing Good unto all especially to the Houshould of Faith Visiting the Sick and Imprisoned for Righteousness sake the Fatherless and Widdows in their Affliction keeping themselves unsported from the World Jam. 1.27 VIII Such who are Witnesses of the Spirit 's Confession that Christ is come in the Flesh and hath condemned Sin in it in the Hour of his Judgment that the Body of Sin might be destroyed by him that is come and received To take away the Sin and bring in the perfect Righteousness that being crucified with him and so suffering with him in the Flesh dying with him that is by the Strength of his Power that overcomes Sin and Death we come to be raised up with him by the Power that raised him up and so come to live to God by him and in him and no more to the Lusts of the Flesh but to the Obedience of the Spirit and Power that gives us Victory over Death and raiseth the Soul to Life by the quickning Spirit that gives us a Will Desire Hunger Power and Strength to live to the Good Will and Pleasure of our unutterable good and gracious God of whose Mercy and Goodness some feel more then Tongue of Man can declare and God is Witness such would that all Men might feel the same and God is hastening his Work that Thousands of Thousands may feel it and sing of it in the Glory of his Presence for evermore Amen IX Such who in their Measures witness the Reign of Sin and Death put down in them with all its great Power and Authority by which it reigned from Adam until Moses and doth still in all that have not received the free Gift of Righteousness in which is God's Power revealed and such are pleading for the Reign and Law of Sin and for the Body of Sin to live in them till they dye because they are under its Reign But as I have said The Members of the True Church witness him come whose Right it is to reign in them who having received him the Gift of God hath and is putting down all Authority and all Rule that is not of God nor ought to reign and rule in Man so casts out the Strong Man and spoils all his Goods And these know him in them mark that greater then he that is in the World who hath cast out the Prince of the World and reigns over Death and Hell And these are not looking for the Kingdom of Heaven to come with Outward Observations as the Hypocrites did of old and still do who look for the Reign of a Person without them and know not that Hell and Death reigns in them which some of late did know to their Sorrow that others might be warned who see not him that is invisible to the Carnal Eye
from the Spirit of Truth who are all false from the rising of the Sun to the going down of the same for being out of the Spirit out of the Truth for the Spirit is Truth X. Such whose Principle and Belief is That the Ministerial Offices in the Church of Christ are intailed to a Succession of Persons chosen in the Will of Man as if Man were to send forth Labourers into the Lord's Vineyard and the Lord engaged to accept their Choice of such saith the Lord I have not sent these Prophets yet they ran Jer. 23.21 It is the Lord of the Harvest as I have said that is to send forth Labourers into his Harvest and Man to accept the Lord's Choice because they come in his Name and the Apostles prayed and said Thou Lord which knowest the Hearts of all Men shew whether of these two thou hast chosen So the Chosen of God will receive none but the Lord's Choice XI Such who have a Form of Godliness but denying the Power thereof ever learning of the Hireling that will ever be paid for Teaching but never able to bring them to the Knowledge of the Truth because he himself is astray from that which gives the Infallible Knowledge of it XII Such who persecute and destroy Mens Lives for their Religion thus did Cain who was of that Wicked One and all that do so are of him still for he that doth not Righteousness but hateth his Brother is manifest to be a Child of the Devil 1 John 3.10 And it was ever from the Beginning the Unrighteous persecuted the Righteous and to be persecuted for Righteousness sake was ever an Infallible Mark of God's Children and to persecute for Righteousness sake was ever an Infallible Mark of the Children of the Wicked One Let none mistake me I do not say that all that are persecuted are the Children of God for Men have suffered and may be persecuted and not for the Righteousness sake of God's Kingdom but for their own Righteousness sake who in their blind Zeal and Self-Will are labouring to set up their Idol or false Way in Opposition to others and others in the same opposing them and here is one in the Beastly Nature and Will pushing at another in the same and they that can get most Power and Strength in the Earth they tear and devour the others And if a Man give his Body to be burnt and all his Goods to the Poor and yet may not be accepted of God for the Life of all true Religion is Love for God is Love and where that is wanting Though a Man may speak with the Tongue of Men and Angels 't is all but as sounding Brass or a tinckling Cymbal for indeed pure Religion springs from the Nature Vertue and Operation of the pure Spirit of God brought forth in that Man that hath received it and denyes his own Will that the Will of the Divine Nature may be done which is come to be done in Earth as it is in Heaven and that is the Kingdom that all Men are required to seek which whosoever receives not as a little Child can by no Means enter into it And blessed are all those that having received it do suffer for its Righteousness sake And it was ever and still is the greatest Blindness and Ignorance among the Sons of Men to believe or think that pure Religion is to be forced into by Persecution for this I declare They that are of that Judgment never knew what pure Religion was but those that will have People to come to pure Religion must let the Light and Glory of their Religion shine forth before Men that God's Works in them may be seen to others that is to do Good before all and to all even as the Son of God did upon Earth in his own Body and now doth the same by his Spirit in the Bodies of those that receive him He that saith he abideth in him ought himself also to walk even as he walked 1 Joh. 2.6 For all such that think they ought to compel People to their Religion because they think it is true must also judge that their Spirit is Infallible for if it may fail then it ought not to be a Rule to the Souls of ohers nor a Judge of another Man's Faith or Religion nor of the Things of God but the Truth is where any Force or Compulsion is put upon the Consciences of Men that is an Infallible Sign of a Fallible and Anti-christian Spirit for the Infallible Spirit of God in the Holy Men left no such Rule nor Example but commanded the contrary saying Let every Man be fully perswaded or fully assured in his own Mind Rom. 14.5 Again saith So then every one of us shall give an Account of himself to God Ver. 12. For in this Case saith Paul Hast thou Faith have it to thy self Then what hath any Man to do to Lord it over another Man's Faith seeing he that doubteth is damned that is condemned in himself because not done in Faith it is Sin And now you blind Hypocrites that would compel all to fall down to your Idol or Image of Heavenly Things can you give Men Faith to believe your Image hath Life if not do not you compel Men to sin against their Consciences seeing what is not of Faith is Sin Rom. 14.23 And the Devil is the Author of all Sin and all Persecutors for Righteousness sake are his Subjects in whom the Man of Sin is unrevealed who opposeth and exalteth himself above all that is called God or that is worshipped so that he as God mark that 's he that would rule over Men's Consciences sitteth in tqe Temple of God shewing himself that he is God that is by taking that Power to himself that God never gave to any Man that is to force or compel People to any Worship that is not of Faith that is Sin and God that made Heaven and Earth is not the Author of Sin but it is the Man of Sin whom the Lord of Life is Consuming with the Spirit of his Mouth and destroying with the Brightness of his Coming 2 Thes 2.3 8. Objection But some may say Did not Christ in the Parable say Compel them to come in Answer Blessed be the Lord many do witness that Compulsion which is not Outward Force that are come into his House and that is by the Power of his Love wherein he invites the Poor who receive the Gospel that hath constrained us to deny our selves and take up his Daily Cross and follow him for the Truth is to be received in the Love of it and then it overcomes the Enmity of the Fleshly Will and covers with the Spirit and Life the Wedding-Garment that the Heavenly Guests at God's Feast have put on that no Persecutor ever knew on himself nor can be put it upon another So they that compel and they that are thus compelled are both without a Wedding-Garment and not meet for the Marriage Feast And